2nd Annual Market-to-Market Relay Is Today
The 2nd annual Iowa Market-to-Market Relay is going on right now.
A race that started in Iowa last year and included 220, six-to-eight person teams has grown to 300 teams with over 2,100 participants.
The first wave of runners started bright and early at 5:40am this morning and will continue to take off in 20-minute increments until 9:30am. It starts by the Mahanay Bell Tower in Jefferson and goes down to the Raccoon River Valley Trailhead on Lincoln Way and then follows a 75-miles path to downtown Des Moines.
Co-creator Ben Cohoon says this year’s race includes participants from 18 states, as far as away as Arkansas and 145 Iowa cities are represented.
There are 17 exchanges zones on the trail with volunteers are each station to help with traffic control and the safety of the runners. Each runner will hand their baton to another runner at each exchange zone, with the remaining members climbing into their vehicle and traveling down to the next destination until everyone ends up at el Bait Shop in Des Moines.
The public is invited to come out and support the runners as they make their way to Iowa’s capital city.
Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you photos of the event later today.
Greene County Medical Center Auxiliary Garage Sale Is Today
Everyone is invited to the 17th annual Greene County Medical Center Auxiliary garage sale today in Jefferson.
Community Relations Director Carla Offenburger says the garage sale will be at Clover Hall on the Greene County Fairgrounds in Jefferson from 9-11am this morning.
Last year’s garage sale brought in $2,092.
The items at the garage sale are from donations by the community with all proceeds to go back to the Auxiliary department for purchases for the medical center.
Free Shredding At Home State Bank Today
Those of you who have old, unwanted documents that need to be shredded are invited to have it done for free at Home State Bank today during their free shredding day.
Mary Wolterman with Home State Bank says the annual event is another way from them to give back to the community and she adds that you don’t have to be a customer with them to have unwanted items shredded.
Acceptable items include copy or computer paper, white and colored paper, letterhead, fax paper, carbonless forms, sticky notes, white envelopes with windows, business cards, manila folders, staples and paperclips.
Every person is allowed up to one 30-gallon garbage bag.
It will be from 9-11am this morning at the south parking lot of the bank at 115 West State Street in Jefferson.
Master Gardener’s Plant Sale Is Today
Today is the annual Greene County Master Gardener’s plant sale.
County ISU Extension Coordinator Michael Cooley says the plant sale is a great way for people to spruce up their gardens for the summer and fall. Plus, he adds that the plants at the sale will be from the gardens of the master gardeners so you know that they are a proven product for the county.
There will be perennial and annual plants, vegetables, water and houseplants and free literature about gardening.
The sale will be at the commercial building on the Greene County Fairgrounds in Jefferson from 9-10:30am today with all proceeds going back to the master gardeners for programs.
Three People Arrested Following A Chase And Fight In Jefferson
Following a chase through the City of Jefferson at 3:10am on Sunday, May 4th, Police Chief Dave Morlan says an officer was trying to arrest the driver of a 2001 Honda Accord for several traffic violations and eluding a police vehicle.
22 year-old Estavan Jones of Jefferson is accused of not using proper headlights and when an officer tried to pull him over, he allegedly refused to obey and ran stop signs on his way to 509 South Olive Street.
When Jones arrived at the residence, several individuals came out and two were acting aggressively toward the officer. After back up had arrived, the officer had placed Jones in custody and was involved in a foot chase with 24 year-old Dray Rivera of Jefferson who was one of the aggressive individuals.
By the time the officer returned from the foot chase, Jones had allegedly kicked the back doors and windows of the police vehicle causing damage.
Then a third subject, 21 year-old Amber Benevedes also started acting aggressively to authorities and she was eventually arrested and both her and Jones were booked into the Greene County Jail.
A few minutes later, Rivera entered the Law Enforcement Center and demanded to be put in jail and have his girlfriend Benevedes released. When authorities refused Rivera’s request, he began to pound on the glass partition which caused authorities to try and arrest him and that’s when Rivera took off on foot.
He then came back a second time and authorities then took him into custody.
Morlan says Jones is charged with a Class D Felony for second-degree criminal mischief, a Class D Felony for eluding a law enforcement vehicle and misdemeanors for failure to obey a stop sign, failure to use headlamps when required, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, interference with official acts and disorderly conduct.
Rivera and Benevedes are accused of interference with official acts which is a simple misdemeanor.
Morlan comments that Rivera and Benevedes were released from jail on their own recognizance while Jones remains in jail on a bond.