The high school baseball playoffs continue tonight with Class 3A and 4A schools playing Substate Semifinals. Here is a look at the area match-ups with all games set to start at 7:00 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Substate 6
Centerville @ Winterset
Grinnell @ Norwalk
Substate 7
Bondurant-Farrar @ Ballard
North Polk @ ADM
Substate 8
Carroll @ Dallas Center-Grimes
Denison-Schleswig @ Harlan
CLASS 4A
Substate 8
CB Abraham Lincoln @ Des Moines North
LAVERNE ROY MERTZ, 94, of Avoca, died Friday, July 17th, at Avoca Specialty Care. A Memorial service for LAVERNE ROY MERTZ will be held 11-a.m. Wed., July 22nd, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, in Walnut. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.
The family will greet friends at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Walnut, on Wednesday (7/22), from 9-until 11-a.m.
A private, family burial will be held in the Calvary Cemetery at Walnut.
LAVERNE ROY MERTZ is survived by:
His sons – Tom (Linda) Mertz, of Omaha; Mike (Barbara) Mertz, of Kearney, NE., & Robert (Steve) Mertz, of Columbia, SC.
His daughters – Jan (Mayo) Watson, of Littleton, CO., & Peg (Craig) Belshe, of Estes Park, CO.
His brother – George Mertz, of Walnut.
His sisters – Alice Richter, of Walnut, and Hazel Knouse, of Council Bluffs.
8 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
The Iowa Department of Revenue is issuing a reminder: Iowa’s Annual Sales Tax Holiday is Friday, August 7 and Saturday, August 8. The annual break from sales tax is the perfect time to save on clothes, shoes, or advanced shopping for the holiday season. In general, select clothing and footwear are tax exempt – meaning no state sales tax will be collected, but there are restrictions. 
Not interested in leaving the couch? Internet sales are included if they are ordered and paid for during the exemption period. Check out the Sales Tax Holiday web page for full details.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on recent arrests and incidents. Last Saturday, 50-year-old Eric Brian Stites, of Shelby, was arrested following a call about a disturbance and an injured party at a residence along Western Street, in Shelby. After further investigation, Stites was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault with injury. He was later released from the Shelby County Jail after posting a cash bond.
Also arrested Saturday, was 33-year-old Clifford Schofield, of Panama. He was charged with simple assault after authorities investigated a reported argument. Schofield was treated for an injury and transferred to Shelby County Jail without incident and released later after posting a cash bond. And, 39-year old Michaela Leigh Mikels, of Harlan was arrested Saturday as the result of a traffic stop along Highway 59 in Shelby County. Mikels was charged with Operating while intoxicated 2nd offense, Child endangerment, Reckless driving, Failure to maintain control, and Turning from improper lane. She was later released from custody after posting the required bond.
On July 16th, Shelby County Deputies arrested 61-year-old Danny Leroy Bain, of Shelby, following a traffic stop in Shelby. Upon further investigation, Bain was charged with Operating while Intoxicated 1st offense, and failure to wear seat belt. He was transported to the Shelby County Jail, and released the following morning on his own recognizance.
And, on July 11th, 23-year-old Scott Allen Ruffcorn of Persia was arrested following a traffic stop along Highway 44 and Redbud Ave. Ruffcorn was charged with speeding and Operating while Intoxicated 1st offense and transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was held under bond until following morning and then released on his own recognizance. On July 10th, 23-year-old Joshua Lewis Hytrek turned himself into the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, as result of ongoing investigation. Hytrek was charged with operating vehicle without consent. He was released from the Shelby County Jail a short time later under bond, and given a future court date.
ATLANTIC, Iowa — The Atlantic Hy-Vee will give away more than 3,800 free apples to customers with a contactless, drive-thru event, this Thursday, July 23. The giveaway will start at 10 a.m. and continue until noon, or while supplies last. In partnership with its fruit supplier Stemilt, Hy-Vee is donating fresh produce to Hy-Vee customers as the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to impact individuals and families across Iowa. Hy-Vee is giving away 10 apples to the first 380 customers. In total, approximately 1,150 pounds of fresh produce will be donated.
As more families continue to become financially impacted by the pandemic, Hy-Vee and Stemilt believe it’s important to provide access to high-quality produce during this time of need. Fresh apples will be distributed to customers for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Walk-ups will not be allowed.
The giveaway will take place along the south side of the store. Produce will be safely loaded into customer vehicles using a contactless method to minimize physical contact and enforce social distancing. All event helpers will be wearing masks and gloves for additional safety measures.
Trips to the State Tournament are on the line tonight with Regional Final softball games in Classes 1A, 2A, and 3A. We’ll have the Class 3A Region 3 Final on KJAN as Atlantic hosts Creston. Pregame at 6:45 p.m. and first pitch at 7:00 p.m. Here is a look at all the area match-ups. All games are set to start at 7:00 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Region 2: Exira-EHK @ Newell-Fonda
Region 3: Twin Cedars @ Wayne
Region 5: Martensdale-St. Marys @ Collins-Maxwell
CLASS 2A
Region 1: Underwood @ West Monona
Region 2: Mount Ayr @ Earlham
CLASS 3A
Region 3: Creston @ Atlantic
More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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The Creston Police Department reports 36-year old Amanda Jones, of Creston, was arrested Saturday, on a Theft charge. Jones was arrested at the Creston Wal-Mart, on a 3rd Degree Theft charge. She was later released from the Union County Jail on a $2,000 bond.
The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.
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(Radio Iowa) – Information from air quality monitors showed several cases where the air quality exceeded the E-P-A limit for fine particles in the air during the Fourth of July weekend. The D-N-R’s Todd Russell says the state generally does not have such long-term periods where the air exceeds the federal standard. Russell says there was one in Davenport in 2012. “That one was pretty significant. I believe we have had maybe a couple of other exceedances at one or two sites over the last several years. But this was by far the largest and most extensive as far as area wise as well as the intensity or the levels,” Russell says.
He says air monitors saw issues in Des Moines, Davenport, and Muscatine on July 4th, and in Des Moines and Clive on July 5th. Russell says they don’t know for sure — but the problems were most likely created by people shooting off fireworks — NOT professional fireworks shows. He says that was particularly the case in the Des Moines area. “Just observations and what folks all around town saw. The smoke hanging at low levels and the spread of the smoke pretty much all over the city,” according to Russell. “I would guess it was much more local personal fireworks. But that is somewhat a guess on my part.”
Russell says the calm weather conditions likely contributed to the problem. “The smoke did not tend to rise as it normally would in normal conditions. The calm winds and the atmospheric inversion — or a capping layer over our ground-level air — held all that smoke, both down close to the ground, and allowed it to just spread out rather than being blow away in one direction or another.” He says the air in Iowa this summer has otherwise been clean. Russel says less traffic on the roadways and businesses shut down by the pandemic may be contributing to cleaner air.
“Possibly our air quality has been better due to the decrease in economic activity. I would say that is more true possibly for ozone than particulate. It is not something that we can quantify,” Russel says. Ozone is created by cars and trucks on the roadways.
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