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Thousands of government emails have been reported missing or unreadable by Iowa and Polk County officials recently, according to court documents and interviews conducted by Axios.

Why it matters: The lost records have compromised investigations linked with child abuse and extortion, Des Moines attorney Roxanne Conlin and Supervisor Matt McCoy said in separate interviews Tuesday.

Pop star Jojo Siwa's signature rainbow style is hard to miss.

• And many of the 18-year-old LGBTQ icon's designs were created by someone right here in Iowa.

Driving the news: Tanner Lee, 26, is a full-time landscaper in Bellevue. But in his free time, the self-made graphic designer is drawing up giant colorful decals and even painting customized Gucci bags for Jojo Siwa and her "Dancing with the Stars" partner, Jenna Johnson.

Calls to the Des Moines Fire Department have increased by nearly 50% in the last decade.

• EMS accounted for about 65% of the nearly 31,000 calls last year.

Why it matters: The increase in calls comes as the city struggles to fill a firefighter shortage that's costing Des Moines thousands of dollars in weekly overtime.

Mad Meatball reopened in its new spot in Des Moines Tuesday.

Flashback: The popular pizzeria and sub shop closed its East Village spot in 2019 with plans to reopen at LINC at Gray's Station the following spring.

Iowa's soil in the right-of-way of the Dakota Access Pipeline is still recovering roughly six years after the project was installed.

Why it matters: Three companies are proposing new pipeline projects that would cross Iowa to capture carbon dioxide from ethanol and fertilizer plants.

• Environmental impacts and the future of agriculture in the area are under debate.

Nina's Tacos opened late last year and its atypical menu — along with the story behind the restaurant — make it worthy of a visit.

State of play: A year ago, Nina Tejeda, a single mom of four children, was working three jobs, she told Axios.

• Her homemade tacos were popular among friends, who last year convinced her to buy a food truck and launch a business.
• She made enough money from a few festivals to quit her other jobs and open her new, permanent spot.

Polk County's portion of property taxes for low-income seniors and people with disabilities would be rebated under a proposal Supervisor Matt McCoy announced Sunday.

Why it matters: It could mean hundreds of dollars in savings a year for roughly 20,000 homeowners.

Red Bull Soapbox Race — promoted as "the world's wildest downhill” competition — is coming to Des Moines on June 18, organizers told Axios.

Why it matters: The races have attracted tens of thousands of spectators in places like Los Angeles and Hong Kong. This will be Red Bull's first competition in Iowa.

• At least 25,000 people are expected to attend the Des Moines races, with an economic impact of $1 million, Greg Edwards, CEO of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, told Axios.