About two dozen firefighters from the Johnston-Grimes Metropolitan Fire Department on Thursday took part in training during a whole-house burning exercise on a structure at the site that is expected to be home of Bombers, an indoor golf and entertainment facility. For the past few weeks, area firefighters have also done training involving smoke bombs and other…

The Des Moines Area Religious Council will host its fifth annual signature fundraising event, Spring Greens, on May 4. The event, presented with the support of Wells Fargo, NCMIC, Sammons Financial Group, and Jack Bell, will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Capital Square in downtown Des Moines. The event seeks community investment…

Merchants Bonding Co. has announced Elisabeth Sandersfeld as its new chief financial officer, treasurer and chief risk officer, effective April 3. Sandersfeld previously worked as the vice president and chief financial officer for Continental Western Group, among other companies. She will replace Don Blum, who is retiring on May 1. “I am excited to add…

The renovation of the Val Air Ballroom is one of four metro-area projects to be awarded historic tax credits to help fund improvements. The ballroom received more than $3.4 million to be restored and modernized so it can continue to be used as a midsized entertainment venue. Earlier this year, the venue’s owners announced plans…

The United Way of Central Iowa will be hosting its annual Live United celebration, recognizing individuals and organizations for their impact on the community through United Way. The event will feature the unveiling of the annual Community Impact Report, highlighting progress in areas such as essential needs, early childhood success, education success, economic opportunity, and health and…

The Des Moines Arts Festival has opened the entry period for the Student Art Exhibition, which spotlights the creativity of children attending K-12 schools in Central Iowa. Each school can submit up to four works of art created in the 2022-2023 school year, and the artwork will be displayed during the festival June 23-25. The…