Brantley Gilbert joined Kenny Chesney over the weekend for a show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The show is part of Kenny’s “Big Revival Tour,” and Brantley is just grateful to have the opportunity to learn from someone like him.
Gilbert told Billboard, “When you watch him perform, he’s got things that he does that orchestrate an audience that is amazing. He can turn his audience into puppets.”
Oskaloosa High School seniors got a graphic look at the consequences of drunken driving Friday morning at the high school parking lot. The Mock Accident is an annual event held before graduation to make seniors think before they contemplate drinking and driving. The members of the People Helping Lab Class teamed up with the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office, the Oskaloosa Fire Department, Mahaska Ambulance, Oskaloosa Community Schools, Bates Funeral Home and KBOE to stage the event.
Groups of seniors sat on bleachers while they watched their fellow students, firefighters, law enforcement and ambulance personnel reenact a two-vehicle, drunken driving accident scene. The program was nearly an hour long. “We’ve been doing it longer than anyone in the state — 20-plus years,” OHS teacher Scottie Moore said. Moore said that Mahaska County Sheriff’s Deputy Don DeKock started the program.
“We have not had a student die in Oskaloosa High School as a result of drunken driving since we started doing this,” DeKock said.
The Mock Accident did not have a speaker give an introduction. The audience was greeted by an accident scene — complete with two wrecked cars and injured passengers. Law enforcement officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel responded to the accident as they would to a real-world accident.
They rescued trapped passengers and stabilized them before they boarded an ambulance. The EMS first-responders provided aid as they would to real life accident victims.
In the accident scenario, two teens were killed and one was paralyzed as a result of drunken driving, DeKock said. A hearse from Bates Funeral Home was at the scene to transport a deceased motorist. More students re-enacted a jail scene where the convicted drunken driver was sentenced to a long stay in prison. Others staged a funeral scene where teens eulogized their deceased friends.
The program ended with audience members placing roses on the casket of one of the accident victims. DeKock said the education program relies on donations and volunteers. The cars are donated and the firefighters and ambulance personnel contribute their time and equipment, he said. DeKock said that he had input from students during the past 20 years to improve the presentation.
For more on this story, check out today’s Oskaloosa Herald
Photo provided by the Oskaloosa Herald.
The Oskaloosa Girls’ Soccer team celebrated Senior Night last night with a 1-0 win over Fairfield. Once again the defense was very strong giving the offense several opportunities, however several shots were unable to find the back of the net and it was a scoreless game at halftime. Midway through the second half midfielder Claire Fiechtner caught the Fairfield defense off guard and nailed an impressive 30 yard shot for the lone goal of the game. Fiechtner also made a huge defensive play chasing down a Fairfield forward who was charging toward the goal to deny her the shot.
Goalkeeper Sandra Blom had another strong performance with the shutout. This was the final home game of the regular season for Oskaloosa and they honored their eight seniors: Aleda Renter, Kadee Anderson, Laura Van Kooten, Samantha Stearns, Tori Holthaus, Keely Blanchard, Rachel Adams, Grace Vavra and Manager Courtney Fiechtner. Oskaloosa is 7-5 on the season and travels to Norwalk on Monday.
Story By Jamie Brockman
Grinnell Regional Medical Center Auxiliary recognized four area students pursuing a healthcare career at its annual spring luncheon on April 29. Scholarships are for graduating high school seniors, current students, or adult students pursuing a healthcare career.
These funds are also available to those currently working in healthcare and seeking advanced training.
The 2015 GRMC Auxiliary scholarship recipients are:
Allisyn Brandenburg, Kellogg, daughter of Mark and Jodi Brandenburg. She currently attends Central College for exercise science.
Julia Groenenboom, Rose Hill, daughter of Doug and Cheryl Groenenboom. She will attend Dordt College for pre-physical therapy major.
Sydney Meek, Toledo, daughter of Michael and Kathy Meek. She plans to attend Mount Mercy University for nursing.
Brittany Sleeuwenhoek, Hartwick, daughter of Kim and Lynn Sleeuwenhoek. She will attend graduate school at St. Ambrose University, for a master’s of occupational therapy.
For additional information about the GRMC Auxiliary scholarships, please call the GRMC volunteer coordinator’s office at 641-236-2588.
Story by Jen Hawkins
On this day in 2014, Brad Paisley had a guest role in the season finale of the CBS sitcom “Two And A Half Men,” where his character is the ex-husband of Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who was featured for months in a recurring role.
Zac Brown Band’s brand new album Jekyll + Hyde hit number one on the Billboard 200 this week, selling over 228,000 equivalent album units, and earning the band their third number one spot on the chart.
The Album also topped the Billboard Country Albums Chart.
Wednesday Night was full of action packed racing as the winged warriors from the Shottenkirk.com Sprint Invaders invaded the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. 89 drivers signed in to compete in six classes on Pepsi Cola Mahaska Bottling Company Night.
