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County Five Year Road Department Plan
The Henry County Supervisors approved the County Secondary Roads Five Year Construction Plan as presented by the County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss. The plan includes 10, possibly 12 projects in fiscal year 2024 with a projected total cost of $8,740,000. The projects involve the use of twin tank cars to replace bridges on 126th Street and Fremont Avenue. There are a total of 6 culvert projects. The list includes the Nebraska Avenue bridge, Old Hwy 34 paving project, a seal coat project and paving and widening a section of Franklin Avenue. Pending a grant application there may be additional paving projects Old 34 and W55. The total dollar figure for the entire five year secondary roads construction program from fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2028 is $30,340,000.
From the Mount Pleasant City Council Meeting
The Mount Pleasant City Council met in regular session Wednesday. The council approved a motion that amends an Engineering Service Agreement with Warner and Associates. The amendment allows for $87,500 so Warner can finish the analysis of findings from the evaluation study done of the Saunders Branch sanitary sewer line. The manholes have been inspected, the system has been smoked, cleaned and videoed. This has been time consuming but some issues have been found. Once Warner finishes the evaluation there will be a recommendation to Council as to what needs to be done.
A change order was approved for the Northeast Lagoon conversion project. $12,162.70 is needed for better electrical connections in the lift stations. This will improve the longevity of the stations and help with maintenance.
The Council accepted a bid in the amount of $16,500 from Barton Construction to repair the main drain in the Public Works Building.
The pre-construction meeting for street work on Aldrin and West Henry has been held. The work on Aldrin will be done first. Right now the gas lines along Henry Street are being improved. And then the Utilities will move in to re-do services.
The City Council approved three resolutions on the recommendations of Fire Chief Drew Schumaker. Capt. William Bensmiller was promoted to Deputy Fire Chief, Lt. Nicholas Ettinger was promoted to Captain and Tony Skow was appointed to the Firefighter Reserve Unit.
The final public hearing on the City’s proposed overall budget for Fiscal Year 2024 will be held April 12 and 5:30 pm. At Wednesday night’s meeting the Council approved the maximum general fund tax asking of $9.42816 per $1,000 of taxable valuation following a public hearing. A public hearing and a resolution are now required by the State before the final hearing and passage.
Sports, March 23rd
High School Track and Field
The girls will be competing at Burlington Notre Dame on March 28th.
The boys will be competing tonight at the Steven Roth Relays.
High School Soccer
The Mt. Pleasant girls’ soccer season will begin on March 28th against Mediapolis on the road.
WACO’s boy soccer team will start their season at home against Fairfield on March 30th.
The Central Lee boys’ soccer team will take on Keokuk on March 27th as the Hawks start their season on the road.
Youth Basketball
The next event will be the Easter Weekend 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament held at Iowa Wesleyan University for 3rd graders through adults. For a registration form, contact Coach Ronnie Ashton at 319-931-2896 or Iowa Wesleyan’s Men’s Head Coach Jordan Ashton at 319-461-9023. Registration due by April 4th. It starts at 9am on April 8th.
March Madness
The Sweet 16 will get back to action today and tomorrow. The winner of the KILJ Bracket Challenge will get a free cabin rental from Henry County Conservation and a $100 gift certificate to Wiley’s Interior Furnishings and Design with 2nd place getting a meal a month from the Press Box.
For the women’s bracket, Iowa will take on Colorado in the Sweet 16 as Caitlin Clark continues her dominance.
Iowa Wesleyan Athletics
The Tiger softball team will take on the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis on March 28th in a home doubleheader with game one at 1 pm.
The Tiger baseball team will take on William Woods University on March 28th for a home doubleheader with game one at 3 pm.
The women’s golf team will have their home opener on March 27th at the Purple Cup.
The men’s golf team will be competing at the Jim Wetherbee Invitational in Galesburg, Illinois on March 25th and 26th for the season opener. Head Coach Kurt Moon will be joining us on Tiger Nation this morning at 9 am.
The outdoor track and field season will be getting underway at the Viking Relays on Saturday, March 25th at 10 am.
The ballots are open for the first USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year Award and Adaugo Nwachukwu is one of the six finalists. Nwachukwu finished the year with a 31-0 record, as the Heart of America Conference champion, 2023 NAIA champion at 136-pounds, and as NAIA Outstanding Wrestler of the Year. In a year of domination, 29 of her matches were finished by pin or tech fall. Voting ends on March 27th at 8 am, just follow this link to cast your vote: https://usawrestlingevents.com/wcwoty.
This Day in Sports History
1923 – 82nd Grand National: Captain Tuppy Bennett wins aboard 13-year-old 100/6 shot Sergeant Murphy; first US bred horse to win race.
1952 – New York Rangers blow 6-2 lead, lose 7-6 to Chicago Blackhawks; Bill Mosienko scores fastest hat trick in NHL history, 21 seconds.
1994 – Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record with 802 goals scored.
Fatal Crash
One person died and another was injured in a single vehicle crash that occurred just after 11 am Wednesday. John Thornton of Salem was driving a truck owned by WEMIGA Waste of Mount Pleasant when he lost consciousness. The truck first went off the road and then crossed back over both lanes and rolled coming to rest in the ditch. Thornton died in the crash and a passenger in the truck, Michael Hines of Mount Pleasant was injured and taken to Henry County Health Center. The truck was westbound in the 1200 block of Old Hwy 34 when the crash occurred.
