JCT-03-21-2024

Local agencies respond to rural Colfax house fire Saturday

Officials say 1 occupant died, body will be sent to State Medical Examiner

By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune

Jasper County law enforcement says one person was killed in a house fire Saturday, March 16 in rural Colfax. Fire crews on Sunday, March 17 recovered the body of the occupant who was unable to escape the blaze. Newton News was told first responders had spent hours removing debris after the flames were extinguished According to a press release from Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, a 911 call was made at 10:43

p.m. about a house fire at the 8000 block of South 52nd Avenue West, one-and-a-half miles southeast of Colfax. When first responders arrived, the home was fully engulfed in flames and the number of occupants unknown.

While crews from multiple departments worked to extinguish the fire, it was determined one individual one inside of the home. At approximately 10:45 a.m. March 17, search and rescue crews located the decreased individual — whose name has not been released — in the basement of the home.

The body will be sent to the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner for identification and autopsy. The investigation in still ongoing.

In addition to the Colfax Fire Department and Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, mutual aid was provided by agencies in Baxter, Knoxville, Mingo, Mitchellville, Monroe, Newton, Prairie City and the Iowa State Fire Marshall’s Office, who have helped put out the flames, search for the occupant and investigate the fire.

Benola’s makes its debut

Baxter pub and pizzeria holds ribbon cutting ceremony during its grand opening bash

County engineer discourages through traffic of Hwy F-48 W

Phase 1 of resurfacing project to commence on March 18

By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune

By March 18, the first phase of the Highway F-48 West resurfacing project will begin, and Jasper County Engineer Michael Frietsch is recommending all through traffic — particularly those drivers who like to use the highway to skip a few miles of Interstate 80 — to find other routes.

Technically, the road

The miracle (and work) of life

Raising livestock is rewarding yet challenging, especially in extreme winter weather

By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune

During the winter months, many farmers who solely grow crops are preparing for the next year while their tractors are getting a break until work begins for spring planting. For livestock farmers, an exciting and trying part of the year is just getting underway with birthing season.

While breeding starts when the weather is still easy to manage, the babies tend to make their entrance at some of the craziest times, from snowstorms to record low temperatures. When babies are coming, everyone has to be ready.

“Our breeding program is scheduled for winter calving. Most of our calves come during January and February. We also have a few cows that we calve out in early fall,” Jessica Barnett said. “Our first calf typically hits around the Christmas holiday. Yes, we have had calves on Christmas and New Years! The cows don’t take breaks over the holidays.”

Barnett and her family have a Nolin Red Angus cattle operation near Monroe. They raise purebred Red Angus cattle on their farms outside of town and have found that the cows tend to birth during the extreme weather conditions.

“Typically when our calves come it’s cold and most often

Submitted Photo

When the weather gets really bad, farmers will sometimes bring their heifers into an enclosed space to deliver their calves.

a snowstorm or extreme cold,” Barnett said. “We do several things to ensure our survival rate of newborn calves. We calve inside our barn no exceptions. The survival rate of a new calf greatly declines during inclement weather. The extreme cold is very hard on newborn calves.”

They also clean the barns twice each day to keep the bedding clean and dry, and they introduce several supplements to promote viability and health. Another challenge comes with calves being very wet when they are born. With frigid temps, work has to be done to get them dry quickly.

“In extreme cold conditions, parts of the calf will begin freezing, particularly the ears. The ears can freeze solid. If the ears are frozen solid for an extended period, the tissue will die, and parts of the ears will eventually fall off,” Barnett said. “We don’t leave the calf until its almost completely dry. In extreme cold conditions we bring our calves inside our basement and use a blower to dry them off.”

Jacob Clark, who has hair sheep, Hereford pigs and laying chickens, also battles the cold to ensure the newborns have their best chance at survival. Currently, his sheep lamb at the start of

the year to be used for his son’s 4-H and FFA projects at the county fair.

“The sheep are bred to lamb on or after Jan. 1 and it usually lasts until mid-February,” Clark said. “We do this so the lambs will have a chance to grow as big as possible in preparation for (his son) Kolby to show a couple at county fair. Once the boys age out of 4H/FFA, we’ll probably switch to lambing in the spring when the weather is nicer.”

His oldest son Kaden also shows at the fair but his choice in livestock are the pigs. They are also bred to birth on or after Jan. 1, allowing them to be at market

will be closed by Monday but will still remain passable. But the surface of the road will be rough by the time contractors mill out the asphalt, meaning employees of Performance Sign & Design or Westwood golfers, for example, will still be able to travel the road to make it to their destination.

“It’s closed to through traffic, which basically means we’re not hard

weight for the county fair.

“We also bred a sow for Feb. 14 this year so the pigs will finish out to show at state fair,” Clark said.

To help combat the winter weather, Clark has a fully enclosed barn to help block the wind and maintain the temperature inside. They have six birthing pens with solid walls to eliminate cold air drafts on the newborns, and they have also made “hot boxes” for extra heat.

“We cut an entry hole in a 55-gallon plastic barrel and hung a heat bulb in it. Once the lambs find this, they’re in it all the time when it’s cold,” Clark said. “We have three heated buckets but need three more to eliminate the hassle of thawing frozen buckets when it gets very cold.”

Sometimes getting to the animals can be a challenge as barns typically aren’t located right outside the back door. With feet of snow blocking the roads, farmers have to prepare and get creative to reach the animals.

