Prairie City’s water ‘best taste on tap’
Prairie City’s water was named best in the state for 2025 by the Iowa Rural Water Association
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
Grab a glass, turn on the tap, fill it up and take a drink. If you’re in Prairie City you’ll be drinking the best tasting water in the state.
In February, the City of Prairie City was named the winner of Iowa’s 2025 Best Tasting Water competition by the Iowa Rural Water Association. The statewide contest is a part of the Quality On Tap! campaign to emphasize the high quality, standards and taste of water in rural America.
“All the praise and recognition goes to our public works staff,” Prairie City Mayor Chad Alleger said. “Their knowledge and expertise are what made this possible.”
According to the association, Prairie City is unique in that its wells are located in neighboring Colfax. From the wells, the water then has to travel about eight miles of pipe before entering the plant near the square in Prairie City.
With the water already
high in quality before it makes it to the plant, operators including Prairie City Public Works Superintendent Harry Brannen and employees Tyler Curry and Dylan Cornelison only have to do iron and manganese removal, ion softening, nitrate removal, fluoridation and chlorination. About 150,000 gallons of water flow through to citizens each day or about 4 million gallons a month.
The competition was
And they lived happily ever after
PCM Middle School musical “Haphazardly Ever After” brings the laughs during its 3-day run
Fun in the fairy garden
Fancy dresses twirled across the floor during the 2025 Mustang Scholars Father-Daughter Dance
Jasper County could hire retired Marshalltown officer as new VA director
Marine veteran still needs approval from supervisors before he can be hired
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Jasper County Veterans Affairs may have found its next director. Of the seven applicants who were interviewed by a selection committee this past month, the top recommendation from the
group was a Marine veteran and retired police officer from Marshalltown. The committee recommended him to the commission.
Ramon Maxey was accepted to be the next director of the department by the Jasper County Veterans Affairs Commission at a special meeting on March 5, but the final approval will have to come from the board of supervisors at an upcoming meeting. The commission recommended him to board in a unanimous vote. In addition to being a 24-year Marine
veteran, his unit during the last years of his service worked as a transition unit for Marines separating after their enlistment was completed. Maxey is not a veterans service office, but he has a good understanding of the systems within veterans affairs.
Dennis Simon, director of human resources for Jasper County, said he received 19 qualified applications. He distributed copies to all of the commissioners with the exception of Katherine Thompson, whose spouse had also applied for the position. Commissioners
provided Simon with their top candidates.
“I went through the list of names and anyone who appeared on two or more lists got slotted for an interview,” Simon said. “…I think we had some very good candidates. We definitely learned a lot of individuals, interesting experiences and stuff. But it come down to it, we had two top candidates.”
By the time the committee thought about scheduling additional interviews,
DIRECTOR | 3
Submitted Photo
The City of Prairie City was awarded best tasting water by the Iowa Rural Water Association for 2025.
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer
Explorer PCM
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Events at The Gathering Place
Thursday, March 13
• 10am Patty Richards Show
• 5:30pm Community Potluck
Friday, March 14
• 2pm Piano with Jacque Robinson
Monday, March 17
• 10am Video Exercise Class
• 5pm Pick up tax documents/finish returns
Tuesday, March 18
• 8am Coffee and Prayer
• 1pm Game Time
• 6pm Bingo
Wednesday, March 19
• 1pm Get Fit, Don’t Fall with Amy S.
Thursday, March 20
• 9am Focus Group
Lions Club Blood Drive
Prairie City Lions Club is sponsoring a Prairie City and Monroe Blood Drive from 7:15 to 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, March 15 at the First Reformed Church, 300 E. Fifth St., in Prairie City. Call 800-287-4903 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome.
GriefShare session 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.
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.
Lighthouse Recovery meetings
Lighthouse Recovery Ministries host a Men’s and Ladies 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.
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.
Donations for trees at cemetery
The Monroe City Council plans to plant up to 10 trees in Silent City Cemetery in the newer sections of the cemetery in March or April, depending on weather. It will take approximately $2,500 to cover the cost of the trees, planting, protective tubing around their trunks and water reservoirs to help ensure their survivability. If you would like to contribute send or drop off checks (with the memo Cemetery Tree Project) at Monroe City Hall, 206 W. Sherman St. or contact Brian Briles to pick them up.
Attorney General warns Iowans of IRS/tax scams as tax season gears up
Iowa
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today announced tips to protect Iowans from tax and IRS scams during the 2025 tax filing season.
“As tax season kicks into high gear, Iowans should be on the lookout for IRS and tax scams,” said Attorney General Bird. “Criminal scammers are on the prowl to steal Iowans’ hard-earned money, and they will use every opportunity they can get. Iowans should not get tricked into losing money for following the law and filing their taxes. Remember that the IRS will never contact you by phone or email to ask you to share personal or financial information. If you are suspicious of a scam, call my office at 1-888-777-4590, and follow our top tips to stay safe this tax season.”
Common tax scams include:
Phone/Imposter
Scams: Scammers impersonate IRS agents and call taxpayers, threatening arrest or legal action if Iowans do not immediately “pay taxes.”
Email/Text/Phishing
Scams: Deceptive emails or texts, claiming to be from the IRS or tax software companies, will request personal information or direct Iowans to fake websites to steal
their data.
Spoofed Phone Numbers: Scammers may call using fake caller IDs. If you are suspicious of a call, hang up and call back at an official and verified number that you found yourself. Do not call a number the scammer provides.
Identity Theft: Scammers use stolen personal information to file fraudulent tax returns and claim refunds.
