Governor Branstad is getting sued by Iowa’s largest public employees union and 20 lawmakers for shutting down two mental health facilities. The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees filed a lawsuit earlier today against the governor…demanding he reopen Clarinda and Mt. Pleasant mental hospitals. The facilities closed last week.
Republican Scott Walker is the latest politician to enter the 2016 presidential race. Walker made the announcement via Twitter earlier today…and will have a formal event in his home state of Wisconsin later this afternoon. Walker will make stops in New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina before making it out to Iowa later this week.
The heat index in central Iowa is well above 100 today. Temperatures are in the low the mid 90’s throughout the area…but that should cool down a little tomorrow.
Des Moines’ food truck program hits the state capitol complex today. The Department of Administrative Services is allowing mobile food vendors to set up shot just north of the Lucas Building daily. The pilot program runs through Halloween.
The Des Moines City Council is considering an $85million project for downtown. Justin Mandelbaum is proposing to redevelop the parking garage at 5th avenue and Walnut street into a movie theater, as well as a jazz club and residential building. The city will likely seek other proposals as well.
Home sales were down last month from May in the greater Des Moines area…but up by 16 percent from the same time last year. Not as many homes were on the market, but prices remained above last year’s number at $178,000 dollars as the median.
Des Moines utility customers will have to wait a couple of months before getting a refund of an illegal fee collected by the city. The court decided that ratepayers will have to fill out claim forms once they’re sent, and the claims will then be processed by a consulting firm. The court had ordered the city to refund 40 million dollars in the case.
Iowa’s historic governor’s mansion is about to get a facelift in its backyard. Private funding is paying for a new reflecting pool and vintage-style greenhouse for the Terrace Hill grounds. They’re hoping to have it completed for next summer, when Des Moines hosts the meeting of the National Governor’s Association.
More women in Iowa are binge drinking…at least that’s the latest from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. In 85 of the 99 Iowa counties, the rate of women binge drinking has gone up from 2002 to 2012. Experts say it’s because the drinking culture has shifted to an acceptance of drinking in public…say at beer tents.
Iowa joins 14 states that are part of a campaign called the “Why Islam?” project. So far…four billboards with the message have been placed throughout the state. The project is aimed to bring awareness of the religion, and decrease hatred and mistrust.
And the Des Moines Parks and Rec department is celebrating National Park and Recreation month this weekend with games and activities on the Court Avenue Bridge from 7 am to noon.
