The DNC convention highlights, DSM settles a lawsuit with a journalist, and The Everly Brothers
...from the Iowa angle
National Politics….DNC Convention….Iowa Politics….Around Iowa….Sports….Dining and Entertainment…....Weather…..Humor……Poetry….Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roster
To our new subscribers: words highlighted in green are links to the author or column they posted this week. In today’s Roundup, you will find commentary, news, and feature stories you will not find elsewhere. These are important stories. Please help us reach others by sharing this compilation of work by talented Iowa writers.
The Cost of Injustice
Rekha Basu’s friend Ted Nieters just won a $100,000 settlement from the city of Des Moines over his arrest as a photojournalist. She writes that it's time to change DMPD culture and practices, and the upcoming appointment of a new police chief is a great opportunity to press for that.
National Politics
Iowa Writers’ Collaborative political analysts have created a podcast to discuss the 2024 election and its impact on Iowa’s ‘down ballot’ races. It’s a must-listen for political junkies who care about the state. Dave Price is the moderator, with panelists Laura Belin, Dave Busiek, Art Cullen, Kathie Obradovich, Julie Gammack, Robert Leonard.
Douglas Burns revisits the book that made J.D. Vance famous and raises many questions.
Art Cullen notices something missing and shifting around his community in northwest Iowa. Here’s his piece this week: Trump’s flag goes limp in dog days of summer.
Steph C has reached her limit on people asking her to "prove" her support for Kamala Harris. She flips the issue on its head and asks, "Why Donald Trump?"
Arnold Garson offers thoughtful context about current events: Joe Biden did something that at least seven other presidents should have done but didn't. It's a bit of a history lesson, but the real message here is for the future: Presidents need to hold the position above themselves.
Ed Tibbetts tackles Brenna Bird’s meddling in voter suppression efforts in other states.
From Dennis Goldford - In addition to the political fault lines of race, religion, education, class, and gender, a geographical fault line has characterized American politics since the Civil War.
DNC Convention
Laura Belin shared her take on the top ten moments of the 2024 DNC.
Julie Gammack penned a tribute to Gus Walz, son of VP candidate Governor Tim Walz.
The DNC convention was great, but Dave Busiek on Media says the program ran too long. He shows how local TV news producers put on live programs that end on time every day.
Robert Leonard shares his thoughts on the Democratic National Convention in "Iowan C.J. Peterson at the DNC Honors the Americans with Disabilities Act" at Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture.
Douglas Burns asked his friend Marcia Rogers to write a first-person account of attending the convention, and her first story popped up while she was standing in line to enter the convention venue.
Even John Naughton adds a bit of flair to our DNC Convention coverage.
Barry Piatt, writing from Washington, DC, provides an eye-opening peek “behind the curtains” as he reveals what politicians do to avoid answering your questions. It’s a timely and insightful story as public officials and candidates hit the campaign trail for the November elections. Read more in “Barry Piatt on Politics: Behind the Curtains.”
Mary Swander’s Emerging Voices guest columnist Aidan Yoder walked over a hundred miles to protest the war in Gaza. Why? Learn about his motivation and commitment in "A Peace March for Palestine."
Iowa Politics
Chris Jones slams Iowa Democrats for what he calls pandering to agribusiness.
Iowans who believed retaliation was wrong when opponents of same-sex marriage removed Supreme Court Justices Marsha Ternus, David Baker, and Michael Streit should not be rationalizing now why retribution against Justice David May is somehow different because he supported Iowa’s near-total ban on abortion, Randy Evans writes.
Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks discussed the end of an abortion-related lawsuit, the beginning of a summer food fight, news from Iowa's Congressional races, and the record number of LGBTQ candidates running for the state legislature.
Around Iowa
Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger takes us to Shenandoah, the hometown he shares with Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famers, the Everly Brothers. He's always been curious how, and if, the hometown newspaper covered the Everlys rocketing to fame in 1957. He's finding some gems in the paper's many stories.
Marianne Fons "Reporting from Quiltropolis," describes her daughter Mary Fons' journey from "meh" on quilts to full embrasure.
A military party juice that is exclusive to only the soldiers. Taylor Deckert made a special trip as a guest to an Iowa National Guard event in Des Moines and is spilling the tea on a time and true tradition for soldiers across the country.
Pat Kinney highlights a story about a Waterloo couple who addresses a national UAW vets conference.
Ruth Harkin was the featured guest on Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck. She has a book of essays published and to be released on September 5: When My Husband Ran for President and Other Short Stories.
Weather
Chris Gloninger 2024 Sets Record for Number of Tornadoes in Iowa.
From Tory Brecht: Researchers at the University of Iowa are in the early stages of exploring how so-called "15 Minute Cities" concepts could improve the lives of Iowans while putting less stress on the environment.
Sports
The Paralympic Games begin next week, and there will be a decidedly purple-and-gold look to the red, white, and blue. Jane Burns introduces us to three Northern Iowa athletes who will compete in Paris for Team USA, including one who will be cheered on by rapper Flavor Flav
.
Cheryl Tevis also highlights an Iowa angle to the Paralympics.
Dining, Books, Travel, and Entertainment
Wini Moranville reported on Arcadia, a new restaurant opening in Polk City, and Dinner Delights, a pre-order kitchen in Beaverdale. She also had some sad news about a visionary urban gardener.
Grief, family, and narrative all come together in Amy Putney-Koenig's new book, "The Art of Family Tragedy and How to Be Amazing Anyway." She speaks with Macey Shofroth in this week's Midwest Creative.
Mary Swander announces the fall tour of her play Squatters on Red Earth, a drama about the positive relationship between the Amana Inspirationists and the Meskwakis during the early white settlement land grab.
It’s Personal
Rob Gray is facing the empty nest syndrome as his oldest daughter heads to ISU.
Three grandkids, six days = Kurtis Meyer’s Camp Tranquility.
Dave Price leads his weekly column with a frightening family story.
Humor
Fern Kupfer and Joe Geha talk about weirdness and Fern's conspiracy theory.
Relatively Minor, Vicki Minor writes about the possibility of artificially intelligent weather warnings.
Paragraph Stacker Daniel P. Finney wonders what astronauts stuck on the space station tell their families (Coming Sunday afternoon).
Poetry
Game on! Suzanna de Baca offers a news response poem called "To Have Arrived at This Moment." It may be about football -- or maybe something else.
Question for our readers: Do you tip waiters and waitresses who serve you meals?
We ask this question because Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members serve you their work every week at no charge because they want readers to have access. This doesn’t mean Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members are independently wealthy or have grants that support this work. The only payment received for this effort is from readers. That’s it.
Please identify five members whose content you enjoy and then become paid subscribers - but only if you can afford to do so.
This support makes a difference.
Also, we would appreciate it if you would make a one-time contribution to this Roundup effort. But if your funds are limited, make supporting the columnists a priority. Thanks from the IWC team.
I'm surprised the Everlys grew up in Iowa, considering their family roots were in Kentucky.