Hundreds come out for Colfax’s Annual Halloween Walk Oct. 22. Businesses lined the downtown with fun themed stops including Ghostbusters, Monopoly, an alien encounter, superheroes and The Wizard of Oz
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune
Name: Brad Magg
Age: 38
Residence: Colfax
Occupation: Owner, Goldie’s Ice Cream Shoppe & Spring City Pharmacy
Office seeking: Iowa House District 38
1. Introduce/Reintroduce yourself to voters and explain why you are running.
Magg: As a lifelong resident of Jasper County, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have experienced the amazing support of “Iowa Nice” my entire life. As a child, when word traveled of my passion for baking, community members started ordering baked goods to encourage my interests. That turned into food and meals, which led to me starting Magg Family Catering when I was 14. The amazing educators and administration at Colfax-Mingo Schools went above and beyond to help me succeed. From being understanding with my attendance so I could make deliveries, to teachers tailoring curriculum just for me that aligned to my business interests, to not dropping the Accounting II class despite me being the only student, I will always be forever grateful for public education. And it makes me sick to see the lack of funding and unfunded or underfunded mandates implemented with the obvious goal to make public schools fail. My mother often worked three jobs and still struggled to keep a roof over our
heads when I was growing up. I never would have been able to attend a private school if our local public school had been less desirable.
After attending DMACC, at the age of 20 my local banker saw my work ethic and believed in me enough that I was able to buy Goldie’s Ice Cream Shoppe in Prairie City. Understanding that being successful with a business in a small community is as much, if not more, about how much you support the community than how much the community supports you, I wanted to fill a gap in a community that had nowhere to eat besides Casey’s. So we added food to go along with the ice cream.
Passionate about giving back to the community that had given me so much, I ran for the Colfax City Council with the goal of working to build up the community so that it was an attractive place for my friends and classmates to move back to and hopefully so future generations wouldn’t want to leave in the first place. I’m now serving my 15th year on the Colfax City Council.
A few years ago our only pharmacy in Colfax closed its doors after over 100 years of being in business. After losing our medical clinic a year or two prior and realizing that an outside entity wouldn’t re-open the kind of pharmacy that our community and every community deserves, myself along with some other local leaders decided to roll up our sleeves and re-open the only pharmacy in Colfax, and the only locally
Name: Jon Dunwell
Age: 58
Residence: Newton
Occupation: Pastor at Gateway Church Monroe and director of outreach and engagement at The Family Leader Office seeking: Iowa House District 38
1. Introduce/Reintroduce yourself to voters and explain why you are running.
Dunwell: My name is Jon Dunwell. My wife, Christie, and I have been married for 34 years and live in Newton with our two boys, Addison (23) and Bryce (20). I’m the pastor of Gateway Church Monroe, the director of outreach and engagement at The Family Leader, and a coach for other nonprofits. I have a history of community involvement with the YMCA, community councils, MealsOn-Wheels, Seniors First, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Main Street, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce and other organizations. I currently serve as the District 38 state representative and as an assistant majority leader in the Iowa House.
taxes with fiscal responsibility and pursuing the priorities of Iowans.
2. Several legislative actions have impacted public schools over the past few years, to mixed reception from the public. Do you agree with past action? What sorts of changes do you want to see in the future? Should input from HD38 school districts go into your decision making?
Dunwell: Education continues to be a top priority of the Iowa Legislature. It comprises almost 50 percent of our state budget and a significant proportion of property taxes. Recognizing the importance of teachers, last year we made Iowa the fifth highest starting teacher pay in the nation with the fifth lowest cost of living. We’ve also invested in educational choice for parents, ensuring each child their optimal learning environment through open enrollment, charter schools and education savings accounts.
I bring my passion, diverse experience and leadership to Jasper County to address its current challenges and create future opportunities. I will continue to focus upon representing Jasper County’s values, preserving our freedoms, cutting
Bringing efficiency, focus and accountability to government is a crucial role of legislative leadership. Last year we made improvements to our AEAs, protecting our investment in special education, bringing greater accountability and coordination with the Department of Education, reforming salaries and giving local districts more control. We did this without reducing any funding and instead provided more dollars for students. We also have worked to protect education from radical political
DUNWELL | 5
Russell Arge Rippey
Oct. 21, 2024
Russell Arge Rippey, 91, of Mingo, died Monday, October 21, 2024, at his home outside Ira. Russell’s family will greet friends from 10
a.m.12 p.m., Saturday, November 2, 2024, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Novem-
ber 2, at Union Chapel in rural Ira, followed by burial at Union Chapel Cemetery. Memorials to Union Chapel can be left at the funeral home or at the church on the day of the service.
Russell, the son of William Gale and Florence Irene (Vieth) Rippey, was born February 13, 1933. Russell has 2 sisters, Margaret (Dennis) Page and Zella (E. James) Rogers. Russell attended elementary school in Ira and graduated from high school in Mingo. He served his country in the Army and was stationed in Germany. He started farming after he was dis-
The Oct. 21 meeting of the Colfax Historical Society was called to order at 7 p.m. by president Kevin Williams and he thanked everyone for attending. Members present were: BJ Williams, Karen Russell, Aaron Bartholmey, Steve and Cindy L. Van Dusseldorp, Larry Hurto, Stanley Daft, Larry and Charlet Daft, Joyce Jessen, Rachel Wilty, Peggy Dvorak, Chris Smith and facility manager Tranquillity Smith. Minutes of the Sept. 16 was read. Treasurer’s report for September was presented.
Facility manager Tranquillity said the internet got fixed. She has a lot of rentals in November.
Chris has been installing the security camera system and he has the old cameras up and working.
The semitrailer has been removed by Richard and David Salisbury.
Larry D. has set Saturday, Dec. 14 for the Christmas Party from 2 to 4 p.m., with games, refreshments of punch, coffee and cookies will be
charged from the Army. Russell and Evelyn (Hall) Rippey were married at Mingo Methodist Church on October 7, 1956. They were married 68 years and 2 weeks. Russell and Evelyn were blessed with 4 wonderful daughters: Cynthia (Greg) Westjohn, Nancy Withers, Sandra (Paul) Kelly, and Abigail (Tony) Birkenholtz. His grandchildren are Heather (Erik) Will, Holly (Jason) Herboth, Jessie (Derik) Walk, Michelle (Brad) Parsons, Kate Rippey, Andrea (Cole) Horsman, Colton Birkenholtz and Wyatt Birkenholtz. His great-grandchildren are Jessie, Kaitlynn, Allisyn,
served and parents may take pictures of their children with Santa Claus.
Election of 2025 officers and three-year term members of the board of directors was held. The nominating committee presented the proposed names: President-Kevin Williams, Vice President-Larry Daft, Secretaries-Karen Russell (8 months) and Peggy Dvorak (4 months); Treasurer-Aaron Bartholmey; three-year term board of directors: Don Jessen, Joyce Jessen and Peggy Dvorak.
An Election Day Soup Supper will be Tuesday, Nov. 5 in our community room from 4:30 to 8 p.m. We will have soup, crackers, veggies, dessert and drinks. There will be a freewill donation. Committee in charge is: Cindy L. and Peggy. Desserts will be donated and several have volunteered to help.
