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Ottumwa Announces Trick or Treat Night in October

Posted on by Sam Parsons

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 Tuesday, October 31, 2023.   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.

Witness said man was punched before he died at a New England Patriots game

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) — A man who died at a New England Patriots home game last weekend was punched at least twice in the head during a fight in the stands with a rival fan, a witness said Tuesday.

Police and safety personnel responded to the upper deck at Gillette Stadium shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday and found Dale Mooney, 53, of Newmarket, New Hampshire, “in apparent need of medical attention,” the Norfolk County district attorney’s office said in a statement Monday.

Mooney was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Massachusetts State Police are investigating what the district attorney termed an “incident” at the stadium.

Witness Joey Kilmartin shot video of what he said was a brutal fight.

In interviews with several local media outlets, Kilmartin said he saw Mooney, a Patriots fan, confront a Miami Dolphins fan who he had been arguing with during most of the game, which the Dolphins won.

“He basically engaged in mutual combat with another fan,” Kilmatin told The Boston Globe. “A lot of people started trying to pull them apart. … It looked like somebody was in the middle of them, and then a man in the Dolphins jersey reached over and he connected with two punches to the victim’s head.

“It wasn’t something crazy or out of the ordinary until, 30 seconds later, the guy wasn’t getting up.”

The results of an autopsy were expected this week, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office said.

Mooney’s wife, Lisa Mooney, said she feels numb and wants answers about how her husband died.

“I just can’t even believe this is for real,” she told WCVB-TV. “I want to know what happened. What caused this?”

Gillette Stadium officials said they were “heartbroken” by the death of Mooney, who they described as a lifelong Patriots fan and 30-year season ticket member.

“We continue to work with local authorities to assist them with their ongoing investigation,” according to the statement. “We extend our sincerest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Dale’s family and to all those who are mourning his loss.”

Fan violence at sporting events, especially among rival supporters, is a long-running problem. Among the most infamous was the 2011 Dodger Stadium parking lot beating of Bryan Stow, a paramedic and San Francisco Giants fan.

Two Los Angeles Dodgers fans punched Stow, who fell to the pavement and suffered severe head injuries. He was awarded about $14 million when a jury found the team was negligent. The attackers received prison sentences.

GOP lawmakers testify against eminent domain use for carbon pipeline

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

An Iowa lawmaker is suggesting the Iowa Utilities Board lacks the authority to grant Summit Carbon Solutions permission to seize property along its proposed pipeline route from unwilling landowners.

Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says eminent domain authority is reserved for projects that have a clear public use and public benefit. “It’s a terrible cost that my constituents and the folks in Iowa are paying when their land is going to be seized for this economic development project that does not fit the Iowa Constitutional requirement…for the use of eminent domain,”

Holt says. Holt, who is chairman of the Iowa House Judiciary Committee, says he’s not opposed to pipeline projects that developers argue would benefit farmers by making corn-based ethanol carbon neutral. “Let the pipelines be built using voluntary easements, but not using the heavy hand of government to take the land of others for what is a private economic development project,” Holt says.

Holt was one of two Republican lawmakers who testified today at the Iowa Utilities Board hearing reviewing Summit’s application for a permit to build and maintain a carbon pipeline in Iowa. Senator Sandy Salmon, a Republican from Janesville, called Summit’s request to seize about a third of its route across Iowa “breathtaking.”

“To me this is outrageous, reprehensible and shameless action,” Salmon said, “and all Iowans can see it.”

Salmon said private property rights are essential for property and must be preserved.

Mahaska Health’s Women’s Health Night is October 17

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — Mahaska Health invites the public to join them for Women’s Health Night on October 17, from 5:30-8pm at the Gateway Church (140 Gateway Dr) in Oskaloosa.

It will be an evening of fellowship, food, information, and community, featuring a panel of medical experts who will present on topics such as mammography, cancer care and infusion, medical imaging, family medicine, and more. They will also offer free cholesterol and blood sugar checks for all guests.

