I have dedicated this Blog to featuring aspects of Des Moines that are not boring, and I feel I have made a pretty strong case towards that end. I will continue to feature those aspects in the future because I know there are still people out there that consider Des Moines boring. But, for today I am going to take the opportunity to touch on a topic I cannot get out of my mind as I was unfortunately impacted by ‘said’ topic first hand this morning.  I was not ‘witness’ to the Bus/pedestrian incident this morning, which was outside my office building (this is the third or fourth incident on this city block in last year and a half), but I was definitely affected by the incident as I did see the aftermath of yet another bus/pedestrian accident outside my office window.

As I stood by my co-workers this morning while looking down on the accident, as we have done before, I couldn’t fail to digest their negative comments – I am going to walk in the skywalks cause they are so much safer than the streets – I can’t believe this is happening again – Why is it so hard to look both ways before turning left? –

Those comments really got me thinking…This issue is going to hurt the future of the city.

I am not trying to imply that people will choose to not move to DSM because of these incidents. More so I am taking a larger perspective and considering DART’s impact on the future of this city. 

Are the Federal Government or private investors going to invest in the expansion of our infrastructure with all of the legal implications placed on DART due to these negligent circumstances?

I have to imagine the negative attention geared towards DART is severely hindering the expansion of projects like the downtown tram, etc.  I think it is fair to jump to this conclusion because the incidents are not necessarily isolated or few-and-far-between.  If people are scared to cross the streets downtown it is going to be very hard to improve and expand the city. Now, I make that last comment with a grain of salt as I know those same people who make the comments are crossing the streets every day without any concern for a city bus. But, with the impact of Social Media and the opportunity to spread the ‘word’ in a matter of nano-seconds…is it outside the realm to consider these instances’ a big time concern for our city?

Or, is my perspective too large scale and out of place?

I think it is fair to say the bus/pedestrian accidents of the past year and half have drastic implications on the future of the city. If that is a fact, then it stands to reason these issues have hindered the efforts placed by so many to grow the city into a vibrant, progressive city. Hopefully, the planned Transit Hub will provide a different avenue for busses downtown and alleviate these issues going forward. I just hope that can happen sooner, rather than later, to ensure a lesser long-term affect on the city. 

    

The 2009 version of the 80/35 Music Festival is over, the pictures are posted everywhere social media sites allow. The memories, somewhat blurry at times, are still pretty vivid and the experience is fresh in our minds.

Now what?

What is next?

Do we just have to wait until next year to feel that experience again?

Absolutely not! Live music in Des Moines goes much further than the Music Festival.  Actually, the festival was a great celebration of local music and a great illustration of the caliber of music in Des Moines.  Each of the Free stages during 80/35 were populated by local favorites like The Envy Corps, Mooseknuckle, The Josh Davis Band, The Nadas,  The Dig Angees, Poison Control Center, just to name a few. Luckily, we have venues like People’s Court, Vaudeville Mews, House of Bricks , Simon Estes Amphitheater,  Val Air Ballroom that provide great options for these bands and more every weekend of the calendar year.  There is absolutely no reason to put away your boogie for the season and wait until next year or feel like all the excitement of live music has left Des Moines with the touring buses from this weekend.
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Then, as if considering all of the local music options available is not enough, consider how many touring bands come to Des Moines on a weekly basis. For instance, just this week alone, bands like The Black Crowes, Rick Springfield, Hollywood Undead, The Redjumpsuit Apparatus, The Veronicas, Boys Like Girls, Gov’t Mule are all making their way to local establishments to boogie down.  These are just the groups that are playing in the previously mentioned locations; there are other venues all across the city that will undoubtedly feature live music of some-sort all week long.Now is not the time to pout or consider your live music experience over for the summer, rather now is the time to get out there  and embrace that band you heard at 80/35 but may not completely remember exactly every word to their songs. I guarantee you these bands are still playing. Now is time for us to step out on the town and make sure we reinforce the mission of the 80/35 organizers, the Des Moines Music Coalition, and illustrate how much live music is appreciated in Des Moines.

Thanks you to the Des Moines Music Coalition of this picture of Poison Control Centers set on the West free stage.

    

Shawn has been very busy planning the Do More Village for 80/35 this weekend and has not had time to prepare his usual Friday Guest Blog. So, in place of our usual Friday treat, I thought I would post this picture that I found in the Des Moines Register...if for no other reason than it made me laugh really, really hard. Look at the kid on the buckled over in front on the right...priceless.

Happy @8035 to everyone! Please use #8035 in your tweets to get the word out there to the entire world!

    

I was so fired up on Tuesday about the 80/35 Music Festival I failed to mention a few other options for  ‘not boring’ events going on this weekend.

For starters, there is the  GoodGuys Heartland Nationals out to the State Fair Grounds from Friday through Sunday. If classic, hot rod, or custom cars is of any interest to you, I highly suggest you head on to see all of the vehicles.  This is the 18^th annual event for the Heartland series (there are other GoodGuys events throughout the nation), which features nearly 3,000 vehicles from any date before 1972.   The events will feature a swap meet, street challenge, nostalgia event, fireworks, and much more.   There will also be the annual awards for Truck, Custom Rod, Muscle Car, Muscle Machine, Dream Car, and Builders Choice.

Another event this weekend that falls into the ‘not boring’ category is the Valley Junction Street Party.  This is a one night only event on Friday the 3rd and it will feature Throwing Toast and One Night Stand on the musical stage.  There will be tons of food and adult beverages to choose from. Stop on over and enjoy the live music and libations.

These are just two other options to the list of items I discussed on Tuesday’s post. This is truly a weekend that no one in the city can complain about being bored.  If you know someone who is complaining about boredom this weekend, direct them back here and give them a firm kick in the back side cause they are being lazy and not looking for fun things to do.  I will be at the 80/35 Festival for as long as I can be on Friday and you can most likely find me in the Do More Village if you need me to do the kicking for you.  Saturday a buddy of mine is getting married, so I will not be available for any kicking, which may mean you will need to schedule your time accordingly.

    

Whew….ok, I think I am recovered from last weekend. What a whirl wind! I bet most of us in Des Moines are feeling the weekendhang-over, since it was such a huge weekend!!  There was the Des Moines Arts Festival, the Hy-Vee Triathlon, Big Country Bash, Summer Jam, Keith Urban and Taylor Swift, MCC Fights…all in one weekend!! I heard on the news last nightthat the initial return from the three days that comprised last weekend was near $4.6 million spent, but they said they had yet to receive the confirmation on that statfrom the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Either way, a fantastic showing and atrue illustration that Des Moines is not Boring.

So, this weekend we can all take a big exhale and justenjoy some relaxation. Right? Cause, there can’t be two weekends in a row withsuch an increased level of activities. Right? Cause this is dead Moines…
Wrong! This weekend is going to be just as busy as last weekend. For starters let’s focus on the 80/35 Music Festival, which last year attracted near 30,000 people during the two days. This year is going to be just as crazy with an amazing line up. The live music starts at 4pm on Friday with Tilly and the Wall’s first beats on the Main stage and Des Moines’ own Mooseknuckle on the West Stage. The 17 different acts performing on Friday will be capped off with Public Enemy’s performance. The music starts at noon on Saturday, with three groups on three different stages, Des Moines’ own Poison Control Center will be on the Main Stage and Hanwell on the East Stage,and a group out of Los Angeles, Anni Rossi, showcased on the West Stage.  All and all, 27 music groups will perform on Saturday with the finale of Ben Harper and the Relentless 7’s performance on the Main Stage. 

When ever I see the photo’s from last year’s festival I can’t help but get a big grin on my face.  I had a complete blast last year, I saw people from all walks, directions, and lifestyles all wrapped into one conclusive group that were all their intent to hear live music. The entire timeI kept reminding myself that the event was organized by a group of volunteers. A festival that entertained nearly 30,000 for two days was organized by a group of people volunteering their time and efforts for a mutual cause. That fact still amazes me to this day, but I have gone from true amazement to wonderment as I cannot be more proud that their efforts embody what being an Iowan is all about. Iowans are known for working hard for our causes, our goals, our future and it shows what we are capable of.

While at the festival, stop through the Do More Village(hosted by the Young Professionals Connection) over by the Des Moines Social Club building on Locust Street if you are interested in the opportunity to winup to $500 in downtown gift cards or a CAR! The gift cards are via the Downtown Community Alliance and the car raffle is being held by the 4-H Foundation.  There will be live street performances and many interactive options to entertain your time in the Village.

If live music is not your thing, there are tons of other events to go to this weekend, including the I-Cubs, Iowa Barnstormers, Des Moines Menace, Downtown Farmers Market, and too many holiday celebrations to count. 

