Christopher
Only
EMA had been requesting additional assistance since the May floods and storms
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Jasper County has now been added to the president’s major disaster declaration following the severe flooding and wind storms that occurred one month ago. The decision comes after emergency management officials
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
In effect as of July 1, Monroe residents will pay a little more for water and sewer. The Monroe City Council approved the rate increases to keep up with higher costs from water suppliers and institute gradual changes instead of large increases. For metered water customers, monthly fees will start at $20.49 for 0-999 gallons used. For 1,000 to 1,999 the fee will be $25.10, from 2,000 to 2,999 will be $29.97, 3,000 to 3,999 at $34.61, 4,000 to 4,999 at $38.97, 5,000 to 5,999 at $43.23, 6,000 to 6,999 at $48.29, 7,000 to 7,999 at $53.77, 8,000 to 8,999 at $58.72 and 9,000 to 9,999 at $63.79. For all use more than 10,000 gallons it is $7.02 per 1,000 gallons or part thereof.
For customers who receive water services outside of city limits, rates begin at $25.60
for 0-999 gallons used. For 1,000 to 1,999 the fee will be $31.37, from 2,000 to 2,999 will be $37.45, 3,000 to 3,999 at $43.25, 4,000 to 4,999 at $48.71, 5,000 to 5,999 at $54.03, 6,000 to 6,999 at $60.35, 7,000 to 7,999 at $67.21, 8,000 to 8,999 at $73.40 and 9,000 to 9,999 at $79.74. For all use more than 10,000 gallons it is $10.74 per 1,000 gallons or part thereof. Sewer rates, which will also increase July 1, will start at $19.23 per month for the first 1,000 gallons used. At 1,000 to 1,999 the rate will be $23.56, 2,000 to 2,999 at $28.14, 3,000 to 3,999 at $32.49, 4,000 to 4,999 at $36.58, 5,000 to 5,999 at $40.59, 6,000 to 6,999 at $45.34, 7,000 to 7,999 at $50.49, 8,000 to 8,999 at $55.13 and 9,000 to 9,999 at $59.89. At 10,000 plus per thousand the rate $6.60. The changes passed three readings in April, May and June before being placed into code.
met with state leaders and even U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley to convince the feds for help.
“Advocating for Iowans’ needs at the federal level is my core responsibility as an elected representative,” Grassley said in a statement to Newton News. “Local residents and emergency respond-
ers have communicated with my staff and spoken with me directly about the urgent need for federal assistance following May’s severe storms. I was glad to support Jasper County’s addition to the Major Disaster Declaration, and I stand ready to help storm-impacted Iowans recover in any way that I can.”
In a press release from Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, it was announced three more counties had been added to the presidential disaster order: Jasper, Adams and Cedar. The counties of Adair,
Junior golfers participate in clinic and skills tournament at Gateway Recreation in
Syndicated satellite programming replaces on-air personalities at KCOB and Energy 106.7, leaving the community furious and at a loss without familiar figureheads
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Editor’s note: This is Part one of a two-part series. Watch next week’sPCMExplorerfortherestof thestory.
Bob Lane has been a longtime listener of Newton’s radio stations, so he found it odd when the local content he had been accustomed to all these years had suddenly vanished. He wasted no time making a complaint, and that is when he
learned the on-air personalities at KCOB and KRTI-Energy 106.7 were fired. As usual, news travels fast in Newton. Only this time, one of the key figureheads in delivering quick, on-the-spot local news stories was
now the top story in town.
Alpha Media USA, a radio broadcasting company that owns several stations across the country and had purchased the Newton radio brands in 2015, made staff cuts at many of its Midwestern stations this past May. Which meant that Jamie Grout, Joe Swanson and Randy Van Roekel were taken off the air. Lane couldn’t believe it. He had been listening to the Newton radio stations for the past 40 years. It was a trusted and an immediate source of news, and it provided entertainment for listeners on the road. All three on-air personalities have been replaced with syndicated satellite programming.
“I was shocked,” Lane said. “How can we go without a local radio station in a town of 15,000? Of course the paper now we only get two days a week, and that limits us there, too. Years ago we’d get it every day. With the radio station you could get the news three times a day. My gosh. What are we gonna do?”
In addition to listening to the news programs, Lane had also worked with radio staff to promote shows organized by the Jasper County Concert Association,
and he even helped do some ads for them for Newton Village and Forbes. Ever since the radio shifted away from its local programming, he has not bothered to listen. All he hears now is music, and it’s not the type Lane really cares for.
“It’s just a major hole in my life because now I can’t get their local news,” Lane said. “I’d say it’s a real loss to the community, too. We’ve just lost a source of local news. How do we find out what’s going on? Or what the school board is doing? Or what the board of supervisors or city council are doing? It’s a loss.” Community members have not taken the loss lightly either.
