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Fairfield is a certified Blue Zones Community

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Healthways, Inc. (NASDAQ: HWAY), and Blue Zones, LLC, today announced that Fairfield, Iowa, has been named a certified Blue Zones Community®. Certification recognizes Fairfield’s community transformation through successful implementation of the Blue Zones Project®, a first-of-its-kind population health program that brings the world’s best practices in food policy, built environment, purpose and social networking to participating cities.

Brought to Iowa through an innovative sponsorship by Wellmark in collaboration with Healthways and Blue Zones, the Blue Zones Project initiative encourages all Iowa communities to optimize their surroundings to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

The Blue Zones Project is the centerpiece of Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative, a privately led, publicly endorsed initiative intended to inspire Iowans and communities throughout the state to boost well-being.

Community leaders, volunteers and organizations throughout Fairfield have been working to achieve certification status since October 2012, when the community was named a Blue Zones Project demonstration site. As a result of its efforts, Fairfield can celebrate the following outcomes:

  •  The 16-mile trail system circling the city has continued to expand with tree plantings and the addition of a pedestrian and cycling bridge. Daily usage of the trail increased by 180 users.
  • Brain Breaks, Brain Button, Brain Gym, Pound and a Walking School Bus, all programs focusing on physical movement, are getting nearly 1,000 students moving. In addition, more than 130 students participated in the Farm to School program, helping to grow 1,000 tomato and pepper plants.
  • Designated worksites in Fairfield have led by example. A remodel of Iowa State Bank’s fitness facility doubled usage. Agri-Industrial Plastics reports tobacco usage dropping from 33 percent to 18 percent following adoption of a tobacco-free campus policy.
  • Local restaurant Crepe Escape offers crepes in small sizes to those who prefer a smaller portion. The half-sized sandwich option at Yummy’s makes up more than half of all sandwich sales. Revelations Café now offers fresh fruit as the default side dish. Local grocery stores created Blue Zones checkout lanes, promote Blue Zones foods in end-cap displays, created Blue Zones parking spaces, and designated space in shopping carts for fruits and vegetables. Hy-Vee is increasing shelf space for water by 50 percent.

Fairfield achieved Blue Zones Community status after reaching the following key milestones, all of which are required improvement goals for Blue Zones Project demonstration communities to receive certification:

  • Fifty percent of the top 20 identified worksites became designated Blue Zones Worksites®.
  • Twenty-five percent of schools became designated Blue Zones Schools®.
  • Twenty-five percent of restaurants became designated Blue Zones Restaurants.
  • Twenty-five percent of grocery stores became designated Blue Zones Grocery Stores®.
  • Twenty percent of citizens have committed to the Blue Zones Project and completed at least one well-being improvement action.

The community has completed the Blue Zones Community Policy® bundle. Fifteen Iowa communities, including Oskaloosa, are currently part of Blue Zones Project and are positively influencing statewide well-being to date, as measured by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. For more information, please visit www.bluezonesproject.com

Big Numbers for Darius Rucker

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Big Numbers for Darius Rucker, as he celebrates his fourth consecutive number one country album debut with ‘Southern Style’ topping the Billboard country album chart. Darius says, “Being able to write and record four country albums over the last seven years and have them all debut at number one is beyond any of my wildest dreams.”

Oskaloosa Girls Soccer Wins On The Road

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The Oskaloosa girls’ soccer team made the most of their first road trip this season braving the cold, wind and rain in Chariton to gain a dominating 7-2 win Thursday night.

Sophomore Ashley Brockman got Osky out to a quick start pulling the hat trick with three goals in the first half to help Osky build up a 4-1 halftime lead. Brockman now has 5 goals just a week into the season. Other Osky goals were scored by Jackie Reiff, Keely Blanchard, Aleda Renter and Samantha Stearns.

The defense of Rachel Adams, Laura Van Kooten, Grace Vavra, Samantha Stearns, Mackenzie McCollum, Britney DeMooney and goal keeper Sandra Blom was solid all night giving the offense plenty of opportunities. The Oskaloosa girls, coached by Greg Walter, are now 2-1 on the season and have outscored their opponents 13-4 in their first three games, also winning 6-0 over Ottumwa Tuesday night, following a season opening 2-0 loss to Des Moines Hoover on Monday. Osky returns to action on Tuesday at Pella Christian.

Oskaloosa Boys Fall To Norwalk In First Conference Meet

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

It was a sloppy day at Willow Creek Golf Course in West Des Moines, where the Oskaloosa boys’ golf team took on Norwalk in their first conference meet of the year.

In a very tight match up, Norwalk edged Osky 156-159. Spencer Tucker tied Norwalk’s Carter Mallett for medalist honors with a four over par 37. Ethan Farner finished with a 39 to tie for third among varsity golfers.

The Oskaloosa JV squad fell to the Norwalk JV by 8 strokes, 166 to 174. Matt Presley had a great day on the course, finishing with a 38, just one off the medalist score. The Osky boys’ golf team is scheduled to be back in action this afternoon to face Pella at Bos Landen Golf Course. That meet is scheduled to start at 2 PM.

