The good
Metro Waste Authority is now accepting applications for grants to support environmental projects, such as cleanups, rain gardens and recycling initiatives. Recipients can receive up to $2,500 for projects. Applications must be received by June 7, with winners notified by June 28. Metro Waste Authority has provided more than $2 million for area environmental projects since 2001. The MWA Grant Program is open to organizations within the communities Metro Waste serves: Alleman, Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Dawson, Des Moines, Elkhart, Grimes, Hartford, Jefferson, Johnston, Linden, Minburn, Mingo, Mitchellville, Norwalk, Perry, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Prairie City, Redfield, Runnells, Sheldahl, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, Windsor Heights, and Unincorporated Polk County. For more information, visit www.WhereItShouldGo.com or call 244-0021.
The Planned Parenthood of the Heartland spring book sale raised $209,865.94 — about $5,000 more than the fall book sale. All of the money will support Planned Parenthood’s education and community outreach programs. More than 8,000 shoppers from across the Midwest traveled to the Iowa State Fairgrounds for the five-day sale, finding more than 600,000 new and used books, collectibles and more.
Funds from the sale help Planned Parenthood provide around 3,500 trainings to more than 56,000 young people and adults every year. Recently, Planned Parenthood’s education programs were nationally recognized for excellence from the Planned Parenthood Federation for leadership and outstanding work with the homeless youth population in Des Moines. The 2013 Fall Book Sale will be held Oct. 10-14.
The bad
Des Moines police have identified the suspect who was captured on a Walgreens video surveillance jumping over the pharmacy counter on April 15. A warrant is now out for the arrest of Gary Loomis who allegedly displayed a knife to drug store employees behind the counter at 2930 E. University Ave. and demanded medication, specifically hydromorphone. Employees complied with his demands, and the suspect left without further confrontation. No one was injured.
A woman called police last week after she spotted someone rummaging through her mother’s car, which was parked on the street in front of their home. When she went outside, the alleged suspect, Monica Goering, 23, ran away carrying a tennis racket she had taken from the vehicle. When the victim’s daughter followed the Goering, she reportedly turned around and started beating her with the tennis racket over the head. The victim was able to “disarm” Goering, but not without getting punched in the face. Eventually she and two others were able to take Goering to the ground and hold her there until police arrived. Goering was “very belligerent and appeared to be under the influence of methamphetamine,” according to police reports. Police don’t understand why Goering removed a switch cover in the driver’s door and tried to pull off the rearview mirror. She was arrested. The tennis racket was recovered.
The ugly
Just your average day of running errands… while armed. Des Moines Police are investigating two separate robberies that occurred between 7 and 7:20 a.m. last week. The French Way Cleaners, 3604 Ingersoll Ave., was the first, and the suspect displayed a weapon but did not steal anything. Then, 20 minutes later, the Subway at 3500 Merle Hay Road was robbed. During this robbery, the suspect also displayed a weapon and got away with an undisclosed amount of cash. Through the course of their investigation, detectives were able to link evidence and witness testimony to Joshua Eden, 39, of West Des Moines, to both crimes, earning him two first-degree robbery charges.
Leave your guns at home, son. Charges were filed last week against Louis Friestad, 31, after his 8-year-old son took a handgun to school. The gun was found at Lawson Elementary in Johnston around lunchtime. No staff or students were hurt, but the boy’s dad was charged with child endangerment and a gun law violation for making a gun available to someone under the age of 21. Cops took other guns from the Friestad home that were not kept properly secured. Crisis averted. CV
