Donnellson Man Faces Felony Child Sexual Abuse Charge

By Allison Jacobs · Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 at 6:26 am CDT

A Donnellson man is facing a felony charge after police say he sexually abused a child last summer.

Thirty-five-year-old Daryl Lee Manley of Donnellson was arrested Friday by the West Point-Donnellson Police Department and charged with second-degree sexual abuse, a Class B felony.

Authorities say Manley admitted to sexually abusing a victim at his home in August of 2025.

The complaint also states that Manley told investigators he threatened to kill himself if the victim told anyone.

Manley is being held at the Lee County Jail on a 30-thousand-dollar cash-only bond.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. March 9.

Under Iowa law, a person convicted of a Class B felony faces up to 50 years in prison.

Central Lee Superintendent Named As Finalist in Waukee Superintendent Search

By Allison Jacobs · Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 at 6:17 am CDT

The Central Lee Community School District could soon be searching for a new superintendent.

Central Lee Superintendent Dr. Andy Crozier (Crow-Zure) has been named one of three finalists for the superintendent position in the Waukee Community School District in Central Iowa. The other finalists include Mark Lane, superintendent of the Woodward Granger Community School District, and Dr. Michelle Morse, superintendent of the Bettendorf Community School District.

The Waukee district expects a final decision during the Waukee School Board meeting on March 12. The position would begin July 1.

Crozier says he was not actively looking for a new position but decided to consider the opportunity when the opening in Waukee became available.

If selected, Crozier says he would remain at Central Lee through the end of the current school year. If the district chooses another candidate, he says he is happy to remain in his current role.

Crozier has served as superintendent at Central Lee after previously working as an educator, activities director, and digital learning coordinator. He also currently serves on the Iowa High School Athletic Association Board of Control.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Washington County

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 at 5:51 pm CDT

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 HPAI) in a multi-species backyard flock in Washington County. This case is Iowa’s fifth detection of H5N1 HPAI in 2026.

About H5N1 HPAI in Birds

H5N1 HPAI is a viral disease that affects both wild and domestic bird populations. H5N1 HPAI can travel in wild birds without those birds appearing sick, but is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys.

Heightened Biosecurity 

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is strongly encouraging Iowa poultry producers and backyard flock owners to continue bolstering their biosecurity practices and protocols to protect their flocks. The Department has numerous biosecurity resources to reference on its website.

Suspected Cases in Poultry 

If poultry producers or those with backyard birds suspect signs of H5N1 HPAI, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

Clinical signs of H5N1 HPAI in birds may include:  

  • Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs
  • Lethargy and/or lack of energy and appetite
  • Decrease in egg production
  • Soft, thin-shelled and/or misshapen eggs
  • Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks
  • Purple/blue discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Coughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose)
  • Stumbling and/or falling down
  • Diarrhea

Food Safety 

It remains safe to enjoy eggs and poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always properly handle and cook eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F.

Wild and Migratory Birds

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) asks those who find 20 or more sick or dead wild birds in a small area to report their findings to local DNR Wildlife Management staff.

Public Health 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to believe the threat to the general public remains low. Any questions related to public health should be directed to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

List of Confirmed Cases

As H5N1 HPAI detections are confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, those cases are added to tracking websites located on the USDA APHIS website.

Henry County Conservation Department Board Meeting – March 4th, 2026

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 at 5:35 pm CDT

The Henry County Conservation Board will hold their March Board meeting on Wednesday, March 4, 2025, at 4:30 pm in the conservation board meeting room at the office in Oakland Mills.

Items on the agenda will include: Playground Update, FY26/27 Budget Discussion, Director Report, and Naturalist Reports.

Please contact the conservation department if you have any questions, 319-986-5067.

Wayland City Council Agenda

By Allison Jacobs · Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 at 5:23 pm CDT

MAYOR:  Travis Shelman

COUNCIL: Caylon DeVaul, Kathie Grimm, Jamie Roth, Chad Rohe, Mike Miller

CLERK: Beverly Conrad

TREAS: Terry Kaufman

ATTORNEY:  Lynch Dallas

March 4th, 2026

  1. Roll Call
  1. Consent Agenda

Note:  These are routine items and will be enacted by one motion without separate discussion unless a Council member requests an item be removed for separate consideration.

  1. Minutes of February 18, 2026
  2. Bills for Payment/CD Renewals
  3. Report
  4. Clerks Budgetary Report
  5. Utility Dept. Report
  6. Police Dept. Report
  7. Firefighter Dept. Report
  8. Building Permits – none

 

  1. Citizen Forum

The Mayor and City Council welcome comments from the public for items not listed on the agenda.  You are asked to state your name and address for the record and to limit your remarks in order that others may be given the opportunity to speak.  The Order of Business is at the discretion of the Chair.  No action will be taken.

