Jim Field visits with Shelby Nelson of Lutheran Services in Iowa as May is National Foster Care Month.
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Jim Field visits with Shelby Nelson of Lutheran Services in Iowa as May is National Foster Care Month.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (24.5MB)
Subscribe: RSS
(Iowa DNR News) – Iowa state parks and forests are gearing up for a busy Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the outdoor summer recreation season. “Park visitors are excited to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather after a long winter inside,” said Sherry Arntzen, chief of the DNR’s State Parks, Forests and Preserves Bureau. “Our parks offer a variety of activities for all enthusiasts from hiking the trails to picnicking, fishing and swimming. There’s something for everyone while enjoying the outdoors.”
Campers are urged to plan ahead when visiting Iowa state parks and forests for Memorial Day weekend. Most electrical and full hookup sites in busy parks are already reserved, so campers may want to consider non-electric sites or at “hidden gem” parks a little further away from home. Additionally, Iowa state parks and forests offer around 1,200 non-reservable sites available on a first-come, first-served basis, with most people choosing to stay today (Thursday) through the weekend.
To find site availability and make a reservation, go to https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/ For an up-to-date list of park and trail closures due to renovations or weather-related alerts, visit: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/Alerts-and-Closures
Park visitors can help take care of the parks by cleaning up trash after themselves, and carrying out what they brought in. Please park vehicles in designated parking lots and not along roadways. If visiting beaches, be aware that most swimming areas do not have a lifeguard on duty, and pets must be kept off beaches and be on a leash. “We hope that campers enjoy their time and make memories while staying in our parks and recreational areas, and do so safely and return again,” Arntzen said.
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(Radio Iowa) -The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration predicts dry conditions will continue for western Iowa and expand eastward. Meteorologist Adam Hartman authored the report. “Much of what I leaned on was the below normal soil moisture anomalies that are currently in place across the state along with the long term dryness. In addition to, we are in La Niña,” he says.
La Niña weather conditions are a climate pattern that produces drier days. U-S Ag Department meteorologist, Brad Rippey, says the weather’s impact on crops depends largely on the timing of the heat waves.
“Especially since crops are going in a little bit late this year. And so if heat and dryness expand at the wrong time, for example, corn and soybeans that could have an effect on some of the summer crops,” Rippey says. Much of the northwest region of the state is already experiencing abnormally dry conditions. Woodbury, Plymouth and Monona counties face severe drought.
The rain delayed Big Ten baseball tournament begins this (Thursday) morning in Omaha as third seeded Iowa plays Penn State. The condensed format means more stress on the pitching staff. The strategy according to Iowa coach Rick Heller does not change.
Heller says the rotation early will be the same as a conference series.
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Attorney General’s office is launching a series of consumer protection presentations today (Thursday) that will visit a dozen Iowa cities over the next month. Al Perales, an investigator in the A-G’s office, says he’ll be prepared to hear consumer complaints after he outlines some of the most popular scams, like when you get a message from a supposed Facebook friend. “They tell you that they’ve been approved for a grant and you’ve been approved, too,” Perales says. “The scam is so good because you believe that it’s coming from someone that you trust, someone that you know, and of course they didn’t get a grant. They tell you that you’ve been approved and start the process of trying to scam you.”
In another popular scam, Perales says you might get a text, email or robocall from someone claiming to be with Amazon, confirming you’ve been sent a high-dollar item. “It’s telling me that it’s been shipped to Arizona and it even gives you the address,” Perales says. “And of course, I have a customer service number: ‘If this is not you, or if there’s a problem, call this number.’ When you call that number, it feels like Amazon. It sounds like Amazon. They’re very kind. They want to take care of the problem, but it’s nothing but a scheme to defraud you of your money.”
