Special Program Tomorrow Highlights Journalists from Greene County
The Greene County Historical Society is hosting a free program this weekend.
Members Chuck Offenburger and Alan Robinson will highlight “The Legendary Journalists of Greene County.”
The journalists that will be reviewed from the early 1900’s include former editor-in-chief of the Des Moines Register, Kenneth MacDonald; founder of the Gallup Poll, George H. Gallup; former editor and publisher of the Grand Junction Globe from 1914 to 1917, Frank Luther Mott; former editor-in-chief of the Mason City Globe-Gazette, W. Earl Hall; former Jefferson Herald editor-in-chief, Victor Hugo Lovejoy and political columnist David Yepsen.
More recent journalists include Mary Rae Davis Bragg, who worked in the Detroit area before coming back to Iowa in 1991; Mike Schilling, who worked in the Springfield, Missouri area before turning over to politics in the 1990’s; former featured columnist for the Register Denise O’Brien Van; the Morain family, who ran the Jefferson Bee and Herald for more than 70 years; and other local radio journalists like Jerry Roberts and Doug Reider.
The program will start at 2:30pm on Sunday at the historical museum in Jefferson. It is free and open to the public.
Water Mains to be Flushed in Jefferson
A notice for Jefferson residents that the water department will be flushing water lines next week.
Starting Monday, October 19th, the water department will be flushing water mains from McKinley Street and heading north to US Highway 30 along and Clarke Street south to Adams Street. Both areas will also include west and east directions of Iowa Highway 4. Then in the afternoon from 1-4pm, residents on Washington Street south to Lincoln Way from Highway 4 going west to Grimmell Road and East Lincolnway from Cedar Street east to the Jefferson Municipal Airport will have their water mains flushed. From 10pm-2am on Monday night to early Tuesday morning, the City will flush water mains on Washington Street south to Harrison Street from Highway 4 east to Cedar Street.
Tuesday, October 20th, crews will flush water mains from Harrison Street south to Brackett Street from Highway 4 west to Grimmell Road and from Monroe Street south to Garfield Street from Highway 4 east to Cedar Street from 8 to 11:45am. Then from 1 to 4pm will be from Brackett Street south to Edgewood from Highway 4 west to Grimmell Road and from Garfield Street south to Russell Street from Highway 4 east to Cedar Street.
The final day for water main flushes will be on Wednesday, October 21st when the City will flush water mains from Lincolnway south to Westwood from Grimmell Road west to the Bauer Addition from 8 to 11:45am. Then Park Street south to Greenewood Road, west of US Highway 4 and then from Park Street heading south to Ram Drive of the east side of US Highway 4 will have their water mains flushed from 1 to 4pm.
Water Superintendent Tom Schilling reminds residents that when water mains are being flushed that you might experience brown discoloration. The water is safe to drink and by running it longer, the color may fade. The discoloration is due to the iron on the bottom of the water lines.
He also suggests that you do not do laundry when your area’s water lines are being flushed. The iron may stain white clothing. If you do laundry and notice a brown stain on white clothing, you need to contact City Hall before drying them for a special resolvent to remove the stain.
Residents may also experience low water pressure when their lines are being flushed.
Anyone with questions can call Jefferson City Hall at 386-3111 or the water department at 386-2611.
New Housing Project Delayed to Next Year in Jefferson
A housing project in Jefferson will not start until next year.
A development agreement between the City of Jefferson and JCorporation, Incorporated to build a 44-unit townhome and condominium complex by the water tower has hit some financing obstacles, which has led to a delay in starting the project.
Duane Jensen with JCorporation says the main issue was that the appraiser claimed economic obsolescence, which is the loss of value from external influences to the property. Because Jefferson has no other rental housing developments to compare values to, the appraiser price was 30 percent lower than the cost of the project.
Jensen says to make up the financial gap, they are looking to apply for a new loan/grant program through the Iowa Finance Authority with the Workforce Housing Program. It is a one-percent loan to be repaid over 20 years. About $5 million will be allocated to projects throughout the state and an applicant can apply for up to $1 million. Jensen states that part of the application is to have participation from the developer and the City. He notes that the City has to hire an outside company to verify that there is a need for rental housing for a growing workforce. City Administrator Mike Palmer describes the next steps with the application.
