Andy Hallman

The Washington County Communications Center has received about $700,000 in new equipment it purchased earlier in the year. Washington County Communications Supervisor Cara Sorrells said her office is undergoing two separate upgrades. One upgrade is the replacement of the entire 911 system. The other upgrade is to the local database that stores the information the 911 system uses to deliver calls. The equipment is ...

Local law enforcement will conduct nighttime seat belt checks in the near future. The Washington County Sheriff?s Office, Washington Police Department and the Iowa State Patrol are conducting the checks in conjunction with the Iowa Governor?s Traffic Safety Bureau.According to a press release from the sheriff?s office and police department, law enforcement will select locations with a high volume of on-coming ...

The Washington City Council discussed what to do with the 90 acres of land on the northwest edge of town it acquired from the Washington School District last year. A few councilors spoke about the possibility of selling a portion of that land to raise money for the city. Several residents spoke about the need for a wellness park or even just more flat, open green space in the city. The council agreed to discuss ...

The Washington City Council voted 5-1 Tuesday to eliminate the position of city engineer. Councilors Merlin Hagie, Mike Roth, Karen Wilson-Johnson, Fred Stark and Russ Zieglowsky voted in favor of eliminating the position and Bob Shepherd voted against it. The council later voted to make the date of elimination Dec. 31. The current city engineer is Rob McDonald. His salary is about $74,000 a year. The city has ...

RIVERSIDE ? The City of Riverside is applying for a Riverboat Foundation grant for $120,000 so it can install a ?splash pad? in Hall Park. A splash pad is an aquatic play area for interaction with fountains without standing water. At its meeting Monday, the council approved a matching grant of $120,000 for the project. Earlier this year, the council approved a budget which included $250,000 for either a splash ...

Three veterans? organizations formed a booth at the farmers market in Washington where they sold meals to raise money for American Legion Post 29 and the English River Outfitters. The third organization was the Wounded Warrior Project, which is a worldwide veterans group that focuses on helping post-9/11 disabled veterans. The Wounded Warrior Project supplied the food for the event but asked that the money raised ...

Washington will host a citywide garage sale this weekend that will feature 43 vendors across town. All vendors are open Saturday and many of them are open today. A few were even open Thursday night. A map of the garage sales was printed on page 7 of Thursday?s edition of The Journal.Washington Evening Journal Advertising Director Julie Scott said she advertises the garage sales two weeks to a month in advance ...

The City of Washington is going through a cash-crunch at the moment but City Accountant Joe Myers said he thinks the municipal government can weather the storm. Myers advised the city councilors at the last meeting, Sept. 7, to refrain from spending money if possible. Myers said the city will have to pay a bill for nearly $1.4 million to Gridor Construction for work it has done on the new waste water treatment ...

A new Mexican-themed restaurant has opened in Washington and it?s called ?Mi Pueblo Real,? which is Spanish for ?my real town.? It is located on West Madison Street in the building that was formerly occupied by ?The Pizza Ranch.? The restaurant opened its doors to the public Aug. 22 after a few months of renovation and repainting. Fernando Macias owns Mi Pueblo Real. It is the second restaurant he has opened in ...

The at-large seat on the Highland School Board has been won by former Highland teacher Nick A. Smith, according to unofficial election results from the Washington County Auditor?s Office.Smith captured 45 percent of the vote, garnering 119 of the 266 votes cast. Laura Temple Scheetz received 55 votes, 21 percent of the total. Alan G. Beers received 48 votes (18 percent) and Dwight Houseal received 44 votes (17 ...

The referendum on Kirkwood Community College?s general obligation bonds passed easily with 76 percent of the vote in Tuesday?s election. The vote was 673 in favor to 218 against. The referendum needed 60 percent approval to pass. The successful vote means that Kirkwood will be able to issue bonds up to $46.5 million for capital improvement projects from 2015 to 2030. The property tax levy on those people in ...

The referendum on Kirkwood Community College?s general obligation bonds passed easily with 76 percent of the vote in Tuesday?s election. The vote was 673 in favor to 218 against. The referendum needed 60 percent approval to pass. The successful vote means that Kirkwood will be able to issue bonds up to $46.5 million for capital improvement projects from 2015 to 2030. The property tax levy on those people in ...

The trial of Ainsworth resident Rodney Lee ?Joe? Bean began Monday in Sigourney with the selection of jurors. Bean is charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection to the death of 78-year-old Joye L. Gentzler. The case was originally going to be tried in Washington County but was moved to Keokuk County by Judge James Blomgren two weeks ago. Washington County Attorney Larry Brock is prosecuting the case. ...

Jalyn and Jacylyn Zieglowsky of Washington are blazing a trail in women?s headwear. The Zieglowsky sisters sell feathers and flowers that attach to one?s hair. They have their own Web site with pictures of the feathers and flowers. They?ve also gone to the farmers market in Washington a few times to sell their wares.The Zieglowsky girls and their father, Jay, take a vacation every year to Bozeman, Montana. The ...

Voters in Washington County and surrounding counties will decide whether to grant Kirkwood Community College a bond for $46.5 million Tuesday. The money will go toward renovating existing buildings on Kirkwood?s campuses and building new ones at its satellite offices.If the referendum is passed, the bond will last from 2015 until 2030. It will not raise the taxes of those in Kirkwood?s district. The property ...