It’s here!
The Big Dream Gathering
Tonight from 6:30 - 10 p.m.
Polk County Convention Center
501 Grand Avenue, Des Moines
Stop by and say “hi” - I’ll be live-blogging the event. It’s free. Kids are welcome.
Writer: Sandy Renshaw is a self-employed communications consultant. You will also find her blogging at Purple Wren.
Technorati Tags: Iowa, Des Moines, Central Iowa News, Big Dream Gathering
The Democratic challenger for the Iowa House seat now held by Ralph Watts (R-Adel) was in Des Moines on May 3, 2008, to talk about the women’s suffrage movement and to raise money for her campaign. Susan Temere (D-West Des Moines) said she chose to view the documentary, Not for Ourselves Alone, because of the affinity she has with Susan B. Anthony and Carrie Chapman Catt.
Temere’s issues include a world-class education, the environment, affordable and accessible healthcare, and the economy. She currently teaches in the Adel and Waukee school districts and at the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). She spent 15 years at General Motors, working in management-related and union positions.
While working on a rape reform task force to strengthen the sexual assault laws in Michigan, Temere, then 22, decided she would run for office some day. “I saw the caliber of the all-male legislature [and] knew [I} could do better,” she said. Jennifer Temkin in her book Rape and the Legal Process, as excerpted on Google Book Search, notes that 2 years before the Women’s Task Force on Rape worked to help enact “radical and influential legislation in 1974,” 90 people in the entire state of Michigan were convicted of “unlawful carnal knowledge,” as rape was then defined. In contrast, “in Detroit alone, at least 3,370 alleged victims of rape were treated in hospitals and 900 rapes were reported to the police.”
It was at a public hearing on pay equity held by the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women that I first met Temere. I was giving testimony as editor of Leading Voices: Iowa and Temere was attending as part of a pay equity committee she headed for an area chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW). I told of a woman at an old-line manufacturing business in Boston who expected the company to promote her because she earned a master’s degree, while the company continued to see her only as a secretary. Temere shared that she had similar stories from her time working in Detroit.
District 47 is essentially Dallas County with a sliver of Guthrie County to the east and a square of Boone County to the north. Portions of Dallas County, one in the southwest and one in the north central, are in Districts 73 and 48, respectively. District 47 includes the rapidly growing communities of Dallas County’s eastern half and the rural communities of the western half. The 2000 U.S. Census has a countywide population of 40,750. Perry is the largest town completely in the county with a population approaching 8,000. Approximately three-quarters of the population is in towns or cities. Linden, with a population of 226, is considered part of that statistic. According to the Iowa State University extension office in 2006, 82% of the land in Dallas County is agricultural.
Temere, who supports VOICE legislation for publicly-financed elections, said she was just getting started on her fundraising for the general election. She will not have a primary contest. She has been endorsed by the South Central Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.
Since Temere’s list of issues includes both developing an energy independent Iowa and promoting clean air and water, I asked her how she intended to balance those two items, giving the proposed Marshalltown power plant as an example. The candidate said she did not support coal-fueled power plants. When I then asked her about bio-ethanol, she said she needs to learn more about it but leans toward it. Although, she acknowledged there is concern about food supplies when crops are grown for fuel.
M.R. Field covers local issues for AroundDesMoines.com. 
As I got into my car and noticed the spot on my windshield, I was reminded of that famous old country song:
There was bird poop on my window and my dog just up and died.
But once I got to the Arie den Boer Arboretum at Des Moines Water Works Park, I cheered up. What a beautiful day in Des Moines - about 60 degrees with a nice breeze - and a perfect day to be outside. The Purple Wren and I spent about an hour wandering through the crab apple trees appreciating all of the colors and shapes. The DMWW website tells us there are 300 varieties and that we are at the peak of the flowering season.
Try to find a few minutes to spend time there this week. Take your lunch.
The floods of 1993 put the Arboretum underwater for long enough that most of the crabapples were destroyed and needed to be replaced. At the time I was working in the Drake University Chemistry Department with Carolyn Trepka (now Walling) a Grinnell College graduate. Carolyn suggested that our department chip in and buy a replacement tree so we did. The tree is still there, and it’s tagged with the department’s name.
Anyone can buy and dedicate a tree in honor or memory of whomever or whatever you like. It’s less painful to chip in with a big group since the cost is $200, but you can still be proud to give back to community. Most people honor the memory of a loved one.
Guest Writer: James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the Purple Wren’s sweetie and is a visiting chemistry professor at Grinnell College and retired from Drake University.
