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Oskaloosa Man Arrested for Domestic Assault

OSKALOOSA – An Oskaloosa man is behind bars after police say he was seen assaulting a woman in a parking lot.

Court records show that on September 20, the Oskaloosa Police Department responded to multiple reports of a domestic assault occurring in the parking lot of Meadowbrook Apartments. 

The reports stated that 24-year-old Mustang Thomas had pulled the victim forcefully from her vehicle with the arm and collar of her shirt. Police say that the victim later confirmed the account and that she was observed to have red marks on her arm. Additionally, the collar of her shirt had been stretched out.

It was noted that Thomas and the victim live together and share four children.

Thomas was eventually taken into custody and brought to the Mahaska County Jail and now faces a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault Causing Injury or Mental Illness – First Offense, a serious misdemeanor. A no-contact order was issued for Thomas and the victim. Thomas has since been released on bond and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 29.

TikTok’s algorithm to be licensed to US joint venture led by Oracle and Silver Lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tech giant Oracle will spearhead U.S. oversight of the algorithm and security underlying TikTok’s video popular platform under the terms of a deal laid out Monday by President Donald Trump’s administration.

All the final details still need to be nailed down among several joint venture partners that will include Oracle, investment firm Silver Lake Partners and possibly two billionaires — media mogul Rupert Murdoch and personal computer pioneer Michael Dell. The U.S. administration would not have a stake in the joint venture nor be part of its board, according to a senior White House official.

President Trump is expected to issue an executive order later this week that declares that the terms of the deal meet the security concerns laid out by the law, the senior White House official said. China still needs to sign off on the framework proposal, and any final deal would still require regulatory approval.

The proposal is aimed at resolving a long-running effort to wrest TikTok’s U.S. operations from its Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, because of national security concerns. TikTok has become a high-profile topic during conversations between Trump and China President Xi Jinping as they continue to spar in a trade war that’s roiled the global economy for much of the year.

For now, the two sides are progressing on a framework deal that calls for a consortium of investors, including Oracle and Silver Lake, to take over the U.S. operations of TikTok in a process that might not be completed until early next year under a timeline laid out Monday by the Trump administration. That could mean TikTok’s divestment might not be completed until a year after it was supposed to be banned under a law that had bipartisan support but was repeatedly bypassed by Trump.

Under the current terms of the proposal, the new U.S. joint venture would receive a licensed copy of the recommendation algorithm that keeps TikTok users endlessly scrolling through clips on their smartphones. Oracle would review, monitor and secure U.S. data flowing through the service.

American officials have previously warned that ByteDance’s algorithm is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect.

“It wouldn’t be in compliance if the algorithm is Chinese. There can’t be any shared algorithm with ByteDance,” said a spokesperson for the House Select Committee on China.

The algorithm has been a central issue in the security debate over TikTok. China previously maintained the algorithm must remain under Chinese control by law. But a U.S. regulation passed with bipartisan support said any divestment of TikTok must mean the platform cuts ties — specifically the algorithm — with ByteDance.

Although the details remain sketchy, a Trump administration official said that the licensed copy will be “retrained” with U.S. data to make sure the system is “behaving appropriately.”

That makes it unclear if the U.S. version of TikTok will look different from what users are seeing in the rest of the world. Any noticeable changes made to a social media platform’s service raises the risk of alienating its audience, said Jasmine Enberg, an analyst for the research firm eMarketer.

“Social media is just as much about the culture as it is the technology, and how users will take to new ownership and potentially a new version of the app is still an open question,” Enberg said.

In a Monday briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the change in control won’t change the experience. “TikTok users in the U.S will be able to see videos posted by users in other countries and vice versa,” Leavitt said.

In a prime example of how a change of control can reshape a once-popular social media platform, billionaire Elon Musk triggered an almost immediate backlash after he completed his $44 billion takeover of Twitter nearly three years ago.

But Musk made extremely visible changes, including eventually dropping the Twitter brand and changing its name to X. The changes that gradually occur while different data is fed into the U.S. copy of TikTok’s algorithm could be subtle and unnoticeable to most of its audience.

What’s clear, for now, is that both Oracle and Silver Lake will be major players in TikTok’s future in the U.S. if the deal is finalized by the Trump administration.

Founded nearly 50 years ago, Oracle’s success was built on database software that helps manage a wide variety of information crucial to business, and has since expanded into hardware, including data centers that help power artificial intelligence.

Although he no longer runs Oracle as its CEO, company co-founder Larry Ellison remains a top executive while also overseeing an estimated personal fortune of $390 billion. Ellison, 81, now could be in line to become a behind-the-scenes power player in the media, having already helped finance Skydance’s recently completed $8 billion merger with Paramount, a deal engineered by his son, David.

Silver Lake has long focused on tech deals, including past buyouts of Dell Computer and the now-defunct video calling service Skype. Michael Dell, who founded Dell Computer, may now be one of investors in the U.S. joint venture overseeing TikTok, according to what Trump told Fox News in a recent interview. Trump also mentioned Murdoch, whose company owns Fox News, as a potential investor in the joint venture.

Other media outlets have reported that another billionaire, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, is vying to become involved in the investor group. Andreessen was also involved in Silver Lake’s 2009 buyout of Skype.

ByteDance is expected to have a 20%, or smaller, stake in the U.S. joint venture, whose board will be controlled by the U.S. investors. ByteDance will be represented by one person on the board, but that individual will be excluded from TikTok’s security committee.

Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

“Last week, many areas of the state received several rounds of rain, which tapped the brakes on fall field work. Upcoming forecasts show a switch back to warmer and drier conditions through the end of September. Farmers who have corn and soybeans ready to go will likely take full advantage of that window to make progress on harvest,” said Secretary Naig. “I also want to remind all Iowans that this is National Farm Safety and Health Week. Whether you’re on the road, in the field or working around the farm, please keep safety top of mind. Farming comes with long, stressful days and real economic challenges right now. I encourage everybody to take care of their mental health and check in on their family members and neighbors, too.”

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report

Wet conditions for portions of Iowa reduced days suitable for fieldwork to 4.9 during the week ending September 21, 2025, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Warm temperatures advanced crop maturity quickly. Fieldwork included the beginning of corn and soybean harvest in many areas.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 3 percent very short, 18 percent short, 70 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 2 percent very short, 17 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus.

Ninety-five percent of corn was dented or beyond. Sixty-six percent of corn has matured, 4 days ahead of last year and 2 days ahead of the five-year average. The corn for grain harvest has begun and was 8 percent complete. Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 19 percent fair, 55 percent good and 19 percent excellent. Soybeans coloring advanced to 89 percent. Sixty-two percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, 2 days ahead of last year and 1 day ahead of average. Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 57 percent good and 17 percent excellent.

Pasture condition rated 60 percent good to excellent.

Statesmen Return to Top 25 for First Time Since 2017

OSKALOOSA — The William Penn football team’s 4-0 record has propelled it to a spot in the top 25 as the NAIA released its second poll Monday.

WPU is 24th in the country with 107 points.  It is the first time since August 8, 2017 (No. 23) that the program has been inside the top 25.

The Statesmen are among four Heart of America Athletic Conference programs in the rating.  Grand View leads the nation (has all 15 first-place votes as well), while Benedictine is third and MidAmerica Nazarene is No. 23.

Keiser (Fla.) holds the No. 2 spot nationally, while Morningside is fourth and Indiana Wesleyan is fifth.

William Penn travels to Canton, Mo. Saturday to face Culver-Stockton in a Heart North Division game at 12 p.m.

NAIA Football Rating No. 2 — September 22, 2025


(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)

1. Grand View (15)
2. Keiser (Fla.)
3. Benedictine (Kan.)
4. Morningside
5. Indiana Wesleyan
6. Montana Tech
7. Friends (Kan.)
8. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
9. Montana Western
10. St. Thomas (Fla.)
11. Southeastern (Fla.)
12. Georgetown (Ky.)
13. Campbellsville (Ky.)
14. Northwestern
15. Dordt
16. Ottawa (Ariz.)
17. Southwestern (Kan.)
18. Carroll (Mont.)
19. Marian (Ind.)
20. Dickinson State (N.D.)
21. Concordia (Neb.)
22. Texas Wesleyan
23. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
24. William Penn
25. College of Idaho

Receiving votes: McPherson (Kan.) 79, Kansas Wesleyan 52, Cumberland (Tenn.) 51, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 34, Evangel (Mo.) 26, Southern Oregon 25, Saint Francis (Ind.) 19, Taylor (Ind.) 19.

Iowa Attorney General’s Office Concludes Officers Acted with Legal Justification in Marion County Shooting

DES MOINES — In a report issued yesterday, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office has concluded that the August 21, 2025, fatal shooting of Steven Funk by a Knoxville Police Department sergeant was legally justified.

The Attorney General’s conclusion was based on a review and investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. The investigation found that on August 21, 2025, Sergeant Joseph Weppler and Officer Matthew Eagleton of the Knoxville Police Department responded to a 911 call and encountered Steven Funk attempting to murder his wife. Sergeant Weppler fired on Steven Funk who died of his injuries.

At 11:13 p.m. on August 21, 2025, Marion County dispatch received a 911 call from Andrea Funk. She stated that her husband, Steven Funk, had crashed his car into the house, rupturing the gas line, and was trying to get in the house in violation of a no contact order. The phone line remained open. Andrea frantically screamed for help as she heard Funk gain entry into the house. Funk beat on the bedroom door until he was able to gain entry into the bedroom itself, where he began to strangle Andrea. When the officers who arrived at the house got to the bedroom door, they could hear Andrea screaming, then gagging. Funk continued to strangle Andrea while preventing officers from getting into the room by blocking the door with his body. When Sgt. Weppler was able to squeeze partway through the door, he could see Funk with his hand still around Andrea’s throat. When Funk refused Sgt. Weppler’s command to stop, Sgt. Weppler shot him. Funk later died from his injuries.

After the incident, officers determined that Funk had driven his car east down the alley and crashed into the northwest corner of the house, on its rear side. He had torn off the video doorbell by the north door, broken a panel off the backyard fence, and kicked in the back door on the west side of the house. There was an empty beer can in his car and multiple beer cans, both empty and full, in the hotel room where he had been staying. Area law-enforcement were familiar with Funk as he had previously served as a Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy. In recent years law enforcement had dealt with Funk’s being intoxicated numerous times. During one of those instances, he had possessed of a firearm. It was learned that within the last two years that Funk’s drinking and mental health had gotten progressively worse.

The report is issued under the Attorney General’s independent authority under Iowa Code section 13.12 to investigate or prosecute conduct of law enforcement that results in death.

A copy of the report is available here.

Man is arrested and charged in New Hampshire country club shooting

NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — A gunman opened fire in a New Hampshire country club on Saturday as a wedding was taking place, killing one person and wounding two others, authorities said.

The person who died at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua was a 59-year-old man identified as Robert Steven DeCesare, according to New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella and Nashua Police Chief Kevin Rourke.

Authorities identified the suspect as Hunter Nadeau, age 23, and said he had been arrested and charged with one count of second-degree murder for knowingly shooting DeCesare.

“Additional charges likely will be brought, including for the additional shooting victims,” Formella and Rourke said in a statement. They said they expect Nadeau to be arraigned at the Ninth Circuit Court in Nashua on Monday.

Authorities had initially thought there could be two shooters but later said that was mistaken and there was only one. Police said there was no further danger to the public.

