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ZAC BROWN’S ESTRANGED WIFE SAYS HE ASKED FOR DIVORCE OVER ZOOM

Posted on by Bob Ballard

Zac Brown and his wife Kelly Yazdi were separating after just four months of marriage. The path to divorce has not been a smooth one for the couple, as lawsuits were filed and things got contentious. Now, Yazdi has shed a little light on how things unfolded.

Yazdi claims she’s been quiet over the threat of legal action, but now wants to set the record straight. “We got married last August, and then we held our private wedding party in Nashville last November with our family and friends, and nine days after our wedding party, Zac unexpectedly told me over Zoom that he wanted a divorce.”

She went on to say “After he told me that he wanted a divorce, I refused to agree to sign a non-disclosure agreement that would have broadly prohibited me from ever talking about my life or relationship with Zac for the rest of my life. And after I refused to sign that lifetime NDA, that is when Zac filed for divorce back in January, and then a couple weeks later, I was fired from my position as executive vice president of his company.” Needless to say, the chances of this ending amicably are incredibly slim.

This day in Country Music History

Posted on by Bob Ballard
  • Today in 1949, Hank Williams recorded “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It” and “I Just Don’t Like This Kind Of Livin'” during an afternoon session at the E.T. Herzog Studio in Cincinnati.
  • Today in 1982, Kenny Rogers’ “Love Will Turn You Around” album was certified gold.
  • Today in 1983, Kenny Rogers’ album, “Eyes That See In The Dark,” was released.
  • Today in 1988, the album, “Always & Forever,” by Randy Travis was certified triple platinum.
  • Today in 1988, KT Oslin’s album, “This Woman,” was released.
  • Today in 1988, John Denver – who wanted to ride on a Soviet spaceship – underwent an astronaut-style physical at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Why’d he want to fly with the Russians? For years, NASA has refused to allow “civilians” on flights – saying it’s too dangerous for amateurs. One of NASA’s early attempts to put a non-professional in space ended in tragedy when school teacher Christa McAuliffe and the crew she was flying with were killed in the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986. Last year, zillionaire Dennis Tito became the first “space tourist” when he shelled out $20-million to the Russians for a trip to the International Space Station.
  • Today in 1991, Dottie West was critically injured in a car accident while en route to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. It seems that due to problems with her own car, Dottie had asked a neighbor to drive her to her appearance. The car crashed and reportedly went airborne for 165-feet and slammed into the center divide. Both occupants were rushed to the Vanderbilt Medical Center in critical condition. Dottie suffered severe internal injuries and through her course of treatment received 35 units of blood. Her old friend, Kenny Rogers, reportedly visited her just before surgery. He is said to have promised her that they would record another song together when she was well enough to perform again. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be and she died five days later at the age of 58.
  • Today in 1991, Tanya Tucker’s single “Down To My Last Teardrop” hit the top of the country music charts.
  • Today in 1994, Alan Jackson’s “Who I Am” album was certified gold.
  • Today in 1997, one of the largest ever collections of Elvis Presley memorabilia went on sale. Some 300 lots, including stage suits, record collections and jewelry, went for about $324,000 in the one-day sale conducted simultaneously in London and Berlin. The only items that didn’t find buyers were a lock of hair snipped from Elvis’ famous sideburns in 1972, his grand piano, his army uniform and two of his glitzy 1970s stage suits. His 1960s Gretsch guitar was one of the biggest moneymakers, fetching $66,240.
  • Today in 1997, Kenny Chesney picked up his first #1 single in Billboard: “She’s Got It All.”
  • Today in 2000, Faith Hill joined Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Drew Barrymore and others on “Sophisticates Hairstyle Guide’s” “Top 10 Best Styled Women of 2000” list.
  • Today in 2001, Blake Shelton celebrated his fifth week at the top of the country charts with his debut single, “Austin.” He was the first new artist to earn this distinction since Billy Ray Cyrus garnered it in 1992 with “Achy Breaky Heart.”
  • Today in 2004, Kris Kristofferson and former record executive Jim Foglesong were named the 2004 inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
  • Today in 2006, George Strait, Sonny James and session guitarist Harold Bradley were announced as the 2006 inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
  • Today in 2007, Brad Paisley and George Strait lead the pack with five nominations apiece for the 41stannual Country Music Association awards.
  • Today in 2012, Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” video premiered on CMT, MTV and VH1.
  • Today in 2014, Luke Bryan fell off the stage at the Klipsch Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana. He was uninjured.
  • Today in 2015, William Lee Golden married Simone Staley at the Rosewall in downtown Nashville. His fellow Oak Ridge Boys: Joe Bonsall, Duane Allen and Richard Sterban attended, of course. And afterwards? The newlyweds returned home for wine and pizza.
  • Today in 2016, Taylor Swift reported for jury duty in Nashville. She was considered for serving on a domestic violence case, but was dismissed before the day is over.
  • Today in 2017, Florida Georgia Line was paired with The Backstreet Boys as a new episode of “CMT Crossroads” debuted. The acts teamed up on “As Long As You Love Me,” “Cruise,” “Dirt,” “Smooth,” “H.O.L.Y.” and “God, Your Mama, And Me.”
  • Today in 2018, Jake Owen headlined the inaugural concert at Regions Field, a minor-league baseball park in Birmingham – where he was joined on the bill by Chris Janson and Jordan Davis.
  • Today in 2018, Brad Paisley brought a couple – identified as ‘Ralph and Shannon’ – on stage at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey…where Ralph popped the question. As a bonus, Brand serenaded them with “Then.”
  • Today in 2018, after the controversial Westboro Baptist Church accused Brett Eldredge and Devin Dawson of “promoting fornication,” Dawson used the attack to promote a show on Twitter…and encouraged fans to “Come fornicate” with the singers at Yallapalooza.
  • Today in 2018, John Mellencamp, a co-writer of “I Was Jack (You Were Diane),” receives the Woody Guthrie Prize in Tulsa, which recognized his use of art as a catalyst for social change.

