JANUARY: A sparkling glaze of hoarfrost blanketed the Eldridge gazebo and everywhere Jan. 4, 2021.
JANUARY: After 40 years of police service, including 36 for the city of Bettendorf, Long Grove resident Bruce Schwarz officially retired mid-December from his position as school resource officer at North Scott High School, a job he held for four years. “I couldn’t tell you of a single challenge I’ve had at North Scott,” said Schwarz. “Everything has just been so positive. It’s just that people out here get it, both students and staff, and that’s not the case everywhere else. Out here, people are willing to listen to you.”
JANUARY: A fixture in the McCausland business community changed hands in January, but customers of Steve’s Auto Sales would continue to see familiar faces. After 50 years, Steve and Michele Lindle were ready to retire from their automotive sales and service shop, and found the perfect buyers — their daughter, Heidi Holst, and their grandson, Brady Ernst.
JANUARY: Twenty-five girls were on the roster of North Scott High School’s history-making wrestling team. The Lancers sent 14 to the Girls’ State Wrestling Tournament in Coralville, where they definitely left their mark. Sophomores Khylie Wainwright (126) and Jorie Hanenburg (152) earned top-12 finishes, just one off the podium. Others securing wins included Natalie Naber (120), Brooklyn Strief (138), Kara Rohlf (126) and Madison Ahrens (152). Also wrestling at state were: Avala Faber, Marin Smith, Kyleigh Westlin, Anna Hodge, Paige Westlin, Caelan Long, Madison Ahrens and Isabel Ordaz-Varisce. The team was coached by Tony Yates, Brian Thomas and Andy Straley.
JANUARY: COVID claimed the life of longtime Eldridge city hall worker Kristi Ernst. She had worked for Eldridge for 15 years.
FEBRUARY: North Scott senior Deven Strief seriously injured his knee at a wrestling meet at Solon High School. With hopes of making it back to the state wrestling meet, he was no stranger to overcoming adversity. Deven had been diagnosed with a rare disease at the age of 2. He underwent numerous blood transfusions, and received a bone marrow transplant the summer after he finished kindergarten. Fully recovered from aplastic anemia, he went on to excel in wrestling, and made the podium at the state tournament his sophomore and junior years.
FEBRUARY: The Lancer wrestling team rolled to back-to-back MAC titles. Senior Josh Connor (pictured) and juniors Trace Gephart and Peyton Westlin were repeat individual champions. All 14 Lancers placed in the top five, including runner-up finishes from Aydan Cary, AJ Petersen, Joey Petersen and Kade Tippet.
FEBRUARY: Scott County Secondary Roads crews had plowed and salted for 48 days in a row since New Year’s Day. “It’s like Groundhog Day for our motor grader operators,” said county engineer Angie Kersten. “They’re out there all day picking ice off, then go back the next day, and it’s the same thing all over.”
FEBRUARY: Nick and Brittney Edwards took over the Eldridge trampoline park that had opened in 2016 as Helium. The new Play Station would keep the familiar trampolines, climbing walls and other attractions, and the Edwards planned to introduce a maze, slides and more interactive features that were working well at their Cedar Rapids location.
FEBRUARY: Less than a week after qualifying for the state wrestling duals, North Scott wrestlers punched their ticket to the state tournament by winning the Class 3A District 1 team title and claiming five individual champions and qualifying a total of eight wrestlers for state. All 14 Lancers garnered top-four finishes. District champs were: Trace Gephart (113), Josh Connor (138), Peyton Westlin (145), AJ Petersen (182) and Joey Petersen (195). Deven Strief (160) finished second after forfeiting his final match. Seth Madden (170) also finished second, and Cael Straley (126) would also head west with his silver-medal finish.
The Lancers went back-to-back with a prestigious fourth-place finish at the state duals, and then brought home six medals from the individual state wrestling tournament, finishing ninth in Class 3A as a team.
FEBRUARY: The old Petersen Building on South Third Avenue at East LeClaire Road in Eldridge was demolished to make way for the $14 million North Scott YMCA, financed by the school district and city of Eldridge taxpayers.
FEBRUARY: North Scott’s boys’ bowling team booked its fifth trip to the Class 2A state tournament in Waterloo. The girls’ team finished third in the district meet. At state, Lancer senior Dylan Elam (pictured) finished second in the individual standings with a 490 series. The team finished sixth.
MARCH: Ninety-five county residents signed petitions challenging Board of Supervisors member John Maxwell’s eligibility to serve as a North Scott school board member at the same time. At a special hearing, 22 residents came to defend Maxwell’s service on both boards. Five others commended his service, but said the roles – not the man – create a conflict that should convince a three-member panel to end Maxwell’s supervisor service.
MARCH: North Scott buses moved to a new transportation center. The 22,250-foot warehouse at Scott Park and East LeClaire roads has a new fueling station for the district’s propane school bus fleet, which would soon outnumber its diesel buses.
MARCH: North Scott’s archery team hosted a mini state tournament in The Pit after the Iowa Department of Natural Resources decided that the state tournament would not be held in Des Moines due to COVID, but qualifying schools were able to create a state shoot and then submit scores. In the four-team mini-meet, the Lancers shot a program-best 3,302 to top Anamosa, Bellevue and Marquette Catholic.
