Local High School Football Scores (Week 8)

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, October 19th, 2024 at 12:31 am CDT

8-Player

(7-1) Belle Plaine 30, (7-1) #7 Iowa Valley 24

(2-6) New London 56, (1-7) English Valleys 22

(5-3) Winfield-Mt. Union 58, (1-8) HLV 18

Class A

(8-0) #4 Lisbon 49, (1-7) Van Buren County 0

(4-4) Highland 43, (2-6) Wapello 0

(5-3) Danville 31, (4-4) Columbus 24

(7-1) #8 Pekin 58, (0-8) Louisa-Muscatine 0

Class 2A

(4-4) Mediapolis 48, (4-4) Central Lee 14

(5-3) Mid-Prairie 42, (4-4) Albia 7

(7-1) West Burlington/Notre Dame 49, (3-5) Davis County 21

Class 3A

(4-4) Mt. Pleasant 16, (0-8) Fort Madison 14

(3-5) Assumption 35, (3-5) Keokuk 14

(7-1) #7 Mt. Vernon 42, (5-3) Washington 21

(6-2) Solon 61, (2-6) Fairfield 19

Class 4A

(2-6) Oskaloosa 41, (2-6) Burlington 34

HCHC-Mount Pleasant Clinic Welcomes New Provider

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, October 18th, 2024 at 12:27 pm CDT

Daniel Hake, DO, will join the Henry County Health Center-Mount Pleasant Clinic on November 4, 2024.

Dr. Hake completed the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University in Chicago and his Family Medicine Residency at the University of Colorado. He is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Hake was employed at the Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa before joining Great River Health.

Dr. Hake will see patients of all ages with a medical interest in preventative medicine.

“I enjoy getting to know my patients and partnering with them to achieve their health goals. As a Family Physician, it is important to treat the whole patient guiding them to live their best lives,” expressed Dr. Hake.

Dr. Hake and his wife both grew up in the Iowa City area. When not at work, Dr. Hake enjoys spending time with his family, cheering on the Hawkeyes, doing home improvement projects, and running.

Dr. Hake will begin seeing patients at the HCHC-Mount Pleasant Clinic on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.  You can schedule an appointment with Dr. Hake by calling 319.385.6770 or through the patient portal on the Great River Health website, www.greatriverhealth.org

High School State Tournament Softball Moving to Double-Elimination in 2026

By Slaten Swords · Friday, October 18th, 2024 at 11:49 am CDT

IGHSAU- The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union will somehow be making high school state tournament softball more exciting with the latest announcement that the 2026 State Softball Tournament will be moving to a double-elimination format.

“Anyone that has watched the Softball College World Series knows how exciting the double-elimination format is,” said IGHSAU Executive Director Erin Gerlich.

The move coincides with Fort Dodge’s investment towards renovating Harlan and Hazel Rogers Park to include five championship fields, press box accommodations for the fields, and additional parking.

The double-elimination tournament will still be a five-day tournament with single-game championships played on Thursday and Friday for all five classes. The formal schedule has yet to be finalized but all games, sans championship, will continue to be streamed.

Sports, October 18th

By Slaten Swords · Friday, October 18th, 2024 at 6:34 am CDT

High School Football

Mt. Pleasant will travel to Fort Madison tonight at 7:30 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 7:15 pm. 

Van Buren County will host #4 Lisbon tonight at 7 pm.

Winfield-Mt. Union will face off against HLV tonight at 7 pm on the road. 

New London will take on English Valleys tonight at 7 pm at home. 

Danville will host Columbus to end the season at 7 pm tonight. 

Wapello will square off against Highland tonight at 7 pm at home to end the season. 

Fairfield will travel to Solon tonight at 7 pm. 

West Burlington/Notre Dame will compete against Davis County tonight at 7:30 pm in a road matchup. 

Central Lee will face off against Mediapolis tonight at 7:30 pm for their regular season finale. 

Postseason matchups for 8-Player and Classes A, 1A, and 2A will be released tomorrow, October 19th, at 10 am. 

High School Volleyball

Mediapolis hosted a quad last night and the Bulldogs finished 1-2 with a sweep of Fort Madison (25-17, 26-24) but losses to Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (7-25, 12-25) and #2 Holy Trinity Catholic (13-25, 22-25) in straight sets. Maddy Carter led the Bulldogs with 10 kills and six blocks as Bryn Wright tallied 37 assists. 

