News

Let's Catch Up! August '24

STEPPING UP: HOMELESS FRONT LINE

Since April, Firefighter John Jensen and Fire Medic Hali Van Velzen have incorporated weekly visits to homeless camps into their routine. The pair lead the City’s new Mobile Integrated Healthcare outreach program.

“It’s all part of building a support system,” John told me. “Our outreach program is about building communication with the homeless.”

With 911 calls on the uptick of 5 to 7 percent across the country, this and similar programs in other cities have reduced ambulance dispatches and emergency room trips for high-volume callers. In 2022, Des Moines Fire Department data shows that EMTs made 1,450 emergency room trips for 82 high-volume callers.

John and Hali meet with high-volume callers in their homes or apartments, at Bethel Mission or Central Iowa Shelters and Services (CISS) and homeless camps — whatever and wherever it takes. The services offered include:

Asking about transportation needs; they have arranged Lyft rides for medical appointments
Picking up prescriptions
Performing routine assessments
Managing chronic conditions; and
Dressing wounds.

I spent a July afternoon with the pair, bumping along the Raccoon and Des Moines trails in Medical Cart #2, a four-passenger ATV loaded with water, a stretcher, and medical supplies.

“CISS Outreach!” John shouted over a loudspeaker, as he and Hali rolled through homeless camps east of East 14th Street along the Des Moines River. “Water, free smiles!” Hali chimed in, as homeless individuals wandered to their vehicle. CISS client advocates David Macias and Molly Hadley met us at stops along the Des Moines River.

DMFD Assistant Chief Percy Coleman has high praise for the two.

“This team has shown that the key to its success is building relationships with residents, listening to their healthcare needs, and treating them with respect and dignity,” he told me. “When we understand why certain individuals are calling frequently, we can help create solutions to get them the help they’re looking for without relying on our 911 services.”

He also passed along glowing praise for John and Hali from a long-time homeless person: “ ‘Those two have provided more guidance than I’ve ever received.’ ”

“Through conversations with some of the homeless individuals we’ve treated, Assistant Chief Coleman added, “our team has learned that many of these people have been transported here from other communities and want to go home to the support systems they have there.”

More details.

Also, there is more homeless support: DMFD opened an office in Central Iowa Shelter and Services (CISS) in April, staffed daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. In June alone, CISS residents and walk-ins visited the Acute Care Station 180 times, with only 27 transports to an emergency room.

ANOTHER GREAT SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS

The Parks & Recreation Summer Camp program has ended yet another successful season. For 10 weeks, 250 kids (50 per site) enjoyed free activities, attractions, and lunches at five City parks: Columbus, Evelyn K. Davis, Drake, Martin Luther King Jr., and Weeks Middle School. Parks and Recreation Supervisor Amarre Neguisse estimates that the 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekday program saved families about $300,000 in childcare costs.

Day trips included excursions to numerous Des Moines and area attractions such as the Jester Park Nature Center, the Science Center of Iowa, Blank Park Zoo, and the Neal Smith Wildlife Preserve. Activities included mini-golf at Blank Park Golf Course, and swimming lessons at Des Moines public pools, plus 50 sessions with the Des Moines Public Library’s Rosie the Reader.

Central Iowa Shelters and Services provided 10,000 lunches, delivered fresh daily to the five sites.

Amarre also reported that the camps provided summer jobs for 40, including 10 returnees from last summer’s program.

Here’s a sampling of glowing quotes from pleased parents:

“It was a good experience for my daughter to meet new kids from different backgrounds, and she really loved her staff member Sadie at Drake. My daughter said she wants to do summer day camp again! Thank you for this opportunity, especially since having it free of charge is very beneficial for hardworking families.”

“Weeks staff took the time to support and help my child. I can’t thank them enough for the constant communication, pictures, and support they showed.”

“Everyone—especially Temira—was so welcoming to our daughter. The activities and team-building exercises they did helped make the kids feel right at home and kept everyone engaged.”

IN THE BOOKS: SUMMER READING PROGRAM

Nearly 11,000 Des Moines youths registered for the Des Moines Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge, a testament to the community's love for reading and learning. Library Director Sue Woody reports a whirlwind of activity at the six City libraries.

Sue loves to cite statistics, which included a record 10,817 youths who registered. In June, July, and August, the kids logged an impressive 1,601,280 minutes (26,688 hours or 1,112 days) of reading and learning. Also:

· 31 summer care sites participated, reaching another 1,604 kids with regular visits from the library staff.

