New Mural Honors Veterans at Mount Pleasant Veterans Hall

By Hayden Douglas · Sunday, April 27th, 2025 at 3:38 pm CDT

A powerful new mural now graces the walls of the Mount Pleasant Veterans Hall, unveiled in a ceremony filled with pride and reflection.

The mural, featuring soaring eagles and a battlefield cross, serves as a striking reminder of the strength, spirit, and sacrifice that define America’s military service members. The eagles symbolize the enduring spirit of freedom, while the battlefield cross pays tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect those freedoms.

Local artist Sue Hopper and her granddaughter, Paris Always, were recognized for their outstanding work in creating the mural. Their dedication and artistry have left a lasting tribute that honors veterans and inspires the entire Mount Pleasant community.

In a Facebook post, The Mount Pleasant VFW invites the public to visit the mural. “We invite everyone to come by, take a moment to reflect, and remember those who gave everything for us.”

The mural stands as a lasting symbol of gratitude and remembrance, filling the hall—and the hearts of all who visit—with pride.

April 28, 2025 – May 4, 2025

By Allison Jacobs · Sunday, April 27th, 2025 at 11:39 am CDT
04/28/25
Jared Walker
04/28/25
Bernard Woerdeman
04/28/25
Peter Zee
04/28/25
Carson Boles
04/28/25
Kathy Hawkins
04/29/25
Dorothy Wenger (99)
04/30/25
Sherri McPheron
04/30/25
Bonnie Vogeler
04/30/25
Loretta Linz
04/30/25
Jerry & Joylynn Smith (65th) *Anniversary
05/01/25
Brent Rich
05/02/25
Jeff Hunter
05/03/25
Jaymisen Rich
05/04/25
Tammy Mulford
05/05/25
Deb Mabeus
05/07/25
Kelly Mabeus

Sports, April 26th

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, April 26th, 2025 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Track

Winfield-Mt. Union, WACO, Columbus, and Van Buren County will participate in the Sigourney Co-Ed meet on Tuesday, April 29th. 

New London will host the Co-Ed Chris Selby Invitational on Tuesday with Danville, West Burlington/Notre Dame, Mediapolis, and Wapello making the trip.

Mt. Pleasant and Central Lee will compete in the Keokuk Relays on Tuesday.

The 115th Drake Relays will conclude today with multiple local 4×100 meter relay teams set to compete today. Here’s a look at what happened yesterday.

Winfield-Mt. Union’s Kohlby Newsom took home 10th place with a time of 1 minute and 55 seconds in the 800-meter run. Kylee Hill of Burlington took 4th place in the shot put with a heave of 43 feet and 6.75 inches. Danville’s Alaina Gourley grabbed 16th place in the 400-meter dash. Lastly, the Mt. Pleasant middle school team of Delaney Anderson, Lindsay Hart, Elodie Rawson, and Avery Fedler finished with the gold in the sprint medley relay with a time of 4 minutes and 12 seconds, eight seconds faster than 2nd place.

High School Tennis

In a battle of the undefeateds, the Mt. Pleasant boys’ team fell to Fairfield last night 8-1. Lou Schimmelpfennig collected the lone win for the Panthers after winning the 10-point tiebreaker. 

The Mt. Pleasant girls’ team will celebrate their senior night on Monday, April 28th, against Fort Madison, while the boys’ team will travel to face off against the Bloodhounds. 

The Fairfield girls’ team will get a rematch with Burlington, their closest win of the season, on Monday in a road showdown. The boys’ team will play at home.

High School Golf

New London split with Winfield-Mt. Union in their showdown yesterday with the girls’ team winning 215-222 and the boys falling 202-161. Justin Knipfer and Grant Anderson each carded a 39 for the Wolves, while Izzy Lemley shot a 47 for the Tigers in the boys’ match. Emma Busby took home a 45 for the New London girls’ team, while Ashlyn Bender finished with a 49 for the Wolves. 

Winfield-Mt. Union will tangle with Hillcrest Academy on Monday, April 28th, at home.

Holy Trinity Catholic will host New London on Monday.

WACO will take on Louisa-Muscatine on Monday on the road.