Columbus fell to Washington in four sets last night (14-25, 23-25, 25-17, and 13-25). Aracely Garza tabbed a team leading three aces along with notching five kills in the loss. 

Postseason Volleyball

Classes 1A and 2A will have their first round matchups start on Monday, October 21st, at 7 pm. Here’s a look at our local matchups. 

In Class 1A Region 2, Winfield-Mt. Union will face off against Lone Tree at home on Monday at 7 pm. The winner will take on #2 Holy Trinity Catholic on Wednesday, October 23rd, at 7 pm in Fort Madison. 

Burlington Notre Dame will host WACO at 7 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 6:45 pm. The winner will take on the winner between Wapello and New London with the Arrows acting as the hosts against the Tigers.

In Class 2A Region 2, Van Buren County will take on Cardinal on Wednesday at 7 pm at home. Columbus will battle with Danville at home with the winner advancing to play #14 West Burlington. 

Class 3A Region 5 will have Washington hosting Mediapolis on Tuesday, October 22nd, at 7 pm. Region 8 will see Fairfield travel to Wilton and Central Lee making the trip to West Liberty. 

Lastly, for Class 4A Region 4, Mt. Pleasant will take on Fort Madison at home on Tuesday at 7 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 6:45 pm.

High School Cross Country

The 2024 Southeast Conference championship meet is in the books and the Washington boys’ team ran away with another team title, while the Fort Madison girls’ team usurped Washington to take the team championship.

On the girls’ side, Washington’s Iris Dahl snatched the individual gold by over 20 seconds with a time of 19 minutes and 32 seconds as the Demons finished with 42 team points. The next four spots belonged to the Bloodhounds with Avery Rump grabbing the silver, followed by Mara Smith, Addison Rump, and Jordyn Marshall, respectively. The top five runners for Fort Madison all finished within the top seven.

Keokuk finished in 3rd place as a team with Hannah Karre racing to an 11th place time of 21 minutes and three seconds. Mt. Pleasant’s Quintire Lee had a phenomenal race as she was the only non-Demon or Bloodhound to crack the top 10 with a 6th place time of 20 minutes and 30 seconds. The Panthers, overall, finished in 4th place as a team with Bella Dodds grabbing 21st place. Lastly, Fairfield took 5th place as Alex Jo Steward and Caroline Van Pelt led the Trojans, finishing in 18th and 19th, respectively. 

The boys’ race was a close matchup against two ranked programs in Washington and Fort Madison with the Demons edging out the victory, tabbing 28 total points compared to the Bloodhounds’ 33 points. 

A big reason was Washington’s Andrew Rees turning in one his best performances to win the individual title with a time of 16 minutes and 23 seconds as Tyler Alderton finished behind him in 2nd place. Fort Madison was led by a trio that finished in 3rd through 5th place: Jacob Shottenkirk, Riley Tripp, and Mason McLey.

Burlington’s Aaron Morehead took 7th place with a time of 17 minutes and 20 seconds, which helped the Grayhounds finish in 3rd place. Fairfield finished in 4th place as a team as the Trojans were anchored by John Miller’s 16th place finish. Mt. Pleasant’s Silas Hulett led the Panthers with an 11th place time of 17 minutes and 45 seconds as Locken Henderson turned in a 17th place performance. Keokuk rounded out the team leaderboard with 167 points as Rollan Zetterlund finished in 26th place. 

On the middle school front, Avery Fedler of Mt. Pleasant won the conference crown on the girls’ side and Kylan Parrish led the boys’ team with a 4th place finish. 

The SEC–minus Burlington–will travel to Pella for their Class 3A state qualifying meet set for Wednesday, October 23rd, at 4 pm. Class 4A’s Burlington will also run on Wednesday at Pleasant Valley. 

The state qualifying meets for Classes 1A and 2A will commence at 4 pm on Thursday, October 24th. 

For Class 1A at Regina Catholic, Danville will run against Van Buren County as the two boys’ teams will enter the race ranked. Joining them will be Wapello, New London, and the Holy Trinity Catholic boys’ team.

WACO and Winfield-Mt. Union will make the trip west to Pleasantville to compete, while Columbus will be on its own at North Linn.

