Gov Kim Reynolds on July 6 signed a bill into law that raises the legal age to purchase cigarettes and tobacco and vaping products to 21. The Iowa Senate passed the bill in March of this year, but the legislative recess due to Covid-19 kept the Iowa House from taking up the bill until June 11. “This law brings Iowa…
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Blood Drives in Jefferson, Scranton
LifeServe Blood Center is asking community members to book an appointment to give blood at an upcoming area blood drive in Greene County. It’s important that eligible community members continue to give blood regularly to ensure the health of the community. If a hospital patient requires a transfusion, that blood must come from a healthy volunteer donor. To help ensure…
Read MoreWhy Not Us seeks donations to Angie’s Tea Garden restoration
The Why Not Us group that formed to assure the repair and restoration of the building at 100 E. State St, home of Angie’s Tea Garden, invites the public to help financially with the project. “The effort is inclusive and we’re looking for contributions of any amount from everyone interested in the project,” a Why Not Us press release stated.…
Read MoreRiphagen joins Family Medicine Clinic as mental health provider
Greene County Family Medicine Clinic began offering behavioral health services in January with the addition of board certified psychiatric mental health practitioner (PMHNP-BC) Heather Wilson. Now, Bonnie Riphagen, a licensed master of social work (LMSW) joins Wilson in the clinic as a mental health therapist to offer more behavioral health services. Riphagen provides counseling, diagnosis, evaluation/assessment, plan of care/treatment development…
Read MoreMarsha Snowgren retires from GC Schools
~by Joseph Beaudet, Scranton Journal intern Hometown girl Marsha Snowgren is retiring after five years as an associate in the Greene County School District. A native of Jefferson, Snowgren spent five years with Greene County School District. She was drawn to the atmosphere of small towns and, more specifically, Jefferson. Snowgren helped break down assignments for students and was available…
Read MoreMedical center lab back to normal services
The Greene County Medical Center laboratory staff is now able to accept walk-in outpatients for lab draws and wellness screenings as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. Lab draws can be done Monday through Friday from 7 am to 5 pm. Wellness screenings will be done the second Thursday of each month from 6 to 9 am. Wellness screenings test…
Read MoreMark Sawhill ends 31-year teaching career
~by Joseph Beaudet, Scranton Journal intern After 31 years of being a fun-loving teacher and coach in the same school district, Mark Sawhill is calling it quits. The atmosphere helped keep Sawhill in the Jefferson-Scranton School District and later the Greene County School District. He felt the Jefferson area was a good community and provided good community support, something he…
Read MoreMarcia Roeder retiring from school career
~by Joseph Beaudet, Scranton Journal intern Having worked in the Greene County School District for 24-1/2 years, Marcia Roeder has decided that it is time to retire. Roeder worked as a custodian and served as a substitute bus driver during her tenure with the district following an 18-year tenure with a non-profit daycare center in Jefferson. Roeder says she has…
Read MoreScranton library tells summer reading plans
Well, it’s been a little while since we actually had some news or events going on at the Marchant Memorial Library this year. It seems like we have been closed down due to COVID-19 for a long time. But we aren’t going to let that stop us for summer reading. We are going to try some new ways to celebrate…
Read More‘Pandemic Adventure’ theme of JPL teen summer reading program
The theme for this year’s teen summer reading program at the Jefferson public library is “The Great Summer Pandemic Adventure!” Teens going into grades 6-12 are invited to participate in this free program from June 18 to Aug. 13. The program has two parts: reading and adventure kits. When teens read and fill out a book review for at least four books…
Read MoreFunds available July 1 for cover crops, other conservation practices
Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District has announced that funding will be available for local producers and landowners to assist in the installation of conservation practices through Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) cost-share programs. Interested producers and/or landowners should contact the Greene County district office by calling 515-386-3817 Ext. 3 or emailing conservation assistant Amber Kenan…
Read MoreKevin Richards ends 31-year art teaching career
~by Joseph Beaudet, Scranton Journal intern Kevin Richards taught art for the Greene County School District for his entire 31-year teaching career but now he is hanging up his brushes and smock. Having grown up in Boone, Richards had known of Jefferson, which was “smaller in population and close to home” for him. Richards applied for the art teaching job…
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