Day Three of the Iowa High School Boys’ Wrestling State Tournament: 4 Members of Burlington Notre Dame Wrestling on Championship Saturday

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, February 18th, 2023 at 12:16 am CDT

Des Moines, IA- Day three of the Iowa High School Athletic Association boys’ wrestling state tournament is in the books and with the pool tightening up we’ll take a look at what will be happening on championship Saturday for Class 2A.

In the 106-pound weight class, Carter West of Burlington Notre Dame will be wrestling in the state championship match as defeated Emmitt Newton of Davis County by a tie breaker. He will take on Brayden Bohnsack, the #1 seed, in the championship bout.

In the 120-pound weight class, Aaron Boone of Washington continued his run through the consolation bracket as he defeated the 3rd seed Ethan Skoglund by fall. Carson Less was his next opponent and Boone taking him down by an 8-3 decision. Boone is one win away from the 3rd place match and he will have to face off against the #1 seed Carson Doolittle of Webster City. CJ Davis of Burlington Notre Dame was eliminated from the tournament by the 9th seed Shane Hanford of West Marshall in a close match decided by a 7-6 decision.

Kaiden Dietzenbach of Burlington Notre Dame continued his dominant run in the consolation bracket as he defeated Jakob Regan of Waukon by major decision. In the next round, Dietzenbach took down Mason Avila of Decorah by a 7-4 decision. He will take on Amare Chavez of South Tama County for a chance at 3rd place.

Tate O’Shea of Keokuk will be facing off against McKinley Robbins of Greene County for the title as O’Shea defeated Luke Spaur of Knoxville by a 6-0 decision.

In the 152-pound weight class, Isaiah Fenton of Burlington Notre Dame squeezed by the 14th seed Lucas Kral via a 9-7 decision to battle against Cooper Sanders of Vinton-Shellsburg for the state championship.

CJ Walrath of Burlington Notre Dame defeated Jackson Boese of Van Meter by tech fall to continue his undefeated season and face off against Brody Sampson of Ballard in the championship match. Boese will take on Zach Adelmund of Dike-New Hartford for a chance at 3rd place.

In the 285-pound weight class, Russell Coil of Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union came up just short against Wil Textor of Dike-New Hartford by a 3-2 decision. Coil will wrestle Mac Muller of Osage for a chance at a third-place finish.

Stay tuned to KILJ 105.5 FM and kilj.com for more updates on the last day of this year’s tournament.

Day Three of the Iowa High School Boys’ Wrestling State Tournament: Dom Lopez and Josh Glendening Eyeing State Title

By Slaten Swords · Saturday, February 18th, 2023 at 12:13 am CDT

Des Moines, IA- Day three of the Iowa High School Athletic Association boys’ wrestling state tournament is in the books and with the pool tightening up we’ll take a look at what will be happening on championship Saturday for Class 1A.

In the 113-pound weight class, Gage Samo of WACO started his day in the consolation bracket as he took on Caleb Swedin of GTRA. Samo defeated Swedin by a decision of 8-4 to move on and face off against Cole Frost of Don Bosco. In a close match, Samo defeated Frost by a 1-0 decision. Samo will take on Eli Becerra of Missouri Valley, the #1 seed, with the winner moving on to the third-place match.

Kyler Crow of Mediapolis was eliminated from the 152-pound weight class after falling to Cooper Gates of West Branch by an 8-1 decision. Crow finished the tournament 3-2.

In the 160-pound weight class, Louden Huisenga of WACO was unfortunately eliminated from the tournament as he had to forfeit his match against John McGill of Colfax-Mingo due to the injury suffered on day two. Dom Lopez of New London continues his undefeated season as he took down Kaden Broer of West Monona-Whiting, the 3rd seed, by major decision. He will be battling with the #1 seed Wyatt Reisz of Logan-Magnolia for a chance at his first state championship.

