Author: Theresa Rose

On October 4, 2021, at approximately 3:41AM, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 1600 Grid of Oakland Mills Road for a male subject screaming/yelling.  After officers arrived in the area and started searching for the male subject, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a residence in the 1700 Grid of Oakland Mills Road reporting a male subject had broken into their home and barricaded himself in their restroom.

Officers responded and found that Matthew Ray Sanderson (37 years of age) of the Mount Pleasant had broken into the home by smashing through a glass door to the residence.  Officers found that Matthew had locked himself in the upstairs restroom.  After a short time of speaking with Matthew, he surrendered to officers willingly.  Matthew was identified as the male subject who had been on Oakland Mills Road yelling/screaming.  Matthew was subsequently placed under arrest and transported to the Henry County Jail.

Matthew was charged with Burglary in the Second Degree (C Felony), Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree (Aggravated Misdemeanor), and Simulated Public Intoxication, First Offense (Simple Misdemeanor).

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Mt. Pleasant Police Department.

IowaWINs (Iowa Welcomes Immigrant Neighbors) will hold its annual meeting on Saturday, October 9, at 2:00 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall of First Presbyterian Church.  The meeting is open to the public and all supporters are welcome to attend.  (Masks will be required.)

The guest speaker for the meeting will be Erica Johnson, Founding Executive Director of Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice—located in Des Moines but working statewide.  Erica will share information about the mission and services of her organization.

Outgoing chair Tammy Shull will report on this year’s accomplishments and describe plans for the coming year.

One important business item for the annual meeting will be the installation of new officers on the Executive Board.  Officers for the coming years are Jeff Fager, President/Chair; Sam Riepe, Vice President; Bob Mueller, Secretary; Martha Wiley, IowaWINs Treasurer; and Tammy Shull, Nutrimos Treasurer.  Nutrimos is a branch of IowaWINs that is a sustaining ministry for immigrants and for the continuing work of IowaWINs. The Executive Board will also include the following At-Large members: David Suarez and Ed Kropa

ABOUT IowaWINS

IowaWINs (Iowa Welcomes Immigrant Neighbors) was originally established in the fall of 2015 in Mt. Pleasant in response to the global refugee crisis. Since its formation, the Commission expanded the Vision and Mission to include immigrants living in our community.  The Commission is open to all community members.

IowaWINs VISION:

Our communities will be inclusive and hospitable, welcoming people from across the world who chose to live, work, study and seek happiness here.

The purpose of IowaWINs is to establish a connection between immigrant families and other Mount Pleasant and Southeast Iowa neighbors.

In order to achieve that vision, the MISSION of IowaWINs is to:

• Develop relationships and partnerships within our communities and beyond to develop and implement solutions to common problems that immigrant residents face.
• Support the self-development of people in the immigrant community through connecting groups seeking to take initiative with resources.
• Build inclusive and hospitable relationships, providing educational, cultural, and service opportunities for all members of the community.
• Support children and people who came to the US as children in seeking to establish legal status in the US through assistance with application and legal fees to the degree possible with resources available.
• Advocate on behalf of immigrant rights to Iowa residents, government officials, office seekers and those developing public policy.

Anyone interested in joining this effort should contact Jeff Fager at jfager1104@gmail.com, 319-208-4610.

This is a community and First Presbyterian Church commission. All are welcome. Pastor is Trey Hegar, (319) 986-5851, firstpresbymtp@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/IowaWINs/

https://www.iowawins.net/

http://www.firstpresbyonline.org/

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly from April through November.

“This past week, western Iowa experienced above-average rainfall, which slowed fieldwork. However, the entire state saw a return to summer-like weather as temperatures felt more like late August as opposed to early fall,” said Secretary Naig. “Overall, final October outlooks show the possibility of warmer and wetter conditions and minimal chances of an early frost.”

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report

Harvest made good progress even with variable precipitation late in the week, allowing Iowa’s farmers 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 3, 2021, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting hay, soybeans and corn.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 13 percent very short, 32 percent short, 53 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 17 percent very short, 36 percent short, 46 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Eighty-seven percent of the corn crop has reached maturity, six days ahead of normal. Corn harvest for grain reached 19 percent statewide, eight days ahead of the 5-year average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain fell to 20 percent. Iowa’s corn condition rated 60 percent good to excellent.

Soybeans dropping leaves or beyond reached 92 percent, eight days ahead of normal. Producers harvested over 20 percent of Iowa’s soybean crop during the week ending October 3, with the total harvested reaching 40 percent, ten days ahead of the five-year average. Farmers in central and east central Iowa have now harvested half of their soybean crop. Soybean condition was rated 64 percent good to excellent.

Pasture condition rated 27 percent good to excellent. Spotty precipitation helped keep some pastures green for cattle to continue grazing, but water for livestock continues to be an issue.

Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Unseasonably warm temperatures blanketed the state over the reporting period with some stations observing seven-day temperature departures close to 15 degrees above normal. The statewide average temperature was 70.1 degrees, 11.6 degrees above normal making it the warmest week since late August. Widespread rain also fell across Iowa with a majority of western Iowa stations reporting above-average totals; stations in northwestern Iowa observed positive departures of two to four inches.

