Charles C. “Chuck” Espy, Jr.

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, January 5th, 2026 at 10:37 am CDT

Charles C. “Chuck” Espy, Jr., 84, a resident of Fairfield for over 50 years, passed away Friday, January 2, 2026 at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center in West Burlington, Iowa.

A Memorial Service celebrating his life will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 9, 2026 at First United Methodist Church in Fairfield with Pastor Danny Cary officiating. Following the service a reception will be held at the Fairfield Country Club from 2:30-4:30pm

Chuck was born July 19, 1941 in Berkeley, California, the son of Charles, Sr. and Ruby (Johnson) Espy. He was raised in Rockford, Illinois, excelling in both academics and sports. In his senior year he won an Illinois State swimming championship and earned an academic scholarship to Northwestern University. After a year in the Big 10 Chuck transferred to his father’s alma mater Iowa Wesleyan University where he met the love of his life Janice McCurdy. After Chuck and Jan graduated from Iowa Wesleyan they were united in marriage April 17, 1965 at Central Methodist Church in Oskaloosa.

Chuck served his country proudly in the United States Army from 1963 – 1965 and continued his service as a Captain in the Army National Guard in Mt. Pleasant.

Chuck served as a financial advisor for Edward Jones from 1974-2006 opening one of the firm’s first branch offices. Chuck served in a variety of leadership roles for the firm, mentored many fellow advisors and loved helping his clients. He enjoyed his profession so much that he recruited dozens of individuals over the years, many from Fairfield, to change careers and join Edward Jones.

In his retirement Chuck enjoyed golfing, traveling and researching the stock market. Chuck was heavily involved in philanthropy for the betterment of Fairfield. Most of all Chuck loved being a father, grandfather and loving and devoted husband. He and his wife Jan were married for over 60 years. They loved each other very much and had a wonderful life together.

Those left to honor his memory include his loving wife, Jan; sons, Jason (Rhonda) Espy of Chesterfield, Missouri, Bob Espy of Holland, Michigan, and Jonathan Espy of Palm Springs, California; grandchildren, Amanda, Aidan, Noah, Lauren, Jackson, and Mason; great-grandson, Damian; and his brother, Bruce (Jane) Espy of Sanibel Island, Florida. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorials may be made to Fairfield United Methodist Church, The Well or Main Street Fairfield. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is caring for Chuck and his family.

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

High-Speed Chase From Washington County Ends in Fiery Crash and Arrest

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, January 5th, 2026 at 7:26 am CDT

A high-speed pursuit that began in Washington County ended with a fiery crash and multiple felony charges on Sunday.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reports that deputies attempted a traffic stop Sunday afternoon near Ainsworth after spotting a silver Chevy Impala without license plates traveling at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. The driver fled, prompting a multi-agency pursuit.

Authorities say the vehicle ultimately crashed in Louisa County and caught fire. The car was confirmed to be stolen from Cedar Rapids.

The driver, identified as 30-year-old Victor Richard Hughes of Cedar Rapids, was taken into custody. He faces numerous charges, including felony eluding, operating while intoxicated first offense, driving under suspension, possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving, theft, misuse of 911, and multiple traffic violations.

Hughes was transported to and booked into the Washington County Jail. No injuries were reported.

All charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Three Burlington Men Charged with Witness Tampering

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, January 5th, 2026 at 7:22 am CDT

Three Burlington men are facing felony charges after police say they conspired to tamper with a witness in an effort to have criminal charges dropped.

According to the Burlington Police Department, 19-year-old Nicholas Connelly, his brother Alex Connelly, 30, and 18-year-old Tavis Teager have each been charged with witness tampering, a Class C felony.

Investigators say the three worked together while Nicholas Connelly was incarcerated, attempting to persuade a robbery victim to change statements previously given to police. Detectives were alerted on December 5th after the victim told officers they wanted to revise their account of a robbery. Police say that claim was contradicted by video evidence.

Authorities later determined the victim had been advised by Alex Connelly to change the statement so Nicholas Connelly could be released from jail. Investigators also uncovered recorded jail calls and phone messages linking all three men to the alleged scheme.

Nicholas Connelly is already facing multiple felony charges, including first-degree robbery, following a November armed robbery and a December police chase that ended in a crash. He remains held at the Des Moines County Jail on a 122-thousand-dollar cash-only bond. Teager is being held on a 10-thousand-dollar cash-only bond, while Alex Connelly has posted bond and waived his preliminary hearing.

All charges remain accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Burlington Police Arrest Suspect After Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Crash

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, January 5th, 2026 at 7:13 am CDT

The Burlington Police Department reports an arrest following a vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash Sunday morning.

Police say officers, along with Burlington Fire Department EMTs, were called to the Jet Stop parking lot at 901 South Street just after 7 a.m. on January 4th. Two adult pedestrians were struck by a vehicle that then fled the scene. One victim was transported to Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center for treatment of injuries.

Officers later located the suspect vehicle at a residence in the 1200 block of Osborn Street. The driver, identified as Marlin Britton, was taken into custody and transported to the Des Moines County Jail.

