‘It’s such an honor’
Larry Opfer inducted as member of 4-H Hall of Fame
By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune
4-H has been a part of Larry Opfer’s life for almost as long as he can remember. From his time as a Hamilton Hot Shot in Decatur County, to serving as a horse superintendent at the Jasper County Fair, he has stayed busy and helped a lot of 4-H’ers on their journeys through the organization.
Opfer was honored as a 4-H Hall of Fame member during a ceremony Aug. 18 at the 4-H Building during the Iowa State Fair.
“When I got the letter, I couldn’t speak for about five minutes,” Opfer said. “It’s an honor, such an honor.”
Opfer started his 4-H career while growing up in south central Iowa. His leadership abilities showed early and during his eight years with the Hamilton Hot Shots he served in each leadership office at least once. He learned a lot of those skills close to home.
“As a kid in the fair, my mother was my leader,” Opfer said. “She was the first woman to be a leader of a men’s club in the State of Iowa.”
He continued down the path participating in educational presentations at both the county and state fair level, receiving an excellence rating and serving on county and area 4-H councils.
Opfer also worked to encourage and assist younger 4-H members by conducting a county-wide swine fitting and showmanship workshop. He was also a member of the livestock judging team.
Leadership and delegate roles brought Opfer to the Iowa 4-H
Conference, the American Royal Livestock Show, the National 4-H Conference and the Citizenship Trip to Washington D.C. His hard work was rewarded with a 4-H achievement scholarship that he used at Iowa State University to study agriculture business and finance.
Following graduation, Opfer started a career in banking initially helping those farmers impacted
A pop of color
Mingo adds sculpture to Chichaqua Valley Trail
By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune
Bikers traveling along the Chichaqua Valley Trail have a new spot to stop for a photo. Located at the Mingo trailhead, a large M sculpture greets travelers as they enter the community.
“In 2020, Mingo Hometown Pride completed the Trees Forever Community Visioning
Program,”
Mingo Hometown Pride member Emily Perry said. “This was an extensive, year-long process that brought in partners and stakeholders from our community to design a long-term list of projects that will improve the city for both residents and visitors. Our longterm projects include a downtown streetscape,
Geotechnical services approved for 2 bridges in Jasper County
Engineer says structures are longer, so the soil conditions need to be inspected
By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune
Two bridges due to be replaced within the next year or so were approved for geotechnical services this week by the Jasper County Board of Supervisors, and one of which was a bridge destroyed by floodwaters this past spring. The county engineer, Michael Frietsch, said the soil needs inspected to fit longer designs.
“Both are going to be 120-footspan, steel beam bridges with poured concrete decks on them,” Frietsch said. “The longest bridge that we’ve done with a package deal is about 80 feet with a steel backwall abutment. So we’ve got to kind of revisit our steel backwall pile design here for both these bridges.”
In order to do that, the county will hire Allender Butzke Engineers Inc. to drill soil borings, test them in a lab and then provide a report of the findings for the bridge on North 107th Avenue West over Mud Creek (Bridge D05) and the bridge on South 24th Avenue West over Cherry Creek (Bridge M03).
Bridge M03 was destroyed by floodwaters in May, along with Bridge M08 located northwest of Newton on North 35th Avenue West; Bridge L01, located east of Newton on South 12th Avenue East; and Bridge A08, located north of F-17 on North 99th Avenue East. All were included in the engineer’s five-year plan.
Following the report from Allender Butzke Engineers Inc., the
county engineer will know what the soil conditions are like in the locations of these two bridges. This will allow the county to size the bridge appropriately and then proceed with bidding out the steel backwall abutments for both bridges. Jasper County will pay Allender Butzke Engineers Inc. $7,900 for geotechnical services for Bridge D05 and $6,000 for the same services for Bridge M03.
According to county documents, the field exploration could be scheduled to be conducted within one to two weeks of receiving authorization, weather permitting. The contractor will provide a verbal report of its findings and recommendations within one week after drilling. A written report will follow a week later.
Miller-Meeks boasts conservative approach to climate change at Newton biorefinery
Congresswoman says Iowa is a model for other states when it comes to renewable energy
By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune
U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks last week visited the Chevron Renewable Energy Group biorefinery in Newton alongside fellow Republican members of the Conservative
Climate Caucus, whose mission is to find “practical and exportable answers” to reducing emissions and making energy more affordable.
For the past three months, Miller-Meeks has served as chair of the Republican-led caucus, which was founded in June 2021 by U.S. Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah. Miller-Meeks told reporters outside Chevron REG that in order to meet the goals of the caucus, the United States needs abundant and reliable energy.
