FROM KCCI: Des Moines woman loses decades of memories in devastating flood. A Des Moines woman is working to save hundreds of memories after a flood wreaked havoc in her basement last week. Jamie Briar saw her life upended early last Wednesday morning when 46 inches of water flooded her basement during heavy rains. "All my utilities, my washer, my dryer, my freezer, my HVAC," she said, listing the casualties to KCCI. "All my memorabilia, all my pictures, lots of family stuff." ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Des Moines Police say ALPR camera helped locate car in deadly hit-and-run. Des Moines Police said an Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) camera helped them find a car used in a hit-and-run that left one woman dead. Yesterday morning, 57-year-old Michelle Evette Williams was charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident Causing Death (Class D felony) and No Insurance (Simple Misdemeanor). The crash happened just before 6:30 a.m., and the car was found at 10:30 a.m. Sgt. Paul Parizek said the scene was very bare and investigators had little evidence to go on. However, by using the ALPR camera, police were able to identify and locate the car. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Iowa delegation split on war powers vote. Iowa's congressional delegation split Tuesday on a bipartisan war powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump's ability to take military action against Iran without congressional approval. The vote came during what could be one of Congress' final major debates before November's midterm election and quickly became a political flashpoint in two of Iowa's most competitive House races. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Carney embraces a proposal for Canada to become the European Union’s first associate member. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday embraced the prospect of his country becoming the European Union’s first associate member, saying closer ties with Europe were meant to ensure no country could control Canada’s markets, impair its sovereignty or undermine its freedoms. The remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the proposed arrangement could be a “hostile act” and threatened heavy tariffs on Europe if he judged its intentions to be unfriendly. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Alabama set to execute man for pawnshop killings months after his nitrogen gas execution blocked. Alabama is set to execute a man Thursday night via lethal injection, three months after a judge’s ruling blocked the state from putting him to death with nitrogen gas. Jeffery Lee, 49, is scheduled to receive an injection beginning at 6 p.m. at south Alabama’s William C. Holman Correctional Facility for killing two people during a 1998 pawnshop robbery in rural Dallas County. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Power restored to Sioux City elementary schools and majority of residents. Wednesday morning, MidAmerican Energy was reporting just under 3,000 power outages in the Sioux City area, which also affected several local schools. A spokesperson from MidAmerican Energy said that at about 11:15 a.m., there was a substation malfunction that caused an outage affecting about 2,900 Sioux City customers in the area of Lewis Blvd. By about noon on Wednesday, Sept. 16, a majority of the power had been restored to Sioux City. ... READ MORE

Second Annual 24-Hour Short Play Fest
Sunday, Sept. 20 at the Sherwood Forest Event Center at 7 p.m. Eight Iowa writers, 20 local performers write then perform a 10-minute play in 24 hours from the day before. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. Bar and parking all on site. Free event.

Michael Howland’s Broadway Cabaret. “What, like it’s hard?” Broadway’s most difficult songs — big vocal range, comedic timing, emotional depth, speed and more! Sept. 20, noon to 3 p.m. at TJ’s Bagels 127 N. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny.

Drake Speaker Series
Butler Bass presents “God and Caesar: A Different Path” Sunday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. at Sheslow Auditorium on the Drake University campus.

AUDITIONS – Des Moines Playhouse.
For “Annie.” 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 21 and Tuesday, Sept. 22. Roles for 8 and older.

Inaugural Iowa African Film Festival winners screening
The festival received more than 500 submissions, with 30 films from 22 countries selected for the inaugural program. From Sept. 14-30, selected films will also be available online through http://AfricaLiveNetwork.tv, giving audiences around the world an opportunity to watch the films and participate in the People's Choice Award.

Still on stage this weekend:
Des Moines Performing Arts. "Wicked."
Tallgrass Theatre Company. "She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition."
Des Moines Playhouse. "Come from Away."

— John Busbee, The Culture Buzz

We are not making this up...
On Sept. 14, a customer walked into Walter's Soul Food cafe in Atlanta, Georgia, frantically yelling about a human body sticking out of the kitchen ventilator. At press time, the body remained unidentified and police say there were no indications of foul play.

Prague Castle, Kafka's nemesis, is home to an unusual grove where figs have been grown for more than 450 years. 

Deals today
• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University Ave., West Des Moines) offers pasta and meatball dinner specials for $22 Thursdays.
 
• High Life Lounge (200 Second St., Des Moines) has a Thursday special spaghetti and meat balls for $10.99.
 
• 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). 
 
• Mariana's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) offers pastor tacos for $2 Thursdays.
 
• 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 chicken penne 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.
 
• Taco pizzas are the Thursday special at Walker's Place (475 N.E. Broadway Ave., Des Moines).
 
• Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni) is offering ham balls and cheesy vegetables specials today.
 
•  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.
 
• 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. 
 
•  Turkey club melt on garlic focaccia with fries for $12.99 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 Scorno’s Pizza & Pasta (1930 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines) on Thursdays with every $15 order.
 
• 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 80/20 hamburger at $4.99/pound, wings at $2.99/pound and avocados at $.69.

• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on red grapes at $1.29/pound, mandarins at $2.89/3-pound bag and honeycrisp apples at $2.29/2-pound bag.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running sales through Sunday on snow crab clusters at $9.99/pound and through Tuesday on Bartlett pears at $.99/pound and strawberries at $2.50/pound.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1967: The Who literally spark an explosion on national television. Keith Moon was already in the habit of placing an explosive charge in one his two bass drums to detonate during Pete Townshend’s guitar-smashing at the end of each Who performance. But for their Smothers Brothers appearance, Moon packed several times the normal amount of explosives into his drum kit, and when he set it off, a gigantic explosion rocked the set as a cloud of white smoke engulfed Townshend and singer Roger Daltrey. … READ MORE

2011: Occupy Wall Street begins. On September 17, 2011, hundreds of activists gather around Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan for the first day of the Occupy Wall Street Movement—a weeks-long sit-in in New York City’s Financial District protesting income inequality and corporate corruption. While the movement failed to see any of its goals or policy proposals come to fruition, years later, Occupy Wall Street is still considered a blueprint for decentralized activism. … READ MORE

1983: Vanessa Williams becomes first Black Miss America. On September 17, 1983, 20-year-old Vanessa Williams becomes the first Black woman to win the Miss America crown. Less than a year later, on July 23, 1984, Williams gave up her crown after nude photos of her surfaced. Despite the scandal, Williams later launched a successful singing and acting career, including a featured role on the television sitcom Ugly Betty. … READ MORE

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