Newton
Serving Newton & Jasper County Since 1902
Daily News
Thursday, July 24, 2014
75 cents
www.newtondailynews.com
Newton, Iowa
Fire department closes three apartment buildings
OBITUARIES Pauline D. Daugherty, 94
Easy Keep owner defends company: ‘We try to help everyone’
INSIDE TODAY
By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer “No Trespassing” signs are hung on the door, the parking lots sit empty and soggy mildewing newspapers are piling up on the steps at the Hampton House Apartments,
Local
Fair Livestock Judging Contest
319/321 E. Eighth Street S. in Newton. About five weeks ago, Newton Fire Marshal Mike Knoll condemned these buildings, managed by Easy Keep Management, making them the third properties overseen by this company Knoll has deemed “an unfit dwelling” this year. EASY KEEP See Page 5A
Ty Rushing/Daily News Since June, Newton Fire Marshal Mike Knoll has had to declare three properties run by Easy Keep Management an “unfit dwelling.” Easy Keep Owner Kenneth Johnson said they are working on getting the buildings up to code so that residents may return but that it will take time. Pictured here are the Hampton House Apartments, 319/321 E. Eighth Street S. in Newton.
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Sheriff addresses changes in service calls By Jamee A. Pierson Daily News Staff Writer
Health
Dr. Edwards receives patient safety award Page 5A
Sports
L-S captures fifth at state tourney
Kate Malott/Daily News Volunteers Natalie Umsted and Jeff Holschuh, both of Newton, lent a helping hand to the Newton Parks Department on Wednesday night by helping install new playground equipment at Maytag Park. The parks department is hoping the equipment will be operational by Saturday.
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Out with the old, in with the new
Weather
Volunteers work to install new playground equipment by Saturday By Kate Malott Daily News Staff Writer
Friday
High 86 Low 69
Newton Parks and Grounds along with the Newton Park Board have been working on installing a new playground at Maytag Park in the exact location of the old one. After much planning and organizing, the playground is near completion and will be open to the public Saturday. The new playground will include several new slides, swings and two separate large structures that will divide the younger children from the older ones, but the primary feature to the new park will be the multiple, individual climbing apartices scattered throughout the playground area. Newton resident Andy Breuer is the father of three children, two 8-year-olds and an 18 month old. He is excited for the new park because of the diversity of new equipment that accommodates different age groups.
Saturday
High 87 Low 66 Weather Almanac
Wed., July 23 High 82 Low 64 No Precipitation Also: Astrograph Page 5B
Comics & Puzzles Page 6A
Jamee A. Pierson/ Daily News Hailey Pierce of the Hominy Ridge 4-H group grooms her rabbit, Brownie, for the afternoon rabbit show during the Jasper County Fair on Wednesday. The fair concluded today at noon.
Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A Our 113th Year No. 47
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PARK See Page 5A
Rabbit Show
Classifieds Page 4B
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“It will be nice having a small area here for the smaller kids and as well a larger area for the larger kids on the other end and a nice set of swings in the middle so we can see all the kids from both sides,” Breuer said. Breuer is also a member of a parks organization called Friends of Newton Parks that has been helping with the new equipment installation. Friends of Newton Parks is a recently organized nonprofit that allows volunteers in the community an opportunity to support, promote and work within the parks, primarily with events like concerts and the playground construction. Volunteers and board members have been working to successfully complete the project in a safe and timely manner, but they are in need of more volunteers in the installation’s final stages. The installation and volunteer supervision has come from a private;y contracted company working with Bolland Recreation of Marshalltown. Bolland is a recreational equipment supply company that
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Effective June 1, the Jasper County Sheriff ’s Office ceased responding to non-emergency calls in the county, but the department will continue to respond to all emergency calls within the county. “If deputies are handling calls for service, in jurisdictions that provide their own law enforcement, and when no one is scheduled, this prevents us from performing our Halferty normal duties and obligations,” Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty said. If Jasper County Dispatch, which receives all emergency and non-emergency calls, receives a non-emergency call from a citizen in a city that does currently have a officer on duty, they will take the information and inform the reporting party when an officer is available, and one will be dispatched to handle the call. The sheriff ’s office is contracted by several towns in the county to provide law enforcement services. Those communities will continue to receive both emergency and non-emergency calls handled by the sheriff ’s office. Halferty said this change is not an attempt to get other towns to contract their services and that they have provided the towns with a cost summary for their services versus keeping their own departments. Towns that have their own police department, but do not have 24-hour coverage, will be without an official to cover non-emergency calls in times that an officer is not on duty. One of the towns now trying to find a new solution for coverage is Prairie City. “The main objective we have at this point is to find the resources available to adequately cover the calls,” Prairie City Police Chief Will Mortenson said. He said he is currently working with the city council on a few options and hopes to have a plan by the next meeting. “If there is no action taken (by the police department) there will be a noticeable effect,” Mortenson said. Even with the changes, Mortenson said there is no animosity towards the sheriff ’s office, and that he understands that sometimes changes have to happen. Halferty sent out notification to all towns involved of the changes prior to them taking affect. He was contacted by the Monroe and Baxter city councils to speak on the matter and answer any questions they had. From those meetings, Halferty felt there was a good discussion and understanding about the new coverage. Halferty also wanted to be clear the change is not a result a deputy now being stationed at the courthouse at all times. SHERIFF See Page 5A