Archive - Kyle Munson's Main Street

Des Moines calling: My adventures on the 'Punk Nite Podcast'

This couple is building community around the elusive definition of punk, one conversation at a time.

May 30 • Kyle Munson

Grammar (yes, grammar) has the power to make us howl with laughter — or rage

How one couple's nationwide crusade is encouraging a more humane society, one comma and dangling participle at a time.

May 25 • Kyle Munson

The 2020s: The most historic decade of our lives? Too early to tell?

AI, drone warfare, and more: What if we're living through a 'Radical Twenties' we don't yet fully appreciate?

May 21 • Kyle Munson

April 2026

After 50 years of her daily diary, this journalist discovered a vast diary world she never knew

"Our Diaries, Ourselves" explores what this ancient self-dialogue means across cultures--and what it means now, as the line between private and public…

Apr 26 • Kyle Munson

Thanks, Artemis II, for reminding us what a ‘whole civilization’ really looks like

From 1972 to today, we humans need reminding of our true state of being on the 'Blue Marble.'

Apr 10 • Kyle Munson

March 2026

One man's quest to gather photos from all 944 (or more) Iowa towns for America 250

After spending a career driving millions of miles across all 99 Iowa counties, he wanted to find a way for any Iowan to take part in the…

Mar 14 • Kyle Munson

February 2026

Which America do we want to be? 3 statistics to help decide: 40% of arrests, 3 million pages, and 1,575 defendants

At least for a moment, let's hear it for the enduring power of rigorous fact over the never-ending flood of opinion.

Feb 19 • Kyle Munson

Informing, inspiring, and supporting each other, from the streets to the Iowa Storytellers Project

After a tumultuous January, join us Feb. 10 at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines for a night of storytelling to encourage a healthier, closer community.

Feb 5 • Kyle Munson

January 2026

The other 'oil glut': Why physical media refuses to die

It's not as if Napster or Netflix never happened. It's just that these vast reserves of our cultural past keep fueling new generations of fans for a…

Jan 15 • Kyle Munson

December 2025

A few of my favorite things to say thanks for following along in 2025

I appreciate everybody who shares their stories or enjoys learning more about our world on Substack. What have been some of your favorite creative works…

Dec 24, 2025 • Kyle Munson

This unsolved Iowa murder tale refuses to die—and finally becomes a homegrown film

How a rural Iowa murder in 1900, a New England play in 1916, and a new movie connect early 20th century journalist Susan Glaspell to 21st century…

Dec 11, 2025 • Kyle Munson

November 2025

How three-legged Lefty became the loudest dog in Des Moines

After a decade at maximum volume, a Dogtown staple bids farewell.

Nov 25, 2025 • Kyle Munson