The Daily Umbrella Podcasts

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Good morning, Des Moines. It is Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast, bringing you the news, weather, sports and a few other things to get your Thursday started. ...

We will see cloudy skies today with a high of 53 and a low of 41. There is a 30% chance of rain. Friday brings partly cloudy skies with a high of 50 and a low of 32. Saturday looks mostly sunny, with a high of 55 and a low of 38. ...<...

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Good morning, Des Moines! Today is Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, and this is The Daily Umbrella Podcast, bringing you the news, weather, sports and a few things to make you smile. ...

Let’s start with the weather. Rain chances are in the forecast for today, with a high of 51 degrees and a low of 45. There is a 30% chance of rain. Thursday will be cloudy, with a high of 53 and a low of 42, and a 20% chance of rain. Friday lo...

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Good morning, and welcome to the Daily Umbrella Podcast for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Here are a few things happening around central Iowa. ...

Iowa voters head to the polls today in some closely watched races that could have national implications. Control of both chambers of Congress is up for grabs, and Iowans are also choosing a new governor. The retirement announcements of Gov. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst have created significant opportunities for candidates hoping...

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Good morning, and welcome to The Daily Umbrella Podcast, your five-minute briefing of news, weather and a little bit of fun to start your Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. Let’s get right to it ...

Three of the five seats on the Polk County Board of Supervisors are up for grabs in Tuesday’s election. It is a significant change for county leadership, as longtime supervisors Angela Connolly and Tom Hockensmith have retired, and John Forbes defeated incumbent Matt McCo...

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Good morning, everyone! It is Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast, bringing you the news, weather and a few things to make you smile as you start your day. We have a little bit of everything today, including record-breaking early voting, Halloween candy and a question about when a joke officially becomes a dad joke. Let’s get started. ...

Early voting is breaking records in Polk and Dallas counties with thousands of Iowans ca...

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Good morning! It is Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. We bring you the news, weather and a few other things to help get your day started. Grab that coffee, and let’s get to it ...

Microsoft is making a major investment in the Des Moines metro area. The company has purchased more than 600 acres of farmland in Woodward for $95 million, fueling speculation that a data center could be coming to the area. Th...

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Good morning, and welcome to The Daily Umbrella Podcast for Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. Thank you for joining us for a look at what is happening around Des Moines, across Iowa and beyond. Let’s get started! ...

First, harvest season may be bringing more than combines and dust to Iowa fields. It may also be making allergy symptoms worse. Dr. Ravinder Agarwal, an allergy specialist at the Allergy, Asthma and Sinus Center in West Des Moines, says this is...

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Good morning, central Iowa! It is Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. This is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. Let’s get started. …

We begin with a serious crash involving a Des Moines teenager. Police say a 13-year-old boy is in critical condition after his modified electric mini-bike collided with an SUV Sunday evening in the 3000 block of Southeast 19th Street. The crash happened shortly after 7 p.m. First responders found the teenager critically injured. Authorities say he was reportedly not wear...

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Good morning, Des Moines, and welcome to The Daily Umbrella Podcast for Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. Let's get started. …

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Good morning, central Iowa! It is Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, and this is The Daily Umbrella Podcast. Grab your coffee, get comfortable and let us get you caught up. …

Two suspects are in custody after an alleged illegal firearm sale went bad near the Walmart in Altoona on Thursday. According to the Altoona Police Department, officers were dispatched shortly after 2 p.m. to the Interstate 80 westbound ramp at Hubbell Avenue following a report of shots fired between two ve...

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Good morning, central Iowa! It is Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. Thank you for starting your day with The Daily Umbrella Podcast. Let’s get started. …

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating two separate manure spills in the state. The larger incident happened Tuesday afternoon near Lake Wapello State Park in Davis County, where a semi hauling manure overturned on Eagle Boulevard. The DNR estimates that between 6,000 and 6,500 gallons of manure spilled into a ditch near the park...

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Good morning, Des Moines! It’s Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. Let’s get started. …

The troubled Ignite Johnston sports complex project has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Ignite Johnston LLC announced it voluntarily filed for reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Iowa. The filing follows months of lawsuits and controversy surrounding the long-delayed development, spearheaded by brothers Chad and Brian O’Meara. …

Des Moines Wat...

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Good morning, Des Moines! It is Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Thank you for starting your day with The Daily UmbrellaPodcast, your morning briefing from Big Green Umbrella Media. Here is what is happening across Iowa and beyond, plus your weather, sports, history and a little morning humor. …

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that her husband, Kevin Reynolds, has experienced a recurrence of cancer after three years in remission. He is recovering from surgery to remove a brain tumor. The go...

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Good morning, Des Moines! It is Monday, Oct. 19, and this is The Daily Umbrella Podcast, your five-minute weekday morning briefing from Big Green Umbrella Media. Here is what is happening around central Iowa and beyond, along with your weather, sports and a little Monday morning humor. Let's get started. …

Polk County voters have opportunities to cast their ballots early ahead of Election Day. Satellite voting locations are available throughout the county, with schedules varying by site. Ch...

