Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock
So spins Oyoram’s video clock.
It glows at downtown’s western end,
Des Moines’ own take on old Big Ben,
Marking hours we can’t retrieve,
Counting down to New Year’s Eve.
But wait a sec — it’s still November,
So let’s hit “pause” and remember
Brighter spots from the year so far
And local folks who’ve raised the bar.
They built new stuff and got things done
And made our town a bit more fun.
Some stepped up to lead the pack,
Like Catch Des Moines chief Trina Flack
Who ushers in the main events
That bring in tourists, bucks and cents.
Raucous crowds line up to enter
The place we now call Casey’s Center.
Two huge shows, if you’ll recall:
The Jonas Brothers and Sir Paul.
The Wolves and Wild all call it home,
Just a puck’s pass from the big glass dome
Where festive lights make quite a sight
And music livens up the night.
The Botanical Garden keeps on growing
While Kim Perez keeps grand plans going.
Farther east, on a hot fair day
Bald-capped fans watched Pitbull slay.
We hoovered corndogs, funnel cakes,
And lob$ter roll$ with fine gold flake$.
A butter cow stands in D.C.
For all the world to go and see.
She’s a beaut, a Smithsonian first,
Enough to make your proud heart burst.
Speaking of butter, spread the news:
A place reopens for revues.
Music fans will have a ball
At the revamped Ingersoll.
They’ve spiffed it up and now it has
New bar, new kitchen — all that jazz.
Up the street, if one remembers,
Carter Annett bought Jesse’s Embers.
Good old Fong’s moved across the river.
(Summon DoorDash; they deliver.)
Some spots closed, but the silver lining:
Others opened for drinks and dining.
Black Cat, Rook Room, Lachele’s Fine Foods,
The Empire now feeds multitudes.
Flora, Pho Viet, Tous les Jours,
Raise your hand for a foodie tour.
Kum & Go, it came and went,
As Maverik makes its swift ascent.
Dotdash Meredith, now People Inc.,
Sold the trowel (outta state, I think).
The book sale’s back, at the fairgrounds.
(It’s this week, though: Run like greyhounds.)
But wait, there’s more! We’re not done yet:
There’s a new mosque with a minaret.
And plenty more to celebrate,
Like Audi Crooks at Iowa State.
She’s a fave among student scholars,
Like Coach Henderson’s Bulldog ballers.
Good luck, fellas, you’re doin’ swell
In the wild new world of NIL.
Off the court, some answered the call,
Like Jessie Orton at CultureALL.
Ballet Des Moines hired Eric Trope.
The Catholics have a Chicago pope.
Tami Nielsen, Food Bank warrior,
Lieutenant Gov. Chris Cournoyer,
Brian Mulcahy, airport czar,
Have set their sights on a guiding star.
Principal principal Deanna Strable,
Berkshire Hathaway’s Greg E. Abel,
Samantha Mosser at Bankers Trust
Leads the way through boom or bust.
Mayor Oscar rules Blank Park Zoo
(A porcupine, neither red nor blue).
So many names are in the news,
They often scramble and confuse.
But any list like this requires
A quiet nod to the late Jay Byers.
We said goodbye too soon this spring
And heard the Simpson choir sing.
We miss his grin, his vision, his spark
And see how deeply he left his mark.
He loved Des Moines and the state
And often nudged it from good to great.
The year winds down, the clock keeps tickin’.
Political plots continue to thicken.
Thanks for pausing to read this verse,
Not quite perfect, but could be worse.
(FYI: A.I. didn’t write this.
Rhyming robots ain’t the brightest.)
Now take a breather, take a break,
And maybe eat a slice of cake.
Read the Dish and Local Blend,
All the nonprofits near the end.
We hope you get your holiday fix
And wish you joy in ’26.
— Michael Morain
