Community Briefs

Monday, August 9, 2010, the Washington County Engineer’s Office will close County Highway W38 (Ginkgo Avenue) to thru traffic between 170th and 180th Streets, approximately 4 miles south of Wellman for the replacement of a bridge with a box culvert.
The contract for this project was recently awarded to Iowa Bridge and Culvert, of Washington, IA for $161,727. Iowa Bridge and Culvert will remove the aging 25’ x 22’ Concrete Slab Bridge and replace it with a Twin 10’ x 8’ x 79’ Reinforced Concrete Box Culvert.
Assistant County Engineer Jacob Thorius said, “This project will prevent the posting of weight restrictions for the bridge and eliminate the width restriction, which can make it difficult for truck traffic to get through the area.”
Construction should be completed in about three months, depending on the weather. During that time, traffic will be detoured on to County Highway G20 to State Highway 1 then back on County Highway G26. Questions pertaining to the project should be directed to the Washington County Engineer’s Office at (319) 653-7731.

The City of Wellman is requesting anyone who experienced damage or flooding from storms that came through the Wellman area in the past four weeks to contact City Hall Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 319-646-2154.
The City is collecting information to pass on to the Federal Government as part of the process of deciding whether or not Washington County will be declared a Presidential Disaster Area.
If you live in Washington County near Wellman and experienced flooding, damage, or other monetary loss due to these storms call the City as soon as possible.

Underground Railroad Exhibit displayed at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
Before the Civil War, men, women, and children seeking to escape slavery in the South often sought refuge among Northern abolitionists in Cedar County, Iowa. “Cedar County, Iowa: A Door to Freedom”, an exhibit on the Underground Railroad, is on display at the Visitor Center of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit was produced by a partnership of the National Park Service and the University of Iowa Museum Studies Program. 
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space.

Story-time for toddlers and preschoolers are held each Wednesday from 10:30 - 11 a.m. in the children’s area of the Kalona Public Library. Story-time helps build early childhood literacy skills through listening, fingerplays, rhymes and songs.
The story time themes for October are Pumpkins, Monsters, Scarecrows and Trick-or-Treat. The October 28 story time will include a craft and will end at 11:15 a.m.
A list of themes through May is available on the library’s website or in bookmark form at the Kalona Library.
For additional information, contact Youth Services Librarian Marissa at 319-656-3501 or at kplyouth@kctc.net.

Washington County Public Health and Home Care in Washington is sponsoring a Caregiver Support Group that meets on the second Wednesday of each month in the Miller Chapel/Blue Room at Pleasantview Home, 811 3rd Street, Kalona, at 2:30 p.m. All family members and friends who are caring for loved ones are invited to attend these meetings free of charge. Hearing loss will be the subject of the presentation at the September 3 meeting. Questions regarding may be directed to Shirley Rath, RN, NSN, Home Care Director, or to Margaret Donnelly, Social Worker, at Washington County Public Health and Home Care at 319-653-7758 or 800-655-7758.

The winners of the Sunrise Child Care half a hog raffle are Kevin and Kym Kral and Al and Barb Benning.

Meetings for the nonprofit organization Angels Called to Action are the second Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. and the fourth Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting room at Reha Greenhouses in Wellman. Everyone is welcome to attend. Contact Donna at 319-646-2408.

A search is underway for a photo of the Fairview Church that stood west of Wellman. Anyone who has a photo should contact Maxine Stragner, 319-728-8671, who will make arrangements to copy it.

Gamblers Anonymous meetings are held Mondays at 6 p.m. in Room 135, Linn Hall, on the Kirkwood Community College Campus in Cedar Rapids. For information, call 888-771-6771.

The group meetings are held the first Monday of each month at the Presbyterian Church in Washington, Iowa at 6:30 p.m.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

The AL-ANON group meets every Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Wellman Municipal Council Chambers.

Meetings for AA (open) are held in the Wellman Municipal Building basement every Thursday at 8 p.m.