Oskaloosa News Recap For February 19th, 2021

Local News – Local and State News

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National and World News

Ariel Young, the five-year-old girl who was injured in a car crash involving former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid remains “unresponsive,” even though she has awoken from her coma.

Ariel’s family revealed Monday that after 11 days in a coma, the 5-year-old finally woke up.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Kansas City police told PEOPLE magazine that Ariel is “now breathing on her own but remains unresponsive.” When asked to elaborate, the spokesperson said no further information would be given.

As previously reported, Ariel was inside a Chevrolet Traverse that was struck by Reid’s Dodge Ram pickup truck on Feb. 4. The Traverse was pulled over on a highway entrance ramp when the crash occurred.

Authorities — and the NFL — are still investigating the situation.

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The Rover has landed!

NASA’s Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars on Thursday afternoon following a self-guided descent dubbed the “seven minutes of terror.”

Mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory headquarters near Las Angeles erupted into cheers as radio signals confirmed “touchdown.”

The six-wheeled rover, which traveled 293 million miles over seven-months, began its descent around 3:48 pm EST. It streaked into the Martian atmosphere at 12,000 miles per hour before executing a series of complex, self-guided maneuvers to slow its descent and land successfully.

Now on the Red Planet, it will search for signs of ancient life and gather rocks, dust and soil samples to bring back to Earth.

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Twelve animals have died at a Texas sanctuary as a result of Winter Storm Uri.

In a statement posted on Primarily Primate’s website, Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals addressed the deaths writing that she has never “faced a decision” like the one she has to now: “Having to decide who we can save, depending on the predictability of which animals we can catch.”

“I never thought my office would turn into a morgue, but it has,” she added.

Among the deceased are several monkeys and lemurs, as well as one chimpanzee. Dozens of animals have been evacuated and others are being kept in heated bedrooms, according to Feral.

The San Antonio Zoo has aided in transporting and caring for some of the animals.

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Markets saw a dip on Thursday as the Dow dropped 119 points, the Nasdaq fell 100 points and the S&P lost 17 points. It was the first session to close in the red this week for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

First time jobless claimants were significantly higher than the 770,000 that were forecast as 861,000 new unemployment cases were reported.

Coca-Cola traded more than one percent higher on Thursday as they announced an increase to their quarterly dividend.

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One-third of US military members have declined the COVID vaccine.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeff Taliaferro told a congressional panel this week that “acceptance rates are somewhere in the two-thirds territory.” He added that he believes soldiers need education “to help them understand the benefits” of the shots.

The Department of Defense has fully vaccinated over 147,000 service members, while over 395,000 have received their initial dose, according to a Pentagon official.

Officials stated they expect all Defense Department personnel to be fully vaccinated by late July or early August.

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Pet owners say they wouldn’t have gotten through 2020 without their furry companion.

According to a sample of 1,023 American pet owners, who were surveyed between Dec. 22 and Jan. 4, 71% told pet care company Kinship Partners that “they could not have survived” the coronavirus crisis without their pet.

What’s more, 84% said the pandemic showed them how much their pets improve their lives for the better.

Going forward, 80% of owners reported that their pet deserves more of their time and 82% said they plan on spoiling their pet this year.

Throughout the pandemic, pet adoption and fostering hit record numbers in the US, according to Kinship.

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Peeps is selling “Cookie Coop Kits” just in time for Easter

The do-it-yourself kit includes 5 Peeps chicks, pre-mixed white and yellow icing, assorted candy, pre-baked sugar cookie panels and sugar cookie figures of chickens.

The kits are just one of the new products Peeps released when the candy brand returned after a 9-month hiatus due to the pandemic. Also available are Hot Tamales-flavored Peeps and Froot Loops-flavored Peeps on a lollipop stick.

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Power outages in Texas dropped to below 1 million on Thursday for the first time in almost a week, but millions were still without safe drinking water.

Officials ordered 7 million people — a quarter of the state’s population — to boil tap water before drinking it, as Gov. Greg Abbot urged residents to shut off water to prevent busted pipes and preserve pressure in municipal systems.

The historic extreme weather has now been blamed for 30 deaths, according to the Associated Press. Officials believe that number will only rise as more bodies are discovered.

Meanwhile, meteorologists offered a sliver of hope telling residents that the “worst is over and things will be getting better through the weekend.”

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The number of unemployment filings unexpectedly rose last week, even as COVID infections declined sharply across the country.

According to the US Department of Labor, 861,000 Americans filed for unemployment last week, bringing the total for the pandemic to about 78.9 million.

Jobless claims have remained above the pre-pandemic record of 695,000 for a consecutive 48 weeks.

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As of Thursday, over 56.2 million COVID vaccinations have been administered nationwide.

More than 40 million people in the US have received at least their initial dose, while over 15.4 million people have received at least two doses.

