Editorial by Matt Marquardt –
MASON CITY – The cultural crescent sculpture walk got off to an ugly start today in downtown Mason City.
The non-profit group that was awarded $40,000 of city tax dollars was busy picking out spots Tuesday afternoon at about 2:30 PM for seven of the sculptures that will be installed in a few of weeks. City staff was on hand to give advice on locations; two of which will be in Central Park. Eighteen more statues are coming later. Chamber Director Robin Anderson, Main Street’s Marty Walsh, nearby business owners, and a man from the Sioux Falls Sculpture Walk were collaborating on selecting sculpture locations.
(PHOTO: At top, sculpture walk leaders, including Dr. Jay Lala (second from left) and Chamber of Commerce Director Robin Anderson (second from right) pick locations for their statues in Mason City’s Central Park. INSET: Dennis Luna crashed their party and speaks with an MCPD officer afterwards.)
The group started in Central Park and then made its way up Federal Avenue’s east side to the corner of State Street, where they paused, and then walked into the pedestrian court at Southbridge Mall’s north entrance.
That’s where things turned ugly.
A Mason City man, Dennis Luna (pictured, bottom, speaking with MCPD officers), approached the group and accused Dr. Jay Lala, a dentist who is also part of the statue committee, of “ruining his teeth.”
Luna and Lala proceeded to have words, with Luna pursuing Lala. Scott Moorman, who owns Moorman Clothiers, got between the two men and separated them. Some of the group, including Lala, could be seen laughing after the incident.
Luna didn’t think it was funny.
“My teeth are ruined, and they think it’s funny,” Luna said. “He took over $9,000 of Medicaid and refused to finish the work.”
Luna displayed his mouth, showing several places where teeth were missing. “A dentist in Clear Lake is fixing this,” he said.
Mason City police were called, and everyone was questioned. Members of the sculpture group said Luna threw a punch at Lala, which Luna denied.
Police took a report and left.
The sculpture walk continued, as Lala left, headed north in Commercial Alley towards his office. A call there about 30 minutes later seeking a response from Lala was not immediately returned; his staff said he was not in the office Tuesday.
Luna stuck around to explain the incident on camera. Watch it below:
I honestly don’t know why this ridiculous film clip and article is even here If it were not for the bringing down of Dr. Lala. Shame, I expect more from this site.
Dr. Lala sucks. He is unprofessional and needs to grow up. Just look at him. Need I say more?
I think we should make a HUGE replica of Dennis’ mouth/teeth and place it in front of Lala’s office. Bet that’d be a beautiful piece of art.
I know both Dr. Lala and Dennis Luna. I like both of them but I do know this, Dennis has always had good teeth until now and I know of 3 others who have had poor procedures done by Lala. Also, people in North Iowa need to stop bringing up drug use as a reason for people’s looks(Be carful not to judge). There are many people who are long time drug users and alcoholics who look better than most non drug users in North Iowa. PEACE
Whats up with his eyebrows?
ladies how would you like to do some serious lip lock with that, get real, dr. J didn’t do all that, lack of brushing, etc. never a dull moment in m.c. if he wants them pulled i could do it for a buck and a quarter. good day
Let me shed o tear for the city cronies who don’t like the story. Same old blog names pushing their rulers anti NIT agenda.
We always called him Denis Looney Toones. One of the funniest reads of the day. Thanks Matt
Joe, you might be the first one commenting here that gets it. Glad you enjoyed.
Hey, Matt. Did Dr. Lala refuse to advertise on this site? Is that the reason for your attack on him? Or did YOU cook up this whole scheme to get this whole ridiculous incident on tape?
Well, I have never asked Mr. Lala. But you have a point, he might be able to afford it, with over $1.5 million in public money going into his apartments. That would make a great story, along with the $100,000 of “Scott-free” money we gave the clothing store on the corner a block away, and the millions that went into Robin’s commerce center right between them. Maybe the story could be called “Federal Avenue: Welfare Row.” By the way, I never met Mr. Luna in my life prior to the incident at the mall. We make our own luck in life, I always say, and sticking with the story that day paid off with a great story. Nice try. Have fun blogging anonymously and making accusations as a coward, though.
Matt, if you’re going to criticize people for “blogging anonymously” then you need to post on every comment that refuses to put a real name to their comments, not just the ones who post something you don’t like or you need to make it so that they can’t “blog anonymously”…
I like the headline you came up with Federal Avenue: Welfare Row.
I’d like to read a story describing more of these handouts. What is funny, is the recipients don’t live in housing that anyone on welfare would live in.
Please do a story on these handouts!
Did he say he put his own crowns in a couple of years ago??? Prettty sure the damage from your teeth is not from Lala. I say put a huge tooth brush sculpture in this guys front yard!
That would look better than what is on the way!
some folks should “never” “ever” be left alone with the opposite sex to reproduce … I do believe that Mr. Luna falls in that category. MCPD… Neuter him quickly!!
Jay at least “was” accepting Medicaid and Title 19 patients, but when something like this happens I certainly wouldn’t blame him for refusing them, why even deal with that when you have the “fast food” of dentists such as Aspen Dental. Jay is my immediate and extended families’ dentist and we all have NOTHING but the utmost respect for him and his staff. He unselfishly represents this entire community, advertises and donates probably a lot more than this $40K….and bravo to him for laboring for these funds that were going to be available to some project, it’s a continuation of the downtown project. Luna came out of a bar and assulted Jay…..why isn’t he in jail?
Looks like Luna is drunk
whats all this nonsense of him flipping someone off, he was obviously just scratching his head. Matt write about something that is worth reading.
Kudos to the Mason City Enquirer for selecting a picture of someone scratching their face. Highly doubt this is anything else.
Looks healthy enough to work to me! Get a job and fix your own teeth!
I know everyone is on luna for his teeth and being stupid but look at the pic and when you see LALA flipping off whoever and you see drunkmeyer our mayor doing it that just shows no ones gives ashit anymore about respect but let him flip me off and he will have to have dentures as Im going to give the dentist a good old ass whooping. LALA better just clean up is own backyard before he flips off poeple. Matt ask him why hes flipping off someone.
Those teeth are nasty! I would never go to ANY dentist who even touched them. I’ll never let Lala OR Sorenson work on my teeth again.
I finally got time to view the video. While Mr. Luna is free to his opinion, it flies in the face of Dr. Lala’s reputation in the community as shown by the comments here from his customers.
I still say that $9,000 is a lot for dental work.
Wow.
I clicked on this article hoping to find pictures of the new statues..
However, this was a mislabeled story and was just a disgruntled dental patient, and had nothing to do with the new walk. Big disappointment.
It’s no wonder that dentists won’t see Medicaid patients……
Article titles are just bait on North Iowa Today.
Looks like you both took the bait, jackasses.
Teeth can only take so much. Looks like he got drunk and fell on his face a few to many times. Or someone knocked them out.
I could be wrong here, but I find it highly suspect that this Dennis Luna character just happens to show up when his former dentist and others were being filmed. I just seem to find the timing of it all very suspicious.
I agree, it all looks set up by someone. Maybe they didnt want Matt following them around. I wonder how much Luna was paid!
I think dr lala needs to grow up fliping off a pic,
I’m in full support of Luna! Rock on!
Looks like “classic Meth mouth” to me. And …excuse me? You paid to have your teeth fixed…..Medicaid would me that “I paid”…..grow up…..
Why not let Dr. Sorenson speak for himself? How bout some unbiased reporting to give the “whole” picture.
The police are right….see an attorney….dont’ use violence.
Dennis Luna is a really out there! I’m sure there is more to his story. Dr. Lala is my dentist and has ALWAYS treated me very well. He is professional and honest and has gone out of his way to help me. Though, I don’t agree with the $40K (so far) of taxpayer money for the statue project. I do get tired of everyone with some “great idea” costing me money.
Who is LALA flipping off? LALA looks pretty cool. Wish he get the shit kicked out of him. Maybe he learned the art of flipping fronm his pal drunkmeyer.
It looks like he is just scratching his head and Matt is just trying to make into something more interesting.
You can’t fix stupid!!
Dipshidiot!
Dr. Lala is one of the best dentists and people in Mason City. He even came in on a Sunday to deal with a dental emergency for one of my children–and charged just the regular office fee.
This is the type of hard hitting journalism that will make $2 a month seem like a pittance. THANK YOU Matt for all your professional diligence.
So Matt, just because you start everything out with “Editorial” it allows you to print anything you want. True reporting might include some investigation or at least an attempt to get the whole story before you simply load a video of a suspect at best subject. These are some hefty allegations being thrown out. But I guess somehow this is just an “editorial”
Wow John cougar mellencamp is looking pretty tough lately.
Holy crap! Thanks for the laugh Matt!
Is that Michael Jackson with blond hair?
Micheal Jackson was better looking than that. Smarter too.
Poor Dr. Sorenson…….
Agree.
