Kenny Chesney

Country artist Kenny Chesney played to a packed Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday evening.

A fan puts up the rock horns as Kenny Chesney performs during his concert at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. (Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register)

Grand Blue Mile

The annual Drake Relays Grand Blue Mile was held in downtown Des Moines on Tuesday. The event draws thousands annually, and some of the fastest mile-runners in the world. This year, Kate Grace slipped past defending champion Sara Hall to win the mile.

Kate Grace of Santa Monica, Calif., raises the United States flag after winning the women’s elite event on Tuesday during the Drake Relay’s Grand Blue Mile in downtown Des Moines. (Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register)

Japanese Macaque

I was at Blank Park Zoo today for the birthday celebration for Miya, a baby Japanese Macaque, who will turn 1-year-old tomorrow. Miya didn’t much care about the birthday “cupcake” zoo officials placed out there for her, but some in her group enjoyed it.

Storm Chasers

Due to a crazy schedule Saturday night, I shot only the first quarter the Iowa Barnstormers Arena football game against Philadelphia. Among the action shots, here are a couple from the Storm Chasers dance team.

The Storm Chasers dance team perform prior to the start of the Iowa Barnstormers arena football game against Philadelphia on Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. (Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register)

Members of the Storm Chasers dance team line up during team introductions before the Iowa Barnstormers arena football game against Philadelphia on Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena. (Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register)

Billiards

The 2013 Iowa billiards tournament is being held in Des Moines this weekend.

Dave Schmitt of Farley, Iowa, lines up a shot during the 2013 Iowa state billiards tournament on Friday at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines. Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register

Tunnel vision

Members of the Iowa Energy basketball team gathered to clean up around a stream today in Altoona. The team often takes part in community service projects. Along the stream a large culvert runs from one side to the other. It made for an interesting angle to break up the series of wet-cardboard photos.

Robert Hite, a member of the Iowa Energy, walks through a tunnel while cleaning up trash on Tuesday in Altoona. Members of the Iowa Energy spent a portion of the afternoon cleaning up a small stream that runs throughout Prairie Heritage Park. Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register

Good Friday

Shooting the Way of the Cross events on Good Friday is like grabbing a piece of low-laying fruit. There are lots of visual moments. But when Ann Hegstrom, of De Soto, Iowa, became emotional during her walk with a heavy wood cross recently in downtown Des Moines, it became a powerful visual moment. We ran another photo of Ann, one which didn’t show her face. It was still an engaging photo, but I would have preferred to see this one.

Ann Hegstrom of De Soto carries a wooden cross across during the Way of the Cross procession on Friday in downtown Des Moines. When asked if it was heavy, she said “Not as heavy as it was for Jesus.” (Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register)