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Pella Man Arrested for Stealing Money from Knoxville Casey’s Location

KNOXVILLE – A Pella man is behind bars after allegedly stealing money from a Casey’s location in Knoxville.

According to court records, on August 31, 32-year-old Jesse Chapin was observed on surveillance footage at the Casey’s store on Lincoln Street taking $2,000 from the store vault. Chapin then allegedly concealed the money on his person and left the store with it in his possession. The store discovered that the money was missing after conducting an audit.

Chapin was taken into custody on Tuesday, September 8, after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He reportedly admitted to law enforcement that he took the money from the store during an interview.

Chapin faces a charge of 2nd Degree Theft, a Class D felony, and he is currently being held in the Marion County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

Eagles Defeat Indians in Little Hawkeye Conference Bout

By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa Indians volleyball team made the short trip to Pella Christian on Tuesday night in search of their first conference win since 2023 and fell short, 3-1.

The first set was a back-and-forth affair. Oskaloosa jumped out to an early lead, but Pella Christian quickly answered with a run to go up 12-9. Then the Indians scored 8 of the following 9 points, playing clean, mistake-free volleyball, to take a 17-13 advantage. The Eagles would hang around until late in the set, however, even making a late run to earn a 23-22 lead. But Oskaloosa was able to rally back and score the final three points to win the opening set, 25-23. The win came at a cost, though: senior outside hitter Hannah Van Arkel left the game during the set with a right knee injury, and she did not return.

The Indians held onto that momentum early in the second set, staking a 13-7 lead, and they appeared poised to take a 2-0 set advantage. However, the Eagles had other ideas, finding their groove in a hurry and finishing the second set on an 18-5 run to win 25-18. The Eagles were able to lean on senior Brynn Runner to consistently terminate rallies throughout the match, and the ending of the second set laid the groundwork for them to continue featuring her in their offense.

Set #3 saw Pella Christian hold the lead most of the way. They were up 22-16 late in the set before Oskaloosa went on a 7-2 run to make it a one-point lead. But the Eagles were resilient and won the final point to win 25-23 and take a 2-1 lead.

The fourth set ended up being the final set, as Pella Christian again bounced back from a deficit midway through. This time, they trailed the Indians 16-12 before scoring 7 straight points to take the lead, and they finished on a 4-point run to win 25-20, making the final set score 3-1.

Oskaloosa (6-7) travels to Southeast Polk this weekend for their next tournament appearance before they will visit the #1 (4A) Norwalk Warriors for their third conference match next Tuesday.

What to know about the Amazon cargo plane crash in Miami that killed 5 workers in a van

MIAMI (AP) — Investigators are still trying to determine what caused an Amazon cargo jet to overshoot a runway in Miami and plow into two vehicles, killing five people on the ground.

The Boeing 767 hit a van on Miami International Airport property on Sunday before ramming through a fence and hitting an SUV on a public street. Five people who were a part of a cleaning crew in the van died while two survived. The pilot and co-pilot also lived.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy called the scene at the airport “utter devastation.”

Hundreds of flights at the Miami airport have been delayed or canceled as authorities investigate the crash site, where the jet and a mangled white van have remained. By late Tuesday, only one of the airport’s four runways was still closed, raising the likelihood that the cancellations would begin to ease.

Here’s what to know about the crash.

Jet spent a long time over the runway before touching down

The NTSB said the plane barreled roughly 1,300 feet (396 meters) past the end of the runway.

It was landing after a two-hour flight from Puerto Rico as storms brewed around the Miami airport.

Homendy called the scene “utter devastation,” with pieces of the vehicles, air bags, destroyed navigational equipment and fencing along the plane’s route. Investigators didn’t have full access to the site until all the jet fuel was recovered from the plane Monday evening.

Former FAA official Mike O’Donnell said that the fact that the plane landed on its nose and right landing gear first demonstrates this was an unstable landing. He said the pilot might have been attempting a “go-around” to retry the landing approach.

