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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.

News

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.

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.

Iowa among states making early Medicaid choices

States are facing increasing financial pressures.

Iowa is among the first states reshaping its Medicaid budget ahead of nearly <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$1 trillion in federal Medicaid cuts" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/01/state-budgets-medicaid-austerity" data-vars-content-id="bf3bc7b4-d97f-4472-8dfb-734fc2df52bf" data-vars-headline="Iowa among states making early Medicaid choices" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/01/state-budgets-medicaid-austerity" target="_self">$1 trillion in federal Medicaid cuts</a>, with Gov. Kim Reynolds signing a bill last week to raise taxes on insurers.Why it matters: The move signals potential ripple effects for coverage, costs and state budgets nationwide.

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

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

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>

Iowans waiting longer to marry

Culture

People are saying &quot;I do&quot; later in life — and now, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="more" data-vars-click-url="https://ifstudies.org/blog/1-in-3-a-record-share-of-young-adults-will-never-marry" data-vars-content-id="1b1aef75-5309-4ad2-b855-2365752b445e" data-vars-headline="Iowans waiting longer to marry" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://ifstudies.org/blog/1-in-3-a-record-share-of-young-adults-will-never-marry" target="_blank">more</a> say they&#x27;ll <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="never" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wsj.com/economy/what-happens-when-a-whole-generation-never-grows-up-d200e9ef" data-vars-content-id="1b1aef75-5309-4ad2-b855-2365752b445e" data-vars-headline="Iowans waiting longer to marry" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/what-happens-when-a-whole-generation-never-grows-up-d200e9ef" target="_blank">never</a> tie the knot.Driving the news: Here in Iowa, though we&#x27;re saying our wedding vows later in life, the median age we get married is still younger than the rest of the country — 27 versus 30 in 2023.

"The Last American Gay Bar" docuseries to debut in Des Moines

The series sheds light about why gay bars are vanishing.

A new television docuseries filmed in Des Moines about the decline of gay bars debuts next week at Varsity Cinema.Why it matters: &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Last American Gay Bar" data-vars-click-url="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29258581/" data-vars-content-id="2f7f982c-3f0d-45a7-84fe-cce2092537e0" data-vars-headline="&quot;The Last American Gay Bar&quot; docuseries to debut in Des Moines" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29258581/" target="_blank">The Last American Gay Bar</a>&quot; weaves decades of Iowa&#x27;s queer history together to show how the state&#x27;s LGBTQ+ community organized against discrimination locally and influenced nationwide change.

A line chart showing the median age at first marriage in Iowa from 2010 to 2023. Overall, the median age increased from 26.7 to 27.85 years old in the time period. For men, it increased from 27.8 to 29, and for women, from 25.6 to 26.7.

Median age at first marriage in Iowa

Data: U.S. Census Bureau; Chart: Axios Visuals

Charted: We're gayer than ever

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