For more information or to register: https://www.mahaskahealth.org/blog/2023/09/11/2023-womens-health-night/

Pella City Council Discusses Downtown Sound System, Early Learning Center

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Sam Parsons

The Pella City Council met last night and had lengthy discussions on several topics. One item that received discussion was an agreement for use of the downtown sound system. In June, the council entered into an agreement with Pella Historical Society for the downtown sound system, which was upgraded just prior to the Tulip Festival in 2023 to include the main operating equipment, speakers, microphones, and new cabling. The agreement, if it gets approved, says that the system will be available for use when not reserved for Tulip Time and will carry a $100 daily fee for its use. It would be available for use only with an approved special permit.

The council also discussed possible renovations of the building at 215 Main Street, formerly known as the Pella Early Learning Center. The remodeling of the building would focus on transitioning it from a childcare facility to a modern office space with proper public access, security measures, and ADA compliant bathrooms. The engineer’s cost estimate right now is at around $890,000, and the city has $1.1 million in funding from its Capital Improvement Plan for the project. 

And the council also discussed a proposal from the city’s Historic Preservation Commission to nominate the historic fire station for the National Register of Historic Places, as well as possible upgrades to 218th place and regulations for signs in the public right-of-way. No official action was taken on any of these items last night.

The Pella City Council will host its next regular meeting on October 3.

YouTube suspends Russell Brand from making money off the streaming site after sex assault claims

Posted on by Sam Parsons

LONDON (AP) — YouTube said Tuesday that Russell Brand will no longer make money from the video streaming site after several women made allegations of sexual assault against the comedian-turned-influencer.

YouTube said monetization of Brand’s account, which has 6.6 million subscribers, has been suspended “following serious allegations against the creator.”

“This decision applies to all channels that may be owned or operated by Russell Brand,” the Google-owned video service said.

The suspension means Brand won’t be able to earn money from the ads that run within and alongside YouTube videos, which have titles including “What REALLY Started the Hawaii Fires?” and “Covid Tsar Admits Lockdowns Were NEVER About Science.”

Other channels associated with Brand’s main YouTube page include Awakening With Russell, which has 426,000 subscribers, Football Is Nice, which has some 20,000 subscribers, and Stay Free With Russell Brand, which has 22,200 subscribers.

Brand still has a presence on Rumble, a video site popular with some conservatives and far-right groups, where his channel has 1.4 million followers. He also has 11.2 million followers on X, formerly known as Twitter, and 3.8 million on Instagram.

Brand, 48, denies allegations of sexual assault made by four women in a Channel 4 television documentary and The Times and Sunday Times newspapers. The accusers, who have not been named, include one who said she was sexually assaulted during a relationship with him when she was 16. Another woman says Brand raped her in Los Angeles in 2012.

The four allegations date from between 2006 and 2013. London’s Metropolitan Police force said that since those claims were made public, it has received a report of a separate sexual assault dating from 2003.

Known for his unbridled and risqué standup routines, Brand was a major U.K. star in the early 2000s. He hosted shows on radio and television, wrote memoirs charting his battles with drugs and alcohol, appeared in several Hollywood movies and was briefly married to pop star Katy Perry between 2010 and 2012.

In recent years Brand has largely disappeared from mainstream media but has built up a large following online with videos mixing wellness and conspiracy theories. His YouTube channel has featured COVID-19 conspiracy theories, vaccine misinformation and interviews with controversial broadcasters, including Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan.

He also has continued to tour as a comedian, performing to hundreds of people in a London venue on Saturday. He had been due to perform on Tuesday in Windsor, west of London, but promoters said the rest of the tour was being postponed following the allegations.

Brand also has been dropped by his talent agency and a publisher since the allegations became public.

Ellie Tomsett, senior lecturer in media and communications at Birmingham City University, said it was too soon to tell whether the claims would end Brand’s comedy career.

“I think there’s definitely a market for ‘outsider’ comedians … or people who want to position themselves as some way or alternative to current understandings of gender equality,” she said. “And so I think in the longer term, will it impact his career in the way that we may be expect it to? Possibly not.”

