Newton News
2021 Year in Review
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January
Police chief Rob Burdess said where the department saw the most reductions was in the part one crimes, which encompass violent crime and property crime. When comparing the number to 2019, Newton had 331 part 1 crimes reported compared to the 505 from the previous year.
8 — After more than 17 years with Jasper County Sheriff ’s Office, Lieutenant Aaron Groves has had to make the difficult decision to retire because of a medical condition.
9 — Only one person was transported to the hospital Feb. 4 following the 40-car pileup which occurred on the interstate as a result of the blizzard weather conditions. According to a press release, the Newton Fire Department responded to a multi-vehicle accident at 11:49 a.m. on Interstate 80, about one mile west of the exit 164 near Newton. Multiple vehicles had entered the ditch and more were blocking the eastbound lanes, halting traffic.
12 — A Texas man is in custody after allegedly stabbing another man and attacking a police officer Jan. 6 at Love’s Travel Stop in Newton. Conrado Gonzales Jr., 30, of San Antonio, Texas, has been charged with attempted murder and attempted murder of a peace officer, both are class B felonies. 19 — Jasper County Supervisors strongly support the City of Newton’s application to establish a reinvestment district in town, which would help generate funds to develop market-rate apartments, a hotel and other projects at Legacy Plaza, as well as provide improvement grants for existing buildings near downtown. 22 — Warren County inmates will still be detained in Jasper County Jail for at least another year. Until the construction of a new sheriff ’s office and jail for Warren County is complete, Jasper County will maintain a steady stream of revenue from housing out-of-town inmates at its facility. The Jasper County Board of Supervisors renewed and amended its memorandum of understanding between the two sheriff ’s offices. In exchange for holding their inmates in custody, Warren County will now have to pay $55 per day, rather than $45 per day. 26 — Starting Feb. 1, Phase 1B in the COVID-19 vaccination plan began. The Jasper County Health Department has released details about how the process will move forward including projected vaccine amounts for the county and state.
26 — Thanks to a generous grant from the Monsignor McCann Community Fund all children will be able to participate in the YMCA’s spring soccer for free. The Newton YMCA has been providing youth soccer opportunities to the community for decades. Now all youth ages 3 to 12 will be eligible to participate at no cost. YMCA CEO Lucas Hughes said the the organization applied for the grant to help all kids, regardless of the family’s financial situation. 29 — Unsuccessful in its pursuits to secure grant funding to rehabilitate the Jasper County Annex Building into downtown apartments, Paramount Development Inc. requested the board of supervisors terminate its option to purchase the site. Supervisors granted the development group’s request, ending the project. 29 — Newton Community School District will receive more than $1.6 million in federal COVID-19 relief money, which administrators say will
be used to refund for items already purchased during the pandemic. The Iowa Department of Education announced the state acquired almost $345 million in a new round of federal relief money for its PK12 schools. Of that, 90 percent will be available to school districts; the remaining funds will be used for “state-level educational efforts” to address pandemic-related issues. The state’s federal allotment derived from the $54 billion in relief provided in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency (ESSER) Relief Fund II within the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, according to the department of education.
February 2 — The Newton Police Department’s preliminary numbers indicate crime in Newton in 2020 was down about 12 percent for the year.
12 — A 10-year-old’s desire to help animals has blossomed into a venture to help local pets and to help their owners have access to the supplies needed to care for their fourlegged companions. The Eckerts decided to take the next step and create their own nonprofit using Lucy’s name. That’s when Lucy’s Pet Pantry was born. 12 — Jasper County Supervisors passed a resolution of support for a proposed Central Iowa Economic Development District (EDD), which, if created with the approval of six other counties, could help the region’s municipalities acquire federal funding to better their respective communities’ projects. Jeff Davidson, executive director of JEDCO, and Andrew Collings of the Des Moines Metropolitan Planning Organization conducted a presentation for the board of supervisors about the benefits an EDD can provide, particularly the progression of community development. Prospects of an EDD mean more grant and funding opportunities. For instance, if Jasper County had been
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19 — Dollar General will be built on the land formerly occupied by the Mid-Iowa Motel. The Newton City Council approved the assignment of contract for 1803 First Ave. E. to The Overland Group, LLC, which had previously purchased the land for $155,000 in December 2019. By the time The Overland Group bought the property, it was unclear what it would become.
