Vaccination rates are sliding in Polk County schools as religious exemptions have climbed over the last five years.

The big picture: The number of Polk County students not fully vaccinated has nearly doubled, rising from 2,937 students in 2019 to 5,571 in 2025, per Polk County Health data.

• At that same time, parents claiming religious exemptions for their children have more than doubled since 2019.

State of play: More families are exempting their kids as parents express skepticism over health care institutions since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Trump administration shows support for debunked, anti-vaccine rhetoric.

What they're saying: Polk County Health Department spokesperson Addie Olson tells Axios the health department is working to educate people who are wary of vaccinations, particularly measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).

• MMR Vaccinations for 2-year-old kids have dropped from 89% in 2019 to 85% in 2025.
• "Sometimes vaccines are a victim of their own success because we didn't see measles for many, many years," Olson says.

Flashback: In 2024, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law easing religious exemptions for vaccines.

• Instead of requiring notarizations for religious exemptions, parents can sign a certificate noting their "genuine and sincere religious belief."
• The Trump administration has also advocated for protecting families' right to choose, noting there's a balance between public health and individual freedom.

By the numbers: Communities need around 95% of residents to be fully vaccinated for herd immunity, Olson said.

• Meanwhile, vaccine religious exemptions in Polk County schools more than doubled from 1,551 in 2019 to 3,722 in 2025.

Zoom in: Every public school district saw its share of not-fully-vaccinated students increase from 2019 to 2025, but non-public schools rose fastest, nearly tripling to 15.2%.

• West Des Moines had the largest jump among public districts, roughly doubling to 7.2%.
• Most Polk County public schools landed between 4.7% and 5.8% by 2025, per Polk County Health Department data.

The other side: Republican Iowa lawmakers have advocated for giving parents the right to choose what's best for their kids, noting that it's a private matter between them and their doctors.

What's next: The county is working to promote back-to-school vaccinations.

Longtime Des Moines deputy city manager Matt Anderson will retire next year after nearly 25 years with the city.

Why it matters: Anderson has been a behind-the-scenes force in preserving historic buildings, keeping major employers downtown, and guiding complex redevelopment projects.

Driving the news: Anderson announced to city staff this week that he will leave Jan. 25, his 57th birthday.

• He tells Axios that he wants to spend more time with family and personal passions like running marathons.
• "There's a whole lot of things in life that I want to do besides work an 8-to-5 job," he said.

Flashback: He began planning the Younkers building's future during his first month at City Hall and later helped preserve part of it after a devastating 2014 fire.

• He helped keep Wellmark's headquarters downtown through a complex deal that involved a street closure, environmental cleanup, and the relocation of a historic building.

The intrigue: Asked about a missed opportunity, Anderson said DSM has struggled to move beyond car-dependent development, though limited transit and suburban competition constrained its options.

What's next: Anderson has no plans for another full-time role but hopes to serve on boards and volunteer with downtown initiatives.

💻 Former Superintendent Ian Roberts relied on AI to write speeches, make school board presentations and craft motivational emails to school staff, per email records. (Des Moines Register)

🚨 An Iowa puppy mill operator was alerted ahead of time to when inspectors planned to visit her site. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

🥫 A new report finds that about 1 in 8 Iowans face food insecurity. (KCCI)

🧑‍⚖️ Hundreds of Iowa immigrants are having their cases heard in large-scale court hearings that can accelerate their deportations. (DSM Register)

Somebody, hold us back — the Iowa State Fair somehow only ranked third for best fair food in the country, and our passive-aggressive Protestant side is about to come out.

Driving the news: In a fair food state ranking compiled by Yelp, the Midwest reigned supreme (obvi) with Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa as the top three states, respectively.

How it works: Yelp analyzed review volume and ratings to identify the top 10 state fairs, based on reviews mentioning fair food.

The big picture: Okay, we're automatically kicking Wisconsin to the curb because no one actually talks about their fair (except Yelpers, I guess).

• That means we're face-to-face once again with our archnemesis, Minneso-tah.

Our thought bubble: The only thing they've got going for them is Peachey's Doughnuts, which is not returning to our state again this year, per Iowa State Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons.

👀 Axios Twin Cities' Kyle Stokes thought bubble: I'm here to spike the football — because the "Great Minnesota Get-Together" is dope — but also to tell you the ISF was jobbed: No way did you deserve to trail Wisconsin's (lame) state fair.

• And if you're missing Peachey's, they will be in Minnesota again this year! Make the drive up I-35…