Little Village magazine issue 296: July 2021

ISSUE 296 July 2021

A L W A Y S

F R E E

d ’ c e R

SKATE

Dropping in on IC skaters PLAY

The quest to build a playground for all SUSTAIN

Iowa’s murky waters

PLUS!

BEND

COOK

RIDE

Inside a nudist campground

CR’s new yoga and mindfulness fest

Fire up the charcoal

Cycling for social change

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 1

IT’S LITTLE VILLAGE’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY. The first issue of Little Village entered Iowa City’s public consciousness in July of 2001.

Since then, LV has grown from a scrappy, homemade mag to an indispensable Eastern Iowa news source in print and online, but the heart of our work has always remained the same: providing free, independent news and culture journalism written by our community, for our community, and never losing our alternative spirit.

Thinking about how far Little Village has come since 2001 has us all feeling a bit nostalgic. If you are too, take our quiz to find out…

Are you more of a social butterfly or a lone wolf?

WHICH LV COLUMN ARE YOU? Butterfly

Do you always have to be right, no matter the argument?

Dream date: Gabe’s beer garden or Nodo takeout at home?

Nah

Yes, or else

Is your nose always buried in a book?

No, I have a life

Where can you be found on a Thursday night: a poetry reading at Prairie Lights or live music at Sanctuary?

UNESCO City of LIT!!

Live show

Poetry

Are you a romantic at heart?

Pick a beer.

Workman’s Comp

UR HERE: You’re a total brainiac and a natural leader. Your friends look to you for wise advice, and you’re more than willing to give it. Advise them to support local journalism!

2 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Nodo

Um, duh

No...

Gabe’s

Wolf

ARE you always right?

(Don’t lie.)

PBR

Only if they have good taste

PRAIRIE POP: You’re the life of every party, and you’re also pretty opinionated—but only because your taste is better than everyone else’s. You were probably a Little Village member before it was cool.

That’s amore baby

DEAR KIKI: You’re sensitive, emotionally intelligent and maybe a bit introverted (and you’re probably a great kisser).

Pucker up to your pals at LV by becoming a member!

Thank you to our supporters Janet Abbas Christine Allen Scott Anderson Kelli Andresen Bruce Ayati Jennifer Bedet James Beeghly Astrid Bennett Darlene Bergman Nick & Laura Bergus Merce Bern-Klug Connie and Chris Bjornstad Barbara Black Jackson Blais Carey Bostian Steve & Amy Bouffard Kenn Bowen Kenn & Pat Bowen Carolyn Buckingham Matt Carberry Amber Carver Stephanie Catlett Denise Chevalier Benjamin Claes Maeve Clark Ron Clark Ken Clinkenbeard Judith Clinton Michael Connell Laura Crossett Pete and Julie Damiano Kate De Gutes Jacob Dearborn Huston Diane Delozier Lahr Adam DeLuca Shirle Dohrman

Lori Dolan Rebecca Don Anne Duggan Stephen Dunham Melody Dworak Lisa Edwards Cathy Eisenhofer Karen Eldridge Ascended Electronics John Engelbrecht Sandra Eskin Red-Sim Fam Tyler Farber Eileen Fisher Nike Fleming Jon Fogarty Karin Franklin Susan Frye Jerome Full Susan Futrell Teresa Galluzzo Monique Galpin Ronald Gardner Anne Gentil-Archer Tina & Jessica Gleeson David Gooblar Mary Lynn Grant Aleksey Gurtovoy Tommy Haines Scot Harrison Jandy Hartwig Jenni Hatz Chrystal Heasley Lisa Heineman Deb Hide Michelle Hills K. Kris Hirst Hans Hoerschelman Susan Horne

Veronica Hubbard Jill Jack Paul Johnson Eric Johnson Adam Joyce Hannah Kaboli Lyn Dee Kealey Anne Kent-Miller Phil Kerr Garry Klein Adam Knight Jen Knights Casey Kohrt Jill Kromminga Debra Kruse Brooks Landon Lori Lane Priya Larson David Leshtz Ben Lewis Nina Lohman Steve Long Rebecca Mallon Lisa Manesis Teresa Mangum John Martinek Heather McClatchey Benton McCune Scott McDonough Barbara McFadden Alison McGoff Tara McGovern Nancy McStockard Matt & Jenni Mettemeyer Forrest Meyer Virginia Miller Davisson & Son Millwork Sam Moen

Ryan Moffitt Jillian Moore Brian Morelli Dessie Myers Mark Nolte Phillip Ochs Daniel ORourke Angela Ossian Mary Palmberg Dave Parsons Lynn Partridge Benjamin Partridge Kelcey PatrickFerree Jason Paulios Jerry Peck Troy Peters Nathan Platte James Pobst Joshua Polansky Dana Potter Sarah Prineas Luc Puis DJ QTBOOTIE Chuy Renteria Yasmine Rezai Ariane Rhone Chris Rich Lisa Roberts Katherine Roche David Roe Catherine Rost Kristen Rummelhart Mary Russell Marnie Saeugling Sara Sauers Mike Schluckebier Barbara Schwartz Andrew Sherburne Jacob Simmering

Amber Skoglund Roberta Sloat Sondra Smith Zachary Smith Lori Steele Eleanor Steele Lynn Steele Mal Stroik Kalmia Strong Alex Sukalski Rod Sullivan Becky Svatos Nasreen Syed Rei Tang Brian Tanner John & Sarah Thomas & Clark Don Thompson Carol and Lee Tippe Chosie Titus Susan Totten Annie Tucker Grace Tully Mary Vasey Tim Venable Phi Wagner-Hecht Paul Waterman Tim Weitzel Amanda West Chris Whetstine Dorothy Whiston Edward Williams Hank Williams Aislinn Williams DaLayne Williamson Paul Wise Matthew Witry Paul Wittau Zoe Woodworth

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STEP AFRIKA! DRUMFOLK

Quixotic, Hancher Illuminated – August 28 Step Afrika!, Drumfolk – September 11 Bill Nye – September 27 Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project – September 29 Waitress – October 22–23 Boston Pops on Tour, Lights, Camera…Music!

Six Decades of John Williams – October 27 Bill Irwin, On Beckett – November 5

WAITRESS

Hermitage Piano Trio – November 12 CLUB HANCHER

Jazz at Lincoln Center Quintet Let Freedom Swing – November 18 Storm Large, Holiday Ordeal – December 4 Straight No Chaser – December 9 Brunch with Santa – December 11–12 MUSIC BY SARA BAREILLES (“LOVE SONG,” “BRAVE”)

MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP PEPPERLAND

An Officer and a Gentleman – January 19 Roomful of Teeth – February 16 Mark Morris Dance Group Pepperland – February 18 Castalian String Quartet – February 20 The Philadelphia Orchestra – March 9 Damien Sneed A Tribute to Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul – March 10 Danish String Quartet – April 1

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER QUINTET LET FREEDOM SWING

The Band’s Visit – April 6–7 Steve Kroft – April 13 KIDS CLUB HANCHER

Jazz at Lincoln Center Quintet Let Freedom Swing – April 23 Kronos Quartet At War With Ourselves – 400 Years of You – April 30 Las Cafeteras – May 7

TICKETS ON SALE AUGUST 16 $10 STUDENT TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR MOST SHOWS

Discover more at hancher.uiowa.edu Individuals withLITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events.If you are a person with a disability who 6 July 2021 requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Hancher in advance at (319) 335-1158.

Children, Teens, Adults and Seniors ──── 2-Hour Intro Programs ────

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Iowa City auto repair for Subaru, BMW, Mini, Porsche, Audi, VW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, Saab, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Acura and more

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NEWS & CULTURE FROM IOWA CITY Since 2001 littlevillagemag.com

14 - Advertising Partners 16 - Interactions 21 - Brock About Town 25 - Cortado 26 - UR Here 30 - Playtime 36 - Water Quality 44 - Skatepark 52 - A Look Back 60 - L.V. Campground 64 - Prairie Pop 68 - Bread & Butter 72 - A-List 76 - Events Calendar Emma McClatchey / Little Village

87 - Dear Kiki 89 - Astrology 91 - Album Reviews 93 - Book Reviews 95 - Crossword

36

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There’s something lurking in

The possibilities for a new Iowa

LV visits L.V. Campground, a

H2Oh, No!

Ollie-Oop

Laid Bare

Iowa rivers—and the state seems

City skatepark have skaters stoked

secluded haven for those who

determined to let it stay.

for a gnarly future.

prefer to play au natural.

Thanks to last month’s new supporters: • Joshua Polansky

• Paul Waterman

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Introducing Oasis Street FoodTM Why the snazzy new look and refreshed name? We’re expanding our hummus to more grocery stores across the Midwest so that more folks can find Oasis a little closer to home.

TM

Oasis Street Food Hummus

In addition to being delicious, our hummus is a plant-based superfood that’s vegan as well as dairy- and gluten-free.

Now available in Hy-Vees in seven states—Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota—and a growing number of Natural Grocers, Fareways, and local stores.

Oasis Street FoodTM Pocket Pitas Keep your eye out for our plain and whole wheat pocket pitas arriving in more stores in the coming months.

319.358.7342 info@oasisstreetfood.com 206 N. Linn St. Iowa City, IA 52245

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NEWS & CULTURE FROM IOWA CITY Since 2001 littlevillagemag.com

EDITORIAL

PRODUCTION

Publisher

Web Developer

Issue 296, Volume 30

Matthew Steele

Adith Rai

July 2021

matt@littlevillagemag.com

adith@littlevillagemag.com

Managing Editor

Digital Director

Emma McClatchey

Drew Bulman

LV’s inaugural summer recreation

emma@littlevillagemag.com

drewb@littlevillagemag.com

guide spotlights Iowa CIty skate

Arts Editor

Photographer & Videographer

and Iowa’s water quality woes.

Genevieve Trainor

Jason Smith

Plus: Inside an adults-only

genevieve@littlevillagemag.com

jason@littlevillagemag.com

campground, an ember-roasted

News Director

Marketing Automations

Paul Brennan

Malcolm MacDougall

paul@littlevillagemag.com

malcolm@littlevillagemag.com

Art Director

SALES & ADMINISTRATION

Jordan Sellergren

Marketing Director &

Christopher Burns lives

Michael Roeder is a self-

jordan@littlevillagemag.com

Copywriter

in a state of uncertainty

declared Music Savant. When

Celine Robins

between Iowa City and the

he isn’t writing for Little Village

celine@littlevillagemag.com

Quantum Realm. In between

he blogs at playbsides.com

Cover by Jason Smith

culture, playground accessiblity

recipe, the Harmony Festival, the

Staff Writer & Editor

Copy Editor

Meet this month’s guest contributors:

fluctuations he writes weird

Izabela Zaluska izabela@littlevillagemag.com

Bike Library’s new rides and more!

Advertising

stories and plays music with

Brian Tanner lives in the Iowa

Nolan Petersen, Matthew Steele

the Shining Realm.

City area and loves cycling.

ads@littlevillagemag.com

While his regular writing Sarah Elgatian is a writer,

is usually in the form of

Creative Services

activist and educator living

playwriting, he is happy to have

Website design

in Iowa. She likes dark

been able to contribute this

Spanish Language Editor

Email marketing

coffee, bright colors and

article. He hopes everyone has a

Angela Pico

E-commerce

long sentences. She dislikes

safe and super summer!

Videography

meanness.

Celine Robins

Calendar/Event Listings

creative@littlevillagemag.com Mike Kuhlenbeck is a freelance

calendar@littlevillagemag.com CIRCULATION

journalist and National Writers

Corrections

Distribution Manager

Union member based in Des

editor@littlevillagemag.com

Brian Johannesen

Moines, Iowa.

July Contributors

Terrance Banks,

Kembrew McLeod is a

Ute Brandenburg, Audrey Brock,

Charlie Cacciatore

founding Little Village columnist and the chair of

Alex Choquemamani, Thomas Dean, Sarah Elgatian, Caroline Garske

distro@littlevillagemag.com

Communication Studies at the University of Iowa.

Andrew Hallinan, Tate Hildyard, Mike Kuhlenbeck, John Martinek, Sophie

OFFICES

McClatchey, Kembrew McLeod,

Little Village

Ben Partridge is currently

Jenni Mettemeyer, Zak Neumann,

623 S Dubuque St

obsessing about whatever

Ben Partridge, Michael Roeder,

Iowa City, IA 52240

berry is in season and how much space remains in his

Brian Tanner, Tom Tomorrow, Sam Locke Ward

Little Village Creative Services

SOCIAL MEDIA

132 1/2 E Washington Suite 5

Facebook @LittleVillageMag,

Iowa City, IA 52240,

Instagram @LittleVillageMag,

(319) 855-1474

freezer.

Jason Smith / Little Village

celine@littlevillagemag.com

Twitter @LittleVillage LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 11

LittleVillageMag.com

Top Stories Daily news updates, events, restaurant reviews and videos at LittleVillageMag.com.

Jon Green elected to Johnson County Board of Supervisors in landslide

New mini-golf course opening in Cedar Rapids on Friday

victory By Paul Brennan, June 8

By Izabela Zaluska, June 10

Democrat Jon Green easily won Tuesday’s special election to fill the vacancy

Located next to Twin Pines Golf Course in Cedar Rapids, the new Mini

on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. Green, the former mayor of

Pines course features four holes with water challenges, including a

Lone Tree, earned 9,718 votes, or 66.1% of all votes cast. Republican Phil

waterfall. There are butterfly and hummingbird gardens planted around

Hemingway won 4,504 votes, or 30.6% of the total, and Brian Campbell,

the course with signage about the benefits of pollinator plantings. This is

who ran without party affiliation, received 471 votes, or 3.2%.

one of a few courses that is fully ADA accessible.

Insomnia Cookies opening downtown Iowa City location

WATCH: Little Village Studio Visit ft. Talya Miller

By Izabela Zaluska, June 15

By Jason Smith, June 25

Late-night snacking in Iowa City is about to get a whole lot sweeter after

“Kindness is a huge aspect of my work,” says Iowa

Insomnia Cookies opens its downtown location. The late-night bakery

City artist Talya Miller, but not “that fluffy idea of ‘Iowa

chain will be moving into the space at 125 E Washington St, which used

nice.’” Miller talked to Little Village about the difference

to be Mama’s Deli & Catering. Mama’s Deli closed last December. The new

between working with digital and traditional art tools,

Insomnia Cookies is expected to open “later this summer,” according to

the connection between the written word and the art

the company.

she makes and the challenges of creating while dealing

WATCH Studio Visit ft.

Talya Miller

with depression and imposter syndrome.

Subscribe to our newsletter for the very latest news, events, dining recommendations and LV Perks: LittleVillageMag.com/Subscribe 12 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

“Best of the CRANDIC”

VOTING BEGINS AUGUST 1 LittleVillageMag.com/CRANDIC LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 13

THANK YOU TO THIS ISSUE’S ADVERTISING PARTNERS This issue of Little Village is supported by: Adamantine Spine Moving (35) Artifacts (65) Arnott & Kirk (96) The Art of Music School (74) Ascended Electronics (25) barre3 (28) Burger Haul (79) Cedar Rapids New Bohemia/Czech Village (68-69) - NewBoCo - Goldfinch Cyclery - RAYGUN - The Daisy - Parlor City Chomp (88) City of Iowa City (17) City of Iowa City Parks & Recreation (43, 47) City of Muscatine (37) CIVIC (74) The Club Car (89) Coralville Public Library (92) CSPS (61) The Dandy Lion (70) The Englert Theatre (90)

FilmScene (23) Grinnell College Museum of Art (74) Harmony Festival (86) Honeybee Hair Parlor (85) ICCA (28) ImOn (40) Indian Creek Nature Center (71) Iowa City Downtown(31) - Critical Hit Games - Record Collector - Beadology - Yotopia - Release Body Modification - RAYGUN - The Konnexion Iowa City Fencing Center (7) Iowa City Northside Marketplace (48) Iowa City Public Library (94) Iowa Department of Public Health (63) Iowa Environmental Council (29) Iowa Magic Shop (42) Iowa Public Radio (42)

- John’s - The Haunted Bookshop - High Ground - Home Ec. Workshop - Russ’ Northside Service - Hamburg Inn No. 2 - R.S.V.P. - Pagliai’s Pizza - Dodge St. Tire - George’s - Marco’s Grilled Cheese Iowa City Downtown District (4-5) Johnson County Health Path Clinic (41) KCCK Jazz 88.3 Kim Schillig, Realtor (33) KRUI 89.7 FM (61) Hancher Auditorium (6) Linn County Conservation (56-59) Mailboxes of Iowa City (32) Martin Construction (83) Merge (28) Micky’s Irish Pub (76) Multicultural Development Center of Iowa (74)

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (39) New Pioneer Food Co-op (27) Nodo (76) Oasis Street Food (10) Perez Family Tacos (35) Phoebe Martin, Realtor (75) Public Space One (18) Red Vespa (87) Revival (42) Ricardo Rangel Jr., Realtor (32) Riverside Theatre (32) Sanctuary (87) Shakespeare’s Pub & Grill (89) Summer of the Arts (67) Summer of the Arts Sponsored by Kim Schillig (96) Teddy’s Better Burgers (35) Troubleshoot, LLC (32) White Dog (8) Wig & Pen (81) Willis Dady Homeless Services (73) Willow & Stock (19) World of Bikes (34)

Little Village magazine print readership 25,000-40,000 per issue LittleVillageMag.com readership 200,000 monthly article views 74,000 unique monthly visitors

RECENT READER SURVEY DATA MEDIAN AGE: 37 25-34: 26% 35-44: 22% 45-54: 17% 55-64: 14% 65+: 10% 18-24: 9%

AVERAGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN 1.85

MEDIAN PERSONAL INCOME: $55k 26%: $40k-60k 18%: $60k-80k 17%: $100k+ 17%: $20k-40k 12%: <$20k 11%: $80k-$100k

GENDER

EDUCATION Masters: 34% Bachelors: 31% Ph.D: 18% Some college: 9% Associates: 7%

AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS LIVING IN EASTERN IOWA

Female: 63% Male: 34% Nonbinary/other: 3%

28

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Reader Perks: Half-price gift cards to great local businesses Local businesses trade gift cards for advertising in our magazine then we sell them to our loyal readers.

When you purchase a Reader Perk, you double your money at locally owned shops and restaurants, they get an affordable way to get the word out and Little Village gets a little support along the way!

SHOP FOR DEALS: littlevillagemag.com/perks

Ten Thousand Villages $20 for $10

Goldfinch Cyclery $50 for $25

fix! $20 for $10

Ascended Electronics $50 for $25

Red Vespa $20 for $10

Gianna’s Italian Beef $20 for $10

Raygun $20 for $10

Almost Famous Popcorn $20 for $10

Pop’s BBQ $20 for $10

Dandy Lion $20 for $10

Willow & Stock $20 for $10

World of Bikes $50 for $25

Oasis Falafel $20 for $10

Broken Spoke $50 for $25

Revival $40 for $20

Fong’s Pizza $20 for $10

Micky’s $20 for $10 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 15

LittleVillageMag.com

Interactions LV encourages community members, including candidates for office, to submit letters to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com. To be considered for print publication, letters should be under 500 words. Preference is given to letters that have not been published elsewhere.

‘It’s time to let the next generation of Iowans take the reins’: Senate candidate Dave Muhlbauer meets with Iowa City Democrats (May 27)

Hopefully Dave Muhlbauer will support Medicare For All! —William H.

So the Iowa Democrats’ new election strategy can be summed up as “Marlboro Man FTW”? —Tico S.F.

Taylor Bergen named executive director of CSPS (June 2)

It’s time for all farmers and ranchers to come to grips with the fact that they must abandon the Republican party forever. They have done nothing but hurt you. #CountryOverParty —@jmreycroft on Twitter

GIVE GUIDE A local holiday nonprofit and retail spotlight issue COMING NOVEMBER 2021 Contact ads@littlevillagemag.com

16 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Grassley needs to go. —Travis H.

A great choice and well deserved!

—Sandy R. Bored during lockdown, a Williamsburg couple built an outdoor stage on their property, offering artists 100% of ticket sales (June 4)

F U T I L E W R AT H

S A M LO C K E WA R D

HAVE AN OPINION? Better write about it!

Send letters to:

Editor@LittleVillageMag.com

Brilliant idea. Just sit back and wait for the vendors to come and only charge them. —Jason A. Great idea! Free concerts for the owners too! —Kayla M. In Kinnick there will be beer, UI Athletics announces (June 10) Kinnick is gonna be like other stadiums now. Cool. Maybe people will spend less effort pregaming, knowing they can drink at the game.

Maybe it’s a good thing to let grown people have access to adult stuff like at the REAL sports games. This sounds like a good thing to me. — Steph M. And then everyone will get in their cars and go home, great plan.

—Samantha P.C.

p Pop-u ion t a n o D Drop

Moving or decluttering?

Donate usa le oods or uno ened food, & recycle old atteries at any o u Donation Dro event this su er All donations o to o ses into omes, Sal ation Army, & a le to a le.

icgov.org/donationdrop VENMO @littlevillagemag PAYPAL lv@littlevillagemag.com

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 17

I N T E R AC T I O N S

a cute art exhibition at PS1

July 3-30

Formula for disaster. But then again, If the university’s educational experience includes selling alcohol to patrons, and those adults want to drink, and can drink responsibly, then so be it. Of course, we know the law of probability and statistics dictates that some bad things will come out of it. —Adam J.P. Did you ever go to games in the ’80s?

Everyone was drunk. Students brought in pony kegs. -Darin L. Gotta make the money back they lost from COVID somehow! —Dylan S. Juneteenth in Johnson County includes a block party, interactive history and Black-owned businesses (June 14)

Elaine Luther Erin Smetgo Eugene Sarmiento Fuko Ito Hannah Song Janelle O’Malley Janiece Maddoz Mariana Dal Pra Rebecka Kann Samantha Hensley $LANG Taylor Yocom Tommy Santee Klaws

curated by Drake A. Wilbur Vero Rose Smith

18

229 N. Gilbert, Iowa City July 2021 publicspaceone.com LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

I keep hearing that our country is racist.

If you listen to CRT my worth and your worth is based on the color of our skin.

If we are a racist country, why are we celebrating this? Seriously, I know the USofA is not a racist country. Here’s your proof. We celebrate Freedom. God bless us, everyone! —Brad L. Okay, I’ll engage in a hope that you “listen,” as I’ve seen *lots* of misinformation on this subject. CRT says nothing about “worth being based on skin color.” That is an intentional or accidental straw man.

Critical Race Theory is an academic movement of civil-rights scholars and activists in the United States who seek to critically examine the law as it intersects with issues of race and to challenge mainstream liberal approaches to racial justice.

It suggests that the core idea is that racism is a social construct, and that it is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies. Pulling Juneteenth (which isn’t a federal holiday and has no real designation other than ceremonial (and is typically not even acknowledged publicly) as evidence of America’s lack of racism is irrelevant to the tenets of CRT; “celebrating” Juneteenth does not dismantle systemic racism, does not redress redlining, does not redress

LittleVillageMag.com the disproportionate representation of Black people in the criminal justice system. —Ben S. We Tried It: Hy-Vee’s Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Sushi Roll (June 16) I feel like “So You Don’t Have To” should follow “We Tried It.” —Mike M. I absolutely love it! It’s legit good!

—Micah M. honestly, looks good af. persecute me y’all, idc. —Stacey Walker *ominous voice* Stacey Walker....

LIKES the Flaming Hot Cheeto sushi roll. Can we TRUST him with our tax dollars?! - the next Republican attack ad. —Trenton O. Do the Mountain Dew Moscow Mule next… —Ben S. CRCSD to ‘act with urgency’ on racial disparities in how students are treated by school police officers (June 17) Another example of why teaching CRT [Critical Race Theory] is so important and should not be stymied by assholes in our government. —Eileen L. Mayor Bruce Teague is running for reelection (June 17) I’d like to see him challenge Miller-Meeks for the IA-2 seat.

—@901Gregory on Twitter Cedar Rapids City Council approves tax incentives for $108.6m FedEx building (June 23) “More than 80 percent of the jobs — a total of 359 — will be part-time. The remaining 75 of the 434 jobs will be fulltime.” So they’re using TIF that takes money away from public schools, roads, and infrastructure in exchange for 359 part-time jobs? That stinks. —Julie V. 359 people who will need a second job as well as SNAP and Medicaid. On the other hand... a windfall for property developers.... —William G.M.

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I N T E R A C T I O N S Mazahir Salih announces she is not running for reelection to the Iowa City Council (June 23) Thank you for your service Mazahir Salih! I bet you will have another adventure in politics again someday.

—Janelle Rettig I think she knows she can more help the community at the CWJ than in the city council. But if she goes bigger I’ll back her. —@Bengmark on Twitter ‘Names carry power’: Johnson County is now named for a different Johnson (June 25)

Why did she work so hard to stop the recount then? —Jason A.

Which 2001 chart-topper aged like a fine wine?

“Lady Marmalade”

40.9%

“It Wasn’t Me”

36.4%

“How You Remind Me”

9.1% 13.6%

What a tremendous upgrade in Johnson County historic values. —Terry S. This is so awesome. Thank you David McCartney for initiating this with your petition. It was cool to hear them

20 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

LittleVillageMag.com

Rep. Miller-Meeks claims ‘they cheated me down to’ a six-vote win in 2020 (June 28)

/LittleVillage READER POLL:

“Hit em Up Style (Oops!)”

discussing it on All Things Considered today. —Craig A.

Statements like that make me think Mariannette was very aptly named.

—Steven C. Yes, the candidate who (looks it up) yes ran for this seat 3x and lost to Loebsack each time by over 10k votes was cheated this last time. Can’t wait until we correct this mistake next year.

—Jamie T. Damn liar. Considering how hard she worked to stop anything remotely resembling a recount, I really hope the democrats in #IA02 snap out of their slumber. —@normalice0 on Twitter

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B R O C K

A B O U T

T O W N

AUDREY BROCK

IS IT JUST ME, OR HAS THIS ALREADY BEEN AN INSANE SUMMER? In the wake of the CDC’s declaration that fully vaccinated adults are OK to go out without a mask, provided they’re not in a crowded indoor area, the good people of Iowa City have totally lost their minds. People are licking the handrails on the bus, sharing ice cream cones with strangers. I was in a bar last night, and there was a couple making out in the doorway to the women’s bathroom. Of all the inconsiderate behavior! Of course, I couldn’t judge them too harshly, because I was making out with the bartender at the time. Consider this column my formal apology to those who did not get their drinks.

Yes, it seems as though the pandemic, in conjunction with Megan Thee Stallion, has revived the concept of the summer fling. I highly recommend you try it. What could possibly be more romantic than picnics in the park, day trips out to Lake Macbride and making promises you have no intention of keeping after the first leaf hits the ground in September? See below for some hot tips for your hot girl summer: • Go easy on yourself. After a year of Facetiming your mom and stammering your way through weekly conversations with Bread Garden cashiers, there is no way you’re going to resume your pre-COVID game immediately. Forget about pickup lines. If you can manage to brush your teeth, put some real pants on and get through a whole coffee date without listing all the brands of antiperspirant that didn’t work out for you, you’ll be fine. Everyone else is just as desperate as you are.

• Vet potential partners before you get too involved. This might seem obvious, but the list of questions has basically doubled in the last year. Now, along with “When was the last time you were tested for STDs?” and “You’re wearing that

Hawaiian shirt ironically, right?” you have to ask questions like “Have you had your COVID vaccine? If not, is it because you think it contains a microchip that will allow Joe Biden to control your mind via remote, or do you just have an autoimmune disorder or something?” Don’t get caught unawares, people.

• Take all the usual precautions. I know it feels like the Earth was narrowly missed by an asteroid and every day is a blessed miracle, but you still need to use condoms. And wear sunscreen. And consume something other than piña coladas and mozzarella sticks from Yacht Club. You want to be fighting fit for cuffing season.

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 21

I N T E R AC T I O N S

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Doesn’t matter if you won by ONE vote.

You won. Hopefully next time you won’t be so fortunate. —Marcia C.C. I would like her to follow her own advice ‘At that time, Miller-Meeks thanked Hart for her decision, and said, “It’s time to move forward, to unite, as one group of people supporting Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.” —Sherry D. The Meeks shall not inherit anything except Donald Trump’s traitorous legacy. —Tim A. The very first issue of Little Village hit stands 20 years ago on July 1, 2001.

What were you doing then? Do you remember picking up the first LV? I didn’t see the issue but when I heard about it, I was happy something from Icon survived. —William B.

STRESS FRACTURES

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I don’t remember much about this issue but this is how I discovered Greg Brown!

Still am a fan of his!! I grabbed it to read while I ate my lunch!! —Tarrill A. Riding my motorcycle cross country two months from moving to IC. Sadly I think it was a couple of then [sic] before I picked up a copy. —Dan S. I moved to Iowa City On August 11, 2001 so I have never known IC without LV. —Melissa N.

JOHN MARTINEK

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W O R T H

R E P E AT I N G

“Myself alone, here awash,

“I am so

walking / screens onto screens /

proud of this

entangled with a fitbit for Christ’s

moment. I’m

sake.” —McGuirk, from a poem

so happy.”

read on the Ped Mall for Mission

—Royceann

Creek Summer Sessions, June 10

Porter as the Johnson

“I hope the

Tate Hildyard

MEGA E R O T S

Zak Neumann

County Board

people of Iowa

of Supervisors voted to change

City have seen

the county’s eponym to Lulu Merle

how hard I have

Johnson, a trailblazing Black

worked to listen

University of Iowa graduate

y.com ag.myshopif

littlevillagem

to all voices and will give

“The journey has been hard. It

me the opportunity to continue

hasn’t been easy. An immigrant,

serving them as we move past

Muslim woman and a person of

this difficult time into a period of

color, I have been through a lot—a

growth, healing and betterment

lot, a lot—breaking barriers …

for our future.” —Iowa City Mayor

But for Iowa City, it was a price

Bruce Teague, announcing he is

worth paying.” —Mazahir Salih,

running for reelection to the city

announcing she would not be

council, June 17

running for reelection to the

A BOR IN IOW

UNION LA PRINTED BY

Iowa City Council, and endorsing Shawn

“I think we [Iowa lawmakers] expected those carrying signs to

Harmsen, June

do more work than we were able

23

to do in that moment, and when they were unable to because they

“I think we’re

caught felony charges fighting

off to a good

alongside us, we didn’t carry the

start. A lot of

Little Village

Shirt: $23

Hoodie: $41

work to do,

weight as strongly as they did.

And it shows.” —Iowa Senator

via campaign

and 2022 Democratic candidate

optimistic about it.” —Cedar

for Iowa governor Ras Smith on

Rapids Mayor Brad Hart on

the state’s failure to pass more

selecting members for the new

policing reform

citizen review board, June 22

T W I T T E R

Bat Babies

but I’m very

D R A M A

Starring three local Democrats: John Green, newly elected Johnson County supervisor; Lonny Pulkrabek, former Johnson County sheriff; and Lyz Lenz, Cedar Rapids-based author.

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@modestholdings (Jon Green) [Shares Gazette opinion piece by Tara McGovern: “Local police in Iowa do not need military tactical equipment”] @LonnyPulkrabek: Yeah, nothing against a musician, but that is not where Iowan’s [sic] seek public safety advice.

Green: With respect, as public servants, it seems to me we should seek input from all of our constituents.

Pulkrabek: The silent majority wants you to let law enforcement do their job and keep them safe. That includes

PROCEEDS BENEFIT IPR

giving them the tools to carry that out. @lyzl (Lyz Lenz): A TANK? YOU NEED A TANK? 24 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

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Cortado Los libros del Gran Santiago POR W. ALEX CHOQUEMAMANI

A

ntes de llegar a Santiago de Chile, ciudad en la que viví cerca de siete años (2009-2016), yo conocía muy poco de literatura peruana. A lo mucho un par de novelas que tuve que leer de manera obligatoria en el colegio. Sin embargo, fue en el Gran Santiago donde pude conocer más de literatura peruana y latinoamericana, gracias a sus bibliotecas.

La primera vez que encontré una biblioteca fue en el Parque Forestal de esta ciudad, al frente del Museo de Bellas Artes. Esta no era una biblioteca como tal, sino una “Biblio Plaza”, en la que cualquier persona podía tomar prestado un libro o un diario sin pagar un peso. Y como yo vivía cerca del Forestal, después del trabajo o en mis tiempos libres visitaba la Biblio Plaza. Y a las pocas semanas me hice amigo del encargado de la misma. Se llamaba Sergio, era algo mayor que yo, y tenía muchos conocimientos de historia y literatura chilena, por lo que aprendí mucho de las conversaciones que tuve con él.

La siguiente biblioteca que conocí fue de la forma más casual e inimaginable posible. Y también ocurrió en este parque largo e inmenso, lleno de árboles y que tiene como vecino al río Mapocho: el Forestal.

Yo estaba dando un paseo y el día no era tan bueno que digamos porque había lluvia, una de esas que aparecen y lo mojan todo y desaparecen y al rato vuelven recargadas. Cuando llegué al Puente de los Candados encontré un edificio que parecía una oficina de arquitectos, pues este tenía una figura rectangular de hormigón y grandes ventanas, las mismas que reflejaban los carros que transitaban por la avenida Providencia. En el interior de este edificio se escondía nada más y nada menos que una biblioteca. Y cuyo particular nombre también captó mi atención: Café Literario Balmaceda.

Una vez ya dentro del “café literario”, grande fue mi sorpresa el encontrar varios estantes llenos de libros, todos estos abiertos al público.

Es decir, uno llegaba y escogía los libros que deseaba leer, sin la necesidad de un intermediario (bibliotecarios, por ejemplo). Tardé unos segundos en darme cuenta que estaba dentro de una biblioteca moderna, amigable y accesible en todo el sentido de la palabra. (Ese mismo día encontré el Libro del Desasosiego de Fernando Pessoa).

Luego conocí más bibliotecas del Gran Santiago. Pequeñas, como la biblioteca del mercado La Vega Central. Express, como la del Metro de Santiago. Laberínticas, como la Biblioteca Nacional o la biblioteca central de la Universidad Alberto Hurtado. Escolásticas y elegantes, como la biblioteca de la Corte Suprema de Chile o la biblioteca de derecho de la Universidad Católica. Juguetonas, como la biblioteca Nicanor Parra de la UDP, y muchas otras más.

Todas estas desde luego que me gustaron mucho y, en más de una oportunidad, me sentí feliz y afortunado de poder visitarlas con regularidad. Pero las dos bibliotecas que mencioné al inicio de esta crónica, fueron las que más me marcaron e impresionaron como lector, dada su sencillez y su accesibilidad (ambas ubicadas en el Parque Forestal y abiertas al público). Incluso diría que esta experiencia en cierto modo me preparó para conocer las otras bibliotecas y, seguramente, las que están por venir.

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 25

Community

LittleVillageMag.com UR Here

Creating the New Normal On your nature walks this year, take a stab at peregrination. BY THOMAS DEAN

never exposed yourself much to blues, for example, take the plunge this year and broaden your musical and cultural horizons by taking in some performances at the Soul and Blues Festival (July 30–31). By attending, you’ll also support local arts and culture as well as a lot of local musicians.

Are you itching to put that competitive spirit back into play with some pick-up basketball or other games? How about looking at them more as cooperative activities than competitive ones? Competition is fine, but our world has plenty of it. In these more fraught times, we could use a lot more cooperation, so maybe let’s also exercise our imaginations and think of ways to play with other folks more than against them. That’s a kind of muscle memory that could likely have wider social benefit.

And for those of us who might be gearing up to hit the trail—of whatever kind—perhaps our hiking, biking or running are opportunities to travel deeper into ourselves rather than just farther in miles; to nourish our contemplative rather than conquering spirit; or to widen our attention and perception rather than narrow our focus and personal best goals.

On the latter, two of my favorite recreational activities are walking in our local natural areas and photography. Last year, as part of a Prairiewoods retreat on contemplative photography taught by Angie Pierce Jennings, we took cues from Christine Valters Paintner’s book The Soul’s Slow Ripening: 12 Celtic Practices for Seeking the Sacred (Sorin Books, 2018). One of

AS WE PICK UP OUR FAVORITE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES (OR CONTINUE THEM), MAYBE LET’S THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN DEEPEN OUR OWN EXPERIENCE, GIVE OURSELVES NEW PERSPECTIVES AND MAYBE CONTRIBUTE TO THE GREATER GOOD AT THE SAME TIME.

A

Thomas Dean

s we continue to emerge from the pandemic (I hope), we often hear—and rightly so—that we really can’t go “back to normal.”

“Normal” had all kinds of terrible problems, and if we’re smart, we’ll have used this time of quarantine, lockdown and social stasis to reflect on what is truly necessary and how we might reset to make life better for all. Usually these types of admonitions focus on big-picture issues—addressing climate change, establishing economic equity, advancing social justice. But we should think about resetting at all levels of our lives. So in this Little Village issue devoted to recreation, I invite you to rethink—even re-create—your recreational activities. And in so doing, we can perhaps contribute to re-creating ourselves and our communities.

I’m not necessarily talking about just switching up your workout or trying a new sport. Even as we pick up our favorite recreational activities (or continue them), maybe let’s think about how we can deepen our own experience, give ourselves new perspectives and maybe contribute to the greater good at the same time.

A few suggestions to illustrate what I mean: We will enjoy more live music as our Iowa City downtown music festivals return to life. It’s an ideal opportunity to explore new music. If you’ve 26 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

those cues was to undertake a peregrination, a wandering in which we let go of agendas and destinations, when we just let the wind of the spirit— however we define or perceive that—to move us from behind, just as the wandering Celtic saints did when they followed wherever God would lead them. On the peregrination, Paintner invites us not to be overly intentional in what we choose to photograph but to be open to images that call our attention, that “shimmer” for us. We should give ourselves over to the object or scene for a few moments and then let the camera “receive” (not “take”) an image if we are so moved.

Later, we are to let three or four images we received draw us in for more in-depth attention. Paintner says to then write a brief statement or two for each image using the voice of the image itself, beginning with “I am,” “to speak from the voice of colors, symbols, objects, shapes, and so forth, as a way of entering into this perspective on the world.” From there, we are to look at the connections between the images and statements, the story they tell, and finally to create a seven-line poem, each line based on randomly chosen words from your statements that also “shimmer” for you, and written one after another without revision or rearrangement. As Paintner says, “This is an exercise in following the thread and where it takes you.”

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 27

Community

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I experienced my peregrination at Bur Oak Land Trust’s Turkey Creek Preserve, and I share with you below what came of it for me. These may not be the best lines of writing I’ve ever set to paper, but the process did provide me with a new experience and perspective on my nature walk in this local natural treasure. I once again invite you to re-create—to use your recreational activities to provide new insight into your relationship with yourself and this wonderful place we live in. #1 Woods

5 classes chase here ur

:

p

for $50

I am the path, inviting you into the warm woods.

Silphium sparkles in the dappled sunlight like swaying fairies on the forest floor. My tall, sturdy trees will lead you, hold you in the bower of my canopy. My shimmering path will guide you and hold you though you enter the unknown. #2 Creek

I am the creek, the path quickening. My flow is swift, and hard obstacles hide beneath. But my water flows over them, not stopping, creating my own unique movement atop them, rounding their sharp edges over time. #3 Fawn

I am a miraculous new life. I am on your path—a surprise, an inspiration, a sign that this path will bring you new joy and beauty. I am sleeping here, safe, protected for now, yet I am vulnerable. I need care and nurturing, just as you do on this new path. #4 Prairie

I am prairie, opening and widening the path before you. I am also bursting with new life— late spring flowers and grasses, a young oak strengthening. My bold blue sky above gives you a boundless roof yet comforting certainty. My horizon is broad and far. Much lies beyond, waiting only for you to approach.

Light and life are quickening.

The horizon brightens and fills with the flight of wrens.

The dappled brook reflects the light of summer sun.

I am vulnerable as I skim the water surface and swish among the grasses.

I seek the bower to hold me close and sweet, Nurturing me to a new rebirth, A boundless promise of open possibility.

Your Opportunity to Engage with Arts and Culture CulturalCorridor.org 28 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Thomas Dean is learning more and more that life itself is a peregrination.

Community

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Fair Play Can Iowa City take their playgrounds to the next level? BY GENEVIEVE TRAINOR

I

t’s been just over a year now since the Department of Justice reached a settlement agreement with the Iowa City Community School District over the dozen playgrounds that failed to meet ADA requirements. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (which turned 30 just last year) provides that “no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs or activities of a public entity.”

The ICCSD was found to be in violation, following an investigation spurred by parents at Shimek Elementary, and the district has until 2023 to fix access issues on their playgrounds.

But what if accessibility is insufficient? What more do children need than is provided for by law? And how can a community come together to ensure that children of all abilities have the opportunity to find joy, camaraderie and engagement on the playgrounds they can access?

In April of this year, the City of Iowa City began soliciting public feedback on a design for a new playground on the Ped Mall. They do this for every new playground that’s built, and they’re currently in the middle of a massive renovation project that ultimately will replace all of the city’s 32 playgrounds. Begun in 2016, the project is expected to be completed in the next five years, at a rate of two to three new builds each year.

Over the last five years of the effort, the city saw between 30 and 40 community responses to each of their surveys. The Ped Mall playground brought in over 550.

“I was flabbergasted, extremely surprised, when they said they were going to fix it,” Melissa Krishnan told me. Krishnan was one of the driving forces behind the DOJ-ICCSD success. She became involved in the original renovations of the Shimek Elementary playground when her son, who is now 13 and who has cerebral palsy, was entering kindergarten—the “pinnacle of his playground experience,” she said.

Those early design meetings were exasperating for many parents. Jenni Mettemeyer, another Shimek parent at the time, described them as “a bunch of people in a room with a bunch of catalogs, looking at equipment and picking out cool pieces.” (Mettemeyer’s children are abled; her daughter became friends with Krishnan’s son when they both started at Shimek.)

“That alone doesn’t make a good playground,”

30 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

The city of Iowa City made significant changes to its original vision for the new playground on the Ped Mall after overwhelming community feedback. City of Iowa City

she said.

Parents convinced the district to hire Team Inclusion: Tony Malkusak of Abundant Playscapes here in Iowa City and Ingrid Kanics of Kanics Inclusive Design Services, LLC. Together, they created a rubric for district playgrounds, according to the principles of Universal Design, that Mettemeyer believes may be unique in the nation in terms of school playground tools.

Among the changes made to the Ped Mall design, thanks to feedback, were the addition of a wheelchair-accessible merry-go-round and spin cycle and the addition of stairs (as opposed to ladders) to the top of the play tower. Stairs are crucial in a playground, especially where there isn’t sufficient room for ramps, so that children with mobility issues, as well as adults with mobility issues who are helping young children,

OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF THE EFFORT, THE CITY SAW BETWEEN 30 AND 40 COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO EACH OF THEIR SURVEYS. THE PED MALL PLAYGROUND BROUGHT IN OVER 550.

It lays out in detail the best practices for inclusive play and the design features best suited to serving the needs of all children, regardless of ability, at each age level.

The city doesn’t follow anything so specific.

“We don’t have a formal policy,” Juli Seydell Johnson, Iowa City’s director of Parks and Recreation, told me. “At minimum, we have to meet ADA requirements.”

The playgrounds they’ve built over the last five years have exceeded those requirements, she added.

“It’s a process that’s highly supported by public comment,” Seydell Johnson said. “We do our best to include as many requests as possible.”

have the best chance to reach the most amenities.

“My son is just ecstatic that they’re going to put in a staircase,” Krishnan said.

