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Iowa House votes for radon mitigation in new home construction

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

The Iowa House has sent the Senate a bill to require that home builders install passive radon mitigation systems in new homes. It also would establish a state tax credit for the installation of radon mitigration systems in existing homes and buildings.

EPA ratings show every county in the state has an elevated level of radon. “Seven out of 10 homes in Iowa have radon levels that pose a health risk,” Representative Hans Wilz of Ottumwa said. “This isn’t limited to old homes or those with basements. Radon can be found in any home — new, old, anywhere where in our state.”

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in Iowans who are not smokers. Wilz said radon mitigation systems can save the state and its citizens hundreds of millions of dollars that would be spent on health care costs.

“Every dollar spent on radon mitigation is going to save $20-$40 of avoided health care costs,” Wilz said.

The bill would set up a state tax credit of up to $1000 for installation of a radon mitigation system in existing structures. Individuals could claim the credit on their personal income taxes. The credit would be available to some businesses as well as the managers of estates or trusts working to prepare a property for sale after the owner’s death. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Starting in 2027, state law already requires regular radon testing of Iowa school buildings and mitigation if unsafe levels are found.

Oskaloosa Band to Host National Drum Corps This Weekend

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — When the nationally recognized Colts Drum & Bugle Corps pulls into Oskaloosa this weekend, it won’t just be a pit stop on their tour; it will be a milestone moment for the Oskaloosa High School band program and a powerful learning opportunity for local students.

For Oskaloosa Band Director Lucas Trainer, the upcoming weekend residency of the Colts is more than an exciting event; it’s a vision come to life.

“Oskaloosa has a rich tradition in marching band,” Trainer said. “We’ve had several students over the years march with a drum and bugle corps, and this year, Hudson VanEngelenhoven, class of 2025, will be performing with the Colts.”

What began as a conversation with Hudson’s parents about rehearsal space for the group quickly turned into something much more. Trainer saw an opportunity not only to support a student but to bring nationally elite talent into Oskaloosa High School halls and to spark inspiration throughout the band program.

“I thought this would be a great opportunity for the whole program,” he said. “Selfishly, I’ll get to learn from their directors, watch how they rehearse, how they organize, how they handle logistics. There’s so much we can take from their model.”

The scale of the Colts’ arrival is nothing short of extraordinary. More than 33 states are represented among the performers, along with international members from Japan and Canada, making Oskaloosa a global gathering point for music excellence. On Friday alone, more than 114 flights are scheduled to arrive at Des Moines International Airport specifically for this event, with members traveling from around the world to launch their season right here in Iowa. It’s a powerful reminder that the impact of music and leadership knows no borders.

The Colts will be staying at Oskaloosa High School this weekend, sleeping in the gym, rehearsing in multiple school spaces, and practicing on the outdoor fields. The color guard will rehearse in the Oskaloosa Middle School gym because the higher ceilings are required for their routines. Sectional practices will take place in classrooms across the high school campus.

“Watching how efficiently the Colts operate is a masterclass,” Trainer said. “Every second of their 10-minute show is choreographed. It takes an unbelievable amount of focus and time to learn, and then perfect, that kind of performance.”

Trainer sees tremendous value in exposing students to this level of excellence, not just for the thrill, but for the structure, discipline, and insight it provides.

“We talk in education about visiting other high-performing schools to learn from what they do. This is the marching band version of that,” he said. “Even if a student doesn’t bring out their instrument, just seeing how the best of the best go about their business can be inspiring and instructional.”

The visit may be temporary, but Trainer is already thinking long-term. He hopes this is just the beginning of an annual partnership between the Oskaloosa band program and the Colts, which are based out of Iowa.

“I’d love for our students to feel like this is their home corps,” Trainer said. “And if we build a strong enough relationship, maybe we can work something out for our kids. That would encourage more of them to take the leap.”

