Mt. Pleasant News

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsNEW LONDON ? The state fire marshal will be in New London today to investigate two recent residential fires in the community, according to Brad Helmerson, New London fire chief.?We haven?t really determined anything on either fire,? Helmerson said. ?We are meeting with the fire marshal to help us investigate it (fires).?New London?s first residential fire was at 107 E. ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsGravel roads took center stage at Tuesday?s Henry County supervisors meeting.?Gravel roads are the biggest concern to the public and us,? stated Jake Hotchkiss, county engineer. ?They are not good and it will be a process to get the roads cleaned up.?Hotchkiss said above-freezing temperatures in January always create problems on gravel roads. ?I think the roads in general are ...

BY BRYCE KELLYMt. Pleasant NewsThe Henry County Board of Health now has a new board member, and is now functioning as a full board once again.On Tuesday afternoon, the Henry County Board of Health officially introduced Mt. Pleasant local, Harold (Buzz) Bezoni, who would be replacing former board member, Tom Miller.?I am very happy to be here,? said Bezoni, a former small-business owner in Mt. Pleasant. ?I ...

Rep. Dave Heaton (R- Mt. Pleasant) recently met with members of the New London School Board. The group was visiting the Capitol to talk with legislators about the Iowa Association of School Boards? priorities this session. Pictured, from left to right, New London Superintendent Chad Wahls, Heaton and Jesse Howard, school board member.

WAYLAND ? Wayland city officials have received reports of a phone scam operating in the community.According to City Clerk Beverly Conrad, a caller (usually with an accent) states that they are from the phone/Internet/cable company and want to get remote access to your computer for repairs. Once they gain access, they will attempt to get the citizen?s personal information for their own use.City officials advise ...

A Winfield man was arrested Jan. 14 following the report of a suspicious vehicle with a person unconscious in it.Eric Dwayne Tusing was arrested after deputies checked on the vehicle parked near the intersection of 140th Street and Kentucky Avenue. Upon investigation, it was found that Tusing was sleeping in the vehicle on the driver?s side of a 2001 Buick Century that was still running when deputies arrived.Tus...

BY JAMES Q. LYNCHDes Moines BureauDES MOINES ? Legislation to defund Planned Parenthood is being pushed by lawmakers who ?never had a pap smear or used a tampon,? a Democratic opponent of Senate File 2 said Monday.The Republicans co-sponsoring the bill that would cut Planned Parenthood funding by about $3 million ?want to make it easier to get a machine gun than a pap smear,? Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsSame song, second verse.For the second consecutive year, the Henry County Compensation Board, which met late Monday afternoon in its only meeting of the year, is recommending a 5-percent salary increase for county-elected officials.Last year?s 5-percent increase was approved by the Henry County Board of Supervisors, which has the final word on salaries for county-elected ...

A mixture of lingering ice, mist, fog and grey skies made for an eerie feeling in Mt. Pleasant over the weekend. This photo, taken at Oakland Mills, reflects the dreary weather in Henry County over the past several days.

An altercation Jan. 21 at East Lake Park resulted in a German shepherd-type dog being shot, according to the Mt. Pleasant Police Department.Authorities responded to the incident at approximately 12:14 p.m. The investigation revealed that a dog owner was walking his Husky-type dog on the bike path on the east side of East Lake.Another dog owner going the opposite way with two German shepherd-type dogs met and ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsRalph Sandeen might have been a farmer, like his father, had it not been for opportunities to travel a different path.Sandeen, however, has no regrets as he marks 20 years, filling the corn and soybean seed needs of his customers from his dealership on the north edge of Mt. Pleasant.?It was an opportunity put to me,? he said, referring to his Pioneer Seeds dealership. It was ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsArea K-12 school district students received their (first semester) report cards a few weeks ago, about the same time Iowa schools were receiving their report cards from the Iowa Department of Education (DOE).Most area schools earned roughly the same marks on the 2016 card as they did in 2015.Winfield-Mt. Union was an exception, gaining commendable ratings for both the elementar...