Obituaries

HAVANA (AP) ? Swimmer Penny Palfrey set out on a record bid to traverse the Straits of Florida early Friday, a 103-mile (166-kilometer) unassisted swim testing the limits of human endurance and the will of the high seas.Slathered with sunblock and lubricant to prevent chafing, the British-born Australian bade farewell to onlookers, dove headfirst into the calm, bathwater-warm seas off Havana and began stroking ...

Congress has passed a massive measure that will salvage some 2.8 million jobs and shield college students from sharply higher interest rates on college loans. The bill would also shore up the federal flood insurance program.The Senate approved the bill by a vote of 74-19. The House passed the bill earlier in the day and it now goes to the White House for President Barack Obama?s signature.The bill would spend ...

Jefferson County Sheriff Department took a report about destruction, damage or vandalism to property at 7:48 p.m. Monday. A resident of 145th Street sustained damage to his mailbox and post, estimated at a loss of $50.

This special eight-page section inserted in today?s edition of The Fairfield Ledger includes the stories of area retirees Ray and Laurie Woody and Judy Bailey, as well as other helpful information for area senior citizens. Click below to see the section.

Prairie stewards working Sunday at WaterworksPrairie stewards are seeking volunteers to work at the Waterworks Park prairie Sunday morning.The prairie stewards are planning management work on the native prairie at the park from 9 a.m. to noon.The primary task will be to follow up on the ongoing black locust tree removal project by cutting small-diameter black locust re-sprouts. The workers also will take out ...

WASHINGTON, Iowa (GTNS) ? As the ceremony to honor the arrival of The Wall That Heals in Washington began, American Legion Riders? chaplain Barb Duder approached the podium to ask the crowd of people who had gathered at the All-Veterans? Memorial Thursday to join her in prayer.During the ceremony held by the American Legion Riders, the numbers of people who lost their lives in Vietnam was made clear as rider Ron ...

The Fairfield school board reviewed and renewed its contract with Superintendent Art Sathoff Thursday evening.In a closed meeting, allowed for discussion of personnel, the board gave its annual evaluation of the one school district employee the board actually hires.The school board added a third year to his current contract, the 2014-15 school year, at a salary of $144,000.His original contract will pay him ...

Business After Hours at Walton ClubThe Walton Club will host Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce?s Business After Hours for chamber members, spouses and guests from 4-6 p.m. Thursday.Appetizers and beverages will be served, a cash bar for mixed drinks will be available and a raffle for 18 holes of golf for two, with a cart, will be held, while guests meet and socialize with Walton Club staff and club members. ...

A call for help, and Fairfield resident Jane Rowe jumped into action to coordinate a donation drive for military service members stationed in Afghanistan.?My son, T.J. Rowe, is a retired Marine,? said Rowe. ?He has a friend who is stationed in Afghanistan, in an isolated area, who told him they have food and everything else they need, but they?re running out of the personal items, the toothpaste, laundry ...

The Fairfield Farmers? Market saw a need: more benches and more trash cans in Howard Park, and the Build with Bags program came to the rescue.The Build with Bags program is a cooperative effort of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, Keep Iowa Beautiful, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Metro Waste Authority aimed at demonstrating how Iowa grocers could help reduce the environmental impact of shopping ...