- Sheriff McNamee Thanks Henry County
- CNH announces “Tentative Closure” for 2026
- Winter Market
- “Pulse Point” app
- Alliant Energy Natural Gas Tips
- Weather forecast
- Obits
Henry County Emergency Management & Henry County Public Health Department Launch “Pulse Point” App
Henry County Emergency Management and the Henry County Public Health Department have teamed up to launch a new App. “Pulse Point”. This new app is an AED location app. AED, stands for Automated External Defibrillator, and are the devices that you can use in a public location to help restart the heart in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. When there was no record or list in the county of an exact number or location of the AED’s in town, The Public Health Department & Emergency Management starting to research ways to track and log every AED and its location in Henry Co, which launched “Pulse Point”, Walt Jackson, with Henry County Emergency Management, talks about the launch.
Pulse Point came after several organizations In Henry County reached out to the Public Health Department, asking for their own AED devices. Katie Rueter with Henry County Public Health talks about why statistically this App is great for our community.
Pulse Point also has quick training videos on the app to refresh your knowledge of the proper CPR steps, and other safety videos to help during a cardiac event. You can search and Download “Pulse Point” on your android or iPhone for free. Visit Pulsepoint.org for more information about the app.
Sports, November 8th
Postseason Volleyball
The 2024 state championship matches are in the books and despite the dramatic nature of the contests, only one of the game’s made it to a fourth set.
Class 5A’s state championship bout featured last year’s champion #6 Waukee Northwest taking on #1 Pleasant Valley. The Spartans would curtail any thought of a repeat as they went on a 10 to 1 run in the fourth set to win their program’s second championship (25-20, 24-26, 25-22, 25-16). Isabelle Kremer led the team with 24 kills as she was named All-Tournament Team Captain.
#2 Bishop Heelan cruised to their fourth state championship in a sweep of #5 Pella (25-10, 25-13, 25-17) in the Class 4A championship. The Crusaders were led by a trio of All-Tournament team nods, Maddie LaFleur’s 36 assists fed Maliyah Hacker and Ava Lloyd as they finished the game with a combined 34 kills in the victory.
Class 3A featured a rematch of last year’s championship game where #2 Western Christian pulled off the upset and downed #1 Mt. Vernon in four sets. The Mustangs were on a mission to not allow that to happen again, sweeping the Wolfpack (25-17, 25-17, 25-18). The Mustangs finished with an impressive kill efficiency of 0.343 as they collected their 5th state championship in program history.
#1 Denver was not going to be denied in their pursuit of their first state championship as they defeated #2 Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont in a sweep (25-16, 25-23, 25-20) in the Class 2A championship contest. Molly Shafer’s historic run came to an end as the senior collected 26 kills in the loss and 88 over the course of the postseason, including a state record 41 kills in their semifinal win. The Cyclones were led by Channing Johnson’s 38 assists.
#1 Ankeny Christian had never been to the state tournament before 2022, the Eagles are now three-time state champions after taking down #6 BCLUW in straight sets last night (25-15, 25-13, 25-13). Katie Quick, who was named All-Tournament Team Captain for the third year in a row, collected 36 assists and 10 kills as Macey Nehring led the team with 17 kills.
Postseason Football
In Class 2A, Mid-Prairie will take on PCM tonight at 7 on the road.
In Class 3A, #5 Mt. Vernon will travel to take on Algona tonight at 7 pm.
Southeastern Community College
The men’s basketball team will compete in the Midwest JUCO challenge today with a game against Mineral Area College.
College Football
Iowa will travel to UCLA tonight at 8:05 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM will have the broadcast.
#17 Iowa State will look to get back in the win column against Kansas on the road tomorrow, November 9th, at 2:30 pm. KILJ 98.5 FM and AM 1130 will be on the call.
College Basketball
The Iowa men’s team kept Southern at arm’s length the entire night to secure an 89-74 victory. The Sandfort brothers led the charge with Pryce throwing in a game-high six threes for 22 points, while Payton put up 17 points and collected eight rebounds. The Hawkeyes will stay at home to take on South Dakota on Tuesday, November 12th, at 8 pm.
