Obituaries

Suzanne Wolfson checks to see if her reeds have soaked enough before continuing on with the basket in progress. In the background, Denyce Rusch weaves a beaded breadbasket. The women were but two of the eight participants weaving baskets Tuesday at the Jefferson County Park Nature Center basket class taught by naturalist Therese Cummiskey. Cummiskey scheduled classes four days this week and also will teach basket

Students, graduates, parents, former teachers and teachers asked the Fairfield school board to reconsider their possible plans to close Libertyville Elementary School, discontinue French classes and reduce the number of speech team coaches as cost-saving measures.A dozen people addressed the school board about the proposed actions, although board president Gail Miller announced the issue was not on the agenda for

LIBERTYVILLE ? A few of the people who made Libertyville ?a great place to live? in 2010 were recognized by the Libertyville City Council during its meeting Tuesday.Mary Ann Copeland and the late Donald ?Doc? Dunn were honored.Copeland, recently retired owner and operator of Mary Ann?s Beauty Salon in Libertyville, was honored with the Business of the Year award.?Mary Ann has been a licensed cosmetologist for 48

Boys, machines and snow are an unbeatable combination and boys grow up to use real machines. Due to a teacher in-service day, which resulted in no school for Fairfield Community School District students, several boys who would normally be at school were instead playing in the snow at Community Childcare Center. Bradley Smithburg chose to use a toy bulldozer to push the snow into a pile while other boys used a broom,

A felony conviction may lead to the deportation of a Lockridge man charged with setting fire to his family?s home in October.Jefferson County Attorney Tim Dille said 31-year-old Geoffrey Karugo Kimani is only listed as a permanent resident, not a citizen, of the United States. The second-degree arson conviction entered Tuesday could be grounds for deportation to Kimani?s homeland Kenya; however, Dille said that

Work is progressing at the Maasdam Barns, but the historical site isn?t ready to open for visitors just yet.According to Larry Nash, chairman of the Maasdam Barns Historic Preservation Committee, a Schaus-Vorhies Contracting Inc. crew is currently working on the roof of the milking barn to restore it to its original state.That work, Nash, continued, includes building and installing a cupola on the roof, as well as

The city of Fairfield is reminding dog owners it is time to register the dogs at city hall.Jan. 1 through June 30 is the time to register dogs at city hall. The fee is $10 for spayed and neutered dogs and $50 for non-spayed and non-neutered dogs.Any dog licensed after June 30 will be charged an additional $1 per month.Dogs younger than 6 months do not have to be registered.Dog owners must bring the date of their

The addresses of Fairfield-grown musicians Gemma Cohen, Miranda Mallard and Darla Murphy of folk-rock band Rock Paper Scissors are separated by state lines, country borders and one very large ocean.The distance ? which reaches out farther than 5,000 miles between two of the musicians ? has nonetheless done little to halt collaboration. Together, the three have written 12 original songs over the past few months using

The economic condition of Iowa?s children and families, including those in Jefferson County, continued to deteriorate in 2009, according to a new report released by the Child and Family Policy Center.The report, ?Iowa Kids Count 2009: Trends in the Well-Being of Iowa Children,? includes findings that show the percentage of people receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program rose

Fairfield City Administrator Jeff Clawson cited a number of cost saving measures he has implemented as justification for his salary during his six-month performance review Wednesday afternoon.Following a glowing review from the Fairfield City Council Personnel Committee, which reported feedback from the full council and department heads, Clawson outlined $39,235 he has saved the city annually, as well as $55,100 in