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Good morning to you! 
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026
Are you thirsty? I already know the answer. The real question is, what are you thirsty for?
 
Americans certainly have no shortage of choices. Walk into a convenience store, and you will find enough beverages to make your head spin. But, despite all the options, water remains king. More than half of all beverages consumed in America are water.
 
That likely doesn’t come as a surprise. Our bodies need water, it is readily available, and we can get it by simply turning on a faucet. No six-pack required. No fancy label. No fruit flavoring with a name invented by a marketing committee. Water also doesn’t require an explanation. Nobody takes a sip of water and says, “Is that artisanal spring water aged in oak barrels?” It’s water.
 
Coffee, meanwhile, accounts for about 14% of daily liquid consumption. I suspect that number may be higher if you count the people like me who claim they are drinking coffee when what they really have is a 24-ounce dessert with whipped cream. Coffee has become less of a beverage and more of a personality trait.
 
Then there are soft drinks, which account for about 10% of consumption. That number has been declining, particularly among younger people. Apparently, people are finally discovering that drinking six cans of something that can dissolve a penny is not necessarily a health strategy. Meanwhile, I still partake.
 
And then we have bottled water. About 63% of Americans regularly choose bottled water over tap water. I find this fascinating. We spent decades developing an elaborate system that brings water directly into our homes. Now, we drive to a store, pay for water that has been bottled somewhere else, put the bottles in our cars and haul them home. Of course, bottled water has its advantages. You can take it to the gym, put it in a cooler or leave one in your hot vehicle until the plastic and the water become one.
 
Whether your choice of beverage comes from a bottle, a faucet, a coffee maker or a soda fountain, the fact remains that we Americans drink a lot of liquids.
 
So, are you thirsty? If so, grab a glass and fill it with water. After all, more than half of us are already doing it. And if you are in the other half, well, I have some good news for you. There is a 40-foot-long beverage aisle at the store waiting for you.
 
Have a watchful Wednesday, and thank you 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: Valley West Mall acquired by West Des Moines-based developer. Valley West Mall is now under new ownership. After the embattled mall in West Des Moines was foreclosed on, it became available for sale in early 2025. The property was sold earlier this month, but the identity of the buyer was unknown until Tuesday. Threshold Capital, a West Des Moines-based developer and real estate investment company, is the new owner of Valley West Mall. Threshold plans to remove remaining tenants, secure the property and address hazardous materials as it prepares for a potential demolition. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Special session called for planned $15 billion steel mill in Iowa. Governor Kim Reynolds called a special session in response to the announcement that a multi-billion-dollar steel mill will be built in Iowa. On Monday, Reynolds, alongside other members of Iowa’s delegation, joined President Donald Trump at the White House for the announcement that Mesabi Metallics is building a $15 billion steel mill. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Iowa to receive $2.4M after Corteva settles in monopoly case. Iowa will receive about $2.4 million in a settlement with Corteva Agriscience, Attorney General Brenna Bird announced on Monday. The Federal Trade Commission and multiple states sued Corteva over its loyalty program, which they said violated monopoly laws and illegally limited the sale of cheaper competing pesticides. ... READ MORE

 
 
FROM AROUND THE WORLD: Iran’s currency hits a new record low as war erodes the country’s economic stability. Iran’s currency fell to a new record low on Tuesday, with traders in Tehran exchanging more than 2.5 million rials to the U.S. dollar in a stark reflection of how the war in the Middle East has steadily eroded the Iranian economy. The latest decline came just 27 days after the rial hit its previous record low of 2.2 million to the dollar on Sept. 2. The currency has repeatedly reached new lows since the war began in February. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer now questions whether she killed her 3 children. Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer argued Tuesday that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove she killed her three children, a striking turn after a lengthy trial that focused more on her mental state than on whether she took their lives. “This entire case is based on speculation,” attorney Kevin Reddington said during the first hearing since Clancy’s trial ended Sept. 4 with a deadlocked jury. They were split 11 to 1 in her favor. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Youth bowling coach sentenced 17 years in grooming case. A former Cedar Rapids high school bowling coach has pleaded guilty to grooming charges and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. The Newton Police Department says it used an undercover profile to catch him sending sexually explicit messages to a minor. Scott Bader, 56, pleaded guilty on Monday to sexual exploitation of a minor, grooming, enticing a minor for sexual purposes and dissemination of obscene material to a minor. He was also sentenced on Monday. ... READ MORE

 
 
Weather forecast
Wednesday, Sept. 30
 
Rainy
High: 72
Low: 64
Rain chance: 90%
Thursday, Oct. 1
 

More rain
High: 66
Low: 53
Rain chance: 70%

Friday, Oct. 2
 

Sunshine!
High: 64
Low: 49
Rain chance: 0%

 
 
