THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2025 • VOLUME N0. 124 • ISSUE NO. 37 • 1 SECTION • 10 PAGES
Serving Colfax • Mingo • Baxter • Western Jasper County
CAMP ONE, CAMP ALL By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune
Camping Rules
Summer is here and there is no better time to load up the RV and try out a new camping site. RV@ QSP, the new RV campground at Quarry Springs Park in Colfax, is open for business, and everyone involved with the project can’t wait to see people pull in, hook up and enjoy everything the park has to give. “We are very excited,” Quarry Springs Park Board President Kimberly Seebeck said. The RV campground, which has been in the works for several years, got a big boost when the Iowa Economic Development Authority announced in 2022 the recreation area was awarded $400,000 for improvements to the park. The funds helped make RV@QSP a reality along with a modern shower house and bathrooms and an ADA-accessible dock. The RV campground includes 40 sites and a restroom/shower facility at the park. Each site has 30 and 50 amp electric hook-ups, CAMPING | 3
RV at Quarry Springs Park now open for campers
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune RV@QSP, the RV campground at Quarry Springs Park in Colfax, is now open and ready for the first camping season. To make reservations or learn more about the park, visit their website at www.quarryspringspark.com.
Colfax Farmers Market now on Wednesdays Organizer Nikki Stravers said the move came to avoid competing with other area farmers markets
• Large organized groups can contact the park for special arrangements at 515-478-6272. • All visitors must leave and quiet hours must be observed from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., including generators. Excessive noise of any kind will not be allowed. The Colfax Police Department patrols the park 24 hours. • Camper checkout is 1 p.m. • All animals must be on a leash at all times. • Limit of occupancy is 14 consecutive days. Campers are then required to leave the park for 72 hours. • Fires are permitted only in fire rings. Do not move the rings. • All garbage must be placed in refuse containers. Do not put garbage in the fire rings. • There is no swimming or ice fishing allowed anywhere within the park. • Firewood is available for $7 per tub. Contact Campground Host for assistance, call park phone at 515-4786272 or request with your reservation. • Park staff are given authority to refuse camping privileges and to rescind any and all camping permits for cause with no refunds. • This is not a complete list of park rules. Please contact park staff with questions. • Park staff is given the authority to refuse camping privileges and to rescind any and all camping permits for cause with no refunds.
Proposed road reclassification of N. 75th Ave. W. falls through for now Apprehensions from residents heard, supervisors to discuss future plans By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune The Colfax Farmers Market is now held each Wednesday in Mineral Springs Park, a move from its previous Tuesday date. The farmers market will be open from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday through Aug. 27.
Democrat Bob Krause announces run for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District Candidate previously ran for U.S. Senate, worked as state lawmaker in 1970s By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune Bob Krause, a former state legislator, announced this week he will be running for Congress as a Democrat to oust the 1st Congressional District’s Republican incumbent, U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. In a May 26 press release, he launched the slogan: “Flip The House With Krause.” To him and his campaign, that rallying cry serves as a reminder to voters that control of the
entire U.S. House of Representatives hinges on just a few key races. It also rei n f o rces just h o w c o m petitive a n d volatile Krause I o w a’s fi r s t congressional district has been ever since Miller-Meeks was first elected in 2020. It was that same year CONTACT US
that widespread recounts determined Miller-Meeks won against Democrat Rita Hart by only six votes. In 2024, Miller-Meeks narrowly retained her seat once again, albeit not as close as her race against Hart; Miller-Meeks won against Democrat Christina Bohannan by less than 800 votes. Republicans in the district were forced to choose between Miller-Meeks and challenger David Pautsch in the KRAUSE | 3
No action was taken to reclassify a mile of gravel road in Jasper County, which would have reduced the level of maintenance it received from secondary roads crews. Residents who own property on North 75th Avenue West argued against the proposal, prompting supervisors to rethink their strategy going forward. Especially considering the county engineer has identified 300 miles of roads that could — or should — be reclassified from Level A to Level B. Jasper County has more than 1,000 miles of roads. If they are all reclassified to Level B roads, county policy dictates they receive no rock to reinforce the surface. Operators will blade the roads once a year, but county policy restricts many other kinds of routine maintenance. Level B roads also are not eligible for county snow removal during the winter months. Farmers who own or rent the land or use the road as a route to enter their fields were strongly against reduced maintenance. The section of North 75th Avenue West between West 116th Shaw Media Street North and West 108th Street North was identified as a Level B candidate mostly due to it not having any homes on the road, low traffic and the presence of a weight restricted bridge, which supervisors said would not est. 1851
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get replaced any time soon. County Engineer Michael Frietsch said this particular road was one of nine he looked to reclassify to a Level B this year. Earlier this year, the county reclassified a portion of Indian Street to a Level B road, despite pushback from property owners. The matter was similarly settled in three separate public hearings. “What we’re trying to do here is we’re trying to make sure that whatever dollars that we receive — whether from property tax or Road Use Tax funds — are getting spent to the maximum benefit,” Frietsch said. “Spending a lot of money on North 75th Avenue West does not have a large, countywide-type benefit.” By doing this, the county argued it can better focus its efforts on roads that need resources to improve their surfaces. Especially those that lead to paved routes. Since other road reclassifications are in the works, supervisors ultimately decided on May 27 to hold back with making any further decisions until a more plan could be made. Questions and concerns from a board room full of residents these past three weeks signified a need to review this plan or make changes to policies. When it came time for the board to discuss the road reclassification, Supervisor Brandon Talsma suggested no action be taken until the larger conversation about this topic has concluded. He appreciated residents for coming to the public hearings and sharing their apprehensions with officials. “I think we need to have a larger conversation about what constitutes NO ACTION | 3
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