Yesterday afternoon, at around 1:15 pm, the Ottumwa Police Department received a report of a subject that had been shot in the 600 block of North Green Street in Ottumwa. Responding officers located a male subject at 609 North Green Street who had been shot. The subject was transported to Ottumwa Regional Health Center with non-life threatening injuries. Officers were able to determine that a subject had fired several shots from a vehicle described as an older white mustang. A Wapello County Deputy Sheriff located the mustang in the 500 block of East Court Street. Officers were able to identify the driver of the vehicle as being associated with 748 North Jefferson Street.

Officers surrounded the residence and eventually made contact with occupants of the residence. Three male subjects exited the residence and were transported to the Wapello County Law Center for questioning. A search warrant was then executed at 748 North Jefferson Street. Evidence from the shooting was recovered inside the residence as a result of the search. As a result of this investigation, officers arrested and charged Kortez R. Jackson, age 21, of 521 N. Court, Apt. A, Ottumwa, with Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, a Class “C” Felony.

This investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are anticipated.

A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Oskaloosa School board met in regular session Monday and passed through a fairly routine agenda. The board heard presentations from a number of groups as updates. The Summer Jump Start program informed the board that students increased more than 80 percent in reading or math during the 20-day sessions held in July. Mollie McCulley and Brett Doud from the middle school and Patricia Eckenbreck, librarian at the high school and middle school made the presentation.

The district leadership team met for the first time this year. They have established goals for the team and benchmarks. Denise Morris, Beth Hodges and Barbara Puffinbarger presented the goals and information.

High school social studies teacher Jeff Lorentzen and middle school instructor appeared before the board requesting to take a group of students to Boston in April 2016. Lorentzen said this trip will not replace the Washington, D.C.. trip he has taken, but an alternative for this year.
Lorentzen said he would follow the same procedure as in the past and will use the same company to set up the trip. The students pay for the trip. No school funds are used for the trip. Lorentzen was requesting using his classroom to advertise and coordinate the trip. School policy requires board approval even when school funds are not being used.

The elementary principals presented information on the summer reading program. Mike Dursky led the discussion. Dursky said the students met in the morning at the elementary school. He stated the students also saw similar growth as those in the Jump Start program. Dursky also said the ability to serve breakfast and lunch by the Summer Lunch Program, coupled with the ability to provide transportation aided the success of the program.

Story provided by RD Keep