Kevin has found a print shop in East Des Moines to print the “Colfax Mineral Springs Little Carlsbad of America” booklets that we have in
Elias, Finn, Ezra, Mason, Olivia, Kynnedi, Miles, Easton, Jaxon, MacKenzie, Lucus, Vincent, and Collin. Russell was very dedicated to his family and loved spending time with them.
After their retirement, Russell and Evelyn had a wonderful time going on bus trips and made several close friends on these trips. They loved working together on the yard and garden. In the winter, he worked in his woodworking shop.
Russell was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; his Uncle Russell; nephew, John Rogers; and brother-inlaw, James Rogers.
our gift shop, as there are only a couple left. He will find out the cost later.
Kevin talked to JD Smith and he said the fire department can burn the log cabin, fence, outhouse and wagon this winter when there is snow on the ground.
Jasper County Historical Museum will be doing the Christmas tree event again this year. Peggy, Steve and Cindy L. have volunteered for that project. It will be open every Saturday and Sunday from Nov. 30 – Dec. 29. Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m.; Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. and open Dec. 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. For group visit options, call the museum. Freewill donations accepted.
We will be open the second Saturday of the month on Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The volunteers will be Charlet and Larry from 10 a.m. until noon and from noon until 2 p.m. will be Don and Joyce. Admission is free.
Next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18. It is open to anyone who would like to attend.
The Jasper County Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is hosting a breakfast to honor the veterans of Jasper County. All veterans and their families are welcome from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 to the second floor confer-
ence room (there is an elevator) at Newton DMACC, 600 N. Second Ave. W. Please RSVP by Nov. 1 to the Iowa State Extension Office and inform them many guests will be attending. Call the Jasper County
ISU Extension office at 641-7926433.
Come for breakfast, socialize with the RSVP volunteers and stop by the resource booths if you wish. This event is sponsored by the Doerring Family.
By Mark Moran Iowa News Service
Leaders in Iowa’s small towns sometimes express frustration when trying to get help from the federal government.
Local and federal officials met recently to discuss the challenges in rural Iowa and ways to overcome them. Small town Iowa officials met with federal agencies at the “Connecting the Corridor” session to learn how to bridge the gap between knowing what money is available and how to put it to work locally.
Michael Holton, city administrator of Treynor, population 1,100 talked about some of the challenges.
“Most of these small, rural communities don’t have dedicated staff that are necessarily right on top of things when it comes to being able to get funds to
get them through the rainy days,” Holton explained. “They have to look to other people to be able to help them through this jigsaw puzzle.”
Holton pointed to Iowa’s extremely active tornado season this year, and admitted knowing how to get funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency was challenging. He noted local officials came away from the “Connecting the Corridor” session with direct federal contacts to call when problems arise in the future.
The American Rescue Plan Act made federal COVID relief funds available to even the tiniest of towns for some pretty big projects. Holton pointed out in some cases, the money was awarded in the form of Destination Iowa grants.
“Treynor was fortunate enough to get a Destination Iowa grant of $800,000,” Holton recounted. “The administrative details are what bog it down.”
Send items to news@jaspercountytribune.com
THURSDAY
• Mingo Park & Recreation regular meeting meets at 6:30 p.m. the last Thursday of month at City Hall
SATURDAY
• Poweshiek Partners 4-H club meets at 9 a.m. the first Saturday of the month in the C-M Elementary lunchroom
MONDAY
• BEDCO meets at 5:30 p.m. the first Monday of month
• Colfax Cub Scouts Pack 345 meets at 7 p.m. the first Monday of month in the C-M High School Cafetorium
• Colfax Planning & Zoning meets at 7 p.m. the first Monday of month at the library
TUESDAY
• The Colfax Historical Society is hosting their annual Election Day Soup Supper from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 in the community room, 900 N. Walnut Street. A variety of soups will be served along with crackers, veggies, drinks and dessert for a free will donation. The museum will also be open and is free to tour.
• Mingo Library Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month (public meeting)
• Baxter American Legion meets at 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of month at the Baxter Community Building
WEDNESDAY
• Hominy Ridge 4-H Club meets at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of month in the Baxter School Cafeteria
• Colfax Public Library Board of Trustees meets at 5 p.m. the first Wednesday of month in the downstairs meeting room.
• MEDCO meets the first Wednesday of month
• Baxter City Library Board meets at 7 p.m. the first Wednesday of month at the Baxter Library
Baxter American Legion Post 493 is sponsoring its annual Veteran’s Day soup supper and scholarship fundraiser from 4:45 to 6:45 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11 at the Baxter Community School. Good will donations will be accepted and veterans eat free. Following the supper, there will be a Veterans Day Program at 7 p.m. in the gym.
Enjoy the display of service memorabilia and Baxter Quilt Club presentations.
Legion members will set up at 6 p.m. Sunday evening if you would like to bring your military memorabilia to be on display for the public. Veterans are also requested to attend the school’s student program at 10 a.m. Monday morning.
owned pharmacy in Jasper County. Despite knowing that it would be a tremendous undertaking that we’d be lucky if we even broke even, and that we did not fully understand what we were getting ourselves into we still proceeded. We severely underestimated how bad all of the conditions would be, and three years later we’re hanging on by a thread.
All of these things have given me experience and a perspective that has made me appreciate the simplest of things even more. When Rep. Dunwell started working so passionately to undermine and take away the authorities of local government like city councils, counties and school boards, I became frustrated with his disconnect and unwillingness to listen to almost every elected official in his district and knew that something needed to be done.
2. Several legislative actions have impacted public schools over the past few years, to mixed reception from the public. Do you agree with past action? What sorts of changes do you want to see in the future? Should input from HD38 school districts go into your decision making?
Magg: Funding public schools is the most important functions of a state legislature. All Iowans benefit when our public schools are strong, not simply those with children currently in the system. For decades, the reputation of Iowa’s schools was second to none. It was a common point of pride. A schoolhouse was even chosen to be Iowa’s emblem in the special states’ quarter program during the early 2000s. Public education was unique when the United States was founded, and it has been key to the success of this country over its history.
Iowa’s excellent public school reputation has been lost in the past 10 years. It seems obvious to me that the goal of having the best public schools should not be a partisan issue, but it has become one. The majority party’s very controversial and unpopular legislation that enabled parents to receive taxpayer money (vouchers) to pay private, almost always religious, school tuition was a seismic shift. Although the Iowa majority party likes to stress that the move increases “parent choice” in where their kids go to school, in reality there has always been choice. Parents had the option to send their kids to private school at their own expense.
Not surprisingly, most private schools promptly increased their tuition after the law passed. The vouchers didn’t end up making it possible for less affluent parents to choose private school. The vouchers simply transferred taxpayer money to those more affluent parents.
The AEA restructure passed this past session was another example of a law affecting public schools that Iowans did not want. Iowa’s unique and effective Area Education Agencies enable rural special needs students to receive the same high-quality assistance that is commonly more available in urban districts. Virtually no one was in favor of the proposal except the governor. Legislators heard from record numbers of parents and public school administrators, including in House District 38, that the AEA change would hurt their students. But the majority party passed the legislation anyway with Rep. Dunwell being one of its biggest champions.
