Sports, March 31st

By Slaten Swords · Monday, March 31st, 2025 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Track

The Mt. Pleasant, Mediapolis, Central Lee, New London, Danville, and Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ teams will travel to West Burlington today for the Falcon Relays. 

The Van Buren County boys’ team will participate in the Ruriatan Relays tonight at Pekin.

The Wapello Coed relays are scheduled tomorrow, April 1st, with Columbus in attendance. 

The Danville, Fairfield, Mediapolis, New London, WACO, Winfield-Mt. Union, West Burlington/Notre Dame, and Mt. Pleasant girls’ teams will meet up in Burlington for the Falcon Relays tomorrow.

High School Tennis

Mt. Pleasant will start the season against Davis County on Thursday, April 3rd. The boys’ team will host Davis County, while the girls’ team will hit the road.

Fairfield will face off against Fort Madison on Thursday with the boys’ team at home and the girls on the road.

High School Golf

Van Buren County will square off against Central Lee today at the Riverview Club.

New London will host a quad tomorrow, April 1st, with Columbus and WACO making the trip.

Winfield-Mt. Union will host Highland on Thursday, April 3rd. 

Mediapolis will take on Danville at the Heritage Oaks Golf and Country Club on Thursday.

Wapello will travel to Louisa-Muscatine on Thursday.

High School Soccer

The Danville boys’ team will compete against Keokuk at home at 5 pm tonight.

The Mediapolis boys’ team will take on Burlington at home tonight at 5 pm.

The WACO boys’ team will host Sigourney Keota tonight at 5 pm.

The Central Lee girls’ team will face off against West Branch tonight at 5 pm at home.

The Wapello girls’ team will host Northeast tonight at 5 pm and the boys’ team will play Prince of Peace at home at 7 pm. 

Burlington Notre Dame will take on Assumption with the girls’ team playing tonight at 5 pm at home and the boys’ competing tomorrow, April 1st, at 5:30 pm on the road. 

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will square off against Danville at home tomorrow at 5 pm, while the girls’ team will make the trip to Mediapolis. 

Columbus will tangle with Washington tomorrow with the road showdown starting at 5 pm with the girls’ team and the boys’ team playing at 6:30 pm.

The Central Lee boys’ team will travel to Fairfield on Thursday, April 3rd, at 5 pm.

High School Basketball

The 2025 Pizza Ranch All-Star Game commenced over the weekend with three players and a coach representing southeast Iowa. WACO’s Ella Huisnega and head coach Lisa Graber represented the Southeast team for the girls and their first round matchup was close but the Northwest squad snuck out with the win 76-72. In their consolation game against the Southwest girls’, Ella Huisenga snatched two points in an 86-77 loss. 

On the boys’ Southeast team, the duo of West Burlington’s Mason Watkins and Holy Trinity Catholic’s Luke Hellige helped the squad pour on points in a 115-78 win over the Northwest team in the first round. The championship game was another high-scoring affair, but the Northeast team got the job done in a 110-98 final, despite Watkins’ 21 points. Hellige scored two points in each contest. Watkins’ 37 combined points nabbed him a spot on the All-Tournament team.

Southeastern Community College                                                     

The softball team will remain at home to face off against Indian Hills Community College on Wednesday, April 2nd, for a doubleheader. 

The baseball team had their matchup against Northeast Community College over the weekend postponed. The Blackhawks will host Kirkwood Community College on Wednesday in a doubleheader.

College Basketball

Iowa’s Payton Sandfort will compete at the State Farm College Dunk and Three-Point Championships on Thursday, April 3rd. Sandfort tallied 1,619 points in his career, the 11th most in program history, and made the second-most three-pointers all-time with 271. He is just the seventh Hawkeye to compete in the event and will look to become the second one to win it after Peter Jok in 2017. 

March Madness

The KILJ bracket challenge, sponsored by The Press Box and Wiley’s Interior Furnishings and Design, is gearing up for a tight finish with only four teams left in the bracket. It is the first time since 2008 and just the second time ever that the Final Four consists of all #1 seeds. 

