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Cardinals select Chase Davis in first round of MLB Draft

Sports

July 10th, 2023 by admin

ST. LOUIS, Mo., July 9, 2023 – The St. Louis Cardinals selected outfielder Chase Davis out of the University of Arizona with their first-round selection (21st overall) in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft.

Davis, a native of Elk Grove, California, played three seasons at Arizona slashing .319/.444/.644/1.088 with 39 HR, 33 doubles, 132 RBI, 132 runs and a 118:96 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 147 career games.  His 39 home runs are the third-most in the Wildcats school history.

“Chase is someone we’ve been following since his high school days that we are thrilled about adding to our organization,” said Cardinals Assistant General Manager and Director of Scouting Randy Flores.  “He had a banner junior season this year at Arizona, displaying incredible power while also dramatically improving his plate discipline to become one of the most well-rounded outfielders in the country.  He also showed an ability to move very well defensively and possess a strong throwing arm that we believe will be able to play at any outfield position.  During our evaluations, we learned of his tremendous work ethic and deep love of the game, giving our scouting department confidence that he will develop to become the best player possible.”

After limited playing time as a true freshman in 2021 with a veteran-led team that advanced to the College World Series, Davis became a full-time player in 2022, starting 62 games, hitting .289 (68-for- 235) with a .414 on-base percentage along with a team-leading 18 HR, 13 doubles, 54 RBI and 56 runs scored.

The 6’1”, 216-pound left-handed hitter entered the 2023 season as a consensus preseason All-American and led the Wildcats in several offensive categories including batting average (.362), on-base percentage (.489), slugging percentage (.742), runs (71), home runs (21) and walks (43) while starting all 57 games played.  His 21 home runs were tied for first among all Pac-12 hitters and the third-most in a single season in school history.  Davis reached base safely in 55 of 57 games played, including his first 45 games to begin the season.  He also showed tremendous growth as a hitter, raising his batting average by 73 points, lowering his strikeout rate from 22.8% to 14.4% and had more walks than strikeouts (40).  He helped lead the Wildcats to the Pac-12 Tournament championship game, defeating 10th-ranked Oregon State and 3rd-ranked Stanford, and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player with a tournament-high 12 RBI in four games.

For his outstanding efforts, Davis was named to the Pac-12 All-Conference Team and selected as a Second-Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).  He was also a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy.

Davis attended Franklin High School in Elk Grove, California, southeast of Sacramento, a rival to current Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson’s alma mater at nearby Elk Grove High School.  Prior to his junior season, he participated in the 2018 MLB Breakthrough Series and also took part in MLB’s Player Development Pipeline in 2019 and multiple MLB Dream Series showcases.

Davis is the first Arizona player selected in the first round since catcher Daniel Susac went 19th overall to the Oakland Athletics in 2022 and the first Wildcats player (17th total) to be selected by the Cardinals since outfielder Ryan Holgate in the 2nd round (Competitive Balance – Round B) of the 2021 draft and second-ever Arizona player taken by the Redbirds in the first round, joining left-handed pitcher Joe Magrane (18th overall) in 1985.

The 21-year-old is the first college hitter to be selected by St. Louis with their first selection in the first round of the MLB draft since second baseman Kolten Wong (22nd overall) in 2011, and the first college outfielder to be chosen in by the club in the first round since James Ramsey (23rd overall) in 2012.

The Cardinals have drafted a California native in each of the last three seasons, including left-handed pitcher Cooper Hjerpe (Davis, CA) in 2022 and right-handed pitcher Michael McGreevy (San Clemente, CA) in 2021.

Davis is the fifth 21st overall selection for the Cardinals since 1965, joining outfielder Jordan Walker (2020), left-handed pitcher Allen Watson (1991) and right-handed pitchers Todd Worrell (1982) and Dan Larson (1972).  Other notable recent first round picks for St. Louis include left-handed pitcher Zack Thompson (2019, 19th overall), third baseman Nolan Gorman (2018, 19th overall), outfielder Dylan Carlson (2016, 33rd overall), right-handed pitcher Dakota Hudson (2016, 34th overall), right-handed pitcher Jake Woodford (2015, 39th overall), and right-handed pitcher Jack Flaherty (2014, 34th overall).

