Quarry Springs Park adding new disc golf course in spring 2025
By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune
So nice they are doing it twice. Quarry Springs Park Board recently announced it would add a disc golf course unlike any other to the park, making it the second course available in Colfax.
“The course will be located in the southeast corner of the Quarry Springs Park island area and include part of our sand dunes,” Colfax Park & Recreation Auxiliary Board Member Doug Garrett said. “The course will be physically challenging due to the elevation changes and the difficulty of walking through a sandy landscape.”
Named “The Osprey” to honor the popular migrating birds that call Quarry Springs Park their home in the spring and summer months, the course will utilize the disc golf equipment previously used at the course at Colfax-Mingo High School. The Tigerhawk 18Hole Disc Golf Course recently reopened after relocating following
The new Osprey Disc Golf Course at Quarry Springs Park will showcase the beautiful landscape the park has to offer throughout the 18 holes.
the construction of the new football stadium at the high school.
“The Colfax-Mingo School Board voted to buy all new Prodigy disc catchers for the new Tigerhawk Disc Course at Lewis Park to make up for building their new
sports complex in the middle of the old disc course that had been extremely popular,” Garrett said. “We had considered selling the old Innova Pro-28 disc catchers that
Baxter selected for Community Visioning Program
The community was one of seven in the state to be awarded assistance with the landscape of the town
By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune
The City of Baxter was recently honored with being selected to participate in the Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program in 2024-25. A project worked on by Baxter Hometown Pride, the town is one of seven communities to receive the award.
“Baxter looks to collaborate with all leaders and community to seek areas of opportunity to utilize the planning and design resources from
this grant to look at ways to make improvements to our transportation needs and local landscaping,” Baxter Hometown Pride Board Member Natalie Moorman said. “Baxter is seeking areas that may need attention for safer walking paths, accessibility, more green space offering our community today and in the future ways we can be prepared for growth and beauty that our community offers. We hope to target many areas in Baxter including areas around the school, parks, main street and the Chichaqua
Valley Bike Trailhead.
An award-winning program, the community visioning works to integrates technical landscape planning and design techniques with sustainable community action to assist community leaders and volunteers in making sound and meaningful decisions about the local landscape. The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Transportation in partnership with Iowa State University Landscape Architecture Extension and Trees Forever, an Iowa-based
nonprofit environmental advocacy organization. Baxter will also have the opportunity to work with professional landscape architects offer expertise in creating conceptual design plans for the communities.
To be selected for the program, a community must have less than 10,000 residents, existing transportation-related issues and a committee of volunteers willing to dedicate their time and talent to the visioning process. Baxter
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Progress Industries discontinues intermediate care facility services
Organization says it is not closing, but families are left feeling devastated
By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune
Intermediate care facilities operated by Progress Industries in Newton and used by people with physical and intellectual disabilities are expected to close in about a month, ending the services for the foreseeable future. One family told Newton News their daughter is going to be displaced and will need to find a new home.
Tanya Myers, of Ira, said her 38-year-old daughter, Brooke VanCleave, was given a 30day notice letter from Progress Industries saying ICF services will be discontinued and that her daughter’s needs extend beyond what the organization can provide in a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) setting.
“I’m sad, I’m betrayed, I’m a whole ton of an emotions that I can’t describe,” Myers said to Newton News. “I just
don’t understand.” Which means VanCleave and the 14 other residents who use the ICFs will likely be evicted by Nov. 25, three days before Thanksgiving. Myers was notified of the news on Oct. 24, and every day since she cannot talk about it without crying. She worries about not only finding a new ICF but finding one close to home.
“Brooke has to move,” Myers said. “It’s the hardest thing on her. You could put her in hospital for a month and she would take it easier than a move. She doesn’t communicate verbally. She has a communication device but that can’t say everything for her. Wherever she goes people won’t know her. It will be so hard.” VanCleave has been in an ICF ever since she was about 18 years old. Her first was in Forest City and then she stayed at an
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Jasper County to require geotechnical services for all future bridge projects
Engineer says soil borings are necessary to comply with federal requirements and maintain funding
By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune
From now on, every bridge in Jasper County that needs to be repaired or reconstructed will be required to undergo geotechnical services.
Jasper County Engineer Michael Frietsch said during the Oct. 15 supervisors meeting that these services — which test soil and rock conditions — are already required with every bridge let through the Iowa Department of Transportation. But now the engineer’s office will order them for local bridge projects as well.
“Part of the reason is because the feds are starting to really ramp up what’s required for inspection requirements on our bridges,” Frietsch said. “In fact, even Calhoun-Burns is having trouble how they’re going to inspect their
bridges to a certain degree. So there’s a lot of confusion going on.”
But the county engineer fears it is only going to get worse. In the past, the federal government only asked for about a page of data, but Frietsch said they want four to five pages of data for bridge inspections. As a result, Frietsch expects to see increased bridge inspection costs moving forward.
“We’re also going to be at risk a lot more if we don’t do all the necessary steps on our bridges, whether they’re local or they’re let through the DOT,” he said. “Which basically means we’re going to need to start doing geotechnical investigation on every single bridge that we’ve been doing to get soil borings.”
Knowing the conditions of the soil
Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune Progress Industries is ending its intermediate care facilities, which will displace 15 people out of the 200 it serves in the community. Families say they are devastated by the news and they worry for their loved ones affected by the decision.
Christopher Braunschweig/JasperCounty Tribune
Jasper County Engineer Michael Frietsch anticipates all future bridge projects will require geotechnical services to appease federal requirements and ensure funding.
Submitted Photo
Curtis John Hansen
Oct. 23, 2024
Obituaries
Curtis “Curt” John Hansen, age 76, of Baxter, Iowa, died October 23, 2024, on the family farm, in his home with his wife, children, and grandchildren all around him just as he would have wanted. Even the dog was present and if you knew Curt, dogs growing up were very important to him. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at Brock and Robin Hansen’s shop, located at 6383 Hwy F17 West in Baxter, beginning at 4:00 pm with prayer and supper being served at 5:00 pm and a time of sharing beginning at 6:00 pm. A private family burial will be held at Bethany Cemetery in rural Baxter at a later date.