In Class 2A, Central Lee and Notre Dame/West Burlington will make the trip to Monticello, while Mediapolis will follow the highly ranked Mid-Prairie teams to Pella Christian. 

Southeastern Community College

The volleyball team ventured back into the win column last night in a four-set victory over Marshalltown Community College (25-19, 23-25, 25-22, and 25-20). The Blackhawks will host a triangular tomorrow, October 19th, with their first match against Kansas City Kansas Community College at 11 am. 

College Football

#9 Iowa State will host UCF tomorrow, October 19th, at 6:30 pm. KILJ 98.5 FM and AM 1130 will have the broadcast. 

Iowa will square off against Michigan State on the road tomorrow at 6:30 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM will be on the call. 

This Day in Sports History

1953 – Willie Thrower becomes the first Black NFL quarterback in modern times. 

1974 – Chicago Bulls Nate Thurmond, in his debut with the team, becomes the first in NBA history to complete a quadruple double: 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 12 blocks.

2009 – Tom Brady throws five second quarter touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans, an NFL record for touchdown passes in one quarter.

Attorney General Bird Warns Iowans of Government Imposter Scams After Scammer Spoofs Office Phone Number

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, October 18th, 2024 at 6:05 am CDT

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today warns Iowans to be on high alert for government imposter scams. This warning follows an instance last Thursday where a scammer attempted to defraud a woman by calling from what appeared to be the Iowa Attorney General’s office’s phone number.

Government imposter scams occur when a scammer pretends to be affiliated with a government agency to trick Iowans into sending money. Scammers often claim to be from agencies such as the Iowa Department of Revenue, Social Security Administration, or law enforcement.

“Scammers are master manipulators who will lie and scare people to get their way,” said Attorney General Bird. “I am warning Iowans to be on the lookout because these scammers will stop at nothing to steal from you, even if it means impersonating my office or law enforcement. If you or someone you know is suspicious of a call, please hang up and call my office at 888-777-4590.”

Last Thursday, the Iowa Attorney General’s office was alerted of a scammer who was spoofing the Iowa Attorney General office’s phone number to deceive people. A scammer, using an Iowa phone number, called a woman in Oregon and left a voicemail claiming to be a special agent with the Department of Justice. The concerned woman immediately forwarded a transcript of the voicemail to her husband. He returned the scammer’s call and asked for proof of identification or government affiliation. The scammer refused and instead insisted on calling back from a “main line” to prove they were a special agent. As the scammer called back from a different Iowa phone number, the husband found online that the number appearing on the caller ID was associated with the Iowa Attorney General’s office. The husband then confronted the scammer, but the scammer evaded questions and abruptly ended the call. The husband immediately reported the scam to the Iowa Attorney General’s office.

How to Spot a Government Imposter Scam:

  • Unexpected Contact: Scammers call out of the blue and claim to be affiliated with a government agency.
  • Threats: They use scare tactics, including threats of arrest, deportation, or fines.
  • Demands for Immediate Payment: Scammers ask for money to solve a problem, such as paying taxes, fines, or fees. They also ask for the money to be sent via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency—all methods where it is near impossible to retrieve the stolen money.
  • Flawed Emails or Letters: They send fake letters or emails that look like they are from a legitimate agency but contain spelling errors or mismatched logos.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Verify the Source: If suspicious of someone claiming to be from a government agency, hang up or ignore the message. Use a verified phone number to directly call the agency.
  • Use Official Channels: Always check the official website of the government agency for communication, guidelines, or instructions.
  • Be Skeptical of Threats: Government agencies and law enforcement will not make threats of immediate arrest or ask for payment over the phone.
  • Protect Your Pocketbook: Never provide personal or financial information over the phone, text, or email.

If you or someone you know has been targeted by a government imposter scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 888-777-4590 or file a complaint online: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/file-a-consumer-complaint.

Connie I. Woodsmall

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, October 18th, 2024 at 6:02 am CDT

Connie Irene Woodsmall, 73, of Mt. Pleasant, died Thursday, October 10, 2024 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Connie was born in Mount Pleasant, the daughter of Everett L. and Lavina Irene (Miller) Woodsmall. She graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School. She matriculated to Iowa  Wesleyan College and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.