Investigators were still working to determine a motive, New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley said.

Information on the wounded victims’ conditions was not immediately available.

Tom Bartelson of Pepperell, Massachusetts, who was at the country club, described a chaotic scene that unfolded near his nephew’s wedding. He said he heard the shooter say “the children are safe” and “free Palestine” and appeared to be targeting someone.

“Getting together for a dance for the bride and groom and then all chaos went off,” he said. “We heard about six shots and everybody ducked for cover and next thing you know we’re rushed into safe spots and things like that.”

He said some people dropped to the ground and attempted to get away from the scene. There was a lot of panic, he said.

“We were trying to keep family members safe,” he said. “Keep everybody down and try to find safe spots.”

The mother of DeCesare, the man who was killed, had earlier described not being able to find her son after he was shot.

“He went down. My daughter in law and granddaughter escaped … They saw my son go down and they saw blood,” the mother, Evie O’Rourke of Salem, New Hampshire, said.

Emily Ernst, who was at the scene, said she saw a gunman in all black.

“He had a mask on. We just saw him raise the gun and then we ran,” Ernst said. “I ran through the kitchen for my life.”

Aerial video from WMUR-TV showed multiple emergency responders heading to the scene. Later, Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess said he had faith in police to “get to the bottom of this and bring the perpetrator to justice.”

He added: “I think the message is for every community out there is that no matter how unlikely it seems it can happen where you live.”

U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander said in a statement that she was “closely monitoring the tragic reports of a shooting tonight at Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua” and that her heart was with the victims, their families and the community.

Nashua is about 45 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of Boston, just across the Massachusetts border.

Another Ranked Foe Falls to William Penn

OSKALOOSA — The William Penn football team has taken down two ranked foes in as many weeks, defeating No. 12 MidAmerica Nazarene 34-31 in a Heart of America Athletic Conference North-South crossover game Saturday.

The Statesmen (4-0) nearly doubled up the Pioneers (3-1) in total yardage (480-249), including 228-47 edge on the ground, but had to hang on down the stretch. WPU grabbed its fourth win in a row, the longest win streak for the Statesmen since the 2012 season.

The Pioneers started the game on offense, but were stifled by the Statesmen who forced a quick three-and-out. On the other end of the field, WPU’s opening offensive drive was going well until the Pioneers were able to force a fumble.

It was the first of three fumbles by William Penn on the day, but the only one that was recovered by MidAmerica Nazarene.

The next time William Penn had the ball, it was able to move into plus territory after a 37-yard run by Destynd Loring (Sr., Charleston S.C., Sports Management). Unfortunately, the navy and gold again came up empty when a pass from Sterling Ramsey II (Sr., Broken Arrow, Okla., Business Management) was intercepted at the MidAmerica 5-yard-line.

Following another defensive stop and a short Pioneer punt, William Penn’s next drive started at the MidAmerica Nazarene 33-yard-line. This time, the Statesmen were finally able to finish a drive with Ramsey finding Branden Powell (So., Waco, Texas, Kinesiology) for a one-yard touchdown pass.

This was the first of three passing touchdowns for Ramsey.  The senior matched this number in interceptions, however, while completing 15 of 30 passes for 252 yards. He also ran five times for nine yards and a touchdown.

MidAmerica Nazarene responded on the next drive with a touchdown of its own to tie the score at 7-7.

The next time that the Pioneers had possession, Marquis Harry (So., Pompano Beach, Fla., Business Management) snagged an interception deep in WPU territory.  A penalty shortened Harry’s return.

Penalty issues continued for William Penn as the hosts committed nine for 75 yards.

After the penalty, the Statesmen offense struck quickly. Ramsey connected with Amir Everett (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn., Sports Management) for a 51-yard touchdown throw that gave the Statesmen the 14-7 lead with 11:57 left in the second quarter.

