Extraordinary Nurses Recognized at Great River Health with DAISY Awards

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, February 2nd, 2026 at 7:18 am CDT

Great River Health awarded their first DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nurses® of 2026. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care nurses provide patients and families every day.

The latest Great River Health DAISY Award recipients are:

  • Angela Hollingsworth, RN, works as a Case Manager for the Southeast Iowa Regional Home Health & Hospice team. Nominated by a hospice patient’s husband, Angela helped create one last meaningful surprise for his wife. This patient had been bedridden for several years, is nonverbal, and has limited eyesight. Though she was not the assigned hospice nurse, Angela learned of the patient’s lifelong love for horses and knew she had to bring her pony for a visit. Angela led her pony into the patient’s living room, where the horse gently rested its nose on the patient’s hand. Angela helped the patient touch the pony and talked quietly to her. The family watched as the patient’s face lit up, a silent, beautiful moment filled with meaning. The patient’s husband shared, “I just want to thank Angela for this special time.”
  • Senitra Howard, is a Registered Nurse on the Medical Care Unit (MCU) at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center, West Burlington, Becky, a patient on MCU, complained of a heavy feeling in her chest, and Senitra came in to evaluate her. Becky thought it was her bra putting pressure on her chest, but she was not wearing a bra, causing Senitra concern.  She wanted to contact Becky’s doctor for further assessment, but Becky was not concerned and just wanted to go to sleep.  Senitra persisted and asked to at least talk with Becky’s daughter. Becky said Senitra knew she was scared and stayed with her until her son and daughter arrived. Becky ended up getting a stent placed because of a heart attack! Becky said she cannot thank Senitra enough for what she did to help her.  Becky expressed these sentiments, “Please let my Senitra know I love her! God, love her-she was my angel!” Becky added that all the nurses who took care of her have been “absolutely wonderful!” Keeping a sense of humor is really important to Becky, and they all let her joke with them, “One cannot lose her sense of humor because sometimes it is hard to accept reality without humor to go along with it.”

A committee at Great River Health chooses the award recipients to receive The DAISY Award. Angela and Senitra were honored at a special Daisy Award ceremony in their departments, attended by the Honoree’s colleagues, patients, and visitors.  Each Honoree received a certificate commending her as an “Extraordinary Nurse.”  The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.”  Honorees also received a DAISY Award pin, and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. The Great River Health Daisy Award recipients will be featured on the Daisy Foundation website along with recipients from around the world.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues on an ongoing basis.

Great River Health employs over 815 nurses, providing patient care at their Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center – Fort Madison and West Burlington – campuses; along with Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant.

More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

House Fire in Rural Burlington Deems Residence a Total Loss; No Injuries Reported

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, February 2nd, 2026 at 7:10 am CDT

A house fire in rural Burlington has left a home uninhabitable, but no injuries were reported.

According to the Burlington Fire Department, crews were dispatched around 11:42 Friday morning to a residence in the 13800 block of 151st Avenue in Flint River Township for a report of a house fire. Due to heavy smoke visible while crews were in route, a box alarm was called to request additional assistance.

Firefighters arrived about 14 minutes later and found smoke coming from the structure, with flames visible shortly after arrival. Crews had to relay pump water to the scene due to the home’s setback from the roadway.

The occupants were home at the time of the fire and reportedly noticed the smell of smoke before discovering the fire. Officials say there were no working smoke alarms in the home at the time.

The home was insured, and damage is still being assessed, but the residence is considered uninhabitable due to extensive damage.

The Burlington Fire Department was assisted by DESCOM, West Burlington Fire, Danville Fire, Mediapolis Fire, Gladstone Fire, the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, REC, and the American Red Cross.

No injuries were reported. The fire has been ruled accidental and any further updates will be released by the Fire Marshal if they become available.

UPDATE: Woman Found Dead in Keokuk Identified – No Foul Play Suspected

By Kadie Johannson · Monday, February 2nd, 2026 at 7:00 am CDT

Updated on 2/3/26: The woman found dead in Keokuk on Saturday morning has been identified as 35-year-old Danielle Clark of Keokuk.

 

Original from 2/2/26: Keokuk Police are investigating the death of a woman found unresponsive on a city sidewalk Saturday morning.

According to a press release from the Keokuk Police Department, Officers were dispatched at approximately 8:05 a.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2026 to the 1300 block of South 7th Street after a report of an unresponsive female lying on the sidewalk. Officers arrived within a minute and observed no signs of life.

Authorities say there were no visible indications of life-threatening injuries. The woman was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel.

Police emphasize there is no ongoing threat to the public related to this incident.

The woman’s identity is being withheld currently pending notification of family members. Additional details may be released as the investigation continues.

The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation has been requested to assist the Keokuk Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division.