The weekend residency also includes added benefits. Trainer shared that in exchange for the school’s hospitality, the Colts will help outfit the OHS band, contributing a significant amount of musical materials. It’s a win-win arrangement with both immediate and lasting impact. “We’re doing this because the value of what we’re receiving back in resources, in training, in inspiration, is huge.”

Trainer is also optimistic about how this experience will shape the physical and mental preparation of his students for their own marching season. The Colts’ intense focus on conditioning, stretching, and breath control will provide a model for summer readiness.

“They’ll go through an entire physical training regimen,” he said. “Our kids can learn how to better prepare their bodies so when August hits and we’re deep in band camp, we’re not all dealing with sore shoulders and stiff backs. We’ll already be ahead.”

A public performance will cap off the weekend on Sunday at noon in the OHS gym, with the Colts presenting a musical showcase for the Oskaloosa community. Trainer said there’s a small chance the performance may move outdoors pending weather (if this location changes, information will be shared onsite in the main gym). The showcase won’t include full marching elements but will allow audiences to hear the full music ensemble in action.

“It’ll be a powerful way to close out the weekend,” Trainer said. “It’s their first major rehearsal with 98 percent of their contracted members for the season. Only a few spots remain for drumline and color guard. It’s really their kickoff.”

And it may just be the kickoff of a new chapter for Oskaloosa’s band program, too.

Trainer emphasized that none of this would be possible without a community that values music education and supports student growth beyond the classroom. He credited past leaders, like Vicki MacFarlane and Stephanie Campbell, Colts alum, and Frankie Ma, an OHS alumnus and choreographer for the Oskaloosa High School color guard and who currently serves on the Colts board of directors, for a tradition of pride and excellence that keeps pushing Oskaloosa’s program forward.

“I’m thrilled,” Trainer said. “We’re opening our doors to one of the best drum corps in the country, and in return, our students are going to walk away better players, better performers, and maybe even inspired to shoot higher than they ever thought possible.”

As for the future?

“If the Colts want to come back every year, I’m all for it,” he said. “The more our kids can learn from organizations like this, the better. And I’ll keep working to make sure we’re ready to make the most of it, every time.”

With its tradition of excellence and a new opportunity on the horizon, the Oskaloosa High School band program is striking all the right chords. As the Colts prepare to roll into town, the echoes of their presence may reverberate far beyond a single weekend, fueling student growth, program innovation, and a deeper connection between Oskaloosa and the world of competitive marching music.

Clow Valve Grant Fuels Growth of Oskaloosa High School Robotics Program

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — A $5,000 grant from Clow Valve is powering up the Oskaloosa High School robotics program, helping students build more robots, explore bold ideas, and connect directly with local industry leaders in automation.

The grant, awarded this month, will provide critical funding for robotics parts, 3D printing materials, and new laptops to support a growing number of students enrolled in the school’s robotics class. It will also help launch a second competitive team, a goal that Oskaloosa robotics teacher Cory Sheeley has been eyeing since participation in the program nearly doubled after transitioning from an extracurricular activity to a daily class.

“We need to buy a couple more laptops so we can code,” Sheeley said. “Now that we have more kids in class, we’re going to be building more robots.”

The program has grown in student interest and involvement. Last year, seven students participated in the team. This year, 15 are enrolled in the class, with projections as high as 20 for next year.

“Kids are more apt to do things during the school day than they are after school,” Sheeley said. “Now that it’s in my classroom, kids see it all the time. They’re getting to participate without having to give up sports or other activities.”

The Clow Valve grant doesn’t just fund parts and equipment; it strengthens a meaningful partnership between the school and one of Oskaloosa’s leading manufacturers. Clow, which uses robotics extensively in its own operations, recently hosted students on a field trip to tour its automation facilities. The visit gave students an up-close look at real-world applications of the technology they are studying in class.

“They invited us in, and they’re going to pull us in again before the end of the year,” Sheeley said. “We’re going to get to code and play with one of their robots. I think the kids are going to love that.”

