Fort Madison Community School Start of School – Delayed

By Yorke Prough · Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023 at 7:05 am CDT

Fort Madison Community School District has delayed their start of school until Monday, August 28th. With heat index reaching over 100 coupled with the fact that the two elementary buildings are without air conditioning, school will not start until the temperatures lower and it is safer for students and staff.

Orientation for kindergarten will be mixed in with the regular activities on Monday, and will not be held on Friday, August 25th. 4th grade and freshman orientation will still take place on Friday from 8:30am-11:30am.

A revised calendar will be discussed moving forward and communicated with all families after the 2023-2024 school year is officially underway.

Sports, August 23rd

By Slaten Swords · Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023 at 6:28 am CDT

High School Volleyball

Mt. Pleasant will travel to Ottumwa tomorrow, August 24th, for a Triangular match. Head Coach Logan Wall is still working on building a culture for this young squad. 

New London will host Holy Trinity Catholic on August 31st to start their season. 

Winfield-Mt. Union will host Keokuk to start the season tomorrow.

Holy Trinity Catholic will be participating in a tournament on August 26th hosted by Bondurant-Farrar to start their season.

WACO will host Hillcrest Academy on August 31st. 

Van Buren County will face off against Central Lee on August 31st. 

Central Lee will begin their season on August 26th with their own tournament starting at 9 am.

High School Football

Mt. Pleasant will open up the season against Fairfield this Friday at 7:30 pm at home. KILJ will be on the call with the pregame show at 7:15 pm. The Panthers will be counting on everyone during Friday’s game due to a lack of depth.

In other Class 3A District 4 matchups, Washington hits the road to take on Oskaloosa. Keokuk hosts Ottumwa and Fort Madison faces off against Burlington on the road. 

On Friday, Danville will face off against Lynnville-Sully and Van Buren County will take on Central Lee in Class A competition. Columbus Community and Mediapolis will square off to start the season. 

Winfield-Mt. Union takes on Central City in a top 10 matchup to open the season on Friday with the Wolves hitting the road.

New London will travel to take on Easton Valley with kickoff at 7 pm.

WACO will square off against Fremont-Mills on the road.

Iowa Football

Sporting News named defensive back Cooper DeJean and punter Tory Taylor Preseason All-Americans yesterday. DeJean has already been put on the 2023 Bronko Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik Award for the best defensive player of the year. DeJean broke Iowa’s pick-six season record last year.

Taylor broke his own punting yards record last year as he averaged 45.4 yards per punt. Additionally, Taylor downed 38 punts inside the 20-yard line last year. Taylor is also a candidate for the 2023 Ray Guy Award, which is given to the best punter annually. 

 Cade McNamara has a bright spotlight on him this season as he was named to the 2023 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list. The award is given to the best upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class. McNamara is also on the watch list for the Maxwell Award. 

This Day in Sports History

1883 – Philadelphia Quakers make 27 errors against the Providence Grays in 28-0 shutout defeat at Messer Street Grounds; wild pitches, walks, and passed balls count as errors in MLB prior to 1888.

1947 – First Baseball Little League World Series, Williamsport, Pennsylvania: Maynard beat Lock Haven All Stars, 16-7.

1985 – Paul Hornung is awarded $1,160,000 by a Louisville court against the NCAA who barred him as a college football analyst for betting on games.

Mt. Pleasant City Council Meeting Agenda August 23rd

By Yorke Prough · Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023 at 1:54 pm CDT

The Mount Pleasant City Council will meet in Regular Session Wednesday,

August 23, 2023, at City Hall, 307 E. Monroe Street, second-floor meeting room at 5:30 p.m.

AGENDA

  1. Roll Call.
  2. Consent Agenda: To the Public — All items with an asterisk (*) are routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion and a roll call of the Councilmembers. There will be no separate discussion of items unless the Mayor, a Councilmember or citizen so request, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and will be considered in its normal sequence on the Agenda.
  3. Receive & file communications.
  4. Approve agenda.

*5. Approve minutes of previous meetings.

*6. Approve payment of bills.

*7. Receive report of Officers.

  1. Old Business-
    1. 5:30 p.m. Public Hearing to sell west portion of 1300 W. Courtland.
    2. Resolution selling west portion of 1300 W. Courtland.
    3. 2nd reading of proposed ordinance on City murals.
    4. 3 rd reading/adopt proposed ordinance to prohibit parking on the west side of the 100 block of S. Marion Street.
    5. Resolution setting Public Hearing to vacate alley at College Addition Block 13.
  2. New Business-
    1. Authorize Mayor to sign Engineering Service Agreement with Warner Engineering for McCoy and Monroe Street reconstruction.
    2. Authorize Mayor to sign Engineering Service Agreement with Warner Engineering for Henry and Main Street (The “H”) repaving and drainage infrastructure.
    3. Resolution amending the Personnel Policy Manual.

Page 2 of 2

  1. Public Forum.
  2. Adjourn to meet in regular session on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.

Dangerous Heat Wave Ripping Through Southeast Iowa

By Yorke Prough · Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023 at 11:12 am CDT

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning that is now in effect through Friday at 8pm. This has been prolonged due to there being no respite from the scorching heat. Mt. Pleasant residents can expect the heat index to reach around 87 by 6am on Wednesday morning, and continue to rise throughout the day, reaching its apex at 12 o’clock noon, with the value sitting around 113. It does seem as if we might be in for a very hot week, and temperatures reaching this high are considered dangerous.

Ensure that you are staying inside an air-conditioned area as much as possible. Whether it be your home, vehicle, the library, or burning the midnight oil at work, it is imperative to stay inside. Avoid unnecessary hard work or activities if you are outside or in a building without air conditioning. Being caught outside in this heat for even a short amount of time can be harmful. Loose fitting that is light weight and light colored is key to keeping your body temperature down.