In response to the radio station’s Facebook promotions for a four-person trip to Orlando, community members ignored the prompts and gave ‘em a small-town tongue lashing. Comments show people don’t care about theme park passes or hotel stays. They care about the people who supported the community.
I wouldn’t want to win a free trip from a station that just fired their longtime local radio persons who helped support our community and
Send your event to news@pcmexplorer.com
Monday, July 8
• 8am Coffee & Prayer with Pastor Ann
• 10am Video Exercise Class
• 12:15pm Fresh Conversations – Vitamin D & the Connection with Depression
Tuesday, July 9
• Crafts with Jamee ($4 for craft)
Wednesday, July 10
• 1pm “Get Fit, Move More” with Amy S.
• 6pm BINGO
Thursday, July 11
• Crafts with Jamee ($4 for craft)
• 10am Patty Richards Music Show
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 1025 meets at 5:30 p.m. every Monday at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City for weigh-in, with meeting to follow. Go to the north side parking lot at the church and enter in the north door. Call 515-994-2200 for information.
Men’s Recovery meeting
Lighthouse Recovery Ministries hosts a Men’s Recovery meeting at 6:30 p.m. each Monday at Grace Alive Church, 703 W. Second St. in Prairie City. Contact Barb at b.miller@lighthouserecoveryia.com with questions.
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.
The Monroe American Legion Auxiliary meet the second Tuesday of the month at the Legion.
The upcoming blood drive will be from 7:15 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 20 at First Reformed Church, 300 E. Fifth St., Prairie City. Call 800-2874903 to schedule an appointment.
A recorded call promises a government grant, flood insurance or help with applications for assistance. Don’t respond or provide personal information or payment to these callers. They may be scammers trying to get your credit card or checking account information, according to Carol Ehlers, human sciences specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
“Scammers often try to take advantage of you during a crisis — when you may be vulnerable and looking for help, particularly when you don’t have phone or Internet service to do research. Be on the lookout for scams by fake government employees, bogus charities, dishonest contractors and others trying to take advantage of your situation,” Ehlers advised.
Recognizing the tricks that scammers use can help you spot scams more easily.
Ask questions
Be alert and ask questions, Ehlers said. For example:
• Can I see your identification and contractor’s license?
• Can you provide three recent recommendations from the area?
• How long have you been in business?
If the person trying to sell you a product or service can’t or won’t answer your questions, or if the paperwork doesn’t match the promises made to you, these are warning signs.
Confirm identities
Con artists may pose as government employees, insurance adjusters, law enforcement officials, bank employees or whoever it takes to get to your money. Scammers can easily fake titles and uniforms, Ehlers said.
• Always ask for identification and call the organization the person claims to work for to confirm that the person does work there.
• Never give personal information to anyone you don’t know.
• Remember that government
employees will not generally ask you for payment or financial information such as your bank account number.
Don’t make a decision under pressure
After a disaster, contractors and others may arrive at your door offering to help with home repair, debris removal and other disaster-related assistance. Beware of contractors going door-to-door and people offering unsolicited opportunities or high-pressure tactics to force you to make a snap decision.
“Take your time, stop, think and investigate, and never sign anything without fully reading and understanding it first,” Ehlers said. “Stay up to date on possible scams happening in your area.”
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird urges Iowans to be on the lookout for scammers and shady contractors targeting victims of recent storms and flooding. If Iowans are suspicious of a storm-chaser scam or price gouging, they should contact the Iowa Attorney General’s Office at
888-777-4590 or file a complaint online.
After major disasters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a Current Disasters page that lists recent disaster declarations and includes a tool you can use to search by location. Read more information from FEMA about spotting and reporting fraud.
If you’re unsure about any offer you receive, contractor you encounter or action you’re asked to take, ask a trusted relative, friend or an attorney for a second opinion before acting. According to Ehlers, ISU Extension and Outreach provides access to information and educational resources to help Iowans recover from the current floods affecting northwest Iowa. AnswerLine, 800-262-3804, provides information and resources for Iowans with home and family questions. The toll-free hotline is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Language interpretation is available. Dial 711 for TTY/TDD.
Polk, Story and Montgomery were included in the original declaration on May 24.
Jamey Robinson, director of Jasper County Emergency Management Agency, continues to receive calls from residents who are still negatively impacted by last month’s storms. Many saw damages to their homes and essential utilities like heating and cooling systems. Others have lost everything.
Unyielding in his approach, Robinson continued to push for further assistance from the federal government by reaching out to the governor’s office, state departments and Iowa lawmakers. He told Newton News he is not sure why Jasper County was excluded from the declaration in the first place.
Robinson estimates Jasper County suffered $10 million in damages. He also said 208 people had been impacted by substantial flooding.
As a result of Jasper County being added to the declaration, residents can now apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Individual Assistance Program, which provides affected homeowners, renters and businesses with programs and services to maximize recovery efforts.
