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Mental Health: Now More Than Ever

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We all likely had our own ideas of what 2020 would look like—maybe for the world, and certainly for ourselves. Then, barely three months into the year, the world as most of us knew it turned upside down. The COVID-19 pandemic has consumed everyone’s 2020. From kids attending classes virtually, to their parents working from home, to face masks becoming ubiquitous, life now looks very different than it did at the start of the year. And with no end to the pandemic currently in sight, even the calmest among us are facing challenges to our mental health like we may never have experienced before. So how do we combat the ongoing uncertainty and anxiety?

According to Jim Wilwerding, licensed mental health counselor with New Heights Counseling Resources in Urbandale, the pandemic presents unique challenges to our mental health. Foremost among these can be a feeling of powerlessness against a foe we can’t see, which therefore can feel too overwhelming to even contemplate. “There is this notion that COVID is everywhere, and we don’t know where it is,” he says. “Where do you turn?  How do you manage something that’s so big?  It’s just too big to comprehend.”  

The measures required for public safety—social distancing, wearing face coverings in public, and the need to stay home and limit close contact with others as much as possible—can lead to feelings of isolation, which only compounds the struggle. As human beings, Wilwerding says, “we need interaction—particularly three-dimensional interaction.”  Phone calls, FaceTime, and Zoom meetings can bridge the gap, but the way our brains are wired, says Wilwerding, two-dimensional interactions only go so far. “There’s something about being in the same space,” he says.

It makes sense, then, that one of the most effective ways to cope with COVID-related anxiety or stress is to prioritize ways to get those in-person interactions with people, especially loved ones. “We all get kind of closed into our own worlds,” Wilwerding says. “Can you find someone you can have face-to-face interaction with?”  Additionally, one of the safest ways to interact in person with others right now is to socialize outdoors, and going outside and getting fresh air into your lungs is another one of the best ways to buoy your spirits. 

“I’ve been recommending to a lot of folks—get outside, get some exercise, get some sunshine on your face,” says Wilwerding. Whether it’s a socially-distanced happy hour in a parking lot with coworkers, or just an impromptu chat with a neighbor from six feet away, finding ways to interact in person with the people around us can go a long way toward alleviating feelings of anxiety and isolation.

In addition to three-dimensional interaction with others, putting a high priority on getting accurate information regarding the coronavirus itself can be crucial to your mental well-being. The mere fact that this is a virus we’ve never encountered before can be anxiety-inducing on its own. “[The virus] is novel—we don’t know a lot about COVID-19,” Wilwerding says. He points out, however, that it can be useful to think back to our high school biology classes and remember how viruses work, and perhaps more importantly, how they don’t work. 

Additionally, it often feels like there is not only an overwhelming amount of information circulating about COVID-19, but sometimes contradictory information, which can make it difficult to distinguish facts from fiction. Wilwerding recommends limiting your intake of news and information about the virus to “real, solid sources of information.”  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center are two oft-referenced, reputable sources of information and statistics. Knowing the data and being armed with science-based facts and information can help you feel more in control.

That knowledge can be particularly helpful for supporting others around us, especially our kids. Wilwerding says children can be just as confused and concerned by the situation as adults are, particularly as everyone navigates returning to learn in a very different environment than in the past. “We have to be careful of what we’re asking kids to process,” he says, particularly younger children. “A lot of it is beyond their capabilities for processing.”  The key with small children is keeping things simple. Kids generally have a good grasp on the concept of germs and the importance of washing their hands. Just don’t overwhelm them. “Simple answers, simple questions,” says Wilwerding. 

Helping teenagers cope during this time follows a similar line. Wilwerding points out that adolescents, who tend to be major users of social media in particular, often have more information than the adults in their lives do. Where parents can help is making sure their kids are processing all that information effectively. “Sure, you can have all this info,” he says, “[but] how do you effectively interpret it [and] process it in a way that’s not overwhelming?”  Since adolescent brains are not yet fully equipped to think critically about what they’re taking in, or about the consequences of their actions, parents should make sure to put boundaries in place to ensure their teenagers aren’t unnecessarily putting themselves or others at risk. “Just because all your friends ‘seem’ safe, doesn’t mean you can go have a sleepover,” says Wilwerding. 

Parents should also keep in mind that the same coping strategies that can help them, can help adolescents too. Make sure your teenager gets the opportunity to go out and get their exercise, says Wilwerding, “even if it’s just running around the block.”  Ensuring that they’re connecting safely with friends can help combat feelings of social isolation and boredom.

Of course, colder weather will soon be upon us, and that means the advent of flu season, in addition to the ongoing pandemic. With so much uncertainty around public health, in addition to the stress of what will likely be a contentious election season, watching the evening news these days often feels more depressing than ever before. Is it possible to remain upbeat in the midst of what can seem like an overwhelming amount of negativity?

