Sports, June 24th

By Slaten Swords · Monday, June 24th, 2024 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Baseball

Danville and Hillcrest Academy were locked in a contentious weekend matchup until the Ravens pushed across eight runs in the 4th inning to secure a mercy-rule win 12-2. Noah Horn and Jaden Bauer each notched an RBI for the Bears.

Danville will take on Wapello tonight at 7 pm. 

Burlington Notre Dame’s late surge led to a 3-1 victory over Burlington over the weekend. Isaiah Crow had a game-high two RBIs. The Nikes will square off against Danville tomorrow, June 25th, at home at 5:30 pm. 

Van Buren County traveled to Moravia over the weekend to compete against the host team and North Mahaska. The Warriors fell to the Mohawks in game one 8-1. Izaak Loeffler tabbed a double in the contest. 

Game two featured a balancing act on the scoreboard as Van Buren County scored one run an inning through the first three frames to lead 3 to 0; North Mahaska answered by scoring a run an inning in the next three frames to tie the game at 3. It took an extra inning before the Warriors pushed across the winning run to take the game 4-3. Lucas Fett finished with an RBI off of two doubles. 

Van Buren County will host Hillcrest Academy tonight at 5:30 pm. 

Mt. Pleasant will square off against Fort Madison tonight at home in a doubleheader with game one at 5:30 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 5:15 pm. 

Fairfield will travel to Keokuk tonight for a doubleheader with game one at 5:30 pm. 

Central Lee will take on Pekin tonight at 4 pm at the Field of Dreams. 

Winfield-Mt. Union will square off against Mediapolis tonight at 5:30 pm on the road. 

New London will look to get back in the win column tonight against Highland at 5:30 pm at home. 

West Burlington will host Lone Tree tonight at 5:30 pm. 

High School Softball

Fairfield finished up their weekend slate of games at Solon, capturing a 6-4 win over the Spartans but losing 11-3 to Williamsburg. The Hollanders led the charge in the win with Savannah tabbing two RBIs and scoring three runs while Olivia brought home a run. Lilly Bergren and Faith Jones notched the RBIs in the loss. 

Fairfield will travel to Keokuk tonight for a doubleheader with game one at 5:30 pm. 

Danville fell to Hillcrest Academy over the weekend 14-5. The Bears will take on Wapello at home tonight at 7 pm. 

Mediapolis will face off against Winfield-Mt. Union tonight at home at 6 pm. 

West Burlington will face off against Lone Tree tonight at 7 pm at home. 

New London will take on Highland tonight at home at 7 pm. 

Central Lee will host Pekin tonight at 7 pm. 

Van Buren County will compete against Columbus tonight at 7 pm at home. 

Holy Trinity Catholic will face off against Hillcrest Academy tonight at 5:30 pm at home. 

Mt. Pleasant will host Fort Madison tonight for a doubleheader with game one at 5:30 pm. 

WACO will travel to Lone Tree tomorrow, June 25th, at 6 pm. 

High School Cross Country

Mt. Pleasant’s optional summer runs, available for 7th through 12th graders, are scheduled Monday through Thursday. The runs will often be led by upperclassmen as coaches may not be present for every run.

On Mondays and Wednesdays the runs will start at 6:30 am at the Old Threshers Museum Theatre and on Tuesdays and Thursdays they will be at Saunders Park by the swimming pool at 7 pm. 

If you have any questions, contact Coach Murray at 319-850-0867. 

Prospect League

The Burlington Bees struggled in their weekend homestand, losing 12-7 to the Alton River Dragons and 17-6 to the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp. Cooper Donlin led the Bees with three RBIs over the weekend. Burlington will hit the road to face off against the Cape Catfish tomorrow, June 25th, at 6:35 pm. 

The Clinton LumberKings swept the weekend, defeating the Catfish 6-5 and the Lafayette Aviators 9-6 last night. Clay Jacobs finished the weekend with three RBIs. The LumberKings will take on the Aviators today on the road. 

This Day in Sports History

1922 – NFL club Chicago Staleys renamed itself the Chicago Bears by team founder, owner and head coach George Halas.

2010 – In the longest match in tennis history, John Isner defeats Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon after 11 hours and 5 minutes of play over 3 days.

2017 – World record for highest altitude football match ever played at 18,799ft on Mount Kilimanjaro by Volcano FC and Glacier FC; the game was put on to raise awareness and highlight the inequality between male and female sports.

June 24, 2024 – June 30, 2024

By Allison Jacobs · Saturday, June 22nd, 2024 at 4:19 pm CDT
06/24/24
Paul Dennison
06/24/24
Charles Allen
6/24/24
Kayden Kinney
06/24/24
Brooke McClellan
06/24/24
Jennifer Rode
06/25/24
MIchael Borders
06/25/24
Joyce Hanks
06/25/24
Jeffrey Rauenbuehler
06/25/24
Grace Sammons
06/26/24
Richard McCabe
06/26/24
Serie Welcher
06/27/24
Donovan Arledge
06/27/24
Jordyn Dingman
06/27/24
Amy Frantz
06/27/24
Ashley Lohmann
06/27/24
Jim Miller
06/27/24
Jeffrey Wick
06/28/24
Rebecca Kauffman
06/28/24
Randy & Susan Hervey *Anniversary-10th
06/28/24
Deb Goodlaxson
06/29/24
Megan Griffen
06/29/24
Emily Wibstad
06/29/24
Betty Miller
06/29/24
Erin & Jim Folker *Anniversary- 33rd
06/30/24
JoAnn Corell
06/30/24
Judy & Ben Bower *Anniversary

Sports, June 22nd

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, June 22nd, 2024 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Baseball

Fairfield handled Albia last night 16-8. The Trojans will travel to Keokuk on Monday for a doubleheader with game one at 5:30 pm. 

Central Lee demolished Danville last night 20-0. Blake Davis slugged a triple and totaled four RBIs in the win for the Hawks. Central Lee will take on Pekin on Monday, June 24th, at 4 pm at the Field of Dreams. 

Danville will face off against Hillcrest Academy today at 10 am on the road. 

Burlington Notre Dame defeated Mediapolis last night 11-0. The Nikes will be the road team tonight in their matchup against Burlington at 7 pm. 

Winfield-Mt. Union will square off against Mediapolis on Monday at 5:30 pm on the road. 

West Burlington’s offense could not stop scoring last night as the Falcons defeated New London 15-7. Caleb Bush brought home three runs for the Falcons in the win. 

New London will look to get back in the win column on Monday against Highland at 5:30 pm at home. 

West Burlington will host Lone Tree on Monday at 5:30 pm. 

Van Buren County will compete at the Moravia Triangular today at 10 am. 

Mt. Pleasant will square off against Fort Madison on Monday at home in a doubleheader with game one at 5:30 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 5:15 pm. 

High School Softball

WACO lost to Hillcrest Academy last night 18-5. WACO will travel to Lone Tree on Tuesday, June 25th, at 6 pm. 

Winfield-Mt. Union fell to Louisa-Muscatine last night 12-0. Mediapolis will face off against Winfield-Mt. Union on Monday, June 24th, at home at 6 pm. 

Fairfield traveled to Clear Creek Amana yesterday to compete in a tournament, splitting their two matchups. Game one saw Lilly Bergren tab two RBIs to help the Trojans take down Regina Catholic 3-1, while Laney Norris notched five strikeouts in the win. 

The host team would bring a 10-0 beatdown of Fairfield in game two as Savannah Hollander managed the only hit for the Trojans. Fairfield will continue their play in the tournament with matchups against Solon and Williamsburg today. 

West Burlington’s offense ended their matchup against New London after four innings with a 12-0 for the Falcons. Lauren Krieger slashed three singles and totaled two RBIs with Madelyn Thomas smacking a home run for three RBIs in the winning effort. 

West Burlington will face off against Lone Tree on Monday at 7 pm at home. 

New London will take on Highland on Monday at home at 7 pm. 

Danville will square off against Hillcrest Academy today on the road. 

Central Lee will host Pekin on Monday at 7 pm. 

Van Buren County will compete against Columbus on Monday at 7 pm at home. 

Holy Trinity Catholic will face off against Hillcrest Academy on Monday at 5:30 pm at home. 

Mt. Pleasant will host Fort Madison on Monday for a doubleheader with game one at 5:30 pm. 

High School Cross Country

Mt. Pleasant’s optional summer runs, available for 7th through 12th graders, are scheduled Monday through Thursday. The runs will often be led by upperclassmen as coaches may not be present for every run.

On Mondays and Wednesdays the runs will start at 6:30 am at the Old Threshers Museum Theatre and on Tuesdays and Thursdays they will be at Saunders Park by the swimming pool at 7 pm. 

If you have any questions, contact Coach Murray at 319-850-0867. 

Prospect League

The Burlington Bees narrowly fell to the Normal CornBelters last night 7-6. Cooper Donlin finished 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Bees. Burlington will host the Alton River Dragons tonight at 6:30 pm. 

The Clinton LumberKings lost to the Cape Catfish last night 7-4. Karson Grout led the LumberKings with two RBIs. Clinton will attempt to get their revenge tonight against the Catfish at 6:30 pm. 

This Day in Sports History

1889 – The Louisville Colonels set an MLB record with their 26th consecutive loss. A record that still stands today. 

1981 – John McEnroe screams his famous ‘You cannot be serious’ rant in his first round win over Tom Gullikson at Wimbledon. 

2016 – NHL owners unanimously approve the Las Vegas expansion bid to start play in the 2017-18 season.

Summer is Officially Here! Firework Schedule and Rules for City of Mount Pleasant

By Yorke Prough · Saturday, June 22nd, 2024 at 6:16 am CDT

Now that summer is officially here, long nights, bbqs, and pool parties are certain. What also seems to be certain is shooting off fireworks long into the night to watch them explode in a burst of beautiful colors in the sky. Mount Pleasant DOES ALLOW fireworks, but there are limits to the times that they can be used. From now until the 28th, fireworks can only be set off between 9:00am and 10:00pm. June 29th, 30th, and July 4th, brings an extra hour on the end of that for extra explosions.

