Sweepstakes Award & Letter are a Fraud

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 at 5:49 pm CDT

Monday the Mt Pleasant Police Department received a complaint of a sweepstakes award with a letter. There is a check attached that appears to be legitimate, but it is a fraud. The check has an insurance company listed as well as a bank in another state. The letter that comes with the check seems very real.

The Mt Pleasant PD wants to warn local residents of this scam and if they have any questions please call your local law enforcement.

The local police also want to take the opportunity to remind you to never provide personal information out over the phone or emails. Never send money or gift cards to get part of your money. That is a tactic they also use to have you pay your “taxes” off first.

 

 

Jerry D. Jordan

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 at 2:58 pm CDT

Jerry D. Jordan, 78, of West Burlington passed away on Tuesday, August 25, 2020, at MercyOne Medical Center in Des. Moines.

Graveside Services will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. at the Greenwood Cemetery rural Burlington.   Friends may call at the Murphy Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant on Friday, September 11, 2020, from 2 to 7 p.m. A memorial has been established in his memory.  According to his wishes, cremation has been entrusted to the care of Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant is caring for his arrangements.

Iowa Wesleyan University Excels in Enrollment During a Challenging Year for Higher Education

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 at 2:25 pm CDT

Iowa Wesleyan University (IW) surpassed new student admission goals with a fifth consecutive year of increased overall enrollment and a continued improved student retention rate.

IW’s enrollment has risen by a dramatic 13% this academic year alone, with 729 undergraduate and graduate students making this the school’s largest enrollment since 2011. By comparison, the average yearly increase in student enrollment over the previous five years was 5.5%. In addition, the Graduate and Professional Programs have experienced a 25% enrollment increase from last year. This year, the university also boasts a 63% retention rate for first-year undergraduate students who have returned this fall; this is a significant achievement following many years with retention rates below 50%.

Iowa Wesleyan University also claimed an unprecedented 54% increase over last year in new undergraduate domestic students. These 244 students represent 33 states across the United States, including Puerto Rico.  While the new international student enrollment dropped slightly due to pandemic-related restrictions, more than 65 international students returned from last year.  Overall, this is the university’s largest class of new students since 2009.

IW has been focused on strategically increasing its retention and persistence, most recently with the addition of a Student Success Center through the Office of Academic Success and Inclusive Support. These efforts have paid off.  Over the last five years, the university’s overall persistence has risen by 17%, and the retention of first-year students has improved by 31%.

“Over the past year, the IW community has paid increasing attention to the unique niche of students we serve,” said President Christine Plunkett.  “For most of our students, including many who are the first in their family to attend college, IW becomes a comfortable second home.  I am incredibly proud of the campus-wide effort put forth by our admissions, athletic, and student success staff and our faculty and other staff members to support each student from the moment they enroll at the university.  These remarkable increases in enrollment, retention, and persistence are a testament to those efforts.”

These impressive statistics for Iowa Wesleyan University come during a challenging year for higher education institutions across the country. With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, many colleges and universities are seeing a decrease in enrollment. One of IW’s strengths has always been its small class sizes and rural campus, explicitly adding to its success during a global pandemic.  The addition of the Tiger Athletics Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Teams and a growing Football roster directly boosted the increased undergraduate enrollment.

Iowa Wesleyan University – As Southeast Iowa’s regional comprehensive university, Iowa Wesleyan University is a transformational learning community whose passion is to educate, empower and inspire students to lead meaningful lives and careers.

Danville City Council Meeting

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 at 2:10 pm CDT

AGENDA

Tuesday, September 8

Order of business, regular session

Danville City Council, Danville City Hall

NOTE:  The regular session may be conducted electronically

as allowed by Iowa Code 21.8

Citizen comments:  Comments must be directed to the subject under consideration.  The presiding officer shall rule on the relevance of the citizen comments.  Citizens making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks may be barred by the presiding officer from further comment before the Council during the meeting.

 

  1. Call to order, 6:00 p.m..

 

  1. Accept or amend the agenda.

 

  1. Open forum: A time set aside to receive comments from the public regarding city business.  The Mayor and City Council welcome comments from the public on any subject pertaining to City business, including items on this agenda.  You are asked to state your name and address for the record and to limit your remarks to five minutes in order that others may be given the opportunity to speak.  The Order of Business is at the discretion of the Chair.  No action will be taken.

 

  1. Member(s) of the Danville Booster Club to present their plans for a Harvest Moon Run, tentatively scheduled for October 3rd. Action by Council if needed.

 

  1. City Engineer Matt Walker, from French-Reneker-Assoc.
  2. Review of the proposed Roosevelt Street Storm Sewer Replacement Project.  (Replacing the storm sewer from just west of the box culvert on Roosevelt Street, heading westward to the Main Street intersection.)  Action on the engineering agreement for this project.
  3. Authorization to submit to Regional Planning a STBG application for Old Hwy 34 resurfacing and repairs.
  4. Update on the status of the sewerage treatment plant project.  Action by council if needed.

 

  1. Update on the status of 400 South Third Avenue as discussed during the July 20, 2020 council meeting. Action by council if needed.

 

  1. Status review of properties receiving abatement notices. Action by council if needed.

 

  1. Discussion on other properties within the city limits that are in need of being mowed and/or cleaned up. Action by council if needed.

 

  1. Fire Chief/Building Inspector report.
  2. Action on any building permits received.
  3. Action on the Fire Chief/Building Inspector report as presented.

 

  1. Public Works Supt. written report.
  2. Review and approval of the Public Works written report.

 

 

Page 1 of 2, agenda

Page 2 of 2, agenda

          City of Danville

September 8, 2020

 

  1. Approval of the consent agenda items.
  2. Council minutes of August 3, 2020.
  3. July 2020 financial reports.
  4. City clerk attending clerk’s meeting in Wayland, September 9.
  5. Electric permits.
  6. Authorization for Mayor to sign an utility easement.
  7. Payment of bills.

 

  1. Council reports and correspondence.
  2. Setting of the starting time for the September 21, 2020 meeting.

 

  1. Adjournment.

 

 

The next regular session of the Danville City Council is scheduled for Monday, September 21, 2020, Danville City Hall.  Council and the Danville & Pleasant Grove Township Trustees will have their joint quarterly meeting, Danville City Hall, starting at 6:30 p.m..

Sports, Tuesday, September 8th

By Nathan Bloechl · Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 at 11:12 am CDT

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

Mount Pleasant Falls, Other Area Scores: 

Mount Pleasant fell behind 21-0, rallied back to tie it at 21-21 seconds into the third quarter, only to see Tipton outscore them 26-7 over the final 24 minutes, as Tipton took down Mount Pleasant 47-28 last Friday night in a non-district matchup at Tipton High School.

Tipton quarterback Peyton Elijah had two long rushing scores and Levi Daniels took the game over in the fourth quarter as Tipton avoided their first 0-2 to start to a season since 2011.

Mount Pleasant quarterback Jack Johnson had two touchdowns through the air, both to Brevin Wilson.

The first tied the game at 21 on the opening drive of the third quarter.

The second cut the lead in half at 35-28 after Wilson lept over a Tipton corner, stiff-armed another to ground en route a 68-yard score.

Mount Pleasant had a chance to tie the game up at 35 in the 4th quarter with a just a shade under eight minutes remaining, but Tipton’s defense stiffened and forced the Panthers to punt from their own end zone.

Minutes later Tipton had a 41-28 lead.

Jack Johnson was then intercepted — the first turnover of the year for the Panthers — swelling the Tipton lead, and final, to 47-28.

The Panthers were seeking their first 2-0 start since the 2017.

Mount Pleasant, now 1-1, will take on Fairfield on the road this Friday.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., coverage on KILJ-FM will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Other area games last night:

  • West Burlington/Notre Dame 42, Fairfield 14
    • Trojans fall to 1-1.
  • Mediapolis 34, Wapello 24
    • Mediapolis has now won seven consecutive over Wapello.
  • Fort Madison 28, Centerville 12
    • Bloodhounds improve to 2-0
  • Sigourney-Keota 48, LaPorte City 14
  • New London 50, WACO 10
    • New London now 2-0, as they explode for the forty-point win. WACO falls to 1-1.
  • Van Buren 40, Central lee 21
    • Van Buren forced six Central Lee turnovers.
  • Montezuma 73, Winfield-Mount Union 32
  • Davenport North 40, Burlington 7
  • Washington 33, Solon 18
    • Demons improve to 2-0.

KILJ Area Without Much Love in Radio Iowa Poll:

The latest installment of the Radio Iowa football poll leaves Southeast Iowa off much of the list.

Here’s the full poll:

Class 4A

1. Dowling Catholic (2-0), LW #3 @ Johnston
2. Southeast Polk (2-0), LW #4 @ DSM East
3. Cedar Falls (2-0), LW #5 @ C.R. Prairie
4. WDM Valley (1-1), LW #1 Idle
5. Urbandale (2-0), LW #7 vs C.B. Abraham Lincoln
6. Cedar Rapids Washington (2-0), LW #8 vs Iowa City High
7. Waukee (1-1), LW #10 @ Ankeny Centennial
8. Ankeny (1-1), LW #3 @ Fort Dodge
9. Iowa City West (2-0), LW (X) @ Waterloo West
10.Cedar Rapids Kennedy (1-1), LW #6 vs C.R. Jefferson

