WDBQ-AM (Dubuque, IA)

5 days ago | wdbqam.com | Steve Pulaski

For the second year in a row, a contest seeks to find the "Coolest Thing Made in Iowa," and the list is as eclectic and as diverse as you might expect. For one, what other list is going to feature everything from Gushers to SPAM to pistols, balers, aluminum wheels, ice cream, and more? Some background: the "Coolest Thing Made in Iowa" is a contest featuring 69 nominees on which individuals can vote. The first round of voting cuts the field down to a "Sweet 16" beginning this week, on May 8th.

6 days ago | wdbqam.com | Steve Pulaski

Few other sports figures are marketed to the extent of Caitlin Clark, especially this early in the 23-year-old's still-fledgling career. Clark was the subject of an exclusive set of Panini trading cards. She had her own custom basketballs sold at Hy-Vee. Her own branded cereal is also now available at Hy-Vee. Oh yeah, and the Iowa Lottery just held a contest where tickets to an Indiana Fever preseason game was the coveted prize.

6 days ago | wdbqam.com | Steve Pulaski

A popular Cascade dessert and bakery known for its colorful "kreations" has closed up shop following the retirement of the shop's longtime owner. It's the end of an era for a prominent, delicious hometown bakery in Cascade. The Telegraph Herald revealed that Koppes Kreations, located at 109 Adams Street SE, has closed its doors. Its last day of operation was Saturday, May 3rd, which was the day after owner Nikki Steffen held a retirement party.

1 week ago | wdbqam.com | Steve Pulaski

Released in theaters in February after a multiyear delay, a new drama revolves around a family with deep roots in Iowa. It tells a story of a family raising a son who, despite being stricken with multiple perceived setbacks, embraces the world with an enviable enthusiasm many of us wish we could possess. The film is The Unbreakable Boy, and its path to release was anything but conventional. I remember upon moving to Dubuque in early 2022, seeing trailers, and even a poster at the local AMC.

1 week ago | wdbqam.com | Steve Pulaski

Learning that TGI Fridays went from 270 locations at the start of 2024 to a lowly 85 at this point in time truly shocked me. I was stunned to learn that a once-prominent chain had fallen so mightily following its bankruptcy filing. It got me to reminisce about some stores and restaurants I remember vividly from my childhood that no longer exist. The Jimmy Buffett fan in me misses the food at Cheeseburger in Paradise, but at least there are plenty of Margaritaville restaurants across the country.