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Fleeing Pursuit in Linn County Ends in Crash with Patrol Car

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

The Washington Police Department reports a police chase has resulted in the arrest of two men from the Linn County area.  On July 30th, the Washington Police Department was investigating a report of harassment which was received after 3 PM that afternoon. At approximately 4:18 PM a Washington Police Department officer located the suspected vehicle.

An attempt was made to stop the vehicle in conjunction with that report in the city of Washington with assistance from other units. The vehicle refused to stop and a pursuit ensued.  The pursuit lasted for approximately 15 minutes, stop sticks were deployed and it ended in the city of West Chester.

During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle threw a weapon from the vehicle, collided with on-coming traffic at Highway 92 and Ivy Avenue. The chase finally concluded by colliding with a patrol car in the city of West Chester.  No one was injured in any of the accidents.

Jeremy Ryan Mirkes, 20, of Marion was taken into custody and charged with Carrying a Weapon, Felony Eluding, Driving while Revoked, Reckless Driving, Careless Driving (110 in a 55 mph zone), and Failure to Maintain Control.  In reference to the original harassment complaint, Mirkes was also charged with Armed with Intent (a Class D Felony) and Harassment 1st degree.

Zackary Todd McElroy, 22, of Cedar Rapids was charged with Aiding and Abetting, Carrying a Weapon, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana 3rd offense), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. McElroy was also wanted on two Linn County warrants for Failure to Appear Adjudication of Guilt and Sentencing on the original charges of Theft 2nd, Operating a Vehicle without the Owner’s Consent, and Theft 3rd Degree.

Two female subjects (one a juvenile) were also in the vehicle and were released without any charges.  Assisting with the pursuit were officers from the Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa State Patrol, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Moore’s Towing of Washington also responded to retrieve the vehicle.

Information from a press, Washington Police Department.

Several Area Baseball Players Honored on Class 1A and 2A All-District Teams

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Today, it’s time to take a look at who excelled on the baseball diamond in Class 1A and 2A and earned All-District nominations from the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association.

In Class 1A, all of our honorees fell into the Southeast District.

On the First Team, Twin Cedars senior pitcher Trace Embray made the team after going 7-2 in 2017. Embray wraps up an impressive career that began as an important piece to an undefeated championship team in 2014.

Joining him on the First Team is a pair of Moravia Mohawks, also out of the Bluegrass Conference. Junior Tucker Babbitt batted .419 and was named as the First Team 3rd baseman, while Mateo Varese hit .403, went 5-2 on the mound, and was listed as a utility player on the top squad.

To wrap up our area players on the First Team, three players representing three different schools out of the South Iowa Cedar League were honored. Sigourney’s Avery Moore and BGM’s Keegan James were both outstanding this season and both were listed in outfield spots, while Lynnville-Sully’s Tyler Van Zante had a good all-around year at the plate and on the mound en route to being named to a utility player spot.

On the Second Team, there is a huge chunk of players from the area.

Pekin leads the way with four honorees. Senior pitcher Garrett Greiner, sophomore shortstop Tanner Bainbridge, senior outfielder Jake Huff, and junior utility player Torell Washington all were named to the Second Team for the Panthers.

Moravia, Sigourney, BGM, and Lynnville-Sully had more honorees on the Second Team as well.

Moravia’s junior pitcher Griffin Cosgrove went 5-0 on the mound and was nominated to the second squad.

The Sigourney duo of sophomore catcher Carson Crawford and sophomore outfielder Mac Conrad also made the cut for the Savages who reached a district final.

BGM had a trio of nominations. Senior catcher Dylan Shafbuch, senior 3rd baseman Eric Weiss, and junior utility player Kyle Doty all made the second team.

Rounding out our listening area athletes in Class 1A is a tandem of Lynnville-Sully upperclassmen. Senior outfielder Caden Dunsbergen and junior utility player Elijah Collins have starred in multiple sports for the Hawks and that continued on the diamond with Second Team All-Southeast District honors in 2017.

In Class 2A, only three area players made lists, and all three were listed in different districts.

The lone First Team honoree is Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont junior KJ McCrea, who was listed as the Southeast District shortstop after batting .436 this season.

In the Central District, PCM junior pitcher Noah Henkenius went 6-1 and was named to the Second Team, while Pleasantville’s sophomore catcher Cael Lester hit .429 en route to being named to the Second Team of the Southwest District.

It was an extremely successful baseball season for our listening area, and that was directly reflected by the amount of players that were named by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association as All-District athletes.

Addition To Be Expected at Lacey Complex Later This Year

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Wednesday marked the quarterly board meeting for the Mahaska Community Recreation Foundation. The board welcome guests from Mahaska County Farm Bureau to announce exciting news.

