PCM-12-05-2024 by Shaw Media

Local People. Local Stories.

Explorer PCM

Celebrating the state champions

PCM to honor the 2004 championship boys basketball team on Dec. 6

By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer

It has been 20 years since the PCM boys basketball team brought home the first team championship in school history. The district is holding a celebration for the team between the games Dec. 6 at PCM High School.

“A special ceremony to recognize the players and coaches from the team championship team will be held at approximately 7:10 p.m.,” the district said. “This is a great night to show your Mustang pride.”

The undefeated team was coached by now-retired head coach Fred Lorensen and assistant coach Joel Grier. It featured future Iowa Hawkeye and NFL

tight end Brandon Myers who left PCM as the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder.

“Everyone on the team had a role and we knew our roles. We really gelled that season,” Myers said in 2020 when he was selected for induction into the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Along with Myers, seniors Trent Kain, Jerry West, Brook Maher and sophomore Grant Burns started for the Mustangs during the state championship run. Trent Van Genderen, Gavin Wilson, Keaton Van Ryswyk, Justin DeGraff, Drew Weyers, Joey Terpstra, Adam Streeter, Matthew Dop, Corey Snyder and Jeremy Terpstra rounded out the roster.

While playing in “The Barn”

Miller-Meeks reelected to third term in Congress following recount Bohannan-initiated recount shows race was decided by only 798 votes

By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer

formerly known as Veterans Memorial Auditorium, PCM started its championship run with a quarterfinal matchup against Aplington-Parkersburg. The Mustangs glided through with a 62-54 win with the semifinal game next.

The team got a six-point win over Sioux Center to put them in the championship game for the first time where they would meet St. Edmond of Fort Dodge. It was a hard fought double overtime game but the Mustangs came out on top 58-57 to claim the trophy and live forever in Iowa boys basketball history.

It was a moment many will never forget. Now, the communities can once again celebrate the historic accomplishment at a Friday night ball game in the gym.

Volunteers go out of their way to make this Christmas event ‘tree-mendous’

Museum to host its fourth holiday-inspired tour that features more than 200 trees

Miller-Meeks

Results from the districtwide recount of Iowa’s 1st Congressional District race confirm that Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is, indeed, the victor over Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan, who has contested the twoterm seat a second consecutive time. The race was decided by 798 votes. In a notice published by the Jasper County Auditor’s

Office, it stated the results of the recount did not change and therefore there would not be another canvass.

Miller-Meeks issued a press release after being declared the winner, calling her near-800 vote gap an “insurmountable lead” and describing Bohannan a “failed congressional candidate” whose recount would cost Iowa taxpayers almost $20,000. This effectively amounts to a fraction of a penny per person in the district. The recount certainly won’t break the bank for Iowans. But nevertheless it puts an end to one of the most contested races in the state and throughout the

MILLER-MEEKS | 3

Rorabaugh, chair of the Christmas committee for

of Directors, said volunteers go out of their way to ensure

feels like an entirely new experience every year.

By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer

Volunteers have spent a combined 1,200 hours trans -

IT’S ALL ABOUT GIVING

By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer

Back for another beautiful year is the Jasper County 4-H Festival of Trees. Housed at the Jasper County Courthouse, trees surround the centerpiece two-story tree in the rotunda on both the first and second floor.

“Clubs pick a charity or non-profit to support then pick items to either put on the tree to decorate with,” Iowa State University Extension and Outreach County Youth Coordinator Stacey Wilson said.

Overnight at the start of Thanksgiving week trees popped up in the courthouse

forming the Jasper County Historical Museum into a winter wonderland better known as the Tree-mendous Christmas Experience, which is entering its fourth year after a

very successful season in 2023 that managed to draw 1,300 visitors.

Barb Carroll,

treasurer of the

Jasper County 4-H Festival of Trees highlights community-centered giving theme for local clubs

decorated with a variety of ornaments, both traditional and out-of-the-box. 4-H kids from across the county gathered to

make their club’s own unique tree. “It is a really fun night,” Wilson said. “No matter what

Jamee

A. Pierson/ PCM Explorer

The annual Jasper County 4-H Festival of Trees is now set up at the courthouse in Newton. The trees have a variety of themes with an overall theme of “giving.”

kind of day you are having, you see all of the kids, some who haven’t seen each other since the fair, it is exciting and

warms your heart.”

Many organizations benefit from the tree’s themes including Quilts of Valor, the PCM Food Pantry, local animal organizations and a variety of nonprofits throughout the county. The festival not only brings eye candy to the courthouse, it also works to help those in need where they live.

“When we had the Animal Rescue League they would use dog or cat toys,” Wilson said. “They are all so unique. There is one club that makes their tree out of packages of toilet paper that they then donate to the PCM Food Pantry. Then,

Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer

Dave

the Jasper County Historical Museum Board

the Tree-mendous Christmas Experience

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

Former PCM basketball coaches Fred Lorensen and Joel Grier pose with the state championship trophy, center, along with additional state basektball trophies.

Explorer PCM

Worth Mentioning

Send your event to news@pcmexplorer.com

Events at The Gathering Place

Monday, Dec. 9

• 8am Coffee & Prayer with Pastor Ann

• 10am Video Exercise Class

Wednesday, Dec. 11

• 1pm “Get Fit, Move More!” with Amy S. Thursday, Dec 12

• 10am Focus Group meeting

•12:30pm PRE-PLANNING SERVICES presented by Noah Henkenius with Coburn Funeral Homes and Andy Algreen, Realtor

Local talent to perform with Heartland Singers Sunday

Heartland Singers Community Chorus, including Prairie City residents Julie DeVries, Mary Nikkel, Connie Budding, Scott DeVries, Barbara Hoover and Dawn Hutchison, will present “Christmas Combinations: Double the Joy” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8 at Oakwood United Methodist Church, 400 NE 56th St., Pleasant Hill. The program features both sacred and secular seasonal music, old and new, and a Christmas Carol sing-along.

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 and 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays and 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays.