· 801 teens attended one of 43 education programs crafted for their interests.

· Staff distributed 11,778 free books, typically graphic novels and Manga books.

· Staff made 57 visits to early education sites (207 classrooms), reaching another 2,344 attendees.

· And 652 kids got new library cards.

Sue said all that wouldn’t have been possible without the help of 61 VolunTeens, who logged 1,046 hours supporting youth programs.

HOW I SPENT MORE SUMMER: NEWLY MINTED CNA

Hoda Mohamed, right, hugs her cousin Eman Mohamed, left, at graduation ceremonies in late July for Broadlawns Medical Center’s Training & Education for a Career in Healthcare (TEACH) apprentice program. Eman, a Roosevelt High School senior, now works part-time on weekends in the Broadlawns family birthing center.

Each of the 10-week program’s 33 graduates received a certified nursing assistant (CNA) certificate plus six hours of DMACC credit. More than 140 applied for this summer’s TEACH paid apprentice program, now in its eighth year, to introduce youth to healthcare careers.

INVEST DSM SET TO CELEBRATE 5 YEARS, 1,000+ PROJECTS

Serving on the Invest DSM board is one of the highlights of my City Council work — it makes me smile to see so many dressed-up homes sprinkled around the City.

As I write this, the Invest DSM staff is scurrying about, planning a fifth anniversary celebration. And there’s plenty to celebrate! In five years, Invest DSM has completed 1,014 projects in four targeted neighborhoods: Franklin, Drake, Columbus Park, and Oak Park/Highland Park.

Created in 2019, Invest DSM furnishes homeowners with grant money from the City of Des Moines and Polk County Supervisors to, as they put it on their website, “improve their properties, strengthen their social connections, and create a community that works for them.” Homeowners add their own funds but pay less out of pocket for the renovations.

In 2024 Invest DSM committed $5,524,674 to neighborhood improvements. Program recipients invested $4.72 for every grant dollar, for a total of $26,068,497. That’s a pretty impressive return! Invest DSM 2023 report.

At our August board meeting, Invest DSM executive director Amber Lynch told us that representatives from Syracuse, New York, Philadelphia, Iowa City, and Marion, Iowa, are planning a trip to Des Moines to check out our nonprofit.

In 2025 Invest DSM is slated to add two target neighborhoods: Union Park and North of Grand-Woodland Heights.

“I love that we are re-energizing people to love where they live,” Amber told me. Amen to that!

Oh, and the celebration kicks off with a block party and open house from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 13, at its offices on 525 Southwest Fifth Street.

BIRDLAND POOL: HELP ON THE WAY

The public never sees the filters, pumps, and piping that make up the ginormous 750,000-gallon sand filter at Birdland Pool. But the five-unit filter is vital to pool filtration.

Recently, Des Moines Parks & Recreation Director Ben Page told the Parks & Recreation board and City Council members about the urgent need to replace the sand filter, which engineers have described it as being on its last legs. A failure would shut down Birdland for the season. The project is out for bids, estimated to cost $785,000.

The Birdland improvements top the list for $20 million in upgrades to the five Des Moines public pools, spread over the next eight years. Birdland, which has hosted many national, regional, and state swim meets as far back as the 1930s, is believed to be the oldest public pool in Des Moines.

FEEDING A HUNGRY RAGBRAI CROWD

This year’s RAGBRAI event in late July was a huge opportunity for three local enterprises. They used the food preparation facilities at the Mickle Center Shared-Use Kitchen in Sherman Hill to manage their busy week, showcasing the importance of community support for local businesses.

This year’s route was the third year for Palm’s Caribbean Cuisine to follow the RAGBRAI crowd. By the time they reached Burlington, Amara Sama and his crew of four had slow-cooked and smoked 1,700 pounds of chicken wings for the lunch crowd.

In Greenfield, the crew agreed to donate all proceeds of their tips jar to the community’s recovery effort from the May 21 tornado. Nicely done: $500 will benefit the community.

“For one week,” Amara said, “people bound over bike and food [to] truly see the nice side of Iowa. We enjoy meeting all kinds of people, hearing their stories, feeding them, and exploring parts of Iowa we are unfamiliar with.” That’s Amara, left, and Raytron Lamar in Greenfield.

Amara reported that the biggest hit was his Jerk Wing meal, including one of my favorites: jolloff rice, a popular West African dish that encompasses tomatoes, chilies, onions, spices, other vegetables, and/or meat. I also can attest to the restorative boost from Palm’s smoothie combination of watermelon, blueberries, and orange juice.

Say Cheese owners Jake Whipple and his niece Sydney Williams and their crew of nine kept busy preparing sandwiches from 1,100 loaves of bread from South Union Bakery, and more than 900 pounds of shredded cheddar cheese. They reported that their BLT with cheddar cheese was the hungry RAGBRAI lunch crowd’s most popular gourmet grilled cheese sandwich.

Jake and Sydney have fed RAGBRAI riders for seven years. Their busiest day was the excellent RAGBRAI Expo wrapped around the Glenwood business district.

Lana Shope, pictured with her daughter, Meredith Leaton, baked 130 pies in the shared-used kitchen to prepare for the Lana’s Pies and Pastries stop on Indianola’s square. Riders stopped at the perfect stand: Lana is a grand champion Iowa State Fair pie baker.

Lana’s hubby, Bill, drove to Missouri to pick up the absolutely freshest fruit for Lana’s peach pie with an almond crumble top.

“We had a lot of bikers ask us if we made our [own] crust — of course we did! — and if we used canned pie filling,” Lana told me. Her crust, a finely tuned lard recipe includes vodka. “These questions led me to believe some riders want a quality pie,” she said.

HoQ Restaurant, an East Village fixture, also followed the RAGBRAI route. Owner Suman Hoque, reported serving up more than 4,800 of his breakfast wraps (containing 15,000 scrambled eggs) on the seven-day journey, a busy task for his crew of seven locals. Elliott and St. Charles were HoQ’s busiest towns.

Suman has been a RAGBRAI vendor for seven years. As his custom, he began preparing for the busy week when he started assembling, baking, and freezing homemade naan in January.

Riders also flocked to Thelma’s ice cream sandwiches for a pick-me-up. Owner Derek Lewis, a 10-year RAGBRAI veteran, reports that snickerdoodle sandwiches, based on his great-grandmother’s snickerdoodle cookie recipe, remain the top seller, with cayenne chocolate chip a rising star.

Marlo, Dereck’s 12-year-old daughter, has her own little fan base, including Iowa state troopers she sees daily. “She loves some good banter with the riders,” Dereck told me, “and always loves it when riders drop a few bucks in her tip jar labeled ‘Marlo’s Car Fund.’

“The busiest days always feel like magic and lightning in a bottle,” Derek told me. “The smaller the town, the better, with all the vendors on the route and tons of shade and grass for riders.”

Let's Catch Up! July '24

1,300+ NEW DOWNTOWN HOUSING UNITS

The 2020 census population counted 11,648 downtown residents. That could surge soon, as more than 200 new downtown housing units are slated to go on the market this year, bringing a wave of fresh opportunities and vibrancy to our city. For 2025 and 2026, more than 1,100 new rental and owner-occupied units are scheduled for completion.

The City considers “downtown” bounded on the north by I-235, on the south by the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers, on the east by East 14th Street, and on the west by ML King Parkway. Unofficially, many residents consider housing along the south bank of the Raccoon River as part of downtown.

Here’s what the City’s Development Services knows about, with project name, location, and developer.

MARIJUANA DIVERSION MAKES AN IMPACT

In mid-June, I listened to Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham's presentation at the Grubb YMCA about the first-year successes of a marijuana diversion program. Rolled out in March 2023, the initiative impacts first-time offenders charged with low-level marijuana possession that doesn’t include an additional indictable offense such as weapon possession or domestic abuse.

As of mid-May, Polk County had dismissed 327 simple possession charges, with only 25 new charges: a clear sign of the program’s success and positive impact. Linn County has a similar diversion program.

Graham’s chief of staff, Lynn Hicks, explained to me that the county would dismiss the charge and recommend that the court expunge it after the individual completes a substance abuse evaluation (around $200; paid by individual) and all its recommendations, including treatment; signs a simple deferred prosecution agreement; and appears at all court dates. There are additional details. A guilty plea averages about $1,000; signing the agreement saves the individual about $800.

The biggest benefit, Lynn told me, is not having the marijuana charge on your record. “A marijuana charge affects student loans, housing, employment, and more,” he pointed out.

Des Moines residents represented 48% (114) of the charges. Interestingly, the Des Moines Police Department made fewer than 10% of the arrests (31 total). Records show that our neighboring police departments tallied more simple marijuana possession arrests: West Des Moines (20%), Urbandale (15%), and Ankeny (13%).

