Scandals, death and dirty water dominated Des Moines headlines in 2025
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Concerns about water quality in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers grew this year as utilities struggled to remove enough nitrate to meet drinking water standards. Photo: Courtesy of the city of DSM
As 2025 comes to an end, it's time to present some important awards for the best or most impactful news stories of the year.
🧌 Most stubborn antagonist: Dirty water
Catch up quick: Much of the metro experienced its first mandatory lawn watering ban, which lasted for weeks as record-high nitrate levels in the Raccoon River threatened the region's drinking water supply.
- A Polk County water report found that river nitrate levels routinely spiked above federal drinking-water standards, especially after heavy rain, largely due to farming practices.
- Another analysis warned that more Iowans face nitrate-related drinking water risks than previously understood.
What we're watching: Whether this year's challenges and revelations lead to change after decades of struggling with the issue.
🏥 Biggest ongoing crisis: Growing cancer rates
Iowa has the second-highest cancer rate in the U.S. and the fastest-growing rate of new cancers — a ranking that has Iowans concerned across all parts of the state.
State of play: On Jan. 20, the Iowa Cancer Registry is hosting "Cancer in Polk County" — a data presentation and conversation about specific concerns for our area.
🥊 The biggest battle: Supervisors' infighting
The year started with a bang when Polk County Supervisors Matt McCoy, Mark Holm and Jill Altringer asked then-County Administrator John Norris to resign.
- What followed was a heated dispute involving Supervisor Tom Hockensmith, an investigation by law enforcement and, ultimately, a $500,000 settlement to Norris.
👀 The biggest surprise: Ian Roberts
The arrest and revelations about the former superintendent shook the Des Moines community.
- From his education history to fake awards, it's still unclear how much DMPS school board members knew about Ian Roberts' falsified resume.
Plus: We're still in the dark over why chief academic officer Robert Lundin was placed on administrative leave after Roberts' arrest.
✌️ Most deserving pats on the back
Zoom in: This year quietly became the year Des Moines leadership retired or announced their goodbyes en masse. A few:
- Greg Edwards, the longtime face of Catch Des Moines, retired in July after 25 years of selling the metro to the world.
- Brad Buck, superintendent of Waukee Community School District, announced he'll step down in June 2026 after steering one of Iowa's fastest-growing districts for nearly two decades.
- Angela Conolly and Tom Hockensmith, Polk County supervisors for 20+ years, revealed they won't seek reelection —they serve through 2026.
- Chris Coleman exits the DSM City Council again this month after his latest comeback, racking up more than 20 years in elected office.
- John TeKippe, one of Des Moines' longest-serving fire chiefs, retired this month after shaping the department for more than three decades, including 17 years as the department's top leader.
🎨 Weirdest new art: An augmented reality mural
State of play: A collaboration between the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation and Principal Financial Group transformed a bland parking garage wall into a hyper-realistic street art performance that is fully viewed via a phone app.
What we're watching: Airport officials have teased a new wave of public art designed to greet travelers at the new terminal that's under construction.
🕊️ Names we'll never forget
- Jay Byers, 54, a Simpson College president and former CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, died unexpectedly in the president's residence in April.
- State Sen. Claire Celsi, 59, a longtime advocate for reproductive rights and health care, died in October of an undisclosed medical issue, prompting bipartisan remembrances.
- Iowa National Guard members Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown were killed this month during an attack in Syria.