FROM KCCI: Full text of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' 2026 Condition of the State speech. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds delivered her 2026 Condition of the State address Tuesday night from the Iowa House chamber at the Capitol building in Des Moines. The following is a full transcription of Reynolds' address. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Des Moines International Airport set new record in 2025. The Des Moines International Airport announced on Tuesday that it set a new record in 2025. Officials said the airport set a new all-time passenger record. In total, the airport saw 3,254,107 passengers, a 2.4% increase over 2024. This is the third year in a row that the airport has surpassed three million passengers, officials said. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Polk County supervisors unanimously approve final phase of project to reduce ag runoff. On Tuesday, the Polk County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the final phase of the Central Iowa Cover Crop Seeder Project, a collaborative effort to reduce agricultural runoff. This final phase of the multi-year project aims to scale up cover crop adoption from 32,736 acres to 40,000 acres of farmland. The crops will be installed around all of Polk County's waterways, according to Supervisor Matt McCoy. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: A construction crane falls onto a moving train in Thailand, killing at least 30 people. A construction crane fell onto a moving passenger train, causing a fiery derailment Wednesday that killed at least 30 people and injured scores in northeastern Thailand. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Trump threatens to halt federal money next month not only to sanctuary cities but also their states. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that starting Feb. 1 he will deny federal funding to any states that are home to local governments resisting his administration’s immigration policies, expanding on previous threats to cut off resources to the so-called sanctuary cities themselves. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Iowa Great Lakes family credits carbon monoxide detector with saving their lives. A family in the Iowa Great Lakes is counting their blessings after a close call with carbon monoxide in their home. Di Lorenzen was awakened by her carbon monoxide detector in the middle of the night. “I was in this deep sleep, I woke up thinking what in the world,” Lorenzen said. The culprit was a malfunctioning collector box in the home’s furnace. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Colder air moves in on a breezy day today. Light snow chances will be with us intermittently from Thursday afternoon into Saturday. Colder for the weekend.

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

Woebegone Wednesday
Is this the beginning of the end for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese? It first sold in 1937 for 19 cents a box, the creation of Chicago cheese monger James L. Kraft. He started by selling cheese from a horse-drawn wagon. Marketed as "a meal for four," it caught on during World War II and ruled supermarket shelves through the growing up years of six generations. With a billion dollars in annual sales, Kraft grew complacent about defending it from new challenges. Those began seriously a decade ago when General Mills bought Annie's, an organic M&C product.

Kraft Mac & Cheese's market share is down to 39%, from 45% in 2022, according to Circana. Goodles, pitching itself as a fun, healthier take on an old classic, now has 6% of the market with macaroni infused with protein and nutrients from spinach, pumpkin and kale. It sells for double Kraft's price. Goodles is targeting a different group — young adults secretly eating mac and cheese. In the 40 weeks ended Nov. 2, Kraft mac and cheese sales declined 4% from the year-earlier period. (WSJ)

Cheba Hut brought its brownie back after a brief retirement. Company marketing says it's perfect when paired with toasted sandwiches. Cheba Hut also sells THC beverages. 

Deals today
• Today is fried chicken with mac and cheese day at Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni).

• Breaded pork chops are today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola).

•  AJ's (Prairie Meadows) has a new early bird menu on Wednesday and Thursday from 4-6 p.m. Half pound burgers with frites $15, pasta and chicken dinners, $20-22, seafood and steak dinners $27-30. Prime rib dinners for $30 all night. 

• Hy-Vees offer chicken and noodles dinners for $5 on Wednesdays.

• Clyde's Fine Diner (111 E. Grand Ave.) has a four-course tasting menu tonight for $125.

• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moine) offers Walleye Wednesday with dinners of walleye, $21.

• Jack’s Place (6112 S.W. Ninth, Des Moines) has 10 wings for $10 Wednesdays.

• 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 Chambrey 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., 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.) 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 and steak night too.

• 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. It's also hot beef sandwich day at Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) where the gravy is made with pan drippings.

• 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 SW Ninth, Des Moines) and The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines). 

• 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. 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.  

• Price Chopper stores have sales through Monday on cherries at $2.99/pound, chicken wings at $2.50/pound and frozen pollock or swai filets at $3.49/pound.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1639: The first colonial constitution. In Hartford, Connecticut, the first constitution in the American colonies, the “Fundamental Orders,” is adopted by representatives of Wethersfield, Windsor, and Hartford. … READ MORE

1784: Continental Congress ratifies the Treaty of Paris, ending the American Revolution. On Jan. 14, 1784, the Continental Congress ratifies the Treaty of Paris, ending the War for Independence. … READ MORE

1967: San Francisco’s “Human Be-In” launches the Summer of Love. The Human Be-In is held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on Jan. 14, 1967, launching the "Summer of Love." The event draws more than 20,000 people to enjoy peace, love, music and psychedelics. … READ MORE

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