MPCSD Student Spotlight: 1st and 2nd Graders Recognized Statewide for Artwork

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 11:21 am CDT

Elementary students in the Mount Pleasant Community School District were recognized for their artistic achievements during the school board’s regular meeting on April 13th.

Art teacher Holly McDow highlighted several students from Salem and Lincoln Elementary as part of the district’s Student Spotlight, tied to Youth Art Month, a national celebration each March that promotes art education and student creativity.

Second grader Audrey Johnson received one of the state’s top honors—the Governor’s Award—with only about 20 students across Iowa selected. Her artwork was displayed at the Iowa Capitol Building in Des Moines, where she also had the opportunity to attend a recognition ceremony and meet the governor. Audrey’s award-winning piece, featuring dinosaurs set against a cityscape, was proudly matted and framed and is ready to be displayed at home. When asked where it would hang, Audrey said she wasn’t sure yet—but made it clear she’ll be the one to choose the spot.

Two other students were also recognized for their work. Second grader Brooklynn Schell and first grader SaMia Goode were selected to have their artwork featured in the Youth Art Month Show in Des Moines, with their pieces displayed at Jordan Creek Mall alongside around 100 student works from across the state.

Schell also earned second place in the elementary division of the show, receiving a gift certificate for art supplies to continue perfecting her craft at home. Schell proudly described the mixed media scene she created featuring an owl on the hunt for its prey on a snowy night. The background featured several trees and houses on the landscape and a big orange moon because “sometimes the moon is orange.”

SaMia’s artwork depicted a green and purple turtle. When asked about the colors she chose, SaMia said the purple on the turtle was her favorite.

McDow said the annual event showcases student talent statewide and provides young artists with the opportunity to have their work judged and displayed in multiple venues. The students worked on these pieces earlier this year with McDow noting an art lesson to create artwork like the ones showcased typically in two or three classes.

School officials praised the students for their accomplishments and recognized the importance of art education in fostering creativity and expression at an early age.

Barbara Jean Moeller

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 10:11 am CDT

Barbara Jean Moeller, 77, of West Point, Iowa passed peacefully surrounded by her family on Friday, April 10, 2026 at OSF St; Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois.

She was born on November 1, 1948 to Bill and VirJean (Peterson) Peffer in Iowa City, Iowa. She was raised in North Liberty, Iowa and graduated from University High School, Iowa City, in 1966.  She was united in marriage with Delbert Moeller on July 25, 1987.  Together they had six children: Diane (Jerry) Francy, Randy (Shelly) Moeller, Wade (Kelly) Sass, Carol (Larry) Keester, Randi (Devron) Sedy, and Kelly (Jason) Anderson. She was known as grandma to seventeen grandchildren: Kristin, Brent, Brianne, Jordan, Justin, Tyler, Alexis, Dalton, Devin, Brandon, Ben, Emily, Jordan, Michael, Ryder, Jaxon, and Cooper.  She was also a proud great grandma to thirteen great grandchildren.

Barbara was employed at the University of Iowa Otolaryngology Department, Lee County Mutual Insurance Company, and Dr. Sperrow’s Optometry Office before her retirement.  She was a member of St. Mary of Assumption Catholic Church.  She was active in the West Point community and an avid reader, even being named the top patron one year by the public library! She was notorious for her ability to host a good party, bake the best breads and cookies, and keeping the delivery drivers busy with her year-round Christmas present buying.  In the home she shared with Delbert, the door was always open, the decor always matched the season, and they lived life to the fullest!

She is survived by her children and their spouses, grandchildren, great grandchildren.  She is also survived by one sister, Kathy (Bobby) Schimelpfening, and one brother, Tom (Carroll) Peffer, in addition to several brother and sister-in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and recently by her husband, Delbert.  Those who knew Barb and Del know their reunion was a sweet one, and they are dancing and living life to fullest again!

 

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday April 18, 2026 at St. Mary of Assumption Catholic Church in West Point, IA with Father Dan Dorau as celebrant.

Burial for Barbara and Delbert will follow the Mass in Calvary Cemetery in West Point.

Following the Mass and Burial, a luncheon will be held at the West Point American Legion.

