Oskaloosa News Recap For December 11th, 2020
Local News
United Way Of Mahaska County Playing Role In COVID-19 Help
Big Brothers And Big Sisters Closes Door In Mahaska County
Gov. Reynolds signs new proclamation modifying public health measures
City Council Declares Special Election
Supervisors Talk Landfill Commission Membership
2021 Eggs And Issues Set
2020 Oskaloosa Lighted Christmas Parade
Lone rangers: Number of state park officers declines despite growth in visitors
Elvis Has Left The Building
Couple With Oskaloosa Roots Making Their Mark In Nashville
Staff At Mahaska Health “We’re Doing Well”
Little Hawkeye Conference COVID-19 Update
Oskaloosa City Facilities COVID-19 Update
Oskaloosa Fire Chief Talks Fire Safety
Local Sports
Indians Network
Statesmen Sports Network
North Mahaska Warhawks
Defense Stands Out in Second Win Over MMU
Huge Run Helps Statesmen to Road Win
WPU Competes in Inaugural Dual, Claims Victory Via Tiebreaker
Oskaloosa Boys Swim Team Open Season
NM Girls Upset No. 8 Hawks
Central takes top honors at state dance tourney
Pender, Blaylock Lead the Way as Statesmen Beat MMU
Statesmen Fail to Upset Clarke on Road
Newman’s Big Night Helps WPU Beat Clarke
William Penn Beats Baker for First Time
Hargrove Garners First Weekly Honor
Oskaloosa News Links
Obituaries
Radar and Road Conditions
Local Traffic Cameras
National and World News
The FDA advisory committee voted to approve the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine yesterday.
The committee was charged with voting on the question: “Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, do the benefits of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine outweigh its risks for individuals 16 years of age and older?”
The vote was 17-4, with one-member abstaining.
While significant, the vote in favor of the EUA is not final. It now has to be reviewed by the officials with the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, which will confirm the decision.
###
Wall Street turned in mixed results on Thursday as the Dow sank 69 points, the S&P dipped 4 points and the Nasdaq climbed 66 points.
New jobless claims results for the week ending December 5th were released. Economists expected 712,000 first time filers, but 853,000 were disclosed. Many investors seem to think this indicates the labor market is still in crisis.
State and local aid seem to the be the largest roadblock to new economic stimulus funding. Lawmakers continue to reassure the public that a deal is close. Traders appear to be growing impatient.
Airbnb soared from its IPO price on Thursday. The original price was 68 dollars and surged to nearly 165 dollars – almost two and a half times the IPO price. Airbnb closed at 144 dollars a share.
###
During a one hour TV special Thursday night, NBC ramped up to debut Time Magazine’s annual “Person of the Year.”
But it wasn’t a person, it was two: The Joe Biden/Kamala Harris ticket take the top slot.
###
Vultures are causing chaos in one Pennsylvania town.
According to the NY Post, the birds are harassing residents, wrecking homes and coating trees with their droppings.
One resident of the town of Marietta told the outlet that the winged creatures have terrorized the town in the past, but this year is “the most extreme” (well duh! It’s 2020).
The birds are protected under federal law, so residents have had to get creative on how to get rid of them. Many have opted to bang pots and pans to scare them away, while others have shot off fireworks – near, not at the birds.
###
Californians received a text alert this week asking them to stay home.
The Office of Emergency Services sent the message, urging people to not only stay home, but also wear masks and physically distance.
The ask comes after capacity of hospital intensive care units dropped below 15 percent in the Southern California region and San Joaquin Valley region.
The restrictions will remain in effect for three weeks.
###
The Pantone Color Institute has selected Ultimate Gray and Illuminating as its two colors of the year for 2021.
Pantone, which is famous for its color matching and creation system, hinted in its press release that it selected these colors to represent the uncertainty people may feel going into the new year. The gray is meant to be interpreted as “solid and dependable” while the yellow is “bright and cheerful.”
