Author: Theresa Rose

On September 6 at approximately 1 pm hours, a Jefferson County Deputy attempted to stop a vehicle on Highway 34 westbound at mile marker 213. The vehicle failed to stop for the deputy who had his fully marked patrol vehicle and all emergency lighting and siren activated.
The suspect vehicle exited the highway at exit 212, and proceeded south on Highway 1. The pursuit then went out onto county gravel roads and eventually back to Fairfield. The vehicle continued through Fairfield and into Leisure Living where the driver was apprehended.
Arrested was Phillip Morgan Argo Jr, 36 of Fairfield Iowa. He was charged with felony eluding and weapons charges, as well as numerous traffic offenses up to and including excessive speed, eluding, reckless driving and operating on a suspended driving license.
Argo is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on a $10,000.00 bond. Investigation continues and further felony weapons charges are pending.
Assisting the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was the Fairfield Police Department.

Monday the Mt Pleasant Police Department received a complaint of a sweepstakes award with a letter. There is a check attached that appears to be legitimate, but it is a fraud. The check has an insurance company listed as well as a bank in another state. The letter that comes with the check seems very real.

The Mt Pleasant PD wants to warn local residents of this scam and if they have any questions please call your local law enforcement.

The local police also want to take the opportunity to remind you to never provide personal information out over the phone or emails. Never send money or gift cards to get part of your money. That is a tactic they also use to have you pay your “taxes” off first.

Iowa Wesleyan University (IW) surpassed new student admission goals with a fifth consecutive year of increased overall enrollment and a continued improved student retention rate.

IW’s enrollment has risen by a dramatic 13% this academic year alone, with 729 undergraduate and graduate students making this the school’s largest enrollment since 2011. By comparison, the average yearly increase in student enrollment over the previous five years was 5.5%. In addition, the Graduate and Professional Programs have experienced a 25% enrollment increase from last year. This year, the university also boasts a 63% retention rate for first-year undergraduate students who have returned this fall; this is a significant achievement following many years with retention rates below 50%.

Iowa Wesleyan University also claimed an unprecedented 54% increase over last year in new undergraduate domestic students. These 244 students represent 33 states across the United States, including Puerto Rico.  While the new international student enrollment dropped slightly due to pandemic-related restrictions, more than 65 international students returned from last year.  Overall, this is the university’s largest class of new students since 2009.

IW has been focused on strategically increasing its retention and persistence, most recently with the addition of a Student Success Center through the Office of Academic Success and Inclusive Support. These efforts have paid off.  Over the last five years, the university’s overall persistence has risen by 17%, and the retention of first-year students has improved by 31%.

“Over the past year, the IW community has paid increasing attention to the unique niche of students we serve,” said President Christine Plunkett.  “For most of our students, including many who are the first in their family to attend college, IW becomes a comfortable second home.  I am incredibly proud of the campus-wide effort put forth by our admissions, athletic, and student success staff and our faculty and other staff members to support each student from the moment they enroll at the university.  These remarkable increases in enrollment, retention, and persistence are a testament to those efforts.”

These impressive statistics for Iowa Wesleyan University come during a challenging year for higher education institutions across the country. With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, many colleges and universities are seeing a decrease in enrollment. One of IW’s strengths has always been its small class sizes and rural campus, explicitly adding to its success during a global pandemic.  The addition of the Tiger Athletics Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Teams and a growing Football roster directly boosted the increased undergraduate enrollment.

Iowa Wesleyan University – As Southeast Iowa’s regional comprehensive university, Iowa Wesleyan University is a transformational learning community whose passion is to educate, empower and inspire students to lead meaningful lives and careers.

AGENDA

Tuesday, September 8

Order of business, regular session

Danville City Council, Danville City Hall

NOTE:  The regular session may be conducted electronically

as allowed by Iowa Code 21.8

Citizen comments:  Comments must be directed to the subject under consideration.  The presiding officer shall rule on the relevance of the citizen comments.  Citizens making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks may be barred by the presiding officer from further comment before the Council during the meeting.