Nearly 32% of those arrested identified as Black; census records show 7.8% of Polk County residents as Black.

VOLUNTEERS MAKE A GOOD EVENT GREAT

The 27th Annual Des Moines Arts Festival®, presented by Nationwide in late June, wrapped up another incredible three-day event. It featured nearly 200 incredible artists (900 applied), terrific free music, and unbelievable weather.

However, the secret sauce for this and any successful event is volunteers. According to Stacey Nay, in her fourth year as a volunteer coordinator, 619 individuals signed up for tasks from setup to tear-down and a dizzying list of duties in between—2,579 volunteer hours in total.

Artists laud the Des Moines event's “artist relations team” for walking lap after lap around the vendor tents, asking whether the artists need water, lunch, or a bathroom break. “No one does it better,” several artists reported.

“It’s no cliché to state we can’t do it without our volunteers,” Arts Festival executive director Stephen King told me. “And ours are the best in the country. It’s not just my accolade; I hear it over and over and over again from exhibiting artists, sponsors, food vendors, and our guests. We are very grateful for their time and talents.”

It's hard to top this: This year’s volunteer army included four individuals—Al Burrows, Denny Becker, Julia Whetstone, and Julie Williams—who have volunteered for 20 years or more.

At the Arts Festival’s Preview Celebration in May, the organization honored Melissa Winters, 15-year volunteer, and four 10-year volunteers: Sally Corcoran, Stephanie Pearl, Kate Steffen, and Kurt Weakland. They also recognized Peggy Cokeley, Natalia Espinosa, Andrew Tincher, and Kayla Wagener as five-year volunteers. Each received a handsome plaque.

SERVICE OUTSIDE COUNCIL CHAMBERS

I represent the City Council on the Arts Festival Foundation board. My duties include year-round quarter meetings and the Arts Festival weekend. This year, I also worked two afternoon shifts as a greeter, which would look fabulous if I applied to Walmart!

All council members serve on numerous boards and commissions, educating us in everything from homeless issues and wastewater to selecting the next new public art installation and the Broadway series. Here are boards and commissions with council representation.

· Mayor Connie Boesen: BRAVO Board of Trustees, Central Iowa Water Trails, Des Moines Area Regional Transit (alternate), Des Moines Performing Arts, Downtown Community Alliance, Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greater Des Moines Partnership (executive committee), Invest DSM, Metropolitan Advisory Council, Metropolitan Coalition, Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Polk County Conference Board, Walnut Creek Watershed Management Authority, Warren County Economic Development Corporation, Wastewater Reclamation Authority (WRA) Management Agency.

· Chris Coleman: Des Moines Area Regional Transit (primary), Homeless Coordinating Council, Metropolitan Planning Council, Metropolitan Planning Organization.

· Joe Gatto: Central Iowa Water Trails (secondary), Fourmile Creek Watershed Management Authority, Metro Wastewater Authority (primary), Metropolitan Planning Organization, Wastewater Reclamation Authority (WRA) Management Agency.

· Josh Mandelbaum: Downtown Community Alliance, Greater Des Moines Partnership, IMPACT Community Action Partnership, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Polk County Housing Trust Fund.

· Mike Simonson: BRAVO Board of Trustees, Des Moines Art Center, Metropolitan Advisory Council.

· Carl Voss: Blank Park Zoo Foundation, Des Moines Arts Festival, Invest DSM, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Neighborhood Development Corporation (NDC).

· Linda Westergaard: Aging Resources of Central Iowa, Des Moines Performing Arts, Fourmile Creek Watershed Management Authority, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, Neighborhood Finance Corporation (NFC), Wastewater Reclamation Authority (WRA) Management Agency.

In addition, we all serve as representatives to the Polk County Emergency Management Commission and the Warren County Emergency Management Commission.

CITIZEN RAISSA’S BIG DAY

Raissa Mafuta, who arrived in Central Iowa with her family 12 years ago from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was among 29 new citizens hailing from 19 countries sworn in by U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher on Independence Day at Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs baseball team. Since the first on-field event was held on September 4, 2009, 482 new citizens have been naturalized at Des Moines’ site of America’s “national pastime.”

Raissa immigrated from Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, when she was a high school sophomore. An Iowa State University graduate in accounting, she works at Principal Financial.

