Oskaloosa News Recap For December 14th, 2020
Local News
Protecting Yourself During the Holiday Season
School Board Accepts High School Principal Resignation
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
A new survey reports that Christmas tree-related injuries are on the rise.
According to Lending Tree’s insurance comparison resource ValuePenguin, 1 in 5 Americans have been injured while setting up their Christmas tree this year. That number is 122% higher than last year’s.
The survey also found that 75% of respondents leave their Christmas tree’s lights on overnight — leaving them susceptible to a potential fire.
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Shipments of the Pfizer vaccine are en route to their destinations.
After official approval last week, the goal is to have three million doses sent out this week, with health care workers and long-term care facility residents being top priority.
Federal officials noted that the first shipments will be staggered with the vaccine arriving at 145 distribution centers today, an additional 425 sites on Tuesday and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. The vaccine is being doled out based on each state’s adult population.
Moderna’s COVID vaccine will be reviewed by an expert panel this week and is expected to soon follow suit.
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Hitler’s (rumored) pet alligator, who passed away at the Moscow Zoo in May at the age of 84, will be stuffed for “posterity” and put on display at the city’s Darwin Zoo.
The gator, named Saturn, was born in Mississippi in 1936 and gifted to the Berlin Zoo that same year. He was held in Hitler’s private collection of animals and discovered by British soldiers in Berlin after WWII and gifted to the Russians.
A vet at the Moscow Zoo told the Star that the gator was “a legend of the zoo and had seen a lot in his lifetime.” His taxidermy display will be “the second birth of Saturn – the story of how ‘Hitler’s alligator’ became immortal.”
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A tower of human skulls – dating back to the 15th century – has been found near the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City.
The skulls of 119 men, women and children were discovered by a team of archeologists and believed to be part of the Huey Tzompantli, an arrangement meant to scare Spanish conquistadores, when they captured the city in 1521.
Mexican culture minister, Alejandra Frausto told The Guardian that, “many of [the] individuals were warriors, perhaps some were captives destined for sacrificial ceremonies…they were all made sacred – turned into gifts for the gods or even personifications of deities themselves.”
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NASA has revealed the 18 astronauts who will train for the Artemis moon-landing program.
Half of the astronauts named have spaceflight experience, with two currently at the International Space Station: Kate Rubins and Victor Glover. The two astronauts who performed the first all-female spacewalk last year also made the cut: Christina Koch and Jessica Meir.
The space agency is aiming for a moon landing by 2024, although the chances of that are slowly diminishing – especially with the upcoming change in administration.
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New York City’s famed 21 Club is going out of business.
Opened as a speakeasy during Prohibition, the 21 Club survived the Great Depression, two World Wars and countless economic downturns, but couldn’t outlast the coronavirus pandemic.
Many movies and TV shows have filmed at the 21 Club, including “The Sweet Smell of Success,” “Wall Street,” and “Sex and the City.”
The restaurant was celebrating its 90th birthday this year.
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One of the notorious Zodiac Killer’s messages has been decoded.
A letter sent to the San Francisco Chronicle in 1969 was cracked by experts, revealing the serial killer’s mocking message.
It reads: “I hope you are having lots of fun in trying to catch me. I am not afraid of the gas chamber because it will send me to paradise all the sooner because I now have enough slaves to work for me.”
There is renewed hope that the decoding might provide new clues as to the Zodiac’s identity. The killer has been tied to at least 37 murders, many of them young couples in rural areas.
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A family was booted from a United Airlines flight after their 2-year-old daughter refused to keep her face mask on.
Eliz Orban dished on the experience on Instagram, stating that she, her husband and their toddler were set to fly from Denver to Newark International Airport when they were kicked off the flight because the child would not wear a face covering.
“The experience was absolutely traumatizing, very humiliating too,” Orban said during an appearance on “Fox and Friends Weekend” on Sunday morning. “I’ve never been more confused in my life.”
Orban also noted that the WHO advises that children under five should not be required to wear masks, but United said they have their own mask policy which includes children as young as two.
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For several months, gold and silver jewelry, ornaments and golden nuggets have been washing up on the shore of a small Venezuelan fishing village that has been devastated by COVID.
Yolman Lares first discovered a gold medallion with an image of the Virgin Mary. He told The New York Times that he “began to shake” and cry “from joy” because it was the first time he experienced “something so special.” Since then, “dozens of villagers” have found items – mostly rings – on the beach.
Most of the items found have been sold for up to $1,500 apiece.
While no one know where the jewels are coming from, many are noting legends of Caribbean pirates and Christmas customs.
