Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions Search autocomplete is currently not responding Welcome to the Linn Creek District: Marshalltown's Emerging Cultural and Recreational Hub Nestled just south of historic downtown Marshalltown the Linn Creek District is being transformed into a vibrant destination that celebrates our community’s creativity the revitalization of this corridor brings new life to an area rich in potential—blending recreation Key Projects Shaping the Linn Creek District Apgar Family Water Plaza – “Skipping Stones” Located between Mega-10 Park and the Marshalltown Family Aquatic Center interactive water feature is inspired by the joy of skipping stones The plaza design includes a central sculpture and seating areas for families and visitors Construction is currently underway and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025 with the plaza opening to the public in the spring/summer of 2026 Keyser Trailhead & Emerson Bridge Connection This key piece of trail infrastructure will enhance access to the Iowa River’s Edge Trail as well as a pedestrian bridge over Linn Creek Construction of the bridge and trailhead is underway with substantial completion anticipated by the end of 2025 This beloved community theater is receiving upgrades to meet ADA accessibility Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2024 with project completion targeted for late 2025 or early 2026 depending on final design and funding milestones Public art is a cornerstone of the Linn Creek District’s identity Each project integrates original artworks designed to reflect the culture and creative design elements will be visible throughout the district enhancing both aesthetics and community pride To learn more about the artists, themes, and public input that are shaping the Linn Creek District’s visual identity, visit the Arts & Culture Alliance’s “Re-Imagining the Linn Creek District” page The Linn Creek District is being realized through a combination of City funding and significant state and federal grants—including a $2 million Destination Iowa grant The City of Marshalltown is proud to partner with local stakeholders to bring these shared visions to life As projects come to life over the next 18–24 months residents and visitors alike will begin to see the Linn Creek District evolve into a destination unlike any other in the region We extend our heartfelt thanks to the individuals and organizations who have already contributed to the Linn Creek District projects Your generosity is helping turn a bold community vision into reality—creating spaces that inspire and enrich the lives of everyone in Marshalltown If you haven’t yet joined this effort there’s still time to make an impact Your donation will help us complete these exciting projects and ensure the Linn Creek District is a source of pride for generations to come Join us today in building something extraordinary we’re reimagining the heart of Marshalltown—where art MARSHALLTOWN Director of Category Sales and Marketing Jon Vance who served as the MC of Wednesday morning’s groundbreaking ceremony for the iconic local tool manufacturer’s latest expansion at the south end of its 8th Avenue campus was full of gratitude as he recognized several of the key players who have helped to make the project a reality — including direct descendants of founders Lester and Jessie Williams and other luminaries in the company’s storied 135-year history Today marks yet another investment in the same piece of property we’ve called home we’ve been located on 8th Avenue for 123 years,” he said and it’s not only the people outside with us today or the people continuing to manufacture products for our customers inside That team has grown substantially in recent years as MARSHALLTOWN has acquired other companies in North Carolina Illinois and Arkansas while also growing its additional facilities in Fayetteville A 200,000 square foot facility is currently under construction in Kansas City and the Marshalltown headquarters will grow by about 170,000 square feet once this project is complete marking the third expansion in Iowa in the last six years I’m asked ‘What makes MARSHALLTOWN special?’ Unfortunately for me that question isn’t tied to product differentiation although if anybody wants to nerd out after this event and my answer’s always the same,” Vance said MARSHALLTOWN’s been blessed (with a) storied history — driven thoughtful and engaged leaders and hardworking as many of the company’s competitors have come and gone over the years but MARSHALLTOWN has survived through world wars As he dove into the plans for the expansion which will include a new employee entrance and break room along with more manufacturing space Vance again turned his focus to the company’s history and its roots in the late 19th century when the Williams brothers started a blacksmith automobile and bicycle repair business and sold mail-order trowels before noting a long list of the companies MARSHALLTOWN has acquired in the last six years “We now have over 10,000 products in our catalog We’re supporting something like 15 different trades and industries I could probably get that up to 20,” he said “What was once simply Marshalltown Trowel is now MARSHALLTOWN home of the iconic American made tool brands That’s why this nearly 200,000 square feet expansion is essential MARSHALLTOWN is American manufacturing.” Vance first handed off the microphone to Mayor Joel Greer who was brief in his remarks as he had to head to Fort Dodge for a professional obligation “I’d like to say this about MARSHALLTOWN Company This organization has sent more people who work here to things like the city council We’ve got some other really good manufacturing companies and other major employers in town but MARSHALLTOWN Company is one of those you can just count on to be involved in the community,” he said Next up was Woodruff Construction Northeast Region President John Mallen who shouted out several individuals involved in the architectural HVAC and engineering work on the project along with members of his own team at Woodruff Mallen described MARSHALLTOWN as his “ideal client.” “What it really boils down to is that we share similar values dependability and employment,” he said Mallen noted that the project would involve removing a street and creating a detention pond while 8th Avenue is redone completely for stormwater reasons “And that’s not only helping MARSHALLTOWN but that’s helping this area of the community So that really hits on our second core value of service to others,” he said but I’m gonna stop there because I’m gonna need content for the next groundbreaking that we do He also expressed appreciation for the close relationship his company has formed with MARSHALLTOWN leaders before the third John of the day MARSHALLTOWN Vice President of Iowa and Illinois Operations and Engineering John Christen Almost every company wants to make a really good quality product for their customers and they probably have good or maybe great product ideas and sales and marketing teams that reach their customers but very few of them take on the challenges of manufacturing those products themselves,” Christen said As a frequent watcher of the popular television show “Shark Tank,” he noted that the aspiring entrepreneurs never ask for money to manufacture the products and are often advised to do it in other countries at a lower cost “We’re incredibly lucky to work for a company that values making our own products and is willing to invest in these kinds of facilities and state of the art equipment inside in a really awesome team of people that work so hard in trying to figure out not just how to have the best products in our industry but to be leaders in the manufacturing of those products,” Christen said he read a letter from MARSHALLTOWN President/CEO Joe Carter thanking everyone who was there to witness the milestone of another major groundbreaking we’ll have VAUGHAN hammers sending nails into 2x4s We’ll have Bullet flooring cutters cutting vinyl tile and carpet squares BARWALT knee pads supporting workers setting tile DASCO PRO nail punches helping carpenters finish the trim work and when the snow finally arrives later this year polar plungers clearing the sidewalk around this new facility,” Carter wrote Reiterating the company’s proud 135-year history and its continued trajectory of growth at multiple locations around the U.S. Carter wrote that Jessie and Lester Williams must be proud of what MARSHALLTOWN is today along with other leaders like Larry McCumber “I hope the team members of MARSHALLTOWN who are here 135 years from now will look back on these moments and find that we did a great job of continuing the legacy of building an even better foundation for their future,” Carter wrote the shovel holders tossed the ceremonial dirt and the construction project officially began in earnest Christen and Vance went into more detail about the expansion which will add between 60,000 and 75,000 square feet of factory space break rooms and locker rooms in its first phase — slated for completion in late 2025 or early 2026 — before moving on to the stormwater retention and an additional 100,000 to 120,000 square feet by late 2026 or early 2027 Christen anticipates hiring more workers in Marshalltown as a result of the expansion — MARSHALLTOWN currently has around 180 employees here “It’ll be a good amount of more manufacturing machines that we want to bring in and add to We’re just limited on space right now so a little bit more space to hold some distribution that we haven’t been able to do out of here before,” he said has become something of a buzzword and a political rallying cry recently Christen and Vance commented that MARSHALLTOWN has been ahead of the game on doing so “It’s awesome to kind of be on the front of that wave,” Christen said “We’ve been on a long growth curve for a long time I think you kind of understand how that feels and it is a pretty positive environment.” the total area at MARSHALLTOWN’s Iowa facility will increase to approximately 350,000 square feet once the project is completed LLC | https://www.timesrepublican.com | 135 West Main Street Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMARSHALLTOWN Iowa (KCRG) - A Marshalltown man has been arrested and charged for 329 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor A criminal complaint states the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip on July 15 sent in by an internet search engine company stated “child sexual abuse material” had been uploaded from an IP address An investigation revealed the IP address was linked to a residence in Marshalltown a search warrant was conducted at the Marshalltown residence The home belonged to 65-year-old Michael Benson including a computer hard drive belonging to Benson A forensic report on the hard drive revealed 1,646 files were recovered after being deleted with 329 of the images depicting different children involved in child sex abuse Benson was charged for 329 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor Angel Gomez had his eye on the first hat trick of the Marshalltown boys’ soccer season But when his buddy had the chance to put the game away Gomez scored two goals and the Bobcats secured their third-straight win beating the doors off Fort Dodge 10-0 in Friday night’s Iowa Alliance Conference North Division clash at Leonard Cole Field Marshalltown outshot the Dodgers 51-1 in a one-sided affair that ended 12 minutes 54 seconds early because of the mercy rule It was the Bobcats’ second mercy-rule win in their last three joining last Thursday’s 10-0 drubbing of Waterloo East Gomez wanted to be the one to end Friday’s contest with what would have been his third goal of the game but senior Jovani “Gio” Mendoza made a good run that led to a great scoring chance didn’t call for the ball as Mendoza dribbled in on net but my friend Gio wanted to get a goal,” Gomez said but I wanted him to score the goal that ended it for us.” Gomez and Mendoza represented two of Marshalltown’s eight goal-scorers in the match Rafael Ortiz also tallied two goals as the Bobcats (7-4-1 3-1-0) secured second place in the Alliance North 1-3-0) sustained its third consecutive loss The Dodgers have scored just five goals all season Marshalltown got six goals in the first half “We really tried to keep up our mental game,” said MHS head coach Scott Johannes “working on that mental focus when you’re playing