Above: Ken Tibbits of Hannibal, Mo., holds up a complete crinoid fossil inside the Des Moines County Heritage Museum that he donated to the museum in April.&nbsp;Below: Tibbits holds a handful of blastoid fossils.

In his younger years, Ken Tibbits was known as a “powder monkey.”

Tibbits, who makes his home in Hannibal, Mo., started working for the Atlas Cement Quarry, which is three miles south of Hannibal, in 1965. It was his job to blow away rock by drilling holes and filling them with explosives.

Tibbits never imagined the curiosities that lay under the rock would make him one of the largest contributors to the Des Moines County Heritage Museum. Fossils of 300-million-year-old marine animals, which he later discovered to be crinoids and blastoids, were seemingly endless within the quarry.

“All of my life I have been in cement quarries,” he said, “I started looking around, and that’s where I found most of my crinoids and blastoids.”&nbsp;

Crinoids, which could best be described as a deconstructed starfish on a stick, exist as both a current marine animal and an extinct one. There are about 270 species of crinoids living today, and another 6,000 extinct species that lived alongside the dinosaurs.

Blastoids, which are the extinct cousins of crinoids, are little round echinoderms that look like pale acorn shells.

“I thought they were little hickory nuts, so I started checking into them. We got boxes of them,” Tibbits said.

Hannibal is about a two-hour drive from Burlington, but the limestone that runs beneath the two doesn’t adhere to state lines. It’s the largest source of crinoid and blastoid fossils in the world, usually referred to as “the Burlington Limestone.”

“These rocks are in southeast Iowa and Missouri and Illinois and suggest to us that there used to be a tremendous ocean in this particular area,” said Forest Gahn, Burlington native and crinoid expert.

That’s how Burlington became known as “the Crinoid Capital of the World.” The city even had its own crinoid museum at 111 Marietta St. from the late 1800s until 1911.&nbsp;

Gahn, who is now a geology professor at Brigham Young University-Idaho, started searching for crinoid and blastoid fossils when he was in high school. He cites former Burlington High School teacher Sherman Lundy as his inspiration.

Gahn never stopped searching for crinoids, and that’s how he formed a friendship with Tibbits decades ago. They spent a lot of time in the Atlas Cement Quarry together.

“Burlington doesn’t really have very good exposures of Burlington limestone anymore,” Gahn said. “You have to find other places, and some of the best places are active quarries like the quarries in Hannibal, Monmouth, Morning Sun, Columbia, Mo. There are good quarries scattered all over in the same rock. But Hannibal was always one of the best.”

&nbsp;During his years of collecting, Tibbits amassed over 3,000 crinoids and blastoids (including 150 complete crinoid fossils). The crinoid collection is the third-largest public collection of that type of fossil in the world. The Smithsonian Institute has the largest collection, but most of it isn’t available for public viewing.

“They’ve been around for about 480 million years, they’ve survived all the major mass extinction events, and they’re still alive today. So, we can study them and how they’ve changed over time,” Gahn said.&nbsp;

That’s why Tibbits took a trip to Burlington last month. He donated his entire collection to the Des Moines County Heritage Museum. The collection will be on display in a large exhibit at the museum in 2024 or 2025. A smaller, more temporary exhibit featuring a few of the fossils is already up in the museum.

“These are going to be accessible to the public. They’re not going to be hidden away in drawers. We’re going to be able to see them and enjoy them,” Gahn said.

Loosely constructed marine animal&nbsp;

There is a rarity to the fossils that have been dictated by a unique combination of geology, time, and the loose genetic makeup of the creature itself. Much like a starfish, crinoids can endlessly replicate and create new limbs.

“Crinoids often take that single-arm, and they will divide it numerous times, in multiples of five. It might have 10 arms or 15 arms or 20 arms. All of those arms gather plankton out of the oceans, and then that food travels to a central mouth,” Gahn said.

And when they die, they tend to crumble apart into thousands of pieces. Finding the pieces isn’t that difficult. If you’ve ever found something like a thumb-sized spring coil that looks like it came from a machine, it’s more likely a piece of a crinoid. The partial specimens are buried all over Des Moines County.

“A single crinoid can have over 100,000 individual pieces that make up its body. And if they aren’t buried pretty quickly by a storm or hurricane or something like that, they completely fall apart into little, tiny pieces,” Gahn said.

Some of the best sources for crinoids are rock quarries and areas of mountains that have been tunneled out with explosives to make room for roads. That put Tibbits in a unique position, among a group of co-workers who didn’t understand why he insisted on collecting the fossils. He would use a can of spray paint to circle the specimens he wanted to keep, then would come back after work to collect them.

“(My coworkers) didn’t care for me too well,” Tibbits said with a laugh. “A couple of them turned me in, saying ‘Kenny isn’t doing his job.’ The plant manager called me into his office one time and said, ‘I don’t care what you’re doing or when you’re doing it, as long as the rock tanks are full.’ ”&nbsp;

Julie Martineau, Des Moines County Heritage Center collections coordinator, is ecstatic over the collection and is already in the planning stages for what eventually will be called “The Hall of Crinoids.”

She still can’t believe how many crinoids are in the museum now.

“Holy crow,” she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/6/1655076206256.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Story and photos by William SmithAbove: Ken Tibbits of Hannibal, Mo., holds up a complete crinoid fossil inside the Des Moines County Heritage Museum that he donated to the museum in April.&nbsp;Below: Tibbits holds a handful of blastoid fossils.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/6/1655076449959.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In his younger years, Ken Tibbits was known as a “powder monkey.”Tibbits, who makes his home in Hannibal, Mo., started working for the Atlas Cement Quarry, which is three miles south of Hannibal, in 1965. It was his job to blow away rock by drilling holes and filling them with explosives.Tibbits never imagined the curiosities that lay under the rock would make him one of the largest contributors to the Des Moines County Heritage Museum. Fossils of 300-million-year-old marine animals, which he later discovered to be crinoids and blastoids, were seemingly endless within the quarry.“All of my life I have been in cement quarries,” he said, “I started looking around, and that’s where I found most of my crinoids and blastoids.”&nbsp;Crinoids, which could best be described as a deconstructed starfish on a stick, exist as both a current marine animal and an extinct one. There are about 270 species of crinoids living today, and another 6,000 extinct species that lived alongside the dinosaurs.Blastoids, which are the extinct cousins of crinoids, are little round echinoderms that look like pale acorn shells.“I thought they were little hickory nuts, so I started checking into them. We got boxes of them,” Tibbits said.From Burlington&nbsp;to HannibalHannibal is about a two-hour drive from Burlington, but the limestone that runs beneath the two doesn’t adhere to state lines. It’s the largest source of crinoid and blastoid fossils in the world, usually referred to as “the Burlington Limestone.”“These rocks are in southeast Iowa and Missouri and Illinois and suggest to us that there used to be a tremendous ocean in this particular area,” said Forest Gahn, Burlington native and crinoid expert.That’s how Burlington became known as “the Crinoid Capital of the World.” The city even had its own crinoid museum at 111 Marietta St. from the late 1800s until 1911.&nbsp;Gahn, who is now a geology professor at Brigham Young University-Idaho, started searching for crinoid and blastoid fossils when he was in high school. He cites former Burlington High School teacher Sherman Lundy as his inspiration.Gahn never stopped searching for crinoids, and that’s how he formed a friendship with Tibbits decades ago. They spent a lot of time in the Atlas Cement Quarry together.“Burlington doesn’t really have very good exposures of Burlington limestone anymore,” Gahn said. “You have to find other places, and some of the best places are active quarries like the quarries in Hannibal, Monmouth, Morning Sun, Columbia, Mo. There are good quarries scattered all over in the same rock. But Hannibal was always one of the best.”A new exhibit&nbsp;During his years of collecting, Tibbits amassed over 3,000 crinoids and blastoids (including 150 complete crinoid fossils). The crinoid collection is the third-largest public collection of that type of fossil in the world. The Smithsonian Institute has the largest collection, but most of it isn’t available for public viewing.“They’ve been around for about 480 million years, they’ve survived all the major mass extinction events, and they’re still alive today. So, we can study them and how they’ve changed over time,” Gahn said.&nbsp;That’s why Tibbits took a trip to Burlington last month. He donated his entire collection to the Des Moines County Heritage Museum. The collection will be on display in a large exhibit at the museum in 2024 or 2025. A smaller, more temporary exhibit featuring a few of the fossils is already up in the museum.“These are going to be accessible to the public. They’re not going to be hidden away in drawers. We’re going to be able to see them and enjoy them,” Gahn said.Loosely constructed marine animal&nbsp;There is a rarity to the fossils that have been dictated by a unique combination of geology, time, and the loose genetic makeup of the creature itself. Much like a starfish, crinoids can endlessly replicate and create new limbs.“Crinoids often take that single-arm, and they will divide it numerous times, in multiples of five. It might have 10 arms or 15 arms or 20 arms. All of those arms gather plankton out of the oceans, and then that food travels to a central mouth,” Gahn said.And when they die, they tend to crumble apart into thousands of pieces. Finding the pieces isn’t that difficult. If you’ve ever found something like a thumb-sized spring coil that looks like it came from a machine, it’s more likely a piece of a crinoid. The partial specimens are buried all over Des Moines County.“A single crinoid can have over 100,000 individual pieces that make up its body. And if they aren’t buried pretty quickly by a storm or hurricane or something like that, they completely fall apart into little, tiny pieces,” Gahn said.Some of the best sources for crinoids are rock quarries and areas of mountains that have been tunneled out with explosives to make room for roads. That put Tibbits in a unique position, among a group of co-workers who didn’t understand why he insisted on collecting the fossils. He would use a can of spray paint to circle the specimens he wanted to keep, then would come back after work to collect them.“(My coworkers) didn’t care for me too well,” Tibbits said with a laugh. “A couple of them turned me in, saying ‘Kenny isn’t doing his job.’ The plant manager called me into his office one time and said, ‘I don’t care what you’re doing or when you’re doing it, as long as the rock tanks are full.’ ”&nbsp;Julie Martineau, Des Moines County Heritage Center collections coordinator, is ecstatic over the collection and is already in the planning stages for what eventually will be called “The Hall of Crinoids.”She still can’t believe how many crinoids are in the museum now.“Holy crow,” she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Over 3,000 fossils donated to museum

Like all art, a cross-stitch makes an easy metaphor for life.

