FROM KCCI: Ankeny teacher arrested after allegedly touching student. A teacher at Ankeny Christian Academy is accused of inappropriately touching a student. Michael Scott Burrows, 50, is charged with three counts of lascivious acts with a child, all Class C felonies. He was arrested on Wednesday. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Clive hit-and-run crash sends pickup truck into gas station. A hit-and-run crash in Clive resulted in a pickup truck crashing into a Kum & Go gas station Wednesday afternoon. At around 3:44 p.m. emergency crews responded to a report of a pickup truck that had crashed into the gas station located in the 1700 block of 86th Street. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Iowa West Nile virus cases rise to 6, CDC data shows. Nearly a month after the first report, West Nile virus cases have jumped in Iowa, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Strike on Qatar shows limits of Israel’s elusive quest to vanquish Hamas. Israel’s attack on Hamas’ top leaders as they weighed a new ceasefire proposal in Qatar was the latest in a series of shocking and unprecedented measures it has taken to vanquish the militant group — all of which have so far failed. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk assassinated at Utah university; shooter still at large. Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, was shot and killed at a Utah college event in what the governor called a political assassination. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: 15-year-old killed, one injured during collision in Calhoun County. A 15-year-old was killed and another person was injured during a collision in Calhoun County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash occurred just after 7 a.m. at the intersection of US 20 and Fletcher Avenue, northwest of Rockwell City. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

The heat builds in through at least Tuesday. Storm chance Sunday night into early Monday.

For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage.

Tallgrass Theatre’s Noël Coward comedy opens Friday
"Blithe Spirit," as described by its director, Bob Baskerville, “…is an improbable farce in three acts. Our goal is to take our audiences back in time to the late 1930s. A time before we were overwhelmed with the constant barrage of electronics, sound bites and social media. A simpler time when conversations were more than simply exchanging information; they were entertaining in and of themselves. One of the hallmarks of Coward's writing is his ability to make the English language fluid and lyrical.” Sept. 12-28.

Des Moines Art Center
Final days to experience the Exhibition Firelei Báez. The exhibition runs through Sept. 12. 

Beaverdale Books –  Book Discussion

• Jill Dopf Viles. "Manufacturing My Miracle: One Woman’s Quest to Create Her Personalized Gene Therapy." Friday, Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m.

• Joyce Rupp. "The Years of Ripening: Reflections on Aging Later in Life." Sunday, Sept. 14, 2:30 p.m.

• Special Ticketed Event at Franklin Event Center. Veronica Roth. "To Clutch a Razor." Tuesday, Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m. $26 includes admission and a copy of the book.

Des Moines Performings Arts Team Opportunity
Des Moines Performing Arts is looking for a detail-oriented, relationship-driven Education Administrative Specialist to join its education team. In this role, you’ll be the first point of contact for educators, students and families — supporting registration, ticketing and communications that make transformative arts experiences possible. If you’re passionate about the arts and thrive on creating smooth, welcoming experiences for others, we’d love to hear from you!  Learn more and apply here.

Sharane Calister & The Feel Right Band, 7 p.m., Friday, Temple Theater. Bask in the smooth sounds of "The Voice" finalist Sharane Calister and some of Des Moines’ top musicians.

— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz

Is Champagne losing its fizz? High income shoppers spent 1.8% more shopping in the last year while other income groups spent about the same, according to Bank of America. Walmart responded by adding high-end brands like BOSE and Apple and high end products like saunas. Lady Dior pushed too far, raising the price of its medium hand bag by 81% to $6,700. Bubbly was an outlier – Prosecco sales soared last year as Champagne’s dropped. (Fox Business)

Are American corn and soybeans losing their status? America’s share of global corn exports dropped to 33% in 2024 from 59% in 2004. In recent years, Brazil overtook the U.S. in both corn and soybean exports due to lingering effects from tariffs of the first Trump Administration and Brazil's "all-in" move to plant corn and beans in the Amazon's "lungs of planet Earth."

Thursday deals
• Mullets Norwalk offers two two-topping pizzas for $20 on Thursdays 4 p.m. to close.

• Buzzard Billy's (615 Third St., Des Moines) has $2 off appetizers on Thursdays. 

• Hy-Vee Market Grilles are running a breakfast special Monday through Friday, order one and get second half priced.

• Whatch Smokin? (Highway 17, Luther) has a pork belly burnt ends special on Thursdays.

• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $10 country fried breakfasts and $9 tenderloins or shrimp/fish tacos on Thursdays.

• Ruth's Chris (Ashworth Road at Jordan Creek Parkway) has a Thursday special with their decadent RBAR burgers and fries going for $16.

• Steaks: Sirloin steak dinners are featured specials today at Johnny's Italian Steakhouses (before 4 p.m.), Sully's Irish Pub (860 First St., West Des Moines); Front Row (9956 Swanson Blvd., Clive); Winn’s Pizza and Steakhouse (122 W. Ashland Ave., Indianola), and Hy-Vee Market Grilles. The Station on Ingersoll (3120 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has a ribeye special on Thursdays. Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) offers ribeyes and sirloins only on Thursdays after 5 p.m.

• Thursday nights, Moroccan couscous — lemon chicken, beef keftas, five vegetables, harissa — are $17 at Purveyor (505 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines).

• Sprockets (2314 University Ave., Des Moines) offers a breaded pork tenderloin special on Thursdays for $9.99.

• Kids eat free at Scornovacca’s (1930 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines) on Thursdays.

• Mariscos El Pirata (6050 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines) offers $2 off all sushi on Thursdays.

• ShortE's BBQ (8505 Chambery Blvd., Johnston) has $1 smoked wings Thursdays.

• Jethro's Thursday special is a pound of boneless "wings" for $8.

• Bevy’s Tavern (1300 50th St., West Des Moines) has a special of beef stew and cornbread Thursdays for $13.

• Amruth Indian Grill (9974 Swanson Blvd., Clive) offers an all-you-can-eat dosa (gram/rice flour crepes) buffet on Thursdays, 5:30-9 p.m. $18.95.

• Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a "Comfort Thursday" special chicken fried De Burgo, a gluten free spin on DSM's classic. $16

• The Dam Pub (2710 Beaver Ave., Des Moines) has a throwback Thursday special goulash with garlic toast.

• The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines) has $7 loaded fries on Thursdays.

• Haiku (1350 31st St., Des Moines) offers free tom yum soup and edamames with lunch entrees today.

• Price Chopper stores have sales through Tuesday on Kandy melons at $2.49, Haas avocados at $.88 and frozen swai fillets at $2.99/pound.

• Maxie's (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) new Thursday special for $20.95 is half a fried chicken with potato, side of spaghetti, and a salad. Lunch and dinner.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1812: Russians dedicate Fort Ross, their first stronghold on the California coast. Staking a tenuous claim to the natural riches of California, Russians dedicate Fort Ross on the coast north of San Francisco on Sept. 11, 1812 ... READ MORE

1851: The Christiana Riot. In Christiana, Pennsylvania, a group of African Americans and white abolitionists skirmish with a Maryland posse intent on capturing four fugitive enslaved people hidden in the town. The violence came one year after the second fugitive slave law was passed by Congress, requiring the return of all escapees to their owners in the South. ... READ MORE

2001: Attack on America. At approximately 8:46 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact left a gaping, burning hole near the 80th floor of the 110-story skyscraper, instantly killing hundreds of people and trapping hundreds more in higher floors. ... READ MORE

 www.history.com