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Ouch! Pirate bugs are taking tiny bites out of Iowans

Ag/Outdoor, News

October 13th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A bug that’s common from Iowa all the way east to the Atlantic Ocean and south to the Gulf of Mexico is poking at humans this time of year. Iowa State University entomologist Donald Lewis says it’s called the minute (my-NOOT) pirate bug. “This is the insect that bites us on the prettiest, nicest, warmest days of October,” Lewis says.  The pirate bug doesn’t transmit illnesses to humans and Lewis says it’s actually beneficial in the outdoor environment. “They’re also a cold-blooded predator which may be why they’re called pirate bugs,” Lewis says, “because they attack and ambush defenseless spider mites in the trees, they attack the eggs of other insects and that feeding action to eliminate the eggs of other insects could be reducing our pest problems for us.”

As for how humans can defend themselves from pirate bugs, insect repellants haven’t been found to work. Once the pirate bugs’ food supply of OTHER insects dwindles in the fall, the best defense for humans is wearing long sleeved-shirts, jeans or pants and socks and shoes. “When they land on your bare or exposed skin, they poke you with their blunt little beak to see if you are food,” Lewis says. “When you’re not, they give up, but in the process of poking you, it does hurt way out of proportion to the size of the insect.”

Pirate bugs — also known as insidious flower bugs — are oval shaped and about a fifth-of-an-inch long.

Food assistance program hits one million dollar mark

News

October 13th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A state program that helps those on food assistance eat healthier has crossed the one-million-dollar mark in benefits given. Coordinator Aryn McClaren says the program gives what are called “Double Up Bucks” to those on food assistance when they purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. She says the food bucks earned can then be used the next time to buy more fruits and vegetables. She says the program has two goals. “To encourage people to make the healthy choice of eating fresh food and vegetables — while also trying to make that an easier choice,” McClaren says. “If they are food insecure and have a limited budget they can’t always afford the food that might be healthier for their families.”

The program was given an added boost when federal coronavirus money was approved from the state. “So, we are very fortunate to receive that funding that has helped support the expansion of the program,” McClaren says. McClaren says the program has seen its biggest growth this year as the need has grown — and that includes more use at farmers’ markets. She says they are proud of the growth they’ve seen at farmers’ markets this year with most of them seeing four times the amount of food bucks they’ve seen before.

Under the program, a person who spends 10 dollars in food assistance benefits at a participating site receives an additional 10 dollars in free Double Up Food Bucks. The food bucks come in the form of paper vouchers and McClaren says they are working on an electronic program for the food bucks.

Non-injury accident in Red Oak Monday evening

News

October 13th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak report no one was injured during a collision at around 5:45-p.m. Monday at 5th and Linden Streets. Authorities report a 2017 Ford Explorer driven by 19-year old Aubrey Kate Goertzen, of Stanton, was northbound on 5th Street, and while crossing through the uncontrolled intersection at 5th and Linden, was struck in the middle of the intersection by a 2007 Suzuki FNZ, driven by 49-year old Stacy Marie Schlegelmilch, of Villisca, as she was traveling west on Linden Street.

No citations were issued.

LYDIA ANDERSEN, 101, of Blair, NE. (formerly of Exira) – Graveside Svcs. 10/17/20

Obituaries

October 13th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

LYDIA ANDERSEN, 101, of Blair, NE. (formerly of Exira), died Monday, Oct. 12th, at the Cromwell Memorial Home in Blair, NE. Graveside services for LYDIA ANDERSEN will be held 3-p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17th, in the Bethany Lutheran Cemetery northeast of Kimballton. Kessler Funeral Home in Exira has the arrangements. A Mask will be required for both the graveside service and visitation.

Family visitation at the Bethany Lutheran Church is from 1-until 3-p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17th.

LYDIA ANDERSEN is survived by:

Her son – Ronald (Charlotte) Andersen, of Washington, IA.

Her daughter – Carol (Keith) Hartvigsen, of Blair, NE.

4 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 6 great-great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

ANITA J. GODWIN, 96, of Exira (Graveside Svcs. 10/17/20)

Obituaries

October 13th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

ANITA J. GODWIN, 96, of Exira, died Thursday, Oct. 8th, at the Exira Care Center. Graveside services for ANITA GODWIN will be held 11-a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17th, in the Exira Cemetery. Kessler Funeral Home in Exira has the arrangements.

An open visitation will be held at the funeral home from 8-a.m. until 8-p.m. Friday, Oct. 16th. The family may not be present during the open visitation.

ANITA J. GODWIN is survived by:

Her son – Thomas Godwin, Jr., of Exira.

Her daughter – Cynthia Ryan, of Darien, CT.

6 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Iowa tops 100,000 coronavirus cases as Trump plans rally

News

October 13th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(By DAVID PITT Associated Press) – As Iowa surpassed 100,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and remained the fourth-highest state for rate of infection, the mayor of Des Moines expressed concern that President Donald Trump’s rally this week at the city’s airport could become a super-spreader event. The state averaged 1,300 new cases per day over the past four days.

On Saturday the state posted 21 more deaths after recording 14 deaths on Friday. on Sunday, the state reported six more deaths. As of Monday, positive cases in Iowa reached 100,052 and 1,464 people have died since the virus surfaced in March.

With polls showing a tight race between the Republican Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, the president plans a Wednesday rally at the Des Moines International Airport.

