Methamphetamine is the Downfall for Fort Madison Man

The Lee County Narcotics Task Force reports the arrest of Fort Madison man on felony and misdemeanor drug charges.
Donald James Hillman, age, 46, of Fort Madison is charged with; Possession of methamphetamine 3rd offense, a class D felony, and Possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor.
The charges came after the Lee County Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence in Fort Madison. It is alleged that Hillman had possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
The Lee County Narcotics Task Force was assisted by the Fort Madison Police Department and the Lee County Attorney’s Office.
The defendant in this case is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The Lee County Narcotics Task Force is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Justice and the funds administered by the Iowa Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy.

Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation Award

Across Iowa, dedicated educators are seamlessly incorporating agriculture into their classrooms to enhance the learning journeys of their students. The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation has an annual award – Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture – to honor and acknowledge these exceptional teachers.

The Iowa Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award is open to non-vocational pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers. The award aims to recognize an Iowa teacher for their integrated efforts to teach students about the importance of food and agriculture and increase students’ agriculture literacy.

Applications will be accepted through November 18 and the winner will be selected and recognized in December. The selected Iowa teacher will receive $500 to support their classroom instruction, as well as up to $1,000 to cover expenses to attend the 2024 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2024.

Outstanding teachers will showcase innovative approaches to integrating food and agriculture into their classroom. Agriculture can be the vehicle to teach a multitude of other content areas and apply these concepts in a relevant way for Iowa students.

Teachers can apply with or without a nomination. IALF encourages agriculture advocates, teachers, and all members of the community to recognize teachers who embody the criteria for this award by submitting a nomination.

Nominated educators will be notified that a community member supports their efforts and would like them to apply. All applicants, including nominated teachers, must apply officially by November 18.

For more information or to apply online visit: https://www.iowaagliteracy.org/tools-resources/general/grants.

Car Collision Causes Car to Spin Out

There was a motor vehicle accident on October 26th that resulted in a hospitalization.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a multiple vehicle accident. At 9:17am, a vehicle was traveling eastbound across Highway 61 when it pulled out in front of a second vehicle that was traveling northbound.

The second vehicle, a Hyundai operated by Diana Peck of Fort Madison, struck the first vehicle in the right rear side. The collision caused it to spin until it ended up on the opposite side of the highway on 175th St.

Peck’s vehicle rolled for 20 yards before coming to a stop. She was injured and transported to Great River Hospital in Burlington by Lee County EMS.

The driver of the first vehicle, Jesse Shires of Burlington, was uninjured at the scene and the airbags did not deploy. Jesse Shires was cited for Failure to Yield through Highway.

Methamphetamine Found in Fun City Hotel Room

Two women in Burlington are now behind bars after detectives discovered a large quantity of methamphetamine in their hotel room.

Detectives with the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force learned of a woman who was staying at the Fun City Resort Hotel on October 26th. They were aware that she had an active pretrial violation warrant stemming from a controlled substance violation that occurred last November.

Room surveillance began, and the detectives soon observed that the woman, Stephanie Echols, and another female, Wayann Hand, were walking to the parking lot. After contacting the two females, Echols told detectives that there was approximately one pound of methamphetamine in her room. Hand told detectives that she had a half-ounce of methamphetamine in the purse she was carrying.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for the hotel room, and located just over three quarters of a pound of methamphetamine, packaging materials and a digital scale. There were no drug tax stamps affixed to any of the packages of meth in Hand’s purse or the room.

As a result of this investigation, Stephanie Ann Echols, 41, and Wayann Marie Hand, 48, were both charged with Possession With Intent To Deliver Methamphetamine, class B felony, and Failure To Affix Drug Tax Stamp, class D felony.

SCC Announces New Degree Through U of I Partnership

Area students now have the opportunity to earn an engineering degree from the University of Iowa by starting at SCC. Officials from SCC and the University of Iowa College of Engineering signed an agreement on Monday to offer a transfer degree program that prepares SCC students to enter into one of the university’s engineering programs.

SCC Vice President of Academics Dr. Janet Shepherd said that the College identified in its strategic plan a number of areas for program development, including a pathway for engineering.

“This program allows our students interested in an engineering degree to complete two years right here at SCC while also taking classes through the University of Iowa as they work toward their baccalaureate degree.”

Students enrolled in the program will take advanced courses in math, physics, and chemistry along with other general education requirements as part of their two-year SCC transfer degree. They will also take core engineering courses taught by UI instructors each summer. In addition to the UI classes, students will have access to select support services through the UI College of Engineering along the way.

SCC President Dr. Michael Ash said the program has been a long time coming. SCC leadership first reached out to UI leadership to explore a partnership about ten years ago.

Students who successfully transfer to UI will be able to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in one of eight focuses of study including biomedical, chemical, computer science, and mechanical engineering.

 

For more information about the SCC-UI Engineering transfer degree, visit scciowa.edu or contact SCC Admissions Office at (319) 208-5155, or visit engineering.uiowa.edu/transfer.

