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One Injured After Accident at Oskaloosa Sno Biz

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — An accident in Oskaloosa yesterday involving a pickup truck and the Oskaloosa Snow Biz resulted in injuries to the driver of the truck.

The Oskaloosa Police Department says that yesterday afternoon, the driver of a small pickup lost control of their vehicle and struck the Oskaloosa Sno Biz trailer. There was nobody standing in front of the trailer at the time and authorities say that all employees of the business were uninjured. The driver of the truck was transported to Mahaska Health for treatment of some injuries. 

The Oskaloosa Police Department says they will update the public with more information when possible.

Heat Advisory for Our Area Today

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — A heat advisory will be in effect for our area today. 

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a heat advisory for portions of central, south central, southeast, southwest, and west central Iowa, today from 1pm to 9pm. The NWS says that heat index values of up to 111 are expected.

Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses, so take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing, try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening, and take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ smashes R-rated record with $205 million debut, 8th biggest opening ever

Posted on by Sam Parsons

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Marvel is back on top with “ Deadpool & Wolverine.” The comic-book movie made a staggering $205 million in its first weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. It shattered the opening record for R-rated films previously held by the first “Deadpool” ($132 million) and notched a spot in the top 10 openings of all time.

Including international showings, where it’s racked up an addition $233.3 million from 52 markets, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is looking at a global opening of over $438.3 million.

Fittingly for both characters’ introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Deadpool & Wolverine” played less like earlier X-Men or Deadpool movies and more like an Avengers pic. In the top domestic opening weekends ever, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is seated in 8th place between “The Avengers” ($207.4 million) and “Black Panther” ($202 million), bumping “Avengers: Age of Ultron” ($191.3 million) out of the top 10.

It’s by far biggest opening of the year, unseating Disney’s “ Inside Out 2 ” ($154.2 million) and the most tickets a movie has sold in its debut weekend since “Barbie” ($162 million) stormed theaters last July. Playing in 4,210 locations, “Deadpool & Wolverine” also surpassed 2019’s “The Lion King” ($191.8 million) to become the biggest July opening ever, and is the 34th consecutive MCU movie to debut in first place. And these are numbers previously thought impossible for an R-rated film.

“It’s great news full stop,” said Tony Chambers, who leads theatrical distribution for Disney. “Not only is it great for Disney, not only is it great for Marvel, but it’s great for the industry as a whole. We’ve said it before but success begets success.”

That the numbers came alongside an R-rating, Chambers added, was “nothing short of phenomenal.”

The Walt Disney Studios release arrived at a pivotal time for an industry grappling with box office returns that continue to run at a double-digit deficit from last year. Disney has played a vital role in the summer season, releasing the top movies in May (“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”), June (“Inside Out 2″) and now July.

The success is also an important moment for Marvel Studios, which has had several high-profile disappointments lately; Most notably in “ The Marvels ” which opened to an MCU low of $47 million last November.

Superheroes have been struggling even more elsewhere: Sony, which reached a high point with “Spider-Man: No Way Home” ($1.9 billion worldwide) had a new low with “Madame Web,” which barely crossed $100 million. Warner Bros. Discovery, after a string of disappointments with “The Flash” and “Blue Beetle,” is currently working on restarting their DC universe under the supervision of James Gunn.

Marvel’s savior came in the form of two characters who got their start outside of the MCU. Both Deadpool and Wolverine, played by Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, existed previously under the 21st Century Fox banner which for two decades had the rights to Marvel characters like the “X-Men” and “Fantastic Four.” That changed when Disney acquired the studio’s film and TV assets in early 2019 and plans started to take shape of how all these characters would fit into Kevin Feige’s MCU. In some cases, as with “Fantastic Four,” Marvel Studios is starting fresh. With “Deadpool & Wolverine,” directed by Shawn Levy, the stars were as crucial as their characters.

This weekend at the Comic-Con fan convention, Marvel also teased more to come, including Robert Downey Jr.’s return — not as Iron Man but as Doctor Doom.

Going into the weekend, $200 million domestic seemed like a pipe dream. Analysts were more conservative with predictions in the $160 million range. But from the start of the 3 p.m. Thursday preview screenings it was clear that “Deadpool & Wolverine” was more powerful. By the end of Friday, it had already made $96 million and recieved a coveted A CinemaScore from audiences. Critics, too, have been mostly positive. Premium screens, including IMAX and other large formats, accounted for 18% of the total box office.

“Historically, PG-13 is the rating that will get you the biggest bang for your buck,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.

“The old rule that R-rated movies have a box office ceiling was literally shattered this weekend. The edgier content actually enhances their appeal to older teens and young 20-somethings.”

