What We’re Talking About

The threat for severe weather increases Tuesday evening and night across much of the region. Large hail would be the main threat, with damaging winds and possibly a few tornadoes along and south of Interstate 90. The threat for severe weather may linger into Wednesday east of the Mississippi River, but will hinge on how Tuesday’s weather unfolds. Bottom line, stay weather aware late Tuesday into Wednesday!

Severe storms possible late Tue. Main threat: Hail | Cannot rule out strong winds or some tornadoes south of I-90. Stay weather aware! #mnwx #iawx #wiwx pic.twitter.com/egL097JaU1

— NWS La Crosse (@NWSLaCrosse) April 11, 2022

The threat of severe weather is increasing for Tuesday evening into Tuesday night. Much of western into central Iowa now lies under an enhanced risk for severe weather including the potential for tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds. Be weather aware and ready to act. Have multiple ways to receive warning information.

⚠️Enhanced risk for severe weather over much of Iowa for Tuesday evening into Tuesday night.

Storms will be moving at a rapid clip and weather conditions may change quickly! Be weather aware and have multiple ways to get warning information! #IAwx pic.twitter.com/ynTNpOwhfd

— NWS Des Moines (@NWSDesMoines) April 11, 2022

Photo Credit:  NWS Des Moines via Twitter

Kit Kat is introducing a new flavor, Kit Kat Blueberry Muffin. It features blueberry muffin-flavored crème wrapped around iconic Kit Kat crispy wafers with graham cookie pieces folded into the bar. It will be available at retailers nationwide sometime this month, while supplies last.

The Eau Claire, WI Police Department posted an interesting photo on their Facebook the other day…..a person standing next to a car with a traffic cone on their head!  The image was captured by one of their public space cameras.  As Jerry Lee Lewis would say, “What’s made Milwaukee famous has made a fool out of me.”

Photo Credit:  Eau Claire Police Department via Facebook

NEW HAMPTON, Iowa – April 6, 2022 – Full-depth concrete patching projects on various routes in northeast Iowa will require intermittent lane closures with pilot cars and flaggers directing traffic through the work zones on two-lane highways and single-lane closures on four-lane highways.

All Work will begin on Monday, April 11, until late May, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s New Hampton construction office.

Routes affected by construction work include:

Mitchell County

U.S. 218 in Osage from Iowa 9 north to Popular Street

Chickasaw County

U.S. 63 from 300th Street north 3 miles to the U.S. 18/Iowa 346 interchange

U.S. 63 just north of La Salle Avenue

Floyd County

Business U.S. 18 at 18th Street within the city limits of Charles City

Black Hawk County

U.S. 218 from the Lone Tree Road interchange north 13 miles to 238th Street in Bremer County

Iowa 281 2.5 miles north of Black Hawk County Road D-20

Fayette County

U.S.18 within in the city limits of Clermont

Iowa 3 from East Avenue east 7 miles to Belgian Road in Clayton County

Allamakee County

Iowa 9 in the north city limits of Waukon near the airport

Iowa 51 from Quarry Hill Road north 8 miles to Iowa 9

Winneshiek County

U.S. 52 from Iowa 9 north 3.5 miles to Meadowlark Road

Clayton County

U.S. 52 from the south city limits of Guttenberg north to Mozart Street

Bremer County

U.S. 63 from 250th Street north 2 miles to the Iowa 3 interchange

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

For more information about this and other Iowa DOT construction projects in Black Hawk and Bremer counties, follow the Black Hawk and Bremer County Construction Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BlackHawkBremerCo#!BlackHawkBremerCo.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

Happy National Twinkie Day!  Here are some facts on the classic cream-filled cake thanks to the website Ranker.

They Used to Have Banana Cream Filling. Today, we can’t imagine Twinkies being filled with anything but vanilla cream. But as it turns out, the original flavor of the cream filling was banana. Hostess had to switch it when banana rations began during World War II.

The World Twinkie-Eating Record Is 121 in 6 Minutes. In 2013, Joey Chestnut set the world record for Twinkie eating by downing 121 in just six minutes. His method was to eat them two at a time.

Twinkies Have Been Used as Bribes. In 1986, a candidate for city council in Minneapolis was arrested for bribing senior citizens to vote for him with Twinkies and other snacks.

Vegetarians Cannot Eat Twinkies. Twinkies are made with beef fat, so they are not vegetarian.

