Monroe native opens shop in downtown
Seal coat and microsurfacing plans near Neal Smith approved Jasper County
First phase of the project covers parts of W. 129th St. S. and S. 96th Ave. W.
By Christopher Braunschweig
Plans to apply seal coat and microsurfacing to roads near Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge were approved by the Jasper County Board of Supervisors last week, which is all part of the first phase of an accessibility project funded in large part through a Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) Grant.
According to county documents, the affected roads include West 129th Street South from Iowa Highway 163 to South 96th Avenue West and South 96th Avenue West from West 129th Street South to Pacific Street. County Engineer Michael Frietsch said the streets will be undergoing major upgrades.
“We’re going to be taking the road and fixing some box culverts that have broken end sections
School calendar for 2025-26 selected
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
Three slightly different calendar options for the 2025-26 school year were presented to staff with first option being the most popular selection. The favorite option looks similar to the 2024-25 calendar and was approved by the school board at its Jan. 20 meeting, setting the hearing date for the Feb. 17 meeting.
“I worked to create four different calendars, which is kind of tough because there isn’t as many options as you think,” interim superintendent Art
School breaks, start and district improvement days similar to 2024-2025 calendar CALENDAR
Sathoff said. “The legislature doesn’t let us start until Aug. 23, which next school year is a Saturday. We have local things like spring break; people like to have kids done before Memorial Day. So when you start putting in these restrictions, including personal development days that work out to about one a month ... when you throw all the things together there is a lot less options than you would think.”
The proposed calendar has school starting for teachers on Aug. 18 with
Elected officials in Jasper County see salaries increase by about 3-5%
Supervisors decide lower raises than what was suggested by compensation board
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Elected officials in Jasper County will be seeing a pay raise by the next fiscal year. Like in years past the board of supervisors used the recommendations from the compensation board as a foundation. The supervisors ultimately settled on salary increases that were less than what was suggested.
Allison Udelhoven, the secretary of the Jasper County Compensation Board, attended the Jan. 27 board of supervisors meeting to speak on behalf of the recommending body. She presented the minutes of the Dec. 17 compensation board meeting and detailed rationales for each wage increase.
The compensation board recommended the supervisors have their salaries increase by $2,500 and to maintain the $2,5000 stipend for the board chair. If approved, the supervisors would have an annual salary of $49,500, or $52,000 for
the board chair. Typically, supervisors decline to give themselves raises.
Unsurprisingly, the supervisors voted to not increase their own pay this year. In 2024, the board broke
tradition and did give themselves an almost $5,000 raise, increasing their annual salary from $42,020 to $47,000. Additionally, the board
Looking to help those who are hungry
Community Health Needs Assessment identifies food insecurity as a top issue for county
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of articles exploring the results of the Jasper County Community Health Needs Assessment.
Food insecurities are a top concern for the residents of Jasper County with both survey and town hall respondents identifying it as an issue. According to the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), Jasper County has
a higher rate of households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) than the State of Iowa. Of those surveyed, 17.52 percent reported not having enough money to purchase healthy food and 17.17 percent said they have had trouble paying for food within the last year. Also, 86 percent of people who participated said they were not eating the recommended amount of two servings of vegetables and two
servings of fruits each day. One reason healthy food is not on the menu is 82.48 percent of people said they do not have enough money to purchase more nutritious food. Along with food, which topped the list at 17.17 percent, people have a hard time paying for medical appointments at 16.9 percent and utilities at 15.51 percent.
Of the food insecure population, 30 percent are ineligible
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Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer
Jasper County elected officials had their salaries raised by the board of supervisors. After taking suggestions from the compensation board, the supervisors provided 3-5 percent raises for the county attorney, auditor, recorder, sheriff and treasurer.
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
Dani Tool, owner of UnWilted by Dani Sue, makes her business opening official at a ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 1. UnWilted is located inside Salon Essence in downtown Monroe.
Explorer PCM
Worth Mentioning
Send your event to news@pcmexplorer.com
Events at The Gathering Place
Thursday, Feb. 6
• 10am Jasper County Senior Living Community Panel with host Andy Algreen
Saturday, Feb. 8
• 9am Valentine Cookie Decorating Class - $10. Sign up at slayk3651@gmail.com.
Monday, Feb. 10
• 10am Video Exercise Class
Tuesday, Feb. 11
• 8am Coffee and Prayer
Wednesday, Feb. 12
• 1pm Get Fit, Don’t Fall with Amy S. Thursday, Feb. 13
• 10am Patty Richards Show
• 5:30pm Community Potluck
GriefShare sessions begin Saturday
First Reformed Church in Prairie City will host GriefShare from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday. If you have experienced the death of a loved one and are looking for support, healing and hope, you are welcome. Register on line at GriefShare.org or contact Mary Lemmert at 515-205-0835 or at hope2you@ aol.com.
Good News Club Monday
Good News Club meets after school Monday, Feb. 10 and 24 at the Monroe Elementary Art Room and the Prairie City Elementary Media Room/Library. This group is for Kindergarten through 5th grades and includes games, songs, Bible lesson, snacks on full days of school. Call Jane at 641 891 2733 with question regarding the Monroe location and Sheryl at 641 521 3120 for Prairie City.
PCM Food Pantry
The PCM Food Pantry at the Monroe Presbyterian Church, 113 S. Main St. in Monroe, is open 9 a.m. to noon and 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays and 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays.
TOPS
TOPS 1025 meets at 5:30 p.m. every Monday at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City for weigh-in, with meeting to follow. Go to the north side parking lot at the church and enter in the north door. Call 515-994-2200 for information.
Men’s Recovery meeting
Lighthouse Recovery Ministries hosts a Men’s Recovery meeting at 6:30 p.m. each Monday at Grace Alive Church, 703 W. Second St. in Prairie City. Contact Barb at b.miller@lighthouserecoveryia.com with questions.
PCM Clothing Closet
The PCM Clothing Closet, on the second floor of the Family Life Center at 105 S. Sherman St. in Prairie City, will be open from 3:30 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday and 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays.
Lions Breakfast Feb. 22
Prairie City Lions will host a Pancake Breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 at the Prairie City Community Building . Proceeds from the monthly breakfast go toward a community project.
Registration due for Monroe ATV/UTV and Golf Carts
ATV/UTV/Golf Cart Registration is due March 1 at Monroe City Hall. There is no charge, but a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance showing a special rider on your auto policy is required.
Time to license your cat and dog in Monroe
Pet licenses in Monroe can now be purchased at city hall and are due by April 1. Cat and dog licenses are $10 for altered animals. Unaltered animals are $20. Rabies shots must be current. Licenses not purchased by April 1 will be subject to an extra $10 fee.
