HOP ON OVER
Grab a pancake, go on a hunt and take in some art
By Jamee A. Pierson
Explorer
Spring has sprung and activities are abound to celebrate. Starting at 6:30 a.m. March 29 at the PCM High School, the pancakes will be flipping at the annual Kiwanis pancake breakfast, kicking off a fun day of activities.
A community favorite, the Kiwanis pancake breakfast serves up a delicious meal and a fun time for conversation to start the day. Once bellies are full, families can head to the football field to take part in the PCM Key Club’s Easter Egg Hunt. Starting at 9:30 a.m., kids can search to their hearts desire for goodies includ-
ing candy and toys. The hunt will start with little ones and stagger through the final fifth grade group. Throughout the day community members can enjoy performances by students during the PCM Fine Arts Booster’s Fine Arts Showcasing. Starting at 10 a.m., kids will show their talents by singing, playing instruments and performing pieces they have perfected throughout the year for various performances. Artwork will also be on display, showing off the many talents of PCM students.
Monroe to hire out cemetery mowing services in 2025
No summer help to be hired by public works department this year
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
The Monroe City Council decided to try a new strategy to tackle the continually growing grass at the cemetery. For 2025, the council approved Brian Pfeifer to mow and trim the cemetery starting in April and running through October for $29,750.
“I will go out on a limb ... especially around Memorial Day, if it needs mowed twice, if there is a lot of rain, we will work out some sort of compensation,” mayor Doug Duinink said. “I am all about it looking nice, especially around Memorial Day. I am a vet and I help do the service out there. I take pride in that and I also take pride in our cemetery and I want it to look as nice as possible.”
Pfeifer will be responsible for mowing the cemetery every week and trimming it every-other-week. There was also discussion on potentially still
hiring summer help for some mowing services.
“My only thought on that, given the fact that we have city hall, three parks and Memorial Park, if they can get them done in a couple of days without part-time help, I would like to see a lot of street improvements this year,” Duinink said. “If we can do it, that’s great.”
Council had some push back to the proposal due to the amount of funds it had decided to dedicate to hiring an outside firm to mow the cemetery. Public works director Marc Van Wyk assured the mayor and council his department can get the mowing done and make progress on street improvements.
“We can do it as long as the street budget allows,” Van Wyk said. “We won’t need part-time help.”
With Pfeifer being hired, the city agreed no summer help will be hired and the Iowa Prison Systems will not be used to help with mowing services.
JASPER COUNTY LEGISLATORS SAY THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY BILLS FILED THIS SESSION
Lawmakers stress both good and bad bills go through extensive vetting process
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Editor’snote:Thisisthethirdina series of articles covering the topics discussed at legislative gatherings hosted by the League of Women VotersofJasperCounty.
Sen. Ken Rozenboom said there have been way too many bills filed this session, and hardly any of them are good ideas.
“There are over 900 House Files, nearly 1,000,” Rozenboom said during a recent legislative gathering hosted at the Newton Public Library by the League of Women Voters of Jasper County. “There are over 600 Senate Files. And then
there are study bills. And there aren’t that many good ideas, let me to you.”
He said it again when he and his fellow lawmakers, Rep. Barb Kniff McCulla and Rep. Jon Dunwell, were questioned about a bill letting homeschools charge tuition and possibly be eligible for education savings accounts. He said it once more when they were asked about a bill penalizing use of genetic-based vaccine.
Rozenboom admitted at the time he did not know much about House File 888, which would loosen restrictions on homeschooling and let parents teach other children and even charge tuition. Kim Didier, of
Property tax document sent in mail only confuses an already complicated subject
Jasper County leaders say budget year statements are confusing and misleading
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
If the goal of the local government budget year statements released in the mail this past week was to confuse taxpayers, then it was an overwhelming success.
Leaders from the City of Newton, Jasper County and Newton Community School District agree that informing their citizens of the upcoming public hearings for the proposed property taxation is a good thing, but they suggest the data included in the statement is confusing, misleading and overgeneralizing.
For instance, Newton residents can be forgiven if they believe their taxes for city, county and school district are all increasing by 1214 percent, because it suggests as much on the back page of the document. Although it gives these figures as hypotheticals, it also sug-
Newton, suggested this bill could allow homeschools to eventually apply for ESAs.
In order to apply and participate in the ESA program, students must be enrolled in an accredited nonpublic schools. But homeschools do not need accreditation.
“I’ll harken back to what I said a few moments ago: I don’t think there are that many good ideas, and this may be one of them,” Rozenboom said. “A lot of bills get filed for different reasons. Not all of them are for good reasons. Some of them are making a statement. Some of them are, whatever, somebody’s pet
BILLS | 3
Annual report shows 25% of the county population can apply for assistance
gests property values are increasing by 10 percent.
However, it is unlikely every resident’s assessed property value increased that dramatically or at all, unless they made significant changes or upgrades to their home in the past year or so. Newton City Administrator Matt Muckler said these 10 percent assessment increases are false assumptions for almost all residents.
“The FY26 budget year is a non-assessment year,” Muckler told Newton News, noting that odd-numbered fiscal years are assessment years.
