Jimmy Bruegger never used to have nightmares — not ones that he can remember, anyway.

That changed after he and his Irish Setter — Scarlett — were attacked last month by a pit bull that had escaped its owner near the Burlington riverfront.

Scarlett barely survived the attack, and Bruegger has spent more than $9,000 in vet bills to keep her alive. The pit bull bit Bruegger on the thumb during the attack, breaking the bone inside and lacerating the flesh around it.

“If it doesn’t heal right, they will have to go back and put a screw in there,” Bruegger said.

The attack happened around 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 13 near the Port of Burlington, which is a regular walking spot for the two.

“When I pull up, I scope the area out for loose dogs just to make sure things are safe,” Bruegger said.

They barely had a chance to get started when the pit bull attacked.

“And all of a sudden, this dog came up behind us and grabbed her by the throat. I went down with her. And it commenced to trying to kill her,” Bruegger said.

Bruegger, as did the owner, tried to pull the dog off his dog. Scarlett, meanwhile, just hunkered down. The dog continued to attack, ripping at Scarlett’s neck and chest to the point where Bruegger could see Scarlett’s jugular.

“I had both arms around Scarlett, trying to keep the pitbull from dragging her away,” Bruegger said.&nbsp;

By then, the pitbull had ripped off sections of Scarlett’s ears. Bruegger was able to get the pit bull off her momentarily, but he went right back in for the kill. A good Samaritan, who was fishing nearby, rushed to help. After the attack, he cut off a piece of his blue jeans and used it as a tourniquet for Scarlett’s neck.&nbsp;

Eight police officers arrived, and by then, Bruegger was covered in blood. His only priority was to save his dog’s life.

That turned out to be a month-long process. The first emergency visit was to Allgood Animal Hospital. Bruegger got his broken thumb set the next day and took Scarlett to a vet in Iowa City the day after.

Scarlett’s wounds on her chest and neck were stitched together but had started re-opening just a couple of days later. By the time Bruegger was able to get her back in, the wound was large enough to stick his hand through it.

Bruegger was referred to the University of Missouri Veterinary Medicine, where he received the care Scarlett needed. He thought she was going to lose her ear, but the doctors were able to save it. He stayed down there for a week.

“The wounds aren’t all the way healed, but they’re progressing nicely, and I just kind of take care of her as well,” Bruegger said.

Scarlett is back to her old self, although she’s still sore and moves gingerly. Bruegger, who is retired from BNSF Railway, was thankful he had the time to spend with Scarlett while she clung to survival.

The pit bull was scheduled for destruction earlier this week, having shown a history of violent incidents. Bruegger is just trying to move on with his life, though the financial side of the healing has been a burden.

Bruegger has never had post-traumatic stress disorder before. But he’s working through it. It’s a small price to pay for the life of his best friend.