“Energy demand is going up and will require all of the above energy sources, any of
the above, as we reduce emissions,” Miller-Meeks said. “Our goal as members of the Conservative Climate Caucus is to do just that. Lower emissions to have a cleaner, healthier planet while we compete economically around the globe.”
Miller-Meeks suggested Iowa is already making a difference, noting that more than 50 percent of Iowa’s energy is renewables and more than 60 percent of the state’s electricity is powered by wind. She added that Iowa is a net exporter of energy, meaning its total energy
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune
Jasper County’s Larry Opfer with his 4-H Hall of Fame induction certificate during the ceremony Aug. 18 at the Iowa State Fair.
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune
The new “M” sculpture brings a burst of color to the Mingo Chichaqua Valley Trailhead.
TRAIL | 3
Submitted by Jasper County
The bridge over Cherry Creek along South 24th Avenue East caved in as a result of floodwaters.
Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune
U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks speaks with reporters on Aug. 15 outside Chevron Renewable Enegy Group in Newton. As chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus, Miller-Meeks spoke about climate change and the need for an “all of the above” approach to renewable energies.
Baxter Legion receives donation for Huey Project
Jasper Community Foundation Grant
Submitted Photo
The Colfax-Mingo Area
Food Pantry received a $2,250 grant from the Jasper Community Foundation that will be used to reconstruct the parking area with removal of overgrowth and a new coating of gravel. Bob Corbitt accepts a check in the amount of $2,250 from Dan Skokan of the Jasper Community Foundation.
Last year, MercyOne Newton Medical Center generated 378 jobs that added $20.9 million in total wages and $77.7 million in total gross domestic product to Jasper County’s economy, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association.
“Hospitals have a significant positive impact on the local economies they serve which is why it is so vital to have a strong hospital in rural communities like ours,” Chad Kelley, chief operating officer at MercyOne Newton Medical Center, said.
“Hospitals are economic drivers which utilize local businesses to support operations, thereby creating jobs not only within the hospital’s walls but externally in the community as well.”
One component of the total economic stimulus hospitals provide to local communities includes charitable community benefit services. Community benefits are activities to improve health status and increase access to health care, including uncompensated charity care, health screenings, support groups, counseling, immunizations, nutrition services and transportation programs. “MercyOne Newton Medical Center contributed more than $3.3 million in charity care and community benefit services alone in the last fiscal year. More than 1,000 individuals directly benefited from these community service programs in our local community,” Kelley said.
The study was compiled from hospital-submitted data to the American Hospital Association’s annual survey of hospitals. The study found that Iowa hospitals employed 137,841 people in 2023. As an income source, hospitals provided over $9 billion in wages. Hospital expenses accounted for over $21.3 billion of the state’s gross domestic product.
Overall, MercyOne Newton helped create 3.6 percent of all jobs, 4.2 percent of all wages, and 6.7 percent of all gross domestic product in Jasper County during the last 2023-24 fiscal year. MercyOne Newton Medical Center is committed and proud to deliver health care services to residents of Jasper County and the surrounding areas both today and into the future.
Yard and Garden: Tomato Problems
Learn the options for addressing basic tomato problems in the home garden
Tomatoes are popular vegetables in the home garden. Most gardeners currently are enjoying their harvests. However, tomatoes are susceptible to a range of disorders that can compromise their quality and yield. In this article, horticulturists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach discuss what you can do when you encounter issues with your tomatoes.
Why are my tomatoes cracking?
Fruit cracking is a common issue in tomatoes, often appearing at the top or stem end of the fruit as cracks that radiate out from the stem or circle the stem in concentric rings. Fruit cracking is associated with wide fluctuations in soil moisture levels, such as heavy rain or deep watering after a dry spell, causing rapid water uptake and subsequent cracking. Large beefsteak-type tomatoes are particularly prone to this issue. To prevent fruit cracking, maintain consistent soil moisture, especially during fruit development. This can be achieved by watering thoroughly once a week during dry periods and using mulch, such as dried grass clippings, straw and shredded leaves to conserve moisture. Additionally, for better results, choose crack-resistant varieties such as Jetstar, Mountain Spring or Mountain Fresh.
Several of my tomatoes are misshapen. Why?
