What We’re Talking About

Morgan Wallenhas issued an apology to his supporters after his October 10th performance on Saturday Night Live was canceled.

In a post on Instagram, Morgan said that the show had canceled his performance due to “COVID protocols” after TikTok videos emerged revealing the country artist engaging in unsafe behavior after an Alabama football game.

Morgan said, “My actions this past weekend were pretty short-sighted and they have obviously affected my long term goals and my dreams.” He added that he respected the show’s decision, then apologized to the show and his team for letting them down.

Morgan went on to say that he had some growing up to do and that he was stepping back from the spotlight to work on himself. He also says that SNL producer Lorne Michaels has said that they would have him on the show at a later date.

Two former detention officers and their supervisor have been brought up on cruelty charges in Oklahoma after an investigation found that jail inmates had been forced to listen to the popular children’s song, “Baby Shark,” on a loop.

According to The Oklahoman, the investigation found that at least four inmates were subjected to the “inhuman” “Baby Shark” discipline while in the jail’s attorney visitation room late last year.

The investigation reportedly found that the song was played at loud volumes for extended periods of time while the inmates were forced to stand with their hands cuffed behind them and secured to a wall.

The three men have been charged with misdemeanor counts of cruelty to a prisoner and conspiracy.

A young boy on a Zoom video conference with his teacher brought something a little unexpected to school for show-and-tell — his butt-naked mother.

In a video, which has gone viral, the teacher is heard trying to get the kids’ attention when one student’s mother unknowingly walks into the shot completely naked prompting a horrified response from the teacher who said, “Oh my God, who is that back there naked?” She then told the boy to turn his camera off, just as his mother runs out of the shot.  Click below for the video…

The year 2020 has been a killer for many events….Fairs, Festivals, and now the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train won’t be coming to a town near you.  Canadian Pacific said recently in a news release that it will donate to food banks along its network and host a virtual concert instead of their regular program.  Take a look at the full news release below.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Pacific (CP) will donate to food banks in communities along its network and host a virtual concert in lieu of its regular Holiday Train program. The modified program will draw attention to food security issues, while ensuring donations go to all food banks that would ordinarily receive them, including those that typically host a Holiday Train event in alternating years.  

“COVID-19 has created many challenges for communities across our network and has only increased the need at local food banks and food shelves,” said CP President and Chief Executive Officer Keith Creel. “It is our honor to continue to donate to communities across our network this year, even if the train itself will not run. The spirit of the Holiday Train program and the Christmas spirit will carry on this year through our virtual concert. We will have the Holiday Train rolling again spreading Christmas cheer as soon as it’s safe to do so!”  

CP launched the Holiday Train in 1999, and every year since it has traveled across Canada and the northern U.S. raising money, collecting food and drawing attention to the important work of local food banks. In its first 21 years, the train has raised $17.8 million and collected 4.8 million pounds of food for local food banks in communities along CP’s network. 

“We are very excited that CP has chosen a safe way to keep the spirit of the CP Holiday Train rolling in support of local food banks like ours in these challenging times,” said Calgary Food Bank President and CEO James McAra. “The need for food bank services has risen substantially over the course of this year and heading into the high-demand winter months. We hope CP’s concert will prompt the train’s supporters to give as generously as they’re able.” 

Live music has always been part of the CP Holiday Train tradition. To maintain that tradition, CP will produce a benefit concert, with details to be announced when they’re available.

“We support CP’s decision to hold a virtual concert instead of hosting events that encourage local gathering, though we’ll miss the train’s bright lights and in-person shows,” said Kristine Martin, President of East Side Neighborhood Services, a Minneapolis-based Holiday Train beneficiary food bank. “CP’s generous donations to East Side Neighborhood Services over the years have helped us provide nutritious food to people who have difficulty accessing traditional food shelves or grocery stores. This year, being able to continue providing those services has been even more important. We’re thankful to CP for their continued support and donations again this year.” 

CP intends to resume operating the annual train tour in 2021.

Source: www.cpr.ca/en/community/holiday-train

Helping Services for Youth & Families is excited for the Holiday Lights drive-thru experience to return for the 16th season starting on Wednesday, November 25th. This year has impacted all of us, and planning for Holiday Lights has had its challenges as public safety is our number one concern. We have been working with the City of Decorah, Winneshiek County Public Health, volunteers, and sponsors for a plan. “This is a wonderful community event that has become a tradition for so many and we want to make sure that everyone is able to safely enjoy their experience at the event,” said Ben Krouse-Gagne, Director of Community Engagement. 

