PHYLLIS WASSAM KELSO
Iowa City

Phyllis Wassam Kelso, lifelong resident of Iowa City, died peacefully May 2, 2020, at her residence in Coralville at the age of 102. Honoring her wishes, cremation rites have been accorded and burial will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Alzheimer's Association or Iowa City Hospice.
Phyllis was born Nov. 13, 1917, in Iowa City, and was raised by Clarence W. and Minnie M. (Abell) Wassam. She graduated from high school in Iowa City, where she later earned her B.A. from the University of Iowa in 1939. Phyllis married the love of her life, Hugh Kelso, on Aug. 3, 1940, in Iowa City. The couple spent 56 memorable years together in Iowa City, where they raised their daughter, Chris, and son, Bill. Hugh died on Sept. 21, 1996.
Besides being active in her children's lives as a stay-at-home mom, Phyllis was an active volunteer in the community for many years. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Phi Beta Kappa, Delta Delta Delta and Mortar Board. She also was a United Way board member and volunteered at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Mercy Hospital.
She is survived by her daughter, Chris Reynolds of Coralville; and her son, BIll (Gail) Kelso of Baton Rouge, La. She also is survived by her grandchildren, Tyler Reynolds (Sheila Buccola), Amanda Reynolds, Camden (Kelly) Kelso and Gretchen Kelso (Drew Taylor); and one great-grandson, Noah.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her son-in-law, Terry Reynolds.
Her family would like to extend their appreciation to Kay Smith, who provided the best love and care to Phyllis for almost 20 years and was with her when she passed away.
Online condolences may be directed to www.lensingfuneral.com.

KELLI JO RICHARDS
Cedar Rapids

Kelli Jo Richards, 57, of Cedar Rapids, passed away on Monday, May 4, 2020, at ManorCare Heath Services in Cedar Rapids from complications of COVID-19. Iowa Cremation is assisting the family. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Kelli was born Sept. 4, 1962, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the daughter of Ken and Karen (Walter) Oliver. Kelli married Pat Richards on Jan. 30, 1982. To this union three children were born.
She previously worked at Osco Drug, Souvenir and Dale Lee Distributing.
Kelli enjoyed gambling, trips to Arizona to spend time with her mom, shopping, camping and driving around in her Camaro.
She is survived by her children, Andrew (Holly) Richards of Waverly, Amanda (Andrew) Lutter of Palo and Adam (Brooke) Richards of Cedar Rapids; seven grandchildren, Katelynn, Zach, Myles, Drake, Dalton, Riley and Ari; her mother, Karen (Art) Kloos of Sun City, Ariz.; a brother, Kevin Oliver of Cedar Rapids; a sister, Kim (Mike) Wiggins of Center Point, Iowa; two stepsisters, Gina and Kathy Kloos, both of Iowa City; several nieces and nephews and many close friends and extended family.
Kelli is preceded in death by her husband, Pat Richards; and her father, Ken Oliver.
Condolences may be left at www.iowacremation.com under obituaries.

IRENE ELIZABETH SCHINDLER
Marengo


Irene Elizabeth Schindler, 90, of Marengo, passed away Wednesday, May 6, 2020, at the Rose Haven Nursing Home in Marengo. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Marengo, with Pastor Andrew Gray officiating. Burial will be in the Marengo Cemetery in Marengo. A memorial fund has been established. Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, is assisting the family with arrangements.
Irene is survived by three nephews, Kevin (Pam) Dye of Cedar Rapids, John (Andi) Schindler of Marion and Bill Schindler of Cedar Rapids; two nieces, Deanne (Todd) Mumm of Parnell and Vera Dye of Williamsburg; a cousin, Will Klotz of Gibson; many great, and great, great-nieces and -nephews; and a sister-in-law, W. Irene Schindler of Marengo.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Delmar, Calvin and Milver Schindler; and a sister, Shirley Dye.
Irene was born Jan. 10, 1930, in Marengo, the daughter of Charles and Katie (Klotz) Schindler. She graduated from Marengo High School in 1952. Irene worked at Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids from September 1952, until she retired in 1989 on the circuit board assembly line. She was a lifelong member of St. John's Lutheran Church and was a part of the quilting group. Irene enjoyed watching pro wrestling, going bowling, gardening baking, and was an Iowa Hawkeyes fan. She loved spending time with family and friends.
Online condolences may be left at www.klosterfuneralhome.com.

JOEL CRONBAUGH
Norway

Joel Cronbaugh, whose brother David referred to him as the purest, most innocent soul he ever knew, transitioned to his Heavenley home peacefully on May 5, 2020. A person of few words but many, many stories, Joel was a man of action who distinguished himself in many ways during his long, fore-filled life. Mostly we will all remember him for his selfless kindness, goofy sense of humor and many years of taking his fellow truck driver friends, his family of nieces and nephews and all his devoted friends to The Brick Haus in Amana for weekly and often twice a week "Cowboy" lunches.
A graduate of McKinley High in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as his younger brothers David and Steve shoved each other down the laundry chute, Joel was making his name as a car engine genius. As a member of the famous Cedar Rapids motor club, The Rod Benders, Joel was the go-to guy for making a car engine "scream." This passion for anything with a motor and wheels resulted in him becoming an avid, lifelong collector of bicycles, motocross bikes and cars. Joel drove in motocross well into his 70s, putting much younger competitors to shame.
When his niece and nephew Tara and Todd were young, Joel and his brother David helped them construct national class caliber Soap Box Derby Cars. Tara's car actually finished second in the All-American Championship. During this period, Joel became a friend and mentor to Todd's buddy James Burns, also a Derby Car driver. Both Todd and James took Joel's endless hours of meticulous lessons and teaching and went on to pursue master's degrees in engineering and law at Ivy League schools. Their love and friendship lasted throughout Joel's life. Joel, the man who never told a dirty joke or even used a naughty word, went on to make the long drive to New York City to stand up in James's wedding and proceeded to drive back to Iowa with a $500 parking ticket for parking in Times Square that he "refused" to pay. (The conservative Iowa guy had no idea how to park in NYC.)
Joel cut his mechanical teeth helping his father Melvin W (W for work, he always joked), at Tubb's Transport Service on old Highway 30. Initially helping with car and transport servicing, Joel prided himself on being the electrical wizard at the once-largest truck stop in Iowa. Drivers would scratch their heads as the tall, scrawny kid would solve elusive electrical problems in minutes. Joel's natural ability to troubleshoot or fabricate anything electronic inspired him to follow in his father, Melvin's, footsteps as a longtime businessman in Cedar Rapids. After operating Cronbaugh Transport during the early 1980s, Joel made his mark in the trucking and tank wash industry. Cronbaugh Tank Wash offered interior tank washes for liquid product transport tankers. Joel once again used his diligent, meticulous skill to design one of his own mechanical spinner washers, a washing technique still used today. His scrupulous cleaning process set the gold standard in the liquid tank washing industry. Joel retired from his love of the trucking industry in 1997, when he sold the business to Kevin Smith, an employee at the time but later grew into a devoted, trusted friend. The family would like to extend appreciation to Kevin for all his support during Joel's illness.
Joel spent his retirement years mentoring his niece Tara, as she continued the family trait of business ownership. Until 2017, alongside his brother David, Joel pursued his love to fabricate, troubleshoot and fix anything at The Java House, Tara's company in Iowa City. When Joel was not fixing odds and ends around his farmstead in Norway, he was tinkering on his pride and joy, Ducati motocross bikes, collecting bicycles to rebuild and later donate, or attending Sunday church service, a life-time member at Calvary Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids. He got a kick out of retelling jokes, reciting Bible verses to those he loved (Romans 8:28 was his favorite) and doing favors for people he cared about most. He wore a denim jean shirt every day, carried a tire pressure gauge in his shirt pocket and handed out hundreds of mini-LED flashlights to each of his friends. A man of simple pleasures, he loved hamburgers at The Hamburg Inn and his weekly visits for Beef & Noodles at Maid-Rite in Cedar Rapids, where he would take his Maid-Rite lunch to his longtime high school friend, Evelynn Strait, each week for many years. The family would like to extend deep appreciation to Evelynn for her loving, unconditional and daily support, and friendship to Joel.
Joel Richard was born Feb. 28, 1935, to Katherine Maxine Hepler and Melvin W Cronbaugh. Joel entered the U.S. Army in 1964 and did basic at Fort Leonard Wood. At the age of 41, Joel graduated at LeTourneau College, Longview, Texas.
Joel was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, David and Stephen.
Surviving are nieces and nephews, Tara Cronbaugh, Todd Miller, Anya Schmitz, Barbara Wolfe and Stephen Cronbaugh; and many great-nieces and -nephews.
The family would like to thank Brown Deer Place and ManorCare, Cedar Rapids, for Joel's last months of care during a long-progressive disease. Thank you to Mercy Hospice Cedar Rapids and specifically, Amy Harris, Mercy Hospice nurse and friend, who offered special attention and love during Joel's last hours. Tara Cronbaugh, Joel's niece, was devoted to Joel's wellbeing during the last, fragile years of his life and we all want to thank her for it. Indeed, it takes a village.
The family will be holding a graveside service at noon Saturday, May 9, in the Honey Creek Township, in Koszta, Iowa, at the Koszta Cemetery. Located outside of Marengo, Highwwy 212 to F Avenue in Koszta. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Mercy Hospice, Cedar Rapids.
Online condolences may be made at www.lensingfuneral.com.

ELIZABETH "BETTY" A. ZOBAC
Cedar Rapids


Betty A. Zobac, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at the Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy. She was 92.
Betty was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Oct. 29,
1927. She was the beloved
and only child to Francis
and Mary (Cahill) Sullivan. Betty attended grade school
at Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Cedar Rapids. Then carried on her education at St. Patrick's High School where she graduated in 1946.
It wasn't long after when Betty married the love of her life; Frank Zobac, in August 1947, at the Immaculate Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. To this union four children were born. Betty and Frank were married for 69 years. Frank passed away on Dec. 15, 2016.
Betty was very proud of her ancestry and Irish heritage. Betty and Frank actually got engaged on St. Patrick's Day 1947. She loved celebrating her culture every year on St. Patrick's Day by cooking corned beef and cabbage for her entire family.
Betty and Frank were a well-liked and social couple. They developed many friendships throughout their years and were always ready to have fun. The two loved to go out on the town dancing. They would often take a weekend trip to Chicago at the Allerton Hotel on Michigan Avenue. While there they would enjoy Broadway style shows, concerts or even a Cubs game. Later in life Betty and Frank would have season tickets to Iowa Hawkeyes football games. They rarely missed a bowl game during the Hayden Fry era. Neither did they miss a Friday night card group, any bingo game in town or an evening of Frank singing karaoke to Betty.
After having four young children, Betty worked the night shift in the pediatric department of Mercy Hospital for three years. Her endless energy and work ethic were remarkable. Betty also was a true fashionista and carried that passion over into her next career. From Killian's to Armstrong's then Coach House Fashions; she worked in retail women's clothing for over 15 years. While still maintaining her voguish taste, Betty's greatest accomplishment of her career began in 1961. As the backbone of the family business; Betty successfully ran the company as general manager of Frank Zobac Construction Co. Frank Zobac Construction Co. was in business for over 60 years.
Betty was the matriarch of her family. Betty loved to cook for and with her family. Like her taste for fashion, she was ahead of her time when it came to preparing meals for her family. Betty's culinary creativity led to many delicious and sometimes interesting meals. Rarely following a recipe; she inspired many. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have carried on her passion for cooking to this day. What Betty started in her little kitchen back in 1947 will be passed down throughout her family for generations. Betty also had an extraordinary love for dachshunds. Whether on the couch or in Hy-Vee, it was rare to see Betty not carrying one of her many spoiled dachshunds.
Betty's memory will continue to live on through her four children, Susan (Dennis) Draker of Marion, Mark (Connie) Zobac of Vinton, Kathy (Doug) Klinger of Marion and Debra Zobac of Marion; eight grandchildren, Amy (Clint) Houdek, Jeff (Diana) Draker, Barrett (Kiley) Scorpil, James (Christina) Zobac, Christopher Goodrow, Staci (John) Willems, Traci (Jeff) Chisholm and Michelle Ramirez; and her 16 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House in memoriam of Frank and Betty Zobac. Please mail to: Susan Draker 2845 Hunters Ridge Rd. Marion, IA 52302.
Please leave a message or tribute to Betty's family on our web page, www.cedarmemorial.com, under Obituaries.
"Rest in Peace, Mom"

MARY JANE FELTON
Cascade

Mary Jane Felton, 93, of Cascade, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, at Shady Rest Care Center in Cascade, Iowa.
Because of the unprecedented conditions in our country right now because of the
COVID-19 virus, private family visitation will be held for Mary Jane on Saturday. Private family burial also will be held at Calvary Cemetery, with the Rev. Douglas Loecke presiding. A Celebration of Life for Mary Jane will be held at a later date to be announced.
Anyone interested in sending memorials may send them to the Reiff Funeral Home, Attention: Mary Jane Felton Family, P.O. 430, Cascade, IA 52033.
She was born Oct. 6, 1926, in Worthington, Iowa, daughter of Nicolas and Mary (Krogman) Lahr. She received her education in the rural Brooks Country School. On Jan. 16, 1947, she was united in marriage to Joseph C. Felton at the Immaculate Conception Church in Sand Springs, Iowa. He preceded her in death on July 16, 2001.
She was a member of St. Matthias Parish in Cascade. Mary Jane was a past president of the Cascade Legion Auxiliary from 1993-95.
She is survived by seven children, Patti Volk of Cascade, Don (Jenna Mae) Felton of Hopkinton, Dennis (Gladys) Felton of Dyersville, Sharon Spear (Ed Groth) of North Liberty, Lester (Susan) Felton of Monticello, Jean (Vic) Thier of Bernard and Jim (Sue) Felton of Cascade; 20 grandchildren; 46 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild with another one arriving in November; one sister-in-law, Irene Dement of Dubuque; and one special nephew, Anthony Russ of Manchester.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one son, LeRoy Felton; one grandson, David Felton; one great-grandson, Ian Felton; son-in-law, Larry Volk; siblings, Veronica (Henry) Russ, Margaret (Tom) Oehler, Loretta Lahr, Rose (Wallace) Nehl, Joe (Isabelle) Lahr, Al (Germaine) Lahr, Nick (Mary Jane) Lahr, John Lahr, Theresa (Gerald) Goedken, Alvin Lahr and Clarence (Adele) Lahr; and brothers- and sisters-in-law, Mary (Willie) Duffy, Hilda (Bill) Macomber, Geraldine (Orville) Offerman, Jack (Mary) Felton, Nick (Irene) Felton, Ed (Mary) Felton, Margaret (Al) Demmer and Harold Dement.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com.

