FROM KCCI: 1 dead, 2 injured in wrong-way crash on I-35 in West Des Moines. Authorities say a wrong-way driver on Interstate 35 caused a serious crash Wednesday afternoon in West Des Moines. According to Sgt. Dan Wade, spokesperson for the West Des Moines Police Department, a driver was going northbound in the southbound lanes of I-35 near EP True Parkway. Police say three vehicles were involved in the crash. One driver was killed while the other two have non-life-threatening injuries. Names of the drivers involved have not been released. Southbound I-35 reopened to traffic at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: After 15 years, investigators renew hope for justice following arrest in cold murder case. While investigators shared few details on Wednesday about the murder of Ashley Okland, an arrest made this week in the once-cold case provided a renewed sense of hope for justice. The young realtor was hosting an open house for a West Des Moines townhome on a Friday afternoon in 2011 when her life was cut short. Okland was found dead inside the home with gunshot wounds. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Iowa National Guard assisting Nebraska with wildfire response. The Iowa National Guard is assisting Nebraska with wildfires that have killed one person and prompted evacuations in western and central Nebraska, Iowa National Guard Director of Public Affairs Jackie Schmillen told Local 5. Two crews out of Boone were called to State Active Duty to support firefighting operations, Schmillen said. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Iran hits back at multiple Gulf refineries after Israeli strike on its offshore gas field. Iran intensified its attacks on its Gulf Arab neighbors’ energy sites Thursday, hitting a Saudi refinery on the Red Sea and setting Qatari liquefied natural gas facilities and two Kuwaiti oil refineries ablaze as it struck back following an Israeli attack on its main natural gas field, a major escalation in the Mideast war that has sent global fuel prices soaring. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: A baseball title unleashes the happiness Venezuelans kept bottled up for years. There’s happiness, and then there’s Venezuelan happiness. It feels sweeter. Louder. Deeper. Maybe because it doesn’t arrive as often. Or because it has been repressed by security forces and self-censored to avoid jail. Or because it seems collectively and individually unattainable. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Suspect dead after Cedar Falls standoff. A suspect died following a standoff with Cedar Falls police Tuesday afternoon. Police responded to a report of an assault in the 700 block of West Ridgeway Avenue at 1:17 p.m. Officers made contact with 57-year-old Chad Burmahl, who approached the door with a handgun before fleeing back inside. Officers continued to communicate with Burmahl during the standoff. When officers entered the residence, they found Burmahl dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. ... READ MORE

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Our warming trend continues today and takes us to around 80 by Saturday. Sunday turns breezy and cooler, with maybe a few sprinkles.

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

Bet you didn't know...
• "Feedlot nutritionists actually prefer to see a percentage of cattle get sick and die – it shows the herd is being pushed to the edge ration-wise." (Mark Schatzker, "Steak")

• The Chicago Mercantile Exchange sells 45,000 beef contracts a day. Each is for 40,000 pounds of beef. That’s 1.8 billion pounds a day. 

• The USDA employs 200 meat graders with 140 dedicated to beef. Texas Tech University offers a major in beef grading.

Deals today
• Bennigan’s (4800 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) is celebrating 50 years with a month-long St. Patrick’s Day promotion packed with festive cocktails, Irish-inspired dishes and a special two for $50 Lucky Bundle.
 
• Thursdays are triple decker Reuben day at Graziano Brothers (1601 S. Union St., Des Moines).
 
• Waveland Cafe (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) has an Italian sausage sub special today.
 
• Quarter pound cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches are $3.39 each on Thursdays at Kwik Star.
 
• Striking Sparrow (1930 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines) has a Thursday special breaded pork tenderloin with fries and soda for $12.
 
• 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).
 
• Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni) is offering shrimp basket specials today.
 
• Liver and onions are today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola).
 
•  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 $12 ribeye sandwich 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 have sales through Tuesday on mandarins at $2.89/3-pound bag, chicken wings at $2.29/pound, and strawberries at $1.29/pound.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale through Tuesday on Atlantic salmon fillets at $21.99/pound, and bogo deals on 300 items.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

Des Moines Performing Arts – Temple Comedy Series
Impro Theatre – The Twilight Zone Unscripted. March 17-22.

Des Moines Performing Arts – Willis Broadway Series
Meredith Willson’s "The Music Man." March 20-22.

Des Moines Playhouse. Improv Theatre – Runaway Twain. March 22. 

Final weekend
• The Des Moines Playhouse Kate Goldman Family Series, "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Musical." Through March 22. 
• Iowa Stage Theatre Company. "The Seagull." Through March 22. 

Heritage Art Gallery - Iowa Exhibited. Iowa resident artists are invited to submit up to three original works for this annual exhibition. Submissions will be open for 21 days, closing on Friday, March 20—so start selecting your strongest pieces now. The exhibition will be on view May 7 through early/mid July.

CALL FOR ARTISTS. Save the Date for the 16th Annual Art on the Prairie Festival 2026: Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14-15. The Artist Application for this juried show is now open with deadline of April 1. 

— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz

2003: War in Iraq begins. On March 19, 2003, the United States, along with coalition forces primarily from the United Kingdom, initiates war on Iraq. Just after explosions began to rock Baghdad, Iraq’s capital, U.S. President George W. Bush announced in a televised address, “At this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger.” President Bush and his advisors built much of their case for war on the specious claim that Iraq, under dictator Saddam Hussein, possessed or was in the process of building weapons of mass destruction.… READ MORE

1931: Nevada legalizes gambling. In an attempt to lift the state out of the hard times of the Great Depression, the Nevada state legislature votes to legalize gambling. … READ MORE

1999: Bodies found in Yosemite serial killer case. On March 19, 1999, law enforcement officials discover the charred bodies of forty-two-year-old Carol Sund and sixteen-year-old Silvina Pelosso in the trunk of their burned-out rental car, a day after the vehicle was located in a remote area several hours from Yosemite National Park. Cary Stayner, a handyman at the lodge where the women were last seen a month before, later confessed to their murders as well as those of two other women. … READ MORE

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