A Henry County man has been identified as one of 23 newly identified positive cases of COVID-19 in Iowa, according to a press release today from the Iowa Department of Public Health.



There have now been a total of 68 positive cases in Iowa. To date, there have been 1,049 negative tests conducted at the State Hygienic Lab.



According to IDPH, the locations and age ranges of the 23 individuals include:



• Allamakee County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years) • Black Hawk County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 1 elderly (81 years or older) • Dubuque County, 1 older adult (61-80 years) • Fayette County, 1 adult (18-40 years) • Henry County, 1 adult (18-40 years) • Johnson County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years) • Linn County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle age adult (41-60 years) • Muscatine County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years) • Polk County, 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years) • Pottawattamie County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years) • Story County, 1 adult (18-40 years) • Washington County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)



A status report of monitoring and testing of COVID19 in Iowa is provided by IDPH and can be found here:&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fidph.iowa.gov%2Femerging-health-issues%2Fnovel-coronavirus%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2j-WBb1n4vxCRC8ZWCotD0uupM55UTRa9p7kz0Ax2tDaunTgKFMJBQQzY&amp;h=AT11IyOu6AH7sUJo16NK2djbmJJIEig4_phOkSaOId_91S_OOC4UVTghWK0M2enh8S4aSUcSJyqoiPSNngezkGqVFl8h5XgndAlY21zMwY1pK-2zEh6httpWxxsDjX_qN9rR4T8t6vPgRXfKETG-mneYMlmX1Q-l61VNiKTfDy3QpwIrrKc3oQeanY91jnuuRpUAgvlXH-xtb50cQSlvEZTHcEee0LgGiOvrnOGdNVz_lWkjY11aKPFUE3HQJ6b76fBwJIKz_eLxxmnYypXHHNP-3aSUf6PDEOv_7SxzWZ9kbUMhc1WDDLRabFuR9TMd449sOid-imeaBGAQoDD43RziCIXqBlEDFocl48xDTgvP1VfJHquWWMk6NO2dSVi-dIziJ92f7BSVkYYADCMj4ITB5_TeD25rYQ-ltome7wTJ7qrlwTTIm_Kho0V6Q9tKp-3g5aKN8TseO-xEnESlZnIW3Am6nz7xbtZpEhkYOh_VozMRU4ffSYDSOK7Jgqk2FlqaqQuiws0ZtXk_NEdZ4DJiW-mXMqilXyzLdJ4l5R_xOS0SW2duKuFGSRyyvDDjTZc9xG2gccM85Gz2HFN16oVSBOSuqLyWmKi6mM_NwgKtwIH_rSJNnPZZfwFY0NnyNCv3hSc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://idph.iowa.gov/emerging-health-iss…/novel-coronavirus</a>.



A public hotline has also been established for Iowans with questions about COVID-19. The line is available 24/7 by calling 2-1-1 or 1-800-244-7431. The state of Iowa will begin to share the number of negative tests conducted at outside labs.



Additionally, the most recent press release from the Governor's office suggests that Iowans who have recently traveled out of state should strongly consider self-isolating for 14 days.



Gov. Reynolds will hold a press conference on Sun., March 22 at 2:30 p.m. The press conference will be live-streamed and posted in full on Governor Reynolds’ Facebook Page.

Coronavirus in Henry County; Governor & IDPH Recommend Self-Isolation for Those Who Have Traveled Out of State

Chase Gibb, owner of the Buffalo Tavern and Coal Haus 337 in Burlington and Buffalo 61 Bar and Grille in Fort Madison, said he saw this coming. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker closed Illinois bars and restaurants this week to restrict the spread of coronavirus, and he believed Iowa would follow suit.



‘I’ve had a plan in place for the last three days,” Gibb said in an interview with The Burlington Beacon on Tuesday morning.



However, he still didn’t expect to close the dine-in portions of his three restaurants on a two-hour notice today (Tuesday, March 17). The state closure order applies to a variety of businesses and institutions, including Catfish Bend Casino, the Burlington Public Library and Steamboat Senior Center.



Retail businesses and gas stations, among others, are not yet affected by mandated closures. Jeff Abell, the owner of B-Town Comics and Games, said his business was busy with customers looking for a distraction.



"We've been extremely busy today. People are looking for something to read or a new game to play. We plan on staying open and it's business as usual," Abell said. "These closures have all small businesses worried because we can't absorb a prolonged financial hit like the big box stores."



Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the closure mandate at about 10 a.m. today (March 17), ordering businesses to close by noon. Some still had customers inside who were forced to leave.



“She (Reynolds) lost my vote,” Gibb said.



Gibb understands the safety precaution — he just wishes the decision had been made the night before. He purchased 600 pounds corn beef for tonight’s canceled St. Patrick’s Day celebration.



Since the mandate still allows for food pick-up and delivery, all of Gibb’s restaurants will stay partially open. He’s even offering $10 discounts on orders $50 or more, orders of $75 or more will be delivered within a 10-mile radius of the dine-in locations.



Regardless of deliveries and pick-ups, business will be greatly reduced, and Gibb had to lay off 80 percent of his staff to compensate. Despite having recently purchased the old Sarducci’s buildings to turn into Coal Hause 337, Gibb said he should be able to weather the financial storm.



But a lot of restaurants — especially new ones or those already facing financial hardship — won’t be as fortunate. Gibb said many restaurants survive week-to-week, some barely staying afloat.



“You will see places going under because of this,” Gibb said.



Like most Americans, Gibb can’t quite wrap his head around the financial devastation the coronavirus will leave in its path.



He’s too busy coming up with creative ways to serve his customers — without breaking social distancing rules, of course.



“I have a portable woodfire oven, and it can cook a pizza in 60 seconds, and we are planning on setting up in the parking lot (of Coal Haus 337) in a few days so people can order pizza from us and go on their way,” he said.



Still Popping



Westland Theatre in West Burlington is closed due to the mandate, but Big River Popcorn located inside Westland Mall is still. Unless there is a state mandate, owners Greg and Cody Flietner said it will stay that way.



“We wanted to let you know that Big River Popcorn (thankfully) does not fall under this restriction. We will still resume normal business hours until further notice,” the Flietners said via Facebook.



The Flietners also called on locals to do everything they can to patronize local restaurants, suggesting remote dining and generous tips for service employees.



