MPHS January Portrait of a Panther Students Announced

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 at 4:50 pm CDT

Mount Pleasant High School is recognizing its January Portrait of a Panther students.

School officials announced Angel Joseph and Brynnlin Rodibaugh as this month’s honorees. In addition, six other outstanding students were nominated: Shaye Barbee, Olivia Hill, Louie Lord, Chloe Parriott, Ellaina McMullin, and Caden Mullin.

Students were nominated by staff members for demonstrating qualities such as resilience, integrity, compassion, responsibility, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Please congratulate these students if you see them at school or around town, and encourage them to keep up the great work. We are proud of our Panthers!

 

Henry County Supervisors Move Forward With Interim County Attorney Appointment

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 at 2:32 pm CDT

The Henry County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 12:15 p.m. to take action on filling the vacancy in the Henry County Attorney’s Office.

During the meeting, supervisors approved a motion to post a public notice of intent to appoint an interim county attorney. The board plans to make the appointment during a supervisor’s meeting scheduled for February 19.

Interviews with individuals already known to be interested in the position are expected to be held on Friday, February 13. Supervisors noted that interviewees have the right to request their interviews be conducted in closed session, as permitted under Iowa law.

The appointed individual would serve as county attorney from the date of appointment until the next general election, unless a special election is triggered through a citizen petition. To force a special election, residents would need to submit a petition with just over 500 valid signatures from Henry County voters within 14 days of the appointment.

According to the Henry County Auditor’s Office, the cost of a special election is estimated to be at least $20,000, which would be paid by county taxpayers.

The meeting adjourned following the discussion.

 

Nominate Your Favorite Restaurant in Iowa’s Best Burger Contest

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 at 1:45 pm CDT

The Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association have announced the return of the Iowa’s Best Burger Contest, inviting Iowans to once again nominate their favorite burgers while supporting local restaurants across the state.

Now in its 17th year, the contest celebrates Iowa-raised beef and the restaurants that serve it, connecting consumers, cattle producers, and the foodservice community. Each year, thousands of nominations are submitted from across Iowa.

Kylie Peterson with the Iowa Beef Industry Council says the contest is a grassroots way to highlight quality beef and encourage people to explore local restaurants, while celebrating beef’s role at the center of the plate.

Nominations for the Iowa’s Best Burger Contest are open now and close March 9, 2026, at 5 p.m. The Top Ten burgers will be announced March 13, 2026 with the overall winner named on May 1, 2026, kicking off May Beef Month in Iowa.

Restaurants must serve a 100-percent real beef patty on a bun or bread product to be eligible. Finalists will be evaluated through a secret taste test by contest judges.

Iowans can nominate their favorite burger online at iabeef.org.

Henry County Board of Supervisors to Meet at 12:15 p.m. Today, 2/10/26

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 at 11:07 am CDT

The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet today, Tuesday, February 10th, for a special meeting.

The meeting will begin at 12:15 p.m. at the Henry County Courthouse, located at 100 East Washington Street in Mount Pleasant.

On the agenda, supervisors will discuss and take possible action on posting public notice of their intent to appoint an interim Henry County Attorney. The board will also discuss scheduling interviews for individuals already known to be interested in the position.

The meeting is open to the public. KILJ plans to be there to bring you a report.

MPCSD’s Dr. Angie Butler Named 2026 Central Office Administrator of the Year

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 at 11:02 am CDT

A Mount Pleasant school leader is being recognized at the state level for excellence in educational leadership.

Dr. Angie Butler, Director of Instruction with the Mount Pleasant Community School District, has been named the 2026 Central Office Administrator of the Year by the School Administrators of Iowa.

In announcing the award, SAI Executive Director Lisa Remy praised Butler for her strong instructional leadership, saying she has fostered a culture of continuous improvement while empowering educators across the district. Remy noted that Butler’s clear expectations and responsive support make her a model for central office administrators statewide.

Dr. Butler brings nearly 20 years of experience in K-through-12 education. She began her career as a special education teacher, a role she says shaped her commitment to equity and access for all students. Those values are reflected in her guiding principles—Passion, Authenticity, Respect, Integrity, and Synergy—which she uses to guide her leadership.

Before coming to Mount Pleasant in 2022, Butler served in several roles in the Burlington and Washington school districts, including teacher, instructional coach, principal, and director of special education.