That is one reason 92-year-old Burlington resident Mary Marsh enjoys it so much. Every cross stitch pattern she takes on starts out as a blank slate.&nbsp;

Hours later, when she pulls back from the fabric in front of her, a pattern forms — the “X” shaped stitches take shape.

“You lay it down and come back and go, ‘Ooh,’ ” Marsh said. “As you’re working, you don’t see the whole thing. You just see a little piece.”

The inside of her house is decorated with framed cross-stitch displays that adorn the walls like paintings.&nbsp;

But her real passion — which turned into a family tradition more than 30 years ago — is making Christmas stockings for the family.

She has enough children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to keep her busy. She has cross-stitched 71 stockings so far.

One of her creations consists of over 17,600 stitches.&nbsp;

Her late husband counted them once, and that is the only time they bothered counting the nearly microscopic threads.

“If one of them (grandkids) calls and says they’re going to have a baby, I’m like, ‘I’ve got to make a stocking,’ ” Marsh said.

Seven years ago, Marsh underwent open-heart surgery. When she came out of surgery, she could barely move her fingers. Her favorite hobby was temporarily lost to her.

But Marsh did not give up that easily. Her daughter, Cheryl Dirth, recalls how hard her mother worked at rebuilding the dexterity in her fingers.

“She kept working at it, and now her fingers are as nimble as they were before the surgery. She went half a year or nine months without being able to cross-stitch,” Dirth said.

Like her mother, many of Dirth’s family memories are forever woven into Marsh’s cross-stitch patterns. She harbors fond memories of cross-stitched snowman pillows, and of course, the Christmas stockings.

Those memories take Marsh untold hours to create — sometimes 10 minutes at a time while riding in the car, or an hour or two while watching television.

“I’ve had people who want to buy them, but I wouldn’t even know how much to charge. I only make them for my family,” Marsh said.

Born in the former Burlington Medical Center, Marsh attended the defunct Prospect Hill Elementary, then went on to Horace Mann Middle School before graduating from Burlington High School and the College of Commerce. She worked at Murray Iron Works for 30 years, got married in 1952, and has been a constant volunteer around Burlington.

Those memories are retained in her works of art crafted with needle and thread.

“You’re supposed to keep your mind active, and cross-stitching does keep your mind active. It passes the time,” she said.

About two years ago, Marsh contracted COVID-19. She survived, but still has no sense of taste or smell.

“I was in the hospital for 10 days, and it wasn’t fun,” she said.&nbsp;

“It’s hard to tell anyone what it’s like because you’re out of it half the time. It’s hard to tell what’s going on. The first five days, I don’t know what went on.”

COVID-19 did not stop Marsh from cross-stitching — nothing ever has. And for as long as she’s alive, Marsh figures nothing ever will.

“I’m like the Energizer bunny,” she said with a grin.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/6/1655075953416.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By William SmithLike all art, a cross-stitch makes an easy metaphor for life.That is one reason 92-year-old Burlington resident Mary Marsh enjoys it so much. Every cross stitch pattern she takes on starts out as a blank slate.&nbsp;Hours later, when she pulls back from the fabric in front of her, a pattern forms — the “X” shaped stitches take shape.“You lay it down and come back and go, ‘Ooh,’ ” Marsh said. “As you’re working, you don’t see the whole thing. You just see a little piece.”The inside of her house is decorated with framed cross-stitch displays that adorn the walls like paintings.&nbsp;But her real passion — which turned into a family tradition more than 30 years ago — is making Christmas stockings for the family.She has enough children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to keep her busy. She has cross-stitched 71 stockings so far.One of her creations consists of over 17,600 stitches.&nbsp;Her late husband counted them once, and that is the only time they bothered counting the nearly microscopic threads.“If one of them (grandkids) calls and says they’re going to have a baby, I’m like, ‘I’ve got to make a stocking,’ ” Marsh said.Seven years ago, Marsh underwent open-heart surgery. When she came out of surgery, she could barely move her fingers. Her favorite hobby was temporarily lost to her.But Marsh did not give up that easily. Her daughter, Cheryl Dirth, recalls how hard her mother worked at rebuilding the dexterity in her fingers.“She kept working at it, and now her fingers are as nimble as they were before the surgery. She went half a year or nine months without being able to cross-stitch,” Dirth said.Like her mother, many of Dirth’s family memories are forever woven into Marsh’s cross-stitch patterns. She harbors fond memories of cross-stitched snowman pillows, and of course, the Christmas stockings.Those memories take Marsh untold hours to create — sometimes 10 minutes at a time while riding in the car, or an hour or two while watching television.“I’ve had people who want to buy them, but I wouldn’t even know how much to charge. I only make them for my family,” Marsh said.Born in the former Burlington Medical Center, Marsh attended the defunct Prospect Hill Elementary, then went on to Horace Mann Middle School before graduating from Burlington High School and the College of Commerce. She worked at Murray Iron Works for 30 years, got married in 1952, and has been a constant volunteer around Burlington.Those memories are retained in her works of art crafted with needle and thread.“You’re supposed to keep your mind active, and cross-stitching does keep your mind active. It passes the time,” she said.About two years ago, Marsh contracted COVID-19. She survived, but still has no sense of taste or smell.“I was in the hospital for 10 days, and it wasn’t fun,” she said.&nbsp;“It’s hard to tell anyone what it’s like because you’re out of it half the time. It’s hard to tell what’s going on. The first five days, I don’t know what went on.”COVID-19 did not stop Marsh from cross-stitching — nothing ever has. And for as long as she’s alive, Marsh figures nothing ever will.“I’m like the Energizer bunny,” she said with a grin.

Staying active ... a stitch at a time

Several individuals from the Des Moines County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and SKYWARN received a Governor’s Volunteer Award from Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg during a special recognition ceremony held in Ottumwa on June 8. The Governor's Volunteer Award recognizes those dedicated individuals and groups who volunteer their time and talent to help an agency or organization to deliver on its mission.

Volunteers from the CERT team who were presented with 5-year length of service awards were: Deborah Adams, Karl Daves, and Melissa Mixer. Dan Wischmeier received recognition for 5 years of service to the SKYWARN team. Tara Boecker, Kela Lehman, Dan Moeller, and Robert Wilson were honored with 10-year length of service awards for CERT, while Barney Paytes was presented a 15-year length of service award for volunteering with CERT. As a bonus, the Des Moines County CERT team (as a whole) was granted an award for being active for 15-years running. These individuals exemplify what it means to be there for others and give unselfishly of their time and talents.

According to Gina Hardin, Des Moines County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator, “These individuals, plus other members of these teams, put in hundreds of hours in a year to help the community, whether it be providing weather reports to the National Weather Service, assisting first responders in their missions, or supporting other local groups with traffic and crowd control at events and parades held through-out our community.”

Hardin is always looking for new volunteers and training opportunities are available. More information on CERT and SKYWARN can be found at dmcounty.com/ema or by calling 319-753-8206.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/6/1654891146623.jpeg" alt="Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks at the ceremony honoring the recipients of the Governor's Volunteer Award on June 8 in Ottumwa. (Photo courtesy of www.volunteeriowa.org)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks at the ceremony honoring the recipients of the Governor's Volunteer Award on June 8 in Ottumwa. (Photo courtesy of www.volunteeriowa.org)</figcaption>
 </figure>Several individuals from the Des Moines County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and SKYWARN received a Governor’s Volunteer Award from Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg during a special recognition ceremony held in Ottumwa on June 8. The Governor's Volunteer Award recognizes those dedicated individuals and groups who volunteer their time and talent to help an agency or organization to deliver on its mission.Volunteers from the CERT team who were presented with 5-year length of service awards were: Deborah Adams, Karl Daves, and Melissa Mixer. Dan Wischmeier received recognition for 5 years of service to the SKYWARN team. Tara Boecker, Kela Lehman, Dan Moeller, and Robert Wilson were honored with 10-year length of service awards for CERT, while Barney Paytes was presented a 15-year length of service award for volunteering with CERT. As a bonus, the Des Moines County CERT team (as a whole) was granted an award for being active for 15-years running. These individuals exemplify what it means to be there for others and give unselfishly of their time and talents.According to Gina Hardin, Des Moines County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator, “These individuals, plus other members of these teams, put in hundreds of hours in a year to help the community, whether it be providing weather reports to the National Weather Service, assisting first responders in their missions, or supporting other local groups with traffic and crowd control at events and parades held through-out our community.”Hardin is always looking for new volunteers and training opportunities are available. More information on CERT and SKYWARN can be found at dmcounty.com/ema or by calling 319-753-8206.

CERT and SKYWARN Volunteers Honored by Governor

William Smith Community Editor

With no other contested local races on the ballot for the June 7 primary, Burlington residents Matt Rinker and TJ Widbin took center stage at a political forum hosted by the Greater Burlington Partnership Tuesday morning, May 31.

Rinker and Widbin are vying for the Republican nomination for the 99th district in the Iowa House of Representatives, which was recently redistricted and is now represented by Democrat Dennis Cohoon. The winner of the primary will take on Cohoon in the regular election.

Rinker has been on the Burlington City Council for the past five years and ran for state senate in 2020. He touted his experience in local politics as a distinct advantage.

“I am a husband, a father, a business owner, a veteran. I’m a city councilman, and I have an extensive history of volunteering in this community,” he said.&nbsp;

“This area really has one voice in Des Moines. It is extremely important that voice have the knowledge, experience, and be powerful in a caucus.”