Michael Raines of New London was eliminated by Jordan Saul of GTRA by fall in the 170-pound weight class.

In the 195-pound weight class, Josh Glendening of Mediapolis dominated his match against the 3rd seed Nathan Beitz of Maquoketa Valley by major decision. He will take on the #1 seed Jackson Dewald in the championship bout. Trent Wilkerson of New London lost by fall to Jack Schwenn of Belle Plaine to end his run through the tournament.

Spencer Kessel of Louisa-Muscatine was eliminated by fall to Jared Thiry of Don Bosco, the #1 seed. He will take on the 11th seed Jack Hiland of Bellevue with the winner moving on to the third-place match.

Stay tuned to KILJ 105.5 FM and kilj.com for more updates on the last day of this year’s tournament.

Pursuit Thru New London

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 17th, 2023 at 3:26 pm CDT

On February 17, 2023, at approximately 8:13AM, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in New London, Iowa, The vehicle fled and a brief pursuit ensued, before the vehicle was lost upon driving off the roadway, through fields. At approximately 8:16AM, the New London Police Department located the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed through New London and another brief pursuit ensued. The vehicle then intentionally left the roadway, driving through fields again, before crashing through fences.

The driver fled on foot and was apprehended a short time later. Joshua Helmick, of Norwalk, was identified as the driver of the vehicle. Helmick was subsequently arrested and charged with Eluding (class D felony), Interference with Official Acts (serious misdemeanor), Criminal Mischief (aggravated misdemeanor) and Failure to Maintain Control (simple misdemeanor).

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the New London Police Department and Mount Pleasant Police Department.

The Dickey Dispatch

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 17th, 2023 at 3:05 pm CDT

 

by Senator Adrian Dickey

 

Hello Senate District 44,

Week six was GREAT! From a multitude of groups visiting the Capitol to getting legislation passed in my committees and seeing the Senate come together to pass quality bills, it turned out to be a very exciting and productive week. On Tuesday, both the University of Northern Iowa and the Iowa Motor Truck Association (IMTA) were welcomed to the Capitol. Now obviously with my involvement in the trucking industry, serving as the chairman of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, AND by graduating from UNI, I was as happy as could be with these groups visiting!

 

 

IMTA provided us with a great breakfast, information on trucking in Iowa, and voiced their concerns on legislation pertaining to commercial motor vehicles. I am a very strong proponent of the trucking industry and realize how vital it is to our state and national economy. I think it was a wonderful event and hopefully helped others understand how much Iowans rely on trucking. The trucking industry is the 2nd largest industry for employment in Iowa, with 1 out of every 13 paychecks related to trucking. Being part of Dickey Transport for over 30 years, I fully understand the issues facing the trucking industry. Besides speaking with truckers, it was exciting to be able to speak with current students from UNI and hear some of their perspectives on current issues facing Iowans. In addition to current UNI students being in  attendance, UNI professors, staff, and alumni, such as yours truly, filled the Capitol wearing their purple panther pride!  I was thoroughly impressed with UNI when I attended back in the early 90s, and am still impressed with the quality of students they produce to this day. Tuesday was a GREAT day!

 

 

This week there was also more floor debate. Senate file 75 was passed, which created a new license for hospitals, called rural emergency hospitals (REH).  A REH is a facility that will provide rural emergency health services 24/7, but will not provide any inpatient acute care. Being designated as such will help stabilize rural hospitals that may be struggling and bring in more money through Medicaid. Rural healthcare access is a major concern that I hear about, and this bill will help keep rural hospitals open and ensure Iowans have access to vital health care services. It was nice to see the whole Senate come together and pass this bill 48-0.

On another note, SSB 1124 passed out of subcommittee this week. This bill deals with property tax reform. With Iowa ranking 40th in the nation by the cost of property taxes, something needed to be done. Iowans have expressed their concerns with the continuous raising of property taxes and want something done to prevent them from rising even further. Property tax collections have risen 145% since 2000, while the median Iowa household income has only grown by 44% over the same time period. The vast majority of emails that I receive are from individuals demanding property tax reduction.

