Courier Year in Review: Part 2

Dec. 29—As the year 2023 comes to a close, here's a look back on a year's of news that appeared in the pages of the Ottumwa Courier. These headlines were curated by Courier staff, and come from reporting by the Courier and our news partners. Part 2 covers the April, May and June in 2023.

APRIL

Donald Shaffer, M-A-S-H's Radar inspiration, dies at 92

Donald Stephen Shaffer, who served as the inspiration for the character named Radar O'Reilly in the popular book, movie and television series M-A-S-H, died on March 29 at the age of 92.

Ottumwa council OKs strip center agreement

The Ottumwa City Council unanimously approved a development agreement to a developer constructing a strip mall adjacent to Kohl's on Wildwood Drive. The agreement with Hopkins Properties LLC calls for a 10,000-square foot strip center for either four or five tenants, one of which is moving from Quincy Place Mall. But the agreement also guarantees a 100% TIF rebate for the first two years, and 80% for the next six. While approved, the agreement spurred a larger discussion around how much TIF financing is too much.

McCloskey named associate superintendent

The Ottumwa Community School District announced that Brad McCloskey would become associate superintendent, reporting to Mike McGrory. McCloskey was the 5-8th grade principal at Davis County Community Schools.

High court declines hearing Fairfield teens appeal

The Iowa Supreme Court denied applications made by attorneys for Willard Noble Chaiden-Miller and Jeremy Everett Goodale for discretionary review and interlocutory appeal. A district court judge ruled against the teens' requests to bar the media and public from an upcoming court hearing that sought a referral to juvenile court. The judge also declined to rule on evidence admissibility issues prior to the hearing. The teens, facing charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy in the death of 66-year-old Fairfield High School Spanish teacher Nohema Graber, had appealed both of those rulings to the higher court.

New principal named at Pickwick Early Childhood

Kim Ledger, an Ottumwa High School graduate, was named the new principal at Pickwick Early Childhood Center in Ottumwa. Ledger was previously the principal for pre-K through 6th grade at Pekin Community School District.

Council members decry 'bullying' tactics

As the final stages played out for Ottumwa's new animal ordinance, Ottumwa City Council members Cara Galloway and Marc Roe publicly decried distasteful tactics from the public surrounding Chapter 7 of the city code, which contains breed-specific legislation of pit bull dogs.

Buckley named state's top elementary principal

Heather Buckley, the eighth-year elementary principal in the Cardinal Community School District, was named the 2022 Iowa Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators of Iowa on Thursday. The organization represents over 2,000 administrators at all levels, and Buckley was one of three finalists for her honor.

Iowa GOP: All eyes on Wapello

At a Bridge View Center event in April, members of the Iowa Republican Party said Wapello County was a key player in the upcoming general election. "It's not a far cry to say that Ottumwa is going to have a meaningful voice in who the next Congressperson might be in this area," state party chairman Jeff Kaufmann said.

Ottumwa Schools approve updates to James, Wilson

The Ottumwa School District will make facility updates to James Elementary and Wilson Elementary. Those updates included $46,968 for new carpet in James Elementary, and $115,450 to update the electrical system at Wilson Elementary.

Breed-specific legislation stays in revised ordinance

A sixth-month process to revise the City of Ottumwa animals ordinance led to quite a few changes, from classification of animals, to enforcement of infractions in keeping them. Indeed, "pit bull terrier" remained in the "dangerous animals" category of the revised ordinance as part of the "animals and fowl" (Chapter 7) portion of the code.

IHHC celebrates grand opening

The Iowa Heartland History Connection is celebrating new exhibits in a new museum location with a new director, Erin Naylor, on April 30.

MAY

City receives $300,000 housing grant

The City of Ottumwa was awarded a $300,000 Downtown Housing Grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) for the Capitol Lofts Project. The funds will support rehabilitating the second floor of the Capitol Theater building at 231 E. Main St. to create four new apartment units, a project that will begin this summer. The total project cost is estimated at $1 million. The Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation, which owns the building, will contribute $700,000 in private investment.

Council tables animal ordinance

No action was taken following a six-month process to revise Chapter 7 of the code, which offered new definitions, enforcement procedures and owner regulations, particularly associated with dangerous animals, which is how the pit bull is defined. Still, there was enough gray area in several sections that council member Cara Galloway wasn't comfortable approving during the first reading.

"I understand this ban has been in place for a long time, but what happens if we lift it, and now we have all these animals that have not been socialized?" Galloway asked at the end of the meeting. "Or we have these expectations for people to have pit bulls, but then they're not followed?

"These are all things we have to consider."

In bid to keep caucuses first, Iowa Dems offer changes

Iowa Democrats took their first official steps to persuade the Democratic National Committee to keep the state in front of the line when it comes to selecting presidential candidates.

