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Summer meal sites across Iowa increase access to healthy food options during summer break

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — Throughout the summer, children can enjoy healthy meals at no charge through the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option, which are federally funded and administered by the Iowa Department of Education. School districts and local organizations manage and operate the meal sites, which are located in communities throughout the state.

Summer meal programs provide free meals and snacks to all children ages 18 and under at sites located in low-income areas and help increase access to healthy food options during the summer break. Children and youth have access to meals within their local and nearby communities at a variety of locations, including schools, churches, community centers, parks, libraries and camps.

In the city of Oskaloosa, there are summer meal sites at Oskaloosa Elementary and Oskaloosa Middle School, the Osky Public Library, Webster Elementary, and the College Avenue Friends Church Park, in addition to one in University Park at the Community Center.

Families can find their local summer meal sites through the following three options:

Meals are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Additional information for the Summer Food Service Program and Summer Seamless Option are found on the Department’s website.

Mahaska County YMCA Buzzes with Summer Activities

Posted on by Sam Parsons
OSKALOOSA, Iowa – This summer, the Mahaska County YMCA is bursting with activities for all ages, offering everything from summer camps to swim lessons, coed softball, and fitness challenges.
“Since we moved, we’ve increased our membership by more than 50%,” said Katy Greene, Director of Membership and Marketing. “We want to offer programs so that everyone feels like they have something they can do.”
The summer camp, a staple since 1994, is designed for school-aged children from kindergarten through fifth grade. “It’s licensed childcare, and they’re very active,” Greene explained. “They spend days at our Bruce & Mary Lou Sedrel Day Camp at Lake Keomah cabin doing archery, fishing, canoeing, and hiking. They also have swim lessons and field trips every week.”
For adults, the YMCA has introduced a new coed softball league, starting July 9 at the Lacey Complex. “It was highly requested by the community last year,” Greene noted. “We have no idea how many teams to expect, but we’re ready for a fun season.”
The YMCA recently concluded its “Ride Across Iowa” challenge, where members cycled the equivalent of the RAGBRAI route on stationary bikes. “Now, we’re doing a hike fitness challenge,” Greene said. “Members sign up and have a certain amount of time to complete their hike challenge goals.”
Rachel Brown, the YMCA Aquatics Coordinator, highlighted the importance of swim lessons. “Drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged one to four in the United States,” she said. In partnership with YUSA, the YMCA is offering free swim lessons for the first session this summer. “We have all different levels, from preschool to advanced. A lot of the high school swim team girls and boys are helping us teach the lessons, and the turnout has been incredible.”
The swim program has seen a significant increase in participation. “We will have given swimming lessons to over 600 children by the end of 2024,” said Alex Anderson, the YMCA Aquatics Director. “Last year, we taught a little over 200 children. The YUSA grant is helping us to almost triple the number of swimming lessons we can teach.”
The swimming lessons emphasize water safety. “We don’t just teach how to swim, we also talk and teach things like the importance of sunscreen, using lifejackets, and even have taught how to get out of ocean currents,” Anderson explained. “It’s all about building life skills to be safe in and around the water.”
All of the swimming instructors are high school students on the swim team and William Penn students, who are certified lifeguards.
The YMCA is also offering a swim team boot camp in July, aimed at kids interested in joining the swim team or improving their skills. “It’s a great way to build up our program and find new talent,” Anderson commented about the YMCA swim team.
For the youngest swimmers, there are parent-baby classes on Saturday mornings. “Parents get in the water with their babies and practice floating, blowing bubbles, and reaching for things in the water,” Anderson said. “It’s about building confidence at a really young age.”
With such a wide range of activities, the Mahaska County YMCA is ensuring a busy and active summer for the community. “We always need more people,” Anderson added. “More swim instructors are always welcome.”
For more information about, membership, or the Mahaska County YMCA, please contact the YMCA at (641) 673-8411 or visit their website at https://www.mahaskaymca.org/  

US sanctions Boeing for sharing information about 737 Max 9 investigation

Posted on by Sam Parsons

WASHINGTON (AP) — Boeing is being sanctioned by U.S. investigators for sharing information about a federal investigation of a door plug blowout that left a gaping hole in a Boeing 737 Max 9.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that Boeing “blatantly violated” the agency’s investigative regulations as well as a signed agreement by providing non-public investigative information to the media and speculating about possible causes of the Jan. 5 door plug blowout on a Boeing passenger jet in Portland, Oregon.

During the incident, a panel that plugged a space left for an extra emergency door blew off an Alaska Airlines Max 9. Pilots were able to land safely, and there were no injuries.