The SEC girls’ team will make the trip to Burlington on Monday, while the SEC boys’ teams will meet up at Washington.

Burlington Notre Dame will travel to compete in a triangular on Monday at Blue Top Ridge Golf Course. 

Wapello will take on Columbus on Monday at home.

Danville will make the trip to Central Lee on Monday to play at the Green Acres Country Club.

Mediapolis will face off against Burlington Notre Dame on Tuesday, April 29th, on the road. 

High School Soccer

The Mediapolis girls’ team hasn’t allowed a goal in three consecutive games as they defeated Monmouth-Roseville 3-0 last night. The Bulldogs will face off against Fort Madison on the road on Tuesday, April 29th, at 5 pm.

The Danville boys’ team tied Hillcrest Academy last night 1-1. The Bears will travel to Fairfield on Tuesday at 5 pm.

The Central Lee girls’ team fell to Canton last night 6-0. The Central Lee girls’ team will make the trip to Albia on Tuesday with gametime at 5 pm.

The #4 Burlington Notre Dame boys’ team handed Central Lee their first loss of the season last night in a 5-0 final. The Nikes will compete against Highland on Monday, April 28th, at 6 pm.

The Burlington Notre Dame girls’ team will compete in the Assumption Invitational today.

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will participate in a tournament at Muscatine today with game one at 9 am. Head coach Rocco Russo talked about what he hopes to see from his team heading into the second half of conference play,

“Here into the season, we’re going to keep trying to keep our kids healthy. We’re playing a lot of soccer right now. We got a tournament on Saturday. We’re gonna go play 2 good teams this Saturday. So, we’re going to try to be smart with our boys, going to watch some film tomorrow. We’re going to come out here and run around a little bit, go up there on Saturday and try to do some work and then come back Monday and start round two with conference play.”

The Mediapolis boys’ team will travel to WACO on Monday at 5 pm.

Fairfield will tangle with Mt. Pleasant on Monday with the boys on the road and the girls at home.

The Wapello boys’ team will play Hillcrest Academy on the road at 6:30 pm on Tuesday and the girls’ team will take on Monmouth-Roseville on Tuesday at home at 5 pm.

Southeastern Community College                                                     

The baseball team will travel to Southwestern Community College today for the first two games of a three-game series.

The softball team starts their Region 11 tournament as the #3-seed on Wednesday, April 30th, in a best-of-three series against Iowa Western with the winner advancing to the championship game.

This Day in Sports History

1931 – Lou Gehrig hits a home run but is called out for passing a runner. The mistake costs him the AL home run crown as he and Babe Ruth tie for the season.

1935 – Frank Boucher is given NHL’s Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship permanently after winning it 7 times in 8 years.

1941 – A tradition begins, the Chicago Cubs are the first to play an organ at a baseball stadium.

Henry County Programs

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, April 26th, 2025 at 6:14 am CDT

Henry County is rich in history and there are several programs available for residents and visitors to explore through the fall months.  The Henry County Conservation Nature Center is open on Saturday mornings from 9am – 12pm. The  Nature Center is located 2591 Nature Center Drive South of Mt. Pleasant.  Contact the Conservation Department Offices at (319) 986-5067 to schedule other appointments.

Henry County Heritage Trust announced the opening of the Heritage Center Museum on Saturdays from 1pm – 4pm.  The Museum is in the former Saunders Elementary School at 203 N. White Street.  The Van Allen House, located on the same campus, is open on the First Saturday of each month, starting May 3rd, from 1pm – 4pm.  Henry County Heritage Trust also has the Iowa Wesleyan Archives Room open from 10am – 2pm on Mondays.

U.S. Service Academy Virtual Info Night

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, April 26th, 2025 at 6:14 am CDT

United States Senators Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst invite Iowa High School Seniors and their families to participate in a U.S. Service Academy Virtual Information Night.  This virtual event is scheduled for Monday, May 12th and Tuesday, May 13th from 6pm – 8pm.  Representatives from the nation’s five service academies will be available to answer questions about the application and nomination process and it is necessary to RSVP to receive the link to join the meeting.  Please contact Senator Grassley’s office at academy_nominations@grassley.senate.gov or call Senator  Ernst’s office at 515-284-4272.

