Newton
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Tuesday, January 14, 2014
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Newton, Iowa
Discovery continued to Feb. 3 for Wright child endangerment trial
OBITUARIES Robert Lee Etter, 85 Rosemary Krueger, 84
Prairie City woman charged in death of child mauled by dog
INSIDE TODAY
By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor Monday, pretrial discovery was continued until next month in the case of a Prairie City woman charged in the death of a young girl she was babysitting, who was mauled last year by the woman’s dog. Jena Marie Wright, 25, is charged with
Entertainment Blue Man Group at Civic Center Page 2A
child endangerment resulting in death and neglect or abandonment resulting in death. She was babysitting 4-year-old Jordyn Arndt April 22, 2013, when Wright’s American Staffordshire dog attacked the girl, causing extensive injuries to her head and neck area. Arndt was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, where she died of her injuries the next day. Then-Prairie City Police Chief Louis Modlin took Wright into custody on the endangerment and neglect charges shortly thereafter.
City hires firm to investigate firefighters union claims
Wright allegedly resisted arrest and assaulted Modlin in his attempt to take her into custody, which has led to additional charges of interference with official acts and assault on a peace officer causing bodily injury. Trial in the matter has been set for Feb. 19. A pretrial conference scheduled for Monday morning was continued to allow for additional discovery. A new pretrial conference has been scheduled for Monday, Feb. 3, to hear any additional pretrial motions.
Early retirement program approved by school board By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Sports
Newton splits double dual Page 1B
Weather
Zach Johnson/Daily News Newton City Council called a special meeting for Monday night with regard to the retention of services of Two Solutions LLC for administrative reviews to begin an investigation of the performance of Newton Fire Chief Jerrod Wellik (far right). The investigation is in response to the Newton Association of Professional Fire Fighters Local 1457 vote of “no confidence” in Wellik’s leadership. The motion to retain the services of Two Solutions LLC passed unanimously without discussion.
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SIAC to give input on next year school calendar
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By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer The School Improvement Advisory Committee has its first major task and it will help develop the Newton Community School District’s 2014-15 school calendar. Monday, the Newton Community School District Board of Education agreed to allow SIAC to research and reports its findings to it on which method would be better for next school year: 180 instructional days or 1,080 hours of instruction? Superintendent Bob Callaghan, who also serves on SIAC, suggested a date of Jan. 27 for the committee to give its recommendation to the board. The district needs to submit to the Iowa Department of Education which method it prefers by March 1 and also hold a public hearing on the matter before then. Callaghan also reported two mem-
Friday
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Mon., Jan. 13 High 37 Low 30 .02 inch of rain Also: Astrograph Page 5B Calendar Page 3B Classifieds Page 4B Comics & Puzzles Page 6A
By Daily News Staff
Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A Sports Page 1B Our 112th Year No. 166
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SIAC See Page 5A
County GOP announces sites for 2014 Caucus
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bers of SIAC had to resign due to other obligations and were replaced by Basics and Beyond teacher Charlet Daft and Newton Senior High School teacher Mike Moran. When SIAC met on Thursday, they chose to adopt the district’s mission statement as its vision statement, but developed its own mission statement, which Callaghan read to the board. “The mission of the School Improvement Advisory Committee is to recommend district programs and the effective utilization of resources that result in students developing 21st Century skills and their individual talents,” he said. “This will be accomplished by providing a safe school environment while respecting student diversity, focusing on students first.” Subcommittees were also developed for SIAC and are as follows:
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The Jasper County Republican Party announced Monday the locations for precinct caucuses, which are to be held throughout the state Tuesday, Jan. 21. The following is a list of the caucus sites: Thomas Jefferson Elementary in Lambs Grove • All City of Newton voting precincts • Buena Vista Township • Hickory Grove Township • Kellogg Township • Newton Township • Palo Alto Township
• Richland Township • Rock Creek Township • Sherman Township Baxter Community School • Independence Township • Malaka Township • Mariposa Township Colfax-Mingo High School in Colfax • All City of Colfax voting precincts • Clear Creek Township • Des Moines Township • Mound Prairie Township • Poweshiek Township • Washington Town-
ship PCM High School Library in Monroe • Fairview Township Sully Community Center • Elk Creek Township • Lynn Grove Township Republicans who participate will hear from candidates, elect delegates to the county convention, and discuss the party platform. Precinct Committee members will also be selected. The caucus will begin promptly at 7 p.m. Those who wish to participate are encouraged to arrive early.
“So, if they take this early retirement, we benefit financially, but the negative to that, is our kids lose to some degree,” Superintendent Bob Callaghan said at Monday’s Newton Community School Board of Education meeting. After much deliberation, the school board passed the second reading of board policy 410.1-410.3, which updates early retirement protocols for qualified employees within the district. The board then voted and approved the next step in the process, which was activating the district’s voluntary early retirement program. “What I want to make sure that everybody knows is, these are some of our best and most seasoned teachers. We don’t want them to go,” Callaghan said. “It’s a balance and there is no win here. This is really, just a budgetary tool.” The board proposed a deadline of March 1 for qualified employees to consider accepting the early retirement package. It also discussed having some type of open meeting for eligible staff to ask details concerning the package between now and then. “This is very open and very transparent,” Callaghan said. “We want everyone to be able to come in and ask us whatever they want. We don’t want to leave it open-ended forever, but we are all in agreement that we are not in any rush, and we’re not going to force anybody into making a decision they are not comfortable with. We felt March 1 was a good deadline.” “I think leaving it open until March 1 is going to give people a lot of time to consider what they are doing,” board president Andy Elbert said. Board Secretary/District Business Manager Gayle Isaac explained to the board why the administrative team felt the need to bring the early retirement option to the table for the 2013-14 school year budget, but not use it as a tool every year. “If staff realize that it’s going to be offered every year, it’s going to be whenever they feel it’s right for them personally and we are using this as a budgetary tool,” Isaac said. “We want to offer them a good perk, but at the same time I only want to use it when we really need it.” “We needed it last year and from my numbers, we are going to need it again,” he continued. “The shortfall is probably going to be somewhere in the $500,000-plus range. So, I’m going to need it again for next year, but at that point, I don’t want to continue offering it. Then you are going to get a situation where it’s not beneficial for budgetary needs.” Callaghan indicated that up to 35 teachers and 10 of the district’s auxiliary employees qualify for early retirement currently. Teachers and nurses who take early retirement would receive 25 percent of their base salary. Administrators and classified personnel would receive 25 percent of the salary they are receiving at the time of retirement. He and Isaac also stated the district’s Management Fund has the funds to cover the buyouts and to purchase back sick days at a rate of $50 per day. Sick days max out at 180 because that is the amount of time equal to one instructional year. “They don’t have to retire unless it’s their choice to retire,” board member Nat Clark said. “Early retirement is nothing but, if you’re considering it, here’s something to help you make the decision. If it’s not the decision you’re ready to make, then by all means keep teaching until the end of time.” Staff writer Ty Rushing may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 426, or at trushing@newtondailynews. com.