They Were Named After Twinkle Toe Shoes. The inventor of the Twinkie thought of a name for his creation when he passed a billboard advertising the “Twinkle Toes Shoe Company.” He shortened the shoe brand’s name and came up with “Twinkie.”

They Grew Popular During the Depression. When they were first invented in 1930, Twinkies cost only five cents for two pastries.

The Advertised Shelf Life Used to Be Pretty Short. Despite the rumors about Twinkies lasting forever, the shelf life of the snack was only 25 days. In 2013, the company invested millions of dollars in chemical research to extend the Twinkie’s shelf life to 65 days.

Twinkies Have Some Surprising Ingredients. Steven Ettlinger researched and wrote an entire book on where the 39 ingredients in Twinkies come from. Apparently, Twinkies contain calcium sulfate, which is used in construction to make walls. They also contain cellulose gum, which is used to make rocket fuel, and corn dextrin, which is found in glue.

Source: Ranker.com

Wonder how a Twinkie is made??  Here you go!

NEW HAMPTON, Iowa – April 1, 2022 – A hot-mix asphalt resurfacing project on U.S. 52 in Winneshiek County within the city limits of both Ossian and Castalia will require intermittent lane closures with pilot cars used to control traffic beginning on Monday, April 4, until early September, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s New Hampton construction office. Occasional side street closures may occur with access to businesses maintained during the project.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

Source:  IOWA DOT

Intermittent lane closures on U.S. 52 in Winneshiek County begin Monday, April 4 https://t.co/NXeiZdRot2

— Northeast Iowa 511 (@IA511NE) April 1, 2022

The Anniston, Alabama police department did their very first TikTok video, and it went viral. Listen to veteran Chief Nick Bowles try to figure out how to do “The TikTok” . . . while young Officer Jacob Ford tries NOT to be embarrassed.

@annistonpolicedept #copsoftiktok #police #cop #fyp #anniston #funny #foryou ♬ Back In Black – AC/DC

Photo Credit: annistonpolicedept via TikTok

If you ever receive a text from your own phone number and don’t recall sending yourself a text, do not open it. Verizon is warning customers of a recent spike in spam texts that look like they’re coming from your own number. The text informs recipients that they’ve paid their March bill and can get a free gift by clicking a link provided. The link takes you to a Russian state-run TV broadcast. Verizon says the best thing to do is to immediately delete the message. Large companies, like Verizon, were recently warned by the Biden administration to be on alert for Russian cyber attacks.

Verizon customer support is taking a different tone today after many reports of customers receiving spam texts from their own number.

Instead of the usual generic responses, Verizon now says its teams are working to resolve this specific issue.
https://t.co/KNDg1dAevj pic.twitter.com/d6sdNvtO5a

— Chris Welch (@chriswelch) March 29, 2022

BRUCE WILLIS has retired from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a medical condition that can affect a person’s ability to speak, write and understand language. The star’s family members, including both his wife EMMA HERMING and ex-wife DEMI MOORE posted the announcement to Instagram Wednesday. The family wrote, “This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support. We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Demi Moore (@demimoore)

Check out the long-awaited trailer for “Top Gun: Maverick”. It hits theaters on May 27th.

The new trailer for #TopGun is here. See you at the theater. pic.twitter.com/QTdfWNeTzc

— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) March 29, 2022

Road construction has started on WIS 35 today(March 28, 2022) and the road work is expected to be completed this August. WIS 35 will be closed to through traffic and detoured between WIS 82 in DeSoto and WIS 56 in Genoa. Through traffic will be detoured using WIS 82, WIS 27 and WIS 56. The highway will remain open to local traffic only. According to the Wisconsin DOT, this section of WIS 35 was last paved in 1993. The 12 mile section of the Highway will be completely closed beginning on Monday, April 4th.

FYI: Construction starts on Monday (3/28) along WIS 35 in Vernon and Crawford counties.

🚧WIS 35 will be closed to through traffic and detoured between WIS 82 in DeSoto and WIS 56 in Genoa. Detour route will follow WIS 82, WIS 27 and WIS 56.

📲https://t.co/kfKlTtpc0n pic.twitter.com/5O5OGs7HDx

— WisDOT Southwest Region (@WisDOTsouthwest) March 22, 2022

RAGBRAI just announced their full route, and many towns in Northeast Iowa are either meeting or pass-through towns.  RAGBRAI kicks off July 22 in Sergeant Bluff and ends in Lansing on July 30.

@RAGBRAI_IOWA XLIX announces pass-through and meeting towns https://t.co/OTWZsGkuOI pic.twitter.com/P2IVczz8zo

— BIKEIOWA (@bikeiowa) March 27, 2022

When RAGBRAI reaches our neck of the woods on day 6, Friday July 29: Charles City to West Union, the pass through towns will be Ionia, New Hampton, Waucoma, and Hawkeye.  The meeting town that day will be Lawler.  The ride will run through Hawkeye for the second time ever.

Day 7 – Saturday, July 30: West Union to Lansing, the pass through towns will be Elgin, Gunder, and Waukon.  The meeting town for day 7 will be Postville.

Photo Credit:  RAGBRAI via Twitter

Many Easter family activities are happening in the next few weeks, so we are compiling a list of the events!  Here are some of the happenings.

Egg My House on April 16th from the KEE High Post Prom Committee, Lansing, IA.  Deadline to sign up is Friday, April 1st at 5:00 PM.  Lansing, New Albin, Waukon and surrounding areas.  Call Shawna at 563-568-1856 or Deb at 563-568-7542 for details and to place an order.  All proceeds will go to the KEE High Junior/Senior After Prom Budget.

Easter Egg Hunt happening at the Clayton County Fairgrounds in National, IA on SATURDAY, APRIL 9.  Children up to age 12, join us for a free Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Peppy Pals/Mendon Hustlers 4H Club. Approximately 1,000 eggs filled with candy and prizes.  Grand Prizes are an electric ride on toy, bicycle and a Fire 7 tablet.  The Egg Hunt will start promptly at 10:00 rain or shine!

Pancake breakfast with the Easter Bunny at the De Soto Community Center, De Soto, WI on April 9th  from 8:00 – 11:00 AM
Sponsored by the De Soto Area Lions Club.  Menu, pancakes, eggs, sausage, beverages.  Freewill donations.  Easter egg hunt if weather permits.

The Easter Bunny is Coming to St. Lucas, IA on Sunday, April 10th at 4:00 PM at St. Luke’s Church Hall.  Bring your baskets and hunt some eggs!

Easter Egg Hunt & More at the Fayette, IA Elementary on Saturday, April 9th from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.  Possibly the largest traditional egg hunt in NE Iowa, plus Easter Bunny, games, and a lot more! Free for all ages.  Rain date Saturday, April 16th.

Get Ready….!!.the Easter Bunny is coming to Caledonia. The Library will have the Easter Bunny outside in front of the Caledonia Library on Tuesday, April 12th from 3:30-5:00 PM. Stop and take a picture, check out a book, and grab an egg filled treat. If the weather is bad, it will be moved inside the Library.

Easter Egg Hunt at the Red Barn Resort and Campground in Lansing, IA on Saturday, April 16th. Children: 1pm and Adult: 3pm – who knows you might spot the Easter Bunny! Fun games and prizes! Donations given to KEE High Music Department.

The City of Ossian and the Ossian Crown Club’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday, April 16, at 11:00 a.m. The event will be held rain or shine at the South Winneshiek Elementary Middle School Playground. The Easter Bunny will be there as well. Bring your camera and your smiles. See you on Saturday, April 16, at the South Winneshiek Elementary Middle School Playground for the City of Ossian and the Ossian Crown Club’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt.

4-H Toppers Annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Waterville Community Center on Saturday, April 16th, and will start at 10 AM. Please bring a Non-Perishable Food Item. Kids 10 and under are welcome. If inclement weather, the hunt will be held in the GYM.

Harpers Ferry Easter Egg Hunt starts at 10 AM at the Harpers Ferry Ballpark on Saturday, April 16th.

First Annual Carnival on Saturday, April 16th at the Steam Engine Grounds in Mabel, MN.  Egg hunt registration from 10:00 – 10:30 AM, activities from 10:00 – 12:00 PM.  Egg Hunt, Face Painting, and Games.  Sponsored by Mabel United Methodist Church.

The Clermont Community Club’s annual Easter Egg Hunt will be on Saturday, April 16th in the city park at 10:00 am. After the egg hunt the Easter Bunny will make an appearance and hand out a treat to the kids. The hunt will start promptly at 10 AM

Eastman Annual Easter Egg Hunt!  The Easter Bunny called. He is going to be in Eastman, Saturday, April 16th at 10:30am for pictures at the Eastman Ball Park. The “hunt” will begin at 11:00 AM.

