News | Wilton-Durant Advocate News

The City of Wilton is planning a $7 million overhaul of Fifth St., which will widen and revamp the community’s main drag

The City of Wilton is planning a $7 million overhaul of Fifth St., which will both widen and revamp the community’s main drag that doubles as an entrance from Hwy 38. As for that entrance … more

Jacob Lane | 4/23/24

Mary Carpenter has been using the chair that she practiced with back in the late 1970s at Davenport Barber College for nearly as long as she has been cutting hair. She is the owner of Mary’s Wilton Barber Shop on Fourth St.

Cutting through tradition

“You fellas, you’re creatures of habit,” says Mary Carpenter. “You get into the habit of going to one place and you never change until you croak.” The owner of … more

Jacob Lane | 4/23/24

Environmental Learning Center at Discovery Park Naturalist Luke Hart shows off Nadie the Owl on Thursday, April 18, in the Wilton Public Library

Library has a hoot!

On Thursday, April 18, the Wilton Public Library had a very special visitor. Nadie the Owl came with her friend, Luke Hart. Hart is a Naturalist from the Environmental Learning Center at … more

Rebecca Bovenmyer | 4/23/24

Participants from left: Mary Bollinger; Serena Burrows; Anita Hartley; Reeta Salemink; Catie Carter; Rhett, Caleb and Lydia Marks; Zoey Carter and Hailey MacGregor

Library holds edible book contest

On Saturday, April 20, the Wilton Public Library hosted an Edible Book Contest. What is an Edible Book you might wonder? Basically, you pick a book and make something edible to represent that book. … more

Rebecca Bovenmyer | 4/23/24

Trivia Night to support Durant Iowa Food Pantry

If you like trivia and supporting your local food pantry, then the second Durant Iowa Food Pantry Trivia Night might be a great place to be on Saturday, May 4. To be held at the Durant Community … more

Tim Evans | 4/23/24

Library activities in May

Wilton Public Library The month of May at the Wilton Public Library won’t be quite as busy as usual. We will be working on our programming for the Summer Reading Program. So, be on … more

Rebecca Bovenmyer | 4/23/24

Bonnie Reeb and Connie Foster work inside a trellis growing vegetables vertically for the less fortunate in Muscatine County

Reeb rewarded Master Gardener award

Since 2000, the Iowa State University Extension Office has considered Bonnie Reeb a Master Gardener, but it wasn’t until this year the 77-year-old nature enthusiast was awarded the first-ever … more

Tim Evans | 4/23/24

A Cicada from Brood X, a group that swarmed the Eastern United States in 2021—brought as many as 1.5 million of the protein-rich insects per acre

Cicada BOOM

In a year that’s already been packed with natural phenomena, add one more to your list: The cicadas are coming to Iowa, and they’re coming in droves. “Millions of these guys … more

Jacob Lane | 4/16/24

Wilton welcomes deputy clerk, takes action on splash pad

The Wilton City Council met Monday, April 8, where it discussed personnel, the splash pad, Division St. and more. Deputy Clerk To begin, the council appointed Desiree Zeman to the position … more

Jacob Lane | 4/16/24

Setting up the 12-inch telescope inside the Wilton Observatory is high school astronomy teacher Rick Beckley

Wilton students witness solar eclipse from new observatory

For the first time in history, Wilton High School students got a chance to use the Wilton Observatory for the purpose of viewing a solar eclipse. Now in its fourth year of helping educate … more

Tim Evans | 4/16/24

Tadan’s Touch Foundation: Pictured from left, Jason Calvert, Century Fence; Keith Stanley, Mayor; Todd Voss, Owner & Director Tadan’s Touch; Becky Allgood, Wilton Chamber & Development Alliance; Don Roth, Eastern Iowa Light & Power Cooperative

