Oct. 15 Daily Umbrella: The Great Pumpkin; DM Public Schools requests audit; what did the lettuce say to the celery?

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Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025

Good morning to you!

In “It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” the 1966 animated Halloween television special based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz, Charlie Brown’s friend, Linus, was convinced the Great Pumpkin would show up at the pumpkin patch on Halloween. Prior to the holiday, Linus even crafted a letter to it. Of course, the Great Pumpkin never appeared.

I get it. I waited for the Great Pumpkin, too. We didn’t do much pumpkin carving when I was a kid, as there was "too much pumpkin smashing going on in the neighborhood," or at least that’s what Mom told us.

That all changed when I married, as Jolene insisted we carve pumpkins. When our kids were born, the effort multiplied.
Carving pumpkins was messy, which I am convinced was the real reason my mother never wanted to do it. Our first efforts were messy, too. I should rephrase that: My first efforts were messy. Jolene’s were works of art. She could freehand the designs and do wonders with a steak knife on her pumpkins. Mine looked like they came out of the blender.

But, I was determined to improve on this craft. So, each year, I studied the tricks of the trade. It all starts with the right pumpkin, I learned. The right shape. The right size. The right stage. That part was relatively easy.

Then, I learned the value of patterns. Yes, some of you pumpkin purists may call that cheating, but they served as guides for me to get the right looks. I bought some pattern packets in the check-out lane of a grocery store and then later printed them from websites.

Most importantly, I discovered that I needed the right tools for the job. I sought efficiency in the early years, and my electric handheld jigsaw cut up my pumpkin in seconds. And, yes, it looked like I carved it in seconds. Then, I discovered those tiny, jagged knives that were made for carving pumpkins. Those changed everything, as I could now follow patterns with exact precision.

And then, it happened — the Great Pumpkin appeared, or at least my Great Pumpkin did. Mom would have been disgusted by the mess I made, but Linus would have certainly been proud of me. Most importantly, my wife and our kids had a great time and created great memories. I did, too. How about you? Do you have some pumpkin-carving stories? Send me a note and let me know.

Happy carving, and have a wonderful Wednesday.

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: Des Moines Public Schools requests audit as Iowa auditor, lawmakers clash. Des Moines Public Schools has requested a reaudit from the Iowa State Auditor's Office, weeks after former DMPS Superintendent Ian Roberts was arrested by federal immigration officials and later fired by the district. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Des Moines man charged for allegedly shooting up vehicle with 2 people inside. A Des Moines man was charged on Tuesday for allegedly shooting up a vehicle that was occupied by two people on Monday. At around 12:30 p.m. Monday the Des Moines Police Department responded to a report of a shooting near the intersection of 6th Ave. and Forest Ave. in the Riverbend Neighborhood. According to the DMPD, a vehicle was discovered with multiple bullet holes and shell casings were recovered at the scene. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: JBS USA, Perry leaders break ground on $135 million sausage production plant. Construction has officially begun on a new sausage production plant in Perry. Community leaders and JBS USA officials came together Tuesday morning to ceremoniously break ground on a $135 million investment at Perry Industrial Park. After losing a Tyson Foods plant last year, leaders said this is a big moment for the city. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Israeli military says one of the bodies handed over by Hamas is not that of a hostage. The Israeli military said Wednesday that one of the bodies handed over by Hamas the previous day as part of the ceasefire deal is not that of a hostage who was held in Gaza, adding to tensions over the fragile truce in the two-year war. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Rare October storm in Southern California prompts evacuations and causes freeway accidents. A rare October storm pummeled Southern California with several inches of rain on Tuesday, swelling rivers, causing freeway accidents and prompting evacuations in wildfire-scarred neighborhoods where the threat of mudslides was high. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Arrested Black Hawk supervisor Schwartz continues duties amid charges. A Black Hawk County supervisor is continuing his official duties following his arrest on two counts of sexual abuse last week. Christopher Schwartz was arrested last Wednesday and released shortly after posting bond. Despite the charges, Schwartz appeared virtually at the first supervisor's meeting since his arrest. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Still some spotty showers but more peeks of sun between the clouds with warmer temperatures in the mid 70s today. A few showers and storms may fire up early in the day Thursday... but then more sunshine and a high near 80.

Showers and isolated storms as the next cold front comes in Friday evening. The weekend will be beautiful with high pressure, sunshine and just above average temperatures.