Misshapen (catfaced) fruit may be due to cool weather during fruit set. Exposure to 2, 4-D or similar broadleaf herbicides can also cause misshapen fruit. Catfacing is most common on large-fruited tomato varieties. Affected fruit shows leathery scars, bulges or holes at the blossom end of the fruit. The incidence of catfacing is typically highest on the early maturing fruit and declines during the remainder of the
growing season. A blackish spot develops on the bottom of my tomato fruit. What is the problem and how can it be prevented?
Blossom end rot is the likely cause of the problem. This common problem on tomatoes appears as a brownish-black spot on the fruit’s blossom end (bottom). Secondary organisms invade and cause the fruit to rot. Blossom end rot is most common on the earliest maturing fruit that ripen in July and early August.
Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency in the developing fruit. Wide fluctuations in soil moisture levels impair calcium uptake by the root system of the tomato plant. Excessive nitrogen fertilization may also contribute to blossom end rot.
To prevent blossom end rot, provide consistent moisture to the plants. When dry, water tomatoes weekly with 1 to 1½ inches of water and mulch to maintain soil moisture. Avoid over-fertilization and remove affected fruit to help the plant focus on healthy fruit development. There is no need to apply calcium to the soil as most Iowa soils contain more than adequate calcium levels.
Blossom end rot can also occur on pepper, eggplant, summer squash and watermelon.
My tomatoes are developing white or yellow areas on the sides of the fruit exposed to the sun. Why?
Sunscald on tomatoes appears as white or yellow patches on fruit exposed to extreme heat. These areas eventually dry out, become sunken and can rot due to secondary infections.
Losses due to sunscald can be reduced by growing tomatoes in wire cages. Cage-grown tomato plants provide good foliage protection for the fruit. Also, control Septoria leaf spot and other foliar diseases, which defoliate
the plants and expose the fruit to direct sunlight.
My tomato plants are wilting despite adequate rainfall. Why?
Wilting in tomato plants may be caused by Verticillium or Fusarium wilt, soilborne fungi that block water flow through the plant’s vascular system. Symptoms include daytime wilting with recovery overnight that worsens over time, yellowing foliage and eventual plant death. A cut through the lower stem of a dead plant often reveals a brownish discoloration of the vascular tissue.
Nothing can be done for plants that have Verticillium or Fusarium wilt. Plants that die should be removed and destroyed. Crop rotation is of limited value as the vascular wilt fungi may survive in the soil for several years. The best prevention is using resistant
following the cultivar name.
Stalk borers are another possibility. Stalk borers are insects that bore into plant stems and can also cause wilting and death. They attack a wide variety of plants, including tomatoes and many weeds that surround the area. Stalk borers are purple and cream-striped caterpillars and are an early-season pest that moves from tall grassy weeds to plants in the garden. An individual stalk borer may go from one plant to another, damaging several plants. The adult is an inconspicuous grayish-brown moth. Stalk borer-damaged plants may survive when given good care. They are best managed by removing plants that die and controlling tall weeds around the garden. Stalk borers are not easily controlled with insecticides.
Submitted Photo
Baxter Unit Lodge #520 donate $500 from its Mother’s Day Dinner proceeds to the Baxter American Legion
Post #493 for the Huey Chopper Project.
cultivars which are marked with V or F
Iowa State University
Blossom end rot of tomato.
Four Women Managing Farmland forums offered in September
Four Women Managing Farmland Forums and Annie’s Project 20th Anniversary Celebrations will be offered across the state the first week of September. The free events take place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 3 in Atlantic, Sept. 4 in Iowa City, Sept. 5 in West Union and Sept. 6 in Storm Lake.
The one-day regional forums are a valuable opportunity to refresh your conservation, leasing and
Hall of Fame
Continuedfrompage1
by the farm crisis of the early 1980s. He worked as an advisor, problem solver and business partner with farmers, many of which were friends and acquaintances from his youth. Later in his career, Opfer moved to Jasper County and started his next chapter at the Jasper County Fair. He and his wife were active in 4-H with his wife serving as a leader and himself as jack-of-all-trades.
He built obstacles for llamas and horse projects, helped with fittings for llama, horses and cats and gave a hand with tack or general advice in the barns.
He helped his kids with a variety of projects from woodworking and gardening to art and animals. He took a special interest in the Equine
Trail
Continuedfrompage1
trail connections and to bring art and artists to our community.” Fundraising started on the project and the team received grants and donations from a variety of areas. They included the Jasper County Community Foundation, Jasper County GEMS, Mingo American Legion Auxiliary and Mingo Men’s Club. Additional donations of landscaping wood chips were provided by Indian Creek Tree Service. Labor and materials were donated by Koester Construction, Jasper County Conservation, Wade Boehm/ Herbold Farms and Sta-
estate management skills while networking with other women in agriculture. Topics will include soil erosion and water management, landowner responsibilities and the economics of farmland, as well as trusts, taxes and succession planning. Women of all ages make important decisions about land leasing, conservation practices and transition and estate plans. The forums are designed to
Experience and became a constant presence during the meetings, encouraging the kids to learn proper riding and safety techniques.
