Mt. Pleasant News

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsIt shouldn?t be surprising that Mt. Pleasant?s two state legislators had differing views Tuesday of Gov. Terry Branstad?s final Condition of the State address to a joint session of the Iowa Legislature.?This one (address) was significant,? said State Rep. Dave Heaton, R-Mt. Pleasant. ?This was good bye.?Meanwhile, State Sen. Rich Taylor, D-Mt. Pleasant, claimed Branstad talked ...

BY ED TIBBETTSQuad-City TimesA new poll from a pro-ethanol group says people who voted for Donald Trump in November overwhelmingly believe ethanol is important to keeping the nation?s fuel supply secure.The poll, conducted for Growth Energy, said that 83 percent of Trump voters believe it?s important that American-made biofuels continue to be blended into the nation?s fuel supply, which it said that Trump ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsHenry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss was the first county employee to present a fiscal 2018 budget when he made the engineering department?s proposal Tuesday to the county supervisors.Hotchkiss? total budget for fiscal 2018 is $6,084,700, a 5.7 percent decrease from this year?s $6,454,928 budget.?The big difference in the budget is that there is no rock crushing operation in ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsChristmas may be history but the after-glow was present for the Henry County Conservation Board of Directors during the board?s regular meeting Jan. 9.During the meeting, the board recommended 5 percent salary increase for the director, operations supervisor and naturalist.John Pullis, executive director, had passed out two surveys to the board during its December meeting. One ...

BY BRYCE KELLYMt. Pleasant NewsNEW LONDON ? Being neighborly took on a whole new definition Monday evening as the New London School Board discussed sharing opportunities with Danville Community School District.In a meeting that only included members of the New London School Board and some key faculty, the idea of sharing a transportation director, guidance counselor and some upper level academic courses were ...

A truck-pole accident on Wednesday, Jan. 4, in the Walmart parking lot in Mt. Pleasant resulted in $8,200 damage.The Mt. Pleasant Police Department said a 2010 GMC Sierra, owned and operated by Robert Wright, New London, was driving north in the parking lot and struck a yellow pole holding up a stop sign near Murphy?s Oil.There were no injuries. Damage to the truck was listed at $7,000 and the pole sustained ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsState Rep. Dave Heaton (R-Mt. Pleasant) is feeling a considerable amount of apprehension regarding the 2017 session of the Iowa Legislature.There are needs to be met, but no money to meet those needs, he said.Iowa is facing a $130 million shortfall in the fiscal 2017 budget and House and Senate leaders have asked committee chairpersons to take out the scissors and start ...

Henry County Health Center Foundation Director Mark Hempen presents $3,000 grants to Terry McWilliams and Midwest Old Threshers for an air-conditioned First Aid station.

BY ROD BOSHARTGazette Des Moines BureauDES MOINES ? While conceding some anxiety over his pending deployment to China as America?s next ambassador, Gov. Terry Branstad said he believes he is soon to embark on the opportunity of a lifetime.Branstad, 70, the longest-serving governor in U.S. history, said in an interview Thursday he is leaving a job he loves as Iowa?s chief executive, but he felt he couldn?t turn ...

Unlike the last time Henry County received snow, it looks like Wednesday?s dusting will be sticking around for a few more days as temperatures will remain below freezing for most of the weekend.

Henry County supervisors made their annual appointments and reappointments Jan. 3 to numerous county offices, boards and commissions.Many of the appointments are for terms and the list includes those already serving the respective office, board or commission.The list follows:Weed commissioner ? Harold Pollmeier.Henry County medical examiner ? Dr. Eugenio Torres.Henry County Board of Health (three-year ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsWAYLAND ? With barely a quorum (three council members) present, the Wayland City Council made quick work of a short agenda Wednesday night.The council approved Mayor Brad Roth contracting the possible purchase of a 10,000 mcf (mcf equals 1,000 cubic feet) of natural gas for use in October of the next three years (2018, 2019 and 2020).City Clerk Bev Conrad said the city ...