Sports, August 31st

By Slaten Swords · Wednesday, August 31st, 2022 at 9:14 am CDT

Mt. Pleasant Volleyball

The Panthers fell at home to the Fairfield Trojans in straight sets. Each set was hard fought with the scores being: 25-23, 25-15, and 25-22. Trojan Sophomore, Lily Bergren, led the way in kills with 9, followed by senior Maggie Rayburn with 7. The Trojans next game will September 6th against Fort Madison at home. The Panthers will look to rebound against Albia tomorrow, September 1st.

Local Volleyball Scores

The New London Tigers won their first game of the season as they defeated North Mahaska in straight sets last night with scores of, 25-19, 25-15, and 25-19.

Holy Trinity Catholic lost to Burlington Notre Dame in the Wapello tournament Championship in two sets: 25-23 and 25-22. The Tigers and Crusaders will clash tomorrow, September 1st, at Holy Trinity Catholic at 7:30 pm.

WACO’s next game will be tomorrow, September 1st, against Hillcrest Academy. The Warriors come into the game with a 3-0 record with seniors Ellah Kissell and Grace Coble leading the team in kills with 16 apiece. Coble also leads the team in assists with 38.

Winfield-Mt. Union’s next game is Saturday, September 3rd, when the Wolves compete at the English Valleys Tournament. Melina Oepping leads the team in kills with 28, followed by Bradie Buffington with 27. Keely Malone paces the team with 96 assists.

High School Football

Mt. Pleasant will be at home this Friday against the Washington Demon’s. The Panthers will be looking to get their first win of the season with Jacob Richtman under center as he tossed two touchdown passes last week. Coach Bennett and I will be on the call for this game. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm, pregame will be at 7:15 pm.

The New London tigers will also be looking for their first win of the season at home this Friday when they clash with Tri-County, who is 1-0 after beating Twin Cedars last Friday. Reean Seberg leads the Tigers in rushing with 173 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season.

WACO will be at home against HLV this Friday. The Warriors are led by seniors Isaac Oswald and Simeon Reichenbach. The Warriors won this matchup last year in a blowout win 41-13.

Winfield-Mt. Union will travel to clash with Iowa Valley, who lost a close one last week 78 to 74. Two talented athletes highlight this matchup, with the Wolves touting Cam Buffington, who totaled 270 yards last week, while Iowa Valley has dual threat quarterback Evan Kearney who threw for 202 yards and rushed for 181 yards for a total of 9 touchdowns in the loss last week.

Fairfield’s next game is against Ottumwa. The combination of Tate Allen and Max Weaton will make it difficult for the Bulldogs to cover. Ottumwa defeated the Trojans 7-0 in last year’s matchup.

Iowa Wesleyan Athletics

The Tigers Volleyball season starts off on the wrong foot with a home loss to Mount Mercy, 3-0. Too many errors highlight the game for the Tigers as they had 17 compared to Mount Mercy’s 9. Shea Scott led the team in kills with 5 and Malie DaMate led the team in assists with 4. Iowa Wesleyan is looking ahead to the Jimmy John’s Classic starting this Friday, September 2nd, with their first game scheduled against Graceland University at 1 pm. Head Coach, Ashley Baldassare, will be a guest on tomorrow’s Tiger Nation at 9 am.

Iowa Wesleyan Cross Country released their schedule yesterday with their first competition slated for Friday, September 2nd, at the Corridor Cross Country Clash. The Conference Championships is scheduled for November 4th in Lakeland, Florida. Faith Younce leads the women’s team as she finished seventh in conference last year and was named CAC Women’s Runner of the Week twice. The men’s team is led by Logan Lucas, who was named Second-Team All-Conference last season.

Men’s soccer has a game against William Penn tonight at 7:30 pm.

Today in Sports History

1881 – The first tennis championships in the U.S. were played.

1968 – At the Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mike Powell set a record when he jumped 29’4―” in the long jump.

1969 – The boxer Rocky Marciano died in an airplane crash in Iowa.

Iowa State Patrol Reports Single Vehicle Fatality

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, August 30th, 2022 at 12:48 pm CDT

A Batavia woman was killed in a single vehicle accident  Monday morning on Libertyville Road.  According to the Iowa State Patrol,  Ruth Ellene Pickard, was traveling eastbound near Juniper  Ave, at Cedar Creek, when she lost control going around a curve. The vehicle ran off the side of the road, and went airborne before rolling and then hitting a tree.