Class 3A

1. Dallas Center-Grimes (2-0), LW #1 vs Perry
2. Harlan (2-0), LW #2 vs #7 Glenwood
3. Cedar Rapids Xavier (2-0), LW #3 vs Clear Creek-Amana
4. Lewis Central (2-0), LW #4 vs Creston
5. West Delaware (3-0), LW #5 @ Decorah
6. Davenport Assumption (2-0), LW (X) vs Marion (Thur)
7. Glenwood (2-0), LW (X) @ #2 Harlan
8. Grinnell (1-1), LW #8 @ Newton
9. Washington (2-0), LW #10 vs Fort Madison
10.Sergeant Bluff-Luton (1-1), LW #6 vs Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley

Class 2A

1. PCM (Monroe) (2-0), LW #1 @ Chariton
2. Williamsburg (2-0), LW #2 @ Davis County
3. West Lyon (2-0), LW #4 VS MOC-Floyd Valley
4. Waukon (1-1), LW #6 @ New Hampton
5. West Liberty (2-0), LW #7 vs Maquoketa
6. Sioux Center (2-0), LW #10 vs Sheldon
7. Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (2-0), LW (X) @ #8 Unity Christian
8. Unity Christian (2-0), LW #9 vs #7 Central Lyon/GLR
9. Clear Lake (1-1), LW #3 vs Iowa Falls-Alden
10.Monticello (2-0), LW (X) vs Anamosa

Class 1A

1. OABCIG (2-0), LW #1 vs Missouri Valley
2. South Central Calhoun (2-0), LW #2 vs Clarion-Goldfield-Dows/CAL
3. Van Meter (2-0), LW #5 @ Panorama
4. Underwood (2-0), LW #7 vs MVAOCOU
5. Emmetsburg (2-0), LW #10 vs Hinton
6. Sigourney-Keota (2-0), LW (X) @ Louisa-Muscatine
7. West Branch (1-1), LW #4 vs Cascade
8. Mount Ayr (2-0), LW (X) @ Pleasantville
9. Dike-New Hartford (1-1), LW #3 vs South Hamilton
10.Woodward-Granger (2-0), LW (X) @ ACGC

Class A

1. Grundy Center (2-0), LW #1 vs North Mahaska
2. Saint Ansgar (2-0), LW #2 @ Nashua-Plainfield
3. Iowa City Regina (1-1), LW #3 @ North Cedar
4. Edgewood-Colesburg (2-0), LW #4 @ Alburnett
5. Wapsie Valley (2-0), LW #5 @ #9 MFL-Mar-Mac
6. South Winneshiek (2-0), LW #7 @ Clayton Ridge
7. Lisbon (2-0), LW #8 vs Columbus Jct.
8. West Hancock (1-1), LW #9 vs Algona Garrigan
9. MFL-Mar-Mac (2-0), LW (X) vs #5 Wapsie Valley
10.Logan-Magnolia (2-0), LW (X) @ Westwood

8-player

1. Don Bosco (1-0), LW #1 @ Central City
2. Remsen St. Mary’s (2-0), LW #2 Idle
3. Audubon (2-0), LW #3 @ West Harrison/Whiting
4. Montezuma (2-0), LW #4 @ New London
5. Fremont-Mills (2-0), LW #5 @ East Mills
6. Newell-Fonda (2-0), LW #6 vs West Bend-Mallard
7. CAM (Anita) (2-0), LW #7 vs East Union
8. Springville (2-0), LW #8 vs Clarksville
9. Gladbrook-Reinbeck (2-0), LW #9 @ BGM
10.Easton Valley (2-0), LW #10 @ Lansing Kee

Panther XC Goes 8th, 6th at Pella, Saturday:

The Mount Pleasant Panther cross country teams competed at the Pella Invite on Saturday — the girls finished 6th, while the boys finished 8th out of nine schools in the large school division.

Abby Blint was Mount Pleasant’s top finisher on the girls side, taking 8th place overall in a time of 21:45.1.

Cristina Carthey finished 19th, while Belle Meador ran 23:43.3 for 31st.

Norwalk won the girls’ large school division with 22 points.

On the boys’ side, Luke Ryon ran 18:55.5 good for 32nd to pace the Panthers. Ben Carthey, Logan Lee and Nate McWilliams all were top-40 finishers for the Panthers.

Both teams will race at the Waterworks Invite in Fairfield on Thursday.

Varsity racing will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Loaded Volleyball Slate Today:

It will be a busy night in the Super Conference and in the Southeast Conference tonight as several clubs are back in action following the long weekend.

Super Conference:

  • Highland at Mediapolis
  • Danville at New London
  • Cardinal at Van Buren County
  • West Burlington at WACO
  • Winfield-Mount Union at Wapello

Southeast Conference:

  • Washington at Fairfield
  • Mount Pleasant at Keokuk

All varsity games are set to begin at 7:30 p.m.