As public safety is of utmost importance, this year’s event will be drive-thru only. The day before Thanksgiving will now be the first opportunity to drive-thru the event. We are encouraging everyone to drive through Holiday Lights this night and look for an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Ben said, “Due to the safety of guests we have made the decision to switch the Walk-thru night to drive-thru only. We look forward to this event each year and this night will continue to be special. The opening night has also become one of the most important nights for Helping Services, as it raised over $5,000 in free-will donations last year.” 

For those unable to attend, you can always support Holiday Lights online at HelpingServices.org/HolidayLights. The 2020 Holiday Lights event will also be extended to run until Sunday, Dec. 27th for the 2020 season. If you are interested in volunteering at Holiday Lights give us a call at 563-387-1720 or email info@helpingservices.org. We know that this holiday season may look different for many reasons, but we hope you can drive-thru Holiday Lights and get into the holiday spirit.

Photo Credit:  Brittany Todd

The Country Music Association has announced that Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker will host this year’s CMA Awards. The show will broadcast live from Nashville November 11th on ABC.

This will be the first time for Darius to host the show, but it marks Reba’s fifth time as an emcee.

Strong south winds with gusts of 30 to 40 mph are expected this morning into this afternoon.

A wildlife park in England had to remove five parrots from public display after the birds started swearing at visitors.

The BBC reports that after the five African grey parrots were adopted by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in August, the birds were placed in a quarantine together, where they began teaching each other the bad words they knew.

The parrots were later moved into one of the main outdoor aviaries, and that’s where the foul-mouthed flock started causing trouble.

Park chief executive Steve Nichols said the parrots “swear to trigger reaction or a response” so if the onlookers appeared to be shocked or laughed, it just encouraged them to swear more.

While Nichols said some of the visitors found the profane parrots amusing, they decided to move the birds before kids started visiting for the weekend.

The birds have now been moved into different colonies away from children, but Nichols just hopes their strategy doesn’t make things worse.

Nichols said, “I’m hoping they learn different words within colonies – but if they teach the others bad language and I end up with 250 swearing birds, I don’t know what we’ll do.”

Dolly Parton will release a new holiday album, A Holly Dolly Christmas, on Oct. 2.

The new release will be Dolly’s first holiday album since 1990’s Home for Christmas.

The 12-song collection features several holiday standards, including “Mary, Did You Know,” “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” “Holly Jolly Christmas” and more, as well as six original tunes that Dolly penned. The album also features duets with some of Dolly’s friends, including Michael Bublé, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon and Willie Nelson, plus a special song with her brother, Randy Parton.

“I am so excited to announce my new Christmas album, A Holly Dolly Christmas,” says Dolly. “I have recorded several Christmas classics like ‘Holly Jolly Christmas,’ as well as some new material that I hope might become Christmas classics. I’ve recorded five duets with five very special artists as you can see. I figured since everybody probably wouldn’t get to celebrate Christmas as usual this year, I wanted to be creative instead of sitting around at the house this summer. So I put on my mask, gloves and practiced social distancing, as well as all of the wonderful musicians and singers, and we proceeded to put together what I think is some of the best work that I’ve ever done. Kent Wells produced the album. As you know, Kent has been my friend, band leader and producer for many years. He’s outdone himself on this one. I’m just hoping that you’re gonna love it as much as we loved putting it together. So enjoy, and Merry Christmas!”

A Holly Dolly Christmas

1. “Holly Jolly Christmas”
2. “Christmas Is” feat. Miley Cyrus
3. “Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas” with Michael Bublé
4. “Christmas On The Square”
5. “Circle Of Love”
6. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” with Jimmy Fallon
7. “Comin? Home For Christmas”
8. “Christmas Where We Are” feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
9. “Pretty Paper” with Willie Nelson
10. “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
11. “You Are My Christmas” feat. Randy Parton
12. “Mary, Did You Know?”

DECORAH, September 16, 2020 – The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Decorah area residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s^® on October 3.

The Decorah Walk to End Alzheimer’s continues, but instead of hosting a large gathering, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging participants to walk as individuals or in small groups on sidewalks, tracks and trails in their community.

“This year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be everywhere,” said Wendy Vizek, Vice President, Constituent Events at the Alzheimer’s Association. “The pandemic is changing how we walk, but it doesn’t change the need to walk. This year, more than ever, we need to come together to support all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. With the dollars raised, the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to provide care and support to families during these difficult times while also advancing critical research toward methods of treatment and prevention.”