“We will get through this together and only together we will see the other side of this. Peace and love be with you all!” the Flietners said in the post.



Photos by Anthony Dewitt



 A sign at Orange Ember in downtown Burlington. notifies customers of its closure to comply with a state-mandated two-week shutdown of some businesses and institutions, including Catfish Bend Casino, the Burlington Public Library and Steamboat Senior Center.

Last-Minute Notice Causes Headaches For State-Mandated Business Closures

Photos by Jeff Abell



Treyton Miller, 2, accompanied by his father, Thomas, of Burlington, navigate downtown Burlington in a remote control car perfect for a toddler. The father and son were getting some fresh air on a sunny Tuesday afternoon.

Big Wheels Keep On Turning

As life in Iowa and the nation grinds to a pandemic halt, the Burlington City Council followed President Donald Trump’s lead Monday night by prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people on city property.



The ban due to the coronavirus will stretch until at least into the middle of next month. Also, meetings with groups of 10 people or more in a single room on the city-owned property have been prohibited for the next two weeks.



Mayor Jon Billups said city offices will stay open for the public, and stressed the bans are only for city-owned properties.



But if you can, stay home, Billups said.



“We are trying to encourage electronic or telephone interaction with the city for city business. We remain open,” Billups told The Burlington Beacon after the meeting.



Trump issued a recommendation Monday afternoon against 10-person or more gatherings in response to the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. and throughout the world. The president’s press conference aired shortly before Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds held her own press conference explaining her recommendation to close the state’s schools for the next month.



“We are in the middle of a public health crisis,” Burlington City Manager Jim Ferneau said during Monday night’s council meeting.



Ferneau, who has a family of 11, wryly wondered if he could go back home without violating the president’s recommendation. His unexpected joke elicited surprised laughter from the council, breaking the tension of an increasingly somber meeting.



It was the last council meeting the public will be able to attend for some time. Weekly council meetings are already broadcast online and via local public access, and that will be the only way to watch starting next week. Council members can also participate in meetings remotely.



Trump called for the social distancing of up to six feet, and Ferneau was serious about that recommendation, as well.



“As you can see, we’re not following that here,” Ferneau said from the crowded council meeting table. “That’s why we’re doing this (passing the resolution).”



The city passed three emergency resolutions Monday night. One limits public gatherings (on city property) for the next 14 days, though that could be extended.



The second resolution ensured council meetings and other city meetings would be conducted remotely.



The final resolution, an emergency declaration, gave Billups the power to take swift emergency action as relates to public closures and transit. Billups said the situation could change daily, and he will be following state and national guidelines.



Trump said Monday afternoon that Americans should prepare to stay hunkered down into July or August. There is no timeline on when the rising pandemic will subside.



Burlington Public Library Director Rhonda Frevert said that library programs in and out of the library have been canceled, though the library is still open to the public for check-out. A slew of activities in Burlington and the surrounding area have been canceled already, with more to follow.



Though Illinois has closed down the dine-in portions of restaurants and bars by mandate, Gov. Reynolds has only gone as far as to recommend school closures for the next four weeks. Nearly every school in the state followed suit.



Several fast-food restaurants in Burlington are doing drive-thru only, including Arby’s, McDonald’s and Taco Bell. The list continued to grow Monday night.



The Burlington School District currently is on spring break and has not officially canceled classes beyond that break. The district is expected to make a decision by Thursday, however.



A long list of European nations that have enacted severe country-wide lockdowns, including France, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland. Italy, the worst affected European country, has recorded more than 1,800 coronavirus-related deaths so far and expects some 90,000 infections by the end of April, according to NBC news.



The U.S. death toll climbed to at least 81, with 25 of those deaths associated with the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington.

No More Than 50 People Allowed On City Property For Public Events; Burlington City Council Meetings To Be Televised Only

Burlington City Councilman Matt Rinker is making a run for the Iowa Senate.



Rinker announced his candidacy via Facebook Friday and will be running for Iowa State District 44 Senate as a Republican. 



State Sen. Tom Greene, a Republican from Burlington, will not seek a second term in the Iowa Legislature, leaving open a swing seat that is considered a must-win for Democrats desperate to gain more leverage in a chamber where they are greatly outnumbered.



Greene, elected to represent Senate District 44 in 2016, ousted Democrat Tom Courtney in a surprise upset, riding a Republican wave that swept through the Statehouse and across the country.



District 44 includes all of Des Moines and Louisa counties and part of Muscatine County in southeast Iowa.



Rinker joins an increasingly crowded Senate race.



Tom Courtney, who represented District 44 from 2003-2017, announced in August he was running to retake the seat. 



Rex Troute, a retired journalist and author from Burlington, and Kevin Warth, a farmer from Des Moines County, also are running in the Democratic primary.



Tim Goodwin, a Republican, also filed papers to run for Greene's seat. Goodwin began his career with a community relations position in the NBA. He returned to Iowa to become a teacher and high school administrator. He is now self-employed.



Rinker was elected to the Burlington City Council three years ago and said he will bank on that experience if he’s elected.



“I believe that my experiences as a veteran, small business owner, community leader, and father, have prepared me for this great opportunity to serve our district,” he said in a press release.



Former Mayor Shane McCampbell, who just finished up an 8-year stint on the council, recently announced that he will be running for Des Moines County Board of Supervisors.



Iowa Starting Line Reporter Elizabeth Meyer contributed to this report.

Candidates Line Up To Run For Iowa Senate

The bulls were angry, the cowboys were daring, and the crowd of rodeo-loving fans thrilled as SnowBull took over Memorial Auditorium in Burlington.



The three-day-long, indoor rodeo began Thursday (March 12) and concluded Saturday (March 14). Dozens of the top bull riders from throughout the country took their turns riding 2,000-pound bulls to claim bragging rights and cash prizes.



Photo by Joy Mack

SnowBull Packs Auditorium

It was a wet, snowy, and cold day for a 5K color run in Crapo Park in Burlington.



Yet, they came — more than 300 walkers and runners — sporting relieved grins, green tutus, and big goofy glasses.



The Kiwanis Shamrock Shuffle 5K hasn’t missed a year yet. Saturday’s iteration played host to a massive crowd, even though it was less than half the usual attendance.



Burlington Kiwanis Club president Cassie Gerst wasn’t surprised by the determined locals who showed up. She was grateful, though.