OWLS program ‘Backyard Bird
Feeding’ Feb. 12
Jasper County Conservation Board will host an Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors (OWLS) program at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the Jasper County Armory/ Annex Building in Newton, for 10 a.m. coffee and a presentation given by Katie Cantu, naturalist with Jasper County Conservation. Cantu will give ideas and pointers for successful backyard bird feeding and talk about different birds that
Betty Jo Umble Jan. 28, 2025
Obituaries
for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com
visit feeders in the area. This presentation is leading up to the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, a world-wide, volunteer bird survey that takes place Feb. 14-17. The OWLS program is a conservation program that encourages seniors to stay active and learn new things about the natural world. Contact the Jasper County Conservation Board office at 641-792-9780 for more information.
Betty Jo Umble, age 92 of Prairie City, passed away on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at Mercy One in Des Moines. Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 3, 2025, at 10:00 am at the Prairie City United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Vandalia Cemetery. The family will greet friends on Sunday, February 2, 2025, from 4:00 - 6:00 pm at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the PCM Elementary Schools to help with students’ breakfast and lunch debts. Checks may be made payable to PCM Elementary School. Condolences may be left
The daughter of Joseph and Mabel (Moore) Osborn, Betty was born on December 17, 1932, in Leon Iowa. Betty ‘s family moved from southern Iowa, Leon area to rural Prairie City in 1940 when Betty was eight years old. She grew up there going to the country school down the road about a half a mile and then onto Prairie City High School. Betty and three brothers on the farm enjoyed exploring the 160 acres. She spent a lot of time with neighbor kids and the Enyart and Pulver families. Betty graduated from high school in 1951 On June 6, 1952, she was united in marriage to Mark L. Umble. Betty and Mark moved to Fort Knox KY while Mark served in the Army for three years. Mark was born in 1953 and Joe in 1954 in Fort Knox Ky. Dan was born in 1956 in Des Moines They moved
back to Prairie city in 1955 onto Betty’s parents’ farm and farmed until Mark’s passing in 2015. Betty worked for the Vernon Company and in 1965 went to work at Vander Keith Insurance in Prairie City. Al sold the business to Mike Buitenwerf where she continued to work in the insurance business until she retired in 2002, at age 70. She enjoyed cooking, playing cards, boardgames and spending time with family and friends. Betty and Mark traveled to Las Vegas yearly, took a cruise one year and traveled to Marti Gras After Mark’s passing in 2015, Betty continued to live in the house she grew up in until 2019. At that time, Betty moved to Prairie city into a condo where she lived until passing.
Preceding Betty in death were her parents, husband, Mark L. Umble, brothers Don, Eugene and Paul Osborn,
sisters-in-laws Virginia Umble, Corinne Osborn and Marilyn Osborn. Those left to honor her memory include her son Mark (Carol) Umbletheir children Nick (Jennifer) Umble and Amber (Chris) Davies; son Joe (Connie) Umble – their children Levi (Amber) Umble and Lacey (Rusty) Gulbranson; son Dan (Melanie) Umble and their children Brad (Becci) Schaefer, Katie (Teddy) Hawley, and Derrick (Seana) Hoodjer. Great Grandchildren Brookelyn Umble, Ashlyn and Dylan Dress, Bradley and Christoher Wade; Hannah Davies; Haylee (Luke) Entz and Hayden Umble; Jasper and Jade Gulbranson; Amelie, Ceily, and Elodie Schaefer; Braylen, Briley and Rusty Hawley; and Bailey, Henry and twin boys due in June. Betty is also survived by sisters-in-law Karen (Don) Mooty and Beverly Osborn, and many nieces and nephews.
PC Lions donate to PCM Shooters Club
By Greg Townley Special to the PCM Explorer
The Prairie City Lions Club conducts pancake breakfasts one Saturday per month from October to April to raise money to support local groups. The breakfast Oct. 26 was to support the PCM Shooters Club. The club teaches gun safety and shooting skills to high school students who compete at local and state competitions.
Members of the Shooting Club helped with advertising for the pancake breakfast and with serving the meals. Then a few of the students and their coach attended the Lions Club meeting on Jan. 9 to give a presentation about their sport and the success they have had. They also talked about the cost involved with traveling to competitions and buying ammunition.
The breakfast netted $661.17 profit which was donated to the PCM Shooters Club. Lion President Greg Townley presented a check to the team at the Lions Club
meeting Jan. 9. The PCM Shooting Club was represented by Dusten Engle (coach) and shooters Jonathan Swan, Levi Stevenson, and Isabelle Lusk.
The Prairie City Lions Club stays active throughout the year and does a lot to support the community. More members are needed. If you are interested in serving the community, you are invited to contact Townley at 515-321-5085 or email gregory.a.townley@gmail. com or one of the other members to learn more about becoming a member.
JCF grant applications available soon
The Jasper Community Foundation’s 2025 Grant Cycle begins Feb. 15 with applications accepted Feb. 15 through April 30. To be considered for funding this year, grant applications must be received by April 30. All 501(c)3 organizations, 170(c)(1) units of government, and other potentially qualifying charitable organizations operating in or for the benefit of Jasper County should go to the Jasper
Community Foundation website www.jaspercommunityfoundation.org for guidelines, applications and additional information. This will be the only grant cycle of 2025. This grant program is made possible through a contribution to the Foundation by the Iowa General Assembly’s County Endowment Fund Program. In 2024, the Jasper Community Foundation disbursed
students’ first day set for Aug. 25 for elementary students and sixth and ninth graders. The remainder of the students will start Aug. 26. Each month has a district improvement day, typically on the second or third Monday of the month.
Parent-teacher conferences will be Oct. 14 and 16 in the fall and March 10 and 12 in the spring. Thanksgiving break will include the Wednesday before Thanksgiving totaling three days — Wednesday through Friday — for the break. The first semester will con -
$125,000 to 25 different organizations throughout the county. These funds were awarded to charitable organizations for educational, civic and public purposes. A full listing of grantees can be found on the Foundation’s website.
“Qualifying organizations are encouraged to submit a grant application,” President of Jasper Community Foundation Dan Skokan, said. “Our goal is to benefit as many
clude Dec. 19 and winter break will run from Dec. 22 to Jan. 2, with students returning to class Jan. 5. Spring break will start with no school on March 13 and continue through the next week, March 16 to 20.
Graduation is planned for May 17 and the last day of school will be Friday, May 22. Teachers will continue through May 29 to conclude the school year. In total, the school calendar consists of 171 days or 1,152 hours, 72 more hours than required by law. The first semester will have 78 days while the second semester totals 93 days with classes running from 8:05 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Option 2 for the school calendar only had slight differ -
Jasper County residents as possible. These grant funds provide an excellent opportunity to address important needs and to improve the overall quality of life for our residents.” All inquiries pertaining to the grant application process should be directed to the “Contact Us” link located on the homepage of the Jasper Community Foundation website www.jaspercommunityfoundation.org.
ences, such as when district improvement days would be planned. The third option had abbreviated Thanksgiving and winter breaks, adding 20 hours of class time.
