July 31, 2026, Des Moines Daily Umbrella Podcast

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.Welcome to the Daily Umbrella podcast for Friday, July 31. We bring you the top stories, weather and a few fun extras to help you start your day. Let's begin with today's top headlines. …Iowa State University's highly anticipated CyTown development has hit another delay. University officials say the mixed-use project will now be completed during the first quarter of 2028 instead of late 2027. The good news? Construction is finally about to get underway. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 2, giving Cyclone fans and Ames residents something tangible to look forward to after years of planning. Once complete, CyTown is expected to become a major entertainment and retail destination next to Jack Trice Stadium. …In Urbandale, police have identified the man whose body was recovered from Halice Lake last week. Emergency crews responded after reports of an unresponsive person in the water and recovered the body of an adult male. Authorities have released his identity while the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death continues. …In southeast Des Moines, a string of power outages is raising concerns about emergency preparedness. Several neighborhoods have experienced four outages in just two weeks, including one caused by a traffic crash. With hot summer temperatures continuing, MidAmerican Energy is reminding residents to have flashlights, charged phones and emergency supplies ready in case future outages occur. …Around Iowa, a heartbreaking story out of Coon Rapids. A 15-month-old girl remains in critical condition after she was accidentally struck by a vehicle driven by her mother. Family members began CPR before emergency responders arrived, and the child was airlifted to an Omaha hospital. The family is asking for prayers during this difficult time. …Nationally, Colin Gray, the father who provided the firearm used in the deadly Georgia high school shooting, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. The sentencing comes just days after his son received a sentence of life without parole. …And internationally, thousands of earthquake survivors in southwestern Japan continue coping with dangerous heat, water shortages and damaged infrastructure following the powerful quake that has claimed at least 34 lives. …Turning to your weekend forecast. There is a good chance of scattered showers today with a high near 78 degrees and a 70% chance of rain. Clearing skies arrive Saturday with sunshine returning and a high of 81. Sunday looks beautiful — sunny skies and a high around 85 degrees. If you have outdoor plans this weekend, Saturday afternoon and Sunday appear to be your best bets. ...If you are looking for something to do this weekend, there are plenty of dining specials around central Iowa. Friday means fish and chips at many Hy-Vee stores, half-priced kids meals at Exile Brewing, and Friday ramen at Wilson Orchard. Live music is also plentiful, with performances scheduled throughout the metro all weekend long. See details at www.thedailyumbrella.com. …And before we wrap up, let's visit today's morning chuckle. Yesterday's riddle asked, "What kind of music is played inside the vehicle?" Some favorite answers included "Car-tunes," "Road Songs," "Car-aoke," and even "The Rolling Stone." Today's new riddle is: What kind of music do aliens like? 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. …