The "Office Lounge" opens at noon CDT

It's the last-Friday-of-the-month midday chat among members of the Iowa Writers Collaborative and our readers! And I'm inviting you!

DES MOINES, Iowa — “Humbaby!” “Rock-and-fire!” I used to chant expressions like that a lot when I was the catcher of the Shenandoah IA High School Mustangs baseball team in the summer of 1965. I was the local sportswriter then, too, as some of you might remember.

So this week I went home to Shenandoah to find out who the current catchers and the current sportswriter are — 60 years after me.

I’m going to talk a little about that today, Friday, June 27, when I join some of the other writers and songwriters with the Iowa Writers Collaborative on our last-Friday-of-the-month noon-hour “Office Long” Zoom chat — at you are all invited.

Please join us on the Zoom call at 12 noon CDT by using this link.

Chuck Offenburger eating “The Offenburger” at the Depot Restaurant in his hometown of Shenandoah this week. He’s brought back some stories to tell in his column this coming weekend. (Photo by nephew John Offenburger)

We’ve named this monthly online chat after the legendary Des Moines bar that for decades was a hangout of news reporters, editors, newsmakers and politicians in the capital city.

Some of our 80-plus journalists, songwriters and poets will join host Robert Leonard, the former newsman for radio stations in Pella and Knoxville, who is one of our IWC columnists. You can comment on our columns, give us story ideas, ask questions and talk about current public affairs.

Hope to see you at 12 noon!

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You can comment on this column below or write the columnist directly by email at chuck@offenburger.com.

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