Columbus Junction
Iowa (KCRG) - Enrollment at the University of Iowa declined this fall as Iowa’s public universities face a shrinking pool of potential students, including a projected steep drop in high school graduates from a key recruiting state. The Iowa Board of Regents reviewed its annual enrollment report during its...
State Auditor-elect Taylor Wettach, a Democrat from Muscatine, says maintaining the independence of the office is his primary responsibility. He’s also considering ways the auditor’s office could make all government spending more transparent. “So folks know where their hard-earned tax dollars are going and working with folks of either party or no party to continue that sort of focus,” he said. Wettach, a 35-year-old attorney, previously worked at a major New York City law firm where he reviewed and negotiated complex financial deals. Wettach says he’s looking forward to working with the accountants, auditors and Certified Fraud Examiners in the state auditor’s office. Wettach says he will continue many of the initiatives current State Auditor Rob Sand started, like allowing staff to live outside of central Iowa since audits are done throughout the state, as well as continuing the program that recognizes local Iowa governments for efficiency efforts. Wettach says part of his job will be ensuring the non-partisan staff can do their job effectively and that means more resources. “They’re career auditors. They’re career civil servants that are experts in what they do, that have been working in that office for years and years and years and are in that office because they believe in the public service of it,” Wettach said. “They’d get paid more if they worked in the private sector. They’re there because they’re true public servants.” Wettach’s term starts January 1. Wettach defeated Republican Chris Cournoyer in last week’s election by about 6,500 votes.
Potential sites for solar panels on county property were presented and discussed by the Washington County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Eagle Point Solar gave a presentation on multiple county sites that solar panels could be added. The sites include the Orchard Hill facilities and Emergency Operations Center on Lexington Boulevard, the secondary roads shop at 821 East 7th Street, and Washington County Courthouse grounds in downtown Washington. These would be freestanding solar arrays.
New holiday activities, financial support for a major community project, and city improvements were among the topics discussed by the Mount Pleasant City Council Tuesday evening. Sophia Walderbach, a Mount Pleasant High School senior interning with Main Street Mount Pleasant and the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance, presented plans to...
IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa researchers have detected pesticides in Iowa waterways, tree leaves in Iowa City and household dust from homes across the state, offering a snapshot of how the chemicals may move through the environment. The research was conducted through Iowa INSIGHT, a University of...
The Iowa Board of Regents has made another final selection for the Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa’s permanent leader after its previous choice rejected the offer. After closed-session interviews Wednesday afternoon, the board announced at its Nov. 12 meeting that UI political science associate professor Brian Lai would serve as the […]
