Oskaloosa News Recap For January 5th, 2021
Local News
Mahaska County Preparing Budget For 2021-2022
Emergency Radio System Looks For 2021 Activation Date
Plans Are Getting Hammered Out To Help Make A Southeast Connector A Reality
Ecumenical Cupboard Helping Individuals Impacted By Pandemic
Oskaloosa Elementary And Emergency Services Continue Training For Worst Case
Iowa hospitals’ financial losses mount amid COVID-19
United Way Of Mahaska County Playing Role In COVID-19 Help
Big Brothers And Big Sisters Closes Door In Mahaska County
2021 Eggs And Issues Set
Staff At Mahaska Health “We’re Doing Well”
Oskaloosa Fire Chief Talks Fire Safety
Local Sports
Indians Network
Statesmen Sports Network
North Mahaska Warhawks
William Penn Claims Season Sweep of Mount Mercy
Statesmen Rise to #2
WPU Wins Sloppy Game in OT
Big Runs Push WPU to Big Win Over Park
Health Practices and Restrictions at Little Hawkeye Conference Athletic Events
Statesmen Garner 11 All-Heart Honors
Defense Stands Out in Second Win Over MMU
Huge Run Helps Statesmen to Road Win
Oskaloosa News Links
Obituaries
Radar and Road Conditions
Local Traffic Cameras
National and World News
Stocks trended downward on Monday to begin 2021 as the Dow tumbled 382 points, the Nasdaq slid 189 points and the S&P dipped 55 points. There was some upward movement prior to the closing bell after the Dow Jones was down more than 600 points intraday.
Markets were seemingly digesting the upcoming elections on Tuesday as well as new statistical benchmarks achieved by the virus over the past weekend.
Tesla was up more than 3.4 percent for the session after announcing positive vehicle delivery numbers.
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Casey Anthony has launched a new private investigation firm in Florida.
The company, called “Case Research & Consulting Services LLC,” is the latest venture for the 34-year-old, who in 2011, was the focal point of a high-profile case in which she was accused of killing her young daughter. She was eventually found not guilty.
According to the Daily Mail, Anthony is not allowed to hold a PI license in Florida as she was charged with a felony for lying to authorities in her previous case. That may not be an issue, however, as the address listed for the shop is associated with P.I. Pat McKenna.
As some may recall, McKenna was the private investigator who worked for Anthony’s defense team, so perhaps she is working for the company in another — legal — capacity or just footing the bill.
BTW — McKenna was also an investigator for OJ Simpson’s defense team.
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The UK began administering AstraZenca’s COVID vaccine on Monday — the first country in the world to do so.
The first dose went to 82-year-old dialysis patient Brian Pinker at Oxford University Hospital. Pinker told NHS England that the vaccination brings him “peace of mind” as he looks forward to celebrating his 48th wedding anniversary next month.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine was found to be safe and 70% effective in clinical trials. The US has already secured 300 million doses of the yet-to-be approved vaccine.
MEANWHILE: British PM Boris Johnson announced late Monday night a massive, indefinite nationwide lockdown, that prevents any households from mingling and prohibits any non-essential travel, defined as trips for groceries, exercise, to escape abuse, or to work when you can’t work from home.
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A woman in Wales is starting out 2021 with a heartfelt reunion.
Magdalena Klubczuk feared she would never see her pup Roxy again after the pooch disappeared from her yard eight years ago. She spent weeks searching and called numerous area vets, but heard nothing back.
Klubczuk told The Sun that she feared the worst, but then on New Year’s Eve a local animal shelter called to say that Roxy had been found wandering the streets.
The pair were reunited the next day.
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Wildlife officials in Colorado recently rescued an elk that got its neck and legs tangled in a lawn chair.
Photos shared by Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Northeast Region showed the cow elk laying on her side near a home in Idledale, with her head and front legs protruding from the metal frame of the chair.
Another photo shows the elk free of the chair and standing on her own.
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A British judge denied a request from the US to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
District Judge Vanessa Baraitser argued that the 49-year-old, who suffers from clinical depression, would be “likely to commit suicide if sent overseas to face espionage charges.”
The US government said they will appeal her decision.
Assange was indicted, by the US, on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer issue over WikiLeaks’ publication of leaked military and diplomatic documents in 2011. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.
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Failed streamer Quibi, is in talks with Roku to sell the rights to its multimillion-dollar lineup of original shows.
According to the Wall Street Journal, if an agreement is reached, Roku would add the short-form original series to the free, ad-supported Roku Channel.
As previously reported, Quibi went dark in December, less than eight months after launching.
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The price of Bitcoin plummeted Monday, just a day after it surged to an all-time high.
According to CoinDesk, a cryptocurrency news site, Bitcoin tumbled 17% to just over $28k in early morning trading.
The drop was Bitcoin’s largest intraday loss since March, according to Bloomberg News.
Despite the loss, the price of one Bitcoin is still about four times higher than it was at the same time last year.
