Dollie C. Mahalic, 87, of Fort Madison, passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the Southeast Regional Medical Center in Fort Madison.
Funeral arrangements are pending at the Murphy Funeral Home of Mount Pleasant.
Sally Fritcher
Karla Lee Everett
Karla Lee Everett, 70, a resident of Fairfield, passed away Thursday, February 26, 2026 at her home.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 27, 2026 with a Celebration of Life to begin at 2:00 p.m. at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield.
Karla was born February 18, 1956 in Greenbush, Minnesota, the daughter of Ernest and Pauline (Emery) Sanders. She married Jeffrey Everett. They later divorced.
Karla worked for Blue Fish Clothing, Overland, and was a jeweler. Her sense of purpose in life was helping people. She loved to entertain in her younger years, loved nature, and crafts. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.
Those left to honor her memory include her daughters, Whitney (Dennis) Schutten, and Ashley (Eric Winters) Everett, both of Fairfield; grandchildren, Isabel Everett, Elisabeth Schutten, Jeffrey Everett, Mason Everett, and Addison Winters; and her former husband, Jeffrey Everett.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and sister, Terry Wynne.
Mount Pleasant Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting – March 24th, 2026
Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility Warden Appointed Deputy Director of Institutional Operations
The Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC) announced the appointment of Marcy Stroud as Deputy Director of Institutional Operations. Stroud brings more than 30 years of experience with the Department and a proven record of leadership in institutional operations, culture development, and evidence-based correctional practices.
Stroud most recently served as Warden of the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility, where she provided executive leadership and oversight of facility operations, staff development, and strategic initiatives. Over the course of her career, she has held a variety of leadership roles within the DOC, including Deputy Warden, Correctional Treatment Director, and Director of the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center.
“Stroud’s depth of experience, steady leadership, and commitment to both staff and those in our care make her an outstanding choice for this role,” said Director Beth Skinner. “She understands the complexities of institutional operations and brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to leadership. I am confident she will continue to move our system forward in meaningful ways.”
As Deputy Director of Institutional Operations, Stroud will oversee the safe, secure, and effective operation of Iowa’s correctional institutions, working closely with wardens and leadership teams across the state.
“I am honored to be selected to serve as Deputy Director of Institutional Operations for the Iowa Department of Corrections,” said Stroud. “I am deeply committed to our mission of public safety, rehabilitation, and successful re-entry, and to supporting the staff who carry out this work every day. I look forward to partnering with the Director, wardens, and teams across the state to strengthen safe and secure operations while advancing our shared pillars of trust, professionalism, innovation, and staff well-being.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the Department in this new role after more than 30 years,” Stroud added. “I’ve had the privilege of working alongside dedicated staff at every level of our system, and that experience has shaped my deep respect for the work they do each day. I am committed to strengthening our culture and continuing to improve outcomes for individuals, staff, and the communities we serve.”
“Stroud has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead complex operations while building strong teams and fostering a culture of accountability and professionalism,” said Chief of Staff Paul Cornelius. “Her experience and credibility across the organization make her exceptionally well-suited for this role.”
Stroud holds a Bachelor of Liberal Studies from the University of Iowa and has completed extensive training in correctional leadership, mental health services, and organizational development.
Lee County Board of Supervisors Approve Funding for New K-9 Vehicle
The Lee County Board of Supervisors has approved funding for a new K-9 police vehicle, but not without debate.
Supervisors voted Tuesday to allocate up to 65-thousand dollars in opioid settlement funds for a Fort Madison Police Department SUV dedicated to a narcotics detection dog.
Some officials raised concerns about the purchase. Supervisor Chuck Holmes opposed the request, saying the current vehicle—at 90-thousand miles—could last several more years.
Others questioned whether opioid settlement funds should be used for a full vehicle purchase, rather than ongoing services.
Still, the project received approval after the Iowa State Auditor’s Office indicated the expense qualifies under allowable uses for the funds.
Fort Madison Police Chief Cody Potthast defended the request, saying K-9 units are highly effective in detecting illegal narcotics and play a key role in reducing opioid distribution.
The measure ultimately passed with majority support, and the department will be required to report annually on the K-9 program’s impact.
Garbage Truck Fire in Burlington Sparks Warning About Lithium Battery Disposal
A dangerous reminder out of Burlington this week after a garbage truck caught fire—caused by improperly discarded lithium batteries.
Officials say the incident happened yesterday when batteries thrown in with regular trash ignited inside the truck. Crews acted quickly, dumping the load to prevent further damage, but the situation still led to a hazardous cleanup in the street.
Authorities are urging residents to never throw lithium batteries in the garbage. These batteries are commonly found in everyday items like cell phones, laptops, tablets, power tools, and other small electronics—and can easily spark fires when damaged or compressed.
While other types of batteries should be recycled when possible, lithium batteries pose a much higher fire risk and require proper disposal.
Residents are encouraged to take advantage of safe disposal options by visiting dmcwaste.org.
Officials say taking a few extra minutes to dispose of batteries correctly can help protect sanitation workers, prevent fires, and keep the community safe.
Sports, March 18th
High School Track and Field
The Central Lee, Danville, New London, and West Burlington boys’ teams will head to Central College on Friday, March 20th, for an indoor meet.
The Mt. Pleasant, West Burlington, Mediapolis, and Danville girls’ teams will travel to Central College for an indoor meet on Saturday, March 21st.
Columbus will host their Early Bird Invitational on Monday, March 23rd, with Central Lee, Van Buren County, and Winfield-Mt. Union also competing.
High School Basketball
Talent from all over the state will be heading to Dallas Center-Grimes High School for the 2026 Pizza Ranch All-Star Games on Saturday, March 28th, with seven local players and two coaches making the trip for the southeast Iowa squad.
On the girls’ side, the Southeast Iowa Super Conference (SEISC) will be represented by Mediapolis’ Grace Holsteen and Madison Kellogg of Winfield-Mt. Union. Holsteen was named SEISC-South Player of the Year, while Kellogg battled through injury to lead her team with 14.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Joining Kellogg will be her Wolves head coach Mendy McCreight.
Joining the pair will be Kendra Boatman of Keokuk and Mylee Stiefel of Burlington. The two have both taken home Conference Player of the Year awards during their high school careers.
On the boys’ side, Washington’s Collin Stark will be patrolling the sideline with three local players running the court. Burlington Notre Dame’s Shay Stephens, the SEISC-South Player of the Year, will be flanked by two-time Southeast Conference Player of the Year in Keokuk’s Jaxon Clark and All-Substate talent Max Griffin of Mediapolis. Clark and Stephens have each tabbed at least one season double-double, which is scoring at least 500 points and securing 250 rebounds.
Southeastern Community College
The baseball team took down Baton Rouge Community College yesterday, 15-7. The Blackhawks will start their three-game road series against Ellsworth Community College on Saturday, March 21st, with a doubleheader.
The softball team will take on Dyersburg State Community College today for a road doubleheader.
The ICCAC released their Athletes of the Week for March 9th through the 15th yesterday and Kyler Kaczmarski, a right-handed pitcher, earned the honor. The freshman collected his second victory of the year after a six inning, 11 strikeout, two-hit, shutout performance against Delgado Community College this past weekend. Kaczmarski has notched a 2.31 ERA and team leading 31 strikeouts in his four appearances this season.
March Madness
The KILJ Bracket Challenge brought to you by The Press Box is back for the 2026 March Madness men’s bracket with the same rules as last year. A printable bracket was posted to KILJ’s Facebook page. The bracket must be filled out and turned in to sports@kilj.com or our station by the end of the day today.
For a full list of rules and prizes follow this link: KILJ Bracket Challenge
College Basketball
The Iowa women’s team will be the #2-seed and will clash with #15 FDU on Saturday, March 21st, at 3 pm. Ava Heiden earned All-America Honorable Mention from the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) heading into the tournament. Heiden is producing 17.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
The Iowa State women’s team claimed the #8 seed and will play #9 Syracuse on Saturday at 4:30 pm.
The Iowa State men’s team will be the #2-seed in the Midwest Region as they will take on #15 Tennessee State on Friday, March 20th, at 1:50 pm. Jack-of-all-trades, Joshua Jefferson, made the AP Second Team All-American list yesterday. Jefferson is the first player in Big 12 history to accumulate multiple triple-doubles in Big 12 play. The senior is posting 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
The Iowa men’s team will look to pull off the upset as the #9-seed for the South Region with a first round matchup against #8 Clemson on Friday at 5:50 pm. The Hawkeyes will lean on AP All-American honorable mention Bennett Stirtz throughout the tournament. Stirtz is averaging 20 points per game and dishing out 4.5 assists per game.
This Day in Sports History
1892 – Canada’s Lord Stanley of Preston announced he would donate a silver challenge cup to be awarded to the nation’s best hockey team.
1945 – Montreal Canadien Maurice “Rocket” Richard becomes the first NHL player to score 50 goals.
1958 – MLB Los Angeles Dodgers announced their mascot and clown Emmett Kelly will not perform in 1958.