Two Vehicles Totaled After Crashing into Eachother

By Yorke Prough · Friday, November 3rd, 2023 at 6:12 am CDT

There was a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Highway 34 and 260th Street that resulted in both vehicles being totaled. At approximately 7:49am on Wednesday, November 1st, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a two-vehicle crash.

An investigation revealed that Robert Smith, 46, of Mt. Pleasant, was attempting to turn onto 260th Street by crossing the westbound lanes, when he was struck by a westbound vehicle driven by Collin Wilson, 24, of Danville.

No injuries were reported. Robert Smith was cited for Failure to Yield Upon Entering Through Highway, and Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability.

Car v. Deer Collision

By Yorke Prough · Friday, November 3rd, 2023 at 6:11 am CDT

We are at the time of year when deer seem to randomly appear in the middle of the road. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a car vs. deer accident on Highway 218 on November 1st at 7:08am.

The collision, which occurred near Kentucky Avenue, resulted in damage estimated at $10,000. An investigation showed that Barbara Tallman of Fort Madison, was traveling northbound on Highway 218 when she struck a deer in her 2023 Equinox.

No injuries were reported as a result of this accident.

Prep Volleyball: Holy Trinity Catholic Finishes as Runner Up in Class 1A

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 at 11:47 pm CDT

Coralville, IA- Destiny. That word seemed so fitting for Holy Trinity Catholic last night. Natalie Randolph playing in the championship game after missing all last season with a knee injury.

Reagan Holvoet had dressed for the Crusaders after she was injured to start the season.

Mikaela Richter was inducted into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Hall of Fame before the start of the Class 1A championship game. Additionally, Richter was a key part of the last Crusader state championship team and now an assistant coach for Holy Trinity Catholic.

The script appeared perfect for the Class 1A State Championship; however, destiny had other plans.

#3 Holy Trinity Catholic and #1 Ankeny Christian were both looking for their program’s second state championship and for the Eagles, they were attempting to win back-to-back state championships in only their second appearance.

In set one, neither team was able to gain the upper hand, but the Eagles had just enough offense outhitting the Crusaders 0.208% to 0.171% to win set one 25-21.

Unfortunately, the offense never got into system for Holy Trinity Catholic,

“We couldn’t get our offense running as smoothly as we liked,” said Crusader Head Coach Melissa Freesmeier.

The Crusaders were outhit 0.130% to 0.215% by the Eagles offense that was led by All-Tournament Captain Katie Quick, who tallied 7 kills and 35 assists. Carley Craighead, another All-Tournament talent, notched 13 kills and Macey Nehring grabbed 16 kills, an All-Tournament spot, and the Top Producer award.

Ankeny Christian’s offense took over in the second set to win 25-18 and the Eagles were unstoppable from the service line with 11 aces, including four during an eight-point run late in the third set to take a 22 to 11 lead, before finally winning the third set 25-17.

Senior Mary Kate Bendlage was named to the All-Tournament team as she led the Crusaders with 11 kills on the night. Natalie Randolph, another senior, notched 10 assists, 6 kills, and 17 digs in the loss. Teagen Snaadt, a junior, racked up 18 digs as she was also named to the All-Tournament team. Presley Myers led the team with four blocks bringing her postseason total to 38.

Seniors Taegan Denning, Reagan Holvoet, and Jenna Hellman will also be graduating at the end of the school year and Coach Freesmeier spoke highly of this senior class,

“Five seniors that are solid and will be greatly missed. They are leaders on and off the court, in the academic world and in the athletic world.”

Holy Trinity Catholic finished the year with a 33-11 record and Class 1A’s runner up and for Coach Freesmeier that’s nothing to hang your head about,

“I told the kids if we play hard and did the best we could and we lost tonight that it would be ok. You know, second in the state, you know we want the championship of course, but second in the state isn’t too bad.”

Open Burning in Fort Madison

By Yorke Prough · Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 at 4:04 pm CDT

The City of Fort Madison Fire Department will allow the controlled burning of leaves only from November 4, 2023 to December 3, 2023 without application for a temporary burning permit, subject to the following restrictions per International Fire Code.

Starting November 4th, the City of Fort Madison Fire Department will allow the controlled burning of leaves until December 3rd, 2023, without application for a temporary burning permit, subject to the following restrictions per International Fire Code.

