Author: Lisa Grilliot

The Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Anamosa State Penitentiary are suspending all in-person visitation, effective immediately, due to ongoing safety and security concerns. The Iowa DOC made the announcement this week and explained they are taking appropriate steps to ensure the safety of staff, incarcerated individuals, and visitors.

According to the press release, the suspension will remain in effect until further notice from the Iowa DOC.  Access to video visitation will remain available according to the standard schedule.

Last month (Thursday, March 26), The Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility suspended all in-person visitation in the main building, until further notice.

Joshua Zaiontz, 34, of Mt. Pleasant faces domestic abuse and child endangerment charges following an incident on Tuesday evening, April 7, at a residence in Mount Pleasant.

Zaiontz was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault, first offense, a simple misdemeanor, and two counts of Child Endangerment, both aggravated misdemeanors.  He was arrested and transported to Henry County Jail. A no-contact order has been requested for both the victim and the two children. Bond has been set at $4,500 cash or surety. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday, April 17th, and a bond review hearing has been requested and set for April 29th.

According to court documents, the Mount Pleasant Police Department responded to a Mt. Pleasant residence on Tuesday, April 7 at about 6pm following a report of a disturbance with yelling in the background. No physical altercation or weapons were reported at the time of the call. Upon arrival, officers found that Zaiontz had been pinned to the floor by others inside the residence and was detained for investigation.

Court records state that Zaiontz, who does not reside at the address, allegedly entered through the front door and moved toward the victim in an aggressive manner. According to court documents, a witness intervened between the two, and an additional witness physically restrained Zaiontz. Court records also indicate that two juvenile boys—ages 13 and 6—exited the residence through a window on the opposite side during the incident. The victim told officers they feared Zaiontz was going to physically harm them.

Court documents note that Zaiontz and the victim have been married for 11 months but have been living in separate households for approximately one month. The two share the juvenile boys.

The Mt. Pleasant Community School District Board of Education will meet in regular session at 6pm on Monday, April 13 in the High School Media Center, on S. Grand Avenue.  Items on the agenda include a public hearing regarding the FY2027 certified budget, class of 2025 graduation rate, board committee reports, among other business.  There are two considerations to approve “reduction in force termination” of two district employees.  The entire board agenda can be accessed HERE.

The agenda can also be found on MTPCSD.org.  This meeting is open to the public except for a “Negotiations Discussion” which is exempt from the open meeting law.

The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet at 10am on Monday, April 13 at the courthouse in Mt. Pleasant.  There are two items on the agenda which will be presented by Henry County Attorney Becky Wilson.  The first is a discussion, debate and possible board approval to hire part-time, temporary outside attorney counsel to work on public information requests.  The second item that Wilson will bring before the board is an “Employment Separation Agreement” along with a board discussion and possible board approval. This meeting is open to the public.  The KILJ news department will provide a complete report following the meeting.  Listen live or refer to KILJ.com under the NEWS tab.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced this week that Iowa will receive over $64 million in federal aid to help replace 67 bridges and culverts in poor condition across the Hawkeye state. Over 40 counties in Iowa will receive funding including Henry County, Des Moines County, and Lee County in southeast Iowa. The two awards will be administered through DOT’s Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP).  U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley’s office issued a press release stating this was created as part of the Grassley-backed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.  The funding will support the replacement of 67 city, county and state-owned bridges and culverts in poor condition.

Iowa leads the nation in the number of structurally deficient bridges

All Counties where projects are located from these grants include: Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Cedar, Chickasaw, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmett, Floyd, Guthrie, Hancock, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Jackson, Johnson, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lee, Madison, Marion, Mitchell, Monona, Montgomery, Muscatine, Osceola, Page, Pocahontas, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Story, Warren, Washington, Webster, Woodbury and Worth.

The Mt. Pleasant Municipal Utilities reported a water main break on Locust Street between Webster and Langdon Streets on Friday afternoon (4/10/26).  This portion of the road runs between Lincoln Elementary school and the east entrance to McMillian Park: it is flooded and closed for repairs. Utility officials report that the repair should be completed this evening.