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A 9-pound goldfish was found in a South Carolina lake.
According to county park officials, the fish was discovered in Oak Grove Lake by a county-hired lake specialist who was conducting studies on the health of fish populations.
The specialist was electrofishing when he noticed the water dweller. Electrofishing merely stuns the fish and causes them to float to the surface — they are not harmed in the process.
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NBC News reports on an email that shows in 2017 Hunter didn’t accurately report the $400,000 paid to him by Ukrainian energy company Burisma. That’s a big chunk of change for someone who says that year he netted $1.2 million in income to just leave out.
In its own reporting, NBC News says that the email was from “a copy of one of Hunter Biden’s hard drives from the owner of a computer repair shop in Delaware” — which now is apparently a perfectly legitimate source of information.
Reps for the Biden campaign did not confirm whether or not Hunter eventually amended his tax return but did verify the email was legitimate.
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Both Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar notoriously dropped out of the Democrat primaries earlier this year and endorsed Joe Biden on his way to victory. If any deals were made to get Pete and Klobuchar to drop out, they’re not immediately clear — other than CNN’s reporting that the mayor of small midwest town is in the running to be Secretary of Transportation.
CNN calls the talks about the role “fluid and ongoing.”
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Weekend Box Office
10. Wonder Woman: $189k (re-release)
9. All My Life: $215k (down from 4)
8. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: $239k (re-release)
7. The Polar Express: $245k (re-release)
6. The War with Grandpa: $267k (down from 5)
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas: $268k (re-release)
4. Freaky: $315k (down from 3)
3. Elf: $400k (re-release)
2. Half Brothers: $490k (stayed at 2)
1. The Croods: A New Age: $3 million (stayed at 1)
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Tube Talk
Here’s what’s new on TV tonight:
• The Neighborhood / CBS / 7:00 pm
• The Bachelorette / ABC / 7:00 pm
• The Voice / NBC / 7:00 pm
• L.A.’s Finest / FOX / 7:00 pm
• Bob (Hearts) Abishola / CBS / 7:30 pm
• All Rise / CBS / 8:00 pm
• Cosmos: Possible Worlds / FOX / 8:00 pm
• Bull / CBS / 9:00 pm
• 20/20 / ABC / 9:00 pm
• Nurses / NBC / 9:00 pm
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Showbiz News
Rumor is a “True Blood” remake is in the works for HBO.
Alan Ball, who created the original series and served as showrunner for the first five seasons, has signed on to executive produce, according to Variety.
HBO has declined to comment on the news.
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Marvel will “honor the legacy” of Chadwick Boseman in the next “Black Panther” film by not recasting his character.
The “Black Panther” sequel has been a hot topic following Boseman’s death earlier this year. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been known to recast roles in the past, fans were quick to denounce the idea of recasting T’Challa, citing Boseman’s “powerful performance.”
The sequel is set to hit theaters in July 2022.
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Chris Evans will voice Buzz Lightyear in an all-new animated film titled, “Lightyear.”
Set to hit theaters in June 2022, the story centers on the original Buzz Lightyear, who inspired the toy that was featured in the “Toy Story” films.
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“The Handmaid’s Tale” has been renewed for a fifth season, ahead of its Season 4 premiere.
There is not yet an official date for when the fourth season will hit Hulu, but it’s “coming soon,” sometime in 2021, according to ET.
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The next installment in the “Indiana Jones” franchise is set to begin production this coming spring.
Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy revealed that Harrison Ford will be returning.
The flick has a July 2022 release date.
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Die-hard Taylor Swift fans are anticipating a surprise third album, after the gossip site Showbiz CheatSheet claimed that the songstress is planning to release “Woodvale,” a second sister album to “Folklore.”
Over the summer, some fans noticed the word “evermore” had been written in the corner of one of the pictures taken from Swift’s “Folklore” photoshoot. The word “Woodvale” was also spotted in the “Folklore” CD artwork.
Swift released the first sister album, “Evermore,” early Friday.
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Despite committing to and filming three new comedies, NBC has opted not to move forward with Kevin Hart’s “Night School.”
While the adaptation of the 2018 film will not air, NBC is pressing on with their two other comedy series titled, “American Auto” and “Grand Crew.”
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Christian Bale will play Gorr the God Butcher in “Thor: Love And Thunder.”
He joins original cast members Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tessa Thompson who will reprise their roles in the flick.
“Thor: Love And Thunder” is set to hit theaters in May 2022.
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Eddie Van Halen has reached his final resting place.
