Two Upcoming Mount Pleasant Community Theatre Events

By Theresa Rose · Friday, August 26th, 2022 at 9:49 pm CDT

Mount Pleasant Community Theatre is planning two events in the near future.  One will be a joint event with the Pioneer Cemetery Commission in September.  The two entities are bringing some of our community’s founders to life on Saturday, September 17 at 2:00 p.m. in Old City Cemetery.  A few of the people being “brought to life” are Presley Saunders, General Samuel Brazelton, Dianna Bowen, and Valentine Kammerer.  There  is a total of 16 people coming to life to share their story.  People have the opportunity to visit their grave sites at their leisure and hear their stories.  Community Theatre, the Cemetery Commission and some civil war re-enactors along with community members have joined forces for this event.

Community Theatre is also doing a production of the Grimm Brothers Spectaculathon in October.  It gives a twist to the Grimm Brothers stories and will be held in conjunction with Old Thrashers the last weekend in October.  It will be held at the Old Theatre Museum in the basement where the Toby Shows are held.  It will be held on October 28, 29, and 30 with shows on Friday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m.  Rehearsals have just started for it.

 

MP School Board Site Committee Meeting

By Theresa Rose · Friday, August 26th, 2022 at 9:45 pm CDT

The Mount Pleasant Board of Education SITE COMMITTEE will meet at 4:00 PM on Monday, August 29, 2022, at the Central office to review/discuss the HVAC System Upgrade. The meeting is open to the public and patrons are welcome.

 

Area Team Place First at State Fair in Skillathon

By Theresa Rose · Friday, August 26th, 2022 at 9:41 pm CDT

This year at the Iowa State Fair 213 youth from 63 Iowa counties participated in Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Skillathons for dairy, meat goat, sheep and swine. A team from the KILJ listening made up of Lilian Buie of Jefferson County and Zane Smith and Alicia Cumberland from Van Buren County placed first in the meat goat category. Skillathons include five stations requiring the participants to work together to solve problems and identify dairy, meat goat, swine or sheep production components. Participants identified feed samples, breeds and meat cuts while also answering questions about genetics, nutrients, quality assurance, handling and biosecurity.

Jason R. Schwartz

By Theresa Rose · Friday, August 26th, 2022 at 8:57 pm CDT

Jason R. Schwartz, 42, of Rome, died unexpectedly on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at the Henry County Health Center Emergency Room, Mt. Pleasant, after collapsing at home.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 N. Main St., Mt. Pleasant. On-Line condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfuneralhome.com

Fire Department Responds to Burlington Elementary School

By Theresa Rose · Friday, August 26th, 2022 at 8:58 am CDT

At 12:29 PM Thursday August 25, the Burlington and West Burlington Fire Departments responded to Sunnyside Elementary School, at 2040 Sunnyside Avenue in Burlington, for smoke being reported in classrooms. Burlington firefighters arrived at 12:33 PM to find the fire alarms activated and the school already evacuated. Firefighters did find light smoke in the classrooms in the northeast corner of the building. Firefighters located the issue in a mechanical room in the building’s mezzanine. The investigation revealed that an outside contractor, repairing a leak in a copper line on the building’s HVAC units, unknowingly ignited a small amount of insulation going into the air handling system. When the system was turned on it pushed smoke into the classrooms. The building’s fire alarm system activated at the same time the teachers reported the smoke. The smoldering insulation had been extinguished prior to the firefighter’s arrival. Firefighters ventilated the affected area before allowing student to return to the building. Students returned to the building in approximately 25 minutes. Twelve Burlington firefighters responded to the call and were assisted by two West Burlington firefighters responding on automatic aid. Burlington Police and school maintenance also assisted at the scene. Firefighters cleared the scene at 1:07 PM. There were no injuries.

Sports, August 26th

By Slaten Swords · Friday, August 26th, 2022 at 8:01 am CDT

Mt. Pleasant Football

The Mt. Pleasant Panthers football season starts tonight on the road against the Fairfield Trojans. The Panthers are looking to avenge their 1-8 season last fall with senior quarterback Jacob Richtman leading the offense. KILJ will be on the call with Coach Bennett and I heading to Fairfield. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 pm.

High School Football

Today marks week 1 for high school football and here’s the preview of the night ahead, WACO will be at home as they clash with Springville at 7 pm. WACO made it to the Quarterfinals last fall, and they tout a very talented team this year with seniors Isaac Oswald and Simeon Reichenbach. They both showed out in the teams Week Zero matchup as Oswald tossed three touchdown passes, while Reichenbach did him one better, running for three touchdowns and receiving one.