The NTSB said that during a media briefing on Tuesday, a Boeing executive provided non-public investigative information to journalists about the Alaska Airlines incident that the agency had not verified or authorized for release.

The agency said Boeing portrayed the investigation as a search to find the individual responsible for the door plug work, but the NTSB said it’s focused on the probable cause of the accident, not placing blame on any individual or assessing liability.

Boeing said in a statement on Thursday that it deeply regretted that some of the statements made at the media briefing overstepped the NTSB’s role as the source of investigative information.

“We apologize to the NTSB and stand ready to answer any questions as the agency continues its investigation,” it said.

Shares of The Boeing Co., based in Arlington, Virginia, rose more than 2% in morning trading.

The NTSB said that given its recent actions, Boeing won’t have access to investigative information the agency produces about the Alaska Airlines incident, but it will keep its party status to the investigation.

The NTSB is unable to fine Boeing, as it doesn’t have enforcement authority. While the agency could have stripped away Boeing’s party status, the NTSB may have considered it more important to keep Boeing as a party to the investigation because of its employees’ expertise.

The NTSB said that it may subpoena any relevant records it requires during the course of the investigation. It also will subpoena Boeing to appear at an investigative hearing in Washington D.C. on Aug. 6 and 7. The agency said that, unlike other parties, Boeing won’t be able to ask questions of other participants.

The NTSB said that it will coordinate with the Department of Justice’s Fraud Division, giving them information about Boeing’s recent unauthorized investigative information releases related to the 737 Max 9 door plug investigation.

In May the Justice Department told a federal judge that Boeing had violated a settlement that allowed the company to avoid criminal prosecution after two deadly crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft.

After Max jets crashed in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia, killing 346 people, the FAA and other regulators grounded the aircraft worldwide for more than a year and a half.

It is now up to the Justice Department to decide whether to file charges against Boeing. Prosecutors will tell the court no later than July 7 how they plan to proceed, the department said in May.

Boeing has been under intense scrutiny of late. Earlier this month, CEO David Calhoun defended the company’s safety record during a contentious Senate hearing, while lawmakers accused him of placing profits over safety, failing to protect whistleblowers, and even getting paid too much.

There has been pressure on Calhoun to resign immediately, but he has no plans to do so. Calhoun previously announced that he will step down by the end of 2024.

State fire deaths right about average midway through the year

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

State Fire Marshal Dan Wood says there have been 15 fatal fires as we approach the halfway mark of this year.

“We have between usually 30 and 40 deaths a year you know some years a little bit more but we’re right about where we usually are this time of year,” he says. Wood says one issue he’s seen more of are fires that are started by people who smoke or those who smoke while on oxygen. “Those things seem to come up more and more each year. So, you know, it’s sometimes hard to reach those people because they not typically, you know on social media they’re not you know, getting out and being active. But the smoking and smoking well on oxygen also the ones that are really getting my attention each year,” Wood says. There are a lot of education efforts on the importance of smoke alarms, and he says they’ve seen some results.

“It seems to come and go we used to have fires where they have no smoke detection but you know it seems to get a little bit better every year you know people seem to change their batteries twice a year,” Wood says. “We still have fatal fires where they have smoke detection but it didn’t work.” Wood says it’s important to maintain and check the smoke alarms so they do work when you need them.

Wood says the smoke detectors with a battery that is good for ten years are an option to get away from having to replace old batteries. “Ten-year sealed lithium batteries are nice because you know typically you don’t have to worry about him for ten years,” he says. “There’s still that chance of the sensor going bad and you have to replace it before ten years. But the good thing about batteries you can’t take it out.” He says that ensures someone didn’t take the battery out of an alarm and forget to put it back in.

Increased Law Enforcement Presence on Iowa Roads Next Week During Independence Day Holiday

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — As Iowans celebrate Independence Day, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) reminds all drivers, No One’s a Good DRUNK Driver. In 2022, a person was killed every 39 minutes in a drunk-driving crash on our nation’s roads. July 3 through July 7, law enforcement across the state will be on high alert for signs of drunk driving and taking necessary steps to remove these dangers from the road.

Every year, the Fourth of July stands out as one of the deadliest times on Iowa roads. Over the past five years (2019-2023), there have been 32 traffic fatalities during the holiday, with 50% of those being alcohol related.

“If you sense any level of buzz, it is your duty to stay away from the driver’s seat. For some people, even one drink is too many to drive safely,” says GTSB Bureau Chief Brett Tjepkes. “Unfortunately, many drivers don’t realize how impaired they are or feel they’re still good to drive after consuming alcohol. That’s why GTSB launched a new campaign this year to remind Iowans, No One’s a Good DRUNK Driver.”