3. Iowa ranks last among 52 states in territories for OBGYN physicians per capita, and a number of rural hospitals — including Newton’s — have closed their birthing units. How should Iowa lawmakers respond to this problem? How are smaller communities supposed to thrive in this environment?
Magg: Smaller Iowa communities will find it very challenging to survive in this environment. MercyOne’s closure of its pre-natal and delivery services will force young families away from Jasper County, exactly the people that com-
munities need to attract if rural Iowa can be sustained and (hopefully) revived.
Newton News reported that 10 years of failed attempts to recruit OB-GYN physicians to Newton was the major factor in MercyOne’s decision to stop services. Legislators have passed some measures to help physician shortages such as loan forgiveness and tort reform.
But these efforts likely won’t do much to alleviate the decline of obstetric care in Iowa. It’s well known that Iowa ranks near the bottom of states for the number, per capita, of obstetricians and gynecologists. And now that there is a near total abortion ban in the state, the one residency OB-GYN program in the state at the University of Iowa will likely have trouble recruiting new students and residents. Pregnancy termination is a vital healthcare skill that new OB-GYNs need to acquire; University of Iowa has said they will try to keep their program accredited, but students may have to go to other states for clinical experience. It would not be surprising if OB-GYN students prefer to be trained in states without restrictions. Since medical doctors often stay in the state where they do their residency, that’s not good news for increasing Iowa’s number of OB-GYNs or medical professionals in general. Recently a parent gave birth to their child in their car on the shoulder of I-80 and that is only going to become a more frequent occurrence given an undesirable environment that has been worsened.
Republican legislators, including Rep. Dunwell, are responsible for Iowa’s near total abortion ban. They will be responsible for the continued shortage of OB-GYNs and the bad maternal and infant health outcomes that result.
4. In Jasper County, a number of taxing entities have taken issue with House File 718 and the restrictions it has put on certain levies. How do you feel lawmakers should approach the property tax system that both benefits Iowans while also allowing cities and counties to grow naturally?
Magg: As a 15-year member of the Colfax City Council, never have any of us said, “Let’s raise taxes and spend more.” It’s always been a discussion and a goal to do more with less. I guarantee that’s been the same mentality with the county board of supervisors and school boards. So, it was a slap in the face to all local leaders when this legislation passed that was nothing more than a bragging point for state elected officials while putting the burden on local school boards and municipalities making them look like the bad guys when services ultimately have to be cut. Local government control begins in our communities where we the residents know what’s truly going on. Not at the state level by representatives that might attend a local school board or city council meeting once a year.
5. While there are certainly unanimous or near-unanimous decisions that happen in the Legislature, so often it seems like the most talked about/impactful bills are decided by party majorities. Do you think representative government ends after the result on Election Day? How important is resident feedback to you?
Magg: I think that the size and scope of the legislative majorities are important factors to consider. When both the Iowa House, Senate and the governor are all one party, and the majorities are as large as they have been, there are no effective checks and balances on that power. The bigger the majority, the more lopsided each standing committee in each chamber becomes. The minority party has less and less power to introduce any bills that have a chance to be assigned to a committee, much less get passed out of committee and sent to the floor for a vote. Minority party amendments that might soften the more extreme parts of a bill go down to defeat. Then it does seem that representative government is a distant dream. From speaking with school superintendents and other leaders across the district, the same story of frustrations about voicing concern and opposition to bills to our current representative that still proceeded to champion
them through the House, repeat like a broken record. I’ll be honest, I have no desire to achieve a higher elected office or make a career of it. Therefore I will never not vote in the best interest of the constituents of District 38, even if it may affect being re-elected or my status within a political party.
6. Adding riders or unrelated provisions in bills is practiced by lawmakers in both the state and federal level, but social media is making these actions more well known and perhaps not quite as popular. How do you feel about riders and their use in the Iowa Legislature? When are they appropriate?
Magg: From what I’ve learned, adding unrelated provisions to bills is frowned upon by both parties. Usually, the practice can be avoided by a more balanced party legislative makeup and a better distribution of viewpoints within a party. It’s no secret that the majority party has become more extreme over the past 10 years. For instance, Gov. Reynolds was unsuccessful getting her school voucher bill passed the first two times she tried. Then she actively campaigned against members of her own party who had voted against it. She worked to make the majority party more one-sided, thus making it more likely that unrelated provisions wouldn’t be challenged successfully. At the end of the session there’s a bill known informally as the “Christmas tree bill” that has unrelated items grouped together so the legislation gets passed efficiently. That can be OK or not OK depending on what is being pushed through. One positive of social media is that more awareness is being brought to practices like this and holding their elected officials accountable.
7. What issues are most important to you for the next two years of this term? Are there any issues in Iowa you feel deserve more attention?
Magg: During the next two years, if elected, my party will most likely still be in the minority. This will be a crucial time to advocate for bipartisanship and working to bring both sides closer together; to build relationships and find common ground with those many would consider the enemy. My goal, if nothing else, is to bring a little compassion, common sense and cooperation to the Capitol. At minimum, if I can just soften one bad, hurtful thing that may become law and hopefully restore faith in democracy for at least one Iowan. While supporting public education and restoring local control are the two issues that convinced me I needed to step up and help, pharmacy reimbursement and access to health care definitely needs more attention. Some of it can be as simple as holding PBM’s accountable, which would make drastic strides in preventing the 40 percent of pharmacies that are expected to close in Iowa while also lowering insurance costs for employers because of increased transparency.
8. Any final comments you’d like to make to voters?
Magg: The Jasper County that I have lived in all of my life and taken so much pride in, is so much better than the representation Mr. Dunwell is giving us. We’ve always been a community that wants the best for everybody, not just ourselves. We’ve always taken great pride in our public schools and worked together, despite our differences, during difficult times. From voting to refuse federal funds for low income children’s summer meal programs to putting crippling mandates on public schools while simultaneously taking money from them to give to private schools without the same mandates and oversight, it’s clear that Jon Dunwell hasn’t lived in Iowa long enough to understand our needs and desires. That may be how they do things in Minnesota, Florida or Colorado, but I don’t believe it’s how the Jasper County that I know and love wants to be represented. If I’m wrong, and the voters in District 38 do feel this way, then I will be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing I at least gave the community another option. I’ve always believed in watering my own grass, rather than moving in search of greener grass. But I will never force my beliefs onto others that think differently than I do in the process.
By Steve Corbin Professor Emeritus of Marketing, University of Northern Iowa
Numerous Republican-led audits, indepth investigations and testimonies have proven that no voter fraud or machine rigging occurred in the 2020 presidential election. Even former president Donald Trump admitted — in 2020 and 2024 — he lost the election.
Trusting the 2024 election process is vitally important. Knowing the reality of the 2020 election, truth telling by Trump and GOP-spearheaded fact-finding should erase voters’ concern about the integrity of the upcoming election.
First, recall Cassidy Hutchinson (GOP assistant to Mark Meadows, Trump’s chief of staff) testified before the Jan. 6 House Select Committee that Trump told Meadows and other White House staff that he lost the 2020 election (The Hill, Sept. 12, 2023). Hutchinson’s testimony has never been refuted.