The top domestic opening of all time still firmly belongs to “Avengers: Endgame” with $357.1 million. It’s followed by “Spider-Man: No Way Home” ($260.1 million), “Avengers: Infinity War” ($257.6 million), “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ($247.9 million) and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” ($220 million).

Second place went to Universal’s “Twisters,” now in its second weekend with $35.3 million. The standalone sequel to “Twister” has now earned $154.9 million in North America. Universal also claimed third place with “Despicable Me 4,” which added $14.2 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its domestic total to nearly $291 million.

“Inside Out 2” landed in fourth place with $8.3 million. The Disney and Pixar release this week became the biggest animated release ever with $613.4 million domestically (surpassing “Incredibles 2”) and $1.5 billion globally. It also passed “Top Gun: Maverick” to become the 12th highest-earning global release of all time.

It all adds up to one of the top 10 domestic grossing weekends of all time, with $277.5 million, according to Comscore. That puts it ahead of this weekend last year, when “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” helped propel the box office to over $216.9 million in their second weekends.

“This is one for the history books,” Dergarabedian said. ”Hopefully this will carry over into August.”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” $205 million.

2. “Twisters,” $35.3 million.

3. “Despicable Me 4,” $14.2 million.

4. “Inside Out 2,” $8.3 million.

5. “Longlegs,” $6.8 million.

6. “A Quiet Place: Day One,” $3 million.

7. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $1.3 million.

8. “The Fabulous Four,” $1 million.

9. “Fly Me to the Moon,” $750,000.

10. “Raayan,” $378,571.

Pheasant numbers could be hurt by wet weather and flooding

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

The wet spring could lead to a drop in the number of pheasants in Iowa. Iowa DNR wildlife research biologist Todd Bogenschutz says the switch in the weather pattern can really impact pheasants.

“We went from major drought to major flooding in a pretty short time frame, and unfortunately it coincided with peak in nesting,” he says. Bogenschutz says several factors make wet springs tough on nesting pheasants. “We’re just not sure if the hens aren’t quite as attentive, maybe less of the eggs are fertile if they get chilled. You know and then we think in wet years you know, obviously predators, most to predation occurs by smell and when you have wetter conditions, scenting conditions are better, and so that could be part of it,” he says.

Bogenschutz says the wet spring can also make it tough on the food source for young birds. “Wetter cooler springs could impact the number of insects that are out there too, probably maybe suppresses it a little bit. So maybe the chicks don’t have as much forage base as they do and we tend to have our good years which tend to be warm and dry,” Bogenschutz says. He says hunters had their best harvest last year since 2007.

The relatively mild winter helped more pheasants survive, so it’s hard to tell what their fall pheasant survey will show. “It was a really good fall last year. So I think people were thinking, holy cow, we could be phenomenal if everything lined up,” he says. “but you know that didn’t quite come to fruition. The roadside counts will be interesting, I expect we will maybe show some small increases in some areas, but I think especially up in northwest and north central areas where we got that heavy rain, that our counts are probably going to be lower.” Bogenschutz says lower counts doesn’t mean hunters won’t find pheasants.

“We’re still gonna have birds out there. You know, we had reports of broods early and actually fairly large, a little bit earlier than I normally get them. We definitely did have some early hatch because of I think the mild winter and how quickly it went away this year,” he says. The annual roadside pheasant surveys are held in August and the results on pheasant numbers will be released in September.

Iowa and Mahaska County Election Office Celebrates Fourth National Poll Worker Recruitment Day on August 1st

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — As the 2024 General Election approaches, State of Iowa and Mahaska County  Election Office and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) today announced that August  1, 2024 will be designated as the fourth annual National Poll Worker Recruitment Day. Launched in  2020, this initiative seeks to address the ongoing poll worker shortage, promote civic participation  and volunteerism, and ensure the integrity and security of the elections in 2024 and beyond. 

“Election workers are critical to ensuring accessible and accurate elections,” said Mahaska County  Election Deputy Michelle Kent. “We are excited to recognize and participate in National Poll Worker  Recruitment Day to help bring awareness to the nationwide poll worker shortage ahead of the  election in November and to help inspire civic engagement and volunteerism to encourage people  to sign up to serve their community.” 

Poll worker responsibilities typically include activities such as setting up polling places, greeting  voters, verifying voter registrations, and issuing ballots. Poll workers also assist voters in  understanding the voting process by demonstrating the use of voting equipment and explaining  voting procedures. Local election authorities oversee election staff and poll workers, including  providing training before Election Day. 

“Poll workers are essential to our voting process, playing a pivotal role in the success of our  elections. Volunteering as a poll worker is an impactful way for Americans to serve their country  and communities,” said EAC Chairman Ben Hovland. “The EAC aims to support state and local  election officials in their recruitment efforts, address poll worker shortages, and engage new  generations with National Poll Worker Recruitment Day.” 