Elderly Iowans are sometimes targeted in a late-night phone call from someone claiming to be a grandchild who needs bail money, but Perales says Iowans in their teens, 20s and 30s are falling victim to con artists, too. “The younger generation is getting hit on Facebook or on Twitter,” Perales says. “The scammer will put something up, whether it’s a job opportunity or something for sale, and there’ll be a link to get more information. You press on that link and guess what? You open yourself up to get scammed.”
Perales will start the tour today in Independence. Other cities on the list include: Eldora, Monticello, Dyersville, Lake View, Grinnell, Creston, Sioux City, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Atlantic and Tama. For a full schedule, visit:
https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/newsroom/consumer-davenport-atlantic-tama-eldora-monticello-dyersville-lake-view-grinnell-creston-sioux-co?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Iowa baseball team will face sixth-seeded Penn State in the opening game of the 2022 Big Ten Tournament on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. The game will be televised on BTN.
The Tournament was washed out by rain on Wednesday and has now been condensed down and will have a rolling schedule. Approximately 40 minutes in between games will be in place. Some adjustments are set into the bracket as well to make sure teams don’t play the first and last games of the day and there are a few different scenarios for the championship day schedule depending on records at that point.
The girls state golf tournaments tee up on Thursday and will finish on Friday. The opening round of play will have a shotgun start at either 9:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m., with Friday having tee times beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Class 1A at American Legion Golf Course in Marshalltown
Moved to 10:00 a.m. shotgun start to allow for more course prep due to the rain.
Teams: Newell-Fonda, Central Lyon, Akron-Westfield, St. Albert, Sigourney, BCLUW, New London, West Branch, Bishop Garrigan, Grundy Center.
Other Area Individuals: Kylie Powers, IKM-Manning; Addy Boell, Glidden-Ralston; Avery Dowling, Sidney; Addison Brink, Riverside; MaKenzie Dumbaugh, Boyer Valley.
Class 2A at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls
9:00 a.m. Shotgun Start
Teams: New Hampton, Garner-Hayfield-Ventura, Sumner-Fredricksburg, Dike-New Hartford, Roland-Story, Treynor, Williamsburg, Van Meter, Anamosa, Mid-Prairie.
Other Area Individuals: Cadence Koenigs, MVAOCOU; Rylee Krayenhagen, OABCIG.
Class 3A at River Valley Golf Course in Adel
9:00 a.m. Shotgun Start
Teams: Humboldt, Sioux Center, Gilbert, ADM, Washington, Lisbon, Clear Lake, West Delaware, Wahlert Catholic, Solon.
Other Area Individuals: Jaya West, Winterset.
Class 4A at Otter Creek Golf Course in Ankeny
9:00 a.m. Shotgun Start
Teams: Ankeny Centennial, Waukee Northwest, Valley, Southeast Polk, Marshalltown, Linn-Mar, Western Dubuque, Cedar Falls, Pleasant Valley, Bettendorf.
Today: Patchy fog between 7am and 9am. Otherwise cloudy, w/light rain or drizzle this morning. High near 60. North wind 10 to 20 mph.
Tonight: Becoming partly cloudy. Low around 42. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tomorrow: Areas of morning fog; P/Cldy. High 74. N-S @ 5-10.
Saturday: P/Cldy & breezy. High 84.
Sunday: P/Cldy & windy. High near 90.
Memorial Day: Scattered showers are possible. High in the 80’s.
Wednesday’s High in Atlantic was 54.Rainfall amounted to .64″. Our Low this morning, 50. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 84 and the Low was 54. The Record High was 100 in 2018. The Record Low was 30 in 1901.
A new date means some new faces will be at next month’s John Deere Classic. For the first time the tournament will be two weeks prior to the British Open and tournament director Clair Peterson says more PGA Tour veterans will be in the field.
Peterson says a problem is that the John Deere Classic is part of a grueling seven-week schedule of events.
Peterson expects more familiar names will join the field in the next month because the John Deere Classic will have additional qualifying spots into the British Open.
The John Deere Classic is June 30th through July third in the Quad Cities.