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marshalltimes July 2018
Modern-day ‘Defenders of Potential’
Jordan-Heintz: My favorite books of 2018 so far
Tupper: Donations aid police emergency response vehicle
A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE
Oetker: Health care and your investment portfolio
Times-Republican | MarshallTimes | Sunday, July 15, 2018 | 2
marshalltimes Publisher ....................................Abigail Pelzer News Editor.................................Emily Barske Marshalltimes Writer............Sara Jordan-Heintz Marshalltimes Columnists...........Debra Oetker, Kileen Rezac, Bruce Wirin, Mike Tupper Marshalltimes is a monthly magazine published by the Times-Republican, Marshalltown, with offices located at 135 W. Main St., Marshalltown, Iowa 50158. Marshalltimes is inserted into the Times-Republican monthly. For more information, please call or write:
Marshalltimes c/o Times-Republican 135 W. Main St. P.O. Box 1300 Marshalltown, IA 50158 641-753-6611 All articles and information contained herein are the property of the Times-Republican. Permission for use or reproduction must have prior approval in writing from the publisher.
THE PULSE
Sara
JORDAN-HEINTZ MARSHALLTIMES STAFF WRITER
in 1999. I came upon the series earlier this year, and immediately began This time of year, binge reading. Iʼve read everyone is looking for a the first 12 books, with the good summer read. I set a 23rd book in the series goal of reading one book due out this summer. per week, but I usually end Meg is a self-employed up reading around 40-50 blacksmith with a kooky for the entire year. Here family and a penchant for are some of my highlights: dead bodies showing up The Meg Langslow on her rural Caerphilly, Virseries by Donna Andrews ginia property. Sheʼs mar— Sometimes, thereʼs no ried to heartthrob Michael better feeling than getting Waterston, a drama prolost in the pages of a fessor at the local college humorous whodunnit. by day, campy soap opera Enter Meg Langslow, the star in his free time. Megʼs protagonist of the cozy cousin Horace, a forensic mystery series that started specialist, is often called in to help investigate a crime. His one eccentricity is parading around in a goril-
My favorite books of 2018 - so far
la suit. Her New Age cousin Rose Noir, birth name Rosemary Keenan, is always pushing protein drinks and incense on Meg whenever sheʼs stressed out. The books always have some underlying bird theme, with Megʼs doctor father (an amateur sleuth) and elderly grandfather (a world-famous zoologist) involved in some animal rescue entanglements. Some of the book titles are as follows: “Weʼll Always Have Parrots”, “Owls Well That Ends Well”, “How the Finch Stole Christmas”, “The Real Macaw”, “Six Geese A-Slaying”, and “The Penguin Who Knew
Too Much”. “You Donʼt Own Me: How Mattel V. MGA Entertainment Exposed Barbieʼs Dark Side” by Orly Lobel — This new book explores the fascinating, and little known legal drama that played out between Carter Bryant, the primary source behind Bratz dolls, and Mattel, the company that owns Barbie. Bryant said the ideas for the doll line came to him while on hiatus from his designer job at Mattel. Two weeks before he quit his job at Mattel, he sold his concept to rival company MGA, launching the brand in 2001. Law professor Lobel chronicles the decade-long court battle that decided who owns intellectual property and ideas, and the lengths Mattel goes to to protect the worldʼs most famous fashion doll from competition. Part legal drama, part pop culture history, part investigation into the dynamics of big business,
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PULSE | 6
Mike
TUPPER MARSHALLTOWN POLICE CHIEF
3 | Sunday, July 15, 2018 | MarshallTimes | Times-Republican
QUESTION AUTHORITY
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
support for Marshalltownʼs police department.” Local police officers are happy to The Marshalltown Police Departhave the donation and also the demonmentʼs emergency response vehicle is stration of community support. upgraded and ready to serve. Through “The Marshalltown Police Departa military surplus program called ment very much appreciates the sup“1033,” the US Federal Government port our community partners have made transferred a Caiman CAT I Plus vehi- in helping to develop this project,” said cle to the City of Marshalltown in 2014. Officer Chris Jones of the Marshalltown Exterior upgrades were required, as Police Department. “By helping to supthe Caiman came to Marshalltown with port our Caiman program, our agency is a military paint scheme that did not fit much better prepared to handle a its current role. The department potential crisis. It is our duty in serving approached local paint store Strandʼs the citizens of Marshalltown to utilize about helping to refurbish the MRAP, this resource in the best interest of our and they agreed to donate all the coat- community and preserve this valuable ings for