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NEWTON
FAIR RESULTS
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DAILY NEWS WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19, 2015 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Newton PD asking for help in locating robbery suspect By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News The Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce and several area businesses sponsor an annual luncheon to welcome new school teachers and administrators. Newton’s newest full-time teachers are, in no particular order, Courtney Allen, Taryn Fisher, Taylor Peska, Jilian Van Vuren, Casey Price, Tanner Clute, David Baxter, Stephanie Langstraat, Brady Calow, Dustin Brisel, Collin Barnes, Ashley Carter, Jason Carter, Bill Liley, Jenna Deutmeyer, John Bieber, Charles Beeler, Trisca Mick, Bethany Taylor and Chad Garvis.
Nineteen new NCSD faculty welcomed at luncheon Annual event introduces new teachers to community By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News “We not only have full plates — some of us have two or three plates.” That’s what Newton Community School District Superintendent Bob Callaghan pointed out during Tuesday’s 2015 New Teacher and Administrative Staff Welcome Luncheon, held in a second-floor meeting room of the Des Moines Area Community College’s Newton Campus. Callaghan was illustrating that several of his administrators and teachers will be wearing many hats this year, taking on two or more jobs in order to prevent the district from having to staff and pay for new full-time positions.
There will still be 19 new teachers or administrators at NCSD schools this year, and full introductions were made at the luncheon. The luncheon is a Greater Newton Chamber of Commerce event, sponsored by more than 20 area businesses. In addition to the 19 new NCSD staff members, Newton Christian School Dean of Students Mary Patterson introduced her school’s only new teacher for 2015-16, Jillian Van Vuren, who will teach third and fourth grade. There were several speakers from businesses or organizations that sponsored the event. Area dentist Dr. Steve Rabedeaux was the first speaker, and he said his children earned honors in college after graduating from Newton’s
small-town school system, and that people are the most important product any community can produce. Representatives of Hometown Rewards, JEDCO and the Jasper County Farm Bureau Federation shared about services and programs each provides. Jasper County Treasurer Doug Bishop spoke on behalf of JEDCO and as a 1988 Newton High School graduate. He joked about how the student in class who fiddles and visits with other students might one day grow up to become county treasurer. After Patterson introduced Van Vuren, the new Newton Christian teacher, Callaghan then spoke, imploring everyone TEACHERS | 3A
An early morning robbery has the Newton Police Department asking for the public’s help in finding the suspect. Reported as a white male, 20 to 30 years in age, approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall with brown hair, he was wearing a ball cap, black shirt and cargo style pants when the robbery took place. Officers were called to the 200 block of West Fourth Street North at 2:40 a.m. Monday and spoke with the victims
BREAKING NEWS This story first appeared online at www. newtondailynews.com
who said that personal items — including wallets and cell phones — were taken after they were threatened with a wooden object. The suspect then left on foot and walked north on West Fourth Street North. If anyone has any information, they are asked to contact the Newton Police Department at 641-791-0870. Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com
Work on city’s action plan to be presented monthly By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News As a way to keep the public and the city council informed on the work of city staff, a monthly update will be given on the city’s action plan star ting Umsted in September. One of four essential purposes, as determined by the council in January, will be discussed at the second council meeting each month. “Last January, the
city council adopted our 2015-2017 action plan. It started this last July and we are going to start having regular reporting on the action plan starting next month,” Management Analyst Natalie Umsted said. The plan was adopted by the council in January and was implemented in July to build upon the city’s comprehensive plan as well as the city’s mission, vision and value statements. It serves as a more detailed guide of what city staff are working on to further the city’s goals. The first purpose is that Newton will provide a safe community. PLAN | 3A
Minimum design standards approved for county roads and bridges By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News Minimum design standards for Jasper County secondary roads and bridges were approved by the Jasper County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. A public hearing was held with no comment before the board approved the ordinance on the first reading. They then chose to wave the final two readings and passed the ordinance. “It’s to set minimum standards in case we have an event. For example, if we have an 18-foot infrastructure that was washed out in a flood, we can say that it is our policy to replace with a 24-foot-wide
concrete structure,” Engineer Russ Stutt said. The policy is for the construction roads, reconstruction of roads, construction of bridges, reconstruction of bridges and other roadways and drainage features associated with road and bridge construction. The criteria is based on accepted engineering practices and standards established by the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. The policy includes that new pavement will be constructed with a minimum of 22 feet wide pavement and granular shoulders. Intersections with nonpaved roads will have
pavement extended back onto the intersection a minimum of 50 feet beyond the end of the intersection radius. Reconstructed roads will be 22 feet wide or to the previous pavement width, whichever is greater. Newly constructed gravel roads will have 26 feet of finished top, including shoulders. Reconstructed gravel roads will be the previous width prior to reconstruction. Bridges on paved routs will be built with a minimum width of 30 feet. Wider structures will be installed when there are issues related to oversize vehicles, pedestrian facilities, biking usage or other issues
Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News Following a public hearing, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors approved minimum design standards for Jasper County secondary roads and bridges, waving the final two readings of the ordinance. County Engineer Russ Stutt, left, said that the standards are normal practices of the county and clarify situations in case of any events.
where additional width if felt necessary. On unpaved routes, bridges will normally be a minimum of 24 feet. Culverts can be metal or concrete and pipe culverts larger than 54 inches in diameter may be substituted with reinforced box culverts.
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of the agreement that ended in January of this year. In other business: • Connie Bunse was named to the Compensation Board. Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com
FEATURE
WHERE IT’S AT Astrograph......................5B Calendar..........................5A Classifieds......................4B
The board also approved the termination of an agreement between Jasper County and REG of Newton for private redevelopment that was instituted in Nov., 2006. Jasper County Auditor Dennis Parrot said that REG had met all stipulations
Comics & Puzzles...........6A Dear Abby........................6A Local News......................2A
Obituaries.......................5A Opinion............................4A State News......................7A
mTunes coming to Baxter
Marshalltown group to sing at event / 2A
Volume No. 114 No. 67 2 sections 12 pages
Thank you Betty Ellis of Newton for subscribing to the Newton Daily News. To subscribe, call 641-792-5320 or visit newtondailynews.com.