Laura Ann Wagner

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 at 4:32 pm CDT

Laura Ann Wagner, 64, of Lowell, died Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at her home.  She was born April 30, 1961 in Sigourney, Iowa to Richard and Joan Lee Johnston Haines.  She was a 1979 graduate of New London High School.

On May 8, 1981 she married Roderick Lee Wagner. He died on June 28, 1986.  She then married Mike Irven Powers on December 25, 1986.  He died July 4, 2003.

Laura was a homemaker and had previously worked at New London Casey’s, Walgrens Market, Sonny’s in West Point, and owned Paul Revere Pizza in Winfield.  She enjoyed playing solitaire, sewing and knitting, gardening and canning her produce, taking care of the birds and spending time with her family.

She is survived by her mother Joan Lee Wiseman of New London; six children, Jennifer (Tim) Huston of Winfield, Jason (Megan) Wagner of Omaha, Jeremy (Sarah) Wagner of Springfield, Missouri, Michelle (Derek) Fraise of Salem, Shannon (Laramie) Crone of Brighton, and Stephanie (Kasey) Miller of New London; eleven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; sister Barbara (Barry) Shipley of Burlington; brothers Richard Haines of Des Moines and Allen (Abby) Wiseman of Mt. Union and several nieces and nephews.  Besides her two husbands, she was preceded in death by her father; step father Donald Wiseman who raised her; and her brother Chuck.

According to her wishes, her body has been cremated and a private graveside service will be held at Burge Cemetery, New London, with Pastor Brian Swafford officiating.  A Celebration of her Life will be held on Friday, February 13, 2026 from 4 – 8 pm at Michelle’s home at 3106 Iowa Avenue, Salem.

A memorial has been established for Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice.  Elliott Chapel is assisting the family and online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.

Ed Jones

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 at 4:28 pm CDT

Ed Jones, 84, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, died Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at Park Place in Mt. Pleasant.

James Edgar “Ed” Jones was born September 9, 1941 in Leon, Decatur County, Iowa. He was the son of James Everett and Margaret Ellen (Poush) Jones. He graduated from Mt. Ayr High School in Mt. Ayr as a member of the Class of 1959. He then attended the former Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls (now UNI).

Ed served his country during the Vietnam War. He was inducted into the United States Navy on March 13, 1963 in Cedar Falls, IA. He received medical training in the Navy and served in the Navy as a Pharmacy Technician, last serving at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Chelsea, MA. He was honorably discharged at the hospital on June 10, 1966 and transferred to the Naval Reserves, obligating to serve until March 13, 1969.

Ed lived on both the east and west coasts of the United States, living in several different communities. He was a computer programmer for several companies, most notably a shipping company in California. Upon his retirement, Ed settled in Mt. Pleasant.

Ed was a member and devoted attendee of First United Methodist Church of Mt. Pleasant, seldom missing a Sunday service.

Ed has no immediate survivors. He is preceded in death by his parents.

Friends may call from 12 Noon to 7 PM on Thursday, February 5 at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. The funeral service for Ed will be 10AM on Friday, February 6 in the Chapel of First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Main Street, Mt. Pleasant. The Rev. Court M. Fischer, Senior Pastor, will officiate. Military Honors will be conducted at the church by the Henry County Honor Guard. Burial will take place next to his parents at 1:00 PM on Friday at the Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Iowa.

Those considering an expression of sympathy in lieu of flowers may direct memorials to the First United Methodist Church. Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com.

 

Bernice C. Rickelman

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 at 4:18 pm CDT

Bernice C. Rickelman, 96, of the Kensington in Fort Madison, Iowa, formerly of West Point, Iowa, passed away at 11:59 a.m. Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at the Kensington.

Born on September 26, 1929, in St. Paul, Iowa, the daughter of Bernard and Rose (Kempker) Menke. On April 26, 1952, she married Leonard J. Rickelman at St. John the Less Catholic Church in Houghton, Iowa. He preceded her in death on August 29, 2015.