1. Call to order, 6:00 p.m..

2. Accept or amend the agenda.

3. Open forum: A time set aside to receive comments from the public regarding city business.  The Mayor and City Council welcome comments from the public on any subject pertaining to City business, including items on this agenda.  You are asked to state your name and address for the record and to limit your remarks to five minutes in order that others may be given the opportunity to speak.  The Order of Business is at the discretion of the Chair.  No action will be taken.

4. Member(s) of the Danville Booster Club to present their plans for a Harvest Moon Run, tentatively scheduled for October 3^rd. Action by Council if needed.

5. City Engineer Matt Walker, from French-Reneker-Assoc.
6. Review of the proposed Roosevelt Street Storm Sewer Replacement Project.  (Replacing the storm sewer from just west of the box culvert on Roosevelt Street, heading westward to the Main Street intersection.)  Action on the engineering agreement for this project.
7. Authorization to submit to Regional Planning a STBG application for Old Hwy 34 resurfacing and repairs.
8. Update on the status of the sewerage treatment plant project.  Action by council if needed.

6. Update on the status of 400 South Third Avenue as discussed during the July 20, 2020 council meeting. Action by council if needed.

7. Status review of properties receiving abatement notices. Action by council if needed.

8. Discussion on other properties within the city limits that are in need of being mowed and/or cleaned up. Action by council if needed.

9. Fire Chief/Building Inspector report.
10. Action on any building permits received.
11. Action on the Fire Chief/Building Inspector report as presented.

10. Public Works Supt. written report.
11. Review and approval of the Public Works written report.

Page 1 of 2, agenda

Page 2 of 2, agenda

          City of Danville

September 8, 2020

11. Approval of the consent agenda items.
12. Council minutes of August 3, 2020.
13. July 2020 financial reports.
14. City clerk attending clerk’s meeting in Wayland, September 9.
15. Electric permits.
16. Authorization for Mayor to sign an utility easement.
17. Payment of bills.

12. Council reports and correspondence.
13. Setting of the starting time for the September 21, 2020 meeting.

13. Adjournment.

The next regular session of the Danville City Council is scheduled for Monday, September 21, 2020, Danville City Hall.  Council and the Danville & Pleasant Grove Township Trustees will have their joint quarterly meeting, Danville City Hall, starting at 6:30 p.m..

If there had been an Old Threshers Reunion this year it would have been the 70^th  annual event held in Mount Pleasant. Today, Labor Day would have been the final day of the five day celebration of our agriculture history. This is the first year since 1950 the Reunion has been cancelled. A few years after World War II ended, a group of four men — Clark Everts, Ted Detrick, Ray Ernst and Herman E. Elgar — were returning from the new Zehr Threshing Reunion in Pontiac, Illinois. They came up with the idea of establishing a Midwest Old Threshers Association.  After several winter meetings, the election of a Board of Directors, and lengthy discussions about an Mt. Pleasant event, the Association was chartered on August 21, 1950. The first Reunion was a two day event, held September 20 and 21, 1950. The records show that 15 Steam Engines and 8 Separators were exhibited with an estimated 10,000 people attending the first Reunion. In addition to the original four the following men also served on the first board of directors…Joe Ruby, Ray Vorhees, Milo Mathews, Robert Willits, and Frank Johnson. Over 70 years the mission of that first board of directors has not changed….” To Preserve and Celebrate Our Midwest Rural Heritage in the Modern World”

Health Director Confirms Prison Numbers Account for Spike

On Friday the total number of positive cases of coronavirus reported in Henry County stood at 306 with 124 people recovered. Saturday morning that total number of positives jumped to 377. The 14 day average positivity rate went from 11. 4 to 13.8%. Bottom line….Henry County saw a spike of 71 additional cases, according to the Iowa coronavirus website. Henry County Public Heath Director Shelley Van Dorin confirmed Saturday morning that the sharp increase is due to the additional prison positives from testing done Wednesday. She also said offender numbers are counted in Henry County totals even though the offenders may have home addresses outside of this county.  The number of positives at the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility, after 1,402 people were tested, stands at 151 cases among the offender population. Two more staff members tested positive for a total of 4.

Wayland and Olds Fire Departments were called to 1435 Franklin Avenue. A hoop building was on fire on property that, according to court records, belongs to Eichelberger Farms.  The call came in Friday morning at 10:17 am.