“The January snow events proved to be a challenge for our family to get to the farm. I had to be at work during most of the snowstorms to remove snow. Due to that I relied heavily on my family and parents to watch over the cattle,” Barnett said. “In January we knew that the heavy snow was coming, and our roads

Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune

Individuals who live or work or want to access services along F-48 West will still be able to drive on the road during the resurfacing

Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune

Area Record/Tax & Money

Billy Gene Earles

Dec. 21, 2023

Obituaries

Billy Gene (Bill) Earles passed away peacefully Thursday, December 21, 2023, with his loving wife Jean, of 69 years, at his bedside, holding his hand. Bill’s family will greet friends and family from 2-4 PM on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Colfax Historical Society. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made out to the Colfax-Mingo Athletic Boosters.

Bill was born October 22, 1935, in Harvard, Iowa, the oldest of 7 children to Nova and Mary (Bradley) Earles. He was united in marriage to Carolyn “Jean” Holtz on October 30, 1954, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Des Moines, Iowa. To this union, 5 children were born: Donald Eugene, Richard Lee, Sue Ellen, James Robert and Mark Allen. Bill worked for 43 years as a gifted mechanic at the Farmers Supply Store/Van Wall John Deere Implement North of Colfax. He joked that there weren’t many farmers in Jasper County that he didn’t know. Even after retiring, he would com-

monly lend a hand when asked to work on a tractor or give advice on how to fix the problem. Even when he could no longer turn the wrench, he was the brains behind the operation.

He was a member of the Colfax First United Methodist Church, the Colfax Jaycees, the Colfax Park Board, and the Masons. He was an avid Iowa Hawkeyes fan and loved attending the Iowa State Fair, especially the truck and tractor pull. He also loved bowling and fulfilled a dream of his by bowling with his three sons and son-in-law on the same team. His final frame of bowling included a strike, which was

recorded by one of his granddaughters in attendance. He spent countless hours in his garage, usually working on one of his many refurnished antique tractors. His biggest love was spending time with his family, his pet Chihuahua Charlie, and many friends. Everyone will miss his orneriness and fantastic sense of humor.

Bill is survived by his wife Jean (Holtz) Earles of 69 years.

Children: Don (Nancy) Earles of Colfax; Rick (Kim) Earles of Prairie City; Sue (Chuck) Buehrer; Jim (Jodi) Earles; & Mark (Erika) Earles, all of Colfax.

Sisters: Karen Kendall of Eldora; Sherri (Jerry)

Rutherford of Gilman; & Brenda (Craig) Jones of Colfax.

Brothers in law: Bob Holtz of Chandler, AZ; Jim (Judy) Holtz of Fairfax, MO; Hubert Churchill of Shakopee, MN; & Dan Dhondt of Republic, MO.

Grandchildren: Janie (Trevor Williams) Earles of Des Moines; Jackie (Steven) Landers of Urbandale; Dereck (Frankie Faidley) Earles of Ankeny; Dana (Ryen) Allen of Prairie City; Katelyn (Sam) DeReus of Prairie City; Jacob (Tessa) Buehrer of Prairie City; Taylor (Jordan) Woody of Monroe; Erin (Tony Formaro) Earles; Megan (Michael) Deal; Kendall Earles &

Joseph Earles all of Colfax.

Great-Grandchildren: Jack Williams of Des Moines; Brooklyn, Brielle & Bryn Landers all of Urbandale; Abbott & Rory Allen and Alma Buehrer, all of Prairie City. Many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents: Nova Clifford & Mary Louise (Bradley) Earles; In-laws: Harold Clarence & Frances “Faye” (Hall) Holtz; Sisters: Wilma Churchill, Patsy Lewis & Barbara Dhondt; Brothers-in-law: Richard Lewis & Don Kendall; Sister-inlaw: Sandy Holtz; Nephew: Terry Lewis; and Great-Granddaughter: Afton Allen.

DAR announces scholarship winners

DAR Good Citizen Awards were presented to four area high school seniors at the Grinnell Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution meeting March 9, at the Newton Public Library. First place winner was Cassidy Smith from Colfax-Mingo High School. Cassidy is involved in many school activities, including National Honor Society, Student Council, Robotics Team, soccer (where she is the captain); concert and pep band, drama, speech and National Society of High School scholars. She has taken flight lessons and is part of the Civil Air Patrol where she was the 2nd Drone Technician in Iowa Wing (and the first female); she was Cadet of the Year for her local squadron and NCO of the Year at the state level. She is training to prepare for qualification in search and rescue. She is active in her community with volunteer activities like the school blood drive, Iowa Speedway parking, Meals From the Heartland; and has made quilts for Veterans and other non-profit organizations. She takes college-level courses through DMACC and works part-time at restaurants in her community.

Cassidy plans to attend Minnesota State University, Mankato and earn a degree in commercial aviation after which she plans to fly for an airline and/or join the Air National Guard. Cassidy received a $250 award and a DAR Good Citizens pin.

Runners-up were Camryn McLeod, Newton High School; William Brown, Baxter High School; and Jack Erselius, Montezuma High School. Each received $50 awards and DAR Good Citizen pins.

Camryn McLeod is an execu-

tive board member of her Student Council, a YMCA Board youth representative and is active in organizations such as Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Battle of the Books. She earned a silver cord for performing 100 hours of volunteer work in her community. She is a member of the National Honor Society and was a Kiwanis Student of the Month. Her future plans include a four-year degree with a major in social work and a minor in psychology. She plans to then get her masters in social work

and build a career in correctional social work with an emphasis on incarcerated women.

