Home Care In Des Moines, IA

As Iowa's new law banning handheld cell phones while driving takes effect July 1, the Iowa State Patrol has a very simple message for drivers.

"We need the phone out of people’s hands," said Sgt. Alex Dinkla.

After years of efforts, Iowa joins 30 other states in banning drivers from using cell phones or other electronic devices, except in hands-free or voice-activated mode.

Iowa law already banned texting while driving, but Dinkla said the old law was difficult to enforce because it wasn't always clear if a driver was texting.

"This new law, it really cleans a lot of that up," he said. "It says take the phone out of the hand and in a nutshell, we know this is going to save lives in Iowa."

Here's what to know about the new law:

Which electronic devices are drivers banned from using?

In addition to cell phones, the law bans drivers from using tablets, laptops, PDAs, electronic gaming devices and other similar portable devices — so no typing, scrolling or streaming behind the wheel.

A car's built-in GPS navigation system does not count as a prohibited device, meaning drivers can use their car's integrated system — as long as they enter their destination before the car begins moving.

Can I use my phone in hands-free mode?

Yes. Drivers are allowed to use cell phones if they are in hands-free or voice-activated mode. However, you can't swipe or scroll.

What's the best way to comply with Iowa's new hands-free law?

Dinkla said there are several cheap ways to comply with the law, such as buying a phone mount to attach to the car's dashboard, buying an auxiliary Bluetooth if the car doesn't have its own system built in or putting the phone on speaker mode and setting it down.

"They can still use their GPS navigation tool on their phone," he said. "They just need to make sure that they enter that address where they’re going before they start to drive, put that unit up on the dash in the mount and they’re good to go."

What will enforcement look like once the law takes effect July 1?

For the first six months, police will only issue warnings for violating the law.

Dinkla said the Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau has printed 30,000 cards with information on how to comply with the new law that officers will hand out to drivers when they make traffic stops.

The education campaign will also include billboards, radio and television ads and outreach to media, Dinkla said.

"We are going to make sure that we do tons of education this first six months," he said.

Iowa saw 355 traffic fatalities in 2024 and 379 in 2023, according to the Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau.

What are the penalties for violating the law?

Beginning in 2026, someone who violates the law will receive a fine of $100, up from $45 for violating the current texting-while-driving ban.

Someone who causes a serious injury will be subject to a $500 fine and and possible suspension of their driver's license, while someone who causes a death will receive a $1,000 fine.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller.

Nitrates, fecal bacteria, sediment and other pollutants in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers threaten safe drinking water for 20% of the state’s population. That's one of the findings from a sweeping study commissioned by Polk County supervisors in 2023 and released Tuesday.

Matt McCoy, Polk County Board of Supervisors chair, said the goal was to “provide a comprehensive, unbiased analysis of water quality” in the rivers, which converge in Des Moines and eventually drain into the Mississippi River.

The report also recommends regional and state-level actions, including:

“The cost of addressing these problems is enormous, but the consequences of not addressing them is not an option,” McCoy said at the supervisors’ meeting Tuesday.

Sixteen scientists from Iowa and across the country contributed to the Central Iowa Source Water Research Assessment (CISWRA). It’s grouped around four topics: drinking water security, recreation, stream flow and ecological health and habitat.

The executive summary said “pavement-filled cities” contribute to impaired waters, but “agricultural production, which is the predominant use of the land in our watersheds, has an overwhelming influence on the rivers.”

Fertilizer and manure that washes off farm fields threaten drinking water sources and increase the likelihood of harmful algal blooms, the authors said. Historical alterations to rivers and streams, like channel straightening and more extreme weather from climate change, also contribute to water quality challenges.

“The problems identified in this report are not new to the stakeholders in Polk County, but this report is timely, given the existing conversations around the high levels of nitrates that this community is dealing with currently,” McCoy said.

Since June 12, the Des Moines area has been under its first lawn watering ban due to elevated nitrate levels in the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers.

Central Iowa Water Works officials said compliance has cut water demand by more than 30%, allowing the regional water utility to keep pace with nitrate removal and stay under the federal threshold of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) for public drinking water.

The standard was set decades ago to prevent blue baby syndrome, a life-threatening condition that causes low oxygen levels in an infant’s blood. But a growing number of studies have linked nitrate concentrations lower than 10 mg/L to colorectal cancer, thyroid disease and other health issues.

The CISWRA researchers found around 40% of the nitrogen in the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers comes from farm fertilizer. Roughly 20% stems from manure, while 20% comes from nitrogen-fixing crops, predominantly soybeans.

