A frightfully fun time
and excited kids
A great experience for all
Monroe Elementary starts series of visits with adults at The Gathering Place to be more involved in the community
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
An idea during a leadership meeting blossomed into an event that was meaningful for all involved. Kids from Monroe Elementary recently visited The Gathering Place of Monroe to interact with adults through games and informational presentations, the first time in a series of visits by the students.
“The idea came from our Leader in Me Activities Team,” Monroe Elementary Principal Mandy Shannon said. “One of our goals this year was to be more involved with the community so we thought The Gathering Place would be
ELECTION EDUCATION
County auditor reminds voters they can — and should — participate in upcoming school elections even if they live outside city limits
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Historically, the city and school elections in Jasper County have considerably lower turnouts than state or federal elections, but the folks at the county auditor’s office hope their educational presentations with high schoolers and some of the older populations will result in a positive change in the coming years.
County Auditor Jenna Jennings agreed some of the lower turnout is attributed to voters not knowing they can actually participate in these local elections, which happen every two years. For instance, some rural voters
may dismiss an election because they live outside city limits. However, city limits are not school limits. School district boundaries extend far beyond that of their respective city’s limits; Newton alone extends into portions of twelve townships. Every single household in Jasper County is part of a school district, and those votes are extremely important in determining who gets to serve on those school boards.
In 2024, the Jasper County Auditor’s Office reported a 75 percent voter turnout. It was a highstakes presidential election that drew more than 20,000 people to the polls
or submit absentee ballots in Jasper County. Jennings and her staff would probably fall out of their seats if a local election garnered that much attention.
So far, Jennings said more than 100 people have participated in early voting for the 2025 election. If that is any indication, the local turnout will be low again.
In 2023, the last city and school election, the turnout was roughly 22 percent. It is relatively low, but it is a common figure for local elections.
Jennings said 600 people submitted absentee ballots that year, and 5,333 people showed up on Election
ELECTION 2025
Uncontested candidates running for the first time for a city position
Phil Holland — Prairie City Mayor Hayden Johnston — Monroe City Council
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
My name is Phil Holland, and I am currently serving on our city council, a role I’ve held since October 2022. I’ve called Prairie City home since 2013, but I’ve been part of the PCM community since moving here from Michigan in 1991. My wife, Amber, and I are raising our two boys, Jevan and Reid, right here in town. I work as a Master Plumber for Royal Plumbing, where I serve as a service technician. What are you running for?
I’m proud to be running for mayor of Prairie City. Why are you running for city government? Why do you think public service is important?
I believe that if you care about your community, you should do your part to make it better. Prairie City is full of people who look out for one another and take pride in where they live, and that’s what makes it such a special place to call home.
Tell us a little bit about yourself: Hello! My name is Hayden Johnston, I’m a 24-year-old residing in Monroe with my girlfriend (Holly) and our two dogs (Bandit and Goldie). I graduated from PCM High School in 2019. Originally from Prairie City, and last July I purchased my home in Monroe. I work for a small company called Basic Machinery Control where I am a machinist; I have been with this company for the past four years. What are you running for?
I am running for a position on the Monroe City Council. Why are you running for city government?
I am running for city council because I want to see the community I live within thrive. I feel as though city government is a way to get the voices of our community members to be heard alongside my own voice. Considering I am relatively young, I believe it’s important to see the
Jasper County
The school district map of Jasper County shows how far district boundaries extend past city limits, indicating that many voters can participate in school elections.
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
From spooky scenes to ghost busting heroes, the PCM Elementary PTO Trunk or Treat on Oct. 25 in downtown Monroe was a fun way for community members and families to celebrate Halloween.
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.
Pancake Breakfast Oct. 25
The Prairie City Lions will host tits monthly pancake breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Prairie City Community Building. The menu includes pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, and drink. A freewill donation is accepted.
Upcoming events at The Gathering Place in Monroe
Thursday, Oct. 30
• 1pm Movement with Sean
Friday, Oct. 31
• 2pm Piano with Jacque Robinson
Monday, Nov. 3
• 10am Video Exercise Class
Tuesday, Nov. 4
• 8am Coffee and Prayer
Wednesday, Nov. 5
• 4pm “Get Fit, Don’t Fall” with Amy Stephensen
• 6 p.m. Bingo
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.
Deer movements increase as peak of breeding season nears
Drivers take note, it’s mid-October and deer are on the move.
While deer vehicle collisions occur throughout the year, deer movement increases during the breeding season, peaking around the first week of November. Combined with the crops coming out and shorter daylight hours, that adds up to more deer vehicle collisions.
“Deer like to travel at dawn and dusk, and with the shortening daylight hours, that puts a lot of commut-
ers on the road when deer could be on the move,” said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “As we enter the prime breeding time, deer move more all hours of the day. This time of year, we encourage drivers to reduce their speeds, give additional space between vehicles, which will give drivers more time to react, and slow down in order to avoid a crash.”
Deer tend to travel in groups during the rut,
Coffey said, and drivers should try to avoid focusing in on the first deer they see because there may be another one coming behind it.
“Drivers who encounter a deer on the road, and a collision is inevitable, are encouraged to stay in their lane, break and try to control the impact,” he said. “While hitting a deer can be a tragic event, much more harm may occur by swerving to avoid the collision than by simply hitting the deer.”
Iowa’s deer population isn’t distribut-
ed equally across the state, but more often associated with timber habitat and river corridors. When passing through these areas, drivers should be aware of the surroundings, slow their speed and watch from fencerow to fencerow for deer on the move.
