United Group Insurance

They’re still here: Cardinals back after long virus absence

Sports

August 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals are returning to the field for the first time in 17 days after their season was derailed by a coronavirus outbreak. The reigning NL Central champions were all clear for a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, kicking off an extended stay in the Windy City and a busy finish to the pandemic-shortened season.

Cardinals add five to roster; two to coaching staff

Sports

August 15th, 2020 by admin

CHICAGO, Ill., August 15, 2020 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced five roster additions for this weekend’s series with the Chicago White Sox by selecting to the Major League roster from the Alternate Training Site OF Dylan Carlson, 1B John Nogowski, RHP Seth Elledge, LHP Rob Kaminsky and recall LHP Ricardo Sánchez as the 29th man for Saturday’s doubleheader.  All five players would be make their Major League debut when they first appear in a game.

The Cardinals placed LHP Austin Gomber on the Injured List although he has not tested positive for COVID-19, but was a factored in a recent investigation of contact tracing.  Gomber joins OF Austin Dean, OF Lane Thomas and RHP Ryan Helsley announced on the Injured List earlier this week.

Carlson, 21, entered the 2020 campaign as the No. 1 prospect in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America and MLB.com, and earned the Cardinals 2019 Minor League Player of the Year.  The switch-hitting outfielder batted .292 with 26 home runs, 68 RBI, 28 doubles, eight triples, 20 stolen bases and 95 runs scored in 126 games between Springfield (AA) and Memphis (AAA) in 2019.

Nogowski, 27, was originally a 34th round pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2014 out of Florida State University, before the Cardinals signed him as a free agent in 2017.  Baseball America voted him “Best Defensive First Baseman” in the Pacific Coast League in 2019 by Baseball America and had the “Best Strike Zone Discipline”.  Nogowski batted .295 with 15 HR, 75 RBI and a .413 OBP in Memphis in 2019.

Kaminsky, 25, was originally a Cardinals first round draft pick (28th overall) in 2013, but was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2015 for OF/1B Brandon Moss, and was re-acquired as a free agent signee by the Cardinals this past December.

Elledge, 24, is a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners in 2018 for RHP Sam Tuivailala.

Sánchez, 23, was a waiver claim by the Cardinals in February after spending time with the Angels, Braves and recently Mariners organizations, leading the Texas League with 27 games started in 2019.

Joining the coaching staff in Chicago will be José Oquendo and Roberto Espinoza.  Oquendo, 57, a veteran of 12 Major League seasons as a player, was coaching the Cardinals Alternate Training Site in Springfield, Mo., and was added to the current coaching roster as the third base coach, a position he held on the Major League staff from 1999-2015 and 2018 under managers Tony La Russa and Mike Matheny.  Espinoza, 31, was manager of the 2019 Appalachian League Champion Johnson City Cardinals and has previous Major League experience on the 2014 St. Louis Cardinals as the bullpen assistant and media translator for Spanish-speaking players.

RHP Nabil Crismatt, RHP Ryan Meisinger and RHP Jesús Cruz join C José Godoy on the Cardinals taxi squad with the team in Chicago.

The Cardinals added RHP Bryan Dobzanski, C Pedro Pages (pah-hez) and INF Kramer Robertson to the Alternate Training Site and report to Springfield.

Carlson (3) and Nogowski (34) will change uniform numbers, while Elledge (61), Sánchez (64), Kaminsky (67) and will retain their Spring Training numbers.

Forecasters look to learn from deadly Midwest wind storm

News

August 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The derecho that caused massive damage in Iowa this past week could offer lessons for forecasters and the public. The unusual storm packed the power of a category 3 hurricane but lacked the days of warning a typical hurricane offers. At least three people in Iowa and one in Indiana were killed. Forecasters had predicted thunderstorms and in some communities tornado sirens sounded before the winds began. But many people were caught off guard.

The National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are working on tools that would assist forecasters in making predictions that consider a range of possibilities.

IA COVID-19 update, 8/15/20: 1 more death in Cass County, 9 more Statewide

News

August 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Update 11:45-a.m., 8/15) The latest information from the Iowa Coronavirus dashboard shows there are three new, confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cass County, for a total of 93. There was also one new reported death in the County, for a total of two since the outbreak began. Statewide, 864 more Iowans tested positive for the virus, for a total of 51,677. Iowa’s reported positivity rate is 9.4%.

Nine more deaths have been reported statewide since 10-a.m. Friday, for a total of 973, with 521 of those taking place at a Long-Term Care facility. The website said 685 of the state’s deaths involved Iowans with preexisting conditions. The IDPH says 40,372 Iowans have recovered from COVID-19, 5,325 tested negative Friday, for a total of 493,835. Altogether, 552,688 Iowans have been tested for the virus.

The IDPH data show the following new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in these area counties: Guthrie County 4 (144 total); Montgomery County,1 (a total of 63); Pottawattamie County, 23 (1,402 total); & Shelby County has 1 new cases, for a total of 192.

