Children’s Summer Reading Program at Jefferson Library
Now that school is over for the summer in Greene County, youth are encouraged to join the children’s summer reading program at the Jefferson Public Library.
Children’s Librarian Terry Clark says this year’s theme is “Every Hero Has A Story” and it highlights both superheroes from comic strips, movies and books to local heros in the community.
There will be weekly crafts and activities, plus games and movies in the children’s department. Clark points out that the crafts are come-and-go and the movies will be shown at 12:30pm on Wednesdays in the basement of the library. Special guests for the summer reading program include animals with the Blank Park Zoo on June 9th and a juggler on July 13th, plus surprise, local guest speakers as well.
Prizes will be awarded to those who complete the program and activity packet, including the grand prize of a new bicycle, which Clark adds will be given to the person who reads the most minutes. She explains why they changed it from total number of books read to total minutes.
“When you think of a child reading a board book, in comparison to an older child reading a large chapter book, we think it’s a little fairer way to do this. And we think it’s important for the kids to read by setting aside so many minutes each day for the children to read, we think it’s going to work a little bit better.”
It is for any youth ages four years-old through fifth grade. The program starts June 1st. Stop by the children’s department to sign up or for more information at 386-4415.
Carroll County Man Sentenced from November Incident
A Carroll County man was sentenced to probation from an incident in November.
Greene County Attorney Nick Martino says 20 year-old Alex Christopher Bruch of Arcadia had his five year prison sentence suspended and was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to a Class D Felony for two counts of serious injury by motor vehicle. He was also ordered to pay a $750 fine plus court costs, victim restitution and attorney fees.
Charges stem from an accident on November 15, 2014 when Bruch allegedly pulled out in front of an eastbound van on US Highway 30 from Iowa Highway 25 near Scranton.
The driver of the van was uninjured but three of Bruch’s passengers were taken to a Des Moines area hospital with injuries. Bruch’s blood alcohol level was .108.
Greene County Farmer’s Market Starts Next Week
The 2015 Greene County Farmer’s Market will start next week in Jefferson.
Coordinator Chris Henning says the first farmer’s market will be on Tuesday, June 2nd on the east side of the Greene County Courthouse. The markets will be on Tuesdays through September 29th from 4-6:30pm. There will be a variety of items available from locally grown produce to baked goods to crafts. Henning notes that they will continue to offer meals as fundraiser for nonprofit organizations at each market.
“It’s a fundraising opportunity and it can either be a meal or a dessert. It’s a great way for providing a meal, a fundraising opportunity and a community gathering all at once at the market.”
To host a meal, there is a $20 fee with an additional $35 food license fee. A seasonal vendor fee is $120 or a $20 per time fee. Henning points out that another benefit of the farmer’s market is that they rarely cancel due to weather.
“ We’ve cancelled for high winds and for thunderstorms, pretty nasty thunderstorms. But almost, I’d say 98 percent of the time we’re right there (at the courthouse) on Tuesday nights.”
To be a vendor or to host a fundraiser meal, contact Henning at 515-370-2436 or go to their website by clicking HERE.
Jefferson Woman Sentenced to Probation from a December Incident
A Jefferson woman was sentenced to probation after she pled guilty to charges from a December incident.
Greene County Attorney Nick Martino says 29 year-old Nicole Lynn Johnson had her five-year prison sentence suspended and was sentenced instead to three years of probation on a Class D Felony charge for aiding and abetting forgery. She was also ordered to pay a $750 fine plus court costs, attorney fees and victim restitution.
The charge stems from an executed search warrant on December 2, 2014 in the 100 block of East State Street. Police officers recovered drug-related items, plus stolen checks and prescription drugs that were from another residence.
Another suspect in the case, 25 year-old Joshua St. John pled guilty to an aggravated misdemeanor for forgery and a serious misdemeanor for possession of methamphetamine. His sentence hearing is scheduled for June 26th.
No Shared Transportation Director for Greene County and Paton-Churdan Schools
The Greene County and Paton-Churdan School districts will not share a transportation director for next school year.
Last month, the Paton-Churdan School Board requested a shared transportation director with the Greene County School District. Greene County Superintendent Tim Christensen says the Iowa Department of Education would give additional funding to each district if there was a shared transportation director. Each district would get five additional students to count for their enrollment, at $6,200 per pupil, for a total of about $45,000 that would go into the general fund. The two districts already share a media specialist and the Safe Schools Grant Coordinator position.
Christensen states that the Greene County School Board made a counteroffer, which P-C’s School Board didn’t want to consider.
“Our Board had kind of made a counteroffer with wanting to talk about the possibility of opening the borders a little bit and having school buses being able to go two miles into each district to transport open-enrolled students. Paton-Churdan’s Board was not willing to talk about that.”
Greene County School District has a two-mile transportation agreement with Ogden and Glidden. This school year, Greene County had 38 open enrolled students coming into the district and 26 that open-enrolled out of the district.
At their month earlier this month, the Greene County School Board voted 6-1 to deny sharing a transportation director with P-C.