Henry County Supervisors, Canvass of Votes April 7th

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 10:02 am CDT

Henry County Supervisors

100 East Washington St. Ste. 202

Mt Pleasant, IA  52641

Email: supervisors@henrycountyiowa.us

Chad White, Chairman                 Marc Lindeen, Member              Steven Detrick, Vice-Chair

   319-385-0759                                 319-385-0760                                    319-385-0761________

 

CANVASS of VOTES

Special Election for County Attorney Vacancy

March 31, 2026

Board of Supervisors

April 7, 2026

8:30 a.m.

  1. Pledge of Allegiance
  2. Roll Call of Members and Secretary
  3. Canvassing Votes for Official Results

2026 Special Election for County Attorney Vacancy.

Deputy Responds to Milton Jet Stop Call; 18-Year-Old Arrested for Public Intoxication

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 9:40 am CDT

On April 3rd, at approximately 7:30 in the morning a Van Buren County deputy and local first responders were dispatched to a report of an unresponsive male subject in side of a vehicle parked at the Milton Jet Stop.

Upon the responding deputy’s arrival, the subject was standing outside the vehicle speaking with first responders.

18 year old Jayden Gerren of Memphis Missouri was subsequently arrested and charged with public intoxication 1st offense.

Fairfield Man Arrested After Alleged Restaurant Assault and Altercation with Officer

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 9:34 am CDT

Police in Fairfield are reporting an arrest following a violent incident at a local restaurant earlier this week.

According to authorities, officers were dispatched on April 2nd to El Paso Tex Mex for a report of an assault in progress. When officers arrived on scene, they found a male suspect being restrained on the ground by employees and customers inside the business.

Investigators say the suspect had entered the restaurant and allegedly struck the store owner in the face with a closed fist before attempting to choke him. Those inside the restaurant intervened and held the suspect until police arrived.

The individual, identified as 25-year-old Lael Caleb Lett of Fairfield, was taken into custody and transported to the Jefferson County Correctional Facility.

Police say that while at the facility, Lett became uncooperative and bit a Fairfield Police Department officer on the hand. The officer was not injured, thanks to protective gloves.

Lett is now facing multiple charges, including assault with intent to inflict serious injury and assault on a peace officer. He is currently being held on bond at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility.

Authorities remind the public that a criminal charge is merely an accusation, and all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Fairfield Domestic Situation Leads to Felony Charge and Child Endangerment

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 9:33 am CDT

Fairfield police are investigating a domestic incident that led to an arrest over the weekend.

Officers were called on April 3rd to the 500 block of West Jackson Avenue following reports of a woman screaming in the area. When officers arrived, they determined the situation involved a male and female who live together at the residence.

Police conducted interviews with both individuals, along with witnesses nearby. Following the investigation, officers determined that the female allegedly assaulted the male resident.

Authorities also discovered that a 6-month-old child had been left unattended inside the home, where multiple safety hazards were present.

Police arrested 28-year-old Charity Lynn Dakota Stropes of Fairfield in connection with the incident.

Stropes is facing charges of domestic assault, third or subsequent offense, a Class D felony, and child endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor.

She is currently being held at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility without bond, pending an initial court appearance.

Officials remind the public that a criminal charge is merely an accusation, and all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Sports, April 6th

By Slaten Swords · Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 6:25 am CDT

High School Track and Field

Mt. Pleasant and Washington’s trip to the Williamsburg Co-Ed Invitational has been canceled for tomorrow, April 7th.

Mediapolis will host the Dave Aamodt Relays tomorrow with Danville, West Burlington/Notre Dame, Wapello, and Winfield-Mt. Union making the trip. 

The WACO Relays have been canceled for tomorrow due to the forecasted weather. The meet will be made up on April 13th.

The Fairfield girls’ team will hold their own meet tomorrow with Central Lee flying over, while the Fairfield boys’ team will participate in the Dennis Anderson Relays.

High School Soccer

Mt. Pleasant will face off against Columbus on the road tonight with the girls playing first at 5 pm.

Burlington Notre Dame will head down the road to compete against Burlington tonight with game one at 5:30 pm.

The WACO boys’ team will square off against Fairfield tonight on the road at 5 pm.

Central Lee will contend with Keokuk for their home opener tonight with game one at 5 pm.

The Danville boys’ team will stay at home to face off against Cedar Rapids Washington tonight at 6 pm.

The Washington girls’ team will travel to Oskaloosa tonight at 5 pm, while the boys’ team will host Hillcrest Academy tomorrow, April 7th, at 5 pm.

