Newton
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Wednesday, December 11, 2013
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Newton, Iowa
Close of annual meeting presents new opportunity for library board
OBITUARIES Wanda Thompson, 98
By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
INSIDE TODAY
“This is record timing,” Jasper County Library Board President June Hjortshoj said after a motion to adjourn the JCLB’s annual meeting was made after only 16 minutes Tuesday night. This, of course, was followed by a chorus of laughter from the room as the board closed out business in what has been an unusually busy year. The board previously met on April 15 and 29 and on May 21, to solve issues with the distribution of the county provided Rural Supplement Funds. The series of meetings resulted in new
Local
Community Bank donates to St. Nick’s
bylaws for the JCLB, which were approved at the May 21 meeting and dictate: “(County) reimbursement is on the basis of 50 percent of funds split equally between the seven libraries involved in the JCLA and 50 percent of funds distributed based on rural population by ZIP code in compliance with Iowa Code.” As the meeting began, Hjortshoj asked if any of the board members had anything to change or review about the bylaws, and JCLB Secretary and Lynnville Community Library Chair Marlis Van Zante offered a comment. “I reviewed the minutes today, on my own personal time, and just read over
them, and everything seemed to click,” Van Zante said. “I don’t see at this time that we have any need for any additional changes.” Van Zante’s library, along with the Sully Community Library, will receive substantially less funding as a result of the new bylaws. Both libraries were previously under state investigation for inflating circulation numbers. Those numbers were the basis behind the JCLB’s decision to change the bylaws this summer for the 2014-2015 fiscal year and beyond. BOARD See Page 5A
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Gingerbread Joy
By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Sports
Cards fall to Tigers, 70-63
“Really, all we are looking for, at this point, is a letter of endorsement from the ( Jasper County) Board of Supervisors,” Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce Director Darrell Sarmento told the board at Tuesday’s meeting. The letter Sarmento requested the board endorse, was in support of Newton’s efforts to become a Main Street Community. Sarmento wasn’t originally on the agenda, but his request was amended into the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. “At this point, we are not asking for any financial commitment,” Sarmento said. Sarmento noted that Newton would not be seeking any financial help from the county for the process, due to the number of other cities within the county who also might be interested in becoming a Main Street Community. “We know the county has to be mutually supportive,” Sarmento said. “Probably the only support we would seek down the road, in terms of the county’s participation, is if in a few years down the road we start to redo our street-scapes downtown and that the county would participate in terms of the design and whatever benches may be on the courthouse side and things like that.” Board member Joe Brock pointed out the progress Colfax has made in its downtown
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Sports
Newton wrestlers earn split Page 1B
Kate Malott/Daily News Above: Abigail Sander and her mother Rebecca decorate a gingerbread house together on Thursday at Thomas Jefferson Elementary. More than 100 kindergartners at T.J. spent the day decorating gingerbread houses and making other holiday crafts. Family members were invited to attend. Right: Jim Gilbert, Elementary Educational Services Director, helps a kindergarten student decorate a gingerbread house with their favorite candy.
Weather
Thursday
High 25 Low 11
Friday
By Kate Malott Daily News Staff Writer
Weather Almanac
Tues., Dec. 10
High 19 Low 4 ⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch of snow
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Also: Astrograph Page 5B Classifieds Page 4B Comics & Puzzles Page 6A Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A
Whether you’ve been an artist for years or you’re interested in starting, the Centre for Arts & Artist offers an open house opportunity to anyone at any level interested in working with any art form. Art Stock takes place each Tuesday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Centre for Arts & Artists, located at 501 W. Third St. N. “There are many times people don’t feel inspired unless they’re around others who might encourage their creativity. This allows people to come up and be around other creative people,” CAA Director Linda Klepinger said. Those who attend experiment in a variety of different mediums — pencil, charcoal, oil and acrylic paint, yarn and clay. Some even use the time and space as a place for creative writing. The center is able to provide mini-
mal amounts of materials that have been donated such as paper and colored pencil, and others are encouraged to bring their own materials. The space provides not only room to work on art, but the company and social setting as well. It’s a place to give and receive validation on artist’s work. After the new year, Klepinger said that the center hopes to add a Saturday Art Stock session that is more inclusive to people of all generations which is a wonderful way to introduce people to new ideas and learn about techniques. “I enjoy seeing the diversity in approaches of art,” Klepinger said. “I’m always interested to see how people handle different types of art that I don’t know how to handle.” If you are interested in visiting the Centre for Arts & Artists or spending time working on art, contact Linda Klepinger at (641) 521-3554.
By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor
Our 112th Year No. 144
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Jasper County Economic Development Executive Director Chaz Allen says his organization is working with Iowa Workforce Development this month to conduct a la-
borshed study for Jasper County. “This study will examine the labor force from which Jasper County area employers draw their employees, and is based upon commuting patterns into the area,” he said. “The study will assist existing and potential businesses
Danny Beyer wins Young Professional Connection Young Professional of Year By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
to better understand the size and characteristics of the area’s labor force regardless of political boundaries.” A laborshed boundary is based on the places of residence of employees who commute into
Prairie City-Monroe graduate Danny Beyer has won the Young Professional Connection Young Professional of the Year Award for 2013. Beyer was nominated by his boss at Kabel Business Services in West Des Moines. Beyer is an ambassador of the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, connecting people and businesses. Beyer will become secBeyer retary of the West Des Moines Chamber as part of a five-year commitment that will, in the long run, place him as a chairman of Chamber. During his high school years at PCM, he was involved in activities and organizations. “I was heavily involved with theater, choir, band, jazz band and did a little dance my senior year,” Beyer said. “Through those four years, I was elected president of the Thespian Troupe at PCM and served on the State Thespian Board. My senior year, I made All-State as a tenor in choir.”
LABORSHED See Page 5A
BEYER See Page 5A
JEDCO, IWD to conduct laborshed study
Police Page 3A
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MAIN STREET See Page 5A
Art Stock offers creative space for community
High 26 Low 18
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Sarmento asks board of supervisors for Main Street support