Tax Preparer Fraud: Dishonest tax preparers may inflate refunds, falsify deductions, or charge excessive fees.
To protect against tax scams, Iowans should: Watch out for demands and threats: If you receive an email, call, or message from an alleged tax authority that is demanding immediate payment or threatening arrest, it is a scam.
Avoid pressure to act quickly: Scammers will try to get you to act quickly so that you don’t realize it’s a scam. Avoid pressures to take immediate action.
Research tax preparers thoroughly: Choose reputable professionals with a proven track record. Never share personal or financial information over phone or email: The IRS makes first contact through the mail. If the
IRS reaches out by phone or email, it is usually a scam.
Protect yourself online: Keep computers and mobile devices secure with up-to-date antivirus software and firewalls. Also, beware of clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources.
The Iowa Attorney General’s office investigates fraud, seeks reimbursement and relief for fraud victims, ensures fair competition in the marketplace, and aims to protect Iowans from falling victim to scams or fraud.
If you or someone you know has been targeted by a tax or IRS scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 1-888777-4590 or file a complaint online: https:// www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/ file-a-consumer-complaint.
Know the right way to pay: The IRS and state tax agencies will never ask for payment via cash, gift cards, payment apps (e.g., Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App), or cryptocurrency ATMs. Scammers push these methods because they are difficult to trace or recover. If you owe taxes, always verify payment details directly through the official IRS or state tax authority website or phone number. Report suspected tax fraud or scams: Contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 1-888-7774590, or the IRS to report suspected scams.
Monarch and pollinator habitat workshop March 18
Iowa Learning Farms will host a monarch and pollinator habitat workshop from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 18 at the Coralville Public Library. Farmers, landowners and urban residents are welcome to attend the free workshop and a complimentary meal.
Pollinators, like farmers, help ensure the world eats. It is estimated that about 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants and about 35 percent of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators. Monarchs are ecologically important as pollinators and are symbolic wildlife used by biodiversity conservation initiatives as exemplary flagship species. The iconic species migrates across U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico, as well as across dozens of U.S. states, especially the Midwestern Corn Belt and Iowa, in search of milkweed for both nectar resources and laying their eggs. This workshop will pro -
vide an opportunity to learn more about monarchs and integrating pollinator habitat into Iowa’s landscape.
The workshop will be hosted by Katherine Kral-O’Brien, Iowa State University assistant professor in natural resource ecology and management and co-leader of the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium, Mykayla Hagaman, Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium program specialist, and Stephanie Shepard, Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife diversity biologist.
The event will be held at the Coralville Public Library E. Jean Schwab Auditorium, 1401 Fifth St., Coralville, and is free and open to farmers, landowners and urban residents though reservations are required to ensure adequate space and food. Meeting participants are asked to park in areas other than the two rows of the parking lot closest to the library. Attendees will have a complimentary meal and be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu. Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information, visit the Iowa Learning Farms website.
Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium Monarch butterfly visiting a common milkweed.
judged by Tom Atkinson with ISG, Vern Steel the National Rural Water Association deputy CEO and Iowa State Senator Dan Zumbach. It included water samples straight from the tap submitted by utilities across the state.
One quart samples were submitted in a glass
canning jar for judging the weekend of the contest. Judging criteria included taste, bouquet and clarity.
After winning the state title, Prairie City will compete in the “Great American Water Taste Test” national contest. Held in February 2026 in Washington D.C., the event is part of the Rural Water Rally, an annual legislative event for the state affiliates of the National Rural Water Association.
Director
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one of the applicants withdrew their application. Simon said the potential evening activities and other outreach events that would come with the job dissuaded the candidate; they did not feel they could commit the time.
Maxey was chosen as the top choice as a result.
Simon said one of the questions the committee asked Maxey was how to make the veterans affairs office more visible and known in the community and to veterans. Simon said Maxey had some pretty good ideas and then emailed more ideas afterward.
Following his tenure in the Marines, he worked at the Marshalltown Police Department and has since retired. Simon said Maxey’s experience
with deescalation training could come in handy.
Maxey is currently working for a subcontract security service providing armed security at UnityPoint Healthl.
“I think we’re all very pleased and impressed with his answers and responses,” Simon said.
“Our other two commission-committee members, Lt. (Mike) Gunsaulus and (Jasper County) Board of Supervisors Chairman (Brandon) Talsma are all
very favorable of this individual.”
Veterans affairs has been without a director/ administrator since December 2024. The commission terminated former administrator Alyssa Wilson after the county conducted an internal investigation into her working habits. The report alleged she arrived late, left early, had extended lunch periods and other breaks and even falsified her timesheets.
Eager paddlers encouraged to wait for warmer water temperatures
The weather is starting to feel like spring, but water temperatures are still dangerously cold.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends that paddlers wait for consistent warm weather to allow the water temperatures to rise slowly. It could be several weeks before water temperatures are ideal and safe as water and air temperatures continue to change.
“Air temperatures are warmer than normal this year, but the water is still dangerously cold,” said Todd Robertson, Iowa DNR River Programs Water Trails coordinator. “We have not had enough consistently warm days to raise water temperatures adequately. Cold water shock and hypothermia can set in quickly if you fall into the water at current temperatures.”