State law allows people who hit a deer to take the meat under a salvage tag. Contact the local sheriff’s office to get a tag. The caveat is the whole animal must be taken – it is illegal to just take the antlers.
Fun ways to celebrate Iowa forests this fall
Iowa’s forests are unique, hidden gems in a land of farm fields and grasslands. Some of the most beautiful forests in the Midwest are found in Iowa.
Healthy, growing forests clean our air and water, conserve our soil and energy resources, provide critical wildlife habitat, and make our communities a more pleasant place to live and work. Here’s some fun options for you and your family to celebrate Iowa forests this fall.
Explore a State Forest
Get your fall color fix - check the DNR fall colors weekly report for details on where to see the best fall color in Iowa. Fall color will be at or near its peak across Iowa this weekend.
Check out our Forestry Landowner Assistance webpage for information and resources on how to make sustainable management decisions on your forested land.
Tackle Your Invasives
Late autumn and even early winter are great times to identify and treat invasive species that shade out desirable native plants.
Leaves of invasives remain green and attached often through Thanksgiving, making it easy to identify bush honeysuckles and buckthorn thickets in woodlots, edges and other areas when other plants are bare. Herbicides work well in autumn as sap moves to the roots. Here’s how:
• Bush honeysuckle is a deciduous shrub with seed-loaded berries ranging from red, orange or black. Several species of invasive honeysuckle range in height from 7 feet to 15 feet high. It is easy to identify invasive versus native honeysuckle. Native honeysuckle plants don’t hold leaves late fall. Break off an older stem—invasives have hollow, brown centers. Native honeysuckle stems are solid.
• Glossy buckthorn is either a small tree or tall shrub with brown-gray bark with light colored lenticels or pores. Its sapwood is yellow with pink to orange heartwood. Terminal buds are shaped like a deer hoof, in pairs with a thorn in between. Seeds remain viable up to 3 years. Management Techniques: Apply a 25 percent triclopyr solution plus a
penetrant once to the lower 12–18 inches of plant stems until wet (but avoid runoff) between May and November. Follow labels for dosage and surfactant options.
Learn more about forest invasive species on theDNR’s Invasive Plants web page.
Leave the leaves in your yard this fall
Our yards can make us proud and provide many hours of joy during the warmer months. Try to resist the urge to clean up all the dead growth that has built up over the warmer months and embrace the mess.
Instead of piling and burning or bagging and sending your yard waste to a landfill, maintain strategic piles of organic matter on the edges of your yard for wildlife.
If you can live with a little mess, wildlife will respond.
• A layer of leaves is vital insulation from the cold for the many animals that hide within and are beneficial insulation for tree roots as well.
• Leaves improve micro-organisms that are the life of soil that provide needed food and nutrients to plants and trees. Leaves can also be useful in areas that have compacted soil as they help to reduce runoff, keeping soil on site.
• If you use leaves for compost, consider creating a leaf pile and allowing
it to break down naturally if space allows. Mulch and leaf piles break down into nice loam which can then be used to supplement planters or other flower beds.
• Providing an unmowed area on the edge of your yard is a great way to provide a place for piled organic matter like leaves, branches, and stems. Keeping piles away from the house will reduce the chance of unwanted visitors inside.
• Designate some areas in your yard where you can leave leaves whole. Shredded leaves may destroy eggs, caterpillars and cocoons.
Iowa Songbird Art Contest
Iowa youth artists are encouraged to celebrate the beauty and wonder of Iowa songbirds. Students (grades K-12) select one bird from the featured list, research its habitat and conservation needs, and create an original, handdrawn artwork. Students in grades 4 and up are also required to submit a short creative writing piece to accompany their art.Deadline for entries is November 30, 2025. Find complete rules and guidelines on theIowa Songbird Art Contest Entry Form.
With a donation of $5.00 or more YOU could be the one to “Turn on the Lights”! Fill out this coupon and send with your donation to: “Turn on the Lights”, P.O. Box 944, Newton, IA 50208 PLEASE PRINT
Explorer PCM
PCM Elementary PTO annual Trunk or Treat
Visit
Continued from page 1
a great place to do this.”
Members from team finalized a date and time for the kids to go to the community center once a month, alternating grades each time. The first students to participate were the oldest at the school, second graders. They had stories read to them by the adults who stopped by for the visit along with playing a variety of games.
“It’s beneficial for kids to have positive experiences with adults in the community who
Election
are potential role models for our students,” Shannon said.
“These types of events are important so students see that we are partners with the community so we can grow successfully together.”
With a successful first visit, the school plans on having first graders stop in next month and kindergartners will be there in January. The cycle will start over with second graders back in February, first grade in April and kindergartners in May.
“I think this is a great experience for both our students and members of the community,” Shannon said. “Everyone seems to enjoy it.”
Continued from page 1
Day. So a little less than 6,000 people voted in the last local election.
“I think people don’t realize they can vote,” Jennings said. “We’ve heard from a number of people already that said, ‘I can’t vote in this election because I live in the country.’ Well, even though you live in the country you still have a say in your school boards. I think that’s a perception the older generation has.”
Over the past month or so, the county auditor’s office has visited two different school districts — Baxter and Lynnville-Sully — and spoke with students in government classes about voting, elections and how to register to vote. Jennings and her staff also plan to visit congregate meals for a similar presentation.
Jennings said the auditor’s office tries to find as many opportunities to be transparent about elections, inform the public about the process and stress the importance of local elections and engaging in local government. City councils and school boards have a much more direct impact on voters and their lives.
“Those are the people making those decisions that are also affecting your taxes,” Jennings said. “So that’s how you have a say in some of this.”