“I like to give my time back being a part of the fair,” Opfer said. “It has been invaluable for me and I’ll continue to do that.”
Opfer found a partner with a new employer who encouraged community involvement and volunteerism. They also became financial supporters to worthy community projects.
“It is so beneficial to be a part of the bank that I work for because they are so supportive,” Opfer said.
“We’ve done a large amount of donations and I’m able to work (at the fair) the whole week of the fair which a lot of companies won’t allow.”
A recent project was a new photo board for the fairgrounds. Made of brick, Opfer said it can stand up to about anything.
tion Street Cycle Shop. Perry also said volunteers put a lot of time, supplies, equipment and labor into the site preparation, landscaping and clean up.
“The basic design was created by the ISU Community Design Lab through the Community Visioning Program,” Perry said. “From there, our Mingo Hometown Pride volunteer, Scott Hoskins, finalized the design, built and installed the sculpture himself.”
Installed in the past year, the design has a large, stylized “M” with a walking/biking path going under/through the letter. Perry said she was excited for the sculpture to add extra fun to the trail experience.
“The sculpture frames
“I think it will be an awesome addition to the fair,” Opfer said. “It is permanent and flood resistant and everything else.”
During his time in Jasper County he has also served as a horse superintendent, as a member of the Jasper County Fair Foundation and business partner and friend of the Brice Leonard Supreme Showmanship Competition.
“I don’t know how many years I have been a horse superintendent but that has been a highlight, being able to help the kids in the 4-H clubs,” Opfer said.
It is because of volunteers like Opfer that 4-H continues to make a difference in the lives of youth across the county. Like Opfer, they are learning lessons to take with them for the rest of their lives and hopefully pass down to the next generation of 4-H’ers.
the view into the downtown and toward the large mural we completed in 2021. Having a large, interactive art piece at the Mingo trailhead of the Chichaqua Valley Trail will help to draw cyclists into town to explore our businesses and community,” Perry said. A fun surprise has been how visible the sculpture is from around town.”
So far the addition has been a hit with a lot of cyclists stopping to get a selfie under the “M.” It also helps emphasize Mingo’s spot along the trail and give people an extra chance to stop by the community.
help attendees meet their long-term farmland management goals. By combining strategies, women can design equitable farmland leasing, adoption of conservation practices and efficiencies in transitions to next generation farmers.
More than 3,000 Iowa women completed Annie’s Project or Annie’s Inspired multi-session farm management courses since 2004.
Biorefinery
Continuedfrompage1
exports are greater than its total imports.
In addition to ethanol and biodiesel, Iowa frequently uses wind, solar and bio mass for energy resources, among many others.
“We’re already a model for other states, but what’s more important is we’re using the natural resources we have,” Miller-Meeks said to Iowa Public Radio. “We do have wind. We do have solar. We grow crops. The best way to sequester carbon is to grow things. And so we do that here.”
worker and national security.” Miller-Meeks said there is a price to be paid for what the Biden administration is doing.
“We want to bring practical, innovative solutions and affordability and accessibility into the market,” Miller-Meeks said, later noting the caucus’s views on climate differ from the Biden administration’s in that they prefer “market-based solutions” and policies that encourage innovation, research and development.
the Biden-Harris administration, that’s actually taking energy offline,” Miller-Meeks said. “The EPA has a power plant rule that would take about 30 percent of natural gas and coal-fired plants offline within the next decade.” Coal plants are widely considered the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. E&E News, an American news company covering environmental and energy issues, reported in 2022 that coal was responsible for 22 percent of the country’s electricity production and 60 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions.
Work hasn’t stopped to help beautify the town. Murals painted by Elizabeth Hiden, an artist based out of New York, have been added on Station Street.
“We look forward to more,” Perry said.
According to the Conservative Climate Caucus website, the caucus helps bring “Republicans to the table to fight against radical progressive climate proposals that would hurt our economy, American
Especially if energy companies are utilizing already existing energy sources while simultaneously lowering emission. Miller-Meeks also claimed the caucus is not favoring certain industries but rather “looking at all of those industries and how do we meet energy demand,” which only continues to rise.