Around 18% comes from atmospheric deposition, a process where nitrogen falls back to the earth with rain and snow or as particles. Just 2% comes from developed land and water that flows out of sewage treatment plants.

The summary report states that "nitrate levels in central Iowa are among the highest in the nation,” even when compared to other agriculturally intense regions.

The 10 people who gave public comments at the Polk County supervisors' meeting said this is a pivotal time for water quality.

“It doesn’t have to be this way,” said Mike Tramontina, a Des Moines resident representing the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club. “Our rivers can be cleaned up. The Des Moines and the Raccoon can be brought back to drinkable, swimmable and fishable quality and by natural processes.”

Tramontina said politicians too often resist solutions over concerns that they could harm farmers.

“I hope that in all future discussions, every time you hear someone say, ‘What about the farmers?’ I hope one of you will turn and say, ‘What about the babies?’” Tramontina said, referring to nitrates and blue baby syndrome.

Tramontina and others, including Michael Schmidt, general counsel of the Iowa Environmental Council, criticized the state’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy. They said it has not made significant progress in improving water quality since it was released in 2013.

Schmidt said many individuals are voluntarily adopting conservation practices, but larger-scale changes are needed to protect the state’s water.

“If you look below the surface, which is hard to do in most Iowa Lakes, you can see that the problem is not just a drought or wet weather, it's what people are putting on the land upstream,” Schmidt said.

He said several of the new report's recommendations — comprehensive watershed planning, clear benchmarks for progress, funding for additional water monitoring and improved manure management practices — will be key to protecting public and environmental health.

Matt Russell, interim executive director of the Iowa Farmers Union, delivered a written statement from Aaron Lehman, IFU’s president.

“We all know that agriculture is contributing to our water quality challenges in Iowa. The good news is that means farmers can be an important part of solving this problem,” Lehman wrote.

As millions of dollars of federal conservation funding has been cut or frozen under the Trump administration, Lehman's statement said that IFU looks forward to working with Polk County and other partners to scale up best practices for water quality.

Polk County's efforts to improve water quality

McCoy emphasized that solutions are within grasp if urban and rural Iowa work cooperatively.

“The work that Polk County has engaged in under the direction and leadership of Jonathan Swanson highlight some of the best practices if implemented statewide, which would have enormous benefits in these watersheds,” McCoy said.

Jonathan Swanson, water resources supervisor with Polk County Public Works, highlighted the batch and build program his team developed. It aims to reduce barriers for neighboring landowners to add saturated buffers and bioreactors to treat field tile drainage before it empties into ditches and streams. He said the program has scaled up to 13 counties in Iowa and other Midwestern states.

Other programs focus on installing wetlands — which naturally filter water, store stormwater and create wildlife habitat — adding cover crops and restoring streams.

With a large urban population, Swanson said the county also faces its own “distinctly urban difficulties,” like stormwater runoff. The Rain Campaign offers resources to help residents add rain barrels, permeable pavement and certain types of landscaping to prevent runoff.

“For us, making a difference has come through diversified approaches to putting conservation on the ground,” Swanson said.

Swanson said his team is eager to dig into the new CISWRA report to see how they can do more to improve water quality in central Iowa.

Sales of pancakes and concert tickets help, but aren't enough, for smaller Iowa communities buying increasingly expensive new fire engines.

That's because fire vehicles, that not so long ago cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, now cost millions, leaving fire departments big and small having to get creative — with fundraisers for replacements or for spare parts to keep existing equipment running.

Delivery of vehicles and gear departments may have formerly waited a year or less to receive may now take double or triple that, or longer. And the rising costs and production times have prompted the nation's largest firefighters' labor union to call the situation a public safety hazard and demand a federal probe into the fire vehicle manufacturing industry.

The Ely Fire Department, which serves a city of about 2,300 people and two townships in Linn County, ordered a new fire engine last year before it had the funding in place, said Ely City Council member Mark Becicka, one of the all-volunteer department's firefighters and emergency medical technicians.

Becicka said the department went ahead with the replacement of the more than 27-year-old Engine 294 because a delay would have made the replacement more difficult and costlier.

"We really have to balance risk versus necessity," he said.

The department's call volumes are increasing as the reliability of its current engine decreases. More small parts are wearing out, including switches for emergency lights, a tachometer that's missing a digit, leaks in a backup air compressor and a water system hose, and knobs on the water pump control panel that don't lock into place.

"We knew we couldn't afford to wait," Becicka said.

