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.
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.
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.
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, Carter West of Burlington Notre Dame won his only match of the day by a 2-0 decision against Klayten Perreault of Mt. Vernon to move on to the semifinals. West will take on Emmitt Newton of Davis County.
Cael McCabe of Fairfield and Kael Cook of Burlington Notre Dame were both eliminated from the 113-pound weight class. McCabe and Cook both won their first match of the day as McCabe bested Tony Horness of Ballard in a 3-0 decision and Cook defeated Myles Beck by fall. In the second match, McCabe in a close match in a 1-0 decision. Cook lost by a 6-1 decision.
In the 120-pound weight class, Aaron Boone of Washington went 2-0 on the day as he took down Kyler Jessup by fall in the first match and then defeated Aldin Swanson by tech fall to move on in the consolation bracket. CJ Davis of Burlington Notre Dame also went 2-0 on the day as he took Ben Walsh in the first match by fall and then defeated Seth Ettleman by a 6-1 decision to keep his hopes alive in the consolation bracket.
Kaiden Dietzenbach of Burlington Notre Dame made short work of the consolation bracket in the 126-pound weight class as he won the first match over Elijah Klocke of Benton Community by tech fall. In the second match, Dietzenbach took down Cael Nelson by fall and he will wrestle Jakob Regan of Waukon in the consolation bracket.
In the 132-pound weight class, Caden Greiner of Washington was eliminated in the first round of the consolation bracket in the a close match to Tucker Vitzhum by a 9-8 decision.
Tate O’Shea of Keokuk dominated Carson Turnis in a 7-0 decision in the 138-pound weight class to move on to the semifinals. O’Shea will face off against the 2nd seed Luke Spaur of Knoxville.
In the 145-pound weight class, Dante Zuinga of Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union lost by fall to Chris Aragon to end his tournament run.
Triston Miller of Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union won his first match of the consolation bracket by an 8-5 decision but was eliminated by Coy De Boer by an 8-4 decision in the 152-pound weight class. Isaiah Fenton of Burlington Notre Dame defeated Aiden Flora by a 9-5 decision to move on to the semifinals where he will wrestle the 14th seed Lucas Kral.
In the 160-pound weight class, Cole Storm of Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union and Chase Greiner of Washington both lost their first match of the consolation bracket to eliminate them from the tournament.
CJ Walrath of Burlington Notre Dame continues his undefeated season as he took down Jace Mulder by fall to move into the semifinals where he will be matched up with Jackson Boese of Van Meter as he defeated the 4th seed Karson Downey by sudden victory.
In the 195-pound weight class, Curtis Stender of Washington was eliminated by Jacques Zomermaand of Sioux Center by forfeit.
Dre Smithburg of Fairfield was eliminated in the first round of the consolation bracket by Drew Jackson by a 7-1 decision in the 220-pound weight class. Kai Malone of Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union won his first match of the day by fall over Kaine Clinkenbeard of Spirit Lake Park. In the next round, Trevor Dieren would knock him out of the tournament winning by a 10-5 decision.
In the 285-pound weight class, Brandon Brinkschroeder of Fairfield was eliminated by fall at the hands of Colton Wieland of Carroll. Russell Coil of Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union continues to give out upsets as he took down the 7th seed Trent Cakerice of AP-GC by a 9-2 decision to move on to the semifinal round.
Stay tuned to KILJ 105.5 FM and kilj.com for more updates throughout the day over the course of the tournament.
DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 16, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin applying for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup starting February 27 through April 7, 2023. CRP is a cornerstone voluntary conservation program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a key tool in the Biden-Harris administration’s effort to address climate change and help agricultural communities invest in the long-term well-being of their land and natural resources.
“The Conservation Reserve Program is one of the largest private lands conservation programs in the United States, offering a range of conservation options to farmers, ranchers and landowners,” said Matt Russell, FSA State Executive Director in Iowa. “CRP has and continues to be a great fit for farmers with less productive or marginal cropland, helping them re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and support wildlife habitat. Under this administration, we have made several updates to the program to increase producer interest and enrollment, strengthen the climate benefits of the program and help ensure underserved producers can find a pathway to entry into CRP.”
Producers and landowners enrolled more than 5 million acres into CRP through signups in 2022, building on the acceptance of more than 3.1 million acres in the largest Grassland CRP signup in history. There are currently 23 million acres enrolled in CRP, with 1.9 million set to expire this year. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is aiming to reach the 27-million-acre cap statutorily set for fiscal year 2023.
General CRP
General CRP helps producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland. Additionally, General CRP includes a Climate-Smart Practice Incentive to help increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by helping producers and landowners establish trees and permanent grasses, enhance wildlife habitat, and restore wetlands.
Continuous CRP
Under Continuous CRP, producers and landowners can enroll in CRP throughout the year. Offers are automatically accepted provided the producer and land meet the eligibility requirements and the enrollment levels do not exceed the statutory cap. The Climate-Smart Practice Incentive is also available in the Continuous signup.
