THE NEWSPAPER THAT SERVES ALL DECATUR COUNTY
10 PAGES
USPS 310-140 LEON, IOWA 50144, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2021
P.O. Box 580, 111 NW. 2nd, Leon, IA 50144 E-mail: JRNEWS@GRM.NET VOLUME 92 - NUMBER 06
Driver Arrested after TwoVehicle Crash
No one was injured in a two vehicle accident that occurred north of Leon last week but one driver was arrested at the scene. Both vehicles were traveling southbound along Highway 69 when the crash occurred on Thursday evening March 4 at approximately 4:30 p.m. Tyler Holton, 29, of Leon was southbound driving a 2006 Chevy Tahoe and Duane Gregory Anderson, 58, of Davis City was also southbound driving a 2008 Chevy Silverado Pickup pulling a utility trailer full of appliances when the accident occurred. According to the Iowa State Patrol, Holton who was reportedly driving in a reckless manner attempted to pass two vehicles with another vehicle approaching. Holton was unable to complete the pass, tried to get in between the two vehicles he was passing, and ran into the back of the trailer of the Anderson vehicle. After contact, Holton lost control of his vehicle and drove into the ditch. The impact also caused Anderson to lose control as well as losing his trailer and cargo in the process. The Holton vehicle came to rest in the
Wellness Week Scheduled at DCH
Spring is in the Air
Although it is not officially here, the warmer temperatures the last few days put everyone in the mood to go outside and soak up the welcome rays of sun. With some ice still on the lake and ponds, this pair of geese seem to be pondering on when will it be the right time to find the perfect spot for this year’s nest. Early spring flowers are starting to poke through the ground, tree buds are becoming more noticeable, baby farm animals are dotting the hillsides and the geese are noisily heading north. west ditch after striking a fence. Anderson managed to regain control of his vehicle and it came to rest on the southbound shoulder. However, Holton was arrested at the scene for assault on a peace officer. According to the Decatur County Sheriff’s Report, he is facing two counts of interference with official acts, two counts of assault on persons in certain occupations, and other traffic charges. He was booked into jail and held. Responding to the accident were the Leon Rescue, Decatur County Sheriff’s Department, Lamoni Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, and Decatur County Ambulance. The Iowa State Patrol is handling the investigation.
Printing Late March 24
The March 24 issue of the JR will be printed late. Also, office hours for the week of March 15 will be 10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Outside of these hours, please feel free to call 641-446-4151 to leave a message. Thank you in advance for your consideration and understanding. Corey
Leon Hy-Vee Pharmacy Has Vaccines
Leon Hy-Vee Pharmacy Clinic has doses of the Moderna COVID19 vaccine. These vaccines are available to individuals ages 65 and older. Visit www.hyvee.com/my-pharmacy/ covid-vaccine-consent to fill out the digital vaccine consent form and select a vaccine appointment time and location. According to Hy-Vee directors they are asking that people please be patient and do not call the Hy-Vee Pharmacy. They do not have access to schedule appointments that are not available online.
211 Vaccine Navigator The 211 Vaccine Navigator was created to assist those who do not have access to the internet or prefer using a phone system.
By calling 211, you can set up an appointment with a Hy-Vee Pharmacy to schedule a time to receive your COVID19 vaccine. This 211 system was launched March 9 and is available for all 99 counties in Iowa, as mentioned on Wednesday, March 3, during a Press Conference by Governor Kim Reynolds. 211 is available 24/7 and there is no cost to use this. They will ONLY ask you your name, DOB, phone number, and then your Hy-Vee location you prefer. NOTE: 211 WILL NOT know which vaccine you will receive. Also, if you need to change your appointment you need to contact the Hy-Vee Pharmacy you set the original appointment up with, NOT 211.
