Actors film the promo/sizzle earlier this summer for the screenplay of “Death of a Brewer” written by Mokotsi Rukundo, an Iowa City native and Los Angeles screenwriter and director of the movie project. The screenplay is based on the book, “Beer Money, A Tale of the Iowa City Beer Mafia’ written by S.C. Sherman of North Liberty and formerly of Grinnell. Plans are to film the movie in the summer of 2024. By J.O. Parker A piece of Iowa City history from the late 1880s is in the works to become a movie, thanks to an Iowa author with Grinnell ties. S.C. Sherman of North Liberty, a 1988 graduate of Grinnell High School, recently shot a proof of concept/sizzle short promo movie in Iowa City for the script, “Death of a Brewer,” based on his novel, “Beer Money, A Tale of the Iowa City Beer Mafia,” released in 2020. Sherman is working with Doug Alberhasky, owner of John’s Grocery in Iowa City and Mokotsi Rukundo, an Iowa City native and Los Angeles screenwriter to produce the movie. Rukundo wrote the script for the movie. “He (Mokotsi Rukundo) loves Iowa and this great Iowa story is the perfect fit for him,” said Sherman. The lead actor concept/sizzle short promo was Andy Dispensa, also from Los Angeles, who has starred in episodes of “N.C.I.S. Hawaii” and “The Chosen.” Other parts of the movie promo were played by local favorites, including Sherman himself. “We will be using local actors when we can and most definitely for the extras, but we will be using professional actors in the movie,” Sherman said. “Some of which will be Hollywood “famous” in nature, but I can’t drop any names as of yet.” The trio of Sherman, Alberhasky and Rukundo are currently in the process of adding private investors to the producer side of the project and are working with the State of Iowa on funding options. “We hope to be shooting the movie in Iowa next summer,” noted Sherman. “Beer Money” is Sherman’s seventh novel and was born out of a tour several years ago he took of the beer caves 30-foot under the only remaining brewery building in Iowa City at the corner of Linn and Market Streets. “It was an amazing tour and brought to life a story lost to history that I’d never heard of before,” said Sherman. “It’s a story about German and Czech immigrants and three great breweries on the Northside of Iowa City. Their way of life clashed with the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and a dramatic tale unfolded into The Beer Riots of 1884 and the men known in Iowa City as the Beer Mafia. I became obsessed and researched the story from that point on.” The book follows the brewers of Iowa City from 1881 to 1884. The movie will follow the same time, but focuses more on 1884 timeframe. When writing the book, Sherman spent several months of research on the project, including using some research previously done. “I used the State Historical Society and many other sources to learn all I could to portray an entertaining and accurate look at the past,” Sherman said. “My book is titled, ‘Beer Money.’” The book came out in 2020 and Sherman had a planned launch party at the Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City in the spring of that year. “It was literally the night before the Governor shut the state down for Covid,” he said. “Talk about poor timing.” When asked, Sherman said he did not set out to make a movie of his book when writing it, but said when he writes, he sees stories in his head like a movie. “It is very exciting to see the book become a script and now to see my characters come to life on the big screen,” said Sherman. “It a story that needs to be told, to be known and remembered. It’s an immigrant story, it’s a story of the American Dream and the occasional nightmare that goes with that as people groups clash in the great melting pot.” The end goal, Sherman said, is to produce the next great Iowa film. “Iowa doesn’t have a lot of films about Iowa or filmed in Iowa,” said Sherman, saying that “Field of Dreams” is literally the most widely known Iowa film and it was decades ago. “Our film will bring a great story of our state to worldwide attention,” noted Sherman. “Our modern breweries are built upon this legacy of the past and our story will be both entertaining and enlightening for both Iowan’s and all Americans. The movie titled, “Death Of A Brewer,” will be unveiled at several film festivals and then international distribution will follow. We will be offering viewing events in some of Iowa’s own great breweries as well.” In addition to writing books and working on a movie project, Sherman sells real estate and specializes in farms, hunting properties and acreages. He and his wife, Amy, have four children. His novels include: “Leaving Southfields,” a historical fiction; “Hell and Back,” a spiritual thriller; “Moxie,” a young adult fantasy; “Mercy Shot,” a political thriller; “Lone Wolf Canyon,” a modern day western; “Seven Days and Six Nights,” a supernatural thriller; and “Beer Money,” a historical fiction about the Iowa City Beer Riots of 1884. Sherman is releasing his eighth novel, a historical fiction set in 1902 and based on a singular event in the life of U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a free Black slave turned lawman, who was forced to track down and arrest his own son for murder across Indian Territory of Oklahoma. It is titled, “A Bass Reeves Adventure – Give Me The Warrant.” A “Beer Money” movie and Bass Reeves book release party is slated for Oct. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Prairie Canary Speakeasy in Grinnell. Sherman’s books are all available on Amazon or his website, www.scherman.com and some local bookstores. You can also follow him at his author page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SCSherman. S.C. Sherman, middle back, is joined by Doug Alberhasky, right, owner of John’s Grocery in Iowa City and Mokotsi Rukundo, front, an Iowa City native and Los Angeles screenwriter and director who wrote the screenplay of “Death of a Brewer” based on the novel “Beer Money, A Tale of the Iowa City Beer Mafia” written by Sherman and released in 2020. The men, who are enjoying a cold beer, recently filmed a promo/sizzle of the movie and are currently raising funds to make Efforts are underway to make a movie about the Iowa City Beer Mafia from the late 1880s based on the book, "Beer Money, A Tale of the Iowa City Beer Mafia," by Iowa author and Grinnell native S.C. Sherman. Plans are to start filming the movie in the summer of 2024.
