DES MOINES, Iowa (Apr. 8, 2026) – The price of regular unleaded gasoline rose 21 cents from last week’s price and is currently averaging $3.64 across Iowa according to AAA.

Mount Pleasant, Iowa has selected a new leader to oversee daily city operations.

City officials announced the hiring of Joseph Taylor as the new City Administrator. In this role, Taylor will be responsible for ensuring that the policies and directives of the Mount Pleasant City Council are carried out efficiently, safely, and in a cost-effective manner.

The City Administrator oversees all operating departments, prepares and monitors the city budget, coordinates with the city attorney on legal matters, and develops agenda materials for council meetings. The position also emphasizes customer service and communication with residents, community partners, and regulatory organizations.

Taylor brings more than 20 years of business and entrepreneurial experience prior to entering municipal government. From the Midwest, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in public administration from Upper Iowa University.

Most recently, Taylor served as Town Manager for Orange Park, Florida, a position he was appointed to effective December 1st, 2025. City officials say Taylor’s background blends private sector experience with local government leadership, along with a focus on collaboration, transparency, and accessibility in government.

Taylor is known for an approachable leadership style and places a strong emphasis on building relationships with residents, staff, elected officials, and partner agencies to strengthen the community.

Outside of work, Taylor enjoys spending time with his wife of 20 years and their three children. Family activities include RV travel, dining adventures, and supporting their children’s involvement in sports and the arts. In his free time, Taylor also enjoys cooking family meals and coaching youth sports, particularly baseball.

KILJ and the entire Southeast Iowa region looks forward to working closely with Taylor as he assumes his new role and continues to advance and enhance Mount Pleasant.

The Fairfield Arts & Convention Center announces that Executive Director Lindsay Bauer will step down from her role effective May 1, 2026.
Bauer, who began her tenure in July 2020, has accepted a new professional opportunity and will be relocating to Kansas City. During her time at the Center, she guided the organization through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and led its recovery into a period of renewed growth and community connection.

Under her leadership, the Center expanded its programming and impact, including the launch of the Cinema Fairfield program in 2022 and the creation of the Sally Rinehart Johnston Arts in Education Program, which has provided meaningful arts experiences for area students.

During the pandemic and early years of recovery, Bauer also introduced a free outdoor summer concert series featuring Iowa artists, offering a space for community gathering at a time when it was most needed. The series was thoughtfully retired in 2025 as other local summer programming returned, reflecting the Center’s commitment to complementing and supporting the broader arts ecosystem.

In recent years, the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center has seen significant growth in attendance and engagement, welcoming audiences from across the region and strengthening its role as a hub for arts, culture, and community life in Southeast Iowa.

“This work has always been about loving well, spreading joy, and building a powerful community of curious and kind adventurers here in Southeast Iowa,” said Bauer. “I am so grateful to have been part of that alongside this community.”

“While we are sorry to see Lindsay leave, we are deeply grateful for her leadership and the transformative impact she has had on the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center,” said Board President Rachel Hillier. “She leaves the organization on strong and steady ground, with a capable team and a clear path forward. The Board looks forward to building on this momentum as we begin the search for our next Executive Director, and we wish Lindsay every success in her next chapter.”

The Center’s leadership team will continue to guide day-to-day operations, ensuring continuity of programming and services. The Board of Directors has initiated a search process for the organization’s next Executive Director. Interested candidates are invited to submit a resume and cover letter to executivesearch@fairfieldacc.com.

ContiTech officially broke ground Wednesday on a new state-of-the-art compounding center, marking a major expansion of its Mount Pleasant manufacturing facility and a continued investment in Southeast Iowa.

The project is part of the company’s previously announced $85 million investment aimed at strengthening its U.S. manufacturing footprint and supporting long-term growth. The new facility will integrate production, warehouse, and office operations while adding advanced mixing technology and an automated warehouse system.

Company leaders say the expansion will have a direct impact on the local workforce and economy.

“This expansion will add 50 new high-quality jobs, which will bring the total number of employees in Mount Pleasant close to 300,” said ContiTech USA CEO Andreas Gerstenberger. “It will promote economic growth in the city, state, and country.”

Gerstenberger also emphasized the strategic importance of the facility, noting that rubber production is central to the company’s operations.

“Rubber is the foundation of our products, and with this expansion, Mount Pleasant will become a true pillar of our operation and one of the biggest ContiTech plants in the region,” he said.