She is also an adjunct instructor at Viterbo University and Mount Mercy University and serves as an intern supervisor for Viterbo. Butler earned her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Northern Iowa in 2023.

One reference highlighted Butler’s leadership in developing the district’s “Portrait of a Panther” initiative, which outlines the core competencies Mount Pleasant graduates are expected to achieve and integrates them into daily classroom practice.

Reflecting on the honor, Butler said she is grateful to work alongside dedicated educators and to be part of a community that strongly supports its schools and students.

Dr. Butler will be formally honored at the School Administrators of Iowa conference this August.

Construction Worker Airlifted After Being Struck by Vehicle

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 at 10:53 am CDT

On Monday, February 9, 2026, at approximately 3:55pm, the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 24000 block of Highway 34 for a motor vehicle accident involving injuries. During the investigation, it was determined that a construction worker was struck by a motor vehicle.

The victim was airlifted from the scene by MercyOne. The extent of the victim’s injuries is unknown at this time.

The names of the driver and the victim are being withheld pending notification. More information will be released at a later time.

The Wapello County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Blakesburg Fire & Rescue, ORMICS, MercyOne, and Wapello County Emergency Management.

Sports, February 10th

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 at 6:32 am CDT

High School Basketball

Mt. Pleasant split their night with Ottumwa as the girls’ team fell to the Bulldogs, 77-32, while the boys’ team spoiled their senior night, 64-36. Four Panthers finished the night in double figures for the boys’ team, including 15 points off five three-pointers by Aiden Humble, the fourth time he’s done that this season.

West Burlington will travel to Mt. Pleasant tonight for a doubleheader starting at 6:30 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 6:15 pm.

The Fairfield boys’ team was squashed by Mid-Prairie last night, 75-28. The Fairfield girls’ team will face off against Davis County tonight at 7 pm on the road. 

The Van Buren County boys’ team traded blows with Twin Cedars last night but came up short in the effort, losing to the Sabers 76-74. The Warriors finished the regular season with a 6-16 record. 

Holy Trinity Catholic swept Clark County last night with the girls’ team winning 49-31 and the boys’ team stomping them 70-35. Layne Rung cashed in for 22 points for the boys’ team. The Crusader girls’ team finished the regular season with a 5-15 record as their contest with Burlington Notre Dame was canceled for tonight, while the boys’ team collected a 14-7 record for the regular season. 

The Columbus girls’ team’s 24-point fourth quarter led the Wildcats past Cardinal last night in comeback fashion, 59-49. The Wildcats finished the regular season with an 11-10 record. 

The Danville girls’ team finished the regular season on a 10-game winning streak, surviving a rough third quarter of offense to pick up the 51-47 victory over Louisa-Muscatine. Alaina Gourley led the scoring with 17 points, as she sits 52 points away from 1,000 career points. 

The Danville boys’ team will host Davis County tonight at 7:30 pm.

The WACO boys’ team will look to bounce back against Wapello at home tonight at 7:30 pm. 

The Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team will head to Pekin tonight with gametime at 7:30 pm.

The Burlington Notre Dame boys’ team will face off against Keokuk at 6 pm on the road. 

Central Lee boys’ team will hit the road to take on Davis County on Thursday, February 12th, at 7:30 pm.

Girls’ Regional Basketball

The regional brackets for Class 1A are set to start on Thursday, February 12th, at 7 pm and Classes 2A and 3A starting on Saturday, February 14th, at the same time. Here’s a look at our local competition.

In Class 1A Region 4, New London will make the trip to Lone Tree.

Wapello will host Burlington Notre Dame.

Over in Region 6, Winfield-Mt. Union will travel to Highland. 

WACO will face off against Pekin on the road. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 6:45 pm.

In Class 2A Region 8, Van Buren County will host Columbus. 

In Class 3A Region 6, #9 Mediapolis will get another swing at Central Lee at home.

Boys’ Basketball Rankings and District Schedules

The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released both the sixth edition of their rankings and the district brackets for Classes 1A and 2A yesterday and here’s the breakdown.

#3 Burlington Notre Dame kept their positioning in the Class 1A top 10 despite the loss to Class 2A’s #10 Pella Christian. The Nikes were able to bounce back with their 19th double-digit victory of the season to claim the Southeast Iowa Super Conference title over Hillcrest Academy. Notre Dame has also posted the most victories against teams with a record above 0.500 in Class 1A, going 14-1. 