Though Widbin has no political experience, he does have extensive business experience. That experience started when he opened Lost Bear Coffee locations in 2016 and 2017, and more recently, Good Restaurant + Lounge.

“I think I have the tools” he said. “I think I have the personality.”

Tim Lundgren acted as the moderator at the forum, asking each candidate the same question in a series of queries. His first question centered around growing the workforce in the Burlington area. He asked Widbin to respond first.

“We have an aged workforce base,” Widbin said. “We need to bring in more youth, and in order to do that, I think we have to make Iowa an attractive place for families. I think you have to make Iowa an attractive place for businesses and entrepreneuring.”

The way to do that, Widbin said, is to the lower income tax. He said the current Republican led legislation already has a good start on that.

“I think what you’re going to see over the next three to five years are tech companies that are looking to get out of high cost areas,” Widbin said.&nbsp;

Rinker put the onus for job growth on two things — creating more affordable housing through incentives, and increasing education funding.&nbsp;

“Over the last 10 years, and most of that has come in the last five years since I’ve been on city council, we’ve seen $125 million in investments in residential housing downtown,” Rinker said.

Widbin also wants to focus on downtown and would like to move residents from renters to homeowners.

“I think there need to be state programs that can help people transition from rental to home ownership. Whether that is a first-time tax credit for buying a home, or a capital improvement, or some kind of tax breaks for people making improvements on their home,” Widbin said.

Rinker and Widbin said one of the major disagreements they have with their own party is how underfunded education in Iowa is.

“Right now, we spend $2,238 per person in Iowa on education. We spent $2,093 per person on welfare programs. Education needs to be much more than that,” Rinker said.

Widbin said he is also not a fan of Gov. Kim Reynold’s school voucher proposal, which died last week due to lack of support. The proposal would have diverted $55 million from state public school funding for 10,000 private school scholarships.

“In theory, there could be some benefits there. But as it is in its current form, it’s something I’m not for, and I think could hurt schools in general,” Widbin said.

The candidates also disagree with the restructuring of mental health services seven years ago under former Gov. Terry Branstad. That restructuring centered around closing two mental health institutes in Iowa.

“You are saving money at the state level, but you’re passing the responsibilities on to a local level. You’re not saving money.&nbsp;&nbsp;You’re also passing on the costs,” Rinker said. “You’re just spreading out the pressures.”

While answering a question from The Burlington Beacon about how to address those who slip through the cracks and end up homeless with no mental health treatment, Rinker and Widbin also agreed that a mental health counselor should be stationed in every school.

“When I made the (Facebook) post that I was running for this office, I had mental health in mind, mostly due to struggles that I had that I had never experienced before that gave me a whole new perspective,” Widbin said.&nbsp;

“I think mental health has been massively underfunded, and we are seeing the effects of that now.”

Widbin believes increasing funding and making homes more affordable will impact not only homelessness but also mental health.

“In a perfect world, of course, we would have funding for a great big homeless shelter, but that’s probably a three-to-five-year plan down the road,” Widbin said. “But I think if we get proactive on the mental health side of schools, we’ll start to see the benefit of that trickle down.”

Both candidates would like to grow tourism in the area and agree that the riverfront is an economic driver for Burlington and the surrounding area. Rinker said he and his fellow council members have already made strides in improving tourism, citing the six Burlington dockings for Viking Cruises.&nbsp;

“In the last five years on city council, I’ve promoted more than $25 million in initiatives to support tourism. A lot of it is on the riverfront today. I think that riverfront is the most valuable property we have in Burlington,” Rinker said.

Widbin said downtown Burlington attracts tourism.

“The more we can drive businesses to downtown, it’s only going to bring in and incentivize more people to come down here. The growth that we’ve seen in the last few years makes people want to come downtown,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/6/1654531473452.jpeg" alt="Matt Rinker, left, and TJ Widbin, right, both of Burlington, shake hands before a forum hosted by the Greater Burlington Partnership. Rinker and Widbin are vying for the Republican nomination for the 99th district in the Iowa House of Representatives. (William Smith/The Burlington Beacon)" />
 <figcaption>Matt Rinker, left, and TJ Widbin, right, both of Burlington, shake hands before a forum hosted by the Greater Burlington Partnership. Rinker and Widbin are vying for the Republican nomination for the 99th district in the Iowa House of Representatives. (William Smith/The Burlington Beacon)</figcaption>
 </figure>William Smith Community EditorWith no other contested local races on the ballot for the June 7 primary, Burlington residents Matt Rinker and TJ Widbin took center stage at a political forum hosted by the Greater Burlington Partnership Tuesday morning, May 31.Rinker and Widbin are vying for the Republican nomination for the 99th district in the Iowa House of Representatives, which was recently redistricted and is now represented by Democrat Dennis Cohoon. The winner of the primary will take on Cohoon in the regular election.Rinker has been on the Burlington City Council for the past five years and ran for state senate in 2020. He touted his experience in local politics as a distinct advantage.“I am a husband, a father, a business owner, a veteran. I’m a city councilman, and I have an extensive history of volunteering in this community,” he said.&nbsp;“This area really has one voice in Des Moines. It is extremely important that voice have the knowledge, experience, and be powerful in a caucus.”Though Widbin has no political experience, he does have extensive business experience. That experience started when he opened Lost Bear Coffee locations in 2016 and 2017, and more recently, Good Restaurant + Lounge.“I think I have the tools” he said. “I think I have the personality.”Tim Lundgren acted as the moderator at the forum, asking each candidate the same question in a series of queries. His first question centered around growing the workforce in the Burlington area. He asked Widbin to respond first.“We have an aged workforce base,” Widbin said. “We need to bring in more youth, and in order to do that, I think we have to make Iowa an attractive place for families. I think you have to make Iowa an attractive place for businesses and entrepreneuring.”The way to do that, Widbin said, is to the lower income tax. He said the current Republican led legislation already has a good start on that.“I think what you’re going to see over the next three to five years are tech companies that are looking to get out of high cost areas,” Widbin said.&nbsp;Rinker put the onus for job growth on two things — creating more affordable housing through incentives, and increasing education funding.&nbsp;“Over the last 10 years, and most of that has come in the last five years since I’ve been on city council, we’ve seen $125 million in investments in residential housing downtown,” Rinker said.Widbin also wants to focus on downtown and would like to move residents from renters to homeowners.“I think there need to be state programs that can help people transition from rental to home ownership. Whether that is a first-time tax credit for buying a home, or a capital improvement, or some kind of tax breaks for people making improvements on their home,” Widbin said.Rinker and Widbin said one of the major disagreements they have with their own party is how underfunded education in Iowa is.“Right now, we spend $2,238 per person in Iowa on education. We spent $2,093 per person on welfare programs. Education needs to be much more than that,” Rinker said.Widbin said he is also not a fan of Gov. Kim Reynold’s school voucher proposal, which died last week due to lack of support. The proposal would have diverted $55 million from state public school funding for 10,000 private school scholarships.“In theory, there could be some benefits there. But as it is in its current form, it’s something I’m not for, and I think could hurt schools in general,” Widbin said.The candidates also disagree with the restructuring of mental health services seven years ago under former Gov. Terry Branstad. That restructuring centered around closing two mental health institutes in Iowa.“You are saving money at the state level, but you’re passing the responsibilities on to a local level. You’re not saving money.&nbsp;&nbsp;You’re also passing on the costs,” Rinker said. “You’re just spreading out the pressures.”While answering a question from The Burlington Beacon about how to address those who slip through the cracks and end up homeless with no mental health treatment, Rinker and Widbin also agreed that a mental health counselor should be stationed in every school.“When I made the (Facebook) post that I was running for this office, I had mental health in mind, mostly due to struggles that I had that I had never experienced before that gave me a whole new perspective,” Widbin said.&nbsp;“I think mental health has been massively underfunded, and we are seeing the effects of that now.”Widbin believes increasing funding and making homes more affordable will impact not only homelessness but also mental health.“In a perfect world, of course, we would have funding for a great big homeless shelter, but that’s probably a three-to-five-year plan down the road,” Widbin said. “But I think if we get proactive on the mental health side of schools, we’ll start to see the benefit of that trickle down.”Both candidates would like to grow tourism in the area and agree that the riverfront is an economic driver for Burlington and the surrounding area. Rinker said he and his fellow council members have already made strides in improving tourism, citing the six Burlington dockings for Viking Cruises.&nbsp;“In the last five years on city council, I’ve promoted more than $25 million in initiatives to support tourism. A lot of it is on the riverfront today. I think that riverfront is the most valuable property we have in Burlington,” Rinker said.Widbin said downtown Burlington attracts tourism.“The more we can drive businesses to downtown, it’s only going to bring in and incentivize more people to come down here. The growth that we’ve seen in the last few years makes people want to come downtown,” he said.

