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Friday, November 8, 2013
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Newton, Iowa
Iowa Speedway announces three ‘big event’ weekends for 2014
OBITUARIES Henrietta (Van Wyk) Beyer, 100 Everett C. Dee, 89 Derek Moore, 37 Cynthia Pilkington, 56 INSIDE TODAY
Education
Box tops to support schools Page 7A
By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor For the first time since its first full season, Iowa Speedway will not have a June race event in 2014. But, what it will have, track officials promise, are three “big event” weekends. This morning, the speedway officially announced its 2014 racing event schedule, which features race event weekends in May, July and August. The schedule includes two NASCAR Nationwide Series events, a combination IndyCar and NASCAR
Camping World Truck Series weekend, and two other major supporting events. “Iowa Speedway fans consistently support our big event weekends,” Iowa Speedway President Stan Clement said. “This lineup of major NASCAR and IndyCar races is the best schedule we have put together for our race fans and promotional partners, and we look forward to an exciting and entertaining 2014 racing season.” The season will open Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18, with the NASCAR K&N Pro
Series East-West Challenge and NASCAR’s Nationwide Series. The Nationwide cars will race Sunday afternoon — the only Sunday afternoon event on the track’s schedule for 2014 — for 250 laps on the 7 ⁄8-mile tri-oval. As was announced last month, the new IZOD IndyCar Series/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series weekend will be held Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12, under the lights in Newton. SPEEDWAY See Page 5A
2014 Race Events • Saturday, May 17 – NASCAR K&N Pro Series East vs. West Challenge (150 laps) • Sunday, May 18 – NASCAR Nationwide Series (250 laps) • Friday, July 11 – American Ethanol 200, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (200 laps) • Saturday, July 12 – Iowa Corn Indy 300. IndyCar Series (300 laps) • Friday, Aug. 1 – NASCAR K&N Pro Series East vs. West Challenge (150 laps) • Saturday, Aug. 2 – NASCAR Nationwide Series (250 laps)
Callaghan to update board on district’s facility study By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Sports
Aquagirls going to state Page 1B
Weather
Saturday
High 56 Low 32 Zach Johnson/Daily News Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Darrell Sarmento presents the vision and direction of the Newton Main Street Initiative at a rally Thursday at the Capitol II Theater.
Newton holds Main Street Rally Sunday
By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
High 53 Low 40
Monday
High 44 Low 24 Weather Almanac
Thurs., Nov. 7 High 47 Low 29 No Precipitation Also: Astrograph Page 5B
By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Classifieds Page 4B Comics & Puzzles Page 6A Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 2A, 3A Police Page 3A Our 112th Year No. 122
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answer session, many of the questions concerned the number of businesses that have closed their doors recently and how that would effect the chances of getting our Main Street application accepted. “It’s like getting a business loan from a bank. The bank will ask to look at the business plan to see what exactly you plan to do to make use of that money,” said Sarmento during the presentation. MAIN STREET See Page 5A
BOARD See Page 5A
Kessler’s arraignment next week By Daily News Staff A Newton man charged with assault with intent to commit sexual abuse will be arraigned on that charge in a hearing set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13. Cody Lee Kessler, 26, is out of jail on $1,000 surety bond as he awaits trial on the aggravated misdemeanor charge. At the time of his arrest two weeks ago, he was already awaiting trial on a charge of second-degree theft, a Class D felony, stemming from a June arrest. Pretrial conference for that case has been set for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Gary Barrett wants other vets to share their stories
Calendar Page 3A
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Where do we go from here? It’s been a question the Newton Main Street Initiative launch team has been working on since the middle of summer, as well as the question on the minds of individuals who came together at Capitol II Theater on Thursday. The Newton Initiative launch team shared a new logo and a Facebook page. Cathy Rickers of Art A La Carte created the Newton Main Street
Initiative logo. The Facebook page was developed by the Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce. The rally was attended by more than 100 citizens who came from all social and professional groups of Newton for both sessions at noon at 5:30 p.m. The attendees of the rally had a chance to enjoy popcorn for free with a video, a PowerPoint and a question-and-answer session for the presentation from Chamber Executive Director Darrell Sarmento. During the question-and-
Monday’s meeting of the Newton Community Board of Education will feature more discussion and less action items according to the agenda. During his report, Superintendent Bob Callaghan will recognize veterans in honor of Veterans Day. In a previous interview with the Daily News, Callaghan said Veterans Day would be one of the days that the district would have a heavy focus on along with Sept. 11 and Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr Day on Jan. 20. Callaghan will also update the board on the facilities study the district is having conducted, which was approved during the Oct. 14 meeting. Des Moines-based RFK Architects and Engineers were selected to conduct the study and the cost could be as much as $50,000. There will also be a report form the technology committee. The newly formed tech
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“Veterans, don’t be afraid to tell your story,” is the message Gary Barrett, a 32-year U.S. Army veteran, wants to convey to his fellow vets. Gary will the be the keynote speaker Monday at the DMACC Newton Campus Veterans Day service, which begins at 1 p.m. in the Fred Maytag II auditorium. Gary has vowed not to talk about his own experiences in the service but rather that of other veterans. “The theme of the whole things is: ‘Veterans, Tell Your Story,’” Gary said. “There’s a lot of veterans who don’t tell their story. When you look at the thou-
sands that we are burying each and every day, those stories become extremely important.” While Gary doesn’t plan on sharing his story with the audience, the start to his own stellar military career began on what was essentially a dare. “Too many Budweisers at the Bud Tent at the Iowa State Fair,” Gary said with a laugh.
“A big brain storm and smart recruiter is what it was. My wife’s uncle was the bartender in the Bud Tent and we ducked in there to get out of the rain.” Gary said he and his wife stayed in the Bud Tent for about an hour and half and waited out the storm with select refreshments. Once the rain stopped, they began to walk toward the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fair when they ran into the aforementioned “smart recruiter.” “I had hair down to my shoulders and beard down to my belt. (The recruiter) said, ‘Hey hippy, you got the guts to serve your country?’”Gary said. Not one to back down
Submitted Photo Gary Barrett (left) said he was proud to have his pictured taken with Olan Brassfield because Olan wasn’t afraid to share his story.
from a challenge, Gary signed up and when his head became more clear, so to speak, he didn’t re-
gret his decision. BARRETT See Page 5A