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 “The case that they used they had actually superseded the existing U.S. immigration laws already on the books…” she continues “we didn’t do that, Arizona in fact did, but Iowa didn’t.”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.

Airlift Required for 21 Year Old Injured in Boating Accident

By Yorke Prough · Friday, June 21st, 2024 at 6:59 am CDT

A 21-year-old was airlifted on Wednesday after a boating accident at the Fort Madison Marina. At approximately 6:48pm, the Fort Madison Fire Department was dispatched to the Fort Madison Marina for a report of a person injured in a boating accident.

It was reported that the injured person had been struck by the propeller of a boat. The extent of the injuries was unknown. Rescue personnel requested the air ambulance be dispatched to the scene for patient transport.  The injured person was identified as Carlos Antonio Tecpanecatl, 21.

Fort Madison Fire dispatched our rescue boat to respond to the Willow Patch Access while other fire department personnel along with other agencies went to the Access. Rescue personnel were on scene within minutes and the boat bringing the injured person in was able to get under way arriving at the access.

Air Evac Life team helicopter landed at the access and the patient was transported by helicopter to the hospital in Iowa City.

Agencies assisting at the scene were Fort Madison Fire Department, Fort Madison Police Department, Lee County Sheriff Department, Lee County Ambulance, Air Evac Life team, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

There is no update on his condition at this time.

 

 

Sports, June 21st

By Slaten Swords · Friday, June 21st, 2024 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Baseball

Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield are now tied atop the Southeast Conference standings at 8-3 after the Trojans routed the Panthers 13-1 last night. Everything was bouncing Fairfield’s way last night as the Trojans worked nine walks and tallied 12 hits as a team. 

Cason Miller did most of the damage, going 3 for 5 with a triple and five RBIs in the win. Luke Konczal slugged two doubles as he and Caden Allison combined for another five RBIs. Payson Coleman tabbed the lone RBI for the Panthers.

Fairfield will look for another road win tonight at Albia with first pitch at 7:30 pm.

Mt. Pleasant will square off against Fort Madison on Monday, June 24th, 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. 

Danville’s four-run third inning propelled the Bears past Mediapolis last night 5-3. Jaden Bauer slapped a triple and tallied two RBIs for the Bears. Danville will host Central Lee tonight at 5:30 pm.  

Burlington Notre Dame will face off against Mediapolis tonight at 5:30 pm on the road. 

Winfield-Mt. Union will travel to Louisa-Muscatine tonight for first pitch at 5:30 pm. 

New London will stay at home to take on West Burlington tonight at 5:30 pm. 

Van Buren County will compete at the Moravia Triangular tomorrow, June 22nd, at 10 am. 

Postseason Baseball

The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released their Class 1A and Class 2A postseason brackets with the first round of postseason action scheduled for July 6th. Here’s a look at our local teams and their matchups.

For Class 1A Substate 6: District 11, Burlington Notre Dame, the #2 team in Class 1A according to the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association, took the top seed in the district, earning the Nikes a bye into the second round. 

#4 New London will face off against #5 Pekin at 5 pm at Keota with the winner to take on the Nikes in the second round. #2 Moravia will host #7 Moulton-Udell at 7 pm. The winner will take on the winner between #3 Keota and #6 Danville as they will compete at Keota at 7 pm.

Class 2A Substate 5: District 10, will feature three of our local teams. #1 Anamosa earned a bye and will take on the winner between #4 Winfield-Mt. Union and #5 Louisa-Muscatine at 5 pm at Mediapolis. #3 Mediapolis will tango with #6 West Burlington at 7 pm at Mediapolis. The winner will compete against #2 Mid-Prairie.

Substate 6: District 12 will also have our attention as #4 Cardinal and #5 Van Buren County will fight for the right to play #1 Interstate 35 in the second round. #3 Central Lee will compete against #6 Centerville with the winner facing off against #2 Pleasantville. The first-round matchups will take place at Central Lee.

