COVID-19: The latest

Staff report The Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower will officially reopen on Wednesday, the Bell Tower Community Foundation announced earlier this week. The planned reopening coincides with the “Chews Jefferson” promotion sponsored by Jefferson Matters: Main Street.

Greetings from Rippey, Iowa! One of Hugh and Denise Gannon’s gilts wanders through a grassy area, as wind turbines turn in the background. The Gannons are now a rarity among farmers: not only do they raise hogs outside of a confinement, they own them. When news broke recently that meatpackers were falling ill to COVID-19, they were able to quickly sell upwards of 100 hogs to a public worried about possible meat shortages. ANDREW McGINN | JEFFERSON HERALD PHOTOS

UNBROKEN

By ANDREW MCGINN a.mcginn@beeherald.com Hugh Gannon can’t imagine not owning his own pigs. The feeling, actually, is mutual.

Pandemic party nets 22 arrests

By ANDREW MCGINN a.mcginn@beeherald.com Effective 12:01 a.m. June 1, underage beer parties of more than 10 people will no longer run afoul of the Iowa Department of Public Health, provided the host limits capacity to 50 percent and ensures six feet of distance between partygoers.

State Rep. Phil Thompson, commander of Jefferson American Legion Post 11, speaks Friday at the semi-private dedication of Remembering Our Fallen Heroes, a new permanent display at the Greene County courthouse honoring local war dead. Photos and biographies of the first two veterans, Private Floyd W. Brown (World War I) and Lance Cpl. Benjamin R. Carman (Iraq), were unveiled. Only veterans who were KIA (killed in action) or DOW (died of wounds) will be considered for display. The century-old photo of Brown w

‘A deeper sense of how precious life is’

Editor’s note: The following is the Memorial Day address that Greene County Veterans Affairs Director Michael Bierl had planned to give Monday at the Jefferson Cemetery. Bierl is a retired Air Force veteran.

COVID-19: The latest

Staff report The Rotary Club of Jefferson presented a check on May 20 in the amount of $1,007 to the Greene County Christian Action Resource Center (ARC).

“We had a lot of people praying for him,” says Laurie Walker (left), pictured Monday with husband George Walker at their business in Jefferson. The Paton residents have had what they call a “crazy spring.” Now recovered, George Walker was Greene County’s first confirmed case of COVID-19, a 12-day ordeal that took him to the edge of death. ANDREW McGINN | JEFFERSON HERALD

‘I WAS GOING TO DIE’

By ANDREW MCGINN a.mcginn@beeherald.com COVID-19 took a lot out of George Walker, but it didn’t take away his sense of humor. “I can still clear a room pretty quick when I walk in,” Walker joked. Actually, he’s only half-joking about that one.