The late rock star’s body was cremated 22 days after his passing, according to Eddie’s death certificate, and the ashes delivered to his son, Wolfgang Van Halen.
Sources tell TMZ that Eddie’s final wish was for his ashes to be strewn into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Malibu, which Wolfgang will honor.
As previously reported, Eddie passed away at 65-years-old on October 6 following a long battle with cancer.
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Disney+ is in talks with Daisy Ridley to star as Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle in the film, “Young Woman and the Sea.”
The drama, based on the book by Glenn Stout, chronicles the daring journey of the first woman to ever swim across the English Channel.
Trudy made the 21-mile swim in 1926.
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Sports
The Black Knights (Army) shutout the the Midshipmen (Navy) 15-0 Saturday on their own turf.
The game was the first meeting between the teams at West Point since a 13-0 Navy shutout in 1943. The teams usually faceoff at a neutral site like Philadelphia or Baltimore, but with COVID restrictions this year, the game was relocated to West Point allowing Corps of Cadets and Brigade of Midshipmen to attend.
President Trump was on hand for the pre-game coin toss. As he took the field, he was greeted with cheers and chants of “USA! USA!”
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Day of the Year
National Bouillabaisse Day
National Alabama Day
Monkey Day
Green Monday
National Energy Conservation Day
Roast Chestnuts Day
National Free Shipping Day
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On This Date
1799 – The Great Founding Father George Washington dies.
He suffered from acute laryngitis in his final days, where he rested at his beloved Mount Vernon.
Henry Lee famously eulogized him as “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”
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1900 – The first study of quantum theory is published, by German physicist Max Planck.
The paper explored the existence of particle-like matter — called “quantum” — that fueled radiant energy.
He would receive the Nobel Prize almost 20 years later for his continued study in the matter. His findings are the basis for all studies conducted by greats like Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr.
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1902 – Cable begins to be laid across the Pacific Ocean, beginning in California en route to Hawaii.
The Cable Ship Silvertown had on board more than 2200 miles of cable.
On January 1st the next year, the ship docked in Honolulu, and the first message was sent that day.
Public messages opened the following week. By the end of the year, the cable reached all the way to Manila.
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1911 – Roald Amundsen and his crew reach the South Pole – the first to do so.
The Norwegian explorer was in a race against British explorer Robert Falcon Scott.
Amundsen’s base camp was 60 miles closer to the pole than Scott’s. He also used sleigh dogs, while Scott chose to use motor sledges, Siberian ponies, and dogs.
While Amundsen reached the pole and returned to camp in late January the next year, Scott and his crew would not survive their journey; they died on the return trip, only 11 miles from base camp.
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1962 – The Mariner 2 space probe comes within 34,000 kilometers of Venus.
It’s the first to transmit information about the planet, including data about Venus’ heavy, carbon dioxide atmosphere.
On the surface, it was about 900 degrees Fahrenheit.
Contact was lost early the following year.
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2008 – An Iraqi journalist throws 2 shoes at President Bush while speaking at a press conference in Iraq.
It was the Bush’s last trip to the foreign country as president.
Secret Service men quickly subdued the man, and rushed to the president’s aide, but Dubya waved them off.
Muntadhar al Zaidi was initially celebrated for his shoe-throwing antic, but he would be given a three-year prison sentence in 2009 for the attack by an Iraqi court.
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2019 – The Bel Air mansion featured in the 1960s TV series “The Beverly Hillbillies” sells for $150 million, making it California’s most expensive property.
The 25,000-square-foot residence was scooped up by Lachlan Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch.
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Birthdays
Reign Disick – youngest spawn of Kourtney Kardashian – 6
Mason Disick – eldest spawn of Kourtney Kardashian – 11
Offset – rapper – 29
Vanessa Hudgens – actress, “High School Musical” – 32
Tammy Blanchard – actress, “Guiding Light” soap opera – 44
Kadee Strickland – actress, “Private Practice” – 45
Natasha McElhone – actress, “Californiacation” – 51
Archie Kao – actor, “CSI” – 51
Born On This Date
Morey Amsterdam – actor, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” – 1908 (d. 1996)
George VI – English monarch – 1985 (d. 1952)
Nostradamus – ancient soothsayer – 1503 (d. 1566)
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Deaths
Charley Pride has died.
The country music legend passed away Saturday from COVID complications.
He was 86.
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Tommy Lister has died.
The actor, known for his role as Deebo in the “Friday” films, passed away last week at his California home. His cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
He was 62.
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Carol Sutton has died.
The actress, known for her roles in “Steel Magnolias” and “Poms,” passed away Friday due to COVID complications.
She was 76.
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