FROM KCCI: What to know before subzero temps hit. With another blast of Arctic air expected later this week, Polk County emergency officials and local HVAC crews are urging residents to prepare now for the dangerous cold. Polk County Emergency Management has activated its extreme temperature plan, said program assistant Brett McIntyre. Public libraries and several other locations are open as warming centers during business hours, and DART buses are offering free rides to the nearest site. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: DART approves new bus system with fewer routes and more frequent service. A new DART bus system featuring fewer routes but more frequent service is coming to central Iowa, following a unanimous vote by the DART Commission Tuesday afternoon. The commission approved the Reimagine DART system, marking the first major redesign of the bus network in more than a decade. The goal is to lower the budget while better serving the nearly 60% of DART’s 3.75 million bus riders who rely on the system to get to and from work. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: 14-year-old injured after accidentally shooting himself in the leg. A teenage boy is recovering after accidentally shooting himself in the leg while at a hospital Tuesday morning, Des Moines police said in a press release. Officers responded to Broadlawns Medical Center shortly after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday to investigate a shooting incident. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Deadly floods in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia kill more than 1,400 people. Parts of Asia were reeling after torrents of rain unleashed catastrophic floods and landslides last week, killing more than 1,400 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia. The disaster has also laid bare stark economic disparities in the region. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Trump targets Minnesota’s Somali community with harsh words and policies. Recent statements by President Donald Trump and top administration officials disparaging Minnesota’s large Somali community have focused renewed attention on the immigrants from the war-torn east African country and their descendants. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Former Urbana police chief drops lawsuit against city, plans to refile. The former Urbana police chief has dropped a lawsuit against the city, the mayor and city clerk after being placed on paid leave back in April 2024. In May, Urbana’s city council voted 3 to 2 to end the police chief’s contract - firing Joshua Baker without cause. This came more than a year after placing him on paid leave. Baker says it was retaliation by city officials, after he pointed out an ordinance he says the city was violating. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Light snow and flurries this morning. Very spotty in nature. Temperatures will fall from 30 in the morning to the teens for this afternoon. We look to be down near the record low of -6 on Thursday. It will be sunny, but cold.

We'll see a return to warmer temps near 30 again into Friday and Saturday but the clouds return, and so do snow chances. The first of two clippers crosses the state Saturday night into Sunday and again Monday night to Tuesday. Both could bring a quick hit of a couple inches of snow.

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

Woebegone Wednesday
Refill Market, in the new Star Lofts mixed-use building at 2701 Ingersoll Ave., sells dry ingredients and encourages “bring your own” containers to fill and refill. They also sell grab-n-go sandwiches and salads. David Baruthio has secured space in the same building for his latest French dining room. That's mixed use all right.

In 2024, the global street food market was valued at $249.6 billion. It should grow 8.5% annually until 2033, according to Future Data Stats. It's big enough now that Budapest's tourism board is featuring its street food markets in promotions: "Budapest’s street food roots are anchored in beloved national favorites that have been delighting locals for generations. Iconic spots like Retró Lángos and Pesti Lángos serve the city’s must-try fried flatbread piled with sour cream, cheese and garlic, while Nokedli Factory and Kaiserin breathe new life into comfort dishes like soft dumplings (nokedli) and fluffy shredded pancakes (császármorzsa). For something with a modern twist, Tölcsibe serves fried chicken in a cone, and Kolbice redefines the traditional Hungarian sausage with gourmet toppings... Whether it’s a lángos by the Danube or a sweet chimney cake savored under the city lights, Budapest’s street food scene offers travelers a true taste of Hungary’s cuisine, culture, and heart." 

Deals today 
• This week's Wednesday night special at Waterfront stores is sea scallops.

• Kids eat free on Wednesday at Short E's BBQ (8805 Chambray Blvd., Johnston).

• Fareway is offering $5 rotisserie chicken on Wednesdays. Other days they cost about $9.

• Whatcha Smokin? (Highway 17, Luther) has a brisket burnt ends special on Wednesdays. 

• The Bistro at Iowa Culinary Institute is open for its fall season in Building 7 of Dees Moines Area Community College in Ankeny. Lunch will be served Wednesdays through Fridays till Dec.5. $17 for a buffet or three course a la carte with a drink. 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

• Kelly's Little Nipper (1701 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers any burger with a side for $10 on Wednesdays. 

• Exile (1514 Walnut St., Des Moines) offers a $12 burger basket with fries and a beer on Wednesdays. 

• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $8 French toast or pancake breakfasts and $2 tacos, $9 wraps and $10 half-pounds of wings on Wednesdays. 

• Johnny's Italian Steakhouses have a chicken Madeira special on Wednesdays before 4 p.m., $15 including beverage.

• Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines) offers 10 wings for $10 on Wednesdays. 

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

• Paula's (524 Elm, Valley Junction) has a Wednesday special beef stew with biscuit $13.50.

• Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) has all you can eat fried chicken dinners on Wednesdays, $23.99 after 5 p.m. 

• 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 Wednesday special lasagna dinner plus 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, Des Moines) 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) 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.

• Kwik Stars' Wednesday special is eight pieces of fried chicken for $10.

• On Wednesdays flatbreads are $10 at Tito's Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale). 

• Jethro's have $9.95 BPT sandwiches, including a side of choice, on Wednesdays.  
 
• Hy-Vee Market Grilles are offering a buy one get one half priced on sushi rolls Wednesdays in December.

• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) begins a week long sale on avocados at 79 cents, raspberries or blackberries at two for $5, and Atlantic salmon filets at $8.99/pound.

• Price Chopper has avocados on sale at two for $1, red or gold potatoes at $2.99/5 pounds and winter squash at 88 cents/pound through Monday.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1967: First human heart transplant. On Dec. 3, 1967, 53-year-old Louis Washkansky receives the first human heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.  ... READ MORE

1979: Last AMC Pacer rolls off assembly line. On Dec. 3, 1979, the last Pacer rolls off the assembly line at the American Motors Corporation (AMC) factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin. When the car first came on the market in 1975, it was a sensation, hailed as the car of the future. “When you buy any other car,” ads said, “all you end up with is today’s car. When you get a Pacer, you get a piece of tomorrow.” By 1979, however, sales had faded considerably. Today, polls and experts agree: The Pacer was one of the worst cars of all time. ... READ MORE

1992: First SMS text message is sent. On Dec. 3, 1992, the first SMS text message in history is sent: Neil Papworth, a 22-year-old engineer, uses a personal computer to send the text message “Merry Christmas” via the Vodafone network to the phone of a colleague. ... READ MORE

 www.history.com