Iowa Wesleyan Basketball Programs Combine for 3 NAIA Honorable Mention Honors
Mt. Pleasant, IA- Ruble Arena had good reason to be buzzing this past season as the basketball teams combined for a 50-10 record on the season, and an 18-0 record at home. Additionally, both teams ended the season as Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) champions, touted All-Conference coaches, and made the National Tournament for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NAIA recognized one member of the men’s team and two members of the women’s team for the season that they had.
For the men’s team, Henry Shannon was named an Honorable Mention for the NAIA after leading the team in points with 12.9 per game and rebounds with 6.4 per game. The freshman played a big part in the offense, especially in the CAC tournament as he hit the game winner against Haskell Indian Nations with the Tigers on the brink of elimination. Shannon was also named 1st Team All-Conference and is the first Tiger to receive NAIA honors since the 2010-2011 season where Nate Fuqua was named an All-American.
For the women’s team, Isabell West was tabbed an Honorable Mention and Kyla Moore was selected as Honorable Mention for the second time in her career. West led the Tigers in points and rebounds as she nearly averaged a double-double with 18.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. She was also named CAC Newcomer of the Year, CAC Player of the Year, and CAC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Moore had an excellent year as well averaging 15.3 points per game along with 2.5 steals per game. Both players received CAC 1st Team All-Conference honors. This is the first time in school history that two players earned Honorable Mention honors in the same season.
Adaugo Nwachukwu is a Finalist for USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year
Mt. Pleasant, IA- The ballots are open for the first USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year Award and Adaugo Nwachukwu is one of the six finalists. It will be tough competition for the Tiger as each wrestler went undefeated for the season and is at least a one-time champion. Here is a quick rundown of the competition.
Lexie Basham of Texas Wesleyan went 18-0 on the season and is now a two-time NAIA champion.
Marissa Gallegos is a redshirt junior for Colorado Mesa who went 28-0 and finished as the 2023 NCWWC champion at 123-pounds. She is the only non-multiyear champion.
Dymond Guilford is a graduate student from University of Cumberlands and she totaled a 21-0 record on the year at 170-pounds and is now a three-time NAIA champion.
Yelena Makoyed of North Central is now a three-time NCWWC champion after finishing with a 28-0 record.
Peyton Prussin of Life University is a three-time NAIA champion as she finished the year with 3 pins and 9 technical falls.
Lastly, Adaugo Nwachukwu is just a sophomore for Iowa Wesleyan but she has dominated the mat ever since arriving in Mount Pleasant. Nwachukwu was the first National Champion and All-American in the program’s history as a freshman losing only one match on the year. Over the summer, she competed for Team USA and took home the bronze medal in the Women’s Freestyle in the 62KG division. She used that momentum to finish her sophomore season with a 31-0 record where 29 of her matches ended by pin or tech fall. She won the Heart of America Conference title, named NAIA Outstanding Wrestler of the Year, and is now a two-time NAIA Champion after winning the crown this year in the 136-pound weight class. Nwachukwu is the first in program history to win multiple National Championships.
The award will be decided by three groups: wrestling journalists, women’s college head coaches, and fans.
Follow this link to cast your vote before it ends on March 27th at 8 am: https://usawrestlingevents.com/wcwoty
Public Invited to D.A.R. Celebration
On Thursday, March 24, 1923, a group of women led by Ella Rosemond Mackin gathered in Mt. Pleasant to form the James Harlan Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Current members of the James Harlan Chapter of DAR invite the community to help commemorate it’s first 100 years. The celebration will be held on Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Ashford Park Clubhouse, 1801 Ashford Avenue, Mt. Pleasant. The event is free and open to the public.
The celebration will kick off with an open house at 1 p.m. A program will begin at 1:30. The Women in American History Award will honor two local women. Following the awards, Iowa author Cheryl Mullenbach will present on “Mischievous Women of the Progressive Era”. Cathy Helman, James Harlan DAR member from Salem will add information about local “mischievous” women.
In addition to the anniversary celebration, the chapter is marking it’s anniversary in other ways. Visitors to the Mt. Pleasant Public Library or the lower level of the Henry County Courthouse can view displays commemorating the James Harlan Chapter’s milestone. James Harlan Chapter member Becky Wright made the patriotic quilt on display at the library. Vice Regent Charlene Seggerman assembled items illustrating DAR’s goals and activities to display in the courthouse.
The Daughters of the American Revolution, founded in 1890 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization. Each of the women who belong to the DAR can document their ancestry back to at least one patriot who played a role helping to win independence during the Revolutionary War. The organization is dedicated to three main goals: promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education for children.
According to James Harlan Chapter Regent Gayle Olson, there are currently 59 members in the local chapter who work to accomplish these goals through a combination of committee work, recognizing community members and continuously learning. “We are an involved group with many activities and partners. Each month, we work on a specific service area. If you have an interest in history, education or patriotism, we always have projects in progress.”
For information on joining DAR, contact Carol Klopfenstein, 319- 257-6987. For information on the anniversary celebration, contact Gayle Olson, 319-257-6967.