Day: June 22, 2014

Classes haven’t been held in the Rippey school since 2010, and the classroom portion of the building will be razed before a new school year starts, but there’s still learning going on in the 1921 building. The building was the site for training for the Greene County sheriff’s office and the state fire marshals last Tuesday, June 17.

Runners and walkers are invited for evening glow in the dark fun at a 5K Glow Fun Run/Walk Saturday, July 26, as part of Lincoln Highway Day. Early bird registrations at $20 are now being accepted. The fee goes up July 12. The Fun Run/Walk will begin at 8:30 pm and will go from Main Street to the Lincoln Highway…

The children and staff at the Greene County Early Learning Center have a shady playground with the addition of a large canopy this past week. The canopy provides plenty of space for plenty of busy play outdoors in the fresh air, but not under the bright sun. Total cost of the canopy was $12,865. The Greene County Community Foundation funded…

The top of the Mahanay Bell Tower was a popular destination last weekend during the Bell Tower Festival, with 2,500 (or so) riding up the elevator Saturday. A special visitor Friday, while the Festival was still in set-up mode, was Fred Brooks, 84, of Rockwell City. He and his wife Joan met relatives from Des Moines in Jefferson Friday. Greene…

The first large project using funds from the physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) approved by Greene County school district voters last September is underway. Brockway Mechanical and Roofing of Des Moines is in Jefferson replacing the roof on the west portion of Greene County High School, including the auditorium. Brockway had the low bid of $181,388, about $20,000 lower…

Alumni of the Franklin Township Consolidated School in Cooper will have a “Hats Off!” salute to the school at a reunion Saturday, June 28, at the St Joseph Parish Center in Jefferson. Graduates are reminded of saddle shoes, letter sweaters, class rings and hats.  Alumnae are asked to bring a hat from their era of attendance at the school.

People for Animal Welfare Society, PAWS, is looking for big-hearted folks willing to share a small part of their weekend with the dogs and cats at the local animal shelter. Weekend volunteers are on a monthly rotation, and they do just the basics– caring for the animals and keeping the shelter clean and looking good. Chores are done morning and…

Olivia Shannon, daughter of Allen and Karen Shannon of Jefferson, skipped the Bell Tower Festival last weekend to compete in the Hershey State Track and Field Meet in Marshalltown. She earned the honor by placing first in the local competition hosted by the Jefferson park and recreation department in April. Olivia won the state title in the standing long jump…

Summer “officially” started yesterday, June 21. That’s what we all learned in school. But as we get older, we realize there are often many “right” versions of the same thing, and the first day of summer is one of those things. For meteorologists and climatologists, we already three weeks into summer. For them, the first day of summer is June…