Category archives for: Local News

Musco Unveils Major Expansion, Deepening Commitment to Oskaloosa and Its Team

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — July 3, 2025 — Musco Lighting hosted an open house and ribbon cutting this week, marking the completion of a major expansion and renovation at its Downtown Oskaloosa Campus. The 74,000 square-foot project, now the company’s largest facilities investment to date, is expected to fully open in early August. The ribbon cutting […]

Mahaska Health Lab Expansion Boosts Speed, Accuracy for Local Patients

Members of the Mahaska Health laboratory team stand inside the newly expanded lab space, which features updated diagnostic equipment and streamlined patient services. The lab now processes more than 700,000 tests annually, helping providers deliver faster results and more efficient care.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — Mahaska Health is finalizing a years-long laboratory upgrade that will significantly shorten the turnaround time for test results. The upgrade, which includes the installation of new diagnostic instruments and a redesigned patient draw area, is part of a larger effort to manage growing test volumes and reduce reliance on outside labs. Lab […]

USS Oskaloosa: Iowa’s Quiet Workhorse of World War I

USS Oskaloosa - Probably photographed soon after completing construction in December 1918. She was in commission from December 1918 to February 1919. (image by U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.)

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — While the world reeled in the final throes of World War I, a newly-built cargo freighter quietly left the San Francisco docks bearing the name of a Midwestern town far from any ocean: USS Oskaloosa (ID-3800). She served only briefly and never saw combat. But the ship — named after Oskaloosa, Iowa […]

Iowa’s New Fireworks Law Brings Expanded Rights — And Raises Concerns for Veterans with PTSD

Pictured is the Barnhart family enjoying the fireworks from the soccer fields located on the grounds of the Lacey Sports Complex. (Barnhart photo)

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — Iowans will have more freedom than ever before to light consumer fireworks this summer, as a new state law takes effect on July 1. The law, Senate File 303, blocks cities and counties from enforcing bans or restrictions on fireworks on three key days each year: July 3, July 4, and December 31. Previously, many […]

Iowa corn beginning to silk, soybeans blooming ahead of normal

Corn growing near West Des Moines on June 22, 2025. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch June 23, 2025 Across the state of Iowa, approximately 2% of planted corn acres are beginning to silk, and 13% of soybean acres are blooming, which is five days ahead of the five-year average, according to the crop progress and condition report. The report, put out weekly by the […]

Oskaloosa to Host Inaugural “No Limits Truck Show” at Southern Iowa Fairgrounds

No Limits Truck Show

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — A new event is set to bring truck enthusiasts, families, and community members together at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds on June 28–29 for the inaugural No Limits Truck Show, hosted by Brett DeBruin and his team at Outer Limits Truck Repair. The two-day event, which is free to the public, will feature […]

Operation Midnight Hammer: U.S. Airstrike Obliterates Iranian Nuclear Sites in Unprecedented Global Mission

United States Air Force B2 Spirit. (Imagery captured by a USAF Exchange Pilot)

In a bold and highly coordinated overnight airstrike, the United States military, under direct orders from President Donald Trump, launched a precision attack on three of Iran’s most fortified nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan—marking the largest deployment of stealth bombers since the early days of the War on Terror and the first-ever combat use of […]

BBQ for Badges Brings Community Together in Support of First Responders

The BBQ Team 'Meat Sweats' prepares their food for the judges at Saturday's competition.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — The 2025 edition of BBQ for Badges once again brought crowds, camaraderie, and competition to downtown Oskaloosa, all in support of area first responders. Held on the historic town square, the annual event featured dozens of BBQ teams competing for top honors while raising funds and awareness for the extra needs of […]

Cancer Diagnosis Didn’t Stop Sereg from Getting Back in the Seat for Mahaska Ride

Phil Sereg at the 2025 Mahaska Health Tractor Ride.

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — Community members gathered once again for Mahaska Health’s 6th Annual Men’s Health Event and Tractor Ride on June 21, an event that blends rural tradition with a focus on preventative care for men. Among the returning participants this year was Phil Sereg, who had missed the previous ride after being diagnosed with […]

March 1862 Election Revisited: Oskaloosa Once Elected a Woman as Mayor—But It Wasn’t What It Seemed

"The Old Brick" owned by Tara Rozenboom was one of the homes on the 2013 Tour of Homes.

Did Oskaloosa, Iowa, Elect The First Woman To Political Office? OSKALOOSA, Iowa — In one of the most unusual and little-known moments in local political history, a woman named Nancy Smith was elected mayor of Oskaloosa during a municipal election in 1862—but declined to serve. The event, while initially treated as a joke, remains one […]

           

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