Pantone began its honorary Color of the Year shout-out in 2000. In its 20-year history, the organization has only picked a pair of colors two times. The first time was in 2016 with its pink and blue duo known as Rose Quartz and Serenity.
###
Only in 2020 would otters be able to find love online.
Employees at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek, England used a dating app made specifically for otters to find one of their recently widowed otters, named Harris, a new mate.
It didn’t take long before he was matched with Pumpkin, a female otter, who was also recently widowed, from the Sea Life Scarborough Sanctuary.
After it was determined they would make a good couple, Harris was moved from Cornish to Sea Life in Scarborough.
The pair are now living happily ever after.
###
A new trick to cutting cake has gone viral.
The “hack,” as its being dubbed online, involves using the rim of a wine glass to both cut into the cake and then scoop out a slice. The piece can then be eaten straight from the glass.
The trick, which started on TikTok, is being called “genius” and a “game changer.”
###
Three NY firefighters were injured in a blaze that tore through several buildings in Richmond Hills, Queens on Thursday.
The six-alarm fire broke out in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood around 1 am and spread to multiple buildings before being contained by about 4:30 am.
More than 200 firefighters tamed the blaze. No civilians were hurt.
###
The puppy who was saved from the jaws of a hungry alligator in Florida last month is now a detective.
Gunner, the 4-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is top dog at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
The pup nearly became a gator’s breakfast when it was snatched out of its backyard in Lee County. Thanks to his cigar-chomping owner, Richard Wilbanks, Gunner was freed from the gator’s jaws and survived with only a few bumps and scratches.
He will be working with children as part of the Deputy Dogs program.
###
Honeybees use animal poop as protection from murder hornets.
A team of researchers found that honeybees in Vietnam collected animal dung and put it around the entrances of their nests in a effort to protect them from fatal murder hornet raids.
Unfortunately, Western honeybees aren’t as prepared for murder hornet attacks as their Eastern counterparts.
Murder hornets became a concern this year after they found their way to North America. Entomologists have been put on high alert with hopes to be able to protect honeybee hives from these nasty little predators.
###
Tube Talk
Here’s what’s new on TV tonight:
• MacGyver / CBS / 7:00 pm
• Shark Tank / ABC / 7:00 pm
• Friday Night Smackdown / FOX / 7:00 pm
• Magnum P.I. / CBS / 8:00 pm
• 20/20 / ABC / 8:00 pm
• Dateline NBC / NBC / 8:00 pm
• Blue Bloods / CBS / 9:00 pm
###
Showbiz News
The ‘Pus is headed to the Disney Empire.
News broke in September that “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” would end its run on E! in 2021. But Disney announced late Thursday that new Pus-centric content will be available on Hulu in the future — Disney has a significant stake in Hulu.
No word yet on the details for what the Kardashipus’ new shows might look like, though, or when they will air.
###
NBC is developing a gender-swap version of “Zorro.”
According to Deadline, the series centers on Sola Dominguez, an underground artist who fights for social justice as a contemporary version of the mythical Zorro. Her life is threatened by several criminal organizations after she exposes them.
No word on casting details.
###
An “iCarly” revival is in the works.
ViacomCBS’ upcoming streaming service, Paramount+, has ordered a revival of the iconic Nickelodeon series to premiere in 2021.
Original stars Miranda Cosgrove, Jerry Trainor and Nathan Kress have all signed on to return.
###
Ariana Grande is heading to Netflix with her new tour film “Excuse Me, I Love You.”
The project will bring her 2019 Sweetner world tour to viewers at home to enjoy amid the COVID crisis.
It hits the streaming site on December 21.
###
Chris Pratt will produce and star in the indie comedy “The Black Belt.”
The flick is a coming-of-age story about a shy, unassuming teen boy on a quest for an expertise in karate, and the unorthodox uncle who guides him, according to the official description.
