THURSDAY, AUG. 22, 2024 • VOLUME N0. 123 • ISSUE NO. 49 • 1 SECTION • 8 PAGES
Serving Colfax • Mingo • Baxter • Western Jasper County
‘It’s such an honor’
A pop of color Mingo adds sculpture to Chichaqua Valley Trail
Larry Opfer inducted as member of 4-H Hall of Fame By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune 4-H has been a part of Larry Opfer’s life for almost as long as he can remember. From his time as a Hamilton Hot Shot in Decatur County, to serving as a horse superintendent at the Jasper County Fair, he has stayed busy and helped a lot of 4-H’ers on their journeys through the organization. Opfer was honored as a 4-H Hall of Fame member during a ceremony Aug. 18 at the 4-H Building during the Iowa State Fair. “When I got the letter, I couldn’t speak for about five minutes,” Opfer said. “It’s an honor, such an honor.” Opfer started his 4-H career while growing up in south central Iowa. His leadership abilities showed early and during his eight years with the Hamilton Hot Shots he served in each leadership office at least once. He learned a lot of those skills close to home. “As a kid in the fair, my mother was my leader,” Opfer said. “She was the first woman to be a leader of a men’s club in the State of Iowa.”
By Jamee A. Pierson Jasper County Tribune Bikers traveling along the Chichaqua Valley Trail have a new spot to stop for a photo. Located at the Mingo trailhead, a large M sculpture greets travelers as they enter the community. “In 2020, Mingo Hometown Pride completed the Trees Forever Community Visioning
Program,” Mingo Hometown Pride member Emily Perry said. “This was an extensive, year-long process that brought in partners and stakeholders from our community to design a long-term list of projects that will improve the city for both residents and visitors. Our longterm projects include a downtown streetscape, TRAIL | 3
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune Jasper County’s Larry Opfer with his 4-H Hall of Fame induction certificate during the ceremony Aug. 18 at the Iowa State Fair.
He continued down the path participating in educational presentations at both the county and state fair level, receiving an excellence rating and serving on county and area 4-H councils. Opfer also worked to encourage and assist younger 4-H members by conducting a county-wide swine fitting and showmanship workshop. He was also a member of the livestock judging team. Leadership and delegate roles brought Opfer to the Iowa 4-H
Conference, the American Royal Livestock Show, the National 4-H Conference and the Citizenship Trip to Washington D.C. His hard work was rewarded with a 4-H achievement scholarship that he used at Iowa State University to study agriculture business and finance. Following graduation, Opfer started a career in banking initially helping those farmers impacted HALL OF FAME | 3
Jamee A. Pierson/Jasper County Tribune The new “M” sculpture brings a burst of color to the Mingo Chichaqua Valley Trailhead.
Geotechnical services approved for 2 bridges in Jasper County Engineer says structures are longer, so the soil conditions need to be inspected By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune
Submitted by Jasper County The bridge over Cherry Creek along South 24th Avenue East caved in as a result of floodwaters.
Two bridges due to be replaced within the next year or so were approved for geotechnical services this week by the Jasper County Board of Supervisors, and one of which was a bridge destroyed by floodwaters this past spring. The county engineer, Michael Frietsch, said the soil needs inspected to fit longer designs. “Both are going to be 120-footspan, steel beam bridges with poured concrete decks on them,” Frietsch said. “The longest bridge that we’ve done with a package deal is about 80 feet with a steel backwall abutment. So we’ve got to kind of revisit our steel backwall pile design here for both these
bridges.” In order to do that, the county will hire Allender Butzke Engineers Inc. to drill soil borings, test them in a lab and then provide a report of the findings for the bridge on North 107th Avenue West over Mud Creek (Bridge D05) and the bridge on South 24th Avenue West over Cherry Creek (Bridge M03). Bridge M03 was destroyed by floodwaters in May, along with Bridge M08 located northwest of Newton on North 35th Avenue West; Bridge L01, located east of Newton on South 12th Avenue East; and Bridge A08, located north of F-17 on North 99th Avenue East. All were included in the engineer’s five-year plan. Following the report from Allender Butzke Engineers Inc., the
county engineer will know what the soil conditions are like in the locations of these two bridges. This will allow the county to size the bridge appropriately and then proceed with bidding out the steel backwall abutments for both bridges. Jasper County will pay Allender Butzke Engineers Inc. $7,900 for geotechnical services for Bridge D05 and $6,000 for the same services for Bridge M03. According to county documents, the field exploration could be scheduled to be conducted within one to two weeks of receiving authorization, weather permitting. The contractor will provide a verbal report of its findings and recommendations within one week after drilling. A written report will follow a week later.
Miller-Meeks boasts conservative approach to climate change at Newton biorefinery Climate Caucus, whose mission the above, as we reduce emisCongresswoman is to find “practical and export- sions,” Miller-Meeks said. “Our answers” to reducing emis- goal as members of the Consersays Iowa is a model able sions and making energy more vative Climate Caucus is to do affordable. just that. Lower emissions to for other states For the past three months, have a cleaner, healthier planet Miller-Meeks has served as while we compete economically when it comes to chair of the Republican-led cau- around the globe.” renewable energy cus, which was founded in June Miller-Meeks suggested By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks last week visited the Chevron Renewable Energy Group biorefinery in Newton alongside fellow Republican members of the Conservative
2021 by U.S. Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah. Miller-Meeks told reporters outside Chevron REG that in order to meet the goals of the caucus, the United States needs abundant and reliable energy. “Energy demand is going up and will require all of the above energy sources, any of CONTACT US
Iowa is already making a difference, noting that more than 50 percent of Iowa’s energy is renewables and more than 60 percent of the state’s electricity is powered by wind. She added that Iowa is a net exporter of energy, meaning its total energy BIOREFINERY | 3
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Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune est. 1851 U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks speaks with reporters on Aug. 15 outside Chevron Renewable Enegy Group in Newton. As chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus, Miller-Meeks spoke about climate change and the need for an “all of the above” approach to renewable energies.
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