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23 — Two large boxes full of documents were passed on to the board of
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March 2 — Jasper County Supervisors do not support the city’s request to establish an urban renewal area for the
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Westwood Golf Course clubhouse at this time. Even with input provided by Newton Mayor Mike Hansen, the board of supervisors refused to sanction two parcels of the municipally owned golf course — which technically resides outside city limits and in county territory — to finance the construction of a new clubhouse. 2 — A source of pride grant will help a local nonprofit and honor the memory of a longtime Newton resident. Central Iowa Outdoors Without Boundaries will receive a $5,000 grant to purchase more adaptive equipment, which will expand their programming. Established in 2010, Outdoors Without Boundaries organizes deer, turkey and pheasant hunts, as well as fishing outings for folks with physical limitations. The organization uses specialized equipment to move partic-
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ipants to and from hunting areas. Although Outdoors Without Boundaries is based in Newton, the organization supports folks throughout central Iowa. 5 — The voters have spoken: Jasper County will get its administration building renovations. According to preliminary results of the March 2 special election, 865 people (or about 64 percent) voted in favor of a $3.6 million bond to finance the construction and restoration costs of the new county administration offices; 486 people (or less than 36 percent) voted against the bond; and a total of 1,351 people voted. 5 — The City of Newton’s history is being celebrated in its 175th year in an exciting way with two new historic districts being added to the National Register of Historic Places. The listings were confirmed by the Iowa
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18 — More than 300 teachers and staff of the Newton Community School District and DMACC Newton Campus received their COVID-19 vaccine at an immunization clinic in the district’s administration center.
supervisors Tuesday, Feb. 23, by Des Moines-based engineering consultant ISG, signifying the official completion of the Dakota Access Pipeline construction in Jasper County and the fulfillment of all outstanding obligations. Evan Del Val, a project manager of ISG, said the process to get to this point took four years and nine months. Some unresolved matters — compensation for road repairs and an issue with one landowner — delayed the county verifying the completion of the construction project. Those have now been dealt with.
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apart of an EDD, the county would have received some CARES Act funding, Davidson said.
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department of Cultural Affairs and the State Historic Preservation Office of Iowa in January.
with a downtown property at 209 W. Second St. N. that sustained heavy damage from the 2020 derecho and is now seen by the city as a “public safety concern.”
9 — Russ Stutt has resigned as engineer of Jasper County. Employed with the county for almost 11 years, Stutt told Newton News he will miss the projects of the roads department and the several wonderful people he had the chance to work with and know — including county employees and elected officials, past and present.
30 — For another consecutive year, two elementary schools in Newton received national recognition for focusing on “social-emotional wellbeing, relationship-driven campus culture and student connectedness” in their buildings. Principals of Aurora Heights Elementary School and Emerson Hough Elementary School announced April 26 their campuses were designated Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools for the 2020-2021 school year.
19 — Addressing the dental needs of those underserved in the county blossomed two ideas during the Jasper County Board of Health meeting March 11. Dr. Jeff Millet joined the conversation to bring the perspective of dentists and share his knowledge on the subject. 26 — PJ’s Deli celebrated its 35year anniversary in Newton with owner and founder Phil Muta thanking devoted customers and dedicated staff for the successful run. 30 — The body of an adult male was found March 28 on the bank of a creek in Newton, police say. At about 9:50 a.m., the Newton Police Department received a report of what appeared to be someone laying in a creek and not moving. Officers arrived near the 1400 block of South Fourth Ave. East and found a man dead on the creek bank with no apparent signs of foul play.
