🌱 Patch AM: How Johnston’s lottery HQ is handling a $1.25 billion jackpot

Hello Johnston! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How Johnston’s lottery HQ is handling a $1.25 billion jackpot
• Which former Johnston runners shined in early-season college track meets?

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Johnston? Post it to Johnston photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: The doctor told me to drink carrot juice after a hot bath. - Did it help? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Wednesday: Freezing fog in the morning, with a high of 42 and low of 38 degrees.
• Thursday: Very windy; colder, temps: high: 41, low: 10. ⛄️ Brr!
• Friday: Breezy in the afternoon, with a high of 34 and low of 30 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Powerball jackpot surges to $1.25 billion, bringing more holiday cheer (publicgaming.com) — Johnston-based lottery officials say the Powerball jackpot has jumped to an estimated $1.25 billion for Wednesday night’s drawing, with a cash option of $572.1 million. While urging responsible play, they note ticket sales support local good causes and that this is only the second time Powerball has produced back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots.
   

• Mile posts: Items on Mallory Lindaman, Millie Hill, Mike Jasa, Chase Knoche, Julia Gehl, Dylan Grandon, Courtney Sporrer (desmoinesregister.com subscription) — Johnston track fans can cheer two alumni highlighted in a statewide roundup: Iowa junior Carson Lane, a former Johnston runner, took second in the men’s 1,000, and junior Dylan Grandon, also from Johnston, hit an NAIA qualifying mark in the 600. The story surveys strong indoor performances by many Iowa-connected college runners and triathletes.
   

📸 Around Johnston

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Johnston

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday December 20

• Back Roads Lounge
  Back Roads Lounge, 8460 Birchwood Ct Suite 900, Johnston
  7:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Thursday December 18

• Canceled - Board of Adjustment Meeting
  Johnston, IA Calendar , 6221 Merle Hay Road PO Box 410 , Johnston
  6:30 pm
• Board of Adjustment Meeting
  Johnston, IA Calendar , 6221 Merle Hay Road PO Box 410 , Johnston
  6:30 pm

📣 Johnston Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Wednesday December 17

• Drop-In Pickleball
  Albaugh Family Senior Community Center , 150 NW Ash Dr , Ankeny
  12:00 pm
• Parks and Recreation Commission
  City Hall , 3600 86th Street , Urbandale
  5:30 pm
• Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Des Moines
  Des Moines Performing Arts , 221 Walnut St , Des Moines
  7:00 pm

Thursday December 18

• Board of Appeals
  Grimes, IA Calendar
  12:01 am
• Clive Emerging Leaders: Getting It Together: Build Your Life Admin System
  ServiceMaster by Rice - Construction Division , 7605 University Ave , Clive
  1:00 pm
• Boys Wrestling: Triangular – DM East DM North-Hoover Ames (Junior Varsity)
  East High School Des Moines, IA 50316
  5:30 pm
• Boys Wrestling: Triangular – DM Roosevelt DM Lincoln Fort Dodge (Junior Varsity)
  Roosevelt High School Des Moines, IA 50312
  5:30 pm
• Boys Wrestling: Triangular – DM Roosevelt DM Lincoln Fort Dodge (Varsity)
  Roosevelt High School Des Moines, IA 50312
  5:30 pm
• Boys Wrestling: Triangular – DM East DM North-Hoover Ames (Varsity)
  East High School Des Moines, IA 50316
  5:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Iowa Staffing posted a job opening for Custodian (Full-Time) in Johnston. Apply here.
• Planet Fitness posted a job opening for Overnight Custodian in Johnston. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Johnston here.

🗞 Nearby News

Grimes

• Iowa Nat'l Guard: 2 U.S. soldiers killed by ISIS gunman in Syria identified (oann.com)
• War Sec Hegseth issues statement after two US soldiers killed in Syria are identified (timebulletin.us)
• Meet the fall 2025 grads (uni.edu)

Urbandale

• Hy-Vee Opens Food Pantry At Iowa Elementary School (theshelbyreport.com)

Ok Johnston! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I can never finish drinking the hot bath!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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