the project. resource for the future, and this cannot “We selected a heavy duty industrial be done without the continued support coatings system to protect this great of our community partners.” asset,” said Carter Strand of Strandʼs. A couple of interior upgrades were “It will look great and protect our townʼs made to help support the Caimanʼs MRAP for decades. Our town can be new role. A 360-degree camera was proud of this piece of equipment.” installed that allows officers to evaluate The National Guard in Johnston the scene of a critical incident from removed the old coatings by abrasive inside the vehicle. The interior was blasting and then applied the epoxy improved by adding bench seating in and urethane in their paint shop. the rear of the vehicle. American AluCarter continued, “Helping to care minum Seating, Inc. assisted with seatfor the vehicle that shields our officers ing upgrade by donating the labor to from dangerous situations is one way that we can show our appreciation and TUPPER | 6
Donations aid police emergency response vehicle
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Times-Republican | MarshallTimes | Sunday, July 15, 2018 | 4 timesrepublican.com
C O V E R
S T O R Y
Modern-day ‘Defenders of Potential’ BY CHUCK FRIEND Times-Republican
In 1975, Marshalltown businessman Lew Miller had the idea to get 12 of his friends together to help him start a Big Brothers program in Marshalltown. Dennis Haas was the first little to be matched and Craig Broyles was the last of the 12. Today, from that humble beginning, the Heart of Iowa Big Brothers Big Sisters program based in Marshalltown, has grown into a program with 27 community-based matches and 40 matches that are school-based. “Our mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported 1-to1 relationships that change their lives for the better, forever,” is the organizationʼs mantra. However Lynne Carroll, executive director of the Heart of Iowa program, likes to better use the term that big brothers and sisters are definitely “defenders of potential,” and she has adopted that thought as the programʼs new tagline. “Every child needs an adult in his or her life who really believes in them, and can encourage that child to live up to his or her potential and to follow his or her individual dreams,” Carroll said. Noting that the nuclear family today has changed drastically, and the connection with others in the community often is not there, she added, “Good things happen here! We have so many stories of where one person in a littleʼs life through Big Brothers Big Sisters has made an impact that is long-lasting and has opened pathways for that child.” Janet Stegmann is coordinator of the school-based Big Brother Big Sister program, that serves boys and girls in Marshalltown, and just recently West Marshall schools. “These children are referred to us by the school counselor or social worker and these matches must be spent with
T-R PHOTO BY CHUCK FRIEND
Executive Director Lynne Carroll, left, chats with Angie Kuehner, communitybased coordinator, and Janet Stegmann, school-based coordinator.
the child at school from 2:45-3:15 p.m. These bigs must be 16 years old and are referred to as ʻacademic encouragersʼ,” Stegmann said. “Half of these bigs are juniors and seniors in high school and the other half are adults who have the time to fit that time frame into their work schedule or who are retired.” Stegmann said the first priority of the school-based matches is to help the child be successful in school with one-on-one interaction in helping with school work. The rest of the time can be filled with such things as going to the school gym or outside for recreation, etc. During the 2917-18 school year, Stegmann said there were 40 schoolbased matches, and 11 of them were in the West Marshall District and coor-
dinated by Jackie Barnes. She also stated that five of the bigs (schoolbased mentors who have finished high school) have transferred their matches to the community-based program, as they wanted to spend more time with their littles. The coordinator for the communitybased program is Angie Kuehner. She said the program is open to all boys and girls in Marshall County who have reached the age of 6, and can continue to age 18 when the little ages out of the program. Bigs can be from Marshall and surrounding counties, and must be 18 years of age. All applicants for the Big Brother Big Sister program (as bigs) fill out an application, are interviewed by the staff members, provide references and then will undergo background checks before
T-R FILE PHOTO
Bill Martin and Jeff Linton were paired in the late 1970s through Marshall Countyʼs Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Linton said Martinʼs presence and encouragement helped shape the person he grew up to be.
S T O R Y
T-R PHOTO BY CHUCK FRIEND
The Heart of Iowa Big Brothers Big Sisters has served area youth for over 40 years. It is located at 811 E. Main St., #200 in Marshalltown.