The standings will be updated by the end of the day.

This Day in Sports History

1906 – The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States is 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.

Josephine M. Bainter

By Hayden Douglas · Monday, March 31st, 2025 at 6:01 am CDT

Josephine M. (Mrs. Harlan) Bainter, 93, of rural Salem, died Sunday, March 30, 2025 at her residence.

A graveside committal service will be held at a later date at the Salem East Cemetery, Salem, IA.

Cremation rites have been entrusted to the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mt. Pleasant. Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com.

Robert L. Latta

By Hayden Douglas · Monday, March 31st, 2025 at 5:58 am CDT

Robert L. “Bob” Latta, 77, of Mt. Pleasant, passed away Thursday, March 13, 2025 at Arbor Court in Mt. Pleasant, while under hospice care, after he unexpectedly suffered a heart attack.

Bob was born on August 14, 1947, in Osceola, Iowa, where his father served as a minister at the Osceola Methodist Church. He was the son of the Rev. Lloyd Alexander and Beulah Ardella (Dickey) Latta. In 1950, the family relocated to Red Oak, Iowa. Bob was active in Scouts and sports throughout his early years. In 1958, they moved again, this time to Washington, Iowa, where Bob continued to pursue sports and school activities. In 1964, he moved to Grinnell, where he completed his high school education. That year, Bob played as an end on the football team and participated in track, even running in the prestigious Drake Relays with his high school team.
Bob had a deep love for animals, and no stray cat or bird went unfed if it crossed his path. One notable example was Sheeba, a cat who had been physically and emotionally hurt. Bob patiently worked to earn her trust, took her to the vet for care, and welcomed her into his home. Sheena lived with Bob for 23 years, though her age at the time he took her in remains unknown.

With a gentle and loving spirit, Bob remained kind-hearted throughout his life.
Bob enjoyed spending time working in his shop, creating birdhouses, bird feeders, and many other crafts. He also found joy in yard work and caring for his Birds his garden and home. Bob had a deep passion for birds. On his country home, he had built more than 100 birdhouses, each carefully designed to provide shelter and comfort for his small, winged visitors. He knew every species that nested on his land and spent hours observing them, learning their songs and habits.
His dog, named Cookie, was his faithful companion. Every spring, after winter subsided and the fields returned to life, Bob and Cookie would walk together through the fields in the two meadows surrounding the house. While Bob tended the plants, Cookie hovered nearby, watching for intruders to disturb the peace of the land. Bob’s life revolved around nature, finding joy and purpose in tending his land and in the company of his feathered friends and his loyal dog.

Those thankful for sharing in Bob’s life include 2 siblings – Rick Latta and his wife Nelly of Miami, Fl and Rosalyn Laliwala of Albany,NY; and several nieces and nephews.

His parents and sister, Marilynn Knight, precede Bob in death.

A memorial funeral service for Bob will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, April 6, 2025 at the First United Methodist Church, 309 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. Pastor Jeffery A. McPheron of the Trenton/Wesley Chapel United Methodist Churches will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Oakland Mills Cemetery, rural Mount Pleasant. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the service at the church. The family will also greet friends at a reception following the memorial service.

The Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, is caring for Bob and his family.

Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com

Blaine Watkins Sworn into District 100

By Hayden Douglas · Monday, March 31st, 2025 at 5:56 am CDT
It’s Official!
On Monday, I took the oath of office and was officially sworn in to the Iowa House of Representatives.
Taking the oath on Monday, March 24 with my parents by my side!
Shaking hands with Speaker of the House, Pat Grassley
Standing with my grandparents after being sworn in
Standing with Majority Leader,

Matt Windschitl
It was a special day, I am glad I was able to have my parents join me
I am honored to be sitting at Representative Graber’s old desk
Legislative Action

It has been a whirlwind of a week, but I was able to hit the ground running. Monday started with me getting sworn in, receiving my committee assignments, and jumping right in to debating and voting on bills.
House File 970

