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15 biggest events in Des Moines this year
80/35 Music Festival. Photo: Alyssa Leicht
New year, new dates to lock into the calendar.
- Here's what to look forward to in Des Moines in 2023:
Study finds medical marijuana leads to lower insurance premiums
Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
States with medical marijuana programs have lower insurance premiums than those that don't, according to a new University of Iowa study examining insurance premiums.
What they did: Cameron Ellis, a professor at the University of Iowa's College of Business, examined vehicle crash data between 2014 and 2019 by ZIP code.
Scoop: Iowa forfeits millions in federal emergency housing funds
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Polk County is getting nearly $28 million more in federal pandemic emergency rent assistance forfeited by the state, federal documents show.
- Another almost $17 million of Iowa's money was redistributed in late January to other states.
Des Moines rebrands Father Daughter Dance
Des Moines' Father-Daughter Dance is being replaced. Photo: City of DSM video
Des Moines' annual Father Daughter Dance is being rebranded as the "Snow Ball Dance" — an event where parents of all genders and their kids are welcome.
Why it matters: It's an effort to eliminate gender-based exclusivity, parks and recreation department spokesperson Peter Zemansky tells Axios.
New bill would legalize medical marijuana bud in Iowa
Drying marijuana plants at the Bud & Mary's production facility. Photo: Linh Ta/Axios
A new bill in the Iowa Senate would legalize the sale of dried cannabis within the state's medical marijuana program.
Driving the news: Senate Study Bill 1113 allows dispensaries to sell marijuana buds — the actual dried plant — as long as it's consumed through a vape.
Crème offers late-night cupcakes, cocktails and ramen
Cupcakes from Crème. Photo courtesy of Sammy Mila
The new owner of Crème is bringing late night desserts back to the Ingersoll bakery — but with her own little twist.
Driving the news: Sammy Mila launched "Midnight Munchies" at the beginning of the year.
Axios Des Moines readers: Hold the tips


Gratuities have increased in recent years, partly because more credit card transactions are prompting them, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports.
- Sometimes the ask even comes before the service.
Report: Violence interruptor programs are growing, results elusive
Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios
Violence interruption programs have become more common in the last year thanks to hundreds of millions of dollars of federal pandemic funding, according to a report published this week by ProPublica and The New Yorker.
- Des Moines has allocated about $800K into its own program.