A June 3 trial date has been set for Eric Christopher Rios, 46, of Burlington, who is accused of fatally shooting Anthony DeCarlo Campbell, a popular local DJ and musician. However, officials caution that the trial date may be subject to change during the pretrial process.

A pretrial conference is scheduled for May 12. Rios, who faces a first-degree murder charge, submitted a written plea of not guilty on Jan. 27.

Campbell, 44, was a well-known figure in the Burlington community. He performed under the stage name DJ Ant Bomb. In October 2024, he was nominated for an Iowa Music Award, and tributes have since highlighted his talent, generosity, and dedication to giving back. Notably, Campbell organized annual back-to-school giveaways for underprivileged children, earning him admiration from local organizations and residents.

The shooting incident occurred on Dec. 25, 2024, at approximately 7:35 p.m. Burlington police responded to a call at 1801 Madison Avenue, where they discovered Campbell lying by the back door of the residence with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following an investigation, Burlington police arrested Rios, and he was charged with first-degree murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/burlington-beacon-media-bucket/public/2025/1/1738113471404.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Beacon StaffA June 3 trial date has been set for Eric Christopher Rios, 46, of Burlington, who is accused of fatally shooting Anthony DeCarlo Campbell, a popular local DJ and musician. However, officials caution that the trial date may be subject to change during the pretrial process.A pretrial conference is scheduled for May 12. Rios, who faces a first-degree murder charge, submitted a written plea of not guilty on Jan. 27.Campbell, 44, was a well-known figure in the Burlington community. He performed under the stage name DJ Ant Bomb. In October 2024, he was nominated for an Iowa Music Award, and tributes have since highlighted his talent, generosity, and dedication to giving back. Notably, Campbell organized annual back-to-school giveaways for underprivileged children, earning him admiration from local organizations and residents.The shooting incident occurred on Dec. 25, 2024, at approximately 7:35 p.m. Burlington police responded to a call at 1801 Madison Avenue, where they discovered Campbell lying by the back door of the residence with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.Following an investigation, Burlington police arrested Rios, and he was charged with first-degree murder.

Trial Date Set in Shooting Death of Anthony Campbell

The “War on 34” isn’t just a slogan, Southeastern Community College men’s basketball coach Lorenzo Watkins will tell you.

Watkins should know. He’s been a combatant on both sides.

As any Blackhawk fan can tell you, “The War on 34” is the basketball rivalry between SCC and Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. Both schools are located near U.S. Highway 34. It has been heralded as the fiercest rivalry in junior college basketball.

This year’s battles will ignite on the western front. The Blackhawks will deploy to Indian Hills on Jan. 18. The Warriors invade SCC’s Loren Walker Arena on Feb. 15.

Indian Hills head coach Terry Carroll, who later coached at SCC, found Watkins at Craddock High School in Portsmouth, Va., in 1991 and lured him to Ottumwa. Watkins became a two-time All-Region XI guard and played on the Warriors’ first team to qualify for the national tournament, finishing fourth.

“My mom and dad were in the military,” Watkins said. “They got stationed in Korea, so I stayed in Virginia and graduated from high school. My mom, dad, and two sisters went to Seoul, Korea. Coach Carroll came out to Portsmouth, Va., and watched me play. I got recruited to play at Indian Hills.”

After Indian Hills, Watkins played two seasons at Idaho State, averaging 14.1 points a game. As a player, however, he had no plans to enter coaching.

“Did I want to get into coaching?” he asked. “Nope. I was always in criminal justice programs and really wanted to work in like a juvenile detention center to try to help kids get through some stuff. Pat Lacy, who is with the detention center in Mount Pleasant and with the one here in Burlington, was my college roommate (at Indian Hills). We always talked about doing it and he’s been doing it for 30-plus years now. We played basketball together at Indian Hills.”

Lacy is currently the division manager for the Eighth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services.

Watkins’ coach at Idaho State muddled the plans.

“My head coach, Herb Williams, said, ‘Hey, what do you think about staying on, helping us out (as a graduate assistant) and see how you like it?’&nbsp; I did it, liked it, and then got an opportunity to come back to Indian Hills to work with Coach Carroll” as his assistant.

He also worked as an assistant at some four-year programs and as Carroll’s assistant at SCC.

Watkins was head coach at Indian Hills four years, posting a 94-16 record, and is now in his eighth season as head coach at SCC. His Blackhawk teams have gone 171-56. His current team is 14-1 at the holiday break.

To some die-hard fans, going from Indian Hills to SCC may be heresy.

“I’ve been here 16 years,” Watkins said, “and it was probably the hardest thing to do as a player, as an assistant coach, as a head coach at Indian Hills. Now you come to the biggest rival. It was tough. I have life-long friends still over there, some that I went to school with over there, some that helped me get my career going.

“Once I got over here,” Watkins continued, “the thing with Coach Carroll, they looked at him and said, ‘We’ve been rooting against you for ages. Not just rooting, we’ve been hating you.’ That War on 34, that was for real. That wasn’t just a slogan. It was real.”

“I really, really appreciate the open arms of people here,” Watkins said. “That’s what Burlington’s about. I have life-long friends here now, and that’s why we continue to stay here.”

Watkins is looking for more than just basketball skills on the recruiting trail.

“Everybody talks about you’ve got to get the most talented kids,” Watkins said. “I think a lot of it is looking at the kid as a person. How are you going to fit into the community? I want a kid who will sacrifice.”

He added: “They’ve got to come from a winning program. Everybody is teaching these kids about being offensive-minded. So then, when I get them, some of them shut down. Some of them can’t understand that you’ve got to sacrifice one end of the floor for the other. If you want to have success, you’ve got to change a little bit, your mindset. Some things have to be a little bit more important, defending, rebounding the ball, taking care of the ball. Those things don’t need any talent. It’s commitment and determination.”

“It’s about sacrifices,” Watkins said. “The guy to the right of you and the guy to the left of you is as good or better than you. Now, you have to coexist. So, what are you going to sacrifice to win? That’s what it’s about. I have to get these guys to understand that.”

The most important victory for the basketball players is the diploma.

“To me, to see our guys graduate and move on, that’s my gratification,” Watkins said. “We’re going to win games. Yep. I’d love to win every game and the national championship every year. Nothing’s going to change my work ethic, but my success comes from going into these kids’ homes and seeing where they come from and where they have an opportunity to go. We’re going to give you every opportunity to be successful on and off the floor.”

He continued: “If I ever get to a point where it’s just win, win, win, win, then I’m going to find something else to do.”

Watkins and his wife Sara have four sons and a daughter. Their son Mason is in the midst of a successful high school basketball career at West Burlington High School. Since SCC and the high school normally have games on different days, Watkins is able to follow Mason’s career.

Sara, a native of Eldon, played softball for Indian Hills.

Watkins has had offers to coach elsewhere.

