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The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
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Hermsen among nation’s elite
by Ken Boesenberg |
There are honors, and then there are honors.
BJ Hermsen of West Delaware has received one of those and then there are honors.
He was recently selected to play in the fifth annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic. This classic will feature the best high school baseball players in the country.
The six-foot, five-inch pitcher/infielder for the Hawks is one of only 38 players selected from across the nation to compete in this prestigious showcase of America’s young baseball talent.
The game is endorsed by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association as the country’s marquee prep All-American event.
Hermsen, who will be a senior at West Delaware will join good friend Brent Warren of Cedar Rapids Xavier as the only two Iowans on the roster.
Currently Hermsen is hitting .514 with 16 home runs and 45 runs batted in. On the mound BJ is 7-0 with 78 strike outs in 45 innings of work.
The 19 players on the West squad come from just seven states; California, Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Iowa.
Eight of the 19 are from California and five are from Texas.
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West Delaware junior BJ Hermsen holds up his Aflac All-American Baseball Team jersey during a press conference in Cedar Rapids last Sunday afternoon. BJ will play in the Aflac All-American High School Baseball game in San Diego on August 11. |
So Iowa having two players is nothing short of incredible.
On last Sunday, BJ received his official jersey for the All-Star game at a ceremony held just before the Cedar Rapids Kernels game with Rockford.
“It is an honor to be selected to play in the Aflac Classic,” said Hermsen. “To be included among the top 38 players in the country is really special.”
BJ gives a lot of credit to his parents, fellow players and coaches for his success on the field.
The 2007 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic will be played at San Diego State’s Tony Gwynn Stadium at 1:00 p.m. (CT), August 11th.
The game will also air live on FSN.
A little less than a month ago, BJ made a quick week end trip to Cincinnati for a regional try-out for the All-American team.
The long drive was worth it as his impressive performance in front of the final selection committee landed him one of the coveted 38 spots.
Baseball America magazine and prep scouting service Perfect Game USA are the official selection partners for the All-Star Classic.
Alumni of the Aflac All-American Classic have had a huge impact on the last four Major League Baseball first-year player drafts.
Overall, 42 alumni have been selected in the first round, including two number one overall selections.
The 2007 draft saw a record 13 Aflac All-Americans drafted in the first round. Of the 38 players to play in last years game, 34 were drafted. |
First time interns enjoy their experience
by Latisha Sand |
Dale Linderwell, of Manchester, and Allison Ford, of Delhi, are working this summer for college credit as interns for the Parks and Recreation Department and the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce.
“I’ve worked under Ben (Page, director of Parks and Recreation) before,” said Linderwell. “It’s nice to do an internship at home. I did a variety of things.”
He said the internship, which only lasted six weeks, was completely different than what he was expecting.
“We did something totally different everyday,” Linderwell said.
His favorite part of the internship was attending the RAGBRAI meetings and learning how that works.
“There are so many different things that you wouldn’t think of if you are a rider,” said Linderwell.
Linderwell will still be helping out the Parks and Recreation Department by volunteering his time at RAGBRAI and the car cruise.
“It (city hall) is a really nice place to work and easy to get involved in,” said Linderwell. “Everyone was really nice.”
During his first week as an intern he shadowed Page and attended all the meetings that Page did. |
Allison Ford
Dale Linderwell |
During the consecutive weeks he branched out on his own and really enjoyed his work.
“The internship went extremely well,” said Page. “We are really busy with so many different things and he really saved me. The internship worked out really well for us and I don’t see us getting less busy anytime soon.”
Ford was approached by her advisor at Wartburg with an email from Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce Director Jack Klaus advertising an internship.
“I want to get into event coordinating so I thought it would be fun,” said Ford, who is a
communication art major with an emphasis on public relations.
Her favorite thing as an intern has been helping plan the First Friday at Five events and the special Olympic duck race.
“I’m learning more while I’m working,” said Ford. She mentioned that in school the professor tells the students what it’s like and when doing an internship, the student really gets to see how it works.