Curt was born April 28, 1948, in Iowa Falls, Iowa, to Earl and Cecelia (Ammann) Hansen. Curt was raised on the family farm and learned what a strong work ethic meant at a young age. His father Earl was stricken with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Curt helped from a young
Barbara Louise Holdefer
Oct. 27, 2024
age to help his parents keep purebed Duroc hog barns handicap accessible for his dad while Curt’s mom tended to the chicken processing business in which they sold and delivered to commercial and residential customers in the area. A deep passion for agriculture and helping others were life-long traits that Curt possessed. Since Curt was an only child growing up his dogs were literally his best friends out on the farm. He attended Iowa Falls Schools and was very active in FFA. FFA was the only extra-curricular activity Curt was in due to his need to help run the family farm back home. Curt attended Iowa State University and majored in Agricultural Education. He continued his involvement in FFA into his college years by becoming the State FFA Secretary. Curt spotted a blonde in his chemistry lab during summer school at ISU and decided to ask her to do chemistry lab homework at the library. Curt & Debbie started dating and the rest was history! They made many life-long friends while attending ISU.
After college Curt taught high school voc ag in Solon and Dows for 5 years. He was the FFA Advisor for the high schoolers, taught Adult
Farmer Programs, and produced a weekly ag program on a local radio station. Curt took the Adult Ed attendees to Chicago Board of Trade and lined up speakers to educate the local farmers. Many years Curt’s FFA teams received Gold honors at the state contest level particularly in Conduct of Meetings and Creed Speaker. Also his FFA chapter’s band did well at state contest performing “Stairway to Heaven”. His passion to serve his community was evident at the FFA banquets as he pulled in many wonderful speakers. He also helped announce the high school football games where he taught.
Curt was united in marriage to Debbie Krueger on December 19, 1970, at Bethany Church in rural Baxter. Curt’s true passion was to return to his roots and farm full time. An opportunity arose for Curt and Debbie to move back to Baxter and farm with Debbie’s parents. With both Curt and Debbie coming from century farm backgrounds they both knew the ups and downs of farming--commodity prices, the weather and with great perseverance and business savvy they survived the 1980s farm crisis. Curt and Debbie slowly built their oper-
ation--starting with a farrowing house for the hogs before starting in on a house for their family. They were blessed with two children: Brock and Holly. The entire family kept busy with corn, soybean, and alfalfa production while managing a farrow to finish hog operation as well as a cow/calf herd. Corn and bean seed were also sold out of the family garage and shop. Through the years many yield contests were won and he was interviewed for TV and radio spots. Curt farmed alongside his father-in-law Ed as well as building their own operation and eventually took over Ed’s operation when Ed retired. Three generations could often be seen working on the farm together or harvesting in the fields.
Curt always felt it was everyone’s duty to give back to their community. After leaving education and farming full time he wanted to stay involved in education. He was instrumental in starting the ag and FFA programs at Baxter. Curt was awarded an Iowa Association of School Board award for his 33 years on the Baxter School Board--22 years of which he served as president. He was well known for his witty and lengthy high school graduation speeches as board pres-
ident. Two of the more memorable speeches and diploma hand-off’s were the years his two children graduated. Curt’s negotiating skills served him well in the ag spectrum as well as on the school board. He made many lifelong friends with board members as well as administrators and teachers he worked closely with through the years. Curt was always an advocate and served on numerous boards including FS Board, Cornbelt Ag Council, Jasper County ISU Extension, ISU Parents Association just to name a few. When Curt wasn’t farming or serving his community he learned to fly the family plane, went scuba diving and on canoe trips with family, enjoyed pheasant/deer hunting, helped coordinate group motorcycle trips, and never missed the yearly WHO Tractor Ride. Curt never met a stranger and was never at a loss of words. He always knew what to say at just the right time and was always famous for his “one-liners”. Curt was a “power house” of a man. He always loved a good song or concert especially if it was Alabama, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Eagles, Beatles or the Beach Boys. He was an avid reader to self-educate and
enjoyed Baxter Black poetry.
Curt always told others that you never stop learning. His background of selfless giving and striving to learn about new things, Curt wanted to be an organ donor. Both of his parents donated their bodies for research to the University of Iowa. Curt’s brain was donated to the Mayo Clinic Brain Bank for Alzheimer’s research.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife Debbie Hansen, Baxter, Iowa, of 53 years. Curt’s children Brock (Robin) Hansen of Baxter, Iowa; and Holly (Jeff) Sandhoff of Schaller, Iowa. His grandchildren Veronica (Gage) Condon of Urbandale, Iowa; Morgan (Clay) Hansen of Ames, Iowa; Ayden and Seth Hansen of Baxter, Iowa; Tate, Carmen, and Kirk Sandhoff of Schaller, Iowa and Curt’s canine companion Scooter.
Curt is preceded in death by his parents Earl and Cecelia Hansen, parents-in-law Rosemary and Ed Krueger, and brother-in-laws Randall Krueger and Randy Lisk. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family for a donation to Bethany Church and The Baxter Community Educational Scholarship for an ag related scholarship in memory of Curt.
Barbara Louise Holdefer, 76, of Pleasant Hill, passed away suddenly at home on October 27, 2024. Barb was born on November 27, 1947, to Paul and Virginia (Kintz) Hill. Barb attended Colfax High School, where she met her high school sweetheart
Douglas; the two dated throughout high school. She graduated in 1965. Barb and Doug married in December of 1966, after Doug completed 9 months of commissary school in Connecticut for the United States Coast Guard; they made their first home together at his station in Hawaii. They were later restationed to Connecticut, where they started their family. After his service in the Coast Guard, Doug and Barb moved back to Iowa. During their 57 years of marriage, Barb and Doug welcomed their three children: Brenda, Stacy, and
Craig, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Barb was a stayat-home mom while her children were young and worked part-time as a teller for Norwest, now Wells Fargo. Once her children were in school, she worked her way up, being promoted from teller, to banking supervisor, to the mortgage department manager, from where she retired. Barb and Doug moved many times during their marriage and always made close friendships wherever they lived, which they maintained throughout their lives. Above all, Barb loved her time with
her family, and especially enjoyed her grandchildren and all the time she spent with them. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and wife, dedicating herself completely to her family. Shortly after retiring, she was a fulltime caregiver for her husband, Doug. Over the years, she enjoyed many pastimes, but would never say no to Mexican food and frozen margaritas with salt. She was one of a kind and was deeply loved by all those who knew her. She will be greatly missed.