“A lot of the choices are related to the teacher improvement days,” school board member Jeremy St. Peter said. “That is really the difference.” The options were sent out to staff prior to the meeting. Staff was able to vote on their favorite option with Option 1 selected receiving 51 votes, Option 2 gathering nine votes and Option 3 getting four votes. The 2025-26 school calendar will go before a public hearing before final approval by the school board at the Feb. 17 meeting.
Submitted Photo
Lions Club President Greg Townley presents a $661.17 check to PCM Shooters Club representatives (from left): Coach Dusten Engel, Isabelle Lusk, president Greg Townley, Jonathon Swan and Levi Stevenson.
Resurface
in there,” Frietsch said. “We’ve got a lot of things that we gotta fix up around the toes and the slopes. We’re going to fix the embankments and put guard rail up and basically make safety improvements.”
Crews are also going to stabilize the top 12 inches with cement and then put a layer of millings down and a double layer of what is called Otta seal. Normally, when applying a seal coat, contractors put down a layer of oil and then chip seal. But chip seal is pricey. So, instead, the county will put down
Salaries
chair had received a $2,500 stipend. The stipend was removed this time around.
Supervisor Thad Nearmyer argued the stipend is fair compensation since the chair often puts in a lot of extra work. Then again it was Supervisor Brandon Talsma who suggested the stipend be removed. Talsma said he would do the work regardless of whether the stipend was on in place.
“Well, the work probably deserves to be paid for,” Nearmyer said. Regardless, the supervisors would go on to approve Talsma’s suggestion in a 3-0 vote. This was “the easy one,” Talsma said.
3/4-inch road stone.
“We’re going to let that sit and cure out, and then two weeks later or so we’ll put another run of oil on it and we put another layer of 3/4-inch road stone on top of it. Shape it, compact it, get it all rolled in,” Frietsch said. “Then the final step beyond this is we’re going to put down what is called a microsurface.”
Frietsch described the microsurface as a polymer-modified asphalt mixed with some coarse and fine materials that get bladed onto the surface and seals it off.
“It gives it a nice sort of black color, sort of poor mans looking asphalt road, so to speak,” Frietsch said. “…This is a meth-
Which would go on to be true. Discussions about county attorney, auditor, recorder, sheriff and treasurer salaries took another 25 minutes to conclude.
The supervisors first tackled the salary of Sheriff Brad Shutts. The compensation board recommended the sheriff’s annual salary increase by $14,831, from $145,169 to $160,000, or what is essentially a 10.22 percent increase. Supervisors felt the increase was a little too higher for their liking.
The compensation board rationalized its increase averaging at the salaries of police chiefs of communities greater in size and police chiefs smaller in size. The sheriff oversees an entire county, which carries greater responsibility, the board argued. Historically, the sheriff and county attorney have similar compensation. Eventually, the supervisors settled on an increase of $7,416 (or 5.11 percent), making the sheriff’s annual salary $152,585.
When it came to determining a salary increase for County Attorney Scott
od I’ve seen. Johnson County has done Otta seals and there are other counties that have done Otta seals. They’re better than a plain old seal coat.” If it wasn’t for all the em-
Nicholson, again, supervisors did not necessarily agree with the compensation board’s suggestion. The board recommended an increase of $14,745 to bring Nicholson’s annual salary of $145,255 to $160,000 (10.15 percent).
However, Talsma did argue in favor of giving Nicholson an up to $10,0000 raise for the county attorney. He wagered if Nicholson were to retire and the county would have to hire for the position, he doubted Jasper County could get a lawyer to do the county attorney’s job. Supervisor Doug Cupples disagreed. “I think we could be able to find a lawyer for that kind of money,” Cupples said, noting Nicholson is very valuable to the county. “…But we’ve had these guys (the sheriff and the county attorney) together in the past, and I think that’s where I want to stay with it.”
According to a letter from Nicholson addressed to the compensa-
tion board, the workload in the county attorney’s office is abundant.
In total, there were 2,415 criminal cases filed in Jasper County, of which 497 were felonies. On average, the county attorney’s office filed 11 new cases a day, about eight domestic violence cases per month and at least one felony case per day. More than 290 drug misdemeanor cases were filed in 2024.
In 2024, the county attorney’s office filed 57 sex offense-related charges, which he said marks a significant and troubling rise. There is also a rising felony caseload and a concerning increase in certain types of offenses, which demands “a dynamic and well-supported legal team.”
For these reasons, the compensation board recommended a higher raise. Talsma felt like Nicholson’s wage has been falling behind considering the volume of cases he oversees and covers. The supervisors
Jasper County’s food insecure rate, 7.5 percent, is slightly lower than the state at 7.62 percent. It doesn’t meet the Healthy People 2030 target rate of 6 percent.
for assistance programs including SNAP, Women, Infants & Children (WIC), school meals, Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) or The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). According to Healthy People 2030, food insecurity coincides with negative health outcomes in children and adults and may cause kids to have trouble in schools.
A correlating factor of low food access is low income according to the CHNA. Low food access is defined as living more than one mile in an urban setting or 10 miles in a rural setting from the nearest supermarket, supercenter or large grocery store. This indicator is relevant because it showcases how populations and geographies face food insecurity. Jasper County has seven grocery establishments. That rates 18.51 per 100,000 people, less than the state rate of 19.03 per 100,000 people. Grocery stores are defined as supermarkets and smaller grocery stores primarily retailing a general line of food, such as canned and frozen foods, fresh fruits and vegetables and fresh and prepared meats, fish and poultry. Delicatessen-type establishments are also included. Convenience stores and large gen -
bankment slope and culvert issues around these roads, Frietsch said this method would come in around $300,000 per mile.
“I think we’re probably going to be around the $400,000 to $500,000 per mile range with this project,” he said. “So similar to what the Lake Road was — or is.”
The second phase of the project includes curing West 129th Street South from South 96th Avenue West to South 102nd Avenue West, and then South 102nd Avenue West over to the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge’s maintenance shed. A bridge on South 88th Avenue West is also addressed in the third phase.
would eventually settle on an $8,000 raise (5.5 percent) to $153,255 per year.
Recommendations from the compensation board rounded out the salaries of the county auditor, recorder and treasurer to $100,000. Historically, these three positions have all shared the same equitable salary. This is still the case. But it would likely be the first time all three positions reach six figures.
Again, the supervisors did not follow the compensation board’s suggestion of a $5,304 increase (5.6 percent) from their current salaries of $94,696. Still, they weren’t opposed to an increase either, especially after the rationale explained by County Treasurer Doug Bishop. He argued the rase benefits their employees.
