THURSDAY, NOV. 6, 2025 • VOLUME N0. 124 • ISSUE NO. 7 • 1 SECTION • 8 PAGES
Serving Colfax • Mingo • Baxter • Western Jasper County
Baxter continues progress to bring Dollar General to town
Rezone and new plat of survey approved on first reading by Baxter City Council By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune Progress is continuing to bring a Dollar General store to Baxter. During the October city council meeting, it was approved to rezone the property and approve the plat of survey on the corner of East Avenue and Highway F-17 West on the southeast side of the community. Following the approval of the Baxter Planning and Zoning Commission to rezone the property from R-2 High Density Residential to C-1 Commercial and the plat of survey submitted by the Overland Group, LLC, Baxter City Council took up the subject. During a public hearing, Overland Group attorney John Fatino
spoke in favor of the plat and noted both the city engineer and Jasper County gave their approval. Citizens Brock and Robin Hansen raised concerns about stormwater calculations and requested a meeting with the engineers from the Overland Group, MSA Professional Services and Jasper County to review drainage data with more detail. Robin Hansen raised similar questions during the planning and zoning commission meeting where City Engineer Nichole Sungren with MSA Professional Services said that the storm-water design meets Iowa’s Statewide DOLLAR GENERAL | 3
Submitted Photo Progress is moving forward to bring a Dollar General store to Baxter. The city council recently approved to rezone the space for commercial use.
‘You are special. Never stop believing that.’ Annie Jr.’ to hit the stage at Colfax-Mingo Jr./Sr. High Nov. 7 and 8 By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune It’s only a few days away. The Colfax-Mingo Jr./Sr. High production of “Annie Jr.” will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 and 8 at the Colfax-Mingo Jr./Sr. High School auditorium. “Productions like ‘Annie Jr.’ give Colfax-Mingo students a chance to grow in confidence, creativity and teamwork,” director Tyler Harper said. “The arts teach kids to communicate, problem-solve and express themselves — skills that last far beyond the stage.” At the start of the year, Harper selected three productions for the students to choose from
Submitted Photo Colfax-Mingo students look to shine on the stage during the production of “Annie Jr.” Nov. 7 and 8.
that he know would work at the school. The kids spent a few weeks watching clips from the show and sharing their thoughts, excitements and boredoms before making a selection. “Overall the students felt this was a great show for the community — especially their younger siblings,” Harper said. Rehearsals started with 40 kids playing a part in making the production come to life. From acting on stage to make sure the music starts on cue and finding
the perfect lighting, everyone has an important part to play to make the show go off without a hitch. “Rehearsal has been so much fun,” Harper said. “Many students that aren’t performing have helped our cast in learning their parts. We laugh a lot, but the students have crammed a lot of learning into a very short learning period. There hasn’t been a day go by that I haven’t seen a different student shine.” Productions at Colfax-Min-
go can differ from other area schools because they involve students in grades 7 through 12. By having one show for the school, it gives students a great opportunity to learn from each other and make goals for themselves for the future. “Because our musicals are 7-12, kids that normally don’t spend much time together spend time learning from each other,” Harper said. “The younger students spend time trying to reach the level of the older students. The older students work hard to pass on knowledge, but they make sure they keep developing skills to keep them ahead of the young ones.” With opening night coming up soon, Harper is getting excited to see the kids shine on stage and show off all of their hard work. “It is always a joyful experience when our audiences see the
OORAH! 250 YEARS OF MARINES
Jasper County veterans are celebrating the semiquincentennial of the U.S. Marine Corps on Nov. 10 at American Legion Post 111 in Newton By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune How do you spot a Marine? Well, if you’re a civilian in Jasper County, you may have to rely on them wearing their signature red T-shirts sporting the corps insignia, or work up the courage to shout “oorah!” in a crowded room, hoping the battle cry is returned. And it almost always is. For the retired Marines in Jasper County, they can take one look at someone and usually tell if they had served in the U.S. Marine Corps. They tell me there is just something about them that makes them stand out from other people. That sense of familiarity was developed from
talent and abilities of our kids. I’m ready to see them shine,” Harper said. “My favorite part to every show is the closing song. You get to watch all these teenagers just belting their hearts out, living in the moment. No troubles. No worries. Just singing.” Performances of ‘Annie Jr.’ will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 in the Colfax-Mingo Jr./ Sr. High School auditorium. Tickets are $5 and only available at the door. “We’re so thankful for the incredible support from our parents and community in bringing ‘Annie Jr.’ to life. Whether through donations, meals for our cast, costume and set help or the generous gift of time, this show truly represents the spirit of Colfax-Mingo,” Harper said. “We hope the community will join us for an evening of music, laughter and joy as our students shine on stage.”
Ashley Hinson does not support ‘nuclear option’ to end government shutdown Congresswoman and U.S. Senate candidate suggests bypassing filibuster would backfire By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Hinson told reporters last week s h e d o e s n o t s u p p o r t Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune t h e From left: Duane Wacha, Art Heikkila, Wesley Justus, Charlotte Ross, Mady “ n u McKim and Leo Yokiel showcase a table featuring the U.S. Marine Corps inclear signia at the American Legion Post 111 in Newton. Shawoption” Media their rigorous training themselves. It is like an of the core values. It is of reand it hasn’t gone away. aura only they can de- with them forever, even moving Marines can pick each tect, and it derives from after they have been disthe filHinson other out from crowds a shared experience of charged. ibuster by the way they sit or combat, basic training in order to reopen the act or how they carry or the memorization MARINES | 3 federal government, sayest. 1851
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ing that doing so could allow Democrats to “pack the courts” and take more seats when the pendulum swings the other way. Des Moines Register’s Stephen Gruber-Miller recently reported that Hinson’s primary opponent for U.S. Senator of Iowa, Jim Carlin, said he would support the nuclear option to bypass the Senate filibuster and pass a government funding bill with a simple majority of 51 votes rather than a super majority of 60 votes. HINSON | 3
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