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.

Men’s Recovery meeting

Lighthouse Recovery Ministries hosts a Men’s 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.

PCM Clothing Closet

The PCM Clothing Closet, on the second floor of the Family Life Center at 105 S. Sherman St. in Prairie City, will be open from 3:30 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday and 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays.

Safety first, during the gun deer seasons

For an expected 100,000-plus deer hunters, the long wait is almost over, Iowa’s gun deer seasons are right around the corner.

But before heading to the timber, it’s important that hunters go through their gear, sight in their gun and take time to review their hunting safety plan, said Craig Cutts, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Bureau.

“Hunters should check their blaze orange gear to make sure it still fits and that that orange hasn’t faded to the point of being ineffective,” Cutts said. “We’re not hiding from deer during the firearm seasons; we want to be seen by the other hunters. The more external blaze orange that’s worn, the better the chance that hunters will be seen in the timber.”

The minimum amount

of blaze orange required by Iowa law to hunt in the firearm deer season is a 100 percent solid blaze orange vest, but hunters should wear as much blaze orange as possible, he said.

“We have a lot more hunters choosing rifles and rifles can travel much greater distances so blaze orange is really important,” he said. “But they also need to be cognizant of that distance, so they need to take good shots – avoid shooting at running deer, and know what’s in front of and behind the deer, in case the shot misses.”

Not shooting at running deer is key to avoiding property damage or injuring another hunter. With the added distance rifles are capable of, hunters really need to be aware of what is behind the deer if the shot misses.

Cutts said there has been an average of nine hunting related incidents

over the past three deer gun seasons involving rifles with around six involving personal injuries. Following the hunting plan is another way to avoid problems.

The hunting plan identifies the location, outlines each person’s role, describes how it will unfold and when the hunters are expected to return home. Hunters are encouraged to leave a copy of the plan with someone in the event of an emergency.

“You cannot deviate from the plan,” Cutts said. “The problems start when you see the deer coming out of a different area than you expected, then leave your location to get closer to the deer and suddenly the hunter is in the line of fire.”

Iowa’s first gun season is Dec. 7-11; second gun season is Dec. 14-22.

For more information on hunting safety, contact your local conservation officer.

Tips to avoid scams when shopping this holiday season

While many people will receive legitimate emails and messages from delivery companies and businesses this holiday shopping season, sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between real and fake solicitations. UScellular wants to help ensure you stay diligent and prevent being scammed.

Identity thieves know that shoppers may be particularly vulnerable during the holiday season. If the message conveys urgency and asks you to do something immediately, consider that a red flag. You also should never click on a link in a text message unless you are 100 percent certain who sent it. Be especially vigilant about fake promotions, popup ads, package tracking emails, e-cards, charity donation links and purchase confirmation emails.

When in doubt, call the organization directly.

“Now that the holiday shopping season is here, we want to provide consumers with tips to stay safe while buying gifts for family and friends,” Joshua Olbricht, UScellular’s director of sales for east Iowa, said. “UScellular wants to help customers find everything on their list, without the threat of fraud and scammers ruining their holiday spirit.”

If you suspect a message is a scam, you can report it using the free SpamResponse app that empowers customers to easily report potential text message spam. In response to reported spam, UScellular can investigate fraudulent websites – and can get them shut down to create a safer and better customer experience.

UScellular has the following tips

to help you prevent scams around the holidays or anytime:

• Do not respond to unwanted texts from questionable sources.

• Don’t click on links in texts from any unknown numbers.

• Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately. If you miss a call from an unknown number, don’t call it back.

• You may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed. Caller ID showing a “local” number does not necessarily mean it is a local caller.

• Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords or other identifying information if you are at all suspicious.

Iowa researcher: ‘Hardening’ schools doesn’t stop classroom violence

Mark Moran Iowa News Service

Researchers say increasing the police presence in schools isn’t the best way to address classroom violence. One expert in Iowa says educators would do better to treat the underlying causes.

Fifty years ago, just 1 percent of the nation’s public schools had police officers on campus. That number has jumped to more than 40 percent now.

The 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado prompted officials to harden schools with more police presence, thinking it would keep students safer. Iowa State University Associate Dean for the

Mental Health First

Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Monic Behnken said academic research shows that hasn’t worked.

“What the literature is clear about for the past 20 years is actually the thing that you want to do is, you want to soften your schools,” said Behnken. “You want to increase access to therapists, counselors, social workers, community liaisons.”

Behnken said these professionals can address the emotional and

social stressors among kids before they’d commit crimes.

She added that although school shootings have increased and get huge media attention when they happen, they are still statistically rare.

Behnken said data show that School Resource Officers (SROs), have next to no impact on stopping violence, bullying, or even schoolyard fights - but they do have a big impact in other areas.

“The research shows that SROs are good at policing,” said Behnken. “So, they are fantastic in a school that has a drug problem. They are fantastic at a school that has a gang problem.” Behnken said otherwise, more officers on school campuses can do more harm than goodbecause school staff may learn to rely on SROs to solve discipline problems that administrators could handle without having to involve the police.

I don’t like to act this way. I just need help.

I don’t like to act this way. I just need hel

I don’t like to act this way. I just need help.

I don’t like to act this way. I Ju

Adobe Stock Research shows kids tend to get along with School Resource Officers regardless of the student’s ethnic background, according to Iowa State University’s Monic Behnken.

country. Miller-Meeks said she is deeply honored to have the recount completed and once again secure her reelection for a third term.

“I want to thank the election officials, volunteers and recount boards who worked tirelessly, even during this holiday week,” Miller-Meeks said. “I am now looking forward to getting back to work in Washington to lower prices at the gas pump, grocery store and on prescription drugs, secure the border and help farmers.”

Bohannan congratulated Miller-Meeks on her victory and hoped that during the congresswoman’s next term “she will listen to Iowans and deliver for the hardworking people who depend on her to represent them.” It was not the result Bohannan wanted, but she was proud of her campaign.