Iowans can begin requesting absentee ballots for November general election today

By Theresa Rose · Tuesday, August 30th, 2022 at 12:47 pm CDT

DES MOINES – Iowans can begin requesting absentee ballots for the November general election starting today, Secretary of State Paul Pate announced. State law allows Iowans to request absentee ballots beginning 70 days before an election. County auditors will begin mailing absentee ballots to those that requested them starting October 19. That is also the first day Iowans can vote in-person for the November 8 election.

 

“It’s important to have a plan when it comes to voting,” Secretary Pate said. “You have multiple options available. If you plan to vote by mail, go ahead and send your absentee ballot request form in now. That will make it easier for you and your county auditor when it comes time to cast your ballot.”

 

Absentee ballot request forms are available on the Secretary of State’s website. Voters need to download the form and mail it to their county auditor. Providing a phone number or email address on the form is encouraged, but not required.

 

Military members stationed outside the U.S. and overseas citizens can also begin requesting absentee ballots for the November general election. That request form is available by clicking here.

 

For more information to help prepare for the general election, Iowans are encouraged to visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov.

Sports, August 30th

By Slaten Swords · Tuesday, August 30th, 2022 at 7:54 am CDT

Mt. Pleasant Volleyball

The Panthers have a game tonight against the Fairfield Trojans at home. Mt. Pleasant comes into the game with a 2-7 record, while the Trojans tout a 2-5 record after going 2-2 at the Grinnell tournament. Game is scheduled for 7:15 pm.

New London Volleyball

The Tigers start their season tonight at home against the 3-2 North Mahaska. The Tigers finished last year with a record of 26-14, with their top two attackers returning from last year in Senior Natalie Burden, who finished with 342 kills, and Junior Sophie Malott, who tallied 197 kills. They also get their leader in assists back in Senior Eliana Manning. All levels will be playing with the first game scheduled to start at 5:30 pm.

More High School Volleyball

Holy Trinity Catholic will be participating in the Wapello Tournament tonight with their first opponent being Columbus with that game scheduled at 4:30 pm. They will also play Central Lee and Wilton before the night concludes.

WACO’s next game will be September 1st against Hillcrest Academy. The Warriors come into the game with a 3-0 record with seniors Ellah Kissell and Grace Coble leading the team in kills with 16 apiece. Coble also leads the team in assists with 38.

Winfield-Mt. Union’s next game is Saturday, September 3rd, when the Wolves compete at the English Valleys Tournament. Melina Oepping leads the team in kills with 28, followed by Bradie Buffington with 27. Keely Malone paces the team with 96 assists.

High School Football

Mt. Pleasant will be at home this Friday against the Washington Demon’s. The Panthers will be looking to get their first win of the season with Jacob Richtman under center as he tossed two touchdown passes last week. Coach Bennett and I will be on the call for this game, kickoff scheduled for 7:30 pm, pregame will be at 7:15 pm.

The New London Tigers will also be looking for their first win of the season at home this Friday when they clash with Tri-County, who is 1-0 after beat Twin Cedars last Friday. Reean Seberg leads the Tigers in rushing with 173 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season.

WACO will be at home against HLV this Friday. The Warriors are led by seniors Isaac Oswald and Simeon Reichenbach. The Warriors won this matchup last year in a blowout 41-13.

Winfield-Mt. Union will travel to clash with Iowa Valley, who lost a close one last week 78 to 74. Two talented athletes highlight this matchup, with the Wolves touting Cam Buffington, who totaled 270 yards last week, while Iowa Valley has dual threat quarterback Evan Kearney who threw for 202 yards and rushed for 181 yards for a total of 9 touchdowns in the loss last week.

Fairfield’s next game is against Ottumwa. The combination of Tate Allen and Max Weaton will make it difficult for the Bulldogs to cover. Ottumwa defeated the Trojans 7-0 in last year’s matchup.

Iowa Wesleyan Athletics

Major Niccum, the starting linebacker for the Tigers, was announced this week’s NSAA Football Defensive Player of the Week. He tallied 15 total tackles, 3 of those being for losses, and a pass breakup. He is the first athlete of the 2022-23 academic year to receive conference recognition. The Tigers will travel to Missouri Baptist University this Saturday, September 3rd.

