Three Car Crashes In Washington County Over a Ten Day Period Cause Six Fatalities

By Hayden Douglas · Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 at 6:52 am CDT

Three car crashes have occurred in Washington county over a ten day period, causing six fatalities.

On November 30th approximately 4pm, a Toyota Camry was traveling eastbound hwy 78 just west of Toadflax Blvd. when the driver failed to negotiate the curve causing their vehicle to lose control running off roadway to the left, entering north ditch. the vehicle rolled several times. the driver was not wearing seat belt and was ejected from Toyota. a passenger was wearing a seat belt, driver sustained
fatal injuries, 2nd occupant suspected not life threatening injuries.

On December 2nd a 2002 Buick park Ave driven by John McAndrew, was traveling sb on ia-1, vehicle 2 was a 2013 Nissan Rouge, driven by Charles parson, he was traveling northbound on ia-1, vehicle 1 attempted to pass a snowplow that was traveling southbound and crossed over the center line into the northbound lane and struck vehicle 2, driver of vehicle 1, vehicle 2, and front passenger of vehicle 2 were killed on impact. One other passenger was injured and transported to the U of I hospital.

On December 8th just before 4pm, a 2021 Nissan Rouge, driven by Brittany Dale Miles, 36 of Cedar Rapids, was involved in a pursuit heading northbound in southbound lanes of us 218, a second vehicle, a 2017 Ford Explorer, driven by Olivia Marie Alvarez, 27, of Cedar Rapids, was southbound on us 218 when vehicle 1 struck vehicle 2 head-on, driver of vehicle 1 that started the pursuit died on impact. Olivia Alvarez died after life saving measures were performed onsite and she succumbed to her injuries.

Sports, December 11th

By Slaten Swords · Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Basketball

WACO swept the night against Louisa-Muscatine with the girls’ team winning 41-33 and the boys clobbering the Falcons 59-34. Brenna Graber put up 14 points for the Warriors, while Isaac Egli and Clayton Miller scored 10 points each in the win. WACO will face off against Lone Tree at home on Friday, December 13th, with game one at 6 pm. 

The Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team was taken to overtime last night against Hillcrest Academy and fell to Ravens 62-56. Madisen Kellogg led the team with 20 points, while Kynlee Buffington collected a double-double with 19 points and 17 rebounds. The boys’ team suffered a similar fate but with a larger margin, losing 61-37. Cooper Buffington led the scoring with 10 points for the Wolves. Winfield-Mt. Union will stay at home to take on Highland on Friday with the girls tipping off the night at 6 pm. 

The Wapello boys’ team kept it close but lost to Lone Tree 60-55. Wapello will host Hillcrest Academy on Friday with the girls’ team playing first at 6 pm. 

Van Buren County split the night against West Burlington last night with the girls’ winning 46-41, while the Falcons’ boys’ team tallied their second game of the season scoring over 90 points in a 91-51 thrashing of the Warriors. Mason Watkins reset his own scoring record with 42 points in the winning effort. Van Buren County will compete against Mediapolis on Friday at 6 pm at home. 

Holy Trinity Catholic will take on West Burlington on Friday with the girls starting the night at 6 pm. 

Columbus picked up a pair of wins last night against Highland with the girls winning 53-46 and the boys’ team picking up their win 64-55. Lily Coil torched the Huskies for 34 points, while the boys were led by Ellis Hills-Carrier’s 18 points. The Wildcats will face off against Winfield-Mt. Union on Tuesday, December 17th, with the girls’ getting the night going at 6. 

The Mediapolis girls’ team kept up their winning ways last night, closing out a 48-37 win over Washington. Amelia Grier captured 17 points in the winning effort. 

New London will take on Burlington Notre Dame at home on Friday with the girls playing first at 6 pm. 

Fairfield will travel to Washington on Friday for a doubleheader with the boys playing at 7:30 pm. 

Central Lee will host Danville on Friday with game one at 6 pm. 

Mt. Pleasant will hit the road to take on Fort Madison on Friday with the night starting at 6 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 5:45 pm. 

High School Wrestling

Fairfield will face off against Washington tomorrow, December 12th, at home. 

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team will compete in a double dual tomorrow at home with Burlington Notre Dame in attendance. 

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will travel to Keokuk tomorrow.

The New London boys’ team will host a quad with Wapello attending tomorrow.

The Mediapolis boys’ team will compete at the Tiger Duals on Saturday, December 14th, at Grinnell.

The WACO and Van Buren County boys’ teams will head to Tri-County for their invitational, while the WACO girls’ will travel to Vinton-Shellsburg for a tournament on Saturday.

