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Oskaloosa Fire Department Holds Dedication Ceremony

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The header photo displays the generations at the Oskaloosa Fire Station where the youngest and oldest firefighter ‘cut the ribbon’ at the conclusion of the ceremony.

The last dedication of the Oskaloosa Fire Station occurred in 1909, Mayor Lewis Bacon led the ceremony over a hundred years ago.

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Historical pieces can be found throughout the new fire house. 

Our hometown fire station holds the title of second oldest standing fire station west of the Mississippi; the first going to a fire house in Davenport that was commissioned around the year 1904. The Okaloosa Fire station is unique in another way as well, it is the only one in Mahaska County that is staffed 24/7.

In November 2014, it was voted and approved to reconstruct and renovate the existing fire station. Upon completion, there are four bays to house trucks and emergency vehicles.

“North bay is longer than the others […] it’s longer to accommodate an aerial truck, with the aging buildings downtown, I believe it’s only a matter of time before we may see the need to use it,“ said Mayor David Krutzfeldt.

By maintaining the integrity of the original and historic buildings within Oskaloosa while upgrading them to modern standards, it allows for the longevity of the structure.

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Lockers of the currently employed firefighters at the station. 

Mayor Krutzfeldt said, “It [the fire station] along with the others [recently renovated buildings] stands as a testimony of how people working together for a common purpose can create the great things that will last far longer than we will. “

Fire Chief Mark Neff was full of emotion during his ceremony speech. After sixteen months of construction, it was only three weeks ago that all the firehouse equipment was all under one roof. Two-thirds of the equipment was located inside the old water department building.

Chief Neff graciously thanked: citizens of Oskaloosa; the mayor and council; Will Downing, Architect; DDVI, Inc; Oskaloosa Herald; Jennifer Main, Edward Jones; Musco Lighting; Oskaloosa Glass and Millwork; New Sharon Fire Department; and finally the staff at the Oskaloosa Fire Department.

“Fire house is a symbol of our community. This is your firehouse, we are just the key holders,” stated Fire Chief Mark Neff.

 

Sales Tax-Free Weekend is Coming Up

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The statewide Tax-Free Weekend is happening on August 4th and 5th. This annual event takes place on the first Friday and Saturday of the month of August.

The exemption of sales tax applies to each article priced under $100.00; regardless of the number of items sold during a customer’s purchase. Clothing includes any piece of wearable apparel, however, there are numerous items that this broad description does not include:

Watches, jewelry, umbrellas, handkerchiefs, sporting equipment, any special clothing, or footwear designed for athletic or protective use; things not considered appropriate for everyday use.

Businesses open on these days are required to participate in the holiday. So that means, Oskaloosa residents, you’re in luck! Stores in the Penn Central Mall will be participating. Even though JcPenney’s is closed [as of July 30], that still leaves Maurices and Liberty Gifts. Along with other various apparel businesses in Oskaloosa like Brown’s Shoe Fit and Shoe Dept. 

Five Honored in Class 4A and 5A All-State Softball Teams

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Last week, the All-State Softball Teams were released by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, and there are athletes from all five classes that were honored in our listening area.

We’ll start by breaking down the lists from the large schools in Class 4A and 5A.

Oskaloosa finished in third place at the state tournament this year and several players were a big part of that success.

Perhaps the most important player for Oskaloosa softball once again was pitcher Alexis Groet, who was named First Team All-State once again, and finishes her high school career as a five-time All-State player for Head Coach Jay Harms.

She is joined by fellow senior Aubrey Miller, who was named to the Second Team after five successful seasons at the plate for the Indians. Freshman Ava VandeWall finished a great year as one of the best hitters in the Osky lineup and she was named Third Team All-State.

The trio of Osky players were the only ones from Class 4A in our listening area.

As for Class 5A, Ottumwa is the only team in our listening area and a pair of Bulldogs were named as All-State players.