“I’m 24-7 taking care of my baby,” Bruegger said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1727535614152.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By William SmithJimmy Bruegger never used to have nightmares — not ones that he can remember, anyway.That changed after he and his Irish Setter — Scarlett — were attacked last month by a pit bull that had escaped its owner near the Burlington riverfront.Scarlett barely survived the attack, and Bruegger has spent more than $9,000 in vet bills to keep her alive. The pit bull bit Bruegger on the thumb during the attack, breaking the bone inside and lacerating the flesh around it.He still has a cast on his arm.“If it doesn’t heal right, they will have to go back and put a screw in there,” Bruegger said.The attack happened around 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 13 near the Port of Burlington, which is a regular walking spot for the two.“When I pull up, I scope the area out for loose dogs just to make sure things are safe,” Bruegger said.They barely had a chance to get started when the pit bull attacked.“And all of a sudden, this dog came up behind us and grabbed her by the throat. I went down with her. And it commenced to trying to kill her,” Bruegger said.Bruegger, as did the owner, tried to pull the dog off his dog. Scarlett, meanwhile, just hunkered down. The dog continued to attack, ripping at Scarlett’s neck and chest to the point where Bruegger could see Scarlett’s jugular.“I had both arms around Scarlett, trying to keep the pitbull from dragging her away,” Bruegger said.&nbsp;By then, the pitbull had ripped off sections of Scarlett’s ears. Bruegger was able to get the pit bull off her momentarily, but he went right back in for the kill. A good Samaritan, who was fishing nearby, rushed to help. After the attack, he cut off a piece of his blue jeans and used it as a tourniquet for Scarlett’s neck.&nbsp;Eight police officers arrived, and by then, Bruegger was covered in blood. His only priority was to save his dog’s life.That turned out to be a month-long process. The first emergency visit was to Allgood Animal Hospital. Bruegger got his broken thumb set the next day and took Scarlett to a vet in Iowa City the day after.Scarlett’s wounds on her chest and neck were stitched together but had started re-opening just a couple of days later. By the time Bruegger was able to get her back in, the wound was large enough to stick his hand through it.Bruegger was referred to the University of Missouri Veterinary Medicine, where he received the care Scarlett needed. He thought she was going to lose her ear, but the doctors were able to save it. He stayed down there for a week.“The wounds aren’t all the way healed, but they’re progressing nicely, and I just kind of take care of her as well,” Bruegger said.Scarlett is back to her old self, although she’s still sore and moves gingerly. Bruegger, who is retired from BNSF Railway, was thankful he had the time to spend with Scarlett while she clung to survival.The pit bull was scheduled for destruction earlier this week, having shown a history of violent incidents. Bruegger is just trying to move on with his life, though the financial side of the healing has been a burden.Bruegger has never had post-traumatic stress disorder before. But he’s working through it. It’s a small price to pay for the life of his best friend.“I’m 24-7 taking care of my baby,” Bruegger said.

Saving his friend’s life

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.

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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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1726584171021.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </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.

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 <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>
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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

Tanner Gebhardt captured the 305 Winged Sprints class on Saturday, July 20, at 34 Raceway. 

Cole Helmerson of New London came in second and points leader Cody Wehrle finished third. John Barnard of Sherman, Ill., came in fourth, followed by a trio of Burlington drivers: Dugan Thye, Nathan Murders, and Nick Guernsey. Chase Young of Altoona was eighth, Travis Pence of Stronghurst, Ill., was ninth, and McCain Richards of Burlington 10th.

Wehrle leads the standings with 326 points, and Gebhardt is 14 back at 312. Guernsey is third at 278, Helmerson fourth at 264, and Thye is holding onto a top-five spot, ahead of Chase Richards, 259-252.

Because of rain late in the night, the features for Sport Compacts, Modifieds, and Stock Car didn't run. There will be double features this Saturday, which will be 34 for Kids Night, presented by the New Mix, 107.3. Kids 10 and under get in free with a paid admission. Pits open at 4 p.m., and the gates open at 5 p.m. All seven classes will run.

The Sprint Invaders event will run on Aug. 16, and the Pepsi Season Championship will run on Aug. 24.

John Oliver Jr. of West Burlington won the Sports Modified class, narrowing the gap to within one point, 299-298, of Sean Wyett of Danville. Wyett came in fifth. Oliver Jr. beat out Logan Cumby of Quincy, Ill., and Matt Thomas of Danville. Brian Schrage of Creston was fourth.

There's a tight race for third: Matt Tucker of Lomax, Ill., is third with 235, but Thomas is next at 234 and Kevin Goben of Sherrard, Ill., is fifth at 232.

Trenton Witt of Oskaloosa took the checkered flag in the Stock Car class. Chad Krogmeier of Burlington was second, Blake Woodruff of Knoxville, Ill., was third, Jerry Jansen of Plainville, Ill., fourth, and Doak Allen of West Burlington fifth.

Oliver Jr. holds a solid lead in the standings with 311 points. Krogmeier is a point ahead of Wapello driver Kirk Kinsley, 280-279. Corey Strothman of New London is fourth at 224, and David Brandies of Wilton is trying to hold off Derek Schwandt of Burlington, 155-153, for a top-five spot.

In the Modifieds class, Michael Claeys of Knoxville won the first heat, followed by Bill Roberts Jr. of Burlington. Dustin Smith of Long Grove came in third, followed by Blaised Lewis of Kewanee, Ill., and Zach Dockter of Norwich, North Dakota.

Austen Becerra of Carthage, Ill., won the second heat, and Jadin Fuller of Memphis, Mo., was second.

Roberts Jr. has an eight-point lead in the standings, 265-257, over Chris Zogg of New Liberty. Claeys is third at 241, and Becerra is a distant fourth at 191.

Brian Tipps of Wapello won the Mini Hauler class, with Sheldon Brockett second. Grady Jones of Monmouth, Ill., was third, followed by Darin Ronner of Gladstone, Ill., in fourth, and Lyle Timmerman of Wapello fifth.

Tipps leads Brockett in the standings, 198-189. Roger Brockett has 181 points, Ronner is fourth with 171 and Eric Detlefsen of Burlington is fifth, four points ahead of Jones for a top-five spot.

Larry Miller of Burlington won the first heat of the Sport Compact class, with Tim Schnathorst second. Noah Kayser won the second heat ahead of Darrian Hammitt of Burlington, T.J. 

Weyls of Burlington, and Barry Taft of Argyle.Kayser barely leads Dylan Bonk of Hannibal, Mo., in the points standings 226-225. Darin Smith of Columbus Junction has 219 for third, and Shane Vancil of Salem is just a point ahead of Miller for fourth, 200-199.

In a tight race for sixth, Weyls has 187 points, and Schnathorst is tied with Hammitt at 186 each.In the Dirt Late Models class, Ray Raker of Danville leads Jay Johnson of West Burlington, 218-211.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/7/1722269489994.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Chris FaulknerTanner Gebhardt captured the 305 Winged Sprints class on Saturday, July 20, at 34 Raceway. Cole Helmerson of New London came in second and points leader Cody Wehrle finished third. John Barnard of Sherman, Ill., came in fourth, followed by a trio of Burlington drivers: Dugan Thye, Nathan Murders, and Nick Guernsey. Chase Young of Altoona was eighth, Travis Pence of Stronghurst, Ill., was ninth, and McCain Richards of Burlington 10th.Wehrle leads the standings with 326 points, and Gebhardt is 14 back at 312. Guernsey is third at 278, Helmerson fourth at 264, and Thye is holding onto a top-five spot, ahead of Chase Richards, 259-252.Because of rain late in the night, the features for Sport Compacts, Modifieds, and Stock Car didn't run. There will be double features this Saturday, which will be 34 for Kids Night, presented by the New Mix, 107.3. Kids 10 and under get in free with a paid admission. Pits open at 4 p.m., and the gates open at 5 p.m. All seven classes will run.The Sprint Invaders event will run on Aug. 16, and the Pepsi Season Championship will run on Aug. 24.John Oliver Jr. of West Burlington won the Sports Modified class, narrowing the gap to within one point, 299-298, of Sean Wyett of Danville. Wyett came in fifth. Oliver Jr. beat out Logan Cumby of Quincy, Ill., and Matt Thomas of Danville. Brian Schrage of Creston was fourth.There's a tight race for third: Matt Tucker of Lomax, Ill., is third with 235, but Thomas is next at 234 and Kevin Goben of Sherrard, Ill., is fifth at 232.Trenton Witt of Oskaloosa took the checkered flag in the Stock Car class. Chad Krogmeier of Burlington was second, Blake Woodruff of Knoxville, Ill., was third, Jerry Jansen of Plainville, Ill., fourth, and Doak Allen of West Burlington fifth.Oliver Jr. holds a solid lead in the standings with 311 points. Krogmeier is a point ahead of Wapello driver Kirk Kinsley, 280-279. Corey Strothman of New London is fourth at 224, and David Brandies of Wilton is trying to hold off Derek Schwandt of Burlington, 155-153, for a top-five spot.In the Modifieds class, Michael Claeys of Knoxville won the first heat, followed by Bill Roberts Jr. of Burlington. Dustin Smith of Long Grove came in third, followed by Blaised Lewis of Kewanee, Ill., and Zach Dockter of Norwich, North Dakota.Austen Becerra of Carthage, Ill., won the second heat, and Jadin Fuller of Memphis, Mo., was second.Roberts Jr. has an eight-point lead in the standings, 265-257, over Chris Zogg of New Liberty. Claeys is third at 241, and Becerra is a distant fourth at 191.Brian Tipps of Wapello won the Mini Hauler class, with Sheldon Brockett second. Grady Jones of Monmouth, Ill., was third, followed by Darin Ronner of Gladstone, Ill., in fourth, and Lyle Timmerman of Wapello fifth.Tipps leads Brockett in the standings, 198-189. Roger Brockett has 181 points, Ronner is fourth with 171 and Eric Detlefsen of Burlington is fifth, four points ahead of Jones for a top-five spot.Larry Miller of Burlington won the first heat of the Sport Compact class, with Tim Schnathorst second. Noah Kayser won the second heat ahead of Darrian Hammitt of Burlington, T.J. Weyls of Burlington, and Barry Taft of Argyle.Kayser barely leads Dylan Bonk of Hannibal, Mo., in the points standings 226-225. Darin Smith of Columbus Junction has 219 for third, and Shane Vancil of Salem is just a point ahead of Miller for fourth, 200-199.In a tight race for sixth, Weyls has 187 points, and Schnathorst is tied with Hammitt at 186 each.In the Dirt Late Models class, Ray Raker of Danville leads Jay Johnson of West Burlington, 218-211.

