Winners The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship awarded several Central Iowa organizations with Specialty Crop Block Grants, totaling more than $435,000 statewide. Iowa State University received funding for projects involving apple production, specialty fruit fermentation, soil health and more, while Practical Farmers of Iowa will study cover crops for weed suppression. Other local recipients include Lutheran Services in Iowa, which will use the grant to expand access to naturally grown vegetables and farmers market opportunities, and the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation, which will develop education about pollinators and specialty crops. View the full list of recipients
The newly named Bill Northey Legacy Award, formerly the Ambassador’s Circle Award, recognizes external stakeholders to National Association of State Departments of Agriculture "who have provided exemplary dedication to advancing the NASDA mission." This year’s award was given to Dave Flakne, Head of State Affairs for Syngenta. Dave "demonstrated an unwavering dedication to agriculture, working to strengthen the industry through collaboration, thoughtful advocacy and strong relationships with agricultural leaders across the country."
Losers Wallet Hub released its 2026-27 stats for obesity and overweight people. Jackson, Mississippi, is number one. Memphis is tops for "unhealthy consequences of obesity." The top 19 fattest cities were all in the South. Fort Wayne is the fattest city not in the South. Des Moines is the 41st fattest city in America, and number eight fattest in the Midwest. That's better than our rank in other studies.
Weekend deals • Wasabis offer a $49 Sunday and Monday special for a choice of two signature rolls or two classic rolls plus one signature roll with a bottle of wine. • Irina's Steak & Seafood (650 S. Prairie View Drive, Unit 100, West Des Moines) has a Sunday special beef stroganoff with potatoes, salad and two glasses of wine for $33. • Hy-Vees offer fish and chips for $5.99 Fridays, whole smoked chickens for $8.99 Saturdays and eight legs buckets of fried chicken Sundays. • AJ's at Prairie Meadows has a new all-you-can-eat prime rib and crab legs buffet from 4 p.m. Fridays. • Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University Ave., West Des Moines) offers fish fry lunch specials $16.49-$21 including a pint or two shrimp Fridays. Saturdays feature $33 12-ounce prime rib dinners. • High Life Lounge (200 Second St., Des Moines) has a Friday special fish fry for $11.99. • Amruth Indian Grill (9974 Swanson Blvd., Clive) offers mandi rice on Fridays, with chicken, paneer and vegan choices. • Exile offers half-priced kids meals on Fridays. • Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) has $6 buckets of eight pieces of baked chicken on Fridays. • Desi Bites (1475 S.E. Bishop Drive, Waukee) has weekend specials on nine biryanis and five pulavs. • Tacos Mariana's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) offers green enchiladas combos for $10 Fridays and Saturdays and four shrimp tacos for $12 Sundays. • Talk Shop Lounge (3357 St. Charles Road, St. Charles) has a steak dinner deal Friday $16. • The False Nine Social Club (206 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has wings on sale Fridays for $8. • Waveland Cafe (4708 University Ave., Des Moines) offers chicken Philly specials today. • Friday lunch special is $12 Italian beef with fries and soda, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Striking Sparrow (1930 S.E. Sixth St., Des Moines). • Sale Barn Cafe (Lamoni) is offering reubens specials today. • Machine Shed (11151 Hickman, Urbandale) offers smoked prime rib on Saturday only. Whatcha Smokin? (Luther) offers smoked Dino beef ribs on Saturday only. • Spaghetti is today's special at Crouse Cafe (115 E. Salem, Indianola). Saturday's will be beefburgers and Sunday's is fried chicken. • ShortE's BBQ (8805 Chambery Blvd., Johnston) offers "kids eat free" deals on Friday and Saturday. • Amruth (9974 Swanson Blvd., Clive) has 20 dishes on their Saturday and Sunday buffet, noon to 4 p.m. Of course, there will be dosas. • Waterfront stores' Saturday special includes cocktail shrimp or raw oysters on the half shell for half price until 4 p.m. • Gilroy's (1238 Eighth St., West Des Moines) does Saturday and Sunday brunch buffets for $24.99 for adults. Kids 6 and younger eat free. • Rube's steakhouses offer a prime sirloin special on Sundays only, $29. • Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) offers $9 Philly cheesesteaks or hot honey chicken plus $8 biscuit and gravy breakfasts on Fridays. • Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) offers walleye or steak dinner specials tonight and karaoke after 9 p.m. They have a 10 for $10 wings deal on Sundays. • Jethro's Sunday special is burger baskets with fries for $9.95. Fridays they have Texas Dip - chopped Texas brisket with sauteed onions, Swiss cheese on a hoagie with fries and BBQJus. $13.95. • Paula's (Elm at 6th, Valley Junction) has a Friday special meat loaf with mashed potatoes for $15. • Heavenly Asian (225 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has an all-day Friday sale on orange chicken served with soup, crab Rangoon, egg roll and rice, $14, available for dine-in and phone carry-out. • Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a $40 prime rib dinner special Friday and Saturday. • Court Avenue Brewing Company (309 Court Ave., Des Moines) hosts Saturday and Sunday breakfast buffets for $23.99. • It's French dip Friday at Club 2000 (420 Indianola Road, Des Moines). • Fresh Thyme (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) is running sales through Tuesday on Niman Ranch sausages at $5.99/12 ounces, whole pork butts at $2.49/pound, and 80/20 grass fed burger at $3.99/pound.
• Aldi stores have sales through Tuesday on beef short ribs at $7.99, chicken wings at $4.99/2 pounds and navel oranges at $2.69/4-pound bag.
• Fareways have specials through Saturday on butter at $2.49/pound, ham shanks at $2.99/pound and free turkeys under 12 pounds with $75 of meat purchased.
• Hy-Vee’s have sales through Sunday on Haagen Dazs at $3.99/14 ounces, mandarins at $3.79/3-pound bag, butter at $1.99/pound and Hy-Vee frozen vegetables for 99 cents.
• Price Choppers have sales through Tuesday on russets at $3.99/10 pounds; red, yellow and orange peppers at $.99; and large eggs at $1.99/18. Dinner with a show Drew Peer play Kelly's Little Nipper at 7 p.m. Friday… El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill on EP True has live music from The Juan and Only on Friday from 6 p.m... The Crowfoot Rakes play Captain Roy's Sunday at 2 p.m.... Dick Danger Band plays Mickey’s Irish Pub, Waukee, at 8 p.m. Saturday... Women of Country (Amy Friedl Stoner with Luke Viertel and Amy Friedl Band) plays at The Ingersoll at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday. |