Year in Review: Part 4

As 2023 comes to an end, take a look back at the local news stories that appeared in the Oskaloosa Herald throughout the year — and shaped our communities. Part 4 of the Herald’s Year in Review covers October through December.

OCTOBER

SOUTHEAST IOWA HARVEST CONTINUES WITH SURPRISINGLY GOOD YIELDS

Southeast Iowa’s farmers are continuing the work of bringing in the harvest after a summer-long drought. Local experts and farmers say that, while yields have been a mixed bag so far, in many ways they have been better than expected. The U.S. Drought Monitor was a tough customer all summer long. Drought levels in southeast Iowa ranged from D1, moderate drought, to D3, extreme drought. With sporadic rains in between, the dry conditions left the question of soil moisture and ultimately yield hanging in the air. Now that harvest is fully underway, with the United States Department of Agriculture reporting 16% of Iowa’s corn for grain and 24% of the state’s soybeans already harvested as of Oct. 2, farmers are getting a grip on where the yield stands this fall. So far, they’re pleasantly surprised.

PELLA HISTORICAL MUSEUM’S NEW DIRECTOR DREAMING OF THE FUTURE

After taking over for Valerie Van Kooten as executive director of Pella Historical Museums in August, Jessi Galligan says her time on the job has been focused on maximizing her skills to further the popular organization’s mission. Galligan is no stranger to Pella’s much-loved museums and history. Since 2019, she has functioned as PHM’s assistant director, a role she says was primarily about social media management and marketing. While she officially started her new role as executive director in April, Galligan says she has around a month and a half of experience doing the job “on her own” since Van Kooten left the organization in August. Galligan says her strengths do lie in social media and marketing, and that she’s taking those skills with her into her new role. As assistant director, she was also in charge of the organization’s archives and collections. She also did a lot of exhibit planning. As she continues to grow into her new role, she is excited to still keep in touch with those aspects, while also focusing more on management.

LOCAL CHILDCARE CENTERS STRUGGLE TO FILL GAPS LEFT BY EXPIRED COVID FUNDING

Local childcare centers are performing a highwire juggling act, balancing staff needs and payroll with affordability and an extremely high demand for their services. Now that pandemic-era federal stabilization grants have recently expired, their already thin resources are being stretched still further in ways that will affect the local community. In 2021, while the COVID-19 pandemic was still going strong, the United States Congress approved $24 billion in the American Rescue Plan for childcare stabilization grants that centers could put toward staff retention bonuses, utilities, rent and curriculum costs.The Mahaska County YMCA Early Childhood Center received $385,000 of COVID relief money between 2020 and 2022 that went to its childcare program. In addition, the center received $250,000 in Department of Human Services stabilization grants. At the end of September, the stabilization grants expired, leaving providers and families alike to deal with an abrupt change in the funding and price tag of childcare in rural America, which is already struggling to keep up with community needs.

NOVEMBER

KRUTZFELDT WINS RE-ELECTION IN OSKALOOSA

Oskaloosa Mayor David Krutzfeldt has won re-election by a margin of 334 votes, according to unofficial election results reported by the Iowa Secretary of State. Krutzfeldt, who is finishing his 14th year as Oskaloosa’s mayor, received 715 of the 1,099 votes in total. Of his 715 votes, 90 were from Ward 1, 159 were from Ward 2/Lincoln, 229 were from Ward 3 and 237 were from Ward 4, adding up to 65.06% of the votes. Krutzfeldt’s challenger, Jeremy Lewis, received a total of 381 votes. Of these, 84 were submitted from Ward 1, 112 were from Ward 2/Lincoln, 93 were from Ward 3 and 92 were from Ward 4, representing 34.67% of the vote. Oskaloosa residents also voted to renew the Oskaloosa Community School District's long-standing Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, with 789, or 55.33% of votes in favor, and 637, or 44.67 votes against.

PELLA’S 2024 TULIP QUEEN COURT ANNOUNCED

The wait is over. Pella’s 2024 Tulip Queen and Royal Court, who will represent the town during next May’s annual Tulip Time Festival, were announced at a ceremony Saturday night. Mia Andringa has been chosen as Pella’s 2024 Tulip Queen. Claire Braafhart, Olivia Cunningham, Alexa Klein and Ellison Ritzert will make up her Royal Court. Faith Vanden Berg, Jessa De Nooy, Annie Van Dyk, Blair Walz, Adalyn DeJong, Lauren Winn and Tess Hopkins also competed for the honor. Cheyne Plants, Pella’s 2023 Tulip Queen, was on hand to congratulate her successor. The selection process for the queen and court included performing creative stage presentations, answering interview questions, and a longer, more rigorous interviewing process that took place prior to the public portion of the event. The girls face a whirlwind in the next few months as they undergo etiquette lessons, sit for official portraits, go on a tour to promote Pella and Tulip Time that will include a stop at the State Capitol and put together their program for Tulip Time in May.

OSKY SENDS CHRISTMAS GIFTS AROUND THE WORLD

Shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts from ordinary families in southeast Iowa will soon be making their way to children all over the globe thanks to a Christian organization that wants to spread the love of Jesus all over the world. Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, an organization that was started by the celebrated American evangelist Billy Graham. According to Samaritan’s Purse, the idea of sending shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts to children in need has its roots in the 1990s in the United Kingdom. Central Church held a packing party on Nov. 12, where attendees of the church showed up to pack 100 shoeboxes to send to children in need. The church’s members also packed shoeboxes at home, or simply donated money to purchase items that were included in them.

DECEMBER

COMMITTEE BEGINS PELLA SCHOOLS’ BUDGET PROCESS

The Pella Community School District has to cut costs and personnel to steer through a budget crisis. The Long Range Planning Committee met on Tuesday at the Pella High School Library to start the process of proposing the next steps. There were 19 committee members, consisting of teachers, parents, grandparents and other staff. According to Superintendent Greg Ebeling, it’s the first of four meetings, which will go through the different jobs and expenses at the district. The committee will then put a plan together, which Ebeling will submit to the school board for recommendation. Pella Community Schools face a deficit of over $1.1 million as enrollment has dropped by 45 students, with 31 transferring to Pella Christian Schools with the passing of education savings accounts earlier this year. Inflation and competitive salaries have also driven up costs. Ebeling explained that approximately 84% of the district’s budget is salaries and benefits, meaning that cuts to personnel are unavoidable.

JOSH STEVENS TAKES OVER MAHASKA COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Josh Stevens took over the role of Mahaska County Emergency Management Coordinator effective Jan. 1, after years of service as deputy coordinator. Stevens, an Oskaloosa native, has enjoyed a career full of experience in emergency management. To the public, Stevens says people shouldn’t be shy about approaching emergency management officials. Stevens says he has an open door policy, and that people can send the department emails from their website at mahaskaready.com/contact-us. The office’s phone number is 641-672-1209. Stevens is at extension 3.