Ballots set for local elections
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
The ballot is set for the Nov. 4 election. Candidates for Monroe, Prairie City and Reasnor governments and the PCM School Board have submitted their papers for consideration to serve for the next few years in their communities.
PCM School Board
A few familiar names will be on the ballot for the PCM School Board along with a new candidate challenging a long held seat. For District 1, current board member Lori Jungling is looking to continue her time on the board. In District 2, longtime board member Greg Ingle is once again running but this year he will have a challenger in Cole Van Ryswyk. Ryan Van Der Kamp, current board president, is the sole candidate for the District 6 seat.
City of Monroe
Current Monroe Mayor Doug Duinink will once again look to continue his time leading the city as the only candidate for mayor. With three seats available, two current city council members, Jennifer St. Peter and Andrea Steenhoek, along with newcomer Hayden Buck Johnston, fill out the open slots.
The City of Monroe is also looking to pass a general obligation bond in an amount not to exceed $1.45 million. The funds will be used for the construction, furnishing and equipping of a new or remodeled combined city hall and police department facility, including site improvements and related infrastructure.
The city also has the 1 percent Local Option Sales Tax on the ballot. Every 10 years the city is required to vote on LOST funding, which is forecasted to
Candidates for mayor, city councils and school board in Monroe, Prairie City and Reasnor finalized for Nov. 4 election
be used for street improvements, water and sewer improvement and property tax relief. LOST is set to sunset July 1, 2026 and benefits the city by shifting some of the tax burden to those who are visiting Monroe and using the same services as the citizens of the community. City of Prairie City Prairie City has its work cut out for them with only one candidate submitting paperwork for the three open city council seats. Current council member Beth James is the lone candidate for the three openings to help lead the city government.
Phil Holland, who is currently on the city council, has decided to move into the mayor’s seat. He is the only candidate for the position.
City of Reasnor
No candidates for the mayor or the three city council seats submitted paperwork for Reasnor.
PCM Homecoming 2025 Dress Up Days
HIGH SCHOOL
Monday Pajama Day
Tuesday
Adam Sandler Day
Wednesday
Black Out Day
Thursday
USA ‘merica Day
Friday Spirit Day
Monroe, Sept. 29 through Friday, Oct. 3
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Monday
Class Color Day
6th: Blue, 7th: Black, 8th: Pink
Tuesday
Super Fan Day: Show Your Love for Whatever You’re a Fan of-A Team?
A Celebrity? A Game?
Wednesday
Cops & Robbers Day
Thursday
Holiday Day: Dress Up as Your Favorite Holiday
Friday: Spirit Day
PRAIRIE CITY ELEMENTARY
Monday Pajama Day
Tuesday
Team Day: Wear Any Team
Wednesday
Wacky Wednesday
Thursday
Hat Day
Friday Spirit Day
Miller-Meeks calls for more free speech, condemns celebrating political violence
Congresswoman addresses Oskaloosa teacher incident at Jasper County fundraiser
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks this past weekend called for more discourse and free speech in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination while also condemning an Oskaloosa teacher who exercised his free speech by celebrating the conservative activist’s death in an inflammatory post on social media.
“We need more debate. We need more discourse. We need more free speech,” she said. “But we also have to hold people accountable.”
The congresswoman’s conflicting message was given during the Jasper County Republican Party Trapshoot fundraiser on Sept. 13 in Newton. Miller-Meeks prefaced her remarks by saying there is a lot of extremism in politics now and that
elected officials should be counted on to “bring down the temperature.”
Miller-Meeks also told fellow party members that there is no place for political violence in the United States and that Republicans have to make that known. She also mentioned that she condemned the assassination of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband back in June.
Miller-Meeks claimed Kirk’s main goals in life were to have more debate and more discourse and to support free speech. However, she also said people have to be held accountable for their speech, particularly when it comes to celebrating political violence. She specifically mentioned the incident in Oskaloosa. According to local media reports,
MONROE ELEMENTARY
Monday Pajama Day
Tuesday Color Day
Preschool: Yellow, Kindergarten: Red, 1st: Blue, 2nd: Green
Wednesday
Career Day
Thursday Neon Day
Friday Spirit Day
Iowa
governor candidates shoot their shot at Jasper County trapshoot
Republicans have a large pool of hopefuls to choose from come primary season
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Four candidates running for governor of Iowa made appearances to the Jasper County Republican Party Trapshoot fundraiser this past weekend.
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, Iowa House Rep. Eddie Andrews, former Iowa House Rep. Brad Sherman and former Iowa Department of Administrative Services Director Adam Steen were the “celebrity guests” of the trapshoot on Sept. 13 at the Jasper County Gun Club in Newton. Some even participated in the shoot. Prior to the celebrity trapshoot portion of the fundraiser, each Republican candidate was given a few minutes to speak for their campaign. Feenstra made a brief appearance but left early due to a prior commitment, so he was unable to speak. They were all introduced by party chair Jim Farland. Andrews was upfront with party members: He was
Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks speaks during the Jasper County Republican Party Trapshoot fundraiser on Sept. 13 in Newton.
Explorer PCM
Worth Mentioning
Send your event to news@pcmexplorer.com
PCM Food Pantry
The PCM Food Pantry at the Monroe Presbyterian Church, 113 S. Main St. in Monroe, is open 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays and 9 a.m. to noon and 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays.
PCM Clothing Closet
The PCM Clothing Closet, 100 W. Jefferson St. in Prairie City, is open from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. every Thursday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Drive-Thru Fundraiser
The Gathering Place in Monroe is hosting a Drive-Thru Fundraiser of chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, pasta salad and roll, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18.
