Poweshiek County, IA

For the first time in two months, an Iowa county has a high level of community risk for COVID-19, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Poweshiek County has that distinction, due to a combination of its infection and hospitalization rates that the CDC uses to characterize the threat of infection. It […] The post CDC warns of rising COVID risk in Iowa appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s medical staff recently voted to designate their medical staff dues to help fund a new scholarship program, available to any emergency medical service student or service in Poweshiek County and the surrounding area. According to data from Iowa Public Radio, the...

The Poweshiek County Supervisors approved the appointments of three different individuals to serve on the county zoning commission during their regular board meeting earlier this week. At Monday’s meeting, supervisors reappointed Jerry Henning, Raymond Thompson, and Gary Wilson as representatives on the Poweshiek County Zoning Commission. The measure was...

The Poweshiek County Supervisors approved the hiring of a new deputy sheriff for the county sheriff’s department at their regular meeting earlier this week. On Monday, the board authorized the hiring of Travis Foster as a new deputy sheriff for the department at a starting wage of $26.36 per hour.

The Poweshiek County Supervisors held their first regular meeting for May on Monday, May 2nd at the county courthouse in Montezuma. County IT Director Galyn Nook provided the board with an update on various IT related issues. The board also discussed updates to the county’s personnel policy. App department...

As the June 7 Iowa midterm elections approach, the Poweshiek County Republicans and Democrats held their county conventions on March 12 and March 26, respectively. This primary will be the first election after the 2020/21 redistricting, so Grinnell is now within Iowa House of Representatives District 53 and Iowa State Senate District 27. Candidates are running for State House and State Senate, and at the local level there are two spots are open for County Supervisor.

Julia Cox, 56, and Roy Lee Garner, 59, were sentenced to seven and nine years imprisonment, respectively, for their roles in the 2020 murder and abuse of the corpse of Grinnell resident Michael Williams. Both defendants pled guilty under a plea agreement in which their respective attorneys requested probation. Poweshiek...

The Liberal Arts in Prison Program (LAPP) has expanded to include the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women (ICIW), now offering incarcerated women the opportunity for a liberal arts education. Emily Guenther `07 has served as the Director of the LAPP since she graduated from Grinnell College. While a student, Guenther...

The Poweshiek County Supervisors addressed the need for adding new pagers for different fire departments throughout the county during their regular meeting on April 21st. Supervisor Jason Roudabush stated that he had attended a 911 board meeting earlier in the week. Roudabush further noted that during the meeting the Brooklyn and Deep River fire departments both indicated that they needed new pagers. Both departments had recently requested permission from the county board of supervisors to receive the pagers now instead of waiting until the completion of the radio project. The board did grant the early release of pagers for the Montezuma Fire Department, so it was further noted that Deep River does have e10 good pagers and if they receive 30 new ones, they will offer their older pagers for future use by the Brooklyn Fire Department. Brooklyn Fire stated that the pagers and some walkies provided by the sheriff’s department they will be sitting good until the completion of the radio project when they will receive all new radios and pagers.

The Poweshiek County Supervisors this week approved using funds set aside through the American Rescue Plan Act to help finance various government related services being offered throughout the county. Under the final rule, counties can allocate funds received up to $10 million as lost revenue geared toward government services. More...

Grinnell College will become the first ever fully unionized undergraduate school in the United States, with every hourly student worker being represented by the Union of Grinnell Student Dining Workers (UGSDW), after a historic win today in an election for expansion. The UGSDW won the expansion vote by 321 votes,...

Staff members Stephanie Peterson, Terri Stark and Brenda Strong recently received the newly created Grand Grinnellians Award. Staff Council, a committee that advocates for the needs of staff members, was a key proponent in the creation of the award. Erika Jack, a member of the council, said that after a 2016-17 campus climate survey, staff morale was revealed as an issue. In response, she, along with the Staff Council, sought ways to recognize staff and their work to improve morale.

Firefighters from several communities responded to a blaze which broke out yesterday (Tuesday) at a lumberyard in Poweshiek County. Officials say the fire happened at Ponderosa Lumber located near Montezuma. Several agencies responded. At this time, there’s no word as to whether anyone was hurt or how much damage the...

Westbound traffic on Interstate 80 in Poweshiek County was disrupted for a time early Wednesday morning due to a vehicle fire which forced a detour. Investigators say the incident happened near Exit 191 near Grinnell. The westbound lanes of I-80 were temporarily closed due to the accident, but have since...

Earlier this week, the Poweshiek County Supervisors approved a new contract agreement with Environmental Controls Incorporated for maintaining the heating and cooling system at the county Public Safety Building. Supervisors this week also approved new 28E Agreement for mutual aid assistance with the Central Iowa Regional Tactical Team. The agreement...

Student workers are now able to vote on the expansion of the Union of Grinnell Student Dining Workers (UGSDW), which would expand the union to represent and bargain for all hourly student workers at Grinnell. Eligible voters received mail-in ballots in their campus mailboxes to fill out and mail back...