Second, on Aug. 4, Trump — in an interview with Lex Fridman (podcast #442) — admitted he lost the 2020 election (The Economic Times, Sept. 6). Trump also said he “lost the 2020 election” on two other occasions: Aug. 23, at an event near the Southern border, and on Aug. 30, at the Moms for Liberty summit (USA Today, Sept. 8).
Third, the 2020 election deniers, Trump and J.D. Vance may purposely be ignoring that eight prominent, life-long Republicans, all attorneys, published a 72page research-based document (Lost, Not Stolen) concluding that Joe Biden won the election fair and square. All voters should read, at a bare minimum, the introduction (pp. 1-2) and executive summary (pp. 3-4) of Lost, Not Stolen, accessible at https:// lostnotstolen.org.
Fourth, Ken Block, a data analytics expert and Trump campaign consultant, was hired by Trump to find voter fraud in the 2020 election. In a deposition taken by the Jan. 6 committee, he stated there were no voter irregularities anywhere in America (USA Today, Jan. 2).
Fifth, when white nationalist, supremacist and antisemetic Nick Fuentes — Trump’s guest at a Nov. 22, 2022 Mara-Lago dinner — learned that Trump admitted he lost in 2020, he blasted Trump on his Sept. 6 podcast requesting voters to not back Trump. An infuriated Fuentes stated “So, why did we do Stop the Steal?” (USA Today, Sept. 5 & 8).
Sixth, Trump’s chief pollster Tony Fab-
I wanted to take an opportunity to ask you to support Brad Magg for Iowa House District 38. Now, before you mention it, I’m not actually a resident of District 38, but I’ve known Brad for a while and can say for sure that he’s going to work hard and be a great representative for the people in that district.
Brad was born and raised on a family farm near Colfax and has learned the value of hard work from a young age and has been blessed with a very strong work ethic. Brad has become a successful entrepreneur over the years, starting with his catering business as a teenager and then purchasing Goldies here in my hometown of Prairie City at a young age. Goldies was recently named Business of the Year at Prairie City’s annual Prairie Days Celebration. Brad also continues to grow additional small businesses, all becoming successful through Brad’s strong leadership. Brad has also been a dedicated and respected business owner and city councilman in Colfax, demonstrating his strong ability to serve the community and represent others in a positive manner.
Brad Magg will be a strong leader in restoring and adequately funding the needs of our public schools. The percentage of funding that has been allocated each year to our public schools does not meet school districts’ standard increasing expenses, let alone a consideration for inflation.
Brad Magg will be a leader in supporting policies to make small town businesses thrive. During my service as mayor of Prairie City, I appreciated Brad’s common-sense approach and I valued his input. Brad understands the challenges that small businesses face and will be dedicated to representing District 38 in addressing these issues.
Brad Magg will listen to and consider everyone’s views in District 38, regardless of their political party. Brad’s work ethic is unmatched and his proven business success is largely due to his ability to understand and listen to all of his customers and constituents.
I consider myself a moderate and am not affiliated with Brad’s political party. However, I have always prioritized voting for the individual who I believe will best represent the needs of my district with transparency, honesty and integrity. I only wish I had the opportunity to cast my vote for Brad Magg.
As Election Day approaches on Tuesday, Nov. 5, I encourage you to take the time to thoroughly research the candidates on the ballot. I ask that you strongly consider casting your vote for Brad Magg to represent District 38.
Max Keuning Prairie City
SHARE YOUR VIEW
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rizio presented a 27-page election defeat autopsy report in Dec. of 2020 to Trump and his advisors saying Trump saw “the greatest erosion with white voters, particularly white men” plus his honesty and trustworthiness were a problem (Politico, Feb. 2, 2021).
Lost, Not Stolen
Eight die-hard Republican attorneys conducted a legal review of all 64 court cases filed by Trump and his supporters to contest the 2020 results. The final report, with 280 reference citations and published in July 2021, provided unequivocal evidence that Trump lost. They found there was “no credible evidence that fraud changed the outcome even in a single precinct, let alone in any state” (Cato Institute, July 21, 2022).
The eight GOP attorneys-at-law “also examined, point by point, every fraud accusation made in social media and in the public forum by those who claimed the election was stolen.” They found no improper vote counts, no voting machine rigging, no absentee ballot fraud, no voter identification fraud and no blocking of observers during the vote count (Trib Total Media, July 16, 2022).
Lost, Not Stolen’s authors, who remain Republicans, include three prominent retired federal judges (Thomas Griffith, Michael McConnell and J. Michael Luttig), former solicitor general Theodore Olson, election lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg, longtime congressional staff chief David D. Hoppe and former senators John Dan-
forth (1976-1995, Mo.) and Gordon Smith (1997-2009, Ore.).
The eight GOP lawyers went on in their 72-page definitive report to “urge fellow conservatives to cease obsessing over the results of the 2020 election.”
It’s interesting that 81 percent of adults surveyed in an ABC News/Ispos poll will accept the results of our upcoming Nov. 5 election. This means 19 percent of Americans—the ill-informed and gullible—have accepted Trump and GOP officials’ Stop the Steal pretense. Furthermore, 67 percent of Americans feel Trump isn’t prepared to accept the outcome unless he wins (Aug. 30).
Patriotic Americans feel sad for the 2020 election deniers, who have been duped, hoodwinked, led down a dark rabbit hole and given disinformation, misinformation and blatant propaganda. Trump’s 2020 stolen election conspiracy theory — one of 51 attributed to Trump and touted 526 times on his Truth Social media platform — has been proven, beyond a shadow of doubt, to be fallacious (CREW, June 27).
You should feel confident and comfortable voting on Nov. 5. Why? Close and contested elections are a part of American history. All states have voting security upgrade processes in place—robust and resilient—to handle just such situations. Trusted elections are the foundation of our democracy. On Nov. 5, don’t fret. Vote! Contact Steve Corbin at Steven.B.Corbin@gmail.com
YOUR VIEW
Cast your vote for the right reasons
Here we are about a week or so away from the election and if you haven’t already voted, you surely know who you are voting for, so attempting to change voters’ minds at this point is most likely a waste of time and money.
It’s become obvious that the driving issue for too many voters is not the economy or immigration, or women’s health rights, it is personality and hate for anyone who doesn’t fall in line with one
party’s ideology. We’ve been living for decades now in a bubble of social media, reality TV shows, and non-stop cable news networks that fill our minds all day long with angry, combative, and sometimes hate-filled rants about how evil certain people are or how dangerous any given political party is. And since we are creatures who love to be entertained, we seem to be drawn to the most outrageous, norm-busting characters we can find. Of course, no one will admit this, maybe they don’t even realize it themselves, so they use the old “I like (or don’t like) their policies, that’s why I’m sticking with this candidate no matter what” excuse to justify their sup -
Isn’t this what we all really want and deserve?
Common Sense, cooperation, compassion and integrity are all traits of an effective and trustworthy leader.
A vote for Brad Magg is our first step to bring back these important qualities to the Iowa House.
