What We’re Talking About

Things haven’t been clicking for the Iowa Hawkeye offense early in the season, and much of the blame has been pointed at Hawkeye OC Brian Ferentz.  One fan or fans had Iowa Basketball Coach Fran McCaffery and former Oklahoma Head Football Coach Bob Stoops record a couple of Cameo videos trolling the Iowa OC. 

Here’s the Stoops video…

So someone set up Bob Stoops on cameo… pic.twitter.com/Cg3fR2CqEG

— . (@XAVlERNWANKPA) September 13, 2022

Here’s Fran’s video…

THEY GOT FRAN TOO??? @BarstoolUIowa pic.twitter.com/8XoJbnurrZ

— . (@XAVlERNWANKPA) September 13, 2022

Cameo is a platform where you can pay celebrities to deliver video notes to friends or loved ones…or to scrutinize college football coaches.

Last night during the Texas Rangers baseball game, the commentators were talking about Marcus Semien, and as they showed him on the bench, his eyes got wide. He had just figured out he was up at the plate. He never had time for the on-deck circle. Moments later, he got a hit, and turned on the gas. (The Rangers beat the A’s, 7 to 6.)

Hey Marcus, you’re on deck! @Rangers | #StraightUpTX | : BSSW pic.twitter.com/W9ITwgWgA9

— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) September 14, 2022

Photo Credit:  Bally Sports Southwest via Twitter

A video is going viral of a bear crashing a 2-year-old’s birthday party and eating all of his cupcakes in Connecticut.  Here is some of what Rauf and Laura Majidian captured when the bear made its way to their son’s party.  In these types of situations, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) encourages people to yell at the bear and make lots of noise.

Here’s a proposal on a pier in Australia that didn’t go well.  A guy had his 2-year-old help with the ring, but she fumbled, it fell between the planks, and into the ocean.  Luckily, when he went into the water, he was able to find it.

@stephanieariana0

Had to tell Harpie that it was kissed by the fish and mermaids for goodluck

♬ original sound – stephanieariana0

Photo Credit: stephanieariana0 via TikTok

As children, we received countless warnings from parents and other adults concerning disastrous behaviors that should be avoided at all costs. From comical exaggerations to outright lies, here are some relatable tweets about the things adults conditioned us to worry about…
☞ “I can’t believe adults warned us about the dangers of quicksand and completely ignored telling us about how stressful it is paying rent”
☞ “I am 32 years old and still deeply terrified that consuming anything from the hotel room minibar will bankrupt my entire family somehow”
☞ “why did my mom make me think it was illegal to turn a light on in the car while we were driving throughout my whole childhood”
☞ “Did anyone else’s parents tell them that if you sit too close to the TV you’ll go blind?”
☞ “Growing up I thought I’d be getting sprayed by a lot more skunks by the way adults warned us about them.”
☞ “Did your parents tell you the black seeds in watermelon would grow a watermelon in your stomach too or are you normal?”
☞ “did your parents tell you that you’d get a cold if you went to sleep with your hair wet or are you normal?”
☞ “Was anybody else raised to believe that if you take a shower during a thunderstorm, you’ll probably die via lightning strike?”
☞ “Did anybody else’s parents every tell them not to swim after eating because of cramps?? Did you know that’s false? Did you know we were raised by liars!?!?”
☞ “Remember when we were kids they used to talk about our “permanent record” LMFAO I was TERRIFIED”

Have EVER encountered quicksand????

Merriam-Webster has added 370 words and terms to the dictionary, including “yeet.” Some other new additions include “sus,” “adorkable,” and the abbreviation “FWIW” (for what it’s worth). “Pumpkin spice” is another new term added this year. “Our job is to capture the language as it is used,” editor Peter Sokolowski said. “Some of these words will amuse or inspire, others may provoke debate.” A word must be used over and over in the same way in order to be eligible for inclusion.

Check out some worth mentioning..

Side hustle: work performed for income supplementary to one’s primary job Laggy: having a delayed or slow response

Yeet: slang used to express surprise, approval, or excited enthusiasm

Janky: of very poor quality

Sus: slang for suspicious or suspect Subvariant: one of two or more distinctive forms or types of the same variant.

LARP: It stands for live-action role-playing

Galentine’s Day: a holiday observed on February 13th as a time to celebrate friendships, especially among women

Baller: excellent, exciting, or extraordinary, especially in a way that’s suggestive of a lavish lifestyle

Adorkable: socially awkward or quirky in a way that is endearing.

