~by Denise O’Brien Van, special to GreeneCountyNewsOnline Although the town of Adaza* in northwestern Greene County is no more, the sense of community it fostered lives on in the Adaza Thursday Club, a women’s group that has met for the past 90 years. The club had its annual Winter Picnic last Thursday (March 5) in Churdan, which is three miles…
Read MoreDay: March 11, 2015
Another 50 years
~a column by Colleen O’Brien In 1965, about 600 people tried to march across a bridge in Selma, Alabama, in what was called by the organizers a non-violent demonstration. Its purpose was to wake people up to the fact that Blacks in the South did not have the same voting rights as white Americans. The non-violence was coming along okay…
Read MoreUncertainty surrounds use of hotel/motel tax revenue
Jefferson city council, Chamber disagree on use of tourism dollars How the anticipated hotel/motel tax revenue generated by the new Cobblestone Hotel and Suites will be spent is under consideration by a committee appointed March 10 by Jefferson mayor Craig Berry. Eighty percent of the revenue must be spent to promote tourism in Jefferson according to city ordinance. That amount…
Read MoreFire training exercise delayed
A controlled-burn training exercise announced late last week as being scheduled at West Central’s Scranton facility for Sunday, March 15 has been delayed. The old feedmill is slated to be burned. All approvals from the state fire marshal’s office, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and Union Pacific railroad have been approved. Nearly 30 area fire departments and EMS squads were…
Read MoreMarch Mania: Free countywide NCAA brackets game
Jefferson Telecom announces a free college men’s basketball tournament contest sponsored by local businesses. March Mania is free and easy to enter, just go to www.jeffersonmarchmania.com and fill out an online bracket. The contest is open to all residents of Greene County who are 18 or older. Participants can now complete the quick online registration at the website listed. Once…
Read MoreSpecial traffic enforcement planned
The Greene County sheriff’s office and Jefferson police department will participate in a special Traffic Enforcement Project March 13-17 with increased patrol. The St Patrick’s Day holiday has become a deadly day with a dramatic spike in drunk-driving fatalities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2013, 40 percent of all crash fatalities during the St. Patrick’s…
Read MoreLibraries to host preview teen showing of ‘Insurgent’
Teens in grades 6-12 throughout Greene County are invited to attend the premiere showing of the movie “Insurgent” on Friday, March 20, at 4 pm at the Sierra Community Theatre. The first 200 teens to register at their local library will be admitted free and receive a coupon for $2 off a purchase at the concession stand. This new movie is…
Read MoreGreene County FFA cooks up community appreciation breakfast
~by Lora Koch, The Scranton Journal The Ram Restaurant at Greene County High School was the place to be on Thursday morning, March 5, as the FFA chapter cooked and served breakfast for about 150 people. Pictured performing pancake duty are FFA members (from left) Mason Burkett, Tom Gannon, Lucas Fisher, Austin Wailes, CJ Muir and Cassidy Adamson.
Read More4-H clubs gather in Scranton for hoops and fun
The Greenbrier 4-H club hosted the annual 4-H basketball tournament March 8 at the Scranton Community Center gym. Several 4-H Clubs fielded teams with all ages of members playing. As always, good sportsmanship and fun were the most important parts of the tournament.
Read MoreGreene County Extension Council elects officers
Recently elected members of the Greene County Extension Council began their duties at the January meeting and officers were elected during the organizational meeting. The nine member council annually elects officers to comply with Iowa law. Current members of the council who were re-elected to four year terms are Loel Larson of Jefferson and Marilyn Parker of Churdan. Pam Olerich of Jefferson…
Read MoreSevere weather looms, climatologist tells farmers
Predicts 15-20 years of severe winters ~by Denise O’Brien Van, special to GreeneCountyNewsOnline Iowa State University Extension climatologist Elwynn Taylor told about 20 Greene County farmers that they can manage risk in their row crop operations by paying close attention to historic weather and market trends. Well known for explaining weather phenomena to Iowans, Taylor gave his weather predictions for…
Read MoreScranton library tells upcoming events
Staff at the H.F. and Maude Marchant Memorial Library in Scranton have planned activities as follows: Adults: March 17 – Book discussion 1 – 2 pm. Favorite books, best sellers and popular novels. March 19 – Cancer support group 4 pm. March 24 – Songwriter and poet John Richardson 5 – 6 pm. March 31 – Author discussion 1 –…
Read More