“Unless property owners constructed an addition on their home or business, their property assessments will most likely not increase from FY25 to FY26.”
For FY26, the City of Newton would only take in an additional 1.36 percent in property taxes compared
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
IMPACT Community Action Partnership is proud to know it served 2,484 Jasper County residents this past year, but representatives of the organization told the board of supervisors that still leaves about 6,671 other residents with an income below 185 percent of the federal poverty line who are eligible to receive services.
Brandon Pollard, grants and donors coordinator at IMPACT, provided the county board of supervisors with an update of the work done in the community during the March
18 meeting. IMPACT is the Community Action Agency that serves Jasper, Boone, Marion, Polk and Boone Counties.
“Our mission is to help folks that are experiencing poverty or have a low income and help them address their basic needs,” Pollard said. “In our last fiscal year, which would have run October 2023 to September 2024, we served 1,093 families (households) in Jasper County and just under 2,500 residents.”
About 900 of those residents served were children and teens, and about 340 were people over the age of 65. Pollard said there are approximately 9,155
Jasper County residents with an income below 185 percent of the federal poverty line, which is about 25 percent of the county’s total population.
“Anyone up to 200 percent of the federal poverty line is definitely going to qualify for at least one of our services in all of our counties,” Pollard said. “…There are a lot more households that could benefit from our services that we’re currently not reaching. We’re always trying to do more to reach more families.”
According to 2022-2023 data from National Center for Education Statistics,
Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer Sen. Ken Rozenboom speaks with constituents during a legistlative gathering hosted by the League of Women Voters of Jasper County in the meeting room of the Newton Public Library.
File Photo
PCM
Upcoming events at The Gathering Ploace in Monroe
Thursday, March 27
• 8-11am Playgroup
• 5pm Acoustic Jamm
Friday, March 28
• 2 p.m. Piano with Jacque Robinson
Monday, March 31
• 10am Video Exercise Class
Tuesday, April 1
• 8-11am Playgroup
• 8am Coffee and Prayer
• 1pm Game Time
• 4:30pm Broasted Chicken Dinner Drive-Thru
Wednesday, April 2
• 1pm Get Fit, Don’t Fall with Amy S.
• 2pm BINGO
PC Lions Pancake Breakfast
The Prairie City Lions will host its monthly pancake breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday, March 29 at the Prairie City Community Building. The menu will include pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs and drink. A free will donation will be accepted for the PC Lions Project Account.
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.
Property and mobile home taxes due on or before March 31
Second half property tax and mobile home taxes are due and need to be paid on or before Monday, March 31. Payments can be made at the office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Credit card and E-check payments can also be made online at www.iowatreasurers.org. Payments mailed and postmarked before April 1 will be accepted without penalty.
There is also a convenient drop box on the east side of the office building at 315 W. Third St. N. in Newton. If you have any questions, call the Treasurer’s office at 641-792-7731.
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.
Time to license your cat and dog
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.
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.
Larry James Aalbers
March 3, 2025
Larry James Aalbers (81) a veteran of the Vietnam War and long-time resident of Olympia, Washington, passed away March 3, 2025, surrounded by his son, daughter, and wife after a courageous battle with cancer. Larry, or “Butch” as he was known to many in the area was born on April 1, 1943, at home on a farm East of Monroe, Iowa known as the “In Field Farm”. He was the sixth child of Tone and Bessie Aalbers. He attended Monroe Schools and graduated in the Class of 1961 while work-
ing at W. P. Barber Lumber Company. Larry enlisted in the Army in July of 1961 after being refused a job to drive truck for the Red Rock Dam project. After basic training, he was sent to Fort Meyer, Virginia where he worked out of the Pentagon as a sedan driver. He was then sent to Korea, which he felt was the best decision he had made while in the Army. While there he was assigned to the 65th Medical Group which he said resembled the TV Series “Mash”. He was promoted to E4 and then Acting Sargeant put in charge of the motor pool. Larry was moved around to the following Army bases: Fort Leavenworth, Fort Riley, Vietnam (two tours), Fort Carson, Fort Rucker, Baumholder Germany and Fort Lewis. Larry saw action in Vietnam and had many
Michael Shane Lewis
March 16, 2025
amazing stories of his time there. He wrote of a time when his company was being hit with rockets and 82MM mortars. One of his men was hit, and while under fire, Larry left cover, ran to the fallen soldier, and moved him to safety. Due to his action, the soldier survived. The US Army recognized Larry for his honorable service with a Bronze Star with Valor Medal.
During his military career, he received many notable medals. After 21 years, he retired as a CW4 at Fort Lewis, Washington in July 1982. With the help of the Monroe Quilt of Honor Group, he was awarded his quilt August 2023 in Olympia, Washington.
After retiring he held many jobs. He was known for his DIY projects and humor.