Holland
Continued from page 1
Where is the city succeeding?
Our city staff and elected officials are
Johnston
approachable, courteous, and genuinely care about the community. We all want safe neighborhoods, good roads, clean water and a city government that listens. My goal is to be a voice for common sense deci -
Continued from page 1
upcoming generation get involved, so we can watch the community thrive for many years to come. Why do you think public service is important?
Public service is important because it gives everyone a chance to be represented. My hope is to give people a voice when they feel like they don’t have a say in what happens around our community. Additionally, public service is important because without the citizens of Monroe stepping in and being active members of the com-
sions that make everyday life a little better for everyone. Where does it need improvements? I’d like to see continued focus on maintaining and improving our infrastructure, plan-
munity our small town wouldn’t be flourishing like it is today. What issues in the city are most important to you?
The most important issue to me is safety. I feel as though everybody should feel safe in their community, whether it’s the elementary kids feeling safe walking to school in the morning or community members sitting outside enjoying one another’s company. A safe community is a thriving community! Where is the city succeeding?
The city is succeeding in many different areas, including community outreach. There are lots of events that make everyone feel welcoming, especially the Old Settlers event which really brings out
ning ahead for growth and ensuring proper maintenance to prevent costly repairs. By working together, we can keep Prairie City strong, thriving, and financially stable for generations to come
a sense of community. I believe another factor of success for our community is our growing population. Lots of people are making Monroe their home, because it’s close to the metro and still has that rural, small town feel. Where does it need improvements?
One of the few things I feel that needs improvement is communication with our community members. I feel as though there needs to be a better way of communicating on what’s going on around town, and what issues the city is dealing with. An upstanding community ideally has a great sense of clear communication between community members and the city.
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
Adults took the time to play games and read stories to second grade students during their visit to The Gathering Place of Monroe.
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
I call Richard Russo the male version of Elizabeth Strout. He writes with sensitivity, brashness and feeling, deals in family/human issues, and writes a complicated plot, like life itself.
I just finished his latest book, “Somebody’s Fool.” It’s his third book of a trilogy: “Nobody’s Fool” and “Everybody’s Fool,” which I have also read. The trilogy follows the life, and after life, of Sully, a man’s man, womanizer, and caustic wit: hard on the outside, soft as a pussycat on the inside—construction worker, philosopher and caretaker of friends and relatives. His name, “Sully” is on a bar stool at the White Horse Tavern in North Bath, Maine.
Deere belt buckle pulled to the side of his waist: tough guy in appearance only.
When I mention his after life, I’m not talking about a paranormal ghost appearance, I’m talking about the influence Sully has on people that lingers on, long after his death. As his death becomes imminent, Sully asks his estranged son to look after a certain number of people: an old friend and co-worker who can’t seem to survive without Sully telling him what to do; a couple of old lovers who miss him terribly; a distant grandson looking for retribution. It seems that Sully was a better grandfather than father.
I visualize Sully as a Humphrey Bogart type of guy: cigarette dangling out the side of his mouth, a pack of Luckies rolled up in his shirt sleeve, and a John
That’s one of my attractions to Russo’s writing: it reminds me of my family, my hometown, my feelings, the sights, sounds, and smells of small town living. If you haven’t heard of Richard Russo, or think he may be a second rate writer that Curt is bragging up because it reminds him of his drinking days, well, think again. Richard Russo won the Pulitzer Prize in 2002 for “Empire Falls,” about small town in Maine. In “Empire Falls,” Russo explores themes of love, loss, and class dynamics. Russo has written a slew of books, all of them excellent. I have read most of them. But not all, a deficiency I intend to correct. If I have one criticism of “Somebody’s Fool,” it’s that, for me, there are too many characters, too many moving parts to the story (stories), and too many sub plots. But that’s classic Russo and classic life: too much confusion to make much sense of anything. But if it works, don’t fix it.
Haveagoodstory?CallortextCurt Swarm in Mt. Pleasant at 319-2170526 or email him at curtswarm@yahoo.com Richard Russo on the loose-o
Sully’s epic advice: “When you don’t know what to do, try something, and if that doesn’t work, try something else.” It’s an extension of the old saw: “Do something, even if it’s wrong,” which my father used to say, and now I say.
“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A.,” US president Donald Trump whined in an October 23 Truth Social post (all-caps treatment, of course, his). “Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
The egregious behavior in question? Telling the truth about tariffs in a $75 million ad campaign. Or, rather, having the late US president Ronald Reagan do so, in his own words:
“Over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer .... markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industries shut down, and millions of people lose their jobs.”
Letting Ronald Reagan talk to Americans about tariffs, Trump raged the next day, constitutes “trying to illegally influence the United States Supreme Court” on the non-question of whether Trump enjoys personal legal authority to impose massive tax hikes on American consumers whenever the urge strikes.
Spoiler alert: He enjoys no such authority (the Constitution assigns taxing authority to Congress, not the president).
Nor is it illegal for Canadian politicians, Ronald Reagan, or anyone else to let Americans know that, in addition to themselves being illegal, his tariff policies are stupid, evil, and economically ruinous.
The US government’s tariff revenues jumped to a record $29.6 billion in July, and may end up hitting $350 billion per year.
Trump would like you to believe that those revenues are magic free money, paid by unspecified philanthropists from other countries and somehow accruing to your benefit when the US Treasury collects them.
In fact, tariffs come out of YOUR pocket in the form of higher prices if you can get the goods you want, less consumer choice because you often can’t, and fewer opportunities for you or your employer to sell in foreign markets as other governments “retaliate” with tariffs, or even embargoes, of their own. Estimates vary -- in large part because Trump’s tariffs rates seem to change by the minute on the basis of his whims and tantrums -- but over the last few months he’s hiked your household’s annual tax bill by at least $2,500, and probably closer to $5,000.
That’s a lot of money to spend humoring one guy’s “throw myself on the floor and hold my breath ‘til I turn blue” approach to trade/ tax policy.
Ontario premier Doug Ford, the politician behind the ad campaign, says he’ll end it after Major League Baseball’s World Series. But now you know the truth. Don’t forget it.
Thomas L. Knapp is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison CenterforLibertarianAdvocacyJournalism
sessive-compulsives. When there was nothing to worry about, they would invent things to stress over.” “...scary beginnings needn’t always lead to dismal outcomes.” “His mind was still buffering.” “J.J. had yet to meet a pot he didn’t want to stir.” “His small eyes had gotten even darker, a place where light went to die.” “Occams’s razor.... The simplest explanation is probably right.” If you haven’t read the previous books of Russo’s trilogy, like Elizabeth Strout’s books, you can jump in anywhere, not be lost, and enjoy the book. “Somebody’s Fool” is over 600 pages in length, so hunker down with a lap cat or dog and enjoy some “I’m not happy until you’re not happy” winter reading. I’m already reading it again, my highest rating for a book and its author. One last compliment, and I’ll let you alone for a warm winter’s nap. Richard Russo’s “Somebody’s Fool” left me feeling fulfilled.
Ahhh. Goodnight.
Here’s a sample of Russo’s writing: “People who have problems never have just one.” “...how things work with ob -
Our country’s magnificent National Park System has been called “America’s greatest idea.”
These 433 treasures — along with our rich diversity of national museums and historical sites — each have their own stories to tell. But the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, for together they express America’s egalitarian spirit and “little-d” democratic possibilities, urging us to keep pushing for economic fairness and social justice for all.
And that’s exactly why Trump and his cabal of moneyed elites and right-wing extremists are out to purge, erase, and officially censor the parks’ historical presenta-
SPEAK OUT
tions. After all, it’s hard to impose plutocratic autocracy if such tangible examples of historic truth and democratic rebellion are openly displayed!
Thus, as dictated by the GOP’s secretive anti-democracy clique, Project 2025, Trump’s ideological Thought Police have set themselves up as an Orwellian “Ministry of Truth” to sanitize and Disney-fy the telling of our people’s real history.
For example, Trump complains that parks and museums hurt America’s self-image by telling “how bad slavery was.”
Donald, that’s not an image — its reality. It’s as central to our national character as our historic
commitment to equality. And the explosive conflict between ugly repression and flowering egalitarianism is ever present today.
Consider the push by Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and others in the GOP’s Christian Nationalist movement to deny the unifying principle that “all men are created equal.”
There’s not enough whitewash in the world to cover up the deep ugliness of slavery, and it’s self-destructive for the government to try. The fundamental purpose of recording our shared history is to learn from it.
Jim Hightower is a radio commentator,writer,andpublicspeaker.
How to contact your elected officials
Jasper County Supervisors
Brandon Talsma, chair 4309 W Fourth St. S. Newton, IA 50208 641-526-3142 btalsma@jasperia.org
SHARE YOUR VIEW
Doug Cupples, vice chair 1205 S. 20th Ave. W. Newton, IA 50208 641-521-8725 dcupples@jasperia.org
Thad Nearmyer
4360 S. 96th Ave. W. Monroe, IA 50170 641-891-8863
tnearmyer@jasperia.org
Letters to the PCM Explorer will be edited for libel, grammar and length and should not exceed 400 words. We reserve the right to shorten letters and reject those deemed libelous, in poor taste or of a personal nature. Include your full name, address and a daytime phone number for verification. Signed columns as well as letters to the editor and editorial cartoons represent the personal opinion of the writer or artist. Submit letters to news@pcmexplorer.com or Newton News, P.O. Box 967, Newton, Iowa 50208
Burg to Compete at Honor Performance Series this Coming Feb.
MaKenna VanHaaaften Staff Writer
Senior Jocelyn Burg had this amazing opportunity to be a part of the Honor Performance Series program. The Honor Performance Series program is an international program that allows students from middle school to high school to perform in professional venues with master conductors.
“I decided to audition because my personal voice coach encouraged and nominated me for the program due to the fact that she has had experience with the program before,” said Burg.
When Burg auditioned in September 2025, she had to learn the song “Where’re You Walk” and submit a video recording announcing her name and voice part and singing the song. She has been singing classical opera for a year and casual/musical theater for nine years. She did get accepted on October 10 as a vocal finalist. She is also most excited about meeting new people and getting professional feedback and tips from the conductors during rehearsal. Burg continued to say,
“I am looking forward to honestly everything. I think meeting new people will be great since I go to a small school, and I am so excited to receive feedback from professional masters in music. Not to mention the entire performance is an accomplishment and experience that cannot be described with words.”
Journalism Takes on Iowa City
Students from PCM High School traveled to Iowa City last Thursday for a journalism field trip to learn about the deeper meaning of journalism and how to write more professionally when crafting an article or conducting an interview. This trip allowed the students to attend multiple learning sessions led by journalism instructors, each focusing on a different aspect of the field.
The first session talked about free speech and the press. This topic encouraged students to think about the rights and responsibilities journalists have. The instructor talked about a famous court case. Tinker v. Des Moines. Which helped the students with what they can and can’t say in a school setting. Students learned how the First Amendment plays a key role in protecting journalists and how the news is today.