William Brown is a member of his high school choir and sang the national anthem for an Iowa Wild game. He was a member of the state qualifying team of the academic Decathlon and won third place individual honors at the regional competition with individual recognition in art, economics, math, and science. He is a member of the National Honor Society as well as a member of Phi Theta Kappa through DMACC where he takes college-level courses. His community service includes his Boy Scout Eagle project, Hoover Uncommon Student Service Project, community theater, and church youth group. After graduation he plans to attend college and study data science at either Cornell College or Simpson College. Jack Erselius is a member of the National Honor Society and has participated in five sports for four years of high school: cross country, basketball, track, golf, and baseball, and he has excelled in each. He has participated in pep, concert, and jazz band. He

competed on Montezuma High’s personal finance competition team where they advanced to state and came in second. He also competed in speech and drama and made it to state with his team. One of his favorite activities is being a part of a unique program called the Football Stat Crew which records statistics in real time during games and enters them into a computer program (created by Jack) which calculates the analytics that are used by the coaches during half time and a more basic version that can be viewed by the fans after the game. Jack plans to attend Iowa State University and major in business analytics and hopes to work in sports analytics.

The DAR Good Citizens Program which began in 1934 aims to recognize high school seniors who demonstrate the four qualities of a good citizen, namely dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism. This year’s prompt was: “What are the civic responsibilities of a good citizen and why are these duties, activities and behaviors important to the shaping of the America you hope to experience?”

Avoiding tax scams

Be wary of threatening telephone calls: That isn’t an IRS agent

Those menacing phone calls are fake. Those offers of tax relief that sound too good to be true are just that. Beware of unsolicited phone calls from anyone claiming to be from the IRS.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

One of the most common scams involves demanding pre-payment of your tax debt through a wire transfer or prepaid debit card. They may even promise to lower your overall payment. The treasury inspector general for tax administration at the IRS reports nearly 100,000 complaints about this type of scam annually. Millions have been stolen by fraudsters, with thousands of victims. Others are promised a tax refund, but asked to reveal personal information like a banking account number.

REMAIN ALERT

Scammers often frame their call with a time limit and are often described as pushy and hostile. You may be threatened with arrest, suspension of your license, or deportation if payment isn’t made immediately. The IRS will only make initial contact with taxpayers by mail, and payment is never solicited over the phone. You are never asked for a credit or debit card or any banking information during a call. The IRS also doesn’t demand immediate payment at the risk of any enforcement action.

TELLTALE SIGNS

These calls can often seem quite official. A key way for fraudsters to trick the unsuspecting is by reciting the last four digits of a Social Security number as confirmation — but those numbers can be stolen. Scammers may also spoof official IRS caller ID or toll-free numbers, in order to make things look on the up and up.

Fake emails may also “confirm” your conversations. Sometimes additional scam calls follow — as others threaten enforcement actions from the department of motor vehicles or the police department. WHAT TO DO

Don’t answer the phone if you suspect you’ve receiving a scam call. If you answer and realize what’s happening, immediately hang up and contact the authorities. Report scams, bad business practices or fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you think someone has stolen your identity, go to IdentityTheft.gov. Unwanted calls should be reported to DoNotCall. gov. In addition to their main offices in Washington,

Submitted Photo

DAR Good Citizens 2024: DAR Good Citizens chair, Barb Lease; DAR Good Citizen winners, Camryn McLeod, Cassidy Smith, and William Brown. Not pictured: Jack Erselius.

closing,” Frietsch said in an interview with Newton News. “Local traffic can still get in and out of there. If you have a business along there you’ll still be able to get in and out … Only people with a reason to be on that road should be on that road.”

Newton News previously reported the contract for the project was awarded to Manatt’s, Inc. for $3.81 million. The engineer estimated the resurfacing would cost $4.7 million, putting the project nearly $1 million under estimate. The first phase of the project extends west from Newton/Lambs Grove past the Baxter interchange of Interstate 80, but it does not include the approaches.

Currently, Frietsch estimates the first phase of the project — the asphalt overlay — will be completed by August.

When that is finished, concrete crews will come in. Frietsch said at that point Jasper County will hard close the interchange near F-48 West for about a month or so. Which means no through traffic at that section.

“You will not be able to get on F-48 West at that interchange at all,” Frietsch said. “You won’t be able to get from Newton to Colfax at all on that route.”

Frietsch said detours will be posted. For individuals driving on F-48 West to reach the interstate, the county engineer said they will have to drive toward Highway 14 and access I-80 from there. People leaving Baxter will have to go west on F-24 to Highway 117, where they can either enter Colfax or the I-80 interchange there.

In addition to the resurfacing, Frietsch said the project also provides some stormwater improvements to the Lambs Grove areas. Crews are going to mill four to five inches of asphalt from Thomas Jefferson Elementary to West

Submitted Photo

Livestock

Continuedfrompage1

may or may not be pass-

My son stayed at my parents for four days during the heavy snow

events to assist with digging out the lots, feed cattle, assist with calving and keep the farm going. It takes the entire family to keep it running.” Once the babies are here, the work continues to make sure they survive and thrive. In some cases, that is even harder than bringing them into the world.

“One of our orphan babies had a rough start but is now one of our favorite ewes. I found her in the pen, but nobody had claimed her, so the lamb ended up in our garage. We milked another ewe that had twins the same

36th Street and then rebuild every stormwater inlet in that area.

“There are a whole bunch of inlets in that area that are either caved in or not open, so we’re going to reinstate the en-

day to try to get the lamb some colostrum and then started her on milk replacer,” Clark said. “After a few days, her health took a turn. She was getting weaker everyday and finally got to the point where she couldn’t stand on her own. That night we gave her colostrum milk, probiotics and several medications and prayed for the best. With some luck I guess, it worked, and she began her recovery. We had suspended the lamb in the air using a T-shirt and dog crate, so she was upright. This allowed for her bowels to work better and build her strength in her legs. Kolby showed her at county fair and won Champion Hair Yearling.” Barnett has also had her chance to care for a twin calf after it wasn’t favored by the cow. After assisting with the birth, the twins, who were smaller at 50 and 55 pounds, got to start their lives in her basement and ended up living behind their house for the first few months.

