Indianola
GOVERNMENT
INDIANOLA DUST PROBLEM
INDIANOLA-Rosemond Griffin has lived in Indianola for the past two decades, and ever since he moved in, work trucks have caused a dust problem on the gravel road that leads to his neighborhood. "I've been you know, to position about this problem to Dust and and the the allergy that's...
Iowa voters react to presidential race shakeup
DES MOINES, Iowa — On a Monday afternoon we found three voices inside Smokey Row coffee shop to share their thoughts on the 2024 presidential race. “I’m a republican at heart,” Linda Woods explained as she reacted to the latest news of president Joe Biden ending his re-election campaign. Across the room, Margo Keller proclaimed […]
Proposed homeless ordinance for Des Moines is unethical
Jason Benell lives in Des Moines with his wife and two children. He is a combat veteran, former city council candidate, and president of Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers. Many are concerned about the direction the Des Moines City Council is taking, particularly concerning the homeless population—some of our least fortunate neighbors and fellow citizens. This approach lays bare the apparent goal of the sitting councilors who support this policy: they do not believe unhoused folks deserve the same level of respect and dignity as other citizens. They are willing to cast them outside of the Des Moines city limits, if not completely outside of our society.
Iowa State Fair Saying Goodbye to Popular Fair Stand
Iowa has one of the best state fairs in the country as thousands of people from around the state plan a state fair trip. Some people plan to enjoy the fair for an afternoon and others plan to enjoy the fair for multiple days in a row. This year there will be over 80 new foods for you to try at the fair so be sure to show up hungry and ready to try as many different foods as possible.
Des Moines wants to ban cock-a-doodle-doos
Urban farmers are squawking in protest as a new city proposal would ban roosters and cut the number of hens allowed in Des Moines from 25 to 12.Why it matters: The limits go against local food production goals, Ed Fallon of Birds & Bees Urban Farm in Sherman Hill said in a press release.Catch up fast: Councilperson Linda Westergaard has pushed for tighter chicken regulations for years.Roosters are too noisy and large flocks can create smells or attract flies that are unpleasant to neighbors, she said during a council meeting Monday.The other side: Backyard chickens are an important food source for many people and can reduce the amount of kitchen waste taken to the landfill, per Birds & Bees.The intrigue: Ankeny approved allowing people to keep up to six hens following advocacy from urban farmers.That policy explicitly excludes roosters.What's next: The ordinance's second of three readings is expected to go before City Council on Aug. 5.
Des Moines gives initial OK to homelessness ordinances, provoking criticism, some support
The Des Moines City Council preliminarily approved a change that would ban camping and reduce the number of days people have to remove their belongings from public spaces, despite resounding objections from community members and area homeless service providers. About 80 people flooded council chambers early Monday morning, many to address a proposed ordinance that would take what city leaders call a "harder-line" approach to addressing homelessness. It would end Des Moines' complaint-based system of dealing with...
Tornado direct hit on Des Moines metro underscores the need to act on climate
Irene DeMaris is executive director of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light. I have spent years working on the front lines to combat the climate crisis, but it arrived at my front door last week. It came fast and in a fury. And for someone who didn’t grow up in the Midwest, I had my closest encounter with a tornado in July. When the screeching alert came on my phone, I quickly grabbed my two dogs and headed to the basement.
Controversial homeless legislation draws in crowd at city council
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Des Moines City Council chambers were packed for a special meeting on multiple ordinances tackling homelessness. Some call the legislation, which more strictly addresses homelessness, needed. Others say it criminalizes the most vulnerable in our community. “We already had a cruel system. I have...
Iowa Union demands restoration of bargaining rights for public employees
In the wake of a 2017 law that brought about significant changes to collective bargaining, a local union is advocating for the reinstatement of rights for public workers in the area. On Monday, Teamsters Local 238 emphasized that certain matters such as healthcare, layoffs, and evaluation procedures are legally non-negotiable.
Historic front page from Des Moines Register, Oct. 30, 1979: Gov. Ray tours refugee camps
The Des Moines Register is there as Gov. Robert Ray returns from an October 1979 visit to Southeast Asia, where he toured refugee camps in Thailand. "I watched people die," Ray tells the Register for the Oct. 30 edition, saying the conditions were so horrific he doesn't know how to describe them. The Republican governor, who had so far resettled 4,000 refugees from the Vietnam War to Iowa, acknowledges backlash for his efforts, "but this is a matter of life and death." Ray, joined by Iowa leaders including Register President and Editor Michael Gartner, forms the Iowa SHARES charity, which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy food and other aid to assist the refugees in Thailand.
Des Moines City Council approves speed reduction on busy downtown road
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Des Moines City Councilapproved reducing the speed limit for a busy portion of Keo Way. The city council approved the motion and waived the second and third readings. It's now 25 mph on Keo Way from the Interstate 235 bridge to 10th Street. The...
What women can do when most abortions are banned in Iowa
Dr. Timothy Olson is a psychiatrist practicing in Des Moines and a lifelong Iowa resident. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled June 28 that the state can hijack a woman’s body if it has a reason (“rational basis”). This means that the "fetal heartbeat" law, passed last year by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by the governor, can soon take effect.
Part of the northeast mixmaster is closing Tuesday night. See the Iowa DOT's detour
Be aware of nighttime construction happening near the northeast mixmaster in Des Moines on Tuesday evening, as parts of the interchange for Interstates 35, 80 and 235 will be closed by the Iowa Department of Transportation. When will the Des Moines mixmaster be closed on Tuesday? Weather permitting, on Tuesday night, July 23, crews...
Moving Company Offering Free Storage Space For Iowa Storm Victims
Monday night's storms brought severe damage and power outages throughout Iowa and the Quad Cities. Even as of Wednesday morning, MidAmerican reports that almost 700 people are still without power in the Quad Cities. More than 300 people in Des Moines also have no power. To help folks who need...
Indianola Set for “Meeting Town” RAGBRAI Stop Tomorrow
Thousands of bicycle riders will travel through Indianola tomorrow as RAGBRAI will ride through town, day four of the annual event. Indianola has been designated as a “meeting town” in between the overnight stops of Winterset and Knoxville, and the theme for the Indianola stop will be “Just Eat It.”
Des Moines Register at 175: Celebrating businesses with family ties that help Iowa endure
The vast variety of Iowa businesses that have reached the century mark ranges from insurers to agricultural equipment manufacturers to an upscale department store chain. But many members of the century club are alike in one aspect: They are the product of multiple generations of family ownership. ...
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