🌱 Patch AM: West Des Moines family mourns vintage car enthusiast John Eugene Miller

Cheers West Des Moines! We’re back, helping you stay up to date with what’s happening. Let's take on the day together! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• West Des Moines family mourns vintage car enthusiast John Eugene Miller
• Where West Des Moines Valley lands in the newest state hoops rankings
• How a West Des Moines lawyer helped revive a key negligence case

Today's riddle: After dinner, my parents asked if I could clear the table. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Cloudy; p.m. rain, breezy, with a high of 44 and low of 30 degrees.
• Friday: Cloudy, temps: high: 41, low: 27.
• Saturday: Breezy and colder, with a high of 32 and low of 16 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!

📰 News we're reading

• John Eugene Miller (cassville-democrat.com) — West Des Moines readers may recognize the Miller family, as John Eugene Miller’s son Sean lives in the city. John, a Des Moines native and Corvair enthusiast who helped found “the Corvair Rescue Team,” died from cancer in December, and his family is planning services in Missouri and a later celebration of life for fellow vintage car lovers.
   

• IGHSAU basketball rankings for 1/7/26 (1630kcjj.com) — West Des Moines Valley’s girls basketball team is holding strong at No. 4 in the latest Class 5A state rankings, keeping the city in Iowa’s hoops spotlight. The new IGHSAU list, released Wednesday, shuffles contenders across all five classes as teams hit midseason form.
   

• Negligence-Inmate Suicide-Negligence-Legal Duty (molawyersmedia.com) — A recent federal appeals decision tied to an Iowa jail suicide lists a West Des Moines attorney representing the family, underscoring local legal involvement in a significant mental-health negligence case. The Eighth Circuit reversed a lower court ruling, finding a jury could decide whether mental health providers had a duty to communicate the inmate’s self-harm risk.
   

📸 Around West Des Moines

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📣 West Des Moines Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday January 8

• Senior Tech Class: Protecting Your Privacy Online
  Waukee, IA Calendar , 950 S. Warrior Ln. , Waukee
  10:00 am
• Dallas County Conservation
  Waukee, IA Calendar , 950 S. Warrior Ln. , Waukee
  10:00 am
• Boys Wrestling: Triangular – DM Lincoln DM Roosevelt Ottumwa (Varsity)
  Roosevelt High School Des Moines, IA 50312
  5:30 pm
• Boys Wrestling: Triangular – Marshalltown DM North-Hoover DM East (Varsity)
  East High School Des Moines, IA 50316
  5:30 pm
• Boys Wrestling: Triangular – DM Lincoln DM Roosevelt Ottumwa (Junior Varsity)
  Roosevelt High School Des Moines, IA 50312
  5:30 pm
• Boys Wrestling: Triangular – Marshalltown DM North-Hoover DM East (Junior Varsity)
  East High School Des Moines, IA 50316
  5:30 pm
• January Social At The Rook Room!
  The Rook Room , 300 SW 5th St , Des Moines
  6:00 pm
• Basketball: Girls Varsity vs. Des Moines Christian Schools (Away)
  Des Moines Christian School
  6:15 pm
• Basketball: Boys Varsity vs. Des Moines Christian Schools (Away)
  Des Moines Christian School
  7:15 pm

Friday January 9

• Boys Wrestling: Ottumwa Wrestling Invitational (Varsity)
  Roosevelt High School Des Moines, IA 50312
  4:00 pm
• Bullet Journaling with Linda Tong
  Waukee, IA Calendar , 950 S. Warrior Ln. , Waukee
  4:00 pm
• Girls Basketball: Des Moines Hoover vs Des Moines Roosevelt (JV1)
  Roosevelt High School Des Moines, IA 50312
  4:45 pm

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

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making West Des Moines PatchAM possible:

• Tech Stack Digital Solutions — (515) 855-6499
  Website Design and Digital Marketing for Small Businesses
• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Today’s rhythm begins with quiet.
  In Day Two of New Year, New Rhythm, we’re clearing the inner noise — the distractions, the pressure, the mental clutter — to make space for clarity… (Nextdoor Olde English Village)

• Burger King posted a job opening for Team Member in West Des Moines. Apply here.
• Raytheon Technologies Corporation posted a job opening for 1st Shift, Machine Operator I (Onsite) in West Des Moines. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near West Des Moines here.

🗞 Nearby News

Clive

• University Avenue ramp reopening delayed on I-35/80 in Clive and Urbandale (kcci.com)
• Renee Hardman bids farewell at last West Des Moines council meeting (desmoinesregister.com)
• Lawmakers Ponder Ways To Improve Mental Health Services In Iowa (kiwaradio.com)

Urbandale

• Board warns nurse accused of using stolen patient opiates while on duty (kcrg.com)

Grimes

Ok West Des Moines! 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 needed a running start, but I made it!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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