Larry was preceded
Michael “Junkman” Shane Lewis was born June 13, 1964, in Newton, IA and took his last breath on March 16, 2025, with his family at his side. Michael is survived by his sons, Curtis and Tyler of Grinnell, IA; his mother, Maureen Hagele of Newton, IA; and his sister, Dawn Ulrey of Monroe, IA. He was preceded in death by his wife, Cheryl; their son, Brad; and his father, Keith Lewis. Memorial contribu-
Gene Lawrence Vande Lune
March 20, 2025
in death by his son Craig (age 13), parents Tone & Bessie Aalbers, brothers, and sisters-in-law Fred (Josephine) Aalbers, Russell (Kathy) Aalbers and brother-in-law Ron Scherer. He is survived by wife Rebecca, son Michael, daughter Tiffany Van Meter and two grandsons Knox and Hunter Van Meter; brothers Dick (Barbara) Aalbers, Jerry (Sandy) Aalbers and L. Bruce Aalbers; sisters Shirley (Ralph) McGregor, Mary Scherer, Betty (Duane) Sabin, Charlotte (Curt) Prather, and Sally (Steve) Knoll; many nieces and nephews and friends around the world. Larry will be laid to rest with military rites among his fellow veterans April 1, 2025, at 12:30pm at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery located at 34024 Veterans Memorial Drive, Adel, Iowa.
tions may be designated in the name of Mike’s mom, Maureen Hagele or sister, Dawn Ulrey to help cover the final expenses and burial. Memorials may be mailed in care of Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112.
Gene Lawrence Vande Lune, a lifelong resident of Prairie City, Iowa, passed away on March 20, 2025, at the age of 93. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 10:00 AM at the Prairie City United Methodist Church, where all are invited to celebrate his life. Visitation will take place on Monday, March 24, 2025, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at the same location. Following the service, Gene will be laid to rest at Waveland Cemetery in Prairie City. Military rites will be held at the cemetery. If you are unable to attend and wish to send a card, please address it to, “Attn: Gene Vande Lune, Coburn Funeral Home, 24 W Howard St, Colfax, Iowa, 50054.” In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Prairie City Lions Club in Gene’s
name. Gene was very passionate about erecting an information podium for veterans at the Garden Square Downtown Park in Prairie City, it would be his wish to see this project come to life.
The son of Gradus and Henrietta (Steenhoek) Vande Lune, Gene was born on the farm outside of Prairie City on November 18, 1931. Gene was an excellent athlete and was part of a six-man state champion football team. After graduating from Prairie City High School, he attended AIB to become an accountant. Shortly after finishing at AIB, Gene proudly served his country in the Korean War. His service would inspire a strong sense of patriotism for the rest of his life. He was married to Louaine Stevens; they were blessed with 71 years and three
children together. Gene worked as an accountant and always kept busy. From a young age, he loved serving in his community. Whether it was the Lions Club, the Prairie City United Methodist Church, or the Prairie City Legion Post, he was honored to help. It was hard to live in Prairie City without knowing Gene. He was a kind man who would give anyone a hand. This service was rewarded as he received the first Prairie City Lifetime Achievement Award. Gene dearly loved his family; he worked hard to support them and was always willing to try and fix something if it broke. Gene’s attitude was trying to fix it first and call for help second. His legacy of love, service, and passion for his family and the organizations he held close
will always be remembered.
Gene is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years, Louaine (Stevens) Vande Lune; his two daughters, Kayla Aalbers and GayLynn (Steve) Schnelker; a daughter in law, Ellen Vande Lune; his brother, Doyle Vande Lune; his grandchildren, Alan Birkenholtz, Kristel Usener, Dustin Aalbers, Andrea Schnelker, Jenna Schnelker, Christopher Vande Lune, and Kyle Vande Lune, as well as five great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Preceding Gene in death are his parents, Gradus and Henrietta (Steenhoek) Vande Lune; a son, Craig Vande Lune; two siblings, Marvin Vande Lune and Vivian Van Wyngarden; and a grandson, Brad Birkenholtz.
However, he said, that is the purpose of the House and the Senate, as well as the first funnel week — which concluded March 7 — to vet all kinds of bills.
Even though Dunwell agrees there are too many bills filed this session, he clarified that House File 888 has nothing to do with ESAs. In a follow up after the gathering, Dunwell even suggested the bill has a greater chance of not making it to the House floor for debate and a vote. It may not be ready for primetime.
Dunwell also added there
Taxes
to the current year.
Muckler also argued that some taxpayers actually saw a decrease in their current year taxes for FY25 due to the implementation of the first phase of the 65-and-older and military exemptions passed by Iowa legislators. Furthermore, the tax estimator tool linked in the statement does not include these exemptions.
“With fully implemented exemptions in FY26 for residents over 65 and for those who qualify for the military exemption, Newton residents in those categories may see a declining property tax bill for the second year in a row,” Muckler said, adding that the statement also fails to mention taxes pay for important services.
Tim Bloom, director of business services at the Newton Community School District, said the notices to taxpayers are accurate in that it gives
is no movement in the Iowa House to ever give, at this point, a homeschool student an ESA. He told the audience at the legislative gathering that homeschool parents “would absolutely cry murder” if the Iowa Legislature tried to give them ESAs. Dunwell said they don’t want it.
“They don’t want it because they want to have some of their freedom,” Dunwell said. “What that bill does is sometimes homeschool parents want to have a little bit better education, say, on some topics for their kids; so they’re going to bring a teacher in to endorse that, to teach them more complicated topics.”