She is survived by her son: Ed (Mary Eileen) Rickelman of Decorah, Iowa; daughters: Kathy (Gary) Poetting of Des Moines, Iowa, Debbie (Randy) Smith of Topeka, Kansas, Joan (Scott) Coen of Johnston, Iowa, Mary Jo Blumer of Ankeny, Iowa, Nancy (Robert) Fowler of Fort Madison, Iowa; grandchildren: Ben Rickelman, Emma Rickelman, Krista Adams, David Poetting, Matthew Poetting, Jill Ryan, Craig Blumer, Jon Coen, Cyndi Stuekerjurgen; eight great grandchildren; exchange student: Veronica Albuja of Quito Equador; brother: Paul (Veronica) Menke of Raymore, Missouri. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Leonard; two brothers; one sister; grandson Mitch; and daughter-in-law Debbie.

Bernice was a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church where she served as eucharistic minister, lector, rosary leader, and Altar and Rosary Society member. She worked as Sheaffer Pen Co., Breck’s, Spiegel’s, Dr. Crago,  Robinson CPA Office, Crystal Ice and assisted Leonard in the fields during planting and harvesting seasons. Beyond a doubt Bernice’s family was her world. She had a love/hate relationship with raking leaves and was a gifted seamstress. Bernice had a friendly, competitive side to her personality, she enjoyed playing cards with several different groups over the years. She had a green thumb and always planted an extensive vegetable garden, canning her bountiful harvest to have on hand for creating delicious meals throughout the year. Leonard and Bernice enjoyed Sunday driving to check out the crops and traveling in their retired years.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday, February 8, 2026 at Schmitz Funeral Home in West Point, Iowa, where a Rosary will be recited at 2:30 p.m.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 9, 2026 at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in West Point, Iowa with Father Dan Dorau as celebrant.

Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in West Point.

A memorial has been established in her memory for St. Mary’s Catholic Church or Southeast Iowa Regional Home Health and Hospice.

Schmitz Funeral Home of West Point is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhomes.com.

On World Cancer Day, Miller-Meeks Announces New Cancer Detection Law

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 at 2:23 pm CDT

Today is World Cancer Day, a time to remember those affected by cancer and to focus on progress in the fight against this disease. And here in Washington something big just happened that could make a real difference.

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of eastern Iowa announced that a major piece of cancer detection legislation was signed into law yesterday by President Trump.

The new law is called the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act. It will help Medicare cover new multi-cancer early detection tests, which are advanced screenings that can find many types of cancer from a single test.

Dr. Miller-Meeks, who herself is a physician, said early detection saves lives and this law will give seniors access to cutting-edge tools that can find cancer earlier, improve treatment success, and reduce suffering for patients and their families.

Under the law, Medicare will begin covering FDA-approved multi-cancer early detection tests starting in 2028. These tests will be available once a year for eligible beneficiaries without replacing existing cancer screenings people already rely on. The law also ensures fair payment rates for providers and gives the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services the funding to make the coverage work smoothly.

This announcement comes on World Cancer Day, a fitting reminder that progress against cancer comes not just through awareness, but through action.

 

 

 

Murder Trial Begins in Burlington for Woman Accused in Fatal Stabbing

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 at 2:22 pm CDT

Jury selection and initial proceedings began today at the Des Moines County District Court for 49-year-old Tisha Renee Bounds, who is accused of fatally stabbing a man in an apartment nearly a year ago.

Prosecutors allege Bounds stabbed a 33-year-old man during an argument inside an apartment in the 300 block of Angular Street on March 1, 2025. Officers responding to a reported medical emergency discovered the victim with a single stab wound. He was transported to Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, where he later died. Investigators identified the victim as Derius Lashaun Moore of Chicago.

Burlington Police say witnesses told detectives that Bounds and the victim had been involved in a dispute shor

tly before the stabbing. According to the arrest affidavit, after the argument ended, Bounds grabbed a knife and stabbed the man in the back. The Burlington Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, with help from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, handled the case.

