Author: Yorke Prough

KILJ Radio was able to make two special presentations at the Lee County Fair on Wednesday evening. Each year at this time, Brownfield Ag News sponsors the Ag Youth awards, and partnering with KILJ, they choose a young man and young woman to recognize them in their various accomplishments.

Our first recipient is Justin Snider! Justin has been in 4H for 9 years now and is a member of the Harrison Huskies 4H club. He recently graduated from Central Lee High School. He has been active in showing poultry, horses, goats, and sheep, throughout his 4H career.

Our second recipient is Haley Lampe! Haley has been a member of 4H for 12 years and has been club president of her Banner Farmers 4H club. She has also been the president of the Lee County Teen County Council. Haley was one of five students awarded the Lee County 4H scholarship. She graduated from Fort Madison High School and will be attending Iowa State University this fall to study Animal Science.

Both recipients received a Wal-Mart gift card for their 4H club, as well as a belt buckle. Congratulations once again to both Justin Snider and Haley Lampe!

The 2024 Lee County Fair Queen was crowned yesterday evening at Iowa’s oldest county fair. Congratulations to Kylie Davidson, your 2024 Lee County Fair Queen! 1^st runner up and miss Congeniality is Emily Mohrfield.

Julia Fraise is the Junior Fair Queen, and Emily Westermeier takes 1^st runner up in the division.

The little Mr and little Miss are Easton Andrews and Ashyln Westermeier. Congratulations to all contestants, and thankyou to Hometown Veterinary Care for sponsoring the queen coverage.

Two local volunteers have been honored with Governor Volunteer Awards for their outstanding service and dedication to our community.

Patty Jaeger, SHIIP/SMP Counselor with Southeast Regional Medical Center, West Burlington, and Barb Phelps, SHIIP/SMP Counselor with Henry County Health Center received Governor’s Volunteer Awards.

Patty and Barb were each honored with a 5-year service award by the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). Since 2019, these two volunteers have spent hundreds of hours providing guidance to individuals, families, and caregivers on how to navigate Medicare and identify plans and resources that work for them.

Coordinated by Volunteer Iowa, the Governor’s Volunteer Award program—now in its 40^th year—provides an easy way for Iowa nonprofits, charitable organizations, and government entities to honor their volunteers with a prestigious, state-level award. A complete list of award recipients is available at volunteeriowa.org.

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind drivers to look both ways when going through intersections. It’s that time of year when it begins to be difficult to see oncoming traffic at intersections due to crops.

Please slow down and use extra caution when approaching and proceeding through limited sight intersections. Even when you’re “in the middle of nowhere.”

The Mississippi River in Burlington is in a major flood stage currently, and you may wonder how Iowa’s wildlife reacts to flooding. Thankfully, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources shares the answer.

Just like us, most critters head for higher ground, when and where it’s available. Some climb trees for a temporary home.

For reptiles and amphibians, more water and more humid conditions help them thrive – less chance of drying out and more opportunity to colonize into areas new to them.

With fewer flooding events in the spring and more in the summer, animals that had adapted to spring flooding for nesting may now struggle to have a successful nest.

Birds – as you’d expect – will generally move to higher ground if they can, but heavy rain and flooding is usually a problem for birds that nest on or near the ground. Many species will attempt to re-nest and try again, though second nests often produce fewer young.

In any case, it will take wildlife time to recover from a devastating weather event like this year’s flooding, but having healthy populations will allow for that recovery to happen faster.

A man has been arrested in West Burlington after an investigation revealed he had been in contact with a minor victim.

On June 24^th, 2024, the WBPD began an investigation regarding allegations of sexual offenses against a minor by a local registered sex offender. Several search warrants were conducted and as a result, Kenneth Leon Hayburn of Burlington was arrested on July 9^th for Two Counts of Sex Abuse in the 3^rd degree, 2^nd Offense.