Sports, October 27th

High School Football

#10 WACO will face off against #7 Don Bosco in a road matchup tonight with kickoff at 7 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will have the call with the pregame show at 6:45 pm. 

#1 Winfield-Mt. Union will have another home matchup with Moravia making the trip at 7 pm. KILJ 98.5 FM, AM 1130, and kilj.com will have the call. 

Both Winfield-Mt. Union and WACO were set up in Pod A.

#10 Mediapolis will take on Camanche tonight at home with kickoff scheduled for 7 pm. Jesup and #4 Monticello is the other matchup in Pod D.

In Class 3A, Fort Madison and Assumption were placed in Pod B with the Bloodhounds traveling to take on Solon and the Knights colliding with West Delaware.

Mt. Vernon was placed in Pod C as the Mustangs will host Independence. Williamsburg will take on Humboldt at home. 

High School Volleyball

Holy Trinity Catholic grabbed the #3 seed and will take on #6 Don Bosco for the first round of the state tournament on October 31st at 8:25 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will have the call with the pregame show at 8:05 pm. Head Coach Melissa Freesmeier discussed what this team will hang its hat on in Coralville. 

The other matchups for Class 1A include: #1 Ankeny Christian facing off against #8 Newell-Fonda, #4 BCLUW competing against #5 Saint Ansgar, and #2 Boyden-Hull taking on #7 St. Albert. 

Cross Country

The state meet will be run at Fort Dodge with Class 1A and 4A running today and Class 2A and 3A competing tomorrow, October 28th. 

For the boys, Danville will be competing as a team with Carter Fesler, Noah Horn, Nick Powell, Jackson Shacklett, Isaac Shinn, Yaley Trevor, and Talan Whaley all running. Lincoln Bainbridge of Van Buren County and Kohlby Newsom of Winfield-Mt. Union will run as individuals. 

 For the girls, Alaina Gourley will be running as an individual for Danville. 

College Football

Iowa will enjoy their bye week.

Iowa State University will be back in action this week against Baylor tomorrow, October 28th. 

For the Cyclone broadcast, tune in to KILJ 98.5 FM and AM 1130. 

This Day in Sports History

1995 – The contract is signed to finalize the Cleveland Browns’ move to Baltimore. 

2004 – World Series: Boston beats St. Louis, 3-0, in Game 4 at Busch Stadium to sweep the Cardinals and win the Red Sox their first title since 1918; MVP: Boston outfielder Manny Ramirez.

2021 – Cleveland Guardians men’s roller derby team files a lawsuit seeking to block the MLB Cleveland’s name change.

Kirk Heater

Kirk Heater, 69, of Wapello passed away on Monday, October 23, 2023 at Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House.  Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 3, 2023 at the Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral & Cremation Services of Wapello.  Memorial Services for Kirk will be 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at the funeral home.  A tailgate will follow services at the Wapello Briggs Center.  At Kirk’s request all in attendance for visitation, service and the tailgate should honor Kirk by wearing black and gold.   A memorial has been established for future projects at the L.J. Thompson Park (South End Park) in Wapello in Kirk’s memory.  Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sandhfuneralservices.com.    

Kirk Bradley Heater was born on July 14, 1954 in Burlington, Iowa, the son of Harry and Sally (Nott) Heater.  Kirk graduated from Morning Sun High School in the Class of 1972.   On September 7, 1971, he was united in marriage to Myrtle Strawhacker in Morning Sun.  Kirk worked for J.I. Case Company for 30 years, retiring in 2002.  He then began working for the City of Wapello where he spent another 20 years and most recently worked at mowing at the Solar Farm.  In his younger days, he was a member of Morning Sun Jaycees, Morning Sun Methodist Church, an I-Club Member and Ducks Unlimited.  He enjoyed hunting ducks with his dad, golfing, bowling, and coaching youth baseball and softball.   He was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan being a season ticket holder for 30 years to Iowa Football and men’s basketball.  He was also a fan of the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Cardinals.

Kirk will be deeply missed by his wife Myrtle Heater of Wapello; daughter, Stephanie (Eric) Bird of Logansport, Indiana and son, Jaye (Katy) Heater of Marion; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; brothers, Dave (Sue) Heater of Wapello and Mark Heater of Joy, Illinois; bonus brother, Kim Hewitt and the sister he never had, Cindy Bockes.

He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents and his beloved dog, Molly.

Free Books at IW Campus

The Campus of Iowa Wesleyan will once again host Community Days, to give the public an opportunity to get free items.

The library will be open again, yet this time, only books are up for grabs. A wide variety of books awaits the community, including instructional, research, fiction, and non-fiction. Once again, this is a first come, first serve event and there is no “holding” books. Small wagons are permitted to help carry books. These may be taken at no charge.

The library will be open November 3rd, from 4-8pm, and November 4th 9am-5pm.