FROM KCCI: House fire rekindles on Watrous Avenue in Des Moines. A house fire on Des Moines's south side reignited between 6:30 and 7 p.m., according to the Des Moines Fire Department. Scott Ingvaldson sent in video footage from Watrous Avenue showing large flames and electrical sparks. Fire crews managed to extinguish the flames, but at least one crew remained on the scene to address hot spots. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Emails show Ian Roberts personally added inaccurate credential to his hiring announcement. Newly obtained internal emails suggest there were early warning signs during the hiring of former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts, though their significance was unclear at the time. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Iowa AG Brenna Bird suing Roblox for endangering children. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has filed a lawsuit against the gaming company Roblox for a lack of safety controls that endangers Iowa children. According to the release, Roblox has failed to "protect Iowa kids from sexual exploitation, facilitating distribution of child sex abuse material, and failing to warn Iowa parents of the ongoing sexual exploitation of children occurring on Roblox." ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Trump expands travel ban and restrictions to include an additional 20 countries. The Trump administration announced Tuesday it was expanding travel restrictions to an additional 20 countries and the Palestinian Authority, doubling the number of nations affected by sweeping limits announced earlier this year on who can travel and emigrate to the U.S. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Rob Reiner’s son Nick set to appear in court on 2 counts of murder in killing of his parents. Rob Reiner’s son Nick Reiner is expected to make his first court appearance Wednesday on two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Fort Dodge mayor’s OWI case: Judge says traffic stop was unjustified. A judge has ruled some of the evidence in the OWI case against Fort Dodge’s mayor is not admissible after determining the traffic stop that resulted in the charge was not justified. Matt Bemrich, identified in court documents as James Matthew Bemerich, was charged with OWI after a Fort Dodge police officer attempted to pull him over on Sept. 10. Criminal complaints filed in the case claimed Bemrich was observed crossing the center of the roadway multiple times and made an improper turn. The document stated he didn’t pull over at first and instead drove to his home address. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Low 40s today. Will have to watch for refreeze on the overnights. Low 40s Thursday with rain early. Cooler temps in the low 30s Friday. Long range forecasts keep us dry until the 27th or so.

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

Woebegone Wednesday
National Beef: One of four beef packers that control 85% of all beef in the U.S. is wholly owned now by Brazil's MBRF Global. Brazil is the largest exporter of beef to the U.S., especially now that Mexican beef is not allowed in because of disease. 

• Mitzi's (125 Fifth, Valley Junction) offers $7 cheeseburger and fries deals on Wednesday. 

• 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.

• Kelly's Little Nipper (1701 E. Grand Ave.) 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) offers 10 wings for $10 on Wednesdays. 

• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) 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), Table 128 (220 S.W. Ninth, Des Moines) and The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines). 

• G Mig's (128 5th 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.).

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

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

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

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

• 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.

• Price Chopper stores have sales through Dec. 29 on russet potatoes at $2.99/10-pound bag, Sugardale bone-in half hams at $1.99/pound, and mandarin oranges at $2.99/3-pound bag.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale on pork loin roasts for $1.99/pound, limit of two, boneless legs of lamb for $8.99/pound and jumbo dry sea scallop pieces for $10.99/pound through Tuesday.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1903: First airplane flies. Near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight in history of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft on Dec. 17, 1903. Orville piloted the gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane, which stayed aloft for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on its inaugural flight. ... READ MORE

1944: U.S. approves end to internment of Japanese Americans. During World War II, U.S. Major General Henry C. Pratt issues Public Proclamation No. 21, declaring that, effective Jan. 2, 1945, Japanese American “evacuees” from the West Coast could return to their homes. ... READ MORE

1963: Clean Air Act becomes law. On Dec. 17, 1963, one of the first major pieces of environmental legislation in the United States becomes law. The Clean Air Act empowers federal and state agencies to research and regulate air pollution, marking a major expansion of government efforts to fight back against the damage being done to the climate. ... READ MORE

 www.history.com