A memorial has been established in her memory for the West Point Community Club and can be mailed to the family at: Schmitz Funeral Home, P.O. Box 22, West Point, IA, 52656.

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

Middle School Track and Field: Mt. Pleasant’s Hailey Schadt Resets School Record Book in Washington

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 10:10 am CDT

Washington, IA- An unseasonably warm Midwestern night gave way for school records to fall and the Mt. Pleasant 8th grade girls’ track team to take home some hardware at the Max Cousins Track Meet in Washington last night.

The highlight of the night was Hailey Schadt breaking the school record in the long jump with a leap of 16 feet and 7 inches. Kya Heaton needed one last lunge at the finish line to come away with the gold medal in the 200-meter dash. As a unit, the Panthers won three relays in the 4×100, 4×200, and shuttle hurdle relays.

The 7th grade girls’ team ended up taking 4th place as a team with Kora Boecker snatching the lone 1st place medal for the team in the 400-meter dash, which proved to be another close finish.

The 7th and 8th grade teams will be back in action on Monday, April 20th, in Ottumwa.

Southeast Iowa High School Students Showcase Trade Skills

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 9:45 am CDT

Area high school students put their technical skills to the test during the 2026 Southeast Iowa Skills Throwdown, held Friday, April 10th at Southeastern Community College.

Students competed in hands-on challenges in welding, construction, auto technology, and CAD. Participants were not told what tasks they would face ahead of time, and instructors were required to step back, leaving students to rely entirely on their own knowledge and problem-solving abilities.

Fort Madison Dominates Team Events

Fort Madison High School stood out in the competition, earning first place in both team categories.

The construction team included Colt Blanchard, Nolan Lamb, Karson Dixon, and Owen Menke. The auto technology team featured Karsen Durbin, Oliver Schelick, Conner Blindt, and Cade Blind. Instructors Jeff Gerdes (auto technology) and Michael Schinstock (construction) oversaw the programs.

Individual Winner in Welding

In the individual welding competition, Brookelyn Fenton of Mediapolis High School took top honors.

Regional Participation

Students from across southeast Iowa participated in the event, representing:

  • Burlington High School
  • Fort Madison High School
  • Keokuk High School
  • Mediapolis High School
  • Mount Pleasant High School
  • New London High School
  • Winfield-Mt. Union High School

The Skills Throwdown highlights the importance of career and technical education, giving students the opportunity to demonstrate real-world skills in a competitive environment.

Scholarship Opportunity for Henry County Fair Queen Contestants

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 9:06 am CDT

Registration is now open for the 2026 Henry County Fair Queen Contest, with organizers encouraging eligible contestants to sign up early for scholarship opportunities.

The contest will be held Wednesday, July 15th, during the Henry County Fair, and is open to participants who live in, attend school in, or take part in a 4-H club within Henry County.

Contestants ages 16 through 21 who register by May 8th will automatically receive a 50-dollar early-bird scholarship, which will be awarded on the day of the crowning.

All registration forms must be submitted by Monday, June 8th at 11:59 p.m.

The Henry County Fair Queen Contest is designed to help young participants ages 8 through 21 build confidence, develop leadership and life skills, and gain experience in public speaking, interviews, and community involvement.

Organizers say they are looking forward to welcoming contestants and continuing the tradition of celebrating leadership and achievement among Henry County youth.

Pilot Grove Savings Bank Warns Customers of Phone Scam

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 9:06 am CDT

Pilot Grove Savings Bank is warning customers about scam calls currently circulating in the area.

Scammers are spoofing bank phone numbers and posing as legitimate financial institutions in an attempt to obtain confidential information from customers.

They remind customers that the bank will never call to ask for sensitive information, including account numbers, debit card numbers, online banking credentials, PIN numbers, or security codes.

Anyone who receives a suspicious call is urged to hang up immediately and contact the bank directly using a trusted phone number rather than returning the call.

Customers who have concerns or believe they may have received a fraudulent call can contact the bank at 888-283-2265 for assistance.

Bank officials are also encouraging residents to spread the word to help protect others in the community from potential fraud.

Sports, April 14th

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 6:42 am CDT

High School Track and Field

The Columbus boys’ team dominated at the Mike Kautz Invite last night, accumulating 250 points to Keota’s second place total of 80 points. The Columbus girls’ team managed to get second place as a team.

