FROM KCCI: Murder suspect Kristin Ramsey freed on bond with strict release conditions. The woman charged with first-degree murder for the killing of West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland in 2011 was released from the Dallas County Jail on Thursday, just hours after a judge lowered her bond. KCCI was the only crew there as Ramsey walked out of jail shortly after noon. With her face covered by a hood, she walked toward her mother, got into a black SUV, and left. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Iowa State adding women’s wrestling in 2027, making changes to men’s coaching staff. Iowa State announced on Thursday that it will be bringing women’s wrestling to the university for the 2027-28 season. The program will be replacing the women’s gymnastics program, which was eliminated in March due to “unreconcilable” conflicts amongst coaching staff and parents, ISU Athletics Director Jamie Pollard said at the time. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: West Des Moines to host 2027 USA Curling National Championships. West Des Moines will host the 2027 USA Curling Men's & Women's National Championships, USA Curling announced Thursday. The championships will take place Jan. 24-30 at the MidAmerican Energy RecPlex.  "Both in Des Moines area and throughout Iowa, we have seen tremendous enthusiasm for our sport," said Dean Gemmell, CEO of USA Curling. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: A 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon goes into effect. A 10-day truce appeared to be holding in Lebanon early Friday, promising a pause in fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group and possibly clearing one major obstacle to a deal between Iran and the United States and Israel to end weeks of devastating war. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Justin Fairfax killed his estranged wife and himself 2 weeks before a court deadline to move out. Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, a rising star in the Democratic Party until sexual assault allegations ruined his political fortunes, killed his estranged wife and then himself weeks before a judge’s deadline to move out of their family home, according to police and court records. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: City approves plan to illuminate Dubuque's iconic clock tower. Dubuque's historic Clock Tower could soon be lit up for the first time in its 153-year history. The city council unanimously approved a proposal to add lights to the landmark. The civic group Dubuque Forward hopes to have the project finished by Independence Day to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. ... READ MORE

Goodbye Joe
Coffee grower Luiz Paulo Dias Pereira Filho told Wall Street Journal that he expects his harvest of eugenioides, an ancestor of the arabica plant, to sell for $190,476 for 10 standardized 60-kilogram bags. Arabica prices have slipped this year to near $400 per bag. 

"It’s an extremely sweet coffee," Pereira Filho said of the rare species. It doesn’t have bitterness because its caffeine level is practically considered decaf. Sensitive to climate and other factors, eugenioides  plants have low productivity, Pereira Filho said he expects each of his 5 hectares planted with the species to produce just two bags each, less than a tenth of the average yield for arabica.

We fully expect $10 a pound hamburger to be common by fall. But $20 cups of coffee are not for us. 

Weekend deals 
• The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll) has a chef's special this Friday of Hawaii BBQ ham sliders with loaded potato salad for $12. 
 
• The False Nine Social Club (206 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has wings on sale Fridays for $8.
 
• Waveland Cafe (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) offers a crab Rangoon burger special today.
 
• Paula's (524 Elm, Valley Junction) has a Friday special meat loaf dinner, $14.
 
• Friday lunch special is $12 Italian beef with fries and soda, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Striking Sparrow (1930 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines).
 
• Friday is ramen day at Wilson Orchard & Farm (3201 15th Ave., Cumming). 
 
• Most Hy-Vees offer $5 fish and chips Fridays, $14 ribs Saturdays and eight-piece chicken buckets for $10 on Sundays.
 
• Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni) is offering spaghetti specials today.
 
• Machine Shed (11151 Hickman, Urbandale) offers smoked prime rib on Saturday only. Whatcha Smokin? (Luther) offers smoked Dino beef ribs on Saturday only. 
 
• Spaghetti is today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola). Saturday's is coconut shrimp and Sunday's is pan-fried chicken on super special.
 
• Saturday is wine sampling day at Graziano Brothers.
 
• ShortE's BBQ (8805 Chambery Blvd., Johnston) offers  "kids eat free" deals on Friday and Saturday.
 
• Amruth (9974 Swanson Blvd., Clive) has 20 dishes on their Saturday and Sunday buffet, noon to 4 p.m. Of course, there will be dosas.
 
• Waterfront stores' Saturday special includes cocktail shrimp or raw oysters on the half shell for half price until 4 p.m.



• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moines) offers Surf & Turf specials Fridays and $33 prime rib dinners Saturdays.



• Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) does Saturday and Sunday brunch buffets for $24.99 for adults. Kids 6 and younger eat free.
 
• Rube's steakhouses offer a prime sirloin special on Sundays only, $29.
 
• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $9 Philly cheesesteaks or hot honey chicken plus $8 biscuit and gravy breakfasts on Fridays.
 
• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) offers walleye or steak dinner specials tonight and karaoke after 9 p.m. They have a 10 for $10 wings deal on Sundays. 
 
• Jethro's Sunday special is burger baskets with fries for $9.95. Fridays they have Buffalo turkey sandwiches with a side for $9.95. 
 
• G Mig 's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has Friday prime rib dinners with potatoes O'Brien and asparagus for $32 or crab stuffed shrimp with rice pilaf for $28.50. Saturday's special is chicken cacciatore and pasta dinners for $18.50.
 
• Heavenly Asian (225 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has an all-day Friday sale on orange chicken served with soup, crab Rangoon, egg roll and rice, $14, available for dine-in and phone carry-out.
 
• Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a $40 prime rib dinner special Friday and Saturday. 
 
• Court Avenue Brewing Company (309 Court Ave., Des Moines) hosts Saturday and Sunday breakfast buffets for $23.99.

• Fareways have specials through Saturday on AE yogurts at $.58, bananas at $.49/pound and 5-ounce pork ribeyes for $1.25.

• Whole Foods (4100 University Ave., West Des Moines) offers $1 oysters on Fridays with good selection and free shucking. 

• Hy-Vee stores have a sale through Sunday on pasta at $.88/pound, mini watermelons at $4.99, and Smart chicken thighs at $1.99/pound.

• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on avocados at $.49, chicken wings at $1.89/pound, and pork belly $2.99/pound.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale through Sunday on lobster tails at $6.99 and all deli bacons at $3.99/pound.

• Price Choppers have sales through Monday on strawberries at $1.99/pound and Nathan's hot dogs at $4.39/pack.

Music with dinner
Jake Schrodt plays Kelly's Little Nipper at 7 p.m. Friday... El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill on EP True has live music from The Juan and Only on Friday from 6 p.m... The Music of Dream Girls plays The Ingersoll at 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday… Willie Shay plays Simon’s at 7 p.m. Friday... Matt Terronez Trio with Dave Bohl and Randy Ward plays Louie’s Wine Dive Sunday at 5 p.m.... Night Like This plays Mickey's Irish Pub, Waukee, at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

2002: “General Hospital” airs 10,000th episode. On April 17, 2002, ABC airs the 10,000th episode of the daytime drama General Hospital, the network’s longest-running soap opera and the longest-running program ever produced in Hollywood. … READ MORE

1945: Americans seize 1,100 pounds of uranium in effort to prevent Soviets from developing A-bomb. On April 17, 1945, U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Boris T. Pash commandeers over half a ton of uranium at Strassfurt, Germany, in an effort to prevent the Soviets from developing an A-bomb. … READ MORE

1989: Chinese students protest against government. Thousands of Chinese students take to the streets in Beijing to protest government policies and issue a call for greater democracy in the communist People’s Republic of China (PRC). The protests grew until the Chinese government ruthlessly suppressed them in June during what came to be known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre. … READ MORE

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