🌱 Catering Company Turned Nonprofit + Des Moines School Bus Crash

Hello again, Des Moines! Important update: You all, as readers, have made the Des Moines Daily so successful that it is my honor to announce the next stage of the newsletter. Patch is looking for a local writer and entrepreneur to take the helm of the Des Moines Daily. Although I have loved getting to know this community, we want to pass the torch to someone truly local to write about Des Moines long term. So if you’re interested in earning extra income while making this newsletter a more valuable resource for your neighbors, learn more and apply here.

First, today's weather:

Milder with clouds and sun. High: 66 Low: 54.

Here are the top 3 stories today in Des Moines:

1. Angie Ramos recently turned her Hot Tamale Catering company into a nonprofit to create a safe environment and provide balanced meals to kids going hungry on the south side of Des Moines. Menu items change daily, and Ramos is committed to cooking from scratch with only whole, healthy and fresh ingredients. Children who come every Monday and Friday are able to eat, play games, and receive personal hygiene items as needed. Ramos provides everything from toothbrushes and toothpaste to deodorant and feminine products. She also offers to-go food for the children as well, if they want to take it home. (Iowa Public Radio)
2. An arrest has been made in connection to Des Moines' first homicide of 2022, back in January. On Jan. 9, 24-year-old Trishay Thompson was found on Pennsylvania Avenue with a gunshot wound and later passed away from his injuries on Jan. 27. On Wednesday, police issued a statement announcing that 25-year-old Sam Sando had been arrested for this incident and was charged with first-degree murder. Police anticipate that there may be another arrest, as this remains an ongoing investigation. (KCCI Des Moines)
3. A Des Moines school bus was involved in a crash on Wednesday morning while carrying two students. The accident took place at about 9:45 a.m. at the intersection of 19th Street and the Interstate Highway 235 offramp. DMPS spokesperson Amanda Lewis said the bus was hit by a box truck after there was a collision between the box truck and another car. Two students were on the bus at the time of the crash, but nobody on the bus suffered any injuries. (Des Moines Register)

Today in Des Moines:

• Pre-School Storytime At Pleasant Hill Public Library (10:30 AM)
• Public Policy Issue Forum on the Search for Talent At Greater Des Moines Partnership (12:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Yesterday morning, the Des Moines Public School system and Drake University came together and announced the upcoming DMPS Community Stadium, which will be located at Drake University. The venue will host up to 4,000 people and will be used by Des Moines high school and middle school sports and activities. Construction will begin this spring and it is anticipated to finish in the fall of 2023. (Instagram)
• A-Shift firefighters from Station 21 at the West Des Moines Fire Department spent their day on Tuesday testing fire hoses. The annual tests help keep the community and the station safe! (Facebook)
• The Des Moines Police Department reminds everyone to drive safe and sober! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently discovered that between 2009 to 2018, the presence of marijuana nearly doubled in drivers who were involved in fatal car accidents. (Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with another update.

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.