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RUNNING TO VICTORY
PCM’s Chris Ellens wins boys title at L-S Invitational / 1B
DAILY NEWS FRIDAY, SEPT. 16, 2016 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Man to be sentenced in sexual abuse case of Monroe teen By Mike Mendenhall Newton Daily News
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Jasper County Sheriff’s deputies spent much of Thursday afternoon locating and removing the body of a Newton man from the South Skunk River near Metz Bridge, southeast of Colfax. Authorities identified the body at Mike McDaniels, who went missing Sunday.
Missing man found at bottom of river McDaniels located near where his belongings were discovered By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News
Jasper County Sheriff ’s Office deputies and Colfax Fire Department personnel ended the search for a missing man by locating him and bringing him up from the bottom of the South Skunk River on Thursday afternoon. In a news release issued Thursday eve- McDaniels ning, Jasper County Chief Deputy Duane Rozendaal said the man found near Metz Bridge, southeast of Colfax, is Mike McDaniels, of Newton, who had gone missing in that area. McDaniels was taken to the
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Jasper County Sheriff’s deputies Jeremy Burdt, left, and Mike Gunsaulus paddle kayaks toward a search area Thursday afternoon along the South Skunk River near Metz Bridge, southeast of Colfax. Authorities say first responders located the body of Mike McDaniels, 67, of Newton.
state medical examiner’s office in Ankeny. An official cause of death will be determined by an autopsy. “The family has been contacted and an autopsy has been ordered by the Jasper County Medical Examiner,” Rozendaal said. McDaniels, 67, was last seen Sunday at about 10 p.m. at his half-brother’s home, but the following day, McDaniel’s van, fishing pole and tackle box were found along the South Skunk River just north of Metz Bridge, along a rugged section of the east bank. McDaniels could not be located during initial search Tuesday
in the same area, stretching from the bridge to Highway 14 and involving several first-responder agencies. The river’s current was moving too fast to use a dive team, Rozendaal said. Rozendaal spent Wednesday discussing the next step with various personnel. With rain forecast for Thursday night, deputies went to the exact spot where McDaniel’s tackle box, fishing pole and van had been found Monday. They used kayaks and other equipment to search in shallow water near the east bank, north of the bridge. FOUND | 3A
Ladder accident
A Knoxville man will be sentenced in November for the April 2015 sexual abuse incident of a Monroe teenager. Alex T . Va n d e r Veer, 20, e n t e r e d Vander Veer an Alford plea to the charge of lascivious acts with a child, a Class C felony, during a hearing at the Jasper County Courthouse. An Alford plea allows is when a defendant to enter a plea of guilty without making an ad-
mission of guilt. The defendant was originally arrested and charged with third-degree sexual abuse, also a Class C felony, in November 2015, following an investigation by the Monroe Police Department and the Iowa Department of Human Services. The victim told investigators she and Vander Veer had engaged in sexual relations. Court records released Wednesday assert the defendant fondled or inappropriately touched the then-13year-old. Vander Veer maintains he did not touch the victim. He was 18 at the time of the incident. PLEA | 3A
City considering executive rental housing program By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News The city is taking steps to address a little known housing need — executive rental housing. Director of Planning and Zone Erin Chambers brought the program before city council to start the discussion on the topic. “This is something that was articulated in the housing initiative,” Chambers said. “It’s not a program that has been fully developed or utilized to date.” When the Newton Housing Initiative was developed, $200,000 was set aside to fund an executive rental incentive program. The money would
serve as a start for developers to construct up to 40 units not to exceed $5,000 per unit. “Before any projects can be fully pursued for these funds, it is important to first established a more detailed program with definitions and parameters for determining when projects could utilize the Executive Rental Funds,” Chambers said. An executive rental unit is defined as a high-quality apartment, duplex or home which meets several areas of criteria including size, unit features, sustainability provisions and short term leases. HOUSING | 3A
New presentation system planned for council chambers By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News An accident involving a painting crew at the nearly completed new Lauterbach Buick GMC facility at 2900 First Ave. E. in Newton on Thursday lead to one man being airlifted to a Des Moines hospital. The man apparently fell from a ladder. Newton Fire Department EMS Coordinator Rex Heissdorffer said he couldn’t discuss medical details. No further details were available at presstime Friday.
To improve operations in council chambers, city council approved an upgrade of the projection system. Iowa Audio Video was approved to install the new system at city hall for $11,651. The current presentation system in council chambers consists of a portable projector that is almost 10 years old. It currently has to be set up directly behind the clerk’s desk and in front of the mayor, making for a less-than-ideal location. The system was CHAMBERS | 3A
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WHERE IT’S AT Astrograph......................5B Calendar..........................5A Classifieds......................4B
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Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News The current projection system in the Newton City Council Chambers calls for the mayor and council members to move out of the way to see the screen placed behind them. The council approved an upgrade to the system that will fix that problem.
Comics & Puzzles...........6A Dear Abby........................6A Local News......................2A
Obituaries.......................5A Opinion............................4A State News......................7A
Healthiest State contest
BMS competing in mascot challenge / 2A
Volume No. 115 No. 84 2 sections 18 pages
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