FROM KCCI: Iowa soldier among 6 US service members killed in Iranian strike in Kuwait. The Pentagon has released the names of four service members who were killed Sunday in a drone strike in Kuwait, including a man from West Des Moines. All four Army Reserve soldiers were killed Sunday when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. That was just a day after the U.S. and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran, which launched retaliatory strikes. Two others killed in the strike have not yet been identified. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: ISU ends women’s gymnastics program after ‘unreconcilable internal conflicts’.  Iowa State Athletics announced on Tuesday that it will be ending its women’s gymnastics program. ISU Athletics Director Jamie Pollard said the women’s gymnastics program would be replaced with another sport. Pollard said the department will research options available over the next several months. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Student injured, another student detained after stabbing at Des Moines middle school. A student at Brody Middle School has been taken to a local hospital after they were stabbed Tuesday. Des Moines police responded to the incident just before 11:15 a.m. When they arrived, first responders found that school staff had separated the two students involved in the incident and were providing first aid to the injured student. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Israel targets Iran’s security forces and leadership as Iran presses attacks across the region. The United States and Israel hit Iran’s capital and other cities in multiple airstrikes on Wednesday, the fifth day of the war with Iran. Israel targeted the Iranian leadership and security forces as the Islamic Republic responded with missile barrages and drone attacks on Israel and across the region. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Father who gave gun to Georgia school shooting suspect for Christmas is guilty of 2nd-degree murder. A Georgia man who gave his teenage son the gun he’s accused of using to kill two students and two teachers at a high school was convicted Tuesday of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Jurors took less than two hours to find Colin Gray guilty of all charges in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Keokuk County tattoo artist charged with sexual assault of client. A Keokuk County tattoo artist was arrested on Monday for the alleged sexual assault of a client. In early February, a female victim reported to the Fairfield Police Department that she had been sexually assaulted by a tattoo artist while she was getting a tattoo on her thigh. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

A few morning showers are possible today. Otherwise expect a high near 50. Showers and storms are possible tonight into Thursday morning. Thursday will be sunny and warmer otherwise. An early and a late round of storms are likely Friday, with a strong storm possible later.

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

Woebegone Wednesday
Francie's Bar and Grill is being sold to new owners at the end of the month after 39 years as a southside heirloom.

Is blue new? There is no mention of the color blue in ancient literature. The “Odyssey” mentions all other primary and secondary colors but not blue, and it was written about a 10 years-long sea voyage. Homer called the sky “iron” and “bronze” but never blue. He described the sea as “wine dark.” The oldest evidence that people recognized the color we call blue comes for Old Norse blár, in the days of the Vikings. It first described the sky, the sea and the blueberry. 

Deals today
• B&B Grocery, Meat and Deli (2001 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines) has a Wednesday special Killer's Philly cheesesteak with fries and a soda for $11.95.

• Waterfont's Wednesday special this week is fresh flounder. 

• Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola) offers Chicago dogs as today's special. 

• Today is fried chicken with sweet potatoes day at Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni).
 
• Wednesdays are Chicago Italian beef sandwich day at Graziano Brothers (1601 S. Union St., Des Moines).
 
•  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., East Village) has a four-course tasting menu tonight for $125.
 
• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moine) offers Walleye Wednesday with dinners $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 Chambray 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., Des Moines) 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, Des Moines) 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.) where the gravy is made with pan drippings.
 
• Wine bottles are half price on Wednesdays at Trostel's Greenbriar (5910 Merle Hay Road, Johnston), Table 128 (220 S.W. Ninth, Des Moines) and The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines). 
 
• G Mig's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction) offers a Wednesday special spaghetti and meatballs dinner with 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. They are open till April.
 
• 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 breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches, including a side of choice, on Wednesdays.  
 
• The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines) has a Wednesday day special of chopped cheeseburger with a side for $12.

Hump day music with dinner
NOLA Jazz plays Surety Hotel at 5 p.m... Betsy Hickok/Ron Roberts Duo with Steve Charlson play Louie’s Wine Dive at 6 p.m... Dustin Baird is at Gilroy’s at 6 p.m... Brother Trucker is at Maggie’s Rumble Room at 7 p.m.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1789: Government under the U.S. Constitution begins. The first session of the U.S. Congress is held in New York City as the U.S. Constitution takes effect. However, of the 22 senators and 59 representatives called to represent the 11 states who had ratified the document, only nine senators and 13 representatives showed up to begin negotiations for its amendment.  … READ MORE

1918: First cases reported in deadly 1918 flu pandemic. Just before breakfast on the morning of March 4, Private Albert Gitchell of the U.S. Army reports to the hospital at Fort Riley, Kansas, complaining of the cold-like symptoms of sore throat, fever and headache. Soon after, over 100 of his fellow soldiers had reported similar symptoms, marking what are believed to be the first cases in the historic influenza pandemic of 1918, later known as Spanish flu. The flu would eventually kill 675,000 Americans and an estimated 20 million to 50 million people around the world, proving to be a far deadlier force than even the First World War. … READ MORE

1974: “People” magazine launches. On March 4, 1974, actress Mia Farrow from The Great Gatsby graces the cover of the inaugural issue of People, a weekly celebrity and human interest magazine spotlighting the personal lives of notable and intriguing people. People remains one of America’s best-selling weeklies. … READ MORE

www.history.com