“There are so many diehards who do this year after year,” she said, looking around the Crapo Park Shelter House admiringly.



More than 700 people registered for the color run, their registration fees going to area children. Those who weren’t able to make it contributed as much as the ones who did. Bad weather doesn’t erode good causes.



“We help so many kids with Coats for Kids in the winter months, Christmas shopping with kids at Target, the library’s summer reading program,” Gerst said, noting the club also provides dictionaries and thesauruses to elementary children.



Diehards comprised the core of the Shamrock Shuffle crowd but were peppered by a surprising number of first-timers. Many of the participants said they viewed the run/walk as a final opportunity to enjoy a public event.



“I work at home, and I’m stuck in the house all the time, so this is invigorating,” said Burlington resident Jacque Worden.



The snow was a first for the event, but hardly a deterrent. More like dissolving decorations, clinging stubbornly to wet grass.



“It isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be,” she said.



Worden started walking 5Ks on doctor’s orders, adopting a South Beach diet to address her cardiac problems. Saturday was her first Shamrock Shuffle, but it won’t be her last.



“I used to run in them when I was younger. Now I walk,” she said with a laugh.



Photos by Joy Mack



Photos 1 and 2: A runner is showered with colored powder during the Kiwanis Shamrock Shuffle 5K.



Photo 3: Runners are shown lined up at the start of the Shamrock Shuffle.



Photos 4 and 5: Participants are shown decked out in green for St. Patrick's Day.

The Shuffle Must Go On: 5K Attracts Over 300 Participants

A weekly source for things to do and see in and around Burlington. Only events for the upcoming week will be listed, and submissions for upcoming events will be accepted at burlingtonbeacon@gmail.com.



(Note: Due to the evolving Coronavirus pandemic, all events are subject to change.)



Saturday, March 14



• Downtown Burlington St. Patrick’s Day Celebration will continue until 10 p.m. There will be live music, pop-up shops, giveaways, sales, book signings, food and drink specials and more. Find the event “Downtown Burlington’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration” on Facebook for all the details. • Celtic Night will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Bart Howard Lounge inside the Des Moines County Heritage Center Museum. There will be Irish cuisine and traditional Celtic music from Iowa. City’s Blame Not the Bard. Tickets are $40 and available at the Heritage Center Museum in Burlington. • Closet Witch and Manhattan Blockade will begin playing at 6 p.m. at Wake n' Bake Breakfast Company in downtown Burlington. • Dueling Pianos will be at 8 p.m. at Corked 101 in downtown Burlington, featuring Aaron Lotzow and Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alum Mick Staebell. Tickets are $15.



Sunday, March 15



• Morning Sun St. Patrick’s Day dinner is 11:30 a.m. at the Community Center, serving corned beef and cabbage and more for a freewill donation with all proceeds going to Sunshine Gardens community betterment project. The parade starts at 1:30 p.m. at Division Street. To learn more, call (563) 260-3904. • Mount Pleasant High School Band Concert is 2 p.m. at the school. Admission is free. • Jonas Woodstock and California Jeff will play at 2 p.m. at Washington in downtown Burlington. Bluzillion plays at 6 p.m., and doors open at noon.



Tuesday, March 17



• Eric Pettit Lion will play at 2 p.m. at The Som in downtown Burlington.



Wednesday, March 18



• Burlington Lunchtime Chamber Music will be at 12:15 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. The concerts are free and open to the public. This month features The La Moines Brass Quintet.



Thursday, March 19



• The Almas and Living Lucid will play at 7 p.m. at The Washington. An evening of hard rock, funk rock and “Gypsy Hippie Hillbilly Roadside Revival.”



Friday, March 20



• ReCaptured: A Tribute to Journey will start at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Theater in downtown Burlington. Full concessions, including wine and beer.

Faces and Places

Southeastern Community College President Michael Ash announced Friday morning (March 13) that in-person class instruction at the West Burlington campus is suspended through April 5 as a preventative measure, beginning at 5 p.m. today.



The campus will stay open, however, and classes will resume online after an extended spring break that will now stretch through March 24.



Ash said the suspension is a precautionary measure against the evolving coronavirus COIVD-19 outbreak nationwide, and could possibly extend beyond April 5. He said the college is constantly monitoring the situation and will continue to update the public.



“It is the consensus of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and state and local public health officials that the next month will be critical to containing the spread of the virus,” Ash said.



Classes won’t be canceled, though, just delayed and delivered remotely online. The faculty will report to the college on March 23 and 24 for online training. Classes that already were online will not see a schedule change, and will not get an extended break.



Other Important Points About SCC’s Response to Coronavirus



• Computer labs, library resources, testing centers, and study rooms will be open and available. Hours will be posted to Hawknet and Canvas announcements.



• College large group events and meetings of 50 or more people, both on-site and off-site, are canceled through April 5. Some student activities, clubs, and meetings may still occur. Student activity plans will be communicated from a student club advisor.



• Residence halls will remain open and food service will continue on a modified schedule.



• Adjusted plans for the Great Tastes Event will be released as soon as possible.



• The college will continue to provide free public Wi-Fi, student computer labs, and space for study.



If you have questions, please contact your instructor or the Academic Affairs office (319) 208-5287.

Southeastern Community College Transitioning to On-Line Instruction Beginning March 25

Two months after the Friends of the Depot group officially disbanded, final evidence of their volunteer efforts adorn the top of the historic Burlington Depot building.



Brand new awnings, installed at the end of February for about $20,000, represent every penny the group had left in its coffers — and then some.



“We wanted that to be our last hurrah,” said Tony Dixon, the final president of the Friends group.



Sherwood Company of West Burlington, which installed the awnings at the end of February, donated $700 to make up the shortfall. A fitting gesture toward a group that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through volunteer hours.



“They didn’t have to do that,” Dixon said, expressing his gratitude toward Sherwood Company.



Friends of the Depot was working to raise $42,000 for floor and wall restoration in the depot’s great room last year, but those plans quickly changed.



After a few years of simmering tensions with the city, the group’s mounting frustrations finally led them to disband.



Dixon said the final straw was the city’s now-defunct plant to move the Steamboat Senior Center into the depot building. Dixon and his fellow volunteers learned about the decision unexpectedly during a council meeting.



The city council reversed that decision weeks later and voted the measure down after seniors at the center rejected the plan with their own unanimous vote.