These services include housing, personal property replacement, medical expenses and legal services. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses should apply for assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362. The helpline operates from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
Residents can also register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by downloading the FEMA app.
Homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits whose property was damage or destroyed by this disaster may be able to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Small businesses, agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofits impacted may be eligible for capital loans.
Applications for disaster loans or capital loans can be filled out online at www.sba.gov/funding-programs/ disaster-assistance.
SBA’s customer service center can be reached by phone at 1-800-659-2955 or by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability are encouraged to dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.
FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are currently being displayed to Clay, Emmet, Lyon, Plymouth and Sioux Counties to help survivors of the record flooding in northwest Iowa. The DSA teams are also assisting residents in Adams, Cedar and Jasper Counties.
FEMA’s involvement is the result of a month of work from Robinson.
“Repeated trips to people’s houses, conversations, gathering information, submitting information — push, push, push, push,” Robinson said.
Robinson told Newton News that he met with federal officials on June 25 and gave FEMA workers the list of reported damages in Jasper County. Most of the damages were to homes. Robinson said either three or four businesses reported any damages to their properties.
Kellogg experienced some of the worst damage from the floods. Homes in a recent subdivision suffered significant water damage to their basements after a nearby culvert was clogged. Holmdahl Park was completely under water. And the highway leading into town was at one point submerged and impassable.
Robinson said Newton itself had 150 reports of dam-
ages. Residents had anywhere from a few inches to a few feet of water in their basements.
Jasper County’s inclusion in the president’s disaster declaration means FEMA will meet residents to survey their damage and get them registered in recovery programs. Jasper County EMA is working on creating a response center using one of the FEMA buses. It will be set up for a few days.
“They’ll look at their damages,” Robinson said. “They can’t duplicate services. So if they have insurance and insurance is paying for it they’re not going to get a check. That is one thing. If insurance isn’t paying it, then they’ll give them money based on the percentage of damages up to a certain amount.”
Important to note: The damaged home must be primary residence.
replace them with some piped in music with DJs that no one knows and aren’t here for our community!
Keep your crap. Wouldn’t take it. Won’t listen anymore either. Great people who support and care about our community were fired. We invited them into our homes to get local news. Maybe you should have kept them.
Nope. You fired local talent without warning and autocast the radio stations, so no local info or flavor.
Fran Henderson, a Newton resident and avid follower of KCOB, piped in on Facebook, too. She said listeners “don’t care about Orlando theme parks,” but what they do care about is “local coverage in Newton, Iowa.” In a follow-up interview, Henderson suggested Alpha Media USA doesn’t understand the station’s impact.
“They did so many things,” she said. “Local news and weather in the morning. They cover our football games and basketball games.
They have obituaries on in the morning. They’re always supportive of community things like the Fourth of July Parade. Jamie Grout had always provided a commentary for that.”
Similarly to Lane, Henderson depended on both the radio station and the local newspaper to keep her informed. She enjoyed the Jasper County news reported by Van Roekel and posted on MyIowaInfo.com. Without his reports, Henderson is devastated. She doesn’t plan on listening anymore. There’s no point, she said.
“It’s just wrong. Just so wrong.”
THE VOICES WE LOST:
JAMIE GROUT
When Jamie Grout was inducted into the Iowa Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame last year for his almost 50year career as a radio DJ, he held up his trophy and told the crowd: “Not bad for a guy that’s been fired seven times.” The longtime radio man remarked to Newton News that the number has now increased to eight.
For the past 16 years, Grout served as content manager and cohost of the live morning show, The Jolt with Sarah & Jamie, on Ener-
gy 106.7, and he also hosted afternoons playing country on KCOB. In the ’80s, he covered mornings for a few years on KCOB. So he was on his “second tour” at the station.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever seen ‘WKRP (in Cincinnati),’ but the theme song talks about going town to town and up and down the dial — that’s kind of what I did after that,” Grout said of his first tour at the radio stations. “I’m glad to have ended up back in my hometown.”
Which is partly why Grout has developed such a big following in the community. He was a local who fulfilled his childhood dreams of being on the radio. In addition to his radio work, his participation in local groups and community events put a face to the voice on the radio and further solidified his celebrity status.
Grout has been in the industry for so long he knows how volatile it can be. So he has taken the firing with a grain of salt, because, after all, he has been through this before. Radio is different than a lot of businesses. It so often has gone in different directions, and when it does it is usually at the cost of staffing.
“I wish nothing but the best for Ron McCarthy, who is remaining at the station, and Sarah (Jorges), who is also staying there in sales,” Grout said. “I wish nothing but the best for ‘em. But I hope and pray the people who have lost their jobs also end up with work or end up doing something where they’re happier.”
In a May 23 Facebook post, Grout bid farewell to his old friends KCOB and Energy 106.7. The post generated almost 500 impressions and more than 200 comments. Community members were overwhelmingly supportive, which tells Grout that the radio stations were staples in Newton.