MacGyver slang : to make, form, or repair (something) with what is conveniently on hand

Pumpkin Spice : a mixture of usually cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and often allspice that is commonly used in pumpkin pie

We had a chance to talk with Christine Hess, one of the organizers of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s happening in Decorah this Saturday.  Listen to our conversation below.

DECORAH, August 29, 2022 – The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be held in Northeast Iowa at the Decorah Municipal Center on Saturday, Sept. 17. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and the Walk kicks-off at 9 a.m.

On Walk day, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with Promise Garden flowers which signify our solidarity in the fight against the disease. The colors of the Promise Garden flowers – purple, yellow, blue and orange – represent the different reasons why people walk to end this disease.

This year, the Alzheimer’s Association has a goal of raising $28,000 at the Northeast Iowa Walk. Last year, over $14,000 was raised, and so far this year almost $11,000 has been raised. The money raised will help the Association provide care and support to families in Iowa, while also advancing critical research toward methods of treatment and ultimately a cure.

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Iowa alone, there are more than 66,000 people living with the disease and 73,000 caregivers.

To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit: alz.org/walk.

Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s Association®

The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Its mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

The CMA announced the nominees for the 56th annual CMA Awards this morning (Wednesday). Lainey Wilson leads the list with six nominations, including the coveted Female Vocalist and Album of the Year categories. Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton follow with five nods each. Chris a notches another nomination in the Entertainer of the Year category while Morgan Wallen finds himself in that category for the first time. In addition, actress Blake Lively receives a Video of the Year nod for her work on Taylor Swift’s “I Bet You Think About Me” music video.

The 56th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, take place November 9th and will broadcast live from Nashville on ABC.

Entertainer of the Year

Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Morgan Wallen

Female Vocalist of the Year

Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Carrie Underwood
Lainey Wilson

Male Vocalist of the Year

Eric Church
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen

Vocal Group of the Year

Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo of the Year

Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan and Shay
LoCash
Maddie and Tae

Album of the Year

Growin’ Up – Luke Combs
Humble Quest – Maren Morris
Palomino – Miranda Lambert
Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ – Lainey Wilson
Time, Tequila and Therapy – Old Dominion

Single of the Year

“Buy Dirt” – Jordan Davis
“Half of My Hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)
“Never Wantd to Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryade
“’Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson
“You Should Probably Leave” – Chris Stapleton

Song of the Year
(award goes to songwriters)

“Buy Dirt” – Jordan Davis
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Ashley McBryde and Carly Pearce
“Sand In My Boots” – Morgan Wallen
“Things A Man Oughta Know” – Lainey Wilson
“You Should Probably Leave” – Chris Stapleton

New Artist of the Year  

Hardy
Walker Hayes
Cody Johnson
Parker McCollum
Lainey Wilson

Musical Event of the Year
Award goes to Artist(s) and Producer(s) 

“Beers On Me” – Dierks Bentley with Breland and Hardy
“If I Didn’t Love You” – Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
“Longneck Way To Go” – Midland (featuring Jon Pardi)
“Never Say Never” – Cole Swindell (with Lainey Wilson)
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde

Music Video of the Year
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s) 

“I Bet You Think About Me” (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) – Taylor Swift (featuring Chris Stapleton)
“Longneck Way To Go” – Midland (featuring Jon Pardi)
“Never Say Never” – Cole Swindell (with Lainey Wilson)
“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
“’Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson

Musician of the Year

Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle
Paul Franklin, Steel guitar
Brent Mason, Guitar
Ilya Toshinskiy, Banjo
Derek Wells, Guitar

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Country Music Association (@cma)

Teacher Stacy Karlsen at Wilson Elementary School in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shared a chart showing when children should go to sleep, and it’s now gone viral. The chart says five-year-olds should go to bed between 6:45 and 8:15 p.m. If they get up around 7 a.m., they should go to bed around 7:30 p.m. Kids aged 11 and 12 should tuck in between 8:15 and 9:45 p.m. The chart is based on the amount of sleep children should get at each age, as recommended by the NHS and Sleep.org

Paging: Parents and Guardians.
.
.
Credit: Stacy Karlsen (Wilson Elementary School) pic.twitter.com/HtqUZMVQ5G

— The One (@ColinJohn_) September 25, 2020

Labor Day weekend is summer’s last summer hurrah … are you making the most if it?

