Daily Umbrella Jan. 27:safety, respect stressed ahead of Trump visit; wonder bargain of the week; where are whales weighed?

Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026

Good morning to you!

You have heard it many times: It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity. For some of us living in the frozen tundra region right now, either one of those sounds quite nice — for a day or two. Then, we complain about the heat and humidity much like we complain about the cold and the wind.

I guess it is human nature to want what we don’t have and then not want it when we do have it. Fortunately, for us Iowans, in terms of weather, we get it all. And, ultimately, that’s the way most of us like it.

This past weekend, I was reminded that, although the heat and humidity discussions may hold water in Arizona, we have winter words that define our challenges here. Those of you who had the courage to get outdoors over the weekend will likely agree. In Iowa winters, it’s not the temperature; it’s the wind chill.

Yes, the wind chill, that meddling measure of how cold it feels outside when the wretched wind combines with the air temperature. The wind increases heat loss from our exposed skin, and it makes the air feel colder than it actually is. And, unlike some of the other weather terms that create unnecessary hype, this is real.

We had an event on Saturday afternoon appropriately called Fire & Ice. It was a hockey-themed bar crawl in Valley Junction, and it was a lot of fun. Samples of winter-themed drinks were served, and participants were able to experience many of the great establishments on Fifth Street in Valley Junction. Some of our regular participants opted to sit this one out because of the single-digit temperatures. To be honest, we had concerns, too. The end result, though, was quite pleasing. The sun was out. The snow was scarce. And the wind was non-existent. I spent most of the afternoon outside welcoming people at the check-in. Yes, I was dressed appropriately and was standing near the outdoor space heaters, but I was comfortable. Had the wind picked up like it did yesterday, it would have been a different story.

Do you ever wonder where and why we started measuring this wind chill thing? The concept of the wind chill factor was apparently developed in the 1940s by Antarctic explorers Paul Allman Siple and Charles Passel. They created the first wind chill formulas based on their observations. The wind chill index was then made widely available by the National Weather Service in the 1970s, and a new formula was implemented in 2001.

Heat and humidity? Those are terms for the desert dwellers. In Iowa, our weather words are cold and wind. And, when we plan properly, we are just fine with that — at least for a few more weeks.

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thank you for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

Read more of Shane Goodman's columns here.

News headlines

FROM KCCI: Clive police stress safety, respect ahead of Trump visit and planned protests. President Donald Trump will return to Iowa on Tuesday, prompting road closures and heightened security in the city of Clive. As part of preparations for the visit, Clive police are emphasizing safety and respect for both attendees and protesters planning to gather near the event. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Iowa man faces slew of charges for allegedly ramming into victim’s car repeatedly. A Jefferson man is facing a slew of charges after law enforcement says he chased a woman and repeatedly rammed into her vehicle. Court records say that on Friday the Jefferson Police Department responded to a 911 call that reported a man was repeatedly hitting a woman’s vehicle with his vehicle and was trying to kill her. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Crews battle fully engulfed house fire south of Creston Monday night. Fire crews from at least two towns battled a house fire in southwest Iowa on Monday night. In a Facebook post, the Creston Fire Department said it was fighting a fire in Kent. The Lenox Fire Department was called in to assist. Creston firefighters were dispatched to the fire, located in the 1000 block of 242nd Street, around 6:20 p.m., the department told Local 5. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Israel recovers remains of the last hostage in Gaza. Ceasefire moves into tricky new phase. Israel brought home the remains of the last hostage in Gaza on Monday, closing a painful chapter for the country and clearing the way for the next and more challenging phase of its ceasefire with Hamas. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Bovino is set to leave Minneapolis as Trump reshuffles the leadership of his immigration crackdown. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino is expected to leave Minneapolis on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter, as the Trump administration reshuffles leadership of its immigration enforcement operation and scales back the federal presence after a second fatal shooting by federal officers. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Iowa teacher shortage shows improvement with 99% of positions filled. The Iowa Department of Education reports nearly 99% of Iowa’s full-time teaching positions were filled this school year, an improvement from prior years, and three times better than the national average. At the University of Iowa, more students are pursuing teaching careers. In spring 2020, 132 students graduated from the University to become teachers. In Spring 2025, that number increased to 168. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Cold and dry conditions are ahead for the week. The next snow chance comes Sunday.

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

The 2025 results: CITYVIEW's Best of Des Moines®

Best Local Bathroom Facility

1. Prysm Jewelry & Piercing

2. Shade Tree Auto

3. Bike World

See all of the results

Tuesday Touts
Wonder bargain of the week. Pan fried chicken is disappearing from the American restaurant world. In Des Moines, but not in Indianola where phrases like "homemade from scratch" are literal. These pieces from Crouse Cafe were pan fried in a huge cast iron skillet that has been in the kitchen for decades. The gravy, the mashed potatoes, the baked beans and the coleslaw are also truly made from scratch. All those come with this Sunday dinner special for $10.99.

Valentine's Day surprise. Proudfoot & Bird in Hotel Fort Des Moines is running a "Dining with Dionysus" special dinner on Valentine's Day: Appetizer: spanakopita and Feta or avgolemmono; Entrée: wood grilled rack of lamb or lemon oregano wood-grilled branzino; Dessert: baklava or olive oil and blood orange cake. $95.

Deals today
• Hamburger steak with mushroom gravy is today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola).

• It's steak night at Grand Junction (1970 Grand Ave., West Des Moines). Steak, salad and potato $13.99.

• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moines) offers fried chicken dinner special on Tuesdays, $17-23, plus half-priced whiskey pours.