FSA offers several additional enrollment opportunities within Continuous CRP, including the Clean Lakes Estuaries and Rivers Initiative (CLEAR30), the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative, the Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP), and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The CLEAR30 Initiative, which was originally piloted in twelve states in the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay watershed, has been expanded nationwide, allowing producers and landowners to enroll in 30-year CRP contracts for water quality practices. Under this administration, FSA also moved SAFE practices back to the Continuous CRP signup, giving producers and landowners more opportunities to participate in the initiative. Through the FWP, producers and landowners can enroll land in CRP as part of their efforts to restore previously farmed wetlands and wetland buffers, to improve both vegetation and water flow.
This administration has also made significant improvements to CREP, which leverages federal and non-federal funds to target specific State, regional or nationally significant conservation concerns. Specifically, USDA made significant improvements to CREP to reduce barriers and make the program more accessible to a broad range of producers and new types of partners. These updates included flexibility for partners to provide matching funds in the form of cash, in-kind contributions, or technical assistance, along with an investment in additional staff to work directly with partners. Through CREP, for the first time ever, three Tribal Nations are now partnering with USDA to help conserve, maintain, and improve grassland productivity, reduce soil erosion, and enhance wildlife habitat.
Grassland CRP
FSA will announce the dates for Grassland CRP signup in the coming weeks. Grassland CRP is a working lands program, helping landowners and operators protect grassland, including rangeland and pastureland and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas as working grazing lands. Protecting grasslands contributes positively to the economy of many regions, provides biodiversity of plant and animal populations, and provides important carbon sequestration benefits to deliver lasting climate outcomes.
How to Sign Up
Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for the program before their deadlines.
Producers with expiring CRP acres can use the Transition Incentives Program (TIP), which incentivizes producers who sell or enter a long-term lease with a beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher who plans to sustainably farm or ranch the land.
More Information
Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. It was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.
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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 1A going by weight class.
In the 106-pound weight class, Codder Malcom of Wapello was eliminated from the tournament by Caleb Hoffman of Kuemper Catholic by fall. Malcom went 1-2 in the tournament.
Gage Samo of WACO was knocked to the consolation bracket in the 113-pound weight class by Cael Morrow of Akron-Westfield on a 6-0 decision. Samo will take on Caleb Swedin of GTRA in the consolation bracket.
In the 126-pound weight class, Gage Burden of New London was eliminated as he fell to Payton Harger of Earlham in the first round of the consolation bracket.
Zach Harbison of Wapello won his first match of the day against Dawson Beyer of Sibley-Ocheyedan on a 5-2 decision. However, Harbison would be eliminated from the 138-pound weight class after falling to the 5th seed Tiernan Boots of Lisbon. Harbison would finish the tournament 2-2.
In the 152-pound weight class, Kyler Crow of Mediapolis is still battling in the consolation bracket as he defeated Verdy Klocke of Pocahontas Area by fall. In his next match, he took on Grant Russell of West Monona-Whiting and won the match via fall. Cooper Gates of West Branch will be his next opponent tomorrow.
The 160-pound weight class has two heavy hitters for Southeastern Iowa with the #5 seed Louden Huisenga of WACO and the #2 seed Dom Lopez of New London. Unfortunately, Huisenga lost to Max McGill of Woodbury Central by injury sending him to take on John McGill of Colfax-Mingo in the consolation bracket. Lopez became the all-time winningest wrestler in Iowa state history at 220 after taking down Andrew Kimball of Don Bosco by major decision. He will take on Kaden Broer of West Monona-Whiting, the 3rd seed, as he searches for the perfect season and his first state championship.
Michael Raines of New London also keeps his hopes alive in the 170-pound weight class consolation bracket as he went 2-0 on the day defeating Logan Wearmouth of Martensdale-St. Mary’s by fall in the first match of the day, then he defeated Owen Hoover of CAM by a 5-1 decision. This sets up a matchup with the 10th seed Jordan Saul of GTRA.
In the 195-pound weight class, Drew Diers of WACO was eliminated by Aiden Sullivan in the first round of the consolation bracket. Trent Wilkerson of New London is moving through the consolation bracket as he defeated Tate Mayer by tech fall in the first round of the consolation bracket, then defeated Corbin Hill of Denver by an 8-1 decision. He will take on Jack Schwenn of Belle Plaine. Josh Glendening of Mediapolis is in the semifinals after he took down Schwenn by major decision. He will battle Nathan Beitz of Maquoketa Valley in a contest between the #2 seed Glendening and the #3 seed Beitz.
Spencer Kessel of Louisa-Muscatine will be moving on to the 220-pound weight class semifinal after taking down Henry Lund of AHSTW by fall. He will face off against the #1 seed, Jared Thiry of Don Bosco.
Stay tuned to KILJ 105.5 FM and kilj.com for more updates throughout the day over the course of the tournament.
