Newton
Serving Newton & Jasper County Since 1902
Daily News
75 cents
Friday, September 20, 2013
www.newtondailynews.com
Newton, Iowa
New school board members to be sworn in Monday
OBITUARIES Mary W. Sleeuwenhoek, 87
By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer Monday’s Newton Community School Board of Education meeting will be full of firsts. The meeting, which is the first held in a school this school year, will be at Berg Middle School, and it will be the first meeting featuring the new board. The current board will vote on accepting the election canvass from the Jasper County Board of Supervisors and if they accept, the recently elected members will be sworn in. Sheri Benson and Andy Elbert retained their seats and Travis
INSIDE TODAY
Local News Jolly Workers receive grant
Padget and Robyn Friedman were newly-elected. “I am thrilled to be representing my hometown by having a voice on the Newton school board,” Padget said in a previous interview with the Daily News. Once the new members are sworn in, a vote on board positions will be held. Elbert is the current president of the board and Nat Clark serves as vice-president. The new board will also vote on whether to change the 2013-2014 board meeting calendar as well. Business Services Director/Board Secretary Gayle Isaac will continue his annual
treasurer’s report from the Sept. 9 meeting, which was partially delayed due to the board having to go into closed session. His report listed the general fund balance end balance at $3,426,278. Student activity balance was $372,820, the management fund was $1,123,839, capitol projects fund was $1,634,515, the physical plant and levy fund was $703,520, the debt service fund was $350,864 and the food service fund was $888,446. In other business: BOARD See Page 5A
Scenes of ‘Sommer’
Page 2A
Kellogg muralist Sommer Kibbee living ‘dream’ as artist By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Some people never quite figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Sommer Kibbee never had that problem and knew from the age of 4 she wanted to be an artist. She got the art bug from her father, who is a sculptor, and she sold her first pieces of art long before she knew she could make a living doing what she loves. “From the time I was
Sports
Storm cuts L-S Invitational short Page 1B
Community
little, all I did was draw. That’s all I did,” Sommer said. “You know what I would I do when I was little? I would draw these horses and I would go to family gatherings and I would have a book, like a catalogue that they could order drawings out of.” “This was when I was like 8. They would chose a horse and then I would like go in the back and trace the one I had already drawn and sell them the copy for a dollar. I would always take my Trapper Keeper with the unicorn
on the front,” she said jokingly. Nowadays, Sommer is a mother and works out of her home studio in Kellogg. She also traded in her old Lisa Frank binder and drawing pencils for paint brushes and pallet knives about 10 years ago and just five years ago she started creating murals. “How many people actually get to grow up and be what they wanted to be when they were little, you ARTIST See Page 5A
Local girl raises funds for St. Jude Page 1C
WEATHER
Saturday
High 71 Low 45
Sunday
High 73 Low 47
Submitted Photos Sommer Kibbee is pictured above hard at work in her home studio. Kibbee’s works can be seen around various locations in Newton, and “Henry the Giraffe” (right) was recently featured along with other works, at Uncle Nancy’s Coffeehouse.
WEATHER ALMANAC
Thurs., Sept. 19 High 87 Low 55 .64 inch of rain ALSO:
By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Astrograph Page 5B Classifieds Page 4B Comics & Puzzles Page 6A Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A Our 112th Year No. 87
7
98213 00008
Park Centre preparing for Active Aging Week, which begins Sunday
4
Next week is Active Aging Week and Park Centre has prepared for it, just like it has done every year since 2009. Active Aging week lasts from Sunday until next Saturday and was created by the International Council on Active Aging. “Basically, it’s a time that we celebrate and promote seniors living an active and engaged lifestyle,” Park Centre Lifestyle Director Lori Griffin said. In addition to having all kinds of activities in its facilities, Park Centre has activities spread around the community. On Tuesday, there will be a fishing and barbecue trip at the Emerson Hough Izaak Walton League. On Wednesday, there will be a nature walk at the Newton Arboretum located at Ag-
“It’s a time that we celebrate and promote seniors living an active and engaged lifestyle.” — Park Centre Lifestyle Director Lori Griffin
nes Peterson Park, which will also feature lunch. Thursday senior volunteers from Park Centre will read to first-graders at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. The finale will be lunch and a walk around Lake Red Rock on Friday. “Being out in the community with the residents and getting them involved
in ways that maybe necessarily they don’t feel like they can be involved (in),” Griffin said of what was her favorite part of the week. “We open all our activities to any ability level. We try to make it as accessible as possible.” The theme for this year’s week is “Discovering your Community” and with the various locations they are visiting, Park Centre has seemed to do just that. “We like to have fun and turn it into a social aspect,” Griffin said. “This year we have a little bit more on our schedule than before. People are excited and I think there is enough opportunity that everyone can find something that appeals to them.” Staff writer Ty Rushing may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 426, or at trushing@newtondailynews.com.
Jensen
Wright
Jensen will appear in court this month, Wright next year By Dave Hon Daily News Staff Writer Daniel Jay Jensen, who is currently charged in three separate cases in Jasper County, has had his bond revoked pending a bond review hearing on Sept. 23. Jensen is alleged to have struck a man with a claw hammer at the alleged’s victim’s residence on Feb. 26. Charges from this incident include first-degree burglary and going armed with intent. Then, on May 9, while out on bond from the Feb 26 incident, Jensen was COURTS See Page 5A