Time-honored components of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s are being replicated. On Walk day, an Opening Ceremony will feature local speakers and a presentation of Promise Flowers to honor the personal reasons participants join together to fight Alzheimer’s and all other dementia, all delivered to participants’ smartphones, tablets and computers. A small group of Alzheimer’s Association staff and volunteers will create the iconic Promise Garden in a “view only” format on Walk day at Decorah City Hall to honor all those impacted by Alzheimer’s.

To enhance the participant experience leading up to the event and on Walk day, new features are being added to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app to create an opportunity for the community to connect. Participants can use the app and new “Walk Mainstage” to track their steps and distance, follow a virtual Walk path, manage their Facebook fundraisers, and access information and resources from the Association and Walk sponsors to help individuals and families affected by the disease. A new audio track is available to encourage participants along the way and to congratulate them upon completion of their Walk.

“Alzheimer’s is not taking a hiatus during COVID-19 and neither are we,” said Briget Meyer, Development Specialist for the Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter. “We must continue Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and we are working with all participants to ensure they have a powerful and moving experience that is felt when we are together. Many of our constituents are at higher risk when it comes to COVID-19 and we know that our volunteers and participants appreciate our commitment to keeping all involved healthy and safe.”

More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 16 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 136,000 caregivers.

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

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. Visit alz.org/walk to register and learn more.

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.

Hopefully it won’t be too cloudy tonight because tonight is the night for the harvest moon! It will reach peak illumination at 4:05 P.M. CST. According to the Old Farmers Almanac, the Harvest Moon is always the full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox.  This means that the Harvest Moon isn’t always in the same month. It can fall in September or October.

You may ask why is this moon called the Harvest Moon?

For a few evenings, the moonrise comes soon after sunset, and the result is more moonlight in the early evening. This extra moonlight helped farmers harvest their crops.

Shine on Harvest Moon!

Source:  The Old Farmers Almanac

A few weeks the CDC released its recommendations for Halloween….now they have released guidelines for Turkey Day….Take a look.

Thanksgiving is a time when many families travel long distances to celebrate together. Travel increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others. If you must travel, be informed of the risks involved.

Some responses:

• Coughing.
• Writing down an address or telephone number to store the information for later.
• Not having a cell phone.
• An answering machine.
• A landline.
• Rewinding movies when you’re done watching them.
• Renting or buying a game and playing it the very minute you get home.
• Printing out your route from Mapquest before leaving the house.
• Saying dot com at the end of everything.
• Using AOL.
• Getting excited about receiving an email.
• Storing family photos in a photo album.
• Developing film.
• Floppy disks.
• Taking cash when you were going out.
• Alarm clocks.
• Listening to an entire album.

We had a great talk this morning with 90’s hit maker Jeff Carson!  Jeff is a super nice guy and he has re-released a song he recorded back in 2005 called “God Save the World”.  We talked about the re-release of that song, the social media effect on music, his ACM win in 1996, and about playing at Eitzen Family Fun Fest back in 1997.

When Josh informed me that Kathy and myself would be interviewing Jeff, I went to my parents place and dug up some pics of the concert in Eitzen back in 1997.  I actually forgot that I got picture by the stage close to Jeff!  Enjoy the pics and interview with Jeff!  -EK

People are usually pretty excited about the return of all things pumpkin spice this time of year, but there’s one new pumpkin spice-flavored item that they may be less enthusiastic about.

Kraft Dinner (KD) has just unveiled their new pumpkin spice-flavored mac and cheese, which they say has “hints of cinnamon, dashes of allspice, and layers of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves all slathered in KD cheese.”

But even if this pumpkin spiced mac and cheese concoction does sound appetizing to you right now, it may be kind of hard to get your hands on.

That’s because you’ll have to be one of the 1,000 “lucky” Canadians that sign up to try it for free when it arrives later this fall.

Today it feels almost like summer outside….Warm and breezy.  That wasn’t the case on this date back in 1942!  Parts of Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa got 4-5 inches of heavy snow.

Enjoy the day…the white stuff will be here soon enough!  -EK

Credit:  NWS Des Moines

The Grand Ole Opry will welcome patrons back to its iconic venue on Oct. 3 with a showcase featuring Dierks Bentley, Terri Clark, Vince Gill and Lorrie Morgan.

The Grand Ole Opry has aired without an audience present since March 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The in-venue audience will be capped at 500 guests for the 95th anniversary celebration on Oct. 3. The limited audience will be made up of fans who had previously held tickets for each night’s show. The one-hour show will air live on Circle Television at 7 p.m. CT. The show will also stream live on Circle’s YouTube.