Wilwerding says yes—it just takes some perspective. “The thing about times like these is that there have always been times like these,” he says. In situations like this, where there is not yet an end in sight and where not much is certain, there can be value in following the oft-quoted advice to “keep calm and carry on,” says Wilwerding. “I tell folks all the time: There’s no such thing as a thought that lasts forever or a feeling that lasts forever.”

Although there will almost certainly be permanent changes to the way we live due to this pandemic, Wilwerding says if you can cultivate and sustain hope, you can make it through even the most trying of circumstances. “I really like the word hopeful,” he says. “It’s not just being positive, not being Pollyanna [or] overly optimistic. To me, hopeful says: In the end, it’s going to be alright.”

Community Spotlight: Prairieview Teacher Baedke Receives Excellence in Education Award

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The Waukee School District consistently ranks as one of the top school districts statewide, and the latest evidence of its merit was on display this past July at the Iowa State Education Association’s (ISEA) Celebration of Excellence Awards Banquet.  Prairieview Spanish teacher Kerisa Baedke was presented with the ISEA Excellence in Education Award, which celebrates educators across the state who touch the lives of their students on an everyday basis. The winner acts as ISEA’s nominee for the National Education Association’s (NEA) Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence.

Now in her 31st year of teaching world languages, Baedke caught the teaching bug early on.  “I feel like I’ve been teaching most of my life,” she said. Both of her parents taught at UNI, and with two older brothers already in school, Baedke, who was still too young to attend, contented herself with playing school “all the time” at home.

During high school, she decided to study to become a world language teacher, initially planning to major in French.  On the advice of her mother—also a world language teacher—she decided to study Spanish as well, to make herself more marketable.

“My mom is very wise,” explained Baedke, “because all these years later, with a double major in French and Spanish, a teaching certificate, a semester studying abroad in Mexico, a year of teaching English in France, and a Master’s in Spanish, I am living my best life teaching young people language and culture!”

During that year in France, Baedke interviewed by phone for a position teaching French and Spanish at West Delaware High School and Middle School in Manchester, Iowa.  Not only was she hired, but her husband Bruce was also hired as the chemistry and physics teacher in the district. After teaching in West Delaware for five years, the Baedkes moved to the Des Moines metro area so that she could teach at Valley and he could teach at Dowling.  Baedke came to Prairieview in the fall of 2006 and is now entering her 14th year of teaching there.

Baedke is in her element at Prairieview.  The building is home to eighth and ninth grades, and she said she loves this because those are her two favorite grades.  She also praises the district as an excellent place to work and enjoys working with the students at Prairieview. “The students at Prairieview are incredible,” she said. “They’re kind to each other and they’re fun.  They want to learn and grow.” She also described the Prairieview staff as a family: “We strive to create a culture of love and respect that makes coming to Prairieview every day a joy.”

Clearly, Baedke’s appreciation of her students is mutual, as it was one of her students who nominated her for the Excellence in Education Award.  She received a call from Mike Beranek, the President of ISEA, in mid-April to inform her that she had won. “I was shocked,” she said. “I hadn’t known anything about the award and had to ask him several questions about it before I believed him…I still am rather flabbergasted, truth be told.  It’s a great honor, and at the same time, it’s incredibly humbling.”

Baedke’s colleagues aren’t as surprised as she was.  “[This] is a reflection of the impact she has on her students,” said Prairieview Principal Mark Stallman in a press release announcing her receipt of the award.  “We are so proud that she will represent Prairieview, Waukee and the state of Iowa as one of five national finalists for the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence.”

As a finalist for this national award, Baedke will take an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, in February for the National Education Association (NEA) Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala.  She is planning to attend with her husband and her mom. “We’re all very excited!” she said. “I’m looking forward to the event and to meeting all of the other teachers being recognized for excellence by their state education associations.”  

It’s safe to say that regardless of the outcome in Washington, DC, Baedke is already a winner with her students, her colleagues and the Waukee School District.  Congratulations! 

Featured Teacher: Ann Hanigan-Kotz

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This time of year signals a return to school for thousands of Iowa kids, from kindergarten through college. Of course, those kids’ teachers have been hard at work in their classrooms since the beginning of summer, preparing for the hustle and bustle of the coming year. 

And one of the busiest—and best—is Waukee High School English teacher Ann Hanigan-Kotz.

Hanigan-Kotz is heading into her 32nd year of teaching, and she identified her desire to teach early in her college career. After choosing English as a major, “I was practical in wanting a job from my degree,” she said. “I decided I could use my degree in the classroom.” A lifelong lover of reading and analyzing literature, she also wanted to help students the way she had been helped by her own English teachers.