MTPCSD Special Session Meeting 4/28/25

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, April 26th, 2025 at 6:13 am CDT

The Mt. Pleasant Community School District School Board is holding a Special Session meeting at 6pm on Monday, April 28th.  The meeting will be held in the Media Center of the MP High School, 2104 S. Grand Avenue.  The board will hold a work session which includes the Facilities Master Plan Report and the April 30th Special Election Candidate Forum.  New business includes motions to approve an employee compensation package, personnel items and the 2025-26 snack milk price.  The board agenda can be found at MTPCSD.ORG/board/meetings.

Sally Irene McKim

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, April 25th, 2025 at 3:42 pm CDT

Sally Irene (Swisher) McKim, age 89, passed away peacefully on April 24, 2025, in Ames, Iowa.

Sally was born on August 22, 1935, in Bemidji, Minnesota, to Harold and Alice Swisher. A 1953 graduate of Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, Illinois, Sally went on to pursue her passion for nursing at Boston City Hospital, where she earned her Registered Nursing certification in 1956.

In 1957, Sally moved to Ann Arbor to continue her education at the University of Michigan while also working at the university hospital. Her career then took her to Montreal, Quebec, where she worked in the neurological unit of a hospital, followed by a move to Charlottesville, Virginia, where she served at the University of Virginia Hospital through 1963. Sally eventually moved to Iowa City in 1964 and worked at the University of Iowa Hospital, where she met and later married the love of her life, Roger Kendall McKim on January 29, 1965, at the First Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant.

The majority of Sally’s nursing career was spent at the Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute, where she worked with dedication and compassion until her retirement. Her commitment to care and service extended beyond her profession and into her community.

Sally was a devoted member of the First Baptist Church of Mount Pleasant (now Remnant Church), where she actively participated in the women’s circle and mission work. Her faith was a guiding force throughout her life.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roger McKim; her daughter, Marilyn Hite; sisters Alice Swisher, Pat (Cleo) Robieson, and Verdith Byrne; brothers Harold Swisher, Gaylord Swisher, George Swisher, and John Swisher; sons-in-law Bryce Hofstad and Dudley Allison; and grandson, Casey Allison.

Sally is survived by her children: Martha Gatlin (Perry) of Ottumwa, Iowa; Ruth Allison of Charleston, South Carolina; William McKim (Michelle) of Ames, Iowa; and Michael McKim (Kerri) of Spirit Lake, Iowa. She is also lovingly remembered by her 14 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Sally’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Calvary Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant. Burial will follow in the Forest Home Cemetery. Visitation will be held 1:00 until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Gideon’s or the Fellowship Cup of Mount Pleasant. The Olson-Powell Chapel & Crematory is caring for Sally and her family.

D. David Boyer

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, April 25th, 2025 at 2:56 pm CDT

D. David Boyer, 71, of Ottumwa, formerly of Franklin, passed away at 4:20 p.m. Thursday, April 24, 2025 at the Southeast Iowa Regional Home Health and Hospice in West Burlington, Iowa

Born on September 13, 1953 in Fort Madison, Iowa, the son of Delbert W. and Lorene Lillian (Wilson) Boyer. On February 24, 1973 he married Christina Luna at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fort Madison. She preceded him in death on August 22, 2024.

Survivors include his daughter Michelle Leazer of Nashville, Tennessee; grandson Tyler David Boyer of Des Moines; and four brothers: Jerry (Tina) Boyer of Donnellson, Brad (Tammy) Boyer of Farmington, Allen Boyer of Northwest, Indiana, and Bruce (Katie) Boyer of Peoria, Illinois. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Christina; and son Joshua Boyer.

David was a tool and die worker at John Deere for 45 years. He served as a board member for the Community First Credit Union. He enjoyed fishing, gardening, working in his yard, traveling, telling jokes, and John Deere tractors.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday, May 4, 2025 at Schmitz Funeral Home in Donnellson.

Burial will be at a later date in the Evangelical Cemetery.

A memorial has been established in his memory.

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