FROM KCCI: What to know about property assessments. Iowans expressed concern at recent public hearings about what they are seeing. Here are some facts to know, thanks to the Iowa Department of Revenue and Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Grass fire burns over 100 acres south of Adel. A controlled burn turned into a 100-acre grassfire Sunday afternoon outside Adel. According to the Adel Fire Department, shortly after 2 p.m. crews were called to the 200 block of 330th Street, south of Adel, on reports of controlled burn that had spread. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: City of Grimes to shift transit services from DART to HIRTA. The City of Grimes has chosen its new transit service after ending its contract with Des Moines Area Regional Transport Authority (DART) back in 2023. During its March 25 city council meeting, Grimes councilmembers successfully passed and approved an agreement with the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA) to provide transit services. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Cool and dry weather will be with us through Tuesday. Scattered shower chances move in on a breezy Wednesday and linger into Thursday evening. Temperatures warm Wednesday and into the weekend.

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

Back to the biz
Brandy Shayan, Des Moines' Grateful Chef (1938 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines) has been recruited by "a food network" to shoot a pilot episode for a new series on vegan cooking. She's off to NYC for that opportunity. 

French fries — shelter from the storm? One of the biggest winners during the stock market carnage of tariff era adjustments is Lamb-Wesson. Its stock rose during bear market days because of — wait for it — "The french fry attachment rate (FFAR)." That's industry speak for the percentage at which restaurant customers order fries with their sandwiches and entrees. The FFAR is higher than at any time in a decade, even going back years before COVID. Lamb-Wesson is the world's leading producer of frozen potato products. (Fox Business)

Monday deals
• Jethro's "OG meal deal" in Altoona and West Des Moines this week includes a full order of boneless wings, 1 pound of smoked meat; two pints of sides and four corn muffins, all for $25.

• Irina’s (650 S.W. Prairie View Dr., West Des Moines) has a Sunday-Wednesday three-course dinner special for $50.

• Eastside Eddie’s (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) Monday  special is a burger with domestic beer, soft drink or well drink for $10. Those are good, generously sized burgers, too.

• Centro (1003 Locust St., Des Moines) offers half-price pizza and Peronis on Monday.

• Who's on First (810 E. First St., Ankeny) has steak night on Monday, and it's an 8-ounce filet with salad, mashed potatoes and beans for $22.95. 

• Pelican Post (265 50th St., West Des Moines) has a special today on hot beef sandwiches, $10.95 until 4 p.m. 

• Tito’s Lounge (3916 Urbandale Drive, Urbandale) offers all-you-can-eat wings Mondays. 

• Monday brings prime rib specials to both Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) and Christopher's (2816 Beaver Ave., Des Moines).

• Johnny's Hall of Fame (302 Court Ave., Des Moines) has $12 burger baskets on Mondays and Fridays.

• Urban Cellars (640 S. 50th St., West Des Moines) offers $60 wine dinners for two on Mondays including two entrees with soup or salad, a dessert and a bottle on wine. 

• Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road) has a burger basket with fries deal Mondays for $9. 

• Red Lobster's Monday special is lobster and shrimp scampi with a side for $20. 

• Paula's (524 Elm St., Valley Junction) has a Monday special homemade tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwich for $12.50. 

• Price Chopper delis offer two piece, bone-in fried chicken dinners, with two sides and a roll, for $6 on Mondays.   

• Fareway has deals this week on USDA Choice T-bones at $9.99/pound, St. Louis spare ribs at $2.88/pound, Duke's mayo at $4.97 quart and BOGOs on Tide products. 

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1994: Violence erupts in Rwanda, foreshadowing genocide. On April 7, 1994, violence fuels the launch of what would become the worst episode of genocide since World War II: the massacre of an estimated 500,000 to 1 million innocent civilian Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Following the first wave of massacres, Rwandan forces manage to discourage international intervention with the murder of 10 Belgian peacekeeping officers. The Tutsis, a minority group that made up about 10 percent of Rwanda’s population, received no assistance from the international community, although the United Nations later conceded that a mere 5,000 soldiers deployed at the outset would have stopped the wholesale slaughter. ... READ MORE

1961: JFK lobbies Congress to help save historic sites in Egypt. On April 7, 1961, President John F. Kennedy sends a letter to Congress in which he recommends the U.S. participate in an international campaign to preserve ancient temples and historic monuments in the Nile Valley of Egypt. The campaign, initiated by UNESCO, was designed to save sites threatened by the construction of the Aswan High Dam. ... READ MORE

1945: Japanese battleship Yamato is sunk by Allied forces. On April 7, 1945, the Japanese battleship Yamato, one of the greatest battleships of its time, is sunk in Japan’s first major counteroffensive in the struggle for Okinawa. Weighing 72,800 tons and outfitted with nine 18.1-inch guns, the battleship Yamato was Japan’s only hope of destroying the Allied fleet off the coast of Okinawa. But insufficient air cover and fuel cursed the endeavor as a suicide mission. Struck by 19 American aerial torpedoes, it was sunk, drowning 2,498 of its crew. ... READ MORE

 www.history.com