High winds, possibly from a tornado, derail 43 train cars in North Dakota

Posted on by Sam Parsons

STEELE, N.D. (AP) — Tornadic winds knocked nearly four dozen train cars off a track in North Dakota, part of a storm system that spurred reports of five tornadoes across the Dakotas.

BNSF Railway spokesperson Kendall Sloan said a train was stopped due to a tornado warning Wednesday night near the town of Steele, North Dakota, when high winds caused 43 empty coal cars to derail.

No one was hurt, and no hazardous materials were in the cars, Sloan said in an email. BNSF cleanup crews were at the site on Thursday.

The National Weather Service in Bismarck, North Dakota, confirmed on Thursday that a tornado touched down near Steele around 8 p.m. Wednesday. The agency said another tornado touched down at 5:40 p.m. Wednesday southwest of Selfridge, North Dakota, on the Standing Rock Tribal Nation.

The weather service said three potential tornadoes also were reported in north-central South Dakota on Wednesday night. No injuries were reported. Survey crews were still working to confirm in damage in South Dakota was from tornadoes.

While bad weather was generally moving out of the Dakotas, severe thunderstorms were possible Thursday in Minnesota and parts of Iowa and Wisconsin, the weather service said.

Attorney General Bird Warns Iowans of Cryptocurrency Scams

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird issued a warning to Iowans about a rise in cryptocurrency scams.

“Scammers are evil con artists who take advantage of good people, and they will not stop until they take everything you have,” said Attorney General Bird. “Remember to never send money to someone you met online. And if someone sends you to a cryptocurrency ATM, it’s a scam.”

One example is an Iowa woman who befriended a scammer on Facebook. The scammer tricked her over time into trusting him as they bonded over common interests such as music and art. Once they had established a friendship, the scammer asked the woman for money to help pay for a certificate he claimed he needed from Turkey to return to the United States. To help her supposed friend, the woman maxed out her credit card and sent more than $10,000 to the scammer through a Bitcoin ATM. She continued sending money, relying on the scammer’s promise that he would soon be home, but the scammer kept delaying. When the woman received a phone call from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, she realized she was tied up in a scam.

What are Cryptocurrency ATMs?

Cryptocurrency ATMs look very similar to traditional ATMs. They allow an individual to purchase cryptocurrency like Bitcoin (often for higher fees than other places), but they are often exploited by scammers to trick people into sending money straight into a scammer’s account. Once that money is gone, it is almost impossible to get back. Cryptocurrency ATMs are often located in gas stations, convenience stores, and malls.