“So how do you meet that energy demand? We have an administration,
Still, Miller-Meeks criticized the Biden administration’s climate agenda, especially the tailpipe emission rule unveiled this past spring, which some argue is pushing the auto industry towards electric vehicles.
Miller-Meeks claimed the rule would require 66 percent of the vehicles in the country to be electric in eight years.
“But yet no plan to bring energy on board,” Miller-Meeks said.
Celebrate your new baby in the Jasper County Tribune! Email birth announcements to: news@jaspercountytribune.com
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune
4-H Hall of Fame inductees, including Jasper County’s Larry Opfer, take the stage and are honored during a ceremony held Aug. 18 at the 4-H building at the Iowa State Fair.
Timeout
Everybody needs a timeout. When I was a kid, “timeout” was just becoming fashionable, like when the hula hoop took the country by swirl. Instead of a spanking, a “timeout” might be awarded to a misbehaving child (like me), where I was assigned to go stand in a corner or be sent off into another room by myself where I was to “think about” what I had done. To spank or not to spank was the big controversy like it was with bottle feeding a newborn or breastfeeding. The benefits or adverse effects of corporal punishment are still debated today, whether it be child or adult.
Today, a “timeout” might carry a different meaning like, “Let’s have a timeout from each other,” where two people decide to spend some time apart to see if they miss one another or not. Ginnie and I are in a brief timeout, although not for adverse reasons. Once a year, usually about this time, midsummer, she goes to
YOUR VIEW
People will always complain about prices
“It’s the economy, stupid!” Remember that old political saying from the 1990s? Here we are in another presidential election cycle 30 years later, and the economy is still what everyone is talking and complaining about. I was watching an old black and white movie from the early 1950s on TV the other day, and at one point one of the characters was complaining about prices being “so high.” The 1950s!
As far back as I can remember, starting in the 1960s, I would hear people complaining about the high cost of living and high prices. In the
Curt Swarm Empty Nest
spend time with her three sisters in Missouri. They goof around, shop, eat good food, and visit their 97-year-old father in assisted living. It’s a “timeout” for them, away from their husbands and families, sister time to spend together. This means I’m home alone for three days, or in a “timeout” that I sort of enjoy, because I know it’s temporary. I isolate, read, sleep a lot, get a few projects done, and generally enjoy the peace and quiet.
Ginnie has ensured I have plenty to eat. She spent the day before she left in a tizzy preparing food. There’s breakfast casserole, sloppy Joes, chicken enchiladas, leftover potato salad, and death-by-chocolate brownies. Dang! I’m trying to keep the food in order: breakfast casserole for breakfast, obviously; sloppy Joes for lunch; and chicken enchi-
1970s people complained about high grocery and gas prices. In the 1980s, people complained about high grocery and gas prices. In the 1990s, in the 2000s, and all the way up to today, people were and still are complaining about high prices the same way their parents and grandparents complained all those years ago.
And yet we and all those on the cable news outlets and all over social media act like this is something new, that prices have only recently gotten too high. We seem to look at the past through those ever-present “rose-colored glasses” we all seem to own.
Fact is, prices have always been thought of as being “too high,” no matter the price and no matter the generation affected by them.
People have always complained
ladas for supper. The death-by-chocolate brownies are fill-in as needed. Poor me. You might know the garden is hitting hard while Ginnie is gone. The cucumbers are multiplying like rabbits, the green beans are elongating like earthworms, and the tomatoes are blushing brides. Vegetables are so life-like. Thank goodness we have friends like the Snavelys who are delighted to take excess produce off our hands. Of course, I know how to cook fresh green beans and bacon better’n Ginnie. I don’t spare the bacon or onions, like Ginnie does. All of these fresh garden vegetables, plus the pre-prepared food, and I may gain weight while Ginnie’s gone. I plan to sweat it off in the exercise room.
Stormy, our tomcat, has mixed feelings about Ginnie’s absence. She spoils him to no end by constantly giving him treats, something I won’t do. But she shuts him out of our bedroom at night because she doesn’t like him sleeping on our bed. I sort of enjoy the company of Stormy on the bed in Ginnie’s absence, so the bedroom door is wide open. Stormy
about high prices and the only difference between then and now is that now, thanks to cable news and social media apps like Facebook and TikTok and X, we have all sorts of new and creative ways to complain.