CATHY VAN NEVEL
Belle Plaine


Cathy Van Nevel, 63, of Belle Plaine, passed away Thursday, May 7, 2020, at Keystone Care Center, following a long illness.
Cathy was born Feb. 4, 1957, to Tom and Donna (Looney) Kelley in Burlington, Iowa. She graduated from Marion High School in 1976. She married Bill Van Nevel Nov. 18, 1988. Cathy and Bill loved to travel, especially going on cruises. She enjoyed spending time with family, camping, roller skating, shopping and caring for her grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband, Bill Van Nevel of Belle Plaine; sister, Debbie (Mike) Whitson of Cedar Rapids; brother, Charles Kelley of Cedar Rapids; children, Jason (Stephanie) Van Nevel of Iowa City, Jenny (Jaime Gutierrez) Perez of Marion, Stacey (Brett Feuerhelm) Van Nevel of Van Horne, Jeff Van Nevel of Belle Plaine and Donna (Dan) Sun of Cedar Rapids; and grandchildren, Cheyanna, Breanna, Savanna, Elysia, Mia, Allie, Kaylee, Cameron, Ashlyn, Adrian and Oliver.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, David and Marjorie Looney, Bruce and Iva Kelley; parents, Tom and Donna Kelley; mother-in-law, Marcella Van Nevel and three granddaughters, Selena, Bella and Aria.
A private family graveside service will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Huntington's Disease Society of America, HDSA.org. Online condolences can be sent to the family at neuhausfuneralservice.com.
Hrabak-Neuhaus Funeral Service is assisting the family.

The Joe Rogan podcast with Elon Musk was one of the most important events of 2018, and no—I’m not being hyperbolic. If you thought this interview was all about Elon hitting a spliff, you…may have been misled slightly. In reality, Elon helps us peek behind the curtain to get a glimpse of the future: Can […]

It’s simple—I don’t like recurring payments. And I don’t know about you, but with most recurring payments, I feel anxiety around this need to “get my money’s worth.” In other words, I often feel like I under-utilize the product and thus overpay to some extent. So why do I sell my software under a recurring […]

Note: This post is adapted from my original viral Twitter thread. Ffrom November 2003 through July 2005, I worked in the prepaid cell phone and phone card industry. Most of my work was in BFE meth towns and urban ghettoes. I learned things about the poor in America you won’t want to believe… But this […]

We all know elections matter. Local elections matter in particular because these elected officials have significant impacts on our daily lives. Government here in our community impacts us through our schools, in our streets, and on our property.

Electing a sheriff is unique because it’s a direct link between the voting public and a law enforcement official; we all have a stake in the sheriff election. The public should take a critical look at each candidate, examine the candidates’ goals, and their plans for attaining them. Look at the substance and nature of their campaign. Scrutinize their grasp of the office.

I’m running because I see where the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office can improve our services and have specific plans to achieve these goals. My campaign has focused on engaging people and groups across the county to listen to what is important to people when selecting a sheriff and sharing tangible, achievable goals to keep the Sheriff’s Office moving forward.

Perhaps most important, though, the next sheriff must also understand the role the office holds in county government. It is vital to understand the scope of the office as well as the legal and ethical boundaries that the sheriff is held to and must operate within.

I’m confident that my experience within the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office — and appreciation of the responsibility — provide voters with an additional measure of comfort when casting your ballot.

When electing a sheriff, voters should examine the career, character and commitment to the community displayed by the candidate. As a lifelong resident of this community and a career public servant to Johnson County, I’ve grown with this community and have a deep understanding of where we’ve come from and where we’re going. A sheriff’s office is a complex organization, and my experience as a deputy sheriff is invaluable to understanding the dynamics of the different divisions within the office. I also have important budget and personnel experience through service on the Solon City Council and on nonprofit boards. The sheriff is also a department head and it’s important to have a strong grasp of finance and management skills.

I’m proud of my proven record of service to public safety, public office and our nonprofit partners in Johnson County, and I will continue my commitment to service as the next Johnson County sheriff.

Brad Kunkel is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Johnson County sheriff. kunkelforsheriff.com

In response to the coronavirus, Americans were told by their federal and state governments to shut down their businesses, stop going to church, work, school or out to eat, travel only when necessary and hunker down at home. Originally, Americans were led to believe this was for a two- or three-week period, in order to flatten the curve and not overwhelm our health care system.

At seven weeks and counting, with staggering economic loss that will leave families and thousands of small businesses and farmers with profound devastation, the question must be asked, are we trying to flatten the curve or flatten our country?

The initial models that pointed to staggering loss of life from the coronavirus have proved wildly inaccurate. As of May 2, the CDC placed the number of deaths in the U.S. from the virus at 66,746. While all loss of life is deeply regrettable, these numbers cannot be considered in a vacuum. For perspective, deaths from pneumonia in the U.S. during the same period were 64,382, with average yearly deaths from influenza in the same range.

The original goal of closing much of the U.S. economy and staying at home was to flatten the curve of new coronavirus cases so that our hospital systems would not be overwhelmed. Hospitals built by the Army Corps of Engineers to handle the increased volume have mostly been taken down. Except for a few spots in the U.S. the health care system was not overwhelmed. As the medical models of casualties from the coronavirus continue to be adjusted down, it is clear the curve has been flattened, so why do we continue to stay closed and worsen the economic devastation that tunnel vision has thus far kept many of our leaders from acknowledging?

Many health experts say 80 percent of Americans will get the coronavirus and experience only mild symptoms. The curve has been flattened. Our health care system is not overwhelmed. Why is our economy, for the most part, still closed?

A University of Washington study recently revised the projected number of deaths from the coronavirus in Iowa from 1,367 to a much lower estimate of 365. While all loss of life is horrific, we must also consider the devastation being done to our economy, our families and our way of life by actions taken to combat the coronavirus.

It must be noted that 578 Iowans died from the flu and pneumonia in 2017, a greater number than are likely to pass away from the coronavirus. We also know that many who die from the virus are elderly with underlying health conditions, increasing the likelihood that any serious illness could result in their death. Are draconian government restrictions in response to the coronavirus still needed and economically sustainable? The data shows that the answers to both questions is no. We are no longer flattening the curve; we are flattening our state and nation.

We have seen the medical data. What has been less visible in news conferences and in the overall reporting of the coronavirus and our response to it, are the economic and human costs of what we are doing:

• 30 million Americans are out of work and the number grows daily.

• Dairy farmers are pouring out milk they have no market for.

• Pork producers are euthanizing hogs they have no market for.

• According to a study by Iowa State University, the losses to Iowa Agriculture are at a staggering $6.7 billion and growing, with the largest losses in pork production and ethanol.

• In Iowa, the economic loss for corn is estimated to be $788 million, $213 million for soybean and $34 million for cattle.

• The Iowa Restaurant Association estimates that between 10 & 25% of Iowa’s restaurants will not reopen.

• Iowa’s public universities are predicting a $187 million loss.

• Iowa is spending $200 million or more per month on unemployment claims, with over 171,000 Iowans unemployed.

• 29 percent of the U.S. economy is frozen as a result of government action, with U.S. economic output down 29 percent.

• U.S. unemployment could soon hit 47 million.

• Losses to U.S. tourism are predicted to top $910 billion.

• Retirement plans for millions of Americans are being decimated, with recent reports projecting the average 401(k) loss at 19 percent.

• Drug and alcohol addiction and relapse are increasing.

• Testing for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease are being delayed, which could lead to increasing health problems and life-threatening illnesses in the future.

• Economic damage to rural hospitals could lead to hospital closures and less access to health care in some areas.

• Warnings of a possible meat shortage in the U.S. have been issued by executives of Farmland and Tyson, with reports that the food supply chain is under stress. Several grocery store chains are now limiting meat purchases and some national restaurant chains are no longer offering certain meat products on their menus. Higher meat prices are almost certain in the months to come.

• Huge U.S. debt increases unlike anything seen since World War II, to the tune of over $3 trillion and counting, are adding to the already monstrous $22 trillion in U.S. debt. This does not bode well for our children or future economic stability.

The list of consequences goes on and on, and behind each of the statistics is a family struggling to survive, a father and mother fearful of how they will care for their children, a small-business owner seeing their dreams and hard work destroyed overnight by draconian government mandates, a restaurant owner deciding never to reopen, a dairy farmer throwing in the towel and a business owner postponing indefinitely plans for expanding.

Behind these numbers is an economy greatly impacted by the government response to the coronavirus, with implications for our economic well-being profound and long lasting. Expansion projects delayed, business closures, layoffs and contraction for many businesses will likely keep unemployment numbers high and depress economic expansion for an unknown amount of time.

Let us be clear, it grows worse every day we remain closed.

Steve Holt represents District 18 in the Iowa House.

I’ve had the pleasure of serving you as sheriff of Johnson County for the past 15-plus years and the job is not one that I or anyone else should or can take lightly. The office of sheriff requires a balance of both politics and leading a very large law enforcement agency which means sometimes those two worlds can collide. In these tough situations it takes someone that believes in their co-workers, trusts their co-workers and asks them to always perform at a high level.

I’m confident that Brad Kunkel is up to the task. The sheriff must also always follow the Constitution and enforce the laws of Iowa, in addition the sheriff is responsible for the operation and oversight of the county jail. Brad’s career experience including his years working in the jail are valuable for safe and efficient jail management.

The office of sheriff requires a thoughtful approach to what is best for the citizens of Johnson County. I have worked with Brad Kunkel for over 20 years and I know he has the temperament, intelligence and integrity to excel in the office of Johnson County sheriff. I wholeheartedly believe he is the best person to take the office into the challenging time ahead.

Join me and vote for Brad Kunkel on or before June for Johnson County sheriff.

Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek

Iowa City

Growing up on the Greenfield family farm outside a little town of 500, we worked hard and learned to look out for one another.

I’ve visited with folks in every corner of Iowa during my U.S. Senate campaign. The people I hear from want the dignity of providing for their families, and to know they can get a hand up when they need it. Now, as the coronavirus threatens our communities and Washington seems more focused on pointing fingers than getting results, Iowans want to know that we can get through this and come out stronger in the end. I’ve been through tough times, and I know from my own life that the only way we get through is by pulling together.

I was 24 when my first husband, an electrical worker, was killed in a workplace accident. Social Security and hard-earned union benefits helped me get back on my feet and pursue a career where I could support my two young sons. I’ll fight to protect and strengthen Social Security so every Iowan can get that same hand up.

So, I know what it’s like to have a loved one not come home from work. When I hear about workers having to choose between staying home safely or earning a paycheck, I say no way. Since March, I’ve put out two plans calling for more testing, personal protective equipment, paid sick leave, premium pay, and stronger protections for our front-line workers.

I also believe health care is a right — not a privilege. This shouldn’t be partisan.

As a businesswoman and a mom, I know the tough decisions our small businesses and families are making right now. That’s why I’ve called for more urgent economic aid and faster help for our small businesses and workers — not more bailouts for corporate CEOs. We also need a robust infrastructure plan and to invest in more skills training to create opportunity in all of our hometowns.

None of this will happen unless we make Washington work more like we do by ending political corruption. I’m not taking a dime of corporate PAC money and I will work to overturn Citizens United, and ban dark money and corporate PACs.

Sen. Joni Ernst broke her promise to be different. Instead, she’s voted with Mitch McConnell and her corporate PAC donors for tax breaks to corporations and the wealthiest — while hardworking Iowans fall further behind.

Iowans deserve a senator who shares their grit and their resolve, who will carry the fight for our small towns and our working families in her heart. It’s how we get through this pandemic and how we create more opportunity for our state. In the Senate, I’ll never forget where I’m from or who I’m fighting for, and I’ll always put Iowa first.

Theresa Greenfield is a candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors consists of five at-large members. Recently some people in the rural community have advocated for a board elected from districts within the county. A House Study Bill a few years ago would have required counties with a population greater than 150,000 to elect supervisors from districts, though a similar bill had failed earlier.

While districting a board of supervisors may appear to provide more representation to rural residents, the opposite would result. Currently, any resident anywhere in the county has five supervisors to whom they can communicate their needs. With districts, residents would have only one supervisor representing them.

There are many reasons electing supervisors from districts is not a good idea for Johnson County. But here is why, in fact, it’s a bad idea.