The Friends of the Depot group already had disbanded by then, though, and neither Dixon nor the remaining members have expressed a desire to bring it back. Given how often the depot floods, Dixon understands why the building isn’t always the city’s highest priority, but his heart still lives there.



“I would like to see someone else bring it back,” Dixon said.



Finding that someone else is the problem. At 67-years-old, Dixon, who joined the depot group four years ago, was one of its youngest members. And though he is no longer interested in being a member himself, he is willing to help someone who wants to restart the group.



“We need young blood,” he said.



The Friends of the Depot group has disbanded before, though, only to come back stronger. Read more about the historic Burlington Depot and the Friends of the Depot organization this Sunday only on The Burlington Beacon’s website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.burligntonbeacon.com/?fbclid=IwAR0FwiM_L7rONsBZRJ47jwdOM2ExAdfyOZ4aSu7bCr5k4PVE_nz7jTY8tpo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.burligntonbeacon.com.</a>&nbsp;No paywalls, just local news.



Photo by Jeff Abell



New awnings were installed recently at the Burlington Depot by Sherwood Company of West Burlington. Funds for the installation was the result of efforts by the now-disbanded Friends of the Depot.

New Depot Awnings Serve As Final Hurrah For Friends Group

The bulls are coming back to Burlington, and they’re bringing their much-heralded attitude problems with them.



The annual three-day-long, indoor SnowBull rodeo event returned for its 28th year on Thursday. The rodeo continues Friday, and Saturday at Memorial Auditorium in Burlington.



As advertised, there will be plenty of cowboys looking to grab fame atop thousand-pound beasts anxious to stomp and gore them.



Doors open at 6 p.m. each night with the show beginning at 7 p.m., according to organizers.



Riders will vary each night of the competition, though some will compete multiple nights to get a higher average score. The best cowboys will leave with large trophy belt buckles and slightly larger paychecks.



The SnowBull party won’t stop just because the bulls stop buckin’.



The Friday and Saturday iterations of SnowBull will conclude with an after-party, complete with food and alcohol. The parties will start at about 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, inside the auditorium but after the rodeo action, with each night to feature a musical artist.



Friday night will feature Devin Clemons Band, and StumpTown will play Saturday night.



Of course, you can’t have a rodeo without some mutton bustin’.



The annual sheep-riding event for children ages 3-to-6 will be Saturday at Memorial Auditorium, and the riding begins after registration at 10 a.m. There is only room for so many children, and registration is first-come, first-served.



The sheep riding is part of Saturday Kids Day, which also begins at 11 a.m. and includes goat-tying and face painting.



Tickets vary in price by day and are available at the Memorial Auditorium Box Office. Tickets can also be purchased at the Port of Burlington Welcome Center, Casebine CCU (Burlington and Fort Madison), Pep Stop in Mount Pleasant, Sinclair Fuel in Denmark, and Menn’s Firestone in Carthage, Ill.



For more information, visit the SnowBull Facebook page or the website at&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.burlingtonsnowbull.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR140qhtETycpIukByg4maTcXZawNbgLr-PsIjRntw8eyIFPcgUVXibM8mA&amp;h=AT3KCQQgNg2SEaou-g316ZVsdwkQQGKudqITL3ofEORWnw0KKERxah5i_RETlYXfFpNqvHC1BeacZ8w1L1L1F_vKNyV64dSm5QVnPEiBOVQPRMN3yOI0qNj6aj-QD9LZ_zKWjpyx6b0xU8CirPbAtc9D21JBJPYkVeYJQyxILo5N3zRWCAWTtBp3YMmfKWRltJVMvGu66SrMKgtvrY82aWADjMJjwWTLvqmY4VbtZy739sBEP2GWCWwfZx2e5faKZxme9dm_0qTtg07ANU8xrIwg3-XZtCDtaCHQNq42aVDjykIvQ8Uo27mlv-0iQV_HF1zy2FM5V28kQzwbzHc2b5NozcucqpuSvq80z46fEniELsqNoJG-8-40_Pxp6V8Ki2xUzQO-WT7F47y0p5E1SU4LsxZevMNaRlfAMX3mRefNUhPVCt0VFe6LaPg1M6Yhsx9HZcGrUJ6K7VLgKNe6TE41QQ3W9cb_CQ0smfMGylO8SATWNKccvDdcarBfa2iWUxsQs58PQ6I2j7NynUFBCdpFST0YEE4a6DKH6r-iyMjQpk0keU76y2PVfKoqmWj8aSgaJ19hl36PEQrctXDvcKaaDPb9GiWlEs6EUf6X-WGzaUVMTLRc0zu6wHFj-B_ufgV-q6I" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.burlingtonsnowbull.com</a>

SnowBull Is Back, And Better Than Ever

Down to just China House and the locally-owned Big River Popcorn, Westland Mall’s food court became rather sparse after Maid-Rite vacated the mall in December of last year.



Last Friday, a new restaurant — BASH (Burger and SteakHouse) — opened up in the former Diamond Dave’s location in Westland Mall in West Burlington. There was little planned fanfare aside from social media updates, and the soft opening proved successful.



Owner Pietro Alfano hasn’t had much chance to leave the restaurant since then, doing his best to keep up with increasingly large crowds.



“We’ve been really busy ever since we opened,” he said.



It’s been nine years since Diamond Dave’s closed its doors, leaving only semi-fast food restaurants as mall dining options.



“It took us four months to revamp it. The old Diamond Dave’s was pretty old,” Alfano said.



BASH brings back the casual “dining out” vibe Diamond Dave’s once fostered, enriching it with higher quality burgers. Price-wise, it’s more in line with Applebee’s Bar and Grill. The cheapest burger on the menu, the classic burger with fries, is $9.99.



The most expensive item on the menu is the signature BASH Burger, which costs $18.99 with fries. Instead of standard hamburger meat, however, the patty consists of ground elk, bison, wagyu beef and wild boar, topped with sauteed onions, bacon jam, and the customer’s choice of cheese.



“You want quality, you get a quality burger here. We’re not McDonald’s. We’re not Burger King. This is BASH, it’s something different,” Alfano said.



In keeping with that spirit of commerce-minded defiance, BASH also features signature mac and cheese bowls. There is sirloin topped mac and cheese. Bacon and chicken mac and cheese, or you can build your own from the menu.



“This will bring people back to the mall again. I think we’ll do pretty well,” Alfano said.