Ford’s internship will end in the middle of August and she has enjoyed her time at the chamber so far.
“It’s definitely going to help me because there are so many things you don’t think of when you are planning an event, like ice,” said Ford. “You just assume that it’s going to be there.”
Linderwell and Ford are both first time interns for the Parks and Recreation Department and the chamber.
People interested in interning at city hall or the Parks and Recreation Department can contact Page at 927-3636 or check their website in March when they post the openings.
People interested in interning at the chamber can call Klaus at 927-4141.
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Pesky mosquitoes: A manageable pest
by Julie Sunne |
There are few things worse than having a relaxing evening interrupted by the whine of a mosquito.
However, if we are outside in Iowa from mid-May through mid-September, especially at dusk, we can count on just that happening.
Unfortunately, mosquitoes can be more than just a nuisance; they can be dangerous as well. The West Nile virus, a form of encephalitis, is spread by mosquitoes and was first reported in the United States in 1999. It has since spread across the United States, with human cases being reported every year in Iowa since 2002. Other diseases spread by mosquitoes, but not yet a big concern in the Midwest, include Malaria and Dengue fever.
Although, we deal with these pesky insects every summer, few of us know much about mosquitoes except that we don’t like them. Understanding their life cycle and behavior can help with their control.
Mosquitoes develop in four stages over four to fourteen days; egg, larva, pupa, and adult, with the first three occurring in water. The adults have a life span from 3 to 100 days, with some females over-wintering. Their life cycles vary with species and environmental conditions.
Contrary to popular belief, adult mosquitoes don’t need blood to survive; they feed on flower nectar and juices of fruits for flight energy. Only the females use blood, and that is for egg development. They need a blood meal each time they lay eggs, 100 to 300 eggs at a time, averaging 1000 to 3000 during their lifespan.
Mosquitoes find their prey using a battery of sensors; chemical, visual, and heat. They can sense carbon dioxide and lactic acid, gases mammals and birds give off as part of their normal breathing.
They also seem to be attracted to certain chemicals in sweat. So those of you that sweat heavily, beware! Clothes contrasting with the background help mosquitoes zero in on you, especially if you are moving. As warm-blooded beings, we are also easily detected by mosquitoes by the heat we generate.
The saliva of the female contains proteins that act as anticoagulants to prevent the blood from clotting. Some of the saliva with protein remains in the wound after she leaves, causing an immune response by your body; a bump and itching.
Knowing the life cycle of mosquitoes and how they find their prey, we can now devise a plan to prevent or reduce those nasty bites. Most mosquitoes remain within 1 mile of their breeding site, so according to the USDA Regional Pest Management Centers, the most effective way to reduce the number of mosquitoes around our homes is to eliminate that standing water in which they grow and breed.
Other measures that can be taken include: making sure window and door screens are “bug tight”; using the proper type of light outside—fluorescent lights neither attract nor repel mosquitoes, but incandescent attracts; avoid being outside when mosquitoes are most active—at dawn, dusk, and in the early evening—or wear long-sleeved shirt and long pants; and/or use insect repellents.
There are many kinds of insect repellents on the market that serve to confuse the mosquitoes’ chemical receptors. Insect repellents containing DEET or permethrin are widely used, but have been controversial. Repellents containing picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus have also been shown to be effective. According to an Iowa Department of Public Health fact sheet, products containing 30 percent DEET provide the most protection for the longest time and are safe for adults, pregnant women, and children over 2 months of age when used as directed. Higher concentrations don’t offer more or longer protection. Use a repellent with a lower percentage of DEET when you will only be outside for short periods of time.
Don’t let the prevalence of mosquitoes and other insect pests put a damper on your summer fun. Arm yourself with knowledge—and perhaps some repellent—and enjoy the plans you have made.
It doesn’t hurt to remind yourself that as annoying as mosquitoes are, they do serve a purpose; as larvae and pupae they are an important food source for fish, and bats feed on the adults. |
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