By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)
The U.S.D.A. says another dry week led to a lot of combine time in the fields, and the harvest season is quickly nearing an end.
The report shows 97% of the beans are already in the bin — which is eight days ahead of last year and nines days ahead of the average.
The corn harvest is not far behind — with 89% of the work done. That puts the corn harvest six days ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of the five-year average.
By Sam Parsons
The Knoxville City Council met last night and approved a couple of items related to long term projects. The city’s former VA district property has been the topic of discussion for months, and the council held a public hearing for the phase 1 improvement project, approved the project itself, and then awarded a bid to Elder Corporation in the amount of just over $3 million. The city also approved a new project concept for Main Street Improvement that would aim to add more green spaces within the downtown area in addition to the road work already planned. The estimated cost for this project was roughly $1.2 million and the project concept was approved. The council also approved the 2nd reading of its new ordinance permitting golf cart and UTV operation within city limits.
The Knoxville City Council will hold its next regular meeting on November 21.
By Sam Parsons
The Oskaloosa City Council met last night and heard the first formal presentation of the city’s new comprehensive plan, titled “PlanOsky,” from Charlie Cowell of RDG Planning and Design. No action was taken on it, but it was noted that the council will hold the final public hearing on it at their next meeting and consider its adoption. The city’s comprehensive plan is available for public viewing right now at planoskaloosa.com.
The council also received a presentation from strategic planning consultant Monica Allen on their Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2024-2026. Allen said that the plan aims to achieve four goals: making Oskaloosa more vibrant, collaborative, safe & healthy, and thriving. The full strategic plan presentation can be viewed here and was approved unanimously.
Among other actions taken by the council, there was the approval of the purchase of a new system of body cameras and in-car cameras for the Oskaloosa Police Department, which will be done in partnership with the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office to bring the price point down. After a discount and community funding, the total cost for the city was just over $60,000.
The city also approved the 1st reading of a new ordinance instituting a 3-hour parking restriction in the vicinity of High Avenue and G Street.
The next regular council meeting for the city of Oskaloosa is scheduled for November 21.
WASHINGTON (AP) — All 50 states are hosting midterm elections that will determine the balance of power in Washington and state capitals across the nation. Republicans are predicting a massive red wave as anxious Democrats defend their narrow majorities in Congress while facing one of the worst political environments in recent memory. Democrats hope that a backlash against the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade will save them. But as the party in power, they’re struggling to overcome concerns about the economy, crime and President Joe Biden’s leadership. Even if things run smoothly, it may take days or weeks before the final outcome is known in several key races.
CLIVE, Iowa — The Powerball® jackpot continues to push further into world-record territory, with strong sales in Iowa and across the country driving the giant prize even higher for its next drawing on Monday. The jackpot is now an estimated $1.9 billion annuity, $929.1 million cash option.
The previous record Powerball jackpot was a prize of $1.586 billion won in the drawing on Jan. 13, 2016.
The jackpot has reached this level because it’s been growing for three months. It was last won on Aug. 3.
Three Iowa Tickets Came SO CLOSE
Iowa Lottery players won a total of 101,223 prizes in Saturday’s Powerball drawing, including three tickets that were just one number away from having at least a share of the giant jackpot. Two of those tickets each won a $50,000 prize while the other won $150,000.
The three tickets each matched four of the first five numbers and the Powerball to win a $50,000 prize. But the person who bought one of the tickets also added the Power Play option to their play, which multiplied their winnings to $150,000.
The $50,000-winning tickets were purchased at: Kwik Star, 911 S. 14th St. in Clinton; and K&J Hop-N-Shop, 416 Broad St. in Sabula.
The $150,000-winning ticket was purchased at: Hy-Vee C-Store, 1999 Park St. in Sheldon.
The three prizes can be claimed at any Iowa Lottery office. If the winners have questions before claiming their prize, they are welcome to call the Iowa Lottery at 515-725-7900 or email to: Wmaster@ialottery.com.
Saturday’s winning numbers were: 28-45-53-56-69 and Powerball 20. The Power Play® number was 3.
A player wins the Powerball jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing. However, there are a total of nine prize levels in Powerball ranging from $4 up to the jackpot, so the Iowa Lottery reminds its players to be sure to check their tickets for all the prizes they may have won.
Retail Locations Setting Up Powerball-Specific Lines
With Powerball sales remaining strong in Iowa and across the country, some retail locations are setting up customer-service lines specifically for lottery sales. That keeps Powerball transactions moving quickly and allows customers with other needs to be helped in a different line.
Sales in the past week demonstrate what has always been the case: Iowa Lottery players buy tickets where they’re already running other errands. Stores with high customer traffic counts sell a lot of lottery tickets and all sorts of other products.