Upcoming events at The Gathering Place in Monroe
Thursday, Sept. 25
• 1pm Movement with Sean Friday, Sept. 26
• 2pm Piano with Jacque Robinson
Monday, Sept. 29
• 10am Video Exercise Class
Tuesday, Sept. 30
• 8am Coffee and Prayer
Wednesday, Oct. 1
• 4pm “Get Fit, Don’t Fall” with Amy Stephensen
• 6pm Bingo
Thursday, Oct. 2
• Senior Living Series MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT. Prep-Learn Your Options!
Friday, Oct. 3
• 9am Needle Art, Sit and Stitch
The Prairie City Lions will host tits monthly pancake breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Prairie City Community Building. The menu includes pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, and drink. A freewill donation is accepted. Monies raised will support the PC Lions Project Account. PC Lions host Pancake Breakfast Sept. 27
Monroe City-wide Garage Sales
The City of Monroe will host city-wide garage sales Saturday, Sept. 27.
TOPS
TOPS 1025 meets at 5:30 p.m. every Monday at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City for weigh-in, with meeting to follow. Go to the north side parking lot at the church and enter in the north door. Call 515-994-2200 for information.
Lighthouse Recovery meetings
Lighthouse Recovery Ministries host a Men’s and Ladies Recovery meeting at 6:30 p.m. each Monday at Grace Alive Church, 703 W. Second St. in Prairie City. Contact Barb at b.miller@lighthouserecoveryia.com with questions.
Monroe City Hall changes hours
Monroe City Hall is observing new hours it is open to the public — 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m.
FFA is fundraising in the fall
Diamond Trail FFA kicked off its fall fundraiser Wednesday, Sept. 10 selling fruit, cookies, meat, cheese and candy. They will also be selling pumpkins they grew over the summer in the land plot. The proceeds will go to help fund workshops, contests, convention and community service projects.
If interested in supporting Diamond Trail FFA, email Jenny Petersen at jpetersen@pcmschools.org, Coton Warrick at cwarrick@pcmschools.org or reach out to any active FFA member.
New ‘Pivot Points’ podcast explores turning points and transitions for farmers
A new podcast is available for listening from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension Dane County and FairShare CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Coalition. “Pivot Points” explores significant changes farmers have made in their business models and, by extension, their lives.
Host Dan Fillius, horticulture field specialist for commercial vegetables with ISU Extension and Outreach, said Pivot Points takes a closer look at what it means when farmers decide to “shake things up,” from shifts in production and ownership models to lingering questions around sustainability and identity.
“When a successful grower announces they’re
leaving the industry, other growers often wonder about the reasons behind it, and it can undermine their confidence in their own capabilities,” he said. “This podcast started as exit interviews with vegetable farmers who have left the industry but grew to include other growers who have made large changes to their business model in order to survive.”
The podcast is also co-hosted with Sarah Janes Ugoretz, farm labor extension educator with Dane County Extension and FairShare.
“In these conversations, we learned that farmers tend to keep their concerns to themselves out of fear that they will be isolated from their community or lose their identities,” she added. “With the benefit of hindsight, growers told
us that once they opened up, it created more space for them to explore the full range of possibilities for their futures.”
Farmers from all backgrounds are encouraged to listen to the episodes in Season 1, which are released weekly. The current episode release schedule is as follows: Oct. 1: Jenny Quiner of Dogpatch Urban Gardens on Pivoting out of Farming (sponsored by Practical
Farmers of Iowa)
Oct. 8: Jordan Scheibel of Middle Way Farm and Adam Montri of Ten Hens Farm on Focusing on Family and Personal Life (sponsored by Practical Farmers of Iowa)
Oct. 15: Season 1 Reflections with your hosts, Dan and Sarah Find Pivot Points wherever you listen to podcasts. For more information, contact Dan Fillius at fillius@iastate.edu.
Senior Helpers of Central Iowa to host in-depth training on challenging behaviors dementia care
Senior Helpers of Central Iowa is proud to present a special training event featuring Dr. Beth Nolan, Director of Research and Policy for Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care, Tuesday, Oct. 28 at West Des Moines Christian Church.
Beth A. D. Nolan,
Dr. Beth Nolan
Ph.D. is the Chief Public Health Officer and a lead speaker with Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care (PAC). Formerly an Assistant Professor and the Senior Associate Director for the Evaluation Institute at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School
Arts & Crafts Show this weekend in Des Moines
Make plans now to attend the Annual Fall Arts & Crafts Show on Sept. 26-28 in the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
of Public Health (PITT), Dr. Nolan received her Ph.D. in applied gerontology, and holds master’s degrees in Human Development and in Applied Behavior Analysis. She completed her post-doctoral training in geriatric psychiatry at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Nolan now works with PAC to help caregivers become care partners.
This interactive event will focus on communication strategies and managing challenging behaviors in dementia care, and will provide valuable education for both family caregivers and healthcare professionals. Dr. Nolan will share tools and techniques developed through her work with Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach model.
Event Details: Morning Session: General Pub -
lic & Families
Topic: Coping with Challenging Situations in Dementia Care • 8:30 a.m. – Noon (Registration at 8 a.m.)
• Cost: $5
Afternoon Session: Healthcare Professionals
Topics: How to Get Your Staff Engaged in Better Care Techniques, Humor in Caregiving
• 1–4:30 p.m. (Registration begins at 12:30 p.m.)
• Cost: $25 for CEs | $10 for Non-CEs
Registration is required.
To register for the morning session, visit or contact Jerzie at 515-251-7444 or juding@seniorhelpers.com.
To register for the afternoon session, visit or contact Jerzie at 515-251-7444 or juding@seniorhelpers.com.
This is Iowa’s largest show, with over 250 talented exhibitors from eight states presenting and selling the Midwest’s finest handcrafts. This show is a production of Callahan Promotions, Inc. and offers patrons the chance to enjoy original, affordable arts and crafts. Admission to the show is $7, with anyone 10 and under free. All patrons will receive a 3-day re-entry hand stamp good for the entire 3-day run of the show. Show hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Parking is free. A free shuttle bus service will be available on Saturday.