Brad’s experience as a local business owner, city council member, civic leader and mentor to other small businesses brings all the unique qualities to the table that his opponent simply does not bring. Brad has a long standing reputation of listening to his con-
Character counts
Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship: these are the six pillars of character, prominently displayed at our schools. They represent the things we value as a community; that we want our children to have. These are the most crucial things to consider when selecting someone to hire or elect to public office. Character is more important than party platforms or what candidates
port for their candidate. It seems people have been conditioned by the media and the wasteland that is the internet to believe, true or not, whatever those folks want them to believe about these candidates. Some voters base their opinions on the actual words and actions of the candidates. Others get all their information from thirdhand sources and never bother to check whether any of what they have learned is or isn’t true. So vote if you haven’t already. But please make sure your vote is cast for the correct reasons and not because someone you don’t even know told you how to vote.
John Moore Newton
stituents at the local level and representing them by advocating for them for the past 15 years.
When we told Jon Dunwell that we were against school vouchers as proposed, underfunding public schools, reductions to the AEA and stripping women of their rights to make their own medical decisions he chose to vote with the Governor instead.
Please join me in voting for Brad Magg for Iowa House to bring back common sense, cooperation, compassion and integrity to the State house. Isn’t that what we all really want and deserve? Let’s do this! Make your voice heard. Vote Brad Magg! Bev Price Newton
say they will do if elected. In office, they will be faced with situations and events that weren’t part of the discussion during campaigns. Unexpected events like the Iranian revolution, the 9/11 attack, and the Covid pandemic often define and sometimes derail a president’s legacy. Unexpected events such as extreme weather, the loss of a major employer, the arrival of new business, and global events challenge state and local officeholders. At every level, when the unexpected
happens, decisions are driven by character.
Think about the attributes of each candidate as you decide upon your vote. Consider first and foremost if they demonstrate trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. More than anything you see and hear during a campaign, those attributes will tell you how they will govern.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
agendas and ensuring government doesn’t get between parents and their children.
I regularly attend my local school board meetings and connect with school leadership around issues impacting education. We created special opportunities for our school district leadership to connect with myself, the director of education and the governor as we walked through AEA improvements, hearing their concerns and ideas. Our local school leadership always needs to be part of the discussion.
3. Iowa ranks last among 52 states in territories for OB-GYN physicians per capita, and a number of rural hospitals — including Newton’s — have closed their birthing units. How should Iowa lawmakers respond to this problem? How are smaller communities supposed to thrive in this environment?
Dunwell: Back in 2018, articles began to surface predicting our current shortage of OB-GYNs. Reasons cited were: An aging physician workforce, overall healthcare worker shortage, older physicians retiring earlier, administration and regulatory work, medical malpractice costs, lack of residency programs and lower fertility rates. These issues are exacerbated in rural America.
The Iowa House has and will continue to address the healthcare shortages we face in Iowa and across the country. We have enacted legislation that:
• Provides loan forgiveness to doc-
tors (including OB-GYNs) who make a five-year commitment to practice in Iowa.
• Protects doctors & hospitals from excessive lawsuits (tort reform).
• Creates one-year fellowship programs for family doctors who desire training in OB-GYN healthcare.
• Provides funding for centers of excellence for birthing centers.
This is a growing issue and the Iowa Legislature is committed to finding more solutions to ensure Iowans are getting the healthcare they need.
4. In Jasper County, a number of taxing entities have taken issue with House File 718 and the restrictions it has put on certain levies. How do you feel lawmakers should approach the property tax system that both benefits Iowans while also allowing cities and counties to grow naturally?
Dunwell: I’ve had the privilege of meeting thousands of Jasper County residents at their doorsteps, and property tax continues to be the No. 1 issue for voters. Over the past few years Iowans have struggled with rising inflation worsened by excessive local government spending, and it is reflected in property taxes. Though we have provided $100 million in property tax relief, we need a simpler system that meets the needs of our counties and cities while lessening the burden on property taxpayers. I am concerned about the growing proportion of property tax falling upon our business community.
As I continue to look for ways to lower the burden placed on our cities, counties and schools, I will also advocate for a true truth in taxation approach. Vot-
ers prior to any approval of budgets and proposed levies need to be mailed an individualized, clear and simple statement stating what they paid in the previous year, the proposed levy, what they will pay if approved and the schedule of public meetings. This approach places the voter directly in conversation with their local elected leaders regarding their specific tax situation, empowering their voice on local priorities and taxes.
5. While there are certainly unanimous or near-unanimous decisions that happen in the Legislature, so often it seems like the most talked about/impactful bills are decided by party majorities. Do you think representative government ends after the result on Election Day? How important is resident feedback to you?
Dunwell: Three key components go into every decision. I bring:
• All that I am (my experiences, beliefs and perspectives) to every decision.
• Input from my constituents. All input is valued in shaping my understanding and perspective, no matter if it’s coming from a Democrat, Republican or no party constituent. No issue can truly be understood without community input.
• Legislative consensus. Every bill requires the approval of 51 House members, 26 Senate members and the Governor to pass. The legislature is always about teamwork and is not for the “lone ranger.”
6. Adding riders or unrelated provisions in bills is practiced by lawmakers in both the state and federal level, but social media is making these actions more well known and perhaps not quite
as popular. How do you feel about riders and their use in the Iowa Legislature? When are they appropriate?
Dunwell: Our Iowa Constitution requires a single subject for each bill and riders are not a problem in the Iowa Legislature. I discourage the practice of adding riders.
7. What issues are most important to you for the next two years of this term? Are there any issues in Iowa you feel deserve more attention?
Dunwell: • Property tax reform.
• Full-day funding for preschool for families at 185 percent of poverty.
• Eminent domain and utility board commission update.
• Innovation, creativity and greater operational sharing for rural schools.
• Online protection for minors.
• School funding formula.
• Correctional officers pay and status.
Issues that deserve more attention:
• Iowa Corrections.
• Policies strengthening and supporting families.
8. Any final comments you’d like to make to voters?
Dunwell: Over the last number of years we have lowered income tax, eliminated taxes on retirement income, provided $100 million in property tax relief, protected girls sports, streamlined state government and exercised fiscal restraint, strengthening our balance sheet and the Iowa economy, while providing greater opportunities to invest in Iowa’s priorities. Thank you for allowing me to represent you and I humbly ask for your vote on Nov. 5.
Colfax’s Halloween Walk is fun for kids of all ages
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 month - WIC appointments
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
SATURDAY, Nov. 2 - 7:30 a.m. Men’s Breakfast/Bible Study; 9 a.m.
Women’s Ministry Meeting
SUNDAY, Nov. 3 - 9 a.m. Fellowship; 9:15 a.m. Bible Education Classes; 10:25 a.m. Communion
Sunday, Message by Pastor Cody Dyer; 5 p.m. “The Well” Youth Group; 6 p.m. Southern Gospel Concert featuring Living Water, The Loynachans, Ambassadors of Grace MONDAY, Nov. 4 - 6 p.m. Deacon/ Deaconess meeting TUESDAY, Nov. 5 - 3:30 p.m.
The church schedule is brought to you by
Colfax-Prairie City-Monroe 515-674-3155
www.coburnfuneralhomes.com
Women’s Prayer and Coffee
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6 - 9 a.m. Busy Bee Quilters and Fresh Encounter Prayer; 5:45 p.m. AWANA Family Meal; 6:25 p.m. AWANA Clubs
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 - Today is Holy Communion and All Saint’s Day
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
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:
JEWELL — Matt Richardson and Max Handorf came into the Class 1A state qualifying cross country meet with specific plans on how they wanted to attack the boys’ 5K race on Oct. 24.
