Wilson Wins Henry County Attorney Special Election

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 10:30 pm CDT

Voters in Henry County have selected Becky Wilson as their next County Attorney following Tuesday’s special election.

According to unofficial results from the Henry County Auditor’s Office, Wilson received 1,214 votes, defeating Abbie Liechty, who received 1,016. A total of 2,232 ballots were cast across all nine precincts, including absentee voting.

Wilson led in most precincts and held a strong advantage in absentee ballots, helping secure the win.

The special election was held to fill the vacancy left by former County Attorney Darin Stater, who stepped down in early February. The Henry County Board of Supervisors opted to hold a special election rather than appoint a replacement through the November 2026 general election, when the seat will again be on the ballot.

Results will remain unofficial until they are canvassed and certified on April 7th.

Wilson is expected to assume the role following certification.

Prep Girls’ Soccer: IGHSAU Releases Preseason Rankings with Season less than a Week Away

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 11:34 am CDT

Prep Girls’ Soccer- The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Association (IGHSAU) is getting ready for the upcoming soccer season with competition slated to start on Monday, April 6th, by releasing the 2026 preseason rankings for the three classes.

Class 3A

Waukee Northwest lost only one game last year on their way to beating Linn-Mar 3-2, for the Class 3A state championship. The Wolves are set to return their top three-leading goal scorers, but the most important piece of the puzzle will be Grace Thomason coming back between the pipes for her senior season, as she notched 73 saves for 85.9% save percentage.

Thos valuable pieces and with the confidence of a champion, Waukee Northwest starts off as the #1 team. Valley and Ankeny Centennial round out the top three, while last year’s runner-up sits at #4. A team that might fall from the rankings quickly is #6 Waukee.

The Warriors conjured up a 10-2-6 record last season despite scoring 26 goals for the season. The reason for their success was Lauren Nidey, a four-year starter that saved 137 shots for a save percentage of 93.2%. Waukee may have some growing pains in a tough conference.

#9 Pleasant Valley is hoping to make a huge leap after posting a losing record last season. The Spartans do graduate three of their top four goal scorers, so Joanah Jepsen will have to step up, but a majority of their starting lineup was underclassmen last year and a respectable tandem in the net could have Pleasant Valley be a force from the east.

Yet, conference-mate #10 Bettendorf could make things interesting for the Mississippi Athletic.

Class 2A

Dallas Center-Grimes is in the middle of a dynasty with five straight trips to the Class 2A championship game and four consecutive titles; the Mustangs will be looking to add one for the thumb this season and deservingly start the season atop the rankings.

It did not look like it was going to happen for the Mustangs after losing to #2 Waverly-Shell Rock 2-0 in early May, but DC-G retaliated by outscoring their opponents 43 to 0 in the final nine games of the season, including a 1-0 victory over the Go-Hawks in the championship game.

Now, Waverly-Shell Rock will still be a team to fear as Anaka Ott and Linde Hubbard return to the pitch after combining to net 66 of the team’s 109 goals. The team also returns a goalkeeper that allowed only three goals for the entire season. Waverly-Shell Rock is the last team to win the Class 2A championship, will they be able to end the Mustangs’ run?

An intriguing story for the Class 2A season will be #8 Bishop Heelan. The Crusaders were upset in the Class 1A semifinals after going 18-3 for the season. Now, Bishop Heelan will have to face off against Class 2A competition, who they went 7-0 against last year.

Pella is in a tough conference, dealing with Dallas Center-Grimes and some Class 3A teams in the Little Hawkeye. The Dutch ended the season with a losing season despite punching their ticket to the state tournament. They will have to replace Briana Shannon, who netted 10 goals, but the Dutch enter the season at #11.

Class 1A

You have to be the best of the best to get into the top 15 with every team sporting a winning record from last season, including eight teams that lost three games or less. One of the teams did lose more than three games was also the one to win the Class 1A title, #1 Assumption.

The Knights surprised everyone when they beat #4 Denver, who had 21 wins last season, 2-0 in the championship contest. It will be tough for them to meet back up for this year’s championship contest as they both graduated their top goal scorers.

In fact, the team that separates them in the preseason rankings was eliminated in the state quarterfinals last year but returns everyone: #2 Des Moines Christian. The trio of Addy Oetker, Stella Pothoven, and Addison Price will look to replicate their goal scoring ways from last year after they each scored 18 or more goals.

Another team to keep an eye on will be #13 Maquoketa. After not fielding a team for the 2024 season, the Cardinals ripped off a 10-1-1 season for 2025, which saw Maelyn Kluever score 38 of the team’s 55 goals as a sophomore. Additionally, Aubrey Kroymann walled off 48 shots for a save percentage north of 90%. A year of experience for a team that lacked it could see the Cardinals soar to the state tournament this year.

