Chuck Grassley says teachers ‘can say anything they want to’ as private citizens
Senator shares perspective on free speech; calls FCC chairman’s comments ‘stupid’ and condemns Disney’s handling
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley upheld the First Amendment rights of teachers and professors who have been put on leave or fired from their jobs for their scornful
comments about Charlie Kirk’s death, saying they “can say anything they want to” so long as they are speaking as private citizen and not inciting violence.
He also said Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr made “stupid comments” about what would happen if Disney or ABC didn’t take action against Jimmy Kimmel for comments he made during his late-night talk show about the man charged with killing Kirk. Grassley also said Pres-
ident Donald Trump said things he should not have said.
“If any corporate CEO makes a decision based upon what some political leader said, they’re not serving their stockholders or employers or customers,” Grassley said. “They ought to be making a decision as a CEO unrelated to what somebody says they should have done or not done.”
In an interview with Newton News on Friday, Sept. 26 during a visit to PCM High School, the
GRASSLEY | 3
Homecoming royalty
PCM announces 2025 Homecoming Court; king and queen to be crowned Oct. 2 at Spirit Night following the parade
Road conditions at Newton Kart Klub scrutinized by county resident
County engineer says parked trailers conflicted with recent blading attempts
By Christopher Braunschweig
PCM
Explorer
leading to the Newton Kart Klub is in poor shape, even after crews bladed the pathway upon request. However, the county engineer said parked vehicles wanting to enter the racetracks grounds prevented proper blading.
Randy Ray, of Newton, said he has been contacting supervisors regarding the road leading to the go-kart track south of town. Ray criticized the county over its gravel road maintenance, saying “they were bad
before” but “are getting worse.” Ray argued several out-of-town people travel down East Fifth Street South.
“We had people from Illinois. We had people from Missouri. We had people from Nebraska, Sioux Falls, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York City. All over,” Ray said. “People are pissed because when we asked to have our road graded, it either gets done or it don’t get
FUN ON THE RUN
PCM Marching Band debuts 2025 show at first competitions of the year
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
The PCM Marching Band had a successful day of competitions Sept. 27. The band received first place at the Urbandale Marching Band Invitation and third place at the Pella Marching Band Invitation, along with earning the Outstanding Visual Performance award and first place for the innagural UMI and MDI Combine Championship.
Dozens of kids take to the course to kick off the home PCM Cross Country meet
Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley speaks with juniors and seniors on Sept. 28 at PCM High School.
A Newton resident told the Jasper County Board of Supervisors that the gravel road
Submitted Photo
PCM 2025 Senior Homecoming King Candidates: Alex Wendt, Keegan Fenton, Zach Richards, Coby DeRaad and Shay Burns. PCM 2025 Senior Homecoming Queen Candidates: Paiten Rumbaugh, Tori Lindsay, Carolyn Burkett, Addison Hudnut and Lillian Humpal. Freshman attendants: Gavin Gibbs and Ellie Ekiss, sophomore attendants: Luke Fernading and Annie Ford, junior attendants: Wyatt Schubert and Kenna Grier
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
Explorer PCM
Worth Mentioning
Send your event to news@pcmexplorer.com
Upcoming events at The Gathering Place in Monroe
Thursday, Oct. 2
• Senior Living Series MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT. Prep-Learn Your Options!
• 1pm Movement with Sean Friday, Oct. 3
• 9am Needle Art, Sit and Stitch Thursday, Sept. 25
Monday, Oct. 6
• 10am Video Exercise Class
Tuesday, Oct. 7
• 8am Coffee and Prayer
• Game Time
Wednesday, Oct. 8
• 4pm “Get Fit, Don’t Fall” with Amy Stephensen
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.
Fall bazaar in Monroe
Monroe United Methodist Church will host the UMW Fall Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Coffee time will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and lunch will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Church of the Brethren to dedicate new fellowship hall
After years of prayerful planning and months of construction, the Prairie City Church of the Brethren at 12015 Hwy. S6G south of Prairie City, will dedicate its new fellowship hall. The dedication service will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19 and all are invited to attend. Following the service, guests are invited to tour the new addition and enjoy an old-fashioned ice cream social, featuring homemade ice cream, cookies, bars and pies.
Fopma appointed to Iowa Bankers Association Board of Directors
Fopma
Leighton State Bank President & CEO Steve Fopma was appointed to the Iowa Bankers Association Board of Directors and assumed his role during the IBA Annual Convention, held Sept. 21-23. Officers were nominated and approved by member banks from across the state.
“As I reflect on my banking ca-
reer to date, I recognize the tremendous value and benefit that both the bank and I personally have received by being a part of the Iowa Bankers Association. In virtually every issue or challenge that comes up, IBA staff and/or affiliated vendors are able to provide wise counsel or solutions for consideration,” Steve Fopma, LSB President & CEO, said.
“Because of the value already received, I look forward to serving on the IBA board as a way to give back to an association and an industry that has given so much to me. I also want to do what I can to ensure a strong community banking climate
in the state of Iowa. I firmly believe that fostering and promoting an environment conducive to a strong community banking presence is of critical importance for rural Iowa and rural America.
“As a board member, my primary responsibilities will include maintaining connections with fellow bankers around the state — particularly in the southeast Iowa region — so that I can represent those folks and their perspectives to the association. Board members also assist in defining the overall strategic direction of the association,” Fopma said.