somebody that has struggled and struggled to score goals We knew Fort Dodge would be a physical team but we really just kept to our own play and we played plenty of guys while at the same time keeping that focus going.” and Antoni Rodriguez Torres both had a goal and two assists while Andres Ordaz Zambrano had a goal and an assist Monge assisted on Marshalltown’s first two goals of the game as the Bobcats jumped out to the early He worked a give-and-go with Aaron Ordaz Zambrano for the first goal at the 5:13 mark and he passed to Ortiz for the second goal at 7:25 Andres Ordaz Zambrano made it 3-0 when his hard shot from the top of the box deflected off the back of a Fort Dodge defender and into the net and Gomez got creative with his first of two goals Angel Chavez Ordaz put a pass into the box for Gomez who flicked the ball over his shoulder and scored with a back-heel kick “It means a lot,” Gomez said of his two-goal game “My family comes out to support me and that makes me happy.” Armando Estrada scored with 3:09 left in the first half to bring the Bobcats to their 6-0 lead registering 30 shots and 16 of them on net Most of Fort Dodge’s resistance came from freshman goalkeeper Alex Berger The Dodgers’ only shot of the match arrived with 22 minutes left in the second half “When you play a slower team you tend to play slow and we really didn’t want to do that,” Johannes said “But when you’re only playing a half (of the field) in some ways it’s hard to get in a rhythm because you’re not moving like you’re supposed to.” MHS had no problem maneuvering on a shortened field and the final result reflected that “We still had to go 100 percent,” Gomez said but at the end of the day we mercy’d them.” Gomez got his second goal at the 63:37 mark and had one more shot on goal three minutes later “We haven’t had [a hat trick] this year but we’ve had a handful of guys get two (goals),” Johannes said “You feel for a team like Fort Dodge that struggles and you don’t want to act like you’re running up the score by leaving your starters in It would be easy to leave them in until you get [the hat trick] but it’s nice when you share the weight Right now we’ve got a roster of 26 and they all played tonight Everyone understands their role and you want them to feel a part of it and they do.” The Bobcats are back at it Tuesday with a match at Des Moines North FORT DODGE — The Marshalltown girls’ golf team posted the three lowest scores of the day in a decisive Iowa .. The NCAA has taken disciplinary action against five current or former Iowa State football support staff members for .. We will NOT be running the South Route in the morning Tuesday May 6th or Wednesday May 7th Tuesday and then at 9:30 on Wednesday for those needing to head to the northeast part of town in the morni.. Read on... The Marshalltown Parks and Recreation Department has started an e-newsletter titled A Walk in the Park monthly e-newsletter will update patrons on the latest and greatest with Parks and Recreation Read on... The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City for its annual comprehensive financial report for the year ending June 30 Read on... Read on... The City of Marshalltown is seeking volunteer applicants for openings on the following City of Marshalltown Boards and Commissions Click the link below to view this month's f.. Read on... Read on... the Marshalltown Police Department began an investigation into the report of a possible embezzlement  After financial audits and a four-month long investigation the Marshalltown Police Department started an investigation into a possible sexual abuse involving a 12-year-old female victim  Through the subsequent investigation a male DNA profile was obtained Traffic control changes will take place this evening (Wed 04/02/25) and tomorrow morning (Thur 04/03/25) for the Center St Median Project Phase 1 of construction will wrap up later today and Phase 2 (replacement of the center median) wi.. The first phase of the downtown project on E Main St and Center St is set to begin Monday  The road closures in this first phase will include Center St from Church Street to State Street  Both Church Street and State S.. LLC will be starting construction on the City's "S Center St Median Replacement Project" on Monday The first stage of construction will require the closure of the driveway entrance into Hy-Vee from.. Monday-Thursday: ClosedFriday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (will close at 5:00 pm after daylight savings .. 02/27/25 UPDATE: One lane of northbound traffic is set to open on Friday Morning (02/28/25) at the Marshalltown water main repair located on Highway 14 (Center Street), north of Southridge Road.  PLEASE DRIVE WITH EXTRA CAUTION THROUGH THE WORK Z...Read on... Marshalltown Water Works and Iowa DOT have coordinated to close the northbound lanes of Highway 14 north of Southridge Road to allow a repair starting at approximately 2:30 PM today we are modifying our transit routes this morning Marshalltown Municipal Transit will not run the South Route nor the 3 PM - 4 PM red/orange/blue/green routes Red/Orange & Blue/Green fixed route will resume at 4 PM  Red/Orange & Blue/Green fixed route will resume at 4 PM we are modifying our transit routes this afternoon Our yellow and brown routes will run 1 hour and 20 minutes ahead of normal schedule and Green fixed routes will not run from 2 -.. Marshalltown Police and the Marshall County Sheriff's Office responded to a rear-end collision near the intersection of Iowa Avenue and 18th Avenue A pick-up truck had collided with the rear of a semi-trailer The Marshalltown Public Works department has lifted snow emergency for Marshalltown Our plows are continuing; please give them space and drive cautious while we continue to work on the roads The Marshalltown Public Works department has declared a snow emergency for Marshalltown  The snow ordinance will go into effect overnight tonight at 3:00 AM (technically early morning of Wednesday Our yellow and brown routes will run 2 hours and 20 minutes ahead of normal schedule Our Red/Orange fixed routes will not run from 1 - 2 PM  Red/Orange fixed route will resume at 4 PM Brown was transported to the Marshall County Jail and remains in custody This arrest was made in connection with an investigation that began on December 10 We have received word that the Union Pacific Railroad will be closing the at grade railroad crossing on 2nd Street starting tomorrow morning (01/16/25) around 8 AM  It will be closed thru end of day Saturday There will be a short period of a one-block road closure this Friday January 17th from about 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM on Center Street between Boone St and Linn St Traffic is encouraged to utilize 1st St to detour aro.. Green Flags are out at the public outdoor ice rink located at the intersection of Main St & Center St in Downtown Marshalltown; The ice is solid and the rink is ready for skating!Need skates Skate rentals are available at Park & Rec Center Street between Main Street and Church Street will be closed on Friday starting at 8 AM for approximately 6-8 hrs to allow for the filling of the ice rink with water Traffic shall plan ahead and take alternate routes Marshalltown Municipal Transit will have modified routes during the next two Holiday weeks several seasonal routes will also not be operated  Below are the route modifications: Marshalltown Municipal Transit will not run the South Route or the 3 PM - 4 PM red  Fixed Routes will resume at 4 PM There will be road work on S 18th Avenue between the UPRR viaduct and Olive Street starting Tuesday  Two northbound traffic lanes will be closed and all traffic will be merged and shifted to the southbound lanes Read on... City of Marshalltown24 North Center StreetMarshalltown 8:30 am - 4:30 pmPhone: 641-754-5701 A Marshalltown man who had recently been featured in a T-R story about his new thrift store was arrested early Thursday over allegations that he kicked down a door at a local residence and threatened to kill the individuals inside of it allegedly kicked open the back door of a residence on North 1st Avenue and took one step inside before it was slammed shut by a witness the defendant was allegedly observed by multiple witnesses and the victim saying that he “was going to kill everyone in the house” if they did not bring his wife to him The defendant admitted to having made comments about wanting to fight everyone in the house,” the report said Rowley has been charged with second degree burglary and first degree harassment — fourth or subsequent offense He was booked into the Marshall County Jail on a $15,000 bond PHOTO PROVIDED - The Marshalltown girls’ golf team poses on the 18th green at Elmwood Country Club after Thursday’s Linda Bloom Invite The Bobcats finished in third place in the competition-rich It was every bit the four-team showdown Marshalltown head coach Lucas Johnson thought it would be The Marshalltown girls’ golf team hosted its annual Linda Bloom Invite on Thursday at Elmwood Country Club and came within five strokes of frontrunner Ames The Bobcats were also only two shots out of fourth place as the top four teams finished within six strokes of each other Ames claimed the team title with a 324 team score finishing ahead of Pleasant Valley and Marshalltown — both at 329 — and Waukee Northwest (330) Pleasant Valley took second in the final team standings due to the fifth-score tiebreaker Area teams Grundy Center and BCLUW also competed placing fifth (380) and 11th (396) respectively it was a battle with all four of the top-ranked teams having a chance to take the title,” Johnson said “We lost some shots down the stretch that cost us but I think we also learned a lot that will help us as we head into the second half of the season.” Marshalltown senior Natalie Henson continued her torrid pace with another meet victory claiming medalist honors with her 1-under-par round of 69 Pleasant Valley and Waukee Northwest joined Marshalltown golfers in putting forth the top 16 scores of the day Marshalltown’s Gaby Estabrook placed ninth with an 83 and Morgan Hilderbrand was 16th with an 88 rounded out the Bobcats’ scoring with an 89 Pleasant Valley’s fifth score was 16 strokes better than Marshalltown’s leaving little down in the tiebreaker for second place Grundy Center was led by Avery Knutsen’s 92 while BCLUW’s Leah McEwen topped her team with a 92 Henson’s medalist round included four birdies “Natalie Henson continues to be lights-out and did an awesome job staying patient after a couple early bogeys,” said Johnson “She’s on an incredible run with three wins where she’s a combined 7-under over her last 54 holes of competitive golf.” Estabrook and Hilderbrand also earned flags for their top-18 finishes in the tournament “We’ll round out a busy week [Friday] up in Fort Dodge and then have some time to prepare for a return trip to Veenker,” Johnson said “It’s another chance to compete with Ames who has shown they’re the team to beat in 4A.” Grundy Center followed up Knutsen’s 92 with a 93 from Leah Larson a 95 from Holly Lubbert and a 100 from Kahlynn Draper BCLUW’s scoring behind McEwen’s 92 included a 95 from Delaney Legg a 104 from Gracie Andrews and a 105 from Marissa Schnathorst GRUNDY CENTER (380) — Avery Knutsen 92 EDDYVILLE — The East Marshall boys’ track and field team took fourth place out of six teams at the Rocket .. A standing–room–only crowd of several hundred attendees from near and far honored the 50th anniversary of L/CPL Darwin Judge’s tragic death – and those of the other 58,219 American casualties from the Vietnam War in a solemn but inspirational ceremony on Tuesday morning at the Iowa Veterans Home “They paid the ultimate sacrifice in defending freedom,” said IVH Commandant and event emcee Todd Jacobus “This is the place each of should be on this day.” a Marshalltown native and 1974 Marshalltown High School graduate was one of the final two ground casualties in the war They were killed by an enemy rocket attack on April 29 1975 at their guard post at Tan Soo Nhut air base outside of Saigon Lori DeSaulniers of Marshalltown — Judge’s sister — emphasized in her remarks that all American casualties were being honored at the event held in the spacious Malloy Leisure Resource Center 868 were from Iowa and 32 were from central Iowa with one serviceman — Air Force Maj Bradley Gene Cuthbert of Marshalltown — considered Missing–in–Action by his family