The bill would allow them to do what is already being done, Dunwell said. There is no law against it, but there is not a
the current tax rate and the proposed tax rate. But he said at the same time the effective rate is not really meaningful and the increased property valuation is an arbitrary factory. “It is giving people undue stress for something that is not likely and is the worst case scenario for a tax increase,” Bloom said. “I believe this was not the intention of the elected officials. They would like to have sent to people their taxes for the current year and what the next year’s proposed amounts are going to be.”
Bloom lamented that this is not what was included in the laws. He also suggested there are other factors that play into property taxes, such as the rollback. The rollback makes it so Iowans do not pay 100 percent of their valuation. Bloom said the legislature is trying to address some of these issues but the real issue is people pay taxes for services. He also suggested a lack of state funding to public schools puts undue stress on tax-
law for it. But he stressed there is not a movement in that bill to give ESAs to homeschools. Dunwell said it would be too complicated to track accountability; whereas private schools have accreditation.
“Accreditation means something,” Dunwell said. “It’s about governance. It’s about finances. It’s about audits. It’s about all those things beyond education that are there, and that would be a lot of responsibility to place upon a parent. We’re trying to find out is that a legitimate expense or not a legitimate expense.”
Stacy Simbro, a member of the Newton City Council, raised the issues surrounding Senate File 360, the bill that would fine healthcare workers for administering genet-
payers. Schools are seeing greater expenses, and it often falls on the backs of property taxpayers.
“I believe I can say everyone is in favor of paying less taxes,” he said.
“The state has passed the buck in their absence of funding back to local property taxpayers. The state continues to underfund schools. Our costs have gone up substantially; however, schools are supposed to make ends meet on 2 percent funding.”
Bloom argued a majority of schools are facing reductions as a result of reduced state funding. The Newton school board and district leadership, he added, have already made a tough decision to reduce the number of elementary schools in Newton. The district has reduced staff, and it will reduce more going forward.
Jasper County Supervisor Brandon Talsma went so far as to say the statement sent to residents is a “junk mailer.” While the intent behind the bill requiring these statements be sent out was sound, Talsma said the end product is confusing. The mailer was first sent last year, and it was confusing back then, too.
“We don’t have a say in
ic-based vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines. Dunwell, Kniff McCulla and Rozenboom were very quick to point out that bill had died.
“That’s gone,” Rozenboom said. “That’s going nowhere. That was one of those bills that, frankly, should never have been filed, in my opinion. It had come out of subcommittee. It never got a hearing in full committee … And I had a talk with the person that filed it. I won’t tell you what that conversation was.”
Dunwell added the House killed it. Simbro was happy to hear the bill had died and hoped it would never come up again.
In a followup with Newton News, Dunwell said everything is a greater vetting process.
it,” Talsma said. “This is what the Department of Management gave us to mail out. I’ve been doing this for six years and even I find it confusing, so I know our citizens are confused. I do believe legislation introduced this year is trying to fix it. I don’t think that it was supposed to be.”
Talsma also noted the county’s tax rate included in the statement is not an accurate reflection of how the county levies taxes.
“That is what our max levying could be if we certify the max, but we’re not going to certify the max,” he said. “That’s the other thing I’ve been trying to clear up.”
Talsma also clarified that just because the return address says “Jasper County Auditor” does not mean that office or elected official is responsible for the mailer. The chair of the board of supervisors said the mailer is required under House File 718 to be sent by the county from the Department of Management.
“Property taxes are confusing enough already,” Talsma said. “This mailer adds to the confusion.”
Rep. Jon Dunwell has long lobbied for what he calls “truth in taxation,” in
Ideas can develop with a subcommittee of around three or so people then move on to a larger committee of 20 or more. Even if a bill makes it through committee, Dunwell said there may be additional work that can be done.
Lawmakers may also meet in caucuses to discuss topics and concerns. Dunwell said these meetings, too, are an extension of the review process.
“Everything goes through multiple vetting processes, and what happens is some make their way through and some don’t, some get adapted and changed,” he said. “The final position that even a legislator has on a bill, even ones you author, isn’t until you actually vote on the House floor.”
which local governments more directly notify residents and what they will pay in property taxes every year and when they can provide input at public hearings. Dunwell supported legislation requiring the release of budget year statements.
But in a recent legislative gathering hosted by the League of Women Voters of Jasper County, Dunwell expressed that these statements are not enough. He said the statements need to be property specific, meaning that the amounts and calculations would differ from taxpayer to taxpayer or even property to property.
Randy Ervin, a member of the Newton City Council, advocated for property specific statements as well, rather than a document full of “gobbledygook” that “nobody understands.” But he asked Dunwell how long it will take before it can get to the point where residents get personalized and comprehendible mailers.
“Well there is still an opportunity yet this year,” Dunwell said. “Remember, Ways and Means (Committee) are open until end of session. They put this bill out there, plus there are three others out there to start the discussion about property taxes. Part of it is going to be changing a mindset.”
to the cities and counties.
