Trail date set for Kalona man, who was charged with sexual abuse

Trial date set for Delwyn Borntrager of Kalona, who has been charged with sexual abuse

A trial date has been set for a Kalona resident charged with sexual abuse on July 8. The trial is scheduled for January 5 in Johnson County.Delwyn Borntrager, 22, of Kalona, was arrested on July 8 after a warrant was issued for his arrest...
Washington County Supervisors for 2025 are, from left, Marcus Fedler, Chairman Richard Young, Vice-chairman Bob Yoder, Stan Stoops and Jack Seward, Jr.  Young and Yoder were re-elected at the first meeting of 2025 on Jan. 2.

Supervisors declare emergency in county, OK new Goldfinch subdivision

At their meeting on Tuesday, the Washington County Board of Supervisors proclaimed the county in a State of Emergency in response to the storms on September 19 and 20. The board also approved a subdivision plat and discussed using tax increment financing, or TIF, for county projects...
MP suggests $200 incentive for bus drivers who can drive for extracurricular activities!

Mid-Prairie explores $200 incentive for bus drivers for extracurricular activities

Mid-Prairie Transportation Director Teresa Hartley gave the school board an update on the district’s need for bus drivers for extracurricular activities. Hartley told the board that she is currently the only substitute driver, although there are a few others who can occasionally help. Finding bus drivers has continued to be a challenge for the district. Superintendent Brian Stone believes the district pays competitively compared with other districts in the area...
Kalona Blacksmith & Welding owner Bob Yoder stands outside his shop. He will hold an open house for his small tools on Thursday.

After more than 40 years, Kalona Blacksmith & Welding owner Bob Yoder looks to move on

On an overcast Thursday morning, I sat down with Kalona Blacksmith & Welding owner Bob Yoder at his shop. Between answering calls about his upcoming open house, he pulled up a chair and talked about his career as a welder, why he is considering selling the shop and its tools, and his work as a Washington County supervisor. All around us were the tools he has collected over the years. If you offered the right price, Yoder might sell you one...
From left to right: Iowa state Sen. Dawn Driscoll, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Mary Kate Mardesen of Sinclair Tractor and Sinclair Tractor CEO Bob Sinclair.

Iowa Secretary of Ag Mike Naig emphasizes conservation, beef production and water quality during Kalona stop

Last Friday, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig visited Sinclair Tractor in Kalona for a campaign stop with farmers and employees. Naig discussed conservation, animal health and water quality, along with the upcoming November election. During his remarks, he said manufacturing, agriculture and financial services are three major parts of Iowa’s economy..
Sports
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PHOTOS: Hillcrest takes down Highland 3-1 on senior night

Behind big nights from senior middle blocker Ruth Witthoft and sophomore libero  Claire Miller fueled Hillcrest Academy to a 3-1 (25-14, 25-10, 19-25, 25-21) victory against  Highland in …

Danville routs HLT following second-half collapse

In what’s become a pattern for the Highland-Lone Tree football team, offensive mistakes and a rash of big plays in the second half erased a solid defensive first half for HLT, losing 39-6 at …

Huskies swept 3 times in SEISC tourney

Coming off one of the team’s best weekends of the season, injuries and illnesses held the Highland volleyball team back during pool play of the Southeast Iowa Superconference Tournament, as the …

Mid-Prairie holds off Wilton in 2A-6 district football battle

WELLMAN After a fourth quarter in which Mid-Prairie’s Lenox Miller had intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble, and Kale Miller had kicked what turned out to be a game-winning 33-yard field …

Golden Hawks fall to No. 9 Wilton in volleyball showdown

WILTON The clock wound back five years Tuesday night in Wilton. Defeating Mid-Prairie for the first time since 2021, the Beavers swept the Golden Hawks in three games in a River Valley …

PHOTOS: Lone Tree swept by Louisa-Muscatine volleyball

Lone Tree was swept at home by Louisa-Muscatine after transportation issues caused the match to be delayed by over an hour. The Lions went on to push Cardinal to the brink in Eldon on Saturday, …

Three Ravens take top five finishes at Central Lee

Hillcrest Academy had three runners finish in the top five at the Central Lee cross country meet last Tuesday. Marie Yoder finished third in the girls’ race with a time of 22:42, while …

Hillcrest volleyball readies for conference tournament

The Hillcrest Volleyball team is preparing for Thursday’s conference tournament, when the Ravens will travel to Winfield-Mt. Union to take on Burlington Notre Dame, Danville and the hosting Wolves. …
Community News
Kalona
Kiwi Ave is now closed until further notice for culvert repair.

