Andy Hallman

The Fairfield City Council approved the 2013-2014 budget Monday after a brief discussion about the appropriate salaries for department heads.The council approved the budget on a 6-1 vote. Councilor Connie Boyer cast the only no vote. The yes votes were cast by John Revolinski, Daryn Hamilton, Martha Rasmussen, Jessica Ledger-Kalen, Tony Hammes and Michael Halley.Boyer had received calls from residents wondering ...

The Fairfield Water Department was kept occupied this morning with a main break on Jefferson Avenue between Third and Fourth streets. Water to nearby homes was shut off while a city crew tried to fix the break. Water plant superintendent Carl Chandler said this morning he did not have an estimate for the length of time the residents in the area would be without water. He said the city has had 30 water main breaks ...

The city of Fairfield?s automated wastewater system shut down Saturday, which caused 459,000 gallons of untreated sewage to flow into Crow Creek.A press release from the Department of Natural Resources advised people and their pets to stay clear of Crow Creek for another day.Wastewater plant superintendent Shawn Worley said a piece of equipment at the wastewater plant malfunctioned, which forced the system to ...

Voters in Van Buren County and in Eldon voted to extend their respective Local Option Sales Taxes (L.O.S.T.) Tuesday night, according to unofficial election results.Eldon had previously voted down the renewal of its L.O.S.T. at the November elections but by a very narrow margin of 151 no votes to 149 yes votes.This time around, the vote was not even close for Tuesday?s special election as the ?yeses? won 159 to ...

LIBERTYVILLE ? The Libertyville City Council will welcome two new members and a new mayor when it meets Tuesday.Rod Nelson, who had been the mayor pro tempore, was appointed to be the council?s new mayor at the Feb. 12 meeting. Nelson will assume the role vacated by outgoing mayor Darryl Davison, who resigned at the January meeting because he had to relocate for a job.The two new councilors are Carrie Fleig and ...

Hurd Hess scoops the sidewalk outside his house in Fairfield this morning after another 3 inches of snow fell on the area. According to Fairfield Public Works director Darryl Bisgard, the city put in 142 hours of overtime and put down 252 tons of salt from Feb. 21 through Friday.

A band consisting of local high school students played Friday at the Fairfield Public Library during the Fairfield 1st Fridays Art Walk. The band is The Roosters and includes, from left, Keefe Lashway on guitar, Samantha Bell on vocals, Jesse Mark on drums and Gabe Sperry on bass.

A Fairfield boy has been named the male winner of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' ?Cutest Vegan Kid? contest.The winner was Vaughn Anderson, 6, son of Sara Bliss and Derek Anderson. PETA received 120 entries for the contest from across the country. The contest was open to children 12 and under who were vegans, meaning they do not eat any products derived from animals.Annie Leal, the street team ...

Allen Biggs takes a shot in a game of snooker Saturday at the Fairfield Eagles Lodge. Joining Biggs on the snooker table were John Apalara, left, Tim Bringman, second from left, and Jim Hartman.

The Winland family of Fairfield took full advantage of the wet, heavy snowfall Tuesday by crafting an elephant in their front yard in the 700 block of South Second Street. The Winland family consists of Tim, back left, his wife Sheri, back right, their daughter Christina, front left, and son T.J., front right. Tim said the family made the elephant to show to his mother, Kathy Winland, who loves the animal. He ...

Laura Cohen announced in an email Monday that a perfect bone marrow match has been found for her son Cody.Cody Cohen is a Fairfield High School senior who was diagnosed with a blood disease known as MDS that prevents his bone marrow from producing healthy blood cells. His mother?s email indicated the match was discovered in a person who joined the blood marrow drive a few weeks ago in a city other than Fairfield....

The Fairfield City Council met Monday night and discussed changes to the city?s ordinance about Bonnifield Lake beach.The council voted 5-1 to approve the first reading of the ordinance. Daryn Hamilton cast the only no vote. After he announced his vote, Hamilton said he voted against the motion because the amended ordinance did not require the beach to be closed if a safety device went missing or was stolen.The ...

A long-time Fairfield resident is still missing after local law enforcement has searched for her for several days.Teresa Bruegge, 44, of Mount Pleasant, formerly of Fairfield, was reported missing Friday by the Henry County Sheriff?s Office.The Henry County Conservation Department discovered Bruegge?s silver 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan at 9:51 a.m. Friday. The car was found at the end of a boat ramp at Faulkners ...

RAGBRAI will stop in Fairfield this summer for the first time since 1997.Many of the city?s residents remember RAGBRAI?s most recent visit. Fairfield Police Chief Julie Harvey road her bike through town that day, not as a participant but as an officer.Harvey was part of a police bike patrol that made sure the riders found what they needed in town.?The riders came in on Glasgow Road by the Sunset Roller Rink,? ...

AGENCY (GTNS) ? The trial of an Agency man charged with killing his pregnant wife is scheduled to begin Tuesday in the Wapello County Courthouse.Seth Andrew Techel, 22, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and nonconsensual termination of a pregnancy in connection to the death of his wife, Lisa Marie Techel, 23, of Agency. She died in May at their home near Agency.First-degree murder is a ...