Lamar Ceant picked up a pair of gold medals, winning the 100-meter dash and the 400-meter hurdles. Fritz Figaro also swept the throwing events with a toss of 143 feet and 9 inches taking the discus and a heave of 44 feet and 6.5 inches winning the shot put. Additionally, the Wildcats claimed the sprint and distance medleys, along with the 4×100, 4×200, 4×400, 4×800, and shuttle hurdle relays.

On the girls’ side, Ella Howell outpaced the field in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1 minute and 2 seconds, while Isabella Forbes grabbed the win in the discus with a toss of 107 feet and 4 inches. The Wildcats also claimed the distance medley relay. 

The Fort Madison girls’ team will host the Pen City Relays tonight with Central Lee, Danville, Fairfield, Mt. Pleasant, Mediapolis, New London, Van Buren County, Washington, West Burlington/Notre Dame, and Winfield-Mt. Union participating. 

The Fairfield boys’ team will hold a track meet tonight with Mt. Pleasant, Central Lee, and Van Buren County making the trip. 

The Wapello boys’ team will host their Relays tonight with Danville, Mediapolis, West Burlington/Notre Dame, and Winfield-Mt. Union traveling to the meet. 

The New London and WACO boys’ teams will take part in the Lisbon Opener tonight. 

High School Soccer

Mt. Pleasant split their conference showdown with Fairfield last night with the girls’ team losing 10-0 on the road and the boys’ team holding on to win a 3-2 home thriller against the Trojans. Emma Metcalf netted four goals in the girls’ game.

The Panther boys’ team had to overcome a 2 to 1 deficit midway through the second half but with the wind to their backs Dylan White, Isaiah Lange, and Asa Rose were able to find the back of the net to escape with the win. Panther boys’ head coach Rocco Russo has been pleased with the confidence shown by his offense,

“Yeah, our guys feel confident in their shot, and all that starts with passing the ball and making good passes and finding the guy that can take the shot. We’ve got about five or six guys that are not scared to pull the trigger, and when they do, things can happen, especially on a windy day like this.”

Mt. Pleasant will clash with Washington on Thursday, April 16th, with the girls’ at home playing at 4:30 pm and the boys’ traveling to play at 5 pm.

Central Lee will play at home tonight with the girls’ team taking on Fort Madison at 5 pm and the boys’ team squaring off against Fairfield at 7 pm.

The Mediapolis girls’ team tied West Branch last night, 2-2. 

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union will travel to Mediapolis tonight with the girls’ teams playing first at 5 pm.

The Burlington Notre Dame boys’ team will face off against Fort Madison at home tonight at 5 pm.

The Danville boys’ teams will travel to WACO tonight at 5 pm.

The Wapello boys’ team will travel to Burlington Notre Dame on Thursday at 7 pm.

High School Golf

Central Lee split their contest with Holy Trinity Catholic yesterday with the girls’ team falling, 221-252, and the boys’ team coming out on top, 152-196. Elizabeth Griffin finished the round with a 48 for the Crusaders, while Marie Young led the Hawks with a score of 52. 

On the boys’ side, Central Lee turned in the top five scores with Caleb Larson’s 35 leading the way. Max Kruse’s score of 44 was the best for the Crusaders.

Danville will host their Invite today with Burlington Notre Dame, Central Lee, Holy Trinity Catholic, New London, Wapello, and WACO attending. 

The Southeast Conference held their third meet of the season and the Washington boys’ team continued their season excellence, finishing on top with a team score of 159, while the girls’ side boasted their third top team in Keokuk, winning by 13 strokes over Fort Madison.

On the boys’ side, Rajan Roth collected his third gold medal for Washington with a round of 37 followed by his teammate Drew Conrad with a score of 39. Fairfield’s Andrew Myers also carded a 39 to help the Trojans grab 2nd place. The Panthers finished in 3rd place as a team with Brody Engle’s score of 40 being good enough for 5th place.

For the girls’ teams, Mt. Pleasant took 3rd place with a team score of 216 as Sophia Walderbach’s score of 49 gave her 4th place followed by Vanessa Kessel of Fairfield’s 50, as the Trojans grabbed 4th place. Washington finished in 5th place as a team as Lucy Sands was the only Demon to finish in the top 10 with an 8th place card of 53. 