“We named the calves RIP & Dutton after the Yellowstone series. RIP

tire stormsewer system in Lambs Grove again,” Frietsch said. “Then we’re going to put in about three to four inches of new asphalt back in there and make it so everything drains again correctly.”

was the weaker of the two,” Barnett said. “We enjoyed feeding him the bottle and keeping them penned up behind the house the first few months. When the calves are small, they tend to be very friendly. It’s fun to walk around the pen and have all the babies right next to you. This is a good experience for my kids and their friends to interact with them.”

Raising livestock is not for the weary. Farmers have to have a love for their animals. From pulling all-nighters to trudging through knee-high snow, they put in the work to keep the farms going.

“Seeing the boys develop their husbandry of animals through their 4-H projects is the main reason we continue to raise sheep and pigs,” Clark said. “Chores has given the boys an opportunity to learn responsibility. They have also experienced true life with the highs of birth and lows of death by raising the farm animals.”

Barnett wants to keep her animals for as long as she can. It is more than just farming to her, it is a

way of life.

“Success for me is measured by the fruits of my labor. The farm and cattle are where I find my peace. We have a small herd of around 30 cows and I know every one of them. The cattle depend on me to keep them safe and help them when they need it. The No. 1 rule of cattle operation is don’t get attached. Well ... that’s one rule I break on daily basis. I can’t help but bond with my cattle,” Barnett said. “Raising cattle isn’t glamorous or easy. I do it because I enjoy it and I am passionate about cattle. It gives me a sense of purpose and satisfaction of raising cattle on our family farmland. A couple years ago, Wyatt (my husband) asked me what one thing is I want out of farming. I told him to always see my red cows grazing in the pasture out my kitchen window. I meant it. My plans are to always have cattle. It may be less than what I have today but if I didn’t have that connection to nature and cattle, I think I would be lost. It’s my way of life.”

Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune Traffic will notice a much rougher surface of F-48 West sometime after March 18, when the road will be closed to through traffic. In addition to the resurfacing, the project will also reinstate the stormsewer system for the small community Lambs Grove, which is located along the county highway.

Jacob Clark, who farms sheep, said his livestock is bred on or after Jan. 1 in order for his son to participate in 4-H and FFA projects at the Jasper County Fair. This allows the lambs to grow as much as possible in preparation for the fair.

On Wednesday, the House passed a bill that looks at school safety from the side of infrastructure.

This bill creates a task force to develop school safety building codes to determine what makes school buildings safer. Currently none exist. With new standards, school officials will be able to make sure they are doing what they can from an infrastructure standpoint to make buildings safe for students and teachers. Along that same line, the bill prevents districts from bonding to build athletic stadiums or facilities unless and until their facilities are up to date with the school safety building standards from the task force. Safety and security

Week 10 Feeling overwhelmed

By Bryan Golden

should be the priority.

This bill also deals with how schools can get help or send for help if an emergency arises. Schools are allowed to have a mobile panic alert system if it can connect to emergency services and integrates with local public safety answering points. This is a mobile phone application districts can utilize. The Governor’s office previously developed a grant program for emergency radios. Many schools took advantage of that grant, but some did not. The Governor’s office has said that they plan to re-open that grant program to make sure all schools can have access to funding for the radios. If schools do not take advan-

Although life has its ups and downs, at times of prolonged or intense down periods there is the potential of feeling overwhelmed. When this happens, it can create a cascading effect. Your attitude turns negative, you feel distressed, your patience is worn thin, you become frustrated, your energy level drops, and you become discouraged.

When you get into this mode, you feel powerless to extricate yourself. It seems that whatever you try is ineffectual. Nothing you do makes any difference. Although you desperately need a break, problems keep piling up. You feel like a victim with no ability to make any positive changes. You are perplexed as to why these things are happening to you. Being a good person, you don’t deserve what is happening and it’s just not fair.

Why do bad things happen? Why are we faced with unfortunate situations? People have pondered these questions since the beginning of time without discovering any meaningful answers. We have little or no control over some of the circumstances that we face.

There are many circumstances that are potentially overwhelming. They include natural disasters, economic misfortune, crime, loss of a loved one, failed or troubled relationships, family problems, and physical ailments.

Whereas you can’t control what happens to you, you do have control over how you respond. Getting through an overwhelming period is challenging but it is doable. The bottom line is that you have no choice but to persevere. It will be a struggle, but giving up will only exacerbate your predicament.

The way to make it through tough times is one day at a time. When even that seems overwhelming, take it one hour at a time. Give yourself a mental reprieve by changing your focus to what is OK in your life. You want to develop an attitude of gratitude. When you go through a list of what you have to be grateful for it helps break the negative thought cycle.

The trap is that a negative attitude and bitterness repels what you want while attracting what you don’t want. When you are overwhelmed, it is very hard to alter your attitude. You don’t see any light and everything appears tainted. You become caught in a downward spiral.

Developing your attitude of gratitude will break the negative cycle. At first, you may not think there is anything to be grateful for. However, you will find things. No positive aspect is too small or insignificant. The more you think about what is good in your life, the more of a positive impact it will have.

Next, give yourself credit for any successes you have had, regardless of how small or insignificant you consider them. Even the things you tried that didn’t work as planned are accomplishments. It indicates you are being proactive. Unfortunately, many people take a passive role, just waiting for circumstances to improve.

Since you never know how close you are to discovering solutions that work, you must persist. Take inspiration from those people throughout history who have overcome situations far more extreme that what you are facing. If they can do it, so can you.