Hanigan-Kotz started teaching in the Waukee School District in 1991 and has now taught all levels of high school English. She said the students are what she enjoys most about her work. “They’re so funny and fun to be around,” she explained. “I especially enjoy watching them grow in their writing and thinking skills. They become so confident. Their academic and personal growth is exciting to watch.”

She has high praise for her students’ parents and her peers, as well. “The students at Waukee work hard and appreciate their education,” she said. “Their parents are supportive of their learning.  I also admire the teachers in the district. They’re professional and care deeply about all of the students. I watch my colleagues go beyond their job description. They put so much of themselves into their profession.”

Hanigan-Kotz fits this mold herself. In addition to teaching advanced English, she also acts as the education teacher at Waukee High School, teaching Introduction to Education, a dual-credit DMACC class that allows students the chance to experience teaching for themselves. A survey class, Introduction to Education, gives students experience in all aspects of teaching, including a practicum component during which they spend 140 hours in the classroom, working with individuals, small groups and the whole class. “They teach, assess, plan and prepare teaching materials,” said Hanigan-Kotz. “They get a far more thorough experience than the colleges can give them.”

Thanks to Hanigan-Kotz, Introduction to Education isn’t the only dual-credit education class available to Waukee High School students. She recently approached UNI and persuaded the university to partner with the school to offer a children’s literature class for education students. According to Hanigan-Kotz, children’s literature is a required course for all elementary education majors, regardless of where they attend college. She team-teaches the course with UNI professor Dr. JD Cryer. She said she wanted to add the literature class to give interested students another education course to take after they finish Introduction to Education.

“They were passionate about being in the classroom, and I wanted to keep that passion burning,” she explained.

She’s also in the process of working with UNI to add another dual-credit class, ideally a course for students who are interested in elementary or secondary education. Hanigan-Kotz wants to ensure that students interested in pursuing education have as many options as possible to further that interest. “We need these passionate young people to go into our profession,” she said. “Teaching is such an honorable and important profession, and it has been so meaningful in my life. I want to share that with others.”

By all appearances, Hanigan-Kotz is making a big impact. She was nominated to be this issue’s Featured Teacher by retired Waukee High School educator Connie Tow, who began teaching there at the same time as Hanigan-Kotz and speaks very highly of her former colleague.

“Her commitment to excellence in the classroom results in students being extraordinarily well-prepared for life after high school, whether on the job or in college,” said Tow. “Her students comment on her high expectations for student achievement and her dedication to their success.”

Tow was the original instructor for the Introduction to Education DMACC class at Waukee High School and said she believes Hanigan-Kotz is doing a tremendous job helping to launch prospective future educators. “Ann’s commitment to quality learning opportunities for students and staff make her a valuable resource to our district,” said Tow. “A true professional. A dedicated teacher. A valued friend to many. A lifelong learner: Ann Hanigan-Kotz.”

Business Spotlight: B-Bop’s Waukee

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Des Moines fast food institution B-Bop’s has been delivering fast food with a retro flair to central Iowa residents for decades.  Now, Waukee residents will have a B-Bop’s location right in their backyard, as construction nears completion on the franchise’s newest location.

Construction began in the fall of 2018 on the 2,200-square-foot restaurant, which will be located at 855 East Hickman Road, near the Waukee Hy-Vee.  The location will offer seating for 60 inside, as well as eight tables on the patio and, of course, a drive-thru. The layout will be very similar to the B-Bop’s location on Stagecoach Drive in West Des Moines.  With the addition of the new store in Waukee, B-Bop’s will have a total of nine locations in Iowa, joining the existing stores on Fleur Drive, Southeast 14th, and East 14th in Des Moines, as well as their locations in West Des Moines, Altoona, Ankeny, Urbandale and Ames.

B-Bop’s is a much-loved fixture in the metro fast food landscape, but its owner got his start one state over.  B-Bop’s owner Bob Johnson embarked on his career in the fast food industry with the Mr. Quick franchise in Bollingbrook, Ill., in 1970.  He began as an assistant manager, a position he held for eight months. Impressed with Johnson’s ambition and skill, Mr. Quick’s corporate office offered him the opportunity to become a franchise partner in the business.  Johnson accepted this offer in 1973, moving to Newton, Iowa, and opening a Mr. Quick there. He later opened stores in Fairfield and Muscatine as well. In 1983, Johnson and his partners changed the restaurant name from Mr. Quick to Sizzlin’ Sam’s.