DeSaulniers also thanked the servicemen and women who contributed to the war effort in Vietnam but returned home alive “Thank you all of you Vietnam veterans thank you for your efforts to keep America free … while being away from your family and friends,” she said and that is why Darwin enlisted in the Marines He wanted to do his part to keep America free.” Nearly 3 million service men and women served in the conflict Combat troops from the Republic of Vietnam Thailand and the Philippines also fought or supported the war effort in the conflict which raged in the Southeast Asia countries of Cambodia DeSaulniers said her brother was a patriot and wanted to carry on the family’s strong military tradition Their father Henry was a World War II veteran who served as a tail–gunner on an Army Air Corps B–17 aircraft and their brother Loren Judge served as a pilot with extensive service in the Navy and Air Force his comrades and those who served and perished described his foreign service work of many years in South Vietnam and Cambodia He and family were in harm’s way while serving as U.S ambassador to Cambodia when the region was violently torn by political strife and violence our home came under an intense and violent attack,” he said “I remember my wife and I laying on top of our three children to protect them I was praying that if a bullet pierced the walls it would find me and not one of my children served as interpreter for the former and late president Gerald Ford who was commander–in–chief during the war’s final years Quinn was serving Ford in the White House and clearly remembered the evacuation of Americans and South Vietnamese from the American embassy in Saigon April 30 1975 as North Vietnamese troops entered the city dozens adjourned to the Central Iowa Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the grounds of IVH honors 31 casualties and one MIA from Grundy “The memorial also celebrates those affected by the war,” said Navy veteran and businessman Vic Hellberg of Marshalltown who served on the Central Iowa Vietnam Veterans Involvement Committee that raised $65,000 for the granite monument sisters and friends whose lives were forever altered.” a former Marine and Judge’s best friend while growing up in Marshalltown spoke in his honor and for all Vietnam veterans “who answered the call either by enlisting or being drafted They put themselves in harm’s way … I had tears in my eyes when I heard of Darwin’s death on the radio.” Todd Eipperle and Tom Apgar placed a wreath at the monument Also participating in the event were Marshalltown Community School District Superintendent Theron Schutte Marshalltown High School National Anthem Singers Deacon Tom Renze and the IVH Mobile Honor Guard “When a young person’s life is cut short – like Darwin’s and thousands more – we can only wonder what they would have become had they lived,” said Jacobus “The best way we can honor them is by living a life of service to others.” After graduation in 1957 from St Mary’s Highschool he attended Marshalltown Junior College He worked for Dunham-Bush and Lennox for a number of years as a drafter and product testing Don and family moved to Utah in 1975 then to Colorado in 1977 There Don worked in the Heating and Air industry In 1982 Don owned Doncor Service an HVAC business that he ran for over 20 years gardening and spending time with his grandchildren and an older sister Margaret Holmes of Marshalltown He was preceded in death by his eldest son Chris in 1979 and brother William Luther of Marshalltown The family plans to have a private ceremony As the communications person at the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA I’m entrusted with telling the stories of the impact the Y has on the community have we been outdoing ourselves lately and I’m pleased to tell you about just some of them Our recent EGYM installation earlier this year has people shedding pounds and gaining strength at a rapid rate EGYM is a circuit of state-of-the-art strength training equipment that automatically adjusts to the user’s settings It allows for a full-body workout in 30 minutes Marshalltown residents Katy Reid and Katie McKeever have each lost 40 pounds using EGYM reports that he has lost 20 pounds and is down three belt loops on his waist using EGYM and swimming at the Y With more than 500 Y members enrolled in EGYM no doubt the success stories will keep on coming This Thursday we will graduate our 23rd class of the Teach Them To Swim program This program started after the tragic drownings in the Iowa River in 2012 in Marshalltown and has taught more than 800 fifth and sixth graders from Lenihan Intermediate School through the years This 12-week program makes a huge impact on our community and before the school year ends this spring we will have provided one-day Safety Around Water classes to all Marshalltown Community School District fourth ALL have been to the Y this school year to learn water safety as part of this partnership with the schools Let’s not forget the social community we provide for hundreds of people who seek out the Y not just for fitness We appreciate the support of the community in our mission We have seen increased membership numbers lately and also will be seeking support through our Y Annual Campaign donations later this year We pride ourselves on never turning anyone away from the Y for the inability to pay and the Annual Campaign ensures this Stop by the Y for a tour or more information Andrew Potter is Marketing and Communications Director at the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA Last year it was a Colorado Blue Spruce that I planted where .. SF 167 The recent developments surrounding the Student Supplemental Aid and categorical funding have prompted a .. Give Governor Kim Reynolds credit for consistency When it comes to wanting to hide details of possible .. but thoroughly practical Marshalltown home is ready to make an immediate impression on guests and visitors alike a rare combination of country living and a unique contemporary style features pleasing arcs and curves throughout the 4,046-square-foot home that have artfully replaced conventional sharp corners and right-angle walls the home includes four bedrooms and four bathrooms with space available to add an extra bedroom if necessary A recent overhaul of the property’s grounds exterior façade and spacious interior have created a turnkey 1½-story property rolled back to its earliest condition “Every single part of this home has been touched” explained Realtor Samantha Vance the ground-floor layout resembles a stretched oval shape while the upper level was constructed as a true circle accessible via a spiral staircase and a standard set of outdoor stairs to help bring up larger objects The driveway on 180th Street leads to an attached while the main-level entrance dips down to double doors the gleaming white design opens to a home office living space and a family room with a fireplace A four-season room with its own fireplace faces a wall of curved windows that look towards the home’s private pond in the distance Rocks were broken to decorate a number of the interior walls and continue the theme begun on the outside of the home and now awaits high-end appliances to be chosen by the next owner Casul seating looks down onto the open family space and its expansive views of the back yard beyond the windows The main floor also features storage space hidden behind a vintage combination lock door sourced from a former bank vault in Albion but still want something with a lot of character,” Vance explained “I think this feeds both of those needs because everything's been redone but you still have so many unique features about the property that you don't get in modern The primary bedroom and bathroom have been overhauled and feature the unexpected touch of a ceiling decorated with stained glass panels Three extra bedrooms are installed on the upper level including one large enough to be an alternative to the primary bedroom downstairs extensive improvements have focused on the roof and repairs to the dozens of windows that fill the home with natural light the acreage also adds a 960-square-foot shed and a large Morton steel building ready for multiple projects less than five miles north of Marshalltown’s Main Street the home has remained largely unknown to Marshall Country residents “I've had a lot of messages on social media from people I grew up with in Marshalltown the eclectic style will immediately appeal to potential buyers outside of the region but predicts the buyer will ultimately come from the surrounding community “We have local people who are currently living in town who think they would like country living a little bit better and just haven't seen anything hit the market that interests them yet,” she added The home is listed at $675,000 by Samantha Vance, owner/broker at 1st Rate Real Estate Contact Vance at 641-753-3080 for more information and a private showing Richard Lane is a freelance writer for the Des Moines Register. If you have a home we should feature, reach out to Susan Stapleton at sstapleton@gannett.com The Marshalltown girls’ tennis team dealt with all the adversity and stood up to the many challenges on Friday in the Hawkette Invite Despite a lengthy rain delay and a change of venue Marshalltown remained unbeaten with a 7-4 triumph over Ankeny on Friday at the Ankeny Tennis Center as well as the Ames Fitness Center With no end in sight to the morning’s rain north of the Des Moines metro MHS (10-0) endured the elements and the relocation overcame a singles split for the first time this season and dominated doubles play with a near-sweep the Bobcats and Hawks (3-5) split the singles contests 3-3 but Marshalltown mowed through in doubles play The 7-4 final represented the closest 11-match contest for the unbeaten Bobcats this season beating Ankeny’s Olivia North 8-4 to also improve to 10-0 Kate Sandvick captured an 8-3 victory over Lilith Francel at No and Reese Jensen scored a convincing 8-1 triumph at No Sandvick and Kennedy Feldman teamed up for an 8-5 victory at No but Ankeny countered with an 8-0 sweep at No Marshalltown put the match away by sweeping the rest Jensen and Ellie Downs were 8-7 winners at No Ellie Hughes and Rachel Jones prevailed 8-0 at No while Bella Avise and Karsyn Price picked up an 8-4 win at No The Bobcats go in search of the Iowa Alliance Conference North Division title on Monday with a 4 p.m MHS closes the regular season with Tuesday’s home match against Des Moines North Izzie Doyle and Franchesca Maurelis Javier Ventura Editor’s Note: This is the third story in a series of nine honoring the 32 casualties and one Missing-in-Action veteran from Grundy Marshall and Tama counties during the Vietnam War Nearly three-million service men and women served The war claimed the lives of 58,220 American and an estimated 250,000 South Vietnamese troops the Times-Republican is listing at a minimum — the rank age and burial location of the 32 veterans The information was obtained courtesy of the Central Iowa Vietnam Veterans Involvement Committee archives the Iowa Vietnam War Memorial Directory of Names historian of the Sons of the American Legion of Tama County and the Marshall County Historical Society Additional information was submitted by family and friends The second installment – published May 1 — featured two fallen veterans from Grundy County and four from Hardin County Today’s installment features six fallen veterans and one MIA from Marshall County 1969 – Army – age 25 – Marshalltown 1967 – Army – age 22 – Melbourne 1940 – Missing in Action – USAF – Marshalltown Cuthbert was on a photo reconnaissance mission when he and his co-pilot were shot down over North Vietnam on Nov Cuthbert parachuted down but contact was lost His co-pilot was captured and kept prisoner until the war’s end Remains believed to be from Cuthbert’s body were recovered Aug Later the USAF later listed him as a casualty A separate story on Cuthbert will be published May 9-10 PFC Harvey Woodford Gilbert – Army – Marshalltown Buried at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens and Park L/CPL Darwin Lee Judge – USMC – Marshalltown Burial at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens and Park were the last two American ground casualties in Vietnam As a youth Judge delivered the T-R newspaper and worked at Clifton’s Supermarket He was active in his church and the Boy Scouts of America where