This is absolutely ridiculous. This man looks intoxicated and unkept. We are to believe that a very well respected dental practice was responsible for the poor shape this man’s mouth is in? You have GOT TO BE kidding me! He statement was that it is a result of Dr. Lala not cleaning around his crowns. NEWS FLASH Mr. Luna, dental cleanings are every 6 months maximum. You actually have to clean and floss at home in between. Witnesses reported that Dr. Lala was assulted verbally and physically. This man should be arrested for assult as well as for just being a moron. Dr. Lala is a dentist, not a magician. Also, a very nice Man who gives unselfishly to this community. How disrespectful to even post this.
JUST ANOTHER WELFARE MAGGOT – Mr. {looser} LUNA!
LUNA obviously never took care of his teeth. Drugs & neglect will eat them away, and in this case have also eaten away brain cells.
Oh…..I’m surprised Dr. Lala would even see a Medicaid patient !
$9,000 of Medicaid? Are they all implants? Why not stick with something you can afford.
DAMN North End!
While I whole heartedly disagree with the placing of the statues and the public money spent on them I take offense to the way Dr. La La was portrayed in this piece. First of all you cannot tell what Jay and the others were laughing at since you were a block away from them. Second of all sometimes in a situation like this laughter is a byproduct of being nervous or coping with anxiety. Jay has been mine and my families dentist for years and has always treated us with the utmost respect and professionalism. The title of this story led me to believe that there were some protesters while the group was out scouting locations. Instead I end up reading a non news worthy peace about some guy who is pissed because he has rotten teeth. Matt, I would love to know what the dentist who is caring for Mr. Luna thinks of his name being thrown around the way it was. My guess is he is not happy.
The staff at Lalas have been nothing but great to me and my family.. Great dentists on staff too. This Luna guy should get off the crank and possibly get a job.. Medicaid?? Are we paying for that too??
I’m about 98% sure that Doctor Lala’s office doesn’t even accept Medicaid. How ridiculous. Is this honestly “NEWS”??? Learn to take care of yourself and you wouldn’t need “9 or 10 thousand dollars” of taxpayers money for your teeth.
I’m confused here, is this a story about Dr. LaLa or a story about the sculptures? I find it quite convenient that Mr. Marquart just happened to be filming when Mr. Luna decided to intelligently (and sober I’m sure) voice his opinion on his dental services. So is it an issue that tax dollars are going to improving the autonomy of a small digressive community on the verge of deterioration, or is it an issue that our tax dollars are just being handed to people who are using it as their sole means of income?
Why even bother spending money for stupid sculptures anyway, when the mutants we have living in this town will destroy OUR tax money anyway by writing on them or breaking them or whatever they will do they will do!! just stupid, what we need to spend that money on, is something that will bring MORE money in, duh! like some sort of amusement park that we can enjoy, and all the mutants can go there and start trouble, but at least they would have to pay to get in!!!! LOL
This video is too freakin funny . . . how about renaming to TMZ of Iowa LOL!!!! How embarassing for Dr. Lala and Mr. Luna. Dr. Lala is a well-respectd dentist and not sure about Mr. Luna. Again LOL!!!
Come on Matt. Slow news day? Do you think these numbers or anything else this dude said was true other than that he had messed up teeth? Dennis Lunatic is probably a north ender.
These dirt bags from the chamber should be laughing they got the city leaders to give them 40,000 dollars of our money for a special interest project. City administrator Trout and the mayor and council are kissing the butt of the chamber and it is disgusting.
Ok,,,this is disturbing on many levels. For one, total waste of MCPD’s time. For two, how embarrassing! Get off meth and your teeth won’t be so screwed up in the first place. Nice to know where my hard earned tax dollars are going. The most disturbing is how the group is laughing very loudly at this guy. Seriously, these are city officials in Mason City. This guy is embarrassing, but you laughing and not carrying on like a mature group of people would have is also just as embarrassing. Oh well, lots of wasted money spent on statues that are just going to be vandalized. Take care of the crime first.
He needs to take the doctor to court! And maybe even take his meds. Ya can’t do much with meth mouth! Maybe he just needs to have them all pulled out and get dentures! What a joke:)I would have been embarassed to even be on this! lol!
Considering this fool needed $9,000 f**king dollars from medicaid to fix his teeth, I think they may have been a little messed up before seeing Jay. Doc is one of the best dentists in town. He has no need to respond to patients who refuse to do as he asks them to following work; and it looks like Luna may not be able to follow simple brushing instructions based on his teeth.