The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is partnering with law enforcement across Iowa to support the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Click It or Ticket It high-visibility enforcement effort. The seatbelt-focused enforcement campaign starts Monday, May 18 and runs through May 31, 2026. According to a press release from the Iowa State Patrol, seatbelts remain the single best defense against serious injury. In 2025, 121 people who died in Iowa traffic crashes were not wearing a seatbelt. These occupants not wearing their seatbelts accounted for 47% of all 2025 traffic fatalities; a number that is preventable. GTSB said that if the enforcement effort helps people to start buckling up consistently, the mission will be a success. GTSB works with city, county, state, and local organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce death and injury on Iowa roads using federally funded grants.
Prep Track and Field: List of All of Our Local State Qualifiers
Prep Track and Field- It was a busy day all across on Thursday night in Iowa as girls’ and boys’ track teams faced off to earn a chance to head to the Blue Oval in Des Moines for the Iowa High School State Track and Field Championships slated for Thursday, May 21st, through Saturday, May 23rd. Here’s a look at our local qualifiers.
Class 1A
Danville
Boys’ Team
Noah Horn will be competing in the boys’ 800-meter run as his time of 2 minutes and 4.9 seconds was one of the at-large times to pass through. It ranks as the 19th fastest time among the 24 qualifiers.
Girls’ Team
Alaina Gourley will be competing in four events for the Bears. The senior will run in the 400-meter dash after posting a time of 59.46 seconds, which ranks as the 4th fastest, and the 800-meter run.
The Bears will also be bringing three teams to oval. The team of Macie Wagner, Alivia Bauer, Violette Sowell, and Delaney Newberry will compete in the 4×200 meter relay. Newberry, Bauer, Wagner, and Gourley will run the 4×400 meter relay. Lastly, Wagner, Sowell, Newberry, and Gourley will take on the sprint medley relay.
New London
Boys’ Team
The aptly named London Franklin will be running all over the concourse, as the Tiger will be sprinting in the 100-meter dash. He will join Cale Westerbeck, Gavin Strawhacker, and Brigham Porter as they look to defend their title in the 4×100 meter relay. That quad will also compete in the 4×200 meter relay, as they enter with the 3rd fastest time. Additionally, Franklin enters with the best mark in the long jump with a mark of 22 feet and 2 inches.
Logan Franklin will join his brother in the long jump, as well. Riley Raines will put his endurance to the test in the 1600-meter run with a seed time of 4 minutes and 36 seconds, which is just two seconds off the best time.
Van Buren County
Boys’ Team
Lincoln Bainbridge will be added to the list of “no rest for the wicked.” The senior enters with the 2nd fastest time in the 400-meter dash and the 5th fastest time in the 800-meter run. Bainbridge will join Kayden Simmons, Jaren Troxel, and Jace Duncan in the 4×400 and distance medley relays.
Landry Loeffler will take off in the 3200-meter run. Duncan will look to finish on the podium in the 400-meter hurdles with the third fastest time of the heat and joining him will be Simmons.
Girls’ Team
In the 1500-meter run, Rylee Phillips will look to move up the chain as she enters the 21st fastest time with a seed time of 5 minutes and 14 seconds.
The Warriors will have four teams competing in the relays.
4×100: Emma Coffin, Aida Troutman, Daphny Wells, and Ava Loeffler
4×200: Coffin, Aubrey Loeffler, Troutman, and Ava Loeffler
4×800: Rory Philips, Rylee Philips, Gabby Titus, and Kayley Snowgren
Sprint Medley: Ali Pedretti, Coffin, Troutman, and Ava Loeffler
WACO
Boys’ Team
Hayden Shelman was able to get into the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.21 seconds. He will also compete in the long jump with a mark of 21 feet and 4.5 inches. Jude Dykstra will look to chase down Bainbridge and hold off Horn in the 800-meter run as he holds the 10th fastest time.
Garrett Landau, just a few days after signing on to join Mount Mercy University’s cross-country team, found a spot in the 1600-meter run with the 19th fastest time of 4 minutes and 45 seconds.
The Warriors will also bring the following relay teams:
4×800: Locken Henderson, Garrett Landau, Gavin Slagel, and Jude Dykstra
Distance Medley: Hayden Shelman, Bryson Waterhouse, Henderson, and Dykstra
Girls’ Team
Carlee Lunsford and Josie Dykstra will glide in the 800-meter run.
The Warriors will put together three relay teams:
4×100: Ryen Pepper, Natalie Wagner, Bren Graber, and Taelyn Egli
4×800: Carlee Lunsford, Macie Carter, Aliya Graber, and Josie Dykstra
Distance Medley: Natalie Wagner, Taelyn Egli, Carlee Lunsford, and Josie Dykstra
Wapello
Boys’ Team
Justyn Faulkner will compete in the 400-meter dash as his time of 52.62 seconds just snuck into the top 24. He will be joined by Rowen Atkinson, Garrett Cooley, and Kendyn Lanz for the 4×400 meter relay.
Winfield-Mt. Union
Boys’ Team
A pair of Wolves will be in a pair of events, as Cruz Hagmeier will run in the 110-meter hurdles and join the squad Gavin Prior, Tayson Samuels, and Jaxton Jones in the shuttle hurdle relay.
Additionally, Colin Anderson will be tossing both the shot put and the discus.
Girls’ Team
The lone competitor for the Wolves will be Quin Smith as she looks to place in the top five for the high jump with her school record jump of 5 feet and 5 inches sitting second amongst the field.
Class 2A
Central Lee
Girls’ Team
The Hawks will be looking at Aubrey Weber in the discus, as she enters with a mark of 109 feet and 1 inch.
Columbus
Boys’ Team
As an at-large bid, Domonic Garcia will sprint in the 100-meter dash and Lamar Ceant will run in the 200-meter dash. Furthermore, Ceant will enter as the favorite in the 110-meter hurdles with his teammate Alexander Rees tailing him.
In the field events, Tyson Corneille will take part in the long jump. Fritz Figaro will toss the discus with a mark of 147 feet and 8 inches placing him at #19.
The Wildcats will participate in the following relays:
4×100: Djamar Exantus, Tyson Corneille, Domonic Garcia, and Rees
4×800: Victor Tovar, Ryan Villa, Kevin Villa, and Cade Storm
Shuttle Hurdle: Tyson Kaalberg, Rees, Corneille, and Ceant
Girls’ Team
Ella Howell was the lone automatic qualifier for the Wildcats, as she managed to get the silver in the 400-meter hurdles. Still, Howell got at-large bids in the 400-meter dash and the long jump, as well. Bella Forbes will also heave the shot put for the Wildcats.
Mediapolis
Boys’ Team
The Bulldogs will be very busy over the course of the three-day event. Nathan Schmidgall will run in the 400-meter dash. Simon Wendel will test his endurance in the 1600 and 3200-meter runs. Lathan Keller will join a pair of Falcons in the high jump. Trent Larson will compete in the long jump.
They will be in full force for the relays:
4×100 and Sprint Medley: Will Luttenegger, Brock Spears, Kyler Crow, and Henry Luttenegger
4×200: Kael Wischmeier, Keller, Larson, and Spears
4×400: Will Luttenegger, Nathan Schmidgall, Kyler Crow, and Henry Luttenegger
4×800: Lane Rigdon, Lucas Egan, Will Schmidgall, and Wendel
Distance Medley: Will Luttenegger, Nathan Schmidgall, Kyler Crow, and Will Schmidgall
Girls’ Team
The 800-meter run will feature a trio of local talent with the first one coming from the Bullettes, as Avery Dietz enters with the 8th fastest time. Bryn Wright found a spot in the 1500-meter run. Avery Crear will leap in the high jump, while Payton Harris will enter with the 5th best throw in the discus.
The Bullettes will be in the following relays:
4×400: Brynlee Steiner, Gracie Beschorner, Dietz, and Evie Schmidgall
4×800: Wright, Beschorner, Schmidgall, and Dietz
Distance Medley: Josie Hutcheson, Steiner, Schmidgall, and Dietz
West Burlington/Notre Dame
Boys’ Team
The All-State speed of Landry Haberichter will be on display as the Falcon ranks in the top six for both the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Logan Hamma found an at-large bid for the 400-meter hurdles. In the field events, Kellan Porter, who enters with a height of 6 feet and 2 inches, and Shay Stephens, with a mark of 6 feet-even, will compete in the high jump.
The Falcons will take part in two relays:
4×200: Maddox Diewold, Hamma, Eli Oleson, and Haberichter
4×800: Michael Hadden, Case Johansen, Prior Bowen, and Cavin Denney
Girls’ Team
Hannah Ritter will look to make her mark in the 800-meter run, along with Kaitlyn Kipp. Ritter will then jump in with Meadow Bennett, Olivia Ritter, and Kayley Webb for the distance medley relay.
Class 3A
Burlington
Boys’ Team
Keshawn Wyldon will look to speed away from the competition in the 200-meter dash. Liam Enger will compete in the 400-meter hurdles. Brady Britt will look to fly in the long jump. Lastly, Zech Hart, Justin Hudley, Enger, and Cj Owens will participate in the shuttle hurdle relay.
Girls’ Team
It will be the Mylee Stiefel and Kylee Hill show for the Grayhounds. Stiefel will sprint in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Lilian Mennon will compete in the high jump, while Hill will look to add more medals to her mantle for the shot put and discus.
