FROM KCCI: Jamie Pollard’s legacy at Iowa State reshaped Ames and the Cyclones, supporters say. Cyclone Athletic Director Jamie Pollard’s impact on Iowa State University extends far beyond conference championships and wins on the field. Those who know the university and the Ames community say his leadership has helped shape not only Cyclones athletics, but also the city’s broader growth and identity. His influence, they say, can be seen on campus, on Main Street in Ames and across the region. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Iowa man charged with murder, attempted murder in fatal UTV collision. Authorities say a man faces murder charges after a fatal April 12 collision between a pickup truck and a UTV in Calhoun County. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office says the incident took place on April 12. Authorities say shortly after 9 p.m., a pickup truck struck a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) at the intersection of 290th Street and Harris Avenue in rural Calhoun County. The sheriff’s office says 19-year-old Kyle Rath and 21-year-old Roger King occupied the UTV at the time. Rath died at the scene, and King sustained serious injuries and was transported to a Des Moines hospital, according to authorities. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Waukee passes new e-bike and scooter ordinance: How it compares to state law. Waukee is implementing an e-bike and e-scooter ordinance reducing how fast the devices can travel on trails or sidewalks, among other new rules.
The Waukee City Council approved the ordinance on July 20. It was refined using feedback from residents and members of the cycling community, according to a release from the city. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Houthis say they attacked 2 Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea as US carries out 12th night of strikes. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said early Thursday they had attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, and the U.S. military conducted a 12th night of strikes against Iran as the two countries vie for control of vital shipping lanes. The Houthi attack threatened to open a new front in a war that has roiled the global economy, sending prices for fuel and other goods surging across the world. With the standoff in the Gulf deepening, there were no signs of progress in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: US on track to have historically low number of homicides in 2026, report says. Data collected from 30 American cities showed an 18% decrease in the homicide rate from 2025 compared to the same period in 2026, translating to about 215 fewer homicides this year, according to a new report from the independent Council on Criminal Justice. Should the trend continue, it would push the annual homicide rate to the lowest levels in over a century once final numbers are released at the end of the year. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Iowa farmers still use a pesticide banned worldwide. One lawmaker is fighting to change that. After doctors diagnosed Iowa Sen. Art Staed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2024, he started researching. He found studies linking Parkinson’s to a weed killer widely used in Iowa — called Paraquat. “The first signs were changes in my facial expression, harder to make me smile,” Staed said. “Eye movements, rigidity of movement, limited mobility, slowing down.” As a lawmaker, Staed said the research alarmed him. “One of my roles as a legislator is to make sure that Iowans are safe,” Staed said. “And this needs to be looked at." ... READ MORE

Betcha didn't know
You’ve seen “57 Varieties” on Heinz ketchup bottles, but the company never made exactly 57 products. Founder Henry Heinz just liked the number. He saw an ad for “21 styles” of shoes and thought a catchy number could do wonders for branding. He picked 57 because “5” was his lucky number and “7” was his wife's. It stuck.

The arrows at the start and end of the Subway logo represent a literal subway entrance and exit. These directional cues help reinforce the idea of a quick, in-and-out sandwich experience, which has been a part of the brand’s identity since the 1970s. 

Deals today
• The Empire's (223 Fourth St., Des Moines) Thursday special is baked spaghetti for $10.
 
• Thursday is $10 kebabs and wings day at Desi Bites (3828 100th St., Urbandale). 
 
• Talk Shop Lounge (3357 St. Charles Road, St. Charles) has two deals Thursday: jambalaya dinner for $15, lasagna for $10.
 
• Cowboy (1234 E. Euclid Ave., Des Moines) has ribs on special today, $2.99/per rib.
 
• The False Nine Social Club (206 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has jacket potatoes on sale Thursdays for $10.
 
• The Waveland (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) has smash burgers with onion rings on special today.
 
• B&B (S.E. Sixth and Hartford, Des Moines) has a Thursday special Killer's double hot Polish with fries and a soda for $12.95.
 
• Thursdays are triple decker Reuben day at Graziano Brothers (1601 S. Union St., Des Moines).
 
• Quarter pound cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches are $3.39 each on Thursdays at Kwik Star.
 
• Striking Sparrow (1930 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines) has a Thursday special breaded pork tenderloin with fries and soda for $12.
 
• Bennigan's (4800 Merle Hay Road, Urbandale) has a $10.99 burger, fries and a pint deal on Thursdays.
 
• Taco pizzas are the Thursday special at Walker's Place (475 N.E. Broadway Ave., Des Moines).
 
• Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni) is offering rib sandwich and watermelon salad specials today.
 
• Ham balls dinners are today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola).
 
•  AJ's (Prairie Meadows) has an 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.
 
• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moine) offers spaghetti dinners with 8-ounce meatballs and salad for $22 on Wednesdays.
 
• Chelsie's Courtyard Diner (100 MLK, Des Moines) has buck burgers Thursdays. $1!
 
• Istanbul Grill Cafe & Bakery (3281 100th St., Urbandale) has a Thursday special of $11.99 for a döner wrap with fries as well as $5 off döner plate which comes with Turkish salad and your choice of rice or bulgur. 
 
•  Turkey club melt on garlic focaccia with fries for $12.99 are a Thursday special at Club 2000. 
 
• Maxie's (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) Thursday special for $20.95 is half a fried chicken with potato, side of spaghetti, and a salad. Lunch and dinner.
 
• 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.
 
• Whatcha 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.
 
• Steak Nights: 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 $12 ribeye sandwich special on Thursdays. Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) offers ribeyes and sirloins only on Thursdays after 5 p.m.
 
• Mullets has a Thursday pizza special — buy one large specialty pizza and get a free 14-inch two-topping pizza.
 
• 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.
 
• 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.
 
• Buffalo Wild Wings offers two orders for the price of one Thursdays on orders of six, 10 and 15 boneless wings.
 
• Price Choppers have sales through Monday on red cherries at $2.99/pound, avocados at $.68 and frozen swai fillets at $3.49/pound.

• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on plums or nectarines at $1.49/pound, avocados at $.45, and spare ribs at $1.99/pound.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale through Sunday on corned beef briskets at $5.99/pound and through Tuesday on nine kinds of melons and cherries at $3.99/pound.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1973: President Nixon refuses to hand over tapes. On July 23, 1973, President Richard Nixon refuses to hand over his secret audio recordings to the Senate Watergate Committee and Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox, citing executive privilege. His refusal kickeds off a legal battle that culminateds in the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling one year later that Nixon must hand over the tapes. … READ MORE

1996: U.S. women take home gymnastics gold. On July 23, 1996, at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, the U.S. women’s gymnastics team wins its first-ever team gold. … READ MORE

1999: Woodstock ’99 begins. The music festival Woodstock ’99 opens on July 23, 1999. The festival—timed to the 30th anniversary of the original Woodstock—attempts to bring the spirit of peace, music, and love to a new generation; instead it devolves into three days of scorching heat, raw sewage, misogyny and greed in upstate New York. … READ MORE

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