Mount Pleasant Mayor Steve Brimhall echoed that sentiment, highlighting the significance of the investment for the community.

“This $85 million expansion is no small decision. It speaks volumes to ContiTech’s confidence in this community, in our workforce, and in our future of manufacturing right here in Southeast Iowa,” Brimhall said. “The new compounding center will not only strengthen ContiTech’s operations, but also bring approximately 50 high-quality jobs to our city.”

The groundbreaking ceremony itself featured a unique touch, as a MedForce helicopter delivered gold ceremonial shovels to mark the occasion.

The Mount Pleasant facility, originally built in 1977, last underwent a major expansion in 2016. Company officials noted that the site is well-positioned for continued growth, with no physical limitations preventing future expansion.

Once completed, the compounding center will allow nearly 95 percent of the rubber used at the plant to be produced on-site, improving efficiency and supply reliability. ContiTech products manufactured in Mount Pleasant are used nationwide, including components for major infrastructure systems such as the New York City subway.

Company officials also highlighted the long-term investment in employees, noting it can take up to a year to fully train new workers. The plant has never experienced a layoff, underscoring its stability and importance to the regional economy.

The New London Community School District is considering a proposal to move sixth-grade students from the middle school back to the elementary building, a change that could affect student learning, class sizes, staffing, and school operations.
The proposal would shift the district’s current 6–8 middle school structure to a model where sixth grade joins kindergarten through fifth grade, leaving seventh and eighth grades to become part of a 7-12 model. This is a common structure based on staff licensures that are typically a 5-12 licensure.
District officials recently shared research and enrollment data outlining possible benefits and challenges associated with the change. Now, district leaders are inviting the public to attend a special board session where several key reports related to the proposal will be presented.

Research Highlights Effects of School Transitions
According to studies presented by the district, moving students to middle school at younger ages can create academic challenges.
Some research shows students who transition to middle school in sixth grade may experience drops in achievement in subjects such as math and reading. These effects can last for several years and may be more significant for students who begin with lower academic performance.
Other research suggests students often benefit from fewer school transitions, such as in K–8 systems, where students remain in the same building longer.
However, education experts also note that no single school structure guarantees success. Strong teacher collaboration, clear expectations, and student support systems are considered key factors in student achievement regardless of grade configuration.
District leaders noted that while New London’s middle school performs well overall, student performance data shows more variability when students first transition into middle grades.

Enrollment Numbers Show Potential Impact
District enrollment figures show relatively small elementary class sizes compared to current sixth-grade classes.
For the 2025–2026 school year, elementary enrollment includes:

• Kindergarten: 30 students in two classes
• First Grade: 49 students in three classes
• Second Grade: 47 students in three classes
• Third Grade: 37 students in two classes
• Fourth Grade: 46 students in two classes
• Fifth Grade: 57 students in three classes

Most elementary classes average between 15 and 23 students per classroom.
The current sixth grade includes 57 students divided into two classes, averaging 28 to 29 students per class, making it one of the largest class groupings in the district.
Projected enrollment for 2026–2027 shows similar patterns, with most elementary class sizes remaining below 23 students per class.
If sixth grade is moved to the elementary building, officials say the district may need to consider classroom space and staffing assignments based on teacher licensure and endorsements.

Possible Benefits and Challenges Identified
Supporters of the proposal say moving sixth grade to the elementary building could create a more age-appropriate learning environment and may improve the quality of school transitions students experience.
District leaders also noted that shifting sixth grade could allow additional academic support opportunities for seventh and eighth grade students at the middle school by providing more opportunities for intervention.
However, the change could also affect existing middle school systems, including teacher collaboration teams and student advisory programs.
School traditions may also be impacted. For example, fundraising time for the eighth-grade trip could be reduced, and some sixth-grade activities may be relocated.

Board Discussion Expected
At the March regular board meeting it was shared that a meeting or two be created for continuous conversations and information presentations to better help the board make a decision around the building restructures.
The board worked out one date which is this Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 6:30 PM. Following the discussion about the building restructures the Board will have the decision to either approve a plan for restructure or maintain the same structure that is currently in place. If the board doesn’t feel like they can make that decision they can table the decision to a later date.
The New London Board of Education will meet tonight, Wednesday April 8, in a special session beginning at 6:30 in the Middle/High School Success Center.