Fairfield
Boys’ Team
Spencer McCready snuck into the 110-meter hurdles with a the time of 15.64 seconds. Eli Zillman will look to reclaim his state championship from sophomore season after hitting his personal best of 6 feet and 9 inches in the high jump. Zillman and McCready look to score points in the long jump.
The Trojans will participate in these relays:
4×200 and Sprint Medley: Eli Hoffman, Voss Richardson, Dayson Workman, Ethan Bisgard
Girls’ Team
Elyse Setterstrom will throw the discus as an at-large bid and only Trojan for the girls’ team.
Fort Madison
Boys’ Team
Nolan Guzman will be competing in a couple events as he will run in the 800-meter run and look to upset Zillman in the high jump. He will also join Mason McLey, Riley Tripp, and Henry Ireland in the 4×800 meter relay. Lastly, Urijah Brooks will throw the discus.
Girls’ Team
In the 400-meter dash, Charley Huebner was able to generate an at-large bid. Avery Rump will compete in the 1500 and 3000-meter runs.
The Bloodhounds will run in the following relays:
4×800: McKayla Schinstock, Addison Rump, Mara Smith, and Avery Rump
Distance Medley: Mia Mason, Smith, Huebner, and Avery Rump
Keokuk
Boys’ Team
Speed is the name of the game for the Chiefs as Ryan Bair will look to finish in the top five in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Kurt Joy will join Bair in the 100-meter dash. Chayce Smith will sprint in the 400-meter dash and Lincoln Wray will participate in the 400-meter hurdles. Joy will also participate in the long jump.
Keokuk will also bring these relay teams:
4×100: Joy, Jackson Bair, Antonio Crockett, and Ryan Bair
Sprint Medley: Joy, Jadyn Burton, Jackson and Ryan Bair
Girls’ Team
Alaya Carr will race in the 100-meter hurdles. Kylee Hoard will participate in the high jump and Bella Crew will leap in the long jump. Lastly, Carr, Nevaeh Logan, Hoard, and Baylee Billings will take part in the shuttle hurdle relay.
Mt. Pleasant
Boys’ Team
Silas Hulett will show off his endurance in the 1600 and 3200-meter runs. Kayle Brown and Hoang Quang will both compete in the long jump. Lastly, Brown, Caleb Sheperd, Keegan Heaton, and Kaden Schadt will run in the shuttle hurdler relay.
Girls’ Team
The Panthers were busy at the state qualifier with nine automatic bids and two at-large nods giving Mt. Pleasant an excellent chance at earning a top three team finish. In the 100-meter dash will be Alex Scott. Avery Fedler might just be a freshman, but she will be participating in four events already; individually, she will run in the 400-meter dash, 800-meter run, and 1500-meter run.
Quintrie Lee claimed a spot in the 3000-meter run as an at-large bid. In the field events, Izzy Sloat will leap in the long jump and Ella Ensminger will throw the shot put.
The Panthers will be busy with these relays:
4×100: Kynlee White, Scott, Taylor Williamson, and Delaney Anderson
4×200: Ellie Freeman, Anderson, White, and Scott
Sprint Medley: White, Anderson, Scott, and Fedler
Shuttle Hurdle: Anderson, Meadow Carter, White, and Williamson
Washington
Boys’ Team
Andrew Rees needed an at-large bid, but he will be running in the 1600-meter run. Josh Anderson will be competing in 100, 200, 400, and 800-meter dashes for the wheelchair para events. Greyson Hartman will look to add more hardware as he will participate in the shot put and discus.
Ethan Hopkins, Sawyer Tschantz, Parker Tschantz, and Rees will compete in the 4×800 meter relay.
Girls’ Team
The Demons may not have scored as many points as Mt. Pleasant, but they will be just as busy in Des Moines. Jaedyn Moore will sprint in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Iris Dahl will run in the 800 and 1500-meter events. Emma Horak will join Dahl in the 1500-meter run, while also competing in the 3000-meter run.
Leighton Messinger will look to glide in the 400-meter hurdles. Villa will leap in the long jump.
The Demons will bring the following relay teams:
4×200: Jaslyn Villa, Lauren Drahota, Messinger, and Moore
4×400: Drahota, Villa, Messinger, and Dahl
Sprint Medley: Leighton Salazar, Villa, Moore, and Drahota
Distance Medley: Messinger, Drahota, Brynlee Flynn, and Dahl
Up Next
Stay tuned to KILJ for a look at heat and lane assignments along with the schedule for all of our local athletes. We would like to thank our sponsors for allowing us to provide updates for the 2026 Iowa High School Track and Field Championships!
Henry County Supervisors Discuss Data Mining, Construction, and Security at Regular Meeting
The Henry County Board of Supervisors tackled several major topics during Thursday morning’s meeting, including a temporary moratorium on utility-scale solar projects and data mining, ongoing road and bridge work across the county, courthouse security changes, and funding transfers.