The first feature of the night was IMCA Sport Compacts ten lap feature and it was John Whalen leading from start-to-finish just like he did one week prior. This time he held off challenges from Chuck Fullenkamp and his brother Bill Whalen to take the win. Trent Orwig and Curt Myers rounded out the field.
After the initial start was called back in the Budweiser IMCA Stock Cars 18 lap feature event, it was Donnie Pearson grabbed the lead and look to be comfortable out front despite having Brad Pinkerton and Zack Vanderbeek right behind him. Vanderbeek and Pinkerton swapped position several times before finally Vanderbeek took second and then took the lead away from Pearson on lap 11. Vanderbeek lead the remaining laps to take the win, Brad Pinkerton finished second and Pearson faded back to sixth. Mike Hughes was third, Todd Reitzler was fourth, and Cayden Carter was fifth.
Next up was the Shottenkirk.com Sprint Invaders 20 lap feature event and it was Tony Shilling, who won the shake-up dash and drew position two for the feature. Shilling grabbed the top spot from the outside front row starting spot and had a big lead over Jamie Ball when he started getting into lapped traffic, which allowed Ball to chase him down. On lap nine, Shilling and Ball got together but they both continued and it allowed Ball to take the lead. Ball led and not even the caution on lap 13 for debris or the caution on lap 15 for Jon Agan, Russ Hall and Dakota Hendrickson getting together in turn one slowed him down. Ball went on to take his first Sprint Invaders win over Nate Van Haaften, Front Row Challenge Promoter Terry McCarl, Joe Beaver, and Shilling.
In the KBOE Radio IMCA Northern SportMods 16 lap feature, just like he did the week before it was Jason McDaniel taking the early lead. The difference this week though he led from start-to-finish in the feature that went green-to-checkered. Curtis VanDerWal finished second for the second week in a row. Brayton Carter was third, Trent Brink was fourth, and last week’s winner Brett Lowry was fifth.
Up next was the IMCA Pepsi Cola IMCA Hobby Stocks feature event. Aaron Martin led the first two laps in the 15 lap feature but then Bobby Greene took the lead on lap three. Greene’s time out front was short lived as Dustin Griffiths worked his way from tenth to the lead on lap five. Griffiths went on to take his first win at Osky this season. Greene finished second, Danny Thrasher, Martin, and Dale Porter rounded out the top five.
Final Feature of the night was the 18 lap Musco Lighting IMCA Modifieds feature event and it went green-to-checkered. Scott Dickey lead all 18 laps but had to hold off late race challenges from Tyler Groenendyk and Cayden Carter. At the same time, there was a three car battle for fourth between Carter VanDenBerg, Andrew Schroeder and Todd Shute. Dickey took the win with Groenendyk in second and Carter in third. VanDenBerg was fourth and Schroeder was fifth.
Next Wednesday Night will be Kelderman Hobby Shack IMCA SportMod Special. Keep your eye out on the Southern Iowa Speedway every Wednesday night on Facebook for the payout bonuses.
Hot Laps at 7pm and Racing at 7:30pm.
For More information check out oskyspeedway.com or call Mike Van Genderen at 641-521-0330
Story By Jeremy Fox
The Oskaloosa Girls’ Track and Field team had a great night at Norwalk Thursday night. In a tightly contested meet, it was the host Warriors who got the win with 83 points. North Polk was second with 74 points, Osky was third with 62 points, and Dallas Center-Grimes was fourth with 55 points.
Osky had three champions on the night, including two William Penn signees. Taylor Richardson won the long jump with a distance of 15-1.25 and Asia Laudermilch won the 100 meter dash yet again, running it in a time of 13.3 seconds. Both will be competing for the Statesmen next year. Sienna DeJong added the third win in the 3000 meter run in a time of 11:55.47.
The Indians set eight personal records in the meet, including four in the discus alone. The next meet for the girls is Monday at Pella, and the district meet is next Thursday, which is also taking place in Pella.
Oskaloosa High School students Lauren Gorski and Claire Carmichael were recognized by Governor Terry Branstad for outstanding academic achievement at the 13th Annual Governor’s Scholar Recognition Ceremony April 26 at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.
The statewide program, sponsored by the Iowa Governor’s Office, Iowa High School Athletic Association and its title sponsor the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, honored 436 high school seniors from across Iowa.
For more on this story, check out today’s Oskaloosa Herald.
Today in 2011, Reba Mcentire and Blake Shelton’s “Torando Relief Concert” sold out in less than tow hours. All proceeds went towards helping Oklahoma’s relief efforts, just weeks after tornado’s caused destruction in the area, which was not far from where Reba grew up.
TODAY IN 2011, REBA MCENTIRE AND BLAKE SHELTON’S”TORNADO RELIEF CONCERT” SOLD OUT IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS…ALL PROCEEDS WENT TOWARDS OKLAHOMA’S RELIEF EFFORTS JUST WEEKS AFTER TORNADO’S CAUSED DESTRUCTION IN THE AREA, NOT FAR FROM WHERE REBA GREW UP
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