FROM KCCI: Iowa House, Senate pass bill removing gender identity protections from Iowa Civil Rights Act. DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa House and Senate have passed legislation removing gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act on Thursday. Senate File 418 passed in a 33-15 vote on Thursday afternoon. Less than an hour later, the Iowa House passed its version, House File 583, with a vote of 60-35. ...READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Hoover High School cuts football, cites low participation rates.  DES MOINES, Iowa — Hoover High School has announced that the high school football program is cut, with students being deferred to Roosevelt. On Thursday, Des Moines Public Schools confirmed that Hoover High School would not have a standalone football team in the upcoming school year. ...READ MORE

FROM WOI: Polk County Sheriff's Office: Man and dog rescued from Avon Lake after falling through ice. After the water rescue, the sheriff's office took the opportunity to warn the public about walking onto ice with the warming temperatures.  ...READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Windy and warmer today. Cooler weekend temperatures are followed by a mild Monday. Rain changing to snow Tuesday into Wednesday.

For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage.

It is the season of the fish
It’s almost Lent again. That means Culver’s is bringing back its Canadian walleye dinners, at higher prices than last year ($15.29 two fillets, $18.39 three filets, both with two sides), and churches, particularly Roman Catholic churches, will be throwing Friday fish fries until Easter. The following list of churches participating is probably incomplete. Let us know which we missed. 

Churches in the Des Moines area
St. Boniface Catholic Church: Fish fry every Friday from March 7 – April 11,
All Saints: Fridays from 5–7 p.m. 
Basilica of St. John: Fridays from 4:45–6:30 p.m. 
Christ the King: Fridays from 5–7 p.m. 
St. Ambrose: Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
St. Anthony: Fridays from 5–7 p.m. 
St. Joseph: Fridays from 4:30–7 p.m. 
St. Mary of Nazareth: Fridays from 5–6:30 p.m. 
St. Theresa: Fridays from 5:30–7 p.m. 

Other fish fry locations
SS John and Paul in Altoona
Our Lady's Immaculate Heart in Ankeny
SS Peter and Paul in Atlantic
St. Patrick in Audubon
St. Elizabeth Seton in Carlisle
Sacred Heart in Chariton

Weekend deals
• Pelican Post (265 50th St., West Des Moines) has all you can eat fish and shrimp Fridays through Good Friday, $15.49.   
• 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.
• Fresh Thyme's (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) has a sale on Coho salmon fillets at $4.99/pound, Sumo tangerines at $2.99/pound and snow crab clusters at $7.99/pound through Tuesday.  
• Fish Fry Friday night specials can be found at Machine Shed (11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale), Red Lobster (3838 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines), Cracker Barrel (11701 University, Clive), all Jethro's, all Hy-Vee Market Grilles and Bevy’s Tavern (1300 50th St., West Des Moines).
• Brenda Trang offers a fabulous Friday buffet every Friday at Vietnam Cafe - Merle Hay Mall Food Court, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., $18.95.  
• Bawarchi (6630 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines) has Friday - Sunday specials on paneer kebabs, chicken curry and goat curry.
• Mickey's in Yale (217 Main St., Yale) has hot beef sandwich lunches and all you can eat fish dinner specials today.
• Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) offers BBQ beef and marinated roast beef sandwiches on special for Friday lunch.
• 801 Chophouse (801 Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers Sunday supper specials that deliver deep discounts on filet, prime rib and red king salmon dinners.
• Tito’s Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale) now has brunch on Fridays as well as Saturdays and Sundays. 
• Court Avenue Brewing Company (309 Court Ave., Des Moines) hosts Saturday and Sunday breakfast buffets for $23.99.
• Friday night is paella time at Purveyor (505 E. Grand, Des Moines, officially, but really on E. Fifth), real Valenciana paella.
• Wendy's Fry Days mean free fries Friday with a purchase.
• Maxie's Supper Club's (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) Friday special is chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes - $16.95 all day. They also have prime rib dinners on Friday and Saturday for dinner only, $30-38. 
• Irina's Steak and Seafood (650 S. Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines) has a beef Bourguignon Sunday special for $28.
• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) begins a week-long sale on jumbo red, green and black grapes at $1.99/pound, jumbo (16-20) shrimp at $4.99/pound and grass fed ribeyes at $8.99/pound. 
• Aldi has a sale on  green grapes at $1.69/pound, USDA Choice corned beef point cut briskets at $2.99/pound and baby bella mushrooms at $1.29/8-ounce box through Tuesday.
• Fareway has deals this week on blueberries at $1.99/pint, bananas for 48 cents/pound, and large chicken legs at 97 cents/pond.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

Des Moines Performing Arts. “Life of Pi.” Through March 2.

Class Act Productions (CAP Theatre). “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” Through March 2. 

Des Moines Playhouse. “Men on Boats.” Through March 2.

Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre. “Mary Poppins Jr.” Through March 2. 

Let legislators know that the arts are an essential part of a healthy state
One of the most powerful ways we can make a difference is by showing up. Join us for Iowa Cultural Coalition’s annual Arts & Culture Advocacy Day on Wednesday, March 5 — a key opportunity to amplify our shared commitment to the arts. While every advocate will bring their own story and priorities to legislators, the ICC has outlined 2025 Legislative Priorities to help us speak with a unified voice. Sign up (either in person or virtually).
  
B J Soloy, “Birth Center in Corporate Woods”
Beaverdale Books, Thursday, March 6, 6:30 p.m.
The poems in BJ Soloy’s “Birth Center in Corporate Woods” use long, contorting lines and elliptical connections to wade through the collisions of love, eros, loss, irony, pop culture and late capitalism.  

— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz