Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, Fort Madison, welcomed Henry Lee Meng, son of Randy Brooks and Cory Meng, as the hospital’s first baby born in 2024. Henry was born at 9:01 a.m. on Thursday, January 4, 2024. He weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz. and was 21” long. The first baby of the new year was delivered by Dr. Timothy Staudte.
Sports, January 9th
High School Basketball
The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team survived a flurry of late three-pointers last night to extend their win streak to 7 games after taking down Wilton 64-60. The Panthers held onto a slim 34 to 29 lead entering the second half and that’s when Nate Stroud took over as he started the third quarter off with a dunk that gave Mt. Pleasant all the momentum. The Beavers were held to just four points in the third quarter as Stroud finished the game with 19 points. Head coach Eric Rawson talked about the big man’s play after the game. Payton Hagans had a game high 21 points as Christian Stacy also finished in double figures with 11 points.
Mt. Pleasant will face off against Burlington at home on Friday, January 12th, with the girls playing at 6 pm. Coach Rawson knows the matchup could be a statement game.
The WACO girls’ team will compete against Iowa Valley on Thursday, January 11th, at 7:30 pm in a road matchup. The boys’ team will take on Wapello on Friday on the road at 7:30 pm.
Winfield-Mt. Union will host Louisa-Muscatine with the girls scheduled to play at 6 pm and the boys to follow.
The Van Buren County/New London matchup scheduled for tonight has been moved to Thursday with the girls leading off the night at 6 pm.
Central Lee will travel to New London on Friday with the girls’ team leading off the night at 6 pm.
The Danville versus Holy Trinity Catholic boys’ game scheduled for tonight has been postponed. A make up date will be announced at a later time.
The Holy Trinity Catholic girls’ team will face off against West Burlington on Friday at 6 pm at home.
High School Wrestling
The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team will be hosting WACO and New London in a triangular on Thursday, January 11th.
The Mt. Pleasant girls’ and boys’ teams will travel to Washington to compete in a dual on Thursday.
The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team will participate in a tournament hosted by Louisa-Muscatine on January 20th.
The WACO girls’ team will compete in an invitational on Saturday, January 13th.
High School Bowling
Mt. Pleasant will host Fairfield on January 18th.
College Basketball
The #4 Iowa women’s team will travel to take on Purdue tomorrow, January 10th, at 7 pm.
Caitlin Clark broke the conference record after garnering her 24th career Big Ten Player of the Week honor. Clark drilled the game winner and finished with 40 points against Michigan State, then followed that up with her 50th career double-double against Rutgers.
The Iowa State women’s team will host West Virginia tomorrow at 6:30 pm.
Earning Big 12 women’s basketball Freshman of the Week was Addy Brown for her first ever honor as a Cyclone. She scored 38 points over her two games this past week as she also collected her seventh career double-double.
The Iowa State men’s team will face off against #2 Houston tonight at 6 pm.
The Iowa men’s team will play at home on Friday against Nebraska at 8:30 pm.
Owen Freeman collected his fifth Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor after averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last week.
This Day in Sports History
1958 – Oscar Robertson, in his varsity debut, scored 56 points against Seton Hall inside Madison Square Garden in a 118-54 win.
1972 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leads the Milwaukee Bucks past the Los Angeles Lakers, 120-104, ending LA’s consecutive win streak at 33, the longest winning streak in major league sports history.
1991 – Dean Smith of North Carolina is the 6th coach to win 700 career basketball games.
There’s Snow Reason to Drive Today: More Snow Expected Throughout the Day
Snow has fallen in Southeast Iowa and whatever your thoughts on it, there will be more. The National Weather service is forecasting an additional 1-2 inches of snow per hour at certain times throughout the day.
Expect heavy winds this afternoon, in excess of 40mph. This will cause blowing snow and make travel very difficult. While plows have been out on the roads this morning, cars have been seen in ditches. Do not drive if you do not need to, and if you do, slow down and pay attention. Expect commute time to increase greatly this morning and throughout the day.
For a list of closures and cancellations due to this storm, head to KILJ.com and click on the purple banner detailing the weather related announcements.
Henry County Democratic Party to Host New Caucus Format on January 15th
The Henry County Democratic Central Committee will be hosting the county’s Democratic Caucuses for all county precincts on January 15, 2024 at 7:00pm at 120 S. Main Street, Suite 103 in Mount Pleasant.
The new Iowa Democratic Caucuses will consist of two parts. One part will be the mail-in expression of Presidential preference. Iowa Democrats will be able to request a presidential preference card through the mail or online. The last day to request a preference card is February 19, 2024.
The second part will be the in-person precinct caucuses which will be held in-person on January 15, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. The in-person precinct caucuses are when the party conducts traditional party business. Party members elect unbound delegates and alternate delegates to county conventions, elect county central committee members and discuss platform resolutions that can be shared at county conventions. Participants must be in-line or signed-in by 7:00pm to participate.
