Lynn J. Walker

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 at 4:52 pm CDT

Lynn J. Walker, 93, of Danville, died Sunday, February 12, 2023 at Danville Care Center.  He was born January 31, 1930 at home in rural Green City, Missouri to Charles and Esther Lafaver Walker.  On June 6, 1954 he married Frances Clarice Lawhon in West Helena, Arkansas.  She died November 20, 2020.

He was a lifelong farmhand working for Don Nelson and also was caretaker and maintenance worker for Bob Dodds Insurance.  He was a member of New Song Christian Life Church in Lowell.  Lynn enjoyed mowing, coon hunting, was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan, and loved anything strawberry and french fries.

Survivors include his sons Michael Lynn Walker and Evan F. (Joanne) Walker, both of Danville; son-in-law Jeff Ridgway of Danville; six grandchildren; Jeremiah (Chasity) Walker, Joshua (Becky) Walker, Miles (Heidi) Ridgway, Morgan (Ashley) Walker, Mindy (Tanner) Travis, Mitch Walker; four great-grandsons; Kameron, Gavin, Keagan and Emmet Walker;  and the first great-granddaughter Chloe Travis, due any minute; brother Eugene Walker; and sisters, Esta Lee Fulghum, Marjorie Ann Keith and Ruby Heppe.  He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; daughter Kathy Ridgway on November 1, 2020; brothers, Robert, Wayne and Gerald and sister Mary Margaret Muder.

A visitation with the family greeting friends will be held from 1:00 – 3:00 pm Saturday, February 18, 2023 at Elliott Chapel, New London.  According to his wishes, his body has been cremated and inurnment will follow at Jaggar Cemetery, rural Danville.  A memorial has been established for New Song Christian Life Church.  Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.

Rande L. Stauffer

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 at 3:29 pm CDT

Rande L. Stauffer, 72 of Washington, died Monday, February 13, 2023, surrounded by his family at home.

His body has been cremated and will be interred at Elm Grove Cemetery at a later date. The family will receive friends from 1-4:00PM, Saturday, February 18, 2023, at the Beatty-Petersiem Funeral Home in Washington. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for PAWS and More Animal Shelter.

Rande was born May 1, 1950, in Mt Pleasant, Iowa, the son of Ervin and Virginia (Wyse) Stauffer. He graduated from WACO High School in 1968. He was united in marriage to Jan (Wick) Prottsman on November 25, 1987, in New London. Rande started out his career as a track inspector for the Burlington Northern Railroad. He then pursued his passion of automotive as a service manager at several local area auto dealerships along with co-owning a local auto dealership. Rande co-owned Paul Revere’s Pizza, along with his wife Jan, for many years. You could usually find Rande in his garage restoring and collecting classic cars or spending time with his grandchildren. He shared this passion and was able to pass this on to his kids and grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife Jan Stauffer of Washington, IA, three children: Michelle (Truckie) Harbison of Crawfordsville, IA, Matthew (Miranda) Stauffer of Moscow, IA, Jaden (Michele) Prottsman of Riverside, IA, five grandchildren: Logan, Caedon, Adisyn, Joslyn, and Quintyn, his mother Virginia along with one brother and one sister. Rande also had his loving dog companions Libby, Jasper, and Bella.

Proceeding Rande in death was his father Ervin Stauffer and his loving dog Boomer.

 

MP SIAC Committee Will Meet

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 at 3:25 pm CDT

Mount Pleasant Community School District

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

Mt. Pleasant CSD – Mount Pleasant Community High School

2104 South Grand Avenue – Media Center

Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641

The Mount Pleasant Community School District School Improvement Advisory Committee will meet at 6:00pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2023

 

No Decision Yet on School Board Director Re-Organization

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 at 3:16 pm CDT

The Mount Pleasant School Board continues to discuss a possible change to the board director district structure.  There are currently seven members.  The number will remain the same.  However, due to a change in population, the director districts are no longer balanced. The boundary lines could be re-drawn but this is also an opportunity to change-up the representation. The board is showing  interest in creating two director districts represented by two directors for each.  There would then be three at large members.  There is also interest in going all at large members. Supt. John Henriksen will present the issue to the School Improvement Advisory Committee for input.

High School Girls’ Basketball Rankings: Final Rankings for Class 4A and 5A for the Season

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 at 3:01 pm CDT

Prep Girls’ Basketball- The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released their final rankings for Class 4A and 5A for the 2022-2023 season. Both classes saw no movement in the top 8.

Dallas Center-Grimes remains on top of the rankings for Class 4A with an 18-3 record followed by North Polk with a 19-2 record. Lewis Central dropped three spots from 9th to 12th. Sergeant Bluff-Luton went from unranked to ranked 11th after knocking off Lewis Central 49-40 last Friday. Carlisle was the lone team to be dropped out of the top 15 with Indianola and Spencer rounding out the top 15.

Class 5A had the top 11 remain unchanged with Pleasant Valley remaining number one and undefeated at 21-0. Additionally, no teams were dropped out of the top 15.

Quick reminders for the other classes as their final rankings were last year. Winfield-Mt. Union ranks 8th in Class 1A, Mediapolis is ranked 12 in Class 2A, and the top team from each classification is Algona Bishop Garrigan in Class 1A, Dike-New Hartford in Class 2A, and Estherville Lincoln Central in Class 3A.

High School Boys’ Basketball Rankings: Mt. Pleasant and WACO Still in the Top 10

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 at 2:48 pm CDT

Prep Boys’ Basketball- The Iowa High School Athletic Association has released their rankings for the 6th time this season with no major movement before postseason basketball.

Class 4A is still run by Cedar Rapids Kennedy as they are still undefeated on the season. Ankeny Centennial tumbled from 6th to 8th after a loss to Waukee Northwest 74-48. Norwalk and Dubuque Senior each moved up a spot in response to 6th and 7th, respectively.

Bondurant-Farrar sits at 19-0 and number one in Class 3A followed by one loss Clear Lake. Newton is now ranked 6th after falling to Norwalk 67-47 last Tuesday. The only team to skyrocket up the rankings in any classification was Waverly-Shell Rock as they went from being ranked 10th to 7th as they are riding a 6-game winning streak. Mt. Pleasant saw their 12-game winning streak snapped by Fairfield last Friday in an overtime thriller that saw them fall 69-68, despite Payton Hagan’s 28 points and Aaiden Ashton’s 17 points.

Class 2A saw two teams drop out of the top 10, but Central Lyon and Roland-Story held on to the top two positions. The other team to experience the late surge of Fairfield was West Burlington as their undefeated season was thwarted by the Trojans in a 70-63 final. The Falcons dropped one spot to 6th due to the loss. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont and Beckman Catholic dropped out of the top 10 and were replaced by Alburnett and West Lyon at the 9th and 10th spots, respectively.

Class 1A had virtually no movement as Grand View Christian and North Linn still rock undefeated records and the top spots. WACO remains ranked in 5th as they defeated Columbus 87-22 in their first-round district matchup. Newman was the lone team to drop out as Newell-Fonda replaced them in the 10th spot to round out this week’s rankings.

High School Boys’ Basketball Postseason Brackets: Mt. Pleasant Hosts First-Round Matchup

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 at 2:24 pm CDT

Prep Boys’ Basketball- Class 3A and 4A released their playoff brackets and here is a look at what Mt. Pleasant’s substate looks like.

Mt. Pleasant has had a phenomenal season, winning as many as 12 games in a row, which earns them a first-round home game against Fort Madison. The Panthers have bested the Bloodhounds in both matchups this season, but Fort Madison almost shocked the Panthers at home as the Bloodhounds put up 29 points in the fourth quarter coming up just short in the comeback effort, 59-58. They will play the winner of Solon going against Keokuk. The Chiefs have the most recent win over the Spartans back in 2020, but Solon holds the historical advantage in the last four games. These games will be the bottom of the Substate 6 backet.

The top of the Substate 6 bracket will be Newton hosting Oskaloosa and Fairfield traveling to play conference foe, Washington. The Demons are 2-0 against the Trojans this season, winning game one 71-67 and game two 62-49.

All first-round matchups will be played on February 20th at 7 pm.

From the Mount Pleasant School Board Meeting

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 at 1:37 pm CDT

There was a full house for the Mount Pleasant School Board meeting Monday evening.  Three different people addressed the Board during Citizen Comments.  Mike Richtman shared his concerns that student participation in school activities is declining.  He urges the school district leadership to define what programs are about and assess the programs to make sure kids are having the best experience possible.

Sarah Johnson asked the Board if the monthly meetings could be live streamed and then could a link be posted so busy parents who can’t attend in person can access the meetings.

Senior Will Davidson spoke, thanking the School Board for allowing him four years ago to swim with the Burlington High School swim team. Davidson recently competed in the State Swim Meet.

Jessica Howard, once again, addressed the about her concerns with grade-alike elementary buildings saying the emotional factor is a bigger consideration that the academics or logistics and that such a change will affect many students emotionally. She had previously share her concerns at a recent Board work session.

The School Board tabled a vote on approval of a grade-alike elementary configuration until the March meeting.   Supt. John Henriksen made the recommendation that the board commit to the change and table the vote with the idea that the change wouldn’t happen until the fall of 2024. That would allow more time to plan and carry out the various aspects of change. Mr. Henriksen also said he has spent the last month meeting with  and listening to the concerns of staff and parents.   He said he feels the opportunities created by grade-alike buildings out weigh any concerns about logistics or social emotional affects.

After a public hearing on the proposed school calendar for next year, the School Board approved the calendar with the changes…..making every Friday an early out day and scheduling spring break for the second week of March.