More

If you would like to see a full list of the preseason rankings, then follow this link: Girls’ Soccer Preseason Rankings

SEIRPC Board Room Renamed After Brent Schleisman

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 10:12 am CDT

The Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission is honoring a longtime leader who helped shape the region for decades.

SEIRPC has officially named its board meeting room after former board chair Brent Schleisman, who passed away suddenly in December of 2025. Schleisman served as board chair from 2007 to 2025—the longest tenure in the organization’s 53-year history.

In addition to his regional leadership, Schleisman spent 32 years serving as Mount Pleasant’s City Administrator.

During his time with SEIRPC, Schleisman played a key role in expanding the organization’s impact across Southeast Iowa. His efforts included helping establish two revolving loan fund pools, launching the Great River Housing Trust Fund and Southeast Iowa Housing, Incorporated, and securing permanent office space for SEIRPC, along with dedicated parking for SEIBUS.

SEIRPC Executive Director Mike Norris says Schleisman’s leadership left a lasting mark.

“For a generation, Brent was a local and regional leader,” Norris said. “His imagination and ability to partner led to many impactful projects. Naming the board room after him will remind us of what productive, long-term service looks like.”

SEIRPC is one of 17 Councils of Governments in Iowa and has secured more than 320 million dollars in outside funding for the region since its founding in 1973.

Keokuk Man Arrested on Felony Drug Charges

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 10:11 am CDT

The Lee County Narcotics Task Force reports the arrest of a Keokuk man on felony drug charges.

Nathan Kull, age 47, was arrested on Sunday, March 29th at his residence located at 722 Timea Street in Keokuk, Iowa on an outstanding warrant.

Kull is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver Less than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine, a Class C Felony.

This arrest stems from an investigation by the Lee County Narcotics Task Force into allegations that Kull was involved in the distribution of illegal drugs in the Lee County area. Kull is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver Less than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine, a Class C Felony.

The Lee County Narcotics Task Force was assisted by the Keokuk Police Department.

The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Lee County Narcotics Task Force is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Justice, with funds administered by the Iowa Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy.

Road Closure Beginning April 7th 170th Street Between Kentucky Avenue and Lexington Avenue

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 9:42 am CDT

The Henry County Engineer’s Office is alerting residents to an upcoming road closure.

A culvert replacement project is scheduled on 170th Street between Kentucky Avenue and Lexington Avenue. Work is set to begin Tuesday, April 7th, and will require a full closure of the roadway for approximately six to eight weeks, weather permitting.

A marked detour route will be in place during construction, and motorists are urged to plan ahead and use caution in the area.

For more information or questions about the project, residents can contact the Henry County Engineer’s Office at 319-385-0762.

Fairfield Businesses Awarded State Grants to Expand Local Food Production

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 6:30 am CDT

Three businesses in Fairfield are among those receiving a boost from the State of Iowa to expand local food production and agricultural products.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced that 30 projects statewide have been awarded Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants, totaling $500,000. The funding helps farmers and small businesses grow their operations and bring more Iowa-made products to market.

Among the recipients, three Fairfield businesses were selected.

Jefferson County Ciderworks received $25,000 to install a new six-head canning line, which will expand processing capacity and allow for new product lines using Iowa-grown ingredients.

Mundo Lindo Farm was also awarded $25,000. The farm plans to convert a grain bin into a retail store, complete with refrigeration, offering products from their operation and other local producers.

And Pickle Creek Herbs received just over $20,000 to build a new washing and packing facility, along with cold storage and freeze-drying equipment to extend the life of herbs and produce.

State officials say the program continues to grow in popularity, with more than four times as many applications as available funding this year.

Since launching in 2022, the Choose Iowa program has supported 130 projects statewide, helping expand local food production and create new economic opportunities in communities like Fairfield.

Officials say the investments reflect increasing consumer demand for locally grown and made products, while helping small businesses scale up and reach new markets.

Sports, March 31st

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 6:26 am CDT

High School Track and Field

The West Burlington/Notre Dame boys’ team held their Falcon Relays last night and the hosts had two gold medal finishers, while Mt. Pleasant had a pair finish on top of the podium.

Leading the way for the Falcons in Class A was Logan Hamma, who won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 57.96 seconds. The 4×800 meter relay squad also put together a gold medal mark of 9 minutes and 15 seconds. Landry Haberichter and Keokuk’s Ryan Bair continued their rivalry from last year with the Chief sneaking past by one-hundredth-of-a-second (11.17 seconds) to win the 100-meter dash.

Mt. Pleasant’s Kaden Schadt snatched the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.52 seconds. Additionally, the Panthers won the 4×200 meter relay with a mark of 1 minute and 34 seconds. Mt. Pleasant had a nice day at the office for the field events with Mason Frueh grabbing 2nd place in the discus with a toss of 134 feet and 4 inches and Jaymisen Rich’s throw of 48 feet and 9 inches was good enough for the bronze in the shot put. 

