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Grounded

Columnists

Having survived cancer, and struggled through most of the side effects of treatment, I had only two remaining complaints: shortness of breath with some chest pain, and dizziness. I told Ginnie, and whoever else would suffer my whining, I’d be a happy camper if this shortness of breath and dizziness would subside. The shortness of breath was so bad I wound up in the emergency room several times, culminating in being hospitalized for bilateral pulmonary embolisms, ie, blood clots in both lungs. I was put on a blood thinner and sent home. Hallelujah! I thought. The blood clots in my ...

AEA supports provide connections, support for area educators

Columnists

Education is deeply rewarding—but at times, it can also feel isolating. Many educators spend their days making hundreds of decisions independently while navigating complex student needs, accountability pressures, and the emotional weight that comes with caring deeply about those they serve. ...

There are times to put down cellphones. Lots of times

Columnists

The year opened with what could be one of the most horrifying videos of 2026. At 1:30 a.m. in a basement bar at a Swiss ski resort, flames started dancing on the ceiling. Instead of rushing upstairs to flee the room, many celebrants lifted their cellphones toward the blaze, eager to record the thrilling moment to share with friends worldwide. And their videos show other raised arms holding phones to capture a scene that quickly turned horrific. At least 40 people died as the initially small fire exploded to quickly engulf the entire room — a terrifying event bearing the hallmarks of ...

Columnists

It was Christmas Eve. The gifts were laid beneath the Christmas tree at the home of Merlin and Nelda Powers in Urbandale. But the family’s holiday celebration ended abruptly that day in 1968 when the Powerses’ 10-year-old daughter Pamela disappeared from the YMCA in downtown Des Moines while the family attended her brother’s wrestling meet. Two days passed before the family received the horrible answer to their “where is Pamela” question. Police located the girl’s body in a roadside ditch just off Interstate Highway 80 near Mitchellville. The discovery came after ...