Residents and businesses are happy to have visitors view their holiday lights  Dec.  6 – 9. Locations are listed on a map available to the public at the Welcome Center, Greene County Community Center, Jefferson city hall, Jefferson public library, Home State Bank, Peoples Bank, Cobblestone Inn and Super 8. The map can also be accessed by clicking here. Most of the locations are within Jefferson’s city limits, with several more within the area. Continue reading Light Up the Holiday →

Planning has started for the 40th Bell Tower Festival, slated for June 7-8, 2019, but the planning looks different from recent festivals.

Organization of the annual festival is transitioning from Greene County Chamber & Tourism to an independent, volunteer-led steering committee. Continue reading New organization for future Bell Tower Festivals →

Fathers, uncles and grandfathers who are interested in being part of the Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) program in the Greene County Schools are invited to a pizza party Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 6 pm at Greene County Elementary. Registration and scheduling information will be available.

Watch D.O.G.S. provide an extra set of eyes and a positive male role model in schools.  Continue reading Watch D.O.G.S. sign-up is Tuesday →

Greene County sheriff’s deputy Kirk Hammer has resigned from the sheriff’s office after he was cited for unlawful possession of whitetail deer antlers.

According to a press release from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Hammer responded to a car-deer accident Nov. 3 on Highway 4 north of Jefferson. Someone at the scene asked for a salvage tag but Hammer denied his request. The same person drove past the scene later in the day and witnessed Hammer cutting the antlers from the deer. Continue reading Deputy resigns after DNR citation →

The Jefferson city council opened its regular meeting Nov. 27 with a public hearing on amending the city’s urban renewal plan to expand the area in which building improvement incentives can be made. The amendment allows incentives to be provided for buildings in the entire district, not just the downtown district.

There were no comments from the public and no written comments were received. The council approved the required resolution. Continue reading Jeff council okays down payment assistance program →

Greene County Chamber and Tourism members are participating in the Community Christmas Tree Lighting Thursday, Dec. 6, with a “Miles of Mittens” project.

Many stores around the downtown square will be open until 7:30 that evening. From 5 pm to close, holiday shoppers who bring a new pair of mittens to a participating business will received a 25 percent discount off a purchase made that evening. Continue reading Merchants offering discounts in ‘Miles of Mittens’ project →

Scranton Manufacturing’s need for welders has prompted management to look “outside the box,” or in this case, “outside the plant.”

Dan Clark of the North Central Correctional Facility in Rockwell City and prison warden Bob Johnson, along with Jim Ober, vice president of operations at Scranton Manufacturing, made a courtesy visit Monday to the Greene County board of supervisors to brief them on Scranton Manufacturing’s intention to use Prison Industry Enhancement to fill a need for welders. Continue reading Scranton Manufacturing turning to prison inmates for help with welding →

Andy Harland, owner of Don’s Ace Hardware in Jefferson, plans to be open in his new location in early May.

Harland shared his plans for the former Shopko building at the Jefferson city council’s Nov. 27 meeting. The council then approved an economic development agreement with Harland, doing business as Sky Blue Properties LLC. The agreement is for a $75,000 loan, forgivable over 10 years. Continue reading Owner Harland tells plans for Jefferson Ace Hardware →

The Jefferson Christmas committee has been contacted by Santa Claus asking if it could help him receive letters from area children. Committee members located a mailbox and decorated it for those special letters.

Santa’s Mailbox will be positioned near the entrance of the Welcome Center in the Thomas Jefferson Gardens. Children are invited to write their wishes and thoughts for Santa starting Dec. 1 through Dec. 23. Because the letters are hand delivered, they don’t even need a stamp. The children can expect a letter back from Santa if they include a return address. Continue reading Special mail route set up from Jefferson to North Pole →

New officers, newsletter, 2019 programs & holiday music

The Greene County Iowa Historical Society will close its programming for 2018 with the annual holiday-themed lunch and meeting on Friday, Dec. 7, at the Greenewood Center in Jefferson.

The annual election of officers will be held, and a newsletter covering 2018 and 2019 activities will be distributed — and that will include the schedule of monthly and special programs to be held in ’19. Continue reading Historical Society to meet Dec. 7 in Jefferson →

Iowa farmers had 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Nov. 25, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included harvesting corn and soybeans, baling stalks, applying manure, and moving grain. Early in the week farmers were doing fall tillage, tile repair, and anhydrous application, but those activities halted as declining temperatures, rain and snow arrived. Continue reading Growing season nearly finished; last crop progress report for ’18 →

The Town and Country Band will tour the county presenting “A Town & Country Christmas” in the coming weeks.

The band will open its tour Sunday, Dec. 2, at 2 pm at Central Christian Church in Jefferson. The band will perform again Saturday, Dec. 15, at 7 pm at the First Baptist Church in Churdan, and on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 1:30 pm at the United Methodist Church in Scranton. Continue reading Town & Country Band slates Christmas tour →