The investigation continues following a report on Friday of an armed man on the grounds of a Fairfield elementary school. A lockdown order was issued for the entire Fairfield School District Friday afternoon. Fairfield police along with assistance from several agencies, including the Henry County Sheriff’s office conducted a search but no one was located that matched the initial description of the man. Authorities are now conducting a criminal investigation into the possible brandishing of a firearm on school grounds.

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Work will resume Tuesday on Madison Street in Mt. Pleasant in the block between Main and Jefferson Streets. Crews are also waiting on a Windstream subcontractor to install a communications vault on the north side of Madison at the alley between Adams Street and Main. The plan is to pave the north side of Madison as soon as that is done. Kinney & Sons will complete the grading on Madison St. between Main St. and Jefferson St. and place the modified subbase. As soon as the paving is completed in that first block then the paver width will need changed before paving can start on the block between Main St. and Jefferson St. The only closures in place on Madison St. are between Adams St. to Main St. and Main St. to Jefferson St. All intersection will remain open for the duration of this project.

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Today is Memorial Day. In addition to the traditional observances, there is also the traditional opening of the summer swimming season at the local pool.  The Mount Pleasant Family Aquatic Center will open as it does each year at 1 pm this afternoon.  The pool is scheduled to be open every day of the week from 1 to 7 pm.  However, the pool is short staffed right now.  Park and Rec Director Gary Grunow says there may be days when the hours have to be shortened or there may days when it’s closed.  However, Grunow is still taking applications for anyone 15 and older who would like to work at the Family Aquatic Center.  Contact the Mount Peasant Park and Rec Department.

Also, please note that the stoplights at the intersection of West Washington and Marion Streets in Mount Pleasant have been switched from flashing to the regular operation of green, yellow, red due to the opening of the swimming pool.

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The Henry County Board of Supervisors meet Tuesday at 9 am.  The Board will get the weekly update from the county engineer, Jake Hotchkiss.  Hotchkiss will also bring a motion to hire a full-time maintenance employee and a resolution to award the contract for the Ash Avenue box culvert project.  At 9:30 there will be the third and final reading of an ordinance to re-adopt the existing county code to include recent amendments to the code.  At 10 am the board will hold a public hearing for an amendment to the 2022 budget. And at 10:30 there will be a discussion regarding office space with Lori Frick from the Department of Human Services. Supervisor meetings are held every Tuesday and Thursday at the courthouse.  The meetings are open to the public.

On 5/19/22 the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a theft by deception.  The victim, an 88-year-old Des Moines County resident, reported being contacted by an individual posing as his granddaughter.  The victim reported that the subject informed him that she was in jail and needed bond money.  The victim sent $8000.00 in a package to an address in Port St. Lucie, Florida the same day.  Des Moines County Deputies contacted the Port St Lucie Police Department and informed them of the suspected theft.

On 5/20/22 Port St Lucie Police Officers were able to intercept the package sent by the victim and retrieve all $8000.00 that was sent.  Port St Lucie Officers then repacked and delivered the package as scheduled in an attempt to identify the suspects.

Detectives with the Port St Lucie Police Department surveilled the residence where the package was sent and observed a vehicle drive up and subjects took the now empty package from the residence.  Port St Lucie Detectives performed a traffic stop and identified Jenny Richard (driver, 26 YOA) and Jordan Dor (passenger, 25 YOA) as the occupants of the vehicle.  Dor was identified as the subject who approached the residence and took the package.  The package was located at Dor’s feet during the traffic stop.

Through this investigation Port St Lucie Detectives developed charges for Dor and Richard, who were both arrested and charged with Larceny – Grand Theft (More than 5K but less than 10K) per Florida code.  Richard and Dor were taken to the St Lucie County Jail on a $5000.00 bond each.

