The News

Kalona

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 …

Locke Peterseim (left), Jan Peterseim (middle), and Julie Zahs (right) stand in the center of the Founding Families exhibit they created based on family photos and stories, as well as newspaper archives, pertaining to Rollie and Barb Peterseim.

Uncovered revelations inform new Peterseim family exhibit

KALONA Cousins Julie Zahs and Locke Peterseim couldn’t have more perfect backgrounds for creating a Founding Families exhibit at the Kalona Historical Village. Julie has experience putting …

A portion of the chocolate inventory on hand at Kalona Chocolates. Hershberger expects what he has to last until fall.

The Future of Chocolate

KALONA When you hear the words, “Cocoa futures are on a record-breaking rally,” you might think, “Wow, way to go, cocoa.” If you were a marathon runner, the idea of rallying and breaking …

Riverside

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 …

Highland sets calendar for 2024-25 school year

RIVERSIDE The first day of school in Highland’s new four-day week will be August 23 for the 2024-25 school year. The school year will end May 28, two days after Memorial Day. The …

Wellman

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 …

Wellman Fire hosts largest ever Tenderloin Meal

WELLMAN Wellman’s volunteer firefighters, assisted by their families, hosted another successful drive-thru tenderloin meal on Saturday, April 13. Their largest crowd to date followed directions …

Lone Tree

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 …

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 …

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

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, …

Legislators propose Hills join Lone Tree CSD; parents say ‘not so fast'

HILLS Iowa State Representative Heather Hora and Iowa State Senator Dawn Driscoll introduced an idea to redraw school districts, allowing the Hills community to join a new school district, on …

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.

Lone Tree track and field at WACO, Ekstrand Relays

The Lone Tree Lions and Lady Lions track and field teams competed in the Ekstrand Relays at WACO HS on April 25. The Lady Lions finished with 102 points to place 1st in Class B. The …

Washington County

Board OKs FY-25 budget, notes concerns about HHS operations

WASHINGTON As noted during the public hearing discussion prior to approving the Washington County FY24-25 budget Tuesday, “the county’s backed into a corner” to cover services and operations …

Washington Co. board finalizes GO bond offering

WASHINGTON In the second and final step for the issuance of not more than $2,420,000 in General Obligation bonds, the Washington County Supervisors Tuesday finalized a four-year term through UMB …

Johnson County

‘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 …

A row of homes in Hills have been rebuilt since an EF2 tornado ripped through the community in March 2023.

One year later, a stormy reminder

On the afternoon of March 31 last year, a Friday, early spring winds howled across Iowa. Severe storms were in the forecast. Another typical late March day, right? The skies grew dark …