OTTUMWA — The annual Ottumwa Oktoberfest event brings the annual Ottumwa Oktoberfest kiddie and main parades. The kiddie parade will take place on Friday, October 4, 2024, on Church Street beginning at 6:00 p.m. Motorists should look for closures from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. between the St. Patrick’s Church area and the Happy Joe’s area. On Saturday, October 5, 2024, the main parade begins at 10:00 a.m. where Main Street and Second Street meet and moves east to Green Street, north to East Second Street, then west to the Wapello County/City of Ottumwa Law Enforcement Center. Motorists should look for closures between 8:00 a.m. and noon in this area. Please use extra caution if traveling in these areas during these times.
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Second fan files lawsuit claiming ownership of Shohei Ohtani’s 50-50 baseball
MIAMI (AP) — The claim to Shohei Ohtani’s potentially lucrative 50th home run ball grew more complicated this week, with a second fan filing a lawsuit asserting he had possession of the historic baseball.
According to online records, the latest suit was filed by Joseph Davidov in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court, and the defendants are Chris Belanski, Kelvin Ramirez, Max Matus and Goldin Auctions. Belanski is the man who left the stadium with the baseball. Matus — who filed the first lawsuit last week — and Ramirez have also claimed ownership of the ball.
Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases, reaching the mark on Sept. 19 with his homer in Miami against the Marlins. The bidding for the baseball through Goldin Auctions is currently at $1.464 million.
Because of a ruling related to Matus’ lawsuit, the ball can’t be formally sold until a hearing that is scheduled for Oct. 10.
Davidov claims in his suit that he was able to “firmly and completely grab the ball in his left hand while it was on the ground, successfully obtaining possession of the 50/50 ball.”
The suit goes on to say that “an unknown fan wrongfully jumped over the railing, jumped onto the Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s arm and attacked the Plaintiff causing the 50/50 Ball to come loose and roll into the hands of Defendant Chris Belanski.”
Davidov is seeking more than $50,000 in damages.
The first lawsuit claims that Matus, a Florida resident who was celebrating his 18th birthday, gained possession of the Ohtani ball before Belanski took it away. Part of the presentation by Matus’ attorney on Oct. 10 will be video of the scramble for the ball in the stands.
“Max successfully grabbed the 50/50 ball in his left hand and intended to keep it,” the lawsuit stated. “Unfortunately, a few seconds later, defendant Belanski — a muscular older man — trapped plaintiff’s arm in between his legs and wrangled the 50/50 ball out of Max’s left hand.”
Iowa will have no wind chill warnings next winter
By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)
Iowans will hear some new terminology when the winds of winter start to blow.
National Weather Service meteorologist Chad Hahn says the agency is abandoning a few familiar terms in favor of language that’s a little more direct.
“You may be familiar with the wind chill warning, the wind chill watch, those are going to become extreme cold warnings and extreme cold watches,” Hahn says, “and similarly, for the wind chill advisory, that’s going to be rebranded as a cold weather advisory.”
If the air temperature is ten-below-zero, that’s quite frigid whether there’s a breeze or not, so Hahn says it makes sense to have an alternative to wind chill advisories when it’s not windy.
“It’s all going to fall under this umbrella of extreme cold,” Hahn says. “Cold is cold regardless of whether it’s blowing 50 miles per hour or if the winds are calm, you still have the same risk outside if you’re exposed for long periods of time.”
The term “wind chill” isn’t going away, as Hahn says it remains very useful during the winter months to describe what the air temperature feels like with a combination of cold temperatures and sustained winds.
“We are going to continue to use wind chills. In fact, the criteria is still going to be driven by the ‘feels like’ temperature, the apparent temperature which wind chill is part of,” Hahn says. ” On the warm side, we deal with the ‘feels like’ temperature as the heat index.”
It’s possible we’ll hear about the heat index again in a few days, as the forecast calls for parts of Iowa to see unseasonably warm high temperatures in the low 90s by the weekend.
Music Concerts from Central College This Month
PELLA — Central College will host several music performances open to the public.
The Flying Pans Alumni Steel Band will perform Homecoming weekend, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band’s AeroSteel concert. It will highlight much of the same Aerosmith music performed two decades ago and the current Flying Pans lineup of performers. Stan Dahl, senior lecturer of music, will lead the alumni band at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, Douwstra Auditorium.
Central’s music department will welcome eighth- and ninth-grade vocal students from across Iowa for the annual SingFest performance. The public is invited to the culminating concert directed by Mark Babcock, M. Joan Kuyper Farver Endowed Chair in Music, professor of music and 1991 graduate of Central, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, Douwstra Auditorium.
At 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10, seventh- and eighth-grade band students from across Iowa will present the BandFest concert, directed by Brad Lampe, lecturer of music, in Douwstra Auditorium.
