Kalen McCain

An anticipated IPIB response to a public records complaint in Henry County may have implications for transparency across the state in cases where public officials consult with private attorneys.

Democratic contenders for the Iowa Legislature held a town hall at the Washington Public Library last week, speaking with voters about a handful of the party’s talking points before taking questions submitted by audience members. Organizers framed the event as a replacement to the typical Washington Chamber of Commerce-run candidate forum ahead of Election Day, which did not materialize this year due to scheduling conflicts.

When the Iowa Pork Producers Association first asked Matt Gent to be its board president, he said no. The Wellman hog grower, running a farm owned by his family for three generations, was uninterested in the spotlight or the time commitment away from his operation. And while he had already served on the pork board for several years, he didn’t feel his knowledge of the group was thorough enough to lead it himself.But after thinking about it for a while, Gent figured it would be helpful to have a relatively young farmer in the leadership position, rather than a retired producer who understood the industry but wasn’t as engaged with its day-to-day issues.

‘The living room of Kalona’ will serve its last drinks on Oct. 31, after owners said it failed to recover from business disruptions in 2020.

Erin Kaufman is a physical therapist with a passion for women’s health. Since opening over the summer, she’s quickly filled a niche that many providers struggle to fill, offering PT of all kinds, especially when its geared toward current and expecting mothers.

The owner of Jane Anne Boutique went from a full-time photographer to a clothing store owner. In about a week.

As the head of the Washington Chamber of Commerce, Michelle Redlinger is tasked with organizing events, grilling prospective lawmakers at candidate forums, writing weekly newsletters, coordinating community promotion efforts, connecting locals with business resources, and any number of other things. She’s also heavily involved in town as a volunteer, and a member of the city’s hotel/motel tax committee.

Kristen Anderson and Kylen Harbison are the co-owners of Beauty with Grace, a salon in downtown Washington. They’re also mother and daughter.

A pair of vehicles collided at the intersection of Highway 22 and Dogwood Avenue west of Wellman on Wednesday, totaling both cars and leaving at least one of the drivers involved with serious, but not life-threatening injuries, according to police records.

Noah Schlabaugh, 23, was also convicted of requesting a search warrant under false pretenses in Linn County.

Art students spent last week weaving fabric and strips of plastic through a fence around Lincoln Elementary’s playground, leaving messages they hope will prevent bullying and cheerfully decorate the schoolyard.

Washington School board President Troy Suchan announced Oct. 9 that he wouldn’t accept nominations to retain his title or become the board’s vice president at the board’s annual officer nomination meeting next month.

State senate contender Ed Chabal is the recently retired director of business and finance for the Mt. Pleasant Community School District, where he was also the school board secretary. It should come as no surprise, then, that the candidate’s biggest campaign talking points center on education.

State Sen. Dawn Driscoll has served in the Iowa Legislature since 2021, winning a middle-of-term re-election bid after statewide redistricting in 2022. If re-elected, she said tax relief would be a top priority in the coming term.

The city of Washington will continue to require removal of gravesite decorations in its cemeteries ahead of annual cleanup dates, despite pushback from some community members.