Aug. 17, 2026, Des Moines Daily Umbrella Podcast

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.Good morning. Here are the top stories and headlines from the Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, edition of the Daily Umbrella. …Des Moines police are investigating a shots-fired incident in downtown Des Moines, and three handguns have been recovered. Police say officers were patrolling the Court Avenue entertainment district around 2 a.m. Sunday when they heard gunfire near Fourth Street and Court Avenue. The investigation remains ongoing. …More than 120 people were safely evacuated after a hotel partially collapsed in Burlington on Saturday. The incident occurred at the Comfort Suites after the fire department was dispatched following an early morning fire alarm. No additional details were provided in the report. …At the Iowa State Fair, organizers have announced a replacement act for Colt Ford. Emerging country-rock artist Sterling Elza will fill in for Ford, who canceled his performance after suffering a broken shoulder in a bus crash last week. …The Iowa State Fair is also providing plenty of opportunities for political candidates to connect with voters. U.S. Reps. Zach Nunn and Ashley Hinson joined Sen. Chuck Grassley to discuss Iowa businesses, manufacturing and trade. Gubernatorial candidates Rob Sand and Zach Lahn also met fairgoers, served food and outlined their priorities at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox. …Around the world, President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to scale back annual joint military exercises with South Korea. Trump cited South Korea's decision not to help with the war against Iran and pointed to his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. …In Hawaii, Tropical Storm Lala weakened Sunday after bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the islands without making landfall. Officials said the storm's winds and rain were strong enough to sweep around 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island. …Today's weather calls for abundant sunshine, with a high of 82 and a low of 67. The rain chance is zero percent. Tuesday brings a 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms, with a high of 85. Wednesday also has a chance of scattered thunderstorms, with a high of 80. …In sports, the Minnesota Vikings will be without veteran defender Jamal Adams for the 2026 season because of a right knee injury suffered Saturday in a preseason victory over the New York Giants. Former major league pitcher Tommy John has died at age 83. John was a four-time All-Star who won 288 games during a 26-year career. He became best known for the elbow surgery that bears his name after undergoing the procedure in 1974. And Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever defeated the Atlanta Dream 95-91 in overtime Sunday. The teams entered the game separated by just a half-game in the playoff standings, with 10 games remaining in the regular season. …Finally, today's morning chuckle is a riddle. What is it called when big, hairy spiders rain down out of the sky? Think you know the answer? Send your guess to [email protected] 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.