Mt. Pleasant Woman Involved in Rollover Denied Aircare Due to Weather

By Yorke Prough · Monday, December 4th, 2023 at 6:45 am CDT

There was a motor vehicle accident in Washington County on Sunday afternoon. A rollover occurred on Highway 92 between Quince and Redwood at approximately 3:38pm on December 3rd. Allyson Cotrell, 32, of Mt. Pleasant, was driving a minivan when she lost control of the vehicle and it rolled, eventually being considered totaled.

Cotrell was extricated from the vehicle via mechanical means and transported to the University of Iowa Hospital. Aircare was unable to fly due to the inclement weather conditions.

Big Changes for Southeast Iowa Union for 2024

By Yorke Prough · Monday, December 4th, 2023 at 6:43 am CDT

The Southeast Iowa Union is expecting big changes as 2023 gives way to the new year. According to a letter sent to their subscribers, beginning January 2nd, 2024, the Southeast Iowa Union will begin releasing a paper twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday, rather than a new edition every week day.

Economic pressures are the listed reason for this change, as they believe it is “unsustainable” to continue printing five days a week.

Other changes that come with this impact the way readers find information. Obituaries will now be published online as they are received. They will still be in the physical paper on Tuesday and Thursday. Sports stories will be posted after the contest, and a full version will follow in the print edition. Dear Abby and daily comics will be phased out, but the puzzles will continue in the newspaper.

New rates will appear on the next renewal notice.

Monday Morning Mobile Home Fire in Burlington

By Yorke Prough · Monday, December 4th, 2023 at 6:41 am CDT

At 1:50 AM on December 4th , 2023, the Burlington Fire Department and West Burlington Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire located at 11912 DMC HWY 99 Lot 103 in rural Burlington. Burlington firefighters arrived at 2:01 AM to find flames showing from a mobile home trailer.

The uninsured mobile home is owned by Roger Steffenmier who was not at home during the incident. Three roommates that were awake at the time of the fire were able to make it out safely. Firefighters were able to revive the family cat. There were no working smoke alarms present and the structure is considered a total loss.

The cause of the fire was due to improperly discarded smoking material, and it has been determined to be accidental.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported, and firefighters cleared the scene at 3:51 AM. Eleven initial firefighters arrived and were assisted by Danville Fire Dept., Gladstone Fire Dept., REC Electric, Alliant Gas, and Des Moines County Sheriffs Dept.

Sports, December 4th

By Slaten Swords · Monday, December 4th, 2023 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Basketball

The Mt. Pleasant girls’ team picked up their first win of the season, while the boys’ team fell to West Burlington by two points for the second year in a row. The girls’ team outscored the Falcons 11 to 4 in the second quarter to help stretch the gap to eventually win 48-29. The Panthers will travel to Oskaloosa tomorrow, December 5th, at 7 pm. 

The boys’ team managed to overcome a slow start to the game by tying the score heading into the fourth quarter, but Mason Watkins’ 18 points helped the Falcons walk out with a 56-54 victory after Kobe Davis made a three pointer with 12 seconds remaining to cement the final score. Payton Hagans led the Panthers with 18 points, while Christian Stacy finished with 10 points and Avin Truong cashed in for 12 points. The Panthers will host Xavier tomorrow at 7 pm. 

The Central Lee and Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ teams participated in the River Rivalry Shootout over the weekend hosted by the Hawks. Central Lee rushed out on a 12 to 1 run to start the game against West Prairie and did not let up as the Hawks won 68-26. Will Hayes led the team with 18 points. 

Winfield-Mt. Union fell to Illini Bluffs 55-48 in their matchup. The Edwards brothers led the way with Jake Edwards making four threes and finishing with 18 points, while Abram Edwards collected 13 points.

Central Lee will travel to take on Burlington Notre Dame tomorrow with the girls playing at 6 pm. 

WACO will host Winfield-Mt. Union tomorrow with the girls’ game starting at 6 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will have the call with the pregame show at 5:45 pm. 

The Danville girls’ will face off against Fort Madison tonight at 6 pm.

The Danville boys’ team sprinted past Wapello over the weekend 70-29. 

New London will compete against Danville tomorrow with the girls playing at 6 pm and the boys’ scheduled to play at 7:30 pm at home. 

Van Buren County will host West Burlington tomorrow with the girls’ game starting at 6 pm followed by the boys’ game. 

Mediapolis will host Holy Trinity Catholic tomorrow with the girls playing at 6 pm and the boys’ at 7:30 pm.  

