Police Respond to A Domestic Dispute

By Theresa Rose · Friday, January 20th, 2023 at 3:58 pm CDT
On January 20, 2023, at approximately 13:27 hours, the Mt Pleasant Police was dispatched to 1002 W Saunders for a report of two males in a physical fight outdoors with a female present as well. While enroute, officers were advised two little kids were being dragged from a vehicle.
Upon arrival, officers located just one male and female in the yard. They were not overly cooperative. Officers made contact with the residence at 1002 W Saunders St and were advised nothing had happened. The investigation revealed a female and young child crying who had blood on his head. The defendant identified as Terron N Wilson age 27 of Mt Pleasant, attempted to prevent officers from conducting an investigation to the safety of the children. Wilson began to resist and not comply and fought with officers and was subsequently Tazed. Wilson continued to fight and resist and attempted to kick, headbutt, and bite officers. He was transported to the Henry County Jail where he was held pending arraignment. The investigation revealed that Wilson had been in a physical altercation with his girlfriend with the kids present. At one point Wilson fired a weapon in the house which went through the building. Wilson obstructed the victim from calling 911 or leaving. Wilson then fought with family members who arrived to help out the victim. They provided false information to law enforcement. The children were taken into police custody for their safety and turned over to their mother. The Mt Pleasant Police was assisted by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and the Department of Human Services. Wilson was charged with Interference with Official Acts, causing injury, Assault on a Peace Officer, Child Endangerment, Domestic Abuse Assault, display of a weapon, Intimidation with a dangerous weapon, Obstruction of Emergency Communications, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Mt Pleasant PD
Anyone who sees suspicious activity is encouraged to contact the Mt Pleasant PD at 319 385-1450.

Black History Month Meal and Program

By Theresa Rose · Friday, January 20th, 2023 at 3:28 pm CDT

Second Baptist Ministries in Mount Pleasant is pleased to be able, once again, host a Black History Month program featuring a meal, music and special speaker. The annual celebration was put on hold the last couple of years because of covid.  However, the event, that over the past years has become a community favorite, will be held this year on February 11. The meal will be served at noon and the program will follow. Everyone is invited to attend.

Mildred Elizabeth Walljasper

By Theresa Rose · Friday, January 20th, 2023 at 3:16 pm CDT

Mildred Elizabeth Walljasper, 91, of Salem, Iowa, passed away at 4:52 a.m. Friday, January 20, 2023, at the West Point Care Center.

She was born on August 18, 1931 in St. Paul, Iowa, the daughter of Joseph and Lena (Kuhljuergen) Fritzjunker. On September 12, 1950, she married Ralph Walljasper at St. James Catholic Church in St. Paul. He preceded her in death on June 21, 1996.

Survivors include her six children: Wendel (Wendy) Walljasper of Donnellson, Arlo (Sherry) Walljasper of New London, Sandy Kuhlmeier of Fort Madison, Jeanne (Alan) Vantiger of West Point, Dean (Angie) Walljasper of West Point, Jolene (Alan) Edmonds of Mediapolis;  grandchildren: Shelly (Lee) Ekle, Dustin (Samilyn) Walljasper, Caitlin Walljasper, Amanda (Doug) Tate, Sara Walljasper, Katie (Brian) Kremer, Denise Waymack, Jason Kuhlmeier, Jeremy (Kris) Kuhlmeier, Michelle (JD Hoover) Walljasper, John Walljasper, Stacey (Jason) Stotlar, Eric (Jen) Vantiger, Bryce Walljasper, Kira (Tristin) Howe, Luke Walljasper, Sarah (Brad) Conley, Sawyer Edmonds, Wyatt Edmonds and several great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Ralph; daughter: Mary Elizabeth; son and daughter-in-law: Wayne and Kathy Walljasper and son-in-law: Jerome Kuhlmeier; brother: Joe Fritzjunker and sister: Marian Kilbourn.

Mildred was a member of St. James Catholic Church, the Altar and Rosary Society of the church, Daughters of Isabella and the St. James Quilters. She enjoyed quilting, playing cards, square dancing and gardening.

Visitation will begin at 12:00 noon, Monday, January 23, 2023 at Schmitz Funeral Home in West Point, where the family will receive friends from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. A parish rosary will be recited at 4:00 p.m. and a Christian wake service will be held at 6:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at St. James Catholic Church in St. Paul with Father Dan Dorau as celebrant.

Burial will be in St. James Cemetery.

A memorial has been established in her memory for St. James Catholic Church or West Point Care Center.

Schmitz Funeral Home of West Point is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.schmitzfuneralhomes.com.

Dorothy Upton

By Theresa Rose · Friday, January 20th, 2023 at 1:52 pm CDT

Dorothy Jean Upton, 87, of Phoenix, Arizona, formerly of Newton, Iowa, died Sunday, January 1, 2023, at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Phoenix.

Born December 19, 1935, in Montezuma, Iowa to Harlan E Butcher and Lena N (Watson) Butcher, both deceased.

Along with her parents, Dorothy lived in Pella and then in Newton, Iowa where she attended and graduated from Newton Public High School. After graduation she worked for Bell Telephone Company until she met and married John H Upton, (deceased), April 15, 1956.

In the summer of 1956 Dorothy and John moved to Phoenix, Arizona. They had two children, Pamela Sue (Upton) Hussey and Scott Butcher Upton, (deceased).

Dorothy was a stay-at-home mom until the spring of 1971. It was then she took a part time job as a cafeteria lady. She stayed with the Washington Elementary School District for 25 years, retiring in 1996.

During their 50 years of marriage Dorothy and John made yearly trips to Iowa, visiting family and friends. They were able to take a few cruises and spent time in all 50 states. Later, after John passed away, she and friends were able to take a few weeks and tour Germany.

Dorothy was an accomplished seamstress, she enjoyed meeting up with friends on a regular basis for breakfast and lunch. She loved to shop, always on the lookout for the best deal.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Pamela S Hussey, Don Hussey, Pam’s husband, her daughter-in-law, Lois Upton, her grandchildren, Nathanial A Schwarz, his wife, Christa Shepherd, Victoria M Schwarz, and Sara M Upton and her great grandsons, Haydn, Tristan, and Ivar.

Dorothy lived a full life, was loved and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 26, 2023, at the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel in Mount Pleasant. Pastor Tye Male will officiate. Family will greet friends for one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Richwoods Cemetery. The Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel is caring for Dorothy and her family. www.powellfuneralhomes.com

From Senator Mark Lofgren

By Theresa Rose · Friday, January 20th, 2023 at 12:03 pm CDT

Dear Senate District 48,

– Week 2 – 
A Shortened Week
The legislature reconvened on Tuesday after a three-day weekend to observe the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Although the legislative week was shorter, we still packed lots of business into each day. Along with more subcommittee meetings, committee meetings were held and included discussion of legislation that has already passed out of subcommittees as well as presentations to gain new and updated knowledge on various issues for Iowans. It was a productive week!
Bike Day on the Hill

Tuesday was Bike Day at the capitol. Members from the Iowa Bicycle Coalition were present in the First Floor Rotunda to speak with legislators about their legislative priorities for this session.  Iowa’s largest bicyclist community are advocating for safety measures for cyclists and for continued investment in our state’s beautiful trail system. One piece of legislation that they will be following this session is SF 16, which I referenced in last week’s newsletter.

Veterans Day on the Hill
Veterans from across the state joined us at the capitol on Wednesday, to share a time of fellowship, listen to speeches and have conversations about priorities for the session. It is important for us to be able to hear from our veteran constituents. No one understands the relevant issues better than the veterans who deal with these issues in their own lives. We took the opportunity to thank them for their service and hear their thoughts on ways the legislature can help improve the lives of our veterans.
Students First Act Moves Forward

This week the Senate Education and Appropriations committees passed Senate File 94, commonly known as the Students First Act. Governor Reynolds spoke at length about this bill in her Condition of the State speech last week. The bill has been the primary topic in the Iowa Senate over the first two weeks. After passing both committees the bill is now eligible to be debated by the full Senate.
The Students First Act empowers all parents and students to choose the public or non-public school to best fit their educational needs. It establishes an Educational Savings Account (ESA) for parents to pay for private school tuition, tutoring or other non-public school related expenses. The plan phases-in over a three-year period. Once fully implemented all students will be eligible for an ESA. Currently, only families with significant financial means are able to afford to pay their income, sales, and property taxes while also paying thousands of dollars per year in private school tuition. This bill opens school choice to low- and middle-income families as well.
The governor’s bill also includes over $1,200 per student in new funding for public schools with resident students attending a non-public school. Public schools will keep their property tax revenue and they will receive an estimated $1,200 for each resident student opting for private education with an ESA. SF 94 also creates an opportunity for nearly a hundred million dollars statewide, currently unused in restricted accounts in public schools, to be used to raise teacher pay.
Experiences in other states with substantive school choice programs show improved student achievement in both public and non-public schools. Eleven peer-reviewed studies show improved achievement from students in private schools, and 25 studies show improved achievement from students in public school in states with school choice programs. Furthermore, students in rural schools also see improved achievement. Arizona, a state with one of the most expansive school choice programs in the country, saw rural students improved by 21 points between 2007-2019 compared to a national rural decrease of two points.
Some critics say school choice will take funding away from public schools. This claim is quickly countered by the record of increases for K-12 schools over the last several years. Since 2017, cumulative increases in K-12 spending is roughly $1.5 billion. Next year, Iowa schools are expected to receive over $17,000 per student, for an average of over $340,000 for a classroom of 20 students, and a total of $8 billion statewide from all sources. Despite Democrats’ claims of defunding education, the only time K-12 funding has been cut is when Democrats controlled all of state government in 2009-2010.
Legitimate polls of Iowa voters have consistently shown strong parental support for school choice for all reasons but especially for bullying, special learning needs, and tutoring. Governor Reynolds also made school choice a centerpiece of her campaign and she won by one of the largest margins in an Iowa governor’s race in the last 40 years. Iowans have shown their support of school choice and after this week, it is several steps closer to becoming a reality.
Educator Applications Now Open for the 2023-2024 STEM Scale-Up Program This week the Governor’s STEM Council announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2023-2024 STEM Scale-Up Program. This sounds like a great opportunity for educators to gain training and professional development during the summer of 2023 and then implement the STEM content into their classrooms during the 2023-2024 school year. For more information on the application
click hereTo learn about more STEM opportunities around the state check out the Southeast Iowa STEM Region Website.
For more great STEM resources and information about the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council go to https://iowastem.org/
Visitors to the Capitol This Week
Besides our Bikers and Veterans, many other groups visited the Capitol this week. Some of the groups included  the Iowa Youth Conference, the Iowa Travel Industry Partners, the State Police Officers Council, and the Iowa Chamber Alliance.

Best regards,
Mark

 

Henry County Supervisors Meeting Agenda

By Theresa Rose · Friday, January 20th, 2023 at 9:04 am CDT

AGENDA

 January 24, 2023

Approve Agenda

Approve Minutes

9:00 Jake Hotchkiss, Engineer Weekly Update

Budget Presentation

Resolution to Amend 2023 IDOT 5 year Road Program for 235th St Bridge

10:00 Joe Buffington, Monthly Update & Budget Presentation

Other County Business as time allows

Supervisors Sub-Committee Updates

Sports, January 20th

By Slaten Swords · Friday, January 20th, 2023 at 8:27 am CDT

High School Basketball

New London will be on the road to play Holy Trinity Catholic and Danville will host Burlington Notre Dame tonight with both girls’ games going at 6 pm with the boys to follow..

The Mt. Pleasant girls’ team will play conference foe Washington tomorrow at 7:30 pm at home. The boys’ team will be on the road to face off against Washington at 7:30 pm.

Winfield-Mt. Union will face off against Wapello tonight with the girls’ going at 6 pm and WACO will travel to play Columbus tonight.

Central Lee will host Van Buren County tonight with the girls’ going at 6 pm followed by the boys.

High School Wrestling

The boys’ team hosted Fairfield last night with the Trojans getting the best of the Panthers 53-18. Sawyer Fulton for Mt. Pleasant got the scoring going, but Fairfield rattled off two wins in a row, one by Cael McCabe, it was Charlie Bohenkamp to tie the match at 12. Fairfield would outscore Mt. Pleasant 41-6 for the rest of the duel with Gavin Kerr and Franklin Tousignant each picking up wins by decision. In extra matches, Mt. Pleasant would win three out of the five with Avalos Ramirez-Jefferson, Jared Dorothy, and Jaxsen Stuecker picking up wins by fall. Two members of the girls’ team wrestled last night with Ella McNamee picking up a win by decision and Alexis Wagner winning by fall. The boys’ team will be competing tomorrow at the Williamsburg Tournament.

High School Bowling

Mt. Pleasant will travel to play Louisa Muscatine Monday, January 23rd.

Iowa Wesleyan Athletics

The women’s basketball team will look to get back in the win column tonight against Haskell Indian Nations at home at 5:30 pm. Head Coach Steve Williamson was on Tiger Nation yesterday and discussed that he expects to see a tenacious defense from the Tigers.

The 25th ranked men’s team will play Haskell Indian Nations at the conclusion of the women’s game tonight. KILJ will be on the call for both games with the pregame show at 5:15 pm.

The men’s wrestling team hosted Cornell College last night for their first home match of the season and fell to the Rams 44-3. Brendan Ferenchik was the lone Tiger to score last night in a match that ended in an 8-7 decision. The next meet for the Tigers will be a dual against Waldorf University on January 25th.

The women’s wrestling team’s  next scheduled competition is January 27th at the 2023 Spire Classic.

The Tigers next indoor meet will be tomorrow, January 21st, at the Hilltop Invitational.

This Day in Sports History

1968 – Houston Cougars defeat the UCLA Bruins 71-69 to win basketball’s Game of the Century and end UCLA’s 47 game winning streak.

1989 – Pittsburgh center Mario Lemieux becomes just the 2nd player in NHL history to score 50 goals in less than 50 games; #50 in 44th game as the Penguins lose 7-3 to the Jets in Winnipeg.

2007 – Utah coach Jerry Sloan passes Larry Brown for 4th on the NBA’s all-time win list (1,010) after the Jazz beat the Chicago Bulls, 95-85 at the United Center.

Girls’ High School Basketball Rankings: Business as Usual

By Slaten Swords · Thursday, January 19th, 2023 at 3:54 pm CDT

Prep Basketball- The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has updated the rankings for another of girls’ basketball and only 3 teams dropped out of the top 15 for all 5 classes combined. Moreover, the top three teams in each class remained unchanged.

Class 1A is still ruled by Algona Bishop Garrigan followed by Newell-Fonda and North Linn. Amazingly, it is another stable week for Class 1A with each team keeping their position from the week before. Winfield-Mt. Union still holds the 10th position with an undefeated record of 16-0, as they are fresh off a dominating victory over WACO, and Burlington Notre Dame is ranked 11th at 12-4 after crushing Central Lee 72-42 in their last matchup.

Class 2A also had minimal movement with one team falling down the rankings. Pocahontas Area is now ranked 11th after being ranked 8th a week ago, as they fell to Sioux Central 52-41. Otherwise, Dike-New Hartford is still the top team at 13-0 with Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont ranked 4th at 14-0. No teams dropped out of the rankings.

Estherville Lincoln Central, Unity Christian, and Solon are the top three teams of Class 3A, respectively. Osage takes over the 7th spot after Center Point-Urbana fell three spots to 10th as the Stormin Pointers dropped games to 4th ranked Benton and Class 4A ranked 7th Clear Creek Amana. Cherokee also dropped in the rankings from 8th to 12th after their 31-point loss to Spencer, 67-36. Sioux Center jumped up the rankings to 11th from 14th. Atlantic dropped out of the rankings with 9-4 Harlan taking the 15th spot of the rankings.

The first 12 spots were unchanged from last week’s Class 4A rankings with Dallas Center-Grimes still holding the top spot. Marion went from 13th to 15th after dropping games to Mount Vernon and Iowa City West. Lewis Central swapped the 15th position to be ranked 13th after dismantling their last two opponents. Spencer knocks Glenwood out of the top 15 to be ranked 14th.

Class 5A had the most movement and the highest ranked team fell from their spot last week. Johnston is still the number one team at 16-0 followed by also undefeated Pleasant Valley at 14-0. Valley tumbled from 4th to 7th as they fell to originally ranked 6th now ranked 4th Dowling Catholic 50-32 and now ranked 6th Ankeny Centennial by seven. Cedar Falls had the biggest jump in the rankings going from 14th to 9th after defeating previously 9th ranked Iowa City West 38-29. The Trojans fell one spot to be ranked 10th. Iowa City Liberty struck down Linn-Marr 63-57 resulting in the Lightning moving up to 12th from 15th and the Lions falling from 10th to 13th. Des Moines North was the lone team to fall from the rankings as Waukee took the 14th spot, despite a 6-8 record.