Sept. 22 Daily Umbrella: Boy hit and killed by motorcycle; Iowa State falls 2 spots; why do cows wear bells?

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Friday, Sept. 22, 2025

Good morning to you!

“You are censoring me.” Those were the words a reporter spewed at me several decades ago when I rewrote an awful story she submitted for publication. I explained that I hired her to write a very detailed and specific news story, and instead she gave me a 4,000-word opinion column. I did not hire her as a columnist. I hired her as a news reporter. She said I infringed on her free speech. I said she didn’t do the job I hired her to do. She had rights, and I did, too. That was her first story for us and her last.

Yes, free speech is protected from government restrictions by the U.S. Constitution, many state constitutions, and state and federal laws. And, yes, free speech means the free and public expression of opinions without censorship, interference and restraint by government. The key word is government. The constitutional right of free speech prevents only government restrictions on speech, not restrictions imposed by private individuals or businesses.

Big Green Umbrella Media is not a tax-funded government institution. It is a private business that I own, and, as such, I personally take the repercussions from what is published, both good and bad. That reporter could simply walk away, and she did. I can’t. Whatever we publish at Big Green Umbrella Media is forever tied to my name, and I take that responsibility seriously. My reputation and my financial livelihood (and those of my staff) depend on that.

I have been thinking about this scenario while reading the many opinions on ABC “suspending” Jimmy Kimmel for his comments on the Charlie Kirk assassination. To be honest, I haven’t watched “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in years. I used to think he was funny, but, somewhere along the line, he became angry. That’s too much hatred for me as I prepare for some shut-eye. Apparently, I am not alone. Kimmel's ratings have been declining for years, dropping to just 1.1 million total viewers in August 2025. That’s a 43% decrease from earlier in the year. His show has lost 72% of its audience in the key demographic of adults aged 25-54 since 2015.

You may agree or disagree with Kimmel’s comments and his right to say them. Ultimately, though, ABC allowed it to happen, and the network is now dealing with the repercussions. They chose to suspend Kimmel for his comments, but one has to wonder if they would have stuck by his side if his ratings were solid.

Meanwhile, on a daily basis, we are reading about people with government jobs who are being fired or “suspended” because of similar comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination. They clearly were not hired to spout political opinions on social media while on the clock, yet many chose to do so. Some still are. Free speech? Censorship? This gets sticky, and the courts will ultimately sort it out, and usually on the side of free speech, which, overall, is a good thing.

In the meantime, we should remember that having the right to free speech doesn’t mean we have to constantly use it — especially when it is full of anger and hate. We can, and should, do better.

Have a memorable Monday, and, as always, I thank you for reading.

Shane Goodman
Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305

See more of Shane Goodman's columns here.

FROM KCCI: Boy hit and killed by motorcycle in Polk County. A boy was struck and killed by a motorcycle late Saturday night, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Deputies were called 4950 Northeast 29th Street in Des Moines around 11 p.m. for a report of a motorcycle versus pedestrian accident. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: 5 injured after I-35 wrong-way driver hits truck head-on. The Iowa State Patrol says five people were injured after a wrong-way driver on Interstate 35 hit a vehicle head-on. The Iowa State Patrol says the crash occurred Sunday just after 4:45 a.m. in the southbound lanes of Interstate 35, near mile marker 87. Authorities say a Chevy Equinox was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes when it struck a Ford F-150 head one. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Iowa State falls 2 spots in AP Top 25 after bye week. Miami leapfrogged LSU and Penn State into the No. 2 spot behind Ohio State in the fifth week of AP Top 25 rankings. It’s the Hurricanes’ highest ranking since 2017, off the heels of a 26-7 win against unranked rival Florida and two defeats against ranked opponents before that. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Russia and Ukraine trade deadly drone strikes as Zelenskyy anticipates intense diplomacy at UN. Russia and Ukraine swapped accusations of deadly drone strikes on civilian areas of their countries Monday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy anticipated “a very intense week” of diplomacy at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where the Security Council was expected discuss the more than three-year war. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Trump officials praise Charlie Kirk’s faith and his mark on the conservative movement. President Donald Trump praised Charlie Kirk as a “great American hero” and “martyr” for freedom as he and other prominent conservatives gathered Sunday evening to honor the slain conservative political activist whose work they say they must now advance. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Marshalltown police searching for suspect accused of shooting 2 people Saturday night. The Marshalltown Police Department is asking for help in their search for a man they believe shot two people Saturday night. Investigators say it happened on the 800 block of East Main Street around 7:50 p.m. When officers arrived, police say they found two gunshot victims. They say the suspect, 69-year-old Dewey Elvie Perdue, fled on foot. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Northern Iowa could see a few storms/showers in the morning today, but the best chance looks to be in the evening. Storms fire up and move southeast. Storms linger into Tuesday and a few spotty showers are possible late Tuesday into Wednesday, too.

For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage.

