Author: Allison Jacobs

The Henry County Engineer’s Office is asking for the public’s help to receive a grant for bridge funding.  The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT), in partnership with over cities and counties, is applying to receive federal grant funding to replace an existing bridge in Henry County located on Iowa Avenue, North of Mt. Pleasant. The bridge will be replaced with a 176’ pretensioned, prestressed concrete beam bridge.

We need your help by completing a brief survey! Your answers will be used to support the grant application. This online survey will take less than five minutes to complete. hdr.jotform.com/team/public/2025-CHBP The survey link can also be found on the Henry County website.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is hosting a Strip-Till Field Day on July 30^th at their research and demonstration farm near Crawfordsville. Multiple strip-till bars will be shown with field demonstrations on wheat residue, as well as static displays from supporting ag industry partners.

There are two times available on July 30th – the morning session is from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or the afternoon session from 2 to 4 p.m. Lunch is  available. Registration is requested by July 23rd. Register online here.

Iowa Highway 78 between U.S. 218 and Henry County Road X-23, two miles south of the Winfield area, is closed for construction.  The Iowa Department of Transportation Office out of Fairfield has outlined two detour routes to follow and there is signage posted along Highway 218 both Northbound and Southbound.

When the roadway is closed, you will follow one of the following marked detour routes (see map).

• U.S. 218 – Iowa 78/130th Street to Henry County Road H-28/170th Street

• Henry County Road H-28/170th Street – U.S. 218 to Oasis Avenue

• Oasis Avenue – Henry County Road H-28/170th Street to Iowa 78/150th Street

Please drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa)

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has started the annual Wild Turkey Production survey.  During July and August wild turkey sightings are recorded to estimate this year’s nesting rates and nest success.

Participation is easy – just note the date and county in which the turkey was seen, if it was an adult female or adult male – males have beards on their breast – and if and how many poults (baby turkeys) were present. The survey is available online at www.iowadnr.gov/turkey, then click on Wild Turkey Survey.

Annual population surveys conducted by the DNR are an important component of managing the wild turkey. Turkey populations can fluctuate annually across all regions of the state.

The Mt. Pleasant Community School District School Board will meet in regular session on Monday, July 14^th at 6pm in the high school media center.  Items to be discussed at the meeting include elementary section size, superintendent search process, and staff survey report.  The complete agenda can be found at MTPCSD.org/board.  This meeting is open to the public.

The New London City Council will meet in regular session on Monday, July 14^th at NL city office, 112 W. Main Street.  This meeting begins at 6pm and is open to the public.

A line of severe storms moved across Iowa yesterday afternoon and evening producing strong winds, small hail, and VERY heavy rain. Strong winds over 60 mph were seen with some of these storms.

The West Point Police Department reported several trees were downed in Donnellson last night during the series of thunderstorms, high winds and heavy rain.  Clean up has been underway.  The Lee County Fair in Donnellson was certainly affected by the thunderstorms. The storm cells in Southeast Iowa seemed to come at the area one right after the other.  Mt. Pleasant Municipal Utilities reported brief power outages last evening; however, restoration was quick and all had power by 8:30pm

Much of Keokuk lost power at about 8:30pm on Friday night with ETA of restoration by 4:30 this morning, and Ft. Madison also received a pounding.  Reports from Winfield included streets flooding, including Central Avenue.  A power pole was knocked down at Hwy 78 & Marsh Avenue in Winfield last evening and citizens lost power. Hail was reported north of Morning Sun last night.

Rainfall totals from last night vary according to location in southeast Iowa. The National Weather Service reports that Mt. Pleasant received around 3 inches of rain, while a listener who is south of MP on Iowa Avenue recorded 6.85 inches of rain.  North of Mt. Pleasant, the rainfall totals are just over 3 inches.

During the storm activity on Friday afternoon, the Mt. Pleasant Police Department responded to and investigated 3 collisions: Washington at Main Street, an accident was reported in the 1300 block of Grand Avenue and another in the 300 block of E. Henry Street.  The MPPD also investigated a tree that had fallen into wires in the 100 block of Exchange Street.

37-year-old Kathleen Leanne Hayes of Morning Sun was killed in a crash on Thursday, July 10^th in Louisa County, according to the crash report published by the Iowa State Patrol.

Just before noon on Thursday, a vehicle, driven by Hayes, collided with a freight tractor semi at the intersection of County Roads G52 and W66 approximately three miles south of Cotter along the Highway 92 detour route. The driver of the vehicle failed to yield at a stop sign, pulling into the intersection, where it was struck on the driver’s side by the semi.

The crash remains under investigation.