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: Low

Ragweed pollen: Low

Mold: Low

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

Best Local Yoga Studio

1. Power Life Yoga Barre Fitness

2. Rooted Yoga + Fitness

3. Yoga & Co.

See all of the results

Woebegone Wednesday
Feel good about recycling? Read this. Environmental Health News reports that recycled plastic waste, mostly from Australia, France, the U.K. and U.S., is being exported to Indonesia where it is used as a cheap alternative to firewood or natural gas. Over 40 tofu factories that burn recycled plastic have found severely toxic levels in their tofu and in chicken eggs raised near plants that burn the plastics. When burned, plastic releases a toxic cocktail of pollutants, including dioxins and microplastics, that contaminate air, soil, food and water. Researchers said Indonesia's are the second-highest levels of dioxins in eggs ever measured in Asia — only behind an area of Vietnam contaminated by the chemical weapon Agent Orange.

"Your Lou'siana recipes have let me down." Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen corporate headquarters in Miami sued an Illinois man who owns multiple locations of the chicken chain in Iowa. The suit claims those locations were "fake and not authorized to use the restaurant's branding." It names Asif Poonja and Jam Equities LLC as defendants. All five Iowa locations have breached contracts due to "failure to operate in accordance with Popeyes’ standards and their failure to cease the use of the POPEYES® trademarks and system after their franchise agreements were terminated." The location on Merle Hay Road is among those listed in the lawsuit.

Deals today
• Fareway is offering $5 rotisserie chicken on Wednesdays. Other days they cost about $9.

• Whatch Smokin? (Highway 17, Luther) has a brisket burnt ends special on Wednesdays.

• The Bistro at Iowa Culinary Institute is open for its fall season in Building 7 of Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny. Lunch will be served Wednesdays through Fridays till Dec. 5. $17 for a buffet or three course a la carte with a drink. 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

• Kelly's Little Nipper (1701 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers any burger with a side for $10 on Wednesdays.

• Exile (1514 Walnut St., Des Moines) offers a $12 burger basket with fries and a beer on Wednesdays.

• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $8 French toast or pancake breakfasts and $2 tacos, $9 wraps and $10 half pounds of wings on Wednesdays.

• Johnny's Italian Steakhouses have a chicken Madeira special on Wednesdays before 4 p.m., $15 including beverage.

• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) has a $10 classic burger and beer all day.

• Paula's (524 Elm, Valley Junction) has a Wednesday special beef stew with biscuit $13.50.

• Murder Suspended plays Mickey's Irish Pub, Waukee, at 5 p.m.

• Haiku (1315 31st St., Des Moines) lets kids 11 and younger eat free with adults on Wednesdays. Hot sour soup and eggrolls are comped today with lunch entrees.

• Wednesdays bring steak night to Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines). Steaks are cooked to order with salad, potato and bread, $14.99.

• Angry Goldfish (2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) offers hot beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy for $11.50 on Wednesday.

• Curbin' Cuisine (1325 S.W. Oralabor Road, Ankeny) offers traditional gyros for $7 Wednesdays.

• Wine bottles are half price on Wednesdays at Trostel's Greenbriar (5910 Merle Hay Road, Johnston). The Continental (407 East Fifth St.) also has half-priced bottles on Wednesdays.

• G Mig's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction) offers a special chicken cacciatore with pasta, salad and garlic bread for $19.25.

• Barntown's (9500 S.E. University Ave., West Des Moines) Wednesday specials are a pound of chicken tenders with fries and two sauces for $11.99, plus $13 core pitchers of beer.

• Wednesday is Biryani Festival at Chowrastha (5910 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines). Buy two and a third is free.

• Tacos Mariana's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) and The Station (3124 Ingersol, Des Moinesl) have specials on tacos today.

• Village Inns offer free pie with entrees on Wednesdays.

• It's lasagna day at Maxie's Supper Club (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) and breaded pork tenderloin day at Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines).

• Panka Peruvian (2708 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has live jazz Wednesday.

• Chuck's (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) offers $5 off pizza on Wednesdays.

• Bordanaro's (6108 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has a Wednesday-Thursday only special on carryout pizza. They start at $6.50 for a 10-inch cheese pie. Each ingredient added is an extra charge, but this pretty much adds up to half-price pies.

• Kwik Stars' Wednesday special is eight pieces of fried chicken for $10. Their fried chicken is ridiculously good for a convenience store.

