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FSA Welcomes Julie Van Waardhuizen Back to the Mahaska County Committee

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Mahaska County Farm Service Agency (FSA) Office is pleased to announce that Julie Van Waardhuizen has been re-elected to serve a three-year term on the County Committee (COC). The Farm Service Agency is a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provides financial assistance through disaster assistance, conservation, commodity and price support programs, and farm loans.

The national FSA office guides state and county offices in the implementation of farm programs legislated by Congress. Farmers who are eligible for FSA programs nominate and elect representatives in the local community to serve on the local FSA County Committee. This extensive county-based structure provides FSA a unique position from which to serve rural America.

Effective January 1, 2017, Ms. Van Waardhuizen will continue to represent Scott, Jefferson, West Des Moines, East Des Moines, Harrison and Cedar townships. She will continue to serve on the COC with E.T. (“Ted”) Ver Steegh and Gary DeGoey. Committee members help make decisions necessary to administer the programs in the county and provide local input on price support loans and payments,
conservation programs, disaster payments, emergency programs, and payment eligibility
determinations.

FSA serves the public by providing all farmers and ranchers access and opportunity to participate in their farm programs. Through these activities, FSA supports the USDA mission and helps ensure a healthful, stable, accessible, and affordable food supply. FSA also fosters good land stewardship, which will help preserve our agricultural prosperity for generations to come.

To learn more information about the programs and services FSA has to offer, contact the Mahaska County Office at (641) 673-3476, Extension 2, or visit FSA online at www.fsa.usda.gov/ia.

‘Nine to Five’ Opens in America

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The film Nine to Five, with Dolly Parton in one of the leading roles, opened across America on December 19, 1980, grossing over $3.9 million in its opening weekend. The movie’s theme song, “9 to 5”, became one of Parton’s biggest hits of the decade and went to #1 for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

Haven’t heard ‘9 to 5’ in a minute? Check out the video below:

 

Songwriter Richard Dobson Dead at 75

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Richard Dobson — a singer and songwriter who penned songs for Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Guy Clark, Carlene Carter and David Allan Coe, among others — died on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, at a hospital in Switzerland. He was 75.

While he’s well known for his famous cuts by legendary country artists, Dobson also released more than twenty albums himself. Both Carlene Carter and Dave Edmunds, as well as Johnny and June Carter Cash, recorded his song “Baby Ride Easy.” Other successes included his song “Forever, For Always, For Certain,” which Clark recorded.

Dobson frequently collaborated with Clark as well as Clark’s wife, Susanna, in the writing room. One of their songwriting partnerships included “Old Friends,” which became the title of Clark’s 1988 Grammy-nominated album.

The late songwriter split his time between Nashville and his wife’s home country of Switzerland. He’d often return to Music City to record music of his own, working with producer Thomm Jutz.

“He was extremely generous and kind, meticulous in everything he did,” Jutz tells the Tennessean. “He taught me to look at the world in a different way in many different respects, and one of them was to observe nature. He wrote all the time, working on songs, books, newsletters. He always said as long as there’s some writing to do, he’s happy wherever he is.”

A Texas native, Dobson wrote on his website that he “became seriously addicted to songwriting and put everything else on the back burner.” This passion eventually convinced him to move to Nashville in the 1970s.

“Inspired by the example of Kris Kristofferson and the records Bob Dylan had made there I moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1971, beginning a series of peregrinations back and forth to Texas that continued for almost three decades,” he wrote. “Occasionally people ask me if I’ve been able to make a living at this business, and I’ve always answered that while you couldn’t call it a living, I wouldn’t trade the life. Music has enriched my existence immeasurably and brought so much joy, I would be a fool to complain about the hard times. A privileged and ancient profession, music can open doors and take you to places where the rewards are not counted in money. It is a window on the world like no other. Looking back I can truthfully say I have few regrets.”

RIP to another legendary great in 2017. You will be truly missed, but your influence will continue to live on in country music and beyond.

Attorney says DCI Worked Unfairly Against Knoxville Man in Civil Trial

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The attorney for a Knoxville man who was charged with murder days after a civil trial found him liable in his mother’s death, says his client was treated unfairly. Attorney Steven Wandro says law officers went too far in helping with the case against 45-year-old Jason Carter.

“In this case, there was no doubt that law enforcement was working hand-in-glove with the plaintiffs in this case,” Wandro says. The D-C-I held a news conference Monday morning and said they learned new information in the civil trial that led them to file murder charges against Carter in the death of his mother Shirley Carter in June of 2015. Wandro says the things investigators did in the courtroom probably influenced the jury and the verdict.

“Any of you who were spending time in the courtroom for any extended period of time, you would see the law enforcement people passing notes to the plaintiff’s side,” Wandro says. Jason Carter’s father Bill filed the lawsuit against him that resulted in a 10 million dollar civil verdict against Jason. Wandro maintained that it was Bill Carter who committed the murder, not Jason. He says it was unprecedented to have the civil trial before the criminal trial.

