Obituaries
SPORTS

Kruse goes for 20 in Crusaders' win

Seeing the heights on Highland’s roster was enough to convince Holy Trinity girls basketball coach Shawn Hopper that Adalyn Kruse was going to have a big night. He was right. Kruse scored 20 …

Hawks waiting for their luck

The exhaustion made Taylor Hickey smile. Central Lee lost to WACO 52-45 in Thursday’s SEISC Shootout game at Holy Trinity’s Shottenkirk Gym, but the way the Hawks fought on defense …
CORALVILLE – Fort Madison’s Mara Smith guaranteed herself at least an 8th-place medal at the IGHSAU girl’s state wrestling meet Thursday. Smith will wrestle Friday morning, trying …
LEE COUNTY - Holy Trinity’s girls basketball team will open the postseason at home, while Central Lee is on the road for its opener. Pairings for Class 1A, 2A and 3A were released by the Iowa …
LEE COUNTY NEWS
Lee County News

FM students place at first-ever state bid-calling event

Southeast Iowa Students Shine in Inaugural Iowa FFA State Bid Calling Invitational**   **Des Moines, IA – February 8, 2025** – Southeast Iowa was well represented in the first-ever …

For the Record

For the Record - Monday, Feb. 10, 2025

Fort Madison Police Report 02/05/25 – no activity reported. 02/06/25 – 12:44 p.m. – Fort Madison police responded to a report of a larceny/theft in the Fort Madison area. Keokuk …

Opinion

We need those wand things - not MRIs

I’m beginning to think an MRI is in my future. I hate the thought of that because I’m claustrophobic. I had some back issues a few years ago and a specialist said, “Well, we need to …
EMPTY NEST - By Curt Swarm

The Ghosts of Groundhog Day Past

Like thieves in the night, Groundhogs were our enemy when growing up on the Maple Hill farm west of Monroe.  Those little pigs dug tunnels around the foundations of farm buildings and made quite a …

Graber was the "best of us"

Fort Madison lost one of its true leaders this week. True in every sense of the word – as a lawmaker, as a spiritual leader, a financial advisor, a veteran, a volunteer, and above all else a …
Education News

Fort Madison junior/senior high school releases honor roll

FORT MADISON - The following is the second quarter honor roll for Fort Madison Jr/Sr. High School. Pen City Current congratulates the students and staff on these academic accomplishments. A …

Arevalo wins Special Recognition at Quincy Art Fair

QUINCY – Fort Madison's Iris Arevalo received a Special Recognition Award at the annual Quincy Art Center. Arevalo's Blooming, in oil pastel, was one of three to receive the honor. The Quincy …

Central Lee High School releases 1st semester honor roll

DONNELLSON - The Central Lee High School has released its first semester honor roll. Pen City Current congratulates the students and staff on their accomplishments. Principal Scholars 12th grade: …
LATEST NEWS
FORT MADISON - On 02/08/2025, at approximately 1611 hours, Fort Madison Police Department was notified of a fire on the back porch of 2730 Ave. J in Fort Madison. During the investigation, a …
Bill Denly, 81, of Farmington, Iowa, passed away at 4:25 a.m. Thursday, February 6, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love for the outdoors, the thrill of the hunt and the deep bonds of family and …
FORT MADISON – A senior housing project that was unveiled last week at a city commission meeting got an early nod from the Fort Madison City Council Tuesday night. The James Block Apartments, …
Bonnie Jean Morrison, 94 years, of Fort Madison, Iowa died Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at the Birkwood Village, Fort Madison, Iowa.  She was born February 17, 1930 at Bethel, Missouri, a …
Dean William Walker, 71, of Warsaw, passed away on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Dean was born on August 13, 1953, in San Diego, California, the son of …
Health News
Trump ices federal funding
LEE COUNTY – A federal freeze on grants, including local government grants, has Lee County officials searching for answers about how the freeze will affect local grants in place. The largest, …
Construction on the Lee County Health Department/EMS facility is fully underway despite the cold temperatures. An update provided Monday said roofing is near completion on the EMS bays and walls will be ready to go up after flooring is finished this week. The project received another $250,000 donation from the North Lee County Community Foundation Monday.
North Lee foundation gives another $250K to LCHD/EMS build
LEE COUNTY – The new Lee County Health Department/EMS facility got another boost from a local non-profit Monday. At the regular meeting of the Lee County Board of Supervisors, now being held at …
County EMS looks at substantial rate increases
LEE COUNTY – A consulting firm contracted by Lee County to look at the county’s ambulance service may have triggered a substantial increase in ambulance rates. At Monday’s regular …
Business News
The architectural renderings of the James Block Apartment development in the former Lincoln Elementary were presented to the city's Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday night.
City hears details on new apartment plans
FORT MADISON – Fort Madison residents aired some concerns Tuesday night about the former Lincoln Elementary School playground. A resident who lives on the block said she has encountered heavy …
Explosion rocks IAAP in Middletown
MIDDLETOWN, Ia. - Around 9:30 a.m. today there was an explosion at Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown, Iowa.  The explosion occurred in the ammunition production area.  Due to the …
Charley Huebner and Rainer Johnson, sophomores at Fort Madison High School, and members of the Fort Madison FFA & Ag Department, are preparing for the Iowa FFA Bid Calling Invitational with the guidance of Corey Fraise, President of the Iowa Auctioneers Association and local Owner/Auctioneer of Fraise Auction and Real Estate, and Terry Hoenig, Vice President of the Fort Madison FFA Foundation.
Local students compete in Bid Calling Invite
FORT MADISON – Two local students from Fort Madison High School, Charley Huebner and Rainer Jonson, are set to showcase their talents in the upcoming Iowa FFA Bid Calling Invitational. Both …