The Class 1A district bracket is scheduled to start on Friday, February 13th, with the preliminary round. The first round for Classes 1A and 2A is scheduled for Monday, February 16th, with all games tipping-off at 7 pm.

Class 1A Substate 5 District 9 is where most of our local teams were placed with #3 Notre Dame grabbing on to the top seed.

To start off the bracket, New London will host Highland on Friday with the winner advancing to play the Nikes. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 6:45 pm.

On Monday, Winfield-Mt. Union and Danville will square off in the #4-#5 seed contest with the Wolves getting to host.

Holy Trinity Catholic will take on WACO at home. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 6:45 pm.

Over in Substate 5 District 10, Wapello will travel to Hillcrest Academy on Monday.

In Class 2A Substate 5 District 9, Central Lee earned the first round bye and will take on the winner between West Burlington and Cardinal with the Falcons getting to host. 

On the top half of the bracket, Van Buren County will hit the road to play Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont to open the first round.

In Substate 5 District 10, Columbus will face off against Durant on the road and Mediapolis will host Louisa-Muscatine for their first round showdowns. 

The Class 3A and Class 4A brackets will be released on Monday.

High School Wrestling

The boys’ district wrestling meets are scheduled for Saturday, February 14th.

Coralville’s Xtreme Arena is set to host the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s first State Dual Team tournament in January 2027. The site already hosts the State Volleyball tournament and State Individual Wrestling Tournaments. 

High School Bowling

The girls’ state meet is scheduled for today through Thursday, February 12th, in Waterloo. Keokuk will be competing as a team today, while Mt. Pleasant’s Shyann Smith will bowl as an individual along with Keokuk’s Allison Sapp, Jaelynn Ketterer, and Josie Sapp tomorrow.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released the state qualifying meet assignments for the boys’ teams and Central Lee will host West Burlington, while Fairfield will travel to Monticello in Class 1A.

 In Class 2A, Clinton will play host to Burlington, Keokuk, and Mt. Pleasant.

Both meets are scheduled for Monday, February 16th, at 10 am.

Southeastern Community College

The women’s basketball team will travel to Ellsworth Community College tomorrow, February 11th, at 5:30 pm.

The men’s basketball team snuck out with a 100-97 overtime victory over Illinois Central College last night. Trevan Krumrei, Prophet Fields, and Aric Hines each put up at least 20 points in the victory. The Blackhawks will travel to Indian Hills Community College on Saturday, February 14th, at 7 pm.

The men’s and women’s wrestling teams will travel to North Iowa Area Community College for the District Championships on Sunday, February 15th. 

College Basketball

The Iowa State women’s team will compete against BYU on the road tonight at 8 pm.

The #15 Iowa women’s team will host Washington tomorrow, February 11th, at 6:30 pm.

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

The #5 Iowa State men’s team will take on TCU on the road tonight at 8 pm.

This Day in Sports History

1920 – Baseball outlaws all pitches that involve tampering with the ball. 

1971 – Bill White becomes the first African American baseball announcer. 

1989 – To gain deregulation, the WWF admits pro wrestling is an exhibition and not a sport in a New Jersey court.

Caution is Advised by Iowa DNR as Ice Conditions Rapidly Deteriorate

By Kadie Johannson · Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 at 6:26 am CDT

With temperatures warming up this week, ice conditions at many Iowa lakes are changing quickly. DNR conservation officers urge caution as conditions for ice- related activities, such as fishing and OHV riding, deteriorate.

“Ice conditions have been changing by the day, and even by the hour in some places,” said Craig Cutts, Iowa DNR Law Enforcement Bureau Chief.

Lack of snow cover, which typically slows winter ice melt even on slightly warmer days, means sunshine and warm temps will cause the ice to crack and contract, making ice unpredictable and potentially dangerous.

According to Cutts, when there is no snow cover, areas closest to the bank of the lake will become dangerous first. “This is where you can go through quickly, so be sure and check ice thickness every step of the way.”

Use caution if heading out and keep plenty of distance from open water. The standard safety practices of checking ice thickness frequently, and including a life jacket, throwable floatation and 50 feet of rope with your fishing equipment is encouraged.

“We emphasize that ice thickness varies on each body of water. It’s a good reminder that no ice is 100 percent safe – and to trust your instincts – if it doesn’t look right, stay off,” Cutts said