April 2 — A Newton man died from injuries sustained in an altercation with another man, who has since been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. At about 7:19 p.m., Newton Police Department received a 911 call of a fight in progress near the 900 block of North Sixth Avenue East.
May Randall Clark Mikesell Jr., 41, was found unresponsive and laying on the ground with severe bleeding from his torso, police said. 2 — Berg Middle School Principal Lisa Sharp named the 2020 Iowa Association of Student Councils (IASC) Administrator of the Year. 6 — Two courtrooms in the Jasper County Courthouse, including the grand courtroom, are getting 21st century improvements while still maintaining their historic aesthetics. County attorney Scott Nicholson says the project will not only benefit trial proceedings, it will also install much needed infrastructure. Apart from the roughly $20,000 pre-installation work, the project will cost the county nothing. Nicholson told supervisors at their April 6 meeting the upgrades and updated equipment would be funded by the state. 11 — PROM MASQUERADE: Newton High School students enjoy a 2021 prom night at Baqara Coliseum
16 — Stacey Grams, owner of Stacy’s Sweetstuff in downtown Newton devotes a large chunk of her time to a grassroots charity campaign, giving back to those who might feel overlooked or forgotten. Grams collects bags of hygiene items to distribute to homeless, people in need. 23 — The city-owned lot in downtown Newton which could be the home of a future splash pad for the community has officially been reserved for the committee leading the charge on the project. By having the Newton City Council secure the green space at 224 W. Third St. N. for the Splash Pad Committee, the city essentially agrees to hold off on approve any other uses for the lot “for the foreseeable future.” This includes, for example, a private redevelopment or an additional parking lot construction. 23 — Newton’s city attorney has been authorized to file a lawsuit against Jeremy Chedester and Chedester Properties, LLC for failing to resolve “outstanding issues”
4 — Upon securing its general contractor to construction the new administration building near downtown Newton, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors on May 4 approved its formal agreement with Garling Construction. 4 — More than 100 saplings have been provided to Lambs Grove at no cost, the result of a program the community’s mayor and city council applied for more than a month ago from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The Iowa DNR State Forest Nursery delivered six species of trees to disperse. Residents had their pick of hybrid willows, red oaks, scotch pines, shellbark hickories, silver maples and white oaks. The Lambs Grove City Council allowed citizens to claim their trees ahead of time on social media. They have since been hand-delivered by city officials. 4 — To help Newton Airport reconstruct the old taxiway at the north end of the airfield, the city council has authorized staff to submit an
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IndyCar returning to Iowa Speedway for weekend doubleheader The doubleheader weekend features the Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 July 23 and the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 July 24 By Troy Hyde Newton News WEST DES MOINES — When NASCAR released its schedules in late October last year and a date at Iowa Speedway wasn’t on it, rumors began to swirl about the Newton racetrack being in trouble. It was even reported by a racing insider that the track was on its way to closing. Not even three months later, Newton’s 7/8 mile track landed an ARCA Series race which took place this past summer. The biggest news of all came Thursday when the IndyCar Series, Hy-Vee and the City of Newton announced a huge racing weekend featuring the IndyCar Series in July. “I’m the happiest mayor in the state of Iowa today. On behalf of the city of Newton, I’m thrilled to welcome the IndyCar Series back to the Iowa Speedway next July,” Newton Mayor Mike Hansen said. “We believe these events will breathe a new life into the Iowa Speedway and lead to future improvements as well as increased use of this facility and other community events and festivals.” The NTT IndyCar Series returns to Iowa Speedway for the 2022 season. The doubleheader weekend
Jamee A. Pierson/Newton News The key figures behind bringing an IndyCar series back to the Iowa Speedway, including from right of the podium Hy-Vee chairman, CEO and president Randy Edeker, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, NTT IndyCar Series owner Roger Penske and Newton Mayor Mike Hansen stand together after the announcement at Hy-Vee Corporate Aug. 19.
