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DAILY NEWS THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2016 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Citizens feeling safer in Newton, survey reveals By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News
A year in Newton
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Ukrainian exchange student Vlada Osadcha is wrapping up her year as part of the Newton OPEN program. She said there are more choices in the U.S. in school classes and in society in areas such as commerce and religion.
OPEN student wraps up year with host families
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throughout the year. She noticed how many fast-food choices are in most U.S. places, and between
Providing a safe community The city’s purpose is to protect the community and to fairly enforce the law, to educate the residents and to provide information on safety prevention, to be well prepared in order to promptly respond to emergencies and calls for service, to provide the protections of the environment and the lives of its residents and visitors and to provide a safe transportation network that is well-maintained. “This is one of the areas that we really excelled for the past two years. In each of the indicators we showed improvement in terms of the percent of citizens rating our services positive,” Umsted said. “I think it shows that citizens are feeling like Newton is a safe place to live and that is exactly what we want.” In the area of police services, the department earned a 78 percent good or excellent rating, up 12 percent from 2014. Also, those rating the services fair or poor dropped 12 percent from last survey. Newton’s fire services also received positive ratings gaining 6 percent in the excellent category and dropping 6 percent for fair ratings. The NFD maintained a 0 percent poor rating from 2014 to 2016. The survey also received results on the overall feeling of safety, EMS services, crime prevention, traffic enforcement and animal enforcement. In every category surveyed, the city had positive growth from the 2014 survey.
OSADCHA | 3A
SURVEY | 3A
By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News
magine if you had grown up in eastern Europe, were new to the United States, and one of your first stops was the Iowa State Fair. That was the way Vlada Osadcha was introduced to America. While her experiences of the past year as a Ukrainian exchange student ended up going far beyond giant corn dogs, tractor displays and hog barns, it was quite an eye-opening beginning for Osadcha, who stayed with two Newton families since August and attended Newton High School. “The State Fair was so much fun, and there were so many people there,” said Osadcha, who returns to her family in the Ukraine next week. “People are more friendly here, and there were so many food choices.”
Submitted photo Two families hosted Ukrainian exchange student Vlada Osadcha this year as part of the Newton OPEN program. In front, from the left, are Jessie Smith, Osadcha and Catherine Thorpe. In back are Jacob Smith, Josh Smith, Doug Smith, Cindy Smith, Joan Thorpe and Jim Thorpe.
Not only was Osadcha introduced to a plethora of food choices and animals and more at the State Fair, but she was exposed to many aspects of American and Iowa life
Outstanding in their field
Photos by Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Angel Nell winds up to throw a “fox tail” as an older student, serving as an official, looks on. Berg Elementary School students participated in some unique athletic events Monday during the school’s annual field day. The last day of school in Newton for the year is Friday.
Colton Atwood winds up for a football toss.
The Farmer’s Wife wins Newton Main Street’s Open 4 Business contest Newton Daily News The Farmer’s Wife has won Newton Main Street’s 2016 Open 4 Business contest, Newton Main Street announced Wednesday. The Farmer’s Wife, which sells one-of-a-kind interior and exterior home décor and gifts, receives a prize package valued at $3,200 and advances to sub-state Open 4 Business competition. “I’m very honored to have won,” said Bonnie Terpstra, who owns the Farmer’s Wife. “Thank you to the Main Street program and all the donors and volunteers who make it all such a success.” Open 4 Business, a business plan contest, has a local, regional and state component. Main Street Iowa and the Iowa Economic Development Authority host the regional and state contests. For the local contest, Advantage Credit Union, Bank Iowa, Edward Jones Investments, US Bank, and Newton Main Street contributed a total cash prize of $1,500. Other sponsors, including the Newton Daily News, KCOB/Energy 106.7, the Greater Newton Area Cham-
Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News The Farmer’s Wife, owned by Bonnie Terpstra, was the winner of Newton Main Street’s 2016 Open 4 Business contest.
ber of Commerce, and Sign Pro, donated marketing-related inkind services valued at $1,700. A cash match of 25 percent of the award by the recipient is required at each level of the contest. Terpstra plans to invest the Open 4 Business funds in a new e-commerce site to enhance her store’s online presence and new inventory specifically for the online store. “I’m an interior designer, not a
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programmer,” Terpstra said. “So I need help with the online stuff.” Terpstra has always enjoyed working with her hands, starting with crafts and other projects as a kid in 4H. She honed her skills in classes like shop, woodworking and advanced woodworking. As a stay-at-home mom, she worked on crafts as her children slept and sold her creations at area craft shows. In 2002, she finally opened her own shop in the Courthouse Mall before quickly outgrowing that space and moving to her current location. “Times were good when I started,” Terpstra said. “Then Maytag leaves, followed by the recession. What can I do to capture lost sales? Expanding my customer base through online shopping.” Terpstra will compete at substate the week of June 13 against businesses from the 51 other Iowa Main Street communities. Up for grabs is a chance to win $8,000 and advance to state. The winner of the state contest, in Mason City during the Iowa Downtown Conference on Aug. 2, collects an additional $20,000.
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WHERE IT’S AT Astrograph......................5B Calendar..........................5A Classifieds......................4B
Results from the 2016 Community Attitude Survey show citizens find Newton a safer community than two years ago. More than 600 citizens participated in the bi-annual survey conducted by the city to gather data to update the city’s comprehensive and action plans. “Surveying residents helps to measure the city’s performance and also highlights areas that may need increased focus or resources,” senior management analyst Natalie Umsted said. “When we passed the action plan in 2015 we identified some indicators from our 2014 survey, areas that we were wanting to see improvements.” The survey covered the four essential purposes the city identified in its recent action plan. Those include providing a safe community, encourage economic development, foster a high quality of life and have an effective, efficient, democratic governance.
Comics & Puzzles...........6A Dear Abby........................6A Local News......................2A
Obituaries.......................5A Opinion............................4A State News......................7A
Mango: the versatile fruit
Add a little flavor to your summer / 2A
Volume No. 115 No. 6 2 sections 18 pages
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