The Fairfield boys’ team will compete in the Albia Invite today, while the girls’ team will travel to participate in the Redette Invite. 

The Southeast Conference will meet back up on Thursday, April 16th, with Mt. Pleasant hosting the boys’ teams and the girls’ teams heading to Keokuk.

Van Buren County swept New London yesterday with the girls’ team sneaking by with a 238-243 final and the boys’ team pulling off an over 30-stroke victory, 162-193. Sophia Jirak paced the field with a score of 52 for the Warriors, while Katelyn Allen finished in 2nd place with a round of 56 for the Tigers. The New London boys’ team was led by Archer Bonnesen who finished with a 43. 

The Van Buren County boys’ team will compete in the Mohawk Classic on Thursday.

Winfield-Mt. Union swept Columbus yesterday as the girls’ team for the Wildcats was unable to accumulate a team score, while the Wolves handled business on the boys’ side, winning 164-205. Leading the Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team was Ashlyn Bender’s round of 44. 

Nick Sparrow led the course for the boys’ teams, giving the Wolves a score of 39 (+4), while no one on the team shot over 9-over par. Kai Allec’s 45 was tops for the Wildcats. 

The Wapello girls’ team will host their Invite tomorrow, April 15th, with Burlington Notre Dame, Columbus, Danville, New London, and Winfield-Mt. Union also competing. 

The Mediapolis boys’ team will compete in the Golden Hawk Invitational today.

High School Boys’ Tennis

Mt. Pleasant snapped a five-game losing streak against Fairfield last night, eking out a 5-4 victory over the Trojans. Sawyer Fulton and Max Heater collected wins over Bowen Zhang and Max Craver in the singles matches, but the Panthers showed their prowess in the doubles competition with a full sweep. Mt. Pleasant will host Burlington on Thursday, April 16th.

Fairfield will look to bounce back today against Fort Madison on the road. 

Southeastern Community College

The baseball team will travel to Northeast Iowa Community College tomorrow, April 15th, for a doubleheader. 

The softball team crushed Illinois Central College yesterday, shutting out the Cougars in game one, 16-0, and winning game two, 10-1. Kiera Klum nabbed eight RBIs between the two games. The Blackhawks will hit the road to play Iowa Western Community College on Saturday, April 18th.

College Baseball and Softball

The Iowa baseball team will look to get back into the win column tonight at home against Bradley with first pitch at 6 pm.

The Iowa State softball team will tangle with South Dakota at home tonight at 4 pm.

The Iowa softball team will return to conference play with a home series against Indiana on Friday, April 17th, at 6 pm.

This Day in Sports History

1910 – US President William Howard Taft begins the tradition of throwing the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day of baseball season.

1969 – First regular-season MLB game played outside the United States; the Montreal Expos beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 8-7.

1996 – Detroit Red Wings win a then-NHL record 62 games.

Henry County Veterans Affairs Reports Growth in Benefits, Legislative Updates

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 6:14 am CDT

Henry County Veterans Affairs Director Roger Pittsenbarger delivered his monthly update to the Henry County Board of Supervisors on Thursday, April 2nd, highlighting both local services and recent legislative developments.

During the month of March, the Henry County Veterans Affairs Office handled 220 phone calls and 19 in-office visits, continuing to provide support to veterans throughout the county.

Pittsenbarger also reported meeting with State Representative Taylor Collins to discuss Senate File 2466, a proposal that would have reorganized Veterans Affairs offices and changed their funding structure. Pittsenbarger voiced opposition to the measure, and Collins ultimately voted against it. The bill did not pass.

A separate measure, House File 1000, keeps the current system in place while providing each Veterans Affairs office with a $10,000 allocation, along with access to a $250,000 grant opportunity.

Locally, Pittsenbarger reported that Henry County veterans are receiving more than $762,000 in monthly benefits, totaling around 9 million dollars annually — a number that continues to grow.

He also highlighted ongoing outreach efforts, including a free veterans breakfast held every third Friday, offering fellowship and guest speakers.

Community support remains strong, with nearly 300 people attending the recent Vietnam Veterans dinner held March 28th at the VFW in Mount Pleasant.