High School Wrestling

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team competed at Williamsburg over the weekend with the Wildcats defeating Center Point-Urbana, but falling to Pella and Marshalltown. Russel Coil, Dakota Aney, Jaxton Jones, Ty Scorpil, and Cole Storm won all of their matches over the weekend. The Wildcats will travel to Highland for a Triangular on Thursday, December 7th. 

The Mt. Pleasant, WACO, and Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ teams competed in the 2nd Annual Willard Howell Girls Invite over the weekend with the Wildcats finishing with 60 team points, WACO with 35 points, and the Panthers taking 21st place. 

For Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union, Quinn Smith, in the 130-pound weight class, and Josie Nelson, in the 140-pound weight class, each finished in third pace for their respective weight classes. Lecet Quiroz grabbed fourth place in the 155-pound weight class. 

For WACO, Rylee Rice defeated Alivia Johnson of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont for third place in the 110-pound weight class. 

Mt. Pleasant traveled to Wapello for the 59th Willard Howell Invitational and Ramzy Davis won his fifth place match in the 150-pound weight class by major decision over Remington Fields of Highland, Riverside. 

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team will compete in an Invitational today, hosted by Pekin. 

The Mt. Pleasant and WACO girls’ teams will travel to Williamsburg today for an Invitational. 

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will compete in a Triangular at home on Thursday.

The New London boys’ team will travel to Wapello on Thursday to compete in a triangular. 

The WACO boys’ will compete in a meet on Thursday at Pekin. 

High School Bowling

Mt. Pleasant will face off against Keokuk on Thursday, December 7th.

College Football

Iowa State University will take on Memphis in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis on December 29th at 2:30 pm. The Cyclones defeated Memphis in the 2017 AutoZone Liberty Bowl 21-20. 

#20 Iowa played a strong defensive game against #1 Michigan, but the offense could only manage 155 total yards in a 26-0 loss in the Big Ten Championship. Tory Taylor averaged 50.4 yards per punt in the losing effort. The Hawkeyes will face off against #25 Tennessee in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on January 1st at noon. 

College Basketball

The Iowa State men’s team is tasked with taking on Iowa on December 7th at 6:30 pm at home. 

The Iowa State women’s team dominated UNCW yesterday 85-58. Addy Brown dropped 24 points in the winning effort, while Audi Crooks was a rebound away from a double-double with 16 points.

The #4 Iowa women’s team took care of Bowling Green yesterday 99-65. Two Hawkeyes finished with a double-double as Caitlin Clark scored 24 points and dished out 11 assists. Sharon Goodman cashed in 12 points while grabbing 11 rebounds. The Hawkeyes will compete against Iowa State on Wednesday, December 6th, at 6 pm in Ames. 

The Iowa men’s team will travel to Purdue tonight at 6 pm. 

This Day in Sports History

1909 – First CFL Grey Cup, Rosedale Field, Toronto: The University of Toronto Blues beat the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club, 26-6.

1909 – Oldest still-operating NHL franchise is officially established as J. Ambrose O’Brien and Jack Laviolette create the “Club de Hockey Canadien,” known today as the Montreal Canadiens. 

1988 – Edmonton center Jimmy Carson becomes just the third player to score six NHL hat tricks before the age of 21 in the Oilers 10-6 win over the New York Rangers.

Marc Moeller

By Yorke Prough · Monday, December 4th, 2023 at 5:53 am CDT

Marc Charles Moeller, age 69, of Mt. Pleasant, IA passed away on Nov. 30 in Mt. Pleasant.

Marc was born on January 4, 1954 in Denison, Iowa, the son of George Arnold and Elvera Marie (Schultz) Moeller, both of whom were born in Iowa. He was baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Schleswig, Iowa and later confirmed there on April 7, 1968. Marc graduated from Schleswig Community High School in 1972, and from the University of Iowa in 1976. He admitted he was drawn to the University of Iowa because he played football for the Schleswig Hawks and their school colors were black and gold.

 

Marc grew up on a farm northwest of Schleswig, and liked being outdoors. He enjoyed hunting and fishing at a local pond and at Spirit Lake. He was proud of being in 4-H, showing club calves and pigs at the Crawford County Fair in Denison, Iowa. Along with his brother, they broke and rode sorrel ponies for a neighbor. Dad was not happy with this venture. Later, Marc and his siblings became attached to and rode a full-size Buckskin horse named “Buck” which was used for cattle chores. During their high school years, they fed out a pen of five head of Hereford cattle for the Schleswig Calf Show Days held in September of each year. The family also raised hogs and fed them out; and they purchased feeder calves in the fall and fed them out as well. He picked up several key German phrases during his childhood years. Both of his parents spoke German, using it when they did not want their children to understand the conversation.