The partnership also opens the door for mentorship and technical collaboration. Clow engineers expressed interest in helping students with robot design, camera programming, and movement tracking – all critical skills for competitive robotics.

For students like sophomore Cecil VanWeelden, the experience of securing the grant has been just as valuable as the money itself. VanWeelden was part of the team that helped develop the grant proposal.

“I feel really accomplished,” VanWeelden said. “It shows that not just my hard work, but the hard work of multiple people on our team, benefited us with $5,000, which is pretty good.”

That funding, he said, will help the team replace worn-out parts and try things they hadn’t been able to afford in the past.

“We might be able to buy parts we couldn’t use before, either because they were too expensive or just didn’t seem worth it,” he said. “Now we can fund new ideas.”

Senior Oliver Smith agreed, calling the grant a milestone that brings the team closer to the community and gives them more creative flexibility in design.

“It allows us to fund more adventurous ideas and consider different options when it comes to building,” Smith said. “It gives us the resources to explore those more ‘innovative’ ideas, which could turn into something great.”

After graduation, Smith plans to study mechanical engineering through William Penn University’s partnership with Iowa State, He said his time in robotics has been instrumental in shaping his career goals.

“It’s helped me understand how to work as a team and lead a team,” he said. “It’s also helped me get better at designing and building.”

The team saw major growth in competition this year. Starting the season ranked 20th out of 24, the team climbed to eighth place and advanced to the final tournament, where they pulled off an upset against the league’s top team before falling in a close match.

Looking ahead, Sheeley said the team will focus on improving its portfolio, a critical piece of competitive scoring, and increasing community outreach to boost its profile.

“We’re going to start doing some things that help us do better in that portfolio section,” he said. “Community outreach projects, fundraising – it’s all part of it [competition scoring].”

But continued success in robotics comes at a cost. As the program grows more competitive, it also grows more expensive, with costs for registration fees, travel, equipment, and tournament participation rising.

“The better we get, the more money it takes,” Sheeley said. “We’re always looking for more partners in the community to support us.”

With support from Clow Valve and a passionate team of students and educators, Oskaloosa’s robotics program is poised for another leap forward. As interest grows and the team sets its sights on new competitions and capabilities, and robotic students hope the community will continue to rally behind them, helping build not just better robots, but stronger leaders for tomorrow.

KELSEA BALLERINI, ALAN JACKSON & MORE ADDED AS ACM AWARDS PERFORMERS

Posted on by Bob Ballard

The second round of performers for the upcoming ACM Awards has been revealed. Joining the previously announced Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton and Eric Church, are Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Chris Stapleton, Clint Black, Cody Johnson, Kelsea Ballerini, LeAnn Rimes, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts and Wynonna Judd. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award-winning legend Reba McEntire, the 60th ACM Awards will stream live exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch on Thursday, May 8th at 8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

