The News

Kalona

53rd Annual Kalona Quilt Show

After a day of set-up, the Kalona Quilt Show was off to a great start at the YMCA. Thirty minutes into the first night of the show on Thursday, Katie and Kent Karnes had already sold quilts and hung …

Pathway’s ‘Little Women’ play delights

KALONA Parents and family gathered in Pathway’s gymnasium for a dress rehearsal showing of “Little Women,” a play performed by Pathway students ranging from 8th to 12th grade …

The quilt hung on the wall shown here will be among the most expensive offered at the Quilt Show.

Erick Wolfmeyer quilts headline 53rd annual Kalona Quilt Show & Sale

KALONA Some 200 quilts will fill the exhibition space at this year’s annual Quilt Show & Sale in Kalona, just as they have for the past 52 years. All hand-quilted, the works will be a marvel of …

Riverside

Beloved Hawkeyes swarm Riverside Casino

RIVERSIDE On Friday, April 26, 11 members of the Iowa Women’s Basketball team visited the Riverside Casino, welcoming over 1,500 fans which lined up through the event center halls and out …

Photo gallery: Highland Prom 2024

RIVERSIDE Highland hosted their prom on Saturday, April 20. Students lined the halls for a professional photo shoot before walking the stage for the Grand March beginning at 7:30 p.m. Some …

Future of Hills Elementary, students discussed at legislative briefing

KALONA Rep. Heather Hora and Sen. Dawn Driscoll held their last legislative briefing of the season on Friday, April 12, at the Kalona Historical Village, where they described myriad bills they …

Wellman

Photo gallery: Mid-Prairie Prom 2024

WELLMAN On Saturday, April 27, Mid-Prairie hosted their prom through the rain and thunderstorms. Pairs were greeted by a swarm of parents and friends as they arrived at the school’s …

Fiery Friday in Kalona, Wellman

KALONA Friday, April 19 began early for area firefighters, who were awakened by a call to an Amish farm on 540th Street, Kalona, east of Stringtown Grocery. Kalona, Riverside, Wellman and Hills …

Wellman adopts FY25 budget, unsure about circus

WELLMAN Three of five council members turned out for Wellman’s city council meeting on Monday, April 16, at which the FY25 budget hearing was held without comment and adoption of said budget was …

Lone Tree

Lone Tree Fire & Rescue Chicken Dinner Fundraiser

LONE TREE Folks started lining up before 5 p.m. for Lone Tree Fire & Rescue’s chicken dinner fundraiser on Wednesday, April 24, and the line stretched across the American Legion parking lot as …

Gus Jones embraces her golden retriever, Benny.

Lone Tree native returns to offer area dogs a spa day

LONE TREE For people, a trip to the spa can be a full-day excursion to ease tensions and find relaxation. Why not treat your furry best friend to the same level of care? With …

Johnson County Board set to vote on $169.8M budget for FY25

IOWA CITY The Johnson County Board of Supervisors will vote Thursday on a Fiscal Year 2025 spending budget of $169.8 million, a record amount that is $22.9 million more than this year’s …

Features

Mid-Prairie's art show

Lone Tree church starts mental health conversation

LONE TREE At a mental health and wellness workshop on Saturday, April 6, licensed mental health counselor Jennifer Brost described mental health in a small community like Lone Tree: everyone …

Washington's wonder

WASHINGTON There is a stark difference between the silver screen and a flatscreen at home. There is an even further divide between an old movie theater and one newly built. The lights …

North America’s smallest raptor: The American Kestrel

KALONA The itty-bitty American Kestrel might not intimidate at a glance, but this small raptor terrorizes many across the American continent. The kestrel’s ferocity is not it’s …

Craftsman finds inspiration in Kalona church building – and its bats

KALONA Each nook and cranny of Kalona is chock-full of antique furniture that yearns for a time when it felt young, vibrant, alive. It takes a dedicated hand and a concentrated mind to craft and …

Hills

Aging Johnson County jail to get building monitoring system

IOWA CITY Conditions at the Johnson County jail have gotten so bad that a monitoring system is about to be installed around the building. The Johnson County Board of Supervisors approved a …

Community Violence Prevention Program among approved ARPA projects

IOWA CITY Several Johnson County projects being funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money survived a third round of voting at a Johnson County Board of Supervisors meeting last week, …

Iowa City/Coralville

Administrator Stephanie Kronlage, in the atrium at Atrium Village in Hills.

Meet Atrium Village’s new administrator

“Coming here has been a breath of fresh air,” says Stephanie Kronlage, Atrium Village’s new administrator, who began working for the non-profit, Hills-based independent living and nursing care community in March.

Hillcrest track and field at WACO, SEISC Meet

The Hillcrest boys and girls track and field teams traveled to Wayland to compete in a Southeast Iowa Super Conference Meet on May 2. The Hillcrest girls ended the meet with 84 points to …

Washington County

Search for county health administrator narrows

WASHINGTON At its regular meeting April 25, the Washington County Board of Health, which held candidate interviews April 20, set a special meeting for noon Thursday, May 2, to review references …

Third ambulance crew “positive step” board told

WASHINGTON The addition of a permanent third crew for the Washington County ambulance services was a major positive step, supervisors were told Tuesday, as well as the addition of a third …

Johnson County

Pay increases for Johnson County officials survive emotional split vote

IOWA CITY Arrests of seven transgender people following an October 2023 protest in Iowa City helped lead to a split vote of pay increases for Johnson County elected officials. The Johnson …

‘Harm’ of transgender issues heats up at Board meetings

IOWA CITY During a week when the Transgender Day of Visibility was recognized nationally, the subject itself turned into a heated controversy at a couple of Johnson County Board of Supervisors …