“It’s always been there for people and they knew they could turn it on to Cardinal sports and local news and events that were going on,” he said. “We did a lot of public service things and all that stuff. We tried to help the community. We tried to be ultra-local. And I think we were. Now it’s lost its localism. And that’s too bad.”
Grout is still looking toward the future. Following his termination, he has applied for jobs while working part-time at Hy-Vee.
Grout wants to stay in radio. He’s not ready to get out of the business just yet, especially when he is one year shy of making the 50-year milestone.
Technically, he could retire. But even if he did, he would still need a job. Working radio in a local market does not result in lavish living.
“You’re not doing this for the paycheck in a market the size of Newton or Marshalltown,” he said. “You’re doing it because of the love of the business.”
Which is why Grout cherishes his memories at the radio station, especially the people he has gotten to know over the years. Those same people have reached out to support him and offer kind words. It is has been overwhelming at times, he said, but it tells him that the on-air personalities made a connection.
“When you’re on the air every day and you reach a certain amount of people, you have this bond with them,” Grout said. “It’s a friendly voice. It’s somebody who is a companion and keeps them company and it’s someone they can trust to keep them entertained and informed. There is a level of trust there.”
Our Constitution’s framers affirmed our right to bear arms through the Second Amendment for an important reason; to provide Americans with means of protection and self-defense. They made this very clear when they wrote “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Unfortunately, the Biden Administration has chosen to disregard this principle on which our nation was founded by attempting to impose some of the strictest gun laws in American history.
As the Representative for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District and a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, I am proud to defend Iowans’ right to
Our District
U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks
bear arms by voting against measures that seek to restrict or ban firearms in the United States.
On January 31, 2023, Biden’s unelected bureaucrats at the ATF published their final rule 2021R08F, “Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached Stabilizing Braces.”
This rule would have retroactively turned millions of law-abiding gun owners – including many disabled veterans – into criminals for simply attaching a stabilizing brace to their pistol to
On our cruise ship, the rugs in the elevators have the day of the week imprinted on them. What a hoot! Is it because there are so many seniors on board that the ship is like a floating nursing home? Or because, on a cruise, we tend to forget what day it is? I dunno but, like a gaggle of geese, it makes for noisy comments on our way to the buffet.
There is no coffee pot in our cabin. Grr. I get up in the middle of the night to write and read and pray. Coffee is required. There are also no electrical plugins in the bathroom, except for one high up on the wall. What gives? Even the most basic no-tell motel has room coffeepots and plugins. I found out that coffee pots and hair dryers are considered fire hazards aboard ship. Okay, I can appreciate that. So, I sufficed by robbing our cabin refrigerator of Diet Coke in the middle of the night. Ka-ching!
This is the Land-of-the-Midnight-Sun. I’m writing at 12:04 a.m. right now and it’s broad daylight. With our insulated cabin curtains drawn, it’s almost like night, but not quite. My middle-of-the-night inspiration is still active, however. Summer Solstice is approaching (longest day of the year) and we can celebrate by staying up all night, or day. Ginnie thinks of everything, and has included in her luggage — blindfolds! She says that I need to stay up here in the winter when it’s the opposite — darkness for 23 hours a day. I could dig it.
With so much daylight, flora grows monstrous. Outside one of our hotels, rhubarb was taller than my head, with leaves the size of elephant ears. Alaskans don’t cut out seed stems like we do in Iowa. They use rhubarb like a decorative plant.
As we approached Juneau, the ship captain comes on the intercom: “There are only three ways of getting to Juneau, Alaska — boat, airplane or birth canal. Ask’a Inuit.” Everyone up here thinks they’re comedians.
As you can discern, Ginnie and I are on vacation in Alaska. We joined with two high school classmates who were gracious enough to include us. The trip is a combination of cruise ship along the coast and an inland tour of the Yukon and Denali National Forrest.
We spent the first three nights in Vancouver, British Columbia (my first time in Canada). I could be impressed by the city. There is so much to see and do. However, the hordes of homeless on the streets of China Town was a bummer. We even saw what looked like a teenage boy, passed out on the sidewalk in the middle of the day. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around this social dilemma. My world view doesn’t include a land of plenty with people clawing for existence on the streets. If it was Mexico City, maybe. But Canada?
We went on a whale siting excursion and saw hump back whales putting on a fantastic blowshow. And our steamboat tour at Fairbanks, Alaska might be the best tour I’ve ever been on. A helicopter ride that let us view Dall Sheep, landed on the tundra, and gave us a sight of Mount Denali, was a lifting experience, as was the Tundra-Wildlife Tour and Dog Sled Demonstration. Ginnie got to hold a Husky puppy.
The train ride from Danali National Park to Anchorage was extraordinarily beautiful. We rode in the top viewing seats and had a rare sight of Mt. Denali, wildlife and glacier-swollen rivers and streams.