A Cappella Choir, directed by Babcock, will embark on a mini-tour in Central Iowa with public concerts at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Des Moines; 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, Des Moines Art Center; and 4 p.m. Mass at St. Ambrose Cathedral, Des Moines. As part of the tour, the choir will perform at two schools in the Des Moines area.
Central will host the Music Teachers National Association State Competition. Students from across Iowa will compete for the opportunity to advance to the district competition later this year. Pianists, wind instrument players and string instrument players will compete over the course of two days, Saturday, Oct. 26, and Sunday, Oct. 27. The public is welcome to attend the competition.
“We will be using the Fazioli grand piano for the piano competition, an exquisite instrument that was a gift from former Central President David Roe,” says Sean Stephenson, assistant professor of music. “This world-class instrument was one of the draws for the MTNA to select Central as the host for the competition.”
President David and Betsy Roe donated the piano to honor Betsy’s father who was a music teacher. Stephenson says the college is very excited to have it utilized in this competition format.
Burn Ban Active in Jasper County
NEWTON — A burn ban is now active for all of Jasper County.
Jasper County EMA reported yesterday that director Jamey Robinson requested the burn ban from the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Upon investigation, the Fire Marshal’s Office found that conditions in Jasper County are such that open burning constitutes a danger to life or property. Therefore, open burning is prohibited in Jasper County until further notice.
Violations of open burning bans are simple misdemeanors.
Jasper County is the only county in the No Coast Network listening area to have enacted a burn ban at this time, but conditions are still dangerous all around the state for burning. For as long as the weather stays dry and windy, area residents are advised to postpone any open burns until conditions become more favorable.
Doctor charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death is expected to plead guilty
LOS ANGELES (AP) — One of two doctors charged in the investigation of the death of Matthew Perry is expected to plead guilty Wednesday in a federal court in Los Angeles to conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine.
Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors in August and would be the third person to plead guilty in the aftermath of the “Friends” star’s fatal overdose last year.
Prosecutors offered lesser charges to Chavez and two others in exchange for their cooperation as they go after two targets they deem more responsible for the overdose death: another doctor and an alleged dealer that they say was known as “ketamine queen” of Los Angeles.
Chavez is free on bond after turning over his passport and surrendering his medical license, among other conditions.
His lawyer Matthew Binninger said after Chavez’s first court appearance on Aug. 30 that he is “incredibly remorseful” and is “trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here.”
Also working with federal prosecutors are Perry’s assistant, who admitted to helping him obtain and inject ketamine, and a Perry acquaintance, who admitted to acting as a drug messenger and middleman.
The three are helping prosecutors in their prosecution of Dr. Salvador Plasencia, charged with illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman who authorities say sold the actor the lethal dose of ketamine. Both have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Chavez admitted in his plea agreement that he obtained ketamine from his former clinic and from a wholesale distributor where he submitted a fraudulent prescription.
After a guilty plea, he could get up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced.
Perry was found dead by his assistant on Oct. 28. The medical examiner ruled ketamine was the primary cause of death. The actor had been using the drug through his regular doctor in a legal but off-label treatment for depression that has become increasingly common.
Perry began seeking more ketamine than his doctor would give him. About a month before the actor’s death, he found Plasencia, who in turn asked Chavez to obtain the drug for him.
“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Plasencia texted Chavez. The two met up the same day in Costa Mesa, halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, and exchanged at least four vials of ketamine.
After selling the drugs to Perry for $4,500, Plasencia asked Chavez if he could keep supplying them so they could become Perry’s “go-to.”
Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on “Friends,” when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s megahit sitcom.
Fall community trout stocking starts October 18
DES MOINES — Eighteen lakes across Iowa are gearing up to receive trout this fall. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will release between 1,000 to 2,000 rainbow trout at each location as part of its cool weather trout program that brings trout to areas that cannot support them during the summer months.
The fall community trout stockings are a great place to take kids to catch their first fish. A small hook with a night crawler or corn under a small bobber or small simple spinners, such as a Panther Martin or Mepps, is all you need to get in on the fun.
Bringing trout to cities and towns offers a “close to home” option for Iowans who might not travel to northeast Iowa to discover trout fishing. A family-friendly event is often paired with the stocking to help anglers have success and fun while fishing. Check the Iowa DNR Trout Fishing website to see which lakes are having events.
The popular program is supported by the sales of the trout fee. Anglers need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of 10.
Children age 15 or younger can fish for trout with a properly licensed adult, but they must limit their catch to one daily limit. The child can purchase a trout fee which will allow them to catch their own limit.
2024 Fall Community Trout Stocking Schedule
Oct. 18, Moorland Pond, Fort Dodge, Noon
Oct. 18, Big Lake, Council Bluffs, 3 p.m.
Oct. 18, Sand Lake, Marshalltown, Noon
Oct. 24, Ottumwa Park Pond, Ottumwa, 11 a.m.
Oct. 25, Prairie Park Fishery, Cedar Rapids, 10 a.m.
Oct. 25, Liberty Centre Pond, North Liberty, 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 26, Emma Young Pond, Clinton, 10 a.m.
