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Microsoft's AI epicenter is an Iowa water hog

Company is told it must "significantly reduce peak water usage" before expanding.

News

How Iowans are helping Ukrainians raise hogs

Raising pigs is a more profitable way of using grain supply.

Dog euthanizations on the rise in Des Moines

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa's dog intakes are also up.

Kum & Go officially sells

Maverik — Adventure's First Stop is now the nation's 11th largest convenience store chain.

Business

After 20 years, Des Moines' mayor won't seek re-election

He and his family now want to focus more on their business.

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie won&#x27;t seek re-election in November, he announced in a five-page thank you letter to the city Thursday.Why it matters: After almost 20 years, Cownie is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the longest-serving mayor" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2022/07/21/frank-cownie-des-moines-longest-serving-mayor-mulls-another-run" data-vars-content-id="1792fe99-aedf-4e0f-b967-81e3f8ce2e15" data-vars-headline="After 20 years, Des Moines&#x27; mayor won&#x27;t seek re-election" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2022/07/21/frank-cownie-des-moines-longest-serving-mayor-mulls-another-run" target="_self">the longest-serving mayor</a> in DSM history.

Iowa nonprofits concerned over proposed commission cuts

Boards and commissions are a way for citizens to share their advice and expertise.

A state committee is proposing<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" the elimination" data-vars-click-url="https://governor.iowa.gov/media/228/download?inline&amp;eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=56e6a4bd-5719-4cc1-b7fc-6b436508ce2f" data-vars-content-id="7b522e52-3523-47d2-9a45-bd6938be83ae" data-vars-headline="Iowa nonprofits concerned over proposed commission cuts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://governor.iowa.gov/media/228/download?inline&amp;eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=56e6a4bd-5719-4cc1-b7fc-6b436508ce2f" target="_blank"> the elimination</a> of more than 25% of Iowa&#x27;s boards and commissions, Iowa Capital Dispatch<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" reports" data-vars-click-url="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/29/committee-reviews-proposal-to-eliminate-25-of-state-boards-and-commissions/" data-vars-content-id="7b522e52-3523-47d2-9a45-bd6938be83ae" data-vars-headline="Iowa nonprofits concerned over proposed commission cuts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/08/29/committee-reviews-proposal-to-eliminate-25-of-state-boards-and-commissions/" target="_blank"> reports</a>.<ul><li>Some of the boards recommended for consolidation or elimination are no longer funded or are redundant, chairperson of the committee Kraig Paulsen said last week during a public meeting.</li></ul>

Illustration of the Iowa State Capitol building with lines radiating from it.

Iowa should pay prison program's rent, county says

Iowa dismantled local oversight of the program last month, leading to county's request.

Gov. Kim Reynolds&#x27; administration will be asked to pay rent to Polk County because of a reorganization last month that dismantled local oversight of an Iowa prison program, Supervisors&#x27; Chairperson Tom Hockensmith tells Axios.Why it matters: It&#x27;s uncertain how it will affect <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Community Based Corrections" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/02/27/critics-iowa-plan-dismantle-corrections-program" data-vars-content-id="5574334f-486b-4a24-85e1-40ade6fdce0f" data-vars-headline="Iowa should pay prison program&#x27;s rent, county says" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/02/27/critics-iowa-plan-dismantle-corrections-program" target="_self">Community Based Corrections</a> (CBC) services.

Illustration of a pair of handcuffs in the shape of a dollar sign.

Mom thanks city for road fixes after daughter's death

The city launched a series of pedestrian and street safety upgrades since last year.

<blockquote>&quot;I came forward to you guys as a mother in pain . . . I&#x27;m telling you guys that you have done your job helping us.&quot;</blockquote><cite>— <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Anna Campos" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/live/HQPFXrLIfiI?feature=share&amp;t=3044" data-vars-content-id="36323daa-66c4-470f-9634-2cbbd9166e67" data-vars-headline="Mom thanks city for road fixes after daughter&#x27;s death" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/live/HQPFXrLIfiI?feature=share&amp;t=3044" target="_blank">Anna Campos</a> to the DSM City Council Monday night.</cite>

Polk County funds sexual assault contraception program

The resolution was unanimously approved Tuesday by supervisors.

Free access to Plan B contraception for victims of sexual assaults and rapes will continue in Polk County under <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a resolution" data-vars-click-url="https://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/umbraco/Api/BoardMinutesAttachmentsApi/GetAttachment?meetingId=2318&amp;attachmentType=Addendum" data-vars-content-id="730c16b3-adfc-42a9-b730-35913daa861e" data-vars-headline="Polk County funds sexual assault contraception program" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/umbraco/Api/BoardMinutesAttachmentsApi/GetAttachment?meetingId=2318&amp;attachmentType=Addendum" target="_blank">a resolution</a> unanimously approved Tuesday by supervisors.<ul><li>So will abortions &quot;in rare but necessary circumstances.&quot;</li></ul>

Des Moines-area schools navigate new student pronoun, name rules

LGBTQ+ advocates say the law suppresses and harms trans kids.

