FROM KCCI: Hundreds receive free gas in Des Moines during annual giveaway. Hundreds of drivers in Des Moines filled their tanks for free on Sunday during the annual Fueling Hope Gas Giveaway, an event initiated by Iowa State Rep. Rob Johnson in 2022 to give back on his birthday. This year's giveaway took place at the Kwik Star on Northeast 14th Street, where about $30,000 worth of gas was distributed. Dozens of volunteers joined Johnson to help fill the tanks. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Several crews fight overnight blaze in Melcher-Dallas. Several crews responded to fight an overnight blaze that lasted hours earlier this week in Melcher-Dallas. The Melcher-Dallas Fire Department says crews were called to a residential structure fire just outside of town around 5:12 p.m. on Friday. Due to harsh winter weather, including high winds and frigid temperatures, Melcher-Dallas says they faced additional challenges fighting the flames. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Des Moines police investigating 50+ reports of stolen SNAP benefits. Des Moines police have received more than 50 reports of stolen SNAP benefits so far in January. Thieves are using a process called skimming to prey on people before they even realize. “It's a really challenging case to investigate, but it's also a really frustrating one,” Sgt. Paul Parizek said. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Death toll in Spanish train collision rises to 39 and authorities fear more bodies could be found. Spanish police said Monday that at least 39 people are confirmed dead in a high-speed train collision the previous night in the south of the country. Efforts to recover the bodies are continuing and the death toll is likely to rise. Some bodies were found hundreds of meters from the crash site, Andalusia regional president Juanma Moreno said. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Army puts 1,500 soldiers on standby for possible Minnesota deployment, AP sources say. The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active duty soldiers to be ready in case of a possible deployment to Minnesota, where federal authorities have been conducting a massive immigration enforcement operation, two defense officials said Sunday. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Crews battle house fire near Clarinda Saturday, no injuries reported. No injuries were reported after a house fire near Clarinda Saturday afternoon. Clarinda Fire Chief Roger Williams confirmed to KMA News that crews from the Clarinda Fire Department were called at around 2:35 p.m. to 203 Chickasaw Road for reports of a garage on fire. Just minutes later, Williams says a second page came out that the fire had spread into the residential structure. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

A cold MLK Day in progress. Flurries are possible Tuesday and light snow Wednesday. Watching for snow late next weekend.

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

Back to the Biz
Ingersoll Theater installed a movie screen last week, and they are talking Super Bowl Party and classic movie re-runs. Meanwhile, shows have been sold out since day one.
 
A new indoor-outdoor food and entertainment hub is going up in Kettlestone Plaza, a mixed-use development in Waukee along Grand Prairie and Westown Parkway. Kettlestone Social will be a year-round venue with a food hall for six vendors. It is developing under Caliber Company...Tashi Chompel opened Toyo Ramen & Japanese Street Foods Jan. 1 in The District at Prairie Trail... Triple Crown Sports Bar closed… Heroics Sports Bar opened featuring women’s sports… Dine and Dance with CultureALL offers dinner, demos and dance lessons: "Sip and Cook: It's a Wrap!" with chef Nhina Chau on Jan. 30 at Heavenly Asian Cuisine & Lounge; "A Night in Peru: Music, Culture and Traditional Flavors" with chef Mariela Maya on Feb. 16 at Panka; and "Rhythm and Roots: An Afro-Caribbean Dinner" with chef Amara Sama on March 3 at Palms DSM are scheduled.

Deals today
• Hy-Vee Market Grilles offer chicken fried steak specials on Mondays for $8. 

• Today is chicken fried steak day at Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni).

• It's catfish night at Waterfront stores. Dinners cooked any way you like it, $19.99.

• Kids eat free on Monday at Curbin' Cuisine (1325 S.W. Oralabor Road, Suite 200, Ankeny).

• It's Meat Loaf Monday at Mickey's in Yale.