This is the key to examining the limits of “accessibility.” Many ADA-compliant playgrounds offer ways for wheelchair users, for example, to navigate—paved walkways from the parking area, poured rubber surfacing rather than wood chips—but have little for them to do once they arrive.

“A lot of people will tell you things are accessible when they’re really not. A great example would be the City Park playground,” Mettemeyer said. “The new City Park playground has—you know those microphone things

IOWA CITY DOWNTOWN

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 31

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A ground-level ADA-approved speaker at City Park is all but impossible to reach by wheelchair. Jenni Mettemeyer

you talk into? And the other kid standing across the playground, you can hear them? Well, if you are just going by ADA compliance, that counts as an accessible ground-level component, because technically you should be able to roll up to it and use it … but at City Park, where it’s placed, under the platforms, with all of the posts around it—it’s completely inaccessible.” “[The city] should know better, but they’re not doing better,” Mettemeyer said.

Krishnan was active in discussions about the City Park playground, and she felt as though concerns went unheard. The city had already designated that location as an adventure parkstyle experience, with plans for a more broadly accessible playground at Willow Creek.

“If someone’s looking for a park, they’re going to [search] ‘Iowa City park,’” Krishnan said.

“Why wouldn’t you want to make that the most inclusive park in town?”

LittleVillageMag.com

“

Kim was friendly, knowledgeable, and responsive.

I recommend working with her because she was extremely helpful, open, transparent, and reliable through the whole process. She really cared about us, understood our needs from the very first open house even giving us ideas on how better utilize the space. Kim was always available to answer our questions.

“

According to Seydell Johnson, “Our role is to provide a variety of free public experiences throughout the community.” In addition to the adventure-focused City Park and Willow Creek—where “a lot of steps were taken to make it even more accessible to people from a wide range of disabilities,” she said—there’s also Wetherby, where the focus was to be more spread out, because they knew that larger groups of children often play there.

“My whole thing is sure, presumably, all the new playgrounds are ADA compliant, but that is just the bare minimum,” Dina Bishara said.

“That doesn’t mean they’re actually fun for kids, or inclusive in any meaningful way.”

Bishara has an autistic son, and she has been working in advocacy for a long time. She is co-founder of the Iowa City Autism Community and the ICCSD Mental Health, Special Education and Disability Advocacy Group.

Bishara, who has partnered with local organizations and with the city to establish accessible activities for autistic children and their families, acknowledges that there’s a greater challenge with “big ticket” items like playgrounds.

Ultimately, the community needs to make a decision about priorities.

“Is this an area we want to really stand out in?” Bishara wants Iowa Citians to consider. “Is this a message that is really important to send to our community? And it’s not just sending a message to kids with disabilities, it’s sending a message to kids without disabilities. … It’s not just about making sure these kids are included. It’s about asking people to think about who’s being excluded, and are they OK with that.”

The large response to the Ped Mall playground was “especially heartening” for Bishara, who believes the people of the city are starting to take notice. “As someone who advocates for people with disabilities, especially at the school district level … parents like me are very often totally alone. We don’t get a lot of allies.”

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The author’s 4-year-old Calliope finds a novel way to enjoy accessible equipment at Willow Creek Park. Genevieve Trainor / Little Village

“Have I seen change? Yes,” Krishnan said of community support for these ideas. “I think it’s slow.”

Krishnan was new to advocacy when she began the process of pushing the district on playground design. She notes that it’s been an “incredible learning experience,” but not just for her. It’s also helped her teach her son how to self-advocate.

“To be able to get him to advocate and speak up and have his own voice has just been paramount,” she said.

“I would really like the city to maybe have a similar process [to the school board’s rubric] that would formalize their commitment to inclusive playgrounds,” Bishara said.

Universal Design is a foundational concept for all architecture that enables access and ease of use to all people, regardless of ability. It incorporates both accessibility and inclusivity, Metemeyer said.

“Accessibility should just be the starting point,” Krishnan said. “How do we open up the conversation that if you do for all, then there is no one that’s left out?” She points out that there is often an attitude, once accessibility has been achieved, of, “We’ve done that, so let’s put in more for us now.” But playgrounds built around the principles of Universal Design serve all children, as well as the adults in their lives. It all boils down to one simple concept, Krishnan said.

“Let’s have fun together.”

Genevieve Trainor has a 4-year-old who spends a lot of time on playgrounds. She is not OK with anyone being excluded.

34 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

We’re especially honored to be voted BEST MOVERS in the CRANDIC this year, when we’ve all worked so hard to keep each other safe and well. Onward! www.spinemoving.com/moving-quotes | 319-235-MOVE

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Bad Water, Worse Policies Iowa’s dirty waterways are the result of short-sighted approaches to agriculture, set to pollute some of the state’s last untouched streams.

BY PAUL BRENNAN

F

or five years, Sarah Prineas has been getting up before dawn and heading to the Beckwith Boathouse at the University of Iowa to meet other members of Hawkeye Community Rowing for practice. The rowing team practices four to five times a week on the Iowa River.

“It’s always beautiful in the morning,” Prineas said. “The river is calm, and the sun is coming up.

On the banks of the river we see deer, all kinds of waterfowl and eagles. It’s really very peaceful and beautiful.”

But there is a problem: the water.

“Currently, it is foul,” Prineas said. “We notice when we go down to the dock in the morning these blobs of brownish foam that are coming down the river. And the river is murky and brown.”

After practice, the rowers have to use detergent to clean the slimy residue off the boats and oars.

It’s not a new practice, but as drought conditions in Iowa lower the water level in rivers and slow their flow, the underlying pollution problems are aggravated and become more obvious.

“We have always washed the boats, but it’s just gotten really disgusting this year,” Prineas said.

Up until 2015, it would have been fairly easy to compare the quality of water in the Iowa River as it passes through Iowa City with that of other rivers and streams in eastern Iowa by checking the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Water Quality Index. DNR had published the index since 2000, but discontinued after deciding it was no longer reliable because the state cut funding for monitoring pesticides in rivers and streams.

In 2016, DNR contracted with Chris Jones to create a new index. Jones, a research engineer at UI’s IIHR Hydroscience and Engineering lab and a leading expert on water quality in Iowa, worked with Rick Langel of the Iowa Geological Survey to devise an index that measures the quality of streams and rivers according to levels of dissolved oxygen, E. coli, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and water clarity.

“We actually do a fairly good job of monitoring water quality here in Iowa,” Jones told Little Village. In addition to the DNR’s ambient water monitoring program, UI collects its own water quality data.

DNR hasn’t started utilizing the new index yet, but Jones used it to create a list of the state’s 45 best stream sites in terms of water quality, which

36 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

he published on his website. The Iowa River makes the list, which used data from 2016 to 2020, three times—at Wapello (No. 22), downstream of Marshalltown (No. 26) and at Lone Tree (No. 31)—but the Iowa City segment didn’t crack the top 45.

“IT IS FOUL. WE NOTICE WHEN WE GO DOWN TO THE DOCK IN THE MORNING THESE BLOBS OF BROWNISH FOAM THAT ARE COMING DOWN THE RIVER. AND THE RIVER IS MURKY AND BROWN.” —SARAH PRINEAS

Twenty Cleanestish Iowa Waterways These Iowa stream sites are considered to have the best water quality in the state.

That’s not saying a hell of a lot.

1. Wapsipinicon River at Independence 2. Bloody Run Creek at Marquette 3. Cedar River at Charles City 4. Shellrock River at Shellrick 5. W. Fork Cedar River at Finchford 6. Cedar River at Janesville 7. Boone River at Stratford 8. Yellow River at Ion 9. Upper Iowa River at Dorchester 10. Blackhawk Creek at Waterloo 11. Turkey River at Garber 12. Cedar River downstream of Cedar Rapids 13. Des Moines River at Keosaqua 14. Wapsipinicon River at DeWitt 15. North River at Norwalk 16. Cedar River at Conesville 17. Wolf Creek at LaPorte City 18. Beaver Creek at Grimes 19. Volga River at Elkport 20. Thompson River at Davis City

Dennis Keitel up to his elbows in Iowa River

From ‘Iowa Rivers 1 to 45: The Fair, the

scum from the bottom of a boat. Ute Brandenburg

Marginal & the Ugly,’ May 27, 2021

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 37

Community

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Western Iowa waterways are largely absent from the list, as engineering projects, such as the straightening of rivers and streams, and pollution from large-scale agriculture have heavily degraded their quality.

Pollution from agriculture—fertilizer runoff from fields, feces from livestock—is common throughout the Midwest, but nowhere is the problem worse than Iowa.

“What separates Iowa is so much of our land is in production,” Jones said. “More than 80 percent of our land is in agricultural production, and no state compares with that. Thus we have no natural lands to really buffer the effects of these agricultural activities.”

The perennial plants that existed in Iowa before most of the land was cleared to make way for crops would have absorbed excess nutrients and helped prevent runoff.

“We whisk the water off the landscape as fast as we can to make it suitable for crop production, and in doing that, we end up polluting our streams,” Jones said.

While the amount of phosphorus in Iowa’s waterways seems to have leveled off, the problem with nitrates has gotten much worse.

“Statewide, we’ve probably doubled the amounts in our streams since around 2003,” Jones said. The elevated levels of nitrogen in the water can cause explosive algae blooms.

E. coli is also significant in stream impairment.

The bacteria, which is present in feces, is an indicator that other, more dangerous bacteria may be present.

Fecal contamination isn’t surprising, since Iowa has allowed CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) to remain largely unregulated.

When CAFOs were first introduced in Iowa in the 1990s, the state ranked number two in the number of pigs, behind North Carolina. That changed as North Carolina and other states began

HUMANS LIVING IN IOWA HAVE BEEN PUSHING BACK AGAINST CAFOS SINCE IOWA SELECT SET UP ITS FIRST MASSIVE HOG FACILITY IN THE EARLY ’90S, AND RESIDENTS HAVE CONSISTENTLY OPPOSED EXPANSION OF CAFOS AND DEMANDED MORE REGULATION OF THEM TO LIMIT POLLUTION. A 2019 SURVEY BY RESEARCHERS AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY FOUND 63 PERCENT OF IOWANS FAVORED A BAN ON NEW CAFOS AND 75 PERCENT FAVORED INCREASING THE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS CAFOS MUST FOLLOW. NONE OF THAT HAS MATTERED. to phase in some regulations on CAFOs in response to citizen complaints about the massive industrial pig facilities and increasing evidence that CAFOs have negative impacts on the environment and public health.

According to the most recent USDA data, Iowa, which has a human population of 3.16 million, had 23.9 million pigs as of March. Its closest competitor was Minnesota, with 9 million. North Carolina

NEWS: HOW CAN I GET SOME? Subscribe to the Little Village Daily Digest.

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had dropped to third with 8.5 million pigs.

All those pigs produce a tremendous amount of waste. In 2019—when Iowa had 23.6 million pigs—Jones estimated the fecal output of the state’s hogs and pigs as the equivalent of Iowa having additional 83.9 million people living and shitting within its borders.

Minimal regulation also made Iowa the country’s top egg-producing state, with approximately 56 million laying hens jammed into cages at industrial-style farms. They produce the same fecal load as 15 million people, according to Jones.

Humans living in Iowa have been pushing back against CAFOs since Iowa Select set up its first massive hog facility in the early ’90s, and residents have consistently opposed expansion of CAFOs and demanded more regulation of them to limit pollution. A 2019 survey by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found 63 percent of Iowans favored a ban on new CAFOs and 75 percent favored increasing the environmental standards CAFOs must follow.

None of that has mattered. The state government has stripped local governments of their ability to regulate CAFOs, and rolled back many standards Iowa had to protect the environment from agricultural pollution.

It’s been a bipartisan effort.

Following the farm crisis of the ’80s, the governor—who was usually Terry Branstad—and lawmakers of both parties decided the best way to secure Iowa’s future was to give big agribusinesses almost everything they could want in the way of lax regulations.

And not just for CAFOs. Large-scale crop farming grew during the same period, even as the diversity of crops declined. Thirty million of the state’s total 36 million acres are devoted to agriculture. Of that 30 million, 25 million acres are planted with either corn or soybeans.

“What’s happened in Iowa is we don’t have

June 16 - August 11, 2021 Jacob A. Riis was a pioneering newspaper reporter, photojournalist, and social reformer in New York at the turn of the twentieth century. Using his camera, he illustrated the plight of the impoverished, many who were recent immigrants. This exhibit features photographs by Riis and his contemporaries as well as his handwritten journals and personal correspondence.

SPONSORED IN PART BY

This exhibition is made possible by NEH on the Road, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This exhibition is adapted from the exhibition Jacob A. Riis: Revealing New York’s Other Half, organized by the Museum of the City of New York. The exhibition was curated by Bonnie Yochelson and co-presented by the Library of Congress. It was made possible with major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Terra Foundation for American Arts, as well as support from D. Euan and Merete Baird, The Malkin Fund, Ronay and Richard L. Menschel, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik’s Foundation, C. Flemming and Judy Heilmann, Jan and Lotte Leschly, The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, and the John L. Loeb, Jr. Foundation. It was adapted and toured for NEH on the Road by Mid-America Arts Alliance. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library 1400 Inspiration Pl SW, Cedar Rapids, IA (319) 362-8500 • NCSML.org LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 39

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But it’s not just state regulations, or the lack of regulations, that have created the situation in Iowa. Federal government policies have also made it possible, and federal farm subsidies have made it profitable.

“Historically, the support for conventional ag, which has the unintended consequence of pollution, has been very bipartisan,” Secchi said. That support at the federal level has in part been driven by politicians with presidential ambitions competing to be as generous as possible to first-in-the-nation Iowa.

The federal government does very little to control the pollution it is subsidizing. The Clean Water Act specifically exempts agricultural runoff from its regulations. The federal government will, however, offer more subsidies to adopt practices that will limit runoff.

“We’re subsidizing farmers to produce more corn and soybeans, and therefore pollute more, and then we’re subsidizing farmers to clean up the pollution,” Secchi said. “The real goal of all these policies is to subsidize farmers.

It’s not to feed the world, it’s not to clean up our water, it’s not to sequester carbon.”

THE OFFICIAL “OUTSTANDING” DESIGNATION IS SUPPOSED TO ENTITLE A WATERWAY TO ENHANCED PROTECTION, BUT IT DIDN’T STOP DNR FROM APPROVING THE PLANS FOR 11,600 HEAD OF CATTLE AT THE CAFO AND GRANTING THE OWNERS PERMISSION TO SPREAD MANURE ON FIELDS WITHIN A 30-MILE RADIUS.

Bloody Run Creek in Clayton County, known for its cold, clear water and trout fishing, is in the watershed of a new DNR-approved cattle CAFO that is currently under construction. Public domain

any rural development policies except ‘grow more corn and beans,’” Professor Silvia Secchi, a natural resource economist in the UI Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, said. And much of that corn and soybeans are in turn fed to the animals in the state’s CAFOs. Only ethanol production consumes more of the corn grown in Iowa than animals do. Just 1 percent of the corn produced in the state is sweet corn for people to eat.

The industrial farming practices involved in the state’s CAFOs and its large-scale corn and soybean production are “woven together,” Secchi noted. Lax state regulation—and failure to develop any alternatives to provide jobs—have allowed both to grow and dominate rural areas.

The conventional agricultural approach to corn and soybeans used on big farms in Iowa requires heavy application of fertilizer, and the state relies on voluntary measures to control runoff from the fields.

“There is an incredible excess of application of nutrients on the landscape,” Secchi said. “And on top of that, when we grow corn we use pesticides, when we raise hogs we use antibiotics. So there’s all sorts of other chemicals that end up both in our surface water and in our groundwater.”

40 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Those policies aren’t increasing the number of farmers, either. According to USDA figures, only 3 percent of Iowans are classified as farmers. But even as the number of farmers declines, federal subsidies drive up the cost of farmland, putting the profession out of reach of people interested in becoming farmers and concentrating more of the land in fewer hands.

As the dominance of big agriculture persists in rural Iowa, the number of people living there continues to decline. Recently, Gov. Kim Reynolds has touted the state’s new funding for broadband internet in rural areas as a way of attracting people who work remotely to Iowa’s small towns. Reynolds claims the “quality of life” available in those towns will draw in people from around the country once reliable internet connections are available.

But will it? Promoting fishing, canoeing or even walking along the rivers and streams in much of the state as part of the quality of life available in Iowa would be a hard sell right now. Other states make an effort to treat water as a resource for the whole state in ways that Iowa hasn’t—not just for drinking quality, but also for recreational purposes.

It’s possible Iowa may change decades of policies to address its water quality problem, but there are no signs of that at the moment. In April, DNR approved a new cattle CAFO near Bloody Run Creek in the northeast corner of the state.

Bloody Run got its unappealing name in the 19th century from the abundance of game in the area, as boastful hunters claimed they could shoot so many animals in a single day the creek’s clear water would run red. Now it’s known for its fishing and beautiful cold, clear water. The creek ranks number two on Jones’ water quality list. The state has certified it as one of Iowa’s Outstanding Waters and promotes Bloody Run as a prime trout-fishing location. Most trout in Iowa waterways are there because DNR restocks them every year, but Bloody Run has a self-sustaining population of brown trout.

The official “Outstanding” designation is supposed to entitle a waterway

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 41

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to enhanced protection, but it didn’t stop DNR from approving plans for 11,600 head of cattle at the new CAFO, and granting the owners permission to spread manure on fields within a 30-mile radius. As environmental groups that opposed the plan pointed out, almost everything about the new CAFO suggests it will pollute Bloody Run. Top soil is very thin in the area, and the bedrock is near the surface. That bedrock is porous limestone, which pollutants can move through quickly to reach waterways. Forty-two of the 45 fields where the company plans to spread manure are considered Highly Erodible Land, according to the Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club.

The record of the company behind the CAFO is also troubling.

In 2017, when the facility was under construction, DNR found that water quality in Bloody Run was damaged, because the company failed to control silt from the site reaching the stream. DNR staff issued a $10,000 fine—the most the agency can levy—and recommended turning the case over to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office for further enforcement action. But such an action would have required approval by the Natural Resources Commission, which refused to even bring the recommendation up for a vote.

DNR’s “refusal to disapprove the plan submitted” for the CAFO “shows the sad state of affairs in Iowa when it comes to animal feeding operations,” Michael Schmidt, an attorney for the Iowa Environmental Council, said in a statement after DNR approved the plan in April. “State laws and the DNR both prioritize new concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) over protecting our streams, rivers, and lakes.”

Unfortunately for Iowa, that’s the way the system has been designed to operate.

But a change is coming. In 2022, a new law in California takes effect, and all out-of-state farms will have to meet its standards for humane animal treatment in order to sell products in the state.

Iowa CAFOs will have to give hogs and cattle more room if they want to sell meat in California, and hens must be cage-free or their eggs won’t go on sale in the country’s most populous and richest state.

A meat-industry trade group sued California over the law, with support from Iowa and other industrial-farm-friendly states. California won in the courts, and on June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed that win.

It’s unclear what this change might mean for water quality, but it is the biggest challenge to agribusiness as usual in Iowa in decades.

Paul Brennan is Little Village’s news director.

42 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Rec N' Roll TUESDAYS 6:30 - 8 PM

Date

Location

July 6

Willow Creek Park

July 13

Fairmeadows Park

July 20

Happy Hollow Park

July 27

Kiwanis Park

August 3

Wetherby Park

August 10

Cardigan Park

August 17

Ashton House

To plan your next outdoor adventure visit icgov.org/Parks

Monday - Friday | June 21 - August 13 Morning Locations 10am - 12pm

Afternoon Locations 1 - 3pm

Cardigan Park

Highland Park

Court Hill Park

James Alan McPherson Park

Fairmeadows Park

Kiwanis Park

North Market Square Park

Mercer Park

Willow Creek Park

Wetherby Park

Register online icgov.org/ActivityRegistration LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 43

Community / Presented by Think Iowa City

The Old Grind Iowa City’s skatepark is a multigenerational crossroads.

But it could use a facelift.

BY IZABELA ZALUSKA

J

eff Keyser fondly remembers he and his friends riding their skateboards past the Iowa City skatepark as it was being built back in 2002.

Keyser was in middle school at the time and had already been skateboarding for a few years.

He got into skating in the late ’90s after he and his brother got Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater for the PlayStation 2. He thought it would be cool to learn how to do the tricks that are done in the video game.

“We would hop on the bus, and we’d go downtown. We’d get off at the main bus station by the Old Capitol Mall, and we would ride our skateboards down Dubuque Street and check on the progress,” Keyser said. Now in his 30s, Keyser still considers himself a regular at the park.

“I just remember being super excited to have a big outdoor concrete park, which when I first started [skateboarding], I wouldn’t have even thought that that was something that we would ever have.”

That excitement for the nearly 20-year-old skatepark hasn’t gone away. If anything, it’s only increased as more and more skaters have used the park. Local skaters of all ages who spoke with Little Village expressed enthusiasm for skating’s more socially acceptable status in town and the “home away from home” that has been cultivated at the IC skatepark.

But some of the skaters also recognize there might be ways to make the park even better for skaters of all skill levels, and they have started discussions about potential improvements ahead of the City of Iowa City’s slated six-figure renovation of the skatepark.

‘It’s far more than just a skatepark’ While skateboarding was popular in Iowa City a decade ago, it was a different scene before the skatepark was built.

Back then, there were wooden ramps with sheet metal coverings on them in the parking lot at Mercer Park. The park is right next to Southeast Junior High School, so after school got out, Keyser would grab his board and meet 44 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

up with his friends. The group would skate on the ramps and then take the bus to the University of Iowa campus and weave through downtown streets.

“It was kind of like the gathering place to hang out, but it was ... just kind of a completely different vibe than when they built the big outdoor concrete park that we have now,” Keyser said.

Vince Onel, who grew up in Iowa City and now lives in Los Angeles, said he and his friends skated at Mercer Park from time to time, but it was more difficult to get over there since they lived on the other side of town. Onel started skateboarding in the mid-’90s when he was about 10 years old.