Technorati Tags: Iowa, Des Moines, Central Iowa News, Water Works Park
Neither rain nor seasonly-limited produce kept people from the first downtown farmers’ market of the year in Des Moines on May 10, 2008. Rhubarb, a few leaves of spinach, some young garlic, greenhouse tomatoes, and a bit of asparagus from Polk City were the local fruits and vegetables for sale. One vendor clearly labeled out-of-state produce. There were plenty of bakeries, a few wineries, meat producers, and value-added agricultural businesses with booths. Most of the people I saw making purchases were waiting for warm food prepared for immediate consumption.
There are several residents of Des Moines who believe the best economic plan for the city would include no zoning laws. Seeing several signs with rules scattered around the market this year, I kept thinking about the idea that too much legal restriction leads to economic contraction. On the public side of the market, there are instructions on how dogs should behave and times when vendors must start and stop selling. On the business side of the market, there is a new application process that requires vendors to apply online and submit photographs of every type of item to be included with instructions that they cannot depart from that list at all. There may be good reasons for all of these attempts at control; nevertheless, they threaten to squeeze the vitality of experimentation out of the market.
One of the new cottage industries that made it onto this year’s vendor list is Beaverdale Confections Co. You can buy blocks of gourmet marshmallow, lollipops (marshmallows on a stick), and hot cocoa gift boxes. The Kahlua marshmallow was a well-balanced taste but there was competition between the smooth creaminess of the Kahlua and the granular chewiness of the marshmallow. The coconut and marshmallow combination offered uniformity in textures and sweetness. These are not the air-puffed marshmallows sold in most grocery stores.
Often what I find most useful about the downtown market is learning about the many non-profit and political events happening around the city. At the May 10th market, I picked up literature for Walk Now for Autism, talked with Rep. Leonard Boswell’s (D-3rd District) primary challenger, and learned more about Bike to Work Week.
Autism Speaks was founded in 2005 by the grandparents of a child with autism. The organization informs about, funds research into, and advocates on issues related to autism. The Iowa Walk Now for Autism fundraiser will take place June 7, 2008 in Gray’s Lake Park.
Ed Fallon was shaking hands and talking with voters so I took the opportunity for an impromptu interview. I asked him how the campaign was going. He replied, “good,” 
then talked about Boswell’s refusal to debate and linked that to democratic injustice. I asked Fallon if he thought Boswell’s campaign mailings and his own personal appearances did not satisfy democracy. The challenger said people want to see the two candidates side-by-side, answering the same issues.
Bike to Work Week Project Coordinator Tina Hadden said over 1600 people have registered, which is nearly 300 more than last year. Approximately 70% of the registrants are in the greater Des Moines area. Most of the remaining 30% are in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids corridor. There are several events being held in Des Moines during the week, which officially runs from May 10th through the 16th. Hadden said the new Johnston trail allowed a bicyclist to miss beating a motorist by only a couple minutes on an annual race from Johnston to downtown Des Moines. Registering helps bicyclist activists to demonstrate support to elected officials for bicycle-friendly polices.
M.R. Field covers local events for AroundDesMoines.com.
Sunday, May 11th, is Mother’s Day. You can celebrate with a brunch at the Botanical Center (909 Robert D. Ray Drive). Cost is $21.95 for adults and $10.95 for children 10 and younger. There will be seatings at 10:00 a.m. and at 1:00 p.m. with reservations required (515-323-6289). If your mother enjoys the Botanical Center but does not care for brunch, she can enjoy the scenery for free when accompanied by a child. Regular adult admission is $4.
If your mother is the type of person who thinks the best way to celebrate is to have fun with the young children, Second Saturday events will be held at the Art Center. Each month on the second Saturday, the Art Center (near 45th and Grand) offers activities for children accompanied by an adult from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Sessions are free but limited space means reservations are required (515-271-0328). The May 10th program will be on spring flowers for children ages 5-10.
If your mother is elderly or otherwise prefers driving around in a car than doing outside activities, lilacs are blooming around town. It should be a good weekend to visit Ewing Park’s lilac arboretum on the city’s southeast side. Over 300 varieties of crab apples are blooming in the Arie den Boer Arboretum on the eastern side of Water Works Park.
For children who like to cook (and clean up the mess), makings of a meal might be found at the first farmers’ market on Saturday along Court Avenue in downtown Des Moines. Thursday, May 8th, is the second week for the Valley Junction market.
Louis Sachar’s Holes is playing at the Des Moines Playhouse (831 42nd Street) on Friday (7:00 p.m.), Saturday (1:00 p.m.), and Sunday (1:00 and 4:00 p.m.). Adult tickets are $15. It’s good entertainment for both young and old. The Viking Theatre’s (2811 East 14th Street, at Grandview College) performance of The Sunshine Boys ends on May 11th. Show times are Thursday and Friday at 7:30 pm. and Saturday and Sunday at 4:00 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and are available through IowaTix.
On Thursday, May 8, 2008, the Drake Trombone Choir will give a free concert at 8:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Hall of the Harmon Fine Arts Center (25th and Carpenter). David Vining, a professor of trombone at Northern Arizona University is the featured guest.
Friday, May 9th, is the final night in the spring series of astronomy nights at the Drake Municipal Observatory. The topic this week is the future of stars. The event is free and begins at 8:00 p.m. at the observatory in Waveland Park.
On Saturday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the State Historical Society Building (600 East Locust) is a celebration of Tet. This event in honor of the Vietnamese New Year will feature dancing dragons, food demonstrations, and more. It is free and family-oriented.
M.R. Field encourages organizations and performers to send news about their upcoming events to events@AroundDesMoines.com.
The Thoreau Center (35th Street and Kingman Boulevard) was a good choice for “Walk in Closet,” a display of artwork by Angela Warren and by Rebecca Gehm. The young artists’ bodies of work reflect experimentation in subject matter and in mediums. The layout of the center, formerly a house, allowed the different styles to be kept mostly separate, thereby focusing concentration on each piece during a reception held on May 2, 2008.
The title of the show is intriguing. It could mean a walk-in closet where special items are kept, easily accessible but not on public display. It could refer to the act of walking into or staying within a closet in terms of things a person wants to keep secret. It could also suggest a large space to hide all the detritus that allows a house, or section of a city, to be picture perfect.
In her artist statement, Warren said she wants to “show the time passing in layers, so that there is a sense of travel through every arrival and departure.” She achieves that goal superbly in her oils. “Opt for a Visit?” is a triptych, its scene a row of portable toilets in a muddy field. From the way lined up waiting their turn rest their hands on hips and lean in towards each other it is clear this is the end of a long day. Ghostly figures and a body seemingly trampled into the mud suggest all the people who have been there before. The mud holds the history of each footstep that helped transform the land. The texture of the oil adds a dimension that makes the scene seem more real than a smoother medium could.
Warren’s two-dimensional lithograph, “Overhang,” seems bland in comparison. Yet, there is feeling of suspense as a sole figure stands beneath an arch that could be a cave’s dome or a ledge on a cliff. Is the person safe, protected by the overhang, or in danger of being crushed by falling rocks?
Gehm’s artist statement reveals that she majored in drawing and many of her pieces seem to have been class assignments to showcase different styles of lines and shading. In her series on “The Woman and the Hand,” she uses charcol and gesso as a sculptor might use a rough red clay. The object is more the suggestion of a shape than a delicate recreation of a moment and proportions are not exact. In contrast, “Eye Tube,” in colored pencil and charcol, included many precise circles and proportionate lines. Nevertheless, the drawing still left interpretation to the viewer. The sketch reminded me of olives with pimentos placed as though they were grapes on a stalk, but also of the Martian eyes in War of the Worlds. There was a single figure, suggestive of a female, rising from a pool of water, which turned my thoughts to alien eyes watching humans rise from the oceans. Gehm describes the drawing as “a reaction to the realities of the Internet generation.”
M.R. Field writes reviews for AroundDesMoines.com.
A recommendation by the Des Moines Public Schools’ calendar committee led to a discussion on professional development and student achievement at the May 6, 2008, DMPS School Board meeting.
State law requires 180 days of education each school year. In addition, there must be 5.5 hours of instruction per day or 27.5 hours within a consecutive 5-day period. When the DMPS calendar is prepared, consideration must be given to major holidays. In addition, DMPS breaks need to be coordinated with breaks at local colleges and universities to accommodate student teachers’ schedules. Hot weather is also a concern since some school buildings do not have air conditioning.
One recommendation of the calendar committee was accepted with little discussion. The early dismissals (20 minutes early) on the days before the Thanksgiving and the Winter Holiday breaks will be eliminated starting with the 2008-2009 school year. This is an amendment to the calendar adopted last summer.
The recommendation that faced opposition was a proposal to let all schools out early every Wednesday starting with the 2009-2010 school year. The purpose of the proposal is to allow teachers time for required professional development and class planning. The weekly early release would replace ad hoc schedules created at elementary, middle, and high school levels.
