PLEASANT HILL, Iowa — ThriveNow Recovery Center officially opened its doors on Monday, offering a much-needed new resource for people battling substance use disorder.
About 60% of the staff at ThriveNow have struggled with some sort of substance use disorder.
Two of those people are Brock Milligan, senior development and community relations specialist, and John West, recovery support specialist. Milligan fought alcohol for about 20 years while West relied on meth for 25 years.
“My old life was full of pain and turmoil, but if you take away what’s holding you back and causing that you can really turn your life around,” Milligan told Local 5.
West’s battle ended three marriages, ruined relationships with his children and landed him in jail.
“I was really beaten down,” he said. “There was really no other option than to get sober and stay sober.”
Now, almost four years sober, in West’s new role at ThriveNow, he is in charge of small groups working directly with patients.
“My hopes are they get to see the same things I get to see today: a new life and a new way to look at life,” West said.
With his life turned around, West said working at ThriveNow is helping him stay that way.
“Helping another human being, maybe stay sober, that’s what keeps me sober today,” West said.
The center offers residential detox, medical detox and residential treatment. Patients can stay there three to five days for the detoxes and up to 28 days for the residential treatment.
All of these services promise to help people heal mentally, physically and emotionally.
This is the first ThriveNow Recovery Center location, with another one in Iowa City set to open in early 2025.
State officials begin preparing for winter weather
The Local 5 Weather Team predicts a winter storm will roll in after Thanksgiving.
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Author: Alex Fulton
Published: 5:42 PM CST November 26, 2025
Updated: 5:42 PM CST November 26, 2025
DES MOINES, Iowa — Over six million people are expected to travel throughout Iowa and the surrounding states this week, according to AAA.
With a snowstorm rolling in right after Thanksgiving, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) and Des Moines Public Works are prepping to make sure everyone can get home in one piece.
Iowa DOT snow plows start getting winterized as soon as Oct. 15.
“In our world, Oct. 15 is considered to be the first day of winter, regardless of whether there’s a snowflake in the air or not,” Craig Bargfrede, the DOT’s winter operations administrator, said.
Bargfrede said that allows his crews to be ready to respond to early snowstorms, like the one over Thanksgiving weekend.
“Our preparations for this event are really no different than any other winter event,” Bargfrede said. “We’ve been monitoring the forecast, trying to get a sense of timing, when it’s going to start impacting.”
The Des Moines Public Works Department also begins transitioning equipment in October to prepare for the worst.
“We just completed a leaf cleanup in the fall, so we’re actually today switching over some trucks from leaf pickup to snow removal today,” Deputy Public Works Director Adam Smith said. “They will be ready to go by Friday.”
What ends up happening weather-wise will dictate the approach used to treat the roads. For example, if it turns from rain to snow, crews could forgo using salt before the big event.
“We’re watching multiple forecasts, trying to get an idea of timing and precipitation, and what it’s going to be when it starts,” Smith said.
Between the Iowa DOT and Des Moines Public Works, hundreds of plows are expected to hit the roads this holiday weekend.
“Our staff are used to having impacts on holidays and weekends and whatnot,” Bargfrede said. “Kudos to our staff, because they’re great folks that just want to get out there and do the job supporting the citizens of Iowa.”
The Iowa DOT is asking drivers to go slower and keep a good amount of distance between themselves and the plows this weekend.