Here are the Top 10 retailers for Iowa Lottery sales in the past week (Sunday, Oct. 30-Saturday, Nov. 5).
Iowa Sales For Saturday’s Drawing
Iowa Lottery players bought more than $5.9 million in Powerball tickets for Saturday’s drawing, including more than $3.1 million in tickets on Saturday alone.
But the average Powerball purchase in Iowa for Saturday’s drawing remained about $7, or about four plays per ticket. Lottery officials were pleased that a lot of people had fun playing and didn’t go overboard.
The Difference These Powerball Sales Will Make For State Causes
The final details won’t be available until later, but the impact of this month’s strong Powerball sales will mean more help for meaningful state causes in Iowa. Powerball players will have played a big part in helping our state.
Each year, 100 percent of Iowa Lottery proceeds go to support state causes. In its latest financial year, the Iowa Lottery raised more than $101.7 million for state programs that help everything from veterans and law enforcement to education, parks and conservation, agriculture, and human services.
Since its start in 1985, the Iowa Lottery has raised more than $2.2 billion for state programs. More details are here: https://ialottery.com/Pages/
Where Can I Watch The Drawing?
The Powerball drawing is livestreamed on the Iowa Lottery website as it occurs at 9:59 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Video of the latest drawing then remains on the site until the next drawing occurs.
The livestream is on the Powerball page of the lottery’s website here: https://www.ialottery.com/
Things To Consider As You Dream Big
The Iowa Lottery has heard from a lot of people with dreams of hitting big and thoughts about what they would do if they win. To provide specifics about the details that come with a giant lottery win, the Iowa Lottery has produced a video called “You Won! Now What?”
That video is available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
How Do I Buy A Ticket?
Lots of first-time players are deciding to buy tickets now. Some of them have reached out to the lottery, saying they don’t know how to play and don’t want to appear silly when trying to buy a ticket.
The Iowa Lottery has shared with them that the simplest way to buy a ticket is to ask a clerk at a store for an easy-pick Powerball play. The lottery terminal will select the numbers for that play and the lottery terminal will print out the ticket. Nearly 93 percent of the tickets purchased for Saturday’s drawing were easy-pick plays.
To give everyone a quick brush-up on playing Powerball, the Iowa Lottery has how-to-play videos available here: https://www.ialottery.com/
Office pools and folks buying tickets with friends and family also are seeing a big jump right now. Reminders to help keep lottery group play fun and hassle free are on the Iowa Lottery website here: https://www.ialottery.com/
Please Play Responsibly
And as always, the Iowa Lottery reminds everyone that it only takes one ticket to win. Please play responsibly. The Iowa Lottery keeps “Play Smart, Be Informed” details here: https://ialottery.com/Pages/
By Sam Parsons
The city of Pella is holding the announcement party for the 2023 Tulip Time Queen and Royal Court this Saturday.
Residents have multiple options available to purchase tickets between now and then. Tickets are available online through the Pella Historical Museum webpage through Thursday. They can also be purchased at the Vermeer Windmill Gift Shop on Friday and Saturday between 10am-4pm. Remaining tickets will be available at the door the day of the event beginning at 6:15pm.
The Pella Tulip Time Royal Court is the ambassador for Pella’s Tulip Festival. The Court consists of the Tulip Queen and her four attendants. The Queen also chooses two pages and two attendants to join the Court during the festival in May.
Senior girls from the community are nominated by Pella residents, followed by a town-wide vote to select the top twelve finalists. The candidates prepare for a night of interviewing and presentations before 30 judges. Each candidate first interviews with the judges in small groups. Next is the public performance, where each finalist gives a presentation of a talent or interest that depicts her personality. She will also be interviewed by the evening’s Master of Ceremonies. After the tallying of ballots from both the interviews and the public performances, the Tulip Queen and Court are announced.
The 12 finalists for Tulip Queen this year are:
Emma Bogaard
Tatum Carlstone
Samantha Clark
Anna DeNooy
Braelyn Ensor
Jasmine Namminga
Cheyne Plants
Norma Spiker
Bridget Vande Zande
Hailey Van Vark
Avery Verhoef
Ellie Wogen
By Sam Parsons
Midterm Election Day is tomorrow. Citizens across the state are encouraged to contact their county auditors if they have any questions about their polling location.
One location in Mahaska County has already announced a change. Residents of the Oskaloosa 1st Ward will now be voting at Bethel Baptist Church instead of the Extension Office Building.
Here is a list of phone numbers for county auditors in our listening area:
Mahaska: 641-673-7148
Marion: 641-828-2217
Wapello: 641-683-0020
Keokuk: 641-622-2320
Monroe: 641-932-2865
Jasper: 641-792-7016
Iowa: 319-642-3923
Poweshiek: 641-623-5443
Jefferson: 641-472-2840
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. jobs report for October will be closely watched Friday for any indication that employers are slowing their hiring — a prospect the Federal Reserve would likely welcome as a sign that the high inflation that is gripping the economy might soon begin to ease. Economists expect the report to show that employers added 200,000 jobs last month. That would represent a healthy gain and would suggest that employers still feel the need to fill many jobs. A substantial hiring gain would also mean that wages will likely keep rising and continue to fuel inflation. Chronic inflation is hurting many households and has shot to the top of voter concerns in the midterm elections.
By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)
The state’s top election official says there’s “zero evidence” Iowa’s vote counting systems could be hacked or infiltrated. Secretary of State Paul Pate says every ballot is a paper ballot and none of the ballot tabulators poll workers will use next Tuesday are connected to the internet.
“And we have our unsung heroes, the bipartisan teams of poll workers — your friends and neighbors — that give us that transparency and consistency across all 99 counties, so that we can feel confident in our election process,” Pate said today as he hosted a news conference with federal and state officials who are monitoring election-related threats.
Pate referred to a situation in Arizona, where armed people were observing voters putting their absentee ballots at drop boxes.
“Because of what people are seeing on the news and reports from other states, there’s something I’d like to address — voters we’ve got your back,” Pate said. “You will be able to cast your vote safely and if anyone tries to impede that process in any way, our friends in law enforcement will deal with them. We have these guys on speed dial.”
Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens said voter intimidation hasn’t “traditionally” been a problem in Iowa.
“In the past, I believe there was one report maybe out of western Iowa of a potential case of either a voter or poll worker intimidation and what we actually found out it was actually a false narrative being spread on social media to discourage people from going to that particular polling place,” Bayens said, “and so, in reality, there was no truth to it.”
About 10,000 Iowans will be working at precinct sites around the state next Tuesday and Pate is urging voters to treat them with respect.
“It’s a very important job they’re doing because they care about elections,” Pate said. “These are your friends and neighbors, the people you go to church with, the people whose kids and grandkids go to the same schools as your kids and grandkids. Our election officials are made up of bipartisan teams in every polling place and they deserve a lot of credit for the job that they’re doing.”
The day after the election, Pate will order a hand count of ballots cast in a randomly selected precinct in each Iowa county. Two statewide races will be identified as the subject of the recounts. Pate said these post-election audits in the past have clearly shown Iowans that the vote tallies announced on Election Night are accurate.
“Come election day when we put those tallies up, we need them to believe in it,” Pate said. “They can’t have a doubt because if they do, our republic has fallen and with that, whether it’s the Chinese or the Russians or the North Koreans, they just won the war without firing a single bullet.”
Pate hosted today’s news conference in the State of Iowa’s Emergency Operations Center. State officials will gather there next Tuesday to monitor and respond to any election-related threats.
(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) Board of Directors recently approved more than $4.7 million in federal and state grants to assist 44 agencies with homelessness assistance initiatives during the 2023 calendar year.
Crisis Intervention Services of Mahaska County was on the list of agencies to receive funding. They are set to receive a Shelter Assistance Fund Grant Award of $21,489.
“The homelessness assistance awards announced today will have a direct impact in helping thousands of Iowans in their time of need,” said Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Debi Durham. “Iowa’s homeless service professionals work tirelessly to help get Iowans back on their feet and into permanent housing and this funding will aid in those efforts.”
The funding is made available through the federal Emergency Solutions Grant program and the State-funded Shelter Assistance Fund. IFA conducted a two-year combined ESG and SAF competition for funds in 2021. Applications were scored in several categories, including project design, experience and capacity, community partnerships, performance, budget and grants management.
Individuals in need of homelessness assistance should contact the coordinated entry system, online at iowahousinghelp.com or by phone at: 833-739-0065. Residents of Des Moines or Polk County should call the local centralized intake: 515-248-1850.
Emergency Solutions Grant Program
The primary purpose of the Federal Emergency Solutions Grant program is to help Iowans and their families quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness. Examples of eligible services include street outreach, shelter, homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing (rental assistance paired with case management and supportive services). The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and by the Iowa Finance Authority in Iowa. Twenty-seven agencies were awarded a total of more than $2.9 million in 2023 Emergency Solutions Grant Program funds.
Shelter Assistance Fund
The State-funded Shelter Assistance Fund program provides assistance to help with the costs of operations of homeless and domestic violence shelters, essential services for the homeless and evaluation and reporting services. Thirty-three agencies were awarded a total of nearly $1.8 million in 2023 Shelter Assistance Fund grants.
The awards list is available here.
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