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Thursday, July 2, 2026
Good morning to you! 

Welcome to an extra edition of the mailbag where you will find some of the comments, questions and ideas sent recently by readers of this newsletter or our publications. They are edited for space and clarity.

“Good morning, Shane! Reading the Daily Umbrella when I get to work is my morning routine, along with my coffee. Your new podcast will join that routine (The Daily Umbrella Podcast, June 23, 2026)! The AI-generated voice is very natural and easy to listen to. Nice job!” - Kimberly

I am glad you make the time. Thanks, Kimberly. - Shane

“Just listened to the podcast (The Daily Umbrella Podcast, June 23, 2026). Wow, isn’t that amazing technology. It sounded seamless and well put together. Congratulations for always being curious and trying new things.” - Joe

Thanks, Joe. Would you like to see my 8-track player? - Shane

“Hi, Shane. Just came to check this out for you (The Daily Umbrella Podcast, June 23, 2026). I do love getting your email every morning. Get my bit of news before starting work. But this is a nice addition.” - Kelly

Life in our industry was certainly much easier when we could just print a newspaper that most people in town would subscribe to. With all the fragmentation of listenership, viewership and readership, we have to continually find new ways to reach readers. I am glad you appreciate our efforts. - Shane

“Very happy to have this option (The Daily Umbrella Podcast, June 23, 2026). Well done Shane!” - Mary

Thanks, Mary. We are still ironing things out, but look for us soon on the major podcast platforms. In the meantime, keep looking for us on YouTube. - Shane

“A traffic accident on Interstate Two-Hundred-Thirty-Five? Well, it is artificial intel after all (The Daily Umbrella Podcast, June 23, 2026). But still a nice addition for those who may not have time to read the DU. Being retired, I do have the time for reading with coffee... my favorite indoor sport. Carry on!” - John

Well, it certainly has not been perfect. But, as you know, neither am I. - Shane

Have a thoughtful Thursday, and thanks 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.

 
 

FROM KCCI: Residential customers of Central Iowa Water Works can begin watering lawns again. Residential customers of Central Iowa Water Works can water their grass again. The regional water authority’s board of trustees approved gradually going from the Stage 3 mandatory lawn-watering ban to Stage 2, a voluntary 50% reduction in outdoor water use. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: One injured after car and tractor collide in southwest Iowa. Authorities say a person was injured and had to be extricated Wednesday after a car and a tractor collided in Union County. The Creston Fire Department says the crash occurred just before noon on Wednesday when a tractor with a soybean drill and a Ford Escape collided on Highway 34 at the Skyline Bridge, a few minutes east of Creston. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Iowa to receive nearly $90K in egg price-fixing settlement. The state of Iowa will receive nearly $90K and some of the more than 50 million donated eggs from three egg producers in a settlement, Attorney General Brenna Bird announced Tuesday. Bird, along with 16 other attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Justice, sued Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum and Hickman's Egg Ranch for violating antitrust laws by manipulating the prices of eggs between June 2022 and March 2025. ... READ MORE

 

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: A major Russian attack kills 17 in Kyiv as Ukrainian strikes batter Moscow’s oil sector. Russia hammered Kyiv in an 11-hour drone and missile attack overnight into Thursday morning, killing at least 17 civilians and injuring scores more in what Moscow said was retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities that have caused severe fuel shortages and put pressure on President Vladimir Putin. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: 16 children rescued from Ohio home were ‘almost feral,’ authorities say. Sixteen children from the same family who were rescued from a dilapidated home in rural Ohio were living in wretched conditions with human waste all around, confined to just one room over much of the past four years, authorities said Wednesday. Some of the children discovered Tuesday were unable to speak and one — an 18-year-old who was developmentally disabled — could not even write her name, investigators said. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Dubuque road crews shift to overnight hours to beat summer heat. Road crews in Dubuque are working through the night to lay asphalt, a schedule change driven by this week’s heat and years of resident complaints about road conditions. The City of Dubuque’s Public Works Department obtained a noise variance permit to do asphalt paving overnight due to the extreme heat. ... READ MORE

 
 
Weather forecast
Thursday, July 2
 
Sunshine and hot
High: 91
Low: 71
Rain chance: 32%
 
Friday, July 3
 

Heat continues
High: 91
Low: 73
Rain chance: 20%

Saturday, July 4
 

More of the same
High: 90
Low: 70
Rain chance: 30%

 
Allergy alert
 
Today: 5.1, medium range
 
Top allergens:
Dock weed
Cattail
Grasses
 
 

Weary Ramblers open this year’s Yankee Doodle Pops Concert
 Add a dash of America’s milestone 250th year, and this year promises to be a most memorable experience. Friday, July 3, on the west side of the Iowa State Capitol.