How Scammers Trick You:

  • Scammers will connect with you through text, email, social media, dating apps, or phone calls.
  • Scammers build a relationship with you to gain trust. They then abuse that trust and encourage you to make fake investments, lie about computer viruses, or impersonate government agencies such as the IRS or FBI.
  • Scammers use aggressive tactics to pressure and manipulate you into sending money into their accounts through a cryptocurrency ATM.
  • Scammers make the cash-to-crypto process easy, often talking with you on the phone until the money has been sent.

How to Protect Yourself from Cryptocurrency ATM Scams:

  • Remember that if someone sends you to a cryptocurrency ATM, it’s a scam.
  • Hang up or do not respond to any unsolicited call or message.
  • Never provide personal information, such as your Social Security or bank-account number, or access to any financial accounts to someone you met online.
  • Report suspicious activity to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office or local law enforcement.

If you or someone you know has been targeted by a cryptocurrency ATM scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 888-777-4590 or file a complaint online: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/file-a-consumer-complaint.

Mahaska Chamber Celebrates 100 years as a Chamber of Commerce

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — The Mahaska Chamber & Development Group is celebrating 100 years of being a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—August 30, 1924 to August 30, 2024.  There will be an open house on Friday, August 30, from 8 am to 2 pm at the Mahaska Chamber office located at 222 1st Ave. East, Oskaloosa, 2nd floor.  Come when you can, leave when you must, enjoy refreshments and share memories.  The Diplomats will host a celebratory ribbon cutting photo at 8 am.

The local Chamber of Commerce was first organized as the Oskaloosa Board of Trade on July 7, 1882, a mere 142 years ago. The name was changed to the Commercial Club on April 4, 1911, and finally became a Chamber of Commerce on January 1, 1920.  Then on August 30, 1924, the “Mahaska County Chamber of Commerce” officially became an organization member of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America and we continue to be a member today.

Looking through the minutes of the Board of Directors’ meetings from 1924 you’ll see that many of the same projects and developments are still viable today.

Jan. 9, 1924 “…Discussion of the industrial situation followed and it was agreed that this organization should devote all of its time, if necessary, to securing additional factories…”

Industrial development was a priority.  It was agreed that before the campaign to recruit new factories was launched, existing Oskaloosa factories should be interviewed to see if they could be aided in any way. As we celebrated the completion of the Oskaloosa Innovation Park certified site in 2023, we continue to partner with site selectors for industrial growth. We also complete annual business retention and expansion visits with our existing industries, which includes over $200 million in expansions for our local industries from 2023 to 2026.

Jan. 9, 1924 “…Be it resolved that the Chamber of Commerce notes with approval the action of the Board of Supervisors in starting a gravelling project and hopes that it is only the beginning of a larger movement looking toward the surfacing of the roads…”

In 1924, area farmers would drag the roads in their areas so that automobiles and farm equipment could get around.  With the new Iowa gasoline tax now in force, chamber committee members, local farmers and the Iowa Good Roads Association worked to make sure Mahaska County roads would be the best possible.

April 2, 1942 – The Chamber’s Annual Meeting: The speaker was Dr. C.W. Wassam of S.U.I., and he spoke on the topic, “Oskaloosa’s Problem in 1924.” “… Dr. Wassam stated that Oskaloosa’s greatest problem was that of selling Oskaloosa to those who lived in the city…”

Even today amongst many of our committees we continue to discuss how to best ‘tell our story’ and promote our community. One publication that is completed today is the Mahaska County visitors guide which showcases many hidden gems and attractions across the county.

May 21, 1924 “…Be it resolved that the Board of Directors of the Mahaska County Chamber of Commerce do protest this action as being entirely against the best interests of our city as a whole, and do hereby request that the City Council rescind the above mentioned action…”

The Chamber strongly opposed the City Council’s decision to conduct a test to see if motor buses could be used for transportation in lieu of the present street cars! (A year later, the Chamber would drop its opposition.)  As June rolled around, other serious questions arose. Should the Express Office close on holidays? Can head lettuce be grown in Iowa to diversify our agriculture?  On September 24, 1924, Mr. Calvin B. Brown of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce came to Oskaloosa with the following recommendations for the Board which included suggestions on finances, cooperation with farmers, and industrial expansion.