Barb was preceded in death by her husband, Doug on March 15, 2024;
her parents, Paul and Virginia Hill; and her brother-in-law, Carl Alderman. She is survived by her daughters, Brenda (Stacey) Rice and Stacy Holdefer; son, Craig Holdefer; grandchildren, Cody (Aly) Breeden, Kip Breeden, Cole Breeden, Kaitlyn Breeden, AJ Holdefer, and Stevie Holdefer; great-grandchildren: Brantley Breeden, Avery Culp, Noah Breeden, and Ralyn Breeden; siblings, Charlotte Alderman, Dennis (Judy) Hill, and Lynda (Keith) Hidock; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family, and countless friends.
Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Hamilton’s Altoona Funeral Home, 105 4th Street SW, Altoona. Funeral service will follow at 12:00 p.m. Burial will take place at McKeever Cemetery in Colfax after the funeral.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given directly to daughter, Brenda Rice to eventually be gifted to Child Serve Continued Care Unit in honor of their grandson Cole, who is a resident. Online condolences may be expressed at HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.
City of Colfax Colfax residents are reminded the City’s snow ordinance is in effect November 1 through March 31.
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Disc Golf
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were in the previous course but were still in great shape. So, we decided to take those, sandblast them, and then powder coat them. “
The idea to add another disc golf course came after the board received a $4,000 Community Betterment Grant from Prairie Meadows. It was slated to help create a new amenity for Quarry Springs Park and the board decided by adding a new course, it could showcase the beautiful landscape that makes up the park.
“We have already laid out a preliminary course design that will offer a unique terrain, unlike any other course in Iowa,” Garrett said. “We want to send out a big thank you to Julie Stewart and her Prairie Meadows Foundation team that made this addition possible.”
The goal is to have the new course open by spring 2025.
“Our hope is to partner both The Tigerhawk and Osprey Colfax courses to create an annual Colfax tournament offering camping options, food and evening entertainment,” Garrett said.
Services
ICF in Clear Lake before she was recruited by Progress Industries to stay in Newton. Although Myers liked where VanCleave was staying in Clear Lake, she liked having her closer to home.
“We really wanted to bring her close, so we agreed to bring her,” Myers said.
“So she has been her for 10 years. These past 10 years she has been able to come to our family events like Christmas and Thanksgiving and Fourth of July parties and graduations. We also got to visit her weekly here.”
Bridges
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and rock lets crews better understand what they are dealing with before constructing a bridge. Depending on the quality of the soil, the design of the bridge may have to change. Frietsch said his office is going to have to carefully document these conditions for federal inspectors.
“So this is really just heading off into future requirements, trying to stay ahead of the curve — stay
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Hometown Pride group will be leading the effort to help pull the community together to build this vision. “The Baxter Hometown Pride and the Community Visioning team will be notifying the community through various media platforms about upcoming meetings dates and times,” Moorman said. “It is imperative that we involve the community members to seek feedback and assistance with creating a vision related to transportation needs and local landscaping.”
To participate, visit the group on Facebook and inquire directly about the
Following the dissolution of ICF services for Progress Industries, there are no other ICFs left in the county. Which means Myers will have to travel a greater distance to visit her daughter, and she suspects it will be more difficult for VanCleave to more easily participate in family get-togethers.
In the letter sent to residents who have been deemed ineligible for HCBS services, it is stated that individuals like VanCleave can appeal the facility’s decision to transfer or discharge her on an emergency basis. If people think they should not have to leave, they can request a hearing within seven days of notice.
Hearings are carried out through the Iowa Department of Inspections and
ahead of the train before it runs us over,” Frietsch said.
From what Frietsch understood from a DOT conference in September, “no one sees any value” in what the federal government is doing. He said it is not increasing bridge safety but it is the rules the county has to abide by, especially if it wants to maintain federal eligibility for bridges.
Supervisor Brandon Talsma said, “So long story short if we want to keep getting federal funding for our bridges this is a requirement.”
“You got it,” Frietsch said. “Whether it’s FEMA
or Highway Administration. And, really, honestly, at the end of the day, it actually makes good practice anyway to do it because we will be able to understand better what it is we should be doing for substructure-type design … At the end of the day, it might actually help us.”
Discussion about this topic originated over five geotechnical services agreements that appeared on the supervisors agenda for approval.
All five contracts were with Allender Butzke Engineers, and they were approved by the supervisors in a 3-0 vote. Here are the
icate their time and talent to the visioning process.
program.
“This assists Baxter with understanding what the community and our leaders are seeking to prepare us for
maintaining our community today and in the future,”
Moorman said. “Looking at ways to prepare for growth in both residents and busi-
Appeals. Individuals have a right to be represented by an attorney or any other person of their choice. If the department awards a verdict for the individual appealing the decision, they can be transferred back to the facility.
Progress Industries was established in 1979. The organization provides community-based services to about 200 people in Jasper and Polk Counties with physical and intellectual disabilities. Of those people, 15 receive ICF residential services in two ICF facilities in Newton.
An intermediate care facility is a home and care center for individuals with intellectual disabilities or persons with related conditions. ICFs provide health or rehabilitative services on a regular basis
bridges approved for services:
• Bridge A08 at North 99th Avenue East in Hickory Grove Township.
• Bridge C05 at North 115th Avenue West in Malaka Township.
• Bridge H08 at North 35th Avenue West in Newton Township.
• Bridge K15 at South 36th Avenue East in Richland Township.
• Bridge L01 at South 12th Avenue East in Buena Vista Township.
Each geotechnical investigation costs $7,600. In total, the five sets of services cost Jasper County $38,000.
to people whose mental or physical conditions require services including room, board and active treatment.
The decision to end ICF services applies to both facilities owned by Progress Industries. The organization provided this statement regarding the decision:
“Progress Industries is not closing, but this line of service is closing. We will continue to operate Home and Community-Based Services. HCBS helps people stay in their own homes or community instead of going to a medical facility. Progress Industries will continue to work with those in our ICF service as adequate placement is found. We will ensure everyone receives quality supports throughout the transition.”
Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune Jasper County Engineer Michael Frietsch anticipates all future bridge projects will require geotechnical services to appease federal requirements and ensure funding.
ness community along with amenities related to health and wellness that may attract new residents and visitors to come to Baxter.” Metro Creative
than 10,000 residents,
willing to ded-
L-S harriers inspired by teammate’s fight back to running
This & That
Troy Hyde
Lynnville-Sully sophomore Keegan Schnell dealt with more adversity last year than most people will face in their entire lives.