“Our deputies are tied to our salaries,” Bishop said, noting his deputies are essentially department heads and he worried lower compensation
for elected officials would effectively punish these employees. The practice of deputy salaries being tied to elected official salaries is enforced by state code.
The compensation board rationalized the increases by saying the auditor’s office has played a major role in development projects in the county, the treasurer’s office has seen huge growth and the recorder’s office is as busy as ever with its proximity to Polk County. Supervisors would go on to decide the auditor, recorder and treasurer would receive a $3,004 raise (3.17 percent), making their annual salaries $97,700.
Udelhoven said, “It’s not lost on us that you guys are the ones that actually have to work within the constraints of the budget. It’s easier for us to put together recommendations based on what we think it ought to be, but we appreciate your guys’ time and consideration.”
eral merchandise stores that also retail food, such as supercenters and warehouse club stores, are excluded.
To address this issue the county plans to launch a public awareness campaign through local media about the importance of food insecurities in improving community health and identifying location where food is available through Jasper County. The Jasper County Cares Coalition will update its resource guide with available food resources, and community partners may look into working with the Food Bank of Iowa. Mid-Iowa Community Action will also evaluate the best location for WIC clinic in the county. The county plans to accomplish those goals by Dec. 31, 2026. By doing this, the county hopes to increase awareness about food resources available in the county, increase the number of people aware of affordable food resources in Jasper County and decrease the amount of people who lack food.
Celebrate your new baby in the PCM Explorer!
Email birth announcements to: news@pcmexplorer.com
CLEAN ENERGY MADE
Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer
The Jasper County Board of Supervisors approved the seal coat and microsurfacing plans for roads near the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge.
Explorer PCM
Let’s embrace our instinct for collective action — in bad times and good
By Sonali Kolhatkar
When my multigenerational family of six evacuated our home this January, we wondered if the fires visible from our front porch would engulf our house as we fled.
Text reports of friends losing homes bombarded my phone as we settled into a cramped hotel room for the next three nights. Our home was just spared, but by the time I returned to a neighborhood covered in ash, more than two dozen families in my social network had become homeless overnight.
The devastating fires across Los Angeles claimed 28 lives and destroyed more than 10,000 homes. A significant portion of lost lives and homes were from my neighborhood of North Pasa-
dena and Altadena, a low-to-middle income mixed race neighborhood with a tight-knit community.
In the days after the fires, that community jumped into action. Every other street corner sprouted in activity, gathering clothing, toys, non-perishable foods, water, baby formula, hygiene kits, and more.
In North Pasadena, I met four young African American women who organized a similar donation hub on the front lawn of a relative’s home. They’d all grown up in the neighborhood and weren’t only coordinating donations of items and fundraising online, but also connecting people who needed housing with those who could provide it.
The Pasadena Community Job Center, a local organization connecting mi-
Teachers have the power to open students’ eyes — if we let them
By Randy Fair
Just recently, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority agreed to hear a case that would allow parents to block schools from teaching their kids certain books if they go against the family’s “religious beliefs” regarding gender and sexuality.
Some people may think it’s self-evident that parents have this right. However, it isn’t quite that simple.
I grew up in the 1960s and ‘70s in Weaver, Alabama — a very conservative small town. The hardline segregationist George Wallace was the governor of the state for almost my entire youth, and for much of the country Alabama was the very stereotype of white Southern racism.
But teachers have the power to open students’ eyes.
I remember in the fourth grade, a classmate was giving a current events presentation on Wallace’s opposition to desegregating buses. The teacher stopped the class and said: “You know, I worry that when people around the country hear things like that, they think that everyone in Alabama has these narrow views.”
It wasn’t a popular thing for her to say in my small town, but it opened my eyes. Even at that young age, I started reading about Wallace and realizing that the things I grew up hearing about race just simply were not true. As I got older, I began questioning other stereotypes and preconceived notions held by my community.
This questioning became even more personally valuable to me when I began to realize that I was gay. Two teachers unknowingly helped me accept myself by speaking in support of LGBTQ people in a time period when that was unthinkable.
In my mind, this is the true beauty of education. It enlarges the student’s world.
In her seminal work, Literature as Exploration, Louise Rosenblatt says, “We must develop the capacity to feel intensely the needs and sufferings and aspirations of people whose personal interests are
distinct from our own, people with whom we may have no bond other than our common humanity.”
So there’s a certain danger in allowing parents to be the sole purveyor of what is taught. By allowing parents to opt out on topics of gender and sexuality, the floodgates will be opened for parents to restrict education in other areas as well.
Schools will be caught up in a never ending battle over what can be taught. This is just what happened at a Florida school, when a principal was fired because he tried to placate parents’ desire to opt out of Holocaust education because those parents “didn’t believe it happened.”
It’s very easy to applaud the firing of this principal in this situation, but a ruling in the current case before the court would open up a cascade of similar cases.
Early in my teaching career, when I was teaching at a high school in rural Georgia town of Palmetto, I raised the ire of a host of parents when during a class discussion I revealed that I’m not a Christian. The principal made me call each parent to resolve the issue.
During the calls, I said what I still believe: “Your child is going to leave Palmetto some day to go to college or go to work and is going to encounter many people who aren’t Christians. It would be better for them to learn to get along with someone who doesn’t share their faith now instead of causing them harm later when it really will matter.”
This is the philosophy we should apply to in the current case as well. Shielding children from the outside world is impossible in today’s culture of mass media and social media use. Good teaching requires preparing children to face the outside world that may have very different ideas and beliefs than those held by their family members.
Randy Fair is the author of “Southern. Gay. Teacher.” His forthcoming book is “Gay Arab American and Middle Eastern Men.”
Oppose HSB 8 – Protect Childcare Standard
The Iowa Legislature is considering HSB 8, a bill that would allow 16- and 17-yearolds to supervise children un-
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der five without oversight. As a former childcare worker, I am deeply concerned that this would put young work-
grant workers and day laborers with employers, organized a massive cleanup drive in the form of “service brigades.”
Small businesses also sprang into action. Independent bookstore Octavia’s Bookshelf organized a “mutual aid” hub, and the Muslim grocery store EZ Halal partnered with neighboring Dym Books & Boba to lead a massive donation drive in their parking lot.
We may take such collective actions for granted in the wake of a disaster. After all, post-disaster unity is something humans exhibit routinely.
But consider this: a middle-class family loses their rented home in the fires, along with all their belongings, and the community rallies to support them. But if those same people were unable to pay rent because of an unexpected financial emergency months earlier, would their community spring up in the same manner?
Perhaps, but probably not. That’s because we’ve normalized human suffering as an inevitable outcome of our economic system. We may recognize suffering
during a disaster as an anomaly — but fail to see the slow-motion suffering that happens every day that way.
