FROM KCCI: Fire damages historic Mitchellville home tied to Underground Railroad. A house fire in rural Mitchellville may have destroyed more than a family residence, threatening a rare piece of Iowa history tied to the Underground Railroad. Fire crews were called to a residential structure fire shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday in the 6900 block of Northeast 112th Street, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Multiple area fire departments responded. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: House Republicans introduce ‘tough-on-crime’ bills. Iowa House Republicans released their ‘tough-on-crime’ legislative package on Wednesday, which includes a new three-strike system for some repeat offenders. Representative Steven Holt of Denison proposed a bill that would create a stricter three-strike system in the state. Under current law, a person convicted of a Class C or Class D felony who has two or more prior felony convictions will serve a mandatory minimum sentence of three years without parole. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Wednesday pursuit ends with successful PIT maneuver on East 14th Street, DMPD says. A police pursuit ended north of Grand View University's campus with a successful PIT maneuver Wednesday. According to the Des Moines Police Department, a man with warrants fled when officers tried to stop him. The chase ended at E. 14th Street and Henderson Avenue after the PIT maneuver. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Starmer and Xi call for deeper UK-China ties as Trump shakes up global relations. The leaders of Britain and China called Thursday for a “strategic partnership” to deepen ties between their nations at a time of growing global turbulence as they sought to thaw relations after years of chill. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: New videos show Alex Pretti scuffle with federal officers in Minneapolis 11 days before his death. Alex Pretti was forcefully taken to the ground by federal immigration agents after kicking out the tail light of their vehicle during a Minneapolis protest 11 days before he was shot and killed by Border Patrol officers, videos that emerged Wednesday show. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: John Deere recalls dozens of employees to eastern Iowa plants. Dozens of John Deere employees are being called back to work in eastern Iowa due to increased demand. The company says all 99 returning employees work in production and assembly. That includes 75 people in Davenport and 24 in Dubuque. They are expected to start by mid-February. In recent years, hundreds of people have been laid off at John Deere plants across Iowa. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

A dusting to 1 inch of snow across far western and southwest Iowa today. Maybe some flurries elsewhere. Another cold blast Friday. Could get enough light snow Sunday to cause some travel issues. Another light snow chance Tuesday.

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

Gina Gedler at Noce. First show of the New Year! Saturday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m. She will be joined by a stellar band and sassy back up chicks for this celebration of four iconic women: Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Linda Ronstadt, and Peggy Lee. A great night of tunes that will strike a chord and bring back some good memories.

— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz

The Rinehardt Room upped the stakes on February decadence with a six-course dinner featuring truffles Feb. 6, 6 p.m., $255. The menu includes: cognac, white truffle honey-brushed sugar cube, orange bitters and brut; Macaroon with foie gras ganache and truffles; black truffle pretzel knots with triple cream fondue; lobster tail Americaine with black truffle and Carolina Gold pilaf; duck egg fazzoletti with truffle butter and Parmesan Reggiano; chicken ballontine with truffled farce and chestnut velouté; and a vanilla tart with toasted almond frangipane, salted vanilla caramel, whipped white chocolate ganache. This is still a go despite Django's announced spring closing. 

Iowa Senate Agriculture Committee is voting on an amendment that would check rising credit card swipe fees and require at least two competing networks on credit cards issued by the largest banks — injecting competition into a market dominated by two companies. That simple change could save merchants and consumers more than $17 billion annually according to Iowa Restaurant Association. The bill would prohibit credit card companies from charging interchange (“swipe”) fees on state and local taxes, ensuring fees apply only to the actual purchase price — not money businesses collect and remit on the state’s behalf. Swipe fees are now the third-largest expense for most restaurants, costing Iowa restaurants an estimated $168 million annually, including $11.75 million on sales tax alone. 

Deals today
• Thursdays are triple decker Reuben day at Graziano Brothers (1601 S. Union St., Des Moines).
 
• Quarter pound cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches are $3.39 each on Thursdays at Kwik Star.
 
• Bennigan's (4800 Merle Hay Road, Urbandale) has a $10.99 burger, fries and a pint deal on Thursdays.
 
• Taco pizzas are the Thursday special at Walker's Place (475 N.E. Broadway Ave., Des Moines).
 
•  AJ's (Prairie Meadows) has an 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.
 
• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moine) offers spaghetti dinners with 8-ounce meatballs and salad for $22 on Wednesdays.
 
• Chelsea's Courtyard (100 MLK, Des Moines) 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 haves sales through Tuesday on avocados at $.45, bacon wrapped jalapeno peppers at $6.49 pound, and mandarins at $2.69/3-pound bag.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale through Sunday on boneless NY strips at $12.99/pound and through Tuesday on Coho salmon filets at $6.99/pound and sirloin tip roasts at &5.99/pound.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1845: “The Raven” is published. Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem “The Raven,” beginning “Once upon a midnight dreary,” is published on this day in the New York Evening Mirror. … READ MORE

1936: U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame elects first members. On Jan. 29, 1936, the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame elects its first members in Cooperstown, New York: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Matthewson and Walter Johnson. … READ MORE

2002: George W. Bush describes Iraq, Iran, and North Korea as “axis of evil.” On Jan. 29, 2002, in his first State of the Union address since the Sept. 11 attacks, President George W. Bush describes Iraq, Iran and North Korea as an "axis of evil.”   … READ MORE

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