So, let’s recap.  If your plans include sitting on aboat at Saylorville or leaving town this weekend, change them! Focus your efforts and attention at either the Music Festival or supporting one of our local teams this weekend, you will not be disappointed!

Thanks goes to Derek Brooks for the photo of last years Flaming Lips show at 80/35.  

    

Please find the Friday Guest Blog below. This was written by Shawn Harrington

The Iowa sports world stood still on Wednesday.  The shock is still just barely wearing off.  Upon hearing the news from a co-worker that Aplington-Parkersburg's Coach Ed Thomas had been shot and killed, I could feel the impact digging deep very quickly.  Even as someone who played all my high school and college athletics 900 miles away, I could feel that there was a strong sense of loss among all of us. 

From everything I've been hearing over the last two days, there are people all over Iowa sharing these same feelings.  Here is a quick recap of Coach Thomas's most notable career accomplishments:

-Overall record of 292-84 over 37 seasons as Head Coach
-Two State Titles
-Produced four current NFL players including Aaron Kampan (Green Bay Packers), Casey Wiegman (Denver Broncos), Jared Devries (Detroit Lions), and Brad Meester (Jacksonville Jaguars). 



These credentials contributed to Thomas being named 2005's NFL High School Coach of the Year.  The four players from this high school moving onto the NFL is no small story, especially considering that this is drawn off a population of less than 2,000!  All have moved on with high remarks for their former coach and have referenced the values and work ethic taught to them that make up who they are today as successful pro athletes.  Outside of his football profession, it is an amazing accomplishment of how well respected he became within his own community.  As a survivor of one of Iowa's most devastating tornadoes in May of 2008, Thomas has since been the stand-out leader for rebuilding the town of Parkersburg. 

My personal memory of Thomas' impact will be of driving into Parkersburg last summer to meet with customers.  I was there to set up flooring arrangements on the first set of houses under construction.  The scene was still unbelievable devastation of a town only a couple months past its tragedy that took 6 lives.  The place was leveled with trees still uprooted and piles of rubble on the curbs of what used to be people's homes.  With only the slight beginnings of framed houses, it was a clear view across town and to the high school that was sheered in half.  What stuck out was the red and white practice jerseys on the hill, an entire team running straight lines up and down the field to the sound of the whistles.  This was the organization that stood out among the chaos.  As the residents moved about that day, whether it was for clean-up or construction efforts, what was in the background was the symbol of their community moving forward and starting a return to normalcy.

It does not surprise me that it would be rallying behind a man like this to help Parkersburg regain itself when it could have been easy for them to give up to Mother Nature's powerful forces.  What Thomas did for these people was what the best coaches out there do for individuals on a regular basis.  They find us when we are most vulnerable, when we feel defeated, like the opposing forces are more than we can handle, and then they remind us that the strength is within us and somehow find a way to bring it out of us when it is needed most.  That is what Coach Thomas did for Parkersburg when the town stood at its most critical moment.

Besides just pro athletes, this man touched the lives of all those around him and many who played for him.  He stressed that he was not only teaching his athletes football, but was also teaching these young men values that they can carry with them through life.  This was evident Wednesday afternoon when Aaron Thomas, the son of Ed, spoke publicly at a time when outrage seemed to be justifiable.  Within hours of the murder, Aaron asked for prayers to be with the suspect's family. 

There has already been much discussion on if Aplington-Parkersburg will recover from this tragedy and move on, however we know that they will.  It is the one individual they are remembering who has already given them the power and the strength to do just that.

    

Des Moines is starting to be labeled a progressive city, which some have questioned but no one can deny the movement has started to gain steam. Well, if anyone had any doubts,this weekend is a prime example that those discussing Des Moines and progressive in the same sentence are onto something.  
For starters, there is the Hy-Vee Triathlon, which I discussed on Tuesday (see below).  There is also the Des Moines Arts Festival, which features over 175 artists, live music, food, activities, a Film Festival, a Jazz and Wine Pavilion, all jammed into three days at the national renowned festival. Both events will feature a dichotomy of participants and crowds all intermingling this weekend.

What could be better!? List another city in the nation that has a World Class triathlon AND a nationally renowned Arts Festival going on at the same time!

