Lee County Deputies were dispatched to the River Road area outside of Keokuk on Thursday to look for a vehicle that had been involved in a hit and run driving northbound. A short while later a call came in about a vehicle matching that description in a ditch at 3381 River Road. When deputies arrived, the individual had fled the scene. The vehicle had a matching plate number to the one that fled from Keokuk. A witness stated she saw a white male in a yellow shirt and dark hair walking away from the scene of the accident asking people for rides. The deputies were able to locate the individual identified as Jacob Thompson. Thompson reportedly had the smell of an alcoholic beverage and was stumbling and slurring words. Officers had to ask Thompson several times to put his hands behind his back and quit pulling away. Keokuk police took Thompson to the Keokuk Police Department for further OWI investigation.
Sports, August 12th
Preview for High School Football
Mt. Pleasant will be hosting Fairfield to begin the season on August 25th with John Bowlin leading the squad in his first season with the Panthers.
Danville and Van Buren County will be competing in the same district in Class A with the Bears taking on Lynnville-Sully and the Warriors facing off against Central Lee.
In 8-man football, Winfield-Mt. Union begins their season against Central City. New London will travel to take on Easton Valley. Lastly, WACO’s week one matchup will be Fremont-Mills on the road.
Preview for High School Volleyball
Mt. Pleasant’s first game of the season will be a road trip to Burlington on August 21st, but the Panthers will scrimmage WACO on Monday, August 14th. Head Coach Logan Wall has seen a lot of improvement over the course of the summer.
New London’s first game of the season will be a home matchup against Holy Trinity Catholic on August 31st.
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. Head Coach Melissa Freesmeier is excited about what the season has to bring for the Crusaders.
WACO will host their own tournament on August 21st. Van Buren County will also be competing in the tournament.
Central Lee will begin their season on August 26th with their own tournament starting at 9 am.
Upcoming Meet the Player Nights
Mt. Pleasant will be hosting their “Meet the Panthers Night” on August 18th at the Mapleleaf Athletic Complex; the only exception being the volleyball team will scrimmage at the high school at 4 pm. Introductions will begin at 7:15 pm starting with the Cheerleaders followed by Cross Country, Volleyball, and then Football. A cheer performance will lead into a run-through for the Panther football team.
Winfield-Mt. Union’s “Meet the Players” night will be August 21st at 7 pm.
Iowa/Iowa State Gambling Investigation
Seven more players were charged in the gambling sting; four for Iowa State University and three for the University of Iowa, including a student-manager.
The Cyclones football team now have two of their offensive starters accused of gambling. The newest being Jirehl Brock, the starting running back, who allegedly placed 1,327 online bets under a DraftKings account that was listed under a non-athlete.
The Hawkeyes had one of their current wide receivers Jack Johnson accused of making 380 wagers utilizing a DraftKings account under his mother’s name.
The University of Iowa’s Head Coach Kirk Ferentz stated that it would cross a line if a player is found guilty of wagering on one of their football games.
This Day in Sports History
1950 – First international game by an NFL team, New York Giants beat CFL’s Ottawa Roughriders, 20-6 at Ottawa’s Lansdowne Stadium.
1994 – First NFL game on Fox network (exhibition – SF vs Denver).
1994 – Members of the Major League Baseball Players Association go on strike leading to cancellation of World Series for only the second time in MLB history (1904); labor dispute.
Beulah Louise Mears
Beulah Louise Mears, 98, of New London, died Friday, August 11, 2023 at New London Specialty Care. She was born March 5, 1925 in Ferris, Illinois to Charles Albert and Myrtle Carroll Long. On March 10, 1945 she married John Leonard Mears in Good Hope, Illinois. He died May 28, 2011.
Louise worked as a nurse’s aide at Mount Pleasant Mental Health; IAAP in Middletown; and at Motorola for twelve years, retiring in 1986. She was a member of First Christian Church, Blandinsville, Illinois and later attended Harmony Bible Church and Calvary Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant.
Survivors include her sons Charles (Connie) Mears and John E. Mears, both of New London; daughter Linda (Larry) Zachmeyer of Ft. Madison; eight grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren and many great-great-grandchildren. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; daughter Charlotte Allen; son-in-law Larry Allen; sister M. Maxine Keithley; and nephew Gene Keithley.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am, August 25, 2023 at Elliott Chapel, New London with Mr. Dan Dingus officiating. Visitation will begin at 9:00 with the family receiving friends beginning at 10:00 until the time of the service. Burial of her cremains along with her beloved husband, John, will be at Burge Cemetery, rural New London immediately following the service. A memorial has been established for Harmony Bible Church. Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.