Iowa Fire Marshall lifts burning ban

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The State Fire Marshall’s office has lifted the burning ban for all of Wapello County, including Ottumwa. The ban on open burning was issued on March 24th due to very dry conditions.

City residents are reminded that the only materials that can legally be disposed of by burning are yard waste like leaves and branches.  The burning of trash, garbage, household or commercial solid waste, recyclable materials, plastics, furniture, tires, appliances, building materials and waste oil is always unlawful in the City of Ottumwa.

Residents who choose burn yard waste are reminded that the State Fire Code requires that outdoor fires must be under control and attended at all times. Adequate means for extinguishing must be readily available.   If a complaint about the smoke is filed, the Ottumwa Fire Department will investigate the source and, if necessary, put out the fire and issue a civil citation.

Traffic Accident In Ottumwa

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

On April 8, 2015 at 4:16 pm, the Ottumwa Police Department received a report of a traffic accident at the intersection of Hwy 63 and Rabbit Run Road (Mary Street) in Ottumwa.

A vehicle driven by Manuel Patlan-Corona, age 22, of Ottumwa was traveling west bound on Rabbit Run Road and entered the intersection. A vehicle driven by Jeanie Ocker, age 40, of Moulton Iowa was traveling southbound on HWY 63 and entered the intersection striking the Patlan-Corona vehicle.

All three occupants of the Patlan-Corona vehicle and the two occupants of the Ocker vehicle were transported by ambulance to Ottumwa Regional Health Center. Willis Delbert Rowe, age 88, of Moulton Iowa, who was a passenger in the Ocker vehicle, was transferred to a Des Moines Hospital where he later died.

Manuel Patlan-Corona was issued a citation for Obedience to an Official Traffic Control Device Iowa Code Section 321.256.

William Penn Loses Opener, But Takes Second Game

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

William Penn (11-20, 4-4 MCC) offense was clicking from the start with six runs in the first two innings. Brittanee Grove provided the early pop with an RBI single in the first and a three-run double in the second.

The Eagles (13-19, 3-5 MCC) responded with two runs in their half of the second, but starting pitcher Lunden Young tightened up when needed to keep it a four-run margin after five frames.

The wheels came off in the sixth, however, as AIB put four on the board to knot the contest at 6-6. Paige Miguel came in to relieve Young, but could not get out of her own trouble as Young re-entered in the seventh. The senior failed to stop the proverbial bleeding soon enough with the visitors pushing across the eventual winning run in the seventh.

Only three navy and gold batters reached base after the second in a game that witnessed AIB own a 9-7 advantage in hits. Grove was 2-for-3 with four RBIs and Ashlee Dennis was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Miguel, who tossed 1 1/3 frames, took the loss to fall to 1-7. Young struck out six, but also walked five in 5 2/3 innings.

The Eagles scored the first run of the nightcap as well, doing so in the third. Helped by a run-scoring single by Jorden Steele, William Penn jumped past the visitors 2-1 in the bottom half.

Another big inning–this time five runs in the fourth–appeared to again sink the hosts with AIB going up 6-2. Two Statesmen runs in the bottom of the fourth acted as a decent response to the Eagles, but no additional commentary in the fifth and sixth left WPU behind 6-4 going into the final frame.

AIB made things even more dire with two more scores in the top of the seventh to lead 8-4. The Statesmen were tasked to plate four runs in the bottom section in order to force extra innings, a job that seemed near impossible with all the momentum in the other team’s dugout.

Back-to-back-to-back lead-off walks fortunately offered more than just a glimmer of hope for William Penn. Grove then drove in two of her teammates with a single to slice the deficit in half at 8-6, but consecutive outs forced WPU against the wall.

One more base on balls was earned to load the pads once again and Callie Arnold poked a single into center to tie the game at 8-8.

Marissa Pereyra then served as the inning’s final hero as she hit a towering flyball into right field. AIB’s second baseman and right fielder failed to communicate on whom would catch it and the ball fell to the grass, allowing WPU to score the game-winning run.

William Penn overcame all sorts of issues, including being outhit 12-10 and committing three errors. Grove went the distance to claim the win, improving to 5-6. In addition to two RBIs, she finished with three strikeouts against three walks.

Arnold was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Taylor Vernon was 2-for-4. Dennis also scored on two occasions.

Oskaloosa girls’ tennis gets win over South Tama

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The Oskaloosa girls’ tennis team got their season underway with a 7-2 win over South Tama Tuesday night. Leading the way was Jamie Stewart in #1 singles, as she won 10-3. Bethany Rowley, Asli Bayram, Mary Yarkosky, and Claire Carmichael were also winners in singles for the Indians.

Rowley and Bayram were winners at #2 doubles and Carmichael teamed up with Emileigh Klukas to get a win at #3 doubles to complete the night. The girls’ varsity team is back in action at Albia next Monday, starting at 4:15.

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