Helen M. Bjorklund, 93, of New London, passed away peacefully Thursday, March 18, 2021 at her home in New London. Private Family services will be held. Elliott Chapel, New London, is in charge of arrangements.
Prep Basketball: Mount Pleasant Alum Magnani Set to Take Over at Van Buren
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Keosauqua — For the first time in over 50 years, the Van Buren County boys’ basketball team will be coached by someone other than Fred Parsons.
Parsons, who has been the lead man in Keosauqua since the 1962-63 school year, officially announced his retirement before the Van Buren County School Board.
Taking over will be former Mount Pleasant student athlete Trey Magnani.
Magnani will look to fill the gaping shoes left by Parsons, who who is second in all-time wins with 742, trailing only Bob Hilmer of North Linn, who retired in May of 2020.
Magnani is currently a teacher in the Van Buren County School District and was the middle school basketball coach for the previous two seasons.
Trey’s father Alan was the long-time head coach of the Iowa Wesleyan men’s basketball team also serving as an assistant on Caleb Akey’s staff last year at Mount Pleasant High School.
Van Buren County finished last year winless, the first time in school history.
Women’s College Basketball: Mount Pleasant native Williamson Steps Down from William Penn
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Oskaloosa — Mount Pleasant native and former Iowa Wesleyan women’s basketball coach Steve Williamson has announced his resignation from the head coaching position at William Penn University, the school announced.
Williamson led the program for the past four years, accruing an 88-28 record.
He was 66-20 in conference play.
A two-time Heart of America Conference Coach of the Year, Williamson headed 13 all-Heart performers, one Heart Player of the Year, and three NAIA All-Americans.
Academically, he had seven Heart Scholar-Athletes and five NAIA Scholar-Athlete under his tutelage.
He also led the Statesmen to their first regular season title since 1988 and orchestrated their first Heart of America Conference Tournament title in program history.
William Penn finished 10-9 this year and 10-7 in conference play.
Sports, Friday, March 19th
Prep Basketball: Mount Pleasant Alum Magnani Set to Take Over at Van Buren:
For the first time in over 50 years, the Van Buren County boys’ basketball team will be coached by someone other than Fred Parsons.
Parsons, who has been the lead man in Keosauqua since the 1962-63 school year, officially announced his retirement before the Van Buren County School Board.
Taking over will be former Mount Pleasant student athlete Trey Magnani.
Magnani will look to fill the gaping shoes left by Parsons, who who is second in all-time wins with 742, trailing only Bob Hilmer of North Linn, who retired in May of 2020.
Magnani is currently a teacher in the Van Buren County School District and was the middle school basketball coach for the previous two seasons.
Trey’s father Alan was the long-time head coach of the Iowa Wesleyan men’s basketball team also serving as an assistant on Caleb Akey’s staff last year at Mount Pleasant High School.
Van Buren County finished last year winless, the first time in school history.
Women’s College Basketball: Mount Pleasant native Williamson Steps Down from William Penn:
Mount Pleasant native and former Iowa Wesleyan women’s basketball coach Steve Williamson has announced his resignation from the head coaching position at William Penn University, the school announced.
Williamson led the program for the past four years, accruing an 88-28 record.
He was 66-20 in conference play.
A two-time Heart of America Conference Coach of the Year, Williamson headed 13 all-Heart performers, one Heart Player of the Year, and three NAIA All-Americans.
Academically, he had seven Heart Scholar-Athletes and five NAIA Scholar-Athlete under his tutelage.
He also led the Statesmen to their first regular season title since 1988 and orchestrated their first Heart of America Conference Tournament title in program history.
William Penn finished 10-9 this year and 10-7 in conference play.
College Wrestling: Iowa Leads after Day One of NCAA’s:
The Iowa Hawkeye wrestling team is in first place in the team standings with 33.5 points after Day One of the NCAA Division I wrestling championships.
The Hawkeyes have eight quarterfinalists:
- Spencer Lee
- Austin DeSanto
- Jaydin Eierman
- Max Murin
- Alex Marinelli
- Michael Kemerer
- Jacob Warner
- Tony Cassioppi
Iowa State has two quarterfinalists in David Carr and Gannon Gremmel, while UNI is headlined by Brody Teske and Parker Keckeisen in the round of eight.
Penn State is in second in the team race, while Missouri is third.
Men’s College Basketball: T.J. Otzelberger Named Head Coach at Iowa State:
Iowa State Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard has officially announced that T.J. Otzelberger will be the next head coach of the Iowa State men’s basketball team.
This will be Otzelberger’s third stint in Ames, but his first as head coach. Previously, he was lead recruiter and bench coach for Greg McDermott, Fred Hoiberg and Steve Prohm.
The last three Cyclone teams Otzelberger worked with registered a 69-35 (.663) overall record with NCAA Tournament appearances every season.
Since his last stint at Iowa State, Otzelberger spent time leading South Dakota State to 70 wins over three years including three postseason appearances.