We spent three nights in Seattle where we went sightseeing on Whidby Island, ate King Crab, then it was home. Buddy could smell the Husky puppy on Ginnie. Uh-oh.
BTW: Alaska doesn’t have snow days. They have snow shoes.
Contact Curt Swarm at curtswarm@yahoo. com
help shoot safely and accurately.
Lawful gun owners could have faced up to 10 years in federal prison, become felons, and received a $250,000 fine for having a stabilizing brace on their lawfully-purchased firearm.
I cosponsored legislation that passed the House to protect millions of gun owners by nullifying this blatantly unconstitutional pistol brace ban rule.
When Democrats tried sneaking a “red flag” provision into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would have allowed military judges to issue gun confiscation orders without the servicemember even being present in court to defend themselves, I was quick to push back against it and refused to vote in favor of the bill until that provision was removed.
Recently, I voted in the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee for H.R. 705 (the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act). This bill ensures no veteran loses their Second Amendment right
because the VA appoints someone to help manage their VA benefits. H.R. 705 prohibits the VA from automatically sending these veterans’ names and information to the FBI simply because they have a VA-appointed fiduciary. Our veterans deserve the same due process as any other American.
While President Biden penalizes law-abiding American citizens, he lets illegal, criminal aliens run amok across our nation. More than 9.5 million illegal immigrants have crossed the border since Biden took office, and not a single one of them has had a background check.
If he were as focused on securing our border and prosecuting actual criminals as he is punishing law-abiding citizens, we would undoubtedly see a drop in violent crimes around the country.
In Congress, I will continue to defend Iowans and their Second Amendment rights against any encroachment from Biden bureaucrats in DC.
By Steve Corbin
One of the renowned Greek storyteller Aesop’s 725 fables was called “The Donkey and His Purchaser.” In summation a man wished to purchase a donkey and decided to give the animal a trial to see how the donkey would fit in with his herd. He took the donkey home and put him in the field with the other donkeys. Quickly the donkey-on-trial joined the laziest and greediest donkey. Seeing who the new donkey chose to spend time with, the man returned the donkey back to its owner because he knew the donkey-on-trial would also become lazy and greedy. The moral of the story: a man is known by the company he keeps (www. grammarits.com and Greta Dsouza).
Likewise, a parallel five word phrase from the Bible speaks volumes: “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
The phrases are all about ethics and morals. If you hang around dishonest people, your association with them reflects a lack of good judgement, moral standards and character. Might an examination of who our mainstream 2024 presidential candidates associate with assist America’s 161.4 million registered voters pick out who to vote for on Nov. 5? Your choice for president could also be a direct reflection on your judgement capability, moral standards and character.
Let’s examine Biden and Trump’s respective election associates as they seek to become the 47th president of America.
To date, Joe Biden’s re-election campaign is based upon seeking advice, guidance and counsel from Julie Chavez Rodriguez (campaign manager), Quentin Fulks (principle deputy campaign manager) and Mike Donilon (chief strategist).
Biden’s national campaign co-chairs
include Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (Delaware), Rep. Jim Clyburn (S. Car.), Sen. Chris Coons (Delaware), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (Illinois), Jeffrey Katzenberg (media proprietor), Louisiana Emeritus Rep. Cedric Richmond (Democratic National Committee senior advisor) and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Thirteen others assisting in Biden’s re-election campaign include Colleen Coffey, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, Mia Ehrenberg, Grace Landrieu, Charles Lutvak, Alana Mounce, Kevin Munoz, Michael Pratt, Michael Press, Roohi Rustum, Sara Schreiber, Becca Siegel and Michael Tyler.
None of Biden’s 23 re-election associates have a criminal record, are under investigation or on trial.
Donald Trump’s national staff campaign is composed of two co-campaign managers (Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles), two senior advisors (Brian Jack and Jason Miller), Steven Cheung as communications director and Karoline Leavitt as national press secretary. These individuals have no criminal record.
The remainder of Trump’s re-election campaign aides, allies, assistants and associates who -- according to Reuters News -- have faced criminal prosecution include Steve Bannon, Elliot Broidy, Michael Flynn, Rick Gates, Paul Manafort, Peter Navarro, Stewart Rhodes (Oath Keepers), Roger Stone and Allen Weisselberg.
Four more people can be added to the Reuters News list by what MSNBC has referred to as “Trump’s team of felons”: Tom Barrack, Kenneth Chesebro, George Papadopoulos and Sidney Powell. USA Today claims five additional Trump election associates who’ve had legal trouble of their own include Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows.
The right-wing conservative-based Wall Street Journal notes to not forget Ray Smith III (one of Trump’s 18 co-defendants in the criminal conspiracy to alter the outcome of the 2020 Georgia election) plus Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, alleged for mishandling – with Trump - federal secret classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
And, let’s not forget Trump acolytes and Republican Representatives Andy Biggs (Arizona), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and Scott Perry (Pennsylvania) have violated Congressional ethics rules by defying legitimate Congressional subpoenas related to their involvement in or knowledge of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol meant to overturn the results of a free and fair election.