“But why?” Watkins asked. “I love coaching here. I love the town. I love raising our kids here, and I have great friends. I don’t need anything else.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/burlington-beacon-media-bucket/public/2025/1/1736010152652.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By Joe GerenThe “War on 34” isn’t just a slogan, Southeastern Community College men’s basketball coach Lorenzo Watkins will tell you.“It’s real,” he said.Watkins should know. He’s been a combatant on both sides.As any Blackhawk fan can tell you, “The War on 34” is the basketball rivalry between SCC and Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. Both schools are located near U.S. Highway 34. It has been heralded as the fiercest rivalry in junior college basketball.This year’s battles will ignite on the western front. The Blackhawks will deploy to Indian Hills on Jan. 18. The Warriors invade SCC’s Loren Walker Arena on Feb. 15.Indian Hills head coach Terry Carroll, who later coached at SCC, found Watkins at Craddock High School in Portsmouth, Va., in 1991 and lured him to Ottumwa. Watkins became a two-time All-Region XI guard and played on the Warriors’ first team to qualify for the national tournament, finishing fourth.“My mom and dad were in the military,” Watkins said. “They got stationed in Korea, so I stayed in Virginia and graduated from high school. My mom, dad, and two sisters went to Seoul, Korea. Coach Carroll came out to Portsmouth, Va., and watched me play. I got recruited to play at Indian Hills.”After Indian Hills, Watkins played two seasons at Idaho State, averaging 14.1 points a game. As a player, however, he had no plans to enter coaching.“Did I want to get into coaching?” he asked. “Nope. I was always in criminal justice programs and really wanted to work in like a juvenile detention center to try to help kids get through some stuff. Pat Lacy, who is with the detention center in Mount Pleasant and with the one here in Burlington, was my college roommate (at Indian Hills). We always talked about doing it and he’s been doing it for 30-plus years now. We played basketball together at Indian Hills.”Lacy is currently the division manager for the Eighth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services.Watkins’ coach at Idaho State muddled the plans.“My head coach, Herb Williams, said, ‘Hey, what do you think about staying on, helping us out (as a graduate assistant) and see how you like it?’&nbsp; I did it, liked it, and then got an opportunity to come back to Indian Hills to work with Coach Carroll” as his assistant.He also worked as an assistant at some four-year programs and as Carroll’s assistant at SCC.Watkins was head coach at Indian Hills four years, posting a 94-16 record, and is now in his eighth season as head coach at SCC. His Blackhawk teams have gone 171-56. His current team is 14-1 at the holiday break.To some die-hard fans, going from Indian Hills to SCC may be heresy.“I’ve been here 16 years,” Watkins said, “and it was probably the hardest thing to do as a player, as an assistant coach, as a head coach at Indian Hills. Now you come to the biggest rival. It was tough. I have life-long friends still over there, some that I went to school with over there, some that helped me get my career going.“Once I got over here,” Watkins continued, “the thing with Coach Carroll, they looked at him and said, ‘We’ve been rooting against you for ages. Not just rooting, we’ve been hating you.’ That War on 34, that was for real. That wasn’t just a slogan. It was real.”But all is well now.“I really, really appreciate the open arms of people here,” Watkins said. “That’s what Burlington’s about. I have life-long friends here now, and that’s why we continue to stay here.”Watkins is looking for more than just basketball skills on the recruiting trail.“Everybody talks about you’ve got to get the most talented kids,” Watkins said. “I think a lot of it is looking at the kid as a person. How are you going to fit into the community? I want a kid who will sacrifice.”He added: “They’ve got to come from a winning program. Everybody is teaching these kids about being offensive-minded. So then, when I get them, some of them shut down. Some of them can’t understand that you’ve got to sacrifice one end of the floor for the other. If you want to have success, you’ve got to change a little bit, your mindset. Some things have to be a little bit more important, defending, rebounding the ball, taking care of the ball. Those things don’t need any talent. It’s commitment and determination.”“It’s about sacrifices,” Watkins said. “The guy to the right of you and the guy to the left of you is as good or better than you. Now, you have to coexist. So, what are you going to sacrifice to win? That’s what it’s about. I have to get these guys to understand that.”The most important victory for the basketball players is the diploma.“To me, to see our guys graduate and move on, that’s my gratification,” Watkins said. “We’re going to win games. Yep. I’d love to win every game and the national championship every year. Nothing’s going to change my work ethic, but my success comes from going into these kids’ homes and seeing where they come from and where they have an opportunity to go. We’re going to give you every opportunity to be successful on and off the floor.”He continued: “If I ever get to a point where it’s just win, win, win, win, then I’m going to find something else to do.”Watkins and his wife Sara have four sons and a daughter. Their son Mason is in the midst of a successful high school basketball career at West Burlington High School. Since SCC and the high school normally have games on different days, Watkins is able to follow Mason’s career.Sara, a native of Eldon, played softball for Indian Hills.Watkins has had offers to coach elsewhere.“But why?” Watkins asked. “I love coaching here. I love the town. I love raising our kids here, and I have great friends. I don’t need anything else.”

52 Faces: Former rival  molds SCC  program

Southeastern Community College’s men’s soccer team rallied from a two-goal deficit and ousted Iowa Central, 4-3, in overtime in the Division 2, Region 11 quarterfinals at Bracewell Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Juan Lagares scored in the 98th&nbsp;minute off a pass from Felix Martin for the sudden victory.

SCC (11-7-2), the tournament’s No. 4 seed, advances to Tuesday’s semifinal round at Norfolk, Neb., facing top-seeded Northeast (17-1-1). Western Iowa Tech (10-6-3) plays No. 2 seed Iowa Lakes (12-1-3) at Estherville in the other semifinal. The Region 11 championship match is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 2, to be hosted by the higher seed.

“It was a really difficult game,” SCC head coach Jorge Sierra said. “It was a good opponent coming in so it was whoever wanted it more. Thankfully for is we wanted it more. We just have to be ready for Northeast Nebraska on Tuesday.

“I feel they (the Tritons) really wanted to advance,” Sierra said. “They wanted to win, same way we wanted to win. This conference is the best one in the country and any team can beat the other on a given day. Thankfully, today it went for us.”

The Blackhawks struck first with a goal by Timeo Cordiez in the 14th&nbsp;minute, Diego Lozano assisting, but Iowa Central tied the score two minutes later. The Tritons scored twice more in the first 23 minutes of the second half for a 3-1 cushion.

Cordiez scored, this time unassisted, in the 80th&nbsp;minute, and Lagares added the tying goal in the 87th minute, assisted by Javier Hernandez. That set up overtime and Lagares's game-winner.

Sierra is expecting pressure from Northeast in Tuesday’s semifinal. “They just beat the No. 1 team (Iowa Lakes) in the country,” Sierra said, “so it’s going to be a difficult game for us. But we’ll be ready for it.”

No. 1 ranked Iowa Lakes fell at home to Northeast, 3-2, on Oct. 23. On Sept. 28, the Lakers visited Bracewell Stadium and tied with the Blackhawks, 3-3.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/10/1730041733126.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By Joe GerenSoutheastern Community College’s men’s soccer team rallied from a two-goal deficit and ousted Iowa Central, 4-3, in overtime in the Division 2, Region 11 quarterfinals at Bracewell Stadium Saturday afternoon.Juan Lagares scored in the 98th&nbsp;minute off a pass from Felix Martin for the sudden victory.SCC (11-7-2), the tournament’s No. 4 seed, advances to Tuesday’s semifinal round at Norfolk, Neb., facing top-seeded Northeast (17-1-1). Western Iowa Tech (10-6-3) plays No. 2 seed Iowa Lakes (12-1-3) at Estherville in the other semifinal. The Region 11 championship match is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 2, to be hosted by the higher seed.Iowa Central ended its season at 4-11-2.“It was a really difficult game,” SCC head coach Jorge Sierra said. “It was a good opponent coming in so it was whoever wanted it more. Thankfully for is we wanted it more. We just have to be ready for Northeast Nebraska on Tuesday.“I feel they (the Tritons) really wanted to advance,” Sierra said. “They wanted to win, same way we wanted to win. This conference is the best one in the country and any team can beat the other on a given day. Thankfully, today it went for us.”The Blackhawks struck first with a goal by Timeo Cordiez in the 14th&nbsp;minute, Diego Lozano assisting, but Iowa Central tied the score two minutes later. The Tritons scored twice more in the first 23 minutes of the second half for a 3-1 cushion.Cordiez scored, this time unassisted, in the 80th&nbsp;minute, and Lagares added the tying goal in the 87th minute, assisted by Javier Hernandez. That set up overtime and Lagares's game-winner.Sierra is expecting pressure from Northeast in Tuesday’s semifinal. “They just beat the No. 1 team (Iowa Lakes) in the country,” Sierra said, “so it’s going to be a difficult game for us. But we’ll be ready for it.”No. 1 ranked Iowa Lakes fell at home to Northeast, 3-2, on Oct. 23. On Sept. 28, the Lakers visited Bracewell Stadium and tied with the Blackhawks, 3-3.<figure>
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 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>