“There were lots of things that you folks didn’t see, what was going on behind the scenes in that case. There was evidence that we could not produce that would have revealed to you and the jurors the true nature of Bill Carter,” Wandro says. He says that evidence will come out in the criminal trial. Wandro made his comments to reporters in a news conference and was asked if he was alleging misconduct by investigators.

“I’m not going to say it in those terms. I’m just going to say it was unprecedented, it’s unfair, it’s not the way it should be, and the Supreme Court in the State of Iowa will have the last word on it,” according to Wandro. He says his concerns are with the way state investigators acted — not with the Marion County Sheriff.

“The bone that I have to pick is with the Department of Criminal Investigation,” Wandro said. “The sheriff’s office was always secondary in this stuff, they were taking their orders from the D-C-I. I think that [Sheriff] Jason Sandholt runs a clean shop and he is a man of integrity.” Wandro said they will appeal the verdict in the civil trial, and he believes the Iowa Supreme Court will eventually decide his client was treated unfairly. He also says they will seek to have the murder trial moved out of Marion County because they will be unable to find a jury in the county that hasn’t been influenced by the civil trial.

Persons Arrested for Thefts from Multiple Vehicles

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

On Friday, December 15, 2017, the Ottumwa Police Department received several reports of unattended vehicles that had been rummaged through and items stolen from the vehicles. The crimes occurred in the area of Pennsylvania Place and the 1000 Block of East Pennsylvania. In total, 11 separate victims were identified as having property stolen from their vehicles.

The police department received a tip from a citizen that assisted police in the investigation of these car burglaries. The citizen tip ultimately led to the recovery of much of the stolen property. As a result of the investigation, the following persons have been charged:

Bridget Mary Logas, age 47, Ottumwa was arrested and charged with the following:

  • Using a Juvenile to Commit Certain Offenses, a Class “C” Felony
  • Aiding and Abetting Burglary 3rd (Theft from auto), 6 counts, all Aggravated Misdemeanors
  • Aiding and Abetting Burglary 3rd , a Class “D” Felony
  • Aiding and Abetting Theft 2nd Degree, a Class “D” Felony

Elijah Deshoun Sanders, age 17, Davenport, IA, was charged with the following:

  • Burglary in the 3rd Degree (Theft from auto), 10 Counts, all Aggravated Misdemeanors
  • Burglary in the 3rd Degree, a Class “D” Felony
  • Theft in the 2nd Degree, a Class “D” Felony
  • Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Simple Misdemeanor

Sanders was also arrested on an outstanding arrested warrant out of Davenport for Robbery Second Degree.

Please note the following pursuant to recent Supreme Court rulings: “A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

Man Arrested for Burglary and Impersonating an Officer

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

On Saturday, Dec. 16 shortly before midnight, the Ottumwa Police Department responded to a Burglary in progress call. When police arrived it was determined that a suspect, later identified to be Joshua Michael Barnes, had damaged the victim’s vehicles parked at that address.

Barnes then represented himself to be a police officer and forcibly entered the residence with a weapon, with the intent to assault an occupant of the residence. Thirty-one year old Joshua Barnes, of Ottumwa, was located soon after this incident was reported and charged with the following crimes:

  • Burglary in the 1 st Degree, a Class “B” Felony
  • Impersonating a Public Official, an Aggravated Misdemeanor
  • Criminal Mischief in the 3 rd Degree, an Aggravated Misdemeanor

Barnes is being held in the Wapello County Jail on a $29,000 Bond.

 

Please note the following pursuant to recent Supreme Court rulings: “A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

Corps to maintain fall water levels at Lake Red Rock through February

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Based on a request from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved a temporary deviation to Lake Red Rock’s authorized water control plan which will result in the lake being held at fall levels from December 15, 2017 through February 28, 2018.

Lake Red Rock’s current water control plan allows for, at the request of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, a 2-foot fall pool raise beginning in September and extending through December 15 to enhance waterfowl food supply and shore bird habitat along the shoreline and upper portions of the reservoir. The fall lake raise is typically maintained until ice begins to form on the lake and then levels are dropped back to the normal conservation pool level of 742 feet throughout the winter months.

Transitioning the reservoir from fall pool to normal conservation levels typically takes several days, depending on how fast ice is forming on the reservoir. The lowering of the lake during this time of year has the potential to impact species of concern. Releasing the fall pool raise at time of ice out, or March 1, coincides with naturally increasing river levels in the spring and could be beneficial to early spawning fish. The approved deviation has been coordinated with state and federal resource agencies involved with the reservoir, as well as the private developer constructing the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project.

 

For more information on Lake Red Rock’s water control plan, contact the reservoir staff at 641-828-7522 or visit: http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Lake-Red-Rock/Master-Plan/.

Randy Houser is Born

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Randy Houser was born in Lake, Mississippi on December 18, 1975. Houser reached #1 with How Country Feels, the title track to his third album, and with Runnin’ Outta Moonlight, in 2013. He co-wrote the singles Honky Tonk Badonkadonk by Trace Adkins, Back That Thing Up by Justin Moore, and My Cowboy by country-pop artist Jessie James.

