“Mary Poppins” will headline the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines’ 2010-2011 Willis Broadway Series, which includes “9 to 5 The Musical,” “Next to Normal,” “Rock of Ages” and “Young Frankenstein.” A special presentation of “Chicago The Musical” has also been slated. The nonprofit organization’s Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Family Series will kick off on Jan. 15, 2011, with “Tomie dePaola’s Strega Nona The Musical,” followed by “Leo Lionni’s Swimmy, Frederick, and Inch by Inch,” “Darwin The Dinosaur” and “Sones de Mexico’s Fiesta Mexicana.” Willis Broadway Series season ticket holders may begin renewing their season tickets in early May at www.civiccenter.org. The lineup for the Prairie Meadows Temple Theater Series, including the Live at the Temple concert series, will be announced at a later date.

National fuel prices rose in the last half of February and first part of March, following a drop in January. According to the Energy Information Administration, the average price of 10 percent ethanol-blended mid-grade gasoline on April 15 in Iowa was $2.72 per gallon, up 35 percent from the April 2009 price of $2.01 per gallon. The average cost of diesel in Iowa on April 15 was $3.01 per gallon, which is 37 percent higher than the April 2009 price of $2.19. “Transportation fuel prices were up in Iowa over the past month, but prices continue to remain below the national average” said Kerri Johannsen, data analyst for the Iowa Office of Energy Independence. For Iowa metro area averages, go to www.energy.iowa.gov/Newsroom/fuel_price.html.

The Salisbury House Foundation appointed three new directors. Bruce Kelley, president and CEO of EMC Insurance Cos., Brian Clark, principal at Confluence Landscape Architecture, and Francis Boggus, Iowa Great Places coordinator for the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, will each serve a three-year term on the nonprofit organization’s board of directors. Salisbury House & Gardens recently announced its 2010 Public Programs schedule. For more information, go to www.salisburyhouse.org.

Construction on the Walnut Creek bridge will cause ramp closures on Interstate 35/80. Beginning at 8 p.m. on April 18, the entrance ramp from University Avenue to northbound I-35/80, and the exit ramp from I-35/80 to Hickman Road, will be closed to set a temporary barrier rail. The ramps will reopen at 6 a.m. on April 19, and close again for one month beginning that night. During the closure, traffic will be routed onto 128th Street.

The Iowa Independent will host a panel discussion with Simpson College to address the issue of immigration and its impact on the Iowa economy. The event will take place at 7 p.m. on April 20, on Simpson’s Indianola campus. The panelists, including David Swenson, an associate scientist in economics, Patti Brown, director of the Iowa Policy Institute, and Ruth Schultz, a Latino community organizer for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, will discuss workers rights, upcoming potential federal immigration legislation and the impact of immigration on Iowa’s communities.