At approximately 2:26 PM on January 17th, officers responded to the Fort Madison High School after their administration received a phone call from an individual stating that they were going to shoot up the school. Although this prompted an immediate police response, the department was simultaneously learning of other “swatting” calls being made to schools across the state. It is not believed that any students were endangered during this incident. This event mirrored a similar call made earlier in 2023 that sparked a large-scale law enforcement response to schools throughout Iowa. As a precautionary measure, officers remained on scene through the duration of the school day, and during dismissal.

Coincidentally, this swatting call occurred just as the Des Moines Register was publishing an article about state law makers advancing a bill with stiffer penalties for those who make such threats. It is unknown whether there is any correlation between this incident and the article being published.

The Fort Madison Police Department has the matter under investigation and is seeking assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This also took place at the Mount Pleasant High School, with multiple police responding. Again, it is not believed that any students were endangered.

The Mount Pleasant Sanitation Committee met last night with a good-sized crowd in attendance. Typically, matters of garbage would not draw such attention, but an issue was brought up which sparked the interest of many in the community.

The trash pickup system in Mount Pleasant is due to change, and after last night’s meeting, it has been pushed back from February 1^st to March 1^st. The committee voted to recommend to the council a 3^rd tier of container, which now allows a household to opt in for a 65-gallon container picked up once a month for $10. The other two options are still available, a 65-gallon container for $16.75 or a 95 gallon for $19.75 a month, both picked up weekly.

The committee voted to recommend this to the City Council, and they will vote on that this next Wednesday, January 24^th, at 5:30pm.

For those who choose this once a month pickup, if the contract is passed, will receive a different color lid for their container.

Citizens may have received a letter in the mail recently about the trash pickup. According to the committee, those letters will become “null and void” if the city council passes the 3^rd tier option next Wednesday.

The change comes after the community spoke up. Many people do not feel like they can fill a 65-gallon container each week, and do not want to pay $16.75 a month if they are not going to use the full container. A member mentioned how Lance Refuse and WEMIGA Waste proposed the new option to the city council after the council asked them if there was anything they could do. A person in the audience addressed Mike Lance and Lynn Whaley directly, “Thankyou for listening to the seniors who are living off of social security.”

Matthew Crull, a councilman and chair of the sanitation committee, gave a brief history regarding the current trash sticker system, which has been in place for 31 years. The city would have to purchase a new truck in the ballpark of $400,000-600,000, and the people picking up the garbage are not allowed to throw garbage in the truck or ride on the back, due to recent workman comp claims. Crull said that the city can’t justify the cost with so few people on the sticker system.

It is illegal to burn or bury trash in Iowa, and according to Iowa law, the city must have an agreement with a landfill. All trash generated in Mt. Pleasant must go to the Des Moines County landfill.

The question arose about home-based businesses, and how that will work with garbage pickup. The public has been told that those are on a “case by case” basis.

It was revealed that WEMIGA Waste and Lance Refuse both dropped their rates to help the city of Mount Pleasant. If you were to throw a party and need extra trash pickup, you would need to contact your hauler, and they can pick it up for a fee. The same goes for those who *need* their trash taken to the curb for them. A $12 fee will be charged if they are unable, and the hauler will bring it to the truck for them. It should be noted that this should only apply to those who are physically unable to bring their container to the curb.

Many people have old garbage cans sitting on their property that they won’t have room for if this new system is passed. The hauler can pick those old cans up, or you can contact turn it into scrap metal.

A reminder that this proposed contract is 5 years, and there is a potential 2% increase in price each of those five years due to inflation. WEMIGA Waste will service every household north of Washington St to the northern city limit, while Lance Refuse will service those south of Washington St, to the south limit.

The local haulers were contacted because they are local, and the council naturally gravitated towards them. The city of Washington now is picked up by a service out of Cedar Rapids.

A community member said “I appreciate that we are kind of turning a corner on this.” Many others thanked the committee and council for listening and coming up with a third option, as well as posting the agenda for the meeting on Facebook.

The price of regular unleaded gasoline fell 4 cents, averaging $2.73 across Iowa according to AAA.

Crude Oil Summary

• The price of global crude oil fell this week on the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) by $.24 per barrel over last week, currently priced at $71.77.
• Brent crude oil rose $.07 and is currently priced at $77.34.
• One year ago, WTI crude sold for $80.18 and Brent crude was at $84.38.

Motor Fuels

• As of Wednesday, the price of regular unleaded gasoline averaged $2.73 across Iowa according to AAA.
  • Prices fell 4 cents from last week’s price and are down 46 cents from a year ago.
  • The national average on Wednesday was $3.09, up 1 cent from last week’s price.
• Retail diesel prices in Iowa fell 1 cent this week with a statewide average of $3.59.
  • One year ago, diesel prices averaged $4.17 in Iowa.
  • The current Iowa diesel price is 35 cents lower than the national average of $3.94.
• Wholesale ethanol held steady and is currently priced at $2.16.
• The current Des Moines Terminal/Rack Prices are $1.82 for U87-E10, $2.16 for Unleaded 87 (clear), $2.38 for ULSD#2, $2.67 for ULSD#1, and $1.79 per gallon for E-70 prices.

Heating Fuels

• Propane prices averaged $1.56 per gallon statewide.
• Home heating oil prices averaged $2.83 per gallon statewide.
• Natural gas prices fell 19 cents at the Henry Hub reporting site and are currently priced at $2.83/MMbtu.

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

House File 718 continues to be the topic on many people’s tongues, as department heads meet with the Henry County Board of Supervisors to discuss their new budget. HF718 will cause Henry County to cut their budget by 1.3 million dollars. Rich McNamee, the Henry County Sheriff, proposed the new Sheriff Department budget on Tuesday, January 16^th.

He was originally told that he must cut $105,000. Through careful accounting, McNamee proposed a cut of over $600,000. One example of clever saving comes from schedule changes for deputies. They will switch to 5 days on, three-days-off system, which also provides more consistency for the worker. This will save a whopping $14,000 in the first year. They will save $101,000 by foregoing 2 clerk positions, which are vacant at this time.

Sheriff McNamee would like to get something out of the deal too, asking for a new jail van. The current one has many issues and they have had it since 2009.

They are beginning to explore new ways to bring in additional revenue, such as housing federal inmates at the jail.

One guarantee is that there will be more discussion regarding department budgets as long as House File 718 is around.