Politicians love to use the economy to manipulate voters, when the truth is that no matter who gets elected, people will never be satisfied with prices in the grocery store or at the gas pump, and will always look for someone to blame. Of course, maybe if wages had kept up with inflation so that folks, instead of just getting by, could actually get ahead, things might be perceived differently.
But I’m sure then we would just find something else to complain about.
John Moore Newton
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 month
- Marathon Sunday includes elders, board, potluck and food pantry
FIRST MONDAY of monthWIC appointments
Church Schedules
IRA UNITED CHURCH Rev. Michael Omundson
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, Aug. 25 - 9 a.m. Fellowship; 9:15 a.m. Bible Education Classes; 10:25 a.m. Message by Pastor Cody Dyer
TUESDAY, Aug. 27 - 3:30 p.m. Women’s Prayer and Coffee
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28 - 9 a.m. Busy Bee Quilters and Fresh Encounter Prayer; 6:30 p.m. AWANA Leaders’ Meeting
The church schedule is brought to you by
THURSDAY, Aug. 29 - 6:30 p.m. Music/Worship Team Meeting
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
doesn’t know what to think about his new privilege but complains anyway. The chipmunks wish Ginnie had not left. Our yard is riddled with chipmunk holes and pathways. The best way to get rid of them, I’ve determined, is to shoot them with a small caliber rifle. Ginnie hates for me to do this, thinking the poor little chipmunks are cute. With her gone, I’m free to open fire. So it’s a three-day open season on chipmunks. I sit in my recliner with a Kindle book in my hands. I just completed something I have never done before. I read three of Abraham Verghese’s books, “The Covenant of Water,” “Cutting for Stone” and “The Tennis Partner” backto-back, twice. They are that intriguing and well-written, and are influencing my writing. I look out the picture window and see the BNSF freight train heading east full of coal. The hump of coal is barely visible above the tall corn. There’s a sadness to it. I’m ready for the “timeout” to be over.
Contact Curt Swarm at curtswarm@ yahoo.com
Community
Calendar
Send items to news@jaspercountytribune.com
THURSDAY • AMVETS meets at 7 p.m. the fourth Thursday of month at the Colfax Fire Station.
SUNDAY • Colfax Historical Society Museum is open from 2 to 4 p.m. every Sunday through Labor Day.
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
• Colfax Farmers Market is open from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Mineral Springs Park
• C-M Education Foundation Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of month in Central Office
THURSDAY
• Mingo Park & Recreation regular meeting meets at 6:30 p.m. the last Thursday of month at City Hall
CHS to host program on Iowa’s Civil War involvement Aug. 25
The Colfax Historical Society is hosting “Iowa’s Involvement in the Civil War” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25. Michael Huston, guest speaker, will discuss the many individuals who served from Jasper County. Those attending this free event are encouraged to take images and artifacts of their own relatives to share.
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 & 3rd6:30 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 month - 6:30 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 WORD OF LIFE
ASSEMBLY OF GOD 102 Second St. NW, Mitchellville Pastor Dave Adams 515-967-3330
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Bible classes; 10 a.m. Worship service; 6 p.m. Evening service WEDNESDAY - 7 p.m. Evening activities
LUTHERAN CHURCH OF HOPE
Capitol II Theatre in Newton SUNDAY - 9:30 a.m. Livestream Worship Service
IHSAA moves boys golf to fall season
According to executive director Erin Gerlich, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s decision to move girls tennis to the fall came with lots of research, input and data.
That’s what Newton head girls tennis coach Erick Zehr is putting faith into. But on the surface, it’s difficult to see how the decision will benefit programs already at a disadvantage.
“I’ve met Erin. I think she’s doing good things for the union,” Zehr said. “I’m putting a lot of faith in her and the research they’ve done. But I am concerned and nervous that this will hurt schools like us.”
In a joint statement on Aug. 12, the IGHSAU and the Iowa High School Boys Association decided to reduce spring schedule congestion by flipping girls tennis and boys golf to the fall starting in the 2025-26 school year.
For the most part, it has not been well received across the state of Iowa.
“Our member schools have been asking for ways to relieve the crowded spring sports seasons for years” Gerlich said. “The new changes provide relief in an already busy spring, and an opportunity for the IGHSAU and IHSAA to enhance the state tournament experiences for tennis and golf.
“A lot of work has gone into this process and we appreciate all of the input we have received regarding these changes.”
Change is hard. And this certainly won’t be easy for any female athlete who plays volleyball or runs cross country in the fall and tennis in the spring or for male athletes who play football or run cross country in the fall and golf in the spring.
