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Mel Brooks Musical “Young Frankenstein” Comes to the Central College Stage

PELLA — “It’s Alive!” The Visual and Performing Arts Department at Central College will present “Mel Brooks Musical: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN” 7 p.m. Oct. 25-28 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, in the Kruidenier Center on Central’s campus.

From the creators of the record-breaking Broadway sensation, “The Producers,” comes this monster new musical comedy. The comedy genius, Mel Brooks, adapted his legendarily funny film into a brilliant stage creation – Young Frankenstein!

The plotline focuses on the grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced “Fronk-en-steen”) who inherits his family’s estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor (pronounced “Eye-gore”), and lab assistant, Inga (pronounced normally), Frederick finds himself in the mad scientist shoes of his ancestors. “It’s alive!” he exclaims as he brings to life a creature to rival his grandfather’s. Eventually, of course, the monster escapes and hilarity continuously abounds.

The original Broadway show was directed and choreographed by Susan Strohman. At Central, C.D. Adamson, associate professor of theater, is directing with musical direction provided by Sean Stephenson, associate professor of music. Cynthia Prickett-Beschel is the choreographer. Kate Kanne Smith, assistant professor of theatre, is the costume designer and Ron Rybkowski, technical director of theatre and lecturer, is serving as scenic and lighting designer.

The show is rated R for adult content and language. Children under 12 years old are not recommended to attend this show. Tickets are on sale at central.universitytickets.com.

Theft of 2 million dimes from truckload of coins from US Mint leaves four facing federal charges

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Federal authorities have released more details and unsealed charges in the theft of more than 2 million dimes earlier this year from a tractor-trailer that had picked up the coins from the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia.

The truck driver was bound for Miami when he pulled into a parking lot to sleep on April 13. During the night, thieves made off with a portion of its cargo of $750,000 in dimes, a shipment weighing about six tons, authorities had said earlier.

Thousands of coins were left scattered all over the lot in northeast Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that prosecutors contend that the theft — which they now say totaled $234,500 in stolen dimes — was part of a spree of robberies from tractor-trailers passing through the region that also netted the thieves frozen crab legs, shrimp, meat, beer and liquor.

Detectives said at the time that surveillance video showed six men, dressed in gray hoodies and armed with bolt cutters, approaching the truck in the middle of the night and breaking into it, then loading the coins into smaller bags and into a waiting truck.

The indictment unsealed Friday alleges that after the theft, thousands of dimes were converted into cash at coin machines in Maryland or through deposits to at least four different suburban Philadelphia banks, the newspaper reported.

Four Philadelphia men — 25-year-old Rakiem Savage, 31-year-old Ronald Byrd, 30-year-old Haneef Palmer and 32-year-old Malik Palmer — face conspiracy, robbery, theft of government money and other charges.

Messages seeking comment on the charges were sent Monday to attorneys for Savage and Malik Palmer; court documents don’t list attorneys for Byrd and Haneef Palmer, and a message could not be left at a number listed for the latter.

Iowans Urged to Safely Dispose of Prescription Medications on Take Back Day

DES MOINES — National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 28th, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Office of Drug Control Policy encourages Iowans to clean out their medicine cabinets and safely dispose of unused and unneeded medications. Local law enforcement agencies and pharmacies are teaming up to collect leftover prescription and over-the-counter drugs, as part of this special one-day event held each spring and fall. The spring collection, held in April, netted over 3,800 pounds of old medicine from Iowans. To date, Iowans have safely disposed of over 98 tons of unused medications at these events.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while educating the public about the potential for the dangerous misuse of opioid pain relievers and other drugs. “All of us can help reduce the risk of drug diversion and misuse, overdose, and even environmental contamination by properly disposing of unneeded medication,” said Susie Sher, Bureau Chief of the Office of Drug Control Policy.

Iowans can take excess medications to one of Iowa’s Prescription Drug Take Back locations, including nearly 400 permanent pharmacy and law enforcement center sites available on a year-round basis. For Iowa Take Back details, including education information and collection sites, visit: https://odcp.iowa.gov/programs/prescription-drug-take-backs.