Annual CWS/CROP Walk for Hunger
The annual CWS/ CROP Walk to help alleviate hunger in the world’s worst-afflicted areas, will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, with pre-registration at 1:30 p.m.. Currently approximately 12
churches from around the county will be participating, commencing on the west side of the Jasper County Courthouse in Newton. It is an ecumenical project with all interested persons welcome
and is ideal as a family and/or athletic event.
Participants gather pledges from their friends and colleagues, to be made payable to CWS/ CROP. Anyone who would like to participate can contact Larry Hurto at beh050219@gmail. A reception honoring the participants will be in Latham Hall at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church following the event.
Iowa NRCS sets Oct. 10 cutoff for
conservation program applications
The first application cutoff for Iowa farmers and other private landowners to apply for conservation practices in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 through USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs is Oct. 10. NRCS accepts conservation
program applications on a continuous basis but sets application cutoff dates as funding allows. Iowa agricultural producers and private landowners can apply for NRCS program funding by visiting their local NRCS office. Iowa has 100 NRCS field offices located at USDA
Service Centers in every county. The Oct. 10 application cutoff includes the following NRCS Farm Bill programs: Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Daily dietary habits that can benefits seniors over the long haul
Food fuels the body throughout the day, ideally providing the energy people need to make the most of each day. But the foods people eat are more than just fuel. Indeed, a delicious meal is hard to forget, and that underscores how significant a variable flavor can be when people choose the foods they eat.
Flavor is certainly important when choosing and preparing meals, but it cannot be the only variable that determines what people eat. That’s true for everyone, and especially notable for seniors. Age-related changes to the body should affect seniors’ approach to diet. The National Council on Aging notes that metabolism slows as bodies grow older, which means seniors require fewer calories to fuel their daily activities than they needed when they were younger. That’s just one of the many notable things seniors should consider when designing their daily diets.
• Plan a well-rounded diet. School children learn the basic food groups as youngsters, and it’s good for seniors to keep those long-ago lessons in mind when planning their daily diets. The American Heart Association notes the importance of incorporating fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, dairy, and proteins into daily diets. In regard to dairy, the AHA advises consuming the equivalent of three cups of low-fat (1 percent) or fat-free dairy each day. When picking a protein source, the AHA identifies eggs, fish, lean meat, legumes, nuts, and poultry as healthy and protein-rich foods. Even polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils like olive oil and peanut oil can be healthy.
• Resolve to read more labels. Aging adults need not study nutrition to identify what they’re putting into their bodies each time they take a bite. The NCOA notes that food labels are useful sources of information that can indicate how much fat, sodium and added sugars are in a given item. Seniors should be especially vigilant when trying to avoid foods that contain a lot of added sugars, which can contribute to weight gain. That’s notable given seniors’ naturally slower metabolisms.
• Practice portion control. It’s not necessarily the foods seniors eat but how much they eat that can derail their efforts to maintain their overall health. Seniors’ recommended daily calorie intake varies by both gender and activity levels. Guide-
lines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes women 61 and over who are moderately physically active should consume roughly 1,800 calories per day, while those living an active lifestyle are advised to eat around 2,000 calories per day. Moderately active men age 66 and older are advised to eat 2,400 calories per day, while active men between the ages of 61 and 75 should aim for 2,600 calories per day. When reading food labels, pay attention to calories per
serving, as that can act as a useful guide to control portions. The National Institute on Aging recognizes it can be hard to control portion sizes when dining out, and recommends seniors share an entrée or order from the appetizers menu when picking their main course.
The right daily dietary habits can help seniors live longer, healthier and happier lives, and picking the right foods does not require sacrificing flavor.
ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE!
Creator of Adventure Bottles and the Iowa Passport Travel Journal Coloring & Activity Book shows the state is rich with culture and intrigue
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Jessica Lowe Vokes rejects the notion that there is nothing to do in Iowa or that the state is boring, and she has embarked on an adventure to prove it.
The journey is unique in that it forgoes any long voyages at sea or scaling high mountain tops. Instead, Lowe Vokes, of Newton, is keeping her feet firmly planted in the landlocked and relatively flat Hawkeye State, and finding ways to spotlight the cultural icons and attractions that make Iowa fun and interesting.
To showcase the state’s more positive qualities, Lowe Vokes has created a water bottle — an Adventure Bottle — decorated from top to bottom with small circles. The users fill those circles with a series of stickers featuring attractions from all over the state, signifying their visit. Lowe Vokes has designed it all herself.
The Adventure Bottles were inspired by the water bottles used by travelers who frequent national parks. The bottles feature stickers or stamps to mark when a person has visited the park. Lowe Vokes noticed her cousin using a similar bottle and immediately thought of her home state and its many landmarks.
Lowe Vokes is never one to turn down an interesting project, so she dove in head first and started looking up interesting places in Iowa and designing the stickers that pay homage to those areas. As someone who also likes to travel, Lowe Vokes also thought to include some of the more quirky places she visited in Iowa.
“Some of them range from
Grassley
Continued from page 1
Republican senator suggested employees could be justly punished for making disparaging comments against their employer, for example. But they can otherwise say anything they want.
“If they’re acting as a private citizen outside their employment area, they can say anything they want to,” Grassley said.