The truth is this: Poverty and climate change are both forms of violence. And they’re both inevitable outcomes of an economic system designed to extract profits from people and the planet.
When disaster strikes, we have a strong human instinct to set aside profit, propriety, and discrimination and simply help each other. In the absence of political manipulation and pro-billionaire propaganda, we tend to choose compassion for one another — something I’ve personally seen on beautiful display in the wake of the Los Angeles fires. It’s this same instinct we need to rely on to transform a system that allows mass human suffering — whether from economic inequality or climate catastrophe — into one that upholds everyone’s right to safety, security, and happiness.
SonaliKolhatkaristhehostof“Rising Up With Sonali,” a television and radio show on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations.
Trump’s ‘Return to Office’ order: The opposite of DOGE?
By Thomas L. Knapp
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed last November (“The DOGE Plan to Reform Government”), Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy asserted that “[r]equiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome: If federal employees don’t want to show up, American taxpayers shouldn’t pay them for the Covid-era privilege of staying home.”
With Donald Trump’s inauguration as president, that recommendation from Musk’s and Ramaswamy’s “DOGE” project — a powerless advisory mill disguised as a “Department” of Government Efficiency — actually got accepted. In a day-one executive order, Trump directed department and agency heads to “take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis.”
So, how “efficient” is that idea, really?
I’m a fan of terminating government employment, whether through resignations or firings. So long as those employees aren’t replaced,
ers in an unfair position and compromise children’s safety. Quality child care requires experienced supervision, especially for infants and toddlers. I’ve seen firsthand how quickly situations can escalate — whether during nap time, mealtime or moments of sep -
Newton,
it’s a win for America. Not on “efficiency” grounds, though. I don’t want the government doing what it does more “efficiently,” I just want it doing less of what it does.
I’m also a fan of remote work in the private sector. If the work actually gets done, it saves employers money, saves employees time, and saves everyone unnecessary inconvenience.
In the government sector, well, see above — I prefer government employment inconvenient, unpleasant, and expensive so that fewer people are willing to accept it.
But from a “government efficiency” standpoint, the “return to office” mandate is a disaster in conception and will likely prove a disaster in execution. Let us count the ways.
First of all, “efficient” employees are highly motivated to get the job done rather than mess around. The kind of person who will take on an unnecessary commute just to sit all day in an uncomfortable office is probably only motivated to collect a paycheck. In other words, the most “efficient” employees will be the ones most likely to self-terminate and return to the productive sector. I like that outcome, but “government ef-
aration anxiety. Managing even two toddlers can be overwhelming without the right training and large groups require skilled, attentive caregivers to ensure their well-being.
ficiency” fans shouldn’t.
Secondly, to the extent the departing “efficient” employees get replaced, they’ll be replaced by the same kind of inefficient holders down of chairs who remain, lowering overall “efficiency” even more.
Thirdly, consider the costs to the taxpayer. Every government employee who works from home means less money spent on electricity, building maintenance, security screening at office building entrances, etc. Every government employee who comes to the office means more money spent on all those things. Not very “efficient.”
Finally, consider the inconvenience to everyone, government employee or not. Traffic in Washington, DC and surrounding areas has been the subject of constant complaint for as long as I can remember. It’s about to get much worse. A whole bunch of cars that came off the beltway and sat in the driveway starting in 2020 are about to start moving around again, gumming up the works and slowing everyone down. Overall, none of that sounds very “efficient” to me. Thomas L. Knapp is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism
I urge lawmakers to prioritize real solutions that maintain quality care and reject HSB 8.
Jessi Balk Des Moines
I appreciate Governor Reynolds highlighting the childcare crisis, but lowering safety standards is not the solution. Many centers across Iowa oppose this bill for good reason.
The PCM
Changes Happening in Pre-Season for Mustang Track and Field
Track preseason is off to a great start with preseason workouts already started for those who are running to go after school in the high school commons with coach Bieghler coaching sprints and coach Osterhaus coaching long distance. The workouts are every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30. We interviewed coach Bieghler on how the preseason is going so far and insight into before-the-season training. Bieghler explains, “The preseason workouts are for students not doing any winter sports, just to get them moving again and get them back in the feel of different things.” We asked about the goals for this season, and Bieghler replied, “The number one goal is to have fun. You have to have the desire and have to enjoy what you are doing. My second goal is to be the best possible team that we can be.” We asked the same question of Coach Shaffer, and he said his goals are “to have a bunch of kids go out, boys and girls, and to have them enjoy being out, and at the end of the season have as many kids as possible make it to state.” Another question we asked Coach Biegler was why they made the change to co-ed this year. He replied, “The main answer for that is for the kids.” He summarized how throwing is already co-ed, and cross country is co-ed, which was an excellent season, so they just decided to change track fully to co-ed. “I don’t think it is a big change. I think in the overall grand scheme of things, outside when people look in, it’s a big change, but really it’s not, and I think our kids deserve it. I think the group of kids we have right now are very supportive of each other and just how everything has transpired over the past so many years. I think 5 years ago boys and girls hated each other, quite literally, but now I think they get along and are doing very well doing workouts together and supporting each other, so, long story short, it’s for the kids.” With the co-ed change, the meets and practices will also look different. “I had to revamp a lot of the schedule for the meets with Mr. Swink, and I cannot thank him enough, where fourteen out of our sixteen meets are co-ed, as in past years it has been more like half and half. So now 95% of them are co-ed. Practice-wise, we are going to warm up with each other, and then after that, we kind of just break into our own groups. Throwers go up to the rink; distance runners are going to run thousands of miles. I don’t know how they do it, but they do it. Sprints and hurdles and things like that will kind of all be together working on their craft. So at the end of the day, it’s kind of everyone working on their own craft in individual groups and representing the PCM Mustangs.” Actual season practices start February 24th. Show up to preseason workouts to get bigger, better, faster, and stronger!
Meet a Mustang
Rylee Parsons Newspaper Editor
Zoe Houghman (9)
Parents: Nicole & Jared
Houghman
Employer: Babysitting
Extracurricular Activities:
Volleyball & Track
3 Words to Describe Herself: Kind, Caring, & Reliable
Favorite Class: Woodshop Favorite Quote: “You are enough just as you are.”
