Henry County Receives Ballots for County Attorney Special Election

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, March 13th, 2026 at 12:16 pm CDT

The Henry County Auditor’s Office has received the ballots for the upcoming special election to fill the position of Henry County Attorney.

Early voting will begin Monday at the Henry County Courthouse in Mount Pleasant. Voters who wish to cast their ballot early can do so during regular courthouse hours leading up to Election Day.

The special election will be held on Tuesday, March 31st. On that day, voters will cast their ballots at their regular polling locations across Henry County.

Residents looking for information about their polling place or voting details can find a full list of polling locations HERE.

The special election comes after the previous county attorney left the position before the end of the term, prompting county supervisors to call for a special election to fill the office.

To listen to the Candidates forum with Abbie Liechty and Becky Wilson CLICK HERE, or tune in to 105.5 FM and KILJ.com Monday night at 6 for the rebroadcast.

 

Washington School Board Approves Sharing Agreements with WACO and Keota

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, March 13th, 2026 at 9:05 am CDT

Operational sharing is a function Iowa’s public schools can use to share the cost of administrative personnel and something many area schools use to save money.

The Washington School Board approved two operational sharing agreements Wednesday during their regular meeting.

For the 2026-2027 school year, Washington has entered into operational sharing agreements for business manager and maintenance director for Keota, and transportation director with WACO.

According to the Legislative Service Agency, operational function sharing is described as “an additional weighting in the school aid formula that districts receive to support the cost of sharing administrative personnel” and they must be shared for at least 20% of the normal, full-time contract hours.

Sports, March 13th

By Slaten Swords · Friday, March 13th, 2026 at 6:34 am CDT

Boys’ State Basketball

The Iowa High School Athletic Association’s (IHSAA) state tournament has completed all of its semifinal matchups and is now gearing up for all four championships today. Here’s how yesterday shook out. 

For Class 4A, #1 Cedar Falls sprinted past #4 Dowling Catholic, 59-46, to lead off the day. Will Gerdes put up another impressive state line, collecting 28 points in the winning effort. 

It might be the year of the #6-seed, as Johnston’s 10 three-pointers downed #2 Waukee, 57-49. Joshua Jones knocked down four threes, while Tino Daye led the scoring with 17 points. 

#1 Cedar Falls will duel #6 Johnston for the Class 4A championship today at 3 pm.

In Class 1A, #1 St. Edmond’s 14 to 2 run to start off the 3rd quarter buried #4 Burlington Notre Dame, 74-55. Shay Stephens led the Nikes with an 18 point and 10 rebound double-double. Notre Dame head coach Dan Kies knows this loss will sting for the senior class,

“So, it’s rough for him [Shay Stephens], and it’s very disappointing for these guys. But they still gotta be proud of what they’ve done this year…I mean, unfortunately, we didn’t come here to just participate. We came here to try and get to Friday and see what we could do after that. So obviously we did not overlook anything, and we prepared, we thought. We just didn’t execute very well, and they did, so.”

Notre Dame finished the season with a 25-3 record.

The slipper still fits for #6 Marquette Catholic as they pulled off the upset against #2 MMCRU last night, 65-56. Louis Gonner netted 17 points for the Defenders.

For the third straight season, #6 Marquette Catholic will be playing for the Class 1A title and this time it will be against #1 St. Edmond at 5 pm tonight.

In Class 2A, #4 Treynor had a shot to upset #1 Kuemper Catholic, but the Knights came away with a late steal to seal their 58-57 victory. Ryan Clair tabbed 27 points in the winning effort. 

Lastly, #2 Unity Christian pulverized #3 Regina Catholic in the nightcap, 72-46. Dylan Bosma claimed 27 points for the Knights. 

#1 Kuemper Catholic will face off against #2 Unity Christian for the Class 2A championship tonight at 7 pm.

The Class 3A championship between #1 Ballard and #2 ADM is scheduled for today at 1 pm.

Girls’ High School Basketball

A handful of local athletes will be participating in the Larry Niemeyer Senior Girls All-Star basketball tournament scheduled tomorrow, March 14th.

In Class 2A, Danville’s Alaina Gourley will play on the Gray Team with their game at 1 pm.

