WACO High School has announced its 2025 Homecoming Court, as voted on by students this morning. Selected members are (L-R): Nick West, Morgan Leichty, Niles Reichenbach, Aliyah Graber, Raefe Davison, and Morgan Meyer.

The student body will cast another round of votes next Wednesday, with the king and queen set to be crowned during Boom Night festivities.

Homecoming week is packed with events, starting with volleyball at home Thursday evening, with the freshman/sophomore team playing at 5:30 p.m. and varsity at 7:30 p.m.

Boom Night kicks off at 7 p.m. Wednesday, featuring a pep rally, the always-popular “Evolution of Dance,” coronation, Boom Boom volleyball, and Powder Puff football.

School will be in session all day Friday, leading up to the big football game against HLV/TC at 7 p.m. The week concludes with the Homecoming Dance on Saturday, beginning at 8:30 p.m.

The Mount Pleasant Community School District finance committee met this week to review August expenditures, payroll transitions, and preliminary enrollment numbers.

Expenditures and Facilities
Bills included routine maintenance and equipment purchases, as well as repair of a collapsed storm drain at the high school. The district also continues renting Cottrell Gymnasium and the Heatilator Center from the City of Mount Pleasant for practices and performances. Preparations are underway for moving technology and equipment into the new RTM building by the end of September.

Payroll Transition
Consultant Shauna Brown, a former West Burlington School Business Official, has been assisting with payroll while updating processes to reduce manual work. The district will decide later whether to continue outsourcing payroll, hire staff, or share services with another district.

Budget and State Funding
Preliminary numbers show revenues and expenses for fiscal year 2025 mostly on target, though late-arriving state payments may adjust totals. The general fund balance dipped, which administrators tied to staffing costs previously covered by federal funds. The district’s Instructional Support Levy is secured through 2031, expected to generate $1 million annually, and SAVE sales tax revenues are projected near $2.4 million for fiscal year 2026.

Enrollment
Early figures show 78 preschool students and 123 in kindergarten, with elementary enrollment totaling 651 in town and 88 in Salem. Superintendent John Henriksen noted that upper elementary grades now enroll nearly as many students as the entire middle school, underscoring the need to review future staffing and support.

Final certified enrollment will be reported in October.

Burlington, Iowa — Detectives with the Burlington Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division arrested a Burlington man earlier this week following a months-long investigation into child pornography.

The department received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Detectives identified 43-year-old Carl Shirts II of Burlington as a suspect. After executing search warrants and gathering evidence, investigators obtained arrest warrants for Shirts.

On September 4, 2025, at approximately 7:30 a.m., Shirts was taken into custody and charged in Des Moines County with 56 counts of Child Pornography—Purchase/Possess Depiction of a Minor in Sex Acts, a Class D felony, and one count of Invasion of Privacy, an aggravated misdemeanor.

Shirts was transported to the Des Moines County Jail, where he was booked and is being held on bond.

Authorities emphasize that a criminal charge is only an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The Mount Pleasant Ordinance Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in the City Administrators’ Conference Room at City Hall.

The committee is set to review several city code issues, including regulations regarding amplified sound under Chapter 14-69. Noise concerns have been a recurring topic for both residents and businesses, and the discussion may include potential updates or clarifications to the existing ordinance.

In addition, the committee will address ongoing nuisance complaints within the city. This portion of the meeting will focus on problem properties or situations that have generated repeated concerns from citizens.

Another major topic on the agenda is discussion of the city’s loitering and panhandling ordinance. The committee is expected to consider whether adjustments are needed to current policies, balancing public safety, community concerns, and legal requirements.

The meeting will also include an open forum, giving attendees an opportunity to voice questions or comments before adjournment.

A motorcycle and car accident occurred Thursday afternoon on Highway 34 eastbound, just east of U.S. Highway 218, according to Iowa State Patrol Website.