The Wapello girls’ team will participate in a tournament on Saturday at Marion.

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union, Van Buren County, Mediapolis, and Mt. Pleasant girls’ teams will compete at the Keokuk Invitational on Saturday. 

High School Bowling

Mt. Pleasant will take on Keokuk tomorrow, December 12th, at home.

Fairfield will host Mt. Pleasant on Monday, December 16th. 

High School Baseball

The Classes 3A and 4A state baseball tournament will have a new location for the 2025 postseason. Due to MLB scheduling, the Cedar Rapids Kernels will be using Veterans Memorial Stadium, which started hosting the state tournament last year and under a three-year agreement. 

For 2025, Sioux City’s Lewis and Clark Park will host the tournament, marking the first IHSAA team championship to ever be played in Sioux City. The Class 1A and Class 2A state baseball tournament will remain at Carroll with Merchants Park hosting the games. 

Southeastern Community College

The #11 men’s basketball team will participate in the Highland tournament on Friday, December 13th. 

College Football

#18 Iowa State will face off against #16 Miami in the Pop Tarts Bowl on December 28th at 2:30 pm in Orlando. 

Iowa will take on #19 Missouri for the Music City Bowl on December 30th in Nashville at 1:30 pm. 

College Basketball

The Iowa men’s team will host #3 Iowa State for the Cy-Hawk Series tomorrow, December 12th, at 6:30 pm. 

The #21 Iowa women’s team will take on #18 Iowa State at home for the Cy-Hawk Series tonight at 8 pm. 

This Day in Sports History

1951 – Joe DiMaggio announces his retirement from baseball. 

1966 – Al Nelson sets a then-NFL record, returning a missed field goal 100 yards for a touchdown. He would return another missed field goal 101 yards for a touchdown in 1971. 

1985 – The Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks play one of the wildest games in modern NHL history, combining for 21 goals on 90 shots in Edmonton’s 12-9 victory, the most goals since 1943.

SCC Staffers and Hospital Partner Honored at Iowa Community College Awards Banquet

By Hayden Douglas · Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 at 5:22 am CDT
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa – Two SCC employees and a novel public-private partnership initiative were honored at the annual Outstanding Community College Awards at the Community Colleges for Iowa Annual Convention and Trade Show in Des Moines on December 4. Michelle Brown earned the SCC Outstanding Staff Award, Jim Steffen received Outstanding Faculty Award, and Great River Health (GRH) won Outstanding Business and Industry Award.

The awards highlight SCC’s dedication to excellence in education and community development.

Michelle Brown, Director of SCC’s Title III Guided Pathways Grant, was honored with the Outstanding Staff Award for her remarkable contributions to student success. Michelle has utilized grant resources to enhance support systems, including training initiatives and innovative tools like translation earbuds to assist non-native speakers. She has been instrumental in improving recruiting, retention, and student outcomes at SCC, creating lasting positive change for faculty, staff, and students alike.

The Outstanding Faculty Award was presented to Jim Steffen, SCC’s EMS Program Coordinator and Instructor. With over 30 years of experience in Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Jim was celebrated for his leadership in EMS education and his dedication to community outreach. His calm demeanor and passion for teaching have made him a respected mentor and advocate for emergency responders in rural areas.

“We’re all extremely proud of our award winners, Michelle and Jim,” said SCC President, Dr. Michael Ash. “They are amazing examples of what it means to live out the College’s mission to provide accessible, quality programs and services to promote student success.”

SCC partner Great River Health received the Outstanding Business and Industry Award for a number of novel initiatives implemented by the two institutions to enhance and expand SCC’s health programming. One winner is selected from all Iowa’s community colleges nominees each year as the business or industry that has gone above and beyond to impact students and the community.

In 2022, the foundation committed $10 million over five years to support the expansion of SCC’s nursing program. This transformative partnership funded critical upgrades to facilities, increased faculty and staff, and provided scholarships to nursing students. GRH has also enhanced student support systems, established new clinical sites, and ensured financial assistance for students. In addition, GRH has made sizeable donations in support of SCC health programs, facilities, and scholarships. This past fall, it also opened a facility to house SCC’s new radiologic technician program on its West Burlington hospital campus.

GRH President and CEO Dr. Michael McCoy accepted the award on behalf of GRH.

“Success in any community begins with partnerships between people and organizations with an eye on a better future for the common good. Great River Health has enjoyed this kind of partnership with SCC for many years,” said McCoy. “We need to continue to find creative new ways to secure our future by educating more students to fill the open positions to provide quality care.”

Dr. Ash echoed Dr. McCoy’s remarks.

