Newton
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Tuesday, October 22, 2013
www.newtondailynews.com
Newton, Iowa
City moving ahead with Fountain Hills Estates development plans
OBITUARIES Grace L. Hartz, 80 Floyd LaSalle Purvis, 94
‘Minor details’ being worked out between developer, city staff
INSIDE TODAY
By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor
Local
At Monday night’s Newton City Council meeting, councilors were updated on efforts to attract development in the failed Fountain Hills Estates development in the southwest corner of the city. Director of Finance and Development Bryan Friedman addressed the council, stating only “minor details” remained to be ironed out with the proposed developer of the property, Venture Homes. The West
YPJC donate to Red Pride Day
In Wednesday’s Daily News, learn about the City of Newton’s progress on economic development initiatives. Des Moines-based company is owned by established developer Stephen R. Grubb. Grubb has been building homes and
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housing developments in Central Iowa since 1966, and has an established track record, which was appealing to several councilors. “Venture builds quality single-family homes, mainly in the western suburbs of Des Moines,” he said. “They are proposing to start work on two or three homes yet this year in the western part of the subdivision, and to build more as lots are sold.” Friedman said Venture Homes has a “library of floorplans,” all of which will work on the lots in the western part of the development. On the eastern side, where the COUNCIL See Page 5A
Council approves registry for vacant buildings By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor
Agriculture
us.” Kristen said Penelope was sort of like “Flat Stanley,” the project in which students mail letters to each other across the world and include photos of the places Flat Stanley has been with them. “It was with me almost every day, actually it was with me every day. It was in my backpack, where if we had work and would go out to the flight line, I would take pictures of it in the truck or on the plane,” Kristen said. The idea to arrange this surprise came from Brianna’s grandmother, Deb West. Deb had been planning this for several weeks with both the Daily News’ and Keeton’s help.
The owners of vacant buildings in Newton will soon be required to register those buildings with the city. At Monday night’s marathon city council meeting, councilors unanimously approved a revision to the city’s nuisance ordinance that established the registry and the registration requirement. The council waived the second and third readings, and unanimously adopted the new resolution. Planning and Zoning Director Erin Chambers said the goal was to improve lines of communication in the event of code violations. “Our legal counsel has been helpful in helping us utilize resources — some of which we didn’t know were available — in tracking down owners when we have municipal infractions,” she said. “This will be a timesaving tool for us when we’re dealing with nuisances.” Chambers said vacant building registries are becoming more and more common in communities all across Iowa. She said she is frequently called by banks that have foreclosed on properties, checking to see if Newton had such a registry. “It’s an effective tool to have good contact information, which is a key to streamlining how we deal with nuisances,” she said. “It helps us maintain the lines of communication, and allows us to keep tabs on the quality of these buildings.” The resolution created a definition for a vacant building, established a timeframe in which owners must register (60 days from when the building becomes vacant), stipulates the information that must be provided and requires owners to allow interior and exterior inspections of the property. Buildings already vacant will be required to register, as well. In her council memo, Chambers noted most cities have fees associated with vacant building registration. The resolution approved Monday stated only the fee would be established by council resolution.
HOMECOMING See Page 5A
BUILDINGS See Page 5A
Foster launches second career Page 7A
Sports
NHS JV ends season with win
Ty Rushing/Daily News Seven-year-old Brianna Aebischer broke down in tears as she was surprised by her mother, Kristen, who just returned from a four-and-a-half month assignment in Saudi Arabia, in class at Berg Elementary School on Monday.
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Hugs and Tears
Weather
Airman surprises her daughter with return from deployment By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Wednesday
High 43 Low 28
Thursday
High 42 Low 25 Weather Almanac
Mon., Oct. 21 High 49 Low 34 .09 inch of rain Also: Astrograph Page 5B Classifieds Page 4B Comics & Puzzles Page 6A
Trooper Cutts talks to middle school kids about goals
Dear Abby Page 6A
By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Opinion Page 4A
Life is no playground for teenagers. On Friday, at Berg Middle School, Iowa State Trooper Doug Cutts used that phrase to help convey his message of making the right choices in life to BMS teacher Jo Ellen Linn’s class. Cutts visits Linn’s class once a month and teaches the students various life lessons. “We all make choices. Every day, you’re making choices out there,” Cutts said. “Who are you going to talk to? Who are you going to sit with? What are you going to do? Some of the choices are very easy. On the other hand, some of those choices are going
Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A Our 112th Year No. 109
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Seven-year-old Kristen Aebischer was so focused on her teacher, LaNita Keeton, reading “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything,” the second grader didn’t notice the U.S. Air Force airman sneaking up behind her. After having her pink stuffed animal “Penelope” held in front her face, Brianna turned around and instantly broke down into tears, hugging her mother, Kristen, who had just returned from a four-and-ahalf-month assignment in Saudi Arabia. “It was a good surprise,” a still choked up Brianna said. “I missed my mommy over that time, and I was waiting for her to come back.”
Kristen was just as emotional as her daughter and spoke about her surprise visit. “It was wonderful. I couldn’t stop shaking. I had to tell my mom, ‘Just don’t talk about it, just let me kind of push through it.’” Kristen said. “It was an emotional roller coaster, definitely.” Brianna’s Berg Elementary classmates were excited for her, and not just because of the cupcakes Kristen brought. Many of them wanted to know about Penelope as well. “She gave it to me to take with me when I deployed,” Kristen explained to the students. “So when I was deployed, I could take pictures with it, and it flew in couple jets. Everybody was hanging out with it, and it came to work with
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BERG See Page 5A
Ty Rushing/Daily News Iowa State Trooper Doug Cutts and Berg Middle School teacher Jo Ellen Linn pose with her eighth grade students after Cutts gave the students a lecture on goals.