FROM KCCI: President Trump, Iowa officials honor Sgts. Howard, Torres-Tovar in dignified transfer. The bodies of two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in Syria, and a U.S. civilian interpreter, were returned to the United States on Wednesday, where they were honored during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Identity of man found dead in Des Moines homeless camp released. Officials have identified a man who was found dead late Sunday night in a homeless encampment in a wooded area in northeast Des Moines. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said the body of Nai Wee, 55, was located just before midnight in an area about a mile north of the Polk County River Place. PCSO said Wee was originally from Thailand and spoke Burmese. Wee did not have any known family members in the local area. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Violating Iowa’s hands-free driving law will come with a price starting in 2026. Drivers in Iowa can expect to be fined if they use their cell phone on the roads starting Jan. 1. The law requires all drivers to only use an electronic device while it is in hands-free mode or voice-activated. That means drivers are limited to a single touch or using voice commands to utilize the electronic device. These devices include cell phones, tablets, laptops, gaming devices and other similar devices. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD:  Some sanctioned oil vessels divert from Venezuela as Trump threatens blockade. Some oil vessels are diverting away from Venezuela after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the South American country, a dramatic escalation in the White House’s pressure campaign on leader Nicolás Maduro. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: What to know about the search for the Brown University shooter. The investigation into the Brown University mass shooting has dragged on for more than four days with no named suspect, motive, weapon or even a clear image of the assailant’s face that might help bring them to justice. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Fort Dodge man charged with arson in August building fire. A Fort Dodge man has been charged with arson in connection to a building fire that occurred in August. On Aug. 26 the Fort Dodge Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 1100 block of Central Avenue. When crews arrived, they found smoke billowing from a three-story building. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Rain will wrap up this morning. A wind advisory is in effect for western and central Iowa from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Winds will gust from 40 to 50 mph. Even after the advisory expires, we'll still be pretty windy tonight. Temps also will drop through the afternoon, down to the 20s by sunset. Wind chills will be below zero tonight into Friday morning.

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

Salt expands the English language
Campbell’s fired Vice President of Information Technology Martin Bally last month after he was caught on tape saying the company’s soup was “highly processed,” was "s..t made for f...ing poor people” and used lab-grown and 3D printed chicken. The company said the claims were “patently absurd.” WSJ reviewed the soup and concluded that high amounts of sodium were the most concerning ingredient. (But all canned foods have that.) Campbell’s said it has many varieties of lower-sodium soup, as well as unsalted versions to help consumers meet their unique dietary needs. 

There is a word now explaining why too much salt is in canned foods — nutrition researchers call it "hyperpalatable" because excess salt makes people eat too much.

Deals today
• Chelsea's Courtyard (100 MLK) has buck burgers Thursdays. $1!

• Istanbul Grill Cafe & Bakery (3281 100th St., Urbandale) has a Thursday special of $11.99 for a döner wrap with fries as well as $5 off döner plate which comes with Turkish salad and your choice of rice or bulgur. 

•  Hot beef sandwiches are a Thursday special at Club 2000. 

• Maxie's (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) Thursday special for $20.95 is half a fried chicken with potato, side of spaghetti and a salad. Lunch and dinner.

• Mullets Norwalk offers two two-topping pizzas for $20 on Thursdays, 4 p.m. to close.

• Buzzard Billy's (615 Third St., Des Moines) has $2 off appetizers on Thursdays.

• Whatcha Smokin? (Highway 17, Luther) has a pork belly burnt ends special on Thursdays.

• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $10 country fried breakfasts and $9 tenderloins or shrimp/fish tacos on Thursdays.

• Ruth's Chris (Ashworth Road at Jordan Creek Parkway) has a Thursday special with their decadent RBAR burgers and fries going for $16.

• Steak Nights: Sirloin steak dinners are featured specials today at Johnny's Italian Steakhouses (before 4 p.m.), Sully's Irish Pub (860 First St., West Des Moines); Front Row (9956 Swanson Blvd., Clive); Winn’s Pizza and Steakhouse (122 W. Ashland Ave., Indianola); and Hy-Vee Market Grilles. The Station on Ingersoll (3120 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has a ribeye special on Thursdays. Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St. West Des Moines) offers ribeyes and sirloins only on Thursdays after 5 p.m.

• Mullets has a Thursday pizza special — buy one large specialty pizza and get a free 14-inch two-topping pizza.

• Kids eat free at Scornovacca’s (1930 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines) on Thursdays.

• ShortE's BBQ (8505 Chambery Blvd., Johnston) has $1 smoked wings Thursdays.

• Jethro's Thursday special is a pound of boneless "wings" for $8.

• Bevy’s Tavern (1300 50th St., West Des Moines) has a special of beef stew and cornbread Thursdays for $13.

• Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a "Comfort Thursday" special chicken fried De Burgo, a gluten-free spin on DSM's classic. $16

• The Dam Pub (2710 Beaver Ave., Des Moines) has a throwback Thursday special goulash with garlic toast.

• The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines) has $7 loaded fries on Thursdays.

• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on spiral hams at $1.49/pound, navel oranges at $2.99/4-pound bag and red grapes at $1.49/pound.

• 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

1620: Mayflower arrives at Plymouth Harbor. On Dec. 18, 1620, with the English ship Mayflower anchored in Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, a small party of sailors from the vessel go ashore, as its passengers prepare to begin their new settlement, Plymouth Colony. ... READ MORE

1865: Slavery abolished in America with adoption of 13th amendment. Following its ratification by the requisite three-quarters of the states earlier in the month, the 13th Amendment is formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution, ensuring that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude… shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” ... READ MORE

2019: President Donald Trump impeached for the first time. On Dec. 18, 2019, after weeks of discussions among legislators, the House of Representatives vote to impeach the 45th President, Donald Trump, for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The vote fell largely along party lines: 230 in favor, 197 against and 1 present. Trump became only the third president ever to be impeached, joining Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, after concerns about his alleged attempts to seek foreign interference in the 2020 election. ... READ MORE

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