Britton is charged with two counts of willful injury, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident. He remains in custody on bond. Police remind the public that all charges are accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Local League of Women Voters Chapter to Host Town Hall on Artificial Intelligence

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, January 5th, 2026 at 7:04 am CDT

The League of Women Voters of Southeast Iowa will present a town hall program about artificial intelligence (AI) at the Burlington Public Library on Tuesday, January 20 at 6 p.m.

Chuck Chrisman, the Vice President of Technology Services at Southeastern Community College, will be the speaker. With over 32 years of experience, he is passionate about supporting students, faculty, and staff, and enjoys living and contributing to the communities of Southeast Iowa.

He provides training on artificial intelligence to faculty and staff, helping them explore practical, ethical, and secure uses of AI in education. Chrisman also provides technology services and security support to the Iowa Community College Online Consortium.

The presentation will introduce the foundations of artificial intelligence—what is AI, how it’s used, its benefits and risks, and key tips for staying safe when using AI tools.

The event is free and open to the public to attend.

Wapello County Farmers Receive Funding due to Conservation Efforts in FY 2025

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, January 5th, 2026 at 7:00 am CDT

Farmers across southeast Iowa are among those benefiting from millions of dollars invested in conservation efforts through partnerships with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa farmers and private landowners worked with NRCS in fiscal year 2025 to implement conservation practices on more than 258,000 acres statewide. Those efforts included addressing soil erosion, improving water quality, and enhancing wildlife habitat, with a total of $75.3 million obligated through Farm Bill conservation programs.

In southeast Iowa, Wapello County ranked second in the state for Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, participation. Sixteen contracts there will cover more than 5,400 acres, bringing nearly $1.7 million in conservation funding to local farms. EQIP allows producers to choose conservation practices tailored to local resource concerns.

Popular conservation practices across the region included cover crops, grazing management, fencing to support livestock rotation, brush management, and installation of watering facilities. These practices are aimed at protecting soil health while keeping farms productive.

NRCS also invested millions statewide through the Conservation Stewardship Program, Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, and Regional Conservation Partnership Program, supporting long-term conservation planning and land protection. Additional funding helped address water quality concerns in the Mississippi River Basin and supported wildlife habitat projects.

State conservation officials say Iowa’s strong participation reflects continued interest from farmers in protecting land and water resources while maintaining working farms. Enrollment for USDA conservation programs remains open year-round through local USDA Service Centers.

Sports, January 5th

By Slaten Swords · Monday, January 5th, 2026 at 6:38 am CDT

High School Basketball

WACO hosted Winfield-Mt. Union over the weekend and the pair split their rivalry showdown. The Warrior girls’ team dominated the glass with 25 offensive rebounds, resulting in a 56-41 victory. Brenna Graber knocked down four threes for a game high 19 points in the effort. Suttyn Schlee put up 11 points for the Wolves.

In a battle for second place in the North Division of the Super Conference, Winfield-Mt. Union’s defense held WACO to just 16 points in the second half to win 48-41. Hayden Shelman kept the Warriors close with 13 points, but it was Cody Milks that took over the game in the second half, cashing in for 17 points. Wolves head coach Klay Edwards talked about Milks’ play,

“Yeah, definitely, and that’s something we’ve been talking about all year is, you know, getting downhill. He’s got a nice big body, he can rise up and finish in the paint, so, you know, we wanted him to, you know, do that to get him going and then he can step out and hit those threes, but he did have, he had some huge threes for us tonight too, so yeah, when we have him going and then you got Isaac [Egli] and Max [Edwards] scoring inside, like, it’s tough to deal with.”

WACO will travel to Wapello tomorrow, January 6th, with gametime at 6 pm.

Winfield-Mt. Union will host Pekin tomorrow with the night tipping-off at 6 pm.

Danville traded their games against English Valleys over the weekend with the girls’ team losing 64-34 and the boys’ team ending up on top 64-48. Macie Wagner finished with nine points for the girls’ team, while Dillan Mason scored 16 points in the boys’ game. The Bears will square off against New London tomorrow at 6 pm.

West Burlington swept Wapello over the weekend 40-33 in the girls’ game and 58-43 in the boys’ contest. Macey Kuntz put up a 14 point/14 rebound double-double in the loss, while Silas Lotzow led the Falcons his own double-double, collecting 24 points and 12 rebounds. 

Burlington Notre Dame will compete against West Burlington on the road tomorrow with the girls tipping-off at 6 pm.

Mt. Pleasant will hit the road to take on New London tonight with game one at 6 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 5:45 pm.

Fairfield will travel to Burlington tonight with the first game tipping-off at 6:15 pm.

Central Lee will take on Van Buren County tomorrow with game one at 6 pm on the road. 

Mediapolis will face off against Holy Trinity Catholic tomorrow with the night starting at 6 pm on the road. 

Columbus will play Louisa-Muscatine tomorrow at 6 pm.

High School Wrestling

The Mt. Pleasant, Van Buren County, Fairfield, and Mediapolis girls’ teams competed at the Keokuk Invite over the weekend and Burlington ended up on top of the standings with 187 points followed by Van Buren County with 150.5 points. Fairfield finished right in front of Mt. Pleasant with 97 points for 5th place. 

