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Lifestyles reporter Shea Conner covers mainly arts and entertainment for St. Joe Live and writes for the Diem section.
He was born and raised in Newton, Iowa, where he was editor-in-chief of his high school newspaper.
He graduated from the University of Iowa in May 2008 with a major in journalism and began working for the News-Press one month later.
When Shea isn't watching movies or checking out new bands, he cheers on his favorite teams: the Iowa Hawkeyes, Miami Dolphins and Chicago Cubs.
Shea and his wife are dog lovers who pamper their golden retriever. Shea also had a brief career as an amateur stand-up comedian, but he quit because he was too nervous to ever enjoy himself on stage.
- Out of the ordinary
- Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
- Turn your radio to 98.9 and you’ll hear a lot of hard rock bands singing about their ladies, whether they are addicted to them, love their girl’s assets or are simply celebrating the crazy ones.
Chicago hard-rock trio Chevelle has shared a lot of radio time with those bands since unleashing hits like “The Red” and “Send the Pain Below” in 2002 and 2003. And lead singer/guitarist Pete Loeffler has grown tired of being caught up in the Nickelbacks, Buckcherrys and Saving Abels of the world, the bands who release generic crossover hits that can be sandwiched between Britney Spears and Coldplay on Top 40 countdowns. - Silly but accomplished
- Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
- Even when Alex Ortiz was a firefighter in East Chicago and a nurse for the Illinois Masonic Medical Center, stand-up comedy was always in the back of his mind.
- A sophisticated shopping experience
- Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
- Many will start their holiday shopping at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 27. They will fight huge crowds and long lines on little or no sleep while seeking out the best deals possible.
But some will start their shopping one week from today at the Sugarplum Festival at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, where they can enjoy wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, live music and the refined atmosphere of the museum. - Entertainment briefs for Nov. 6, 2009
- Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
- Entertainment briefs for Nov. 6, 2009
- Oh, the horror
- Friday, Oct. 30, 2009
- In the ‘70s, “The Exorcist,” “Halloween” and “Jaws” frightened theater-goers to the point of physical shaking. In the ‘80s, iconic teen killers Freddy Kreuger and Jason Voorhees became Hollywood’s horror heroes. The ‘90s are largely remembered for the psychological scares of “The Sixth Sense,” “The Silence of the Lambs” and “The Blair Witch Project.”
Unfortunately, many will remember the ‘00s for the onslaught of dumbed-down torture porn films like “Hostel,” “Turistas” and “Captivity.” Or cookie-cutter slasher flicks like “Sorority Row” and “Prom Night.” Or mediocre remakes and revivals like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “When a Stranger Calls” and “The Wicker Man.”
Do you remember 2001’s “Jason X”? Jason was in outer freaking space!
Ugh.
Truthfully, only one or two horror films a year are ever really noteworthy. This article will sift through the junk and find the few gems this decade had to offer. - Hitting home
- Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
- It’s hard to imagine that anyone who lives in St. Joseph today can relate to Russian villagers of the 19th century, but Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” indicates otherwise.
The play addresses concerns about the impact of industrialism on the environment. And like many today, the play’s main characters are losing their jobs after years.
“It’s amazing how relevant this play is for being written 100 years ago,” says Christopher “Bogey” Blodgett, a Missouri Western State College senior who will play Uncle Vanya in the college’s upcoming production of “Uncle Vanya.” - Entertainment briefs for Oct. 30
- Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
- Entertainment briefs for Oct. 30
- Music for the mosh pit
- Friday, Oct. 23, 2009
- While Mastodon and several other groups are turning their focus to multi-layered metal epics, Killswitch Engage is still making music to mosh to.
There will be pit action aplenty when the Massachusetts five-piece makes its second stop in Kansas City this year as headliner of the Freaker’s Ball at the Midland on Oct. 24. - Entertainment briefs for Oct. 23, 2009
- Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009
- Entertainment briefs for Oct. 23, 2009
- Halloween hullabaloo
- Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009
- Halloween is truly a holiday for all ages. While kids collect Tootsie Rolls, lollipops and mini Snickers bars, the adults can indulge in a horror flick. And almost everyone has a cool costume they’d like to show off (except maybe Charlie Brown).
Many of the activities in St. Joseph and surrounding areas embody the same spirit. Some are for kids and some are for adults. Either way, there’s something for everyone.