Emergency crews from the Mount Pleasant Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and local first responders arrived on scene around 3:00 p.m. Crews remained at the site for several hours, working well past 4:00 p.m.

Chief Murray confirmed the incident but said the Iowa State Patrol is leading the investigation. “I can confirm there was a motorcycle car accident east of 218 on Highway 34 eastbound. The State Patrol is handling the accident investigation, so that’s all I got for right now unfortunately,” he stated.

According to a minimal crash report from the Iowa State Patrol, the crash occurred at approximately 3:00 p.m. at the intersection of U.S. 218 and U.S. 34 in Mount Pleasant.

The report states that a 2025 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, operated by 67-year-old Jackie Lewis Bilotta of Bellefontaine, Mississippi, was stopped at a stop sign on the northbound U.S. 218 off-ramp. Bilotta attempted to make a left-hand turn onto westbound Highway 34 and was struck by an eastbound 2003 Oldsmobile Alero, driven by 30-year-old Tanner J. Waterhouse of Brighton, Iowa.

Bilotta was injured in the crash and transported by Mount Pleasant emergency crews to the hospital. His motorcycle was towed from the scene by Breuer’s Towing.

Waterhouse’s vehicle was also towed. The report additionally states that Waterhouse did not have a valid driver’s license.

The crash remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.

The Mount Pleasant Community School District’s site committee met this week ahead of the upcoming board meeting, with much of the discussion centered on a proposed addition to the high school’s agricultural education program.

Agriculture teacher and FFA advisor Ethan Faeth, joined by student officers Caden Mullen and Kyle Campbell, presented details on a planned 24-by-48-foot greenhouse. The structure would provide year-round, hands-on learning opportunities for students, particularly those who do not have access to traditional farm projects required for FFA’s Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs.

Faeth explained that the greenhouse would feature modern irrigation, ventilation, and temperature control systems, allowing students to conduct experiments, grow flowers for fundraisers, and even support school community efforts such as providing plants for bereavement gifts. “This would give students who don’t live on a farm the chance to pursue their SAE projects right here at school,” Faeth told the committee.

The project is estimated at about $102,000, including construction, site preparation, and a concrete slab. Funding would draw in part from a $229,000 career and technical education grant awarded by Continental just before the pandemic. The greenhouse would be located on the east side of the high school, near the existing FFA garden, with water and power already accessible at the site.

If approved by the school board on Monday, the district would move forward with site preparation, state approval, and ordering the greenhouse structure.

Also during the meeting, Faeth outlined plans for the annual FFA trip to the National Convention in Indianapolis, set for October 28 through November 1. Fourteen students are expected to attend, gaining opportunities to network with peers from across the country, explore career paths, and tour agricultural facilities.

The committee also heard updates on broader district facility planning. Superintendent John Henriksen reported that Dr. Steve Murley will lead a facilities master planning process beginning in October, with six community meetings scheduled to gather input. The goal is to deliver a final report to the board by January.

Discussion then turned to the P.E.O. Memorial Building, with steps moving forward on hazardous materials testing and eventual demolition. Early estimates place abatement and demolition costs at up to $500,000, depending on the presence of asbestos in the roof materials. Work could begin in November and conclude by the end of the year.

The school board is expected to vote on the greenhouse proposal and other facility matters at its next meeting on Monday.

The Mount Pleasant Community School District Policy Committee met this week to review upcoming fundraisers, community engagement strategies, and policy updates ahead of the September board meeting.

The committee discussed a new fundraiser proposed by the high school music department: a one-day mattress sale. The fundraiser, common in districts across Iowa, transforms a gymnasium into a showroom, with proceeds directed toward student trips and music program costs. Several board members noted the success of similar events in nearby schools.

Another major discussion centered on the district’s superintendent search survey. While the survey itself will ask community members to weigh in on desired attributes for the next superintendent, the outreach methods for the survey were also considered. A direct mailing would cost an estimated $3,000, while placing the survey announcement in a weekly newspaper publication delivered to all households in the district—was seen as a more cost-effective alternative. The committee agreed to pursue that option, supplemented by notices on KILJ Radio, the district website, and school newsletters.