Sports, February 2nd

By Slaten Swords · Monday, February 2nd, 2026 at 6:37 am CDT

High School Basketball

Mt. Pleasant split their home showdown with Mediapolis over the weekend, with the girls’ team falling 76-36 and the boys’ team crushing the Bulldogs 68-35. Grace Holsteen dropped 30 points in the girls’ game. The Panther boys’ team hit a school-record 68.3% of their shots against the Bulldogs with Isaiah Lange’s 17 point/10 rebound double-double leading the way. Will Luttenegger scored 11 points in the losing effort. 

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will travel to Marion tonight at 7:15 pm. 

Mediapolis will face off against Fort Madison tonight at home with game one at 6 pm. 

The Fairfield girls’ team will host Mt. Pleasant tomorrow, 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.

Central Lee was swept by Keokuk over the weekend with the girls’ team losing 72-52 and the boys’ team folding 68-49. 

The Van Buren County girls’ team won their weekend matchup against Clark County, 45-35, while the boys’ team fell 68-51. 

New London will attempt to bounce back tonight at Cardinal with the night beginning at 6 pm.

Winfield-Mt. Union will take on Columbus tonight with the girls’ teams playing at 6 pm. 

Burlington Notre Dame will compete against Pella Christian at home tonight with the girls’ team playing at 6 pm.

WACO will meet up on the road against Winfield-Mt. Union tomorrow with the girls tipping-off at 6 pm.

West Burlington will take on Burlington at home tomorrow with game one at 6 pm.

Tomorrow, the Holy Trinity Catholic boys’ team will take on Fairfield at home with gametime at 7:30 pm, while the girls’ team will travel to New London with the night tipping-off at 6 pm.

The Southeast Iowa Super Conference Shootout is scheduled to start on Thursday, February 5th, with the girls’ teams seeded #3-#8 facing off. The same seeds for the boys’ teams will play on Friday, February 6th. 

High School Wrestling

The Southeast Iowa Super Conference boys’ teams had their conference tournament over the weekend and Burlington Notre Dame made it back-to-back conference titles with a dominant 267.5 points followed by Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union with 152 points.

The Nikes finished the meet with seven conference champions: Kohen Dietzenbach, who is 34-0, Rowan Berndt, Ryan Rose, Colt Boyles, Tate Sherwood, Kael Cook, and Joey Glendening. 

Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union collected a handful of silver medals with Justin Knipfer, Bowen Thomson, Trevor Phillips, and Kason Dopler each claiming a 2-1 record. 

Mediapolis’ Kyler Crow went 3-0 in the 175-pound weight class to add another conference championship to his mantle, while Peyton Johnson won by major decision in the 190-pound weight class to nab the gold. 

Wapello had a pair of conference champions in Cohen Wolford, who won by technical fall in the 157-pound weight class, and Grayson Nagle, who pinned both of his opponents in the 215-pound weight class. 

Lastly, WACO’s Ian Maize fell to Dietzenbach by a narrow 5-2 decision in the championship match of the 113-pound weight class, while Harley Larrimore finished as the runner-up in the 150-pound weight class. Leo Jirak and Alex Scott of Van Buren County each took 2nd place in their respective weight classes, while New London’s Liam Garvey led the team with a 4th place finish. 

Burlington Notre Dame will travel to Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont for the Regional Dual Semifinals tomorrow, February 3rd, to take on Woodward-Granger with the winner facing off against the Rockets. 

The Van Buren County boys’ team will compete in a quad on Thursday, February 5th. 

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team competed in the Southern Iowa Classic over the weekend and the Panthers took 3rd place with 139.5 points, following Fort Madison and Fairfield, respectively. 

Aven Beauchamp, Levi Evans, and Ramzy Davis of Mt. Pleasant rallied for 1st place in their respective weight classes. Fairfield also had a trio of gold medal winners in Jasper Carpenter, Dusty Haynes, and Dain Burkhart. 

The boys’ district wrestling meets are scheduled for February 14th.

The 2026 girls’ state tournament will take place on Thursday and Friday, February 6th. KILJ will be providing updates for 14 local wrestlers. 

High School Bowling

The Mt. Pleasant girls’ team will compete at the Class 2A Region 4 state qualifier today 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 tomorrow, February 3rd, for a triangular. 

The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released the state qualifying meet assignments 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 fell to Iowa Western Community College over the weekend, 85-63. Ariana Aguilar tabbed a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The Blackhawks will host Des Moines Area Community College on Wednesday, February 4th, at 5:30 pm.

The men’s basketball team surged past Malcom X College, 91-82, over the weekend. Prophet Fields cashed in for 21 points. The Blackhawks will take on Sauk Valley Community College at 7 pm on Wednesday at home. 

College Basketball

The Iowa State women’s team defeated UCF 65-52. Jada Williams collected 23 points in the winning effort. The Cyclones will travel to Utah on Saturday, February 7th, at 6 pm.

