Oskaloosa News Recap For February 18th, 2021
Local News – Local and State News
Local Sports – 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
The #YellowBalloonChallenge is taking over a West Virginia community.
What started with a simple act of kindness, has expanded into a community-wide challenge.
In a tearful Facebook post, Natasha Fogle told her followers that a Party City employee made her son’s night by simply “acknowledging his presence and then gifting him a yellow balloon.” Fogle said that as a parent, it shocks her how many people don’t acknowledge kids in general.
A local law firm, Catrow Law PLLC, saw the video and decided to spread the message of kindness to others — coining it the #YellowBalloonChallenge. The rules are simple, the firm wrote, “say hello to a stranger, shovel a neighbor’s driveway, pay for the car behind you…just make someone else smile.”
To kick off the challenge, Catrow Law paid $100 toward a stranger’s account at Meals on Wheels and then challenged a local boutique to “keep the challenge going.”
###
Krispy Kreme is offering an all-new “Mars Doughnut” in honor of NASA’s scheduled landing of the Perseverance Rover on Mars today.
The sweet treat is designed to look like the Red Planet with caramel icing and chocolate cookie crumbles.
Here’s the catch: It is available for one day only — TODAY — at participating Krispy Kreme locations.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover, which was deployed on July 30, 2020 is scheduled to touchdown today in Mars’ Jezero Crater at 3:55 EST.
###
The UK wants to infect young and healthy volunteers with COVID-19 in the name of research.
While the trials still need final approval by an ethics committee, the UK government plans to invest $43.5 million in the hope that scientists will learn “a great deal about the virus in a controlled setting, leading to new breakthroughs in treatment and vaccine,” according to Reuters.
Critics are questioning whether the potential risks outweigh the reward and how worthwhile it is to study the disease in “healthy and young individuals” as the virus “is known to be more dangerous to the 65-and-above population.”
Approximately 90 volunteers, between the ages of 18 and 30, are expected to take part in the “human challenge.”
###
Alcohol use increased every month for Americans during nationwide lockdowns last year, according to a new study from the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
Researchers surveyed 5,931 adults across the US, with approximately 1,000 completing a 10-item questionnaire regarding alcohol use and dependency.
“Hazardous alcohol use” for those under lockdown rose from 21% in April to 41% in September compared to those not under lockdown. “Probable alcohol dependence” rose from 8% to 29% and “severe alcohol dependence” rose from 4% to 17% over the same time period.
The study concluded that “greater alcohol dependency risk was associated with younger age, male sex, and primary job loss due to COVID-19, with by far the greatest influence produced by losing a job during the pandemic.” The second-highest risk was associated with those who were under lockdowns or stay-at-home orders.
###
Ghislaine Maxwell claims she was physically abused by a guard at her federal lockup in Brooklyn and then punished for complaining about it.
According to a letter from Maxwell’s attorney, Bobbie Sternheim to a Manhattan federal judge, the abuse occurred recently at the Metropolitan Detention Center as Maxwell was undergoing a pat-down search in her isolation cell.
The lawyer wrote that Maxwell asked that the pat-down be recorded, but a guard “replied ‘no’.” When she reported the mistreatment, “she was threatened with disciplinary action,” the letter continued.
Maxwell, 59, is awaiting trial on charges that she recruited teenage girls for Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse in the ’90s and committed perjury during 2016 depositions in a civil case. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
###
Italy’s Mount Etna erupted for the second time this month on Tuesday evening.
Residents shared photos and videos on Twitter of the eruption, which spewed ash and smoke high into the air. A stream of lava was seen flowing down the mountain, which is nearly 11,000 feet tall.
Italian authorities said the eruption doesn’t pose a threat to surrounding villages, but the Catania International airport was closed due to ash in the air, according to France 24.
The volcano — one of Europe’s most active — last erupted on Feb. 3, according to Reuters.
###
This flu season has been virtually nonexistent.
According to the CDC, there have only been 165 flu-related hospitalizations recorded between Oct.1 and Feb. 6. Compare that to the 2019-2020 flu season that saw over 400,000 hospitalizations and 22,000 deaths.
Experts believe the low numbers are due to kids not being in school, a record number of people getting the flu shot and COVID safety measures, including mask wearing and social distancing.
Infectious disease expert Dr. William Schaffner warned that that the flu could return with a vengeance this fall as “many of us didn’t get the boost from encountering the flu virus this year.”
###
A crocodile in Florida is recovering after having a sneaker surgically removed from its stomach.
The 10.5-foot, 341-pound croc from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park swallowed the shoe after a zip-lining zoo-visitor lost it in December. Guests waiting nearby saw the reptile gobble it up, regurgitate it and then eat it once again.
Once doctors determined that the croc would not be able to “flush out” the sneaker naturally, they resorted to other methods — including one doctor trying to reach down her throat and pull it out. After that failed, Dr. Adam Biedrzycki performed a gastrotomy which allowed easier access to the crocodile’s stomach, according to the zoo’s Facebook page.
