The City Compost Site, Southwest of Saunders Park at the end of Yocum Lane & Hoaglan Drive will open on Wednesday, April 2nd. The Compost site will be open on Wednesdays from 1-6 and Saturdays 8-5 throughout the summer months and weather permitting. Trash stickers are no longer needed to drop off compost. For more information, call 319-385-1480.
WACO Community Family Fun Night is scheduled for Monday, March 24th. . The theme of this year’s Family Night is “Tamin Technology: Guiding our Kids to a Healthier Digital Life. Jan Hochstetler is a Waco HS graduate, an author, parent and education. She will give a presentation focusing on the impact of smartphones and social media on youth mental health. A free light meal will be served from 5:30pm to 6:30pm and the Community Resource Fair will be set up from 5:30pm – 8:00pm in the WACO High School main gym. Childcare will be provided. There is an online response for questions that you will find at Wacocsd.org
abbey.shelman@wacocsd.org or rita.alspach@wacocsd.org.
A reminder to Henry County boat owners that all current boat registrations expire April 30, 2025 and must be renewed prior to use on Iowa waters. Henry County Recorder, Lynnae Buffington says the ‘late fee’ will go into effect on July 1, 2025, however, you cannot legally use your vessel after April 30,, 2025 without registration renewal.
There are two options to renew your boat registration: in person at the Henry County Recorder’s Office in the courthouse on 2nd floor or you can call 319-385-0765 and they will provide you with a renewal amount so the renewal payment can be mailed.
Henry County Recorder office hours are Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Mt. Pleasant Community School District School Board has two meetings scheduled for Monday, March 24th in the MP High School Media Center, 2104 S. Grand Avenue. The first meeting begins at 6:01 and is a Public Hearing for the FY26 Budget. Time is allotted for public comments.
The second meeting is a Special Session Board Meeting with call to order at 6:05pm. Several closed session items, including expulsion of students will be addressed, along with motions on contract agreements with Great Prairie AEA and the Union (ASFME) local #3865. Direct District #2 Vacancy Special Election Information will also be discussed along with work session items. Please go to mtpcsd.org/board/meetings for more information and a complete look at the agendas for Monday’s meetings.
High School Track
The girls’ teams of Danville, Mediapolis, West Burlington/Notre Dame, and Mt. Pleasant traveled to Central College yesterday to conclude the Indoor Track season, here are some of the highlights.
In the 60-meter dash, three local sprinters advanced to the finals in Kynlee White and Kiyah Sanders of Mt. Pleasant and Kira Messer of Mediapolis. White led the pack, grabbing 8th place with a time of 8.2 seconds followed by Sanders with a 10th place time of 8.22 seconds, while Messer finished in 15th place. West Burlington/Notre Dame’s Ady Lamm claimed a spot inside the top 20 with a time of 8.39 seconds.
The 200-meter dash again saw White and Sanders turn in top 15 performances as well as Alaina Gourley of Danville. White claimed 6th place with a time of 27.26 seconds, while Gourley snuck into the top 10 with a 9th place time of 27.46 seconds as Sanders finished in 13th place. Lucy Parkins was the top finisher for the Falcons, grabbing 25th place with a time of 28.45 seconds. For the long distance, Danville’s Abby Arnett scored an 11th place time of 13 minutes and 16 seconds in the 3000-meter run.
Over in the relays, the 4×200 produced two top 10 finishers as the team of Ellie Freeman, Taylor Williamson, Sanders, and White took home the bronze with a time of 1 minute and 51 seconds for the Panthers, while Delaney Newberry, Macie Wagner, Violette Sowell, and Gourley took 7th place for Danville. The 4×400 team of Izzy Sloat, Abby Shelangoski, Monroe James, and Jenna Schwartz collected a 7th place finish for the Panthers.
In the field events, Mt. Pleasant’s Ella Ensminger continued her dominant start to the season in the shot put, heaving it 38 feet-even for the silver. Ava English finished in 9th place with a toss of 33 feet and 1.25 inches and Savannah Slobodnik collected an 11th place throw of 31 feet and 7.5 inches. In the high jump, Avery Crear of Mediapolis and Mt. Pleasant’s Schwartz tied for 6th place with a leap of 4 feet and 8 inches. Lastly, in the long jump, Sloat of Mt. Pleasant yielded the silver with a jump of 15 feet and 8.75 inches, while Linzy Striegel of Mt. Pleasant and Ella Steffener of Mediapolis both finished within the top 12.
The Columbus Co-ed Invitational is scheduled for Monday, March 24th, with Central Lee, New London, Van Buren County, and Winfield-Mt. Union making the trip to start the outdoor season.
High School Basketball
The 2025 Pizza Ranch All-Star Game is scheduled for March 29th 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 be back in action for a doubleheader today against Southwestern Community College with game one at 1 pm.
The baseball team will host a three-game series against North Iowa Area Community College today with their first game of a doubleheader at 1 pm.
College Basketball
The #3-seed Iowa State men’s team had no problems against the #14-seed Lipscomb yesterday, cruising to an 82-55 final. Milan Momcilovic led the scoring with 20 points as four players finished in double figures. The Cyclones will dance with the #6-seed Ole Miss tomorrow, March 23rd, at 6:45 pm.
The #11-seeded Iowa State women’s team had their chance, holding on to a slim lead at the start of the 4th quarter, but they were unable to seal the deal against the #6-seeded Michigan, losing 80-74. Audi Crooks turned in a 28 point performance in the loss. The Cyclones finished the season with a 23-12 record.
The Iowa woman’s team grabbed the 6th seed and will take on the #11-seed Murray State in Oklahoma today at 11 am. This is the seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament for the Hawkeyes.
The #11-seed Drake men’s team will square off against #3 Texas Tech tonight at 5:10 pm.
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.
After the first round, only five upsets occurred with two #12-seeds advancing in Colorado St. and McNeese St.
Standings will be updated at the conclusion of the first two rounds, the Elite 8, Final Four, and the championship game.
This Day in Sports History
1969 – 31st NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: UCLA beats Purdue 92-72 for a Bruins’ 3-peat; center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player for the third consecutive year.
1986 – HBO launches boxing’s heavyweight-title-unification-tournament.
1989 – Pete Rozelle announces his retirement as the NFL commissioner after 29 years.
The New London City Council will hold two Special Session meetings on Tuesday, March 25th at New London City Office, 112 W. Main Street. At 6pm, the council will hold a public hearing regarding the proposed property tax levy for the upcoming year. Citizen questions and comments will be taken.
The 2nd Special Session meeting begins at 6:20pm and is open to the public.
Eastern Iowa Fireground reported two fires East of Mt. Pleasant yesterday. At about 3pm, the New London Fire Department, with assist from the Danville Department, responded to a large tire fire in the 8000 block of Bridgeport Road in New London.
At about 9pm last night, a structure fire was reported in 200 block of Washington Street in Middletown. The Danville FD responded.
Johnny Joseph Buchfeld, 60, of Mount Pleasant passed away on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at the Good Samaritan Society in Ottumwa.
Johnny was born on July 30, 1964, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the son of Donald Joseph and Eva Mae (Meadows) Buchfeld. Following his high school graduation he joined the United States Army and was honorable discharged in 1989.
Those thankful in sharing in his life include his step-sisters, Julie (Carlos) Flores and their children, Francesca and Philip, Terry Lynn (Mike) Dawson and their children, Erin, Kaela, Kendra and Kevin, his step-brother, Kenneth Troy (Sharon) Ewing, his best friend, Chris Rusch and his children, Jaina and Leia, along with nieces Jennifer, Chelsea and nephews, Nicholas and Christian.
He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Buchfeld, his step-mother, Joyce Buchfeld, his step-brother, Raymond and a step-sister, Deborah Loescher.
A Celebration of Johnny’s life will be held on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Murphy Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant. Burial with full military honors will be held on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 1 p.m. at the Keokuk National Cemetery. Cremation has been entrusted to the care of Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com
Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant, is caring for his arrangements.