SCC rallies for regional win

Notre Dame struggled against No. 3 Holy Trinity in volleyball action on Thursday, and the Nikes' late surge down the stretch of the third game wasn't enough to avoid a sweep at Shottenkirk Gymnasium in Fort Madison.

The Nikes trailed the third set 15-9, but over the next five servers cut the lead to 18-17. The Nikes then took the lead at 20-19 and soon led 22-20. After trading side outs, Notre Dame led 23-21, but Adalyn Kruse for the Crusaders made a kill to return the serve. Presley Myers served out the set and the match, with Kruse making another kill to end it.

It didn't help that Notre Dame missed six serves in the first two sets. But Holy Trinity missed six serves in the final set.

Notre Dame drops to 18-10 overall, 4-2 in the South and plays in the New London Tournament Saturday.

Holy Trinity remains unbeaten at 5-0 in the South and is 19-5 overall. The Crusaders host Central Lee next Thursday.

“We've got some young players, and we couldn't get in system some times,” Notre Dame coach Susan Reid said.

“We had a pretty good game plan, and when we're in system, that game plan works.”

It's never easy taking on HTC on its home court.

“It's a big environment to play in,” Reid said. “They have some good players, and they're a tough team to play.”

HTC coach Melissa Freesmeier said, “We were doing the little things we've been working on in practice.

But in the third set, Freesmeier said there were “a lot of mistakes on our end that shouldn't have happened. But we still overcame it. We still stayed in the set, and we were able to pull it off.”

Freesmeier said that Notre Dame is a “great ball club. They continue to have a good season.”

So even though it was a three-and-out&nbsp;match, “you know it was a better match than that,” Freesmeier said.

Notre Dame had a balanced hitting attack. Addi Brockway made nine kills, Madelyn Knapp eight and Chloe Wenzel seven. McKenna Kipp added two.

Mallory Lily had 23 digs, Brockway 11, Knapp nine, Elmore five and Bella Drew and Addison Reid two each.

Wenzel made two blocks and also served an ace.

For Holy Trinity, Kruse had 14 kills and Myers 13 to lead the team. Anna Bendlage made 16 assists, and Elizabeth Griffith had 12.

Myers served four aces, and Olivia Bendlage three. Kruse led in digs with 12. Myers had three blocks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/10/1728060843131.jpeg" alt="Photo by Chris Faulkner" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Chris Faulkner</figcaption>
 </figure>By Chris FaulknerNotre Dame struggled against No. 3 Holy Trinity in volleyball action on Thursday, and the Nikes' late surge down the stretch of the third game wasn't enough to avoid a sweep at Shottenkirk Gymnasium in Fort Madison.Holy Trinity 25-12, 25-20, 25-23.The Nikes trailed the third set 15-9, but over the next five servers cut the lead to 18-17. The Nikes then took the lead at 20-19 and soon led 22-20. After trading side outs, Notre Dame led 23-21, but Adalyn Kruse for the Crusaders made a kill to return the serve. Presley Myers served out the set and the match, with Kruse making another kill to end it.It didn't help that Notre Dame missed six serves in the first two sets. But Holy Trinity missed six serves in the final set.Notre Dame drops to 18-10 overall, 4-2 in the South and plays in the New London Tournament Saturday.Holy Trinity remains unbeaten at 5-0 in the South and is 19-5 overall. The Crusaders host Central Lee next Thursday.“We've got some young players, and we couldn't get in system some times,” Notre Dame coach Susan Reid said.“We had a pretty good game plan, and when we're in system, that game plan works.”It's never easy taking on HTC on its home court.“It's a big environment to play in,” Reid said. “They have some good players, and they're a tough team to play.”HTC coach Melissa Freesmeier said, “We were doing the little things we've been working on in practice.But in the third set, Freesmeier said there were “a lot of mistakes on our end that shouldn't have happened. But we still overcame it. We still stayed in the set, and we were able to pull it off.”Freesmeier said that Notre Dame is a “great ball club. They continue to have a good season.”So even though it was a three-and-out&nbsp;match, “you know it was a better match than that,” Freesmeier said.Notre Dame had a balanced hitting attack. Addi Brockway made nine kills, Madelyn Knapp eight and Chloe Wenzel seven. McKenna Kipp added two.Emma Elmore made 23 assists.Mallory Lily had 23 digs, Brockway 11, Knapp nine, Elmore five and Bella Drew and Addison Reid two each.Wenzel made two blocks and also served an ace.For Holy Trinity, Kruse had 14 kills and Myers 13 to lead the team. Anna Bendlage made 16 assists, and Elizabeth Griffith had 12.Myers served four aces, and Olivia Bendlage three. Kruse led in digs with 12. Myers had three blocks.

ND falls to HTC

Southeastern Community College's Taryn Havener took on  Northeast Community College on Wednesday at  SCC's Loren Walker Arena. SCC defeated Northeast 3-1. First set 25-20, second set 23-25, third set 25-15, and fourth set 25-21.

<figure>
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 </figure>Photos by John LovrettaSoutheastern Community College's Taryn Havener took on Northeast Community College on Wednesday at SCC's Loren Walker Arena. SCC defeated Northeast 3-1. First set 25-20, second set 23-25, third set 25-15, and fourth set 25-21.<figure>
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SCC vs. Northeast Community College

West Burlington's ninth-ranked (Class 2A) volleyball team rallied from a 2-0 deficit at No. 5 (1A) Holy Trinity Catholic and sent the match into a fifth set.

But the host Crusaders defeated the Falcons 15-11 in the deciding set to win the two-hour, 10-minute match at Shottenkirk Gymnasium in Fort Madison.

West Burlington (14-2) plays Saturday in the Williamsburg Tournament. Holy Trinity improves to 3-2.

HTC won the first set 25-17 and had West Burlington down 20-11 and 22-15 in the second set. But the Falcons stormed back with five service points from Jayonna Hiley – including two from aces – to make it 22-20. West Burlington was serving match point, but Holy Trinity managed to stay alive and finally won 27-25.

West Burlington won the next two sets, 26-24, 25-17, getting big help from Brenna Beggs, who had 11 kills and a couple of big blocks in those two sets.

In the fifth set, through the first five rotations, West Burlington led 6-4. But HTC soon led 10-8 and pulled out the victory.

There were a number of long rallies in the two-hour night. West Burlington finished with 139 digs and Holy Trinity 124.

“I'm very, very pleased with the way they battled,” West Burlington coach Maureen Heath said of the Falcons. “That was a very good match. It didn't go our way, but that's going to make our team grow and grow.