This bill works by simplifying and consolidating around 20 different levies. It also eliminates two levies because other streams of revenue already exist for those services. The reforms found in this bill require local governments to be transparent about where your tax dollar goes, and enforces spending constraints. There was no shortage of city managers and county supervisors in the Capitol this week wanting to keep more of YOUR money (paid through property taxes). However I fully intend to keep my promise to advocate for you, the taxpayer, so you can keep more of your money.

As always, thank you all for the continued support. You can always reach out to me with any questions or concerns you may have.

 

Henry County Supervisors Meeting Agenda

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 17th, 2023 at 8:47 am CDT

AGENDA

February 21, 2023

Approve Agenda

Approve Minutes

9:00 Jake Hotchkiss, Engineer Weekly Update

9:30 Joe Buffington, Subdivision of Lot 1A of Lot 1, Sunrise Acres Subdivision

In Section 29 Salem Township

Other County Business as time allows

Supervisors Sub-Committee Updates

 

Iowa Wesleyan University Celebrates Founders Day

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 17th, 2023 at 8:37 am CDT

Today, February 17, 2023, Iowa Wesleyan University will celebrate its Founders Day and commemorate 181 years since its founding. Iowa Wesleyan will be hosting a series of events for students, faculty, and staff across campus throughout the day.

Founders Day allows the community to reflect on IW’s history as the oldest co-educational institution in Iowa. Since the Iowa Territorial Legislature granted a charter for the Mt. Pleasant Literary Institute on February 17, 1842, Iowa Wesleyan has committed to fostering a student-centered community and providing an assessable and affordable education. Today, IW is ranked as a top regional college in the Midwest. Notable alumni include Belle Bab Mansfield (1866), the first woman to be admitted to the bar in the United States; James Van Allen ’35, discoverer of the earth’s radiation belts; Clement Isong ’54, one of the most celebrated governors in Nigerian history; and Peggy Whitson ’81, the first female commander of the International Space Station.

“As the regional University for Southeast Iowa, we couldn’t be more proud to acknowledge the historical significance Iowa Wesleyan has had in our community,” said Meg Richtman, Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing & Communications.  “Today, we celebrate our rich history while recognizing the labors and love of our community’s past and current members who have devoted so much to making this a special place.”

 

Iowa Wesleyan University: As Southeast Iowa’s regional comprehensive University, Iowa Wesleyan University is a transformational learning community whose passion is to educate, empower and inspire students to lead meaningful lives and careers.

Sports, February 17th

By Slaten Swords · Friday, February 17th, 2023 at 6:40 am CDT

High School Basketball

The Mt. Pleasant boys’ team will start their postseason action February 20th at home against Fort Madison at 7 pm.

The WACO boys’ team will face off against New London at home tonight, February 17th, at 7 pm. KILJ, 1130 AM and 98.5 FM, will be covering the game with pregame at 6:50 pm.

The Danville girls’ team will travel to battle with Mediapolis tonight at 7 pm.

Winfield-Mt. Union will be taking on Burlington Notre Dame in a doubleheader tonight with the girls going at 6 pm and the boys to follow. KILJ will be covering the game with pregame at 6:45 pm.

High School Wrestling

The state tournament will be starting day three of action today with Dom Lopez of New London,  Carter West and CJ Walrath of Burlington Notre Dame, along with Russel Coil of Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union all making it to the quarterfinals. Lopez also became the winningest wrestler in Iowa state history at 220 career wins.

High School Bowling

The state championship will start February 20th and run through the 22nd.

College Signing

Gabe Feldman of Mt. Pleasant signed with Central College to run Cross Country and Track for the Dutch. Feldman was a part of the 4×800 meter relay team that made it to state last year. Feldman said it was a relief to finalize his choice.

