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Steamy heat wave due to arrive just in time for RAGBRAI

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

Those thousands of bicyclists who will trek across Iowa next week will face many challenges, not the least of which will be Iowa’s summer heat.

Meteorologist Kristy Carter, at the National Weather Service, says they’re predicting a heat wave to arrive right around the time the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa begins on Sunday, meaning, those RAGBRAI riders will be roasting for much of the journey.

“We still have the generally cooler conditions through the rest of this week, but we are looking at that warming trend starting next week with some actually pretty hot conditions by roughly mid next week, where our heat index values may reach or near at least 100 degrees,” Carter says. “We are certainly looking at that signal for above-normal temperatures.”

So far, this July hasn’t been as brutal as in summers past, but forecasters say that’s about to change.

Carter says, “Right now, the official forecast only goes out through really next Wednesday, but we are looking at highs in the mid to upper 90s on both Tuesday and Wednesday.”

Depending on the humidity levels, the weather service may be issuing heat advisories or even heat warnings next week. “That’ll certainly be something we’ll be watching over the next several days, just to see how everything plays out with what are the temperatures, what are those dew point values,” Carter says. “Right now, our heat indices are, for the most part, below 100 and our forecast for next week, that’ll certainly be something we’ll be watching.”

The experts say one key way to stay safe when it’s sweltering outdoors is to limit physical activity, which isn’t an option for those who are pedaling their way across the state. Carter says RAGBRAI riders should follow the rest of the guidelines.

“Wear light-colored clothing, make sure to have plenty of water,” Carter says, “and just try to maybe bike a little bit earlier in the day, if possible, just to kind of avoid that late afternoon heat.”

The 50th annual ride starts Sunday in Sioux City and ends next Saturday, 500 miles later, in Davenport.

Ottumwa HyNoon Kiwanis to Hold Pork BBQ Fundraiser at Live After Five

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa Hy-Noon Kiwanis Club will hold their annual Pork BBQ Dinner at Central Park from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 28th as part of “Live After Five.”

The BBQ dinner will include a BBQ pork sandwich, coleslaw, baked beans and a drink all for $10 per person.   Drive-up service will be available.  Those wishing drive-up service should drive on 2nd street to Court St., north on Court and right on 3rd to pick up orders.

Advance tickets are available from any Ottumwa Hy-Noon Kiwanian including, Suzanne Morrison at South Ottumwa Savings Bank and Sonja Ferrell at the Ottumwa Public Library.

Profits from the Kiwanis Pork BBQ will go the Children’s Library at the Ottumwa Public Library.  Since 2002 the Kiwanis organizations in Ottumwa have contributed $58,140 to the Ottumwa Public Library, primarily through funds raised at this event.

The Kiwanis would give special thank these supporting businesses – JBS, Keurig-Dr. Pepper, Warehouse BBQ,  Hotel Ottumwa,  City Ice and South Ottumwa Savings Bank.

Musical and Agricultural Heritage of Oskaloosa to be Celebrated at 36th Annual Sweet Corn Serenade

Posted on by Sam Parsons

OSKALOOSA — The 36th Annual Sweet Corn Serenade is being held on Thursday, July 27 in downtown Oskaloosa.  This year’s event includes kids’ activities, food vendors, and a Craft & Vendor Fair starting at 12 pm and going through 9 pm. Starting at 4 pm, hamburgers, beverages, pie, and sweet corn will be served until 9 pm or until it runs out. The hamburgers are being grilled courtesy of the Mahaska County Cattlemen’s Association. Two concerts will be held, the first being the Royce Johns Concert from 4:30-7:30 pm. The Oskaloosa City Band will play in the Bandstand from 8 pm-9 pm. 

Food Vendors include Chick-A-Bock Chicken Bowls, Eatery Island, Fat Cow Creamery, Grubby’s Kettle Korn, Honeybee Camper Co, My Eatzz, Sno Biz, Tacos Jalisco, and The Barnyard Tenderloin Xpress. The Children’s Coloring Contest is returning as well, with entries being due by 5 pm on Friday, July 28th. There will be prizes! Other fun events include the Farm Bureau’s Activity Zone (5-8pm), featuring a petting zoo, face painting, wagon rides, a coloring table, and more. Various businesses will be offering creative stations, including Smokey Row’s lotus drink station, ISU Extension Storywalk® (5-8 pm), Kids Pedal Tractor Pull (5:30-7:30 pm), YMCA’s Imagination Blocks (5-8 pm), the Community 1st Train, Lions Club’s Spin art station, a big chair photo op and craft station at the Oskaloosa Public Library, and Red Rock Threshers’ tractor and wagon rides. United Way of Mahaska will be hosting a 9-square game from noon-7 pm. 

The food line will be a little different this year. Purchase one meal ticket for a hamburger, an ear of corn, and a drink for $8. Meal order tickets will not be used this year. If you are looking to purchase extra corn or pie only, look for the additional tent that will be located across from the ‘Meal Only’ tent for these food items. Extra corn will be $1 per ear and pie will be $2 per slice. Be sure to bring your cash. 

For more information about Sweet Corn Serenade, contact the Mahaska Chamber at chamber@mahaskachamber.org, or call 641-672-2591.

How hard is it to win the lottery? Odds to keep in mind as Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots soar

Posted on by Sam Parsons

NEW YORK (AP) — There’s no shaking it. Your chances of winning the lottery are extremely slim — even as more and more eye top prizes soaring to jaw-dropping heights.

Ahead of Wednesday night’s drawing, the estimated jackpot for Powerball reached $1 billion — marking the seventh largest prize across U.S. lottery history. And Mega Millions’ jackpot grew to an estimated $720 million after there was no winner Tuesday.

But don’t plan on entering a new tax bracket anytime soon. The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot — no matter the size — stand near 1 in 292.2 million. Chances of taking home Mega Millions’ top prize are even lower, at about 1 in 302.6 million.

Because of the almost impossible chance of winning big, experts stress that you shouldn’t spend all your money on lottery tickets. If you choose to play, it’s important to be mindful of what you can afford — and maybe consider other places to put your money, even if it’s just a few dollars at a time.

Lottery tickets are “definitely not good investments,” Matthew Kovach, an assistant professor in Virginia Tech’s economics department told The Associated Press. “They’re not even investments … there’s an expectation you will always lose money.”

Here are some things to know about the odds of winning the lottery.

WINNING THE LOTTERY IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. WHAT’S MORE LIKELY?

There’s a long list of rare events that are more likely than winning the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

“Imagine you have scrabble tiles that spell out ‘Powerball.’ Mix them up and then select them in a random order,” Kovach explained. “The chance of correctly spelling ‘Powerball’ is about 1 out of 180,000, which is very unlikely. Still, that is over 1,600 times more likely than winning the Powerball lottery.”

Another common comparison is getting struck by lighting. Even if you bought a lottery ticket for every drawing over 80 years — two times a week for Mega Millions and three times a week for Powerball — you would still be far less likely to win than to be struck by lighting once in your lifetime, Syracuse University mathematics professor Steven Diaz added.

Of course, both Mega Millions and Powerball offer a handful of tiers below the top jackpots — with the lowest prizes starting at $2 and $4, respectfully. For both games, the odds of winning any prize stand at about 1 in 24.

HAS WINNING THE LOTTERY BECOME HARDER?

Yes. Winning the lottery has become harder in recent years, causing jackpots to grow bigger and bigger — and that’s by design.

Such big jackpots comes down to math and more difficult odds. In 2015, the Powerball lottery lengthened the odds of winning from 1 in 175.2 million to 1 in 292.2 million. Mega Millions followed two years later, lengthening the odds of winning the top prize from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.6 million. The largest lottery jackpots in the U.S. have come since those changes were made.

HOW MUCH DO JACKPOT WINNERS REALLY TAKE HOME?

When someone wins a lottery jackpot in games like Powerball or Mega Millions they have two options: an annuity that is distributed over 29 years or a (significantly smaller) cash payout.

The estimated $1 billion jackpot that we see for Powerball’s Wednesday drawing, for example, is the annuity option — and the cash value for this prize is nearly half that, standing at $516.8 million. Most jackpot winners opt for the cash.

Federal and state taxes will also lower the money you take home, with deductions depending on where you live.

IS BUYING A LOTTERY TICKET A GOOD INVESTMENT?

Because winning is so rare, experts maintain that lottery tickets are horrible investments — but note that every person’s reason for playing the lottery is different.

Some people might buy a $2 lottery ticket as a form of entertainment and find satisfaction in “the excitement of thinking you might win,” Diaz says. Meanwhile, others may enter the lottery out of feelings of desperation or financial struggle — with experts pointing to consequences that have disproportionately impacted low-income communities.

The lottery has historically acted as a regressive tax on the poor, meaning the people that can least afford to lose their money buy the most tickets, Lia Nower, a professor and the director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University, previously told The AP.

She said her “concern with lottery is really more people who are buying it every day or two or three times a week” as opposed to those who purchase one ticket as the jackpot nears $1 billion.

A $2 ticket may not seem like much — but it can add up for those who are regularly buying lottery tickets over time. Alternative spending options could include opening an investment account that allows you to invest in small amounts or buying partial stock, Kovach says.

“In reality, it’s probably best to diversify by something like an index fund — but if you’re just starting out, I would… (suggest putting it) in the stock market or something like that,” he said. “You will actually probably see a return over time.”

Reynolds’ update on her state gov’t realignment plan

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

Governor Kim Reynolds says more than 2600 state employees have transitioned to a different state agency after her state government reorganization plan took effect July 1.

The number of state agencies has been cut from 37 down to 16. Over 500 open positions in state government have been eliminated. Reynolds said the workforce may shrink through attribution, as more as state employees resign or retire.

“We’re going to continue to look at ways that we can be lean and mean and just really provide a one-stop shop for Iowans,” Reynolds said Tuesday.

Reynolds hired a consulting firm to examine how other states operated, examine agencies within the executive branch of Iowa’s state government and come up with a realignment plan to present to the legislature. The governor said that was critical because “my small staff” didn’t have the capacity to do “an enterprise wide assessment.”

Central College Welcomes Six New Board Members

Posted on by Sam Parsons

PELLA — Central College announced changes to its Board of Trustees with the addition of six new members and the retirement of three individuals.

Joining the Central board are Lori Fegley, Kara Kohler Hoogensen, Shannan Mattiace, Marc Poortinga, Dave Smith and Kelly Vielmo.

“We welcome the diversity of experiences in the members joining the board,” says Central President Mark Putnam. “Our board members bring the perspectives of employers for our graduates, and as alumni, donors and community members. Our current board has done a fantastic job of cultivating the next generation of leaders and recruiting talented individuals. The college is fortunate to have such strong leadership from its board of trustees.”

A look at the new members:

Lori Fegley, a 1980 Central graduate, is a retired educator from Cedar Falls, Iowa. She previously served on Central’s Parent Advisory Council, National Advisory Council and a class reunion chair. She and her husband, Brian, a 1980 graduate, were selected as Mr. and Mrs. Alumni in 2009. They are past parents of Central alums Allison, a 2008 Central graduate, and Peter, a 2011 Central graduate.

Kara Kohler Hoogensen, a 1996 Central graduate, is a senior vice president of benefits and protection – head of workplace benefits, at Principal Financial Group in Des Moines, Iowa. She and her husband, Steve, have two children, Kate, Class of 2024 and Mallory.

Shannan Mattiace, a 1990 Central graduate, is a professor of political science and international studies at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. She received an honorary degree from Central in 2021. Her teaching and research focus on Latin American and Mexican politics, inspired by Central professors and study abroad experiences in Mérida and London. She is married to Tomas Nonnenmacher.

Marc Poortinga, a 1998 Central graduate, is a co-owner of Distinctive Custom Cabinetry in Phoenix, Arizona. He spent his early work career serving in various roles for Pella Corporation before starting Distinctive Custom Cabinetry in 2007. He is married to Ellen Gallinger Poortinga, a 2004 Central graduate. They have four daughters, Maree, Ellie, Audrey and Jolie.

Dave Smith is president and owner of Ridgeway Petroleum, Inc., a gas station, convenience store and car wash operation located in Lansing, Illinois. Dave and his wife, Kathy, are past parents of three Central alumni – Cal, a Class of 2018 graduate, Carter and Cody, both 2020 graduates.

Kelly Vielmo, a 1999 Central graduate, works at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the technology field, in the Washington, D.C. area. He and his husband, Jack, have three teenage children.

Three Board of Trustees members were granted trustee emeritus status in recognition of their years of service to the college.

Shayla From, West Des Moines, Iowa, served for 15 years with many leadership roles as board secretary, and a member of the executive committee and others. She was a guiding force behind the creation and development of the Central RED Society along with board colleague Donna Davisson Smith, Central Class of 1981.

Sophie Mathonnet-VanderWell, a retired pastor from Pella, Iowa, completed 21 years on the board. She served as the chair of the academic excellence committee and member of the executive committee, student development committee and others.

Bill Rankin, a 1969 Central graduate, from Seattle, Washington, was a board member for eight years since 2015. Through his years of service, he was on the executive committee, student development committee, enrollment committee and others.

“These committed and brilliant trustees provided excellent leadership throughout their time on the board. They are, and continue to be, devoted to Central students and their success,” says Tej Dhawan, Central Board of Trustee chair and 1991 graduate.

Pella City Council Discusses Community Center, Ambulance Services

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By Sam Parsons

The Pella City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday and had policy and planning discussions on the Community Center and ambulance service.

In April, the council approved an architectural and engineering agreement with Schemmer, who gave an update to the council on the project, which is currently estimated to cost approximately $4.3 million after the city allocated $5.5 million for a base plan. The base plan includes mechanical, electrical, and plumbing upgrades, as well as improved accessibility, exterior improvements, renovations to reopen the community gym, and fire protection enhancements. No official action was taken regarding the Community Center at the meeting this week.

The council also discussed their ambulance service after it was proposed at a recent council meeting for the city to expand its ambulance service to surrounding rural communities, including the city of Leighton and several townships in the area. It was estimated at that meeting that it would require a subsidy of roughly $130,000 per year to serve the surrounding rural areas, who had offered to pay $36,000 per year over a three year term to start. City staff said that an advisory group has been formed in Marion County to make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding an essential services tax, which would entail a $.75 tax levy that would assist in subsidizing the service expansion if it were approved by 60% of voters in a referendum. The advisory group has not yet targeted a date for a referendum, but city staff recommended March 5, 2024.

The next regular meeting with the Pella City Council will be held on August 1.

Iowa’s Newest Certified Site Recognized and Promoted by State Leaders

Posted on by Sam Parsons

MAHASKA COUNTY — Oskaloosa and Mahaska County are one step closer to being home to several major employers, and the space is ready for development right now. The Mahaska Chamber & Development Group, the City of Oskaloosa, and the County of Mahaska partnered together to register the Oskaloosa Innovation Park as a Certified Site for the State of Iowa.

State officials celebrated the accomplishment Tuesday, and both IDEA and the Mahaska Chamber & Development Group immediately started work on promoting the certified site for development.

One notable trend in the site location industry is the growing requirement for readily available industrial sites primed for projects. Companies are consistently decreasing the timeframe for making location decisions and expediting the start of construction and project completion.

“Companies are making location decisions quickly, and the timeframe from start to finish has to be quick and efficient,” says Deann De Groot, Mahaska Chamber & Development Group Executive Director. “The certified site process ensures potential employers that these site-related details are resolved, and they won’t run into surprises. We also appreciate the willingness of the landowners of the property to see the community value in allowing this land to be developed to move the community forward with economic development.”

The State’s newest certified site is located in southeast Iowa on Highway 23. The 500-acre property is zoned general industrial and is ready for new businesses to buy and develop the land. It is the fifth-largest certified site in Iowa. The process started in 2020 and will be certified later this month. The area has access to a four-lane highway, an on-site railroad, and an airport.

“This is a project that is greatly needed. I appreciate everyone’s effort to make it happen,” says Mark Groenendyk, Mahaska County Supervisors Chairperson.

Another added benefit to this project is the recent announcement in June of more than $10 million from the RISE Local Development program to assist in constructing approximately 10,000 feet of new roads connecting Iowa 23 and U.S. 63 for the Oskaloosa Innovation Park. The grant will cover 65% of the cost of the streets for the Innovation Park.

“Partnerships are key in accomplishing projects that will grow our community,” says Oskaloosa Mayor David Krutzfeldt. “The recognition of this site elevates Oskaloosa and Mahaska County’s State and national profile. We wholeheartedly commit to embracing new businesses and inviting them to become part of our thriving and remarkable community.”

Iowa’s Certified Sites program considers national site location standards, the State’s natural assets, and the needs of key business sectors, including advanced manufacturing, finance and insurance, and biosciences. State officials say site certification has enabled Iowa communities to better compete for projects with development-ready sites. More than $1.3 billion in capital investment have already been built across the State due to this program.

No winner in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing. Jackpot reaches $720 million

Posted on by Sam Parsons

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to an estimated $720 million after no winning ticket was sold — again. It’s now one of two national lotteries with enormous jackpots but equally enormous odds against winning them.

No ticket for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing matched the white balls 19, 22, 31, 37, 54 and the gold Mega Ball 18.

The new jackpot is Mega Millions’ fifth largest, the lottery said in a news release. On Monday, the nation’s other big lottery game — Powerball — also went without a winner, and its jackpot now stands at an estimated $1 billion, the third largest for that game.

For Mega Millions, the estimated $720 million jackpot in the next drawing would only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity paid over 29 years. Nearly all grand prize winners opt to take a cash payout, which for Friday night’s drawing is an estimated $369.6 million.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion won by an anonymous player in South Carolina on Oct. 23, 2018.

Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continue to purchase tickets as the size of the grand prize grows.

The last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was April 18.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Pella woman wins $25,000 in Utah Scavenger Hunt

Posted on by Sam Parsons

By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

An Iowan has found a hidden treasure in Utah.

Chelsea Gotta of Pella went to Utah three times before solving the riddles in a poem and finding the $25,000 prize.

The annual Utah Scavenger Hunt was first held in 2020. This year’s clues led Gotta to find the treasure box near the mountain hiking trail in a Bountiful, Utah. Bountiful is about 12 miles north of Salt Lake City.

The box was hidden for 51 days before Gotta found it. Gotta told KTVX in Salt Lake City she plans to sponsor a treasure hunt in Iowa.

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