During the rain, the veterans went inside until the weather got better

Mid-Prairie board hears from girls’ golf coach Tracy McArtor about his work at the National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic

Wellman In September, the National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic took place at the Kalona Golf Course, Blue Top Ridge Golf Course in Riverside, Pleasant Valley Golf Course and Elks Ridge Golf Course in Iowa City. During Hawk Highlights, the Mid-Prairie school board heard from head girls golf coach Tracy McArtor, who helped with the clinic and shared stories about his experience...
During the 4th annual Ainsworth Fire Ride, the Ainsworth Fire station was packed with UTVs and other street-legal side-by-side vehicles.

Let’s ride! Ainsworth Fire Department hosts its annual Fire Ride

Ainsworth Let’s ride! The fourth annual Ainsworth Fire Ride took place last Saturday, raising funds for the Ainsworth Fire Department. According to Ainsworth volunteer firefighter Dakota Longbine, the funds will help the department better serve the community. “The money will go towards safety equipment for obviously our firefighters, but then it'll also help update our equipment to better serve our community and surrounding communities.”..
A photo of the new medical response truck that the department received in May.

Lone Tree Fire Department highlights 2026 with an upgraded medical response truck

Lone Tree Last December, the Lone Tree Fire Department purchased a new medical response truck, a 2026 F-350, from Mincer Ford. The emergency lighting and decal work was completed by 424 Design...
Sniff Industries was started by Paul Curtis, who developed his own system and products such as the Dopamine Box, Retrievable Odor Imprinting Device (ROID) and the Tactical Acuity Board.

Veteran police officer explains the canine detection training system he developed

Riverside Last Saturday’s Hero Hunt in Riverside brought together many current and former police officers, along with sponsors who helped make the event possible. Among those sponsors was Sniff Industries. Owner and founder Paul Curtis attended wearing his Tennessee Volunteers hat. A native and current resident of Loudon, Tennessee, Curtis traveled to Riverside and arrived Thursday night. Coming to Iowa on the first Saturday of October has become a tradition for him...
Lone Tree council hears from representatives about housing pilot program

Lone Tree council hears from Johnson County representatives about housing pilot program

Lone Tree Johnson County is considering a pilot program to expand housing in six smaller cities: Lone Tree, Hills, Oxford, Shueyville, Solon and Swisher. During the most recent Lone Tree City Council meeting, representatives discussed the proposed program and how it could help the community...
Sports
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Air attack: Weber smashes school records

WELLMAN The numbers are staggering. In less than two seasons on Mid-Prairie’s varsity football team, quarterback Brooks Weber has thrown for 49 touchdowns and 3,567 yards. They are …

Miller's 69-yard pick-6 finishes off Golden Hawks' win against Central Lee

WELLMAN With less than two minutes left in Mid-Prairie’s third straight District 2A-6 win Friday night, Golden Hawks defensive end Kale Miller discovered a gift in the middle of all that mud. …

Yoder 3rd, Hillcrest boys 2nd at Centerville

Marie Yoder claimed a podium placement while the Hillcrest boys took second as a team at the Centerville Cross Country Invitational on Tuesday, September 29. For the girls, Yoder finished third …

Offensive sputters continue for HLT

The Highland-Lone Tree football team’s defense stood strong on Friday, but five turnovers for the HLT offense allowed Van Buren county to claim a 14-0 victory as the Warriors celebrated homecoming. …
Hillcrest senior Ruth Witthoft leads the Ravens through the handshake line following the conclusion of Thursday’s win.

A senior-night symphony

Hillcrest senior Ruth Witthoft couldn’t have asked for a better final home match. The Ravens’ lone senior delivered 14 kills to lead Hillcrest to a 3-1 (25-14, 25-20, 19-25, 25-21) victory …
Lone Tree libero Maggie Burke plays the ball in the Lions’ loss to WACO.

Lone Tree volleyball continues hunt for first victory since 2024

Throughout the season, Lone Tree volleyball has come tantalizingly close to its first win since 2024. A four-point loss to Highland in the Lions’ first tournament and a loss to Cardinal in …

Senior season blasts off for Ravens' Ruth Witthoft

WINFIELD Let’s call it the victory twirl. When a Hillcrest Academy volleyball teammate scored a kill in a Southeast Iowa Super Conference Tournament match last week in Winfield, Ruth …

Mid-Prairie's Landstrum places 14th in Johnson Invite

WARTBURG Kendal Landstrum of Mid-Prairie finished 14th Saturday at the Steve Johnson Invitational hosted by Wartburg College, and the Golden Hawks girls team placed eighth in a large high school …
Community News
Kalona

When it comes to fire safety, preparation matters

 When it comes to fire safety, you can never be too cautious. A fire can start quickly and become dangerous, so it is important to take steps to prevent one and have a plan in place if one occurs. Kalona assistant fire chief Aaron Gingerich, who has been with the department for 18 years, explained how people can prepare themselves and their loved ones for a fire. He said even a small oversight can put people at risk...