Your thoughts control your feelings. Even in dire circumstances, your thoughts are under your command. Your mind works nonstop to bring your thoughts to reality. When you believe that you will make it through, this is what your mind will work toward. Conversely, if you don’t feel there is any way out, you mind will actually work to keep you where you are.

When you are overwhelmed, you can and will overcome the challenges facing you. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Take small steps, develop a strong attitude of gratitude, take one day at a time, and don’t give up. Others have succeeded and so will you. Contact Bryan Golden at Bryan@columnist.com

tage, they will be required to use their own funds.

The bill establishes two grant programs. The first is a three-million-dollar Firearm Detection Software grant program run by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The grant program provides funds to school districts of varying sizes to help offset the cost associated with purchasing, installing, operating software that meets these requirements:

• Designed to alert and detect district employees and first responders if there is a visible, unholstered firearm on a property owned by the school district.

• Designed to integrate with a district’s existing security camera infrastructure.

• Was developed in the U.S. without any of third-party data or open-source data.

The second grant program is the School Security Personnel Grants for Infrastructure, Equipment, and Training. This grant program states that if HF 2586 or successor legislation is passed, which is the other House GOP school safety bill that creates a professional permit for school staff and mandates training requirements, it will provide school districts grants to purchase infrastructure and equipment related to employee permits to carry weapons, facilitate the training associated with employee permits to carry weapons, and to provide stipends to employees who participate in the training associated with employee permits to carry weapons. Districts who choose to enhance school security this way will have additional expenses and House Republicans want to help cover those costs to truly make schools a safer place for students and staff.

One of the more salient features of our world is that the average citizen has no clue what our legislature is up to until it’s done. This should not be the case since our legislature is there to serve the people of Iowa and we should all have some awareness of how they are accomplishing this. And for this purpose I am citing a portion of a new Senate File currently under consideration.

The Iowa Senate has introduced Senate File 2325 which will amend Chapter 400 of the Iowa Code. The new subsection 18 is worth stating:

“A city with a civil service commission established under Chapter 400 shall not adopt, enforce, or otherwise administer an ordinance, motion, resolution, or amendment, or use any oth-

The events of Oct. 7

In the March 6 Newton News, Sen. Ernst cites the fact that two tenths of one percent of the 13,000 employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas that brutally murdered 1,200 Israelis. She states that for this reason, among others, the U.S. should permanently stop all funding for UNRWA (funding is currently suspended by the Biden administration). She says U.S. taxpayers’ dollars should not be used to support terrorists.

This is a gross misrepresentation of the actual situation in Israel/Palestine. For many years prior to Oct. 7, Israel has maintained a military occupation of the Palestinian territories of East Jerusalem and the West Bank, sys-

er means, to establish a board or other entity for the purpose of citizen review of the conduct of police officers.”

And rightly so, I might add. We certainly don’t want the local citizens to have the ability to complain about local law enforcement. Just think what that would lead to - - chaos. Newton’s population fluctuates around 15,000 so the statute as proposed would prohibit the citizens of Newton from exercising oversight of the behavior of local law enforcement. Just think if people of a given community would be able to complain about the behavior of individual police officers, there would be no end of complaints and this is not something that can be tolerated. Our police are here to serve and protect.

For instance, what would happen if a given community decided that possession of marijuana should not be prosecuted as a crime. After all, Illinois, Missouri,

tematically denying human rights to Palestinians, confiscating their land, stealing their resources and terrorizing their people. Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza, making it tantamount to an openair prison where Israel controls what goods and which people can enter or leave. In the West Bank, the Israeli military routinely burst into Palestinian homes during the night and detain children as young as 12 for months at a time with no due process. The military also looks the other way, and even actively supports, pogroms against Palestinian villagers by radical Jewish settlers.

Many groups, Christian, Muslim and Jewish, have worked for decades to find nonviolent means to effect change for their people. However, over the past year Israel’s leadership has been taken over by right wing extremists who openly call for the elimination of non-Jews from the land. This is

and Minnesota have all legalized marijuana. We simply can’t have a bunch of citizens filing complaints about the enforcement of a law they don’t much care for. After all, and once again, the laws are meant to serve the citizens and if they don’t see the wisdom of certain laws, they should obtain some counseling or some such thing so they would have a better understanding of the purpose and intent of the laws that are passed. The last thing we need are police officers afraid to give a speeding ticket for fear that some citizen will make a complaint to some citizen oversight board -probably made up of a bunch of left-wingers who don’t like the police anyway. This is not something that can be tolerated. After all, just because you are a citizen doesn’t mean you should have any say in what laws are passed or how they are enforced.

Richard

E.

H.

Phelps II Mingo

the context in which one must see the events of Oct. 7. This is by no means a justification of what Hamas did. But when peaceful efforts result only in further degradation, many oppressed people will turn to violence.

And since Oct. 7 Israel has tried to justify the indiscriminate bombing and the denial of food, fuel, water, medicine and other supplies necessary for survival in Gaza by blaming Hamas. At least 30,000 Gazans, a large portion of whom were women or children, have died. Epidemiologists estimate that 85,000 more will die even if there is a ceasefire, because of the devastation already wrought.

My message to Sen. Ernst and Mr. Biden is: if you don’t think U.S. dollars should be used to support terrorism, stop sending arms to Israel, a purveyor of state terrorism if ever there was one. Larry Anderson Newton

Iowa Severe Weather Awareness Week 2024 —

Are you weather ready?

Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa is March 25-29. This week is an opportunity to review the severe weather hazards, exercise your sheltering plan, and increase awareness before the typical peak of severe weather season.

