Latest news with #RobertRay
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
9 things to eat and drink at the CelebrAsian festival in downtown Des Moines
A weekend of Asian foods, music, and culture takes over the Western Gateway neighborhood of Des Moines for the 50th anniversary of CelebrAsian, the festival honoring Iowa's Asian populations and their history and roots in the Hawkeye State. The event that brings tents of vendors along Grand Avenue and Locust Street, and along 12th and 13th streets in downtown Des Moines, features a fashion show, cultural performances, and more than 100 food and retail vendors. This year's celebration also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and pays tribute to the late Gov. Robert Ray's efforts to bring Southeast Asian refugees to Iowa. More: CelebrAsian returns this weekend to celebrate 50 years of refugees in Iowa. What to know: Vendors at this festival are arranged by villages, each representing a different country. The 15 villages cover Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Marshallese, Micronesian, Burmese, Nepalese, Tai Dam, Thai, and Vietnamese traditions. Each has its own food to buy, giving festivalgoers a chance to sample everything from chicken satay to Korean corn dogs, with some represented by local restaurants and others by food trucks or associations representing the culture in Des Moines. Tin Lam, the co-owner of EatFuti, the local food delivery app that recommends restaurants to try and delivers food to your door, sampled some of the dishes at the festival to give readers ideas about something new to try. More: Tin Lam created an app for Des Moines restaurants that brings ethnic food to your home Sugarcane drink, $12: It's fascinating to watch sugarcane stripped of its outer husk and turned into a drink at Lao Flavors. The 32-ounce drink comes with a handle so it doesn't heat up from your hands holding the glass. And it's not as sweet as you might expect. 12th Street between Locust and Walnut streets Terong balado, $6, and tongseng, $6: The Indonesian Community of Iowa represented with several dishes, including terong balado, dubbed an angry eggplant served over rice, and tongseng, a beef curry stew served with rice. 12th Street near Locust Street Beef on a stick, $6: Lemongrass flavors these skewers of beef that make the perfect walking food. Find them at the Cambodian Street Foods stand. 12th Street between Walnut and Locust streets. Crispy pork belly, $10: Myanmar saw representation at the Myanmar Village. Savory pork belly was enough to feed two people with a generous portion. 12th Street between Walnut and Locust streets. Aloo tikki chaat, $12: This northern Indian dish from the Tikka Talk food truck featured crispy potatoes stuffed with spiced lentils, a green chutney, sweet tamarind sauce, and aromatic chaat masala. The dish had crunch, sweetness, sourness, heat, and creaminess. Locust Street near 13th Street Special banh mi, $12: Paris Banh Mi in Windsor Heights brought its Vietnamese fare to the festival. Aside from banh mi, the Vietnamese sandwich on a baguette, the tent offered Thai tea and boba, eggrolls, and potstickers. 13th Street near Grand Avenue Bao buns, $5 each: Chikin Lickin', the Korean fried chicken restaurant in Waukee, served bao buns with bulgogi chicken (the Bridezilla bao) and bulgogi beef (the Moo-lisa bao). The stand also offered wings with sweet and spicy, gochu, spicy gochu, or Thai basil sauce, and chicken tenders with the same sauce options. Grand Avenue near 12th Street Mochi doughnuts, $3 each or four for $10: Crème, the Asian bakery from Sammy Mila off Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines, brought its wildly popular mochi doughnuts to the festival. Try flavors such as ube latte, strawberry matcha, cinnamon sugar, and the exclusive Thai tea. 12th Street between Grand Avenue and Locust Street When: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. May 23 and 24 Where: Western Gateway Park, 1205 Locust St. in Des Moines For more information, visit Des Moines Register social justice reporter F. Amanda Tugade contributed to this article. Sign up for our new dining newsletter, The Dish, which comes out on Wednesday mornings with all the latest news on restaurants and bars in the metro. You can sign up for free at If you see a new restaurant opening or a beloved place closing, send me some details at sstapleton@ Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@ This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What to eat and drink at CelebrAsian, the Asian festival in Des Moines
Axios
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
CelebrAsian pays tribute to historic refugee resettlements