T-R FILE PHOTO
The annual Bowl For Kidsʼ Sake fundraiser is held each year at Wayward Social bowling alley. It allows members of the community to enjoy a night out, while raising funds for the organization.
with his sixth. “My first little brother is a grandpa himself now, living in Kansas City, and still has contact with me,” Kremer said. “It is such an important thing for a child to have a positive person in their life, and there are so many young people today that do not have that. Everyone has a different story, but you can never sell short the time that you spend with a child.” He concluded by saying he always tells his friends that it absolutely takes no extra time to be a mentor (big) to a child, for working that little into your own everyday lives can mean so much. Carroll and Stegmann pointed out that several Marshalltown school officials see the importance of the program as they themselves are currently big brothers or big sisters. That group includes Marshalltown High School Principal Jacque Wyant, District Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte and Director of Curriculum Dr. Lisa Stevenson. Recent data from the end of the school year teacher surveys show that 86 percent of littles improved in self-confidence and attendance at school. One hundred percent of littles experienced a positive impact on academics due to the big (mentor); 86 percent of littles experienced a positive impact on their relationship with peers due to the big; 93 percent of littles experienced a positive impact on their behavior due to the big; and 86 percent of littles experienced a positive impact on their attitude
T-R FILE PHOTO
Olivia Jacobson (left) and Jasmine Scott (right) formed a strong bond through time spent together in the program.
towards school due to the big. Interested in becoming a big brother or big sister? Carroll said they never run out of children, but are constantly in need of recruiting persons to be bigs. Currently, there are about 20 or so children on the waiting list…just waiting for maybe…you. “Who cannot afford to give an hour or so a week to make a difference in a childʼs life?” Stegmann said. Interested persons can go to the website: www.heartofiowabigs.org or call the office at: 641753-6370.
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a match is made. Carroll said that safety is a priority in the program, and that matches are made with a child who has already been interviewed by the staff along with his or her parents. She said that instead of just taking the first child on the waiting list and matching them to a big, the staff likes to make those matches on common interests of the child and mentor. “We ask for a commitment of one year after a match is made, but the average length of a community-based match is 66 months, and 22 months on the school-based program,” Carroll said. “However some go a lot longer, with some of the youngest littles being in second grade when they are first matched and continue through 18 when they age out. The longer the relationship the stronger the impact that is being made.” She also noted that activities with the little are outside of school 3-4 times per month for the first year and 1-2 hours per visit. The staff members make consistent contacts with the littles, bigs and parents to support the match and again insure safety. “We love to see the smiles on the littlesʼ faces when they are asked about his or her big brother or sister,” Carroll continued. “And it goes both ways — we often see the big get just as much out of the program as the little, as often the little does some of the teaching.” Kuehner and Carroll described some of the outside group activities that are presented by community organizations for the bigs and littles to enjoy each year. This include a fishing day sponsored by the Noon Optimist Club; airplane rides and a pancake breakfast by Marshalltown Aviation; a bowling party near Halloween and activities at the YMCA-YWCA. Carroll went on to say, “We (the staff) do not work for this non-profit organization because of the money. We are here because we really feel that we have a role to play in improving the future of our community and childrenʼs lives.” Par Kremer has been a big brother for 43 years and his fifth “little” just graduated from high school this past May. He is currently awaiting a new match
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C O V E R
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FINANCIAL FOCUS
Bruce
WIRIN FINANCIAL ADVISOR EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS
quite simply, you want your money to grow as much as possible over time. Consequently, you will likely want a good Why do you invest? If youʼre like most percentage of growth-oriented vehicles, people, youʼd probably say that, among such as stocks and other stock-based other things, you want to retire comfortinvestments, to fund your 401(k), IRA or ably. Obviously, thatʼs a worthy long-term other accounts. goal, requiring long-term investing. But as However, the flip side of growth is risk. you journey through life, youʼll also have Stocks and stock-based investments will short-term goals, such as buying a secalways fluctuate in value — which means ond home, remodeling your kitchen or you could lose some, or even all, of your taking a much-needed vacation. Will you principal. Hopefully, though, by putting need to invest differently for these goals time on your side — that is, by holding than you would for the long-term ones? your growth-oriented investments for To answer that question, letʼs first look decades — you can overcome the at how you might invest to achieve your inevitable short-term price drops. longer-term goals. For these goals, the In short, when investing for long-term key investment ingredient is growth — goals, youʼre seeking significant growth
How Can You Meet Your Short-term Goals?