Video of the landing showed the plane hovering above the runway for a long time without flaring the nose to force the wheels onto the ground. Experts said it appeared a strong tail wind propelled the plane far past the point where it was supposed to land. Air traffic controllers also had not changed the approach to the runway to allow the plane to land into a headwind. Investigators will want to know how quickly the winds shifted.

All the people killed were in a cleaning service van

Amazon said in a statement that it is cooperating with the investigation and the company’s deepest sympathies go to the victims and their families.

The five people killed were all in a van owned by Professional Ocean Service Corp., a company that cleans planes. The company said it wouldn’t comment on the crash out of respect for the families who lost loved ones.

“Our employees are far more than the people who work beside us each day, they are family, and they are deeply loved. Our hearts and prayers are with every employee and every family whose lives have been forever changed,” the company said in a statement Tuesday.

The Miami-Dade sheriff identified the deceased as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.

The jet started as a passenger plane before converting to cargo

The 32-year-old Boeing 767 was originally built to carry passengers and flew for several airlines in foreign countries for more than two decades before being converted to a cargo plane in 2015, according to flight-tracking site Flightradar24.

The final flight was operated by 21 Air, a cargo carrier based in North Carolina.

Homendy said the jet’s ownership history, maintenance records and operations by 21 Air would all be reviewed by NTSB investigators.

It’s the second crash of a cargo jet in the U.S. in less than a year. A UPS plane crashed after losing its engine while accelerating down the runway at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport in October. The crash killed all three pilots and 12 people on the ground. Twenty-three more were injured.

Miami airport lacked system to stop speeding jets

Homendy has said the NTSB will look at Miami’s lack of a special system to slow and stop speeding jets at the end of runways. But investigators will examine everything that may have contributed.

About 120 airports in the U.S. have the lightweight, crushable material that the Federal Aviation Administration says has saved around 500 lives.

Even without a runway excursion system, Miami’s airport appears to be compliant with federal rules because it has a 1,000-foot (305-meter) safety buffer at the end of its runways, experts said.

Homendy said her agency’s goal is to prevent tragedies, but runway excursions continue to happen even after the board has suggested installing the systems in the past.

“Our recommendations must be implemented or we’re going to be here again,” she said.

Lend a hand at Statewide Volunteer Day on Sept. 26

DES MOINES — Iowans are invited to lend a hand at the DNR’s annual statewide Volunteer Day on Saturday, Sept. 26. Several state parks and forests across will host volunteer events to help spruce up trails, buildings and other park amenities.

“Iowa state parks and forests are beloved places for many Iowans, and we greatly appreciate the help volunteers provide,” said Mike Cox, chief of Iowa Parks, Forests and Preserves Bureau.

Clean-up efforts at Volunteer Day will be unique for each park or forest, and may include litter pick-up, staining or painting buildings, planting trees, clearing trails and more.

Citizens interested in volunteering can learn more and find a park event at www.iowadnr.gov/volunteer. If weather looks inclement on Saturday, volunteers should contact the individual park office in case changes to date, time or meeting location for the event occur.

Oskaloosa City Council Approves Budget Amendment

By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa city council held a regular meeting last night. The council held a public hearing for a resolution to amend their budget for Fiscal Year 2027. The resolution amended the city’s total revenue to over $70.3 million, an increase of roughly $1.5 million. It also amended the city’s total expenditures to roughly $75.3 million, an increase of approximately $5.3 million. City staff said that the amendment was due to increased expenses in projects and grant disbursements, including the Natatorium Completion Project and transfers to support the CORE Downtown Improvement Program and additional Wastewater project expenditures. No comments were received during the public hearing and the resolution was approved unanimously.

The next Oskaloosa city council meeting is scheduled for September 21.

Two Sentenced for Roles in Invoice Fraud Scheme

OSKALOOSA – Two people received 25-year prison sentences in Mahaska County last week for their alleged involvement in an invoice fraud scheme.

According to court documents, 52-year-old Jason Michael Freese of New Sharon was a delivery driver for Mahaska Bottling and allegedly generated invoices in the company’s dispatch system for pickups that never occurred at Can Dough Redemption Center in Ottumwa. 58-year-old Leanna Kay Collins of Hedrick was the owner of the redemption center. False invoices were found dating back to September 2020, continuing until Freese was fired from his role in January 2024.

