Author: Allison Jacobs

Preserve Oakland Mills will be meeting next Saturday, October 26^th at 2:00pm to discuss re-opening the Oakland Mills Foot Bridge.  Preserve Oakland Mills is a non-profit organization, and an update will be given on this project.  The meeting will be held at Henry County Heritage Trust, 403 West Madison Street in Mt. Pleasant.

The Mt. Pleasant Community School District has announced their annual Veterans Breakfast for Friday, November 15^th from 7am – 8am.  Students and staff can sign up a guest in the office and bring a photo of your Veteran.  Veterans are welcome to contact the High School and sign up for breakfast if you do have a student or staff member in attendance.  Enjoy a delicious breakfast to honor our Veterans.

The New London School Board will meet in regular session on Monday 10/21/24 at 6pm.  The meeting will be held in the North Campus Board Room and is open to the public.

The City of Danville has two meeting scheduled for Monday, 10/21/24.  The Planning and Zoning Commission will meet in Danville city hall at 4pm followed by the Danville City Council meeting at 5pm.  These meetings are open to the public.

The Henry County Engineer’s Office announced a road closure on Henry-Van Buren Avenue between Highway 16 & West Commercial Street starting Monday, October 21^st.   The road closure is for bridge maintenance and will take approximately 2 weeks to complete, weather permitting.

Daniel Hake, DO, will join the Henry County Health Center-Mount Pleasant Clinic on November 4, 2024.

Dr. Hake completed the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University in Chicago and his Family Medicine Residency at the University of Colorado. He is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Hake was employed at the Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa before joining Great River Health.

Dr. Hake will see patients of all ages with a medical interest in preventative medicine.

“I enjoy getting to know my patients and partnering with them to achieve their health goals. As a Family Physician, it is important to treat the whole patient guiding them to live their best lives,” expressed Dr. Hake.

Dr. Hake and his wife both grew up in the Iowa City area. When not at work, Dr. Hake enjoys spending time with his family, cheering on the Hawkeyes, doing home improvement projects, and running.

Dr. Hake will begin seeing patients at the HCHC-Mount Pleasant Clinic on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.  You can schedule an appointment with Dr. Hake by calling 319.385.6770 or through the patient portal on the Great River Health website, www.greatriverhealth.org

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today warns Iowans to be on high alert for government imposter scams. This warning follows an instance last Thursday where a scammer attempted to defraud a woman by calling from what appeared to be the Iowa Attorney General’s office’s phone number.

Government imposter scams occur when a scammer pretends to be affiliated with a government agency to trick Iowans into sending money. Scammers often claim to be from agencies such as the Iowa Department of Revenue, Social Security Administration, or law enforcement.

“Scammers are master manipulators who will lie and scare people to get their way,” said Attorney General Bird. “I am warning Iowans to be on the lookout because these scammers will stop at nothing to steal from you, even if it means impersonating my office or law enforcement. If you or someone you know is suspicious of a call, please hang up and call my office at 888-777-4590.”

Last Thursday, the Iowa Attorney General’s office was alerted of a scammer who was spoofing the Iowa Attorney General office’s phone number to deceive people. A scammer, using an Iowa phone number, called a woman in Oregon and left a voicemail claiming to be a special agent with the Department of Justice. The concerned woman immediately forwarded a transcript of the voicemail to her husband. He returned the scammer’s call and asked for proof of identification or government affiliation. The scammer refused and instead insisted on calling back from a “main line” to prove they were a special agent. As the scammer called back from a different Iowa phone number, the husband found online that the number appearing on the caller ID was associated with the Iowa Attorney General’s office. The husband then confronted the scammer, but the scammer evaded questions and abruptly ended the call. The husband immediately reported the scam to the Iowa Attorney General’s office.

How to Spot a Government Imposter Scam:

• Unexpected Contact: Scammers call out of the blue and claim to be affiliated with a government agency.
• Threats: They use scare tactics, including threats of arrest, deportation, or fines.
• Demands for Immediate Payment: Scammers ask for money to solve a problem, such as paying taxes, fines, or fees. They also ask for the money to be sent via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency—all methods where it is near impossible to retrieve the stolen money.
• Flawed Emails or Letters: They send fake letters or emails that look like they are from a legitimate agency but contain spelling errors or mismatched logos.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Verify the Source: If suspicious of someone claiming to be from a government agency, hang up or ignore the message. Use a verified phone number to directly call the agency.
• Use Official Channels: Always check the official website of the government agency for communication, guidelines, or instructions.
• Be Skeptical of Threats: Government agencies and law enforcement will not make threats of immediate arrest or ask for payment over the phone.
• Protect Your Pocketbook: Never provide personal or financial information over the phone, text, or email.

If you or someone you know has been targeted by a government imposter scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 888-777-4590 or file a complaint online: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/file-a-consumer-complaint.