Daily Umbrella May 19: Gov. Reynolds signs property tax overhaul; robbery suspect armed with sword; why did the flower slip and

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Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Good morning to you!

I received a letter a few months ago from Mrs. Karilyn Claude, who was a middle school physical education teacher in my hometown of Algona. She said she reads my Daily Umbrella columns when they publish in the Kossuth County Advance, and she also picks up CITYVIEW magazine when in Des Moines. She wondered if I remembered her. Of course, I do.

Back in the early 1980s, gym class was divided with military precision. Boys on one side. Girls on the other. Between us draped a giant red chain-operated divider that looked capable of containing a prison riot — or at least a herd of unruly sixth graders.

The boys were under the command of Mr. Keith Christie, a stern man armed with a whistle, a clipboard and the warmth of an overdue tax notice. The girls had Mrs. Claude, who was upbeat, smiling and somehow able to convince middle schoolers that exercise could actually be fun. To say they were different is like saying Iowa winters are a little chilly. This wasn’t Coke vs. Pepsi. This was black coffee vs. strawberry lemonade. Somehow, though, it worked, at least from the perspective of a scrawny 12-year-old whose primary goal was avoiding a dodgeball to the face.

For reasons I still don’t understand, the girls had to wear gym uniforms. The boys didn’t. Instead, we were introduced to a horrifying piece of athletic equipment known as the jock strap. Nothing humbled a sixth-grade boy faster than standing in a sporting goods store with his mother while shopping for an “athletic supporter.” My friends and I all shuffled into Hutzell’s Sporting Goods and bought the smallest sizes available, which still fit like circus tents. Apparently, manufacturers in 1980 had not anticipated this need for 80-pound boys. It didn’t matter. Rules were rules. And nobody wanted to ask Mr. Christie any follow-up questions.

Occasionally, the boys and girls combined classes for activities like ping pong. That big divider rolled open, tables appeared, and O.B. Laing Middle School suddenly sounded like a casino operated by squirrels on espresso shots. Ping pong balls flew everywhere — off walls, paddles and unsuspecting students. It probably drove Mr. Christie to the brink of retirement. Mrs. Claude loved every second of it. She handed out certificates to the winners, and my buddy Ian and I won the doubles championship. The awards were printed on blue paper from the school mimeograph machine, back when every school document smelled faintly of ink and industrial chemicals. Believe it or not, Mrs. Claude, I still have that certificate stuffed in a drawer somewhere. The jock strap, though, is long gone. Thank goodness.

When not in gym class, I often wore bib overalls. I have no explanation for this because I was not a farm kid. I just liked overalls. If they were good enough for Grandpa, they were good enough for me. Mrs. Claude once told me they were cute, which guaranteed I wore them even more. In sixth grade, “cute” was a compliment. By seventh grade, it was social quicksand.

Mrs. Claude’s comments and kindness made a lot of us smile back then. Her letter made me smile again today. Thank you, Mrs. Claude — for the note, the memories and for making gym class even more enjoyable.

Have a thoughtful Tuesday, and thank you for reading.

Shane Goodman

President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

Read more of Shane Goodman's columns here.

FROM KCCI: Gov. Reynolds signs major property tax overhaul promising relief and reshaping local budgets. Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a sweeping overhaul of Iowa’s property tax system into law, marking one of the biggest changes to the state’s tax structure in decades. Republican lawmakers say the new law will deliver long-promised relief to homeowners who have watched property taxes continue climbing year after year. Some city and county leaders warn that the changes could make it harder to pay for local services and projects communities rely on. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: PHOTOS: Tornados, severe storms move through Iowa Monday. All modes of severe weather battered the state Monday evening into the night. WHO 13 viewers shared some of their photos of the storms and the resulting damage, which can be seen in the gallery below. You can share your photos by clicking the ‘Add’ button. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Robbery suspect armed with sword arrested after SWAT standoff in Newton. A Newton man is in custody and facing several charges Monday after a police standoff led to a SWAT team response, prompting a shelter-in-place order.
Police responded to a reported assault in the 900 block of E. 15th Street N. on Sunday. According to a news release, the victim said a man threatened to kill him, punched him multiple times, knocked him to the ground and then took his wallet. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Trump’s tough-talk foreign policy is hitting a wall with Iran as it grips Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump has considered himself an effective dealmaker above all else, but he appears to have hit a wall with Iran as his tough talk, threats and even military action have not moved Tehran from its long-established positions. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Police were searching for teens behind San Diego mosque shooting before the bloodshed began. Before the first shot rang out at a San Diego mosque in a deadly shooting that would leave three men dead, police were already scrambling to find two teenagers who would ultimately be responsible. The search began after a mother of one of the teenagers reported her son was suicidal and had run away, according to San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl, who said weapons were missing from the home and her vehicle was gone. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Lansing man charged with attempted murder after allegedly firing at deputy during chase. A Lansing man is charged with attempted murder after allegedly firing at a deputy during a high-speed chase Sunday night. Andrew Weber is charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, second-degree kidnapping, domestic abuse assault, assault causing bodily injury, and eluding. Lansing police and an Allamakee County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of an assault in the 300 block of Dodge Street at 6:55 p.m. Sunday. ... READ MORE

Tuesday, May 19

Cooler and windy

High: 62

Low: 45

Rain chance: 0%

Wednesday, May 20

Continued cool
High: 62
Low: 48
Rain chance: 0%

Thursday, May 21

Cloudy and mild
High: 64
Low: 50
Rain chance: 20%

The 2026 results: CITYVIEW's Best of Des Moines®

Best Local Hardware Store
1. Ace Hardware
2. True Value
3. Porter Do It Best Hardware & Rental

See all of the results

Tuesday touts
Scallops are delicious, but their most famous application as Coquilles St. Jacques never worked for me. I never thought mushroom sauce did anything positive for the scallops. Phil Shires at Masao solved that with this Carpaccio St. Jacques, served raw with citrus, hot spice and greens. Scallops have more flavor raw than cooked. Who knew?

"Tequila Wars: José Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico" by Ted Genoways is a biography of José Cuervo building his tequila empire amidst the Mexican Revolution, death threats from Pancho Villa, corruption and rivalries to make tequila an international product while establishing the first Mexican cartel. It's a page turner and costs less than $20 in paper, less than $25 hardbound.

Deals today
• Johnny's Italian Steakhouses have a beef filet tips Stroganoff special on Tuesdays, $14 including beverage. Till 4 p.m. That's our Wonder Bargain of the week.

• Talk Shop Lounge (3357 St. Charles Road, St. Charles) has a deal Mondays on fried beef tacos, $3.

• The False Nine Social Club (206 Fifth St., Valley Junction) offers half-priced appetizers on Tuesdays.

• Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (150 S. Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines) celebrates Tomahawk Tuesday with a choice of 35-ounce prime tomahawk or 34-ounce prime porterhouse, two salads, two sides and two desserts. $162.

• Waveland Cafe (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) offers a grilled pork chops special today.

• Paula's (524 Elm St., Valley Junction) offers hot beef sandwiches on special today.

• B&B Grocery, Meat and Deli (2001 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines) has a Tuesday special Killer's grinder with fries and soda $11.95.

• Striking Sparrow (1930 S.E. Sixth St.) has a $12 double smash with fries and soda every Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• All pizzas are half priced at Maggie's Rumble Room (1432 Second Ave., Des Moines) 5-9 p.m. on Tuesdays.

• Ham and beans is today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola) and it is beef broccoli stir fry day at Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni).

• It's steak night at Grand Junction (1970 Grand Ave., West Des Moines). Steak, salad and potato $13.99.

• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moines) offers fried chicken dinner special on Tuesdays, $17-23, plus half-priced whiskey pours.

• Mullet’s Norwalk offers a free kids meal per adult meal on Tuesdays 4 p.m. to close.

• Mickey's Irish Pub (50 S.E. Laurel St., Waukee) has a special $7 half-pound burger with a side all day Tuesday.

• Kelly's Little Nipper (1701 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers a "Tendy's Tuesday" pork tenderloin basket with a drink for $11.50.

• The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has a Tuesday special pork tenderloin with a side for $10.

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

• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $7 breakfasts and $8 burgers Tuesdays.

• Pelican Post (265 50th St., West Des Moines) offers a special smashburger with cheese, fries and a draft beer for $10 on Tuesdays.

• Johnny's Italian Steakhouses have a beef stroganoff special on Tuesdays, $14 including beverage.

• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) hosts 222 BBQ today from 5-9 p.m.

• Baklava is half priced Tuesdays at Istanbul Cafe and Bakery (3281 100th, Urbandale).

• Red Robin stores are featuring a $10 cheeseburger with an "endless side" on Tuesdays.

• Jethro's Tuesday special is 2 pounds of bone-in smoked wings for the price of one.

• Kids meals are half price till 2 p.m. today at Machine Shed (11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale).

• Taco Tuesday brings serious discounts to La Familia (1610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines), all Taco John's, all Abelardo's, all Fernando’s, Malo (900 Mulberry St., Des Moines), Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines), Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines), The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines), Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines), Jack's Place Grill & Bar, (6112 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) and both Faustino's.

