The Harlan-Lincoln House, 101 West Broad, Mount Pleasant will host a welcoming open house for visitors Saturday, October 21, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. The event launches a new season of historical hospitality for this significant property, a designated 501[c](3) public charity also listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

This landmark home of nationally prominent Senator James and Ann Eliza Harlan takes you back in time to their lives in the Victorian and Gilded Age eras. Their daughter Mary Harlan, her husband Robert Todd Lincoln and their three children likewise interacted with Iowa Wesleyan University and Mount Pleasant society during periods of residency. Many of their family mementos and stories are showcased here. Among the treasures are a fragment from [father/grandfather] Abraham Lincoln’s coat he was wearing when assassinated, two mourning veils with very noteworthy heritage, door panel measuring the 1883 heights of these Harlan-Lincoln grandchildren, original Harlan furniture and legacy keepsakes.

Beginning Wednesday, October 25, the Harlan-Lincoln House will be open regularly on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. until the end of November and then resume February 2024. Tours by appointment during those months may be scheduled by calling Lynn Ellsworth 319-931-3984.

The State Historical Building of Iowa, Museum and Research Center, will fully reopen on October 14^th with a day-long schedule of programs. This comes after more than five years of renovations.

Renovations include a bright new atrium and significant infrastructure improvements to provide a safer and more secure facility. This helps to preserve and share Iowa’s historical exhibits, artifacts, state archives, and records for years to come.

The all new “Civics in Action” exhibition will open for the first time on the 14^th and features the Iowa caucuses and Iowans of action. With more than 60 artifacts, including a Ding Darling political cartoon, election tickets from the 1860s and ‘70s, and the pen Ambassador Terry Branstad used when he was governor to sign legislation for the construction of the State Historical Building.

Family-friendly programs include museum collection storage tours, Goldie’s Kids Club activities, an Object Station that will transport artifacts through several exhibitions, storytelling in the “Iowa and Civil War” exhibition, and more.

New hours have been announced for the State Historical Museum of Iowa, and it will be open 9:00am-4:30pm Tuesday-Friday, and then 9:00am-3:00pm on Saturday.

More information is available at history.iowa.gov.

Three men have been arrested following a violation of sex offender registry. These are three separate accounts.

On October 2^nd, 2023, the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office followed up on a possible sex offender registration violation by Randy Holtkamp. An investigation showed that Holtkamp was in violation of his sex offender registry and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Then, five days later on the 7^th, Holtkamp was arrested on the warrant by the Burlington Police Department for first offense registry violation, an aggravated misdemeanor.

In June of 2023, the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office began to investigate a possible sex offender registration violation by Ryan Davis. An investigation showed that Davis was in violation of his sex offender registry and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On October 6th, Ryan Davis was arrested by the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office for sex offender registry violation first offense, an aggravated misdemeanor.

On the third of October, the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office began to investigate a possible registry violation by Quincy Coleman. An investigation showed that Coleman was in violation of his sex offender registry requirements and arrest warrants were issued for his arrest.

Just two days later, Quincy Coleman was located and arrested by the Burlington Police Department on the warrants issued for second or subsequent offense registry violation, D felony.

For information about the Iowa Sex Offender Registry please visit https://www.iowasexoffender.gov

As autumn leaves begin to turn and the temperature begins to drop, people aren’t the only ones looking to get cozy indoors, as many Iowans notice an increase in insect and spider populations around the home during fall. While finding unexpected spiders hiding around the home can be alarming for some, Zach Schumm, insect diagnostician with the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic at Iowa State University, explains that most spiders in Iowa pose little threat to people.

Typically, spiders or other insects that enter indoors are looking for warmth, according to Schumm. While any spider has the potential to accidentally work its way indoors, the types of spiders commonly encountered in the home include wolf spiders, funnel weaving spiders, jumping spiders and cellar spiders.

“The common offenders are the spiders that are more noticeable, either because they are larger or we happen to see them when they aren’t hiding,” explained Schumm.

“In the United States as a whole, there are very few medically significant spiders that people need to be concerned about. The typical offenders we hear about, the brown recluse and the black widow, are very uncommon in Iowa,” said Schumm. “In addition to being very uncommon, these spiders are typically nonaggressive toward people. Even when they do bite, they often dry bite, meaning that they bite without injecting any venom.”

Brown recluses, the other main species of venomous spider that can be found in Iowa, are also incredibly uncommon. Although their range technically extends into the lower part of the state, they are considered uncommon to extremely rare in the upper Midwest. True to their name, they tend to avoid areas with human activity and rarely bite. They can be distinguished by the dark, violin-shaped marking on their front body section. While bites are not typically immediately painful, a localized burning sensation typically develops within a few hours, followed by raised or darkened skin surrounding the bite. For more information on venomous spiders in Iowa, visit the ISU Extension and Outreach publication “Potentially Dangerous Spiders.”

Since few Iowa spiders pose any real medical threat and are unaggressive, Schumm rarely recommends spraying insecticides around the home.

Zach Schumm continues, “If you want to reduce their numbers, it’s important to seal up any small gaps where they may be entering the home. Putting on new door thresholds, repairing window screens and sealing up cracks can prevent spiders from coming indoors.”

While discovering an unwelcome, eight-legged roommate can be startling, it is rarely a cause for alarm.

“People generally tend to be fearful of spiders, but the spiders we see around our homes aren’t out to get us,” added Schumm. “Next time you find a spider around the house, take the time to observe it for a bit. The more we understand things, the less fearful we tend to be.”

For more information on common Iowa spiders, visit https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/5267, or contact Zach Schumm at zschumm@iastate.edu or by calling 515-294-0581.

Iowans who want to participate in early voting can begin casting ballots for the 2023 City-School Election on Wednesday, October 18. This marks the start of the absentee voting period and the first day Iowans can vote in person at their county election office. October 18 is also the first day County Auditors can mail absentee ballots to voters who requested them.

More than 5,500 Iowans have requested an absentee ballot so far. The deadline to request one to be mailed is 5:00 p.m. CT on Monday, October 23.

“We want to see every Iowan participate in the upcoming City-School Election, and the best way to be successful in voting is to have a plan for how you want to vote,” said Secretary Pate. “Iowans have several secure ways to vote, including early and in-person at their county auditor’s office. Iowans should make a plan early and take the necessary steps to ensure their voice is heard this November.”

Iowans can vote in person at their county auditor’s office beginning Wednesday, October 18. Iowans can also vote absentee by mail or in person at the polls on Election Day.

Absentee ballot request forms are available at VoterReady.Iowa.gov. You can also track the status of your request and ballot at that site. County auditors must receive your absentee ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day, which is Tuesday, November 7.

The upcoming vote for the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) is on November 7^th, 2023. This was created by the Iowa Legislature in the early 1990’s as a locally generated funding stream that is used to support school district facilities and equipment. Voters can approve a maximum levy of $1.34 per $1,000 of property tax.

The current voted PPEL was approved by voters in the New London Community School District nearly 20 years ago, in October of 1995. This levy ran for 10 years and was renewed in 2005 and 2014. The voters approved a $.67 per $1,000 rate on property tax.

This funding has been used to replace roofs, purchase new transportation vehicles, security system upgrades, purchased staff and student computers, as well as many more improvements throughout the district.

Funds can only be used for things such as roofing replacement/repair, masonry repairs, energy conservation improvements, concrete and asphalt repairs, school buses, technology, and other facility improvements. State law is very specific in that PPEL funds cannot be used for salaries, benefits, textbooks, or educational programs.

The school district receives approximately $141,000 annually from this levy.

The vote is for a 10-year extension and is at 103 W. Washington St from 7:00am until 8:00pm.

This will not raise property taxes.