Newton
Serving Newton & Jasper County Since 1902
Daily News
75 cents
Monday, March 17, 2014 OBITUARIES Cate Giannetto, 66 Betty L. Johnson, 87 INSIDE TODAY
www.newtondailynews.com
FBI won’t confirm raid in Newton By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor Eyewitnesses say at least two raids were conducted in Newton on Tuesday, March 4. Multiple eyewitnesses reported seeing law enforcement officials in tactical gear and carry-
Business
First look at Health Enterprise Lab
Newton, Iowa
ing what were described as AR-15 rifles raiding two east-side homes that afternoon. One raid occurred in the 300 block of East Fourth Street North, the other in the 1300 block of South Fifth Avenue East. The Jasper County Sheriff ’s Office and
Newton Police Department both denied any involvement by the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, the Jasper County SERT and the Newton Police Department Tactical Team. Although they indicated the FBI led those
raids, the agency’s local spokeswoman said she could not say what was happening. “I cannot confirm or deny a raid took place,” FBI Public Affairs Specialist for the Omaha Division said. “It is against [U.S. Department of Justice] policy
to discuss ongoing investigations.” No additional information will be made available by the FBI or U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa unless or until a federal indictment is unsealed by a judge.
Full house for ‘Les Miserables’
Page 7A
“Les Miserables” concluded its opening weekend at Newton Community Theatre with sold-out performances Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Additional performances are slated for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $17 for adults and $15 for children age 18 and younger.
Sports
Cards at LHC indoor meet Page 1B
Zach Johnson/ Daily News
Weather
Candidate filing period for state, federal offices comes to close
Tuesday
High 54 Low 32
By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor
Wednesday
High 48 Low 29 Weather Almanac
Friday, Mar. 14 High 52 Low 39 No Precipitation
Sat., Mar. 15 High 46 Low 28 .1 inch of snow
Sun., Mar. 16 High 30 Low 23 1 inch of snow Also:
By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor
Comics & Puzzles Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 2A Our 112th Year No. 210
98213 00008
FILING See Page 3A
Man convicted of 1972 murder dies in prison
Classifieds Page 3B
7
At 5 p.m. Friday, the filing period for candidates to present nomination papers to Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz ended for those seeking state and federal offices. There will be several hotly contested races at the June 3 primary. None perhaps more hotly contested than the U.S. Senate Republican Primary, which will feature five candidates from central and western Iowa. Among the surprises on the final certified list of candidates released Saturday afternoon by Schultz’ office were the candidates for Governor of Iowa. Five-term incumbent Terry Branstad will face a challenge in the Republican primary by Sioux City conservative activist Tom Hoefling.
The other surprise was the announcement that several hundred signatures for Democratic candidate Jonathan Narcisse had been thrown out, disqualifying him as a candidate in the Democratic primary. Narcisse has vowed to appeal the decision. Here are the current candidates for each office impacting Jasper County: • U.S. Senate Republican: Sam Clovis of Hinton, State Sen. Joni Ernst of Red Oak, Mark Jacobs of West Des Moines, Scott Schaben of Ames and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa Mark Whitaker. Democrat: U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley of Waterloo.
4
A North Carolina man convicted in 1972 for the murder of another out-of-state man in Jasper County died as a result of complications from colon cancer Sunday, March 9. Allen Lee Hall, 69, was in hospice care at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center at Oakdale Prison in Coralville at the time of his death. His sentence began in August of 1972. According to court documents, Hall
shot Gilford Eugene Meacham in a car while in Jasper County. He turned himself in a few days later and voluntarily confessed to shooting the man. There were no witnesses to the crime. Initially, there were questions about Hall’s sanity and ability to stand trial, but a jury found him sane. A second jury then convicted him of first-degree murder, which resulted in a life sentence without parole. According to state prosecutors’ version of the events that led to Meacham’s death, Hall
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Zach Johnson/Daily News Newton Dairy Queen owner Bobby O’Brien is celebrating his Irish heritage today with a Happy St. Patrick’s Day statue. The statue is also in remembrance of his son, Brendan O’Brien.
committed a “coldblooded murder” in the course of robbing the other man. According to the defense version, Hall took a psychoactive drug, later identified as LSD, that caused him to hallucinate, resulting in the accidental shooting of Meacham. Both sides agreed on how Hall and Meacham met. Hall had been hitchhiking in the western U.S. when he met and befriended Meacham. They were to travel together, with Hall
Jasper County Planning and Zoning Administrator Larry Ryan will more than likely recommend at Tuesday’s meeting, that the Jasper County Board of Supervisors approve a subdivision proposal in Colfax.
HALL See Page 5A
SUBDIVISION See Page 5A
Supervisors to hear subdivision proposal By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer