Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024
Vol. 5, No. 23
PCMExplorer Local People. Local Stories.
Is there a snow day today? Guidelines help show when PCM schools will stay home from class due to weather By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
Winter break is having a hard time letting go with students and staff at area schools getting multiple snow and cold weather days at the start of January. PCM Community School District recently released its guidelines for when school will be let out early, delayed or canceled due to weather. “As always, the safety and well-being of students and staff is our top priority, and deciding to close, delay or release school can be challenging,” superintendent Michelle Havenstrite said. “PCM is committed to implementing a weather-related closing or delay process that ensures decisions are made wisely and timely to keep students and staff safe and the community informed.” To start, if a weather situation arises, the superintendent will consult with experts inside and outside of the dis-
trict. District officials use the National Weather Service (NWS) website to monitor weather conditions and forecasts to make weather-related decisions. At PCM, they specifically utilize information from the NWS for Prairie City and Monroe. The NWS’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) wind chill index chart is also utilized. “Schools will be closed or delayed if the NWS forecasts a sustained wind chill of -25 degrees Fahrenheit or colder or actual sustained temperature of -15 degrees Fahrenheit or colder,” Havenstrite said. “A delay or release will be considered if the above temperatures are forecast between the travel times of 5:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. and/or 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. A school cancellation will be considered if the forecast temperatures fall within our guidelines for 10 a.m. the following morning.”
Jasper County to pay more rent for Monroe congregate meal site
The Gathering Place will receive $400 per month, but elderly nutrition is monitoring efficiency By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
For early dismissal, a decision will be determined as soon as possible and preferably by 10:30 a.m. The release time may vary depending on weather conditions. Students who ride the bus will be returned by bus unless other arrangements have been communicated with the student’s school. “School will be delayed if the forecast for
Elderly nutrition received authorization from the board of supervisors on Jan. 16 to increase the county’s rent payments to The Gathering Place from $200 per month to $400 per month in order to use the facility for congregate meals, so long as attendance is high enough to justify the increased rate. Kelli Van Manen, program director for Jasper County Elderly Nutrition, told the board of supervisors she would monitor the amount of attendees until June to determine if the meal site is a wise investment, a sentiment that pleased the fiscally conservative supervisors. Van Manen is looking forward to the new site. “I really would like to see a site there,” Van Manen said. The original contract with The Gathering Place was approved in November 2023 at $200 per month. Staff indicated to Van Manen at the time they needed $300 in rent; the county’s portion would cover the bulk, but it was requested the Monroe City Council create a 28E agreement to pay $100 per month for its portion. “I sent it down to The Gathering Place. Didn’t get it back so I checked in and they had people who apparently were not involved in the original $300. (They) had questions and just were doing some more research
GUIDELINES | 3
MEALS | 3
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer With a variety of ages on the roads in cars, trucks, buses and more, plus students that may be walking to school, extra care is given to decisions relating to weather travel. In most cases, decisions and notifications will be made by 6:30 a.m. If possible, a notification will go out by 9 p.m. the night prior.
School will be canceled if heavy snow and/ or ice make it exceedingly hazardous or impossible for school buses to travel routes along with staff and students to attend school safely. In most cases, decisions and notifications will be made by 6:30 a.m. If possible, a notification will go out by 9 p.m. the night prior. All activities, practices and events will be canceled unless otherwise noted.
Jasper County wants Trump, and so does the rest of Iowa
Preliminary results of Iowa Republican Caucus show Trump’s popularity is still strong By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Donald Trump was the clear favorite going into the Iowa Republican Caucus, and results show that was true in both the state and in Jasper County. Out of the 1,375 registered Republicans who voted in Jasper County precincts, 751 (about 54 percent) voted for the former president to be the nominee. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis received 314 votes (about 22 percent) while former South Carolina Gov. Nikki received 179 votes (13 percent). Meanwhile Vivek Ramaswamy earned only 108 votes in Jasper County.
Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer Supporters of Donald Trump watch a video of the former president speaking to them about the Iowa caucuses and supporting his campaign.
The long-shots Ryan Binkley and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson received 19 votes and three votes, respectively. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie got no votes in Jasper County, and altogether he received a measly 35 votes in Iowa.
COLD CAUCUS, COLOSSAL CROWDS Turnout high at Jasper County caucuses despite frigid temperatures, deep snow By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer Jack and Jean Ferguson were not going to miss the Republican caucus, and neither was the woman whose car they found stuck in the middle of the road. Like them, she was on her way to the Kellogg precinct, going against the national narrative that Iowans would not show up for caucus due to recent snowstorms.
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“She had run into a big snowbank,” Jack said. “The maintainers had not been able to get through the road at that point, so they backed out and didn’t finish plowing the road. She come upon it too fast, couldn’t get stopped and had run into the snowbank. She couldn’t even open her door. She was buried!” Thankfully, the driver had a CAUCUS | 3
According to the preliminary results posted by the Republican Party of Iowa, Trump commanded a 51 percent victory statewide with 56,260 votes as of 11:22 a.m. Jan. 17. In total, 110,298 votes were cast. DeSantis got 23,420 votes (21.2 percent) while Haley ended up with
21,085 votes (19.1 percent). Ramaswamy could not break into a five-digit total, receiving 8,449 votes (7.7 percent). Binkley got 774 votes (0.7 percent) and Hutchinson got 191 votes (0.2 percent). Interestingly, Trump seemingly won 98 of Iowa’s 99 counties. Haley pulled an outlier victory in Johnson County, beating Trump by only one vote. At the Newton precinct of Jasper County caucuses, Trump was supported by special guest speaker Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. Initially, Newton resident Dean Earnhart stepped up as the speaker in favor of the former president, but after some issues with the microphone Gaetz took the lead. “I want to start just by thanking all of you because I watched the mainstream media say the weather was too cold, your blood is too thin, that folks wouldn’t come and turnout for these TRUMP | 3
‘It’s time’: The Farmer’s Wife closes its doors, leaving behind strong legacy Newton small business was considered the ‘anchor’ of the downtown By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer For the past 21 years, Bonnie Terpstra took pride in making sure she utilized every square inch of space in The Farmer’s Wife to display her home decor merchandise, and after announcing last month that the downtown business would be closing its doors, large gaps have started to appear on
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the walls. But none will be as large or as impactful as the gap left behind by one of Newton’s most popular and most resilient small businesses. In a series of Facebook posts, Terpstra explained she has no Terpstra specific end date; it all depends on when her inventory is depleted. THE FARMER’S WIFE | 2
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