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The critical care nurse from Queens who was the first in the US to receive the COVID vaccine, has now been fully vaccinated against the virus.
Sandra Lindsay broke out in applause after getting her second dose of Pfizer’s vaccine, exactly three weeks after receiving her first shot. The milestone once again went down in front of cameras.
Other NY hospitals also began administering a second round of doses yesterday.
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Apple is working on a foldable iPhone.
The tech giant has repeatedly asked Foxconn to create two prototype shells to test out potential future iPhone designs.
Tom’s Guide reports that the two designs will be very different, with one featuring a large display that folds in half, while the other is two separate screens joined by a hinge.
The news comes on the heels of Apple releasing its newest family of iPhones — including its smallest in years — the 12 Mini.
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Tube Talk
Here’s what’s new on TV tonight:
The Lion King / ABC / 7:00 pm
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist / NBC / 7:00 pm
Gordon Ramsay’s American Road Trip / FOX / 7:00 pm
This Is Us / NBC / 8:00 pm
Nurses / NBC / 9:00 pm
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Showbiz News
Feds want to seize a bunch of big cats from “Tiger King” star Jeff Lowe after word spread that he euthanized a cub.
According to new docs, the feds claim Jeff put down a tiger, which is not allowed unless they say so, and now they want him to hand over all his big cats that are a year old or younger, plus their moms.
Jeff says that he did nothing wrong as the 6-month-old cub was taken to a vet after it was seen limping around its enclosure. He explained that the vet diagnosed the tiger with metabolic bone disease and said it needed to be euthanized.
The latest investigation comes after the USDA claimed the animals at Jeff’s zoo were in “serious danger” and receiving “substandard care.”
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Various cast members from “The Waltons” will participate in an episode of “Stars In The House” for charity.
Series regulars, Mary Beth McDonough, Kami Cotler and Eric Scott will appear on the live discussion show along with other cast mates from the CBS program. They will also take part in a live Q&A session and musical performance.
The show will air on Thursday via the “Stars In The House” website and YouTube channel.
“The Waltons,” which ran from 1972 until 1982, followed the lives of a family living during the Great Depression and WWII.
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Justin Bieber is not trying to become a man of the cloth.
The singer took to social media Monday to refute the claims that he has entered the ministry at the controversial Hillsong Church.
The Biebs wrote: “IM NOT STUDYING TO BE A MINISTER OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE TO THAT. HAVE NO DESIRE FOR THAT THIS IS FAKE NEWS.”
Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz, a close friend of Bieber’s, was recently ousted after alleged adulterous affairs came to light.
ALSO: The Manhattan campus of the global Hillsong Church is under investigation by church officials, who believe there have been instances of possible embezzlement by other local branch leaders.
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“The Mandalorian” was the most pirated show of 2020, according to TorrentFreak.
The Disney+ series took over the top spot from “Game of Thrones,” who held the reign as the most illegally streamed show on the internet for years.
While the outlet did not share stats or download figures, it stated that their “ranking is based on several sources, including statistics reported by public BitTorrent trackers.”
Other highly-pirated titles include: “The Boys,” Season 3 of “Westworld” and “Vikings.”
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Playboi Carti’s second album has landed atop the Billboard album charts.
The 24-year-old rapper — real name Jordan Terrell Carter — debuted the album “Whole Lotta Red” on Christmas Day. It took the top spot on the Billboard 200 album charts for the week ending December 31, according to Billboard.
Playboi’s first studio album, “Die Lit,” debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the album charts in 2018.
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Lori Loughlin is hoping to get back into acting following her short prison stint.
The actress, who was recently released from federal prison in Dublin, California, is hoping to make her way back to the small (or big) screen, but for now is focusing on her family, a source told PEOPLE magazine.
As previously reported, the “Full House” alum served two months for her role in the college admissions scandal. She is now prepping to finish out her complete sentence which involves 100 hours of community service.
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“Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical” raised over $1 million for the Actors Fund.
The musical — based on Pixar’s 2007 animated film — starred Titus Burgess, Wayne Brady, Ashley Park and Adam Lambert.
The Actors Fund is a charity organization that supports performers and those working behind the scenes in entertainment, many of whom have been affected by the coronavirus crisis.
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Netflix is set to release an extended version of Chris Rock’s 2018 stand-up special “Tambourine.”
The extended version will feature additional footage from his Brooklyn Academy of Music set, as well as interviews and clips from behind-the-scenes.
“The Tambourine Extended Cut” will air on Jan. 12.
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Billy Baldwin and his wife Chynna Phillips spoke out about the scandal surrounding their sister-in-law Hilaria Baldwin.
In an interview with Page Six, the couple expressed sympathy for for the fitness instructor, explaining that they have been routinely checking in with her and husband Alec Baldwin.
Phillips, whose parents were a part of the Mamas and Papas, added that she has seen this all play out before, being “born in a fishbowl.” She also defended her sister-in-law calling her a “good woman,” adding that “none of us are perfect.”
