Newton
Serving Newton & Jasper County Since 1902
Daily News
Friday, January 17, 2014
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Newton, Iowa
Two more Republicans throw hats into Senate District 15 primary race
OBITUARIES Frederick Warner, 73 INSIDE TODAY
Kum & Go exec, former Iowa GOP co-chair join former Jasper Co. GOP chair in race to face Black in November By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor
Local
‘Elvis Lives’ in Des Moines Page 2A
Winter Blows Back By Daily News Staff Truckers pulled off Interstate Highway 80 on Thursday afternoon as snow began falling and winds whipped up in excess of 30 mph. More than 30 trucks were already parked at Love’s truck stop on Iowa Speedway Drive in Newton by 1 p.m. The National Weather Service reported a maximum gust of 42 mph at the Newton
Education
Polar traditions at Head Start Page 8A
Sports
Page 1B
By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
Weather
Saturday
High 35 Low 16
Sunday
High 47 Low 23 Weather Almanac
Thurs., Jan. 16 High 36 Low 5 1 ⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch of snow Also: Astrograph Page 5B Calendar Page 3A
Before sunrise Thursday morning, a group of Newton citizens — fueled with donuts, coffee and “Red Pride” — took a bus ride to the Iowa Economic Development Authority in Des Moines to plead the case for Newton to become a Main Street Community in front of the Iowa Main Street Board. “It’s a relief to be at this point, where we have turned in our application, we have made our presentation, and we have stated our case on how and why Newton is ready to move forward to revi-
Zach Johnson/Daily News Steve Long, Jason Lauterbach, Bob Knabel and Jeff Price relax before the Main Street presentation Thursday. Everyone in attendance wore an apron to show Newton is ready to go to work. The aprons were provided by Newton Manufacturing.
talize our downtown district,” Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Darrell Sarmento said. “Now we just wait and see. But having already gone through this process, it has brought a new cohesive vision on tackling downtown issues, and I think the future is bright for downtown Newton.”
The Main Street Initiative had a 30-minute presentation and a 15-minute question-andanswer session in which members of the Iowa Main Street Board could ask questions regarding the presentation and application for the group. “During the question-andanswer time, it showed how thorough the Main Street
RACE See Page 5A
Board is about what cities they select,” Sarmento said. “They want to know that we’re really ready, organized and have done our research. The citizens who were a part of the trip played a part in the presentation, showing support and knowledge of the city. “We also had
On Monday, Newton City Council will begin budget hearings for the upcoming year. Five organizations will make presentations for the budget hearings. Erin Chambers, director of Planning and Zoning, also will give an update on the comprehensive plan to the council.
MAIN STREET See Page 5A
COUNCIL See Page 5A
Council to begin budget hearings on Monday By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
‘In the blood’: Poston traces family’s military history to Revolutionary War
Classifieds Page 4B
By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Comics & Puzzles Page 6A Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A Our 112th Year No. 169
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p.m. At the same time, first responders were called to a multi-car crash near Kellogg on U.S. Highway 6 that involved injuries. Also on Thursday, a Prairie City man lost control of his vehicle on a Highway 163 bridge.
Newton Main Street Committee makes presentation to Iowa Main Street Board
Middle school basketball
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Municipal Airport. Later in the day, moderate snowfall began accompanying the storm, resulting in low visibilities. The National Weather Service declared blizzard conditions in Jasper County shortly before 5
The Republicans in Iowa Senate District 15 will have a full-on primary come June 3. Today, a Kum & Go executive and the former co-chair of the state party announced they will each seek the GOP nomination to face Sen. Dennis Black in the November General Election. Crystal Bruntz of Baxter, a human resources executive with Kum & Go, announced her bid shortly before the noon hour Thursday. Her campaign will focus on fiscal responsibility and education, she said in the official announceBruntz ment. Bruntz declared herself a “proponent for responsible budgeting principles.” She said, through her job, she sees how government regulation impacts the daily life of Iowans, calling it a burden that must be eliminated. “Iowans have to live Fischer within their means and government at all levels should do the same. Those charged with the stewardship over our tax dollars would be wise to remember that a government should not spend more than what it collects in taxes and fees,” she said. “With the federal government overstepping these bounds, states are put in a position of forced spending. The state government must adhere to the law and not waste Iowa taxpayer money. A state in a strong financial position will be capable of adjusting to changing situations without creating additional hardships for taxpayers.”
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Tracing his family’s genealogy started as a hobby for Marine veteran Mike Poston, and as he uncovered more information, it became a passion. “My fifth greatgrandfather (Elias Poston) was in the Revolutionary War,” Mike said. Mike said, as a child, he had always heard stories about Elias but really couldn’t fathom the concept of someone in his family playing a major role in American history until he started researching his family and discovered the book
“West Virginia: A History” by Otis Rice. “The idea of being able to open a book that you can get from the library and see your fifth great-grandfather’s name (is unbelievable),” Mike said. “You want to believe it, but until you see it in black and white, it’s really hard to say it’s
true.” A passage from another book, “History of Hampshire County, West Virginia,” showcases the reason Mike has become so fascinated by his family’s history and, specifically, the life Elias. “No history of Hampshire County would be complete without the inclusion of Col. Elias Poston. Poston holds the all-time record for most offices in Hampshire County, which include surveyor, census taker, sheriff, attorney, justice of the peace, ferry operator, delegate to the POSTON See Page 5A
Ty Rushing/Daily News Mike Poston, a Marine veteran, wanted to learn more about his family and discovered how deep their military roots run.