“The building is terrible,” City Councilman Dave Sloan says of the Greene County Animal Shelter. Still, Sloan faces an uphill battle to convince the rest of the council a new shelter is a priority. ANDREW McGINN | JEFFERSON HERALD

Animal shelter workers: ‘We can’t go on like this’

By ANDREW MCGINNa.mcginn@beeherald.com The only thing that might make a visit to the Greene County Animal Shelter more depressing is if they had Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” playing over a speaker on a loop, like in those gut-wrenching ASPCA ads on TV.

Democratic candidate for governor Fred Hubbell (right) speaks with Jefferson-area crop-and-livestock farmer Bill Frederick Tuesday morning.

Jefferson area gets three hours of Fred

By DOUGLAS BURNSd.burns@carrollspaper.com One of the leading Democratic candidates for governor walked a Jefferson farm, talking environmental and economic challenges, before fielding questions in the old Milwaukee Depot before a crowd of nearly 60 people for much of midday Tuesday.

Jefferson’s RAGBRAI hosts party to reveal theme and logo

Gear up for a party.

Shari Minnehan, director of the Churdan Public Library, overlooks books that will need to be moved to make way for a $350,000 expansion and renovation of the library. The library raised enough money for the project “one spaghetti supper at a time,” Minnehan says. ANDREW McGINN | JEFFERSON HERALD

Back to the Future

By ANDREW MCGINNa.mcginn@beeherald.com The Churdan Public Library is proof that the longer you live somewhere, the more stuff you accumulate.

“This would be a catalyst for the entire community,” says Chris Deal, the local resident who put Jefferson on Pillar Technology’s radar. With its potential renovation of the century-old former IOOF building, Pillar would also bring an entirely new workplace culture to Greene County: The company’s Des Moines office boasts taps with local craft brews and an in-house chef. ANDREW McGINN | JEFFERSON HERALD

Jefferson wins state grant to rehab building for software firm

Staff report Jefferson has won the maximum amount possible — $100,000 — from the Iowa Economic Development Authority toward rehabilitation of the former IOOF building on East State Street to make way for a software development firm.

Landus pledges $50K for career academy

Landus Cooperative has announced its support for the regional career academy approved this week by voters. The cooperative’s board of directors late Thursday announced a five-year pledge to the career academy totaling $50,000, calling it an innovative approach to recruiting, educating and retaining area talent.