he earned the coveted rank of Eagle Scout He graduated from Marshalltown High School (MHS) in 1974 where his portrait is prominently displayed Army Rangers or the Marines,” said his sister Lori De Saulniers of Marshalltown “He wanted a challenge and to do his part … we are a military family His father was an aircraft tail-gunner in World War II Darwin’s brother was a military pilot Darwin was number one in his class in Marine boot camp More details on Judge were printed in the April 30 edition of the T-R as part of its coverage of Iowa Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day/Honoring the 50th anniversary of Judge’s Ultimate Sacrifice The event was held at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown WO Robert Douglas King – Army – Marshalltown Buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery William Russell McKibben – Army — Marshalltown the trial in the lawsuit filed by Shyla Wolf against former .. The Marshalltown Mall’s journey has been fraught with various challenges purchased the property for $8.4 million at the end of January said they plan to invest $10 million into the property The goal is to open the facility in either March or April of 2026 Work on the property will begin with utilities When extremely freezing temperatures hit Marshalltown on Jan Strong said they brought in a contractor and discovered a bad connection was the source of the leak The freezing water problems did not end there Plaza 9 Fridley Theater and the Iowa Department of Transportation Driver’s License Station lost water for a few days Reserve had to fix broken water pipes in the building which occurred because heat was shut off in certain areas When Strong said they were touring and learning about the mall they also became aware of the larger water bill That is due to a water leak in the back of the property “It’s been there for a year or more We are going to dig it up and repair it,” he said Strong said they should have no problem in restoring electricity a holding company of Kohan Retail Investment Group did not pay the substantial electricity bill and power was shut off in the common areas of the building in November 2023 Strong said they had discussions with Alliant and learned unpaid bills follow owners Reserve intends to update and fix the Marshalltown Mall exterior Strong said the facility will become a “power center,” rather than a mall Work will be done to create big space for big box tenants He added that they are speaking to familiar players Letters of intent will be sent to one regional and six major national retailers Strong said a family entertainment business is interested in the space JCPenney occupied “That will be a great addition if we can get it here,” Strong said “The entire mall will be transformed with little space left.” Fridley Plaza 9 Theatre and Shoe Sensation will all remain The plan is to give the theater a new look and new chairs Cellular will be moved to the end of the building and Strong hopes to move the Iowa Department of Transportation Driver’s License Station Mama DiGrado’s will find a new location a Marshalltown woman turned herself in for allegedly embezzling more than $10,000 from the Marshalltown Education Association between July 2017 and September 2024 She turned herself in at the Marshall County Courthouse after the Marshalltown Police Department issued an arrest warrant Nelson-Loupee admitted to the act and agreed to turn herself in by 5 p.m The MPD began an investigation into the alleged embezzlement on Dec After financial audits were obtained and a four-month long investigation was conducted the charges were filed against Nelson-Loupee a business teacher at Marshalltown High School she remains employed with the school district but has been placed on administrative leave A Class C felony carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $13,660 fine A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9 Nelson-Loupee issued a statement that she was charged with the theft due to misappropriation of MEA funds and she reported herself to the MEA in October 2024 She wrote that she began making restitution at that time and will continue to do so After the MPD called her on Thursday and told her charges were going to bed filed the attorney advised her not to go to the courthouse on Friday “I was told by my first attorney to NOT go to the MPD on Thursday as he had made other arrangements for me,” she wrote “I engaged a new attorney who appeared with me this morning I have made mistakes and I am actively working to rectify them I am doing the work so that I can be the best wife and mom possible I will continue to work to make this situation right for all parties involved I thank you for your support and friendship.” MCSD Communications Director Abby Koch issued the following statement on behalf of the district “Marshalltown Community School District is aware of allegations which have resulted in charges involving a high school teacher who also serves in a leadership role within the Marshalltown Education Association While the matter is related to union activities and falls outside the scope of the district’s operational authority we remain committed to maintaining a professional and ethical environment for all staff and students the district placed the employee on administrative leave pending further review We will continue to cooperate fully with any ongoing investigations,” it reads “We appreciate the public’s patience as the process moves forward and direct any further inquiries relative to the investigation to the Marshalltown Police Department.” Editor’s Note: This is the sixth story in a series of nine honoring the 32 men from Grundy The sale of the Marshalltown Mall was finalized on Friday Reserve Development of Dallas purchased the property from Marshalltown Development Group a holding company of Kohan Retail Investment Group in New York managing partner of Reserve Development with Sean Porter said they are particularly excited about the Marshalltown project They found out about the mall during a visit to the Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids The developer acquired the former Sears property in the Cedar Rapids mall in 2024 “There was something about this property in this small town,” Strong said “We talked to [city and business leaders] and they were so excited that something could happen at the mall.” Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Hall said Strong’s statement of excitement amongst city leaders is accurate and added that the Chamber was involved in the initial meeting “This was an opportunity to talk about and sell Marshalltown as a place to invest in,” he said There are a lot of places to invest money in and we figure out how to place this community for those investments We talked [to Reserve Development] about what it might look like and told them to let us know how we could be helpful.” Getting a developer who is able to transform the property is a positive Hall said when someone considers the trend of decreased interest in internal shopping malls during the past 30 years Marshalltown needed an opportunity for redevelopment “We needed someone who knew what they were doing,” he said “We wanted someone with knowledge of and practice with retailers.” Hall said the revitalization of the mall will have a positive impact on Marshalltown It will recapture money residents spend outside of town and will present excellent opportunities for future retailers He understands there is a fear large retailers will kill downtown businesses “Communities with these large retailers they have thriving downtowns,” Hall said activities and to look at other businesses to supplement their trip I am excited for what market opportunities will look like for Marshalltown as a result.” The sale to Reserve Development was something that has been expected for a few weeks One of the reasons for the delay is unpaid taxes Marshalltown Development Group was supposed to pay $28,496 in September and Strong said they are trying to get Kohan to pay Kohan has a history of not doing so on time and he said there is a water leak in the back of the property there is water in the parking lot,” Strong said [taking care of] utilities will come first.” Strong said the infamous electricity bill follows the owner “We talked with Alliant and it’s a very large electric bill,” he said “But they let us know once the sale closes there will be no issue in getting electricity restored.” Power to Marshalltown Mall has been a big problem since November 2023 when it was shut off in the common areas of the building due to Kohan’s continuous nonpayment had their own electricity bills and stayed open such as Black Iron Barbell and Oliver Beene Strong estimated $10 million will be put into the property to make it ready for tenants and has a goal of opening in March or April of 2026 He said they are talking to some familiar players regarding the future of the Marshalltown Mall He said one change is it will become a “power center,” rather than a mall Strong said they have special plans for the movie theater “We are going to spend money and give them a new look Strong also hopes to move the Iowa Department of Transportation Driver’s License Station “We need a big space for big box tenants There is a family entertainment business interested in the back part where JCPenney was located before closing and they are working on letters of intent to send to six major national and one regional retailers He could not reveal which retailers Reserve Development is talking to Hall is aware of a few of the businesses Reserve Development is talking to and some are national retailers the Chamber previously contacted “They are interested in this market if they can figure out the space,” he said “These are retailers folks in Marshalltown and Marshall County are driving to in Des Moines Redeveloping and bringing in retailers is what Reserve Development does One example is the Hampton Town Center in Hampton They also purchased the East Gateway Mall in Lincoln which would not have been possible without tax increment financing (TIF) from the city Strong said they were able to place three retail stores – Burlington He said they also placed a Tesla service center and we are the third owner of the property,” Strong said “We were able to get it fully stabilized in 12 months The Marshalltown Mall is a project he looks forward to starting He credits the residents with inspiring his excitement and thinks they will also be excited about what is to come “The people were so excited something could be done,” Strong said People said this could make a difference in their community Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext In an email sent to the T-R on Monday evening Owner Kevin Schlutz said the Marshalltown location at 3007 S The company based in Columbus Junction had franchised the restaurant which has a long history in the community at various addresses and it was located on Westwood Drive before it moved to its final home Schlutz said there was no connection between closings in Illinois and Wisconsin last August and the decision to shutter the KFC in Marshalltown “KFC required a relocation from our Westwood Drive location and we bought the existing Taco Bell and converted it to a combo restaurant It won an award in 2016 for sales improvement in 2015 but sales have since declined and costs have increased,” he said are consolidating and closing unprofitable locations.” and Keith Olson with Locate Commercial Real Estate is serving as the broker “We wish to thank our loyal customers and employees 45 years is a long time,” Schlutz said “I remember taking that store over from Wayne Nalvanko The ability to make a profit has changed dramatically since then.” Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Hall said the organization has identified a handful of potential national and retail chains that could be a good fit for the location and he plans to begin outreach and marketing to them regarding the space next week Marshalltown resident and businessman Jake Rowley has made a name for himself through his local charitable efforts .. Many Catholics in the world grieved Monday upon hearing about the death of Pope Francis early that morning The head of the Roman Catholic Church made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday and died of a stroke on Monday at the age of 88 Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires he became the pope in 2013 after the resignation of Pope Benedict He chose the name of Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi Pope Francis was the first person to be elected to the leadership role who was a Jesuit who was from South or North America and from outside of Europe since the eighth century said they were caught off guard with the death the day after Easter even though Pope Francis had been sick for the last several months and there was a time there that was touch-and-go “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he passed away the day after the most significant day of the year for Christians,” he said Dietzenbach did not get the opportunity to meet Pope Francis but was able to see him when he brought a group of parishioners to Rome in 2019 Jaime Williams of Marshalltown had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis in September 2023 “I was filled with deep sadness yesterday,” he said “While we’ve had great popes during the course of my lifetime I think Pope Francis was the most pastoral His leadership has been critical in the aftermath of the sex abuse scandal The institutional reforms he championed and his outreach to the most vulnerable and marginalized people helped to rebuild faith and trust in the Church Meeting him was one of the great honors of my life and I’ll miss him as our pope.” Williams recalled his meeting with Pope Francis which was in a private audience during an international conference What struck Williams was how pastoral and personal the pope was “While he was addressing 153 of us in attendance a toddler ran from his parents to the floor right behind where the pope was sitting,” he said “The parents were horrified and started after him He stopped his speech for a short period of time to call the child over for a hug.” Immediately following the pope’s brief address Williams said they were each invited to approach his chair for a handshake and a very brief introduction “There was a very deep and genuine peace about him,” he said “He had a firm handshake and a very warm and personal smile It just seemed very clear that meeting all these strangers was not a hardship for him and that he really genuinely appreciated us being there It was an incredibly humbling and moving experience.” Dietzenbach said they are trying to figure out if they will hold events to commemorate him they are sharing resources with parishioners from the United States Bishops Conference website such as a novena with nine days of scripture readings and prayers for the repose of his soul Dietzenbach added churches are invited to have a picture of Pope Francis in a prominent place and to pray for the next successor Pope Francis’ leadership of the Church certainly had an impact on Marshalltown Catholics Dietzenbach believes he will primarily be remembered for his emphasis on going to places previous popes did not go Israel and Palestine and countries where Catholics were a tiny minority “He stood with migrants and spoke out often about their rights to the consternation of many Western leaders,” he said “In our diverse community of Marshalltown I think that is an action that spoke to many people I think he also didn’t shy away from people or difficult conversations and stretched everyone to show greater empathy and mercy.” Francis was an “outside the box” pope from the first moment of his papacy — when he was presented on the balcony of St Peters’ with a name no pope had used before “He started with ‘Buona Sera’ or ‘Good evening’ and asked the people to pray for him as he began his papacy,” he said The next morning he went to the hotel and paid for his room he would sneak out of the Vatican early in his papacy.” Dietzenbach remembered a moment he feels is often overlooked — Pope Francis was the first pontiff to ever address the United States Congress “It was a unique moment in history and an event that has never and I imagine will never happen again,” he said “His speech was a marvelous one where he highlighted four Americans that represent the best of what the USA is all about — Abraham Lincoln Dietzenbach believes the most important contribution of Pope Francis is the care he extended for people on the margins “Especially those impacted by war and climate change,” he said “He also wrote a great deal on the dignity of the elderly His emphasis on solidarity and that we are all brothers and sisters is a message we need badly in our time.” Taking a moment to remember Pope Francis’ life and service is important Dietzenbach said he noticed people on social media speculating and placing bets on who the next pope will be and I think it’s important to acknowledge that grief,” he said “I’m grateful that the Catholic Church doesn’t just call a conclave the next day but gives us a significant time to grieve and pray together united in prayer throughout the world for this great holy man and follower of Jesus.” A new business is up and “flying” in Marshalltown — Heartland Sky it is a drone spraying operation and officially opened in the middle of April “It’s the same thing crop dusters do started Heartland Sky with three 80-pound drones which can each hold 10.5 gallons of chemical at a time a drone is able to cover a little more than five acres at a time before having to get more chemicals “I can take on jobs that require more it just takes a little more time — whatever fits best for the farmer,” he said The majority of the spraying Borgos will do is fungicide He will also spray when soybeans are in the beginning pod (R3) stage there are numerous additional situations the drones can be used for Borgos said he will submit a bid to spray the prairie by Grimes Farm and there could also be opportunities to spray canopies and orchards in the required seasons and pastures to reduce the number of grasshoppers “They’re so nimble and they can get to places the big old sprayers can’t get,” he said “They just cover ground more efficiently and make it worth it to pay the extra dollar to have the drones do it It’s one of those things where when people see what it can do which begins with confirmation from the farmer He then maps the field to be sprayed so the drone knows the boundaries it doesn’t waste any chemicals or goes places it shouldn’t go,” Borgos said fill up the drones and fly them off of the top of the trailer It’s a lot of the same process over and over He estimated he covers 35 acres per hour per drone spraying is not supposed to be done to prevent chemical drift I can’t spray next to them,” Borgos said A big part of this job is counting on Mother Nature to coincide with me I don’t complain about it too much.” With three drones operating at the same time and in optimal weather a 100-acre field can be sprayed in roughly one hour There are fewer limitations as to when that one hour begins thanks to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations Borgos has had to become familiar with FAA requirements since he got the idea of starting a drone spraying business It took him five months to get through the steps to become federally regulated to fly his drones As long as the drone registration number paperwork is returned to him before June “There are a lot of things I didn’t even realize that went into regulation of aircraft,” Borgos said “It’s been a good learning experience for me but there’s a lot I didn’t know about Respect to the people who deal with it everyday Some of the requirements he discovered he needed was a Part 441087 which gives him the ability to fly a larger drone over fields which the FAA requires for a drone to spray chemicals you have to take the 11F Pesticide Applications exam,” Borgos said “That’s for you to spray in the state of Iowa showing you can fly the drone and know the rules and requirements to do so There’s definitely a good amount of stuff you have to get tidied up.” he had to do insurance paperwork and is fully insured it is not as challenging to get drone insurance as it used to be Borgos is insured through VT Insurance of Texas and they will cover potential incidents if some of the chemicals drift He also partnered with a Marshall County company to supply him with the chemicals Borgos is confident the usage of drones will become more commonplace he believes drone spraying will become more requested Borgos said more money can be saved as opposed to utilizing a crop duster during difficult economic times when every dollar counts “These drones can fill that gap from saving money while still doing the best job possible,” he said “I think once the farmers realize the cases in which drones can be used because in return it will give them a higher yield and better results.” Borgos is ready to turn his interest into a career His interest in drone spraying began as Borgos worked at Terraplex Ag in Des Moines He was hired after obtaining his degree in software development starting his own business was something he wanted to do with work he loved “I took the leap and luckily played my cards right,” Borgos said A Marshalltown man has been charged with over 300 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor over allegations that he possessed a large amount of child pornography was taken into custody outside of his residence on Thursday afternoon the Marshalltown Police Department (MPD) started an investigation into the possibility of an individual in possession of child pornography A search warrant for the residence of the suspect was obtained and served in February of 2024 and evidence was seized during that search warrant MPD detectives went through a large amount of data that was collected arrest warrants were applied for and granted the suspect was arrested and charged with 329 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor Benson was being held in the Marshall County Jail Hearing and trial dates were not yet available online at presstime “Why do we need a tourism director anyway?” These are the words my eldest son shared with me two months into my role as the Tourism Director of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce This job will help pay for you to go to college.” because when we think of “tourism,” we think of “Disney” and “destination weddings.” Recently I can give you dozens of examples of why tourism is essential to Marshalltown It is an honor to be entrusted with telling the Marshalltown story inside and outside Marshalltown’s zip code while cheerleading all of the great things happening I thought we would have some fun and utilize the lightning rod DOGE method “name 5 things you did this week.” What does a week in the life of the Tourism Director of a micropolitan community look like executive recruiting tours for local global companies and all capped off with an incredible time with tour planning professionals from Brazil Let me add some flesh to the bones of my post Marshalltown and the surrounding area have an embarrassment of great festivals Some would say we have a fiesta season from May through September Thousands of people come to Central Iowa from around the county I am honored to help spearhead a 249-year-old holiday celebration Last week was filled with finalizing the website (www.marshalltown4thofjuly.com) Tourism isn’t always about big groups and short stays sometimes it’s about welcoming those who may become full-time Marshalltonians I’ve taken dozens of potential candidates for jobs at our school district and potential developers from across the country and around the world Workforce Development Director at the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce curating specific tours designed for what the candidates care about We have one simple goal on these tours: to help our guests picture themselves and their families living in our community and new leaders in our community have said yes to the job offers and Marshalltown my week was capped off on Saturday with one of the best experiences I’ve had in my role a company focused on bringing International travel to the United States to bring more international travel groups to Iowa Last week’s Latin American FAM (Familiarization) Tour marked the first time a group of professionals has visited Iowa through this partnership Due to our strong partnership with Travel Iowa and our groundbreaking work with our Spanish-speaking tourism identity “Nos Vemos en Marshalltown,” Marshalltown was one of five communities invited to host the group from Brazil This tour is the first step to having tour professionals go back to their respective countries and bring large groups to explore