But the changes address decades-long concerns from member schools over scheduling and were approved by both the IHSAA’s board and IGHSAU’s board following discussions at a joint meeting in early July.
Iowa’s current spring schedule includes eight sports — golf, soccer, tennis and track and field for both boys and girls — and overlaps seasonally with baseball and softball.
The adjustment was discussed across 2023-24 district meetings, the IHSADA state conference, advisory committees and the 2023 IHSAA membership survey.
“Reducing the congestion in the spring schedule has been a topic of conversation among
ADs, our staffs, representative councils, boards and the joint IHSAA & IGHSAU committee for several years,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said. “Moving our Class 3A, 2A and 1A golf competitions to the fall to align with 4A is a step toward easing that congestion.”
Among nine other peer state associations in the Midwest, seven separate golf seasons by gender and all nine separate tennis seasons.
The increased availability of facilities, coaching and school resources, plus the reduction of scheduling conflicts are the top cited reasons for those successful season separations.
“Other Midwest states have found success with this model, and I’m confident our schools will adjust to the new format,” said Keating, who served as president of the NFHS in 202324. “While we recognize some of the initial challenges, the advantages of reducing scheduling congestion in the spring, reducing lost class time and giving the option of having the same coach for spring and fall combine to lead us in this direction.
“For boys golf, fall should provide good course and playing conditions, and the high school season will immediately follow summer, when most golfers have enjoyed the opportunity to work on their game.”
In 2025, boys golf (3A, 2A, 1A) and girls tennis (2A, 1A) will compete in both the 202425 spring season and the 2025-
26 fall season. Class 4A boys golf has competed exclusively in the fall since 1993 and features the earliest competition start date of any fall sport.
“I’m not sure what to think about the change as of right now,” Baxter head boys golf coach Kyle Stribe said. “It will be interesting to see how it affects golf numbers with football and cross country to contend with. I think in very small schools it has the potential to be the death of some golf programs. It also will be tough for coaches in a small school. For me, I coach junior high football and high school boys golf, which means I will have to select one of the two to coach. Overall, the effect of this move won’t be seen until it all plays out.”
Stribe is not the only coach in Jasper County who may have to choose one sport over another.
Collin Harrison is the boys golf coach at PCM and has been a long-time member of the Mustangs’ football coaching staff. And he did not like the IHSAA’s decision.
“In short, I think this is an awful idea for 1A and 2A schools with the only benefit being weather,” Harrison said. “In small schools, football is generally king as far as the number of athletes is concerned. Golf relies on dual-sport athletes a lot in small schools and the time it takes to compete at a high level in football makes it much more difficult to be a dual-sport athlete.”
Class 4A golf has been a fall sport for more than 30 years. But a lot of those athletes do not play football or run cross country at that level. And the golf courses are typically bigger, 18 holes and maintained a lot longer through the fall.
These are just a few of the reasons Harrison doesn’t agree with some of the reasons behind the change.
He also doesn’t think moving girls tennis to the fall will help with congestion in the spring because most small schools do not offer tennis as a sanctioned sport anyway.
“Also, they are now pairing what I would call a finesse sport with a physical sport where we are expecting athletes who are going to get beaten up playing football to go play golf as well,” Harrison said. “The idea of practicing is insanely tough. You can’t miss football practices most weeks ... there is too much preparation on a week-to-week basis. So what do you do for golf?
“I think this is a move that was done to cater to the bigger schools to get everyone doing it at the same time. There’s absolutely no reason other than weather that this makes any sense from a logistical standpoint for small schools. This is an example of not thinking about the student-athletes first. We have made spring golf work forever so the excuse of easier on courses and coaches doesn’t make much sense either.”
PCM Activities Director
Jeremy Swink is a former high school and college golfer. He has played golf in Iowa in both the fall and the spring and definitely thinks the sport of golf is significantly better to play in the fall.
“You have all summer to prepare, the weather is much better and the courses are in prime golf shape,” Swink said. “The major unknown and question is how it will affect football numbers and those students wanting to participate in golf and football, especially with small schools. That’s what I do not know. Our current varsity boys golf roster has one varsity football player on it, but I know a few years back we had key role players in football also on the varsity golf team.”
School administrators, coaches and parents of the athletes are going to have to be willing to be flexible with kids who want to do both sports, according to Swink. He also thinks there can be quite a few golf meets scheduled before school even starts. And meets during the school year can be scheduled during the day to accommodate the shared athletes.
“We all know it’s much easier said than done so that will be a challenge ahead of us,” Swink said.
Harrison’s counter to scheduling golf meets during the day is athletes will be required to miss more school than they did before.