HABITAT HOME RISES DURING ARTS FESTIVAL

Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity staff members Victoria Moon (left) and Rachel Ong greet visitors touring a new Habitat home, constructed during the three-day Des Moines Arts Festival. More than about 170 volunteers bustled around to frame the 1,100-square-foot home. That takes teamwork! After the home is trucked to the Capitol East neighborhood, interior work gets underway. The house will become a home in mid-November for Leke and her family of four.

THE COAST GUARD HAS LANDED

Daniel Raney of Austin, Texas, a United States Coast Guard Band percussionist, performs on the kettle drums on June 30 at the Music Under the Stars concert at the Iowa State Capitol. It was the debut appearance at the Capitol for this 55-member active-service band, based in New London, Connecticut. The closing number— “The Armed Forces Medley,” a salute to all five service branches—drew the loudest applause.

TWILIGHT RUN/WALK AT WAVELAND GOLF

Fifth-grader Ona Krueger led youngsters in the “Conquer the Hill Sprint,” kicking off the Waveland Park Twilight Run and Walk on June 15 at the Waveland Golf Course. In its fifth year, the annual family-friendly event allows non-golfers to enjoy the majestic setting at the oldest municipal golf course west of the Mississippi. The Waveland Park Neighborhood Association organized the event that drew more than 60 youths and adults for the nine- or 18-hole walk/run. And dogs were welcomed, too!

WEEKLONG YOUTH BIKE CAMP

A dozen kids started their weeklong bike camp on June 17 with leadership from the Des Moines Police Activities League and the Street Collective. Lamika Houston (left) and Maleah Foy-Al-Hameed help each other fit helmets before working on biking skills in the Fourmile Community Center parking lot. Then, it was off to the Stowe Heights Challenge Course for team-building work.

The activity-laden week included stops at three pools, the East Side Library, a chat with Hy-Vee nutritionist Payton Vest, geocaching with Scott Mills, boating at Gray’s Lake Park, a fingerprint demonstration at police headquarters with technician Krystal Warren, and two ice cream shops.

The kids also learned necessary urban bicycling etiquette, such as “Calling out before you pass someone,” Lamika said.

Kittie Weston-Knauer and I started this summer program in 2010. A handful of kids have progressed from this camp to the RAGBRAI Dream Team.

PARKS & REC JULY BUCKET LIST CHALLENGE

Have you heard about this year’s “Bucket List Challenge,” sponsored by Des Moines Parks and Recreation? Well, here are the details!

You shutterbugs have a chance to win a $500 Scheels card. To enter, snap photos at each of 16 City locations—parks, a favorite trail, and golf courses.

The photo above is from a Twilight Run/Walk at Waveland Golf Course—no little white balls in this shot. Maybe your favorite photo is a hole-in-one!

October 2023

WHAT I’VE LEARNED KNOCKING DOORS

This year I've knocked on more than 2,400 doors around the City and attended more than 55 neighborhood meetings. That's a lot of listening! And it's been rewarding. Here's a snapshot of topics since my August newsletter. Sometimes, little improvements make a big difference!

1: A hand-up for Des Moines schools

Schools get a portion of the proceeds from the sale of recycled materials. Tina Epp, the McKinley Elementary community schools coordinator, asked me if the City could streamline how it approves getting recycling bins on school property. Thank you, Tina! Plans are now in place for the City Council to approve a new process at our November 23 meeting. Erik Lundy, deputy director of Neighborhood Services, has shared a draft with Tina.

2: Wacky timing of Grand and 56th traffic signal

Jeff Freude suggested that something must be wrong with the timing of the traffic signal at 56th Street and Grand Avenue on the West Side; northbound and southbound traffic wait a painfully long period—even with no Grand Avenue traffic—for the light to turn. One of the City's technicians went out and discovered a broken westbound detection loop, adding unused “green time” to Grand Avenue traffic. Staff made a quick fix—just in time for the start of the school year. Thank you, Jeff!

3. Another recycling issue

Frances Landers in Ward 3, who also is keen on recycling, asked if one curbside blue bin containing contaminated or banned items (yard waste, food scraps, diapers) could cause the Metro Recycling Facility (MRF) to reject an entire truckload of products. Meaning the truckload of potential recycled products would get trucked to the landfill—wasting many households’ recycling efforts. Jonathan Gano, director of Public Works, told me that if a truck were to show up at the MRF with an exceptional quantity of contamination—likely only if a garbage-loaded truck went to the recycling center by mistake—the entire truckload could be rejected, set aside, and hauled off to the landfill. But this has only happened once during his tenure. “Rest assured that a normal amount of contamination in our recycling does not doom the entire truck to be sent to the landfill,” Jonathan says. “Almost every load from every community has at least some contamination products.” Under normal circumstances, Jonathan says, the MRF takes all the single-stream recycling delivered to it. “The machinery can sort out the valuable commodities,” he explains, “and the contamination goes through the process and will be taken to the landfill.” Incidentally, Des Moines residents have the highest percentage of contaminated goods in recycling bins: about 20 percent. There's no honor in being number 1 in this category! This high percentage impacts Des Moines' revenue from selling recycled products, including cardboard, glass, aluminum, and other products.