But the $950,000 fundraising goal to pay for the new engine is still far more than the department's about $150,000 annual budget, he said. Its nonprofit arm has raised about $150,000 since a kickoff event in August 2024, with an annual July 4 pancake breakfast and a Sept. 26 concert expected to bring in more.

“We just have to be more creative and patient," Becicka said.

The department has three years before it receives the new engine, at which time it would need to take out a loan to cover any remaining gap between the cost and what's been raised, he said.

Meanwhile, in Des Moines, almost 10 times the size of Ely, something has to give. The fire department needs more funding or vehicles' lifespans will have to be extended. And "we haven’t acquired more funding," said city Fire Marshal Jonathan Lund.

Edward Kelly, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters labor union, said fire vehicles' doubled prices and multi-year order backlogs are a "critical hazard in public safety," citing reports that dozens of broken-down fire trucks were unavailable during the deadly Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year.

Metro cities are paying millions of dollars but waiting years for fire trucks

Emergency vehicles don't last forever.

"Ladder trucks and engines typically last 15 to 20 years before the cost of repairs becomes too high compared to their value," said a news release about the purchase of a new ladder truck for the Johnston-Grimes Metropolitan Fire District.

The truck with a 100-foot ladder, hose and 300-gallon water tank and pump replaced a ladder truck originally purchased in 2004 for $750,000.

The new one cost more than double that — $1.7 million — and did not arrive until almost three years after it was ordered in March 2022.

Johnston-Grimes' new ladder truck is "essential for ensuring the effectiveness and safety of fire operations," the release said.

Ankeny City Council documents describe a new 107-foot ladder truck the council approved purchasing in January as the primary fire response vehicle at Ankeny Fire Department's Fire Station No. 1.

The new truck will replace a 2011 ladder truck that has had a "less-than-ideal reliability record" since it was damaged in a 2018 storm, according to a council document.

The cost: almost $2.4 million, and the new ladder truck is not expected to be ready for delivery until around 2029.

On June 9, the Des Moines City Council approved the purchase of two fire engines and a 100-foot ladder truck to replace older trucks that will be placed in reserve. The fire department's current 100-foot reserve ladder truck is 24 years old. A 2018 frontline ladder truck is ready to go into reserve, along with engines from 2008 and 2017.

"When replacing fleet vehicles, we prioritize replacement of the units with the most wear and tear, engine hours, and miles to ensure the fleet is as healthy as possible," Lund wrote in an email to the Des Moines Register.

The new engines cost nearly $1.4 million each, and the ladder truck $2.3 million. Delivery of the engines is expected after July 1, 2027, and the ladder truck's delivery is slated for at least a year later.

The prices metro cities are paying fall within the current average range for engines and ladder trucks, according to a fire vehicle manufacturing industry spokesperson: $1.2 million to $1.5 million for custom-made pumper trucks, the typical fire engines, and $1.3 million to $2 million or more for aerials, or ladder trucks, depending on the type.

Gary Pacilio, speaking for the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association, said the price range for a pumper about a decade ago was $600,000 to $800,000, and for an aerial, $800,000 to $1.2 million.

That change goes well beyond the rate of inflation in consumer prices alone, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A $600,000 purchase in 2015 would be the equivalent of about $825,000 in 2025, for example. But that $825,000 is about $400,000 or more short of the price for a new pumper.

Why did fire vehicles become so much more expensive?

Pacilio is the executive vice president of operations for Fouts Bros. Inc., a Georgia-based manufacturer of fire apparatus including pumpers, tankers and rescue vehicles. And he is a past president of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association, which represents companies that produce emergency vehicles or their components in the U.S. and Canada.

A surge in demand driven by federal money distributed to local governments during the COVID-19 pandemic exceeded manufacturers' capacities in North America. That combined with the pandemic's disruptions to parts supply chains and labor resulted in an order backlog the industry is still working through, Pacilio said.

In May, the International Association of Fire Fighters and American Economic Liberties Project, an anti-monopoly group, requested the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission launch an antitrust investigation into the fire vehicle manufacturing industry over concerns including consolidation, with three companies controlling about two-thirds of the market.

But Pacilio said it's misleading to consider the effects of consolidation on the industry as the only reason for inflation.

“We’re all in this together. We’re all trying to find the right path. But this influx of orders is unprecedented,” he said.

Manufacturers are planning for additional production capacity, he said, but obtaining enough skilled workers continues to be a struggle.

And he said the industry's generations-long focus on custom-made fire vehicles that are unique to each fire department — with custom chassis and positioning of storage compartments and water pump control panels, for example — adds complexity that drives up costs and production lead times.