and, in doing so, youʼll have to accept some degree of investment risk. But when youʼre after short-term goals, the formula is somewhat different: You donʼt need maximum growth potential as much as you need to be reasonably confident that a certain amount of money will be there for you at a certain time. You may want to work with a financial professional to select the appropriate investments for your short-term goals. But, in general, youʼll need these investments to provide you with the following attributes: • Protection of principal — As mentioned above, when you own stocks, you have no assurance that your principal will be preserved; thereʼs no agency, no government office guaranteeing that you wonʼt lose money. And even some of the investments best suited for short-term goals wonʼt come with full guarantees, either, but by and large, they do offer you a reasonable amount of confidence that your principal will remain intact. • Liquidity — Some short-term investments have specific terms, i.e., two years, three years, five years, etc., meaning you
do have an incentive to hold these investments until they mature. Otherwise, if you cash out early, you might pay some price, such as loss of value or loss of the income produced by these investments. Nonetheless, these types of investments are usually not difficult to sell, either before they mature or at maturity, and this liquidity will be helpful to you when you need the money to meet your short-term goal. • Stability of issuer — Although most investments suitable for short-term goals do provide a high degree of preservation of principal, some of the issuers of these investments are stronger and more stable than others — and these strong and stable issuers are the ones you should stick with. Ultimately, most of your investment efforts will probably go toward your longterm goals. But your short-term goals are still important — and the right investment strategy can help you work toward them.
Tupper
town, the 24-foot-long Caiman has been utilized several times each year during response to critical incidents. It has been deployed for rural operations, supply transport and security for crisis negotiators who are on-scene. The Caiman is available for events in the community by request. Each request is reviewed for approval by Police Chief Michael Tupper, who can reached at 641-754-5771.
CONTINUED | FROM 3 install the seating. The local Marshalltown Police Department uses the MRAP for security in critical high-risk operations where effective cover and concealment is not available. Since coming to its new home in Marshall-
Pulse
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CONTINUED | FROM 2 itʼs a book I highly recommend for anyone curious about how Bratz knocked Barbie off her doll throne. “T.V. Female Foursomes and Their Fans” by Wendy A. Burns-Ardolino — This was a fun read about televisionʼs most famous female foursomes, offering multiple perspectives on female gender roles and how we as viewers connect with these characters. The book focused primarily on character interplay of the casts of “Designing Women” and “The Golden Girls”, plus shows “Hot in Cleveland”, “Girlfriends” and “Sex in the City.” In addition to gender, the author also
———— This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisers can not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult your attorney or qualified tax adviser regarding your situation.
views these shows through the prisms of white privilege and minority representation on television. The book delves into how these sitcoms brought social commentary to the living rooms of its viewers. For instance, “Designing Women” was one of the first shows in history to tackle the AIDS crisis, head-on, in the 1987 episode “Killing All the Right People.” A 1991 “The Golden Girls” episode addressed Blancheʼs prejudice against her gay brother Clayton marrying his partner Doug in a commitment ceremony. The book mixes actual fan commentary — taken from blogs — with a more scholarly, psychological analysis of the shows and their characters. –––––– Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at 641-753-6611 or sjordan@timesrepublican.com
Debra
OETKER CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER WELLS FARGO ADVISORS
Health care and your investment portfolio
–––––– Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. is a registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Debra J Oetker – First Vice President, Investment Officer in Marshalltown, Iowa at 641-752-5401.
