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DAILY NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30, 2016 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
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North Newton Casey’s store to close “Everybody here was offered a job with Casey’s,” Perrenoud said. “The two that didn’t, one started a new job and the other one is going back to school, so that is good. There are good things that are coming out of that for them.” The gas station was a popular location for those who work at the city’s largest employers along with many people who traveled to and from the area on business. With the closing, customers will have to
By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News The Casey’s General Store near former Maytag Plant 2 and Trinity Structural Towers will close its doors for the final time Wednesday. Store manager Bill Perrenoud said he has come to terms with the store, 1006 N. 19th Ave. E., closing and is happy that eight out of the 10 employees currently at the store, including Perrenoud have been relocated to other branches in Newton.
travel further south to First Avenue convenience store locations for gas and food needs. “We got an early morning rush from factory workers going to work,” Perrenoud said. “We got a really good noon from Trinity ... we also have quite a few truckers who stop.” Gary Van Baale, of Newton, voiced several concerns about closing the branch, including that it is the only gas CASEY’S | 3A
Jamee A. Pierson/Daily News The north Casey’s General Store, located at 1006 N. 19th Ave. E., will be closing its doors Wednesday, leaving a void for those in the area who frequent the convenience store.
School district rejects early retirement for 2016-17
Mailbox set on fire at Newton home
Arson suspected; incident under investigation By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News It only took Newton firefighters a few minutes to extinguish a mailbox that was lit on fire Monday night. However, determining who destroyed the mailbox, and why, might take much longer. Firefighters were called to a home on a residential block of East 17th Street North after someone discovered the plastic mailbox was on fire. It only
took a water can to put out the fire, which destroyed the mailbox. Rex Heisdorffer, of the Newton Fire Department, said the remnants of a plastic Gatorade container was found at the scene, and the smell of gasoline was present. The metal post inside the mailbox was not charred, according to a report. Arson is suspected, but the cause is under ARSON | 3A
File photo Newton Community School District Superintendent Bob Callaghan talks with Business Director Gayle Isaac at a recent Board of Education meeting. The district voted unanimously at Monday’s meeting to not offer an early retirement program for 2016-17. A board policy requires an annual board vote on whether to offer a program.
NCSD would need to tax one year in advance By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News The Newton Community School District won’t have much of a cushion in the district’s management levy fund at the end of Fiscal 2017, according to Business Director Gayle Isaac. Largely on the strength of Isaac’s recommendation made at Monday’s meeting, the NCSD voted unanimously to not offer an early retirement program for 2016-17, despite at least one
request from an eligible faculty member that the district offer such a program. The board is required, per policy 410.1, to decide before each December on offering early retirement for that year. “We do not have sufficient management levy funds to support early retirement this year,” Isaac told the board. “I budgeted just enough money to cover our insurance, which comes to about $500,000. Our balance will be between $520,000 and $530,000.
So it’s a matter of timing. I won’t have much of a cushion until property taxes start rolling in during August.” Superintendent Bob Callaghan said the budget submitted to the state for approval by each year’s April 15 deadline in recent years has not included a management levy increase specifically put in to fund early retirement. If the district plans to fund such an expense, Callaghan said, the best RETIREMENT | 3A
Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Newton firefighters were able to quickly extinguish this mailbox that was lit on fire sometime close to 10 p.m. Monday night. Arson is suspected, but the cause is under investigation.
City looking to foster a high-quality of life for citizens in this purpose.
By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News Fostering a high-quality of life is an important purpose in the city’s plan to move Newton into the future in a positive way. Through neighborhood improvement to growing the parks system and encouraging a sense of community, the city has identified several areas to develop goals, objectives and strategies in the 2017-2019 Action Plan to move forward
Foster a high quality of life “The city’s purpose is to continue to build upon the high-quality of life in Newton by focusing on growing community livability, cultural and historical resources, recreational amenities and community aesthetics in order to benefit existing households and draw young families to choose Newton as their home,” city senior analyst Natalie Umsted said.
Six goals were established in the action plan including improving neighborhood quality and curb appeal, provide access Umsted to information and community education, maintain and develop a versatile parks system, encourage a vibrant sense of community, improve
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tinue the dangerous and dilapidated program to abate and demolish low-conditioned buildings throughout the community. The Newton Public Library is also getting involved in the plan through the goal of providing access to information and community education. During the next two years, the library will work to offer free technology classes and coordinate and partner with the PLAN | 3A
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WHERE IT’S AT Astrograph......................5B Calendar..........................5A Classifieds......................4B
Newton’s transportation network and support environmental sustainability to help move progress in the city forward. To improve neighborhoods, the city plans to address residential areas through improvements using state and federal grant funds along with city commitments. An area the city has narrowed in on is the completion of the First Avenue Neighborhood Improvement project. The city also plans to con-
Comics & Puzzles...........6A Dear Abby........................6A Local News......................2A
Obituaries.......................5A Opinion............................4A State News......................7A
‘The Redemption of Scrooge’
St. Lukes performing holiday program / 2A
Volume No. 115 No. 136 2 sections 16 pages
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