But not even a near-death experience has kept Schnell from doing what he loves.
And the state-ranked Hawks may not have reached the state cross country meet without him.
“Keegan racing today after being in the hospital this time last year is incredible,” Lynnville-Sully head cross country coach Darin Arkema said at the state meet on Nov. 2. “It’s a reminder about what cross country means in the grand scheme of life. When you almost get your life taken away from you, this running stuff takes a back seat.
“Winning and losing a race, medals and PRs are important, but to see him make the journey back shows the toughness of that kid. He’s dealt with a lot the past year.”
L-S senior Olivia Norrish remembers Schnell running in the North Polk meet last year. And then not seeing him for about six months.
Schnell battled a serious health issue that saw his intestines basically die inside of him.
He was taken to a hospital in Pella before being life lighted to Iowa City.
Schnell said he almost lost his life in flight due to excessive blood loss.
“We were all so scared that he wasn’t going to make it,” L-S sophomore Blake Wilmesmeier said. “But as soon as he made it back, he’s been the same old Keegan.”
Many of the Hawk harriers said at the state meet that Schnell definitely has been an inspiration to two programs which hadn’t qualified for the state meet together in 29 years.
It had been that long since the boys’ program advanced to the state meet.
While Schnell isn’t setting any records on 5K courses around the state, he is running faster times now than he was before he went down with the injury.
“We just thought he would never run again to be honest,” said Norrish, who is a three-time state qualifier. “But he practiced a lot this summer and worked a lot. It really is an inspiration on how you can get back and get here.”
Junior Ethan Dunsbergen remembers what Schnell did on the track in the spring. And not much of it was that great. But he’s been a constant scoring runner for the state-ranked Hawks this season.
“He is an inspiration. Everyone loves him and everyone was worried when that happened,” Dunsbergen said.
“He ran a 3 minute 800 during track season, which isn’t great. But since then, he’s worked really hard and is running in the 19s in cross country. That’s insane.”
Arkema would have been happy to have Schnell simply back running with his teammates. No one could have imagined or predicted he would finish his sophomore season with a time of 18 minutes, 55.39 seconds at the state qualifying meet. He also went under 20 minutes at least seven times this fall.
“He’s absolutely been an inspiration to this team,” L-S senior Hendrick Lowry said. “Keegan’s great. He’s a good kid, and I’m really glad to see him back and healthy. And it’s crazy to think his times are better now than before.”
Wilmesmeier feels like Schnell’s inspiration dates back to last season.
Sophomore Colton Alberts dropped around 5 minutes off his time last fall and Wilmesmeier feels like Schnell’s unfortunate situation played a factor in that time drop.
“He’s meant so much to this team,” Alberts said. “He started back from zero but has worked all the way back up. It was very scary. But to see him running as well as he is now is awesome.”
Even the runners on the girls’ team felt Schnell’s inspiration. Schnell has been on every one of sophomore Peyton Sharp’s cross country teams. And Sharp has witnessed the hard work first hand.
“He’s come so far. He worked really hard this summer and the last few months from basically zero to get back to where he is,” Sharp said.
Freshman Mandeesa Vos was the top runner on the girls’ team this season. She didn’t know him super well before this year, but can’t help to be inspired by what he’s been through and is now doing on the courses.
Schnell always thought he would be able to run again. He definitely had his doubts at this time last year though.
“I just have to thank God for all of this being possible,” Schnell said. “I always thought I could run again, but not run faster than I was before it happened.”
What you project you receive
By Bryan Golden
Do you know anyone who always seems to have bad luck? Nothing ever goes right for them. Conversely, have you observed people who always wind up OK despite what befalls them?
What differentiates these two types of people? Their attitude, thoughts and actions are as different as day and night.
You are a magnet. Your attitude, thoughts and actions determine what you attract. Like attracts like. If you are negative, rude and inconsiderate, this is what you will attract. If you are positive, upbeat, courteous, caring and considerate, you will attract the same.
The effects of your actions always come full circle. How you treat others will determine how you are treated. You never know how long it will take, but what you project is invariably returned to you.
When you’re feeling bad, annoyed or frustrated, you mustn’t treat others poorly in response. Doing so is like throwing a rubber ball at a brick wall; it will bounce right back at you. How does someone react if you are rude? Chances are they will be rude in return. If so, the situation will most likely escalate.
What should you do if you are not treated properly? First of all, don’t respond in kind. If you do, you allow yourself to be drawn into the other person’s problem, which will have a negative impact on you.
If someone mistreats you, resist the temptation to get even. Their actions will come back to them; it’s inevitable.
If you try to retaliate, you get caught in a negative cycle and your actions will have a detrimental effect on you.
Think before you speak or act. Monitor and be aware of your attitude, feelings and actions. Behave in the same way you want to be treated. This is particularly difficult when someone is treating you poorly. You will be amazed at how your “luck” changes when you change the way you act.
Smile regardless of how you are treated, what is happening or how you feel. Smile, especially when you don’t feel like it. It’s hard to feel bad when you smile. Transforming a frown into a smile instantly changes what you project.
Treat everyone with respect and always thank those who help you. All people want to be appreciated. A sincere thank you invariably makes a person feel good. Don’t tell people to do things, ask them. Even if you are in a position of authority, you will get a better response if you ask rather than tell.
Endeavor to help others whenever possible. When offering your assistance, don’t do it with the expectation of getting something in return. Only through unconditional generosity will you put good things in motion that will ultimately be returned to you.
A change in attitude and approach always precedes a change in situation. If you think that you will feel and act better when things improve, you will be waiting for a very long time. To be successful, act successful. To be happy, act happy. To be treated well, treat others well.
You can never know when, where or how, but you will receive what you project.
Contact Bryan Golden at Bryan@ columnist.com
Founder of Iowa State Patrol’s drone program urges lawmakers to reject Chinese ban
By Jeff Patch
Chris Starrett, a retired Iowa State Patrol Sergeant, vividly recalls investigating the disappearance of then 10-year-old Xavier Harrelson, more than three years after he vanished from his Montezuma home. Locals searched through miles of town, wooded areas and farms.
Starrett launched a drone equipped with thermal imaging from Diamond Lake Park and flew a two-mile radius, unsuccessfully searching for the boy for three days. Unfortunately, a farmer found Harrelson’s remains four months later in a ditch three miles from his home. Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation and the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the case.
