Jason Aldean’s single “Lights Come On” has hit the top of the Billboard and Mediabase charts this week and Jason announced September 9th as the release date for his seventh studio album, They Don’t Know. Aldean says he really wanted to kick this album off with a big up-temp song and he’s glad his new music has already connected with fans and radio.
Oskaloosa Joins 40 Schools Looking For State Softball Championships
The Oskaloosa softball team completed their first goal of the season by qualifying for the state softball tournament in Fort Dodge with their 6-0 victory over Mount Pleasant Tuesday night.
But the journey will not end there for the Indians. Osky is going to have a legitimate chance to bring home the Class 4A state championship, as they are the second-highest ranked team to make it into the bracket.
The #6 Indians (27-7) draw #15 Perry (24-12), who ended Dallas Center-Grimes’ season Tuesday night, ending their three-year run as Class 4A state champs. In the other quarterfinal on that half of the Class 4A bracket, #9 Fairfield (27-11), the only other area team to qualify for state, will face #14 Creston (24-11).
In the top half of the bracket, top-ranked Carlisle (36-6) will face unranked Charles City (24-10), while #12 Boone (26-9) will face #13 Bishop Heelan (26-10).
The top half gets the bracket started on Tuesday, July 19th at 1:30 PM on Mittera Field at Harlan Rogers Park in Fort Dodge. Osky will be playing around 7:30 PM on that same field in the last game of the day.
Here is the full Class 4A bracket:
All the state action begins Monday, July 18th, however, as Class 1A, 2A, and 5A will begin play with Class 3A and 4A playing Tuesday. The lower three classes were not nearly as chaotic with upsets as Class 4A and 5A, as they all have four of their top five ranked teams all in the state bracket.
In Class 1A, top-ranked Akron-Westfield should be considered a heavy favorite. The perennial powerhouse will have plenty of top competition to play, but get their start against unranked West Harrison. Belle Plaine will be a sizeable underdog after dispatching Montezuma in the regional final, as they face #2 Kee. #5 New London, who beat Sigourney to get to state, faces #9 Newell-Fonda.
Here is the full Class 1A bracket:
In Class 2A, #1 Durant is the headliner in the only bracket of the five classes that has all eight spots occupied by ranked teams. #13 BCLUW is their first opponent. #6 Van Meter, who defeated Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont in the regional final, will face #5 Interstate-35 in a good matchup in the quarterfinals. #7 Iowa City Regina, who walked off with a 2-1 win over Pella Christian in the regional final round, will play #4 North Union in the quarters.
The entire Class 2A bracket looks like this:
In Class 3A, the bracket is loaded with four of the top contenders in the state still alive. #1 Benton Community will face unranked Estherville-LC in a favorable first round matchup. #2 Davenport Assumption, who took out Albia in the regional final, will face #15 Atlantic in the quarterfinals. #3 Solon and #5 Mount Vernon also will be tough outs in a load bracket.
Here is what Class 3A looks like as a whole:
Finally, Class 5A saw some unexpected upsets, as #1 Cedar Rapids Kennedy was upset by unranked Cedar Rapids Prairie, 2-1, at home Tuesday night. CR Prairie now draws the top team left, #2 West Des Moines Valley, who should be a big favorite to advance. #14 Fort Dodge could be a dark horse to make a deep run, as they upset Waukee in the regional semifinals to eliminate the defending champs. Fort Dodge would then get a 10-run victory over Sioux City East to punch their ticket to state. Future Little Hawkeye Conference team Indianola, who is ranked #12 coming into the state tournament, will face #7 Urbandale in the quarterfinals.
Here is what the Class 5A bracket looks like:
We will have full coverage from Fort Dodge with the Oskaloosa Indians, and you can hear their games live on 99.5 FM/740 AM KMZN, the KMZN mobile app, and radiokmzn.com, with the pregame show starting around 7:15 PM for their quarterfinal matchup against Perry.
The NASCAR Foundation To Host Honors Gala
The NASCAR Foundation will host its first-ever Honors Gala in New York City on September 27 to unveil the winner of its signature Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Presented by Nationwide.
The gala will celebrate “10 Years of Giving” for the foundation which has donated twenty-five million dollars to more than one million children since inception in 2006. Along with the signature award, the foundation will hand out a series of awards including its first-ever Founders Award to Mark Lazarus, Chairman of the NBC Sports Group. The Founder’s Award honors contributions to philanthropy through use of time, talent and resources – both personally and professionally – to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children. Additionally, the annual Children’s Champion Award will be given to a medical professional that has showcased significant contributions, leadership, and dedication to enriching the lives of children.