Safety Tips for Paddling in Cold Water Conditions Always wear a life jacket. Not only does the life jacket help keep
your head above water, it helps to keep your organs warmer. Check your canoe or kayak and gear for any needed repairs or maintenance after being stored for several months. Don’t paddle alone, especially in cold water, use a buddy system. Go with a small group of paddlers and know which paddler has the most experience. Let a friend or loved one know where you are going and when you are expected to return. It will be easier to find you if you need help. Dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature. Plan as if you were to be in the water at some point. A wetsuit or drysuit is a must. Dress in layers so you can peel a layer off if you get overheated. Bring along a dry bag with extra clothing to change into should you get wet. Get out of wet, cold clothing as soon as possible. Having the right gear and understanding the stages of hypothermia is crucial for remaining safe. Stay away from strainers, wood/branch piles that can
Celebrate your new baby in the PCM Explorer! Email birth announcements to: news@pcmexplorer.com
Phone and Internet Discounts
Available to CenturyLink Customers
The Iowa Utilities Board designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $34.50 per month and business services are $54.50 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request. CenturyLink participates in the Lifeline program, which makes residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers may qualify for Lifeline discounts of $5.25/month for voice or bundled voice service or $9.25/month for qualifying broadband or broadband bundles. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to qualify.
A household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Services are not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in these programs. Consumers who willfully make false statements to obtain these discounts can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from these programs. If you live in a CenturyLink service area, visit https://www.centurylink.com/aboutus/commu nity/community-development/lifeline.html for additional information about applying for these programs or call 1-800-201-4099 with questions.
Report: Egg producers ‘exploit avian flu outbreak’ for profit
By Mark Moran Iowa News Service
A new report by the group Food and Water Watch says egg companies are exploiting the bird flu outbreak for profit in Iowa.
Data show egg prices in the Midwest were already sharply higher long before the latest wave of avian flu.
Some 75 percent of egg-laying hens are raised on almost 350 factory farms in the U.S.
— each housing about 850,000 birds.
Now over $5 a dozen, egg prices in Iowa grocery stores are nearly twice what they were two years ago.
Rebecca Wolf, senior food policy analyst with Food and Water Watch, said highly consolidated corporate egg producers are using the outbreak and their market control to drive the numbers still higher — even though egg production costs have remained nearly
flat.
“Prices rising before the bird flu outbreak, and now an astronomical impact with the actual, real impacts of the bird flu,” Wolf said, “which is a classic case of what we say is price-gouging consumers, so really taking advantage of that market control.”
Iowa raises more egg-laying hens on factory farms than any other state, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Iowa has
lost nearly 30 million birds in the current avian flu outbreak.
As the nation’s leader in raising egg-laying hens, Wolf said Iowa’s consolidation makes the industry fragile and highly sensitive to any disruption. She claimed operators designed it that way.
“So, if one birds is sick in one of those 300-some facilities, which is what we’re seeing,” said Wolf, “then all of those birds, in this case, have been culled for the bird flu.” Chickens are more susceptible to disease in cramped confinements, and concentrated manure also threatens air and groundwater quality. Industry operators say they’re trying to address potential environmental pollution while meeting consumer demand for high-quality poultry.
pull a paddler under. These are usually found on outside river bends where the current is going and are deadly hazards that must be avoided.
Lessons I have learned
Don’t taunt, trash talk or jeer. It’s never worked for me, in fact it usually backfires. I found the best approach, especially in sports, when someone trash talked me, was to just be quiet, accept it for what it was, trash talk, then go ahead and blow them out of the water by good performance, with my mouth closed. That shuts’m up real quick. I know trash talk works for some people, like Shannon Sharpe of the Denver Broncos, Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics and Muhammad Ali (“The Greatest”), to rattle their opponents. I always admired Bird, and never knew he was such a trash talker, until I read some history of him. I must admit my admiration for him slipped a little. I thought he was your general allaround good-time super jock. Bird was also a braggart. “What’s the three-point record for this auditorium? You can count it mine!” It worked for him. Not
Curt Swarm Empty Nest
me. One time I was hired by a company to write their company history. They were going to publish the history and distribute it to their employees and customers. They paid me handsomely. It would be my first published book. I bragged to one and all that I was getting my first book published. Well, the company didn’t like the history as I had written it, and the publishing was nixed. I felt like a fool. Years later I found out that the company was referencing in a positive way what I had written. So it took some time, without bravado, for the book to reach fruition.
Practical jokes can be dangerous. Especially paybacks. In a college apartment one time, I wrapped a rubber band around the handle of the spray nozzle of the kitchen sink, so that when my roommate turned the sink faucet on, he would be sprayed. When I fell in my waterbed that night (remember
Elon’s chainsaw comes for the farm
March is finally here, and that means we’re chomping at the bit for planting season. On my farm and those around me, we’re making sure everything — and everyone — is ready to roll as soon as the weather and the crop insurance companies give us the green light. The seed is being delivered, the grease and oil applied, the fuel tanks filled. We’re gearing up.
Spring is always a season of possibility and hope for farmers. We’re eternal optimists. But we also know that no amount of hoping and wishing will change the realities of the agricultural system we operate in. We can go broke while our input suppliers and the multinational companies who buy our grain and livestock make record profits.
One of the biggest risks we calculate each season is the role of federal funding, policy, and federal workers in the fate of our operations. We all know how closely we work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). We go to our county offices for many things: payments when our prices or production aren’t up to snuff, loans when no banks will give them to us, help for limiting soil erosion and restoring wildlife habitat, crop insurance, export assistance ... the list goes on.
That’s why I am incredibly concerned about what has been going on at Trump’s USDA in the last few weeks, in particular Elon Musk’s chainsaw approach to government agencies. When was the last time Musk got his hands dirty or tried to grow a crop? What we’re seeing is Musk cutting us to the bone, and that ain’t right. We can all agree that things should be efficient, but this is hardly that. This is chaos.