“When they’re in employment and any conditions of employment that would apply outside of their employment, like saying anything detrimental about their employer, I think that’s private employee-employer relationship that you have to abide by. But outside of that you can say anything you want to.”
As long as it doesn’t lead to violence, Grassley added. He recounted phrasing from Jus-
just roadside attractions where you go and maybe take a picture, to full-fledged museums or experiences,” Lowe Vokes said. So while everyone else was doom scrolling through their phones or playing their mobile games, Lowe Vokes was busy creating stickers on Canva. So far she has developed several series of stickers to go along with the Adventure Bottles, encouraging people to travel to these areas and see the attractions themselves.
The Harlan-Lincoln House in Mount Pleasant. The Little Mermaid Statue Garden in Kimballton. The Putnam Egyptian Exhibit in Davenport. Grant Wood’s studio in Cedar Rapids. The world’s crookedest street in Burlington. The largest wooden nickel in Iowa City. The Downtown Farmers Market in Des Moines.
“The hardest part is getting to a stopping point,” Lowe Vokes said with a laugh. “I have over
tice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.’s opinion in the 1919 U.S. Supreme Court case Schenck v. United States: “The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic.”
For the past three weeks, there have been increased news reports about teachers and professors being fired for their comments about Kirk, who was a prominent and controversial right-wing activist. Several teachers, including one is Oskaloosa, are now suing their employers for violating their constitutional rights.
Grassley said controversy “ought to run rampant” in universities, albeit in a more civil manner. Much like his recent visit to Monroe where students confronted the senator with questions about grain prices, age limits in government and how to strive for more respectful dialogue.
100 stickers now that I’ve designed, because it kind of just snowballed. Once you find one thing, you find another. And now people are telling me, ‘Oh! Did you see this thing?’”
Which, of course, she has to create another sticker for.
Lowe Vokes even created a Major League Baseball-inspired sticker series, allowing sports fans to mark the stadiums they have traveled to. She also launched Adventure Stickers for the Iowa State Fair this year. Proceeds from the stickers went toward the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation.
To accompany the Adventure Bottles, Lowe Vokes recently announced that she had created the Iowa Passport Travel Journal Coloring & Activity Book. Like the bottles, the book invites families to travel to Iowa communities. Each page has a coloring portion, an activity and some history about the destinations. Users are encouraged to write
down the date they visited each respective town and who they visited it with. The coloring and activity book features 26 Iowa locations and 26 site stickers.
The project certainly keeps Lowe Vokes busy and allows her to celebrate Iowa in a more positive way.
“I think so often Iowa gets overlooked or that all we do is grow corn,” Lowe Vokes said.
“…I love history, I love learning about different things, I love showcasing positive things here.
I love the quirky and unusual. So it kind of hit all those buttons. I just think it’s neat to be able to
share those.” Both the Adventure Bottles and the Iowa Passport Travel Journal Coloring & Activity Book are for sale. Lowe Vokes said she is working on creating on online shops but for now the best way to order a bottle or book is to message the Adventure Bottles Facebook page directly.
“I’m very lucky to be able to do something creative and fun to me and then get to share it with others,” Lowe Vokes said. “I’m fortunate that my family and friends have been so supportive of the whole thing. It’s been an adventure in and of itself.”
Road Conditions
Continued from page 1
done. If it does get done, it don’t get done right.”
Ray claimed personal skid loaders have been used to fill holes in the road. He also criticized the “washboard” surface causing severe vibrations for motorists. When Ray called the county and requested a motor grader visit the site, he said it resulted in “hairballs” on the road, possibly referring to collections of grass.
“We’ve got people hitting that with $100,000 rigs and they’re very upset,” Ray said. “They’re going to quit coming here. They come here and they spend money in motel rooms, they spend money in our restaurants, they spend money in our gas stations. We don’t have them people? Newton don’t need to be here.”
Ray demanded Supervisor Brandon Talsma see the state of the road. Talsma acknowledged he had seen the street for himself. Ray worried a high schooler may drive their car into a ditch and get seriously injured driving down that road. Ray blamed the state of the
gravel roads on the county engineer.
“I’ve talked to thousands of people — it’s time we draw a petition up and get a new engineer in this county that knows what the hell they’re doing,” Ray said.
The gravel road portion of East Fifth Street South begins at the intersection of South 13th Avenue East. The Newton Kart Klub is located about a mile south of the intersection. Ray also argued the track has four months out of the year to make a profit, but he claimed road conditions may prevent people from visiting.
In a follow-up with Newton News, Frietsch said according to county data there was a bladder operator who reported to East Fifth Street South. However, there were obstacles in the way. He said vehicles were parked along the shoulders waiting for the gates to open at the go-kart track.
“We would have had more success going in there and blading it and reworking it if we didn’t have all those trailers,” Frietsch said.
The county engineer added that East Fifth Street South has a lot of hills. Crews stabilized the base about three years ago, but its conditions change due to the amount of traffic the road receives. Frietsch said that is how the road obtains its washboard surface.
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Scan the code and register today! Explorer PCM
Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer
Jessica Lowe Vokes of Newton, showcases the Adventure Bottles, the Iowa Passport Travel Journal Coloring & Activity Book and the series of stickers she has designed that feature Iowa landmarks and attractions.
Jessica Lowe Vokes
Jessica Lowe Vokes, of Newton, has designed more than 100 stickers, from roadside attractions to Major League Baseball and the Iowa State Fair.