The NASCAR Foundation will also announce the launch of the Speediatrics Children’s Fund through a long-term partnership with a New York-area medical organization providing services to children in need. The gala will be headlined by multi-platinum selling pop star Rachel Platten will perform live with music from her major-label debut, Wildfire and will also host a live auction featuring the artwork of the 2015 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide winner Jeff Hanson, a philanthropic artist whose artwork gifted to charity has generated nearly two million dollars.
July 12th: On This Day
On this day in 2000, Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” began a five-week run at #1. The song was off of the album of the same name and reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks and Hot Adult Contemporary charts. The song also hit number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100, making it a crossover hit.
The song won the 2001 CMA, ACM, NSAI, ASCAP, and BMI award for Song of the Year, as well as the Grammy Award for Best Country song.
“I Hope You Dance” has sold over 2,000,000 copies.
Campers Still Have More To Discover
OSKALOOSA – “Discover Your Summer,” the Mahaska County YMCA’s Summer Camp series, is going strong with increased attendance this year over last and plenty of exciting activities still to come. Kim Stutting, the Y’s new Youth Coordinator said each week so far has averaged 35 campers. She attributes the higher numbers to each week’s full schedule and keeping campers active and busy.
“We’re having a great time,” said Stutting, “discovering our community and learning from leaders in the community. And we still have several weeks of exploration and discovery left for this summer. I encourage parents and care givers to consider Camp Discovery 2016 for their children this year.”
The camp with the highest attendance so far was week five when campers toured CRI on the William Penn University Campus. “We were able to experience what it is like to be in front of a ‘green screen’ and in the control room,” said Stutting. “We were also ‘live and on air’ through the University’s radio station.”
So far “Camp Discovery 2016” activities have included touring the Oskaloosa police station, taking trail tram tours, watching a summer music festival performance, archery bow fishing, hiking and fossil digging, learning to cook outdoors, touring STAM Greenhouse and the Community Gardens with an ISU Master Gardener, visiting the Oskaloosa Lego Lab, having a visit from the Oskaloosa High Sock Monkeys (robotics club), tower building challenges, and making marshmallow shooters – just to name a few.
And they’re not done yet.
YMCA Summer Camps will run through August 19. (Camp themes and dates appear below.) Each week campers have a different theme which drives activities and exploration opportunities. “Our campers are going places they’ve never been and doing lots of new things,” Stutting explained. “I’m hearing a lot of ‘I’ve never done this before! I’ve never seen this!” and it’s so rewarding to see campers active and engaged.”
Weekly camp fees ($129/week) include local field trips, meals, snacks, before and after care. Camp activities run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Before begins at 5:30 a.m., and after care runs until 6 p.m. When a week’s activities include large field trips, an additional $10 or $20 is added to the base fee. Families with more than one child will receive a 5{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} discount for additional campers. Payment in advance is required.
“Summer Day Camp offers youth an opportunity for growth through outdoor activities and hands-on learning,” explained Stutting. “At the Y, strengthening community is our cause. We believe that lasting personal and social change can only come about when we all work together to invest in our kids, our health and our neighbors. That’s why we focus our work in three areas: youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.”
To reserve a spot for any of the remaining YMCA camps, contact the Y at 641.673.8411. More camp detailed information is available on the Y’s web site,www.MahaskaYMCA.org.
Remaining Camp Discovery Themes:
- Agriculture: (July 18-22) Campers will get an up close and personal look at the area’s farming community. They will also visit the Southern Iowa Fair and Living History Farm in Des Moines. An additional $20 is required for this week’s field trips.
- Pioneer Days: (July 25-29) Pioneer Days will take campers back to a simpler time. They will have the opportunity to visit the Nelson Pioneer Farm and Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge at Prairie City. An additional $10 is required for this camp week’s field trip.
- Active and Healthy: (August 1-5) Campers will be up and moving when they discover the may fun ways to stay healthy. The week’s field trips include touring the Iowa Cubs facilities and Sleepy Hollow Recreation Park in Des Moines. An additional $20 is required for this camp week’s tours.
- Community Counts: (August 8-12) Campers will discover what is in their own community and back yards.
- Amazing Animals: (August 15-19) Campers will learn how to care for creatures and be introduced to some strange specimens as their field trip will be to discover the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines. An additional $20 is required for this week’s tours.