Working for our nation’s veterans
For the past decade, I have been appointed to the national veterans and military services committee. We have worked tirelessly to pass the Pact Act and were successful in doing so in 2022. 2023 was the year that the claims processing department was ramped up to 100 percent and things were coming together for our nation’s veterans and the claim process. There are representatives from more than 30 states that meet twice a year to organize and lobby for veterans’ issues. Each of us carrying a unique perspective but the same desire to help our local veterans. Having just returned from the latest conference, I would like to
Thousands of USDA staff have been cut. They’ve closed 58 FSA and NRCS offices across the country. Millions of dollars in funding for farmer-driven projects are being withheld. Farmers who did their part and shelled out thousands of dollars to implement conservation practices are not being repaid. The Iowa Soybean Association, Practical Farmers of Iowa, and Conservation Districts of Iowa are all waiting on millions in payments, and I know of fellow Iowa CCI members who farm are beyond nervous.
With this reality, you’d expect every Republican, Democrat, and Independent politician to demand a course correction at USDA. They need to lead USDA down a path of better support for farmers and rural people, more investment across rural America, and more shared prosperity for all of us no matter where we live.
Yet none of Iowa’s Representatives are speaking out against these Trump-Musk job cuts and freezing of USDA funds. Neither are our Senators. Senator Grassley even responded to questions about these trends saying he doesn’t think “farmers have anything to worry about.” That’s not leadership. That’s a betrayal. It’s time for Iowa’s elected officials to get in the fight and do what’s right. It’s time for them to tell Trump and the USDA to keep funding the services and contracts that are so vital to Iowa’s family farmers and rural communities. When we go to our county USDA offices, there should be workers there, empowered to do their jobs and fulfill the promises made to all of us.
Barb Kalbach Adair County
give a brief update.
On the Friday before we assembled, it was announced that DOGE was planning to eliminate 16,000 positions from the VA. If enacted, that would lead to serious disruptions in the VA system nationwide. We met with the undersecretary of the VA on Sunday for an update and discussion. When we presented the DOGE job cut concerns he stated that he understood the apprehension but they had been assured that the cuts would not affect the claims processors. One of our members is a retired colonel and lives in South Dakota. He shared that just the week prior, 123 employees of the Sioux Falls veterans hospital were arbitrarily let go. This included radiology techs, nurses, clerical staff and a couple of doctors. That sent their hospital into disarray including much confusion and canceled appointments. Some of those
those?) I discovered a wet bed. The fill-cap had been removed from the bladder. Not a nice thing to deal with at 2 a.m. after the bars close. Grrr. I hate paybacks.
Don’t say what you don’t mean or, don’t bluff. As a human resources representative one time, I had a disgruntled employee challenge me to a fight. Really. We had no security. I stood up to back him down and he set me back in my chair. The fight was out of me. Fortunately maintenance people quelled the disturbance, but I was left shaken.
If you’re a nice guy to the general public, but not nice to your family at home, you’re not a nice guy.
If you’re going to project into the future, and we all do, project good things. A Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) is your greatest asset, next to God.
When I feel critical of someone, which is way too often, I try to remember a little prayer, “Relieve me of the bondage of self, take away my difficulties.” It’s not everyone else’s difficulties, it’s my difficulties that are the problem.
Honesty is always the best policy — everybody has their own BS detectors. Even little
kids. I told my kids once, “Mommy and I are going to try living separately for awhile, to see how it works.” My five-year-old son said, “So, you’re getting a divorce, huh?” Don’t loan money. Give it away. If you expect to be paid back, you may be disappointed and/or angry. Look at it as a gift to help someone, realizing that God has been pretty good to you, and that you can share in your good fortune. When people ask, give (even if you don’t like them). I was at a family gathering. An uncle came up to me and, pointing to my father, said, “Your dad’s a great man, you know.” “I know,” I said.
Years later, I was doing something for someone and had my son with me. I made a boo boo and my son laughed at me. The person shushed my son and said, “Your father’s a great man, you know.”
I heard my son say, “I know.” Wow. Flashback. The lesson here is? I dunno. Maybe, wait long enough and the good genes will eventually show through.
ContactCurtSwarmat curtswarm@yahoo.com.
YOUR VIEW
Taxpayers’ money should go to public schools
Senator Rozenboom made a surprising statement when he appeared at the legislative forum recently. He said “… every private school student costs the state $7,983 — that’s all they get.” That may be true, but that does not begin to tell us what education savings accounts really cost
Stop the Cancer Gag Act
SF 394 is moving forward in the Iowa Senate and will go to the House next. The bill would make it much harder for Iowa families that have been harmed by the widespread use of herbicides and pesticides to get any measure of justice. More than 55 million
appointments had been scheduled for months. His veterans would now be subjected to longer waits or traveling five to six hours for medical care.
On Monday, we participated in a presentation with newly appointed VA Secretary Doug Collins. Secretary Collins is a current colonel in the Air Guard and a former congressman from Georgia. He gave us some examples of changes in the processes that should help streamline claims and create other efficiencies. He reminded us of his congressional service and how that would help him not only speak veteran but “speak hill,” meaning Capitol Hill legislative talk. We felt a bit more encouraged after that presentation.
On Tuesday, we met with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. Senator Ernst sits on not only the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee but the DOGE Commit-
all of us who pay taxes. Here is one example. There is an out of state company called Odyssey that contracted with the state to oversee distribution of our tax money for the ESAs. According to an article that appeared in the Des Moines Register, Odyssey was paid more than $682,000 in the first year. But that wasn’t all Odyssey was paid. Odyssey also charged a transaction fee to process each student through its system.