“We exceeded all expectations and turned a district that many pundits thought was unwinnable into one of the very closest races in the country,” she said.

Bohannan commended her campaign for standing up to “the political establishment and corporate special interests that have taken advantage of hardworking Iowans for far too long.”

The Democrat was grateful to the thousands of Iowans who joined the campaign and believed in her.

“And I am honored by the roughly half of Iowans in this district – people of all political parties – who voted for me to be their next congresswoman,” Bohannan said. “Although I won’t be able to represent them in Washington, D.C. this January, I want them to know that I will continue our important work of putting Iowa first.”

Earlier this month, the Bohannan campaign declared it wanted a full recount of the congressional district race in all 20 counties, including Jasper County. At that time, results from the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office showed Miller-Meeks leading by just 802 votes. It was close, but not nearly as close as four years ago.

In 2020, the race between Miller-Meeks and Democrat Rita Hart was decided by only six votes in the Republican’s favor. Still, the Bohannan campaign said it wanted to be absolutely certain every voter was heard and asked for a recount as permitted by state law, much to the dismay of many Republicans.

The Bohannan campaign said it would accept results regardless of out-

come. Because the margins were close enough for a recount, the Associated Press had not yet called an election winner for the Miller-Meeks and Bohannan race prior to the recount. Associated Press officially called the race on the afternoon of Nov. 27. Here is Miller-Meeks’s full statement after the recount:

Iamdeeplyhonoredtohavetherecountcompletedandonceagainsecure reelectionsoIcancontinueservingthe hardworkingpeopleofsoutheastIowa. I want to thank the election officials, volunteers, and recount boards who workedtirelessly,evenduringthisholidayweek.Iamnowlookingforwardto gettingbacktoworkinWashingtonto lower prices at the gas pump, grocery storeandonprescriptiondrugs,secure theborderandhelpfarmers.

Here is Bohannan’s full statement after the recount:

I want to thank our election officials and volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure every lawful vote was counted in this election. And I especially want to thank Iowans for their patienceduringthisprocess.IcongratulateMariannetteMiller-Meeksonher victory. In her next term, I hope she willlistentoIowansanddeliverforthe hardworking people who depend on hertorepresentthem.

Although this is not the result we wanted, I am so proud of our campaign. We exceeded all expectations and turned a district that many pundits thought was unwinnable into one oftheveryclosestracesinthecountry. Butwhat’smoreimportantisthatthis wasacampaignofvalues.Westoodup to the political establishment and corporatespecialintereststhathavetaken advantage of hardworking Iowans for far too long. We fought for our fundamental freedoms and for an economy where people who work hard cannot onlygetby,butgetahead.Wereached across political divides to solve our toughestproblems,restorefaithinour government, and make a better future forourchildrenandgrandchildren.

IamgratefultothethousandsofIowans who joined our grassroots campaignforbelievinginme,sharingthese values, and giving of their precious time and treasure to make our ideals a reality.

And I am honored by the roughly half of Iowans in this district – people of all political parties – who voted for me to be their next congresswoman. Although I won’t be able to represent them in Washington DC this January, IwantthemtoknowthatIwillcontinueourimportantworkofputtingIowa first.

museum’s board of directors, said every year the organizers and decorating teams work tirelessly to not only make every event bigger and better, they go out of their way to ensure no trees are the same, no decorations the same. They want each visit to feel like a new experience.

“We always knew we wanted to make it different every year,” she said. “Last year I thought to myself, ‘How are we ever going to top this?’ Now this year is even prettier than it was last year and last year was terrific for us! We’ve got such a great volunteer group that come in from all over the county to help.”

Newton News previously reported that visits from the 2023 event came from 59 towns, 24 counties and 16 states. The museum was awarded another Hotel-Motel Tourism Grant from the city this year to help the event bring people to town. Carroll said organizers have extended their reach with more advertising this year.

Especially in areas outside of Jasper County. Carroll is looking forward to the excitement it brings to families who tour through the museum and see the more than 200 decorated trees on display with the museum exhibits. All the old school decorations and the festive colors create a uniquely fun atmosphere.

“Forget about all the stuff going on out in the world and come in here and walk through the wonderland,” Carroll said to Newton News. “It’s absolutely gorgeous and put you in the spirit and give you a peaceful heart when you see all these wonderful trees and all these beautiful decorations.”

The Tree-mendous Christmas Experience is the brainchild of Dave Rorabaugh, chair of the museum’s Christmas committee. Rorabaugh has bemoaned past comments saying the event is the same every year. Bah humbug! Visitors have to look no further than their first steps into the museum to know that is wrong.

“The Newton Arboretum’s display is outstanding,” he said. “It’s one of the

first things you’ll see when you walk in. I think it’s a home run and we really appreciate the time and effort they’ve put in because it is not only a build that took several days, it took all summer to dry out the plants.”

Every year the museum tries to reserve trees to acknowledge military service members, local churches and even departed loved ones. Rorabaugh said volunteers truly make an effort to have trees and displays that respond well to anybody who walks through the museum.

“I think we’ve done an excellent job this year,” he said. “Every year we think it’s the best. Well, I still think this one is by far the best.”

The event also stands out for being open on Christmas Day, letting families a chance to get out of the house and enjoy a family-friendly outing.

“We’ve had really ‘tree-mendous’ success on Christmas Day,” Rorabaugh said. “The volunteers we have to make this happen is unbelievable. One of the most impressive things to me is how the community comes out, supports us and puts the hours in to make this what it is.”

Diane Dafflitto, secretary of the museum’s board of directors, has spent a great deal of time decorating the place. She said her preparation for the big event started as early as February this year when she started creating homemade decorations for trees and other displays.

However, the actual decorating in the museum didn’t start until September. Dafflitto said volunteers rotate every year, so the people who decorated a room last year have moved on to a different room. Again, she said this is to help make it so the Tree-mendous Christmas Experience never gets old or samey.

“The same people don’t do the same area year after year after year,” Dafflitto said. “We rotate everything.”

