Garbage Collection Schedule in Mount Pleasant for Christmas Holiday

By Kadie Johannson · Friday, December 19th, 2025 at 7:33 am CDT

The City of Mount Pleasant will be closed on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 24, 2025.

Trash pickup in the city of Mount Pleasant for Lance Refuse and WEMIGA will be moved one day later. If your pickup day normally falls on Thursday, it will now be picked up on Friday. Garbage collection for Wednesday, December 23, 2025 will carry on as scheduled.

Similarly, garbage collection on New Years Day will be moved one day later as New Years Day also falls on a Thursday.

The City of Mount Pleasant offices are closed on New Years Day, Thursday, January 1, 2026.

O’Donnell seeks Iowa House Seat in District 87

By Kadie Johannson · Friday, December 19th, 2025 at 7:20 am CDT

A rural Keosauqua man is running for the Iowa House of Representatives in the coming year.

Tom O’Donnell is seeking the seat in House District 87, which covers Van Buren County and parts of Henry and Jefferson counties, including Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield.

O’Donnell said he’s running to help keep the rural lifestyle residents love, working across the entire district to address costs and improve education, health care, economic opportunities, natural resources and more.

“We prize our children, want them to succeed and thrive, and hopefully, remain or return to help our area grow,” O’Donnell said. “We’re a community that helps each other, where we’re safe, where we can enjoy natural beauty and resources like forests, rivers, lakes and fields full of wildlife. We care for and respect our elderly and veterans. We love our small towns and want them to succeed and offer things that make them even better places to live.”

But “we can feel our rural life and special people and places slipping away,” O’Donnell said. Food, housing and utilities costs are rising. Wages aren’t keeping up. Population and school enrollment are falling. Hospitals are struggling. Seniors risk injury or death in poorly monitored care centers. Family, friends and neighbors die too young from preventable diseases, especially cancer.

“We can preserve and improve our unique and wonderful rural lifestyle and places,” O’Donnell said. “It takes all of us, working together.”

O’Donnell, is a retired reporter and editor and lives in the unincorporated town of Vernon with his wife, Paula Mohr. He has two grown children who live out of state. O’Donnell ran for the House seat in 2024, losing to Republican Jeff Shipley.

The campaign will formally launch in February.

Sports, December 19th

By Slaten Swords · Friday, December 19th, 2025 at 6:45 am CDT

High School Basketball

Central Lee competed in the Rumble on the River last night and split their night with the girls’ team falling 53-27 and the boys’ team winning 52-38. 

West Burlington will square off on the road against Central Lee tonight with the boys’ game following the girls at 7:30 pm.

The WACO girls’ team held close with Highland last night but ultimately lost 52-43 behind Kamryn Fink’s 20 points. The Warriors now head into winter break.

The #10 Mediapolis girls’ team clobbered Winfield-Mt. Union last night, 81-29. Grace Holsteen and Madden Thie each chipped in 17 points to the winning effort. The Bulldogs will host New London tonight with tip-off at 6 pm.

Columbus split their evening against Pekin last night with the girls’ team winning 41-37 and the boys’ team losing 66-60. Wapello will compete against Columbus at home tonight with game one at 6 pm.

Holy Trinity Catholic will travel to Burlington Notre Dame tonight with game one at 6 pm.

Danville will host Van Buren County tonight with the night starting at 6 pm.

Mt. Pleasant will travel to Washington 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 face off against Keokuk tonight at home with game one at 6 pm.

High School Bowling

Mt. Pleasant will compete in a quad in Burlington tonight with Central Lee also in attendance. 

High School Wrestling

The Burlington Notre Dame boys’ team celebrated their senior night with a pair of dominant victories at their home meet last night, taking down Mediapolis 64-18 and WACO 61-18. Kohen Dietzenbach and Ian Maize participated in one of the most dramatic matches of the night with the Nike narrowly defeating the Warrior by a 1-0 decision. Jared and Joey Glendening and Kael Cook each finished the night undefeated, while WACO’s Braxton Stauffer and Kyler Crow of Mediapolis finished the night 2-0. 