Please be courteous and remember your neighbors, pets, and especially veterans.

Fireworks may not be used/exploded:

-On city property (streets, parks, sidewalks, etc.) without specific permission of the —-City Council

-On private property without permission of the owner

In a manner that deposits litter/waste on neighbor’s property or streets, sidewalks, etc.

For questions, please call the Mount Pleasant Police Department at (319) 385-1450 or City Hall at (319) 385-1470.

Pursuit Through Keokuk Reaches 85mph

By Yorke Prough · Friday, June 21st, 2024 at 12:29 pm CDT

On 6/20/2024, at approximately 1:06 p.m., Keokuk Police Officers were dispatched to Walmart at 300 N Park Drive in reference to a theft.

Upon the arrival of a Keokuk police officer, a silver Jeep occupied by one person fled the parking lot at a high rate of speed.

The officer utilized his emergency lights and audible siren to initiate a traffic stop on the Jeep. The driver of the Jeep refused to stop, committing multiple traffic violations while leading the officer on a pursuit outside of the city limits. The pursuit reached speeds over 85 miles per hour and lasted approximately 6 minutes.

The driver would stop the vehicle on a private drive near the end of Iowa Road, fleeing on foot into a wooded area. After a short foot pursuit, the subject was taken into custody without further incident.

The on-duty Fort Madison Police Department K9 unit was requested and responded to the scene. The K9 unit alerted on the vehicle, and a probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted. Once the search was complete, the vehicle was towed from the scene.

Eric J. Reid, 48, of Keokuk, was arrested and charged with eluding, a felony, and Theft 5th Degree, a simple misdemeanor. Reid was also cited for multiple traffic infractions.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Madison Police Department also contributed to this investigation.

Additional Information Regarding Henry County EMS

By Yorke Prough · Friday, June 21st, 2024 at 12:29 pm CDT

The Henry County Board of Supervisors recently approved a resolution declaring Henry County Emergency Medical Services (HCEMS) as an essential county service. HCEMS is owned by the Henry County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees. There is a $0.27 property tax levy which funds the service.

In May 2021, Iowa code provided county supervisors the authorization to impose a tax levy in support of EMS, due to EMS not being considered an essential service such as police and fire departments. This designation of “essential county service” is up to the voter.

The change comes from the revenue shortfalls, which will make the future sustainability of EMS impossible. Several counties have this say issue on upcoming ballots, including Henry County.

A public vote of atleast 60% majority on September 10th, would ensure that this service will continue. In this instance, the $0.27 cent current tax levy would be removed from the hospital budget and replaced with a new $0.75 cent essential services tax.

So, what does this mean for the average tax payer? With the current tax levy, a property assessed just over $115,000, with a net taxable value of $62,853, generates a $2,466 tax bill. With a $0.48 cent tax increase, the same tax bill would be $2,496, which is approximately a $30 change for the entire year, or $2.50 extra per month.

Additional information about EMS as an essential service will be given in the following weeks.

Governor Reynolds Visits Mount Pleasant, Comments on Illegal Immigration

By Yorke Prough · Friday, June 21st, 2024 at 12:28 pm CDT

Governor Kim Reynolds visited Mount Pleasant on Thursday afternoon where she met with leaders across the town to hear their needs. Afterwards, Reynolds was asked about the Illegal Immigration reentry law, following the news that a federal district court judge granted an injunction. Reynolds supports the Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird’s appeal of this matter.

In an interview, the governor stated that “it is horrible when we have a president of the United States that is not doing his constitutional duty to protect the United States citizens and most importantly the sovereignty of this country.”

Governor Reynolds also says that the state is stepping up and protecting the citizens, and Iowa is enforcing the illegal immigration laws that are already on the books. “The case that they used they had actually superseded the existing U.S. immigration laws already on the books…” she continues “we didn’t do that, Arizona in fact did, but Iowa didn’t.”

After the interview with the governor, the Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed an official appeal of the federal court’s decision to block enforcement of Iowa’s immigration law. Attorney General Bird released the following statement:

“Iowa won’t back down. Today, my office filed an appeal to defend Iowa’s immigration enforcement law that keeps Iowa families safe. We can’t afford to stand by any longer as Biden’s border crisis rolls out a welcome mat for drug cartels, human traffickers, and suspected terrorists to invade our home communities. If Biden won’t do his job to secure our borders, Iowa will.”

Three Substances, Including Crack Cocaine, Seized in Burlington

By Yorke Prough · Friday, June 21st, 2024 at 7:00 am CDT

The Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force has been conducting an in-depth investigation over the past several months into a suspected drug network operating in Burlington, Iowa. This investigation culminated in the execution of a search warrant at 221 S 9th St., Burlington.

On June 20, 2024 at approximately 9:30 A.M. officers from the Task Force, with the assistance of local law enforcement agencies, carried out the search warrant at the residence located at 221 S 9th St. Crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, were among the substances seized during the arrest of 56 year old James Griffin. He received two warrants for possession of Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Deliver, amongst other charges.

This operation is part of a broader effort to dismantle drug trafficking operations within the region and ensure the safety and well-being of the community.