On the Second Team, sophomore Morgan Greiner made the list after a great season for Head Coach Frank Huston. She is joined by freshman Kacy Nickerson, who was named to the Third Team.

Ottumwa finished one win away from the State Softball Tournament in Fort Dodge, but the future is bright for the Bulldogs with two underclassmen leading the way.

Later this week, we’ll look at the Class 1A, 2A, and 3A All-State Teams from the IGHSAU as we continue to wrap up our coverage from the summer sports season.

2nd Annual MEGA Garage Sale & Bake Sale

The Oskaloosa Band Boosters are hosting their 2nd Annual Mega Garage Sale on Friday, August 4th (3-7 pm) and Saturday, August 5th (8-11 am).  In addition to a wide variety of items, there will also be baked goods, pop and water for sale.

All proceeds raised will support the 5-12 grade band programming in Oskaloosa, including supporting the Oskaloosa Marching Indians this fall as they perform at football games and travel out of town to competitions on the weekends.

New Fire House Missing a Couple Key Components

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The Oskaloosa Fire Department finally got the new fire house they deserve. In the latest City Council meeting, Fire Chief Mark Neff expressed to the council that all of the staff was very pleased with the housing accommodations and the new truck bays in the Fire Department.

There was a slight hiccup in the renovation plans, however. When the construction was all said and done, something was missing from the living quarters for the firefighters: bathroom sinks and showers.

Many of the council members, and public in attendance, were scratching their heads as to how this could have been overlooked. Chief Neff noted that it was an architect mistake. The plumbing plans on the blueprint for the bathroom had allegedly been left out during the renovations.

“Once the exterior goes up, its the small ticket items that take a little more time,” said Chief Neff regarding how quickly the exterior was completed. The firefighters are all settled in now and the omissions in the bathrooms have since been corrected.

The third floor of the updated Fire Department houses a conference room open to the public. There are now four truck bays for all the fire trucks and other response vehicles.

The Oskaloosa Fire Department is holding an dedication ceremony on August 3rd at 2 PM. There will be refreshments and an open house to follow the ceremony.

Oskaloosa Quartet Highlights Class 3A and 4A All-District Teams

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The baseball season was a memorable one for our listening area and the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association have released their All-District teams for 2017.

Today, we’ll take a look at the lists for Class 3A and 4A, with a look at Class 1A and 2A tomorrow.

In Class 3A, the Central District is chock full of area players, led by state qualifier Oskaloosa, who has four players honored.

On the First Team, Osky’s Bennett Spry had a great senior year, and he was listed as the second baseman. Freshman Tyler Miller led the Indians in batting with a .463 average and he was honored as an outfielder on the First Team.

Joining them on the top squad was Pella’s junior catcher Jaden Rolffs, who hit .449 this year. Pella’s Tyler Hillman was listed as a utility player with great batting and pitching numbers this season as a senior.

Knoxville made it to a district final this season, and three of their players were named to the first team. Third baseman Rylan Cox, outfielder Jacob Zuck, and utility Ben Wallace were all honored for their outstanding work for the South Central Conference Champions.

Rounding out the First Team is Grinnell shortstop Ethan Mitchell, who spearheaded a renaissance year for the Tigers.

On the Second Team, Oskaloosa has two more players who made the cut.

Sophomore pitcher Rian Yates had an outstanding season and was one of three pitchers on the team. He’s joined by outfielder Tucker Nunnikhoven, who batted nearly .400 this year while playing great defense.

Knoxville again is well represented with three more players on the second list. Catcher Patrick Crawford, first baseman Cam Liston, and utility Blake McClung were named to the Second Team, which puts two-thirds of the Panther lineup on the All-District Teams for 2017.

Pella’s Caleb Piersma and Grinnell’s Jayden Gibson round out the Second Teamers from our listening area. They are honored as a utility player and catcher, respectively.

In Class 4A, Ottumwa and Newton are the only teams from the area and both are represented in the South Central District.