Stay tuned to KILJ to find out our postseason broadcast schedule. Moreover, the Class 3A and Class 4A postseason brackets will be released on June 27th.

High School Softball

Mediapolis clobbered Danville last night 22-9. The Bears will square off against Central Lee tonight at home at 7 pm. 

Mediapolis will face off against Winfield-Mt. Union on Monday, June 24th, at home at 6 pm. 

Winfield-Mt. Union stopped their 9-game skid last night with a 9-2 win over WACO. Katie Miller led the Wolves with two RBIs as Makiah Lower picked up the win in the circle with 8 strikeouts. Natalie Wagner smacked a triple for the Warriors. 

WACO will take on Hillcrest Academy at home tonight at 7 pm. 

Winfield-Mt. Union will travel to Louisa-Muscatine tonight at 6 pm. 

Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield battled in a conference showdown last night and the Trojans slammed the door to end the Panthers’ late surge, winning 9-6. Savannah Hollander clubbed a three-run home run to help seal the win. The Panthers will host Fort Madison on Monday for a doubleheader with game one at 5:30 pm. 

Fairfield will travel to Clear Creek-Amana today for a tournament. 

West Burlington will take on New London tonight at 7 pm on the road. 

Van Buren County will face off against Holy Trinity Catholic tonight at 7 pm at home.

High School Cross Country

Mt. Pleasant’s optional summer runs officially get underway this week. The runs are a great way to get in shape and to run with others. The runs are available for 7th through 12th graders and 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 tried to keep up with the offense of the Normal CornBelters, but ultimately fell short 16-7. Skylar Agnew clocked a home run and three RBIs in the losing effort. The Bees will look for their revenge against the Cornbelters tonight at 6:30 pm on the road. 

Weather halted the game between the Clinton LumberKings and the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp last night in the 3rd inning. The game will resume on July 12th. The LumberKings will host the Cape Catfish tonight at 6:30 pm. 

This Day in Sports History

1970 – FIFA World Cup Final, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City: Brazil and Pelé become first team and player to win World Cup three times, beating Italy, 4-1 in front of 107,412.

1994 – Tennis superstar Steffi Graf becomes the first defending champion to lose in the first round of a major tournament (Wimbledon to Lorrie McNeal).

1997 –  The Women’s National Basketball Association begins as the New York Liberty beats the Los Angeles Sparks.

Prep Baseball: Postseason Assignments for Classes 1A and 2A

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, June 20th, 2024 at 11:49 pm CDT

Prep Baseball- The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released their Class 1A and Class 2A postseason brackets with the first round of postseason action scheduled for July 6th. Here’s a look at our local teams and their matchups.

Class 1A

For Class 1A Substate 6: District 11, Burlington Notre Dame, the #2 team in Class 1A according to the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association, took the top seed in the district, earning the Nikes a bye into the second round. They will attempt to make it back for the second consecutive year.

#4 New London will face off against #5 Pekin at 5 pm at Keota with the winner to take on the Nikes in the second round. #2 Moravia will host #7 Moulton-Udell at 7 pm. The winner will take on the winner between #3 Keota and #6 Danville as they will compete at Keota at 7 pm.

Substate 6: District 12 will feature #6 Wapello facing off against BGM at Hillcrest Academy at 5 pm as the #2-seed Hillcrest Academy will host HLV at 7 pm. #1 Sigourney will host the top half of the bracket as they face off against English Valleys and #4 Highland takes on #5 Lone Tree at 5 pm.

The district 11 champion will clash with the district 12 champion on July 16th to see who will advance to the state tournament.

Class 2A

Class 2A Substate 5: District 10, will feature three of our local teams. #1 Anamosa earned the bye and will take on the winner between #4 Winfield-Mt. Union and #5 Louisa-Muscatine at 5 pm at Mediapolis. #3 Mediapolis will tango with #6 West Burlington at 7 pm at Mediapolis. The winner will compete against #2 Mid-Prairie.

The district 10 champion will face off against one of these six teams to advance to the state tournament: #1 Sumner-Fredericksburg, #2 Alburnett, #3 Jesup, #4 Columbus Catholic, #5 West Liberty, and #6 West Branch.

Substate 6: District 12 will also have our attention as #4 Cardinal and #5 Van Buren County will fight for the right to play #1 Interstate 35 in the second round. #3 Central Lee will compete against #6 Centerville with the winner facing off against #2 Pleasantville. The first-round matchups will take place at Central Lee.

District 11 will feature #1 Des Moines Christian, #2 Pella Christian, #3 Albia, #4 PCM, #5 Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, and #6 Central Decatur with the district champion advancing to the substate 6 final.

Up Next

Stay tuned to KILJ to find out our postseason broadcast schedule. Moreover, the Class 3A and Class 4A postseason brackets will be released on June 27th.

Special Gift Donated to K9 Mack of Lee County Sheriff’s Office

By Yorke Prough · Thursday, June 20th, 2024 at 10:38 am CDT

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office received good news as they were told that K9 Mack will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Mack’s vest is sponsored by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. and will be embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of K9 Hobbs, Des Moines, IA – EOW 12/12/23”. Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. This potentially lifesaving body armor for four-legged K9 officers is U.S. made, custom fitted, and NIJ certified. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has provided over 5,627 vests to K9s in all 50 states at a value of $6.9 million, made possible by both private and corporate donations.

The program is open to U.S. dogs that are at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K9s with expired vests are also eligible to participate. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. accepts tax-deductible contributions in any amount, while a single donation of $985 will sponsor one vest. Each vest has a value of $1800.00, weighs an average of 4-5 lb., and comes with a five-year warranty. For more information, or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts donations at www.vik9s.org, or you may mail your contribution to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718.

 

Tara Hillyer

By Yorke Prough · Thursday, June 20th, 2024 at 10:26 am CDT

Tara Gail Hillyer, 49, of Middletown, died Sunday, June 16, 2024, at her home.

Born May 18, 1975, in Mount Pleasant, she was the daughter of William and Linda Simmons Farr. On October 24, 1998, she married Steven P. Hillyer at Saints Mary and Patrick’s Catholic Church in West Burlington.

She was a graduate of Mount Pleasant High School. She attended Dayton’s School of Hair Design.

Tara was a hair stylist for many years at A Cut Above in Burlington. She was a United States Postal Carrier delivering for the rural routes covering West Point.

Tara enjoyed the outdoors; camping, fishing, working in her garden and planting flowers on the deck. She liked to spend time on the river and with her animals. She was a great cook, but never gave out her recipes. Most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her family and the numerous vacations they took.

Survivors include her husband, Steven Hillyer of Middletown; two children Cade Hillyer and Alivia Hillyer both of Middletown; mother, Linda Farr of Mount Pleasant; three siblings Lynette (William Lyon) Farr, Brian (Carol) Farr and Marla Farr all of Mount Pleasant; two sisters-in-law, Kim (Brian) Wolbert of Eldridge and Jan (Bill) Lippert of Burlington; brother-in-law, Kenneth (Hope) Hillyer of Middletown; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, father, brother and great niece.

Visitation will be from noon until 7:00 PM with the family to receive friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM Friday, June 21, 2024 at Prugh Funeral Service, 3940 Division Street.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

A memorial has been established for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Diesel and Unleaded Each Rise 3 Cents Across Iowa – Weekly Fuel Report

By Yorke Prough · Thursday, June 20th, 2024 at 8:30 am CDT

$3.18 is the average price across Iowa for a regular unleaded gallon of gasoline, according to AAA. This is a 3 cent rise from last week and a 12 cent drop from this time last year. This price creeps closer to the national average, which held steady this week at $3.45.

Diesel prices also rose 3 cents, for a statewide average of $3.52, which is 9 cents cheaper than last year, and 28 cents lower than the national average.

Natural gas prices fell 13 cents at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $2.88/MMbtu.

Tips for saving energy on the road or at home are available at energy.gov and fueleconomy.gov.