Allergy alert
 
Today: 1 low range
 
Top allergens:
Ragweed
 
 
The 2026 results: CITYVIEW's Best of Des Moines®
 
 
Best Local Event Decor/Rental Company
1. Let’s Slumber It
2. Bella Flora Event Design
3. Wildflower Vault
 
See all of the results
 
 

Woebegone Wednesday
Football stadiums, at least on the professional level, have long resented tailgating. They want to feed more people at exorbitant prices inside the stadiums. Lately, much like the Iowa State Fair, NFL stadiums have turned their newest concession stand junk foods into media events. Some of this year’s most extreme new foods include: Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium‘s Lava Burger is a cheese-stuffed patty topped with thick-cut bacon, roasted tomato, chives and jalapeño popper spread, all served on a sourdough boule. You can find it in Section 102; the Viking’s First Bank Stadium’s new Raid Burger features a double bacon cheeseburger topped with Buffalo cheese curds, an onion ring, and ranch on a brioche, in Section 101 and 328; Chicago’s Soldier Field introduced Bear-ia Burrito, filled with shredded beef birria, Chihuahua cheese, cilantro and onion, then served with house-made consommé.
 
Outside the central Midwest, things get weirder. Reliant Stadium in Houston now has The Battle Red Berry Bird with fried chicken tossed in strawberry hot sauce topped with coleslaw, pickles and Cajun cheese curds. It’s served on a challah bun with tater kegs and chipotle aioli; the Commanders’ Northwest Stadium has crab stuffed pretzels filled with lemon-tarragon crab dip, brushed with garlic butter and finished with grated Parmesan cheese; Lions’ fans can order Corktown Corned Beef Nachos, made with fresh kettle chips, corned beef, white cheese sauce, 1000 island dressing, coleslaw, tomato and chives.

Deals today
Lucca hosts a fundraiser for the Italian American Cultural Center of Iowa tonight, 5-7 p.m. It features seasonal foods in Italian applications and wine. $70. 

• Dam Pub (2710 Beaver Ave.) has half-price wings on Wednesdays, usually with a special sauce available.
 
• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moines) offers walleye dinner specials for $21 Wednesdays. 
 
• Fareways have a Wednesday-only half-priced sale on King Hawaiian sandwich trays, $9.99/16 count.
 
• High Life Lounge (200 Second St., Des Moines) has a Wednesday special chicken fried steak for $11.99. 
 
• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) has $6 half slabs of ribs on Wednesdays. 
 
• Sale Barn's (Lamoni) special today is scalloped potatoes with ham.
 
• The Empire's (223 Fourth St., Des Moines) Wednesday special is meatball sandwiches for $9.
 
• Wednesday is biryani day with two for $20 at Desi Bites (3828 100th St., Urbandale.
 
• Mariana's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) offers asada tacos for $2 Wednesdays.
 
• Talk Shop Lounge (3357 St. Charles Road, St. Charles) has a rib dinner deal Mondays, half slabs for $12, full racks $16. 
 
• The False Nine Social Club (206 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has hamburgers for $7 on Wednesdays.
 
• B&B Grocery, Meat and Deli (2001 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines) has Philly cheesesteak on special today. 



• Waveland Cafe (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) offers a wiener Wednesday special today. 
 
• 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. 
 
• Paula's (Elm Street at Sixth, Valley Junction) has a Wednesday Cuban sandwich special.
 
• Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola) has chicken tetrazinni on special today.
 
• Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University, West Des Moines) offers Walleye Wednesday with dinners of walleye $21.
 
• Jack’s Place (6112 S.W. Ninth, Des Moines) has 10 wings for $10 Wednesdays.
 
• Wednesday at Short E's BBQ (8805 Chambray Blvd., Johnston) the special is ribs - $15 full racks, $10 half racks and $5 off rib dinners.
 
• 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. 
 
• Toad's (302 State Ave., Des Moines) special today is wings with two sides for $12.
 
• 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. 
 
• 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) and The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines). 
 
• G Mig's (128 Fifth St., Valley Junction) offers a Wednesday special lasagna, plus 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.
 
• 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).
 
• 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 special of chopped cheeseburger with a side for $12.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

 
 
Exclusively in Urbandale Living magazine at www.iowalivingmagazines.com.
 

From dream to reality
Residents reimagine their homes to fit their lives.

By Joe Baumgarten

Home improvement projects are often about much more than a few repairs, fresh paint and new appliances. They are about creating living spaces that fit the owners’ needs, style and desire for a home that is “just right.” Residents share how their renovations made their dreams into a reality.

Bright and open
Looking at John and Jill Bouslog’s home from the street, you might think, “That’s a lot of house for just two people.” You would be right — except the Bouslogs have five adult children and their partners, plus eight grandchildren, with one more on the way, all close enough to gather for birthdays, holidays and everything in between. They even converted their former office into a playroom just for the grandkids.