Rinker and Widbin Square Off at Forum

William Smith Community Editor Rheinschmidt's Flooring America co-owner Michelle Russell was recently featured in an issue of Floor Covering Weekly – a national trade publication. In the article, Russell recalls that she was working in healthcare when she met her now-business partner Jim Rheinschmidt while caring for his mother. The relationship she built there ended up paving the way for a 29-year (and counting) career in the flooring industry. “It goes to show how building relationships is really what this industry is about,” she said in the Floor Covering Weekly article. “We built a relationship because the company I worked for took care of his mom, he liked me and so he took a chance and said, ‘Come work for me.’ Now, I own 75 percent of the company.” While Russell didn’t come into the industry armed with knowledge about flooring, she learned on the job, took community college courses on graphic engineering and design, and became a design consultant.&nbsp; “I came in and I instantly loved it,” she said. In addition to her experience in healthcare, Russell also worked in restaurants and hospitality for more than a decade. “I knew a lot of people in the community. I knew I loved being around people and working with people,” she said. Jim Rheinschmidt had nothing but praise for Russell when asked why she’s such an asset to the business.&nbsp; He said they share similar thoughts on ways of doing business. “She’s been very valuable to the business because of her honesty and her trustworthiness,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/6/1654101864040.jpeg" alt="Jim Rheinschmidt and Michelle Russell of Rheinschmidt's Flooring America. (Submitted photo)&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Jim Rheinschmidt and Michelle Russell of Rheinschmidt's Flooring America. (Submitted photo)&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>William Smith Community Editor Rheinschmidt's Flooring America co-owner Michelle Russell was recently featured in an issue of Floor Covering Weekly – a national trade publication. In the article, Russell recalls that she was working in healthcare when she met her now-business partner Jim Rheinschmidt while caring for his mother. The relationship she built there ended up paving the way for a 29-year (and counting) career in the flooring industry. “It goes to show how building relationships is really what this industry is about,” she said in the Floor Covering Weekly article. “We built a relationship because the company I worked for took care of his mom, he liked me and so he took a chance and said, ‘Come work for me.’ Now, I own 75 percent of the company.” While Russell didn’t come into the industry armed with knowledge about flooring, she learned on the job, took community college courses on graphic engineering and design, and became a design consultant.&nbsp; “I came in and I instantly loved it,” she said. In addition to her experience in healthcare, Russell also worked in restaurants and hospitality for more than a decade. “I knew a lot of people in the community. I knew I loved being around people and working with people,” she said. Jim Rheinschmidt had nothing but praise for Russell when asked why she’s such an asset to the business.&nbsp; He said they share similar thoughts on ways of doing business. “She’s been very valuable to the business because of her honesty and her trustworthiness,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Michelle Russell of Rheinschmidt's Featured in National Publication

John Bohnenkamp for The Beacon

Andrew Dillman said he was “on the gas” for the last lap and a half of Saturday’s Men’s Category 1-2 Pro Race at the Snake Alley Criterium. Head down, Dillman didn’t want to know what was going on behind him. Finally, heading down N. 4th Street for the final stretch, Dillman peeked back. And kept peeking. He saw nothing but an empty street. “I was like, ‘I think I got it,’” Dillman said. He had it. Dillman was able to coast to victory in the return of one of the nation’s most iconic cycling events. It was the first Criterium since 2019 — the event had been canceled the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And even with a different course than usual, the Criterium’s return was welcomed. “I missed it,” said veteran cyclist Charles Townsend, who has been at the Criterium 20 times and won his 11th title on Saturday. “I totally missed it. Things aren’t totally normal. But it’s good to get a race again.” Dillman had been to the Criterium before — he has two wins in the Juniors events and his last appearance, he guessed, was in 2013 before he decided to pursue a mountain-biking career. “Long time ago,” he said. “I tried to race mountain bikes, but it didn’t work. This is a lot better.” Dillman was part of an 8-racer pack for most of the race. He decided to attack with two laps to go when his Texas Roadhouse teammate, Cade Bickmore, led the pack heading into Snake Alley. “We had just seen the two-to-go, and heading into the downhills I saw (Bickmore) go,” Dillman said. “Right before I hit the Snake, I made a move. I knew if I got past him, he would sit up. I went into the Snake full-blast, and I’m pretty sure he was sitting right behind me. I knew a gap opened, and I didn’t look back." “I was a hundred percent committed. I figured if they did catch me, Cade would have a good chance. He won the sprint last night, he had fresh legs, I figured if this didn’t work, he’s going to win. So it was kind of like, win or win.” Dillman then kept his sprint going, worrying that he was eventually going to be caught. “I was thinking they were on my tail, they were going to pass me any second,” Dillman said. “So I was like, don’t look back.” The perfect feeling was seeing nothing behind him. “Oh, dude, yeah,” he said. “I was pretty sure they were coming. I was hurting because I had been full-tilt for about six minutes.” It was a big weekend for the Texas Roadhouse team. Bickmore won the Pro 1-2 race in the Friday Night Fever event and finished second behind Dillman on Saturday. “You guys are elite,” third-place ride Conor White said to the two as they came to the podium.

This year, the Criterium was held on a new course because of street construction in downtown Burlington. This course was 1.56 miles long, instead of the original downtown course which was 9/10 of a mile. Instead of the Sixth Street hill before going up Snake Alley, racers headed down Washington Street and made a right-hand turn onto Snake Alley. Once up to the top of Snake Alley, the racers headed north on Sixth Street, took a right-hand turn, and went one block on High Street to N. 5th Street. A left-hand turn sent the racers up 5th Street with a right-hand turn onto North Street, then another right-hand turn back down 4th Street to the start/finish line. “This course kind of suits the littler dudes like me,” said Daniel Casper, who won three races this weekend — the Masters 50-plus race in the Friday Night Fever event, and then the Masters 40-plus and 50-plus races on Saturday. “Some of the guys I’m racing against, they could smoke me in a sprint. But the Snake kind of gives the little guys a chance." “Last night was deceptively hard because you were climbing going to the north. I thought it would be like that today, but the wind was pushing us up. You still have a significant climb going into the Snake on the old course, so you’re taxed already. With this, you’re shooting into the Snake with more speed.” “The only difference was Snake Alley was maybe a little bit easier,” said Townsend, who won the Masters 60-plus title. “We came in so hard on the switchback, you actually had to scrub off a little speed going into Snake Alley.” Asked which course he liked better, Dillman laughed. “You know, I won,” he said. “Honestly, I liked the old course, because I think we climbed more. For me, that’s better. These two long straightaways made it a long course.” Dillman said the rise heading up 5th Street played to his advantage. “A lot of guys were gassed from coming up Snake Alley,” he said. “You come here to ride the Snake, so I want to ride it. I’d rather do 30 laps, and go up the hill 30 times, versus 15 long laps.” The 1-2 Pro race was only 15 laps, but it was the longest race in Criterium history. “So that’s pretty cool,” Dillman said. Other winners for the weekend: • Riley Troyer won the Category 3 race in the Friday Night Fever event. Morgan Hendricks won the Cat 4 race and Kevin Wohlford won the 60-plus event. • Saturday’s winners included Connell Alford (juniors 15-16 boys), Stella Powell (juniors 15-16 girls), Hunter Post (juniors 17-18 boys), Jim Bethea (Category 5), Braden Reitz (Category 4), and Dillon McNeill (Category 3). • Nick Carter won the Open Division of the Cobble Climb, setting a new record with a climb of 26.62 seconds. Ansel DeJong won the 14-18 age category.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Editor's note: Results from the women's events will be covered in a separate story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/5/1653866752748.jpeg" alt="Andrew Dillman crosses the finish line in first place at the end of the Men's Category 1-2 Pro Race on Saturday, May 28. (Photo courtesy of Keith Turrill)" />
 <figcaption>Andrew Dillman crosses the finish line in first place at the end of the Men's Category 1-2 Pro Race on Saturday, May 28. (Photo courtesy of Keith Turrill)</figcaption>
 </figure>John Bohnenkamp for The BeaconAndrew Dillman said he was “on the gas” for the last lap and a half of Saturday’s Men’s Category 1-2 Pro Race at the Snake Alley Criterium. Head down, Dillman didn’t want to know what was going on behind him. Finally, heading down N. 4th Street for the final stretch, Dillman peeked back. And kept peeking. He saw nothing but an empty street. “I was like, ‘I think I got it,’” Dillman said. He had it. Dillman was able to coast to victory in the return of one of the nation’s most iconic cycling events. It was the first Criterium since 2019 — the event had been canceled the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And even with a different course than usual, the Criterium’s return was welcomed. “I missed it,” said veteran cyclist Charles Townsend, who has been at the Criterium 20 times and won his 11th title on Saturday. “I totally missed it. Things aren’t totally normal. But it’s good to get a race again.” Dillman had been to the Criterium before — he has two wins in the Juniors events and his last appearance, he guessed, was in 2013 before he decided to pursue a mountain-biking career. “Long time ago,” he said. “I tried to race mountain bikes, but it didn’t work. This is a lot better.” Dillman was part of an 8-racer pack for most of the race. He decided to attack with two laps to go when his Texas Roadhouse teammate, Cade Bickmore, led the pack heading into Snake Alley. “We had just seen the two-to-go, and heading into the downhills I saw (Bickmore) go,” Dillman said. “Right before I hit the Snake, I made a move. I knew if I got past him, he would sit up. I went into the Snake full-blast, and I’m pretty sure he was sitting right behind me. I knew a gap opened, and I didn’t look back." “I was a hundred percent committed. I figured if they did catch me, Cade would have a good chance. He won the sprint last night, he had fresh legs, I figured if this didn’t work, he’s going to win. So it was kind of like, win or win.” Dillman then kept his sprint going, worrying that he was eventually going to be caught. “I was thinking they were on my tail, they were going to pass me any second,” Dillman said. “So I was like, don’t look back.” The perfect feeling was seeing nothing behind him. “Oh, dude, yeah,” he said. “I was pretty sure they were coming. I was hurting because I had been full-tilt for about six minutes.” It was a big weekend for the Texas Roadhouse team. Bickmore won the Pro 1-2 race in the Friday Night Fever event and finished second behind Dillman on Saturday. “You guys are elite,” third-place ride Conor White said to the two as they came to the podium.<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/5/1653866817936.jpeg" alt="Cade Bickmore-2nd Place (left), Andrew Dillman-1st place (center), and Conor White-3rd Place (right) celebrate their wins atop the podium at the 2022 Snake Alley Criterium. (Photo courtesy of Keith Turrill)" />
 <figcaption>Cade Bickmore-2nd Place (left), Andrew Dillman-1st place (center), and Conor White-3rd Place (right) celebrate their wins atop the podium at the 2022 Snake Alley Criterium. (Photo courtesy of Keith Turrill)</figcaption>
 </figure>This year, the Criterium was held on a new course because of street construction in downtown Burlington. This course was 1.56 miles long, instead of the original downtown course which was 9/10 of a mile. Instead of the Sixth Street hill before going up Snake Alley, racers headed down Washington Street and made a right-hand turn onto Snake Alley. Once up to the top of Snake Alley, the racers headed north on Sixth Street, took a right-hand turn, and went one block on High Street to N. 5th Street. A left-hand turn sent the racers up 5th Street with a right-hand turn onto North Street, then another right-hand turn back down 4th Street to the start/finish line. “This course kind of suits the littler dudes like me,” said Daniel Casper, who won three races this weekend — the Masters 50-plus race in the Friday Night Fever event, and then the Masters 40-plus and 50-plus races on Saturday. “Some of the guys I’m racing against, they could smoke me in a sprint. But the Snake kind of gives the little guys a chance." “Last night was deceptively hard because you were climbing going to the north. I thought it would be like that today, but the wind was pushing us up. You still have a significant climb going into the Snake on the old course, so you’re taxed already. With this, you’re shooting into the Snake with more speed.” “The only difference was Snake Alley was maybe a little bit easier,” said Townsend, who won the Masters 60-plus title. “We came in so hard on the switchback, you actually had to scrub off a little speed going into Snake Alley.” Asked which course he liked better, Dillman laughed. “You know, I won,” he said. “Honestly, I liked the old course, because I think we climbed more. For me, that’s better. These two long straightaways made it a long course.” Dillman said the rise heading up 5th Street played to his advantage. “A lot of guys were gassed from coming up Snake Alley,” he said. “You come here to ride the Snake, so I want to ride it. I’d rather do 30 laps, and go up the hill 30 times, versus 15 long laps.” The 1-2 Pro race was only 15 laps, but it was the longest race in Criterium history. “So that’s pretty cool,” Dillman said. Other winners for the weekend: • Riley Troyer won the Category 3 race in the Friday Night Fever event. Morgan Hendricks won the Cat 4 race and Kevin Wohlford won the 60-plus event. • Saturday’s winners included Connell Alford (juniors 15-16 boys), Stella Powell (juniors 15-16 girls), Hunter Post (juniors 17-18 boys), Jim Bethea (Category 5), Braden Reitz (Category 4), and Dillon McNeill (Category 3). • Nick Carter won the Open Division of the Cobble Climb, setting a new record with a climb of 26.62 seconds. Ansel DeJong won the 14-18 age category.&nbsp;&nbsp;Editor's note: Results from the women's events will be covered in a separate story.