In Johnson County, our current practice for funding projects is determined using a needs assessment approach. This can be seen in our Five-Year Road Plan and works quite well. It is a triage of sorts, with the greatest need addressed first. With districts, it would become necessary to rotate projects based on the district in which it is located rather than the greatest need.

Imagine what might have happened in the 2016 emergency situation on the Highway 965 bridge over the Iowa River! During routine bridge inspections, county engineers determined repairs to that bridge to be our county’s greatest road need. It was an issue of public safety. Our at-large Board of Supervisors approved that project for immediate repairs.

Had we had districts, that project would land within my district and might have been put on hold, waiting for my district to have its turn at a big roads project. Just a couple years later, Swan Lake Road bridge over I-380, also in “my district” was deemed in need of immediate repair. While there is not a lot of traffic on that bridge, it is an essential route for farmers in the area. The closure was inconvenient during one farming season, but is now open and in good repair.

With districts, that bridge, in particular, would still be closed because it would be unfair for one district to have two big bridge repair jobs done before other districts had one done.

There are many other reasons why Johnson County’s Board of Supervisors should continue as an at-large body. Each county should be allowed to determine its own board of supervisors structure.

Lisa Green-Douglass is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Johnson County Board of Supervisors.

I’m Steven the electrician, not the politician. I’m asking for your vote and support in getting there.

• Never held public office in Iowa or Illinois, check my competitors.

• No endorsements so no worries about draining that swamp here.

• Pro-life and Birthright supporter.

• 2nd Amendment and gun rights supporter.

• Legal immigration and revision of laws.

• Supporter of the constitution as written.

• Israel supporter.

• Farm owner and advocate for agriculture and fair trade.

• Check who funded my campaign, I owe no favors or pay backs.

• Still working hard for my family and married 40 years.

• I will budget your money if elected, and no tax increases.

• End of government overreach.

• Proud of our military and their never-ending service.

I’m not the establishment, but your candidate.

Steven Everly is a candidate in the Republican primary for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.

My litmus test for a sheriff is someone who understands the community, partners well with different levels of government and law enforcement and stands up for the powerless. Brad Kunkel has been coordinating with all levels of local government as part of the Johnson County Emergency Operations Center pandemic meetings. He knows his community, and I’m confident he will continue to work hard for the most vulnerable, especially victims of domestic violence and at-risk children. That’s why I am voting Brad Kunkel for Johnson County sheriff. I hope you will, too.

Janice Weiner

Iowa City

Recent advances in technology have helped both small and large companies to automate their business process to improve productivity. In fact, experts have also emphasized that productivity has stalled over the last couple of years. Numerous large-scale businesses also complained that their productivity was in decline despite implementing innovative workplace guidelines to improve the workflow. […] More

En ces temps de confinement, l’heure est à l’évasion de l’esprit. Nous vous proposons aujourd’hui de découvrir le joli travail de l’illustratrice russe Darya Shnykina. Elle est l’auteure d’une série de créations intitulée Places I’d Love To Live In.  Elle a imaginé représenter d’adorables petites maisonnées solitaires en pleine nature. Des petits havres de paix où chacun […]

En Australie, les paysages photographiés sont toujours un régal pour les yeux. Le photographe allemand Tom Hegen nous offre des clichés aériens à couper le souffle. Il nous emmène en Australie occidentale à la découverte des lacs salés. Ses plans d’eaux suivent en réalité les traces des anciens systèmes fluviaux. La région a été façonnée par le climat […]

Here is a neat trick. Say you want to show a custom field in you post or in a certain categories post. There is a simple code you need to write in order to accomplish this: <?php $image = get_post_meta($post->ID, "image", $single = true); ?> <?php if($image != '') : if(in_category(7)) { echo ''; } […]

The post Echo custom fields in any category appeared first on WPCult.

I am not sure if this is from a pluigin error. But I suddenly have custom field names “atfemail_” and random letters and digits @ random numbers and digits dot com. hmm.. Any idea’s? I think it may be from the subscribe to comments plugin.

The post Wierd custom fields appeared first on WPCult.

In the last post “Creating a custom widget” I showed you how to create a custom widget. Well in this post I will show you how I used my custom widget to display all post with a certain custom field from outside the WordPress loop. In the last post I used this tag: <?php include(TEMPLATEPATH […]

The post Pulling custom fields from outside the loop appeared first on WPCult.

The post MichaelCHall.org appeared first on WPCult.

Firefox is regarded as the best Web browser in terms of extensions. It has hundreds of add-ons, which can be downloaded from here. Pavel Ciorici collected the most useful WordPress related Firefox extensions (addons) and compiled them on this post. photo by: Pavel Ciorici

The post WPZoom: WordPress related Firefox Addons appeared first on WPCult.

Today Matt Mullenweg from MA.TT declared today official plugin developer day because the plugin directory hit 4,000 plugins, check it out: 4,000 Plugins.  

The post January 28th declared plugin developer day appeared first on WPCult.

When you connect an iPhone to a wi-fi network, the iPhone remembers that network and will automatically attempt to connect to it in the future. This is a great feature for wi-fi networks you trust and use frequently. But mistakes happen. If you connect to the wrong network at a coffee shop, your iPhone will automatically attempt to join that network every time you visit the coffee shop in the future. And if the password for a known network changes, your iPhone might have trouble connecting to it.

What's the solution? Telling your iPhone to forget the wi-fi network. Forgetting a network will remove the network's password and prevent your iPhone from joining it automatically in the future.

Here's how to tell your iPhone to forget a wireless network:

1. From the home screen, tap Settings.
   
   
2. Tap Wi-Fi. The window shown below appears.
   
   
3. Locate the wireless network you want the iPhone to forget, and then tap the blue arrow next to the network name. The window shown below appears.
   
   
4. Tap Forget this Network. The iPhone will forget the wireless network.

You have successfully told your iPhone to forget the wi-fi network. The iPhone will not attempt to connect to the network in the future. And if the network required a password, that password has been forgotten.

Related Articles

• How to Connect an iPhone to a Wi-Fi Network
• Make Your iPhone Ask to Join Wi-Fi Networks

Meet Your Macinstructor

Matt Cone, the author of Master Your Mac, has been a Mac user for over 20 years. A former ghost writer for some of Apple's most notable instructors, Cone founded Macinstruct in 1999, a site with OS X tutorials that boasts hundreds of thousands of unique visitors per month. You can email him at: matt@macinstruct.com.

Clear, modern and informative website for ecommerce development agency.

The post BelVG appeared first on WeLoveWP.

When it comes to content marketing, we live in extraordinary times. With cutting-edge tools such as live video, VR and AI at our fingertips, we can give our community behind-the-scenes access to our company, people and products.

We can showcase our best customers and bring our brands to life.

But what if your business had to close all of its physical locations? What if your people couldn’t go anywhere?

And what if your community was distracted by ... something? Not a little something. A very big, pandemic-level something.

These are the questions that content marketers find themselves grappling with in the midst of COVID-19. In the blink of an eye, we went from having the tools to do anything to a hobbling array of limitations. At least, that’s what it can feel like.

But what if we flipped that thinking the other way? Twitter co-founder Biz Stone once said, “Constraints inspire creativity. When are backs are against the wall, we come up with some amazing things.”

Where can we look for inspiration? If you flip the through the opening pages of that famed marketing handbook “Us Weekly” — hey, what else is there to look at in a waiting room? — you’ll find a section titled, “Stars — They’re Just Like Us!”

These pages feature celebrities doing “regular people” things such as walking down the street and getting groceries. However, these days, despite their fame and means, celebrities have our same quarantined constraints.

And some are using this as an opportunity to create some amazing content of their own.

During this odd interlude, we can learn some valuable content marketing lessons from celebrities working within these same limitations.

Actor John Krasinski didn’t start a weekly web show in the middle of a pandemic to mug to the camera like his character Jim Halpert from “The Office.” Nor did he do it tout his Jack Ryan action-hero status.

Instead, in the midst of all of the bad news, he saw that what many people were hungry for was some good news. And that’s literally what he’s delivered with his aptly titled video series, “Some Good News” or “SGN.”

Featuring homemade title cards crafted by his children and set in his home office, Krasinski’s weekly show features a roundup of happy stories about creative kids, salutes to health care workers, unique ways to celebrate graduates and more. He also has concise weather reports from the likes Robert DeNiro and Brad Pitt.

While special appearances from famous friends might be out of your reach, you, too, can find ways to serve up more of what your audience needs right now.

Note: This might not necessarily be exactly what you sell. Ask yourself instead, what do they really need right now and how can we help?

For example, Don’t Panic Management is a team of virtual assistants. However, they saw that the small businesses they serve need help applying for government relief programs, so they started creating content around this.

On a recent episode of his WTF podcast, host Marc Maron talked about watching episodes of “Saturday Night Live At Home,” saying these shows were “touching.”

With segments shot by various individual cast members at home on their laptops and phones and featuring costumes from closets and cameos from kids and pets, SNL “At Home” shows how you can push our quarantined limitations to produce creative content.

In a recent episode, cast member Kate McKinnon shot an installment of her long-running “Whiskers R We” cat adoption sketch at home on her phone. Normally, this would feature several cute cats in studio introduced as McKinnon quips things like, “A cat is a smile with hair.”

The “At Home” installment features McKinnon in a homemade version of her costume with hand-drawn signs and her one pet cat playing nearly a dozen cats thanks to camera filters, mustaches and face masks.

SNL initially announced it would end their season early due to COVID-19. A few weeks later, the cast came back with their first “At Home” show.

They recognized the power of the moment and the outsized impact homemade content can have.

Another example of relevant, homemade branded content is a new ad from L’Oreal Paris, with spokeswoman Eva Longoria dying her gray roots at home in a video she shot on her iPhone. When you get hung up trying to make something polished and perfect, you often miss the opportunity to make something relevant and special.

Another SNL “At Home” sketch introduces characters struggling with the new normal of Zoom meetings shot with — wait for it — Zoom! The recent “Parks and Recreation” reunion special developed an entire half-hour script around a series of virtual meetings between Leslie Knope, Ron Swanson and others, all shot at home by the actors using iPhones.

We can use the same tools we rely on for virtual meetings to collaborate with others on content. Many already use Zoom and Skype for podcasts and videos.

You also can get creative in your content collaboration as actor and stunt professional Zoë Bell did. She challenged celebrity friends such as Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, Drew Barrymore, Rosario Dawson and Zoe Saldana to help her stage an elaborate fight scene.

The resulting video stitches together individually shot fight scenes from the phones of 38 different actors and stunt workers to create one big knockout fight. The viral video garnered over a million views in just a few short days.

Just because we can’t get together doesn’t mean we can’t collaborate. Whether you’re simply using Zoom or storyboarding out something more elaborate, involving others always expands the reach of your content.

Yes, the content creators profiled here are celebrities. But they’re also more than that. They’re creative artists and problem solvers.

A frequent refrain in the early days of blogging and content marketing was, “think like a publisher.” This served as a reminder to write like a journalist, schedule content and publish regularly. However, with our current lockdown limitations, we should amend this as a reminder to think like creative artists — those who’ve used these limitations to spark bold, interesting new ideas for connecting with others.

What can you create that people need? Can you do it right now — today? From home?

Can you creatively involve others?

Thinking like a creative artist means focusing less on what you can’t do in these unusual times and more on what you can.

Nick Westergaard is a marketing strategist, keynote speaker and author of “Band Now” and “Get Scrappy”; nick@branddrivendigital.com; @NickWestergaard.

When Joe Sample started posting photos of his takeout food stops in the days after Iowa restaurants were ordered shut down to dine-in service in March, he didn’t think much of it. He just wanted to get some good food while supporting restaurants.

“I have a lot of friends in the food business. My wife worked at Elevate Salon and Emil’s Deli, so she’s not working right now,” he said. “I felt it was a great way to support local businesses.”

But then a new Facebook group dedicated to promoting curbside, delivery and takeout food options in Cedar Rapids sprung up — this week, it had more than 15,000 members — and Sample started sharing photos there. The 46-year-old Cedar Rapids resident quickly found himself having a new experience — going viral.

In a pandemic, that phrase could have negative connotations, but this was the positive kind of viral spread. The kind where hundreds of people liked his photos and commented on them. Then a Cedar Rapids T-shirt maker, Ivory Pearl Designs, started selling “Be Like Joe” T-shirts and other people started showing up to order takeout in the shirts. Soon, restaurants were asking if he would come take a photo at their restaurant.

“I just started it to have fun and posted a few fun pictures, and then I started having restaurants reach out to me,” Sample said.

He decided to dedicate his stimulus check from the federal government to the effort. Sometimes, he said he hits up more than one restaurant a day.

“I’ve hit close to 60 restaurants,” he said.

He’s leaned into the enthusiasm and found ways to play up the efforts. One day he dressed as Oscar the Grouch while visiting’ Oscar’s Restaurant in Hiawatha. On another day, he and one of his daughters bought plastic pig noses to wear on a stop at the Blind Pig in Cedar Rapids. He wears a Superman costume to some stops.

“I was totally surprised at how viral it went,” he said. “Now I’m just trying to keep it exciting.”

In his day job, Sample is a salesman for American Building Components in Mount Pleasant. He normally spends a lot of time on the road, selling metal roofing, siding and steel frame structures around the Midwest. These days, he’s working from home, making sales over the phone instead. He said going out to get carryout is a chance to see other people and get out of the house.

“It brings some normalcy to my life,” he said.

He has two daughters at home, age 9 and 15, and one son, 22. When he’s not eating out, he likes to spend time outdoors with his family, fishing, camping, hunting and coaching soccer. He admits his last name is a bit on-the-nose for his newest hobby.

