It was a cold and stormy day. We met at Elly’s. Little coffee joint down by the river. My associate and I walked in, took a look around. Waitress smiled her way over. “Hi. What can I get you?” “Nothing right now, doll, thanks,” I said. “I got business.” He was waiting at a corner table. Back to the hard brick wall, mafia style, eyes on the door, like a guy who doesn’t want to get hit without a chance to go down with some cold steel in his mitts. He wore dark shades. Dark shirt. Drank coffee black as the devil’s heart. Gave us a nod. Yeah. He was the guy we were there to meet. The... Read More

Travis Glynn is soft-spoken and quick to smile as he sips his coffee from a large mug at Elly’s in downtown Muscatine. He’s talking about his family, one of his favorite subjects, and the winter holidays, but he speaks with the same consideration and compassion on most topics, displaying the humanity and courtesy that informs his life and pursuits. Glynn has been involved in various progressive causes over the past decade in Muscatine, but he’s far from the stereotype of the strident radical. He’s extremely low-key and polite, is deliberate and quiet in listening to different viewpoints,... Read More