FROM KCCI: Iowa governor signs bill restricting local civil rights protections. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law Tuesday afternoon that prohibits local governments from enacting civil rights protections to groups not already protected under state law. The law goes into effect immediately. Senate File 579 passed out of the Iowa Senate on Monday. It prevents cities and counties from enacting an ordinance that provides civil rights protection to groups not already protected under the Iowa Civil Rights Act. It also changes the requirement that a city with a population of 29,000 or more people "shall" maintain a local civil rights commission. Instead, it substitutes "may" for "shall", allowing cities with that many people the option to choose whether or not they have a city civil rights commission. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Iowa food banks advocate for increased state aid as food insecurity rises. The Iowa Food Bank Association is advocating for increased state aid for nutrition assistance programs as food insecurity continues to plague the state. Phil Jeneary is a lobbyist for the association. He said Iowa food banks spent $9 million more in 2025 to distribute meals than they did in 2024. Now, new data is reinforcing the association’s push for additional funding for programs that will help feed Iowans in need. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Waukee Community School District names new superintendent. The Waukee Community School District has named the next person who will lead the third-largest school district in the state. If approved at a school board meeting later this week, Dr. Andy Crozier is set to be Waukee's superintendent, the district announced Tuesday. Crozier is the current superintendent at the Central Lee Community School District, a role he has held for the past decade. In total, he has 15 years of experience in public school leadership under his belt. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Iran targets commercial ships, Dubai airport and oil facilities as concerns grow over global energy. Iran attacked commercial ships on Wednesday across the Persian Gulf and targeted Dubai International Airport, escalating a campaign of squeezing the oil-rich region as global energy concerns mounted and American and Israeli airstrikes pounded the Islamic Republic. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: FBI finds explosive residue in storage unit after 2 men are charged with lighting bombs in NYC. The FBI said Tuesday that it found explosive residue in a Pennsylvania storage unit as part of an investigation into two men charged with bringing homemade bombs to a protest outside the home of New York City’s mayor. Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, told police after their arrests that they were inspired by the Islamic State group, according to law enforcement officials and a criminal complaint. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: 15-year-old killed in late-night Dubuque shooting. The Dubuque Police Department says a 15-year-old male from Dubuque has died following a shooting in Dubuque Monday night. Officers on scene told TV9 the shooting happened just before 10 p.m. in the alleyway between West Locust and Almond Streets near Foye. Police said one person opened fire and multiple people ran away. The teenager was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound, where he was pronounced dead. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Expect gusts near 30 mph and colder temperatures today and tomorrow. Light rain or a light mix today, with another chance for light rain Thursday night. Slight light snow chance Saturday, with a better one late Sunday.

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

Woebegone Wednesday
Diageo announced recently that it was cutting its dividend in half as it reduced its sales outlook, citing American consumers’ reluctance to buy booze due to price concerns. Diageo, whose brands include Guinness, Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan, said it now expects organic sales growth for the fiscal year to fall between 2% and 3% — it previously had foreseen sales that were flat to slightly down — leading to operating-profit growth between flat and up by a percentage in the low single digits. It previously targeted low to mid-single-digit profit growth. 

U.S. Bureau of Statistics announced that only 51% of Americans drink alcohol once a week or more, the lowest percentage since stats have been kept. Tequila has been hit the hardest. Is that because nobody orders shots anymore?

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.

• It's weiner Wednesday at Waveland Cafe (4708 University Ave., Des Moines).

• Waterfont's Wednesday special this week is Icelandic cod, haddock and Arctic char. 

• Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola) offers smoked pork chops 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 Salisbury steak dinner, $14.
 
• 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 lasagna 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.

• Price Choppers have sales on corned beef brisket point cuts at $4.99/point, lemons at 2/$1, and rye breads at $2.99/loaf through Monday. 

• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) has NY strips on sale for $9.99/pound,Coho salmon fillets for $6.99/pound and grass fed and finished burger for $4.99/pound through Tuesday.
 
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1888: Great Blizzard of ’88 hits East Coast. On March 11, 1888, one of the worst blizzards in American history strikes the Northeast, killing more than 400 people and dumping as much as 55 inches of snow in some areas. New York City ground to a near halt in the face of massive snow drifts and powerful winds from the storm. At the time, approximately one in every four Americans lived in the area between Washington, D.C. and Maine, the area affected by the Great Blizzard of 1888.  … READ MORE

1973: The first PFLAG meeting. On March 11, 1973, the first formal meeting of “Parents of Gays,” co-founded by the parents of a gay son, is held in a church in Greenwich Village in New York. In 1982, it became a national organization called “Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays,” or PFLAG — the largest family and ally organization in the United States for the LGBTQ community. … READ MORE

2011: Fukushima nuclear disaster. On March 11, 2011, the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan causes massive devastation, and the ensuing tsunami decimates the Tōhoku region of northeastern Honshu. On top of the already-horrific destruction and loss of life, the natural disaster also gives rise to a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The Fukushima disaster is considered the second-worst nuclear disaster in history, forcing the relocation of over 100,000 people. … READ MORE

www.history.com