The team’s highest overall selection was right-handed pitcher Braden Looper (3rd overall) in 1996.  The Cardinals have had only 11 top-ten selections, the most recent being outfielder J.D. Drew (5th overall) in 1998.

The 2023 MLB Draft continues tomorrow with rounds 3-10, beginning at 1:00 PM CT, and concludes with rounds 11-20 on Tuesday, July 11, starting at 1:00 PM CT.

Posted in Sports |

Cass County (IA) Sheriff looking for hit-and-run vehicle/driver in Griswold, Monday morning

News

July 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office said today (Monday), they are asking for the public’s help in locating and identifying a vehicle and driver involved in a hit-and-run incident in Griswold. The incident occurred at the Casey’s Store, at around 6:14-a.m. Surveillance still-frame images show the suspect vehicle appears to be a white, 4-door Ford pickup, pulling a goose-neck flatbed trailer hauling some type of brown boxes. The vehicle was last seen traveling south on Highway 48 out of Griswold.

Additional information was not made available.

Surveillance camera still-frame images posted on the CCSO Facebook page

Posted in News |

Hawkeyes Concludes Competition at USATF Championships

Sports

July 10th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

EUGENE, Ore. – Former University of Iowa track and field NCAA discus champion Laulauga Tausaga qualified for her third World Championships at the 2023 USATF Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on Sunday.

Tausaga set a new personal record of 65.46 meters (214’ 9”) on her final discus throw to solidify the second-place finish. This marks her third qualification to the World Championships, joining former Hawkeye Brittany Brown as a World Championship representative of the program.

Fellow Hawkeye alum Jamal Britt was the final qualifier for the men’s 110-meter hurdle final after an eighth-place time of 13.30. Britt took home sixth place in the finals, clocking a 13.31. Current Iowa hurdler Gratt Reed crossed the line in 13.68 in the semifinals.

Austin Kresley brought his season to a close with a semifinal appearance and a 12th-place finish in the men’s 200-meter dash. Kresley’s time of 20.42 was an improvement from Saturday’s preliminary mark, but just two-tenths short from advancement.

In the U20 competition, distance runner and freshman Will Ryan highlighted the day in the 5,000-meter race. Ryan finished in third place with a time of 14:57.87, just three-tenths from the winner.

Sal Capaldo put together a nice effort in the U20 decathlon, taking home sixth place with 6,448 points. His day began with his best performance, a third-place time in the 110-meter hurdles (14.88). Capaldo used a sixth-place mark, pair of seventh-place finishes and a ninth-place result to wrap up his decathlon in Eugene.

On the women’s side, Alexandria Edison competed in the U20 200-meter race, stopping the clock in 24.23 to put a bow on her season.

HAWKEYE RESULTS
U20 Women’s 200-meters
16. Alexandria Edison – 24.23

U20 Men’s 5,000-meters
3. Will Ryan – 14:57.87

U20 Decathlon
6. Sal Capaldo – 6,448 points

  1. 110-meter hurdles – 14.88
    7. Discus – 31.76 meters (104’ 2”)
    6. Pole Vault – 3.90 meters (12’ 9.50”)
    9. Javelin – 36.27 meters (119’)
    7. 1,500-meters – 5:22.48

Women’s Discus
2. Laulauga Tausaga – 65.46 meters (214’ 9”)

Men’s 200-meters
12. Austin Kresley – 20.42

Men’s 110-meter hurdles semifinals
8. Jamal Britt – 13.30, q
15. Gratt Reed – 13.68

Men’s 110-meter hurdles
6. Jamal Britt – 13.31

Men’s Shot Put
16. Nik Curtiss – 19.12 meters (62’ 8.75”)

Posted in Sports |

Shelby County Fair gearing-up to start Wednesday

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Harlan, Iowa) – Events leading up to Wednesday’s opening of the Shelby County Fair in Harlan have been underway since Saturday, including animal weigh-ins and inspections, along with some showing of livestock and pets. The Fair runs from July 12th through the 16th. View the full schedule HERE. Here’s a partial look at the schedule:

TUESDAY, JULY 11 (Pre-Fair Events)
9:00 a.m……………………Enter & Judge 4-H Static Exhibits – 4-H & Morgan Hall. Buildings close at 5:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m……………………FFA Static Entry Judging starts at 9:00 with 4-H Clubs scheduled in Green Book
10:00 a.m………………….4-H Baked Goods & Garden Sale

WEDNESDAY, JULY 12
6:30 – 8:30 a.m………….Enter & Weigh 4-H/FFA Swine – Unload at dock and be inspected by veterinarian.
8:00 a.m…………………..Opening Flag Raising Ceremony – Front Gate
8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m…..Bottle/Bucket Calf followed by Bottle/Bucket Calf Plus One Interviews-
Extension Office, 906 6 th Street
9:00 -10:00 a.m…………Enter & Weigh 4-H/FFA Sheep and Goats –
Unload at dock and be inspected by veterinarian
9:00 -11:00 a.m…………4-H Cake Decorating entries – 4-H Exhibit Building
8:45 a.m…………………..4-H Table Setting Exhibitor’s Meeting
9:00 -11:00 a.m…………4-H Table Setting – 4-H Exhibit Building
11:00 a.m…………………Willard Olson Swine Contest – 4-H Exhibit Building
11:15 a.m…………………Best of Iowa Contest Exhibitor’s Meeting
11:30 a.m…………………Best of Iowa Contest – Immanuel Lutheran Church
1:00 p.m…………………..4-H Booths to be finished
12:00 – 6:00 p.m………..Enter Open Class Non-Livestock Exhibits
6:30 p.m…………………..Judge Open Class Non-Livestock Departments (if not judging Thurs.)
5:30 – 6:30 p.m………….Enter 4-H/FFA Rabbits – All livestock must be inspected by the vet before
going to their cage
4:30 – 7:00 p.m………….Enter & Weigh 4-H/FFA Market Beef, Breeding Beef, & Dairy –
Unload at dock and be inspected by a veterinarian.
4:30 – 5:30 p.m………….4-H/FFA Horses will be checked in – All livestock must be inspected
by the vet before going to stall.
6:00 p.m…………………Tractor Pull – Grandstand
6:30 – 7:30 p.m………….Enter 4-H/FFA Poultry and Rabbits

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Today is Senior Day at the Adams County Fair

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Corning, Iowa) – The next to last full-day of activities at the Adams County Fair today, is “Senior Day,” at the fair. Events this morning include:

7:00-a.m., Swine Show

8:30-9:30-a.m., Senior Day Cookie Entries.

9:30-11:45-a.m., Senior Day Entertainment

10:00-a.m., Senior Day Cookie Judging

11:00-a.m., Rabbit & Small Pet Show

There’s no shortage of things to see and do this afternoon, at the Adams County Fair. The activities include:

1:00-p.m., Livestock Judging Contest Bingo

4:30-p.m., Pedal Pull registration.

5:00-p.m., Adams County Extension Council Pedal Pull; Rural Development BBQ.

6:00-p.m., 4-H Awardrobe Fashion Show, 4-H Foundation Award, & State Fair Awards.

7:00-p.m., Iowa Draft Horse Pullers Pull.

Tuesday, activities at the Adams County Fair kick-off with a 4-H Endowment Breakfast. Find the full fair schedule on Facebook, at Adams County Fair, Corning Iowa.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Sepp Straka fires a 62 to win the John Deere Classic

Sports

July 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Sepp Straka shot a final round nine under par 62 to win the John Deere Classic near the Quad Cities. He finished the tournament at 21 under par after trailing by 11 shots after the opening round.