features the Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 on July 23 and the Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 on July 24. Both races will be nationally televised. The sponsor is planning a “festival atmosphere” for the race weekend, according to a release. “We are forming a partnership today. And this is going to make the IndyCar Series better,” NTT IndyCar Series owner Roger Penske said. “It’s a special day for us. The competitive nature of the track and the visibility for the fans at the track has made this
track a priority. Speed here and success here breeds success in the 500.” The 2022 weekend is the first of a multiyear deal with the Newton track. Iowa Speedway had been the host of 15 IndyCar Series races before taking a one-year hiatus this past summer. “This removes all doubt that the speedway is going away. It takes that away,” Hansen said. “We’ve been working with Penske on and off since (IndyCar) left in 2020. Most recently, in the past 14 months, we’ve had
conversations with Penske knowing that what we all were looking for was that sponsorship that could solidify and resurrect Iowa Speedway.” That sponsor is now Hy-Vee. And Hy-Vee chairman, CEO and president Randy Edeker promises a big weekend off the track, too. “With our strong connection to local communities and involvement in the state, we plan to host an event that will receive national attention and make Newton an annual destination for racing fans,” Edeker said.
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“The weekend will be filled with multiple attractions and events that celebrate everything that is great about Iowa and NTT IndyCar Series racing.” Edeker said Hy-Vee plans to host a food truck challenge and possibly a back-to-back challenge. The food truck challenge would feature 100 food trucks from local businesses competing for a chance to win a brand new food truck. The back-to-back challenge would be for the drivers, possibly giving a bonus to any IndyCar Series driver who wins on both days. Edeker said Hy-Vee plans to give 1,000 tickets to the July 23 race to kids who have never been to a race before. And 2,000 tickets to farmers for the July 24 event. There also will be some kind of musical acts and possibly a $500 coupon book will be given out to fans who choose to camp. “We want to fill that place up and the campgrounds are important to Penske,” Edeker said. Thursday’s press conference also featured Bobby Rahal, Graham Rahal and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. Bobby Rahal is the owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Graham Rahal drives for the racing team. “There was a lot of concern about where the Iowa Speedway would fare out with the pandemic and derecho that came through last year,” Bobby Rahal said. “It’s been driven by enthusiasm to bring the venue back. We’ve been working with Penske for the last 14 months, encouraging him to bring back the IndyCar Series. That was our best hope to resurrect the track.” Graham Rahal said the wheels starting turning in Edeker’s head last fall. “We were in this room or close to here discussing after Iowa how HyVee can have a bigger role with our racing team,” Graham Rahal said.
“When Randy asked me if we were racing at Iowa next year, I had to say no. I thought that might seal the deal, but instead I could see quickly the wheels turning about what could come of this.” Hy-Vee started its relationship with IndyCar Series with a simple one-time partnership in 2020, sponsoring a partial season with Graham Rahal’s No. 45 car. That partnership is now even bigger and the second announcement Thursday was that Hy-Vee will be running a full-time car with Rahal, Letterman and Lanigan Racing. “There’s been a lot of rumors and questions swirling, but I could see from social media the fans are excited,” said Graham Rahal, who was sporting a Hy-Vee racing shirt on Thursday. “The opportunity for
everybody is tremendous there. It’s just a great race track for the drivers and fans.” Gov. Reynolds wants to keep the IndyCar Series at Iowa Speedway for years to come. “The Iowa Speedway solidified our state’s commitment to this sport when the track was built 15 years ago,” Reynolds said. “I personally challenged leaders to find a way to bring that excitement of a highspeed, action-packed IndyCar race back to Iowa Speedway. And I’m so pleased to be here today to help make this announcement. “IndyCar’s return is a win-win both in terms of the experience its offers drivers and fans as well as just the positive impact it will have on Iowa’s economy.” While securing IndyCar’s future with Iowa Speedway was a priority,
Hansen said he’s also working with NASCAR for future dates. “I did have a great conversation with the highest level of folks at NASCAR and I was very encouraged from what I heard from them for Iowa Speedway as we move forward,” Hansen said. “There are some things we need to do. The track has aged. We need to do something with that. But we are all in.” Two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden is a three-time winner at Iowa Speedway and the most recent to celebrate in Victory Lane. Other champions at the track include four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves along with “500” and NTT IndyCar Series champions Simon Pagenaud, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti.
