The Week in Social rounds up the best of Iowa’s uplifting stories, exciting initiatives and fun events from all 99 counties discovered through social media. In a time where every bit of good news is cherished, this series is devoted to being a fun, lighthearted way to stay informed about Iowa’s good news.
The 61 Drive-In Theatre in Delmar is back for its 71st summer and promises to show a slate of first-run films all summer long. One of only four drive-in theaters operating across the state, the 61 Drive-In Theatre prides itself on providing affordable, quality entertainment with their state-of-the-art projection system.
The theatre also hosts a family-friendly environment with free miniature train rides, swing set, basketball court, whiffle ball diamond, tether ball and volleyball court. Plus, you can get a mixture of sweet and savory snacks at the concession stand. Starting May 7, the theatre will kick off their season and feature “Tom & Jerry” followed by “Godzilla: King of the Monsters.”
Iowa is home to a variety of great pizza styles, but one writer believes Quad Cities-Style pizza is the cream of the crop. “Your first scissor-cut strip of Quad Cities pizza will most assuredly not be your last, not if you can help it. With a distinctive, crispy-chewy crust rich in malt and molasses, generous heaps of crumbled lean sausage (the classic topper) shrouded in low-moisture mozzarella, and a conservative amount of spicy, fragrant tomato sauce hidden way down at the base, this isn't the pizza you're used to — chances are, it's better,” wrote David Landsel for Food & Wine’s Best Pizza in Every State article.
Citing restaurants such as Harris Pizza, Gunchie’s and Uncle Bill’s Pizza, Landsel knows those in the Quad Cities are lucky to have a variety of places to enjoy this delectable style of ‘za.
Best pizza in IA is Quad Cities-style? We'd have to agree ??????
— Quad Cities (@VisitQuadCities) April 29, 2021
Read more from @foodandwine ??https://t.co/RlfyDmt34U
Jane Smiley's epic Iowa novel, "A Thousand Acres," based on a Shakespeare play, will now be an opera. https://t.co/H3cd6TnHSx
— Des Moines Register (@DMRegister) April 29, 2021
The Des Moines Metro Opera is making a splashy move as it’s planning to premiere a $1 million production of “A Thousand Acres,” based on the 1991 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Jane Smiley.
Set to premiere on July 9, 2022, the story reimagines Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” a classic tragedy about a king who becomes destitute and goes insane after relinquishing his power and land to two of his three daughters. There’s one major difference — “A Thousand Acres” takes place in 1980s rural Iowa instead of 17th century Britain.
As an Iowa-based opera company, “we wanted to find a story that felt intrinsic to Iowa and was uniquely ours to tell,” said DMMO’s artistic and general director Michael Egel in an interview with DSM Magazine. “But we also wanted a novel that had achieved a profile beyond our borders. While this is an Iowa tale, it’s also a universal one.”
Iowa City West High School student Dasia Taylor recently appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show to promote her potentially transformative invention.
"I set out to create cost-effective sutures that change color when an infection is present," Taylor said to DeGeneres at a taping of her show, which aired last week. "And hey, now I'm here with you."
Sutures such as Taylor’s exist already, but they’re much more expensive. Taylor’s invention utilizes beet juice to detect infections, making the price point much lower and more accessible to those in need.
"I don't know if you know this," DeGeneres told Taylor, "but the show has a very prestigious science fair that I entered you into. And it's called 'Ellen's Science Fair for People Named Dasia Who Are Changing the World with Great Inventions.'"
Taylor was presented with a trophy, as well as a $10,000 prize from the sponsoring company, Shutterfly.
Iowa City student Dasia Taylor's medical invention got the attention of TV talk-show host @TheEllenShow. The 17-year-old appears on this afternoon's broadcast and gets a special award.
— Iowa City Press-Citizen (@presscitizen) April 26, 2021
https://t.co/3A7g3Imwta