“Everybody got their money's worth, that's for sure.”

Coach Heath praised Beggs for her contribution on the night. Beside Beggs' team-high 17 kills and six blocks, she also served 20 of 20 with two aces and added 15 digs.

Beggs' strength as a middle hitter is her swift windmill motion on her attacks that are hard for opposing defenses to dig up.

“No, I taught myself,” Beggs said. “It's just something I caught on.”

Taryn Snodgrass plays a big part in that as her setter. “We've been playing togther since like the sixth grade,” Beggs said. “We have a good connection.”

Coach Heath praised Snodgrass for her abilities.

“Snodgrass is like a workhorse out there,” Heath said. “You know you're going to get every maximum effort from that girl. She tries to move the ball around, running things down, but with control.”

Jayonna Hiley had 12 kills and served 14 of 14 with five aces, Mady Hamelton had 10 kills, Isabella Callison five and freshman Kaylee Webb four.

Webb came into the game as a middle hitter, “trying to mix things up,” Coach Heath said. “In this big of a game, she was very in tune, she was asking questions, the girls were helping her, I thought she did a great job.”

Hiley had a block and Webb and Snodgrass had one each.

Carli Cline led in digs with 42, Hiley had 31, Hamelton 20 and Snodgrass 15. Baylee Woodsmall added 12.

Cline served 21 of 22 with an ace, Hamelton was 16 of 16 with an ace, Snodgrass 11 of 12 with an ace and Woodsmall 12 of 12.

The Falcons served 94 of 96 on the night.

Holy Trinity is tough to beat at home, especially in the fifth set, but Crusaders coach Melissa Freesmeier didn't take anything for granted.

“When you play a team like West Burlington, and they're going to dig the ball, and they're going to keep the ball in play, they're not going to make a lot of mistakes, we're just going to have to go at them. Our hitters did that in set 5.”

HTC's 6-2 standout in the middle, Presley Myers, had a career high 23 kills and six blocks. Adalyn Kruse had 21 kills and Olivia Bendlage 13. Anna Bendlage made 38 assists. Teagan Snaadt had 33 digs and Elizabeth Griffin 32.

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 </figure>Falcons rallied from 2-0 deficitBy Chris FaulknerWest Burlington's ninth-ranked (Class 2A) volleyball team rallied from a 2-0 deficit at No. 5 (1A) Holy Trinity Catholic and sent the match into a fifth set.But the host Crusaders defeated the Falcons 15-11 in the deciding set to win the two-hour, 10-minute match at Shottenkirk Gymnasium in Fort Madison.West Burlington (14-2) plays Saturday in the Williamsburg Tournament. Holy Trinity improves to 3-2.HTC won the first set 25-17 and had West Burlington down 20-11 and 22-15 in the second set. But the Falcons stormed back with five service points from Jayonna Hiley – including two from aces – to make it 22-20. West Burlington was serving match point, but Holy Trinity managed to stay alive and finally won 27-25.West Burlington won the next two sets, 26-24, 25-17, getting big help from Brenna Beggs, who had 11 kills and a couple of big blocks in those two sets.In the fifth set, through the first five rotations, West Burlington led 6-4. But HTC soon led 10-8 and pulled out the victory.There were a number of long rallies in the two-hour night. West Burlington finished with 139 digs and Holy Trinity 124.Falcons can grow from this“I'm very, very pleased with the way they battled,” West Burlington coach Maureen Heath said of the Falcons. “That was a very good match. It didn't go our way, but that's going to make our team grow and grow.“Everybody got their money's worth, that's for sure.”Coach Heath praised Beggs for her contribution on the night. Beside Beggs' team-high 17 kills and six blocks, she also served 20 of 20 with two aces and added 15 digs.Beggs' strength as a middle hitter is her swift windmill motion on her attacks that are hard for opposing defenses to dig up.Did someone teach her to do it that way?“No, I taught myself,” Beggs said. “It's just something I caught on.”Taryn Snodgrass plays a big part in that as her setter. “We've been playing togther since like the sixth grade,” Beggs said. “We have a good connection.”Snodgrass had 40 assists.Coach Heath praised Snodgrass for her abilities.“Snodgrass is like a workhorse out there,” Heath said. “You know you're going to get every maximum effort from that girl. She tries to move the ball around, running things down, but with control.”Jayonna Hiley had 12 kills and served 14 of 14 with five aces, Mady Hamelton had 10 kills, Isabella Callison five and freshman Kaylee Webb four.Webb came into the game as a middle hitter, “trying to mix things up,” Coach Heath said. “In this big of a game, she was very in tune, she was asking questions, the girls were helping her, I thought she did a great job.”Hiley had a block and Webb and Snodgrass had one each.Carli Cline led in digs with 42, Hiley had 31, Hamelton 20 and Snodgrass 15. Baylee Woodsmall added 12.Cline served 21 of 22 with an ace, Hamelton was 16 of 16 with an ace, Snodgrass 11 of 12 with an ace and Woodsmall 12 of 12.The Falcons served 94 of 96 on the night.HTC shines in Set 5Holy Trinity is tough to beat at home, especially in the fifth set, but Crusaders coach Melissa Freesmeier didn't take anything for granted.“When you play a team like West Burlington, and they're going to dig the ball, and they're going to keep the ball in play, they're not going to make a lot of mistakes, we're just going to have to go at them. Our hitters did that in set 5.”HTC's 6-2 standout in the middle, Presley Myers, had a career high 23 kills and six blocks. Adalyn Kruse had 21 kills and Olivia Bendlage 13. Anna Bendlage made 38 assists. Teagan Snaadt had 33 digs and Elizabeth Griffin 32.

HTC outlasts West Burlington in five sets

Notre Dame swept Van Buren County 25-9, 25-17, 25-22 in volleyball Thursday night at Father Minett Gym.

Madelyn Knapp made 13 kills, and Addi Brockway 11 to lead the winners. Chloe Wenzel added six kills, McKenna Kipp five, Addison Reid four, and Emma Elmore three.

Knapp made 13 digs, Mallory Lillie and Brockway 12 each, and Bella Drew 10.

Elmore served 13 of 14 with an ace, Brockway was 12 of 12 with an ace, Reid was 12 of 13 with two aces, Lillie was 11 of 12 with three aces, and Lexi Korschgen served an ace on her only attempt.

The team plays at Central Lee next Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1726252360221.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>Beacon SportsNotre Dame swept Van Buren County 25-9, 25-17, 25-22 in volleyball Thursday night at Father Minett Gym.Madelyn Knapp made 13 kills, and Addi Brockway 11 to lead the winners. Chloe Wenzel added six kills, McKenna Kipp five, Addison Reid four, and Emma Elmore three.Emma Elmore made 36 assists.Knapp made 13 digs, Mallory Lillie and Brockway 12 each, and Bella Drew 10.Wenzel made four blocks and Reid two.Elmore served 13 of 14 with an ace, Brockway was 12 of 12 with an ace, Reid was 12 of 13 with two aces, Lillie was 11 of 12 with three aces, and Lexi Korschgen served an ace on her only attempt.The team plays at Central Lee next Tuesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1726253414166.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
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NDHS Volleyball vs. Van Buren 

Indian Hills spoiled Southeastern Community College’s soccer home openers, sweeping the Blackhawks at the Burlington Regional RecPlex Monday afternoon.

