Sept. 17, 2026, Des Moines Daily Umbrella Podcast
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 HVAC system, along with photographs, memorabilia and other family items. Briar is now working to recover and preserve what she can. … In other Des Moines news, police say an automatic license plate reader helped them locate a vehicle involved in a deadly hit-and-run. Police say the crash happened just before 6:30 a.m. Wednesday and left a woman dead. Investigators initially had little evidence at the scene, but an automatic license plate reader helped identify and locate the vehicle about four hours later. Police charged 57-year-old Michelle Evette Williams with leaving the scene of an accident causing death, a Class D felony, and no insurance, a simple misdemeanor. … Gas prices continue to climb. AAA says regular unleaded is averaging $4.11 a gallon across Iowa, up 5 cents from last week and $1.20 higher than a year ago. The national average Wednesday was $4.36. Diesel is averaging $6.12 a gallon in Iowa, up 41 cents this week. For those looking for the cheapest gas in the metro, the Daily Umbrella reports prices of $3.93 a gallon at Murphy USA in Altoona, Mega Saver in Ankeny and Sam’s Club in Ankeny. … Now, your weather. Today will be mostly cloudy with a high of 77 and a low of 67. There’s a 40% chance of rain. Friday brings storms early and late, with a high of 85 and a low of 74 and a 40% chance of rain. Saturday will bring scattered showers, with a high of 80 and a low of 63 and a 30% chance of rain. And for those keeping an eye on allergies, today’s pollen level is 4.8, in the low-to-medium range. The top allergens are nettle, chenopods and ragweed. … And now, this day in history. On Sept. 17, 1967, The Who appeared on the “Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.” Drummer Keith Moon had packed explosives into his bass drum for the performance. The resulting blast was much bigger than expected, leaving guitarist Pete Townshend’s hair singed and creating quite a memorable television moment. In 1983, Vanessa Williams became the first Black woman to win the Miss America crown. She was 20 years old at the time. And in 2011, the Occupy Wall Street movement began when hundreds of activists gathered at Zuccotti Park in New York City. The protest focused on income inequality and corporate influence and eventually spread to cities around the world. … Looking ahead to the weekend, there are several events around the metro. The second annual 24-Hour Short Play Fest is Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Sherwood Forest Event Center. Eight Iowa writers and 20 local performers will create and perform 10-minute plays written within a 24-hour period. Also Sunday, Michael Howland presents a Broadway cabaret from noon to 3 p.m. at TJ’s Bagels in Ankeny. And at Drake University, Butler Bass presents “God and Caesar: A Different Path” Sunday at 2 p.m. … And finally, today’s morning chuckle. Where did the cat go after losing its tail? Think you know the answer? Send your guess to tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com before noon today for a chance to be featured in the next edition. And be sure to subscribe to our full email version of The Daily Umbrella for free at www.TheDailyUmbrella.com.