Most recently, Otzelberger was at UNLV where he helped re-energize a program that had not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2013.
The 43-year-old native of Milwaukee, Otzelberger was a two-year captain at UW-Whitewater.
The Cyclones finished this year 2-22.
Men’s College Basketball: Drake Escapes With Win:
The Drake Bulldog men’s basketball team escaped with a 53-52 win behind 21 points from Joseph Yesufu in their First Four matchup against Wichita State, last night.
The win advances them to Saturday’s First Round where they will meet up with sixth-seeded USC.
Tremell Murphy added 11 points and four boards in the win.
Morris Udeze had 22 points to lead Wichita State.
The win improved Drake to 26-4.
Iowa Medicare Beneficiaries Targeted by Medicare Card Scams
Des Moines – Iowa seniors and Medicare beneficiaries are encouraged to be aware of current Medicare card scams in our state. To learn more about Medicare scams impacting Iowans, register for our live event on Friday, April 23, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. at https://bit.ly/3s0g8Ua.
“It’s important for Iowans to protect their Medicare number and not give it to unknown callers,” SHIIP/SMP Director Kristin Griffith said. “Medicare will rarely contact you by phone, and if so, you can also hang up and call Medicare back to confirm that the call is legitimate and not a scam.”
Medicare scams include the following:
- Scammers falsely tell Medicare beneficiaries that Medicare is issuing new Medicare cards. Medicare isn’t issuing new cards and Medicare employees don’t contact participants through unsolicited calls, emails, or visits. Medicare communicates with beneficiaries via mail.
- Scammers falsely allege Medicare is issuing new plastic or metal Medicare cards or black and white Covid-19 Medicare cards. The scammers state that in order to get your new card, you need to provide personal identifying information such as your Medicare number, birth date or even financial account numbers. Medicare will never ask for your personal information or Medicare number unless you contact Medicare yourself.
- Scammers falsely allege Medicare is replacing the Medicare card due to suspicious activity, or promise the new Medicare card will give them new and enhanced Medicare benefits not available with their current card. Scammers often threaten that the current Medicare card is going to be deactivated. This is not true.
- “Spoofing” is a process often used by scammers. Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Scammers also often use “neighbor spoofing” so it appears that an incoming call is coming from a local number, or spoof a number from a company or a government agency like Medicare or Social Security Administration that you may already know and trust.
If you suspect Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse contact Iowa SHIIP/Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 1-800-351-4664 or www.smp.iowa.gov.
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Letha Mae Spiesz
Letha Mae Spiesz 72, of Farmington, Iowa, passed away March 17 at 6:30 a.m. at Great River Hospice House in West Burlington, Iowa.
She was born on April 22, 1948, in Keokuk, Iowa, the daughter of Howard Henry and Dorothy Pauline (Horsey) Spiesz.
Survivors include her two brothers: H. Eugene Spiesz of Farmington and Francis L. (Kathy) Spiesz of Farmington; two nephews: Michael (Allison) Spiesz and Dean (Jean) Spiesz and two great nieces: Erin and Emma Spiesz.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers; Dale and Max and sister-in-law: Joanne.
Letha was a graduate of Central Lee High School. She worked at Sheaffer Pen Company for thirty-seven years. She was a member of First Christian Church in Keokuk. She enjoyed roses, mowing grass, working with calves and Christmas was her favorite holiday.
Letha’s body has been entrusted to Schmitz Funeral Home for cremation.
Per her wishes, there will be no services.
A memorial has been established in her memory for Embury Cemetery and can be sent to the family at: Schmitz Funeral Home, P.O. Box 56, Donnellson, Iowa 52625.
Schmitz Funeral Home of Farmington is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhomes.com.
Women’s College Basketball: Iowa’s Clark Named AP 2nd Team All-American
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Iowa City — Iowa freshman guard Caitlin Clark has been honored for her terrific inaugural campaign in Iowa City.
The Des Moines native was named an Associated Press Second Team All-American yesterday.
Clark is in rarefied air with the selection.
She is just the eighth Hawkeye to be named AP All-American and the first freshman.
In 27 games Clark averaged 26.7 points and 7.2 assists while connecting on 47% of her shots from the field.
The fifth-seeded Hawkeyes will open NCAA Women’s Tournament action on Sunday when they take on the Chippewas of Central Michigan.
Tip is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
Men’s College Basketball: Drake, DeVries Agree on Eight-Year Extension
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Des Moines — Drake University Director of Athletics Brian Hardin has announced that the University and head men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries have agreed to an 8-year contract extension through the 2028-29 season.
DeVries, who is currently in his third season at Drake, guided the Bulldogs to their first at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament this season after compiling 25 wins, the third-most in the nation and third-most in program history.
DeVries has a career record of 69-28 at Drake with three-straight 20-win seasons.
In three seasons, DeVries has twice been named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and is only the second Drake head coach to earn the honor multiple times.
DeVries and the Bulldogs take on Wichita State this evening in a First Four matchup. The winner will play sixth-seeded USC on Saturday.