 

  1. Unfinished Business
  1. Proposed Main Street Paving Project – Warner Engineering

 

  1. New Business
    1. Sewer Improvement Project Financing Information – Tim Oswald of Piper Sandler
    2. 2026-07 A Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Amendment to Its Gas Supply Agreement with PEFA, Inc. in Connection with the Reset of the Available Discount in PEFA, Inc.’s Gas Prepayment Project; Approving the Issuance of Bonds by PEFTA, Inc.; and Related Matters
    3. 2026-08 Resolution Proposing Sale of Real Property and Setting Public Hearing
    4. Dakota Avenue – Street Maintenance Options
    5. Set Specs for Bid Ad to Sell 1998 Ford F700 (sander truck) & Snowblade
    6. Training–Aaron Barnhart–Pipeline Safety Conference–April 28 & 29, 2026-Ankeny

 

  1. Adjournment

Prep Boys’ Basketball: Southeast Iowa Super Conference Teams for the 2025-26 Season

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 at 3:51 pm CDT

Prep Boys’ Basketball- The Southeast Iowa Super Conference (SEISC) released their All-Conference lists for the boys’ teams of the North and South divisions and #4 Burlington Notre Dame swept the Player and Coach of the Year honors, as the Nikes punched their ticket to the state tournament for the first time since 2009.

North Division

Pekin’s Cole Millikin was on the top of everyone’s scouting report as the senior finished the season 3rd in the North in points per game with 19.4 and led the conference in three pointers made per game.

Taking home Coach of the Year was Hillcrest Academy’s Stephen Bender. The Ravens finished the season with an 18-4 record and three points away from winning the Class 1A Substate 5 District 10 championship, falling 48-46 to Calamus-Wheatland. The Ravens are now back-to-back North champions.

All-SEISC North First Team

Joining Millikin on the First team was his teammate Henry Adam along with Rowan Miller and Kale Bailey for Hillcrest Academy and Oscar Cline of Louisa-Muscatine, who led the division in points and rebounds per game as the only member to average a double-double.

Winfield-Mt. Union, who finished 3rd in the division, put Cody Milks on the First Team. Milks nearly averaged a double-double, securing eight rebounds to go along with his 11.5 points per game. He also notched three steals per game.

WACO’s Holden Hughes was the focal point of the Warriors this season, resulting in a First Team nomination. Hughes ranked 5th in points per game with 15.1 and 8th in rebounds per game with 7.9

Also finding a spot on the First Team was Wapello’s Justyn Faulker. The senior ranked second in the division with four steals per game and led the team in points (13.9) and rebounds per game (7.3), which were both top ten marks.

Ellis Hills-Carrier, a junior for Columbus, finished second in the division with 19.8 points per game and seventh in assists per game with three per outing. He was the lone Wildcat put on the First Team.

All-SEISC North Second Team

Winfield-Mt. Union’s Isaac Egli was a unanimous choice for the Second Team as he led the team in points per game and finished 4th in the division with assists per game. Another Wolve joining Egli was Max Edwards. The senior collected the 4th most rebounds per game in the division.

WACO’s Hayden Shelman earned Second Team honors after averaging 10 points per game on 32.7% shooting from three-point land.

Additionally, Drake Marin of Columbus and Kinnick Richenberger were placed on the Second Team. Both finished in the top 15 for the division in points per game.

Hillcrest Academy’s Gibson Scott, Landon Roling of Highland, Reece Holbrook of Lone Tree, and Pekin’s Alijah Brock also found a spot on the Second Team.

All-SEISC North Honorable Mention

Columbus: Drew Totemeier and Gabe Zuniga

Highland: Bryce Hazelett and Kyler Fink

Hillcrest Academy: Lincoln Miller and Kayden Estell

Lone Tree: Dom Garcia and Cade Willoz

Louisa-Muscatine: Dawson Wheeler and Owen Klockseim

Pekin: Nolan Glick and Riley Smith

WACO: Kellen Shelman and Nick West

Wapello: Wyatt Marlette and Cam Brewer

Winfield-Mt. Union: Nick Sparrow and Grant Anderson

Standings: Hillcrest Academy (15-1), Pekin (13-3), W-MU (13-3), WACO (11-5), Columbus (7-9), Wapello (5-11), Lone Tree (3-13), Highland (3-13), Louisa-Muscatine (2-14)

South Division

Burlington Notre Dame’s Shay Stephens has had quite the senior campaign, leading the Nikes back to the state tournament for the first time in 15 years, crossing the 1,000th point plateau and inching closer to 1,500 points, and committing to Western Illinois University to play basketball. For his effort, he earned All-SEISC South Player of the Year.

His 24.5 points per game ranked 10th in the state, while also leading the south division in assists and steals per game.

Along with taking the Nikes to their fourth state appearance in program history, Notre Dame head coach Dan Kies picked up his 200th career victory in the substate championship. Leading his team to a SEISC South championship and a 23-2 record earned him the Coach of the Year award.

