The Danville City Council will meet in regular session on Monday, February 2nd at 5:30pm. The meeting will take place in Danville City Hall, 105 W. Shepherd Street. Items on the agenda include departmental reports and a work session on the upcoming 2026-27 budget – no action will be taken at this meeting which is open to the public.
Sports, January 31st
High School Basketball
Danville swept New London last night with the girls’ team winning 63-23 and the boys’ team racing past the Tigers, 68-45. In the girls’ game, Danville was led by Violette Sowell’s 15 points, while Megan Lee captured 11 points for the Tigers. Connor Hulett’s 17 points led the Bears in the boys’ game as New London’s Brigham Porter totaled 14 points.
New London will attempt to bounce back on Monday, February 2nd, at Cardinal with the night beginning at 6 pm.
The Central Lee boys’ team snapped their three-game losing streak last night, handling Van Buren County, 72-49.
Central Lee will hit the road to face off against Keokuk today with the girls’ team starting at 3 pm.
Van Buren County will travel to Clark County today with the girls’ starting the day at 3:30 pm.
The Wapello girls’ team snuck past Winfield-Mt. Union last night behind Macey Kuntz’s 20 points, winning 40-35, while the Winfield-Mt. Union boys’ team defeated Wapello 56-41.
Winfield-Mt. Union will take on Columbus on Monday with the girls’ teams playing at 6 pm.
Fairfield was swept by Keokuk last night with the girls’ team losing 67-20 and the boys’ team falling 76-39. The Fairfield girls’ team will host Mt. Pleasant on Tuesday, February 3rd, at 7:30 pm. KILJ 105.5 FM, kilj.com, will be on the call with the pregame show at 7:15 pm.
WACO split the night against Columbus with the girls’ team losing 50-39 and the boys’ team willing their way past the Wildcats, 49-34. Ellie Sanders led Columbus with 16 points, while Brenna Graber put up 10 points. On the boys’ side, Niles Reichenbach scored 11 points in the win.
WACO will meet up on the road against Winfield-Mt. Union on Tuesday with the girls tipping-off at 6 pm.
Burlington Notre Dame split their night against West Burlington last night with the girls’ team losing a heartbreaker, 35-32, and the #3 boys’ team clipping the Falcons, 66-43.
Burlington Notre Dame will compete against Pella Christian at home on Monday, February 2nd, with the girls’ team playing at 6 pm.
West Burlington will take on Burlington at home on Tuesday with game one at 6 pm.
Mt. Pleasant split their matchup against Washington last night with the girls’ team falling 51-43, while the boys’ team enjoyed their senior night with a dominant 60-46 victory. Isaiah Lange cashed in for 26 points in the winning effort. The Panthers will host Mediapolis today with game one at 1 pm.
The Mediapolis boys’ team roared past Holy Trinity Catholic in overtime last night 76-68. Layne Rung scored 20 points in the loss. The #9 Mediapolis girls’ team clobbered the Crusaders, 59-12.
The Holy Trinity Catholic boys’ team will take on Fairfield at home on Tuesday with gametime at 7:30 pm, while the girls’ team will travel to New London on Tuesday with the night tipping-off at 6 pm.
High School Wrestling
The Fairfield, Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union, Mediapolis, Van Buren County, and WACO girls’ teams made the trip to Wapello for the Class 1A Region 6 state qualifier last night and seven local wrestlers punched their ticket to the state tournament.
Van Buren County will have two wrestlers going to state as Brystol Wiley won the 100-pound weight class with two wins by fall and a major decision victory and Armoney Adams rattled off two victories and claimed 2nd place in the 105-pound weight class.
Wapello’s Kenadee Helscher collected three wins by fall in the 105-pound weight class to enter the state tournament with a perfect 42-0 record. Joining Helscher will be Clara Ball, who defeated Kaylia Shipman of North Mahaska by an 8-6 decision to win the 115-pound weight class, and Reese Connolly, who claimed the 235-pound weight class.
For Fairfield, Samantha Lyons pinned both of her opponents to win the 170-pound weight class, while Kendra Allsion battled through the consolation bracket to beat Bella Schott of English Valleys in the wrestle back to place 2nd in the 235-pound weight class.
In the Class 2A Region 1 state qualifier, Fort Madison’s Mara Smith won the gold in the 140-pound weight class and Kat DiPrima took 2nd place in the 145-pound weight class to earn a spot at the state tournament.