Lots of planning goes into Fourth of July festivities, plan for a sober driver. When a friend has been drinking and is considering driving, be proactive — take away the keys, find a safe ride home, or offer a couch.

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau works with city, county, state, and local organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce death and injury on Iowa’s roadways using federally funded grants.

Mahaska County Conservation Hosting B.A.R.K. Rangers Kickoff Event Tomorrow

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — Mahaska County Conservation is starting a new program called B.A.R.K. Rangers, a program to encourage people to take their dogs on hikes in county parks. The program is related to the National Park System’s B.A.R.K. Ranger program, but they are using county parks since Iowa does not have any national parks with this program.  Program participants can earn certificates by completing activities with their dog and they can even purchase special B.A.R.K. Ranger swag. They have special dog tags for participants to purchase.

To start the program, there will be a kick-off B.A.R.K. Ranger event at the Environmental Learning Center on Saturday, June 29 beginning at 10:30 am.  There will be a few guest speakers. Valinn McReynolds, MCCB Volunteer, will talk about this new dog program and Nathan Peterson, veterinarian from Mahaska Vet Clinic, will share information about keeping your dog safe outdoors. There will also be door prizes, photos by Wag On Pet Photography, and a park scavenger hunt that participants can do with their dogs to earn a B.A.R.K. Ranger certificate. Dogs are welcome to come and participate with their owners! Note: all dogs must be on leash.

If you have questions, contact our office at (641)673-9327 or email decook@mahaskacountyia.gov.

Jury begins deliberations in class-action lawsuit against NFL by ‘Sunday Ticket’ subscribers

Posted on by Sam Parsons

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The NFL was exploring a world without “Sunday Ticket” in 2017, where cable channels would air Sunday afternoon out-of-market games not shown on Fox or CBS.

The league memo was shown by plaintiffs during their closing arguments on Wednesday as the jury in the class-action lawsuit filed by “Sunday Ticket” subscribers began deliberations.

After receiving instructions from U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez, the jury heard the plaintiffs’ closing statement in the morning. Following lunch, the NFL gave its final remarks before the plaintiffs had 20 minutes for rebuttal.

The jury met for 90 minutes before wrapping up for the day. Deliberations will continue Thursday.

In a trial that has lasted three weeks and featured testimony from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, the April 21, 2017, memo — titled the “NFL New Frontier” — provided one of the biggest highlights.

The memo was a reimagining of Sunday afternoons where every game would be on a broadcast or cable network. Fox and CBS would have paid 25% less per game (approximately $10 million per game) while cable networks would have paid $9 million per game, which was the average doled out by DirecTV in its contract with the league.

The figures were for the rights that expired after the 2022 season. Those averages would be higher now with agreements that started last season.

The league memo showed early games on FS1, ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, TNT, NFL Network and CBS Sports Network with late games on FS1, TBS and TNT.

Bill Carmody, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, called the memo “one of the hottest documents in the case” during his closing arguments.

“It’s so important because this is a document that says everything that our damages model is based upon the NFL looked at and approved of, and in real life, behind the scenes,” Carmody said. “What the NFL’s talking about here … is they’re talking about moving forward with the same network games on Fox and CBS, but, instead of a subscription, why don’t we put it on basic cable? That’s what we’re talking about. Lose the subscription price, compete, be fair, let’s see what happens.”

Some of the out-of-market games under the NFL’s memo though would not be on basic cable. Fans and cable companies would also absorb some of the costs through higher subscription fees.

The lawsuit covers 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses who paid for the package of out-of-market games from the 2011 through 2022 seasons on DirecTV. It claims the league broke antitrust laws by selling its package of Sunday games at an inflated price. The subscribers also say the league restricted competition by offering “Sunday Ticket” only on a satellite provider.

“This case transcends football. This case matters,” Carmody said. “It’s about justice. It’s about telling the 32 team owners who collectively own all the big TV rights, the most popular content in the history of TV — that’s what they have. It’s about telling them that even you cannot ignore the antitrust laws. Even you cannot collude to overcharge consumers. Even you can’t hide the truth and think you’re going to get away with it.”

The league maintains it has the right to sell “Sunday Ticket” under its antitrust exemption for broadcasting. The plaintiffs say that only covers over-the-air broadcasts and not pay TV.

Beth Wilkinson, the lead attorney for the NFL, said the league has not disputed that “Sunday Ticket” is a premium product and that it has always been marketed that way.

“That was never in dispute in this case because none of this is secret. None of it is a surprise,” Wilkinson said in her closing argument. “Nobody in this broadcast world thinks there’s anything wrong with it. They failed to bring any witnesses into this courtroom that agree with them.”