Superintendent Dr. Nancy Sebring described the three levels of professional development. The first occurs at the individual level, when teachers set their own development goals and discuss them with their principals. The building level is next with decisions being made on how graduation ends, No Child Left Behind, and that school’s culture are promoted by all teachers. The district is the final level and it will also set some policies on government mandates and academic programs.
The 90-minute early dismissal would not all come from instruction time. It would be calculated from the time teachers are scheduled to leave. The Wednesday dismissals would replace other early dismissal days already in the schedule for professional development but would not replace full-day sessions, such as the one held on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
District staff sent an electronic survey to teachers and queried parents via parent-teacher conferences on their support for a consistent professional development day. Those who responded were predominantly in favor of a weekly early-release day. However, there was much more support for such a schedule in the elementary grades. Sebring said if only elementary students were released early, the extra demand on buses and drivers would cost $1,000 each Wednesday. The superintendent added that another part of the reasoning for an across-the-board release time was so older siblings could babysit those students too young to be at home by themselves.
Several board members said that nearly everybody who sent them e-mails were opposed to the weekly development schedule. One teacher who spoke during public comments said that the Federal Aviation Authority insists upon a certain number of hours in the aviation program and that the proposal could jeopardize the program’s certification due to lack of instructional hours. Board President Dick Murphy said he had heard from music and art teachers concerned that their lessons would be cut out of instruction time under the plan. Sebring asked the board to request people contacting them to also copy district administration as the opposition was coming somewhat as a surprise, given the results of the teacher and parent surveys. Board members volunteered to forward messages they had already received.
Board Member Jon Narcisse said that $1,000 every Wednesday, for approximately 25 Wednesdays, would be worth the cost if it resulted in improved achievements for students. Murphy agreed with him on that point. Board Member Patty Link was concerned about comparing DMPS early dismissals to those of nearby districts, preferring to see how other urban districts handled professional development and early dismissal. There were frequent comments that teachers had told board members there already is enough professional development and class planning; what is considered more important is face time with the students.
Several board members stressed that the final decision had to be based on student achievement. The board also was insistent on having some way to measure the success of any professional development, both for individual teachers and for students. There was also concerned expressed in public comments and by some board members that not all professional development training is worthwhile. Would there be enough quality development to justify an early release every week?
The board wants to hear from the district’s professional development committee. If a weekly early out is needed, is Wednesday the best day? Board Member Connie Boesen, throwing out ideas, asked if maybe Friday would be better, which would give parents options for early weekends.
Sebring and her staff will gather more information and update the proposal before the board at the May 20th meeting.
M.R. Field reports on school board meetings for AroundDesMoines.com.
Already behind on articles to write for AroundDesMoines.com, I chose to save time by watching the May 6, 2008, Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) School Board meeting on public access television. Unlike the first time I watched the board meeting on Channel 12, the picture quality and sound synchronization were not problematic. Alas, the 5:45 p.m. open speaking time for members of the public was, again, omitted. Instead of showing what concerns and ideas the public had, the district’s video staff chose to run another ubiquitous self-promotional piece. This attempt to control the message was repeated at the board meeting during a discussion on the 2009-2010 school calendar.
The board meeting was civil and proceeded relatively smoothly. The superintendent’s report was a series of recognition for various competitions DMPS students won, ranging from the debate team at Roosevelt High School to culinary challenges at Central Campus. One numbers-based comment reported was that the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) issues 60,000 college credits annually to high school students, with 11,000 of those going to DMPS students.
The chairman’s/president’s report consisted of informing board members that Jim Hiatt, a consultant on Policy Governance, would hold a training for the board on June 17. A scheduled monitoring report under Policy Governance on Financial Condition and Activities was postponed until the May 20th meeting due to the unanticipated absence of a key staff member.
The consent agenda consisted of items requiring more money due to rising costs. These items included construction of the front entry way at the Wallace-Homestead building, before and after school care fees, as well as increases in student meal fees, and other routine cost adjustments. For instance, the Food & Nutrition programs’ estimated milk, dairy, and juice products cost was $1,493,487 in the 2007-2008 school year. The actual cost has been $100,000 higher. On the regular agenda was a public hearing for the 2008-2009 budget due to an error in the original public notice that stated the hearing was to be held on April 1st instead of April 8th. There were no comments and no discussion at the hearing and the board quickly moved on to the 2007-2008 budget. The board needed to approve a public hearing (to be held on May 20th) regarding authorization for increased spending limits. Board President Dick Murphy said this is a routine matter that happens every year after detailed information is received. The description of this item provided in the agenda was that the costs relate to maintaining compliance with statutory requirements.
