This is a season for remembrance. On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, finally ending World War Two in Europe. The beginning of the end took place nearly a year earlier, on June 6, 1944, when the Allies debouched their immense D-Day invasion force onto the beaches of Normandy. And last Monday, May 29, was Memorial Day, when we honor the departed, with special thought and gratitude to those who sacrificed everything on the path to victory. Their gift to America is incalculable. But how America equipped them for the fight—that’s calculable, and boy, was it astoundin ..read more

From Iowa’s cultural epicenter, MainFrame Studios at 900 Keosauqua Way in Des Moines, comes your Listener-supported Community Voice, the Award-Winning independent radio station, KFMG-LP 98.9 FM (streaming simultaneously at www.kfmg.org), bringing you music, literature & cultural content. – John Busbee for The Culture Buzz The Culture Buzz Podcast Library – https://archive.org/details/@the_culture_buzz 2014 Iowa Governor’s Award for Partnership & Collaboration in the Arts 2015 Iowa History Award for published magazine story, “Last Full Measur ..read more

With a country built on a diverse population, the United States and immigration go hand in hand — and that includes Iowa. Even while located in the middle of the country, almost as far away from the coasts as possible, diverse communities are present in the Hawkeye state, including Des Moines. A myriad of factors have caused those from various walks of life around the globe to immigrate to Des Moines. Wars, civil unrest and persecution have forced individuals out of their home countries in search of safety. Others seek better opportunities and a better life for their families in search of the ..read more

Times are changing in the workplace. Overall, young people are less eager to join the labor market than previous generations, particularly since COVID shutdowns. Many companies are turning to retired, part-time workers because they say they have a more serious work ethic. Traditional first jobs for young people, like shoveling snow or mowing lawns, are now often done by big service companies.  The restaurant business particularly has been affected because, in Iowa, more than a third of all people experienced their first jobs in that industry and more than half have worked there. This ..read more

The Windsor Heights Chamber of Commerce, which formed in 2004 and currently has 58 members listed on its website, merged operations with the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce, which formed in 1962 and has approximately 750 members. This merger, which took effect June 1, “will now represent more than 800 businesses while still maintaining unique identities,” says Tiffany Menke, president of the Urbandale Chamber. The merger was formed following the unanimous approval by the Board of Directors from both chambers. The newly merged organization will operate from the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce offic ..read more

Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606 – 1669). “Self-Portrait in Velvet Cap and Plume,” 1638. Etching on paper, 5 1/4 × 4 inches. Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Purchased with funds from the Edmundson Art Foundation, Inc., 1950.137 The Des Moines Art Center’s Print Gallery is an underappreciated gem. Almost every show provides great lessons in history, culture and “there is nothing new under the sun” humility. “Rembrandt and His World” doubles down on all that.  Born too late to be a true Renaissance man, the melancholy Dutchman was, in many ways, the first Modern artist. H ..read more

State Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, speaks recently at the Harkin Institute. Photo By Douglas Burns There is, of course, only one Tom Harkin, a retired U.S. senator who constructed a legislative and political legacy few Democrats in Iowa — and indeed the nation — have. For two generations in Congress — 40 years in the U.S. Senate and House — Harkin, always mindful of his humble beginnings in Cumming, Iowa — mastered the congressional process in ways large and small, seen vividly in daily life (the Americans With Disabilities Act) and unseen, but felt, and deeply so, by millions, such as ..read more

“Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me” MA | 116 minutes Director: Ursula Macfarlane Star: Anna Nicole Smith “Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me” is another variation on a familiar cautionary tale: a warning about fame chewing people up and spitting them out — with Netflix guilty of the very thing it attempts to highlight. Toward the end of the documentary, we get to watch an interview with Anna Nicole Smith’s mother from 2007. In it, she remembers her daughter saying, “If my name is out there in the news, good or bad, it doesn’t matter… good or bad, I make money, so I’m going to do whateve ..read more

Three meat plate at Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ Road trips are for all seasons but winter. But without a truly special destination, why would we bother? Two places, one less than 40 miles from downtown, the other less than 113, are drawing diners from near and far because they offer exceptionally good versions of two of Iowa’s favorite foods — barbecue and burgers. Barbecue was late coming to Iowa. It developed out of necessity in the South because ice was scarce, even in winter. Without ice, smoke was the best food preservative. That is why the great barbecue cultures developed around North Carolin ..read more

1st Lt. Harlan Quamme and Capt. Richard Ervin. Dec. 17, 1961, issue of The Des Moines Register This story developed because I received a speeding ticket in Nebraska this past March. It was one of those deals when I was going 10 mph over the speed limit, the cop slowed down in front me, so I rode right up on him. Anyway, I had the option of either paying the $75 fine or taking an online traffic safety class and keeping it off my driving record. So, I did the online class and, in one of the sessions, there was mention of an airplane making an emergency landing on a car. The photo example was j ..read more