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Three members of the Poweshiek County 4-H Junior Master Gardener Club, from left, Carleigh Klein, William Schalmo and Grace Schalmo received numerous honors for their handy garden work at the plot located at the Poweshiek County Fairgrounds. William and Grace were recognized as top individual junior gardeners in the state. Carleigh Klein and Hanna McCue (not pictured) also earned recognition as first-year exhibitors. The 4-H’ers were among a number of area youth who showcased projects and animals the 2023 Iowa State Fair. Poweshiek County 4-H’ers participated in many events at this year’s Iowa State Fair. They communicated, judged and exhibited projects, art work, horticulture and livestock.
Horticulture Months of hard work in the garden paid off in ribbons and accolades for the Poweshiek County 4-H Junior Master Gardener Program, placing third overall in the Iowa State Fair’s Junior Horticulture competition on Aug. 12. The Junior Master Gardener Program received the Grand Champion purple ribbon for their county vegetable platter of cucumbers, onions, peppers, squash, and tomatoes grown on their plot at the Poweshiek County Fairgrounds. Club members Carleigh Klein; Rosie Leasure; Hanna and Slane McCue; and Cora, Grace, and William Schalmo also received numerous Grand Champion and Reserve Champion ribbons for their herbs and vegetables. In addition, William Schalmo (fifth) and Grace Schalmo (ninth) were recognized as top individual junior gardeners in the state. Carleigh Klein and Hanna McCue also earned recognition as first-year exhibitors. Iowa 4-H also recognized Poweshiek County 4-H Junior Master Gardener Program Leader Betsy Cranston with the Superintendent’s Special Award for her contributions to youth horticulture. Garden Crops Carleigh Klein: 2 reds, blue, purple, 3rd in class; Rosalee Leasure: 3 reds, 4 blues, 1st in class; Hanna McCue: 4 reds, 4 blues, purple, 1st in class, x2 3rd in class; Slane McCue: 5 reds, 9 blues, 2 purples, 1st in class, x3 2nd in class; Grace Schalmo: 4 reds, 4 blues, 3 purples, 1st in class, x3 2nd in class; William Schalmo: 2 reds, 3 blues, 7 purples, x5 1st in class x3 and 3rd in class. Peppers, Tomatillos, & Tomatoes Carleigh Klein: red, blue, purple, 3rd in class; Rosalee Leasure: White, 2 reds, 2 blues, purple, 1st in class; Hanna McCue: 3 reds, blue; Slane McCue: White, 2 reds, purple; Grace Schalmo: white, red, 4 blue, 3 purple, 1st in class, 2nd in class, x3 3rd in class; William Schalmo: white, 5 reds, 2 blues, 2 purple, x2 1st in class. Vegetable Combinations Carleigh Klein: 2 purples, 1st, 2nd, in class; Rosalee Leasure: purple, 3rd in class; Hanna McCue: blue, 2 purples, x2 3rd in class; Slane McCue: white, purple, 3rd in class; Grace Schalmo: 2 reds, blue, 1 purple, 1st in class; William Schalmo: 2 blues, 2 purples, x2 1st in class. Herbs Slane McCue: red, 2 blues, purple, 1st, 3rd in class. Jumbo Vegetables Grace Schalmo: 2 blues, x2 2nd in class; William Schalmo: blue, purple, x2 1st in class. Communications Grace and William Schalmo received participation ribbons for performing in the Share The Fun communication division of this year’s Iowa State Fair. William also had a Merit in his working Exhibit. Matthew and Lucy Turley competed in the Education Presentations portion along with Dasha LaRue, Gracie Kaufman and Slane McCue. Mathew and Gracie received Excellence and Lucy and Slane Merit, and Dasha Recognition. Poweshiek County also had two teams doing Working Exhibits, Carleigh Klein and Cora Schalmo received a Merit rating and Slane and Hannah McCue received Recognition. Indoor Static Projects Braxton Brand received a blue for his project in Ag and Natural resources. Cameyon James received a blue for his Animal Science project. In Photography Peyton Tindle, Sheldyn Goodrich, Hendrick Lowry, Grace Schalmo, Ilee Lacaeyse, all received blue ribbons. Lowry had two photo’s both received blue and Schalmo’s photo received PPI Gallery Consideration. In the Original Art division, Laila Henkle and Lucy Turley received red. In Visual Art, Ava Seney and Olivia Beyer received reds and Dasha LaRue and Morgan Hay received blue. In the Prepared