The second session was focused on interviewing techniques. Like how to ask the right questions and get strong, meaningful answers. Students learned about paying attention to details and how to get better quotes. It was a fun way to create a good and interesting story.
The final session of the day was all about storytelling with cameras. Students learned about how photographers use their equipment to tell stories. The instructor demonstrated how camera settings, angles, and lighting can completely change the mood of a photo.
At the end of it all, the students left understanding what goes into journalism and how writing, interviewing, and storytelling about cameras all have real experiences. The field trip not only taught us about different parts of the press but also about new ideas and skills students can use in school. The students left Iowa City like professional journalists.
“Conjuring 2” - Addi Fry, 10 & Emma Beyer, 10
What does DECA mean to PCM’s President of DECA
Did you know that there is a club called DECA at PCM High School? I interviewed their president, Senior Keely Spencer. Since she was the president, there had to be something that made her continually do it, so I asked her, “What does DECA mean to you?” She responded with, “A community that will help each other get through life in the future with the community that we have now.”
With going on with the future, I asked what her goal is.
She states, “My goal is to expand our program and get more people involved as much as possible before I graduate.”
As she has her goals, I wanted to know what her focus in DECA was. She says, “DECA is basically FFA but for business, so we do a bunch of different things like financing, entrepreneurship, and marketing, which are our main focuses, and then we go to competition, and we can compete in those topics.”
These days, it seems like AI is taking over the world, and honestly, I agree. This past Thursday, I had the chance to go to the IHSPA Iowa High School Press Association’s 2025 fall conference, where they had multiple sessions on AI, and it really got me thinking: Does AI have more of a negative or positive impact on today’s generation?
Many schools, teachers, students, and even people in the workplace are now using AI tools to speed up their work, check for answers, or ask about trending topics, which can be helpful for people who don’t have a lot of time to spend on editing their stories or essays. Still, not all of AI is positive, especially in school. It has become increasingly more common for students to use AI to cheat on homework assignments or even tests, which is a huge problem. AI is just so easy to access, whether through ChatGPT, Snapchat AI, or countless other AI websites out there that you can access with just one simple click.
With all she has done, I had to know if she had a favorite, so I asked, and she responded with, “My favorite part about DECA is going to the competition and drinking coffee.”
AI can help students with time efficiency, but it can’t replace the curiosity and creativity that make a story or essay meaningful. The challenge for this upcoming generation of students (including me) will be figuring out how to balance technology and AI with the truth. What’s your favorite Halloween movie? “Conjuring” - Aiden Rubenking, 10 “Scream” - Grayson Isaacson, 9
That sounds so fun and welcoming. If you like the things that have been said, join DECA.
A lot of teachers and school districts have major consequences for AI use, including zeros on the said paper, detentions and parent contact, or even suspension. But how do they know if they are using AI? Well, they could just catch the student in the act or use a new feature on Google Docs that lets administrators see the typing history and how long it takes to type or if they copied and pasted the whole paper, but some teachers use AI-detecting websites, which I personally don’t agree with. I mean, look at it this way: why would you use AI in the defense of checking the paper for AI, especially when some teachers’ arguments against AI are that it can be inaccurate, so why would you trust AI to check a student’s paper when it’s supposedly inaccurate?
Skyler Jennings Staff Writer
Maci Doty Staff Writer
PCM doubles up with dual state berths
PCM girls finish second, secure second straight state berth
By Troy Hyde PCM Explorer
PELLA — Ali Hilsabeck struggled to stay in the varsity lineup during PCM’s run to the state cross country meet last season.
But after a dedicated offseason, a confidence-building track and field season in the spring and better focus on nutrition, the Mustang junior is firmly in the top three of PCM’s lineup this season, and her incredible effort around the Central College 5K course on Oct. 23 helped lead the PCM girls cross country team to the state meet for the second straight season.
“It was a better mindset. I came in really confident and was thinking about all the work we put in as a team,” Hilsabeck said. “I was ready to race today.
“Last year I struggled with anemia. I take iron supplements every day, take my nutrition seriously and figuring all that out helped me get healthy again.”
Hilsabeck was one of three Mustangs who earned an in-
dividual qualification into this week’s state cross country meet.
Abi Teeter finished .54 seconds in front of Hilsabeck to earn a sixth-place finish and Lila Milani was 12th in the 5K race at Central College.
The top 15 individuals and the top three teams qualified for the state meet in Fort Dodge.
The No. 4 Mustangs were only two points back of No. 3 Pella Christian in the race for the regional championship.
The Eagles scored 59 points at the top of the standings and PCM was second with 61. Bailey Vos headlined Pella Christian in third, and the Eagles went 3-11-13-15-18 with their five scoring runners.
Teeter, Hilsabeck and Milani all were inside the top 15 and Annie Ford placed 16th, but the Eagles were a little better at the back end of their lineup.
“I’m very excited with the girls team and what they did,” PCM head cross country coach Eric Osterhaus said.
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
Top: PCM senior Abi Teeter, left, and juniors Ali Hilsabeck and Lila Milani, right, qualified for the state meet individually during the state qualifying meet in Pella on Oct. 23. Bottom: The individual state qualifiers from the boys team are (from left) junior Kash Fischer, sophomore Owen Osterhaus, junior Brenden Lahart and senior Coby DeRaad.
Mustangs gallop past West Liberty in postseason opener
MONROE — Chase Wagaman accounted for four touchdowns, Easton Morris led a rushing attack that eclipsed 300 yards and the PCM football team routed West Liberty during the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs on Oct. 24. The 2A No. 2 Mustangs scored half of their points in the second quarter during a 42-8 home win. It was PCM’s seventh straight victory.