“A lot of people ask, ‘Is that really even your real name?’” he said with a laugh.

Sample was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, which fuels his desire to support his town.

“My dad had Sample Pharmacies when I was growing up. People helped support us, so I figured it was the least I could do, to support other local businesses,” he said. “I think the biggest thing is, we want to keep them here. There are so many great restaurants in Cedar Rapids, and we don’t want to lose half of them. I’m going to try to keep going with this until they open the places back up, as much as I can.”

He also has helped do deliveries of donated meals to area hospitals and long-term care facilities. That effort started when his younger daughter’s Girl Scout troop had dozens of boxes of unsold cookies and few options to sell them once the pandemic hit. Sample’s family purchased them and sent them to staff at Mercy Medical Center. Since then he’s dropped off boxes of pita, hummus and gyro meat from Pita’z Mediterranean and American Cuisine, trays of cinnamon rolls from Oscar’s and other places.

“People seem to be very supportive in Cedar Rapids,” he said.

He gave a lot of credit to the Cedar Rapids Facebook group, which was started by Lindsay Leahy, Brooke Murphy-Fitzgerald and Shannon Hanson. Others like it have sprung up in Marion, North Liberty and Iowa City.

“I think this has opened a lot of people’s eyes; it has given people an opportunity to try new things,” Sample said. “I’ve seen more restaurants on here than I’d ever tried before.”

He’s also started to promote nonprofits like the Freedom Festival. He is helping sell the $5 commemorative buttons — even though the 2020 festival was canceled, the buttons will help support the organization’s operations. And he helped with a Big Brothers Big Sisters fundraiser, an effort which inspired him so much he signed up as a volunteer.

He said he hopes his efforts, and others like it inspire others to support the community.

“Keep supporting local, do your best to stay healthy, and when restaurants open back up, keep going to them,” he said. “They’re going to need our help for a long time to come.”

Comments: (319) 398-8339; alison.gowans@thegazette.com

The Iowa Supreme Court approved a pilot program in the 4th Judicial District — Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, Page and Shelby counties — to develop procedures for the use of electronic search warrants.

Electronic search warrants will reduce the time required to obtain warrants, reduce travel time by law enforcement and make more effective use of judges’ time, according to the order. Paper warrants require law enforcement to fill out application forms and then leave the scene of the potential search and drive to find a judge, either at a courthouse during business hours or their home after hours. If the judge grants the warrant, then the officer has to drive back to the scene to execute it.

The electronic warrants can be submitted to a judge from a squad car computer, which is more efficient for law enforcement and the judges.

The pilot program will be evaluated by the court annually and will continue until further notice.

Fourth Judicial District Chief Judge Jeff Larson, who was on the advisory committee to develop recommendations for the new process, talked about the project, which will start in the next few weeks.

Page County Chief Deputy Charles McCalla, 6th Judicial Associate District Judge Nicholas Scott, Linn County Sheriff Capt. Greg McGivern and Marion police Lt. Scott Elam also provided their thoughts about electronic search warrants.

Q: Iowa courts started going paperless in 2010, so why did it take so long to get a pilot program for electronic search warrants?

A: Larson: It had been discussed at various levels since (the electronic document management system) started. We should take advantage of the electronic process because it will save us money. Most law enforcement agencies are now used to filing electronic citations from their patrol cars and offices. There may have been some pushback a few years ago because some counties or offices didn’t have computer scanners and needed technology. Now, the rural offices have that technology.

Q: As a task force member working on this program, what were the hurdles?

A: Larson: It was just working through the procedural issues to make sure there would be a safeguard throughout the process. When a search warrant is needed, law enforcement has to fill out the search warrant package, including the application with all the pertinent information, and submit it to a magistrate judge, associate or district judge in their judicial district. Then the officer or deputy can just call the judge to alert him/her to the warrant and the judge can ask for any additional information needed. The judge then administers the oath of office over the phone and signs off or denies the warrant. Law enforcement doesn’t have to leave the crime scene and can print off the warrant from their squad car computer.

The process of going to electronic warrants started in 2017, when the lawmakers amended the law to allow those to be submitted electronically, and then in 2018, the state court administrator’s office set up an advisory committee to develop recommendations.

Q: What has been the process to get a search warrant?

A: Larson: Law enforcement would have to leave the scene, fill out paperwork and then, many times, travel miles to go to the courthouse to have the judge sign it or if it’s after hours, go to a judge’s home. The officer may not be in the same county as the courthouse where the judge works or where the judge lives. (It) can take a lot of time. The process is way overdue.

Q: Page County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Charles McCalla, what do you see as the biggest advantage for filing them electronically?

A: McCalla: The smaller counties have limited manpower, and some of the judges, like in Mills County, may be 60 to 70 miles away if a search warrant is needed after hours. Just traveling across the county can take time, depending where you are. At a minimum, we probably have to drive 30 minutes and up to an hour to get to a judge. This will save us time, money for travel and provide safety because we can stay at the scene to ensure the evidence hasn’t been tampered with.

Q: Is there a recent incident where an electronic search warrant may have helped?

A: McCalla: A few weeks ago, there was a theft report for a stolen chain saw and deputies went to the home and saw guns all over the house and they knew the guy who lived there had been convicted. They didn’t want to tip him off, so they just left the scene and went to get a search warrant. Luckily, the evidence was still there when they came back. They found about 90 guns.

Q: How do you feel about being the “guinea pigs” for the process?

A: McCalla: Happy to be. As law enforcement, we’re natural fixers. We find solutions. And this is an idea time to use the process during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep everyone safe. We won’t have to have any face-to-face contact with the judges.

Q: Is Linn County excited about the program, once it’s tested and used across the state?

A: Scott: I think many of us in the criminal justice system are eagerly awaiting the results of the pilot. They have the potential to make the system more efficient. It is in the interest of the police and the suspect, who is often detained pending a warrant, to get the search warrant application reviewed by a judge as soon as possible. A potential benefit is that officers could also use those more often, which protects citizens from unlawful search and seizures if a judge first reviews the evidence.

A: McGivern: I believe the implementation will be a much faster and efficient process for deputies. Like any new process, there may need to be some revisions that will have to be worked out, but I look forward to it.

A: Elam: We’ve done it this way for a long time, and it can be a bit of a haul for us, depending who’s on call (among the judges) — after hours. It’s nice to see there’s a pilot. The concern would be if something goes wrong in the process. If the internet is down or something else. Now, we have to go from Marion to the Linn County Courthouse. Then we go to the county attorney’s office to get a prosecutor to review the warrant and then find a judge (in courthouse during business hours). That takes some time. If you can type out the application from your car right at the scene, it would help with details on the warrant — describing the structure or property needing be searched. I just hope they work out all the bugs first.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com

Summer is going to look a bit different in the Corridor this year as many, long-cherished events are being canceled or postponed. And the organizations that run those events want you to know they aren’t any more happy about it than you are.

The organizers of these events are having to make unprecedented, tough decisions.

“Cancellation is not a good word in our business,” said Chuck Swanson, Building a Legacy executive director of Hancher. “It is something that we really don’t want to do and it takes a lot for us to come to that.

“We live for the live performance and bringing the artists and audiences together. That’s the happiest time for me, so none of these decisions have been easy.”

Hancher has had to cancel numerous upcoming events in the past few months that would have brought to Iowa City in artists from all over the country and the world. It also is holding off announcing its upcoming season — which it typically would be doing at this time of year.

this isn’t something the staff has faced since the floods of 2008 and because they book events so far in advance they are confronting additional challenges.

“You know there’s so much that goes into a show before it happens,” Swanson said. “I just think of all the anticipation, booking the artists, advancing the show, setting ticket prices, advertising and then ticket sales.

“It’s like a farmer who does all this work to get his crops ready and then at the end of the season ends up with nothing to harvest.”

He noted Hancher has been reaching out to its booked performers and, in some cases, have had performers reach out to them to cancel upcoming shows.

The significant time and resources that go into planning large-scale events is the main factor in necessitating cancellation discussions and decisions at many organizations.

“Many logistical items have to be coordinated, from renting shuttles to scheduling volunteers and staff. Initial planning for some events begins as early as 12 to 18 months in advance and proceeds all the way up to the day of the event,” said John Myers, Indian Creek Nature Center executive director.

Citing the center’s annual Maple Syrup Festival, he noted food represents a significant cost and often cannot be saved or reused.

“We have had to be mindful of the financial resources available to us and ensure that we wisely manage those to ensure (the center) can emerge from this pandemic as a functioning and healthy organization,” he said.

“None of the decisions to cancel events or how to handle subsequent financial losses are easy and they challenge everyone,” Myers added. “As our whole lives have been upended, it makes even the simplest of decisions harder and that takes an impact on morale.”

He acknowledged staff members aren’t the only ones feeling the strain.

“We have a significant core of volunteers who are no longer able to give their time, which also creates a strain on morale and increases the amount of work that needs to be done when we return,” he pointed out.

Another primary factor is what is allowed and considered safe by the city, state and Iowa Department of Public Health.

“At this point, only allowing groups of 10 or less is a far cry from the thousands or people we usually see at the Iowa Arts Festival,” said Lisa Barnes, executive director of Summer of the Arts in Iowa City, which produces the Iowa Arts Festival.

“The governor has announced that reopening the state will be done in stages, and based on what we’ve found from other events around the country, concerts and large festivals will be the last to open,” he noted.

Summer of the Arts announced just last week that the Iowa Arts Festival would not take place this year, a month in advance of the event.

“We needed to make a decision so that we can move forward with alternative plans,” Barnes said, noting the organization has had questions about the Iowa City Jazz Festival, scheduled for July 3 through 5 and added a decision regarding that festival and July programming will be made by mid-late May.

“We also needed to make the decision far enough out to be able to work with our performers and cancel the agreements,” she said.

On Wednesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds loosened some but not all of the social-distancing restrictions for the remaining 22 counties she had put in place.

Discussions about the future of these events have been happening for weeks for many organizations, highlighting they are not taken lightly.

Carissa Johnson, executive director of the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival, said conversations about the future of this year’s event started in mid-March, right around the time the Cedar Rapids SaPaDaPaSo Parade announced its cancellation for 2020.

“We plan year ’round for the two- to three-week festival,” Johnson explained.

“Our planning really ramps up in April and May, and we have many more costs associated with producing the festival the closer we get to the start. In order to protect our time and resources, we elected to cancel before we had more costs and variables to consider.”

As for who is making the final decision, organizations said many stakeholders are involved. Barnes said the decision on the Iowa City Arts Festival, for example, included staff, the board of directors, festival planning committees, the city of Iowa City and Johnson County Public Health, along with input from some of the vendors, artists and performers.

Tapping into experts in those public health field has been key as well.

“We have these assets, people, at the University (of Iowa), that have been really helpful as we make these decisions about canceling and as we prepare to think about reopening,” Hancher’s Swanson said.

The Freedom Festival include staff and board members in discussions, with recommendations from Linn County Public Health and the city of Cedar Rapids, factoring in the health, safety and well-being of the community.

“We are just as heartbroken as the rest of the community, but this decision was to protect our community as much as possible,” Swanson said.

“This community is a family and we will all get through this together and come back stronger next year.”

Myers noted organizations such as the Indian Creek Nature Center are also rely on advice from national associations, such as the American Alliance of Museums, and discussions among the leadership of many local cultural groups.

“For many events, we have also reached out to participants to gather their input and comfort level of attending once we are able to reopen,” Myers said.

The financial effects of having to cancel is stressful for organizations, too.

“Financially, this has been a hard time for the Nature Center to endure,” Myers pointed out. “We’ve had over 100 different programs, events and facility rentals canceled between March 15 and April 30, and our losses are currently over $250,000. As we approach the summer, there are a number of other events we continue to review, including our popular summer camps.”

The Nature Center has postponed a national conference to be held there in September — due to indications of low participation — for peers from around the nation who run not-for-profit and government nature centers.

“We are losing thousands of dollars in vendor fees and sales receipts because we had to cancel,” said Barnes, of Summer of the Arts.

“We have sponsors tied to certain events, like the Iowa Arts Festival, that in some cases want to carry over their support to next year, which impacts our fundraising for this year and next.”

She noted her group already has been made aware of funding that won’t be coming in from some sponsors next year due to the financial impact those organizations are facing as well.

And that can be tough.

“When we cancel, our whole staff is involved — from the box audience and public engagement folks to the technical production team and our front-of-house staff,” Swanson said.

“Our communication is key in talking through it all and then sharing clear messages with our audiences, especially in terms of refunds. But we’ve been encouraged by so many generous friends of Hancher donating their ticket purchase price back to us.”

While disappointment still is thick in the air, organizations don’t plan to abandon their missions and is keeping an eye on serving the public.

“This is a challenging time for everyone, and our board and staff is committed to finding creative and non-traditional solutions to ensure the Freedom Festival’s return,” Johnson said. “The community and our stakeholders have been tremendous supports of the Freedom Festival and we believe they will continue to do so in the future.

“We ask for understanding and patience as we try to navigate this crisis and what we can still provide for our community.”

Freedom Festival buttons will be sold this year as they’ve already been made, and “It’s a way the community can show their support,” Johnson said.

Barnes agreed and noted the Iowa Arts Festival committee is working on ways to support the performers, artists and vendors they had scheduled by trying to develop some virtual opportunities for engagement.

While the show, or events, might not go on, organizers said they very much want to remain connected to their audiences and attendees.

“I want to make sure everybody knows we care about them and that we’re trying to find ways to stay connected because I think we’re all in this together and the arts are one of the best ways for people to get through difficult times,” Swanson said.

