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DAILY NEWS FRIDAY, NOV. 4, 2016 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Council to address winter preparation Monday
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NCSD board hears about teacher development day By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News
By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News Before winter officially arrives, the Newton City Council will tackle several snow-related topics at its meeting on Monday. From new equipment to revising the snow ordinance policy, all subjects will be up for final approval at the meeting. The council will look to give final approval to a snow ordinance change for snow removal times. Currently, the parking snow ordinance prohibits vehicles from parking on streets, except in the downtown district, from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. during a snow event. This prevents crews from effectively clearing the streets in residential on-street parking areas. The new ordinance prohibits vehicles from parking on the street at 2 inches of accumulation, except in the downtown district. The restriction would be lifted once it stops snowing and the street has been fully plowed. Council has previously approved the first two reading of the ordinance change and is looking to adopt the measure on Monday. Several changes have also been made to the snow removal operations policy that will go before the council. The changes include utilizing snowplow trucks with wing blades covering two-12 hour shifts and the increased amount of sand that can be stored. The city is also looking to add to the snow removal fleet with the
Aquagirls send four swimmers to state / 1B
Michaella Cope/Daily News Author Liz Costnanzo-Morrison meets with a handful of interested readers at the Newton Public Library Thursday. She has written and published two adult fiction novels, one which is set in Newton.
Newton native, author touts community in local-based novels By Michaella Cope and Kayla Langmaid Newton Daily News
The best book settings originate from the places the author knows best — that’s why one Newton native and author continues to return to her hometown, where she tends to feel the most inspired. An author of young adult fiction novels, Liz Costanzo-Morrison, hosted a book signing at the Newton Public Library, where she met a handful of interested readers. Costanzo-Morrison grew up in Newton and is a 1980 Newton High School graduate. She also is an author of young adult fiction novels. Costanzo-Morrison attended the
University of Iowa where she studied history and education. Costanzo-Morrison is now a resident of St. Louis, Mo., and she has finished two novels. In her latest novel “Flashback,” Costanzo-Morrison sets her novel in Newton from the year 1969 to the present. “My dream is that the book will become more popular and everyone will want to visit Newton,” Costanzo-Morrison said. A unique aspect to her books is the contemporary element of reincarnation. “Flashback” is about two teens who have dreams that seem more like memories. FLASHBACK | 3A
Two years ago, Newton Community School District leaders decided to switch from using early-dismissal Wednesdays for professional development to using a full student-free day — the fourth Monday of each month, mostly — for such meetings, workshops and training. NCSD principals reported to the Board of Education on Oct. 24 about professional development activities that had taken place earlier that day, as those relate to district and campus goals. Tom Bartello of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Todd Schuster of Woodrow Wilson, Jim Gilbert of Aurora Heights, Jolene Comer of Emerson Hough, Lisa Sharp of Berg Middle School, Mike Moran of WEST Academy and Bill Peters of Newton High School all gave reports. NCSD | 3A
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Principal Tom Bartello speaks to the Newton Community School District Board of Education at a February morning. District principals reported to the board Oct. 24 about professional development discussions that took place earlier that day.
Latest round of new traffic signs addressed By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News A dozen uncontrolled intersections are being addressed by the city with a new round of stop and yield signs. The city council passed the third and final reading for the new traffic signals continuing the city’s effort to address potentially dangerous intersections. Intersections located in an area bordered by First Street South, West 12th Street South, First Avenue and Interstate 80 were included in analysis by the Traffic Safety Committee. “The intersections in this area were analyzed based on school traffic, student pedestrian traffic and the neighbor-
hood dynamics,” former city administrator Bob Knabel said. A total of 10 intersections will receive new stop signs with two intersections getting yield signs for traffic safety enforcement. • At South Sixth Avenue West stop signs will be added for eastbound and westbound traffic. The committee found this will make the crosswalk safer for pedestrians. It will also make travel on South Sixth Avenue West consistent, stopping at West Sixth Street South and West Ninth Street South. • At the intersection of South Seventh Avenue West at West Fifth Street South, which is a “T” intersection, it was recommended to add a
stop sign for westbound traffic on South Seventh Avenue West.
• A stop sign was recommended for eastbound and westbound traffic on South Ninth Avenue West at West Fifth Street South. • At the “T” intersection
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tion for southbound traffic on West 11th Street South at South 12 Avenue West, northbound traffic on Woodland Drive at West 11th Street South, southbound traffic on Woodland Drive at South 12th Avenue West and eastbound traffic on Larchwood Court at West 12th Street South. • Yield signs are recommended for northbound traffic on West 11th Street South turning east onto South 11th Avenue West and for westbound traffic on South 11th Avenue West turning north onto West 11th Street South. Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com
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at South 15th Avenue West at West Ninth Street South a stop sign is recommended on South 15th Avenue West. • At the intersection of West Seventh Street South and South 12th Avenue West a stop sign is recommended for northbound and southbound traffic on West Seventh Street South. • A stop sign is recommended at the “T” intersection on West Ninth Street South at the South 11th Avenue West. • At the intersection of West Ninth Street South and South 13th Avenue West a stop sign for north and southbound traffic recommended. • Stop signs are recommended at four “T” intersec-
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Obituaries.......................5A Opinion............................4A State News......................7A
Students preparing for HiSET
DMACC staff help students get diplomas / 2A
Volume No. 115 No.119 2 sections 16 pages
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