MARCH: The Lancers booked their third straight trip to the Class 4A girls’ basketball state tournament with a 69-41 win over Fairfield. North Scott opened with a win over Central DeWitt, but lost in the semifinal to Glenwood, finishing fourth. Senior Ashley Fountain was named to the Class 4A all-tournament team, as well as the second-team, all-state team. She also earned first-team all-MAC honors. Sam Scott was a 4A third-team all-state selection and second-team all MAC. KK Farnum, Hattie Hagedorn and Lexi Ward earned honorable mention.
MARCH: Lancer boys’ basketball team’s season ended one game short of the state tourney with a 62-40 substate loss to Dubuque Senior. Senior Landon Eiland was a first-team all-MAC selection after leading the Lancers in scoring at 12.6 points per game. Junior Ollie Hughes was a second-team choice. Earning honorable mention were Drew Kilburg, Carter Markham and Canon Guffey.
MARCH: Scott County auditor Roxanna Moritz announced her early retirement after more than 20 years in elected leadership.
MARCH: Ryan Gale stepped into some very big shoes as the 32-year-old became North Scott’s new School Resource Officer. A five-year veteran of the Eldridge Police force, he replaced Bruce Schwarz. “I was scared to lose Bruce, because Bruce I just amazing, and I thought it would be tough to replace him,” said NSHS principal Shane Knoche. “However, Ryan reminds me of a young Bruce. He cares about the kids, and goes above and beyond what he probably has to do … He’s the right man for the job.”
MARCH: North Scott school board and Eldridge city council members meeting separately took the final steps toward construction of a YMCA by March of 2022. Both panels approved an $11,824,795 contract with Russell Construction — well below the $14 million funding target approved by nearly 3,000 voters in the March 3 referendum. The ceremonial groundbreaking took place on March 30.
MARCH: Rita Hart of Wheatland conceded her six-vote loss to Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the November 2020 election for Iowa’s Second Congressional district race. Hart supporters claimed 22 votes were not counted which would have made Hart the winner.
APRIL: More than 300 filled North Scott Junior High bleachers at a school board forum to debate lessons of privilege and sensitivity. Students and parents raised clear concerns, while others generally commended the district. Almost all agreed the district communicated poorly about the lessons, and especially about racist bullying at the junior high that prompted a special assembly.
APRIL: “COVID is not done with us,” was the message of new Scott County health director Amy Thoreson. Countywide, 406 new cases were reported the first week of April. Thoreson took the top job after 22 years in the department. She replaced Ed Rivers, who retired in March.
APRIL: Lancer Productions debuted a brand new musical, Disney’s “Descendants: The Musical.” The show thrilled the high school auditorium audience. In June, it won seven Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, including the program’s highest honor, Outstanding Musical Production. Individuals receiving recognition included: Outstanding Performance in a Principal Role awards for Elena Kook, Tara Poinsett, and Owen Popelka; Special Recognition for Performance in a Principal Role for Cooper Frank and Hannah Noonan.
APRIL: New CNA classes at North Scott put students to work on promising healthcare career paths. “I’m a people person, especially with kids, and I’m interested in pediatrics,” said student Molly Engler. “I love hands-on learning, and being in the classroom all day isn’t really my jam, so nursing was a perfect fit.”
APRIL: Senior Night April 7 was extra special for Marquan Quinn, a member of North Scott’s track team who lost his mother just before Christmas. As he walked down the track with his sisters and father, he was surprised to find a group of Lancer moms there to support him with hugs and flowers.
APRIL: Three new deputies and three new jail officers were sworn in as part of the Scott County Sheriff’s Department’s largest expansion ever.
APRIL: Princeton council members approved a new mobile home park ordinance that will set annual inspections and registrations, and extend state and local nuisance codes to a trailer park at 600 N. U.S. 67. Police chief Brian Carstens, who used to work at the property, said, “We get a lot of activity. There are a lot of good, working people living there. And we’ve had a few others, too, who make it look bad for everybody.”
MAY: Eldridge Police chief Dave Kopatich announced his decision to retire after weeks of responding to inquiries for police department records from city administrator Lisa Kotter and councilman Bruce Cheek. While those requests may have triggered the chief’s spur-of-the-moment decision, they were just the final straw. Civil unrest across the country and the public’s seemingly negative perception of law enforcement had also taken their toll. “Every cop will tell you the same thing, and it’s not going to get any better,” said Kopatich. “That’s why I can’t wait any longer.”
Veteran police Sgt. Joe Sisler accepted council appointment as interim chief at a contentious meeting.
MAY: Walcott mayor John Kosticheck cut the ribbon on an improved Wescott Park ball field. Walcott Hearts and Hands Foundation raised $46,000 and secured in-kind donations from contractors for new fences, dugouts and a deeper field.
MAY: What would become a Western-worthy showdown at Eldridge’s city hall began at a council meeting to launch a search for the city’s new police chief and address administrator Lisa Kotter’s overdue performance review, with a shout-down from council member Bruce Cheek and half a dozen residents critical of mayor Marty O’Boyle’s leadership.