Jasper County Historical Museum’s Tree-mendous Christmas Experience kicks off 1-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, and 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at 1700 S. 15th Ave. W. in Newton. The event is open 1-8 p.m. Saturdays and 1-4 p.m. Sundays until Dec. 29, and it will be open 1-4 p.m. on Christmas Day.

Then, they wrap garland around it.”

First hosted by the Jasper County Fair Board in Colfax at the fairgrounds, the festival coincided with the Colfax Country Christmas event. As the years progressed, the 4-H clubs took over the organizing and in 2006 it moved to the county seat.

“It is a good fit, the building is so pretty,” Wilson said. “We do get a lot of compliments and positive comments on the festival. We like to bring to light that 4-H is not just for farm and rural kids. There is community service involved, life skills involved, record keeping and all kinds of communication skills. This brings let the public see all of the citizenship that 4-H clubs and kids do.”

And for almost two decades it has made the courthouse home for the holiday season. While the trees will be up until after Christmas, those wanting to see all of the decorations will need to stop by before the 25th. As the holiday approaches, some of the items used to decorate the trees will make their way to the people and organizations the trees are based around to celebrate the giving theme.

Trump is giving taxpayers trillions of reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving

My fellow Iowans sent me to the Senate ten years ago to make the porkers squeal.

It’s been a very lonely fight.

Even in this era of political polarization, Democrats and Republicans always come together in agreement over one issue: living high off the hog.

When faced with proposals to trim the fat from Washington’s budget, the turkeys in Congress from both parties act like Goldilocks. The portions are always too little or too big, always too hard, and never just right.

From Washington, DC

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst

But the real “make-believe” of this fairy tale is that it’s impossible to reduce Washington’s budget without causing pain. Most Americans aren’t even benefitting in any meaningful way from hundreds of billions of dollars being wasted. President Biden added more than

Women’s reaction to Trump’s victory

By Steve Corbin

Part2ofa3-partseries

Donald Trump’s Nov. 5 victory was decisive. Period. The margin of votes he received from women shocked virtually everyone, especially since his opponent, Kamala Harris, tried to break the glass ceiling.

On Nov. 6, I reached out to women across America and asked for their reaction — in two sentences or less — to the election results. Thirty-six women, from 24 states, replied to my inquiry. The first op-ed of this 3-part series shared with readers the feelings of 11 women. This op-ed will feature the thoughts of 12 additional women. The third op-ed in this 3-part series, yet to be published, will share the sentiment of 13 women.

“I am very happy Trump got re-elected as when he was president life was good; in the last four years it’s hard to make a living — price of food, gas, utilities, home, car and health insurance is no longer affordable. I do not believe the country is safe anymore with all the illegal immigrants that have flocked into the U.S.” — JL

“Shocked, fearful, disgusted and searching for the light — my resolve is to fight for our democracy, our country and Kamala Harris. She is brilliant, level-headed and resourceful; and we — the women — must raise our voices and clear the path for Harris to the White House — her time is coming with our help.” - Pandi

“I woke up (after the election was called) to my fears of the climate’s effect on my children and grandchildren and the world they will live in. My second fear was how the Supreme Court will continue to rule on their personal beliefs and not based upon the rule of law.” — Maggie

“The idea of a woman as our president is a bridge too far for our country. I worry about young women who will need good health care especially those with difficult pregnancies and add to that the battle against vaccinations from polio, measles, whooping cough and whatever else this administration (Trump) will dream up.” — Sarah

“I am frightened for our country, for I do believe many of those among us do not truly understand the horror of electing Trump to office.” — Jeannie

“I am extremely upset that 50 percent of our country either held their nose and voted for the ultimate conman, or put

the cost of eggs above democracy. These people will likely hear `we tried to tell you’ quite often in the next four years.” — Ella

“I grieve for all that could have been in our country and our world: growing equality for women, expanded opportunities for lower and middle class Americans, vital assistance to our allies, respect and dignity for ALL, and the growth of environmental protections for our country and our planet. I just grieve.” — Marie

“It’s obvious the United States is not ready for a female president because we (women) have not earned respect or trust from the majority. We (women) need to improve our professionalism, control our emotions, be totally supportive and inclusive of ALL (including straight, white men), learn how to negotiate and quit acting like victims!” — Hope

“Ignorance and arrogance continue to prevail in our society. It’s extremely disappointing we can’t seem to move forward as a society, but continue moving backwards.” — Emma

“In the next four years the principles and practices of our democracy will diminish and those who were in the Trump camp will not experience `the greatness’ he promised and our status in the world will decline since other democracies don’t favor dictators. And, I thought that by 2024 misogyny by men had been eliminated or greatly reduced in our country, but from the recent voting gender gap results, I -- an informed and active voter -- was sadly wrong.” — Punky

“Devastated — that’s how I feel today and that’s how I felt 18 years ago when I began to miscarry my third child at 10 weeks. My compassionate OBGYN offered a D & C procedure as it was my body and not controlled by the government.” — Amy

“This election was a battle against widespread disinformation fueled by a racist patriarchy and bolstered by the evolving Aristocracy in this country, other autocratic governments and a powerful radical right-wing agenda.”

- Kathleen

By reading the first and second op-eds of this 3-part series, you now know the sentiment about the presidential election outcome from 23 different women. Next up: Part three of this 3-part oped series will express the thoughts of 13 additional women. Contact Steve Corbin at Steven.B.Corbin@gmail. com

$8 trillion in red ink in just four years. Instead of sticking a fork in his borrowing and spending, he keeps gobbling up more tax dollars on his way out the door. Biden’s binge-buying bureaucrats are being ordered to work overtime— including weekends—spending billions of dollars as quickly as possible before President-elect Trump takes office in January.

So then why am I squealing with joy?

Because we are making Washington go cold turkey.

President Trump is giving taxpayers trillions of reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are being tasked with heading up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with the mission of finding trillions of dollars of savings for taxpay-

ers by downsizing government. There’s no team better suited to lead the operation. And to support their efforts, I am chairing the Senate DOGE Caucus.