###
These albums are being released today:
Less Than Jake, “Silver Linings”
The Kills, “Little Bastards”
Kid Cudi, “Man On The Moon III: The Chosen”
The Avalanches, “We Will Always Love You”
Osees, “Panther Rotate”
Guided by Voices, “Styles We Paid For”
###
Ellen DeGeneres’ daytime talk show is still reeling from the accusations of workplace misconduct.
Staffers “with knowledge of the situation” recently dished to BuzzFeed News that the show has “lost advertisers, is struggling to book A-list guests and has seen a significant dip in ratings.”
Entertainment publicists also told the outlet that they “aren’t booking as many of their clients on the daytime talk show.”
Even with the dip, Evan Nierman, CEO of crisis management and public relations firm Red Banyan, ultimately believes Ellen will “make it.”
ALSO: Ellen has tested positive for COVID.
###
Taylor Swift has released her ninth studio album titled, “Evermore.”
The singer revealed the news early Thursday, shocking fans when she also shared the music would drop at midnight.
The album is a sister record to “Folklore,” which has been nominated for multiple Grammys.
###
Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit” finished No.1 for a third straight week on the Nielsen US streaming chart.
It is the first title to reach the milestone since Nielsen began circulating the streaming list in September.
Nielsen measures only Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Disney+ shows viewed on a TV set.
###
Julia Roberts has signed on to star in a series adaptation of the upcoming Laura Dave novel “The Last Thing He Told Me” for Apple.
Roberts will also executive produce the show alongside Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company.
“The Last Thing He Told Me” follows a woman (Roberts) who forms an unexpected relationship with her sixteen-year-old stepdaughter while searching for the truth about why her husband has mysteriously disappeared, according to Variety.
The novel will be released on May 4.
###
Sports
Russell Wilson believes he could have made it as a baseball player.
The Seattle Seahawks QB recently made the claim on an episode of the Barstool Sports podcast “Pardon My Take,” saying he could have gone pro had he not chosen football instead.
The Baltimore Orioles drafted Wilson in the 41st round of the 2007 MLB Draft out of high school. He decided not to sign with them and then three years later the Colorado Rockies drafted him in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB Draft.
Wilson played two seasons in the Rockies’ minor league system before joining the Seahawks.
###
List of the Week
25 Classic Christmas Movies to Watch This Holiday Season (courtesy of Town and Country Magazine):
The Santa Clause (1994)
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
A Christmas Story (1983)
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Elf (2003)
The Holiday (2006)
Miracle On 34th Street (1947 & 1994)
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
Christmas In Connecticut (1945)
Home Alone (1990)
Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 & 2000)
Love Actually (2003)
Die Hard (1988)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
A Christmas Carol (2009)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
The Family Stone (2005)
Bad Santa (2003)
Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)
The Polar Express (2004)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Christmas With The Kranks (2004)
Jingle All The Way (1996)
###
Day of the Year
National Food Drive for Needy Animals Day
International Mountain Day
National App Day
National Have a Bagel Day
National Noodle Ring Day
###
On This Date
1777 – General George Washington and more than 12,000 troops start their cold slog to Valley Forge.
Across the Schuylkill River, they encountered British soldiers and battled with General George Cornwallis and his men. The fight was completely coincidence, not strategic: Cornwallis’ men had been foraging for berries.
Washington ordered a swift retreat, being unprepared to fight. They destroyed the bridge that linked both sides of the river, keeping the Brits at bay.
They would finally make it to Valley Forge on December 19.
###
1815 – President Madison presents a treaty to Congress to manage trade with Great Britain.
Following the end of the War of 1812, trade with Great Britain restarted, with the Empire finally completely giving in to America’s status as an independent, free, and powerful nation.
The agreement was largely ceremonial, but asserted and established America as a legitimate power on the High Seas in regard to both military and commerce.
###
1816 – Indiana becomes the 19th state.
The organized territory had already drafted and approved a Constitution and had a functional capitol and governor.
It quickly went from frontier territory to organized, industrial powerhouse.
But the aggressive expansion bankrupted the state. Meanwhile, the value of goods it produced increased and land value skyrocketed.
