Trailer stolen from HABA’s new North Liberty location

March 27, 2019January 31, 2021 Christine Hawes

The theft of a trailer holding an estimated $7,000-plus of custom-designed furniture and equipment is forcing HABA Salon to delay the opening of its new North Liberty location, Hartwood Salon. “Whoever did this was probably keeping an eye on us. The trailer had been sitting there for quite a while,” said Katelyn Sexton, manager of the new Hartwood location. The trailer disappeared from Hartwood, at 565 Cameron Way, sometime between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m. Monday, Sexton said. It contained a custom-designed sofa and five custom-designed salon chairs. HABA and Hartwood…

How to empower kids to say ‘no’

March 23, 2019December 14, 2020 Guest Writer

“Consent is many conversations, not just one.” Especially when teaching children how to say “no.”

Pho real, how many Pho places do we need?

March 18, 2019December 28, 2020 Guest Writer

Back in the early 2000s, I knew of only one place in the Corridor that served Pho: Mekong on South Riverside Drive It was my “go to” restaurant whenever I felt the slight whiff of a cold coming on. The rice noodles, flavorful broth along with the fresh garden of herbs, a splash of Sriracha and Hoisin (never soy sauce) was comfort in a bowl. Back then, few of my friends knew about the dish. Today, you can’t go far without finding Pho. I Love Pho #1, I Love Pho…

New hope for youth through spoken word, poetry

March 18, 2019December 28, 2020 Caleb Rainey

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I first met Aubrey Barnes at an open mic I produced. He performed with power and passion, starting his poem before he even got to the stage. I watched as his words, palpable and poignant, landed in people’s ears. We were captivated. Later, I learned this 27-year-old is a spoken word performer from the Quad Cities, who’s taken the stage with tenacity for the past five years; a producer of shows for local artists; founder of an after-school program; and a teacher. When I had the chance to interview Aubrey…

Live local musicians deserve our dollars

March 17, 2019December 28, 2020 Guest Writer

When musicians perform, audience members only see the final portion of their work. That show, concert, or gig is only the end of a larger process that takes hours, days, and even years of investment and preparation. The compensation for these performances rarely matches the effort and time musicians put into their craft. This doesn’t even account for the time and energy spent booking shows, rehearsing, traveling, and setting up equipment. Typically, musicians make $50 to $75 a night. If you’re part of a band, you earn only a fraction…

Bullying victims need adults to speak up

March 17, 2019December 28, 2020 Guest Writer

Whenever I reflect on the many moments that I felt less than my peers in school, the sinking feeling returns. The blush begins at the base of my neck. I know the embarrassment all too well. I’d often wear the baggiest clothes, like a sweatshirt and loose athletic pants, to hide the shape of my body. My mindset was, if anyone were to notice how the sides of my stomach hung over the waistband of my jeans, I’d certainly offend them. Other aspects of my physical appearance and personality also…

Intersectionality: don’t fear failure

March 17, 2019December 28, 2020 Guest Writer

Dr. Kimberle Crenshaw first coined the term “intersectionality” in the late 1980s to describe the unique experiences of black women in the context of feminism. Crenshaw posited that because black women experienced both sexism and racism, these oppressive institutions are interconnected and cannot be examined separately. Since then, “intersectionality” has evolved to discuss differing intersections of all kinds of oppression and marginalization. With the expansion of the definition, feminists and social justice advocates are challenged to widen their understanding of how the patriarchy affects marginalized people in different ways. People…

Misfits, and proud of it

March 17, 2019December 22, 2020 Christine Hawes

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When I first sat down with a crew of the Misfits, the teen component of the IC Bruisers, I expected to hear your standard fun fare about youth enjoying group sports in a community-supported program. Instead, the most agonizing of teenage angst poured forth. Ileana Knapp (skater name Collide-a-Scope) found the support she needed as an 18-year-old to overcome thoughts of self-harm when she found the IC Bruisers and the Misfits. Alysa Cato, 18, (skater name Sneaky One) skates after being bullied in almost all other organized sports. She felt…

Covert adult bullying takes a toll

March 17, 2019December 28, 2020 Christine Hawes

As a so-called “strong” woman who used to be an over-developed, over-achieving, outspoken child, I’ve experienced my share of bullying. Four-Eyes, Coke Bottles, Turbo Tits, Hogs, Nerd, Dork, and Dweeb are some of the names I’ve been called. And of course Dyke, Homo, and Lesbo in hissing, whispery sorts of ways. Oh, and “hell-bound sinner” (in so many words) by my high school pastor! I’ve been punched, kicked, spat on, shoved, had little boys flip eyelids inside out to scare me, tease me about werewolves and Bigfoots and ghosts waiting…

“Bears:” a peek into the culture

March 17, 2019December 14, 2020 Christine Hawes

Rob Anderson of Cedar Rapids is one of Iowa’s leaders in “bear” culture and Mr. Iowa Leather 2016. He took a few minutes to share with Christine Hawes about bear culture, in this Q&A, edited for brevity and clarity. What is “bear” culture? The easiest definition of a “Bear” is a male-identified individual bigger in size who tends to have a hairy body and likely some facial hair. Within the community, there are various types of bears and similar animals that are used to describe people — such as “cub”…