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Chris Stapleton’s Wife Was Trying to Mess with His Head Before Last Year’s Super Bowl Anthem

With the Super Bowl coming up next weekend, we got to thinking about how awesome Chris Stapleton’s anthem was last year.  And then when we found out that his wife, Morgane, was messing with him for weeks before, it made his performance seem that much better.

Check this, all the way leading up to the big show, she kept sending him “Star Spangled Banner Gone Wrong” moments.  Like she was thinking, “Oh, you are about to perform in front of 150 million people worldwide?  Cool cool, here are a few videos of people absolutely bombing to calm your nerves.”

It either speaks to how great their relationship is, or how totally cool Chris Stapleton is.  Because even with her messing with him, he still rocked it.

Meanwhile, CBS Sports just put out a list of the best Super Bowl anthems and Chris didn’t even crack the top ten?  Only two country stars made the list, Faith Hill in 2000 at #10 . . . and Carrie Underwood in 2010 at #6.  Where do you think Chris should rank on this list?  (Whiskey Riff)

This day in Country Music History

  • Today in 1968, Merle Haggard recorded “The Legend Of Bonnie And Clyde” at the Capitol recording Studio on Hollywood. The song was inspired by the Warren Beatty film.
  • Today in 1970, Tom T. Hall jumped to the #1 spot on the Billboard country chart for the first time with “A Week In A Country Jail.”
  • Today in 1977, Loretta Lynn won two American Music Awards. Johnny Cash became the first country artists to win the Award of Merit. Conway Twitty, Charley Pride, Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson, Olivia Newton-John and The Eagles also won awards.
  • Today in 1993, Garth Brooks performed the national anthem during a pre-game show, which also featured Tanya Tucker, Billy Burnette, and Fleetwood Mac at the Super Bowl XXVII.
  • Today in 1997, Tim McGraw’s album “Not A Moment Too Soon” was certified quintuple-platinum.
  • Today in 2006, The Johnny Cash biopic “Walk The Line” with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon received five Oscar nominations, including Best Actor and Actress.
  • Today in 2008, CMT premiered Carrie Underwood’s video “All-American Girl.”
  • Today in 2010, Taylor Swift won four awards at the 52nd annual GRAMMY Awards. “Fearless” won the Album of the Year, and Best Country Album, “White Horse” won Best Country Female Vocal and Best Country Song.
  • Today in 2013, “Forbes” ranked Kelly Clarkson as 2012’s top-earning “American Idol” graduate, citing revenue of $8-million. Carrie Underwood tied Daughtry at #2 (with $5-million), Scotty McCreery at #4 ($4-million) and Kellie Pickler at #5, ($1.1-million).
  • Today in 2013, Blake Shelton “Red River Blue” album went platinum.
  • Today in 2015, Carrie Underwood’s “Little Toy Guns” hit the airwaves.
  • Today in 2015, Miranda Lambert was nominated in an incredible seven categories to lead the list of finalists for the 50th annual Academy of Country Music awards.
  • Today in 2016, Carrie Underwood’s son, Isaiah, took his first steps in Jacksonville, Florida…the same day she launched her “Storyteller Tour.”
  • Today in 2016, Eric Church and The Eagles’ Timothy B. Schmit played Tony LaRussa’s Stars To The Rescue benefit for the Animal Rescue Foundation at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California.
  • Today in 2017, Carly Pearce’s single, “Every Little Thing,” hit the airwaves.
  • Today in 2018, Brad Paisley delivered a surprise pop-up concert at the Sleep Number store in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. The set included “Today,” “Celebrity,” “Alcohol,” “Mud On The Tires” and “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song).”
  • Today in 2018, Jerrod Niemann and Love And Theft played a benefit for Virgin Islands hurricane victims at Nashville’s City Winery.
  • Today in 2018, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Miley Cyrus and Maren Morris participated as CBS recorded “Elton John: I’m Still Standing – A Grammy Salute” at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.

David Rubenstein has a deal to buy the Baltimore Orioles for $1.725 billion, AP source says

BALTIMORE (AP) — Carlyle Group Inc. co-founder David Rubenstein has reached an agreement to buy the Baltimore Orioles for $1.725 billion, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the agreement had not been announced. Rubenstein, a Baltimore native, would take over as the team’s controlling owner, and he’s assembled an investment team that includes Ares co-founder Michael Arougheti.

The Angelos family has been in control of the Orioles since 1993, when Peter Angelos purchased the team for $173 million. Angelos’ son John is the team’s current chairman. The team recently reached a deal on a new lease extension at Camden Yards. Maryland officials approved that long-term agreement after months of negotiations.

The deal extended the lease for 30 years, with an option to end it after 15 if the team does not receive approval from state officials for development plans next to the ballpark.