“I’d like to provide more transparency,” he said. “That doesn’t mean I’m saying the cities are hiding anything or the counties are hiding anything. Our system is complicated, so it’s very difficult to figure it out. Simplify the system. Get rid of the rollback. Create this transparency piece.” Dunwell argued it would cost the count $20,000 to $40,000 for a software upgrade for property-specific statements with the proposed levies.
“It would put you (Ervin) in touch with your voters,” he said. “I don’t like getting blamed or talking about something I don’t necessarily control. I think that’s between you and your voters, and I want to create that relationship and connection. So we’re going to continue to hit away at it.” It is also important to note the mailer does provide information for when the public hearings will be held for each taxing entity. They are included here:
• Newton Schools — 5:30 p.m. March 24 at the E.J.H. Beard Administration Center, 1302 First Ave. W., in conference room 105A/B.
• Jasper County — 8:30 a.m. April 1 at the Jasper County Courthouse in the board of supervisors room 203.
• City of Newton — 5:30 p.m. April 7 at City Hall, 101 W. Fourth St. S., in the council chambers.
Dunwell explained part of the challenge the state has is operating in the mindset of being the “guardians” or “parents”
Explorer PCM
Session is halfway over
By Jennifer Konfrst Iowa House Democratic Leader
Last week, the Iowa Legislature reached the halfway point of the 2025 session, marking the first legislative deadline known as the “funnel.” This process helps streamline the number of bills eligible for debate as we work toward adjournment in May.
Democratic lawmakers remain committed to listening to Iowans and working hard to improve lives. That means putting aside politics, leading with Iowa values, and listening through our disagreements to do what’s best for Iowans.
YOUR
VIEW
Iowans need more choices, not division
Are you an alt-right Republican or a radical-left Democrat? Most likely, you are neither! Most Americans consider themselves “moderate.” Then why do so many candidates on the ballot have extreme positions? Why has compromise become a dirty word? Could it be that our plurality voting system is flawed? THERE IS A BETTER WAY!!
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is used by 13 million voters across the U.S. and has been successful across the political spectrum. Unlike the current system, where candidates can win without majority support, RCV allows voters to rank candidates by prefer-
Since session began, we’ve been introducing bills in our People Over Politics agenda to keep this session focused on the priorities of Iowans, especially lowering costs. Here are just a few of the ideas we’re working on this year:
• Lowering costs for Iowans, including bills to make childcare and housing more affordable, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, and raising wages.
• Supporting public education by increasing support and expanding preschool.
• Restoring reproductive freedom and expanding reproductive health care. We’ve heard from thousands and thousands of Iowans so far this session and their message to lawmakers is pretty clear: they are fed up with all the politics and lawmakers trying to control their lives. Iowans have registered their strong opposition to a host of divisive
ence, ensuring broader backing for the winner. This method increases candidate choice, reduces negative campaigning and shifts messaging toward policies that appeal to a wider electorate. It also saves cities and towns money by eliminating costly runoff elections, easing the burden on taxpayers.
The Iowa Legislature wants to ban RCV and strip local governments of choice—ignoring what everyday Iowans really want: more options and less division. Politics have become too extreme. It’s time to restart conversations about electing centrist candidates with real solutions. Join me in telling State Senator Ken Rozenboom and State Representative Barb Kniff McCulla to VOTE NO on Senate File 459 and House Study Bill 281. To learn more visit betterballotiowa.org.
Mark Stelter Pella
Trump granting Medicare
coverage of anti-obesity meds will save the government billions
The health of both the American people and the nation’s debt has been going in the wrong direction for many years. Over the last few decades, rates of obesity have skyrocketed, with 100 million Americans now being classified as obese. Projections for the future don’t look great either, with that number expected to soar to 120 million in just five years. The fact that both personal healthcare spending and Medicare spending have increased drastically at the same time is not a coincidence. It’s no wonder that there is
a broad, popular movement to “Make America Healthy Again”that has taken hold of the country over the past few years. Nearly 42 percent of American adults are obese, and the health risks associated with it are taking a toll on the country with over 200 chronic diseases and conditions, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. These diseases and conditions take a toll on the lives and pocketbooks of the American people. Obesity has now become the second leading cause
bills brought up by GOP leaders and the Governor, including restricting access to vaccines, credit, healthcare, books, housing, food, and jobs.
I’m frustrated, too. I don’t blame them one bit.
It’s easy to dismiss these bills as simply the latest partisan battles at the Statehouse, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. In fact, the votes against these divisive bills have come from legislators on both sides of the aisle. I can also confirm that the thousands of Iowans who have reached out to me or publicly spoken out on these bills include Independents, Republicans, and Democrats.
Despite the divisive start to session, there are a host of bills still being worked on this session that should help Iowans. Some of the ideas include:
• Banning cell phone usage in schools;
• Expanding parental leave for adoptive parents and state employees;
• Hands-free driving to save lives; and
• Helping individuals with disabilities to work and keep their healthcare.
With session not set to adjourn until early May, there’s a lot of work ahead — bills to watch, debates to follow, and decisions that will impact your family and community. You can find out more information on the bills that made it through the first deadline at iowahouse. org.