Richardson executed according to the plan, but Handorf was not happy at all with the way he performed.
The Bolts still made history though as the 1A No. 14 Baxter boys cross country team finished second in the team standings and advanced to the state meet for the first time in program history.
“I think it’s very cool the team made it,” Richardson said. “It’s not only an accomplishment for the team but also our school. It might not have gone completely how we wanted, but we still ended up beating the teams we were supposed to.”
The Bolts scored 101 points in second and were no match for 1A No. 6 Ankeny Christian Academy, which won the meet with 28 points.
The top two teams and first 10 individual finishers in 1A advance to the state meet in Fort Dodge. Baxter was 31 points clear of third place West Fork (132).
Richardson and Handorf both qualified individually, too. They will be joined by teammate Makayla True, who finished ninth in the girls’ race to advance to her first state meet.
Colfax-Mingo freshman Ashlynn Hosbond also advanced after finishing less than 3 seconds behind True in 10th.
The season is over for the C-M boys.
The Tigerhawks placed seventh in both the boys and girls team races.
“I’m proud of our efforts as both boys and girls teams finished the season strong,” C-M head cross country coach Zach Tomas said. “Our seven seniors were excellent leaders for us this year and we know replacing them will not be easy.”
Richardson’s strategy was to lead from the starting gun. He ran his first mile at under a 5-minute pace and secured the individual championship with a time of 16 minutes, 51.5 seconds.
Richardson, who is ranked 13th in 1A, was 14 seconds in front of 1A No. 12 Alex Davis of Ankeny Christian. Davis was the runner-up in 17:06.8. Richardson and Davis were the only two ranked individuals in the field and the Bolts and Eagles are the lone ranked teams, too.
“My mindset going into the race was to lead the pack the whole race,” Richardson said. “So I ended up doing that by going out in a sub five first mile and then just slowly decreased off that split. It ended up working well for me and helped me secure the win by quite a bit over the rest of my competition.”
Richardson’s win locked up his third straight state berth. Handorf clinched his second state berth after finishing eighth in 17:50.9.
Handorf, who was the top freshman finisher in last year’s state race, has high expectations that he did not meet but was good enough to be in the top 10 and help his team advance to state for the first time.
“I honestly think I was too confident and when some guys passed me who I should be way ahead of, mentally I had given up, which I’m not happy with,” Handorf said. “I’m not proud of how I ran but getting eighth when having arguably the worst race of the year is not a bad thing. Especially when the team can pull through and get second place by quite a bit.”
Maddox Peters (18:58.2) was 23rd in the boys’ race and the final two scoring runners were Brecken Fisher (19:00.8) and Dakota Parker (20:07.9) in 26th and 51st, respectively.
Logan Rainsbarger (21:44.3) and Parker Bonney (23:28.6) were non-scoring runners in 80th and 96th, respectively.
Colfax-Mingo’s Sullivan Wilkins was just outside the top 10 in 13th. He was clocked in 18:11.7. The 10th and final qualifier ran a 17:53.7.
“Sully came up just a few spots away from making it on the boys side, but I really believe this will motivate him going into track and the next cross country season,” Tomas said.
The other scoring runners for the Tigerhawks were Harrison Rhone (19:25.7) in 34th, Josue Rodriguez (19:26.7) in 35th, Mario Rodriguez (19:39.3) in 42nd and Owen Ament (20:27.9) in 60th. Ryan Moore (22:40.5) and Tony Buenrostro (22:08.3) were non-scoring runners in 90th and 84th, respectively. Grand View Christian (134) trailed West Fork by two points in fourth. Col-
lins-Maxwell (146) completed the top five and the next five in the top 14-team field were Martensdale-St. Marys (150), Colfax-Mingo (167), East Marshall (190), GMG (205) and BCLUW (222). There were five incomplete teams, too.
Ankeny Christian won the team title by placing four in the top six and five in the first 12.
Class 1A No. 8 Martensdale-St. Marys won the girls’ team title with 52 points. Collins-Maxwell returns to the state meet after scoring 80 points in second.
The Spartans were eight points better than 1A No. 13 Grand View Christian (88) and the rest of the top five featured BCLUW (115) and East Marshall (126). South Hamilton (139) led the next five followed by Colfax-Mingo (157), North Tama (189), Montezuma (198) and West Fork (254). BGM (263) completed the 11-team field and Baxter was one of six incomplete teams.
The field featured three ranked individuals. True led the Bolts in ninth with a career-best time of 21:20.8. She’s the first Baxter female state qualifier since Elie Tuhn in 2021.
“Going into the race I knew it was going to be very close, and it was going to come down to who wanted it more,” True said. “So I knew I just had to focus on getting out fast and catching each girl I could.”
True’s teammate, Zoey Gliem, capped her career with a 25th place finish. She was clocked in 23:37.4.
Hosbond is the first Colfax-Mingo female state qualifier since Abbey McConeghey advanced for a second time in 2019. Hosbond’s 10th-place time was clocked in 21:23.2.
“My goal was to push myself and go outside of my comfort zone,” Hosbond said. “If I didn’t qualify, I wanted to set a new PR. Along with that, I wanted to be positive and handle hard well.”
Mallory Sipma (23:40.5) and Shae Wilkins (24:02) were next for C-M in 27th and 33rd, respectively.
Lilyan Hasdall (25:51.6) and Laila Kwaskiewicz (26:55.1) were the final two scoring runners in 49th and 57th, respectively, and Devan Chadwick (30:42.7) was a non-scoring runner in 72nd.
“We knew coming in Ashlynn had a chance if she could duplicate her times from the last few meets and she exceeded that with her career-best time,” Tomas said.
Class 1A No. 4 Karson Oberender of Martensdale-St Marys won the girls’ race in 19:33.2. Class 1A No. 6 Jayden Peters of Collins-Maxwell was the runner-up in 19:54.4.
Martensdale-St. Marys won the girls’ team title after placing five in the top 22. Collins-Maxwell edged Grand View Christian because its third, fourth and fifth runners came in a few positions before their Thunder counterparts. Richardson goes into his third state meet with his confidence at an all-time high.
The top 15 finishers in each state race earn medals, and the Baxter senior hopes to be in the top eight.
He was 30th last year and 55th as a sophomore. Handorf finished 34th in his first state experience last season.
“My confidence is at its peak right now,” Richardson said. “Lately I have been running some of the best times in 1A. It helps that I have consistently been winning our meets and running in the mid to low 16s. Hopefully state goes by smoothly and I achieve my overall goal.”
The Bolts will start in Box 19. That’s close to No. 5 Earlham, which will start in Box 16. Familiar faces, No. 15 Lynnville-Sully and No. 6 ACA, will start in Boxes 7 and 12.
Handorf hopes to rebound from his state-qualifying meet performance. His goal is to be in the top 15 as well.
“My big goal for state is top 15. I will have to have an extremely good race to pull it off, but I know I can do it,” Handorf said. “I know I can be close to Matt because we have been training together all season, and he’s running top five times in the state right now.”
