The Mt. Pleasant Police Department was notified of an armed robbery in the evening hours of Tuesday. On September 5^th at 11:21pm, the MPPD was dispatched to the Best Western Motel located at 810 N Grand Avenue in Mt Pleasant.

A male subject wearing a mask and displaying a hand gun entered the motel and began demanding money from the staff. The suspect then fled in a vehicle northbound. Eyewitness accounts helped identify the suspects vehicle and offenders.

The suspects were located in Columbus Junction and fled the scene. Marquise Rushin, age 28 from Chicago, Illinois, was apprehended. As a result, Rushin was charged with Robbery 1^st, a class B felony.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with any information is asked to contact the Mt. Pleasant Police Department Anyone who sees suspicious activity is encouraged to contact the MPPD at 319 385 1450.

The other suspect was not located at the time and his location is still unknown as of 8:30am this morning. The Columbus Junction Community School District will not begin classes until this suspect is found and apprehended. This is a safety issue for all those in that area. The Louisa County Sheriff’s Office has urged those to lock their homes and vehicles and stay inside.

He is a black male approximately 6’ tall, wearing a blue and white shirt, blue and white shorts, and is possibly armed.

KILJ will continue to provide updates to this developing situation.

Columbus Junction School District has delayed classes until this situation is fully taken care of. The Louisa County Sheriff’s Office has not given the “go ahead” yet, so children in the area will not be going to school until then for their safety.

The Mt. Pleasant Chief of Police has confirmed that there is no threat to the Mt. Pleasant Public, and that there will be more details as this situation deescalates.

KILJ can confirm that the armed robbery in Mt. Pleasant took place at the 800 block N grand Avenue at 11:21pm on Tuesday, September 5th.

*Original Post*

“Louisa County Residents specifically in the Columbus Junction Area. Earlier this evening a traffic stop was preformed by our Department at the area of Hwy 92/Eastern Access Road in Columbus Junction. The vehicle that was pulled over was involved in a Armed Robbery that occurred in Mt. Pleasant prior to the stop. The vehicle was occupied by 2 black males. 1 male was detained and turned over to the Mt. Pleasant PD while the other male took off on foot from the scene. A perimeter was established in the area and a search for the subject was done using K9 and a drone. Unfortunately that subject was not located at this time. All citizens are to be aware he may still be in the area so please lock you homes and vehicles and if you see the said subject call it in right away do not attempt to approach. Going to be a Black Male approx. 6′ tall, wearing a blue and white shirt, blue and white shorts and could be possibly armed.”

Iowa Farm Bureau and University of Iowa are offering Hawkeye fans a chance to win four tickets and on-field sideline access to the America Needs Farmers (ANF) Game on Oct. 21 against Minnesota. The prize package also includes a Kirk Ferentz autographed football and ANF gear.

America Needs Farmers was launched by Hawkeye Coach Hayden Fry to show support for farmers during the 1980s Farm Crisis. In this same spirit, the ANF Game recognizes the hardworking men and women in agriculture whose work creates a positive impact in Iowa and across the globe.

“Through events like the ANF Game, we blend the football field and the farm field to showcase the characteristics each of the ‘players’ have in common—commitment, integrity and the drive to continuously improve upon their craft,” says Brent Johnson, Iowa Farm Bureau president. “These traits, coupled with advancements in agricultural technology and research, underline how farmers are increasing their productivity while using resources more efficiently and providing incredible levels of care for each individual animal on the farm.”

For a chance to win, go to IowaFarmBureau.com/ANFExperience and take a short, multiple-choice quiz to learn how Iowa farmers are providing nutrient-dense food while caring for the environment and their animals. The contest runs through Oct. 11.

During ANF Game Day, Iowa Farm Bureau will be present at the ANF Legends Tent at Krause Family Plaza where fans can interact with local farmers, win prizes, and get autographs from former Hawkeye greats, including this year’s ANF Wall of Honoree, Bryan Bulaga. ANF merchandise will also be for sale in ANF Plaza with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Iowa Food Bank Association. For more information, visit www.AmericaNeedsFarmers.org.