Dillman Celebrates Victory in Men's Pro Race as Criterium Returns to Burlington

William Smith Community Editor There wasn’t nearly as much room to park at this year’s Kiwanis Pancake Day breakfast this year, due to ongoing construction. But that didn’t seem to hamper attendance one bit, thanks to the perfect weather and city shuttle bus that continually brought in more customers. The line of hungry patrons stretched outside the Port door into the Memorial Auditorium parking lot Saturday morning, moving quickly inside as an assembly line of volunteer Kiwanis cooks poured pancake mix onto flattop grills. Two hours into the four-hour meal, nearly every table inside and outside the port building was filled by locals and out-of-town visitors. Some were sticking around to watch the Snake Alley Criterium, which returned to Burlington for the first time since 2019. Others simply wanted to grab a good breakfast for a good cause. “The pancakes are even better this year than they ever have been,” said Burlington resident Jacquilyn Lane. Lane figures she’s been a regular at the pancake breakfast for the past 22 years, and she never attends it alone. She brought an entourage of roughly 15 people this year – mostly family. “My grandpa started bringing us, then my parents. Now we’re older, and we bring our own family,” she said. Mike Palmer, Middletown, was hand-feeding pancakes to his toddler son Dawson Palmer inside the Port building. Jake seemed to be enjoying the food as much as his father, ready for the next bite within a few seconds. “The pancakes are amazing every year,” Mike Palmer said. Since 1989, the annual Kiwanis Pancake Day fundraiser has fed untold thousands of locals and visitors over Memorial Day weekend. More than 100 Kiwanis volunteers were cooking food, busing tables, and setting up equipment. “We normally feed about 3,000 people. And of course, it’s all you can eat pancakes, sausage, coffee, and orange juice,” said event chairman George Rinker. Rinker doesn’t know how many pancakes are served, but he does keep track of what it takes to make them – roughly 650 pounds of pancake mix and 1,000 pounds of sausage. “It’s our largest fundraiser, and the funds that we raise are all used to support community families,” Rinker said. “We are not sending money hundreds of miles away. Everything we get is spent locally, to improve children’s lives in our community.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/5/1653779959661.jpeg" alt="Jake Moser, 2, digs into a plate of pancakes at the annual Kiwanis Pancake Day breakfast fundraiser Saturday, May 28, at the Port of Burlington. (William Smith/The Burlington Beacon)" />
 <figcaption>Jake Moser, 2, digs into a plate of pancakes at the annual Kiwanis Pancake Day breakfast fundraiser Saturday, May 28, at the Port of Burlington. (William Smith/The Burlington Beacon)</figcaption>
 </figure>William Smith Community Editor There wasn’t nearly as much room to park at this year’s Kiwanis Pancake Day breakfast this year, due to ongoing construction. But that didn’t seem to hamper attendance one bit, thanks to the perfect weather and city shuttle bus that continually brought in more customers. The line of hungry patrons stretched outside the Port door into the Memorial Auditorium parking lot Saturday morning, moving quickly inside as an assembly line of volunteer Kiwanis cooks poured pancake mix onto flattop grills. Two hours into the four-hour meal, nearly every table inside and outside the port building was filled by locals and out-of-town visitors. Some were sticking around to watch the Snake Alley Criterium, which returned to Burlington for the first time since 2019. Others simply wanted to grab a good breakfast for a good cause. “The pancakes are even better this year than they ever have been,” said Burlington resident Jacquilyn Lane. Lane figures she’s been a regular at the pancake breakfast for the past 22 years, and she never attends it alone. She brought an entourage of roughly 15 people this year – mostly family. “My grandpa started bringing us, then my parents. Now we’re older, and we bring our own family,” she said. Mike Palmer, Middletown, was hand-feeding pancakes to his toddler son Dawson Palmer inside the Port building. Jake seemed to be enjoying the food as much as his father, ready for the next bite within a few seconds. “The pancakes are amazing every year,” Mike Palmer said. Since 1989, the annual Kiwanis Pancake Day fundraiser has fed untold thousands of locals and visitors over Memorial Day weekend. More than 100 Kiwanis volunteers were cooking food, busing tables, and setting up equipment. “We normally feed about 3,000 people. And of course, it’s all you can eat pancakes, sausage, coffee, and orange juice,” said event chairman George Rinker. Rinker doesn’t know how many pancakes are served, but he does keep track of what it takes to make them – roughly 650 pounds of pancake mix and 1,000 pounds of sausage. “It’s our largest fundraiser, and the funds that we raise are all used to support community families,” Rinker said. “We are not sending money hundreds of miles away. Everything we get is spent locally, to improve children’s lives in our community.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Perfect Weather for Perfect Pancakes

Two champions from their respective conferences locked horns — and legs — Tuesday in a varsity girls soccer match at Harold Tackleson Field.

Host Notre Dame/West Burlington/Danville took a 2-0 lead into intermission against intracity rival Burlington High School. Then, Julianna Hill put the ball into the back of the net for the Nikes with less than two minutes gone in the second half, and the Nikes held on for a 3-1 victory.

It was the final regular season match for both schools, but it was also the 100th career victory for Notre Dame coach Todd Ackerman.&nbsp;

He has coached eight seasons, not counting the lost 2020 season due to COVID.

The Notre Dame senior and junior players presented Ackerman with a photo banner after the match.

On tonight (Friday, May 20), the Nikes and Grayhounds opened post-season play in the same Class 2A Region 8.

Notre Dame (8-7), which had slipped by Mount Pleasant 4-3 Monday, plays Central DeWitt (4-12) at 6 tonight at home in a Class 2A Region 8 contest.

The winner plays next Tuesday at 5 p.m. at North Scott, which drew a bye.

Burlington (10-5) hosts Clinton (3-9) in the bottom of that break at 6 p.m. Friday, with the winner playing Mount Vernon and Cornell University’s soccer field next Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Notre Dame dominated the first 25 minutes or so of the first half with Burlington not getting the ball into the Nikes’ end of the field often.

Hill then broke the shutout with 10:15 left in the half, booting the ball over the Burlington keeper’s head.

Burlington finally got a chance at a scoring threat at the nine-minute mark, but a Grayhound was offside, nullifying a score.

Hadley Augustine of Notre Dame found the far left side of the net with 5:31 left in the first half and the 2-0 lead held up.

Hill’s shot with 38:11 left in the second half made for a difficult task for Burlington.

Notre Dame goalkeeper Ava Rashid, who finished with five saves on the night, had her biggest one at 35:10. She punched a Burlington player’s shot into the air and behind the net.

With 28 minutes left in the match, Jenna Hentzel finally got BHS on the board. Hunter Pender passed the ball to Hentzel inside the box, and Rashid came out for the stop. But Hentzel had a clear shot to cut the lead to 3-1.

The Grayhounds were unable to score again, and the Nikes won the match.

Notre Dame finished with 13 shots on goal, and Burlington had six.

Notre Dame had been on a four-game losing streak due to three strong out-of-state schools in the Adidas Tournament to the end of April.

“We’ve been playing a little better with each game,” Ackerman said. “We started with a loss to Iowa City Regina,” he said of a 4-1 road defeat.

This past Monday, Notre Dame played better and led Mount Pleasant 4-1 before settling for a 4-3 victory.

“We kind of let them back in,” Ackerman said.

The girls had a strong regular-season finish.

“I think we dominated the game tonight,” Ackerman said of the Burlington contest.

“We played really well. We’re starting to pick up our stride a little bit.”

Ackerman said he was glad the team didn’t let Burlington back into the contest as it did with the Panthers.

“We had a little better control of the game,” he said. “I was very proud of the girls, coming out on Senior Night ... It was an emotional night.”

