Ameren Illinois lineworkers are headed back to the world stage. The company says five journeyman teams and four apprentices have qualified for the 2026 International Lineman’s Rodeo after strong performances at a recent play‑in event at the Decatur Training Center.

The Rodeo, held in Bonner Springs, Kansas, brings together top lineworkers from around the world to compete in high‑precision events focused on safety and technical skill.

The Ameren Illinois journeyman teams advancing include:

Brian Courtwright’s team from Decatur and Marion
Clint Dasenbrock’s team from Effingham and Mattoon

Apprentices representing Ameren Illinois include:
Caleb Brune, Centralia

The 2026 International Lineman’s Rodeo takes place in October and features events such as the hurtman rescue, pole climb and a series of mystery challenges. Competitors are judged on safety, technique and efficiency — the same standards they face on the job every day.

Apprentices also complete a written exam to demonstrate their technical knowledge and readiness for advancement.

DEARBORN COUNTY, Ind. (WKRC) — Authorities in Indiana have arrested a man wanted for a break-in at a Tri-State business.

Pig Candy BBQ said the break-in happened at their location on Kellogg Avenue earlier this week. Employees say 44-year-old Chad Snider let himself into a rear gate that is used for deliveries and got away with tools and equipment.

Cincinnati Police sent out an alert asking people for help in finding Snider on Friday. He was arrested Saturday for a separate incident and is currently in the Dearborn County jail.

Snider is not currently charged with anything related to the robbery.

The third and final day of the Iowa high school state track and field championships saw more event winners crowned in addition to eight team titles being handed out.

The action took place from Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, as the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union co-sponsored the event.

Plenty of state meet and Iowa all-time bests fell during the first and second days of competition earlier this week from the Blue Oval.

Records Set Right Off The Bat On Saturday

In the very first event of the final day, Mount Ayr broke the Class 1A girls sprint medley relay state meet record, going 1:47.80. Chloe Robb, Brittlyn Nickle, Aubree Shields and Emma Reynolds comprised the quartet, as runner-up Edgewood-Colesburg also broke the previous state mark.

Pella Christian followed, breaking the Class 2A state record in the sprint medley relay at 1:46.04 behind Lexi Terpstra, Amaia Agre, Meredith Van Wyk and Bailey Vos. They would also set a new 4×100 record and 4×400 record.

But it was Ankeny that shattered both the Class 4A record and the Iowa all-time best, laying down a 1:43.06 for gold. Charlee Cibula, Lilly Buckley, Lena Bruening and Morgan Fisher posted the time, as Waukee Northwest also broke both marks by going 1:43.30.

The Grundy Center boys set a new sprint medley relay record in Class 2A at 1:31.47 with Pete Lebo, Hayden Geerdes, Judd Jirovsky and Brayden Davie running. Jirovsky will chase a state golf title next week.

Incredible Meet For The Waukee Northwest Girls Track And Field Program

Waukee Northwest got its all-time Iowa best and Class 4A state meet record in the girls shuttle hurdle relay, topping Valley with a 58.61 to the 58.92 by the Tigers. Katie Willits, Alayna Schulte, Lily Twigg and Faith Johnson ran the time.

The Wolves later set a new all-time and state meet record in the 4×100 and did the same in the 4×400. 

In the boys shuttle hurdle relay, Lynnville-Sully’s Ashton Rozendaal, Carsen Kottenstette, Connor Deal and Sawyer Veldhuizen broke the Class 1A mark and Pella’s Logan VanDenBroek, Benjamin O’Halloran, Grant Finken and Caiden Johnson did the same in Class 3A.

Iowa City West’s foursome of Ely Smock, Waleed Ibrahim, Cade Towler and Ryder Gorsh went faster than anybody, though, finishing in 55.39 to shatter the Iowa all-time and Class 4A state meet record.

More relay records were reset by the Treynor boys in the 4×100, the Dubuque Wahlert Catholic girls in the 4×400 and the Clear Lake boys in the 4×400.

The Valley boys set a new Iowa and Class 4A mark in the 4×100 at 40.84 behind Greg Sayee, Trent Grevengoed, Miciah LeLaCheur and Joseph Alexander.

In the final race of the day, Cedar Rapids Prairie broke the Iowa and Class 4A mark in the 4×400, going 3:13.17 behind Kade Erickson, Jayden Stumpff, Jacob Krambeer and Drew Bennis.

Canaan Dunham Gets The Better Of Quentin Nauman

A distance rivalry that has spanned four years and two different sports was on full display for the final time in the Class 3A 800-meter run.

Pella’s Canaan Dunham bested close friend Quentin Nauman of Western Dubuque for gold, going 1:50.61 to the 1:51.22 by Nauman. Both will be competing at the NCAA Division I level next, as Dunham is headed to Tulsa and Nauman to Oregon.

Nauman did get his revenge later in the day, topping Dunham for the 1,600-meter title.

Several Individual Event Records Reset

Rachel Kacmarynski of Pella Christian set a new Class 2A 100-meter record at 11.70 and the 200 at 24.08, Elise Coghlan of Adel ADM did the same in the 100-meter hurdles in Class 3A and Morgan Karr of Valley set a new Iowa all-time best and Class 4A mark in the 100 hurdles, going 13.53.

A few minutes later, Hayden Carlson of Ankeny added his name to the history books, setting a new Iowa and Class 4A record in the 110-meter hurdles, going 13.52.

Lili Denton of Council Bluffs St. Albert broke the Class 1A 1,500-meter run mark, as did Evelyn Moeller from Mount Vernon in Class 3A and Emerson Vokes of Grundy Center in the boys Class 2A 1,600.

Eight Team Championships Handed Out

Throughout the three days of competition, points were scored in event finals, with the Top 8 earning points. Those points were added up, with trophies going to the first, second and third place teams in each class and each gender.

On the boys side, Riverside Oakland won in Class 1A, as Van Buren County and Iowa Valley were right behind. Alburnett held off Grundy Center for the Class 2A title, with Treynor finishing third.

Pella completely dominated a stacked Class 3A division, scoring 105 points. Clear Lake was second with 64 followed by Western Dubuque with 56. Cedar Falls jumped to the top in Class 4A, with Bettendorf and Waukee Northwest second and third overall.

Edgewood-Colesburg claimed the girls Class 1A title over Mount Ayr and Council Bluffs St. Albert, as the Class 2A crown belonged to Pella Christian with 78 points. Mid-Prairie was second and Spirit Lake third.

Mount Vernon, Adel ADM and Pella battled in Class 3A, with Mount Vernon finishing atop the standings with 67 points. Adel ADM had 60 and Pella 55. Waukee Northwest was as dominant as anybody, scoring 150.5 points in Class 4A, as Cedar Falls and Ankeny placed second and third overall.