Newton
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Daily News
Thursday, May 22, 2014
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Newton, Iowa
Pence honored at state convention for 40 years of service
OBITUARIES Berniece Brubaker, 97 Floyd R. Dage, 93 Wanda DeMoss, 76 Dennis Kleinendorst, 67 INSIDE TODAY
Special to the Daily News
Local
Harkin in Labor Hall of Fame
Submitted Photo Third graders at Berg Elementary School were fitted for and received free bike helmets last week courtesy of Central Iowa Cyclists, a nonprofit organization based in Newton. Today and Friday, CIC will give away helmets to third graders at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.
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Local bike group keeping Newton kids safe for 16 years Health
Memorial weekend grilling tips Page 7A
Sports
2014 Cardinal baseball team Page 1B
Weather
Friday
High 75 Low 54
Saturday
High 77 Low 62 Weather Almanac
Wed., May 21 High 83 Low 62 No Precipitation Also: Astrograph Page 5B Classifieds Page 4B Comics & Puzzles Page 6A Dear Abby Page 6A
Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A Our 113th Year No. 4
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While a lot of people want cars for their 16th birthdays, the Central Iowa Cyclists are content with having helped support another mode of transportation for 16 years thanks to the organization’s bike helmet giveaway. Since 1998, CIC, a nonprofit organization, has donated a bike helmet to every third grader attending classes in the Newton Community School District. “CIC raises the funds for the helmets, then visits each of the third grade classes to give instruction on the importance of wearing a helmet, the proper way to wear a helmet and general bike safety instructions,” CIC member Jill Barr said. The major fundraiser CIC does is the CHILL-I Ride every March. “This ride has progressed over the years. Before the (Iowa) Speedway, we rode to Reasnor and back for a total of about 22 miles,” Barr said. “For the last (few) years, we have been allowed to ride on the speedway, so our route goes to the speedway, onto the track and then out past the (Newton) Christian Conference Center, following the paved road back into town. “We have about 80 to 100 riders each year. Beyond that, the community has been most generous in donating each year.” Last week, the nonprofit organization visited Berg Elementary School and provided helmets to all five sections of third-grade on that campus. This week, CIC will be visiting Thomas Jefferson Elementary School to teach those students about bike safety and fitting them with a helmet. “An entire generation of students has graduated high school having received one of these helmets in the third grade,” Barr said. “We do this because we believe in the importance of wearing a helmet to help protect against head injuries.” According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, children between the ages of 5 and 14
Submitted Image New playground equipment will replace the old at Maytag Park later this summer. An artist’s conception of the some of the new equipment is pictured.
Opinion Page 4A
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By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer
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and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24 have the highest rates of nonfatal bicycle-related injuries, accounting for almost 60 percent of all bicycle-related injuries seen in U.S. emergency departments. In addition, CDC reports that in 2010, 800 bicyclists were killed and an estimated 515,000 sustained bicycle-related injuries that required emergency department care. Roughly half of these cyclists were children and adolescents under the age of 20. Annually, 26,000 of these bicyclerelated injuries to children and adolescents are traumatic brain injuries treated in emergency departments. Barr spoke about an experience this year at the Berg giveaway where one student initially denied wanting to receive a helmet. “I call on him, and he said ‘Do I have to take a helmet?’” Barr said. “This is the first time I have ever had that response. I asked why he didn’t want one, and his reasons were well thought out. He didn’t like the way the helmet feels, and he’s fallen lots of times and never hit his head. Well, of course, I’m not going to force this gift upon anyone, but eventually he did, although somewhat reluctantly, accept the helmet. “I hope he wears it as he should and never has an accident. Speaking from experience, I have fallen off my bike when not wearing a helmet and ended up in the hospital. I know firsthand the importance of wearing a helmet. Sometimes it’s hard to get others to understand, kind of like wearing a seatbelt.” After 16 years of ensuring some of Newton’s youngest cyclists are safe, Barr is hopeful CIC can continue the tradition for future third graders. “In a few years, if we can continue with this program, we will have some children whose parents also got helmets from us,” Barr said. “My son’s class was the first class to get a helmet. He now has a 1-year-old son who I hope will one day get a helmet from us.” CIC See Page 5A
Levi E. Pence of Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton was honored for 40 years of dedication to funeral service during the 134th Annual Iowa Funeral Directors Association Convention held May 13-15 at the Iowa State Center and Gateway Hotel in Ames. Pence was one of six funeral directors from around the state to receive recognition by peers and colleagues for 40 years of service to Iowa communities. Pence began his career working for Dunn’s Funeral Home in Des Moines as a student assistant while going to school for computer programming. After serving in Vietnam, he followed a colleague to Grandview Funeral Home across town and decided to go into funeral service. After graduating from Des Moines Area Community College and the Indiana College of Mortuary Science, he worked at Grandview and Brouhard Funeral Home in Zearing. In 1984, Pence purchased the Wallace Funeral Home and operated as Wallace-Pence Funeral Home for several years. In 2000, he purchased the Reese Funeral Home and operates two locations as Pence-Reese Funeral Home. He currently works with his son, Jeffrey, and brother-inlaw, Gene Groeneveld. This year’s Annual IFDA Convention featured highly regarded local and national funeral service speakers who presented current information on bereavement education, business and management practices, regulatory updates, technical skills and training and additional topics related to the funeral service profession. The Annual IFDA Convention provides funeral directors with a forum to receive and exchange information so they may return home with new ideas that will allow them to better serve the families in their communities. PENCE See Page 5A
Zach Johnson/Daily News Levi E. Pence of Pence-Reese Funeral Home was honored for 40 years of funeral service during the 134th Annual Iowa Funeral Directors Association Convention held May 13-15 in Ames.
Park board approves new Maytag Park playground design By Kate Malott Daily News Staff Writer Same playground, new equipment. The Newton Park Board settled on a new playground design Wednesday to replace the current playground at Maytag Park later this summer. The board’s next step is to seek approval at the next city council meeting. A few weeks ago, the board narrowed down the potential playground designs to its top
two choices. At Wednesday’s meeting, a representative from each of the two design companies gave a 15-minute presentation about their designs, features and costs. The board debated on the benefits of each playground but voted for a plan from Boland Recreation, a design company from Marshalltown, for recommendation to the city council. PARK See Page 5A