What We’re Talking About

LUKE COMBS invited an eight-year-old cancer survivor to join him on stage in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Saturday (July 22^nd).  According to Taste of Country, the 33-year-old singer brought COOPER MASSENGILL onstage for a performance of his “favorite song,” “Fast Car.”  The young fan even got a chance to sing the chorus solo as the crowd cheered him on.

@kaylalynch87 #lukecombs #lukecombsworldtour2023 #gillettestadium #beatcancer #cooper ♬ original sound – Kayla Lynch

..HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM CDT
THIS EVENING…

* WHAT…Heat index values around 100 expected.

* WHERE…Portions of north central and northeast Iowa,
southeast Minnesota and central, southwest and west central
Wisconsin.

* WHEN…From noon to 8 PM CDT Thursday.

* IMPACTS…Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.

Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.  Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.

It will be a hot one today. With heat index values topping 100 degrees in many locations, take it easy, drink plenty of fluids, and stay indoors if prone to heat illness. pic.twitter.com/JTUqFo0n9z

— NWS La Crosse (@NWSLaCrosse) July 27, 2023

How much do you really know about Barbie? The movie may be telling part of Barbie’s story, but Good Housekeeping has some surprising facts about the Mattel model that we had no idea about …

• Barbie and Ken broke up for seven years back in 2004.
• Barbie’s rebound was Blaine Gordon – a surfer from Australia.
• Barbie is from Wisconsin.
• Barbie has seven siblings, including sister Skipper and twins Todd and Tutti, and a cousin, Francie, from the U.K.
• Barbie got a makeover in 1971.
• Barbie has had over 250 careers.
• There has been a “Barbie for President” doll in every election since 1992.
• Barbie has an estimated one billion outfits.
• Barbie can now wear flats.
• If Barbie’s Dream House were real, it would cost about $16 million.

The National Weather Service baked cookies in a car in Midland, Texas to show the sun is no joke! While it was 105 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the temperature inside a closed car rose to 190 degrees in four hours. This was hot enough to make cookie dough on the dashboard rise and fully cook! “This heat is still incredibly dangerous to anyone left in a hot car,” the weather service posted on Facebook. “Look before you lock!”

Photo Credit:  US National Weather Service Midland Texas via Facebook

Pro-golfer Viktor Hovland was in his backswing yesterday at the Open Championship when a bird flew over and dropped a load on Hovland’s nice golf sweater.  Here are the commentators, and you can hear Viktor and his caddie when it happens.

A bird just shit on Viktor Hovland. You can actually see the flyby. I shit you not. #TheOpenChampionship pic.twitter.com/RvUbhRW96f

— Cork Gaines, Ph.D. (@CorkGaines) July 20, 2023

Photo Credit:  Cork Gaines, Ph.D. via Twitter

A deputy in Washington state was called out to a rural road by a delivery driver who needed a little help removing an unexpected obstacle.

The sheriff’s department received a call from a driver who explained that he needed to deliver a package to a house but couldn’t make it down the road because a loose llama stopped right in front of his car and refused to move. Deputy Paczosa was dispatched to the scene and, according to a description on Facebook, used “his de-escalation skills while standing just a tad over spitting distance” and “was able to sweet talk him into putting on a leash to get him off the roadway.”

Once the llama wrangler removed the obstruction, the driver was able to make his delivery. Moments later, the sheriff’s office received another call, this time from someone reporting that their llama had gotten loose. Luckily for them, deputies already knew where the llama was and were able to reunite him with his owner.

Photo Credit:  King County Sheriff’s Office via Facebook

The music video for JASON ALDEAN’S single “Try That In A Small Town” was pulled from CMT Monday. The video, which is still available on YouTube, shows Aldean performing in front of a courthouse interspersed with footage of a flag burning, protesters screaming and attacking police in various scenarios, and robbing a convenience store. In a statement posted online the singer wrote, “There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it- and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage – and while I can try to respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music – this one has gone too far.”