“We call it the Littles’ Lounge,” Jill said.

If pictures of the Littles’ Lounge remind you of a preschool classroom, that tracks — Jill taught elementary education for 40 years. The floor is wall-to-wall carpet with large block ABCs and favorite books on low shelves within easy reach. ...

 
Read more
 
Featured home for sale
 
Post listings here for only $50. Contact jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com for details.
 
$739,900
33080 Fox Creek Drive
Waukee, IA 50263
  
A rare opportunity to own nearly 3 acres in Waukee, offering the space, privacy and setting nearly impossible to recreate in today's developments. Tucked among mature trees along Fox Creek, this 5-bedroom home combines acreage living with the convenience of being just minutes from Waukee and West Des Moines. Inside, you'll find over 3,000 finished sq ft featuring an updated kitchen, spacious living areas, beautifully remodeled primary suite and convenient upstairs laundry. ...
 
See the listing here.
 
See more homes for sale
 
SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction
 
1606 N.W. SECOND ST., ANKENY
DATE: 2026-04-22
SALE PRICE: $640,000
SELLER: ANKENY CHRISTIAN HOLDINGS LLC
BUYER: CRG PROPERTIES LLC
ACRES: 0.481
SQUARE FEET: 5,808
 
More transactions
 
 
Sports headlines
FROM ESPN: Schlittler, Rice lead Yankees' rout of Red Sox in Game 1. Yankees manager Aaron Boone emerged from the dugout with one out in the seventh inning Tuesday night to remove Cam Schlittler from his latest masterful performance, and the crowd at Yankee Stadium responded in unison with a standing ovation and MVP chants pitchers rarely receive. They were euphoric, and perhaps stupefied, after watching Schlittler overwhelm the Red Sox in their wild-card series again. ... READ MORE
 
FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Padres look like World Series contender in Game 1 blowout of Cubs. The Padres are one win from securing a date with The Miz, while the Cubs are one loss from vacation. Backed by a raucous crowd of 47,084 screaming San Diegans, the Friars blew out Chicago on Tuesday night, securing an 8–0 win to take a 1–0 lead in their wild-card series. The Padres had the air of a team that could win a pennant in this one, while the Cubs looked bewildered for most of the night. ... READ MORE
 
FROM YAHOO SPORTS: Caitlin Clark's historic double-double helps Fever force Game 3 with win over Aces. The Indiana Fever picked up a 99-89 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night to force Game 3 of their WNBA first-round playoff series, and Caitlin Clark made history in the process. Indiana was led by Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell, who all finished with more than 20 points each and combined for 75 points as a trio. They combined for only 45 in Game 1. ... READ MORE
 
 

1822: Joseph Marion Hernández becomes the first Hispanic elected to Congress. On September 30, 1822, Joseph Marion Hernández becomes the first Hispanic to be elected to the United States Congress. Born a Spanish citizen, Hernández would die in Cuba, but in between he became the first Hispanic American to serve at the highest levels of any of three branches of the American federal government. … READ MORE

1889: Wyoming legislators write the first state constitution to grant women the vote. On September 30, 1889, the Wyoming state convention approves a constitution that includes a provision granting women the right to vote. Formally admitted into the union the following year, Wyoming thus became the first state in the history of the nation to allow its female citizens to vote. … READ MORE

1918: President Woodrow Wilson speaks in favor of female suffrage. On September 30, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson gives a speech before Congress in support of guaranteeing women the right to vote. Although the House of Representatives had approved a 19th constitutional amendment giving women suffrage, the Senate had yet to vote on the measure. … READ MORE

www.history.com

 
Birthdays and notables
 
Happy birthday, Jim Hibbs!
 
These celebrities were born on this date: Fran Drescher, Al Leong, Alistair Petrie, Angie Dickinson, Barry Williams, Maddie Ziegler, Drew Dirksen, Monica Bellucci, T-Pain, Ki Hong Lee, Lacey Chabert, Levi Miller, Kieran Culkin
 
Historical birthdays
1870 – Jean Perrin: A French physicist who won the 1926 Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking work confirming the atomic nature of matter.
 
1883 – Nora Stanton Blatch Barney: The granddaughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, she was the first woman in the United States to graduate with a degree in civil engineering.
 
Morning chuckle

The answer to the last riddle: Why do sweaters tend to hang out together? THEY ARE A TIGHT-KNIT GROUP! - Joan ‘Ski’ Sieczkowski, Carolyn Rogers, Gail Tomlinson, Ceci Jackson, Judy Anderson. Or, Like birds of a feather, sweaters flock together. - Bill Snyder. Or, They have a vested interest! - Rex Post

Today's riddle: What is the name of the new movie Al Pacino will star in about a man who wins the World Knitting Championships?

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

 

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Indianola, 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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