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Good morning, Central Iowa! Today is Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast — your five-minute briefing on the news, weather and a few things you probably did not know you needed to know. …

Let's start with the news. A data center company that faced pushback in Ames is now looking at Boone. Lightedge is considering a 10-acre site in Boone Business Park. Residents had an opportunity Thursday to ask questions about the proposal. Company offi...

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Good morning, Central Iowa! It is Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast — your quick look at the news, weather and happenings to start your day. …

Early voting for Iowa’s November midterm elections is underway. Voters lined up at election offices across the state Wednesday, including the Polk County Election Office on Euclid Avenue in Des Moines. Some voters said they wanted to cast their ballots early because they would be out of town o...

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Good morning, Des Moines! It is Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. Here’s what’s happening in Iowa, across the country and around the world. …

Iowa’s U.S. Senate race took center stage Tuesday night as Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek met for their second and final debate. The candidates addressed issues important to Iowans, including rising cancer rates, health care, Social Security and technolo...

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Good morning, Des Moines! This is The Daily Umbrella Podcast for Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. Grab your coffee, and let us get you caught up on what is happening around Iowa and beyond. …

Microsoft has purchased more than 600 acres in Woodward for a planned data center. Company representatives and Woodward’s mayor shared details at a residents-only meeting Monday night at Woodward-Granger High School. More than 200 residents attended to hear about the project and express their opinions. The land...

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Good morning, Des Moines! It is Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. Thank you for starting your day with The Daily Umbrella, your five-minute briefing of news, weather, sports and a little fun to help you get your week rolling. Let’s get right to it. …

We are experiencing summer in October, apparently, and Mother Nature does not seem particularly interested in checking the calendar. Des Moines hit 88 degrees Sunday, setting a new record high for the date. The previous reco...

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Good morning, Des Moines! It is Friday, Oct. 9. 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast, your five-minute briefing on what is happening around central Iowa and beyond. …

We begin in Ottumwa, where an invocation at Tuesday’s City Council meeting is drawing controversy. Former council member Matthew Dalbey delivered a prayer that ended with the words “hail Satan.” According to The Ottumwa Courier, local pastor Rick Bick took the microphone, despite public comment normally being reserved for the...

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Good morning, Des Moines, and welcome to the Daily Umbrella Podcast for Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. We offer your morning news, weather and a few things worth knowing before you head out the door. …

Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and Democratic Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek squared off Wednesday night in their first debate in the race to replace U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, who is not seeking reelection. The candidates traded attacks over immigration, their records on...

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Good morning, Des Moines, and welcome to the Daily Umbrella Podcast for Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. …

We begin with Iowa politics, where Tuesday night’s first televised debate between Republican Zach Lahn and Democrat Rob Sand was anything but polite. The two candidates traded personal attacks over their records, backgrounds and qualifications with just four weeks remaining in the governor’s race. Lahn, a businessman seeking public office for the first time, repeatedly criticized Sand’s record as state au...

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Good morning, Des Moines, and welcome to the Daily Umbrella Podcast. It is Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. Here is what is happening around central Iowa this morning. …

A person is in custody following a stabbing Monday evening in Des Moines. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responded around 6:30 p.m. to a report of a stabbing in the 100 block of Northwest Aurora Avenue. Deputies found an adult male with an apparent stab wound. The man was take...

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Good morning, Des Moines! Today is Oct. 5, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast.

There is a reason it is called work. Somewhere, Larry Winget is nodding his head. Winget, author of “It’s Called Work for a Reason,” has made a career out of telling people things they already know but do not necessarily want to hear. His basic message? If you want the rewards that come from work, you actually have to work. And that i...

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Good morning, Des Moines! It is Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. Let’s get right to the news. …

First, if you live in Carlisle, pay attention to this one. The city remains under a do-not-use water order this morning following a water main break. Residents should not use tap water until at least 8 a.m. today while crews work to refill the system. Mayor Dan Carver says the order could be lifted this...

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Good morning, Des Moines! It is Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast to start your day. Here is what is happening around central Iowa and beyond. …

Two central Iowa communities faced water problems Wednesday evening as crews worked to locate and repair water main breaks. In Carlisle, officials asked residents and businesses around 5 p.m. to stop using water immediately after a major water main break began draining the city’s water system. Crew...

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Good morning, and welcome to the Daily Umbrella Podcast for Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. Here’s what’s making news this morning. …

Valley West Mall has a new owner. Threshold Capital, a West Des Moines-based developer and real estate investment company, has acquired the embattled mall after the property was foreclosed on and put up for sale earlier this year. The company plans to remove the remaining tenants, secure the property and address hazardous materials as it prepares for a...

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Good morning, and welcome to the Daily Umbrella Podcast for Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Let’s get started. …

Summer may officially be over, but some things from the season never seem to disappear — especially pool noodles. Shane Goodman shares a few creative uses for those colorful foam tubes, from organizing fishing poles and protecting vehicle doors to creating homemade wrist rests and even garage floor squeegees. So don’t toss those noodles aside yet, as they may have more lif...