Gebhardt wins in Winged Sprints Class

Photos 1-2: RAGBRAI riders pose for photos after dipping their tires into the Mississippi River, Saturday in Burlington. At 434 miles, this year's ride is the eighth shortest route, but with 18,737 feet of climb, it is the hilliest ride in the event's 51-year history.

Photos 3: RAGBRAI riders make their way through Burlington.

Photos by John Lovretta<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/7/1722225122128.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/7/1722225168402.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Photos 1-2: RAGBRAI riders pose for photos after dipping their tires into the Mississippi River, Saturday in Burlington. At 434 miles, this year's ride is the eighth shortest route, but with 18,737 feet of climb, it is the hilliest ride in the event's 51-year history.Photos 3: RAGBRAI riders make their way through Burlington.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/7/1722225208155.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

RAGBRAI Rolls Into Town

When Annette Worthy had surgery to get rid of the fibroid cysts in her uterus in 2009, the doctor wasn’t that worried. Removing the cysts would be no problem.

But there was one type of cyst that wasn’t like the others. The doctor didn’t immediately recognize it as cancer, but as Annette said, the doctor thought it looked “a little weird.”

Three days later, the doctor called back with a very different tone. Turns out the cyst was cancerous, though it wasn’t the kind associated with uterine cancer. That’s why the doctor didn’t recognize it at first.

“He said, ‘I didn’t think he would ever be having this conversation,’” Worthy said. “You have to get up to Iowa City right away.”

Annette survived the cancer thanks to a grueling treatment that included chemotherapy and radiation. She knew the situation was severe. But she didn’t realize how serious it was until her cancer went into remission, and she saw the doctor again five years later.

“I walked in the door, and he goes, ‘Wow, I thought I would never see you again,’” Annette said.

The cancer wasn’t gone. In 2015, Annette was diagnosed with breast cancer. Once again, she summoned her will, with the help of her family, to beat the deadly disease.

But she is still scanned for cancer every year. She knows the cancer will always be lurking. And she’s ready to fight again if necessary.

Her husband, Duane Worthy, said Annette has a lot to live for. They aren’t just parents and grandparents. They’re great-grandparents.

“She (Annette) said she wanted to be there for her grandchildren’s graduation,” Duane said.

The Des Moines County Relay for Life has been a fixture of the Burlington community for more than two decades. It’s a chance for cancer patients, survivors, and their caretakers to celebrate the lives of the fallen and provide each other strength for the ongoing cancer battle.

Duane and Annette took over planning the annual event several years ago.&nbsp;

They met 45 years ago and hit it off right away. Annette is a Danville native, and Duane is from Burlington. She used to work the third shift at a restaurant in Burlington, where they met.

“Working third shift is a different kind of animal,” Annette said, noting the number of rowdy drunks.