During the mid-1980s, as Johnson continued to open businesses, he took note of a new, burgeoning concept: the double drive-thru.  These were popping up throughout the Sun Belt states and encountering great success, and Johnson was interested in the possibility of opening one himself.  In 1988, Johnson found a building at 1500 East Euclid Avenue in Des Moines that he felt would be an ideal location for a double drive-thru. Within six months, the first B-Bop’s was opened on that spot, and the rest, as they say, is history.  (The original Euclid location has since been demolished—a new B-Bop’s was built around the corner on East 14th Street to replace it in 2016.)

It’s fair to say that B-Bop’s is known just as much for its atmosphere as for its food.  The old-school vibe inside each location, with the carefree music of an era gone by and the distinctive, colorful décor, take customers back to what many consider a golden, simpler time.  The beloved local chain, with its simple, tried-and-true menu, has won Cityview Magazine’s Best of Des Moines award in the Best Burger category for an astonishing 26 years in a row. B-Bop’s has also been a runner-up for Best French Fry in Cityview’s annual poll for the past five years, and its quarter- and half-pound burgers and fries also earned it the 2016 runner-up for Best Hangover Food.  

With the new store in Waukee set to open soon, residents will soon be able to satisfy their craving for a classic burger with a side of fries and a soundtrack that will take them right back to the olden days.  B-Bop’s represents just the latest exciting addition to the boom of new restaurants in Waukee!

Let’s Talk About Solar Energy

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In recent years, energy conservation and efficiency has become more and more of an emphasis for property owners—not just for business owners, but for eco-conscious residents looking to save money and reduce their carbon footprint. Until recently, however, greener energy options weren’t always accessible or economical for the average homeowner. An upcoming Waukee program is aiming to change that.

The Solarize Waukee Initiative, which began in April, is a collaborative effort by the City of Waukee, The Nature Conservancy in Iowa, the Waukee Aspiring Professional Experience (APEX) and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA). Solarize Waukee is a group purchase program that will allow residential and commercial property owners to invest in rooftop solar installations for their homes and businesses, with potential savings on installation costs. The program will be available to individuals and businesses located within the boundaries of the Waukee School District, meaning that residents of Clive, Urbandale, and West Des Moines are eligible to participate as well. The program is administered by MREA at no cost to the community.

How It Began

Solarize Waukee is the latest in a growing number of group purchasing programs for residential and commercial solar. Towns and jurisdictions such as Milwaukee and the Champaign-Urbana metro area in Illinois have seen success with the group buy model. According to Patrick Snell, External Affairs Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, the first such program in Iowa took place in Cedar Rapids and Linn County in the fall of 2017. A “huge success,” according to Snell, that program saw 105 participants install 611 kilowatts (kW)—$1.5 million worth—of solar power.

The key to the success of a group purchasing program, of course, is the competitive pricing available through such an initiative. Like a buyers’ club or a co-op, the more participants in the group, the lower the costs for everyone involved. In addition, the price has the potential to come down even more if or when certain benchmarks are met. Once the program participants collectively reach 50 kW of power purchased, everyone receives an additional reduction on the price of their own. According to Snell, an average residential solar installation comes in at roughly 5.1 kW; therefore, it would take roughly ten homes to reach 50 kW. An additional price reduction occurs at 100 kW, 200 kW, and 300 kW.

One important difference between previous programs and the Solarize Waukee Initiative is that previous programs were able to focus on expanding the market for solar power in communities where such a market already existed. Solarize Waukee, by contrast, is seeking to create and build the market for solar power, according to Snell. There are relatively few buildings in Waukee that currently have solar installed. The Nature Conservancy approached the City of Waukee regarding the initiative, hoping that recent solar installations by prominent businesses, such as Peoples Bank and the recently-opened Palm Theatres & IMAX, would spur interest from other businesses and residents, as well.

Businesses Are Reaping the Benefits of Solar

Peoples Bank, in fact, has solar power at not just one, but eight of their bank locations: Adel, Clive, Grand Junction, Guthrie Center, Jefferson, Ogden, Rippey and Waukee. They have also installed solar car chargers at their Clive, Waukee, and Adel locations for those with electric cars.

“We converted our power source from traditional electricity to solar power out of a sense for our environment and good stewardship of our resources,” said John Rigler III, President and Chief Operating Officer at Peoples Bank. He added that the business has substantially reduced its energy bills since converting to solar power.

The brand-new Fridley Theatres location in Waukee has reaped similar benefits from installing solar power. According to Fridley Theatres’ Vice President, Russell Vannorsdel, the company had been “looking into solar options for a number of years.” The falling costs of equipment, as well as federal and state incentives, finally enabled the installation of solar power at the new Waukee location.