While it’s been a disappointing start to session, there’s still time to turn it around. But it won’t happen unless state lawmakers hear from Iowans that it’s time to put politics aside.
Find your state lawmaker at https:// urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.legis.iowa.gov and tell them it’s time to put people over politics.
of preventable death in the nation. These chronic conditions are expensive to treat over the course of a lifetime, and if we begin fighting as a country to decrease obesity rates, we could drastically improve the lives of millions of people and save a whole lot of money while doing it.
While there are many things that we should do to fight obesity, such as promoting healthy lifestyles and making efforts to improve eating habits, there are also common-sense policies that we can adopt on a federal level. We should allow everyone the choice to access a wide range of treatments to fight obesity, including anti-obesity medications (AOMs). Something seniors on Medicare haven’t had the option to utilize to treat obesity. Many in Congress
have previously worked to update Medicare to grant recipients the option to access these medications including Senator Grassley and Representative Miller-Meeks. However, now the ball is in the Trump administration’s court to update the program and improve access to treatments to fight obesity for those on Medicare. By doing so, the administration could improve the lives of many Americans and save the program billions. The savings to Medicare would be staggering. On average, Medicare spends over $2,000 more yearly on beneficiaries with obesity compared to healthy-weight beneficiaries. If Medicare allows these medications as options, it could save the government billions. Between $175 billion-$250 bil-
lion over 10 years that would otherwise be spent on treating obesity related conditions. President Trump has promised us the greatest comeback in American history. By expanding access to treatments for those on Medicare, he would not only work towards making America healthy again, but he would also be saving the American people billions of dollars. By granting Medicare recipients access to these medications, his administration could improve the lives of many Americans while also saving the government billions. I hope he will consider doing so in our battle to address the growing obesity crisis and “Make America Healthy Again.”
Thad
Tips to grow wealth after retirement
Personal finances and retirement are inextricably linked. Retirement planning services and advocates emphasize the significance of building a sizable nest egg for the days when professionals are no longer working, but many now also note the importance of building that nest egg after retiring.
The need to build wealth even after retiring reflects a trend that has seen people spend more time in retirement over the last half century than in the decades prior. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, men could expect to spend just under 13 years in retirement and women 16.6 years in retirement in 1970. By 2020, the expected retirement length had reached 18.6 years for men and 21.3 years for women. That means
modern professionals will spend a half decade more in retirement than people did in 1970. Those extra five years require more money for living expenses, which is why it can be so important for modern professionals to consider various ways to grow their wealth even after they call it a career.
• Avoid early withdrawals. Withdrawals from a 401(k) are taxed like regular income because such accounts are built up with pre-tax contributions. But there are ways to minimize your tax burden, and thus save money, when withdrawing from a 401(k). Avoiding early withdrawals, which are those taken before age 591⁄2, is one easy way to avoid a higher tax burden. Early withdrawals can trigger a 10 percent tax on top of the income taxes account holders will have
to pay. By avoiding early withdrawals, retirees are building wealth by lowering their tax burden.
• Take the required minimum distribution when you must. Another way to avoid a tax burden that can diminish your wealth in retirement is to take your required minimum distribution (RMD) when you need to. The Internal Revenue Services reports that account owners who fail to withdraw the full amount of the RMD by the due date are subject to a 25 percent excise tax on the amount not withdrawn (the tax burden is 10 percent if timely corrected within two years). The IRS notes account owners must take their first RMD for the year in which they turn 73.
• Explore new ways to invest. The increase in expected retirement length
underscores the fact that many retirees may need to abandon conventional wisdom related to retirement and risk. Though it’s still best for retirees to avoid particularly risky investments, they might need to accept a degree of risk that retirees did not have to take on decades ago. Simply put, longer retirements may require longer engagements with risk. Retirees can work with a financial advisor and conduct their own research to identify vehicles to grow their wealth without making themselves and their nest eggs highly vulnerable to market fluctuations.