Oct. 26, Industrial Park Pond, Fairfield, 11 a.m.
Oct. 26, Discovery Park Pond, Muscatine, Noon
Oct. 28, Terra Lake, Johnston, Noon
Oct. 28, Triumph Park East & West, Waukee, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 31, Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake, Ames, Noon
Oct. 31, Lake Petocka, Bondurant, Noon
Nov. 5, Scharnberg Pond, Spencer, Noon
Nov. 5, Bacon Creek, Sioux City, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 8, Heritage Pond, Dubuque, 11 a.m.
Nov. 8, North Prairie Lake, Cedar Falls, 11:30 a.m.
Nov. 27, Blue Pit, Mason City, 11 a.m.
Find more information about trout fishing in community lakes on the DNR trout fishing webpage.
Trick or Treat Night Set for October 31 in Ottumwa
OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa Police Department has announced that Trick or Treat Night is set for 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 31, 2024. If a Trick-or-Treater and/or Homeowner is feeling ill please do not participate.
Parents are encouraged to dress their children in reflective clothing and consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives to masks, which can limit or block eyesight. Parents should also plan and review with their children the route and neighborhoods to go to and agree on a specific time when children must return home. A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
Homeowners should take extra effort to eliminate tripping hazards on their porch and walkway. Rather than utilizing candles or other real flames, homeowners should consider using battery powered jack-o’-lantern lights. If a person chooses to use real candles, then pumpkins should be placed well away from trick-or-treaters and the person should make sure paper or cloth decorations won’t be blown into the flame.
Trick-or-treaters are reminded that they should never eat any treats until they are thoroughly checked by an adult. Additionally, they should be sure their parents know where they are going, only go to homes with a porch light on, remain on well-lit streets, always use the sidewalk, and obey all traffic and pedestrian regulations. Trick-or-treaters should never assume the right of way on streets as motorists may have trouble seeing them.
Motorists are asked to drive slow and watch closely for children running in the street.
Jasper County Woman Charged with Insurance Fraud
DES MOINES — Antonia Maddison, age 46, of Sully, was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud – Application Submission (Class D Felony), following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.
The charges against Maddison stem from an investigation that began in July 2024. According to a criminal complaint filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, Maddison added a vehicle and driver to her auto insurance policy in an attempt to obtain coverage for a recent accident. She failed to disclose the accident and made other false statements to her insurance company in order to receive benefits to which she was not entitled.
On September 12, 2024, a criminal complaint was filed in Jasper County. Maddison’s attorney appeared in court on her behalf at an initial appearance on October 1, 2024. No additional information will be provided at this time.
Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.
Dikembe Mutombo, a Hall of Fame player and tireless advocate, dies at 58 from brain cancer
PORTLAND (AP) — Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.
His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.
“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”
Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways — the playful finger wag at opponents after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.
“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”
Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.
He also was part of one of the league’s most iconic playoff moments, helping eighth-seeded Denver oust top-seeded Seattle in the first round of the 1994 Western Conference playoffs. That best-of-five series marked the first time a No. 8 beat a No. 1 in NBA history.
“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. … That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”
Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.
And on occasion, LeBron James pointed out with a laugh on Monday, Mutombo didn’t necessarily improve the health of others.
“My fondest memory of Dikembe Mutombo? He fractured my face on my birthday in Cleveland with an elbow,” James, the Los Angeles Lakers’ star, said while taking several minutes Monday to pay tribute to Mutombo’s life. “I never even got an opportunity to tell him about that. But yeah. I don’t remember how old … I was in Cleveland, my first stint, and I think I was turning 22 maybe?
“I went to the hole and caught one of those Dikembe elbows, and if anybody know about the Dikembe elbows, they do not feel good. He fractured my face, and I went to the hospital that night, and I wore a mask for a little bit. That is my memory of Dikembe,” James said.
James was close on the details: Dec. 29, 2004, was when that play happened, late in the first half, one day before his 20th birthday.
Mutombo told reporters that night he wasn’t sure how James got hurt. “He was laying there and I was like, ‘What happened, what happened?’” Mutombo told the Houston Chronicle after that game. “All I know, I was running to the basket. … LeBron turned around to stop me going to the basket. The collision happened.”
Ryan Mutombo, the Hall of Famer’s son, said in a tribute posted on social media that his father “loved others with every ounce of his being.”
“My dad is my hero because he simply cared,” Ryan Mutombo wrote. “He remains the purest heart I have ever known.”
Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.
“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”
Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.
“He was always there to talk to me and advise me on how to approach the season and take care of my body and icing after games and stretching and trying different things like yoga,” Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “He will be always remembered and may his soul rest in peace.”
Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.
“There aren’t many guys like him,” Morey said. “Just a great human being. When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. … His accomplishments on the court, we don’t need to talk about too much. Just an amazing human being, what he did off the court for Africa. Rest in peace, Dikembe.”
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