Onel mostly skateboarded in his neighborhood with his friends, and it wasn’t until he began taking the bus into downtown Iowa City that he realized how many other kids were also skating.

Both Keyser and Onel, who met each other through skateboarding, recalled being chased by police downtown. Other than the ramps at Mercer, there wasn’t really a legal place to go and skate—until the skatepark opened.

“I think the city recognized there was a need for a safe and designated place for kids to go ride

their skateboards, and the police wanted somewhere where they could tell people to go skateboard,” Onel said.

The Iowa City skatepark opened in October 2002 at Terrell Mill Park. It was built by MBA Concrete Inc. of North Liberty. The initial cost estimate for the park was $300,000, but the final cost was $380,000, the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported in 2002.

The park was constructed with concrete along with stainless steel edging and coping. There are a number of bowls, grinding walls and rails, acceleration bumps and other features.

There weren’t many concrete skateparks in Iowa at the time, Onel said, adding that Iowa City was “ahead of its time.”

“There were few municipalities in Iowa at that time who even recognized a need for a skatepark, so I would say Iowa City was pretty progressive in that sense to even consider building a skatepark,” Onel said. “... When they put in this concrete skatepark, we were all pretty blown away and really excited.”

Once the skatepark opened, Onel said he would go every single day up until he left Iowa City to go to college in Los Angeles. Onel now

GIVE US MONEY? VENMO @littlevillagemag PAYPAL lv@littlevillagemag.com

A Guide to Eastern/Central Iowa Skateparks IN THE CRANDIC

OB Nelson Skatepark (2014) 202 W

Iowa City Skatepark (2002) Terrell Mill Park,

Fillmore Ave, Fairfield, 4,000 square feet,

1209 N Dubuque St, Iowa City, 11,500 square

multi-level bowl with a waterfall, tombstone

feet, bowls, grinding rails and walls, spine

extension and multiple hips; also ledges,

wall, hips, acceleration bumps

rails and curved manual pad

Riverside Skatepark (1999) 1225 C St SW,

Oskaloosa Skatepark (2012) 259-299 High

Cedar Rapids, Concrete surface with nine

Ave W, Oskaloosa, Seating, stairs, bowls,

steel obstacles, including a half-pipe, ramps

ramps, manual pad, ledges, rails, quarter-pipe

and railings.

Ottumwa Skatepark (2000) River St, Underhill Skatepark 320 3rd St NW, Mt

Ottumwa, Flat rail, grind box, spine, funbox,

Vernon

quarter-pipe

Tipton Skatepark 801-851 Plum St, Tipton

NORTH OF THE CRANDIC Cedar Falls Skatepark Grove St, Cedar Falls

AROUND THE QC

Grind rail, half pyramid, quarter-pipes, grind

Davenport Skatepark (2006) Centennial

box, fly box

Park, 900 W River Dr, Davenport Jason Smith / Little Village

designs skateparks all over the country for a living. He’s a co-owner of Spohn Ranch, an award-winning skatepark design-build firm.

He still skateboards almost every single day, and stops by the Iowa City skatepark whenever he’s in town visiting his parents.

“That park meant so much to me, and to this day means so much to me,” Onel said. “That was my home away from home where many of my lifelong friendships were born. My friends and I hosted events and competitions [and] barbecues at that skatepark. So it’s far more than just a skatepark. It was a home for me, and holds a special place in my heart.”

“It was more than just about skating—it was connecting with other people,” he continued.

“And that’s what I love so much about skateparks. That’s what made me so passionate about this field once I formally got into it, is that skateparks are so important, especially nowadays where people are just on their phones, behind the computer, watching TV. It’s a great way to get outside and connect with other people.”

Onel said looking at how the Iowa City skatepark was built through a “modern lens” sheds light on some of the wonky geometry and

Riverside Skatepark (2020) Touchae Park, Skate Church 1411 Brady St, Davenport

601, 999 Park Rd, Waterloo, 8,500 square

Ramps, half-pipes, rails, bowls, indoor

feet

Eldridge Outdoor Skatepark 174 E Iowa St,

DES MOINES-ISH

Eldridge

Lauridsen Skatepark (2021) 901 2nd Ave, Des Moines, 88,000 square feet, largest

DUBUQUE

open skatepark in the nation, hips, rails,

Flora Skatepark (2019) 1805 Flora Park Dr,

elevation changes, ledges, stair sets, banks,

16,000 square feet

gaps, quarter-pipes, mini-ramps, pools, bowls, WOW skateable art feature

Comiskey Skatepark 255 East 24th St Prairie Ridge Skatepark 1400 NW Prairie McAleece Park and Recreation Complex

Ridge Dr, Ankeny, 9,000 square feet, ramps,

(2000) Chaplain Schmitt Island, 1800

stairs, roll-in areas, benches, bowl, quarter-

Admiral Sheehy Dr, Half-pipe, quarter pipe,

pipes, grinding rails, pyramid, fun box

ramps, pyramid, manual pad, rails Altoona Skatepark 1000 Venbury Dr, Olliewood Action Sports Skatepark (2015)

Altoona, Stairs, moguls, double hump box

3125 Cedar Crest Ridge B, Dubuque, Ramps, spines, banks, ledges, rails, quarter pipes

Grinnell Skatepark (2019) Corner of 8th

(indoor)

Avenue and Prince Street, Grinnell

SOUTH OF THE CRANDIC

Marshalltown Skatepark 814 S 6th St,

Washington Skatepark (2002) 1000 W

Marshalltown, Half-pipe, quarter-pipe, grind

Madison St, Washington, Quarter-pipes,

rails, ramps, stairs, grind box

pyramid, mini ramp, grind box LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 45

Community / Presented by Think Iowa City

features that might interrupt the flow while skating.

“Some of the construction quality leaves something to be desired,” Onel added.

Things came full circle when Keyser called him and mentioned there were “some rumblings” about trying to make improvements to the skatepark.

Potential renovations Ryan Wade found himself spending hours at the skatepark last summer when his son Ben took up skateboarding and began to take lessons from local skater Peyton Meiers. It was then that Wade realized how busy the skatepark got and the need for more space and possibly some lights.

“I drove by it every day, and I would see it’s busy, but I never thought I’d go down there and spend hours,” Wade said. “Now that I’ve spent time there, I’m like, holy cow, this thing has a lot of potential. There’s a lot of area there. How can I be involved?”

Wade got to talking with local skater and retired musician Ed Nehring, who looped in Keyser. From there, Onel got involved, as did a number of the skaters who frequently used the park. Nehring said about 10 skaters are regularly involved in the conversations, but more are asked for their input during general chats at the park any given day.

Whether the renovations can happen isn’t for certain and neither is the budget, but skaters have already started to think about what improvements they’d like to see made to the park.

Something Nehring has noticed is the way he skates at the Iowa City park is different from how he rides at Davenport’s skatepark. He said one of the main differences is the texture of the concrete at the Iowa City skatepark, which isn’t as smooth and slippery.

Nehring has been skateboarding since the mid-’70s. He wanted to surf as a kid, but living in Iowa didn’t really allow for that. So he started skateboarding. Nehring has lived in Iowa City since 1985 and has been coming down to the Iowa City park for about 15 years.

The difference in skating is something Meiers noticed as well.

“The way you skate it is a lot more unique and fast-paced and more spontaneous,” Meiers said.

“I feel like it’s honestly made a lot of my skating that way from skating this park.”

Another aspect Nehring mentioned was that some of the bowls are uneven at the top, meaning that one side is higher than the other.

“If you can get to the top of the wall on this end to try and get to the top of a higher wall 46 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Jason Smith / Little Village

“EVERY SKATEPARK HAS A DIFFERENT VIBE THAT EVOLVES WITH WHOEVER THE SKATERS ARE THAT ARE GOING THERE AT THE TIME. I’VE BEEN COMING DOWN HERE FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS, AND THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE EVER BEEN THE LOCAL SKATERS.” —ED NEHRING means you have to work quite a bit harder,” Nehring explained. “... When it’s even all the way across all around the top, it just makes more sense mathematically as to how well it is to ride.”

Positioning some of the grind rails in a way that allows skaters to transition from one to the other would also really make a difference, Nehring said. Two of the rails are positioned on either side of the Iowa City Skate Park sign, so

there’s no straight shot from one to the other.

A few minor changes would improve the overall functionality of the skatepark, Onel said.

(Onel has been helping the group of local skaters on his own time without charge. What has been discussed so far has been conceptual, and he has not been hired by the city—although he did say it would be a dream come true to design and build the new Iowa City skatepark.)

LittleVillageMag.com

Iowa City Parks and Recreation has something for everyone! We are now accepting applications for RecAssist, our income-eligible discount program.

One application for Iowa City residents per calendar year. For more information visit, icgov.org/ActivityRegistration.

Iowa City Parks and Recreation is proud to offer a Swim Lesson Scholarship program that aims to eliminate financial barriers for Iowa City residents of all ages needing swim instruction to create community, inclusivity, and safe swimming.

El departamento de parques y recreación de Iowa City está orgulloso de ofrecer un programa para becas de clases de natación. El programa fue creado para eliminar las barreras financieras que los residentes de Iowa City enfrentan a cualquier edad en obtener clases de natación para crear una comunidad inclusiva y para natación prudente.

To learn more or to apply, visit icgov.org/Pools LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 47

Community / Presented by Think Iowa City

One of the other top suggestions mentioned was making the park more beginner-friendly while still providing a challenge for experienced skaters.

Keyser said the park can be seen as intimidating for people who are just starting out. Adding some smaller ramps and having some other features geared toward entry-level skateboards could make the park a better place for people to learn how to navigate both flat and slanted ground.

It’s something Ben Wade said he’d appreciate.

Wade is currently 11 years old and has been skateboarding for about a year. His favorite part about skating is how many different tricks there are to master.

In addition to potential smaller improvements, there is a larger renovation of the skatepark looming, although it’s still a few years away.

Iowa City has $600,000 earmarked in its capital improvement plan to renovate the skatepark in 2025, the city’s Parks and Recreation Director Juli Seydell Johnson said.

“That would likely be kind of an overhaul of the entire skatepark site, and honestly, that’s about as far as the conversation has gotten at this point with us,” Seydell Johnson said.

The intent would be that the planning and design process would start in 2024, along with public input. The actual construction would be scheduled for the following year.

“I would envision a number of stakeholder meetings or meetings with users out at the park to actually talk about what they use it for, how they like it, what else they’d like to see or envision, and we would need them to help teach us what they’d like to see as much as figuring out what’s possible,” Seydell Johnson said.

Seydell Johnson is aware of the group of skaters interested in some smaller improvements ahead of the city’s renovation. The city has had initial conversations with the group and is interested in talking with them, but there is “nothing definite at this point and no timeline,” Seydell Johnson said.

Nehring said a concern that has come up from the skaters is that the park will be closed during the city’s renovation, and there will be nowhere for people to skate.

Whether or not that’s the case depends on what happens during the design process, Seydell Johnson said. Generally speaking, she said, the city has done it both ways, and she referenced playgrounds as an example.

“Sometimes the old playground has to come out before the new one can go in, but last summer, we had a couple where the old playground stayed in place throughout the entire construction period,” Seydell Johnson said. “So it really just 48 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

LittleVillageMag.com

depends on how in-depth the renovations are [and] what kind of choices are being made to really know that for the site.”

A shift in acceptance In the years he’s been coming to the skatepark, Nehring has seen the environment shift with each group of skaters.

“Every skatepark has a different vibe that evolves with whoever the skaters are that are going there at the time,” Nehring said. “I’ve been coming down here for about 15 years, and this is by far the best group of people that have ever been the local skaters.”

Nehring said sometimes people in the community who aren’t familiar with skateboarding might perceive skaters as troublemakers, but he’s noticed a shift in how skateboarding is being perceived in Iowa, particularly with the Lauridsen Skatepark in Des Moines.

The 88,000 square-foot skatepark opened in early May and is the largest open skatepark in the nation.

The Lauridsen Skatepark hosted the 2021 Dew Tour, an annual skateboard competition for men and women that this year served as the only U.S.-based Olympic skateboard qualifying event. Skateboarding is making its debut at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and the 12 members of the inaugural team were announced in June.

“It’s already bringing in revenue and attention,” Nehring said about the Des Moines skatepark. “I think things like that change the community’s attitude about skateboarders and will open them up to being more supportive of a renovation here.”

Keyser also hopes that the Iowa City community will be supportive of whatever renovations happen at the skatepark because “it’s an incredible asset for our community” that is constantly being utilized.

“Renovations or expansion or whatever ends up happening to that city park, I think that’ll only bring more people into that social circle and expand it more and make it more inclusive for everybody,” Keyser said.

“As somebody who’s been around that skatepark since its inception, it’s just really cool right now in skateboarding, it seems to be not only more socially accepted but just a really awesome group of people that are there right now.”

Izabela Zaluska is a staff writer and editor at Little Village. She is very grateful for everyone who spoke with her for this story and hopes that she was able to do the skatepark justice.

IOWA CITY NORTHSIDE MARKETPLACE

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 49

“IT’S LIKE SOMEBODY MAKING MUSIC, JUST SOMETHING THAT WANTS TO BE SEEN OR HEARD.”

Jason Smith / Little Village

Peyton Meiers Skateboarder, 16+ years It’s all about feeling. The feeling of landing a trick on a skateboard is so rewarding and freeing.

When I was a kid and I’d come here, it was pretty dead or always the same people. Now you see a lot of new faces. I like skating here ’cause I think this park has character, and the way you 50 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

skate it is a lot more unique and fast-paced and more spontaneous. I think it’s honestly made a lot of my skating, skating this park.

The concrete’s really rough; it’s just old and not up to date. This park’s not an easy park to skate but it’s fun; this is home to me. It’s my local skatepark and I love it, and that’s why I’m really excited about people wanting to make renovations.

I started teaching skate lessons last summer to

kids, and they started off just barely being able to stand on the board, and now they all can drop in and roll in and they can ollie and ride the rail and everything. They’re really stoked on skating.

[Parents] say they have an enthusiasm for skating that they don’t have with other sports. It feels good to support that and reinforce it. We also talk about etiquette and keeping a good mentality. I feel like skating’s a reflection of your character when you’re doing it.

It can be something that’s celebrated and accepted more. We’re still getting there. This water fountain and the bathroom [at the skatepark] have been closed for… seven years? But that kickflip on the [Park Street] bridge happened, and they were so quick to spend $35,000 on putting in planters to prevent people from going on the bridge. We don’t even have working water here or a bathroom, but you’ll do that over a 10-second video?

When a skateboarder is out doing something that’s never been done in a place like Iowa City, being seen doing it—it’s like somebody making music, just something that wants to be seen or heard. I think that’s where the art is brought back to people. It’s a voice for people and for everyday things that are happening in the streets. This is what we can do to be heard.

Community / Presented by Think Iowa City

Ellie Zupancic Rollerskater, 1 year I think part of the reason I picked up skating was TikTok. It definitely became popularized on that app at the beginning of the pandemic, and I was at home and bored and thought, Why don’t I get a cheap pair online? I took a chance not knowing if it would stick or not, if it’d be a good investment, and it ended up being really fun.

I started on my wood floors at home then migrated to parking lots with no cracks, no sidewalks. I was pretty incessant about going every day. After about a month I came [to the skatepark], then another month before I felt comfortable dropping into the bowl and learning tricks.

Everyone here is pretty welcoming and supportive and encouraging; it wasn’t a place where I felt “this is too daunting.” Everyone is really big on sharing. No one is left here without a ride home at the end of the night. But it definitely took a while being the only one on roller skates and feeling comfortable moving around without running into people and being run over. That agility definitely took me a while to get.

There are things built into the park that

“EVERYONE IS REALLY BIG ON SHARING. NO ONE IS LEFT HERE WITHOUT A RIDE HOME AT THE END OF THE NIGHT.” interrupt the flow, so removing those would be beneficial. Another huge thing would be lights, which are really pricey, but having lights would ensure just more time for skating—people can be out here past 4 p.m. in the winter, if there’s no snow.

I might not be here in five years, but I hope in five years the park is here and it’s kicking.

There’s room for so many people to come to the skatepark and I hope that the demographics keep changing to be as diverse as possible.

Skating cemented itself really obviously as something [that’s] going to be a part of my life no matter if I’m in grad school or working a fulltime job. I encourage anyone who’s considering it to take that chance. I’ve scraped my knee so many times and bloodied my chin, and that’s part of it, but as my dad always says whenever I tell him I have a new injury, “It makes you feel more alive.”

WATCH Little Village’s full interviews with Peyton and Ellie

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 51

Issues, on issues, on issues...

From nearly 300 issues of Little Village, I went through and pulled out one from each year that seems to capture where we’ve been over the last 20 years. Were these good times? Were they bad? I don’t know. We’ve just had a lot to talk about, OK? As a marker of time, if I had to choose one of these cover moments as being the most pivotal, I’d go with January 2017. That was the year our historically purple state started to feel like it was leaving a lot of us out of the conversation—out of the idea of what Iowa and Iowans are all about. We were set to add another reporter, and from a strong pool of candidates we chose Paul Brennan.

We believed, with him, we could have some of the best

political reporting in the state. He started July 1, 2017 and, four years later, I believe that dream has come true.

We’re becoming a recognized voice for the region with readers around the world, and we’re doing this while also adding community-level reporters on the ground in several parts of the state.

Technology has brought about other changes. When we started, it was before Facebook and its infinite scroll.

Getting the word out about everything that was happening was a pressing need. Today, while we are publishing more than ever, our goal has transitioned toward helping people sift through the noise and find a focus. I commend all of our editors for doing this so well, while continuing to serve so many communities.

Nothing has ever been certain for us, and we’ve tried to live each issue like it might be our last. But while we continue to focus on what we’re building next, I appreciate this opportunity to share my gratitude for the voice this community has given us. Whatever is to come, my hope continues to be that you will see yourself in these thousands of pages of physical, undeniable proof that you were here. That you did have a voice.

—Matthew Steele Publisher

2004

2005

2006

W gets four more years

Iowa City contemplates a public electricity service

Picador’s peak

52 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

2001

2002

2003

A dream is born!

LV#1 arrives July 2001

Working class heroes—stories of IC’s servers, cabbies, DJs and tattoo artists

Emma Goldman Clinic marks 30 years

2007

2008

2009

21-only ordinance fails

Come rain, come sleet, come 100-year flood

Iowa City Community School District weighs its own new deal LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 53

2010

2011

2012

Before Big Grove, we looked at new developments south of Burlington Street

Iowa City got Occupied

Documenting the Washington Street that was

2016

2017

2018

UI embroiled in Title IX dispute

Iowa’s legislature takes a hard right turn

Iowans are hit hard by the opioid epidemic

54 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

2013

2014

2015

100-year floods happen every five years now

Joni Ernst takes Harkin’s seat

Board or Regents rebukes faculty with Harreld hire

2019

2020

2021

Local youth join national charge for gun safety

Taking the streets with Black Lives Matter

With the pandemic’s end we dream of new arts futures LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 55

Presented by Linn County Conservation

Linn County Parks Guide Linn County Conservation manages nearly 30 areas in the form of parks, preserves, natural areas, and trails. We also are committed to providing natural resource protections on public lands.

HIKE AND BIKE The J. Harold Ennis Preserve

The J. Harold Ennis Preserve is a 33-acre preserve with a hiking trail along the Cedar River in southern Linn County.

CAMP OUT

LinnCountyParks.com

These modern campgrounds include RV electric and water hookups, showerhouse, grills, picnic tables, fire rings and firewood for purchase:

• • • •

Buffalo Creek Park Morgan Creek Park Pinicon Ridge Wanatee Park

Try these spots for a more rustic experience without the modern amenities:

• Wakipicada Natural Area • Matsell Bridge Natural Area • Mt. Hope

56 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Cedar Valley Nature Trail

Cedar Valley Nature Trail is a 52-mile trail from Waterloo to Cedar Rapids, now extending into Johnson County.

EDUCATE Abbe Creek School Museum The oldest standing brick schoolhouse in Iowa, first used in 1836.

Now converted into a museum and listed on the National Register of Historic Places Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center Operated by the Cedar Astronomers, the EIOLC is host to public and group events to observe the stars and share in their joy of astronomy.

Center Point Historic Depot and Museum

Built in 1914, this depot was a popular spot along the old WCF&N railroad, which is now the Cedar Valley Nature Trail.

Matsell Bridge Natural Area

This Historic Linn County Bridge over the Wapsipinicon River has a ghost story worthy of investigation.

Paris Bridge Natural Area

Jordan Sellergren

The Paris Bridge was constructed in 1876 and the natural area offers canoe access to Wapsipinicon River between Troy Mills and Central City.

Chain Lakes Natural Area

The Chain Lakes Bridge was completed in 1884 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

UNIQUE NATURE Hitaga Sand Ridge Prairie Preserve

This preserve includes very large glacial erratic and is home to threatened wildlife and plant species such as the ornate box turtle and prickley pear cactus.

Wickiup Hill Learning Center

This 751-acre complex just northwest of Cedar Rapids features an indoor nature center highlighting our natural resources, history, educational displays, hands-on exhibits, field trips and public programs for all ages. Immerse yourself in the outdoor areas that include five miles of trail, woodlands, prairie, and the Wickiup Wandering Woods nature playscape: a place for all ages to create, engage, and build with nature.

Grant Wood Trail

This trail boasts a prehistoric bog in the western section just east of Waldo’s Rock Park.

Rock Island Botanical Preserve

The area is exceptionally rich in plant diversity (491 species), including 15 species identified as rare or species of special concern.

Four rare species of butterflies and skippers have been found here, as well as the state-threatened Blanding’s and ornate box turtles.

