Des Moines

Picture of the Des Moines skyline with DSM written across it.

blue

Get smarter, faster about what’s happening in your backyard with local reporters Jason Clayworth and Linh Ta.

Axios Des Moines Thought Bubble

Thought Bubble

Axios Des Moines Deep Dive

Deep Dive

Axios Des Moines Partners

Axios Des Moines

Standard

Des Moines Members

Membership

Historic Drake mansion opens for rare tours

The 1896 Captain Nicholas and Emma Johnson House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Things to Do

A 130-year-old Drake neighborhood mansion, rarely open to the public, will host guided tours this weekend.State of play: The 1896 Captain Nicholas and Emma Johnson House is listed on the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="National Register" data-vars-click-url="https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/cafe4083-fde8-41e7-9083-85a4a42e6aed" data-vars-content-id="5e885208-f2a5-4690-b7c4-522bf66727c2" data-vars-headline="Historic Drake mansion opens for rare tours" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/cafe4083-fde8-41e7-9083-85a4a42e6aed" target="_blank">National Register</a> of Historic Places.

Valley West Mall is finally sold

A lease with JC Penney is holding up redevelopment plans.

Business

After years of delays, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Valley West Mall has finally sold" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/08/15/valley-west-mall-housing-west-desmoines-redevelopment" data-vars-content-id="9e20b598-e699-42eb-8e15-21cb57b61294" data-vars-headline="Valley West Mall is finally sold" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/08/15/valley-west-mall-housing-west-desmoines-redevelopment" target="_self">Valley West Mall has finally sold</a>, though JCPenney&#x27;s longstanding lease could hold up redevelopment.Why it matters: The 58-acre site is in a popular traffic area ripe for commercial and residential development, but the empty, aging mall structure is a major impediment.

Elite basketball prep school plans Des Moines expansion

Iowa United dropped AAU as its founder doubles down on his passion project.

News

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Iowa United Basketball" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2025/08/26/iowa-united-basketball-prep-school-des-moines" data-vars-content-id="a8654efb-b03b-4abe-ad11-b7b27cd5dce5" data-vars-headline="Elite basketball prep school plans Des Moines expansion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2025/08/26/iowa-united-basketball-prep-school-des-moines" target="_self">Iowa United Basketball</a> could invest millions of dollars to build a private outdoor recreation and training area.Why it matters: The project is another major investment by founder Mark Scharnberg in the scholarship-based prep school he and his wife fund.

Lefty's music venue reopens Saturday as Strychnine

A familiar Drake-area stage gets a new name and new life.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Strychnine Live Music and Drinks" data-vars-click-url="https://www.facebook.com/strychninelivemusic" data-vars-content-id="abaf9d2b-6295-43e9-ab6c-aae71970673f" data-vars-headline="Lefty&#x27;s music venue reopens Saturday as Strychnine" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.facebook.com/strychninelivemusic" target="_blank">Strychnine Live Music and Drinks</a> opens Saturday in the former Lefty&#x27;s space near Drake University.Why it matters: Strychnine preserves a small stage for local and emerging acts after Des Moines lost longtime venues including <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Gas Lamp" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/07/26/soccer-gas-lamp-building-stadium-krause-desmoines" data-vars-content-id="abaf9d2b-6295-43e9-ab6c-aae71970673f" data-vars-headline="Lefty&#x27;s music venue reopens Saturday as Strychnine" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/07/26/soccer-gas-lamp-building-stadium-krause-desmoines" target="_self">Gas Lamp</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Vaudeville Mews" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2021/11/18/des-moines-4th-street-business-closed-pandemic" data-vars-content-id="abaf9d2b-6295-43e9-ab6c-aae71970673f" data-vars-headline="Lefty&#x27;s music venue reopens Saturday as Strychnine" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2021/11/18/des-moines-4th-street-business-closed-pandemic" target="_self">Vaudeville Mews</a> in recent years.

Ankeny Art Center plans to move to Uptown

The new center would add classrooms, pottery studios and outdoor sculptures.

The Ankeny Art Center is planning a move to Uptown Ankeny that would nearly double its space as demand for classes grows.Why it matters: The planned 10,000-square-foot center at 315 Cherry St. would add classrooms, pottery studios, a retail shop, expanded gallery space and outdoor sculptures.

