Data shared during a tense City Council work session this week shows that the Des Moines Fire Department is less likely to meet response time goals on the south side than in other areas.

Why it matters: Delays in fire and EMS response can mean the difference between life and death or a recoverable injury versus permanent harm, potentially increasing risks in a growing city area.

State of play: The department aims to respond to 90% of emergency calls within 5 minutes and 20 seconds, a standard set by the National Fire Protection Association.

• None of the city's 11 fire stations met that benchmark last year.

Driving the news: The data was presented during a meeting Monday, when fire chief John TeKippe suggested that the city remove one of the two fire trucks at Station 8, located near McKinley Avenue and Southwest 14th Street.

• The second truck was added 18 months ago as a pilot project to try to improve response time to area emergencies, but the data shows it didn't work, TeKippe said.

Yes, but: Not everyone is convinced. A few council members pushed back, wondering if the second truck helped other stations respond more quickly and suggesting the issue needs further review.

By the numbers: The data showed the best response came from the downtown station at 1330 Mulberry St., which achieved an 88.1% success rate.

• The city's southern stations had the worst performance — Station 10 at 5900 E. Indianola Ave. was at 58%, while Station 8 and Station 6 at 1919 SE. 6th St. were around 65%.

Zoom in: Seven stations performed the same or better compared to 2023.

• Station 8's decreased by 1.6 percentage points.

What they're saying: Councilmember Joe Gatto, who represents much of the south side, accused TeKippe of skewing data to justify budgetary pressures, saying he and city manager Scott Sanders "are in the wrong positions" if they ultimately recommend eliminating a fire truck.

The other side: Meeting response time goals is closely associated with staffing and a station's proximity to population, which has changed with the city's southside growth, TeKippe said.

• "If you want to move those numbers, it will take an additional station and 22 additional people," TeKippe said.

What's next: TeKippe agreed to provide the council with any additional data he can as they consider future budget and fire station decisions.

Read more: Firefighters union pushes back

The Hartford Collective, a new barbershop and salon opening in Des Moines, aims to offer hair and beauty services for all genders with a focus on inclusivity.

How it started: Owner Jay Wendt felt inspired to open his own space after working at other inclusive Des Moines salons, including Elevencherry Salon and Loyal Sons Barber Shop.

• Some of his LGBTQ clients shared stories about feeling uncomfortable in some barbershops, prompting Wendt to create a one-stop shop for clients.
• "Getting your hair cut and getting your hair done is just such an incredible mood and confidence boost," Wendt says. "That's a really important thing for everybody."

State of play: The shop is opening in the basement at 2323 Grand Ave. — a flexible office space behind Noah's Ark.

• Two barbers and a stylist will be available for services.

The intrigue: The name is a nod to the original Farmers Mutual headquarters that resided in the building.

• The Hartford Collective comes from Des Moines' old nickname, the "Hartford of the West," which was a nod to the growing insurance industry in the area, similar to that of Hartford, Connecticut.

What's next: Expect it to open later this summer.

America's babies are becoming investors, each to receive $1,000 in seed accounts via the reconciliation bill signed last week by President Trump.

Why it matters: This could expand financial flexibility and literacy for future generations, given the power of compound interest, albeit on the dime of current taxpayers.

How it works: The bill creates a new class of investment account in the tax code.

• Every American born between 2025 and 2028 automatically receives an account with $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury, which will be invested in a low-cost index fund.
• Americans under 18 but born before 2025 also are eligible for the accounts, although not the $1,000.

Go deeper

📌 Mitchellville city administrator Gary Brown and another employee have been placed on administrative leave. Brown claims the other employee made false accusations against him as retaliation for addressing workplace issues. (KCCI)

⛳️ The Drake Municipal Observatory and Waveland Golf Course are in conflict with each other, due to high traffic that's brought to the area by the observatory's public series. (Des Moines Register)

🌵More than half of rural counties across the U.S. are legal deserts, including 18 in Iowa. (ISU News Service)

👀 The viral Pop-Tart mascots are joining in on the Iowa State and Kansas State game in Dublin next month. (KCCI)

Miffy, the white bunny sculpture at Des Moines' Central Library, was recently repainted and returned to display.

Yes, but: It hasn't started crying again because its fountain is connected to the lawn's irrigation, Greater DSM Public Art Foundation executive director Alexa McCarthy, tells Axios.

• And even though Miffy has a low-flow recycling system, watering the lawn is still a no-no.

State of play: Nitrate levels in the DSM and Raccoon rivers dropped below required treatment levels yesterday, but that's not enough to reverse the nearly month-long ban.

• Central Iowa Water Works says it needs multiple days of sustained improvement before lifting it.

The bottom line: Miffy's dry eyes are part of an ongoing civic duty.