Most of the theater’s 66,000-square-foot roof is covered with solar panels. An additional solar structure was built to the south of the theater “for more production, but also for visibility,” said Vannorsdel. “We wanted the community to see our investment in renewable resources.”

The theater, like Peoples Bank, is already seeing good returns on their energy expenditure. In fact, says Vannorsdel, “on a sunny day, there are hours of over-production.”

How to Learn More

Interested in finding out whether you’d be a good candidate for solar power? Start by attending a Solar Power Hour, a dozen of which are scheduled between the beginning of April and the end of June. These free educational sessions are open to the public and designed to provide attendees with information on the basics of solar power, ways to tell if their site is suitable for solar and the potential financial ramifications for their properties.

Representatives from MREA will be on hand at each session to answer questions, and students who are participating in APEX will have the opportunity to help with promotion and deliver some of the presentations.

Residents and business owners will then be able to sign up to receive a free, no-obligation site assessment from 1 Source Solar, a solar energy contractor based in Ankeny that was selected as the installer for the initiative through a competitive request for proposals earlier this year. 1 Source Solar was also the installer for Peoples Bank, and “did a magnificent job,” according to Rigler.

Snell says that as “an education program that’s bringing people together,” the Solarize Waukee Initiative aims to demystify the financial and logistical challenges of installing solar power for homeowners and businesses and give them the information they need to “make an informed decision” about what’s right for their properties.  Interested area residents and business owners can visit solarizewaukee.com to fill out a sign-up form and elect to receive their free estimate, program updates and Solar Power Hour announcements.

The deadline to sign up to participate in Solarize Waukee is July 31, 2019.

If you’ve been interested in greener alternatives to electricity, but figured that solar wasn’t practical or realistic, swing by a Power Hour—you may be surprised!

Solar Power Hour Schedule

  • Saturday, 6/15/2019, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Waukee Library
  • Wednesday, 6/19/2019, 6:30  p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Waukee Innovation and Learning Center
  • Wednesday, 6/26/2019, 6:30  p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Waukee City Hall

Wauk-Eats! New Waukee Restaurant Guide

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With the constant construction and expansion going on in Waukee, it’s no surprise that a slew of new restaurants have popped up on this side of town.  This past year saw a host of dining locations open their doors, providing a variety of new options for hungry residents. Here are a few new additions from the past year and a look at things to come!

Smoothie King

If your New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier and get more fit, Smoothie King is here to help you reach your goal.  With a stated vision of being an integral part of every health and fitness journey, Smoothie King’s offerings are designed to help you power through a workout, lose weight or unwind.  The franchise, which began in 1989, has grown to over 800 locations worldwide, and the Waukee location opened this past year on the corner of University Avenue and SE Alice’s Road.

Smoothie King offers four different categories of smoothies: Fitness Blends, Slim Blends, Wellness Blends, and Take a Break Blends. All smoothies, regardless of category, are formulated and blended using the franchise’s “cleaner blending” philosophy, with an emphasis on more whole fruits and vegetables and fewer artificial additives. There’s no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or flavors or preservatives in any of Smoothie King’s selections, and there’s no added sugar in more than 50 of their menu options. With a full roster of Kids’ Blends also available, the entire family can find something they like.

Customers can also add various enhancers to their smoothies. Enhancers include a “Super Grains” blend with essential amino acids, an “Immune Support” offering with additional vitamins and minerals, and a “Probiotic” option to support digestion and gut health.

For menu options and hours of operation, visit smoothieking.com.

Which Wich Superior Sandwiches

If your smoothie from Smoothie King hasn’t quite filled you up, head north just up Alice’s Road and grab a sandwich at Which Wich. This sandwich chain opened a location in Waukee this past year. From a Greek gyro to a Vietnamese cuisine-inspired banh mi sandwich, their menu spans a wide range of influences.

Their Signature Favorites include everything from the classic Philly Cheesesteak, to a Superfood Wich (featuring a vegan black bean patty and quinoa on a spinach tortilla) to a Brunchwich that includes rotisserie-roasted beef and lamb gyro slices and a sunny-side-up egg.  Which Wich’s proprietary Wicked sandwich comes loaded with turkey, ham, roast beef, pepperoni and bacon—the customer then chooses three cheeses to add, along with any additional toppings.

Customers can also build their own sandwiches or choose a salad or wrap instead.  With a variety of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options also available, Which Wich caters to those with dietary restrictions as well. Their menu and hours of operation can be found online at whichwich.com.

Central Standard Burgers

Central Standard, which opened on University Avenue in July of 2018, is the second location of a restaurant that got its start in Bettendorf, Iowa, about five years ago. According to General Manager Andy Crounse, the restaurant was developed as an alternative to more traditional “cookie-cutter” burger joints.

