FROM KCCI: Iowa experiences lowest mosquito numbers in a decade. Iowa is experiencing its lowest mosquito numbers in a decade, with data from Iowa State University showing a significant decline attributed to a dry spring. Ryan Smith, an associate professor in the ISU Department of Entomology, said, "I would say that it is a little bit of a surprise to see the low numbers that we've had." ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Iowa State Fair unveils top 3 new foods for 2026. Officials have unveiled the top three new foods for the 2026 Iowa State Fair. On Tuesday afternoon, fair officials released the top 11 new foods. During a livestream event, the list was whittled down to the top three with the help of local celebrities, including members of the WHO 13 Today in Iowa crew. The top three new foods are Porky Parm Gnocchi from DG – Destination Grille, All-American Scrambled Egg Roll from Winn & Sara’s Kitchen, and Ultimate Minneapple Pie from Minneapple Pie. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Michigan judge sentences Grimes man to prison for sexual conduct, taking child out of state. A Michigan judge has sentenced a Grimes, Iowa, man to 7-15 years in prison. William Gatchell, II, of Grimes pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes. The Emmet County Sheriff's Office of Michigan said Gatchel communicated online with a minor over a long period of time which eventually led to him taking the child out of the state. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Tehran threatens to halt all Middle East energy exports after US reimposes its blockade on Iran. The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and intensified its airstrike campaign early Wednesday in retaliation for Tehran’s attacks on ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The American strikes hit an Iranian army barracks, killed at least seven troops and wounded more than 260 people across the country, Iranian officials said. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Wildfires expose millions in the Midwest and Northeast US to dangerous smoke. Heavy smoke from several large wildfires blazing in Canada and Minnesota is expected to engulf large swaths of the Midwest and Northeast U.S. this week, exposing millions of people to dangerous air pollution. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Son charged with murder after father found dead in Lone Tree home. A 52-year-old man is charged with first-degree murder after his father was found dead in a Lone Tree home Monday night. The Johnson County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to a welfare check in the 200 block of West Elm Street around 8 p.m. Deputies found a man dead inside the home and started a death investigation. ... READ MORE

Woebegone Wednesday
There are two sides now to the junk food saga. Beginning in the 1980s, cheap, government-subsidized high fructose corn syrup allowed companies to gradually increase the average serving size of soft drinks. Small, medium and large became large, extra large and supersized.
 
In the 2020s, inflation forced junk food companies to reduce sizes. This time, the changes were made surreptitiously. Burger King changed the serving size of chicken nuggets from 10 to 8 without a word. Domino's quietly clipped its ten-wing deal to eight, and not a single ad warned you. Simply Orange bottles became slimmer, disguising a 6-ounce reduction. Häagen-Dazs used to sell a 16-ounce carton in the U.S., then cut it to 14 ounces while the tub still felt familiar in your hand. Gatorade announced a "new grip" bottle to cover up a four-ounce cut, down to 28 from 32. 

Deals today
• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) has $6 half slabs of ribs on Wednesdays. 
 
• Crouse Cafe's (111 E. Salem, Indianola) special today is Chicago dogs. . 
 
• Sale Barn's (Lamoni) special today is scalloped potatoes with ham. 
 
• The Empire's (223 Fourth St., Des Moines) Wednesday special is meatball sandwiches for $9.
 
• Wednesday is biryani day with two for $20 at Desi Bites (3828 100th St.,, Urbandale.
 
• Marianna's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) offers tacos for $1.50 Wednesdays during the World Cup, 3-6 p.m.
 
• Talk Shop Lounge (3357 St. Charles Road, St. Charles) has a rib dinner deal Mondays, half slabs for $12, full racks $16. 
 
• The False Nine Social Club (206 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has hamburgers for $7 on Wednesdays.
 
• B&B Grocery, Meat and Deli (2001 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines) has Philly cheesesteak on special today. 


• Waterfont's Wednesday special this week is wild Gulf Coast shrimp.
 
• Waveland Cafe (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) offers a wiener Wednesday special today. 
 
• Wednesdays are Chicago Italian beef sandwich day at Graziano Brothers (1601 S. Union St., Des Moines).
 
•  AJ's (Prairie Meadows) has a new early bird menu on Wednesday and Thursday from 4-6 p.m. Half-pound burgers with frites $15, pasta and chicken dinners, $20-22, seafood and steak dinners $27-30. Prime rib dinners for $30 all night. 
 