True started her career at PCM and was part of a Mustangs’ squad that nearly qualified as a team in 2A last season. She realized after placing second at Colo-NESCO earlier this season that making the state meet was possible. Placing in the top 10 at conference also didn’t hurt her confidence.
“I’m very excited to be going to state and my goal is to break 21 minutes,” True said. “I still am in contact with the girls from PCM and after I had talked to a few of them they told me they not only had individuals who had made it, but the girls team also qualified. I was beyond excited for them and knew they had worked hard all season for that.”
True will start the girls’ 1A state race from Box 11 and Hosbond will be in Box 22.
The C-M freshman didn’t think making it to state was possible when the year started.
As the season progressed, and the times continued to drop, she began to think it could become her reality.
“It feels surreal to be going to state, especially knowing I hardly knew anything about even how to qualify a year ago,” Hosbond said. “To prepare for state, I’m going to work on racing strategies. My goal is to get a new personal best and run with girls who are usually faster than me.”
The Baxter boys enter the state meet ranked 13th in 1A. No. 6 Ankeny Christian Academy is the only 1A team the Bolts have lost to this season.
But the top 16 teams in the latest rankings all qualified for state. The favorites for the team title include No. 1 Lake Mills, No. 2 Ogden, No. 3 Woodbine, No. 4 Danville and No. 5 Earlham.
North Iowa’s Gavin Grunhovd is the top ranked 1A boy and Lili Denton of Council Bluffs St. Albert is the top ranked girl in the field.
“I think it’s so amazing to be taking the whole team this year plus one girl,” Handorf said. “This was my main goal since last year so I’m glad to have helped make that happen.”
By Troy Hyde Sports Editor
BAXTER — The Baxter volleyball team has not lost to Colo-NESCO since joining the Iowa Star Conference in 2009.
That doesn’t mean the matches haven’t been competitive though.
And for the fifth time in the past eight matches, the battle between the Bolts and Royals went the distance during their Class 1A Region 5 opening round postseason matchup.
Colo-NESCO led Baxter 2-0 for the first time in the past 12 seasons but still couldn’t solve the Bolts as the hosts rallied for a 17-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-13, 15-8 regional win on Oct. 21.
“We are two pretty equal teams,” Baxter head volleyball coach Jordynn Wesselink said. “I think it depends on the set sometimes. It can go either way most nights. And a lot of it depends on who starts with the serve and who starts with receiving.
“When we start on receiving, it can take us awhile to get out of that first rotation.”
Part of the slow start against the Royals in the latest matchup was due to the Bolts’ top two kill producers — Abbie Meyer and Adison Bonney — starting in the back row of the opening set.
The Baxter duo combined for just one kill in the first frame. The Bolts fell behind 7-0 but scored the next seven thanks in part to four aces by Caydence Sulzle.
The set was even nine times, but Colo-NESCO scored the next five and used a 10-2 run to end the set.
“Our serve receive in the first two sets was not good so it was just hard to get the ball to anyone in those sets,” Wesselink said. “We need to get the ball on the net to our setters. It was on the 10-foot line too many times, and that makes it harder for our setters.” Baxter led the second set 10-6 and 11-7 before two kills from Meyer and two aces from Sulzle pushed the margin to 16-11. But the Royals rallied to tie the set at 17 and 18 before using a 7-3 run to go up 2-0 in the match.
“We are both scrappy teams, and we both get on serving runs,” Meyer said about the back-and-forth battle. “But knowing we‘re both scrappy and not being sure how it’s going to go is nerve wracking. I think we get down sometimes because we don’t know what to do. We struggle to find our own motivation, too.”
A Sulzle ace and a Meyer kill helped the Bolts (9-20) get out to a 4-1 lead in the third set. But the Royals rallied back to force six ties and then went in front 16-12.
Momentum swung back to Baxter following its 8-0 run that put the Bolts up 20-16. The Royals again rallied to tie the set at 20 and 21.
Baxter got an ace from Meyer to take a 22-21 lead and eventually went in front 24-21.
The Bolts scored the final two points of the set after the Royals drew even at 24-all.
One of those final two points was a service error by the Royals. They also made three service errors in the final set and had nine total in the match with only seven aces.
The Bolts missed 12 serves, too, but countered with 22 aces.
“Our serving was really good. That was our key to the match,” Wesselink said. “That lit a fire on us. We missed a lot of serves in the first two sets. We eventually took our time back there and realized it was a crucial part of the game that can help us win.”
Baxter dominated the fourth set. The Bolts led 7-0 and a Meyer ace eventually put the home team in front 19-5.
That stretch also included two more aces from Sulzle and an ace from Kaylyn Krampe.
Another ace by Kendall Brummel pushed the margin to 22-7 and the Bolts forced a fifth game after two kills from Bonney and a kill by Kamdyn Krampe.
Two kills from Kaylyn Krampe helped the Bolts jump out to a 4-2 lead early in the final set. Back-toback aces by Meyer pushed the lead to 8-3 and then an ace by Brummel made it 10-4 and forced a Royals’ timeout.
“It’s do or die. You either execute and keep playing or we were going to be done,” Wesselink said. “We just talked about not being done and keeping momentum on our side. We were able to get them out of system eventually.”
Colo-NESCO (4-16) got within 10-7 and 11-8, but Baxter ended the match with a 4-0 run that featured one final blast from Meyer.
Meyer finished with seven kills, seven digs, six aces and two assists in the victory.
“Getting down 0-2 wasn’t the best feeling ever,” Meyer said. “We had a different lineup (to start the match) and that held us down a bit. I don’t know what happened in the second set. We got a little fortunate
in the third but winning that fourth set really helped us keep momentum in the fifth.”
Sulzle finished with 14 digs and nine aces, Bonney chipped in 10 assists and four kills and Kaylyn Krampe produced three kills and four aces.
Hannah Huffaker put down three kills, Brummel chipped in two kills and two aces and Alyvia Burdess dished out three assists. Sulzle was 15-of-16 in serves, while Bonney finished 7-of-8 and Lexi Dart was 8-of-9.
The Bolts had a kill efficiency of .163 but Bonney’s was .571 and Meyer had a kill efficiency of .308.
“I think our team is really strong in serving,” Meyer said. “We practice serving a lot. We were able to figure out where the seams were and when to go short or long.”
Molly Angell led the Royals with seven kills, seven digs and two aces and Cerra Muntz chipped in 11 assists and seven digs.
Notes: The Bolts and Royals played two five-set matches this season. Colo-NESCO led the first meeting 2-1, held a 2-1 lead in last year’s five-setter and led 2-1 in a five-set match in 2020 but couldn’t finish off the win in any of them.
GMG 3, Baxter 0
GARWIN — The Bolts were 5-0 against GMG from 2017-2020. But since then, the Wolverines have simply had Baxter’s number.
And GMG eliminated its Iowa Star Conference rivals on Oct. 23 with a 25-7, 25-18, 25-16 victory during 1A Region 5 quarterfinal action.
Baxter missed 10 serves, had only five aces and produced a negative kill efficiency during the loss.
GMG (20-11) scored its seventh straight win over Baxter, improving to 7-5 in the series since 2017.
