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West Des Moines considers $700K bathroom near Jamie Hurd Amphitheater

City staff say it's one of the most requested amenities from residents.

News

The Jamie Hurd Amphitheater is used for everything from theater performances to symphony concerts, rock cover bands and film screenings.<ul><li>But the one major thing missing for those events is a bathroom with flushable toilets, West Des Moines city staff say.</li></ul>

Polk County pushes "Polk Proud" plates

The new campaign urges people to get their vehicles titled locally.

Polk County&#x27;s treasurer is urging car buyers and dealers to title vehicles locally, launching a &quot;Polk Proud&quot; campaign to keep that business in the county.Why it matters: Hundreds of vehicles are being titled in surrounding counties each month, draining thousands in revenue that would otherwise support Polk County services, Treasurer Mary Wells tells Axios.

WDM data center program gives free tuition to learn new career

The program provided 15 students tuition-free data center training.

Ramero Jackson was at home, unable to continue his work as a truck driver because of a medical issue, when he stumbled across a post for a free data center training program through the City of West Des Moines.Why it matters: Jackson, who was selected for the program last year, now works in Altoona at an IT company contracted by Meta after completing the 15-week course, which helps prep <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="underemployed" data-vars-click-url="https://workforce.urban.org/taxonomy/term/6.html" data-vars-content-id="3bc3d305-9eb6-4d7b-b424-36d7a6c6111f" data-vars-headline="WDM data center program gives free tuition to learn new career" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://workforce.urban.org/taxonomy/term/6.html" target="_blank">underemployed</a> people for a career in the growing data center industry.

Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines plans campus expansion

The West Des Moines campus is one of the most popular churches in the state.

Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, the largest church in Iowa, plans to expand its campus by 14,000 square feet, per a council meeting— including a gym, teen center and a larger food pantry.Why it matters: The $20 million project, funded through donations, reflects the church&#x27;s efforts to encourage more in-person interactions and accommodate a growing congregation, Pastor Jeremy Johnson tells Axios.

5 years later: How COVID changed Iowa

Pandemic-related distrust continues as people, groups and businesses pursue recovery efforts.

COVID

Five years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly every aspect of daily life, forcing shifts in public health policy, remote work, education and the agriculture industry — one of Iowa&#x27;s economic cornerstones.Why it matters: Reflection can help us <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="evaluate and prepare for possible future pandemics" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2020/08/31/coronavirus-pandemic-lessons-us-china-vaccines-testing" data-vars-content-id="f8ee7ae3-8b8a-44f9-92e8-9b44290585e3" data-vars-headline="5 years later: How COVID changed Iowa" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2020/08/31/coronavirus-pandemic-lessons-us-china-vaccines-testing" target="_self">evaluate and prepare for possible future pandemics</a>.

Local teacher shortages improve, except in specialty positions

Districts are still struggling to find staff for for more specialized roles in math and science.

Education

Des Moines metro schools have mostly recovered from the worst of the pandemic-era teacher <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="shortages" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/12/05/teachers-absent-daily-recruitment-worker-shortages-dmps" data-vars-content-id="cf2cdc2b-d57d-4aad-8962-8106a544c06e" data-vars-headline="Local teacher shortages improve, except in specialty positions" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/12/05/teachers-absent-daily-recruitment-worker-shortages-dmps" target="_self">shortages</a>, but longstanding problems like filling specialty positions continue to plague Iowa districts.Why it matters: Schools are struggling to hire teachers in the highly-coveted STEM field, including math, science and mechanics.

Des Moines sees rent hikes after pandemic assistance ends

Price increases will make it difficult for some families to remain in their home, an official warns.

Rents have increased for some low-income Polk County families that had been relying on pandemic-era housing assistance.Why it matters: The more than $100 million in federal support to Polk County <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ended in March" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2024/03/12/polk-countys-emergency-rent-is-almost-gone" data-vars-content-id="b5dfec4a-88cc-44f2-80b0-1e7cc093e26d" data-vars-headline="Des Moines sees rent hikes after pandemic assistance ends" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2024/03/12/polk-countys-emergency-rent-is-almost-gone" target="_self">ended in March</a>, and there are families that will not be able to stay in their homes without it, Anne Bacon, director of IMPACT, told the Des Moines City Council last week.

Iowa COVID-19 levels, hospitalizations rise

Hospitalizations still remain far below their pandemic-era peak.

COVID-19 hospitalization rates across Iowa rose 5% between June and July amid signs of a late <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="summer wave sweeping the country" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/covid-19-cases-2023-uptick-where-why" data-vars-content-id="2bc374c7-bafc-49d8-88fd-db62a74bd06b" data-vars-headline="Iowa COVID-19 levels, hospitalizations rise" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/covid-19-cases-2023-uptick-where-why" target="_self">summer wave sweeping the country</a>.Why it matters: Many of us have put COVID in our rearview mirrors, leaving Americans potentially mentally and practically ill-prepared for another wave.

Iowa struggling to analyze emerging COVID-19 variants

Researchers are asking health facilities to send in more positive tests.

Health

The State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa is receiving too few positive COVID-19 tests to reliably monitor the virus, making it harder for researchers to detect new strains in recent months.Why it matters: Keeping track of emerging COVID trends and data can help health officials prevent surges and figure out the most helpful vaccines.

New Omicron variant begins spreading in Iowa

XBB.1.5 makes up about 28% of COVID cases in the country.

