Community

OTTUMWA ? The Ottumwa Community Players will have auditions for its production of ?Les Miserables? beginning Sept. 19 at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa.Auditions are set: 6-9 p.m. Sept. 19; 6-9 p.m. Sept. 20; 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 21 for 10- to 12-year-old children; and 1-4 p.m. Sept. 21 for adults.?With this show being so incredibly well known, and with this kicking off our 60th season, we are extending ...

BENTONSPORT ? Bentonsport Historic District will be having the Annual Flea Market and Craft Show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.The event will include local artist demonstrations, various outside vendors with antiques, crafts, jewlry, photography, woodcrafts, tools, flea market treasures and more. New vendors are welcome.Sub sandwiches, fudge, brownies, pies, tenderloins, pulled pork and walking ...

AMES ? Practical Farmers of Iowa will have a free online seminar, or ?farminar,? from 1-2:30 p.m. Sept. 19.Many farmers planted cover crops on prevented planting acres this season and now have questions about managing those acres this fall and winter.Other farmers are considering planting cover crops for the first time this fall and have questions about species selection, timing, spring management and more.The ...

CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGECANTON, Mo. ? Jeffrey Pace of Farmington was among Culver-Stockton College?s students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members who spent a recent Saturday volunteering for the fifth annual Extreme Dome Makeover.More than 400 volunteers participated in the event, sprucing up 13 public areas and private residences in Canton, Mo.Volunteers spent the day in various activities, such as ...

MOUNT PLEASANT ? Chief Judge Mary Ann Brown of the Eighth Judicial District of Iowa will speak at Iowa Wesleyan College on on Constitution Day Sept. 17.Brown was appointed chief judge for the Eighth Judicial District by the Iowa Supreme Court in 2012 and was originally appointed to the bench in 2001. The Eighth Judicial District consists of Appanoose, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, ...

Several Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center blood drives are scheduled in the area.The Roosevelt Community Recreation Center in Fairfield will host a drive from 1-5:30 p.m. Sept. 17. Donors who last gave on or before July 23 are eligible to give again. Walk-in donors are welcome, but for appointments, call Derik Wulfekuhle at 472-6159.A blood drive will be from 3-6:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Jefferson County ...

NORDYKEFifty people representing four generations of the Carl and Maud Nordyke family attended the second Nordyke reunion Aug. 31 through Sept. 1 in Abingdon.The family shared potluck meals, attended services at the Abingdon Church of Christ, visited the American Gothic House and had the ?Pie Lady?s? homemade pie.Family attended from Washington, Minnesota and Iowa. Plans were made for a reunion next year in ...

LEANDO ? An old-fashioned band concert by the Tarnished Brass Band, under the director of Ken Burns, will be at 5 p.m. Sunday in Memorial Park in Leando.The event will be held in recognition of the 175th anniversary of the platting of the town of Portland in 1838, which was to become Leando.Leando, on the south side of the Des Moines River, opposite its twin city of Douds in Van Buren County, was platted as ...

COUNTRY SCHOOLSThe Country Schools reunion will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Batavia Senior Community Center.A cooperative dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m.All former students and teachers of the Hickory Ridge, Centennial, No. 7, Cross Lane, Polk No. 5, Hazel Dell, Locust Grove No. 3, Indiana No. 1 and Des Moines No. 2 schools are invited to attend.Those attending are asked to bring a covered dish and ...

Jefferson County Naturalist Therese Cummiskey is planning a birding trip to Brinton Timber in Washington County.The trip is planned for Saturday, but participants who want to ride in one of the park vehicles will need to preregister by calling 472-4421 or emailing ~ Participants who do not preregister can follow behind or meet at the site. The group will leave at 7:30 a.m. from Jefferson County Park and arrive ...

Due to extreme heat, the venue for first session of the square dance class has changed.Tonight?s session at Pence Elementary School gym has moved to Morning Star Studio?s ballroom.Continuing students will meet at 7 p.m. New students should arrive at 7:50 p.m. to sign in for the 8 p.m. class.Participants should bring water and a change of shoes for dancing.Future classes of the 10-week session are planned at ...

PACKWOOD ? Pekin Elementary School is looking for volunteers again this year to work with kindergarten through second graders who need a little extra attention.Volunteers in the Friends of Education program will read to a child or have a child read to them, play an educational game or even put a puzzle together. The looking and listening activities help develop or build language skills, which form a solid ...