How do you treat waiters?
By Bryan Golden
The way you treat others offers a window into the type of person you are. Your interaction with people, whose job it is to serve you, reflects on your character and offers a glimpse into the way they will react to you.
When you behave in a condescending manner, you are sure to elicit a negative reaction. Immediately, the person you are talking down to will be put off, even if they don’t show it. You will squelch any inclination for the other person to go out of their way to help you. At most, they will do no more than the bare minimum necessary to keep you mollified.
Corporate CEOs like to observe how job candidates treat waiters. These corporate captains have found that how a
Bureaucrats
prospective employee treats a waiter offers a clear picture of the type of person he or she is. Someone who is polite to you but discourteous to a waiter does not have desirable interpersonal skills. They tend to be abrasive, causing friction among coworkers and subordinates.
Your treatment of waiters isn’t just significant in business settings. A survey by a dating service discovered that being rude to waiters tops the list as the worst dining etiquette. It is a real turnoff to be in the company of someone who is mean spirited.
Anyone can treat a waiter well when there are no mishaps or mess-ups. The real indication of a person’s true nature is how they react when there are problems. What do they do when a waiter makes a mistake or their meal is not what they had hoped for? Do they get indignant, make a scene, and jump down the waiter’s throat? Or are they gracious and magnanimous?
No one likes to be berated when they
being paid for multiple jobs, while doing neither
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst
Ever had to be in two places at the exact same time?
It sounds impossible, yet I’ve discovered a number of bureaucrats holding several different government jobs simultaneously.
It may sound impressive, except this multitasking isn’t magic, folks, it’s fraud.
A full-time Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) employee double-billing, frequently billing taxpayers for more than 24 hours of work in a single day. Of course, she was working from home in all three positions. She billed taxpayers $225,866 for hours she never worked over nearly three years before finally being caught.
A senior human resources official at the Peace Corps was also employed as a contractor for two other government agencies, double billing taxpayers for tens of thousands of dollars. He boasts being “key in the development” of the Peace Corps’ remote work policy, which he presumably took advantage of to get away with his job juggling.
Timecard thieves were even two-timing the government’s own human resources department, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and a Pentagon intelligence agency.
senior policy advisor avoided doing work for more than 13 years by falsely claiming he was also employed by the CIA. His deceptive double duty defrauded taxpayers out of nearly $900,000. While being one of the highest paid employees in the federal government, he traveled around the world or relaxed at his vacation home rather than working. EPA even paid him an annual retention bonus every year for more than a decade to ensure he remained with the agency. While he wasn’t moonlighting per se, the EPA management should have known this arrangement was illegal, where this employee was, and what he was doing.
Each of these demonstrates just how easy it can be for a public employee to pull down a pair of paychecks without earning either, sometimes for years.
What’s even more infuriating is that the salaries of these side hustlers are being paid by hardworking Americans, millions of whom are actually working multiple jobs to make ends meet.
make a mistake. Some waiters are better than others. Some are more conscientious. You can’t manage their behavior, but you do control yours. If you can’t handle a problem when you are eating out, how can you be depended on to handle life’s real predicaments?
People, who are rude to waiters, erroneously believe they are displaying power and authority. They mistakenly think their behavior will impress others. Anyone who attempts to elevate their status by stepping on others will ultimately fall flat on their face.
People with integrity and character treat everyone with courtesy and respect, regardless of their occupation, financial, or social status. They don’t view themselves as being above or below anyone else.
The way you treat people determines to a large part how they treat you. Not everyone will respond to kindness and consideration. But everyone will react negatively to berating. Your best bet for
bringing out the best in people is to treat them with respect. If you expect the worst from people, your attitude will project this and your low expectations will usually be met. If you anticipate the best, people tend to try to live up to those expectations so as not to disappoint you.
People crave approval and recognition. If you start out rejecting someone, they will feel there is no chance to please you and won’t even try. However, when you say please, thank you, and can you help me, others will make an extra effort to accommodate you.
Treat waiters, and everyone you encounter, with dignity. In so doing, your relationships with people, even strangers, will improve. You will still find some individuals you just can’t deal with. But they will be much more of an exception. You can never go wrong by treating another person well.
ContactBryanGoldenatBryan@columnist.com
From Washington, DC OPINION
An OPM contractor, who also was employed full-time for the National Security Agency (NSA), was required to work on-site at both jobs, but wasn’t showing up at either. He billed for hundreds of hours he never worked, scamming taxpayers out of $70,646. Meanwhile, another contractor at NSA’s headquarters was actually employed by a different defense contractor, collecting $65,265 for hours she never worked.
There’s even a case in which an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
That is why I am giving my September 2025 Squeal Award to the double-dealing bureaucrats bringing home two or more paychecks but doing nothing.
I’m introducing the Dismantling Double Dippers Act requiring a regular cross check of the government’s employment rolls to spot duplicates and make potential copycats think twice before trying to get paid for double duty. But that’s not all. I’m doubling down by asking the Trump administration to determine who works for every agency, where they are located, and if any bureaucrats are on the payrolls of multiple agencies.
Joni Ernst, a native of Red Oak and a combat veteran, represents Iowa in the United States Senate.
OPINION
New hearing aids, huh?