• Curbin' Cuisine (1325 S.W. Oralabor Road, Suite 200, Ankeny) offers a cheeseburger and fries for $7.99 today.

• Mullet’s Norwalk offers a free kids meal per adult meal on Tuesdays 4 p.m. to close.

• Mickey's Irish Pub (50 S.E. Laurel St., Waukee) has a special $7 half-pound burger with a side all day Tuesday.

• Kelly's Little Nipper (1701 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers a "Tendy's Tuesday" pork tenderloin basket with a drink for $11.50.

• Eastside Eddie's (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) has a Tuesday special cheeseburger with fries, tots or salad and a drink for $10.

• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $7 breakfasts and $8 burgers Tuesdays.

• Pelican Post (265 50th St., West Des Moines) offers a special smashburger with cheese, fries and a draft beer for $10 on Tuesdays.

• Johnny's Italian Steakhouses have a beef stroganoff special on Tuesdays, $14 including beverage.

• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) hosts 222 BBQ today from 5-9 p.m.

• Baklava is half priced Tuesdays at Istanbul Cafe and Bakery (3281 100th, Urbandale).

• Red Robin stores are featuring a $10 cheeseburger with an "endless side" on Tuesdays.

• Jethro's Tuesday special is 2 pounds of bone-in smoked wings for the price of one.
Paula's (524 Elm St., Valley Junction) runs a Tuesday special hot beef sandwich for $13.50.

• Kids meals are half price till 2 p.m. today at Machine Shed (11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale).

• Taco Tuesday brings serious discounts to La Familia (1610 Sixth Ave., Des Moines), all Taco John's, all Abelardo's, all Fernando’s, Malo (900 Mulberry St., Des Moines), Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines), Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines), The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines), Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines), Jack's Place Grill & Bar, (6112 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) and both Faustino's.

• Hy-Vees offer $5 tenderloins on Tuesdays.

• Today is beef and noodles day at Maxie's Supper Club (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines).

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

Featured in the current issue of CITYVIEW

ART NEWS
Des Moines transcends the national gloom

By Jim Duncan

Jeff Fleming’s “The Milky Way”

Listen to the elite guardians of American culture, and you might think the art world is self-destructing. The New York Times writes that the Broadway musical is doomed — by bad ticket sales, $250 average ticket prices, and audiences that prefer old classics. They have been saying that about opera for decades, though. The Washington Post writes that the Kennedy Center is doomed by lagging ticket sales and the Rambo-led barbarian hordes of Donald Trump. It has been hemorrhaging taxpayer money for decades, though. ...

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SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction

1701 22ND ST., UNIT 200, WEST DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2025-07-28
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Sports headlines

FROM ESPN: No. 1 Arizona survives BYU's late rally to remain undefeated. Brayden Burries scored 29 points and made a game-saving block in the final seconds as top-ranked Arizona remained unbeaten by holding off a furious rally from No. 13 BYU for an 86-83 victory Monday night. Jaden Bradley added 26 points for the Wildcats (21-0, 8-0 Big 12), who matched the best start in school history. ... READ MORE

FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Matthew Stafford shuts down retirement questions after Rams' NFC Championship loss. After the Rams lost to the Seahawks 31–27 in the NFC championship to miss out on their chance of reaching the Super Bowl, reporters began asking Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay if the 37-year-old quarterback had made a decision about retirement this offseason. Understandably, Stafford didn’t have an answer right after the loss. But, it sounds like retirement is something he may be considering over the next few months. ... READ MORE

FROM YAHOO SPORTS: The post-Caitlin Clark era Iowa Hawkeyes are getting hot and showing growth at the right time. The Iowa women’s basketball program will forever be distinguished by the periods before and after Caitlin Clark. And the post-CC era (also the post-head coach Lisa Bluder era) is still going just fine. The week the Hawkeyes entered the top 10 of the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since Clark went to the WNBA in 2024, and they backed up that position with wins over then-ranked No. 15 Maryland and No. 12 Ohio State. Including the win over then-No. 15 Michigan State the week prior, Iowa is on a three-game win streak over ranked opponents and an eight-game win streak overall. ... READ MORE

1943: Americans bomb Germans for first time. 8th Air Force bombers, dispatched from their bases in England, fly the first American bombing raid against the Germans, targeting the Wilhelmshaven port. Of 64 planes participating in the raid, 53 reached their target and managed to shoot down 22 German planes—and lost only three planes in return. … READ MORE

1945: Auschwitz is liberated. On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops enter Auschwitz, Poland, freeing the survivors of the network of concentration camps—and finally revealing to the world the depth of the horrors perpetrated there. … READ MORE

1951: First atomic detonation at the Nevada test site. Forcefully marking the continued importance of the West in the development of nuclear weaponry, the government detonates the first of a series of nuclear bombs at its new Nevada test site. … READ MORE

www.history.com

Birthdays and notables

Happy birthday, Ashley Sohl!

These celebrities were born on this date: Bailey Zimmerman, Noah Schnacky, Freddy Carter, Braeden Lemasters, Alan Cumming, Patton Oswalt, Rosamund Pike

SUBMIT: Send your local birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

Morning chuckle

The answer to the last riddle: Why did the whale blush? IT SAW THE OCEAN'S BOTTOM!- Gail Tomlinson. Or, Because he blew his top! - Sharon Hill Watkins. Or, He kept spouting off! - Scott Holmgren.

Today's riddle: Where are whales weighed?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Ankeny Living magazine, contact:

Angela Ossian
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 307
Mobile: 515-979-5585
angela@iowalivingmagazines.com

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