Andy Hallman

The four living conductors of the Washington Municipal Band took turns directing the band at its first concert Thursday night. Former conductors Gary McCurdy, Bob McConnell and Norman Brooks shared the stage with current conductor Tom McNamar in front of a few hundred people in lawn chairs eager for live music.Brooks directed the band from 1991 to 2002 and can be seen each Thursday night somewhere in the band?s ...

The Washington City Council created a cable television commission at its meeting Wednesday to replace the existing cable committee. The commission will consist of members appointed by the mayor instead of simply volunteers, who now comprise the cable committee.The commission will consist of five members who will serve for three years. However, when the commission is created, two members will be appointed for a ...

RIVERSIDE ? The Riverside Council devised a method for determining the extent of support in the town for the proposed splashpad. The council voted 4-1 Monday to instruct its employee committee to create a survey to distribute to the town?s residents, asking them if they want a splashpad and if so where they want it. Councilors Kevin Kiene, Christine Kirkwood, Nate Kasdorf and Bob Schneider voted in favor of the ...

The Washington Municipal Band is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. ?We?re octogenarians now!? exclaimed band director Tom McNamar. To celebrate the anniversary milestone, musicians with Washington roots are being invited to perform for their hometown fans. The band will feature guest conductors, instrumentalists and vocal soloists throughout its 10-week season, which begins Thursday. June 7 ? The ...

Ainsworth residents were enthused for the return of Ainsworth Fun Days in 2011, and 2012 figures to be just as exciting. The Fun Days start Friday afternoon with the Ainsworth Fire Department Steak Supper and continue until the fireworks are shot off Saturday night.Traci Vonnahme helped revive the town celebration last year after it had taken a 15-year hiatus. She was very pleased with the participation last ...

The Washington city staff discovered an error in the 2011-2012 budget which miscalculated police salaries by a total of about $40,000 less than what they really were. The Washington City Council passed a budget amendment Wednesday which corrected the discrepancy.City Administrator Brent Hinson said the $40,000 sounds large but is actually a small fraction of the police?s total budget of about $1.2 million and ...

Five local post offices will be open shorter hours in an effort to save the U.S. Post Service money. The post offices in Brighton, Keota and Wayland will drop their hours from eight per day to six. Crawfordsville and Ainsworth?s post offices will have their days cut in half from eight hours to four.The U.S. Postal Service issued a press release in May in which it wrote that the new hours for the retail windows ...

A group of about 30 people interested in downtown revitalization met at the Washington Free Public Library Wednesday afternoon. The event was Washington Main Street?s ?Let?s Do it Downtown? and featured six guest speakers. Washington resident Mary Patterson spoke about the city?s historic building code.Patterson said that when a building owner remodels or makes significant changes to his business, he has to ...

Washington?s downtown residents will soon have access to a recycling receptacle after the city council approved the idea Wednesday night. The receptacle will be in the alley south of the Washington Free Public Library.The council heard from Main Street volunteer Suzanne Ackermann, who recently completed a survey of the downtown residents about their interest in recycling. The survey asked the residents how often ...

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has investigated a property on Highway 1 and determined it is not in violation of any DNR policy. The property is at 1676 Highway 1, about six miles south of Kalona, and is owned by Adair Holdings, LLC. Russell Royce, an environmental specialist with the DNR, said he received an anonymous complaint about the property, which prompted an investigation. He said in an ...

The Washington Pilots Association and the American Legion will hold their annual flight breakfast this Sunday from 7 to 11:30 a.m. at the Washington Municipal Airport. The two groups will serve pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice, milk and coffee. The hangar that has traditionally housed the breakfast is being remodeled, but Tim Swift of the Washington Pilots Association said he hopes it will be ready for Sunday. ...

Light rain fell on Washington Friday afternoon, leaving many to wonder if Kidzfest would be rained out for two years in a row. The rain was fairly constant for the first two hours of the festival but that didn?t stop hundreds of people from coming out to enjoy the food, games and live entertainment.Washington County Hospital and Clinics marketing coordinator Carrie Garman said the turnout was very good considerin...

Washington County Sheriff Jerry Dunbar confirmed today that a woman who was reported possibly shot and killed Saturday morning was employed at the Washington County Jail.According to a press release from the Wapello County Sheriff?s Office, at about 5:23 a.m. Saturday, the office received a 911 report of an individual that had ?possibly been shot.? The incident happened in the 8700 block of Fox Hill Road ...

Members of the armed services were honored Monday morning in three Memorial Day services held in Washington. The day began with the raising of the American flag at the U.S. Post Office and the firing of three cannon shots. Ceremonies continued at the Crooked Creek bridge on G38 and concluded at Elm Grove Cemetery later that morning.A guest speaker was asked to say a few words at the ceremony at the bridge and ...

The candidate whose name was mentioned in the unsigned letter sent to District 1 residents said he had no involvement in the letter?s production. Jack Seward Jr., who is running for the District 1 Washington County Supervisor seat, said he had no knowledge of the letter until Wednesday when The Journal called him to ask for comment on the Washington County Auditor?s press release on the matter.Washington County ...