The total number of cases in the US hit 27.6 million this week.

The COVID Tracking project reports that positive cases are declining in 46 states and the seven-day average of deaths has dropped 46% from its mid-January high of 4,022.

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Senator Ted Cruz was spotted on a flight from Houston to Cancun, Mexico on Wednesday night, drawing the ire of social media activists who shared photos of the one-time presidential hopeful as his state of Texas suffers power outages in freezing cold temperatures that have jammed up the fresh water supply.

It’s certainly bad optics. But Cruz said that he was on the flight to accompany his daughter, who was invited to go with friends to Cancun with school cancelled for the week, and came back Thursday.

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Tube Talk

Here’s what’s new on TV tonight:

MacGyver / CBS / 7:00 pm
Shark Tank / ABC / 7:00 pm
The Blacklist / NBC / 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

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Showbiz News

Malia Obama, 22, has signed on to write for an upcoming series helmed by Donald Glover for Amazon Prime.

Glover’s new eight-figure production deal will see the actor produce a number of yet-to-be developed television projects, such as the new series, “Hive.”

Writer Janine Nabers has been tapped to lead the creative team for “Hive,” which includes Malia.

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Howard Stern is lending his support to the #FreeBritney movement.

After years of mocking the pop singer, Stern revealed on his Sirius XM radio show that in wake of the documentary, “Framing Britney Spears” he is “full on Free Britney.”

Supporters of the movement believe that Britney’s dad Jamie Spears is not only suppressing his daughter via a conservatorship, but may also be skimming money from her fortune.

During the show, Stern noted that there is no reason — at least clear to him — why Britney should not be in charge of her finances, telling listeners if stars like Charlie Sheen, Gary Busey, Kanye West and Shia LaBeouf can do it, why can’t she?

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Paddington the bear is making a comeback!

Studiocanal announced Thursday that the beloved “Paddington” movie franchise is working on a third installment.

Ben Whishaw voices the Peruvian bear who lives in London after being taken in by the Brown family.

Details about the third film are being kept under wraps.

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Dolly Parton has graciously turned down an offer to erect a statue in her honor in Nashville, saying the timing isn’t “appropriate” with “all that is going on in the world.”

Parton thanked officials, saying “I am honored and humbled,” before asking they not follow through with the proposal at this time — leaving the door open for the project to be revisited at a later date.

The statue would have been constructed in front of the Ryman Auditorium.

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These albums are being released today:

Ghetts, “Conflict of Interest”
Julia Stone, “Sixty Summers”
Mogwal, “As the Love Continues”
SG Lewis, “times”
The Hold Steady, “Open Door Policy”

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“NCIS: New Orleans” is coming to an end.

The youngest series in the “NCIS” franchise will finish with its current seventh season. The series finale is slated for May 16.

The network did not reveal why the series was ending.

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Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson have teamed up on a new podcast for iHeartRadio.

The longtime friends and sportscasters will discuss their lives, careers and news in the ongoing series, titled “Calm Down with Erin and Charissa.”

When speaking about the new venture, Andrews told Variety that most people know them as sports analysts and broadcasters, “but this podcast really shows a different side…these are real conversations.”

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CBS series “Mom” will end after its current eighth season.

The network announced this week that the finale has been set for May 6.

“Mom” stars Allison Janney, who became series’ lead after the exit of Anna Faris last summer. Even after Faris’ exit, the show remained a solid ratings performer for the network.

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“Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil” will air on March 23.

The long-awaited docuseries will center around what really happened when Lovato overdosed in July 2018.

In a recent interview about the YouTube series, Lovato said that she was “drawn” to Justin Bieber’s docuseries “Seasons” and how “honest and raw” the singer was. She said that she wanted the opportunity to “set the record straight” and be an “open book” to her fans.

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Netflix has landed Tim Burton’s live-action Addams Family series centered around the iconic character Wednesday Addams.

Simply titled, “Wednesday,” the comedy is described as a sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery that follows Wednesday during her years as a student at Nevermore Academy. It is there that she attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the town and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago.

No production or casting details were shared.

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Sports

Carson Wentz is heading to Indy.

The Eagles traded the QB to the Colts on Thursday for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick.

The 2022 pick would become a first-round selection if Wentz plays in 75% of the offensive snaps next season.

Rookie Jalen Hurts replaced Wentz as starting QB late last season.

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American skier Mikaela Shiffrin settled for silver in the giant slalom in this year’s skiing championship. She was beat by .02 seconds by Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami.

The silver was Shiffrin’s 10th career medal at worlds. She won the combined event on Monday and took home a bronze in the super-G last week.

Shiffin’s win lands her at the top of the all-time list of American medalists; moving her past both Lindsey Vonn and Ted Ligety.

