When Dawn Papcun reached her daughter, lying on the sand floor of an indoor horse arena, her daughter "looked like a steamroller had gone over her.”
Her daughter, Elivia, had been crushed when her horse reared and fell backward. Elivia was one of the top youth riders in the country, skilled enough to be on the recruiting radar of Division 1 equestrian programs. But now, her very health was at stake.
In Iowa Columnist Courtney Crowder's latest storytelling narrative, she explores the bonds that "horse people" develop with their animals, Dawn Papcun's fears that her daughter would never ride again and Elivia's determination to get back in the saddle. Also look for the compelling photos of Elivia at the family's acreage near Norwalk and competing in the Cowgirl Queen Contest at last year's Iowa State Fair, shot by photographers Zach Boyden-Holmes and Lily Smith.
That's our best read of the week. Some of our other strong journalism:
How did Gov. Kim Reynolds' legislative agenda fare?
Gov. Kim Reynolds rolled out another ambitious agenda in her "Condition of the State" address in January, calling for an overhaul of Area Education Agencies, pay raises for teachers, additional tax cuts and much more. With the end of the 2024 legislative session, Statehouse reporters Stephen Gruber-Miller and Galen Bacharier analyze how her agenda fared: quite well, on most counts.
Will metro cities' investments in sports complexes pay off?
Grimes, West Des Moines, Waukee, Norwalk and Johnston are among metro cities that have invested infrastructure and tax incentives in building major recreational sports complexes in recent years. In Grimes, developer Reza Kargarzadeh’s company gave a 50-acre sports complex site ― and $12 million ― to the city. Reader's Watchdog Lee Rood examines the question: Even with such a sizable gift, will these developments likely pay off for city taxpayers?
Thank you to our subscribers for supporting our in-depth local journalism.
— Carol Hunter, executive editor, chunter@registermedia.com
Most Popular
Comments / 0