Eighteen Organizations Receive $119,000 from Greene County Community Foundation
Several local projects received grant funding from Greene County Community Foundation at Monday night’s ceremony.
President Tom Wind said a total of 18 projects received $119,000 from Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation. The largest grant award went to the Greene County Fair Association for $25,925 for a new heating and cooling system in Clover Hall on the fairgrounds. Wind also pointed out that there have been three entities that have received nine grants in the Foundation’s 11 years and those included the Friends of Rippey, Greene County Early Learning Center and the Churdan Public Library. He describes one project, the smallest at $1,000 to the Greene County Community Lamb Barn Project which allows kids the opportunity to raise lambs to show at the county fair.
“And the commitment of those people that develop this program and I’m sure put a bunch of their own money into it, now they come forward to the Community Foundation to improve their program. I didn’t even know that program was even out there. We’re so happy to be able to give money to people that really have their heart into improving their community and especially the kids.”
Wind says over the last 11 years, the Foundation has awarded $1,015,000 to 80 non-profit organizations.
The event ended with Past-President Tim Heisterkamp getting recognition for his nine years of service to the Foundation, along with being President from 2012-2015.
A full list of recipients can be found below.
Greene County Fair Association-Clover Hall improvements ($25,925)
Churdan Fire and Rescue-Extrication equipment ($19,500)
City of Scranton-Ten sets of firefighting gear ($15,030)
Jefferson Fire Department-Air pack replacements ($11,196)
City of Grand Junction-LED display sign for Community Center ($8,600)
Greene County Early Learning Center-Organization improvements and space utilization ($7,456)
Heart of Iowa Habitat for Humanity-Helping Hands projects ($5,000)
Lincoln Highway Association-Interpretive signs ($4,668)
Jefferson Parks and Recreation Department-Surveillance system for rec center and parks ($3,300)
City of Scranton-Public library improvements and new computers ($3,000)
Greene County Extension-New summer kids program with STEAM ($3,000)
Grand Junction Horizons-Landscaping around the new community center ($2,950)
Jefferson VFW Post #9599-New tables and chairs to complete renovation project ($2,250)
Friends of Rippey-Sidewalk to the community room ($2,025)
Greene County Treasurer-Trailhead art project on the Raccoon River Valley Trail ($1,850)
Jefferson Matters: Main Street-Historical plaque project ($1,200)
Greene County Historical Society-Oral history program ($1,050)
Greene County Extension-Community Lamb Barn project ($1,000)
US Marshals Service Arrested Known Fugitive Who Faces Charges in Greene County
A fugitive wanted for several charges, including felonies in Greene County, is now in custody.
Jefferson Police Sergeant Heath Enns tells Raccoon Valley Radio that 41 year-old Cynthia Hobbs was arrested in Johnson County Tuesday night by the US Marshal’s Service for a federal charge of probation revocation. Hobbs is also accused of passing forged fraudulent checks at several locations in Jefferson on March 21st. She is charged with Class D Felonies for four counts of forgery, identity theft of over $1,000 and a Class B Felony for ongoing criminal conduct.
Enns says several other agencies have investigations that are ongoing with similar charges pending, including the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The Police Department would like to thank everyone’s help with their case and finding the suspect.
Ongoing Investigation Leads to Several Jefferson Individuals Facing Charges
An ongoing investigation by the Jefferson Police Department has resulted in charges against several individuals.
According to the police report, 34 year-old Jessica Lynn Waddell and 49 year-old Tammy Ann Tolsdorf are each charged with a Class D Felony for their third or subsequent offense for possession of meth and a simple misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia. Additionally, 59 year-old Gilbert James Montgomery is charged with a Class D Felony for his third or subsequent offense for possession of marijuana and a simple misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia. Twenty-three year-old Zakkariah Dylan-Levi Boudewyn is charged with misdemeanors for his first offense for possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is already facing felony charges for assault on persons in certain occupations and display of a dangerous weapon, interference with official acts with a dangerous weapon, disarming a peace officer and assault causing bodily injury.
The charges stem from lab results of the suspected drug items from an executed search warrant on January 20th in the 300 block of North Wilson Avenue. During the search warrant, several individuals were seen fleeing from inside the home. A struggle ensued with an officer and Boudewyn when the accused tried to barricade himself inside a bedroom and hit the officer’s hand with the blunt end of a knife, disarming the officer in the process while trying to escape out of a window.
Greene County Candidates for June Primary Election Announced
Candidates for this election cycle’s Greene County offices have filed their papers to be on the June primary ballot.
The available seats include Auditor, Sheriff and three Supervisor districts.
According to the Greene County Auditor’s office, Republican incumbent Jane Huen is running unopposed for Auditor. There is a contested Republican race for Sheriff with Chief Deputy Jack Williams and Deputy Kirk Hammer. There is also a contested Republican race for Supervisor District 5 with incumbent Guy Richardson squaring off against newcomer Peter Bardole. Another contested race for Supervisor District 4 includes Republican incumbent John Muir and he’ll be challenged by Democrat candidate Todd Madson. Republican incumbent Mick Burkett is running unopposed for Supervisor District 1.
No Democratic candidates declared for Auditor, Sheriff or Supervisor Districts 1 and 5.
The primary election will be on June 7th.
Paton Teen Rescue Life While on Spring Break
When you go on spring break you don’t normally expect to be involved in a life-saving situation, but that’s exactly what Paton resident and former Iowa State University football player Joe Doran did.
While on spring break in South Padre Island, Texas, on March 16th, Doran and some of the ISU football players were staying on the third floor of a hotel called The Inn, when they saw a black vehicle drive off of a dead end road and into a concrete canal. Doran, along with Anthony Lazard and Jack Spreen ran down three flights of stairs, jumped a fence and ran about 250-feet and without a moment’s hesitation, jumped into the canal to try and save the woman inside the vehicle. With his adrenaline running, Doran didn’t even notice that he had cut his foot on a piece of glass.
“We started punching the driver’s side window as the car was going down and we couldn’t break it out. She (the victim) started kicking the windshield, so we jumped up on the windshield and she finally spidered it enough to where Jack Spreen and I could start peeling back all the glass that was there (and) got a hole big enough to pull her out.”
He recalls the time it took to get her out of her vehicle.
“By the time we pulled her out and get her back on (the canal), I bet it was all under one and a half to two minutes, I mean it was quick. But if we were any slower like it could’ve been a matter of ten or fifteen seconds and it would’ve been a lot different story that we would be telling.”
The victim was later charged with an OWI, but Doran says she thanked him for saving her life.