According to a WalletHub survey, 53% of us are heading out of town for Labor Day weekend. 36% of us are traveling by car and 14% of us are flying.

The most popular Labor Day 2022 destinations are :

1. San Diego
2. Chicago
3. New Orleans
4. Seattle
5. New York

Be careful out there … Labor Day weekend is among the deadliest on the roads. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Labor Day weekend is the second-deadliest holiday weekend when it comes to traffic fatalities. It’s surprising as most would probably think July 4th or Memorial Day would be deadlier. The holiday weekend with the most traffic fatalities is actually Thanksgiving. The deadliest hour to be on the roads this weekend is tonight from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Drive carefully. 
 

A big weekend of BBQ-ing … According to WalletHub, 61% of Americans plan to BBQ over Labor Day weekend. Time to get in the last of the 818 hot dogs eaten every second between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Looking for a theme for your Labor Day BBQ? Tell everyone to wear all white – from their tops to their shoes. Labor Day is supposed to be the last day you can wear white till next summer … so may as well celebrate that outdated notion. 

Need an explanation on the “No White After Labor Day” thing??  More details here from the Farmers Almanac.

Alfredo sauce covered Interstate 55 in Memphis, Tennessee, on Tuesday afternoon after a tractor-trailer crashed. Jars of Five Brothers brand Alfredo sauce spilled onto both sides of traffic, causing delays during rush hour. Cleanup required a bulldozer to remove sauce and broken glass, and lasted for over six hours.

You can smell it! Memphis police confirm a tractor-trailer carrying Alfredo sauce spilled on I-55 near Riverside Boulevard. @FOX13Memphis pic.twitter.com/VTPVQ8YjYC

— Kate Bieri (@KateBieri) August 30, 2022

It wasn’t the only Italian food staple to be lost this week: On Monday, a truck on Interstate 80 in California lost its shipment of 150,000 tomatoes, causing a major traffic delay. In some places, the tomatoes piled up to two-feet high.

pic.twitter.com/mv7ZeS8phJ

— CHP SOLANO (@ChpSolano) August 29, 2022

Photo Credit: Kate Bieri via Twitter

A guy celebrating his 18th birthday at the Royals – Padres game in Kansas City on Sunday caught a Juan Soto home run ball, and then had the ball YANKED out of his glove by some jerk who took off running with it!  Everything got caught on video, so the Royals gave him two signed balls, one of which was autographed by Juan Soto, plus every bobblehead the Royals have given out this year.

Photo Credit: FOX4 News Kansas City via YouTube.

An Alabama deputy found a goat in his patrol car eating various documents, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Casey Thrower was delivering legal documents when the incident occurred. As one goat ate police paperwork, another climbed onto the hood of the car. “Deputy Thrower explained that due to the number of homes he visits daily, on occasions he leaves his vehicle door open because he’s had to retreat from being attacked by canines in the past,” the Facebook post read. The officer was able to shoo the animals away

Nebraska man Duane Hansen has broken a world record by paddling 38 miles down the the Missouri River in a carved out giant pumpkin he grew!

The giant pumpkin does have a name… “Berta”. Hansen is known for growing 200 to 400 pound pumpkins, so Berta is pretty special at 861 pounds. “Berta” was cut from the vine, while growing at 15 pounds per day, with a circumference of 146 inches.

Popular Instagram account @newyorknico shows a man using a hot dog as a straw in Yankee Stadium during a game. The video shows the unnamed Yankee fan using a straw to create a hole in his hot dog and then using the frank to sip his beer. Some users praised the man for his ingenuity, while others were disgusted.

Baseball games have been outta control recently. pic.twitter.com/ZRxi6U81tW

— Nicolas Heller (@NewYorkNico) August 23, 2022

Photo Credit:  Nicolas Heller via Twitter.

Kane Brown brought Randy Travis to the stage during his show at the Choctaw Grand Theater in Oklahoma on Saturday. And then he performed Randy’s all-time hit, “Three Wooden Crosses”

Photo Credit: Taylor Harvey via YouTube.

Someone who bought a Mega Millions® ticket in northeast Iowa won a $1 million prize in Friday night’s drawing.

The $1 million-winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s 200 W. Main St. in Ossian, a community of about 800 in Winneshiek County. It was the only $1 million-winning ticket nationwide in the drawing.

