A Jefferson man has been charged with attempted murder after being apprehended in a garage on S. Mulberry St 10 hours after he was seen firing a long gun at a passing vehicle on N. Cedar St. Zachary A. Waters-Rice, 25, of Jefferson is charged with four felonies and six misdemeanors after leading law enforcement on a chase through Greene…
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Early voting in primary election begins
Early voting in the June 7 primary election has begun. Voters can cast early ballots in person at the county auditor’s office at the courthouse during regular business hours now through Monday, June 6. Voters who have requested an absentee ballot by mail should receive them soon, as May 18 is the first day the ballots can be mailed. Absentee…
Read MoreCounty to charge more for open records
County attorney advises state law allows it ~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline “We want to balance the public’s right to request open records and still be good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” county attorney Thomas Laehn told the Greene County board of supervisors at their regular meeting on May 16. Laehn introduced a resolution to adopt a revised Greene County open…
Read MoreCommittees forming to help with Diversity Project
Four new volunteer work/study groups are being formed this month to begin a summer of learning and preparation for welcoming Latino workers, their families and other newcomers as permanent residents of Greene County. All this is part of the “diversity project,” now branded as “Nueva Vida en Greene County,” launched last November by the Greene County Development Corporation to build…
Read MoreCash incentive to assist new small businesses, remote workers coming to Jefferson
A grant for new small businesses and remote workers is ready to be unveiled. Peg Raney, Economic Vitality chairperson explained, “The Jefferson Wants You Incentive Fund is designed for two purposes. One is to attract new small businesses to Jefferson that have a positive impact on the community. The other is to attract remote workers to move to Greene County.”…
Read MoreDrew Sorenson shares another great photo
Local astronomer Drew Sorenson of Jefferson shares this photo of the lunar eclipse Sunday night. He said he and four other local photographers watched the eclipse south of Jefferson and waited until the early nighttime clouds cleared. “It was a darker than normal eclipse, apparently because of the volcano in Tonga,” Sorenson said. “The moon was in an area of…
Read MoreFarmers make good progress planting, but still behind normal year
Significantly drier and warmer weather allowed Iowa’s farmers 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 15, 2022, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork activities included spraying and planting. Topsoil moisture condition across Iowa rated 1 percent very short, 11 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 7 percent surplus. Ratings in west central Iowa were…
Read MoreSchool board fires teacher who was drunk at school
The contract of a Greene County high school teacher who was arrested at the school March 31 with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit for intoxication was terminated at a special meeting of the board of education Wednesday. School superintendent Tim Christensen recommended terminating the continuing contract of special education teacher Peyton Paddock, 24. The board approved…
Read MoreTraveling trophy, cash prizes for Bell Tower Festival parade entries
The Bell Tower Festival steering committee and the Rotary Club of Jefferson are accepting registrations for the Bell Tower Festival parade, slated for Saturday, June 11. The parade offers businesses, organizations, churches, neighboring towns and others a chance to showcase what makes them special. To draw more parade entries, and to add to the fun, parade entries will be judged in…
Read MoreSupervisors hear of inter-county transportation program
~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline The Greene County board of supervisors heard from Chris Whitaker of Region XII Council of Governments about the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Career Link Employment Transportation Program at the regular meeting May 9. Whitaker, at various times in his presentation, referred to the service as “employee busing,” “employee shuttle service,” and “commuter shuttle route.” Whitaker…
Read MoreSchwarzkopf to present program on Chautauqua programs in Jefferson
~by Chuck Offenburger for the Greene County Historical Society A century ago the hottest ticket for entertainment in Greene County – or sometimes for religious or educational programs – was for the “Chautauquas,” which often would pack 2,500 people into a huge tent set up every August at what today is known as Chautauqua Park in Jefferson. Mikki Schwarzkopf, one…
Read MoreLocal Rotary Club to celebrate centennial this Sunday
The Rotary Club of Jefferson will celebrate 100 years of service and positive impact in the county-wide community and the world with a centennial observance program Sunday, May 15. The event will take place in the Rotary Room at the Jefferson Community Golf Course from 5 until 7 pm. To highlight the far-reaching impact of Rotary’s work in the…
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