Last week, Hilaria went viral after reports surfaced that she faked her Spanish roots. Addressing the speculation, Hilaria came clean saying her birth name is Hillary and is a “white girl from Boston.”
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Larry King has been moved out of the ICU, but remains hospitalized as he continues to receive treatment for COVID.
The 87-year-old has been at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. for more than 10 days, his family told NBC News.
It is believed that King potentially contracted the virus from a health care worker who went to his home, according to the outlet.
One of King’s sons was also infected with the virus.
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Sports
The Los Angeles Chargers fired head coach Anthony Lynn yesterday after four seasons with the team.
The Chargers became the sixth team seeking a new head coach. The Jets and Jaguars fired their coaches Sunday and the Falcons, Lions and Texans had interim head coaches during the 2020 NFL season.
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The NCAA announced Monday that this year’s tournament games — including the Final Four — will be played entirely in Indiana.
Games will be held on two courts inside Lucas Oil Stadium and Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena at Purdue and Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
Championship weekend is still set for April 3 and 5.
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Wild Card Weekend Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 9
AFC No. 7 seed Indianapolis Colts at AFC No. 2 seed Buffalo Bills, 1:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
NFC No. 6 seed Los Angeles Rams at NFC No. 3 seed Seattle Seahawks, 4:40 p.m. ET (FOX)
NFC No. 5 seed Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NFC No. 4 seed Washington Football Team, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC)
Sunday, Jan. 10
AFC No. 5 seed Baltimore Ravens at AFC No. 4 seed Tennessee Titans, 1:05 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN)
NFC No. 7 seed Chicago Bears at NFC No. 2 seed New Orleans Saints, 4:40 p.m. ET (CBS, Nick, Amazon Prime Video)
AFC No. 6 seed Cleveland Browns at AFC No. 3 seed Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 p.m. ET (NBC, Telemundo, Peacock)
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Day of the Year
National Bird Day
National Keto Day
National Screenwriters Day
National Whipped Cream Day
Fruitcake Toss Day
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On This Date
1709 – The Great Frost begins in France.
The cold snap arrived during the night, killing thousands across the country.
It remains one of Europe’s coldest winters ever, reaching temps of 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
To this day, climatologists have been unable to explain away the phenomenon.
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1846 – The U.S. declares sole occupation and control of the Oregon Territory.
Until that point, it was shared with the British, primarily through the Hudson Bay Company, a trading company.
While President Polk supported grabbing the territory, even by war, he was distracted with fighting in Mexico. But British delegates agreed to move north of the 49th parallel, into what is today Washington state.
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1920 – The New York Yankees purchase George Herman “Babe” Ruth from the Boston Red Sox for $125,000.
Ruth’s contract with the Yankee’s called for about $10,000 a year, but Ruth negotiated a little bit higher price.
That season Ruth would smash his own home run record, slugging 54 in 1920. He hit 59 the following year.
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1933 – Excavation at the site of what would become the Golden Gate Bridge begins.
It was the brainchild of engineer Joseph Strauss. He was only 5 feet tall.
The bridge opened to cars four years later.
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1972 – President Nixon signs a bill that authorizes $5.5 million for the development of a reusable space shuttle.
The new technology would also permit longer-term missions in space.
The first shuttle launched in 1981. It was called Columbia.
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1998 – Former crooner Sonny Bono dies in a skiing accident.
He was on vacation in South Lake Tahoe, California. He went off skiing alone for the afternoon, and hours later still had not returned. Searchers were able to find body.
Bono was as the time married to his fourth wife. His most famous spouse, though, was Cher.
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2007 – Bill Cowher resigns as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In his 15 seasons as head coach, he lead his team to 8 division titles and 10 playoff appearances which lead to 2 Super Bowl runs and one victory.
He is the second coach in NFL history to reach the playoffs in each of his first six seasons as head coach.
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Birthdays
Suki Waterhouse – model & actress – 29
Kristin Cavallari – TV personality, “The Hills” – 34
Bradley Cooper – actor, “Hangover,” “A Star Is Born” – 46
Marilyn Manson – singer – 52
Carrie Ann Inaba – “Dancing With the Stars” judge – 53
Nicole Murphy – reality star, ex-wife of Eddie Murphy – 53
Diane Keaton – actress, “Something’s Gotta Give” – 75
Born On This Date
King C. Gillette – inventor of safety razor blades, born in Fond du Lac, WI – 1855 (d. 1932)
Stephen Decatur – American naval hero, War of 1812 – 1779 (d. 1820)
Constanze Mozart – wife of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – 1762 (d. 1842)
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Deaths
Tanya Roberts is NOT dead after all.
Her publicist told media outlets on Sunday that the former Bond girl and “That ’70s Show” actress died at home a few days after suffering a collapse from walking her dogs on Christmas Eve. The news of her demise came from Roberts’ husband, who apparently got a call from the hospital saying she had died.
But once news got out, Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles had to clear up the information, and informed the husband Monday morning that Roberts was still kickin’.
She’s still 65, but her condition is unclear.
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