“The vitality of a community is often measured by the strength of its education and healthcare institutions,” explained Ash. “SCC and Great River Health have been strategic partners doing everything we can to build upon the quality of life for the residents of our region. The College is very fortunate to have such a willing and forward-thinking partner in this effort.”.

For more information about the award winners or to read more SCC news, visit scciowa.edu.

Jason Hutcheson, Executive Director of the Great River Health Foundation; Michael Yost, Chief Human Resources Officer of Great River Health; Dr. Michael McCoy, President & CEO of Great River Health; and Dr. Michael Ash, President of Southeastern Community College, proudly accept the Outstanding Business and Industry Award on behalf of Great River Health & SCC. Photo courtesy of Community Colleges for Iowa
SCC EMS Program Coordinator and Instructor Jim Steffen accepts the Outstanding Faculty Award. Photo courtesy of Community Colleges for Iowa.

Michelle Brown, Director of SCC’s Title III Guided Pathways Grant, accepts the Outstanding Staff Award. Photo courtesy of Community Colleges for Iowa.

Iowa State Fair Wins 21 Awards At The International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) Annual Convention

By Hayden Douglas · Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 at 5:03 am CDT

The Iowa State Fair continued to showcase its leadership in the fair industry by earning multiple awards and honors at the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) Annual Convention, held last week in Phoenix, Arizona. Overall, the Iowa State Fair took home 21 awards in Communications, Competitive Exhibits, Agriculture Education and Sponsorship competitions.

The Iowa State Fair was also recognized as the Division 5 winner for the Best Marketing Campaign for the 2024 theme, “Fair Fever.” IAFE awards are divided into five divisions based on attendance and are judged by industry experts. The Iowa State Fair competes against other fairs and festival members with an attendance of over 1 million.

The Iowa State Fair Thrill Parks were designated by the Outdoor Amusement Business Association as recipients of the prestigious Circle of Excellence.

This seal of approval is given to outdoor amusements that have completed a rigorous checklist of requirements and exemplify the highest standards in safety, operation, image and customer satisfaction. To date, the Iowa State Fair is one of only two fairs in the world to have earned this designation.

Iowa State Fair awards are as follows:

Hall of Honor Communications:

Television Commercial: 2nd Place

Radio: 3rd Place

Double-Sided, Multi-Page or Folded Promotional Ad: 3rd Place

Promotional/Advertising Poster: 1st Place

Miscellaneous Marketing: 2nd Place

Social Media: 1st Place

Competitive Exhibits:

New to Your Fair: 2nd Place

Competitive Exhibits Photo Series: 3rd Place

Ag Awards:

Technique/procedure/policy developed by Fair Management to correct an issue or challenge related to an agricultural issue impacting your community or Fair which can be addressed during the Fair: 2nd Place

Newly established or evolving program/exhibit at your fair that promotes agriculture or a current agricultural issue to the fair-going public: 2nd Place

Evolved program/exhibit at your fair that promotes agriculture or a current agricultural issue to the fair-going public: 1st Place

Program/event/exhibit designed to educate consumers/fair-going public on the Story of Food: 2nd Place

Any Other Agriculture Program/Exhibit: 1st Place

Agriculture Individual Photo Horticulture/Crops: 2nd Place

Agriculture Individual Photo Rodeo: 3rd Place

Agriculture Individual Photo Ag Education: 3rd Place

Agriculture Individual Photo Miscellaneous: 3rd Place

Sponsorship:

Sponsorship Innovation: 2nd Place

Sponsor Continuity: 1st Place

In-Kind/Trade Sponsor: 2nd Place

Overall Awards:

Best Marketing Campaign Overall Winner, Division Five

American Ordnance LLC, Will Pay $39,311 for Alleged Hazardous Waste Violations

By Hayden Douglas · Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 at 5:00 am CDT

EPA Fines Iowa Army Plant and Contractor for Alleged Hazardous Waste Violations

The U.S. Department of the Army and its contractor, American Ordnance LLC, will pay $39,311 in civil penalties to resolve alleged violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The Army owns the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown, Iowa, while American Ordnance operates the plant.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the facility operators violated the terms of its hazardous waste management permit in 2023 when they improperly detonated explosives in a detonation chamber; failed to properly close the grenade detonation chamber after it was moved to a different location at the facility; and burned munitions in open burn pans in excess of permit limits.

In response to the alleged violations, the Army and American Ordnance have taken the necessary steps to return the facility to compliance.

RCRA creates the framework for the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste. Facilities owned by the federal government are subject to the same requirements for safely handling hazardous waste as privately owned facilities.

Henry County Board Of Supervisors Meeting December 12, 2024 9:00 a.m.

