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Serving Newton & Jasper County Since 1902
Daily News
Monday, December 23, 2013
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Weekend storm dumps 6 inches on Newton, results in several accidents
OBITUARIES Shirley Benedict, 82 Ruth L. Cleverley, 83 Mary J. De Young, 84
By Matthew Nosco Daily News Staff Writer
INSIDE TODAY
Zach Johnson/Daily News Bob O’Brien, owner of Dairy Queen in Newton, plows the sidewalks and driveways after the first significant snowfall of the season. Newton saw 6 inches of snowfall starting late Saturday into early Sunday.
Local
Great Southern Bank Angel Tree Page 2A
The Jasper County Sheriff ’s Office issued a notice to area residents alerting them to call the non-emergency number, (641) 7925912, in the situation of a single car incident in which no injuries or damage occurred. A representative at the Jasper County Law Center reported STORM See Page 12A
By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Sports
Page 7A
Weather
Tuesday
High 15 Low 14
Wednesday High 26 Low 9 Weather Almanac
Friday, Dec. 20 High 29 Low 22 No Precipitation
Sat., Dec. 21
High 25 Low 20 .12 inch of snow
Sun., Dec. 22 High 22 Low 20 6 inches of snow Also:
While “’ Tis the season to be giving,” the United Way of Jasper County’s has been having a difficult time garnering donations for this year’s annual fundraising campaign. “We are actually at 55.2 percent of our goal ($363,000), and you can see where we are lower from the last few years in comparison,” UWJC Executive Director Travis Padget said. Last December, the United Way was at 69.3 percent of its goal, and the year before, it was at 73.8 percent. Some factors that have played a role in this year’s campaign being so sluggish include less educational, public service and large business donations. Padget believes the economic downturn locally also has played a factor as well as raising the goal each of the last two years. “One of the big things is we changed our goal,” Padget said. “We raised it to $363,000, but we really need $450,000 to really match the need of the organizations in Jasper County. Organizations are not getting funded at 100 percent because we are not getting enough money.” Unlike most nonprofits, the United Way doesn’t just support itself. It currently provides funding to 26 different nonprofits in Jasper County. Padget said he has received applications from other nonprofits that wish to become a United Way Community Partner, which would force him to stretch thin funds even thinner. “I have relationships with all of these different agencies, and I think that’s what people miss about the United Way (is) we are not a direct-support organization,” Padget said. “We fundraise for the organizations that can’t fundraise for themselves or have less ability to fundraise at that significant level.” Padget thinks people being confused about the United Way’s purpose also hinders donations. UNITED WAY See Page 12A
Astrograph Page 11A Calendar Page 3A Classifieds Page 9A Comics & Puzzles Page 6A Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A Our 112th Year No. 152
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The weekend snowfall came right within the predicted 5 to 8 inches of snowfall for Jasper County, and it was enough to put some drivers off of the roads Saturday night and early Sunday morning. The National Weather Service put the county under a
Winter Storm Warning, which began at 3 p.m. Saturday and lasted for 27 hours until 6 p.m. Sunday. The snowfall was accompanied by strong northwest winds, which combined with the snowfall accumulation and the asyet un-cleared ice on some roads, provided dangerous conditions for Jasper County travelers.
United Way of Jasper County having hard time raising funds
Second-half rally sparks win
7
Newton, Iowa
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Ty Rushing/Daily News The giant thermometer sign outside of the United Way of Jasper County’s office sits at a little more than the halfway mark this year, which is almost 15 percent lower than it was in 2012. UWJC Executive Director Travis Padget said the organization are having a difficult time raising funds this year.
Ty Rushing/Daily News Jasper County Board of Supervisors Chairman Dennis Stevenson sits at his desk in room 203 of the Jasper County Courthouse. Stevenson has served on the board since 2008 and is known for his “Denny-isms.”
‘That’s a good deal’
Dennis Stevenson, chair of Jasper County Board of Supervisors, brings his own style to governing Part 1 of a series By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer If you have ever read or heard Dennis Stevenson using the phrases, “bang for your buck,” “well, this is a no-brainer” or “that’s a good deal,” then congratulations. You have been exposed to “Dennyisms.” Denny-isms are a collection of words and phrases that Stevenson, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors chairman, has been known to frequently say both in casual conversation and professionally. Since being elected to the board in 2008, Stevenson has taken to applying Dennyisms to his views on running the county government. “I think ‘bang for the buck’ is my big one, and it’s what I believe in,” Stevenson said. “Let’s try to spend our money wisely. We have to spend some money. You can’t not improve things or replace things — you have to do that. We try to do it in such a way that you get that, and I call it ‘bang for your buck.’” Some of the items Stevenson voted for that he believes deliver on the “bang” include the county’s new fiber Internet system, new phone system, the geothermal energy project at the courthouse and the Jasper County Annex/Armory, which houses the county’s Emergency Operation Command Center.
“I think we’ve done very well on the budget to keep it neutral and drop it a little bit,” Stevenson said. “We’ve looked at ways of saving money, and we won’t be able to do that forever, but we continue to look for ways to save money.” “I think we’ve cut the line on taxes pretty decent, and, again, we can’t do that forever,” he continued. “I just think the finances (look good) and that we have been getting some stuff done (for the county).” While most people think the supervisors just meet in room 203 at the courthouse on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and call it a week, Stevenson and the other members have numerous other duties that go along with their positions. The 911 board, emergency management board and the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center Board are just a few boards Stevenson serves on. Those three boards seem to fit Stevenson, a former Jasper County deputy, well. “We switch them around some, but the emergency management and 911 (boards) were just an interest of mine,” Stevenson said. “The other guys were fine with it. Juvenile detention, was, again, another interest of mine, and we have switched them up some.” Stevenson also described what he felt was a typical day as chairman of board. “The main duty is I
conduct the meetings,” Stevenson said. “If somebody calls in — we get a lot of phone calls — and wants to talk to a supervisor, they send them to me or whoever is the chair at that time. Also, (I do) housekeeping type of stuff, check the mail, sign the claim forms so they can be submitted for approval, just a lot of housekeeping type of stuff that the board has to do.” He estimates conservatively he puts in 30 hours a week and shows up at 8 a.m. five days a week. Other housekeeping items he listed included making rounds with the county’s various department heads, checking messages, overseeing projects and studying agenda items before Tuesday’s public meetings. Like all publicly elected officials, Stevenson has dealt with some criticism he felt was unwarranted, but his time on the Kellogg City Council prepared him for the challenges. And in his down time, he likes to take his mind off work by enjoying time with his wife, Jane, and their grandchildren. “My granddaughter, who is now 8, was about 3 and when she wanted something from her mother and her mother said ‘No.’ So my granddaughter told her, ‘You call my papa, him say yes.’ She’s a very smart little girl,” Stevenson said with a deep chuckle. STEVENSON See Page 3A