The Warriors had a quartet of 1st place finishers with Armony Adams (100-pound weight class), Brystol Wiley (110-pound weight class), Rylee Caviness (125-pound weight class), and Hadley Noe (135-pound weight class) each finishing the tournament undefeated. 

Fairfield Kensley Fligg and Samantha Lyons each went 3-0 for the tournament, including a victory over Macy Peterson of Burlington in the championship match for Lyons. 

Zenlynn Lee and Courtney Smith of Mt. Pleasant each took 2nd place in their respective weight classes, while Mediapolis was led by a pair of 3rd place finishes for Avery Hollingsworth and Kaiya Swafford. 

Mt. Pleasant will duel Keokuk tonight at home. 

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union and Van Buren County girls’ teams will compete in the WACO tournament tonight.

Fairfield will head to Wapello for a boys/girls dual tomorrow, January 6th.

The Burlington Notre Dame boys’ team held their Nike Duals and swept the competition with wins over Cardinal (78-6), Davis County (72-12), and Regina Catholic (54-30). Rowan Berndt, Colt Boyles, Tate Sherwood, and Kael Cook each finished the tournament 3-0. 

The Mediapolis boys’ team participated in the EBF Invitational over the weekend and collected a 1-3 record with a 39-18 victory over Lincoln College Prep highlighting the weekend. Kyler Crow was the lone Bulldog to finish the weekend with four wins. 

The Bulldogs will compete at the Washington meet on Thursday, January 8th. 

High School Bowling

Mt. Pleasant and West Burlington/Notre Dame bowled at the Louisa-Muscatine Invite over the weekend and the Mt. Pleasant girls’ team led the local effort with a 9th place finish followed by the Falcon girls’ team with a 12th place effort. On the boys’ side, Mt. Pleasant placed in 17th followed by West Burlington/Notre Dame in 18th. 

The Panthers will hold a triangular on Thursday, January 8th.

West Burlington/Notre Dame will travel to West Central on Wednesday, January 7th. 

Fairfield will host Keokuk today.

Southeastern Community College

The women’s basketball team fell to Iowa Lakes Community College this past weekend 94-51. Trinity Barrett totaled a 21 point/11 rebound double-double in the loss. The Blackhawks will square off at home against Marshalltown Community College on Wednesday, January 7th, at 5:30 pm.

The men’s basketball team will host Indian Hills Community College on Saturday, January 10th, at 7 pm.

College Basketball

The #10 Iowa State women’s team was upset by #22 Baylor yesterday, 72-70, marking their first loss of the season. Jada Williams put up 28 points in the loss. The Cyclones will attempt to right the ship on Wednesday, January 7th, against Cincinnati on the road at 5:30 pm.

The #14 Iowa women’s team will travel to Northwestern tonight for tip-off at 7:30 pm.

The #25 Iowa men’s team produced a 74-61 victory over UCLA this past weekend as Bennett Stirtz went off for 27 points in the win. The Hawkeyes will face off against Minnesota tomorrow, January 6th, at 7 pm on the road. 

The #3 Iowa State men’s team will take on Baylor on the road on Wednesday at 7 pm.

This Day in Sports History

1931 – Lucille Thomas becomes the first woman to purchase a professional baseball team when she buys the Class-A Topeka Senators team of the Western League.

1971 – The Harlem Globetrotters lose 100-99 to the New Jersey Reds, ending their 2,495-game winning streak. 

2021 – 86th Heisman Trophy Award: DeVonta Smith, Alabama. Just the third wide receiver to win the award.

Ernest Miller

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, January 5th, 2026 at 5:52 am CDT

Ernest Miller, 69, of Farmington, Iowa, passed away at 6:48 a.m. Saturday, January 3, 2026 at his home.

He was born on June 10, 1956 in Keosauqua, Iowa, the son of Don and Sharon (Weller) Miller. On March 19, 1977 he married Linda Norman.

Survivors include his wife Linda; four children: Ernest (Keith) Selser of Galesburg, Illinois, Kristi Miller of Farmington, Iowa, Vaughn Miller of Farmington, Iowa, Mary (Kris) Lowe of Brighton, Iowa; three grandchildren: Elizabeth (Lane) Burlingame, Autumn Sly, Logan Lowe; and five siblings: Donald (Billie) Miller of Middletown, Iowa, Rodney (Sandy) Miller of North Carolina, Sandi Miller of West Burlington, Iowa, Amy Miller of West Burlington, Iowa, and Cheryl Hollenbeck of Fort Madison, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents: Sharon and James Smith; Father Don Miller; nephew John Miller; two sisters Pam Canty and Susan Swank; and one brother Dennis Miller.

Ernest was a United States Army Veteran and was a member of the Farmington American Legion Richardson-Anthony Post #231. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing pool, and western movies.

His body has been entrusted to the crematory of Schmitz Funeral Home for cremation.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at Schmitz Funeral Home in Farmington. A celebration of life will be held following the visitation at the Farmington American Legion. A memorial has been established in his memory. Schmitz Funeral Home of Farmington is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhomes.com.