Obituaries

Republicans would be listed first on nearly all ballots in Iowa in the 2018 election if a bill passed along party lines in the state Senate last week were to take effect this year.The bill is now pending in the House.The legislation, proposed by Sen. Jake Chapman, R-Adel, would alter the way candidates are listed on the ballot. Currently, county auditors decide the order of candidates. In many, if not all, ...

A brush fire at 2801 Iowa Avenue, in rural Mt. Pleasant, was picked up by the strong winds Monday around 2:30 p.m. A close up of the flames and how quickly the fire spread, which firefighters worked hard to put out.

By Xiomara Levsen, Golden Triangle News Service WASHINGTON ? Friday afternoon, the Washington Community School District released a special agenda for a school board meeting to be held Monday evening. There were two action items listed on the special agenda: superintendent resignation and superintendent search.Jeff Dicks has been the superintendent in Washington for three years and has shared with WACO for two ...

Main Street Mt. Pleasant's Open 4 Business contest is looking for entrepreneurs who are ready to take their business to the next level.Main Street Mt. Pleasant is looking for interested entrepreneurs who could use $28,000 to launch or grow their business idea within the Mt. Pleasant Main Street district.The Open 4 Business contest, launched in 2015, is an opportunity for businesses located within a state-designa...

By Grace King, Mt. Pleasant News Mt. Pleasant Community School District's tax rates are going up ever so slightly this year ? increasing from 13.66 to 13.82 for fiscal year 2019.Even though the tax rate is going up because the taxable valuation rollback is being adjusted from 0.57 to 0.56, property tax is actually decreasing slightly.Mt. Pleasant Community School District (MPCSD) board secretary Ed Chabal ...

Residents in the Winfield-Mt. Union School District will be heading to the polls next month to vote on a physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL).On April 3, there will be a special school election involving the voter-approved physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL). This is a primary revenue source for funding school facility improvement and maintenance, as well as repairs and purchasing of technology and ...

DES MOINES ? Cities and counties soon may have less money than expected as a result of business tax relief passed by the state five years ago.The results could include layoffs, reduced services or tax increases, local leaders say.State lawmakers five years ago lowered property taxes for commercial and industrial businesses. The plan called for the state to make annual payments to local governments that would ...

Iowa Wesleyan University has announced the appointment of Michael Heaton as its new vice president for university advancement. Heaton is currently the managing director of the Great Plains Regional Office of UNICEF USA.?Mike will bring great energy and steady leadership to our university advancement team at a time when Iowa Wesleyan is poised to push forward on an ambitious vision,? said President Steve Titus. ...

A Yarmouth man has been arrested and charged with trafficking stolen weapons.Casey Ray Banwart, 19, of Yarmouth, was arrested and charged with trafficking stolen weapons on Tuesday, March 6, following an investigation.In December, a Des Moines County resident turned over a firearm to the Des Moines County Sheriff's Office. The weapon, a .22 revolver, had been found in possession of her son. The firearm was ...

FAIRFIELD ? Those who have dropped by The Ledger lately have noticed something different. It's moved!It didn't move very far. In fact, the staff are now in a building next door to their old office, in a space that once held the press room.The Ledger made the move a few days before Christmas, and ever since the employees have been getting acclimated to their new surroundings. Ledger client specialist Alice ...