Council member Adrian Blackwell said that meeting was like no other in his 10 years on the council. “We as a city have not had concerns before, until now. As a whole, we’ve always been a tight-knit group working together in the best interests of this community. We may not always agree, but we leave personal differences aside, and make sure we’re doing what’s right for citizens.”
APRIL: estigious Drake Relays in 10 events. Grace Graham qualified in four events: high jump (9th), 100 hurdles (30th), and shuttle hurdle(12th) and 4X100 (9th) relays. Joining her on the shuttle hurdle unit were Alyssa Atzen, Sydney Skarich and Kaci Johnson. Madison Ahrens, Savanna Bruck and Athena Nelson filled out the 4X100 entry. Skarich also competed in high jump (11th), and Nelson ran the open 100 (17th). The 4X200 team of Madison Ahrens, Mercie Hansel, Maddie Gill and Athena Nelson finished 22nd.
Making the trek to Des Moines from the boys’ team were Will Kruse in 110 high hurdles (22nd); Owen West in the open 800 (8th); and Darnell Butler, Hunter Davenport, Dane Treiber and Miles Robertson on the 4X100 relay team (26th). Sam Skarich qualified in the high jump (9th).
MAY: In girls’ golf, sophomore Elle Loehr finished seventh to lead the team to third place in the MAC meet at Kewanee Dunes.
MAY: The following week, it was time for the district track and field meet. The Lancer girls ended up qualifying nine individuals and six relay teams, while the boys qualified eight individuals and five relay teams — a school-best 25 events in which North Scott athletes would be competing at state.
State qualifiers included: Girls – Caelan Long, discus; Grace Graham, high jump, shuttle hurdle, 100 hurdles; Sydney Skarich, high jump, shuttle hurdle relay, 4x400 relay; Athena Nelson, 100, 4X200, 4X400, sprint medley; Mercie Hansel, 100, 4X200, 4X100; Alyssa Atzen, shuttle hurdle; Kaci Johnson, shuttle hurdle, distance medley, 4X100; Jorie Hanenburg, shot put; Anna Dickman, distance medley; Payton Morrison, distance medley, 4X400; Bailey Boddicker, distance medley; Madison Ahrens, 4X200, long jump, 4X100, sprint medley; Maddie Gill, 4X200, 4X400, sprint medley; Savanna Bruck, 4X100, sprint medley.
Boys – Lowen Krueger, shuttle hurdle; Marquan Quinn, shuttle hurdle, 4X200; Andrew Chizek, shuttle hurdle; Will Kruse, shuttle hurdle, 110 hurdles; Sam Skarich, high jump; Zach McMillian, discus; Brandt Williams, discus; Dane Treiber, 200, 100, 4X100; Cael Straley, 4X800, 4X400; Will Dowda, 4X800, 1600; Dylan Dufloth, 4X800; Logan Soedt, 4X800, 4X400; Darnell Butler, long jump, 4X200; Hunter Davenport, 4X200, 4X100; Miles Robertson, 4X200, 4X100; Dom Miller, 4X400; Owen West, 4X400, 800.
MAY: Scott County supervisors appointed former Davenport council member Kerri Tompkins to succeed retired auditor Roxanna Mortiz. Tompkins won support of the board's GOP majority. Democrats launched a petition drive to call for election and planned further challenges.
MAY: North Scott History Day national finalists included: Madison McNealey, Mackenzie Bohr, Calla Brunkan and Peyton Wenck. Seventeen junior high and high school students competed at the regional level for NHD, individually and in groups. First-timers Charlotte Madden and Emily Stutting advanced to state competition.
MAY: Groundbreaking took place May 27 at 600 Slopertown Road on a 49,000-square-foot plant for TCC Materials, a nationwide firm based in Minneapolis that makes, packages and ships bagged concrete.
MAY: Lancer medal winners from the State Track and Field Meet in Class 4A: The girls’ team finished 18th overall. Shuttle hurdle relay, 5th; 4X200 relay, 8th; Grace Graham, 2nd in high jump; Madison Ahrens, 4th in long jump; Syd Skarich, 7th in high jump.
The boys’ shuttle hurdle relay team finished just outside of the medal stand with a ninth-place finish.
MAY: North Scott assistant superintendent Michael Kline was hired as superintendent at North Polk schools, leading a four-school district of about 2,000 students north of Des Moines.
JUNE: Following girls’ basketball coach T.J. Case’s resignation in late May, his longtime assistant coach, Devvin (Rolston) Davis was handed the head coaching reins. “I’m just ready to get to work,” said Davis. “I’ve been kind of waiting these last few weeks and seeing how the process is going to go, and I’m really grateful that they are trusting me to take on this role.”
JUNE: Eldridge council members met in closed session past midnight, then scheduled another closed session two days later to address the city administrator’s evaluation and pay raise. In late June, Lisa Kotter was awarded all back pay while her performance review continued.
JUNE: After its cancelation in 2020, along with most other local summer celebrations, the Long Grove Strawberry Festival returned. Former mayor Jack Hill served as the annual parade’s grand marshal. Three hundred and thirty-three registrants participated in the Strawberry Stampede, held as a two-day event as a COVID-19 precaution.