600 to 100 lionhead rabbits are bouncing around the Jenada Isles in Florida. After a breeder illegally set a group of them free, the rabbits have multiplied, and some neighbors are hopping mad. “They really need to be rescued,” Florida resident Alicia Griggs said. Griggs is trying to raise the money it would take to capture, neuter, vaccinate, and house these cute pets. When loose, these cuddly creatures dig holes, chew wires, and leave their droppings on sidewalks.

At least 60 Lionhead Rabbits are living in Wilton Manors, Florida after a breeder released them. Florida’s weather is far too hot for them, so residents are raising thousands of dollars to find them new homes. Video credit to CBS News. pic.twitter.com/f4pu5MLgN2

— WDEF News 12 (@wdefnews12) July 17, 2023

Big Time Grain Co. is set to perform this Friday night at the Allamakee County Fair in Waukon!  We talked with half of the duo Bret Bourquin about the show coming up, and some interesting tidbits about the band.  Take a listen below!

It may be French Fry Day, but Burger King Thailand is offering up an interesting new burger to go with your fries. And while it is meatless, it’s not meatless in the way you may have come to expect. This week, the fast-food chain introduced what it calls the “Real Cheeseburger.” It’s a bun filled with as many as 20 slices of cheese…and, you got it, NO MEAT. The item launched on Thai menus Sunday, priced at about one-third of what a usual burger sells for. It quickly went viral, with many posting TikTok videos of them trying the new sandwich. In a social media post, Burger King said: “This is no joke. This is for real.” One sampler, a 25-year-old IT engineer, said she loved cheese but “this was a bit too much.” Another customer said the taste of the Real Cheeseburger was “too intense”…which sounds pretty good to me!

Photo Credit: Burger King Thailand via Facebook

During a recent show, Lainey Wilson helped a young fan win a bet by giving him a big hug on stage.  Then he leaned in and said something she thought was hilarious.

 

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Photo Credit:  fastlainers via Instagram

A bus full of fourth graders on a field trip in Louisiana were filmed singing Luke Combs’ “She Got the Best of Me”.  This my kind of field trip!

@ddbannister09 #lukecombs #shesgotthebestofme #smalltownusa #country #louisiana ♬ original sound – Deborah Bannister

Photo Credit:  ddbannister09 via TikTok

DIAMOND RIO announced the addition of two new band members with the release of their music video for “The Kick.” The Grammy-winning act has boasted the same lineup since 1989 but recently bid farewell to retiring members BRIAN POUT and GENE JOHNSON. New bandmates, CARSON MCKEE (fiddle/vocals) and MICAH SCHWEINSBERG (drum) now join original members MARTY ROE, JIMMY OLANDER, DANA WILLIAMS, and DAN TROUMAN. “The Kick,” is the first song and video to be released under the new band configuration.

A ride malfunction at a Wisconsin festival left eight passengers stranded upside down for more than four hours. The Fireball ride, which features looping track, malfunctioned and left eight passengers stuck upside down high up in the air. Firefighters from multiple nearby towns responded to help get the passengers back to earth. All of the passengers were safely brought down and were examined by ambulance crews.

Shocking Video shows people stuck upside on the Fireball ride in Crandon, WI. According to Scott Brass who took the video at the Forest County Festival, people where handing upside down for hours. Scott said, everyone was able to get down safe. pic.twitter.com/KpNDWfH3Ac

— Adriana Mendez (@AdrianaMendez) July 3, 2023

Photo Credit:  Adriana Mendez via Twitter

Even after a rain delay, Joey Chestnut has done it again. He won Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest yesterday. He holds the 2023 Mustard Belt. Here’s the announcement from Coney Island. Of Note: It’s his 8th straight win. 16th overall. He ate 62 dogs this time. 2021 was his record-setting best at 76.

