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Upcoming Webinar viewings at Mahaska County Extension

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — ISU Extension and Outreach -Mahaska County to host viewing of two exciting webinar series this winter/spring.  To register to join the viewing at the Mahaska County Extension office- please call 641-673-5841 or email striegel@iastate.edu

North Dakota State University Extension will host their Field to Fork webinar series starting  begin Feb. 12. The webinars will be held online from 2 to 3 p.m. through May 7.
Experts from across the region will provide information about growing, preserving and preparing specialty-crop fruits and vegetables safely in this 10th annual webinar series.
Topics that will be covered:
  • Feb. 12: How to Start Your Own Flower and Vegetable Transplants Indoors — Don Kinzler, Extension horticulture agent, NDSU
  • Feb. 19: Anatomy of a Food Recall — Bryon Chaves, Extension associate professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • Feb. 26: Growing Tips for Summer and Winter Squash — Tom Kalb, Extension horticulturist, NDSU
  • March 5: Let’s Preserve Salsa (Live Demonstration) — Julie Garden-Robinson, Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor, NDSU
  • March 12: The Science Behind Indoor Plant Lighting — Esther McGinnis, Extension horticulturist and associate professor, NDSU
  • March 19: Pickling Safety — Cindy Brison, Extension educator, University of Nebraska
  • March 26: Tips and Tricks for Vegetable Production — Susie Thompson, associate professor and potato breeder, NDSU
  • April 2: Plant Pathology 101: Common Plant Diseases — Sam Markell, professor and interim plant pathology department chair, NDSU
  • April 9: All About Alliums: Garlic, Green Onion, Dry Bulb Onion, Leeks and Shallots — Harlene Hatterman-Valenti, professor, NDSU
  • April 16: Ghosts in Your Gardens — Janet Knodel, Extension entomologist and professor, NDSU
  • April 30: Food Preservation Toolkit — Karen Blakeslee, Extension associate, Kansas State University
  • May 7: Healthy Soil, Healthy Food — Carlos Pires, Extension soil health specialist and assistant professor, NDSU
The webinars will be held on Zoom, are free of charge, and can be watched independent of the group viewing at the Mahaska county Extension office.  Registration is required. Register on the Field to Fork website at ag.ndsu.edu/fieldtofork Participants will be sent reminder emails with the link.  The webinars also will be archived for later viewing, but participating in the live webinar allows participants to interact with the presenter.
This series is an ongoing collaborative effort with the North Central Food Safety Extension Network which includes experts from NDSU and around the region.  This project is made possible with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
Additionally, The North Central Food Safety Extension Network will present a trio of webinars about food trends for entrepreneurs.
This free series is designed to answer questions from food entrepreneurs about food safety. Each webinar is from 11 a.m. to noon.
“Through the power and popularity of social media and farmers markets, some home chefs are choosing to use their skills to sell food items following the requirements in their states,” says Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU professor and Extension food and nutrition specialist. “This webinar series is designed to provide information for food entrepreneurs to help them safely prepare foods for sale or home use.”  The courses will be taught by experts around the region.
The first webinar, Best Practices for Food Entrepreneurs, will be held on Jan. 28. The speakers are Garden-Robinson and Karen Blakeslee, Extension associate.
The second webinar, Freeze Drying Foods: Science, Safety, and Cottage Industry, will be held on Feb. 4. This session will cover the science and food safety aspects involved in producers freeze-drying foods for sale to consumers. Mary-Grace Danao, research associate professor at University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s Food Processing Center, will speak.
The final webinar, Sourdough Starters: Care, Safety, and Preservation, will be held on Feb. 11. Caitlin Clark, a food scientist at Colorado State University Spur, will speak. This course will cover the basics of sourdough, its makeup and benefits and how to stay safe when preparing and preserving it.
These webinars can be viewed independent of the viewing at the Mahaska County Extension office.  To register to view any of the webinars on your own at https://iastate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_25HYHfTvilNyage. Registrants will be emailed a Zoom link to participate.
Read the NDSU Extension publication “Food Safety Best Practices for Local Food Entrepreneurs” for more information about preparing food for sale.

Vermeer Charitable Foundation Announces $100k Grant for Ice Rink Chiller Fundraiser

Posted on by Sam Parsons

PELLA — The board of the Vermeer Charitable Foundation recently announced the awarding of a $100,000 grant to the Spirit of Pella to jumpstart the purchase of an ice rink chiller targeted for installation at Pella’s Caldwell Park in November once the remaining $400,000 for the project can be raised.

