Keokuk High School and Fort Madison welding students created artwork that was then installed in the landscape of Heron Bend Conservation through a partnership between Lee County Leadership (LCL) and Lee County Conservation.

“We were so excited that Katie Geltz (KHS instructor) and Ryan Peters (FMHS instructor) were willing to work with us and guide their students on this fun project,” Caroline Sestito, Administrative and Outreach Coordinator for Lee County Conservation, said. “We were blown away by what their students created. They should take pride in their remarkable work.”

The four sculptures were inspired by Iowa’s native fauna and flora and depicted an eagle, deer, beehive and mosquitoes. The conservation department said the sculptures enhanced visitor experience through fostering a deeper connection with nature.

Feinbergs Metal Recycling donated recycled metals to the LCL to enable students to create the pieces.

The conservation department added that this collaborative effort underscores the community’s commitment to environmental stewardship and celebrates the creative talents of local youth while inviting patrons to explore the beauty and tranquility of Heron Bend Conservation Area.

The Burlington Fire Department is benefiting from grant funding awarded from Alliant Energy. Through Alliant’s Community Safety and Engagement grant focus area, their department will purchase much-needed critical equipment used at nearly every emergency scene.

It is through opportunities such as these that our department can continue providing excellent emergency services with new or updated equipment.

This particular funding was used to purchase multiple batteries that power their portable light towers, positive-pressure ventilation fans, multiple power tools, hydrant pumps, and chainsaws.

Henry County Health Center recently raised a total of $972 for the Iowa Hospital Association. These funds will assist Iowa hospital employees whose lives have been impacted by the tornados that hit Iowa. This is the sixth fundraiser that HCHC has sponsored over the past few years to help hospital employees in Iowa and other states who have been impacted by weather-related disasters.

HCHC hosted a meal at the Moose Lodge in Mt. Pleasant on May 15 to raise these funds. HCHC Associates donated supplies for the meal and gave monetary donations. The donation response from HCHC Associates was overwhelming, and of the money raised, 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the Iowa Hospital Association.

“We were happy to help assist our fellow hospital employees. Hopefully, this donation will make a difference in the lives of those who were affected by the tornados,” commented HCHC Vice President of Finance Dave Muhs. “Thank you to everyone who attended the dinner and supported this worthy cause and thank you to the Mt. Pleasant Moose Lodge for allowing us to use their Lodge for the dinner. The support and generosity shown by everyone is greatly appreciated.”

On May 20^th, 2024, at approximately 4:10 AM, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office was advised of a single vehicle accident within the 1500-grid of Highway 34. An investigation into the accident determined a 2024 Nissan Centra, drive by Dustin Loper, 44, of Crawfordville, Florida, was traveling eastbound on Highway 34 when the vehicle left the roadway.

The vehicle contacted the gravel portion of the roadway causing the vehicle to lose control across both travel lanes of the highway and enter the southeast ditch. The driver of the vehicle was uninjured and damage to the vehicle was unapparent.

After further investigation, Dustin Loper was arrested and charged with Operating While Under the Influence and received a citation for Failure to Maintain Control.

The Mt. Pleasant Chamber Alliance held a forum yesterday evening for the 4 candidates for the Henry County Supervisors. Dan Cook, Steve Detrick, David Muhs, and Chad White took turns answering questions sent in from the public. Despite the storms’ best efforts, with the power even going out for a considerable amount of time, the candidates rolled on with the forum.

A question was posed about tourism in our county, and how the county can grow that area, and Steve Detrick answered. He said that the communities in our county should get together and that there are underutilized parks that we should enhance and promote. The county consists of many communities, not just Mount Pleasant.

David Muhs answered a question regarding house File 718, which will see major budget cuts impact our county for the remainder of this decade. His idea is to be efficient and talk to our state legislators.

When asked what skills or traits he would contribute to the board, Dan Cook brought up the importance of working together as a team. He believes it is best to combine thoughts with the other supervisors and to have a stern set of values.

The hot topic of wind energy was always going to be put into a question, and Chad White was asked if he supports wind energy in Henry County. With an emphatic “no” he addressed the room by asking people to do their own research, calling wind a “cash grab.”

Afterwards, the four candidates stuck around to speak with citizens about important issues in the county. The airport in Mount Pleasant and the Amtrak are two underutilized resources in our county according to one constituent who spoke with some of the candidates afterwards.

If you would like to hear more from these candidates, head to KILJ.com and go to the special programming tab, where you can find a recorded forum.

Here is the link to the Chamber Forum: https://fb.watch/sdGHd7nopw/