Former West Des Moines Gymnastics Coach Sentenced To 90 Years For Recording Children Changing Clothes
(West Des Moines, IA) — A former West Des Moines gymnastics coach has been sentenced to 90 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material. Prosecutors say 39-year-old Sean Gardner used hidden cameras to record minors changing clothes and using the bathroom while coaching in Mississippi, including children younger than twelve. Gardner was also accused of targeting children while coaching at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines. He pleaded guilty to three counts of producing child sexual abuse material and received the maximum sentence during a hearing Wednesday.
Iowa Unemployment Holds Steady, Key Industries Hit Records
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa’s unemployment rate held steady at three-point-two-percent for the fifth consecutive month. Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development, says the steady unemployment rate suggests Iowa’s economy remains stable and that, for the most part, employers are finding the workers they need. Townsend says two key industries, construction and health care, reached their highest employment levels ever recorded in the state. Healthcare has added 55-hundred jobs so far this year, while construction has gained more than 33-hundred jobs in 2026. There are still more than 60-thousand available jobs across Iowa.
IPERS Names New Chief Benefits Officer
(Des Moines, IA) — A new Chief Benefits Officer has been named at the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement Systems. IPERS CEO Martin Noven, who took the helm of the retirement system in August, says Andrew Ewing will lead the Member Services Division. Ewing has served as an attorney at IPERS since 2024. He previously served in roles at the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, the Iowa Court of Appeals and the Fifth Judicial District. His role begins October 23rd. IPERS has nearly 49-billion-dollars in assets under management and serves over 400-thousand members.