Warm conditions and gusty southwesterly winds continued through Sunday (26th) afternoon under sunny skies as temperatures pushed into the mid to upper 80s. As winds died down overnight, lows ranged from the low 50s north to mid 60s south; the statewide average low was 53 degrees, six degrees above normal. Monday (27th) was another hot day with daytime highs in the mid 80s and low 90s at a majority of Iowa’s reporting stations as winds shifted behind a weak frontal boundary. Overnight lows reported at 7:00 am on Tuesday (28th) were slightly cooler than the previous morning with winds out of the east under clear skies. Unseasonable warmth persisted throughout the day as high temperatures varied from the low 80s east to low 90s west as winds gradually shifted to a southwesterly direction. A stationary front draped north to south in western Iowa was a focusing mechanism for isolated showers in the southwest corner early in the afternoon on Wednesday (29th). Temperatures remained in the mid 80s as cloud cover increased in western Iowa. The first wave of showers and thunderstorms formed over the state’s western half overnight into Thursday (30th) and persisted through the morning hours before dissipating in northwestern Iowa just after noon. A secondary wave formed later in the evening over the same region as overnight temperatures were held in the 60s under overcast skies. Rain totals for the event were highest across western Iowa while much of eastern Iowa missed out. Nearly 100 stations reported an inch or more with 30 measuring above two inches; Atlantic (Cass County) reported 2.02 inches and Estherville (Emmet County) observed 3.21 inches with general totals across the region around 0.22 inch.

As the low pressure center pushed east Friday (1st) morning, light showers formed behind the system into the afternoon hours. Sunshine peeked between gaps in the clouds as light rain and drizzle fell across much of Iowa through the evening hours. Stations reported totals below a few tenths of an inch though a handful of north-central and southeastern stations observing over a 0.50 inch; Donnellson (Lee County) measured 0.52 inch with Estherville picking up another 0.94 inch. Afternoon temperatures varied from the low 70s west to low 80s east, where more sunshine was present. Cloud cover and fog were present overnight into Saturday (2nd) with dreary and damp conditions hanging on throughout the day. Winds shifted to a westerly direction as isolated showers formed in southeastern Iowa. A majority of stations reporting rain had under a tenth of an inch, though De Witt (Clinton County) measured 0.49 inch. Clouds began to clear in western Iowa at sunrise with lows in the 50s northwest to mid 60s southeast on Sunday (3rd) morning.

Weekly rain totals ranged from no accumulation at several eastern Iowa stations to 4.15 inches at Estherville. The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.55 inch while the normal is 0.70 inch. Red Oak (Montgomery County) observed the week’s high temperature of 95 degrees on the 28th, 21 degrees above normal. Eldora (Hardin County) reported the week’s low temperature of 37 degrees on the 27th, seven degrees below normal.

SEISO PRESENTS THEIR MASTERWORKS SERIES CONCERT
NO. 1: IOWA ROOTS
The Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra (SEISO) presents their Iowa Roots concerts October
16th at 7:30 PM at Burlington’s Capitol Theater and October 17th at 2:00 PM at Ottumwa’s Bridge
View Center and 6:30 PM at Iowa Wesleyan’s Chapel Auditorium in Mt. Pleasant. These
concerts include a world premiere of a flute concerto by Iowa composer Linda Robbins Coleman
who is celebrating her 30th year as an orchestral composer. Principal Flute of SEISO Victoria
Rose Bishop is the soloist in the culmination of her residency as SEISO Artist-in-Residence.
Rose is visiting schools and presenting public recitals in all three communities.
Czech Composer Antonin Dvorak’s Iowa inspired masterpiece, New World Symphony, opens
the concert. The second half of the concert is all female composers and includes a work by St.
Louis composer Stephanie Berg with her Arabian street festival inspired Ravish and Mayhem.
Ms. Bishop is featured as soloist on Concertino by Cecile Chaminade. The concert ends with
the World Premiere, SEISO commissioned, Diversions by Linda Robbins Coleman. This work
features Ms. Bishop in the highly unusual format of the flautist soloing on Alto, C Flute and
Piccolo in consecutive movements. This appears to be the only the second work of this kind
written for flute and orchestra. This concert continues the SEISO theme of honoring the
anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment allowing women the right to vote by featuring
female composers and soloists.
Admission to the Masterworks Series concerts in Burlington, Ottumwa and Mt. Pleasant is by
season ticket or by single-concert tickets which may be purchased at the door or on our website
www.seiso.us. Season tickets are $55 while single-concert tickets are $20. Children/student
tickets (aged 0-22) are free. There is no reserved seating.
Make the most of your concert experience by attending the ‘Prelude.’ Music Director Robert
McConnell will be on hand 45 minutes before each performance to talk about the programmed
music in depth. ‘Prelude’ is supported through a grant from the Charles W. Rand Memorial
Lecture Fund in Burlington and is offered free of charge to all audience members.
If you have questions, please contact the SEISO Office at seiso@iw.edu. More information is
available on the SEISO web site at www.seiso.us.