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 57

Presented by Linn County Conservation

MULTITASK

LinnCountyParks.com

Linn County Parks Index 1

Abbe Creek School Museum 877 W Mount Vernon Rd,

Mt. Vernon

3410 Cedar Heights Trail

3 Buffalo Creek Natural Area

7500 Elf Lane, Palo

4 Buffalo Creek Park 5034

1365 Ivanhoe Rd, Ely

5 Cedar Valley Nature Trail

2935 Palo Marsh Rd, Palo

6 Chain Lakes Natural Area

5301 Sutton Rd, Coggon

7 Eastern Iowa Observatory

23 Pinicon Ridge Park 4732 Horseshoe Falls Rd, Central City

1825 Coggon Rd, Coggon

352 acres including an arboretum and butterfly garden featuring over 250 different species. A new development occurring on the south side will include a shelter, expansive playground, walking trails, wetlands, and more.

18 North Cedar Natural Area

2 Blue Creek Natural Area

Blue Creek Rd, Center Point

Morgan Creek Park

17 Morgan Creek Park

7511 Worcester Rd, Palo

Buffalo Creek Park Rd, Coggon

Boyson Road, Hiawatha

4247 Chain Bridge Rd, Palo

19 Otter Creek Natural Area

20 Palisades-Dows Preserve

21 Palo Marsh Natural Area

22 Paris Bridge Natural Area

& Learning Center

1365 Ivanhoe Rd, Ely

8 Goose Pond Natural Area

3875 Lewis Bottoms Rd, Shellsburg

24 Rock Island Botanical Preserve 4501 Preserve Ln, Cedar

Rapids

25 South Cedar Natural Area

9 Grant Wood Trail

248 Cedar Park Rd, Mt. Vernon

10 Harold & Ruth Rehrauer

3200 Coggon Rd, Troy Mills

6303 Partners Ave, Marion

26 Troy Mills River Access

Pinicon Ridge Park

933 acres along the Wapsipinicon in Central City, with a modern campground, cabins to rent, playground, water access, an observation tower 1,028 feet above sea level, and hiking trails.

The Mary Lundby Bridge enables pedestrians to walk over the Wapsipinicon.

Natural Area

1299 Red Bridge Rd, Coggon 11 Hitaga Sand Ridge Prairie Preserve 2727 Wapsi Ridge Dr,

27 Wakpicada Natural Area

313 Central City Rd, Central City 28 Wanatee Park

Walker

1600 Banner Dr, Marion

12 Hoover Nature Trail

29 Wickiup Hill Learning Center 10260 Morris Hills Rd,

1635 Hillcrest St, Ely

Toddville

13 J. Harold Ennis Preserve

550 Cedar River Rd, Mt. Vernon

14 Jay G. Sigmund Memorial Site 10260 Morris Hills Rd,

Toddville

15 Matsell Bridge Natural Area 3742 Matsell Park Rd, Central

Wanatee Park

998 acres is home to a variety of wildlife, with vast woodlands and prairie. Enjoy the multi-use trails throughout the park, including a mountain-bike trail suitable for all skill levels.

58 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

City

16 Millard Preserve

5053 Millard Ln, Central City

30 Wickiup Hill Natural Area

3900 Wickiup Hill Rd, Toddville

GET THERE

Ready to explore? Find your way to each of these Linn County Parks.

4

26

3

11

10 22 16 2 23

27

14 18

8

15

30 21

29 19 6

5

9 24 28

17

1

13

7 20 12

Linn County map data ©2021 Google

25

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 59

L.V. Campground, a nudist retreat among the cornfields north of Linn County, takes naturalism to colorful new heights.

BY EMMA MCCLATCHEY

60 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Sophie McClatchey / Little Village

Culture

S

loshed on Busch Light and a little sundazed after my first pool day in ages, it was 11 p.m. when I finally went to set up my tent at the L.V. Campground in Coggon, Iowa.

My sister, two friends and I had rented a cabin ($135/night)—sturdy, spacious and best of all air-conditioned, with plywood walls, two queen beds, a mid-sized fridge and a dining table suitable for the kind of trashy college drinking games our small social circle forgot to leave in adolescence.

But dogs aren’t supposed to sleep in these cabins, so I also reserved a tent site ($30/night) for my dog Goldie and I to crash on.

Earlier in the day, a couple fellow campers lounging by the pool—and taking full advantage of the campground’s clothing-optional status— gave me shit as I cracked into my second IPA. “You broke the first rule of camping: set up the tent before you start drinking,” one (middle-aged, very nude) man said.

“Hang on, I bought a pop-up tent,” I bragged.

“The reviews said it was drunk-friendly.”

But the sun had since set, and as I felt inebriation overcome my senses after a round of Ring of Fire, I decided I better go toss the tent. I grabbed an LED lantern, removed the folded blue tent from my trunk and walked past a parked Ram pick-up truck to find two guys in the tailgate, sharing a passionate embrace. Or more specifically, giving and receiving fellatio.

I blurted out, “Oop! Sorry,” among other awkward Midwestern noises, haphazardly popped my tent—smacking myself in the face but certainly getting the job done quickly—and hustled back to Cabin 8 to find I’d been Iced. (That is, I found a bottle of Smirnoff Ice sitting outside the door and thus, according to the sacred laws, now had to chug it.) I went inside, knelt and whisked down the sweet blue liquid, feeling I’d just been through a kind of initiation.

Little Village staff have been eager to cover L.V. Campground for years, if only because of our shared initials. The adult-only oasis was even more “adult” than I anticipated: There was nudity, margaritas, outrageous sex stories, ~intimate~ moments before my very eyes—in lantern-light, firelight and broad daylight. But the campground is also a labor of love for its owner and manager Jerry Limkemann, a friend to all who pass through its hallowed gravel roads.

Simultaneously wholesome and lascivious, L.V. Campground, nestled in rural Delaware County amid the fields and barns that inspired Grant Wood, can best be described as an LGBTQfriendly, body- and sex-positive campground with a distinctly Iowa character. Check your shame at the Camp Office.

LittleVillageMag.com

Jerry founded the Limkemann Village Campground (better known as L.V.) in 2006 and continues to manage, maintain and live on the property with his longtime partner. He is the beloved patriarch of the five-acre site, which features a 16,000-gallon pool, a common kitchen and lobby area, two- and four-person cabins for rental, dozens of RV and tent camping sites with electrical hook-ups and communal bathrooms with flush toilets (complete with excellent toilet paper, I might add, especially for a campground) and showers. The grounds are surrounded by tall trees, beyond which are expansive cornfields; the stalks stood less than a foot from the soil when I visited in mid-June, and they looked gorgeous at sunset.

The seasonal getaway hosts a number of events throughout the summer, including the Lesbians of Iowa’s annual “summer camp”; mixers for Club G, a Des Moines swingers club; L.V.’s monthly men-only Bear Camps; and the pièce de résistance, the Big Gay Campout, open to all and taking place Aug. 27-29 this year. Non-event weekends are more rare than booked ones, and more unpredictable: Anyone could walk up to the front desk. Like me.

One of the most vibrant campers the weekend I visited was Chris, a rainbow-haired Quad Cities salon owner and stylist with a mix of gay pride, horror movie and Marvel Cinematic Universe tattoos. “A nudist at heart,” he and his husband have been escaping to L.V. for years.

“The first thing I noticed was that there was zero body shaming,” Chris told me. “This campground out in the middle of nowhere is my favorite place in the world.”

As popular as nudity is at L.V., it’s not ubiquitous, and campers that choose not to undress face no apparent judgment. I’ve never been much of a nudist myself, but if there was any social environment in which I’d feel comfortable disrobing, it’d be here—in the middle of nowhere, as Chris aptly noted. Indeed, surrounded by naked sunbathers between the ages of 25 and 75, of various genders and sexualities, all amicable towards us (my group of friends was lovingly referred to as “the lesbians,” though technically we represented a mix of gay, bi and straight women), but not nosy or gossipy, I was empowered to float in the pool tits to the wind, until fear of sunburn overcame the impulse to liberate my palest regions.

When a woman (let’s call her Lisa) asked the guests gathered around the pool, “Who wants margaritas!?” Saturday afternoon, all were welcome to a salt-rimmed, lime-garnished cup or two mixed by her husband, “Dave.” While we sipped the free margs, I learned some recent history of the campground.

The L.V. community had united around a

Dwayne Dopsie Fri Jul 16

Improv Incubator w/ Amara Andrews

Sat jul 17

Galleries open Thu Thru Sun 12-6PM

1103 3rd St SE Cedar Rapids (319)364-1580 www.cspshall.org

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 61

Culture

common enemy: a former pro-wrestler who apparently didn’t receive the celebrity treatment he expected during a weekend stay, Chris said, and sought a kind of revenge against the campground.

The wrestler reported Jerry for a number of pool code violations, the resolutions of which would cost tens of thousands of dollars Jerry didn’t have in hand.

Chris and other L.V. regulars launched a fundraising campaign last year and crowdsourced more than $30,000 in a few short months. Jerry was able to update the fencing and pool deck, among other repairs. His hot tub wasn’t approved for commercial use, so Lisa and Dave bought it off him.

“And we’ve been making great use of it,” Lisa said, leering across the pool at her husband, who was skimming dead leaves and bugs from the water.

Voyeurism and exhibitionism are more common than s’mores at L.V., it turns out. Chris playfully badgered Lisa and Dave for closing the curtains in their RV the night before during what had been a rather public lovemaking session. (“I was enjoying the show!”) Chris even recalled an incident at last year’s Halloween party in which a fellow regular—one of the quieter people we met at the campground, incidentally—bottomed on a picnic table while dressed as Fred Flintstone.

“Fred” just smiled coyly.

Later that night, as my friend and I roasted hotdogs by the firepit, the sounds of clanging, whipping and moans of pleasure carried over from the next campsite over. Even in the darkness we could make out a man and woman, lit by a raging campfire, demonstrating BDSM for a small audience seated in foldable lawn chairs. Presently, a little further away, a group of older campers watched a sitcom on a TV mounted on their RV—The Big Bang Theory, I think. The laugh track lilted over the noise of handcuffs clanking and leather swatting flesh, creating perhaps the most surreal soundscape I’ve heard in a long time.

I recount the more lurid details of my weekend at L.V. not just for local color, but because it feels prudent to inform potential visitors that, well, you may be going to set up a tent, reapply sunscreen or cook a hotdog and find yourself face to face with some happy campers.

I can very much understand why some would not enjoy such a sex-forward environment, and a week ago I’d have wagered I was one of them.

Surprisingly, I found myself fascinated by the various pairings and polycules of people, the peeks into various sexual subcultures, the erotic politics of L.V.’s central characters. It was like a NSFW reality show with little episodes throughout the day, watchable from the comfort of a pool floatie.

Freak flags flew in the breeze, and it was refreshing 62 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Jerry Limkemann mans the front desk at L.V. Campground in Coggon, Iowa.

Emma McClatchey / Little Village

to see a group of queer, kinky Midwesterners joyful and uninhibited.

A decades-long debate about the representation of kink in Pride celebrations reached a fever pitch this year. Pride parades and festivals are widely regarded as family-friendly events, including in eastern Iowa. Nudity is generally not accepted, but

the full spectrum of sexual identities in their community. The moral outrage that flared on Twitter this June was largely stoked by rightwing trolls hoping to sow division among liberals by playing off age-old stereotypes conflating queerness and sexual perversion.

But in light of this controversy, this heightened

I CAN VERY MUCH UNDERSTAND WHY SOME WOULD NOT ENJOY SUCH A SEX-FORWARD ENVIRONMENT, AND A WEEK AGO I’D HAVE WAGERED I WAS ONE OF THEM. SURPRISINGLY, I FOUND MYSELF FASCINATED BY THE VARIOUS PAIRINGS AND POLYCULES OF PEOPLE, THE PEEKS INTO VARIOUS SEXUAL SUBCULTURES, THE EROTIC POLITICS OF L.V.’S CENTRAL CHARACTERS.

what about bondage gear—cuffs, collars, leather vests? What about the Leather Pride flag, with its black and blue stripes and big red heart? Are symbols of nonconventional, for lack of a better term, sexual preferences inappropriate in and of themselves?

Of course not. After all, it was the sex-positive, bisexual, polyamorous, BDSM-loving “Mother of Pride” Brenda Howard that organized the first modern Pride March and festival in New York City in 1970. Pride organizers have long separated daytime family festivities from the adult mixers at 18+ gay bars later in the evening, and they have nuanced discussions about how to accommodate

focus on the way LGBTQ folks are allowed to celebrate their bodies, I realized just how rare a space like L.V. Campground is: one where queer and kinky folks of all stripes can express themselves without being policed by a moral authority, so long as they’re safe, surrounded by consenting adults and respectful of Jerry’s basic camp rules (no glass bottles or dildos in the pool area, folks).

You’re out of earshot of any kind of bad-faith “debates” about your right to exist, literally; I couldn’t get a cell signal at L.V. to save my life.

Not everyone was there for casual sex or spankings—for instance, me, who was after all camping with my sister—and for many campers, choosing

LittleVillageMag.com

to walk around in the buff was not sexually motivated at all. Everyone came to L.V. Campground as they were, and many have found genuine friendships in the process. And unlike adult stores, strip clubs and even feminist bookstores and sexual health clinics in Iowa, moral outrage in the form of strict zoning or obscenity laws has not killed the campground.

Lisa said she and Dave would live nude all the time if they could, but must be cautious, even on their own property. They planted trees to obscure views into the house and hot tub area, but still a neighbor complained they’d spotted a topless Lisa in the window the other day. “You’re not even safe in your own home,” Lisa lamented.

Public indecency laws vary widely across states and local municipalities, but suffice to say Iowa is not the most open-minded when it comes to nudity. In essence, if someone is offended by the sight of a full or partially naked person and they report it, they have a decent case. Going au natural always comes with some degree of risk, making an openly adult-only, clothing-optional, middle-of-nowhere resort like L.V. a true sanctuary for nudists.

Which is why writing this piece feels like a risk.

Could drawing attention to the hidden gem that is L.V. open it to scrutiny? Perhaps, but the many camp-goers and staff I spoke to, including Jerry himself, expressed no fear of being outed—only excitement or intrigue at the idea of new folks joining the fold, especially queer women. Hell, even the couple I’d caught mid-blowjob in the truck tailgate wasted no time in making light of the situation the next morning—“We were like, ‘oh no, we’ve scarred one of the lesbians!’”

When I decided to spend a weekend at L.V. Campground and write about my experience for LV Mag, I could already picture the central moment: Queer, chubby me at my first nude pool, stretch marks on my stomach and thighs from pandemic weight gain, tentatively sheds my swimsuit and jumps in the pool, baptized in the chlorinated water as a Perfume Genius song plays in the background, vibing like a teen in some indie comingof-age drama.

In reality, I wasn’t a big fan of topless swimming; breasts really want to float, and it felt like I was strapped to a pair of buoys. The real review is simple: I had some of the most fun I’ve had since March 2020, because I was surrounded by people having fun.

An important part of pride is shedding shame.

Sometimes, it takes a village.

Emma McClatchey would like to thank Thomas for wrestling her pop-up tent back into its bag and giving Goldie plenty of pets on the pool deck.

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 63

Culture

LittleVillageMag.com Prairie Pop

The Sounds of Silence Harmony Festival promises to balance stillness of mind with sonic solace for the soul. BY KEMBREW MCLEOD

I

n one memorable scene from the Woodstock documentary, young music fans and counterculture kids are introduced to yoga poses and breathing exercises in a field, and the 1969 festival kicked off with a speech by a renowned spiritual teacher and yoga adept. My mind immediately flashed back to that when I first heard about the upcoming Harmony Festival, subtitled Music, Movement and Mindfulness.

“That was a big moment for yoga in America,” said festival co-organizer Sarah Driscoll. “Swami Satchidananda Saraswati starting the day with inspiration and movement—I can’t think of a better way to start a festival [than] with a community yoga practice. Stretch your body and prepare your mind for a busy day, set the intention to take care of yourself, too.”

Driscoll grew up in Ladora, Iowa and has been a fixture of the music community in the region since 1997, when she formed the band Greener. They regularly played four-hour gigs that allowed her to develop her style and stage presence. She released a solo album, Darlin, in 2004 and was a member of the Diplomettes, which joined forces with the Diplomats of Solid Sound in 2008, right around the time when Awful Purdies asked her to join their band. Both groups are still going strong.

She opened Breathing Room Yoga in Cedar Rapids in 2016 and has previously led early morning yoga classes for events such as the Grey Area music festival and Make Music Day Iowa Corridor. Harmony Festival is a synthesis of all of this activity.

“I had helped with Cedar Rapids yoga festival Fields of Yogis for the last couple years,” Driscoll said, “and I’m always into live music, so it seemed natural.”

Its roots grew from an idea that her friend Natalie Brown floated about a weekend of sound healing, music and yoga, which made immediate sense to Driscoll because all these things require entering a flow state where one can’t overthink.

She has known Brown for years through the music scene, she said, but “more recently she got into yoga, went to India and started doing sound healing, so we started working together in that realm ... She’s professional and kind—just the type of person I’d like to organize a festival with.”

For this first year, they decided to keep it simple and eventually grow it over time.

Brown, a composer, educator, sound healer and multi-instrumentalist, has practiced yoga throughout her adult years, but music has been part of her life since she was young. She began violin lessons at age 4 at Preucil School of Music in Iowa City, where she was the one swaying back and forth, caught up in the music, as her peers were planted in place, sawing away with laser-guided focus.

Music, movement and sound naturally converged for Brown at an early age, which set her on a path that led her to her current practice as a certified teacher for the Sound Healing Academy in Cedar Rapids.

She spent years as a full-time music teacher, directing two string orchestras and a full symphony orchestra as well as teaching group lessons at two middle schools—along with playing in the bluegrass

64 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

HARMONY FESTIVAL Czech Village, Cedar Rapids, Saturday and Sunday, July 17-18, $111 Theme: Mental Vibrancy

Community Events July 17 at 8 a.m. Keynote Class w/ Marsha Nieland—Yoga Class July 18 at 9 a.m. Community Yoga and Sound Healing w/ Natalie Brown and Sarah Driscoll Breakout Sessions July 17 at 10 a.m.

Yoga + Puppies w/ Cynthia Dennis (Yoga Class) via the festival

Dharma & Divinity: Finding the

July 18 at 11 a.m. Brunch featur-

Way to Your Inner Light w/ Beth

ing live music w/ Awful Purdies &

McClelland (Yoga Class)

friends

Gathering at the Gazebo—Safe Talk

Other Events

About Disaster w/ Julie Jack and

July 17 at 12:30 p.m. Harmony

Wendy Stokesbary (Lecture)

for the Heart w/ Darcy LeFevre & Annie Taylor (Yoga + Sound Bath)

Mantras, Affirmations and Mindfulness for Wellness w/ Natalie

July 17 at 5 p.m. Sound Healing

Brown

Collaboration ft. Natalie Brown

July 17 at 2:30 p.m.

July 17 at 7:30 p.m. Social Hour ft.

Flourishing or Languishing? w/

food from the Full Bowl

Betsy Rippentropp (Yoga Class) Sound Healing w/ Cheyanne Carroll Trans & Q-munity Yoga w/ Zachary Rochester (Yoga Class + Lecture) Live Music July 17 at 12:30 p.m. Kevin Burt & Big Begonias at Bo Macs July 17 at 5 p.m. Deb Talan at Bo Macs July 17 at 6:30 p.m. Getting Synchronized w/ Jason Snell Andrew Hallinan

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 65

Culture

n re rg lle e S an rd Jo

Upcoming yoga events Breathing Room Yoga @ Prairie Patch Farm, Cedar Rapids, Mondays July 12, 19 and 26, 6 p.m., $10-20 Outdoor Yoga w/ Darcy (Breathing Room Yoga), Fairview Park, Cedar Rapids, Wednesdays through Sept. 1, 5:30 p.m., $5+

band Mayflies and the jazz fusion group Mirage. Brown found all that activity enriching, but exhausting, so she changed course and earned a Masters in Ethnology and Folklore from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, which is where she first heard the term “sound healing.”

The use of sound for healing for health and wellness goes back to antiquity and can be found around the world in ceremonies and celebrations. But more recently, Brown has noticed more gong bath, sound meditation and mantra classes being offered than ever before.

“All yogic paths have sound practices,” Brown said. “In other words, yoga is not just the movements and postures. There are so many aspects to what yoga is, and sound and music are key compo-

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“There are four EEG sensors that read electrical activity of the brain, located behind each ear and two on the forehead. There is also a PPG sensor that reads blood flow from a location on the forehead, and I’m able to get my heartbeat data from that.”

Snell runs the biometric data through a series of algorithms and maps them into musical commands, creating music using a MIDI network that syncs up his body with external hardware synthesizers, a drum machine, samplers and effects pedals.

“Essentially, I’m able to compose and manipulate the music with my mind, and the tempo and beat is controlled by my heart. It’s the closest thing to telekinesis that I’ve experienced.”

augments that process for me and the audience by amplifying synchronization cues,” Snell said. “We are all hearing the same heart and same brain waves so we all naturally fall into the same rhythm.”

“I think for many people yoga and music may not be connected at all; their practice may be done in silence, so they can have a clear mind,” Driscoll said. But for her, “Music and yoga are both major parts of my daily life. I like to practice yoga to music and I love making playlists that go along with my yoga practice.”

She likes to have fun with her daily yoga practice, she said, and so she lets her mind and body move to the music in order to enhance her creativity, which sometimes gives her ideas for songs.