Oct. 22, 1924 “…Mr. Alsop expressed appreciation of the merchants for the gravel project approved by the City Council for the Beacon road…”

This first-of-its-kind cooperation between farmers, the City and County and the Chamber almost didn’t come to fruition. A gravel road was built from the Eveland Bridge through Beacon and all the way into town where it connected with the paved portion of South D Street. The City, County and farmers had all graveled their portion of the project, but Beacon could not come up with enough money for their portion. The Chamber board stepped in and voted to provide the money needed to complete the new road before winter.

The community in 1924 was just as dedicated to building a better Mahaska County as they are today. They were involved in industrial development, retail trade, transportation, agriculture, education, tourism and legislative relations. They worked to improve rural and urban relationships and worked to provide jobs for our young people.

There are similarities between the developments of 1924 and today, but that doesn’t mean that progress hasn’t been made. Improving and growing Mahaska County is an ongoing process.

As our ancestors worked together to finish the gravel road through Beacon into Oskaloosa, the Mahaska Chamber has continued in the same manner for the last 100 years.  There was and is a willingness by many to do what needs to be done. “Community growth thrives when people come together, supporting and uplifting one another, creating a stronger, more connected environment for everyone.”  Deann DeGroot, Executive Director stated. “Thank you to our incredible staff, Board of Directors, wonderful membership, committee chairs and volunteers for your time and efforts within the Mahaska community. We hope you will join us in celebrating on Friday, August 30, 2024.”

Two Sent to Hospital After Accident in Rural Appanoose County

Posted on by Sam Parsons

APPANOOSE COUNTY — A 2-vehicle accident in rural Appanoose County last night resulted in injuries to both drivers.

Traffic records show that at around 8:26pm yesterday evening, a Chevrolet Cobalt driven by 36-year-old Rachel Lawrence of Moravia was going northbound on Highway J3T near 286th avenue when the vehicle struck the rear of a tractor that was being driven by 35-year-old Blake Smith of Ottumwa. The accident resulted in undisclosed injuries to both Lawrence and Smith, and they were each transported to MercyOne Centerville by the Centerville Fire Department. The crash remains under investigation.

H & S FEED & COUNTRY STORE PET OF THE WEEK: BUTCH

Posted on by Bob Ballard

This week’s H&S Feed and Country Store Pet of the Week is “Butch” a handsome 8 month old Border Collie Mix who’s a little tentative when meeting new people at first, but will warm up to you and be your best buddy! Butch gets along well with other dogs and cats, does pretty well on a leash and knows a few commands. Butch is fully vetted, vaccinated, microchipped and ready to go to a loving home. And because Butch is the Pet of the Week, the adoption fee is only $100 this week!

If you’d like to set up an appointment to meet Butch or any of the pets at Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter, visit https://www.stephenmemorial.org/ and fill out an adoption application.

Check out our visit about Butch with Shanna & Nicole from Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter here:

 

CIA official: Suspects in foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift shows aimed to kill ‘tens of thousands’

Posted on by Sam Parsons

BERLIN (AP) — The suspects in the foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna earlier this month sought to kill “tens of thousands” of fans before the CIA discovered intelligence that disrupted the planning and led to arrests, the agency’s deputy director said.

The CIA notified Austrian authorities of the scheme, which allegedly included links to the Islamic State group. The intelligence and subsequent arrests ultimately led to the cancellation of three sold-out Eras Tour shows, devastating fans who had traveled across the globe to see Swift in concert.

CIA Deputy Director David Cohen addressed the failed plot during the annual Intelligence and National Security Summit, held this week in Maryland.

“They were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this,” Cohen said Wednesday. “The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the agency and our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do.”

Austrian officials said the main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian man, was inspired by the Islamic State group. He allegedly planned to attack outside the stadium, where upwards of 30,000 fans were expected to gather, with knives or homemade explosives. Another 65,000 fans were likely to be inside the venue. Investigators discovered chemical substances and technical devices during a raid of the suspect’s home.

Austria’s interior minister, Gerhard Karner, previously said help from other intelligence agencies was needed because Austrian investigators, unlike some foreign services, can’t legally monitor text messages.

The 19-year-old’s lawyer has said the allegations were “overacting at its best,” and contended Austrian authorities were “presenting this exaggeratedly” in order to get new surveillance powers.

Swift broke her silence about the cancellations last week after her London shows had concluded.

“Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating,” she wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. “The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows.”

She thanked authorities — “thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives,” she wrote — and said she waited to speak until the European leg of her Eras Tour concluded to prioritize safety.