Despite many states expanding vote-by-mail and absentee voting options, millions of Americans,  including voters with disabilities and those without reliable mail service, still depend on in-person  voting. Ensuring sufficient poll workers are available on Election Day and during early voting periods  is crucial for providing voters with the assistance they need and providing a smooth voting  experience for all. 

National Poll Worker Recruitment Day exemplifies civic engagement in elections, aiming to  encourage potential poll workers to help America vote. Poll workers uphold our democratic system  by enabling citizens to cast a free and confidential ballot to choose their representation. 

For more information about National Poll Worker Recruitment Day and how to become an election  worker please visit https://elections.mahaskacountyia.gov/ or HelpAmericaVote.gov.

George Daily Presents “The Hobbit” With Help of Central College

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — The George Daily Auditorium in Oskaloosa, Iowa, will present “The Hobbit” Aug. 1-4 with key contributions from several Central College graduates, faculty and staff members. Based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien and adapted by playwright Kim Selody, the production will be performed as part of the George Daily Youth Theatre’s 25-year anniversary celebration.

Central is proud to highlight the contributions of the following graduates, faculty and staff with “The Hobbit”:

  • Ryan Jones, a 2020 Central graduate: lighting designer.
  • Anne McCullough Kelly, mental health counselor at Central: performance, costume design and construction.
  • Mat Kelly, professor of art: set painting.
  • Allison McGuire, former Central voice instructor: director.
  • Andy McGuire, a 2010 Central graduate: director.
  • Ron Rybkowski, technical director of theatre and lecturer at Central: set designer, construction and technical consultant.
  • Kate Kanne Smith, assistant professor of theatre: costume design and construction.

The George Daily production of “The Hobbit” is family-friendly and will feature puppetry and combat choreography, highlighting some of the unique skills and talents offered by the theatre’s summer staff.

The George Daily Auditorium will present “The Hobbit” 7 p.m. Aug. 1-3 and 2 p.m. Aug. 4. Tickets are on sale at georgedaily.org/hobbit.

Martin Indyk, former US diplomat and author who devoted career to Middle East peace, dies at 73

Posted on by Sam Parsons

NORWICH, Conn. (AP) — Veteran diplomat Martin S. Indyk, an author and leader at prominent U.S. think tanks who devoted years to finding a path toward peace in the Middle East, died Thursday. He was 73.

His wife, Gahl Hodges Burt, confirmed in a phone call that he died from complications of esophageal cancer at the couple’s home in New Fairfield, Connecticut.

The Council on Foreign Relations, where Indyk had been a distinguished fellow in U.S. and Middle East diplomacy since 2018, called him a “rare, trusted voice within an otherwise polarized debate on U.S. policy toward the Middle East.”

A native of Australia, Indyk served as U.S. ambassador to Israel from 1995 to 1997 and from 2000 to 2001. He was special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during former President Barack Obama’s administration, from 2013 to 2014.

When he resigned in 2014 to join The Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, it had symbolized the latest failed effort by the U.S. to forge an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. He continued as Obama’s special adviser on Mideast peace issues.

“Ambassador Indyk has invested decades of his extraordinary career to the mission of helping Israelis and Palestinians achieve a lasting peace. It’s the cause of Martin’s career, and I’m grateful for the wisdom and insight he’s brought to our collective efforts,” then-Secretary of State John Kerry said at the time, in a statement.

In a May 22 social media post on X, amid the continuing war in Gaza, Indyk urged Israelis to “wake up,” warning them their government “is leading you into greater isolation and ruin” after a proposed peace deal was rejected. Indyk also called out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in June on X, accusing him of playing “the martyr in a crisis he manufactured,” after Netanyahu accused the U.S. of withholding weapons that Israel needed.

“Israel is at war on four fronts: with Hamas in Gaza; with Houthis in Yemen; with Hezbollah in Lebanon; and with Iran overseeing the operations,” Indyk wrote on June 19. “What does Netanyahu do? Attack the United States based on a lie that he made up! The Speaker and Leader should withdraw his invitation to address Congress until he recants and apologizes.”

Indyk also served as special assistant to former President Bill Clinton and senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs at the National Security Council from 1993 to 1995. He served as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs in the U.S. Department of State from 1997 to 2000.

Besides serving at Brookings and the Council on Foreign Relations, Indyk worked at the Center for Middle East Policy and was the founding executive director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Indyk’s successor at the Washington Institute called him “a true American success story.”

“A native of Australia, he came to Washington to have an impact on the making of American Middle East Policy and that he surely did – as pioneering scholar, insightful analyst and remarkably effective policy entrepreneur,” Robert Satloff said. “He was a visionary who not only founded an organization based on the idea that wise public policy is rooted in sound research, he embodied it.”

Indyk wrote or co-wrote multiple books, including “Innocent Abroad: An Intimate Account of American Peace Diplomacy in the Middle East” and “Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy,” which was published in 2021.