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="XBB.1.5 COVID-19 subvariant" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/10/18/new-covid-variants-october-2022" data-vars-content-id="447ac609-5749-49fb-86ac-25203c69a81d" data-vars-headline="New Omicron variant begins spreading in Iowa" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/10/18/new-covid-variants-october-2022" target="_self">XBB.1.5 COVID-19 subvariant</a> — a new version of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Omicron" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/01/coronavirus-vaccine-omicron-variants" data-vars-content-id="447ac609-5749-49fb-86ac-25203c69a81d" data-vars-headline="New Omicron variant begins spreading in Iowa" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/01/coronavirus-vaccine-omicron-variants" target="_self">Omicron</a> variant — is slowly growing in Iowa.State of play: XBB.1.5 makes up about 28% of COVID cases in the country and is the fourth most prevalent strain here in Iowa.

When Iowans should get the new COVID vaccine booster

If you're 60 and older or immunocompromised, you should get it as soon as possible.

The updated COVID-19 booster started rolling out this week in Des Moines. As winter approaches, health officials say some people should start making plans to get it as soon as possible. Why it matters: COVID-19 has mutated so quickly that vaccinations were in need of an update to target strains like Omicron that now account for the majority of U.S. cases, writes Axios&#x27; <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Tina Reed and Adriel Bettelheim" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/09/01/what-to-know-about-new-covid-boosters" data-vars-content-id="ade05838-bbc9-41fe-bfb3-cc29aec1497f" data-vars-headline="When Iowans should get the new COVID vaccine booster" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/09/01/what-to-know-about-new-covid-boosters" target="_self">Tina Reed and Adriel Bettelheim</a>.

Travel up, COVID precautions down as Iowa heads into Labor Day

COVID hospitalizations in Iowa are more than 80% lower than in late 2020.

Most Americans are not taking extra steps to avoid COVID-19 before they go on vacation, according to an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/axios-ipsos-coronavirus-index" data-vars-content-id="e74609c5-724a-4f91-9bf8-09c502563a18" data-vars-headline="Travel up, COVID precautions down as Iowa heads into Labor Day" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/axios-ipsos-coronavirus-index" target="_blank">Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index</a> taken a few weeks ago.Why it matters: The perception of personal risk has fallen to the point where even more frequent hand washing and sanitizing — the most common precaution — is not in play for most travelers, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios&#x27; Adriel Bettelheim reports." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/16/axios-ipsos-poll-covid-vacations" data-vars-content-id="e74609c5-724a-4f91-9bf8-09c502563a18" data-vars-headline="Travel up, COVID precautions down as Iowa heads into Labor Day" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/08/16/axios-ipsos-poll-covid-vacations" target="_self">Axios&#x27; Adriel Bettelheim reports.</a>

CDC estimates 85% of Iowa kids have had COVID

The CDC estimates It estimates the percentage of people between 6 months and 17 years old with antibodies against the virus in their blood.

Nearly 85% of Iowa kids have already been infected with COVID-19, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new CDC data show" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/28805559.54/aHR0cHM6Ly9jb3ZpZC5jZGMuZ292L2NvdmlkLWRhdGEtdHJhY2tlci8_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3AjcGVkaWF0cmljLXNlcm9wcmV2YWxlbmNl/6000782188cdd8159c5b680eCdce48cc6" data-vars-content-id="bb7d03ec-60ff-4058-9bb7-52066a7675ae" data-vars-headline="CDC estimates 85% of Iowa kids have had COVID" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/28805559.54/aHR0cHM6Ly9jb3ZpZC5jZGMuZ292L2NvdmlkLWRhdGEtdHJhY2tlci8_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3AjcGVkaWF0cmljLXNlcm9wcmV2YWxlbmNl/6000782188cdd8159c5b680eCdce48cc6" target="_self">new CDC data show</a>.Driving the news: The CDC released the results of its latest pediatric antibody seroprevalence survey last week.

Nearly 3,000 of Iowa's COVID deaths were preventable, analysis finds

The U.S. passed the grim milestone of 1 million COVID deaths this week.

Vaccines could have prevented nearly 3,000 COVID-related deaths in Iowa between January 2021 and last month, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a new analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://globalepidemics.org/vaccinations/" data-vars-content-id="3f1aae57-d29e-4c90-9758-990e09b6d626" data-vars-headline="Nearly 3,000 of Iowa&#x27;s COVID deaths were preventable, analysis finds" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://globalepidemics.org/vaccinations/" target="_blank">a new analysis</a> by Brown University&#x27;s School of Public Health.The big picture: The analysis suggests that roughly half of the more than 641,000 deaths nationwide since 2021 could have been prevented, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios&#x27; Tina Reed reports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/16/covid-vaccines-preventable-deaths" data-vars-content-id="3f1aae57-d29e-4c90-9758-990e09b6d626" data-vars-headline="Nearly 3,000 of Iowa&#x27;s COVID deaths were preventable, analysis finds" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/16/covid-vaccines-preventable-deaths" target="_self">Axios&#x27; Tina Reed reports</a>.

COVID 🦠

5 years later: How COVID changed Iowa

We're driving more post-COVID

Local teacher shortages improve, except in specialty positions

Des Moines sees rent hikes after pandemic assistance ends

Iowa COVID-19 levels, hospitalizations rise