Oskaloosa News Recap For February 11th, 2021
Local News
Plans Are Getting Hammered Out To Help Make A Southeast Connector A Reality
Ecumenical Cupboard Helping Individuals Impacted By Pandemic
Iowa hospitals’ financial losses mount amid COVID-19
United Way Of Mahaska County Playing Role In COVID-19 Help
2021 Eggs And Issues Set
Oskaloosa Fire Chief Talks Fire Safety
Local Sports
Indians Network
Statesmen Sports Network
North Mahaska Warhawks
Oskaloosa News Links
Obituaries
Radar and Road Conditions
Local Traffic Cameras
National and World News
Lockdowns are destroying kids’ mental health.
The CDC reports that children’s mental-health-related visits to emergency rooms have increased by as much as a third, compared to 2019.
J.D. Friedman, a clinical psychologist and partner at Baker Street Behavioral Health in Northern New Jersey noted that “you cannot give a child, or anyone else, OCD,” but for those already predisposed to mental illnesses, what we have experienced over the past year “can absolutely tip the scales to full-blow pathology.”
While kids are resilient, there is a breaking-point. If the lockdowns continue into the fall and 2022, mental-health experts fear there will be a “whole generation of scarred and broken men and women.”
Increased rates of depression, anxiety and suicide among kids are in no small part due to the fact that they feel “neglected” and “forgotten” and “disposable” — and rightfully so.
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A team of Danish researchers claims that their artificial intelligence software can predict — with 90% accuracy — whether an uninfected person will die from COVID-19.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen “trained” a computer program to recognize patterns in a group of 3,944 patients’ prior illnesses and found that body-mass index, age, high blood pressure and being male were the highest risk factors.
The program is also able to predict — with 80% accuracy — whether patients admitted to the hospital will need a respirator.
Professor Mads Neilsen said the findings could be used to “carefully identify who needs a vaccine.”
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A clergyman from Iran told his followers that the COVID vaccine turns people into “homosexuals” — an offense punishable by death in Iran.
Ayatollah Abbas Tabrizian made the outrageous claims this week on the social media site Telegram, writing “Don’t go near those who have had the COVID vaccine. They have become homosexuals.”
The cleric has a history of promoting bigotry and false information about Western Medicine, according to the Jerusalem Post.
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The Aunt Jemima breakfast brand will be renamed Pearl Milling Company.
The rebranding came after the 130-year-old maple syrup mascot was criticized last year over its ties to slavery.
The new name comes from a small Missouri mill that in 1889 produced the self-rising pancake mix later known as Aunt Jemima.
The package will look the same, just minus Aunt Jemima’s iconic image.
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Chicago students are returning to the classroom!
The Chicago Teachers Union voted early Wednesday to approve tentative plans from the district that opens a pathway for students to return to the classroom for in-person learning.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the proposal passed with 68% of the vote. The outlet said 5,000 members didn’t vote.
Jesse Sharkey, president of the union, said, “This plan is not what any of us deserve. Not us. Not our students. Not their families. The fact that CPS could not delay reopening a few short weeks to ramp up vaccinations and preparations in schools is a disgrace.”
Some students could return to classrooms as early as today.
WORTH ASKING: A “few short weeks” would not see all teachers fully vaccinated, so how is that any different than going back now?
AND: If the schools waited until all teachers were fully vaccinated, that would leave approximately a month maybe 2 of the school year left?
ALSO: How many of those teachers refusing to go back to the classroom have ONLY left their homes for essential things in the past year?
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The seven-day average for daily COVID deaths in the US has dropped by 15% over the last two weeks.
The latest count shows an average of 2,787 deaths per day — a drop from 3,302, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
“The trend in reported COVID-19 deaths is improving in every major US region,” the group posted on Twitter.
ALSO: New cases and hospitalizations are down 30%.
BUT: Despite the good news, the CDC updated its mask guidance on Wednesday to suggest that wearing two masks is far better than one.
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A French nun — believed to be the second-oldest known living person in the world — has beaten coronavirus.
Sister Andre tested positive for the virus in January, but showed no symptoms, according to the Associated Press.
The sister, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, told France’s BFM Television that she was not frightened during her bout with the virus because she isn’t “scared to die.”
BTW — She turns 117 on Feb. 11.
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A scientist on the WHO team tasked with investigating the origins of COVID-19 says the virus started in China and “most likely” came from bats.
Professor Dominic Dwyer, an Australian microbiologist, said he came to his conclusion despite the WHO’s official findings being “inconclusive,” according Australia’s Nine News.
Dwyer said he believes the virus likely originated from bats and had been spreading in the country well before it accelerated in December.
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Major stock indexes finished mixed on Wednesday as the Dow added 61 points while the Nasdaq fell 35 points and the S&P slipped a single point.
The Federal Reserve Chairman gave a speech on Wednesday in which doubt was cast on the longterm outlook for the job market. He said the country is a “long way” from a recovery and that supportive monetary policy alone will not reverse the current trajectory.