Sites in Oskaloosa include Mahaska Drug, Hy-Vee Pharmacy, and the Oskaloosa Police Department.

Saturday’s National Prescription Drug Take Back events will operate from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at designated sites across Iowa. As part of the national Prescription Drug Take Back program, the DEA also allows the collection of vaping devices and e-cigarettes from individuals, if batteries are first removed from the devices. For more information or to find a site near you, visit https://www.dea.gov/takebackday.

Iowans needing help for drug using behaviors or mental health can go to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Service’s YourLifeIowa.org.

Ottumwa’s City-Wide Drop-Off Day is November 4

OTTUMWA — The City of Ottumwa and Bridge City Sanitation will hold the Citywide Drop-Off Day on Saturday November 4, 2023 from 7am to 11am in the Hydro Parking Lot.

The Citywide Drop-Off Day is an annual event where residential solid waste customers have the opportunity to complete their spring cleaning by disposing of residential bulk items and solid waste for free. Customers should bring their items to the Hydro Parking Lot where they will be directed to dump their waste. Bridge City Sanitation will load the waste and haul everything to the Ottumwa/Wapello County Landfill.

Construction debris, hazardous material, tires, recyclables, yard waste and commercial waste will not be accepted. Customers should be prepared to show a driver’s license with a City of Ottumwa address.

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to host public event focused on strengthening Iowa’s community-based services in Oskaloosa

OSKALOOSA — The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will host a public event as part of their HOMEtown Conversations series in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

During the event, HHS leadership will share updates on how they are redesigning community-based services (CBS) to help Iowans stay independent in their communities through their Hope and Opportunity in Many Environments (HOME) initiative. Events will also include a Q&A period and opportunities for Iowans to share feedback on how to improve the CBS system.

Iowans who need long-term services and supports should be able to live and thrive in a place that feels like home – where they receive services that support their ability to work, be active and enjoy life with people they love. The goal of HOME is to make sure that everyone has access to high-quality behavioral health, disability, and aging services in their communities and has the opportunity to thrive. Through HOMEtown Conversations events, Iowa HHS will gather input from Iowans who use community-based services, caregivers, providers and other invested community members to inform the future of HOME.  All are encouraged to attend and share their thoughts on how to improve these services and learn more about the HOME initiative.

WHO:  Elizabeth Matney, Director of Iowa Medicaid

WHEN: Wednesday, October 25 at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:  Oskaloosa Public Library

301 South Market St, Oskaloosa, Iowa 52577

Swift bests Scorsese at box office, but ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ opens strongly

NEW YORK (AP) — In a movie match-up almost as unlikely as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese took on Taylor Swift in cinemas over the weekend. And while the box office belonged for a second time to “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” got off to a strong start in Apple Studios’ first major theatrical gambit.

After a record-breaking opening weekend of $92.8 million, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” took in an estimated $31 million over the weekend from 3,855 locations, according to AMC Theaters. In an unconventional deal, the theater chain is distributing Swift’s concert film, and playing it only Thursdays through Sundays.

Most Swifties rushed to see the film on opening weekend, when a large percent of sales were driven by advance ticketing. Sales dropped a steep 67% in its second weekend, potentially signifying that “The Eras Tour” was predominantly an opening-weekend phenomenon.

But “The Eras Tour” has still proved to be a movie event unlike any other. Within days, it became the highest grossing concert film ever in North America, not accounting for inflation. It’s quickly accumulated $129.8 million domestically.