Statewide hospitalization data show: 261 are hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms (compared to 258 Friday); 82 are in an ICU (there were 75 on Friday); 33 were admitted to a hospital as compared to 31 on Friday, and 7 more people are on a ventilator, for a total of 35.

Southwest/western Iowa hospitals report, over the past 24-hours: 11 people were in a hospital with COVID-19 (three less than Friday); Four people are in an ICU (down 1 from Friday); There was 1 person admitted and no one was on a ventilator. Long-Term Care (LTC) data today, show: 29 Outbreaks; 910 patients/staff have tested positive; and 542 have recovered.

Here are the latest positive case numbers for southwest/western Iowa since 10-a.m. Friday (County; Positive Case #’s; number of persons who have (recovered); {deaths since the outbreak began}. Counties with changes have highlighted numbers:

  • Cass County: 93 cases (57); 2 deaths
  • Adair County: 38 cases (20)
  • Adams County: 17 cases (16)
  • Audubon County: 30 cases (21); 1 death
  • Guthrie County: 144 cases (108); 5 deaths
  • Montgomery County: 63 cases (47); 4 deaths
  • Pottawattamie County: 1,402 cases (1,053); 29 deaths
  • Shelby County: 192 cases (175); 1 death.

The Iowa DPH website now features an analysis for public school districts with data on average county positivity rates over the past 14 days. That information can be found here.

7AM Sportscast 08/15/2020

Podcasts, Sports

August 15th, 2020 by admin

w/ Chris Parks

Play

7AM Newscast 08/15/2020

News, Podcasts

August 15th, 2020 by admin

w/ Chris Parks

Play

VERLE ARENTSON, 92, of Harlan (Svcs. 08/17/2020)

Obituaries

August 15th, 2020 by admin

VERLE ARENTSON, 92, of Harlan died Friday, August 14th at home. Funeral services for VERLE ARENTSON will be held on Monday, August 17th at 11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Harlan. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 16th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.

Burial will be in the Harlan Cemetery.

VERLE ARENTSON is survived by:

Wife: Marie Arentson of Harlan.

Daughters: Connie (David) Stilley of Clive. Lois (Dallas) McDermott of Johnston.

Sons: Larry (Pam) Arentson of Redwood Falls, MN. Emory (Shellie) Arentson of Harlan.

Brother: Gene (Darlene) Arentson of Harlan.

Sister: Mary Nichols-Olson of Marshalltown.

Brother-in-law: Stanley Christensen of Harlan.

Sister-in-law: Vivienne Steenbock of Coos Bay, OR.

18 Grandchildren

31 Great-Grandchildren

2 deputies injured during Mills County pursuit Thursday night

News

August 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Two sheriff’s deputies were injured during a pursuit Thursday night. The Iowa State Patrol reports 22-year old Mills County Deputy Jacob Spunagle was actively pursuing a suspect vehicle northbound on 357th Street at around 9:17-p.m. As he approached the curve for Epperson Avenue, due to heavy gravel dust, the 2019 Dodge Charger Spunagle was driving left the road to the left and came to rest in a farm field. Deputy Spunagle was transported by Silver City Rescue to the UNMC in Omaha.

At about the same time and location, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy, 25-year old Andrew Askey, crashed the 2018 Dodge Charge he was driving, at the same location, also due to heavy gravel dust obscuring his vision. The Deputy was transported by Red Oak Rescue to the UNMC, also.

Both Deputies were wearing their seat belts.

Iowa State still mulling fans at home football games

Sports

August 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) -Iowa State is still considering options when it comes to fans at Jack Trice Stadium. Todd Kimm reports.

State officials to submit app for federal disaster aid Monday

News

August 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she’ll be submitting the paperwork Monday for a FEDERAL disaster declaration for areas of the state that have been devastated by last Monday’s derecho. “There’s criteria that you have to make, so we’ve got people doing surveillance,” Reynolds says. “…Realistically, by the time we collect the information, that’s just how long it’s going to take.”

Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management director Joyce Flinn says civil air patrol planes were in the air Friday afternoon, helping to chart the damage.  “They’re flying several of the county areas to do GIS mapping of debris piles because one of things we have to do is give the federal government an idea of the magnitude of the disaster,” Flinn says. “We have estimates from utility companies. We’re verifying those and there is detailed information that has to go into that process.”

Governor Reynolds has declared 27 of Iowa’s 99 counties disaster areas, but neither Reynolds nor Flinn indicated how many of those counties might be included in Monday’s application.  “The governor did ask if I could get this done today. It’s the only time I’ve told her: ‘No.’ We could not get it done this quickly,” Flinn says, “but we’re working on it and we will have a letter prepared for her signature so she can submit that declaration on Monday.”

Flinn and Reynolds spoke early Friday afternoon, at a news conference at the Cedar Rapids Fire Department. Reynolds told reporters she has talked with President Trump earlier this week and with Vice President Pence yesterday (Thursday) to lay the groundwork for a quick response, once the request is formally presented.