Over in Class 3A, Adalyn Long of Washington will join a trio from the Southeast Iowa Super Conference in Kenna Sandoval of Central Lee and Grace Holsteen and Ellah Wagenbach of Mediapolis on the White Team. They will play at 10:30 am. 

Lastly, Kendra Boatman of Keokuk and Burlington’s Mylee Stiefel will join sides for the Gray Team in a combination of Class 3A/4A/5A talent. They will square off at 9:15 am.

High School Track and Field

The IATC Indoor Track Championships commenced yesterday for Classes 3A and 4A and the Mt. Pleasant girls’ team earned some early hardware, finishing as the runner-up in Class 3A with 44 points.

In her Panther debut, Avery Fedler collected a pair of gold medals after winning the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes and 21 seconds and joining Kiyah Sanders, Kynlee White, and Alex Scott in the sprint medley to finish in 1st place with a time of 1 minute and 50 seconds. The freshman also grabbed 2nd place in the 400-meter dash. 

Scott also had a trio of top 10 finishes with the senior grabbing 6th in the 60-meter dash, 9th in the 200-meter with a time of 27.04 seconds, and 4th in the 4×100 meter relay with Ellie Freeman, Sanders, and White. Lastly, the Panthers displayed their skill in the field events with Izzy Sloat leaping 16 feet and 1.25 inches for 7th place, followed closely by Delaney Anderson in 10th place n the long jump, while Ella Ensminger’s toss of 37 feet and 8.5 inches earned her the bronze medal with Paityn Ensminger snatching 10th place in the shot put.

On the boys’ side, Mt. Pleasant’s Kayle Brown finished in 19th place in the long jump with a distance of 19 feet and 0.25 inches. In the shot put, Jaymisen Rich launched it 43 feet and 10.75 inches for 20th place. Lastly, Griffen Jones sprinted to a time of 7.35 seconds in the 60-meter dash for 23rd place.

For the Fairfield boys’ team, Eli Zillman took 4th place in the high jump with a leap of 6 feet and 1 inch and the long jump with a distance of 20 feet and 7.25 inches. Ethan Bisgard sprinted to a 9th place time of 23.29 seconds in the 200-meter dash. Bisgard joined Spencer McCready, Eli Hoffman, and John Miller for the 1600-meter sprint medley, which took 7th place. 

Classes 1A and 2A will compete in the IATC Indoor Championships today.

College Signing

Southeastern Community College added another local talent to their Track and Field program as WACO’s Eli Cavin signed his letter of intent to become a member of the Blackhawks as a sprinter.

Cavin ran the 100 and 200-meter dashes last season and turned in season best times of 12.73 and 26.65 seconds, respectively. 

Southeastern Community College

The baseball team will travel to Delgado Community College tomorrow, March 14th. 

The softball team will take on St. Louis Community College on Monday, March 16th, for a road doubleheader.

College Basketball

The #7 Iowa and Iowa State women’s teams will see their postseason fate determined on the Selection Sunday Show on March 15th at 7 pm.

The Iowa men’s team’s run in the Big Ten tournament came to an end yesterday after losing to Ohio State, 72-69. Bennett Stirtz was the only Hawkeye to finish in double figures as he scored 17 points. Iowa will learn their postseason fate during the Selection Sunday show at 5 pm.

The #7 Iowa State men’s team shut down #16 Texas Tech in the second half, outscoring the Red Raiders 39 to 20 on their way to a 75-53 victory to advance to the Big 12 Tournament semifinals. Joshua Jefferson stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks. The Cyclones will take on #2 Arizona at 6 pm tonight with the winner advancing to the Big 12 championship game.

This Day in Sports History

1915 – Brooklyn Robins manager Wilbert Robinson tried to catch a baseball dropped from an airplane, but the pilot, Ruth Law, substituted a grapefruit, which exploded on impact and left Robinson temporarily believing that he was seriously wounded.

1954 – Braves’ Bobby Thomson breaks his ankle, he is replaced by Hank Aaron.

2022 – After a 40-day retirement, Tom Brady announces he will play at least one more season in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Strong Winds Today, Winter Storm Possible This Weekend

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, March 13th, 2026 at 6:14 am CDT

Strong winds are creating difficult travel conditions across the region today, particularly for high-profile vehicles traveling on north-south roads.