Bring the family out to the Wetlands Centre to welcome spring with hands-on nature activities and our annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 16th from 10 AM – 12 PM.  Enjoy a walk around the wetland while young ones hunt for eggs and older kids do a scavenger hunt. There is no set start time for the egg hunt, just arrive any time between 10-Noon.

Elgin’s Easter Basket Hunt is happening Saturday, April 16th from 9:00 – 10:00 AM.  Register at the downtown city park.  All kids preschool through 6th grad are invited to participate.  Must be present to receive a number and a basket.

To add your event, e-mail erik@kneiradio.com.

Many on Twitter are blasting comedian Jeff Foxworthy for an outdated trophy joke in his new Netflix special, “The Good Old Days”.  The joke goes  “I played every sport and it was weird back then,” Foxworthy said. “Because if you wanted a trophy, you had to finish in first place. It was nuts.”  I do fall in the “millennial” category(born between 1981 and 1996) and I thought it was funny….people need to RELAX!!  -EK

🏆 pic.twitter.com/zmeC4MKlqW

— Netflix Is A Joke (@NetflixIsAJoke) March 22, 2022

Who knew pigs could be so brave? A Connecticut woman’s security camera was recording when a bear entered the pen holding her two pigs, and the pigs ended up chasing the bear off. The video shows one of the pigs, Mary, head-butting the bear into a fence, before being joined by fellow pig Hamlet, who charged the bear until it fled. Their owner says the pigs weren’t injured, and they were given extra watermelon and Pop Tarts, their favorite treats, as a reward.

Check out this crazy video from Elgin, TX. This happened yesterday when a tornado tossed a truck around, and then just a sec later the truck drives away! Take a look…

Omg… just going thru my video. This is a story about a red truck and a tornado…. I CANNOT believe they drove away like that. #txwx #tornado pic.twitter.com/8h0nD88xFv

— Brian Emfinger (@brianemfinger) March 22, 2022

Photo Credit: Brian Emfinger via Twitter

The big story out of this year’s March Madness is the #15 Saint Peter’s Peacocks from Jersey City are now only the third 15-seed to make it to the Sweet 16 since 1985. They knocked off #2 seed Kentucky in Round 1, then Murray State on Saturday.

After Saint Peter’s beat Kentucky, their cheerleaders weren’t going to be able to attend the Murray State game. The Peacock streaming service reached out to them and paid for their cheerleaders to attend Saturday night’s game!

What?! Birds of a feather MUST flock together. Pack your bags Spirit Squad. We’re getting you to the game. Can you be ready in…a few hours?! 🏃‍♀️💨 We’re making this happen. #PeacockProud https://t.co/dIuK357DmE

— Peacock (@peacockTV) March 19, 2022

How much could you win if you’d bet on them already? Someone who bet $75 on them to win it all can make more than $37,500. They play again on Friday, against Purdue

On Monday, Dolly Parton requested her name be withdrawn from the ballot for this year’s Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. Thursday the Rock Hall issued a statement declining Dolly’s request. They noted her statement Monday claimed she had not earned consideration was a sign of her humility. And they also claim the Hall isn’t defined by any one genre, and the process of Dolly’s nomination followed the same process as all others on the ballot.

In a recent podcast interview Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner shared his thoughts on Parton’s withdrawal. (Mar15 episode of the Rock of Nations with Dave Kinchen podcast) Faulkner called it “a classy move. I think she recognizes her brand, and it didn’t necessarily fit into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. And I think it raises questions to what the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s brand is as well,”

Many rock fans remain skeptical that the Hall is just trying to cash in on Dolly’s popularity.

🤘 pic.twitter.com/uO2cmMOcXc

— Rock Hall (@rockhall) March 17, 2022

Here’s your March Madness Moment of the Day: Indiana’s cheerleaders came to the rescue when the ball got stuck on top of the backboard.

“THE CHEERLEADER SAVES THE DAY!”

When hope was lost, a hero emerged. pic.twitter.com/8fjEydjr2j

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 18, 2022

Photo Credit: CBSSports via Twitter

Some people in Endicott, New York, saw an unusual sight on Saturday morning…..

Tommy Sedlock was using a snow blower to remove the freshly-fallen snow while dressed as KISS’ GENE SIMMONS and playing the legendary band’s song, “Rock and Roll All Nite.” Sedlock was dressed all in black with silver-studded bat wings and wore a mask with Simmons’ signature outstretched tongue. “I’m a huge KISS fan,” Sedlock said. “I figured I’d entertain the neighbors and have a little fun, put a little smile on everybody’s face and make them laugh.” A video of the local drummer’s snow clearing was posted on YouTube, topping 4,000 views in the first 24 hours, and even catching the attention of rock star Simmons himself, who tweeted about it.

Photo Credit:  Sedlock Shenanigans via YouTube

BRENT SASS won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for the first time Tuesday morning, crossing the finish line first in Nome, Alaska, after eight days, 14 hours, 38 minutes and 43 seconds. It was the seventh running of the sport’s most prestigious race for the 42-year-old Sass, whose previous best finish was third place last year. The nearly 1,000-mile race began March 6.

Eureka’s Brent Sass wins the 50th running of the #Iditarod, taking his first title in the race and heading straight into hugs with dad and dogs! #Iditarod50 🐕❄️🗻 pic.twitter.com/ZGiW6WC4kX

— Beth Verge (@ktuubeth) March 15, 2022

Dolly Parton took to social media this morning , and made the announcement that she has with drawn herself from Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame consideration.  Read her post below….

Here’s comedian John Crist making fun of how local TV news stations report on rising gas prices. (Things like . . . always showing the price per gallon on the sign, and the dollar amounts on the pump spinning higher and higher. And there’s ALWAYS an interview with a customer who is mad because he “can’t afford anything with these prices.”)

Photo Credit: johnbcrist via YouTube

The Tin Man’s oil can from “The Wizard of Oz” is going up for auction. The oil can is remembered for its use in the scene in which the Tin Man is set free from his rusted state, and it is said to be the only original item in existence from the iconic character’s costume. The rare piece of movie memorabilia is being auctioned off for the first time through Kruse GWS Auctions, and is expected to fetch at least $200,000. In terms of significance, the Tin Man’s oil can is right up there with Dorothy’s ruby red slippers. It is currently on display at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The auction begins March 26.

A group of four siblings with a combined age of more than 383 were awarded a Guinness World Record. Gerry Bulger, 100, of Wisconsin said she was excited to learn they earned the record for highest combined age. Bulger’s siblings are: Marjorie
Gilmartin, 97; Robert Goebel, 95; and Richard Goebel, 93.

A new survey of 2,000 people that looked at how Millennials manage their money found 45 percent of them have no idea how much money is in their bank account. It also found the average young adult spends nearly 150 more hours a year scrolling through social media than monitoring their finances, and are more likely to play with their pets or search for a new TV show to stream than check on their money every week. In fact, being on top of their finances came last on a list of activities Millennials spend time doing.

According to the National Weather Service in Des Moines, the state of Iowa experienced an EF-4 tornado for the first time since 2013, and the second largest since 1980.

On March 5, 2022 three supercells swept across Iowa, producing several tornadoes. Two supercells in southern Iowa produced three tornadoes. Meanwhile, a single long track supercell produced multiple tornadoes from the southwest corner of Iowa all the way through central Iowa and into east central Iowa. The largest tornado moved across Madison, Warren, Polk, and Jasper counties for nearly 70 miles and at it’s peak produced winds of nearly 170 mph. This is the first EF-4 tornado in Iowa since October 4, 2013 which occurred in Woodbury and Cherokee Counties. This is second longest tornado in Iowa since 1980, behind the longest occurring on June 7, 1984 at a length of 117 miles across southern Iowa.

🌪️ Winterset/Newton Tornado

Peak Intensity: EF-4 (170 MPH)
Path Length: 69.5 miles
Max Width: 800 yards
5 Injury, 6 Fatality pic.twitter.com/mvfd1lspey

— NWS Des Moines (@NWSDesMoines) March 7, 2022

Photo Credit:  NWS Des Moines via Twitter

A guy in Florida got pulled over for speeding the other day, and of course he had laundry list of excuses….including Vladimir Putin. He told the police officer, “I just found out that Putin just said he’s gonna launch nuclear thermal war against the world and I was trying to get back to my house to find out what’s going on.” Take a look at the body cam footage below….

Florida man tries to avoid speeding ticket :)

“I just found out that Putin just said he’s gonna launch nuclear thermal war against the world and I was trying to get back to my house to find out what’s going on.”pic.twitter.com/oCig6JHOer

— Sakhavat Mammadov | #STANDWITHUKRAINE 🇺🇦 (@s_mmmdv) March 2, 2022

Phot Credit: Sakhavat Mammadov via Twitter

UPDATE FROM THE RICHLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT:

On 03/05/2022, at approximately 12:09 P.M. the Richland County Sheriff’s Department received a call of a vehicle located in a creek below a bridge on State Highway 171. Deputies responded to the scene and confirmed the vehicle belonged to Francis Johnston. The vehicle, which was not visible from the road way, was unoccupied when it was located. A short time later, Francis Jonston was located in the creek deceased.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is requesting assistance in locating Francis Johnston, 60, of the Boaz area. Francis went to an appointment in Viroqua on 02/28/2022 and has not returned home. Francis is driving a brown 1992 Cadillac and was possibly seen around 5pm on 02/28/2022 not far from home. Francis has not been seen or heard from since Monday. If Francis or his vehicle are located, please contact the Richland County Sheriff’s Department at 608-647-2106.

Photo Credit:  Richland County Sheriff’s Department via Facebook

A couple weeks ago on Jeopardy! the contestants couldn’t answer a pretty simple question about the state of Minnesota.  This past Friday, the contestants had a hard time answering a simple question about Iowa…take a look.

Today’s epic Jeopardy fail. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/kH5NPd8Qn0

— ICHawkeye ✈️ (@ICHawkeye) February 25, 2022

Photo Credit:  ICHawkeye via Twitter.

A high school basketball player in Virginia named Evan Randall tossed-up a three-point shot, and then immediately did a backflip.  Listen to the play-by-play announcers react to him sinking the shot, and doing the flip.

Photo Credit:  Universe Live via YouTube

The Postal Service motto says “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” will keep carriers from delivering the mail — but as one Connecticut town is finding out, wild turkeys just might.

Groton resident Deborah Campagna says she’s had two long mail stoppages this year, which the local P.O. blames on the pair of wild birds who’ve camped out in one neighborhood. Campagna says, “My portal on the informed delivery shows that I’m missing about 13 pieces of mail right now and a couple of packages. They told us the turkeys attacked one of the postal workers.”

The harried homeowner says she’s complained to animal control about the turkeys, who locals have nicknamed Thelma and Louise, but hasn’t had any luck. “They’re kind of annoying because they’re there but they don’t do anything. They don’t try to harm anybody, so that’s why DEEP won’t do anything for it.”

Remember when you were a kid and the Tooth Fairy would visit you and give you a Quarter for your tooth??  I do, but with my kids I’ll have for over more dough!  Have you heard the going rate these days?  According to a new poll, it’s at an all-time high.  The average this year is $5.36 compared to $4.70 in 2021, which was also a record.

Kids in the Northeast part of the U.S. are getting the best deal, $7.36 per tooth.  In the South, $5.77, the Midwest $4.27, and in the West, kids are getting $4.08 per molar.  The times, they are a changing… -EK

A Georgia toddler has been diagnosed with a very rare genetic condition referred to as “uncombable hair“.  Here is the toddler’s mother Katelyn Samples talking about 16-month-old Lock Samples’ odd condition that leaves his hair springy and literally unable to tame.

He even has his own Instagram page…with over 5,000 followers.

 

View this profile on Instagram

 

Locklan Samples (@uncombable_locks) • Instagram photos and videos

On this date in 1985….A chair went sailing across a basketball court. Let’s just say Bobby Knight was not a happy camper!

Photo Credit: mlovda via YouTube

Today on 2-22-22 we have snow, sleet, and ice.  But, nothing compares to a 100 years ago on this date.  An epic ice storm hit the Midwest, with some ice accumulations up to 4 inches in some spots in central Wisconsin.  Take a look at the storm details from the National Weather Service.

This storm still stands out as one of the worst ice storms ever experienced in Wisconsin. Ice accumulations of 1-2″, with a few reports of around 4″, built up on trees, poles, and wires. Property damage was a staggering $10 million in Wisconsin. Additional ice damage was reported in northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota, but newspaper accounts were rather sketchy on the extent of this damage.

