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Friday, Sept. 5, 2014
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Thanks With Franks
OBITUARIES Timothy Ryan, 60 INSIDE TODAY
Newton, Iowa
Lifelong learner Altman takes the reins at Skiff By Jamee A. Pierson Daily News Staff Writer
News
Bison Day at Neal Smith NWR Page 2A
Kate Malott/Daily News Tory Callison of Newton bites down on one of many creative hot dogs at the annual Thanks for Franks event Thursday night on the Newton square. Fifty-two area businesses and organizations got together to serve hot dogs to hundreds of local residents. The event is organized by the Young Professionals of Jasper County. Visit the Daily News online to view more photos.
Education
Students learn about passenger pigeon’s extinction Page 7A
United Way kicks off annual campaign with $363K goal By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer
Sports
NHS captures second at Cardinal Invitational Page 1B
Weather
Saturday
High 73 Low 47
Sunday
High 75 Low 55 Weather Almanac
Thurs., Sept. 4 High 90 Low 71 No Precipitation
Kate Malott/Daily News United Way of Jasper County Executive Director Travis Padget hands off the keys to incoming branch executive director Jessica Lowe at the campaign kick-off Thursday.
agencies in Jasper County are dependent on funds from the UWJC, which receives no funding from the national United Way organization and gets its funds solely through local donations. “Ten percent isn’t a big difference. If somebody gives $1,000 — $1,100 isn’t a huge increase out of their pocket, but in the end when its accumulative, it makes a huge difference for us and ultimately, it makes a huge difference for the agencies
Astrograph Page 5B
Second reading on outside resource policy scheduled
Classifieds Page 3B Comics & Puzzles Page 6A
By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer
Dear Abby Page 6A
Monday’s meeting of the Newton Community School District Board of Education will reveal the updated results of a K-6 parent survey that could play a significant role in future building configuration within the district. The original survey results were presented at the late August meeting by Jim Gilbert, associate director of elementary education services, and those results gave a mixed reception toward a return to neighborhood schools. In those results, 58 percent of respondents felt it was important to minimize student travel. In addition, 66 percent of respondents felt it was important to minimize the number of schools that students attend during their experience within the district. Other supporting figures showed
Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A Our 113th Year No. 77
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sitting around the table with you,” Padget said. During his speech, Padget gave specifics on what UWJC does for each of its partner agencies. He spoke on how it allocates funds toward Clearview Recovery to provide women with substance abuse recovery and parenting classes and how they support the senior transportation program at RSVP. UNITED WAY See Page 5A
School board to hear updated parent survey involving neighborhood schools
Also:
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Travis Padget admitted that setting the United Way of Jasper County’s fundraising campaign goal at $363,000 last year was lofty. Despite falling $43,000 short of that goal, the outgoing executive director was undeterred, and this year’s goal is again $363,000. Padget introduced the goal at Thursday’s UWJC campaign kick-off event, which will be his last as executive director. Although the goal is the same, had UWJC raised $365,000, it could’ve met all 17 of its partner agencies needs 100 percent, Padget said. “Our goal is $363,000 and it’s really an obtainable goal. If you look at it, it’s only a 10 percent increase (per current donor). So if you think about people that give $25, ask them to give $30 or $27.50. Just a 10 percent increase — 10 percent isn’t a big increase,” Padget said. A number of nonprofit
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After several week on the job as Skiff Medical Center’s new CEO, Brett Altman said he is ready for the challenge of running an evolving hospital. “That’s what I like about this job, everyday is a different challenge. Usually you learn something new and often times you are doing things that you haven’t Altman done before,” Altman said. Altman is originally from Gilmore City in northwest Iowa where he grew up on a farm. After graduating high school, he attended Buena Vista College in Storm Lake and received a degree in biology. He was then accepted into the physical therapy program at the University of Iowa, where he went on to receive a master’s degree in physical therapy. Following graduation, Altman moved back to Storm Lake and worked at the Horn Memorial Hospital as the solo physical therapist. In 1994, the director of physical therapy position opened at Skiff and Altman jumped at the chance to work with a larger number of physical therapists and an opportunity to help grow the department, he said. “It was really an untapped market for physical therapy, we only had two physical therapist and today we have around 13. Skiff was a very supportive employer personally and for professional growth as well,” Altman said. Over the next 15 years, Altman continued his pursuit of knowledge, gaining certifications in sports medicine and orthopedic physical therapy. He also resided as president of the Iowa Physical Therapy Association and in 2001 become the director of physical medicine and rehabilitation when the hospital combined the occupation, speech and physical therapy departments. After receiving his athletic training certificate, Altman was able to use his skills for bigger audience outside of Newton. “I got my athletic training certificate and was able to eventually work through the United States Olympic Committee to work with the U.S. triathlon team,” Altman said. ALTMAN See Page 5A
Local podiatrist closes doors after losing license
that 61 percent of respondents want the district to maximize opportunities for students to interact with students in other grade levels and another 81 percent of respondents want to sustain long-term student, parent, staff relationships. However those figures were contradicted in a later portion of the survey. Sixty-two percent of respondents felt that academic factors, such as instructional resources, curriculum focus, learning styles, teacher collaboration and student grouping should play a bigger role in determining building configuration. Only 38 percent of respondents to that question felt that student travel, number of schools attending, grade level interaction and long-term student-parent-staff relationships should play a role in building configuration. Gilbert and Superintendent Bob Callaghan said the survey results came from more than 200 parents who had participated either at a back-to-school night
A Newton podiatrist had his license suspended amid allegations that he was receiving pain medication from his patients. Dr. Timothy Smith of the Smith Foot Clinic, 218 First Ave. W., temporarily closed his doors after the Iowa Board of Podiatry suspended his license on Aug. 21. The board issued a report that found Smith was allegedly diverting narcotics from patients by not charging co-pays in exchange for the patient’s pain medication. On Aug. 11, the Board received a report that Smith was treated at the Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center Emergency Room, under the effects of Oxycodone, of which he does not have a prescription.
BOARD See Page 5A
SMITH See Page 7A
By Jamee A. Pierson Daily News Staff Writer