Everett had a stellar day, leading the Statesmen receivers with five catches for 104 yards with one touchdown.

In response the score, the Pioneers moved the ball 54 yards over 12 plays to once again tie the game, 14-14.

Loring was called upon eight times on WPU’s ensuing drive, before eventually scoring on a 14-yard catch.

The senior finished the night with 229 all-purpose yards, carrying the ball 33 times for 178 yards (long of 37). He added three receptions for 51 yards and a score.

MidAmerica Nazarene started its last possession of the first half with only 36 seconds left.  The visitors moved the ball, but Harry eventually ended the drive with an interception as time expired, giving William Penn a 21-14 lead at the break.

The Statesmen suffered a poor start to the second half as MNU took an interception and returned it for a touchdown.

When the Pioneers had the ball next, they were able to work the ball to the William Penn 2-yard-line before the drive stalled out, resulting in MNU taking its first lead at 24-21 on a 20-yard field goal.

William Penn then put together a 10-play drive that went 62 yards, but it also stalled out in the red zone.  Aiden Gibbons (Fr., Apollo Beach, Fla., Sports Management) punched a 30-yard field goal through the uprights to once again knot the contest, this time at 24-24.

Following a stop, the navy and gold worked their way into field goal range and Gibbons put the Statesmen back on top with a 36-yard field goal as the hosts entered the fourth stanza up 27-24.

Brian Weatherspoon (Jr., West Memphis, Ark., Business Management) then returned the ball to his offense with a fumble recovery, but on the very next play, Ramsey was picked off.

Fortunately, MidAmerican Nazarene could not get anything going as well and William Penn claimed possession on their own 4-yard-line. The Statesmen then looked to put a punctuation on the win as they drove 96 yards (all on the ground) in 12 plays for a 34-24.

Ramsey finished the drive with a seven-yard scoring rush as the Statesmen held a 10-point lead with 6:30 to go in regulation.

Not to be deterred, the Pioneers converted two fourth downs on their next drive. The game was essentially over when the Statesmen recording a pick-six, but it was called back due to a successful challenge by the Pioneers on an illegal substitution.  MidAmerican Nazarene eventually scored a touchdown to pull the Pioneers within three points at 34-31 with 2:43 left.

The Pioneers attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by Everett at MNU’s 48-yard-line.

MidAmerica Nazarene had two timeouts left, so the Statesmen needed to convert a first down to put the game away.  After two unsuccessful runs, William Penn found itself with a third down with nine yards to go, but a screen pass from Ramsey to Loring went for 25 yards and the home squad was able to kneel to run out the clock.

Defensively, Tierre Butler (Jr., Springfield, Ill., Business Management) led William Penn in tackles with 10, while Lloydarius Garner (Jr., Houston, Texas, Sports Management) had two tackles for loss for the Statesmen.

“This was a great team win!” Head Coach Marc Benavidez said, “I am so proud of these guys. This was a game on paper that we weren’t supposed to win, yet our guys had the mindset to push through!  Our defensive coordinator, Jay Burns, was having a baby right before halftime and the rest of the staff didn’t miss a beat. Hats off to our players for overcoming adversity, believing in each other, and doing what was needed to get the win!”

AAA: The cost Iowans pay to drive is dropping

By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)

As prices on so many products are going up lately, a new report finds Iowans are paying less to drive a car. AAA-Iowa spokeswoman Brynna Knapp says the annual study offers some positive insights into the expense of owning and driving a vehicle.

“This year’s analysis is actually good news in the midst of many rising costs of living,” Knapp says. “The total cost of owning and operating a new vehicle is now $11,577, or around $968 a month, and that’s a $700-and-some-change decline from last year.”

Knapp points to two primary reasons why the costs have fallen this year.

“We know all cars depreciate in value and this year the average depreciation has actually decreased, so cars are losing less of their value than they were in previous years,” Knapp says. “Financing costs are down around 15%, so if you do plan on financing a new vehicle, you’re seeing some cost savings there.”