14 Current or Former Student-Athletes Have Now Been Charged in Iowa-Iowa St. Gambling Sting
Iowa- The University of Iowa and Iowa State University’s gambling sting has now charged a total of 14 current and former players seven more criminal complaints were filed yesterday. This round-up includes heavy blows to the Cyclone starting football experience.
Jirehl Brock is perhaps the biggest name out of this newest group as he was slated to be the starting running back for ISU. Brock rushed for 445 yards and three touchdowns last season, but his career is now in jeopardy after being accused of making 1,327 online bets under a DraftKings account that was listed under a non-athlete. This includes three games that he played in last season.
Three more Cyclones were accused: offensive tackle Jake Remsburg, defensive tackle Isaiah Lee, and tight end DeShawn Hanika. Remsburg is accused of used his mother’s account to place 273 wagers. The affidavit stated that Lee utilized a FanDuel account registered to his fiancée, which included 12 games that he participated in. Lastly, Hanika is accused of also using his mother’s DraftKings account to place 70 wagers on Iowa State basketball games and 288 total online wagers.
Remsburg expressed that he knew of the NCAA rules prohibiting athletes from gambling during the investigation.
The University of Iowa had one current player charged along with two former players. Hawkeye wide receiver Jack Johnson was accused of making 380 wagers utilizing a DraftKings account under his mother’s name.
Arland Bruce IV and Reggie Bracy are the former players who have been charged as they transferred to Oklahoma State and Troy, respectively. Allegedly, Bruce and Bracy tag teamed the effort as they both used a DraftKings account registered to Vincent Bruce, who was over the age of 21. Bruce is accused of placing 132 online wagers, including 11 games which he played in. Bracy made 66 wagers, which included two games that he participated in last season.
The Hawkeye’s student-manager Owen O’Brien was also charged with placing more than 350 wagers while underage utilizing a FanDuel account listed under his mother. He was on staff for three of the games that he bet on last season.
A student-athlete can lose permanent eligibility if they wager on their own sports or other sports at their school. The charge also carries a maximum prison sentence of two years with a fine ranging from $855 to $8,540. The two universities suspected a total of 41 student-athletes when the investigation was launched in May.
Lee County Sherriff’s Office Intensifies Search for Missing Woman
(Photo: Lee County Sherriff’s Office)
Lee County, IA- The Lee County Sherriff’s Office conducted an intense search today utilizing drones, dogs, and UTVs along Highway 2 between Fort Madison and Donnellson as they continue to search for Kelly Barlow.
The family has grown increasingly concerned as Barlow has been missing since August 8th. The Sherriff’s office is asking if the public has any information on her whereabouts to contact LeeComm at 319-372-1310.
Southeastern Looking for a New Head Women’s Basketball Coach
West Burlington- Southeaster Community College (SCC) will be searching for a new Head Women’s Basketball Coach after Steve Williamson decided to step down from the position in on August 4th.
Williamson was coming over from Iowa Wesleyan University after the University closed at the end of May. He finished as the program’s winningest coach after totaling a record of 288-160 in his two stints with the Tigers. Williamson was also a National Coach of the Year along with a five-time Conference Coach of the Year. The Tigers had qualified for the NAIA National Tournament the last two seasons that Williamson returned for.
SCC finished last season with an 0-8 record and had their final 18 games canceled due to roster limitations. The Director of Athletics Peyton Deterding stated,
“We are planning on a season currently. Rosters for women’s basketball have been an area of concern for quite some time but believe we will turn the corner in a positive manner moving forward.”
The Blackhawks are looking for their first winning season since the 2019-20 season when they finished 19-13.
Temporary closure of Iowa 78 near Winfield in Henry County begins on Monday, Aug. 14
If you travel on Iowa 78 in Henry County you need to be aware of an upcoming road construction project that may slow down your trip. Beginning on Monday, Aug. 14 until early September, weather permitting, Iowa 78, between U.S. 218 and the junction of Iowa 78 and Henry County Road H-18, will be closed so crews can resurface the Iowa 78 roadway.