The Jefferson city council voted unanimously to accept the gift of 206 N. Wilson, the former Pizza Ranch, from owner Rob Schultz. The restaurant has been closed since it was severely damaged by a fire Jan. 27, 2016. Schultz was charged with arson two months later and entered an Alford plea to a reduced charge in December.
Read MoreDay: March 15, 2017
A quiet Irish hero
~a column by Colleen O’Brien I just finished a strange and difficult book; wondrous, too. It is a novel published nearly 20 years ago — The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty by Sebastian Barry. It is a long and arduous tale about an Irisher born in 1900 who lived through the troubles of Ireland’s independence from Britain, became a seaman in…
Read MoreGJ overpass construction likely to miss April 3 start date
County residents can look west to bridge work on a county road to see when work might begin on the Highway 30 overpass over the Union Pacific railroad tracks at Grand Junction. Godbersen-Smith Construction of Ida Grove has the contracts for replacing the Raccoon River bridge on County Road N-65 in Cedar Township. Work on that project began earlier this winter but…
Read MoreFisher wins Greene County school board seat
Greene County Schools voters in a special election today elected Steve Fisher of rural Grand Junction to serve on the board until the 2019 regular election. Fisher received 350 votes (64.7 percent) while Matt Wetrich of Jefferson received 190 votes (35.1 percent). There was one write-in vote. Fisher carried every precinct.
Read MoreCommunity Foundation grants awarded March 20
The Greene County Community Foundation will award 23 grants totaling $179,500 Monday, March 20, at the Fellowship Hall at the First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson. The presentations will begin at 7 pm. Representatives of all groups receiving grants have been asked to attend. The public is welcome.
Read MoreRelay for Life – A Game Changer
Fundraising goal is $50,000; new activities planned The 2017 Relay for Life of Greene County, with a theme “Relay for Life – A Game Changer,” will be branded with a colorful logo designed by AAI/Spalding graphic designer Jon Sigler. The logo was revealed Thursday at a lunch time rally in the courthouse rotunda.
Read MoreHolden running for county supervisor
Edited March 20, change in district Mike Holden of rural Scranton announced his candidacy for county supervisor from District 3, the position now held by Tom Contner. Holden, a Democrat, made the announcement at the Democratic off-year caucus Thursday evening in Jefferson. His announcement was met by applause from the 15 persons at the caucus. Contner has previously said he…
Read MoreChanges in collective bargaining discussed at school board Q & A
Greene County school superintendent Tim Christensen and board president David Ohrt do not see big changes in the board’s relationship with teachers following changes to Iowa’s collective bargaining legislation. They were asked to comment on the legislation at the board’s informal Q & A last week.
Read MoreJeff council wants input on closing RR crossing on Wilson
The Jefferson city council set its next meeting, March 28, as a time to hear comments from the public about closing the Union Pacific railroad crossing at N. Wilson. The meeting will start at 5:30 pm on the second floor of the municipal building at 220 N. Chestnut St. The city council is working toward establishing a railroad quiet zone…
Read MoreWind park presents 250,000 ton challenge to roads
MidAmerican Energy’s proposed Beaver Creek Windpark with its significant positive impact on the county’s tax base is being cheered by many, but county engineer Wade Weiss has a 500,000 pound concern about the construction.
Read MoreInput gathered on E. Lincoln Way appearance
Ideas for improving the appearance of the entrance to Jefferson on E. Lincoln Way were shared at stakeholder meetings last Thursday at the Milwaukee depot. About 35 persons representing community organizations, elected officials and government agencies, and property owners in the area under consideration attended. The meetings were hosted by Bolton & Menk as part of a corridor enhancement study.…
Read MoreEmerald ash borer found in Greene County
(Edited March 12 with budget information) Emerald ash borer has been discussed at meetings of the Greene County supervisors and at least two city councils in the last two years, but aside from treating two large ash trees on the courthouse grounds, little has been done. The problem may be taken more seriously this spring, as emerald ash borer has…
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