The #6 Iowa State men’s team will face off against Kansas City at home on Monday, November 11th, at 7 pm.
The #8 Iowa State women’s team hosted a block party in last night’s 64-42 victory over Indiana State, swatting 10 shots. Audi Crooks continued to dominate the post, tallying her 34th straight game of double-digit points with a team leading 16 points. The Cyclones will host Southern on Sunday, November 10th, at 2 pm.
The Iowa women’s team will travel to Virginia Tech on Sunday at 4:30 pm.
This Day in Sports History
1966 – Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles outfielder, selected as AL MVP, first player to win MVP in both leagues.
1966 – President Lyndon B. Johnson signs an anti-trust immunity to the AFL-NFL merger.
1970 – Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints kicks a then-NFL record 63 yard field goal. The record stood for 43 years.
‘Decisional Bargaining’ Could Close Burlington CNH Plant
CNH Industrial America LLC, announced a “tentative” closure of its Southeast Iowa plant in Burlington, Ia.
KILJ News Director, Hayden Douglas reached out to CNH as to why a closure, and why it is listed as “tentative”. We heard back from Kristina Post, External Communications Specialist of North America, saying..
“CNH has tentatively decided to move the production of backhoes, tractor loaders and rough terrain forklifts out of the Burlington plant to other CNH facilities in the US and Europe. If this tentative decision is finalized, then upon completion of this move, the Burlington site, which currently has approximately 350 employees, will be closed. This decision is part of the Company’s continuous global initiatives to streamline operations, minimize costs, and bolster competitiveness in a changing market.
The decision is described as “tentative” because it is subject to a process known as ‘decisional bargaining’. The UAW, which represents the hourly employees at Burlington, was contacted on November 7 and will be provided the opportunity to engage in the decision bargaining process.”
The closure is set for the 2nd quarter of 2026.
2024 Iowa High School Volleyball State Championship Recap
Prep Volleyball- Championship Thursday brought around five new champions for the 2024 season as one team was searching for a three-peat, Class 3A featured aa championship rematch, and another team hoping to pull off the upset.
Class 5A
#6 Waukee Northwest—last year’s champion—was looking to pull off the upset against #1 Pleasant Valley, a team that had won their past 29 games. A five-point rally by the Spartans to start the game set the tone against the Wolves, eventually losing the set 25-20.
But an upstart Waukee Northwest squad would not go away easily as they staged their own run in the second set to score the final four points to win 26-24 to tie the match at one set apiece.
What felt like the set to turn the tide, Waukee Northwest was preparing to steal the third set before an Isabelle Kremer kill supplied the win for the Spartans, 25-22. A 10 to 1 run in the fourth set by Pleasant Valley, which included four blocks, secured their program’s second championship in a 25-16 set four win.
Kremer led the way with 24 kills for the Spartans as she was named Captain of the All-Tournament team with Carsyn Kelley providing 24 assists and the Iowa Pork Producers Top Producer of the Match Abby Staats tallied 23 digs. Logan Vogt had 21 kills for the Wolves.
Class 5A All-Tournament Team
Gabriella Ragins, Pleasant Valley
Avery Vogt, Waukee Northwest
Delaney Miller, Ankeny Centennial
Ella Rogers, Dowling Catholic
Ellie Muller, Dowling Catholic
Logan Vogt, Waukee Northwest
Isabelle Kremer, Pleasant Valley (captain)
Class 4A
#2 Bishop Heelan did not break a sweat in their sweep of #5 Pella (25-10, 25-13, 25-17) with eight points being the closest margin of victory for the Crusaders. Maddie LaFleur was masterful in her performance, finishing the match with 36 assists and 13 digs as she was named All-Tournament Captain.
Maliyah Hacker and Ava Lloyd provided an unstoppable dynamic duo at the net for Bishop Heelan as the two combined for 34 kills in the victory. Katie Scheckel of Pella had six kills and 13 assists, while Emma Eekhoff led the Dutch with eight kills.
