Four State

By Matt Smith – Clinton Herald, Iowa (TNS) The small Johnson County town of Coyote Flats having lost its city hall turned to the Johnson County Commissioners Court on Dec. 20 to receive help. “A few years back they bought a portable building for their city hall but that property recently sold and so they

By Matt Smith – Clinton Herald, Iowa (TNS) Members of the Johnson County Commissioners Court on Dec. 20 faced the challenge of spending $549,429.30 by day’s end. That amount represented the remainder of American Rescue Plan Act funding had to pledge to various purchases and projects by the end of that day or send back

By Monica Faram – Clinton Herald, Iowa (TNS) The end of the year is quickly approaching. As we look forward to the new year, plan to start 2025 off on the right (and left) foot with a hike, stroll, dog walk, bike ride or winter water plunge in your favorite state park. Whether exercising your

By CATHERINE CROW – Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa (TNS) Each December, Courier reporters look back at their favorite stories of the past year. We ask them to pick their favorites: not necessarily the biggest stories of the year, just the ones they found most interesting. Some are heart-warming. Some are amusing. Some are wistful. We

By MARIA KUIPER – Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa (TNS) CEDAR FALLS — Candles shined their way through the fog during a celebration of Hanukkah in Cedar Falls Thursday. A 10-foot menorah sat at the River Place Plaza in a lighting ceremony marking the second night of the Jewish holiday. The celebration was led by Rabbi

By MARIA KUIPER – Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa (TNS) WATERLOO — After being the people’s pick for county auditor since 1988, Grant Veeder will begin his retirement in the new year. His employment with Black Hawk County ends Tuesday. Karen Showalter, the current elections manager, will be sworn in after the holiday. He’s been working

By JEFF REINITZ – Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa (TNS) WATERLOO — A Waterloo man has been sentenced to prison for allegedly sexually abusing a girl. Wesley Dale Widner, 41, was originally arrested for second-degree sexual abuse, and he later entered an Alford plea – not admitting guilt but stipulating he would likely be found guilty

By MARIA KUIPER – Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa (TNS) CEDAR FALLS — The Cedar Valley welcomed Selvedina Nuhanovic with open arms. Now she’s returning that community embrace. Nuhanovic, 32, is a real estate agent at Vine Valley Real Estate and an overall “people person.” Her family came to the area in 1998 when she was

By Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa (TNS) WATERLOO — Half of the winners from an Iowa Lottery scratch game are from Waterloo. Alix Theel claimed her $30,000 prize after winning on the “Tree-Mendous Crossword” scratch game. She bought the ticket at the Kwik Star at 1717 E. San Marnan Drive. Theel is the third person from

By JEFF REINITZ – Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa (TNS) Curbing catalytic converter thefts A honeycomb structure made of platinum, palladium and other pricey metals can be found in catalytic converters. WATERLOO — A Waterloo man has been arrested for allegedly stealing catalytic converters less than a year after he was released from prison for stealing

By Ottumwa Courier, Iowa (TNS) OTTUMWA — Nearly three years after a femur bone was recovered from the Des Moines River near Keosauqua, DNA evidence has confirmed it belongs to a missing Ottumwa man. The Ottumwa Police Department and the Southeast Missouri State University team, in collaboration with Othram, identified the remains as those of

By DAVID HOTLE – Muscatine Journal, Iowa (TNS) While no snow is predicted in the area through New Years Day, temperatures are going to begin trending downward, according to the National Weather Service at the Quad Cities Airport. Meteorologist Zach Uttech said that temperatures would begin to decrease next week. Temperatures Saturday through Monday look

By DAVID HOTLE – Muscatine Journal, Iowa (TNS) A woman charged in Muscatine County with having animals while barred from doing so under conditions of pretrial release in another animal hoarding case has been released on bail. During a bond review hearing Monday for Kelly Adams, who was arrested Dec. 13 after law enforcement executed

By DAVID HOTLE – Muscatine Journal, Iowa (TNS) The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hold a series of hikes in state parks on Jan. 1, 2025, to celebrate the first day of the new year. Wildcat Den State Park will be participating again this year. hike Karri Rutenbeck, the natural resources technician at Wildcat

By DAVID HOTLE – Muscatine Journal, Iowa (TNS) Looking back on his interview as a candidate for Muscatine city administrator, Matthew Mardesen remembers being on the same page with the city council and the department heads, as if they were just having a conversation. That conversation turned into a job, as he started as city

By Amanda Davis – The Emporia Gazette (TNS) Dec. 28—In the kitchen of the home of Touch Nou and Chhoukrath Chay, two photographs are proudly displayed on a cabinet. The bottom photograph shows Nou and Chay working at Tyson in 1986 as freshly hired employees. The top photo shows Nou and Chay over thirty years

By Grace King – The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (TNS) Dec. 28—The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced. CEDAR RAPIDS — More than a dozen teachers at Jefferson High School will be moving classrooms this spring so renovations can begin for the future College & Career Pathways program.