PCM and West Liberty played for the first time since meeting in the state semifinals during the Mustangs’ run to the championship in 2018.
This year’s path to the UNIDome includes a second-round matchup with rival Pella Christian. PCM hosts the Eagles (3-6) at 7 p.m. on Oct. 31 in Monroe.
The Mustangs led 7-0 after one quarter as Morris scored on a 19-yard TD run with 3:41 to play in the frame. He ran the ball a career-high 29 times and gained a career-best 188 yards and totaled one touchdown in the win.
Wagaman was part of all three second-quarter touchdowns. The Mustangs led 28-0 at halftime following a 20-yard TD pass from Wagaman to Gavin Steenhoek
and a pair of short touchdown runs from Wagaman.
Ryker Clark scored the only touchdown in the third on a 2-yard run and then Wagaman hooked up with Jaden Houser on a 22-yard TD pass play in the fourth.
West Liberty’s only points came with 5:22 to play in the game. Briggs Collins scored on an 11-yard TD run and then the Comets (3-6) added a two-point conversion.
The Mustangs have posted eight wins or more in three straight seasons and in six of the past eight. PCM won a playoff game for the third straight year, too.
Wagaman was 6-of-10 through the air for 69 yards and two touchdowns and he ran for 42 yards and two scores on seven carries.
Clark gained 72 yards and scored one TD on a career-high 20 carries, Houser grabbed three passes for a career-high 34 yards and one TD and Steenhoek snagged two catches for 31 yards and one TD.
Wagaman’s 27 total touchdowns rank tied for fifth in 2A and his 19 passing TDs are eighth.
Steenhoek has 688 receiving yards, which ranks sixth in the class. His 11 receiving TDs are fourth.
Evan Jones posted six tackles, Mason Hjortshoj totaled 4.5 tackles and Keegan Fenton contributed two tackles for loss and two sacks. Fenton’s 10 sacks lead 2A and his 18 tackles for loss are fifth.
Braedyn Lester and Trent Nickelson also each had one sack, Wagaman snagged one interception and Dominic Witt booted five touchbacks on his seven kickoffs.
Wagaman’s six picks are tied for tops in 2A, while Witt’s 57 touchbacks also lead the class.
PCM is part of Pod B in the 2A playoffs. The winner of the Mustangs-Eagles matchup gets the winner of Wilton (7-2) and West Branch (7-2) in the quarterfinals.
Four top-12 finishes lead PCM boys to first state berth since 2008
By
PELLA — The PCM boys cross country team doesn’t have an elite runner at the top of its lineup.
The Mustangs may not even have a runner who finishes in the top 15 at the state meet.
But the first four finishers in the 5K race at the Class 2A state qualifying meet on Oct. 23 were separated by only 4 seconds.
That allowed the 2A No. 11 Mustangs to close the gap on a Red Oak squad which went 1-2 individually at Central College, and the bottom part of PCM’s lineup did the rest as the squad qualified for the state cross country meet for the first time since 2008.
“It’s what makes us able to compete really,” senior Coby DeRaad said. “We don’t have a high-end stud. Having a group of guys who are always running together and working together has been important. We talk a lot about how a group of seven is way stronger than a strong No. 1. We’re all
in it together.”
DeRaad was part of the Mustangs’ four-person pile up at the top of the lineup. PCM scored 60 points in second to advance to state.
The Mustangs were eight points back of 2A No. 6 Pella Christian, which won the district championship with 52 points.
PCM edged 2A No. 7 Red Oak by a single point, too.
The top three finishing teams and the top 15 individuals qualified for this week’s state cross country meet in Fort Dodge.
The site did take one runner outside the top 15 though because five individuals from non-qualifying teams is required.
“It’s what we’ve been looking for the whole season,” PCM junior Kash Fischer said. “We didn’t just want to qualify a few individuals. This has always been about our team making it.”
PCM’s first four finishers all were fast enough to qualify as individuals.
Williamsburg ends PCM’s historic volleyball season in regional opener
WILLIAMSBURG — One of the best seasons in program history ended early for the PCM volleyball team on Oct. 21.
The Mustangs faced Williamsburg for the first time since 2016 and lost in straight sets 25-16, 25-17, 25-11 in Class 3A Region 5 quarterfinal action.
The Raiders improved to 4-0 against PCM since 2014. It was the first three-set sweep during that time frame though.
Libby Winters led the Mustangs with nine kills, 11 digs, two assists and three aces.
Tori Lindsay posted 11 assists, three kills and six digs, Addi Hudnut totaled four assists and eight digs and Jorja Teeter chipped in seven digs.
Lindsay finalized her prep career with 1,023 assists. Peyton Lathrum put down four kills, Ryan DeVore tallied six digs and Addyson Pederson registered three digs. PCM missed 12 serves (33-of-45) and had six aces. Winters served 10-of-10 and Lindsay was 7-of-8.
The Mustangs finalized their season at 23-6. It was the most wins since setting the school record at 25 victories in 2005.
Williamsburg (21-11) ended its season after a three-set loss in the regional semifinals to 3A No. 10 Roland-Story on Oct. 23. The Lady Norse faced fifth-ranked Humboldt in the regional championship match on Oct. 28 in Humboldt.
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
The PCM boys and girls cross country teams both qualified for the state meet for the first time in program history on Oct. 23. The Mustang boys are back at state for the first time since 2008.
