The Durant Community Board will host its annual Hometown Holiday Events on Dec. 1-2, with activities taking place at the Durant Community Center from 2-7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1 and from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2. more

The annual Muscatine County Fair “Trees for a Cause” event will take place Sunday, Nov. 19, at the Activity Center on the fairgrounds in West Liberty. More than a dozen trees as well as several hometown vendors participated in the event in previous years according to Kelsey Meyers, Fair Manager. more

Wilton Bank will host their fourth annual Senior Citizen Thanksgiving Carryout Dinner on Tuesday, Nov. 14 and anyone of age – regardless of being a bank customer – are welcome to participate. more

Dean Maiers, of Durant, votes Tuesday morning at the Durant Community Center, where 76 voters cast ballots in the first hour. more

Saturday, Nov. 11, is a day set aside to honor America’s veterans who, beginning with the Revolutionary War and winning our independence from England, through the many wars and conflicts during more than two centuries as a nation have kept us safe and helped preserve democracies around the world. more

I have lived in Iowa all my life. The respectful, live-and-let-live attitude I grew up with encourages us all to look for the good in others and to respond to that. This raises greater possibilities of mutual understanding and community being nurtured that has led to some surprising and positive developments for Iowa. An example: Gov. Ray’s invitation to Vietnamese refugees to settle in Iowa. This welcome for immigrant workers has spread over time to some Iowa towns (Storm Lake, Denison, West Liberty among them) which has encouraged vibrant growth in some of rural Iowa.  Looking around for more good news… more

In Representative Miller-Meeks’ Weekly Newsletter on Nov 5, she included a photo of herself with Paul Bishop, President and CEO of Water Professionals International. The photo caption stated, “Maintaining water quality standards in my district, specifically for communities by the Mississippi River, is crucial.” The Congresswoman is right. Iowans are entitled to clean, safe water. more

Viki Grau and Jovo Pilipovic, both of Moscow, were united in marriage Oct. 14, at the Riverview Center, Muscatine. Shannon Abbot officiated the ceremony. more

Amy Allmandinger Weber and Jared Weber of Waterloo are the parents of a son born at 4:15 p.m. Oct. 21, 2023, at Allen Hospital, Waterloo. more

LuVerna Adelia Schreck, age 94, of Durant, passed away Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, at Ridgecrest Retirement Village, Davenport. A visitation will be held from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 9, at Bentley Funeral Home, Durant. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 10, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Durant.  Private family burial will take place in Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be given to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.  Online condolences may be left at www.bentleyfuneralhome.com. more

Clyde David Wacker, age 81, of Durant, passed away Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, at his home.  A private family memorial service will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Wilton. Online condolences may be left at www.bentleyfuneralhome.com. more

Lana J. Thoma, age 81, of Orlando, Fla., formerly of the Quad Cities, passed away after a brief illness on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, at Advent Hospital, Orlando.  A celebration of life will be held from 12 noon – 4 p.m., Saturday, June 8, 2024, at the Durant Community Center.  Private family interment will take place in God’s Acres Cemetery, Clermont.  Memorial contributions may be made to University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.  Online condolences may be left at www.bentleyfuneralhome.com. more

Wilton Certified Local Government Commission (WCLGC) has been working on a designation as National Historic Neigh-borhoods for areas around Maurer Street and around Fifth and Sixth Streets. more

Eight members of the junior and senior Wilton High School Choir members have been selected as members of the 74th annual Dorian Honor Choir at Luther College in Decorah. more

The Wilton and Durant fall sports seasons have come to a close, and there was a lot to cheer for during the myriad of football, volleyball and cross-country events over the past two and a half months. more

The westbound Interstate 80 rest area near Wilton will close Sunday evening through Dec. 8 because of nearby roadwork. more

Ownership and operation of a farm by members of the same family for 100, and 150 years or more is a significant accomplishment. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship in conjunction with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation established the Century Farm Program for farm families that have owned at least 40 acres for 100 years, and Heritage Farm Program for those owning it 150 years or more. more

More than 800 farms in Scott, Muscatine and Cedar Counties are part of Iowa's Heritage and Century farms program. more

Mayor Scott Spengler is unopposed, and three candidates are running for two council seats in Durant. more

 Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7, when local voters will decide on school and city council candidates, but Durant voters have a bigger issue to tackle – a second chance to approve a bond referendum to improve school buildings in the community. more