At first, it was dominated by German immigrants, and later overtaken by ethnic English.
###
1941 – The Nazis declare war on the United States.
Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, America swiftly entered into the Pacific conflict, at least politically.
This declaration of war would bring America to the European front as well.
Hitler had a standing agreement with Japan to begin fighting America at some point, and the attack on Pearl Harbor was his entry point.
He also believed that Japan would force the Americans to surrender quickly and would aide him in fighting Russia.
###
1961 – American helicopters begin staging in South Vietnam.
33 Vertol H-21C Shawnee helicopters arrived in Saigon aboard the Core.
A total crew of 400 would man and operate the helicopters. At first, the mission was to only assist South Vietnamese troops in getting into North Vietnamese territory.
###
2008 – Bernie Madoff is arrested.
Madoff engineered one of the biggest cons in history, deftly maneuvering more than $65 billion in assets for various clients, for his own financial gain.
When the economy began to tank in 2008, he couldn’t keep it up.
He confessed to his sons, who turned him in.
Madoff pled guilty to 11 felony counts and was quickly convicted. Though he was sentenced to 150 years behind bars, the path of destruction continued. His own son killed himself the following year, and his other son was implicated in assisting with the scheme, though he claims innocence.
###
2015 – “Playboy” magazine publishes its last nude issue.
Pamela Anderson was featured on the cover.
###
Trending
New to Netflix:
A Trash Truck Christmas
Canvas
The Mess You Leave Behind
The Prom
New to Disney+:
Ralph Breaks the Internet
New to Hulu:
Rent-A-Pal
Spy Cat
Endless
New to HBO Max:
Midnight Family
New to Amazon Prime:
I’m Your Woman
###
Birthdays
Hailee Steinfeld – movie actress, “Pitch Perfect 2”, “True Grit” – 24
Zacky Vengeance – guitarist – 39
Rider Strong – TV actor, “Boy Meets World”, “Cabin Fever” – 41
Rey Mysterio Jr. – wrestler – 46
Mos Def – rapper – 47
DJ Yella – music producer – 53
Nikki Sixx – bassist – 62
Jermaine Jackson – pop singer – 66
Brenda Lee – country singer – 76
Rita Moreno – stage actress, “West Side Story”, “Singin’ in the Rain” – 89
Born On This Date
Ferdinand A. Porsche – German car designer – 1935 (d. 2012)
Maila Nurmi, Vampira – movie actress, “The Vampira Show”, “The Beat Generation” – 1922 (d. 2008)
Carlos Gardel – Argentine singer and prominent figure of tango – 1890 (d. 1935)
George Mason – American statesman, Bill of Rights – 1725 (d. 1792)
###
Deaths
Marguerite Ray has died.
The actress, best known for her 10-year stint on “The Young and the Restless” passed away in Los Angeles last month. A cause of death was not shared.
She was 89.
###
Jason Slater has died.
Slater, the original bassist and backup vocalist for the band Third Eye Blind, suffered from liver failure and died at a hospital in Maui, Hawaii on Wednesday, according to his daughter.
He was 49.
###
Happy Hour
PEPPERMINTINI
(Courtesy of Delish)
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 c. crushed candy canes
6 oz. white chocolate liqueur
4 oz. vodka
2 oz. peppermint schnapps
2 tbsp. heavy cream
Ice
Garnish: 3 small candy canes
DIRECTIONS:
Pour melted chocolate onto a shallow plate, and place crushed candy canes on another shallow plate.
Dip rims of martini glasses first in chocolate, then in candy canes.
Pour remaining chocolate into the bottom of glasses and swirl to coat the bottom ⅓ of glasses with chocolate.
Place glasses in freezer while you prepare the drink.
Combine white chocolate liqueur, vodka, peppermint schnapps, and heavy cream in a cocktail shaker.
Fill to the top with ice and shake until cold.
Divide drink between 3 glasses and garnish with a candy cane before serving.
###