Connie started her career as a Licensed Practical Nurse at Pleasant Manor Care Center. Following her graduation from Iowa Wesleyan, she became a Registered Nurse and continued her career as an RN at Pleasant Manor. Connie then accepted a position as an RN at the Henry County Health Center. She completed her working career as an RN for the Parkview Nursing Home in Wayland.

Connie’s favorite pastime was reading. A voracious reader, she often spent her free time with a book in hand.

Those thankful for sharing in Connie’s life include her son and his wife – Tony & Kristin Woodsmall of Mt. Pleasant; 2 sisters – Betty Goben and her husband Dennis of Mt. Pleasant, and Goldie Coen of Burlington; 3 grandchildren – Tanner, Kaia and Trace Woodsmall and 3 great grandchildren – Laila, Leann and Lilly Woodsmall.

Her parents and 3 siblings – Dorothy Ellis, Ruth Woodsmall and Mike Woodsmall, precede Connie in death.

A funeral service for Connie will be held at 1:30 PM on Saturday, October 26, at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street in Mt. Pleasant. Burial will be at a later date in the Pleasant Point Cemetery, rural Mt. Pleasant.

Visitation will be from 12 Noon until service time on Saturday, October 26.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com

Boys’ Golf for Classes 1A, 2A, and 3A Will Still Tee Off in the Spring Indefinitely

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, October 17th, 2024 at 2:55 pm CDT

IHSAA- The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) had their board meeting today and announced that boys’ golf for Classes 1A, 2A, and 3A will remain in the spring for the 2025-2026 season.

The decision to move the golf season to the fall in 2025 was announced in August, but the Board of Control voted 5-3 to delay the boys’ golf change indefinitely.

“We considered the feedback from our member schools and the board ultimately decided it was worth reconsidering our initial vote,” said board chairperson Dr. Andy Crozier, superintendent at Central Lee. “It became clear that there were too many obstacles that need to be resolved in the short-term to make this change for the 2025-26 school year.”

Boys’ golf for Class 4A will remain in the fall.

Other changes will be coming to the 2025 spring season for boys’ soccer with four recommendations being approved.

Standardizing match schedules will permit schools a maximum of 17 matches per level of competition, two matches per day, and individual players will be permitted up to four halves of play per day.

Another recommendation would require varsity contests to consist of two 40-minute halves. Lastly, the 2025 State Tournament schedule would see the quarterfinals start on June 2nd with the championship finals wrapping up on June 6th.

Public Wants Recorded Meetings, More Transparency from Henry County Supervisors

By Yorke Prough · Thursday, October 17th, 2024 at 1:03 pm CDT

The Henry County Supervisors meeting on Thursday saw multiple citizens voice their continued concerns over transparency in the county, specifically related to the alternative energy overlay ordinance.

During the public comment section, Melanie Patton once again urged the board to record the meetings, even mentioning that she would hold a bake sale to raise funds in order to get the technology required. She also asked if the meeting agendas for all the boards and commissions in the county could be better publicized. Supervisor White seemingly agreed, stating that he would like to see any public information in one central location on the county website.

Zach Griebahn was on the agenda today to discuss the ordinance process. Board chair Moeller informed him that the best time for the public’s questions to get answered is on an individual basis, while supervisor Lindeen said that the meetings are for the board. He took it a step further, informing the public that the board does not need to answer questions brought up at the time of the public comment section.

Griehbahn asked about the board work session on October 1st over the alternative energy ordinance. According to Lindeen, the board does not have to come up with meeting dates and agendas during public meetings. Moeller added that he informed a supervisor of the work session via text.

Supervisor Lindeen admitted that this discussion of a wind farm is one of the top two largest projects proposed in his time on the board. The board is not rushing this process, but rather ensuring that they have the information needed to make a decision eventually. He is certain that the board is doing their due diligence over this matter.

Another point of discussion was the current unknowns. All three supervisors agreed that there are a lot of estimated projections regarding the revenue brought in through this project, but no hard figure. Lindeen believes that is what makes this difficult.

The Planning and Zoning Commission met one month ago for a public hearing over the ordinance. The public can get ahold of the members of the commission by asking the Planning and Zoning administrator, according to the board.

Board chair Greg Moeller reminded the public that there have been multiple public meetings, townhalls, and public hearings over this matter.