The Des Moines Heritage Trust is hosting a Des Moines Miniature History contest this weekend at the Des Moines Heritage Center. The event will feature several historic Des Moines buildings and a 30-foot model railroad set in the capital city. Eight scale model buildings, including the Des Moines Art Center, Terrace Hill, AEG headquarters, Harlan’s…

Gary Lawson, founder of the Connect Foundation and the Iowa African American Hall of Fame (IAAHF), along with his daughter, Celeste Lawson, president of the Connect Foundation, transferred custodianship of the IAAHF to the Des Moines Urban Experience. The Connect Foundation previously transferred total custody of IAAHF to officials at Iowa State University, with George…

Big Grove Brewery opened its grant application window this week for six grants totaling $48,000 that will be awarded to nonprofits in Polk, Johnson and Linn counties. Nonprofits can apply for grants through Dec. 31, and recipients will be selected by Feb. 15, 2024. Charities that demonstrate how the donation will have a direct influence, or…

Iowa Architecture firms were recently recognized by the American Institute of Architects Central States, which includes Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The program honors design excellence within the states and elsewhere. The AIA Central States Jury, composed of Atlanta, Ga., architects, reviewed submissions from the five-state region. The Excellence in Design program is an…

Ag Express Electronics, which provides custom electrical wire harnesses and agricultural electronics services, has completed an expansion and modernization of its facility at 6280 N.E. 14th St., just north of Des Moines. The now 28,000-square-foot facility serves as the company’s corporate headquarters and houses its manufacturing and repair center. A building permit valued at over…

Nguyen Property LLC, located in West Des Moines, paid S&E Investments LLC $1.13 million for property at 4779 and 4809 N.W. 62nd Ave. in Johnston, Polk County real estate records show. Both properties include two-story apartment buildings constructed in 1967. Both buildings have seven apartment units. Both properties are each valued at $485,000. The transaction…