 

Marc was united in marriage to Sharon Mae (Shari) Thompson on June 26, 1982 at St. John Lutheran Church in Newhall, Iowa.

 

He followed and watched Hawkeye football and basketball games. He loved to work in the steel building on their small hobby farm southwest of Mt. Pleasant. He liked playing Euchre and other games. He listened to music from the fifties to the seventies, classic rock, and many other groups. He also took pleasure in attending the various sporting events and activities of their three children including cross country, track, volleyball, soccer, and band. He enjoyed humorous stories told by others as well.

 

He was employed in various banking positions as an agricultural lender in several southeastern Iowa communities including Keystone, Newhall, and Washington. He and his family moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in 2000. Marc concluded his career by working at Pilot Grove Savings Bank at both the Mt. Pleasant office and the Pilot Grove, Iowa office for the past 19 years and retired from there on December 31, 2018. He missed talking and working with fellow employees in addition to the personal contacts with his customers and friends at the bank.

 

Locally, Marc was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Mt. Pleasant, and served there as president and elder. He loved watching their grandsons and he called them the “Moeller boys” since he grew up with two older brothers. He had regard for following and discussing politics, and also appreciated the conservative point of view. He encouraged his own children to be grateful for everything.

Marc was preceded in death by his parents and three older siblings, Larry (1944 – 1951), Connie (1947 in infancy) of Schleswig and Dennis Moeller (1948 – 2020) of Petersburg, Nebraska.

 

Survivors include his wife Shari; daughter Jill of Lander, Wyoming; son Tyler and his wife Josie and their three sons Leo, Hugo, and Otto (true joys) of Mt. Pleasant; and daughter Lisa Bycroft and her husband Colby of Ankeny; one older brother Louis Moeller of Atkins, Iowa; one younger sister Carla Schmidt and her husband Bob of Pierre, South Dakota. In addition, he is survived by many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, nephews, great friends and good helpful neighbors.

 

Honorary pallbearers are: Peter Moeller, Allison Williams, John Moeller, Annie Kvamme, Chris Thompson and Tim Thompson.

 

According to his wishes, cremation has been entrusted to the care of Olson-Powell Chapel & Crematory of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

 

Visitation will be at Faith Lutheran Church on Friday, Dec. 8th from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 910 E Mapleleaf Dr, Mt. Pleasant, IA. The funeral service will take place at 10:30 on Saturday, Dec. 9th at Faith Lutheran. His inurnment will be at St. John Lutheran Cemetery, Newhall, Iowa.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial contributions may be made to Faith Lutheran Church for Son Shine Academy.

 

A special thank you to EveryStep Hospice. The family is grateful to them for helping achieve the goal to keep Marc at home. Memorials may also be directed to them at 118 N. Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641-2052.

 

www.powellfuneralhomes.com

December 4, 2023 – December 10, 2023

By Allison Jacobs · Sunday, December 3rd, 2023 at 4:38 pm CDT
12/04/23
Angela Kloberdanz
12/04/23
Emily Rozario
12/05/23
Larry Olson
12/05/23
Dave Bank
12/05/23
Ezi Swanson
12/06/23
Brenda Fredona
12/06/23
Melissa Flowers
12/06/23
Makenzie Sartorius
12/06/23
Samantha Doak
12/06/23
Coach Eric Rawson
12/07/23
Anne Weir
12/07/23
Kathy Hay
12/07/23
Dr. James Dunne
12/08/23
Dylan Burden
12/08/23
Terry McWilliams
12/08/23
James Schadt
12/08/23
Dale Calhoun
12/08/23
Julie Jennings
12/08/23
Prudy Mallams
12/09/23
Joe Goody
12/09/23
Kathy Glick
12/09/23
Stan Stigge
12/09/23
Carl Thomas
12/10/23
Kurt Moon
12/10/23
Calvin (Cal) Litwiller
12/10/23
Katherine Peiffer
12/10/23
Kelli Snodgrass
12/10/23
Jamie Thomas

Sports, December 2nd

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Basketball

Mt. Pleasant traveled to Burlington last night for a Southeast Conference matchup and the Panthers split their games against the Grayhounds. In the girls game, the Panthers kept the game close in the first half, even holding a 20 to 17 lead heading into halftime. However, the shots started falling for Mylee Stiefel and company as the Grayhounds scored 45 second half points on their way to win 62-38. Stiefel finished the contest with 30 points, which included six three-pointers. Abby Carthey led the way for the Panthers, scoring 12 points and nabbing five steals. 