MCRF board member, Carl Drost, introduced a partnership between Farm Bureau and the MCRF for an installation of a picnic area east of the football stadium for community use. At the start, MCRF received a grant from Mahaska County Community Foundation for $10,400 to initialize the project. Upon receiving the grant, Drost visited with Farm Bureau who enjoyed the project and wanted to get involved.

The project grew when the Mahaska County Farm Bureau added $20,000 to make a long-lasting shelter for the picnic area.  “This is an exciting project and good for the rec groups and  good use of the facilities,” stated Drost. He brought plans and pictures to share with the board as well as a sample of the durable roof material to be used. “This is a good project for the community and we [Farm Bureau] want to be involved in  the community,” stated Steve Wanders, President of Farm Bureau.

Don Vos, a Farm Bureau Board Member, weighed in on the decision for the shelter and picnic area. Noting that his grandchildren, who use the complex, sees it as a good opportunity for kids that utilize the complex as a location to rest between games.

The ground for the picnic area was previously graded when Drost hosted a volunteer  “Dozer Day”  and will make a good spot for teams to eat lunch and warm up for their upcoming games. MCRF President John Pothoven thanked the Farm Bureau on behalf of MCRF stating how tremendous it was for the Farm Bureau to give to this project in cooperation between rural and urban for the community to use.

Joe Crookham, MCRF Treasurer, added, “That’s the way we build a community, thank you to those who make it happen.”  The completed picnic area is planned to be installed yet this year.

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The picnic tables and shelter will reside just east of the football field, across the street. As of Friday, July 28, the land has been flattened, marked and staked in preparation of the construction.

 

 

 

 

Billy Ray Cyrus Celebrates ’25 Achy Breaky Years’ on SiriusXM

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Internationally renowned superstar Billy Ray Cyrus is celebrating ‘25 Achy Breaky Years’ this weekend on SiriusXM’s Prime Country Ch. 58. Hosted by Billy Ray Cyrus’ longtime friend Storme Warren, Cyrus opens up about his journey from Flatwoods, Kentucky to achieving worldwide success as a singer, songwriter, actor and producer. The ‘25 Achy Breaky Years’ special also includes an exclusive acoustic performance.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of “Achy Breaky Heart,” which hit No. 1 on Hot Country Songs and peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, Cyrus re-recorded and released a Muscle Shoals edition on iTunes. 

“When the song was released 25 years ago, the world was very divided. Perhaps 25 years later it might be even more divided so through the magic of a little song, people can come together for just a moment to dance and sing and celebrate life, that’s all that matters,” Cyrus said. 

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.

KELSEA BALLERINI REVEALS NEW ALBUM on Good Morning America

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Black River Entertainment’s Kelsea Ballerini has just revealed the title and release date for her highly anticipated sophomore album, sharing the news with fans across the nation during an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America.

Ballerini’s new album is titled UNAPOLOGETICALLY and will be officially released on November 3.

“I feel like I’ve been keeping a secret for two years that I finally get to tell,” Ballerini admits. “I’ve never been more proud as I am of this record, the story it tells, and the heart my friends and I put into it. So, November 3, we get to start the next chapter! Unapologetically…”

While on Good Morning America, Ballerini performed her new single “Legends,” a story about a crazy, tragic love that is sure to climb the Country radio charts.

 

Photo Credit: ABC/Paula Lobo

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.

Community Impact Grant set to bring in Full Exhibit to Environmental Learning Center

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

Growing pains that once plagued the local conservation center will see a new resurrection. The Mahaska County Conservation Center recently quadrupled its program participation, in attempt to match that of Linn County. There soon came a need for a larger space to house these programs. With a concept that began in August of 2008, the Mahaska County Conservation Board will soon break ground on the new Environmental Learning Center at Caldwell Park, just east of Oskaloosa.

Dave Sedivec, Mahaska County Conservation Board Director, addressed the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors on Monday, July 17. Sedivec thanked them again for approving the new building and that things with contractors have begun. He mentioned that contractors have begun to flood into the Oskaloosa area to reside as the building process begins.

EnvironmentalLearning

With groundbreaking for this building set to occur next Thursday at 6:30 PM at Caldwell Park, and what better way to start off the celebration events than receiving a grant. The awarded grant is coming from the MidWestOne Foundation, which is awarding MidWestOne the Community Impact Grant. This specific grant will be utilized by the Mahaska County Conservation Center to put toward a specific exhibit in the new Environmental Learning Center east of Oskaloosa.

In 2010, Woolly Mammoth bones were discovered on a farm in rural Mahaska County. This $50,000 grant, from the MidWestOne Foundation, will cover the cost of an articulated life-sized mammoth skeleton, which is all man-made. A St. Louis based company, Taylor Made Fossils, has been chosen for the recreation of the mammoth. Taylor Made Fossils will construct the pieces, deliver them to the center and then assemble the skeleton on-site.