SCHAUDT REGISTERED PRINCIPAL SAGEPOINT FINANCIAL
Establishing a financial safety net In times of crisis, you donʼt want to be shaking pennies out of a piggy bank. Having a financial safety net in place can ensure that youʼre protected when a financial emergency arises. One way to accomplish this is by setting up a cash reserve, a pool of readily available funds that can help you meet emergency or highly urgent short-term needs. A general rule suggests that you have three to six monthsʼ worth of living expenses in your cash reserve. The actual amount, however, should be based on your particular circumstances. Do you have a mortgage? Do you have short-term and long-term disability protection? Are you paying for your childʼs orthodontics? Are you making car payments? Other factors you need to consider include your job security, health, and income. The bottom line: Without an emergency fund, a period of crisis (e.g., unemployment, disability) could be financially devastating. If you havenʼt established a cash reserve, or if the one you have is inadequate, you can take several steps to eliminate the shortfall: Save aggressively: If available, use payroll deduction at work, or budget your savings as part of regular household expenses. Reduce your discretionary spending (e.g., eating out, movies, lottery tickets). Use earnings from other investments (e.g.,stocks, bonds, or mutual funds). Check out other resources (e.g., do you have a cash value insurance policy that you can borrow from?). A final note: Your credit line can be a secondary source of funds in a time of crisis. Borrowed money, however, has to be paid back (often at high interest rates). As a result, you shouldnʼt consider lenders as a primary source for your cash reserve. Youʼll want to make sure that your
If you havenʼt established a cash reserve, or if the one you have is inadequate, you can take several steps to eliminate the shortfall cash reserve is readily available when you need it. Itʼs important to note that certain fixed-term investment vehicles (i.e., those that pledge to return your principal plus interest on a given date), such as CDs, impose a significant penalty for early withdrawals. So, if youʼre going to use fixed-term investments as part of your cash reserve, youʼl want to be sure to ladder (stagger) their maturity dates over a short period of time (e.g., three to six months). This will ensure the availability of funds, without penalty, to meet sudden financial needs. You should review your cash reserves periodically. Your personal and financial circumstances change often — a new child comes along, an aging parent becomes more dependent, or a larger home brings increased expenses. Because your cash reserve is the first line of protection against financial devastation, you should review it annually to make sure that it fits your current needs. For more information please visit our website at www.schaudtfinancial.com. ———— Securities, insurance and advisory services offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor, 25 S Center St, Marshalltown, IA 50158; 641-7522041. SagePoint Financial, Inc. does not provide tax or legal advice. Material discussed herewith is meant for general illustration and/or information purposes only, please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, the information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Forefield Marketing, which is not affiliated with SagePoint Financial, Inc. assisted in preparation of this article
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Health care makes up roughly 18% of the U.S. economy and is expected to grow 5.6% per year through 2025.* In fact, experts anticipate ongoing expansion in this sector no matter what happens with the broader economy —thanks at least in part to the millions of aging baby boomers. “One of the things we jokingly say about health care is, ʻWhether or not thereʼs a recession, people still sneeze,ʼ” says Michael Colón, First Vice President and Equity Sector Analyst with Wells Fargo Advisors. When financial advisors look at investing decisions, Colón says, they often start with health care stocks. About 14.5% of the S&P 500 Index, which is often used as a proxy for the overall stock market, is health care companies. Within that 14.5%, the biggest subindustries are drugmakers, biotech companies, medical device manufacturers, and managed care companies. Wells Fargo Investment Institute now recommends that investors overweight their portfolios in the health care sector, Colón says. Thatʼs because an aging population is a major factor driving growth in the sector. But there are still unknowns. One of the big ones is what might happen in Washington. An adaptable sector. “In our opinion, the Affordable Care Act definitely created some headwinds the way it was written,” Colón says, noting the law increased fees and taxes on some health care companies. At the same time, it also expanded the number of people with health insurance, which in turn can mean higher sales of drugs, medical devices, and medical services. In the time since it was enacted, however, insurance companies and other health companies have adapted to the new health care marketplace — especially the bigger, diversified managed
care companies, Colón says. So far, efforts to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act in Congress have been unsuccessful, but there is still plenty of talk in Washington about making changes to — or eliminating entirely — the law. “Just the idea of something happening without a concrete direction or actual plan creates uncertainty,” Colón says. “Uncertainty is one of the biggest things the market doesnʼt like.” Other legislation in Washington, though, could be a boon for some segments of the health care economy. For instance, if tax reforms encouraged companies to repatriate dollars from overseas — perhaps through temporary lower tax rates on those earnings — it could spark more mergers and acquisitions among biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies. Some of the risks associated with investment in the health care sector include competition on branded products, sales erosion due to cheaper alternatives, research and development risk, government regulations and government approval of products anticipated to enter the market. Additionally, companies can be exposed to cuts in Medicare reimbursements as well as uncertainty surrounding healthcare reform efforts in the U.S. These risks can have a significant effect on investment in the industries within this sector and negatively affect a portfolioʼs pursuit of its investment objectives. Foreign investing entails risks not typically associated with investing domestically including currency, political, economic, and the risks associated with different accounting standards.
Gary
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INVESTMENT CORNER
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