The parents of the students don’t pay this fee, the taxpayers do. So last year the state paid Odyssey over $267,000 more
pounds of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides are applied in Iowa annually. These poisons end up in the soil, air and water. The widespread use of herbicide resistant crops means that these chemicals are now commonly used late in the growing season, so the poisons are absorbed directly into the grains that are used for animal and human food.
We are being exposed daily to these toxins. Not surprisingly, as more people are harmed, the number of damage lawsuits has·
tee as well. Sitting across the table from the senator, I shared our concerns over the staff cuts centering on the quick processing of claims and the lowering of the veteran’s suicide rate. She was gracious in her responses and assured us that even though the administration might plan to make cuts, Congress controls the purse strings. We left with a promise that the VA would not bear the full brunt of DOGE as it was presented.
On Wednesday, it was released that the DOGE cuts to VA would actually amount to 80,000 positions, not just 16,000. You can imagine our dismay nationwide when that information went out. Phones are going to go unanswered. Claims will go unprocessed and stalled in the system. Appointments will be postponed or just straight out cancelled. It will prove devastating to all aspects of the VA
than the agreed contract amount to cover these transaction fees. The amounts charged by Odyssey are expected to be even more this year.
Despite what Senator Rozenboom claims, education savings accounts are taking much more money from public schools than he would have us believe. This benefits only a fraction of the total number of students attending schools in Iowa. Taxpayers’ money should go to public schools. This is best investment for the future of our state.
Robert Holley Newton
risen. Bayer and their industry lobbyists are pushing hard for a legal shield against damage lawsuits because it hurts their profits. Please reach out to your legislators, contact info at www. lowa.legis.gov/legislators, and let them know that you oppose this legislation and that it’s wrong to put corporate profits ahead of the health of Iowans. More info at www.iowacci.org/bayer. Dan Valentine Iowa CCI Action member Clive
system that so many of us, and you, have worked for. I understand that efficiencies should always be explored, and tax dollars saved. This isn’t the way to do it. Our veterans deserve better and should not be used as just “numbers” in a federal budget game. I am not sure how this situation will change by the time this letter prints. I would respectfully request that each of you pick up your phone and call our Iowa Senators Ernst and Grassley. Let them know that veterans should come first, and these cuts should not be arbitrarily applied to the detriment of our nation’s vets. Ernst 202-224-3254 and Grassley 202224-6020. Reach out to me if you would like to discuss this in more detail. Thanks for the consideration. Our veterans deserve the best.
Doug Bishop Baxter
The PCM
“My House” -Payton Johnson, 10
“Arkansas” -Emilyn Davis, 11
“Alabama” -Caleb Webb, 11
“Mission Trip” -Owen Taylor, 9
“Mexico” -Carson Hansen, 12
“Florida” -Ms. Wignall, Staff
“Mall of America” -Abby VanderKamp, 9
“Florida” -Jorja Teeter, 11
“Arizona” -Kaden Clark, 12
“New Orleans” -Abby Bradbury, 9
“Home” -Ms. Morrett, Staff
Honoring Individual Speech Competitors
District Individual Entries & Results:
Rylan Edgington Musical Theater - Division ll
London Ludwick Spontaneous Speaking - Division ll
Carter Dudley Literary Program - Division l
Annie Ford Spontaneous Speaking - Division ll
Emilyn Davis Storytelling - Division l
Kylie Lewis After Dinner Speaking - Division l
Kiera Stone Storytelling - Division l
Rylan Edgington Radio News - Division ll
Kylie Lewis Prose - Division l
Emilyn Davis Musical Theater - Division l
Kiera Stone After Dinner Speaking - Division ll
Annie Ford Improv - Division ll
Brighton Ingle Original Oratory - Division ll
Jocelyn Burg Acting - Division l
Carter Dudley Musical Theater - Division l
On Saturday, March 1, 2025, PCM Students who are enrolled in individual speech competed at Pleasantville High School for a chance to make an appearance at the state competition. Out of 9 students that competed, 7 are getting the opportunity to compete at state. All of the categories that PCM will participate in at state will be Musical Theater, Acting, Literary Program, Storytelling, and Prose. State participants for PCM include one freshman, London Ludwick. Juniors Carter Dudley, Emilyn Davis, Jocelyn Burg, and Kiera Stone. On their journey to state, all the students had to perform in front of judges who gave them a score, one, two, three, or four are all the possibilities of a final score, one being the best and would send the student straight to state. Feedback was also given from the judges to help prepare all of the students for future performances. Students that got a division l will be making their trip to state on March 15, on Saturday at North Scott High School.
I will discuss what I am doing over spring break and summer. So my family is going to Great Wolf Lodge and I was going to go with them but I have Volleyball and I will be talking about that. My mom signed me up for 2 private volleyball hitting lessons not realizing they are at the same time as spring break. So I will be going to those, also I have a volleyball tournament that weekend. I am surprised they put on a tournament during spring break knowing a few people will be gone on vacation. It is also my best friend’s birthday in the middle of the week and I was hoping to spend my day with her for her birthday. I don’t know what we will be doing but she said she might get her ears pierced and was hoping I could go with her. So that’s what I will be doing over spring break. I am going to talk about summer now because I am just so excited about all the long nights with friends, early softball practices, chilling by the pool, tanning, and more. My birthday is mid-July and I will be getting my license. Catch me driving around town with my friends. I am also so excited for the beginning of August. I think it is just the best time of the year. Prairie days, sand volleyball, Old Settlers, Dead Week, Missouri State Fair, and the Iowa State Fair. For Old Settlers, there’s always a sand volleyball tourney Friday night and Saturday morning. Last year I played with the Sophomores and Hadley. We played Friday night under the lights, it was perfect weather, and so much fun. The snowcones might just be the best part of Prairie Days and Old Settlers. Hadley put me onto Blue Raspberry and Pina Colada flavor mixed together in the snowcone. It’s actually the best. Now onto the Iowa State Fair and the awesome food they serve. I think I will be volunteering to work on one of the trucks at the fair. Get some bank. Also, I got tickets to go to Megan Moroney at the Iowa State Fair this year with a lot of my friends, and catch me driving there! Lastly, at the Missouri State Fair, I go with my grandpa and cousins every year. We go to a tractor pole during the state fair and then we ride the fair rides and eat all the good food! :)
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Levi Edgett Staff Writer
Five Mustangs earn all-HOIAC hoops recognition
Junior Tori Lindsay ranked in the top five in the Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference in five statistical categories and senior Addison Steenhoek was top 10 in four categories.