The Barr-Holtkamp Funeral Home building in West Point has been purchased for a new purpose. The Holy Trinity Catholic School has purchased this building and plans to remodel it allowing the preschool and daycare to have a larger space. This will work well for the school as it is across the street from the elementary school and provides a new area for learning.

This comes after the new locker rooms at the high school have been completed. We are unsure currently of how long this remodel will take, but KILJ will update the public as that information is made available.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented today on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

“With persistent hot and dry conditions, Iowa is at 166 consecutive weeks of at least moderate drought,” said Secretary Naig. “Now that Labor Day is behind us, we can expect to see farmers ramping up their pre-harvest preparations as crop conditions are variable and rain chances remain low.”

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report

A continued lack of precipitation throughout Iowa meant farmers had 6.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending September 3, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included chopping corn silage as well as cutting and baling hay. Continued drought conditions have stressed corn and soybeans and dried them out to the point that some farmers were getting equipment ready for harvest.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 33 percent very short, 42 percent short, 25 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 31 percent very short, 44 percent short, 24 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Corn in the dent stage or beyond was 78 percent this week, 5 days ahead of both last year and the 5-year average. Seventeen percent of the State’s corn crop has reached maturity, 5 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of normal.  Corn condition declined 5 percentage points to 49 percent good to excellent. Soybeans coloring or beyond reached 40 percent, 6 days ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of the average. Soybeans dropping leaves was 8 percent this week, 1 week ahead of last year and 2 days ahead of normal. Soybean condition fell 4 percentage points to 49 percent good to excellent.

The State’s third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 95 percent complete, 16 days ahead of last year and 19 days ahead of the average. Pasture condition rated 16 percent good to excellent, the lowest rating since September 6, 2020. Hotter than normal temperatures continued to stress livestock across the State, however the reports of death loss were down this week.

Weather Summary

Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Iowa experienced its driest reporting period of the season with only a few stations observing measurable amounts. Extreme Drought (D3) now covers 18% of Iowa, the largest extent since Spring 2013. Temperatures moderated from the previous week but were still generally unseasonably warm; the statewide average temperature was 71.1 degrees, 2.0 degrees above normal.

Cooler conditions were reported across Iowa through Sunday (27th) afternoon with comfortable highs in the mid to upper 70s and light northwesterly winds. Skies were generally clear at daybreak on Monday (28th) as winds gradually shifted to the southwest with seasonal daytime highs in the low 80s. Overnight lows dropped into the mid 50s to low 60s as patchy fog formed at several locations in central and western Iowa. Low to mid 80s were reported in the afternoon hours with very spotty showers forming in extreme southeastern Iowa into Tuesday (29th) evening; Fort Madison (Lee County) observed a 0.05-inch total. Fog and hazy conditions from upper-level wildfire smoke were observed on Wednesday (30th) morning with calm to light easterly winds and temperatures in the mid to upper 50s. Daytime highs held in the upper 70s and low 80s, near average for late August; these conditions were again reported on Thursday (31st), though winds had shifted to a southeasterly direction. Morning lows observed several hours earlier were chilly in eastern Iowa with stations registering low to mid 40s, 10 to 15 degrees below normal. Clear conditions were present at sunrise on Friday (1st) with readings in the mid to upper 50s across much of the state. Stronger southerly winds built in throughout the day as highs in western Iowa rose into the upper 80s and low 90s; temperatures in eastern Iowa held in the low 80s. Overnight lows into Saturday (2nd) varied from the upper 50s east to mid 60s west with some scattered cloud cover. Afternoon temperatures quickly rose into the 90s with the warmest readings in northwestern Iowa; dewpoints remained in the low to mid 60s, creating a dry heat as the statewide average high hit 93 degrees, 14 degrees above normal. Temperatures fell back through the 60s overnight into Sunday (3rd) a light southerly wind persisted under starry skies.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at nearly all of Iowa’s stations to 0.05 inch at Fort Madison. The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.00 inch while the normal is 0.88 inch. Sioux City Airport (Woodbury County) reported the week’s high temperature of 102 degrees on the 2nd, 22 degrees above normal. Elkader (Clayton County) reported the week’s low temperature of 40 degrees on the 31st, 14 degrees below normal.