THROWBACK NEWS
ANOTHER CLOSE ONE
Ten years ago, Greater Regional CEO Monte Neitzel addressed the board about making the hospital a smoke-free facility. Read more Throwback news on page 2A.
The Southwestern women’s basketball team fell to Grand View JV in another close game Wednesday evening. Peyton Russell led the Spartans with 13 points. More in SPORTS, page 8A. >>
creston
News Advertiser
SHAW MEDIA GROUP SERVING SW IOWA SINCE 1879 BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE AT WWW.CRESTONNEWS.COM
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014
Creston, Prescott school districts approve consolidation petition By BAILEY POOLMAN
CNA staff reporter bpoolman@crestonnews.com
Creston and Prescott school board members unanimously approved a consolidation petition during the regularly scheduled meetings Monday and Wednesday, respectively. The process for consolidation with Creston has been in the works for more than a year. Prescott board members have also discussed their options with other surrounding school board members, such as Corning, Lenox and Orient-Macksburg. Those talks fell through. “There’s a petition that has to go out to be signed by a certain number of voters before this can come to a vote,” said Creston and Prescott Superintendent Steve McDermott. “Once it has signatures, ... then that goes to the AEA, the Area Education Agency. They’ve got a legal part of this process as well.” Green Hills AEA will then set up a public hearing concerning the consolidation process. Creston needs 400 signatures on the petition, while Prescott needs 90. The following step, the special election held to allow voters to choose if they want the school districts to continue with the consolidation, was moved from February to April 7. Prescott Board Meeting During the Prescott board meeting’s public hearing, nine local citizens came to ask questions and give comments. “We might as well face it, it’s going to get ugly,” said Byron Brown, former Prescott School Board member. “Creston had their meeting the other night, and they, I’m sure, approved their petition. Was there people there to object or oppose, anything? Any questions, any answers? Of course, why would they? ... It’s to their benefit.”
CNA file photo
Discussion about the possible consolidation between Creston and Prescott schools started in July 2013.
Several who attended the meeting were concerned about not knowing the fate of Prescott Community School until the month before the end of the school year. “We had to have the election this calendar year, 2014. It (Iowa code) says you have to have the election the calendar year before everything starts,” said Creston and Prescott Business Manager Billie Jo Greene. “The consolidation is for the 2016-17 school year, but if the consolidation passes, Prescott will not have a school functioning next year. We will tuition the kids, or whole-grade share the kids, into Creston.” Prescott Board Member Marnie Cline reminded citizens Prescott and Creston board members worked through the petition together. “The boards did get together and work on the consolidation petition together,” Cline said. “It wasn’t like they were spoon feeding it to us.” Also, Prescott School Board President Randy Cooper discussed the timing of the consolidation. Prescott has been looking at sharing and such
“We’re just hoping to put the decision before the public whether or not to marry the two school districts.” — Steve McDermott
Creston Schools superintendent
for a long time, and working things out with Creston, he said, is the right direction. “We’ve looked at education to be the first thing for the kids, and we feel Creston is our best choice to go with, putting all things together,” Cooper said. “We really feel like we’re coming to the end. I guess we’ve got a choice: we can consolidate and still have a choice what we do, or if we let the state come in, who knows what will happen.” Creston Board Meeting A booth will be set up at the Creston Parent Teacher Organization Carnival Friday evening for parents and other local citizens who are eligible to vote in the Creston School
District to sign the petition or just get more information about the consolidation. “We’re just hoping to put the decision before the public whether or not to marry the two school districts,” McDermott said. The Creston School Board members offered a half hour before the actual meeting to hear any questions or comments from local citizens. No one came to the public hearing. Taxes “On the street, eventually, there’s going to be questions about how this affects my property tax bill,” said Creston Board President Ron Dunphy. If the consolidation passes, Creston and Prescott will not merge the debt service. This means the tax levy for Creston will decrease while Prescott’s will increase. However, neither tax levy will decrease or increase as much as if the school district debts were merged. “The projection is that in Please see MERGER, Page 2
Drive 4UR School
Contributed photo
FRIDAY WEATHER
CONNECT WITH US
COMPLETE WEATHER 3A
crestonnews.com | online 641-782-2141 | phone 641-782-6628 | fax Follow us on Facebook
36 31
Creston News Advertiser 503 W. Adams Street | Box 126 Creston, IA 50801-0126
Copyright 2014
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Secret Service arrested an Iowa man Wednesday afternoon after finding a hunting rifle, dozens of rounds of ammunition and a knife in the trunk of his car parked near the White House. R.J. Kapheim, 41, was arrested on a charge of having an unregistered firearm, which is illegal in the District of Columbia. ■ The Kapheim, from Davenport, Iowa, was Davenport arrested after he ap- man proached uniformed explains officers along 15th Street just before 1 that somep.m. and explained one in Iowa that someone in Iowa told him told him to drive to the White House. He to drive to later showed them to the White his car parked nearby and let officers search House. the vehicle. The agency said that officers found the rifle, ammunition and a 6-inch knife in the truck of his 2013 Volkswagen Passat. It was unclear if Kapheim had a lawyer. The Secret Service has been widely criticized in recent months after a series of serious security breaches. In September a Texas man armed with a knife was able to climb over a White House fence and made ot deep into the executive mansion. According to an executive summary of a Please see WHITE HOUSE, Page 2
Grassley bids farewell to retiring Harkin DES MOINES (AP) — Sen. Chuck Grassley has offered an emotional farewell to longtime colleague Tom Harkin, who is retiring after three decades in the Senate. Grassley spoke on the Senate floor Wednesday. The Republican Grassley and Democratic Harkin have served from Iowa together since the mid-1980s. Grassley noted that Wednesday was Harkin’s 75th birthday. He praised Harkin for working on behalf of people with disabilities and for championing Harkin causes like education and the environment. Grassley said he and Harkin “looked out for the millions of Americans who choose to work and earn a living in rural America.” He said they always worked together for Iowa. Republican Joni Ernst won the hotly contested race for Harkin’s vacated Senate seat, meaning Iowa will soon have two Republican senators for the first time in decades.
Creston Automotive presents Creston High School Activities Booster Club a check for $3,200 as a result of the Drive 4UR School event that was held Oct. 4 at Creston High School. Pictured, from left, are Booster Club Membership Chair Tawnya Routh, Booster Club President PJ Normandeau, Creston Automotive Business Manager Les Elliott and CHS Activities Director Jeff Bevins.
PRICE 75¢
Iowa man arrested near White House with gun in car
Volume 131 No. 122
2014
If you do not receive your CNA by 5 p.m. call 641-782-2141, ext. 6450. Papers will be redelivered in Creston until 6:30 p.m. Phones will be answered until 7 p.m.
Look inside today’s paper for....
PROWLER
THE THE THE THE
Editor-in-C
Staff Writer Allison Leah Hurt, Wal Shaw, der, Cheyan Sama