Washington’s out-of-control spending put our nation $36 trillion in debt. With another $3 billion being added every day just to pay for the interest, the longer we delay tackling the problem, the further away the finish line gets. For stuffing the budget like a turkey, I am giving my November 2024 Squeal Award to President Biden. As food for thought, I am putting trillions of dollars of savings on the menu, including gravy trains and lots of unwanted sides, for DOGE to dig into. Joni Ernst, a native of Red Oak and acombatveteran,representsIowainthe United States Senate.

Breaking the rules

By Bryan Golden

We all grow up being indoctrinated with rules that limit us. The purveyors of this information are not malicious. They are simply passing along what they themselves have been taught.

You are probably aware of one or more of the following rules. Decide for yourself if you have been limited by any of them.

Don’t rock the boat — This rule encourages conformity. Conformity offers a protection from criticism. But those who succeed don’t care about criticism. They become adept at new or better ways of doing things in spite of opinions.

Nice guys finish last — According to this maxim, being nice is a recipe for failure. Therefore, if you want to succeed you may have to compromise your ethics. In actuality, those who consistently do the best are nice, considerate, and concerned about the well being of others.

It takes money to make money — There are so many examples of wealthy individuals who have started from scratch, that it’s odd this rule still persists at all.

It’s not what you know but who you know — Granted, networking with the right people can accelerate goal achievement. However, if you connect with the right people but have no expertise, any edge will be lost and you will develop a reputation as a fraud. You don’t have to start with connections. With persistence, you will meet the right people.

Be concerned about what others think — You have to do what is right for you. It doesn’t matter what others say, think, or do. Follow your own path.

Don’t take chances — Living is taking a chance. Nothing is guaranteed. If something doesn’t work out as desired, adjust your strategy and keep going. Virtually all achievement is the result of taking chanc-

Life will be better

Life will be better, or at least I presume so, after we load freight trains full of immigrants and deposit them in some desert in northern Mexico. Now I personally don’t know any illegal immigrants, nor do I know anyone that does know any, so I haven’t felt personal fear from them; but life will obviously be better, more secure, and idyllic if we get rid of them.

How do I know this? It has to be. The major issue raised in the last national election was illegal immigration. In speeches, editorials, and satellite news, we have heard the constant refrain of the awfulness of this hoard of people coming across the border uninvited. There must be a rather striking difference between an invited immigrant and an uninvited immigrant. Apparently there is sufficient danger in this hoard of illegals to frighten the most stalwart.

es. It’s the way things have always been done — If mankind had followed this rule, we would still be living in the Stone Age. Doing things differently leads to improvements. Ask questions. Don’t perpetuate behavior that makes no sense.

Good things never last — Life has its ups and downs. With the right attitude, effort, action, and perseverance, you can have a lot more good than bad. Take an active role in what happens to you. Don’t settle for what you don’t want.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket — This isn’t necessarily a bad rule. The danger is that it detracts from your focus. Often it is better to put your eggs in one basket, and then put all of your energy into guarding that basket. You have to be lucky to succeed — Of course luck helps. But the harder you work, the more luck you’ll have. Luck determines lottery winners. Effort determines success in life.

The danger increases daily. Loading up trainloads of immigrants is of such importance that the whole country must be reminded daily of the danger of not accomplishing this. The danger is imminent. We must all be on board with this homeland cleansing sort of thing. Obviously the danger must be to our way of life, our wellbeing, our very existence. It has to be. One can not go through a day in contact with others either at work, at the gym, or attending some sporting event, without hearing random comments of the dangers posed by illegal immigrants. I’ve even heard say that they come armed with high powered weapons and backpacks full of fentanyl. We certainly don’t condone this behavior and the quicker we get rid of several million of these people and finish building that wall between us and Mexico, all will be well. Those who say so have convinced me.

The word I used “those” is a key here. Apparently everyone knows more than I do. I try to be somewhat up on national and world events by

Passively sitting around waiting for circumstances to improve won’t yield any positive results.

Money is the root of all evil — People use this one to justify why they are not earning as much as they would like. The original statement is that love of money is the root of all evil. Money is simply a tool that can be used for constructive or destructive purposes. Money is earned as a result of one’s service to others.

Don’t daydream — Dreams are the foundation for all accomplishment. Thoughts of situations that don’t yet exist are a great motivator. Dreams give a person a vision of what could be. All that has been accomplished throughout history started with a dream.

Don’t hesitate to break any rules that limit your success. If a rule doesn’t help you or someone else, ignore it.

Contact Bryan Golden atBryan@columnist.com

subscribing to a few newspapers and monthly publications but I’ll be darned if I have felt any impending doom. Now I have been told, by a neighbor actually (not in Mingo) that there is an apartment in New Jersey with a group of illegal immigrants with high-powered firepower. Our governor has sent Iowa State troopers to the border to help control this flood of drugs and criminals coming into the United States. There was one illegal immigrant that was convicted of a heinous sex crime somewhere here in the States. Apparently and clearly I should be more aware. So the facts speak for themselves; they have to go. Our well being depends on us being rid of these people. Just because we make their lives even more miserable than it already is should not deter us. Our lives and comfort are what count. Always has been and always will be. Just because you are miserable, have nothing, and nowhere to go, this is not my problem.

Richard E. H. Phelps II Mingo

Neighbors

Decorating a 33-foot Christmas tree in the courthouse is tough but rewarding

Jasper County maintenance director knows just how important it is to community

By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer

Soon the historical Jasper County Courthouse will be lit up like a Christmas tree in downtown Newton. But there is another tree that also takes a fair amount of work to get ready in time for the holidays. It’s located inside the courthouse rotunda and it is about four to five times as tall as your average Christmas tree.

Every year the maintenance staff at Jasper County construct an enormous tree that fills the rotunda to its limits and serves as a holiday centerpiece. Jasper County Maintenance Director Adam Sparks acknowledges it is certainly a labor of love, but every year he is swiftly reminded of its importance to the community.

