NEWTON
HAWKS DOMINATE
Iowa football defeats Nebraska 56-14 in Lincoln / 1B
DAILY NEWS newtondailynews.com
MONDAY, NOV. 27, 2017 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
HIGH
61 47 LOW
Facebook.com/newtondailynews
@newtondnews
Shoppers embrace Shop Small Saturday By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News The stores were full and the shoppers were out in force to take part in Shop Small Saturday in downtown Newton. In its fourth year, the event highlights local retailers on the day after the largest shopping day of the year. “We have been delighted with the traffic,” Olive ‘et Boutique owner Vicki Wade said. “I put some new things out
and I have been telling people to come out every day. It is exciting for the gals in the community.” Sponsored by Newton Main Street, retailers and restaurants offered promotions, coupons and giveaways to help encourage the community to shop local when purchasing gifts for loved ones. Similar to years past, customers SHOP | 8A
Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News People dance in the streets to holiday music just before the courthouse lighting and lighted parade on Friday in downtown Newton. See more photos on page 8A.
Newton Christmas kickoff draws hundreds
Courthouse Lighting tradition continues By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News Unseasonably warm weather helped bring hundreds of people to the annual Jasper County Courthouse Lighting celebration on Friday. The streets in downtown Newton were lined with several rows of excited spectators who counted down as the lights were turned on and stayed to watch the lighted parade which saw a growing number of participants. “We couldn’t have asked for a better night,” Newton Area Chamber of Commerce Executive
Director Amanda Price said. “We had more entries in the parade this year than we have ever had. We had a big crowd and it was a lot of fun.” Crowds showed up early to take a free horse and carriage ride, listen to holiday music, view the live models at Olive ‘et Boutique and Fine Things Reclaimed and take in the Festival of Trees inside the courthouse. Local 4-H groups decorated trees under the theme “The Giving Tree” with several clubs adopting local organizations or charity to support. They will then donate the items under their
tree, or the decorations themselves to their selected organization. Ushering in the main event were Jim and Kathy Fallon who were selected by the courthouse lighting committee to “flip the switch” and bring to life the thousands of sparkling lights decorating the building. Longtime committee member Steve Knight said he was so happy when he drew the Fallons’ names out of the hat for the honor. “It was very exciting,” Kathy Fallon said. COURTHOUSE | 3A
Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News Shoppers take a look at the variety of holiday decorations at Fine Things Reclaimed on Shop Small Saturday in Newton.
NCSD board to look One man killed in at PPEL funds Saturday grass fire By David Dolmage Newton Daily News The Newton Community School District board will, on Monday night, look at updating the district’s Physical Plant and Equipment Levy. This PPEL plan, which provides funding for “big ticket” upgrades in the district, is funded by a homeowner tax of up to 33 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. The district can also seek additional dollars by accessing another form of PPEL funds, by asking voters to authorize a VPPL, or voted Physical Plant and Equipment Levy which can bring up to an additional 66 cents per
thousand dollars of assessed valuation. NC SD Superintendent Bob Callaghan said the Callahagn district has to use the funds for big ticket items, like the district’s new “Megatron” server. “We’re talking about a server for the technology department here, not just a single computer,” Callaghan said. NCSD board member Josh Cantu raised the issue of the PPEL funds during the last board meeting as board members discussed
ways to fund a replacement air conditioning unit at Thomas Jefferson Elementary. The unit, which district administrators expect to cost between $60,000 to $125,000 to replace will require reshuffling of the NCSD’s budget. Administrators had not planned on replacing the unit for another two years, but the district’s maintenance department has reported the unit is beyond repair. In 2014 voters in the NCSD approved a 10-year VPPEL tax of 66 cents and school board officials vote yearly to decide whether or not to add the additional 33 cents from the standard PPEL tax. Callaghan SCHOOL | 3A
Newton Daily News One man was killed during a fast moving grass fire on Saturday west of Grinnell. Dr. Bernhard Willfang, 86, was pronounced dead at the scene af-
$1.00
7
98213 00008
4
FIRE | 3A
Rebate program garners $2,100 for county By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News Jasper County recently received a check for $2,140 from PFM Payment Solutions for participating in a rebate program. The funds were presented to the Jasper County Board of Supervisors at its meeting by PFM Managing Director Jon Burmeister. “We’ve been serving the county as
your municipal advisor over the past few years and one of the privileges I’ve been able do is help the county be more efficiencies with its debt financings,” Burmeister said. “This is a program the county implemented a couple of years ago and it’s actually producing some efficiency in savings for the county.” REBATE | 3A
STATE
WHERE IT’S AT Astrograph......................5B Calendar..........................5A Classifieds......................4B
ter the Grinnell Fire Department responded to a report of a lot of smoke at 2:44 p.m. between Highway 6 and 20th Street West.
Comics & Puzzles...........6A Dear Abby........................6A Local Sports......................1B
Obituaries.......................5A Opinion............................4A State News......................7A
Harassment goes unreported
Iowa Senate GOP staff fear retaliation / 7A
Volume No. 116 No. 135 2 sections 16 pages
Thank you Clarine Van Kooten of Sully for subscribing to the Newton Daily News. To subscribe, call 641-792-5320 or visit newtondailynews.com.
THE TEAM TO INSURE YOU RIGHT. THE COMPANIES TO SAVE YOU MONEY. *savings may vary
Jeff Maki
Darin Eide Alex Modlin
Dale Maki
INSURANCE
Aerika Berner Skyler Wedeking Lori Gibson Gary Clemon
220 1st Ave. W. Newton 641-792-5040 www.clemonmaki.com