Obituaries

In just over a month (June 5), the Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) State Board will consider final approval of the merger of two local ECI boards.The Des Moines/Louisa and the Henry/Washington Early Childhood Area boards have been working together since December 2014 to complete and submit a state application for merging into a single four-county area. The new board will operate as the DHLW Early Childhood Area.The ...

By BROOKS TAYLOR Mt. Pleasant News?If the local option sales tax doesn?t pass, it will put a lot more pressure on property tax,? warned Mt. Pleasant Mayor Steve Brimhall Wednesday, seizing the opportunity at the final city council meeting before the May 5 vote to urge residents to approve the tax.Mt. Pleasant has had the local option sales tax for 20 years and receives about $800,000 annually from the tax. ...

The Walmart Foundation State Giving Council Program opened the application period for its second cycle of giving this week.Iowa nonprofit organizations can apply for funding to support programs within the scope of the ?Focused Giving? areas that include hunger relief, healthy eating or career opportunity. In order to be considered for grant funding this cycle, applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. central ...

The Van Buren volleyball team?s offense sputtered Tuesday as the Warriors fell to Danville 18-25, 13-25, 7-25.Van Buren?s Makenzie Zeitler was 9-of-10 on serves with one ace, and Alicia Fitzsimmons also tallied one ace in the match.Also in the back row, Jordan Billups was a perfect 7-of-7 on serves and Payten Hughes recorded a team-high four digs, while Billups had three digs.Offensively, Billups also ...

The Fairfield JV volleyball team swept Fort Madison on Tuesday, needing two games to take care of the SEC foe.Cheyanne Laux was a perfect 11-of-11 on serves with four aces and the Trojans won 25-21, 25-18.Sydney Burnett also was perfect on serves, going 8-of-8 with three aces, and Dorian Larson went 3-of-3 on serves.Top hitters were Kristen Terrell, Ashley Manning and McKenna Ledger with four kills ...

Iowa Wesleyan College?s Chapel hosted the first of four Family Leadership Regional Summits Thursday night. The organization is headed by Bob Vander Plaats, former Republican candidate for governor. Over 600 people attended the summit, which attracted four potential Republican presidenital candidates. The candidates included former Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, pictured, ...

Commissioners of the Henry County Soil and Water Conservation District will host their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, April 14, at 3:30 p.m. in the district office at 709 S. Iris St.Tentative agenda items include watershed reports and cost-share payments in addition to routine business.

By BROOKS TAYLOR Mt. Pleasant NewsReligious liberty was the focus of a seminar Thursday night that attracted some political heavyweights and over 600 area residents to the Iowa Wesleyan College Chapel.Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The FAMiLY LEADER, organized the forum ? one of four the organization will be having in Iowa during the upcoming months.Political candidates speaking generally represented...

By KARYN SPORY Mt. Pleasant News WINFIELD ? The Winfield-Mt. Union School Board has approved the property tax levy for fiscal year 2015-16.Carmen Benson, W-MU business manager, said the board unanimously approved a property tax levy of $13.25 per $1,000 taxable valuation during its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 8. That is, if the allowable growth stays at zero percent.Winfield-Mt. Union?s ...

By KARYN SPORY Mt. Pleasant News WAYLAND ? The City of Wayland has agreed to pay up to $350 for the boring expense to hook up a home to Wayland gas.Ron and Deb Reid approached the city council during its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 1, to request a natural gas hookup and see if the city would incur some of the additional costs for the installation.The Reids reside at 306 S. Brooks St., in ...