Wilton-Durant Advocate News

Looking inward with Graham's Hierarchy of Disagreement

This infographic, created by writer Paul Graham to accompany his 2008 es- say “How to Disagree,” is an straightfor- ward tool for evaluating the quality of someone’s argument. You can also use … more

Kimberly Sloan | 7/7/22

The Souhrada family: Jake, Peyton, Karie, and Cade.

Behind every man is a good woman

The old saying is true, behind every good man there’s an incredible woman.” - Robert Downey Jr. This week, you will see a story that I wrote in the lead- up to Father’s Day this … more

Ryan Stonebraker | 6/15/22

Members of armed forces risk their health to protect ours

This year, there are 165 days between Memorial Day – the day we honor members of the U.S. military who’ve died while serving our country – and Veterans Day – the day we … more

Kimberly Sloan | 6/2/22

A selfie with Wilton Public Library director Molly Garrett after the filming of Libraries Alive! May 12.

Libraries are alive!

Libraries Alive! is a local talk show hosted by Wilton Public Library director Molly Garrett and Musser Public Library director Pamela Collins. A full article about the program, written by by Kathy … more

Kimberly Sloan | 5/25/22

Durant track team "creates" new event

Last week, I created a new event at the Monticello track meet. It was called the “12x100 muddy parking lot” and it featured half the Durant track team pushing a sunken car out of a … more

5/11/22

Dawn Sloan with eight-year-old Kimberly.

Out and about: Missing our moms on Mother's Day

Growing up, I was raised by my mother and my maternal grandmother. Both of their birthdays occurred in May, making the month feel like one long celebration of Mother’s Day. Every year, my … more

by Kimberly Sloan, Editor | 5/4/22

From left: Taylor Schult, Payton Ganzer, Abram Jirak, Lucas DuRocher, Cedric Robinson, Nolan Townsend, Anna Marine, and AN editor Kimberly Sloan at the WHS etiquette dinner.

Out and About: Etiquette dinner brings Wilton students to St. Ambrose

Wednesday, April 20, was a whirlwind of a workday. After spending the morning at Wilton Elementary for Leadership Day, I hustled to St. Ambrose University in Davenport to volunteer as a table host … more

by Kim Sloan, AN Editor | 4/27/22

Out and About: Fore!

Learning to photograph golf has been quite the journey. For example, over the past three weeks, I’ve discovered the following: 1. When it’s freezing cold outside and … more

Kimberly Sloan, Advocate News Editor | 4/13/22

Budget bills steer cash to infrastructure, mental health

This week the House of Representatives concluded the majority of its initial budget work. Most of the budgets now sit over in the Senate awaiting action so we can negotiate final deals. The … more

by state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann | 4/13/22

Out and About: AN press run provides graphic arts lesson

On Tuesday, March 29, I had the pleasure of touring the printing press at Trico Communications in downtown Davenport. Trico prints and distributes the physical copies of this newspaper every week. … more

Kimberly Sloan, Advocate News editor | 4/6/22

Better places for old tires than our roadsides

Tires are notoriously difficult to dispose of. more

Kimberly Sloan | 3/31/22

Marian Kent, formerly of Wilton, turns 102 on March 17. Check out this week's "Out and about" on page 5 for an interview with Kent.

Out and about: A century-old delight

Last week, we published a birthday announcement for Marian Kent of Moline. Kent, who turns 102 on St. Patrick’s Day, grew up in the area and graduated from Wilton High School in 1937. The … more

Kim Sloan, Advocate News Editor | 3/16/22

Diane Mutz' superpower was connecting with kids

This week’s issue contains a thank-you note from the family of Diane Mutz. more

Kimberly Sloan | 3/9/22

Out and About: Students find the courage to sing

Choir students in Wilton and Durant are gearing up for their respective spring variety shows. Over the past week, I have had the pleasure of watching and photographing rehearsals at both … more

2/24/22

Soak in our Year in Review section

If there's one thing we can't stop in this life, it's time. And as the world turns, we come to you this week with another installment of our annual Year in Review section, where we take our readers … more

Derek Sawvell, AN Editor | 1/5/22

One last letter from a very special friend

Our readership and customer base communicates with us in a myriad of ways. On the surface, there are the phone calls and emails we receive on a regular basis from those in the outside world who help … more

Derek Sawvell, AN Editor | 12/29/21

Can we control social media, or does it control us?

TikTok wins again, were the words from an understandably discouraged Superintendent Joe Burnett when we spoke Friday, Dec. 17 amid the most recent of obnoxious social media challenges. It began … more

Derek Sawvell, AN Editor | 12/22/21

The Advocate News office received a plate of tasty homemade treats courtesy of reader Sylvia Spencer, who came to the hometown paper for help in the fall, after her yard had been "flocked" by the Wilton post prom committee.

AN readers spreading cheer (after flamingos) this holiday season

We had a very cheerful visit at the start of a very stressful week Monday from Sylvia Spencer, a local reader who I immediately recognized thanks to an interesting development a couple months … more

Derek Sawvell, AN Editor | 12/15/21

The Advocate News office is shown above, ready for visitors during Wilton's Window Walk Dec. 5. Treats were presented on plates this year, with health and safety of visitors in mind.

Wilton Window Walk back after pandemic pause

The annual Wilton Chamber of Commerce Window Walk was one of the many things lost to 2020 last year, as we suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a pandemic that is still ongoing as some, … more

Derek Sawvell, AN Editor | 12/8/21

Practice in jeans and sneakers? Sure, why not?

Last week we presented our annual winter sports schedules, accompanied by photos of winter sports basketball and wrestling teams. As noted, we will also get photos of the Durant bowling teams at a … more

Derek Sawvell, AN Editor | 12/1/21