On the First Team, Ottumwa’s junior catcher Tyler Ward and senior third baseman Austin Shotts received the honor. Ward hit .320 this year for the Bulldogs, while Shotts led the way hitting .480 to wrap up his stellar career.

On the Second Team, two more Bulldogs made the list. Pitcher Jaylon Jones went 5-2 in his junior campaign. He was joined by senior Kane Brumbaugh, who went 5-1 on the mound, including throwing a no-hitter. Brumbaugh was listed as a utility player.

Rounding out the list is Newton senior Trey Vanderlaan, who batted .342 and is listed as the first baseman on the Second Team.

While Oskaloosa was the only team from the area to make it to the State Baseball Tournament, Pella, Knoxville, Grinnell, and Ottumwa all had winning seasons, and Ottumwa played in a substate final.

Tomorrow, we’ll take a look at the Class 1A and 2A All-District Teams, which is full of players from several schools dotting the area.

Time Left to Register Rental Properties is Dwindling

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Under-maintained and decrepit homes in Oskaloosa are a nuisance. So in an effort to improve the overall look, appeal and living conditions the City of Oskaloosa put in place a Rental Housing Inspection Program. There is roughly 37{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} of properties for rent in Oskaloosa.  Out of the approximate 4,800 properties in Oskaloosa, the rough unit number in the city ranges from about 1,800 to 2,000 units, which includes apartment complexes.

Part-time residents — including college students or those here for temporary work — look to renting as an affordable and more feasible option. Whether an apartment or small rental house, if a structure has a “dwelling unit that is being held out or offered for rent or is currently being let for rent” for cash or other services — properties that are excluded include hotels, dormitories, long-term care and medical facilities.

Poorly maintained rental properties have created unsafe conditions and have led to dangerous fires in the recent years, which have destroyed properties and damaged nearby properties. The purpose of the Rental Housing Inspection Program is to level the playing field of good landlords that maintain properties and those that allow their property to deteriorate; protects property values of the rental, as well as the properties surrounding it; attract better renters and tenants for properties; and it can, in turn, save taxpayer money — by systematically inspecting properties, the possibility of complaints for nuisance properties is reduced, which means less staff time and fewer court costs.

The registration the the Rental Housing Inspection Program is $60 per building, and will cost $15 per unit annually. All rental housing units will need to be registered to operate in the city, need to pass an inspection every 3 years, be evaluated for compliance with existing city code (Chapters 8, 15, and 17), and have the opportunity to be re-inspected if issues arise with initial inspection.

The inspection of the property will ensure there is no: rodent or insect infestations, roof or plumbing leaks, dangerous fire hazards, serious structural issues and accumulation of junk or debris, and unmaintained yards.

For a list of building components that will be inspected, visit www.oskaloosaiowa.org.

ALL rental properties must be registered by August 1, though the City Manager, Michael Schrock, did note a short grace period through the month of August for landlords that have not yet registered. There will be a fine for failing to register. The scheduling of inspections has begun, as of July 15 and the inspection itself will begin in the month of September.

All rental properties in Oskaloosa must be inspected at least once by July 1, 2020.

For the Rental Inspection Checklist, visit www.oskaloosaiowa.org/DocumentCenter/View/1109.

Comments or questions? Contact any member of the City Council or the City of Oskaloosa.

Oskaloosa and Sigourney To Play In Third Place Game

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Connor Swim, Announcer

After each dropping their semifinal games to tough opponents, the Indians and the Savages look to end their seasons on high notes by winning their respective 3rd place consolation games.

In the first game of the day on Thursday morning, Oskaloosa ran up against a defensively stout Winterset team. Winterset, the number one seed in 4A, was a defensive machine, only giving up one run early in the game. This run gave Oskaloosa an early 1-0 lead, but it would not be enough. Winterset made defensive play after defensive play, and finally broke through with their hitting in the 6th inning, with some help from untimely errors from the Indians. Before Osky knew it, they were down 3-1 and down to their last out. Winterset would go on to win the game and advance to the 4A championship. Oskaloosa advances to the 3rd place game, where they will take on #7 Charles City at 9:30 am with pre-game starting at 9:15 on 99.5 FM 740AM, radiokmzn.com, and the KMZN mobile app. If Oskaloosa defeats Charles City, they will set the school record for wins in a season.