Food, Breckyn Brand and Carleigh Klein received blue and William Manatt a red. Lucy Turley had a blue in her Health project display. In the Home Improvement class Peyton Tindle had a blue and Braxton Brand a red. Grace Schalmo received a blue with her Constructed Item in the Sewing section, as did Breckyn Brand. Ruby Wallerich had a blue in Sewing Ideas. Lindsey Henry received a red with her Citizenship project and in Woodworking Leah Urfer and Matthew Turley had blues, Samuel Johnson received a red. Poultry Cameyon James was the only Poweshiek County 4-H’er showing poultry at this year’s Iowa State Fair. He received 4 blues and 2 purples with his Bantam Breeding Chickens. His Bantam duck earned a purple Reserve Grand Championship and his Bantam drake a blue. Horse Rylee Mauss received a first Purple Champion in Horse Showmanship (Grade 8) Horse Showmanship Junior Champion (Grades 5-8). She also had a blue in Hunter Under Saddle. Trail, blue, 3rd in class and 3 blues in Western Horse; Hadley Marsh had a blue in Showmanship and 2 blues and 3rd in class in Western Horse. Livestock Judging Contest: The 4-H meat judging program allows youth to learn about the different cuts of meat along with the trimness and quality factors that affect the safety and taste of the meat products we consume. Livestock judging consists of analyzing beef cattle, sheep, swine and meat goats and measuring them against a standard. Poweshiek 4-H Jr. Team placed 5th Team members: Aden Wolfe, Anthony Wolfe, Dayton Mortvedt, and Anna Slagle Poweshiek 4-H Jr. Team Placed 10th Team members: Alyssa Latcham, Breckyn Brand, Olivia Latcham, and Brock Mortvedt Poweshiek 4-H Senior Team placed 18th Team members: Rylee Mauss and Evan Arkema Rabbits: Casey DeZwarte: white, 3 blues, purple, 1st in class, 2nd in class, x2 3rd in class; Cameyon James: blue, 2 purples, x2 1st in class, and 2nd in class. Goat: Meat Goat Showmanship Macey Heishman: blue; Rylie Smith: Purple. Market Meat Goat Evan Arkema: purple, 2nd in class; Tyler Conover: purple, 1st in class; Macey Heishman: blue; Dayton Mortvedt: 2 purples, 3rd in class, 2nd in class. Breeding Meat Goat Alayna Huff: blue; Dayton Mortvedt: 2 purples, x2 1st in class; Rylie Smith: 2 purples, 2nd in class, 3rd in class. Sheep: Sheep Showmanship Abby and Alyssa Bos received blues. Market Sheep Kaylia Fuchs: reserve champion black face market lamb division 1, 3 purples, x2 1st in class, 2nd in class; Dayton Mortvedt: grand champion market lamb, division 3 champion black face market lamb, division 5 champion black face market lamb, 4 purples, x2 1st in class, 2nd in class, 3rd in class. Abby Bos: Blue, purple, 10th place carcass; Alyssa Bos: 2 blues. Breeding Sheep Abby Bos: purple Beef: Beef Showmanship Andrew Arkema, Brooke Conover and Rylier Smith all received purple. Breeding Beef James Gruver: 2 purples, 2nd in class, 3rd in class; Rylie Smith: 2 purples, 2nd in class, 3rd in class. Market Beef Andrew Arkema: purple, 2nd in class; Brooke Conover: purple, 1st in class, Champion Charolais Market Beef; Rhylee Rodgers: purple, Division 2 Reserve champion; Will Conover: purple, 3rd in class Swine: Breeding Swine Charly Fenner: blue, purple, 2nd in class; Cameyon James: 2 blue, purple; Ilee Lacaeyse: blue; Anna Slagle: 3 purple, x2 1st in class, and 3rd in class; Aden Wolfe: 3 purple, 1st in class, 2nd in class; Anthony Wolfe: purple, 3rd in class Market Swine Cameyon James: 2 blue; Ilee Lacaeyse: blue; Kinze Lacaeyse: blue, purple; Leyton Lacaeyse: 2 blues; Brayson Latcham: blue; Rhylee Rodgers: 3 purple, 1st in class, x2, 3rd in class; Anna Slagle: 3 purple, 1st in class, 2nd in class, 3rd in class, and 4th overall market pig, reserve champion lightweight market barrow; Aden Wolfe: blue, purple, 1st in class, champion Yorkshire market hog; Anthony Wolfe: blue. Swine Showmanship Aden Wolfe: purple, reserve champion intermediate. showmanship (Grades 7-8); Anthony Wolfe: and Anna Slagle purple; Brayson Latcham: Blue. If you are unable to attend a community clinic, give our office a call at (641) 236-2385 to schedule an appointment after Oct. 1, visit a local flu vaccine provider or contact your primary care provider to receive a vaccine.