One of the biggest discussions centered around solar development and data mining in Henry County. Supervisors approved a temporary moratorium beginning May 14th at noon and lasting through December 31st, 2026. The pause is intended to give county officials more time to research and develop possible ordinance language regulating future projects.
The board also heard several updates from Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss regarding road and bridge projects underway throughout the county.
Maintenance crews recently replaced an entrance along 170th Street and completed crossroad pipe work near Lexington Avenue. Territory operators continue blading roads and applying rock, while county crews have moved equipment back to J-20 to finish shoulder widening work that began earlier this year.
Work also continues on the new 235th Street bridge project. Contractors poured the final east pier Monday on the approximately 440-foot-long bridge and are now preparing for beam installation. A quick fun fact is the beams used in the project were fabricated in Henry County.
In other business, supervisors approved an inter-fund transfer of more than $1.57 million to Secondary Roads. However, a proposed $11,000 transfer to Historic Preservation was tabled and will return for discussion at a future meeting.
The board also approved discontinuing the live courthouse camera feed previously available in the Auditor’s Office from the Supervisors Office. Officials clarified that all cameras will continue recording, and Henry County Dispatch will now have access to monitor cameras if needed during emergency situations involving law enforcement. Supervisors also noted alarm buttons remain installed throughout the courthouse.
Supervisors additionally discussed an Iowa Public Information Board, or IPIB, inquiry connected to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted to Henry County. During discussion, the board reviewed a roughly $1,900 bill submitted by now employee Ed Harvey for services prior to his hiring related to the request and debated where the funding should come from.
Supervisors ultimately agreed the payment will come from the county attorney’s budget, while also planning a future budget amendment so the expense does not reduce the attorney’s overall budget allocation.
The next Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for May 21st at 6 p.m. The Supervisors are having this evening meeting to allow Henry County Residents unable to attend the 9 am meetings the opportunity to be present in person.
WACO Students Receive Scholarship
Southeast Iowa Fishing Report, May 15th
Warm temperatures continue to improve fishing conditions across Southeast Iowa, with several local lakes seeing increased activity as fish move into late spring patterns. According to the Iowa DNR, water temperatures across the region are now mostly in the low-to-mid 60s.
At Lake Darling near Brighton, anglers are finding black crappies split between shallow spawning areas and deeper brush piles in 8 to 10 feet of water. Bluegills are holding near rock piles, while largemouth bass are beginning to establish nesting territories in the shallows. Water clarity remains very good.
At Lake Geode, crappies continue to hold in deeper habitat around 8 to 10 feet. Bass fishing remains weather-dependent, with sunny days producing action along rock shorelines and underwater mounds, while cloudy conditions push fish toward steeper drop-offs.
Big Hollow Lake in Des Moines County is reporting fair crappie and bass fishing. Crappies have mostly moved back toward deeper flooded timber, while bass anglers are having success working weed bed edges.
At Lake Belva Deer near Sigourney, bluegills are moving into shallow water, although nesting activity has not fully started. Bass are cruising shallow areas, and anglers are having luck with crankbaits.
River anglers are also seeing improving conditions. On the Skunk River near Oakland Mills, channel catfish activity is picking up in the evenings using minnows, cut bait, and nightcrawlers. Flathead catfish fishing below the dam has been especially productive using small sunfish and bluegills for bait.
Special Satellite Voting Opportunity in Keokuk for Primary Election
Voters in the Keokuk area will have an additional opportunity to cast their ballots early later this month through a special satellite voting event in Lee County.
Lee County Auditor Sherri Yasenchok announced that a temporary satellite voting location will be available May 26th through May 29th at 25 North 7th Street in Keokuk. The site will be open Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Election officials say the satellite location is designed to give voters more convenient access to early voting and help residents avoid long lines on Election Day.
All qualified voters wishing to participate must declare either the Democratic or Republican Party in order to vote.
Yasenchok says the county is committed to making voting accessible and convenient for eligible voters throughout the community, adding that the satellite location provides additional options for residents in the Lee County and Keokuk area to safely and efficiently cast their ballots.
Voters are reminded to bring any required identification and materials needed to complete the voting process.
Anyone with questions regarding voter eligibility, absentee voting, polling information, or identification requirements can contact the Lee County Auditor’s Office at 319-372-3705, option 3.
Seniors Empowerment Opportunity Through AI Learning in Des Moines
Adults aged 60 and older have a unique opportunity to demystify an emerging technology through a free educational program, “Pro‑AI: Proactive Health with AI.”
The two-session series is designed specifically for those with little to no prior experience with technology.
The program aims to empower seniors to navigate AI tools like ChatGPT with confidence. Participants will learn how to safely use these platforms to find and interpret health information.
The workshops will be 10-11:30 a.m. May 20 and May 27. The sessions will be held in person at the Des Moines County Extension Office located in West Burlington. Organizers require that those who sign up commit to attending both dates.