Pat Riley has been the head boys golf coach at Newton for two decades. His program played fall golf when the Cardinals were 4A but they most recently moved to the spring when they dropped to 3A.
Riley’s had athletes who have tried to dual sport before. It’s not impossible, but golf requires a certain time commitment that makes it more challenging.
His top golfer heading into next season is a kicker on this year’s Cardinal football team. Jackson Price also could have played soccer in the spring but chose not to.
Price will now be able to play soccer if he chooses to, but he may have to make a decision between golf and football.
“I’m not happy about it,” Riley said. “We are going to lose some potentially good golfers, including my son Merrick in two years.
“It’s going to kill the likes of Colfax-Mingo and PCM. Even Newton to some degree. It won’t affect 4A players because none of those golfers ever played football.”
If you take football players off this year’s Baxter boys golf team, the Bolts would have had a roster of three.
Several golfers from Newton and Lynnville-Sully also play football for their respective schools.
PCM junior Charlie Ford is a varsity golfer who also competes on the Mustangs cross country team.
Colfax-Mingo head boys golf coach Blake Warrick said about 12 of his 18 golfers out this past spring play football in the fall. And five of the seven varsity golfers are football players. One of them also ran cross country.
“It will definitely hurt our numbers because I’m guessing nearly all of those guys would choose football,” Warrick said.
The only area school affected by the tennis move is Newton. The girls will play in the fall and the boys will remain in the spring starting in 2025-26.
And the biggest fall sport affected by the change will be volleyball as a handful of players have participated in both in recent seasons.
“With tennis moving to the fall, I may not even be able to have Friday practices because the athletes will want to attend football games,” Zehr said. “My Friday practices may have to be Saturday.”
By Troy Hyde Sports Editor
Troy Hyde/Jasper County Tribune
Colfax-Mingo senior Shane Hostetter won’t have to make a decision between golf and football, but some Tigerhawk athletes will after the Iowa High School Athletic Association made the decision to move boys golf to the fall starting in 2025-26.
Troy Hyde/Jasper County Tribune
Baxter junior Stadan Vansice was on the Bolts’ golf team this past spring and will play for the football squad this fall. The two sports will both be played in the fall starting in the 2025-26 school year.
Study tips for a strong start in school
Studying is vital to academic performance. At the dawn of a new school year, students get a fresh start to improve upon or continue strong their study habits. Teachers will be rolling out their curricula, and that may feel overwhelming. However, optimizing study skills can boost confidence in school and in areas outside of the classroom. These study tips can put students on a path for success.
• Find your optimal study space. The ideal study spot varies from student to student. Some need a quiet nook in the library, while others may prefer the sounds of nature while seated on a park bench. There’s no one-size-fits-all study location, so students may need to experiment with what works best for them. Also, The Princeton Review says that a student doesn’t need just one study space. He or she may find a change of scenery can prompt the brain to retain information better.
• Devise a study plan. Setting goals and a plan of attack allows students to space out their studying over several days. This can reduce stress and make the task seem less cumbersome.
• Avoid cram sessions. Devising a study plan is better than cramming the night before a test. The American Psy-
chological Association says students may perform well on a test for which they’ve crammed, but that doesn’t mean they’ve truly learned the material. Studying with a goal of retaining the material long-term is important.
• Learn how to actively study. Some students think that studying requires reading over the material or highlighting text. Active studying involves engaging with the material and constructing meaning from the text. One way to engage with the material is to try acting as the teacher and explaining concepts to another person. Creating a study guide or even concept maps also helps one actively study.
• Balance intensity with laid-back study approaches. Students may procrastinate with their studying because they don’t want to devote a lot of time to the task. Instead, they can do shorter sessions mixed with longer sessions of studying. In fact, The Learning Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says shorter, intensive study time can be more effective than drawn-out studying.
• Ask for help. Asking a teacher or another student for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a good strategy to develop early on. The longer one waits, the more
difficult it may be to catch up on material.
Asking for help goes hand-in-hand with setting up a buddy system for studying. Study groups enable students to go over material together, which can provide different perspectives and help the material
resonate more effectively. Students will spend a lot of time studying while in school. Learning how to do it effectively is vital to fulfilling one’s academic potential.
2024-2025 Fall and Winter Sports Schedule booklet is now available to be picked
Locations Coming Soon!
2024-2025 NFL schedule
Big 12, Missouri Valley, Central, Drake, Grinnell, Iowa State, UNI and University of Iowa.
Metro Creative