The surgery was successful and the croc has been recuperating nicely at the park, according to zoo staff.
###
Domino’s raised $13 million last year in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The funds will be put toward a new patient housing facility to be called The Domino’s Village. The facility will be used to provide life-saving care for childhood cancer patients and provide living, dining and play spaces for patients and their families.
The company has pledged to raise $100 million for St. Jude by 2030 — the largest commitment from a corporate entity in the history of St. Jude.
###
The Dow finished at another record as it added 90 points on Wednesday while the Nasdaq fell 82 points and the S&P slipped one point.
U.S. Treasury bond yields continued to rise with an intraday high of 1.33 percent before falling slightly. Select analysts say the recent rise is not simply on fears of inflation, but also a sign of confidence that economic conditions are improving.
Retail sales were up 5.3 percent in the month of January, which far exceeded analyst expectations. The same report revised December’s data from this past year in a positive direction.
###
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 Positive / CBS / 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
###
Showbiz News
Regé-Jean Page is joining the upcoming film “Dungeons & Dragons.”
The “Bridgerton” star has been cast in a leading role in the movie based on the iconic game, Deadline reports.
He will star opposite Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Justice Smith.
###
Brooke Baldwin is leaving CNN.
The longtime “CNN Newsroom” anchor announced her departure this week, telling viewers that she’s leaving in April to “focus on amplifying the lives of extraordinary Americans and putting my passion for storytelling to good use.”
Baldwin joined the network in 2008.
###
Billy Campbell will star in “National Parks,” ABC’s new drama pilot co-written and executive produced by Kevin Costner.
The series follows a small group of elite national parks service agents as they solve crimes while protecting the parks.
According to the network, Campbell will play Cal Foster, an experienced ISB special agent who has worked in the field for years but is now stepping into a new leadership role.
###
Lenny Kravitz is set to co-star opposite Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel in the action-comedy, “Shotgun Wedding.”
Cheech Marin, D’Arcy Carden, Selena Tan, Desmin Borges and Alex Mallari have also signed on for the flick.
In the film, Grace (Lopez) and Tom (Duhamel) gather their families for the ultimate destination wedding. After arriving, the couple gets cold feet and the entire wedding party is taken hostage, giving the phrase “Til Death Do Us Part” a whole new meaning.
###
Kevin James has signed on to star in Netflix series, “The Crew.”
In the comedy series, James plays Kevin Gibson, a good-natured crew chief of a struggling NASCAR team that is thrown into a tizzy when its owner, Bobby Spencer (Bruce McGill) retires and brings in his daughter, Catherine (Jillian Mueller) to run the operation, according the show’s official description.
James previously starred in “Kevin Can Wait” on CBS.
###
Taylor Swift’s re-recorded albums will be eligible for future Grammy Awards.
“Current eligibility guidelines would allow for the new performances and albums to be eligible if they were recorded within the last five years. However, none of the older songs would be eligible for songwriting awards,” a Recording Academy spokesperson told Billboard.
Earlier this month Swift announced that she officially finished re-recording one of her early albums, “Fearless,” which previously won four Grammys in total, including album of the year and best country album.
Critics called the popstar “greedy” saying it is “stupid” to allow her to submit songs she already won Grammys for. Swifties quickly jumped to her defense saying others have won awards for resubmitted music.
###
Adam Sandler paid homage to his film “Happy Gilmore” with the most appropriate tribute.
Celebrating the film’s 25th anniversary, the 54-year-old shared a video on Twitter of his impressive golf swing — similar to the one his character had in the 1996 flick.
In the video Sandler says “It’s been 25 years since I’ve done this. Let’s see what happens.” He jokes “Shooter McGavin, this is for you,” paying tribute to Christopher McDonald’s character before smashing the golf ball.
He captioned the video, “Happy loves you all! Thanks for everything!”
McDonald responded with his own hilarious video.
###
Bam Margera has been fired from “Jackass 4.”
The news comes after sources revealed this week that the 41-year-old is seeking treatment for mental health issues.
Producers informed Margera last week that he would no longer be part of the sequel after he broke his contract by not getting his addiction issues in check, TMZ reported.
Margera has a history of mental health struggles. Most recently, he sought the help of Dr. Phil, telling the TV doc this his “family is in shambles.”
###
Ashley Judd reflected on her “catastrophic” fall in a Congo rainforest after sharing images of her rescue on Instagram.
The 52-year-old told followers that “without my Congolese brothers and sisters, my internal bleeding would have likely killed me, and I would have lost my leg.”
Judd broke her leg in four places and sustained nerve damage after tripping over a fallen tree in the dark. The actress was on a mission to track Bonobos, an endangered species of great apes.
While speaking on the incident, Judd made sure to note her white privilege in being able to access medical care, saying “a Congolese person could have potentially lost their leg or their life.”
###
NBC’s streaming service Peacock has ordered “John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise.”