This day in Country Music History

Posted on by Bob Ballard
  • Today in 1986, the “Greatest Hits” album by Ronnie Milsap was certified double platinum.
  • Today in 1986, The Judds’ “Why Not Me” album was certified platinum. It was their first.
  • Today in 1994, the single, “Don’t Take The Girl,” by Tim McGraw was released.
  • Today in 1995, Pam Tillis’ album, “Sweethearts Dance,” was certified platinum.
  • Today in 1996, Marty Stuart’s breakthrough album, “Tempted,” was certified gold.
  • Today in 1997, the “Me And You” album by Kenny Chesney was certified gold.
  • Today in 2000, Trisha Yearwood kicked off her “Real Live Woman Tour” in St. Louis, Missouri. She was joined by Kim Richey and Jessica Andrews.
  • Today in 2000, Faith Hill’s “Breathe” took over the #1 spot on “Billboard’s” Adult Contemporary chart. The achievement made her the first American female to top “Billboard’s” AC chart since LeAnn Rimes did it back in November of 1997. Her previous pop smash, “This Kiss,” had gone to #3.
  • Today in 2000, the Academy of Country Music has announced that Tammy Wynette had been named as the first posthumous recipient of the Pioneer Award.
  • Today in 2003, Brooks & Dunn kicked off their third annual Neon Circus & Wild West Show concert tour in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Their supporting acts included Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Aaron Lines and Jeff Bates.
  • Today in 2005, Lonestar guitarist Michael Britt and then-wife, Rene, welcomed daughter Hillary Quinn Britt.
  • Today in 2009, Diamond Rio’s Jimmy Olander ran 13.1-miles in the Country Music Marathon and Half-Marathon in two-hours, 10-minutes. Marty Roe completed it in 2:20 and The Dancehall Doctors’ Jeff McMahon did it in 3:36
  • Today in 2012, Brad Paisley appeared on an episode of the animated Comedy Central series “South Park,” singing the national anthem at a fictitious Denver Nuggets basketball game and performing “I Swear” with Cartman.
  • Today in 2015, Terri Clark completed her first half-marathon, running the 13.1-mile course at the Country Music Marathon in two hours, 48 minutes. Bryan White also ran the half, while “Nashville” actors Sam Palladio and Chaley Rose take part in the 5k.
  • Today in 2016, Kid Rock discovered the body of his assistant, 30-year-old Michael Sacha, on his Whites Creek, Tennessee, property after an apparent ATV accident.
  • Today in 2017, Little Big Town unveiled a collection of clothing and accessories, released in conjunction with the Grand Ole Opry, during a launch party in Nashville.
  • Today in 2017,Shania Twain revealed in the Los Angeles Times that she’s discovered her vocal problems were caused by Lyme disease
  • Today in 2017, a fire broke out in the pasture at Justin Moore’s farm in Poyen, Arkansas. No one was hurt in the blaze, extinguished by the local fire department.

H & S FEED & COUNTRY STORE PET OF THE WEEK: GULLIVER

Posted on by Bob Ballard

This week’s H&S Feed and Country Store Pet of the Week is “Gulliver”, a 2 and a half year old male orange kitty who loves everyone. Gulliver’s a goofy guy who loves to follow you around, and he loves his cuddles! Gulliver also gets along great with other cats and even dogs!

And because Gulliver is the Pet of the Week, his adoption fee is only $30 this week!

If you’d like to set up an appointment to meet Gulliver or any of the pets at Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter, visit https://www.stephenmemorial.org/ and fill out an adoption application.

Check out our visit about Gulliver with Nicole from Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter here:

TIM MCGRAW SETS HIS RETURN TO THE STAGE AFTER SERIES OF MEDICAL ISSUES

Posted on by Bob Ballard

After a lengthy series of medical issues and surgeries that have sidelined Tim McGraw for months, the singer is ready to mount a comeback. Tim will be performing at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 2 for the “Speedway Classic.” This is on the heels of McGraw’s very first show of 2025, in Fort Collins, Colorado on July 21. The August 2 performance will come before a scheduled major-league baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds, which will take place on the converted Bristol Motor Speedway infield. Tim’s medical issues extend back to last August when he underwent orthopedic surgery on both of his knees after sustaining an injury, causing him to cancel the rest of his “Standing Room Only” tour.  Then, in January, back surgery caused Tim to have to pull out of a Netflix series about rodeo that he was to both star in and executive produce. Safe to say that both the fans and Tim himself are happy he’s well enough to perform again.

 

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This day in Country Music History