The Missouri Valley Football Conference will play an eight-game conference-only Spring 2021 schedule over a nine-week period beginning in mid February.  Take a look at UNI’s schedule for the spring 2021 season.

Saturday, Feb. 20
Illinois State at UNI

Friday, Feb. 26
UNI at South Dakota

Saturday, March 6
Missouri State at UNI

Saturday, March 13
UNI at Western Illinois

Saturday, March 20
UNI at Southern Illinois

Saturday, March 27
UNI at Youngstown State

Saturday, April 10
North Dakota State at UNI

Saturday, April 17
South Dakota State at UNI

Iowa State plans on having fans in the stands foe their next home game on October 3rd vs. Oklahoma.  Take a look at the press release from ISU Athletic Director Jamie Pollard.

Dear Cyclone fans,

Earlier this month, we decided that no fans would be allowed to attend the first football game because of significant increases in positive COVID tests on campus and in Story County.

We also said that we remain committed to having spectators at future games if it could be done safely. The way the community and our campus responded to that surge in positive COVID cases would be a significant factor as it relates to hosting fans at future games.

Campus officials have closely monitored the local COVID positivity rate, factored in projected attendance (a number of individuals have opted out of their tickets the last month) for an Iowa State home game and noted the crowd sizes that other institutions / NFL teams have hosted this season to best assess the feasibility of having fans at games.

We have also consulted with Dr. Chris Hostler of ICS (Infection Control Education for Major Sports), an independent organization run by two Duke University infectious-disease doctors, who have been providing recommendations to the NFL, the NFL Players Association and the Big 12 Conference.

COVID weekly positivity results from on campus testing have drastically declined from a high of 33% on Aug. 30 to 5% on Sept. 20. The campus 10-day rolling average as of Sept. 22 has declined to 4%. Additionally, the 14-day virus positivity results from Story County testing has declined from 22% on Sept. 1 to 8% on Sept. 23.

Our projected attendance has decreased from 25,000 to approximately 15,000 (less than 25% of the stadium’s 61,500-seat capacity) as many fans have opted out of their tickets.

Finally, other institutions have successfully hosted fans the last two weeks. The Kansas City Chiefs opened the NFL season in front of 17,000 fans and other Big 12 schools have also had fans in their stadiums. Our staff has been in contact with the Chiefs organization and other Big 12 schools who have had fans at games to learn more about game-day operations in their stadiums. Additionally, members of the University public health team have connected with State and Story County public health officials to solicit feedback on game-day mitigation strategies.

After close review of this information, especially the declining virus positivity rates, we have decided to permit fans at our next home game (Oct. 3 vs. Oklahoma).

We have also decided that there will be no general admission seating. All fans will have an assigned seat to provide for efficient contact tracing, if necessary. As a result, Jr. Cyclone Club hillside seating will be eliminated for the season. Those fans, who purchased Jr. Cyclone Club passes for the hills, will have their ticket purchases refunded.

In order to provide sufficient social distancing in the student section, we have decided to limit capacity to 1,000 seats and restrict access to various areas of the student section to further create space between groups of students. This is similar to what other institutions have successfully implemented in their student sections.

We will give full refunds (for the price of the season ticket) to all students who purchased tickets. Athletics will conduct a random drawing, among students who kept their tickets, to determine which students will receive complimentary tickets to the Oklahoma game. Student ticket plans for the Texas Tech game will be dependent upon how well students comply with our mitigation rules at the Oklahoma game and how well students comply with the University’s social gathering policy.

Finally, the athletics department has strategically reassigned all remaining seat locations for the general public using current Cyclone Club giving levels, priority points within those levels and taking into account location and/or price, to create improved social distancing.

You can click here to see an overview of the stadium by section with seats plotted for the tickets purchased. The ticket office will be emailing all account holders, who have chosen to keep their tickets in 2020, a new seating location later today. Unfortunately, we are not able to allow fans who previously opted out of their tickets to opt back in now.  

An important factor in the decision to allow fans at our games is our belief that Cyclone fans are willing to adhere to our mitigation measures. The purpose of this letter is to ask for your support in helping create a safe environment while also providing our team an impactful home field advantage. This is an incredible opportunity for Iowa State University to showcase its ability to successfully navigate the challenges associated with large outdoor events during a pandemic.

Please understand it will be critical that we receive full buy-in, from everyone attending the game. Any fan who does not adhere to our mitigation requirements will be denied entry and/or removed from the stadium. Furthermore, any fan removed from the stadium will have their tickets revoked for the season.

We wanted to highlight several of the elements from the mitigation document we linked above. Please review these measures in order to help us have a successful home game.

Health Check – If you are sick or have symptoms related to COVID-19, please do not come to the game. Stay home and cheer on the Cyclones on television.

Parking – Fans should arrive early to avoid traffic congestion, park their vehicle, gather game gear and walk directly to the stadium for entrance. Do not gather in the parking lots to socialize.

No Tailgating – There will be no tailgating on university-owned property, including parking lots and grass areas adjacent to parking lots. Fans may not bring nor set up items normally associated with a tailgate such as lawn chairs, coolers, grills, tents, canopies, tables, etc.

Face Coverings – Wear your face covering upon exit from your vehicle. Face coverings will be required at ALL times for ALL individuals. Anyone, who refuses to properly wear a face covering (must cover both your mouth and nose), will be denied access and/or removed from the stadium.

Stadium Entry – Prepare to enter the stadium early. Gates will open 90 minutes prior to kickoff. Honor other fans’ wishes for physical distancing and avoid crowding at entry.

Seating – All fans were reassigned new seating locations and it is critical to sit in those seats to maintain social distancing.

Fan Flow – We encourage fans to remain in their seats as much as possible to limit congestion on the concourses.

Departing the Stadium – Use your own judgment when departing the stadium. Take your time while leaving and respect others desire for physical distancing. There will be no tailgating or social gatherings in the parking lots after the game.

Lastly, we will continue to monitor the community and campus COVID positivity rates, as well as crowd behavior at the game. The information included in this letter, and corresponding documents, are subject to modifications if circumstances warrant changes.

Thank you for your understanding and support during these very challenging times

Crews in Mexico City made a bizarre discover while cleaning out the city’s drainage system recently.

As the crews were cleaning 22 tons of trash from the system, they came across what has been described as a “giant rat” the size of a person.

While this “giant rat,” thankfully, only turned out to be a Halloween prop, many people have commented on how realistic it looks.

According to Border Report, a woman named Evelin López has since come forward to claim the rat prop as her own.

López said the “giant rat” had been part of the materials she was gathering for Halloween, but the prop washed away several years ago during storms.

López said she had asked for help in searching the drains for the prop but no one ever came out to assist her.

Lopez also said that, now that her rat prop has been found, she isn’t sure if she’s keeping it or not.

Credit:  NatalieDeRosas via Twitter

NBC is developing a new drama inspired by Blake Shelton’s award-winning single, “God’s Country,” according to Deadline.

Blake will serve as one of the executive producers of God’s Country, along with writer Gary Scott Thompson, Narvel Blackstock and Laurie Pozmantier.

The new drama, which is backed by Universal Television, features the logline: “When the patriarch of a hardworking Midwestern farm family dies mysteriously in a car accident, his grown children discover he was keeping a devastating secret they could never have imagined.”

Penned by Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt and Devin Dawson, “God’s Country” reached No. 1 for Blake in July 2019. The tune won Single of the Year at the 2020 ACM Awards.

The luxury clothing brand Gucci is raising a few eyebrows after they unveiled a new pair of denim overalls that were designed to appear grass stained.

But be prepared to shell out a pretty penny if you want a pair of these pre-grass-stained overalls, as they’re currently priced at $1,400 on Gucci’s website.

The company says these denim overalls channel the “grunge vibe” of their Fall/Winter 2020 Men’s collection, adding that they’re “crafted from organic cotton and specifically treated for a stained-like, distressed effect.”

Luke Combs’ current single, “Lovin’ On You,” is No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for the fourth consecutive week. “Lovin’ On You” is the first single in 2020 to lead the chart for four weeks.

Luke, who recently won ACM awards for Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year, is the first country artist in history whose first nine singles have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart: “Hurricane,” “When It Rains It Pours,” “One Number Away,” “She Got the Best of Me,” “Beautiful Crazy,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “Even Though I’m Leaving,” “Does to Me” and “Lovin’ On You.”

Of Luke’s nine No. 1 hits on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, eight have had multi-week runs at No. 1. Luke’s 2018 No. 1 hit, “One Number Away,” ruled the chart for one week, while “Beautiful Crazy” reigned for seven weeks in 2019.

Collectively, Luke’s nine singles have spent 29 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

With Halloween approaching, the CDC has released it’s recommendations for Halloween.  They broke down Halloween activities into 3 categories.  Keep in mind, these are just recommendations…..

