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🎂 Happy birthday to our members Dan Engle and Tammi Blackstone!

Today's newsletter is 1,017 words — a 4-minute read.

Three northern Iowa farmers are challenging their industry to take greater responsibility for the state's water-quality problems — and say that meaningful progress will require regulation.

Why it matters: This challenges major farm groups' and state leaders' longstanding preferences for voluntary conservation.

• It also adds insider pressure for a tougher approach to water pollution.

Driving the news: Matt Bormann, James Hepp and Zack Smith — who call themselves The Lobe Rangers — will bring their message to Des Moines for a Monday event hosted by Des Moines Water Works and the Iowa Environmental Council.

Catch up quick: The group grew out of a farmer Snapchat chat Bormann started in 2023; the three began publicly posting as the Lobe Rangers in March.

• The name is a play on the Des Moines Lobe, the glacial landform covering much of north-central Iowa.

What they're saying: The trio says rural Iowa needs to become part of the solution and bear much of the cost after years of insufficient adoption of conservation practices.

• They view conservation as an investment to keep valuable soil and fertilizer on their land rather than losing it to erosion.

The intrigue: Smith is an independent, while Bormann and Hepp are Republicans — a mix that counters the assumption they are "tree-hugging liberals," Smith tells Axios.

• They believe Iowa's problems stem from policies supported by both parties and that neither political tribe can solve them alone.

Zoom in: The response has been overwhelmingly positive so far, the three tell Axios, with surprisingly little pushback even as they openly discuss regulation and agricultural accountability.

• "The thing is, water impacts everyone. It doesn't care about your partisan background," Smith says, noting the state's high cancer rates.

The Lobe Rangers' profile is growing, with recent interviews on Iowa Public Radio and KCCI.

• They'll tape an appearance on "Iowa Press" tomorrow.

State of play: For years, Iowa has relied largely on voluntary conservation programs, an approach critics say has failed to deliver sufficient water-quality improvements.

• Agriculture is by far the dominant source of nitrates entering the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, according to a recent analysis of a Polk County-commissioned report.
• High levels have forced the Des Moines metro's nitrate removal facility to operate at a cost of up to $16,000 per day during extended periods.

What's next: The "Farm Fields to City Taps" discussion begins at 6pm Monday at the Iowa Taproom.

• Admission is free, but space is limited and event organizers ask people to RSVP.

The final piece of DART's network overhaul launches Sept. 28, changing how On Demand operates in Ankeny and adding two new zones in Altoona and Clive/Urbandale.

Why it matters: It extends the agency's reset beyond traditional bus routes to better address service gaps in suburban communities and give more people access to transit.

Context: On Demand is a flexible, app- or phone-booked service currently available only in Ankeny.

• Trips start or end at designated hubs, such as grocery stores, medical facilities, libraries, shopping centers or fixed-route connections.

Catch up quick: DART's June fixed-route overhaul reduced its network from 27 to 10 routes, eliminated roughly 900 stops, and increased frequency on major corridors.

• The upcoming rollout is the plan's second and final phase.

Zoom in: Service runs weekdays from 6am-6pm, with a goal of waits no longer than 30 minutes.

• Rides cost $3.50, or 75¢ for riders who qualify for reduced fares.

Friction point: Advance reservations, which can currently be made up to a week in advance, will end Sept. 28.

• About 75% of Ankeny trips are booked in advance, but 15% are canceled the day of travel, often within hours of pickup.
• Same-day-only booking should reduce unused trips and help address capacity constraints that once left about 20% of requests unfilled, DART spokesperson Sarah Welch tells Axios.

Flashback: Dozens of residents signed a 2024 petition urging Ankeny officials to expand On Demand services.

The big picture: DART is following a broader trend toward using microtransit to provide coverage in lower-density areas where traditional fixed-route buses can be costly or inefficient.

• Dallas' GoLink has become a major part of the city's system, providing 2.1 million rides in fiscal 2025.
• Metro Transit in the Twin Cities made its original micro pilot permanent in 2024 and expanded the service to several other areas in 2025, with plans to add additional zones through next year.

What we're watching: Whether On Demand expands to fill gaps in the metro's transit network left by the recent reset's fewer routes.

📺 Elon Musk's political action committee is running trans-focused attack ads that include Iowa Democrat Josh Turek among the targets. (Axios)

🏢 A home show company is opening a new office in the Insurance Exchange Building in downtown DSM. (Business Record)

🗳 A coalition is urging Iowans to reject Amendment 1, which would make it harder for lawmakers to raise state income tax rates. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

The vacant Merle Hay Tower that could become affordable senior housing has long been the subject of local haunting lore.

Driving the news: Developers pitch the $19.5 million housing proposal to state officials today as part of a competition for up to $14 million in federal housing tax credits.

Zoom in: Stories include unexplained footsteps, elevators moving on their own and sightings of a ghostly nun carrying an infant.

Flashback: The mall was built on the site of the former St. Gabriel's Passionist Monastery, which was demolished in 1958 before the shopping center opened.

The bottom line: Whether or not you believe the ghost stories, the tower already has plenty of history.

🫣 Worthy of your time: This video from inside the tower and Axios' exploration of the mall's creepy basement.

🌎 Worthy of your time: The World Food Prize Foundation is seeking more than 1,000 volunteers to help package 600,000 hunger-relief meals Oct. 20 in a world-record attempt.

• Volunteer

This newsletter was edited by Tyler Buchanan.