Adding Mason City to the IWC Map
...your Flipside edition rocks this week
Here’s the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Flipside Edition, featuring personal essays, stories from musicians, dining critics, travel aficionados, and a touch of light-hearted political comedy (serious political commentary can be found in the Sunday Roundup, without fail.
Mason City, c’mon down!
Meet Lisa Grouette — North Iowa’s Newest Dot on the Map
Please welcome Lisa Grouette, a journalist and photographer deeply rooted in Mason City, to the Iowa Writers' Collaborative. A lifelong North Iowan, Lisa brings with her not only a reporter’s instinct and an award-winning newsroom track record, but also an artist’s eye through her work with Astoria Photography.
Lisa’s journalism journey began young — as photo editor of her college paper — and though life threw her a curveball that paused her formal studies, she never lost her passion for storytelling. After a decade in insurance and freelance photography, she re-entered journalism in 2016 at the Globe Gazette and quickly climbed the ranks. She covered everything from crime and courts to local government chaos, eventually becoming local news editor in a newsroom she helped lead to award-winning excellence.
Earlier this year, her newsroom role was eliminated — but Lisa isn’t going anywhere. She’s now doubling down on her commitment to local storytelling, launching into feature writing, column work, and the kind of public accountability reporting that keeps communities informed (and power on its toes).
Please join us in celebrating Lisa’s arrival — a talented, tough, and thoughtful voice from the northern tier of Iowa who reminds us why local journalism matters.
Oh, yeah, and a paid subscription to Lisa’s new column would sure come in handy.
Music
Kathryn Severing Fox – From a 30-day writing challenge to a lifelong creative rhythm, Kathryn Severing Fox shares the song, spirit, and soul behind her daily practice—reminding us all to love who we are, right now.
Read here
Maxwell Schaefer – After years of keeping his original songs private, Maxwell is finally stepping out to share the music that shaped his life, reflecting on creative hesitation and why it’s never too late to open the door to your own artistry.
Read here
Chip Albright – At the heart of the choir, the mission remains strong: to build bridges across diverse people through music. Passion & Purpose.
Read here
Local Theater
Kyle Munson – The Lazy Show premieres this weekend in Iowa as a musical extolling the virtues of laziness. Kyle Munson writes about the idiosyncratic career of creator Fred Gratzon.
Read here
Around Iowa (features about places and things)
Rick Morain – With wit, wisdom, and a lifetime in small-town journalism, Rick Morain launches Cogitations of an Old Codger 3.0—a multigenerational column steeped in Iowa roots and thoughtful reflections.
Read here
Kurtis Meyer – When a friend recently shared a logbook written by a North Iowa pioneer, it was just too good not to share. Usually a half-dozen words a day. (Oh, the restraint!)
Read here
Political Comedy
Romen Borsellino – The WHCA dinner is usually one of my favorite programs of the year. I skipped it on Saturday.
Read here
Personal Growth & Professional Development
Julie Gammack – From pot-banging protests to pastel sailboats, Julie Gammack explores the gut-punch of job loss—and the liberating, zigzagging art of reinvention in a world that won’t stop changing.
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Taylor Decker – Where were you on April 29?
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World Affairs
Jason Walsmith – Back to School is not just a Rodney Dangerfield movie from the 1980s.
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Lea Donovan – At the passing and funeral of Pope Francis.
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Entertainment & Travel
John Naughton – John Naughton traveled to Massachusetts to join thousands commemorating the start of the American Revolutionary War. The road through Lexington and Concord began 250 years ago.
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David Thoreson – Part Three - Chasing Dreams in the Pacific: Crossing an ocean wilderness with a climber turned sailor. Live from the Pacific Ocean!!!
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Jeff Morrison – Jeff Morrison continues the recap of his 2015 circumnavigation of Iowa with the eastern half of the southern border, Lamoni to Keokuk.
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Marianne Fons - Our Quiltropolitan takes us with her to New York City.
Strictly Personal
Christie Vilsack – In Common Ground: Dolly and the Pope, a deeply personal reflection weaves together faith, family, and forgiveness through the story of a remarkable mother-in-law whose quiet strength and devotion left a lasting legacy.
Read here
Sports
Tory Brecht – Blue skies and baseball at Duane Banks Field as the upstart Iowa Hawkeyes dominate the Big 10.
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Spiritual
Mary Swander (Emerging Voices) – What does it mean to connect with wildlife on a spiritual level? Robin Montgomery Kennedy encounters a red-tailed hawk, transforming itself into a new vision of reality.
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Food & Dining
Connie Taylor – Baking With Rhubarb From Grandma's Garden.
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Human Interest (interviews)
Beth Hoffman – At the Iowa Farm Table dives into Rob Faux’s shocking story of being “drenched in chemicals” and what new “pesticide immunity” laws could mean for us all.
Read here
Vicki Minor – Chip Albright: Weaving Stories Through Song
Read here
Humor
Vicki Minor – Historic Steps to Enlightenment
Read here
We get Letters
Letters from Iowans – Gordie Felger criticizes the state’s ban on counties and cities providing supplemental income programs.
Read here
Travel
Wini Moranville – Wini Moranville thinks she might have found Iowa's most genuine travel destination. She's fascinated by the Hotel Manning and environs.
Read here
Religion
Dan Henderson – Why are Iowans becoming less religious despite the political influence of evangelicals? Dan Henderson explores the unintended consequences of the merger of conservative Christianity with the MAGA movement.
Read here
Strictly Personal
blends a Cape Cod coming-of-age moment with present-day political urgency, offering a personal, powerful meditation on fear, music, and what it means to truly meet the moment. From solo swims to protest playlists, this is a rallying cry for those still standing at the edge, wondering if they should jump in.
Did you miss the Sunday Roundup?
Grassley's Candid Comment about Hegseth, Is Democracy Unraveling? Bagels, Baby Goats, the Pope and more
Welcome to our new subscribers. The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative publishes two editions. This is the Sunday Roundup of columns, featuring news, politics, and policy commentary. The Flipside edition co…
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