Prior to forming Carlyle in 1987, Rubenstein practiced law in Washington. From 1977-81, he was a deputy assistant for domestic policy to President Jimmy Carter. After graduating from Duke in 1970, he attended University of Chicago Law School.

The sale agreement, which requires approval from major league owners, was first reported by Puck.

The Orioles are coming off a 101-win season and their first AL East title since 2014. With young stars like Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson — and another top prospect on the way in Jackson Holliday — the future looks as bright as it has in a while for a team that hasn’t won a World Series since 1983.

One sore spot with fans is the club’s payroll, which has remained low, and it’s been another quiet offseason for the team so far. If the new ownership group is able to keep Baltimore’s young core together, the Orioles could have a lengthy window of contention.

When Peter Angelos first took control of the Orioles, they had recently started playing at Camden Yards, the downtown venue that revolutionized the way baseball parks were built. The Orioles spent aggressively, at least for a little while, and won the division in 1997 with future Hall of Famers Cal Ripken, Roberto Alomar, Mike Mussina and Harold Baines.

After that, Baltimore didn’t make the postseason again until 2012, when the Orioles began a renaissance under manager Buck Showalter. They eventually had to rebuild again, losing at least 108 games in 2018, 2019 and 2021 — a streak interrupted only by the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Even as the team posted the best record in the American League last year, there were ominous signs, such as a New York Times piece in which Angelos was quoted as saying: “When people talk about giving this player $200 million, that player $150 million, we would be so financially underwater that you’d have to raise the prices massively.”

A sale must be approved in a vote of at least 75% by the 30 major league teams. The sales approval process typically lasts several months.

Summit Carbon announces partnership with ethanol producer

By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

Summit Carbon Solutions is partnering with a company that operates 17 ethanol plants in Iowa and South Dakota.

Summit says it is partnering with POET and its 12 facilities in Iowa and five in South Dakota to capture, transport, and store 4.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. A statement from Summit says this partnership with the largest bioethanol producer in the world will lead to new market opportunities for producers.

The announcement comes as Summit awaits a decision by the Iowa Utilities Board on a permit for a proposed 688-mile carbon pipeline that runs through Iowa. A statement from the Sierra Club says the IUB needs to halt its deliberations and assess the implications of this new partnership between Summit and POET.

Farmers, Ranchers Now Can Make USDA Farm Loan Payments Online

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that most farm loan borrowers will be able to make payments to their direct loans online through the Pay My Loan feature on farmers.gov in early February. Pay My Loan is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, especially for producers who may have limited time during the planting or harvest seasons to visit a local FSA office; modernize and improve customer service; provide additional customer self-service tools; and expand credit access to assist more producers.  

“Farmers and ranchers have responded to some difficult challenges over the last few years and their time is a precious commodity,” said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “Having the option to conduct business online is essential, and the Pay My Loan feature allows customers to take care of business seamlessly. The online payment feature is just one of many ways the Farm Service Agency is modernizing its Farm Loan Programs and enhancing the customer experience for this incredibly hardworking group.”  

On average, local USDA Service Centers process more than 225,000 farm loan payments each year. Pay My Loan gives most borrowers an online repayment option and relieves them from needing to call, mail, or visit a Service Center to pay their loan installment. Farm loan payments can now be made at the borrower’s convenience, on their schedule and outside of FSA office hours.  

Pay My Loan also provides time savings for FSA’s farm loan employees by minimizing manual payment processing activities. This new service for producers means that farm loan employees will have more time to focus on reviewing and processing new loans or servicing requests. 

The Pay My Loan feature can be accessed at farmers.gov/loans. To use the payment feature, producers must establish a USDA customer account and a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (“eAuth”) account or a Login.gov account. This initial release only allows individuals with loans to make online payments. For now, borrowers with jointly payable checks will need to continue to make loan payments through their local office. 

FSA has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate the Farm Loan Program customer-facing business process. For the over 26,000 producers who submit a direct loan application annually, FSA has made various improvements including:  

  • The Online Loan Application, an interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet, and build a farm operating plan. 
  • The Loan Assistance Tool that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the direct loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process.  
  • simplified direct loan paper application, which reduced loan applications by more than half, from 29 pages to 13 pages.

“Best of Red Rock 2023” Announced

KNOXVILLE — Marion County Development unveiled their “Best of Red Rock 2023” honorees yesterday.

Ten different top 10 lists were announced, along with separate categories including “The Great 10 Foodie Favorites,” “4 Ways to Experience,” “3 Great Places to Stay,” and “5 Ways to Pamper Yourself.”

