The Compensation Board will be meeting January 19, 2022 at 5:30 pm. Anyone wishing to attend the meeting will be able to view it in the Conference Room on the 2nd Floor of the Courthouse. Chairman Bob Swindell will be there with the other members. This is to determine wage increases for elected officials for Fiscal Year 22/23.
County and City Registration Reminder for UTV’s and ATV’s
Henry County residents who operate a snowmobiles, all-terrain or off-road vehicles have until Friday, December 31st to renew their registration without penalty.
Owners may renew current off road vehicle registrations without a penalty for $17.75 until the end of the year, and a late fee of $5 will begin January 1st. Off-highway vehicle registrations are issued by the recorder’s office in partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and are valid for one year. Due to the New Year’s holiday, the courthouse will be closed Friday, December 31st. For more information or questions regarding registration, Call the Recorder’s office at 319-385-0765.
If residents are interested in the Henry County Ordinance to ride all-terrain or off-road vehicles on the designated county roads they will need to purchase a county permit as well. The cost for the county permit after Jan 1st will be $50 and is good for 1 year (Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022).
Mount Pleasant Police Department also reminds owners of UTVs and Golf carts registered in Mount Pleasant that those registrations expire December 31. You will need to have them registered for 2022. Just stop in the Police Department business office to get them registered. You will need to bring your current DNR registration and $25.00 cash or check. For questions call 319-385-1450.
Year In Review 2021 3rd Quarter
The third quarter of 2021 kicked off with one of the year’s most highly anticipated events…the opening of the Mount Pleasant Childcare Center. The community supported project meant the addition of desperately need childcare availability for the town. Doors opened July 6 serving 50 children to start with.
In July County Fair goers were happy to be able to attend in person this year after events were cancelled and the livestock shows held on-line the year before.
Congratulations to 17 year old Maddie Wellman! She was crowned as this year’s Lee County Fair Queen. This year’s First Runner Up was Sidney Jones and Second Runner Up is Brianna Gruntmeir. Brianna is also Miss Congeniality. The Junior Fair Queen at the Lee County Fair is Allison Gruntmeir. First Runner Up is Kayla Winnke and Second Runner Up is Madison Hassman.
Winfield-Mount Union senior Madie Anderson was named Henry County Fair Queen!
First Runner-Up and Miss Congeniality was Alexandra Farley. The 2021 Junior Queen was Ashlynn Beauchamp and First Runner-up was Jacie Campbell.
The Fair Princess was Bella Tedrow and the First Runner-up was Addyson Newton.
In July the Iowa Board of Corrections approved the Department’s selection of three new wardens. Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility’s Deputy Warden, Marcy Stroud, became that facility’s new warden. Chris Tripp was approved as the Warden of the Iowa State Penitentiary and Shawn Howard as the Warden of the Newton Correctional Facility. Stroud has worked with the Department of Corrections since she started her career as a Correctional Officer in 1989 since then holding many positions within the department including Activities Specialist, Counselor, Treatment Director, and Forensic Hospital Director as well as Deputy Warden.
At the end of July local and state law enforcement agencies closed the case regarding the fatal house fire in Mount Pleasant that occurred early in May. Mount Pleasant Police officially confirmed that Keith and Khay Baccam died in the May 3 blaze. The bodies of the couple were found inside their home at 1004 Redbud Lane. However, at the request of the family authorities did not release any further information, other than to say there was never a threat to the community. Mount Pleasant Fire Department responded at about 3:30 am to the scene. Because two bodies were discovered and because the fire appeared suspicious the State Fire Marshall’s investigator and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation were called in.
At the end of July the Mount Pleasant School Board officially approved a contract for Chad Venghaus as the district’s new Director of Buildings and Grounds. Chad previously worked for the City of Winfield Public Works Department. He would go on to work for two months with long time director Mark Porth who would officially resign this fall.
The Sweet 16 program is always a highlight of the annual Old Threshers Reunion. 2021 was made extra special with the addition of the Sweet 17’s. These young ladies signed on in 2020 as 16 year olds but as with so many other events that year’s Reunion was cancelled. The girls were invited to participate in this year’s reunion and that meant there was a Sweet 16 and a Sweet 17. The 2021 Old Threshers Miss Sweet 16 was Kalayana Durr of New London. First Runner-Up was Everlee Harvey. Second Runner -Up was Tristian Shull and Miss Volunteer was Sydney McElhinney. Ava Fisher of Altoona, Iowa was crowned Miss Sweet 17. The First Runner-Up was Kaitlyn Lee of New London. Second Runner-Up was Abby Blint. Miss Volunteer honors went to Emma Harvey of Argyle.
This fall, Iowa Wesleyan University continued to see significant enrollment growth, posting its highest overall enrollment in over a decade and the largest number of new students in 86 years.
The University’s fall census boasted a total undergraduate enrollment of 669, a 13% increase over last fall. This enrollment growth is also a 20% increase over the past three years and a 41% increase over the past five years.
The overall enrollment of 835, a 15% increase over last fall, reflects growth in the University’s graduate and online programs and the undergraduate program. This growth is a 58% increase over the past five years.
This growth in students has also pushed campus housing to its capacity. As the University expects to continue to experience enrollment growth for the future, campus housing and facilities have been a focus of discussions throughout their strategic planning process that is currently underway.
The new partnership with Southeastern Community College (the Southeast Iowa Higher Education Alliance) also provided an immediate enrollment impact, with fifteen students transferring through the Alliance this fall. The regional awareness has also increased the number of new Iowa students by 42% from last fall.