(pay-what-you-can)

I THINK FOR MANY PEOPLE YOGA AND MUSIC MAY NOT BE CONNECTED AT ALL; THEIR PRACTICE MAY BE DONE IN SILENCE, SO THEY CAN HAVE A CLEAR MIND. [BUT] MUSIC AND YOGA ARE BOTH MAJOR PARTS OF MY DAILY LIFE. —SARAH DRISCOLL

Summer Sweat Series w/ Toula Yoga, Lindale Mall 1st Av Parking Lot, Cedar Rapids, Wednesdays through Aug. 25, 6 p.m., Free (registration required) Yoga in the Park w/ Breathing Room Yoga, Fairview Park, Cedar Rapids, Thursdays through Sept. 2, 5:30 p.m., $5+ (pay-what-you-can) Meet Me at the Market—Yoga, NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, Thursdays through Sept. 30, 6:30 p.m., Free (registration required) Yoga in the Park w/ Bliss Yoga Studio, Green Space Next to Tin Roost, North Liberty, Saturdays through Oct. 2, 4 p.m., Free-$5 Fit July w/ Benders Studio, Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City, Saturdays in July, 9 a.m., Free (registration required) Yoga in the Park w/ Heat Yoga Studio, Kenwood Park, Cedar Rapids, Saturday, July 10, 11 a.m., Free

nents to my focus.”

Because stress-inducing multitasking dominates our work and social environments, she said, making time to focus on sounds, space and silence can reduce tension and offer many physical, emotional, mental and spiritual benefits.

Multidisciplinary artist Jason Snell, one of the festival’s headlining performers, took another path to this fusion of music and mindfulness. Harmony Festival will host one of his Primary Assembly performances, which are informed by his years of practicing meditation and yoga. The project began after a lucid dream Snell experienced about making music from his DNA sequences; soon after he began composing music on a Muse EEG headband that he hacked and connected it to his Mac laptop.

“The software establishes a Bluetooth connection with the device and receives packets from the headband’s sensors,” he said.

66 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

For Primary Assembly, Snell tailors the sounds to the event—if he is performing at a warehouse techno party, he’ll play techno. For the Harmony Festival, he will be composing layers of ambient synthesizer sounds that will help listeners experience different types of mental states and brainwave stimulation.

His heart will be controlling a bass and kick rhythm, and Snell will also use white noise to simulate the sound of being in the womb, which tends to help listeners move deeper into a meditative state.

Snell explained that all forms of meditation and trance seek to bypass the critical, functionally focused left-brain gatekeeper, and usually by the end of a yoga or meditation session, he has entered a quiet, nonverbal state. He has also observed that repetitive music like chanting or electronic music can shift people to the right brain with time.

“This EEG sound system

“Obviously, live music, meditation and movement are good for our mental health, so it kind of goes without saying,” Driscoll added.

“But I want to say it and put it out there a little more. One year in a lockdown situation has a lot of people thinking and talking about their own mental health, so let’s use that momentum to heal and grow.”

In other words, it’s time to get mindful AF, gently bang a gong and get your yoga on at Harmony Festival.

Kembrew McLeod was born in Virginia Beach—one of the wellsprings from which yoga was introduced in the U.S., thanks to Edgar Cayce—and if he had been born a girl, his hippie parents would have named him Shanti. However, Kembrew tends to find inner peace and tranquility through blasting Slayer’s Reign In Blood at top volume, which he genuinely finds relaxing.

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Bread & Butter LV Recommends

Over Hot Coals Make flatbread, roasted veggies and yogurt labneh from the comfort of your campfire. BY BEN PARTRIDGE

O

ne of the more memorable diversions from last year was socially distanced outdoor gatherings with family members and “pod” friends, hanging around the most primitive of cooking stations: a fire pit. No need to clean the house or lay out a fancy spread—it’s the pandemic after all; we’re just trying to survive.

My favorite things about cooking outdoors, whether camping or roasting something on a stick, is how everything feels more like a treat and accidents and mishaps are par for the course—marshmallows set ablaze, a sausage exploding from its casing or that thin spear of asparagus slips through the grate as a sacrifice to the grill gods.

Even though most of us are vaccinated and venturing back out into the world, I’m not ready to give up that living-in-the-present, slowed-down mood I came to appreciate. Especially now that all that derecho firewood is properly cured.

One fireside cooking method I’ve come to enjoy is experimenting with cooking vegetables and flatbreads directly in the ashes and hot coals. Not only is it a thrill watching dough bubble up or vegetable skins blacken in the embers, it’s also darn tasty. This spring at a backyard gathering with family I made naan-style bread slathered with homemade labneh. The refreshing tartness of the strained yogurt on slightly charred bread proved to be a lovely base for any number of fresh toppings. We decked ours out with ember-roasted peppers, grilled olives, radish, cucumbers and backyard herbs, drizzled with olive oil and big pinches of za’atar. Use what’s in season. Eat it like a pizza or fold it in half like a taco.

Cooking on embers isn’t about achieving perfection, so try and let yourself relax and be entertained by the irregular wabi-sabi dough shapes, the bubbling bread, the burnt bits and the amusement of preparing food like a caveman.

What is za’atar?

Za’atar is generally a combination of dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, sumac, and toasted sesame seeds. You can find any number of recipes to make it online, or pick some up locally. I’ve seen cute boxes of it at Ten Thousand Villages.

How to build a coal bed

Like any fire, start with small stuff for the kindling and work your way up to bigger wood. To achieve a nice pile of cooking coals you’ll want

to transition your fire to hardwoods (like oak or maple) and make sure to maintain an open structure to the fire so air can move through. I’m a big fan of the log cabin-style structure or criss-cross build. Get it roaring and allow an hour or so for the wood to burn down into hot, ashy embers.

Then arrange the coals so you have a relatively flat bed and push any still-burning wood to the side to create more coals should you need them.

Ben Partridge / Little Village

Ember-baking naan

I’ve experimented with a slew of flatbread recipes over hot coals and all of them have worked to a certain degree, but so far, this naan-style dough recipe has proved to be everyone’s favorite—light, chewy and crispy on the outside. You can cut this recipe in half if you’d like, but the ingredients are cheap and it’s nice to have 12 to play with, knowing you can burn half of them to a crisp if you get yourself totally lost, mesmerized by the bubbling dough.

NAAN Ingredients Makes 12 pieces

• • • • • • • •

1 packet of active dry yeast 1 cup of warm water 2 tbsp sugar ¼ cup milk 1 egg 1 tsp salt 3 ½ cup all-purpose flour 4 tbsp ghee (melted)

CEDAR RAPIDS NEW BOHEMIA / CZECH VILLAGE

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(another 20-40 seconds). Again, be prepared for some trial and error here as you get used to the temperature.

Wrap your finished bread in a tea towel as you go to keep it warm, or toss it to one of your guests like a Frisbee to enjoy straight away. Watch out for any sneaky pieces of hot coal that might be hitching a ride.

Brush the bread with olive oil or butter to eat plain, lay out a spread of dips and spreads, or use your imagination. Flatbreads are flying saucers that can accommodate all types of passengers.

Directions

countertop. Divide into 12 semi-equal pieces and form into balls. Lightly dust with flour and leave them to rise for another 10-15 minutes.

Mix yeast with water and sugar in a bowl and leave for 10-15 minutes covered until nice and foamy.

When your coals are ready to go, roll out your balls on a floured surface with a rolling pin into roughly six-inch rounds and sprinkle with enough flour so they’re easily handled. They’re going to feel floppy and imperfect but don’t sweat it. Play the game What State Shape Does This Naan Look Like?

Make it the day before and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight to let even more flavor develop.

Whisk egg and milk together.

Sift dry ingredients (flour and salt ) into a large bowl.

Make a well in the flour and add foamy yeast, ghee and egg and milk mixture. Mix together with a fork and then start working it with your hands to form a soft, slightly sticky ball. If the dough wants to stick to your hands, dust with more flour and knead to incorporate.

Place dough back in the bowl, cover and let proof somewhere warm until it’s doubled in size (about 1.5 hours). If you’re doing this the day of, this might be a great time to get your fire started.

Ease dough out of the bowl onto a floured

Transport your rolled dough to your fire pit using a cookie sheet. (See note on building a coal bed.) Working one at a time, using two hands, lay your dough directly on the coals. This might take some getting used to so that the dough doesn’t fold over on itself. After a couple moments you’ll start to see the surface of the dough bubble up.

This is the magical moment we’ve been waiting for. Once it’s begun to get toasted and lightly charred on the bottom (20-40 seconds), flip it over with tongs and remove any chunks of ember that might have stuck to the dough. If there are a couple areas that seem undercooked just place a hot ember on them while the other side bakes

EMBER-ROASTED VEGGIES

Rake out your hot coals into an even layer and place whole vegetables directly on the embers, turning them until they’re evenly charred and tender. Almost anything with a sacrificial skin will work; onions, peppers and eggplant are our favorites. Allow cooked veggies to steam and cool in a bag or container before removing the charred skins. Eat plain or enjoy dressed with a little extra virgin olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Tips

• Whole, unpeeled onions develop a nicely burned shell, allowing the insides to steam in their own juices. Turn every so often until

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 69

LittleVillageMag.com/Dining

easily pierced with a knife (about 30-60 minutes).

• Whole bell peppers or jalapeños need to be turned frequently until evenly charred (810 minutes). Once steamed, the skin of the peppers will rub right off with your fingers.

Discard stems and seeds.

• Eggplants can be buried completely in the coals and cooked until shriveled and soft all over (about 15 minutes depending on their size). Once cooled, slit open the eggplant and scoop out the flesh.

Ben Partridge / Little Village

LABNEH (STRAINED YOGURT)

Labneh, popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, is

essentially yogurt with the whey strained out, resulting in a tangy, thick and super versatile spread. You can score a tub of it from Oasis Falafel or find the commercially made stuff at some of the global grocery markets in the area.

But it’s also a cinch to make at home if you have a little patience.

Ingredients • 24 oz. of Greek or whole fat plain yogurt • A pinch of salt • Juice from half a lemon

70 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Directions

Line a strainer or colander with cheesecloth and set over a bowl.

Combine yogurt, salt and lemon juice.

Spoon yogurt into the cheesecloth and fold over to cover.

Leave in the refrigerator to drain for 24 hours.

Discard strained whey or save it for another use (some people throw it into smoothies, add it to their dog’s diet or even use it to condition their hair!).

Enjoy like you would hummus with a glug of extra virgin olive oil and a scattering of za’atar.

The best medicine for stress?

Nature.

Studies show just 20 minutes per day spent outdoors can significantly reduce stress hormones.

Get your daily dose.

5300 Otis Road SE, Cedar Rapids www.indiancreeknaturecenter.org

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 71

Culture / Presented by World of Bikes

RAISE IT UP RIDE CHECKPOINTS

A-List

Get Spoke

Google Maps Data ©2021

A new set of rides from the Iowa City Bike Library aim to engage the community and inspire activism. BY BRIAN TANNER

Tate Arms House, 914 S Dubuque St, housed Black students who were prohibited from living in the University of Iowa dorms from 1939–1961.

Samuel J. Kirkwood House, 1101 Kirkwood Ave, was the residence of Iowa’s Civil War governer who maintained a strong anti-slavery

Caroline Garske

n early July 2021, the Iowa City Bike Library is releasing the first in a series of four bike rides touring the Iowa City area intended to create awareness of calls to action in the community. The Raise It Up Rides are audio-guided routes visiting points of interest relating to racial inequities, identifying systems of oppression, celebrating artistic works of the community and demonstrating how bikes can be applied to these causes. Participants are invited to contribute to constructive conversations and learn how they might be able to make a difference in the community.

In the Bike Library’s letter of intent for the project, titled “Why don’t we ride for another reason?,” the 17-year-old org traces its impetus back to a question the organizers, led by Bike Library Volunteer Coordinator Sara McGuirk, began asking themselves a year ago: “How can we use the power of the bicycle to advance racial equity, mobility justice, social justice and anti-racism?” In collaboration with the City of Iowa City, Humanity in Action and the Multicultural Development Center of Iowa, their goal is “to establish a force for education, celebration, reflection and action.” Organizers commit “to the movement for equity and liberation today and every day,” and ask the same of riders.

I had the privilege of getting a sneak preview of the first route with a personal guided tour from Bike Library Executive Director Audrey Wiedemeier. Charming and inspiring, Wiedemeier exhibits that same clear passion for community outreach and equality. Several times during the tour she stopped to post flyers for the recent Bike Night that was held on June 18, which collaborated with area bike shops to provide free repairs for kids.

She never hesitated to personally give a flyer to people that we encountered on the ride and invite them and their friends to the event. Indeed, as I followed her with her duster-shirt billowing in the wind behind her like a cape, she appeared to be the superhero that Iowa City needs.

This tour starts at the Bike Library, 1222 S Gilbert Ct, and includes five points of interest along a 10-mile loop. Although not yet available at the time of the preview, these points will have audio units that can be activated by a hand wave or accessed through a smartphone. These will play segments of a companion podcast (also available separately). This enables the route to be completely self-guided at any time. If you choose to, you could even time the ride to coincide with one of the Diversity Markets—but act fast, because there’ll only be a couple more in July. A limited number of guided tours will be conducted.

McGuirk advises, “Riders need to pre-register online or in-person at the Bike Library to gain access to the full set of ride resources once those are released.” More information can be found at icbikelibrary.org.

Cards with more context and thought-provoking questions can be picked up at the interest points; they’re intended to be put into your spokes. I enjoyed the play on words that “spoke” provided in this context.

Stops include former off-campus, dormitory-style housing for segregated Black students at the University of Iowa, artwork completed by local public school students and the large mural painted on the back wall 72 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

South District Mural, Broadway St, is a 4,400 square-foot collaboration between the South District Neighborhood Association, Faith Academy private school, Grant Wood Elementary School and Alexander Elementary School, as well as around 130 area residents.

Google Maps Data ©2021

I

via Iowa City Bike Library

position.

“Neighborhood of Seasons” pillars, South Sycamore Greenway Trail. Lakeside Drive, features two glass mosaic pillars funded by the Iowa City Public Art Program and the Grant Woody Neighborhood Association Dream City, 611 Southgate Ave, is an organization “Inspiring change through advocacy, art, wellness and community connections.”

of the former police station in SE Iowa City. If you’re lucky, at the Kingdom Center stop, you can go around the corner to find Mama’s Chicken and Fish on Wheels for a tasty break during the ride. (You can check the food truck’s Facebook page to see if they’ll be there.)

During the ride I also learned more about the Bike Library, a nonprofit with the simple mission of getting more people on bikes. For 17 years the Library has worked to recycle and upcycle bikes and outreach programs through repair, care, education and riding opportu-

couple of short slopes but overall, it was a flat route. There are some busy street crossings, so be sure to look both ways and always wear your helmet!

Even those who don’t ride or who have mobility issues can explore through the audio podcast and the associated storymap.

“We worked with Humanity in Action to make this as accessible to everyone as possible,” McGuirk said in an email.

There is an optional off-road section that will take you into the wetlands of SE Iowa City.

“ANYONE WITH A BIKE CAN DO THIS! ONE DOES NOT NEED TO BE AN EXPERIENCED CYCLIST TO PARTICIPATE. EVEN IF YOU START AND CAN’T FINISH, THAT IS OK.” —AUDREY WIEDEMEIER nities. Its Bike Club is dedicated to teaching kids and teens about bike safety and providing community resources such as affordable bikes and repairs. I asked what the first rule of Bike Club is and it isn’t, in fact, “Don’t talk about Bike Club”: It’s, “Lift each other up.”

“Anyone with a bike can do this!” Wiedemeier says of the route, “One does not need to be an experienced cyclist to participate.

Even if you start and can’t finish, that is OK.” I agree, the route is accessible to everyone. Even beginning cyclists average 10-14 mph, so if you’ve ever ridden your bike for an hour, you’ve likely already done a 10mile ride without even realizing it.

I was geared up in bike shorts and a dry-fit tee, ready for anything, but I found I never had to change out of a comfortable gear. There are a

Wiedemeier said the section was included for a bit of fun and the opportunity to escape civilization for a while. The path includes light gravel and some overgrown areas, but even on my road bike I was able to push through without much problem. On this particular trip, we were greeted by one of the local residents, a small turtle!

Kids should enjoy the rough and tumble adventure, and the view of the natural wetland area was certainly worth the effort.

The brief detour would also be a good place to pause and review the spoke cards previously picked up and to reflect on or discuss those topics.

“You do not have to be an activist to feel the pull of ‘wanting to do something’ one can get through this series,” Wiedemeier said. “But it will elevate whatever

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RIDE IT Raise it Up Ride #1, Iowa City Bike Library, Thursday, July 1 through Saturday, July 31 Register for interactive ride resources and participate independently through the month of July

100% of proceeds from ticket sales support our work in moving clients from homelessness to stable housing and self-sufficiency.

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Culture / Presented by World of Bikes

Our Voice

Celebrating the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Awards

June 25 – August 15, 2021 This exhibition was organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, Abilene, Texas.

The Museum is open to the public and always free. Reservation and face masks encouraged.

For reservations and information about the exhibition and related in-person and virtual programming, visit: grinnell.edu/museum or call 641.269.4660.

Minors under age 18 need to be accompanied by an adult. Grinnell College is not responsible for minors on campus or at College sponsored events.

Image: Kadir Nelson, I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., Martin and Abraham, 2012.

Oil on panel, 19.25 x 37.5 inches. © 2012 by Kadir Nelson.

Bucksbaum Center for the Arts, 1108 Park Street, Grinnell, Iowa 50112 Open Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Closed July 4th

your sense of that feeling might be.”

A portion of the audio script, which McGuirk shared with me, reads: “After the New Yorker published an article entitled, ‘The Bicycle as a Vehicle of Protest,’ we at the Iowa City Bike Library knew that this moment needed to be mirrored, as many mirrors as it took to tell the story not of vehicles of protest, but of revolution. … This ride uses the power of the bike to share experiences, to open spaces, to lift voices. And, unlike many rides, this ride asks you to stop often so that you can listen. To hear what has been silenced, we need to do just that.”

I encourage everyone to learn more about how the Bike Library promotes the bicycle as “a vehicle of revolution”—not just in the turning of wheels but by increasing mobility and transportation equity. You can donate money, time and bikes. I know I plan to drop off some bike parts that I hope will become a part of someone’s means to freedom and overcoming barriers.

There are three 10-mile rides planned, which the Bike Library will release one at a time at the beginning of July, August and September. The fourth and final ride in the series is a 45-mile gravel route that will dovetail the September route. They are planning for a shorter in-town option as well.

If you’re looking for a reason to get outside on a bike, the Raise It Up Rides provide that opportunity. If you’re already an active cyclist, this will give your ride additional substance and enlightenment. Either way, you’re bound to learn some new information and refresh your sense of purpose within the community.

Brian Tanner lives in the Iowa City area and loves cycling. While his regular writing is usually in the form of playwriting, he is happy to have been able to contribute this article. He hopes everyone has a safe and super summer!

Improve Diversity in STEM

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LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 75

EDITORS’ PICKS: July 2021

EVENTS: July July 2021 Planning an event? Submit event info to calendar@littlevillagemag. com. Include event name, date, time, venue, street address, admission price and a brief description (no all-caps, exclamation points or advertising verbiage, please). To find more events, visit littlevillagemag.com/calendar. Please check venue listing in case details have changed.

AWARDED BEST PUB 2015, 2016 & 2018 via the artist

FRIDAY, JULY 17, Comedian

Nathan Timmel, Raven Wolf Productions,

Williamsburg, 7 p.m., $5 Local funny man Timmel, who has recorded six comedy albums

and recently released his first novel, heads to Williamsburg for the first comedy show on the Raven Wolf stage. After the comedy, musical group A Rogue Wave will perform. Be sure to BYO seating and refreshments.

A Bounty of Belly Laughs Sunday, July 11 at 9 p.m. 12 Hour

Friday, July 23 at 7 p.m. Iliza:

Sketch Festival, Willow Creek

Back In Action Tour, McGrath

Theatre, The Treehouse, Iowa City,

Amphitheatre, Cedar Rapids,

$8

$45-65

Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Comedy Open

Saturday, July 31 at 8 p.m. Funny

Mic, Thew Brewing Company,

Girls Rule the World, Online

Cedar Rapids, Free

(in-person tix sold out), $11

Saturday, July 17 at 8 p.m. Improv Incubator w/ Special Guest: Amara Andrews, CSPS Hall Courtyard, Cedar Rapids, $10-13

KITCHEN NOW OPEN UNTIL 1AM THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY 76 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

AROUND THE CRANDIC

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NOTE! We are listing only ONLINE and OUTDOOR events in this calendar at the moment. “Locations” listed for online events reference the presenting institution. Please visit our online calendar for links, or check the organizations’ websites and Facebook pages.

OPEN CALLS! City of Iowa City is accepting proposals through July 23 for designs for a climate-inspired community mural project. The wall is 12’ H x 160’ W. A community paint day scheduled for Sept. 23 will coincide with the city’s Climate Fest, Sept. 19-25.

Find out more at icgov.org/publicart.

Tell Your Animal Stories, an upcoming chapbook from Friends of the Animal Center Foundation, is accepting submissions through July 31 of unpublished poems, non-fiction stories and black and white drawings. The best entry in each category will receive a monetary prize, and the books will be sold beginning Oct. 1 to benefit Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center and other animal welfare organizations in the community. Full details at facf.org.

The Writers’ Rooms are accepting applications through July 31 for work to be included in their third community anthology, Writers of the Flame. The theme of “fire” can be used as setting, theme or included in any other manner. They are looking for prose, poetry and graphic narrative as well as photography and artwork. Full details available at thewritersrooms.org.

Iowa Keeps Creating: Digital Stage continues to accept submissions for recorded or live-streamed events to be featured at iowaculture.gov/arts/DigitalStage. Artists, organizations and projects funded under the Iowa Arts Council grant cycle through June 30, 2021 are ineligible. Upcoming theme: August—Emerging Artists (age 25 and under).

Greater Des Moines Music Coalition is accepting submissions from Iowa musicians for their Artist of the Month spotlight

Rob Merritt

JULY 15-25, Riverside

Theatre Presents: ‘The Winter’s Tale,’

Lower City Park Festival Stage, Iowa City, 7:30 p.m., Free The long-awaited return of Shakespeare in the Park is finally here! Riverside

went to great lengths with their teased announcement of this show pre-pandemic, complete with a party at Big Grove as a nod to Burch the Bear in a shout-out to the play’s most famous line. Then the world shut down. Now the play is roaring to life with eight free, outdoor performances, Thursdays through Sundays for two weekends. Don’t miss this run, directed by Riverside producing artistic director Adam Knight. Iowa City’s theater community’s heart belongs to Lower City Park!

series. Visit desmoinesmc.com/artistofthemonth for more.

