To the editor, I was saddened at the blatantly racist letter recently submitted by Denny Lautner. But, there is no point in attacking as it would be akin to striking a blind man. It did reinforce my belief that the United States is still a profoundly racist society. It is not only the USA. I have lived for prolonged periods in…
Read MoreYear: 2025
A new year
~a column by Colleen O’Brien At the end of each year, we welcome yet another one with a few hours of riotous certainty that it will be, must be, better than the one we’ve just survived. And so we celebrate, after strenuous months of loud voices saying nothing, an idea that honesty will get the better of the heartless bigots,…
Read MoreJefferson Wants You grant to The Public House
Owner of Public House in downtown Jefferson has been awarded a $5,000 Jefferson Wants You incentive grant to support the launch of their new restaurant. The business, owned by Amanda and Addi Bills, is one of the recent recipients of the program, which is designed to help attract and support new businesses in the community. The Jefferson Wants You incentive…
Read MoreMcFarland Clinic donates to food pantry
Providers and staff at McFarland Clinic in Jefferson presented a check for $1,098 to the Greene County Christian Action Resource. The donation was raised by providers and staff through the clinic’s Annual Giving Campaign. The donation reflects McFarland Clinic’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the community by supporting programs that improve education, health, and financial stability for its community. Physicians and…
Read MoreTrumpeter swan population continues to grow
Iowa’s trumpeter swans attempted a modern-day record 158 nests in 2025, which is an increase of 17 percent over 2022. The nesting data is from the most recent statewide observation survey completed in December. “It’s a neat story about the restoration. We spent a lot of time and effort to get the population established and its really taking off right…
Read MoreGreene County district court, week ending Dec. 26
Cases were initiated in Greene County district court during the week ending Dec. 26 as follows: Jeffery Larry Anderson, 61, of Panora, driving while license revoked; Franklin Leodan Aguilar, 22, of Jefferson, driving while license barred; Ulises Lepe Hernandez, 21, of Jefferson, operating while intoxicated; and Shawn Harold Warnke, 36, of Lake View, driving while license barred.
Read MoreGreene County magistrate court, week ending Dec. 26
In Greene County magistrate court Travis Michael Heinz of Jefferson was sentenced to seven days in jail with credit for time served on a charge of violation of a no contact order. He must pay unspecified restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees and $60 court costs. Cases were initiated in magistrate court as follows: Timothy Paul Hays of Linden,…
Read MoreSheriff’s report – December 2025
Following are excerpts of daily activities reported by the Greene County sheriff’s office: Wednesday, Dec. 31: At 12:31 am a deputy investigated a domestic assault in the 400 block of S. 11th St in Grand Junction. At 2:14 pm a deputy recovered a trailer stolen from Dallas County in the 1700 block of 330th St in Franklin Township. Tuesday, Dec.…
Read MoreLinda Ohrt, 1951 – 2025
A memorial service for Linda Ohrt will be held Jan. 6, 2026, at Abundant Life Ministries in Jefferson. A private family burial will take place at a later date at Garden of Memories Cemetery, Waterloo. Memorials in Linda’s honor are suggested to Abundant Life Ministries in Jefferson. Services are arranged by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home and Cremation Care, Jefferson. Linda Sue…
Read MoreHeavy winds, blowing snow impact travel
Greene County is in a winter weather advisory now through Monday morning. The northern two-thirds of the county can expect 1-3 inches of new snow. The next tier of counties to the north of Greene are in a blizzard warning. Strong winds and blowing snow will persist into early Monday morning, with slippery roads impacting morning travel. Frigid wind chill…
Read MoreExtension home gardening webinar series returns Jan. 8
The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Master Gardener program will again host its annual Home Gardening Webinar Series, which will begin in January 2026 and end in March. Sessions will take place every Thursday from 6 to 7 pm. Central time, concluding on March 12. Designed for anyone interested in gardening or horticulture, the series aims to inspire and educate. Throughout the…
Read MoreIowa, Bangladesh, and swine
Iowa and Bangladesh share one thing in common – land area. Each has about 57,000 square miles in land mass. Bangladesh is located in South Asia on the Bay of Bengal. Most of the land is less than 39 feet above sea level. Its main climatic problems are floods, cyclones, and tornados. The temperature never drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.…
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