The ticket matched the first five numbers but missed the Mega Ball to win a $1 million prize. Last night’s winning numbers were: 12-18-24-46-65 and Mega Ball 3. The Megaplier number was 4. No one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, so the big prize climbs to an estimated $116 million annuity, $65.6 million lump-sum option for Tuesday’s drawing.

Casey’s will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket at one of its stores.

This is the fourth Iowa ticket to win a prize of at least $1 million in 2022.

Prizes of $2 million must be claimed at Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. The lottery’s offices are open Monday through Friday, and prize claims are currently available by appointment. The winner or winners of the Ossian prize can call the lottery at 515-725-7900 to make an appointment to claim it.

Ticket Purchased In NE Iowa Wins $1 Million Mega Millions Prize https://t.co/K7JEjW6hoA

— Iowa Lottery (@ialottery) August 20, 2022

SAVE THE DATE!! Come swim with your dog on August 27th at the Monona Aquatic Family Center! The 12th Annual Pooch Paddle will be held on August 27th from 11AM to 2PM, with a rain date of August 28th. Registration is $10.00 for the first dog and $5 for any additional dogs. Enjoy poolside beverages and pizza. Proceeds from this event benefit the cats and dogs of the Humane Society of Northeast Iowa. Your dog will be happy, tired, and clean!!

Photo Credit:  Humane Society of Northeast Iowa via Facebook

A Texas man wrangled an alligator to get his daughter to her first day of school. The girl was getting ready when she discovered the creature was blocking the front door. At first, Mike Trinh didn’t believe his daughter. “I’m thinking she’s joking, not wanting to go to school. But when he saw it was real, Trinh says he channeled the late STEVE IRWIN and covered the alligator’s eyes with a towel. He was then able to get around the animal to get his daughter to the car, and to class!

Oregon Lottery officials were able to reconstruct an $8 winning scratch-off ticket that was torn to shreds by the winners’ dogs. Lottery officials said they received a letter from Salem residents Nathan and Rachael Lamet explaining their $3 Pharaoh’s Gold Crossword ticket had been ripped to bits by Apple and Jack, their Alaska klee kai dogs. The letter included the torn-up ticket and a photo of the guilty canines. Lottery officials were able to piece the ticket back together and confirmed it was an $8 winner. The Lumets said they were shocked when officials replied to their letter and said a check would be mailed to them.

This winner story deserves a round of a-paws. A couple in Salem are celebrating an $8 win after their two Alaskan Klee Kias ate their Scratch-it. Our team was able to piece most of the ticket back together and confirm the $8 win. Full story: https://t.co/t5Lfj9YBzP pic.twitter.com/VDvheRkJP6

— Oregon Lottery (@oregon_lottery) August 11, 2022

Photo Credit: Oregon Lottery via Twitter 

REBA MCENTIRE’s real life boyfriend, actor REX LINN, will play her husband in the upcoming season of ABC’s ‘Big Sky: Deadly Trails.’ ‘Deadline’ reports that Rex and Reba will play Buck and Sunny Barnes, owners of the Sunny Day Excursions which specializes in glamping. Reba and Rex will also appear together in the upcoming Lifetime movie, ‘The Hammer.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Reba (@reba)

Country on the Creek is set for Saturday, August 20th in Waterville, IA.  We had a chance to talk with Ashley Wineland, who will be taking the stage that night.  If you missed our conversation with Ashley, check it out below!

Tickets are still available, all the details are here.

Last night the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 at the Field of Dreams game in Dyersville. There were plenty of memorable moments like last year, but one that is drawing some criticism is the hologram of the late Harry Caray doing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh inning stretch. Play a recording of his rendition, maybe not do a hologram…

An all-time “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” only possible through the magic of Field of Dreams 🙏 pic.twitter.com/IC8yHrFZQT

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 12, 2022

Photo Credit: FOX Sports: MLB via Twitter

Today marks the 2 year anniversary of the costliest severe thunderstorm event in US history.  The 2020 Derecho ripped through the Midwest, causing an estimated $7.5 billion in damage.

-Length of Damage: 770 miles
-Highest Measured Wind Gust: 126 mph in Atkins, Iowa.
-25 tornadoes confirmed.
-14 million acres of crops destroyed in Iowa.
-100 million bushels worth of grain storage and processing infrastructure destroyed.
-Fatalities: 4, Injuries: 115.
-$7.5 billion in damage.
-150-foot communications tower collapsed.

