The Mount Pleasant City Council met yesterday evening to vote on the new trash-pickup system in the city. Though there were a few last-minute questions from citizens, these were promptly answered, and the vote took place without fuss. The council voted to approve the new trash pickup system with three tiers in a contract with Lance Refuse and WEMIGA Waste.

Each “tier” provides an option for individual households to pursue. The 1^st option is a 95-gallon container picked up once a week for $19.75. Option 2 and 3 are both a 65-gallon container. The difference is that option 2 is $16.75 a month and the container is picked up once a week, while the 3^rd option is picked up once a month for $10.

According to the city’s lawyer, they do not need to go through three additional readings due to adding the 3^rd tier, because this is seen as a benefit to the people who asked for change.

The Chief of Police spoke up when a resident, with a private dumpster, asked about what they are to do if unauthorized people dump their trash in a private dumpster. Chief Murray told them to call the police, as that is a crime. Mayor Brimhall gave an additional option of buying a padlock and putting it on your dumpster.

Mayor Steve Brimhall mentioned how an exact date cannot be given for when this system will begin, due in large part to the recent snowstorm, however he did say it will be in March. Containers will be delivered to residences in late February.

Previous Coverage:

Garbage Collection Update: 3rd Option Now Available for Residents

Mt. Pleasant Citizens Express Frustration at MP City Council Meeting…

New MP Trash Hauling System: Q & A

Mt. Pleasant Garbage Pickup: Old System Made Obsolete in Favor of New System

January 21^st-28^th is National Passenger Safety week. While it is easy to think about yourself, it might slip your mind to ensure your passengers are safe when in your vehicle. U.S. roadway deaths are rising at an alarming rate while people still drive recklessly. The National passenger Safety Campaign aims to promote safe driving practices and speak up when unsafe methods are used.

According to nationalpassengersafety.org, in 2020, 16 percent of traffic fatalities were passengers. 6,275 vehicle passengers were killed in crashes that year alone. Staggeringly, 56% of the deaths of teenage passengers occurred in vehicles driven by another teenager.

In 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) added the campaign to their national calendar. National Passenger Safety Week is now an ongoing event, the last week in January of every year.

Passengers can make a difference, because “one courageous voice can change one deadly choice.”

Currently the KILJ listening area is in a dense fog advisory until 9 am this morning. Expect visibility of one quarter mile or less in dense fog. It might be difficult to drive due to the low visibility. Slow down and leave plenty of space in front of you to allow yourself more time to brake. Make sure your headlights are switched on. Again, this dense fog advisory expires at 9:00am.

A Burlington man was sentenced on January 23, 2024, to 25 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Larry Keith Knotts, III, 36, conspired to distribute over 65 kilograms of Methamphetamine. As a part of the conspiracy, Knotts possessed a dangerous weapon and attempted to influence a witness.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Knotts will be required to serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, Burlington Police Department, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, West Burlington Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.