Even if the jury of five men and three women rules for the plaintiffs, Gutierrez could still rule in favor of the NFL and say the plaintiffs did not prove their case.

DirecTV had “Sunday Ticket” from its inception in 1994 through 2022. The league signed a seven-year deal with Google’s YouTube TV that began with the 2023 season.

If the NFL is found liable, a jury could award $7 billion in damages, but that number could balloon to $21 billion because antitrust cases can triple damages. It would also change how the league would have to distribute its out-of-market broadcasts and could lead to renegotiated contracts with Fox and CBS. The current agreements with the league run through the 2033 season.

CBS and Fox pay a combined average of $4.3 billion per season for Sunday afternoon games while YouTube TV pays an average of $2 billion per season for the “Sunday Ticket” rights.

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2015 by the Mucky Duck sports bar in San Francisco, but was dismissed in 2017. Two years later, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over California and eight other states, reinstated the case. Gutierrez ruled last year the case could proceed as a class action.

Whatever the decision ends up being, the losing side is expected to appeal to the 9th Circuit and then possibly the Supreme Court.

Fourth of July holiday may bring record number of vacationers

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

Record numbers of travelers in Iowa and nationwide are expected to venture at least 50 miles from home over the long Independence Day weekend, according to AAA.

Brian Ortner, the motor club’s Iowa spokesman, says it’s a happy coincidence that as the number of travelers is rising, the price of travel is falling.

“It’s a 7% increase on numbers,” Ortner says, “and then cost-wise, it’s about 2% lower than we were last year.”

AAA projects almost 71-million people will be vacationing during the Fourth of July holiday, including more than five-million people in the seven-state region that includes Iowa. The majority of travelers — about 60-million nationwide — will be going by motor vehicle, as Ortner says gasoline prices are down.

“Last year, the state average in Iowa on Independence Day was $3.35 a gallon,” Ortner says. “If we look at where we are currently, we’re at $3.18. That is a great number to see, that the average is lower.”

The projections show nearly six-million people will be traveling by air over the holiday, which would also set a record.

“Prices for air travel have decreased a little bit. They’ve gone down about 2% from last year,” Ortner says. “The other good sign is that hotel costs are going down and rental car costs are going down, so those longer trips are becoming more affordable as we move through the summer.”

Despite concerns about inflation, AAA estimates consumers will be boosting their spending over Independence Day weekend by five-and-a-half percent compared to a year ago.

East Main Street Alley to Close in Ottumwa Next Week

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OTTUMWA — Beginning Monday, July 1, 2024, the alley behind the OHS Career Campus on the 300 block of East Main Street will be closed for pavement reconstruction. The Green Street parking lot will remain open during construction, but can only be accessed from the Green Street entrance. The rest of the alley will be open for delivery and sanitation trucks, but will only be accessible from Green Street. Work is expected to last one month, weather permitting.

Iowa HHS Warns of Serious Illnesses Reported from Diamond Shruumz Products

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — Iowa joins a list of several other states with individuals who have become sick, some in critical condition, after consuming Diamond Shruumz-brand products purchased through a retail store in eastern Iowa.

Earlier this month, the FDA issued a warning to consumers about these products:

  • Consumers should not eat, sell, or serve any flavor of Diamond Shruumz-brand Chocolate Bars, Cones, or Gummies, and should discard them.
  • Consumers should check their homes and discard these products if found.
  • These products may appeal to children and teenagers. Parents and caregivers should consider discussing the information in this advisory with their children and take extra care to avoid these products being consumed by younger people.
  • Retailers should not sell or distribute any flavor of Diamond Shruumz-brand Chocolate Bars, Cones, or Gummies, and should hold the product in a secure location until additional instructions can be provided on how to return or safely dispose of the product.
  • If you become ill after consuming these products, please contact your healthcare provider and/or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Let them know you have recently consumed the Diamond Shruumz-brand Chocolate Bars, Cones, and/or Gummies.
  • Healthcare providers should report these illnesses to their local health department and/or the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

The individuals in Iowa each reported consuming one of the following Diamond Shruumz-brand products: cookies, cream chocolate bars, and fruit cereal-flavored bars.

Iowa HHS officials recommend individuals do not purchase or consume these products and if they have any of these products, that they dispose of them.

These products are considered dietary supplements and are not regulated by the State of Iowa and cannot be recalled by the state. These products are commonly available for purchase at consumable hemp retailers as well as tobacco and vape shops.

Iowa HHS is investigating these instances and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has an ongoing investigation related to these events. The FDA also stated that they had been in conversations about with the firm about a possible voluntary recall, but these discussions are still ongoing.

Any Iowan experiencing severe symptoms should visit the emergency room.

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