The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet Friday afternoon to continue the process of filling the vacant Interim Henry County Attorney position.
The meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the Henry County Courthouse, located at 100 East Washington Street in Mount Pleasant.
Supervisors Chad White, Steven Detrick, and Marc Lindeen will begin the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by roll call. The primary item on the agenda is interviews with individuals known to be interested in the interim county attorney appointment.
Two interview time slots are scheduled, one at 1:30 p.m. and another at 3:00 p.m.
According to the agenda, a closed session is permissible under Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(i) if requested by the interviewee.
The meeting is open to the public.
Although no interviewees were listed on the official agenda posted, the two individuals known publicly to be interested are Becky Wilson and Abbie Liechty.
By Kadie Johannson · Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 at 7:24 am CDT
The Mount Pleasant City Council will meet in regular session tonight, Wednesday, February 11th, at 5:30 at City Hall, located at 307 East Monroe Street in the second-floor meeting room.
On the agenda, council members will consider a resolution scheduling a public hearing on the City of Mount Pleasant’s 2026-2027 maximum property tax dollars.
The council will also consider a resolution authorizing Jared Dorothy as a firefighter with the Mount Pleasant Fire Department, and a resolution directing the Building and Zoning Administrator to solicit bids for the demolition of a structure at 403 East Green Street.
Additional items include approval of 2025 tax abatement applications for filing with the Henry County Assessor and approval of a contract between the City of Mount Pleasant and Mount Pleasant Community Childcare Center for temporary use of classrooms in the north section of the City Hall building while they secure and remodel a permanent location at the city owned building at 309 East Monroe Street, which many know as the former MPCSD Wisdom Quest.
The meeting will also include approval of routine consent agenda items, officer reports, and a public forum.
The next regular city council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25th, at 5:30 p.m.
The Harlan-Lincoln House in Mount Pleasant will once again offer two opportunities to explore American history on Presidents Day.
On Monday, February 16, 2026, author and Lincoln artifact collector Ethan Afshani will present “An Eyewitness Account of the Battle of Gettysburg.”
Lynn Ellsworth, board member of the Harlan Lincoln House had this to say about Afshani and the upcoming President’s Day program:
Afshani will also display Gettysburg artifacts, and copies of the book will be available for purchase.
The presentation will be held at the Union Block Building, 111 West Monroe Street in Mount Pleasant, at noon and again at 6:30 p.m. KILJ Radio is sponsoring the event to help defray costs. The presentation is free, and donations will be accepted to support the preservation of the Harlan-Lincoln House.
Looking ahead, the organization has several additional events planned for 2026.
Pat Huesmann, another Harlan Lincoln House Board Member, shared about their upcoming school tours in April:
Additionally, on June 6th, an exhibitor from Hildene in Manchester, Vermont, will visit Mount Pleasant to discuss the connection between the Harlan-Lincoln House and Hildene, the 24-room summer home built in 1905 for Robert Todd Lincoln and Mary Harlan Lincoln.
An Ice Cream Social fundraiser is planned for a Sunday in July on the lawn of the Harlan-Lincoln House. And in October, reenactor Katherine Harris of Springfield, Illinois, will present the story of Elizabeth Keckly, Mary Todd Lincoln’s seamstress, who purchased her freedom after being born into slavery and ended up in the White House.
When asked to provide a brief explanation of the Harlan-Lincoln House and it’s significance, Ellsworth said:
Tours of the Harlan-Lincoln House run March through October on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m., or by appointment. More information is available at harlanlincoln.org.
A Van Buren County man is in custody following an arrest on drug-related charges.
According to the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office, 26-year-old Aaron L. Williams was arrested Tuesday morning around 8 o’clock on a Van Buren County arrest warrant. Williams faces two counts of possession of a controlled substance—methamphetamine and marijuana—and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Authorities say the charges stem from a prior incident on December 4th of 2025 at a residence in the 200 block of East Cedar Street in Birmingham, where Williams was arrested on an unrelated Jefferson County warrant. During that arrest, a search reportedly revealed suspected controlled substances in his pockets.
The items were seized and sent to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation crime lab, where testing confirmed the substances to be methamphetamine and marijuana.
Williams remains in custody. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that all criminal charges are accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Mount Pleasant High School is recognizing its January Portrait of a Panther students.
School officials announced Angel Joseph and Brynnlin Rodibaugh as this month’s honorees. In addition, six other outstanding students were nominated: Shaye Barbee, Olivia Hill, Louie Lord, Chloe Parriott, Ellaina McMullin, and Caden Mullin.
Students were nominated by staff members for demonstrating qualities such as resilience, integrity, compassion, responsibility, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Please congratulate these students if you see them at school or around town, and encourage them to keep up the great work. We are proud of our Panthers!
The Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association have announced the return of the Iowa’s Best Burger Contest, inviting Iowans to once again nominate their favorite burgers while supporting local restaurants across the state.
Now in its 17th year, the contest celebrates Iowa-raised beef and the restaurants that serve it, connecting consumers, cattle producers, and the foodservice community. Each year, thousands of nominations are submitted from across Iowa.
Kylie Peterson with the Iowa Beef Industry Council says the contest is a grassroots way to highlight quality beef and encourage people to explore local restaurants, while celebrating beef’s role at the center of the plate.
Nominations for the Iowa’s Best Burger Contest are open now and close March 9, 2026, at 5 p.m. The Top Ten burgers will be announced March 13, 2026 with the overall winner named on May 1, 2026, kicking off May Beef Month in Iowa.
Restaurants must serve a 100-percent real beef patty on a bun or bread product to be eligible. Finalists will be evaluated through a secret taste test by contest judges.
Iowans can nominate their favorite burger online at iabeef.org.
The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet today, Tuesday, February 10th, for a special meeting.
The meeting will begin at 12:15 p.m. at the Henry County Courthouse, located at 100 East Washington Street in Mount Pleasant.
On the agenda, supervisors will discuss and take possible action on posting public notice of their intent to appoint an interim Henry County Attorney. The board will also discuss scheduling interviews for individuals already known to be interested in the position.
The meeting is open to the public. KILJ plans to be there to bring you a report.
A Mount Pleasant school leader is being recognized at the state level for excellence in educational leadership.
Dr. Angie Butler, Director of Instruction with the Mount Pleasant Community School District, has been named the 2026 Central Office Administrator of the Year by the School Administrators of Iowa.
In announcing the award, SAI Executive Director Lisa Remy praised Butler for her strong instructional leadership, saying she has fostered a culture of continuous improvement while empowering educators across the district. Remy noted that Butler’s clear expectations and responsive support make her a model for central office administrators statewide.
Dr. Butler brings nearly 20 years of experience in K-through-12 education. She began her career as a special education teacher, a role she says shaped her commitment to equity and access for all students. Those values are reflected in her guiding principles—Passion, Authenticity, Respect, Integrity, and Synergy—which she uses to guide her leadership.
Before coming to Mount Pleasant in 2022, Butler served in several roles in the Burlington and Washington school districts, including teacher, instructional coach, principal, and director of special education.
She is also an adjunct instructor at Viterbo University and Mount Mercy University and serves as an intern supervisor for Viterbo. Butler earned her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Northern Iowa in 2023.
One reference highlighted Butler’s leadership in developing the district’s “Portrait of a Panther” initiative, which outlines the core competencies Mount Pleasant graduates are expected to achieve and integrates them into daily classroom practice.
Reflecting on the honor, Butler said she is grateful to work alongside dedicated educators and to be part of a community that strongly supports its schools and students.
Dr. Butler will be formally honored at the School Administrators of Iowa conference this August.