Over in Class B, New London dominated the 100-meter dash with London Franklin, Cale Westerbeck, and Gavin Strawhacker sweeping the podium, respectively. Riley Raines paced his way to a win in the 1600-meter run with a time of 4 minutes and 36 seconds. Franklin walked away with another top mark in the long jump with a leap of 22 feet-even. Lastly, the Tigers won the 4×100 meter relay with a time of 43.51 seconds.

Mediapolis displayed their speed and endurance with Gannon Gunn finishing in 1st place for the 110-meter hurdles, logging a meet-best time of 16.58 seconds. Kyler Crow claimed the 200-meter dash, while Henry Luttenegger took the 400-meter dash and Will Schmidgall won the 800-meter run. On the endurance side, Camden Phillips outpaced the field in the 3200-meter run. Lastly, the Bulldogs finished atop the podium in the 4×200 and 4×800-meter relays.

Winfield-Mt. Union’s Colin Anderson swept the throwing events with a toss of 131 feet and 6 inches in the discus and a heave of 43 feet and 11.75 inches in the shot put winning the class. The Wolves also claimed the shuttle hurdle relay with a time of 1 minute and 7 seconds. 

Danville saw success in the relays with the Bears winning the sprint medley and the 4×400 meter relay, while Ty Frazier experienced individual success, snatching the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 58.35 seconds. Central Lee’s top finisher was Caden Crozier in the 3200-meter run with a 2nd place time in Class B.

Mt. Pleasant will host their Co-Ed Relays on Thursday, April 2nd, with Fairfield, Mediapolis, and West Burlington/Notre Dame competing. 

The Van Buren County boys’ team finished as Co-Champions of the Ruritan Relays last night, accruing 110 points for the meet. The Warriors will host a meet on Thursday with WACO attending. 

The West Burlington/Notre Dame girls’ team will hold the Falcon Relays today with Mt. Pleasant, Danville, Fairfield, Mediapolis, New London, WACO, and Winfield-Mt. Union making the trip.

Wapello will host their Co-Ed Relays today with Columbus participating. 

High School Soccer

The Mediapolis boys’ team fell to Burlington last night, 3-1. The Bulldogs will travel to Keokuk on Thursday, April 2nd, at 5 pm.

The Danville boys’ team started the season off with a 3-1 victory over Keokuk last night. Quentin Jones, Colin Vaughan, and Alex Pfadenhauer each found the back of the net with Kaiden Kerr notching two assists. 

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will start their season on the road against Danville tonight at 6 pm.

The Columbus boys’ team will take on Washington tonight at 5 pm on the road. 

The Burlington Notre Dame boys’ team will face off on the road against Assumption at 5:30 pm tonight.

The Mt. Pleasant girls’ team will start the season on Thursday on the road against Clear Creek Amana at 5 pm.

The Central Lee boys’ team will host Fairfield, while the the girls’ team will face off against Mid-Prairie on the road with both games starting at 5 pm on Thursday.

High School Golf

Burlington Notre Dame will host the Nike Invitational today with Mt. Pleasant, Van Buren County, Winfield-Mt. Union, along with the Danville and Central Lee boys’ teams making the trip.

Mediapolis will face off against Wapello today.

Southeastern Community College

The baseball team will host Illinois Central College today at 4 pm.

The softball team will travel to Marshalltown Community College today for a doubleheader. 

March Madness

The KILJ bracket challenge, sponsored by The Press Box, is officially underway with 60 brackets submitted with the top three set to receive prizes. 

Here’s an updated look at the top 10 brackets and a recap of the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight: KILJ’s Bracket Challenge Standings. The Final Four is slated to start on Saturday, April 4th, with game one at 5:09 pm between #2 UConn and #3 Illinois. 

Standings will be updated before the championship game.

College Baseball and Softball

The Iowa baseball team will face off against Bradley today on the road.

The Iowa softball team will travel to Oregon for a three-game series starting on Friday, April 3rd, at 8 pm.

The Iowa State softball team will take on UNI at home today.

This Day in Sports History

1906 – The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States was founded to set rules in amateur sports; it became the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1910.

1975 – 37th NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: UCLA beats Kentucky, 92-85; 10th title under coach John Wooden, the most ever by one coach. He had announced his retirement 2 days earlier.

1998 – The Milwaukee Brewers become the first team since the inception of the American League in 1901 to switch leagues; Brewers lose their first NL game, 2-1 to the Braves in Atlanta.

Rural Address Signs Save Lives

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 6:21 am CDT

Rural 911 address signs can help first responders locate your address quickly. The blue address signs are required at homes and businesses but can also be placed at land parcels. If yours is missing or damaged, you can request a new sign from planning and zoning. For Henry County Residents, that number is 319-385-2146.