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Good morning, Des Moines, and welcome to the Sept. 28, 2026, Daily Umbrella Podcast. Let’s get started with the news. …

An Indianola juvenile died Sunday evening after being struck by a vehicle, according to police. Officers and emergency crews responded shortly before 6 p.m. to the 400 block of West 18th Place. Bystanders were already performing CPR when officers arrived, and crews requested a LifeFlight helicopter because of the injuries. Police are investigating the crash. …

Here is som...

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Good morning, Des Moines, and happy Friday. This is the Daily Umbrella Podcast for Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. Here’s what’s making news around Des Moines and Iowa. …

Des Moines Public Schools is moving forward with a $265 million Reimagine Education plan, but parents are raising questions about the significant changes ahead. The district unveiled the plan during a community update meeting Wednesday night. The proposal would give students more interest-based and specialty programming, including opportunities to explore specif...

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Good morning, Des Moines! It’s Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, and this is the Daily Umbrella Podcast. Here’s what’s happening around Iowa, around the country and around the world.

A judge has dismissed President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against The Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer. Iowa District Judge Scott J. Beattie rejected Trump’s claim that the newspaper’s polling coverage of the 2024 presidential race violated Iowa’s consumer fraud law. The judge called the cas...

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Good morning, central Iowa! This is your Daily Umbrella Podcast for Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Here is what is happening around the metro, across Iowa and beyond. …

Polk County is investing $1 million in opioid settlement funds to help people recover from addiction in Des Moines. The Polk County Board of Supervisors approved the grant Tuesday for Community & Family Resources’ planned expansion of the Grays Woods Recovery Center. The announcement came during Recovery Month, which highlights prevention, treatment and reco...

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Good morning. It’s Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. Here’s what’s happening around central Iowa and beyond. …

West Des Moines is planning to replace its oldest fire and EMS station at Ashworth Road and Valley West Drive, just southeast of Valley High School. The station has served the community for nearly 55 years. Built in 1972 as a combined fire and police station, the facility has aged significantly, and city leaders are now purs...

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Good morning, Des Moines. It’s Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. Here’s what’s making news this morning. …

Merlyn Linn, the founder of Linn’s Haunted House in Des Moines, has died at age 88. Linn died Sept. 17, according to a news release posted on the Linn’s Haunted House Facebook page. Linn grew up on a farm near Dayton before moving to Des Moines at age 10. After high school, he served in the U.S...

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Good morning, central Iowa. It’s Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, and this is the Daily Umbrella Podcast. We offer the morning news, information and a little bit of fun to get your Friday rolling. Let’s get started. ...

A 20-year-old Perry woman is charged with first-degree murder after a baby was found dead Tuesday evening in a trash container at Acorns & Oaks Child Care in Perry. Perry police say Stephanie Ubaldo, the mother of the baby, was arrested Thur...

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Good morning, Des Moines, and welcome to the Daily Umbrella Podcast. Today is Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Here are the stories making news across the Des Moines metro and beyond. …

A Des Moines woman is trying to save decades of family memories after a devastating flood filled her basement with nearly 4 feet of water. Jamie Briar told KCCI that 46 inches of water flooded her basement early last Wednesday morning. The damage included her utilities, washer, dryer, freezer and HV...

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Good morning, Des Moines. It is Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. Let’s get started. …

Des Moines Public Schools has a new superintendent. Matt Smith, the district’s associate superintendent, was unanimously selected Tuesday to become the next full-time superintendent. Smith has twice served as interim superintendent, including nearly a year in the role since Sept. 26, 2025, following the arrest of former Superintendent Ian Roberts. …

Perry police are investigating after an infant w...

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Good morning. It is Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, and here is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. Let’s get started. ...

Steady and heavy rainfall is keeping Des Moines plumbing crews busy. Homeowners are reporting flooded foundations, backed-up drains and failed sump pumps. Plumbing experts say severe weather can create a number of problems for homeowners. …

The Des Moines City Council has approved $11.5 million in budget cuts to help address a $12 million shortfall projected for fiscal 2028. The council vote...

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Good morning. It’s Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, and this is the Daily Umbrella Podcast from Big Green Umbrella Media. Here’s what you need to know as you start your day. …

Heavy rain is back in the forecast for Iowa. The first round of rain is winding down, but another round is moving in Monday morning. Forecasters are calling for heavy rain accumulation as the week progresses, along with cooler temperatures. There is also a small chance of sev...

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Good morning, central Iowa. It’s Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, and this is your Daily Umbrella Podcast. Let’s get started. …

Today marks 25 years since the Sept. 11 attacks. Across the country, Americans are remembering the nearly 3,000 people who died and the enormous changes that followed the attacks. Memorial ceremonies, moments of silence, flag displays, vigils and readings of victims’ names are taking place today. …

Iowa farmers are heading toward harvest with another major expense hanging over them: dies...