Each day of the week focuses on one topic. Monday’s subject covers lightning. Lightning is the most common thunderstorm hazard, striking the United States 25 million times each year. Annually, lightning kills about 20 people in the United States, with hundreds more severely injured. Remember, when thunder roars go indoors or when you see a flash, dash inside! Tornadoes will be the focus on Tuesday. On average, 50 tornadoes are recorded in Iowa each year. The least likely thunderstorm hazard also carries the greatest potential impact. This is why every Tornado Warning should be taken seriously! Wednesday’s topic will

Baxter Federated Garden Club met on March 14. Eight members were present as well as six guests.

Program Presentation was given by member, Janet Damman. Janet presented information about grasses from the article Graceful Giants4 big grasses and how to grow them from the Garden Gate Magazine.

Meeting Called to Order by Co-President Macy Lisk. Roll call members shared if they have any new landscape projects planned for this coming season.

Secretary Report was given by Secretary Deb Krampe who read the December minutes. One correction was made, officer meeting was held at Peggy Smiths. Deb passed around a sheet asking for member emails to be able to email minutes out to them. Debbie reported that she had typed up a club secretary responsibility/duties sheet to be followed by the club secretary.

Treasurer Report was given by Mallory Carter.

Club News

Mallory will be passing the treasurer responsibilities over to Janet. Correspondence/Announcements

The club received a thank you from the Iowa Arboretum for our club donation.

Deb shared that the Jasper County Master Gardeners received and excellence award for its work on their Inspiration Donation Garden.

Macy shared educational opportunities coming up with Polk County, Jasper County, and Knoxville garden club that members could register for and attend.

Beth explained the clubs participation in the Penny Pines program. Old and New Business

The clubs annual program book was presented to members listing meeting dates and other important information.

Beth reported that the Trees for Giese Park will be planted in April. Our $300.00 contribution check will be presented to Baxter Home Town to help with the purchase of these trees.

HOWARD ST. CHRISTIAN CHURCH

(Disciples of Christ)

Pastor Tom Burns

Howard & Locust St., Colfax Office - 674-3746 Church Cell - 971-0569

SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Adult & Wired

Word Adult Sunday school classes; 10 a.m. Fellowship Time;10:30 a.m. Worship, in person or online via YouTube

MONDAY - Tom’s day off TUESDAY - 9:30 a.m. Coffee Time/Fellowship; 2 p.m. Easy Yoga

WEDNESDAY - 3:30 p.m. After school elementary youth; 6:10 ChiRho and CYF youth supper/ youth group

THIRD SUNDAY of monthMarathon Sunday includes elders, board, potluck and food pantry

FIRST MONDAY of month - WIC appointments

IRA UNITED CHURCH

Rev. Michael Omundson

Deb shared that our purchase of a brick that will be located in the Inspiration Garden being built by the Jasper County Master Gardeners has given to them.

Members discussed some ideas for the Jasper County Museum Christmas tree project. Beth nominated Peggy to chair this event.

Members decided to go with petunias in the color of red for the main street planters. Macy volunteered to go get the plants for the planters.

Peggy shared that the Knoxville Garden Club which is in our district is looking for donations to add a water feature to the Bessie Spaur Butterfly Garden. Janet made a motion that we donate $100.00 to their project. Beth seconded it and members voted in favor of the donation.

Members and guests enjoyed some sharing time and a desert served by Deb before meeting was adjourned.

Next Meeting April 11, 2024 at the Baxter Community Building.

be preparedness. The statewide tornado drill at 10 a.m. will be started with a special weekly test of NOAA Weather Radio and this is a great time for Iowans to practice their severe weather plans whether at home, work, or school.

Hail and wind safety will be covered on Thursday. Severe thunderstorms are defined as containing wind gusts of 58 mph or higher and/or hail of 1 inch diameter or greater. Although occurrences can be any month of the year, they most typically occur April through July.

Finally, Friday will focus on flash floods, which is the leading cause of severe weather-related deaths. Anytime you encounter flooding, remember “turn around, don’t drown.”

Taking time during Severe Weather Awareness Week to review your plans will make you weather-ready as we head into Iowa’s severe weather season. The National Weather Service is available at www.weather.gov and on Facebook and X/Twitter.

THURSDAY

MONDAY • Baxter School Board meets at 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of month

• C-M Food Pantry meets at 6:30 p.m. the last Monday of month at the Food Pantry • Colfax Park Board meets at 6 p.m. the last Monday of month in the library meeting room

TUESDAY • C-M Education Foundation Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of month in Central Office

THURSDAY • AMVETS meets at 7 p.m. the fourth Thursday of month at the Colfax Fire Station.

• Mingo Park & Recreation regular meeting meets at 6:30 p.m. the last Thursday of month at City Hall

Master Conservationist program to be offered

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer the Iowa Master Conservationist program spring 2024 in Region 18, Jasper, Poweshiek, Marion and Mahaska Counties. The program will meet in various sites within the counties to provide the participants with hands-on interaction with the diversity of the state’s natural resources.

The program teaches about Iowa’s natural ecosystems and the diversity of conservation challenges and opportunities that exist in the region. Graduates of the course learn to make informed choices for leading and education others to improve conservation in Iowa.

Master Conservationists are individuals who share an interest in the stability of Iowa’s natural resources, and in becoming better stewards of Iowa’s resources. This program alone will not make a person a “master,” but this course is a step in that journey.