and enjoy the best state in the nation That’s what tourism looks like in Marshalltown…at least for one week I will be excited to continue to share the Marshalltown story wherever I am and with whomever is with me Dylan Does is the tourism director for the The abuse of Eminent Domain for “private use” has been in the news a lot lately Editor’s Note: This is the third article in what is hoped to be a series about Marshalltown street names (The first was published in the April 5-6 edition) who they were named for and in some instances The content below was researched and written by Times-Republican reporter Sara Jordan-Heintz from her work for the August Readers with information about street names or their re-naming or new streets are asked to contact T-R reporter Mike Donahey at medonahey@gmail.com observers may notice that many street names are clearly surnames of some of the city’s most influential residents of yesteryear was one of Marshalltown’s most prominent businessmen and civic leaders in the early years of the 20th Century He owned and operated Ingledue & Young – the largest shoe store in the state He also served as mayor of Marshalltown from 1905-11 remembered for his interest in sanitation and garbage disposal in the city The store he owned and operated was founded by the Lawrence Brothers the store became known as Bromley & Ingledue with Charles Emmett Bromley managing the store while Ingledue went on the road The store had a floor space of 5,400 square feet fully stocked with merchandise all the way up to its 16-foot ceilings While the street in Marshalltown is most likely named after O.L. students of Marshalltown history would be remiss in leaving out his sister Nettie Occupying floor space in her brother’s store Nettie operated the Nettie Ingledue & Company dry goods store She made all business decisions while her brother served merely as a financial partner having gained retail experience working for I.L According to the book “Marshalltown Illustrated:” “[The store] is headquarters for up-to-date and fashionable haberdashery for women All goods were purchased in the leading markets of New York it was no brotherly sentiment when ‘O.L.’s’ personal friends heard him confide that he never would have embarked in the dry goods business if ‘Nettie’ had not been ‘man’ enough to run the store.” O.L Ingledue remained in business until he sold the store in 1922 He was married to Bromley’s daughter Charlotte “Lottie” and is buried at Riverside Cemetery was a ubiquitous figure in Marshall County during the late 1800s and early 1900s As documented in the book “Portrait and Biographical Record: Jasper Marshall and Grundy Counties Iowa,”: “He takes a deep interest in all the enterprises for the good of the county and is a liberal contributor to all affairs of moment.” Turner was born on March 28 He then returned to Illinois and worked as a clerk in a dry goods store in Canton living in that city until the spring of 1867 He purchased a tract of land in Liberty Township he was elected to the state senate in 1891 he served on the Marshalltown Board of Supervisors helping to oversee the construction of the courthouse and county jail He also served as director of the Marshalltown State Bank and on the Marshalltown School Board Tariffs have dominated the minds of people in the United States since 10 percent tariffs were placed on all imports on April 5 sometimes referred to as “Liberation Day.” President Donald Trump ordered higher tariffs on imports from 57 countries and previous ones placed on Canada and Mexico resulted in an ongoing trade war with numerous countries placing or threatening retaliatory tariffs on United States exports Some of the retaliations include Canada implementing a $20 billion tariff on U.S 10 to 15 percent on agricultural exports such as chicken and soybeans and the country also revoked import licenses for three major soybean exporters and; the European Union threatened tariffs on 400 U.S Some Marshalltown residents might think tariffs are primarily a concern for corporate businesses or metro cities but the impact stretches to businesses here One of those businesses is Adland Engraving & Screen Print Co their revenue streams are diverse enough to withstand some of the forecasted economic downturn he added they are concerned about the schools businesses and organizations they business with and how tariffs and other factors may influence buying habits “Most of our inventory is just in time so we try to avoid stocking huge amounts of supplies,” Adland said “We have suppliers that are a day away and UPS has been doing a great job of getting items to us on an overnight basis.” Another impacted community business is MARSHALLTOWN President/CEO Joe Carter said they are feeling it with both exports and imports “Currently imports are where we’re seeing the greatest impact,” he said the heaviest hit category for MARSHALLTOWN is the price-point — or entry-level — products sourced from China along with any products with significant aluminum or steel content especially with the nearly immediate effectiveness of the tariffs and their limited ability to plan a response MARSHALLTOWN is not alone in feeling the aluminum hit which was applied to all aluminum imports in March Adland said they buy sheets of aluminum to conduct their business suppliers have kept Adland notified of possible increases he contacts different accounts to get an idea as to what their needs might be “We’ve tried to keep our pricing in check through all of this and we’re keeping an eye out for opportunities that may be out there,” Adland said “Our government is based on a system of checks and balances and we’re pleased that Senator Grassley is leading a bipartisan effort to rein in the executive branch and represent the people of Iowa.” Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on April 3 introduced S1272 which would give Congress the power to approve tariffs The bill has been referred to the Committee on Finance “There seems to be uncertainty in the immediate future regarding tariffs,” Adland said “We’re glad to see that Senator Grassley and others are formulating a plan to have a say so in any tariff It’s kind of like going through COVID all over again – not sure what is going to happen [We’re] trying to hold prices the best we can and still purchase goods in an open market.” That uncertainty is the only certain aspect of the tariff situation Adland hopes the clients they do business with will be able to make clear and concise purchasing decisions he said they will continue to try to hold pricing and only order exactly what is needed we’re concerned about the farming community and how market availability and supply issues will affect their ability to do business,” Adland said we’re in a trickle down economy in a lot of ways We applaud Senator Grassley and others in taking the initiative to reel in the executive branch in regards to the issuance of tariffs We need representation and the best way to do that is to get Congress involved Too many people are asking ‘Why are they there?’ We have survived market ups and downs COVID and increased online competition – we’re hoping that we can get through this as well.” Carter said if the President’s stated objective of creating more manufacturing in the country is the ultimate result they are in favor of the direction the U.S is headed and of any near-term challenges associated with those decisions “It’s impossible to know if this is the right way to affect these changes but we’ll analyze the information and make good decisions regarding MARSHALLTOWN’s path forward and we’re going to be okay,” he said manufacturer largely leveraging domestically sourced materials MARSHALLTOWN has weathered many crises — two world wars resilience and hard work of our incredible people we’ve been able to bounce back even stronger than before I’m confident this circumstance will be no different.” Iowa — A Marshalltown has been arrested and charged with 329 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor Marshalltown Police began investigating Michael Lynn Benson for possible possession of child porn back in January of 2024 Police got a search warrant for Benson's residence in February of 2024 and seized evidence containing "a large amount of data" that they would go through over the next 12 months They were then granted an arrest warrant for Benson on April 23 and he was arrested on April 24 outside of his residence Sexual exploitation of a minor is a Class D felony This is the final week the VCA Marshalltown Animal Hospital will be open for business It will no longer treat animals after Friday the veterinarian business announced the permanent closure on social media this month VCA did not respond to attempts by the Times-Republican for an interview about the matter VCA stated the decision was not made lightly and they understand the significant impact it might have on households and pets Home delivery service and CareClub memberships have been canceled Customers can retrieve their pets medical records by email at recordsrequest@vca.com VCA Marshalltown Animal Hospital said customers could transfer their pets to another VCA hospital after Friday and receive a free first exam Home delivery orders can be resumed at another location A Marshalltown woman turned herself in to local authorities on Friday over allegations that she embezzled at least $40,000 from local nonprofits she had been involved with over the last several years and she turned herself in at the Marshall County Jail on Friday In a press release issued by the Marshalltown Police Department (MPD) the names of the nonprofit entities she is alleged to have stolen from are not provided 2024 after an organization reported money misappropriated from their bank account by McKibbin The organization also shared fictitious bank statements that McKibbin had allegedly provided to them in an attempt to cover up her crimes Investigators later discovered that McKibbin also misappropriated money belonging to another not for profit organization she is alleged to have stolen over $40,000 between the two entities McKibbin most recently served as the Marshall County economic development director for the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce a position that was created due to a new three-year $300,000 contract between the Chamber and the county approved by the Board of Supervisors last June McKibbin started that job in September and was terminated as a result of the investigation on Dec Chamber President/CEO John Hall said his organization was not the victim of any embezzlement or theft “This action was taken following information brought to our attention on Nov regarding an investigation initiated by the Marshalltown Police Department The investigation involves allegations that the individual engaged in financial misconduct related to her volunteer roles with other nonprofit organizations The Chamber and our financials were not a subject of this investigation the employee was immediately placed on administrative leave pending further review the Chamber made the decision to terminate her employment,” Hall wrote and the public that there is no evidence or reason to believe that any financial impropriety occurred within the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce during the individual’s tenure Our organization is committed to maintaining sound fiscal management and accountability in all aspects of our operations.” Hall also cited safeguards and redundancies the Chamber has put in place to avoid such situations including mail being retrieved by one individual and opened by another checks being stored under lock and key and monitored by video surveillance two signatures being required on any check issued by the organization (one from Hall himself and another from a member of the executive committee) a monthly review of all staff credit card purchases board of directors oversight of financial reports and contracts with professional accounting firms “The Chamber is steadfast in its commitment to constant review and improvement of its financial policies and procedures ensuring alignment with best practices and industry standards for oversight and ethical financial practices,” Hall wrote “We appreciate the support and trust of our members and stakeholders and will continue to uphold the values and integrity of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce.” Hearing and court dates in McKibbin’s case have not yet