Laryssa Leone

1 week ago | weareiowa.com | Laryssa Leone

DES MOINES, Iowa — We're almost halfway through summer vacation, and this year is the first for Gov. Kim Reynolds' Healthy Kids Iowa summer meal program. Over at the Johnston Partnership, Executive Director Andrea Cook says with the new program, her pantry has seen a significant increase in demand and operational challenges. "Infrastructure wise, it's a challenge just making sure that we have the right cooling and freezing and all those sort of things for the items," Cook said.

1 week ago | weareiowa.com | Laryssa Leone

DES MOINES, Iowa — Four Oaks Four Oaks Family and Children Services says there are 282 licensed families available for the 407 referred children in Polk County alone. The nonprofit says there are multiple ways people can help close that gap. On the walls of Cedar Rapids-based Four Oaks are pictures with the words, "Every child is one adult away from being a success story."  For Pamela Jones, that saying is reflective of her life and her journey as a foster parent, which began in 2004.

3 weeks ago | weareiowa.com | Laryssa Leone

DES MOINES, Iowa — A bill expanding the definition of cancer under Iowa's presumptive disability law is finally a law itself after Gov. Kim Reynolds put pen to paper Friday afternoon. It's a victory for first responders and their loved ones, who have worked years to get similar legislation passed. Not all who helped bring the law to fruition were able to celebrate Friday. Longtime firefighter Brian Stoaks lost his battle to pancreatic cancer in 2023.

3 weeks ago | weareiowa.com | Laryssa Leone

DES MOINES, Iowa — The city of Des Moines is ending it's participation in a national initiative to bring more women into the Des Moines Police Department. The 30x30 initiative is lead by a coalition of police leaders whose goal is to ensure women make up 30 percent of police officers by 2030. Only 11% of the total sworn-in Des Moines police officers are women. The department joined the 30x30 program in 2021 to help grow that percentage.

3 weeks ago | weareiowa.com | Laryssa Leone

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Des Moines Regional Police Academy sits on 401 E Army Post Road, right next door to a former YMCA building. DMPD's Sgt. Paul Parizek believes the location of the two buildings makes the former YMCA a perfect space for a replacement DMPD training facility. The space has already been rented by the DMPD for training purposes, but now with the Des Moines City Council's approval it will be the new home of the department's training center.