The program consists of approximately 12 hours of online curriculum and six in-person meetings. The online modules will include lessons and resource by Iowa State subject matter experts to be reviewed at the participants own pace at home or at the ISU Extension and Outreach offices. Module topics include conservation history and science, understanding Iowa ecosystems, implementing conservation practices in human-dominated landscapes and developing skills to help educated others

Church Schedules

SUNDAY - 9:30 a.m. Church service; 10:15 a.m. Sunday school (communion first Sunday)

METZ COMMUNITY CHURCH 3253 W. 62nd St. S., Newton Pastor David Rex 641-521-4354

SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10:10 a.m. Worship Last Saturday of month - 8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH Colfax Minister, Pastor Cody Dyer Church Office 674-4165

SUNDAY, March 24, Palm Sunday - 9 a.m. Fellowship; 9:15 a.m. Bible Education Classes; 10:25 a.m. Message by Pastor Cody Dye

TUESDAY, March 26 - 3 p.m. Women’s Prayer and coffee

WEDNESDAY, March 27 - 9 a.m.

Busy Bee Quilters and Fresh Encounter Prayer; 5:45 p.m. AWANA Family Meal; 6:25 p.m. AWANA

Clubs

FRIDAY, March 29 - 7 p.m. Good Friday Communion Service

SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH Newton, Iowa

SATURDAY - 4 p.m. Mass

SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Mass

COLFAX FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

S. Locust & W. Division St. Office - 674-3782

Rev. Phil Dicks pastor SUNDAY - 10:30 a.m. Sunday School; Family Worship

HOPE ASSEMBLY OF GOD

126 E. Howard

Rev. Paul Avery, pastor Church: 674-3700 hopeassemblyofgod@yahoo.com

SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10 a.m. Worship WEDNESDAY - 7 p.m. Evening Service

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

CATHOLIC CHURCH

302 E. Howard St., Colfax Fr. Ron Hodges 515-674-3711

SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Mass

DAILY MASS - 8 a.m.

MINGO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Rev. Phil Dicks 515-689-4926

about conservation practices.

In-person meeting will build on the online sessions and be from 6 to 9 p.m. at various sites with Jasper, Poweshiek, Marion and Mahaska Counties. The session dates and locations are:

May 9 — Orientation, Lake Red Rock

May 16 — Ashton-Wildwood Park, Jasper County

May 23 — Quercus Wilderness Area, Mahaska County

May 30 — Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge

June 6 — Lake Red Rock

June 13 — Drake Community Library, Poweshiek County

June 20 — Closing session, Conrad Environmental Research Area, Poweshiek County

Each meeting will be led by local subject matter experts to demonstrate how the principles covered in the online curriculum and play out locally. Participants will work with program partners, who include Iowa DNR, Jasper, Poweshiek, Monroe & Mahaska Counties’ Conservation. NRCS, & ISU Extension and Outreach, along with educational experts in their fields.

Registration for the course is $60 per participant. Payment is due at the time of registration. There is limited registration. To register, contact Marion County Extension office; 210 N. Iowa St., Knoxville, call 641-842-2014 or email Lydia Dingeman at dingeman@iastate.edu. The deadline is May 1.

SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Worship service

(Sunday school not meeting at this time)

ASHTON CHAPEL

8887 W. 122nd St. N., Mingo

Pastors: Larry Craig & Mark Eddy

SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10 a.m. Worship

BETHANY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 5627 N. 95th Ave. W., Baxter 641-227-3402

Pastor Chris Hayward

SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday School

(Sunday after Labor Day to second Sunday in May); 10 a.m. Sunday Worship. First Sunday communion. All are welcome. baxterbethanyucc. org

EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH

BAXTER Mike Mclintock, Pastor

SUNDAY - 9:15 a.m. Sunday

School; 10 a.m. Worship; 6 p.m. Awanas

WEDNESDAYS - 1st & 3rd - 6:30 p.m. Mens Bible Study 2nd & 4th - 6:30 p.m. Men’s and Womens Bible Study

THURSDAYS 10 a.m. - Womens Bible Study

BAXTER

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

218 S. Main, Baxter Pastor Ben Spera Church: 641-227-3382

SUNDAY - 10 a.m. Worship

WEDNESDAY - 6 p.m. Bible Study

THIRD THURSDAY of month6:30 p.m. Theology on Tap at Bea’s Place on Main Street Check us out on Facebook and baxtercongregational.com

CORNERSTONE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP 1000 E. 12th St., Newton Rev. Josh Farver, pastor Phone 641-792-4650

SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10:15 a.m. Worship WEDNESDAY - 6:30 p.m. Prayer Meeting and Bible Study; Youth Group

HERITAGE

Metro Photo

Review your safety plans during Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 25-29.

Baxter’s Travis earns all-state basketball honor

Newton senior Caleb Mattes had some of his best games of the season in one of the toughest conferences a Class 3A school can be in.

Lynnville-Sully senior Klayton Van Dyke led a balanced attack on a Hawks’ squad that reached the state tournament.

And Baxter senior Treyton Travis scored his 1,000th point this season and set a few school records along the way.

All three area players earned

all-state honors after the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association released its all-state boys’ basketball teams on March 12.

Mattes was a third team all-state selection in 3A, while Van Dyke and Travis both earned third team honors in 1A. All three also landed on an

all-substate team. Mattes was part of a seven-player 3A Substate 7 squad. Van Dyke was on an eight-player 1A Substate 8 team, while Travis was part of an eight-player 1A Substate 3 squad.

Travis was the Bolts’ best player this past season and led Baxter to a 16-5 record.

He ranked 13th in 1A in scoring at 21.5 points per game. He also ranked ninth in 1A in steals at 3.3 per contest and averaged 6.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per tilt.

Travis shot 42.3 percent from the floor, made 67 percent from the free-throw line and buried 42 treys.

Travis scored at least 23 points in 10 games, put in 30 or more five times and scored a school-record 41 points against BCLUW.

Jesse Van Kalsbeek of MOCFloyd Valley was named Mr. Iowa Basketball 2024 by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association.