Both Mustangs earned first team all-conference recognition after averaging in double digits and dishing out more than three assists per game.
Freshman Libby Winters was a second-team selection and junior Kyra Naeve and sophomore Lila Milani both were honorable mention selections.
All-conference recognition is based on statistics inside conference play only. The all-HOIAC squads were released to the public after West Marshall lost in the opening round of the girls state basketball tournament on March 3.
Lindsay ranked fourth in the HOIAC with a 13.9 points per game average.
She also ranked fourth in assists and sixth in steals per game at 3.7 and 3.2, respectively, and averaged 3.9 rebounds per tilt.
Lindsay’s 49 percent shooting from 3-point range led the conference and her 47 made 3s ranked second. She also ranked third in the HOIAC with a field goal percentage of 53.5.
Winters averaged 12.9 points per game, which ranked fifth in the conference. She also averaged 7.2 boards per contest, which tied for seventh in the league. Her 3.1 steals per game ranked seventh in the HOIAC and her 1.4 blocks per contest was fifth. She averaged 1.5 assists per game, led the conference with a 60.4 field goal percentage and ranked tied for seventh in made free throws with 31.
Naeve averaged 4.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and her 2.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game both ranked 11th in the conference.
fr., PCM; Evelyn Anderson, sr., Nevada; Emilee Kelly, jr., Nevada; Halle Jones, jr., West Marshall; Alyssa Jones, sr., Roland-Story; Kam Lande, sr., Roland-Story; Lily Myers, so., Perry; Morgan Pelham,
Steenhoek, who finished her prep career with 1,068 points, ranked ninth in the conference with a 10.5 points per game average. She also ranked sixth in assists per game at 3.2 and averaged 2.9 rebounds and 2.4 steals per contest.
Milani averaged 7.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per contest. Her 32.5 percent shooting from 3 ranked ninth in the conference and her free throw percentage of 62.5 ranked 10th.
Pittman, jr., Greene County; Dakota Hendricks, sr., Nevada; Jorie Hillman, so., Nevada; Taryn Nehring, sr., Perry; Litzy Ramirez, sr., Perry; Kate Berggren, sr., Roland-Story; Emma Truesdell, so.,
Steenhoek’s 69 percent shooting from the free-throw line ranked sixth and her 38 made free throws ranked fourth.
IHSAA assigns new districts to prep football teams
The Iowa High School Athletic Association releases new high school football districts every two seasons.
Programs move up or down classes based on enrollment and a few other factors. A lot of them have remained in the same class for the past several seasons, too.
The new districts were released on March 5 and four of the five Jasper County squads will see a majority of new opponents in the next two-year cycle.
“I like that the districts change every two years,” Newton head football coach Andy Swedenhjelm said. “It mixes up who you see a bit, and the (IHSAA) has done a better job of trying to make the districts more balanced when they can.
“The only negative is that we like to prep quite a bit in the offseason for the upcoming season so on realignment years we tend to get a little impatient with not knowing who and what we need to study. But that’s a pretty minor issue.”
While non-district opponents are not yet known, the only team in Newton’s Class 4A district who the Cardinals played last season is Pella.
PCM gets a whole new district in 2A, Colfax-Mingo drops back down to Class A and is back in the same district with South Iowa Cedar League rival Lynnville-Sully and Baxter’s 8-man district features five opponents who were not on the Bolts’ schedule last year.
And Zach Hasselbrink, pending board approval, is Baxter’s choice as its next head football coach. Hasselbrink, who has been the defensive coordinator the past several seasons, takes over for long-time head coach Rob Luther, who resigned from his position this past offseason.
“We are going places we haven’t been, which is similar to the last cycle,” Hasselbrink said. “It feels like another go round with quality district opponents who have established programs and success year in and year out.”
Newton (6-4 last year) will be joined in 4A District 4 by Pella, Clear Creek-Amana, Marion, Oskaloosa and Grinnell, which moved up to 4A after Des Moines Hoover announced it would not have a program for this two-year cycle.
Pella finished 11-2 and reached the 4A championship game last year. The Dutch downed Newton 35-28 in district play, but the Cardinals have won two of the past three meetings against their rivals.
Newton is 2-2 against CCA (6-4) since 2014, but the Cardinals won the most recent meeting, 27-0, in 2022.
Both Oskaloosa and Marion are coming off 2-7 seasons. The Cardinals have never played Marion, but the Indians are 4-3 against Newton since 2010. The last meeting between Newton and Oskaloosa ended in a 56-10 Cardinal victory back in 2022. Grinnell was 6-3 in 3A last season. The Tigers are 6-2 against Newton since 2012 and the last two meetings ended in Grinnell wins (57-13 and 44-23) back in 2020.