“We are deeply grateful to the Vermeer Charitable Foundation for recognizing the opportunity to support such an exciting new amenity for Pella residents and visitors of all ages,” said Bob Zylstra, Spirit of Pella board member and chair of the group’s placemaking committee. “Ice skating has long been a popular activity in the Upper Midwest, and that’s absolutely true in Pella. But recently, we’ve experienced sustained below-zero temperatures only long enough to offer a couple of skating days each year,” Zylstra explained.

Caldwell Park’s current 50 x 120-foot ice rink backerboard system was first installed in 2017. Every year, the rink’s opening date is entirely weather dependent because rink ice is built up over several days using a water layering system. To build ice, Pella’s park staff members need a minimum of four consecutive days with temperatures below 32 degrees and no anticipated temperatures above 45 degrees in the 14-day forecast. The chiller will create and maintain ice whenever average daytime temperatures are below 50 degrees.

Spirit of Pella board member Kyle Nelson chairs the group’s Fundraising Committee. Their efforts have already generated a number of individual chiller project donations through Spirit of Pella’s Giving Tuesday and year-end outreach. The group is also submitting several grant applications and planning fundraising events over the next several months, hoping to raise the full $500,000 for the project by mid-summer. Chiller equipment will then be purchased, installed and then donated to the City of Pella which will manage and maintain the rink.

Those interested in making a donation can do so at spiritofpella.org/donate.

Osky Boys Notch Road Victory at Mount Pleasant

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa Indians boys basketball team hit the road on Tuesday night following a day in which school was canceled for the Oskaloosa School District, searching for their 5th win of the season against a struggling Mount Pleasant Panthers team that entered Tuesday night at 1-9.

The Indians were dealing with illnesses throughout their roster and were slightly shorthanded for the game. Between that and the school cancelation, the level of focus that the Indians brought to the matchup was going to be key going in; ultimately, there was no sign of lethargy to be found, as they came in ready to play.

Oskaloosa was able to pick up some early steam on offense thanks to some quality ball movement that set up close-range shots for senior forward Xavier Edwards. Edwards scored 8 points in the first quarter to help Osky jump out to a 16-12 lead.

From there, Oskaloosa’s defense stepped up and made life difficult for the Panthers. Edwards was tasked with limiting Mount Pleasant’s 6’7″ post player Noah Lange, and he consistently denied entry passes to Lange to prevent easy, efficient buckets for the Panthers. Players like Ethan Stek, Landon Romas, and Heavon Knox were poking balls free from Panther players’ handles all night long and jumping passing lanes to create turnovers. The Panthers weren’t able to get many shots up against the Indians because the Indians never gave them the real estate to find open looks; on top of the turnovers forced on-ball, the Indians forced multiple shot clock violations in the first half to frustrate Mount Pleasant.

“Compared to our last games, I think that our defense has been a lot better,” said Xavier Edwards post-game. “Especially coming off of that Norwalk loss…we definitely took some time to focus on getting back on defense, working on our talking and communication.”

The Indians defense limited the Panther offense to 28 points in quarters 2-4. Their offense maintained their pace to keep the Panthers from ever re-entering the game after the score was 27-20 Oskaloosa at halftime. The Indians hardly needed to feel any stress in the second half as they cruised to a 56-40 victory.

Tommy North led Oskaloosa with 16 points on the night. Xavier Edwards added 14, while Ethan Stek and Landon Romas each chipped in 7.

“We did enough to get it done,” said coach Erik McGee after the game. “There were some times where it wasn’t pretty, but when it came time, we were able to stretch that lead from 7 to 11…and we were able to put the game away late.”

Oskaloosa (5-7) will travel to Pella Christian on Friday night to take on the Eagles in a Little Hawkeye Conference girls and boys doubleheader. Coverage can be heard starting at 5:45pm on KBOE 104.9 FM and kboeradio.com.

Mittens the cat becomes an accidental frequent flyer after getting mistakenly left on a plane

Posted on by Sam Parsons

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A Maine coon cat named Mittens became an accidental jetsetter this month when her cage was overlooked in a plane cargo hold and she made three trips in 24 hours between New Zealand and Australia.

Mittens, 8, was booked for one-way travel with her family from Christchurch, New Zealand to their new home in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 13. But owner Margo Neas said Wednesday that as she waited for Mittens to be unloaded from the plane’s freight area, three hours passed with no sign of the cat.

It was then that ground staff told Neas the plane had returned to New Zealand — with Mittens still on board. The return trip involves about 7.5 hours in the air.

“I said, how can this happen? How can this happen? Oh my God,” Neas said.

The Air New Zealand pilot was told of the extra passenger during the flight and turned on the heating in the cargo hold to keep Mittens comfortable, she added. Neas was told that a stowed wheelchair had obscured a baggage handler’s view of Mittens’ cage.

“It was not a great start to our new life in Melbourne because we didn’t have the family, we weren’t complete,” she said.

But the saga had a happy ending. The pet moving company that Neas used to arrange Mittens’ travel met the cat on her return to Christchurch and ensured she was back on the plane for another trip to Melbourne — this time just one way.

Mittens had lost weight but was otherwise unharmed.

“She basically just ran into my arms and just snuggled up in here and just did the biggest cuddles of all time,” Neas said. “It was just such a relief.”

Air New Zealand would reimburse all costs associated with Mittens’ travel and has apologized for the distress caused, the airline said in a statement.

“We’ll work closely with our ground handler in Melbourne to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” said spokesperson Alisha Armstrong.

Meanwhile Mittens, not usually an affectionate pet, is “the cuddliest she’s ever been,” said Neas.

“The cat gets as much attention as she wants right now because we’re just so absolutely and utterly relieved to have her back.”

More than 30 bands, musicians to be inducted as Iowa’s rock ‘n’ roll elite

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Pat Powers (Radio Iowa)

The 2025 inductees into the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame will be recognized this summer at Arnolds Park. Ralph Kluseman, president of the northwest Iowa-based association, says more than 30 bands, individuals, and music venues are set for recognition.

“We get to celebrate the talent that Iowa is so blessed with and this is the thing we look forward to all year long,” Kluseman says. “Of course, when we bring everybody together, it creates even a bigger family every year. This is our 28th induction since this great idea was brought into the world.”

Kluseman says the induction celebration later this year will feature a range of activities.

“One part that always gets people excited is the ceremony itself, where you get to hear and see the people who have impacted their lives,” Kluseman says. “They may have been listening to them or seen them when they were teenagers, or young parents, or whatever the case may be, but when we get the bios done and we get the presentations done, it’s a very moving event.”

Tickets for the Labor Day weekend event will go on sale this spring. The dates are August 29th through the 31st. The opening ceremony is held that Saturday morning and the “meet and greet” for inductees is Saturday night.

“That following evening, on the Sunday night, we get over to the roof garden, and we get to put a lot of them that are still performing up on stage, and it just brings back such a thrill,” Kluseman says. “So I wouldn’t distinguish between any of these. All are world class people that need to be recognized for the impact they’ve had on our lives.”

Bands being inducted include: Galaxy, Witch Hazel, Wicked Liz & the Belly Swirls, Kory & the Fireflys, Sons of Gladys Kravitz, The Chevrons, Homegrown Band and Mirage.

In the individual category: Gary Lambert, Tory Steffregen, Kenny Kugel (deceased), Mark Doyle, Dick Howard, Scott Moore, Stacy Peterson, Chad Elliott, Tim Miller and Larry Hrubes.

Two venues are also being singled out: The Depot in Shenandoah, and the Ollinger Ballroom in Pocahontas.

For the full list, visit: https://www.iowarocknroll.com/

DNR sets public meetings to recap hunting, trapping seasons, discuss possible rule changes

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — The Iowa DNR is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting and trapping rules and regulations, and address other topics as requested.

“We want people to come out to these meetings, listen to the seasons reviews, ask questions and hear directly from our staff,” said Todd Bishop, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Bureau. “Part of the meeting will be devoted to discussing potential rule changes and collecting feedback as we work through the rules process.”

The meetings are open to the public. Comments collected from these public meetings will be considered along with other related comments received by the Iowa DNR prior to proposing changes to hunting rules and regulations. Proposed rules will be presented to the Natural Resource Commission during a regular public meeting for consideration and additional public comment.

Meeting dates, times and locations

  • Glenwood, Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m., Southwest Iowa Sportman’s Club, 22869 Jamett Road
  • Waverly, Feb. 17, 6 p.m., Waverly Public Library, 1500 W. Bremer Avenue
  • Bloomfield, Feb. 18, 6 p.m., Pioneer Ridge Nature Center, 1339 Hwy. 63
  • Boone, Feb. 18, 6 p.m., Wildlife Research Station, 1436 255th Street
  • Burlington, Feb. 18, 6 p.m., Starr’s Cave Nature Center, 11627 Starr’s Cave Park Road
  • Chariton, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m., Pin Oak Lodge, 45996 State Hwy. 14
  • Charles City, Feb. 18, 6 p.m., The Pub on the Cedar, 101 North Jackson Street
  • Decorah, Feb. 18, 7 p.m., Franklin W. Olin Building, Room 102, Luther College, 700 College Drive, next to the Prues Library
  • Des Moines, Feb. 18, 6:45 p.m., Des Moines Izaak Walton, 4343 George Flagg Parkway
  • Hinton, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m., Dennis L. Sohl Center for Outdoor Learning, Hillview Recreation Area, 25601 C60
  • Spencer, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m., Iowa Lakes Community College, 1900 Grand Ave. Suite B1, Entrance #1-West side of the North Mall
  • Ventura, Feb. 18, 6 p.m., Clear Lake Wildlife Unit Office, 15326 Balsam Ave.
  • Algona, Feb. 19, 7 p.m., Tietz Entrepreneurial Center, Algona campus of Iowa Lakes Community College, 2111 Hwy 169 North. Attendees should enter through the southwest door.
  • Iowa City, Feb. 19, 6 p.m., Johnson County Extension Office, 3109 Old Hwy 218 South
  • Maquoketa, Feb. 19, 7 p.m., Hurstville Interpretive Center, 18670 63rd Street
  • Perry, Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m., Forest Park Museum administration building, 14581 K Avenue
  • Toledo, Feb 19, 6 p.m., Tama County Nature Center at Otter Creek Lake Park, 2283 Park Road
  • Creston, Feb. 20, 6 p.m., Performing Arts Building multi-purpose room (124), 1201 West Townline Street
  • Lake View, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m., Speaker Park Shelter House, 418 North Blossom Street
  • Okoboji, Feb. 20, 6 p.m., Maser Monarch Lodge, 22785 Nature Center Road

Any person attending the public meeting who has special requirements, such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments, should contact the Iowa DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.

Central College Hits Six-Month Fundraising Record

Posted on by Sam Parsons

PELLA — Central College welcomed the new year celebrating its strongest six months of fundraising in the college’s history. Most notable was the more than $9 million Geisler-Penquite Foundation gift, the largest ever to Central.

In the first six months of the 2024-25 fiscal year, Central received more than $13.4 million in gifts to support students, faculty and staff, capital projects and programs.  The largest designation was the endowment with more than $7.67 million to ensure donor-funded support for students in the future. An investment in the college’s endowment ensures Central can continue to build and invest in programs for a lifetime.

“Our Central family continues to invest in student programs and experiences that make Central graduates well-rounded citizens who can make a positive difference in our world,” says Sunny Gonzales Eighmy, vice president for advancement and a 1999 graduate of Central. “We are so honored by the work of our predecessors who established strong relationship with foundations and individuals over many years.”

More than $1.17 million is designated to Journey Scholarships and annual program support. Gifts to capital projects were $3.2 million.

“Our tradition of enabling talented students to gain a quality education at Central will continue, thanks to the many donors and estate gifts designated to our college,” Eighmy says. “We have much to celebrate as we head into the second half of our fiscal year. However, for Central to remain competitive in the eyes of prospective students, we must continue this momentum and raise funds for scholarships and endowment.”

Sting, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to perform at FireAid benefit concert

Posted on by Sam Parsons

NEW YORK (AP) — Sting, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are among the performers slated to take the stage at FireAid, a benefit concert for Los Angeles-area wildfire relief.

Announced last week, FireAid was originally scheduled to take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. It will now take place in two venues: the Intuit Dome and the adjacent Kia Forum on Jan. 30.

It will be broadcast and streamed live on Apple Music, Apple TV+, Max, iHeartRadio, KTLA+, Netflix/Tudum, Paramount+, Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, SiriusXM, Spotify, SoundCloud, Veeps and YouTube. It will also be shown at select AMC Theatre locations in the U.S.

According to a press release, contributions to FireAid will “be distributed under the advisement of the Annenberg Foundation, for short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters … All proceeds from the FireAid benefit concert at Intuit Dome and Kia Forum will go directly to the event’s designated beneficiaries.”

The lineup also includes Joni Mitchell, Katy Perry, Lil Baby, Pink, Rod Stewart, Gwen Stefani, Green Day, Jelly Roll, Gracie Abrams, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks, Tate McRae and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Dave Matthews and John Mayer will perform live together for the first time.

On Sunday night, it was announced that Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Alanis Morissette, Anderson .Paak, Dawes, Graham Nash, John Fogerty, Stevie Wonder and the Black Crowes have also joined the lineup.

Tickets will go on sale Wednesday at 12 p.m. PDT via Ticketmaster. Additional details about each venue’s lineup will be announced at a later date.

The event is being produced by Shelli, Irving, and the Azoff family with Live Nation and AEG Presents.

Since the wildfires started, celebrities and entertainment organizations have pledged millions to help those who have been displaced or lost their homes, including a $2.5 million contribution from Beyoncé to a newly launched LA Fire Relief Fund created by her charitable foundation, BeyGOOD.