Worthy, who would go on to become the administrator of the Des Moines County Jail, was eating there with some work friends. Annette said the police often came by during their shifts and were unerringly polite.

“I went in there one night to have supper, and she was working. She was looking for a car, and I said, well, ‘Hey, you want to test drive mine?’” Duane said. “We’ve been together ever since. She never bought the car, but she got me.”

Duane was interested in law enforcement before graduating high school. Within a few years, he settled into the jail administrator role. Between his time as an assistant and head administrator, Duane looked over Des Moines County’s inmates for over 40 years.

“I had a great sheriff,” he said, referring to former Des Moines County Sheriff Mike Johnstone.

Meanwhile, Annette became a fixture in the Danville Community School District, working in the lunch room for over 30 years.

Annette found a community there, as she had done while working out with fellow cancer patients through the YMCA’s Live Strong program.

Now, she and Duane find community in the cancer survivors and patients who volunteer their time to fight the disease. They are gearing up for the 2024 Relay for Life, which was Sunday (Sept. 22) at Community Field.&nbsp;

“We always try to make sure that they (the cancer survivors) get something out of it. I mean, that’s what it’s about. It’s the survivors, the caregivers, and the support group. If you don’t have a good support group, it really makes it difficult sometimes,” Worthy said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1727200764535.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By William SmithWhen Annette Worthy had surgery to get rid of the fibroid cysts in her uterus in 2009, the doctor wasn’t that worried. Removing the cysts would be no problem.But there was one type of cyst that wasn’t like the others. The doctor didn’t immediately recognize it as cancer, but as Annette said, the doctor thought it looked “a little weird.”“He wanted to test it,” Worthy said.Three days later, the doctor called back with a very different tone. Turns out the cyst was cancerous, though it wasn’t the kind associated with uterine cancer. That’s why the doctor didn’t recognize it at first.“He said, ‘I didn’t think he would ever be having this conversation,’” Worthy said. “You have to get up to Iowa City right away.”Annette survived the cancer thanks to a grueling treatment that included chemotherapy and radiation. She knew the situation was severe. But she didn’t realize how serious it was until her cancer went into remission, and she saw the doctor again five years later.“I walked in the door, and he goes, ‘Wow, I thought I would never see you again,’” Annette said.The cancer wasn’t gone. In 2015, Annette was diagnosed with breast cancer. Once again, she summoned her will, with the help of her family, to beat the deadly disease.But she is still scanned for cancer every year. She knows the cancer will always be lurking. And she’s ready to fight again if necessary.Her husband, Duane Worthy, said Annette has a lot to live for. They aren’t just parents and grandparents. They’re great-grandparents.“She (Annette) said she wanted to be there for her grandchildren’s graduation,” Duane said.Relay for LifeThe Des Moines County Relay for Life has been a fixture of the Burlington community for more than two decades. It’s a chance for cancer patients, survivors, and their caretakers to celebrate the lives of the fallen and provide each other strength for the ongoing cancer battle.Duane and Annette took over planning the annual event several years ago.&nbsp;They met 45 years ago and hit it off right away. Annette is a Danville native, and Duane is from Burlington. She used to work the third shift at a restaurant in Burlington, where they met.“Working third shift is a different kind of animal,” Annette said, noting the number of rowdy drunks.Worthy, who would go on to become the administrator of the Des Moines County Jail, was eating there with some work friends. Annette said the police often came by during their shifts and were unerringly polite.“I went in there one night to have supper, and she was working. She was looking for a car, and I said, well, ‘Hey, you want to test drive mine?’” Duane said. “We’ve been together ever since. She never bought the car, but she got me.”Duane was interested in law enforcement before graduating high school. Within a few years, he settled into the jail administrator role. Between his time as an assistant and head administrator, Duane looked over Des Moines County’s inmates for over 40 years.“I had a great sheriff,” he said, referring to former Des Moines County Sheriff Mike Johnstone.Meanwhile, Annette became a fixture in the Danville Community School District, working in the lunch room for over 30 years.Annette found a community there, as she had done while working out with fellow cancer patients through the YMCA’s Live Strong program.Now, she and Duane find community in the cancer survivors and patients who volunteer their time to fight the disease. They are gearing up for the 2024 Relay for Life, which was Sunday (Sept. 22) at Community Field.&nbsp;“We always try to make sure that they (the cancer survivors) get something out of it. I mean, that’s what it’s about. It’s the survivors, the caregivers, and the support group. If you don’t have a good support group, it really makes it difficult sometimes,” Worthy said.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1727200803352.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>

