You may have noticed some movement around Hershey Hall recently. The Hershey Family Renovation Project is now in full swing, with work progressing on the historic building in Mount Pleasant.

According to Gary Shahan, Building and Zoning Administrator for the City of Mount Pleasant, the project is currently in the demolition and discovery stage. “As with any remodel project, you must expose everything to understand exactly where you can begin building back from,” Shahan explained. This process allows construction crews to fully evaluate the structure before beginning the rebuilding phase.

Once complete, the renovation will transform Hershey Hall into a modern residential facility offering twenty-two family units across four floors.

The Hershey Family Renovation Project represents a significant investment in both housing and neighborhood revitalization, blending the preservation of a community landmark with the creation of new, family-friendly living spaces.

City officials say they will continue to keep the community updated as progress is made.

Iowa state parks have set Saturday, Sept. 27 as annual Volunteer Day, when Iowans are invited to lend a hand at several state parks and forests hosting volunteer events. Join park staff to help care for Iowa’s natural areas, freshen up campgrounds and facilities, and spend time outdoors.

Clean-up efforts will be unique for each park depending on needs, and may include litter pick-up, staining or painting buildings, removing invasive species, rebuilding picnic tables, harvesting prairie seeds and more. The state parks and forests participating include:

• Bellevue State Park, Bellevue
• Blackburn State Park, Thurman
• Geode State Park, Danville
• Lake Darling State Park, Brighton
• Lake Macbride State Park, Solon
• Lake Manawa State Park, Council Bluff
• Lake of Three Fires State Park, Bedford
• Ledges State Park, Madrid
• Palisades-Kepler State Park, Mt. Vernon
• Pilot Knob State Park Forest City
• Prairie Rose State Park, Harlan
• Shimek State Forest, Farmington
• Wapsipinicon State Park, Anamosa
• Waubonsie State Park, Hamburg
• Yellow River State Forest, Harpers Ferry

Citizens interested in volunteering can find complete details on times, meeting locations and activities at https://www.iowadnr.gov/places-go/state-parks/statewide-volunteer-day

On Monday, September 8, 2025, the Burlington Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 4586 Hunt Road in rural Union Township. The call came in at approximately 9:36 p.m., and firefighters arrived on scene eleven minutes later to find the home fully engulfed in flames.

The two-story single-family residence, owned by Daniel Floyd and Stephanie Jones, had already collapsed into the basement when crews arrived. Fortunately, no one was home at the time of the fire, and all occupants are safe. The home was insured.

The Burlington Fire Department received mutual aid from the Wever Fire Department, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, REC Electric, and Rathbun Water Department. Fire crews remained on scene until 11:24 p.m. No injuries were reported to either civilians or firefighters.

According to Burlington Fire Marshal Robert Berndt, the cause of the fire has been ruled undetermined but is not considered suspicious. Further updates will be released as they become available.

The Mount Pleasant Ordinance Committee met Tuesday morning, September 9, at City Hall, taking up issues ranging from amplified sound complaints to loitering and panhandling within the city.

Amplified Sound Debate

The first and lengthiest discussion centered on the city’s regulations for amplified sound under Chapter 14-69 of the municipal code.

A resident of 307 West Brace Street addressed the committee with a detailed account of ongoing noise issues in her neighborhood. A mother of a one-year-old, said repeated incidents of loud music from nearby homes have disrupted her family life and made evenings at home difficult.

She noted that current city code prohibits music plainly audible at 100 feet, but pointed out that in Mount Pleasant, the average distance between homes is closer to 56 feet. “That leaves many residents, like myself, unprotected by the ordinance,” she said, urging the city to amend the rule so that amplified music cannot be audible inside neighboring homes.

The resident also provided committee members with examples of similar ordinances adopted in Iowa City, along with research linking noise annoyance to health impacts.

Other residents raised concerns about how changes might affect ordinary activities like lawn mowing, motorcycle maintenance, or teenagers listening to music. Committee members acknowledged the challenge of balancing reasonable neighborhood activity with protections against excessive disruption.

City officials noted that the 100-foot rule was originally aimed at car stereos and motorcycles, not residential homes, and agreed to research alternative approaches before bringing the matter back for further discussion. Any ordinance changes would require multiple readings before adoption.

Loitering and Panhandling Concerns

The committee also discussed growing concerns with loitering and panhandling in the city. Police Chief Lyle Murray reported that while many individuals experiencing homelessness use services at the Fellowship Cup, others decline assistance and instead cause ongoing problems in local business areas.

Murray cited individuals living in vehicles in store parking lots, as well as organized groups who travel to communities specifically to solicit money. “Our taxpayers don’t mind helping people who need help,” he said. “But when people are just here causing problems and not taking advantage of services, it’s no different than a criminal presence.”

Some residents suggested Mount Pleasant consider developing a homeless shelter, but officials noted the complexity of providing staffing, security, and medical resources. Murray stressed that the city does connect people with services when they want help, but said enforcement is limited when individuals refuse assistance.

Committee members said they will continue to review potential ordinance changes with input from the city attorney and neighboring communities.

Next Steps

The committee expects to revisit both amplified sound regulations and panhandling policies within the next month, with additional research and public input before any recommendations are forwarded to the full City Council.