Off to the races: Burlington High School’s Sophie Brown (4) and Burlington Notre Dame senior Lexi Mears (3) chase the soccer ball downfield. The two local teams played in a varsity girls match Tuesday, with the Notre Dame/West Burlington/Danville team beating the Grayhounds 3-1.&nbsp;Photo by Chris Faulkner&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/5/1653171473572.jpeg" alt="Burlington Notre Dame/West Burlington/Danville’s Julianna Hill challenges Burlington High School’s Josephine Blazic in a varsity girls soccer match Tuesday night at Notre Dame’s Harold Tackleson Field. Hill scored two goals as the Nikes beat the Grayhounds 3-1." />
 <figcaption>Burlington Notre Dame/West Burlington/Danville’s Julianna Hill challenges Burlington High School’s Josephine Blazic in a varsity girls soccer match Tuesday night at Notre Dame’s Harold Tackleson Field. Hill scored two goals as the Nikes beat the Grayhounds 3-1.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By Chris Faulkner&nbsp;for The BeaconTwo champions from their respective conferences locked horns — and legs — Tuesday in a varsity girls soccer match at Harold Tackleson Field.Host Notre Dame/West Burlington/Danville took a 2-0 lead into intermission against intracity rival Burlington High School. Then, Julianna Hill put the ball into the back of the net for the Nikes with less than two minutes gone in the second half, and the Nikes held on for a 3-1 victory.It was the final regular season match for both schools, but it was also the 100th career victory for Notre Dame coach Todd Ackerman.&nbsp;He has coached eight seasons, not counting the lost 2020 season due to COVID.The Notre Dame senior and junior players presented Ackerman with a photo banner after the match.On tonight (Friday, May 20), the Nikes and Grayhounds opened post-season play in the same Class 2A Region 8.Notre Dame (8-7), which had slipped by Mount Pleasant 4-3 Monday, plays Central DeWitt (4-12) at 6 tonight at home in a Class 2A Region 8 contest.The winner plays next Tuesday at 5 p.m. at North Scott, which drew a bye.Burlington (10-5) hosts Clinton (3-9) in the bottom of that break at 6 p.m. Friday, with the winner playing Mount Vernon and Cornell University’s soccer field next Tuesday at 5 p.m.Nikes dominatematch earlyNotre Dame dominated the first 25 minutes or so of the first half with Burlington not getting the ball into the Nikes’ end of the field often.Hill then broke the shutout with 10:15 left in the half, booting the ball over the Burlington keeper’s head.Burlington finally got a chance at a scoring threat at the nine-minute mark, but a Grayhound was offside, nullifying a score.Hadley Augustine of Notre Dame found the far left side of the net with 5:31 left in the first half and the 2-0 lead held up.Hill’s shot with 38:11 left in the second half made for a difficult task for Burlington.Notre Dame goalkeeper Ava Rashid, who finished with five saves on the night, had her biggest one at 35:10. She punched a Burlington player’s shot into the air and behind the net.With 28 minutes left in the match, Jenna Hentzel finally got BHS on the board. Hunter Pender passed the ball to Hentzel inside the box, and Rashid came out for the stop. But Hentzel had a clear shot to cut the lead to 3-1.The Grayhounds were unable to score again, and the Nikes won the match.Notre Dame finished with 13 shots on goal, and Burlington had six.Notre Dame had been on a four-game losing streak due to three strong out-of-state schools in the Adidas Tournament to the end of April.Then came a nine-day layoff.“We’ve been playing a little better with each game,” Ackerman said. “We started with a loss to Iowa City Regina,” he said of a 4-1 road defeat.This past Monday, Notre Dame played better and led Mount Pleasant 4-1 before settling for a 4-3 victory.“We kind of let them back in,” Ackerman said.The girls had a strong regular-season finish.“I think we dominated the game tonight,” Ackerman said of the Burlington contest.“We played really well. We’re starting to pick up our stride a little bit.”Ackerman said he was glad the team didn’t let Burlington back into the contest as it did with the Panthers.“We had a little better control of the game,” he said. “I was very proud of the girls, coming out on Senior Night ... It was an emotional night.”<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/5/1653171586740.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Off to the races: Burlington High School’s Sophie Brown (4) and Burlington Notre Dame senior Lexi Mears (3) chase the soccer ball downfield. The two local teams played in a varsity girls match Tuesday, with the Notre Dame/West Burlington/Danville team beating the Grayhounds 3-1.&nbsp;Photo by Chris Faulkner&nbsp;

Intracity rivals take it to the net

Erin Dop of Fullenkamp Insurance Agency has received the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation through The Institutes, a professional development organization for property-casualty insurance. The CPCU holders obtain the designation by proving their specialized knowledge of property-casualty insurance, risk management techniques, and insurance underwriting principles. It is widely considered the most distinguished designation offered in the insurance industry.&nbsp;

Erin is a third-generation insurance professional for Fullenkamp Insurance Agency. She joins the current president of the agency, Chris Fullenkamp, and former owners Carol Fullenkamp and the late Ron Fullenkamp in obtaining this esteemed designation. Erin began her career as a commercial underwriter after completing her college education at The University of Iowa in 2015.&nbsp; At United Fire Group, Erin saw value in broadening her insurance knowledge and obtained two other designations during her time there. Upon her return to Lee County in 2018, she quickly became a licensed agent in multiple lines of insurance for the agency and obtained an additional insurance designation.

The agency principals, Chris Fullenkamp and Jill Garmoe, encourage employees to continuously grow their knowledge of the insurance industry so that they will be better able to assist clients in making their coverage decisions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/5/1652758390739.jpeg" alt="Erin Dop of Fullenkamp Insurance Agency" />
 <figcaption>Erin Dop of Fullenkamp Insurance Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>Erin Dop of Fullenkamp Insurance Agency has received the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation through The Institutes, a professional development organization for property-casualty insurance. The CPCU holders obtain the designation by proving their specialized knowledge of property-casualty insurance, risk management techniques, and insurance underwriting principles. It is widely considered the most distinguished designation offered in the insurance industry.&nbsp;Erin is a third-generation insurance professional for Fullenkamp Insurance Agency. She joins the current president of the agency, Chris Fullenkamp, and former owners Carol Fullenkamp and the late Ron Fullenkamp in obtaining this esteemed designation. Erin began her career as a commercial underwriter after completing her college education at The University of Iowa in 2015.&nbsp; At United Fire Group, Erin saw value in broadening her insurance knowledge and obtained two other designations during her time there. Upon her return to Lee County in 2018, she quickly became a licensed agent in multiple lines of insurance for the agency and obtained an additional insurance designation.The agency principals, Chris Fullenkamp and Jill Garmoe, encourage employees to continuously grow their knowledge of the insurance industry so that they will be better able to assist clients in making their coverage decisions.

Dop of Fullenkamp Insurance Receives Designation

By Beacon Staff Former U.S. representative Dave Loebsack and former state senator Tom Courtney were honored with 2021 Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Awards during the annual Des Moines County Democratic Party Hall of Fame Dinner Tuesday, May 10 at the Pzazz Convention and Event Center. Loebsack represented Iowa’s second congressional district from 2007 to 2021, while Courtney represented district 44 from 2003 until 2017. The 2020 winners of the Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Awards –&nbsp; Lyn Stinson, Olive Sullivan, Dick Mellinger, and DiAnne Lerud-Chubb –&nbsp; were also recognized. Former Des Moines County Supervisor Bob Beck was awarded as the Dedicated Elected Official of 2021, and Jacob Nye was awarded the Dune Kline Friend of Labor award.&nbsp; During the event, Courtney offered a remembrance for staunch Democratic supporter Elaine Baxter, who died in March of 2021. Baxter was the first woman to sit on the Burlington City Council. Iowa Rep. Dennis Cohoon was the keynote speaker for the evening. Other speakers included gubernatorial candidate Deirdre DeJear, U.S. Rep. Candidate Christina Bohannan, U.S. Senate candidate Abby Finkenauer, Secretary of State candidate Eric Van Lancker, and Secretary of Agriculture candidate John Norwood. Due to COVID-19, the annual event was not held in 2020 or 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By Beacon Staff Former U.S. representative Dave Loebsack and former state senator Tom Courtney were honored with 2021 Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Awards during the annual Des Moines County Democratic Party Hall of Fame Dinner Tuesday, May 10 at the Pzazz Convention and Event Center. Loebsack represented Iowa’s second congressional district from 2007 to 2021, while Courtney represented district 44 from 2003 until 2017. The 2020 winners of the Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Awards –&nbsp; Lyn Stinson, Olive Sullivan, Dick Mellinger, and DiAnne Lerud-Chubb –&nbsp; were also recognized. Former Des Moines County Supervisor Bob Beck was awarded as the Dedicated Elected Official of 2021, and Jacob Nye was awarded the Dune Kline Friend of Labor award.&nbsp; During the event, Courtney offered a remembrance for staunch Democratic supporter Elaine Baxter, who died in March of 2021. Baxter was the first woman to sit on the Burlington City Council. Iowa Rep. Dennis Cohoon was the keynote speaker for the evening. Other speakers included gubernatorial candidate Deirdre DeJear, U.S. Rep. Candidate Christina Bohannan, U.S. Senate candidate Abby Finkenauer, Secretary of State candidate Eric Van Lancker, and Secretary of Agriculture candidate John Norwood. Due to COVID-19, the annual event was not held in 2020 or 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Loebsack and Courtney Honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards at Democratic Hall of Fame Dinner

