OSKALOOSA — Starting today, South D Street will be intermittently closed to through traffic for a road work project including manhole repairs. Residents will still have access to their properties throughout most of the duration of the work.
What: South D Street
Where: High Avenue West to 6th Avenue West.
When: Starting Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Note: Residents will have access to their properties throughout most of the project.By Sam Parsons
The Oskaloosa Community School Board held a special meeting last night to conduct a public hearing on their certified budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The board approved a final property tax levy of $13.91 per $1,000 of valuation, after their initial proposal had the levy at $14.10. The final number represents an increase of $.41 over last year’s levy of $13.50.Â
The budget passed on a 6-1 vote, with board member Clint O’Day making the lone dissenting vote.
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. Here are the key things to know about the death of the Argentine pontiff, history’s first from Latin America, who presided over the Catholic Church for more than 12 years.
Francis died Monday morning at the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived at the Vatican. His death came almost a month after he returned to the Vatican after being hospitalized for double pneumonia. The Vatican said that Francis suffered a stroke that led to a coma and caused his heart to fail.
On Tuesday the Vatican released its first images showing him in a wooden casket, in red vestments and his bishop’s miter, with the Vatican secretary of state praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta. It also announced that the funeral will be held on Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square.
In his will, Francis asked to be buried in a simple underground tomb at St. Mary Major Basilica, home to Francis’ favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, to whom he was particularly devoted.
Francis made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, a day before his death. He appeared very frail, and delegated the celebration of the Easter Mass to a cardinal. But though his voice was weak, he blessed a crowd of faithful from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Francis also made a surprise ride in the square in his popemobile, drawing wild cheers and applause.
Beforehand, he met briefly with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who later said that Francis was “obviously very ill.”
Catholics worldwide mourned him from his native Argentina to the Philippines and across Rome as messages of tribute poured in from across the world.
Catholic and non-Catholic leaders alike honored a spiritual leader who was a voice for the marginalized and the weak, for migrants and LGBTQ+ people, and for environmental protection.
Representatives of other religions and other Christian denominations also praised him for seeking dialogue.
Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital in Rome on Feb. 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalization of his papacy.
For the faithful, those were weeks of fear that his illness could be fatal or lead to another papal resignation like that of Pope Benedict XVI, a surprise move that led to the election of Francis in March 2013.
The pontiff’s return to the Vatican on March 23 brought relief to many.
Francis’ death set off the process of allowing the faithful to pay their final respects, first for Vatican officials in the Santa Marta chapel and then in St. Peter’s for the general public.
A precise sequence of events will include the confirmation of death in the pontiff’s home, the transfer of the coffin to St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing on Wednesday, and Saturday’s funeral Mass and burial.
After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali.”
During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome to participate in a conclave to elect the next pope.
To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15-20 days after the “sede vacante” — a Latin term meaning the seat is vacant — is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.
The cardinals will vote in secret sessions, and the ballots will be burned in a special stove after each session.
Black smoke will indicate that no pope has been elected, while white smoke will indicate that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.
Francis tried to maintain the Vatican’s traditional diplomatic neutrality when it came to Ukraine, and that led to criticism for what some called an unclear position on Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
He at times expressed apparent sympathy with Russia’s rationale for invading Ukraine — like when he said NATO was “barking at Russia’s door” with its eastward enlargement. And last year he called on Ukraine to show the “courage” to negotiate peace.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in a condolence message praised Francis as a “consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country was grieving and recalled how the pope often prayed for peace in Ukraine.
Francis also had critics who argued that he failed to bring justice to victims of clergy sex abuse or to bring the needed reforms to the church.
“In this realm, where Francis had supreme power, he refused to make the necessary changes. This choice is having devastating consequences for the Church’s most powerless members. It will forever tarnish the legacy of this remarkable man,” said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, a United States-based watchdog.
The Women’s Ordination Conference also lamented Francis’ unwillingness to push for the ordination of women. “This made him a complicated, frustrating and sometimes heart-breaking figure for many women,” it said.
DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.
“Last week brought another round of severe weather. I visited southwest Iowa over the weekend, where I saw firsthand some of the damage caused by the tornadoes and large hail. My heart goes out to all the Iowans who were impacted by these storms,” said Secretary Naig. “Although many farmers got a good start with spring field work, the widespread rain and storms over the holiday weekend could temporarily pause further progress. Forecasts for the coming week show multiple rounds of showers possible across the state. While more delays may occur, the rain will help replenish soil moisture, which would be a welcome development in many areas.”
The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.
Crop Report
Planters were rolling across much of the State before being slowed by precipitation. Iowa farmers averaged 5.5 suitable for fieldwork for the week ending April 20, 2025, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. In addition to planting corn, soybeans and oats, fieldwork included tiling, building waterways and spraying when winds allowed.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 6 percent very short, 22 percent short, 69 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 7 percent very short, 30 percent short, 61 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.
Corn planted reached 18 percent, 3 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of the 5-year average. Eleven percent of the expected soybean crop has been planted, 3 days ahead of last year and 1 week ahead of the 5-year average. Oats seeding reached 68 percent complete, 5 days behind last year but 3 days ahead of the 5-year average. Twenty-three percent of the expected oat acreage has emerged, 4 days behind last year but 5 days ahead of normal.
OSKALOOSA — Mahaska Health Oncology Care Team hosted a skin cancer prevention event last week at the William Penn University Campus Health Center. The event was a collaboration between the Mahaska Health Oncology Team, Family Medicine team, and the William Penn Athletic Department.
The Oncology Care Team at Mahaska Health hosts an annual event focused on raising awareness to reduce the number of cancer diagnoses in our community. This year, Mahaska Health partnered with William Penn University to provide students with important information on skin cancer prevention. The goal of this event was to promote actions that reduce the risk of developing skin cancer, while also increasing awareness of skin cancer risk factors, sun protection, and early warning signs of skin cancer.Â
“This initiative reflects the strength of community partnerships in supporting student success beyond the classroom, providing students and faculty with valuable information on sun safety, cancer prevention, and overall wellness.” shared Abu Ibrahim, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine at William Penn. “We’re grateful to Mahaska Health for making this event possible.”Â
The Mahaska Health team provided free educational materials, SPF appropriate sunscreen and lip balm, answered student questions, and offered insights into skin health and cancer risk. By partnering with local organizations like William Penn University, Mahaska Health continues its commitment to community wellness and empowering individuals to take care of their health.
As a recognized Iowa Center of Excellence in Surgical and Medical Oncology, Mahaska Health is committed to supporting our community’s health by providing expert preventative care directly to students.
The Mahaska Health William Penn University Clinic is located in the Penn Activities Center on William Penn’s main campus, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30am – 3:30pm. Call 641.676.7491 to schedule.
By Sam Parsons
The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors held a regular meeting this morning and held a public hearing for their Fiscal Year 2025/26 Budget. No members of the public spoke during the hearing, and the budget was passed by the board unanimously.
The board also authorized the publication of a notice of intent to fill the County Auditor vacancy by appointment. The vacancy was left by former County Auditor Teri Rogers, who recently resigned from the position. The board set the date to publish the notice of intent for April 26, so that the board can make a decision on their appointee by May 5, and host a special meeting on May 12 to swear them in.
The next regular meeting for the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors is scheduled for May 5.
By Sam Parsons
The Oskaloosa City Council hosted a regular meeting last night and held public hearings to certify their budget for the upcoming fiscal year and adopt that budget and its accompanying levying tax. The city’s budget includes just over $50 million in expenses compared to just under $41.9 million in revenues, and the approved tax levy was approximately $14.46 per $1,000 of valuation. That marks a decrease of roughly $.95 from last year’s levy.
The council also officially appointed Mayor David Krutzfeldt and Councilmember Bob Drost to the South Central Regional Airport Agency (SCRAA). The appointments are related to an amendment made to the 28E agreement between the cities of Pella and Oskaloosa back on December 16, 2024, which removed the Mahaska County member and revised the agreement to have three members from the city of Oskaloosa. Krutzfeldt and Drost were appointed to fill the remaining two vacancies, and they were approved on 5-2 and 4-2 votes, respectively, with councilmembers Ronda Almond and Lisa Ossian voting “no” on both.
Additionally, the council welcomed in a new police officer to the Oskaloosa Police Department: officer Isaac Nienkerk was sworn in to officially join the force.
And the council approved a resolution of support for the Oskaloosa Children’s Museum Project.
The next regular meeting for the Oskaloosa City Council is scheduled for May 5.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s Lucy spacecraft will swoop past a small asteroid this weekend as it makes its way to an even bigger prize: the unexplored swarms of asteroids out near Jupiter.
It will be the second asteroid encounter for Lucy, launched in 2021 on a quest that will take it to 11 space rocks. The close approaches should help scientists better understand our early solar system when planets were forming; asteroids are the ancient leftovers.
The upcoming flyby is a dress rehearsal for 2027 when Lucy reaches its first so-called Trojan asteroid near Jupiter.
Cranking up its three science instruments, the spacecraft on Sunday will observe the harmless asteroid known as Donaldjohanson. The encounter will take place 139 million miles (223 million kilometers) from Earth in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, so far away it will take 12 minutes for each bit of data to reach flight controllers in Colorado.
The paleontologist for whom the asteroid is named plans to be at spacecraft builder and operator Lockheed Martin’s Mission Control for all the action. He discovered the fossil Lucy in Ethiopia 50 years ago; the spacecraft is named after the famous human ancestor.
NASA’s Lucy will venture as close as 596 miles (960 kilometers) to this asteroid, an estimated 2 ½ miles (4 kilometers) in length but much shorter in width. Scientists should have a better idea of its size and shape following the brief visit. The spacecraft will zoom by at more than 30,000 mph (48,000 kph).
The asteroid is among countless fragments believed to have resulted from a major collision 150 million years ago.
“It’s not going to be a basic potato. We already know that,” said lead scientist Hal Levison of Southwest Research Institute.
Rather, Levison said the asteroid may resemble a bowling pin or even a snowman like Arrokoth, the Kuiper Belt object visited by NASA’s New Horizon spacecraft in 2019. The other possibility is that there are two elongated but separate asteroids far apart.
“We don’t know what to expect. That’s what makes this so cool,” he said.
There will be no communications with Lucy during the flyby as the spacecraft turns its antenna away from Earth in order to track the asteroid. Levison expects to have most of the science data within a day.
Lucy’s next stop — “the main event,” as Levison calls it — will be the Trojan asteroids that share Jupiter’s orbit around the sun. Swarms of Trojans precede and follow the solar system’s largest planet as it circles the sun. Lucy will visit eight of them from 2027 through 2033, some of them in pairs of two.
Lucy’s first asteroid flyby was in 2023 when it swept past little Dinkinesh, also in the main asteroid belt. The spacecraft discovered a mini moon around it.
By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)
Most members of the Iowa legislature have started the long process of a proposing a constitutional fix that would again let some child witnesses testify against an alleged abuser remotely.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird proposed the amendment after the Iowa Supreme Court ruled it is unconstitutional for children to testify against their accused abusers without facing them in person in court. Representative Steven Holt of Denison said the opinion offered no guidance on what options the courts could take so child abuse victims aren’t traumatized again, “which I think is most curious because they’ve left us with an interesting conundrum and we try to protect children.”
Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City is among the six lawmakers who voted against advancing the proposed constitutional amendment. “I don’t deny the problem that is sought to be addressed in this constitutional amendment,” Thomson says. “…The Supreme Court of the United State is in the process, I think, of revisiting what the standards are.”
Others, like Representative Ken Croken of Davenport, argue the legislature should pass a state law now to allow video testimony from children who are witnesses in abuse cases. “That would be immediate and effective while a federal reconsideration of Sixth Amendment rights and obligations is in review,” Croken said.
Representative Mark Thompson of Clarion, who supports the proposed amendment, said justice is not served when a victim is too intimidated to testify. “I’ve met various victims of horrible abuse over the past two years,” he said. “Their courage is beyond reproach and their courage is dampeneed when they are forced to face the person who allegedly abused them.”
The proposed amendment to Iowa’s Constitution says the right of an accused to confront a child under the age of 18 as well as witnesses with a mental illness or intellectual disability may be limited by law. That language has been approved by legislators this year and must again in 2027 or 2028 before voters could decide whether to add it to Iowa’s Constitution.
OSKALOOSA –Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Mahaska County is proud to announce a partnership with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to host an Iowa Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) vendor training on April 30 at 9 am. This training is for fruit and vegetable growers, as well as honey producers, who sell their products at farmers markets, and is the initial step toward FMNP certification, a requirement for farmers who wish to accept FMNP vouchers.