Newton News had a chance to speak with Sparks back in October about the holiday decorations at the courthouse:

1. Can you introduce yourself to readers?

Sparks: My name is Adam Sparks, the maintenance director for Jasper County. I do a little bit of everything for the county. What we’re doing now is getting stuff ready for Christmas, but on a daily basis it’s just maintenance and preventative maintenance of all the buildings I take care of for the county. We’ve got about eight buildings now that we’re taking care of, including two garages.

2. Tell me what it is you and your staff do for the courthouse during the holidays.

Sparks: When Christmas season comes, the maintenance task is to take care of the interior part of the building. We set up the Christmas tree, we do all of the decorating inside and a little bit outside on the lampposts and then mainly the electricians, Van Maanen Electric, they come every year and put up the lights on the outside of the building to turn it into a Christmas tree. They do that every year and it’s at no cost to the county or any tax-

payers or out of the Christmas Fund itself.

3. How important is it to the community to have the decorations for the holiday season?

Sparks: I’ve been working for the county for 18 years. When I first came to town I worked at Brooker Plumbing & Heating, so I would attend the lighting ceremony just like you and everybody else in the county did. But at that time I really didn’t know what it was exactly or how the community felt about it. Now after being here for 18 years, as we’re setting up the tree every year, seeing people and their reaction — you can just tell the enjoyment and excitement people in this community get about it. Every year they’re excited by this and want

to see it come back.

4. Has it always been this way? Has Jasper County always gone all out when decorating for Christmas?

Sparks: I do remember when I first started we used to have a very tall tree at the courthouse. Nothing like we do now. But that tree somewhere along the lines, about three or four years in, it was very dated and it broke. So about four or five years in we had to put in a new tree and it wasn’t a big tree. It was a 10-foot tree. I noticed then we didn’t put back what was there. We kind of downgraded. And when we downgraded, it was not taken well. 5. Oh man. But that’s not the case now!

Sparks: Correct! We’ve definitely been able to upgrade trees now. We have about a 33-foot tree to the top of the star right now. We would like to grow it bigger but it’s just something we can’t do because the base is so big. We’ve almost occupied all the space in the bottom of the rotunda. We still have to leave room for the wheelchairs to get around. There is just enough room now to get around that.

6. You’ve done initiatives in the past to help the courthouse, like improving the clocktower. What does the courthouse mean to you?

Sparks: I’m not from this community so this isn’t a place I grew up or, before I moved here, had much passion for. It

was just a place I moved to. But after working at the county, I realized what that building is. That building is 100-plus years old. Everything in that building that is not new is just of that age. It’s able to stay that way because this county has a little bit of money and they invest that. It all comes from the boards sitting in place. At the end of the day, they choose whether to invest money into that place. They’ve done a good job. It’s very well-maintained. It’s a 100-plus-year-old building. If it goes away, there will never be anything like that again.

7. What drives your passion in preserving the county courthouse?

Sparks: I just like seeing it there. Regardless of if it is always in use, I think it is a building that will always be there, even if someday clear down the road it just turns into this place we go and see and see all the things that are left there. For a couple years now we’ve kind of turned the west lobby into some sort of a museum. We took everything we could find throughout the county that had a lot of age to it like old blueprints, old clocks, old safes — things that you’ll never be able to get back. If they’re gone, they’re gone for good. So they’re all in the west lobby now and easy for the community to see. Not only can they see the TV of the clocktower clock in action, but they can turn around and see another clock behind them that we had to take parts off of to make our clock one whole piece again.

8. A lot of work goes into decorating the courthouse. But is it still something you look forward to doing every year?

Sparks: You’re right it is a lot of work. I don’t know that I love getting ready to drag it out (laughs) but once you start to see the public come in and you see the enjoyment from them, that’s when you realize what you’re doing it for. It’s not for yourself. It’s for everyone else that is here.

Be mindful of pets during the holiday season

The magic and wonder of the holiday season can be enthralling for people of all ages. There is so much to see and do during the holiday season, making it easy to forge lasting memories.

With so much to do in December, life at home can sometimes feel a little hectic, especially for the family pet. Although the holidays can be exciting, the season can induce anxiety in pets. Pets like cats and dogs often thrive on routine and familiarity. Switch up that routine and various behavioral issues can arise, including having accidents in the home. Pets also may become more destructive, chewing or clawing at items to release pent-up tension and anxiety. Pet owners who want the season to be festive for their pets can consider the following strategies.

• Gradually introduce new items. Gradually decorate living spaces so pets can grow acclimated to their newly decorated environs. Add a few pieces to rooms each day until you finally have all of your decorations out for display. This way pets can sniff around the decorations and realize they do not pose a threat.

• Keep familiar pet belongings. Try not to upset the apple cart too much in regard to pets’ cherished possessions. For example, do not move the dog bed from the living room and place the Christmas tree in its place. Pets need that familiarity and having some of their items with familiar smells can make for a smooth adjustment to holiday decorations.

• Designate a pet-safe zone. If you will be inviting people over during the holidays, set aside a room for pets so they can be in relative quiet away from boisterous crowds. Locking pets away also helps prevent their escape from the home as guests come and go.

• Secure the tree and other decorations. Pets are often curious about new things, and they may climb or paw at items to try to understand them better. Decorative items may end up being knocked over by curious pets. Secure the tree using a string and an anchor to the ceiling or wall like you might secure a large screen TV to prevent it from tipping over. Keep breakable ornaments and other trinkets behind display cases or beyond the reach of pets.

• Discourage pets from using decorations as toys. Reprimand pets or move them away from holiday decor so they don’t get the idea that these items are now their toys.

• Be careful with holiday foods. Holiday foods and desserts are rich and full of ingredients that may not be healthy for pets. Keep a secure lid on trash pails and remind holiday guests that pets should not be fed table scraps. Pets may need some time to adjust to the changes that come with holiday decorating and celebrating to keep them happy and safe. — Metro Creative

Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer

Jasper County Maintenance Director Adam Sparks and his staff are in charge of constructing the 33-foot Christmas tree in the rotunda of the county courthouse every year.