Indian Hills won the women’s match 5-1 and the men’s game 6-0. Indian Hills is an NJCAA Division I school; SCC is Division II.

In the women’s match, Kevynn Siefken scored SCC’s lone goal on the rebound of a Myah Rehman shot in the 50th minute. Rehman was awarded an assist. It was the first goal scored this season by SCC, now 0-4.

Siefken and Rehman were freshmen and teammates at Burlington High School last spring.

“We’ve been struggling with injuries the past couple of weeks,” Siefken said, “but we’re slowly getting those girls back, and we know we deserve it. We worked hard, that’s for sure.”

On her goal, she said, “It was good. It was well deserved. That first half was hard-fought, and that second half, we wanted it, and we got it.” 

          In the men’s game, SCC managed just five shots, three on goal. The defense held Indian Hills scoreless for the first 33 minutes. SCC fell to 1-4. 

It was the first time former SCC coach Zac Newton coached against the Blackhawks. He coached SCC to its spring 2021 national championship. Newton is currently in his first year as head coach at Indian Hills. 

“It’s a weird experience,” Newton said of his return to West Burlington, “and then to have the sort of result we had was tough because this place always has a special place in my heart. It’s very, very weird, but it does bring back a lot of good memories.”

The Indian Hills men improved to 5-0; the women are 3-1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1725582340335.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>Beacon SportsIndian Hills spoiled Southeastern Community College’s soccer home openers, sweeping the Blackhawks at the Burlington Regional RecPlex Monday afternoon.Indian Hills won the women’s match 5-1 and the men’s game 6-0. Indian Hills is an NJCAA Division I school; SCC is Division II.In the women’s match, Kevynn Siefken scored SCC’s lone goal on the rebound of a Myah Rehman shot in the 50th minute. Rehman was awarded an assist. It was the first goal scored this season by SCC, now 0-4.Siefken and Rehman were freshmen and teammates at Burlington High School last spring.“We’ve been struggling with injuries the past couple of weeks,” Siefken said, “but we’re slowly getting those girls back, and we know we deserve it. We worked hard, that’s for sure.”On her goal, she said, “It was good. It was well deserved. That first half was hard-fought, and that second half, we wanted it, and we got it.” In the men’s game, SCC managed just five shots, three on goal. The defense held Indian Hills scoreless for the first 33 minutes. SCC fell to 1-4. It was the first time former SCC coach Zac Newton coached against the Blackhawks. He coached SCC to its spring 2021 national championship. Newton is currently in his first year as head coach at Indian Hills. “It’s a weird experience,” Newton said of his return to West Burlington, “and then to have the sort of result we had was tough because this place always has a special place in my heart. It’s very, very weird, but it does bring back a lot of good memories.”The Indian Hills men improved to 5-0; the women are 3-1.

Warriors sweep SCC soccer teams

The Southeastern Community College volleyball team scrimmaged against three other teams on Saturday, and the optimism in the Blackhawk camp is sky-high. 

“I expect us to take it all the way to nationals,” said McKenna Marlow, a sophomore from West Burlington.“I expect us to take it all the way to nationals.,” said Taryn Stephens, a freshman who played for Burlington’s Notre Dame High School last season. 

“That just seems like so much fun. We all want to go so bad. We’ve been working for it.”Read Joe Geren's story in this Friday's print edition of The Beacon.

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 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/8/1724023610717.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>Photos by John LovrettaThe Southeastern Community College volleyball team scrimmaged against three other teams on Saturday, and the optimism in the Blackhawk camp is sky-high. “I expect us to take it all the way to nationals,” said McKenna Marlow, a sophomore from West Burlington.“I expect us to take it all the way to nationals.,” said Taryn Stephens, a freshman who played for Burlington’s Notre Dame High School last season. “That just seems like so much fun. We all want to go so bad. We’ve been working for it.”Read Joe Geren's story in this Friday's print edition of The Beacon.<figure>
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Spike in Optimism

By Joe Geren Beacon Sports When you’re already a national champion, perhaps only one goal remains. Perfection. That’s the goal for Odessa Cornick in the upcoming indoor archery season. Odessa, 16, of Burlington, and her sister Alina, 12, are three-time national champions. Their most recent titles occurred in July at the Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) Eastern Outdoor National on the University of the Cumberlands campus in Williamsburg, Ky. Odessa won the female young adult (age 15-18) championship, and Alina captured the female Eagle division for ages 10-12. In June, Alina won an indoor national title in Rend Lake, Ill. “They shoot their first couple rounds, and that’s how they get into the shoot-off,” their dad, Zach Cornick, explained. After the shoot-off, “there’s a bracket-type system where they shoot against each other. It’s two full days.” In young adult competitions, “the top three finishers get academic scholarships,” Zach said. “There are probably 15 scholarships around the country. They’re adding up.” Last March, Odessa won the national title in the Eastern Indoor S3DA in Owensboro, Ky., and won several scholarships, including some to the University of the Cumberlands, Kentucky Christian, Southeast Illinois, and Lindenwood. With the win in Williamsburg, some of the scholarships were duplicated. Odessa, who soon begins her junior year at Burlington High School, has not decided which scholarship she’ll use. “I haven’t started looking too much yet,” she said. Zach and his wife Denissa founded the Flint River Archery Club in late 2020. Last Sunday, the Cornick sisters were among four Flint River Archery Club members who won state titles in the Iowa State ASA championship in Iowa City. Odessa won the young adult female pins division, and Alina captured the Eagle girls’ pins. Isaiah Mendenhall won the Eagle boys open division and Brody Foley won young adult male pins. Other club members competing in the state meet were Timothy Burns Jr. (2nd, Eagle boys open), Addison Ewinger (2nd, Eagle girls open), Raelle Miller (2nd, Eagle girls pins), and Abigail Foley (3rd, Eagle girls pins). Miller also finished 10th in the Eastern Outdoor National in Kentucky last month. According to a Flint River Archery Club Facebook post, Miller’s sights were going low left the first day of the competition. Coaches fixed the problem, and Miller shot a personal best the second day. “In a couple weeks, the ASA Outdoor National is in South Dakota,” Zach Cornick said. “We’ll be going to that.” Both Cornick girls have played other sports, but archery is their preference. “I did golf for a little bit, but mostly archery is what I do,” Odessa said. She played on the BHS girls’ golf team. “I started (archery) when I was four years old.” “I played volleyball and soccer, but not right now,” Alina said. In archery, “I like outdoor targets better. It’s cells (in 3D animal-shaped targets). Basically, it’s upper and lower cells.” Odessa has goals. “I want to win some more things, obviously,” she said, “get some more scholarships collected. Indoor season is next, so right now, my goal is to shoot an absolutely perfect score, a 150 with 30 Xs.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/8/1723517598554.jpeg" alt="Photo by Joe Geren Odessa Cornick, left, and her sister Alina won national championships in archery recently. Alina won two in the Eagle (age 10-12) Division and Odessa captured a national outdoor championship in the Young Adult (15-18) Division. " />
 <figcaption>Photo by Joe Geren Odessa Cornick, left, and her sister Alina won national championships in archery recently. Alina won two in the Eagle (age 10-12) Division and Odessa captured a national outdoor championship in the Young Adult (15-18) Division. </figcaption>
 </figure>By Joe Geren Beacon Sports When you’re already a national champion, perhaps only one goal remains. Perfection. That’s the goal for Odessa Cornick in the upcoming indoor archery season. Odessa, 16, of Burlington, and her sister Alina, 12, are three-time national champions. Their most recent titles occurred in July at the Scholastic 3-D Archery (S3DA) Eastern Outdoor National on the University of the Cumberlands campus in Williamsburg, Ky. Odessa won the female young adult (age 15-18) championship, and Alina captured the female Eagle division for ages 10-12. In June, Alina won an indoor national title in Rend Lake, Ill. “They shoot their first couple rounds, and that’s how they get into the shoot-off,” their dad, Zach Cornick, explained. After the shoot-off, “there’s a bracket-type system where they shoot against each other. It’s two full days.” In young adult competitions, “the top three finishers get academic scholarships,” Zach said. “There are probably 15 scholarships around the country. They’re adding up.” Last March, Odessa won the national title in the Eastern Indoor S3DA in Owensboro, Ky., and won several scholarships, including some to the University of the Cumberlands, Kentucky Christian, Southeast Illinois, and Lindenwood. With the win in Williamsburg, some of the scholarships were duplicated. Odessa, who soon begins her junior year at Burlington High School, has not decided which scholarship she’ll use. “I haven’t started looking too much yet,” she said. Zach and his wife Denissa founded the Flint River Archery Club in late 2020. Last Sunday, the Cornick sisters were among four Flint River Archery Club members who won state titles in the Iowa State ASA championship in Iowa City. Odessa won the young adult female pins division, and Alina captured the Eagle girls’ pins. Isaiah Mendenhall won the Eagle boys open division and Brody Foley won young adult male pins. Other club members competing in the state meet were Timothy Burns Jr. (2nd, Eagle boys open), Addison Ewinger (2nd, Eagle girls open), Raelle Miller (2nd, Eagle girls pins), and Abigail Foley (3rd, Eagle girls pins). Miller also finished 10th in the Eastern Outdoor National in Kentucky last month. According to a Flint River Archery Club Facebook post, Miller’s sights were going low left the first day of the competition. Coaches fixed the problem, and Miller shot a personal best the second day. “In a couple weeks, the ASA Outdoor National is in South Dakota,” Zach Cornick said. “We’ll be going to that.” Both Cornick girls have played other sports, but archery is their preference. “I did golf for a little bit, but mostly archery is what I do,” Odessa said. She played on the BHS girls’ golf team. “I started (archery) when I was four years old.” “I played volleyball and soccer, but not right now,” Alina said. In archery, “I like outdoor targets better. It’s cells (in 3D animal-shaped targets). Basically, it’s upper and lower cells.” Odessa has goals. “I want to win some more things, obviously,” she said, “get some more scholarships collected. Indoor season is next, so right now, my goal is to shoot an absolutely perfect score, a 150 with 30 Xs.”

