Jefferson’s Easter Egg Hunt Is Today

All area third graders and younger are invited to the Greene County Community Center today for the annual Easter egg hunt.

Jefferson Parks and Recreation Director Vicky Lautner says each year, area businesses and individuals donate money, candy and other prizes hidden in plastic eggs for kids to find all around the rec center.

She points out that the kids ages two and under will be inside the rec center while all the other ages will be outside of the building.  Lautner adds that every child that participates in the easter eggs hunt is guaranteed to receive at least one egg.

Plus, the Easter Bunny will make an appearance before and after the hunt for parents to take pictures.

Last year, over 150 kids participated and Lautner is looking for more to join the fun this year.

Registration begins at 9:30am this morning with the hunt to begin at 10am.

The Jefferson Kiwanis Club is co-sponsoring the event with the Parks and Rec Department.
Grand Junction’s Easter Egg Hunt Is Today

All children ages nine and younger are invited to the free Easter egg hunt today in the City of Grand Junction.

Grand Junction Fire Chief Mark Renslow says it will be held at the city park.  There will be three age groups with 0-3, 4-6 and 7-9 at their respective, sectioned off parts of the park to hunt for eggs.

Youth will receive candy and each participant will be entered into a drawing for door prizes as well.

He points out that if there’s bad weather, the hunt will be moved indoors to the City’s fire station.

Registration starts at 12:30pm today with the hunt to begin at 1pm.  No pre-registration is required for the free event.

Iowa Racing And Gaming Commission Votes No For Linn County’s Casino

On Thursday, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission voted 4-1 to deny Linn County’s request for a casino in Cedar Rapids.

Guy Richardson with Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation says the primary reason for why the five-member Commission voted no for a gaming license to Linn County was because it would significantly take away business from surrounding casinos.

He believes that Greene County’s situation is different than Linn County’s because a casino in Greene County wouldn’t take away business from surrounding casinos when the nearest one is in Des Moines.

Richardson noted that the Commission said they were impressed by everything that Linn County had done up to their vote in Council Bluffs at AmeriStar Casino on Thursday, but that they couldn’t allow a license for them due to the potential cannibalization from surrounding casinos.

He adds that they are still optimistic about the chances of Greene County’s proposed casino.

The decision on the casino for Greene County will be made by the Commission in Burlington on Thursday, June 12th.

Rippey Building Demolition Bid Awarded

At Wednesday night’s meeting, the East Greene School Board accepted a bid from Lansing Brothers Construction for $111,000 to teardown the three-story Rippey school building.

Superintendent Tim Christensen also reported that they received a $21,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Derelict Building program to help offset some of the cost of demolition.

He stated that at least 31% of the building materials from the demolition must be deferred from a landfill to receive at least $15,000 and in order to receive the full $21,000, about 80% of the materials can not be placed in a landfill.

Christensen said that the DNR must sign off on the finalized plans for demolition before the building can be torn down which he is hoping will start sometime in May.

35th Bell Tower Festival In Jefferson Now Has A Theme

“Emerald County-There’s No Place Like Home” is going to be this year’s theme for the Bell Tower Festival in Jefferson.

Greene County Chamber Director Chris Henning says the Bell Tower Festival will be celebrating its 35th anniversary which is the emerald anniversary and using parts of “The Wizard of Oz” seemed like a perfect fit.

Henning states that a local high school graduate Krystal Berger who works with Meredith Corporation created the logo.

More details about the festival itself will be announced prior to the two-day event on June 13th and 14th.