‘I am in all of the paintings I do’: World-renowned portrait artist Rose Frantzen has an eye for capturing Iowans
Maquoketa artist Rose Frantzen was recently awarded one of the highest honors in portrait painting. Out of 2,200 submissions, Frantzen’s piece Last Light won the Grand Prize in the Portrait Society of America’s 2026 International Portrait Competition. When Frantzen accepted the award on April 11 in Atlanta, she described Last Light as “a love letter to all of…
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Letters to the Editor
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Letter from Oliver Weilein: The proposed jail would bankrupt efforts to end homelessness in Johnson County
By Oliver Weilein, Iowa City Council member On Nov. 3, I will be voting No on authorizing Johnson County to borrow $94.5 million dollars (plus approximately $30 million in interest)…
Letter from Mandi Remington: Guaranteed income helps Iowa families focus on what matters
By Mandi Remington, Iowa City Most of us want the same basic thing for our families: to know that our children are safe, fed, and cared for, and that one…
Letter to the editor: Will Republicans vote for a Democrat?
By Paul Deaton, Solon It is a commonplace of 2026 Iowa Democratic campaigns that candidates must appeal beyond party lines. With the registration numbers (only 527,675, or 29 percent, of…
Letter to the editor: It’s time for Coralville to try fare-free buses
We ask that the city of Coralville implement a pilot program for fare free busing. Coralville was specifically mentioned as an ideal candidate for adopting fare free in the Nov. 18,…
Local Album Reviews
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Album Review: DEĀ EX MACHINĀ — ‘APO/THECARY’
APO/THECARY by DEĀ EX MACHINĀ Nothing is more frustrating than a tired cliché, especially one that happens to be true. Take “the only constant is change,” which is made anew…
Album Review: Landyn Zane — ‘Coming Attractions’
In 1973, both David Bowie and Elton John debuted iconic looks along with new albums: Bowie the lightning-bolt face paint of the glam rock singer’s Aladdin Sane and John the…
Album Review: Phantom Threat — ‘Phantasmagoria’
In the five and a half decades since metal began to find its footing as an established genre, metal bands have gone to increasingly great lengths to answer the question:…
Album Review: Matt Terronez — ‘Tell Me A Story’
Matt Terronez wants to tell you a story — one of true love, heartbreak and conflicted feelings. It plays out across the 10 tracks, or perhaps chapters, of his debut…
Book Reviews
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Book Review: ‘Before the Mango Ripens’ by Afabwaje Kurian
Before the Mango Ripens by Afabwaje Kurian is an aching and scathing reflection on colonialism, gender politics and the influence of Christianity’s spread amongst non-European cultures. Kurian, who received her…
Book Review: ‘Carousel’ by Sarah Minor
The concepts of time, memory and perspective are elusive and finicky. In Sarah Minor’s Carousel (Yale University Press), our speaker attempts to guide us through all manner of experiences that…
Book Review: ‘The Natural Order of Things: Poems’ by Donika Kelly
Donika Kelly has a system: the award-winning poet and University of Iowa associate professor brings poems to her reader that are accessible and welcoming. Then, they build into an overwhelming…
Fully Booked at DMPL: Books best read aloud
Long before we learned to read, we learned to listen. Some of my favorite reading memories are not just about the books themselves, but about the voices that brought those…
Food & Drink
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Review: Open Sesame is a dreamy Mediterranean cafe with a rich history in Des Moines
You don’t know unless you try it. It’s cliché, sure, but it’s also the entire premise of Open Sesame, a Lebanese restaurant in Des Moines’ East Village that’s spent nearly…
Istanbul Grill Cafe & Bakery brings one of the world’s oldest cuisines to Urbandale
Michelle Kaya was reluctant to leave her Michigan home, where she had family, friends and a teaching career. But her husband Ahmet’s job in executive management necessitated a move to…
Review: Annie’s is all about crunchy bánh mì and lunchbreak-friendly service in downtown IC
Bánh mì became a street food staple in Vietnam in the 1950s, about a century after French imperialism brought the baguette to the country. The sandwich took off in the states…
From breakfast sandwiches to purple pudding, ManilaBoy brings Filipino street-food staples to Des Moines
Pop. Pop. Pop. In late 2025, ManilaBoy food pop-ups started springing up everywhere in Des Moines: Horizon Line Coffee, RAYGUN, Crème, the Art Terrarium. They even made an appearance at…
2026 Bread & Butter
Dear Kiki
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Submit your question to Kiki, LV’s sex advice columnist. Questions may be edited for clarity and length, and may appear either in print or online.
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