Troy Hyde PCM Explorer
PCM Explorer
Fischer rallied past teammate Owen Osterhaus with a big kick late in the race. He finished seventh in 17 minutes, 23.18 seconds and Osterhaus was ninth in 17:24.46.
Fischer and Osterhaus both qualified for the state meet individually for the first time in their careers. Brenden Lahart also is a first-time qualifier after he placed 11th in 17:27.09.
DeRaad (17:26.98) finished .11 seconds in front of Lahart in 10th. He’s an individual qualifier for the third time in his career.
“It’s amazing to get in as an individual, too,” Osterhaus said. “I didn’t want to end this season with disappointment like last year. So it feels good to make it.
“I was hurting on the second mile, but that’s how you’re supposed to feel.”
PCM’s final scoring runner was Rylan Edgington, who finished 23rd in 18:08.73. Camden Lahart (18:22.05) and Henry Omondi (21:21.04) were
Explorer PCM
non-scoring runners in 25th and 65th, respectively.
Both Brenden and Camden Lahart were racing against their former teammates from Albia on Central College’s 5K course.
Both Mustangs made sure to chat with some of their friends from the Blue Demons before and after the race, and members of Albia’s squad even cheered for Brenden Lahart during the awards ceremony, too.
“I talked to some of them a little bit, but I mostly wanted to stay focused on what our team needed to do,” Brenden Lahart said.
“My former teammate pushed me and I pushed him the entire race. It made us both better.”
Pella Christian won the district meet after placing its five scoring runners in the first 16 positions. Sawyer Meinders (16:57.04) was third and Griffin Stoltz (17:01.58) finished fourth.
Red Oak (61) was third despite its top two runners going 1-2.
Class 2A No. 3 Emmanuel Grass won the boys’ race in 16:34.5 and 2A No. 17 Hayden Heitbrink was the runner-up in 16:47.84.
Class 2A No. 19 Shenandoah was well back in fourth with 102 points. Class 2A No. 22 Mason Sells finished fifth in the race with a time of 17:04.32.
goal. We’ll set the bar high and see what happens.”
Osterhaus added, “We knew what we had to do. We knew we had a good shot at both teams getting in, but we still have to show up and race. Everybody is here with the same goal and purpose, and you have to make sure you run your best race.”
Teeter, who is ranked No. 17 in 2A, was not at her ultimate best but still finished sixth with a time of 20 minutes, 20.23 seconds. Hilsabeck was seventh in 20:20.77.
Teeter will run at the state meet for the third time as an individual qualifier.
The same goes for Milani, who finished 12th in 20:54.53. Ford (21:18.31) and Paiten Rumbaugh (21:43.18) were the final scoring runners in 16th and 21st, respectively, and Bailey Wheeler (22:05.01) and Jodi Jungling (22:37.03) were non-scoring runners in 25th and 33rd, respectively.
“I ran like I have more to run at state,” Teeter said. “I haven’t felt the best the past few days so I was nervous coming in.
“I don’t think we expected this to happen during my freshman year. To qualify once last year was awesome and to do it back-to-back just shows some grit with not having one of our top runners.”
The Mustangs did not have the services of sophomore Darbey DeRaad because of an injury. But they still found a way to get back to the state meet and this time hope to bring home some hardware as a top-three team.
No. 13 Albia also advanced to state in third. The Blue Demons scored 83 points, and the rest of the top five included No. 18 Grand View Christian (106) and Shenandoah (112).
Interstate 35 (138), Davis County (166) and Clarinda (179) completed the eight-team field.
“The goal for the girls is to podium. Can we do that without (DeRaad)? I’m not sure,” Osterhaus said. “That’s tough to do, but that’s the
“I feel accomplished,” Milani said. “I didn’t know what was going on my freshman year. I went out to stay in shape for basketball really. I fell in love with it my sophomore year and just focused on the mental side of things.
“I have been going through some things this year but pushed through the best I could. I was doing this for my team so it meant more.”
Neither Rumbaugh nor Jungling were on last year’s state qualifying team so they both will run at the state meet for the first time.
Rumbaugh did not have expectations of being on a state-qualifying team when the season started but established herself as a varsity runner pretty quickly.
“It feels amazing,” Rumbaugh said. “I took every practice seriously. I made some goals and accomplishing those goals feels great.
“We knew what we can do as a team, and we knew were capable of this. We don’t have cockiness or anything, but we just ran like we should have ran and knew we could run.”
Osterhaus said Hilsabeck and Ford were the biggest difference makers for the Mustangs.
Albia (150) completed the top five, and the rest of the 14-team field included Grand View Christian (152), Davis County (173), Clarinda (213), Underwood (277), Cardinal (287), Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (312), Interstate 35 (314), West Central Valley (363) and Centerville (424).
The final state qualifying individual was Clarinda’s Isaiah Stogdill in 17th. He posted a time of 17:43.02.
PCM head cross country coach Eric Osterhaus knows his four pack at the front of his lineup is valuable, but he also has a group of four battling for the fifth and final scoring spot, too.
“We have four guys who can interchange to be our No. 1. Any of them can run No. 1 on any day,” Coach Osterhaus said.
“I have four guys who can interchange for that No. 5 spot, too. To have that ability has been huge for the boys’ team. When we get to the start line, I’m never concerned about someone having a bad race because there’s depth. I’m lucky enough to have four No. 5 runners.”
It will be the first time at the state meet for everyone on PCM’s roster except for DeRaad.
Coach Osterhaus thinks his team should be ranked in the top 10. He believes the Mustangs can get into the top five at state with a bunch of career-best
Ford was on the varsity last year but made a big jump this season and moved into the No. 4 spot on the team in recent meets.