In addition, the board heard about a possible 28E agreement with Danville schools to allow their students access to Mount Pleasant’s Home School Assistance Program, similar to the current arrangement with New London. With capacity for 150 students and current enrollment at 131, district leaders said there is room to accommodate additional students without strain on resources.

Finally, members explored facility options to address ongoing space challenges. One proposal involved leasing modular classrooms that could provide temporary relief, particularly at Lincoln Elementary. While portable units could ease crowding, board members stressed they should only be considered as a short-term solution while long-term facility planning continues.

The full board is expected to revisit these topics during its regular board meeting on Monday, 6pm at the high school media center.

SOUTHEAST

Big Hollow Lake
Water temperature is 77 degrees.  Black Crappie – Good: Crappie fishing is picking up. Look for crappies in the trees in 6-8 feet of water; they are not ready to move in shallower. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are starting to get more active in shallow, especially around the islands and jetties where there are lots of little fish hiding in the rocks and weeds. Be careful or you might lose your crankbait to a feeding muskie.

Cedar River (Moscow to Columbus Junction)River level near Conesville is dropping nearly a foot a day. Channel Catfish – Fair: Forget about  bank poles with the water dropping as fast as it is. Try cut bait or dip baits along the back edges of the rapidly appearing sandbars.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)
River level has been dropping steadily the last few days, roughly a foot every day or so. Channel Catfish – Good: Catfishing off the back edges of the sandbars that are just starting to poke out of the water is a good place to start.  Dip baits work best. Try a grass frog as bait along the front edge of a logjam.

Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is75 degrees. Water clarity is 18 inches. The water is green in color. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill fishing continues to improve. Most bluegills are in deeper water (10-12 feet) amongst the flooded timber. Use slip bobbers and waxworms or try vertically jigging with waxworms. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass fishing is starting to pick up with more fish moving in shallow. The further back into the trees you go the bigger the fish; good place to practice your flipping technique with jigs.

Lake Darling
Water temperature is 76 degrees. Water clarity is 12 inches; water color is green. Black Crappie – Good: Crappie fishing started to pick up over the holiday weekend over the deeper water habitat or trolling by it. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill fishing is hit-or-miss.  Most bluegill are still holding out over the deeper water habitat in 8-9 feet of water. You can do well if you find the right spot. Anglers are vertically jigging or using slip bobbers. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass fishing is picking up with more bass moving into shallower water (4 to 5 feet deep) to hunt.  Try crankbaits at those depths that is also not too far from the deeper water.

Lake Geode
The water is green in color. Water temperature is 76 degrees. Water clarity is 14 inches. Black Crappie – Good: Crappies are getting pretty aggressive; they are holding out in the habitat right next to deeper water yet. Bluegill – Good: More bluegills are reaching 8 inches. Use a worm and bobber over the habitat in 7-8 feet of water. They should come in shallower as the water continues to cool down. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are getting more active with the cooling waters. They aren’t as aggressive as they were a couple of years ago.

Lost Grove Lake
Water temperature is 73 degrees. Water clarity is good at about 3.5 feet. Bluegill – Good: Bluegills are enjoying the cooler water temperatures. Look for them around the habitat in 4-5 feet of water trying to avoid the bass.  Worm and bobber work best in the thicker cover, less casting. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try running crankbaits down about 4 to 5 feet along the edges of the weed beds and along the outer edges of the submerged brush.

Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)
River levels continues to drop fairly quickly. Lots of exposed mud along the banks from the high water. Channel Catfish – Good: With still plenty of water in the river for the boats, anglers have been able to get out on the river. Use stink baits on the back edges of the sand bars and around the leading edges of the brush piles.

For more information on the above lakes and rivers call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.