FOOT PATROL RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN DES MOINES

The revival of old-fashioned shoe leather—a time-tested policing method—has dramatically impacted downtown Des Moines in recent weeks. After an absence since the mid-1990s, foot patrols were reintroduced in late August to deal with transients and others gathering at several locations, including the Central Library, Cowles Commons, 13th and Walnut, Sixth and Walnut, and Central Iowa Shelter and Services. Officers park their squad cars—another deterrent—nearby, in their patrolling zones. Since the program began, two off-duty police officers have worked over 50 shifts in the zone, including going into identified hot spots and working with the mobile crisis unit to provide needed services. Officers patrol weekdays from 7 to 11 a.m. and again from 2 to 6 p.m. Brandon Brown, president of the Downtown Neighborhood Association, reports high praise from members. “The DNA has been extremely pleased with the DMPD dedicating a police force to downtown,” he told me. An immediate effect Brandon has noticed is police response time. Since the implementation, he says, he’s seen observed law enforcement apprehend a suspect within seconds of a report. “That shows a downtown force can quickly respond to the needs of downtown,” he says. Special Police Officer Matt Dahlen, above, has signed up for 12 off-duty shifts. Because he has worked downtown for 15 years, Matt is familiar with many of the individuals. One little trick? Matt, a non-smoker, carries a pack of cigarettes and offers smokes to folks he encounters. “It’s amazing how one cigarette to a street person gets a lot of traction for me,” he told me. Key to the program is to be visible downtown, so Matt stops in to talk with staff at downtown businesses, including the Central Library, Surety Hotel, US Bank, the Marriott, and others. “I get a lot of information,” he says, “like new issues in an alley that pop up. And the downtown businesses feel they’ve been heard.” Downtown types are echoing Brandon Brown’s observations. Library director Sue Woody reports that incidents have dropped. “What a difference this has made!” she added. “Just having police presence is wonderful. The foot patrols have been good for staff and patrons.” Allison Streu, general manager of the Surety Hotel at Sixth and Mulberry, reported that having the foot patrol presence has drastically reduced loitering on the sidewalks. “And,” she adds, “it’s ensured a feeling of safety in the neighborhood.” Andy Kouri, manager of the Fleming Building, reported a night-and-day transformation for the Sixth and Walnut area. “Around 20 tenants at the Fleming have commented so far about how much safer they feel walking the streets,” he told me. And area office workers have noticed increased sidewalk foot traffic. “I am excited for the opportunities this could bring to the sidewalk retail and downtown offices that have been suffering as of late if we stay on this trajectory,” Andy says. The six-month trial program is funded with an infusion of $150,000; it’s estimated that a fully funded downtown foot patrol would cost $300,000 annually. One possible program extension would be to add foot patrols in the skywalks once cold weather comes.

NOT TO MISS: SATURDAY’S BANNED BOOKS FESTIVAL

A packed lineup of authors, librarians, school board members, and engaged community members will lead discussions at the Banned Books Festival, Saturday, October 7, at Franklin Junior High, Franklin Avenue just west of 48th Street. I’ll be sitting in on two panels during the 10 a.m.–5 p.m. event, sponsored by Beaverdale Books, RAYGUN, Annie’s Foundation (“We read banned books”), and others. One panel discusses banned and censored books in general and features Iowa Freedom of Information Council executive director Randy Evans. The other, discussing Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, is moderated by retired Des Moines Register columnist Rekha Basu.

KEEP UP WITH CITY NEWS What’s the easiest way to know more about street closures and construction notifications? And City Council agendas, board meetings, and committee work? It’s easy-peasy to subscribe to email notifications through this link. Pick from the list, for example, to receive the agendas and minutes of all 15 City boards, commissions, and committees. Other city information is equally available:

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Mary Klein, Des Moines resident, DART user.