Kiwi Avenue closed for culvert repair until further notice

Road construction has closed a stretch of Kiwi Avenue near Kalona until further notice. Kiwi Avenue southwest of Kalona, just west of Highway 1, closed on Wednesday, Sept. 23, for repairs to a culvert in the road...

Riverside
Poplar Blvd in Kalona was closed after floodwater covered the road.

Heavy rain leads to flooding

Over the weekend, heavy rain caused flooding in many areas, including Kalona, Wellman, Washington and Lone Tree. According to reports, Kalona and surrounding communities such as Wellman, Riverside and Washington received about 2 to 5 inches of rain. Other parts of the county were affected as well. The National Weather Service reported approximately 4.91 inches of rain in Ainsworth...

Wellman
Council member Nathan Klostermann to start a podcast about the community

Wellman council member to start podcast

During a brief council meeting, council member Nathan Klostermann told the group that he is starting a podcast about Wellman. The Advancing Wellman Podcast will feature conversations with local business owners, community leaders and other council members. Klostermann said he wants to talk with guests about their life stories, what led them to where they are today and their work in the community. He hopes the podcast will help residents get to know the people and businesses shaping Wellman, share information about what is happening in town and perhaps generate new ideas...

Lone Tree
Lone Tree school board interviews the top two Construction Manager candidates.

The Lone Tree school board interviews the top two Construction Manager candidates for the HVAC project

The Lone Tree school board interviewed its top two Construction Manager candidates for the HVAC project that will face voters in the form of a bond referendum this November. City Construction, based out of Iowa City, and Miron Construction, based out of Wisconsin with a regional office in Cedar Rapids, each sent teams to Wednesday night’s board meeting hoping to be selected to manage the project, should voters approve it this fall...

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
JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

JoCo Supervisors approve FY27 amended budget

IOWA CITY A fall budget amendment for Fiscal Year 2027 was approved by the Johnson County Board of Supervisors following a public hearing held Sept. 17. The amendment adds more than $13 …

Obituaries
Jeff Lintz
Jeff Lintz, 68, of Kalona, passed from this life Thursday, September 17, 2026, at Parkview Manor in Wellman. A funeral mass will be held Friday, September 25, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., at Holy Trinity …
Robert Dean Boshart
Robert Dean “Bob” Boshart was born November 30, 1934, in rural Wayland, Iowa, the son of Clair and Lydia (Wyse) Boshart and graduated from Wayland High School in 1953. On October 30, 1955, he was …
Marilyn T. Kleinschmidt Mills
Marilyn T. (Kleinschmidt) Mills, 83, of Lone Tree, passed from this life on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at the Birdhouse in Iowa City.  A memorial mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, …
Susan K Denton
Susan K. Denton, 77, of Des Moines, passed away peacefully Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at her home. Susan was born February 12, 1949, in Muscatine, Iowa, to Anthony and Eulalia (Duwa) Morgan. She …
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5 Insurance Company Tactics That Could Shrink Your Injury Claim
5 Insurance Company Tactics That Could Shrink Your Injury Claim
(NewsUSA) - After a car crash, dealing with injuries, medical appointments and vehicle repairs can be overwhelming enough. Then comes another challenge: dealing with insurance companies.While …
Running a small business means making sacrifices. Are they permanent?
Rocket Lawyer reports that small business owners often sacrifice time and income for flexibility and control, but these sacrifices can become permanent if not reassessed.