JUNE: Roma Taylor retired after 41 years of service to the Scott County Health Department, as the leader against communicable diseases.
JUNE: After a three-year wait, the Lancer girls’ soccer team returned to the Class 2A state tournament with a 2-0 regional final win over Iowa City Liberty. Sadly, the team lost in the quarterfinal game to Norwalk, 3-2.
JUNE: Staff cheered from Lancer Stadium bleachers as North Scott schools held the annual employee appreciation celebration outside. The June 9 observance combined 2020 and 2021 anniversaries and retirements. This year’s retirees were Deb Ulrich, Doris Martin, Lana Buswell, Bev Mausser and Mary Allensworth. Lois Keppy retired in 2020 after 45 years with the district.
JUNE: Shane Bostrom was held on charges for drugs, child endangerment, obstruction of justice and possession of drug paraphernalia following the June 10 shooting death of his wife, Jessica Bostrom, at a home they rented on West Davenport Street in Eldridge. In November, prosecutors added a first-degree murder charge and dropped the obstruction misdemeanor.
JUNE: Countryside Community Theatre returned to North Scott Fine Arts Auditorium’s stage to present “The Music Man.”
JUNE: Dairy farmers from across the nation gathered at Cinnamon Ridge Farm near Donahue for an industry summit, seminars, demonstrations and an online Jersey auction.
JUNE: Girl Scouts Olivia Uhlenkamp, Arabella Miller and Dana Web earned Bronze Awards for designing and building six bridges for Scott County Park’s bike trails. The six-foot-long bridges make it easier for cyclists to navigate over eroded and mucky spots.
JULY: Grand marshal Luella Wiese, along with Don Hamann and Alberta Gilbert, were selected to lead the July 9 sesquicentennial parade exactly 50 years after all helped lead the 1971 centennial celebration.
Luella and her late husband Bob, or Mr. Eldridge, as he was known, were charter members of Faith Lutheran and ran the downtown hardware store.
All remembered a caring community. “It seemed like everyone was always working together on everything,” Lu said.
JULY: Hamann is a retired Central Trust and Savings Bank executive who lives in a West LeClaire Road home next door to his childhood home. He drove his Model T in the 1971 Centennial parade, and rode in a lead car for the sesquicentennial.
Gilbert took active roles in this year’s Sesqui and Moonlight Chase. In their NSP interviews, both shared memories of 1940s outdoor projection movie nights on lumber benches in downtown Eldridge.
JULY: The Moonlight Chase events drew 1,065 runners to kids’ quarter- and full-mile races, as well as the full 4-mile chase.
Nate Petesch, of LaCrosse, Wis., won the men’s division by finishing 20:06. He registered as John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.
Cal-Wheat freshman Noelle Steines, of Calamus, finished at 25:14 to win the women’s division
JULY: Scott County supervisors hired Eldridge assistant city administrator James Martin to be the county auditor’s new elections supervisor. Martin served Eldridge 10 years managing zoning, development and other areas.
Mark Ridolfi
JULY: Eldridge council on July 19 named Joe Sisler as police chief, almost four months after Dave Kopatich’s retirement. The 10-year veteran of the Eldridge force pledged more community outreach events. “The citizens and our officers deserve a chance to get to know each other, especially in today’s era of law enforcement,” he said.
All council members commended Sisler, and authorized a $82,787 annual salary, about $4,000 less than Kopatich. The council also hired new officers Michael Skocinski and Brandon Pate to bring the department to full staff with 10 officers.
JULY: North Scott schools brought Carrie Lane back as White Elementary principal. She’d taught and coached 24 years at North Scott before taking an administrative post in the Camanche district for three years.
JULY: Walcott Days roared back July 17 with food, games, a parade and the incomparable outhouse races. McKenna Ware was the 2021 queen and Ashlyn Burt was princess.
JULY: Ken Klindt welcomed visitors to his Maysville home July 3 for a Country Garden Walk to benefit his hometown fire department. Firefighters responded to the Klindt farm in 2020 when Ken suffered an appendicitis attack. The garden walk was a thank-you. “Ken and Judy brought the idea up to us,” fire chief Dave Arp said.
JULY: Jane Cronkleton, of Donahue, celebrated her 100th birthday July 31 with a Mass and meal at St. Ann’s Catholic Church.
JULY: Scott County sheriff’s deputies relied on a drone’s thermal imaging camera to nab a shooting suspect hiding in a ditch. Deputies deployed the drone July 24 near the site of a New Liberty shooting. Taurus K. Puckett, 47, remains in Scott County Jail and has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and two other felonies.
JULY: Countryside Community Theatre presented “Newsies!” July 30 and 31 at North Scott Fine Arts Auditorium.
JULY: Lancer baseball season ended July 21 in a “heartbreaker” loss to No. 6 Dubuque Hempstead, capping a 26-14 season. Junior pitcher Sam Skarich, junior catcher Ryan Campbell and sophomore outfielder Noah Young earned first-team All-MAC honors. Junior Ryan Sanders was a second team selection at second base.
AUGUST: Eldridge swore in two new police officers Aug. 2, and council members began talking about expanding the 10-man force. Michael Skocinski and Brandon Pate joined the force. Chief Joe Sisler promoted Andrew Lellig to sergeant, and Brandon Pate to corporal.