Drones don’t guarantee crimes are solved. Thermal imaging is only effective within a 12-18 hour window of a person’s death. But they provide law enforcement with a critical tool to protect public safety, Starrett said.
“You never know when you’re going to need it,” he said in an interview at his home.
Starrett owns SV Aerial Consulting in Jasper County, which provides accident reconstruction, drone mapping, photography, operator training, and enterprise sales. He served in the Iowa State Patrol for 18 years, leading the accident reconstruction unit, and retired last year. Starrett is an FAA Part 107 certified commercial drone pilot as well as a certified flight and ground instructor
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for drones and single-engine aircraft.
Starrett, the president of the Grinnell-Newburg School Board, has been married to his wife, Lindsey, for 20 years. She’s a partner at Grinnell accounting firm BakerStarrett LLP. The couple have twin 16-year-old daughters and a 13-year-old son.
In 2019, Starrett and a colleague traveled to Missouri to research that state’s drone program. Iowa State Patrol purchased nine Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI) drones and started a full-time accident reconstruction program led by Starrett.
The state patrol uses photogrammetry — a method of combining photos with GPS coordinates to create 3D models — to reconstruct accidents. Starrett demonstrated the program’s effectiveness almost immediately.
On Dec. 9, 2019 Starrett was the only law enforcement officer with a drone at the site of a 50car pile-up on I-80 near Altoona. He arrived, launched his drone, took photos of the accident scene, and finished measurements for the accident reconstruction in 35 minutes.
“If we would have done it the old school way, it would have been three — probably four — hours, and we probably would have lost a lot of our evidence, because it was snowing at the time and it melted at the same time,” Starret said. “It was huge.”
The Iowa State Patrol now has about 30 DJI Mavic 3 drones just for photogrammetry. But five years ago, Starrett dealt with
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skepticism from colleagues, lawmakers and others about security issues with Chinese-made drones.
“I got a lot of questions about it. And I go, ‘Ok, what about the Panasonic cameras we have in our squad cars that are WiFi — that are Bluetooth?” Starret said, pulling out his iPhone to emphasize the point. “It’s no different than our cell phones. Show me an American-made cell phone. When it comes to any kind of computerized technology, we’re behind.”
Starrett said law enforcement agencies should consider the minimal cost of a drone compared to other equipment. In-car camera systems for law enforcement officers cost about $8,000. The computer system costs another $8,000. The DJI Mavic 3T, which Starrett recommends, is equipped with thermal imaging and costs about $6,500.
On July 19, 2018, an EF-3 tornado ripped through Marshalltown, injuring 10 people and causing widespread devastation of infrastructure. Starrett was among the first to respond to the scene.
“That would have been nice to have a drone to launch to show command what we’re really dealing with — what power lines were down, what roads were open, what roads were blocked,” he said. “The software that the [state patrol had], you can launch 100 drones. Let’s say we do have a disaster. They could launch just five drones that will automatically transmit a live feed to a command center. When you don’t have that,
Submit letters to news@jaspercountytribune.com or Newton Daily News, P.O. Box 967, Newton,
you’re being the ball and you’re literally hurt for time.”
Starrett said American-made alternatives are much costlier and have less sophisticated software. For example, an Inspired Flight drone costs about $34,000, Starrett said. Helio, an American-made ag-spraying drone, costs $90,000, compared to about $30,000 for similar DJI ag-spraying drones.
He’s concerned about a bill advancing in the U.S. Senate that would add DJI to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Covered List, meaning new models of DJI drones would be prohibited from operating on U.S. communications networks. It would also create a two-year U.S. Department of Transportation program to provide grants to local public safety agencies to buy drones not produced by a “foreign entity of concern.”
The U.S. House passed the bill Sept. 9 by voice vote. It has been referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation. Analysts expect lawmakers will attempt to attach the bill as an amendment to the annual defense bill. The Law Enforcement Drone Association, along with other groups representing more than 6,000 first responders, wrote a letter to Senate Armed Services Committee members opposing the bill.
“The Countering CCP Drone Act is harmful because it overlooks the immediate operational needs of public safety agencies, compromising first responders’ ability to respond effectively to
emergencies,” according to the letter. “The over-reliance on unproven alternatives to established Chinese drone technology is impractical and dangerous.”
DJI has countered allegations of data security risks and highlighted actions to address security concerns, such as disabling the option for American drone pilots to sync flight records to DJI’s servers. As of Nov. 7, DJI will wipe any U.S.-based flight data from its U.S.-based server.
Adam Welsh, DJI’s global head of policy, recently addressed lawmakers’ security concerns in an online forum Sept. 19.
“DJI has never received a request for data under China’s National Security Law and National Intelligence Law,” Welsh wrote. “[I]f you’re a user in the U.S., and you choose to opt-in to sync images or videos with DJI servers, they’re synced with DJI’s U.S.based servers. You have to opt-in to even do that, and no flight logs are uploaded to DJI servers.”
Starrett’s message for Iowa’s federal lawmakers is to listen to their constituents who would be impacted by this proposed ban.
“If there’s one thing that I can say, it’s do your damn homework before you vote on something that could decimate a great tool in law enforcement and agriculture,” he said.
Jeff Patch is an Iowa-based writerfocusedonlegal,regulatoryandpolicychallengesthatimpact consumers, businesses and markets. Patch is a former Des Moines Register correspondent andPoliticostaffwriter.