No Presidential preference will be taken at the in-person precinct caucuses. The results of the mail-in Presidential preference will be released on March 5.
More information, including details about changes to the Iowa caucus process, is available at www.iowademocrats.org/caucus/
The caucus is a great way to get involved in grassroots activities with the Iowa Democratic Party.
All Henry County Democrats are encouraged to attend. Visit www.prohenrycounty.org for more information about the county caucus and other local events.
Student Charged After Firing Shots at Vehicle
On the morning of Sunday, January 7th, 2024, Fort Madison officers were dispatched to an address on Florence Drive to a report of criminal mischief. At that time, it was discovered that an unoccupied vehicle had been shot multiple times with a firearm. Evidence was recovered at the scene and interviews were conducted. The owner, also named a suspect, believing it was perpetrated because of an earlier dispute between the two.
With the assistance of Southeastern Community College staff and West Burlington Police Department, Fort Madison detectives executed a search warrant that same day at the Blackhawk Tower Apartments in West Burlington. Subsequently, additional evidence was recovered and Angel Joann Maes, age 19, a resident of the SCC housing, was taken into custody.
Maes has been charged with Going Armed with Intent (D felony); Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon (D felony); 1st degree Harassment (aggravated misd) and Reckless Use of a Firearm (aggravated misd). She was subsequently transported to the Lee County Jail where she awaits arraignment in North Lee County District Court.
The public is advised that this was determined to be an isolated event between involved parties, and not a continued threat to the general community. Also, that charges are merely an accusation of a crime, and the suspect presumed innocent until conviction in a court of law.
Man Arrested in Lee County for Attempted Murder
A man was arrested in Lee County on Friday for an attempted murder. According to a release, at approximately 7:30 pm on January 5th, Trent Lee Drollinger was arrested on a Van Buren County arrest warrant charging him with Attempted Murder, a Class B Felony.
Drollinger is currently being held in the Van Buren County Jail on a $500,000 cash only bond.
This investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed.
New London City Council Meeting Agenda 1/8
AGENDA FOR NEW LONDON CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
JANUARY 8TH, 2024 – MONDAY EVENING – 6:00 P.M.
CITY OFFICE – 112 W. MAIN ST.
- CALL TO ORDER REGULAR MEETING: Mayor Kirk Miller
- ROLL CALL: Travis Benz, Brad Helmerson, Dan Berner, Scott Campbell and Dawn Sines
- APPROVAL OF AGENDA
- INVOCATION: Kirk Miller
- REPORTS:
- Police Dept.
- Fire Department
- Public Works (1)
- Parks & Recreation
- Utilities (2-6)
- Child Care
- Mayor
- OPEN FORUM:
- CONSENT AGENDA:
- Approve minutes of previous meetings (7-11)
- Accept Clerk’s Financial Reports (12-14)
- Approve Payment of Claims (Handout)
- OLD BUSINESS:
- Discuss and take action on a proposal for sanitation services for fiscal years 2024-2025, 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 (15-22)
- Discuss the 28E Agreement for Combined Law Enforcement Operations Between the City of New London and Henry County, Iowa (23-27)
- Discuss the 28E Agreement for Supplemental Law Enforcement Services (28-30)
- NEW BUSINESS:
- Approve the final pay estimate with retainage #6 for Hickey Contracting Company for the Division St. Paving and Storm Sewer Project (31-32)
- Approve the Contract for Legal Services with Lynch Dallas (33-35)
- Approve Resolution #417 Reasonable Competitive Bidding procedures for Disposition of Certain Property Located within the South Pine Street Urban Renewal Area; Directing Publication of Related Notices; and Declaring the Intent of the City to Accept the Offer Submitted by Johnson Homes, Inc. in the Event that no Qualified Competing Proposals are Submitted (36-43)
- Approve Resolution #418 Clarifying Ownership and Responsibility of the Main Street Streetlight Banners (44)
- Approve selling the 1999 Ford F-250 Dump Truck at auction
- Discuss and take action on selling the 1994 International 4900 Dump Truck to NLMU
- MEETINGS:
- Public Works Committee, As Needed, Shop at WWTP
- Public Safety Committee, As Needed, City Office
- Finance Committee, January ______, 2024 at_____________, City Office
- Finance Committee Fire Townships, January ______, 2024 at_____________, City Office
- Regular City Council Meeting, February 12th, 2024 at 6:00 P.M., City Office
- ADJOURNMENT
NLCSD Receives AED
Henry County Sheriff Richard McNamee is happy to announce that Henry County Deputy Sheriff Carlos Lopez, who works at the New London School District as a School Resource Office, recently applied for a grant to receive an AED (Defibrillator) for the New London Community School District. The grant, received from the Bureau of Emergency Medical and Trauma Services, was given for the purchase of the AED. It was purchased and is now on school grounds in an effort to provide continual safety for students and staff. This is part of the School Resource Program agreement between New London Consolidated School District and Henry County Sheriff’s Office that began with this school year.