Among the dozen or so burger options on the menu are the “Oh No,” with cheese curds and fried pickles, and the “Heck No,” with jalapeño poppers and ghost pepper cheese. The menu also includes other sandwiches like the PB & J (pork belly and jalapeño), and various mac and cheese selections.  In addition to their non-traditional burgers, the restaurant is also well-known for its massive, creative shakes.

So if you’re in the market for a burger (and a shake) with a twist, give Central Standard a try.  Their menu and hours of operation can be found online at centralstandardburgers.com.  

R Taco

The “R” in R Taco comes from founder Rusty Fenton, who opened the first Rusty Taco location in Dallas in 2010.  The Tex-Mex chain arrived on University Avenue in West Des Moines earlier this year. R Taco’s specialty, as one might imagine, is authentic, Mexican street-style tacos, handmade and offered on corn or flour tortillas. With a wide variety of fillings available—BBQ brisket, Baja shrimp, fried chicken, and black beans, to name just a few—there’s something to suit everyone’s taste.

R Taco also offers a selection of breakfast tacos, served all day.  If you like a margarita with your tacos (always a delicious idea), the Rusty Margaritas—“always made with fresh lime juice and cheap tequila,” per their website—have you covered.

So if, like Fenton, your motto is, “Tacos are the most important meal of the day,” R Taco is your kind of place.  Check out their menu and hours of operation online at rustytaco.com.

Rosati’s Pizza

Chicago-style deep-dish pizza arrived in Waukee this past November with the opening of Rosati’s Pizza on SE Alice’s Road.  Rosati’s, the first of which opened in Chicago in 1964, focuses on traditional, authentic Italian dishes made from Rosati family recipes that have been passed down through five generations of the family.

Their calling card, of course, is their Classic Chicago Pizza. “With a deep crust cradling the freshest ingredients in town, our deep dish sets the bar very high,” says Jeff Fournier, General Manager at the Waukee location.

Veggies are cut, mozzarella is shredded, dough is made and meats are prepped fresh every day at Rosati’s, says Fournier. This guarantees the quality of the final product.

If Chicago deep dish isn’t quite your speed, no big deal.  Rosati’s has an abundance of menu options, ranging from pastas, sandwiches (like their popular Italian beef), desserts and a variety of side dishes.  The location is “not just a pizza place, but a full Italian restaurant,” according to Fournier.

Rosati’s also features a full catering menu and can deliver anywhere in the Des Moines metro area.  So the next time you have a craving for pizza—particularly if a thin, flatbread pizza just isn’t going to cut it—give Rosati’s a shot! Find their menu and hours of operation online at rosatispizza.com.

Coming Soon

The slew of fast-casual favorites arriving in Waukee isn’t set to slow down anytime soon.  Culver’s, B-Bop’s, and IHOP are all scheduled to open locations in 2019, providing even more dining options for residents.  Keep an eye out for these in the coming year!

Caring Cops

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The Waukee Police Department is very active in the community it serves, taking part in over a dozen community outreach programs. From Safety City courses for incoming kindergarten students to supplying a drug drop box for unwanted and/or expired medications, the department provides a wide range of services and fun opportunities for Waukee residents.

The holiday season provides a special occasion for the department to bring joy to residents who might otherwise not have an all-that-jolly holiday, through their “Thanksgiving Basket” and “Shop with a Cop” programs.

The Thanksgiving Basket program enables the department to provide traditional Thanksgiving dinners for families in need. Each fall, donations from community businesses and individuals are used to create gift baskets packed full of ingredients for hearty Thanksgiving meals. Counselors from Waukee schools nominate recipients, focusing on families who are facing particularly challenging situations, such as financial difficulty or a loss in the family.

Each gift basket costs approximately $30 to put together and is prepared by Fareway in Waukee. The number of families the department is able to help is dependent on donated funds, so the more they receive, the more people they can help.

The baskets are delivered the Saturday before Thanksgiving, ensuring that each recipient family gets all the turkey and stuffing they can eat in time for the holiday.

The Shop with a Cop program carries this idea through to the Christmas season. Each December, the police department raises money through community donations to provide children in the school district with the opportunity to buy holiday gifts for their families. Recipient students are nominated by student counselors, focusing on families with a need for economic assistance.

The participating children begin their day with breakfast cooked by the Waukee Fire Department, after which they get to ride in a squad car to stores like Walmart to purchase gifts for their family members. After their shopping spree, the children get to enjoy a pizza lunch and a gift-wrapping session at the Waukee Public Safety Building.

The Waukee Police Department gratefully accepts donations throughout the season to facilitate both programs. Donations may be mailed or dropped off in-person at the Waukee Public Safety Building at 1300 SE LA Grant Parkway. Call the department’s non-emergency phone number at 515-978-7979 or email police@waukee.org for more information about either program.

