Wellman Man Arrested on Multiple Felony Drug and Weapons Charges from 2025 Incident

By Allison Jacobs · Thursday, March 19th, 2026 at 6:25 am CDT

A Wellman man was arrested on multiple Washington County felony warrants related to an incident from February of last year.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrested 37-year-old Larry Smith of Wellman on Thursday. He had three controlled substance violation warrants, a class B felony, class C felony, and class D felony. Dominion control of a firearm, a class D felony. Two charges of failure to affix drug tax stamp, both class D felonies. He also has five counts of possession of a controlled substance, all aggravated misdemeanors; three counts of person ineligible to carry dangerous weapons, serious misdemeanors; and one count of possession of dangerous weapons while under the influence, a serious misdemeanor.

These charges stem from an incident that occurred in February of 2025, when Smith was arrested in the Wellman Casey’s parking lot after being found unresponsive in his vehicle. According to court records, employees made the call and were concerned for Smith’s wellbeing after being asleep in the running vehicle for three hours. Smith was subsequently arrested and a search warrant found multiple knives, a gun, and many controlled substance containers in the vehicle.

Smith is currently being held in the Washington County Jail on a $50,000 bond. His preliminary hearing has been set for March 23rd.

Sports, March 19th

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, March 19th, 2026 at 6:23 am CDT

High School Track and Field

The Central Lee, Danville, New London, and West Burlington boys’ teams will head to Central College tomorrow, March 20th, for an indoor meet.

The Mt. Pleasant, West Burlington, Mediapolis, and Danville girls’ teams will travel to Central College for an indoor meet on Saturday, March 21st. 

Columbus will host their Early Bird Invitational on Monday, March 23rd, with Central Lee, Van Buren County, and Winfield-Mt. Union also competing.

High School Basketball

Talent from all over the state will be heading to Dallas Center-Grimes High School for the 2026 Pizza Ranch All-Star Games on Saturday, March 28th, with seven local players and two coaches making the trip for the southeast Iowa squad.

On the girls’ side, the Southeast Iowa Super Conference (SEISC) will be represented by Mediapolis’ Grace Holsteen and Madison Kellogg of Winfield-Mt. Union. Holsteen was named SEISC-South Player of the Year, while Kellogg battled through injury to lead her team with 14.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Joining Kellogg will be her Wolves head coach Mendy McCreight.

Joining the pair will be Kendra Boatman of Keokuk and Mylee Stiefel of Burlington. The two have both taken home Conference Player of the Year awards during their high school careers.

 On the boys’ side, Washington’s Collin Stark will be patrolling the sideline with three local players running the court. Burlington Notre Dame’s Shay Stephens, the SEISC-South Player of the Year, will be flanked by two-time Southeast Conference Player of the Year in Keokuk’s Jaxon Clark and All-Substate talent Max Griffin of Mediapolis. Clark and Stephens have each tabbed at least one season double-double, which is scoring at least 500 points and securing 250 rebounds.

Southeastern Community College

The baseball team will start their three-game road series against Ellsworth Community College on Saturday, March 21st, with a doubleheader.

The softball team split their doubleheader with Dyersburg State Community College yesterday, winning game one 5-3 in extra innings but losing game two 7-5. Logan Kelley tabbed five hits, including a home run, and two RBIs between the two games. The Blackhawks will stay on the road today for a doubleheader against Volunteer State Community College.

College Wrestling

Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville’s #27 Marcel Lopez will be gearing up to take on #6 Drake Ayala of Iowa for the 133-pound weight class in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division I wrestling championships today. The New London native collected an 18-4 record for the season. 

March Madness

The KILJ bracket challenge, sponsored by The Press Box, is officially underway with over 50 brackets submitted with the top three set to receive prizes. 

The first round is set to begin today and continue into tomorrow, March 20th.

Standings will be updated at the conclusion of the first two rounds, the Elite 8, Final Four, and the championship game.