Photo Credit: NWS Des Moines

An Oklahoma little leaguer got beaned in the head.  Thankfully, his helmet protected him.  And what happened next was very cool.  He noticed that the pitcher who hit him was shaken up, so he went to the mound and gave him a hug.

“Hey, you’re doing just great”

Oklahoma little leaguer gets hit in the head and then comforts the pitcher who is shaken up afterward pic.twitter.com/hYYLiy511K

— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) August 9, 2022

Photo Credit: Jomboy via Twitter.

A truck driver in Florida is giving thanks that he is OK after his truck caught fire and burned all of the frozen turkeys he was hauling. The truck was driving on Interstate 4 near Sanford when it suddenly caught fire. The driver was able to pull off to the side of the road and get out before it became entirely engulfed in flamed. Firefighters arrive to put out the blaze, but not before 10,000 frozen turkeys were overcooked. The cause of the fire is unknown. Traffic was slowed on I-4 for several hours while crews cleaned up the mess.

I-4 vehicle accident & fire 📍 MM 101 WB Sanford. 18-wheeler tractor trailer caught fire carrying 10,000 frozen turkey. No injuries… SCFD units have fire under control. FHP on scene. Extended operation – two lanes blocked. pic.twitter.com/EAL9i7xlLw

— Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) PIO Media (@scfdpio) August 4, 2022

Photo Credit:  Seminole County Fire Department via Twitter.

We all love doughnuts, but it might be hard to muster up the courage to try this one … French’s, as in the company that makes mustard, is out with a limited-edition mustard-glazed doughnut. The Frankenstein creation coincides with National Mustard Day coming up on Saturday. It’s a classic glazed doughnut with a sweet and savory yellow mustard coating and topped with a mustard cake crumble. It’s available at Dough Doughnuts locations in New York and online while supplies last.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by French’s (@frenchs)

CMA Entertainer of the Year LUKE BRYAN and one of the biggest names in NFL history, PEYTON MANNING, will join forces to host The 56th Annual CMA Awards. Luke made the announcement on Monday (8-1) while guest hosting ‘Live with Kelly and Ryan.’ The star-studded event will air live from Nashville on November 9th on ABC

ANKENY, Iowa – Seven young women involved within Iowa’s dairy community will compete to win the title of 69th Iowa Dairy Princess. The coronation ceremony will be held Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the Multi-Media Center of the Cattle Barn at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The Iowa Dairy Princess and Alternate connect with consumers and help them understand the dedication of dairy farm families to their cows, their land and the milk they produce.

The contestants are:

· Haily Backer, 18, daughter of Benjamin and Jennifer Backer of Greene, representing Butler County;

· Ashley Elsbernd, 18, daughter of Peter and Kristi Elsbernd of Calmar, representing Winneshiek County;

· Kiersten Gibbs, 17, daughter of Chris and Kerri Gibbs of Waterville, representing Allamakee County;

· Courtney Goedken, 18, daughter of Tim and Joan Goedken of Hopkinton, representing Delaware County;

· Emma Jecklin, 19, daughter of Gary and Brenda Jecklin of Durango, representing Dubuque County;

· Emily Manweiler, 18, daughter of William and Karen Manweiler of Sumner, representing Iowa Jersey Cattle Club; and

· Naomi Scott, 19, daughter of Mike and Kathleen Scott, representing Iowa Holstein Association.

The winners are chosen on the basis of their knowledge and enthusiasm about dairy, personality and communication ability during judging which begins Tuesday, Aug. 9. Both the princess and alternate will receive scholarships from Midwest Dairy, which sponsors the contest and princess program on behalf of Iowa’s dairy farmers.

The outgoing(above photo) 2021-22 Iowa Dairy Princess is Raegan Kime, daughter of Dann and Annette Kime of Waucoma, and the Alternate Princess is Hillary Burken, daughter of Marty Burken and Susan O’Neill of Clinton. Their reigns will be completed at the end of the month, and the new Princess and Alternate will begin their duties Sept. 1.

Midwest Dairy™ represents 7,000 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in our products and production practices. We are committed to Bringing Dairy to Life! by Giving Consumers an Excellent Dairy Experience and are funded by farmers across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit MidwestDairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.