Lower Risk Activities

These lower risk activities can be safe alternatives:

• Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them
• Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
• Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
• Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
• Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
• Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
• Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house

Moderate Risk Activities

• Participating in one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard)
  • If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 second before and after preparing the bags.
• Having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart
• Attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than 6 feet apart
  • A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the face.
  • Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
• Going to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest where appropriate mask use is enforced, and people can remain more than 6 feet apart
  • If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
• Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
• Having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least 6 feet apart
  • If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
  • Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.

Higher Risk Activities

Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:

• Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
• Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots
• Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
• Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
• Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
• Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
• Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19

Source:  cdc.gov

An Ohio dad has come up with an ingenious way to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters this year, while still maintaining a safe social distance.

The contraption Andrew Beattie created is a six-foot-long “candy chute” that’s attached to the handrail on his front porch.

Beattie shared a picture of the “candy chute” on Facebook, saying it will provide a completely “touch-free” experience for trick-or-treaters who stop by his house.

Andrew says there will be a sign at the bottom of the tube that shows trick-or-treaters exactly where to hold their bags and buckets, so the candy can “drop right in.”

But the socially-distanced candy chute won’t be the only precaution Beattie takes at his house this Halloween.

Andrew says, “I, personally, will be wearing a mask and changing gloves frequently, and the candy will be from a factory-sealed bag that I’ll open outside by the candy chute.”

He later adds, “I want our youngins to be able to have some sense of normalcy and maybe a little bit of exercise in all this madness, and I’ve put a LOT of thought into how to do so safely.”

Fall color fans – here’s a guide from the Iowa DNR as to when colors peak in the state of Iowa. Though we are just entering the season now, look for brighter and more colorful days ahead and enjoy the season! For a complete weekly update, please visit the DNR’s website here.

Hershey’s is doing its part to save Halloween. The candy company has launched a website — Halloween2020.org — that’s providing resources and suggestions for families and their kids this Halloween. If you visit the website, you’ll be asked to find your county on an interactive map, which will show you the COVID-19 risk in your area.  For example, trick-or-treating is suggested for low-risk green zones (as long as participants are abiding by local health guidelines), while those in red zones are advised to stick to Zoom parties or do candy scavenger hunts around their own homes. The website also offers tips for parents and homeowners on staying safe while handing out treats.

OUR SEMI-FINAL qualifiers  for the GREAT GIVEAWAY ARE:

Polaris Ranger from Waukon Powersports SEMI-FINAL QUALIFIERS:
Chad Holsthause
Charlie Boeckenheuer
Donal Muchan
Kacie Henry
Kevin Gerleman
Kevin Heide
Lukas Phillips
Mary Watt
Mike O’Donnell
Sheila Pyle

Two-year Truck lease from KAR Auto Group SEMI-FINAL QUALIFIERS:
Brian Whittle
Chad Halverson
Dave Kuboshek
Dean Carolan
Jim Hertges
Kris Franzen
Les Spilde
Steve Lane
Terry Henry
Tony Brincks

$4000 Roofing Package from Jake’s Roofing and Construction SEMI-FINAL QUALIFIERS:
Cliff Christiansen
Glen Smith
Glenn Folstad
John Zidlicky
Kim Knapp
Roger Bergan
Shaonda Henry
Tammy Nordheim
Teresa Eter
Terry Henry
Tim Nehls

$2500 Car Care Package from Clark Tire Pros SEMI-FINAL QUALIFIERS:
Ashley Erickson
David Luhman
Gary Remmen
Jared Klingeman
Kline Capps
Samantha Thiele
Tony Becker
Tony Sabin
Troy Lensing
Wade Bissel

Cash Winners
$50 – Judy Larson
$50 – Carol Johnson
$75 – Brian Erickson
$75 – Tyler Tweeten
$100 – Cindy Larson
$100 – Lauren Keiran
$50 – Teresa Eter
$50 – Jake Henry
$50 – Teresa Eter
$75 – Kirk Vowald
$75 – Mellisa Sivesend
$100 – Jake Henry
$100 – Jim Norton

Employees and immediate family members of Wennes Communications and promotion partners are not eligible to claim prizes. No purchase necessary. The Side by Side and Car Care Package will be awarded on September 24th at 6pm at Waukon Power Sports in Waukon. Truck Lease and Roofing Credit will be awarded on September 26th at 10am at Decorah Auto Center in Decorah. *DUE TO COVID-19 Only Semi-Finalists are invited to the in-person giveaways. These SEMI-FINAL qualifiers will be called via the information provided on the qualifying entry slip and given final giveaway details. All other qualifiers, who were not drawn as SEMI-FINAL qualifiers, will not be contacted. Prize winners are responsible for any tax, title, license or dealer fees if applicable. No losses, of any kind, are assumed by Wennes Communications, promotion partners or registration sponsor locations. Contest rules are subject to change without notice.

