Author: Yorke Prough

Over the past several weeks the Burlington Police Department has been investigating multiple car burglaries. In these burglaries, valuable items, including firearms, were taken. During the investigation, Burlington Police Department Detectives were provided great assistance by the public, who provided home security footage. Because of the public’s help, on December 7, 2023, Detectives established persons of interest and conducted search warrants at their residences. Two Burlington males have been arrested and charged for their involvement in the string of burglaries.

ARRESTED:

Johnathan Jordan Holloway:

2 counts of Burglary of a Motor Vehicle – Aggravated Misdemeanors.

Christian Anthony Alexander:

2 counts of Burglary of Motor Vehicle – Aggravated Misdemeanors

Theft 2nd – Class D Felony

This investigation is ongoing and additional charges are anticipated. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty the court of law.

A 37-year-old man passed away as a result of a vehicle accident in Wapello County on Sunday. At 2:54pm, an F150 driven by Tristan Zimmerman of Ottumwa, was traveling westbound on Highway 34 just west of the Highway 16 interchange. The vehicle drifted off the roadway and onto the north shoulder.

Zimmerman then lost control of the vehicle and it entered into the north ditch, overturning and ejecting the driver, who was not wearing his seatbelt. The truck then came to rest upright in a farm field facing northeast.

There were three other occupants in the vehicle at the time of the accident. 32-year-old Shayla Zimmerman was transported by life light to the University of Iowa Hospital. Two minors involved were taken to the Ottumwa Regional Health Center and treated for injuries.

The Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Eldon Fire Department, and Wapello Fire Department.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig reminded Iowans to apply for Choose Iowa value-added grants ahead of the December 15 deadline. Choose Iowa grants can be used to expand the availability of Iowa grown, Iowa raised and Iowa made foods, beverages, and other agricultural products.

These cost-share grants match up to $25,000 per project to help farmers, businesses, and non-profits increase or diversify their agricultural product offerings, which provide more local food choices to consumers.

Applicants can use Choose Iowa grant funding to add new processing, packaging or sales techniques that add value to the crops, livestock, and other products that they produce.

In its first two years, the Choose Iowa grant program received hundreds of applications totaling nearly $3.3 million in requests. Twenty-eight recipients were awarded in 2023 for projects ranging from increasing cold storage, to expanding processing proficiency and distribution capabilities, to improving production capacity and efficiency.

Individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations that are currently living or operating in Iowa may apply for Choose Iowa value-added grants. Preference will be given to small to medium-sized businesses. Details about the grant program, including financial matching requirements, application, and eligibility, are available on the Choose Iowa website.

Applications should be submitted through the online portal on the Choose Iowa website and are due by 12:00 p.m. on December 15, 2023. Grant recipients will be announced in March 2024. Questions about Choose Iowa value-added grants can be directed to chooseiowagrant@iowaagriculture.gov.

KILJ now has additional information regarding the death of a woman in Burlington on December 5^th. An autopsy was completed on the victim of a gunshot incident, and the victim has been identified as 35-year-old Krystal Hope Lopez of Burlington. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

Original Post:

On December 5, 2023, at approximately 9:59 p.m., Burlington Police Officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1000 Blk of Elm St., in Burlington, for an unresponsive female. Upon arrival Officers located a deceased female victim who appeared to have suffered a single gun shot wound.

The facts and circumstances surrounding this case are still under investigation. An autopsy is scheduled for December 7, 2023 and no further details will be released at this time.

The Burlington Police Department believes there is no immediate threat to the community in regards to this incident.

The Burlington Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division is being assisted in the investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

The Henry County Supervisors have been in discussion with department heads over a possible budget cut. At this moment, due to House File 718, funding over the next four years will need to decrease 1.3 million dollars. The general basis levy, which is currently set at $4.83 in Henry County, will need to be $3.50.

Henry won’t be the only county affected by this file, with 39 others’ needing to cut their budget in the same time frame.

Over the past few months, the department heads have been closely scrutinizing their budgets, finding potential avenues to help the county in the long run. Currently, one option that is being weighed is an early retirement severance package. It is no secret that a 20 year old is going to be paid less than someone who has been working in public service for 40 years. This is just one route that the supervisors might choose. After today’s Henry County Supervisors meeting, it sounds as if personnel might be let go if they can’t find a way to decrease the budget drastically.

While this has all been speculated, a senator from Mahaska County told the supervisors that this benchmark of $3.50 is going to stay.

The Mt. Pleasant Community High School Student Council deserves a round of applause, after they organized a Cereal Box Drive for the Fellowship Cup. This was the first of its kind, but if the success of the event is anything to go on, will not be the last. This was in conjunction with “Kindness Week” and Thanksgiving, which encouraged students to show an attitude of gratitude.

Advisory classes brought in donations of cereal boxes, and the Advisory class with the most donations were even rewarded with an ice cream treat.

239 boxes of cereal were donated by advisory students across the Mt. Pleasant High School. This will impact many lives across Southeast Iowa.