Des Moines Metro Opera season beckons
 The 2026 Summer Festival started this past week, and continues with "Tosca “ on Friday, July 3, "King Roger “ on Saturday, July 4, and "Of Mice and Men" on Sunday, July 5.

Opening with an extended version of John Adams' quote about Independence Day...
“[Independence Day] will be the most memorable Epocha in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”  ― John Adams, The Letters of John and Abigail Adams
 
AUDITIONS. Tallgrass Theatre Company, "She Kills Monsters, Young Adventurers Edition" Monday, July 6, Tuesday, July 7 at 6 p.m. 

Beaverdale Books. Learn about the 2026 Okoboji Writers & Songwriters Retreat in September. Meet the writers. Julie Gammack leads this informative exploration of what has become a nationally noteworthy event. Tuesday, July 7, 6:30 p.m.

Des Moines Community Playhouse. The Playhouse presents its always eagerly anticipated big summer musical. "Legally Blonde: The Musical." July 10-26. 

Silent Disco at Cowles Commons
Des Moines Performing Arts is activating Cowles Commons in unique, new and fun ways this summer, beginning this weekend by partnering with ArtForce Iowa on a silent disco in downtown Des Moines. Friday, July 3, from 7-9 p.m. at Cowles Commons, 313 Walnut St. (across from the Civic Center). A $10 donation is appreciated for the use of the headphones throughout the event. Proceeds support the vital work of ArtForce Iowa, which creates opportunities for youth to transform through art. Silent disco participants will be able to select a playlist that matches their vibe, and food will be available for purchase from local on-site food trucks.

 
— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz
 
The 2026 results: CITYVIEW's Best of Des Moines®
 
 
Best Local Dive Bar
1. Toad’s Tavern
2. Carl’s Place
3. Doc’s Lounge
 
See all of the results
 
 

Betcha didn't know...
When Dan and Frank Carney opened the first Pizza Hut in 1958, they chose its name because the sign they bought only had room for eight letters, including Pizza.  ... When Joe and Red Giudecessi opened Christopher's in 1963, they named it because the property came with a nice sign.  

Deals today
• The Empire's (223 Fourth St., Des Moines) Thursday special is baked spaghetti for $10.
 
• Thursday is $10 kebabs and wings day at Desi Bites (3828 100th St., Urbandale). 
 
• Marianna's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) offers tacos for $1.50 Thursdays during the World Cup.
 
• Talk Shop Lounge (3357 St. Charles Road, St. Charles) has two deals Thursday: jambalaya dinner for $15, lasagna for $10.
 
• Cowboy (1234 E. Euclid Ave., Des Moines) has ribs on special today, $2.99/per rib.
 
• The False Nine Social Club (206 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has jacket potatoes on sale Thursdays for $10.
 
• The Waveland (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) has pulled pork sandwiches on special today.
 
• B&B (S.E. Sixth and Hartford, Des Moines) has a Thursday special Killer's double hot Polish with fries and a soda for $12.95.
 
• 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.
 
• 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).
 
•  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.
 
• Chelsie's Courtyard Diner (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.
 
• 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.
 
• Buffalo Wild Wings offers two orders for the price of one Thursdays on orders of six, 10 and 15 boneless wings.

• Price Choppers have sales through Monday on blueberries, blackberries or raspberries at 2/$5, peaches at $1.49/pound and chicken wings at $2.99/pound.

• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on peaches at $1.45/pound, cherries at $2.79/pound, and ground wagyu at $4.99/pound.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running a sale through Sunday on boneless prime ribeye at $18.99/pound and through Tuesday on southern peaches at $1.49/pound and chicken wings at $2.99/pound.
 
 — Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

 
Featured in the current issue of CITYVIEW Living magazine.
 

LUNCH WITH...
Nash Roe at St. Kilda’s Collective

By Jim Duncan

Nash Roe is the producer, director, runner and star of Local TV 5’s “Iowa Food Diary.” His show is about to debut its season three. He is also a 17 year old, yet to begin his senior year at Valley High School. We asked him to lunch but had to wait until after the new season shooting wrapped and he took his final exams.

He chose St. Kilda’s Collective, a Valley Junction café in an historic car dealership. The restaurant’s owner Alex Hall was wrapping up his business in Des Moines and moving to England. The place may or may not be open when this interview is published. ...

 
Read more
 
Featured home for sale
 
Post listings here for only $50. Contact jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com for details.
 
$407,990
1105 Chayse St. S.W.
Bondurant, IA 50035
 
This 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath ranch-style home offers 2,452 sq. ft. of comfortable living space. Designed for functionality, the open-concept layout suits homebuyers at any stage of life. Entertaining is a breeze with a spacious living room featuring 9-foot ceilings and a beautifully crafted electric fireplace. ...
  