The DNC last month stripped Iowa of its guaranteed first-in-the-nation status, and instituted an application process open to Iowa and all state parties.

DNR considers gifting resort to Appanoose County

Among options under consideration for the future of the state-owned Honey Creek Resort could be gifting it to Appanoose County. Officials said in May that the idea was still exploratory in nature. State officials said they intend to move quickly to prepare recommendations to Gov. Kim Reynolds who they believe will have the final say. The goal being to have the resort's future locked in with enough time to prepare for the 2023 peak recreational season.

GOPIP wants stronger partnership with county

Marc Roe, the executive director of Greater Ottumwa Partners In Progress said the organization was stretching its bounds, and wants the county to be a part of that journey. Roe outlined GOPIP's duties and the changes made in his short time as its leader, and made sure the words "greater" and "partners" weren't only serving those inside city limits.

Fairfield teens denied juvenile waivers

The two teens charged with the murder of a high school Spanish teacher will be tried as an adult, a judge ruled. Thursday's ruling by Judge Shawn Showers found that district court is the best place for 16-year-old Willard Noble Chaiden Miller to be tried. The order denies a request by Miller's attorneys to transfer the case to juvenile court. Showers made a similar ruling for Miller's co-defendant, 17-year-old Jeremy Everett Goodale. The case is still pending, and both teens have pled not guilty.

New plant in Eddyville will bring innovation

Cargill Inc. and HELM, a German chemical company, announced a parternship to build a first-in-the-nation $300 million renewables facility near Cargill's existing plant at Eddyville, with completion and operation scheduled for 2024.

The companies' partnership, called Qore, will use the facility to create a bio-based renewable Qira from corn. The process for making the renewable is fairly straight-forward, as carbon dioxide trapped by corn creates starch. Sugars from the starch are then fermented, with Qira being extracted. The new BDO is expected to replace coal and other fossil-based chemicals in allowing products — ranging from automotive to fashion and electronics — to become more sustainable and improve their environmental footprint without losing quality.

Police: Man wanted for deputy assault arrested

A man that went on the lam for four days after police said he assaulted and disarmed a deputy was arrested in Centerville. David Duane Boley was wanted by police after they say he assaulted Gary Buckallew, an Appanoose County Sheriff's Deputy, in the 17400 block of Highway J18 near the small town of Iconium in northern Appanoose County. The sheriff's office says Buckallew is in stable condition but was severely injured in the assault. He was also a suspect in a home burglary reported in the 17000 block of Highway J18, near the area of the alleged assault.

Naig visits coal mine reclamation project in Wapello County

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig made a stop in Wapello County to check the progress of an abandoned coal mine reclamation project Tuesday. The Patrick AML Reclamation Project, located east of 165th street on Eddyville farmland, is an abandoned coal mine site that primarily supplied coal to a large railroad system in the area in the 1800s. The mine spans about 48 acres in size.

Ottumwa Schools hire new director of curriculum and instruction

Maria Lantz has been named the new director of curriculum and instruction for Ottumwa Schools. She began her duties July 1. Lantz was previously at Des Moines Public Schools as an associate principal for instruction at Stowe Elementary.

Simon Estes to receive honorary degree from Julliard

Centerville native Simon Estes received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Julliard at the school's 117th commencement ceremony.

Hull breaks ground at OFD

Amanda Hull was approved by the Ottumwa City Council to a round of applause during May 17's meeting as she became the first female firefighter in the Ottumwa Fire Department's history. Hull, who had worked at ORMICS for the last five years, was ready to take her career another step.

IHCC awarded $500k through Career Academy Incentive Fund

Indian Hills Community College was awarded $500,000 for an expansion of the Hills West Regional Center in Centerville.

Ottumwa Schools unveil new Gateway Center

The Ottumwa School District unveiled the name of a new alternative learning center. The Gateway Center will serve students in grades 9-12 with a focus on personalized learning and is part of the district's "Vision of Excellence," the second phase of their "Be the Best" initiative.

Iowa GOP touts legislative victories; Democrats decry 'culture wars'

Republican legislative leaders cheered the accomplishments of the 2022 legislative session, which ended early and included major tax cuts and the culmination of years of work on issues ranging from the bottle bill to biofuels. Democratic leaders said the GOP majority was focused on "culture wars" at the expense of doing more to address the state's workforce shortage.

Construction begins on Cobblestone hotel

Members of the city, community and other investors gathered at the Bridge View Hotel to kick off the groundbreaking for the four-story, 84-room hotel that will be built adjacent to the center. For months, officials have touted the project as vital to the city's — and region's — economic development goals.

JUNE

Family of Ottumwa man sues JBS for wrongful death

The family of an Iowa meatpacking plant employee who died from COVID-19 is suing JBS Swift Pork, alleging the company and other industry leaders ignored years of warnings about the threat a pandemic might pose to their workers.

The federal lawsuit is brought by the family of Luciano Sican-Soloman, a 23-year employee of the JBS Swift Pork meat processing plant in Ottumwa. Sican-Soloman died in May 2020 at age 57 due to COVID-19.

City receives $100,000 grant for Blessings project

The City of Ottumwa was awarded a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) for the Blessings Soup Kitchen Food Program Assistance Project. The funds will support upgraded commercial cooking equipment for Blessings.

Ottumwa Schools appoint new principal, two assistant principals

Ottumwa Community Schools announced a new principal and two assistant principals. Marci Dunlap has been named the Gateway Center principal for the 2022-23 school year. Dunlap will be filling the position vacated by Aiddy Phomvisay, who has accepted a position in another school district. Additionally, Heather Platten was appointed assistant principal at Evans Middle School, and Kelly Scott was appointed assistant principal at Ottumwa High School.

Supervisors look to streamline secondary roads tasks

Supervisor Chairman Jerry Parker said during a June 7 board of supervisors meeting the longevity of those employees, which is at least 50 years cumulatively, has given the supervisors a chance to freshen up those positions. In the near future, the county will look to add an assistant engineer, whose responsibilities will be to assist in the the planning for bridges, culverts, and drawing plans and specifics in the office, but also supervising projects in the field.

Wapello Supervisors primary: One incumbent falls

A crowded field vying for two seats on the Wapello County Board of Supervisors got much smaller Tuesday, and one of the incumbents is no longer included. Incumbent Jerry Parker led in votes in the Democratic primary. Connie Hammersley-Wilson finished second, meaning incumbent Wayne Huit will miss the Democratic ballot for November. On the Republican side, Bryan Ziegler was the top vote-getter followed by Darren Batterson.

Some GOP incumbents hit school choice wall

Gov. Kim Reynolds' school choice proposals became a campaigning point for many facing Republican state legislative primaries. And many candidates who have been critical of those proposals lost. Reynolds, in a mostly unprecedented step for a governor, intervened in some contested Republican primaries by endorsing or campaigning with candidates that faced party incumbents who hadn't embraced her "parent choice" education platforms.

For two legislative sessions, Reynolds has included legislation marketed as school choice for parents as a cornerstone platform, but it's been hung up in the Iowa House where Republicans hold a 60-40 majority.

Council restores Human Rights Commission

The city council during June 7's meeting unanimously approved the first reading of the ordinance to re-establish a human rights commission and then fast-tracked the process by waiving the second and third readings.

Once the ordinance is published, applications will then be accepted for the nine voting members of the public to be appointed to the commission on a volunteer basis. According to the ordinance, appointments "shall represent the diversity of the people of Ottumwa with respect to race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion or disability."

School district votes to move up graduation

The Ottumwa Community School District Board of Education voted unanimously to change the long-standing Memorial Day weekend for high school graduation. The new date will now be the Sunday before Memorial Day weekend.

Pit bull ban to stay in ordinance

Upon further review, the breed-specific legislation regarding the pit bull terrier will remain in the City of Ottumwa's revised animals ordinance. In a resolution of the reading, the city outlined its rationale for keeping the ban on the animal in place, which has been the case since 2003:

— Pit bull terriers are being kept within city limits in spite of the ban, and the city council does not want to encourage or reward this unlawful behavior.

— The concerns and fears surrounding the danger that pit bull terriers pose to the community at-large have not significantly changed since the ban was originally put in place.

— The community service officer has reported there have been 16 pit bull terrier-related charges issues in the first five months of 2022.

ISB Ottumwa campus to close in August

Andrew Oswald, the president of Iowa School of Beauty, announced on Facebook Friday that the Ottumwa campus will close Aug. 27, ending a run of over 50 years as a beauty school in the community.

Train traffic concerns rise with pending merger

Many Ottumwa residents are concerned about the effects the potential Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger, likely to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year, will have on the community. The proposed $31 billion merger will allow goods to move by rail from Canada to Mexico, becoming the first U.S. railroad to do so. Traffic increases are soon to follow over Ottumwa's CP crossings at Quincy Avenue and 87th Street.

Abortion still legal in Iowa, for now

The U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade allows states to decide abortion restrictions, if any. Because Iowa does not have a "trigger ban" or "trigger law" in place, abortion is still legal in the state. The state legislature would need to take further action before abortion is further curtailed in the state.

Hotel Ottumwa finds potential buyer

The iconic Hotel Ottumwa, which has been for sale for almost two years, may have finally found a prospective buyer. The hotel announced on its Facebook page that it had entered a purchase agreement with Bush Construction of Davenport, pending the firm's approval for state historical tax credits, as well as Iowa Workforce Development tax credits.