Mt. Pleasant News

BY BRYCE KELLYMt. Pleasant NewsSince 2012, Rich McNamee has held the title as Henry County Sheriff, and he hopes to continue in that position for another term as he announces his bid for re-election.Pointing to his conservative views, his established work record and his love for the community, McNamee says he hopes to continue furthering some of the projects and programs he has helped establish in the county?s ...

Henry County Sheriff deputies responded to an accident on Friday, March 4, at the 1200 grid of Salem Road.Investigation revealed that a 2004 Jeep Liberty, owned and operated by William Ledlow, 35, of Hillsboro, was traveling southwest on Salem Road. Ledlow lost control of the vehicle, causing it to enter the ditch and roll over.He was cited for failure to maintain control, a simple misdemeanor. Damage to the ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsHenry County Emergency Management Director Walt Jackson can?t be accused of not organizing training exercises for county firefighters and EMTs.During Thursday?s county department head meeting with county supervisors, Jackson distributed synopses on seven upcoming courses that extend into October.Jackson?s first training course was a propane training that was held this past ...

Father and son, Jim and Jacob Erwin, of Mt. Pleasant, were able to find a cozy spot in one of the hallways in Harlan Elementary School to crack open a good book. Jim said he enjoyed taking time out of his regular daily schedule to visit his son at the school in celebration of Read Across America on Wednesday.

Noah Williams, 9, of Mt. Union, donated his hair to Locks of Love on Saturday, Feb. 27, during Iowa Wesleyan University?s St. Baldrick?s Foundation fundraiser. Williams is the son of Adam and Lauren Williams. Lauren Williams said her son wanted to have his hair cut and donated. It had been 16 months since his last hair cut, his mother said.

Harlan Elementary was filled with bookworms on Wednesday as the school celebrated Read Across America Day, set on the birthday of famous author, Dr. Seuss.

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsMt. Pleasant City Council members killed two birds with one stone in a special meeting Wednesday ? approving one budget and amending another.Council members hosted a public hearing on the fiscal 2016-17 city budget. No one from the public attended the hearing and no written objections were received.Following the public hearing, the council adopted next year?s fiscal budget. ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsIowa Gov. Terry Branstad brought his ?condition of the state? message to Mt. Pleasant Wednesday, addressing the Mt. Pleasant Noon Rotary Club.Branstad said he is proud of his administration?s accomplishments over the last six years, but said governing last year and in the immediate future will be a challenge due to the farm economy and the state?s budget crunch.?We lost 30 ...

BY BROOKS TAYLORMt. Pleasant NewsThe City of Mt. Union was granted a temporary writ of injunction in Henry County District Court against the Regional Utility Service Systems (RUSS).The court?s ruling came late Thursday and prohibits RUSS from excavating in Mt. Union and installing shut-off valves on the sewer system of properties which owe RUSS user fees.According to the injunction, RUSS ?is herby strictly ...

BY BRYCE KELLYMt. Pleasant NewsNEW LONDON ? New London Community School District has chosen its new leader.Chad Wahls, an elementary school principal with the Postville Community School District, in Postville, has been announced as the school?s choice to take the place of current superintendent, Steve McAllister, next school year. McAllister announced his retirement in July 2015, and will be stepping down at ...

BY KARYN SPORYMt. Pleasant NewsNEW LONDON ? There were no citizen comments on the city?s 2016-2017 budget, but there were a few from the council. Namely, why had the tax levy increase for employee health benefits not been part of the budget process.?Unbeknownst to me as a council member, Mr. Mayor, and I?m sure the general public is unaware of the same, is that we are increasing the tax levy against the ...

BY BRYCE KELLYMt. Pleasant NewsLocals are evaluating the future of Mt. Pleasant.At least that?s what the Healthy Henry County Communities (HHCC) board was asked to do as they heard from Zach James, planning director of the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission (SEIRPC), and Brent Schleisman, Mt. Pleasant?s City Administrator, as the two reviewed the newly released comprehensive plan for the City of Mt. ...