After a slow start to the boys; game, Mt. Pleasant found their stride in the second quarter, outscoring Burlington 22 to 10 on their way to a 65-53 conference victory. Head Coach Eric Rawson was happy about how his team handled the tough environment. Payton Hagans kept driving to the hoop last night, resulting in lay-ups or a trip to the free throw line as he finished 15 of 20 from the charity stripe and collected 29 points in the contest. Christian Stacy also finished in double-digits with 11 points as Coach Rawson discussed the importance of his young playmakers. The Panthers will host West Burlington today with the girls playing at 2 pm. 

The Central Lee boys’ team will host an Iowa/Illinois shootout today at 4:30 pm. The girls’ team will travel to take on Burlington Notre Dame on December 5th at 6 pm. 

New London will compete against Danville on December 5th with the girls playing at 6 pm and the boys’ scheduled to play at 7:30 pm at home. 

Burlington Notre Dame breezed past Van Buren County last night as the girls’ team took down the Warriors 55-32 and the boys’ team for the Nikes defeated Van Buren County 72-32. The Warriors will host West Burlington on December 5th with the girls’ game starting at 6 pm followed by the boys’ game. 

The Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team fell to Pekin last night 51-40, while the boys took down the Panthers 55-37. Abram Edwards finished with a double-double, scoring 22 points and gathering 14 rebounds. The boys’ team for the Wolves will compete in an Iowa/Illinois shootout today at Central Lee at 4:30 pm. 

Both WACO teams found their way back to the win column last night against Wapello. For the girls’, Emma Wagler’s 19 points and Ella Huisenga’s 16 points helped lead the way to a 63-46 win, despite Tatum Wolford’s 22 points for the Arrows. In the boys’ game, the Warriors dominated from the beginning, winning 63-30. Clayton Miller led the Warriors in points with 15, followed by Issac Rich who finished with 14 points. WACO will host Winfield-Mt. Union on December 5th with the girls’ game starting at 6 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will have the call with the pregame show at 5:45 pm. 

The Mediapolis boys’ team lost to Danville last night 47-40 to move both teams to 1-1 on the season. The Bears will take on Wapello today at 3:30 pm at home. 

The Danville girls’ will face off against Fort Madison on December 4th at 6 pm.

The Holy Trinity Catholic girls’ team has now won three straight games after walloping West Burlington 63-26 last night. The boys’ team participated in a thriller, but the Falcons glided to a 59-58 win over the Crusaders. Luke Hellige cashed in for 19 points, while Layne Rung totaled 18 points.

Mediapolis will host Holy Trinity Catholic on December 5th with the girls playing at 6 pm and the boys’ at 7:30 pm.  

High School Wrestling

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team will head to Williamsburg today to compete in a tournament. 

The Mt. Pleasant girls’ and boys’ teams along with the WACO girls’ team will travel today to a tournament hosted by Wapello. 

The New London boys’ team will host a tournament today with WACO also in attendance.

The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union girls’ team will compete in an Invitational on December 4th, hosted by Pekin. 

High School Bowling

Mt. Pleasant will face off against Keokuk on December 7th.

College Football

Iowa State University will be assigned a bowl game tomorrow, December 3rd. 

#18 Iowa will compete for the Big Ten Championship tonight at 7:15 pm against Michigan. 

College Basketball

The Iowa State men’s team showed off their offensive prowess last night, defeating DePaul 99-80. Tamin Lipsey tallied a triple-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Tre King added a team-leading 24 points in the winning effort. The Cyclones are tasked with taking on Iowa on December 7th at 6:30 pm at home. 

The Iowa State women’s team will host UNCW tomorrow, December 3rd, at 1 pm. 

The #4 Iowa women’s team will take on Bowling Green today at home at 12:30 pm. 

The Iowa men’s team will travel to Purdue on December 4th at 6 pm. 

This Day in Sports History

1951 – Future Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Don Hutson has his #14 jersey retired by the Green Bay Packers; first number retired in franchise history.

1962 – 50th Grey Cup, Exhibition Stadium, Toronto: Winnipeg Blue Bombers edge Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 28-27; only final ever suspended during play (fog), and first to be finished on a Sunday.

1987 –  “334” club forms as 334 brave Devil fans journey through 20″ of snow to attend a New Jersey Devils 7-5 NHL victory over Calgary at the Meadowlands.

Paul Moeller – Pending

By Yorke Prough · Friday, December 1st, 2023 at 10:49 am CDT

Paul William Moeller, 74, of Salem, Iowa, passed away at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, November 30, 2023, at his home in Salem. Schmitz Funeral Home in West Point is assisting the family with arrangements.