RIVER BEND RECEIVES DART ON DEMAND In mid-June, DART on Demand started serving the River Bend neighborhood with a service similar to an Uber or Lyft call. The 14-to-18-passenger buses serve about a 2-square-mile area, including the Oakridge Neighborhood, Harding Hills, and Broadlawns Medical Center. Dart on Demand has been serving Ankeny and West Des Moines. The River Bend service, which connects with seven regular DART routes, operates weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can schedule pickups, at their current locations, with a phone call or an app. On-demand drivers generally handle one to three passengers per hour; a fixed route logs 17 riders per hour. DART’s busiest routes handle 27 passengers at peak ridership. Funders for the River Bend pilot project include Principal Financial, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, The Community Foundation, Iowa DOT, and Prairie Meadows. Erin Hockman, DART’s external affairs officer, acknowledges that the service costs more than a fixed route. “But it fills a need for gaps in our system,” she told me. One early adopter is Mary Klein, above, who uses DART on Demand regularly for doctor’s appointments at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. “I schedule a ride that arrives right in front of my house,” says Mary, who moved to Des Moines from New York City three years ago. “Generally, DART schedules a 30-minute window, but most times, the bus arrives in the first five minutes.” Mary’s fare: 75 cents. A paratransit ride is seven dollars. Mary, a retired nurse and health practitioner, told me she wants to volunteer to read with a student at Moulton Elementary School. “If I get accepted,” she added, “I would take DART On Demand there and back once a week. “Let’s get more people on the bus!”

Sonni Greenfield, left, a fourth-year apprentice at Waldinger Corporation, oversaw Triniti Snopek’s pipe cutting and gluing of this water regular “tree” for the Facebook data center in Altoona.

PRE-APPRENTICE PROGRAM CELEBRATES FIRST GRADUATING CLASS

Ava is keen on becoming an electrician. Diego thinks he’d make a great bricklayer. Amow has narrowed her career choices to cement finishing and welding. The three are among 14 local high school students and one recent graduate who completed a 10-week Pathway to Building Trades pre-apprentice program offered through Forest Avenue Outreach and the Central Iowa Building & Construction Trades Council. The earn-while-you-learn program—the first of its kind in the Des Moines area—paid students $14 an hour to attend 20 hours of classes weekly for hands-on skills training, working at Habitat for Humanity, and interacting with the 16 building trade apprenticeship programs in the metro. In addition, each received their first aid/CPR and 10-hour OSHA certifications, required on all job sites. The program prepares each graduate to apply for and ultimately be successful in a registered apprenticeship program. Samantha Groark, executive director of Central Iowa Building Trades, told me the program directly invests in future Des Moines construction workforce “by creating pathways into these middle-class careers for underserved youth right here in our city. It’s one of the best ways we can address the skilled workforce shortage.” Triniti Snopek, a 2023 Hoover graduate, is working on her dream to join Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 33. The following week after completing the Forest Avenue program, Triniti started work as a helper at Waldinger Corporation. She hopes to enroll in the union’s apprenticeship program. “She has the stuff,” a beaming Sonni Greenfield, a fourth-year apprentice told me. “Dang,” Triniti said, “this tree I built is going out of here.” Applications for next year’s program will begin in the Spring. Check out Forest Avenue Outreach to learn more.

CITY TRAIL WORK PLANNED IN 2024

At upcoming City Council meetings, we will be asked to advertise for bids on major trail work for next year. Here are City projects I’m aware of:

Bill Riley Trail: Reconstruct, resulting in complete closure for most of the season to improve drainage and address cracks and root ridging. Center Trails crossing will be updated with concrete.
Levee Trail (North Valley Drive to 63rd Street): Closure for widening and reconstruction
Carl Voss Trail: Closure from Mullet’s to East 14th Street to levee work on the south bank of the Des Moines River. An easy detour is planned along the John “Pat” Dorrian Trail, being rebuilt this season on the north bank of the Des Moines River (from the new Single Speed Brewery to Pete Crivaro Park), then reconnecting to the Carl Voss Trail via the sidewalk across the East 14th Street Bridge.
16th and Seneca neighborhood connector trail. The new trail will connect the Neal Smith Trail with the Oak Park/Highland Park Neighborhood.
Walnut Creek Trail crossing at North Valley Drive. A raised crossing at North Valley Drive could begin this fall with a Spring completion.
63rd Street Trail. Following the IowaDOT’s improvements to the 63rd Street bridge, a trail section will be constructed from the bridge to Veterans Parkway. The trail will cross 63rd street at Creston Avenue and follow 63rd Street on the east side.

