FROM KCCI:  Famed husband-calling blue ribbon winner, Bonnie Swalwell Eilert, dies at 96. Bonnie Swalwell Eilert, a beloved figure at the Iowa State Fair, left an indelible mark on the event and its attendees. Known for her spirited performances in the Husband Calling Contest, Bonnie's voice became a staple at Pioneer Hall for decades. Her playful and heartfelt calls, including her famous "ROY!" earned her numerous blue ribbons and a viral moment in 2022, introducing her charm to fans worldwide. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Former Ankeny Chamber CEO accepts plea deal on alleged money laundering charges. Former Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Melisa Cox has accepted a plea deal in connection to charges of alleged money laundering and theft, according to the Polk County Attorney’s Office. The 47-year-old was in court Thursday for a pre-trial conference. She is accused of stealing more than $250,000 from the chamber over three years while she was at the helm of the organization. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Eminent domain bill faces Senate hurdle, but survives second 'funnel' week. Last month, the Iowa House approved legislation that would have outright blocked companies from using eminent domain — the government's ability to take homeowners’ private property for public use — to help build carbon dioxide pipelines. However, the Senate amended the House’s bill and passed it on Wednesday through a committee. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Cool weather continues. We’ve got a slight rain chance ahead early Saturday morning. Beyond that, the next decent chance will be a week from today.

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

Turkish eggs are not turkey eggs. Turkey and South Korea provided the stop gap egg imports that have reduced the price of U.S. eggs about 9% a week since the height of avian flu. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins told Fox Business that the imports will be discontinued once U.S. chicken hen populations are restored to pre bird flu levels.

Fat fight. As Buffalo Wild Wings, Steak and Shake and many other franchise giants transfer the cooking fats in their french fry fryers to beef tallow, McDonald's, which famously ended beef tallow as a cooking fat four decades ago, explained they have "vegetarian beef flavoring" in their french fry recipe. According to the McDonald's website, "This ensures the great-tasting and recognizable flavor" that makes them different from all other fast food fries. Guess they missed the memo about ending heavily processed food.

• Park Street Kitchen & Bar (455 Park St., Des Moines) has "Friday with live music" from Keith Davis from 5:30-7:30p.m.

• Fish Fry Friday night specials can be found at all Jethro's, all Palmer's, Machine Shed (11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale), Red Lobster (3838 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines), Cracker Barrel (11701 University, Clive), Bevy’s Tavern (1300 50th St., West Des Moines). Pelican Post (265 50th St., West Des Moines) adds fried shrimp to their all day fish fry buffet.  

• Table 128 (220 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has a chef's tasting menu Saturday with $58 per person; $91 with beverage pairings.

• Brenda Trang offers her fabulous Friday buffets 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) has brunch on Fridays. 

• 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, officially, but really on E. Fifth Street), real Valenciana paella.

• Wendy's Fry Days mean free fries Friday with a purchase when using the app.

• 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. 

• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) begins a week-long sale today on Gala, Pink Lady, Fuji and Ambrosia apples 99 cents/pound, red and green grapes at same price and whole pork butts at that price, too. Digital coupons are involved. 

•  Westown Tap (3530 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines) offers $12 flatbreads on Fridays.

• Willie James Shay plays Sonny's Pizza Bistro (6494 N.W. Sixth Ave., Des Moines) Friday from 5:30... JB Williams plays Kelly’s Little Nipper Friday at 7 p.m... The Juan and Only plays El Toreado (3751 Mills Parkway, West Des Moines) Friday night at 6 p.m. 

• Paula's (524 Elm St., Valley Junction) runs a Friday special meat loaf with mashed potatoes, gravy and drink for $13.50 this week.

• Irina's (650 South Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines) has a $55 AYCE buffet with snow crab legs, corn and sausage boil, salad, potatoes, lobster bisque and mac and cheese. Friday and Saturday this week only.

• Fareway has a sale on their own brand of pasta, all 97 cents a pound package, on Iowa chops at $2.49/pound and on most BBQ items through Saturday.

• Price Chopper stores have sales now on red or gold potatoes at $2.99/5-pound bags, Michelina's frozen dinners at $1.25 each and frozen perch at $4.99/pound, through Monday.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1968: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated. Just after 6 p.m. on April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. is fatally shot while standing on the balcony outside his second-story room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. The civil rights leader was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers’ strike and was on his way to dinner when a bullet struck him in the jaw and severed his spinal cord. King was pronounced dead after his arrival at a Memphis hospital. He was 39 years old. ... READ MORE

1974: Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth’s home run record. On April 4, Opening Day of the 1974 Major League Baseball season, 39-year-old Hank Aaron sends the very first pitch he sees over the wall, tying the all-time home run record set by Babe Ruth. Four days later, he would break that record. ... READ MORE

1975: “Operation Babylift,” transporting South Vietnamese children, starts in tragedy. The American airlift of Vietnamese children deemed war orphans to the U.S. and other Western nations begins disastrously on April 4, 1975, when an Air Force cargo jet crashes shortly after takeoff from Tan Son Nhut airbase in Saigon. More than 135 passengers, mostly children, were killed. Some of the children had been loaded two to a seat in the plane's troop compartment; others were strapped more haphazardly to the floor of the cargo bay, with blankets and pillows. ... READ MORE

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