For those who are partaking on the tour of the wind farm in Decatur, Illinois, on Monday, please park in the municipal parking lot or street parking. The courthouse parking lot should remain relatively clear. Further information on the wind tour is posted below.

***In light of the wind energy discussion that has swept through Henry County, RWE Clean Energy has offered a sponsored trip to a wind turbine farm. This will take place on Monday, March 4^th, and the group will depart at 8:00am for Decatur, Illinois. To sign up, head to https://henrycounty.iowa.gov/ and follow the link provided. This tour should wrap up and see participants back in Mount Pleasant at 6:30pm.

This is a first come, first served tour, with RWE promising 50 slots.

The Burlington Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a residential structure fire on Wednesday evening. Firefighters arrived at 5:24 pm to find heavy smoke coming from inside 810 Maple Street. As crews entered the single-family residence, they were met with heavy flames.

810 Maple is owned by David Davis, who leases the residence to Iva Cale. She was assisted by the American Redcross.

A juvenile babysitter and two nine-year-olds were inside at the time of the incident. The juvenile saw smoke and flames emerging from the backside of the stove. A working smoke detector also alerted the juvenile. The three people made it out safely, as well as two dogs and two cats.

The property was not insured at the time of the incident and is considered a total loss.

The Burlington Fire Department was assisted by West Burlington Fire Department, Mediapolis Fire Department, Alliant Energy and Gas, and the American Redcross.

The fire has been ruled undetermined and is not considered suspicious.  There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported and all units cleared the scene at 7:54 pm.

The Louisa County Sheriff’s Office received information from a concerned parent that a man was sending inappropriate messages to her fifteen-year-old daughter through Facebook messenger in September. The man, identified as Noah Clark, age 31, of 400 E. Main Street, Letts, was arrested on October 18^th after nearly a month-long investigation. Clark was then released the same day on a $2000 cash bond. Clark admitted to knowing the victim was a minor and stated that there could be 2 or 3 additional minor victims he was in communication with.

Further investigation into these statements resulted in supplemental search warrants being conducted. The search warrant results led to additional charges against Noah Clark involving a separate victim. On February 5, 2024, Clark was arrested on one count of aggravated misdemeanor possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in a prohibited sexual act and one count of class D felony enticement of a minor. Clark was released on February 5, 2024, on a $5000 cash bond.

However, Noah Clark’s victims were not located within the county. Instead, they appear to be members of a regional rabbit show circuit that Clark was also a member of.

Noah Clark has since pled guilty to the initial charge from October 2023.

A Burlington woman fired a bullet after individuals attempted to egg her house. On the 26^th of February just before 11:00pm, Burlington Police Officers responded to a report of a single gunshot in the area of Maple and S. 8^th St. During investigation, officers located evidence of a shot being fired. Iva Ellen Cale, a resident of 810 Maple St. admitted to shooting a round as a warning shot to citizens attempting to throw eggs at her residence. She was charged with Reckless Use of a Firearm.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The New London Dollars for Scholars chapter, affiliated with Scholarship America, has raised money for New London graduates each year since 2001.

The scholarships are awarded to any graduating senior or any previous graduate within the past ten years returning to post-secondary education-regardless of financial need, grade point average, or extra-curricular activities. The only requirement is that the student apply and then attend college, community college, or technical school.

The chapter has awarded over $158,000 in scholarships to 412 New London students since 2002. The scholarships are based on the amount of interest earned on an endowment fund, as well as gifts specified for that purpose and monies raised from this annual auction. Students can receive scholarships for 4 years.

Money raised from contributions to the auction will be used to increase the amount of the endowment and/or increase the funds available to award scholarships this year.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 23^rd, as the auction will take place at the New London High School Gym. Visit their Facebook page “New London, Iowa- Dollars for Scholars” for more information.

Prices for gasoline rose once again this week, up 5 cents from the week prior. Now averaging $3.06 across Iowa, this is 23 cents less than the national average, and only 9 cents cheaper than a year ago.

When looking at our diesel prices, they average $3.80 in Iowa after falling three cents, and are 19 cents less than one year ago and 27 less than the national average.

Propane prices averaged $1.59 per gallon statewide.

Home heating oil prices averaged $3.14 per gallon statewide.

Natural gas prices rose 10 cents at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $1.86/MMbtu

Tips for saving energy on the road or at home are available at energy.gov and fueleconomy.gov.