 

Sports Headlines for 10/13/20

Sports

October 13th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest  sports news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Nebraska will play at Iowa on the day after Thanksgiving, continuing a tradition that started when the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten in 2011. The Big Ten announced the game would be played Nov. 27 instead of Nov. 28. In another schedule change, Iowa will play at Minnesota on Nov. 13, a Friday, instead of on Nov. 14. This will mark the 31st straight season Nebraska has played on Black Friday, dating to the 1990 season. In addition to 10 matchups with Iowa, the Cornhuskers played Colorado for 15 straight seasons from 1996-2010 and met Oklahoma six consecutive years from 1990-95.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs should have felt good about the state of their defense heading into Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. They had held every opponent to 20 points or fewer and were getting back defensive tackle Chris Jones from an injury and cornerback Bashaud Breeland from a suspension. They proceeded to give up 490 yards of total offense, allowed Derek Carr to throw three touchdowns passes — including a 72-yarder and a 59-yarder — and couldn’t stop the Raiders and force a punt in the final minutes of a 40-32 defeat.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a Kansas City Chief’s fan who was upset about the team’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders pointed a gun at a victim in a neighborhood about 10 miles away from Arrowhead Stadium. Police in Kansas City, Kansas, said in a tweet that officers responded to disturbance call around 5 p.m. Sunday, after the game ended. A victim and witnesses then told officers that a person, upset over the result of the Chiefs’ 40-32 loss to the Raiders, pointed a gun. One of the witnesses then fought to disarm the suspect, who fled.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Austin Riley led off the ninth with a homer off Blake Treinen to spark a four-run ninth as the Atlanta Braves downed the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-1 in Game 1 of the NLCS. Ronald Acuna Jr. followed with a double and scored on Marcell Ozuna’s single to right before Ozzie Albies unloaded a two-run blast to cap the rally. Freddie Freeman belted a solo shot in the first inning, and the lead held up until Kike (KEE’-kay) Hernandez went deep off Braves starter Max Fried.

SNA DIEGO (AP) — Manuel Margot launched a three-run homer and Mike Zunino added a solo shot as the Tampa Bay Rays downed the Houston Astros, 4-2 to take a two-games-to-none lead in the ALCS. Margot’s first-inning blast came two pitches after second baseman Jose Altuve threw away a potential inning-ending grounder. Charlie Morton tossed five shutout innings to get the win as Houston continued to turn hard contact into loud outs.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Two-time National League MVP Joe Morgan has died at age 77. The 5-foot-7 dynamo known for flapping his left elbow drove a Cincinnati team featuring the likes of Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez to World Series titles in 1975 and ’76. Morgan later had a long career as a baseball analyst for Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego Padres outfielder Tommy Pham is recovering after he was stabbed in the back Sunday night. A police spokesperson told the San Diego Union-Tribune that Pham was stabbed shortly after 10:30 p.m. outside a gentlemen’s club. The spokesperson said Pham apparently didn’t know the attackers, who remain at large.

OABCIG Bob Saunders XC Invitational 10/12/2020

Sports

October 12th, 2020 by admin

The Denison-Schleswig boys cross country team was 2nd to Siouxland Christian at the OABCIG Bob Saunders XC Invitational on Monday. Boyer Valley was 14th. Eric Brannon of Siouxland Christian was the individual champ.

OABCIG Bob Saunders XC Classic Boys 2020

On the girls side Woodbury Central won the team title and Maddie Moline of Manson NW Webster was the individual champion. Exira-EHK was 8th in the team race and Denison-Schleswig was 11th.

OABCIG Bob Saunders XC Classic Girls 2020

Western Iowa Conference Volleyball Tourney Scores and Schedule

Sports

October 12th, 2020 by admin

First Round

(3-0) Audubon 25-25-25, IKM-Manning 17-19-15

Quarterfinals

(3-0) Underwood 25-25-25, Audubon 5-12-10
(3-2) Treynor 22-25-28-25-15, Missouri Valley 25-15-25-19-8
(3-0) Logan-Magnolia 25-25-25, AHSTW 22-19-18
(3-1) Tri-Center 25-23-25-25, Riverside 17-25–14-21

Semifinals – Tuesday, October 13 @ Oakland

#1 Underwood vs. #4 Treynor 5:30 p.m.
#2 Logan-Magnolia vs. #3 Tri-Center 7:15 p.m.

Consolation- Thursday, October 15th @ Oakland 5:30 p.m.

Finals- Thursday, October 15th @ Oakland 7:15 p.m.

High School Volleyball Scoreboard 10/12/2020

Sports

October 12th, 2020 by admin

Hawkeye Ten Conference

(3-0) Kuemper Catholic 25-25-25, Creston 10-14-23

Western Iowa Conference Tournament

(3-0) Audubon 25-25-25, IKM-Manning 17-19-15
(3-0) Underwood 25-25-25, Audubon 5-12-10
(3-2) Treynor 22-25-28-25-15, Missouri Valley 25-15-25-19-8
(3-0) Logan-Magnolia 25-25-25, AHSTW 22-19-18
(3-1) Tri-Center 25-23-25-25, Riverside 17-25–14-21

Rolling Valley Conference

(3-1) Coon Rapids-Bayard 25-25-18-25, Fremont-Mills 19-21-25-16

Pride of Iowa Conference Tournament Pool Play

(3-0) Southwest Valley 25-25-25, Central Decatur 18-21-21
(3-2) Lenox 28-24-25-23-15, Wayne 26-26-23-25-8
(3-0) Bedford 25-25-25, Martensdale-St. Marys 12-10-11
(3-2) East Union 24-25-25-13-25, Mount Ayr 26-23-13-25-?
(3-0) Nodaway Vallley 25-25-25, East Union 16-16-?
(3-0) Southeast Warren 25-25-25, Bedford 18-5-22