Harvest gets underway about one week ahead of last year

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

The corn and soybean harvest got underway last week in Iowa. The latest U.S.D.A. report says 5% percent of the corn crop has been harvested statewide, which is roughly one week ahead of both last year and the five-year average.

The report says the overall corn condition improved slightly to 48% reported in good to excellent condition. The condition of soybeans also rose slightly to 47% now reported in good to excellent condition.

And 3% of the soybeans have been harvested.

Pella Regional Hosting A Walk to Remember in October

Posted on by Sam Parsons

PELLA — A memorial event for the Empty Cradle program at Pella Regional Health Center is on Sunday, October 15 at 3:00 pm at the Scholte Church in Pella Historical Village. Enter at corner of Franklin Street and East 2nd Street. The event will begin with a service at the Scholte Church, continue with a remembrance stroll through the Pella Historical Village, and end with a balloon release. As part of the stroll, memorial signs will be displayed remembering those precious babies that were lost.

Empty Cradle supports and connects families who have lost a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death. Family and friends are invited to join the group for a time of remembering these babies.

For more information, and to get a memorial sign to be displayed during the remembrance stroll, call Leah Garland, Bereavement Coordinator at Hospice of Pella at 641-620-5050. Names must be received by Friday, September 29.

Mahaska County Board of Supervisors Discusses Airport Voting Options

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Sam Parsons

The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met this morning and had another discussion about the proposed South Central Regional Airport. The board discussed options for a county-wide vote on the status of the airport after indefinitely tabling the issue of the closure of 220th street for the sake of the airport at its most recent meeting. 

County attorney Andrew Ritland said he looked into what options were available for the county to put the issue on the ballot, and said the results weren’t promising.

Ritland said such a vote would be best suited for the initiative and referendum process, which is a city-based process that only applies to charter cities. According to Ritland, Oskaloosa is one of 7 charter cities in the state of Iowa, but the city council recently passed an ordinance amending the city charter to remove the section pertaining to initiative and referendum. A petition was filed in response from the required number of voters in the city to put the issue of initiative and referendum on the ballot; but as for the airport itself, Ritland said he didn’t “see a legal way for the COUNTY to ask the question it wants to ask on the official ballot.” The county would be able to conduct a public opinion poll outside of the structure of the official ballot, but it wouldn’t have any direct effect on policy.

No official action on the matter was taken at the meeting today.

Oskaloosa Drops Heartbreaker to Ottumwa

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Sam Parsons

A game that saw the Oskaloosa faithful go through wave after wave of different emotions ended in heartbreak as the Indians lost in last-second fashion to the Ottumwa Bulldogs on Friday.

The game began with the two teams trading the ball on their opening possessions. Osky opted to try a fake punt on a 4th and 5 situation and they were unsuccessful, but Ottumwa fumbled the ball back to the Indians two plays later.

In their second offensive drive, the Indians picked up a pair of first downs to move deep into Ottumwa territory. But in the red zone, the offense stalled, and on 4th and 3 inside the 10 yard line, opted to go for it again. This time, sophomore QB Kayne Boender faced pressure from the interior and attempted a desperation pass that resulted in a 90+ yard pick-six from Brennan Flattery of the Bulldogs. A good extra point made it 7-0 Bulldogs, where it remained for the rest of the quarter.

At the start of the 2nd, Oskaloosa was in the midst of their third offensive drive, which again resulted in a 4th down decision to go for it; this time, on 4th and 5. In a similar play to the previous 4th down, Boender tried to get rid of the ball before pressure arrived and it was once again Flattery who was in the right place at the right time for Ottumwa. This interception wasn’t returned for a touchdown, but the Bulldogs moved the ball 62 yards in 6 plays after taking over, with a 29 yard touchdown pass from Matthew Mitchell to Javen Rominger putting the Bulldogs up 14-0. The Mitchell-to-Rominger connection was highly prolific for the Bulldogs on Friday night, and this was only the first taste.

The Indians, however, would not give up easily. Their next drive started with friendly field position, on Ottumwa’s 46, and Boender guided the offense down the Bulldogs’ half of the field to set up a 3rd and goal from the 4 yard line. The Indians dialed up a specialty play with sophomore RB AJ Walker lining up in the wildcat, taking the snap, and running a boot to the left, leading to him throwing his first pass of the season into the end zone, where senior Wyatt Grubb was waiting for the touchdown reception. Sophomore Linus Morrison tacked on the PAT and made it 14-7.

The second quarter fireworks continued on Ottumwa’s next possession. It took them only 2 minutes to drive the ball 80 yards down the field in 5 plays. A 28 yard pass to Rominger put the Bulldogs on the 4 yard line, where senior Cameron Manary punched it in to make it 21-7 with about 3:50 left in the first half.

And yet…the scoring was still not over in the quarter. Osky and Ottumwa traded punts and the Indians got the ball on their own 25 with 1:40 to go and no timeouts. Boender found his groove again, dialing up sideline passes to the likes of Max Roach, Heavon Knox, and Wyatt Grubb to put the Indians in Bulldog territory in the final seconds of the half. With about 8 seconds left, Boender escaped pressure and threw on the run to Jaden DeRonde, who was wide open down the sideline, and he hauled it in for a 31 yard touchdown with 0.2 seconds left in the half. The score put the Indians back in the game, 21-14 at halftime.

The second half was defined by Ottumwa penalties. Copious amounts of pre-snap motion led to several illegal shift penalties, and 3 different touchdown plays were all called back for holding. The Bulldogs did still find the end zone in the half on their first drive: a 9 yard run from Mitchell put the Bulldogs up 27-14 early in the 3rd quarter.

But the Indians offense continued to move and groove for much of the second half. Their second offensive drive of the half, which came after an Ottumwa 3-and-out, was 10 plays long and went 56 yards, culminating in a 21 yard touchdown hookup between Boender and Max Roach. Morrison again added a successful extra point to make it 27-21, which is where the score remained entering the 4th quarter.

More penalties doomed Ottumwa’s offense (the team finished with 17 penalties for 145 yards) early in the 4th, paving the way for Osky to take the lead. In the early part of the quarter, the Indians were once again able to trek down the field with the help of the passing game led by Boender and they finished their drive with a 7 yard passing connection from Boender to Wyatt Grubb. Morrison added the PAT to finish 4/4 on the day, and the Indians had their first lead of the entire game, 28-27 with under 8 minutes to go.

The Bulldogs started their next offensive drive with a lot of promise. They were able to pick up 3 first downs and chewed off much of the clock, but suddenly faced a 4th and short in Osky territory with about 1:30 left. After calling a timeout, the Indians clamped down and stonewalled Cameron Manary for a loss.

The game looked to be in Osky’s hands, but Ottumwa still had 2 timeouts remaining.

Oskaloosa opted to run the ball on 3 consecutive plays to wind the clock down as much as possible. The 3 run plays gained minimal yardage, leaving the Indians with 4th and long with about 30 seconds left, at which point Ottumwa had no timeouts remaining. The Bulldogs fair-caught Parker Lewis’ punt with 25 seconds remaining on their own 45 yard line.

At this point in the game, the Bulldogs had only completed 6 passes on the night; 5 of them had gone to Javen Rominger for 85 yards (including a touchdown). In desperate times, the Bulldogs turned to their #1 guy on back-to-back plays, and Rominger managed to pop open over the top on back-to-back deep passes. Mitchell put the ball where it needed to be both times, putting the Bulldogs on the doorstep with under 5 seconds left. After a long stoppage of play devoted to sorting out an illegal shift penalty, the Bulldogs were able to set up their field goal unit in the final seconds, and Joel Hallgren did the rest, knocking a 23 yard field goal through the uprights as the clock expired, winning the game for Ottumwa, 30-28.

The Indians (2-2) will travel to Clear Creek-Amana this Friday to open their district schedule.

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