 

Miss NiNi’s Desserterie

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Finding a good cup of coffee in the Metro isn’t difficult. Nor is it hard to hunt down tasty desserts. But finding both in one spot, with that certain hard-to-define element that accompanies homemade items, can be a little more challenging. That’s where Miss NiNi’s Desserterie comes in.

Janine Knop, whose longtime nickname gives the store its name, has had a passion for baking her entire life. Raised on a farm in North Dakota, she “would sit on our three-legged, wobbly kitchen stool observing Mom as she made dozens of loaves of bread, pies, cakes and cinnamon rolls.” Knop continued to bake all through school, participating in 4-H for a decade and earning her college degree in home economics education and food and nutrition.

After years of farming near Atlantic, Iowa, with her husband Fred, Knop began to enter her baked creations in food exhibits and competitions at the Iowa State Fair (the largest of their kind in the country). Before long, she wasn’t just participating—she was bringing home numerous championship ribbons. According to Knop, this was when she decided to challenge herself by baking professionally.

Knop’s desserts could soon be found at Friedrich’s Coffee locations around the Des Moines Metro and at Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure, where they have been featured for over 10 years. The menu at Des Moines Golf and Country Club also regularly features Knop’s signature creations. The clamor for the desserts increased with time, and in January of 2017, Miss NiNi’s Desserterie opened for business in the Hawthorne Center on University Avenue.

Miss NiNi’s menu features a diverse array of goodies, many of which were awarded championship ribbons at the state fair. “I create recipes based on unique flavor combinations and design,” says Knop.

It’s difficult to imagine a sweet tooth that couldn’t be satisfied at Miss NiNi’s. If cheesecake isn’t your speed—of which there are 11 varieties on the menu, from Chocolate Raspberry Swirl to Italian Tiramisu—there are also layer cakes, brownies, dessert breads, cookies and coffee cakes available. One highly popular item, the Cupcake-A-Jar, “solves the problem of messy cupcake eating,” according to Knop. Cake and frosting are layered in small glass canning jars, which allows the consumer to eat a few bites now and save the rest for later. The jars are shelf-stable for five to seven days, so you can take your sweet time enjoying them.

In addition to the dessert options, Knop says customers tell them their coffee—made with locally-roasted Zanzibar’s beans and a sophisticated water filtration system—is the best-tasting in town.

With the holiday season just around the corner, seasonal additions have begun to appear in the dessert case at Miss NiNi’s. Among the offerings are pumpkin praline cheesecake, three-layer pumpkin cake with cranberry filling and cinnamon buttercream frosting, decadent flourless chocolate torte with chocolate ganache, and apricot rum cheesecake.

New this year is Miss NiNi’s 8-inch Bundt cake, which comes in pumpkin spice, chocolate chunk, and coconut bliss. One seasonal hit from last year, make-them-yourself Christmas cookie kits, will be offered again this season, along with cookie gift trays, which would undoubtedly go over well at any holiday office party or family gathering.

Knop and her baking team focus on creating beautiful, handcrafted desserts with impeccable homemade flavor and texture—qualities that are often absent in the commercial baking industry, Knop notes. Locally owned and operated, Knop says Miss NiNi’s “would be incomplete without the tremendous support and dedication of my family and talented baking team!”

Customers who visit the desserterie, located at 9500 University Avenue, Suite 1204, in West Des Moines, have the option of enjoying their dessert on-site or taking it to-go. Hours and menu items may be found at missnini.com.

So if you’re in the market for a great cup of joe and a sweet, homemade treat to go with it—and really, who isn’t?—Miss NiNi’s has you covered.

Waukee’s Central Standard Burgers

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By Kellyn Pappas

You don’t have to look far in the Des Moines metro area to find a good burger. From the classics at B-Bop’s to the slightly less conventional choices at Zombie Burger, there’s something to suit every taste. And now customers have an intriguing new option in Waukee: Central Standard Burgers.

Central Standard, located at 1222 SE University Avenue, is the second location of a restaurant that got its start in Bettendorf, Iowa, about five years ago. According to general manager Andy Crounse, the restaurant was developed as an alternative to more traditional “cookie-cutter” burger joints.

Central Standard proved enormously popular. As the restaurant, along with other eateries owned by the same group, continued to be successful, the ownership group determined the time was right to expand. Crounse said Waukee was selected for the new restaurant because Waukee is “all about family and the community—it’s the key to good living!”

According to Crounse, the menu at the Waukee location will look very similar to the one in Bettendorf, with a few differences on the features menu and in the cocktail offerings. For example, a “Warrior Lemonade” mocktail will appear as a Waukee-specific item.

