Archive for May, 2009

Free food stand literature at Extension

Posted: Saturday, May 9th, 2009 at 5:38 am

Community festival season is just around the corner, and the Washington County Extension Office wants to make sure food stand operators are ready. The extension’s Nancy Adrian says selling a variety of food and beverages can be an effective fundraising activity, however organizers and workers need to be aware of certain regulations. She says the extension office has the publication “Food Stand Operations-What you Need to Know” available for free. To obtain a copy, contact the extension office.

WCHC offers breast cancer seminar

Posted: Saturday, May 9th, 2009 at 5:37 am

Washington County Hospital and Clinics is having a free breast cancer public forum Monday. Dr Terri Howes from the Iowa City Cancer Treatment Center, Dr Abbie Thrower from Cancer Care of Iowa City and WCHC Radiologist Dr. Douglas Boatman will discuss breast cancer treatment and diagnosis. There will be a question and answer session. The seminar is this Monday afternoon from 1:30 to 3:00.

MP Baccalaureate

Posted: Saturday, May 9th, 2009 at 5:29 am

The Mid Prairie Baccalaureate Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 20th at 7pm. Scott Swartzendruber with the Kalona Mennonite Church says there will be many presenters and music for the seniors. He says the senior band and Choir will perform special music for the graduates and families. He says this service is sponsored by the council of Mid Prairie Churches.

Market sheep and goats weighed in

Posted: Saturday, May 9th, 2009 at 5:28 am

Washington County 4-Hers and FFA members this month weighed in market sheep and goats for the 2009 Washington County Fair on Saturday,. 4-H/Youth Coordinator Kati Peiffer says a total of 45 kids weighed & tagged a total of 259 head of sheep. This is a slight increase from last years numbers at weigh-in.She says Eighty-one sheep were nominated for the Iowa State Fair through retinal scans and two head were nominated for Ak-Sar-Ben through DNA hair samples

State funding cuts for higher ed

Posted: Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 4:49 am

The governmental relations director at Kirkwood Community College says using federal stimulus money to backfill state funding cuts for higher education could come back to haunt lawmakers. Steve Ovel says legislators reduced the base state funding level. He says that essentially gives them until 2011 to find new sources of revenue.

4-H safe in wake of restructuring

Posted: Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 4:49 am

A local ISU Extension official says area 4-H programs aren't in jeopardy as his agency undergoes a restructuring. Gene Mohling is the education director for Washington and Johnson counties. He says there is no reason to worry, because 4-H groups won't be affected. He says many groups that rely on the extension office won't be impacted.

Water Tower Park plans move forward

Posted: Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 4:48 am

Plans for the development of Washington's Water Tower Park are moving forward. Parks Superintendent Tim Widmer says using the area for athletics is still possible, but not on a large scale. He says that won't be a threat to the park's green space, or an existing visioning plan. Widmer says they continue to level off the area, and remove chunks of buried concrete.

Washington starts engineering on new sewer plant

Posted: Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 4:48 am

The city of Washington will borrow about $780,000 for a phase of engineering on the new wastewater treatment plant. The money is being borrowed interest free through the Iowa Finance Authority. Mayor Sandra Johnson has expressed frustration because they can only obtain such loans for the engineering phases of the project, not construction.

Kalona paving projects

Posted: Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 4:48 am

Kalona is undertaking some paving projects this summer. The city council has awarded contracts for the paving of 10th street and F Avenue, and a new sidewalk from J Avenue to K Court along the West side of 6th street. West Liberty based All American concrete was awarded bids for the two projects. The city council is postponing repairs to the Kalona Recreation and Community Center.

Sheriff holds open house

Posted: Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 4:47 am

Washington County residents are invited to get a look at the new sheriff's office today. Sheriff Jerry Dunbar says he wants to give residents a chance to see the facility that was paid for with their tax dollars. The public is invited to the open house. It goes from 1:00 pm to 7:00 today, and again from 9:00 am to noon tomorrow (5/9).