There are rules that all must adhere to. The open burning of leaves shall only be allowed one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset. Open burning is not permitted on any public street, alley, or sidewalk. The location must be more than 50 feet away from any structure, or more that 15 feet from any structure if an approved waste burner is used.

A competent person must constantly attend to all fires until it is completely extinguished, and there must be a working hose or fire extinguisher readily available. Any fire causing a nuisance or discomfort shall be extinguished immediately, and the fire chief may prohibit any or all open burnings in the event they deem it dangerous.

Keokuk Community School District Hosting Town Hall Meetings to Keep Public Informed

By Yorke Prough · Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 at 11:16 am CDT

The Keokuk Community School District is attempting to increase communication with the public by hosting a monthly town hall meeting. These are virtual and will allow the community to listen to from the comfort of their own home. The first of these will be Monday, November 6th, at 5:30pm.

This first meeting has a variety of topics planned for discussion, as updates for planned improvements to the track and field at KHS will be the focus of the November Town Hall Meeting.

Aaron Hinton, director of maintenance, Heidi Harness, KCSD Business Manager, Zach Summers, Activities Director, and Dr. Kathy Dinger, Superintendent of Schools will be on hand to share information and respond to questions.

To join the November Town Hall Meeting, go to keokukschools.org under District News.

Henry and Lee Home to Two Dangerous Stretches of Highway

By Yorke Prough · Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 at 10:59 am CDT

It is no surprise that highways can be very dangerous. Traffic fatalities in Iowa are more than 13 percent higher this year than the average number of fatalities over the last five years.

One of the keys to reducing fatalities and major crashes is to bring awareness to the problem. While many are aware of the dangerous stretches of roads, the number of crashes is increasing at an alarming rate. The Iowa departments of transportation and public safety are teaming up with local law enforcement partners to create safety corridors across the state.

Six sections of roadways in Iowa have been identified to be in the top 1% for all crashes and severe crashes in Iowa between 2016-2020. Two out of six are roads right here in Southeast Iowa.

U.S. 218 from Mt. Pleasant to County road J-20 (near Salem) in Henry County as well as Iowa 2 from Donnellson to U.S. 61 in Lee County.

These roads also had a higher number of single-vehicle, run-off-the-road crashes and rear-end crashes at intersections with speeding and distraction as major causes.

Iowans may notice the safety corridor marked with signs. Pavement markings in those areas have been widened to help drivers more easily see them in low-light and inclement weather. In addition, the Iowa State Patrol and local law enforcement will have an increased focus on enforcing the area. Education and communication efforts throughout the year will help remind drivers that practicing good driving behaviors can make the area safer.

“We have seen speeds and distraction behind the wheel rise and only 40 percent of those who die on Iowa’s roads are wearing a seatbelt. Unfortunately, our state’s climbing fatality rates are showing the consequences of our individual decisions behind the wheel. We all have someone who is expecting us to return from each trip safely. Creating safety corridors is just another way the DOT can help remind drivers of the role they play in making sure everyone returns home safely,” explained Scott Marler, Iowa Department of Transportation director.

“The Iowa State Patrol is committed to reducing traffic collisions, injuries, and preventable deaths on Iowa roadways. We are confident that we can accomplish these goals with collaboration, strong partnerships, and a concerted effort on traffic safety.  By working together, we can collectively and proactively address safety concerns across the state of Iowa,” remarked Colonel Nathan Fulk, Iowa State Patrol.

Sports, November 2nd

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Volleyball

In Class 1A, #3 Holy Trinity Catholic punched their ticket to the championship game last night after defeating #2 Boyden-Hull in straight sets by scores of 25-17, 25-17, and 25-21. It was a match that the Crusaders controlled from the opening serve with only four lead changes in the entire match. 

Natalie Randolph put together a triple-double performance for Holy Trinity Catholic with 11 kills, 15 assists, and 15 digs. The senior also added an ace and a block. Head Coach Melissa Freesmeier talked about how important Randolph has been to the squad. 

The Crusaders have only given up one set through their postseason run and with one more game left for the season, Coach Freesmeier knows the moment will be bittersweet. 