AUGUST: Lancer golfer Jack Gomez teed off at the John Deere Classic Pro-am July 5. The 14-year-old’s debut on the PGA course follows a golf passion developed through the First Tee program since he was 7.
AUGUST:
Park View Lutheran Church members celebrated 18 years of quilting ministry. Members Janice Thomsen and Shirley Mirfield founded the group. Mirfield passed away in June. Trish Horn, Jo Miller, JoLynn Pawloski, Denise Weiss, Kay Hartwig and Dee Paulsen welcome new members to their twice-monthly get-togethers at the church.
AUGUST: North Scott softball sophomore Teagan Kelley (pictured, left) was named the MAC’s top catcher after batting .431 in conference games. She drove in nine runs and threw out five base stealers. Sophomore pitcher Maddy McDermott and senior third basemen Paige Westlin made the second all-conference team.
AUGUST: The International Softball Congress fast-pitch tournament drew players from across the globe to Sheridan Meadows Aug. 14-21. Teams from the U.S and Canada included 37 Argentinean, nine Mexican, six New Zealander, and five Australian players, as well as hundreds of traveling fans. Eldridge agreed to host the event after Canadian pandemic restrictions ended plans for a Kitchner, Ontario tournament. Players honored the late Larry Koberg, known as “Uncle Larry,” through his years of dedication to the sport and the Walcott Lampliters. He passed away in July.
AUGUST: Eldridge council members on Aug. 9 placed city administrator Lisa Kotter on paid leave while they investigated harassment allegations made by city building inspector Ray Nees. The action came after council members were split on her evaluation, given nearly a year late.
Council members hired an employment investigator for up to $5,000 to examine Kotter’s allegations.
AUGUST: Hundreds of Scott County kids returned to the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds to resume 4-H events suspended because of the pandemic. NSP editor Scott Campbell returned for his 35th fair to capture their achievements in a 28-page section, featuring 130 photos of 4-H winners.
AUGUST: Steve and Michelle Martens took over management of the DeWitt Operahouse Theatre from Ben and Laura Miers. Michelle and Laura are lifelong friends.
AUGUST: Lancer musicians made up almost half of the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Youth Jazz Band for the 50th anniversary of the Bix festival. That included Joe Drahozal, trombone; Nolan Blodig, alto saxophone; Lex Adkisson, guitar; Alex Upmeier, tenor saxophone; Kyle Skinner, bass; Andrew Skinner, drums; and George Behnke, piano.
AUGUST: A time capsule assembled for Eldridge’s sesquicentennial went underground in Weise Park a month later. Council members gathered to bury the steel container created by Eckart Engineering. Inside, city staff placed five editions of The NSP, pandemic artifacts including a face mask and vaccination card, and photos of the Lancers’ 2021 championship football team. The plan is to dig it up at the Eldridge bicentennial, July 28, 2071.
SEPTEMBER: Donahue celebrated its sesquicentennial Sept. 4 and 5 with a Pioneer Days party, Ducky Dash, parade and fireworks. Organizers auctioned a commemorative quilt made from 20 years of Donahue road race T-shirts.
SEPTEMBER: Bob Hintz headed up McCausland’s Labor Day parade as grand marshal. Hintz ran the car show for 20 years at McCausland’s annual festival.
SEPTEMBER: Indiana police arrested Eldridge resident Dylan Diericx, 35, for felony child neglect charges after a 4-year-old died in his care. Brantley Welford was enrolled at Children’s Choice after moving in with his mother, Tori Tanner Welford of Eldridge.
She’d left the boy in Diericx’s care on Aug. 15. The truck driver took the boy on a trip to Indiana. LaGrange County, Ind. Deputies arrested Diercx Aug. 23, when they found Brantley dead in the cab while parked in Shipshewana, Ind. Deputies reported extensive injuries, including fractures, cuts and bruises.
SEPTEMBER: A procession of Scott County first responders visited 17 fire and police departments on a Sept. 11 memorial tour observing the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The procession included a steel beam salvaged from the tower. The caravan ended at the LeClaire Fire Station, where the beam is anchored in a permanent memorial.
SEPTEMBER: Coach Kevin Tippet’s North Scott Lancer football team was ranked No. 1 in Class 4A after opening the season with wins over Davenport North, Western Dubuque, Davenport Assumption and Cedar Rapids Xavier. Next up for Homecoming was the Iowa City Liberty Lightning.
SEPTEMBER: Coach Taryn VanEarwage's Lancer volleyball team was ranked No. 1 in the state, and would advance to the state semifinals at Cedar Rapids.
SEPTEMBER: Retired North Scott educator Frank Wood, Nick Hansel and Stephanie Eckhardt challenged incumbents Donn Wilmott, Tracy Lindaman and Mark Pratt for three seats on the North Scott school board.
SEPTEMBER: Eldridge council member Frank King launched a mayoral campaign against 12-year incumbent Marty O’Boyle. April Rus, Tisha Bousselot and Dan Collins also announced campaigns for council against incumbent Brian Dockery.