Iowa Wesleyan Athletics

The women’s basketball team’s next game will be tomorrow, February 18th, when they square off with Trinity Christian College at 1 pm on the road.

The 23rd-ranked men’s team will enter the Continental Athletic Conference tournament as 2nd overall seed on February 24th with a 24-2 record.

The men’s wrestling team’s next competition for the Tigers will be the 2023 Heart of America Conference Championship tomorrow.

The women’s wrestling team will start the 2023 Heart of America Conference Championship on February 25th.

The Tigers Indoor Track and Field teams will be competing in the North Star Athletic Association conference meet on February 19th. Head Coach, Hunter Davis, talked about KeRon Blackwell’s journey to qualify for the National Championship meet.

The Tiger baseball team will have a doubleheader today, February 17th, against Mid America Christian with game one at 1 pm.

The Tiger’s softball season will begin tomorrow against Park University at 11 am for the Avila Tournament.

This Day in Sports History

1974 – 16th Daytona 500: Richard Petty is first driver to win back-to-back titles at Daytona; his 5th Great American race.

1998 – USA Women’s Ice Hockey Team beats Canada and wins the first Olympic Gold medal.

2012 – Approximately 70 ancient Olympic artifacts are stolen from the Archaeological Museum of Greece.

 

Day Two of the Iowa High School Boys’ Wrestling State Tournament: Class 3A has 2 Wrestlers Going to Day 3

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, February 16th, 2023 at 11:26 pm CDT

Des Moines, IA- Day two of the Iowa High School Athletic Association state wrestling tournament is in the books with our semifinals now set. We’ll take a look at our local wrestlers from Class 2A going by weight class.

In the 106-pound weight class, Braxton Hutchinson of Burlington defeated Brennan Geers by a 2-0 decision to start the day. However, Jaymeson VanderVelde would eliminate Hutchinson by fall in the second round of the consolation bracket.

Ashton Grace of Ottumwa defeated Jensen Dyer of Indianola by a 6-4 decision to start day two. In the second round of the consolation round, Grace would fall to Cody Vendemark of Ankeny Centennial to be eliminated from the 113-pound weight class.

In the 120-pound weight class, Noah Swigart of Fort Madison lost to JJ Maihan of Ankeny by fall in the consolation bracket to end his tournament run.

Logan Pennock of Fort Madison was upset by the 10th seed Alex Bumba in the first round of the consolation bracket as that eliminated him from the 126-pound weight class.

In the 145-pound weight class, Nolan Riddle of Fort Madison fell in a close match to Luke Benson in the consolation bracket by a 9-7 decision, which eliminated him from the tournament.

In the 152-pound weight class, Aidan Pennock of Fort Madison lost by fall to Ethan Riesselman of Dallas Center-Grimes in the consolation bracket to eliminate him from the tournament. The 6th seed Braylon Griffiths of Ottumwa lost to Grant Kress of Linn-Mar by tech fall sending him to the consolation bracket. Griffiths will take on Jack Lewis of Bondurant-Farrar to start his day.

Teague Smith of Fort Madison was eliminated by Jace Fullhart of Spencer in a close match that ended in a 2-1 decision in the 170-pound weight class.

In the 182-pound weight class, Salomon Cordero of Burlington lost to Cohan Torres of North Polk in the consolation bracket by fall. His run through the tournament is over.

Isaac Thacher of Fort Madison lost to Dreshaun Ross of Fort Dodge by an 11-4 decision, which sent him to the consolation bracket. Thacher will face off against Kolby Gibbons of Johnston to start day three.

In the 220-pound weight class, Daniel Sokolik of Fort Madison fell to Jacob Mohler of Valley in the consolation bracket by a 5-0 decision, eliminating him from the tournament.

Stay tuned to KILJ 105.5 FM and kilj.com for more updates throughout the day over the course of the tournament.