Modifications to Phase 1b for Vaccine Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has modified who now qualifies for Phase 1b. "Decatur County Public Health is nearing completion of our 65+ year old waiting list," stated Holly Rash, DCPH Administrator. "We are now taking names for those 18-64 years old with medical conditions that are or may be an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19." You can join the wait list by calling the DCPH office at 641446-6518. On Thurs., Mar. 4, as reported on the Decatur County Hospital Facebook page, De-
The Decatur County Hospital has scheduled its Wellness Week for March 23-26 from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily at the hospital. The annual wellness panel can help you and your doctor make informed decisions about your healthcare. You can visit the hospital during Wellness Week to receive tests without a referral. A full wellness panel costs $40. Individual choices can also be done. Refer to ad on page 10 of this issue for more details. This event is being held with Covid-19 safety protocols. Masks are required. Also, for those having tests, the hospital asks that you fast for 12 hours prior to testing for accurate results. catur County COVID19 update, it reports having identified 10 new cases from Feb. 25 - Mar. 3, 10 total active cases in the prior 7 days (18 active cases in prior 14 days) for a total of 583 confirmed cases, a positivity rate of 4.7% in the prior 7 days (4.9% in the prior 14 days). Decatur County has had 1,290 total vaccine doses administered to residents (998 a week ago) and (218 (continued on page 10)
Numerous Grass Fires Around the County
A Work in Progress Although no date has been set for North Lumber to move into the old Alco building, work is progressing on its remodeling. During the winter months, employees worked on gutting the interior and now during warmer weather, outside changes are starting to take place with the installation of an overhead door on the southeast corner of the building.
One of the first nice weather days kept county firemen busy for most of the day last Saturday. This was a familiar scene around the county. Not only was it warm, but also the low humidity made ideal conditions for grass fires to quickly spread. And, changing wind directions didn’t help the situations either. The ground was still considerably wet which also made it difficult for fire trucks to get where they needed to go to battle the blazes. The area is expected to get some rain towards the end of the week.
Celebrate Iowa History Month By Jeff Morgan Iowa Culture Wire While Iowa marks its 175th anniversary this year, the State Historical Society of Iowa is taking a deeper dive into the past during Iowa History Month, which began March 1. The month-long celebration, as proclaimed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, includes a new museum exhibition, a statewide book club, at-home activities for children and families, and an array of online presentations all about Iowa history. This is “a time to learn more about the people, places and points of pride that helped define our state,” said Susan Kloewer, who leads the society. “Every Iowa
story cloth made by a Hmong immigrant, and several items from the some of Iowa’s earliest family, community and life and high-flying cainhabitants, handcraftcounty has contributed to our collective his- ed Meskwaki bead- reer of astronaut Peggy tory, and Iowa History work, an embroidered Whitson. The State HistoriMonth is a time to celebrate these connections.” The new exhibition, “Iowa’s People & Places," opens March 5 at the State Historical Museum of Iowa and explores more than 13,000 years of history with artifacts that cover a broad range of experiences. American Indian settlements, court rulings, legislation, immigration and elections set the course Move Your Clock Ahead One Hour for Iowa and still affect Iowans today. Sunday, March 14, daylight savings The exhibition’s time BEGINS. statewide mix of artifacts represents a moA reminder from: saic of Iowa’s cultural diversity, including stone tools made by
The Leon Journal-Reporter
cal Society of Iowa also has organized a new Iowa History Book Club, which kicks off March 11 with a discussion about “Iowa: The Middle Land,” by the legendary historian Dorothy Schwieder. Additional book club discussions are scheduled quarterly throughout the year. Here are a few other ways, in the near future, to learn more about the past: • Noon, each Tuesday and Thursday: Watch an "Iowa History 101" online program to learn about notable names from the past, including Inkpaduta, Emir Abd El-Kader and many others. • Noon, March 17: Tune in to an “Iowa Stories” online presentation from the State
Historical Society’s Research Center in Iowa City, featuring "The Cherry Sisters: The Best Worst Act in the World.” • Noon, March 25: Log in for "100 Years of Donna Reed," another online presentation, when Reed's daughter, Mary Owen of Iowa City, will share rarely seen family photos from her mother's early days in Denison. Reed's career includes her Academy Award-winning performance in "From Here to Eternity" (1953), "The Donna Reed Show" (1958-1966) and "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946), which will mark its 75th anniversary later this year. Registration for all of these events is free but required. Find all the details at iowaculture.gov.