The Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance is celebrating the newest graduates of the Henry County Leadership program.

The leadership development initiative recognized seven participants for completing the program and their commitment to strengthening communities across Henry County.

This year’s graduates include Jessica Boyer of the Mount Pleasant Community School District, Style Haeffner of Meadow and Main Realty and Auction, Hayley Nguyen of Continental, Kendall Prehn of the Henry County Conservation Department, Shawna Schorr of Mount Pleasant Municipal Utilities, Dawn Sines with the City of New London, and Jessie Sirivath of Triple Seven Trucking.

Henry County Leadership is coordinated through the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance in partnership with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach of Henry County.

The program is designed to help participants build leadership skills while learning more about the communities and organizations that shape Henry County. Throughout the program, participants take part in nine full-day sessions focused on areas including education, healthcare and social services, economic development, agriculture, local government, and public safety.

Organizers say the hands-on experiences and discussions with community leaders are intended to encourage civic engagement and prepare participants to take active roles in the future growth and success of the region.

Henry County Leadership is part of the Chamber Alliance’s Together for Tomorrow initiative.

Iowa farmers made significant planting progress last week thanks to mostly dry weather conditions across the state.

According to the latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 10th.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said farmers were able to make strong planting progress, despite a few frosty mornings reported in parts of northern Iowa. Naig added that warmer temperatures and more seasonable rainfall are expected through the middle of May, which should allow planters to continue rolling across the state.

The report shows corn planting in Iowa has reached 72 percent complete, matching last year’s pace and running 9 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Corn emergence is now at 19 percent statewide.

Soybean planting has reached 60 percent complete, also matching last year while sitting 12 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. About 7 percent of the soybean crop has emerged.

Meanwhile, oat planting reached 94 percent complete, just slightly behind last year’s pace.

Moisture conditions across Iowa remain mostly favorable. Topsoil moisture levels were rated 68 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus, while subsoil moisture came in at 74 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus.

The weekly crop progress report is released each week from April through November by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

A Fairfield native has earned one of the highest honors in American literature.

Daniel Kraus, who grew up in Fairfield before attending the University of Iowa, has been awarded the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel “Angel Down.”

The novel, released in 2025, tells the story of five World War I soldiers crossing No Man’s Land in search of a rumored German stronghold, only to discover a fallen angel tangled in the battlefield wire. What makes the book especially unique is its structure — the nearly 300-page novel is written entirely as one continuous sentence, without a single period.

Pulitzer Prize judges described the novel as a “stylistic tour-de-force” that blends allegory, magical realism, and science fiction into a single narrative.

Kraus told reporters the award came as a complete surprise, saying he initially thought something was wrong when congratulatory messages began pouring in.

The author said the book’s unusual single-sentence format was intentional and meant to reflect the endless cycle of war. He explained that he wanted readers to feel trapped inside the story in the same way soldiers were trapped in conflict.

Kraus credited his upbringing in Fairfield with helping shape his creativity. He recalled spending hours writing in his basement as a child and frequently visiting Adventureland Video, where he developed an early fascination with storytelling and horror films.

Since leaving Southeast Iowa, Kraus has built a career spanning more than two dozen novels across multiple genres, along with collaborations in film and television. He co-wrote the novelization of “The Shape of Water” with director Guillermo del Toro and completed an unfinished novel by legendary filmmaker George Romero following Romero’s death in 2017.

A film adaptation of Kraus’s 2023 novel “Whalefall” is expected to be released later this year, while “Angel Down” has also already been approved for a future film adaptation.

The Mount Pleasant Community School District Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting Monday evening at the Mount Pleasant High School Media Center, featuring student recognition, staff honors, and several approvals ahead of the next school year.

The meeting began with a student spotlight presentation from the Mount Pleasant High School Speech Team. Students gave board members a brief demonstration while explaining how the speech program operates and what participants experience during competitions and events throughout the year.

The board also recognized several retiring district employees for their years of service to the school district and community. Honored Monday night were Harlan Elementary kindergarten teacher Chris Snyder, Transportation Director Ted Carlson, and Superintendent John Henriksen. Each received a plaque recognizing their dedication to the district.

Following the presentations, Superintendent Henriksen thanked board members and distributed certificates in recognition of School Board Appreciation Month.

Board members also reviewed district goals for the 2025-2026 school year, including updates on graduation rates, attendance, academics, professional practice, and student learning skills.

During his superintendent’s report, Henriksen announced that registration for the 2026-2027 school year will take place August 4th. He also noted there will be no school board work sessions held during the summer months.

Henriksen additionally discussed new state legislation allowing eighth-grade students to become eligible to participate in high school and varsity athletics.

The board approved a slight increase in school meal prices for next year. Elementary lunches will increase by 10 cents to $2.75, while meals for students in grades 6 through 12 will rise to $2.95. Breakfast prices will increase by 30 cents to $1.80.

Substitute teacher pay was also addressed, with the board approving a 3% increase. Full-day substitute pay will rise to $155, while half-day pay will increase to $77.50.

In facility updates, the board approved a remodeling quote from JC Wiley and Sons totaling just over $75,000 for work at the administrative building ahead of the 2026-2027 school year. The board also approved nearly $74,000 in concrete repairs for the high school parking lot, with work to be completed by Jim Barton Construction.

A complaint has been filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board involving Des Moines County Assistant Attorney Trent Henklevig, who is currently running in the June 2nd primary election for Des Moines County Attorney.

Henklevig is seeking to replace longtime County Attorney Lisa Schaefer, who is retiring at the end of the year.

According to the complaint, filed by Henklevig’s opponent Travis Ingraham, Henklevig allegedly used county resources to support his campaign, including conducting campaign business through his county-issued email account and computer. The complaint claims the practice continued through early April.

Ingraham also alleges Henklevig used his county office and county-issued computer equipment to participate in a campaign-related podcast interview.

Henklevig acknowledged participating in the interview and said it was conducted in his office using his county computer after business hours. He also stated he changed his campaign contact information to a private Gmail account after learning of concerns surrounding the use of his county email.

Henklevig said he was unaware the use of the county email may have violated campaign rules, saying, quote, “The thought never crossed my mind.”

The complaint further alleges Henklevig circulated nomination petitions inside the Des Moines County Courthouse during work hours and sought signatures from courthouse employees while conducting county business.

Ingraham claims the actions violated Iowa administrative rules regarding the use of public resources for campaign purposes and argues the alleged conduct provided an unfair advantage in the two-candidate Republican primary race.

The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board confirmed it has received the complaint. Executive Director and Legal Counsel Erika Eckley said the matter is expected to appear on the board’s May 20th agenda, where members will determine whether the allegations warrant a formal investigation.

Eckley emphasized that the filing of a complaint does not indicate wrongdoing has occurred.

The Fairfield Community School District is moving forward with a new phased plan to improve Fairfield Middle School, with district leaders hoping the scaled approach will gain broader public support after several unsuccessful bond referendums in recent years.

Under the proposal, the district would first construct a new two-story classroom wing on the north side of the current middle school building, where the bus lane is currently located. The approximately 50-thousand-square-foot addition would include 31 classrooms, while the existing gymnasium, commons, library, band room, and art room would remain in use.

Fairfield Superintendent Zach Wigle says the first phase can be completed without raising taxes by using current and future SAVE funds. SAVE, or Secure an Advanced Vision for Education, is funded through Iowa’s statewide one-percent sales tax dedicated to school infrastructure projects.

The district plans to use 4 million dollars currently available in SAVE funds, along with 22-and-a-half million dollars in bonding against future SAVE revenue, to pay for the first phase of construction.

If Phase 1 is completed, the district would then move into Phase 2, which includes demolishing the eastern portion of the current building and replacing it with a new gymnasium, commons area, kitchen, library, and fine arts spaces. The newer fifth-grade wing would remain and could eventually be repurposed for district offices or other uses.

District leaders say the future of Phase 2 will depend in part on a smaller general obligation bond referendum expected to go before voters this November. Wigle says the district has structured the financing plan so taxpayers would not see an increase in the school tax levy if the bond passes.

The district also plans to pursue grants and a capital campaign with assistance from Pathfinders RC&D of Fairfield.

According to the proposed timeline, initial designs for Phase 1 are expected to be completed by June, with final designs finished by October. Construction bidding could begin by late 2026, with work starting as early as April of 2027 and Phase 1 expected to be complete by the fall of 2028.

As part of the project, the district says the middle school bus lane will also be rerouted to improve traffic flow and safety, with those changes expected to be finished in the spring of 2027.

Wigle says the district remains committed to providing a modern learning environment for students while taking what he called a fiscally responsible approach to facility improvements.

A Burlington man is facing multiple charges following a domestic assault investigation in Des Moines County.

According to the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched around 6:00 p.m. on May 8th to Lot 115 at 11912 Des Moines County Highway 99 after reports of a woman screaming for help.

When deputies arrived, they reportedly observed a man shoving a woman away by the face and neck outside the residence. Authorities say the woman had visible injuries to both arms and was bleeding.

Deputies identified the man as 76-year-old Terry Wayne Johnston of Burlington. According to the report, Johnston admitted to poking his wife several times with either a key or a pen, causing the bleeding injuries. He also allegedly admitted to causing facial injuries on a previous occasion by striking her with an open hand and head-butting her.

Johnston was taken into custody and charged with domestic abuse assault causing injury and assault causing serious injury. He was transported to the Des Moines County Correctional Center.

Authorities remind the public that a criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.