B. Banister re: Trump presidency

To the editor, So, this is how the Trump presidency ends, with insurrection, violence and murder. Trump and son Don Jr. incited the MAGA crowd and the violence that followed but Republican politicians, including Iowa’s Grassley, Ernst and Reynolds, enabled him for four years, both vocally and in cowardly silence. You could say that all 74 million people who voted…

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Webb House lasanga dinner fundraiser

Organizers of the Webb House will serve a lasagna dinner as a fundraiser Sunday, Jan. 17. The meal will be carry-out only. Dinners must be pre-ordered by calling the First United Methodist Church office at 515-386-4411 by Friday afternoon. Meals can be picked up Sunday between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm at Webb House, 401 S. Wilson Ave, in Jefferson.…

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Covid positivity rate still falling

The 14-day positivity rate for Covid-19 testing in Greene County continues declining. Greene County public health director Becky Wolf reported positive tests were 7.7 percent of all tests in the last 14 days.   The total number of Covid-19 cases in the county is 692. There have been no new cases in the last 24 hours, seven in the last…

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Greene County district court, week ending Jan. 8

Editor’s note: Charges against Elizabeth Roper of Churdan were reported incorrectly. The correct charge appears below with new cases. In Greene County district court Joseph Ray Thompson, 18, of Scranton was sentenced Jan. 4 to four days in jail on a charge of disorderly conduct, amended from domestic abuse assault impeding air/blood flow causing bodily injury. He will receive credit…

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Travis Fincel, 1974 – 2021

Travis Christopher Fincel was born in St. Paul, MN, on October 28, 1974.  He departed this life on January 7, 2021, leaving bereft the many lives he touched. Travis (Travy to his friends and family) believed family doesn’t begin or end with blood, that living life was about working hard so you could play just as hard, that sharing laughter…

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JPL’s adult winter reading program under way

It’s time for the 2021 adult winter reading program at the Jefferson public library, with the theme “Silhouettes & Stories”. Each year, the librarians choose a theme and design a program of reading challenges, special programs and a packet filled with activities centered on the theme. With this theme, the focus will be on reading biographies and biographical fiction. “This program is…

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Covid rates up slightly

The 14-day positivity rate for Covid-19 testing in Greene County is 8.2 percent as of Friday morning, Jan. 8, according to Greene County public health director Becky Wolf. The total number of Covid-19 cases in the county is 688. There have been four new cases in the last 24 hours, eight in the last three days, 16 in the last…

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First tier of Covid-19 vaccination progressing

Fourteen-day positivity rate at 8.0 percent Greene County public health director Becky Wolf is looking for healthcare workers who want the Covid-19 vaccine and have not yet received it. Nearly 200 healthcare workers and long term care residents have received the Moderna vaccine. The public health department must assure that all those in that tier – Tier 1a – have…

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Supervisors organize for 2021, hear funding requests

~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline The Greene County board of supervisors unanimously appointed John Muir as chair for 2021 at the regular organizational meeting on Jan. 4. Supervisor Dawn Rudolph was appointed vice-chair. Rudolph becomes chair pro tem if Muir is not in attendance at a meeting. Both Muir and Rudolph served in these positions in 2020 and several years…

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Habits for a new year in a democracy

~a column by Colleen O’Brien In a college course on American history, I was given the opportunity to memorize and recite before the class the Preamble to the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, or the Gettysburg Address. I chose the shortest, in typically freshman behavior, but I’ve been reading them since, reminders during times of greed or war or civil…

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