Pollen tracker

Tree pollen: None

Grass pollen: None

Ragweed pollen: Moderate

The 2025 results: CITYVIEW's Best of Des Moines®

Best Local Farmers Market

1. Des Moines Downtown Farmers’ Market

2. Valley Junction Farmers Market

3. Uptown Ankeny Farmers Market

See all of the results

Back to the Biz
Viking is thriving as a cruise line that bans children, casinos and fancy drinks with umbrellas. Instead, they focus on wealthier, older travelers interested in education. Viking cruises cost ($800-900 per night), about double prices at larger cruise lines, but everything from laundry service to wine and beer are included. Lectures about destinations and their history serve as nightlife. Viking derives less than 7% of its income from onboard spending. At Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival more than 30% of income comes from onboard spending. Yet, Viking cruises are almost fully booked, and the others aren't even close. (WSJ)

Forty ice cream producers making 90% of America’s supermarket ice cream have pledged to end use of artificial dyes by 2028. The average American consumes four gallons of ice cream annually.

Deals today
• Bubba (200 10th St., Des Moines) has a Monday night sirloin dinner special for $20.

• Kelly's Little Nipper (1701 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers a "Monday grind" special grinder and fries basket for $9.50.

• Monday brings prime rib specials to both Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) and Christopher's (2816 Beaver Ave., Des Moines).

• Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) has a Monday special cheeseburger with fries, tots or salad and a drink for $10.

• Trostel's Greeenbriar (Merle Hay Road, Johnston) has a Monday burger with a side and beer deal for $14. Their chef's special through Wednesday is a 20-ounce ribeye with pepper sauce and asparagus $50.

• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) has $8 omelets and $10 hot beef sandwiches or Mexican bowls on Mondays.

• Johnny's Italian Steakhouses have a chicken de Burgo special on Mondays before 4 p.m., $14 including beverage.

• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) hosts Shelby Smokehouse Soul Food on Mondays, 5-9 p.m.

• Haiku (1350 31st St., Des Moines) offers free egg drop soup and crab Rangoon with lunch entrees today.

• G Mig's (126 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has $11 smashburgers today with a side.

• The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has a Monday special Graziano grinder with a side for $12.

• The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines) offers a Monday special double smashburger and shoestring fries, $12.

• Bad Dog Burgers include three 1/3-pound patties, six pieces of bacon, choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion, for $10.95 on Mondays. At Kathy’s East 14th Street Tavern (3418 E. 14th St., Des Moines).

• Jethro's have a Monday chicken tenders and fries special $9.95.

• Angry Goldfish (2301 S.W. Ninth St., , Des Moines) has specials on chicken Parmesan and lasagna today, $11.50 with garlic bread and salad.

• Eastside Eddie’s (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) Monday special is a burger with domestic beer, soft drink or well drink for $10.

• Centro (1003 Locust St., Des Moines) offers half-price pizza and Peronis on Monday.

• Hy-Vee Market Grilles are offering a Monday special meat loaf dinner with green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy for $8.

• Who's on First (810 E. First St., Ankeny) has steak night on Monday, and it's an 8-ounce filet with salad, mashed potatoes and beans for $22.95.

• Pelican Post (265 50th St., West Des Moines) has a special today on hot beef sandwiches, $10.95 until 4 p.m.

• Tito’s Lounge (3916 Urbandale Drive, Urbandale) offers all-you-can-eat wings Mondays.

• Johnny's Hall of Fame (302 Court Ave., Des Moines) has $12 burger baskets on Mondays and Fridays.

• Urban Cellars (640 S. 50th St., West Des Moines) offers $60 wine dinners for two on Mondays including two entrees with soup or salad, a dessert and a bottle on wine.

• Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines) has a burger basket with fries deal Mondays for $9.

• Red Lobster's Monday special is lobster and shrimp scampi with a side for $20.

• Paula's (524 Elm St., Valley Junction) has a Monday special homemade tuna, chicken or egg salad sandwiches on croissants for $12.50.

• Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a Monday steak night special, sirloins and truffle fries for $18.

• Chuck's (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) offers $14 calzone specials with up to three ingredients on Mondays.

• Price Chopper delis offer two-piece, bone-in fried chicken dinners, with two sides and a roll, for $6 on Mondays.

• Fareways have specials through Saturday on 8-ounce USDA Choice NY strips at $7.99 each, russet potatoes at $2.99/5 pounds, and Fareway brats at $3.99/pound.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

Featured in the current issue of CITYVIEW

LUNCH WITH...
Don Cotran at Pho 515

By Jim Duncan

Don Cotran heads the C Fresh Supermarket and Pho 515 restaurant. He recently returned from a four-week family research trip to Vietnam, covering every province in search of new things to eat and sell. We asked him to lunch and met at Pho 515. Over durian smoothies, fresh-squeezed lemonade and marinated beef spring rolls, we talked about the supermarket’s first dozen years, its current expansion and fabulous things to eat in general. ...

Featured home for sale

Post listings here for $50. Contact jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com for details.

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Waukee, IA 50263

Welcome to this stunning two-story home in the heart of Waukee, just seconds from the Palms Theater, shops, dining and more. Step inside and be greeted by soaring 20-foot ceilings that create a grand first impression. Featuring 4 spacious bedrooms, main floor office, plus a finished basement with a half bath, wet bar, and a 5th bedroom ready for your personal touch. ...

See the listing here.

See more homes for sale

SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction

1615 S.E. CORTINA DRIVE, ANKENY
SALE DATE: 2025-05-12
SALE PRICE: $4,250,000
SELLER: PENTA PARTNERS LLC
BUYER: SIMONS, PETE
ACRES: 1.998
SQUARE FEET: 23,795

More transactions

Featured in the current
issue of Ankeny Living magazine

Room for improvement
Residents share their home renovation experiences.

By Ashley Rullestad

Live in a home for a while, and one is likely to start thinking, “If only….” If only the bathroom had a walk-in shower…. If only the kitchen had new cabinets.… If only the old flooring could be replaced.… If only the basement was finished…. If only a room could be added…. If only that longed-for home improvement project could be completed … then the house would be just right. Residents who have taken the leap from thinking about it to tackling their dream projects share their experiences.

English cottage in Uptown
Judie Colyer bought her home in Uptown 10 years ago. It had sat on the market for a year and was in rough shape in many ways, but she saw potential in the historic home. Since it was built in 1917, the goal was to modernize the home but maintain its charm. She wanted to create a “European cottage” feel, since she grew up in England.

She decided to completely redo the existing bathroom, gut the kitchen, replace the windows and interior trim, add light fixtures, and make the front porch laundry room into an inviting space. ...

FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Aaron Rodgers passed Brett Favre with historic TD vs. Patriots. Aaron Rodgers had a historic Steelers drive during Sunday's game vs. the Patriots. The veteran quarterback officially jumped up in NFL history on the most all-time touchdowns thrown list after he threw a touchdown pass to his new Pittsburgh teammate DK Metcalf in the second quarter. Rodgers officially sits fourth on the all-time list, passing Brett Favre, a fellow former Packers quarterback whom Rodgers's career is often compared to. ... READ MORE

FROM ESPN: Aces fall flat in Game 1, lacked 'urgency' vs. surging Fever. On a day that started in celebration as superstar A'ja Wilson was awarded her fourth WNBA MVP trophy, the Indiana Fever sent Las Vegas Aces fans heading for the exits before the final buzzer. The No. 6 seed Fever took down the No. 2 seed Aces 89-73 in Game 1 of their best-of-five semifinal series, handing the two-time champs just their second loss in the past 20 games and stealing home-court advantage from Las Vegas. ... READ MORE

FROM YAHOO SPORTS: Cal Raleigh home run tracker: Mariners' slugger reaches 58 homers to creep towards AL record. Cal Raleigh's historic 2025 season has seen him reach the 50-home run mark, marking the most homers in a season by a primary catcher in MLB history. He has also become the first player in MLB history to hit at least 20 home runs from each side of the plate in one season. ... READ MORE

1961: President Kennedy signs Peace Corps legislation. In an important victory for his Cold War foreign policy, President John F. Kennedy signs legislation establishing the Peace Corps as a permanent government agency. Kennedy believed that the Peace Corps could provide a new and unique weapon in the war against communism. ... READ MORE

1975: President Ford survives second assassination attempt. On Sept. 22, 1975, Sara Jane Moore aims a gun at President Gerald Ford as he leaves the Saint Francis Hotel in San Francisco, California. The attempt on the president’s life came only 17 days after another woman had tried to assassinate Ford while he was on his way to give a speech to the California legislature in Sacramento. ... READ MORE

1980: Iran-Iraq War begins. Long-standing border disputes and political turmoil in Iran prompt Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to launch an invasion of Iran’s oil-producing province of Khuzestan. After initial advances, the Iraqi offense was repulsed. In 1982, Iraq voluntarily withdrew and sought a peace agreement, but the Ayatollah Khomeini renewed fighting. Stalemates and the deaths of thousands of young Iranian conscripts in Iraq followed. Population centers in both countries were bombed, and Iraq employed chemical weapons. In the Persian Gulf, a “tanker war” curtailed shipping and increased oil prices. In 1988, Iran agreed to a cease-fire. ... READ MORE

www.history.com

Birthdays and notables

These celebrities were born on this date: Tom Felton, Jessie Murph, Seungmin, Nayeon, Billie Piper, Michael Rainey Jr., Chris Tallman, Kim Yoo-jung, Joan Jett, Andrea Bocelli, Bonnie Hunt, Ruth Jones, Mireille Enos, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Dan Bucatinsky, Parry Gripp

SUBMIT: Send your local birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to the last riddle: What do you call an angry carrot? A steamed vegetable! -Gail Tomlinson. Other witty answers from Bill Snyder.

Today's riddle: Why do cows wear bells?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or West Des Moines/Jordan Creek, Waukee or Norwalk Living magazines, contact:

Martha Munro
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 314
Mobile: 515-321-5246
martha@iowalivingmagazines.com

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