52 Faces: Doing battle with cancer

When the butterfly pollinator garden in Middletown was planted nearly 20 years ago, it was designed to be an asset to the community.

This was no ordinary butterfly garden. It was big enough to be mistaken for a small town park. Master Gardener volunteers spent two years planting varieties that attract butterflies.

“The town of Middletown formed a committee to decide what to do with all the land. And Vera Anderson, she was a master gardener. She came up with the idea of a butterfly garden,” said Master Gardener volunteer Frances Jackson.

The garden was beautiful, and Anderson was its primary caretaker for years. But her health worsened to the point that she could no longer care for it.

Last year, Jackson and some of her fellow Master Gardeners took on rehabilitating the butterfly garden as a new project. The city of Middletown is partnering with the organization and is anxious to see the overgrown garden project and the beauty it once had.

But it’s going to take a while. Jackson described the rehabilitation as a five-year project. She didn’t even know it existed until last year.

She said many other people aren’t aware of the garden’s existence either.

Jackson admits the state of the overgrowth was intimidating the first time she saw the garden. She’s done plenty of weeding in her gardening life. But never this much in a single project.

“We’ve really hit it hard this year,” she said.

Jackson and a dedicated group of Master Gardeners — usually around a dozen or less — work on the garden from 8:30 a.m. to about 10:30 or 11 a.m. every Monday morning. The rehabilitation requires the expertise of the Master Gardeners, but everyone is welcome to come help pull weeds during that time.&nbsp;

“We’ve put in well over 100 hours into the garden since March,” Jackson said.&nbsp;

Sidewalks wind through the garden, forming the shape of a giant butterfly. To speed up the weeding process, Jackson and her volunteers have placed a black tarp over invasive grass, hoping to kill it off to allow for planting. If that works, the tarp will be moved to another butterfly garden section.

“It’s just too big of an area to hand weed,” Jackson said.

Jackson said the garden is also a Monarch butterfly way station and was delighted to see cocoons on the milkweeds this Monday.

She stressed that the garden won’t just be a public resting place. They hope to use it as an educational experience.

“My hope, being a former Girl Scout leader, is that we can eventually get Girl Scouts out here, earning patches,” Jackson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1727108445947.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By William SmithWhen the butterfly pollinator garden in Middletown was planted nearly 20 years ago, it was designed to be an asset to the community.This was no ordinary butterfly garden. It was big enough to be mistaken for a small town park. Master Gardener volunteers spent two years planting varieties that attract butterflies.“The town of Middletown formed a committee to decide what to do with all the land. And Vera Anderson, she was a master gardener. She came up with the idea of a butterfly garden,” said Master Gardener volunteer Frances Jackson.The garden was beautiful, and Anderson was its primary caretaker for years. But her health worsened to the point that she could no longer care for it.Last year, Jackson and some of her fellow Master Gardeners took on rehabilitating the butterfly garden as a new project. The city of Middletown is partnering with the organization and is anxious to see the overgrown garden project and the beauty it once had.But it’s going to take a while. Jackson described the rehabilitation as a five-year project. She didn’t even know it existed until last year.She said many other people aren’t aware of the garden’s existence either.“It’s a hidden gem,” she said.Jackson admits the state of the overgrowth was intimidating the first time she saw the garden. She’s done plenty of weeding in her gardening life. But never this much in a single project.“We’ve really hit it hard this year,” she said.Jackson and a dedicated group of Master Gardeners — usually around a dozen or less — work on the garden from 8:30 a.m. to about 10:30 or 11 a.m. every Monday morning. The rehabilitation requires the expertise of the Master Gardeners, but everyone is welcome to come help pull weeds during that time.&nbsp;“We’ve put in well over 100 hours into the garden since March,” Jackson said.&nbsp;Sidewalks wind through the garden, forming the shape of a giant butterfly. To speed up the weeding process, Jackson and her volunteers have placed a black tarp over invasive grass, hoping to kill it off to allow for planting. If that works, the tarp will be moved to another butterfly garden section.“It’s just too big of an area to hand weed,” Jackson said.Jackson said the garden is also a Monarch butterfly way station and was delighted to see cocoons on the milkweeds this Monday.She stressed that the garden won’t just be a public resting place. They hope to use it as an educational experience.“My hope, being a former Girl Scout leader, is that we can eventually get Girl Scouts out here, earning patches,” Jackson said.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1727108561424.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>

