FROM KCCI: Toddler struck by vehicle in Coon Rapids dies, family donates her organs. A 15-month-old girl who was accidentally struck by a vehicle driven by her mother in Coon Rapids last week has died, police said. Coon Rapids police said Mia Mauricio passed away after a hard fight in the hospital. Her organs are being donated, police said. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Police say downtown chase ends in large drug seizure. An overnight traffic stop in downtown Des Moines led to a police chase ending in felony charges and a massive drug seizure. Quawi Gates, 43, faces multiple felony charges, including a controlled substance violation that has greatly increased DMPD’s seizure of cocaine in 2026. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Des Moines Public Schools to offer free meals for 2026-27 school year, marks 5th straight year. For the fifth straight school year, Des Moines Public Schools will provide free breakfast and lunch to all of the district's students, at no cost to families. According to a news release from the school district, DMPS is able to offer the free meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The program allows qualifying districts to provide no-cost meals to all of their students, regardless of household income. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Record heat wave impacts people and animals in Japan and Korean Peninsula. Fans fainting at a baseball park. Lions dying at a zoo. A woman taking shelter in a car found dead. A doctor advising people to eat dog meat to promote stamina. The scenes caused by a record heat wave in Northeast Asia illustrate how extreme temperatures have gripped South Korea, North Korea and Japan. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Man charged with setting Spokane’s largest wildfire was questioned about 2 other blazes last year. A man charged with intentionally setting a wildfire that’s destroyed hundreds of buildings in and around Washington state’s second-largest city was questioned by law enforcement during two fire investigations last year, though he wasn’t charged in either, court documents show. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Police identify human remains discovered in Coralville. Human remains found in Coralville in July have been identified as a man who went missing nearly three years ago, according to police. The Coralville Police Department said the remains belong to Grant Leonard, who was reported missing from the Holiday Road area on Oct. 23, 2023. Staff at the Decedent Care Center confirmed the identification through dental records tied to the missing person case. ... READ MORE

Woebegone Wednesday
Big Food is getting hit like never before. Wall Street Journal reports "America’s biggest food companies have tried everything to win shoppers back. They’ve cut prices, ramped up marketing and added protein to everything from Cheerios to Goldfish." 

Their main problems are 1.) slowing down illegal immigration; 2.) consumers actually reading labels and avoiding highly processed junk foods; 3.) GLP-1 users gravitating toward protein, fresh ingredients and cleaner labels.

"General Mills has resorted to price cuts even when it hurts earnings, just to stop consumers from walking away."  

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 smoked pork chops.
 
• Sale Barn's (Lamoni) special today is sweet and sour chicken. 
 
• 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.
 
• Mariana's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) offers asada tacos for $2 Wednesdays.
 
• 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 Alaskan wild fresh halibut and salmon.
 
• 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.
 
• 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) and The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines). 
 
• G Mig's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction) offers a Wednesday special lasagna 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.  
 
• The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has a Wednesday special of chopped cheeseburger with a side for $12.

• Price Choppers are running sales through Monday on Kandy melons at $1.99, cucumbers at 88 cents and swai fillets at $3.49/pound. 

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1944: Hundreds of Jews are freed from forced labor in Warsaw. On August 5, 1944, Polish insurgents liberate a German forced-labor camp in Warsaw, freeing 348 Jewish prisoners, who join in a general uprising against the German occupiers of the city. … READ MORE

1948: Vicki Draves and Sammy Lee become the first Asian American Olympic gold medalists. On August 5, 1948, American diver Sammy Lee takes gold at the London Olympics, just two days after his good friend and fellow diver Vicki Draves won her own gold. They are the first Asian Americans to win Olympic gold medals for the United States. … READ MORE

1963: Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed. Representatives of the United States, the Soviet Union and Great Britain sign the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which prohibited the testing of nuclear weapons in outer space, underwater, or in the atmosphere. The treaty was hailed as an important first step toward the control of nuclear weapons. … READ MORE

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