Myers agreed.

“Indian Creek Nature Center will be ready to welcome guests and visitors back to our events as soon as we are able to do so safely,” he said.

“In the meantime, we hope everyone finds peace in nature by taking a hike or bike ride, having a picnic or just enjoying time outside.”

Four Republican senators closely allied with President Donald Trump are urging him to suspend all new guest worker visas for 60 days, and to suspend other types of worker visas including those for advanced skills sought by the technology industry, until unemployment in the United States “has returned to normal levels.”

The senators, who include Iowa’s Chuck Grassley, said that Trump’s April 22 order suspending most immigrant visas for 60 days doesn’t go far enough.

While Trump suspended the issuing of new green cards for would-be U.S. permanent residents, they want visas affecting skilled workers, agriculture workers and others to face curbs.

“Given the extreme lack of available jobs for American job-seekers as portions of our economy begin to reopen, it defies common sense to admit additional foreign guest workers to compete for such limited employment,” wrote the senators, who also include Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ted Cruz of Texas and Josh Hawley of Missouri.

The letter was reported earlier by Politico.

The letter from some of the Senate’s most prominent immigration hard-liners could put new pressure on the president to expand his executive order, which drew criticism from business, civil rights and immigrant rights groups who said it would keep companies from hiring critical workers and could prevent family reunification.

The president said at the time there would be carve-outs for migrant agricultural workers, and promised to make it even easier for farmers rebounding from the coronavirus crisis to hire labor from other countries.

The order exempts individuals seeking to permanently enter the country as a medical professional or researcher, as well as members of the armed forces, those seeking asylum or refugee status, and children being adopted by American parents.

In their letter, the senators said Trump should go much further by suspending all new guest worker visas for 60 days.

“Exceptions to this suspension should be rare, limited to time-sensitive industries such as agriculture, and issued only on a case-by-case basis when the employer can demonstrate that they have been unable to find Americans to take the jobs,” they wrote.

After the 60 days, they said, Trump should continue to suspend new non-immigrant guest workers for one year or until U.S. unemployment returns to “normal levels.”

That should include H-1B visas for highly skilled workers in the technology and other industries, H-2B visas for non-agricultural seasonal workers and those in the Optional Practical Training Program that extends visas of foreign students after they graduate.

About three-quarters of H-1B visas go to people working in the technology industry, though the exact levels vary year by year.

They also called on Trump to suspend the EB-5 immigrant visa program “effective immediately,” calling it “plagued by scandal and fraud” and in need of change.

EB-5 visas allow immigrant investors to qualify for a green card by investing at least $900,000 in a business that will employ at least 10 Americans.

Imperfect Foods, an online surplus-stock grocery delivery company aimed at eliminating food waste, has begun is offering JetBlue Airline cheese and snack trays — $2.99 for three ounces of mixed cheeses, dried cherries and crackers.

Imperfect Foods CEO Philip Behn says the cheese and snack trays were an early casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Almost two months ago, before it became a nationwide pandemic, this catering and airplane meal supplier said they saw a decline in economy and business-class seats,” he said. “This was one of our first COVID-19 food waste recovery opportunities. We could only take a fraction of what they had.”

Behn said his company has sold 40,000 cheese and snack trays.

“We call that ‘breaking bulk,’” Behn said. “We have stepped up with co-packers to try to repackage some of those products — it’s hard work and it’s slow, given the importance of food safety.”

Yet there are bright spots. Imperfect Foods is a budget-conscious company, so high-end products such as pineapples are usually too expensive to offer their customers.

Where do people eat pineapples? Hotels. And with hotels stalled, Imperfect Foods has been able to buy and offer them for a fair price.

It has redistributed popcorn kernels previously destined for movie theaters and broccoli florets usually reserved for restaurants. Since the beginning of March, Imperfect Foods has doubled the volume of food it was previously buying, the JetBlue snacks among many.

Julianna Bryan, communications specialist for JetBlue, said the airline has had to dramatically reduce its in-flight food and beverage service to minimize contact between customers and crew members.

“We have temporarily suspended the sales of buy-onboard products including our EatUp Snack Boxes, EatUp Café fresh food items, beer, wine and liquor,” she said.

JetBlue has donated leftover inventory of snacks to Feeding America and other food banks, as well as hospitals.

JetBlue has worked with its business partners to sell unused inventory, such as the cheese trays, at a heavily discounted price with the goal of moving it quickly and minimizing waste, Bryan said.

JetBlue is not the only airline to have to find new outlets for its in-flight overflow.

Delta has had to unload its Biscoff cookies — and it serves 80 million to 85 million of these spiced shortbread favorites each year.

At United, the Dutch stroopwafels have been piling up.

In addition to selling some of their excess, airlines have put donation programs in place. Southwest has donated more than $400,000 in snacks and other in-flight items to not-for-profit organizations and nearly 13 tractor-trailers full of groceries to 15 food banks that are a part of the Feeding America network.

Delta has donated 500,000 pounds of food around the world in the past six weeks. Front-line workers and hospitals get the Biscoff cookies along with coffee and other in-flight beverages, while other perishable food has gone to Feeding America’s partner agencies like Georgia Food & Resource Center and Missouri’s Carthage Crisis Center.

And United has donated 173,000 pounds of food to food banks and charities, pulling from airport lounges and catering kitchens. United volunteers have also processed more than 428,000 pounds of food and household goods for the Houston Food Bank.

Nearly 327,000 Iowans have taken an assessment to see if they are eligible to be checked for COVID-19 under the Test Iowa Initiative.

Another free drive-though site for those who have taken the assessment and been scheduled for an appointment opened Thursday in Cedar Rapids — the fourth site in the state so far.

About 1 on 46 Iowans have been tested so far, health officials said.

State data release Thursday for the first time reveals big gaps in who has — and who has not — taken the assessment at TestIowa.om:

• Less than 35 percent of those who have been assessed for tests are men. Yet men are more apt to die from the disease than women. Of the 231 Iowa deaths so far, 51 percent are of men.

• Only 2 percent of those who have been assessed for testing are age 80 or over. But 46 percent of the Iowa deaths from the virus reported so far are in that age group.

• There are gaps in the rates at which urban and rural residents are completing the assessment. Nearly 9 percent of Linn County residents have been assessed, but only about 7.6 percent of Allamakee County residents have. Yet when looking at the rate of known infection per capita, Allamakee is far worse.

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Dubuque woman who helped her boyfriend and another person buy heroin that later led to a fatal overdose was convicted Thursday in federal court.

Jacqueline M. Birch, 23, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of aiding and abetting the distribution of a controlled substance.

During the plea hearing, Birch admitted she knew that another person was going to illegally distribute a drug last May, and she aided in that distribution.

Evidence at a previous hearing showed that Birch drove her boyfriend, Mateusz Syryjczyk, 29, of Rockford, Ill., and another person, not identified in court documents, to a residence in Dubuque on May 27. Birch and the other person went into the residence and bought heroin from a dealer. The three drove to a hotel in Dubuque and all used the heroin.

The other person began to overdose in the room, but Birch and Syryjczyk didn’t immediately call 911, according to evidence. Over many hours, Birch occasionally would perform CPR on the person to restore some breathing function, though the person never regained consciousness.

Eventually, Birch and Syryjczyk decided to call 911, and Syryjczyk took the remaining drug paraphernalia from the room to prevent law enforcement from finding it, according to court documents. Birch and Syryjczyk also made false statements to police about the cause of the person’s condition.

Court documents showed the overdose victim died at the scene. An autopsy later determined the cause of death was use of heroin, fentanyl and valeryl fentanyl.

Syryjczyk previously pleaded to misprision of a felony and remains free on bond pending sentencing.

Birch faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $1 million fine and supervised release for life following her prison term.

Sentencing will be set after a presentencing report is prepared.

The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Chatham.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com

An Eastern Iowa furniture manufacturer will permanently close two plants, laying off about 370 employees as it drops two lines of business.

Flexsteel Industries will close a factory in Dubuque with 200 employees that manufactures products for the recreational vehicle industry.

The publicly traded company also will close a plant in Starkville, Miss., that produces products for the RV and hospitality industries and employs about 170 people.

In a news release, Flexsteel said its decision to stop manufacturing RV and hospitality furniture was due to rapidly declining customer demand and changing market conditions resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Flexsteel said the two markets already had entered a cyclical decline before the effects of the pandemic occurred.

“It has become clear that what was thought to be a short-term hit to these two already challenged businesses will now extend well into the future and will likely not return to pre-pandemic levels for some time,” said Jerry Dittmer, Flexsteel president and CEO. “This pandemic has been unforgiving to many companies, including ours. We find ourselves making these hard decisions as we attempt to navigate these uncharted business conditions.”

The Dubuque and Starkville plants temporarily were shut down in late March due to sudden drops in demand as many of Flexsteel’s customers shut down in the wake of the pandemic.

Dittmer said the company will be working with its work force, customers and suppliers to determine a feasible ramp-down plan. While it is anticipated that both facilities could close as early as June, the date may fluctuate sooner or later based on business conditions.

Dittmer said the company will increase its focus on home furnishings, e-commerce and workspace solutions.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Adam Todd, adjusting like many Iowans to a social-distanced lifestyle since the novel coronavirus hit, celebrated a milestone 21st birthday with a drive-by parade Friday evening.

Todd, best known for being ABC World News Tonight Person of the Week in 2016, stood outside the Cedar Rapids house where he lives with his parents, Dale Todd, a Cedar Rapids City Council member, and Sara Todd, watching the cars drive by wishing him a happy birthday.

“My son has a bigger following than I would ever hope to have,” Dale Todd said. “Everybody knows he loves a parade. He loves the trucks and cars and people that are a part of that.

“There’s no better example that ‘it takes a village.’ He has had a team for 21 years.”

Todd, who will be graduating from Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy.

The parade was arranged by his mother, Sara, who invited friends and teachers to drive by between 5 and 6 p.m. to wave, shout happy birthday, hold up a sign, sing a song or do a dance, all from a safe distance — “whatever they’re able to,” she said.

Sara said Adam would have finished his last semester of education had the coronavirus not cut the school year short.

“That makes it extra special,” Sara said. “He hasn’t really gotten to say goodbye to his friends and teachers.

“We have appreciated his teachers so much. They have been a part of his team and really a part of our family.”

Adam, a member of the Washington High School junior varsity track team, captured national attention in 2016 when, during a cross-country race at Noelridge Park, he became distracted and veered from the course. Evan Hansen, a runner from Iowa City High, loped after him and guided him back to the track.

They ran the last mile together, the last two to cross the finish line.

That show of compassion and sportsmanship is what led to ABC News picking both of them as Persons of the Week.

In addition to Friday’s parade, Adam celebrated his birthday by taking his service dog, Turbo, on a run and trying to spot trains. He and his mom saw two.

“It was a good day,” Sara said.

Adam’s birthday cake, made by a family friend, was decorated with a train and a golden retriever that looks like Turbo.

“We were trying to think of a creative way we can help Adam have fun and celebrate him,” Sara said. “He deserves it.”

Comments: (319) 368-8664; grace.king@thegazette.com

A man suspected of a workplace shooting last month at a vinyl window manufacturer in southwest Cedar Rapids turned himself into authorities Friday.

Jamal Devonte Edwards, 26, has been wanted since two men were shot at Associated Materials, 3801 Beverly Rd. SW, the morning of April 9.

Cedar Rapids police had indicated Edwards was wanted in particular for the shooting of Mark Robertson, 36.

Edwards faces charges of attempted murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, going armed with intent and willful injury.

The U.S. Marshals Service helped locate Edwards, distributing a photo of Edwards along the Gulf Coast. He was located in Mobile, Ala. when his father brought him to the Mobile police department so he could turn himself in, according to a Cedar Rapids police news release.

The April 9 shooting was reported at 5:03 a.m. after two employees were shot at Associated Materials. Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police said at the time it appeared the shooter knew the two men.

Shawn Hardy, senior vice president of integrated products for Associated Materials, confirmed Edwards worked at the Cedar Rapids business, which gave him access to the building, but said he had been employed through a temp agency.

Iowa State University graduates who celebrated commencement Friday saw lots of caps and gowns, red-and-gold confetti and arenas packed with friends and family.

But none of those images were from this year — which now is defined by the novel coronavirus that has forced education online and put an end to large gatherings like graduation ceremonies.

Appearing in front of a red ISU screen Friday, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Daniel J. Robison addressed graduates like he usually would at commencement — but this time in a recorded message acknowledging the unprecedented circumstances keeping them apart.

“This year, because of the COVID crisis, we are unfortunately not all together for this happy occasion,” he said, pushing forward in a motivational tone by quoting famed ISU alumnus George Washington Carver.

“When you can do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world,” Robison said, citing Carver.

About 12,000 graduates across Iowa’s public universities this month are doing exactly that — capping their collegiate careers with never-before-attempted online-only commencement ceremonies, with each campus and their respective colleges attempting a variety of virtual celebration methods.

ISU and the University of Iowa are attempting some form of socially-distanced livestreamed convocation with countdown clocks and virtual confetti. All three campuses including the University of Northern Iowa have posted online recorded messages, videos and slides acknowledging individual graduates.

Some slides include photos, thank-yous, quotes and student plans for after graduation.

UNI, which didn’t try any form of a live virtual ceremony, instead created a graduation website that went live Thursday. That site hosts an array of recorded video messages — including one from UNI President Mark Nook who, standing alone behind a podium on campus clad in traditional academic regalia, recognized his campus’ 1,500-some spring graduates and their unusual challenges.