“GCDC (Greene County Development Corporation) will be putting that together along with the developer (JCorporation). Then they’re going to be meeting with the City housing committee to see if this is something that we want to truly apply for.”
Jensen says the project will be split into two phases, with phase one consisting of 20 units and phase two will be the other 24 units. JCorporation has never applied for a support housing project before, so this will be a new venture for them as well.
The deadline for the application is November 2nd and Jensen adds that they will not know if they are selected until the end of the year, which means the project will be delayed at least until next year.
Jefferson Pushes on with Building Project Despite Not Getting a Grant
Earlier this week, the City of Jefferson learned that they were not one of the recipients of the Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant.
The City and Jefferson Matters: Main Street applied for the $75,000 matching grant to rehabilitate the building at 205 North Wilson. Jefferson Matters Program Director Peg Raney says she was disappointed with the outcome and explains one of the main reasons why their project wasn’t selected.
“One thing was we really didn’t know what was going to go into that property at the time for the application. And we were using it as a jumpstart for historic renovation in the downtown area.”
Of the 30 applications that were submitted, nine projects were selected for funding. Because the City pledged $75,000 to the grant, City Administrator Mike Palmer says they will push on with the renovations.
“We can still do demolition on the inside. We’re hoping we’re going to try and get as much as the storefront area done as we can (and) maybe go back and apply again or try to find some other funding sources to try and finish up that project.”
The goal of the project is to restore the building to its historical presence and then put it back on the market for potential buyers.
A list of the nine recipients can be found by clicking the link below.
http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/UserDocs/documents/IEDA/2015MSIChallengeGrant.pdf?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2015%20Main%20Street%20Iowa%20Challenge%20Grant%20recipients&utm_campaign=NR%3A2015MSIChallengeGrants
Greene County Residents Encouraged to “Rock the ARC”
The second annual “Rock the ARC” Talent Show will be happening this weekend in Jefferson.
Organizer Vicky Gliem says the event not only shows off the talent that Greene County has to offer, it is also a fundraiser for the Greene County Action Resource Center. She helps volunteer at the food pantry and wanted to do something to help them purchase more supplies for less fortunate families. She points out that she was incredibly surprised when they were able to fill the venue and raise thousands of dollars at last year’s event.
“I didn’t think anything would be very big the very first year. But it was and it was really, really great and it’s even bigger this year. In fact, we even have talent (acts) that we have to push to next year.”
The event features 18 acts on Sunday. Gliem describes one of the acts that is from another country.
“One of our foreign exchange students this year is a gal from Africa. And she will be in costume doing a dance from Africa. And that will be really fun too.”
“Rock the ARC” will be at History Boy Theatre at 2pm on Sunday, October 18th. Freewill donations will be accepted with all proceeds going to the food pantry. Plus, anyone who donates will get a chance to win a handcrafted afghan from Linda Nichols. Individuals can make donations now by mailing them to Sue Win at 1639 320th Street, Jamaica, Iowa 50128 or by calling Essie Kowaleski at 386-2525.
A list of the acts for Sunday can be found below.
Fred Woodley-God Bless the USA
Scranton VARCEIS Club-The Good Ship Lollipop
Tori Riley- poetry
Prairie Blue Dancers
Jon Bos & Robbie Pedersen-Northbound Train
Sheilah McGregor Pound and Anna Pound-For All of Life
Danielle Johnson-Glitter and Be Gay
Ruth Naberhaus-Night Eyes by Essie Kowaleski
Rick Fazel-Don’t Think Twice
Deb Kucerak & Andra Kucerak Guccione-The Stepsisters’ Lament (Cinderella)
Naomi Mumumi-Tora Dance
Robbie & Angie Pedersen-The Song That Goes Like This
Jim Ehman-A Little Bit of Everything
David Petersen-Screw Loose
Kenny Momthri-Little Folks
Nicole Bennett-Tuel & Ava Schilling-Act from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
David Kowaleski-La Campanella by Franz Liszt
Maureen Borkowski & David Petersen-May I Hold the Baby, Mary?