Perhaps unique among burger restaurants, Central Standard bakes all of its own bread, pretzels and buns for their burgers. And these burgers are not slabs of boring beef with nothing but ketchup. Among the dozen or so burger options are the “Oh No,” with cheese curds and fried pickles, and the “Heck No,” with jalapeño poppers and ghost pepper cheese. The menu also includes other sandwiches like the PB & J (that’s pork belly and jalapeño, not the childhood favorite peanut butter and jelly), and various jazzed-up mac and cheese selections (if, like the writer, your taste preferences occasionally lean in the direction of the kids’ menu).

The restaurant takes pride in its craft beer offerings, with 24 beers on tap at any given time. These are locally sourced as much as possible. Current options include beers from Exile Brewing Company and Iowa Brewing Company. “They’re all Iowa beers at the moment,” said Crounse.

Central Standard is also well-known for its massive, creative shakes—think tall glasses rimmed with candy sprinkles and topped with baked goods. For example, the Cookie Dough shake features an actual cookie sandwich, and the s’more shake— well, you get the idea. All menu shakes can be upgraded to loaded shakes for those over 21. The restaurant also features “Will’s Feature Shake of the Month.” A portion of the proceeds from this specialty shake go to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, a partnership which has been going strong for about four years, according to Crounse, and one of which they are especially proud.

Central Standard had a soft open for family and friends the week of July 23 and officially opened for business on July 30. The restaurant currently has about 65 people on staff, and Crounse says they expect to eventually have around 100 employees total. With plenty of indoor space, plus a patio, the restaurant seats around 280 people. Customers can find their menu and hours of operation online at centralstandardburgers.com.

Crounse and his colleagues at Central Standard are excited to bring their unique take on burgers and fries to Waukee. Outside-the-box offerings are their specialty. “We don’t want to be the same old, same old,” said Crounse.

With creative burgers on homemade buns, local craft beers and shakes that provide a lot more than just a cherry on top, Central Standard stands to be an exciting new option for hungry Waukee residents.

 

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Community Spotlight: Waukee Rotary Club

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Who They Are

The Waukee Rotary Club was chartered in May 1999 with 26 members. According to Drew Strube, president elect of Waukee Rotary, the club now has close to 70 members.

Many of its members are under the age of 40. “We are lively and thoroughly enjoy the fellowship with each other,” said Strube.

What They Do

The focus of the Waukee Rotary Club is to give back to the local community and to donate time and money to regional and international projects, as well.

Its current endeavors include:

  • Partnering with other metro Rotary clubs and the Iowa Wolves organization to raise funds for the Rotary Foundation’s international campaign, Polio Plus. The Rotary Foundation has partnered with the Gates Foundation to work to eradicate polio worldwide.
  • Working with Waukee Christian Services during the holidays to adopt a number of local underprivileged children and provide gifts, as well as donating to Operation Warm to purchase winter clothes for children in the school district who could not otherwise afford them.
  • Organizing the first annual Bar-B-Kee Bash, scheduled for Sept. 15 of this year. The club will put on a barbecue competition and concert to raise funds for their service projects. A portion of the proceeds will also go towards Major’s Army, a team of family and friends raising money for a local child living with cystic fibrosis.
  • Sponsoring inbound and outbound exchange students each year.
  • Taking on various environmental projects, such as sponsoring the new trail head on the Raccoon River bike trail, roadside clean-ups on a section of Ashworth Road, and planting a tree for every member of the club.

What’s Coming Up

The Waukee Rotary Club sponsors the student art exhibit at the Waukee Arts Festival, which will be held this year on July 13-14. The exhibit provides students with space to display (and in some cases, sell) their artwork to the public. This year’s exhibit will be especially exciting, as it will be the first year that the Waukee Area Arts Council will fund and present scholarships to two Waukee High School students to help further their education in the arts.

According to Cody Kilgore, President of the Arts Council, the organization began discussing the possibility of offering scholarships a couple years ago. The plan is to offer the scholarships on an annual basis going forward. The students who applied for the scholarships underwent an application process that included a submitted essay and an in-person interview and portfolio review with the board of the Arts Council.

Kilgore commented that there were five candidates this inaugural year, and selecting who would receive the two scholarships was extremely difficult.

Had we the resources, we wish we could have awarded everyone we interviewed,” he said. “They are all tremendously talented and wonderful individuals. They have bright futures ahead of them.

Be sure to stop by the Waukee Arts Festival this July to check out the artwork at the student exhibit. As always, there will also be food vendors, kids’ entertainment, and live music—including a Friday evening concert by The Nadas. It’s sure to be a great time!

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