“The expectations last year set the bar for this year,” Ford said. “I kind of told myself to run my hardest. I went out with the idea to make the race like Chariton. I ran well there and wanted to replicate that today.”
Teeter was impressed with her squad being able to make the state meet without DeRaad. She cited one of the team meetings this season as when the dream of making it back to state became more of a reality.
“I can’t really put this into words,” Teeter said. “It came down to others having to step up with (DeRaad) not in there. We have mature girls and we have girls who are here for the team and that’s a big part of this.
“(Hilsabeck) killed it today. We talk about it all the time in practice. She struggled to be in our top seven last year. Watching her do what she’s doing this year kind of makes me tear up.”
Class 2A No. 2 McKenna Montgomery of Albia won the girls’ race in 18:07.43 and 2A No. 15 Madi Montgomery of Albia was the runner-up in 19:25.09.
Vos of Pella Christian was third in 19:49.73, Class 2A No. 28 Lydia Parlee of Grand View Christian placed fourth in 20:02.55 and 2A No. 27 Ava O’Rourke of Shenandoah was fifth in 20:18.79.
Notes: The 2A girls’ state race is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 31 at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge. … The Mustangs will start from Box 4. That’s next to or near No. 5 Forest City, No. 6 Waukon and No. 1 West Marshall. Third-ranked Pella Christian begins in Box 14, No. 13 Albia is in Box 13 and second-ranked Van Meter is in Box 21.
efforts at Lakeside Golf Course.
“We have to move up because 17:30 is not going to be good enough in the front end,” Coach Osterhaus said. “We have to put four close to 17 flat or faster. And then if our No. 5 can get close to 18 flat, we’ll have a really good day.”
When DeRaad first joined the Mustangs as a freshman, there wasn’t a lot of hope the team could qualify for state. It was more about getting himself into a position to advance to state individually, but the goals have changed the past two seasons.
And for the first time in school history, both PCM cross country teams will compete in the state meet in the same season.
“To be able to see where we are now from where we started, and to play part in that, is the coolest thing I could ever ask for,” DeRaad said. “It went from focusing on me and seeing how good I can get to a totally different feeling the past two seasons.”
Notes: Omondi is a foreign exchange student from Kenya. He was the Mustangs’ fifth runner for a big chunk of the race but faded at the tail end of the course. … The 2A boys’ state race is scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. on Oct. 31 in Fort Dodge. … The Mustangs will start in Box 14. That’s next to or near No. 8 Waukon, No. 10 Tipton and No. 5 Unity Christian.
Ali Hilsabeck
PCM junior Ali Hilsabeck qualified individually for the state cross country meet for the first time in her career. She was one of three Mustangs to finish in the top 12 at the Class 2A state qualifying meet at Central College in Pella on Oct.23 and helped 2A No. 4 PCM advance as a team, too.
Edgington
Ford
Explaining metastatic breast cancer
While the vast majority of women with breast cancer are diagnosed when the disease is in its earliest and most treatable stages, some develop metastatic breast cancer, which is an advanced form of the disease
Breast cancer remains a formidable foe, but the tireless efforts of researchers and organizations that raise awareness of the disease have helped improve the prognosis for millions of women across the globe. Thanks to those efforts, the American Cancer Society can report the five-year survival rate for localized breast cancers is now greater than 99 percent.
While the vast majority of women with breast cancer are diagnosed when the disease is in its earliest and most treatable stages, some develop metastatic breast cancer, which is an advanced form of the disease.
What is metastatic breast cancer?
The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. notes that “metastatic” is a medical term used to define the process by which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body. Metastatic breast cancer occurs when breast cancer cells spread to other parts of the body beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes.
Which stage is metastatic breast cancer?
Metastatic breast cancer can indicate recurrence, and women confronting such situations may recall that staging is an important part of confronting the disease. The ACS notes that staging helps doctors identify if the cancer has spread and, if
so, how far. The earliest stage breast cancer is stage 0, and the most advanced stage is stage IV. Metastatic breast cancer is considered to be stage IV. Is there a cure for metastatic breast cancer?
The organization Susan G. Komen®, which advocates for women with breast cancer and supports research into the disease while aiming to raise awareness of it, notes that there currently is no cure for metastatic breast cancer. Treatment for metastatic breast cancer aims to extend life and help women to maintain their quality of life. And while there may
be no cure for metastatic breast cancer, Susan G. Komen® notes ongoing clinical trials may provide women with an opportunity to try new treatments. In addition, various studies are currently being conducted in the hopes of improving treatment.
What are the symptoms of metastatic breast cancer?
The NBCF notes that the symptoms of metastatic breast cancer can vary depending on how far the cancer has spread and where in the body it has progressed to. But the experts at Johns Hopkins note women who previously have been treat-
ed for breast cancer can keep an eye out for these symptoms that suggest the disease has spread.
• Unusual or persistent back or neck pain that cannot be explained by an injury or exercise
• Pain in the bones
• Unexplained shortness of breath
• Profound fatigue or malaise
• Headache
• Seizures
• Mood changes
• Difficulty with speech
• Changes with vision
What is life like after a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis?
No two women are the same, so each experience with met-
astatic breast cancer will be different. However, Susan G. Komen® notes that managing side effects, including controlling pain, is an area of focus when living with metastatic breast cancer. Supportive care aimed at improving quality of life, including tending to the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of a person diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, also is part of life after a diagnosis.
Knowledge of metastatic breast cancer can help women and their loved ones navigate the disease more effectively in the event of a diagnosis.
Did you know? Facts about Breast Cancer
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 wom-
en 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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