Daily
West Des Moines
Friday, April 4th, 2025
Good morning, West Des Moines. Here's your local news at a glance for Friday, the 4th of April.
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Peachey’s Baking Co. announced it would not return to the Iowa State Fair in 2025 after two successful years serving its popular glazed donuts. The company said it would focus on opening a new donut shop in Sarasota, Florida—while still traveling this summer with Minnesota as its closest stop. WHO13
CRIME NEWS
- ➤ Former Ankeny Area Chamber CEO Melisa Cox, 47, is considering a plea deal on charges of alleged money laundering, theft and unauthorized credit card use after a pre-trial appearance on April 3rd following an internal audit that found she stole over $250K from the chamber—her hearing is set for April 30 and trial for May 5. WHO13
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ The Blank Park Zoo will host Wild Lights this Saturday, April 5, where visitors can view over 50 handcrafted Asian lanterns after dark. WHO13
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is running its annual Springtime Spotlight Survey in all 99 counties this month as staff drive two 25-mile transects with spotlights one hour after sunset to spot species from deer to house cats. The survey—started in the 1970s—will help track wildlife trends with results posted this summer. Radio Iowa
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Westcom Emergency Communications announced the death of Chief Udell Mentola on Wednesday; he had served for a little over two years and was still providing updates for Clive+Norwalk+Urbandale+Waukee+West Des Moines+Windsor Heights as recently as March 17, including handling over 60,000 calls and texts to 911 last year. KCCI
- ➤ Sen. Grassley said SafeSport knew that former officer Jason Krasley was under investigation before hiring him as an investigator and questioned the delay in firing him—Krasley faces charges including rape, sex trafficking and soliciting prostitution, and SafeSport is now reviewing its vetting process amid oversight and spending concerns. This inquiry comes after details from his letter to CEO Ju’Riese Colon raised troubling questions about the center’s hiring decisions. WHO13
-
Breakthrough Basketball Shooting & Offensive Skills Camp
Apr 5-6 — SportsPlex West — Limited spots available — Elevate your game with pro-level shooting techniques and offensive skills training.
-
Cocktail Techniques 101 Class
6-8 p.m. — Table 128 — $65 per person — Learn vital mixology skills in a sold-out, hands-on cocktail class with expert guidance.
-
Baby and Toddler Rhyme Time
10:00-10:30 a.m. — North Side Library — Free entry — Engage with rhymes, songs, and stories tailored for infants and toddlers.
-
School Group Attendance Update
All day — Science Center of Iowa — N/A — Today's school group traffic is expected to be low, making it a great time to visit.
-
Jazz on the House with Saxophonist Wayne Page & Co.
7-10 p.m. — Noce — No cover — Enjoy jazz tunes and $5 green tea shots during the all night happy hour.
-
Turn It Up Dance Challenge Competitions
April 11-13 — Iowa Events Center — Registration required — Enjoy a weekend filled with dance competitions, awards, and scholarships.
-
NAMI Family Support Group
10:30 a.m. — Des Moines Public Library - Central Library — Free entry — Peer-led support for adults with loved ones facing mental health challenges.
-
Spring Collaging Workshop
1-3 p.m. — Hoyt Sherman Place — Cost TBD — Unlock your creativity with Madeline Maser in this engaging collaging class using various artistic materials.
-
Spring Needle Felting Workshop
5:30-7:30 p.m. — Hoyt Sherman Place — All materials provided — Create delightful felted spring flowers in a beginner-friendly setting.
-
Workshop on Protecting Children from Sexual Abuse
1-4:30 p.m. — UnityPoint Health - Blank Children's Hospital — Free entry — Engage in vital training to help prevent child sexual abuse and learn to address concerning behaviors.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The first rule of any kind of progress: showing up.
Know who said this? Send us an email!
Reveal the authorAbout Daily West Des Moines
Welcome to the Daily West Des Moines, your community newsletter that's anything but snooze-worthy, packed with positive, impactful local news + events across the West Des Moines, Iowa community. If you like the Daily West Des Moines, support us by subscribing to our email newsletter and sharing us with your friends and family in West Des Moines.
Advertising Opportunities
Advertising with us will make sure you stay at the top of everyone's mind—in West Des Moines and across Iowa. You can learn more here. We'll work together to build a custom plan to hit your goals this year.
Alternatively, you can submit events, announcements, real estate listings, and job postings. We'll include them in our newsletter on whichever dates you like.
Community, delivered
Our hyper-local media company activates communities through daily email newsletters that curate the most positive, impactful local news + events – all for free.
Subscribe to Daily West Des Moines
A free West Des Moines community newsletter.
- Daily local news
- We curate the most positive, impactful local news + events.
- 6AM City
- A publication of 6AM City, the nation's leading local newsletter-first media network. Nominate your city.
© 6AM City Inc. 2025. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. Questions? Contact us here
Sitemap: https://dailywestdesmoines.com/sitemap