SEPTEMBER: Scott County wrapped up restoration work on West Lake Park. The $4 million plan launched in 2019 deepened Lake of the Hills and surrounding lakes, stabilized shoreline and added fish habitat. Conservation department director Roger Kean expected rainfall to fill the lake by 2022.
SEPTEMBER: Eldridge residents Patrick and Jodi Reid bought the former US Bank building at 220 W. Davenport St., Eldridge. They launched renovation of the building into the Thrive Professional Building. Patrick said he plans to move his Davenport business, Plan2Thrive, and add office and retail tenants.
SEPTEMBER: Dan Kilen’s rugby passion launched at Luther College in the late 1970s fueled global career in club rugby with the Quad City Irish from 1981 through 1989. Kilen was inducted into Iowa Rugby Union Hall of Fame this year. Dan, “was just fast,” former teammate Dave Sarafin said. “If he was in the open field, it was no contest.”
SEPTEMBER: Scott County medical director Dr. Louis Katz advised masks in classrooms at a Sept. 15 forum hosted by county supervisor Ken Croken at the Scott County Library in Eldridge.
SEPTEMBER: Amazon’s $250 million, 640,000-square-foot warehouse arises just south of Eldridge in some of the last available space in Davenport’s Eastern Iowa Industrial Center. Scott County supervisors on Aug. 3 encouraged the Greater Davenport Redevelopment Commission to partner with surrounding towns to find more industrial and commercial development property.
SEPTEMBER: LGPA golfer and North Scott class of 1992 alumna Beth Bader celebrated her 2020 induction into the Iowa Golf Association Hall of Fame at a Sept. 25 ceremony in Des Moines. Bader competed for a decade in the LPGA, earning over $1 million in prize money. She’s already in the North Scott, Iowa State University and Quad-Cities sports halls of fame.
SEPTEMBER: North Scott Chamber members cut a ribbon commemorating Bish’s RV opening in Eldridge Sept. 14 at 2000 E. LeClaire Road.
SEPTEMBER: North Scott High School crowned Ella McLaughlin and Tyson Haedt as homecoming queen and king.
The court included queen candidates Elly Carlson, Mackenzie Bohr, Riley Collins and Kylie McCabe, and king candidates, Ollie Hughes, Ryan Campbell, Dane Treiber and Trey Feddersen.
OCTOBER: Eldridge city council members terminated city administrator Lisa Kotter Oct. 4 following a four-hour council meeting that filled the community center.
In September, the full council authorized employment investigator Annette Snyder to follow up staff complaints against Kotter, and Kotter’s complaints against a council member and city building inspector Ray Nees.
OCTOBER: On Oct. 4, Snyder presented her report to the council. Snyder found no evidence of Kotter’s claims of sexual harassment, and discounted Nees’ complaints against her.
But the investigator said all employees she interviewed had concerns about Kotter.
“It was almost immediately apparent that Ms. Kotter has fostered a hostile work environment,” Snyder wrote.
Snyder also disclosed that council member Bruce Cheek asked her if he could pay to see the report in advance.
“I believe he is 100 percent contributing to the hostile work and retaliatory work environment employees are feeling today,” Snyder wrote.
Cheek and council member Frank King voted to keep Kotter. But a council majority of Brian Dockery, Bernie Peeters and Adrian Blackwell voted to terminate her under the terms of her contract.
Kotter dismissed Snyder’s findings.
“Ms. Snyder was hired to investigate the complaints filed by Nees and Kotter, not make a recommendation on my future path in Eldridge,” Kotter wrote.
OCTOBER: The council on Oct. 4 also suspended building inspector Ray Nees for a week without pay. The suspension is for his rude behavior to a resident seeking help and rezoning for her new home site. Ashley Atkins said Nees belittled her, and sent a damning email to her Rock Island Arsenal employer about the rezoning matter.
The city's zoning board later allowed Atkins to proceed with her plan.
OCTOBER: Colin Engelbrecht’s Polish rabbit won best of show at the Iowa State Fair. Colin is the son of Corey and Erin Engelbrecht. He was among 51 Scott County 4-H members to win blue ribbons at this year’s state fair.
OCTOBER: Suzy VenHorst was named to the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame for 20 years of service to the Scott County Extension Council.
OCTOBER: Iowa state troopers arrested Eldridge police officer Andrew DeNoyer Sept. 28 on felony, third-degree sexual abuse charges for a crime against a 14-year-old while on duty as an Eldridge officer. Eldridge police chief Joe Sisler visited DeNoyer at his home Sept. 27 to accept his resignation hours before the arrest.
OCTOBER: The Ohl Strong Foundation provided 30 gift cards of $500 this year to patients being treated for pancreatic cancer. The foundation is named for Dr. Brent Ohl, a North Scott alumnus who succumbed to the disease in 1996 at age 48. Genesis Health System this year joined Unitypoint Trinity Health Foundation as a sponsor.
OCTOBER: Deere employees began picketing Oct. 14 on 210th Street outside the Davenport plant as part of the UAW strike against the company. Scott County chief district court judge Marlita Greve later issued an order restricting picketers to just two at each entrance to the Davenport plant.