This fall, nearly 100 international students are on campus representing 34 countries.
September 14 both New London and Winfield Mt. Union School Districts held bond referendum. The proposition put before the New London voters passed by 68%. Voters were asked to approve general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $5,375,000. The funds are to be used to turn the Clark Elementary gym/multipurpose room into classrooms and then to construct a gym addition to the High School building.
The WMU proposition did not succeed. A total of 371 votes were cast…210 no votes and 161 yes votes. WMU district residents were asked to approve $3,255,000 to provide funds for a combination performing arts/athletic competition facility as well as additions to the Industrial Tech building and the High School.
Henry County Board of Supervisors Meeting Agenda
Daily Jail Count
In the interest of keeping Henry County residents informed, the Henry County Sheriff’s office has requested KILJ post the daily jail count. During the jail referendum campaign it was publicized that the jail would be able to house additional inmates from surrounding counties and this would generate revenue for Henry County.
Date: ____12-29-2021_____
JAIL COUNT
22_ Henry County Inmates
33_ Out of County Contract Inmates
55 TOTAL
State conservation officers have charged three men with multiple hunting violations
State conservation officers have charged three men with multiple hunting violations in Des Moines County from two separate investigations for illegal activity that allegedly occurred this fall.
| An anonymous call to State Conservation Officer Paul Kay in October began an investigation into the alleged unlawful taking of a mature white-tailed deer that lead officers to discover additional deer and a turkey were also allegedly illegally taken, as well as, multiple violations for hunting over bait and a felon in possession of a firearm. The individual faces the possible loss of hunting privileges as well as the loss of the firearm used to take the deer and turkey. |
| The second case grew from an investigation into suspicious activity in northern Des Moines County in November that lead state conservation officers to a machine shed where they discovered three mature white-tailed deer along with several antlerless deer that were allegedly illegally harvested. Officers identified two individuals who were charged with hunting over bait, using firearms and crossbows in archery season and multiple deer tagging violations. Both individuals face the possible loss of hunting privileges as well as the loss of the firearms, bows and crossbow used to take the deer. |
Potential fines and civil damages from these cases could exceed $100,000. All individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Bonnie Lou Stotts
Bonnie Lou Stotts, 75, longtime resident of Morning Sun, Iowa, went home to Heaven on December 24, 2021 at the Henry County Health Center. Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 30, 2021, from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Snyder and Hollenbaugh Funeral and Cremation Services in Morning Sun. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 31, 2021, at The Way Church in Morning Sun. Burial will be in the Elmwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Des Moines County Humane Society in memory of Bonnie. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sandhfuneralservice.com.
Bonnie Lou Hester was born on June 20, 1946, in Burlington, Iowa the daughter of Clarence “Buss” and Edith (Albright) Hester. She went to the Salem Elementary School and was a graduate of Burlington High School. On June 27, 1964, Bonnie was united in marriage to Archie Eugene “Gene” Stotts at the First Christian Church in Burlington. She was a custodian at the Burlington Medical Center. Bonnie was a member of the Yarmouth Baptist Church and loved visiting with family and friends, going out to eat, gardening, feeding the birds, listening to Country music and was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan.
Bonnie is survived by and will be deeply missed by her daughters, Tammy( Darren) Wilson of Danville and Kris (John) Dale of Morning Sun; two grandsons, Josh (Randi) Dale of Washington and John Dale Jr. of Ames; great grandchildren Kaitlin, Andrew and Nate Edmonds; sister, Shirley Watson of Burlington; special cousin, Rose Dean of Morning Sun; other family members and some very dear friends.
Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gene, of over fifty years of marriage whom she loved deeply and missed dearly; her faithful pet, Holly and brother David.
Judy Maxine George
Judy Maxine George, 80, of Hamilton, Illinois, died Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at Jefferson County Health Center in Fairfield. She was born September 29, 1941 in rural Mt. Pleasant to Virgil George and Helen Frances Swan Prickett.
On August 18, 1961 she married Melvin Eugene George at the First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant.
Judy was a graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School. She attended Word of Life Lutheran Church in Fairfield and formerly attended First Lutheran Church in Keokuk where she was a member of LCW, sang in the choir, and taught Sunday school for twenty years. She and her husband were charter members of Christ Vision TV ministry in Keokuk. She was a cub scout leader and took Tom Ross classes in oil painting; enjoyed line dancing, coloring and drawing, embroidery, and playing with her grandkids.
She worked at the telephone company in Mt. Pleasant as a switch board operator and retired after twenty-five years at Pioneer Lumber in Hamilton.
Survivors include her husband of Hamilton; two sons, Mark (Armilda) of Hamilton and Marty (Sue) of New London; daughter Joni (Mike) Wikman of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; eight grandchildren; sisters Shirley Giberson of Hillsboro and Barb Prickett of Salem; brothers Gary Prickett of Burlington and Randy Prickett of Salem; and sister-in-law Karen George of Northfield, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Ronald and James; two brothers-in-law John George and Dwight Giberson; and two sisters-in-law Debbie Prickett and Brenda Prickett.
According to her wishes, her body has been cremated and inurnment will be at a later date. A memorial service will be held at Elliott Chapel, New London at 10:30 am Friday, December 31, 2021 with Rev. Michael Scudder officiating. The family will greet friends beginning at 9:30 am until the time of the service. A memorial has been established in her honor. Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.