Visit Callahan Promotions, Inc. on Facebook.
Celebrate your new baby in the Jasper County Tribune!
Email birth announcements to: news@pcmexplorer.com
Iowa State University
Explorer PCM
Free Speech
high school art teacher Matt Kargol posted the message “1 Nazi down” on his personal Facebook page after Kirk was killed. The post has since been deleted and the Oskaloosa superintendent recommended he be fired. Miller-Meeks said on Twitter/X that she was “disturbed” by the post.
“Cheering political violence is always wrong and should never be done by those who educate our children,” Miller-Meeks said in the Twitter/X on Sept. 10, noting she reached out to the school district. “I will be contacting the super-
intendent and principal first thing in the morning to ensure this is addressed immediately.”
The Oskaloosa School Board is scheduled to consider whether to terminate Kargol’s contract at its Sept. 17 meeting. Miller-Meeks told Republicans it is important for them to know their elected leaders want to “tamp down the rhetoric” and make sure people in positions of authority are “held to a higher standard.”
At the trapshoot, Miller-Meeks provided party members with an update that was met with applause.
“That individual has been terminated,” she said. “Now, of course, they’ll have due process, as they should. But at this point in time they’re recommending, well, they’re not terminating, but
they recommend termination. But they went through the process. And that’s what we hope for everyone else.”
Other employees across the United States are being reprimanded — or “canceled” — for similar remarks about Kirk’s death. Lawmakers in Iowa have called for the firing of university employees who celebrated Kirk’s death. Vice President J.D. Vance even encouraged people to contact employers.
Free speech is a constitutional right of the United States of America, and it is protected under the First Amendment. However, some speech is not protected by the First Amendment, including incitement of imminent lawless actions, obscenity, defamation and true threats or fighting words.
When it comes to school employees expressing themselves, oftentimes districts develop policies that limit or restrict speech.
For instance, the Newton Community School District’s employee handbook says that teachers who use social media platforms are encouraged to remember the school community may not be able to separate employees as private citizens from their role within the district.
The handbook goes on to say that if an employee’s expression on social media platforms interferes with the district’s operations or prevents the district or employee from functioning efficiently and effectively, they may be subject to discipline up to and including termination.
not going to win the trapshoot contest. But he felt he had better chances with the governor race. He described himself as the “grassroots candidate” and as an underdog, noting he has never entered a race in which he was the favorite.
“My first race I had no name recognition, no money. I was facing an incumbent. Just imagine AOC but more bitter. No joke. And I had passion and a vision for our district, and a work ethic that would not quit,” Andrews said. “…We did our prayers. God said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ We won that race.”
Subsequent races were just as difficult, but Andrews credited the results, again, to his work ethic. Andrews touted his efforts in creating the parental rights bill. He also explained his vision for Iowa, which starts with education. To him, Iowa’s greatest resource is not its corn but its children.
“We need to get education back to No. 1,” he
said. “My back to No. 1 plan, we’ve got a number of teachers on our advisory committee. And it’s really simple. We have bought collectively common core, No Child Left Behind. What that has left us is an administrative heavy education, less resources in the classroom.”
Which also means less resources for teachers and students. Andrews said Iowa needs to refocus education so that the state gets back to basics. He also said Iowa needs to completely reform property taxes, saying people with fixed incomes should not worry about whether they will be able to stay in their home.
Andrews also voiced his opposition to the carbon capture pipeline and “eminent domain for private gain.” He said he is also a supporter of mental health.
“We’ve got great candidates. We’ve got a good bench, so to speak. But I would urge you to take one additional look at who do you think can beat Rob Sand,” he said. “I’m the only Republican in here that has won in a very tough district … in a blue
district. We attract people in the middle and turn them into Republicans.”
Sherman has served as a lawmaker and a pastor and worked in real estate development, but he also has experience digging ditches and draining swamps.
“I literally have swamp draining experience,” Sherman said. “I think that’s something every politician ought to have if you’re going to run for public office.” Sherman went on to correlate opening and clearing ditches with transparency in government. When a swamp is drained, he said, it will reestablish itself very, very quickly if you don’t keep the ditches drained; the swamp is always out there and ready to reestablish itself.
From his experience, what discourages Republican voters and people from voting in Republicans is when leaders “won’t acknowledge the mistakes that we’ve made.” Sherman promised if and when he makes a mistake, he will own up to it. Sherman mentioned this frequently.
Sherman said what initially got him elected was his stance on medical freedom during the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. He condemned the eco-
nomic effects of the pandemic and the restrictions that were set in place. If elected governor, Sherman said he would not let that kind of “tyranny” happen again.
“Some people will say we were better than most states,” he said. “Well, let me tell you, being better than most states is not the solution. It’s not the standard.”
The standard, he added, is the constitutional rights that Americans have been given. Sherman also shares the belief that the rights of Americans come from God not by government, and that the purpose of government was to protect those rights. He also believes God should be put back into Iowa’s education.
“If we don’t put the laws back into hearts and back into people’s minds, then, folks, we cannot restore our freedoms,” Sherman said.
Steen never thought he would be working in government; he thought he would be playing professional baseball. And, for a minute, it seemed like he was going down the right path when he was drafted for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2002. But baseball didn’t pan out, and there
were other plans in store for Steen.
“I thought my future was gone,” he said. “…I recommitted my life to Christ and I said, ‘Lord, I’m coming after you with everything I’ve got, and I’m going to live my life planned, prepared and intentional from this day forward.’ And, I’m telling you, when I made that decision, I saw miracles, I saw relationships, I saw healing.”
For the past five years, Steen has been working for the governor running the Department of Administrative Services. No one has ever heard about that department, he added, but they should. The department is what operates the entire state. Steen reported directly to the governor. What motivated him to run for governor? Steen said he didn’t jump in for himself, but rather for his kids, his fellow Iowans and the Lord. Steen said he wants to protect the freedoms of the state and the futures for children. The nation, he said, is at a tipping point.
“I resigned my position with the State of Iowa to jump into this race — not to take a risk, but to take a leap of faith,” Steen said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Steen said the governor
of a state is like a CEO. In order to be governor, one has to understand how to operate the state and how tax dollars flow through the state and its communities and how to understand politics and policy. Steen added he is not a politician but that doesn’t mean he won’t work with politicians.
“When I was appointed (to the Iowa Department of Administrative Services) my second time, I was confirmed 50 to 0 by both Democrats and Republicans because they knew I was doing a good job,” he said. “They knew I was the right man for that job and knew I could operate the state.”
Steen argued he should be governor because he can operate the state on Day One, he knows every piece of the operations and he knows Iowans. He also emphasized a large part of his campaign is driving home futures for skilled trades over diplomas from universities.
“I will be the largest promoter of skilled trades in the history of Iowa,” Steen said. “And why I’m going to do that is because skilled trades has been a glut in this state and we need to understand that our kids have a future through skilled trades.”
The Case of the Double-Dealing Bureaucrats
Scooby-Doo, where are you?
We have a mystery to solve.
Why are government employee unions fighting so hard, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, to block the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the information necessary to stop fraud and abuse?
The answer is obvious. The deep state doesn’t want those meddling whiz kids at DOGE exposing the Washington corruption that’s been hiding in plain sight for way too long.
Unscrupulous bureaucrats have been ripping off public assistance programs intended to help the needy, disabled, hungry, out-of-work folks, veterans, small businesses, and even children who lost a parent.
Like Scooby, Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy, the DOGE team is on the case, and there is no shortage of leads.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture employee who worked in the office responsible for identifying food stamp fraud, for example, was “selling confidential government information to the very criminals she was supposed to catch.” She enriched herself by abusing her “privileged access to confidential government databases” to enable the theft of $36 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds meant to help low-income families put food on the table.
Ruh roh!
OPINION
It’s gotta stop
From Washington, DC
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst
Employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accepted bribes—in the form of cash, not Scooby snacks—as part of a scheme to defraud the VA by purchasing orthopedic products at inflated prices that were not even medically necessary.
Others abused their access to confidential information to line their own pockets, sometimes by taking from the less fortunate and even the dearly departed.
Using the records of real people who recently died, several Social Security Administration (SSA) claims specialists—in separate incidents—made up fictitious children to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars of survivor benefits.
A SSA claims specialist robbed disabled beneficiaries by using her position to redirect their disability payments into her own PayPal account. Another SSA customer service representative diverted direct deposits from unsuspecting beneficiaries into accounts she controlled.
A Small Business Administration loan officer overrode the agency’s rejection of a fraudulent loan she submitted and then approved $550,000 worth of fake loans for herself and her family.
But no scheme is more blatant than the double dippers on the dole who are receiving two paychecks from taxpayers, one for being on the public payroll and another for being on unemployment rolls. So confident they won’t get caught,
There have been recently numerous instances of people being put on leave or fired for expressing their opinions. One has to be very careful when expressing an opinion that may be somewhat different than a prevailing one or one held by those in power. Now, I’m not here to express an opinion about anything other than expressing an opinion so you can relax on that point.
The problem, as I see it, is not having an opinion, but of expressing it. There certainly should be a limit to what opinions should be expressed and which ones should not be. Clearly when one is cognizant of the prevailing opinion, one should conform to that opinion or be quiet. There are excellent reasons for this.
One is simple sociability. We all have had the experience of being excluded from a group discussion when expressing an opinion not consistent with the currently fashionable one. None of us like to be excluded from a social event simply for saying something out of favor with the majority. But there are other more important considerations: It’s anti-capitalism. I’m not saying that it is communistic, but it is detrimental in several respects.
First, it is detrimental to the work environment. You don’t want a lot of animosity in the workplace. Employees have a tendency to get distracted from their job for which they get paid to do when diverse opinions are expressed at work. It is especially detrimental when it results in fisticuffs or other disorderly behavior.
Second, if opinions are expressed of any kind by the staff, there will be customers who will not avail themselves of your services or products if they have a differing opinion strongly held. It’s bad for business. This is annoying to your boss and it could result in your termination.
Third, the last place you want odd and different opinions floating around in the halls and such is school houses. Our school children are taxed enough with learning how to make a living and fitting in; they don’t need to deal with adverse opinions that simply cause confusion and alienation among the adults they have to deal with.
I know you think the having of an opinion is a right we all have, but letting others know what it is? Not good - - bad things often result. Forget the first amendment, the freedom of speech one, that isn’t going to be much of a benefit if you have irritated a whole bunch of people including your boss simply by expressing an opinion. You may not be thrown in jail for expressing an opinion, but it may result in other serious consequences.
It’s interesting that words alone can get such a reaction, but clearly words have an effect that can have seriously detrimental effects to the person expressing them. Religion has to be the prime example. There was a time when expressing the wrong opinion got you burnt at the stake. Now that would really hurt. There were dunking until drowned and other seriously uncomfortable results as well, all the result of expressing not generally held or acceptable by those in charge.
Mentioning historical events is not to cast dispersions on any particular set of people, either past or current; it is simply to illustrate the dangers of having an opinion, especially one not currently in favor. You never know when the public may revert to previous behaviors when dealing with opinions expressed.
So, my unsolicited advice is, that if you have an opinion that is currently out of fashion, it may be to your benefit to withhold it from public expression. Forget this first amendment thing that so many people rely on or your personal freedom or your whatnot, keep it to yourself for your own protection.