Chamber awards businesses' First Dollar

QuickE’s Tacos QuickE’s Tacos at 1211 W. 5th Street is owned and operated by Erasmo and Sarah Espinoza. They serve a full menu of delicious tacos burritos rice bowls, salads, … more

4/16/24

Wilton School Board meeting highlights technology upgrades and student achievements

The Wilton Community School District had a regular board meeting on Wednesday, April 10th. Present at the meeting were four of the five members, board members Sam Wilson, Tommy Fitzer, Tara Oien and … more

Rebecca Bovenmyer | 4/16/24

Durant School Board advances career-driven education initiatives and fiscal plans

Durant’s School Board of Education heard administrative reports, set public hearings on budgets and school calendars, and made a number of personnel moves at their Monday, April 8 meeting held … more

Tim Evans | 4/16/24

2024 Alumni Scholarship Recipients from left: Landyn Putman, Calli Langley (Cheryl Johannsen Scholarship), Casen Reid (Bobby Johannsen Scholarship), Hope Lock, Eve Watkins-Schoenig, Cecelia Robinson (Meinke Scholarship), Addison Hartsch, Catherine Hook (Meinke Scholarship), Imogen Jirak, Keira Polman, Benjamin Marine, Lillian Shuger, Abigail Hugunin, Ava Barrett

Alumni celebrate the past, present and future

Looking to the Future, Honoring the Past “It didn’t take long to get here,” jokes Bruce Rabedeaux, Class of 1974. “It’s hard to believe that 50 years have gone by … more

Jacob Lane | 4/9/24

The sun at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 8, when the moon passed between the sun and the earth causing a partial solar eclipse. In Muscatine County more than 80 percent of the sun was covered at its peak.

Celestial spectacle

Muscatine County, including Wilton and Durant, experienced a partial solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, the likes of which won’t be seen in the United States for another 20 years. From … more

Jacob Lane | 4/9/24

Fay Wulf is the local coordinator of Durant Senior Dining; she got the program off the ground in 2000

Hot lunch for Durant seniors

By Tim Evans Advocate Contributor Started 24 years ago, the Durant Senior Dining project has been a favorite among 60-plus-year-old local citizens in Durant. They meet every Thursday … more

Tim Evans | 4/9/24

Wilton Police Chief Dave Clark stands in front of one of the solar-powered speed signs on West Third Street, which will help slow down traffic in the neighborhood

Wilton implements speed monitor signs to enhance road safety

“For Wilton, it was a good fit.” That’s what Wilton Police Chief Dave Clark had to say about the installation of four new speed monitor signs – with two more on the way … more

Tim Evans | 4/9/24

Then Wilton High School seniors, Clayton Guyer, on left, and Max Yohe help a resident take a dryer out of her house as part of last year’s Wilton Day of Caring

Day of Caring will grow exponentially with hundreds of volunteers joining forces

Wilton’s second annual Day of Caring, organized by the Wilton/Muscatine United Way, is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever. The free service is set to take place the morning of … more

Tim Evans | 4/9/24

Kaelin Hahn will be playing Ariel in Act 1 and sing "Part of Your World" and "Part of Your World (Reprise 1)." Madison Smyser will play Ariel in Act 2 and sing "Part of Your World (Reprise 2)" and "Part of Your World (Finale)."

Durant Jr. High Choir presents Little Mermaid Jr.

Get ready to be swept away under the sea as the talented students of Durant Jr. High Choir take you on an enchanting journey with their production of "Little Mermaid Jr." “We would like to … more

Jacob Lane | 4/9/24

Sakir and Alex Alimoski, with their four-year-old son Arty, have just opened Arty’s Sunnyside Café at the corner of Third and Calhoun St. The Wilton couple hopes to make an impact in West Liberty

Wilton entrepreneur and restaurateur

“I don’t do anything halfway,” says Sakir Alimoski with determination in his eyes; a Wilton man who is as much an entrepreneur as he is a restaurateur. “We took this on … more

Jacob Lane | 4/9/24