More was riding on “Killers of the Flower Moon,” a historical crime drama about a string of murders against the Osage nation in the early 1920s. The film, which cost at least $200 million to make, is the largest production yet from Apple Studios. The streamer partnered with Paramount Pictures to release Scorsese’s adaptation of David Grann’s bestseller in 3,628 theaters, with plans to later stream it on a not-yet-announced date on Apple TV+.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” debuted with $23 million, marking the third best opening for the 80-year-old Scorsese, following “Shutter Island” ($41 million in 2010) and “The Departed” ($26.9 million in 2006). Though Scorsese’s latest opus, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro, will have a hard road to reaching profitability, it’s a successful launch for a 206-minute-long adult-skewing drama – a type of movie that, outside “Oppenheimer,” has struggled mightily at the box office in recent years.

And “Killers of the Flower Moon,” with rave reviews, an “A-” CinemaScore from audiences and the backing of a robust Oscar campaign, should continue to play well over the long haul. It added $21 million overseas.

“Killer of the Flower Moon” also marks the best wide-release debut for a film from a streaming company. While Netflix (which backed Scorsese’s last narrative feature, “The Irishman,” in 2019) has charted a mostly limited approach to theatrical release, Apple and Amazon, which last year closed its purchase of MGM, have pursued more expansive theatrical strategies.

Earlier this year, Apple said it plans to spend $1 billion a year making movies that will have theatrical releases before reaching its streaming service. Apple is also behind Ridley Scott’s upcoming “Napoleon,” with Joaquin Phoenix, which Sony Pictures will distribute Nov. 22; and has partnered with Universal for Matthew Vaughn’s “Argylle,” due out Feb. 2.

Paramount had initially signed on to produce and distribute “Killers of the Flower Moon,” but transitioned into the deal with Apple when costs of project — shot during the pandemic — rose.

“If ‘flexibility’ is the new mantra of the theatrical movie business, then this is a significant success — it establishes a viable option for the companies,” David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, said of the “Killers of the Flower Moon” launch.

As dissimilar as “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” are, they’re alike in their extended run times. A double feature of the weekend’s top two movies would have taken six hours and 14 minutes, not counting ads and trailers.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” also reeled in more young moviegoers than one might have expected. Paramount said 44% of ticket buyers were under the age of 30.

“Exorcist: The Believer,” the horror sequel directed by David Gordon Green, came in a distant third with $5.6 million in its third weekend of release. The Universal, Blumhouse film has grossed $54.2 million domestically.

“PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie” came in at No. 4 with $4.5 million in its fourth weekend. The fifth spot went to the rerelease of Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” which collected $4.1 million 30 years after it first landed in theaters.

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

1. “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” $31 million.

2. “Killers of the Flower Moon,” $23 million.

3. “The Exorcist: Believer,” $5.6 million.

4. “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” $4.5 million.

5. “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” $4.1 million.

6. “Saw X,” $3.6 million.

7. “The Creator,” $2.6 million.

8. “Leo: Bloody Sweet,” $2.1 million.

9. “A Haunting in Venice,” $1.1 million.

10. “The Blind,” $1 million.

Rain This Week Could Help with Drought

By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

There’s still hope that the remainder of the fall will bring heavier moisture than normal that can help cut back the ongoing drought in Iowa. DNR hydrologist Tim Hall says recent rains weren’t enough to make a big dent, but did erase the areas of D-4 or extreme drought.

“Areas of Benton and Tama County that were previously in the D-4classification saw enough rain to improve to D-3. But improvement to D-3 is still D-3,” he says. The D-3 designation is extreme drought compared to the D-4 exceptional drought designation. There is only a small sliver of the state that has no drought.

Hall says late fall has not been the best time to make up a moisture deficit, though there have been exceptions. “By the time we get to November, we see less than two inches of rain over the entire month. However, a couple years ago, we saw a very wet October, we’ve seen very wet fall months before,” Hall says. “So there’s certainly the opportunity to see noticeable and really helpful rainfall.”

He says warmer temperatures would help, as they keep the ground from freezing and shutting out water. “The first thing that happens when it rains is you get water into the soil matrix and you improve soil moisture. And after that, the water can move down into shallow groundwater. That all sort of comes to an end with the ground freeze up. You tend to get very rapid runoff in ground freeze up and not as much benefit,” Hall says.