The six-part docuseries tells the story of Gacy, an American serial killer known as the Killer Clown. The documentary will follow along with the investigation and feature an interview with Gacy from prison and exclusive video and audio interviews from those who knew him best.
All six episodes will drop on Thursday March 25.
###
Sports
Michigan’s football team will start spring practice next Monday.
The date, confirmed by a team spokesman late Tuesday, is an earlier-than-usual start for the Wolverines. Coach Jim Harbaugh usually begins spring practice in mid-March and concludes in late-April, before the end of the semester. Last year, everything was shutdown before practices could start.
As of now, Michigan and all other college football programs will get 15 practice dates. It is unclear if their schedule will include an open-to-the public spring game at Michigan Stadium, which has been the case in years past.
###
Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders has a new contract.
The team announced this week that Sanders, who leads the team in career field goal percentage, signed a $22 million extension through 2026. The deal includes $10 million guaranteed.
Sanders was a seventh-round pick by Miami in 2018.
###
JJ Watt may be heading to Cleveland.
Sources told Cleveland.com that the Browns “check off several of Watt’s boxes when it comes to picking his future team, with the biggest draws being serious Super Bowl contender and money.”
Other interested teams include the Pittsburgh Steelers where both of Watt’s brothers play and the Buffalo Bills.
###
Day of the Year
National Battery Day
National Crab Stuffed Flounder Day
National Drink Wine Day
###
On This Date
1885 – “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is published.
It came 9 years after “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” which first introduced the character, Huck. While the first book was fairly lighthearted, the story in Huckleberry Finn commented on slavery and other larger issues.
It has since been a perennial cause of criticism for its portrayal of black characters, though the depiction of slavery is considered to be accurate.
###
1930 – Pluto is first discovered. Astronomer Clyde Tombaugh found it at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.
It had been theorized that a ninth, far-out planet existed in the early 1900s, based on the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. Percival Lowell theorized that the planet was causing their inconsistent orbit patterns.
Once the discovery was confirmed by other scientists, it took another month to formally announce.
Pluto’s orbit around the sun takes 248 Earth-years. It was decommissioned as a planet in 2006.
###
1959 – Ray Charles records “What’d I Say.”
The song first came to him while performing live. He and the band needed 10 minutes to complete a contractually-obligated 4-hour performance at a public dance in Pittsburgh.
It would become the closing song in almost all of his live performances for the rest of his career. It’s heralded as one of the best R&B records of all time.
It was also his first crossover hit, charting #1 on the R&B rank in 1959 and #6 on pop charts that year.
###
1964 – The US cuts military support to nations that continue trade with Cuba.
The US embargo began in 1962 in an effort to destabilize the communist regime of Fidel Castro. Allies were encouraged to also participate in order to help the fight against communism.
But the efforts to impose economic sanctions on Cuba had little effect in marginalizing Castro, who only recently gave up power to his brother Raul.
###
2001 – NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt dies in a crash during the Daytona 500.
The collision happened in the last lap of the race after bumping into Sterling Martin’s car.
He was pronounced dead at the hospital from severe brain injuries. Earnhardt’s death was the fourth that season, and pushed NASCAR to implement safety guidelines, including the now-ubiquitous head and neck restraints.
###
2013 – Bourbon maker Maker’s Mark responds to public backlash after announcing it would dilute its product.
Due to a supply shortage, the company said it would reduce the liquor content from 45 to 42 percent.
In response to the backlash, the company said it was “tremendously humbled,” and acknowledged the power of its customer base.
###
2020 – Boy Scouts of America files for bankruptcy amid hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits.
The organization said they they intended to use the Chapter 11 process to create a Victims Compensation Trust that would provide equitable compensation to victims.
###
Birthdays
Le’Veon Bell – NFL running back – 29
Didi Gregorius – baseball player – 31
Courtney Act – pop singer – 39
Jillian Michaels – personal trainer & TV personality – 47
Molly Ringwald – actress, “The Breakfast Club”, “Sixteen Candles” – 53
Dr. Dre – rapper – 56
Matt Dillon – actor, “The Outsiders”, “Wild Things” – 57
Vanna White -hostess of “Wheel of Fortune” – 64
John Travolta – actor, “Grease”, “Pulp Fiction” – 67
Dennis DeYoung – American singer, Styx – 74
Yoko Ono – Japanese singer & artist – 88
Born On This Date
John Hughes – American director, “The Breakfast Club”, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” – 1950 (d. 2009)
Toni Morrison – novelist – 1931 (d. 2019)
Enzo Ferrari – entrepreneur, Ferrari – 1898 (d. 1988)
Mary I of England – Queen – 1516 (d. 1558)
###
Deaths
Rush Limbaugh has died.
The media icon, credited with transforming talk radio and politics, passed away Wednesday after a battle with lung cancer.
Considered one of the most influential media figures in American history, Limbaugh played a role in conservative politics since his self-titled show debuted in 1988. The show was one of the most-listened to radio-shows in the US and aired on more than 600 stations.
He was 70.
###