College Basketball

The Iowa women’s team will be the #2-seed and will clash with #15 FDU on Saturday, March 21st, at 3 pm. Ava Heiden took home AP All-American Honorable Mention honors yesterday. She led all power four players in points per game improvement over the last two seasons. 

The Iowa State women’s team claimed the #8 seed and will play #9 Syracuse on Saturday at 4:30 pm.

The Iowa State men’s team will be the #2-seed in the Midwest Region as they will take on #15 Tennessee State tomorrow, March 20th, at 1:50 pm. Joshua Jefferson earned Second Team All-American honors by the NABC and USBWA to complete the All-American circuit yesterday. The senior has scored in double figures in all 34 games this year, the third-most in school history.

The Iowa men’s team will look to pull off the upset as the #9-seed for the South Region with a first round matchup against #8 Clemson tomorrow at 5:50 pm. Bennett Stirtz claimed USBWA All-America Honorable Mention yesterday. The Hawkeye has produced the seventh most points in program history for a season.

This Day in Sports History

1966 – Underdog Texas Western College defeats Kentucky, 72-65, in the NCAA men’s college basketball championship—the first NCAA title for an all-Black starting five.

1972 – First AIAW Women’s Basketball Tournament, Immaculata beats West Chester State 52-48 in Normal, Illinois.

1984 – Two-time Cy Young Award winner Denny McLain is indicted on charges of drug trafficking, embezzlement and racketeering; 25 year sentence later quashed.

Baby Girl Declared Safe Haven in March

By Allison Jacobs · Thursday, March 19th, 2026 at 6:21 am CDT

Through the Safe Haven Law, a baby girl, born March 6 is now in the care and custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will be placed with a foster family until permanent placement is determined. This brings the overall total to 80 infants since the law went into effect more than two decades ago.

Iowa’s Safe Haven Act is an option for parents in crisis who determine they cannot care for an infant up to 90 days old. Designated safe havens are locations like hospitals and police and fire stations. Iowa HHS then works to place infants in an approved foster home while awaiting permanent adoption.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or adopting a child, visit https://iowafosterandadoption.org/ to learn more about becoming an approved foster or adoptive family. For more information on Iowa’s Safe Haven, visit https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/CPS/safe-haven.

Ronald “Rick” Williams

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, March 18th, 2026 at 2:54 pm CDT

Ronald “Rick” Williams, 76, of Mount Pleasant passed away at his home on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Murphy Funeral Home of Mount Pleasant.

Dollie C. Mahalic

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, March 18th, 2026 at 2:54 pm CDT

Dollie C. Mahalic, 87, of Fort Madison, passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the Southeast Regional Medical Center in Fort Madison.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Murphy Funeral Home of Mount Pleasant.

Sally Fritcher

By Shelbi Swinscoe · Wednesday, March 18th, 2026 at 2:53 pm CDT

Sally Fritcher, 85, of Mount Pleasant passed away on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Murphy Funeral Home of Mount Pleasant.

Karla Lee Everett

By Allison Jacobs · Wednesday, March 18th, 2026 at 1:41 pm CDT
Karla Lee Everett, 70, a resident of Fairfield, passed away Thursday, February 26, 2026 at her home.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 27, 2026 with a Celebration of Life to begin at 2:00 p.m. at Behner Funeral Home in Fairfield.
Karla was born February 18, 1956 in Greenbush, Minnesota, the daughter of Ernest and Pauline (Emery) Sanders. She married Jeffrey Everett. They later divorced.
Karla worked for Blue Fish Clothing, Overland, and was a jeweler. Her sense of purpose in life was helping people. She loved to entertain in her younger years, loved nature, and crafts. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.
Those left to honor her memory include her daughters, Whitney (Dennis) Schutten, and Ashley (Eric Winters) Everett, both of Fairfield; grandchildren, Isabel Everett, Elisabeth Schutten, Jeffrey Everett, Mason Everett, and Addison Winters; and her former husband, Jeffrey Everett.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and sister, Terry Wynne.