Under The Radar Music: Richard Thompson
You may not be familiar with Richard Thompson, but he is legendary among fellow musicians and songwriters. He began his career in the late 1960s in the English folk group Fairport Convention, and struck out for a solo career in 1972. Since then, he has released 22 studio albums of his own, and until 1982’s landmark “Shoot Out The Lights”, with his then-wife, Linda.
Richard has been a musical hero of mine for a long time. As a guitarist, he belongs in the pantheon of greats. His eclectic style borrows from British folk, rock, country, rockabilly and jazz, but doesn’t sound like anyone other than Richard Thompson. Check out his jaw-dropping guitar solo toward the end of the epic “If Love Whispers Your Name” from 2010’s “Dream Attic” album:
Not only is Thompson one of the greatest guitarists you’ve never heard of, but his songwriting is in a class by itself. John Mellencamp once said “Richard Thompson could say more in one line than I could in a whole song.” His classic “1952 Vincent Black Lightning”:
He’s not above doing the occasional cover though, and in 2003 released an album of nothing but covers called “1000 years of popular music”. And he wasn’t kidding. There were really songs on this album dating back to medieval times, as well as jazz and R&B standards from the 1940s and 50s, and this little number:
Speaking of covers, I’ll leave you with a video shot by my wife in Iowa City. It has long been on my to-do list to see Richard Thompson in concert, and I was finally lucky enough to be in the front row at this one.
That was a night I’ll always fondly remember, and probably the best concert I’ve had the pleasure of attending.
Finally, it took some effort to whittle it down to my top 5, but I think my personal favorite albums of RT’s are “Mock Tudor”, “The Old Kit Bag”, “You, Me, Us?”, “Mirror Blue” and “Dream Attic”. These are some great entry-points into the music of Richard Thompson, but all of them are well-worth owning.
See ya later with another “Under The Radar” artist. Cheers! – Bobbo 🙂
Kenny Chesney Has Changed The Name Of His New Album
While appearing on Good Morning America on Friday (7/8), Kenny Chesney revealed that he’s changed the name of his new album to Cosmic Hallelujah. Kenny says Some Town Somewhere is a great title, but he feels like this new name will give people a better sense of what the music is about and how it expands on his previous album. The album is due out October 28th.
Authorities Say Two People Have Died In Separate Incidents At Lake Red Rock
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two people have died in separate incidents at Lake Red Rock in Marion County.
A 6-year-old boy went missing around 5 p.m. Sunday at the lake’s North Overlook Beach. He was soon found unresponsive about 25 yards from shore and taken to a Pella hospital. Authorities say the boy, Alexi Oquendo, of Newton, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Officers responded to a call around 6:30 p.m. Sunday about a capsized kayak near the Cordova Cabins. The body of a 50-year-old Des Moines man was recovered from the water
Brad Keselowski takes the Quacker State 400
Brad Keselowski stretched his final fuel load right to the finish line to notch his third career Kentucky win and second straight victory of the season. The closing laps saw several teams try to stretch the final fuel run hoping for a caution, only to be forced to pit. Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. dominated the race leading a combined 174 laps but were among those who needed to pit for fuel finishing ninth and tenth respectively. Carl Edwards was also working fuel strategy and was able to run down Keselowski in the closing laps, but was not able to pass him and was forced to settle for second. Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart rounded out the top-five. The newly repaved and reconfigured surface of Kentucky Speedway proved to be a challenge to many drivers over the course of the evening. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the first driver to struggle with the new lower downforce aero package at the speedway, wrecking on lap nine. He was not the last, as a total of nine drivers would eventually be involved in accidents that brought about a track-record tying eleven cautions for fifty-three laps on the evening. Jimmie Johnson, who crashed his primary car in practice, saw a repeat performance in the race, spinning in turn-4 and making contact with the wall.
Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott also were involved in accidents throughout the evening. By virtue of his early departure, Ryan Blaney has now dropped out of the top-sixteen in Championship points which will place a great deal of pressure on the rookie driver in the final eight races of the regular season. Jeffery Earnhardt, who finished twenty-eighth, was the highest finishing rookie, on a night when many drivers struggled with the new track conditions.
Pet Of The Week: Brock
Hello, my name is Brock and I’m a 4 month old brown tabby kitten. I am here at the shelter with my siblings and my friends in the Kitten Enclosure. We have a great time all day long playing with each other. I especially like to sneak up behind my buddies and scare them. Then we run around and have lots of fun. As much fun as it is here though, we are all about ready for our next excellent adventure which is finding homes of our own. Come and meet us and play with us for a while. We would love to make your home our home. We’re in the Kitten Connection playing or maybe taking naps in a pile!
To adopt me, check out: http://www.