Alfano said he’s been doing “pretty well” since he moved to Burlington 10 years ago and opened The Italian at 300 S. Leebrick St. The Italian moved into the former Sarducci’s building (now Coal Haus 337) for a short stint that proved unfeasible, but business has always been good in Burlington.



“I took a chance on Roosevelt, but it was so expensive, I just couldn’t stay in there,” Alfano said.



This is a different kind of chance. Pizza places weren’t as prominent in Burlington when Alfano opened The Italian a decade ago. Facing over-saturation in the market, he knew it was time to pivot, while still maintaining his customer base at The Italian.



“We wanted to do something different. Not pizza. We already have a pizza place,” he said.



Westland Mall offered what Alfano described as “a good deal,” and he got to work immediately. Breezy six-hour workdays, six days a week, turned into 15-hour workdays, seven days a week.



Just like the old days.



Alfano was born into the restaurant business and doesn’t mind the workaholic lifestyle starting new business demands. He just got married a year ago, and his infant daughter has doubled his ambition.



“I have to make that milk and diaper money. I’ve got another mouth to feed,” he said.



For now, BASH is just a restaurant. Starting in about a week or so, it will also be a bar. That will allow the flexibility to stay open for a drink after a late show at the Westland Theatre, or a pre-movie meal. Hours likely will extend to 1 or 2 a.m. on weekends.



BASH already has opened up early for mall walkers interested in a healthy salad, and Alfano hopes to expand those options and possibly engage in a “dinner and a movie” partnership with Westland Theatre.



The Italian, which has been closed as Alfano prepared and opened BASH, will reopen in a week or two, he said.



Photo by Anthony Dewitt

BASH (Burger and SteakHouse) Now Open In Former Diamond Dave’s

By Beacon Staff



It was a beautiful sunny day throughout the area with spring-like temperatures and clear skies. Burlington's riverfront reflected the sunny weather, with views of the Great River Bridge and the BNSF railroad bridge.



Photos by Joy Mack

Sunny View

Two Des Moines County restaurants closed their doors this past week, though one of them will open again under new owners.



The take-home pizza joint Papa Murphy’s, located in the same building as the Fast Break gas station on Gear Avenue in Burlington, closed Tuesday, Feb. 18.



The restaurant Coconuts Cabana, which opened in Mediapolis roughly two years ago, also closed down. The location is expected to reopen under new owners.



The Papa Murphy’s closure came without warning, and several Papa Murphy’s employees said they found out about the closure when they arrived at work that morning.



It was the second Burlington location for Papa Murphy’s, which was originally located in Walmart.



Coconuts Cabana also closed without warning. The management team announced the immediate closure on Friday on Facebook.



“We are in the process of working with some new owners and hoped to stay open during the transition period. However, due to staffing issues, we will not be able to do this. Thank you for all of your support over the last 2 years!” the post reads.

Two Fewer Places To Eat In Des Moines County

Former World Wrestling Entertainment champion Chris Jericho is coming to Fort Madison this August, and he’s leaving his wrestling boots at home.



Jericho’s rock band Fozzy, which he founded in 1999, will be one of three national rock acts headlining the second night of RiverFest on Aug. 6. The four-day concert is held annually in Fort Madison’s Riverview Park, and two more national rock acts for Aug. 6 will be announced soon. The festival begins Wednesday, Aug. 5, and concludes Sunday, Aug. 8.



Jericho, still an active wrestler, just lost the AEW (All Elite Wrestling) world title last week. He currently stars in the weekly TNT wrestling program, “AEW Dynamite,” and was only two years into his WWE career when he founded the band.



Aside from touring the country, Jericho also hosts an annual cruise that features pro wrestling and rock music, including performances by Fozzy. The group’s most popular song, “Judas,” currently serves as Jericho’s ring entrance, and the lyrics are often sung aloud by the audience.



More national acts for the RiverFest stage will be announced soon, and tickets for the four-day festival will go on sale shortly.



Tickets for all four days of the festival, which includes 10 national rock acts and 20 bands in total, are $39 for GA and $67 for VIP. These prices are good until April 18th, at which time they increase to $42 for GA and $72 for VIP.



For more announcements and future ticket info, visit the RiverFest page on Facebook.

Chris Jericho To Rock Fort Madison At RiverFest

A mother and her two sons were able to escape a house fire on Flint Hills Drive Thursday morning thanks to working smoke alarms.



Missy Branton and her two sons, ages unknown, discovered the source of the blaze above the kitchen ceiling. They then promptly fled the structure.



The fire call came in at 9:07 a.m., and Burlington firefighters arrived at 2300 Flint Hills Drive six minutes later to find light smoke inside the single-story duplex. Thirteen firefighters responded, extinguishing the blaze within a few minutes. They stayed on the scene until 10:33 a.m. Thursday.



Burlington Fire Marshal Mark Crooks said in a press release the fire was accidental and electrical in nature. The American Red Cross was contacted for victim assistance.



The duplex, owned by Ron Starkey, suffered $15,000 in damage and was insured, according to fire officials.

Flint Hills Duplex Fire Chases Family Out Of Their Home

Burlington Mayor Jon Billups smells something foul in the air this upcoming baseball season.



“It’s tough for me to reconcile what Major League Baseball is considering,” Billups said, referring to the possibility that the Burlington Bees may be on the chopping block. “Minor League Baseball is where people fall in love with the game.”



The Quad City River Bandits, Clinton LumberKings and Burlington Bees, have uncertain futures as MLB considers reducing its number of affiliated teams



Billups is one of 145 mayors throughout the country who have signed a mayors’ task force petition to protest the possible minor league closures.



As he pointed out, the petition isn’t just for mayors. It’s for everyone interested in saving minor league baseball and can be found at https://connect.chattanooga.gov/mayors-task-force-to-save-minor-league-baseball/?fbclid=IwAR2DThLhAZ6hzyjmBCdtBxgdE-sMVMwBEXoxd9sc2TcT8ROBFJhKEYYi2QE.



“This is bigger than Burlington, but to me, it’s all about Burlington,” Billups said. 



In the MLB proposal, revealed last fall, are plans for 42 minor league teams to lose their MLB parent-club affiliation. Three of Iowa’s five minor league teams were on the initial cut list.



“I will fight tooth and nail to get anything and everything that we can,” Burlington Bees general manager Kim Parker said in a February interview with the Des Moines Register.



