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Crash in Ainsworth sends one to hospital

Crash near Ainsworth sends one to hospital

Ainsworth A two-vehicle crash in the 3000 block of Highway 92 on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 5, sent one person to University of Iowa Hospital by ambulance. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.

Riverside man found guilty of 15 sex abuse charges

Riverside A Riverside man, Jason Bex, was recently found guilty by a jury on 15 felony sexual abuse charges. Bex, 52, was first arrested in May 2025 and held in the Washington County Jail on a $1 million bond. After multiple trial delays, Bex was found guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 4...
Voter turnout was high across Washington County during this year’s midterm election, with several precincts recording more ballots cast than in previous years.

WaCo County sees high turnout during midterm election

Washington A high number of Washington County residents headed to the polls during last week's midterm election, with many also casting their ballots early throughout much of October. Precincts such as Kalona, Wellman and Riverside each recorded more than 1,000 ballots cast.
Democrat candidates win on Tuesday night such as Rob Sand, Christina Bohannan, Josh Turek and Nate Willems.

Iowa goes blue as Sand, Turek and Bohannan win

Des Moines Democrat Rob Sand defeated Republican businessman Zach Lahn in the Nov. 3 general election and will become Iowa’s first Democratic governor since Chet Culver, who left office 15 years ago. Lahn carried Washington County by fewer than 400 votes, according to unofficial results...
Marcus Fedler, Brendan DeLong and Heather Hora win elections in Washington County.

Fedler, DeLong and Hora win in WaCo

Washington Washington County voters elected two members of the Board of Supervisors, with Republican incumbent Marcus Fedler winning another term in District 3 and Republican Brendan DeLong winning the open seat in District 5. District 3 Fedler defeated Democratic challenger JoAnn Whitmore with 1,122 votes (54.9%). Whitmore received 920 votes (45.1%). District 3 includes Riverside, Ainsworth, Crawfordsville and Coppock...

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Swartzentruber concludes high school career with gutsy state run

Max Swartzentruber ran his final race as a Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk on Friday, finishing 34th at the state cross country meet in Fort Dodge. Swartzentruber went out aggressively with a medal on …

Golden Hawks fall to Roland-Story in football round of 16

WELLMAN With 4:59 left in Friday’s game, Mid-Prairie quarterback Brooks Weber’s state-leading 30th touchdown pass of the season gave the seventh-ranked Golden Hawks a chance in their 2A …

Yoder siblings claim top 50 spots at state cross country

A pair of top 50 finishes for Hillcrest Academy’s Marie and Troy Yoder capped off the siblings’ lone cross country season together at the IGHSAU/IHSAA state meet in Fort Dodge. Marie, who …

Another state run for Golden Hawk besties

IOWA CITY To fully understand the close bond between Mid-Prairie cross country teammates Brooklyn Stutzman and Kendal Landstrum, you have to go back three years. Or four. In 2023, …

District championship sends Golden Hawks running toward state meet

IOWA CITY The Kickers Soccer Complex on the south side of Iowa City is turning almost into a home course for Mid-Prairie’s cross country team. The Golden Hawks won the River Valley …

Fiery first half fuels Golden Hawk win

An explosive start lifted the Golden Hawks to a first-round playoff victory on Friday, as Mid-Prairie claimed a 52-27 victory after fending off a third-quarter comeback attempt by Chariton. …

Hillcrest sends 3 to state cross country

Marie Yoder qualified for the state cross country meet in each of her first three seasons for Hillcrest Academy. On Thursday, she made it four straight trips to state with a 5th place finish at the …

PHOTOS: Golden Hawks fall at Roland-Story in volleyball regional final

Community News
Kalona
After waiting almost two years, Jim Miller experienced the trip of a lifetime alongside his grandson, Elijah Statler, on an Honor Flight on Tuesday, Oct. 13. DC Miller, who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War from 1965-1969, got to spend the day in DC looking at all the monuments, calling it “an awesome trip.” This was his second time going to DC, but the first time going on Honor Flight. In fact, Miller had to wait for a year and half, before he was able to go as he explained that he signed up for it a year and half ago. “Mine was almost two years; I did it in February of 2025.” Honor Flight Miller explained the entire day as it started at 5:50 a.m. and they did not get back until 10:30 p.m. During the day, they got to see many monuments which included the World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Air Force Memorial, Marine Corps War Memorial (the Iwo Jima flag-raising statue), Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery and the women’s military memorial museum. When they got to the Vietnam War Memorial, he got to see all of the names, which included one from his graduating high school class of about 3,000. He explained that they gave him a piece of paper so that he could place it on the wall and rub it with a pencil. “There was only one guy from my high school, from my graduating class, and only one guy got killed, and so I took a scraping of his name.” Over the years, Miller said they have collected many medals and other similar stuff. “We were told that since the Vietnam memorial has been up, they have guys leave a whole bunch of stuff at the base of the walls for their fallen comrades or put their medals there.” He continued and said, “I guess, they have almost a warehouse full of stuff.” Another neat item that Miller enjoyed was getting to see the Tree of Hope statue at the Vietnam Women's Memorial, which is honoring all the nurses during the Vietnam War. “It’s really important and it's called the Tree of Hope, and honoring the nurses.” They also got to see the Arlington National Cemetery, where they got to walk around and actually saw a group of kids that were on a field trip. In addition, they also saw the headstone of the seven astronauts that died in the Challenger. When they left the cemetery, the kids applauded them, which he said, “It was neat”. Later in the day they got to see the changing of the guards and learned that they don't wear rankings, so everybody is equal. Miller found more interesting facts about the guards such as said the guide such as cleaning their weapons and shoes. The guide told them that they will inspect their rifles and will lacquer them, so they can be shiny. In addition, they also spend hours polishing their shoes, with up to two hours daily on just one of them. When Miller was in the Navy, he would spend a lot of time on his shoes, but not 2-4 hours on both shoes. “Now I remember doing not two hours, but maybe 35 to 45 minutes on one shoe, but to get it to where you wanted it.” He then was shocked to see them flipping their guns and catching them. Miller also showed a video of the Marine Silent Drill team performing and not missing a single beat. It was quite a day for Miller as he said he would do it again if he could and take someone else. “It was an awesome trip. I have to say I wouldn't mind going again and taking another one of my grandkids. I know that there were guys that had been there before. I think there was one guy that had been there once already, but he was taking somebody else.” Time in the Navy Miller first enlisted in the Navy in 1965. However, Miller said during his 18th birthday, he was supposed to register for the draft, but forgot too. A few months later, he was talking to his friend, who mentioned that he just filled out his paperwork, in which Miller had remembered that he had not signed up yet. Later, he would tell his mother and ask if he was supposed to, in which her response was “a little colorful”, according to Miller. Both Miller`s parents were also veterans, as they served in WW11. He would go on to register, in which they asked why he was so late. He had really no answer and just plainly said, “I have no excuse.” At the time of registering, he was in college and decided that it wasn't for him. His father told him that he had two choices, either get a job or enlist. He would go on to enlist in the Navy in August of 1965. He was just in time as well as he explained. “In September, they drafted 100,000 guys, so I lucked out there in a sense.” During his four years in the Navy, he was in Naval Communication Intelligence, which is an intercept operator. He would intercept communications of certain countries. During his 10 month stay in Florida at the auxiliary air station, he learned Morse Code, which he still does today at the Kalona Historical Village. He did not end up going to Vietnam, but he made his way around the word, as he ended up in Japan for 25 months and then Hawaii, prior to leaving in November of 1969, where he received his separation orders after President Nixon at the time was trying to cut troop strength across all branches of the military. His commanding officer asked him if he was planning on going to college, in which he said yes, and very soon after that received his separation orders. During the Honor Flight on Tuesday, October 13, Miller said the Honor Flight experience was awesome and said, “if you ever get a chance to go, you should go.” Each year, The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids does typically 2 to 4 a year and Miller hopes that he can do at least one more.

