On May 17th at about 4:30 a.m., the Henry County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a commercial motor vehicle had rolled over on the s-curve on Highway 78. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area and located a semi-tractor and trailer on its side at the intersection of Graham Avenue and Highway 78. The semi was traveling west on Highway 78 when the driver lost control on the southern curve. The vehicle came to rest on the passenger side spilling some of its contents into the ditch. The driver was injured and transported from the scene by ambulance. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Wayland Fire and Rescue and the Henry County Health Center Ambulance. The collision is still under investigation and the driver’s name has not been released.
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Impacting Eastern Iowa Air Quality
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Public Improvement Committee Meeting Agenda
New London Road Closure
The Henry County Road Department reminds everyone of the road closure of New London Road X23 south of Lowell beginning the week of May 22. Construction will consist of realignment and asphalt paving of the road. In addition Penn Avenue will also be closed to thru traffic. Work will take approximately four months weather permitting. There will be a posted detour route. If there are any questions or concerns please call 319-385-0762.
Sports, May 19th
High School Track and Field
Day one of the State Track and Field meet is in the books and here are the highlights from yesterday’s events.
In Class 1A, AJ Bonnesen of Danville is the state champion in the 3200 meter run. Bonnesen finished with a time of 9 minutes and 10 seconds, which is a new school record and it’s the second-fastest time by a Class 1A runner and No. 27 overall on the all-time list.
In Class 1A, Cam Buffington leaped to a new personal record and won the gold in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet 8 inches. Buffington had three jumps that would have won him the state championship, but it was his 2nd attempt that would take it for him.
Simeon Reichenbach of WACO captured 3 points in the long jump with his 6th place finish. After advancing to the finals, he improved his final jump to 20 feet 7.75 inches, but it cemented his final spot in 6th place.
The Winfield-Mt. Union and Danville boys’ teams are tied for 2nd place with 10 points each.
In the girls’ 100 meter dash for Class 4A, the Grayhound’s Mylee Stiefel qualified for the finals with a time of 12.62 seconds.
Ledarrias Shealey is the second member for Burlington to qualify for the 100 meter dash finals after racing to a time of 11.36 seconds in the boys’ Class 4A preliminary race.
In Class 2A for Van Buren County, Wyatt Mertens leaped 21 feet 8.5 inches to place 8th in the long jump. Anthony Duncan claimed 6 points for the Warriors after finishing in 3rd place with a time of 50.04 seconds in the 400 meter dash.
For Mediapolis, Anthony Isley raced to a time of 22.40 seconds in the boys’ 200 meter dash, the second fastest time in the qualifier. He will run in the finals on Saturday at 2:05 pm. In the boys’ Class 2A 4×800 meter relay, the Bulldogs took 4th place with a time of 8 minutes and 4.05 seconds with the team of Jeff Campbell, Owen Schmidgall, Solomon Zaugg, and Logan Rosas. In the 400 meter dash, Isley gained 8 points for the Bulldogs after a 2nd place finish with a time of 49.97 seconds, a personal record.
Thomas Eschman of Central Lee grabbed three points for his 6th place finish in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet 10 inches.
Mediapolis is tied for 3rd place with 13 team points with Van Buren County in 9th place with 7 points for Class 2A.
Mt. Pleasant had a team run in the boys’ shuttle hurdle relay for Class 3A. The team of Bryce Wilson, Will Davidson, Avin Truong, and Gavin Kerr took 9th place for the Panthers with a time of 1 minute and 1.93 seconds.
KILJ will be bringing results throughout the state track meet today and tomorrow.
High School Soccer
The Mt. Pleasant girls’ team will host Maquoketa in the Regional Qualifier tonight.
The Danville boys’ team will face off against West Liberty in the second round of the postseason on May 22nd.
The Central Lee boys’ team will travel to take on Pella Christian on May 22nd for the second round of the postseason.
For girls’ soccer, Burlington Notre Dame will host Clinton tonight at 7 pm. The bottom half of the Class 2A Region 5 bracket will be a Southeast Conference battle with Fort Madison squaring off with Keokuk in round one today at 7 pm.
High School Golf
The boys’ state tournament will start on May 22nd with Mason Shelledy of New London playing at Ames Golf and Country Club.
The New London girls’ team and Olivia Hines of Mediapolis will be competing in the state tournament with day one of the two day tournament starting on May 25th.
