The Mount Pleasant Community School District Board of Education has taken the first step toward addressing future budget shortfalls.
During Monday night’s board meeting at the Mount Pleasant High School Media Center, with dozens of school staff, parents, community members, and local officials in attendance, the board voted  4-2 to set a public hearing on the district’s tax levy and potential Fiscal Year 2027 budget reductions totaling about 1.74 million dollars.

District leaders say the proposed cuts are being considered due to declining enrollment, modest increases in state supplemental aid, and the expiration of federal COVID relief funding known as ESSER.

Board members Mark Overberg and Craig Hurd voted against the measure, while Angie Blint, Aaron Williamson, Mike Hampton, and Josh Maher voted in favor.

Phase One of the plan targets the 2026–27 school year and outlines about $936,000 in reductions, including roughly $713,000 in personnel cuts affecting both certified and non-certified staff. Because of Iowa Code and employee contract protections, specific staff reductions cannot be announced publicly until affected employees are formally notified and the required process is followed. Once staff members are notified, they will have the opportunity to address the school board before the board votes on each contract individually.

Other proposed changes include eliminating the VIBE program (contract with Burlington CSD online schooling program), ending summer school, reducing a contract with Four Oaks, and trimming services through the Great Prairie Area Education Agency. The proposal also includes reductions in support staff hours and overtime, shifting some non-instructional software costs to the district’s Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL), and lowering utility expenses tied to facility changes.

The dissenting votes came after board members reviewed financial projections and recommendations from the Piper Sandler consulting firm and Iowa School Finance Information Services, which analyzed the district’s current and projected budgets.

Hurd said he believes the proposed reductions rely too heavily on personnel and that areas like transportation and utilities should be examined further. Williamson, while voting in favor, acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but said the board ultimately must act in the district’s long-term financial interest.

The board also voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on the possible closure of Salem Elementary School at the end of the 2026–27 school year, which represents Phase Two of the district’s two-year budget reduction plan.

Phase Two would involve about $813,000 in additional reductions, including $290,000 in system-wide cuts and an estimated $523,000 in savings tied to closing Salem Elementary.

School officials emphasize the vote does not close the school, but simply allows the district to gather public input.

The public hearing on the possible closure of Salem Elementary is scheduled for Monday, March 23 at 6:10 p.m.

According to an update released Monday, the victim has been identified as 19 year old Janea Elizabeth Osier of Wayland, Iowa.

Police were originally called just before 11:20 p.m. Saturday to Chavy’s Bar and Grill on Agency Street in Burlington for a report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found Osier suffering from what appeared to be a single gunshot wound. She was taken to Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center in West Burlington where she later died from her injuries.

Authorities say 22 year old Kaysean A. Rice of Mount Pleasant has been charged with second degree murder, reckless use of a firearm, and intimidation with a dangerous weapon in connection with the incident.

Investigators say Rice was later located by Mount Pleasant Police on East Washington Street in Mount Pleasant and taken into custody. Police say he also had an active warrant for violation of a no contact order.

Rice is currently being held in the Des Moines County Jail without bond.

An autopsy for Osier has been scheduled with the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner on March 10th.

Burlington Police say the shooting appears to be an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the public. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Burlington Police Department at 319 671 7001 or Crime Stoppers at 319 753 6835.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is warning residents to stay alert as imposter scams continue to rise across the state.

Bird’s office recently released its list of top complaints and scams handled in 2025, with imposter scams ranking as the second most reported category. These scams include fake job offers, online shopping scams, romance scams, and criminals posing as government officials.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, scammers are increasingly targeting Iowans, particularly older residents. In some cases, scammers have even attempted to visit victims’ homes to collect money or valuables.

One recent case involved an older Iowan who was contacted by individuals claiming to represent the Federal Trade Commission. The scammers told the victim she was in serious legal trouble and would be arrested if she did not follow their instructions. They convinced her to cash out life insurance and annuities and purchase gold that would be delivered to the supposed agency to avoid arrest.

The scammers also warned the victim that she could lose her Social Security benefits if she did not comply and instructed her not to speak to anyone about the situation. They told her a courier would come to her home to pick up the gold once it was purchased.

For nearly two weeks, the scammers contacted the victim several times a day before family members became involved and stopped the scam before any money or valuables were handed over.

Attorney General Bird says scammers are becoming increasingly bold and manipulative.

She urges Iowans to be skeptical of unexpected calls or messages, especially those claiming to be from government agencies. Officials say legitimate agencies will not threaten immediate arrest, demand secrecy, or request payment through gift cards, payment apps, cryptocurrency, or gold.

Residents are also encouraged never to share personal or financial information over the phone or online and to avoid meeting anyone in person to deliver money or valuables.

Anyone who believes they may be involved in a scam or has been contacted by someone claiming to be a government official should contact their local law enforcement agency or the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. Iowans can call the office at 1-888-777-4590 or file a complaint online at the Iowa Attorney General’s website.

The Muscatine County Jail could see a significant increase in revenue for housing federal detainees under a contract amendment with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

According to newly released records, ICE amended its contract with Muscatine County in March of 2025, raising the maximum amount the county could receive for housing federal detainees from about $479,000 to roughly $839,000. That increase of $360,000 represents about a 75 percent rise in potential payments.

Most of the increase, about $340,000, is intended to cover the added costs of housing detainees, while $20,000 is designated for transportation services, such as taking inmates to federal court.

The amendment covers the period from April 2025 through March 2026, during a time when federal immigration detentions have increased.

The newly disclosed documents were released after officials initially said the contract could not be made public, but ICE later withdrew that claim.