Last week, the Recording Academy and MusiCares launched the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort with a $1 million donation. Thanks to additional contributions, they’ve already distributed $2 million in emergency aid.

The 67th annual Grammy Awards will still take place Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, though the Recording Academy has refocused the event to support relief efforts following the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires.

Businesses in Newton, Waterloo receive state economic awards

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board has approved awards for two manufacturing companies in Newton and Waterloo with the promise of more than 400 new jobs.

IEDA spokesperson Kannan Kappleman says wind blade manufacturer TPI Composites in Newton received one of the awards.”The company is looking to restart manufacturing operations after they ceased production in 2021, and they were awarded at the IEDA board meeting a $500,000 forgivable loan through our High Quality Jobs program,” Kappleman says. The money will help them upgrade their equipment and restart production. “Their project represents a $3.2 million capital investment, and it’s expected to create 320 jobs,” she says.

Kappleman says the restart of the plant is a big shot in the arm for the local economy. “Great News to see the amount of jobs that are being created by this, this project, you know, 320, jobs definitely makes quite an impact for the community and, of course, the surrounding area,” she says.

International Paper, which creates material for fiber-based packaging products received the other award to build a new plant in northeast Iowa. “The company plans to acquire land and construct a 900,000 square foot corrugated products manufacturing facility in Waterloo,” Kappleman says. The company is receiving tax credits.
“The project represents a $260 million- capital investment, and it’s expected to create 90 jobs,” she says,” Kappleman says. The jobs will pay at least 23 dollars an hour.

The company has a container plant in Cedar Rapids and a recycling plant in Des Moines.

Oskaloosa Middle School Welcomes Principal with Deep Ties to the District

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — Oskaloosa Middle School will welcome Clint Gingerich as its new principal for the 2025-26 school year, pending School Board approval.

Gingerich brings a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering student growth and achievement. His demonstrated leadership reflects a strong alignment with the Oskaloosa School vision culture, building a learning community that is for all students and staff.

Gingerich, who is currently the associate principal at OMS, has been with the district since 2012 and in a leadership role since fall 2019. While he is already highly involved with students and staff in his current role, he will officially begin his tenure as principal on July 1, 2025. One of his initial priorities will be guiding the search for a new associate principal, set to begin later this week.

Gingerich began his teaching career in 2011 in Underwood Community Schools, where he taught high school business and coached baseball. Over the years, he has served as an instructional coach, middle school athletic director, and head baseball coach in Oskaloosa. After briefly serving as the principal in Pekin Schools, Gingerich returned to Oskaloosa in 2019 to serve as assistant principal alongside current Principal Mark Scholes, who passed away last year.

“Our hearts are still healing from the tragic loss of Mark Scholes,” Gingerich shared. “Mark’s leadership, vision, and impact are woven into the very fabric of our school, and I am honored to continue building on the foundation he created. I am incredibly proud of how our middle school team has come together during this difficult time, demonstrating resilience and commitment to our students. It’s a privilege to lead this remarkable team as we move forward together.”

Gingerich credits the OMS leadership team, staff, and Linda Brock (who served as interim principal) for their unwavering support and dedication.

“Linda and our staff have been instrumental in ensuring our school remains a safe, supportive, and effective learning environment during a challenging time. Their efforts deserve tremendous recognition, and I am grateful for their trust and collaboration,” Gingerich said.

Looking ahead, Gingerich aims to continue fostering a culture of healing, unity, and engaged learning at OMS.

“We want to ensure our staff remains a united team that provides exceptional learning opportunities for all students,” he said. “It’s about working together to keep students at the center of everything we do.”

Superintendent Mike Fisher expressed confidence in Gingerich’s ability to lead Oskaloosa Middle School. “Clint brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to our students, staff, and community,” Fisher said. “His leadership is grounded in compassion, collaboration, and a vision for academics, and he is all in on our school’s vision culture.”

Gingerich graduated high school from the Iowa Mennonite School, now known as Hillcrest Academy. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern College and later completed his master’s degree in educational leadership at the University of Northern Iowa. He and his wife, Hillary, have lived in Oskaloosa since 2012.

Hillary works at Oskaloosa Elementary School, and their two children, Jaysik, a first grader at Osky Elementary, and Tierzah, a preschool student at Oskaloosa Early Childhood Center, are students in the district.

“This is home for us,” Gingerich said. “We are grateful for the acceptance and support of the Oskaloosa community, our church family at Central Church, and the outstanding tradition of Oskaloosa Schools.”

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