-Meghan Markle
Best High School Memory: Homecoming & TeePeeing
Dream Job: Cosmetologist
Favorite Book: The Summer I Turned Pretty -Jenny Han
Favorite Show: Never Have I
Ever
Favorite Artist: Megan Moroney
Parents: Tami & Tony Ford
Employer: Bos Landen Golf
Course
Extracurricular Activities: Golf, Cross Country, & Recharge
3 Words to Describe Himself: Fun, Adventurous, & Caring
Favorite Class: History
Best High School Memory: Homecoming
Dream Job: Pilot
Favorite Book: Refugee -Alan Gratz
Favorite Movie: Back to the Future 1
Favorite Band: Fleetwood Mac
This week I’m going to write about the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. 10 Things I Hate About You came out in 1999. This makes the movie a little bit older than you would think a teenage girl would watch, but it’s been trending around social media recently. In my opinion, it was one of the best romcoms ever made. It starts off when a new guy, Cameron, really likes a girl, Bianca, and tries to get to know her, but she is way more popular than he is. Cameron soon finds out that the popular hot model, Joey, likes Bianca too. Of course, Bianca wants to be with Joey, but another issue comes up. Her dad doesn’t let her date unless her sister, Kat, will date. Kat is a feminist and always says what she thinks. Later in the movie, it is revealed Joey made her that way. He tried to get her to do stuff she didn’t want to do. All of this makes Kat not very friendly; you wouldn’t think she would want a boyfriend. The movie progresses. Cameron comes up with the idea to pay a tough guy, Patrick, to date Kat so he can date Bianca. The only thing is Cameron doesn’t have that much money, but Joey does. Cameron proposes the idea; Joey gets suspicious but takes the deal anyway. Patrick ends up taking the deal and keeps coming at Kat. With his consistency, it works, and Kat starts to like Patrick. Cameron is still trying to go out with Bianca, but she goes out with Joey. Cameron is a little bummed but doesn’t let go of this crush. Adding to the conflict, Kat finds out Patrick is getting paid and gets really upset. Since Patrick actually did care about her, he bought her a guitar with the money he got because he knew how much she liked music. Continuing with Joey’s issue, he wants to go out and party more, but since Bianca has strict parenting, she says she can’t, and Joey ditches her for her friend. Obviously, Bianca is rightfully upset, but she needs a ride home, and Cameron offers. At the end of the car ride, he rants about how much he likes her, and she kisses him. She realized that he actually did care, and they ended up being together. It’s a typical rom-com enemies-to-lovers; even though it’s older, it’s one of the best. Overall, romcoms are my favorite type of movie or book, but from my angle, this movie in particular is the best.
Peyton Lathrum Staff Writer
Charlie Ford (11)
Scan here to learn more about staff writer Abby Bradbury!
Skyler JenningsStaff Writer
Skyler Jennings Staff Writer
Explorer PCM
Tax & Money
Tax breaks aging taxpayers may
Growing older comes with many perks for those who are open to exploring the benefits. In addition to senior discounts on movies, meals and more, moving into one’s golden years could offer some breaks when it comes to taxes and finances.
It is always best to go over tax- and finance-related plans with an accountant or certified financial planner to figure out what is in your best interest. However, generally speaking, here are some potential age-related tax perks.
Increase retirement savings
Older individuals can contribute more to employer-sponsored retirement accounts and Roth or traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs), according to AARP. For 2023, the contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k) and 403(b)
programs, most 457 retirement savings plans and Thrift Savings Plan through the U.S. Federal Government can increase their contributions to $22,500 — a jump of $2,000 from last year. Those over age 50 can maximize contributions even more, up to a total of $30,000.
Larger standard deduction
The Balance Money says for tax year 2022, people age 65 or older can add an extra $1,750 to the standard deduction they’re eligible for if they are unmarried and not a surviving spouse. Those who are married and file joint returns can add $1,400. For tax year 2023, those amounts go up to $1,850 and $1,500. In addition, the standard eligible deductions increased. Most older taxpayers feel the bigger standard deduction plus the extra standard deduction is more than any
itemized deductions they can claim and choose this option when filing their returns.
Reduce taxable income
The ability to contribute more to tax-defered retirement accounts enables older adults to reduce their taxable incomes. This, in turn, reduces the amount that needs to be spent on income taxes.
Changes in filing threshold
According to The Arbor Company, which oversees senior living communities, the filing threshold is the income that must be made before being required to file a tax return. Typical taxpayers who are either employees or retired and drawing pensions or Social Security find the threshold increases over age 65. Single filers over age 65 do not need to file returns if their incomes are $14,050 or under. Married filers over age 65 have a threshold of
$27,400. If primary or sole income comes from Social Security or a pension, those over age 65 may not have to file returns at all. Elderly or disabled tax credit
Differing from deductions, a credit for taxpayers is available to people age 65 or older or retired persons on permanent and total disability who receive taxable disability income for the tax year, according to the Internal Revenue Service. In addition, this credit is for those who have an adjusted gross income or the total of nontaxable Social Security, pensions, annuities, or disability income under specific limits. The eligibility levels change from year to year. Credits range from $3,750 to $7,500. These are some of the tax breaks American seniors can expect when filing their income tax returns. Speak with an
State-ranked Mustangs gallop past trio of HOIAC foes
By Troy Hyde PCM Explorer
MONROE — When PCM head girls basketball coach
Sami Allison-Rodriguez asked Tori Lindsay a simple question at the end of the third quarter on Jan. 30, the Mustang junior pretended to know what her coach was talking about.
“She asked me if I knew. I jokingly said I did know, but really I had no idea,” Lindsay said. “I knew I was close though.”
Lindsay did not know exactly where she stood at that point but thought she was close to a school record.
And it didn’t take Lindsay long to snatch it as her 3-pointer to start the final frame against Perry put her into the record books for most 3s in a season in school history.
It was the only drama in the game as the Class 3A No. 9 Mustangs dominated from the opening tip during a 57-10 home win over the Bluejays in a Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference contest.
“We have some sickness we’re going through so I’m just proud of the way we played,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “Sometimes it’s hard to get better in these kind of games, but I thought we did.”
It was the Mustangs’ seventh straight win.
They won their eighth consecutive game against Nevada on Jan. 31, and PCM is averaging 63 points per game during that stretch after scoring 52 points per game in the first 11 contests.
PCM also scored at least 57 points in all eight games and is now averaging 56.8 points per game this winter, which ranks ninth in 3A.
The Mustangs (17-2, 13-1 in the HOIAC) scored the first 11 points of the game and led 23-5 after one quarter.
right now,” said Lindsay, who was 4-of-8 from 3. “We’ve experimented with a lot of things and now we’re finally getting dialed in. It’s go time with the postseason nearing, and we have a big conference game next week. We’re really going after it to get ours.”
PCM won the third 9-2 and extended its lead to 46-7. Naeve opened the frame with a trey and Winters ended it with backto-back buckets inside.
Lindsay was inserted back into the game in a blowout to start the fourth to take a stab at the school record. She didn’t need a lot of time as she took the first open shot within the offense and sunk it from long range. It was her school-record 52nd triple of the season. The previous record holder was Regan Freland, who made 51 treys her sophomore season in 201718.
Grier added to the distance parade later in the fourth with two more treys. She scored nine points and grabbed three boards off the bench.
