Many of you responded to my Dec. 31 column that touched on The Des Moines Register not publishing a daily newspaper on days leading up to New Year’s Day. I share your frustrations, but I also realize how easy it is to be critical. The paid subscription model has been failing for years, and it is now broken. Meanwhile, central Iowans continue to seek unbiased local news in digital and print options. They simply don’t want to pay for it. Well, a popular quote says you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. With that in mind, I want to throw out a few “what if” scenarios and ask for your feedback, fully recognizing that there are more questions than answers.

• What if a weekday newspaper was published in central Iowa each Monday through Friday? Not on the weekends, but every weekday?

• What if it was available for free at hundreds of locations across central Iowa in stores and on racks with a minimal charge for limited area home delivery?

• What if the print edition was fully delivered by noon each weekday?

• What if it included a minimum of 16 broadsheet pages in two sections each day, printed in full color on newsprint?

• What if it focused intensely on local news, features and sports, with a bit of state, national and world news — and maybe even a column from a certain publisher?

• What if it had a strong digital edition, delivered for free via email by 7 a.m. each weekday morning?

• What if readers could connect to that digital edition via social media and text?

Of course, something has to pay for all of this, and our model has been to create options for local businesses to advertise their goods and services to our readers. Would local businesses see the value in advertising in this free weekday newspaper?

I have been thinking about this for years, and the success of the Daily Umbrella and your positive comments are spurring me to explore this further. Yes, I am putting my cards on the table, but I truly want to know what you think as a reader and/or advertiser. Please shoot me a reply with your comments and questions from the email link below.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.

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

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(DES MOINES, IA – December 28, 2021) Olivia/Alivia is the most popular girl name in 2021 used 118 times at UnityPoint Health® - Des Moines. Jack/Jaxon/Jackson/Jaxson is the most common name for boys, given to 123 babies in 2021.

Other popular names for boys: Grayson/Graysynn/Greysen (92), Theo/Theodore (61), Hayden (42) and Luca/Lucas/Lucca (31)

Common names for girls include: Nora/Norah (94), Rowan/Rowen/Rowyn (72), Harper (39) and Cora/Coraline (31).

Meet Megan McLennan

By TK West

After graduating from Jefferson-Scranton High School, Megan McLennan attended the University of Iowa where she received a degree in elementary education and a minor in psychology. She then taught kindergarten for six years in Newton and received a master’s degree in elementary education before joining the Southeast Polk Community School District, where she has been teaching kindergarten for seven years. McLennan says she is part of an amazing team of teachers who work together to implement strategies so each student makes progress.

“In middle school and high school, I loved working with younger kids, whether it was reading to them, practicing or teaching them a sport, volunteering to be a 'team leader’ at vacation bible school, or babysitting,”

McLennan says. “Being a teacher was what I was supposed to do. I wanted to help students become the best versions of themselves academically, emotionally and socially.”

[...]

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Adel Living magazine is published each month and mailed to every household in the community. The January issue cover story, "Pets of a different kind" is about locals who have chosen unusual pets and what they have to say about them. Also included are other features, informational articles and local photos. Each edition, as well as the archives, may be viewed at www.iowalivingmagazines.com. Read the January issue here.

Happy Birthday to these celebrities: Bradley Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Diane Keaton, January Jones, Robert Duvall, Clancy Brown, Kristin Cavallari, Heather Dubrow, Carrie Ann Inaba, Charlie Rose, Jason Mitchell

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to:tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com