Mt. Pleasant traveled to Fort Madison for their duel and split the night with the girls’ team losing 54-18 and the boys’ sneaking out with a 45-35 victory. In the girls’ match, Paris Phosy and Quintrie Lee picked up wins by fall. For the Panthers’ boys’ team, Aven Beauchamp, Levi Evans, Charlie Bohenkamp, Kolbein Ostby, Keegan Birdsell, and Juan Lopez all pinned their opponents, while Ramzy Davis defeated Eric Cornelis by a 4-1 decision.

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team hosted a quad last night and finished the meet with a 2-1 record, defeating Van Buren County 60-24 and Wapello 48-27, while losing to Iowa Valley 55-24. Bowen Thomson, Ronaldo Villegas, and Angel Ineichen finished the night undefeated. 

Van Buren County smacked Wapello 51-29 as Leo Jirak finished the night unblemished. Wapello was led by Cohen Wolford as he left the mat without a loss. 

The Fairfield boys’ team upended Burlington in a thrilling 42-41 finish. Alex Hudson, Noah Patel, and Aiden Holthus each collected victories by fall. The Fairfield girls’ team fell to the Grayhounds 60-24. Samantha Lyons, June Connor, Kensley Fligg, and Bailey Belzer each pinned their opponents. 

The Fairfield boys’ team will compete at the Pella Invitational tomorrow, December 20th.

The New London, Mt. Pleasant, Van Buren County, Mediapolis, and Burlington Notre Dame boys’ teams will wrestle at the Fort Madison Invitational tonight.

The WACO and Wapello boys’ teams will participate in the Regina Invitational tomorrow.

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team will wrestle at the North Linn Invitational tomorrow. 

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team will travel to Prairie tomorrow for an invite.

The WACO and Wapello girls’ teams will compete in the Warhorse Invitational tomorrow.

College Football

#23 Iowa will take on #14 Vanderbilt on December 31st at 11 am for the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida. 

College Basketball

The #10 Iowa State women’s team will prepare to host their first conference game of the season against Kansas on Sunday, December 21st, at 1 pm.

The #11 Iowa women’s team will face off against #1 UConn in the Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic tomorrow, December 20th, at 12:30 pm. 

The Iowa men’s team will travel to play Bucknell tomorrow at 5 pm.

The #4 Iowa State men’s team will stay at home to take on Long Beach State on Sunday at 5 pm.

This Day in Sports History

1904 – The Dawson City hockey team begins their 9 day walk to get a boat to Seattle to catch a train to Ottawa to play in the Stanley Cup. 

1984 – Wayne Gretzky, at the age of 23, is the 18th and youngest NHL player to score 1,000 points. 

2010 – “Miracle at the New Meadowlands”, the Philadelphia Eagles trail the New York Giants by 21 points with eight minutes to play, before scoring four touchdowns in the final seven minutes, including a dramatic walk-off punt return for a touchdown by DeSean Jackson.

Henry County Supervisors Approve Quarry Lease, Revolving Loan Plan Updates

By Kadie Johannson · Thursday, December 18th, 2025 at 3:38 pm CDT

The Henry County Board of Supervisors met Thursday, December 18th at the Henry County Courthouse to conduct regular business, hear department updates, and take action on several agenda items.

County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss provided an update from Secondary Roads and discussed ongoing projects across the county. Supervisors approved a lease agreement with ITC Midwest LLC to lease 10.1 acres of the county quarry for storage. The lease will run from October 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028, with the county receiving a lump sum payment of $136,350, calculated at $500 per acre per month. Hotchkiss explained that the funds from the lease will go directly toward the cost of crushing rock at the quarry in 2026. Crews plan to build a three-year stockpile of crushed rock to carry the county through the duration of the lease. Secondary Roads will still have access to its stockpiles during the lease period.

Hotchkiss also reported that crews continue work on the bridge replacement project on 235th Street west of Mount Pleasant. Crews have been removing the bridge deck and are working on ramps to access the channel below for additional work.

Supervisors and Hotchkiss discussed potential changes to the county’s dust control fees. Supervisors requested that Hotchkiss return with additional information at a future meeting, including data on the number of residents who submit late applications for dust control.