The Mt. Pleasant girls’ team participated in the Class 2A Region 5 state qualifier in Ottumwa last night and two Panthers finished on the podium. Paris Phosy went 2-2 on the night and claimed 4th place in the 115-pound weight class. Courtney Smith worked her way through the consolation bracket, defeating Adrian Thorton of Burlington in the 3rd place match to finish with the bronze in her freshman campaign.
Burlington had Amaziah Twillie (155-pound weight class) and Macy Peterson (170-pound weight class) take their respective weight classes to earn a spot at the state tournament.
The 2026 girls’ state tournament will take place on Thursday, February 5th, and Friday, February 6th. KILJ will be providing updates for our local wrestlers.
The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will travel to Fairfield today for the Southern Iowa Classic.
The Southeast Iowa Super Conference boys’ teams will meet up today for their conference tournament.
High School Bowling
The Mt. Pleasant girls’ team will compete at the Class 2A Region 4 state qualifier on Monday, February 2nd, at Clinton, while the West Burlington girls’ team will host Fairfield and Central Lee for the Class 1A Region 8 state qualifier.
The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will travel to Keokuk on Tuesday, February 3rd, for a triangular.
The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released the state qualifying meet assignments yesterday and Central Lee will host West Burlington, while Fairfield will travel to Monticello in Class 1A.
In Class 2A, Clinton will play host to Burlington, Keokuk, and Mt. Pleasant.
Both meets are scheduled for Monday, February 16th, at 10 am.
Southeastern Community College
The women’s basketball team will take on Iowa Western Community College today at 1 pm on the road.
The men’s basketball team will host Malcolm X College today at 3 pm.
College Basketball
The Iowa State women’s team will host UCF today at 2 pm.
The #8 Iowa women’s team will have to bounce back against #2 UCLA on the road tomorrow, February 1st, at 3 pm.
The Iowa men’s team will spend some time on the west coast with a matchup against Oregon tomorrow at 7 pm.
The #8 Iowa State men’s team will travel to Kansas State tomorrow at 1 pm.
This Day in Sports History
1920 – Quebec Bulldogs center Joe Malone sets an NHL record with 7 goals in a 10-6 win against the Toronto St. Patricks at the Quebec Arena.
1923 – The Montreal Canadiens beat the Hamilton Tigers 5-4 at the Mount Royal Arena, Montreal; first penalty-free game played in NHL history.
1991 – Denver Nuggets Michael Adams becomes the shortest NBA player to get a triple-double at 5’10.
Update From Iowa State Legislators: Week Three Recap from the Capitol
The Iowa Legislature is entering a key phase as the first “funnel” deadline approaches, when bills must clear committee to stay alive this session making it a busy third week of the 2026 legislative session. With that in mind, many committees are spending long hours passing bills before the deadline approaches.
Public safety and crime are a major focus for House Republicans, who are advancing three proposals:
- A “career criminals” bill creating a three-strikes system with a 20-year mandatory minimum for repeat offenders.
- Bail and pretrial reform aimed at limiting release for higher-risk defendants and tightening verification requirements.
- A judicial data dashboard bill to publish information on judges’ bail, sentencing, and case decisions to inform voters during retention elections.
Other major topics debated this week include property taxes, E15 Ethanol Sales, and eminent domain laws.
Representative Taylor Collins serves House District 95. You can read his newsletter “Collins Capitol Connection” here. To reach Rep. Collins with any questions or concerns email taylor.collins@legis.iowa.gov or call the Capitol Switchboard and leave a message at (515) 281-7340.
Representative Blaine Watkins serves House District 100. You can read his update on week three in “The Watkins Wire” here. Email blaine.watkins@legis.iowa.gov or call the Capitol Switchboard and leave a message (515) 281-7340.
To view Iowa State Senator Mark Lofgren’s update for Senate District 48, click here. For questions or concerns, Senator Lofgren can be reached by phone 563-272-8683 or email to mark.lofgren@legis.iowa.gov
View the Dickey Dispatch from Iowa State Senator for District 44, Adrian Dickey. Senator Dickey can be reached at adrian.dickey@legis.iowa.gov
Valentine’s Concert Aims to Become SEISO Tradition
A new Valentine’s concert in Mount Pleasant could become a lasting tradition for the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra. “Valentango” will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at the Chapel Auditorium, 601 North Main Street.