Sigourney played in most likely the craziest shootout Fort Dodge has ever seen. After Sigourney and Clarkesville put up two runs in the first inning, a lightning delay side lined the action for an hour and a half. When played resumed, an absolute barn burner broke out, and both teams fought tooth and nail for a chance to advance to the Class 1A Final. The game ended up in a 9th inning, with a tournament record 40 hits between the two teams, and Clarksville setting an individual team record with 26 hits. After a three run shot in the top of the 9th, Clarksville found themselves with a 15-12 lead, and they finally finished the game to advance to the finals. You can catch Sigourney in their 3rd place game at 1:30 with coverage starting at 1:15 on 104.9 KBOE, radiokboe.com, and the KBOE mobile app.

Indians Beat Vikings to Advance to State

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

John Hirl, Announcer

The Oskaloosa Baseball team has been knocking on the door of the State Tournament for 3 straight years. The Indians have lost in the Substate Final the previous two seasons to Pella, but last night Oskaloosa finally knocked that door down against a Vinton-Shellsburg team ranked 3rd in the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association Poll. It took a dominant pitching performance and clutch batting for the Indians to pull of the upset against the Vikings, and now they’re off to Principal Park in Des Moines for a chance to call themselves State Champions.

It was all pitching in this game, with runs hard to come by. Vinton Shellsburg (35-6-1) was the first team to put a run on the board when a passed ball allowed the Vikings to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 3rd against Oskaloosa (28-13). From then on, no runs would come across until the 7th inning. Ethan Arnold led off the 7th, singling to put the tying runner on. Casey Hill was subbed in for Arnold and a couple pitches later, Hill advanced to 2nd on a Viking mistake. After an Alex DeJong flyout, Peyton Crouse stepped in and hit a ball into right to put Hill on 3rd and himself on 2nd. With the tying and winning runs on base, Blake VanVeldhuizen stepped in and hit an RBI groundout to short to tie it all up, 1-1. Seth Sarver then stepped in with a runner on 3rd and 2 away, and the senior came through in the clutch with a single to score Crouse and make it 2-1 Indians. Vinton-Shellsburg would come to bat in the bottom of the 7th facing a seemingly untouchable Peyton Crouse. The Vikings would get a runner on with 2 outs, but Crouse would end the game with huge strikeout to push the Indians to Principal Park.

Oskaloosa is now on to their second State Baseball Tournament in school history, and their first since 1998. The Indians have never won a game up at state however, as the last Osky team to advance to the tourney lost to Vinton-Shellsburg, who would go on to win it all that year.  As mentioned previously, the Indians have believed this was possible for a couple of seasons now, and many thought the 2017 group had the best chance to make it to Des Moines.

Oskaloosa was assigned the #7 seed for the State Baseball Tournament and will play the #2 seed Harlan Cyclones (34-2). That game will take place at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, July 25th, at Principal Park. The No Coast Network will have coverage of the quarterfinals of the Class 3A State Tournament starting with the pregame at 7:15 on 99.5 FM KMZN, radiokmzn.com, and the KMZN mobile app.

 

Photo courtesy of: Blake VanVeldhuizen

Oskaloosa City Band Concerts

Join us every Thursday at 5:30 pm for Supper in the Shade, with food trucks on-site! Enjoy Yard Games, compliments of MAHASKA DRUG, while having Ice Cream from SNO-BIZ! The famous Oskaloosa Municipal Band concert begins at 8 pm, and plays until 9 pm.  Watch for the TruBank popcorn machine to roll in at 8 pm, providing free popcorn, and Hawkeye Realty will be serving free lemonade! Thanks to both businesses for your many years of generosity and support of the Band!!

 

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