The Wolverines lost to Gladbrook-Reinbeck (23-20) in the regional semifinals on Oct. 28.
Bonney led the Bolts with five digs, three kills and two assists, while Burdess and Karlee Koehler each produced four assists and five digs.
Meyer registered two kills, five digs and two aces, Sulzle contributed 23 digs and Dart chipped in two kills and four digs.
Brummel and Huffaker added five digs and Kaylyn Krampe put down three kills.
The Bolts were 33-of-43 in serves with Sulzle going 10-of-11 and Brummel finishing 7-of-8.
Jasper County Tribune
WOODWARD — Colfax-Mingo swept Nodaway Valley but lost its other four matches at the Woodward-Granger tournament on Oct. 19.
The Tigerhawks defeated the Wolverines 21-15, 21-7 and went three sets with West Central Valley but lost to the host Hawks twice and were swept by ACGC.
Trinity Smith led the Tigerhawks with five kills, five digs and two aces and Katelyn Steenhoek chipped in 12 assists, three digs and two aces against Nodaway Valley.
Britney Keeney put down six kills, Grace Hunsberger added four kills and two blocks, Isabelle Utz contributed two blocks and Dakota Allen produced two digs.
Izzy Elsbach led Nodaway Valley (0-34) with four kills and two assists.
In the 2-1 loss to West Central Valley (12-14), Smith led C-M with eight kills and 10 digs and Steenhoek chipped in 15 assists, nine digs and two aces.
Porter contributed eight digs, Cadence Linn secured six digs and Keeney collected three kills and two aces. Hunsberger and Utz put down three kills, Allen had two kills and Kaylee Collins totaled three digs.
Steenhoek led the Tigerhawks in the 21-18, 21-15 loss to ACGC. She had 10 assists, five digs and two blocks.
Keeney put down seven kills, Collins added eight digs and two assists and Smith chipped in three kills and five digs.
ACGC (20-11) was led by Stella Largent’s 12 kills and three aces.
Woodward-Granger defeated Colfax-Mingo 2321, 21-14 and 21-18, 21-18.
In the first loss, Smith finished with four kills, five digs, two assists and two aces to lead the Tigerhawks, while Steenhoek posted 10 assists and three digs.
In the second loss, Steenhoek’s 11 assists, two kills and two blocks led the Tigerhawks, while Smith added seven kills and six digs. Keeney had five kills and two blocks.
Baxter sophomore Max Handorf qualified for the state cross country meet for the second time in his prep career after placing eighth at the state qualifier in Jewell on Oct. 24. He was the top freshman finisher at last year’s state meet.
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Or email kevin@prairieagsupply.com.
A prevailing myth concerning breast cancer is that it only affects older women. Various medical organizations and institutions recommend women begin receiving mammograms starting at age 40, which may compel women younger than 40 to think that they are immune to breast cancer. Yale Medicine notes breast cancer in younger individuals is rare, but the organization reports it is the most common cancer among women between the ages of 15 and 39. In addition, a body of evidence points to a growing rate of breast cancer diagnoses in younger women.
The Cleveland Clinic says breast cancer in young women and people assigned female at birth is known as early-onset breast cancer. Even adolescents and young adults can get breast cancer. Although young people can get any form of breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma and triple-negative breast cancer are the most common forms of the disease among young women.
Diagnoses of breast cancer have steadily risen in women under age 50 over the last 20 years, says the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Researchers believe the surge is largely driven by increases in the number of women diagnosed with estrogen-receptor positive tumors, which are cancerous tumors fueled by estrogen. The researchers also found higher rates of breast cancer among Black women, particularly those between the ages of 20 and 29. Black women in this age group were found to have a 53 percent increased risk of breast cancer.
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation says that breast cancers in women under age 40 are more likely to have fea-
tures that contribute to poorer outcomes and prognoses. Larger tumor size, advanced tumor stage, negative hormone receptor status, and an over-expression of the HER2 protein are some such features. The BCRF also reports younger women are more likely to experience a recurrence at five and 10 years after therapy compared to older women.
It is essential for younger women to be in tune with their bodies and learn to recognize any signs that may be indicative of breast cancer. Since annual screenings are not often part of preventative health plans for women younger than 40, adolescents and young adults need to alert their doctors if they suspect anything is wrong. Unfortunately, by the time a tumor in the breast can be felt, it likely has been present for some time already. Symptoms of breast cancer may include:
• Inverted nipple
• Breast lump or a lump in armpit
• Breast pain
• Changes in the skin of the breast
• Nipple discharge with or without pain
• Swollen lymph nodes
Any of these signs should be discussed with a primary care physician or a gynecologist.
Younger patients also are more likely to have a genetic connection to breast cancer.
Individuals with one or more family members who were diagnosed with breast cancer are at higher risk and may want to consider screening at earlier ages.
Breast cancer is not a disease that only affects women 40 and older. Younger people can get breast cancer, and it’s often a surprise and sometimes more aggressive.
— Metro Creative
Individuals can make various changes to their lifestyles to help reduce their chances of developing certain types of cancer, including breast cancer. One thing they cannot change is their genes, prompting curiosity about the role of family history in relation to breast cancer risk.
First-degree connection
Parents pass down many things to their children, including hair color, height, and various other traits.
Parents also can pass on an increased risk for breast cancer. Cancer Research UK says some people have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than the general population simply because other members of their families have had cancer. The organization says having a mother, sister or daughter (also referred to as a first-degree relative) diagnosed with breast cancer approximately doubles a woman’s risk for breast cancer. This risk grows even higher when more close relatives have breast cancer, or if a relative developed breast cancer before reaching the age of 50.
Inherited damaged genes
Johns Hopkins Medicine says about 10 percent of breast cancers are relat-
ed to inheritance of damaged genes. Several genes are associated with elevated breast cancer risk, including BRCA1 and BRCA2. Additional genes associated with an increased risk for breast cancer include PALB2, ATM, CHEK2, CDH1, STK11, PTEN, TP53, and NF1. People who have inherited a damaged gene may have a particularly high risk of developing breast cancer or other cancers, depending on the specific gene and their family history.
Getting tested
Johns Hopkins says individuals can be tested for genes that put them at risk for cancer. That is a decision that merits ample consideration, and one that should be carefully discussed with a doctor and family members. Genetic counseling can look for inherited mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, the two most notable for increasing breast cancer risk. A blood test is typically covered by insurance companies and analysis can take a couple of weeks. More can be learned about genetic counseling and testing at www.cancer.org.
Whether or not to get genetic testing is a personal decision. However, learning the
outcome may help protect future generations. Someone with a genetic mutation has about a 50 percent chance of passing that trait on to children.
Additional risk factors
Heredity is just one risk factor for breast cancer. The American Cancer Society says White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than some other races and ethnicities. Studies have found that taller women have a higher risk of breast cancer than shorter women, although the reasons for that are not exactly clear. In addition, women with dense breast tissue have a higher risk of breast cancer than women with average breast density. Women who began menstruating early (especially before age 12) have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. That risk can be attributed to a longer exposure to the hormones estrogen and progesterone. The same can be said for women who experienced menopause later (typically after age 55). Various factors can increase the risk of developing breast cancer, including genetic markers and family history of the disease. — Metro Creative