Light rain and freezing rain began falling across the Upper Mississippi River Valley during the afternoon of February 21, 1922. The precipitation intensity increased during the overnight and continued into the evening of February 22nd as a surface low pressure system moved northeast from eastern Kansas to southern Lower Michigan by the morning of February 23rd. There were even reports of an occasional thunderstorm across the region. Precipitation amounts were generally in the 1-3″ range; however, there were a few isolated reports of over 4″ in central Wisconsin (Fig. 1). In the following locations, February 22, 1922 stands as their wettest February day on record: Fayette, IA (2.42″), Hillsboro, WI (3.00″), Hatfield, WI (1.45″), La Crosse, WI (2.05″), Mather, WI (1.56″), Neillsville, WI (1.78″), Richland Center, WI (1.80″), and Winona, MN (1.65″).

According to the February 1922 Monthly Weather Review, a mixture of rain, sleet, and freezing rain fell across the southern two tiers of counties in Wisconsin. Further north, a mixture of freezing rain and sleet was seen north and west of a line from Prairie du Chien to Sheboygan and south of a line from Lake City, MN to Green Bay, WI. Ice accumulations of 1-2″ were common in this area. Meanwhile, the remainder of Wisconsin saw a mix of sleet and heavy snow. Snowfall totals up to 3 feet were reported from Eau Claire to Green Bay.

In Wisconsin, the heavy ice accumulation brought down 15,000-20,000 communication poles. This resulted in interruptions of power, telegraph, and phone service from 2 to 15 days. In addition to the poles, there was considerable damage to timber, shade, and fruit trees. Ice accumulation on train tracks accounted for ten train wrecks as locomotives and cars slid off of their tracks. Minor flooding was reported in La Crosse, Sheboygan, Darlington, Fond du Lac, and a suburb in Milwaukee. This flooding caused considerable inconvenience, but little monetary loss. Fortunately, only two deaths were attributed to this storm.

With freezing drizzle impacting our area, many schools are delayed or closed.  Check out all the details here.

A wintry mix, snow, and fog are impacting travel early this morning leading to slick roads and sidewalks, reduced visibilities, and slower travel times. Use caution if traveling! ⚠️#mnwx #iawx #wiwx pic.twitter.com/MJeUGkV0x7

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

Students eating inside a dining hall at Louisiana State University had their meals suddenly interrupted by a raccoon that fell out of the ceiling and landed on their table.

Witnesses say everyone was enjoying a normal dinner when a section of the ceiling suddenly collapsed, along with the raccoon, which looked just as shocked. Students screamed as two maintenance workers tried, unsuccessfully, to capture the hungry animal which ran away and was on the loose inside the building. Animal control officers had to be called in and they eventually coaxed the raccoon out of the building. No one was hurt, but some meals were ruined. (LSU Reveille)

🦝 Raccoon on the loose!
A raccoon was seen dining in the 459 tonight during its hours of normal operation. TikTok user adrianne.bajon captured the video and shared it to the platform. See below: pic.twitter.com/kMbLSlQK0s

— LSU Tiger TV (@lsutigertv) February 17, 2022

Photo Credit:  LSU Tiger TV via Twitter

The Michigan and Wisconsin men’s basketball teams got into a postgame brawl Sunday after Michigan coach Juwan Howard took a swing at Wisconsin assistant Joe Krabbenhoft in the postgame handshake line.

Howard admitted that he was mad that Wisconsin called two timeouts in the last minute of the game, despite the fact that were up by 15. Wisconsin won the game 77-63.

Howard said, “I didn’t like the timeout they called, and I’m being totally honest with you. I thought it was not necessary at that moment, especially with it being a large lead. … I thought that wasn’t fair to our guys. And so that’s what happened.”

The Big Ten Conference said it was aware of the incident and “will take swift and appropriate disciplinary action when it completes its review.” (ESPN)

Michigan State Police investigators are seeking the help of the public to locate an unusual piece of stolen property — an entire cabin.

The Michigan State Police’s Houghton Lake Post said the 12-foot by 28-foot cabin was originally located in Cold Springs Township.

The MSP said the owners of the cabin recently reported it was missing, presumed stolen.
The cabin is believed to have been taken sometime between Nov. 18 and Dec. 16.

Troopers from the Houghton Lake Post are asking for your help locating a stolen 12×28 cabin. https://t.co/h7JoB5CkT8 pic.twitter.com/BMpPj9lbeM

— @MSPNorthernMI (@mspnorthernmi) February 16, 2022

Photo Credit: MSPNorthernMI via Twitter