FROM KCCI: Heat leads to road buckling in West Des Moines, drivers asked to stay vigilant. Hot days can sometimes lead to pavement heaving, or what the city calls a blow-up. This is when the roads expand and push. This is what happened this week in West Des Moines. "I think that people didn't notice they'd hit it quickly, and then it just kind of shatters all over the place," Ron Wiese, Operations Manager for Street Maintenance, City of West Des Moines. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Attorneys for Kristin Ramsey ask court to extend pretrial deadlines in Ashley Okland case. Attorneys for Kristin Ramsey, 53, have filed a motion to extend all pretrial deadlines due to the “voluminous” amount of information associated with the case file. Ramsey is charged with first-degree murder in the 2011 shooting death of 27-year-old Ashley Okland. The case had gone unsolved for nearly 15 years before Ramsey was arrested in March. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Iowa faces $1.2B deficit in new fiscal year, but analyst says reserves ease short-term concerns. Iowa is projected to spend more than it brings in for the third consecutive year, but one data analyst says the state's reserve funds provide a cushion that should ease concerns in the short term. A new report from the Common Sense Institute of Iowa projects the state will run a $1.2 billion general fund deficit during fiscal year 2027. It's the second year in a row that number has been above $1 billion, and mainly stems from income tax cuts which took effect in 2025. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Vatican excommunicates schismatic bishops and priests, and warns their followers. The Vatican responded aggressively Thursday to a traditionalist group that consecrated bishops without the pope’s consent, declaring the Society of St. Pius X had formally broken with the Catholic Church. It excommunicated its bishops and priests, and warned its faithful that they too face the harshest sanctions in the church. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Former Olympian indicted on felony charge over alleged Reflecting Pool vandalism. A former Olympian was indicted Thursday on a felony charge in what President Donald Trump has called vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, where a renovation project he launched has been riddled with problems. David Hearn, a former Olympic canoe racer, was indicted on a single count of property destruction in Washington, D.C., court. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Walcott insurance agent charged with 23 felonies in identity theft in insurance fraud scheme. A Walcott man faces over two dozen criminal charges following an extensive investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau into an alleged identity theft and unauthorized insurance scheme. Stanly Blythe, 61, was arrested on June 26, 2026, and booked into the Scott County Jail. He is currently being held on a $75,000 cash-only bond. ... READ MORE

Chain gang news
Jersey Mike’s overtook Chick-fil-A as the top-rated fast food chain for customer satisfaction, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index. 

Yum brands sold off its ownership of Pizza Hut in hopes of propping up its stock, which is considered over valued. Yum earlier announced it was closing 200 Pizza Huts to focus on KFC and Taco Bell, which are considered to have more upside than the more competitive pizza sector. 

OTB Hospitality, the company that operates On the Border Mexican Grill, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation. According to the filing, OTB Hospitality possessed between $500,000 and $1 million in assets, and between $1 million and $10 million in liabilities. In 2024, On the Border spent more than $11.8 million on leases for underperforming locations and later closed upwards of 40 such locations including all their Arizona stores and the store in Jordan Creek Town Center in 2025. That was an original JCTC restaurant, next door to Joe's Crab Shack, which closed a year earlier. 

Bonefish Grill's bang bang shrimp retained its No. 1 ranking as chain restaurants' best dish in Delish's 2026 rankings. Numbers two, three and four were all Cracker Barrel dishes: double fudge Coca Cola cake, chicken pot pie and fried apples. Texas Roadhouse's ribs were fifth. 

Roni’s Mac Bar (Waco, Texas) opened a store at 1195 S.E. Alice’s Road, Waukee... Wayback Burgers (Connecticut) opened a store at 1165 S.E. Alice's Road, Waukee.

Weekend deals 
Remember, some places may close for the Fourth.
• Mickey's Irish Pub Waukee has $6 warm apple tarts all weekend and bacon wrapped hot dogs and fries for $6 on the Fourth.
 
• Desi Bites (1475 S.E. Bishop Drive, Waukee) has weekend specials on nine biryanis and five pulavs. 
 
• Marianna's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) offers green enchiladas combos for $10 Fridays and Saturdays and four shrimp tacos for $12 Sundays.
 
• Talk Shop Lounge (3357 St. Charles Road, St. Charles) has a steak dinner deal Friday $16. 
 
• 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 egg salad specials today.  
 
• 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.
 
• Machine Shed (11151 Hickman, Urbandale) offers smoked prime rib on Saturday only. Whatcha Smokin? (Luther) offers smoked Dino beef ribs on Saturday only. 
 
• 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. 
 
• Paula's (Elm at Sixth, Valley Junction) has a Friday special Rachel (turkey Reuben) with fries for $14.
 
• 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.
 
• It's French dip Friday at Club 2000 (420 Indianola Road, Des Moines).

• Fareways have specials through Saturday on boneless chicken breast at $2.76/pound, 85/15 burger at $48.80/10-pound tube and Fareway butter for $2.98/pound.

• Price Choppers have sales through Monday on blueberries, blackberries or raspberries at two/$5, peaches at $1.49/pound and chicken wings at $2.99/pound.

• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on peaches at $1.45/pound, cherries at $2.79/pound, and ground wagyu at $4.99/pound.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale through Sunday on boneless prime ribeye at $18.99/pound and through Tuesday on southern peaches at $1.49/pound and chicken wings at $2.99/pound.

Dinner with a show
The Squares play Kelly's Little Nipper at 7 Friday... El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill on EP True has live music from The Juan and Only on Friday from 6 p.m... Willie Shay plays Simon’s at 7 p.m. Friday... Kevin Lindgren plays Exile Brewing Sunday at 5 p.m.... Dave Watson plays Mickey's Irish Pub Waukee at 1 p.m. Saturday.

 — Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1775: George Washington takes command of Continental Army. On July 3, 1775, George Washington rides out in front of the American troops gathered at Cambridge common in Massachusetts and draws his sword, formally taking command of the Continental Army. Washington, a prominent Virginia planter and veteran of the French and Indian War, had been appointed commander in chief by the Continental Congress two weeks before. In agreeing to serve the American colonies in their war for independence, he declined to accept payment for his services beyond reimbursement of future expenses. … READ MORE

1863: Battle of Gettysburg ends. July 3, 1863: On the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s last attempt at breaking the Union line ends in disastrous failure, bringing the most decisive battle of the American Civil War to an end. … READ MORE

1890: Idaho becomes 43rd state. Idaho is admitted to the union on July 3, 1890. Exploration of the North American continent mostly proceeded inward from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and northward from Spanish Mexico. Therefore, the rugged territory that would become Idaho long remained untouched by Spanish, French, British and American trappers and explorers. Even as late as 1805, Idaho Native Americans like the Shoshone had never encountered Europeans. … READ MORE

www.history.com