Wapello will take on Cedar Valley Christian tomorrow at home with the girls leading off the night at 5 pm.

The Mediapolis girls’ team will hit the road to play Tipton tomorrow at 5 pm, while the boys’ team will host Danville on Thursday, April 9th, at 7 pm.

High School Golf

Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield will start their conference play today with the girls’ teams heading to Washington and the boys’ teams playing in Fairfield. 

Holy Trinity Catholic and Burlington Notre Dame’s meet tomorrow, April 7th, has been postponed. A makeup date will be determined later. 

Wapello will host Louisa-Muscatine tomorrow.

Mediapolis will travel to Danville tomorrow.

Columbus will take on Hillcrest Academy at home tomorrow.

Van Buren County will travel to Central Lee tomorrow.

WACO had their match against Lone Tree scheduled for tomorrow postponed due to the weather. They will face off on May 4th.

The Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team will attend the Wapello Invite on Wednesday, April 8th. 

High School Boys’ Tennis

Mt. Pleasant will take on Keokuk for their home opener tomorrow, April 7th.

Fairfield will host Burlington for their first match of the season on Thursday, April 9th.

Southeastern Community College

The baseball team swept Iowa Lakes Community College over the weekend, 6-4. The Blackhawks will stay at home to take on Heartland Community College today.

The softball team will face off against Indian Hills Community College on Wednesday, April 8th, in a road doubleheader.

March Madness

The KILJ bracket challenge, sponsored by The Press Box, is officially underway with 60 brackets submitted with the top three set to receive prizes. 

Offense was a hard commodity to come by in game one of the Final Four as #2 UConn and #3 Illinois both shot less than 40% from the field, but the Huskies drained 12 three-pointers on their way to a 71-62 victory over the Fighting Illini. Tarris Reed Jr. finished with a 17 point and 11 rebound double-double.

#1 Michigan thoroughly decimated #1 Arizona in the night cap of the Final Four, 91-73. Five Wolverines collected double figure points with Elliot Cadeau dishing out 10 assists in the winning effort. Michigan will look to capture the Big Ten’s first national championship since 2000, while UConn is making their third trip to the championship game in the past four seasons tonight at 7:50 pm.

An updated look at the standings: KILJ’s 2026 Bracket Challenge Standings

College Baseball and Softball

The Iowa baseball team enjoyed their Easter weekend with a series victory over Minnesota after picking up a pair of one-run victories, 3-2 and 5-4, against the Golden Gophers. Carter Geffre hit a game-winning home run in game one, while Kooper Schulte added an RBI in game two. The Hawkeyes will travel to USC on Friday, April 10th, with first pitch at 9 pm.

The Iowa softball team nearly upset #18 Oregon over the weekend but allowed five unanswered runs in the final two innings, including a walk-off, to fall 14-13 in extra innings. Mariah Myers clobbered a home-run for a team leading three RBIs in game one. Game two was not as close, as the Ducks pulled off the series sweep, 6-2, yesterday. The Hawkeyes will get ready for Iowa State on Wednesday, April 8th, at home at 5 pm.

The Iowa State softball team dropped both contests to #14 Arizona yesterday, 10-7 in game one and 8-7 in game two. The Cyclones swatted six home runs between the two games, as Tatum Johnson collected a double and a home run for two RBIs. The Cyclones will look to avoid the sweep today. 

This Day in Sports History

1973 – Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees becomes the first designated hitter in baseball history, and he draws a bases-loaded walk on five pitches against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

1980 – Gordie Howe completes a record 26th NHL season. Now tied with Chris Chelios.

1996 – MLB player Albert Belle shows off his arm by hitting Sports Illustrated photographer Tony Tomsic in the hand prior to a game.

Michael “Mike” Edward Langan

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 6:21 am CDT

Michael “Mike” Edward Langan, 86, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, passed away peacefully at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, on April 3, 2026. He was born on December 13, 1939, to Robert and Pauline (Schlarbaum) Langan.

Mike was united in marriage to the love of his life, Janet (Leppert), on December 29, 1957. The couple married at the First Baptist Church in Fairfield, Iowa, beginning a devoted marriage that spanned 68 years.

