Newton
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Monday, March 10, 2014
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Newton, Iowa
Black to retire from Iowa Senate
OBITUARIES Merrill L. Baker, 83 Mark J. Cupples, 67 Esther L. Leaf, 101
By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor State Sen. Dennis Black (DLynnville) announced this morning to colleagues in the Iowa General Assembly that this, his 32nd year in the legislature, would be his last. In a statement this morning, he told fellow legislators and members of the Iowa media he intends to retire at the end of his current
INSIDE TODAY
term. He said he plans to devote his time to family and friends. “Following ample consideration and pondering my professional responsibilities and commitments to family and friends, something had to give,” he wrote. “I am fortunate to have an active, eventful, productive and busy life.” Black, 74, said he “thoroughly enjoyed” his service to the state. But, he realized that if he won re-
election in November, he would be 79 years old by the time that term ended. “I owe those years, God willing they come, to me and my family,” he said. “Thus, I shall not be seeking a return to the capitol experience I have so dearly enjoyed.” Black said he has three books he is currently working on, all of BLACK See Page 5A
Bridal Fair
Local
Law enforcement visit Iowa Capitol
Black
Newton Main Street Board of Directors announced; meeting set for Wednesday
Page 2A
By Daily News Staff
Sports
Cards open indoor track season Page 7A
Weather
Matthew Nosco/Daily News Jill and Chuck Van Veen, owners of Van Veen Chocolates in Pella were one of the many vendors to turn out to Newton’s 12th Annual Bridal Fair hosted at the Iowa Speedway.
Tuesday
High 42 Low 26
State climatologist rates winter 2013-14 By Daily News Staff
Wednesday
High 34 Low 25 Weather Almanac
Friday, March 7 High 45 Low 27 No Precipitation
Sat., March 8 High 31 Low 25 No Precipitation
Sun., March 9 High 55 Low 19 No Precipitation Also: Astrograph Page 11A Calendar Page 3A
Supervisors to discuss implementation of county raises
Classifieds Page 8A Comics & Puzzles Page 6A
By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer
Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 2A, 3A Police Page 3A Our 112th Year No. 205
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Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today highlighted a summary of the 2013/2014 winter season compiled by Harry Hillaker, the State Climatologist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. “It has certainly seemed like a long, cold winter and the numbers from our State Climatologist’s office bear that out. Everyone is certainly looking forward to spring,” Northey said. “The meteorological season of winter runs from December 1 through February 28. This past winter season has been the coldest experienced in Iowa in 35 years and ranks as the 9th coldest winter in 141 years of records. Temperatures this winter season averaged 14.7 degrees or
7.2 degrees below normal,” said Hillaker. A colder December was last recorded in 2000, a colder January in 2010 and a colder February in 1979. Historically there have been only 24 winters among the past 141 seasons where all three winter months averaged colder than normal. Temperatures this winter have varied from about ten degrees below normal in northeast Iowa to four degrees below normal over the southwest. The cold has been very persistent this winter with nearly one-half (44) of all days averaging more than ten degrees colder than normal while only four days averaged more than ten degrees above normal. Persistence has been the primary characteristic of the Iowa weather pattern this winter as there have
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Last week, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors approved pay raises for various county officials and on Tuesday, Human Resources Director Dennis Simon will break down some of the financial metrics of those raises. Simon will explain to the board how, going into effect during the 2014-15 fiscal year, the 2 percent raises shall be imple-
mented for county department heads, non-department heads and hourly employees. County Engineer Russ Stutt will seek the board’s approval to purchase road gravel. The agenda doesn’t specify the amount Stutt is seeking to purchase, but if approved, the county would pay $4.66 a ton from Stratford-based Stratford Gravel Inc. SUPERVISORS See Page 5A
been very few daily record low temperatures set. Elkader has recorded the lowest temperature of the winter with a minus 29 degree reading on the morning of January 28. Slightly more than one-half of all Iowa winters have brought a lower statewide minimum temperature than the -29 recorded this winter. A popular measure of cold weather is the number of days with temperatures falling to zero degrees or lower. The number of subzero days this winter (through March 7) have varied from 15 at Shenandoah to 50 at Decorah while typical seasonal totals vary from 10 to 30 days across Iowa. Not only has the three mid-winter months been WINTER See Page 5A
The Newton Main Street announced its Board of Directors for the 2014-15 year on Friday. The board members were selected from various city and business leadership. This year’s board members are Sue Nolin, Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce; Lin Chape, City of Newton (designated by the mayor of Newton); Jeff Maki, SSMID Board (designated by the mayor); Rita Reinheimer, Newton Historic Preservation Committee (designated by the mayor); Danielle Rogers, Vernon Company and Young Professionals of Jasper County; Tracy Taylor, US Bank; Pat Wallace, Wallace Family Funeral Home and member of the Main Street Organizing Committee; Bruce Showalter, Re/Max Real Estate and member of the Main Street Organizing Committee; Graham Sullivan, Newton Community Education Foundation/ ReNew Newton and member of the Main Street Organizing Committee; and Kathy Winn, In Remembrance and member of Main Street Organizing Committee. A Main Street community meeting will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the DMACC Newton Campus. The meeting will give more information about the Main Street Program as well as facilitate the process and input of community members, business owners and downtown building owners to help create a vision for a “thriving Downtown District.” For more information on the Main Street Iowa Program, visit www. iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/ MainStreetIowa and www.preservationnation.org/main-street/. All Newton community members wanting to attend the meeting are asked to RSVP at the Newton Chamber office by calling (641) 792-5545 or emailing info@experiencenewton.com.
Pinewood Derby
Matthew Nosco/Daily News Members of Newton’s Cub Scout Pack 354 turned out on Saturday morning for the classic Pinewood Derby Races. The races involved five dens, a pack and an open division and ran throughout the morning. See a group photo on page 5A.