Richard E. H. Phelps II Mingo
these fraudsters flagrantly filed jobless claims using their own names which are also on government paychecks, and got away with it, sometimes for years.
This isn’t just one or two bad apples, either. Thousands of government employees appear to have been ripping off the unemployment system by claiming to be out of work. This includes hundreds who were also receiving overtime pay.
A full-time Department of Labor employee received nearly $46,000 in jobless benefits while claiming every week for a year-and-a-half that he did not work or receive any income.
A USPS employee in Michigan collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in unemployment assistance from multiple states over four years. His scheme was only brought to an end after a vigilant supervisor noticed he was receiving mail at multiple addresses where he did not live along his delivery route.
For six years, a federal employee who worked at the Veterans Health Administration and then the IRS collected more than $130,000 in jobless benefits by claiming he was unemployed.
A full-time SSA employee collected more than $30,000 in unemployment benefits over two years.
Hundreds of state bureaucrats are lining their pockets in the same way. In Georgia alone, more than 280 full-time state employees received a total of $6.7 million in unemployment benefits over two years. Some even filed unemployment claims from their government offices while on duty.
Zoinks!
Unlike a Scooby-Doo mystery, these wrongdoers aren’t even bothering to wear
a disguise.
It’s time to root out the rip-off artists and put an end to the inside jobs by making it impossible to pocket a paycheck and unemployment benefits from the government at the same time. Since both lists are maintained by government, this should be a rather easy fix.
Despite all the protesting about DOGE, this isn’t the first crackdown on government grifters. As far back as 1977, the Carter administration launched Operation Match, which cross-checked the federal payroll with state welfare rolls, ultimately detecting more than 1,100 government employees who were fraudulently drawing public assistance. Nearly half a century later, bureaucratic embezzlement continues.
With fraud growing increasingly sophisticated, there is no excuse for allowing preventable crimes to continue in plain sight.
That is why I am giving my lastest Squeal Award to the bureaucrats double dipping on the dole who are enriching themselves at the expense of taxpayers and those in need.
As chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, I’m calling on the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General to investigate the magnitude of fraudulent unemployment benefits being paid to government employees.
If double dippers want to claim they’re unemployed, let’s make their wish come true.
And they would get away with it, too, if it wasn’t for our meddling.
Joni Ernst, a native of Red Oak and a combat veteran, represents Iowa in the United States Senate.
Jasper County donation to ER project
I was recently informed that our community would not be losing our MercyOne Newton Medical Center due to Medicaid and Medicare cuts by the Trump administration. I am very pleased to hear this as I am sure the rest of Jasper County residents are as well.
Then I read in Newton News (9/9/25 that the Jasper County Board of Supervisors intended to donate $320,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to Emergency Room Project at MercyOne Medical Center.
OPINION
Why hate?
As John said “here we go again.” How sad it is for some people to think celebrating a death just because we don’t agree is the “thing to do.” No wonder I don’t watch the news, they have to have someone on that has a wisecrack.
What is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)? This legislation was meant to enable all Americans to respond and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. In researching the (ARPA) I discovered that this legislation was passed under the Biden administration on March 11, 2021. Further research showed that Iowa’s U.S. Representative Cindy Axne (Democrat) voted for the ARPA. None of our other Iowa congressional representatives voted for this important legislation. Representative Ashley Hinson (Republican) voted NO. Representative Mariannette Miller Meeks (Republican) voted NO. Representative Randy Feenstra (Republican) voted No. Senator Charles Grassley voted NO. Sen-
I wonder how far this “hate” for others that disagree will take them.
ator Joni Ernst voted NO. Had their vote prevailed there would be no ARPA and no $320,000 for our Emergency Room Project.
Our hospital is receiving a great gift thanks to the Biden administration and no thanks to our Iowa Republican representatives in Congress. Wonder if they will be there for the ribbon-cutting ceremony like they always do to take credit.
The political party that works for the working class and stands for our Democratic freedom and rights is the political party I will be voting for in the 2026 midterm elections as well as the 2028 Presidential election. Vote Democrat!
Terri Gilbert Newton
I taught my kids that “hate” shouldn’t be directed towards people for the simple reason differences in thoughts and ways are how we learn from each other. It is what makes the world go around. How sad it is to think just killing is away to “get rid of what we disagree” with! They all remind me of a child throwing a fit to get their own way. Time to keep doing what is being done. Lay it all down and protect our town, cities and on and on. Sad to have to do this. How low do we let “them” go?