• Most Hy-Vees offer $6 two entrees Chinese deli meals on Tuesdays.

• Today is beef and noodles day at Maxie's Supper Club (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines).

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

Featured in the current issue of Norwalk Living magazine.

FRESH FINDS
Local vendors bring flavor, passion and community to farmers markets.

By Rachel Harrington

Longer days and warmer nights can only mean one thing — farmers market season is back. With fresh-picked produce, handcrafted goods and sweet treats, the market is a weekly gathering place for both vendors and visitors.

Baking, brewing and building a dream
Laura and David Millheim are the owners of Red Gate Farm. This will be their third year participating in the Norwalk Farmers Market. Prior to Norwalk, they sold at Fridays at the Farm in Cumming and the Indianola farmers market.

“Fridays at the Farm wasn’t the right fit for us, so we decided to give Norwalk a try and have loved it ever since,” Millheim says. ...

Featured home for sale

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

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West Des Moines, IA 50265

You’ve never seen a property like this. Nestled on just over 3 private acres south of Grand in West Des Moines, this one-of-a-kind estate offers resort-style living with easy interstate access. Surrounded by mature trees and green space, the property features a trellis lined tennis court, waterfall pool, and incredible outdoor entertaining areas. ...

See the listing here.

See more homes for sale

SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction

5820 WINWOOD DRIVE, JOHNSTON
SALE DATE: 2025-12-05
SALE PRICE: $9,250,000
SELLER: 5820 WINWOOD DR LLC
BUYER: GATOR 25 LLC
ACRES: 2.020
SQUARE FEET: 15,005

More transactions

FROM ESPN: Wembanyama explodes for 41 as Spurs stun Thunder in Game 1. Victor Wembanyama resisted the urge to dive deeply into the visual of watching Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accept an award he thought belonged to him just minutes before the biggest game of his NBA career. So, on the night Gilgeous-Alexander received his second Most Valuable Player award, Wembanyama snatched a consolation prize by way of a 122-115 double-overtime triumph Monday over the Oklahoma City Thunder that gave the San Antonio Spurs a 1-0 edge in the Western Conference finals. ... READ MORE

FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Brendan Sorsby legal filing shows how he’ll fight for NCAA eligibility amid gambling probe. When Texas Tech lured quarterback Brendan Sorsby away from Cincinnati in the transfer portal, it had designs on competing for the national championship. On April 27, that plan fell apart—for the time being. Sorsby shocked the college football world with an announcement that he would seek treatment for a gambling addiction, with the NCAA indicating on the same day that it would investigate thousands of bets on sports Sorsby allegedly made online in recent years. ... READ MORE

FROM YAHOO SPORTS: 'My heart is heavy': Gina Carano issues first comments after stunning 17-second loss to Ronda Rousey. Nearly 48 hours after her return from a 17-year MMA retirement ended in just 17 seconds, Gina Carano issued her first remarks on her much-anticipated dance with Ronda Rousey. In a lengthy post on Instagram, Carano, 44, acknowledged that her “heart is heavy” after failing to perform up to expectations against the UFC Hall of Famer. ... READ MORE

1897: Poet and playwright Oscar Wilde is released after two years in prison. On May 19, 1897, writer Oscar Wilde is released from jail after two years of hard labor. His experiences in prison were the basis for his last work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898). … READ MORE

1943: FDR and Winston Churchill plot D-Day. On May 19, 1943, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt plot the cross-Channel landing that would become D-Day—May 1, 1944. That date will prove a bit premature, as bad weather becomes a factor. … READ MORE

2018: Prince Harry weds Meghan Markle. On May 19, 2018, Prince Harry of Britain marries Meghan Markle, an American actress, in St. George’s Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle. Some 600 guests attend the ceremony and nearly 2 billion people worldwide watch the televised event. … READ MORE

www.history.com

Birthdays and notables

Happy birthday, K’Lynn Lynn!

These celebrities were born on this date: Jojo Siwa, Marshmello, Nick DiGiovanni, Lainey Wilson, Sam Smith, Kevin Garnett, Maile Flanagan, Eleanor Tomlinson, Grace Jones

The answer to the last riddle: Why did the banana go to the doctor? IT WASN'T PEELING WELL! - Gail Tomlinson, Bill Snyder, Jackie Taylor. Or, they were monkeying around and got strippednaked! - Rex Post. Or, It was afraid it had eczema because its skin was peeling. - Carolyn Rogers. Or, to get a face peel! - Sharon Hill Watkins

Today's riddle: Why did the flower slip and fall?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or the Johnston Living magazine, contact:

Andrea Hodapp
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 322
Mobile: 515-883-0523
andrea@iowalivingmagazines.com

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