Obituaries
Ardythe E. Timmins
Oct. 28, 2024
Community Calendar
Ardythe E. Timmins, age 100 of Monroe, passed away on Monday, October 28, 2024 at Newton Health Care. Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 1, 2024 at 10:30 am at the Monroe United Methodist Church. The family will greet friends following the service at a luncheon at the church. Burial will take place at Pleasant Hill Cemetery south of Prairie City. Memorials may be directed to the Monroe Fire And Rescue and condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com
Henry Earl Van Elsen
Oct. 28, 22024
Henry Earl Van Elsen, 80, of Newton died on Monday, October 28, 22024, at his home.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, November 4, 2024, at the Newton First Assembly of God Church. The family will greet friends after the service with a lunch at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Newton First Assembly of God Church or the National Kidney Foundation may
The daughter of Roy J. and Edna Belle (Dunlavy) Beard, Ardythe was born on July 13, 1924 in Mingo, Iowa. She graduated from Colfax High School in 1941. On April 11, 1942, she was united in marriage to Robert R.
be left at the church the day of the service or the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Henry, the son of Lucien and Dorothy (Ellsworth) Van Elsen, was born on August 25, 1944 in Colfax. He grew up in Colfax and at the age of 11 began working in George Weirick’s Drug Store. Following his graduation in 1963 from Colfax High School, Henry continued his dream to be a pharmacist by doing both his undergrad and going to pharmacy school at Drake University in Des Moines. After getting engaged on Halloween day in 1964, Henry was united in marriage with Linda Hasselman on June 26, 1965, in Newton. They lived in Des Moines until Henry com-
Timmins in Newton. She worked as the head cook at the Monroe School for 25 years, retiring in 1989. Ardythe was a longtime member of the Monroe United Methodist Church. Here she stayed active in the United Methodist Women and M & M’s as well as helping in the kitchen for funeral lunches for many years. Those left to honor her memory include her children, Jim (Judy) Timmins, Robert Timmins, Donna (Gene) Stravers, Ken (Brenda) Timmins and Karen (Stuart) Bandstra; nine grandchildren,
pleted his schooling and then made their home in Newton. In 1973, Henry and Linda purchased Nollen’s Drug and Gift in Newton from Henry’s old boss, George Weirick. They ran the business together until it’s closing in 1996. Henry then continued his pharmacist career at Osco Drug, Walgreens, and later part-time with Medicap. Henry was always active in giving back to the Newton community. He served as a board member and President of the Newton Area Chamber of Commerce, was a member of Kiwanis, and was a mentor to many high school students through Junior Achievement and DECA. Henry was also very involved at the First Assembly of God Church in Newton,
Jeff (Payton) Timmins, Joel (Ivette) Timmins, Jason (Laura) Timmins, Tony (Shelley) Stravers, Justin (Lori Reynolds) Breckenridge, Mike (Jen) Timmins, Cary (Susie) Bandstra, Zach (Crista) Bandstra and Eric (Dana Di Pasquale) Bandstra; 21 great grandchildren and eight great great grandchildren. Also surviving is a sister-in-law, Carolyn Timmins and many nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband in 1956, a grandson, Shane Timmins and her brother, Gordon Beard.
serving on the board many times. He always had a great sense of humor and was quick with a one-liner. Henry enjoyed helping others, reading, working on his home, and walking his dogs. Henry is survived by his wife, Linda Van Elsen of Newton; two children, Charles Van Elsen and Mary Van Elsen (Bob Patton), both of Newton; his siblings, Lucien (Karen) Van Elsen, Jean (Max) Wallace, Helen Reitan (John Grannis), James (Beth) Van Elsen, Lynda (Denny) Brouwer, and Larry Van Elsen (Kim Dingman); sister-in-law, Connie Van Elsen; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Robert Van Elsen.
Americans tip between 15 and 20%
In an era when consumers are increasingly asked if they want to tip when paying for goods or services, a recent survey has found that many American consumers still adhere to conventional wisdom when leaving a gratuity in restaurants.
A YouGov survey released in June 2024 found that 62 percent of Americans tip between 15 and 20 percent when they dine out at a restaurant. Though 15 percent was long the standard when tipping at a restaurant, the YouGov survey indicates more diners are tipping at the higher end of the 15 to 20 percent range. Among survey respondents, 35 percent indicate they typically leave a tip of 20 percent, while 27 percent indicated they typically tip 15 percent. And 20 percent seems to be the best restaurant workers
can expect, as the survey indicated only 4 percent of diners tip at 25 percent. — Metro Creative
Send items to news@jaspercountytribune.com
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
• 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
SATURDAY
• Colfax Historical Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the second Saturday of the month. Admission is free.
Post 493 Veterans Day soup supper and activities
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.
New snowmobile law streamlines permit requirements for residents
Iowa snowmobilers are no longer required to purchase and display an annual trail user permit, according to a new law that went into effect July 1, 2024. The law folded the trail user permit into the annual snowmobile registration fee, which will now be $30 plus administration fees. The previous price for each type was $15. Registration and permit fees for snow-
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
mobiles are placed in a dedicated account for snowmobile programs in Iowa, including the Iowa Snowmobile Trail Grant Program, which is administered through the Iowa State Snowmobile Association. The grant program supports snowmobile trail development and grooming; equipment purchases and maintenance; and trail signage in cooperation with snowmobile
clubs all across Iowa.
Snowmobilers who own a new machine or have not yet entered the snowmobile into the state registration system need to go to the County Recorder’s office in their county of residence to start the registration process. To renew an existing registration, visit the County Recorder or go online to www.gooutdoorsiowa.com
Church Schedules
SUNDAY - 9:30 a.m. Church service; 10:15 a.m. Sunday school (communion first Sunday)
METZ COMMUNITY CHURCH
3253 W. 62nd St. S., Newton Pastor David Rex 641-521-4354
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10:10 a.m. Worship Last Saturday of month - 8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Colfax Minister, Pastor Cody Dyer Church Office 674-4165
SUNDAY, Nov. 10 - 9 a.m. Fellowship; 9:15 a.m. Bible Education Classes; 10:25 a.m. Message by Pastor Cody Dyer; 5 p.m. “The Well” Youth Group
302 E. Howard St., Colfax Fr. Ron Hodges 515-674-3711
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Mass
DAILY MASS - 8 a.m.
Nonresident snowmobilers will still need to purchase and display the trail user permit, which are available at any County Recorder’s Office, through retailers that sell hunting and fishing licenses, or online at www.gooutdoorsiowa.com.
Learn more about Iowa’s snowmobile programs at: https://www.iowadnr.gov/ things-to-do/snowmobiles
BAXTER
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
Richardson, Handorf lead Bolts with all-state performances
By Troy Hyde Sports Editor
FORT DODGE — Baxter
senior Matt Richardson felt like he was running times fast enough to end up on the deck at the state cross country meet this season.
But it wasn’t until the final rankings of the season that he was put in the top 10 of Class 1A.
Sophomore Max Handorf predicted he would finish near his standout teammate at Lakeside Golf Course.
Both Bolts performed to their expectations on Nov. 2, and a pair of Baxter boys celebrated on the all-state deck for the first time in school history.