HF 970 changes the types of food items that can be purchased with SNAP benefits, limiting items such as candy, pop, chips, and desserts. It does not restrict what anyone can buy with their own money, but it does prevent taxpayer money meant for nutrition from being used to buy food items with little to no nutritional value.
House File 928 and House File 954

HF 928 reforms Iowa’s election recount process, including setting a threshold for requesting a recount, and putting the County Auditor’s Office in charge of conducting recounts rather than a recount board consisting of people appointed by the campaigns. HF 954 aims to help the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office verify the citizenship of the voters. Ensuring that only American citizens vote in our elections is vital for maintaining trust in our elections.
House File 943 and House File 639

HF 943 simply prohibits the use of eminent domain to take agricultural land for a liquified carbon dioxide pipeline. HF 639 requires hazardous liquid pipelines to have insurance to cover potential damage, including injury and property value reduction, states that if individuals face increased insurance, or are unable to get insurance, due to the pipeline, the pipeline owner must provide insurance or reimburse the individual for additional costs, provides stronger safeguards to ensure that only legitimate public uses are recognized to request eminent domain, and mandates that all members of the Iowa Utilities Commission must be present during hearings related to public utility regulation, electric transmission lines, and pipelines.

Dear Senate District 48, Senator Mark S. Lofgren

By Hayden Douglas · Monday, March 31st, 2025 at 5:38 am CDT

 

Dear Senate District 48,
– Week Eleven – 

Eleventh Week of the 91st General Assembly
Moving Legislation Forward

The eleventh week of session brought more days of debate as we worked to continue moving our state house forward in preparation for the next legislative deadline. Subcommittee meetings on bills sent to us from the House were also a priority this week.

Limiting Distractions During the School Day

A bill we passed on Monday was centered around an issue I have mentioned in previous newsletters and that has been discussed many times over the last several weeks, cell phones in schools. House File 782 requires schools to adopt policies that regulate and restrict cell phone use by students during school hours and in the classroom. Cell phones, and especially access to social media, provide distractions throughout the day and take away focus from what is going on in the classroom. This bill will help teachers keep students focused on learning throughout their school day.

Land Owners / Tenants to Harvest One Wild Turkey per Permit During Any Open Turkey Season

SF 148 was a companion bill I submitted that was written to match the bill brought forward in the House by Representative Taylor. The intent of this bill is to change the current allowance for landowners and tenants to harvest one wild turkey on land they own or rent to now include the provision that it be used during any open turkey season using the method of take authorized for that season. This legislation garnered complete bipartisan support in the Senate and is now under consideration in the House.

Ensuring the Most Qualified Applicants Have a Chance
Also passing out of the Senate this week was Senate File 507, which prohibits city and county governments from engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities unless directed by state or federal law and eliminates practices that encourage treating people differently based on certain characteristics. I’m sure we all would agree that all people should be treated with respect and dignity, and when hiring, we should be focused on finding the best, most qualified people for those roles. Local governments should be focused on providing services effectively and efficiently, and this bill ensures city and county governments are hiring people based on merit and working to the best of their ability, not based on profiling to fit demographic characteristics to meet DEI guidelines.

Hard Work… Done Well… Feels Good!

My wife often talks about a former co-worker of hers who taught First Grade at Washington School. Her name was Pam and she loved taking advantage of teachable moments with her little charges. She would often be heard, at the end of a long work session with her first graders or after a day filled with focused learning, starting the mantra, “Hard work… and her students would quickly chime in with, “Done well… Feels Good!” We all have experienced this sense of accomplishment over a job well done, and this is the thought behind Senate File 615.

We are beginning to hear more about this bill in the media since it has now passed out of the House. It would require able-bodied individuals on taxpayer-funded health care work a minimum of 80 hours a month to continue receiving benefits. This bill only applies to those who are 19-64 years old, able-bodied and eligible to work, and includes exceptions for those who are not able to work, such as someone who is pregnant, medically exempt, or disabled. The bill requires the Iowa Department of Human Services to request a waiver from the federal government to implement work requirements as a condition to continue to receive Medicaid.