Both Freese and Collins were arrested in December 2024. Freese pleaded guilty to Ongoing Criminal Conduct (a Class B felony) in March of this year; Collins pleaded guilty to the same charge in April. Both had additional charges dropped as part of their plea agreements, including charges of 1st Degree Theft, 1st Degree Fraudulent Practice, and Tampering with Records.

On Friday, September 4, Mahaska County Judge Michael Carpenter sentenced Collins to a 25-year prison term. Freese received a suspended 25-year prison sentence and was placed on probation for a term of 5 years. Collins and Freese were also ordered to pay $895,936.80 in restitution to Mahaska Bottling.

Indians Lose Tight Game to Grayhounds

By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa Indians traveled to Burlington on Friday night before Labor Day weekend and engaged in a back-and-forth matchup with the Grayhounds, but they ultimately fell short, 26-21.

Osky and Burlington traded early defensive stops, with the Indians reaching the opposing 2-yard line before being turned away on a 4th down conversion attempt in the 4th quarter. But Oskaloosa struck first in quarter #2 when junior Carter Jordan ran for a 10-yard touchdown, putting the Indians up 7-0.

Burlington would be quick to respond, as running back Justin Hudley – who ran for 147 yards on 24 carries in the game – took a handoff into the end zone from 6 yards out. A successful 2-point conversion attempt put the Grayhounds up 8-7 midway through the second quarter. They would add to their lead in the final minute of the first half when Caden Zaugg tossed his first of 3 touchdown passes on the night, a 20-yard toss to tight end Kevin Brown in the end zone on third down with 39 seconds remaining. That was followed by an unsuccessful 2-point conversion attempt, and the score was 14-7 going into halftime with Burlington on top.

Oskaloosa would tie it up late in the 3rd quarter when senior Tyler Edgar found senior Cael Ashman for a 33-yard touchdown and senior Ayden Plumb tacked on the extra point. But Burlington again provided an answer, this time in the 4th quarter as Zaugg connected with Brown once more, this time from 23 yards out, putting the Grayhounds up 20-14 with 6:41 left.

Then, Oskaloosa happened upon their biggest play of the night: a short kickoff by Burlington was muffed by senior Kolby Williams, but Williams quickly gathered the ball and sprinted up the field. Oskaloosa’s kickoff return unit created a massive hole in the middle of the formation, and Williams ran roughly 65 yards all the way to the end zone for a kickoff return touchdown to give Oskaloosa the lead, 21-20 with 6:28 remaining.

Burlington, however, would answer the bell once again. Oskaloosa’s defense forced a 3rd-and-28 situation at Burlington’s 48 yard line after a bad snap and some Grayhound penalties. But Zaugg was able to find receiver Detayvion Pearson streaking down the left sideline, and Pearson scampered all the way into the end zone for a 52-yard score. Another unsuccessful 2-point conversion left the score at 26-21 favoring Burlington with just over 4 minutes left.

Osky’s final attempt at a comeback came up short when Burlington defensive back Roy Brown made an interception on a deep pass attempt. Burlington was able to churn out 14, 9, and 10 yard runs to ice the game and run the clock down to zero, and the final score was 26-21.

Oskaloosa (0-2) will travel to Mount Pleasant on Friday night in pursuit of their first win.

Fuel prices at record Labor Day high in US thanks to Iran war and refinery issues

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — It’s never been more expensive in the U.S. to fill up the tank and take one last summer trip over the Labor Day weekend.

The average price of regular gas was $4.14 a gallon heading into the holiday, nearly a dollar higher than last year and well above the Labor Day weekend record of $3.82 from 2012, according to AAA motor club.

Nicole Collins planned to head from Philadelphia to South Carolina to visit friends, but she said her family has spent most of the summer close to home and not taking their typical weekend trips because driving has gotten so expensive.

“Gas is pretty high right now. It doesn’t help that we also have a baby, so we also have to pay for that,” Collins said outside a gas station in Claymont, Delaware, where regular gas was $4.199 a gallon.