Ginnie had been after me for some time to get new hearing aids. I put it off until after we could see some results from my cancer treatment. I can’t handle too many issues at once. Finally we could see light at the end of the tunnel, and it wasn’t a train. So I scheduled an appointment with the audiologist. I’ve had hearing aids for years, and was on my third pair. This last pair had been giving me problems so, like wearing old glasses when you’ve broken your good pair, I had reverted to an old set of hearing aids. No wonder Ginnie was on my case.
Anywho, the audiologist asked me if I’d noticed a decline in my hearing. I told her, “Yes.” She looked into my ears, first the right one, then the left.
“Hmm,” she said. “You’ve got something stuck in your left ear.”
“Huh? Oh, I do?”
“Lemme get some tweezers and pull it out.”
She started digging around in my ear, which didn’t feel good. I heard her mumble something unintelligible. “What the? I’m gonna have to get something bigger,” she said.
I didn’t see what she went after. She kind of kept it hidden from me.
Voting is the only way
As I write this, the citywide elections for city council, mayor, and school board are just six weeks away. The candidates are set, save for anyone who wishes to run as a write-in, and we the people of Newton, will once again be given the opportunity to choose who we want to lead our community and schools.
And based upon the number and nature of some of the comments posted on the Newton government and Newton Daily News Facebook pages, many around here have very strong opinions about how our city and schools are being managed.
And based upon that, you would think that our local elections would have a pretty good turnout of voters who want to turn their opinions into
But it looked sorta like a needle-nose vice grip. She went to work on my ear again which didn’t feel a bit good. Then I felt a pressure on the side of my head. I think it was her foot. She pulled and tugged my head back and forth as I tried to hold steady. Finally the object in my ear gave way with a pop that sounded like a bottle of champagne being uncorked. She held the object in front of me. “That my friend,” she said, “is the tip or cone from a hearing aid. No wonder you noticed a decline in your hearing. I’ve never ever seen this happen before. It’s a first!”
“Well, I’ll be. You’re right, I can hear better now. I noticed a tip missing from one of the hearing aids but I didn’t know where it went. I thought it fell on the floor.”
Ginne was in the waiting room. The audiologist went out and said to Ginnie, “See what I found in your husband’s ear.”
Ginnie was incredulous. “How long has THAT been in there?”
“Your husband doesn’t know, but from the build up of ear wax on the tip, I guess about a month.”
votes.
You’d think that, but you’d be wrong.
The past few local elections have seen pretty pathetic voter turnout rates, usually well below 20 percent.
I have no idea why this is, unless we are a community that loves to gripe and complain, yet when it comes time to make a real difference we find excuses to sit out the elections. Too busy, don’t care about politics, why bother because nothing ever changes, etc., ...To put it nicely, those are really lame excuses.
Now, I’m not so naive as to think that we’ll ever see anything close to 100% voter turnout for these elections. People just aren’t like that.
But I refuse to just give up on our community and accept that we’ll just plod along as always, allowing a minuscule minority to decide for us who will lead our city and schools.
This is just one story in a long line of hearing aid stories. There was the time I was picking apples and a tree branch plucked a hearing aid right out of my ear, never to be seen again. I looked in the grass, the tree, nada. I lost a hearing aid in my recliner one time and couldn’t find it. (I like to sleep in the recliner.) I had to get by with just one hearing aid for a week or so. Then Stormy our cat showed up with it. We think he has a secret stash somewhere. Of course, when COVID first came out, everyone, including me, was losing their hearing aids. The band on the face masks, that stretches over your ear, dislodges the hearing aid when removing the mask. People spent a lot of time on the floor looking for their hearing aids, and a lot of money on the ones they couldn’t find.
Last but not least was the time I lost a hearing aid in the garden while picking tomatoes. Luckily I found it. It was in a garden spider’s web. Yikes!
My new hearing aids will be in at the end of the month. The audiologist asked if I wanted the insurance in case of loss.
Ginnie elbowed me in the ribs. “I guess I do,” I said.
Contact Curt Swarm at curtswarm@yahoo.com
If you are happy with the way things are being handled here, get out and vote to retain whoever you think is doing a good job. If you are unhappy about what you have seen and want things to change, then get out and vote for the person you believe will shake things up. Either way, it’s our civic duty to be active participants in our own community and government. Online complaints, which are acceptable expressions of free speech, are a waste of time because no one cares about someone’s opinion on social media sites. They affect nothing in the real world. Voting is the only way to send the message you want to send.
Make a real difference in the real world and be sure to get out and vote on Nov. 4.
John Moore Newton
Curt Swarm Empty Nest
What’s your favorite part of Homecoming Week?
