Newton
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Wednesday, Sept. 03, 2014 OBITUARIES Larry McFarling Jr., 55 Jerry L. Van Wyk, 65
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‘Fill up the Trunk Challenge’ taking off in Newton By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer A new social media challenge called the “Fill Up Trunk Challenge” is making rounds on Facebook after the Newton Daily News reported a shortage at the Salvation Army food pantry.
INSIDE TODAY
Newton, Iowa
This new challenge was created by Jessica Lowe, Andy Karr and Amanda Karr of the Newton YMCA. “What you do is you go and get some food, you take it over to the food pantry and you help a great local cause. The best part of the challenge is you don’t even have to dump
a bucket of cold ice water on your head,” said Andy Karr in the initial video. Since the initial post by the Karrs and Lowe on Monday, a number of citizens of the community have accepted the challenge, including Travis Padget, outgoing executive director of the United Way of Jasper
County, KCOB’s Jaime Grout and Newton City Council member Noreen Otto. “We have too many hungry families and not enough food to feed them,” Padget said in his video. CHALLENGE See Page 5A
City council eyes downtown traffic safety
Local
Masons donate $4,000 to St. Nick’s Page 2A
Two new stops signs proposed By Jamee A. Pierson Daily News Staff Writer
working on some alternatives but that sometimes when there is too much ice, salt is the best option. In addition to the elected officials, Rabourn has been in contact with both the Jasper County Secondary Roads Department and Newton Public Works. Secondary Roads is in charge of salting and plowing county roads and NPW is responsible for the city’s. Rabourn’s asking that both of those entities no longer use salt on streets from North Fourth Avenue East and East 31st Street North to Highway T12 and Halter Avenue, a stretch that includes both city and county roads.
An uncontrolled intersection near Newton’s downtown business district will likely see new stop signs after the city’s traffic safety committee introduced the suggestion to the city council. The new stop signs, which will be located at the intersection of East Second Street South and South Third Avenue East passed its first consideration Monday night. The traffic safety committee expressed concerns to the city council about having an uncontrolled intersection near the south side of the downtown business district and recommended two stop signs be placed for the northbound and southbound traffic. Resident Dixie Cassidy took the opportunity to address some items that she had concerns about. “I overheard this young couple come into the post office and they asked this older lady, ‘Would you recommend us moving to Newton?’. And she had nothing but negative things to say about this town,” Cassidy said. “Maybe you need to get it out to the public a little bit more than what you do. It was quite an eye opener listening to her.” Also, she had concerns about an intersection near her home that has no stop signs but a lot of foot traffic from school children. “I live over by Woodrow Wilson school, and the one intersection is where kids cross continuously to get to school. There is no stop sign on West Sixth Street South (at) South Ninth Avenue West and South 11th Avenue West. I have seen with my own eyes, kids going to school and kids leaving the school ... and cars will go through that intersection like a bat out of Hades,” Cassidy said. Her suggestion is to put a stop sign in those intersections. In other business, the Minimum Rental Housing Code will replace the Minimum Housing Code to help meet the needs of the city in the way of health, safety and the well-being of the residents and owners of rented property.
SALTING See Page 5A
TRAFFIC See Page 5A
Religion
Fall Fest Saturday at The Way Page 8A
Ty Rushing/Daily News Max Rabourn is petitioning both the Jasper County Board of Supervisors and Newton City Council to stop using salt on the roads in his neighborhood. Rabourn has recruited 27 of his neighbors to join in his fight against using salt from North Fourth Avenue East and East 31st Street North to Highway T12 and Halter Avenue, a stretch that includes both city and county roads.
Newton man petitioning city, county to stop salting roads
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By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer
Page 1B
With the heat of summer lingering and the brutal cold of winter still months away, 84-year-old Max Rabourn is fired up about the use of salt on county and city roads and will tell anyone about it — including elected officials. Rabourn claims that using salt on the roads has done significant damage to his driveway, his garage floor, the yards, the streets, vehicles at his home on 4103 N. Fourth Ave. E. in Newton. He is also worried about salt potentially causing harm to the environment. “You are ruining our property. Those houses on the south-side are $250,000 to $300,000, and paying about $4,000 a year (in property taxes) and you’re using that money against us,” Rabourn told the Jasper County Board of Supervisors last week. While he may be the most vocal about the issue, Rabourn isn’t alone
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Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A
By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer
Obituaries Page 3A
While their days in the military may be behind them, local veterans are now attempting to aid another kind of army, except this one fights battles against hunger. Newton American Legion Post 111 is holding a food drive for the entire month of September to help support the Newton Salvation
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— Max Rabourn
in his quest to rid salt from his neighborhood — 27 neighbors have signed his petition since Aug. 1. He has suggested both the county and city research some other methods to clear ice from the roads. On Tuesday, he took his fight to the Newton City Council. “You’ve got some awful mad people out there. Twenty-seven of us. Our yards are a mess. Our concrete is going to pot. It’s terrible,” Rabourn said. Instead of using salt, Rabourn would like to go back to using only sand. Mayor Mike Hansen sympathized with Rabourn, saying that the salt also damaged his garage floor this past winter. He said that they are
Local veterans join war against hunger
Comics & Puzzles Page 6A
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“You’ve got some awful mad people out there. Twenty-seven of us. Our yards are a mess. Our concrete is going to pot. It’s terrible.”
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Army Food Pantry. The idea was spurred after the Newton Daily News reported last week that the pantry was running so low on supplies that it could only keep providing services for a few more weeks. The Legion had began forming a community involvement committee around three weeks ago. VETERANS See Page 5A
Ty Rushing/Daily News Newton American Legion Post 111 is holding a food drive for the entire month of September to help support the Newton Salvation Army Food Pantry. Volunteers will collect donations from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Legion.