Bounds was charged with first-degree murder and has been held in the Des Moines County Jail without bond pending court proceedings. She entered a plea of not guilty ahead of the trial

 

Henry County Attorney Darin Stater Resigns, Effective February 9

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 at 12:50 pm CDT

Henry County Attorney Darin Stater has officially submitted his resignation.

According to a resignation letter dated February 3, 2026, Stater informed Henry County Auditor Robin Detrick that he is resigning from his position as Henry County Attorney effective February 9, 2026. The letter cites Iowa Code 69.4(4) and states that Stater’s final day in office will be February 8, 2026.

County leaders are now determining how the vacancy will be filled. KILJ News spoke with Henry County Supervisor Steve Detrick while he was in Des Moines attending Southeast Iowa Days. Detrick said the Henry County Board of Supervisors will likely need to either make a special appointment or call a special election, depending on legal requirements and timing.

Stater’s resignation follows months of ongoing issues and public tension between the Henry County Attorney’s Office and the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

The change in leadership also comes less than one month after Deputy County Attorney Blake Vierra announced his resignation on January 8, 2026.

Further details regarding the transition and next steps are expected to be discussed by the Henry County Board of Supervisors in the coming days.

Supervisors Review Sheriff and County Attorney Budgets in Work Session

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, January 28th, 2026 at 11:48 am CDT

The Henry County Board of Supervisors met in work session Tuesday, following their regularly scheduled meeting, to continue budget reviews for county departments.

During the session, Sheriff Rich McNamee presented an in-depth overview of the Sheriff’s Office proposed budget. One of the key discussion points was the office’s electronic key-fob access system. Sheriff McNamee was informed that the current system is seven years old and already considered obsolete. Replacing the system is estimated to cost approximately sixty thousand dollars. Sheriff McNamee told the board he would like to explore new vendors before moving forward with a replacement through the current provider.

Additional highlights from the sheriff’s presentation included plans to equip jail staff with stab-resistant vests. McNamee noted that grant funding may be available to help offset a portion of the cost. The sheriff also addressed the need to replace body cameras currently used by jail staff. Many of the cameras, which were previously used by deputies, are no longer functioning reliably.

The board also reviewed the proposed budget for the Henry County Attorney’s Office. No representative from the County Attorney’s Office was present at the review. As a result, supervisors raised questions regarding several budget line items. With assistance from the County Auditor’s Office, most of those questions were addressed during the meeting.

The Henry County Board of Supervisors plans to hold another budget work session next Friday. KILJ will have the official agenda once it is released.

 

January 26, 2025 – February 1, 2026

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Sunday, January 25th, 2026 at 9:59 am CDT
01/26/26
Mary Beth Young (90)
01/26/26
Jon Rubey
01/26/26
Jenny Mertens
01/26/26
Jenna Short
01/26/26
Richard Garrels
01/27/26
Vada Graber
01/27/26
Janet Lee
01/27/26
Lukus Sanderson
01/28/26
Kathy Hites
01/28/26
Derek Hudson
01/28/26
Karen Stevens
01/28/26
Randy Hites
01/28/26
Lisa Perrenoud
01/28/26
Malcolm Alvine
01/28/26
Paul & Joyce Elaine Dennison *Anniversary
01/29/26
Jarol Waters
01/29/26
Deb Sammons (70)
01/30/26
Florence Thompson
01/30/26
Sally Kinney
01/30/26
Konnor Peterson
01/30/26
Wanda Thomas
01/30/26
Kathy Wilkins
01/30/26
Dan Hellweg
01/30/26
Maxie Bagels
01/30/26
Frances Bagels
01/30/26
Madison Bass
01/30/26
Saige Barron
01/30/26
Jody McLeland
01/30/26
Cherie Brown
01/31/26
Kurt Freesmeier
02/01/26
Keegan Gilrist