Joey Chestnut (@joeyjaws) wins his 16th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest title, eating 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes! 🌭 That’s more than 1 hot dog every 2 seconds! 🤯 Congratulations, Joey! 🏆#hotdog #JoeyChestnut #NathansHotDog https://t.co/dUc8Aof9C1

— WorldWide Records (@WWR_en) July 5, 2023

The best catch at a baseball game EVER??  This could be it.  Jack Porter of the Lima Locos baseball team that plays in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League made an improbable catch, as he took away a homerun.  Jack flipped over the fence, and hit a bench that sat on the other side of the fence.  His amazing catch got him on ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays of the day.

@espn @CBSSports @JackPorter2022 robs @JazzBaseball of a 3 run home run in style! #AllAboard Thanks Richard Parrish for the video! pic.twitter.com/bMDMH8ZXuq

— Lima Locos Baseball (@locosbaseball) June 29, 2023

Photo Credit:  Lima Locos Baseball via Twitter

Where should ketchup be stored: in the refrigerator, or in the cupboard? Heinz has finally settled the debate by tweeting that its iconic product should be kept in the fridge. Following a heated debate in the comments, Heinz conducted a poll of 2,500 votes. Answers were split down the middle, but Heinz insists on keeping ketchup cold. “Although we’re aware many Heinz Tomato Ketchup fans have been storing their ketchup in the cupboard, we do recommend refrigeration after opening,” Olivia Lennon of Heinz Tomato said. One fan asked if they could keep their ketchup beside their pillow.

FYI: Ketchup. goes. in. the. fridge!!!

— Heinz (@HeinzUK) June 27, 2023

Forget Pepsi and a hot dog … now you can have Pepsi on your dog. Pepsi teamed up with the Culinary Institute of America for a special “Colachup” for the Fourth of July. The sauce has “the tanginess of the ketchup and a little bit of sweetness of the cola with some other gourmet ingredients.” However, you’ll have to go to a ballpark on the 4th to sample the “Colachup.” It’s being served from special carts at Chase Field in Phoenix, Target Field in Minneapolis, Comerica Park in Detroit, and Yankee Stadium in New York.

 

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Photo Credit:  Pepsi via Instagram

JIMMIE JOHNSON will not race this weekend in NASCAR’s Cup Series street race in Chicago following the deaths of his wife’s parents and a nephew in Oklahoma. The bodies of JACK JANWAY, 69; his wife, TERRY JANWAY, 68; and their grandson DALTON JANWAY, 11, were discovered Monday at a home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, located about 50 miles southeast of Tulsa, Muskogee police spokesperson Lynn Hamlin said. Hamlin said investigators believe Terry Janway shot and killed her husband and grandson before shooting herself.

Johnson, who is a seven-time NASCAR Cup champion, married Chandra Janway in 2004.

Scooter, a 7-year-old Chinese Crested dog, won the World’s Ugliest Dog contest in Petaluma, California on Friday! The pup was born with deformities that left him unable to walk, and he was almost put to sleep. As a puppy, Scooter was saved by a Saving Animals From Euthanasia volunteer. Scooter is now celebrated for his unique look, which includes a hanging tongue. Judge Catherina Liang said, “In the cutest way possible, he kind of reminds me of a hairy hippopotamus.” The 50-year-old contest celebrates uniquely beautiful dogs and advocates for adoption.

Mountain snow in parts of Utah is turning red, pink, and orange due to a phenomenon called watermelon snow. Some visitors, confused by the hue, thought the color was paint…but the colors occur naturally. Watermelon snow is caused by green algae found in mountains around the world. The algae absorbs heat which melts the snow and allows the algae to access water. Utah State University professor Scott Hotaling said, “There’s a lot of evidence now that shows that the algae contributes rather significantly to overall melt of snowpack around the West.” A warning to hikers: Watermelon snow can stain shoes and jeans.

A little while after a little boy named Charlie threw a foul ball back onto the field, devastating his older brother Jack, one of the Red Sox broadcasting crew went up into the stands to interview the family.  They got some cool stuff from the Red Sox to help quell the tough Father’s Day moment.

Big bro’s reaction 😂😂pic.twitter.com/j5beVpft6N

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 18, 2023

The broadcast crew also autographed balls for the boys, signing “Nice throw, kid!” on Charlie’s.  Charlie was still being consoled and wouldn’t talk on camera.

It was a tough day for little Charlie, but the Mulligans are walking away with a smile. @WebsterOnTV | @middlebrooks | #RedSox pic.twitter.com/SJKnqxfdzT

— NESN (@NESN) June 18, 2023

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated via Twitter

The annual Hospice Memorial Ride is set for Sunday, June 25 (rain or shine). This year, dollars raised will support the new specialty therapies offered to our hospice patients: Pet Therapy, Music Therapy, Massage Therapy and Spiritual Counseling.

Nancy Haberichter gave us all the details on this wonderful event.

• Breakfast at WinnMed, 9:00-10:30 am, 901 Montgomery St, Decorah (open to the public, free will donations welcome)
• Guided Poker Run for bikes/cars through Iowa, leaving at 11:00 am. $20 donation per entry.
• Last bike/car in at 4:30 pm to end the ride at PIVO Brewery, Calmar
• Silent auction and snacks at PIVO Brewery beginning 4:30 pm

Special thanks to all surrounding-community businesses and individuals for planning, sponsoring and donating to this wonderful event. We appreciate your efforts! For more information, call WinnMed Hospice at 563.387.3024 or Daryl at 563.423.5564.

WinnMed Hospice provides care 24/7 to patients in the counties of Allamakee, Clayton, Chickasaw, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek.

Actor and comedian Tim Allen turns 70 today (Thursday). Allen has had starring roles on TV’s Home Improvement, the Santa Clause movies and as the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story series. I’m a HUGE Home Improvement fan, so I found a You Tube video that has every single grunt from Home Improvement…Enjoy! -EK

Photo Credit: koonjam via YouTube

There are all sorts of things homeowners can expect to find in their basement, like cobwebs, old toys, and even a leaky pipe. One thing they don’t expect to find down there is a horse.

A family in Illinois couldn’t believe their eyes when a horse turned up in their basement. It had apparently been walking outside the house when it fell through a window well and landed in the basement. The very confused animal suffered some small cuts but was otherwise OK, aside from being very confused. Meanwhile, it’s very difficult to coax a horse out of your basement, so a large animal rescue team from Missouri had to be called in to help. They were able to very carefully walk the horse up the basement stairs into the kitchen, and then led it out through a sliding door where it was met by a veterinarian.

A Las Vegas family claims something crashed in their backyard, prompting them to call 911 about “non-human” beings – the thing is, this time, several people saw it. On April 30 around 11:50 p.m., a Las Vegas Metro police officer’s body camera video recorded as something streaked low across the sky. Several people across eastern California, Nevada and Utah reported seeing the flash, according to the American Meteor Society. Drone video showed a circular imprint in the dirt. About 40 minutes later, a man called 911, saying he and his family saw something fall from the sky and that there were two moving things in his northwest valley backyard.

MNDOT cameras shows pigs on the loose after the semi carrying them rolled over before 8 AM Friday.

Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWx5aQjXsxA

https://nypost.com/2023/06/06/husbands-inconsiderate-daily-parking-habit-divides-internet/

More than half of co-sleepers have a third wheel in the bedroom: survey

The Undeniably Colorful Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Sun-In

https://nypost.com/2023/06/06/woman-ends-up-naked-after-treadmill-fall-strips-off-her-pants/

https://www.newsflare.com/video/567495/womans-eye-horror-accidental-superglue-mix-up-leaves-her-in-agony-and-eyelashes-ruined?origin=trending&fbclid=IwAR3qYFY8ZqXnCORXp9BCBNi74jVdQbwGNN6xW7_EFSGdSNx8Th7j0FrNLd4

https://nypost.com/2023/06/01/everyday-cooks-try-at-least-6-new-recipes-per-month-poll/

https://www.fox41yakima.com/people-know-if-they-want-another-date-this-many-minutes-into-a-first-date/

Students and parents are upset at a high school in Illinois after their graduation stoles had a major misspelling on them. It spelled the word graduate as “gradutate”.  The school is attempting to photoshop the correct spelling into pictures to make the situation right.

Photo Credit: Shag Lowery via Facebook

This happened last week near Valdosta, Georgia. A car ran into the back of a tow truck and went airborne “Dukes of Hazzard” style for 120 feet before hitting another car. The truck’s ramp was down, so it was like a launching pad for the speeding car.

Photo Credit: Law&Crime Network via YouTube

With the weather getting a warmer, here are some ways to cool down this summer!

➢ Build an air conditioner out of a bucket: Transition a 5-gallon bucket into a makeshift air conditioner by attaching a few PVC sections to its edges, filling it with ice water, and pushing air from tiny fan through the top. And it doesn’t hog up a whole window.
➢ Make aloe ice cubes: Be ready for that inevitable sunburn. Pick up a bottle of aloe vera gel and fill an ice cube tray. Remove them as needed to cool off your beet-red skin.
➢ Freeze a sponge: Soak it, toss it in a Ziploc bag, and leave it in the freezer. When you are melting from the heat, take it out and rest it on your forehead or wrists. You’ll cool down without getting soaked, since the sponge will absorb any residual moisture as it warms.
➢ Wear wet socks to bed: For those unbearably hot nights, place a towel at bottom of your bed and slip on a pair of socks you’ve soaked in cold water. Point a fan at your feet and prepare for a prolonged chill to tingle up your spine. (I’d rather be warm than damp, thank you!)
➢ Freeze your pillowcases and sheets: To better fall asleep on those humid nights, stash a few pillowcases in a sealed bag in the freezer and slip them on before you hit the hay. You’ll be surprised how well it works to cool you down.

Weird road trip destinations … Millions of Americans will be hitting the road this summer to get away for a little while, and if you’re looking for an interesting spot to get out of the car and stretch your legs, you might want to consider one of the country’s more unusual places to visit. Here are eight weird locations to check out, if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

1. The World’s Largest Toilet — Columbus, Indiana. It’s located inside Kidscommons, an interactive children’s museum, and kids are invited to climb into the bowl and get flushed down a slide.
2. Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail — Weldon Spring, Missouri. You can climb a trail built on top of an old hazardous waste dump.
3. Museum of Bad Art — Boston, Massachusetts. MOBA is committed to displaying the worst art ever created.
4. Enchanted Highway — North Dakota. The 32-mile stretch of I-94 features a roadside collection of large metal sculptures.
5. National Mustard Museum — Middleton, Wisconsin. Like the name suggests, the museum is all about mustard … and admission is free!
6. Fremont Troll — Seattle, Washington. The 18-foot-tall concrete troll resides under the George Washington Memorial Bridge.
7. International Church of Cannabis — Denver, Colorado. The former Lutheran church is now run by a group called Elevationists who explore the spiritual benefits of cannabis.
8. [Crap] Fountain — Chicago, Illinois. Artist Jerzy S. Kenar created a giant bronze sculpture of poo on his property in tribute to all the dogs that do their business in his garden.

Looking for something closer to home?  Check out Iowa’s Largest Frying Pan, which is located in Brandon.  More details about the big pan here.

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2023 will occur on Monday, May 29.

Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.  We hope take part in one of the many services in our area this weekend.  Thanks to our friend Janelle, she has compiled the full list…take a listen below.

On Monday, Cleveland Guardians outfielder Will Brennan hit a line drive single to left field during the Guardians game against the Chicago White Sox. Unfortunately, that line drive struck and killed a bird that had been hopping around on the field. Brennan tweeted an apology and tagged People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in the message. “I truly am sorry @peta and bird enthusiasts. An unfortunate sacrifice.” As you may know, it’s been a strange — and rough — baseball season for birds so far, as Arizona Diamondback pitcher Zac Gallen accidentally hit a bird with a warmup pitch just a week ago.

For the second time in less than a week, a bird has been hit on a baseball field. pic.twitter.com/TN1GdqR7bK

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) May 22, 2023