Mt. Pleasant News

By Ed Tibbetts, Quad City Times DES MOINES ? A committee reviewing Iowa?s Democratic presidential caucuses is recommending that people who can?t make it to a caucus site still be allowed to cast a vote.The move is aimed at widening participation in the leadoff event to the presidential nominating process.The committee was formed in the aftermath of the historically close 2016 Democratic caucuses, when Hillary ...

By Ed Tibbetts, Quad City Times WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley accused the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday of providing misleading information about wait times at VA facilities in Iowa City and Des Moines, where he said there is a ?massive? backlog.Grassley, R-Iowa, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said hundreds of Iowa veterans have been waiting for appointments for more ...

By Karyn Spory, Mt. Pleasant News NEW LONDON ? For a few tense minutes, those attending the New London City Council meeting Tuesday night may have wondered if a meeting would ever actually take place.Following an at-times fiery joint session between the council and the city?s utility board, the three-man council sat in limbo, waiting for someone to second the motion to approve the agenda and begin the meeting....

Mike Hampton and Kay Denning have been elected co-chairs of a new committee that will focus on encouraging voter turnout for the Aug. 1 bond referendum election for a new county jail/law enforcement center.The committee will operate under the handle Citizens Organized for Public Safety (COPS) committee. Mary Koontz will serve as the committee treasurer.Hampton served as chair of the citizen?s jail committee ...

By Brooks Taylor, Mt. Pleasant News SALEM ? Salem will have a new municipal water provider.Following a public hearing during which no oral or written objections were received, the city council approved entering into a 40-year contract with the Rathbun Rural Water Association (RRWA). Rathbun serves many small communities in southeast and south-central Iowa.?I think we?re going to go for it,? Mayor Dan Patterson...

A one-vehicle accident June 3 in Mt. Pleasant at the intersection of South Jackson and West Washington streets resulted in $8,500 in property damage.According to the Mt. Pleasant Police Department, David Kirk of Mt. Pleasant was having medical issues and lost control of his vehicle, striking a concrete barrier on the southeast side of the intersection.Kirk was treated for injuries at the scene and released. ...

By Julia Edwards Ainsley, Reuters WASHINGTON ? Former FBI chief James Comey will likely hold back from accusing President Donald Trump of trying to interfere with an investigation into links between Trump?s election campaign team and Russian officials when he testifies in Congress this week, legal sources said.Comey?s highly anticipated appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday could be a ...

By Ed Tibbetts, Quad City Times Rich Leopold, the first Democrat to announce his candidacy for governor, is now the first to drop out.In a statement Wednesday, the former Iowa Department of Natural Resources director said that the chances of an outsider winning the race are small, though he said he got encouragement from people as he traveled the state.?I have heard from so many people across Iowa, that if a ...

By Karyn Spory, Mt. Pleasant News NEW LONDON ? Not much was accomplished Tuesday night during a joint meeting of the New London City Council and the city?s Utility Trustees as in-fighting stalled out the meeting.The two boards were asked to take action on two items ? approving an RFP for the annual audit and sharing the costs for meter reading software. But the bulk of the largely hostile meeting was spent ...

By Brooks Taylor, Mt. Pleasant News It was resolution day Tuesday for the Henry County supervisors.The county board approved a pair of resolutions ? the first setting Tuesday, June 27, as the sale date for property owned in Mt. Union, and the second formally establishing Tuesday, Aug. 1, as the special election date on the issuance of $9.1 million in general obligation capital loan notes for a new county ...

Harlan Elementary School students know that generosity doesn?t take a vacation. So before they left their classrooms for summer break, Brandon Harrison?s fifth-grade class selected supplies and boxed them up for service members overseas. The supplies ranged from Gatorade mixes, snacks, crossword books and Icy Hot patches. Project Jack Grant by the Realtor Foundation of Iowa provided funds for the supplies. Mrs. ...

It was the first antique tractor ride of the year for the members of the Big Creek Tractor Association. The club, which goes back to the 1950s takes three to four tractor rides together each year. Saturday was the first ride of 2017. Club members said they couldn?t have asked for a more beautiful day. However, they go rain or shine.