Education

Iowa school districts are navigating how to implement <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a new law" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/32327663.10/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tL2xvY2FsL2Rlcy1tb2luZXMvMjAyMy8wOC8wNy9uZXctZGVzLW1vaW5lcy1zdXBlcmludGVuZGVudC1uYXZpZ2F0aW5nLXBvbGl0aWNhbGx5LXRlbnNlLWNsaW1hdGU_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3A/5ff8bcf59a0e0e4727c10dc8B16466b6b" data-vars-content-id="780050b1-2f89-4731-9d1d-532016cd4e51" data-vars-headline="Des Moines-area schools navigate new student pronoun, name rules" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/32327663.10/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tL2xvY2FsL2Rlcy1tb2luZXMvMjAyMy8wOC8wNy9uZXctZGVzLW1vaW5lcy1zdXBlcmludGVuZGVudC1uYXZpZ2F0aW5nLXBvbGl0aWNhbGx5LXRlbnNlLWNsaW1hdGU_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3A/5ff8bcf59a0e0e4727c10dc8B16466b6b" target="_blank">a new law</a> requiring families to provide written permission for their students&#x27; preferred names and pronouns before classes start this fall.Why it matters: School employees who don&#x27;t follow the law may be penalized, including losing their teaching licenses, starting Jan. 1, 2024.<ul><li><a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="LGBTQ advocates" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/32327663.10/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW93YXB1YmxpY3JhZGlvLm9yZy9saXZlLXVwZGF0ZXMvbGl2ZS1iaWxscy10YXJnZXRpbmctdHJhbnMteW91dGgtbW92aW5nLXRocm91Z2gtaW93YS1sZWdpc2xhdHVyZT91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249c2VuZHRvX2xvY2FsbmV3c2xldHRlcnRlc3Qmc3RyZWFtPXRvcA/5ff8bcf59a0e0e4727c10dc8Bbbe8cfe1" data-vars-content-id="780050b1-2f89-4731-9d1d-532016cd4e51" data-vars-headline="Des Moines-area schools navigate new student pronoun, name rules" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/32327663.10/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW93YXB1YmxpY3JhZGlvLm9yZy9saXZlLXVwZGF0ZXMvbGl2ZS1iaWxscy10YXJnZXRpbmctdHJhbnMteW91dGgtbW92aW5nLXRocm91Z2gtaW93YS1sZWdpc2xhdHVyZT91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249c2VuZHRvX2xvY2FsbmV3c2xldHRlcnRlc3Qmc3RyZWFtPXRvcA/5ff8bcf59a0e0e4727c10dc8Bbbe8cfe1" target="_blank">LGBTQ advocates</a> worry the law suppresses and harms trans kids, who are already at higher risk of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="dying by suicide" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/32327663.10/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3VzLW5ld3MvMjAyMi9kZWMvMTYvdXMtdHJhbnMtbm9uLWJpbmFyeS15b3V0aC1zdWljaWRlLW1lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGg_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3A/5ff8bcf59a0e0e4727c10dc8Bbad1330e" data-vars-content-id="780050b1-2f89-4731-9d1d-532016cd4e51" data-vars-headline="Des Moines-area schools navigate new student pronoun, name rules" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/32327663.10/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3VzLW5ld3MvMjAyMi9kZWMvMTYvdXMtdHJhbnMtbm9uLWJpbmFyeS15b3V0aC1zdWljaWRlLW1lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGg_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3A/5ff8bcf59a0e0e4727c10dc8Bbad1330e" target="_blank">dying by suicide</a>.</li></ul>State of play: The Republican-led law implements new restrictions on books, instruction and how to refer to students.<ul><li>It requires parents to give schools written permission to use any pronouns or names not assigned at birth for their kids.</li><li>It also requires that school staff notify parents if a student requests to be called a name or pronoun not assigned at birth.</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Nick Covington" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/CovingtonEDU/status/1686484799945334784?s=20" data-vars-content-id="780050b1-2f89-4731-9d1d-532016cd4e51" data-vars-headline="Des Moines-area schools navigate new student pronoun, name rules" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/CovingtonEDU/status/1686484799945334784?s=20" target="_blank">Nick Covington</a>, a former Ankeny teacher and education advocate, tells Axios he received a form from the Ballard school district this month regarding registering his own kids&#x27; names and pronouns.<ul><li>It gives examples, such as &quot;Sam instead of Samuel&quot; or &quot;Addy instead of Addison.&quot;</li><li>&quot;I see this totally as a solution in search of a problem with the downstream consequences that it harms trans kids,&quot; Convington tells Axios.</li></ul>The other side: House education chair Skyler Wheeler has said that parents are &quot;cut out of important conversations&quot; if schools don&#x27;t share information about their child&#x27;s gender identity, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Iowa Capital Dispatch" data-vars-click-url="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/01/31/parental-consent-requirement-for-students-gender-identity-change-passes-in-committee/" data-vars-content-id="780050b1-2f89-4731-9d1d-532016cd4e51" data-vars-headline="Des Moines-area schools navigate new student pronoun, name rules" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/01/31/parental-consent-requirement-for-students-gender-identity-change-passes-in-committee/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>.Axios reached out to Des Moines metro school districts. Here&#x27;s how they&#x27;re handling the new law:Ankeny: New &quot;student disclosure of identity&quot; rules were added to its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="handbook" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ankenyschools.org/app/uploads/2022/08/2023-2024-Student-Handbook.pdf" data-vars-content-id="780050b1-2f89-4731-9d1d-532016cd4e51" data-vars-headline="Des Moines-area schools navigate new student pronoun, name rules" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ankenyschools.org/app/uploads/2022/08/2023-2024-Student-Handbook.pdf" target="_blank">handbook</a> that prohibit staff from giving &quot;false or misleading&quot; information regarding a student&#x27;s gender identity to a parent.<ul><li>Parents are also asked to fill out their kids&#x27; names during registration.</li></ul>Des Moines: School officials are meeting this week on how to handle the law.<ul><li>Superintendent Ian Roberts <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="has said" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/08/07/new-des-moines-superintendent-navigating-politically-tense-climate" data-vars-content-id="780050b1-2f89-4731-9d1d-532016cd4e51" data-vars-headline="Des Moines-area schools navigate new student pronoun, name rules" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/08/07/new-des-moines-superintendent-navigating-politically-tense-climate" target="_self">has said</a> he expects staff to follow the new rules.</li></ul>Johnston: Parents are asked to give preferred names during student registration.<ul><li>The school board will vote on adding new rules to be in compliance with state law during its Aug. 17 meeting.</li></ul>Urbandale and Waukee: Rule-making is in process.West Des Moines: The district is waiting for more guidance from the state.

