Severe Weather Week is March 23-27, 2026. The following are the websites mentioned in today’s program:
Alert Iowa (alert.iowa.gov), (ready.iowa.gov), Iowa DOT (511ia.org) for road conditions.
Henry County Sheriff Department app: download from preferred App store
Annual statewide tornado drill: 10am, Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
Henry County Solid Waste Collection hours of operation have changed with Spring and summer months upon us. The hours are Tuesday – Thursday 11am – 5:30pm, on Friday 7:30am – 5:30pm and Saturday from 7:30pm – noon. The rural sanitation service applies to residents across Henry County and is for rural residents only; city trash isn’t accepted. Proof of rural residency is required. They accept household trash and recyclables. Questions may be directed to All American Sanitation at 319-986-6355.
The Mount Pleasant Police Department arrested and charged a New London man with burglary and assault following an incident on February 9. Owen J. Scott Reed, 24, faces charges of Burglary in the First Degree, a Class B felony; Burglary in the Third Degree involving a motor vehicle, an aggravated misdemeanor; and Assault Causing Bodily Injury or Mental Illness, a serious misdemeanor. Reed was taken into custody last week on March 17th.
According to court documents, Reed entered an unoccupied vehicle in the 600 block of South Maple Street, then used a garage door opener found inside the vehicle to gain entry to the residence. Once inside, Reed allegedly struck a male occupant in the face approximately four times with his hand, causing substantial swelling and redness to the left side of the victim’s face.
Reed is being held on a $28,000 cash or surety bond. At his initial appearance, a preliminary hearing originally set for March 27th was deemed unnecessary, and Reed has been scheduled for arraignment on April 6th. A no-contact order has been requested in the case.
The Wayland and Crawfordsville fire departments extinguished at out of control burn at about 1pm on Friday afternoon in Wayland. The Washington County Dispatch also reported a burn pile in Wellman that got out of control – on Friday afternoon. The Wellman and Kalona Fire Departments were able to extinguish the fire before it reached a grain trailer.
National Weather Service Severe Weather Outlook: Near record to record warmth and gusty southwest winds to 30 mph will lead to an elevated fire risk today. Avoid outdoor burning if possible. (High temperature today – 86 degrees.)
The Wapello Rural Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire in the 11000 Block of Rutledge Road at 4pm Friday afternoon. According to the Wapello Fire Department, the homeowner was conducting a controlled burn in the backyard, and it got out of hand and ignited the back of the house. There were no injuries, and the damage to the house was minimal.
The MPCSD Board of Education will meet on Monday, March 23rd at 6pm in the High School Media Center. The meeting is a work session with the possible closure of Salem Elementary School at the end of the 2026-27 school year topping the list of agenda items. The public hearing regarding Salem Elementary will begin at 6:10pm and each speaker is allowed 3 minutes to address the board. The Mt. Pleasant School Board invites citizens to see School Board Policy 214/Public Hearings. That policy as well as a copy of Monday evening’s agenda is available at MTPCSD.ORG/Meetings