Heat cramps and heat exhaustion are both probable with heat index values of 113. I say it often, but drinking plenty of water, even when you are not thirsty, is a must as it helps regulate body temperature.

No matter where you come from, this heat is dangerous and can harm anybody. Make sure to take preventive measures to ensure that you do not become a casualty to this heat.

 

 

 

Sports, August 22nd

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023 at 6:30 am CDT

High School Volleyball

Mt. Pleasant fell to Burlington last night to begin the season 3 sets to 0. Set one belonged to the Grayhounds after a mixture of errors and service aces from Sydney Schroeder led to a 25 to 7 finish. Head Coach Logan Wall commented after the game that serve receive will be a point of emphasis in practice after last night. The Panthers battled in set two with the game being as close at 13 to 10 after Addison Clark and Alex Scott were able to get a couple of kills, but the Grayhounds again caught fire, taking set two 25-14. Again the Panthers were close in the last set being down 16 to 15 with the help of Myah Starr’s attacks; however, it was not meant to be as Burlington went on a 9 to 1 run to seal the match. Coach Wall saw moments that Mt. Pleasant can build on. The Panthers will travel to Ottumwa on Thursday, August 24th, for a Triangular. 

New London will host Holy Trinity Catholic on August 31st to start their season. 

Winfield-Mt. Union will host Keokuk to start the season on August 24th. 

Holy Trinity Catholic will be participating in a tournament on August 26th hosted by Bondurant-Farrar to start their season.

WACO fell to Centerville last night in their first game of the tournament 2 sets to 1: 21-14, 13-21, and 12-15. In another close match, Van Buren County snuck out with a 2 set to 1 win on a 16-14 set three final. Marie Farmer had four kills for WACO. The Warriors ended the night with a sweep of Pekin by the same score 21-17 in both sets. WACO will host Hillcrest Academy on August 31st. 

Van Buren County won their first game of the season as they swept Pekin 2 sets to none: 21-16 and 21-14. The Warriors will face off against Central Lee on August 31st. 

Central Lee will begin their season on August 26th with their own tournament starting at 9 am.

Volleyball Rankings

Two Southeast Iowa teams find themselves ranked in Class 1A. Holy Trinity Catholic enters this year as the #2 team as the Crusaders return young talent in Mary Kate and Anna Bendlage along with Natalie Randolph, who did not get to play last season due to an injury. An early mark against this team will be the lack of depth after an injury to Reagan Holvoet.

New London is ranked 8th after coming up one set short of a trip to the state tournament last season. The Tigers will look to replace their impressive seniors in Eliana Manning, Emma Nye, Natalie Burden, and Camryn Lair. Expect Morgan Jones and Sophie Malott to step up for this squad.

High School Football

Mt. Pleasant will open up the season against Fairfield this Friday at 7:30 pm at home. KILJ will be on the call with the pregame show at 7:15 pm. Head Coach John Bowlin will be looking to stop a two-skid against the Trojans.

In other Class 3A District 4 matchups, Washington hits the road to take on Oskaloosa. Keokuk hosts Ottumwa and Fort Madison faces off against Burlington on the road. 

On Friday, Danville will face off against Lynnville-Sully and Van Buren County will take on Central Lee in Class A competition. Columbus Community and Mediapolis will square off to start the season. 

Winfield-Mt. Union takes on Central City in a top 10 matchup to open the season on Friday with the Wolves hitting the road.

New London will travel to take on Easton Valley with kickoff at 7 pm.

WACO will square off against Fremont-Mills on the road.

This Day in Sports History

1950 – Althea Gibson becomes the first black competitor in a US national tennis competition.

1965 – San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marachal hits LA Dodger catcher John Roseboro on the head with his bat causing a 14 minute brawl.

2007 – The Texas Rangers rout the Baltimore Orioles 30-3, the most runs scored by a team in modern MLB history.

Mt. Pleasant Community School District Holds Public Forum for IW Properties

By Yorke Prough · Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023 at 6:29 am CDT

The Mount Pleasant Community School Board has held multiple meetings over the purchase agreement of Iowa Wesleyan properties. While this has caused much conversation in the community, residents have the opportunity to voice their concerns, or their support, on Monday, August 28th. The School Board will hold a public forum, moderated by Rachel Lindeen of the Mt. Pleasant Chamber, at 6:00pm at the Highschool Media Center.

These meetings are open to the general public. KILJ will be on scene reporting on this public forum.

Tractor Rollover in Columbus Junction

By Yorke Prough · Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023 at 6:18 am CDT

There have been preliminary reports of a tractor rollover in the 13000 block of R Ave in Columbus Junction. It sounds as if air care was available and called in to assist at the scene. KILJ will bring updates to this story as it develops.

Structure Fire a 210 S. 10th st

By Yorke Prough · Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023 at 6:18 am CDT

At 2:10 AM on August 21st, 2023, the Burlington Fire Department and West Burlington Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire located at 210 S. 10th in Burlington, IA. 52601. Burlington firefighters arrived at 2:15 AM to find a one-story single-family residence with flames showing from the rear of the structure.

 

210 S. 10th is owned by Mr. Kyle Herrera and is insured. Mr. Herrera was alerted by working carbon monoxide and smoke alarms and safely made it out of the residence. Damage to the property is estimated at $30,000 for the structure and $10,000 to the contents.

 

The fire is not considered suspicious and classified as accidental.

 

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported, and firefighters cleared the scene at 7:12. Ten initial firefighters responded to the incident and were assisted by Danville Fire Department, Mediapolis Community Ambulance, Burlington Waterworks, Burlington Police Department and Alliant Energy and Gas.