#1 Ankeny Christian took down #4 BCLUW in four sets last night as Carley Craighead led the team with 17 kills. Holy Trinity Catholic and Ankeny Christian will face off at 7 pm tonight with KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, on the call with the pregame show at 6:45 pm. 

Mikaela Richter will also be inducted into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Volleyball Hall of Fame before the Class 1A championship game and for Coach Freesmeier it will truly be a special night. 

In Class 2A, #1 Dike-New Hartford made quick work of #4 Denver in straight sets. #2 Hinton also swept #3 Grundy Center 25-16, 25-21, and 25-18. 

Dike-New Hartford will search for a perfect 50-0 record in the championship game tonight against Hinton. 

In Class 3A, #1 Mount Vernon took down #4 Assumption in four sets and #3 Western Christian swept #7 Union to set up the championship game against Mount Vernon and Western Christian.  

For Class 4A, #4 North Scott pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament defeating #1 Clear Creek-Amana, who was unbeaten heading into the matchup, in straight sets with Abbey Hayes notching 20 kills. 

#2 Indianola needed five sets to take down #6 Lewis Central, but a 15-10 fifth set win will pit Indianola against North Scott today for the championship.

In Class 5A, #1 Dowling Catholic swept #4 Pleasant Valley with Mackenzie Dean tallying 15 kills in the winning effort. 

#3 Waukee Northwest pulled off the upset against #2 Ankeny Centennial in a five set thriller with the Wolves pulling out with a 15-11 win in the fifth set. 

Dowling Catholic and Waukee Northwest will face off for the championship today. 

High School Football

For 8-player, #1 Winfield-Mt. Union will travel to take on #7 Don Bosco for the quarterfinal round tonight. At 7 pm tonight KILJ 98.5 FM, AM 1130, and kilj.com, will have the call.

For Class 2A, #10 Mediapolis will take on #4 Monticello at home tomorrow, November 3rd.

In Class 3A, Mt. Vernon and Williamsburg will face off this Friday with the winner moving on to the semifinals.

High School Basketball

The Mt. Pleasant girls team will host a jamboree on November 13th with four games on the slate with each game given a 45 minute time limit.

Lone Tree and Burlington will start off the night with the first game at 6 pm. Mediapolis and Keokuk will follow at 6:45 pm. Winfield-Mt. Union will take on Fairfield at 7:30 pm. Lastly, Mt. Pleasant and WACO will face off at 8:15 pm.

College Football

Iowa State University will celebrate their homecoming this Saturday, November 4th, against Kansas, as the Cyclones are locked in a four-way tie for first place in the Big 12.

Iowa will travel to face off against Northwestern at Wrigley Field this Saturday at 2:30 pm. 

For the Hawkeye broadcast, tune in to KILJ 105.5 FM. For the Cyclone broadcast, tune in to KILJ 98.5 FM and AM 1130.

This Day in Sports History

1969 – 41-year old Detroit’s Gordie Howe picks up his 19th and final NHL hat trick as the Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-3; Howe is the oldest player to score an NHL hat-trick.

1990 – The Golden State Warriors register a 162-158 win over the Denver Nuggets at McNichols Arena. This combined 320 total points set an NBA record for most points scored by two teams in a non-overtime game.

1996 – The Miami Heat’s Pat Riley becomes the eighth coach to win 800 games in 97-95 win at Indiana; the milestone was accomplished two weeks shy of his 15th coaching anniversary, faster than any coach in NBA history.

Structure Fire in Mt. Pleasant

By Yorke Prough · Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 at 6:16 am CDT

There was a structure fire on Wednesday evening in Mt. Pleasant that took 18 firefighters to extinguish.

At 6:58pm on November 1st, Mt. Pleasant Fire Department was paged out for a structure fire at 200 E South St Lot 29.

Upon arrival, firefighters found flames at the southeast corner of the house. The first fire crew initiated an interior fire suppression while the second crew started an exterior suppression.

The fire was extinguished approximately 30 minutes later. The fire was contained to a single bedroom, however, the whole house sustained heavy smoke and heat damage.

Two engines, a command vehicle, brush trucks, and 18 firefighters were on scene for about an hour and a half.

This fire is currently under investigation. No one was injured as a result of the fire.