Sherryl Pherigo Newton
with your calendar item 4 North Polk Marching Band Festival 8am V, G VB at Pleasantville HS Prairie City Fall Citywide Curbside Cleanup
1 Monroe Trash Monroe Fall Clean-up Day 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 6:30pm Monroe Fire Dept. Meeting 4pm “Get Fit, Don’t Fall” with Amy Stephensen at TGP 6pm Bingo at TGP 2 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP Senior Living Series at TGP 1pm Movement with Sean at TGP 6pm Homecoming Parade 7pm Homecoming Spirit Night 3 9am Needle Art Sit & Stitch at TGP 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 7pm Homecoming 7pm V, FB vs Albia at PCM 11 8am V, Cheer Competition at Carlisle 8:30pm V, G VB at BCLUW 9am-1pm UMW Fall Bazaar at Monroe United Methodist Church Monroe Fire Department Lighted Parade/Water Fights 6 10am Video Exercise Class 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 7pm PC Fire Dept, PC City Hall 8am Singfest at Central College 4:30pm 7th, G VB at Nevada 4:30pm 8tdh, G VB vs Nevada at PCM 4:30pm V/JH, B/G XC at Chariton 5pm JV2, G VB vs Roland-Story at PCM 6pm JV, G VB vs Roland-Story at PCM 7:20pm V, G VB vs Roland-Story at PCM 6pm JV, FB vs Albia at PCM 7 8am Prayer and Coffee at TGP 9:30am Supervisors, Jasper County Courthouse 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 1pm Game Time at TGP 6pm Mon American Legion 8am 8th grade, SCIBA Band Auditions 8am Singfest at Central College 4:30pm 8th, G VB vs Saydel at PCM 4:30pm 7th, G VB at Saydel 6:30pm FCA at HS 8 Monroe Trash & Recycling Day 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 6pm PC City Council 6:30pm Monroe Fire Dept. Meeting 9 10am Patty Richards Show at TGP 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 1pm Movement with Sean at TGP 4:30pm 8th, G VB at Roland-Story 4:30pm 8th, FB at Knoxville 6:30pm 7th, FB at Knoxville 4:30pm 7th, G VB vs Roland-Story at PCM 5pm V, G VB at PCM 6pm Freshman, FB vs Norwalk at PCM
10 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 2pm Piano with Jacque Robinson 7pm V, FB at Davis County
18 8am V, Heartland Cheer Competition at Ankeny
Congregate Meals at TGP 7pm Patty Richards Country Show at TGP 4:45pm Freshman, B FB vs Centerville at PCM 7:30pm V, B FB vs Centerville at PCM 7:30pm 7-12 Marching Band Halftime Performance 25 7am
15 Monroe Trash 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 5pm Community Meal at Monroe United Methodist Church 6pm PC Celebration Commission 16 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 9am Focus Group at TGP 1pm Movement with Sean at TGP Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:30pm 8th, B
14 8am Prayer and Coffee at TGP 9:30am Supervisors, County Courthouse 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 6:30pm Mon Legion Auxiliary 6:30pm Kiwanis, Mon City Hall 6pm Bingo at TGP Parent-Teacher Conferences 5pm JV2, G VB vs Grand View Christian at PCM 6pm JV, G VB vs Grand View Chrstian at PCM 7:20pm V, G VB vs Grand View Christian at PCM
13 Prairie City City Hall closed 10am Video Exercise Class 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 5:30pm PC Park Board Monroe City Council 4:30pm JH/V, B/G XC at Gateway 5:30pm JV/JV2, G VB at Knoxville 6pm JV, B FB at Davis County
PCM football totals 500 yards of offense in victory over Pella Christian
PELLA — Lewis Daye Jr. rushed for 223 yards, Chase Wagaman accounted for five touchdowns and the PCM football team rallied past Pella Christian on Sept. 19.
The Class 2A No. 8 Mustangs trailed 13-7 after one quarter but dominated the rest of the way during a 58-27 road win in the 2A District 7 opener for both teams.
Pella Christian is 10-8 against the Mustangs since 2008, but PCM (3-1, 1-0 in the district) has won two straight in the series.
Daye’s big night came on
the first 40 carries of his prep varsity career. He added two rushing touchdowns to his career-best 223 yards.
Wagaman was 7-of-13 through the air for 194 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
Wagaman also rushed for 56 yards and one TD on seven carries.
Gavin Steenhoek grabbed four passes for 107 yards and two TDs, Alex Wendt hauled in three passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns and Easton Morris ran for 31 yards on 11 carries.
FOOTBALL | 7
PCM harriers sweep Mustang Invitational
Teeter’s win highlights team title for PCM girls at annual home meet
MONROE — The PCM girls cross country team was missing one of its top five runners on Sept. 22. But that didn’t stop the Class 2A No. 9 Mustangs from dominating their home meet at Gateway Recreation Golf Course.
Abi Teeter led an entire stable of Mustangs in the top 15, and PCM scored 24 points at the top of the standings. The next closest team was 42 points back in second.
“To win my senior year and to win as a team was awesome,” Teeter said. “I never would have thought this was possible back as a freshman. We didn’t really have a team then. The program has grown, we’re getting better and the boys are putting it down now, too.”
Both Mustang squads won meet championships. They each cracked the 2A rankings last week for the first time in program history, too.
Teeter was the girls’ 5K winner. She moved all the way up to No. 14 in the latest individual rankings that were released on Sept. 22. The team dropped to ninth but only because it did not compete last week due to weather postponements.
“It’s amazing and such a privilege to be a part of this team,” junior Bailey Wheeler said. “I’ve been enjoying every moment of it. We set our expectations high today. We expected to win the meet. We all had that mindset, it’s our course and we deserve it.”
The Mustangs, who are looking to qualify for state for the second straight season later this fall, have had a different order for a lot of meets.
Teeter has been consistently at the front of the pack, but Ali Hilsabeck was second on the squad for the first time. The Mustangs also competed without varsity runner Darbey DeRaad, who is nursing a minor injury.
“We’re interchangeable. If someone has a bad day, it doesn’t’ matter because the person behind you will make up for it,” Teeter said. “If someone beats me, that’s OK. We’re on the same team and making each other better.”
No one finished in front of Teeter at Gateway. The Mustang senior navigated her way around the new course in a winning time of 21 minutes, 35.10 seconds.
Hilsabeck placed sixth in 23:22.5, Wheeler was seventh in 23:31.62 and Lila Milani took eighth in 23:50.86. Paiten Rumbaugh (24:25.55) was the final scoring runner in 10th.
“My body felt good and the mindset was strong. It was cool to run in front of the home fans,” Hilsabeck said. “The competition helps make us better. We often speed up or go faster when we see teammates near us.”
Jodi Jungling (24:42.45), Annie Ford (25:11.51), Raegan Vannoy (25:58.41) and Lexi Fagg (26:18.11) all were non-scoring runners in 13th, 15th, 21st and 24th, respectively.
Perry did not have enough runners for a team score, but Lily Myers was the runner-up in 22:12.59.
North Mahaska, which was led by Emmerson Jedlicka (22:36.89) in third, placed second as a team with 66 points.