PCM girls score second straight win over Knoxville

MONROE — Addison Steenhoek put in 20 points, Libby Winters grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds and the PCM girls basketball team cruised past Knoxville 61-25 during its home opener on Nov. 26.

The Class 3A No. 11 Mustangs used a fast start to down the Panthers in the non-conference contest.

PCM led 18-8 after one quarter and outscored Knoxville 25-4 in the second and 13-3 in the third.

It was PCM’s second straight win over Knoxville (0-1). The two teams are 7-7 against each other since 2010.

Steenhoek added two rebounds, three assists and four steals to her 20 points.

Lila Milani put in 12 points and swiped three steals and Tori Lindsay tallied seven points, five boards and four assists.

Winters scored six points, corralled 11 rebounds and dished out two assists and Kyra Naeve added six points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Kenna Grier chipped in five points and two rebounds, Rebecca De Vries contributed three points and five boards and Holly Wood collected two assists and two steals.

Katelynn Fagg and Bailey Wheeler each pulled down two rebounds.

The Mustangs (2-0) shot 41.5 percent from the floor, made 6-of-23 from 3-point range and buried 11-of-16 from the free-throw line. PCM turned the ball over 12 times.

Addison Steenhoek

Mustang trio headlines 21 football players on all-district squad

The PCM football team cruised through Class 2A District 6 play this past season. The Mustangs outscored their district foes 257-29, the defense pitched one shutout and allowed 5.8 points per game and the offense scored more than 51 points per contest.

That domination resulted in 21 players earning all-district recognition as the teams were released after the Mustangs lost in the state semifinals in November.

Leading the way for PCM were seniors Adrien Robbins, Trenner Van Dyke and Tate Birkenholtz. Robbins was the district’s offensive MVP, Van Dyke earned defensive MVP and Birkenholtz was the lineman of the year.

The rest of the first-team selections were seniors Gavin Van Gorp, Riley Graber, Kaden Clark, Harlan Shannon, Finn Wilson, Tad Wilson, Brevin DeRaad and Carson Hansen, juniors Braedyn Lester, Keegan Fenton, Gavin Steenhoek, Dominic Witt and Alex Wendt and freshman Hayden Shannon.

The second-team choices were senior Gavin DeRaad and juniors Evan Jones, Shay Burns and Chase Wagaman.

All-district recogntion is based on statistics inside district play only. The Mustangs won the district title with a 5-0 record.

Robbins earned the District 6 Offensive MVP after leading the district with 882 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns and 1,005 offensive yards. He also led the district with an 11.6 yards per carry average and ranked second with 13 offensive touchdowns.

Robbins added five catches for 91 yards and one TD.

PCM senior Addison

Steenhoek led the Class 3A No. 11 Mustangs with 20 points in their victory over Knoxville on Nov. 26.

Steenhoek added four rebounds, three assists and four steals in the non-conference win. PCM improved to 2-0 this season.

Van Dyke was the District 6 Defensive MVP after tying for the district lead with four sacks and two fumble recoveries. He also was third with six tackles for loss and finished with 13.5 tackles.

Birkenholtz was part of an offensive line that helped PCM lead the district in several offensive categories.

He was joined on the offensive line by first-team selections Clark, Lester and Hayden Shannon and the Mustangs led the district with 1,334 rushing yards, 2,221 offensive yards and 37 touchdowns.

PCM also led the district with an 8.7 yards per carry average and its 19 rushing touchdowns and 18 passing touchdowns led the league.

Van Gorp was a first-team quarterback after leading the district with 17 passing TDs and no interceptions. He also ranked first in total touchdowns with 19 and ranked second with 765 passing yards while also having 21 less passing attempts than the leader.

Van Gorp rushed for 92 yards and two scores, too, and had a completion percentage of 81.4.

The rest of the first-team offense featured wide receivers Graber and Steenhoek and fullback Fenton.

Graber led the district with eight receiving TDs and finished third with 352 receiving yards. His 15 catches ranked tied for sixth, and he averaged 23.5 yards per reception.

Steenhoek ranked third with 21 catches, second with six receiving TDs and fifth with 285 receiving yards. Fenton rushed for 15 yards and one TD on three carries.

Witt was the first-team kicker after leading the district with 31 touchbacks in his 43 attempts. He also was 1-of-2 in field goals.

Harlan Shannon and Wendt were first-team defensive linemen. Wendt finished with 6.5 tackles and one sack and ranked tied for fourth in the district with five tackles for loss. Harlan Shannon registered one tackle and one tackle for loss.

Finn Wilson, Tad Wilson and Brevin DeRaad all were first-team linebackers. Brevin DeRaad finished with 23.5 tackles and two tackles for loss, Finn Wilson and Tad Wilson tallied 11.5 tackles each and Tad Wilson added two tackles for loss and one sack.

Hansen tied for second in the district with two interceptions and collected 4.5 tackles and one tackle for loss.

Jones, Burns and Gavin DeRaad were second-team linebackers and Wagaman was a second-team defensive back.

Jones posted 14 tackles, Wagaman and Burns each collected 5.5 tackles and Gavin DeRaad added five tackles and one tackle for loss.