The decision is not official, yet. However, without major league team affiliation, minor league teams are likely to fail within a few years, statistics show.



Billups speculated the organization could be using affiliation-loss as a way to cajole cities with deteriorating minor league parks to improve the facilities.



But Burlington and several other cities have set examples for how a ballpark should look, and that’s what Billups can’t understand. Community Field is the opposite of ill-maintained outliers and money makers for the city.



A report from the Iowa Economic Development Authority determined that the Bees support, directly and indirectly, $4.7 million in wages in Des Moines County.



No Reason Given



At this point, all Billups and minor league managers can do is speculate.



“I don’t know what their agenda is because they haven’t given us a reason,” Parker said last month.



MLB has said it aims to improve working conditions at ballparks, cut down on travel and provide better hotel accommodations. MLB officials also are trying to address player compensation, a problem posed by 45 former players in a 2014 lawsuit against the league.



In a statement provided to The Des Moine Register, MLB maintains that affiliate contraction is not its goal. The league also said that it has plans for every affected team, but what that might mean for local clubs that lose big-league affiliations is unknown.



Double Standard in Dyersville



Nearly every Iowan loves "Field of Dreams" — the movie that inspired a tourist destination. In August of last year, MLB announced its intentions to hold its first-ever league game at the Field of Dreams facility in Dyersville.



It’s an interesting concept sure to sell tickets on name recognition alone, and a dream come true for many Burlingtonians. But in light of the proposed cuts, MLB’s promotional move sticks deep in Billups’ craw.



“They’re looking to spend millions in Dyersville,” Billups said.



Former Burlington Bees board member Al Ourth is also disillusioned by the league's decision.



“Does that even meet the criteria?” Ourth asked. “That wasn’t built to be an MLB field.”



On Aug. 13, 2019 — exactly one year before the Chicago White Sox play the New York Yankees in Iowa’s first-ever MLB game — construction began on a temporary 8,000 seat ballpark for the event.



It’s the only major league game that will be played there next year.



The design of the ballpark in Dyersville, including the shape of the outfield and the bullpens beyond the center-field fence, will pay homage to Comiskey Park, which was home of the White Sox from 1910-1990. The right-field wall will include windows to show the cornfields beyond the ballpark, which will overlook the former movie set.



A week ago, Iowa City Press-Citizen columnist Tony Brecht skewered the MLB for its hypocrisy, citing “plans to destroy more than 100 years of actual, not made-for-TV, Iowa baseball history.”



The Legacy of Burlington Baseball 



There was professional baseball in Burlington long before Community Field, a history dating to 1889. The team was then known as the Burlington Babies, sticking around for a single season before returning in 1895. The team stayed in the area for another two years before leaving yet again, returning in 1904 as the Burlington River Rats of the Iowa State League.



Pro baseball left Burlington a third time from 1917 to 1923, and when the team returned in 1924 with the Mississippi Valley League, it started using the Bees as a nickname.



The original Community Field burned to the ground on June 9, 1971. It took two years to rebuild the stadium, with temporary seats used during construction, but no games were missed.



The stadium was upgraded in 1999, including new bleachers and box seating, followed by a much more extensive 2005 renovation that made use of more than $1 million from the Vision Iowa fund. Among the additions to the 3,200-seat stadium was a new press box and canopy behind the home plate. The cost of the renovation came in about $3 million.



The Class A Burlington Bees have brought a half-dozen Midwest League championships to Community Field since 1949, the most recent in 2008 and 2009.



“I would hate to see baseball leave Burlington,” Ourth said.



Submitted photo



Community Field is shown prior to a Burlington Bees game on a warm and sunny summer day.

Mayors Work To Save Minor League Teams

There are a lot of restaurants in Burlington, collectively covering a world’s worth of cuisine.



But British native Tony Alexander of Burlington has something they don’t - an authentic English palette and a lifetime’s worth of cooking experience he can use to share it.



“I think there’s a niche for it. People don’t know about British food,” Alexander said.



Tony Alexander and his wife Dawn recently purchased the defunct McConnell Cafe on North Fourth Street. In March, they will reopen as The Major Oak, an authentic British restaurant.



At night, when the restaurant closes down around 8 p.m. or so, Alexander will encourage patrons to stay and drink. He’ll take his guitar on stage, and perform with a few friends to lend to the serene atmosphere.



“A slice of England in Burlington,” Alexander said.



The Menu



So what is a British menu, besides the overly-obvious (but certainly available) bangers and mash and fish and chips?



“The best in British and European cuisine,” Alexander said. ”We will be serving breakfast, lunch, and evening dinner.”



It means Indian curry, a British staple, as well as an expanded European menu available on theme nights and, of course, Shepherd’s Pie.



“The place is going to be transformed, and will resemble a good old English pub,” Alexander said.



From England to Burlington



Born in Nottinghamshire, England, Alexander moved to Burlington in 2011 to marry Dawn. He is known as a local crooner who sings throughout Burlington.



However, regulars at the McConnell Cafe have known Alexander as the man behind the counter, where he has worked the past four years. Alexander managed several restaurants and pubs in England before coming to America and feels at home behind the tap.



Running his own place was one of those old childhood dreams he thought might never be realized. But it was music that first captured his soul, and it still hasn’t let go.



“I was crazy about the Beatles and Elvis Presley,” said Alexander, who recently got to record his own album at Sun Studios. “Elvis was my idol.”



Alexander spent three years in the Royal Artillery, boxing as a light-middleweight while playing in various bands until he went solo in 1986. He’s worked a gamut of jobs, and through it all, he cooked for himself.



It’s a skill his mother taught him at age eight. Now it’s more than a skill, but a passion, amongst many.



“I’ve always enjoyed cooking,” he said. “And Dawn is really good with pastries. She’ll be making those.”



An old English telephone already is sitting at the bar, but the doors to the restaurant remain closed as Tony and Dawn scramble to get ready for a soft opening late next month.



On the bar sits a black and white picture of the restaurant’s namesake — the giant tree from Sherwood Forest that hosted Robin Hood and his merry men.



Alexander hopes his new place proves just as comfy and companionable.



“I just want this to be a place where people can come and stay for a while. You don’t have to just eat and leave,” he said.



Photo by Joy Mack



Photo 1: Tony and Dawn Alexander of Burlington pose for a photo inside their new business, The Major Oak, in downtown Burlington.

British Restaurant To Open In Downtown Burlington

Native American eagle dancer Rudy Vallejo shared ancestral dances of the Pottawatomie and Kickapoo tribes Friday at Sunnybrook Assisted Living Center in Burlington. Vallejo, a member of the Kickapoo tribe in Kansas, also discussed his tribe and showed residents his collection of war hammers.



Photo by Joy Mack

Vallejo Brings Ancestral Dances to Sunnybrook

Two men were shot late Sunday night in Burlington, both in the leg.



Neither gunshot wound proved to be life-threatening, and the Burlington Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division has launched an investigation.



Burlington Police Sgt. John Stirn said the shooting occurred shortly after 10 p.m., with the initial call directing officers to the 2300 block of Washington Street.



The men, who have not been identified by police, were taken to Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. No further details have been released.



Stirn encouraged anyone with information about the incident to call Burlington Area Crime Stoppers at (319) 753-6835 or the Burlington Police dispatch at (319) 753-8366.

Two Injured In Sunday Night Shooting

Stanley Baldwin was found guilty of willful injury Tuesday morning in the beating death of Burlington resident Eddie Breuer.



Baldwin, one of four people police say were involved in the March 2019 beating death of Burlington resident Edward "Eddie" Breuer, faces up to 10 years in prison. His trial began last week at the Van Buren County Courthouse in Keosauqua.



Baldwin denied involvement in the crime and decided to represent himself, dismissing his publicly appointed defense attorney last year. Baldwin petitioned to have the proceedings moved out of Burlington so he could get a fair trial, given how well known Breuer in the city.



Majestic Malone and Markell Price, both of Burlington, were convicted in August of second-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of Breuer.



Known for his geniality and tendency to ask strangers for spare change to buy a soda, Breuer was a couch-crasher and constant face around Burlington. He was found beaten outside an apartment building on 404 Acres St. on the evening of March 17, shortly after visiting a friend on the first floor.



Owen Laird, who was 15 at the time of the beating, testified against Price and Malone in August, and also talked about Baldwin’s alleged role. Laird testified to seeing Baldwin break Breuer’s finger in the alley with a large, red pipe.



Baldwin could not be called as a witness since it would have impacted his own trial.



Laird was moving into the upstairs apartment at 404 Acres St. at the time of the beating, and Baldwin, who was a friend of Laird’s, allegedly found Breuer inside the apartment. Laird’s high school friend, who drove him to 404 Acres St., testified Laird was visibly agitated and struck Breuer several times.



Laird himself testified to hitting Breuer and admitted to murdering Breuer when police arrived. He later recanted that admission and the prosecution believed Baldwin convinced Laird to take the fall and call the police.



A sentencing hearing is expected to be held in the next few weeks.

Baldwin Found Guilty in Beating Death of Breuer

By William Smith



Salvation Army Lt. Dennis Jolly, 29, knew he would never meet another woman as perfect as his future wife, Kelly Summit.



She’s the only woman who has ever understood him. Really understood him, right down to the core.



“We both knew we liked each other, but it took him nearly a year after we left (Salvation Army) training to ask me out,” Summit said.



The two had instantly become best friends upon meeting during Salvation Army training two years prior. Like Jolly, Summit, 33, has a passion for ministry and helping the poor. They’ve worked with each other plenty, their leadership styles locking like puzzle pieces.



But they also shared the little things that make love blossom. An obsession with the TV show “Gilmore Girls,” and the ability to make each other laugh. 



They also share the comfortable audacity to tell each other the truth.



“She always tells me the truth, even when it’s ugly. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” Dennis said. “She accepts me for who I am — all my flaws, all my weaknesses.”



Three years after meeting his soulmate, Dennis was still unable to profess the truth of his love. He had felt the same way about her since the day they met, but finding the courage to risk rejection can be an insurmountable life trial for many bachelors.



“I wasn’t sure he was really into me, because it took him so long,” Kelly said, causing Dennis to look sheepishly at the floor.



Love finally won the day over fear. All it took as a few nervous sentences, and an even more pensive question.



“I finally upped my game and asked her out,” he said. “I upped my game again last May and asked her to marry me.”



The two Salvation Army lieutenants tie the knot next month, and after the honeymoon, Kelly will be joining her new husband in leading Burlington’s Salvation Army. Dennis already has been a fixture in the community for the past few years.



Right now, Kelly lives in St. Louis, making for a long-distance relationship they both can't wait to shorten. They were stationed at different posts throughout the country after completing training, yet still kept in close contact, even before dating.



If he hadn’t mustered the courage to test her weekend plans, Dennis and Kelly still would have remained good friends.



“I’m really biased here, but I think she’s wonderful,” Dennis said.



Dennis usually gets nervous meeting new people, and by his own admission, his shyness sometimes comes across as disinterest. Confiding doesn’t come naturally, except when he is with Kelly.



“He’s also really strong and has been through a lot in his life. I love the way he supports me. He challenges me to be a better person,” Kelly said.



To an unfamiliar eye or anyone who happened to see their Valentine’s Day marriage announcement on Facebook, their union would seem almost preordained.



They share the same rank as Salvation Army officers. Kelly’s parents are Salvation Army officers, as are her grandparents. His mother is a former Salvation Army officer, as well.



Despite her family's involvement, Kelly didn’t want to be a Salvation Army officer — not for much of her young life. Unavoidable expectations caused Kelly to rebel against the family legacy.



Her idea of rebelling was helping the less fortunate in a different way.



“I denied the calling for a lot of my life, and so I went to college and I wanted to work overseas at a non-profit thing,” she said.



God gave Kelly the freedom to explore her options, as did her family. She never felt pressure from either, and both were waiting for her when she finally heard the call.



"When I got the call, my family was like, ‘We know.’ They always knew,' " she said.



Unsaddled by the Salvation Army lineage but still faintly connected to it, Dennis didn’t face any expectations. Yet he gravitated toward his mother’s former profession at an early age and made it his own. 



Dennis got the calling at age 15 and worked as a Salvation Army intern growing up in Michigan. He then worked at Salvation Army thrift stores. Then rang the bell at Christmas. Whatever needed to be done.



Earlier this year, Dennis headed up completion of the Salvation Army headquarters in Burlington.



“Everything I did was to get in the Salvation Army,” he said.



