Certain races in Washington County will be taking place such as District 3 (Riverside, Ainsworth, Crawfordsville, Brighton and Coppock), District 5 (Ward 2 and 3 in Washington), and the state representative for District 92 (Washington and parts of Johnson County)... more

Kalona Republican candidate for governor Zach Lahn spoke to a packed house at Dutch Country Table in Kalona on Wednesday during a Washington County campaign rally. Joining Lahn were Attorney General Brenna Bird, District 92 State Rep. Heather Hora, former gubernatorial candidate and State Rep. Brad Sherman, and Washington County Board of Supervisors Chair Jack Seward. Bird opened the rally by introducing herself and discussing her support for law enforcement, voter identification requirements and Second Amendment rights. She also discussed her lawsuit against OpenAI, which she described as an effort to protect children from suicide... more

Washington - Candidates for Washington County supervisor Districts 3 and 5 and Iowa House District 92 gathered in Washington last Thursday for a candidate forum. Seated at tables, the candidates answered questions from moderator Michelle Redlinger, director of the Washington Chamber of Commerce. Participants included District 3 incumbent Republican Marcus Fedler and Democratic challenger JoAnn Whitmore; District 5 Republican Lynette Iles and Democrat Brendan DeLong; and House District 92 incumbent Republican Heather Hora and Democratic challenger Brittany Erickson... more

RIVERSIDE Now that construction is about to begin on a wellness recreation center in Riverside, the financial part of the project is beginning to come into focus as well. The City Council, … more

Wellman - With the Cedar Crossing Casino & Entertainment Center in Cedar Rapids opening in less than a month, the Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) is bracing for changes. For the past 20 years, the foundation has allocated 25% of its yearly revenue to municipal grants for cities throughout Washington County. With another casino opening about an hour away, the foundation expects its revenue to decline. more

RIVERSIDE A sudden change in Highland High School’s baseball coaching staff has led to an empty seat on the School Board. Jarrod Longbine, an assistant baseball coach whose contract was … more

Ainsworth - Roadwork on Highway 92 near Ainsworth is scheduled to begin Monday, October 26, with completion expected Thursday, November 12. more

Riverside - 160th Street east of Riverside in rural Washington County will close beginning Tuesday, October 27, for pipeline installation. According to the Washington County Road Department, MidAmerican Energy will install new pipelines, with Michels Pipeline, Inc. serving as the contractor. more

Riverside With the election coming up soon, many voters will head to the polls on Nov. 3. Two seats on the Washington County Board of Supervisors are up for election: District 3 and District 5. District 3 covers Riverside, Ainsworth, Brighton, Crawfordsville and part of Coppock. The race includes incumbent Republican Marcus Fedler and Democratic challenger JoAnn Whitmore... more

Washington Want to know more about the candidates running for office in the Washington County area? Well, you'll have the opportunity to hear from them very soon. With the November election just a few weeks away, many residents may want to hear directly from the candidates before casting their ballots. That's exactly what they'll have the chance to do this Thursday... more

Washington During the Washington County Board of Supervisors session on Tuesday, October 13, the board accepted a bid for $273,872.45 for the culvert replacement on Kiwi Avenue, below the estimated cost of $330,000. The board also approved a public highway easement for Kiwi Avenue in Cedar Township and tabled action on the second easement for Kiwi Avenue at the county engineer`s request... more

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.”.. more

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... more

RIVERSIDE The long-awaited visible signs of a wellness center in Riverside may appear in two weeks. Garling Construction, a Cedar Rapids construction firm that won a $10 million bid to … more

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... more

Riverside Police officers, first responders and veterans from across the country gathered last Saturday for the annual Hero Hunt at Highland Hideaway Hunting Grounds in Riverside. Many participants came from Iowa, while others traveled from Tennessee, Kentucky, Arizona, Ohio, Wisconsin and Massachusetts. The event has been held for more than 15 years as a way to thank veterans, first responders, law enforcement officers and others who serve. Organizer Ryan Giannini has led the event since its beginning... more

Heavy rains last week caused flooding throughout the area, impacting communities including Kalona, Riverside, Wellman, Lone Tree, Washington and surrounding areas. Kalona and many of its residents experienced flooding, with most of it caused by rainwater. According to Kalona City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh, about 26 residents reported flooding in their homes. Although most Kalona residents who experienced flooding dealt with rainwater, some reported sewage issues. One resident reported having about 18 inches of water in their basement... more

With the November election approaching, the Washington Chamber of Commerce will host a candidate forum on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The forum will be held on the second floor of the Washington Library in the Nicola Stoufer Room and the Washington State Bank Room... more

RIVERSIDE Garling Construction, a Cedar Rapids construction firm that built the Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center in Mount Vernon among other facilities, won a bidding process to be … more