Des Moines Hoover (74), Davis County (102), Pleasantville (112), BGM (162) and Pella Christian’s JV (190) completed the seven-team field. Perry, Saydel and Woodward-Granger had incomplete teams.
PCM boys show off depth at Gateway Recreation Golf Course
MONROE — Last year’s PCM boys cross country team finished sixth at the district meet after climbing all the way up to second at conference.
But four of those seven runners are no longer on the varsity as the Mustangs’ depth in 2025 is the best it’s ever been in the history of the program.
That allows the PCM boys to have higher expectations this fall, and the Mustangs showed off their talents in front of their home fans at Gateway Recreation Park on Sept. 22.
PCM, which spent time in the Class 2A rankings last week, placed six runners in the first 12 positions and won the Mustang Invitational easily. The host Mustangs scored 33 points at the top of the standings, and second-place Saydel was 42 points behind.
“It’s a lot of fun to coach these kids,” PCM head cross country coach Eric Osterhaus said. “They’re buying into the system and their hard work is paying off.”
PCM’s Heart of Iowa Activities Conference rival Saydel had two of the top three individual finishers, but the Mustangs went 4-5-6-7 to headline the meet championship.
The Eagles scored 75 points in second, while another HOIAC foe, Perry, was third with 100. Woodward-Granger (103) and Davis County (129) were next to complete the top five.
The rest of the 10-team field included Des Moines Hoover (163), the Pella Christian JV (168), BGM (208), North Mahaska (211) and Pleasantville (269)
Pella Christian’s varsity did not compete because it was coming off the Heartland Classic at Central College two days earlier.
“It really helps having the bond we have and the accountability,” PCM junior Kash Fischer said. “Being there for each other has helped us, and as much as this means to me personally, it means much more to us as a team. We’ve had a new No. 1 almost every few races. It’s been fun.”
Fischer led the Mustangs at the team’s home meet. He was fourth in the boys’ 5K race with a time of 18 minutes, 37.27 seconds.
Brenden Lahart (18:53.74), Owen Osterhaus (18:55.26) and Coby DeRaad (19:25.34) were next in fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.
Cademon Burkett (20:11.85) was the final scoring runner in 11th and Camden Lahart (20:13.07) was closely behind as a non-scoring runner in 12th.
“It feels amazing being a part of this. We just continue to get better,” said Owen Osterhaus, who was the top finisher for PCM in the first few meets. “We have our sights set on state. It would mean a lot to be able to get there. It would help us start what we think can be a dynasty.”
Rylan Edgington (21:08.07), Charlie Ford (21:55.8), Parker DeHaai (22:14.68), Kolby Clark (22:27.64) and Isaac Miller (22:55.69) were non-scoring runners in 25th, 35th, 40th, 45th and 52nd, respectively.
Edgington, Ford and Clark were part of the Mustangs’ varsity last year. The Lahart brothers moved in from Albia and have provided the program with better depth.
“It’s been amazing meeting these new guys who help push me every day,” Brenden Lahart said. “We know we have to compete every meet to stay on the varsity. It makes the team have to work harder and get faster every meet.”
Saydel’s Gage Moreno won the boys’ race in 17:54.98 and his teammate, Jacob McPherren, finished third in 18:03.28. The Eagles placed three runners in the top eight spots.
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM senior Alex Wendt finished with three catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns in the Mustangs’ win over Pella Christian on Sept. 19. PCM won its district opener, 58-27, in Pella.
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM senior Abi Teeter, left, won the girls’ 5K race at the Mustang Invitational on Sept. 22. Class 2A No. 9 PCM won the meet championship with 24 points.
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM junior Ali Hilsabeck placed sixth and was the second Mustang finisher at the team’s home meet at Gateway Recreation Golf Course on Sept. 22.
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM sophomore Owen Osterhaus (485), senior Coby DeRaad (478) and junior Brenden Lahart (482) finished sixth, fifth and seventh, respectively, in the boys’ 5K race at the Mustang Invitational on Sept. 22.
PCM Explorer
By Troy Hyde PCM Explorer
By Troy Hyde PCM Explorer
Explorer PCM
PCM volleyball claims 11th straight win, sweeps Perry in HOIAC play
PERRY — Six players had at least three kills and the Mustangs served up 11 aces during the PCM volleyball team’s sweep of Perry on Sept. 18.
The Mustangs won their 11th straight match following a 25-17, 25-11, 25-9 road win over the Jayettes in Heart of Iowa Activities Conference play.
PCM is 4-3 against Perry since 2015.
The Mustangs scored their second straight win in the series.
Libby Winters finished with seven kills, 11 digs and two aces to lead the Mustangs, while Jorja Teeter added four kills, eight digs and two assists and Tori Lindsay posted 23 assists, three kills and nine digs.
Claire Van Wyk had seven kills and two digs, Peyton Lathrum chipped in six kills, two digs and two blocks, Addyson Pederson totaled three kills, five digs and four aces and Addi Hudnut tallied 15 digs and four aces.
Ryan DeVore contributed four digs, and PCM (11-1, 3-0 in the HOIAC) had a .229 kill efficiency.
The Mustangs were 69-of-76 in serves. Winters served 15-of-16 and Lathrum was 10-of-11.
Charity Parnell led Perry (0-12, 0-3) with five kills and 10 digs. The Jayettes were 31-of-35 in serves with five aces.
Boys
Des Moines Hoover’s Chase Gordon (17:56.91) also came in under 18 minutes in second.
Notes: The Lahart brothers moved to Newton but are open enrolled to PCM. … The Mustang boys dropped out of the 2A rankings on Sept. 22 after not competing last week. … The course at Gateway changed from previous years. Coach Osterhaus made it more of a loop with more hills. Fischer and Owen Osterhaus agreed it’s tougher than the previous set up. “I wasn’t a real big fan of the fingers,” Coach Osterhaus said. “I’m a big-time loop guy and a bigtime hills guy. If we’re going to have a cross country course let’s make it tough. This might be the toughest course they run on. I did that for a reason. I’m not looking for top times. I want competition and learning how to work through the adversity.”