• Hy-Vees offer second sushi rolls for half price on Wednesdays.
 
• Paula's (Elm Street at Sixth, Valley Junction) has a Wednesday Cuban sandwich special.
 
• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moine) offers Walleye Wednesday with dinners $21.
 
• Jack’s Place (6112 S.W. Ninth, Des Moines) has 10 wings for $10 Wednesdays.
 
• Wednesday at Short E's BBQ (8805 Chambray Blvd., Johnston) the special is ribs - $15 full racks, $10 half racks and $5 off rib dinners.
 
• Whatcha Smokin? (Highway 17, Luther) has a brisket burnt ends special on Wednesdays.
 
• Kelly's Little Nipper (1701 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers any burger with a side for $10 on Wednesdays. 
 
• Toad's (302 State Ave., Des Moines) special today is wings with two sides for $12.
 
• Exile (1514 Walnut St., Des Moines) offers a $12 burger basket with fries and a beer on Wednesdays. 
 
• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $8 French toast or pancake breakfasts and $2 tacos, $9 wraps and $10 half pounds of wings on Wednesdays. 
 
• Johnny's Italian Steakhouses have a chicken Madeira special on Wednesdays before 4 p.m., $15 including beverage.
 
• Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines) offers 10 wings for $10 on Wednesdays and steak night, too.
 
• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) has a $10 classic burger and beer all day. 
 
• Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) has all you can eat fried chicken dinners on Wednesdays, $23.99 after 5 p.m. 
 
• Wednesdays bring steak night to Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines). Steaks are cooked to order with salad, potato and bread, $14.99.
 
• Angry Goldfish (2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) offers hot beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy for $11.50 on Wednesday. It's also hot beef sandwich day at Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave.) where the gravy is made with pan drippings.
 
• Wine bottles are half price on Wednesdays at Trostel's Greenbriar (5910 Merle Hay Road, Johnston), Table 128 (220 S.W. Ninth, Des Moines) and The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines). 
 
• G Mig's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction) offers a Wednesday special cheese tortellini plus salad and garlic bread for $19.25.
 
• Barntown's (9500 S.E. University Ave., West Des Moines) Wednesday specials are a pound of chicken tenders with fries and two sauces for $11.99, plus $13 core pitchers of beer.
 
• Wednesday is Biryani Festival at Chowrastha (5910 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines). Buy two and a third is free.
 
• Village Inns offer free pie with entrees on Wednesdays. 
 
• It's lasagna day at Maxie's Supper Club (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) and breaded pork tenderloin day at Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines).
 
• Chuck's (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) offers $5 off pizza on Wednesdays.
 
• Kwik Stars' Wednesday special is eight pieces of fried chicken for $10. Their fried chicken is ridiculously good for a convenience store.  
 
• On Wednesdays, flatbreads are $10 at Tito's Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale). 
 
• Jethro's have $9.95 breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches, including a side of choice, on Wednesdays.  
 
• Price Choppers have sales through Monday on strawberries at $3.99/2 pounds, Colorado peaches at $1.99/pound and cherries at $2.99/pound.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1799: Rosetta Stone found. Although there is some debate about the exact date, on what was likely July 15, 1799, during Napoleon Bonaparte’s Egyptian campaign, a French soldier discovers a black basalt slab inscribed with ancient writing near the town of Rosetta, about 35 miles east of Alexandria. The irregularly shaped stone contained fragments of passages written in three different scripts: Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphics and Egyptian demotic. The ancient Greek on the Rosetta Stone told archaeologists that it was inscribed by priests honoring the king of Egypt, Ptolemy V, in the second century B.C. More startlingly, the Greek passage announced that the three scripts were all of identical meaning. The artifact thus held the key to solving the riddle of hieroglyphics, a written language that had been “dead” for nearly 2,000 years. … READ MORE

1965: Mariner 4 studies Martian surface. The unmanned spacecraft Mariner 4 passes over Mars at an altitude of 6,000 feet and sends back to Earth the first close-up images of the red planet. … READ MORE

1978: 2,800 mile-long walk for Native American justice concludes in Washington, D.C. On July 15, 1978, the “Longest Walk” — a 2,800-mile trek for Native American justice that had started with several hundred marchers in California in California — ends in Washington, D.C., accompanied by thousands of supporters. The intent of the event was to call attention to issues affecting Native Americans, such as a lack of jobs and housing, and legislation before Congress that could dramatically change their rights. … READ MORE

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