Happy Tuesday!

🌧️ Weather: Showers, with a high of 72 and a low of 60.

🎂 Happy birthday to our members Mike Jones and Michael Gabor!

Today's newsletter is 926 words — a 3.5-minute read.

At least 861 automated license plate readers have been documented in Iowa, as growing privacy concerns prompt some communities to reconsider or abandon the technology.

Why it matters: Iowa communities are weighing a crime fighting tool against growing concerns about how closely police can track people's movements.

Driving the news: Waukee and Indianola discontinued using the cameras, and Dallas County paused a planned rollout pending guidance from state lawmakers.

• Ankeny continues to use 16 Flock cameras but is expected to consider their future before its contract expires in 2027.

State of play: The crowdsourced Finding Flock mapping project has documented about 140,000 automated license plate readers in the US.

• That's up from about 1,100 documented in January 2024, though Finding Flock says the surge reflects both increased volunteer mapping and camera deployments.

Meanwhile, Des Moines police use Motorola rather than Flock readers, with 130 of them, primarily in patrol vehicles, according to records obtained by the ACLU of Iowa.

• Those are not among the more than 180 listed in the Finding Flock database for Polk County — more than twice as many as any other Iowa county.

Context: Like Flock, DSM's system automatically records license plate numbers, locations, and time stamps, enabling police to search for past vehicle sightings and to share data across agencies.

By the numbers: The readers are in more than 60 Iowa communities, according to a recently updated investigation by the ACLU of Iowa.

What they're saying: The ACLU says there's uneven transparency and warns that interconnected databases can be used to reconstruct people's movements with minimal oversight.

• Republican Zach Lahn and Democrat Rob Sand, the candidates for governor, have both said they support state safeguards for automated license plate readers.

The other side: The readers can quickly identify stolen vehicles, locate missing or endangered people and generate leads in cases that might otherwise go unsolved, law enforcement and supporters of the systems have said.

• Flock says its cameras improve public safety while protecting privacy, noting that customers control access, searches are audited, and encrypted data is automatically deleted.

The big picture: Elsewhere in Iowa, Osceola and Clarke County terminated their Flock contracts, Coralville canceled its two-camera system, and Iowa City ended an agreement that allowed University of Iowa-owned readers on city property.

• Nationwide, about 100 communities have deactivated Flock cameras, rejected proposed systems or canceled contracts amid the growing backlash, according to DeFlock data cited by NPR.

What we're watching: Whether the Legislature imposes additional statewide guardrails in 2027 — and whether more Iowa communities pull the plug before lawmakers act.

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Why it matters: Membership helps support the local reporting that keeps you informed about the people, decisions and stories shaping where you live.

💙 Become an Axios Des Moines member today and help our newsroom keep delivering journalism built for your community.

• Thanks for reading — and for supporting local news.

Urbandale is moving an upcoming forum about civility featuring former Gov. Tom Vilsack to a venue 10 times larger after stronger-than-expected interest.

Why it matters: The Sept. 22 "Civility Dialogues" will explore trust, disagreement and how communities can make progress despite differences.

Driving the news: The city initially planned the event at its public library, which seats fewer than 100, but is moving it to Urbandale High School's Performing Arts Center, with capacity for up to 1,000.

If you go: The free, RSVP-required event starts at 6pm and features author Alexandra Hudson and local leaders.

👨‍⚖️ A judge ruled that Des Moines developer Jake Christensen owes more than $6 million on overdue loans and ordered three of his downtown buildings to be sold at a sheriff's auction. (DSM Register)

🧁 Katie's Kupboard, a pop-up bakery in a custom-built shed in Clive, is attracting customers by offering free treats for dogs. (WHO-TV)

🐝 An endangered rusty patched bumblebee was spotted in Linn County, suggesting local native habitat restoration efforts may be helping support the rare species. (Radio Iowa)

🏛️ Des Moines City Council approved budget cuts — including eliminating dozens of positions — to close a projected $17 million deficit. (KCCI)

Des Moines drag king "Trade" is catching some limelight on the second season of "King of Drag" on Revry.

Why it matters: Dakota Chambers, a transgender man, is helping bring the spotlight to drag kings, who are often overlooked in queer media in compared to drag queens.

Driving the news: "King of Drag," a drag king reality competition series, premieres Sept. 20 at 8pm.

How it started: Chambers' interest in drag started during COVID, when he binge-watched early seasons of "RuPaul's Drag Race" on Hulu.

• His sister then took him to his first live drag show in Lincoln, Nebraska.
• "I loved it. I thought it was so fun," he tells Axios.
• He got his start a few years later, after teaching himself choreography from YouTube videos and studying drag king fashion online. He moved to Des Moines in 2023 and joined The Blazing Saddle's cast to help grow his career.

What they're saying: "Though known for his athletic build and erotic performances, Trade is a racy embodiment of sex, silliness, and charisma, with a femme touch of masculinity," per the show's description of him.

What's next: He'll join the show's national tour starting Oct. 25 and travel across 21 states.

• He's planning to stop by Ankeny Drag Brunch in September and is still a part of the Saddle's regular cast.

🏷️ 1 thrifty thing to go: An Iowa DOT online auction begins this morning, selling vehicles, office equipment and tools the state government no longer uses.

This newsletter was edited by Delano Massey while Chloe enjoys her final days of vacation.