A 6-foot shooting guard that’s headed to NAIA power North-

western College, Van Kalsbeek had 31 points in MOC-Floyd Valley’s 76-66 semifinal loss to Waverly-Shell Rock at this year’s state tournament. In his senior season, Van Kalsbeek averaged 26 points per game despite missing six games with a broken hand. He ended his career with 1,376 points and 517 rebounds.

The Mr. Basketball honor and the all-state teams are voted on by both sports writers and high school basketball coaches who attended the meeting.

Woods leads Tigerhawks at SICL indoor

GRINNELL — Xavier

Woods is set to lead the Colfax-Mingo boys’ track and field team this season.

The Tigerhawk junior had the school’s only win at the South Iowa Cedar League indoor meet on March 18, but Colfax-Mingo posted eight top-five finishes at Grinnell College.

One new SICL indoor record was broken on the night. No team scores were kept.

Woods’ win came in the high jump. Three jumpers cleared 6 feet, 0 inches, but Woods hit his career-best mark on his first attempt, which gave him the victory.

He also placed fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 9.19 seconds.

The girls’ night was highlighted by a trio of fourth-place finishes. Katelyn Steenhoek was fourth in the high jump, Mallory Sipma took fourth in the 800 and the Tigerhawks’ 4x800 relay team also was fourth.

The C-M boys were fifth in both the distance

medley and 4x400 relays. The distance medley relay team of Isaiah Baucom, Wyatt Thornton, Sully Wilkins and Owen Ament finished in 4 min-

utes, 16.61 seconds. Izaiah Lewis, Thornton, Wilkins and Woods completed the 4x400 relay in 3:59.67.

Sipma’s personal-best time of 2:55.92 in the 800 placed her fourth. Steenhoek and Grace Hunsberger both cleared 4-8 in the high jump and finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

The other top-six individual finish came from Addie Schroeder, who was sixth in the 1,500 with a time of 6:08.44.

Schroeder and Sipma teamed up with Rachael Uecker and Shae Wilkins in the 4x800 relay and the team placed fourth in 11:45.57.

The distance medley relay team of Cadence Linn, Steenhoek, Wilkins and Schroeder took sixth in 5:23.7.

Russell, Richardson lead Baxter at Iowa State indoor

AMES — Camryn Russell opened her indoor track and field season with a bronze medal, Max Handorf debuted with a school record and the Baxter boys’ track and field team posted five top-10 finishes at the Iowa Track Coaches Association (IATC) Indoor Championships at Iowa State University.

The boys finished 21st with 10.33 points in the Class 1A division on March 7, while the girls scored seven points in 24th on March 8.

The top Bolts’ finish came from Camryn Russell in the 60-meter hurdles. She was third in the preliminaries with a time of 9.89 seconds and then fin-

ished third in the final with a time of 9.83. The Baxter girls’ shuttle hurdle relay team placed eighth. Grace Anderegg, Kendall Brummel, Russell and Rossi Swihart posted a school-record time of 44.89.

Baxter’s boys were fourth in two events. Matt Richardson

finished fourth in the 3,200 with a time of 10 minutes, 17.41 seconds. He also anchored the 4x800 relay to fourth.

The foursome of Cody Samson, Handorf, Logan Jones and Richardson finished in 8:50.52.

Handorf took 11th in the 1,600 in his prep debut and finished in a school-record time of 4:44.86.

The 4x100 relay team of Cade Robinson, Rainsbarger, Treyton Travis and Cainan Travis placed ninth in 46.72 seconds.

Treyton Travis also tied for eighth in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 7 inches.

Lisbon won the boys meet with 65 points. Bellevue (42) was next and Danville (32) and Madrid (32) tied for third.

C-M girls open indoor season at Dickinson Relays

CEDAR FALLS — Katelyn Steenhoek had an impressive debut in the high jump and the Colfax-Mingo girls’ track and field team also posted a top-40 finish in a relay at the Dickinson Relays inside the UNIDome on March 5.

Steenhoek led the Tigerhawks in their indoor opener with a 21st-place finish in the high jump. She started her prep career with a mark of 4 feet, 10 inches. She cleared 4-2, 4-4, 4-6 and 4-8 on her first attempt and got 4-10 on her third try.

Grace Hunsberger also competed in the event and placed 42nd with a leap of 4-6. The Tigerhawks competed in the 4x200 and 4x800 relays. In the 4x800, the team of Addie Schroeder, Rachael Uecker, Shae Wilkins and Mallory Sipma placed 38th with a time of 12 minutes, 9.33 seconds. That would have been the team’s second fastest time last season. The 4x200 relay foursome of Karmylia Snyder, Cadence Linn, Lily Webster and Uecker placed 59th in 2:06.54.

Jasper County Tribune Travis

Jasper County Tribune

Uecker

Russell Richardson

Jasper County Tribune

Troy Hyde/Jasper County Tribune

Colfax-Mingo junior Xavier Woods, left, celebrates a career-best mark in the high jump with C-M assistant boys track and field coach Phil Grant at the South Iowa Cedar League indoor meet on March 18. Woods finished first with a leap of 6 feet, 0 inches at Grinnell College.

Troy Hyde/Jasper County Tribune

Colfax-Mingo sophomore Mallory Sipma, right, finished fourth in the 800-meter run and helped the Tigerhawks to a fourth-place finish in the 4x800 relay at the SICL indoor meet at Grinnell College on March 18.

Troy Hyde/Jasper County Tribune

Colfax-Mingo sophomore Izaiah Lewis, left, helped the Tigerhawks finish fifth in the 4x400-meter relay at the South Iowa Cedar League indoor meet at Grinnell College on March 18.

Jasper County Tribune

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