For those not as familiar with the Salvation Army, it can be easy to forget that Kelly and Dennis are pastors, which is the tradition for officers heading up a region. And like many pastors, they are subject to the needs of the church. There is no set amount of time for an appointment.



In other words, the future Mr. and Mrs. Jolly has no idea where they will be months and years down the line. 



“We’ll go anytime, anywhere, wherever God wants us through the Salvation Army,” Dennis said.



Home, and subsequent happiness, will travel with them, decorated with kindness and laughter. For now, that home is in Burlington.



“We laugh a lot,” Kelly said.



Shown in the photo (from left to right) Majors Randy and Sue Summit, Lt. Kelly Summit, Lt. Dennis Jolly.

Finding Love In God, And Each Other

Cascade Bridge is once again barricaded, and permanent replacement fencing is due to arrive next week.



But the seemingly eternal question of what to do with the 123-year-old bridge is still being probed by environmental planning firm Impact 7G. The bridge sits on the National Register of Historic Places, connecting downtown Burlington to Crapo Park.



Impact 7G was hired by Burlington to gather public input about the fate of the historic structure and is encouraging residents to fill out a survey by the end of the month.



The options boil down to three — restore the bridge, tear it down and build a new one, or just tear down the bridge without replacing it. Impact 7G estimates the rough cost a new bridge would be $3 to $5 million, while a restored bridge would be $6 to $9 million. The non-profit group Workin’ Bridges, which is only looking at solutions that would preserve the bridge, estimated rehab at a much cheaper $4.7 million.&nbsp;



Impact 7G estimates it would cost $250,000 to demolish the bridge, regardless of what happens after. The city closed the bridge to vehicle traffic in 2008, deeming it a safety hazard, then closed it to pedestrian traffic last year, citing the rusted structure as a falling hazard.&nbsp;



A Burlington man had to abandon his Jeep on the bridge this past weekend after bursting through the barricades when his brakes failed. But one vehicle is hardly an adequate stress test, especially for rehab plans that would reopen the bridge to regular traffic.&nbsp;



The online survey on Impact 7G’s website includes questions about where the bridge should rate for city projects, ways people would like to access Crapo Park and questions about how public dollars should be spent or if taxes should be levied.



A compendium of information about the bridge, as well as the Impact 7G survey, can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.burlingtoncascadebridge.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1wSv1rXQwB0jAUOHiyVRd-iSKoooCmYURwLP-QUkxWcMBCQnmKZfDnHCE&amp;h=AT2CI_DA64vdLSM5j3ePtg7cDfX4sbbvIdgFTJkUzClHMiI8S4NvSKWzuY2zNOIjEm2uzi_m8N0xgFU5KEDt_mquuvVd4uL-rmDYqgzIuAcW2vbMv9ghro618ZUxYJ_b1KIpQDPypD2nk6WaUNMyfh2iK8jXNrXNF9XMKwDKqo3XRbRMkbWbWmRO5f7EolCec4f8eqA9OPsFRaAWi3t5SkruK8C_XQar4MzFYrRKnxIgGa4YQYW-NDWRgUhJT7gKWJyfyEIi9SefikhXFn8o7NSP9A9T_ogO_Pftyrk2GPvDdNmlWfLkvDrOzIYbQej1-U4q_4WwN9N2aRBKAT46zrAW1PUnwo6Y6-KbxM4SB1IkZ66rH4-Wn8dQI9DsM5bAflgLw8UOK46wzK3_Icj8uGsObwnRhwUowxTjKXiLUaW5ln8HJTCjQ_QVm7s4ke5Hby_vZ7B-dyaLz8Dfv0vuoVMlvqdVXyQisrJ9rS7KbA0S5ByCME1fp1_fwgwoYAhtm8OsSXbS8rsKqk9Q3ImIyeD1v9xfJsexct956VnF2czTZwXIIoqzrWC4tt1eys1LTfczhIWeA-R0vDo-v0O4nHksXdXlAh8KVwWsIeR40d8yAPZxGcxd4q0cuEEtxKDUS5NQ2yTdA2dzGvYTA2Hk5AE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.burlingtoncascadebridge.com</a>



The site includes past engineering reports, historical documents, a brief slideshow presentation, and a project description. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Public Works building at 3510 Division St.



To go directly to the survey, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BQH3CXQ?fbclid=IwAR0grNEwTcUgwnuGZy7BuXv-L74F8n_mz23fkoeYbMMOqdySKn4IijDjSa4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BQH3CXQ</a>



The survey will close to public input on March 1 and will be followed by a public meeting.

Residents Have Until End Of The Month To Steer Cascade Bridge’s Fate

Caeser Davison Jr. was declared not guilty Thursday of first-degree murder in the 2017 death of Burlington resident DeMarcus Chew.



Though the Des Moines County jury cleared Davison of murder, it did convict him of assault causing serious injury and conspiracy to commit murder. He faces up to six years in prison for both charges.&nbsp;



Davison was accused by the prosecution of shooting Chew seven times and was the last of five men to be tried in Chew’s death.



Davison’s trial began at the end of last week, just two days after a jury convicted Emmanual Spann of first-degree murder for Chew’s death. The other three men accused in the murder — Andre Harris, Derrick Parker, and Antoine Spann — plead guilty to other crimes related to Chew’s death.



A sentencing date for Davison has not been set.

Davison Found Not Guilty of Murder

A Burlington man drove over Cascade Bridge late Friday night when the brakes on his 1996 Jeep Cherokee failed, then left it there until the next morning.



Burlington police found the abandoned vehicle, still sitting on the bridge, shortly before 8 a.m. Saturday. They also found footprints leading away from the vehicle.



The driver, 29-year-old Nathan Mueller, returned to the scene at about 11 a.m. after police contacted him. The vehicle was then towed away without incident.



Mueller, who drove through the barriers on the north side of the bridge and collided with the barriers on the opposite side, was cited by police for striking fixtures and failure to maintain control of his vehicle.



The jeep rolled backward after hitting the south barriers, coming to rest exactly 779 feet south of Main Street and Cascade Boulevard



Mueller told police he panicked in the aftermath of the accident and walked away from the scene. The 123-year-old bridge has been closed to traffic for more than a decade and is also closed to foot traffic due to safety concerns.



Police say Muller caused $2,000 worth of damage to the barriers cordoning off the bridge and $1,500 to his own vehicle.



Photo courtesy of Chelsea Stevens

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