Other planned trail work in the metro includes:

Great Western Trail: The Polk County Conservation Board plans to replace significant portions from Park Avenue south through the Willow Creek golf course. County sources report no identified funding to pave the trail across several gravel roads.
Neal Smith Trail: The Army Corps of Engineers, which received control of the trail from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, plans maintenance of three or four long-neglected miles from Saylor Creek to the Cottonwood Recreation Area. Funding for overdue widening and rebuilding will require an act of Congress—literally!—says Dayne Magneson, lake manager of the Corps office at the Saylorville Reservoir.

DM YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA

GAINS CREDIBILITY

Nate Sparks is sparking a huge interest in jazz with his Des Moines Youth Jazz Orchestra just its second year at the Temple Music and Performing Arts in downtown Des Moines. Band members Jack Deahl, a Southeast Polk senior who plays drums, and Carson Parker, a pianist from Waukee Northwest, were named to the prestigious 18-piece Jazz Band of America Honor Assembly, a select group of talented high school musicians from around the U.S. Also, eight of Nate's students were selected for the 18-piece Iowa All-State Jazz Band. High praise for a young program. “All the local high school band directors now know about this program,” related Nate, a Runnels native and graduate of The Juilliard School. “They've been so gracious about getting this started." After graduating from Juilliard, Nate stayed in New York City for three years and found work as an arranger. But when COVID hit in 2020, he lost a lot of work and returned to Iowa. Today, he exchanges hats as liturgy and music ministry director at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, directing Nate Sparks' Big Band, and accompanying Max Wellman and others at Noce with the NOLA Jazz Band. Tryouts for this year's high school jazz orchestra begin October 4, with its first concert of the season on December 6, at a location to be announced. Hudson Lybarger, shown above at right with Nate, a tenor saxophone player from Urbandale and a youth jazz orchestra member, credits jazz with bridging the gap between contemporary and classical music, and Nate with inspiring him as a musician. “This band is challenging work, and I’m always motivated,” he told me. “I really like straight-ahead jazz, and Nate's arrangements based on Afro-Cuban music.” Hudson will join the Nate Sparks Big Band for December 1 and 9 performances at Noce Jazz and Cabaret. Good seats are still available!

Massey took a night off from his job as an essential member of the DMPD bomb squad, welcoming belly scratches and petting at the South Central Neighborhood’s gathering at the South Union School. SPO Scott Neely, Massey’s handler, shown above, reported that Massey, a 6-year-old Black Labrador, welcomed off-duty attention.

PRINCIPAL PARK RENOVATIONS RAMP UP The Iowa Cubs may have ended their 2023 Triple-A baseball season, but contractors are already working on 2024. A day after the final out, on September 18, crews began scurrying to complete Major League Baseball-mandated significant upgrades to the 30-year-old, City-owned Principal Park; all must be in place by April 1. Ball Team Construction is the general contractor for the improvements, estimated to cost $8.7 million. Spectators won't see most of the work, which expands the I-Cubs’ and the visiting team’s clubhouses, as well as offices and training areas. But work has already commenced on several improvements:

renovating home and visitor clubhouse areas and associated spaces;
finishing the north entry, north entry stairs, weight room, and multipurpose room in the clubhouse;
a new roof and terrace for the outfield restaurant space; and
a new outfield wall.
renovating home and visitor clubhouse areas and associated spaces;
finishing the north entry, north entry stairs, weight room, and multipurpose room in the clubhouse;
a new roof and terrace for the outfield restaurant space; and
a new outfield wall.

Also, the club’s owners, Diamond Baseball Holdings, a subsidiary of private equity firm Silver Lake Partners, of Menlo Park, California, is pursuing premium seating and hospitality areas within the stadium. The team owners would pay for these upgrades. Before the first pitch of the 2023 season, contractors added a “batter's eye” backdrop in the outfield, which made it easier for batters to see pitches. Also, a new umpire suite opened, including facilities for women who work games. Sam Bernabe, the I-Cubs’ president and general manager, said more room was needed regardless of what Major League Baseball ordered. “In 1983, when I started with the Iowa Cubs,” Sam told me, “I had a manager, pitching coach and trainer. This past season, I had a manager, bench coach, pitching coach, two hitting coaches, two trainers, two weight trainers, a nutritionist, and a video coordinator.” Principal Park is one of the oldest — if not the oldest—of the 30 AAA stadiums. Built for about $11 million, its estimated replacement cost is more than $100 million.

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