Cornick sisters claim national titles

Bryce Brown’s two-run double to center field in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Burlington Bees to a 7-6 win over Clinton in a Prospect League baseball game at Community Field Saturday night. It was the third win in the last four games for the Bees, who are now 11-7 in the season’s second half.

Clinton went up 2-0 in the first half-inning, but Burlington tied it in the second and led 3-2 after three innings. The score was knotted at 3-3 and 4-4, then the LumberKings scored twice in the sixth inning. In the bottom of the sixth, the Bees came to within a run of Clinton at 5-6 on Cedric Dunnwald’s RBI double.

Both teams had 12 hits. Brown and Landon Akers had three hits each for the Bees. Jeremy Figueroa tripled for the Bees and Logan Reidelberger doubled. Catcher Noah Gordon went 3-for-5 to lead Clinton.

Erik Kiewiet (2-1) pitched the final inning and picked up the win. He allowed no runs on one hit and two walks. Clinton’s Kieran Bailey (2-1) took the loss.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/7/1722270737475.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>Beacon SportsBryce Brown’s two-run double to center field in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Burlington Bees to a 7-6 win over Clinton in a Prospect League baseball game at Community Field Saturday night. It was the third win in the last four games for the Bees, who are now 11-7 in the season’s second half.Clinton went up 2-0 in the first half-inning, but Burlington tied it in the second and led 3-2 after three innings. The score was knotted at 3-3 and 4-4, then the LumberKings scored twice in the sixth inning. In the bottom of the sixth, the Bees came to within a run of Clinton at 5-6 on Cedric Dunnwald’s RBI double.The LumberKings wouldn’t score again.Both teams had 12 hits. Brown and Landon Akers had three hits each for the Bees. Jeremy Figueroa tripled for the Bees and Logan Reidelberger doubled. Catcher Noah Gordon went 3-for-5 to lead Clinton.Erik Kiewiet (2-1) pitched the final inning and picked up the win. He allowed no runs on one hit and two walks. Clinton’s Kieran Bailey (2-1) took the loss.&nbsp;

Brown’s Double Lifts Bees

Fat and Sassy Barbeque, set to open later this month at the former Dillon’s BBQ location at 2111 N. Roosevelt Ave., has a tall order to tackle.

On the one hand, the new barbecue restaurant, headed by Burlington residents Nick and Jaime Baker and their son Brady Huevelmann, will be dishing out classic recipes from Dillon’s. They already have the recipes from the former owner, Daryl Downer.

On the other hand, Fat and Sassy wants to make its mark with original barbecue recipes and signature dishes. Nick, the restaurant’s primary cook, has decades of experience with barbecue. He plans to blend the old with the new, guaranteeing something for everyone.

“We have a retired reserve deputy who will probably go to be one of our main cooks. It’s going to be law enforcement staffed and family staffed,” Nick said.

Nick and Jaime both come from law enforcement backgrounds. Nick has 15 years of experience in law enforcement and currently serves as a reserve officer for West Burlington. He’s also a U.S. Air Force veteran.

“We want to be a very law enforcement, firefighter, and first responder-friendly restaurant,” Nick said.

The Bakers bought the former Dillon’s last year on an agreement that they would take over and start a new restaurant when Daryl decided to retire. Dillon’s was initially part of a small restaurant franchise from the 1980s. Still, the Burlington location was the only one to survive.

The Bakers started renovating the Dillon’s building in early November, using only themselves and close friends as labor. Granite and epoxy tables line the floor of the refurbished restaurant now, making it look like a new building.

“The only thing left original in the whole building is the ceiling. We redid all the paint, all the chairs and tables are new,” Jaime said.

Nick has been a meat smoker for decades, often entertaining large parties of friends and family. Opening his own restaurant fulfills a lifelong dream.

“I mean, Dillon’s was a Burlington staple. We want to be the next Burlington staple,” Nick said.

Dillon’s famed baked potatoes and the famed BBQ sauce will be returning. But that’s not all.

“We’re going to continue with the cream desserts,” Jaime said.

Fat and Sassy will start out with a three-day-a-week schedule: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. That schedule will likely expand at the new restaurant.

That means the food will always be fresh.

“We’re not going to freeze stuff and thaw it out for the next day. We’re going to keep our stuff fresh, and when it’s gone, it’s gone for the day. We’ll be back tomorrow,” Nick said.

The business will be a balancing act for all involved. The Bakers own an insurance agency, and both of them have full-time jobs outside of that. Jaime works as a counselor for the state’s domestic violence program. Their son, who is helping out with the marketing end of the business and other roles, is a real estate agent.

“Everyone is going to try to keep their full-time jobs,” Jaime said.

Nick and Jaime have been married since 2012, meeting the year before when they worked for Iowa’s Department of Corrections. Their house became notorious for local law enforcement celebrations — with Nick at the helm of the smoker.

“We had all the West Burlington police at house,” Nick said.