Rehabbing a ‘hidden gem’

Sarah Kottenstette-Kirk, 29, left Burlington in 2013 as a high school graduate, unsure where the winding road of college would take her.

She was one of 26 graduates from her Notre Dame class — a large class for the private Catholic school. Even then, she knew she wanted to help people.

Kottenstette-Kirk returned to Burlington last month with a medical degree and a new job and just started taking patients at Family Medicine-Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center — the definition of “hometown girl makes good.”

“When I was in high school, my mom had breast cancer. Seeing her go through all that treatment,&nbsp; I think that kind of led me into medicine,” she said.

Kottenstette-Kirk gained respect for the profession during that process and learned a valuable lesson first-hand — medical treatment can save lives. Her mom just celebrated 15 years of being cancer-free this month, a milestone made possible through science.

“I enjoy just the science behind it all,” Kottenstette-Kirk said. “I like learning what new medications there are and making sure we get the appropriate treatment for people. There’s already been such great advancements in screening practices for cancer and other things.”

As a primary care family doctor, Kottenstette-Kirk is her patients’ first line of defense. She determines their needs and ultimately dictates their treatment and quality of life.&nbsp;

It’s a big responsibility, one that Kottenstette-Kirk doesn’t shrink away from.

“I enjoy being that person,” she said.

Working in her hometown hospital is a little slice of heaven for Kottenstette-Kirk.&nbsp;

She previously did a month-long rotation at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center during medical school, and that experience convinced her to go into family medicine. She was attending medical school at the University of Iowa at the time.

Before starting in her dream job, Kottenstette-Kirk survived the hell of residency at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas.&nbsp;

The 573-bed county hospital has one of the busiest emergency rooms in the world.

That’s why Kottenstette-Kirk picked it. The level-one trauma center was perfect for an ambitious upstart doctor thirsting for a trial-by-fire. The hospital was her first choice.

“Lots of adventures,” she said with a smile.

As a safety net hospital, the county medical center in Fort Worth is the primary source of care for refugees in the area.

“I worked with a large, undocumented, and un-sheltered population. Lots of non-English speakers,” she said.

The hospital keeps Spanish translators on hand due to the large Hispanic population and uses iPads with translation programs to communicate with other refugees. Some of the refugees have shelter, but many don’t.

“We had a lot of people from Afghanistan and a few from the Ukraine. But most of our refugees came from African countries. So we had some very diverse languages,” she said.

Kottenstette-Kirk loved the energy and chaos. It was a grueling schedule—especially when COVID-19 hit—but she got a lifetime’s worth of medical education in three years.

Before moving to Texas, she used her limited off-time to maintain a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend, M.J. Kirk.&nbsp;

They made it work and got married in Texas shortly before moving to Burlington.&nbsp;

“We were just good friends in college. He wanted to go to dental school, and I wanted to go to med school. But I knew I wanted to go to the University of Iowa, so we did long distance. He stayed in Omaha for four years,” she said.

Kirk now practices dentistry at Randolph Dental, and the couple are proud parents of two beloved cats.

Ironically, they have much more time to see each other in married life than when they were dating.

“I have to figure out what my hobbies are now,” Kottenstette-Kirk said with a laugh.

Kirk didn’t grow up in the area but is getting used to living in a small town. Kottenstette-Kirk loves being back home, and Burlington has changed dramatically since she last lived her over 10 years ago.