“Football and Powderpuff” - Adaliene Boelter, 9
“Powderpuff, Football game, and Hanging out with friends” - Adalynnridge,Brecken9
“Football game and Parade”Helton,Landyn11
“Spirit Night” - Sam Pohl, Staff
Marching Band Wins First at Their First Competition
Piper Clark Journalism Editor
Do you know who makes football games fun to watch? The marching band! Marching band season is well underway, and competitions have officially started. Senior leaders Grace Taylor and Carter Dudley speak on their experiences this year leading up to their first competitions of the season. This year, Taylor was selected to be drum major of the PCM Marching Band. She stated, “To get to this place I auditioned in March of last year by sending in clips of me conducting the National Anthem and snippets of the show.” She continued, “After that we were all interviewed by a panel of 3 teachers (including the band director).” Taylor conducts the band and gives tempo, which can take a lot of practice for both her and the band itself. The marching band has been practicing since band camp during summer. Taylor states, “We do a week of 8-5 band camp where we put mostly the whole show on the field; we then have rehearsals after that from 12 to 5, and once school starts, 7am Tuesday-Thursday, and on Friday when needed.” Another leader in the 2025-26 marching band is Carter Dudley. Dudley is the brass marching section leader. “I help teach and help younger members of the band with their marching fundamentals,” Dudley exclaimed. “We are a younger band with a lot of new members, so I am excited for their first competition. I hope our score reflects all the hard work that we have put into our show,” Dudley shared. Their first competitions were held on Sept. 27, and the band’s hard work really paid off. They won first place in class 2A at Urbandale and placed third and won Best Visual Effect in Pella. Both Taylor and Dudley are very happy with the scores and hard work everyone put in to get them to that point. Be sure to cheer on our Marching Mustangs at their next competition on Oct. 4!
September Students of the Month
Piper Clark
Parents: Stephanie & James Clark
Employer: Goldies
Future Plans: Attend and undecided college w/ an undecided major Extracurricular Activities: Choir, Jazz Choir, Key Club, NHS, Big-Litte, Fall Play/ Musical, 4H, Jasper County Council, Student Gov, Speech, Journalism, & ELP
3 Words that describe her: Fun, Organized, & Open Favorite Classes: Choir & Sometimes Math Advice for Underclassman: “Do things that make you happy. Join clubs, make friends, and leave time for yourself.”
Best High School Memory: “Going to Simpson College to watch them perform each year after our musicals.”
Dream Job: “A job that I enjoy and is financially supportive.”
Skyler Jennings Staff Writer
Ryan Braun
Parents: Kristen & Jason Braun Future Plans: Attend University of Minnesota Rochester or Central College w/ an undecided major Extracurricular Activities: Baseball, Soccer, Band, NHS, & Knowledge Bowl
3 Words that describe him: Knowledgeable, Dedicated, & Respectful
Favorite Classes: Band & Spanish Advice for underclassmen:
“Don’t be obnoxious in study hall, some people are actually doing homework!”
Best High School memory:
“Riding the bus to extracurricular activities.”
Dream Job: Physical Therapist
Rylee Parsons Journalism Editor
Crimson Cup Takes on Year Three
PCM’s very own coffee shop, The Crimson Cup, will be opening again for its third year, somethime during homecoming week. Coffee shop advisor, Taelor Defenbaugh states, “We are having a soft launch during homecoming week. It’ll be a limited menu, and after that it’ll be open everyday from 7:30-8 a.m. except for Tuesday’s.” The Crimson Cup offers a variety of drinks including, lotus’ and coffees as well as the DECA club is thinking of new drink ideas as well. Price wise, the coffee shop will be increasing their prices around $0.25 to $0.50 more per drink, due to it taking more to get the coffee here and buying the coffee from the plant. Support PCM students by coming out to the Crimson Cup and trying any drinks they offer!
Briar Plum Staff Writer
It’s official, PCM High School is performing another musical. This year we are putting on “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Auditions this year were on Sept. 2 and 4. I auditioned for the role of Lucy Van Pelt, the crabby and bossy friend of Charlie Brown. Auditions were a little more complex this year. Whereas last year we each had a five-minute time slot to audition, this year everyone was all together, and we alternated for hours each day. It was very draining, but I am grateful that it gave everyone a chance to really showcase their talent to make the casting more fair. Our new director, Mrs. Mohr, also decided on doing a split cast, so there will be two different sets of actors on stage, and we will be alternating the days we perform. The Friday after auditions, my friends and I stayed after school to finally see what parts we got, and guess what? I got Lucy! My friends also got chosen for the characters they auditioned for, and you know what is even better? We are all in the same cast! Practices started off the following week, and we read through all of our lines and listened to our music. I know I say this every year, but I was very intimidated. This musical is set up differently than our musical from last year, “The Addams Family,” was. There are triple the scenes, but every one is short and unique. That means lines will be harder to memorize because of how fast-paced the musical is. Blocking just started two weeks ago, and we are mostly through the entire show. We have all gotten so far with songs and lines that it’s hard to believe we only started practicing a month ago. Now the only thing I am worried about is our memorization deadlines. It feels like the day to be off book comes sooner and sooner each year, and I never have everything memorized. I am confident that everything will turn out fine. I mean, after all, I’ve done this six other times; what’s one more show? If you want to come see me perform, be sure to come opening night, Nov. 14, or during the day on Nov. 16. Or if you wish to support the other cast, they perform on Nov. 15. I hope to see everyone there!
Balanced attack sends Mustangs to 12th straight win
Winters
JEWELL — Big nights from multiple players and a balanced attack at the net helped the PCM volleyball team to a 12th straight win on Sept. 23.
The Mustangs registered their third straight sweep against South Hamilton after
two aces.
dispatching the Hawks 25-19, 25-12, 25-17 in Heart of Iowa Activities Conference play.