Trip of a lifetime

Kalona Many wait years to go on Honor Flight and some don`t even get the chance to go. However, a few weeks ago Jim Miller got the chance to go along with his grandson Elijah Statler. Miller, who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War from 1965-1969, got to spend the day in DC looking at all the monuments, calling it “an awesome trip.” This was his second time going to DC, but the first time going on Honor Flight. In fact, Miller had to wait for a year and half, before he was able to go as he explained that he signed up for it a year and half ago. “Mine was almost two years; I did it in February of 2025.”..

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Riverside
RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL

Groundbreaking ceremony for Riverside’s Wellness Center set

RIVERSIDE Years of waiting will end Saturday morning in Riverside. With bulldozers likely in the background, the city will host a groundbreaking ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday for its …

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Wellman

Photos: Wellman Trunk or Treat 2026

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Lone Tree
JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

JoCo Board shuts down request to jump into Iowa City schools crisis

IOWA CITY A request by Johnson County Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz to look into helping the Iowa City School District through a financial crisis was not supported by the rest of the board in a work …

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Hills
Trojans Youth Baseball board president Grant Pippert presents to the council about upgrades to the baseball fields.

Possible improvements to Hills baseball complex discussed at recent council meeting

Hills During the Hills City Council meeting on Monday, October 26, Trojans Youth Baseball board president Grant Pippert discussed possible upgrades to the Hills baseball complex. Currently, the club pays $3,200 annually to use the baseball diamonds and also makes improvements to the fields...

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Johnson County
Scott Powers of Lone Tree has a new trail date set for July of 2027.

Man accused of killing his father in Lone Tree has new trial date set for July 2027

Lone Tree Scott Powers, 52, of Lone Tree, who was arrested back in July in connection with the death of his 76-year-old father, Richard Powers, is now scheduled to stand trial on Tuesday, July 27, 2027...

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Guidebook

2026 Spring Visitors Guide

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Obituaries
 Dr. Barbara jean Kirkpatrick Lips
Dr. Barbara Jean Kirkpatrick Lips, 79, of Marion, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at The Views of Marion. Barbara was born in 1947, the daughter of John Lowry Kirkpatrick and Dorothy …
Angela "Angie" Kallaus Hofer
Angela M. “Angie” (Kallaus) Hofer, 86, of Joetown, passed from this life Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Birdhouse Hospice Home of Johnson County, in Iowa City. Per her wishes, she will be …
Betty Jeanine Engel
Betty Jeanine Engel was born September 26, 1943, in Minneapolis, the daughter of Robert and Oretha (Rasmussen) Westlund. She was raised in Kewanee, Illinois, where she graduated from Kewanee High …
Virginia Ann "Ginny" Yoder Wenger
Virginia Ann “Ginny” (Yoder) Wenger, 83, passed away peacefully on October 31, 2026, surrounded by her loving family at the Highland Ridge Care Center in Williamsburg. Born October 18, 1943, in …

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Web Extras
What research shows about studying techniques and recall
Quizlet reports that research shows self-testing improves memory retention more than rereading materials, despite students feeling more confident when rereading.
Money-saving energy tips to brave the cold months
Intuit TurboTax reports energy-saving tips for winter after Daylight Saving Time, including bundling up, using space heaters, and sealing drafts.
5 ways to manage minor aches and pains to keep running this fall
(BPT) - Fall is arguably one of the best seasons for running. The crisp, cool air brings runners a much-needed reprieve after a summer of sweaty miles and serves as a reminder to make the most of the …
4 retro-fueled room designs for fresh inspiration today
Houzz reports on four retro-inspired room designs blending past styles with modern touches, showcasing 1920s Art Deco, 1950s charm, 1960s Space Age, and vibrant 1990s aesthetics.
If you're going with a lower-cost health insurance plan, make sure to read the fine print.
Plans with cheaper premiums are risky business for Americans seeking lower healthcare costs
Some options that might look like health insurance actually aren’t – and they may leave you stranded with large, unexpected medical expenses.
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