From September 8-15, heavy rain (2 to 6 inches) fell across northeast Iowa, parts of southeast Minnesota, and in southwest and central Wisconsin.  This alleviated the moderate (D1) drought across these areas.  While these areas are no longer in drought, abnormally dry (D0) conditions continue.

If you’re looking to make your marriage proposal a memorable one, Oscar Mayer thinks they may be able to help.

The company says they’re now lending out their iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles to those who plan on popping the question to their significant others.

According to The Takeout, the company’s idea to have their iconic Wienermobiles set the romantic scene came after one of their official drivers, Zach n Cheese, recently proposed to his girlfriend at Yellowstone National Park “with the help from his 27-foot hot dog on wheels.”

Zach shared a video of his proposal on Instagram along with the caption, “It’s official! Zach has found his Cheese. Thank you to @oscarmayer for helping me make this happen with the #Wienermobile.”

In case you need a refresher, here’s the breakdown on the nominees for the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards. The show airs live tonight (Wednesday) on CBS.

Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett and Old Dominion are the frontrunners for this year’s ACM Awards with five nods apiece.

Maren grabbed nominations for Female Artist of the Year, Group of the Year for her work with The Highwomen, Album of the Year as producer and artist for Girl and Music Event of the Year for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” along with Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King.

Thomas received nods for Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Center Point Road as artist and producer, and Video of the Year for “Remember You Young.”

Old Dominion are also up for five awards — Group of the Year, and Single, Song and Video of the Year for “One Man Band.” They also received a nomination as producers of “One Man Band.”

Dan and Shay are contenders in four categories — Duo of the Year plus Music Event, Video and Song of the Year with Justin Bieber for “10,000 Hours.”

Blake Shelton also takes four nominations, including Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “God’s Country.” He’s also up for Music Event of the Year with Garth Brooks for “Dive Bar.”

Eric Church is nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Song of the Year for “Some of It” as artist and songwriter.

Miranda Lambert is nominated for Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Wildcard and Music Event of the Year for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” along with Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King.

Ashley McBryde is in the running for three awards. She’s up for Song of the Year as artist and writer of “Girl Going Nowhere” and Music Event of the Year for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” along with Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King.

Luke Combs has three nods — Male Artist of the Year, Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year for What You See Is What You Get.

Kacey Musgraves is up for Female Artist of the Year and Single of the Year for “Rainbow” as artist and producer.

Here’s the list of nominees for the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards.

Entertainer of the Year

• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church
• Luke Combs
• Thomas Rhett
• Carrie Underwood

Male Artist of the Year

• Dierks Bentley
• Luke Combs
• Thomas Rhett
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban

Female Artist of the Year

• Kelsea Ballerini
• Miranda Lambert
• Maren Morris
• Kacey Musgraves
• Carrie Underwood

Duo of the Year

• Brooks and Dunn
• Brothers Osborne
• Dan and Shay
• Florida Georgia Line
• Maddie and Tae

Group of the Year

• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Midland
• Old Dominion
• The Highwomen

New Female Artist of the Year

• Ingrid Andress
• Gabby Barrett
• Lindsay Ell
• Caylee Hammack
• Tenille Townes – Winner

New Male Artist of the Year

• Jordan Davis
• Russell Dickerson
• Riley Green – Winner
• Cody Johnson
• Morgan Wallen

Album of the Year – goes to artist, producer and record label

• Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett
• Girl – Maren Morris
• Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
• What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs
• Wildcard – Miranda Lambert

Single of the Year – goes  to artist, producer and record label

• “God’s Country” – Blake Shelton
• “One Man Band” – Old Dominion
• “Rainbow” – Kacey Musgraves
• “Rumor” – Lee Brice
• “What If I Never Get Over You” – Lady Antebellum

Song of the Year – goes to artist, songwriter and publisher

• “10,000 Hours” – Dan and Shay featuring Justin Bieber
• “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” – Ashley McBryde
• “God’s Country” – Blake Shelton
• “One Man Band” – Old Dominion
• “Some Of It” – Eric Church

Video of the Year

• “10,000 Hours” – Dan and Shay featuring  Justin Bieber
• “God’s Country” – Blake Shelton
• “One Man Band” — Old Dominion
• “Remember You Young” – Thomas Rhett – Winner
• “Sugar Coat” – Little Big Town