Winfield-Mt. Union will be traveling to face off against the Moravia Mohawks with kickoff set for 7 pm. The Wolves will be leaning on Cam Buffington as he rushed for 275 yards and 5 touchdowns last Saturday in their Week Zero matchup against Audubon. The Mohawks defeated the New London Tigers last Friday in a close game, 38 to 26.

The New London Tigers originally did not have a game scheduled for this Friday as Calamus-Wheatland had to cancel their Varsity season, but the Tigers will now be traveling to play Clarksville High School this Friday. The game is scheduled for 7 pm.

Additionally, Keokuk will be defending their home turf against Fort Madison at 7:30 pm, while Washington faces off against Burlington at the same time, and Mediapolis will face off against Wapello at home.

High School Volleyball

The Mount Pleasant Freshman Volleyball team split their games yesterday in their visit to Ottumwa. In their first game against Davis County, they lost both sets, 21-17 and 21-14. But they responded by easily dispatching the host team Ottumwa, 21-9 and 21-3. The Varsity team lost both matches to Ottumwa and Davis County in straight sets. The scores against Ottumwa were 25-13 and 25-24, while the Davis County scores were 25-13 and 25-12. The next game for the Varsity will take place tomorrow as the travel to compete in the Grinnell Tournament.

Winfield-Mt. Union defeated Keokuk without much problem in 3 sets: 25-14, 25-13, and 25-17. Bradie Buffington led the Wolves in kills with 12, with Audrie Gipple and Keely Malone each added 7 kills. Malone added 27 assists to her stat line, while Lily Freeman set the pace with 3 blocks. Keetyn Townsley added 22 digs. The Freshman/Sophomore and JV teams both won their games as well. The 1-0 Wolves will compete in the West Branch tournament tomorrow.

Iowa Wesleyan Fall Sports

Volleyball and Football begin tomorrow, August 27th, for the Tigers as Volleyball will have a double header against Monmouth College and Knox College at 10:30 am and 12 pm, respectively, while the Tigers will get their football season under way against Tabor College at 1 pm. It is the first ever meeting between the two teams. The game will be broadcasted on KILJ. Head Coach, MD Daniels, talked about what he hoped to see out of his players in tomorrow’s matchup:

“I tell you what, finishing games. You know that’s one thing we talked about coming into this fall camp is finishing, you know. We were in a lot of games last year but we could never finish games. So, finishing games, extreme amount of effort and physical toughness. You know, we focused on those things this fall camp being as physical as possible. So, we try to make practice as hard as possible so that on Saturday we just go have fun.”

The Women’s soccer team home opener is, tomorrow, August 27th against St. Mary of the Woods. Last year’s Women’s team was the first Iowa Wesleyan team to make it to the postseason in their return to the NAIA.

The Men’s team lost their season opener 1-0 to St. Ambrose yesterday. A handball led to a penalty kick that gave the Fighting Bee’s their winning goal. The Tigers outshot the Fighting Bees, with Francisco Javier Saldana leading the team in shots. The Tigers next opportunity will be August 31st, when they travel to play William Penn University at 7:30 pm.

This Day in Sports History

1939 – The first televised major league baseball games were shown. The event was a double-header between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1947 – Don Bankhead became the first black pitcher in major league baseball.

1961 – The International Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto opened.

Daily Jail Count

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, August 25th, 2022 at 10:27 am CDT

In the interest of keeping Henry County residents informed, the Henry County Sheriff’s office has requested KILJ post the daily jail count. During the jail referendum campaign it was publicized that the jail would be able to house additional inmates from surrounding counties and this would generate revenue for Henry County.

 

Date:   08-25-2022______

 

   24       Henry County Inmates

 

   53       Out of County Contract Inmates              

 

   77       TOTAL

More Easily Accessible Local Homes Needed For Midwest Old Threshers

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, August 25th, 2022 at 10:20 am CDT

Midwest Old Threshers Reunion is in need of more individuals with easily accessible homes to open their homes for the “local In-Home Stay Program.” According to the program’s coordinator, Lori Shoultz, the current list has been exhausted. Many visitors are still looking for a place to stay during the 2022 Midwest Old Threshers Reunion on September 1 through 5. Homeowners interested in opening their homes to an Old Threshers visitor should contact Lori Shoultz at 309-791-7689.