The Mount Pleasant Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees met Tuesday, February 24th, at the utilities conference room on North Adams Street.

During the meeting, trustees approved the Fiscal Year 2024–2025 Independent Auditor’s Report, presented by Dan Montgomery of Forge Financial and Management Consulting. The audit received an unmodified opinion, indicating the utility’s financial statements were found to be accurate and in compliance with accounting standards. Copies of the report will be available at the Mount Pleasant Public Library, City Hall, and the utilities office.

The board also approved $1.33 million in bills and payments and accepted the January financial report presented by Accounting Supervisor Jody Fuller. Fuller also discussed banking accounts, previewed a potential budget amendment, and shared information regarding electric and water rates with General Manager Nate Lucas.

Trustees received updates on several ongoing projects, including the Cedar Lane Well Number Seven and water distribution system project, the Advanced Metering Infrastructure project, the water treatment maintenance project, the Hoaglin Drive overhead-to-underground improvement project, and the transmission system power supply project.

Utility crews reported continued work on the Winfield Avenue road project, while the water department continues installing new AMI and ERT metering devices. Officials also noted that ImOn has completed its underground infrastructure build-out in the community, and Windstream has begun installing new telecommunications infrastructure.

During January, the utility experienced three electric outages and two water main breaks, and crews installed two new electric services. The utility also continues to search for a replacement journeyman lineman after a previous job offer was declined.

The board entered a closed session with legal counsel to discuss litigation related to wholesale power supply before returning to open session and adjourning.

The next regular meeting of the Mount Pleasant Municipal Utilities Board is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 at 1 p.m.

A Washington man was arrested on multiple felony charges Saturday after shooting a firearm into a highway and a second was trespassed following the incident.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a civil issue at approximately 10:22 p.m. The caller stated shots had been fired near 260th Street and Ginkgo Avenue. Deputies arrested 49-year-old Erik Strand of Washington on multiple charges including: going armed with intent, a class D felony; assault while participating in a felony, a class D felony; intimidation with a dangerous weapon, a class C felony, and reckless use of a firearm, a simple misdemeanor.

According to Washington County Communications, in addition another individual was trespassed following the incident.

According to court records, “deputies spoke with the victim who stated that he was sitting on the side of the roadway at Ginkgo and 260th, attempting to locate his children” who were possibly at a nearby residence. He tried to also contact a female at that home. During this time, he was approached by Strand who was in a vehicle.

Conflicting stories outline that three shots were fired; the victim said the gun was pointed at him, and then shot into the ground. The claim from Strand alleges that he fired the shots into the air, in an attempt to scare him away. Strand stated the victim did not display any weapons and both individuals were in their vehicles.

Deputies located two casings and two slugs in the roadway where the incident occurred in rural western Washington County. The firearm was located at the residence and seized by authorities. The shots were fired less than 200 yards from an occupied residence.

An initial appearance for Strand was held Monday.

The Western Illinois Threshers are preparing for their 59th annual summer show.

The event will take place Friday through Sunday, August 7th through the 9th, at the organization’s grounds located about two miles north of Hamilton.

Plans for this year’s show were discussed during the group’s recent annual meeting, where several directors and officers were also elected.

Chosen to serve three-year terms on the board of directors are Ed Hartweg, Raymond Siegrist, and Jeremy Buckert. Other board members include Mark Weirather, Buck Cameron, Justin Sewell, Matthew Starr, Ken Buckert, and Kyle Buckert.

Officers elected for the coming year are Mark Weirather as president, Ken Buckert as vice president, Ed Hartweg as secretary, and Matthew Starr as treasurer.

This year’s featured tractor line will be International. The spotlight tractor will be a 1961 560 Wheatland International owned by Les and Candy Harnetiaux. The featured truck will be a 1928 International owned by Larry Buckert of Warsaw, and the featured garden tractor will be a Cub Cadet M-100.

Several giveaways are also planned during the show. A Farmall B tractor will be awarded at the end of the event, along with a handmade quilt, farm toys, and other prizes.