The more complex, he said, "the harder these are to build, the more hours it requires to build them, the fewer you can get out."

Big advantages for bigger departments

Des Moines' size means it's economical to have an in-house repair garage. A superintendent and four mechanics staff the shop on Dean Avenue and they can be called out after hours and on weekends to address critical repair needs at emergency scenes.

“Our goal is to keep the cost down,” said Jim Clark, the garage's superintendent.

Des Moines' vehicles ideally see 10 years of frontline service and then spend at least five years in reserve, where, Lund said, they can be pulled back into active service when frontline units are down for repairs, or when they're needed at special events and during exceptionally busy times.

Even wrecked vehicles can have a long afterlife. There’s a room at the garage full of shelves stocked with various parts recovered from vehicles over time, including whole motors and exhaust systems.

It's not just fire engines and ladder trucks that have gotten more expensive and take longer to receive once ordered, but also ambulances and personal protective equipment.

The Ankeny Fire Department's budget presentation in January included a request for an additional $20,000 in the safety equipment budget because of "unprecedented price increases."

Des Moines' garage also can repair firefighters' respirator masks, the tools used to extricate victims from wrecked cars, and often respirator packs. A third party services the tanks that supply firefighters' air, but Clark said “99% of the time, we can repair the pack" that holds an air tank.

Des Moines also can spend more now to avoid problems later. Lund said while the city previously ordered one or two ambulances a year that would arrive in 12 to 14 months or less, because of 36-month lead times that force the extension of frontline vehicles' service, it ordered seven new ambulances in March.

Can Ely keep up?

In-house repair garages of Des Moines' scale and ordering in bulk in advance are not feasible options for many other departments, especially small ones.

In Ely, Becicka said, that capability gap highlights the fact that smaller departments don’t have the same access to funding but face the same issues of rising costs and production lead times.

The department there is reaching out to the local community and businesses for donations and applying for grants to assist with the purchase of Engine 294.

“We couldn’t do it without the community we have around us," he said, adding that it is a source of pride that the community is directly supporting the new engine through donations, not just through their taxes.

"It's helping us help them," he said.

Want to help? The Ely Fire Department's fundraising website is available at elyfire.com/meetfutureely294, and event information is available at facebook.com/elyfiredepartment/events.

Reuters contributed to this article.

Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at [email protected]. Find outmore about him online in the Register's staff directory.

Ready to celebrate Independence Day?

Check out these events and activities happening across the Metro July 3-6, but make sure you check the weather and put on sunscreen before you head out.

Thursday, July 3

Waukee Independence Day Celebration, 1255 Warrior LaneFind the full schedule here.Visit Waukee's Centennial Park for the annual Fourth of July parade, inflatables, live music, fireworks and more.

Urbandale Fourth of July Celebration, Lions ParkFind the full schedule here.Urbandale is home to one of the largest Fourth of July celebrations in the area. This longstanding tradition includes a 2-mile-long parade, a premier carnival, an entertainment garden, live music, as well as a variety of other activities. The annual community event is organized by a group of volunteers and is primarily self-funded with help from local business sponsors and fundraising.

All-American Extravaganza, Prairie Meadows Casino3 p.m. ThursdayCost: FreeFind the full schedule here.Visit Prairie Meadows for its free, family-friendly All-American Extravaganza. Enjoy live racing, outdoor live music, food, fireworks and more.

Junction Street Party, Historic Valley Junction5 p.m. ThursdayCost: FreeFind the full schedule here.Revel in the spirit of independence with live music, bites from local food trucks and shop at the Valley Junction Farmers Market.

Independence Day Parade, West Des Moines6:30 p.m. ThursdayCost: FreeThe annual West Des Moines Independence Day parade starts at Valley High School and ends at Wilson Park. See the full parade route here.

Yankee Doodle Pops, Iowa State Capitol West Terrace8:30 p.m. ThursdayCost: FreeThe Des Moines Symphony's 31st annual Yankee Doodle Pops, Iowa's largest single-day concert event. The family-friendly patriotic concert concludes with a spectacular fireworks display over the downtown Des Moines skyline. Find parking information here.

Friday, July 4

Waukee Independence Day Celebration, 1255 Warrior LaneFind the full schedule here.Visit Waukee's Centennial Park for the annual Fourth of July parade, inflatables, live music, fireworks and more.

Urbandale Fourth of July Celebration, Lions ParkFind the full schedule here.Urbandale is home to one of the largest 4th of July celebrations in the area. This longstanding tradition includes a 2-mile-long parade, a premier carnival, an entertainment garden, live music, as well as a variety of other activities. The annual community event is organized by a group of volunteers and is primarily self-funded with help from local business sponsors and fundraising.

Independence Day and Historic Baseball, Living History Farms9 a.m. to 4 p.m. FridayCost: All activities are included with general admission.Find the full schedule here.Celebrate a historic Independence Day in the town of Walnut Hill. 1876 marks the first centennial of the United States, and Living History Farms’ Independence Day activities truly show what this day meant to those in the 19th century — a day of family fun and games.

Altoona Fourth of July parade, 8th Street, Altoona1o a.m. FridayCost: FreeCelebrate Independence Day with the Altoona Area Historical Society and its annual parade. The parade begins at the Altoona Public Library and ends at Haines Park.

Hometown Pride + Fourth of July Fireworks, Norwalk10 a.m. FridayCost: FreeNorwalk Hometown Pride's annual celebration kicks off with the parade at 10 a.m. The fun continues throughout the day and ends with fireworks at dusk. Find the full parade map here.

Fourth of July Foam Party at Paws & Pints, 6218 Willowmere DriveNoon to 3 p.m. FridayCost: FreeFind more information here.

Rock-It in the Park, Union Park, 2009 Saylor Road, Des MoinesNoon to 6 p.m. FridayCost: FreeFree lunch for the first 500 attendees, kids' activities, games and prizes, outdoor music and more. Find more information here.

Independence Day Celebration at Madison County Winery, 3021 Saint Charles Road, St. Charles5 p.m. FridayCost: FreeLive music by Madison County Line. Picnic-style foods, the national anthem, followed by fireworks.

West Des Moines Community Band Concert, Jamie Hurd Amphitheater, 4100 Mills Civic Parkway7 p.m. FridayCost: FreeEnjoy the West Des Moines Community Band's Fourth of July concert. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and unwind to the tunes of this talented local band.

4th of July night lights at Carlisle High School, 430 School St., Carlisle8 p.m. FridayCost: FreeJoin Carlisle Cars n Coffee for a free car show at Carlisle High School. Find more information here.

Yoga in the Park, 410 West First St., Ankeny8 a.m. SaturdayCost: FreeBring a yoga mat and a friend to enjoy one hour of free outdoor yoga every Saturday morning May 24 through Aug. 30 at Wagner Park.

Stars and Stripes Night with the Des Moines Menace, Valley Stadium7 p.m. SaturdayCost: Tickets start at $15 and must be purchased onlineCelebrate Independence Day weekend with the Des Moines Menace's annual patriotic match against Sunflower State FC. Free entry for military, veterans and first responders with valid ID. The first 500 fans will receive a Menace beach towel.

Music Under the Stars at Laurisden Amphitheater, Water Works Park, 2251 George Flagg Parkway, Des Moines7 p.m. SundayCost: FreeThe longest-running free summer event in Des Moines is Music Under the Stars, a free professional concert and jazz band performances. Sunday will feature a retro-inspired evening channeling vintage vibes with horn soloist Kristen Ronning and the classic big band stylings of vocalist Max Wellman.

Other events

Looking for a fireworks show? We've got you covered. Find our list of central Iowa fireworks shows here.

The Des Moines Biergarten at Water Works Park has opened for the season. Enjoy a family-friendly atmosphere, beer, food and live entertainment every Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.

Friday: Sun and clouds mixed with a slight chance of thunderstorms during the afternoon. High around 92 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds SSW at 10-15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Friday night: Partly cloudy skies early. Scattered thunderstorms are developing later at night. Low 74 degrees. Winds SSW at 10-15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

Saturday: Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. High 88 degrees. Winds SW at 10-15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

Saturday night: Scattered thunderstorms. Low 70 degrees. Winds WSW at 5-10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

Sunday: Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 87 degrees. Winds WNW at 5-10 mph.

Sunday night: Cloudy with a few showers. Low 69 degrees. Winds NE at 5-10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Have a weekend event or favorite place to grab a bite on the weekend? Share it with us by emailing [email protected].

The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.

Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Tuesday, July 1, 2025, winning numbers for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 1 drawing

19-28-31-39-54, Mega Ball: 05

Winning Pick-3 numbers from July 1 drawing

Midday: 0-6-1

Evening: 0-9-0

Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick-4 numbers from July 1 drawing

Midday: 9-4-9-8

Evening: 9-9-3-8

Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from July 1 drawing

01-02-19-30-33, Lucky Ball: 02

When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

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