Surprisingly, the Dutch had defeated Bishop Heelan 2-1 a week before the tournament. This marked the Crusaders’ fourth state championship and their first since going back-to-back in 2006 and 2007 with Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Hall of Famer Carli Tritz.
Class 4A All-Tournament Team
Ava Lloyd, Bishop Heelan
Emma Eekhoff, Pella
McKenzie Moeller, North Scott
Bre VanDenTop, Sergeant Bluff-Luton
Maliyah Hacker, Bishop Heelan
Katie Scheckel, Pella
Maddie LaFleur, Bishop Heelan (captain)
Iowa Pork Producers Top Producer of the Match
Maliyah Hacker, Bishop Heelan
Class 3A
It was a rematch of last year’s championship game where #2 Western Christian pulled off the upset and downed #1 Mt. Vernon in four sets. The Mustangs were on a mission to not allow that to happen again, sweeping the Wolfpack (25-17, 25-17, 25-18).
Mt. Vernon’s front line dominated the play the entire match, out swinging Western Christian (0.343 vs 0.159) and out blocking the Wolfpack (11 vs 6).
Leading the Mustangs was the duo of Sydney Maue and Chloe Meester as Maue had 14 kills and two blocks, while Meester contributed 16 kills and two blocks of her own. Sydney Huber directed the offense with 38 assists.
Scarlett Winterfield had 10 kills for the Wolfpack, but it was Morgan Kooiman that led the team with 11 kills for the match. Maggie Van Schepen dished out 28 assists.
Class 3A All-Tournament Team
Sydney Maue, Mount Vernon
Scarlett Winterfeld, Western Christian
Olivia Donovan, Dubuque Wahlert
Hannah Cantwell, West Delaware
Sydney Huber, Mount Vernon
Maggie Van Schepen, Western Christian
Chloe Meester, Mount Vernon (Captain)
Iowa Pork Producers Top Producer of the Match
Sydney Huber, Mount Vernon
Class 2A
In a battle between the two best teams of Class 2A, #1 Denver managed to comeback from deficits in the second and third sets to accomplish the sweep over #2 Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 25-16, 25-23, and 25-20.
The Rockets led by University of Northern Iowa commit Molly Shafer had the Cyclones against the ropes in the second set, leading 23 to 22 before a block and two kills for Denver, and the third set when Shafer connected for her 26th kill of the night to give the Rockets a 20 to 17 lead.
Denver relied on a balanced attack up front with Grace Mullihan hitting 0.750 for the match with a team leading 13 kills, followed by Bailey Mullihan and Mylee Thurm who each tabbed 11 kills in the win. Channing Jonhson collected 38 assists for the Cyclones.
Kate Shafer provided 36 assists, while Moly Shafer led the team in digs with 18 and had the team’s lone block of the night.
It was Denver’s first state championship in program history.
Class 2A All-Tournament
Bailey Mullihan, Denver
Kate Shafer, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
Grace Mullihan, Denver
Alli Scherbring, Beckman
Reese Naeve, Regina Catholic
Channing Johnson, Denver
Molly Shafer, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (Captain)
Iowa Pork Producers Top Producer of the Match:
Channing Johnson, Denver
Class 1A
There never was much of a doubt on who would walk away with the Class 1A state championship with #1 Ankeny Christian looming over the bracket and the Eagles did not disappoint, drubbing #6 BCLUW in straight sets 25-15, 25-13, and 25-13.
Before 2022, Ankeny Christian had never been to the state tournament, nevertheless a championship game. The Eagles have now won the last three state championships, losing only four sets in the process.
Katie Quick, who is now aa three-time All-Tournament Team Captain and Drake commit, set her teammates up perfectly, collecting 36 assists in the win as Ankeny Christian swung at a 0.351 kill efficiency. Macey Nehring, a well-documented combination, led the team with 17 kills. Quick also amassed 10 kills along with teammate Carley Craighead.