South Hamilton (13-11, 1-1) is 9-5 against the Mustangs since 2010, but PCM has won five of the past six in the series. PCM Explorer
Libby Winters posted a double-double, six Mustangs put down at least three kills and PCM served up five aces in the road victory. Winters led the Mustangs with a career-high 15 kills and added 10 digs, two blocks and
Tori Lindsay posted 34 assists, three kills and eight digs, Addi Hudnut totaled 17 digs, two assists and three aces and Jorja Teeter tallied nine kills and seven digs.
Addyson Pederson and Peyton Lathrum contributed seven kills each, Ryan DeVore chipped in six digs and Claire
Van Wyk put down three kills. PCM (12-1, 4-0 in the conference) was 65-of-74 in serves with five aces. Lindsay was 22-of-22 in serves and Lathrum finished 10-of-11.
Fast start lifts Mustangs past STC Trojans
TAMA — Lewis Daye Jr. rushed for a career high against South Tama County on Sept. 26.
But most of the rest of the production on offense for the PCM football team came from players who were seeing extended varsity action for the first time in their careers.
The Class 2A No. 8 Mustangs spread the ball around and used a balanced attack to down the Trojans, 41-7, on the road during 2A District 7 action.
PCM led 20-0 after one quarter and outscored South Tama 13-0 in the second and 2-0 in the third.
The Trojans’ only points came on a touchdown with 6:09 to play in the game.
Daye Jr. started the scoring with a 67-yard touchdown run with 8:02 to play in the first.
Chase Wagaman hooked up with Ivan Shannon for a 13-yard TD a few minutes later and Easton Morris scored his second career rushing touchdown on a 3-yard run late in the period.
Alex Wendt scored on a 1-yard TD run early in the second and Daye Jr. went in from 9 yards out with 29 seconds to play until halftime.
The Mustangs produced a safety in the third and Landon Siedlecki caught a 26-yard TD pass from Wyatt Schubert in the fourth.
It was the first career receiving touchdowns for both Shannon and Siedlecki, the first career TD pass by Schubert and the first career rushing touchdown from Wendt.
Daye Jr. finished with a career-best 236 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. He also caught one pass for six yards.
Morris added 58 yards and one TD on 10 carries, Gavin Steenhoek grabbed five passes for 87 yards, Shannon had two catches for 32 yards and one TD and Siedlecki’s only catch was the 26-yard TD.
Wagaman finished 9-of-19 through the air for 134 yards, one TD and one
interception. Schubert was 2-of-3 for 34 yards and one passing TD.
Wendt totaled one catch for nine yards and added the short rushing touchdown. Ryker Clark rushed for a career-high 36 yards on seven carries and had one catch for eight yards. It was his first career varsity reception.
Wagaman’s 16 total TDs rank tied for fourth in 2A, while his 11 passing scores are seventh, his 1,007 passing yards rank ninth and his 1,132 offensive yards sit ninth.
Steenhoek ranks fourth in 2A with 900 all-purpose yards, tied for third with six receiving touchdowns, fifth with 474 receiving yards and tied for 10th with 23 catches.
The Mustangs (4-1, 2-0 in the district) rushed for 326 yards on 46 carries and had a 27-6 advantage in first downs.
Trent Nickelson led the PCM defense with four tackles. Jax Strait and Keegan Fenton finished with 3.5 tackles and Wyatt Heater, Jaden Houser, Evan Jones and Mason Hjortshoj produced three tackles each. It was a career high tackle total for Heater.
Dylan Beyer snagged his first career interception, Landon Ridgway returned a kickoff 31 yards and Jones had a 28-yard kickoff return.
Dominic Witt made all three of his PATs and booted five touchbacks on his seven kickoffs.
Witt’s 29 touchbacks are tops in 2A and second in the state and his only punt went for 43 yards.
South Tama (3-2, 1-1) was limited to 51 rushing yards on 23 carries, and the Trojans punted seven times.
Ryan Brant led STC with 65 passing yards, one TD and one interception. Nick Upah totaled three catches for 26 yards and a 14-yard TD. Kyle Youngbear led the Trojan defense with 18.5 tackles.
PCM and South Tama played for the first time ever, according to Bound.
The Mustangs and No. 6 Centerville are the only unbeaten teams left in 2A District 7 play.
PCM harriers make big statements at Nevada
NEVADA — Both PCM cross country programs made big statements on Sept. 29.
first career
The Mustang boys slayed a pair of ranked teams to win the Nevada Cubs Invitational, while the girls battled a trio of ranked squads without one of its varsity runners and finished seven points out of a meet championship at Hickory Grove Park.
The PCM boys scored 51 points at the top of the standings. The Mustangs put six runners in the top 20 and edged Class 3A No. 20 Nevada (57) by six and 2A No. 17 Van Meter (67) by 16 points.
The rest of the eight-team field included Iowa Falls-Alden (116), East Marshall (134), Roland-Story (150), West Marshall (164) and South Hamilton (204).
While no Mustang finished in the top five, Brenden Lahart was seventh in 18 minutes, 20.2 seconds. Kash Fischer (18:24.2) took eighth, Coby DeRaad (18:26.4) finished ninth, Owen Osterhaus (19:00) placed 11th and Camden Lahart (19:26.7) ended up 17th. Cademon Burkett (19:27.8) was 18th as a non-scoring runner.