“We expected (Richardson) based on how he’d been running to be there,” Baxter head cross country coach Dennis Vaughn said. “(Handorf) came in unranked, and I had him in the 20s with an outside shot.
“Before the race, I saw a hunger in his eye that I have not seen before. He came here determined to make a statement.”
When the Class 1A boys’ state race ended inside Kennedy Park, Richardson ended up eighth and Handorf finished 12th at the Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships.
Baxter’s first-ever state cross country medalist was Elie Tuhn. Richardson and Handorf join the party and become the first males in Bolts history to earn all-state honors.
“It feels great,” Richardson said. “It went exactly as I planned. You always want to be a little further up the standings. I just came in way more confident. That really helped. I have been in the 16s consistently.”
Richardson’s eighth-place time was clocked in 16 minutes, 29.2 seconds.
Handorf saved his very best race for the 2024 finale. His 12th-place tally produced a career-best time of 16:31.9. It was his career best by 20 seconds.
Richardson ran up front in the early portion of the race and stayed in the top 10 throughout. Handorf made sure his teammate didn’t get too far away.
“It feels so amazing. I wasn’t even ranked in the top 30,” Handorf said. “This year I just tried to stick with Knute Rogne
from Lake Mills. He basically pulled me through the whole race.
Going up the last hill I was right on Matt’s heals so I felt good. I knew we were almost done so it was awesome.”
The team didn’t finish as high as it wanted to, but the Bolts were extremely short-handed.
No. 3 runner Brecken Fisher suffered an injury during the state qualifying meet and was not available on Nov. 2.
Maddox Peters, the No. 4 runner, competed under the weather and No. 5 runner Dakota Parker battled through an injury, too.
The No. 16 Bolts finished 16th in the 16-team field. They scored 328 points.
“Even though we didn’t move up in the standings, it was a good year for the Bolts I’d say,” Richardson said.
Top-ranked Lake Mills won the meet with 88 points. Fifthranked Ankeny Christian Academy was the runner-up with 132 and the rest of the top five featured No. 2 Woodbine (144), No. 3 Ogden (152) and No. 4 Riverside (171).
Sixth-ranked Earlham (179) finished sixth, No. 8 Danville (197) was seventh and No. 7 Sioux Central (211) took eighth. Lynnville-Sully (302) came in ranked 13th and finished 14th.
“We were three points off Ankeny Christian at a meet earlier this year and they finished second today,” Vaughn said. “We wanted to try to run well, but it was mentally in our head that we didn’t have (Fisher), (Peters) wasn’t feeling well and some others have some minor injuries.”
Senior Makayla True joined the Baxter boys at the state meet and finished 101st in the 1A girls’ race.
Top-ranked Gavin Grunhovd of North Iowa won the boys’ 1A race in 15:57.5. He was 12th last season.
Seventh-ranked Gunner Wagner of Woodbine was the runner-up in 16:05.2.
The 15th and final medalist finished the race in 16:35.9.
While Richardson and Handorf both were in the top 15, Parker (19:47.7) and Peters (19:47.8) ran side-by-side the entire way and finished 148th and 149th, respectively.
“It was a good experience,
but I was sick so I couldn’t run to my full potential,” Peters said. “I really liked the course, and you’ll definitely see me here next year. It wasn’t a good overall today though.”
Senior Logan Rainsbarger is not a distance runner by trade but has been a part of the team the past few seasons.
Because the Bolts were without Fisher for the race, Rainsbarger (20:59.2) was a scoring runner in 155th.
Parker Bonney (22:54) was the Bolts’ non-scoring runner in 157th.
“It was great coming into the season because I knew we had a lot of great runners, and I wouldn’t be counted on all that much,” Rainsbarger said. “But I had to be a scoring runner today. I had the confidence in our team that if we worked hard, we’d be able to get here. It was a great experience. It came at a cost with Brecken though.
“I wish I ran better myself, but I had a side stitch about a mile into the race. This was just a fun run for me. There was more pressure on me than I had hoped, but overall it was an amazing experience and I had a lot of fun today.”
Richardson and Handorf were 30th and 34th, respectively, last season, Richardson finished 55th as a sophomore.
“We’re really proud of Matt and Max for getting on the podium,” Vaughn said.
True was the lone qualifier for the Baxter girls. Her 101stplace finish came with a time of 22:20.3. It took a 19:40.4 to earn a spot on the all-state deck.
“It was amazing, and I’m grateful I got the opportunity to do this,” True said.
“I worked hard all season for it. I wish I would have ran a little better, but I’m proud of what I was able to do this year. I have things to still work on for next year.”
Vaughn said True was very nervous before the race, which may have factored into where she finished.
“Makayla had a great season and just got better and better,” Vaughn said. “We’re proud of her. She dealt with a side stitch today and probably got out too fast.”
Top-ranked Lili Denton of Council Bluffs St. Albert won the 1A girls’ race in 17:59.3.
Troy Hyde/JCT
Baxter senior Matt Richardson, left, and sophomore Max Handorf capped their seasons with all-state performances at the Class 1A boys’ state cross country meet at Lakeside Golf Course on Nov. 2 in Fort Dodge.
Troy Hyde/JCT
Baxter senior Makayla True (548) ran at the state cross country meet for the first time in her prep career on Nov. 2. She placed 101st in the Class 1A girls’ race.
Troy Hyde/JCT
Baxter sophomore Dakota Parker (707) and junior Maddox Peters (708) ran the entire Class 1A boys’ state race side-by-side at Lakeside Golf Course on Nov. 2 in Fort Dodge.
Troy Hyde/JCT
Baxter senior Logan Rainsbarger was a scoring runner for the Bolts during the Class 1A state cross country meet on Nov. 2 in Fort Dodge.
XC | 7
C-M volleyball ends season with regional loss to Hudson
HUDSON — Five Hudson players put down at least five kills and the Pirates had a .318 kill efficiency during their Class 2A Region 4 quarterfinal win over Colfax-Mingo’s volleyball team on Oct. 23.
The Tigerhawks capped their season at 11-15 after serving up
four aces and registering a kill efficiency of .143. Trinity Smith led Colfax-Mingo with nine kills, seven digs, two aces and two assists in her final prep match.
Dakota Allen tallied two kills and two digs, Cadence Linn finished with four digs and Britney Keeney collected two kills.
