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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.

WDM data center program gives free tuition to learn new career

The program provided 15 students tuition-free data center training.

Ramero Jackson was at home, unable to continue his work as a truck driver because of a medical issue, when he stumbled across a post for a free data center training program through the City of West Des Moines.Why it matters: Jackson, who was selected for the program last year, now works in Altoona at an IT company contracted by Meta after completing the 15-week course, which helps prep <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="underemployed" data-vars-click-url="https://workforce.urban.org/taxonomy/term/6.html" data-vars-content-id="3bc3d305-9eb6-4d7b-b424-36d7a6c6111f" data-vars-headline="WDM data center program gives free tuition to learn new career" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://workforce.urban.org/taxonomy/term/6.html" target="_blank">underemployed</a> people for a career in the growing data center industry.

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>

Cheap, unique wedding venues around Des Moines

You don't need to shell out a ton of cash for a nice wedding venue in the metro.

Culture

Earlier this year, I was on the hunt for a nearby wedding venue that didn&#x27;t leave me saying &quot;I do&quot; to years of debt.The big picture: After a pandemic-induced backup, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="weddings" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/29/weddings-planning-hosting-cost" data-vars-content-id="8415be69-a673-46be-b1db-e92db0b151a5" data-vars-headline="Cheap, unique wedding venues around Des Moines" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/29/weddings-planning-hosting-cost" target="_self">weddings</a> have come roaring back with bigger budgets, longer guest lists and grander ideas.

Iris Aisle is a nature-filled, micro-wedding sanctuary near Des Moines

It stands out in an era of show-stopper weddings with big budgets and long guest lists.

Hidden away in Winterset, there&#x27;s an intimate venue where you can get married, buy cannabis products and even get a tattoo.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Iris Aisle" data-vars-click-url="https://www.irisaisle.com/" data-vars-content-id="bfed1996-e5b3-446c-8725-3adb46dbeb4c" data-vars-headline="Iris Aisle is a nature-filled, micro-wedding sanctuary near Des Moines" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.irisaisle.com/" target="_blank">Iris Aisle</a> has a glass conservatory that hosts &quot;micro weddings&quot; — a maximum of 75 people.

Weddings

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