• On Wednesdays, you can get any burger with fries for $10.99 at Tito's Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale).

• Jethro's have $9.95 BPT sandwiches, including a side of choice, on Wednesdays.

• Hy-Vee Market Grilles are offering a cheeseburger and fries Wednesday special for $8.

• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) begins a week-long sale on clementines at $2.49/2-pound bag, raspberries or blackberries at $1.99, and drumsticks or thighs at $1.79/pound.

• Waterfront restaurants' Wednesday special this week is Canadian walleye, after 4:30 p.m.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

Featured in the current issue of CITYVIEW

ART NEWS
The only constant thing in life

By Jim Duncan

Luca Cruzat, “Portrayal of a Woman,” Collagraph and colored pencil, 42 x 27”
Change is running amok in the art world. Galleries have reigned as supreme discoverers and arbiters of new and great things since the 19th century. Now, that seems to be changing, at least in cities where street traffic is influenced by crime problems.

LA Louver, one of Los Angeles’ most famous galleries, announced in September it will close its physical space in Venice, California, after 50 years — to pivot to private dealing. It is the third notable gallery with a Los Angeles presence to close this year after Blum and Clearing. ...

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Featured in the current
issue of Norwalk Living magazine

Meet Jacie Ommen
Teachers, father inspire career choice.

By T.K. West

Originally from Rockwell City, Jacie Ommen has long participated choral music. After high school, Ommen attended Simpson College where she developed a deep passion for choral music and working with young performers. However, what truly motivated Ommen to become a music teacher was the impact her music educators and her father, who was a choral director, had on her life.

"They inspired confidence, creativity and a sense of belonging that I wanted to pass on to future students,” Ommen says.

Ommen first joined the Norwalk Community School District because she was drawn to the district’s strong commitment to the arts, its supportive community, and the opportunity to work with a collaborative music team. This fall, Ommen entered her third year with the district and currently teaches high school vocal music. This includes three curricular choirs as well as the junior varsity show choir. She also serves as the head director for the spring musical. ...

FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Dodgers' Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto make MLB playoff history not seen in 15 years. One of the biggest concerns about the Dodgers heading into the 2025 MLB postseason was the inconsistency and general lack of strength of their bullpen. So far in the NLCS against the Brewers, they've made any worries about their bullpen a moot point almost entirely. ... READ MORE

FROM ESPN: Mavericks sign Jason Kidd to multiyear contract extension. Coach Jason Kidd signed a multiyear contract extension with the Dallas Mavericks, the team announced Tuesday. Terms of the extension were not disclosed. ... READ MORE

FROM YAHOO SPORTS: 2025 WNBA playoffs were the most-watched ever on ESPN, with the Aces' Finals win averaging 1.5 million viewers. Though it lasted only four games, the WNBA Finals performed incredibly well on ESPN this fall. The network announced Tuesday that the Las Vegas Aces’ series win over the Phoenix Mercury averaged 1.5 million viewers per game. That made it the second-most-watched WNBA Finals in history, behind only last year’s battle between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty. ... READ MORE

1965: Antiwar demonstrations in 40 U.S. cities. On Oct. 15, 1965, antiwar activists stage demonstrations across the country, drawing 100,000 people in some 40 cities. In one event staged by the student-run National Coordinating Committee to End the War in Vietnam, the public burning of a draft card leads to the first legal consequences for the act. ... READ MORE

1973: Dolly Parton releases hit single “Jolene.” On Oct. 15, 1973 — four months before the release of her 13th studio album, “Jolene”— country star Dolly Parton releases the record’s titular song with the memorable refrain “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Joleeeeene.” ... READ MORE

1991: Clarence Thomas confirmed to the Supreme Court. After a bitter confirmation hearing, the U.S. Senate votes 52 to 48 to confirm Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court. ... READ MORE

www.history.com

Birthdays and notables

These celebrities were born on this date: Ginuwine, Keyshia Cole, Emeril Lagasse, Bailee Madison, Sarah Ferguson, Eric Benét, Jim Palmer, Vanessa Marcil, Dominic West, Larry Miller, Linda Lavin, Kimberly Schlapman

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

The answer to the last riddle: How do mice floss their teeth? WITH STRING CHEESE! - Gail Tomlinson. Or, I would tell you, but it’s a long “tail”! - Sharon Hill Watkins

Today's riddle: What did the lettuce say to the celery?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

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