Mike is survived by his wife, Janet (Leppert); his children, Michael K. Langan (Wendy) of Washington, Iowa, Kathy McConahay (Bret) of Columbus Junction, Iowa, and Teresa Owens (Mike) of Mount Pleasant, Iowa; his grandchildren, Stacy Holtgrewe (Jared), Meghan Hank (Tyler), Brian McConahay (Jennie), and Rachel Watters (Chris); eight cherished great‑grandchildren; and his siblings, Nancy Fulton, Gary Langan, Angela Hoff, and Stephen P. Carl.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Langan (Lily) and Pauline Carl (Raymond); his son, Richard Kelly; his sister, Carole Albrecht; and his great‑granddaughter, Harlyn Holtgrewe.

Mike graduated from Fairfield High School in 1957, and earned his education degree from Parsons College. He later earned graduate degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Iowa. Mike dedicated many years to teaching at the WACO Community School District and the Columbus Junction Community School District, where he shared his love of learning—and his sense of humor—with a generation of students.

Mike proudly served in the United States Army and was honorably discharged in 1960.

A man of many interests, Mike enjoyed traveling and almost always had a trip in the works, with Amtrak being his preferred mode of transportation. Navarre Beach, Florida, held a special place among his favorite destinations. He was an avid reader, particularly enjoying historical nonfiction and autobiographies. Mike also loved card games, especially bridge, 10-point pitch and countless games of hearts played on his computer. A devoted collector, he owned more than 1,500 LP records, carefully curated a collection of over 200,000 postmarks, and built an extensive coin collection.

Known for his sense of humor, Mike was a jokester at heart and especially enjoyed receiving a playful “head squeeze.” He loved taking his children and grandchildren on adventures and was passionate about teaching them to appreciate history and travel. You could always count on finding a cold Coca‑Cola in his refrigerator and a variety of candy nearby.

Visitation will be held 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Olson-Yoder Funeral Home. The family will be present to greet friends from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. A private family graveside service will be held in the Columbus City Cemetery in Columbus City, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his honor to the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa.

The family wishes to thank the staff at the VA Hospital in Iowa City for their compassionate care.

The Olson-Yoder Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Mike and his family. Condolences may be left for the family at www.olsonyoderfh.com

Edward “Ed” Gerard Hovorka

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 6:19 am CDT

Edward “Ed” Gerard Hovorka, 85, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on April 1, 2026.

A visitation will be held at Behner Funeral Home on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. His body will be laid to rest at Long Island National Cemetery.

Ed was born on February 11, 1941, in Astoria, Queens, New York, and was a beloved son of George and Margaret (McAuley) Hovorka. Ed graduated from Long Island City High School in 1958. He honorably served his country in the United States Navy from 1960 to 1965.

Ed was a social butterfly who loved boilermakers, gardening, spending time with his family, listening to doo-wop music, fast cars, and watching sports. Above all, he will be remembered as a jokester whose sense of humor brought light and laughter to every room he entered.

Ed was a devoted husband to Inge Hovorka (Gannie), whom he married on August 3, 1985, in Hempstead, New York. Together, they built a life centered around family and love. Ed was a proud father who will be missed by his eleven children, Robert, Stephen, Richard, Christopher, Stephanie, Katherine, Peter, Tiffany, Brandon, Nicholas, and Kellie-Ann; his siblings, Richard (Sheryl), John (Laura), Robert, and Joan (Bob).

His legacy continues through his children, grandchildren, and all who were lucky enough to know him. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, George, and three sons. Ed lived a life full of humor, love, and a deep connection to his family and friends. Ed will be deeply missed and forever remembered for his jokes, laughter, warmth, and the love he shared so freely.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to all who loved and cared for Ed throughout the years.

Curtis M. Connelly

By Allison Jacobs · Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 6:16 am CDT

Curtis M. Connelly, 66, of Fairfield, passed away Friday, April 3, 2026 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association and mailed to the family at 1547 Olive Ave. Fairfield, Iowa 52556. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is assisting the family.

Curt was born June 5, 1959 in Fairfield, the son of R.J. and Joyce (Starr) Connelly. He married Pamela Ehrhardt, February 26, 1977 in Richland.

Curt owned and operated Connelly, Inc. in Fairfield for 25 years. He enjoyed working on cars, drag racing, motorcycles, and loved orange cars.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Pam; sons, Neal (Lauren) Connelly of Ankeny, and Kyle Connelly of Fairfield; grandchildren, Pierson, Brecken, and Banks; siblings, Steve Connelly, Mary Jean Smith, Scott Connelly, Marvin Connelly, Leon Connelly, and Margaret Ann Techau.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Online condolences may be made to Curt’s family by viewing his obituary at www.behnerfh.com.