“Let me be very clear: I am not going to speak about something publicly if I think doing so might provoke those who would want to harm the fans who come to my shows,” she wrote.

Concert organizer Barracuda Music said it canceled the three-night Vienna run that would have begun Aug. 8 because the arrests made in connection to the conspiracy were too close to showtime.

The main suspect and a 17-year-old were taken into custody on Aug. 6, the day before the cancellations were announced. A third suspect, 18, was arrested Aug. 8. Their names have not been released in line with Austrian privacy rules.

The shows in London, the next stop after Vienna, came on the heels of a stabbing at a Swift-themed dance class that left three little girls dead in the U.K. In a statement issued after the Southport attack, Swift said she was “just completely in shock” and “at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.” News outlets reported that Swift met with some of the survivors backstage in London.

The Vienna plot also drew comparisons to a 2017 attack by a suicide bomber at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, that killed 22 people. The bomb detonated at the end of Grande’s concert as thousands of young fans were leaving, becoming the deadliest extremist attack in the United Kingdom in recent years.

Cohen on Wednesday praised the CIA’s work in preventing the planned violence, saying that other counterterrorism “successes” in foiling plots typically go unheralded.

“I can tell you within my agency, and I’m sure in others, there were people who thought that was a really good day for Langley,” he said, referring to the CIA headquarters. “And not just the Swifties in my workforce.”

The record-smashing tour is on hiatus until the fall.

Libertarian Congressional candidates removed from ballot by state panel

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Katarina Sostaric (Radio Iowa)

A state panel voted 2-1 today (Wednesday) to take three Libertarian candidates for Congress off the November ballot. Republicans filed the challenge, saying the Libertarian county conventions didn’t follow state law.

Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Republican, voted to remove them from the ballot. “It’s not an ideal situation but the rules are the rules, and I as the commissioner of elections don’t get to make them up. I get to enforce them as they are. And I think this is not an easy process.” Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird also voted to remove the Libertarian candidates from the ballot, while Democrat State Auditor Rob Sand, voted to keep them.

Sand says issues with internal political party business aren’t a basis for removing candidates from the ballot. “Both parties have the ability to appeal that. Why are we here today doing the opposite? Because they want to enforce a two-party system divide Iowans and limit their choices?,” Sand says.

Libertarian Party of Iowa Chair Jules Carter says she’s disappointed in the decision but not surprised. “It is about silencing us. Yes, it is about making sure that they are better position to win. If you want to win, how about your campaign, not silence other people,” Carter says. The three candidates say they’ll run write-in campaigns if their names can’t be on the ballot.

First Congressional District candidate Nicholas Gluba, 3rd District candidate Marco Battaglia, and Fourth District candidate Charles Aldrich won’t be on the ballot unless they successfully appeal the decision in court by September 3rd.

Mahaska Health Welcomes Marc Zoutte, PA-C to the Award-Winning Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Team

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — Mahaska Health is pleased to announce the addition of Marc Zoutte, PA-C, to the Mahaska Health Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine team. 

Marc Zoutte, PA-C, is a board certified and highly skilled Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Physician Assistant with over 20 years of clinical experience in total joint care and injury recovery. Marc Zoutte has dedicated his career to delivering compassionate, patient-centered care, always placing the well-being and recovery of his patients first. 

A life-long Iowa resident, Marc Zoutte is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is licensed by the State of Iowa to serve the community with his expertise. His career contributions are an exceptional fit for Mahaska Health’s Orthopaedics department, which has been recognized by Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Sheild of Iowa with the Joint Replacement Excellence Award for clinical outcomes in knee and hip replacements. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Marc Zoutte, PA-C, to our Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine team,” shared Dr. John Gehrke, Mahaska Health Orthopaedics Medical Director “His extensive experience, particularly in total joint care, aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing high quality care to our patients. His dedication to patient education, safety, and prevention makes him an excellent addition to our team.”   

Marc Zoutte is passionate about ensuring that his patients feel informed and supported throughout their treatment journey. Joining the region’s leader in comprehensive orthopaedic care, Marc Zoutte offers essential support to Mahaska Health’s team with more fellowship-trained Orthopaedic Specialists than anyone in the area. 

To learn more about Mahaska Health’s Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine services, visit mahaskahealth.org or call 641.672.3360.   

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