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.

Great River Health Hosting Midwest Book and Gift Fairs

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, December 10th, 2024 at 12:45 pm CDT

Great River Health will be hosting a series of Midwest Book and Gift Fairs at their hospital campuses.

  • Henry County Health Center (HCHC) campus, Wednesday, December 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Upper Lobby.
  • Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center (SEIRMC), Fort Madison campus, Tuesday, December 17, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., in the Main lobby.
  • Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, West Burlington campus,
    • Wednesday, December 18, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., in the Main lobby
    • Thursday, December 19, from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., in the Main lobby

Besides books, hundreds of items will be available at reduced prices. They include educational products, toys, music collections, and stationery.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to HCHC Friends and SEIRMC Auxiliary to support hospital projects and healthcare scholarships.

For more information, please call SEIRMC Volunteer Services at 319-768-3340 or HCHC Volunteer Services at 319-385-6524.

Arlene Mae Haifley

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, December 10th, 2024 at 12:40 pm CDT

Arlene Mae Haifley, 93, a resident of Fairfield, passed away Saturday, December 7, 2024 at Prestige Care Center in Fairfield.

Per Arlene’s wishes there will be no services held at this time.

Inurnment will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Fairfield. Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield is assisting the family.

Arlene was born September 18, 1931 in Jefferson County, the daughter of Harold and Elsie (Olson) McIntire. She married Robert Haifley, October 9, 1949 in Fairfield. He preceded her in death December 1, 2018.

Arlene was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Caring for her family was her greatest joy. She was a member of Suburban Heights Baptist Church in Fairfield.

Those left to honor her memory include her daughter-in-law, Christine Haifley; grandchildren, Korie (Gary) Cochran, Matthew (Erika) Haifley, Jennifer (Brian) Vanderhart and Michelle (Dana) Semprini; and eight great-grandchildren, Hannah, Connor, Steven, Austin, Evan, Noah, Carson and Harper; siblings, Marilyn Kane of Fairfield, Pamela Cubbage of Batavia, and Steven McIntire of Goldfield, Iowa.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; and sons, Robert Allen Haifley, Jr. and Guy Lee Haifley.

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

Enhance Henry County Community Foundation Awarded $143,000 to 30 County organizations

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, December 10th, 2024 at 11:03 am CDT

Henry County, Iowa — The Enhance Henry County Community Foundation has awarded $143,000 to 30 County organizations. An estimated 35,000 people will benefit from the 20th round of grants to be made by the Enhance Henry County Community Foundation.

The 30 grants were announced at a special celebration and media advisory event held at the Union Block Building in Mt. Pleasant on December 10th beginning at 11 am. The event was open to the public, all grant recipients, public officials from throughout the county and community leaders.

This was the 20th time that the Enhance Henry County Community Foundation has engaged in grant making. The foundation applied for and received funds from the County Endowment Fund legislation.

Enhance Henry County Community Foundation President, Robert Meyer, talked to KILJ about announcement day means for these organizations.

 

“Our foundation received a total of $157,184.36. Twenty five percent of this was restricted to permanent endowment and 75 percent was required to be released through local competitive grant making. In addition, we took $32,466.84 from our endowment earnings and granted them as well.” said Robert Meyer, Foundation President.

“We received grant applications totaling $509,727.66. We only wish that we had more resources at the foundation because we know there are many needs and worthy projects throughout the county.”

The Enhance Henry County Community Foundation was organized by representatives from throughout Henry County. “Our mission involves helping the communities and non-profit organizations of the county,” said Robert Meyer. “We want to partner with communities and non-profit organizations to help them with programs and projects that might otherwise not be available to the individuals, families and visitors to our county.”

As an affiliate foundation, the Enhance Henry County Community Foundation can assist donors who wish to make outright and testamentary gifts of support to our foundation or other charitable organizations in the county. “It’s even possible for local charitable organizations to establish their own funds and benefit from special tax credits and the professional expertise and investment management we help provide,” said Robert Meyer.

Further information about Enhance Henry County Community Foundation is available by contacting, Lora Roth at 319-385-8728.

Organizations awarded:

MOPS – Winfield Food Pantry- $3,500

Henry County Child Advocacy Council- $1,000

Old Threshers Foundation -$5,000

Henry County Public Health/Healthy Henry County Communities – $2,000

Winfield Mt. Union Community Schools -$5,000

Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra- $2,000

City of Wayland – $7,700

Cradle of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center -$1,000

Mt. Pleasant Music Boosters, Inc. -$2,000

Midwest Old Settlers & Threshers Assoc. -$7,500

Main Street Mount Pleasant- $12,5000

Swedish Heritage Society Foundation- $3,000

Henry County Heritage Trust, Inc$ – 3,000

New London Community School District- $7,500

Winfield Historical Society- $3,000

Salem Recreation Association- $7,500

Domestic Violence Intervention Program- $1,000

Mt. Pleasant Community Childcare- $10,000

Mt. Pleasant Little League- $1,000

The Rec Center, LTD- $1,500

Harlan-Lincoln House, Inc- $1,300

Friends of Mount Pleasant Fire- $5,000

Daughters of the American Revolution

James Harlan Chapter- $2,000

Henry County Health Center Foundation- $5,000

Wayland Area Child Care Organization- $10,000

All God’s Creatures- $10,000

Midwest Central Railroad- $7,000

WMU Backpack Program- $1,000

New London Junior Baseball Association- $5,000

New London School District Foundation- $10,000