High School Baseball
Mt. Pleasant will travel to take on Clear Creek-Amana on May 24th.
High School Softball
Mt. Pleasant will host Holy Trinity Catholic on May 22nd at 5 pm.
Iowa Wesleyan Athletics
The NAIA National Championship meet will take place on May 24th for outdoor track and field.
This Day in Sports History
1912 – AL President Ban Johnson tells Tigers if they continue protest of Ty Cobb’s suspension, they will be banned from baseball.
1974 – Stanley Cup Final, The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA: Goaltender Bernie Parent and the Flyers shut out the Boston Bruins, 1-0, to win the series 4-2, becoming the first “expansion” team to win Stanley Cup; Parent named playoff MVP.
1991 – Willy T. Ribbs overcomes numerous mechanical problems in qualifying to become first African-American driver to make the Indianapolis 500 starting grid.
State Track and Field: Class 2A and 3A Results from Day 1
State Track and Field- Class 2A and 3A have finished up their day one events and here are the results for our local teams.
Mt. Pleasant and Fort Madison had a team run in the boys’ shuttle hurdle relay for Class 3A. The team of Bryce Wilson, Will Davidson, Avin Truong, and Gavin Kerr took 9th place for the Panthers with a time of 1 minute and 1.93 seconds. For the Bloodhounds, Adam Sobczak, Gavin Callahan, Kiawante Smith, and Henry Wiseman finished with a time of 1 minute and 2.37 seconds, which was good enough for 15th place.
The boys’ Class 2A shuttle hurdle team of Jackson Hutcheson, Ben Wolter, Grady Gunn, and Trent Hicks took 19th place with a time of 1 minute and 5.96 seconds for Mediapolis.
The Bloodhounds had Avery Rump compete in the girls 3000 meter run. Rump finished in 11th place with a time of 11 minutes and 3.29 seconds.
For Van Buren County, Lincoln Bainbridge grabbed 20th place in the Class 2A boys’ 3200 meter run with a time of 10 minutes and 28 seconds, a personal best. Wyatt Mertens leaped 21 feet 8.5 inches to place 8th in the long jump.
Micah Rees finished with a personal best in the boys’ 3200 meter run in Class 3A with a time of 9 minutes and 55.42 seconds. Rees grabbed 10th place.
For Fort Madison, Nik Fullenkamp sprinted to a 24th place finish in the boys’ Class 3A 200 meter dash with a time of 23.92 seconds.
Anthony Isley of Mediapolis raced to a time of 22.40 seconds in the boys’ 200 meter dash, the second fastest time in the qualifier. He will run in the finals on Saturday at 2:05 pm.
In the boys’ Class 2A 4×800 meter relay, Mediapolis took 4th place with a time of 8 minutes and 4.05 seconds with the team of Jeff Campbell, Owen Schmidgall, Solomon Zaugg, and Logan Rosas.
Washington had a girls and boys team run in the 4×800 meter relay for Class 3A. The team of Grace Voss, Lauren Horak, Kendall Henrichsen, and Iris Dahl finished with a time of 10 minutes and 16.38 seconds in the girls’ race, which placed their team in 19th. The boys team of Logan McDole, Drew Horak, Andrew Rees, and Micah Rees took 22nd place with a time of 8 minutes and 28.63 seconds.
The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team of Gabe Feldmann, Jacob Richtman, Isaac Rynders, and Ben Carthey competed in the 4×800 meter relay. The Panthers finished in 21st place with a time of 8 minutes and 28.59 seconds.
Mt. Pleasant’s Andi Scott raced to a time of 13.33 seconds in the girls 100 meter dash, which placed her 22nd.
Thomas Eschman had a successful day for Central Lee with a 19th place finish in the boys Class 2A with a time of 11.52 seconds. Eschman also grabbed three points with his 6th place finish in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet 10 inches.
Davidson of Mt. Pleasant, Jack Riley and Travain Donaldson of West Burlington-Notre Dame (WB-ND) competed in the boys’ Class 3A 100 meter dash. Davidson finished in 12th place with a time of 11.24 seconds. Riley and Donaldson both qualified for finals. Riley raced to the 2nd fastest time in the preliminary with a time of 10.94 seconds. Donaldson snuck into the top 8 with a time of 11.10 seconds. They will race on Saturday at 12:55 pm.