During requests for information, Board Member Teree Caldwell-Johnson asked for a summary on 2008 bills passed by the Iowa legislature that will have an effect on the DMPS and the board’s future decisions. The district communications official, Phil Roeder, said there are three areas relative to legislative action that the school board needs to consider in the near future. One are the new laws, including a statewide sales tax for school buildings, collective bargaining, and the model core curriculum. The second need is to review priorities for the 2009 legislative session to pass along to the Iowa Association of School Boards. The third matter the board must consider is election reform legislation that changes school board elections from every year to every other year and that changes terms of board members from three years to four years. The board must decide how it will implement this change and have a report to the Iowa Secretary of State by early August.
See Part 2 of this report for discussion on future school calendars and professional development.
M.R. Field reports on school board meetings for AroundDesMoines.com.
The Des Moines Playhouse ends its 2007-2008 children’s season with the upbeat and fun Holes. Most of the story takes place at Camp Green Lake and campy is one of the descriptions for the play. Another theme is the adventure of discovering the story behind a local legend. For those people old enough to remember The Wonderful World of Disney, imagine one of those stories written with an extra touch of intentional humor.
The second show of Sunday, May 4, 2008, started out tentatively. The pace was fast, in keeping with the rest of the production, but without advanced knowledge of that context and without consistently strong performances by all the cast, the opening left the audience uncertain of the play. That quickly changed when Todd Buchacker, as Mr. Sir, strutted out on stage. A few of the adult audience members laughed loudly and the actors responded to the acknowledgment.
For shows at the Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre, adults and youth are given different program books. The children’s books are geared towards helping them learn about theatrical performances by connecting with the actors. The adults’ books include information on all parts of the production. In Kathy Pingel’s director’s notes in the adult book there is a slight spoiler but I recommend reading it before the play anyway. As I left the theatre I felt as though the story was not fully explained through the action and the words of the play. A day later, as I write this review, I realize the components were all there. Think of the way Ellery Queen solved mysteries, with knowledge of words and memory of what people said. Much of what is said in the play is ordinary, yet a few of those words hold special significance in understanding the final course of events. Adults also receive an insert on how Carol J. Taylor, the retired education director at the playhouse, was challenged to create yellow-spotted lizard puppets. Read that item before the play, too.
Louis Sachar’s story looks at how family curses can offer opportunities for redemption. Stanley Yelnats picks up a pair of sneakers that fall at his feet. He is whisked off to court and sentenced to Camp Green Lake. The warden at the camp requires the boys in her charge to dig a hole a day. When Stanley first arrives, he is a stranger to be taunted. Common work and interactions build comradery and loyalty.
Karen Schaeffer (Warden), Mark Maddy (Mr. Pendanski), and Paula Krull (Kate Barlow) are the adult actors who deserve mention for their performances. They looked as though they were having fun but they also made their characters believable.
High school sophomore Abi LeBlanc, as Stanley, proves that an actor does not have to be a male to play a boy. The other boys were played by Caleb Fisher (Zero), Matt Pierick (X-Ray), Aaron Primrose (Armpit), Davon Lee (Zig-Zag), and Grant Goss (Magnet). They all worked well as an ensemble.
Angela Lampe’s costume design also merits praise.
M.R. Field writes reviews for AroundDesMoines.com.
(Des Moines, IA, May 5, 2008) The Polk County Board of Supervisors and George Davey deserve praise. The supervisors saw the public was not going to accept their original $186 million proposal for a new court facility. Consequently, they sent their staff and hired consultants back to the drawing board and Polk County residents were given a $132 million proposal on which to vote. For his part, Davey took his objection to more taxes and made attempts to provide alternative solutions for the supervisors to consider.
As many residents made clear in opinions expressed to the local print and broadcast media, the vote was about far more than a courthouse, though. The low voter turnout showed the vote also was about the needs of a court system few people understand or use. Pre- and post-election commentary reveal there is no answer, yet, for how to move past the growing deadlock. That barrier is a lack of public trust in the decisions of the county supervisors combined with the lack of people willing to serve on the board, or at least to run for a seat on the board.
Despite comparisons people have made, the courthouse vote was not the same as the vote against Project Destiny. Project Destiny was about a sales tax, something almost everybody understands. Moreover, Project Destiny was a reaction against the massive corporate tax breaks the measure would have created combined with large corporate donations to the Yes to Destiny campaign. However, there was also a significant feeling among voters in both last summer’s Project Destiny vote and last month’s courthouse vote that elected officials have regularly acted in favor of a few non-elected power brokers over the greater interests of the general public.
M.R. Field was editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.
