Reducing the size of the Iowa State Historical Building is absurd

Duffy’s so great! He’s right on about the dismantling of the State Historical Building and Library in Des Moines (Duffy’s View, April 14). His suggestion to throw out the Department of Cultural Affairs could be the answer. A historical building is only as good as its collection. If it does not have an adequate staff of professionals to collect, catalogue, conserve, archive and curate the collection, or the funds to repair the building, the history it holds will vanish. The Iowa State Historical Building needs help — and soon. To be reduced in size to create a visitor/entertainment center is absurd.

Mary Togoman

Des Moines

Downtown auto dealers story

I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this story and all the info Jeff Pitts provided in the downtown auto dealers story (“Downtown Auto Dealers,” April 14). One story I knew about was the Duesenburg brothers and how they were from Des Moines, as I did some work in their old house where the owners had told me they had proof the brothers actually built one of their cars at least partially in the basement garage.  I moved to Des Moines in 1999 and appreciate hearing the automotive history here. I will probably keep this story in a binder or post it on a wall in my man cave.

Rick Holland

Des Moines

Enjoyed Morrison tribute

Nice tribute to Paul Morrison by Jim Duncan (“Mr. Drake,” April 21). Surely one of the many friends Morrison laments having outlived as he nears the ripe old age of 99 is Duncan’s esteemed dad, Jim Duncan Sr., for whom the famed blue oval at Drake is named and whose legendary, inimitable voice will echo at Drake forever.

Mike Wellman

Des Moines

Political predictions

I enjoyed “Political Mercury predictions” (April 21) and would like to offer some of my own as a non-affiliated novice political Nostradamus.

1. Donald Trump buys the nomination by paying off Rubio’s student loans in exchange for his delegates and makes the Republican National Committee (RNC) pay for it by accepting money from its war chest.
2. Trump chooses Bernie Saunders as his running mate as a means to heal a divided electorate without having to choose either a Republican or a Democrat.
3. Hillary Clinton chooses Bill Clinton as her running mate to try to attract the women voters and to attempt to improve her likability rating with working mothers and everyone else of every age group.
4. Trump wins. Bernie retires. No replacement vice president is named until 2020 election.
5. Hillary and Bill live happily ever after in Little Rock, Arkansas.
6. Nothing really changes except the size of the national debt.

Mike Rowley

Clive

Correction: In our April 21 cover story (“Mr. Drake”), the name of the photographer who won the Pulitzer Prize was John Robinson, not John Patterson. We apologize for the error.