See the listing here.
 
See more homes for sale
 
SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction
 
2517 HUBBELL AVE., DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2025-12-15
SALE PRICE: $400,000
SELLER: K&E LLC
BUYER: LOPEZ-CARRILLO, RAMON
ACRES: 0.950
SQUARE FEET: 3,881
 
More transactions
 
 
Sports headlines
FROM ESPN: USMNT beats Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1st World Cup knockout win since '02. First, the good news: The United States men's national team beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 in the World Cup round of 32 Wednesday night. Now, the problematic: If the Americans are going to continue advancing, they will have to do it without their top goal scorer. Folarin Balogun scored what proved to be the decisive goal for the U.S. just before halftime -- his third of the tournament -- but was then sent off just after the hour mark in a controversial decision that will see him suspended for the round-of-16 match against Belgium. ... READ MORE
 
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Lakers-Jazz trade grades: How Los Angeles, Utah made out in Walker Kessler deal. Another big-time NBA trade has hit the wire. This time, it’s the Lakers and Jazz involved. On Wednesday amid another wave of free agency signings, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Los Angeles was acquiring center Walker Kessler from Utah in exchange for two unprotected first round picks in 2031 and ‘33, as well as two pick swaps in ‘28 and ‘30. Once the trade is official the Lakers will sign Kessler to a four-year deal worth $130 million, which comes out to a hair over $32 million annually. ... READ MORE
 
FROM YAHOO SPORTS: Serena Williams' doubles match with sister Venus in doubt after knee injury during first-round singles loss. Serena Williams' comeback at Wimbledon might last even shorter than expected. During her first-round singles loss to Maya Joint, Williams sustained a knee injury that could put her doubles status in question. ... READ MORE
 
 

1776: Continental Congress votes for independence from Britain. The Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia, formally adopts Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence from Great Britain. The vote is unanimous, with only New York abstaining. … READ MORE

1937: Amelia Earhart disappears. On July 2, 1937, the Lockheed aircraft carrying American aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Frederick Noonan is reported missing near Howland Island in the Pacific. The pair were attempting to fly around the world when they lost their bearings during the most challenging leg of the global journey: Lae, New Guinea, to Howland Island, a tiny island 2,227 nautical miles away, in the center of the Pacific Ocean. … READ MORE

1964: President Johnson signs Civil Rights Act. On July 2, 1964, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs into law the historic Civil Rights Act in a nationally televised ceremony at the White House. … READ MORE

www.history.com

 
Weekly fuel report
 

The price of regular unleaded gasoline fell 1 cent from last week's price and is currently averaging $3.53 across Iowa according to AAA. Prices are up 57 cents from a year ago. The national average on Wednesday was $3.85, down 8 cents from last week’s price.

Retail diesel prices in Iowa fell 17 cents this week with a statewide average of $4.35. One year ago, diesel prices averaged $3.58 in Iowa. The current Iowa diesel price is 49 cents lower than the national average of $4.84.

The current Des Moines Terminal/Rack Prices are $2.54 for U87-E10, $3.11 for Unleaded 87 (clear), $2.98 for ULSD#2, $3.18 for ULSD#1, and $2.29 per gallon for E-70 prices.

Natural gas prices were down 3 cents at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $3.21 MMbtu.

 
Lowest fuel prices in the metro. www.gasbuddy.com

Sinclair in West Des Moines (136 First St.) - $3.19

Mega Saver in Urbandale (4585 N.W. 156th St.) - $3.23

QuikTrip in Des Moines (3700 Hubbell Ave.) - $3.26

Birthdays and notables
 
These celebrities were born on this date: Margot Robbie, Lindsay Lohan, Ashley Tisdale, Alex Morgan, Derrick White, Caitlin Carmichael, Vince Staples, Gus Halper, Larry David, Danny Griffin, Geoff Wigington, Elizabeth Reaser
 
Key historic birthdays 
 
1908: Thoroughgood "Thurgood" Marshall was an American lawyer who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1967 until 1991. He was the Supreme Court's first African-American justice and served a key role in ending segregation in schools.
 
Morning chuckle

The answer to the last riddle: Which bird is always out of breath? PUFFINS! - Rex Post, Gail Tomlinson. Or, WHOOPING CRANE! - Dan Rogers.

Today's riddle: What do you call a duck that works in a hospital?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com BY NOON to be sure your answer gets included!

 

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or West Des Moines/Jordan Creek, Waukee or Norwalk Living magazines, contact:

Martha Munro
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 314
Mobile: 515-321-5246
martha@iowalivingmagazines.com

 

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8101 Birchwood Ct Suite D
Johnston, Iowa 50131

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