Addison Steenhoek, Kyra Naeve and Kenna Grier all made a 3 in the first quarter and Lindsay buried a pair from downtown. Libby Winters also scored twice from inside the lane.
“We’ve got everyone confident, they know their roles and when they should shoot,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “It’s a lot of green lights to go around. And if someone only gets four points and we win, they‘re all happy with that.”
PCM swelled its lead to 37-5 at halftime after outscoring the Bluejays 12-0 in the second. Lindsay and Milani connected on 3s in the frame. Milani scored seven of her nine points in the second, and the Mustangs finished 11-of-29 from 3 in the victory.
“We are way more aggressive
Third quarters doom PCM boys in trio of conference losses
MONROE — After being held to eight points in the second half against Grand View Christian on Jan. 28 and then being outscored 13-2 in the third quarter during a home game against Perry on Jan. 30, PCM head boys basketball coach Tony Ford joked about getting the basket at that end of the floor replaced.
Tough shooting nights plagued the Mustangs in both games and they couldn’t recover against the Bluejays during a 61-47 loss in a Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference makeup game.
“Our play usually comes from our shooting,” Ford said. “We definitely live on the 3 ball. When they are falling, things look really good. It motivates our defense to play hard and gets the other team out of sorts, too.”
Unfortunately, the Mustangs shot 3-of-20 from 3-point range against Perry.
PCM led the game 21-17 after a fast-paced first quarter. But the Bluejays won the second 15-6 and used a 7-2 run at the end of the half to go in front by five at halftime.
Perry outscored the Mustangs 13-2 in the third to put the game away.
“They were not going to let us beat them from the 3-point line,” Ford said. “The shots we were getting were off pump fakes or side steps or putting them up quick.”
Back-to-back buckets inside the lane by Gavin Van Gorp put the Mustangs in front 4-2 early in the first. An 8-2 run that featured six points from Chase Wagaman swelled PCM’s advantage to 12-7.
Wagaman hit two free throws later and Van Gorp scored points off a Perry turnover with another layup. The Mustangs’ lead grew to 21-12 following a 3 from Van Gorp later.
The Bluejays closed the gap to four after one following a 3 and a drive to the bucket by Geren Kenney, who finished with a game-high 22 points in the win.
Kenney scored again inside to open the second and it began an 8-0 spurt that pushed the Bluejays’ ad-
vantage to 25-21.
Baskets inside by Alex Wendt and Kaleb DeVries tied the score at 25-all before the late run put the visitors into the lead at halftime.
“We do not want to play fast,” Ford said “We fell into their pace. That’s where our turnovers and quick shots happened. We were fine early when we were fresh, but things changed late in the first half.”
The Mustangs couldn’t buy a basket in the third. The only field goal came on a layup by Joe Shaver with 2:26 to play in the period. He got loose on a nifty back cut to the basket, but Perry scored the first 11 of the frame to extend its lead to 43-27. The Bluejays took a 16-point advantage into the fourth.
PCM won the final frame 18-16, but it wasn’t enough. Wagaman led the Mustangs with 16 points and 12
rebounds. Eight of those points came in the first and the final eight were scored in the fourth.
Shaver also put in a career-best 10 points off the bench and six of those came in the fourth.
PCM (8-10, 7-7 in the HOIAC) was plagued by 35.7 percent shooting and 18 turnovers. The Mustangs also were 4-of-16 from the free-throw line.
“We struggled around the rim, and they were making their shots,” Ford said. “That’s the same basket we missed from against Grand View Christian, too. I think we may have to replace the rim at that end.”
Perry scored its first win in the series since Dec. 13, 2022. Kenney added six assists to his 22 points and Owen Myers posted 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals.
“I didn’t think there was a lot of let up from our bench players when they came in, which was great to see,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “Our starters are obviously great scorers, but I challenged those reserves to look to score in the fourth. That group needs to want to score. Someone has to shoot it, but they are so unselfish. If you’re open, shoot the ball.”
Lindsay led a balanced offensive attack with 12 points and five assists. She’s shooting 47 percent from 3 this winter, which ranks fourth in 3A.
Fry, Clark lead PCM wrestlers at Southern Iowa Classic
FAIRFIELD — PCM’s smallest and largest wrestlers both won titles at the Southern Iowa Classic on Feb. 1. That led the Mustangs’ wrestling team to a third-place finish.
Host Fairfield won the tournament with 194 points, while Fort Madison was the runner-up with 176 points. PCM (153) edged Mount Pleasant (151.5) for third, and Burlington (131.5) finished fifth. The rest of the seven-team field included Washington (125) and Keokuk (19.5).
PCM entered 11 wrestlers in the tournament, which was two fewer than Fort Madison and three below Fairfield’s full lineup. The Mustangs were open at 106, 113 and 120.
Class 2A No. 11 (126) Kaliber Fry won the bracket title at 120 pounds. He was 4-0 with four pins.
Class 2A No. 5 Kaden Clark won the bracket title at 285. Clark was 4-0 with three pins and one technical fall. He improved to 44-4, while Fry is now 33-9. The Mustangs continued to compete without 2A No. 9 Tucker Wheeler at 157. Zach Richards, Harrison Brinegar and Jeffery McDanel placed second at 138, 150 and 165, respectively, while Bentlee Sloan (132) and Finn Wilson (175) both finished third. Richards (22-12) was 3-1 with three first-period pins and McDanel (17-8) ended up 3-1 with two pins and one technical fall. Brinegar ended his day 3-1 with three pins.
Sloan (24-18) won three times by first-period pin but lost twice at 132. Wilson won twice and lost twice.
Sawyer Bouwkamp was 1-4 and placed fifth at 157, while Kaiden Valcore was 0-3 and finished fourth at 215.
Easton Morris (144) and Abdulvakhid Mamasaliev (190) finished fifth but went 0-4.
PCM Explorer
Fry
Clark
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM sophomore Lila Milani, left, scored nine points and swiped five steals in the Mustangs’ win over Perry on Jan. 30. She also had a career-high 18 points against Nevada on Jan. 31. The Class 3A No. 9 Mustangs have won eight straight games.
By Troy Hyde PCM Explorer
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM senior Kaleb DeVries (15) defends Perry’s Gustavo Drahos during a Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference game on Jan. 30.
Explorer PCM
Mustangs
“My confidence has gone up some and when you make them, it’s natural to just keep shooting,” Lindsay said. “I was going to go back in only if she let me. I didn’t want to force a shot. But if it’s open like it was, I have no problem shooting it.”
Winters totaled 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, Milani tallied nine points and five steals, Naeve registered six points and two assists and Steenhoek chipped in five points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Grier led the reserves, but Katelynn Fagg grabbed two boards and two assists, Rebecca De Vries corralled four rebounds and Holly Wood pulled down three boards off the bench.