By Beacon Staff Non-certified staff in the Burlington School District will now receive bonuses if they stay at the school through October. The Burlington School Board voted 5-1 during the May 9 school board to pay the non-certified staff the bonuses, which will be equivalent to an average of three days' pay for that particular job. The staff must have started at the district by Oct. 1 of last year to qualify. The move by the school board comes after Gov. Kim Reynolds approved a plan to pay retention bonuses to teachers earlier this year. On March 28, the school board voted to provide a $1,000 retention bonus to 40 certified school district staff members who weren’t covered by the $1,000 bonuses offered by Reynolds. Just over 250 teachers received bonuses, including the 40 who weren't covered by the governor's plan. Those teacher bonuses, which have already been awarded, cost the school district roughly $43,000, with the money coming from the school’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. The bonuses for non-certified staff will cost the district about $135,000 and will be paid using Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. All non-certified district employees who meet the requirement will receive the bonuses, except for substitute teachers.&nbsp;&nbsp; About 345 non-certified staff will receive the bonuses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By Beacon Staff Non-certified staff in the Burlington School District will now receive bonuses if they stay at the school through October. The Burlington School Board voted 5-1 during the May 9 school board to pay the non-certified staff the bonuses, which will be equivalent to an average of three days' pay for that particular job. The staff must have started at the district by Oct. 1 of last year to qualify. The move by the school board comes after Gov. Kim Reynolds approved a plan to pay retention bonuses to teachers earlier this year. On March 28, the school board voted to provide a $1,000 retention bonus to 40 certified school district staff members who weren’t covered by the $1,000 bonuses offered by Reynolds. Just over 250 teachers received bonuses, including the 40 who weren't covered by the governor's plan. Those teacher bonuses, which have already been awarded, cost the school district roughly $43,000, with the money coming from the school’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. The bonuses for non-certified staff will cost the district about $135,000 and will be paid using Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. All non-certified district employees who meet the requirement will receive the bonuses, except for substitute teachers.&nbsp;&nbsp; About 345 non-certified staff will receive the bonuses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bonuses Approved for Non-Certified Staff at Burlington Schools

By Beacon Staff Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center lost primary power for about three hours and 40 minutes Wednesday (May 11), but the outage did not impact patient care. John Mercer, director of facilities at Great River Health, said the backup generator immediately kicked on, providing power to the most critical parts of the hospital involving patient care. “We have many areas of the hospital that we have to have on backup power,” he said. Mercer said the cause was an equipment malfunction. “We had an issue inside of our main switchgear, which is where the main power comes into the facility,” he said. “We had a wire that came into contact with the switching mechanism.” By 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night, power had been fully restored. Mercer said power outages do occur on occasion, though it’s usually an issue outside of the hospital. “This happened to be right where the internal met the external, in the switchgear.&nbsp; It’s not very common, but it does happen,” he said. Mercer said there have been no lingering problems from the outage. “We tested all of our systems to make sure everything is operating properly. And everything is,” Mercer said. “There were no adverse patient events. No one was harmed. And that is always our goal.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

By Beacon Staff Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center lost primary power for about three hours and 40 minutes Wednesday (May 11), but the outage did not impact patient care. John Mercer, director of facilities at Great River Health, said the backup generator immediately kicked on, providing power to the most critical parts of the hospital involving patient care. “We have many areas of the hospital that we have to have on backup power,” he said. Mercer said the cause was an equipment malfunction. “We had an issue inside of our main switchgear, which is where the main power comes into the facility,” he said. “We had a wire that came into contact with the switching mechanism.” By 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night, power had been fully restored. Mercer said power outages do occur on occasion, though it’s usually an issue outside of the hospital. “This happened to be right where the internal met the external, in the switchgear.&nbsp; It’s not very common, but it does happen,” he said. Mercer said there have been no lingering problems from the outage. “We tested all of our systems to make sure everything is operating properly. And everything is,” Mercer said. “There were no adverse patient events. No one was harmed. And that is always our goal.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

No Complications From Power Outage at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center Wednesday

City Wide Yard Sales will be held June 10, 11, and 12 in the city of Burlington. The cost to have a yard sale listing published in The Beacon is only $10. This listing will include address, dates, and times and will appear in both the June 3 and June 10 issues. A handy map will be included in the June 10 issue. 

A form to clip out and mail is available in all issues of The Beacon published in May. For those wishing to pay online, ad information and payment may also be submitted at the following link: <a href="https://form.jotform.com/221075343143042">City Wide Yard Sales</a>.

The deadline to submit ads and payment is Friday, May 27 at 4 p.m.

City Wide Yard Sales will be held June 10, 11, and 12 in the city of Burlington. The cost to have a yard sale listing published in The Beacon is only $10. This listing will include address, dates, and times and will appear in both the June 3 and June 10 issues. A handy map will be included in the June 10 issue. A form to clip out and mail is available in all issues of The Beacon published in May. For those wishing to pay online, ad information and payment may also be submitted at the following link: <a href="https://form.jotform.com/221075343143042">City Wide Yard Sales</a>.The deadline to submit ads and payment is Friday, May 27 at 4 p.m.

Burlington City Wide Yard Sales

Finding homes for the homeless in Burlington is a monumental task, and Craig Fenton, Transitions DMC director, is ready to take it head-on.

But as he acknowledged during a recent meeting with Burlington and Des Moines County representatives in the Burlington City Council chambers, he’s going to need some help.&nbsp;

Fenton, the president and founder of the recently opened Transitions DMC homeless shelter on Main Street, summed up Burlington’s homeless situation with a presentation on April 28 that focused not only on the number of homeless but the everyday challenges they face. Under HUD guidelines, Fenton said roughly 100 people qualify for Transitions’ 13 beds.&nbsp;

“There are 20 to 25 people that are considered homeless every night, unable to be served by our facility or any other facility in town. These are the people who are on the park benches, underneath the bridges. They are in camps around town and in various drug houses that are not meant for habitation,” Fenton said.

There are roughly 200 children in the Burlington School District who are considered homeless, according to the guideline of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

“Under that act, the definition of homelessness is, they can be sleeping on couches, they can be living in houses or buildings not meant for habitation, they can be sleeping under bridges, they can be just about any place,” Fenton said. “In general, those children are in a location where they do not have a custodial adult likely present. Or if there is a custodial adult, that adult is homeless, also.”&nbsp;

The solution, he said, lies in housing. Exactly what kind of housing could be determined by a commission that was just starting to form as the meeting ended. The possibility of a tiny house village was brought up by Fenton, and Mayor Jon Billups said it might be more cost-effective to buy a Burlington motel and transform it into apartments for the needy. Other buildings across town could be possible for renovation into apartments, as well.

Fenton said all ideas are on the table at this point. The goal is to use housing vouchers like Section 8 housing, VA homeless vouchers, and other funding to keep housing costs below 30 percent of a person’s or family’s income.&nbsp;

He noted that people are already trying to help the homeless on their own time, though the results aren’t always positive.

“There are at least a dozen Facebook groups alone that are following the movements of these people around town. Sometimes, they get it right, and they use the right name,” Fenton said. “A lot of times they are getting it wrong, and they are making that person look bad because they happen to be doing similar activities.”

Fenton said improving the rent-assisted housing is just the first step, though. Without supportive services, many don’t have the financial literacy or capacity to hang on to that living space. Many homeless suffer from mental illness, including military veterans affected by post-traumatic stress disorder.

That results in police, fire, and the hospital being overused by homeless citizens, who often have nowhere else to turn. Police regularly drop them off at the Transitions DMC homeless shelter, and caseworkers there attempt to help them form a long-term plan. That includes using the shelter as a mailing address, so they can receive some government assistance.

“Homeless shelters are for emergency purposes and have a limited number of days. We’re not going to be able to help everybody unless we keep people moving through the shelter,” Fenton said.

Fenton explained how the process at the shelter works and said there is no shortage of people using it.

“Our main goal right now is to get someone off the street, help them get their ID, help them get their food stamps, their Title 19 card, whatever they are missing,” he said. “If they are employable, we give them to the temp services or go out for interviews. Once they secure that job, then the goal is to find housing for them.”&nbsp;

To combat homelessness beyond the shelter, Fenton suggested a multi-disciplinary team of agencies that can work toward tiny homes or rehab projects turned into housing. That includes community and development planners, grant writers, social services agencies, the housing authority, homeless shelters, legal services, and charitable groups.

If tiny homes are the way to go, Fenton is hoping to build on donated land with donated materials and labor. He said those units are generally managed by not-for-profit groups since the people they are helping often can’t get subsidized housing due to background issues. Transitions DMC could provide maintenance, support services, and rent collection.

He said the selection of tenants should be done through a committee of stakeholders, with input from police and jail diversion.

“There could be two tracks on the tiny home thing,” city manager Chad Bird said. “It could be a year or less (stay) through transitional, or it could be a tiny home campus where that’s just where (the formerly homeless) are. Maybe it’s one to two or three years, where they are in a little larger tiny home that is self-contained.”

