Blues among the greens

Gregory R. Norfleet/West Branch Times West Branch High School jazz band students perform Steve Shanley’s “Two-Lip Blues,” which features brass and saxophones, on Dec. 11 in the Bear Den. They and the jazz ensemble combined to play Michele Fernandez’s “Ritmo Cristal,” then the jazz ensemble played three pieces, including another by the Coe College music instructor, “Nueva Vida.”

Reconstructing Cedar-Johnson Road may take from spring to fall and cost $2.5 million to $3 million, residents heard last week.

Audiobooks growing in popularity at WBPL
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · December 18, 2024
West Branch likes audiobooks, more and more.

Ice, fog and power outages sweep through West Branch
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · December 18, 2024
Some 1,350 Alliant Energy customers in the West Branch area lost power for nearly two hours after an ice storm struck on Saturday.

Council votes ‘no’ on Nordex rebate
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · December 18, 2024
The “no” vote on Nov. 18 may be the last time the West Branch City Council denies tax rebates to Nordex.

Church news
News · December 18, 2024

School menus
News · December 18, 2024
School menus for Dec. 19 through 25 at West Branch Community Schools.

Upcoming events
News · December 18, 2024

HLM plan close after $1M grant
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · December 11, 2024
The Hoover Presidential Foundation received a $1 million grant last week to help toward its $20.3 million goal to renovate the local presidential museum.

Festival of Trees opens with movie theme
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · December 11, 2024
On one tree, a leg lamp.
Next to another, an empty Santa suit lies on the floor.
On another, John McClane appears to crawl through a vent.

Gibson trains to ‘step back’ from ‘Past
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · December 11, 2024
Other than a few years after Dean Gibson passed away in 2001, the Gibson trains served as one of the mainstays and biggest attractions of A Christmas Past since 1990.