During the meeting, members also heard updates on the Bolton Barn project and the Western Illinois Shortline Railroad.

In addition to planning the August show, the organization is also preparing to host local school children at the thresher grounds in May for a field day focused on learning about farming and life in earlier times.

A Connecticut man was sentenced on March 5, 2026, to nine years’ imprisonment for wire fraud and money laundering stemming from his participation in a romance scam that affected victims across the country, including in central Iowa.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Naabanyin Aniagyei-Cobbold, 30, played an integral part in an extensive romance scam conspiracy—a fraudulent scheme in which individuals create fake profiles on internet dating sites and other social media platforms to exploit victims for financial gain. Aniagyei-Cobbold operated a fake company, Alpha Distributions LLC, that he used to receive money from victims. Aniagyei-Cobbold recruited and coached at least one other individual through creating a sham entity, a website, and opening bank accounts—all for the purpose of receiving money from romance scam victims.

Aniagyei-Cobbold received over $1.5 million from victims, including over $400,000 from a victim living in the Southern District of Iowa. The victims sent Aniagyei-Cobbold money at the request of their purported romantic partners, believing it was going to be used to facilitate uniting them with their partner, among other things. Many victims drained their retirement accounts, sold their homes and vehicles, returned to work after retirement, and borrowed substantial sums from friends and family.

During the conspiracy, Aniagyei-Cobbold created and starred in a music video titled “S.C.A.M.” which contained lyrics about receiving “scam money” and “laundering it up,” with “money coming in” and “living lavish.” In one frame of the video, Aniagyei-Cobbold poses next to a vehicle on which “SCAM” is spelled out in on the hood of the car in one-hundred-dollar bills.

When confronted by the FBI, Aniagyei-Cobbold lied about the nature of Alpha Distributions LLC and why the victims were sending him so much money, claiming Alpha Distributions was a legitimate company used to source electronics for individuals in Africa. He produced false invoices, receipts, and other documentation in response to a federal grand jury subpoena in an attempt to further obstruct the investigation.

“Romance scammers prey on victims when they are at their most vulnerable,” said Eugene Kowel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Omaha Field Office. “They exploit people by convincing them they are in a real relationship, then slowly abuse that trust to steal their life savings, often leading to bankruptcy. This case is an egregious example of the ruthless persistence exhibited by scammers to enrich themselves at the expense of vulnerable people. The FBI will continue working with all of our partners to apprehend these criminals and bring them to justice.”

“The financial and emotional harm caused by this scheme has been devastating. Victims were deliberately targeted and manipulated through deception and false relationships, often losing money they could not afford to lose. Many were elderly or living on fixed incomes, and the impact has extended beyond financial loss to broken trust, emotional trauma, and lasting hardship for families,” said Polk County Sheriff Kevin J. Schneider. “The Polk County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the strong partnership with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in holding those responsible accountable and seeking justice for victims across central Iowa. We remain committed to protecting our communities, supporting victims, and working collaboratively to uphold the rule of law.”

In addition to the term of imprisonment, Aniagyei-Cobbold was ordered to pay $1,554,442.46 in restitution. After completing his prison term, Aniagyei-Cobbold will serve a three-year term of supervised release.

Co-defendant, Nana Takyiwa Adonu, will be sentenced on July 16, 2026.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Omaha Cyber Task Force and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Lubben prosecuted the case.

According to the FBI, in 2024, approximately 59,000 people fell victim to romance-related scams, losing over $672 million dollars. The FBI says that many times, once a victim realizes that they have been exploited, they feel embarrassed or ashamed, and do not want to let anyone know what happened to them, including law enforcement. However, the FBI encourages anyone who has been victimized by this fraud or unsuccessfully targeted to file a complaint. If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately. If you have already sent money, report any transfer of funds to your financial institution and contact law enforcement.

If you or someone you know has been targeted by a scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 1-888-777-4590 or file a complaint online: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/file-a-consumer-complaint. You can also report fraud complaints to your local FBI field office by calling 1‑800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or visiting https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety.