COVID-19: The latest

Casino reopens, tower to reopen

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.

A live, 15-minute bell concert featuring Wendy VanderLinden will occur at 12:15 p.m. that day. Visitors are encouraged to get a takeout meal from any local restaurant and observe social distancing on the plaza.

The tower will be open regular summer hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, through September. Tower Tunes concerts will be held each Wednesday at 12:15 p.m.

Tour director Pat Richards and the tower staff will be wearing face coverings, and ask the public to do so as well.  Disposable face coverings will be provided at the tower for visitors who may not have them already.

Hand sanitizer will be available and staff will sanitize areas after individuals and groups of visitors.

• Wild Rose Casino reopened Monday following the OK from Gov. Kim Reynolds on May 26.

Restrictions and rules are in place to ensure appropriate social distancing, a heightened cleaning regimen and overall safety measures.

In order to accomplish social distancing, Wild Rose is disabling a portion of its slot machines and using dividers to separate seating in certain areas. Initially, no table games will be operational.

The Wild Rose Draft Kings Sportsbook will not be open, but wagers may be placed at kiosks in the casino or with the cashier.

Wild Rose has postponed promotions, special offers, events and concerts for the time being.

Casino hours in Jefferson will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

“After being closed for 75 days, this feels like a grand opening,” Wild Rose president Tom Timmons said in a statement.

Timmons said that when a guest is done playing a game, the slot system will notify crews that it needs to be cleaned and sanitized.  

Employees and guests are encouraged to wear masks, though they are not required. Wild Rose will have masks on hand for anyone who wants one. 

Timmons said the entire property was deep cleaned “inside and out with every surface, nook and cranny scrubbed and sanitized.”

Coaches Corner will be open noon to 8 p.m. daily, except with no buffets or salad bars. Only parties of 10 or fewer will be seated.

• The Greene County Medical Center has loosened visitor restrictions for some of its clinics.

The emergency department, surgery, clinics, outpatient chemotherapy and obstetric ultrasound patients will be allowed one companion or support person.

A companion or support person must be free from any signs of illness. Siblings under the age of 18 are not to serve as a companion or support person. They must also wear a mask.

Restrictions in acute care and Long Term Care remain, with no visitors at this time.

• Iowa Workforce Development released information Friday regarding two new unemployment benefit programs.

Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) was created by the CARES Act and provides an additional 13 weeks of federally funded benefits to individuals who have exhausted their 26 weeks of regular state benefits.  

PEUC is available for weeks of unemployment beginning on or after March 29, and continuing through the week ending Dec. 26. The weekly benefit amount for PEUC is the same amount an individual receives for regular unemployment benefits.

Additionally, due to the increased number of unemployment benefits since the middle of March, State Extended Benefits (EB) have been triggered.   

Unemployed workers who exhaust their allotted weeks of regular state unemployment and then the 13 weeks of federal PEUC benefits will now be eligible for State EB, which provides up to an additional 13 weeks of regular unemployment benefits.

No additional action is needed by individual claimants at this time, as claimants will automatically be moved to the two new programs as they exhaust regular unemployment benefits.

Contact Us

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

Phone:(515) 386-4161