The JCHS Class of ’69 recently contributed $2,000 to the Greene County Christian Action Resource Center food pantry to honor the beliefs of the class: to invest in those who need support and to building a better future. Tom and Sue Wind (right) presented the check to Shirley Haupert last week from a safe distance. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the food pantry is now operating as a drive-through service. The pantry has been serving 120 households every month. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

COVID-19: The latest

Heun: Stay home and vote

Staff report

Elections officials in Greene County have a simple request for local voters ahead of the June 2 primary: When you receive an absentee ballot request form in the mail later this month from Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, take advantage of it.

County Auditor Jane Heun and Deputy Auditor Billie Jo Hoskins want to limit the number of Greene County residents who vote in-person on June 2, and have combined seven precincts into just two — both in Jefferson — in hopes that people will cast their ballots from afar.

Pate announced last week that his office plans to mail an absentee ballot request form to every active registered voter in the state ahead of the primary because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The forms will be sent in mid-late April and include prepaid postage for return mailing to county auditors. Pate has also expanded the mail-in voting period for the June primary to 40 days.

If in-person voting has to be done, absentee voting will open May 4 in the closed-off east lobby of the courthouse, they said.

On June 2, Jefferson precincts 1, 2 and 3 will vote in the Greene County Middle School gym, and all other county precincts will vote at Clover Hall at the Greene County Fairgrounds.

Heun told The Jefferson Herald that the county could have just one precinct available if it chooses.

• An emergency proclamation signed Friday by Mayor Matt Gordon closed city-owned public facilities in Jefferson — including park playground equipment, shelter houses and bathrooms — in an attempt to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Gordon, a nurse by profession, cited the recommendations of President Donald Trump and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that people shouldn’t congregate in gatherings of more than 10 during the ongoing pandemic.

Gatherings of 10 or more people in Jefferson are now “strongly discouraged until further notice,” according to the emergency proclamation. Trails and green spaces remain open.

The proclamation is enforceable by the Jefferson Police Department. Violations will be punishable as a simple misdemeanor.

The city of Jefferson’s budget hearing is still scheduled for April 14. Written objections can be made ahead of time by contacting the city clerk’s office.

The Greene County board of supervisors already restricted public access to county offices, which are open by appointment only.

• Schools in Greene County are closed until at least April 30.

Greene County Schools Superintendent Tim Christensen told parents Friday that Voluntary Educational Enrichment opportunities will be provided to students beginning April 13.

Teachers are developing weekly learning opportunities for students that will be shared with students/parents through video for those with internet access and in a paper/packet format for students without access.

Teachers will also be arranging times to interact with students via technology or phone to address questions they may have about the learning for the week.

“The Voluntary Educational Enrichment will allow students to hit the ground running when we return,” Christensen said.

The district plans to make summer school available to all students.

Students will need to regularly check their school email accounts for information and assignments.

Addressing what he called the “worst case scenario,” Christensen said seniors who were on target with credits to graduate, and who were passing all third-trimester classes, will graduate even if the district is unable to resume classes on May 1.

The schools’ grab and go sack lunches will continue through April 30.

The district has been serving more than 500 meals daily.

• Iowa on Tuesday announced it had crossed the mark for 1,000 positive cases of COVID-19.

As of Wednesday, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported 1,145 positive cases of COVID-19 in Iowa, and 27 deaths.

• Over the weekend, state health officials reported that more than 10 percent of all positive cases in Iowa are occurring among long-term care staff and residents, and more than 40 percent of all deaths in Iowa are associated with outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

The Iowa Health Care Association on Friday issued a call for any excess personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies — including face masks, gloves, gowns and alcohol-based hand sanitizer — for long-term care providers.

The association has been working with a number of Iowa trade associations, who in turn are reaching out to members to encourage them to donate supplies to the health care community. Those associations include the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, Associated General Contractors of Iowa, Iowa Limestone Producers Association, Iowa Restaurant Association, Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, Master Builders of Iowa, Iowa Optometric Association and Sheet Metal Contractors of Iowa.

Businesses that typically use PPE include builders, manufacturers, dentists, veterinarians, hair salons and tattoo artists.

• The Iowa Medical Society on April 1 called on Gov. Kim Reynolds to issue a short-term shelter-in-place order in an attempt to further slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19.

