Kalen McCain

Second-term lawmaker also wins spots on key house committees, and says newfound role means constituents will “have the ear” of top Republican decision-makers.

The all-Republican Washington County Board of Supervisors on Monday voted unanimously to enact an ordinance that effectively bans commercial wind turbines in the area.

It’s not usually clear what Elley Mohling will do with the bulk of her day as she walks through the doors of the McCreedy Medical Clinic at WCHC. She usually has about three patients scheduled every morning. The rest of her itinerary is flexible, designed to adapt to any mental health crisis that may arise.

City officials also announce last-minute gift drive for four displaced children, days before Christmas.

A stretch of Iowa Highway 92 closed since mid-March has reopened, letting drivers return to their normal commutes between much of Washington County and Columbus Junction. Phase II of the project will close the route again for most of next year.

Washington County is one reading away from enacting a functional ban on commercial wind energy. Proponents of the ordinance say it’ll help with wildlife conservation and prevent wasteful subsidies, while critics say it risks unsustainable carbon emissions and impedes property rights.

A handful of Washington County elected officials swore their oaths of office Tuesday morning, before the start of the new year. While none ran contested races in November, the routine ceremony represented a change in status for two department heads in the local government.

But the numbers don’t tell the full story, and may be misleading in latest state report, measuring the 2023-24 school year.

Last week’s debate was the first of several in the coming budget season, which officials expect will prove contentious thanks to inflation, and state restrictions on local government revenue.

Outages lingered in Washington County for over 4,000 Alliant customers as evening approached Dec. 14. All but a few hundred were back online Sunday morning.

School district’s $15 million ballot issue may hang in the balance, as stakeholders form a “challenge court” and prepare to hold a trial deciding whether to overturn the election.

In a seemingly unending back-and-forth among community members, a public hearing Monday night saw several speakers voice their opposition to a Washington County ordinance that would effectively ban commercial wind energy development there. The county appears likely to move forward with the proposal.

An aquatic facility over a decade in the making will open to swimmers on Thursday at the Washington YMCA, representing a triumph of local campaigning, construction and fundraising efforts.

A holiday dinner theater event planned at Lebowski’s this weekend offers a good chance for a laugh. But those involved say they hope to pave the way for a different kind of theater scene in Washington.

Splitting $1.43 million of fall season grants among nine applicants, the payout was slightly smaller than usual, and the list of recipients shorter, but grant winners said the cash would make a world of difference.