Thank a farmer. Thank a teacher. Thank a pastor. They — and many more — warrant our sincere thanks, but none deserve our gratitude more than our country’s veterans. Today, we officially honor those who served our country. As we offer our appreciation, we should remember the somewhat complicated process of how this day came about, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919. However, fighting ended seven months earlier when an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Those numbers signify the reason for the observation date of Nov. 11.

In November of 1919, President Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as the first Armistice Day to honor the veterans of World War I. The celebration included parades, public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m. On May 13, 1938, Nov. 11 became a legal holiday dedicated to world peace and was celebrated as "Armistice Day." On June 1, 1954, Armistice Day was appropriately amended and became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Then things got complicated.

The Uniform Holiday Bill was signed on June 28, 1968, with an intent to provide three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with widespread confusion on Oct. 25, 1971. On Sept. 20, 1975, President Ford signed a law returning the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11 starting in 1978.

Today, Veterans Day continues to be observed on Nov. 11, regardless of what day of the week it falls on. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to Nov. 11 preserved the historical significance of the date. It also helps focus attention on the purpose of Veterans Day: to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, their love of country, and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

Amen. Thank you, veterans.

Have a thoughtful Thursday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305

Observe Veterans Day at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery (34024 Veterans Memorial Dr, Adel)  at 8 a.m. The plan is to return to the traditional in-person, public ceremony, running about 45-60 minutes. If you aren't able to attend, take time to view the ceremony at your leisure on the facebook page at facebook.com/IowaDepartmentofVeteransAffairs. After the ceremony, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 403 will host a breakfast at the Veterans Reception Center in Van Meter (910 Main St., Van Meter).

Iowa Wild (5-3-1-0; 11 pts.) defeated the Rockford IceHogs (3-5-1-0; 7 pts.) in overtime by a score of 4-3. 

Nearly 14,000 votes were cast in the 2021 CITYVIEW Best Of Des Moines readers' poll.

Best Local Liquor Store
1. Ingersoll Wine & Spirits
2. Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits
3. Central City Liquors

[...]

‘Baileyville’ residents have lifelong ties to Bondurant

 By Lindsey Giardino

When Marci Bailey and her husband, Daryl, were teenagers, they would sit on top of a hill at the Bailey family’s property east of Bondurant and dream about building a home of their own on it one day.

That vision ultimately came to life for the high school sweethearts. “Where we built our house is where we dreamt of building,” Marci says.

Their home now sits on that same hill, which is right next to Daryl’s father’s place. In the other direction is his brother’s home. In fact, multiple Bailey families live in this area and have built their homes on the land that’s been in the Bailey family for generations, so it’s lovingly referred to as “Baileyville.”

Marci and Daryl own Bondurant-based Bailey’s Excavating along with one of Daryl’s brothers and his wife. The couple has also renovated numerous old buildings in downtown Bondurant, including where Reclaimed Rails is — a brewery that they’re part owners of. The building used to be where Legion Hall was located, but Marci can’t think of a time when she ever saw it open.

[...]

Happy Birthday Tyler Nash!

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