Survey: Iowa, Nebraska non-profits struggle to lower 29% turnover rate

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

A new report shows non-profit organizations across the region are facing severe workforce shortages, and potential solutions revolve around boosting salaries and benefits.

Anne Hindery is CEO of the Omaha-based Nonprofit Association of the Midlands which surveyed the leaders of nearly 700 nonprofits in Iowa and Nebraska.

Hindery says it’s always been a challenge finding and keeping qualified people, and it’s only gotten worse since the pandemic.

“We’re still seeing shortages in things like behavioral health therapists, childcare workers, accountants that understand nonprofit accounting — those are still some of the challenges that we’re seeing,” Hindery says. “So I think the Salary and Benefits Report really helps educate nonprofits on what they need to do to attract and retain talent.”

The report finds the average yearly turnover rate among nonprofits in the two states is 29-percent, while most open positions are filled in less than two months.

“We unofficially track changes in leadership as we hear about it, and I would say before the pandemic, we used to see maybe three or so a month, and now it’s anywhere between eight to 10 a month,” Hindery says. “Some people are retiring, some people are just moving around in the sector. It’s just really an interesting thing to watch.”

The report finds most nonprofits match market compensation and almost all of them post salaries in job listings. Hindery says it also found that almost all nonprofits granted salary increases of three-percent or higher last year and plan do so again this year. In addition, if shows 42-percent of surveyed nonprofits offer bonuses.

“I firmly believe that if we’re going to attract smart people to the nonprofit sector, we better pay them enough to pay off their student loans, give them benefits and flexibility,” Hindery says. “That is, as a membership organization for nonprofits, we try to help our members do just that.”

She confesses that some charitable organizations face the stigma that working for them means you’ll pull down a very meager salary.

“That is an urban legend, that nonprofits mean no money. It just means our profits go back into the organization and into our people to better serve our clients, as opposed to going to shareholders like it does in private corporations,” Hindery says. “It’s a meaningful mission, and so you can go to work every day and whether you’re in direct service or not, you are making a difference in your community, and I think that’s very attractive to people.”

Other findings in the report find more than two-thirds of organizations offer medical insurance and retirement options, while more than half offer dental, vision and life insurance. Also, the majority of nonprofits offer paid holidays, paid time off and sick days, while nearly all have employees that primarily work on-site or use a hybrid model.

One Dead, One Injured After Crash in Rural Jasper County

Posted on by Sam Parsons

NEWTON — A crash in rural Jasper County on Wednesday night resulted in the death of a Des Moines man.

According to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State patrol, on Wednesday night, around 11:50pm, 41-year-old Michael Croy of Des Moines was driving a Mercury Cougar northbound on Highway S-74 south in Jasper County when the vehicle crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a Ford F450 driven by 62-year-old Karl Peters of Monroe. The F450 came to rest in the west ditch, while the Cougar came to rest in the roadway. Authorities arrived and pronounced Croy dead at the scene. Peters suffered minor injuries and was transported to Mercy One Newton for medical services.

The accident resulted in the closure of the county highway until the early afternoon due to the roadway being blocked from the accident. The accident remains under investigation.

Mahaska Health Invites Community to Join Annual Run in The Sun Event

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — Mahaska Health is excited to host the annual 5K/2K Run in the Sun supporting Hospice Serenity House and caregivers in their mission to provide personalized, compassionate care to patients and their families. The 13th annual Run in the Sun race will begin at 8:00 am on Saturday, August 3rd, 2024, at the Statesmen Community Stadium in Oskaloosa, Iowa. The event also includes family-friendly post-race activities. Community members in Oskaloosa and the surrounding counties are welcome and encouraged to participate.

Participants can choose a 5k run or 2k walk. Registration for both options is $25, with the 5k run including a timing chip. All participants will receive a Run in the Sun T-shirt. Free children’s activities, such as a Kid’s Fun Run, face painting, Sno-Biz treats, and inflatables from Lazar Alley, will be available during the post-race activities. Groups and individuals of all ages are welcome to join in the fun. Friends and family are encouraged to cheer on the runners and show support through donations.

“Participants in this event make a difference in the lives of many,” shared Dr. Zacharjasz, Mahaska Health Family Medicine Physician and Hospice Medical Director, “Run in the Sun is a great opportunity to unite as a community to help others. We are very grateful to our volunteers, participants, and sponsors for making it possible to better support those in our care through this event. We look forward to seeing everyone on race day!” 

The annual Mahaska Health Foundation Run in the Sun helps the Mahaska Health Foundation and Hospice Serenity House continue to provide individualized, compassionate care to families who need it most. For information on registration, packet-pickup, race day schedule, and other details, visit: mahaskahealth.org/run2024.

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