A department review found as many as 100,407, or 58.5 percent, of Iowans receiving expanded Medicaid coverage are identified as not working and a majority of them could be working at least part time. That number is an astoundingly high amount of able-bodied people receiving health care provided by working taxpayers and demonstrates why this bill is critical to pass. People who can work, should. Taxpayer dollars are limited, and money spent on individuals who can work and choose not to reduces the resources available for those people who are unable to work and truly need the assistance.

By encouraging individuals to work we hope to help them gain the life skills necessary for self-reliance and responsibility. Becoming a viable part of the workforce could significantly improve the quality of life for those people now working to provide for themselves with the intrinsic benefits of work. In turn, more workers will also benefit the economy at large by filling the jobs that so many employers across the state are trying to fill.

This week brought visitors to the Capitol on behalf of the Iowa Bankers Association, the Iowa Corn Growers and Future Farmers of America, as well as clergy members visiting to pray for and with legislators. Friends and family were also in Des Moines to observe and celebrate the swearing in of Representative Blaine C. Watkins who now represents House District 100, and to honor the 2025 recipients of the Hoover Presidential Foundation Uncommon Public Service Award. Representative Kenan Judge received the award for the House and Majority Leader Jack Whitver was honored in the Senate.
Best regards,

Mark

March 31, 2025 – April 6, 2025

By Allison Jacobs · Sunday, March 30th, 2025 at 12:38 pm CDT
03/31/25
Charlene Doty & Thoreau
03/31/25
Gary Hackett
03/31/25
Jeff Hood
04/01/25
Karen Brimhall
04/01/25
Kim Kingery
04/01/25
Joe Butterbaugh
04/01/25
Eli & Autumn Millard/ 1st yr anniversary
04/02/25
Brian Murphy - belated from 4/1
04/02/25
Linda Enearl
04/02/25
Luke Stein
04/02/25
Jim Hughes
04/03/25
Kaley White
04/03/25
Kathie Lloyd
04/03/25
Erma McCabe (99 years!)
04/03/25
Whit Mabeus
04/04/25
Patty Ford
04/04/25
Eleanor Bjork
04/04/25
Doug Conner
04/04/25
Tammy Tyrrell
04/05/25
Connie Pendell
04/05/25
Mikayla Jennings
04/05/25
Finn Lalaga
04/06/25
Anthony Carrasco
04/06/25
Matthew Moothart
04/06/25
Jason Smith
04/06/25
Madonna Warden

Today-National Vietnam War Veterans Day

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, March 29th, 2025 at 6:33 am CDT

National Vietnam War Veterans Day is celebrated on March 29th to honor the millions of Americans who served in the Vietnam War.

March 29, 1973: Two months after the signing of the Vietnam peace agreement, the last United States troops left South Vietnam as Hanoi freed many of the remaining American prisoners of war held in North Vietnam. America’s direct eight-year intervention in the Vietnam War was at an end. In 2012, President Obama signed a proclamation designating March 29th as the annual observance.  In 2017, President Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, which officially made March 29th National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

The Mt. Pleasant VFW is hosting a free will dinner at the Veteran’s Hall, 300 W. Monroe Street.  Doors open at 6pm and a program is planned.

Sports, March 29th

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, March 29th, 2025 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Track

The Mt. Pleasant, Mediapolis, Central Lee, New London, Danville, and Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ teams will travel to West Burlington on Monday, March 31st, for the Falcon Relays. 

The Van Buren County boys’ team will participate in the Ruriatan Relays on Monday at Pekin.

The Wapello Coed relays are scheduled for Tuesday, April 1st, with Columbus in attendance. 

The Danville, Fairfield, Mediapolis, New London, WACO, Winfield-Mt. Union, West Burlington/Notre Dame, and Mt. Pleasant girls’ teams will meet up in Burlington for the Falcon Relays on Tuesday.

