Regional Media Podcast Network

Plenty of Summer is left to get out to some great events in Rock Falls.

The Kewanee School Foundation fundraiser, Escape to Margaritaville is getting closer. It's taking place on August 26th with a bus trip to Circa 21 to see Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville, a Broadway production, coming to the stage at Circa. Registration is open now at a cost of $145.00 if you register by Friday, July 21st. The cost includes a bus ride to Circa 21, your ticket to the show,  and a concert before the show. Appetizers and Drink, a Silent Auction, Dinner, and your choice of Dessert are all included. Proceeds go to benefit the Kewanee Schools Foundation and supporting the Performing Arts Department in upgrading performing arts technology. Your donation will help bring numerous new opportunities for students in the arts to learn about newly available technology while also engaging in the performing arts and improving presentations of plays and concerts. Liz Breedlove from the Kewanee Schools Foundation talked about Escape to Margaritaville and how it will benefit Kewanee Performing Arts on Wake Up Tri-Counties on Wednesday, July 19th.

Part four of our profile of the Kewanee Prairie Chicken Festival wraps up our preview coverage with one final look at the events happening starting on Friday, July 21st at 8 AM and concluding on Saturday night, July 22nd. Events include the Chalk Art, the Art Show, the downtown kids art display inside our local downtown businesses, and the Murals Come to Life Program being put on by our local High School and Junior High performers. That just scratches the surface of the events however which include food, live music, a flea market, chainsaw art and more. Dianne Packee and Dierdre Scott, two of the organizers of The Prairie Chicken Festival were our guests on Wake Up Tri-Counties on Wednesday with one last preview of the weekend's events.

Kris stopped by to give an update on chamber member and community events coming up.

This year the Sidney Iowa Rodeo celebrates 100 Years of bustin broncs and riding bulls and celebrating the cowboy life. In 1923 the Tackett brothers returned from Wyoming and decided to entertain visitors attending the Old Soldiers Reunion in Sidney. To show them some real western action, a circle was formed with Model T cars and makeshift fencing and Henry and Earl Tackett were up and away on the fastest bad horses they could find. They received the sum of $50 and more bruises than they could count. Thus giving birth to the Sidney Iowa Rodeo!

Sparks chats with Macomb Police Chief Jeff Hamer about the upcoming Macomb Police Department's "National Night Out," a fun and interactive way to get to know police officers, first responders, see police equipment, and meet social service agencies.

The event is free and will take place August 1st from 5pm to 7pm at the Macomb Police Department in the 100 block of South McArthur Street.

Sgt. Floyd Dunn was with us with information on a %K coming up to combat veteran suicide through an organization now in Illinois called 22Mohawks.

National Night Out will be celebrated in Kewanee on August 1st, 2023. The National Night Out is a night for members of law enforcement to reach out to the community and carry on a dialogue between Police and citizen. National Night Out will be held at Northeast Park beginning at 5:30 PM. It will feature live music, food, and the pool will be open from 6 PM to 8 PM. Presentations from the Kewanee Police Department will also be part of the evening event. Kewanee Police Department Deputy Chief Stephen Kijanowski joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about National Night Out and what the Kewanee Police hopes to achieve via this out-reach event.

Our friend, Father Jerry Rafalko passed away over the weekend, he was 68 years old. Father Rafalko was a beloved figure in our community as the lead grief counselor for OSF Hospice and Pastor of the Holy Trinity Parish PNCC. Father Jerry made numerous appearances on WKEI, first with Bob McKee and then with Sean Kernan before he stepped down from his position as OSF Hospice Grief Counselor in 2016. He made several more appearances in the following years, including one final appearance in 2020 when Father Jerry introduced the community to the new Pastor of Holy Trinity PNCC. In tribute to Father Jerry, WKEI re-aired his final interview on Monday, July 17th as part of Wake Up Tri-Counties. God Bless and Keep You Father Jerry.

Chris Lantz is an extreme Chainsaw Sculptor who travels the United States appearing at county fairs and festivals and at the 2023 Nodaway County Fair.  Chris does live shows where he carves beautiful creations like owls, bears, and wolves.  His other creations include benches and large sculptures such as an 8 foot bear he displays at his appearances.  All of Chris's creations are also for sale.