OCTOBER: Lancer Productions presented “Bertha, the Beautiful Typewriter Girl,” Oct. 28-31 at the high school auditorium. Grace Hamann played the title role in the melodrama set in the 1930s. Michael Kintigh played villain Daniel Desboro Desmond, whose son, David (Thomas McCarthy) is in love with Bertha.
OCTOBER: Scott County Conservation deputy director Marc Miller retired after 20 years with the department. Miller led many county park projects, including the restoration of West Lake Park’s lake system, which wrapped up this year.
OCTOBER: Cross country runners Faith Nead and Bailey Boddicker secured their third straight trip to the state Class 4A meet with strong performances at district meet. But their squad missed a team invitation by a single point.
Boys’ cross country runner Luke Crawford became only the second Lancer since 2006 to qualify for the state meet. Crawford’s 12th place finish at the Oct. 20 district meet was enough to advance to state.
OCTOBER: Lancer quarterback Grayson Juel’s 27 touchdown passes set a school touchdown passing record over former Lancer Matt Sacia’s record of 20. Volleyball remained his main sport, but North Scott doesn’t field a boys’ team. So Juel also volunteered as manager of the Lady Lancer volleyball team and worked out with the girls. “If you can block Grayson, it just proves to yourself that you can block anyone as long as you put your mind to it,” senior Gracie Graham said.
OCTOBER: North Scott Junior High students filled their gymnasium and cheered wildly for visitor Chris Nikic, the world’s first person with Down’s Syndrome to complete an Ironman competition. That’s a full 26.2-mile marathon, a 2.4-mile swim and a 112-mile bike ride.
OCTOBER: McKenna DeCap raised this year’s Iowa’s Supreme Champion Breeding Beef Heifer, awarded at the Iowa State Fair. McKenna, the daughter of Mike and Stephanie DeCap, of rural Donahue, is in her ninth year of competition. She and her champion Simmental breed, Karen, sat out the Mississippi Valley Fair competition. They captured the breed division title the Iowa State Fair Supreme to advance to champion judging. Karen displayed wonderfully through five hours of competition, at least until she won. That’s when Karen kicked the judges.
“I wasn’t nervous taking her to State Fair, but when she starts kicking the judge, it’s kind of embarrassing,” McKenna said. “Finally, when the judges came back after, she backed away, I shook their hands, and I just started crying.”
OCTOBER: Master woodcarver Tom Gleich has produced more than 2,000 chainsawed creations, many from his Walcott studio. Gleich recounted his 37 years of projects, including Majestic Hope, the iconic crane statue he created for Davenport’s Vanderveer Park.
NOVEMBER: Lisa Kotter filed a lawsuit Oct. 28 against the City of Eldridge and council member Brian Dockery, asking for her job, and fines and fees against the city. Her suit claims Dockery’s vote for her termination should have been barred because he was named in her harassment complaint. An investigator hired by the city said Kotter’s harassment claim against Dockery had no merit.
NOVEMBER: Eldridge United Methodist Church welcomed veterans for a Nov. 10 service commending American soldiers who served in Korea. Church pastor Rev. Jae Hee Lee, a native of Korea, said she grew up thankful for American soldiers who defended her country against the Chinese.
NOVEMBER: Eldridge resident Salvador Castaneda won Eldridge council rezoning of his property at 219 N. First St. for a coffee shop.
NOVEMBER: The Decorah Vikings’ touchdown pass with just 26 seconds remaining lifted them 14-10 over the Lancers, ending North Scott’s hopes for a second consecutive 4A state championship.
NOVEMBER: Retired North Scott educator Frank Wood won election to the school board with incumbents Tracy Lindaman and Mark Pratt. The three finished ahead of challengers Nick Hansel and Stephanie Eckardt, and incumbent Donn Wilmott.
Voters ended Wilmott’s service, which included launching the district’s support for the YMCA under construction in Eldridge, and leading the district’s legislative lobbying efforts in Des Moines.
NOVEMBER: Eldridge council member Frank King won the mayoral election with 55 percent of the vote over three-term incumbent Marty O’Boyle. The longtime friends split over the future of former city administrator Lisa Kotter, whom King supported in council meetings. King pledged a return to live-streamed meetings, like the council held in 2020. “There’s young blood coming into Eldridge. They’re the ones buying the new homes, with kids in school. They want to be more involved with their city,” King said after the election.
Incumbent council member Brian Dockery, and challenger Dan Collins won council seats over challengers Tisha Bousselot and April Rus.
NOVEMBER: North Scott senior Grace Veach qualified for her fourth and final state meet as a member of the Pleasant Valley swim team. Veach swam 200-meter relay, 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke.
NOVEMBER: North Scott class of 1970 alumna Dr. Edie Copley conducted the Diamond Jubilee 75th Annual Iowa All-state Music Festival in Ames. Copley represented the Lancers at the 1970 jubilee and was thrilled to return. “This concert is really a big deal, as they are commissioning composers to write new works for all three ensembles, including the chorus, band and orchestra. It’s a real honor,” Copley told The NSP.
Twenty-three Lancers earned all-state recognition, with 19 participating in the 600-voice all-state chorus, including three-timer Kaitlyn Wood.
NOVEMBER: The Mississippi Valley Fair board elected Jon Lafrenz as board president.
