Mt. Pleasant News

By Rox Laird and Mike Hodges, co-chairs, Iowa Newspaper Association Government Relations committeeThis is Sunshine Week, a week when many news organizations and First Amendment advocates will talk and write about open government.But this week is really about you: the people who are directly affected by the decisions of state and local government. You have a right to know how and why those decisions are made. ...

DEAR ABBY: I am recently divorced and now seeing a wonderful woman who is pretty much everything I was looking for except for a couple of issues, which concern going out to eat - which we do often. Not once has she offered to pay for a meal.I make good money, but she is not financially strapped by any means. While I can live with her not paying, what annoys me is she rarely says thank you after a dinner date. ...

By Curt SwarmMonica is 36 and lives in her car. During the day, she?s a waitress, at night she finds a place to park. ?I hate being homeless,? she says, ?but it makes me try harder. It helps me focus. I feel free. I can go where I want, when I want. I?m not materialistic.?Her story is rambling, but she?s obviously very bright. She was a teen mom, trying to stay off welfare. She?s been homeless in Kansas City, ...

To the editor:I want to thank the board members of RUSS who voted to continue with the Mooar/Powdertown project. I?m very sorry that the other counties did not feel that this was important or care about bettering the environment, but I really appreciate your efforts.Hopefully, the supporting board members can find a way to proceed. This area needs your support and backing for this project to continue. I?m very ...

To the editor:We live in a community ?blessed with pride? that reflects in various ways and on many things that enhance our way of life.Challenges are forever evident in a community.Some (challenges are) more complex than others and dealing with them becomes extensive and time consuming. Challenges require hard work and tough decisions to be made.Just a few examples of execution of pride and honor that ...

To the editor:Dear Supt. Wells and school board:Apparently you are now wanting to spend the money that could be used to start the air-conditioning project on the elementary schools for ?technology? ? is that right?Little kids don?t know or care that much about technology, but they do understand how it feels to be so hot that simple things like learning how to read, spell and county numbers are difficult when ...

To the editor:?According to Scripture, virtually everything that truly qualifies a person for leadership is directly related to character. It?s not about style, status, personal charisma, clout or worldly measurements of success. Integrity is the main issue that makes the difference between a good leader and a bad one.? ? John MacArthur.I find it easier to trust others when honesty and integrity are present in ...

To the editor:Choices have consequences. This is something our parents teach us while we?re still young and it is the lesson that keeps on giving, as we grow old. The people?s choice to say ?no? last week is no different and will have consequences of its own, consequences not easily or immediately visible.The people of Mt. Pleasant have overwhelmingly chosen not to pass commonsense measures to invest in their ...

To the editor:Wow! Nine former members of the MPCSD Board of Directors serve a combination of 101 years on the board - remarkable and commendable. Thank you for serving.However, based on their proposal, I cannot for several reasons support their effort to encourage voters to vote ?no not now? on the MPCSD Bond Issue Sept. 9, 2014.My reasons being:If ?no not now,? when do they propose our schools be brought up ...

To the editor:The turmoil in the Mt. Pleasant Community School District in the last year has grieved me. The letters to the editor stating the 16.9 million dollar bond issue is not simply about air conditioning or other building accessories are absolutely correct. This 16.9 million dollar bond issue is about a school board, which refuses to represent the majority of ethical citizens in the community from which ...

To the editor:I am appalled by the current relations among the Mt. Pleasant school board, superintendent, faculty and community. The level of confidence by the faculty in its superintendent has been publicly stated in a quantified and qualified manner.There is value in a written contract. I worked in the district when there was none and was in on the first negotiations to establish a contractual working ...

To the editor:Regarding the letter from former board members opposing the bond issue, I?m dismayed they would take this position. As former board members, they should know that the $4.8 million in the ?slush fund? is earmarked for things like bus leases, food service and other items. It cannot be used for capital investments, such as renovations and air conditioning. Their lack of support for the referendum is ...