Much like Charles Bradley and Ozzy Osbourne, Altoona is going through changes. This year, the city released an amendment to their 2014 Comprehensive Plan that would put in infrastructure to “recognize the potential growth of the community and propose key concepts to be followed as community growth and change occur.” Among many other measures, the […]
Central Iowa
Posted inCentral Iowa
Forced to downsize, Sweet Tooth Farm focuses on self-care: ‘We can come back stronger’
In the summer of 2021, Monika Owczarski was informed by the City of Des Moines that the land she was leasing for her urban farm, Sweet Tooth Farm, would no longer be rented to her. Owczarski was devastated. On these two plots of land, she had been able to grow a little over an acre […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Review: The return of 80/35 this weekend was just what the doctor ordered
If Des Moines seemed to be asleep these past few years, it certainly woke back up this past weekend as 80/35 Music Festival returned for the first time since 2019. Maybe it was the large variety of food vendors or the diverse lineup. Maybe it was the tie-dyed Kum and Go bucket hats or the […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Clive Library joins the list of fine-free public libraries in Iowa
If you’re an avid library-goer, you may have noticed a change in the way your favorite library is collecting (or not collecting) late fees recently. Following a resolution passed by the American Library Association on Jan. 27, 2019, public libraries across the country have been eliminating their fines to remove economic barriers and hopefully, increase […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Five questions with: Basket maker Ibechaobi Leishangthem
Ibechaobi Leishangthem (Ibe to her friends) moved into her house in Grimes with her family in October of 2020. In the middle of the pandemic, the Manipur, India native was looking for something to do that would also make their new house feel a little more like home. So she turned to basket-making. Not long […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
‘We never do anything remarkable just for ourselves’: ‘Buffalo Women’ opens on Juneteenth
Three minutes to curtain on June 19, 2022, the Kate Goldman Theatre at the Des Moines Playhouse was mostly full. The blackbox was decked in a sparse yet effective smattering of western themed set pieces and there was an excited hum emanating from the audience about what was to come. Buffalo Women, which was produced […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Ride your toad into battle: The Rook Room encourages adults to play games, get creative
Because of their similar sounding surnames, their shared love of board games and their charming banter, Annelise Tarnowski and Tony Tandeski almost seem like siblings. But the pair of best friends met while volunteering for the Drake Alumni Board. It was there they realized that they had a lot more in common. “After most meetings, […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Oh Say, Can You Sing? Competition is open for submissions
Audition slots are open for the Oh Say, Can You Sing? Competition hosted by the Yankee Doodle Pops. Every year, singers from across the state enter to sing the National Anthem with the Des Moines Symphony during the concert. This year’s Pops concert will be on Friday, July 1 at 8:30 p.m. on the West […]
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Six Central Iowa podcasts to spice up your drive
There’s a good chance you’ve dipped a toe or two into the world of podcasting. Whether you record them or just listen, podcasts are an increasingly common way to get and spread information (or daily true crime content, no judgement either way.) If you’re looking to enhance your commute with a podcast recorded a little […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Photo Gallery: Gamers, comic fans and Klingons gather for Des Moines Con 2022
The line to enter Des Moines Con snaked around the first floor of the Iowa Events Center on Saturday morning as cosplayers and con-goers came from near and far to attend the convention’s first year. Inside Hy-Vee Hall, attendees could purchase trading cards, comic books and artwork sold by vendors, as well as […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Expect ‘nerdy flea market meets circus’ at the first Des Moines Con this weekend
Des Moines Con, a self-described “celebration of comics, toys, TV, film, art, cosplay, anime, games and all things nerdy!” takes place this weekend at Hy-Vee Hall. While the convention is coming to Des Moines for the first time this year, its presenter, Nerd Street, isn’t new to cons. Since the company’s formation in 2011, it […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Photo Gallery: Downtown Des Moines Reproductive Rights “Abort the State” Protest
Hundreds of people gathered at Cowles Common in downtown Des Moines on Wednesday night to protest in response to the leaked draft of a U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and declaring there is legal protection for abortion provided by the U.S. Constitution, regardless of circumstances. The “Abort the State” protest was organized […]
