Sunday, April 19, 2009

Spring Cleanup

All items for Washington's city wide clean up need to be out at the curb by no later than 6:00 am tomorrow. Mayor Sandra Johnson says this is not an amnesty period for regular garbage. She says residents will still need to purchase stickers to have it hauled away. She says they will not be taking hazardous materials such as household chemicals, paint or pesticides. She says they will also not accept electronics such as computers and televisions. Such items can be disposed of at the recycling center for a fee. For full details on the city wide cleanup visit our website at www.kciiradio.com.

Legislative Briefing

Between 30 and 40 people came to the Washington County Courthouse yesterday to hear comments from State Senator Becky Schmitz, and Representative Larry Marek. Gay marriage, the middle income tax break and economic stimulus money were some of the most frequented topics. There was also a group of students from the Maharishi University of Management in attendance. They say they want to see the legislature support more sustainable farming methods. The briefing was sponsored by the Washington Chamber of Commerce.

Exchange Students

Want to open your home to an exchange student or do you know someone who would? Marcia Miller with the Lower Deer Creek Church in Kalona says Iowa Resource for International Service is looking for host families for their exchange program. She says students are English-speaking high school juniors from Nigeria and Tanzania. IRIS works through the Youth Exchange and Study program funded by the State Department. If you have any questions or would like some more information, please contact IRIS directly at 515-292-7103 or check the website at www.iris-center.org.

Local Artist

Local Artist Paulette Buckingham will be offering Art Composition and Interpretation programs at the Kalona Public Library for adults and children. Youth Services Librarian Marissa Tartaglia says the Adult Program will be held Monday, April 27th from 7-8PM and will focus on identifying the elements of a work and how those elements determine its quality. The Childrens Program will be held on April 30th from 1:30-2:30pm in the Velma Skola Program Room. The Childrens Program will include a hands-on art activity. . For more information, please contact Youth Services Librarian Marissa at 319-656-3501.