In the boys’ Class 2A 400 meter dash, Isley of Mediapolis gained 8 points for the Bulldogs after a 2nd place finish with a time of 49.97 seconds, a personal record. Anthony Duncan of Van Buren County finished right behind Isley with a time of 50.04 seconds, which gave the Warriors 7 total points on the day.
Cade Packard of Fort Madison finished in 21st place for the boys Class 3A 400 meter dash with a time of 52.19 seconds.
Washington’s Elijah Morris in the 100 meter dash and Alec Ulin in the 400 meter dash did not record a time.
The team of Maya Lane, Lilly Bergren, Hayley Reinier, and Isabel McCready finished in 21st place with a time 1 minute and 12.53 seconds for Fairfield in the girls’ Class 3A shuttle hurdle relay.
Shifting full focus to the field events. Eli Zillman and Ryan Giberson of Fairfield both participated in the high jump. Zillamn finished in 17th place and Giberson claimed 14th place as they both cleared 5 feet 11 inches.
Brayden Hartman of Washington took 11th place in the discus with a throw of 151 feet 5 inches. The Demon’s Grace Voss tied for 7th place in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet.
Stay tuned to KILJ for more results tomorrow and Saturday.
Dewain Wixom
Ronald Francis Shumaker
Ronald Francis Shumaker, age 98 of Mt. Pleasant and formerly of Salem, Iowa passed away May 18, 2023 at Silver Palms Assisted Living in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Born on May 2, 1925 in rural Jackson Township, he was the son of Iliff and Gladys (Hallowell) Shumaker. On December 7, 1945 he married Kathleen Morrison in the parsonage of the Cedar Creek Church north of Salem. She preceded him in death on May 22, 2014.
After graduating from Salem High School, Ron was drafted into the military and volunteered for the U.S. Marine Corps on September 10, 1943. He attained the rank of sergeant while serving our country during World War II participating in the Pacific Theater which included the Mariana Islands, Western Caroline Islands and the Iwo Jima operations. He was honorably discharged on November 27, 1945. Ron worked at various crafts starting as a freshman in high school for his uncle Charles Dietrick at the Blue Star Woodwork Shop and for The Furniture Mart, both in Mt. Pleasant. After returning from the war he resumed his employment with The Furniture Mart and also started Ron’s Upholstery in Salem. He worked at Sheaffer Pen Company in Mt. Pleasant for three years and then for six years he owned a home repair/construction business. In 1957 he and his wife operated the grocery store in Salem. In 1958 he found his calling and for the next 30 years he worked in industrial general maintenance, first for Advance Ross Manufacturing in Burlington and Washington, then Iowa Industries and ESP Battery in Burlington. He retired from Goodyear Hose Plant in Mt. Pleasant in 1988.
Ron’s memberships include the American Legion Post #94 in Salem, Forty & Eight Voiture #661, VFW Post #15016, Iowa member at large and Henry County AmVets Post #44. He was also a charter member of the Henry County Honor Guard and served until his health would no longer allow him to do so. He had also been a volunteer fireman with the Salem Fire Department.
Over the years Ron enjoyed fishing, hunting, hiking, bird and animal watching. His interests in Salem history, cemeteries, and ancestry also occupied much of his time researching and documenting. He had participated in sports in high school and enjoyed watching his grandchildren’s athletic events. He also enjoyed watching the St. Louis Cardinals and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Survivors include two daughters, Connie (Dale) Schau of Altoona, Iowa, and Marilyn (Dennis) Schroeder of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; son-in-law Paul Moeller of Salem; grandchildren Lori (Mike) Wall, Mike (Tiffany) Moeller, Monte (Kim) Moeller, Kit (Alissa) Schroeder, Ski (Ashley) Schroeder; eleven great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Gwen Foss, Darlene Owens, and Charlotte Bailey. He was preceded in death by his wife Katie, daughter Jeanne Moeller, and a sister Joyce Van Dorin.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, May 23 at Elliott Chapel, New London beginning at 9:00 AM, with the family greeting friends from 1:00 – 2:00 PM. Immediately following the visitation, there will be a procession to Salem East Cemetery for a 3:00 PM Graveside Service. Senior Vice-Commander Karl Schaefer will officiate with Military Rites presented by the Henry County Honor Guard. A memorial has been established to the Salem East Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com