BGM Homecoming is slated for Sept. 25 – 29. The theme this year is “Raid the Rebels.”
Pictured are members of the BGM Homecoming Court. From left, front row: Brayden Hepke, Carli Kriegel, Laila Morrison, Jeryn Kalinay (seated on tree trunk), Lainey Bridgewater, Megan Hanlon and Mason Maschmann. In tree, from left: Dominic Coleman, Kieran Sacora, Carson Cadden, Ian Van Ersvelde and Kyla Bruggeman. The Homecoming Parade (see route map below) is slated for Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 5:30 p.m. followed by the BGM Bear Backer Meal in the elementary cafeteria. A pep rally will follow at 7 p.m. in the gym. The Bears take on Gladbrook-Reinbeck Rebels at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29. A Powder Puff game is slated for Sunday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m. on the football field. Photo by Billie Jo Calderwood "It's a Wonderful Christmas Story Auditions being held, Sept. 28
We are looking for men and women of all ages (teens also welcome!) to join us for our holiday production, "It's A Wonderful Christmas Story," a hilarious Christmas comedy written by our very own Josh Gerard. Auditions will take place on Wednesday Sept. 28, at 7 p.m. at the Brooklyn Opera House at 115 Jackson St. If you can't make auditions but would like to be considered or you are interested in helping out backstage, please send us a message or email us at brooklyntheatrecompany@gmail.com. Show dates will be during Christmas Traditions, Dec. 1 - 3, but don't worry--we're working around the Christmas Tree Lighting this year! Three people were killed in two separate accidents last week in Poweshiek County.
Ana I Ramirez-Avalos, 45, and a passenger, Maria Jesus Garcia-Alcocer, 27, both Marshalltown, where killed in a two-vehicle accident at Highway 146 and the Newburg Road on Sept. 7 at around 12:56 p.m., noted the Iowa State Patrol. According to the ISP, Earl G. Weaver, 61, and a passenger, Mary J. Miller, 68, both of Conway, S.C., were eastbound on the Newburg Road in a 2022 GMC Sierra when they failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the intersection of Highway 146 and the Newburg Road, crashing into a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Ramirez-Avalos. Ramirez-Avalos and Garcia-Alcocer where transported to Ankeny by Smith Funeral Home. Weaver was transported to the Grinnell hospital by private vehicle and Miller was transported by Air EMS to Mercy Des Moines. The ISP was assisted by the Grinnell Fire and Rescue Department, Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office and Dispatch, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Mercy One and Midwest Ambulance. Jon Gregory Bryan, 57, of West Terre Haute, Ind., was killed in a motorcycle accident on Interstate 80 at mile marker 197 on Saturday, Sept. 9 at around 11:37 a.m. According to the ISP, Bryan was traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 on a 2013 Harley Davidson when he struck the rear of a 2023 Peterbilt semi-truck driven by Sherman Gilbert, 44, of Holbrook, Ariz. Bryan was ejected from his motorcycle and struck by a 2022 Kenworth semi-truck driven by Sidney Greenlee, 34, of Chicago, Ill. Bryan was transported to Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell by the State Medical Examiner. The ISP was assisted by the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office, the DOT and the Malcom Fire/EMS Department. PALS (Poweshiek Animal League Shelter) is going to start doing a weekly volunteer training day. Once trained, interested parties can volunteer any day of the week. Our normal shifts are at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you just wanting to do cats, times can be adjusted.
Our first training day will be on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. Bring a friend and wear comfortable clothing. |
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