In a letter, the organization cited the state’s ongoing lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the need for greater social distancing efforts to ensure the pandemic does not overwhelm Iowa’s health care system.

Established in 1850, the Iowa Medical Society is the largest, statewide professional association for Iowa physicians, representing more than 6,300 physicians, residents and medical students.

The Iowa Medical Society on Saturday took its plea to the public, urging Iowans to stay home.

“As physicians,” the executive committee said in a statement, “we are working to provide care in innovative ways, including connecting with our patients by telephone or video. More urgent concerns demand in-person evaluation of the patient. For this necessary care, we can’t stay home. We need to be in the clinic and at the front lines. Thankfully many of you do not.”

“Every day,” it continued, “we see people violating the basic social distancing recommendations to stay at least six feet apart and avoid congregating in groups of 10 or more. We see groups at playgrounds, pass construction zones with workers in close quarters, and see full families going out to shop. These actions are dangerous to us all. Iowa now has community spread of COVID-19. This means the virus is no longer just infecting those of us who left the state for a cruise or spring break. It’s infecting young people on the playground, it’s infecting parents out running errands, it’s infecting workers whose employers continue to require them to come in to the office or job site, and it’s infecting our elderly population in nursing homes. It’s being spread by those who do not even know that they are ill.”

Reynolds on Monday responded, not with a shelter-in-place order, but with an additional round of closures, including malls and campgrounds.

• Iowa Workforce Development on Monday outlined unemployment benefits provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020, including benefits for the self-employed, independent contractors, nonprofit employees, gig economy workers, those who have exhausted other unemployment insurance benefits, and those who may not have had sufficient work history to qualify for a regular state claim.  

The CARES Act also includes eligibility for those receiving unemployment insurance benefits in any amount to be paid an additional $600 weekly benefit.  

The CARES Act programs include:  

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) — This program provides individuals who are collecting regular unemployment compensation with an additional $600 per week.  

The first week a claimant can be compensated is the week beginning March 29, and the last week is the week ending July 25.

Iowa Workforce Development stated that its goal is to issue payments in the next 10 days to those who are eligible. The state also is reminding workers that they can’t quit their job and continue to draw benefits.

Additionally, if an employer receives a loan under the PayCheck Protection Act and places a worker back on payroll, full-time, they will no longer be eligible for unemployment or FPUC benefits.  

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) — This program provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who are self-employed, independent contractors, nonprofit employees and gig economy workers, as well as to individuals working part-time or who otherwise would not qualify.

A claimant can be compensated with this benefit beginning Feb. 2, or the first week a claimant was unable to work as a result of COVID-19, whichever date is later. 

The last week this benefit is payable is the week ending Dec. 26.

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) — This program provides up to 13 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits to individuals who have exhausted regular unemployment benefits under state or federal law, or have no rights to regular unemployment benefits under law. 

The first week a claimant can be compensated on this benefit is the week beginning March 29, and the last payable week is the week ending Dec. 26. 

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — This provides a loan to businesses with fewer than 500 employees to keep their workers on the payroll.

The Small Business Administration will forgive these loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the loan is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest or utilities.  

For more information on any of these programs, visit www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov.

What to do if you’re sick

Greene County Public Health has provided the following recommendations for residents who may be sick at home with COVID-19:

If you develop fever, cough, shortness of breath, assume you may have COVID-19 and stay home until all three of these are met:

• Free of fever for 72 hours (without use of fever-reducing medication like Tylenol).

• Other symptoms are improving (cough, shortness of breath, etc.).

• Seven days have passed since onset of your first symptom.

Eighty percent of those infected with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms (like influenza). 

Suggested self-home care tips include:

• Take Tylenol for discomfort and fever.

• Decongestants and cough syrup can be taken for cough/congestion.

• Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

• Rest, rest and rest at home.

• Avoid other household members to prevent spread.

• Due to exposure, household members must remain at home (self-isolation) for 14 days after ill person became symptomatic.

• Continue to wipe down household surfaces (and cellphones) several times per day.

Contact Us

Jefferson Bee & Herald
Address: 200 N. Wilson St.
Jefferson, IA 50129

Phone:(515) 386-4161