All-SEISC South First Team

Joining Stephens from the Nikes on the First Team was L.J. Harris. The junior is a force on the low block with the 7th most rebounds per game and more importantly the 4th most offensive rebounds per game in the South. Additionally, he chips in 9.5 points per game and three assists per game.

Mediapolis placed three on the First Team in Max Griffin, Will Luttenegger, and William Worrall. Griffin and Luttenegger both finished in the top five for points per game in the south division, while Worrall scored 10.2 points per game, which ranked 17th in the dvision.

Silas Lotzow and Ayden Figuereo claimed a spot on the First Team for West Burlington. Figuereo led the team in scoring, while Lotzow nearly averaged a double-double with 13 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

Lastly, Will Hayes of Central Lee and Holy Trinity Catholic’s Layne Rung rounded out the First Team. Hayes averaged the 8th most points per game in the division, while nabbing 6.9 rebounds per game. Passing the 1,000th point plateau was Rung earlier this season as he finished second in the division in points per game with 19.5 and top 10 in steals per game.

All-SEISC South Second Team

New London’s senior tandem of London Franklin and Brigham Porter were placed on the Second Team. After Franklin’s slow start, the Tigers rattled off seven wins in their final 14 games, including a four-game winning streak at the tail end of the season. Porter led the team with 12.5 points per game, while Franklin added 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game to his 11.8 points.

Holy Trinity Catholic’s Jack Ragar is going to be someone to keep an eye on for the rest of his career. The freshman commanded the Crusader offense, scoring 14.6 points per game and grabbing 6.6 rebounds per game, both top 10 measures in the south division. Crusader head coach John Hellige had this to say about the freshman,

“Yeah, we knew we were gonna have a good player in Jack, but he’s kind of blown away, even my expectations for a freshman year player. He plays like an upperclassman already…”

Joining them on the Second Team was Carson Morrison and Owen Swan of Central Lee, Leighton Rice of Danville, Notre Dame’s Eli Oleson and Griffin Kies, and Van Buren County’s Kinnick Millard.

Morrison finished with the 13th most points per game, while Swan tabbed the 9th most assists per game for the division. Rice finished with 5.2 assists per game to go along with his 10.3 points per contest. Oleson and Kies claimed 10.7 points per game apiece and each have had huge games on the Nikes path toward the state tournament. Lastly, Millard averaged 10.1 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game.

All-SEISC South Honorable Mentions

Central Lee: Kaden Swan and Brett Cook

Danville: Connor Hulett and Dillan Mason

HTC: Nathan Box and Corbin Van Niewaal

Mediapolis: Gannon Gunn and Henry Luttenegger

New London: Kye Reighard and Israel Lemley

Notre Dame: Payne Prottsman and Kellan Porter

VBC: Will Cocherell and Jace Duncan

West Burlington: Cayson Brown and Ari Jannings

Standings: Notre Dame (14-0), Mediapolis (11-3), Central Lee (9-5), West Burlington (8-6), Holy Trinity Catholic (7-7), Danville (5-9), Van Buren County (1-13), New London (1-13)

Henry County Accepting Applications for Public Health Director Position

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 at 2:59 pm CDT

Henry County is now accepting applications for its next Public Health Director.

County officials announced the opening this week, inviting qualified candidates to apply for the leadership position. The Public Health Director will oversee the Henry County Public Health Department, guiding programs and services that support the health and well-being of residents across the county.

The role includes administrative oversight, staff supervision, budget management, and collaboration with community partners, healthcare providers, and local agencies. The director also works closely with the Henry County Board of Health and plays a key role in emergency preparedness and public health planning.

County leaders say they are looking for a motivated, experienced professional who is passionate about serving the community and leading a dedicated public health team.

Applications will be accepted through March 16, or until the position is filled. Interested candidates can find additional information about qualifications and responsibilities and submit an application by visiting the Henry County website at henrycounty.iowa.gov under the employment opportunities section.

For more information, applicants are encouraged to review the full job posting online.

Ollie Man Arrested on Felony Sexual Abuse Charge Following Tattoo Appointment Investigation

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 at 2:53 pm CDT

An Ollie man is facing a felony sexual abuse charge following an investigation by the Fairfield Police Department.

Forty nine year old Louis Stanley Fitzner the Second was arrested Monday and charged with Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, a Class C felony. According to court documents, the alleged incident stems from a February tenth tattoo appointment at Ink Therapy in Fairfield.

Police say the victim reported that while receiving a tattoo, Fitzner made unwanted sexual contact during the procedure. Officers took the report on February eleventh and began investigating. An arrest warrant was requested on February twenty sixth and granted March second. Fitzner was taken into custody without incident.

He is currently being held at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on a $10,000 cash only bond.