Sports, Monday, September 7th

By Nathan Bloechl · Monday, September 7th, 2020 at 10:20 am CDT

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

Pollard Pens Letter, Details Grim News with Iowa State: 

Iowa State Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard outlined the financial impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the department in a letter released over the weekend.

Pollard said Iowa State faces a $30 million deficit.

Because of that, the university is preparing for layoffs and payroll reductions, cutting sports and closing the C.Y. Stephens Auditorium.

Last week, the university announced fans would not be able to attend the season opener on Sept. 12 against Louisiana because of concerns about the rising spread of coronavirus cases in Story County and other hot spots in Iowa.

Iowa State, however, has not yet ruled out the possibility of hosting fans at future games.

The Cyclones offer 18 varsity sports, 11 for women and seven for men — there was no direct confirmation of which sports are currently being discussed to be cut.

UNI Leads FCS With Six on Preseason All-American List:

Six UNI Panther football players were named to the Stats Perform Preseason All-American team released Wednesday, the most of any team in the nation.

The list is headlined by Elerson G. Smith, a first-team defensive line selection. Isaiah Weston, Spencer Brown, Jared Brinkman and Omar Brown were second-team All-FCS selections, while Bryce Flatter was named to the Third Team,

North Dakota State, Montana and Weber State all placed five players on the team.

Smith finished last season as an AFCA First-Team All-American and finished in the top-10 of the Buck Buchanan voting. He was named the FCS Preseason Player of the Year by Phil Steele in August.

Weston became the first Panther receiver to hit the 1,000-yard receiving mark in over a decade and was named a finalist for the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year.

Spencer Brown was named second-team All-MVFC last season and national sportswriter Bruce Feldman named him to his preseason College Football Freaks list.

Brinkman was also second-team All-MVFC last year and earned Phil Steele Preseason Second-Team All-American honors.

Omar Brown was named the Phil Steele Defensive Freshman of the Year last season and earned First-Team All-MVFC honors after leading the league in interceptions.

Flater was a second-team All-MVFC honoree and a Phil Steele First-Team All-American.

UNI’s season was moved to the spring and a schedule has yet to be announced.

MLB Scoreboard (9/6): 

Cleveland 4, Milwaukee 1

Baltimore 5, New York Yankees 1

Atlanta 10, Washington 3

New York Mets 14, Philadelphia 1

Tampa Bay 5, Miami 4 — 10 innings

Toronto 10, Boston 8

Pittsburgh 3, Cincinnati 2

Chicago White Sox 8, Kansas City 2

Detroit 10, Minnesota 8

San Francisco 4, Arizona 2

Los Angeles Angels 9,Houston 5

San Diego 5, Oakland 3

Seattle 4, Texas 3

St. Louis 7, Chicago Cubs 3

Colorado 7, Los Angeles Dodgers 6

Labor Day…The Traditional End of Summer and Last Day of the OT Reunion

By Theresa Rose · Monday, September 7th, 2020 at 12:58 am CDT

If there had been an Old Threshers Reunion this year it would have been the 70th  annual event held in Mount Pleasant. Today, Labor Day would have been the final day of the five day celebration of our agriculture history. This is the first year since 1950 the Reunion has been cancelled. A few years after World War II ended, a group of four men — Clark Everts, Ted Detrick, Ray Ernst and Herman E. Elgar — were returning from the new Zehr Threshing Reunion in Pontiac, Illinois. They came up with the idea of establishing a Midwest Old Threshers Association.  After several winter meetings, the election of a Board of Directors, and lengthy discussions about an Mt. Pleasant event, the Association was chartered on August 21, 1950. The first Reunion was a two day event, held September 20 and 21, 1950. The records show that 15 Steam Engines and 8 Separators were exhibited with an estimated 10,000 people attending the first Reunion. In addition to the original four the following men also served on the first board of directors…Joe Ruby, Ray Vorhees, Milo Mathews, Robert Willits, and Frank Johnson. Over 70 years the mission of that first board of directors has not changed….” To Preserve and Celebrate Our Midwest Rural Heritage in the Modern World”

Update: Henry County Covid-19 Numbers Spike

By Theresa Rose · Saturday, September 5th, 2020 at 11:39 am CDT

Health Director Confirms Prison Numbers Account for Spike

On Friday the total number of positive cases of coronavirus reported in Henry County stood at 306 with 124 people recovered. Saturday morning that total number of positives jumped to 377. The 14 day average positivity rate went from 11. 4 to 13.8%. Bottom line….Henry County saw a spike of 71 additional cases, according to the Iowa coronavirus website. Henry County Public Heath Director Shelley Van Dorin confirmed Saturday morning that the sharp increase is due to the additional prison positives from testing done Wednesday. She also said offender numbers are counted in Henry County totals even though the offenders may have home addresses outside of this county.  The number of positives at the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility, after 1,402 people were tested, stands at 151 cases among the offender population. Two more staff members tested positive for a total of 4.