Some items on Fat and Sassy’s menu will change weekly — depending on what Nick wants to showcase.

“So we might do chicken quarters for a week. As far as ribs, that’s more special. We’ll likely do that twice a month. And we make a really good hamball,” Nick said.

Part of the fun will be growing the business to accommodate local tastes and requests.&nbsp;

The Bakers have stayed in close contact with the former Dillon’s owner while preparing the restaurant, and that influence will definitely be tasted.

“One thing Daryl did encourage us to do was to get a fryer system. Because a lot of people will come in, and their kids may want something like chicken fingers. So we’re going to have some fryer food,” Jaime said.

But the selling point, and the appeal of Fat and Sassy, will be the barbecue.

“It’s going to be homemade food,” Jaime said. “There’s going to be something awesome to try out every week. I think Nick probably makes the best baked beans there are.”

Jaime said she came up with the name for the restaurant by borrowing one of her late grandmother’s favorite phrases.

“She was amazing. She was so funny. If you ever asked her how she was doing, she would say, ‘Still fat and sassy,’ ’’ Jaime said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/burlington-beacon-media-bucket/public/2025/2/1739242472451.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By William SmithFat and Sassy Barbeque, set to open later this month at the former Dillon’s BBQ location at 2111 N. Roosevelt Ave., has a tall order to tackle.On the one hand, the new barbecue restaurant, headed by Burlington residents Nick and Jaime Baker and their son Brady Huevelmann, will be dishing out classic recipes from Dillon’s. They already have the recipes from the former owner, Daryl Downer.On the other hand, Fat and Sassy wants to make its mark with original barbecue recipes and signature dishes. Nick, the restaurant’s primary cook, has decades of experience with barbecue. He plans to blend the old with the new, guaranteeing something for everyone.“We have a retired reserve deputy who will probably go to be one of our main cooks. It’s going to be law enforcement staffed and family staffed,” Nick said.Nick and Jaime both come from law enforcement backgrounds. Nick has 15 years of experience in law enforcement and currently serves as a reserve officer for West Burlington. He’s also a U.S. Air Force veteran.“We want to be a very law enforcement, firefighter, and first responder-friendly restaurant,” Nick said.The Bakers bought the former Dillon’s last year on an agreement that they would take over and start a new restaurant when Daryl decided to retire. Dillon’s was initially part of a small restaurant franchise from the 1980s. Still, the Burlington location was the only one to survive.The Bakers started renovating the Dillon’s building in early November, using only themselves and close friends as labor. Granite and epoxy tables line the floor of the refurbished restaurant now, making it look like a new building.“The only thing left original in the whole building is the ceiling. We redid all the paint, all the chairs and tables are new,” Jaime said.Nick has been a meat smoker for decades, often entertaining large parties of friends and family. Opening his own restaurant fulfills a lifelong dream.“I mean, Dillon’s was a Burlington staple. We want to be the next Burlington staple,” Nick said.Dillon’s famed baked potatoes and the famed BBQ sauce will be returning. But that’s not all.“We’re going to continue with the cream desserts,” Jaime said.Fat and Sassy will start out with a three-day-a-week schedule: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. That schedule will likely expand at the new restaurant.That means the food will always be fresh.“We’re not going to freeze stuff and thaw it out for the next day. We’re going to keep our stuff fresh, and when it’s gone, it’s gone for the day. We’ll be back tomorrow,” Nick said.The business will be a balancing act for all involved. The Bakers own an insurance agency, and both of them have full-time jobs outside of that. Jaime works as a counselor for the state’s domestic violence program. Their son, who is helping out with the marketing end of the business and other roles, is a real estate agent.“Everyone is going to try to keep their full-time jobs,” Jaime said.Nick and Jaime have been married since 2012, meeting the year before when they worked for Iowa’s Department of Corrections. Their house became notorious for local law enforcement celebrations — with Nick at the helm of the smoker.“We had all the West Burlington police at house,” Nick said.Some items on Fat and Sassy’s menu will change weekly — depending on what Nick wants to showcase.“So we might do chicken quarters for a week. As far as ribs, that’s more special. We’ll likely do that twice a month. And we make a really good hamball,” Nick said.Part of the fun will be growing the business to accommodate local tastes and requests.&nbsp;The Bakers have stayed in close contact with the former Dillon’s owner while preparing the restaurant, and that influence will definitely be tasted.“One thing Daryl did encourage us to do was to get a fryer system. Because a lot of people will come in, and their kids may want something like chicken fingers. So we’re going to have some fryer food,” Jaime said.But the selling point, and the appeal of Fat and Sassy, will be the barbecue.“It’s going to be homemade food,” Jaime said. “There’s going to be something awesome to try out every week. I think Nick probably makes the best baked beans there are.”Jaime said she came up with the name for the restaurant by borrowing one of her late grandmother’s favorite phrases.“She was amazing. She was so funny. If you ever asked her how she was doing, she would say, ‘Still fat and sassy,’ ’’ Jaime said.

Smokin’ tradition with a sassy twist

Matt Landon and Emma Reynolds know music.

So do most musicians. But the couple, who just moved to Burlington in August of last year, understand it at a high academic level. They have the graduate degrees to prove it.

Now, they’re sharing that knowledge with local children and adults who want to get better at their instruments and want to understand how. Right now, they’re teaching out of their home, but they would love to open their own music school someday.

They’re already tutoring and playing local gigs in downtown Burlington and other venues.

“We want to build our studio as quickly and robustly as possible. Once we have a stronger client base, we’ll have the financial footing to rent a space that’s not our home,” Reynolds said.

Landon grew up in Burlington. After graduating from Burlington High School, he moved to Kalamazoo, Mich.

“I went to school for music. Guitar, specifically,” he said. “Then I took three years off bumming around and doing gigs. I did some cruise ship work and went all over the world. Alaska, South America, Mexico, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean.”

“In some ways, I had a very negative experience in music school. I was just kind of stifled, creatively,” he said.

He tutored as a side gig, but he got a whole lot more out of the experience than a few extra bucks. He found a new passion.

&nbsp;“I realized that I really like teaching,” he said.

He ended up teaching at Western Michigan University, where he got his undergraduate degree, for five years. He still teaches there remotely while performing with Reynolds locally.

“Honestly, I play everything except death metal. But, yeah, I’d say I’m mostly focused in jazz, bluegrass, singer-songwriter, folk, a little bit of country,&nbsp; blues, rock, hip-hop,” he said.

Reynolds grew up in Mount Shasta, Calif., in the northern part of the state. Iowa residents sometimes assume she’s a big-city girl who moved to the small town of Burlington. But Mount Shasta has a population of just over 3,300 people.

Though she’s new to Burlington, she’s already fallen for the grand old city. For Landon, it’s a long overdue homecoming.

“When we moved here, we both realized that our stress and anxiety were pretty high when we lived in Michigan. We just weren’t happy there,” Reynolds said.&nbsp;

“It seemed like all the time, we kind of had our shoulders hunched. Even our dog seemed more relaxed.”

Reynolds attended California State University, Long Beach, to study vocal performance, spent more time at a junior college, and worked gigs around Los Angeles and the Orange County area.

She went on to teach music at a few K-12 schools — private and public — and then got her master’s degree in music instruction. She wanted to teach at a community college.

“My dad was an English professor at a community college for the majority of my life. So I just understood the value that community colleges have and wanted to be a part of it,” she said.

Reynolds and Landon want to teach music to everyone willing to learn. They don’t want that instruction held behind walls of high-end academic degrees.