Zach James with Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission presented updates to the Henry County Revolving Loan Plan. James explained that eligibility requirements have expanded. Previously, applicants were required to live in Henry County but outside city limits. The updated plan now allows applicants from anywhere within Henry County. Additionally, the program has been expanded beyond for-profit businesses to include nonprofit organizations. Supervisors voted to approve the resolution updating the Henry County Revolving Loan Plan.

Steve and Marcy Davis provided an update on Preservation of Oakland Mills. The group requested permission to sign an engineering contract to re-evaluate the bridge and assess its structural integrity. Supervisors requested a copy of the proposed engineering agreement for review before taking further action.

During supervisors’ subcommittee updates, each supervisor shared reports from committees they serve on. Supervisor Chad White also addressed an ongoing issue regarding a request from Deputy Lopez for reimbursement of legal fees related to his removal from the Brady Giglio list. White reported that after consulting with an attorney provided through the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool, he was advised that Henry County does not have a legal basis to reimburse those fees. White noted that the board has reached out to Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird for additional guidance but has not yet received a response. No official decision was made during the meeting.

The meeting concluded following additional discussion and routine business.

Holiday Schedule for Area Recyclers Manned Drop Off in Mount Pleasant

By Kadie Johannson · Thursday, December 18th, 2025 at 11:46 am CDT

Area Recyclers wants to remind you of their Holiday schedule for their manned recycling drop off located at the southwest corner of 1000 West Washington Street in Mount Pleasant.

For the Christmas Holiday, the recycling drop off will be closed on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24th. Regular hours will resume on Friday, December 26th. For the News Years holiday, the recycling dop off will close at 2pm on Wednesday, December 31st. Regular hours will resume on Friday, January 2nd.

Please remember the Area Recyclers manned recycling drop off located at the southwest corner of 1000 West Washington Street is normally open Wednesdays and Fridays from 830am-3pm. The drop off is free and open to all residents or businesses with no residency requirements. They accept plastics # 1, 2, and 5, corrugated cardboard, glass, metals, and paper.

For more information, please visit their website.

Iowa Farmland Values Inched Up Slightly in 2025

By Kadie Johannson · Thursday, December 18th, 2025 at 11:34 am CDT

Iowa farmland values edged up slightly this year, but the gains were uneven — and in parts of southeast Iowa, landowners likely felt more pressure than growth.

The annual Iowa State University Land Value Survey shows the statewide average farmland value rose less than one percent to about $11,550 an acre, a modest increase economists describe as a market “readjustment,” not a boom. After adjusting for inflation, most counties actually saw values slip.

In southern and southeastern Iowa, land prices remain among the lowest in the state. Appanoose County posted Iowa’s lowest average value at about $6,700 an acre, down more than two percent from last year. The broader South Central district, which overlaps much of southern Iowa, continues to trail other regions, with average land values well below the state average.

ISU economist Rabail Chandio says strong crop yields and limited land for sale helped support prices in some areas, but lower commodity prices, high interest rates and tight farm margins weighed more heavily on others — including much of southern Iowa. She notes that while sellers may receive slightly higher dollar amounts than last year, inflation means that money doesn’t go as far.

Overall, the survey shows a divided land market, with stronger increases in northeast Iowa and weaker conditions in the south. For southeast Iowa farmers and landowners, the message is stability rather than growth, as the farmland market continues to adjust to higher interest rates and softer commodity prices.

For more information, watch the Land Value Survey press conference.

Sports, December 18th

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, December 18th, 2025 at 6:47 am CDT

High School Basketball

Central Lee will participate in the Rumble on the River tonight with the girls’ team competing against Monroe City at 4:30 pm and the boys’ team facing off against Clopton at 6 pm.

WACO will take on Highland on the road tonight with game one at 6 pm.

Mediapolis will host Winfield-Mt. Union tonight with the girls playing at 6 pm.

Columbus will travel to Pekin tonight with tip-off at 6 pm for the girls’ contest. 

Holy Trinity Catholic will travel to Burlington Notre Dame tomorrow, December 19th, with game one at 6 pm.

New London will stay on the road to tangle with Mediapolis tomorrow with the girls’ playing first at 6 pm.

West Burlington will square off on the road against Central Lee tomorrow with the boys’ game following the girls at 7:30 pm.

Danville will host Van Buren County tomorrow with the night starting at 6 pm.

Wapello will compete against Columbus at home tomorrow with game one at 6 pm.

Mt. Pleasant will travel to Washington tomorrow 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 face off against Keokuk tomorrow at home with game one at 6 pm.

High School Bowling

Mt. Pleasant will compete in a quad in Burlington tomorrow, December 19th, with Central Lee also in attendance. 

High School Wrestling

The Burlington Notre Dame boys’ team will compete in a triangular at home against WACO and Mediapolis tonight.

Mt. Pleasant will travel to Fort Madison for a dual tonight.

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team will host a quad tonight with Van Buren County and Wapello making the trip. 

Fairfield will face off against Burlington tonight at home.

The New London boys’ team will wrestle at the Fort Madison Invitational tomorrow, December 19th.

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team will travel to Prairie on Saturday, December 20th, for an invite.

The WACO and Wapello girls’ teams will compete in the Warhorse Invitational on Saturday.

College Signing

Mt. Pleasant’s Max Sloat will be continuing his football career at Mount Mercy University next year after signing his Letter of Intent yesterday. Sloat had a phenomenal year as the captain helped direct a defense that ranked in the top five for sacks. His 60 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown led to a First Team All-District honor.

Sloat talked about the process that led to his recruitment,

 “So, I talked to them [Mt. Mercy] a little bit during the preseason. They came to one of our practices with West Liberty, where we scrimmaged them. And then two days later, I believe, I hopped on a call with Coach Montoya, who was here, and he said that we like seeing you and we want to keep doing that. So, he offered me there, and that was huge. Built a lot of confidence and I think since then I just started working harder and trying to become the best player I could.”

He will be studying Exercise Science with a focus set on becoming a Physical Therapist in an effort to help those in the future with a dream he’s chasing in the present,

“…I want to work with athletes. I’ve been around them all my life. I feel like I can understand them, not just on the physical side, but the mental side and what’s going on. So, I want to be able to help them and make them chase their dreams as good as they can.”

He will join former Iowa Wesleyan head football coach MD Daniels with an expected kickoff to the inaugural season in the fall of 2026.

Southeast Iowa Playbook

Winfield-Mt. Union was our school of focus for our last episode of the first semester of the 2025-26 school year with special guests Madisen Kellogg and Bowen Thomson joining the program.

As a senior, Madisen talked about what wisdom she’s attempting to impart on the next group of leaders,

“Just go out and have fun, you make so many memories. Win or lose, we still have fun, you’re just here to get better. Some things don’t go your way, but I just like being with my friends and hanging out with them. Getting to play more sports with them and making as many memories as I can for my senior year. If you don’t like the sport, you can go out and try it, you don’t have to stay with it or anything.”

Bowen discussed how he suffers from self-doubt and ways he attempts to alleviate those moments of anxiety,

“Talking with coaches is always a great thing. As I say, my coaches, those three are amazing to talk to. They always make you feel like even if it’s one of the best kids like you’re still in the match. You should never count yourself out so just talking with coaches, talking with teammates like that always helps feel good and gives you inspiration to just go out there and try hard.”

If you missed last night’s episode, then follow this link: Winfield-Mt. Union Episode

Southeastern Community College

The women’s basketball team rallied in the second half but ultimately came up short, losing to Ellsworth Community College last night 54-50. The Blackhawks head into winter break with a 6-8 record. 

College Football

#23 Iowa will take on #14 Vanderbilt on December 31st at 11 am for the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida. 

College Basketball

The #10 Iowa State women’s team will prepare to host their first conference game of the season against Kansas on Sunday, December 21st, at 1 pm.

The #11 Iowa women’s team will face off against #1 UConn in the Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic on Saturday, December 20th, at 12:30 pm. 

The Iowa men’s team will travel to play Bucknell on Saturday at 5 pm.

The #4 Iowa State men’s team will stay at home to take on Long Beach State on Sunday at 5 pm.

This Day in Sports History

1932 – The Portsmouth Spartans and the Chicago Bears compete in the first playoff game in NFL history. The Bears beat the Spartans 9-0. 

1949 – NFL Championship, the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Los Angeles Rams 14-0; played in driving rain that caused the field to become a mud pit. 

1983 – NBA San Diego Clippers ends their 29-game road losing streak.