Andy Hallman

Thomas Lee Hansen plans to rely on a self-defense justification in connection to the death of Sharon Key Gerot, a woman he is charged with murdering in 2011. Hansen?s attorney John Robertson filed a motion in August in which he wrote that Hansen intends to rely on the defense of justification, which can include defense of self, of others, of property and against forcible felony.Hansen?s trial is scheduled to ...

A bronze bust of George Washington was unveiled in Washington?s Central Park Thursday afternoon in front of a few dozen spectators. The bust was made by Steve ?Max? Maxon of Max-Cast this summer as a replacement for the original fiberglass bust, which was becoming worn.Carlton Bump, a Washington High School art teacher for 35 years, sculpted the original bust in 1976. Carlton is deceased but his wife, Mickey, ...

By Andy HallmanThe JOURNAL Washington County Iowa Farm Bureau held its annual meeting at the Knights of Columbus Hall Thursday night. Several Iowa congressional candidates and their representatives were on hand, as well as many Washington County supervisor candidates. A few hundred people attended the meeting, which filled the main room of the KC Hall. The attendees were treated to a meal at 6:30 p.m. before the ...

A Columbus Junction woman was arrested Wednesday for stabbing another woman in the arm. Christina Bautista-Baltazar, 44, was charged with first-degree burglary, a class B felony, and willful injury causing bodily injury, a class D felony. Bautista is being held at the Washington County Jail on $5,000 bail.According to Washington County Sheriff?s Deputy Kirk Bailey, the Washington County Safety Center received a ...

The trial dates for supervisor candidates Jack Seward Jr. and Bob Yoder have been set. Eighth Judicial District Judge James Blomgren issued a pretrial order Wednesday which set Seward?s trial for Sept. 24 and Yoder?s for Sept. 26. Both will start at 9:30 a.m. On Aug. 29, attorney Barb Edmondson, representing both Seward and Yoder, filed a motion to extend time for discovery and to extend the time for filing ...

RIVERSIDE ? The Riverside City Council voted down a resolution to purchase land west of town to use for a welcome sign. The vote was 3-2 with councilors Nate Kasdorf, Ralph Schnoebelen and Bob Schneider voting against while councilors Christine Kirkwood and Kevin Kiene voted in favor. Riverside resident Mike Meinders was the first member of the audience to speak on the matter. Meinders said he collected a survey ...

Washington High School faculty were saddened to learn that their new high school had been vandalized over the Labor Day weekend. Principal Erik Buchholz said the vandalism was spray-painted graffiti to an exterior wall on the east side. The graffiti was discovered Sunday and removed by custodians later that day.Buchholz said he learned of the graffiti Sunday when a teacher called him who went to the school to do ...

The gymnasium at Stewart School is getting a makeover this fall. The Stewart Boosters led the efforts to make the gym look nicer and to make it more comfortable for the teachers and students.The entire gym was repainted in August. Panels were put on the walls to absorb sound so the room wasn?t so loud. New basketball hoops have been ordered and are almost ready to install. The school is also receiving blinds to ...

Washington residents will soon be surveyed about their jobs through a telephone call from Iowa Workforce Development (IWD). Four hundred people in and around Washington will receive a call in early September to ask them about facts pertaining to their job such as how far they commute and how willing they are to change jobs. The surveys are anonymous and the people chosen to participate are called at random. Iowa ...

Washington residents will soon be surveyed about their jobs through a telephone call from Iowa Workforce Development (IWD). Four hundred people in and around Washington will receive a call in early September to ask them about facts pertaining to their job such as how far they commute and how willing they are to change jobs. The surveys are anonymous and the people chosen to participate are called at random.Iowa ...

The Washington Farmers Market held its annual salsa contest Thursday night. Hungry guests enjoyed more than two dozen salsas of various textures and spices. Participants voted on their two favorite salsas, although the chef responsible for each salsa was kept a secret until after the voting. The results will be released at an upcoming farmers market.Jennie Reschly, of Ainsworth, made two salsas for the contest. ...

A virus has killed over 150 deer in Iowa this year, including 37 reported cases in Washington County. More deer have died from the virus in the county than in any other county in the state.The virus is called Epizotic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) and is carried by winged insects called midges. All of the 37 cases in the county have been discovered in a two-mile radius just east of the English River Wildlife Area in ...

Washington City Councilor Bob Shellmyer gave a presentation about the city?s budget at the council?s meeting Wednesday. Shellmyer focused on the city?s departments that were over budget and stressed the need to reign in spending. City Administrator Brent Hinson said the numbers Shellmyer used in his presentation did not accurately reflect the city?s finances because they did not include the budget amendments ...

The Washington County E911 Board met Monday night and discussed updating the tornado sirens in the county. The Washington County Communications Center must upgrade all the sirens in the county so they comply with the narrow-banding requirement from the federal government. The federal government is requiring narrow banding because it will allow more radio frequencies on the radio spectrum. Local law enforcement ...

A missionary couple who live in Guatemala were in Washington this past week visiting churches and sharing stories about their work. Chris and Donna Mooney have lived in Guatemala for 14 years and help those in their village with mobility problems by providing them with wheelchairs, crutches and canes.The Mooneys live in a city called Chimaltenango, which has about 44,000 people and is 35 miles west of the ...