Posted on by Bob Ballard
  • Today in 1976, Emmylou Harris’ remake of Buck Owens’ “Together Again” became her first number one country single in Billboard.
  • Today in 1982, Kelly Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas. She became the winner of the first season of “American Idol” and earned country hits when she joined Reba McEntire on “Because Of You” and Jason Aldean on “Don’t You Wanna Stay.”
  • Today in 1991, Garth Brooks won a record six times during the 26th annual Academy Of Country Music awards on NBC including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist; Album (“No Fences”); Single Record (“Friends In Low Places”); and Song and Video (“The Dance”).
  • Today in 1993, Willie Nelson held Farm Aid VI in Ames, Iowa with Sawyer Brown, Martina McBride, The Kentucky HeadHunters, Marty Stuart, Dwight Yoakam, Ringo Starr, Bryan Adams, Paul Simon, Travis Tritt, Ricky Van Shelton, Waylon Jennings and more.
  • Today in 1993, Sammy Kershaw was sittin’ pretty with his number one country single, “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful.”
  • Today in 2001, Tim McGraw’s album, “Set This Circus Down,” arrived in stores.
  • Today in 2008, Toby Keith performed at a base in Kandahar, Afghanistan for 2,500 troops in his sixth USO tour. It was interrupted by mortar fire.
  • Today in 2011, on NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice,” John Rich earned $20,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as the winning project manager for a four-page Trump Collection advertising presentation.
  • Today in 2012, Lee Brice’s “Hard To Love” hit the airwaves.
  • Today in 2014, Carrie Underwood was unveiled among Time magazine’s “Time 100” list of the world’s most influential people. Also named were Robert Redford, Hillary Clinton, Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama and Miley Cyrus.
  • Today in 2015, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Danny Masterson were among the 60,000 at the first night of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio, California, for music by Tim McGraw, Kacy Musgraves, Parmalee and Merle Haggard.
  • Today in 2017, Eric Church, Chris Young and Reba McEntire attended the annual Best Cellars dinner, a benefit that raised $225,000 for the T.J. Martell Foundation at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Others on hand included Dustin Lynch, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Big Kenny, Cole Swindell and three members of Little Big Town.
  • Today in 2017, as the Backstreet Boys enjoyed their first country hit, Nick Carter sat in as a guest judge on ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars.” The band is teamed at the time with Florida Georgia Line on “God, Your Mama, And Me.”

Weinstein’s #MeToo rape retrial opens with added allegations from a former model

Posted on by Sam Parsons

NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein ’s #MeToo retrial opened Wednesday, giving a new jury a fresh look at familiar rape and sexual assault allegations — plus a newly added claim from a former model.

For the first time, prosecutors publicly identified Kaja Sokola and detailed her account of what unfolded between her and the Oscar-winning movie producer in the early 2000s. He is criminally charged with forcing oral sex on her in 2006, but she also accused him in a civil lawsuit of groping her against her will four years earlier, when she was 16.

Like the two other accusers in the case, Sokola alleges a complex series of encounters and reactions — being sexually assaulted, yet staying in touch, wary of Weinstein but wanting to remain on good terms with a power broker who dangled the possibility of an acting career.

“Why did the defendant hold this level of power and control in the eyes of these three women? … It’s because Harvey Weinstein defined the field,” prosecutor Shannon Lucey told jurors in an opening statement. “He knew how tempting promises of success were. He produced, he choreographed, he therefore directed, their ultimate silence for years.”

Weinstein has pleaded not guilty, and defense lawyer Arthur Aidala countered by portraying the accusers as willing partners in a showbiz quid pro quo.

“The casting couch is not a crime scene,” Aidala told the majority-female jury. He compared prosecutors’ allegations to the preview of a movie that “falls flat on its face.”

A reversal and a retrial

The 73-year-old Weinstein, seated in the wheelchair he now uses because of health problems, didn’t look at Lucey or the jury during her presentation. But Weinstein watched intently as Aidala outlined his defense.

The retrial is happening because New York’s top court last year threw out Weinstein’s conviction, which in 2020 was a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct. The high court found that the previous trial judge allowed prejudicial testimony about allegations separate from the charges.

Weinstein’s retrial is playing out at a different cultural moment than the first. #MeToo, which exploded in 2017 with allegations against Weinstein, has evolved and ebbed.

When Weinstein’s first trial began, chants of “rapist” could be heard from protesters outside. This time, there was none of that.

