How to contact me: beth.dalbey@patch.com
Beth Dalbey, a longtime award-winning community journalist, is Patch’s national editor. She has been with Patch since 2011 when she launched sites in Iowa and provided national Iowa Caucus and swing-state general election coverage. She worked as a regional manager before moving to the national desk in 2017. Throughout her time at Patch, she has reported and written about local topics of national interest and is currently focusing on exclusive Patch content, including Block Talk, an only-on-Patch neighborhood etiquette column for which readers supply advice.
Dalbey and the newspapers she has edited have earned numerous awards for news, feature and government coverage, editorial and column writing, and overall general excellence from the Iowa Newspaper Association, the National Newspaper Association and the Associated Press Media Editors. In 1992 in Iowa, she led the weekly Dallas County News to win the INA's prestigious Newspaper of the Year award, competing against metro newspapers many times its size. She was the youngest recipient ever of the INA’s Distinguished Service Award in 1994. At Patch, she received the Todd Richissin Award for Excellence in Reporting and Writing for the “Menace of Bullies” project.
In Iowa, Dalbey’s byline has also appeared in the Fairfield Daily Ledger, where she was editor for five years; and in the Des Moines Business Record, Cityview, dsm magazine and other publications under the umbrella of Business Publications Corp., where she was the editorial director for several years. Dalbey also freelanced for the Des Moines Register and other print and digital publications
Dalbey grew up in Missouri and majored in journalism at Northwest Missouri State University. Except for a three-year stint as communications editor for a scientific institute doing ape language research, she has spent her entire career in community journalism. At the former Great Ape Trust of Iowa, she wrote about the world-famous resident bonobos Kanzi and Panbanisha.
Knowing what not to say when someone is grieving a family member, friend or pet is sometimes easier than finding words that offer comfort.
![What’s The Best Thing To Say To Someone Who Is Grieving? [The Question]](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/shutterstock/790386/20260428/115939/styles/patch_image/public/shutterstock-741689236___28115718395.jpg)
Researchers in a recent study published in an American Cancer Society journal said their findings underscore the need for early screenings.
Artist peddles T-shirts to buy bookstore that isn’t for sale; kits do the darnedest things; cops look for volunteers to get good and drunk.
From suspected child abuse to late-night screams for help, readers share what they did or wish they’d done differently in response.
![If You Think Someone’s In Danger, Here’s How To Intervene [The Question]](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/shutterstock/790386/20260423/080030/styles/patch_image/public/shutterstock-2014114811___23195740130.jpg)
Back in the day, hiding from people who show up for an unannounced visit would have been an etiquette lapse. Is that still the case?
As international travel becomes riskier and airfare skyrockets, some travelers are choosing summer vacations closer to home.
The cuts reflect a mix of restructuring efforts, cost-cutting measures and, in some cases, shifts tied to AI and changing market conditions.
Infants and toddlers are most susceptible to the virus, which can cause dehydration very quickly.
Recalls include 3 million bottles of eye drops, certain bottles of a common anti-anxiety drug, and pots and pans that pose burn hazards.
If you’re thinking about firing up the lawn mower early on weekends, your neighbor who sleeps in has something to say.
In town halls across the country, residents push back against data centers as some state legislatures question if tax breaks went too far.
Nationally, emergency room visits for the treatment tick bites are at their highest level for this time of year since at least 2017.
A couple of real-life rescues of abducted children raise the question: Should you get involved directly or call 911 and wait for police?
![What Do You Do If You See A Child — Or Anyone — In Danger? [The Question]](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/shutterstock/790386/20260415/062120/styles/patch_image/public/shutterstock-1484943293___15181528208.jpg)
Acceptance rates for Forbes’ “New Ivies” schools preferred by employers range from 8 percent to 50 percent.
A major convenience store chain will shutter 645 stores, but plans to open 200 in better locations.
Pending home sales fell in April as more sellers slashed prices and homes lingered longer on the market, signaling a cooling spring season.
Zoom Court doesn’t mean zooming down the road; a bright meteor and large boom rattle residents; woman literally slips out of police custody.
Early weekend mowing can spark tension between neighbors who want to sleep late and those who want to finish the chore early.
From 20% restaurant tips to digital checkout pressure, readers say pandemic-era “tipflation” has reshaped when and how much they tip.
![Here’s A Tip — Stop Asking For A Gratuity For Everything [The Question]](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/shutterstock/790386/20260409/071821/styles/patch_image/public/shutterstock-2574433039___09191418549.jpg)
Forbes has released its third annual “New Ivies” list of public and private schools producing graduates ready for the AI-driven economy.