“We know the loss you feel in not being able to be on campus to celebrate this time with your friends, faculty and staff,” Nook said. “To walk around campus in your robe and to take those pictures with friends and family members … The loss is felt by many of us as well.”

He reminded those listening that this spring’s UNI graduates — like those at the UI and ISU — can participate in an upcoming in-person commencement ceremony.

And although students were allowed to return caps and gowns they ordered for their canceled walks across the stage, some kept them as keepsakes. The campuses offered other tokens of remembrance as well, including “CYlebration” gift packages ISU sent to graduates in April stuffed with a souvenir tassel, diploma cover, and streamer tube — to make up for the confetti that won’t be falling on graduation caps from the Hilton Coliseum rafters.

In addition to the recorded messages from 17 UI leaders — including President Bruce Harreld — the campus solicited parent messages, which will be included in the live virtual ceremonies.

To date, about 3,100 of the more than 5,400 UI graduates have RSVP’d to participate in the ceremony, which spokeswoman Anne Bassett said is a required affirmation from the students to have their names read.

“Students do not have to sign up to watch,” she said. “So there’s no way at this time to predict how many will do so.”

Despite the historic nature of the first online-only commencement ceremonies — forever bonding distanced graduates through the shared experience — UI graduate Omar Khodor, 22, said it’s a club he would have liked to avoid.

“I’d definitely prefer not to be part of that group,” the environmental science major said, sharing disappointment over the education, experiences and celebrations he lost to the pandemic.

“A lot of students like myself, we’re upset, but we’re not really allowed to be upset given the circumstances,” Khodor said. “You have this sense that something is unfair, that something has been taken from you. But you can’t be mad about it at all.”

Life is too short to dwell on what could have been or what should have been — which sort of captures graduate Dawn Hales’ motivation to get an ISU degree.

The 63-year-old Ames grandmother calls herself the “oldest BSN Iowa State grad ever.”

“It’s the truth, because we’re only the second cohort to graduate,” Hales said. “I’ll probably be the oldest for a while.”

ISU began offering a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree in fall 2018 for registered nurses hoping to advance their careers — like Hales, who spent years in nursing before becoming director of nursing at Accura Healthcare, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center in Ames.

In addition to wanting more education, Hales said, she felt like the “odd man out” in her red-and-gold family — with her husband, three sons and their wives all earning ISU degrees. She earned an associate degree and became a registered nurse with community college training.

“I was director of nursing at different facilities, but I did not have a four-year degree,” she said. “I always wanted to get my BSN.”

So in January 2019, she started full-time toward her three-semester pursuit of a BSN — even as she continued working. And her education took a relevant and important turn when COVID-19 arrived.

“My capstone project was infection control,” she said, noting her focus later sharpened to “infection control and crisis management” — perfect timing to fight the coronavirus, which has hit long-term care facilities particularly hard.

“We were hyper vigilant,” Hales said of her facility, which has yet to report a case of COVID-19. “I think we were probably one of the first facilities that pretty much shut down and started assessing our staff when they would come in.”

Hales said she was eager to walk in her first university graduation and was planning antics for it with her 10-year-old granddaughter.

“We were trying to think, should I dance across the stage?” Hales said. “Or would I grab a walker and act like an old lady going across the stage?

“She was trying to teach me to do this ‘dab’ move,” Hales said. “I said, ‘Honey, I cannot figure that out.’”

In the end, Hales watched the celebration online instead. She did, however, get a personalized license plate that reads, “RN2BSN.”

Coming from a family-run dairy farm in Jerome, Idaho, EllieMae Millenkamp, 22, is the first in her family to graduate college.

Although music is her passion, Millenkamp long expected to study at an agriculture school — but Colorado State was her original choice.

Then, while visiting family in Iowa during a cousin’s visit to ISU, she fell in love with the Ames campus and recalibrated her academic path.

While at ISU, the musical Millenkamp began writing more songs and performing more online, which led to in-person shows and a local band.

And then, during her junior year, a talent scout reached out to invite her to participate in an audition for NBC’s “The Voice.” That went well and Millenkamp, in the summer before her senior year, moved to Los Angeles and made it onto the show.

She achieved second-round status before being bumped, but the experience offered her lifelong friendships and connections and invigorated her musical pursuits — which have been slowed by COVID-19. Shows have been canceled in now idled bars.

Millenkamp went back to Idaho to be with her family, like thousands of her peers also did with their families, when the ISU campus shut down.

After graduation she plans on returning and working the family farm again until her musical career has the chance to regain momentum.

But she recently returned to Ames for finals. And she and some friends, also in town, plan to celebrate graduation, even if not with an official cap and gown.

“We’ll probably have a bonfire and all hang out,” she said. “We’ll celebrate in our own way.”

Most college seniors nearing graduation get to spend their academic hours focusing on their major and interests, wrapping their four or sometimes five years with passion projects and capstone experiences.

That was Omar Khodor’s plan — with lab-based DNA sequencing on tap, along with a geology trip and policy proposal he planned to present to the Iowa Legislature. But all that got canceled — and even some requirements were waived since COVID-19 made them impossible.

“There were still a lot of a lot of things to wrap up,” he said. “A lot of things I was looking forward to.”

He’s ending the year with just three classes to finish and “absolutely” would have preferred to have a fuller plate.

But Khodor’s academic career isn’t over. He’s planning to attend law school in the fall at the University of Pennsylvania, where he’ll pursue environmental law. But this spring has diminished his enthusiasm, with the question lingering of whether in-person courses will return to campus soon.

If they don’t, he’s still leaning toward enrolling — in part — because of all the work that goes into applying and getting accepted, which he’s already done.

“But online classes are definitely less fulfilling, less motivating. You feel like you learn less,” he said. “So it will kind of be a tossup. There’ll be some trade-offs involved in what I would gain versus what I would be paying for such an expensive endeavor like law school.”

As for missing a traditional college commencement, Khodor said he will, even though he plans to participate in the virtual alternative.

“Before it got canceled, I didn’t think that I was looking forward to it as much as I actually was,” he said.

Not so much for the pomp and circumstance, but for the closure, which none of the seniors got this year. When the universities announced no one would return to campus this semester, students were away on spring break.

They had already experienced their last in-person class, their last after-class drink, their last cram session, their last study group, their last lecture, their last Iowa Memorial Union lunch — and they didn’t even know it.

“So many of us, we won’t have closure, and that can kind of be a difficult thing,” he said.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com

For a list of commencement times and virtual celebrations, visit:

The University of Iowa’s commencement site at https://commencement.uiowa.edu/

Iowa State University’s commencement site at https://virtual.graduation.iastate.edu/

University of Northern Iowa’s commencement site at https://vgrad.z19.web.core.windows.net/uni/index.html

A 10th wedding anniversary traditionally is celebrated with a gift of aluminum or tin.

For Sondy Daggett, her 10th year of marriage to Liz Hoskins was marked with a gift of Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries shared through a window.

Employees at Bickford of Marion, the assisted living and memory care center where Hoskins is a resident, surprised the couple with the anniversary gift on May 1. Despite the current coronavirus-related mitigation practices, the staff had created a special moment for the couple, who have been partners for 24 years.

Daggett burst into tears as employees played their wedding song — Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time.”

“It just touched my soul,” Daggett said.

Across the state, moments like this are relegated through windows or over a phone call. As the novel coronavirus pandemic sweeps through the country, long-term care facilities have locked down in an effort to keep residents healthy, which means their families are no longer able to hug their loved ones, or sit with them in their rooms.

For many families, the feelings at such times this time are conflicted. Typical Mother’s Day celebrations have been placed on hold, and recent milestones have been missed by those living in long-term care facilities. Simple visits through windows feel distant.

“Those are the moments you remember and you miss,” said Daggett, recalling memories of visits to Bickford of Marion from Hoskins’s grandchildren and family gatherings during the holidays.

Hoskins, who has dementia, has been a resident at Bickford since August 2019.

“The pandemic has taken this away,” Daggett said.

But beyond this new dynamic with which family members are left to grapple, they also have the constant worry that their loved one could fall ill.

So far, Bickford of Marion has not seen any cases.

“Every time you read about another outbreak — whether it’s close to home or anywhere in the country — it brings home how fortunate we are so far,” said Matt Hoskins, Liz Hoskin’s son. “I can’t imagine the anxiety the residents and staff are having once it breaks through the wall.”

As of Friday, 29 long-term care facilities across the state, which includes skilled nursing facilities and senior living centers, among others — have reported outbreaks of COVID-19 among hundreds of their staff and residents.

As a result, for some Iowans, that fear has become a reality.

Ruth Brackett’s son Jamie Degner, a 38-year-old resident at Harmony House Health Care Center in Waterloo, tested positive for COVID-19 this past week.

Degner, who has severe autism and intellectual disabilities, has been a resident there since he was 15 years old.

More than 60 residents and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at Harmony House, an intermediate care facility. It’s one of two long-term care facilities in Black Hawk County reporting an outbreak, defined as three or more positive tests among residents.

Degner received his test results on Tuesday. He’s had lower-than-normal oxygen levels, but otherwise has recorded his usual vital signs and has not experienced symptoms.

Brackett said it is “unbelievably difficult to not be able to go be with him through this.”

As with many facilities across the state, Harmony House closed its doors to visitors in early March, when the first cases of COVID-19 began being reported across Iowa and the nation. Brackett said her son’s cognitive abilities make it impossible for him to understand that she is unable to visit because she might make him sick, so the staff instead tell Degner his mom is “at work.”

While she’s optimistic he’ll improve, Brackett worries whether Degner’s virus would take a turn for the worse.

“It’s tough because I have to trust” the staff, Brackett said. “There’s nothing I can do, so I can’t spend a lot of time dwelling on what I might do differently.”

The families that spoke to The Gazette believe the leadership at long-term care facilities are doing what they can to keep its residents safe and healthy.

At Bickford of Marion, officials have taken the unique step of promising public transparency of possible COVID-19 cases in its facility. On the website of every Bickford location is a feature recording the number of residents who have tested positive for COVID-19.

“Whether it’s COVID-19 or not, we want to be transparent with families about their loved ones’ care,” Bickford of Marion Executive Director Jacobi Feckers said. “I don’t know why other nursing homes haven’t taken that step because I haven’t spoken to other facilities, but I’m thankful that’s the route we’ve taken.”

It’s not just families who are placing their trust in management. Ron Moore is an independent living resident at Cottage Grove Place, one of the largest senior living centers in Cedar Rapids that has reported an outbreak of COVID-19 this past week.

According to the latest data from public health officials, five residents and staff there have tested positive.

The outbreak originated in the skilled nursing unit, and officials said they are working to ensure the virus doesn’t spread to the assisted-living and independent-living portions of the facility. They restricted movement between the facilities and conduct frequent temperature checks of staff.

So far, the general feeling among residents at Cottage Grove Place’s independent-living housing is that management has “done a good job” of controlling exposure.

“The feelings of the residents here are positive,” Moore said. “They appreciate what management has done to protect us.”

Still, life looks much differently at Cottage Grove Place. Moore said his schedule typically is packed with weekly book clubs and coffees with friends. Now he and his wife take walks, or try to connect with friends over email.

“I’ve found (residents) are not depressed at this time,” he said. “But in the future, if this goes on for many months? My prediction is yes, depression will be a serious thing.”

Local senior living centers have come up with unique ways to allow visitors to see their loved ones. Gina Hausknecht, a 55-year-old Iowa City resident, was able to see her mother in person for the first time in weeks after her assisted-living home, Oaknoll Retirement Community in Iowa City, created a “drive up” visit option this past weekend.

While Hausknecht sat in the car, she was able to speak with her mother, 93-year-old Ellen Hausknecht, for an hour outside the facility. Before this, it had been emotionally difficult for Hausknecht not to see her mom weekly as she usually does

“It sunk in that I don’t know when I’m going to see my mom again, and that felt really terrible,” Hausknecht previously told The Gazette.

Hausknecht said she hopes to take this year’s Mother’s Day as an opportunity to do something special, particularly given the difficult past few weeks.

“Our family isn’t super-big on these kinds of holidays but we do like to acknowledge them, and this year it feels important to take hold of any opportunity to celebrate,” she said.

Other facilities, including Bickford of Marion, also have eased restrictions on sending food and gifts to residents in time for Mother’s Day. Matt Hoskins, Liz’s Hoskins’ son, said the family’s usual Mother’s Day plans are impossible this year, so they hope to send Liz’s Hoskins artwork from her grandchildren along with other gifts.

Brackett, who will be apart from her son Degner this year, said she hadn’t planned anything for the holiday. She looks forward to her first in-person visit with him after the pandemic, when she will bring his favorite meal from McDonald’s and a new deck of Phase 10 cards.

Despite the feelings of being separated, their wedding anniversary on May 1 likely is something Daggett will cherish, she said. With Daggett acting as Hoskins caregiver since her dementia diagnosis in 2016, their wedding anniversary has been something the couple hasn’t celebrated in a significant way in some time, she said.

But that worry still creeps in the back of her mind. Daggett said she’s trying to remain “as confident as anyone can at this point.”

“I learned a long time ago you can’t worry about what you can’t control,” Daggett said. “But does that mean I still wake up at 2 in the morning worried about it? Of course I do.”

Comments: (319) 398-8469; michaela.ramm@thegazette.com

CEDAR RAPIDS — An injured pelican rescued at Cedar Lake on Wednesday will have a permanent home at one of the top zoos in the Midwest.

“We downloaded all of the paperwork (on Friday), and we want to get it transported (to Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha) within a week,” said Tracy Belle, founder and director of Wildthunder Wildlife and Animal Rehabilitation and Sanctuary in Independence.