“This will be a display in their exhibit hall so that people can see the actual overwhelming size of the mammoth bones that were discovered here locally in Mahaska County,” said Jane Krutzfeldt, Administrative Associate at MidWestOne Bank.

Though the grant had been awarded to MidWestOne, donating it to the Environmental Learning Center will have such a profound impact on not only Oskaloosa, but many surrounding communities as well. Three different school districts and William Penn University will be impacted by the project, as well as countless conservation groups from the area. But being awarded the Community Impact Grant would not have been possible without the work of the staff at the Oskaloosa branch.

“The staff is very much behind this grant,” said Krutzfeldt. The grant was awarded to the local Oskaloosa MidWestOne branch due to staff involvement. Over 86{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} of the staff have pledged to volunteer their time at the Environmental Learning Center.

The community supports this project, and has taken steps to add other attractions to promote more traffic to the area.It is our hope that it can be enhanced through MidWestOne’s generosity in bestowing the MidWestOne Community Impact Grant, and allowing the featured attraction, our Woolly Mammoths, to reign once again.

The presentation of the check is slated for Monday, July 31st, at 9 AM at the MidWestOne Bank.

Again, groundbreaking on the Environmental Learning Center is set for Thursday, August 3rd at 6:30 PM at Caldwell Park.

For more information visit: www.mahaskaconservation.com

 

 

 

Home Base Iowa Builds Roots in Mahaska County

Posted on by KBOE Administrator

It was made official yesterday, Oskaloosa and Mahaska County have become a Home Base Iowa Community. This initiative was put forward by Governor Terry Branstad and Major General Tim Orr. “As a veteran, I think it’s a great opportunity,” said Henry Van Weelden, Mahaska County Board of Supervisors, Vice Chair.

Weelden began the ceremony with his remarks about Oskaloosa and Mahaska County being the perfect fit for a program like this. Last week at the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors meeting, Dave Swenson an Economic Representative from ISU. Weelden stated Oskaloosa is a micropolitan, a city between being big and little. Noting that, “we stand out on top. Retail sales are up, population is up.”

At last week’s board meeting, Swenson provided the board, and public, statistics about the economy within the city of Oskaloosa.

One interesting topic that Swenson touched on was the inflow and outflow of workers in Oskaloosa. There is an estimated 6,877 payroll jobs in Oskaloosa since 2014. Only twenty-nine (29) percent of the workers were residents of Oskaloosa, forty-seven (47) percent were from Mahaska County. More people that reside within the city limits actually work outside of the city, roughly 3,800. Only 2,015 residents that live in Oskaloosa stay in Oskaloosa to work.

 

Oskaloosa community

 

By bringing veterans and transitioning service members into the Oskaloosa communities, not only able to create jobs in the city but retain employment of these service men and women through this program.

Oskaloosa Mayor Krutzfeldt spoke yesterday of this newly instated program. “But know this, Oskaloosa wants and needs veterans. Not only because we want to grow our population, but because we know veterans are the right kind of people to have as citizens in Oskaloosa.”

Mayor Krutzfeldt continued to say that veterans are the right kinds of people to have in Oskaloosa. Today’s veterans have history of great work ethic, look for better ways to get job done, they’ve been asked to do more and do it faster, and work with others as a team. They show loyalty, determination, passion and patriotism.They take care of their neighbors, as well as their properties.

Some of the appeals Oskaloosa has for veterans are:

  • Low interest loan from the Mahaska County Revolving Loan Fund.
  • City of Oskaloosa – 0{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} first time homebuyer loan for anyone who hasn’t lived in Mahaska County in the last three (3) years.
  • The three hotels in town have deep discounts for those looking to visit or here for a short extended stay.
  • Bank Iowa discounting closing costs on residential loans by $500, free year of lockbox and discounting commercial loans.
  • The Chamber is offering a free one year of membership.
  • The Mahaska County YMCA is offering a one year free family membership.
  • Mahaska Young Professionals (MYP) is offering a one year free membership.
  • Mahaska County Recreation Fund is offering a free 15-mile trail ride to view Oskaloosa form the outside.
  • Free transportation around Oskaloosa when riding the Oskaloosa Rides bus.

“These are the folks that can develop our community.” Mayor Krutzfeldt said, “So while Oskaloosa is thankful to be designated as a Home Base Iowa community, please understand we do so understanding the community is the great beneficiary here.”

For  more information about the Home Base Iowa program visit www.homebaseiowa.gov.

For any questions about the Home Base Iowa program within Oskaloosa or Mahaska County, contact Deann DeGroot with the Mahaska County Agricultural and Rural Development (MCARD)

Phone: (641) 672-2591

E-mail: mcard@mahaskacounty.org

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