Sepp made five birdies and an eagle on the front nine to roar to the lead.

Straka finished an hour ahead of the final group and had to wait to see if he would be involved in a playoff.

Day three leader Brendan Todd finished second, two shots back. He finished with a final round of 68.

Straka pockets more than one-point-three million dollars for the win, his second on the PGA Tour.

Posted in Sports |

Switch to all electric police cars has some obstacles

News

July 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – As the Biden Administration continues its push to move from gas-powered to electric cars, police departments are finding it tough to make the transition. Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller says getting regular patrol cars right now is not easy. “It is very hard for us to get patrol cars nowadays there’s a very short window that the manufacturers give for orders — so just being able to replenish your fleet — whether it’s hybrid or electric or or gas engine is very difficult,” he says. “It’s a challenge for all police departments right now.”
Mueller says electric vehicles pose some challenges that include the time it takes to charge them.

“The charging technology is getting better. But during the time period that those vehicles are being recharged, they’re out of service,” Mueller says. “… Our patrol cars are being driven literally 24/7. An officer comes in, they hand the keys off to another officer and they’re off. It’s easier and quicker to fuel them up during the course of a shift than it is to recharge a vehicle, because they’re absolutely unavailable for service then.” Mueller says police vehicles have more equipment than stock electric vehicles, which also poses a problem.

“There’s not a lot of all electric vehicles made for police use and police vehicles need to be ruggedized, they need to be made to accept all the equipment that we give them, and there’s not a lot of manufacturers that are willing to dive into that at the moment,” Mueller says. He says they do not have any electric vehicles in use, but do have a handful of hybrid vehicles. He says the hybrids do save on gas, but they also pose some challenges as well.

Posted in News |

Iowans need to be wary of scams during this week’s Prime Days sales

News

July 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The online retail giant Amazon is holding its “Prime Days” sales event this week, and Iowans are being warned to watch out for related scams. Jim Temmer, with the Better Business Bureau, says crooks have cooked up websites that mimic large retailers to try and fool you with phony links. Temmer says, “A lot of them are scams, and they take legitimate websites, photos, and descriptions, and they plug them in on their own.”

You might get a text or email claiming you have a free gift waiting for Prime Days, with runs tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday. Temmer says do some basic research on the website before you put down your money for that “amazing deal.” “Is there a return policy? Is there a customer service number you can call and talk to a live person? Do they have an address,” Temmer says. “If they do, pump it into Google Maps or something like that. It might be a vacant field.”

Temmer says you should always be using a credit card to make online purchases and don’t let yourself get bullied into other payment methods. “The protections built into a credit card aren’t always offered by debit cards,” he says, “and of course not with a check or money order or Green Dot card or gift cards or any of that other stuff.” Temmer says if you see a deal on premium merchandise that seems too good to be true, it’s likely a scam. He says to be sure to check the fine print to see what you’re actually purchasing and be ready to get a return or a refund.

Posted in News |

Reinhold “Mike” Meinke, 80, of Red Oak (Svcs. 7/14/23)

Obituaries

July 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Reinhold “Mike” Meinke, 80, of Red Oak, died July 4th, at the Good Samaritan Society. Funeral services for Mike Meinke will be held 11-a.m. Friday, July 14, 2023, at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home, in Avoca.

His family will greet friends at the funeral home on Friday, July 14th, from 10-until 11-a.m.

Burial is in the Minden Cemetery.

Reinhold “Mike” Meinke is survived by:

His sons – Rodney Meinke (& Roxanne Mick), of Arispe, and Rusty Meinke (& Jennifer Barnes), of Red Oak.

Sister – Ann Johnson, of Mitchell, SD.

7 grandchildren, and numerous great grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries |

Red Oak man arrested for Criminal Mischief

News

July 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak arrested a local man Sunday evening. 27-year-old Austin Lee Jones, of Red Oak, was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and Reckless Driving. Jones was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Posted in News |