Skip to main content

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition

Stay in the loop with what's happening in Ottumwa

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.

🌱 Why the rare white fawn on campus needs you to keep away

Ottumwa, Iowa Patch AM: a 5 min read

Greetings Ottumwa! We’re your go-to source for what’s happening in town. Read on to get plugged in! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Why the rare white fawn on campus needs you to keep away
  • Ready to hunt for hidden treasures around Ottumwa this weekend?
  • How Ottumwa’s Ilana Vasconez powered a fourth straight Bulldog shutout

Also on today's calendar: MWTN 2026 Photo/Video Workshop – Ottumwa, IA and 2 more events.

Today's riddle: what do you call a rabbit with fleas? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
Today's Ottumwa Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. After investing billions to light up their network from big cities to small towns, T-Mobile is America's best mobile network in the US, according to Ookla Speedtest. We thank T-Mobile for their support in helping to keep communities like ours connected and for making today's Ottumwa Patch AM possible.
Find a T-Mobile store near Ottumwa. Advertisement

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: Partly sunny and nice, with a high of 74 and low of 46 degrees.
  • Thursday: Mostly sunny and nice, temps: high: 78, low: 58.
  • Friday: An a.m. shower; partly sunny, with a high of 86 and low of 59 degrees. 🌶 Hot!

📰 News we're reading

1. Rare white fawn spotted on Indian Hills Community College campus (kjan.com) — A rare white newborn fawn has been spotted today on the Indian Hills Community College campus in Ottumwa, and the DNR is asking residents to admire it only from a distance. Officials stress the fawn is not abandoned and that too much human contact could keep its mother away, noting Iowa law protects mostly white deer so the community can safely enjoy such unusual sightings.
   

2. Hidden Adventures: Geocaching in Wapello County (ottumwaradio.com) — If you’re looking for a fresh way to explore Ottumwa, geocaching turns local parks, trails, and even downtown corners into a tech-enabled treasure hunt. With just a free online account and your smartphone, you can uncover hidden caches, discover new murals and small businesses, and see familiar Wapello County spots from a whole new angle.
   

3. Vasconez, Bulldogs put the boots to Bobcat girls (timesrepublican.com) — Ottumwa’s girls’ soccer team picked up a big road win as senior standout Ilana Vasconez netted a hat trick in a 3-0 shutout of Marshalltown, the Bulldogs’ fourth straight shutout victory. Ottumwa keeper Blythe Schmidt anchored a strong defensive effort, turning away six second-half shots to preserve the clean sheet.
   

4. Draft FY 2027 - 2031 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program Presented to the Iowa Transportation Commission (iowadot.gov) — State transportation planners have included a U.S. 34 improvement project just west of Ottumwa in the draft 2027–2031 Iowa Transportation Improvement Program, which guides major highway and bridge work statewide. The plan outlines $4.2 billion in investments, heavily focused on safety, bridge repairs, and key interstate upgrades, and is open now for public comment before a June 9 approval vote.
   

5. Trump Revoked Temporary Protected Status in 2025. Ottumwa, Iowa Is Still Reeling. (sentientmedia.org) — Ottumwa’s immigrant community is still grappling with job losses and fear after Trump’s 2025 changes to Temporary Protected Status stripped work authorization from about 200 JBS plant employees. Local LULAC leaders describe ongoing food distributions, legal clinics, and the cancellation of the VIVA Ottumwa Latino festival as they work to keep affected families supported and connected.
   

📸 Around Ottumwa

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Ottumwa

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Ottumwa Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

    Wednesday May 13
  • Golf: B/High School →
    Bloomfield Country Club
    10:00 am
  • Teacher In-Service →
    Eddyville-Blakesburg- Fremont CSD Teacher PLC Day - Students Dismiss at 2:15pm
    2:15 pm
  • Booster Club →
    Eddyville-Blakesburg- Fremont CSD HS Library
    6:00 pm
    • Thursday May 14
  • Choir/Band →
    Eddyville-Blakesburg- Fremont CSD HS Gym Front
  • Track & Field: Girls High School State Qualifying Meet vs Multiple
    Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont High School
    4:00 pm
  • Track & Field: Boys High School State Qualifying Meet vs Multiple
    Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont High School
    4:00 pm
  • Track: G/High School →
    Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont High School
    4:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

🪧 Patch Classifieds

  • Videographer Needed
    Needing a videographer for May 29 & 30 (Friday/Saturday) for amateur fan film video clips. Compensation negotiable. Approx 5-6 hours per day. Don't... (More info)

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • McDonald's posted a job opening for Shift Manager in Ottumwa. Apply here.
  • O'Reilly Auto Parts posted a job opening for Parts Specialist in Ottumwa. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Ottumwa here.

Ok Ottumwa! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Bugs Bunny ! (Thank you bruce A. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Stay in the loop with what's happening in Ottumwa

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.

Stay in the loop with what's happening in Ottumwa

Never miss out on local news and events that matter to you.