FROM KCCI: Your guide to Des Moines-area swimming pools and aquatic centers. There are dozens of options for those looking to take a dip this summer in central Iowa. Des Moines alone has two swimming pools and three aquatic centers, not to mention four splash pools, 18 spraygrounds and one wading pool — and they're fully staffed to start the year, which hasn't always been the case in recent summers. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Water quality expert, farmer address nitrate concerns. An Iowa water quality expert and local farmer address the high nitrate concerns as levels in the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers remain near record levels. The Central Iowa Water Works ban on lawn watering continues due to high nitrate levels, which has caused water treatment facilities to run at capacity. The issue has caused many to look to the source of the high nitrate levels. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Wyoming man charged after entering stage at National Speech & Debate Tournament in downtown Des Moines. A Wyoming man is facing multiple charges for allegedly causing a "disturbance" that led to the EMC Expo Center being evacuated Thursday afternoon during the National Speech & Debate Tournament, according to Des Moines police. Officials said a man entered the stage area at the event and "his behavior prompted safety concerns," leading to the evacuation. Authorities did not recover or see any weapons following the incident. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Expect a hot and mostly dry 7‑day stretch in Des Moines this week. Highs peak in the upper 90s on Saturday and Sunday with sunny skies and gusty winds — conditions that could pose serious heat‑related risks if you’re outside for long. Monday brings similar heat but with increasing clouds and a chance of afternoon thunderstorms. By Tuesday and Wednesday, storms become more likely, and highs dip slightly to the upper 80s and mid‑80s with elevated humidity. Be sure to stay hydrated, limit strenuous outdoor activity during peak heat, and be prepared for afternoon storms early next week.

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

Washington Red Raspberry Commission has launched a new campaign to increase production and marketing efforts for frozen red raspberries. Since 90% of America’s frozen raspberries come from northern Washington state, this will likely be noticed come winter all over America. (Fruit Growers’ News)

Wallace Farm will host an historic corn dinner July 1 at 6 p.m. Menu will include pandebono (stuffed cheese corn bread), pork tenderloin with corn crackers, and corn grits with waffle. $75. Reservations - https://wallace.org/event/historic-corn-plot-dinner/

Weekend deals
• Friday is Soul Food day at Joppa Experience (1829 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) with fried chicken and oxtail stew joining the usual menu. 

• G Migg's has a Saturday special beef stroganoff for $18.50. On Friday they offer scallops or prime rib dinners for $26-28. 

• Django (1420 Locust St., Des Moines) offers a Sunday supper with a roasted half chicken as the main course. The meal includes house salad with red onion, apple, Roquefort and candied walnuts, fresh baguette with whipped butter, roasted fingerling potatoes with fresh herbs, and sautéed haricot verts with caramelized onions and lardons. $30  

• Table 128 (220 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) features a Saturday tasting menu including burrata and peaches, grilled wahoo and blueberry cobbler - $58.

• 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.

• Fish Fry Friday specials can be found at Machine Shed (11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale), Red Lobster (3838 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines), Cracker Barrel (11701 University, Clive), and Bevy’s Tavern (1300 50th St., West Des Moines).

• Brenda Tran offers a fabulous Friday buffet every week 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.

• The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines) offers BOGO flatbreads Fridays and a blackened chicken sandwich and fries for just $12 on Saturdays. 

• 801 Chophouse (801 Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers Sunday supper specials that deliver deep discounts on filet, prime rib and red king salmon dinners.

• Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a $40 prime rib dinner special Friday and Saturday. 

• 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.

• Haiku (1350 31st St., Des Moines) offers free tom ka kai and fried won tons with lunch entrees today.

• 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. 

• Jethro's melt Sunday special is papa cheeseburgers and side for $9.95. Today they have BBQ melt and side deal for $9.95. Because Sunday is an Indiana WNBA game night, the West Des Moines Jethro's has a "Fever Reliever" special of any two appetizers on the Happy Hour menu and two pints of domestic beer for $22.

• Chicken Heat (1101 Army Post Road, Des Moines) offers $1 wings on Friday.  

•  Price Choppers have sales on blueberries at $2.50/pint, strawberries at $2.50/pint and pineapples at $2.50 each through Monday.

• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) has sales on avocados at three for $1.99, USDA prime porterhouse steaks at $17.99/pound and King crab clusters at $26.99/pound through Tuesday. 

• Fareways are offering whole watermelons for $5, hand-tied original brats for $3.99/pound, $2.88/pound asparagus and boneless USDA choice ribeyes at $10.88/pound through Saturday.

• Aldi is selling 2-pound bags of nectarines for $2.98, red mangoes for $.59 and red grapes for $1.29/pound through Tuesday.

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

• MUSIC: Tanner Taylor Organ Trio plays Louie's Wine Dive (4040 University Ave.) on Sunday at 5 p.m. El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill on EP True Parkway has live music from The Juan and Only on Friday from 6 p.m. Willie James Shay plays Sonny’s Pizza Bistro Friday at 5:30 p.m. The Drama Kings plays Kelly's Little Nipper at 7 p.m. Friday. Geoffrey Jr. plays Truman’s Pizza Tavern at 2 p.m. Sunday.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1863: West Virginia enters the Union. During the Civil War, West Virginia is admitted into the Union as the 35th U.S. state, or the 24th state if the secession of the 11 Southern states were taken into account. The same day, Arthur Boreman was inaugurated as West Virginia’s first state governor  ... READ MORE

1963: United States and Soviet Union agree to establish a nuclear “hot line.” To lessen the threat of an accidental nuclear war, the United States and the Soviet Union agree to establish a “hot line” communication system between the two nations. The agreement was a small step in reducing tensions between the United States and the USSR following the October 1962 Missile Crisis in Cuba, which had brought the two nations to the brink of nuclear war. ... READ MORE

1975: “Jaws” released in theaters. On June 20, 1975, Jaws, a film directed by Steven Spielberg that made countless viewers afraid to go into the water, opens in theaters. The story of a great white shark that terrorizes a New England resort town became an instant blockbuster and the highest-grossing film in movie history until it was bested by 1977’s Star Wars. Jaws was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Picture category and took home three Oscars, for Best Film Editing, Best Original Score and Best Sound. The film, a breakthrough for director Spielberg, then 27 years old, spawned several sequels.   ... READ MORE

 www.history.com