Luke Bryan lifted the spirits of two boys at his show on Saturday. They were holding up a t-shirt that said, “Our dad died. Can we sing ‘Drink a Beer’ together?” Here’s what happened. (Not only did he sing with them, he put on the shirt while doing it.)

@jsiena08 What a heart of gold this man has️, @LukeBryan ❤️#raiseduprighttour #lukebryan #countrymusic #country #countryconcert #Iheartcountry #music #lukebryanconcert #drinkabeer #hartfordamphitheater #xfinitytheater #fyp #foryourpage #inspiration ♬ original sound – jennifersiena

Photo Credit:  jsiena08 via TikTok

CLIVE, Iowa — The giant Mega Millions^® jackpot has climbed even higher for Friday’s drawing. The latest projection for the game’s grand prize was raised on Thursday, with the jackpot now at an estimated $1.1 billion annuity, $648.2 million cash option.

The jackpot is now the second highest in the history of the Mega Millions game and the third largest ever offered in the United States.

When the jackpot reaches this level, it becomes harder to predict the grand-prize estimate heading into the next drawing. Stronger sales mean the jackpot will go even higher.

The Mega Millions jackpot has reached its current level because it has been growing for a few months. It was last won on April 15 with a ticket purchased in Tennessee.

Drawing Details, Three Iowa Tickets That Came So Close

A total of 48,996 plays purchased by Iowa Lottery players won prizes in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing ranging from $2 up to $30,000.

Three Iowa tickets were just one number away from having at least a share of Tuesday’s giant prize. They each matched four of the five white balls and the Mega Ball to win a $10,000 prize. However, the Megaplier^® option was added to one of the plays, which multiplied that prize to $30,000.

The $10,000-winning tickets were purchased at Kum & Go, 3215 Seventh Ave. in Marion; and Kwik Stop, 185 Peosta St. in Peosta. The $30,000-winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s, 1759 Madison Ave. in Council Bluffs.

The winning numbers in Tuesday’s drawing were: 7-29-60-63-66 and Mega Ball 15. The Megaplier number was 3.

Reminders About Group Play

When a jackpot reaches into the stratosphere like Mega Millions has, many lottery players begin to pool their money to buy tickets as part of office pools or with groups of family and friends. The Iowa Lottery keeps group play reminders on its website to help players keep lottery pool play fun and hassle free. Here is a direct link to the reminders: https://ialottery.com/Pages/PlayerSecurity/GroupPlayReminders.aspx

Among the suggestions: Keep an accurate list of everyone who puts in money for a particular drawing and how much they contribute. And, provide everyone in your pool with photos or copies of the group’s tickets before the drawing.

For First Time In Iowa, New Jackpot Signs In Stores Display Amounts In Billions

During recent years when a jackpot would reach into the billions of dollars, the Iowa Lottery’s jackpot signs in retail locations couldn’t display amounts that large. The lottery would display the current jackpot amount until it topped $999 million, then its signs would continue to display that total until the jackpot was won and returned to its starting amount.

When the Iowa Lottery upgraded its statewide gaming system last September, it also replaced its jackpot signs in retail locations. This is the first time that the “billions” option has been utilized on the signs since they were installed in retail locations last year, and they’re keeping up with the current jackpot amount.

Easy Pick vs. Your Own Numbers

The vast majority of tickets purchased in games like Mega Millions and Powerball^® are easy-pick plays, meaning that the lottery terminal assigns the numbers printed on the ticket. About 94 percent of the plays purchased in Iowa for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing were easy picks.

But players also can choose their own numbers. They choose five numbers from a pool of 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from a separate pool of 25.

Neither option is ‘luckier’; the odds of winning are the same for every ticket purchased in the game. There are more winners from easy-pick tickets simply because the majority of tickets purchased are easy picks.

A player wins the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a Mega Millions drawing. However, there are a total of nine prize levels in Mega Millions ranging from $2 up to the jackpot, so the Iowa Lottery reminds its players to be sure to check their tickets for all the prizes they may have won.

Please Play Responsibly

And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly.

Here’s Morgan Wallen on video . . . telling Waverly, Tennessee little leaguers that he’s paying all their expenses to go to the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series.  (The team qualified by winning the Tennessee State Championship.  The Dixie Youth World Series is held in Anderson, South Carolina.)