PCM shot 47.8 percent from the floor, sunk 2-of-6 from the free-throw line and committed 15 turnovers. The Mustangs grabbed 11 offensive rebounds.
“We are shooting well, moving the ball well and just keep improving at that end of the floor,” Allison-Rodriguez said.
PCM scored its sixth straight win over Perry (4-13, 2-11), which fell to 1-13 after starting the season 3-0.
Notes: PCM’s 124 made 3s rank sixth in 3A. … Steenhoek set a single-game school record with seven treys earlier this season and her cousin broke the single-season school record on Thursday. “I think she’s just shooting it more,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “I have been asking her to shoot it more. Her shot looks so smooth right now. Whether it’s practice, warmups or in the game, I think every shot she takes is going in.” … Jorja Teeter missed the first 16 games with an injury sustained before the season. Teeter debuted in the team’s win over Grand View Christian on Tuesday, but her minutes were extended against the Bluejays. “We’ll take it slow and see how she feels,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “If we have her full by the end of the year, that’s a bonus. It’s good to have her out there.” … The 17 wins for PCM are the most since the Mustangs finished 20-5 in 2016-17.
PCM 61, Nevada 27
NEVADA — Milani put in a career-high 18 points, Winters scored 17 and the Mustangs used a fast start and a monster third frame to down Nevada, 61-27, on Jan. 31 in HOIAC action.
PCM grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, made 6-of-18 from 3 and scored 13 points from the foul line.
Nevada (8-11, 8-5) leads the all-time
series 23-10, but PCM clinched its fourth straight against the Cubs.
The Mustangs led 12-4 after one and outscored Nevada 26-5 in the third.
Winters had 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks to lead the Mustangs, and Milani collected a career-high 18 points and corralled four rebounds.
Milani found her shot from outside, matching a season high with four made 3s. It was the fifth time she hit multiple 3s in a game this season and the fifth time reaching double digits in points.
“My shot has been pretty off, but I try to find other ways to score,” Milani said. “I also need to shoot through it and make sure I play defense at the other end, too.”
Steenhoek also scored in double-figures. She had 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals and now has 998 career points.
Lindsay totaled five points, five rebounds, three assists and seven steals, Naeve added five points, four boards and two assists and De Vries grabbed four rebounds off the bench. Reserves Teeter and Grier each pulled down three boards, too.
PCM shot 40.4 percent from the floor, made 13-of-21 from the free-throw line and turned the ball over 14 times.
PCM 72, Grand View Christian 35 MONROE — The Mustangs scored 20 points or more in three of the four quarters and put in a season-best output during a 72-35 home win over Grand View Christian on Jan. 28.
PCM stayed unbeaten against the Thunder since 2018, made nine 3s and swiped 14 steals in the HOIAC victory.
Lindsay, Winters and Steenhoek all scored in double figures to lead the Mustangs.
Winters led the way with 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks and Lindsay totaled 17 points, eight boards and three assists.
Steenhoek contributed 12 points, two assists and five steals, Milani tallied five points, two rebounds and two assists and Naeve registered three points and three steals.
De Vries and Grier led the bench players with seven points and three rebounds and seven points and two rebounds, respectively.
PCM shot 44 percent from the floor, made 9-of-26 from 3 and buried 9-of-11 from the foul line. The Mustangs turned the ball over only seven times.
The Mustangs led the Thunder (8-10, 5-9) 22-10 after one, won the second 2110 and dominated the third 20-5.
Gustavo Drahos posted 17 points, five boards and seven assists. The Class 3A Bluejays (11-6, 8-5) made nearly half of their shots from the floor and made 4-of-10 from 3 but missed four of their five free throws and turned the ball over 17 times.
“Our defense wasn’t bad. They scored a bunch of points off our quick misses, and they just got behind us too much after we missed,” Ford said. “That’s why we don’t want to take quick shots.”
Van Gorp scored nine of his 11 points in the first and added three boards. Wendt totaled four points and 11 rebounds, Kash Fischer tallied four points, two rebounds, two blocks and two assists off the bench and Cutler VandeLune grabbed five rebounds, dished out five assists and swiped five steals.
DeVries registered five boards, four assists and two steals. The Mustangs did out-rebound Perry 38-33 and grabbed 18 offensive boards.
Injuries, illnesses and a few other things have kept PCM from finding consistency this season.
Gavin Steenhoek is currently out and will miss at least two more weeks with an ankle injury.
Fisher also missed time with an injured ankle and Wendt just returned from being sidelined with an injury of his own.
“We’ve played a tough schedule, and we’ve dealt with a lot of injuries,” Ford said. “We are playing with guys who we weren’t expecting to play with and haven’t settled into good chemistry either.”
Grand View Christian 73, PCM 43 MONROE — The Mustangs played maybe their best half of the season but couldn’t buy a bucket in the second half during a 73-43 home loss to Grand View Christian on Jan. 28.
PCM led by three after one and went into halftime with a two-point advantage but shot just 26 percent from the floor and got out-rebounded 34-24. The 2A No. 6 Thunder outscored the Mustangs 26-6 in the third and 14-2 in the fourth in the HOIAC contest.
Van Gorp finished with 15 points to lead PCM, while Wagaman had six points, five rebounds and two steals. Wendt returned from an injury and produced four points and 11 rebounds. Fischer chipped in eight points and two rebounds, VandeLune totaled five points and two assists, DeVries finished with three points, two rebounds and two steals and Jake Winters delivered two assists.
PCM was 5-of-29 from 3, made 6-of8 from the foul line and turned the ball over only five times.
Grand View Christian (17-1, 14-0) shot 60 percent from the floor despite making only 2-of-12 from 3.
Emiliano Barrantes led the visitors with 31 points and 12 rebounds.
Nevada 55, PCM 36
NEVADA — Another tough third quarter hindered the Mustangs against Nevada on Jan. 31.
PCM trailed by three at halftime and outscored the Cubs by one point in the fourth, but Nevada pulled away with a huge third frame during a 55-36 home win in HOIAC action.
PCM fell to 0-7 when scoring fewer than 50 points in a game this season.
VandeLune had nine points and two rebounds, Van Gorp chipped in six points, three boards, two assists and two steals and Wagaman grabbed five boards.
DeVries dished out three assists, Wendt tallied three points, three rebounds and two blocks and Kevin Thomas totaled seven points and two boards off the bench.
PCM’s bench also got seven points and four rebounds from Fisher, six rebounds from Winters and three boards from Brevin DeRaad.
The Mustangs shot 27 percent from the floor, made 7-of-17 from 3 and connected on 7-of-16 from the foul line. PCM turned the ball over 19 times.
Nevada (15-3, 12-1) has won two straight and seven of its last nine games.
Van Gorp
Lindsay Winters