Local Theater, Sea Stories, Personal - VERY Personal - Essays
...another Caitlin Clark book, a real life ghost story, Fair season, Justice, and miracles
Click on these links to go to sections of this Flipside Roundup. Politics and Policy topics are typically found in the Sunday Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roundup.
Around Iowa…Entertainment & Travel…Weather and Environment…Food & Dining…Humor…Sports…Human Interest Interviews…Strictly Personal…Diversity in the Heartland…Religion…Justice…Music…Humor…Business…Political Comedy…Personal Growth…Party With Us
Local Theater
Jeff Morrison: "One Stoplight Town" wasn't written specifically for Toledo, but the play about people in a small town fits well. Residents of the Tama-Toledo area put on a performance last week. Read more
Maxwell Schaeffer: There’s still time to catch this performance at the Playhouse. Here’s what goes on behind the scenes. Read more
Maxwell takes readers behind the scenes.
Around Iowa
Connie Taylor: How many new foods will you find at the 2025 Iowa State Fair? Which will land in the top eleven? And which of those will then become part of the top three, vying for that coveted Best New Food at the Fair Award? Read Connie's story to find out…. Read more
Darcy Maulsby: Showing livestock at the fair has become a whole lot more inclusive. One of the best new fair traditions in Iowa is going to make you smile! Read more
Pat Kinney: The grandchildren of a sailor who served with Waterloo's ill-fated five Sullivan brothers during World War II visited the brothers' namesake museum this week -- and counted their own family's good fortune. Read more
Marianne Fons: Nonquilters are invited to join quilters in Knoxville August 7 to sit and sew for those less fortunate. Read more
Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson visited the "world's largest kitchen" and "world's largest neighborhood bar" within a matter of days in Iowa. See why filmgoers are gorging on a new documentary titled "Pieowa," and raise a glass to a sports journalist so beloved that his memorial was held at the ballpark. Read more
Photos from Kyle Munson's column
Entertainment & Travel
Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury has a guest column from CJ Petersen on his experiences at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Read more
Jason Walsmith: The magic of attending and performing house concerts Read more
John Naughton: "Jaws" was released 50 years ago in theaters. John Naughton revisits the water to tell you what still makes it a great film. Read more
Weather and Environment
Larry Stone: Larry Stone laments the loss of June's GREEN due to herbicide spraying that has left brown belts along some Iowa roadsides. "Upcoming program: Whitetail: Treasure, Trophy, or Trouble — A History of Deer in Iowa. Tuesday, July 29, Newton Public Library. Free. Sponsored by Humanities Iowa" Read more
Food & Dining
Connie Taylor: When life — or your daughter — give you lemons, Connie suggests that you make these lemon bars! Read more
Wini Moranville: So, how's Jesse's Embers holding up since the new owners took over the circa-1963 mainstay last spring? As always, Wini Moranville offers her candid insights. Read more
Humor
Daniel P. Finney: Need a summer boom recommendation? Finney’s 5 has you covered with this overlooked titles, from Daniel P. Finney Read more
Daniel P. Finney: Modern journalism is lists and Finney’s 5 crack team of investigative reporters has assemble the essential list: The greatest Alfreds of all time, by Daniel P. Finney Read more
Vicki Minor: Fair Enough Read more
Sports
Jane Burns: A new book, "Becoming Caitlin Clark," puts basketball star’s success in the context of the sport’s history in Iowa. A chat with author Howard Megdal. Read more
Phoebe Wall Howard: Miracle rescue after storm tosses sailor overboard during 101st Bayview Mackinac Race Read more
Phoebe Wall Howard: Storm gust backflips sailor off boat during 101st Bayview Mackinac Race Read more
Human Interest
Phoebe Wall Howard: Sailors on a race course get caught in a storm and hoist a crew member up the mast, not only not losing but actually placing first. Read more
Phoebe Wall Howard: A father explains how his daughter changes his behavior on a race boat and credits her for a huge victory in a long-distance sailboat race. Read more
Julie Gammack: Emmy-nominated former Iowan shares her journey of persistence that lead to her Hollywood success. Read more
Strictly Personal
Christie Vilsack: Christie Vilsack celebrate NASA's Apollo 11 moon shot and how it has inspired generations of Americans to excel in science, space exploration and the arts. Read more
Lisa Grouette: Lisa Grouette talks about her path to journalism and how some things are just meant to be. Read more
Diversity in the Heartland
Ty Rushing: The Trump administration policies have Latino communities across the country living in fear. Here's what Iowan learned from his California in-laws, both of whom are Mexican immigrants, during a recent visit to the West Coast. Read more
Religion
Dan Henderson: Kristie Noem, former governor of South Dakota and now Secretary of Homeland Security, is bringing her own brand of Christian Nationalist influence into public policy. The results are disastrous for both national security and the Christian faith. Melding religious language with public policy distorts both. Read more
Justice and Law
Lynn Hicks: Is the death penalty coming back to life? Executions have surged this year, and a Trump executive order aims to make capital punishment great again. Read more
Music
Chip Albright: Consolidation and conformity are the enemies of independence, but we still have the power to choose the road less traveled when we seek it. Read more
Maxwell Schaefer: In his episode of Maxwell’s Iowa CoffeeCast, Maxwell sat down with Iowa Singer-Songwriter, Chip Albright, to explore his gigging journey and the emotional impact of his songs. From playing in a small-town church to releasing a 25-track album, Chip shares what it means to connect with people through story-driven original songs. Read more
Kathryn Severing Fox: In “The Milwaukee Apartment,” a summer babysitting gig with my niece and her calm pup spirals into a spine-chilling showdown with a dark presence—so petrifying that only a sacrificial chicken housewarming could cleanse the haunted second‑floor flat. Read more
Business
Tej Dhawan: Writing about a startup nearly 15 years after its demise blends feelings with details. This guest post by Erin Rollenhagen shares the excitement of starting a company, the slog of building and selling it, the sparks of hope at some successes, and the utter exhaustion that led to shutting it down. Read more
Political Comedy
Joan Zwagerman: Jared and Ivanka bought an Albanian Island, and it made me think of an old TV show. Don't ask me why. Read more
Personal Growth & Professional Development
Lea Donovan: You cain't ... always get ... what you wa-aant Read more
Julie Gammack: Moods have a lot to do with how we react to life. Read more
We’re Having a Party
The Iowa Writers Collaborative is throwing an event in Winterset on July 26. Paid subscribers of any of the members, including those paid subscribers of this newsletter—thank you for supporting my writing, are invited to attend at no cost. To register, click on this RSVP form.
Saturday, July 26
3 to 5 pm: private screening of "Storm Lake" documentary film at the Iowa Theater, free to all PAID subscribers (of any IWC member), followed by Q&A with guest of honor
, moderated by , , and . Free popcorn, paid concessions. (Subscriber guests can attend for $20.)5:30 to 7 pm: Robust appetizers with a cash bar will be served at The Winterset Livery (an event space once a horse livery, just off the square), which is open free to paid subscribers. Non-paid subscribers who paid to attend the movie are also welcome to attend the after-party.
Come! We have a terrific community and want you all to meet one another!
Please consider sharing this post and upgrading to a paid subscription if you can afford it.