BCLUW, who had their first tournament appearance a year ago, was simply outmatched in their first state championship game appearance. Grace Farnsworth, a junior, finished the night with 12 kills with Oliva Peters contributing nine kills of her own. Cassie Nason dished out 22 assists in the loss.
Class 1A All-Tournament Team
Carly Craighead, Ankeny Christian
Cassie Nason, BCLUW
Kruiz Ewoldt, North Tama
Anna Weathers, Ankeny Christian
Grace Farnsworth, BCLUW
Macey Nehring, Ankeny Christian
Katie Quick, Ankeny Christian (Captain)
Iowa Pork Producers Top Producer of the Match
Macey Nehring, Ankeny Christian
Henry County Sheriff Elected Four His Fourth Term
Jean L. Sammons
Jean Lawanna Sammons, 98, of Mt. Pleasant, died Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at Legacy Point in Iowa City.
Jean was born April 7, 1926 in Chicago, IL. She was the daughter of George and Marie (Schenk) Johnson. The family moved to northern Iowa during the Great Depression and then settled in her mother’s hometown of Winfield, IA. Jean attended Elementary School in Winfield and Crawford School near Swedesburg . She then attended Olds High School and graduated as one of the two Valedictorians of the Class of 1944 from Pleasant Lawn High School.
After high school, Jean worked as a Nurses Aide at the Mt. Pleasant Memorial Hospital (now HCHC).
On July 30, 1944, Jean was united in marriage to Merritt Keith Wandling. To this union a son, Charlie, was born. Mr. Wandling was killed in a stock car racing accident on September 20, 1948. After his death, Jean accepted a position as the bookkeeper and pump attendant at the former Sinclair Service Station in Mt. Pleasant. It was there she met and began to date the fuel delivery driver. On October 30, 1950, Jean was united in marriage to William Patrick Sammons. To this union, 4 children were born, Robert, Gary, Susan and Jane. Mr. Sammons died February 22, 1981.
Jean was a longtime homemaker devoted to raising her children. After her children left home, Jean worked at Fashion First Fabric, and later was the cashier at the former Iowa State Liquor Store in Mt. Pleasant.
A product of the depression, Jean was very skillful at stretching a dollar, and employed many of those traits until her final days. She was an excellent seamstress, and made many of her children’s clothes. Her skills with fabric also allowed her to be a gifted quilt maker. She was known as the family barber, cutting the family’s hair and even cutting her own.
Jean loved to be outdoors. She loved to garden. But, her most fond love was mowing the lawn. She enthusiastically hopped on the mower often, and was particular in how she cut the grass. Even after fracturing her ankle and was in a cast, she continued to mow while keeping her leg high in the air. During Old Threshers, she park cars in her yard, and was fastidious about how the cars were to be parked.
In her later years, Jean loved to go dancing with her friends at the Moose Lodge in Burlington. She won ribbons in Speedwalking at the Senior Olympics. Her family was amazed at her incredible memory, and how she could recall the details of her early life. Jean developed an immense love and admiration for the country of her father’s birth, Sweden. She visited Sweden six times, and was very pleased to meet and spend time with the relatives of her father’s family.
Those thankful for sharing in Jean’s life include 3 children – Charlie Wandling and his wife Shirley of Mt. Pleasant; Susan Hill and her husband Tom of Iowa City, and Jane Sammons and her husband Jay Speckeen of Iowa City; her daughter-in-law, Judy Sammons of West Branch, IA; 7 grandchildren – Nick Hill, Ryan (Mary Kay) Hill, Scott (Rebecca) Sammons, Julie (Chad) Jedlicka, Matthew (Mary) Millard, Benjamin (Shannon) Millard and Dallas Kyle, and 9 great grandchildren – William, Harrison, Josephine, Jack, Boden, Samuel, Emry, Marek and Jensen. Jean is also survived by her brother Ralph’s children and their families.
Jean’s parents, husbands, a son – Gary Sammons, a son in infancy, Robert Sammons, and her brother, Ralph Johnson, precede Jean in death.
A funeral service for Jean will be held at 3 PM on Sunday, November 10, at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. A private family burial will be on Tuesday at the Forest Home Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant. The family will be present to greet friends from 1-3 PM on Sunday at the Funeral Home.
Jean’s family would like to thank her friends and neighbors, especially Lynn and Maxine Bender, the Legacy Point Staff and St. Croix Hospice for the way they all looked after and cared for Jean.
Those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to the family for a fund to be established for the care of various Henry County rural cemeteries.
Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com.
Lori Ann Poock Goerdt
Lori Ann Poock Goerdt passed away August 2, 2024, at her home outside of Cathlamet, Washington, at the age of 61. She was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on July 27, 1963, the daughter of Gary and Mary Jacobs Poock. At that time, Gary was in the U.S. Navy.
At the age of 2, Lori moved back to Iowa along with her family. She was baptized and later confirmed at Faith Lutheran Church in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Lori graduated from public school in Mt. Pleasant, and then attended Western State College near Gunnison, Colorado, for a few semesters. She loved to ski using her telemark skis! Lori later returned to Iowa and completed her B.A. in botany and geology and a Master’s degree in teaching from the University of Iowa in 1991. Lori taught for several years in the Cedar Rapids Public school system.
During that time, Lori met a neighbor who a year later moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, and entered the real estate business at a Century 21 brokerage, selling property around Lake Pend Oreille. On her summer break, Lori went to Idaho with her mother, Mary, for a visit to her former neighbor and fell in love with the lake, the ski slopes at Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort AND the former neighbor, Alan Goerdt.
Lori stayed in the Sandpoint area and joined Alan in his real estate ventures and became very active in the Lake Pond Oreille Idaho Club. After a good development fell into place, they had the opportunity to plan for their wedding on a cruise ship vacation through the Caribbean during the Christmas holidays. The wedding took place at a port in Jamaica on December 26, 2000. Lori was a stunningly beautiful bride! Lori’s entire family was able to be there.
Upon their return, Alan and Lori would become caretakers for a private island in the San Juan islands off the northwest coast of Washington State. They stayed there for 3 ½ years until Lori saw the opportunity to fulfill one of her dreams: owning her own restaurant!! She loved cooking. Lori watched many TV cooking shows, bought many of the chef’s books and experimented with many of the recipes. When Lori saw an ad selling a historic house with an attached diner, she wanted to go see it! It was located up in the mountains near the North Cascade National Park. After the trip up there and a good ‘look around’, they put in an offer and became the owners.
At the diner, Lori was the star that made it happen! They ran it for 7 very successful years. To this day, the local folks rave about her cooking skills and wish she was still there running The Marblemount Diner!!
Upon retirement, Lori and her husband retired to the southwest corner of Washington State. They first moved to Vancouver, Washington, and then six years later, 70 miles north and west to Cathlamet, Washington, to build their new house along the Elochoman River, which drains into the Columbia River about 35 miles before it goes into the Pacific Ocean.
Lori was an inspiration in the lives of everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her. She had an extraordinary gift for connecting with people. Her boundless compassion and genuine love for helping others left a lasting impact on countless lives. She found her greatest joy in the simple yet profound moments in life from making a special sauce and connecting with friends or enjoying the timeless tunes of the 70’s and 80’s music. She knew how to make every moment memorable. Her presence was a source of comfort and happiness, and her love will continue to echo in the hearts of those she touched.
Preceding her in death were her grandparents Ed and Jo Poock of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Her Mother Mary Longanecker of Mt. Pleasant and Edwin and Mary Longanecker of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
She is survived by her husband, Alan Goerdt of Cathlamet, Washington, adopted father Edwin Longanecker of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, brother Lance Poock and Joe of Poinciana, Florida, uncle Craig Poock, wife Sue and nieces Allison and Delaney of Omaha, Nebraska, and brother Edwin Longanecker III., wife Heather along with their children Jack and Katie of Austin, Texas.
Lori’s service is planned for a later date . She will be laid to rest in the family plot in Forest Home Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. The Olson-Powell Chapel & Crematory is caring for Lori and her family.