Forecasters say west to northwest winds are expected to gust between 45 and 60 miles per hour through the morning hours before gradually decreasing later this afternoon. The strongest winds are expected along and north of Interstate 80. The winds could also cause damage to trees and may lead to scattered power outages.

Looking ahead to the weekend, a winter storm is expected to impact the Upper Midwest beginning Saturday night and continuing into Monday morning.

Forecasters say the system will likely begin with rain before transitioning to accumulating snow Sunday night as temperatures fall rapidly from the 40s and 50s Sunday afternoon into the teens by Sunday night.

In terms of severity, our listening area is considered a 1 out of 5 Sunday night into Monday, but current forecasts show roughly a 76 to 81 percent chance of at least two inches of snow across the area.

In addition, there is a marginal risk for severe weather Sunday afternoon before the colder air moves in.

Residents are encouraged to monitor updated forecasts and prepare for potentially hazardous travel conditions as the storm approaches. Stay tuned to KILJ, your local National Weather Service Station.

03.13.2026 4.21 AM CDT - DssPacket

Riverside Man Facing 15 Felony Counts to Go to Trial Later This Month

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, March 13th, 2026 at 6:03 am CDT

A jury trial has been scheduled for a Riverside man facing multiple felony sex abuse charges in Washington County.

Fifty-one-year-old Jason Bex is charged with sexual abuse, incest, and lascivious acts involving a child. Court records show the case had previously been scheduled for trial in December but was later continued.

A pretrial conference is now set for Friday, March 13th, with a jury trial scheduled to begin March 24th at the Washington County Courthouse.

Bex was arrested last May and bond in the case was set at one million dollars.

Prosecutors have charged Bex with five counts of sexual abuse in the second degree, a Class B felony, five counts of lascivious acts with a child, a Class C felony, and five counts of incest, a Class D felony.

According to court documents, Bex is accused of committing multiple offenses involving a victim under the age of 14 over a period of approximately three years.

Court records also indicate Bex was previously listed on the Iowa sex offender registry following four counts of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse in 2012.

Bex is currently being held in the Washington County Jail.

Central Lee Principal Heather Fuger Elected SAI Vice President

By Allison Jacobs · Friday, March 13th, 2026 at 5:52 am CDT

Central Lee Elementary Principal Heather Fuger has been elected vice president of the School Administrators of Iowa (SAI) for the 2026-27 term.

Fuger has served as principal of Central Lee Elementary since 2014. Before that, she was the district’s director of curriculum and instruction.

A member of SAI since 2008, Fuger has been actively involved in the association, including supporting new principals through SAI’s mentoring program. She is also involved with the Institute for Education Innovation and MISIC (Members Impacting Students; Improving Curriculum).

“I am deeply honored and grateful to those who placed their trust in me to serve as vice president of the School Administrators of Iowa,” Fuger said. “I accept this opportunity with a full heart and a strong commitment to serve. Together with my colleagues across our great state, I look forward to learning, growing, and collaborating in ways that strengthen our profession and support the incredible work happening in our schools every day. When we support and inspire one another as leaders, the true winners are the students of Iowa. I cannot wait to get started.”

Fuger began her career in education as a teacher in Missouri, working in the Wyaconda and Kahoka school districts before returning to Iowa.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Culver-Stockton College and a master’s degree in educational administration from William Woods University.

Fuger will join the SAI Executive Committee on September 1.

 

WACO’s Eli Cavin Signs on to Run Track at Southeastern Community College

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, March 12th, 2026 at 9:32 pm CDT

Wayland, IA- Southeastern Community College added another local talent to their Track and Field program as WACO’s Eli Cavin signed his letter of intent to become a member of the Blackhawks as a sprinter.

(Left to Right: WACO Track Coach Scott Meth, Eli and WACO Track Coach Caylon DeVaul)

Cavin ran the 100 and 200-meter dashes last season and turned in season best times of 12.73 and 26.65 seconds, respectively. At the indoor meet at the UNI-Dome earlier this week, the senior claimed a time of 27.33 seconds in the 200-meter dash.

WACO’s athletic director Chad Edeker had this to say about Cavin’s decision,

“It is a proud moment for the WACO community to see Eli transition his passion for track and field to the collegiate level. His journey is a testament to the dedication and championship culture we strive for, and we look forward to seeing his continued success as a student-athlete.”