“There is so much more downtown than there used to be,” she said.

Kottenstette-Kirk is building up her patient base and familiarizing herself with Iowa’s insurance laws, which vary quite a bit from Texas. More importantly, she’s taking care of those patients.&nbsp;

“I’m accepting new patients, and I’m excited to be here,” she said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2024/9/1726767865857.jpeg" alt="Photo by John Lovretta" />
 <figcaption>Photo by John Lovretta</figcaption>
 </figure>By William SmithSarah Kottenstette-Kirk, 29, left Burlington in 2013 as a high school graduate, unsure where the winding road of college would take her.She was one of 26 graduates from her Notre Dame class — a large class for the private Catholic school. Even then, she knew she wanted to help people.Kottenstette-Kirk returned to Burlington last month with a medical degree and a new job and just started taking patients at Family Medicine-Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center — the definition of “hometown girl makes good.”“When I was in high school, my mom had breast cancer. Seeing her go through all that treatment,&nbsp; I think that kind of led me into medicine,” she said.Kottenstette-Kirk gained respect for the profession during that process and learned a valuable lesson first-hand — medical treatment can save lives. Her mom just celebrated 15 years of being cancer-free this month, a milestone made possible through science.“I enjoy just the science behind it all,” Kottenstette-Kirk said. “I like learning what new medications there are and making sure we get the appropriate treatment for people. There’s already been such great advancements in screening practices for cancer and other things.”As a primary care family doctor, Kottenstette-Kirk is her patients’ first line of defense. She determines their needs and ultimately dictates their treatment and quality of life.&nbsp;It’s a big responsibility, one that Kottenstette-Kirk doesn’t shrink away from.“I enjoy being that person,” she said.Working in her hometown hospital is a little slice of heaven for Kottenstette-Kirk.&nbsp;She previously did a month-long rotation at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center during medical school, and that experience convinced her to go into family medicine. She was attending medical school at the University of Iowa at the time.“I love it here,” she said.Before starting in her dream job, Kottenstette-Kirk survived the hell of residency at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas.&nbsp;The 573-bed county hospital has one of the busiest emergency rooms in the world.That’s why Kottenstette-Kirk picked it. The level-one trauma center was perfect for an ambitious upstart doctor thirsting for a trial-by-fire. The hospital was her first choice.“Lots of adventures,” she said with a smile.As a safety net hospital, the county medical center in Fort Worth is the primary source of care for refugees in the area.“I worked with a large, undocumented, and un-sheltered population. Lots of non-English speakers,” she said.The hospital keeps Spanish translators on hand due to the large Hispanic population and uses iPads with translation programs to communicate with other refugees. Some of the refugees have shelter, but many don’t.“We had a lot of people from Afghanistan and a few from the Ukraine. But most of our refugees came from African countries. So we had some very diverse languages,” she said.Kottenstette-Kirk loved the energy and chaos. It was a grueling schedule—especially when COVID-19 hit—but she got a lifetime’s worth of medical education in three years.Before moving to Texas, she used her limited off-time to maintain a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend, M.J. Kirk.&nbsp;They made it work and got married in Texas shortly before moving to Burlington.&nbsp;“We were just good friends in college. He wanted to go to dental school, and I wanted to go to med school. But I knew I wanted to go to the University of Iowa, so we did long distance. He stayed in Omaha for four years,” she said.Kirk now practices dentistry at Randolph Dental, and the couple are proud parents of two beloved cats.Ironically, they have much more time to see each other in married life than when they were dating.“I have to figure out what my hobbies are now,” Kottenstette-Kirk said with a laugh.Kirk didn’t grow up in the area but is getting used to living in a small town. Kottenstette-Kirk loves being back home, and Burlington has changed dramatically since she last lived her over 10 years ago.“There is so much more downtown than there used to be,” she said.Kottenstette-Kirk is building up her patient base and familiarizing herself with Iowa’s insurance laws, which vary quite a bit from Texas. More importantly, she’s taking care of those patients.&nbsp;“I’m accepting new patients, and I’m excited to be here,” she said.&nbsp;

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