AnnaMarie Kruse

Washington Community School District leaders moved to expand student mental health support this school year by introducing free virtual therapy through Hazel Health, a national telehealth provider that now partners with several Iowa school systems. District officials hope the new service will shorten wait times for families, strengthen existing support programs, and give students quicker access to licensed therapists.

Washington County employees and elected officials will receive a 2.8 percent raise next fiscal year after the Board of Supervisors approved the increase Tuesday, Dec. 9 in a narrow 3–2 vote that followed debate over wages and budget pressures.

Washington Community Theater plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a fresh face. The organization opened submissions this month for a new logo that will appear throughout its 2026 golden-year festivities. The contest offers two season tickets and 200 dollars to the winning designer, but leaders say the reward goes beyond prizes.

Downtown Washington is turning up the warmth this week with the return of the Cozy Crawl, a festive shop-hop inviting the community to bundle up, explore, and enjoy exclusive treats and deals. The event takes place Friday, Dec. 12, from 4–7 p.m., and promises an evening of holiday cheer, no matter how chilly the weather gets.

After a snowstorm forced Washington’s holiday kickoff to pause the weekend after Thanksgiving, organizers regrouped to deliver a full slate of festivities this Saturday filled with traditions, treats and local spirit.

Ten Washington County 4-H members grabbed tire gauges, checked dipsticks and stepped onto a service bay floor last Saturday, Dec. 6, as part of an Auto 101 workshop designed to teach young people not only how cars run, but why basic maintenance matters.

Children arrived at the Washington Public Library last week ready for stories and movement, as Elizabeth’s Academy of Classical Ballet visited the Wee Read and Early Out Hangout programs to share a preview of this year’s

The first real snowfall of the season canceled Washington’s official holiday lighting ceremony, but downtown’s Lights of Love trees still glow in Central Park like steady beacons of memory, hope and generosity.

A fast-moving blaze tore through a rural Washington County property Tuesday evening, drawing multiple emergency agencies and a public plea to keep roads clear as crews battled “a large fire.”

Candlelit windows, vintage garlands and the glow of winter fires will set the scene as a select few Washington businesses and families welcome guests into their spaces for one of the town’s beloved holiday traditions this weekend: the Candlelight Tour of Homes.

A snowstorm that buried Washington under nearly a foot of snow over the weekend forced the cancellation of most holiday events, but it didn’t manage to freeze the town’s festive spirit. Instead, residents turned to Main Street Washington’s virtual “Snow Day Creation Contest,” flooding Facebook with photos that celebrated family, fun and an unexpectedly magical start to the season.

A winter storm that dropped up to 10 inches of snow across Washington County kept police and sheriff’s deputies busy throughout the weekend, as officers issued more than three dozen snow-ban citations and responded to a steady stream of vehicles sliding off roadways.

Washington County supervisors took a step toward replacing a key rural bridge Tuesday, Nov. 25, voting to approve a federal-aid agreement that commits up to $10 million in Highway Bridge Program funding for a new structure on County Highway W21 over the Skunk River.

Highland Community School District received a $43,657 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation’s Fall 2025 cycle, advancing the district’s ongoing effort to modernize learning spaces and expand hands-on opportunities for students.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office added a new K9 team to its ranks this fall, welcoming K9 Rino and his handler, Deputy Ethan Hansen, after the pair completed an intensive certification program at Tree Town Kennels in Forest City.