“Valentango,” will feature award-winning St. Louis guitarist W. Mark Akin, along with a regional children’s chorus, a regional youth string ensemble, and pop singer Kelsey Madsen of Cedar Rapids.
Madsen was a Hollywood Golden Ticket winner on American Idol in 2010 and has previously performed with the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra, as has Akin. Organizers say the program will carry a Spanish influence, featuring selections from Carmen, Bolero, and Danzon No. 2, among others.
Madsen, who now teaches at Vinton-Shellsburg Elementary and the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy in Cedar Rapids, will also perform the love ballad “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri.
In a video preview posted by the orchestra, Madsen says she’s excited and humbled to make music with the symphony and is inviting the public to bring loved ones and enjoy the performance.
More information about this and related events can be found online at seiso.us.
Washington County Fair Announces 2026 Theme: “Stars, Stripes, and Summer Nights”
The Washington County Fair in conjunction with the 4-H County Council is proud to announce its 2026 theme, “Stars, Stripes, and Summer Nights,” celebrating the timeless traditions, local pride, and memories defining summer in Washington County. It is the perfect summer to celebrate patriotism for America’s 250th birthday.
“It’s an honor to select the county fair theme,” said 4-H County Council member Averi Janecek. “This year it’s about patriotism, community spirit, and those perfect summer evenings spent with family, friends, and neighbors at the county fair.”
This year’s fair will bring together classic fair favorites with a full lineup of events, including the tractor pull, rodeo, demolition derby and fresh new experiences for all ages. The fair favorites of carnival, food stands who support local service groups, live entertainment offered all day long and over 3000 youth exhibits make this place where generations gather to celebrate what makes our community shine.
The fair continues its commitment to honoring the hardworking individuals and traditions that keep Washington County strong.
The fair association is excited to preview these new shows: Canines in the Clouds featuring rescue dogs trained to entertain, Engineering Encounters where participants can discover robotics and future technologies, and Fisherman Dan’s comedy stunt show, plus more!
The Washington County Fair will take place July 19-25, with the kick-off concert on Saturday, July 18. Additional details, schedules, and ticket information will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information about the Washington County Fair Association, follow them on Facebook or at www.washingtoncountyfairia.com .
AAA Weekly Fuel Report: Iowa Gas Prices Rise Slightly This Week
Gas prices are moving higher across Iowa this week. According to AAA, the average price for regular unleaded rose eight cents to $2.55 per gallon. That’s still 39 cents lower than this time last year. The national average sits at $2.88, up five cents from a week ago.
Diesel prices in Iowa also climbed eight cents, now averaging $3.40 per gallon. That’s two cents lower than a year ago and about 20 cents below the national diesel average.
Crude oil prices increased this week as well. West Texas Intermediate crude rose to about $63.00 per barrel, while Brent crude reached $68.00. Both remain well below prices from a year ago.
For home energy, natural gas prices declined to about 385 per million BTUs. Propane in Iowa is averaging $1.59 per gallon, and home heating oil averages $2.84 statewide.
Drivers and homeowners can find energy-saving tips at energy.gov and fueleconomy.gov.
Burlington Man Found Guilty of Meth Precursor Possession
A Burlington man has been found guilty on a drug-related charge following a jury trial in Des Moines County.
On Wednesday, January 28, 2026, a Des Moines County jury found Anthony Drake Selters, 42, of Burlington guilty of possession of precursors, specifically lithium, an ingredient commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
The charge resulted from an investigation at a residence at 1611 Lincoln Street in Burlington on October 29, 2025. The case involved the Burlington Police Department, High-Risk Unit officers, and the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force. Selters was later arrested as part of that investigation.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 9, 2026 at 3 p.m. at the Des Moines County Courthouse. Selters faces a maximum possible sentence of up to five years in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Des Moines County Attorney Terri Quartucci. Selters was represented by Burlington attorney James Carter, and Judge Shane Wiley presided over the trial.
Sheila C. Kiesey
Sheila C. Kiesey, 76, of Loveland, CO and formerly of Mt. Pleasant, died Thursday, January 29, 2026 at her residence in Loveland.
A memorial funeral service will be held at a later date. The Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant, will be caring for Sheila’s local service arrangements.
Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com