Illustration of a school bus with an activated stop sign showing a pride flag.

Citizens formally ask Des Moines to remove councilperson from office

Indira Sheumaker's absences are "habitual neglect," a citizens' petition alleges.

<blockquote>&quot;The undersigned hereby charge Sheumaker with willful and habitual neglect, as well as refusal to perform the duties of office . . .&quot;</blockquote><cite>— A section of the formal citizens&#x27; complaint filed Tuesday with the DSM city clerk&#x27;s office by five Ward 1 residents against <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Councilperson Indira Sheumaker" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/04/21/desmoines-councilperson-indira-sheumaker-missing" data-vars-content-id="274abab3-3415-448b-9899-ef1e53170d2e" data-vars-headline="Citizens formally ask Des Moines to remove councilperson from office" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/04/21/desmoines-councilperson-indira-sheumaker-missing" target="_self">Councilperson Indira Sheumaker</a>.</cite>

Illustration of a fountain pen with a pixelated paper airplane as the nib. 

Nearly a third of city board members are chronically absent

Multiple city-appointed groups delayed votes in recent years because of absences.

Nearly a third of board and commission members appointed by the Des Moines City Council have missed 25% or more of their meetings through June this year, according to records obtained by Axios.Why it matters: Those members make decisions or recommendations about things like building codes, civil rights and zoning enforcement that are essential for the city&#x27;s growth and operations.

Illustration of Des Moines City Hall with lines radiating from it.

Des Moines' costs during councilperson's 5-month absence tops $18K

Council members are paid $1,110 biweekly, regardless of whether they attend meetings.

DSM Councilperson Indira Sheumaker has cost the city more than $18,000 in pay and benefits since her extended absence that began on March 6, according to city records obtained by Axios.<ul><li>The calculations are based on an Aug. 7 return — the next scheduled council meeting.</li></ul>By the numbers: Councilmembers, who are paid $1,110 biweekly, have received a total of around $12,200 each since the time her absences started. This includes Sheumaker.<ul><li>Benefits costs directly related to Sheumaker have amounted to around $6,000.</li></ul>Zoom in: They include:

Gov. Reynolds to interview GOP presidential candidates at state fair

It's a move one analyst says could "bypass" traditional media.

Politics

Gov. Kim Reynolds is launching a series of one-on-one interviews with GOP presidential candidates during the Iowa State Fair this year — a move one analyst says could &quot;bypass&quot; traditional media.State of play: Reynolds announced on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Fox News" data-vars-click-url="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/iowas-republican-governor-hold-interviews-gop-presidential-candidates-state-fair" data-vars-content-id="83260ec4-7930-4275-8884-7e86e1fb36e6" data-vars-headline="Gov. Reynolds to interview GOP presidential candidates at state fair" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/iowas-republican-governor-hold-interviews-gop-presidential-candidates-state-fair" target="_blank">Fox News</a> Monday that she&#x27;s launching &quot;Fair-Side Chats.&quot;

Politics 🇺🇸