Subscribe to Axios Des Moines

Multiple homeowners pleaded unsuccessfully with the Des Moines City Council Monday night to spare them from an eminent domain plan.

• They're among 27 property owners located in a floodplain along Fourmile Creek that has not participated in previous flood buyouts.

Why it matters: There might be a whole lot of us in their shoes in coming years.

• Extreme weather events are virtually assured for the next three decades due to climate change, Axios' Andrew Freedman and Kia Kokalitcheva write.

Iowa Senate Republicans rejected the first proposed set of redistricting maps Tuesday, drawing out a process that has Democrats on edge about possible gerrymandering.

Driving the news: The state Senate scrapped the maps in a party-line vote, 32-18.

Put that instant packet away. Des Moines' burgeoning ramen scene offers umami-rich broths that leave you slurping for the last bits.

• And these hidden gems don't advertise themselves as ramen joints. Your favorite sushi spot likely offers it, but you'll have to search the corners of the menu.

Below are some of our favorite spots to chew on some noodles and satiate our jammy egg cravings.

Des Moines' festival season invites thousands to converge downtown and enjoy all the bright spots our city has to offer.

• But the subsequent road closures spell more harm than good for some local businesses.

What they're saying: Ritual Cafe Owner Denise Diaz estimates she loses 50% of her weekend revenue when a festival closes her street — 13th between Grand Ave. and Locust Street.

• This last year was especially frustrating, Diaz told Linh. Her shop is struggling because most workers still haven't returned to nearby office buildings.

Of note: Ritual Cafe opened in 2005, before the sculpture park or Western Gateway Park were around.

The solution: City leaders previously told Axios they're hoping a new plaza could reduce street closures.

But until then, Diaz said she just wants festivals to include her in some way — whether it's buying coffee for volunteers or encouraging attendees to stop by.

• "Don't ignore us," Diaz said.

The Nov. 2 city and school elections mark the first time we'll see how a slew of new statewide voting rules affect Iowa's early voters.

Why it matters: Iowans have a shorter timeline to vote early and mail in absentee ballots under the major changes approved by Gov. Kim Reynolds in March.

A proposed wildlife feeding ban in Des Moines now only includes waterfowl and deer after the City Council reversed course on a far more expansive plan Monday night.

Why it matters: Squirrels, feral cats, raccoons and any animal "not normally domesticated" in Iowa were included in the original proposal that we told you about Friday.

• Fines up to $850 were possible.

Des Moines officials are considering hiring a consulting firm to help the city identify and eliminate odors that residents have complained about for years.

Driving the news: The City Council is expected to vote on the $83,000 contract Monday night.

Why it matters: It's a quality-of-life issue important for the long-term development of local businesses and neighborhoods, Brandon Brown, the president of the Des Moines Downtown Neighborhood Association, told Axios.

These Polk County properties received the largest property tax assessment reductions this year.

Of note: Tax savings were calculated using the county assessor's online tax estimating tool.