Knapp says average fuel costs dropped 13 cents per mile from last year, which also helped to lower operating costs.

She says Iowans need to keep all of these expenses in mind when they’re considering buying new wheels.

“We definitely encourage you to find a local dealership that can share more about their offerings. Maybe they have financing deals going on where you can save long-term,” Knapp says, “and then also talking to a local insurance agent to find out which vehicles are maybe more expensive to insure, which one is safer for your family.”

The study finds pickups may be ideal for hauling and towing, but they cost more than 43-percent more per year to drive versus a small sedan.

OHS Homecoming is Next Week

OSKALOOSA — Oskaloosa High School is celebrating their homecoming week next week. This year’s theme is “A Blast from the Past.”

Here’s the lineup for Sept. 29 – Oct. 3:

Monday, Sept. 29 – Mini Me Monday (dress like your younger self) – Powderpuff Football at Lacey Complex | 6:30 pm

Tuesday, Sept. 30 – Tired Tuesday (PJ Day) – Powderpuff Volleyball in the HS Gym | 7 pm

Wednesday, Oct. 1 – Disco Duel (color competition by grade)

Thursday, Oct. 2 – Throwback Thursday (dress like a past decade) – Parade lineup | 5:30 pm • Parade start | 6:30 pm –Coronation at Community Stadium | ~7:45 pm with guest speaker OHS grad Steven Staggs

Friday, Oct. 3 – Spirit Day (maroon & white) – Pep Assembly | 2:45 pm • Football Game | 7:30 pm – Homecoming Dance (HS students only) | 9 pm – midnight | $3 entry

Homecoming shirts are available for purchase to help support Student Council activities. Click here to order Homecoming Shirts – https://ohshomecoming2025.itemorder.com/shop/sale/

Uber Eats will soon launch US drone delivery in partnership with Flytrex

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Uber Eats will soon be making some meal deliveries with drones.

Uber Technologies said Thursday that it’s partnering with drone company Flytrex Inc. The companies expect to begin deliveries in test markets by the end of this year. Uber didn’t say where those markets will be, but Flytrex is already operating in Texas and North Carolina.

It’s the latest partnership in the fast-growing drone delivery space. Flytrex, which is based in Tel Aviv, Israel, also makes deliveries for Uber Eats’ rival DoorDash.

Wing, a drone company owned by Google parent Alphabet, works with DoorDash and Walmart. Zipline, a drone company based in South San Francisco, works with Walmart and Panera Bread and also makes deliveries for hospitals. Amazon also making deliveries with its own Prime Air drones.

“Autonomous technology is transforming mobility and delivery faster than ever before,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s president of autonomous mobility and delivery, in a company statement. “With Flytrex, we’re entering the next chapter—bringing the speed and sustainability of drone delivery to the Uber Eats platform, at scale, for the first time.”

“The promise of autonomous vehicles is here, redefining logistics on the ground and in the air,” said Noam Bardin, executive chairman of Flytrex. “Autonomous drones are the future of food delivery—fast, affordable, and hands-free. Flytrex has already delivered over 200,000 meals to suburban households in the past three years. Partnering with Uber—pioneers of ground-based mobility—brings together proven logistics expertise with aerial innovation. Together, we’re building the infrastructure for a future where autonomous systems seamlessly move goods through our communities, making faster, safer, and more sustainable delivery the new standard.”

San Francisco-based Uber is making an investment in Flytrex as part of the deal. Financial details of the partnership weren’t shared Thursday.

Flytrex, which was founded in 2013, said it has made more than 200,000 deliveries across the U.S. Flytrex Executive Chairman Noam Bardin said the partnership combines Uber’s logistics expertise with Flytrex’s aerial innovation.

“Autonomous drones are the future of food delivery — fast, affordable and hands-free,” Bardin said in a statement.

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