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FRIDAY, JAN. 16, 2015 • SERVING NEWTON & JASPER COUNTY SINCE 1902
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Pair charged in stabbing plead not guilty By Abigail Pelzer Newton Daily News
The city council is set to hear several budget reports at the Monday meeting.
Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News
Budget talks start for city council By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News The Newton City Council will hear from several groups about budget reports at the Monday’s city council meeting. Representatives from each organization will give a review of the last year and discuss the budget for the coming year. Frank Liebl with the Newton Development Corporation will start off the meeting, followed by the Newton Convention and Visitors Bureau presented by Linda Bacon. Frank Buckley will have the YMCA report, Denice Fisher will present RSVP and
the Heart of Iowa Regional Transport Agency report will come from Julia Castillo. Amanda Price, of the Newton Housing Development Corporation will conclude the budget reports. A new property is up for purchase through the D&D Program at the meeting. The location 1217 N. Fourth Ave. E. was recommended by the city staff because the property is in a highly visible location, is currently vacant and has been the source of numerous complaints in the past. The purchase price for the property is $12,000. The meeting will conclude will several presentations and
discussions. The Newton and Housing Development Corporation will speak about the First Avenue Corridor Housing Improvement Program with discussion led by Craig Armstrong and Amanda Price. Police Chief Jeff Hoebelheinrich will discuss crime-free multi-housing. The August Bergman house will be presented by Alexa McDowell. To conclude the evening the council will hear a discussion about the Newton Seed Store. Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 614-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com
No hills? No problem
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Jasper County Conservation’s Greg Oldsen conducted an annual set of cross-country skiing lessons this week at Berg Middle School during PE classes. While the BMS track and football field are hardly the Swiss Alps, students seemed to not only have tons of fun, but also some started to show basic improvement in technique — even after only a few minutes.
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Asha Stormbraker, left, and her twin sister, Alex Storm- Corbin Cain, standing, puts on skis as he gets braker, scoot along and try to keep their balance. help from classmate Jace Hackworth.
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suspects, for allegedly conspiring to commit a robbery against the victim. Graves, who is being held without bond at the Jasper County Jail, has submitted two letters to the judge assigned to the case. In those letters Graves claims he is mentally ill and is seeking mental health treatment rather than prison time. McConnell has requested a bond reduction, which was rejected, and remains in the Jasper County Jail on a $80,000 bond. A jury trial is scheduled for Graves and McConnell for April 8. If convicted of all the crimes, they each face up to 60 years in prison. Contact Abigail Pelzer at 641-792-3121 ext. 6530 or apelzer@newtondailynews.com
University of Iowa president to retire after 8-year tenure The Associated Press IOWA CITY — University of Iowa President Sally Mason announced Thursday that she will retire Aug. 1, following what will have been an eightyear tenure in which she managed a de vastating flood, severe Mason budget challenges and several controversies. Mason has had a difficult relationship with Gov. Terry Branstad’s appointees on the Iowa Board of Regents in recent years. In a statement, she noted that she turns 65 in May and decided now was the right time to depart personally and professionally after speaking with her husband during the holiday break. Mason said she was proud of achievements under her watch in improving student retention and four-year graduation rates and constructing state-of-the-art buildings. The school has raised $1.4 billion in private funds since 2008. “It has been an honor
and privilege to serve as the president of this great institution,” she said. Mason became the school’s 20th president when she arrived in 2007 from Purdue University, where she was provost. Almost immediately, the former biology professor was thrown into managing one problem after another, many caused by events outside her control. A historic June 2008 flood came to symbolize her tenure, when heavy rains caused the Iowa River to overflow its banks and damage or destroy numerous buildings. Mason worked to keep the university open and spent the following years overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars of rebuilding projects, including many in art, theatre and music programs. Those projects are part of a construction boom that remains ongoing and will reshape the campus. Others include a new children’s hospital, a biomedical research center and the school’s first new residence hall since 1968. “She led the university through some of the toughest times that it’s dealt with, MASON | 3A
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A Newton pair charged in the attempted murder of a local man has pleaded not guilty and are set to stand trial this spring. Nigel W. Graves, 33, and Lisa L. McConnell, 32, are charged in the Dec. 3 incident in which police say a Newton man was found with multiple stab wounds. According to Newton Police, officers were called to 126 E. Fifth St. S. at about 7 p.m. where officers found Scott Auten suffering from stab wounds. He was transported to Skiff Medical Center for his injuries, where he was treated and later released. Graves and McConnell were arrested a shortly after the incident — one had the knife on their person and the other admitted they were both at the victim’s residence and an altercation occurred. The two were initially charged with attempted murder, a Class B felony and willful injury, a Class C felony. The Jasper County Attorney’s office later filed a first-degree robbery charge, a Class B felony, on both
JCARL drive by Aurora Heights
Students collect supplies for organization / 2A
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