General Motors fell 2.1 percent during the session even though they posted earnings which exceeded expectations. The biggest drag is a possible computer chip shortage which may impact 2021 sales and profits.
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The man behind the shooting at a Minnesota health clinic had at least 43 interactions with police officers over the years.
Gregory Ulrich, who killed a mother a of two and injured four others at the Allina Health Clinic in Buffalo on Tuesday morning, had a history of calling a doctor who works at the clinic and making “threats of mass shooting or other means to harm the hospital.”
The responding officer to one of the earlier threats — who noted that she had had prior interactions with Ulrich — said he told her that he would “not really do anything such as he had talked about.”
Over the next few years, Ulrich would have run-ins with officers ranging from drug and alcohol offenses to trespassing and disorderly conduct charges.
BPD’s Chief of Police Pat Budke said that “within [the] history, [there is] nothing to indicate that we would’ve been in the situation that we are at today.”
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Tube Talk
Here’s what’s new on TV tonight:
Young Sheldon / CBS / 7:00 pm
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune / ABC / 7:00 pm
Mr. Mayor / NBC / 7:00 pm
Hell’s Kitchen / FOX / 7:00 pm
B Positie / CBS / 7:30 pm
Superstore / NBC / 7:30 pm
Mom / CBS / 8:00 pm
The Chase / ABC / 8:00 pm
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit / NBC / 8:00 pm
Call Me Kat / FOX / 8:00 pm
The Unicorn / CBS / 8:30 pm
Last Man Standing / FOX / 8:30 pm
Clarice / CBS / 9:00 pm
The Hustler / ABC / 9:00 pm
Dateline NBC / NBC / 9:00 pm
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Showbiz News
“Riverdale” is getting a sixth season.
While Season 5 just landed on Netflix, The CW announced this week that the show has been renewed.
The main cast of KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Veronica Lodge and Cole Sprouse are all expected to return.
A release date was not shared.
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Shia LaBeouf has entered inpatient care amid allegations of abuse raised by his exes.
Insiders told Variety that the actor has also split from his talent agency, CAA.
LeBeouf “made the decision to take a break from acting, so that he could solely focus on his recovery and get the help he has admitted he needs,” a source told the outlet.
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Alex Trebek’s wardrobe has a new home.
Some of the duds worn by the late “Jeopardy!” host have been donated to the Doe Fund, a nonprofit that provides housing, vocational training, continuing education and other services for formerly homeless and incarcerated New Yorkers.
Trebek’s son Matthew is a supporter of the organization.
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Sandra Bullock is teaming up with Brad Pitt for the action flick, “Bullet Train.”
The film is based on the Japanese novel “Maria Beetle.”
Joey King, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Brian Tyree and Michael Shannon are also on board.
The project marks the first time Bullock and Pitt will work together on a film.
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NBC hit comedy “Superstore” will end next month.
The network announced that the one-hour series finale of the show is set for March 25.
In December it was revealed that the series would end with its current sixth season — a total of 113 episodes.
The cancellation followed the exit of star America Ferrera earlier this season.
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R. Kelly’s trial has been delayed.
The rapper, who faces charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, was scheduled for an April trial date, but now will not appear before a judge until August.
Judge Ann Donnelly cited a list of roadblocks that the coronavirus crisis presents as the reason for the delay, including people needing to travel and court staff not yet being prioritized for vaccination.
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Fenty is taking a break.
Less than two years after its launch, Rihanna’s Fenty fashion line with LVMH is closing down.
The group confirmed the news in a statement saying the pop star and LVMH have “jointly made the decision to put on hold the RTW [ready-to-wear] activity, based in Europe, pending better conditions.”
But it’s not all bad news, RiRi’s Savage x Fenty lingerie line still going strong.
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Florida Georgia Line has teamed up with Amazon Music for a virtual live show, titled “Life Rolls On from the FGL House.”
The upcoming concert is in support of the pair’s new album “Life Rolls On,” which hits shelves Friday. The duo will also participate in a Q&A session hosted by CMT’s Cody Alan ahead of the performance.
The virtual event, set to air on Feb. 17, will benefit The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Nashville Neighbors Fund.
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Britney Spears took to social media this week to share her thoughts on the new documentary, “Framing Britney Spears.”
The pop star tweeted, “Each person has their story and their take on other people’s stories!!!! We all have so many different bright beautiful lives.”
The documentary covers Spears’ life from her rise to fame to her current conservatorship . According to the doc, the pop star refuses to perform as long as her father is in control of her life.
Fans have shown an outpouring of support since the doc aired.
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Bruce Springsteen was busted for DWI and reckless driving in his home state of New Jersey last November.
Following his Super Bowl commercial for Jeep, news broke that the 71-year-old was hit with the charges, along with consuming alcohol in a closed area.
A spokesperson said the singer was “cooperative” throughout the process and has a court date in the coming weeks.
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Sports
Rob Gronkowski still hasn’t touched the Lombardi trophy that his team took home on Sunday and an incident from 2019 may be the reason why.