The short -erm forecast has the potential for some rains in the coming week. “There could be widespread rain in the one to two inch rain across a lot of the state. So there’s there’s some optimism that between now and the end of the month we could see another inch plus of rain which would certainly be great,” he says. ” I mean at now, anything we get over about three quarters of an inch in a week is above normal. So we’d love to see that.”

Hall says any rain we get before the ground freezes is a bonus in helping build up of the groundwater that has been way behind for months.

Love INC of Mahaska County to Host Mahaska Connect This Weekend

OSKALOOSA  – Are you concerned about homelessness in our county or people that are struggling to survive?  Sometimes determining where to go to find a particular service or knowing how to obtain those services is a daunting task.  In the past three years more than 250 Mahaska County residents who experienced challenges were able to access quality services through Mahaska Connect. 

Mahaska Connect, sponsored by Love in the Name of Christ and its partnership of churches, links Mahaska County’s homeless and near-homeless residents to the services that are often hard to access.  This year’s event will be held at Fellowship Bible Church, 1000 A Avenue West, Oskaloosa on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants must check in by noon.

Love INC and its community partners are providing an opportunity for those who need services.  Nearly three dozen agencies and organizations are available, including a legal expungement clinic, medical and vision screenings, driver’s license ID, birth certificates, housing information, counseling services, personal care such as haircuts, recovery programs, vaccinations, pregnancy and parenting resources or just someone to talk to.  These services will be available FREE of charge.  Only legal services require an appointment.

“Love INC of Mahaska County is hosting Mahaska Connect to bridge the gap between our neighbors needing assistance and the church and community resources they need,” said executive director Susan Doolan. “It is a great testimony as our community comes together to help our neighbors.”

There is no cost to attend. Brunch will be provided. Transportation may be available but anyone needing transportation should contact the Love INC office. For more information or to volunteer at the event, contact Love INC at 641-676-3750.

Oskaloosa Turns On the Lights November 18

OSKALOOSA — Oskaloosa Main Street is excited to announce ‘Turn on the Lights!’ to take place in downtown Oskaloosa on Saturday, November 18.  The event will begin at 5:30pm with music from the Oskaloosa City Band, until 6pm. The lights will be turned on at 6pm by the Citizen of the Year. Painting with Lights is the lighting project in downtown Oskaloosa.  “Join us, as we illuminate our beautiful downtown in over 300,000 colorful LED bulbs! This free event includes cookies, hot cocoa, Santa & friends, and horse-drawn wagon rides around the square provided by Mahaska Drug. Free will donations are welcome with proceeds going to maintenance and installation of Painting with Lights,” stated Angie Foster, Oskaloosa Main Street Director.

This year, there will be a new addition to the ‘Turn on the Lights!’ event, the Dancing Lights show! The Dancing Lights, including the downtown tree, can be seen in the City Square Sunday-Thursday from 6-8pm and Friday and Saturday from 6-9 pm from November 24-January 7, 2024. The Dancing Lights have been donated by the Golden Goose Club to the City of Oskaloosa.

Don’t worry about dinner! In addition to many local dining options, Tacos Jalisco and Manny’s Smoke Shack will be serving on the East side of the square November 18, from 5-7pm.

The Painting with Lights Display will be on from 4:45pm-11pm every night through January 7, 2024.  To learn more about Oskaloosa’s holiday events, please visit www.mahaskachamber.org/calendar.

Britney Spears’ book ‘The Woman In Me’ makes private details public, and public events personal

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spear’s highly anticipated memoir “The Woman in Me” will be released Tuesday. In it, the pop superstar gives her personal take on events that have made headlines for decades. They include her relationship with Justin Timberlake and the emotional challenges of an abortion and painful breakup. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the book Thursday. The book also discusses the custody fight with ex-husband Kevin Federline that helped lead to a public meltdown that would end with the courts, and her father, taking control of her life. There is plenty of positivity in “The Woman in Me” too, including discussions of the origins of her hits and a dedication to her two sons.

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