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Friday, May 30, 2014
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Newton, Iowa
Skiff CEO announces impending departure
OBITUARIES WyJean Chumbley, 92 Robert C. Lint, 85
Special to the Daily News
INSIDE TODAY
Local
Lions Club Citizens of the Year Page 2A
Ty Rushing/Daily News Sixth-grade Aurora Heights student Ian Peterson (center with shovel) and his classmates planted a tree Thursday at the elementary school to honor Peterson’s mother, who was diagnosed with cancer last year and died in March.
‘The tree and the track’
Education
NHS students help teach science Page 10A
Aurora Heights sixth graders helped support classmate honor his mother with tree purchase By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer Sixth grader Ian Peterson wore his brown Keith Urban T-shirt, his mom’s favorite artist, to Thursday morning’s tree planting ceremony at Aurora Heights Elementary School. It was only appropriate that he wore the shirt since the ceremony was to honor his mom, Julie, who passed away in March. Last summer, Julie was told by doctors that she had three weeks to live after being diagnosed with cancer. Facing impossible odds, the mother of two — Ian has an older sister, Valerie — survived for nearly a year before succumbing to the cancer in March. Nicky Lampe, Ian’s teacher, came up with the idea of “Pennies for Peterson,” as a way Ian’s fellow students could show him support during his time of need. Aurora Heights sixth graders collected pennies and used those funds to have a tree purchased and planted at
Sports
Cardinal girls set for 4A state Page 1B
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the school. “I was really shocked because I had never had like that much attention before,” Ian said. “I was shocked and excited at the same time and thought that it was really nice that they would do that for us. It just really helps to know that they care.” Although he’s not even a teenager yet, Ian seems to be handling the situation in a very mature manner. He’s still smiling and genuinely seemed at peace as he ran around and exchanged jokes with his classmates on the playground. The tree Ian chose was a swampy white oak tree that he had picked out with Lampe. He wanted to plant it behind a bench near the track at Aurora Heights, as Julie used to walk that track for recreation. His grandmother, and Julie’s mother, Jean Burchell was in attendance at the ceremony. She had high praise for Lampe for all she had done and revealed the teacher had visited Ian
and Julie at the hospital and had even been present the night Julie passed. When the crew from Garden Gate Landscaping arrived, they let Ian help dig the hole. Later on, he got to shovel dirt to fill in the hole, and they posed him in their Bobcat utility vehicle — even allowing him to work the controls. To close out the ceremony, Lampe read a poem titled “Love Lives On,” which encourages people to remember the good times with lost loved ones, and Ian’s classmates continued to show him support in his time of need. After the tree was planted, Ian said he hoped it would last forever and explained why. “Then I could always have it there,” Ian said looking in the direction of his mom’s tree and her former favorite track. Senior staff writer Ty Rushing may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 426, or at trushing@newtondailynews. com.
Skiff Medical Center President and CEO Steve Long has announced he has accepted the position of president and CEO of Hancock Regional Hospital in Greenfield, Ind., located about 20 miles east of Indianapolis. Long will begin his leadership position at Hancock Regional Hospital on July 30. “This is a wonderful career o p p o r t u n i t y, ” said Long, who has been at Skiff since January 2010. “Mr. Keen, the Hancock Board of Trustees, and all the Long members of the Hancock team have created an exceptional organization that is particularly well-suited to weather the dramatic changes in health care that are currently underway.” Long will be replacing Bobby Keen, the retiring CEO of Hancock Regional Hospital. The hospital is a county-owned 89-bed acute care hospital that has been providing care for residents of Hancock County since 1951. With 3,100 inpatient admissions and 160,000 outpatient visits, the nearly 700 employees and 100plus active members of the medical staff help the hospital earn more than $100 million in net revenues annually. While providing traditional inpatient and outpatient services, including emergency, medical and surgical care, the hospital also operates centers of excellence in cardiology, oncology, stroke, orthopedics, women’s health and wound care. In addition to hospital-based services, Hancock Regional Hospital operates a professional building and ambulatory surgical center on the main campus, as well as a wellness center off-campus in Greenfield, and several outpatient clinics throughout the county, including a large practice in the Indianapolis suburb of McCordsville. The hospital has plans to break ground on a new cancer center in 2014. The hospital is also a co-owner, with St. Vincent’s Health in Indianapolis, of Hancock Physician Network, a multi-specialty group practice consisting of more than 30 physicians. Hancock Regional Hospital has been named one of the best places to work in Indiana for five years in a row by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and for four years in a row by Modern SKIFF See Page 5A
Thurs., May 29 High 83 Low 63 No Precipitation
Review
Also:
Classic comedy ‘The Odd Couple’ opens tonight
Astrograph Page 5B
By Mary Thompson Special to the Daily News
Classifieds Page 4B Comics & Puzzles Page 6A Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A Our 113th Year No. 9
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The classic comedy “The Odd Couple” — opening tonight at the Newton Community Theatre — begins with a group of guys assembled for cards in the apartment of divorced Oscar Madison (portrayed by Chris Johnson). And if the mess is any indication, it’s no wonder his wife left him. Late to arrive is Felix Unger (Kelly Peavey) who has just been separated from his wife. Fastidious, depressed and none too tense, Felix seems suicidal, but as the action unfolds, Oscar becomes the one with murder on his mind when the cleanfreak and the slob ulti-
mately decide to room together with hilarious results. Oscar and Felix are best friends. What are friends for but to help each other? It doesn’t always work that way. Chris and Kelly have that relationship down well. The card-playing team of Speed (Mike McKenna), Murray (Andy Malsom), Roy ( John Dougan) and Vinnie (Mark Monroe) have quick witty comebacks for each other. Their timing is spot on. We meet the Pigeon sisters from upstairs, Gwendolyn (Lynette Newbauer Baker) and Cecily (Cara McCulley). They are flirtatious and looking for fun, and they find themselves showing compassion to
Submitted Photo Mike McKenna, John Dougan, Chris Johnson, (seated) Kelly W. Peavey and Mark Monroe star in the Newton Community Theatre’s production of “The Odd Couple.”
Felix’s situation. I’m pleased to see another new face to NCT along with returning talent. I greatly enjoyed seeing this group of talented people perform one of my favor-
ite plays. I’m sure you will too. The set, props and costumes really help to get you into the 1965 mode. The lights, sound and stage crew all do a fabulous job too! Production dates are
Saturday, Sunday and June 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m. and June 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased by calling the box office at (641) 792-1230. Don’t miss this one.