Happy 42nd birthday, Randy! Feel free to reminisce with us as we watch the music video for Runnin’ Outta Moonlight:

Hardin County Delays Iowa Select Expansion

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

On Wednesday, Dec. 13, the Hardin County Board of Supervisors voted to delay a decision on an Iowa Select factory farm expansion just a few miles SE of Eldora. Hardin County residents said it was the biggest Supervisor meeting Hardin County has seen in years.

There were about 30 people who showed up in opposition to Iowa Select’s factory farm.  Seventeen people testified against that expansion and only 1 person testified for the expansion.

“We want the Hardin County Supervisors to represent us, not Iowa Select.  We voted them in and we can vote them out.  We already have 246 factory farms in our county.  We don’t want any more”, said Nick Schutt, CCI member and family farmer in Hardin County.

The testimonies covered a range of topics, including air, water and quality of life pollution, property value loss, loss of the family farmer, lost tax revenue, destruction of historical places, and destruction of county values and vision.  You can watch the hearing here.

“Nobody’s desire for economic gain should take away our right to happiness”, said CCI member and Hardin County family farmer, Keith Kuper.

One of the big discrepancies CCI members point to in the application is how Iowa Select is measuring the distance from the nearest neighbor’s home.  Donna and Bob Juber purchased a historic Victorian home that was used in the Steven Spielberg film, “Twister”.  Shortly after purchasing the home, Iowa Select built a 2,490 head factory farm just 1,665 feet from their home.  Iowa Select  is measuring the seperation distance from the nearest corner of the Juber’s home to the nearest corner of the new building – even though the existing building is closer and under the required separation distance of 1,875 feet.

“If both buildings were built at the same time, the construction would not be allowed because this would be less than 1,875 feet.  If the building furthest away were built first then the building closest were built next, this would not be allowed because this would be less than 1,875 feet.  But in this case, if the closest building were built first, wait a few years, then they are saying it’s okay to build the second building because the second building is farther than 1,875 feet.  The first two examples are not allowed but the last one is, even if though the results are exactly the same”, testified Bob Havens, resident of Hardin County.

Iowa Select has submitted 20 applications in 9 counties to build more or expand existing factory farms, increasing the amount of manure in Iowa by nearly 36 million gallons annually.  So far, Webster and Humboldt have recommended denial of the Iowa Select applications in their counties.  CCI members call on Hardin County to do the same.

The Hardin County Supervisors will vote on the expansion on Wednesday, December 27 at 10am.

Osky Boys Survive Road Test at Dallas Center-Grimes

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

It wasn’t easy, but the Oskaloosa Boys’ Basketball Team was able to find a way to pull out a 56-49 victory over Dallas Center-Grimes on the road. It was a bad night for the Osky girls as they were defeated by DCG, 81-7.

The boys’ game featured two teams ranked in the Iowa Prep Hoops top ten in Class 3A with Osky coming in at #4 and DCG at #7. They played it tough throughout, but Oskaloosa will point to several areas in which they could have done better and made this one a little easier on the hearts of Indian supporters.

The first quarter saw the Indians rack up several three pointers and a fast pace against DCG’s man-to-man defense. That run saw Osky open up a 20-8 lead with a few minutes left in the first. The Mustangs would switch into a zone defense and slow the pace and fight back to a 20-12 deficit at the end of the first.

In the second, both teams struggled to score the ball with the limited possessions and few fastbreak opportunities. DCG was able to make a couple of long-range buckets to cut the Osky lead to three at the half, 29-26.

The third quarter was equally difficult for both teams to score, but it was during this period that Osky botched multiple attempts at dunks and layups, allowing the Mustangs to hang around. After the third, it was still a three point affair, 39-36.

The fourth quarter was interesting, as Osky built the lead up to nine with good defense and some made shots from outside. The game remained in the balance, however, due to poor free throw shooting down the stretch. Oskaloosa would finish the game just 11 for 22 from the charity stripe and until the last few moments, DCG was within one or two possessions. Eventually, four made free throws from Rian Yates allowed the Indians to close the game out and get the road win, 56-49.

Oskaloosa was led in scoring by Xavier Foster, who started hot and took the game over in the second half when Osky needed it most with the offense struggling. Foster finished with 17 points, 7 boards, and 3 blocks. Cole Henry and Jarad Kruse each had 10 points. Henry added 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

Osky’s boys are now 7-0 on the season and 3-0 in the Little Hawkeye Conference. DCG falls to 5-2 overall and 1-2 in the LHC.

For the Osky girls’ game, it was all Fillies from the tip to the buzzer. That included shutting out the Indians in the entire second half. The final score was 81-7. Osky drops to 0-6 on the year and 0-3 in the Little Hawkeye with DCG now 6-2 and 3-0 in the LHC.

Oskaloosa’s basketball teams are back in action at home against Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont in a battle of Mahaska County schools. The doubleheader starts with the girls game at 5:30 PM with the boys’ game to follow.

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