Latest news with #Ottumwa
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Case 'ready to give back'
OTTUMWA — The second Ottumwa mayoral candidate has formally announced a run, and maybe a historic one at that. Brenda Case, who spent almost 30 years working for the Iowa Judicial Branch, kicked off her candidacy Thursday on the steps of Ottumwa City Hall, looking to become what may be the first woman mayor in the city's history. But that is not why she's running. A long career allowed her to help people from all walks of life, and now she wants to continue that effort in a new capacity. "I thought for several years that I could contribute something to the city, and I think I'm good at removing obstacles so people can get their jobs done," Case said. "I love my town. I could have lived anywhere in the state, but I picked Ottumwa because it's great. It's low-key and there's history here." Case joins Ben Foote as the only candidates so far to succeed Rick Johnson, who will not run for a second term as mayor. The mayor's seat and a majority of the city council seats will all be on the ballot in November. (This is a developing story and will be updated)
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Case 'ready to give back'
OTTUMWA — The second Ottumwa mayoral candidate has formally announced a run, and maybe a historic one at that. Brenda Case, who spent almost 30 years working for the Iowa Judicial Branch, kicked off her candidacy Thursday on the steps of Ottumwa City Hall, looking to become what may be the first woman mayor in the city's history. But that is not why she's running. A long career allowed her to help people from all walks of life, and now she wants to continue that effort in a new capacity. "I thought for several years that I could contribute something to the city, and I think I'm good at removing obstacles so people can get their jobs done," Case said. "I love my town. I could have lived anywhere in the state, but I picked Ottumwa because it's great. It's low-key and there's history here." Case joins Ben Foote as the only candidates so far to succeed Rick Johnson, who will not run for a second term as mayor. The mayor's seat and a majority of the city council seats will all be on the ballot in November. (This is a developing story and will be updated)
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Ottumwa community gathers for fourth annual Juneteenth celebration
Monica Leo, left, and Dartanyan Brown perform "Remembering Buxton" at Ottumwa Juneteenth Celebration. (Photo by Tom Foley/Iowa Capital Dispatch) OTTUMWA — Black history took center stage Thursday during the fourth annual Ottumwa Juneteenth celebration. Families and community members gathered in Central Park for a day of live entertainment and education centered around 'unity in the community.' 'Juneteenth gives an opportunity for us to celebrate the holiday, to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans, ' said Rachelle Chase, an Ottumwa author and one of four organizers for her city's Juneteenth celebration. 'That's the one time, the one holiday where the spotlight is on that.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In 2020, Chase noticed a local theater troupe was hosting a weeklong Juneteenth event. She recognized the attention the Black community was getting in the wake of George Floyd's murder and decided to partner with local Pastor Diana Koger, Joe Koger and Dr. Jeff Hendred to organize a local celebration. Ever since, the Ottumwa community has joined in the long-standing tradition of Juneteenth, which began as early as 1866. Many historians place the first celebration of what was then called 'Jubilee Day' to Galveston, Texas, where many gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of the emancipation. It officially became a national holiday in 2021. 'It's imperative that we, especially in the times we are in right now, take a moment to recognize and commemorate our history. The truth of our history,' said Dana James, founder and publisher of Black Iowa News. 'The truth of this country begins its history of enslavement. Why wouldn't we commemorate the end of that?' James is the founder of a digital news platform dedicated to showcasing the Black community and amplifying the voices of Black Iowans. Her paper held one of several booths around the park promoting community resources such as the Ottumwa Human Rights Commission, several Black-owned businesses such as 5 Star Graphic Design, and many others. At 1 p.m., families gathered in a shaded corner of Central Park for Eulenspiegel Puppet Theater Company's performance of 'Remembering Buxton,' based on Chase's book 'Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Iowa.' Her book tells the story of an unincorporated coal mining town, established in 1900, where the Consolidation Coal Mining Company provided miners with equal housing and pay, regardless of race. 'It was a complete anomaly for its time because it was a 100% egalitarian town,' said Monica Leo, managing director and lead puppeteer for Eulenspiegel. 'It only existed for 25 years because the coal mine played out.' Leo said she was 'inspired by that story and wanted to do something with it,' so she reached out to Chase and the two collaborated in interpreting the story of Buxton as a puppet show. Recognizing a need for live music, they reached out to Des Moines musician Dartanyan Brown who wrote and performs the music for the story of Buxton. Leo and Brown have performed in shows together since the 1970s, when the two worked as part of the Des Moines Art Collective, a travelling art group that performed in towns with populations less than 5000. Brown said festivals like Juneteenth are important because they 'give people a sense that they, their heritage, their culture and their history are relevant to the entire American picture.' James added: 'Black Americans helped make this country what it is and you can't tell the story of this country without telling the stories of Black Americans, they're right in the center of it.' Editor's note: Rachelle Chase, Dana James and Dartanyan Brown are members of the Iowa Writers' Collaborative, which has a partnership with Iowa Capital Dispatch. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Case joins Ottumwa mayoral field
OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa mayoral race to succeed outgoing mayor Rick Johnson has another candidate. Brenda Case announced her candidacy to run for the seat as Johnson's term expires this year and he will not seek re-election. Case has been highly visible in the community over the years, particularly for her volunteer work. Case will formally announce her candidacy Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Fourth Street entrance to City Hall. "We have thrived in the aftermath of floods, business and factory closures and economic downturns," Case said in a press release. "And we will continue to move forward together." Case has worked for the Iowa Judicial Branch for 28 years, crossing paths with residents of diverse skills, perspectives and backgrounds. She is a graduate of Buena Vista University with bachelor's degrees in psychology and sociology, and holds a certificate of project management from the University of Iowa. Through her work as a court-appointed special advocate, Case was twice honored with the Governor's Award for Volunteer Service. As a long-time resident of Ottumwa, Case is running because "of her strong belief in the strength, resilience, compassion and unity to be found in this scrappy river town," according to the release, but also recognizes deep division. "We are strong enough to offer compassion to those among us who are living in fear and want," she said. "We have the integrity to insist on due process for all people. We are, and always have been, Ottumwa tough." Case serves as the chair of the Ottumwa Historic Preservation Commission and is as a long-term member and past president of Hy-Noon Kiwanis. She's also been involved with the Ottumwa League of Women Voters, Ottumwa Community Players and other civic organizations. Case is the second person to announce a run for mayor, joining local architect Ben Foote, who announced his candidacy in April. This will be the first election to not feature a primary, so the candidate with the most votes will win. There also are three city council seats up for election in November.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
OUR VIEW: Slashing Job Corps is a betrayal of southeast Iowa
The U.S. Department of Labor's decision to 'pause' all contractor-run Job Corps centers, effectively shutting them down, is a devastating blow to the Ottumwa community. It's also a glaring example of federal leadership abandoning successful, long-term investment for short-term optics. Let's be clear: no program is perfect. The desire to eliminate inefficiencies and reduce deficits resonates across party lines for good reason. When done right, efforts to ensure government programs deliver maximum impact should be applauded. But that's not what is happening here. This is a program with documented successes being discarded to save fractions of a penny in the grand scheme of the federal budget. Whatever savings result will pale in comparison to the long-term societal costs of ending it. In Ottumwa, Job Corps was not a liability. It was a model of success. Serving 33 counties in the region, the center consistently ranked among the top nationwide for job placement. It maintained strong partnerships with local employers and Indian Hills Community College. It trained young adults in fields such as health care and information technology. This program provided real life-changing opportunities to some of our most at-risk children and young adults. The federal government claims the program's costs are too high, citing an average of $80,000 per student annually. But the cost of doing nothing is far greater. That $80,000 is a worthwhile investment when it helps lift young people out of poverty by providing structure, direction and opportunity. Programs like Job Corps are an investment. What message do we send when we abandon programs that offer young adults the tools to succeed, not through handouts but through hard work and hands-on training? What good does creating jobs do if we won't invest in preparing people to fill them? Cutting off the opportunity Job Corps provides, especially in rural areas like southeast Iowa, isn't just poor policy. It's a moral failure. The 195 students still enrolled at the Ottumwa center have been given mere days to leave. More than 100 staff members will lose their jobs at the end of the month. And for what? A vague promise of reevaluation and a faint hope that someone, somewhere, might come up with an alternative. The government's announcement offered no tangible details. We hope this is not the end. We urge readers to raise their voices and contact their elected officials to demand this program be reinstated. In the meantime, we offer our deepest thanks to the staff who dedicated themselves to bettering young lives in our region. While today's administration may not see the value in that work, we have seen it first hand — and we know this community is better because of it.