• Embrace new income opportunities. Retirees may have more potential income streams than they realize. For example, passive income can be an effective way for retirees to earn money without
going to great lengths. Retirees who travel for months each year and/or those who live in colder climates but spend winter in warmer locales can generate passive income by renting out their properties when they’re not at home. Retired professionals with decades of experience in their fields also can explore consult-
ing or teaching opportunities that won’t require substantial time commitments but can still bring in money. With expected retirement lengths on the rise, retirees are encouraged to find ways to grow their nest eggs so they can enjoy retirement to the fullest. –Metro Creative
Nearmyer Monroe
7pm JV, B Soccer vs Pella Christian at PCM 4 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 4:30pm V, G TR at Roland-Story 12 9am V, G Tennis at Saydel 10:30am V, G/B Track at Iowa City West 8pm Prom 7 10am Video Exercise Class 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 7pm PC Fire Dept, PC City Hall 4pm JV, B Golf at Ballard 4:30pm JH, G/B TR at Baxter 7:30pm Cheer/tumbling practice at MS 8 8am Prayer and Coffee at TGP 9:30am Supervisors, County Courthouse 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 6:30pm Mon Legion Auxiliary 6:30pm Kiwanis, Mon City Hall 4pm V, G Golf at Oskaloosa 4:15pm V, B Golf at Diamond Trail Golf 4:30pm V, G/B TR at PCM HS 5pm V, B Soccer vs Grand View Christian at James W. Cownie 7pm JV, B Soccer vs Grand View Christian at James W. Cownie 5:30pm Cheer Open Gym at MS 9 Monroe Trash & Recycling Day 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 1pm Get Fit, Don’t Fall at TGP 6:30pm PC City Council 6:30pm Monroe Fire Dept. Meeting 6:30pm FCA Huddle at HS 10 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 12:30pm TAI-CHI for Arthritis at TGP 5:30pm Community Potluck at TGP 2pm V, G Golf at Westwood in Newton 4:15pm V, G Tennis at Knoxville 4:30pm V, G/B TR at Woodward-Granger 6:30pm K-2nd Concert at MS 11 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 2pm Piano with Jacque Robinson at TGP 1pm JV, B Golf at Keota 19 11am V, B Golf at Bos Landen Golf 14 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 5:30pm PC Park Board Monroe City Council 7pm PC Ambulance, PC City Hall 3:30pm Good News Club at elementaries 2pm V, B Golf at Terrace Hills 4:15pm Level 2/V, G Tennis at Knoxville 4:15pm JH, B TR at Newton 4:15pm V, G TR at Iowa Valley 4:30pm JH, G TR at Pella 4:30pm V, B TR at East Marshall 15 8am Prayer and Coffee at TGP 9:30am Supervisors, Jasper County Courthouse 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 1pm Game Time at TGP 6pm Bingo at TGP 6pm PC Planning and Zoning 4pm V/JV, G Golf at Gateway 4:15pm V, G Tennis at Knoxville 4:45pm V, G/B TR at Pella Christian 5:30pm Cheer/tumbling practice at MS 5:30pm JV, B Soccer at Nevada 7pm V, B Soccer at Nevada
16 Monroe Trash 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 1pm Get Fit, Don’t Fall at TGP 5pm Community Meal at Monroe United Methodist Church 6pm PC Celebration Commission 17 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 9am Focus Group at TGP 12:30pm TAI-CHI for Arthritis at TGP 9am V, B Golf at Jester Park 4pm JV, B Golf at Gateway 4pm V, G Golf at Pleasantville 4:15pm V, G Tennis at Clarke Community 4:15pm V, G/B TR at Panther Relays 5:30pm V, B Soccer vs Perry at PCM 7pm JV, B Soccer vs Perry at PCM 18 Monroe City Hall closed NO SCHOOL 11:30am Congregate Meals at TGP 7pm Patty Richards Country Show 11am V, B Golf at Bos Landen Golf 26 7am Prairie City Lions Pancake
IHSAA announces new broadcast partner
BOONE — For the first time ever, three Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) championships in football, wrestling and basketball are coming to Iowa PBS.
The state’s public broadcasting network will produce and broadcast finals from the three most-watched boys’ high school sports starting in fall 2025-26. Through a multi-year initial agreement, each of the selected championship events will appear on statewide Iowa PBS and stream for free through both Iowa PBS and IHSAA.
“The stories of Iowa student-athletes, teams, coaches and communities are at the center of our Iowa PBS Sports
coverage,” said Andrew Batt, executive director and general manager at Iowa PBS.
“We are excited to extend our award-winning, in-depth broadcasts to the IHSAA and mutually ensure statewide access of these games across all 99 counties of Iowa and beyond. Every Iowan deserves an opportunity to witness these athletes pursue a championship on our state’s most extensive broadcast and streaming network.”
Iowa PBS’s live broadcast and streaming of IHSAA championship sports will be in addition to the statewide network’s existing coverage of Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union championships for various sports.
While IHSAA’s wrestling
championships have history with Iowa PBS, football and basketball will be making modern era debuts in 2025-26.
Wrestling’s most recent public media broadcast came in 2002, while football finals made two recorded appearances in 1984 and 1985. Basketball was the first IHSAA sport televised — WOI-TV from Ames broad-
IHSAA moves boys state hoops to Hilton Coliseum starting in 2027
BOONE — A century after playing championships inside State Gym, the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) and Iowa State University enter an exciting new era together as the IHSAA Boys State Basketball Tournament will move to Hilton Coliseum starting in 2027.
An initial fiveyear agreement with support from Discover Ames will place the fiveday, 32-team boys tournament inside Hilton Coliseum as the first-of-itskind multi-use CyTown district is developed at the Iowa State Center and slated to come online in 2027.
tel, The Cardinal.
“On behalf of Iowa State University, thank you to the IHSAA board, Tom Keating and Tom’s staff for deciding to bring the Athletic Association’s state basketball tournament to Ames to experience Hilton Magic,” Iowa State Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said.
“We are excited to host this great event and our staff looks forward to working with the IHSAA to make this special for the athletes, coaches and fans whose teams reach the state tournament each year.”
“We couldn’t be more excited about what this opportunity will offer our student-athletes, schools and supporters as they experience an elite basketball environment at Hilton and an awesome new tournament community in CyTown and Ames,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said.
“Our sincere appreciation goes to everyone who has helped make this possible at Iowa State University, Discover Ames and Cyclone Athletics.”