Riverside
Riverside is awaiting the much anticipated new fire engine!

Riverside Fire Department awaits new fire engine

The Riverside Fire Department had a busy 2025, responding to 311 fire and EMS incidents, according to Fire Chief Chad Smothers. One of the department’s biggest developments in 2026 is its long-awaited new fire engine...

Wellman

Be prepared before a fire starts

A fire can happen when you are not expecting one, which is why Wellman fire chief Jeremy Peck urges families to make a plan before they need it. Peck has been with the department for 28 years and has served as fire chief for almost 20 years. Peck said preparation includes talking about what causes fires, how to prevent them and what to do if one starts. “Just the lack of preparation is the major issue. Not discussing what causes fires, the wind involved with fires, how to handle a grease fire. It’s just a lack of preparation, not being ready for it.”..

Lone Tree
JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

JoCo Supervisors consider targets for additional ARPA spending

IOWA CITY Johnson County has about $1.1 million remaining from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation of $29.5 million, and the Board of Supervisors, previously promising that every …

Hills

Hills to hold two informational sessions on proposed fire station, city offices

Over the last six months, the city of Hills has been discussing a potential new fire station and city office building. Talks about the building began early this year. In late May, the city purchased the former elementary school site from the Iowa City school district for $450,000. The school was torn down in early 2025. A few months later, in July, the council approved placing a bond measure for the fire station and city office building on the November ballot. The measure is for $5.1 million, and Hills residents will have a chance to vote on it in November...

Johnson County
Meredith Roemerman, deputy director of Burr Oak Land Trust, discusses threats to Iowa’s wildlife during last week’s Kalona Rotary Club meeting.

Iowa’s wildlife faces habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation

Iowa’s wildlife faces environmental threats including habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and degradation, according to Meredith Roemerman, deputy director of Burr Oak Land Trust. Roemerman spoke at the September 30 Kalona Rotary meeting, sharing information about the organization, its conservation efforts and the environmental challenges facing the state...

Obituaries
Linda Wiles
Linda Wiles was born July 17, 1943, in Washington, Iowa, the daughter of John and Marguerite (Kron) Knotek.  She worked at Reif’s Family Center for many years. On October 28, 1967, Linda was …
Mike Swartzentruber
Mike Swartzentruber, 60, of Centerburg, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly Monday, October 5, 2026, following a heart attack. Born September 25, 1966, in Washington, Iowa, Mike was the son of the late …
Julia Kathleen "Julie" Shull
Julia K. (Hobbs) Shull, 79, of Kalona, passed from this life Thursday, October 8, 2026, at Pleasantview Home in Kalona. A celebration of life will be held Friday, October 16, 2026, at 11 a.m., at …
Edna Mae Borntrager
Edna Mae Borntrager was born October 25, 1935, in Kalona, Iowa, the daughter of Chris M. and Esther (Gingerich) Miller. Edna passed away peacefully in her sleep on the morning of October 5, 2026, at …
Web Extras
8 personal banking tasks you should automate to save time and money
Mercury reports on automating personal banking tasks to save time and money, highlighting eight tasks like automatic savings and payment setups.
How a smarter home can help families reclaim their time
(BPT) - It's a Thursday evening at home, and all you want to do is relax with your family. However, the mental list of possible to-dos stops you from being fully present with your loved ones. …
10 best cities to rent rather than own a house in 2026
TheZebra.com reports that Salt Lake City, Denver, and Austin are among the top 10 U.S. cities where renting is more affordable than buying.
6 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Bathroom
(Feature Impact) Conserving water, energy and resources is key to running an environmentally friendly household, and one of the best places to start is your bathroom. As one of the most frequently used rooms in the house, it's a small space that makes a big difference. Every flush, shower, twist of the tap and restock of restroom essentials is an opportunity to manage your ecological footprint.
What are typical mistakes homeowners make when refinishing hardwood floors?
(BPT) - Key takeaways:Homeowners value hardwood floors because of their warmth, beauty and endurance.It's important to protect the appearance, value and lifespan of hardwood floors by …