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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 auditor and portrayed him as a career politician. Sand defended his record and challenged Lahn over his ties to Kansas, questioning whether the Republican spends enough time in Iowa to lead the state. …

Closer to home, Polk County leaders are exploring the possibility of creating a new downtown entertainment district around the Iowa Events Center. The Board of Supervisors approved a plan Tuesday to analyze the area around the Casey’s Center, EMC Expo Center and Community Choice Convention Center. …

Authorities say a West Des Moines man faces four counts of attempted murder following Monday’s shooting on northbound Interstate 35 near the Bevington exit. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says shots were reported around 3:30 p.m. …

Around the state, officials have identified two people who died Saturday in a boating accident on the Mississippi River near Dubuque. The victims were 62-year-old Wayne Ameskamp of Dyersville and 61-year-old Michael Donahue of Bellevue. Three people were ejected after the boat struck an object. …

Today marks the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel. Israelis are commemorating the attack, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. The war that followed has devastated much of Gaza. …

Now, let’s talk steak. Steak de Burgo is back in the news, and Jim Duncan reminds us that the story behind this Des Moines classic is considerably more interesting than simply putting garlic, butter and steak on a plate. The dish originated in Des Moines’ Francis Avenue neighborhood, a diverse immigrant community near Broadlawns Hospital and the city’s coal mines. Johnny Compiano and Vic Talerico are credited with creating the first Des Moines steak de Burgo. The name has a connection to the Spanish Civil War, and the story involves Italian and Spanish immigrants, political irony and a recipe that traveled across cultures. …

On this date in history, 1913 brought the debut of the moving assembly line at Henry Ford’s Highland Park factory. The innovation dramatically reduced the time required to build a Model T and helped make automobiles affordable to ordinary consumers. In 1985, Lynette Woodard became the first female player for the Harlem Globetrotters. And on Oct. 7, 2001, the United States and its allies began military operations in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The conflict would become the longest war in U.S. history. …

Now, the weather. Today will be mostly sunny with a high of 78 and a low of 53. There is no chance of rain. Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high of 72 and a 20% chance of rain. Friday will be partly cloudy with a high of 74 and a 20% chance of rain. The allergy alert today is a 4, in the low range. The top allergens are ragweed, sagebrush and chenopods. …

And finally, today’s morning chuckle: Why was the man standing on one leg at the ATM? Think you know the answer? Email 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.