Category: Brief Messages or Announcements

Snow Squalls Predicted in Iowa Today!

The National Weather Service predicts “snow squalls” for parts of eastern Iowa today in the afternoon.

I’m only using this GIF because I couldn’t find one for the State Farm commercial captain “A squall’s a’comin’!

Sena recognized the guy in the GIF above as W.C. Fields and wondered if there were any other videos of this scene with audio as well. They aren’t hard to find.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Events 2026

Here’s a list of events I know of so far regarding the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day:

The city of Iowa City has day of service and other events you can find at this link.

The city of Coralville has events starting on January 16th and more, which you can learn about here.

The Iowa Children’s Museum has scheduled events that sound very fun and interesting for families and which you can find out more about here.

Sunrise A Little Before 2026

We saw a really pretty sunrise this morning. Sunrises always make feel expectant, hopeful, and a little excited. It reminded me of that show “Sunrise Earth,” anyone remember those? They didn’t even have music, just the sounds of nature and the scene of dawn slowly giving its own introduction.

Special Mention on Dr. George Dawson’s Post Today

I just want to send a link to Dr. George Dawson’s post The Phenomenological Suicide Assessment – The Legacy of Dr. H. It’s a great Christmas gift to teachers and learners everywhere. Happy holidays to George and everyone else.

Dr. Susan Shen University of Iowa Psychiatrist Wins Prestigious Avenir Award for Research!

This just in! University of Iowa Psychiatrist Dr. Susan Shen, MD, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychiatry at The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and, hold on to your hat, she’s the first female psychiatrist, the first from Iowa, and only the third psychiatrist overall to receive to win the Avenir Award (French for “future), a highly competitive grant!

The $2.3 million dollar grant will help fund her lab’s research into the underpinnings of substance use and psychiatric disorders. The grant is administered through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Give Dr. Susan Shen a big shout-out!

American Flags Flying at Half-Staff Today in Honor of Iowa Soldiers Killed in Enemy Attack in Syria

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds ordered all public buildings in Iowa to fly all flags at half-staff until sundown today in honor of two Iowa Army National Guard soldiers and an American civilian interpreter killed in an enemy attack in Palmyra, Syria on December 13, 2025.