Dennis Hammen of Farnhamville, retired Jefferson park and recreation director, has been elected to the board of directors of the Iowa Extension Council Association, according to Jennifer Vit, executive director of the association. Hammen is an 8-year member of the Calhoun County Extension Council and represents Region 7, which includes Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cherokee, Ida, and Sac Counties. The Iowa…
Read MoreMonth: May 2026
Sheriff’s report
Following are excerpts of activities reported by the Greene County sheriff’s office: Thursday, May 21: At 7:35 pm Eric Winger, 45, of Jefferson was booked into the jail on charges of harassment- third degree, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana- second offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia*. Wednesday, May 20: At 2:13 am Mikaela Yonemura, 23, of Des…
Read MoreFuneral notices
Dorla Neiderheiser, 88, of Paton. Services: Tuesday, May 26, at 2 pm at Salem United Methodist Church in Paton. Interment: Paton Township Cemetery, Paton. Visitation: Tuesday from 12 to 1:45 pm until the service at the church. Survivors: daughters Peg and Kari (husband Steve); grandchildren Mackenzie and Cody of Des Moines, Ben and his wife Choe of Osage, Amber of…
Read MoreDorla Neiderheiser, 1938 – 2026
Dorla Neiderheiser, age 88, long-time Paton resident, died May 20, 2026. Funeral services will be held May 26 at Salem United Methodist Church in Paton. Interment will be in Paton Township Cemetery, Paton. Dorla Jean Neiderheiser, the daughter of Darrell and Jessie Drayer Shriver, was born on March 25, 1938, in Jefferson, and departed this life on May 20, 2026. She lived…
Read MoreHistorical Society tells plans for ‘Barbie By the Bells’, Bell Tower Festival weekend
The Greene County Historical Society and the Barbie Team invite the public to attend the official opening of the “Barbie By the Bells” exhibition Wednesday, June 3, at the Society’s newly acquired building located next to the main museum. The Greene County Historical Society recently purchased the building to create a permanent home for the extensive Barbie collection, allowing hundreds…
Read MorePaton-Churdan all-school reunion June 6
All Paton-Churdan alumni are invited to an all-school reunion Saturday, June 6, at the Paton-Churdan High School. The reunion is from 5-7 pm, with a short program at 5:30. There will be memorabilia and displays to jog your memories. There is no banquet this year, but food trucks will be available uptown and transportation to the school will be provided…
Read MoreGarden Club establishes seed library
With the arrival of spring, it’s time to choose and plant flowers and vegetables to grow in gardens. The Jefferson Garden Club is encouraging more planting in another way. The club has established a “seed library” where users can “borrow” seeds and enjoy the fun of growing their own flowers and vegetables. Located in an enclosed cabinet on the south…
Read MoreLocal 4-H youth complete in livestock judging triathlon
Greene County youth showcased their livestock knowledge, communication skills, and teamwork during the Livestock Triathlon held the first weekend in May. Participants competed in three challenging areas including Skillathon, Quiz Bowl, and Livestock Judging. The Greene County livestock judging team is coached by CJ Muir and Samantha Hardaway. Team members practice year-round to prepare for competitions and have had the…
Read MoreSite preparation begins for KCG housing project
The first dirt was moved May 18 for a multi-family housing project north of the Union Pacific railroad tracks and west of N. Elm St in Jefferson. The project was first proposed by KCG Properties of Indianapolis during the summer of 2023. Despite heated opposition to the project for a variety of reasons, the city’s planning commission approved rezoning the…
Read MoreDOT agrees to more business access off Hwy 30 in Jefferson after city officials involve legislators
Jefferson city council member Luke Winkelman, just five months into his first term on the council, scored big for the city in the economic development game. The “win” was shared when Greg Piklapp, director of Greene County Development Corporation as part of the Ames Regional Economic Alliance, made his quarterly report at the May 12 council meeting. The “win” was…
Read MoreOBBBA, OBBBA/ Hubba, Hubba
~a column by Colleen O’Brien Under the childish name, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) [kind of like Hubba Hubba], the average citizen will suffer. Big Bill rips out formerly agreed upon funding for Medicaid, Medicare and Obama’s Affordable Care Act, ensuring that middle and lower wealth individuals will pay more for less healthcare. It will push lots…
Read MoreJeff council ups water, garbage fees, and department head salaries
The Jefferson city council at its May 12 meeting approved increases to a pair of costs residents see on their city services bill, most commonly referred to as a water bill. The council approved a 2 percent increase to the “retail” rate of water. The base fee, which includes 134 cubic feet of water, will increase from $13.72 to $14.…
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