The Washington Post described the number of people in Trump’s orbit “who’ve been convicted of crimes is so great” as a “remarkable universe of criminality.” Those statements were made in 2019. The size of Trump’s current universe of criminality is even more daunting.
William J.H. Boetcker (1873-1962), a revered Presbyterian minister, is credited for stating “A man is judged by the company he keeps and a company is judged by the men it keeps, and the people of Democratic nations are judged by the type and caliber of officers they elect.”
What will be the caliber of officers `We The People’ elect on Nov. 5? Will the ethics, morals, judgement, character and the company Biden and Trump respectfully keep be a plausible voting guide? Your good (or poor) judgement, moral standards (or not) and character (or lack thereof) may very well be measured by who you vote for on Nov. 5.
Steve Corbin, Professor Emeritus of Marketing,UniversityofNorthernIowa
Troy Hyde/ PCM
Explorer
PCM senior Lark Drake, left, led off the bottom of the first inning with a single against BCLUW on June 27. The Mustangs were limited to three hits in the game but defeated the Comets 2-0.
By Troy Hyde PCM Explorer
MONROE — The PCM softball team has found many different ways to win 20 games this season.
The Class 3A No. 8 Mustangs have registered 11 shutouts, allowed one run five times and surrendered three or less runs in every victory this summer.
And all of that is possible because the squad’s team earned run average is 1.07.
“It’s nice to know we have the pitching this year that can cover up the mistakes we make,” PCM head softball coach Shaun Hudnut said.
The Mustangs didn’t make too many mistakes on June 27 but were limited to only three hits in a 2-0 non-conference win over BCLUW.
PCM won the game because eighth-graders Libby Winters and Camden Webb combined for a no-hitter against the Comets.
Webb tossed the final four frames after Winters started and pitched the first three.
Webb leads the entire state with 10 saves but this time got the win after striking out six and walking just one in four innings.
“I don’t prefer either or. I like them both as long as I get in there,” Webb said when asked if she prefers to start or come in as a reliever. “Being able to come into pitch is less nerve-wracking though because we usually have runs on the board.
Troy
Webb
“It felt good. I was throwing well. The defense made some good plays, too.”
There were not runs on the board when Webb entered the game against BCLUW. PCM was limited to one hit until scoring both runs in the sixth.
Lark Drake walked with one out in the frame, and then moved to third on Tori Lindsay’s two-out single. The ball got past the BCLUW right fielder and rolled all the way to the fence.
That allowed both Drake and Lindsay to move up a base. Drake may have scored but stumbled around second base before strolling into third.
She wasn’t on third base long though as Winters delivered the game-winning two-run, twoout RBI single.
“I was just trying to make contact with the ball to be honest,” Winters said.
The only other hit of the game came from Drake as she singled in the Mustangs’ very first at-bat of the game. They
were retired in order in the second, third and fifth. Winters reached on a fielding error by the Comets’ right fielder in the fourth but was stranded on second base.
“We didn’t quite hit the way we wanted to tonight,” Hudnut said. “We have a few girls who are working through some confidence stuff, others have some technique issues and a lot of it is finding good pitches to hit. We are hitting pitcher’s pitches and not our pitches right now.”
Winters struck out two batters in the first and worked through the first two hitters reaching in the second. She walked another batter with one out in the third.
“It wasn’t the best. I wasn’t hitting my spots,” Winters said. “The defense really helped me out.”
By Troy Hyde PCM Explorer
PRAIRIE CITY — Easton Webb’s quiet bat got a huge wake up call against Nevada on June 26.
With two runners on base in front of him during each of his first two at-bats, Webb slugged a pair of three-run dingers and that was more than enough run support for Jacob Wendt during the PCM baseball team’s 10-0 home victory over Nevada in the Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference finale.
“My bat the last few games has been quiet so it’s a good time to wake up,” Webb said. “It felt pretty good. I was hoping to hit a third one. Who doesn’t right?” Webb was walked on four pitches in his third plate appearance.
But the top four batters in the Mustangs’ lineup — Nick Farver, Kaleb DeVries, Webb and Gabe Hobbs — accounted for seven of the team’s 10 hits, nine of the squad’s 10 runs, eight RBIs and four walks.
Farver and DeVries were on base during both of Webb’s homers.
Farver finished with two hits, one double, three runs and two walks and DeVries chipped in one hit, one walk and three runs and he was hit by one pitch.
Farver leads the squad with 33 total bases, while DeVries has a team-best 24 runs.
“I finally got an extra base hit,” Farver said. “I don’t think I’ve gotten one of those for like a month.
“Last year I had a little taper at the end of my knob, which helped me. I don’t know why it helped. I was talking to one of the coaches — Jason Burns — and told him I thought that was what helped me last year. He
got me a taper and ever since then, I’ve hit better. I feel like I don’t roll over as easy, and I hit the ball a lot harder.”
Farver opened the bottom of the first with a single and DeVries was hit by a pitch. Webb then belted a three-run homer that hit the scoreboard in left field.
In the third, Farver walked, DeVries singled and Webb’s homer came on a 2-0 pitch that he slugged to left-center field.
“We’ve been talking about guy’s setting the table and getting on base by any means necessary,” PCM head baseball coach Lewis Daye said. “Even if that means having a good eye and knowing the zone. That’s how Nick and Kaleb got on. That set the table for Easton.
“That’s one big message we’ve talked a lot about. Just find a way to get on base. The rest takes care of itself.”
The Mustangs (9-12, 7-7 in
the conference) walked it off in the sixth and ended the game early thanks to four more runs. Coby DeRaad started the frame with a single then Farver doubled. DeVries walked to load the bases before Webb reached on an error. Gabe Hobbs then plated one with an RBI fielder’s choice and Jack Jungling made it 9-0 with an RBI double.
Trigg Steenhoek ended the game with two outs in the sixth following an RBI sacrifice fly to
center field. Webb’s two homers gives him six for his career. He ended the game with two hits, two runs, six RBIs and one walk and now leads PCM with 19 RBIs and 17 walks.
“The first one was a curve ball. Teams have been throwing me curve balls all year,” Webb said about his homers. “That’s kind of what I expect to see most of the time.
“I think the second one was a high inside fastball. They tried to mix it up, but I was sitting fastball and adjusting to the curve.”
Hobbs finished with two hits, one run and one RBI, DeRaad had two hits and one run and Jungling doubled, walked once and had one RBI. Alex Wendt also walked once.
Hobbs leads the Mustangs with a .429 batting average and an on-base percentage of .562. Jungling now has a team-best seven doubles and Steenhoek’s 19 RBIs are tied with Webb for the team lead.
That was more than enough run support for Jacob Wendt, who allowed just one hit in five innings. He walked one, hit one and struck out three. Jacob Wendt (2-1) needed just 55 pitches to complete five innings.
Trenner Van Dyke got one inning of work and allowed no hits and no runs.
“My curve ball and slider were pretty good tonight. I think I was able to locate both pitches,” Jacob Wendt said. “Then once I throw them for strikes, I can get the hitters guessing and throw a high fastball. They were taking emergency swings with those all night.”
Daye went with Wendt on the mound in part because of his off-speed pitches.
Troy Hyde/ PCM Explorer PCM sophomore
Addi Hudnut, left, tags out a BCLUW runner who was caught in a run down during their game on June 27. The Mustangs scored twice in the sixth inning and downed the Comets 2-0.
six innings for the Comets (1314) and allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks and she fanned two.
four hits and one walk and struck out eight in four innings, while Webb allowed three hits and struck out four in three frames.
Winters allowed two walks and hit one batter in three innings. Webb improved to 5-1 and lowered her earned run average to .94, which ranks fifth in 3A. She has 68 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings.
“Libby was frustrated with the zone and had trouble with that at times, so we got her through three and thought it was time to make a change,” Hudnut said. Drake led the offense with one hit, one walk and one run, while Winters added one hit and two RBIs and Lindsay posted one hit and one run. Webb drew a walk in the fifth.
Lindsay leads PCM (20-3) with 26 runs and 43 total bases, while Winters improved her team-best RBI total to 27.
The Mustangs are averaging 6.5 runs per game but also have two 2-0 wins, a 1-0 victory and a 3-0 triumph this summer.
Hudnut felt like one of the issues was the team maybe having a bit too much confidence against a 1A team with a sub.500 record.
“Some of it, too, is when you get into that top 10 ranking and you see a .500 team on the other side, I think we mentally thought it was just going to happen,” Hudnut said. “That’s a good lesson for us heading into regionals that we have to take every team serious.”
Klayre Gallentine tossed all
“We knew he would be a good matchup for these guys. Nevada is a good fastball hitting team,” Daye said.
“His off speed stuff was great. His curve ball looked good and he’s throwing in a slider and cut fastball that are working, too. He was able to keep them off balance and didn’t allow them to just hunt the fastball.”
The victory gives PCM a thirdplace finish in the final HOIAC standings. The Mustangs improved to 7-7 and trailed only Class 2A No. 1 West Marshall and 3A Saydel, which is receiving votes in that class poll.
Nevada (10-12, 5-9) was led by Anthony Eaton, who had the team’s only hit and was hit by a pitch. The
PCM 6, Nevada 0
The Mustangs only out-hit Nevada by one but held an 8-1 advantage in walks and hit by pitches during a 6-0 win on June 26.
PCM scored two in the first and two in the fourth and took advantage of one Nevada error in the Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference victory.
