THURSDAY, SEPT. 25, 2025 • VOLUME N0. 125 • ISSUE NO. 1 • 1 SECTION • 8 PAGES
Serving Colfax • Mingo • Baxter • Western Jasper County
Ballots set for local elections By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune The ballot is set for the Nov. 4 election. Candidates for Colfax, Mingo and Baxter governments and the Colfax-Mingo and Baxter school boards have submitted their papers for consideration to serve for the next few years in their communities. Colfax-Mingo School Board Each open seat has a candidate for the Colfax-Mingo School Board. Chet Wil-
liams for the at-large opening, Kendra Perry for District 1, Patrick Utz for District 3 and Caitlin Otto for District 4 will fill out the seats up for election this cycle Baxter School Board Zach Morphew-Rapp and Cory Robinson are the two candidates for the two open seats on the Baxter School Board. The school district will also be voting PPEL, or a physical plant and equipment levy tax not to exceed 67 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation of the taxable property within the school district.
Candidates for local school boards, city councils and mayor are finalized for the Nov. 4 election
PPEL funds can be used to purchase and improving grounds, constructing schoolhouses or buildings and opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings, purchase buildings, purchase, lease or lease-purchase of technology and equipment, pay debts contracted for the erection or construction of schoolhouses or buildings, not including interest on bonds, procure or acquisition of libraries, repairing, remodeling, reconstructing, improving or expanding the schoolhouses or buildings and additions to existing schoolhous-
Welcome home Heather Rawlins opens a storefront in Colfax, a community that has meant so much to her
es, expenditures for energy conservation, renting facilities under Iowa Code Chapter 28E, purchasing transportation equipment for transporting students, lease purchase option agreements for school buildings or equipment, or purchasing equipment authorized by law. City of Colfax Familiar names fill out the Colfax City Council seats up for election. Brad Magg and Karla Jones look to continue serving BALLOTS | 2
GROWING TOGETHER
Kids and volunteers plant trees at the Baxter school and Geise Park as a part of Iowa Department of Natural Resources Trees for Kids Grant
Submitted Photo Amy Herndon, left, with Heather Rawlins, second to left, cut the ceremonial ribbon during a celebration to open their real estate office in downtown Colfax.
By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune It was a homecoming for realtor Heather Rawlins and her Iowa Realty business when she opened an office in Colfax. Now located at 121 N. Walnut St., Suite A, Raw-
lins, along with realtor Amy Herndon, are excited to be closer to the people they serve. “Colfax is home,” Rawlins said. “We recognized an opportunity here in the rural communities and have been supported by these rural buyers
Iowa governor candidates shoot their shot at Jasper County trapshoot Republicans have a large pool of hopefuls to choose from come primary season By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune Four candidates running for governor of Iowa made appearances to the Jasper County Republican Party Trapshoot fundraiser this past weekend. U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, Iowa House Rep. Eddie Andrews, former Iowa House Rep. Brad Sherman and former Iowa Department of Administrative Services Director Adam Steen were the “celebrity guests” of the trapshoot on Sept. 13 at the Jasper County Gun Club in Newton. Some even participated in the shoot. Prior to the celebrity trapshoot portion of the fundraiser, each Republican candidate was given a few minutes to speak for their campaign. Feenstra made a brief appearance but left early due to a prior commitment, so he was unable to speak. They were all introduced by party chair Jim Farland. Andrews was upfront with party members: He was TRAPSHOOT | 3 CONTACT US
and sellers for the last five years. We wanted to be closer to the communities and more embedded to help make a difference in real estate, development and growth for our rural communities.” HOME | 2
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune
Miller-Meeks calls for more free speech, condemns celebrating political violence Congresswoman addresses Oskaloosa teacher incident at Jasper County fundraiser By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks this past weekend called for more discourse and free speech in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination while also condemning an Oskaloosa teacher who exercised his free speech by celebrating the conservative activist’s death in an inflammatory post on social media. “We need more debate. We need more discourse. We need more free speech,” she said. “But we also have to hold people accountable.” The congresswoman’s conflicting message was given during the Jasper County Republican Party Trapshoot fundraiser on Sept. 13 in Newton. Miller-Meeks prefaced her remarks by saying there is a lot of
extremism in politics now and that elected officials should be counted on to “bring down the temperature.” Miller-Meeks also told fellow party members that there is no place for political violence in the United States and that Republicans have to make that known. She also mentioned that she condemned the assassination of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband back in June. Miller-Meeks claimed Kirk’s main goals in life were to have more debate and more discourse and to support free speech. However, she also said people have Shaw to be held Media accountable for their speech, particularly when it comes to celebrating political violence. She specifically mentioned the incident in Oskaloosa. est. 1851
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Christopher Braunschweig/ Jasper County Tribune U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks speaks during the Jasper County Republican Party Trapshoot fundraiser on Sept. 13 in Newton.
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