In case you are concerned you might miss all the action in West Des Moines while sipping wine and looking at all the cool art at the Festival downtown; not to worry, the city has set up buses to run between each event all weekend long. That is probably the best idea since….well, since sliced bread if you ask me.  Both events are BIG time pulls for the city and it is great to see the cooperation and planning to set up this huge weekend! Not to mention the huge amount of local corporate sponsorship involved in both events. For instance at the Arts Festival: Aviva USA, Principal Financial Group, Prairie Meadows,GuideOne Insurance, U. S Cellular (also a major sponsor at next weekend’s 80/35 Music Festival), Budweiser, Meredith Corporation, Hubbell Homes, Nationwide are all involved with the Arts Festival. These are some of the largest employers in the city! Hy-Vee is the main sponsor of the Triathlon, thus the name, but they are also providing a piece of the sponsorship and pull for the Arts Festival with the Friday night concert. Other sponsors of the triathlon are not necessarily local companies since the sponsors of the athletic event tend to be more regional hubs of larger companies in the health care and food industries.(Pepsico, Gatorade, etc.) Yet their investments in this huge event are a going to bring great returns for the community.

 Every thing at the Arts Festival starts tomorrow night at 4 pm with the official opening,and will be capped off by Collective Soul and Gavin DeGraw’s performance, that is sponsored by Hy-Vee Food Stores, in recognition of the triathlon.The events continue all day Saturday and until 5 pm on Sunday.

The next two weeks are entirely huge weeks for the city of Des Moines and main reasons why I consider Des Moines to be a not boring city.  These are the large scale events, which often get more press and media attention (as illustrated by my Blogs this week), yet there are tons of other events going on this weekend that I haven’t had time to discuss. But, it is a good thing to have not enough time to discuss all that is going on in our city.

Right!?

    

I have to admit, I was a little torn trying to figure out what I wanted to lead with this week in my Tuesday Blog.  The decision was made a little easier once I considered which event is most important to me (selfishly). There are so many events (Des Moines Art Festival, Keith Urban/Taylor Swift, 80/35 planning, MCC Fights) going on in Des Moines in the next two weeks, I chose the event that I will be participating in, the Hy-Vee Triathlon. Also, I think it is fair to say most people have the least knowledge of the Triathlon, when compared to the arts festivals, concerts, fights, etc...

Anyway, now that’s out of the way, the Triathlon activities start on Saturday, with the kid’s triathlon at 8 am, and the ITU Triathlon races later in the afternoon. What may still be unknown to most is Hy-Vee’s place in the world of Triathlon racing. This is the third year Hy-Vee has sponsored the race with the largest purse ($700k) to the winners of any race in the world. That is pretty cool considering the fact that the world’s top Professional racers come to Des Moines Iowa every year to compete for the prizes. Not to mention the impact of having the worlds Professional racers in Des Moines has on the local economy. This year’s field will have all of the top prize winners from last year’s Beijing Olympics, with Jan Frodeno, Simon Whitfield, Bevan Docherty (Gold, Silver, Bronze respectively) competing for the Men and Emma Snowsill, Vanessa Fernandes, Emma Moffatt (same order for women) competing for the women.  Snowsill and Moffatt finished last year’s Hy-Vee race 1 & 2 respectively and are sure to be in the lead pack again this year. For the men, none of the Olympic winners have placed at Hy-Vee in the past (which shows the level of competition), but not to worry Rasmus Henning will be back to see if he can get his third victory in as many years.  The elite events are truly amazing races to watch because all of the competitors in the fields are so evenly matched.  The ITU Triathlon events start at 12:30.

Not to be undone, the amateurs (me included!) kick off their racing at 6 am on Sunday with a 1500 meter swim in Blue Heron Lake, a 40k bike out west on Grand Avenue, and a 10k run throughout the Valley South Woods area in West Des Moines.  This event will have nearly 2000 participants (1600 at last count) competing for the individual goals and accomplishments, not the largest prize purse in the sport of Triathlon (unfortunately).  If you can tear yourselves out of bed on Sunday morning early, watching the large number of athletes compete is something everyone should experience, not to mention how great it will be to have people cheering at every transition and corner along the race.  After the amateurs finish, the ITU Professional gang will be back at it with a first of its kind event, the ITU Triathlon Team Championships.  This unique event will team two pairs (2 men and 2 women) to make a team of four, which will represent their nation. Each participant will compete in a super sprint triathlon (250m swim, 7km bike and 1.8k run) before handing off the baton to the next participant on their team. The winning nation’s team will take home $70k and bragging rights for the first event of this kind held in the United States and only the third time in history.