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Tim Tebow is retiring from baseball.

The 33-year-old announced this week that he will no longer be part of the New York Mets organization. In his announcement, Tebow thanked the team, the fans and his teammates as he explained that while he “loved every minute of the journey,” he now feels he is being called “in other directions.”

Tebow signed with the Mets in 2016 after a dismal pro-football career playing for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets.

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List of the Week

Top 7 Best Podcasts of 2021:
(Courtesy of Forbes contributor Ashley Stahl)

The Angie Lee Show – focuses on entrepreneurship
The Genius Life with Max Lugavere – focuses on full-body health and wellness
Mark Groves Podcast – focuses on all different types of relationships
Divine Living Podcast with Gina DeVee – focuses on women seeking their worth
The Unmistakeable Creative – focuses on people’s unique creativity
On Purpose with Jay Shetty – focuses on making “wisdom go viral”
You Turn Podcast with Ashley Stahl – features interviews with professionals on a variety of topics

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Day of the Year

National Chocolate Mint Day
National Lash Day
National Vet Girls RISE Day
National Caregivers Day
Tartar Sauce Day

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On This Date

1807 – Aaron Burr is arrested for treason.

Burr was pushed out of favor with Thomas Jefferson after serving as Vice President for four years. After leaving the federal government, he murdered Alexander Hamilton in a duel, ending Burr’s political career. He headed to the South, where it was alleged, he plotted with the Spanish to seize territory in the American Southwest and govern over a new country.

This would be like Barack Obama deciding to get rid of Joe Biden in his second term, Joe Biden shooting Dick Cheney over a political rivalry, then flying to Alabama to negotiate with Spain to become the president of New Mexico.

In September that year, Burr was acquitted of treason because he never executed his plot. The US Constitution qualifies treason as an “overt act” that Burr did not commit.

Burr fled to Europe for several years, then returned to New York.

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1847 – A rescue party makes contact with a group from the Donner Party.

The pioneers had left Missouri to head westward the previous May. An early snowstorm trapped them in the Rocky Mountains, where they camped for the winter beginning in October.

In total, 23 people left with the rescue party. Many needed support and help for the trek out of there, suffering from gangrene, frostbite, and severe malnutrition.

The remainder would be collected on March 1st.

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1878 – Thomas Edison is awarded a patent for the phonograph.

The device both recorded and played back sound. It culminated years of tinkering with sound devices by Edison.

Alexander Graham Bell would improve and modify similar technology, by cutting grooves into a wax cylinder—that’s where the term “cutting a record” comes from.

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1981 – Less than a month after taking office, the Reagan Administration calls out the communist regime in El Salvador.

It was a sharp and aggressive turn from the languid foreign policy under President Carter.

The El Salvadorian government was fighting against far-left terrorists, which the State Department believed was supported by the Soviet Union.

Support to the anti-communist government would top $5 billion in the 1980s.

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2010 – Tiger Woods publicly apologizes for his sensationalized affairs that had been haunting him since the previous November.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2009, he crashed his car into a fire hydrant after a spat with his wife. Rumors swirled about why he was leaving at that hour, and what caused the collision.

In the ensuing weeks, at least a dozen women came forward alleging affairs with the golfer.

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2019 – Four-time MLB All-Star Manny Machado agrees to the biggest free-agent contract in American sports history.

The third baseman signed a 10-year-deal, worth $300 million with the San Diego Padres.

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Birthdays

Millie Bobby Brown – actress, “Stranger Things”, “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” – 17
Victoria Justice – actress, “Victorious”, “Zoey 101” – 28
Arielle Kebbel – actress, “John Tucker Must Die”, “Midnight, Texas” – 36
Jeff Kinney – children’s author – 50
Benicio del Toro – actor, “Sicario”, “The Usual Suspects” – 54
Seal – rock singer – 58
Roger Goodell – NFL commissioner – 62
Jeff Daniels – actor, “Dumb and Dumber”, “The Martian” – 66
Tony Iommi – rock guitarist, Black Sabbath – 73
Smokey Robinson – rock singer – 81

Born On This Date

Bruce Norris – American Hockey HOF executive – 1924 (d. 1986)
Lee Marvin – American actor, “Paint Your Wagon” – 1924 (d. 1987)
Louis Calhern – American actor, “Julius Caesar” – 1895 (d. 1956)
Cedric Hardwicke – British stage actor – 1893 (d. 1964)

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Happy Hour

SOUR APPLE MARTINI
(Courtesy of Make Me A Cocktail)

INGREDIENTS:
.33 oz Lime Cordial
1.5 oz Sour Apple Schnapps
1.5 oz Vodka

DIRECTIONS:
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice.
Shake well then strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a slice of apple and serve.

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Posted by on Feb 19 2021. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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