The #8 Iowa women’s team lost to #2 UCLA yesterday, 88-65. Ava Heiden scored 19 points in the loss. The Hawkeyes will host Minnesota on Thursday, February 5th, at 6 pm.

The Iowa men’s team drubbed Oregon last night, 84-66. Bennett Stirtz was unstoppable, claiming 32 points and dishing out seven assists. The Hawkeyes will stay on the west coast to play Washington at 10 pm on Wednesday, February 4th. 

The #8 Iowa State men’s team cruised to their largest margin of victory in a road conference game in program history over the weekend in a 95-61 clubbing of Kansas State. Joshua Jefferson led the team with 19 points. The Cyclones will take on Baylor at home at 1 pm on Saturday.

This Day in Sports History

1892 – Professional boxers Harry Sharpe and Frank Crosby took part in the longest boxing match fought with modern rules. Sharpe won the match, which went on for more than five hours, by knockout in the 77th round.

1970 – Pete Maravich becomes the first to score 3,000 college basketball points. 

1997 – Scotty Bowman becomes first coach in NHL history to win 1,000 games.

February 2, 2026 – February 8, 2026

By Slaten Swords · Sunday, February 1st, 2026 at 10:26 am CDT
02/01/26
Belated - Tina Matthews
02/02/26
Tony Maxwell
02/02/26
Jim Swailes
02/03/26
Wyatt Gatlin
02/03/26
Angie McCall
02/03/26
Marcus Moothart
02/03/26
Barb Kennedy
02/03/26
Theodore Miller
02/03/26
Guy Sammons (Belated)
02/04/26
Steve Sammons
02/04/26
Shari Cline
02/04/26
Cindy Ridinger
02/04/26
Tim Griest
02/05/26
Krista Mills
02/05/26
Barb Rich
02/05/26
Mackenzie Van Amerongen
02/05/26
Charli Burns
02/05/26
Derek Braun
02/05/26
Dave Ackles
02/05/26
Randee Duncan
02/05/26
Jeff Johnson
02/05/26
Addison Krutsinger
02/06/26
Heidi Riepe (80th)
02/06/26
James Haffarnan
02/06/26
Vivian Bjork
02/06/26
Leonard Hesseltine
02/06/26
Jim Haffarnan
02/06/26
William Bensmiller
02/07/26
Cindy Rauscher
02/07/26
Susan DuWulf
02/08/26
Mark Stalder
02/08/26
Kelly White
02/08/26
Lee Penebaker
02/08/26
Marc & Maureen Lindeen *Anniversary
02/07/26
Hannah Sturm

Henry County Caucuses & SE Iowa Days on the Hill

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, January 31st, 2026 at 6:50 am CDT

2026 Caucuses are planned for Henry County on Monday, February 2nd!  Area Republicans and Democrats say caucuses play an important role in the political process.  Local residents have a voice in shaping party priorities, selecting delegates and participating locally.  Doors for the caucus open at 6pm with activities beginning at 7pm.  The following are the caucus locations:

For Republicans, caucus sites vary by precinct:

  • Precinct 1: Waco High School Library at 706 N Pearl St, Wayland, IA 52654
  • Precinct 2: Winfield Veterans Building at 116 N Locust St, Winfield, IA 52659
  • Precinct 3: Salem Elementary School at 412 E Jackson St, Salem, IA 52649
  • Precincts 4-7: First United Methodist Church of Mount Pleasant at 309 N Main St, Mount Pleasant, IA 52641
  • Precinct 8: Salem Elementary School at 412 E Jackson St, Salem, IA 52649
  • Precinct 9: New London Community Center at 103 W Washington St, New London, IA 52645

Henry County Democrats will hold all of their precinct caucuses at the First Presbyterian Church in Mount Pleasant located at 902 South Walnut Street.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and caucus activities begin at 7 p.m. Participants can register when they arrive if needed.

All of these locations plus party contact information is available at KILJ.com under the news tab or on community calendar for Monday, February 2nd.  KILJ’s Kadie Johannson will be travelling to Des Moines next week on February 4th and 5th for Southeast Iowa days on the hill.

Each year, more than 100 delegates from Southeast Iowa travel to the State Capitol in Des Moines for a two-day advocacy experience. Participants are provided an opportunity to interact with state lawmakers to discuss regional priorities and advocate for targeted investments that support growth. The agenda includes a luncheon with all attendees and evening networking reception with Iowa lawmakers —often featuring top voices from both parties and chambers. It’s a unique opportunity to build relationships, elevate our region’s voice, and make a lasting impact on policy decisions. Stay tuned to KILJ Radio News for Kadie’s reports.

 

 

 

 

Danville City Council Meeting Agenda 2/2/26

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, January 31st, 2026 at 6:43 am CDT

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.

View the full agenda here.

Sports, January 31st

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, January 31st, 2026 at 6:30 am CDT

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.