CelebrAsian 2025 kicks off Friday in downtown Des Moines, marking the 50th anniversary of the state's first welcome to Southeast Asian refugees. Why it matters: The decision reshaped the state's demographics and identity and continues to shape its future. Catch up quick: Millions of people across Southeast Asia became refugees because of the Vietnam War. Former Gov. Robert Ray defied political backlash with his decision to help resettle thousands of refugees in Iowa. Worthy of your time: Des Moines City Council Member Carl Voss highlighted the milestone in a newsletter to constituents this week, documenting how families from five Southeast Asian communities escaped persecution and genocide to rebuild their lives in Iowa. Their stories include accounts of others' generosity and some instances of apprehension toward them as they learned English and raised children in unfamiliar environments. Zoom in: Several of the people featured by Voss started businesses in the metro, such as Mao's Homemade Eggrolls; hold positions in state government; and have helped lead projects like the Tai Village in DSM. By the numbers: In 1970, Iowa was 98.6% white, 1.2% Black and around 0.3% "other" — a category that included just under 8,500 people, comprising both Asian and Native American people, according to census data. In 2023, Iowa was home to over 100,000 Asian Americans, accounting for 3.1% of the population, according to the most recent data. What they're saying: Ray exemplifies how a person can positively impact a community even in the face of obstacles and naysayers, says Nu Huynh, executive director of the Iowa Asian Alliance, which organizes CelebrAsian. "If you look at how much Iowa has grown as a state, you can't deny that (resettlement) has played a role," Huynh tells Axios. Between the lines: Immigration has significantly contributed to the revitalization of some Iowa communities and may be crucial to the state's future growth, the DSM Register reported in January. State of play: The festival's theme, "50 Years: Ray of Freedom," features an opening ceremony with Ken Quinn, a longtime Ray aide; storyboards showcasing Iowa's efforts in resettling refugees; and a luncheon honoring past and present refugee contributions.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Flood danger returns to Western North Carolina as Helene recovery continues
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray reports from Swannanoa, North Carolina more than 8 months after Hurricane Helene's flooding. Western North Carolina faces another flooding threat this week with the most rain since the historic flooding last year.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Weekend Weather Update from FOX Weather: Potential tornado outbreak threat grows for final week of April
Welcome to the Daily Weather Update from FOX Weather. It's April 26, 2025. Start your day with everything you need to know about today's weather. You can also get a quick briefing of national, regional and local weather whenever you like with the FOX Weather Update podcast. The danger of a widespread tornado outbreak is growing for Monday across the Upper Midwest and into the Southern Plains with threats of multiple, long-track strong tornadoes, extremely large hail and damaging wind gusts. The daunting forecast comes as a potent spring storm collects all the ingredients needed for a volatile atmosphere, leading to an intense severe weather outlook that hasn't been seen in some regions in more than a decade. Already, nearly 5 million people sit under a Level 4 out of 5 risk on NOAA's Storm Prediction Center severe weather scale, including the cities of St. Paul and Rochester in Minnesota, and Des Moines, Iowa. More than 11 million others sit inside a level 3 risk, including Minneapolis; Madison, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska and Kansas City, Missouri. The "Tree of Life" in Olympic National Park has become a symbol of resilience over the years, but recent photos show that this bastion of beating the odds may be coming to its end. Located on the blustery Pacific coastline of Washington state, the Tree of Life earned its name from its ability to survive in a seemingly unsurvivable environment—and does so with an unintentional penchant for drama. But perhaps most of the drama comes from below, as its roots are completely exposed. What are usually hidden in the soil to protect them and give nutrients, the roots are naked and desperately clinging to cliffsides that are slowly eroding beneath its tenuous grip. Drone video from over South Florida shows thick globs of seaweed blanketing beaches from North Miami to South Beach, as a strong easterly current has intensified both the threat of rip currents and the presence of sargassum. The large globs of seaweed that have washed