been set The Marshall County Economic Development position has not been filled since her departure and currently remains vacant A Marshalltown woman who stands accused of misappropriating thousands of dollars from nonprofit organizations she .. but we will not be silent” was just one of the chants yelled by roughly 25 local protesters on Wednesday light rain and looming ice did not stop them from gathering at the Marshall County Courthouse at noon The demonstrators marched around the courthouse and waved signs with messages such as “Nobody’s illegal on stolen land,” “Vaccines save lives,” “Save our public schools,” “We didn’t vote for Elon” and “DEI should not die.” numerous vehicles honked horns in support of the movement It was part of the scheduled 50501 (50 states which called for people to gather at state capitols and protest the actions of President Donald Trump since taking office on Jan Within 48 hours of seeing a 50501 Facebook post Julie Lang began to organize the Marshalltown protest because she knew not everyone wanted to travel to Des Moines She added that whether or not 50501 is legitimate did not matter because the idea helped create yesterday’s Marshalltown march She was inspired to put it together because of the political climate and the desire to protect immigrants “It’s going south and we want to make some positive changes,” Lang said “This is our way of getting started on that.” “They were excited to be there,” she said “Our city leaders were supportive because they knew there was no threat of violence and Marshalltown rallies around its own.” but all of those reasons were regarding recent actions of the federal government and Trump on immigration Tyler Lillibridge went to work early just so he could attend showed him a poster about the peaceful protest “Even though it’s not been a month since he’s been in office it’s also created Constitutional emergencies,” he said “He feels he’s got the power to do things that he doesn’t have to do He feels like he can bypass Congress and decide how our money should be spent even though that’s not his responsibility and the things he’s thinking of pulling funds for are things I paid for with my taxes and they are benefits we all deserve.” Those were not even the reasons Lillibridge found the most concerning What bothered him most is Trump’s actions to end DEI “They contradict the Civil Rights Movement,” he said “There’s not a single bill or legislation or executive order that came out of the Civil Rights Movement that I don’t agree with.” Lillibridge said people have been overlooked for jobs because of the color of their skin DEI is a tool to keep rich people from giving jobs to unqualified family members in order to propagate more wealth “For no good reason other than affording a third yacht,” Lillibridge added Dorie Tammen said she was at the protest because she is angry over the chaos She shared that her parents were born and raised in Germany and survived the Nazi reign Cousins she has there are in disbelief over what they see in the United States that he’s another Adolph Hitler,” Tammen said She is worried over people losing their jobs over federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation not having enough people which she believes will affect the safety of United States citizens She is worried about immigrants being hauled away to Guantanamo Bay which Tammen said is akin to a concentration camp “It’s got to stop,” she said “I don’t know where Marshalltown could be without our immigrant population They’re getting involved with our government and it’s great to see Stating that there is a lack of common sense Dylan Schumacher attended because he believes no one is “illegal” on stolen land at one point we all came from somewhere,” he said “This land wasn’t vacant when we got here For us to call other people illegal and try and kick them out for trying to better their life is just appalling to me Put yourself in someone else’s shoes in a country filled with turmoil and poverty run by cartels or bad people in general – if it were me and my family we would be leaving the next morning.” is also concerned with the effort to eliminate the United States Department of Education (DOE) He said there should be a replacement program we need to get rid of them,” Schumacher said “If they don’t make sense and things aren’t adding up but there needs to be something in place before we go abolishing things He said getting rid of the DOE and college student loans will only hinder their efforts to better themselves and make a difference in the world “Most of these kids can’t afford school,” Schumacher said “My wife and I relied on student loans to get to where we are because we came from the other side of the tracks we would not be as successful as we are today I know there’s a huge chunk of people who resonate with that It’s heartbreaking to see us take three steps backward as society how far we have come to where we are now.” People not willing to empathize with others and to put themselves in other’s shoes are detrimental to the advancement of society There needs to be more understanding of what people are going through where do you want to tell your kids you were,” he asked “I want to tell them the side of history I stood on and I stood for the people who were here alongside me.” Lang said they are already organizing future protests They will be held at the courthouse on the first Wednesday of every month at 5 p.m “I think that time will work out better,” she said “I am already starting to get the posters especially for our minority community members.” 26 rally at the Iowa Capitol and to call legislators to ask for an increase in public school funding Schumacher said he is absolutely ready to participate in further protests “We will be there to stand behind the people who stand behind us,” he said While some people might be hesitant to participate Lillibridge insisted that these gatherings are peaceful he said he and fellow Marshalltownians will be there the more we’re going to show up,” Lillibridge said CO — Marshalltown native Paul Boerger is an engineering manager with 17 U.S and more than 15 technical publication credits He’s also the author of a new leadership book “The Alchemist’s Way,” a work in which he distills more than 37 years of engineering leadership experience into a transformative six-tenet framework was the area manager of the local unemployment office and made sure his son had a job beginning at age 12 He graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1982 and then spent a year at MCC studying pre-engineering I got pretty good at electronics and eventually added sequencers dimmers and a bunch of other controls like that and sold a few more,” he said “I had a good affinity for electronics and so that’s what got me interested in electrical engineering.” He transferred to the University of North Dakota he played lead guitar in an established country rock and 50s band called Moonshine Express By working long hours at minimum wage jobs he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering envisioning settling into a small A-frame cabin overlooking a mountain lake in Colorado he made the move to Loveland with the lyrics to REO Speedwagon’s “Ridin’ the Storm Out” in his head he got a job at Apogee Robotics as an electrical engineer designing automatic guided vehicle systems (AGVs) and industrial automation systems A career highlight was driving $500 million in new revenue valuations by delivering on two strategic Intellectual Property Licensing (IPL) initiatives for Hewlett-Packard (HP) “That’s where I got the majority of my patents I led a lot of new business creation initiatives,” he said “If you turn over your computer mouse and if it doesn’t have that nasty track rollerball at the bottom of it and we brought that to fruition…then we licensed that technology in a cost-reduced form to Microsoft and then they made the optical mouse ubiquitous.” His work has taken him all over Asia-Pacific He eventually got that dream cabin on the mountain lake Today he manages engineering teams remotely “My team specializes in the readers and credential technology spaces readers and access control technologies,” he said But it was the occasion of his daughter Alexa’s college graduation in May 2024 (with a BS degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering) which got Boerger interested in writing a book “I raised Alexa as a single dad since she was 5 but also to inspire tomorrow’s leaders and encourage more women to step into STEM and leadership careers with confidence My daughter heard so many negative words attempting to dissuade her from a career in engineering that it prompted me to get this book out…I would love to give this book to my 22-year-old self,” he said Ancient alchemists that transformed ordinary materials into gold inspired the name for the book “Today’s alchemists create the extraordinary by unlocking potential — both in themselves and others — through the six core tenets of leadership: The 3 Cs of Setting Goals and The Heart of the Servant Leader,” he explains in the book Boerger points out the information outlined in his book isn’t confined to those employed in STEM fields he says it’s not like other leadership books on the market and I really wove those into the pages as a guide to real transformation but also the potential of others,” he said “The first step of leadership is self mastery I’ll probably do a second edition of this one maybe this fall that’s going to be more team focused.” His book is available in paperback and Kindle Learn more on his website: paul-boerger.com Some changes might be coming to the Marshalltown Mall is doing its due diligence to go through the process of purchasing the property according to Marshalltown City Administrator Carol Webb “The potential buyer has visited a few times and toured the mall,” she said “They have talked with the city about potential incentives.” Webb said the incentives the business officials seemed to be looking for were for taxes the city will not have much of a role in the situation She added that Reserve Development is attempting to work with the remaining mall tenants “They are interested in working with the tenants to stay in the main mall or in an outlet,” Webb said “They are trying to put their best foot forward to negotiate that.” The remaining Marshalltown Mall tenants include Planet Fitness the Marshalltown Driver’s License Station Younkers and Bath & Body Works shut down Black Iron Barbell and Remix Dance Academy had to relocate after the electricity was shut off in November 2023 and they did not have outside access neglected to pay the electricity bill and power was shut off in the main areas The lights have not been turned back on since then Marshalltown Development Group is a holding company of the New York-based Kohan Retail Investment Group owned by Mike Kohan the owner faced numerous city code violations • Equipment not being maintained to ensure safety of occupants; • Fire protection and life safety systems required by city code or the International Building Code were not installed alarm and extinguishing systems were not maintained in an operative condition at all times; • All areas of a building containing water-filled piping which does not have other means of freeze protection were not maintained at a minimum temperature of 40 degrees F; • The means of egress serving a room or space was not illuminated during times the room or space was occupied; in buildings that require two or more exits or access to exits an emergency electrical system did not automatically illuminate interior exit access stairways and ramps vestibules and areas used for exit and exterior landings for exit doorways leading directly to the exit discharge Marshalltown Development Group was found guilty of code violations during a trial in July a new trial was ordered after a continuation was denied Webb said the possible new owner met with the Marshalltown fire marshal to discuss ordinances She added that Reserve Development has been successful in revitalizing commercial properties “I think it will be fabulous,” Webb said “Having local retail opportunities is a great benefit for residents.” Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application at the Iowa Veteran’s Home in Marshalltown at 11:00 AM at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona with Pastor Ron Breese officiating The service will be available via Livestream at the Beatty Peterseim Facebook and YouTube Pages Burial will be held Friday at 3:00 PM at the Rock Creek Cemetery in Garwin The family will greet friends from 5 – 7 PM Thursday A general memorial fund has been established the son of Ellsworth and Thelma (Emerson) Jorgensen He graduated from Garwin High School and served in the United States Navy from October 1968 to October 1972 he was united in marriage to Bonnie Boswell in Garwin Clyde owned and operated a meat locker in Garwin and worked at Swift Meat Packing Company in Marshalltown he worked at the Kalona Locker and was a mailman at the Bowen Science Building on the University of Iowa campus Clyde was a member of the Full Gospel Church where he served as a Deacon and made 13 mission trips to Agua Prieta Clyde was a musician and used to play the upright bass with his father who had a band called “The Danes” He also enjoyed working in leather and he owned and operated his own lawncare business Survivors include five children: Michael Oechsner of Long Grove Aliyah Jorgensen and Maggie and Arbor Pfannebecker Preceding Clyde in death were his parents and his wife Bonnie Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent walks down the aisle among shackled Mexican immigrants a boarded a U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement charter jet for deportation in the air between Chicago A Homeland Security Department internal watchdog says U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement could have saved millions of dollars on charter flights carrying deported immigrants to their home countries by not leaving seats empty Despite what residents might have seen on social media Wednesday Immigrations and Custom Enforcement (ICE) was not in Marshalltown A Facebook post regarding the presence of the federal agents was shared multiple times in less than 24 hours Marshalltown Police Chief Mike Tupper said the rumor was certainly unfounded and urged people to take caution when sharing similar posts on social media “It is always best to confirm information found on social media before accepting it as fact,” he said If Marshalltown residents hear a rumor relevant to policing Tupper said calling the police department is a good place to start “The blanket sharing of unconfirmed information is dangerous and creates unnecessary anxiety in our community,” he said Immigrant Allies of Marshalltown posted on Facebook asking people to not share unconfirmed rumors Engaging in the behavior “adds to a climate of fear and atmosphere of toxic stress,” the Allies post stated The fear and anxiety stems from an expected increase in ICE activity after President Donald Trump was sworn into office on Monday the Department of Homeland Security announced an end to a policy which prohibits ICE from raiding sensitive areas he signed executive orders pertaining to immigration including declaring a national emergency at the southern border and taking steps to end birthright citizenship Volunteer firefighters from several area communities got a rare opportunity to receive local training by the Marshalltown Fire Department through a variety of workshops around Marshalltown on Saturday Groups worked at a Governor Road property that was acquired for training purposes as well as at the training facility on the campus of Marshalltown Community College (MCC) MFD Captain Curt Raue said it was the firefighters themselves that came to MFD leadership with the idea The training attracted volunteers from around the area firefighter training of this nature is done at in-state or out-of-state training programs often hosted by chapters of the Fraternal Order Of Leatherheads Society (FOOLS) in the Cedar Valley or Des Moines area metro Several of the volunteers in attendance noted how unique it was to hone their skills alongside a paid department like the MFD “It’s hard as a volunteer with a full-time job taking care of family,” said Bobby Colin who’s volunteered in Conrad and Grundy Center for the last 15 years “This is a great opportunity to learn from people that are doing this job every day.” T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY – Marshalltown Firefighter Jacob Patterson who also serves as the chief of the Gilman Volunteer Fire Department and Le Grand Firefighter Bob Crouse practice their hose technique during a training session on the MCC Campus while Marshalltown Fire Department Captain Curt Raue looks on Saturday afternoon It attracted volunteers of all ages as the youngest attendee Belle Johannsen of the Toledo Fire Department is still a senior at South Tama County High School “It teaches us different aspects of how to fight fire how to be more efficient at it,” he said The training at Governor Road included a forcible entry simulator ladder training and search-and-rescue simulation using a home on the property giving the volunteers perspective on what it will take to rescue those trapped inside burning buildings Training at the fire station and MCC included handling fire hoses and discussing various ways of water applications and their various effectiveness from situation to situation The session also included lunch and social gathering time after training sessions had been completed “It’s a good chance for our guys to share their knowledge and also get familiarity with faces in the area,” Raue said Marshalltown is currently staffed by 24 line officers and firefighters as well as three admin officers and an administrative assistant The department responds to an average of 3,300 calls per year hazmat and extrication services to the city of Marshalltown and mutual aid partners when requested All of the volunteers who attended could agree on one thing: more people need to step up and get involved — as Crouse put it “There’s a lot going on in family lives and it’s hard to get people to come,” Laurel Fire Chief Mark Lamer said Marshalltown boys wrestling qualified four wrestlers for this week’s Class 3A state tournament with their performances at a Class 3A District 6 tournament in the Roundhouse on Saturday Xayvion Anderson and Johan Gomez captured district titles at 165 and 190 pounds respectively; Nicholas Wise was the runner-up at 138 pounds and Colby Cross placed third at 126 pounds “This is amazing,” said Anderson and I wouldn’t want to spend state there with anyone else.” Gomez and Wise were all in the final IAwrestle rankings coming into the tournament so if there was a surprise of the Bobcat bunch a sophomore coming into the tournament with a 13-14 record Norwalk’s Aiden Moret pinned Colby Cross in Cross’ first match of the day but Cross bounced back with two pins in the consolation bracket to get to the third-place match with Brent Becerra of Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cross had been in this situation last year losing the third-place match at last year’s district tournament to narrowly miss a state berth “I was pretty disappointed,” Cross said “So I wrestled quite a bit in the offseason and trained to help myself wrestle better this year.” Becerra scored the first takedown eight seconds into the match but Cross escaped midway through the period and grabbed a takedown as time expired for a 4-3 lead after the first period he escaped again and grabbed another takedown then racked up seven nearfall points for a commanding 15-4 lead after the second period one more takedown and four-point nearfall was enough for the tech fall and a state berth “I just kept fighting and I eventually wore him down,” Cross said I’ve been working pretty hard for this.” Marshalltown head coach Luke Cross has seen the work first-hand not just as coach but as Colby’s father “I don’t know if I’ve been more excited for a match in all my 20 years of coaching,” Luke said “He’s made a lot of sacrifices — cut down to a weight class that he really doesn’t belong in because he’s so tall — but it paid off … He’s really good in that top position using leverage with his height and catching that guy in a couple positions that he probably wasn’t used to.” Cross will wrestle Ankeny Centennial’s Andrew Roland in a first-round match on Wednesday entering the tournament rated third in 165 pounds pinned his way to the finals where he met eighth-ranked AJ Pontier of Indianola After a scoreless first-period of hand-fighting escaping quickly and scoring a takedown 20 seconds later; Pontier’s escape still had Anderson up 4-1 after two periods Pontier escaped from bottom in the third period but couldn’t land anything on Anderson as the senior booked his third state tournament appearance with a 4-2 decision in the finals “It feels really good to be a district champ but this is really a stepping stone to a bigger picture of what I really want to be a state champion,” Anderson said “My finals match today just made me realize that I need to be more aggressive and attack the legs more believe in my shots and get it done.” Anderson received a first-round bye and will take on either Urbandale’s Oliver Gray or Waukee Northwest’s Bryce Williams in a second-round match on Wednesday will be returning to state after last qualifying as a sophomore He survived a dangerous semifinal match with Indianola’s Tegen Anderson who had previously tested Gomez’ mettle earlier this season at a Valley tournament Tegen Anderson scored the first takedown and had Gomez on his back for three swipes but Gomez reversed and scored a couple back points of his own to trail only 7-4 after the first period Gomez escaped from bottom in the second and scored another takedown for an 8-7 lead then rode out Anderson for the remainder of the second and all of the third period to get to the finals “It was disappointing on my side,” Gomez said using tie ups and winning each position.” Luke Cross understood the disappointment but appreciated that Gomez was able to ride out the win “That’s what’s most impressive because that’s been his weakest position in all these years,” Cross added The final was much more in Gomez’ wheelhouse in that respect finding easy ways to score takedowns and racking up points for an 18-9 major decision over Cedar Rapids Washington’s Wyatt Young Gomez was also a district champion as a sophomore “This is a good at-home feeling winning districts here and having the fans and supporters all cheering your name.” and will take on either Waterloo East’s Gianni Speller or Norwalk’s Victor Esparza on Wednesday punching his first ticket to state after disappointing finishes as a freshman and sophomore Winning the mental game was the biggest battle on Saturday “I’ve always been super nervous for this tournament,” Wise said I felt like I was a part of the best of the best and I think that was the most important thing to learn.” His semifinal match with Waterloo West’s Luke Lindaman was a pivotal moment in showcasing that mental growth “It’s no surprise that he made it to the finals he fully expected that,” Luke Cross said “but I know last year was still lingering in his mind and I just told him ‘It’s just another match nothing more than that,’ I didn’t want him to think that this would be make or break for him Wise took care of business with a second-period pin of Lindaman to clinch his spot at state who won the district title with a 19-3 tech fall of Wise — but Wise received a forfeit in the match for true second against Ankeny’s Aiden Winkie to ensure his spot as a district runner-up in the 138-pound bracket “I know that I’m still not the best yet,” Wise said keep practicing to get ready for state.” Wise received a first-round bye and will face either North Scott’s Will McDermott or Waukee Northwest’s Ben Gallagher in a second round matchup on Wednesday redemption and heartbreak went hand-in-hand on Saturday Nicholas Million and Carson Wright lost their third-place matches to go to state at 106 and 150 pounds respectively; 2024 state qualifier Lucas Bantz went 1-2 in the 132-pound bracket to miss out on a return trip to state in his senior season and Kager Kremer also saw his senior season end with a 1-2 finish at 144 pounds who was in early iterations of the IAwrestle rankings Wright and Zednichek will all have chances at their own redemption stories next year “This tournament is always described as a rollercoaster of emotions and it held true today,” Luke Cross said The state tournament kicks off on Wednesday at Wells Fargo Arena with the 3A session featuring the Marshalltown wrestlers beginning at 9 a.m “It’s going to be a good time,” Colby Cross said “I’m excited to have this opportunity with all of them.”