FROM KCCI: Report: Iowa Senate race now a toss-up, governor's race leans Democratic. beThe Cook Political Report has shifted Iowa's U.S. Senate race to a toss-up, reflecting a tightening contest between Republican Ashley Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek. The race was previously favored to lean Republican, but some private polling now shows Turek ahead within the margin of error. The shift comes as the Cook Political Report indicates Iowa's governor's race is leaning Democratic. Democrat Rob Sand, Iowa's state auditor and the only Democrat currently holding statewide office, is running against Republican Zach Lahn, a Belle Plaine farmer and entrepreneur. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Friday hearing in Ashley Okland murder case to center on grand jury misconduct claims. Friday’s hearing in the Kristin Ramsey case may not be what many expected. Instead of a scheduled hearing on potentially dismissing her first-degree murder charge, the judge changed the scope of the hearing earlier this week and limited it to legal arguments. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Flock cameras getting flack in Iowa, some police departments suspending use. Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras have been used across the U.S. to store data on all passing cars. That data is stored for use in case it may be involved in future police investigations. But that's concerning to protestors like Heather Ryan of Altoona. "We are trying to bring attention to the absolutely overwhelming, overreaching arm of the United States government," Ryan said. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: More than 2,300 Mexicans sent to Guatemala and Honduras as Trump ramps up third-country deportations. The United States has deported nearly 2,300 Mexicans to Guatemala this year and sent at least dozens more to Honduras, according to official data, a shift from the beginning of U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term when such transfers were minimal. Until now, Mexicans deported from the United States were sent almost exclusively back to their country by air and land. Only a handful arrived in other countries. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Nebraska’s largest school district asks police to stop using electric shock gloves on students. Omaha police agreed this week to stop carrying gloves that can deliver electric shocks to students in the halls of Nebraska’s largest public school district. The decision affecting most Omaha middle and high schools came after The Associated Press first revealed Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s plan to give officers the gloves, which are known as G.L.O.V.E.s or Generated Low Output Voltage Emitters. The devices have also been used in recent years by some jails. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Dallas Center woman sentenced to federal prison for $572,000 fraud scheme.  A Dallas Center woman has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after admitting to a fraud scheme that resulted in a stipulated loss of $572,081.24 from a cattle feedlot while working as its office manager. Darci Lea Reggio pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. U.S. District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger sentenced Reggio on July 22 to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. ... READ MORE

DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS LAUNCHES NEW FLEX PACKAGE FOR THE 2026-27 WELLMARK BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD FAMILY SERIES
Five family-friendly productions take the stage this season, plus a brand-new flexible ticket package that lets families build their own lineup and save. 2026-27 Wellmark Family Series Lineup:
“Velveteen, A New Musical.” Saturday, Oct. 17, Civic Center.
“Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock LIVE.” Friday, Nov. 6, Civic Center.
“The Cat in the Hat – Live on Stage!” Tuesday, Feb. 16, Civic Center.
“Tales of the Sun and Moon.” Saturday, March 6, Temple Theater.
“What Do You Do With a Problem?” Saturday, April 10, 2027, Civic Center.

We are not making this up
Every day the Mississippi River pushes 86,400 dump truck loads of the Midwest’s best top soil into the Gulf's Dead Zone. Each year, 24 billion tons of soil are lost to water, fire and air. That’s about 17 tons per person. Yet, that’s not enough to make it a talking point in Iowa politics. Iowa's nitrate drinking water violations doubled in 2025 in comparison to the previous year, according to a report by the Iowa DNR.

For their 90th birthday, Oscar Meyer wieners have created the Weiner Cake, stacking 90 hot dogs in two tiers.

Weekend deals
• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University Ave., West Des Moines) offers fish fry lunch specials $16.49-$21 including a pint or two shrimp Fridays. Saturdays feature $33 12-ounce prime rib dinners. 
 
• High Life Lounge (200 Second St., Des Moines) has a Friday special fish fry for $11.99.
 
• Amruth Indian Grill (9974 Swanson Blvd., Clive) offers mandi rice on Fridays, with chicken, paneer and vegan choices. 
 
• Exile offers half-priced kids meals on Fridays. 
 
•Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) has $6 buckets of eight pieces of baked chicken on Fridays. 
 
• 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 fried chicken 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).
 
• 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 beef gyros 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. 
 
• Pulled pork is today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola). Saturday's will be catfish and Sunday's is fried chicken.
 
• Saturday is wine sampling day at Graziano Brothers.
 
• ShortE's BBQ (8805 Chambery Blvd., Johnston) offers  "kids eat free" deals on Friday and Saturday.
 
• Waterfront stores' Saturday special includes cocktail shrimp or raw oysters on the half shell for half price until 4 p.m.
 
• 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 Texas Dip - chopped Texas brisket with sauteed onions, Swiss cheese on a hoagie with fries and BBQJus. $13.95. 
 
• 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).
 
• Price Choppers have sales through Monday on bone-in pork chops at $1.99/pound, Kandy melons at $1.99 and frozen tilapia fillets at $4.49/pound.

• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on peaches at $1.39/pound, chicken wings at $1.69/pound, and avocados at $.59.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale through Sunday on lobster tails at $5.99 and through Tuesday on Coho salmon fillets at $5.99/pound and ahi or swordfish steaks at $10.99/pound.

• Fareways have specials through Saturday on St. Louis pork ribs at $2.99/pound, boneless chicken breasts at $2.90/pound and Duke's mayo for $4.99/30-ounce jar.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1950: Althea Gibson becomes first African American on U.S. tennis tour. On Aug. 21, 1950, officials of the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) accept Althea Gibson into their annual championship at Forest Hills, New York, making her the first African American player to compete in a U.S. national tennis competition. … READ MORE

1959: Hawaii becomes 50th state. The modern United States receives its crowning star when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a proclamation admitting Hawaii (Native spelling: Hawai‘i) into the Union as the 50th state. The president also issued an order for an American flag featuring 50 stars arranged in staggered rows: five six-star rows and four five-star rows. The new flag became official July 4, 1960. … READ MORE

1974: The Equal Educational Opportunities Act is enacted. The Equal Educational Opportunities Act is enacted on Aug. 21, 1974. The new law addressed civil rights issues in education, barring states from discriminating against students based on gender, race, color or nationality and requiring public schools to provide for students who do not speak English. … READ MORE

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