Author: Yorke Prough

The start of the school year often means children are making new friends. The unfortunate reality is that some children and parent’s don’t truly know who these so called friends are. There are 27 registered sex offenders just within 10 miles of Mt. Pleasant alone.

Whether you live in the city surrounded by neighbors or in the country with no ones for miles, it’s important to know who your neighbors are. It is completely normal to want to keep your children safe, and one way you can keep up on it is by knowing who is in your neighborhood.

The Iowa Sex Offender website provides a search engine that shows every registered offender in the state. The website has a series of frequently asked questions, such as “Am I supposed to be notified by my Sheriff’s Office or Police Department when a sex offender moves near my house?”

They go on to explain that “this type of notification is not required under Iowa law.” However, there is a helpful email notification service on the website which allows you to sign up to receive email notices. You will receive an email every time a registered sex offender moves into or out of the area that you have specified.

Help protect your family by being informed.

Continue reading “The Importance of Knowing Your Neighbors”

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 April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

“September is always a busy month as farmers are beginning to make harvest preparations while also seeding cover crops and chopping silage,” said Secretary Naig. “As this year’s crop heads toward maturity, the outlook for the first half of September indicates the continuation of warm and dry conditions.”

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

The State experienced hot conditions and scattered rain this past week. Iowa farmers averaged 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending September 1, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities included preparing for the fall harvest and hay cutting.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 2 percent very short, 20 percent short, 76 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 3 percent very short, 19 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.

Corn in the dough stage or beyond reached 94 percent this week. Sixty-one percent of the corn crop reached the dent stage, 5 days behind last year and 1 day behind the five-year average. Corn mature reached 10 percent, 2 days behind last year but 1 day ahead of the five-year average. Corn condition rated 77 percent good to excellent. Soybeans setting pods reached 95 percent. Soybeans coloring reached 18 percent, 4 days behind last year and 2 days behind the five-year average. Soybean dropping leaves began at 2 percent. Soybean condition was 77 percent good to excellent.

The State’s third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 88 percent, 1 week behind last year but 1 week ahead of the five-year average. Pasture condition rated 64 percent good to excellent.

On August 29, 2024, at approximately 11:36AM, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office received a report of suspicious activity in the 1800 block of Courtland Avenue, Mount Pleasant, Iowa. During the investigation, Clarence Lewis, 51 of Wayland, was arrested for interference with official acts (simple misdemeanor) and transported to the Henry County Jail.

A Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a single vehicle accident over the weekend. Approximately 40 minutes after midnight, the deputy arrived on scene to the 6000 block Avenue O and found a pickup truck and house fully engulfed.

After speaking with the driver, 39-year-old Ricardo Vidal of Fort Madison, the deputy believed that he was under the influence of alcohol, however, he refused to test. A search warrant was obtained, and lab results are pending.

According to the report, the vehicle was traveling eastbound on Avenue O before it went off the right shoulder, through part of a field, cutting an Alliant Energy utility wire, and finally driving into the residence. Vidal stated that he does not know what happened and that it was a freak accident. Property damage to the house was estimated at $80,000, with an additional $1500 for the utility pole wires, and the vehicle was totaled.

Both the driver and the passenger of the pickup were transported by EMS with visible injuries.