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DAILY NEWS FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2017 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Monroe bar to host ‘Big Brother’ contestant amid rape joke controversy By Anthony Victor Reyes Newton Daily News
Submitted Photo by Mindi Noel Kaden Kelso meets with Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Nick Easley as he recovers from surgery in the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital last week.
Student battling cancer meets Newton hero By David Dolmage Newton Daily News
Kaden Kelso tries not to put the gloves on too much, he doesn’t want the signature to fade, but he can still feel their magic every time he picks them up. After all, they’ve cradled a touchdown pass. Kelso, 11, a student at Berg Middle School in Newton is recovering from mucoepidermoid carcinoma cancer, he had surgery on Sept 18 at the University of Iowa’s Stead Family Children’s hospital to remove a cancerous tumor from his lungs. After a bout of pneumonia last winter Kaden’s mom, Mindi Noel noticed he was still having issues
with shortness of breath so she brought him back in for a checkup this summer. Not only had the pneumonia returned, medical imaging also revealed a dark spot on his lung, which prompted them to send the family to the University of Iowa for treatment. There’s nothing fun about cancer, Noel is quick to point out, but for lifelong Hawkeye fan Kaden the experience was special. “I wouldn’t want anyone to be in the hospital, but it was the coolest thing ever, it just lifted his spirits and he really enjoyed it,” Noel said. The Stead Family Children’s Hospital overlooks one of Iowa City’s most enduring landmarks, Kinnick Stadium, and this year
a new tradition is in the works at Iowa. After the first quarter of every home game fans turn and wave to children in the hospital, many of whom are watching from the 12th floor. As Kaden watched the Hawkeyes take on Penn State there was a player in particular that he had his eye on, fellow Newton native Nick Easley. The junior wideout from Newton plays the same position as Kaden, and last Thursday he stopped in to see his biggest fan. Easley brought Kaden an autographed pair of his gloves, and told the middle schooler that his spirit was an inspiration. KELSO | 8A
MONROE — “I’m going to (expletive) your wife when I get out of h e r e . I’m going to tie up your daughters and m a k e t h e m (explet i v e ) watch Dent you piece of (expletive).” Since broadcasted on the 24-hour live stream of the CBS reality television show, “Big Brother” Aug. 28, this statement made by contestant and Iowa native Jason Dent has circulated entertainment headlines this month, stirring up controversy on social media and causing fans of the series to demand the local rodeo clown to be booted off the show. With the season now over and a winner chosen, the small town Iowan is making a stop in Jasper County Friday evening to sign autographs, share his experiences and meet fans. The owner of the hosting restaurant, CJ’s Bar and Grill of Monroe, said the reason they wanted to hold this event was simple — they wanted to welcome Dent back to Iowa and send off a local musician before he moves to Texas. “All the posts and comments, everybody is excited to see (Dent) ...
From what I have seen, it was a bad joke. He obviously is not a rapist,” owner Carolyn Daniels said. “The actual event is for a singer performer by the name of Nate Nelson ... The other things have just come up and are coming along for the ride.” In the 19th season of the CBS series, Dent and 16 other contestants had to live under 24-hour surveillance in an isolated home with no communication with the outside world for a chance to win $500,000. As the show also incorporates weekly competitions and evictions, the Humeston rodeo clown made the controversial comment about fellow contestant’s family while he was talking with other house guests about what he would do if an alliance was broken. “Jason has probably got the biggest heart than anyone I have known. He has done so much to help me,” Nelson, Dent’s friend for more than two years, said. “It is television. There are things aired before the comments that were said that would take it out of context. I could tell you right now, he did not mean to mean how it is being perceived.” Although Daniels and Nelson said Dent’s remarks on the show were “just jokes” taken out of context, sexual assault advocates at the Crisis Intervention Services DENT | 3A
Newton couple Impact of local substance abuse receives volunteer highlights community conversation urge award for work at Speakers communication, for Lake Red Rock preparation heroin epidemic By David Dolmage Newton Daily News ALTOONA — Humble. It’s the best word Beth Brown can find to describe to Chester and Phyllis Briggs, who were honored at a ceremony Thursday morning at Bass Pro Shop in Altoona for their volunteer service. The Newton couple has been volunteering for more than 19 years at Lake Red Rock, building nesting boxes and monitoring the native bird population at the lake. “It’s the only way that
I can explain them, they get embarrassed when they get praised,” Brown said. “They’re just doing what they think they should, beyond what most people would do.” The Briggs have been regular volunteers at Lake Red Rock, located just south of Pella for nearly two decades. Logging more than 9,300 hours, the seasonal volunteers are the driving force behind a bird habitat restoration program which first began in 1979 to address a significant VOLUNTEERS | 3A
By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News Communication between kids and parents and throughout the communities in Jasper County are opening dialogue on the serious issue of substance abuse was the overarching message Tuesday at the Jasper County Substance Abuse Coalition Community Conversation. Held at the Newton High School Auditorium, more than 100 people listened to recovering addicts
Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News Officer Al Fear, director of the Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative, speaks during the Jasper County Substance Abuse Coalition’s Community Conversation on Thursday at the Newton High School Auditorium.
share their testimonials, what is being done and is available in the county for those dealing with substance abuse, whether personally or in support. They also heard
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crowd and talking about the coalition and its work in the past year. “You’re here for your community, you care SUBSTANCE | 8A
LOCAL
WHERE IT’S AT Astrograph......................5B Calendar..........................5A Classifieds......................4B
from featured speaker Al Fear on his work battling heroin and opioid abuse throughout the state. Newton Police Chief Rob Burdess started the evening welcoming the
Comics & Puzzles...........6A Dear Abby........................6A Local Sports......................1B
Obituaries.......................5A Opinion............................4A State News......................7A
Clothing drive begins Monday
Newton library collecting winter clothes / 8A
Volume No. 116 No. 94 2 sections 18 pages
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