“It’s doing well — we’re going to get it outside today to decompress a little.”

Belle, who also serves as primary animal rehabilitator at Wildthunder, believes the pelican is young — the average life span is 20 to 25 years — and she is not sure of its gender.

It suffered broken carpal bones and, according to Belle, surgical repair is unlikely.

“The veterinarian told me that the injury appears to be five to six weeks old,” she said. “I can only speculate, but I think when it flew into the lake, it may have clipped a power line.”

Belle said the pelican will need one more veterinary exam before transport to Omaha. In the meantime, “its appetite is good,” she said. “It’s eating five to 10 pounds of fish per day.”

Henry Doorly is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a typical year, the complex attracts about 2 million visitors.

Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com

CEDAR RAPIDS — Like other members of the United States House, the “new normal” for Rep. Dave Loebsack involves a lot of time on the phone and in video conferences.

Although the Senate returned to Washington this past week, the House may not return to the Capitol until mid-May. As representatives work from their districts, many face the same challenges as their constituents who are working from home via various phone and video meeting platforms.

“They’re clunky, difficult, frustrating at times,” the 2nd District Democrat said after a 90-minute Energy and Commerce Committee teleconference meeting, “but we can get a lot of things done that way without necessarily going into Washington. It’s not the same by any means ... but I think we can get a lot of our work done that we have to get done even though were not there.”

If there’s an upside to the telecommuting downside, it’s that the poor connections, dropped calls and sometimes spotty internet signals highlight an issue Loebsack has been working on — Congress and the country need better broadband connectivity. A member of the Communications and Technology subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over telecommunications issues, Loebsack also serves as a co-chair of the Rural Broadband Caucus.

In one meeting, Loebsack said, a fellow committee member was unable to ask questions because the Wi-Fi signal at his home outside of a southwestern city was so poor.

“So I think we’re going to make some progress” convincing congressional colleagues of the need to connect all Americans to reliable and affordable broadband internet, Loebsack said.

“In times like these, when families are at home, millions of K-12 students do not have access to the high-speed internet needed to take classes and complete their assignments online,” he said in an announcement with House Majority Whip James Clyburn and others of a House Democratic plan to connect all Americans to high-speed internet.

When the transmission of COVID-19 slows, the need for high-speed internet connectivity will remain as well as the need for Congress to provide incentives for internet service providers to close the “broadband gap” by extending service to the las mile in rural areas and eliminate what he called “internet deserts” that exist in cities.

The plan calls for an investment of $80 billion over five years for internet infrastructure and another $5 billion over five years for low-interest financing of projects.

With more reliable connectivity, Congress could consider remote voting at times like this when members don’t want to gather in Washington. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been cool to the idea, but Loebsack thinks members are “more open” to voting remotely.

“But we have to make sure that it’s completely secure, that the system can’t get hacked, and that votes are recorded properly,” he said.

Remote voting may be a may be a generational issue, “but I think this is doable.”

“I’m not making that prediction, but I would not be shocked if we move in that direction, especially the longer this (isolation) goes on,” Loebsack said.

Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com

This is probably the toughest blog post I’ve ever written. After 11 years of pouring my heart and soul into … Continue reading A Sort of Farewell →

This might as well be a Herschel ad. ???? (at London, United Kingdom)

The world has changed. Everything we do is more immediately visible to others than ever before, but much remains the same; the relationships we develop are as important as they always were. This post is a few thoughts on self-promotion, and how to have good relationships as a self-publisher.

Meeting people face to face is ace. They could be colleagues, vendors, or clients; at conferences, coffee shops, or meeting rooms. The hallway and bar tracks at conferences are particularly great. I always come away with a refreshed appreciation for meatspace. However, most of our interactions take place over the Web. On the Web, the lines separating different kinds of relationships are a little blurred. The company trying to get you to buy a product or conference ticket uses the same medium as your friends.

Freelancers and small companies (and co-ops!) can have as much of an impact as big businesses. ‘I publish therefore I am’ could be our new mantra. Hence this post, in a way. Although, I confess I have discussed these thoughts with friends and thought it was about time I kept my promise to publish them.

Publishing primarily means text and images. Text is the most prevalent. However, much more meaning is conveyed non-verbally. ‘It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.’

Text can contain non-verbal elements like style — either handwritten or typographic characters — and emoticons, but we don’t control style in Twitter, email, or feeds. Or in any of the main situations where people read what we write (unless it’s our own site). Emoticons are often used in text to indicate tone, pitch, inflection, and emotion like irony, humour, or dismay. They plug gaps in the Latin alphabet’s scope that could be filled with punctuation like the sarcasm mark. By using them, we affirm how important non-verbal communication is.

The other critical non-verbal communication around text is karma. Karma is our reputation, our social capital with our audience of peers, commentators, and customers. It has two distinct parts: Personality, and professional reputation. ‘It’s not what was said, it’s who said what.’

So, after that quick brain dump, let me recap:

• Relationships are everything.
• We publish primarily in text without the nuance of critical non-verbal communication.
• Text has non-verbal elements like style and emoticons, but we can only control the latter.
• Context is also non-verbal communication. Context is karma: Character and professional reputation.

Us Brits are a funny bunch. Traditionally reserved. Hyperbole-shy. At least, in public. We use certain extreme adjectives sparingly for the most part, and usually avoid superlatives if at all possible. We wince a little if we forget and get super-excited. We sometimes prefer ‘spiffing’ accompanied by a wry, ironic smile over an outright ‘awesome’. Both are genuine — one has an extra layer in the inflection cake. However, we take great displeasure in observing blunt marketing messages that try to convince us something is true with massive, lobe-smacking enthusiasm, and some sort of exaggerated adjective-osmosis effect. We poke fun at attempts to be overly cool. We expect a decent level of self-awareness and ring of honesty from people who would sell us stuff. The Web is no exception. In fact, I may go so far as to say that the sensibilities of the Web are fairly closely aligned with British sensibilities. Without, of course, any of our crippling embarrassment. In an age when promoting oneself on the Web is almost required for designers, that’s no bad thing. After all, running smack bang through the middle of the new marketing arts is a large dose of reality; we’re just a bunch of folks telling our story. No manipulation, cool-kid feigned nonchalance, or lobe-smacking enthusiasm required.

Consider what the majority of designers do to promote themselves in this brave new maker-creative culture. People like my friend, Elliot Jay Stocks: making his own magazine, making music, distributing WordPress themes, and writing about his experiences. Yes, it is important for him that he has an audience, and yes, he wants us to buy his stuff, but no, he won’t try to impress or trick us into liking him. It’s our choice. Compare this to traditional advertising that tries to appeal to your demographic with key phrases from your tribe, life-style pitches, and the usual raft of Freudian manipulations. (Sarcasm mark needed here, although I do confess to a soft spot for the more visceral and kitsch Freudian manipulations.)

There is a middle ground between the two though. A dangerous place full of bad surprises: The outfit that seems like a human being. It appears to publish just like you would. They want money in exchange for their amazing stuff they’re super-duper proud of. Then, you find out they’re selling it to you at twice the price it is in the States, or that it crashes every time it closes, or has awful OpenType support. You find out the human being was really a corporate cyborg who sounds like you, but is not of you, and it’s impervious to your appeals to human fairness. Then there are the folks who definitely are human, after all they’re only small, and you know their names. All the non-verbal communication tells you so. Then you peek a little closer —  you see the context — and all they seem to do is talk about themselves, or their business. Their interactions are as carefully crafted as the big companies, and they treat their audience as a captive market. Great spirit forefend they share the bandwidth by celebrating anyone else. They sound like one of us, but act like one of them. Their popularity is inversely proportional to their humanity.

Extreme examples, I know. This is me exploring thoughts though, and harsh light helps define the edges. Feel free to sound off if it offends, but mind your non-verbal communication. :)

That brings me to self-promotion versus self-aggrandisement; there’s a big difference between the two. As independent designers and developer-type people, self-promotion is good, necessary, and often mutually beneficial. It’s about goodwill. It connects us to each other and lubricates the Web. We need it. Self-aggrandisement is coarse, obvious, and often an act of denial; the odour of insecurity or arrogance is nauseating. It is to be avoided.

If you consider the difference between a show-off and a celebrant, perhaps it will be clearer what I’m reaching for:

The very best form of self-promotion is celebration. To celebrate is to share the joy of what you do (and critically also celebrate what others do) and invite folks to participate in the party. To show off is a weakness of character — an act that demands acknowledgement and accolade before the actor can feel the tragic joy of thinking themselves affirmed. To celebrate is to share joy. To show-off is to yearn for it.

It’s as tragic as the disdainful, casual arrogance of criticising the output of others less accomplished than oneself. Don’t be lazy now. Critique, if you please. Be bothered to help, or if you can’t hold back, have a little grace by being discreet and respectful. If you’re arrogant enough to think you have the right to treat anyone in the world badly, you grant them the right to reciprocate. Beware.

Celebrants don’t reserve their bandwidth for themselves. They don’t treat their friends like a tricky audience who may throw pennies at you at the end of the performance. They treat them like friends. It’s a pretty simple way of measuring whether what you publish is good: would I do/say/act the same way with my friends? Human scales are always the best scales.

So, this ends. I feel very out of practise at writing. It’s hard after a hiatus. These are a few thoughts that still feel partially-formed in my mind, but I hope there was a tiny snippet or two in there that fired off a few neurons in your brain. Not too many, though, it’s early yet. :)

Today we released free updates for the Auphonic Leveler Batch Processor and the Auphonic Multitrack Processor with many algorithm improvements and bug fixes for Mac and Windows.

Changelog

• Linear Filtering Algorithms to avoid Asymmetric Waveforms:
  New zero-phase Adaptive Filtering Algorithms to avoid asymmetric waveforms.
  In asymmetric waveforms, the positive and negative amplitude values are disproportionate - please see Asymmetric Waveforms: Should You Be Concerned?.
  Asymmetrical waveforms are quite natural and not necessarily a problem. They are particularly common on recordings of speech, vocals and can be caused by low-end filtering. However, they limit the amount of gain that can be safely applied without introducing distortion or clipping due to aggressive limiting.
• Noise Reduction Improvements:
  New and improved noise profile estimation algorithms and bug fixes for parallel Noise Reduction Algorithms.
• Processing Finished Notification on Mac:
  A system notification (including a short glass sound) is now displayed on Mac OS when the Auphonic Leveler or Auphonic Multitrack has finished processing - thanks to Timo Hetzel.
• Improved Dithering:
  Improved dithering algorithms - using SoX - if a bit-depth reduction is necessary during file export.
• Auphonic Multitrack Fixes:
  Fixes for ducking and background tracks and for very short music tracks.
• New Desktop Apps Documentation:
  The documentation of our desktop apps is now integrated in our new help system:
  see Auphonic Leveler Batch Processor and Auphonic Multitrack Processor.
• Bug Fixes and Audio Algorithm Improvements:
  This release also includes many small bug fixes and all audio algorithms come with improvements and updated classifiers using the data from our Web Service.

About the Auphonic Desktop Apps

We offer two desktop programs which include our audio algorithms only. The algorithms will be computed offline on your device and are exactly the same as implemented in our Web Service.

The Auphonic Leveler Batch Processor is a batch audio file processor and includes all our (Singletrack) Audio Post Production Algorithms. It can process multiple productions at once.

Auphonic Multitrack includes our Multitrack Post Production Algorithms and requires multiple parallel input audio tracks, which will be analyzed and processed individually as well as combined to create one final mixdown.

Upgrade now

• Auphonic Leveler Download
• Auphonic Multitrack Download

Please let us know if you have any questions or feedback!

At the Subscribe 9 Conference, we presented the first version of our new Audio Inspector:
The Auphonic Audio Inspector is shown on the status page of a finished production and displays details about what our algorithms are changing in audio files.

A screenshot of the Auphonic Audio Inspector on the status page of a finished Multitrack Production.
Please click on the screenshot to see it in full resolution!

It is possible to zoom and scroll within audio waveforms and the Audio Inspector might be used to manually check production result and input files.

In this blog post, we will discuss the usage and all current visualizations of the Inspector.
If you just want to try the Auphonic Audio Inspector yourself, take a look at this Multitrack Audio Inspector Example.

Inspector Usage

Control bar of the Audio Inspector with scrollbar, play button, current playback position and length, button to show input audio file(s), zoom in/out, toggle legend and a button to switch to fullscreen mode.

Seek in Audio Files

Click or tap inside the waveform to seek in files. The red playhead will show the current audio position.

Zoom In/Out

Use the zoom buttons ([+] and [-]), the mouse wheel or zoom gestures on touch devices to zoom in/out the audio waveform.

Scroll Waveforms

If zoomed in, use the scrollbar or drag the audio waveform directly (with your mouse or on touch devices).

Show Legend

Click the [?] button to show or hide the Legend, which describes details about the visualizations of the audio waveform.

Show Stats

Use the Show Stats link to display Audio Processing Statistics of a production.

Show Input Track(s)

Click Show Input to show or hide input track(s) of a production: now you can see and listen to input and output files for a detailed comparison. Please click directly on the waveform to switch/unmute a track - muted tracks are grayed out slightly:

Showing four input tracks and the Auphonic output of a multitrack production.

Please click on the fullscreen button (bottom right) to switch to fullscreen mode.
Now the audio tracks use all available screen space to see all waveform details:

A multitrack production with output and all input tracks in fullscreen mode.
Please click on the screenshot to see it in full resolution.