The Warriors will compete at the IATC Indoor Championships tomorrow, March 13th, with the first outdoor meet scheduled for March 26th in Washington for the Steve Roth Relays.

Prep Boys’ Basketball: #4 Burlington Notre Dame Falls Short in the Class 1A Semifinals to #1 St. Edmond

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, March 12th, 2026 at 9:20 pm CDT

Des Moines, IA- There was a gleam for #4 Burlington Notre Dame in the Class 1A semifinals, but a three-point halftime deficit turned into a 14 to 2 run for #1 St. Edmond that the Nikes could not dig themselves out of in a 74-55 final.

In Notre Dame’s first trip back to the state semifinals since 1981, the Nikes had no problems scoring early in the contest with Griffin Kies knocking down his first two threes of the game to give the underdogs a 6 to 2 lead.

The Gaels were looking for redemption after being knocked out of the semifinals last year by the eventual state champions Madrid, 71-58. St. Edmond has also had an extra ounce of motivation for the season with long-time head coach Adolph Kochendorfer announced he would retire at the end of the season after 40 years of coaching and over 600 career wins.

The result was a trading of punches with L.J. Harris for Notre Dame and Hunter Horn, St. Edmond’s all-time leading scorer, each putting up eight points in the first quarter as the Nikes and Gaels exited the first frame tied at 18.

Notre Dame had an early opportunity in the second quarter to go on a run with Horn sitting on the bench in early foul trouble. Tatum Warner’s layup and a Payne Prottsman triple gave the Nikes a five-point lead, but that was as far as the offense would go for either team as they both mustered only four field goals.

Nevertheless, second chances and four more made free throws gave the Gaels a 31 to 28 lead entering halftime. The third quarter quickly got out of hand as St. Edmond missed only four shots in the quarter, while the Nikes again struggled on offense with four made field goals. Nike head coach Dan Kies discussed what went awry during the Gaels’ run,

“Yeah, I mean, we didn’t finish or take, we took some shots that maybe weren’t the best shots, didn’t finish some shots, got beat defensively. So some of the things defensively that we normally do a better job of didn’t stay in front very well, we did not keep them off the offensive glass… You take that away and it’s a different story going into half. Talked about it again, we still didn’t really focus on going and getting bodies and hitting people… So that was a huge thing, and we just didn’t play as well defensively. But they did what they needed to, they’re a solid program, we know they’re good, they’re not gonna get the number one seed for nothing. So, I don’t think the difference is as big as what the board looks like, but it’s still, they did what they needed to, they worked hard, they executed, so the better team today for sure comes out on top.”

Unfortunately, St. Edmond outscored Notre Dame 22 to 11 in the third quarter and continued that success at the free throw line into the fourth quarter, finishing the game 26-38 from the free throw line.

If you were looking for a positive, Shay Stephens, the Western Illinois commit, secured an 18 point and 10 rebound double-double. The senior entered the game needing only two more rebounds to cement his name into the Iowa high school history book for a season double-double (500-plus points and 250-plus rebounds).

When Stephens checked out of the game for the final time as a Nike, he paused for a long while distributing hugs to assistant coach Gavin Kies and head coach Dan Kies. Coach Kies understood how bad his team wanted to play in the Class 1A championship,

“So, it’s rough for him [Shay Stephens], and it’s very disappointing for these guys. But they still gotta be proud of what they’ve done this year…I mean, unfortunately, we didn’t come here to just participate. We came here to try and get to Friday and see what we could do after that. So obviously did not overlook anything, and we prepared, we thought. We just didn’t execute very well, and they did, so.”

(Picture from Notre Dame NIKES Athletics Facebook)

Still, the historic season saw Notre Dame collect 25 wins for the season, win the Southeast Iowa Super Conference, punch their first ticket to the state tournament in 17 years, and win their first game at the state tournament since 1981. For coach Kies, he’s hoping this is a launching pad for the program,

“There’s plenty of talent coming, whether it’s size or abilities or whatever. But get on to their next sport or whatever they’re doing and then put in some offseason work and really just get ready to go again next year.”

Notre Dame Scoring: Shay Stephens 18 points, Griffin Kies 12 points, L.J. Harris 8 points, Tatum Warner and Kellan Porter 5 points, Eli Oleson 4 points, Payne Prottsman 3 points.