A committee to address the problem will meet on a monthly basis, and the city will have representation and input on that committee. Others attending the meeting in addition to Bird and Billups included: Transitions CEO Sara Dittner; Melissa Mace, Justice Involved services coordinator for Des Moines County and Louisa County jails; Paige Pennington, Resilient Community liaison for the Burlington Community School District; Sara Hecox, Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission representative; Christa Poggemiller, director of Des Moines County Public Health; and Burlington building inspectors Larry Caston and Adam Nelson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2022/5/1652477985863.jpeg" alt="Craig Fenton (right), founder of the Transitions DMC Homeless Shelter, speaks to city, county and school officials about possible housing solutions for the homeless. Mayor Jon Billups (left) and city manager Chad Bird (middle) discuss those ideas with Fenton. (William Smith/The Beacon)" />
 <figcaption>Craig Fenton (right), founder of the Transitions DMC Homeless Shelter, speaks to city, county and school officials about possible housing solutions for the homeless. Mayor Jon Billups (left) and city manager Chad Bird (middle) discuss those ideas with Fenton. (William Smith/The Beacon)</figcaption>
 </figure>William Smith Community EditorFinding homes for the homeless in Burlington is a monumental task, and Craig Fenton, Transitions DMC director, is ready to take it head-on.But as he acknowledged during a recent meeting with Burlington and Des Moines County representatives in the Burlington City Council chambers, he’s going to need some help.&nbsp;Fenton, the president and founder of the recently opened Transitions DMC homeless shelter on Main Street, summed up Burlington’s homeless situation with a presentation on April 28 that focused not only on the number of homeless but the everyday challenges they face. Under HUD guidelines, Fenton said roughly 100 people qualify for Transitions’ 13 beds.&nbsp;“There are 20 to 25 people that are considered homeless every night, unable to be served by our facility or any other facility in town. These are the people who are on the park benches, underneath the bridges. They are in camps around town and in various drug houses that are not meant for habitation,” Fenton said.There are roughly 200 children in the Burlington School District who are considered homeless, according to the guideline of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.“Under that act, the definition of homelessness is, they can be sleeping on couches, they can be living in houses or buildings not meant for habitation, they can be sleeping under bridges, they can be just about any place,” Fenton said. “In general, those children are in a location where they do not have a custodial adult likely present. Or if there is a custodial adult, that adult is homeless, also.”&nbsp;The solution, he said, lies in housing. Exactly what kind of housing could be determined by a commission that was just starting to form as the meeting ended. The possibility of a tiny house village was brought up by Fenton, and Mayor Jon Billups said it might be more cost-effective to buy a Burlington motel and transform it into apartments for the needy. Other buildings across town could be possible for renovation into apartments, as well.Fenton said all ideas are on the table at this point. The goal is to use housing vouchers like Section 8 housing, VA homeless vouchers, and other funding to keep housing costs below 30 percent of a person’s or family’s income.&nbsp;He noted that people are already trying to help the homeless on their own time, though the results aren’t always positive.“There are at least a dozen Facebook groups alone that are following the movements of these people around town. Sometimes, they get it right, and they use the right name,” Fenton said. “A lot of times they are getting it wrong, and they are making that person look bad because they happen to be doing similar activities.”Fenton said improving the rent-assisted housing is just the first step, though. Without supportive services, many don’t have the financial literacy or capacity to hang on to that living space. Many homeless suffer from mental illness, including military veterans affected by post-traumatic stress disorder.That results in police, fire, and the hospital being overused by homeless citizens, who often have nowhere else to turn. Police regularly drop them off at the Transitions DMC homeless shelter, and caseworkers there attempt to help them form a long-term plan. That includes using the shelter as a mailing address, so they can receive some government assistance.But there are only 13 beds.“Homeless shelters are for emergency purposes and have a limited number of days. We’re not going to be able to help everybody unless we keep people moving through the shelter,” Fenton said.Fenton explained how the process at the shelter works and said there is no shortage of people using it.“Our main goal right now is to get someone off the street, help them get their ID, help them get their food stamps, their Title 19 card, whatever they are missing,” he said. “If they are employable, we give them to the temp services or go out for interviews. Once they secure that job, then the goal is to find housing for them.”&nbsp;To combat homelessness beyond the shelter, Fenton suggested a multi-disciplinary team of agencies that can work toward tiny homes or rehab projects turned into housing. That includes community and development planners, grant writers, social services agencies, the housing authority, homeless shelters, legal services, and charitable groups.If tiny homes are the way to go, Fenton is hoping to build on donated land with donated materials and labor. He said those units are generally managed by not-for-profit groups since the people they are helping often can’t get subsidized housing due to background issues. Transitions DMC could provide maintenance, support services, and rent collection.He said the selection of tenants should be done through a committee of stakeholders, with input from police and jail diversion.“There could be two tracks on the tiny home thing,” city manager Chad Bird said. “It could be a year or less (stay) through transitional, or it could be a tiny home campus where that’s just where (the formerly homeless) are. Maybe it’s one to two or three years, where they are in a little larger tiny home that is self-contained.”A committee to address the problem will meet on a monthly basis, and the city will have representation and input on that committee. Others attending the meeting in addition to Bird and Billups included: Transitions CEO Sara Dittner; Melissa Mace, Justice Involved services coordinator for Des Moines County and Louisa County jails; Paige Pennington, Resilient Community liaison for the Burlington Community School District; Sara Hecox, Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission representative; Christa Poggemiller, director of Des Moines County Public Health; and Burlington building inspectors Larry Caston and Adam Nelson.

Transitions DMC founder presents homeless housing ideas

For Serena Stevens, Southeastern Community College wasn’t just the first couple of rungs on the college ladder.

The Fort Madison native, who gave the commencement speech at the Southeastern Community College West Burlington campus 2022 graduation Thursday night (May 12) at Memorial Auditorium, was featured as the distinguished alumnus. She graduated from SCC in 2008 and 2011. 

Coming out of her high school graduation, Stevens thought she wanted to get into the medical field. But taking classes at SCC pointed Stevens toward her true passion – creating art, typically through large scale paintings.

“Now I’m a full time artist. I’m living the dream,” she said.

Stevens is still close to her former SCC art instructor, John Bybee. His guidance was crucial to developing her artistic skills, and taking them beyond SCC. 

“By the time I transferred to Western (Illinois University), I had a transfer degree so I could focus fully on art,” she said.

Since then, Steven has gotten a bachelor of fine arts degree, and recently finished her master of fine arts degree at the University of Iowa, where she also taught. Since then, her artwork has been reviewed in “The New York Times” and “The New Yorker.”

“It’s great. I’m returning to Burlington, and will have a studio,” she said. 

Due to the ongoing TIGER grant funded redevelopment construction around Memorial Auditorium, many of the graduates arrived early to snag the limited parking spaces. The rest rode shuttle buses from four downtown locations, or parked on surrounding streets.

“I don’t think it (graduation) has hit me yet. I’m really excited, but I don’t if the emotions have hit me yet. But I’m excited,” said graduating SCC student Danielle Rhinehart.

Like Stevens, Rhinehart didn’t have her future locked in place when she arrived at SCC. She originally tried the nursing program, only to discover a greater interest in agricultural science. Rhinehart grew up on a farm in Henderson County, Ill., and will be working for a local seed company now that she has her diploma.

Her friend Ella Defenbaugh, from Kirkwood, Ill., started the ag science program before Rhinehart did. 

“I came in the next spring, and I was a little nervous when I started, because I came in later. But I was like, ‘Okay, I have Ella.’ It kind of helped me a little bit. I wasn’t so terrified,” Rhinehart said.

Ella will be staying on the farm as well, and will also be veterinarian – a dream job she has wanted since grade school. She already oversees 200 head of cattle.

“I’ve always wanted to be a vet,” she said.

Graduating SCC basketball teammates Bruce Carpenter, Kennedy Milton and Jesiah West posed for graduation pictures taken by family members before the ceremony started, framed by the Great River Bridge in the background.

All of them expressed relief at graduating to the next chapter of their lives, and all have similar plans –  a four year school, more basketball, and more studying.

“It’s been a long, hard two years of work, but it paid off,” Carpenter said.

West plans on going even further with his education, and will be pursuing a master’s degree in athletic training.

“I’m the first out of my mom’s boys to graduate, so it was a big stepping stone for me,” he said.

Photo caption: Graduating SCC basketball teammates (from left to right) Jesiah West, Bruce Carpenter, Kennedy Milton poses for pictures in front of the Great River Bridges as their families take pictures.

By William SmithFor Serena Stevens, Southeastern Community College wasn’t just the first couple of rungs on the college ladder.It’s where she found her true self. The Fort Madison native, who gave the commencement speech at the Southeastern Community College West Burlington campus 2022 graduation Thursday night (May 12) at Memorial Auditorium, was featured as the distinguished alumnus. She graduated from SCC in 2008 and 2011. Coming out of her high school graduation, Stevens thought she wanted to get into the medical field. But taking classes at SCC pointed Stevens toward her true passion – creating art, typically through large scale paintings.“Now I’m a full time artist. I’m living the dream,” she said.Stevens is still close to her former SCC art instructor, John Bybee. His guidance was crucial to developing her artistic skills, and taking them beyond SCC. “By the time I transferred to Western (Illinois University), I had a transfer degree so I could focus fully on art,” she said.Since then, Steven has gotten a bachelor of fine arts degree, and recently finished her master of fine arts degree at the University of Iowa, where she also taught. Since then, her artwork has been reviewed in “The New York Times” and “The New Yorker.”“It’s great. I’m returning to Burlington, and will have a studio,” she said. Due to the ongoing TIGER grant funded redevelopment construction around Memorial Auditorium, many of the graduates arrived early to snag the limited parking spaces. The rest rode shuttle buses from four downtown locations, or parked on surrounding streets.“I don’t think it (graduation) has hit me yet. I’m really excited, but I don’t if the emotions have hit me yet. But I’m excited,” said graduating SCC student Danielle Rhinehart.Like Stevens, Rhinehart didn’t have her future locked in place when she arrived at SCC. She originally tried the nursing program, only to discover a greater interest in agricultural science. Rhinehart grew up on a farm in Henderson County, Ill., and will be working for a local seed company now that she has her diploma.Her friend Ella Defenbaugh, from Kirkwood, Ill., started the ag science program before Rhinehart did. “I came in the next spring, and I was a little nervous when I started, because I came in later. But I was like, ‘Okay, I have Ella.’ It kind of helped me a little bit. I wasn’t so terrified,” Rhinehart said.Ella will be staying on the farm as well, and will also be veterinarian – a dream job she has wanted since grade school. She already oversees 200 head of cattle.“I’ve always wanted to be a vet,” she said.Graduating SCC basketball teammates Bruce Carpenter, Kennedy Milton and Jesiah West posed for graduation pictures taken by family members before the ceremony started, framed by the Great River Bridge in the background.All of them expressed relief at graduating to the next chapter of their lives, and all have similar plans – a four year school, more basketball, and more studying.“It’s been a long, hard two years of work, but it paid off,” Carpenter said.West plans on going even further with his education, and will be pursuing a master’s degree in athletic training.“I’m the first out of my mom’s boys to graduate, so it was a big stepping stone for me,” he said.Photo caption: Graduating SCC basketball teammates (from left to right) Jesiah West, Bruce Carpenter, Kennedy Milton poses for pictures in front of the Great River Bridges as their families take pictures.

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