In fullscreen mode, it’s also possible to control playback and zooming with keyboard shortcuts:
Press [Space] to start/pause playback, use [+] to zoom in and [-] to zoom out.

Singletrack Algorithms Inspector

First, we discuss the analysis data of our Singletrack Post Production Algorithms.

The audio levels of output and input files, measured according to the ITU-R BS.1770 specification, are displayed directly as the audio waveform. Click on Show Input to see the input and output file. Only one file is played at a time, click directly on the Input or Output track to unmute a file for playback:

Singletrack Production with opened input file.
See the first Leveler Audio Example to try the audio inspector yourself.

Waveform Segments: Music and Speech (gold, blue)

Music/Speech segments are displayed directly in the audio waveform: Music segments are plotted in gold/yellow, speech segments in blue (or light/dark blue).

Waveform Segments: Leveler High/No Amplification (dark, light blue)

Speech segments can be displayed in normal, dark or light blue: Dark blue means that the input signal was very quiet and contains speech, therefore the Adaptive Leveler has to use a high amplification value in this segment.
In light blue regions, the input signal was very quiet as well, but our classifiers decided that the signal should not be amplified (breathing, noise, background sounds, etc.).

Yellow/orange background segments display leveler fades.

Background Segments: Leveler Fade Up/Down (yellow, orange)

If the volume of an input file changes in a fast way, the Adaptive Leveler volume curve will increase/decrease very fast as well (= fade) and should be placed in speech pauses. Otherwise, if fades are too slow or during active speech, one will hear pumping speech artifacts.
Exact fade regions are plotted as yellow (fade up, volume increase) and orange (fade down, volume decrease) background segments in the audio inspector.

Horizontal red lines display noise and hum reduction profiles.

Horizontal Lines: Noise and Hum Reduction Profiles (red)

Our Noise and Hiss Reduction and Hum Reduction algorithms segment the audio file in regions with different background noise characteristics, which are displayed as red horizontal lines in the audio inspector (top lines for noise reduction, bottom lines for hum reduction).
Then a noise print is extracted in each region and a classifier decides if and how much noise reduction is necessary - this is plotted as a value in dB below the top red line.
The hum base frequency (50Hz or 60Hz) and the strength of all its partials is also classified in each region, the value in Hz above the bottom red line indicates the base frequency and whether hum reduction is necessary or not (no red line).

You can try the singletrack audio inspector yourself with our Leveler, Noise Reduction and Hum Reduction audio examples.

Multitrack Algorithms Inspector

If our Multitrack Post Production Algorithms are used, additional analysis data is shown in the audio inspector.

The audio levels of the output and all input tracks are measured according to the ITU-R BS.1770 specification and are displayed directly as the audio waveform. Click on Show Input to see all the input files with track labels and the output file. Only one file is played at a time, click directly into the track to unmute a file for playback:

Input Tracks: Waveform Segments, Background Segments and Horizontal Lines

Input tracks are displayed below the output file including their track names. The same data as in our Singletrack Algorithms Inspector is calculated and plotted separately in each input track:

• Waveform Segments with different colors: Music and Speech Segments (gold, blue), Leveler High/No Amplification (dark blue, light blue)
• Background Segments: Leveler Fade Up/Down (yellow, orange)
• Horizontal Lines: Noise and Hum Reduction Profiles Noise and Hum Reduction Profiles (red)

Output Waveform Segments: Multiple Speakers and Music

Each speaker is plotted in a separate, blue-like color - in the example above we have 3 speakers (normal, light and dark blue) and you can see directly in the waveform when and which speaker is active.
Audio from music input tracks are always plotted in gold/yellow in the output waveform, please try to not mix music and speech parts in music tracks (see also Multitrack Best Practice)!

You can try the multitrack audio inspector yourself with our Multitrack Audio Inspector Example or our general Multitrack Audio Examples.

Ducking, Background and Foreground Segments

Music tracks can be set to Ducking, Foreground, Background or Auto - for more details please see Automatic Ducking, Foreground and Background Tracks.

Ducking Segments (light, dark orange)

In Ducking, the level of a music track is reduced if one of the speakers is active, which is plotted as a dark orange background segment in the output track.
Foreground music parts, where no speaker is active and the music track volume is not reduced, are displayed as light orange background segments in the output track.

Background Music Segments (dark orange background)

Here the whole music track is set to Background and won’t be amplified when speakers are inactive.
Background music parts are plotted as dark organge background segments in the output track.

Foreground Music Segments (light orange background)

Here the whole music track is set to Foreground and its level won’t be reduced when speakers are active.
Foreground music parts are plotted as light organge background segments in the output track.

You can try the ducking/background/foreground audio inspector yourself: Fore/Background/Ducking Audio Examples.

Audio Search, Chapters Marks and Video

Audio Search and Transcriptions

If our Automatic Speech Recognition Integration is used, a time-aligned transcription text will be shown above the waveform. You can use the search field to search and seek directly in the audio file.
See our Speech Recognition Audio Examples to try it yourself.

Chapters Marks

Chapter Mark start times are displayed in the audio waveform as black vertical lines.
The current chapter title is written above the waveform - see “This is Chapter 2” in the screenshot above.

A video production with output waveform, input waveform and transcriptions in fullscreen mode.
Please click on the screenshot to see it in full resolution.

Video Display

If you add a Video Format or Audiogram Output File to your production, the audio inspector will also show a separate video track in addition to the audio output and input tracks. The video playback will be synced to the audio of output and input tracks.

Supported Audio Formats

We use the native HTML5 audio element for playback and the aurora.js javascript audio decoders to support all common audio formats:

WAV, MP3, AAC/M4A and Opus

These formats are supported in all major browsers: Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge, iOS Safari and Chrome for Android.

FLAC

FLAC is supported in Firefox, Chrome, Edge and Chrome for Android - see FLAC audio format.
In Safari and iOS Safari, we use aurora.js to directly decode FLAC files in javascript, which works but uses much more CPU compared to native decoding!

ALAC

ALAC is not supported by any browser so far, therefore we use aurora.js to directly decode ALAC files in javascript. This works but uses much more CPU compared to native decoding!

Ogg Vorbis

Only supported by Firefox, Chrome and Chrome for Android - for details please see Ogg Vorbis audio format.

We suggest to use a recent Firefox or Chrome browser for best performance.
Decoding FLAC and ALAC files also works in Safari and iOS with the help of aurora.js, but javascript decoders need a lot of CPU and they sometimes have problems with exact scrolling and seeking.

Please see our blog post Audio File Formats and Bitrates for Podcasts for more details about audio formats.

Mobile Audio Inspector

Multiple responsive layouts were created to optimize the screen space usage on Android and iOS devices, so that the audio inspector is fully usable on mobile devices as well: tap into the waveform to set the playhead location, scroll horizontally to scroll waveforms, scroll vertically to scroll between tracks, use zoom gestures to zoom in/out, etc.

Unfortunately the fullscreen mode is not available on iOS devices (thanks to Apple), but it works on Android and is a really great way to inspect everything using all the available screen space:

Audio inspector in horizontal fullscreen mode on Android.

Conclusion

Try the Auphonic Audio Inspector yourself: take a look at our Audio Example Page or play with the Multitrack Audio Inspector Example.

The Audio Inspector will be shown in all productions which are created in our Web Service.
It might be used to manually check production result/input files and to send us detailed feedback about audio processing results.

Please let us know if you have some feedback or questions - more visualizations will be added in future!

Lots of users have asked us about more customization and control over the sound of our audio algorithms in the past, so today, we have introduced some advanced algorithm parameters for our singletrack version in a private beta program!

• Leveler Presets are basically complete new leveling algorithms
• Maximum Loudness Range (LRA) Target to control the strength of our Leveler
• Maximum True Peak Level
• Better Hum and Noise Reduction Controls

UPDATE Nov. 2018:
We released a complete rework of the Adaptive Leveler parameters and the description here is not valid anymore!
Please see Auphonic Adaptive Leveler Customization (Beta Update)!

Please join our private beta program and let us know how you use these new features or if you need even more control!

Leveler Presets

Our Adaptive Leveler corrects level differences between speakers, between music and speech and will also apply dynamic range compression to achieve a balanced overall loudness. If you don't know about the Leveler yet, take a look at our Audio Examples.

Leveler presets are basically complete new leveling algorithms, which we have been working on in the past few months:
Our current Leveler tries to normalize all speakers to the same loudness. However, in some cases, you might want more or less loudness differences (dynamic range / loudness range) between the speakers and music segments, or more or less compression, etc.
For these use cases, we have developed additional Leveler Presets and the parameter Maximum Loudness Range.

Preset Medium:

This is our current leveling algorithm as demonstrated in the Audio Examples.

Preset Hard:

The hard preset reacts faster and applies more gain and compression compared to the medium preset. It is built for recordings with extreme loudness differences, for example very quiet questions from the audience in a lecture recording, extremely soft and loud voices within one audio track, etc.

Preset Soft:

This preset reacts slower, applies less gain and compression compared to the medium preset. Use it if you want to keep more loudness differences (dynamic narration), if you want your voices to sound "less compressed/processed", for dynamic music (concert/classical recordings), background music, etc.

Preset Softer:

Like soft, but softer :)

Preset Speech Medium, Music Soft:

Uses the medium preset in speech segments and the soft preset in music segments. It is built for music live recordings or dynamic music mixes, where you want to amplify all speakers but keep the loudness differences within and between music segments.

Preset Medium, No Compressor:

Like the medium preset, but only (mid-term) leveling and no (short-term) compression is applied. This preset is optimal if you just use a Maximum Loudness Range Target and want to avoid any additional compression as much as possible.

Maximum Loudness Range (LRA) Target

The loudness range (LRA) indicates the variation of loudness over the course of a program and is measured in LU (loudness units) - for more details see Loudness Measurement and Normalization or EBU Tech 3342.

The parameter Max Loudness Range controls how much leveling is applied:
volume changes of our Adaptive Leveler will be restricted so that the loudness range of the output file is below the selected value.
High loudness range values will result in very dynamic output files, low loudness range values in compressed output audio. If the LRA value of your input file is already below the maximum loudness range value, no leveling at all will be applied.

It is also important which Leveler Preset you select, for example, if you use the soft(er) preset, it won't be possible to achieve very low loudness range targets.

Also, the Max Loudness Range parameter is not such a precise target value as the Loudness Target. The LRA of your output file might be off a few LU, as it is not reasonable to reach the exact target value.

Use Cases: The Maximum LRA parameter allows you to control the strength of our leveling algorithms, in combination with the parameter Leveler Preset. This might be used for automatic mixdowns with different LRA values for different target platforms (very compressed ones like mobile devices or Alexa, very dynamic ones like home cinema, etc.).

Maximum True Peak Level

This parameter sets the maximum allowed true peak level of the processed output file, which is controlled by the True Peak Limiter after our Global Loudness Normalization algorithms.

If set to Auto (which is the current default), a reasonable value according to the selected loudness target is used: -1dBTP for 23 LUFS (EBU R128) and higher, -2dBTP for -24 LUFS (ATSC A/85) and lower loudness targets.

The maximum true peak level parameter is already available in our desktop program.

Better Hum and Noise Reduction Controls

Hum Base Frequency:

Set the hum base frequency to 50Hz or 60Hz (if you know it), or use Auto to automatically detect the hum base frequency in each speech region.

Hum Reduction Amount:

Maximum hum reduction amount in dB, higher values remove more noise.
In Auto mode, a classifier decides how much hum reduction is necessary in each speech region. Set it to a custom value (> 0), if you prefer more hum reduction or want to bypass our classifier. Use Disable Dehum to disable hum reduction and use our noise reduction algorithms only.

Behavior of noise and hum reduction parameter combinations:

Advanced Parameters Private Beta and Feedback

At the moment the advanced algorithm parameters are for beta users only. This is to allow us to get user feedback, so we can change the parameters to suit user needs.
Please let us know your case studies, if you need any other algorithm parameters or if you have any questions!

Here are some private beta invitation codes:

y6KCBI4yo0 ksIFEsmI1y BDZec2a21V i4XRGLlVm2 0UDxuS0vbu aaBxi35sKN aaiDSZUbmY bu8lPF80Ih eMsSl6Sf8K DaWpsUnyjo
2YM00m8zDW wh7K2pPmSa jCX7mMy2OJ ZGvvhzCpTF HI0lmGhjVO eXqVhN6QLU t4BH0tYcxY LMjQREVuOx emIogTCAth 0OTPNB7Coz
VIFY8STj2f eKzRSWzOyv 40cMMKKCMN oBruOxBkqS YGgPem6Ne7 BaaFG9I1xZ iSC0aNXoLn ZaS4TykKIa l32bTSBbAx xXWraxS40J
zGtwRJeAKy mVsx489P5k 6SZM5HjkxS QmzdFYOIpf 500AHHtEFA 7Kvk6JRU66 z7ATzwado6 4QEtpzeKzC c9qt9Z1YXx pGSrDzbEED
MP3JUTdnlf PDm2MOLJIG 3uDietVFSL 1i7jZX0Y9e zPkSgmAqqP 5OhcmHIZUP E0vNsPxZ4s FzTIyZIG2r 5EywA0M7r5 FMhpcFkVN5
oRLbRGcRmI 2LTh8GlN7h Cjw6Z3cveP fayCewjE55 GbkyX89Lxu 4LpGZGZGgc iQV7CXYwkH pGLyQPgaha e3lhKDRUMs Skrei1tKIa

If you have an invitation code, you can enter it here to activate the advanced audio algorithm parameters:
Auphonic Algorithm Parameters Private Beta Activation