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Featured: Central College Expands Majors and Minors

Posted on by Sam Parsons

PELLA — Central College began offering a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting in addition to the Bachelor of Arts degree. Central also added two more minors — data science and social justice studies.

“Central has developed and expanded the options to engage students in fields that are relevant to their interests and the needs of the future workforce,” says Mary E.M. Strey, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.

Maggie Fisher Schlerman, associate professor of accounting and a 2002 graduate of Central, explains that the B.S. in accounting curriculum focuses on preparing students for the certified public accounting exam and meeting the CPA licensure requirements in Iowa. The new B.S. in accounting encompasses theoretical and applied financial accounting topics. It also includes courses in auditing and taxes, needed for public accounting.

“Both the B.S. and B.A. degrees meet the educational requirements in terms of accounting coursework,” Schlerman says. “The students seeking a B.S. take additional coursework that’s targeted toward the CPA exam.”

“For years, about a third of our accounting students have been taking 150 credits to fulfill the requirements for the CPA exam,” Schlerman says. “Historically, Central has been preparing the CPA-focused students with the credit requirements and this new B.S. option provides a structured pathway for students.”

“Our accounting job placement rate is high,” Schlerman admits. “Our seniors have jobs lined up before they graduate. In fact, some of our juniors and even sophomores already have job commitments. We have an excellent reputation and network for students who have internships that lead to job placement.”

New Minors

Beginning in the fall of 2023, Central students were also able to pursue new minors in data science and social justice studies.

The data science minor will prepare students to extract, explore and examine data to solve problems and support a variety of industries, from government and healthcare organizations to Fortune 500 companies and not-for-profit organizations.

“The data science minor is a valuable way for students to learn a variety of concepts, tools and modern technologies connected to data analysis,” says Russ Goodman, professor of mathematics. “This minor pairs well with a variety of existing major fields of study including economics, geography, political science, sociology and many more.”

The faculty are also committed to developing an emerging portfolio of experiential opportunities in data science such as Central’s Career Kickstarter program and other experiences like performing analyses for nonprofit partners and Central’s athletics teams.

The new minor in social justice studies seeks to prepare students to apply knowledge and develop skills to make positive changes for minoritized groups. The coursework will build skills to make effective leaders and advocates.

Central launched this minor in the summer of 2023 with Shelley Bradfield, associate professor of communication studies, teaching the course Social Justice in the City. Students attended class and served with local nonprofits in Des Moines, Iowa, that are addressing social issues and working to create positive social change.

“The social justice studies minor is timely in the U.S. with ongoing immigration and increasingly diverse populations,” Bradfield says. “We are also seeing expanding inequities, particularly for minoritized populations. Social justice education responds to these realities by making visible social oppression and advocating for equitable access to resources and opportunities.”

T15 Closure Postponed One Week

Posted on by Sam Parsons

KNOXVILLE — The T15 road closure, which was scheduled to begin on Monday, November 27th, has been pushed back one week to Monday, December 4th.

The closure is for a bridge replacement near Flagler between Old Hwy 92 and Lucas Dr.  Updates to this schedule are likely pending BNSF railroad approvals and weather.  Construction is anticipated to take 6-7 months and a detour will be in place throughout construction.  As a reminder, truck traffic shall not use Lisbon Dr. (Old Pella Rd).

Originally built in 1964, the current four span structure is showing signs of deterioration and is not meeting the needs of recent legislation to accommodate heavier loads, although not currently restricted with a load posting.  The existing 28’ wide 246’ four span continuous I-beam structure is being replaced with a 40’ wide 292’ two span pretensioned prestressed concrete beam bridge.  The custom two span design was chosen to remove all abutments and piers from the railroad right of way to reduce construction and future maintenance costs and simplify coordination.

Marion County Engineer Tyler Christian said of the closure: “Please use patience as this bridge replacement is completed, and if the currently structure is any indication, we won’t be replacing another for at least 60 years.”

GOP senator challenges Teamsters head to a fight in a fiery exchange at a hearing

Posted on by Sam Parsons

WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressional hearing devolved into an angry confrontation between a senator and a witness on Tuesday after Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma challenged Sean O’Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, to “stand your butt up” and settle longstanding differences right there in the room.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the chairman of the Senate panel that was holding the hearing, yelled at Mullin to sit down after he challenged O’Brien to a fight. Mullin had stood up from his seat at the dais and appeared to start taking his ring off.

“This is the time, this is the place,” Mullin told O’Brien after reading a series of critical tweets O’Brien had sent about him in the past. “If you want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults. We can finish it here.”

The two men never came face to face in the hearing room. But they hurled insults at each other for around six minutes as Sanders repeatedly banged his gavel and tried to cut them off. Sanders, a longtime union ally, pleaded with them to focus on the economic issues that were the focus of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, which Sanders was holding to review how unions help working families.

“You are a United States senator!” Sanders yelled at Mullin at one point.

Mullin, a frequent critic of union leadership, has sparred before with the union head. Earlier this year, O’Brien posted repeatedly about Mullin on X, formerly known as Twitter, calling him a “moron” and “full of s—” after Mullin criticized O’Brien at a hearing for what Mullin said were intimidation tactics.

In another social media post, which Mullin read aloud at Tuesday’s hearing, O’Brien appeared to challenge Mullin to a fight. “You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy,” O’Brien had posted.

The exchange escalated from there, with Mullin telling O’Brien that “this is the place” and asking if he wanted to do it right now.

“I’d love to do it right now,” O’Brien said.

Mullin replied: “Well, stand your butt up then.”

“You stand your butt up,” O’Brien shot back.

When Mullin got up from his chair, appearing ready for a fight, Sanders yelled at him to sit down, banged his gavel several times and told both of them to stop talking.

“This is a hearing, and God knows the American people have enough contempt for Congress, let’s not make it worse,” Sanders said.

As Mullin persisted, O’Brien retorted: “You challenged me to a cage match, acting like a twelve year old schoolyard bully.”

The two traded angry insults for several more minutes — each called the other a “thug” — with Mullin at one point suggesting they fight for charity at an event next spring, repeating an offer he made earlier this year on social media.

O’Brien declined, instead suggesting they meet for coffee and work out their differences. Mullin accepted, but the two kept shouting at each other until the next senator, Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, started her questioning by talking over them.

After the hearing, Sanders called the exchange “absurd.”

“We were there to be talking about, and did talk about, the crisis facing working families in this country, the growing gap between the very rich and everybody else and the role that unions are playing in improving the standard of living of the American people,” Sanders said. “We’re not there to talk about cage fighting.”

Asked later about the skirmish, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell demurred. “It’s very difficult to control the behavior of everybody who is in the building,” McConnell said. “I don’t view that as my responsibility.”

Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said that references were made to the back-and-forth in a GOP conference meeting after the hearing. But he said that no one should take it too seriously.

“It’s a dynamic place,” Cramer said of the Senate. “We don’t wear the white wigs anymore.”

The 2024 Iowa Caucuses Are In Two Months

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

The January 15th Iowa Caucuses are just two months away. Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann says over 10,000 Republican volunteers will run the more than 1,600 precinct meetings.

“I think there’s the makings for a record setting Caucus here,” Kaufmann says. “A lot of this is anecdotal, of course. There’s no way for sure way to predict this kind of thing, but the energy that we’re hearing, the activity levels of the candidates that are still in the Caucus and I think there’s a general concern about where our country’s heading.”

Nearly 187,000 Republicans participated in the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, a record. In 2024, Iowa Republican Caucus-goers will follow past practice and simply cast a straw poll ballot and those slips of paper will be counted in the room. Each campaign may have an observer watch the counting. The tallies from each precinct will be reported to the state party and Kaufmann says the results will be posted on a public website.

“It’s going to be as close to real time as we can make it and every single vote will have a paper trail and every single vote can be audited and will be audited within two days,” Kaufmann says. “In fact, in 2016 we got that job done despite a blizzard.” Republican officials at the county level decide what to use for the straw poll ballots and most will be using blank sheets of paper, but Kaufmann says a few will hand Caucus-goers a sheet with candidate names printed on it. Republicans will be conducting some party business at their Caucuses, but people will be able to leave after casting that straw poll ballot.

“And that’s o.k., just so they’re there on January 15,” Kaufmann says. You have to be a registered Republican and vote in person that night. Iowa Democrats plan to hold in-person Caucuses on January 15th, too, but national party leaders decided South Carolina Democrats will vote first in their party’s presidential nominating process. Iowa Democrats will conduct party business at their 2024 Caucuses and the party has established a mail-in system for presidential preference cards. The results, though, won’t be announced until March.

CPKC Holiday Train Coming to Ottumwa, Supporting Food Bank of Iowa

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OTTUMWA — Help fight food insecurity in Southeast Iowa by supporting the Food Bank of Iowa at the 25th-anniversary tour of the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Holiday Train.

On Monday, November 27, at 10 a.m., the popular Holiday Train will stop at the CPKC Station at 1300 Wildwood Dr. on Highway 34 West. The special holiday event will include music from the train featuring Seaforth and Kiersza, treats and pictures with Santa, a gift basket drawing, and a check presentation from CPKC to the Ottumwa Distribution Center of the Food Bank of Iowa for the busy holiday season.

The Food Bank of Iowa will be accepting nonperishables and tax-deductible financial donations at the Holiday Train celebration. Donations can also be made online at foodbankiowa.org, through Venmo @Food Bank Iowa, and by mail and in person at 705 W. Main St., Ottumwa, IA 52501.

The CPKC Holiday Train, in addition to its own financial donation to nonprofit organizations, raises awareness of food insecurity across the country. Locally, the Food Bank of Iowa provides food and hope for Iowans facing hunger in its 55-county service area, as more than 96 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to feed our neighbors. For less than $2 per day, donations will help a child, hard-working adult, or senior on a fixed income receive the nutritious food they need to survive.

For more information about the Holiday Train or the Ottumwa Distribution Center of the Food Bank of Iowa, please call 641.682.3403.

Merry Little Downtown Christmas in Oskaloosa on December 1

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — Holiday festivities will be ramping up soon in the city of Oskaloosa. This weekend, Oskaloosa will “Turn on the Lights,” and on December 1st, Merry Little Downtown Christmas, an annual tradition, will happen downtown.

On Saturday, December 1st from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., bundle up and make your way downtown for holiday fun and festivities.

Get photos taken with Santa, Mrs. Claus, reindeer, and other Christmas characters from Mahaska Drug and enjoy fun Christmas treats while you wait.

Take a free horse-drawn wagon ride through downtown and see all the beautiful Christmas decorations under the glow of Painting with Lights. Don’t miss the new addition ‘Dancing Lights’ show, created by Jeremiah Maudlin. The light show has been donated by the Golden Goose Club to the City of Oskaloosa.

Pick up a copy of the Mahaska Wish Book and visit downtown retailers to find unique gifts for those special people on your list. Don’t forget to support local restaurants and grab a bite to eat!

Free will donations will be collected throughout the event with all proceeds supporting Painting with Lights, Oskaloosa’s holiday lighting display.  

Looking for more holiday event information? Check out the Holiday Events page at https://www.mahaskachamber.org/mainstreet/ or call 641.672.2591.

Secret Service agents protecting Biden’s granddaughter open fire when 3 people try to break into SUV

Posted on by Sam Parsons

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents protecting President Joe Biden’s granddaughter opened fire after three people tried to break into an unmarked Secret Service vehicle in the nation’s capital, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

The agents, assigned to protect Naomi Biden, were out with her in the Georgetown neighborhood late Sunday night when they saw the three people breaking a window of the parked and unoccupied SUV, the official said. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on Monday on the condition of anonymity.

One of the agents opened fire, but no one was struck by the gunfire, the Secret Service said in a statement. The three people were seen fleeing in a red car, and the Secret Service said it put out a regional bulletin to Metropolitan Police to be on the lookout for it.

The Metropolitan Police Department said Monday it was investigating the shooting, as it does with all police shootings in Washington. The agency said the “facts and evidence in the case will be independently reviewed by the United States Attorney’s Office.”

Washington has seen a significant rise in the number of carjackings and car thefts this year. Police have reported more than 750 carjackings this year and more than 6,000 reports of stolen vehicles in the district. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas was carjacked near the Capitol last month by three armed assailants, who stole his car but didn’t physically harm him.

Violent crime in Washington has also been on the rise this year, up more than 40% compared with last year. In February, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota was assaulted in her apartment building, suffering bruises while escaping serious injury.

Projections show rise in Thanksgiving travel across Iowa

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

Long-range weather forecasts predict favorable conditions in Iowa for Thanksgiving next week, while the travel forecast indicates it’ll be a very busy holiday on Iowa’s roads.

Brian Ortner, spokesman for AAA-Iowa, says their estimates are showing a significant boost in Thanksgiving travelers for our region of the Midwest, which contains Iowa and five other states.

“The projection is four-million travelers out of the region, including Iowans, are going to be traveling 50 miles or more during the holiday travel period,” Ortner says. “It’s the fourth highest forecast on record for our region since 2005, and that means about 2% more, about 85,000 more travelers over this coming holiday than last year.”

In the months since the COVID-19 pandemic ended, we’ve seen a steady increase in travel numbers for Iowa and across the country, as Ortner says many people are taking a “YOLO” attitude.

“Back in late August, there was an initial survey done of our AAA members, asking them why they’re traveling now and why they’re traveling in more numbers, and a lot of them said because it’s the ‘You Only Live Once’ belief, and people want to get out and spend time with friends and family.”

When people make plans to take a trip, gasoline prices often won’t make an impact once their decision is made, but Ortner says it’s a nice bonus when pump prices fall in correspondence with a holiday.

“If we look at the price per gallon today, on average across the state, we’re at $3.05,” Ortner says. “That’s a great number and there are some spots around the state that are even less than that $3 level. We compare that to a year ago at this time, we were at $3.51 a gallon so, more than 40 cents difference.”

The motor club says about four-point-three million people in our region will be traveling over Thanksgiving, with three-point-eight million going by motor vehicle and another 231,000 will be flying. “We’re at a new high for what we consider ‘other travel,’ so that’s cruises, trains, bus and that sort of thing,” Ortner says, “and a lot of folks are heading for those destination cruises. That number is up almost 13% over last year.”

Nationwide, AAA projects 55.4-million people will be traveling at least 50 miles from home over the four-day Thanksgiving holiday.

Sinclair Tractor Raises $600,000 to help ease food insecurity

Posted on by Sam Parsons

DES MOINES — When Sinclair Tractor celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, owner Bob Sinclair said employees made it clear they wanted to do something big. 

A daylong appreciation event for more than 10,000 customers? Check. A command performance from legendary band Sawyer Brown? Check. And then the biggest goal of all: Give back to food banks in the communities Sinclair Tractor serves. 

Big check.

Thanks to the generosity of Sinclair Tractor employees, customers, suppliers and friends, the tractor dealership’s 25th anniversary raised $600,000 to support food banks serving southeast Iowa, western Illinois and northern Missouri. Those food banks include Food Bank of Iowa, HACAP Food Reservoir, Northeast Iowa Food Bank, River Bend Food Bank and The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri.

“We are thrilled to receive this generous donation from Sinclair Tractor, which will impact countless lives,” said Food Bank of Iowa CEO Michelle Book. “We are honored that so many different community members came together to contribute to this gift and invest in ending hunger throughout the region.” 

In addition to Sinclair Tractor, other key donors to the initiative included Quality Ag Service, Michael Walker Advertising, Cookies BBQ, John Deere, the John Deere Foundation, Brandt Agricultural Products, AGI/Westfield, Unverferth, Tractorhouse, the Iowa Auctioneers Association, Farm Credit Services and many other caring individuals and companies. 

“Celebrating 25 years with our employees, customers and suppliers was wonderful,” said Sinclair Tractor CEO Bob Sinclair. “But leveraging our company’s milestone to combat hunger in our corner of the world made it magical.”

About Food Bank of Iowa

Established in 1982, Food Bank of Iowa provides nutritious food for Iowa children, families, seniors and veterans to lead full and active lives, strengthening their communities. Serving 55 of Iowa’s 99 counties, Food Bank of Iowa delivers more than 21 million pounds of food (more than 15 million meals) to its 700 partners annually. Learn more at foodbankiowa.org. 

About Sinclair Tractor

Sinclair Tractor was founded in 1998 as a local, family-owned John Deere dealership. Sinclair Tractor serves southeast Iowa, western Illinois and northeast Missouri from 13 locations. The Sinclair business portfolio also includes five NAPA Auto & Truck Parts stores, Yield Force Agronomic Services and Sinclair Supply, providing a variety of services for large ag customers, residential and commercial clients. For more information, visit www.sinclairtractor.com. 

Drop-off Sites Open for Operation Christmas Child

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — Multiple locations serving ​Oskaloosa​​​​​ participants are opening to collect shoebox gifts—filled with fun toys, school supplies and personal care items—for Operation Christmas Child.

This city-wide effort to send love to millions of boys and girls around the world through the Samaritan’s Purse project ends Monday, Nov. 20. Throughout the project’s National Collection Week, area shoebox donors will contribute to the 2023 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

Find Drop-Off Locations serving your area here.

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