DES MOINES – (April 24, 2024) – The Des Moines metro area was named among the cleanest in the nation for ozone pollution, with zero unhealthy ozone days, according to the American Lung Association’s 2024 “State of the Air” report, which was released today. Des Moines’ ranking for short term particle pollution improved slightly from 77th in the nation to 79th. The Lung Association’s 25th annual “State of the Air” report grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone air pollution, annual particle pollution and short-term spikes in particle pollution over a three-year period. This yea ..read more

Des Moines, IA — April 23, 2024 — Invest DSM, a non-profit organization that works to revitalize neighborhoods in Des Moines has selected Sonar Development Partners to develop, own, and manage a mixed-use building anticipated to include apartments, restaurant, and retail space on an Invest DSM-owned site at the southwest corner of Sixth and Euclid Avenues. Substance Architecture is designing the project which DCI Group, Inc, will construct. “I’m excited to play a part in continuing the momentum building in this area. I am passionate about urban design and the impact it can have on a neighborho ..read more

From Iowa’s cultural epicenter, Mainframe Studios at 900 Keosauqua Way in Des Moines, comes your Listener-supported Community Voice, the Award-Winning independent radio station, KFMG-LP 98.9 FM (streaming simultaneously at www.kfmg.org), bringing you music, literature & cultural content. – John Busbee for The Culture Buzz The Culture Buzz Archive Library – https://archive.org/details/@the_culture_buzz 2014 Iowa Governor’s Award for Partnership & Collaboration in the Arts 2015 Iowa History Award for published magazine story, “Last Full Measure of Devotion” 2018 – voted Best Local Talk R ..read more

April 18, 2024 Des Moines , IA — VA Central Iowa Health Care system has earned a 91.9% trust rating with Veterans they serve, according to just-released survey results. These results are in line with national VA trust survey results that show Veteran trust across the country in VA outpatient care sits at 91.8%. The national number is an increase from 85.6% in 2018 (the first year since VA began conducting this survey). “We are very proud of these results,” said VA Central Iowa Patient Experience Officer McKenzie Bahl. “We work intentionally to make sure each Veteran is seen, heard, and ha ..read more

(Des Moines, IA) The Des Moines Latino Film Festival is set to commence its Fourth Annual festival tonight, promising an unforgettable cinematic experience in the vibrant world of Latino storytelling. One of the highlights of the festival will be the exclusive Q&A sessions with the talented directors and producers behind some of the featured films. Following select screenings throughout the festival, audiences will have the chance to engage in thought-provoking discussions with these visionary filmmakers, delving deeper into the themes, inspirations, and challenges behind their work. “We a ..read more

(April 16, 2024) – Keep Iowa Beautiful is thrilled to announce the three students who will receive $1,000 Keep Iowa Beautiful scholarships toward their studies at an Iowa college or university. Isabelle Bolton of Camanche earned the Byers Scholarship. Bolton plans to attend Iowa State University studying Environmental Science and Global Resource Systems. This scholarship is named in honor of educator Bob Byers, whose dedication to young people and environmental concerns was a driving force encouraging young people to help improve their communities. Chloe Zittergruen of Keswick earned the Fultz ..read more

(West Des Moines, Iowa – April 17, 2024) – Bank Iowa today announced the addition of three local lenders to the bank’s fast-growing commercial lending team. All three bankers will serve businesses operating within the $2 billion community bank’s West Des Moines region. Jake Brower, Erik Moen and Aaron Patterson, all seasoned professionals with collective local banking experience of more than 30 years, are joining Bank Iowa as relationship managers. Each brings with him a deep understanding of the financial needs of growing businesses. The new lenders are all native Iowans with degrees from Mid ..read more

“Unsustainable” is a fascinating word, especially when it is used in government and politics. Merriam-Webster, the dictionary folks, tell us unsustainable means something cannot be continued or supported. But in governmental affairs, that definition sometimes gets changed. Instead of something truly being incapable of continuing, the word often means the person using the term simply does not want that “something” to go forward. Understanding this distinction can help us better parse the statements our politicians make. Here is a real-life example to illustrate this difference: Back in Decembe ..read more

DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Education today awarded over $1.7 million in competitive grants to 20 Iowa school districts focused on aligning secondary career and technical education programs with student attainment of industry-recognized credentials. The Credentials to Careers grant awards will support high school students earning credentials with labor market value. “By expanding opportunities to attain an industry-recognized credential in high school, the Credentials to Careers grant helps connect the classroom to the workforce,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Sno ..read more

Our homeowner’s insurance carrier a few weeks ago sent me our annual premium notice for the 12-month period beginning April 10, 2024. The valuations of our house, garage, and personal property had climbed almost 7% higher than they were for the previous 12-month period. That wasn’t a surprise. In fact, I was somewhat gratified by what the carrier says is the replacement cost of our property now. But the premium! Ay, there’s the rub. It was more than 50% higher than the previous 12-month renewal contract. How could that be? I had no idea. So I took the new premium notice and the one from a yea ..read more