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FRIDAY, FEB. 13, 2015 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
Copper Dollar Ranch
Defense finishes questioning of former CDR owner State presents DNA analysis of clothes, crime scene
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NPD investigating inappropriate teacher-student contact By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News The Newton Police Department is conducting a criminal investigation regarding alleged inappropriate contact between a teacher and a Newton High School student and the school superintendent says a teacher who recently resigned is involved. Newton Police Chief Jeff Hoebelheinrich, when prompted, acknowledged Wednesday a criminal investigation into “allegations of inappropriate contact between a male teacher and a female student” is taking place at the high school. No
By Mike Mendenhall Newton Daily News WATERLOO — Attorneys for Theresa “Terri” Supino continued to cross examine former Copper Dollar Ranch owner Hal Snedeker Thursday at the Black Hawk County Courthouse, trying to establish the possibility that Snedeker’s drug trafficking could be linked to the double murder of Steven Fisher and Melisa Gregory. Supino is charged with two counts of firstdegree murder in the March 3, 1983 killings of her estranged husband Fisher, 20, and Gregory, 17, at the CDR northwest of Newton. The defense brought Snedeker’s whereabouts the night of the murders into question for a second time Thursday, trying to cast doubt on the witness’s 32 years of shifting statements to investigators. Snedeker said he was with his brother-inlaw Carl Simmons on March 2, 1982 — first at a local bowling alley followed by a trip to a local bar. He admitted on the stand to lying of his whereabouts to wife Linda Snedeker at the time because she wouldn’t have approved of him being “out with the boys.” Co-defense counsel
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arrests h a v e b e e n m a d e a n d Hoebelheinrich declined to release the name Stillman of the teacher. However, Newton Superintendent Bob Callaghan said Thursday he’s aware of an NPD investigation involving former Social Studies and assistant wrestling coach Matt Stillman. Callaghan said the “impacted” parents were notified about INVESTIGATION | 7A
Three properties up for D&D program By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News
deker claims he did stop at the ranch March 2, knowing the Fisher was staying in the trailer and could tend to the horses. The defense referenced Snedeker’s statement that Fisher was a poor employee and was hired, fired and rehired several times while working at the CDR. Addington
Three more houses are on the agenda for purchase for the D&D program at the Monday city council meeting. Another property is up for purchase for the housing initiative as well. The property at 615 S. Fourth Ave. E. is owned by Habitat for Humanity of Mid-Iowa. The organization is restructuring back into a county-based organization and does not have plans to develop the property in the near future. It is available to the city for $5,000. After being a source of complaints over the past two years, the property at 1018 E. Eighth St. N. has been negotiated for purchase at a price of $35,000. The property also has significant condition issues. City staff has had preliminary discussions with a developer who is interested in constructing several homes on 922 E. Ninth St. N. and the vacant
SUPINO | 3A
COUNCIL | 7A
Dennis Magee/Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier Co-defense counsel Steve Addington holds Theresa “Terri” Supino’s jeans from 1983 at the Black Hawk County Courthouse in Waterloo Thursday. Supino is charged in the 1983 double murder of 17-year-old Melisa Gregory and 20-year-old Steven Fisher at the Copper Dollar Ranch northwest of Newton.
Steve Addington then asked the witness about an inconsistency in a 2008 interview with investigators, where Snedeker said he and Simmons made a trip to Des Moines that night and returned to Jasper County around 10:30 p.m. Snedeker said Thursday he did not remember going to Des Moines with Simmons,
but has stayed consistent in his testimony that he gave Simmons a ride home to Baxter March 2, 1983. Addington pointed out Baxter is 5 to 6 miles north of the former CDR. Snedeker testified Wednesday that he had multiple pregnant horses at the time of the murder, and they required 24-hour attention. Sne-
Bridal Fair to Deadline is March 15 for duck stamp art contest bring more than Prairie City, Monroe artists among those 20 vendors to whose work is at library now DMACC Newton Daily News Getting married this year, or in the next couple of years? Sunday’s 2015 Bridal Fair, presented by the Newton Daily News and The Bridal Sweet, will feature more than 20 vendors. The Des Moines Area Community College Conference Center event is slated to run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors will be on hand to discuss everything from photography to flowers, makeup to deejay services, and everything in between. Even Iowa Speedway is scheduled to be there. And, of course, there will be several dessert-type vendors on hand. Admission to the event is free. A drawing will be held for a $500 “Bridal Bucks” grand-prize giveaway. The $500 total can be used with any vendor at the event. It doesn’t need to be used Sunday, and it can be broken up among different vendors into portions as small as $100.
By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News Anyone who wants to see last year’s award-winning Iowa Junior Duck Stamp contest winners can go to the Newton Public Library this month to see a display. Any children who want to enter this year’s contest will need to get their ducks in a row soon — or at least one duck, to be submitted by March 15. That’s the deadline for the 2015 Iowa Junior Duck Stamp Contest. The art contest is modeled after the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, commonly known as the “Duck Stamp,” according to a news release. Last week, the Newton Public Library began displaying all
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Rebecca Schippers of Monroe took first place in the grades 10-12 category of the 2014 Iowa Junior Duck Stamp contest. Schippers’ piece and 35 other top-three placers are on display this month at the Newton Public Library, and the deadline for the 2015 contest is March 15.
36 first, second and third place pieces from last year’s statewide contest. Iowa artists who range from kindergartners to high school seniors submitted their pieces for consideration. The display will remain in the Newton library through Feb. 28.
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City took third place in the grades 4-6 group. Lynn Singer, a 15-yearold from East Union Schools, located near Winterset, was named the 2014 Iowa Best of Show winner. STAMP | 3A
FEATURE
WHERE IT’S AT Astrograph......................5B Calendar..........................5A Classifieds......................4B
Two Jasper County artists were among the winners last year, and their projects are among the 36 winners on display in Newton. Rebecca Schippers of Monroe took first place in the grades 10-12 category, while Blake Van Der Kamp of Prairie
Comics & Puzzles...........6A Dear Abby........................6A Local News......................2A
Obituaries.......................5A Opinion............................4A State News......................7A
Student art at state show
Elementary students’ work on display / 2A
Volume No. 113 No. 189 2 sections 16 pages
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