FROM KCCI: Early voting begins in Iowa as voters line up to cast ballots. Early voting for the November midterm elections began in Iowa, with voters lining up at election offices across the state to cast their ballots. At the Polk County Election Office on Euclid Avenue in Des Moines, the first voters filled out their ballots, marking the start of a busy day of early voting. Many voters said they were taking advantage of the early voting window because they would be out of town on Election Day, while others expressed a desire for change. ... READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Earlham takes out $500K loan as Madison County property tax delays strain budgets. More than a quarter of the way through its fiscal year, the city of Earlham says it has yet to receive any property tax revenue from Madison County, forcing local leaders to take steps to keep the city operating. The town of about 1,200 residents has six full-time employees and a handful of part-time workers. With money running low, city leaders are preparing to take out a $500,000 loan to cover basic operating expenses, a move that could cost taxpayers even more in interest. ... READ MORE

FROM WOI: Former WDM gymnastics coach who recorded young gymnasts undressing sentenced to 90 years in prison. A once prominent youth gymnastics coach was sentenced to 90 years in prison Wednesday for secretly recording his young female students undressing and using the bathroom at a Mississippi gym, in a case that rocked the sport. U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson gave the maximum sentence possible to Sean Gardner, ordering that he serve 30 years in prison for each of the three federal child pornography production charges to which he pleaded guilty. The sentence likely amounts to life in prison for Gardner, 39. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE NATION: Social Security recipients to get 3.6% cost of living boost, an average of $75 per month. The Social Security Administration projected Wednesday that the annual cost-of-living adjustment for older adults and people with disabilities will go up by 3.6% beginning in 2027, with some recipients complaining that is not enough to offset soaring prices. The adjustment translates to $75 extra per month for the nearly 72 million people who receive monthly Social Security benefits and about 7.3 million beneficiaries who get Supplemental Security Income. ... READ MORE

FROM AROUND THE STATE: Winnebago Industries laying off workers at Forest City facility. Winnebago Industries is planning on laying off workers at its Forest City facility, according to a Worker Adjustment And Retraining Notification filed with Iowa Workforce Development. The filing said Winnebago plans on laying off 51 workers from the facility at 605 W. Crystal Lake Rd. The notice was filed on Oct. 9. The layoffs will happen on Nov. 9. ... READ MORE

Iowa Nice report
Iowa Restaurant Association honors Iowa Nice with its Restaurant Neighbor Philanthropy Award. Gerald "Jerry" Hope of the Watering Hole, 34 School St., Carlisle, is this year's winner. IRA President Jessica Dunker said that Jerry won for accumulated acts of good will, particularly fundraisers for victims of house fires and other tragedies. Such events include fish fries, biker bashes and music fests. Even after that award was announced, Watering Hole was in the news again for refusing to close during the water shutdown in that town. Watering Hole switched everything to cans, bottles, paper plates and plastic utensils so the community continued to have a place to gather and help each other.

Corteva won first place in the second annual Food Pantry Sculpture Contest. Corteva’s sculpture was made up of 807 pounds of non-perishable food and personal items, which were donated to the Johnston Partnership food pantry following the contest. 

Deals today
• Today is a third Thursday, so Latin King is serving its scratch-made chicken and noodles. 
 
• Wallace House is giving away produce in its parking lot. 
 
• It's My Jam (7015 N.E. 14th St., Ankeny) has specials today on cherry and lemon meringue pie; chicken fried steak and fried chicken dinners; and potato soup today.
 
• Pelican Post (265 50th, West Des Moines) has meatball sub baskets on special today, $12.
 
• Crouse Cafe (115 East Salem, Indianola) has liver and onions on special 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 chipped beef on biscuit 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 Salisbury steak on mashed potatoes  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 2 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 offer red peppers for 88 cents and mandarins at $3.99/3 pounds.
 
• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on avocados at $.55, chicken breasts at $1.99/pound and baby bella mushrooms at $.99/pound.

• Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running sales through Sunday on snow crab clusters at $9.99/pound, grass-fed ribeye at $9.99/pound and ahi and swordfish steaks at $10.99/pound.

— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

1965: Antiwar demonstrations in 40 U.S. cities. On Oct. 15, 1965, antiwar activists stage demonstrations across the country, drawing 100,000 people in some 40 cities. In one event staged by the student-run National Coordinating Committee to End the War in Vietnam, the public burning of a draft card leads to the first legal consequences for the act. … READ MORE

1973: Dolly Parton releases hit single “Jolene.” On Oct. 15, 1973 — four months before the release of her 13th studio album, “Jolene” — country star Dolly Parton releases the record’s titular song with the memorable refrain “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Joleeeeene.” … READ MORE

1991: Clarence Thomas confirmed to the Supreme Court. After a bitter confirmation hearing, the U.S. Senate votes 52 to 48 to confirm Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court.  … READ MORE

www.history.com