Music is music, and it’s for everyone. That’s how they envision their school – instruction for all.

“We’re at the grassroots level of it right now,” Reynolds said. “We’re still teaching out of our house. But we’re hoping in the next year or so to get a space and branch out.”

To find out more about tutoring options or for a schedule of upcoming performances by Matt and Emma, visit “Emma Reynolds Music” on Facebook.

<figure>
 <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/burlington-beacon-media-bucket/public/2025/1/1737996030494.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By William SmithMatt Landon and Emma Reynolds know music.So do most musicians. But the couple, who just moved to Burlington in August of last year, understand it at a high academic level. They have the graduate degrees to prove it.Now, they’re sharing that knowledge with local children and adults who want to get better at their instruments and want to understand how. Right now, they’re teaching out of their home, but they would love to open their own music school someday.They’re already tutoring and playing local gigs in downtown Burlington and other venues.“We want to build our studio as quickly and robustly as possible. Once we have a stronger client base, we’ll have the financial footing to rent a space that’s not our home,” Reynolds said.Landon grew up in Burlington. After graduating from Burlington High School, he moved to Kalamazoo, Mich.“I went to school for music. Guitar, specifically,” he said. “Then I took three years off bumming around and doing gigs. I did some cruise ship work and went all over the world. Alaska, South America, Mexico, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean.”Landon rediscovered his love for music.“In some ways, I had a very negative experience in music school. I was just kind of stifled, creatively,” he said.He tutored as a side gig, but he got a whole lot more out of the experience than a few extra bucks. He found a new passion.&nbsp;“I realized that I really like teaching,” he said.He ended up teaching at Western Michigan University, where he got his undergraduate degree, for five years. He still teaches there remotely while performing with Reynolds locally.“Honestly, I play everything except death metal. But, yeah, I’d say I’m mostly focused in jazz, bluegrass, singer-songwriter, folk, a little bit of country,&nbsp; blues, rock, hip-hop,” he said.Emma ReynoldsReynolds grew up in Mount Shasta, Calif., in the northern part of the state. Iowa residents sometimes assume she’s a big-city girl who moved to the small town of Burlington. But Mount Shasta has a population of just over 3,300 people.Though she’s new to Burlington, she’s already fallen for the grand old city. For Landon, it’s a long overdue homecoming.“When we moved here, we both realized that our stress and anxiety were pretty high when we lived in Michigan. We just weren’t happy there,” Reynolds said.&nbsp;“It seemed like all the time, we kind of had our shoulders hunched. Even our dog seemed more relaxed.”Reynolds attended California State University, Long Beach, to study vocal performance, spent more time at a junior college, and worked gigs around Los Angeles and the Orange County area.She went on to teach music at a few K-12 schools — private and public — and then got her master’s degree in music instruction. She wanted to teach at a community college.“My dad was an English professor at a community college for the majority of my life. So I just understood the value that community colleges have and wanted to be a part of it,” she said.Reynolds and Landon want to teach music to everyone willing to learn. They don’t want that instruction held behind walls of high-end academic degrees.Music is music, and it’s for everyone. That’s how they envision their school – instruction for all.“We’re at the grassroots level of it right now,” Reynolds said. “We’re still teaching out of our house. But we’re hoping in the next year or so to get a space and branch out.”To find out more about tutoring options or for a schedule of upcoming performances by Matt and Emma, visit “Emma Reynolds Music” on Facebook.<figure>
 <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/burlington-beacon-media-bucket/public/2025/1/1737996060647.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>

52 faces: In Harmony

A small indoor dog park and pup emporium opened with little fanfare or promotion last week but is already attracting a lot of attention.

Burlington resident Jennifer Arnold has been working on the opening for The P-A-R-K for dogs at 2807 Summer St. for the past year. The newly opened business features over 1,000 square feet of specialty-themed play areas designed for both small and large dogs.

A small store inside the building, dubbed the Pup Emporium, sells dog-related items sourced through small businesses.

It will be climate-controlled luxury for dogs and their owners all year round.

“It’s not a doggie daycare or boarding,” Arnold said. “You stay with your pet, and it’s a one-hour visit.”

A one-hour visit costs $10, and walk-ins are welcome. Appointments are preferred; customers can buy a six-visit package for $50.

“So you’re basically getting one visit for free,” Arnold said.

Arnold came up with the idea after adopting a dog from the Des Moines County Humane Society animal shelter. She’s seen similar operations in bigger cities and is fully aware of how strong the pup-loving community is in Burlington.

“It’s a new concept for the area. It’s a themed space, so everything is decorated,” Arnold said.

It’s not just a big, open space, as some of her first customers originally envisioned. It’s a play space designed to entice a pooch’s playful side. The building used to consist of real estate offices, which made it easy to renovate and innovate.

“They can even go through the walls in some spots,” Arnold said.

Apart from running the dog park, Arnold works part-time and eased into the public space with a soft opening. Now that the word is getting out, she’s excited to see even more customers. She’s planning a future partnership with the Des Moines County Humane Society.

Arnold said those curious about seeing the dog park just have to stop out. There’s no charge for looking. The park is open Thursday through Sunday and will only allow six dogs at a time.

“We wanted to keep the number small to cut down on the chances of any fights (between the dogs) breaking out,” Arnold said.

Arnold said she has no interest in boarding dogs. But she enjoys meeting fellow dog owners and wants to provide another alternative for active canines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/burlington-beacon-media-bucket/public/2025/1/1737480551562.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By William SmithA small indoor dog park and pup emporium opened with little fanfare or promotion last week but is already attracting a lot of attention.Burlington resident Jennifer Arnold has been working on the opening for The P-A-R-K for dogs at 2807 Summer St. for the past year. The newly opened business features over 1,000 square feet of specialty-themed play areas designed for both small and large dogs.A small store inside the building, dubbed the Pup Emporium, sells dog-related items sourced through small businesses.It will be climate-controlled luxury for dogs and their owners all year round.“It’s not a doggie daycare or boarding,” Arnold said. “You stay with your pet, and it’s a one-hour visit.”A one-hour visit costs $10, and walk-ins are welcome. Appointments are preferred; customers can buy a six-visit package for $50.“So you’re basically getting one visit for free,” Arnold said.Arnold came up with the idea after adopting a dog from the Des Moines County Humane Society animal shelter. She’s seen similar operations in bigger cities and is fully aware of how strong the pup-loving community is in Burlington.“It’s a new concept for the area. It’s a themed space, so everything is decorated,” Arnold said.It’s not just a big, open space, as some of her first customers originally envisioned. It’s a play space designed to entice a pooch’s playful side. The building used to consist of real estate offices, which made it easy to renovate and innovate.“They can even go through the walls in some spots,” Arnold said.Apart from running the dog park, Arnold works part-time and eased into the public space with a soft opening. Now that the word is getting out, she’s excited to see even more customers. She’s planning a future partnership with the Des Moines County Humane Society.Arnold said those curious about seeing the dog park just have to stop out. There’s no charge for looking. The park is open Thursday through Sunday and will only allow six dogs at a time.“We wanted to keep the number small to cut down on the chances of any fights (between the dogs) breaking out,” Arnold said.Arnold said she has no interest in boarding dogs. But she enjoys meeting fellow dog owners and wants to provide another alternative for active canines.“I love dogs. And people with dogs, they don’t just take them to one place. They take them to all the places. The outdoor park, the indoor park,” Arnold said.

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