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, December 10th, 2024 at 5:46 pm CDT

Henry County Board Of Supervisors

Board of Supervisors Office

December 12, 2024

9:00 a.m.

1.Approve Agenda

2.Approve Minutes

3.Jake Hotchkiss Engineer Weekly Update

4.Caleb Waters, Conservation Monthly Update

5.Joe Buffington, P & Z Monthly Update

6.28E Agreement Parking Ticket Between the City of Mt Pleasant & Henry County

7.Mirranda Swafford, Mississippi Valey Workforce Development, County Support the Skill-up Program

8.Public Comments

Other County Business as time allows

Supervisors’ Sub-Committee Updates

DONALD PAUL “DOC” SHANNON

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, December 10th, 2024 at 3:20 pm CDT

DONALD PAUL “DOC” SHANNON

1934-2024

Don, “Doc”, Shannon, 90, of Houghton passed away on the morning of December 9, 2024 at Fort Madison Community Hospital in Fort Madison, Iowa.

Doc was born July 31, 1934 in Keokuk County, Iowa to Bill and Fronie Shannon of Keota. He was the middle of three sons including older brother Jim and younger brother Ed.  After high school graduation, Doc attended Iowa State University and graduated with a degree in Veterinary Medicine. He married Joann “Jo” Shannon on June 18, 1958.  He worked at Pahle Veterinary Clinic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin until they returned to southeast Iowa. Doc and Jo established their home and veterinary clinic in Houghton Iowa in 1959, where he practiced for many years until Jo’s passing in 2022.

Doc loved his veterinary work. He often said, “If you love your work, you’ll never work a day in your life. If your work is your passion, your passion is not work.”  For many years, his answering machine message always ended with “Thank you for calling, I’m here to help.”

Doc loved amateur photography and Iowa Hawkeye football (even though he graduated an Iowa State Cyclone, Iowa City was closer to attend home games). He and Jo enjoyed playing FreeCell on his iPad. Jo would thumb-wrestle over shared-effort games of this. A love of knowledge and learning was manifest by his passion for reading any newspaper he could get his hands on.  He loved sharing knowledge with others and frequently hosted veterinary students from Iowa State University. Doc and Jo loved playing bridge and participated on a regular basis with close friends for over sixty years.

Doc was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church, Houghton, Iowa, the Houghton Knights of Columbus, and was a founding member of the Southeast Iowa Veterinary Association.

Doc and Jo had four children: Sherry Boeding (Steve), Steve (Jennifer), Cindy Hagan (Doug), and Sue Thomas (Eric). Their grandchildren include Amanda Merta (Travis), Sam Boeding (Shari), and Shane Boeding (partner Lydia and son Cailin), Jordan Freske (Adam) and Tyler Gunn, Stephanie Hagan (Doug Carmody) and Matt Hagan, and Avery, Lauren, and Lexi Thomas. Great-grandchildren include Jaxson and Briggs Merta and Rowan and Riley Boeding.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Joann, parents Bill and Fronie Shannon, and his brother Jim.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday December 14, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church in Houghton Iowa, with burial service immediately after in St. John’s Cemetery. A luncheon will follow afterwards at the Knights of Columbus community building in Houghton. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Houghton Fire Department. Memorial arrangements are being handled by Barr Memorial Chapelhttps://www.barrmemorialchapel.com www.barrmemorialchapel.com

Mount Pleasant City Council Meeting December 11th at 5:30pm

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, December 10th, 2024 at 3:05 pm CDT

The Mount Pleasant City Council will meet in Regular Session on Wednesday, December 1 1 , 2024, at City Hall, 307 E. Monroe Street, second-floor meeting room at 5:30 p.m.

AGENDA

  1. Roll Call.
  2. Consent Agenda: To the Public — All items with an asterisk ( *) are routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion and a roll call of the Council members. There will be no separate discussion of items unless the Mayor, a Council member or citizen so request, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and will be considered in its normal sequence on the Agenda.
  3. Receive & file communications.
  4. Approve agenda.

*5. Approve minutes of previous meetings.

*6. Approve payment of bills.

*7. Receive report of Officers including Resolution No. 2024-108 approving November transfers.

  1. Old Business-
    1. 3rd reading and adopt ordinance amending Chapter 12, Section 12-6 Stop Intersections for Harvest Drive and South Grand Avenue.
    2. 3rd reading and adopt ordinance amending Chapter 12, Section 12-4 Speed Limits for South Grand Avenue.
  2. New Business-
    1. Approve the issuance of a new Class E Retail Alcohol License for Iowa Wine & Spirits at 109 S Jefferson Street.