Volleyball will start their season against Mount Mercy University tonight at home at 7 pm. They will look to avenge their season last year where they went 1-25. Additionally, Head Coach Ashley Baldassarre will be joining us on Thursday for Tiger Nation at 9 am.

Men’s soccer will travel to play William Penn University tomorrow, August 31st. They will be looking for their first win of the season, as they were bested by St. Ambrose University, 1-0, in their last game.

Today in Sports History

1905 – Ty Cobb made his major league batting debut with the Detroit Tigers.
1918 – The New York Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 1-0. The game only took 57 minutes to play.

2001 – Ashely Martin became the first woman to play in a Division I football game. She kicked three extra points in the game.

Christee Kaye Samuelson

By Theresa Rose · Monday, August 29th, 2022 at 4:57 pm CDT

Christee Kaye Samuelson, 77, of Fairfield, Iowa, passed away peacefully on August 28, 2022 at Jefferson County Healthcare Center, Fairfield.  A graveside service and burial of cremains will be at 2:00PM Thursday September 1, 2022 at Upland Cemetery South of Lockridge.

            Christee was born December 25, 1944 in Mason City, Iowa to Carl and Helen Marth.  She graduated from Mason City High School in Mason City, Iowa in 1963.  She married William Hungerford on July 16, 1963 and they were later divorced.  She married Dwayne Samuelson on December 31, 1977 in Cooper, Iowa.  Christee and her husband were members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fairfield.

Christee’s hobbies included playing cards on her computer, crocheting, reading books and most importantly spending time with her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband and parents, stepfather, Walter Matzen; a son, Carey Hungerford; a grandson, Jeremy Hungerford; and two sisters, Dixie Marth, Alta Jane Lekwa and Mary Marth Stanley.

Christee is survived by two daughters, Teresa Hungerford and Angela Samuelson of Fairfield, Iowa; four grandchildren, Maci Hungerford, Amber Samuelson, Angel Samuelson and Amelia Samuelson; one great grandson, Logan Hungerford; as well as extended family and friends.  She was dearly loved by her family and will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Christee’s honor may be made to Hospice Compassus and brought to the graveside service or mailed to the family at 507 West Monroe Avenue, Fairfield, IA 52556.

HEDRICK MAN CHARGED WITH 20 COUNTS OF FELONY SEX ABUSE

By Theresa Rose · Monday, August 29th, 2022 at 4:31 pm CDT

On the afternoon of Friday, August 26, 2022, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agents, assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, arrested 31-year-old Matthew Robert Reynolds of Hedrick, Iowa. Reynolds’ arrest came at the conclusion of an investigation which began in the fall of 2018 and resulted in the filing of 20 total felony-level sex abuse charges against Reynolds across Jefferson and Keokuk Counties. Reynolds is currently in custody at the Keokuk County Jail (Sigourney).

In Jefferson County, Reynolds is charged with five (5) counts of Sex Abuse 3rd Degree (all Class C Felonies).  In Keokuk County, Reynolds is charged with fourteen (14) counts of Sex Abuse 3rd Degree and one (1) count of Sex Abuse 2nd Degree (a Class B Felony).

Although criminal charges have been filed, this continues to be an ongoing criminal investigation conducted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Criminalistics Laboratory, the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office, the Keokuk County Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the Iowa Attorney General.

A criminal charge is only an accusation, and criminal defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Jason Schwartz

By Theresa Rose · Monday, August 29th, 2022 at 4:00 pm CDT

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

Open visitation will be from 4 to 8 pm Tuesday August 30 at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 N. Main Street, Mt. Pleasant. There will not be a formal funeral service. On-line condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Jason Ray Schwartz was born April 24, 1980 in Huron, South Dakota, the son of Krista Ranae Mills. He moved to Mount Pleasant as a young child. on May 11, 2018 at Crane’s Pond in Mount Pleasant he was united in marriage to Gina Jo Diane Hand.

Jason was employed by Stewart Services, a landscaping company. He loved video games and math puzzles of all sorts (especially Suduko). He and Gina bonded over many things, primarily their love of cats and their interest in wolves.

Those thankful for sharing in Jason’s life include his wife Gina, daughter Hather and mother Krista Mills, all of Rome.