• Chuck's (3610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines) Monday special is three for $25 on all appetizers.

•  Bubba (200 10th St., Des Moines) has a Monday night sirloin dinner special for $20. 

• Kelly's Little Nipper (1701 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers a "Monday grind" special grinder and fries basket for $9.50.

• Monday brings prime rib specials to both Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) and Christopher's (2816 Beaver Ave., Des Moines).

• Trostel's Greeenbriar (Merle Hay Road, Johnston) has a Monday burger with a side and beer deal for $14.   

• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) has $8 omelets and $10 hot beef sandwiches or Mexican bowls on Mondays.

• Johnny's Italian Steakhouses have a chicken de Burgo special on Mondays before 4 p.m., $14 including beverage.
 
• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) hosts Shelby Smokehouse Soul Food on Mondays, 5-9 p.m.
 
• G Mig's (126 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has $11 smashburgers today including a side.
 
• The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll, Des Moines) has a Monday special Graziano grinder with a side for $12.
 
• The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines) offers a Monday special double smash burger and shoestring fries, $12.
 
• Jethro's have a Monday chicken tenders and fries special $9.95.

• Angry Goldfish (2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has specials on chicken Parmesan and lasagna today, $15 with garlic bread and salad.

• Eastside Eddie’s (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) Monday  special is a burger with domestic beer, soft drink or well drink for $10.  

• Centro (1003 Locust St., Des Moines) offers half-price pizza and Peronis on Monday.

• Pelican Post (265 50th St., West Des Moines) has a special today on hot beef sandwiches, $10.95 all day. 

• Tito’s Lounge (3916 Urbandale Drive, Urbandale) offers all-you-can-eat wings Mondays. 

• Johnny's Hall of Fame (302 Court Ave., Des Moines) has $12 burger baskets on Mondays and Fridays.

• Urban Cellars (640 S. 50th St., West Des Moines) offers $60 wine dinners for two on Mondays including two entrees with soup or salad, a dessert and a bottle on wine. 

• Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines) has a burger basket with fries deal Mondays for $9. 

• Red Lobster's Monday special is lobster and shrimp scampi with a side for $20. 

• Paula's (524 Elm St., Valley Junction) has a Monday special homemade tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwich for $12.50. 

• Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a Monday steak night special, sirloins and truffle fries for $18.

• Price Chopper delis offer two-piece, bone-in fried chicken dinners with two sides and a roll for $7 on Mondays. 

• Aldi stores offer mandarins at $2.99/3-pound bag, avocados at 49 cents and mangos at 75 cents through Tuesday.

• Fareways have specials through Saturday on Bartlett and red Bartlett pears at $1.48/pound, chicken hindquarters at $1.29/pound and AE yogurts for $.48.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1952: PGA approves participation of Black golfers. On Jan. 19, 1952, Professional Golfers Association president Horton Smith announces that a seven-man committee “almost unanimously” votes to allow Black golfers to compete in PGA co-sponsored events. With the announcement, Smith hopes that Black golfers participate in the next two events, the Phoenix Open and Tucson Open. “I shall feel our efforts here will have gone for little if the plan doesn’t work out the next two events,” he says.   … READ MORE

1972: Sandy Koufax becomes youngest player elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. On Jan. 19,  1972, 36-year-old Sandy Koufax, the former Los Angeles Dodgers star, becomes the youngest player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. "This is the only thing that's made having to retire early a little easier," says Koufax, who retired at age 30. "This is the biggest honor I've ever been given, not just in baseball, but in my life.” … READ MORE

1999: First BlackBerry device hits the market. On Jan. 19, 1999, the first BlackBerry pager, BlackBerry 850, is released. BlackBerry devices go on to drive explosive growth for upstart Canadian producer Research in Motion (RIM), dominating the U.S. smartphone market for much of the 2000s. But they eventually lose their market share to Apple's iPhone. … READ MORE

www.history.com