After the New England Patriots took home the hardware in 2019, Gronk used the trophy as a baseball bat while at a celebration hosted by the Boston Red Sox. Then Patriots teammate Julian Edelman threw a pitch to Gronk, who used the trophy to bunt the ball, leaving a large dent on the football portion of the trophy.
Gronk joked with ESPN this week that the incident may be the reason the “Buccaneers organization is trying to keep it away” from him.
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Mark Cuban hates America.
The owner of the Dallas Mavericks announced this week that he was behind the decision to eliminate the tradition of playing the national anthem before games.
The missing song went unnoticed for the first 13 preseason and regular season games because the team did not publicize it and there were no fans in attendance. Monday was the first day that a limited number of fans were allowed into the American Airlines Center.
Cuban has also been a vocal supporter of his players kneeling during the national anthem.
In response, the NBA released a statement Wednesday saying: “All teams will play the national anthem in keeping with longstanding league policy.”
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Day of the Year
National Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day
National Inventors’ Day
National Make a Friend Day
National Peppermint Patty Day
National Shut-In Visitation Day
National White Shirt Day
National Giving Hearts Day
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
National Clean Out Your Computer Day
National Guitar Day
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On This Date
1937 – General Motors becomes the first carmaker to recognize a union labor agreement.
For six weeks, workers participated in an organized strike organized by the United Auto Workers. Their ultimate goal was to give the UAW complete control over negotiating their contracts.
Demands also included working condition guidelines and guaranteed job security.
President Roosevelt even played a role in helping both parties come to an agreement after the striking workers turned their revolt into a full-on violent riot.
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1945 – The Yalta Conference ends, concluding war strategy discussion between the US, Britain, and Soviet Union.
The heads of state for each country were on hand for the week of meetings, though nothing definitive for ending the war came out of the Conference.
But they did lay the foundation for the creation of the United Nations—another think tank would convene in San Francisco in April to continue that discussion.
When Roosevelt returned stateside to address Congress, he called Yalta a turning point in war efforts, at least in terms of the future of German and war-torn Europe.
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1970 – Japan becomes the fourth country to send a manmade object into space.
The Ohsumi satellite was successfully launched into orbit. It weighed only 52 pounds and remained in orbit until 2003. It offered no additional scientific value other than making it into orbit.
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1979 – The Ayatollah Khomeini solidifies his power in Iran.
Beginning February 1st of that year, the Ayatollah returned to Iran after the departure of the Shah following the revolution.
Over 10 days, the Iranian military defected to follow the new government under the Ayatollah. On this date in 1979, the Supreme Military Council officially threw in with the revolution, cementing Ayatollah Khomeini as the new leader of Iran.
Since then, every year, the federal government of Iran sponsors positive demonstrations around the country to commemorate the revolution.
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2011 – Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker introduces the Budget Repair Bill.
The legislation rearranged Wisconsin’s fiscal house and disrupted the extravagant deals public employee union members had enjoyed for decades.
In protest of voting for the law, a Democrat legislator’s family escaped to Illinois, where they stayed in a hotel to avoid the vote.
That vote would eventually pass, setting off years of a reform agenda that made Wisconsin a centerpiece and template to follow for other states seeking similar reforms.
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2012 – Whitney Houston is found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel room bathroom.
She drowned in her bathtub, hopped up on blow.
During her career she won 6 Grammys and 22 American Music Awards—more than any other female.
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2013 – Pope Benedict XVI announces his retirement from the papacy, effective at the end of the month.
Usually, the head of the church stays in power until his death. Benedict acknowledged that he did not have the emotional or physical capacity to execute his duties.
The College of Cardinals would elect Pope Francis the following month.
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Birthdays
Khalid – R&B singer – 23
Taylor Lautner – actor, “Twilight”, “Abduction” – 29
Sierra Deaton – pop singer – 30
Aubrey O’Day – pop singer – 37
Natalie Dormer – actress, “Game of Thrones”, “The Forest” – 39
Kelly Rowland – pop singer – 40
Matthew Lawrence – actor “Brotherly Love” – 41
Brandy – singer – 42
Shawn Hernandez – wrestler – 48
Jennifer Aniston – actress, “Friends”, “We’re the Millers” – 52
Sarah Palin – politician – 57
Sheryl Crow – pop singer – 59
Tina Louise – actress, “Gilligan’s Island”, “The Wrecking Crew” – 87
Born On This Date
Alan Rubin, “Mr. Fabulous” – American musician – 1953 (d. 2011)
Burt Reynolds – movie actor, “Smokey and the Bandit”, “Boogie Nights” – 1936 (d. 2018)
Josh White – blues singer – 1914 (d. 1969)
Thomas Edison – inventor – 1847 (d. 1931)
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Deaths
Larry Flynt has died.
The “Hustler” magazine founder created an empire on pornography and even ran for president in 1984.
Family says he experienced nearly 30 years of ailing health, but that his ultimate demise was not related to Covid.
He was 78.
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