Class 2A District 6 Final Standings Team District Overall PCM 5-0 11-1 West Marshall 4-1 7-3 Union Community 2-3 3-6 Jesup 2-3 4-5 Iowa Falls-Alden 2-3 2-7 Vinton-Shellsburg 0-5 0-9 Offensive MVP Adrien Robbins, sr., PCM. Lineman of the Year Tate Birkenholtz, sr., PCM Defensive MVP Trenner Van Dyke, sr., PCM Coach of the Year Jared Pospisil, Union. All District First Team Offense Quarterbacks: Gavin Van Gorp, sr., PCM; Vincent Clawson, sr., West Marshall; Preston Youngblut, sr., Jesup. Running backs: Keegan Fenton, jr., PCM; Ben Gonzalez, sr., West Marshall. Wide Receivers/Tight End: Riley Graber, sr., PCM; Gavin Steenhoek, jr., PCM; Tyce Larson, jr., Jesup; Justice Luke, sr., Union Community; Jace Eich, sr., West Marshall. Offensive Line: Kaden Clark, sr., PCM; Braedyn Lester, jr., PCM; Hayden Shannon, fr., PCM; Cash Johnston, sr., West Marshall; Luke Stewart, sr., West Marshall. Utility: Caden Sorensen, jr., Union; Holden Simms, sr., West Marshall. Kicker: Dominic Witt, jr., PCM. Return Specialist: Kinnick Geers, jr., West Marshall. First Team Defense Defensive Line: Alex Wendt, jr., PCM; Harlan Shannon, sr., PCM; Andrew Devlin, jr., Jesup; Eric Neipert, sr., Union; Trevor Bailey, sr., Iowa Falls-Alden; Wyatt Walker, sr., Union. Linebackers: Finn Wilson, sr., PCM; Brevin DeRaad, sr., PCM; Tad Wilson, sr., PCM; Michael Lechnir, sr., West Marshall; Brock Bergmeier, jr., Union; Carter Debates, sr., Iowa Falls-Alden. Defensive Backs: Carson Hansen, sr., PCM; Paxten McHone, sr., Jesup; Nathan Roeske, sr., Iowa Falls-Alden; Shane Hanford, jr., West Marshall; Caden Pfantz, sr., West Marshall. Utility: AJ Dee, jr., West Marshall; Alex Bramow, sr., Vinton-Shellsburg. Punter: Wade Weuve, sr., West Marshall. Second Team PCM — Evan Jones, jr., linebacker; Gavin DeRaad, sr., linebacker; Chase Wagaman, jr., defensive back; Shay Burns, jr., linebacker. West Marshall — Aiden Knea, linebacker; Dawson Goodman, linebacker; Todd Peters, offensive line; Connor Schuler, offensive line; Brady Larson, offensive line. Jesup — Ryan Treptow, quarterback; JD Sadler, offensive line; Hunter Surly, offensive line; Kaden Lange, linebacker; Abe Sullivan, defensive back. Union Community — Andrew Sadler, quarterback; Briar Mast, linebacker; Cooper Spore, wide receiver; Brayden Bohnsack, defensive back; Zury Seuser, offensive line. Iowa Falls-Alden — Keaton Mulford, linebacker; Porter Isaacson, offensive line; Carter Weaver, wide receiver; Andrew Bartlett, linebacker;

PCM Explorer

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM junior Tori Lindsay (11) passes the ball up the floor during the team’s jamboree in Sully earlier this season. Lindsay tallied seven points, five boards and four assists in the Mustangs’ home win over Knoxville on Nov. 26.

Reece Rankin, defensive line. Vinton-Shellsburg — Jacoby Johnson, wide receiver; Reagan Salger, special teams; Aiden Parmater, offensive line; Colson Chvala, linebacker.

PCM Explorer

Van Dyke

Har. Shannon

Van Gorp Clark

Birkenholtz

Lester Hay. Shannon

G. DeRaad

Jones

Graber

Witt Burns

F. Wilson

Wendt

Steenhoek

Wagaman

Hansen B. DeRaad

Fenton

T. Wilson

Robbins

Explorer PCM

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A few gas fireplace safety tips

Few images capture the spirit of a season as well as a family gathered around a fireplace embodies winter. Winter is indeed a time when families spend more time together indoors, and there’s no better gathering spot than around a warm fireplace.

Heartwarming scenes around a fireplace are even more enjoyable when safety has been prioritized. While natural fireplaces with roaring flames are notable safety risks, it’s important that individuals with gas fireplaces embrace fire safety as well. The following are some gas fireplace safety strategies everyone can embrace.

• Avoid the DIY installation route. Even the most skilled do-it-yourselfers are urged to let the professionals install a new gas fireplace. Gas lines are nothing to mess around with, and professional

installation teams have ample experience setting up new gas fireplaces in a home.

• Be sure to install a carbon monoxide detector on the same floor as the fireplace. During the gas fireplace installation, ask that a carbon monoxide detector with battery backup is installed on the same floor. The detector alarm will alert individuals if something is amiss, like a gas leak. Periodically inspect the detector to ensure it’s working properly.

• Periodically inspect your safety screen. Glass panels are standard features on many gas fireplaces. Such panels separate the fire within the fireplace from the people and items outside of it. Glass panels can become extremely hot, which is why most gas fireplaces come with safety screens as well. These mesh safety screens can keep curious kids and pets from touching hot glass panels, and also

protect adults. Inspect the safety screens periodically to ensure they’re still intact and up to the job, replacing them if necessary.

• Keep objects a safe distance away from the fireplace. Experts advise keeping objects a minium of three feet away from the fireplace at all times. Fabrics and other materials that contact the glass pose a fire hazard, so keep the area in front of the fireplace clear.

• Make the fireplace off limits to children and pets. Though the aforementioned safety screens are a vital safety feature that can keep kids and pets safe, it’s still best that kids and pets are kept away from the fireplace at all times. Turn off the fireplace if kids are playing in the room, and use safety gates to keep kids and pets away when the fireplace is in use.

• Book annual fireplace inspections.

Annual inspections of the fireplace can ensure everything is working properly. Professional inspections may detect potentially harmful gas leaks, and annual checkups also can help individuals extend the life of their fireplaces.

• Recognize outdoor gas fireplaces have their own safety protocols. Outdoor fireplaces have become wildly popular in recent years. Homeowners who install outdoor gas fireplaces on their properties must recognize these awe-inspiring features require their own unique safety measures, including turning off the gas supply at the end of outdoor entertaining season and protecting the fireplace from the elements when necessary. Gas fireplace safety strategies can protect residents and also increase the life expectancy of these sought-after features. — Metro Creative