The Tigerhawks (11-15) were 44-of-49 in serves with Isabelle Utz going 10-of-10. Steenhoek served 8-of-8, Linn was 9-of-9
Katelyn Steenhoek delivered 17 assists and added seven digs and two kills, Macie Porter finished with eight digs, Grace Hunsberger put down five kills and Kaylee Collins posted two assists and five digs in her final prep contest.
and Keeney finished 8-of-9. Hudson got nine kills, 10 digs and two aces from Addie Rhoades and Kaleigh Leary contributed nine kills, six digs and two aces. Taylor Davis dished out 35 assists and Vada Klunder put down nine kills.
The Pirates (27-10) lost to 2A No. 4 Dike-New Hartford in the regional semifinals. Smith Collins
runs in the Class 1A girls’ race at the Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships at Lakeside Golf Course on Nov. 2 in Fort Dodge.
C-M’s Hosbond represents Tigerhawks at state meet
By Troy Hyde Sports Editor
FORT DODGE — Colfax-Mingo’s Ashlynn Hosbond walked away from her first state cross country meet experience disappointed. She wanted to run a personal-best time.
But with three more years to go in her career, the Tigerhawk freshman could have a few more opportunities to reach her goals on the biggest stage.
Her first time through the Class 1A girls’ 5K race at the Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships resulted in an 82nd-place finish.
“I wasn’t super happy with how I did actually,” Hosbond said. “I wanted to get a personal best. It was a few seconds off my PR.”
Hosbond’s time at Lakeside Golf Course inside Kennedy Park was clocked in 21 minutes, 33.9 seconds. The 15th and final medalist completed the race in 19:40.4. The 82nd-place finish came out
of 150 runners. She was the 13th best freshman in the field and her time was the second best of her career.
“I had nerves in the beginning,” Hosbond said. “It was a lot easier to navigate the course, but I didn’t start off very well.
“Now that I know what I’m doing, it can only be better. I just want to be more confident and run more. There’s a lot of things I need to work on. I’ll figure it out.”
Class 1A No. 1 Lili Denton of Council Bluffs St. Albert was the 1A girls’ winner in 17:59.3.
Second-ranked Nora Peterson of Alta-Aurelia was the runner-up in 18:28.5.
Third-ranked Chloe Glosser of Pekin placed third in 18:31.9. Peterson was fourth last year, and Glosser was 17th.
“(Hosbond) was a little disappointed she didn’t have a season-best time at state, but I think she’s determined to have an even better season next year,” Col-
fax-Mingo head cross country coach Zach Tomas said. “On our way back from Fort Dodge, she was already discussing goals for next season. I believe she’s only scratched the surface of what she can accomplish in her career.”
Class 1A No. 1 Earlham won the girls’ team championship with 91 points.
Second-ranked Madrid was the runner-up with 109 despite placing three in the top 15.
Fourth-ranked Treynor (172) edged ninth-ranked South Winneshiek (173) for third and thirdranked English Valleys (175) was close behind in fifth.
Class 1A No. 5 Lynnville-Sully (203) was eighth, No. 8 Martensdale-St. Marys (223) placed 10th and 16th-ranked Collins-Maxwell (310) ended up 15th.
Madrid led Earlham by 29 points after the first three runners, but the Cardinals rallied after its final two scoring runners were 47 points better than their Tiger counterparts.
Second-ranked
1A No. 1 Earlham won
the 1A state championship with 91 points. Second-ranked Madrid was the runner-up with 109. The Cardinals trailed Madrid by 29 points after the first three runners, but they rallied by outscoring the final two scoring runners by 47 points.
Fourth-ranked Treynor (172), No. 9 South Winneshiek (173) and No. 3 English Valleys (175) were separated by three points in third, fourth and fifth, respectively. No. 5 Lynnville-Sully (203)
placed eighth, No. 8 Martensdale-St. Marys (223) was 10th and 16th-ranked Collins-Maxwell (310) finished 15th.
Notes: True plans to run for Grand View University next season. “I definitely want to train more and track season will help me,” True said. “I can’t wait to start improving then.” ... While not having Fisher hurt the Bolts at the state meet, the Bolts may not have qualified at all if he had not decided to run through the pain at the state qualifier.
IHSAA delays moving golf to fall season
The transition of golf seasons for Classes 3A, 2A and 1A was discussed for the third consecutive meeting, with action taken late last month to postpone any change in golf seasons for the foreseeable future.
The IHSAA and IGHSAU had announced in August a move for girls tennis and all boys golf classes to be played in the fall starting in 2025-26.
However, the Board of Control voted to delay the boys golf change indefinitely so the sport will remain in the spring for 2025-26 and until the board considers additional information.
“We considered the feedback from our member schools and the board ultimately decided it was worth reconsidering our initial vote,” said board chairperson Dr. Andy Crozier, superintendent at Central Lee. “It became clear that there were too many obstacles that need to be resolved in the short-term to make this change for the 2025-26 school year.”
The change was announced in August as a way to reduce spring schedule congestion for school activities and improve the student-athlete golf experience.
Since then, the IHSAA’s numerous committees and school feedback structures often cited challenges with small school participation in fall sports, coaching conflicts and golf course availability.
Discussions among the board turned the golf seasons from a discussion item to an action item and resulted in a 5-3 vote to delay moving the sport out of the spring at this time.
Class 4A boys golf will remain in the fall, where it has been exclusively since 1993.
“We appreciate our Board’s desire to continue its due diligence as it more fully considers a possible move of Class 1A, 2A and 3A golf to a fall season,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said. “We will continue to provide them with whatever information they need regarding the impact on and perspective of our member schools.”
Colfax-Mingo freshman Ashlynn Hosbond finished 82nd in the Class 1A girls’ race at the state cross country meet. She was the first state qualifier at C-M since 2019. She was 10th at the 1A state qualifier and 14th at the SICL meet.
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Jasper County Tribune
Jasper County Tribune
Troy Hyde/Jasper County Tribune
Colfax-Mingo freshman Ashlynn Hosbond, left,
Troy Hyde/Jasper County Tribune
The only two medalists from the area were Baxter sophomore Max Handorf, left, and senior Matt Richardson, second from the right, Richardson finished eighth in the boys’ 1A state race and Handorf was 12th.
Nora Peterson of Alta-Aurelia was the runner-up in 18:28.5. No. 3 Chloe Glosser of Pekin finished third in 18:31.9. Peterson was fourth last year, while Glosser finished 17th. Class
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