Music Event of the Year

• “10,000 Hours” – Dan and Shay featuring Justin Bieber
• “Dive Bar” – Garth Brooks featuring Blake Shelton
• “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” – Miranda Lambert featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King – Winner
• “Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
• “What Happens in a Small Town” – Brantley Gilbert featuring Lindsay Ell

Songwriter of the Year

• Ashley Gorley
• Hardy
• Hillary Lindsey
• Shane McAnally
• Josh Osborne

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will still be held this year, but the annual event will look a lot different due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Macy’s announced Monday (9/14) that while its annual Thanksgiving Day Parade won’t be held in front of massive crowds lining New York City’s streets this year, it will still be available to watch on TV.

The company said that the parade will still feature the floats, balloons, and entertainers that “viewers have come to love,” but there have been a couple changes to how that will look.

According to ABC News, handlers who traditionally carried the giant character balloons along the parade route will be replaced by specialized “anchor” vehicles that have been tested and approved by New York’s police and transportation departments.

And instead of following the typical 2.5-mile route around town, the parade will now be taped along a one-block stretch of 34th Street in front of Macy’s flagship store.

A runaway porta-potty in Albuquerque took a trip along Route 66. Severe gusts of wind dislodged the mobile toilet, sending it on its journey down the road that once connected Chicago to Los Angeles. Several motorists and passengers caught footage of the traveling commode, and posted it to social media alongside songs like “Dust In The Wind” by Kansas.

The Golden Girls first aired on NBC 35 years ago on September 14, 1985.  The show ran for seven seasons starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty.  During the run, the show won numerous awards, and each of the four stars received an Emmy Award, making it one of only three sitcoms in the award’s history to do this.  The show ended in 1992 when Bea Arthur decided to leave the series.

It was announced earlier this month that a Golden Girls reboot will be happening with an all African American cast.

Enjoy some of the best moments from show and the iconic theme song below!

The Chicago Cubs’ ALEC MILLS pitched a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday in just the 15th start of his career. The 28-year-old struck out five and walked three in the 12-0 win that was the second no-hitter of the MLB season.

According to data from the CDC, more than a third of adults in the United States regularly get less than the recommended minimum seven hours of sleep a night — despite the fact that lack of sleep has been linked to health issues like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression. Research from the United Health Foundation (UHF) has found that these are the most sleep-deprived states in the country:

1. Hawaii — 42.9% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.
2. West Virginia – 41.4% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.
3. Kentucky — 41.1% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.
4. Tennessee – 40% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.
5. Ohio — 39.7% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.
6. Michigan – 39% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.
7. New York — 38.6% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.
8. Alabama – 38.6% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.
9. Virginia — 38% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.
10. Georgia – 38% of adults sleep less than seven hours a night.

Residents of San Francisco encountered an eerie sight on Wednesday (9/9) when they walked outside to discover a bright orange sky.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the apocalyptic scene was caused by the smoke from multiple wildfires burning across the area sitting above a marine layer of fog.

Jessica Christian, a photojournalist with the San Francisco Chronicle, took to the streets with her camera and documented the unbelievable cityscape.

Christian shared a video that showed the city’s iconic San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge bathed in a spooky orange glow, while her still pictures captured various other spots around town.

When you tune into Monday Night Football on ESPN this year, something will be missing..Hank Jr.!  ESPN will not be using  “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here On Monday Night” because “it will not resonate for games that will be contested in mainly empty stadiums.”  The bosses at ESPN have not made a decision if the song will return for the 2021 season and beyond.  ABC first used the song to open “Monday Night Football” in ’89. ESPN will use a modern version of the Little Richard song “Rip It Up” instead.

This is the second time ESPN has dropped Bocephus from MNF, in 2011 Hank Jr. made disparaging comments towards President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

A Florida family recently filmed the process of removing a training toilet seat from around their two-year-old’s neck. The boy’s mother, Abbie Paull said she only took her eyes off her son, Reuben, for a few seconds when he managed to get the training toilet stuck around his neck. After struggling to remove the seat, Reuben’s dad grabbed a saw and carefully cut the seat off of his son in a safe manner.

With the clouds and rain in the area, don’t look for much improvement in the temperatures through the day. In fact, more record low maximum temperatures are in the forecast temperatures some 20 to 25 degrees below normal. The record lowest high temperature for La Crosse for today is 56 set back in 1901. The record lowest high temperature for Rochester for today is 55 set back in 2006.