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Venture Homes expanding footprint at Fountain Hills By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News
Justin Jagler/Daily News U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley talks with Skiff Medical Center President Laurie Conner during a tour of the hospital Friday morning.
Venture Homes is continuing to invest in the City of Newton by purchasing another lot for construction in Fountain Hills Estates. City council approved the sale of lot 13 in the subdivision as a part of an agreement between the city and the developer. In 2014, the city and Venture Homes partnered to construct high-quality single-family homes. The agreement gave the West Des Moines company exclusive rights to acquire any addition
lots in Fountain Hills for $1 a piece through the end of 2016. In December, council extended the rights to the lots by one year. A change to the agreement came in March with terms revised to charge $10,000 for the lots in order for future home buyers to be eligible for the $10,000 buyer incentive from the city. Past home buyers in the subdivision were confused about eligibility for the promotion due to the prior agreement between the city and developer. HOMES | 3A
City updates codes Sen. Grassley tours Skiff, talks health care with hospital employees at Newton Memorial Park Cemetery By Justin Jagler Newton Daily News
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley stopped in Newton Friday morning to visit Skiff Medical Center, touring the hospital and answer questions from physicians and Skiff employees. Skiff President Laurie Conner and Chief Operating Officer Sonja Ranck led the tour through the medical center. They provided the senator with a glimpse into the day-to-day operations of the hospital and explained some of the challenges they are facing. A room full of mostly Skiff employees was waiting for Grassley when the tour was finished. They asked the senator a wide range of questions, mostly regarding health care. Zack Alexander, a physician at Newton Clinic, shared his
observations on the Affordable Care Act’s impact. He said very real, good changes came from the health care bill also known as Obamacare. For example, more than 20 million Americans are insured because of the law. “I went personally from seeing one to two patients every day without health insurance to now probably a few every month,” Alexander said. The physician asked Grassley if he would reject any bill that would increase the number of uninsured Iowans. Grassley said there is no way he can guarantee that. The senator said there is an expectation from voters, who put Republicans in control of the presidency and both houses of Congress, to do something different with health care. Before Obamacare was implemented, people were told they
could keep their health insurance plans if they liked them. However, many Americans were forced to change their plans because of the law. In addition, premiums went up under the Affordable Care Act. Grassley said these issues and others must be addressed. He also said Obamacare would not be completely gutted under a bill currently being debated in the House of Representatives. Under the Affordable Care Act, people with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage from insurers. This part of the law would remain intact. Children being able to stay on their parents’ insurance until the age of 26 would also remain law under the bill currently being debated. Jeff King, who serves on the GRASSLEY | 3A
By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News Several procedural changes were made concerning Newton Memorial Park Cemetery to expedite processes. City council approved an update to the language in city codes relating to the purchase of cemetery plots, who can sign the certificate of interment and the depositing of care fund money. Newton Memorial Park Cemetery, 2710 First Ave. E., came into the city’s ownership in October 2015 after the Iowa Insurance Division received it from
its previous owner. It is one of two city-owned and operated perpetual care cemeteries with the other being Union Cemetery. Since acquiring the cemetery, the city has been doing a LEAN process for cemetery work and realized that paperwork flows between several city offices. Previously, a buyer of the burial lot received a “cemetery deed.” The term “deed” is often used for the sale of land and was confusing to the public who believed they purchased a piece CODES | 3A
Newton Public Library to offer regular yoga class Meghan Davis to instruct introductory yoga class By Kayla Langmaid Newton Daily News Grab a yoga mat or a beach towel and head out to the next yoga class at the Newton Public Library, one of the library’s newest reoccurring programs. Certified yoga instructor Meghan Davis has offered classes in the relaxing exercise at the Newton YMCA and at First Presbyteri-
an Church where she is known as reverend. Davis, an instructor of six years, will now be offering adult classes at the library — she held the second yoga class at the library Monday night. She said she became interested in yoga as a spiritual practice as it is a tradition in Eastern cultures as a way to prepare the body for meditation. Davis learned this during seminary training to become a pastor. “Since then I began using yoga for exercise and then as a part of YOGA | 3A
File photo A group practices their yoga poses on the lawn of the Newton Public Library during a yoga class instructed by Meghan Davis. The certified instructor is now offering courses to those who register on a monthly basis.
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Newton holds its annual prom
See photos for the high school event / 9A
Volume No. 115 No. 236 2 sections 18 pages
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