A project led by Iowa State researchers is helping Des Moines residents predict when their homes could become dangerously hot.

Why it matters: Extreme heat is the deadliest weather hazard in the U.S., and residents living in lower-income and aging neighborhoods are most susceptible to it.

Driving the news: Researchers at ISU have built CommHEAT, a smartphone app that predicts how much a home's indoor temperature will rise and alerts residents if it's expected to reach a dangerous level.

State of play: People are easily able to get information about outdoor temperatures, but predictive information is lacking for homes' indoor conditions, says Iowa State architecture professor Ulrike Passe, who helped lead the project and assemble researchers.

• That data can be especially helpful for caretakers or public health agencies who want to check in on solitary or elderly people.

How it works: Sensors were placed in 15 Des Moines homes that volunteered to join the pilot this summer. Researchers gathered temperature data and personal feedback from homeowners who dealt with several heat waves this year.

• The volunteers, who lived near the Capitol and had little to no air conditioning, were able to use the app and see the predicted temperature for the next 24 hours.

Catch up fast: More accurate indoor home temperature predictions were available, thanks to nearly a decade of data already gathered by ISU faculty and students studying climate impacts on Des Moines neighborhoods.

• Everything from construction material to orientation towards the sun to tree canopies can influence home temperatures, Passe says.
• In 2017, the Polk County Health Department reached out to Passe and other researchers because they wanted to identify which homes were too warm in the summer, helping prompt the app idea.

What's next: Now, Passe says they're analyzing the sensors' collected data and working to refine the app with the hope of larger public use someday.

• The project was funded by a three-year $1.2 million U.S. National Science Foundation grant that is coming to an end. Passe says they hope to find more funding to continue their work.

The Rabbit Room, an Oxford-inspired wine bar, is opening next year at 8460 Birchwood Court, the former Johnston WineStyles location.

The big picture: Owner Jamie Farrington, a Navy veteran and culinary school grad, wants to carry on the intimate community vibe of WineStyles while adding his own literary twist.

• "I'm opening to create community and fellowship," Farrington tells Axios.

State of play: Farrington envisions the wine lounge as a book den and cultural salon where people can engage in debate and conversations.

• He's curated 100 books published before 1940 to put on the bar's shelves.
• The space pays homage to the Inklings, a literary group including J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis that met at a pub in Oxford called The Eagle and Child, specifically in a private area called The Rabbit Room.
• Farrington worked at WineStyles Johnston before the owners retired.

Zoom in: The space will offer morning hours with coffee for early risers and students and then reopen in the afternoon for wine, he says.

• Expect Gothic and dark academia-inspired decor.

The menu: Farrington plans to curate wines from Europe, the Mediterranean, Mexico and South America. He also plans to source domestic wines from states less known for their wines, like Texas and New York.

• Foods include personal pizzas, his homemade ice cream and charcuterie.

What's next: The Rabbit Room is expected to open in 2026.

The typical first-time homebuyer in the U.S. is now 40 — the oldest on record, according to a report by the National Association of Realtors.

Why it matters: First-timers made up just 21% of buyers between July 2024 and June 2025 — a new low in data going back to 1981.

Between the lines: Equity-rich repeat buyers (with a median age of 62, the highest ever) have more ability to make big down payments and all-cash offers.

• A record 26% of all purchasers paid cash, up from 20% the year before, NAR found.

The bottom line: 40 is the new 30.

💸 A Democratic-aligned group is targeting Iowa in new ads criticizing U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson over expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits. (Axios)

🍤 Mariscos El Capitan, a seafood Mexican restaurant, opened a location at 6050 S.E. 14th St. in Des Moines. (Des Moines Register)

🚨 A former pharmacy manager has been charged with the theft of $71,000 worth of drugs from the Indianola Hy-Vee. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

💰 A winning Mega Millions ticket worth $3 million was sold in Norwalk. (WHO-TV)

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