High School Tennis

Mt. Pleasant will start the season against Davis County on Thursday, April 3rd. The boys’ team will host Davis County, while the girls’ team will hit the road.

Fairfield will face off against Fort Madison on Thursday with the boys’ team at home and the girls on the road.

High School Golf

Van Buren County will square off against Central Lee on Monday, March 31st, at the Riverview Club.

New London will host a quad on Tuesday, April 1st, with Columbus and WACO making the trip.

Winfield-Mt. Union will host Highland on Thursday, April 3rd. 

Mediapolis will take on Danville at the Heritage Oaks Golf and Country Club on Thursday.

Wapello will travel to Louisa-Muscatine on Thursday.

High School Soccer

The Danville boys’ team will compete against Keokuk at home at 5 pm on Monday, March 31st.

The Mediapolis boys’ team will take on Burlington at home on Monday at 5 pm.

The WACO boys’ team will host Sigourney Keota on Monday at 5 pm.

The Central Lee girls’ team will face off against West Branch on Monday at 5 pm at home.

The Wapello girls’ team will host Northeast on Monday at 5 pm and the boys’ team will play Prince of Peace at home at 7 pm. 

Burlington Notre Dame will take on Assumption with the girls’ team playing on Monday at 5 pm at home and the boys’ competing on Tuesday, April 1st, at 5:30 pm on the road. 

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will square off against Danville at home on Tuesday at 5 pm, while the girls’ team will make the trip to Mediapolis. 

Columbus will tangle with Washington on Tuesday with the road showdown starting at 5 pm with the girls’ team and the boys’ team playing at 6:30 pm.

The Central Lee boys’ team will travel to Fairfield on Thursday, April 3rd, at 5 pm.

High School Basketball

The 2025 Pizza Ranch All-Star Game is scheduled for today at Dallas Center-Grimes High School with three of our local players and a coach making the trip to compete. 

On the girls’ Southeast team, WACO’s Ella Huisenga, who ranked 2nd on the team in points and 1st in rebounds, earned a spot and accompanying her will be her coach Lisa Graber. The Southeast squad will face off against the Northwest team for the first round at 10:45 am.

On the boys’ Southeast team, a pair from the Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division will join forces in West Burlington’s Mason Watkins and Luke Hellige of Holy Trinity Catholic. Watkins and Hellige both finished within the top 10 in the state in points per game and as their respective program’s all-time leading scorer. The Southeast and Northwest will square off for their first round matchup at noon. 

Southeastern Community College                                                     

The softball team will remain at home to face off against Indian Hills Community College on Wednesday, April 2nd, for a doubleheader. 

The baseball team started off their road three-game series against Northeast Community College with a pair of wins yesterday 14-6 in game one and 20-4 in game two. Michael Farina was unstoppable at the plate, finishing 7 for 10 with two home runs, three doubles, and nine RBIs between the two contests. Abrahan Rios went deep in both games as he collected eight RBIs. The series will continue today at noon.

College Basketball

Iowa’s Payton Sandfort will compete at the State Farm College Dunk and Three-Point Championships on April 3rd. Sandfort tallied 1,619 points in his career, the 11th most in program history, and made the second-most three-pointers all-time with 271. He is just the seventh Hawkeye to compete in the event and will look to become the second one to win it after Peter Jok in 2017. 

March Madness

The KILJ bracket challenge, sponsored by The Press Box and Wiley’s Interior Furnishings and Design, is officially underway with nearly 50 brackets submitted with the top three set to receive prizes. 

The standings have been updated through the first two rounds. For a look at the top 10 breakdown, follow this link: KILJ Bracket Challenge Standings

The standings will be updated after the Elite Eight, Final Four, and championship matchup. 

This Day in Sports History

1976 – 38th NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Indiana beats Michigan, 86-68; first time 2 teams from same conference (Big Ten) play in title game.

1984 – NFL Baltimore Colts move to Indianapolis.

1996 – The Cleveland Browns choose a new name for their relocated team – the Baltimore Ravens.