The triathlon provides Des Moines residents an opportunity to see professional athletes racing in a first-of-its-kind event on Sunday, as well as the richest prize in the sport on Saturday.  Not to mention the coverage from NBC (covering Sunday’s event) that will air nationally during the afternoon (check your listings).  The racing also provides an opportunity for us amateurs to test our fitness and compete among friends. I hope Des Moines will embrace the racing and take some time to swing by the Raccoon River complex this weekend between all of the other activities going on in our great city this weekend.

 

    

Please find the Friday Guest Blog below. This was written by Shawn Harrington

While a Texas-based sports group feels it needs to deliver the message to Central Iowa that we are not capabale of supporting a professional sport that is non-native to our region, another seems to be taking off faster than ever.  This Sunday, the Iowa Speedway, in Newton, will host the Iowa Corn Indy 500 (12p.m. Central, ABC).  This will be the 3rd major Indy Car Race of its kind in as many years since the facility opened its gates in 2006. 
 
Outside of this annual race, the Speedway itself has caught plenty of national attention as a one-of-a-kind facility unique to its sport.  It was set to seat 25,000 and then had to develop expansion plans for seating toward 30,000 once the fanbase started growing.   That was only after a couple seasons, they now head into 2009 with a seating capacity of 50,000!  The track was desgined by Nascar's Rusty Wallace and has been known to bring down what I've learned to be strong G-forces on the drivers as they're heading around the 7/8 mile track. These make it a physically tough race on any driver and are making this Iowa stop one of their more challenging races on the schedule. 
 
The success of this track for bringing in publicity, superstars, and revenues to Central Iowa should not be overlooked.  Like any other major sport, this is a business and those behind the scenes at Iowa Speedway have been doing a pretty stellar job so far.  Indy Car Racing in particular has been taking off in popularity due to the rising fame of its international stars Marco Andretti, Dario Franchitti, and Danica Patrick, among many others.  There's definitely more cities out there in competition to host these events and the small town of Newton has done a pretty good job catering to them and locking itself in as a must-have race on the Indy schedule.
 
As if there's not enough buzz building, Nascar itself has now been entertaining the option of holding a top race at Iowa Speedway.  While overall ratings for the sport have been slipping, many racing professionals have acknowledged that having a new market here in Iowa is critical to the future of their sport.  It seems pretty obvious that this track knows how to promote itself to racing's fanbase and has established many great relationships already within its circles (yeah, circles, like inner groups). 

As a true hockey fan, I would hate to compare ice to pavement.  However, I would not mind comparing two professional facilities sitting within 30 miles of each other.  The two opened within an 18 month span and have seasons that off-set each other.  One is pushing 20,000+ season tickets and gaining continual corporate sponsorships at an economic time that has most cutting back.  The other finds itself downgrading its product for the fans who support a 17,000 seat facility built primarily through public funding.  One keeps driving forward with its plans while the other is switching gears, just not in the right direction for the time being.

    

Summer is here, officially, as of this week!  Not that anyone has forgotten with the current temperatures exceeding the 90 degree threshold. One great way to get out and enjoy the summer weather, even during 90 degree temps and humidity, is to listen to live music. It’s true, a great way to just forget about the temperature is to listen to the beats from the speakers…the vocals transcending you to a much happier, and more comfortable, place in time which will evaporate sensations of the ever-increasing body temperature and need for liquids. 

One of the best places to take the forget-about-the-temperature journey is the Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheater.  The Amphitheater is a fantastic place to bring a blanket and just relax during the Friday happy-hour or on a Saturday evening after you have spent all day at the Farmers Market or in the East Village.  Even if you didn’t spend all day at the Market or in the Village, the amphitheater provides a tremendous opportunity to see the sun-set and hear your favorite musician strumming a fantastic tune. The lineup of musicians this summer is top-notch, which is sure to make the opportunity one you will truly never forget.

For instance, the calendar for the next month is below:

• Tonight – Matthew Street
• Tomorrow – Des Moines own The Nadas
• June 25 – Carolina Liar
• July 2 – Sister Hazel
• As if you need any more music during the week of the forth of July week after the 80/35 Music Festival - The Black Crows July 7
• July 9 – Mat Kearney
• July 15 – Umphrey’s McGee
• July 16 - American Idol’s David Cook

So, as you can see, there are tons of options at the amphitheater this summer and ample opportunities to transcend your warm experiences.  Break out the folding chairs or blanket and head to the amphitheater to relax and enjoy some great live tunes.

Thanks to Des Moines Alive for the great picture of the amphitheater and the Des Moines skyline.