Sand and Lahn to face off in first of four Iowa gubernatorial debates

Iowa bucks a national trend with four governor debates this fall.

Iowa voters get their first of four chances Tuesday to see Republican Zach Lahn and Democrat Rob Sand debate face-to-face before the Nov. 3 election.Why it matters: Iowa&#x27;s four gubernatorial debates make it a national outlier as face-to-face matchups disappear from competitive races.

West Des Moines considers e-bike ordinance

The city wants to restrict high-speed devices, and cycling advocates want to see more.

The West Des Moines City Council is considering moving forward with a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="long-awaited high-speed e-mobility ordinance tonight" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2026/06/17/des-moines-metro-leaders-debate-who-should-lead-e-bike-changes" data-vars-content-id="b66ff6ec-a2bd-4759-a5d4-88d9b994dab2" data-vars-headline="West Des Moines considers e-bike ordinance" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2026/06/17/des-moines-metro-leaders-debate-who-should-lead-e-bike-changes" target="_self">long-awaited high-speed e-mobility ordinance tonight</a>, but local cycling advocates say there&#x27;s still a safety gap on city streets.Why it matters: Parents in the Des Moines metro are unknowingly buying their kids electric motorcycles and high-speed e-scooters, which can move at 30–60 miles per hour.

For 5 Borough Bagels owner, music is expression of trauma

Toney Chem, co-owner of 5 Borough Bagels, expresses his hardships through music.

Toney Chem has been rehearsing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="for his biggest music set" data-vars-click-url="https://toneychem.com/" data-vars-content-id="074853dc-8f15-4c63-a2be-7bfd5b91a70e" data-vars-headline="For 5 Borough Bagels owner, music is expression of trauma" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://toneychem.com/" target="_blank">for his biggest music set</a> yet in an unlikely place: his car.<ul><li>He&#x27;s been practicing while driving back and forth to visit his wife, Sarah, who&#x27;s spent the past month hospitalized with a severe lung infection and plans to watch his Panda Fest performance over FaceTime.</li></ul>

1 update: This historic cannon's contract

Des Moines relocated the Civil War cannon from a grave because of theft concerns.

Des Moines City Council this month extended the loan of its city-owned 1841 Civil War howitzer cannon to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Iowa Gold Star Military Museum" data-vars-click-url="https://goldstarmuseum.iowa.gov/" data-vars-content-id="f19f9816-cfa1-45ab-8fe2-6762907e9bdc" data-vars-headline="1 update: This historic cannon&#x27;s contract" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://goldstarmuseum.iowa.gov/" target="_blank">Iowa Gold Star Military Museum</a> at Camp Dodge.Flashback: The cannon once stood at General Nathaniel B. Baker&#x27;s gravesite in Woodland Cemetery, but was moved to the museum more than 25 years ago to prevent theft.

Iowa startups explore better ag tech and bioplastics

It&#x27;s the first-ever <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Iowa Startup Week" data-vars-click-url="https://www.iowastartupweek.com/" data-vars-content-id="42508033-dba8-45fa-ac60-ca7777310eac" data-vars-headline="Iowa startups explore better ag tech and bioplastics" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.iowastartupweek.com/" target="_blank">Iowa Startup Week</a>, and entrepreneurs from across the country are here for several days of pitches and networking.Driving the news: We chatted with two Iowa startups, one in turkey barns and the other in plastics manufacturing, to learn more about their innovations.

Nearly 1,000 Iowa refugees face Medicaid cutoff

Polk County officials fear more uninsured patients will turn to ERs.

Nearly 1,000 Iowa refugees could lose Medicaid coverage Thursday under a federal law that Polk County health officials fear could drive more uninsured patients to emergency rooms.The big picture: Losing routine care can allow chronic conditions to become life-threatening, push patients into emergency rooms and raise costs for hospitals, Polk County Health Department director Juliann Van Liew tells Axios.

News 🗞

Ankeny Art Center plans to move to Uptown

Sand and Lahn to face off in first of four Iowa gubernatorial debates

West Des Moines considers e-bike ordinance

Elite basketball prep school plans Des Moines expansion

Lefty's music venue reopens Saturday as Strychnine