Another change from the last cycle involves two of Newton’s non-district foes — Dallas Center-Grimes and Norwalk, who both moved up to 5A.
“We feel good about our district,” Swedenhjelm said. “It’s filled with teams we are pretty familiar with in general outside of Marion. There are a number of quality teams in there that will be fun to go against. Our kids have been working their tails off and are excited to get going.”
PCM remains in 2A and will be in District 7 with Albia, Centerville, Davis County, South Tama County and Pella Christian.
South Tama is down to 2A after finishing 0-9 in 3A and Pella Christian moves up to 2A after going 3-6 in 1A a year ago.
The only district opponent who was on PCM’s schedule last season was Pella Christian, but the Mustangs defeated the Eagles, 59-7, in non-district action. The Mustangs are coming off an 11-1 season in which they reached the state semifinals.
Pella Christian leads the series 10-7 since 2008 and the two teams have played every season since then. The Eagles have mostly been in 1A, but the two teams were in the same 2A district in 2010 and 2011.
Albia, Centerville and Davis County have been in PCM’s district in recent years. The Mustangs have registered five straight wins over Albia (4-5), claimed six in a row over Davis County (3-5) and defeated Centerville (4-5) seven straight times.
“I figured it would be something similar to what we’ve had,” PCM head football coach Greg Bonnett said. “Like always, we will take what we get, but I’m excited about it in terms of travel. I like when our fans don’t have to drive 2.5 hours for a game. There are some very good teams with very good coaches in there so I know it will be a tough task to win the district.”
Taking away a traditional non-district opponent in Pella Christian could make things more challenging for PCM in terms of who it has to play in the non-district slate.
The Eagles were an opponent the Mustangs could count on playing every year.
“The non-district schedule has traditionally been tough for us to find mutually agreed upon matchups,” Bonnett said. “Since Pella Christian is not an option this time around, it’s a game of seeing who fits where and how it all shakes out.”
Colfax-Mingo and Lynnville-Sully will be joined in Class A District 6 by BGM, Earlham, Madrid, Martensdale-St. Marys
and North Mahaska.
Two of those programs were in different classes last year. The Tigerhawks move down after going 1-7 in 1A and BGM moves back into 11-man football after finishing 4-5 in 8-man last season.
“Class A is what I grew up in and is my favorite brand of football so I’m very excited about it,” Colfax-Mingo head football coach Drake Buscherfeld said. “The district having four SICL schools should make for some fun rivalry games. Each school in the district besides Earlham (41) had 31-36 kids on their roster last year, which is nice to see.”
While Colfax-Mingo’s district features nobody it played last season, Lynnville-Sully’s schedule includes a trio of familiar foes in North Mahaska, Madrid and Martensdale-St. Marys. The Hawks went 5-4 last season. Two of those wins came against the SICL rival Warhawks (4-4) and Martensdale-St. Marys (0-8). They also lost to district champion Madrid, which finished 9-3. The Tigerhawks have bounced back and forth from A to 1A in the last several seasons. They are back in Class A for the first time since the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Colfax-Mingo and North Mahaska have alternated wins in their last six meetings. The Tigerhawks last faced Martensdale-St. Marys in 2020 and defeated the Blue Devils 4123.
Madrid is 2-0 against C-M since 2021, and the Tigerhawks are 0-4 against BGM since 2014 but last played in 2017.
The most recent meeting between Colfax-Mingo and Earlham (6-3 last year) resulted in a 29-6 postseason win for the Tigerhawks in 2015. It’s Colfax-Mingo’s only playoff win.
Lynnville-Sully is 6-3 against Colfax-Mingo since 2014. The two teams last played each other in 2022.
Madrid has won two straight against Lynnville-Sully, but the Hawks have won the two most recent meetings against both Martensdale-St. Marys and North Mahaska.
Earlham is 2-1 against the Hawks since 2008, but Lynnville-Sully defeated the Cardinals, 49-16, in the opening round of the 2022 playoffs.
BGM is 7-3 against Lynnville-Sully since 2010, but the Hawks won the two most recent meetings, 32-7 and 20-12, in 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Roland-Story; Eliana Schuster, sr., Saydel; Luella Weispfenning, jr., Saydel; Tessa Skartvedt, so., South Hamilton; Izzy Swenson, jr., South Hamilton; Avery Evertsen, sr., West Marshall; Natalie Nichols, sr., West Marshall. Distinguished All-Conference Becca Anderson, jr., Greene County.
PCM Explorer
Lindsay Steenhoek
Naeve Milani Winters
By Troy Hyde PCM Explorer
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM junior Alex Wendt (19) celebrates a touchdown in the state semifinals with senior Tate Birkenholtz this past fall. Wendt is one of a few Mustang starters who will return to the squad next season, and PCM will play a handful of new opponents after the Iowa High School Athletic Association released the districts for the next two-year cycle on March 5.
Explorer PCM
Mustang trio earns IGCA all-district honors
PCM junior Tori Lindsay led the Mustang girls basketball team in assists and steals per game this winter and freshman Libby Winters led the state-ranked squad in scoring and rebounding.
Both PCM standouts give the program a lot to be excited about for next season and each were named to the Class 3A Southwest District squad recently.
The district’s 10-player squad includes Saydel’s Paige Rummans and Roland-Story’s Claire Truesdell.
PCM head girls basketball coach Sami Allison-Rodriguez was voted as the 3A Southwest District Coach of the Year after guiding the Mustangs to a 21-4 season that ended in the regional finals. PCM registered its most wins since going 21-3 in 2008-09.