The Mustangs finished their conference season with a 13-1 record. They won their first conference championship since 2014 after West Marshall dropped to 12-2 following its 3-2 loss to Saydel.
The 13 wins for Parsons ranks tied for sixth in 3A and she has 93 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings. Her .86 ERA ranks fourth in 3A.
Lillian Humpal had two of the team’s six hits. She doubled and had one RBI, while Lindsay chipped in one hit and one run and she was hit by two pitches. She’s now been plunked a team-most eight times this summer.
“We have to thank Saydel for knocking off West Marshall for us,” Hudnut said. “We knew after we lost to West Marshall the second time we’d have to match them the rest of the way. We just wanted to take care of our side and hopefully get some help.”
They got help from the Eagles and Rylee Parsons and Webb continued to dominate the league in the circle.
Parsons improved to 13-1 after earning the win and Webb picked up her state-leading 10th save. PCM pitchers have 183 strikeouts in 150 innings.
Parsons surrendered no runs,
Webb, Hadley Millang and Addi Hudnut had the other hits, Webb doubled and tallied one RBI and Millang and Hudnut each walked once.
Drake walked once, was hit by one pitch and scored one run, Holly Wood walked once, scored two runs and stole one base and Winters walked once, scored one run and stole one base.
Addi Hudnut scored one run and Addison Steenhoek contributed one RBI.
It was PCM’s eighth straight win over Nevada (9-19, 3-11 in the conference) and the Mustangs outscored them 17-3 in their two meetings this season.
Meagan McGaffin led the Cubs with three hits.
PCM 3, South Hamilton 1
The Mustangs held South Hamilton to three hits, but the
Cubs came into the game winners of four of their past five.
PCM swept the season series against the Cubs, outscoring them 26-4.
It was the Mustangs’ eighth straight victory over Nevada.
PCM had just two games last week. Their road games against Atlantic and Sigourney both were canceled. And its July 1 game against Cardinal also was canceled.
The biggest challenge for Daye and his coaching staff has been finding consistency this season.
“I wish I knew the answer. We just take it one step at a time and want to find something we can build off every game,” Daye said. “Hopefully we start to get the consistency now. Because now is the time.”
South Hamilton 8, PCM 2
The Mustangs were limited to
.429 batting average and a .562 on-base percentage.
game was tied after four during their HOIAC contest on June 24.
PCM scored twice in the fifth and won 3-1 to score the season sweep on Senior Night. It outscored the Hawks 12-1 in the two meetings.
Winters had two of the Mustangs’ seven hits. She tripled, scored one run, had one RBI and stole one base.
Lindsay and Webb both doubled and had one RBI, Steenhoek, Humpal and Addi Hudnut had the other hits, Drake was hit by a pitch and Lindsay scored one run.
Drake is the team’s lone senior who was recognized before the game.
Millang walked once and Peyton Lathrum stole one base and scored one run.
Parsons earned the pitching win after allowing one earned run on four hits and one walk in five innings. She struck out seven. Webb earned the save after surrendering no hits and no runs and striking out one in two frames.
Ashlyn Erickson doubled, walked once and stole one base to lead South Hamilton. The Hawks (13-6, 5-9) lost their eighth straight game to PCM.
Notes: Last week’s non-conference games against Knoxville and Des Moines Christian were canceled. … The Mustangs earned the top seed in 3A Region 2 and open the postseason against Greene County at 7 p.m. on July 11 in Monroe.
five hits and were plagued by two errors during an 8-2 conference loss to South Hamilton on June 24.
PCM fell behind early and never recovered during its Senior Night.
The Hawks led 2-0 after one and added four in the fourth and two in the fifth. The Mustangs scored once in the fourth and fifth.
Jungling led PCM with two hits, one double and one RBI, while Jacob Wendt clubbed his first homer of the season.
Farver tallied one hit, one run, one walk and one steal, Alex Wendt got the other hit and Hobbs walked once.
Shay Burns (1-2) took the pitching loss after allowing six runs — one earned — on five hits, one walk and two hit batters in four innings. He struck out five.
Carson Hansen surrendered two earned runs despite not allowing a hit in three frames. He walked three and hit three batters.
The six seniors recognized before the game were Hobbs, Jungling, Farver, Webb, Jacob Wendt and Jacob Gentry.
Landon Greufe led the Hawks’ offense with two hits, one run and one RBI and Prestin Van De Pol added one hit, two runs and one walk and he was hit by a pitch.
Landon Sogard tossed all seven innings. He struck out eight and surrendered two earned runs.
PCM is 20-9 against South Hamilton (9-10, 6-8) since 2009. The Mustangs have won four of the past six but the Hawks have claimed two of the last three.
PCM senior Nick Farver leads the Mustang baseball team with 33 total bases and 28 hits. He’s currently batting .359 and has an on-base percentage of .415. Farver has scored 20 runs and stole five bases this summer, too, and has only struck out seven times in 78 at-bats.
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