Here is the list of winners:

#1 Dining – Liberty Street Kitchen, Pella

#1 To See and Do – Cordova Observation Tower, Otley

#1 Wedding & Meeting Spot – Sun Valley Barn, Pella

#1 Must-See Photo Spot – Lake Red Rock at Sunset

#1 Souvenir – Dutch Letters

#1 Event – Pella Tulip Time

#1 Bar – Atlantic & Pacific Pub, Knoxville

#1 Recreation – Volksweg Trail, Pella

#1 Free Thing to Do – Big Rock Park, Pella

Complete Top 10 Lists are available here.

Toyota urges owners of old Corolla, Matrix and RAV4 models to park them until air bags are replaced

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota and General Motors are telling the owners of about 61,000 older Corolla, Matrix, RAV4 and Pontiac Vibe models to stop driving them because their Takata air bag inflators are at risk of exploding and hurling shrapnel.

The urgent warning Monday covers certain Corolla compact cars and Matrix hatchbacks from the 2003 and 2004 model years, as well as the RAV4 small SUV from 2004 and 2005. Also covered are about 11,000 Pontiac Vibes from 2003 and 2004, which are essentially the same as the Matrix and were made at the same California factory. Most of the vehicles are in the U.S.

“If the air bag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments, which could cause serious injury or death to the driver or passengers,” Toyota said in a statement.

The recalled RAV4s have Takata driver’s air bags while the Corolla and Matrix models have them on the passenger side. The Corolla and Matrix also are under a separate recall because their air bags can be deployed without a crash, the company said.

Both companies said owners should contact a local dealer instead of driving the cars in for repairs. Dealers will provide options such as mobile repair, towing the car to a dealer, or vehicle pickup and delivery.

Owners can go to nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if their cars are affected.

Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But the chemical propellant can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.

At least 26 people have been killed in the U.S. by Takata inflators since May 2009, and at least 30 have died worldwide including people in Malaysia and Australia. In addition, about 400 people have been injured. The exploding air bags sent Takata of Japan into bankruptcy.

The potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history. About 100 million inflators were recalled worldwide.

The 2024 edition of RAGBRAI will be the hilliest in history

By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

This summer’s 51st running of the statewide bicycle ride will take a southern route.

Organizers say it’ll be the hilliest RAGBRAI ever, with more than 18,000 feet of climb, including daily climbs for cyclists of at least 3,000 feet.

Perhaps to compensate, the ride will also be 434 miles, making it the eighth shortest route.

Running July 21st through the 27th, RAGBRAI will start in Glenwood this year and end in Burlington, with overnight stops in Red Oak, Atlantic, Winterset, Knoxville, Ottumwa and Mount Pleasant.

Last year, ride organizers footed the bill for each overnight town’s musical performances, but this year, RAGBRAI will instead be giving each town $50,000 to spend, including to book their own entertainment.

Around-the-Clock Fitness: Mahaska County YMCA Unveils 24-Hour Fitness Access

OSKALOOSA — The Mahaska County YMCA is thrilled to announce an exciting expansion in service that reflects our commitment to fostering a healthier and more accessible community. Starting February 1, the YMCA will introduce 24-hour access to its facilities, allowing members to embrace flexible fitness routines tailored to their busy lives.

This progressive initiative aims to accommodate diverse schedules, providing opportunities for early birds, night owls, and everyone to engage in wellness activities at their convenience. The extended hours offer access to state-of-the-art cardio equipment, selectorized machines, and cable-cross machines, ensuring that the YMCA remains a cornerstone of health and well-being in our community.

“We are excited to enhance the accessibility of our facilities, enabling our members to pursue their fitness goals at any hour that suits their lifestyle,” says Barry Martin, CEO at the Mahaska County YMCA. “This 24-hour access initiative reflects our dedication to promoting a healthier and more inclusive community for all.”

Members can expect a seamless transition to the extended hours, with the same commitment to safety, cleanliness, and excellent service that the new Mahaska County YMCA is known for. The round-the-clock access aligns with the YMCA’s mission to empower individuals and families to lead active, healthy lives.

For more information about the 24-hour access and other programs, please visit mahaskaymca.org  or contact Katy Greene, Membership & Marketing Director, at 641.673.8411.

Tim McGraw Announces Opening Acts For “Standing Room Only” Tour

Tim Mcgraw had already announced his “Standing Room Only 2024” tour a while back, and had also revealed his special guest for the trek: Carly Pearce. Yesterday he announced that a rotating roster of up-and-coming performers would be opening various shows on the tour. Warming up the crowd for Carly and Tim will be Abby AndersonHeartwreckersRandall KingLandon ParkerPeytan PorterRestless RoadTrack45Timothy Wayne, and The WoodsVisit Tim’s website for more tour info.

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