Lauded as one of the nation’s finest college basketball venues, Hilton Coliseum boasts consistently strong attendance for the Cyclones’ men’s and women’s basketball programs with a capacity of 14,267, and the programs annually rank among the national leaders in home attendance.
The surrounding CyTown district — announced in 2022 and expected to be up and running in 2027 — will feature space for retail, food and beverage, common areas and a 200-room Marriott ho -
cast from Iowa City’s Fieldhouse in 1953 — yet the finals have never been shown on Iowa PBS.
Their inclusion on Iowa PBS will be the cornerstone of the IHSAA’s broadcast plan for free and accessible state tournament video, starting with football’s semifinals and finals in fall 2025.
“We are thrilled to partner with Iowa PBS to bring our football, wrestling and basketball state championship broadcasts to fans across the state,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said.
“Our fans have asked for a free and easily accessible broadcast option and Iowa PBS is just that.”
In December 2024, IHSAA announced a conclusion of its
Riley Graber
IHSAA basketball brings eight qualifiers across four classifications to the state tournament. Since moving to a five-day format in 2018, the event has averaged nearly 50,000 paid attendees with full capacity available.
Ames already hosts more than 100,000 youth sports visitors annually through the Iowa Games, Special Olympics of Iowa’s Summer Games and more.
“We are super excited to partner with Iowa State Athletics and the IHSAA to bring the State Basketball Tournament to Ames and Hilton Coliseum starting in 2027,” Discover Ames President and CEO Kevin Bourke said.
“This week-long event will expose teams and fans from across the state to Iowa State University, as well as create a huge economic impact to Ames while showcasing our wonderful community.”
Ames played host to the IHSAA’s basketball tournament six times between 1917 and 1926, all inside then-Iowa State College’s State Gym.
The IHSAA concluded its 2025 championships on March 14 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, where the tournament has been hosted since 1963.
long-standing contract with the Iowa High School Sports Network (IHSSN), with coverage ending after the 2024-25 athletic year. Through a nearly 20-year arrangement, IHSAA events appeared on various commercial broadcast and cable television partners across the state as managed by IHSSN. Through this agreement with Iowa PBS, IHSAA will maintain overall event rights while partnering with the successful Iowa PBS Sports team and their 99-county broadcast coverage map. Iowa PBS also will produce special IHSAA programs highlighting stories of student-athletes, their sports and communities.
career-best times in both the 200- and 400-meter dash this indoor season. His 200 was clocked in 23.34, and he completed the 400 in 50.44 seconds, which ranks ninth in the state. He also helped PCM score a time in the distance medley that was faster
PCM Explorer
PCM Explorer
IMPACT
41.8 percent of Jasper County students qualify for free or reduced price lunch.
IMPACT programs that be used in Jasper County include food cards, short-term homelessness prevention program, a senior farmers market nutrition program, the RAYS scholarship program and utility assistance.
IMPACT CEO Anne Bacon said there are going to be challenges with energy assistance come April 1. By then, the moratorium on utility disconnections for the federally-funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will end.
This means utility companies can resume disconnections for people who have not paid their energy bills. Bacon said it is “extremely unlikely” IMPACT will have any funding to help anyone
with a shutoff notice after April 1. Bacon said that has to do with the amount of funding available compared to people who need it.
“So even though we’re not reaching all of the people in Jasper County, we wouldn’t have enough funding to do so if we were able to reach them all,” Bacon said. “We’ve seen that progressively get worse over the past few years — the cost of utilities against how much energy assistance is available.”
IMPACT schedules a community needs assessment every three years, and Pollard is in the midst of doing that right now. The organization looks at every area it serves to make sure if there are any gaps to shift services. For example, IMPACT doesn’t have a food pantry in Newton since there is one in place.
Another reason the IMPACT representatives held a presentation at the board of supervisors meeting to request their continued support in the
community. For instance, usually one supervisor joins board of directors. In the past, Denny Stevenson served on the board, but now Thad Nearmyer will serve in his stead.
The board of directors must be comprised of one-third elected officials, one-third private citizens and one-third people who have low incomes or have lived experiences of poverty. Bacon also took a moment to thank Stevenson, a former county supervisor, for his service on the board of directors.
IMPACT also asked supervisors to refer community members who can benefit from the organization’s services, inform the group of community needs they are hearing from residents and help build connections with other community groups, organizations and businesses.
“We want to hear from you about those things, especially right now while we’re doing our community needs assessment,” Pollard said.
Pella Regional Health Center welcomes board-certified gynecologists Trupti Mehta, MD & Joseph Coleman, MD to the Pella Regional Medical Clinic in Prairie City.
They will provide care to women including, but not limited to annual well-woman exams, menstrual issues, STDs, birth control counseling and prescribing, treatment of premenstrual syndrome, menopause, and treatment of disease in the reproductive tract.
Dr. Mehta & Dr. Coleman see patients once a month in Prairie City in addition to their existing Pella clinic practices.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Mehta or Dr. Coleman, call 641-620-2144
or go to PellaHealth.org
Trupti Mehta, MD Joseph Coleman, MD