Mount Pleasant, Iowa, [March 10, 2025] – Applications are currently being accepted for the  scholarship/loan program through the Friends of Henry County Health Center.

The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage education and future employment in a healthcare field at Henry County Health Center. Applicants must be residents of Henry County, HCHC associates, or a family member of an HCHC associate.

The program is designated as a scholarship/loan because the recipient will be required to work at HCHC pending completion of course work, certification, and availability of employment. The scholarship/loan amount will be forgiven over a specified period of employment.

Applications are available at www.henrycountysoldiersandsailors.com/friends-of-hchc.com, the HCHC Information Desk in the front lobby, high schools located in Henry County, Southeastern Community College, Indian Hills Community College, Mt. Mercy College, or Kirkwood Community College.

Applicants may enroll in a program of their choice and at the college of their choice; however, the scholarship committee reserves the right to review the program. Funds may be used to pay for tuition, books, and other educational expenses.

Completed applications are due by Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 5pm, and may be turned into the HCHC Public Information Department, 407 S. White Street, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa 52641,  or emailed to kheerdt@greatriverhealth.org.

The Friends of HCHC initiated the scholarship/loan program in 1979 to offer financial assistance to students enrolled in a health care field of study.  Numerous scholarships have been awarded to area students in hospital service areas such as nursing, emergency care, laboratory, diagnostic imaging, health information management and pharmacy. Friends of Henry County Health Center sponsor an annual soup supper in early November to help fund the scholarship. This year’s Soup Supper is scheduled for Friday, November 8th.

For more scholarship information, call 319-385-6524.

The CDC has recommended that all people aged 65 years or older receive a second 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine dose 6 months after their last dose. A second dose is also recommended for persons aged 6 months – 64 years who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. Individuals aged 65 and older and those with a weakened immune system are at higher risk from COVID-19 and the vaccine reduces your risk for critical illness, hospitalization, and Long COVID.

Henry County Public Health gives the COVID vaccine, along with most other vaccines for adults and children, during immunization clinic hours: Tuesdays 9-11am, Wednesdays and Thursdays 1-4pm, and the 1^st and 3^rd Thursday of each month 1-6pm. No appointment is necessary, but you will need your insurance card if you have one. Uninsured and underinsured individuals can still receive the vaccine through a government funded program.

Henry County Public Health is located at 106 N. Jackson Street in Mt. Pleasant. Language interpretation is available. If you need transportation, you can call SEIBUS at 866-753-5107 to schedule a ride for a low fee.

If you have any questions, please call 319-385-0779 and follow Facebook.com/HealthyHenryCounty for the latest updates.

Tucked away in the heart of Mount Pleasant, the Harlan-Lincoln House stands as a significant piece of both local and national history. Built by Senator James Harlan, the home has deep connections to the Lincoln family, offering a glimpse into the past and preserving valuable artifacts linked to one of America’s most iconic leaders.

Now a museum since 1959, the house is home to several remarkable artifacts, including a piece of the coat collar that President Lincoln wore the night of his assassination. The majority of the coat remains on display at Ford’s Theatre Museum in Washington, D.C., but this fragment was gifted to the college by Mary Harlan Lincoln in the early 20th century.

Visitors can also explore original furnishings, personal items from the Robert Todd Lincoln family, and even a dollhouse that belonged to the Lincoln grandchildren.

Brown Bag Lecture Series Returns in April

Alongside its historical exhibits, the Harlan-Lincoln House will host the Brown Bag Lecture Series this April at the Belle Center, formerly the Chadwick Library. The lectures will take place in the room immediately to the right of the front entrance, beginning at noon on the first four Tuesdays of the month.

The lineup includes:

• April 1 – Paul Juhl, historian and author of Mount Pleasant Memories, will present “A Divine Legend: Madame Sarah Bernhardt and Rochester, Iowa.”
• April 8 – K. Weise, former director of the Burlington Public Library and current Burlington City Council member, will lead a genealogy workshop titled Who Do You Come From?
• April 15 – Dr. John Bamm Bennett, a local Lincoln historian, will discuss George Miller and the Trenton Henry County Institute of Science.
• April 22 – Darcy Mosby, an Iowa journalist and historian, will present Adventures Along the Lincoln Highway in Iowa.

All programs are free and open to the public, though donations are welcome.

Additionally, the Harlan-Lincoln House has resumed open hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m., offering guided tours for visitors.

For those interested in local and national history, the Harlan-Lincoln House remains a treasured landmark, keeping the Lincoln family’s legacy alive in Mount Pleasant.

Hudson Gibb of Burlington and Natalie Steele of Lockridge were selected for the 2025 Youth Tour, an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored by Access Energy Cooperative.

Hudson, a junior at Danville High School, is involved in catering, the Southeast Iowa Property Owners, and his church youth group. Natalie, a sophomore at Fairfield High School, participates in 4-H, volleyball, babysitting, and helps on her family farm.

They will join nearly 1,000 students nationwide to explore American history and government, visit landmarks, and meet legislators. Access Energy Cooperative has sponsored the Youth Tour since 1958, selecting up to two students annually through an application and interview process.

Access Energy Cooperative has been a part of the Youth Tour program since 1958 and currently selects up to two students each year to participate in the seven-day trip. The students are selected through an application and interview process.

The event will be held Saturday, March 22^nd, 9:30 a.m. until noon at the Fellowship Hall of the First United Methodist Church, 309 North Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, west entrance.  The entry has disability access.

During the caucuses the Henry County Democrats will hear from officers on key issues, select leadership and committee persons for precincts, discuss priorities regarding platform resolutions, and conduct planning for the remainder of the year.

The caucus is open to all Democrats in Henry County.  Registration will be available at the caucus.

Henry County Spring Meeting and Democratic Caucus

When:  Saturday, March 22^nd, 9:30 – Noon

Where:  First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Main Street, Mt. Pleasant

Who: Registered Democrats who live in Henry County