The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind citizens that scammers can be extremely assertive and persuasive, and to follow these tips to prevent from becoming the victim of a phone scam:

• Don’t send or wire money to anyone you have not met before
• Don’t give out personal or financial information over the phone
• Contact a trusted family member who can confirm or deny if the caller’s story is legitimate
• Ask the caller questions that would be difficult for them to answer
• Contact law enforcement immediately with any concerns and we will investigate further

In May 2022, six Iowa Wesleyan University students, accompanied by three faculty members, participated in a 16-day study abroad opportunity in Belize. This opportunity provided students a chance to learn and experience the distinct cultures of Belize, including Creole, Garifuna, Mayan, and Mestizos. Students learned both in lectures from world-class experts and by visiting important sites and locations. With several hours of free time scheduled in each city, students were also provided an opportunity to learn and engage with cultural elements that interested them.

“I was thoroughly impressed with our students who participated in our Belize study abroad program,” stated Dr. DeWayne Frazier, University Provost. “The students engaged in the program and were able to learn about the many cultures and ideologies of Belize. Even more importantly, they learned about themselves; the students who participated in the program have an entirely new perspective after these two weeks.” 

As Iowa Wesleyan welcomes greater diversity on campus and emphasizes globalization, efforts are being made to increase study abroad opportunities for students. “Study abroad will change your perspective on life,” noted Delaney Adams, a junior digital media design student. “It will open you up to new friendships you’d never expect and cultures you never knew about. Best of all, it will leave you with an open mind and the urge to expand your worldview.”

Encourages Others to Donate to Fund Established by Texas Retailer H-E-B

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (May 27, 2022) — Hy-Vee, headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, today donated $100,000 to the victims’ families and others who were impacted by the tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and is encouraging additional donations be made by those who want to show their support to the Uvalde community. The funds were donated to the Spirit of Giving Fund, which is a 501 (c)3 organization established by Texas retailer H-E-B that provides financial support to help meet the immediate and ongoing needs of individuals and communities impacted by natural disasters and other tragedies.

“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the Uvalde community,” said Randy Edeker, chairman and CEO of Hy-Vee. “When discussing how we could best support those affected, we knew our friends at H-E-B were already on the ground helping families. Through their Spirit of Giving Fund, we know our donation will go toward providing meals, supplies, crisis counselors, financial assistance to families and other community efforts. We also know others want to help during this time, so that’s why we believe it’s important to bring awareness to this Fund.”

H-E-B originally established the Spirit of Giving Fund to respond to the urgent needs of communities devastated by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Since then, the fund has been activated to help with other emergencies such as the tragedy in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in 2017 and now the devastating situation in Uvalde.

“Hy-Vee’s $100,000 donation is one of the largest donations we have received so far in response to this tragedy, and we are extremely grateful to Hy-Vee and its employees for thinking of those who are hurting in Texas,” said Craig Boyan, president of H-E-B. “It is our hope that H‑E‑B’s on-site and financial support will assist during this difficult situation. We thank our neighbors to the north for thinking of our local communities in Texas during this time.”

Hy-Vee pledges to continue providing and offering its support when disasters strike through monetary funds and use of its disaster recovery fleet like it did during Iowa’s 2020 derecho, the 2021 Kentucky and Tennessee tornados, and the recent Tops Friendly Markets incident.

To donate to the Spirit of Giving Fund, donations of up to $250 can be made at www.heb.com/donate. Anyone wishing to donate more than $250 can mail checks directly to: Spirit of Giving Fund, 646 South Flores St., San Antonio, TX 78204.

On May 25, at approximately 9:38p.m. deputies with the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to 11801 147^th Ave. for a report of an adult male who was suicidal and intoxicated. Deputies were advised the subject was in possession of a handgun and was threatening to shoot himself. Deputies were also advised that his 2-year old child was in the residence with him. Deputies arrived on scene and heard a gunshot from inside the house. Deputies then observed a male walking around the interior of the residence. The male subject then placed a pistol on the kitchen counter and walked to the front door where he was detained.

The 2-year old child was located by deputies in a crib inside of a bedroom and returned to the mother. The child was unharmed. Deputies observed a bullet hole in the exterior of the bedroom wall that the 2-year old child was located inside of. Deputies later recovered a bullet from inside that wall. The male was identified as Austen Floyd Adair Followwill, age 26, of Burlington, IA. Deputies questioned Austen about the incident and he advised he did fire one round from his pistol into the exterior bedroom wall that the child was located inside of. Austen was placed under arrest for child endangerment and reckless use of a firearm.