Sokola’s lawyer, Lindsay Goldbrum, has called Weinstein’s retrial a “signal to other survivors that the system is catching up — and that it’s worth speaking out even when the odds seem insurmountable.”

A teenage model and a movie model

While this jury won’t hear about the allegations that got the first conviction thrown out, the panel is expected to hear from Sokola. After the high court sent the case back for retrial, prosecutors added a criminal sex act charge based on her allegations.

The Polish-born Sokola met Weinstein in 2002 after traveling alone to New York for a modeling trip at age 16, according to prosecutors. She alleges he invited her to lunch to discuss potential acting jobs but detoured to his apartment and demanded she take off her shirt if she wanted to make it in the movie business. Then, Sokola alleges, Weinstein fondled her while making her touch his genitals.

Over the next few years, Sokola stayed in contact with Weinstein, even after telling him off for allegedly groping her in a car around 2004, Lucey told jurors. She said Weinstein arranged for Sokola to be an extra in the 2007 rom-com “The Nanny Diaries,” and she invited him to lunch to impress her visiting sister.

After the lunch, he asked Sokola to check out some scripts in his Manhattan hotel room, ordered her to undress, held her down on a bed, and performed oral sex on her while she tearfully implored him not to do so, Lucey said.

In the weeks after, Sokola was photographed with Weinstein and a third person at an event, and his company wrote her an acting-school recommendation, the prosecutor said. Lucey told jurors that power imbalances often “cause victims to behave in ways that laypersons possibly might not expect.”

After other allegations emerged against Weinstein in 2017, Sokola sued. Prosecutors said she received $3.5 million in compensation.

Two of the original charges remain

Aidala said the accusers were “trying to take advantage of Mr. Weinstein when he was at the top,” then benefited from making allegations amid his downfall.

Outside court, Sokola’s attorney decried Weinstein’s defense as full of “victim blaming” and “rape myths.”

In addition to the charge related to Sokola, Weinstein is being retried on a criminal sex act charge for allegedly forcibly performing oral sex on then-production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006, and a third-degree rape charge for allegedly assaulting then-aspiring actor Jessica Mann in 2013.

Weinstein’s 2020 acquittals on predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape charges still stand.

After the attorneys’ statements, testimony started Wednesday with details of Weinstein’s high-flying workdays around 2006. Witness Stefan Sterns — who was then one of Weinstein’s assistants — expounded on the producer’s reputation as a Hollywood kingmaker, recalled dropping him off to meet Haley in a hotel lobby and remembered seeing her name on a call log.

The Associated Press generally does not identify people alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named, as Haley, Mann and Sokola have done.

Weekly Fuel Report

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — The price of regular unleaded gasoline held steady, averaging $2.98 across Iowa according to AAA.

Crude Oil Summary

  • The price of global crude oil fell this week on the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) by $.65 per barrel over last week, currently priced at $61.92.
  • Brent crude oil fell by $.08 and is currently priced at $65.76.
  • One year ago, WTI crude sold for $84.17 and Brent crude was $88.29.

Motor Fuels

  • As of Wednesday, the price of regular unleaded gasoline averaged $2.98 across Iowa according to AAA.
    • Prices held steady from last week’s price and are down 31 cents from a year ago.
    • The national average on Wednesday was $3.17, steady from last week’s price.
  • Retail diesel prices in Iowa rose 2 cents this week with a statewide average of $3.37.
    • One year ago, diesel prices averaged $3.76 in Iowa.
    • The current Iowa diesel price is 20 cents lower than the national average of $3.57.
  • The current Des Moines Terminal/Rack Prices are $2.06 for U87-E10, $2.42 for Unleaded 87 (clear), $2.30 for ULSD#2, $2.54 for ULSD#1, and $1.95 per gallon for E-70 prices.

Heating Fuels

  • Natural gas prices were down $.20 at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $3.07 MMbtu.
  • We will continue reporting retail heating oil and propane prices in Iowa in October.

Tips for saving energy on the road or at home are available at energy.gov and fueleconomy.gov.

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