~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline National Grid Renewables is not abandoning its Grand Junction Solar project despite the denial of a needed permit by the county board of adjustment. Doug Hawn, county emergency director, told the county supervisors at their May 15 meeting that he, county zoning official Chuck Wenthold, and the assistant county attorney will meet with Tom Karas…
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Author to speak Wednesday in Jefferson
Iowa author Ann Hanigan Kotz will speak Wednesday, May 24, at part of the Jefferson public library’s 2023 author series. Hanigan Kotz grew up southwest of Denison in a large farming family. She is a retired teacher, with most of her career at Waukee High School as an advanced placement English teacher. She picked up her writing career after retiring.…
Read MoreJeff council okays policy for open records requests
The Jefferson city council at its May 9 meeting adopted a policy for dealing with requests for records that under Iowa law are open to the public. Although the Iowa Open Meetings and Open Records laws are decades old, the city has not had a policy for dealing with requests for records. City administrator Mike Palmer explained to the council…
Read MoreMiller, Consier named Governor’s Scholars
A pair of students from Greene County and Paton-Churdan High School were recognized by Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg for outstanding academic achievement at the 21st annual Governor’s Scholar Recognition Ceremony on April 30 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Jesse Miller of Scranton from GCHS and Autumn Consier of Churdan received the honor. The…
Read MoreTree walk slated for May 24
Local experts will lead a walk focused on trees at Russell Park in Jefferson on Wednesday, May 24, at 2 pm. Trees Forever’s Brad Riphagen will join Greene County conservation director Tanner Scheuermann for this free walk in the park and the surrounding streets. “The walk is a chance to stop and notice the trees. Past tree walks have been…
Read MoreIowa farmers see week of unseasonably wet, warm weather
Warm but wet weather meant Iowa farmers had just 3.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 14, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. The warmth helped crop emergence this week; however, the wet conditions marginally slowed planting progress. Farmers were still planting corn, soybeans, and oats during the dry periods of the week. Other…
Read MoreBlock Party Friday in Imagination Alley
The public is invited to a Starting Block Party Friday, May 19, from 4 to 7 pm in the new Imagination Alley between Art on the Fly and Royal Jewelers on the west side of the courthouse square in Jefferson. Many guests are expected in Jefferson as participants in the May 20 Market to Market Relay will be picking up…
Read MoreCooper United Methodist Church closing
Final worship service Sunday, May 28 A recommendation was approved last month at a special church conference to close the Cooper United Methodist Church, which was founded in 1891. All current and past members, as well as friends of the Cooper United Methodist Church, are invited to the final worship service Sunday, May 28, at 10:30 am. The final worship…
Read More144 CHI funds 25 improvement projects
The 144 CHI board of directors announced this week the receipt of 34 housing improvement applications, 25 of which were awarded funding. The applications are for exterior improvements to houses in communities along the Highway 144 corridor stretching from Rippey to Grand Junction, Dana, and Paton. The awards total $22,980, with matching funds bringing the total economic impact to…
Read MorePeoples Bank closing Rippey branch, opening new branch in Boone
Peoples Bank made two announcements recently in regard to their bank offices. The bank told its customers last week that the Rippey branch office will be closing July 31. This week the bank announced their plans to build a new branch office in Boone. Customers of the Rippey branch will be integrated into the other branch offices which include Grand…
Read MoreCounty supervisors react to board of adjustment’s denial of permit for GJ Solar project
Greene County board of supervisors chair John Muir shared his frustration with the county board of adjustment at the supervisors’ May 8 meeting. The board of adjustment (BoA), after a long, contentious meeting May 4, denied a permit for National Grid Renewable’s Grand Junction Solar project by a 4-1 vote. Denying the permit outright was the most drastic of four…
Read MoreAward-winning author speaking in Grand Junction Saturday
The Grand Junction public library will host award-winning author Kent Krueger Saturday, May 13, at 10 am. The program will be at the Grand Junction Community Center for more seating. Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O’Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage—part Irish…
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