This area of Tennessee have been devastated by flooding in past year, so many kids have had to attend different schools.

Photo Credit: Savannah Warren via Facebook. 

Fake violinists are stringing you along … There’s a new trend that law enforcement is calling a nationwide problem and it involves violins, of all things. Police departments across the country are warning about very talented violinists playing in public areas and asking for money. But what’s so bad about that? Well, in many cases they’re not really playing. There have been a growing number of reports around the country of people seemingly playing the violin to a backing track next to a sign asking for donations to help out his or her family. But some skeptical sleuths have figured out that they’re not playing along to the track, they’re actually pretending to play, and the violin part is recorded. Police departments are warning generous people to be aware of these scammers and not give them any money — and especially from a mobile payment app. 

While playing in Ohio over the weekend Luke Combs shared the stage with a new friend, a teenaged cancer patient: “I want to introduce y’all to my new friend Addi. She has Acute Myeloid Leukemia. I heard about her story and knew I had to get her out to a show.”

I want to introduce y’all to my new friend Addi. She has Acute Myeloid Leukemia. I heard about her story and knew I had to get her out to a show. pic.twitter.com/JoXUGOIVtj

— Luke Combs 🎤 (@lukecombs) July 26, 2022

The Waukon Fire Department is hosting their “Hero Run” on Saturday, August 27th at Empty Nest Winery.  The Little Minions race begins at 5:30 PM, and the Adult 5K Fun Run/Walk starts at 6:00 PM.  Open registration is happening that night from 5-6 PM, but pre-registration is encouraged by August, 6th to guarantee a shirt by race day.  You can register online here, on the event Facebook page, or drop off registration at the Waukon Wellness Center.  Entry fee for the 5k Run/Walk is $30.00, and that includes a brat and beverage.  Free babysitting is available during the adult race.  

A town in California is dealing with incorrectly painted street lines that curve and zig-zag with no rhyme or reason.  Authorities claim it was a miscommunication between the city and construction crews. 

WONKY ROAD | Drivers in Hollister are confused by some new road lines along Ladd Lane. Some people chose to ignore them, while others went along for the loopy ride. The city says the lines will be fixed. pic.twitter.com/eqxfJFkoxk

— KSBW Action News 8 (@ksbw) July 23, 2022

Photo Credit:  KSBW Action News 8 via Twitter

A Florida woman accused of running around outside a Publix supermarket in Clermont with a pitchfork and a black whip while trying to sell teddy bears was arrested Tuesday afternoon, according to Florida Highway Patrol. A trooper saw 56-year-old Lisa Anne Slone yelling and waving the pitchfork and whip outside the store entrance and handcuffed her after she refused to stop. The store manager said Slone was trying to sell teddy bears behind the store, and at some point, started to yell and run around with the pitchfork and whip, and stabbed a minivan. The trooper said she appeared to be “highly intoxicated on some sort of stimulant drug.” Slone reportedly told law enforcement “she felt no pain anymore and that God was in control.” She was
charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

A significant severe weather event could occur Saturday with numerous severe storms possible. Damaging winds, large hail, and heavy rain are the anticipated primary threats. Some of the winds gusts could exceed 70 mph and isolated tornadoes could also occur. Keep up to date with the latest forecasts as exact details become more clear closer to the event. Plan now for potential adjustments you may need to make to your weekend plans.

Confidence increased for a potential significant severe weather event this Saturday. Damaging winds, large hail, and heavy rain are the primary threats. Wind gusts could exceed 70 mph and cannot rule out isolated tornadoes. Plan accordingly, especially if you have outdoor plans. pic.twitter.com/nzAIZsefwT

— NWS La Crosse (@NWSLaCrosse) July 22, 2022

Photo Credit:  NWS La Crosse via Twitter.

Sawyer Brown is coming to Beaver Bottoms Saloon in Fountain, MN tomorrow night, and we had a chance to visit with keyboardist Gregg “Hobie” Hubbard.  We talked about the band being on Star Search back when, how they got the name “Sawyer Brown” and more!  Listen to our conversation below.

Tickets are still available for the show tomorrow night, all the details are here.

An ex-teacher in North Carolina used what she described as “teacher voice” to scare a black bear off of the back deck of her vacation home.  Here is Debbie Tomlinson scaring the bear away with her “teacher powers”.

Photo Credit: Debbie Tomlinson via YouTube