OCTOBER: Walcott Elementary alumnus Ralph Bluedorn reunited some members of his 1966-67 junior high basketball team that excelled in its first season within the Davenport school district. Bluedorn, and former team members Ronald Dengler and Randy Moeller, joined Kurt and Kyle Arp, the sons of late member Dana Arp at the school Nov. 8.
NOVEMBER: Larry Charles Henson pleaded guilty to bilking the Small Business Administration out of millions to cover losses he incurred a decade ago as president of the former Valley Bank. Federal prosecutors say Henson falsified loan applications to earn SBA backing that left taxpayers covering $34 million in losses.
Indicted co-conspirator Barry Slater pleaded guilty a week later to wire fraud conspiracy charges. The former head of Vital Financial Services, of Clive, conspired with Henson to submit phony loan applications that were guaranteed by the SBA.
NOVEMBER: More than 100 police officers, firefighters, friends and family filled the Eldridge community center to see 4-year-old Hudson McKearney sworn in as honorary police officer. The son of Jessica and Kyle is being treated for a leukemia diagnosis and dreams of one day being an officer.
DECEMBER: NSP readers joined North Scott residents grieving the death of Cynthia Crain. Mom to Reese, Taylor and Aundrea; wife to Cory; and heartbeat to our NSP staff. She died unexpectedly Nov. 23 after experiencing autoimmune complications earlier in the year.
DECEMBER: Hometown Holidays returned to downtown Eldridge Dec. 3, after the 2020 drive-thru version at the Scott County Library. Hundreds filled Second Street from the fire station to the Eastern Iowa Baking Co., with more gathered around the Franklin Street gazebo for music and carriage rides. Connie Braet and Luminous Dance Force entries won the wreath contests. The wreath raffle and donations raised $750 for the food pantry.
DECEMBER: St. Ann’s Knights of Columbus presented big checks to North Scott schools’ special needs programs and the North Scott Food Pantry. A $6,000 check for special needs was raised by a Tootsie Roll drive. A $16,500 check for the pantry came from the 13th annual golf outing. Since 2009, the Knights have donated $62,000 to special needs, and $128,000 to the pantry.
DECEMBER: North Scott Silver Shakers created a Hallmark ending to a grim two-week path to the state pom title Dec. 3 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. The path began with a season-ending injury to senior dance captain Hannah Bain. Then they grieved the death of Cynthia Crain, mom to sophomore Shaker Reese Crain, and Shaker alum Aundrea.
“These girls deserved some really happy and exciting news after a long and tough season. More than anything, it was a little ray of sunshine to show them their hard work had paid off,” coach Lindsey Ambrose said.
DECEMBER: North Scott FFA earned a national chapter award and three members earned FFA degrees at the national convention in Indianapolis. The chapter award reflects a three-star rating for community engagement, including an annual farm harvest, mentoring program, and helping The NSP host candidate forums.
Collin Costello, Dalton Hanenburg and Katie Seeman received American FFA degrees, an honor earned by fewer than one percent of all members.
“All three of the recipients believes in a vision of excellence, showed great character and led our FFA chapter selflessly,” chapter advisor Jacob Hunter said.
DECEMBER: Davenport Industrial Railway this year became the contracted operator of the city of Davenport transload facility, a $19 million taxpayer-funded rail project intended to spur economic investment in the area. Railway co-owner and operator Steve Berish, of Cleveland, Ohio, hoped to draw more shippers to transfer truckloads to railcars for shipment to and from the transload yard.
DECEMBER: A single performance of The Nutcracker filled the North Scott High School Fine Arts Auditorium as Releve’ Youth Ballet Co. presented its third annual holiday ballet presented by Tina’s Dance Studio and Tumbling Center.
DECEMBER: Marty O’Boyle adjourned his last meeting as Eldridge mayor Dec. 20. Frank King was sworn in, along with reelected council member Brian Dockery and new council member Dan Collins.
DECEMBER: Volunteers at North Scott area churches packed 600 shoeboxes with gifts for Operation Christmas Child. Cornerstone Baptist collected enough for 400 of the boxes, continuing a tradition it joined in 2014. Northridge Christian rallied 150 volunteers to pack boxes, filled with gifts bought with $5,400 in donations from 27 area business and 10 individuals.
DECEMBER: Josh Kane won the North Scott school district spelling bee Dec. 14. “Ceramics” was his winner, the 79th word in eight rounds involving 30 students. Josh advances to the regional spelling bee at Augustana College in March with North Scott building bee winners Grissom fourth-grader Charlotte Beydler; Shepard fifth-grader Samantha Mussack; Glenn sixth-grader Logan Harris; Armstrong sixth-grader Brylee Rathe; Ed White sixth- grader Dana Webb; and junior high eighth-grader Sedi Beydler.
DECEMBER: Eckart Engineering in Eldridge celebrated this year’s North Scott apprentices J.J Kennedy and Ryler Piett, and Pleasant Valley apprentice Nick Hammes. The students weld Eckart products shipped to manufacturers worldwide.
DECEMBER: Santa found four new babies at Donahue’s annual fire station Christmas celebration Dec. 12. Hudson Wolfe, Leo Harvey, Evelynn Nylin and Olivia Smith made their first visits.
