FROM KCCI: Inside Central Iowa Water Works' testing laboratory. Central Iowa Water Works is providing a behind-the-scenes look at how it tests and treats water for nitrates at its facilities, ensuring the safety of drinking water for the region. Its advanced equipment can measure nitrate levels down to a hundredth of a milligram per liter. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Future of one of Iowa’s oldest Little League programs in jeopardy. The future of one of Iowa’s oldest Little League programs is uncertain after the owner of a private road announced the league must find an alternative route to its ballfields by the end of the year. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Jordan Creek Mall janitor arrested for allegedly threatening terrorism against the mall. A West Des Moines man was arrested Tuesday afternoon for allegedly threatening terrorism against Jordan Creek Mall. Thirty-five-year-old Kelly Arthur Jonathon Clark reportedly told a fireworks stand employee that he "was familiar with the anarchist handbook and that he would like to see a big bang and black smoke." The incident allegedly happened around 10 a.m. Tuesday, just down Jordan Creek Parkway from the mall. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

It does appear that we'll see breaks in the rain this morning and Thursday morning before storms return later both days. Rain chances Friday and Saturday look low at this point, but they return Sunday. We stay warm.

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

Woebegone Wednesday
Kevin Liu announced he will close the marvelous Mandarin Noodle House in Johnston. That was the last place in town with a traditional Chinese menu, including the tza jiang mien and mapo tofu pictured above. Liu opened MNH in 2017 after 21 years at The Mandarin in Beaverdale.

Ravi and Girija Menneni, who previously owned India Market in Urbandale, plan to open a new South Indian restaurant in the Mandarin Noodle House space.

After 10 years, Zombie Burger and Shake Lab at Jordan Creek Mall will be permanently closing by the end of the month. The flagship Zombie Burger location in Des Moines’ East Village neighborhood is unaffected and will remain open for business.

Deals of this day
• Haiku (1315 31st St., Des Moines) lets kids 11 and younger eat free with adults on Wednesdays. Hot sour soup and egg rolls are comped today with lunch entrees.  

• Wednesdays bring steak night to Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines). Steaks are cooked to order with salad, potato and bread, $14.99.

• Angry Goldfish (2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) offers hot beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy for $11.50 on Wednesday. 

• Wine bottles are half price on Wednesdays at Trostel's Greenbriar (5910 Merle Hay Road, Johnston). The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines) also has half-priced bottles on Wednesdays. 

• G Mig's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction) offers a special lasagna dinner today with salad and garlic bread for $19.25.

• Barntown's (9500 S.E. University Ave., West Des Moines) Wednesday specials are a pound of chicken tenders with fries and two sauces for $11.99, plus $13 core pitchers of beer.

• Wednesday is Biryani Festival at Chowrastha (5910 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines). Buy two and a third is free.

• Tacos Mariana's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) and The Station (3124 Ingersoll) have specials on tacos today. 

• Village Inns offer free pie with entrees on Wednesdays. 

• It's lasagna day at Maxie's Supper Club (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines), breaded pork tenderloin day at Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) and barbecue ribs evening at G Migg's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction).

• Panka Peruvian (2708 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has live jazz Wednesday. 

• Chuck's (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) offers $5 off pizza on Wednesdays.

• Curbin Cuisine (1325 S.W. Oralabor, Ankeny) has $7 gyros on Wednesdays. 

• Bordanaro's (6108 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has a Wednesday-Thursday only special on carryout pizza. They start at $6.50 for a 10-inch cheese pie. Each ingredient added is an extra charge, but this pretty much adds up to half-price pies.

• Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) has fried chicken specials tonight. Day’s Live Music plays the patio at 6 p.m.

• Kwik Stars' Wednesday special is eight pieces of fried chicken for $10. Their fried chicken is ridiculously good for a convenience store.  

• On Wednesdays, you can get any burger, wrap or sandwich with fries for $10.99 at Tito's Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale). 

• Jethro's have $9.95 breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches, including a side of choice, on Wednesdays.  

•  Hy-Vee Grilles are offering a cheeseburger and fries Wednesday special for $8.

•  Price Choppers have sales on cherries for $1.88/pound, strawberries for $1.88/pound and nectarines for $1.88/pound   through Monday.

• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) begins a week-long sale on Kandy melons at $1.99, baby back ribs at $2.99/pound and snow crab clusters at $9.99/pound through Tuesday.

• Waterfront's Wednesday special this week will be Alsek River sockeye salmon.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1941: FDR signs order banning discrimination in the defense industry. On June 25, 1941, with World War II heating up in Europe, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive Order 8802 prohibiting ethnic and racial discrimination in the country’s growing defense industry. The order, issued after adamant protest by African American leaders, marked the U.S. government’s first move to ban employment discrimination and promote equal opportunity—and its first presidential directive on race since the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War. ... READ MORE

1950: Korean War begins. On June 25, 1950, armed forces from communist North Korea smash into South Korea, setting off the Korean War. The United States, acting under the auspices of the United Nations, quickly sprang to the defense of South Korea and fought a bloody and frustrating war for the next three years. ... READ MORE

1978: First rainbow Pride flag premieres at San Francisco parade. On June 25, 1978, activists hoist a vibrant rainbow flag in the midst of the festivities for San Francisco’s Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day parade. According to its creator, Gilbert Baker, the crowd immediately recognized the flag’s significance: “It completely astounded me that people just got it, in an instant like a bolt of lightning — that this was their flag,” he later said. “It belonged to all of us.” This was the rainbow Pride flag, now an ubiquitous symbol of queer pride and liberation. ... READ MORE

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