Prices shot up after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February and have not settled down since. Crude oil traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz has plunged, and Iran has refused to reopen the waterway.

“Everything points to the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz,” said Tom Seng, a professor of energy finance at Texas Christian University.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright offered few specifics on when the nation’s drivers might see relief at the gas pump, acknowledging that prices are higher now than Labor Day 2025.

“Yes, they’re higher today, but we’re doing everything we can to push them down,” Wright said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”

The national average for regular gas prices is still well below the record of $5.02 a gallon set in June 2022.

But diesel is a different story: It hit a national average of $5.85 a gallon Friday, a record.

Trucks and other freight delivery systems use a lot of diesel, and that increased transportation cost is being passed on to consumers, whether at the grocery store or through package delivery services.

“It doesn’t really seem like there’s an end to it,” Collins said.

Gas prices typically drop as the summer driving season ends and refineries turn to making a cheaper winter blend.

But Seng said there are other factors this year even beyond the volatile situation in the Middle East that make future prices unpredictable. U.S. refineries are working at 98% capacity, many in the unusually harsh Texas heat. If there are problems there or a hurricane knocks some systems offline, prices will struggle to drop.

And it’s not just a Middle East problem. Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries are squeezing diesel supplies. Chinese refiners are seeing declining outputs as well, said Matthew Metzgar, a clinical professor of economics at UNC Charlotte.

“There’s just less gasoline coming out of those refineries,” Metzgar said.

Wright, the energy secretary, said the Trump administration was taking steps to increase production and that the markets forecast lower prices in the coming months.

“If you look at the futures prices, if you wanted to buy today in bulk gasoline for two months out in November, it’s about $0.35 cheaper than it is today. So the marketplace thinks gasoline prices are going to move meaningfully lower,” he said.

Geopolitically, though, there is little a driver can do to knock down gas prices.

But using price apps can help save a little money, especially on long trips where gas by the interstate could be 10 to 15 cents per gallon more expensive than at stations a short drive down the road, Metzgar said.

Study: Many Iowans think they can go 10 over the speed limit without a ticket

By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

A new study suggests speeding has become routine for many of the state’s drivers.

AAA-Iowa spokeswoman Brynna Knapp says the research found going well above the posted limit is increasingly viewed as normal behavior.

“Speeding has become so common that many drivers consider going 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit acceptable. It’s just become a norm,” Knapp says. “So we looked into the study of why do drivers speed, what’s going to make drivers slow down, and how can we change those norms and attitudes on the road?”

Why are people putting the pedal to the metal? Knapp says one of the biggest factors is simply not wanting to get stuck behind someone moving slower.

“We all have felt that when we’re in a rush and we feel like other people aren’t going as fast as we want them to and we need to get to our destination,” she says.

Thirty-one percent of respondents cited getting around slower drivers, while 25 percent said they speed to reach their destination more quickly. The study also asked drivers what would make them slow down, and their responses included: bad weather, avoiding a crash, and avoiding a ticket. Still, Knapp says the research found many motorists believe there’s a cushion before police will stop them.

“Many drivers don’t expect enforcement until they are driving roughly 10 to 12 miles per hour over the road,” Knapp says. “So people are driving over the posted speed limit with the thought that they aren’t going to get pulled over unless they’re going at a really egregious speed over the speed limit.”

While the study found more than 90 percent of drivers believe speed bumps are effective, fewer than half support installing them in their own neighborhoods. Drivers also favor warning systems that alert them when they’re speeding, but not technology that actively limits a vehicle’s speed.

Oskaloosa City Council to Meet Tonight

By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa city council will host their next regular meeting tonight. On the agenda is an update regarding the city’s wastewater 28E agreement, as well as a resolution to amend the city’s budget for Fiscal Year 2027. The resolution reflects an increase of roughly $1.5 million in revenue as well as an increase of roughly $5.3 million in expenditures, which is due to increased expenses in projects and grant disbursements, according to city staff.

Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:00 PM in the Oskaloosa City Hall council chambers.

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