FROM KCCI: These 3 Iowa State Fair menu items will compete for title of top new food. We now know which three foods will compete in a fan vote for the People's Choice Best New Food title at this summer's Iowa State Fair. Fair officials narrowed the list of 67 new foods this year down to 11 for a flavorful contest Tuesday afternoon, during which judges, including a team from KCCI, tasted each and voted for their favorites. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Human remains located in remnants of burned Albia building. Officials have confirmed that human remains were discovered in the rubble of a historic building that was destroyed by fire Monday in Albia. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said that the remains were located around 8:47 a.m. on Tuesday in the building at 14 Washington Avenue E on the town square. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Amanda DeVos steps down as Madison County Treasurer 6 months after arrest amid pending charges. Nearly half a year after her initial arrest, Amanda DeVos officially resigned from her role as Madison County Treasurer, according to a release from county attorney Stephen J. Swanson. The release, posted to the county sheriff's Facebook page, reveals Swanson had received a letter of resignation from DeVos on Monday. She stated she was resigning effective immediately on advice from her counsel and while "admitting no wrongdoing." ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Scattered showers and storms this morning and again this evening. Cooldown on Thursday to the 70s for highs. More stormy weather Saturday through Monday. Models showing an additional 3 to 5 inches of rain across Iowa through the end of the seven-day period.

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

Woebegone Wednesday
USA restaurant bankruptcies last year hit the highest level in decades (excluding 2020 when the COVID pandemic upended the industry). TGI Fridays, Rubio’s Coastal Grill and Red Lobster were among chains that filed for Chapter 11, closing hundreds of restaurants. The pace of bankruptcies has slowed this year, with 10 restaurant chains or large operators pursuing Chapter 11 filings through May. (BankruptcyData.com)

The shakeout in casual dining continues as brands such as Denny’s, Applebee’s and Hooters close locations in efforts to improve profitability. Restaurant locations run by the largest casual-dining chains dropped 1.2% last year, the first unit decline since 2020, according to market-research firm Technomic. Red Lobster emerged from bankruptcy last September with new leadership and a fresh influx of cash from private-equity firm Fortress Capital. Cracker Barrel and Red Lobster are working to stage a comeback by spending millions to update menus and dining rooms. Cracker Barrel's new CEO has slashed the amount of merchandise sold in their stores and concentrated on low prices and comfortable seating. Low prices have protected sector leaders Chili's and Texas Roadhouse from the slump. (WSJ)

Deals today
Kids 12 and younger get free hot dogs today through Sunday at Machine Shed (11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale). 

• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) has a $10 classic burger and beer all day. 

• Felix & Oscar's is celebrating its 50th anniversary with buffets all July. $18 or two for $30. Kids $10, under 4 free. Wednesday is a pasta, salad and bread bar.
 
• Johnny's Italian Steakhouses have a chicken Madeira special on Wednesdays before 4 p.m., $15 including beverage.
 
• Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) has all you can eat fried chicken dinners on Wednesdays, $21.99 after 5 p.m.

• Haiku (1315 31st St., Des Moines) lets kids 11 and younger eat free with adults on Wednesdays. Hot sour soup and eggrolls 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. 

• Curbin' Cuisine (1325 S.W. Oralabor Road, Ankeny) offers traditional gyros for $7 Wednesdays. 

• 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 tortellini 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.) 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), BBQ ribs night at Machine Shed (11151 Hickman, Urbandale), and breaded pork tenderloin day at Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines). 

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

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

• 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 with fries for $10.99 at Tito's Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale). 

• Jethro's have $9.95 BPT sandwiches, including a side of choice, on Wednesdays. Because tonight 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. 

• Hy-Vee grilles are offering a cheeseburger and fries  Wednesday special for $8. Hy-Vee stores have specials through Sunday on Hy-Vee yogurts at $.49, whole slabs of smoked ribs at two for $25 (weekends only) and Idaho potatoes at $2.49/5-pound bag. 

• Price Choppers have sales on cherries at $1.99/pound, Kandy melons at $1.99 each and catfish nuggets at $2.29/pound through Monday.

• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) begins a week-long sale on jumbo 16-20/pound shrimp for $4.99/pound, salmon fillets at $9.99/pound and grass fed burger meat at $3.99/pound. 

• Waterfront's Wednesday special this week is Maine scallops and Gulf shrimp combos. 

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1945: The first atomic bomb test is successfully exploded. On July 16, 1945, at 5:29:45 a.m., the Manhattan Project yields explosive results as the first atom bomb is successfully tested in Alamogordo, New Mexico. ... READ MORE

1969: Apollo 11 launches. At 9:32 a.m. EDT, Apollo 11, the first U.S. lunar landing mission, is launched on a historic journey to the surface of the moon. After traveling 240,000 miles in 76 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit on July 19 ... READ MORE

1973: Existence of Watergate tapes is revealed in live testimony. On July 16 , 1973 — a little more than a year after the break-in at the Watergate Hotel led to a widening scandal — explosive news is revealed during a live broadcast of the Watergate hearings in the Senate: A secret taping system inside the White House had recorded all of President Richard Nixon’s telephone calls and in-person conversations. ... READ MORE

 www.history.com