OSKALOOSA, Iowa — The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors held a full meeting Monday morning, April 21, 2025, addressing a wide range of issues including the FY25/26 county budget, a proposed road vacation, an ongoing auditor vacancy, and multiple public concerns. The meeting opened with a Pledge of Allegiance and quickly moved through approval of […]
As of mid-April 2025, Iowa has recorded 61 traffic fatalities — a troubling statistic that highlights ongoing road safety concerns across the state. A closer look at the numbers reveals that rural areas remain the most dangerous, with 41 of those deaths occurring outside of urban centers. Despite the perception that cities are riskier due […]
Oskaloosa – In the quiet hum of a dimly lit room inside the Mahaska County Law Enforcement Center, voices crackle through headsets. Monitors glow with incoming data. Phones ring without warning. For the community, emergencies start with a call. For telecommunicators — also known as dispatchers — that’s where the responsibility begins. Often unseen but […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 17, 2025 The Iowa Senate amended an open meetings and records bill Thursday to list security camera footage from the Iowa Capitol building as “confidential records.” House File 706 is this year’s attempt to implement higher penalties and training requirements for Iowa’s open meetings and records laws. Fines […]
by Senator Ken Rozenboom Getting close to wrapping up? We are now fourteen weeks into the 2025 legislative session. It was a busy debate week, with the Senate passing over 30 bills throughout the week. We covered a wide range of issues, including civics test requirements for high schoolers, interstate compacts for dietitians and respiratory […]
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Hundreds of area third graders got hands-on exposure to Iowa’s farming roots and vital safety lessons during an educational event hosted at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds this week. With the support of local volunteers, FFA students, and organizations like Mahaska County Extension, the events highlighted how agriculture and safety education continue to […]
OSKALOOSA, Iowa — Students in Oskaloosa High School’s Construction Trades program are putting the final touches on this year’s house, gaining hands-on experience in nearly every phase of home construction under the guidance of instructor Dave Bower. “This is the stage I call the finishing touches,” Bower said. “We’re hanging interior doors, doing casing and […]
OSKALOOSA — The Oskaloosa School Board met Monday, April 14, 2025, with a full agenda that included public comment on administrative hiring practices, consultant spending, and approval of significant facility upgrades. Several community members used the public comment period to call for greater transparency and accountability in school district decision-making, particularly in areas of fiscal […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 8, 2025 Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday she intends to sign a bill setting a statewide ban on public school students using cellphones during class time. The Iowa House passed the bill, which the governor introduced in January, on a 92-4 vote Tuesday and sent it to her […]
Presentation at the Environmental Learning Center Oskaloosa, IA — April 11, 2025 at 6:00 PM — Join us at the Environmental Learning Center, 2342 Hwy 92, on April 11 for an engaging and inspiring presentation titled “Creating Buzz: The Joy, Ease, and Challenge of Supporting Pollinators” with Jamie Beyer, Lifetime Master Gardener and President of […]