The Play’s the Thing Community Foundation of Johnson County has opened up applications for their 2021 round of grants for non-profit

Saturday and

Saturday, July 10

Saturday, July 24

orgs in Arts, Culture & Humanities; Education; Environment &

Sunday, July 10-11

at 7:30 p.m. “Begin

at 2 p.m. ‘American

Animals; Human Services; Public and Societal Benefit; Health;

Jazz/Musical Theatre

Again” Cabaret,

Dreamer: The Life

and/or those seeking operating support. Grants up to $10,000

Intensive w/ Ben

Willow Creek Theatre,

and Times of Henry

will be considered. Apply by Aug. 15 at cfjc.org/grants/apply.

Lanham, Dance

The Treehouse, Iowa

A Wallace,’ Ackerman

Academy of Cedar

City, $8

Winery, Amana, Free

Clear Lake Arts Center is seeking proposals to fill the 2022-

Rapids, Free Tuesday, July 20

23 exhibition calendar for its Hanson Gallery. All artists over 18 Saturday, July 10 at 6

at 6 p.m. ‘Blippi

p.m. Dinner Detective

The Musical,’ Alliant

Lincoln Highway Arts Festival is returning for 2021. Apply by

Murder Mystery,

Energy PowerHouse,

Sept. 10 to the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council. A $75 fee

DoubleTree by Hilton

Cedar Rapids,

gets space for a 10 x 10 tent; two artists may share a tent at

Hotel, Cedar Rapids,

$30.50-49.50

no additional cost.

$57.95

in Iowa or adjacent states are welcome to apply by Aug. 31.

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 77

EDITORS’ PICKS: July 2021

WATERLOO • CEDAR FALLS • QUAD CITIES • DES MOINES

THURSDAY, JULY 22, Young

Alex Koch reads at the 2019 YEW Showcase at Rozz-Tox. courtesy Midwest Writing Center

Emerging Artists Showcase,

Rozz-Tox, Rock Island, 7 p.m., Free Interns from the Midwest Writing Center’s Young Emerging Writers

program perform their original work in a hybrid format (live streamed from social media and live at Rozz-Tox). This event includes a variety of performance styles from artists 15-19 years of age in advance of their book release for the Atlas 16. The event is free and outdoors; food and beverages are available for sale from Rozz-Tox’s walk-up window.

Event listings July 16-25 ‘The Piano Lesson,’

Friday, July 23 at 7:30 p.m. One

Playcrafters Barn Theater, Moline,

Night of QUEEN, TaxSlayer Center,

$13-15

Moline, $25.50-69.50

Thursday, July 22 at 12 p.m.

Friday, July 23 at 8 p.m. Northern

Bucktown: Davenport’s Infamous

Parallels 049 | Open Air, Rozz-Tox,

Entertainment District, Online

Rock Island, Free

(molinelibrary.librarymarket.com), Sunday, Aug. 1 at 5 p.m.

Free

Smurkchella Reloaded With Lil Durk, TaxSlayer Center, Moline, $65-125 —Sarah Elgatian

2019 March Against the Darkenss Competition. via PGBC Marching Saints

Event listings

SATURDAY, JULY 24, Marching

Against the Darkness Drill Team Competition, Hippodrome,

Waterloo, 6 p.m., Free-$10 Thirteen teams from eight different states will

compete this month at the 20th anniversary of the Marching Against the Darkness.

The Union Missionary Baptist Church Crusaders are the home team, if that’s how you root. They’ll be marching for three top prizes: $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second and $500 for third place. Tickets are $5 for ages 4-10 and $10 for 11 and up. Spectators age 3 and under are free.

78 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Thursday, July 8-Saturday,

Thursday, July 22 at 6:30

July 10 Fiesta! A Celebration

p.m. Screaming Street

of Latino Heritage, RiverLoop

Party w/Bob Dorr and the

Amphitheatre, Waterloo

Limestoners, Screaming Eagle American Bar and

Friday, July 9 at 4 p.m.

Grill, Waterloo

Opening Reception: *Neurodivergent*—Ann

Sunday, July 25 at 10

Metz, Gravitate Coworking,

a.m. Quad Con Comic and

Cedar Falls

Toy Show, National Cattle Congress, Waterloo,Free

Friday, July 16-Sunday, July 18 *The Suffragist* World

Tuesday, July 27-Saturday,

Premier Musical, Gallagher

July 31 BlackHawk County

Bluedorn Performing Arts

4-H and FFA Fair, National

Center, Cedar Falls, $31.50-

Cattle Congress, Waterloo

79.75 Friday, July 30 at Saturday, July 17 at 6:30

5:30 p.m. RiverLoop

p.m. Moonlight & Roses

Rhythms w/ Katie and the

Fundraiser, Cedar Valley

Honkytonks, RiverLoop

Arboretum & Botanic

Amphitheatre, Waterloo,

Gardens, Waterloo, $55-65

Free

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM

Harmony Festival - Music, Movement and Mindfulness Sat, July 17–Sun, July 18 Cedar Rapids, IA 2021 Downtown Block Party Sat., July 24, Iowa City

via Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus

Business Model Canvas Workshop Thu., July 29, Iowa City Grey Area 2021 Sat., August 14, Lone Tree LCVS Presents Czech Village Blues 2021 Sat., August 14, Cedar Rapids

FRIDAY, JULY 30, Des

Moines Gay Men’s Chorus 20th Anniversary Concert,

LITTLEVILLAGETICKETS.COM ARE YOU AN EVENT ORGANIZER? Start selling tickets today–– it’s free!

tickets@littlevillagemag.com

Lauridsen Amphitheater, Des Moines, 7 p.m., Free (donations accepted; RSVP requested) The Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates 20 years of sweet

sounds with their first live performance since pre-pandemic, a free concert with special guests: Celebrating 20 Years of Music That Matters. The chorus was founded in 2001 by Randal A. Buikema, and they are currently seeking a new artistic director. A group 40-50 members strong, they accept all singers in the tenor-bass range, regardless of gender.

Event listings Thursday, July 8 at 12 p.m. Iowa History 101:

Saturday and Sunday, July 17-18 Great Iowa

Iowans and Bicycling, Online, Free (registration

Pet Fest, Horizon Events Center, Clive, Free-$15

required) Tuesday, July 20 at 6 p.m. Outdoor Wellness Saturday, July 10 at 6:30 p.m. Corndog Kickoff

Day, Annett Nature Center, Indianola, $25/

Benefit Auction and Fair Food Grazing Party,

family

Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, $125 Thursday, July 22 at 12 p.m. Iowa History 101: Saturdays, July 10-Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. ‘Polkadots:

Forever Free/Underground Railroad, Online,

The Cool Kids Musical,’ Des Moines Community

Free (registration required)

Playhouse parking lot tent, $15 Saturday, July 24 at 8 p.m. Hex Girls with Sunday, July 11 at 10 a.m. Indie Author Book

Penny Peach, xBk Live, Des Moines, $10

Expo, Valley West Mall, West Des Moines, Free Thursday, July 29 at 6 p.m. Music in the Friday and Saturday, July 16-17 Waukee Arts

Garden: Dickie, Greater Des Moines Botanical

Festival, Centennial Park, Waukee, Free

Garden, Des Moines, Free-$10

Saturday, July 17 at 8 p.m. Des Moines Metro Opera Presents Fellow Travelers, Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, $25-75

PARTY! Little Village 20th Anniversary Open House Tuesday, July 20, 5–8 p.m.

DRINKS, MAGAZINES, MEMORIES 623 S Dubuque St., Iowa City

EDITORS’ PICKS: July 2021 AROUND THE CRANDIC LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM

SUNDAY, JULY 25, CatVideoFest

2021,

Marcus Wehrenberg Cinema, Cedar Rapids, 4 p.m., $13.38

You can haz adorbs! If you haven’t gotten enough of cute cat videos by now, you never will. Everyone knows they’re the real purpose of the internet (sorry, Avenue Q fans).

Enjoy a full 1hr, 12min of them on the big screen at this fundraiser for Cedar Valley Humane Society.

The Scene on the Screen Friday, July 9 at dusk

Arts Free Movie Series,

Mercer Park, Iowa City,

Drive-In Movie: ‘Get Out,”

Chauncey Swan Park, Iowa

Free

Coralville Public Library,

City, Free Friday, July 23 at dusk

Free Sunday, July 11 at 6 p.m.

Drive-In Movie: ‘Spider-

Saturday, July 10 at 7

Filmmaker Spotlight:

Man: Into the Spider-

p.m CRBT Movies on the

‘The Water is my Sky’ w/

Verse,’ Coralville Public

Riverbank | ‘The Croods: A

Directors Brian Tremml

Library, Free

New Age,’

and Tommy Haines in per-

McGrath Amphitheatre,

son, FilmScene—Chauncey,

Saturday, July 24 at 9

Cedar Rapids, 7 p.m., Free

Iowa City, $8.50-11

p.m. ‘The Wiz,’ Summer

Saturday, July 10 at 9

Saturday, July 17 at 9 p.m.

Series, Chauncey Swan

p.m. ‘Who Framed Roger

‘Zootopia,’ Summer of the

Park, Iowa City, Free

Rabbit,’ Summer of the

Arts Free Movie Series,

of the Arts Free Movie

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EDITORS’ PICKS: July 2021 AROUND THE CRANDIC LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM Get Lit Around the Region Wednesday, July 7 at 6 p.m. A Virtual Night with Christina Baker Cline, Prairie Lights, Online (prairielights.com/live), $16.99-21.99 Sundays, July 11-Aug. 1 at 12 p.m.

Beyond Beauty: Poetry as Expansion and Resistance w/ Jessica Lawson, Iowa City Poetry, Online (iowacitypoetry.com), $100/series Tuesday, July 13 at 1 p.m. Virtual Author Visit with Remy Lai, North Liberty Public Library (@NLibertyLibrary) Wednesday, July 14 at 7 p.m. Judy Polumbaum, Alexander Wolff and Brett courtesy of Christopher D. Simms

Dakin, Prairie Lights, Online Thursday, July 15 at 7 p.m. Willa Richards w/ Fatima Farheen Mirza, Prairie Lights, Online Sunday, July 18 at 8 a.m. IWP Between the Lines—Peace and the Writing Process w/ instructors Rumena Buzarovska, Shandana Minhas, Vladimir Poleganov,

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, Spoken

Night,

Word

The Hype, Cedar Rapids, 8 p.m., Free A new contender has entered the poetry

ring with Spoken Word Night at the Hype. The series, which kicked off last month, is finding its footing right alongside the recently opened venue that hosts it. A live band accompanies the poets, who are selected from among the region’s heavyweights. Hosted by Christopher D. Sims.

Zaina Arafat and Mary Hickman, Prairie Lights, Online Wednesday, July 28 at 7 p.m. Simon Van Booy w/ Sarah Braunstein, Prairie Lights, Online Monday, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. Nickolas Butler and Benjamin Percy, Prairie Lights, Online

Dead Rider at Grey Area 2019. Jason Smith / Little Village

Just Announced! Grey Area 2021 We were thrilled by the announcement last week that Grey Area Festival is returning to the Lone Tree acreage that houses Flat Black Studios (which co-presents the event with White Rabbit).

Festivals are making a slow, cautious but determined return this summer. Grey Area will be smaller than in the past, with music on one day only, 2-11 p.m. But the convivial atmosphere and sense of shared joy are sure to remain, with camping still allowed both Friday and Saturday nights and DJ entertainment the first night and between sets. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

The lineup announced so far includes Dead Rider (Drag City Records), Feel Free HiFi, Twin Wizard (formerly Telekinetic Yeti), Sinner Frenz, Awful Purdies, Karen Meat, FR. (Nick Ray of Viva La American Death Ray Music), Logan Springer and Low Forms (Pete of Raw Space, ft(the Shadow Government)). The fest has promised more announcements to come.

Grey Area Returns Saturday, Aug. 14 at 12 p.m. Grey Area Festival, Flat Black Studios, Lone Tree, $30 82 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

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EDITORS’ PICKS: July 2021 AROUND THE CRANDIC LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM

Saturday, July 17 at 6 p.m.

Riverbottom Ramblers w/ Cedar County Cobras, Raven Wolf Productions, Williamsburg, Free Sunday, July 18 at 1 p.m. Big Grove Summer Jam Concert Series | Kevin BF Burt, Big Grove, Iowa City, Free Friday, July 23 at 6 p.m. Rock the Block 2021: Belle Rangers, NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, Free Friday, July 23 at 6:30 p.m.

SotA Friday Night Concert Series—Cedar County Cobras and the Savage Hearts, Weatherdance Fountain Stage, Ped Mall, Iowa City, Free Saturday, July 24 at 5:30 p.m.

Girl Power Glow Party: Alisabeth via Nora Jean

Von Presley w/ Barbie Johnson, McGrath Amphitheatre, Cedar Rapids, $5

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, JULY 30-31, Summer

of the Arts 2021 Soul & Blues Festival,

Downtown Iowa City, Free It’s a downtown getdown with the return of the Soul & Blues Festival! There’s a shortened schedule this year, as we’re seeing common across festivals, but there’s a lot packed in. Things kick off Friday evening at 6 p.m. with a D.J. Freeze Dance Party and close on Saturday with headliner Nora Jean, an acclaimed blues singer. Earlier sets Saturday include Kevin BF Burt and youth band Ship of Fools. In addition to the music, the Black Authors’ Panel, Black Business Owners’ Forum and a Youth Black Authors’ Panel are in the mix and not to be missed.

Wednesday, July 28 at 6 p.m.

SotA Music on the Move—Dave Zollo, Weber Elementary, Iowa City, Free Wednesday, July 28 at 7 p.m.

SotA Music on the Move—Dave Zollo, Borlaug Elementary, Coralville, Free Thursday, July 29 at 5:30 p.m.

Jordan Sellergren (full band!),

Melodic Meanderings

Wilson’s Orchard, Iowa City, Free

Thursday, July 8 at 7 p.m Mission

Saturday, July 10 at 2 p.m. The

Friday, July 16 at 6 p.m. Rock

Friday, July 30 at 6 p.m. Rock

Creek Summer Sessions—ADE &

Iowa Summer Jam, Olympic

the Block 2021: Dwayne Dopsie

the Block 2021: Soul Sherpa,

Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey,

South Side Theater, Cedar Rapids,

and the Zydeco Hellraisers (CSPS

NewBo City Market, Cedar

Wetherby Park, Iowa City

Tickets · $12.60 - $45.59

show), NewBo City Market, Cedar

Rapids, Free

Rapids, Free Sunday, Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. Jordan

Friday, July 9 at 6 p.m. Rock the

Wednesday, June 14 at 6 p.m.

Block 2021: Betty Calling, NewBo

SotA Music on the Move—Kevin

Friday, July 16 at 6:30 p.m. SotA

Sellergren (full band!), Sutliff

City Market, Cedar Rapids, Free

BF Burt, Wetherby Park, Iowa City,

Friday Night Concert Series—City

Farm and Cider House, Lisbon,

Free

Park and Brick Street Ramblers,

Free

Friday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m. SotA

Weatherdance Fountain Stage, Sunday, Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. Billy

Friday Night Concert Series—

Wednesday, June 14 at 7 p.m.

James Tutson & The Rollback,

SotA Music on the Move—Kevin

Idol, McGrath Amphitheatre,

Weatherdance Fountain Stage,

BF Burt, Twain Elementary, Iowa

Cedar Rapids, $42-147

Ped Mall, Iowa City, Free

City, Free

84 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

Ped Mall, Iowa City, Free

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 85

Czech Village & New Bo Neighborhoods, Cedar Rapids, IA Tickets at LittleVillageTickets.com

Saturday July 17th 7 a.m.

Check in opens at Czech Clocktower

8 a.m.

Keynote Class with Marsha Nieland

2:30-4:30 p.m.

Flourishing or Languishing?

––Community Yoga Class, all are welcome!

with Betsy Rippentropp - Yoga Class

10 a.m.-12 p.m. Break Out Sessions featuring:

Sound Healing with Cheyanne Carroll

Yoga & Puppies with Cynthia Dennis

Trans & Q-munity Yoga with Zachary Rochester

Dharma & Divinity : Finding the way to your inner Light with Beth McClelland - Yoga Class

––Yoga Class + lecture 5-6 p.m.

Gathering at The Gazebo––Safe Talk about Disaster with Julie Jack and Wendy Stokesbary––Lecture

12:30-2 p.m.

Sound Healing Collaboration featuring Natalie Brown Deb Talan at Bo Macs - Live Music

6:30 p.m.

Getting Synchronized: Audio Visual Meditation

7:30 p.m.

Social Hour with food from The Full Bowl

Mantras, Affirmations and Mindfulness for Wellness with Natalie Brown

Break Out Sessions featuring:

with Jason Snell

Live music at Bo Macs featuring Kevin Burt & Big Begonias Harmony for The Heart––Yoga & Sound Bath

Sunday, July 18 9 a.m.

Community Yoga and Sound Healing

11 a.m.

Brunch featuring live music with Awful Purdies & friends

with Darcy LeFevre & Andrea Taylor

86 July 2021 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296

with Natalie Brown and Sarah Driscoll

DEAR KIKI

D

ear Kiki, I’m in a blended family and as a result, the kids steer clear of our bedroom lest they find their non-biological parent nude. Well, my SO’s kids steer clear. But mine? Not so much. He comes in whenever he wants, hangs out on the bed to talk, etc. I don’t want to make him feel unwelcome but I also want to be fair to everyone. I don’t want the other kids to feel like they’re not allowed to be in our room while he is. I don’t really know how to bring it up without being RUDE or honestly making him feel like I don’t want him there. Because while I don’t mind his company while I’m chillin’ in my robe, I really don’t want our room to be open territory––it is my sanctuary, after all–– and I realize that’s unfair.

––No Kids Allowed

D

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ear NKA, You’ve got a lot going on here, I think. The first question you have to answer is, does it make your SO uncomfortable that your son hangs out in your bedroom?

Presumably, that’s why his kids steer clear: so as not to get into a weird situation with you.

If your SO and your son have a relationship that can withstand that, then you have no problem, on the surface. Thing is, NKA, enforcing rules across the board without regard to circumstance may seem fair, but it’s really the farthest thing from it. Your kids are not all the same human beings, so they will not always have to follow the same set of rules.

Or, if it feels awkward to explain that harsh reality, just frame the “rule” in question not as “no kids in the bedroom,” but as “no kids who aren’t mine risking seeing me naked,” and explain to them that that’s your rule and your SO’s rules differ.

But, NKA, it honestly seems like you’re hoping for a different answer from me so that you can use this rule to enforce boundaries that you’re not comfortable enforcing. I get it.

Boundaries are challenging, especially when we want to have as open a relationship with our kids as possible. But it really is OK to say, “This is my room; I was fine with you here yesterday, but today I want privacy.” Because sanctuaries are so, so important! It’s totally, utterly, completely and without question fair to defend yours.

But NKA, where it risks becoming unfair is if you don’t offer him the same respect.

Establish your sanctuary with full knowledge that his room may one day become his sanctuary, and even—perhaps especially!—as a

LittleVillageMag.com/DearKiki

parent, you don’t get to violate that without his permission. xoxo, Kiki

D

ear Kiki, The summer has arrived and I’m feelin’ the call of nature—to get frisky! I’m sick of my stifling apartment. But my partner is a little anxious, and frankly she’s a bit more concerned with any legal consequences than poison ivy in all the wrong places. Birds do it, bees do it: Where is and isn’t it OK for us to have sex outside?

––Hot In Herre

D

ear Hot, Your ol’ pal Kiki has spent the better part of life (jokingly, I swear) proclaiming the maxim that something is only illegal if you get caught! But unlike theft, murder and the rules of Uno, that’s actually the case in this situation.

The only law governing consensual sex in Iowa (well, other than prostitution) is Iowa Code §709.9: Indecent Exposure. This section of code makes it a serious misdemeanor to expose oneself or engage in a sex act in front of a person if A) it’s done specifically to satisfy sexual desire (no exhibitionism; sorry!) or B) you should reasonably know it would be offensive to the other person.

So, Hot, you and your partner definitely do need to be careful—the penalty is a fine of between $350 and $1,875, up to a year in jail and registering as a sex offender for 10 years—but if you’re secure in your secluded spot, go for it!

If no one sees you, it really is unequivocally legal. The crime is in offending the poor, innocent eyes of the other person, not the act itself. (But the flip side is, if you are seen, even if you’re in a private location—at home with your blinds open, for example—it really is illegal.) xoxo, “IANAL” Kiki

KIKI WANTS QUESTIONS! Questions about love and sex in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids area can be submitted to dearkiki@littlevillagemag.com, or anonymously at littlevillagemag.com/ dearkiki. Questions may be edited for clarity and length, and may appear either in print or online at littlevillagemag.com.

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AST R O LO GY

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian author Vladimir Mayakovsky wrote a poem about how one morning he went half-mad and conversed with the sun. At first he called the supreme radiance a “lazy clown,” complaining that it just floated through the sky for hours while he, Mayakovsky, toiled diligently at his day job painting posters. Then he dared the sun to come down and have tea with him, which, to his shock, the sun did. The poet was agitated and worried—what if the close approach of the bright deity would prove dangerous? But the visitor turned out to be friendly. They had a pleasant dialogue, and in the end the sun promised to provide extra inspiration for Mayakovsky’s future poetry. I invite you to try something equally lyrical and daring, dear Cancerian.

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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A blogger named Bunny-Gal writes, “I almost completely forgot who I was there for a while. But then I dug a hole and smelled the fresh dirt and now I remember everything and am okay.” I recommend you follow her lead, Leo—even if you haven’t totally lost touch with your essence.

Communing with Mother Earth in the most direct and graphic way to remind you of everything you need to remember: of the wisdom you’ve lost track of and the secrets you’ve hidden too well and the urgent intuitions that are simmering just below the surface of your awareness.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I can’t understand the self-help gurus who advise us to relentlessly live in the present moment— to shed all awareness of past and future so as to focus on the eternal NOW. I mean, I appreciate the value of doing such an exercise on occasion for a few moments. I’ve tried it, and it’s often rejuvenating. But it can also be downright foolish to have no thoughts of yesterday and tomorrow. We need to evaluate how circumstances will evolve, based on our previous experience and future projections. It can be a deadening, depleting act to try to strip ourselves of the rich history we are always embedded in. In any case, Virgo, I advise you to be thoroughly aware of your past and future in the coming days. To do so will enhance your intelligence and soulfulness in just the right ways to make good decisions.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Psychotherapist and author Clarissa Pinkola Estés poetically refers to the source of our creativity as “the river under the river.” It’s the deep primal energy that “nourishes everything we make”—our “writing, painting, thinking, healing, doing, cooking, talking, smiling.” This river beneath the river doesn’t belong to any of us—is potentially available to all—but if harnessed correctly it works in very personal ways, fueling our unique talents. I bring this to your attention, Libra, because you’re close to gaining abundant new access to the power of the river beneath the river.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In formulating personal goals, Scorpio author Brené Brown urges us to emphasize growth rather than perfection. Trying to improve is a healthier objective than seeking flawless mastery. Bonus perk: This practical approach makes us far less susceptible to shame. We’re not as likely to feel like a failure or give up prematurely on our projects.

I heartily endorse this strategy for you right now, Scorpio.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In a letter to Jean Paul Sartre, author Simone de Beauvoir described how she was dealing with a batch of challenging memories: “I’m reliving it street by street, hour by hour, with the mission of neutralizing it, and transforming it into an inoffensive past that I can keep in my heart without either disowning it or suffering from it.” I LOVE this approach! It’s replete with emotional intelligence. I recommend it to you now, since it’s high time to wrangle and finagle with parts of your life story that need to be alchemically transformed and redeemed by your love and wisdom.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In one of his pems, Capricornborn Kenneth Rexroth complains about having “a crooked guide

By Rob Brezsny

on the twisted path of love.” But in my view, a crooked guide is the best kind. It’s unwise to engage the services of a love accomplice who’s always looking for the simplest, straightest route, or who imagines that intimate togetherness can be nourished with easy, obvious solutions. To cultivate the most interesting intimacy, we need influences that appreciate nuance and complexity—that thrive on navigating the tricky riddles and unpredictable answers. The next eight weeks will be an excellent time for you Capricorns to heed this advice.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian singer Etta James (1938–2012) won six Grammy Awards and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy Hall of Fame and Blues Hall of Fame.

She testified, “Most of the songs I sing have that blues feeling in it. They have that sorry feeling. And I don’t know what I’m sorry about.” Wow! I’m surprised to hear this. Most singers draw on their personal life experience to infuse their singing with authentic emotion. In any case, I urge you to do the opposite of Etta James in the coming weeks. It’s important for the future of your healing that you identify exactly what you’re sorry about.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn,” writes Piscean self-help author John C. Maxwell. His statement is useful, but it harbors a problematic implication.

It suggests that you can experience either winning or learning, but not both—that the only time you learn is when you lose. I disagree with this presumption. In fact, I think you’re now in a phase when it’s possible and even likely for you to both win and learn.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Poet Joshua Jennifer Espinoza writes, “i name my body girl of my dreams / i name my body proximity / i name my body full of hope despite everything.”

I love Espinoza’s idea that we might give playful names and titles and descriptors to our bodies. In alignment with current astrological omens, I propose that you do just that. It’s time to take your relationship with your beautiful organism to a higher level. How about if you call it “Exciting Love River” or “Perfectly Imperfect Thrill” or “Amazing Maze”? Have fun dreaming up further possibilities!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The English language, my native tongue, doesn’t ascribe genders to its nouns. But many languages do. In Spanish, the word for “bridge” is puente, which is masculine. In German, “bridge” is Brücke, which is feminine.

A blogger named Tickettome says this is why Spanish speakers may describe a bridge as strong or sturdy, while German speakers refer to it as elegant or beautiful. I encourage you to meditate on bridges that possess the entire range of qualities, including the Spanish and German notions. In the coming weeks, you’ll be wise to build new metaphorical bridges, fix bridges that are in disrepair and extinguish fires on any bridges that are burning.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Académie Française is an organization devoted to preserving the purity and integrity of the French language. One of its ongoing missions is to resist the casual incorporation of English words, which the younger generation of French people is inclined to do. Among anglicisms that don’t have the Académie’s approval: podcast, clickbait, chick-lit, deadline, hashtag, marketing, timelapse and showrunner. The ban doesn’t stop anyone from using the words, of course, but simply avoids giving them official recognition. I appreciate the noble intentions of the Académie, but regard its crusade as a losing battle that has minimal impact. In the coming weeks, I advise you to refrain from behavior that resembles the Académie’s. Resist the temptation of quixotic idealism. Be realistic and pragmatic. You Geminis often thrive in environments that welcome idiosyncrasies, improvisation, informality and experimentation—especially now.

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LO C A L A L B U M S

Hex Girls Pop Fluff HEXGIRLS.COM

I

Submit albums for review: Little Village, 623 S Dubuque St., IC, IA 52240

title Pop Fluff came as a joke arising from the fact that they were listening to pop during its recording. It’s clear that while they certainly didn’t create a Top 40 radio-friendly record, Pop Fluff is a more polished effort compared to the feral bombast of More of That. This is at least in part thanks to an expanded sonic toolbox, accomplished by adding Christian Ebintino on drums allowing Ross Klemz to move to keys.

Even with the sheen of studio finish, the record still maintains the band’s signature sinister, propulsive swagger. “Lookin’ For The Facts” is a great example of this, with its driving beat peppered with shakers and gigantic guitar chords dropped right in the pocket. The sneering chorus of backing vocals recalls mid-’70s Alice Cooper.

Clearly by design, it is difficult to ascertain whether these songs are written from human or animal perspective: Lyrics such

n typically warped Hex Girls humor, the back of the 10” vinyl version of Hex Girls’ new EP Pop Fluff shows a taxonomic chart with the caption “Hex Girls feed off of the energy of heterotrophs.”

The food chain presented includes “Evil” and “Truth,” “Death,” “Boredom,” “Sex” which leads to “Scratch,” “Itch” and “Pop Fluff.”

This lampooning of scientific study speaks to the themes of Pop Fluff and really the general M.O. of Hex Girls since their last album, 2019’s EVEN AT THEIR SHINY AND POPPIEST, More of THERE IS STILL AN AIR OF MENACE That—human or aniAND PARANOIA BELOW IT ALL. mal basic urges and as “I’d like to feel your spaghetti desires set to twitchy and nervous brains, all over me,” from “Cats backbeats and guitars. Even at With No Teeth (Catch No Mice)” their shiny and poppiest, there is and “Kill or be killed/Eat or be still an air of menace and paranoia eaten,” from “Rabid Creature” below it all. The spiritual antecedplay with that ambiguity. ent of Hex Girls would be early To paraphrase General Zaroff Talking Heads: songs like “Psycho in Richard Connell’s 1924 short Killer” and pretty much all of story “The Most Dangerous 1979’s Fear of Music. One great Game”: “The world is made up example is “Electric Eel” which of two classes, the hunter and certainly recalls the first-person the hunted.” Pop Fluff presents feverish rants of David Byrne: the facts in a uniquely Hex Girls “The snake in my heart / It just fashion leaving the listener to wants loose / It just wants you decide whether the tales told / Plastic brain and I can’t think are cautionary or celebratory. / I’m on the edge / close to the Either way these toe-tapping brink / burning bower of my one trips through the morgue mark desire / Malaria nightmare / I’m an impressive evolution of Hex on the wire.”

Girls—and one that certainly In a recent interview with scratches our itch.

Tony Dehner from Iowa Public —Michael Roeder Radio, the band said that the

SLW cc Watt Real Manic Time SLWCCWATT.BANDCAMP.COM

B

eing Iowa City’s—scratch that, Iowa’s—most prolific songwriter for years, you would think it would be hard to keep surprising people. While most of us gorged on trashy Netflix documentaries or started and stopped fad hobbies to fill in for the lack of human contact, Sam Locke Ward (also an award-winning cartoonist for Little Village) comes out of the pandemic with a new band, a new album and a new collaborative partner: Mike Watt.

Yes, THE Mike Watt of Minutemen and Firehose fame.

(To say I was shocked upon hearing about this team-up is an understatement.)

Real Manic Time, the first release of SLW cc Watt (a nice nod to the online nature of the project), dropped on Bandcamp May 1.

Here,we get 30 tracks at just under 38 minutes, a series of short songs and spoken word collages that, like the title suggests, invokes the feelings of a brand of mania only the last year could have inspired. This loose narrative is told through Locke Ward’s unique brand of weirdo pop, irreverent punk and crazed-smile satire and Watt narrating a series of vignettes, small one-shot stories where unnamed protagonists run into the absurdity of autocrats and the rules imposed by them.

The album starts with “The Verdict,” where, over a layer of Phil Specter-like ooohs and aahs, Watt tells us of the fate of our first

anonymous victim of the system.

“Something Lost” follows, a sympathetic punk ballad about desperation that also has the distinction of being one of the longer songs on the album, at nearly two minutes. This is also the first appearance of one of the two other collaborators in this project, drummer Grace Locke Ward (Petit Mal, Leslie and the Ly’s), a rare sighting and much needed treat. Bob Bucko Jr, the final team member shows up on track three, “Darkness Reigns,” with a whimsical whisper of flute (he’ll return with later with sax).

The shortness of the songs keep the album moving along.

Just as you start shaking your head along to the faux-handclaps and syrupy delivery of “Something Lost,” it’s over, and the drum machine, discordant sax and staccato guitar punch burst in, delivering you into “History Belongs to the Whiners.” Or as you find yourself feeling as whimsical as Bucko’s flute and Watt’s bouncing bass in “Fleeting Are the Times,” the Spaghetti-Western guitars accompanying Watt’s fake commercial voice in “Lip Service” begin. All of that right before the soaring Pixies-esque guitars of one of my favorite tracks, “Lie Broken By the Truth.”

The bait-and-switch of the sequencing might sound disarming but it actually pays off, building a loose but cohesive thematic thread throughout. It is impossible to listen to Real Manic Time and not think of the last year and a half of uncertainty, isolation and encroaching cynicism that is the result of watching our money-driven, me-first economy flail around. The stories told through song and narration take place in a bleak world, a timeline very familiar to many of us, but SLW cc Watt tells them with a sense of humor punctuated with a wink and a snarl.

––Chris Burns

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LO C A L B O O KS

Donika Kelly The Renunciations GRAYWOLF PRESS

D

onika Kelly’s The Renunciations sees its greatest impact when panned out to see the full picture. Zooming out adds nuance. On the whole, Kelly is, as the title suggests, rejecting the contents inside. They are framed within units of time that repeat: NOW, THEN, AFTER. The renunciations, then, are Kelly’s reckoning. This elegiac collection on divorce and trauma, when seen from a distance, is a rebellion.

I restarted the book just a few pages in to give myself a better understanding of the big picture, and because I had some shallow misgivings: The poems collected here, especially early on, have the accessible, short-phrase-deep-sentiment vibe of Instagram poets—and I heard the chain bookstore couldn’t keep the collection in stock.

While reading, I realized I am a giant hypocrite. Language is made to be understood. I lectured a (poor, sweet) friend who works in the sciences about poetry. I told her that most people who don’t like poetry haven’t read poetry on their own. I told her poetry isn’t supposed to be hard to understand. I told her good poetry isn’t esoteric: It’s accessible. And Kelly blurs the line that snobs like me think separates accessible from artful. After some content warnings, I’d give The Renunciations to folks hoping to start reading poetry who believe they don’t “get it.”

Those content warnings are important. Our narrator recounts assaults, incest, often encased in

Submit books for review: Little Village, 623 S Dubuque St., IC, IA 52240

delicate metaphor (such as in the poem “Mounting Dead Butterflies Is Not Hard”), but without pulling her punches. A beautiful, clever, tool Kelly employs in these cases is her use of blank space. No dialogue in The Renunciations and no words specific to assault are ever printed. Instead, between every pair of quotation marks is blank space. Kelly reminds us that poetry on paper is a visual medium, implores us: Notice what is missing.

I want to reiterate that The Renunciations is an approachable example of the great variety of shapes and techniques that poetry can assume. I’d accuse Kelly of showing off if the collection weren’t so deeply vulnerable. An example of her dalliance with The Renunciations as Master Class is this moment from one of many untitled poems framed as epistolary: “I am an overreaction: a boil of skin and itch and breath hitched like a child realizing it is lost.”

Each section but the final one begins with an erasure poem, just a snapshot, serving maybe as an epigraph for each section. Each is addressed like a letter, like a censor got to it, leaving me hoping to read the missing text in the following poem, which also starts, “Dear-.”

But we aren’t given that. I suspect this letdown is intentional. Kelly is flexing, giving us a taste of wanting.

In an early poem about her divorce, our narrator recounts taking her wife’s last name, her wife celebrating this, and offers what may be my favorite line of the year: “I know I am a palimpsest,” suggesting she herself is the word on paper, introducing the theme of dominion subtly, lovingly. Kelly passes through conversational, poignant, confessional and, through the collection, moves from the moments of acute pain to the moment when healing begins.

—Sarah Elgatian

Matt L. Drabek Left Foreign Policy: An Organizer’s Guide BASE AND SUPERSTRUCTURE PRESS

M

att L. Drabek doesn’t just provide tragic history lessons of American hegemony in his new book Left Foreign Policy: An Organizer’s Guide. With references as diverse as Noam Chomsky and Star Trek: The Next Generation, he provides the context of ongoing developments that make this book timely. Of equal importance, he offers guidance on how to organize to help create a better world.

Drabek is an anti-war activist and organizer around working class issues based in Iowa City. He runs the blog Base and Superstructure, is an active member of the Iowa City Tenants Union and is the Secretary-Treasurer of the Iowa City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America.

He started the book last year, dipping into a wellspring of personal experiences from over two decades. Shortly after September 11, 2001, he was a college freshman at Indiana University when he had his “first taste of political activism” after meeting a “motley crew” of activists who organized a peace camp on campus.

“These were rich, valuable experiences,” Drabek writes, experiences which set him on “a path to a lifetime of leftist activism.”

On the other hand, his time at the peace camp also “provided lessons in the shortcomings of activist movements, particularly anti-war activism.”

The leftists that Drabek refers to “... stand against capitalism and

want to replace it with democratic ownership and control of the world’s economic system,” he wrote. “The left favors economic democracy as a replacement for the system of economic authoritarianism and oligarchy we call ‘capitalism.’”

While the left is in general agreement on various issues, there is a lack of consensus in terms of foreign policy. Constructing a necessary foreign policy consensus, based on four building blocks (international solidarity, anti-interventionism, pluralism and fighting global capital), could help build an integrated movement and advance leftist goals.

“Leftists must learn to take these experiences—the focused community-building events centered around activist circles—and broaden them to more people and larger communities,” Drabek writes.

With a goal to “help create the grounding for a left foreign policy consensus,” Drabek examines U.S. relations with seven countries in four key regions (Latin America, Middle East, East Asia and Sub-Suharan Africa) to reveal and further develop a set of basic foreign policy principles.

“Through these principles,” Drabek writes, “the Left can connect the most visible manifestations of U.S. empire and hegemony to the everyday, less visible actions that form the substance of the Washington bipartisan foreign policy consensus. After the left connects these things, it can present a positive alternative of its own.”

This isn’t the last word on the subject, nor is it intended to be.

The left will always have disagreements, Drabek notes. Left Foreign Policy is a scholarly yet accessible introduction on how to unite people who want to dismantle the war machine and organize for socialist causes but don’t know where to begin.

––Mike Kuhlenbeck

LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV296 July 2021 93

PHASE STARTING

ADULT programs

5

a

ECO Book Discussion: The Nature of Nature

JULY 1!

Expanded Access

Saturday, July 17 | 4-5pm

• COVID-19 limits to time & capacity are lifted • Meeting Rooms in use • Offsite library programs offered • Outreach services reengaged • Study Rooms open • Resume to regular hours

TEEN programs

Join Green Iowa AmeriCorps and ICPL for a discussion of this inspiring manifesto by ecologist Enric Sala who makes a case for why protecting nature is our best health insurance, and why it makes economic sense.

For students in grades 7-12

Balloon Animal Workshop Wed, July 7 | 1-2pm | Ped Mall

For more info go to: icpl.org/covid b

WE ARE HERE

2

Black Out Poetry

Mon, July 19 | 1-2:30pm Ped Mall

icpl.org

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Ever wanted to try making balloon animals?

Now’s your chance! Learn how to make balloon animals with Wes the Balloon Guy.

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5

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Check me out!

Chromebook/Hotspot bundle

up to 7 days The Chromebooks can be used to browse the Internet or use Google Drive.

These bundles are available to patrons with a resident card.

For more information, call the Library at 319-356-5200

Using discarded books, we’ll turn shabby pages into artful masterpieces.

KIDS programs Mondays | 10:30am - Willow Creek Wednesdays | 10:30am - Wetherby Fridays | 10:30am - Mercer Park

Generously supported by:

Find many, MANY more summer reading programs at srp.icpl.org

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icpl.org

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ACROSS 1. Pool table material 5. Chewed the fat 12. Place to look for signs of a person’s political leanings?

16. Safe position to anchor 17. Eton College founder 18. Skin care brand with the slogan “Ageless” 19. Hightails it from the city where Neil Young started playing music? (1972–96) 21. Insignificant 22. Where one might see #tbt pics 23. Strip for a spread, say 25. Trunks of bodies 26. Internet initialism that

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Arch? (1955–67) 80. Mic check actions 81. Bibliophile’s gizmo 82. Writer Bombeck who noted that “housework, if you do it right, will kill you” 83. Problem for a peeper 84. Dish of thin-sliced fish, often with soy sauce and wasabi 85. Early 20th century botanist Mexía

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The American Values Club Crossword is edited by Ben Tausig.

by Adesina Koiki

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definitely would have been coined in 2020 if it didn’t already exist 28. Game emulating city construction, home decoration or flying, e.g.

29. MSNBC anchor Melber or talent agent Emanuel 30. Directs some serious trolling at Donald Glover’s show? (1972–80) 37. National Fall Hat mo.

38. Reconstruction, e.g.

39. ___ Jabeur, first Arab woman to reach the world’s top 50 in professional tennis 40. Cusack of Shameless

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41. Range between bass and treble 43. Prompt 44. Beer descriptor 45. Suffers hardship to get world-class cheese curds and freshly brewed Schlitz?

(1953–65) 50. They are bound to sell 51. NYC ’hood that includes Lenox Hill and Yorkville 52. “Peace” shape 53. ___ Blacc (hip‑hop/R&B musician nominated for a 2015 Grammy) 54. [It’s brick out here!]

55. Progressive leader?

57. Thing to champ at, if you’re a horse 60. Headbutts the 22nd/24th president of the United States? (1936–45) 64. Las Vegas baller 65. Ice-T show, briefly 66. Tired routine 67. Further on in years 69. Its activation is mostly associated with using the Alt button 74. Lenya of the original Broadway cast of Cabaret 75. Midnight’s opposite 76. Tries to sell vacation packages to see the Gateway

LittleVillageMag.com 41. “I follow ...”

42. Med. lines 43. Prefix with gender 44. Aspect 45. Weapon used by gauchos 46. Pantry or presidential suite 47. “Glad to!”

48. Griffin of game show fame 49. Multilevel marketing company for which PFE Albee famously worked 50. Cheers, for one 54. Reacts to an uncomfortable comment, say 55. Global problem of 1918 56. Back muscle, in gym‑speak 57. Certain regrettable reversal of fortune 58. Minutes played, in hockey stat lingo 59. Santa ___ (Arizona mountains) 61. Chain with COVID vaccines 62. R&B singer Badu 63. “Guest” at a certain tea party 68. Sarge’s superior, casually 69. Hill workers, perhaps 70. Sherwin-Williams layer 71. Ctrl+C operation 72. ___ Zor-El (Supergirl) 73. Lambs’ mothers 77. Reagan-era anti-missile program, briefly 78. Collegiate segment: Abbr.

79. Quarter of dodeca-

DOWN 1. “Little strips,” in Mexican Spanish 2. 1968 hit from the Turtles meant as a parody of their biggest hit, “Happy Together” 3. Unleashes, as a tirade 4. Kicks the tires on 5. Lena Waithe drama, with “The” 6. Lady bird 7. Legendary choreographer Reinking 8. Three-bagger 9. Putting good instead of food, say 10. Holiday predecessors 11. Email list options 12. Comedic device with a precedent in Act IV, Scene II of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus 13. Supermodel Wek 14. Like a royal flush or some Honus Wagner baseball cards 15. Turned blue, perhaps 20. Gamin 24. Goose egg 26. A good distance LV295 ANSWERS 27. Cage sport, for B L M L OA N A P P S short T E AM E L V E S L OR I 31. Main idea, in S I R I A DOR E OP E D journalism jargon L A V E ND E RH A Z E MA N E S P S H AW 32. “I Know You Got ___” (1987 hip-hop P A I N T I T G R A Y H O P A T COS T L OWS E T E classic by Eric B. & MA R S P AM F E T A Rakim) P RO S L UR MA I L E R 33. From the beA I M T A N E Y E DG I R L A I O L I A D E L E ginning 34. “Can’t help ya!” P I N K P I N K W I N E I R A N GE E N A AME N 35. Red annoyance? T O G O A S P E N F A D E 36. Nonspecific one A N EW S I R S OU T

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