Class 2A No. 11 Corbin Lucchesi of Roland-Story won the boys’ 5K race in 17:31.1. Nevada’s Trevor Nusbaum was the runner-up in 17:33.1. Van Meter’s Laura Streck won the girls’ 5K race in 19:30.7. Class 2A No. 11 Addie Thompson of West Marshall was the runner-up in 20:24.5. Class 2A No. 3 West Marshall won the girls’ meet title with 50 points. That was seven points better than 2A No. 8 PCM (57), but the Mustangs did not have the services of Darbey DeRaad.
Class 2A No. 2 Van Meter (66) finished third, Nevada and Iowa Falls-Alden both scored 122 points to complete the top five. Class 2A No. 13 Roland-Story (139) headlined the next group, and the rest of the 10-team field included East Marshall (213), South Hardin (232), South Hamilton (236) and the Ankeny JV (259).
Class 2A No. 8 Abi Teeter led PCM with a time of 21:01.9 in fifth. Ali Hilsabeck (21:11.1) was sixth, Lila Milani (21:52.7) placed 11th, Bailey Wheeler (22:26.8) was 19th and Paiten Rumbaugh (22:34.8) finished 21st. Annie Ford (23:42.7) and Jodi Jungling (23:54.9) were non-scoring runners in 25th and 30th, respectively.
Addi Hudnut
PCM senior Addi Hudnut leads the Mustang volleyball team with 110 digs and 27 aces this fall. She’s also dished out 21 assists, which ranks second on the squad, and is 101-of-120
Kinetic Edge has the Therapy experts to help people of all ages with any
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Photos by Jamie Steenhoek
Top: PCM junior Ivan Shannon (8) hauled in his first career varsity touchdown on Sept. 26 during the Mustangs’ road win over South Tama County. PCM led 20-0 after one quarter and routed the Trojans, 41-7, in district play. Bottom: PCM sophomore Landon Siedlecki scored his
varsity touchdown against the Trojans.
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B. Lahart Teeter
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Healthy habits that could help women reduce their breast cancer risk
Cancer is a formidable disease that the World Health Organization reports is the leading cause of death worldwide. Figures vary, but organizations such as the WHO and the American Cancer Society estimate that around 9.5 million people die from cancer every year. No type of cancer causes more deaths in women across the globe than breast cancer.
Though the five-year survival rate for breast cancer patients has increased by a significant margin in recent decades, a 2019 study published in The Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention reported a significant increase in breast cancer mortality rate in the 25-year period preceding the study. The researchers behind the study theorized that the spike in mortality rate could be due to an increase in incidence and prevalence of breast cancer. Like all cancers, breast cancer cannot be prevented. However, various healthy habits could help women reduce their risk for the disease.
• Avoid alcohol. The ACS reports that alcohol consumption is a clear risk factor for
breast cancer. Risk increases with the amount of alcohol a woman consumes. For example, a woman who consumes one alcoholic drink per day has a 7 to 10 percent higher risk of getting breast cancer than a woman who abstains from alcohol. Drinking two to three drinks per day could increase risk by around 20 percent.
• Establish and maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases breast cancer risk, particularly among postmenopausal women. According to the ACS, after menopause women get most of their estrogen from fat tissue. Fat tissue increases estrogen levels in the body, which in turn increases a woman’s risk for breast cancer. Elevated levels of insulin in the body, which is common among individuals who are overweight, also has been linked to higher breast cancer risk. Establishing and maintaining a healthy weight cannot prevent breast cancer, but it can help women reduce their risk for the disease.
• Maintain a physically active lifestyle. A sedentary lifestyle increases a person’s risk for various conditions
and diseases. Women who live such a lifestyle are at elevated risk for breast cancer. The ACS notes that sedentary behavior such as sitting, lying down, watching television, or engaging with screen-based forms of entertainment that do not require physical activity can increase breast cancer risk, especially for women who spend most of their work day sitting down. A more physically active lifestyle that includes routine exercise can help women reduce their breast cancer risk.
• Adopt a nutritious diet. Eating right is another way for women to reduce their breast cancer risk. Vegetables, fiber-rich legumes such as beans and peas, fruits across the color spectrum, and whole grains are some components of a healthy, nutrient-rich diet that can help lower breast cancer risk. Women also can avoid certain foods, such as red and processed meats and refined grains, to lower their breast cancer risk.
Though there’s no guaranteed way to prevent breast cancer, women can embrace various healthy habits to lower their risk for the disease.
Findings show more than 70 percent of Breast Cancer diagnoses found in those age 50 and older
A 2024 report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer indicated 71 percent of new cases of breast cancer across the globe were diagnosed in individuals age 50 and older. Though age is a known risk factor for various types of cancer, it’s important that women recognize a significant percentage of breast cancer diagnoses in many parts of the world are made in women younger than 50. For example, nearly one in five of breast cancer diagnoses in both North America (18 percent) and Europe (19 percent) are made in women
younger than 50, while almost half of all breast cancers in Africa (47 percent) are diagnosed in women who have not yet reached their fiftieth birthdays. Though such figures are affected by a number of variables, including the accessibility of screening procedures like mammograms, they speak to the reality that breast cancer can affect women at any age, a notion that underscores the significance of screening and the need to support efforts to make it more accessible in every corner of the globe. —
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A physically active lifestyle can help women reduce their risk for breast cancer.
Metro Creative
Metro Creative
71 percent of new cases of breast cancer across the globe were diagnosed in individuals age 50 and older.