Girls XC
CONTINUED FROM 6
“It’s nice to be ranked, and it does a lot for the district stuff, but at the end of the year, the rankings don’t tell the whole story,” PCM head cross country coach Eric Osterhaus said. “We have to be ready to go come conference, district and state no matter what we’re ranked.
“But they come to work every day and know what it takes to be good. They’re willing to put in the work.”
Teeter competed in PCM’s home meet for the first time in a few years due to illnesses the past two seasons.
She was a bit disappointed that 2A No. 8 Pella Christian did not bring its varsity team but enjoyed the new course.
The Eagles’ varsity runners did not compete because the program participated in the Heartland Classic at Central College two days earlier.
Football
CONTINUED FROM 6
Wagaman’s 873 passing yards rank third in 2A. His 10 passing touchdowns are tied for third and his 15 total TDs rank tied for first in the class.
Steenhoek ranks third in 2A with 387 receiving yards, sits tied for ninth with 18 catches and is tied for first with six receiving TDs.
Wendt’s 335 receiving yards is sixth in the class.
Mason Hjortshoj and Braedyn Lester led the PCM defense with seven tackles each. It was the first career varsity start for Hjortshoj.
Jax Strait totaled 5.5 tackles, Wagaman had 4.5 tackles and one interception and Steenhoek collected three tackles and one interception.
Evan Jones chipped in 4.5 tackles and
Troy Hyde/ PCM Explorer
PCM sophomore Lewis Daye Jr., left, rushed for a career-high 223 yards and two touchdowns in the Mustangs’ district road win over Pella Christian on Sept. 19.
“It was frustrating for me. You want to run against tough competition,” Teeter said. “It can give you confidence. If they don’t want to run against us that’s fine, we’ll see them at the state meet. They have a great group of girls. They were cheering us out on the course. I think the outcome would have been the same if they ran against us though.”
Notes: Both PCM cross country programs were ranked last week for the first time in school history. Not competing last week hindered both teams when the new rankings came on Sept. 22. “I wasn’t sure Oskaloosa was going to have their meet so I tried to be proactive with the Panorama meet and then that one got called off,” Osterhaus said. ... Teeter likes the way both squads have embraced the slogan on the back of their team shirts. “We show up every day, get better every day and the back of our shirts say ‘when you run with your heart, you’re unstoppable,’” Teeter said. “ If we don’t have grit or heart, then what are we?”
Harrison Brinegar tallied four tackles. Wagaman’s four interceptions this fall ranks tied for first in 2A and Steenhoek’s trio of picks is tied for third.
Dominic Witt added nine more touchbacks to his season total. His 24 touchbacks on 27 kickoffs lead 2A and are the second-most in Iowa.
PCM trailed 13-7 after one but outscored the Eagles 16-7 in the second, 21-7 in the third and 14-0 in the fourth.
The Mustangs averaged 58.5 points per game against Pella Christian (0-4, 0-1) the past two seasons.
Brecken Ritzert led the Eagles’ offense with 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns and 124 passing yards, one TD and two interceptions.
Caleb Volk grabbed seven passes for 108 yards and one TD. Landon Nunnikhoven led Pella’s Christian’s defense with 13.5 tackles and Anton Boender totaled 12 tackles.
Fort Dodge to remain host city for state softball tourney through 2045
The Iowa Girls State Softball Tournament has called the Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge its home for the last 55 years.
Today, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union and its Board of Directors signed a contract extension that will keep the State Softball Tournament at Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Park for another 20 years.
“This is very exciting news,” IGHSAU Executive Director Erin Gerlich said. “The City of Fort Dodge, Fort Dodge Parks and Recreation and Iowa Central Community College have made the Rogers Sports Complex the premier softball complex in Iowa. Fort Dodge has consistently demonstrated its commitment to our softball tournament through the millions of dollars invested in improving Rogers Park over the years. This extension cements our commitment to Fort Dodge and all the great things they have done — and continue to do — to make the Iowa Girls State Softball Tournament the best high school softball tournament in the United States.”
The 20-year extension will run through the 2045 state softball tournament and comes on the heels of a six-million-dollar renovation project that Fort Dodge has invested in Rogers Park, which has been home to the state tournament since 1970.
The renovation projects include three new fields, lights on all five competition fields, a new press box, and expanded parking.
The new fields and lighting will enable the IGHSAU to implement a double-elimination tournament format in 2026, utilizing all five fields within the new structure.
The new agreement also maintains the IGHSAU’s partnership with Iowa Central Community College, which will continue to provide housing for teams during the state tournament.
“We are grateful for the confidence that the Girls Athletic Union has placed in us through this extension,” Fort Dodge Parks and Recreation Director Lori Branderhorst said. “The State Softball Tournament is our crown jewel, and we are committed to preserving its excellence for generations to come.”
Each year, the Iowa State Softball Tournament draws between 17,000-20,000 fans to Rogers Park. Projections show that the one millionth spectator will walk through the gates during the 2026 tournament.
Rogers Sports Complex, now in its 55th year as host, proudly holds the distinction of being the longest-running venue among all IGHSAU state tournaments.
Abi Teeter
PCM senior Abi Teeter climbed to No. 14 in Class 2A of the latest individual cross country rankings that were released on Sept. 22. Teeter won the girls’ 5K race at the Mustang Invitational at Gateway Recreation Golf Course and both PCM squads won the meet championship that day, too.
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PCM senior Tori Lindsay passes the ball to a teammate during a match earlier this season. The Mustangs swept Perry for their 11th straight win on Sept. 18.
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