ashore in recent days have surprised some experts and caught tourists off guard. Typically, the seaweed season for the Sunshine State takes place during the summer and fall, but the early influx is raising questions about what may lie ahead during the coming months. In the Mojave Desert, Joshua Tree National Park provides an arid landscape for vegetation, including the famous Joshua Trees, some of which have stood for centuries. The Joshua Tree is part of the Agave plant family and can live for about 300 years on average. FOX Weather's Robert Ray visited the park last year. Here are a few more stories you might find interesting. See it: 'Addie' the sea turtle released along Florida beach after months of rehab, tumor removals Mars rover spotted cruising around the Red Planet Watch: Deputies wrangle alligator outside a Florida high school Need more weather? Check your local forecast plus 3D radar in the FOX Weather app. You can also watch FOX Weather wherever you go using the FOX Weather app, at or on your favorite streaming service. It's easy to share your weather photos and videos with us. Email them to weather@ or add the hashtag #FOXWeather to your post on your favorite social media article source: Weekend Weather Update from FOX Weather: Potential tornado outbreak threat grows for final week of April
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Daily Weather Update from FOX Weather: NJ fire burns over 8,500 acres as Plains brace for more severe weather
Welcome to the Daily Weather Update from FOX Weather. It's Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Start your day with everything you need to know about today's weather. You can also get a quick briefing of national, regional and local weather whenever you like with the FOX Weather Update podcast. Crews are continuing their relentless assault to beat back the flames of a massive wildfire that's exploding in size near the New Jersey shore. Thousands of residents have been forced to flee for safety while thick smoke choked the region, closing a miles-long stretch of the state's busiest highway for hours. The Jones Road Wildfire sparked on Tuesday in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area near Barnegat Township in Ocean County and quickly began to grow in size. As of Wednesday, it had consumed 8,500 acres and was only 10% contained. Continuing into Wednesday and Thursday, an active period of weather is in store for the Plains, including Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The FOX Forecast Center said a chance of severe storms or flash flooding looks very possible into the weekend. As the sun breaks through during the afternoon on Wednesday, enough heating could occur to support thunderstorm development. Storms that form here could bring brief strong wind gusts and small hail, though coverage and intensity will depend on how much sun breaks through. Isolated thunderstorms are also possible farther south, across the southern Plains and into far west Texas. These stronger storms may bring large hail and damaging winds. There is a potential for tornadoes to develop, but the overall severe weather threat will gradually decrease after sunset. When you get called away from Easter dinner to wrangle an alligator, sometimes you need to use the tools you have on site, which is what one Florida gator handler did on the holiday. Mike Dragich shared a video with FOX Weather showing the wild Sunday encounter in Jacksonville, Florida. He said a woman was letting her dog out when she noticed the scaly tail of the 7-foot alligator slide by her patio. National Park Week is underway, and this year's theme is National Park Playlist, which celebrates musical connections to national parks and the American story. Each day of National Park Week will have suggestions for things to do designated under a music genre. Zion National Park is one of five national parks that are located in Utah. It's home to the largest sandstone cliffs in the world. Last year, FOX Weather's Robert Ray took us on this tour. Here are a few more stories you might find interesting. Lyrid meteor shower peaks in dazzling worldwide display Drone video shows extensive damage following EF-2 tornado in Missouri Grand Canyon National Park to open North Rim in May for 2025 season Need more weather? Check your local forecast plus 3D radar in the FOX Weather app. You can also watch FOX Weather wherever you go using the FOX Weather app, at or on your favorite streaming service. It's easy to share your weather photos and videos with us. Email them to weather@ or add the hashtag #FOXWeather to your post on your favorite social media article source: Daily Weather Update from FOX Weather: NJ fire burns over 8,500 acres as Plains brace for more severe weather
