NEWTON
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DAILY NEWS FRIDAY, NOV. 28, 2014 • SERVING NEWTON & JASPER COUNTY SINCE 1902
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Two new properties available for the D&D program By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News
Submitted Photo Mark Stiles makes his way along the Newton YMCA Turkey Trot course on Nov. 15, with his wife, Jody Marshall Stiles, on the right. Stiles’ completion of the complete 5K course was a major goal as he continues from a series of back surgeries.
‘Trot’-ting to the next level
Mark Stiles’ completion of the YMCA Turkey Trot was a milestone of mobility By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News Reaching the finish line in a 5K race can be an emotional experience. For Mark Stiles, his completion of the Nov. 15 Newton YMCA Turkey Trot 5K was emotional not only because of the rigors of the course — it also represented a major step for him and his family. Stiles lost much of his ability to move freely when several back surgeries were unsuccessful. Two years ago, he was still in a hospital when his youngest daughter was born. Having made some progress by the time last year’s Turkey Trot rolled around, Stiles vowed to complete a 5K by the end of 2014. He accomplished that goal with about seven weeks to spare, as he finished the Newton YMCA course in 1 hour, 18 minutes, 20 seconds, with his wife, Jody Marshall Stiles, by his side. Though the couple needed 10 more minutes to complete the course than any of the other 48
finishers, the race was not really against anyone else. Stiles was competing, as he has done for several years, against the limits of his body — and those limits continue to be diminished. “I still don’t have a lot of strength in my arms and shoulders,” the 1989 Newton High School graduate said. “I want to get to the point where I can transport my family, drive and physically pick the kids up. But I’m always pushing myself — trying to do a little more than I did the time before.” Stiles, 44, was known as an athlete as much as he was anything else during his school days. His father, Dick, coached football at Newton High School for more than 30 years. Mark had back surgeries in August and October of 2012 for a major back problem. Those surgeries, and a subsequent third surgery, have not made much impact, and Jody said things actually got worse. A social media campaign, which took off with the help of Mark’s older brother, Tim, and
a high school classmate, Chris Avery Arend, helped raise more than $7,500 to help the family with medical costs. “He was in the hospital when our youngest, Sidney, was born almost two years ago,” Jody said. “He was on a feeding tube for a while. His legs have come around, but the neck and arms seem to be taking forever.” Stiles works for Pella, the window and door manufacturer, and he’s been able to work part-time for them from home. Mark said one of his goals for the months and years ahead is to return to working full-time. “Pella has been absolutely wonderful to us,” Jody said. Mark has gradually been able to walk with more and more ease and capability. He said his development in walking has been somewhat on the same schedule as the couple’s daughters, Sidney, now almost 2 years old, and Sadie, who is 3. Mark said his daughters are his greatest motivators, and he said STILES | 3A
Two new properties are up for purchase consideration in the D&D program by the Newton City Council during its Monday meeting. A lowconditioned building at 221 E. Fourth Street S. is owned by Franklin C. George and available for $6,000. The property at 1124 S. Fifth Ave. E. is available for $5,000 and is owned by Nationwide Advantage Mortgage Company. The council will also consider the installation of a single temporary directional sign for the Fountain Hills Subdivision. It would be within the north right-of-way for South 12th Avenue West located in the 1900 block. The sign would stand 4 feet tall and would direct visitors to the subdivision. The costs for the sign would be handled by the Realtor marketing the homes. A new snow removal equipment building is being considered at the Newton Municipal Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration has approved a grant of the design and construction
of buildings used of the storage of snow removal equipment. The grant allows for a $280,000 project with the city contributing $28,000. The design services would come from Clapsaddle-Garber Associates, Inc. from Marshalltown. New warning sirens will be considered to replace the no longer functioning sirens at East Seventh Street North and North Fourth Avenue East. The new until is a 130 decibel rotating siren from DANCO Emergency Services of Snyder, Neb. It would cost $20,097 and be paid from the 2014 Ending Fund Balance. In other business: • The council will consider a records retention schedule to control the abundance of records that are created and received by the city. • The Park Fee Schedule for 2015 will be discussed. • Bryan Friedman, Director of Finance and Development, will present a Newton Enterprises Apartment Project. Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com.
Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News Properties at 221 E. Fourth Street S. and 1124 S. Fifth Ave. E. will be considered for purchase in the D&D program by the Newton City Council Monday.
Poverty is issue Newton schools must address, officials say By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Newton Schools Superintendent Bob Callaghan made a presentation during the Newton Rotary Club’s weekly meeting Tuesday. One of the things he discussed was the increased number of students whose families qualify for a free or reduced lunch.
Even though reconfiguration was the primary topic at two Newton events this week, students living in poverty was another topic brought up more than once. At Monday’s Newton Community School District board meeting, Associate Director of Elementary Services Jim Gilbert discussed professional development and training specific to working with low Socioeconomic students. At Tuesday’s Newton Rotary Club meeting, Newton Schools Superintendent Bob Callaghan pointed out how many more students’ families live below
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teach low- socioeconomic status children. “That professional development should center around how to teach families in poverty,” Gilbert said. “We believe this is a fundamental piece of knowledge that we have visited in the past. We need to bring people back to our changing demographic. We have to recognize that. We have a lot of new folks coming in, and they haven’t had that (type of training). We think that’s an integral part of this.” Benson asked why, if such development is so important, isn’t such training happening in the district this year. POVERTY | 3A
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the poverty line in 2014 compared to 2004, as defined by the number who quality for free or reduced-cost meals. Gilbert was addressing the needs of district teachers during Monday’s school-board meeting discussion about reconfiguration, after he had presented teacher survey results. He was asked by school board president Sheri Benson for recommendations about what teachers needed from administration in order to develop “confidence in skill ability in the core curriculum, so that they feel more confident in managing the diversity of their classrooms.” Gilbert said it’s time for training that deals with how to
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McTeacher Night
Elementary teachers earn money / 2A
Volume No. 113 No. 136 2 sections 14 pages
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