While Winters and Lindsay were named to the Southwest District squad by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association, PCM seniors Addison Steenhoek and Rebecca De Vries earned academic allstate recognition by the IGCA.
Winters led the Mustangs in points and rebounds per game at 13 and 8.2, respectively.
She also averaged a team-best 1.4 blocks per game as well as 2.7 steals and 1.3 assists per tilt.
Winters led PCM with 324 points, 204 rebounds and 34 blocks and ranked second with 68 steals.
Her 55 percent shooting from the floor also led the Mustangs and ranked 14th in 3A.
Lindsay averaged 12.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, which ranked second on the squad. Her 3.4 assists and 2.8 steals per contest led the Mustangs.
Lindsay shot 46.3 percent from the floor and 66 percent from the free-throw line and ranked 10th in 3A with a 3-point percentage of 39.7.
Her 62 made 3s set a new single-season school record and ranked fifth in 3A.
Her 315 points, 85 assists and 69 steals all were single-season career highs. Lindsay enters her final prep season with 867 career points.
“Looks like a great district,” Lynnville-Sully head football coach Mike Parkinson said. “It should be tough, but I’m glad we have some SICL schools in there.”
Baxter will be part of Class 8-man District 7 along with Melcher-Dallas, Montezuma, Moravia, Southeast Warren, Twin Cedars and Wayne, which drops down to 8-man after going 5-4 in Class A last season.
The Bolts are coming off a 3-5 season. The only team which faced Baxter the past two seasons was Montezuma, which is 3-1 against the Bolts since 2021. The Braves (10-2) defeated Baxter 55-44 last season.
Baxter has never faced Wayne or Southeast Warren. And the last meeting between the Bolts and Moravia ended in a 36-21 Baxter win in 2020.
The Bolts have had no issues against Melcher-Dallas (2-8) or Twin Cedars (0-9) since 2019.
Baxter’s last two meetings against the Sabers resulted in wins of 82-6 and 72-0, but Twin Cedars defeated the Bolts 66-64 in 2018.
Melcher-Dallas downed Baxter 52-0 in 2018, but the Bolts have since registered wins of 64-0, 68-0 and 74-3.
“We’ve played Melcher-Dallas and Twin Cedars in a previous district cycle,” Hasselbrink said. “Montezuma has become a common foe
over the years, which has led to some great battles and they bring back some top-end talent.
“We have some previous exposure to Southeast Warren as Coach Rowlands brings his team to our annual
5-on-5 event every year. Unknowns to us are Moravia and Wayne, but it looks like Wayne had a solid team in Class A last year. So we expect them to be tough, and Moravia has had some success in 8-man as well.”
technical falls as well as runner-up finishes at the district tournament and Southern Iowa Classic. He has 55 career victories.
has the Therapy experts to help people of all ages with any movement or performance issue. Call us anytime to get back in the game!
In many parts of the country, April marks a return to warm temperatures, landscapes marked by blooming foliage and perhaps even a colorful flower or two. April also signals tax season, a notion that may elicit different reactions than warmer weather and budding plants, particularly among those who do not anticipate receiving a tax refund. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the deadline to file a 2024 tax return is Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Individuals who file more complicated returns or those who simply don’t have the time to file on their own typically look to tax preparation professionals to ensure their returns are filed correctly and on time. As the tax deadline draws closer, taxpayers who work with tax preparation professionals can make that partnership go more smoothly by ensuring they bring along these necessary docu-
ments and details to their appointments.
• Social Security numbers: Individuals who are filing as single or jointly with a spouse will need to list the Social Security numbers of each person on the return. Taxpayers with dependents will need to provide the full names and Social Security numbers of each dependent as well as their own Social Security numbers.
• Identification: A copy of a form of identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, also must be included in a tax return. The identification confirms a person’s identity and the name on the ID provided must match the name associated with the Social Security number provided.
• Income statements: Tax preparers need a copy of each taxpayer’s W-2 form, which employers must provide by the end of January. Taxpayers with more than one job must provide a W-2 from each
employer. Additional income statements, such as forms indicating gambling winnings or retirement account distributions, also must be provided to the tax prep pro. Taxpayers who have such income should contact their tax preparation pro prior to their appointment to determine which additional income form they need to file.
• Tax deduction documents: Tax deductions save taxpayers money, and taxpayers may be eligible for a range of deductions. For example, homeowners who finance their home purchases with mortgages will receive a 1098 form from their mortgage provider each January. That form is a mortgage interest statement that can help homeowners reduce their tax obligations. Donations, student loan interest payments and college tuition costs are some additional potential deductions. Charities, stu-
dent loan servicing firms and colleges or universities should provide tax deduction documents by the end of January, and taxpayers can turn these forms over to their tax preparation professional so they earn all eligible deductions.
• Receipts: Some expenses are eligible for tax deductions. Taxpayers can contact their tax preparation professional to determine if any medical bills, business expenses, charitable contributions, or additional expenses are deductible. Receipts may be required, and individuals are urged to hold on to any receipts they might be able to use to earn a tax deduction.
Tax season has arrived, and taxpayers are urged to provide all relevant documents to their tax preparers to ensure their returns are filed correctly and on time.
Kinetic Edge
Zach Richards
PCM junior Zach Richards qualified for his first state wrestling tournament in February. His junior season included 25 wins, 13 pins and three
PCM Explorer
Lindsay Winters Allison-Rodriguez Steenhoek De Vries
Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer
PCM junior Shay Burns, right, will be the top returning tackler for the Mustangs next season. PCM’s district schedule includes four teams which were not on the Mustangs’ schedule the last two seasons.