Newton News • 2021 Year in Review – Page 8
TPI closes wind blade plant in Newton Largest employer in Jasper County laid off 710 workers
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ronment, supply chain and logistics costs, coupled with the unpredictability of when “wind-related tax credits will go into effect and the impact they have in the near-term.” About one-third of the employees who work in the Newton plant – which opened in 2007 — reside in Jasper County. Newton City Administrator Matt Muckler was informed of TPI’s announcement on Sept. 30 and lamented “industry specific issues” may cause the company to suspend production.
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More than 700 workers are now without jobs after TPI Composites closed its wind blade manufacturing plant in Newton. In late September, the company announced it would suspend operations at the facility by the end of the year, noting it was actively exploring other opportunities at the factory. However, none such opportunities have arisen. Josh Syhlman, general manager of
TPI Iowa, said in a statement to Newton News that the manufacturer extended its building lease through 2022 but had not planned any wind blade quotas. TPI blamed the unscheduled volumes of wind blades on the continued Muckler uncertainty regarding regulatory envi-
“TPI’s workforce comes from all over the region so this would impact not only Newton but many communities throughout Central Iowa,” Muckler said. Even when the plant closure was not yet official, Newton Mayor Mike Hansen said the city, its local economic development partners and social service providers will work to assist those residents who were impacted. In December, a job fair was held to find jobs for those displaced employees.
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Hansen said in a past statement, “Newton is a resilient community with a diversified economy. And while this potential suspension of manufacturing will have an impact on TPI employees and their families, we will continue to work together to overcome this challenge as a community.” By Oct. 18, TPI Composites filed a notice to the state that it would be closing the Newton plant and layoff 710 employees. Per the Worker Adjustment and
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TPI Composites announced Sept. 30 that it will suspend operations of its Newton-based wind blade manufacturing facility at the end of December.
Retraining Notification Act (WARN), companies are required to give 60 days advance notice in the event of plant closings or mass layoffs. Iowa Workforce Development’s WARN Tool confirmed the layoff date of Dec. 31 and the exact number of employees affected by the closure. At the time of the closure, about
50 workers will stay on-site to decommission thefacility until the end of March 2022, Syhlman told Newton News. By April 2022, there will be 15 people in the facility that will upkeep the grounds and maintenance of the building. In February 2020, TPI also closed its composite electric bus body man-
ufacturing plant in Newton, opting to consolidate operations into the company’s Rhode Island transportation facility. About 147 employees worked at the bus body plant. Nearly all were offered jobs in the wind blade facility before operations ceased. Syhlman told Newton News the
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decision to close the bus plant was difficult, but it had “never reached adequate production and profitability levels.” Staff regularly manufactured two bus bodies a week. Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com
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Breckenridge resigns, Dunwell takes over Republicans flip Iowa House District 29 seat long held by Democrats
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in providing the training or standards for law enforcement academy,” Breckenridge told Newton News in a phone interview. “So I think from that area it kind of puts it in conflict with that.” In an appreciation letter to his constituents, Breckenridge wrote that with his new duties and responsibilities at the ILEA “it is not possible to serve in both capacities and do them justice.” Although he stepped down as a state representative, Breckenridge still lives in Jasper County. The former legislator hoped his constituents could understand why he resigned. There aren’t many jobs he would have left the Iowa Legislature
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The unexpected resignation of former Rep. Wes Breckenridge triggered a special election to fill the Iowa House District 29 seat, which not only had been historically held by the Democratic Party but was ultimately claimed by the legislator’s former opponent, Republican Jon Dunwell. Breckenridge, a Newton native and retired police officer, was first elected in 2017 and was set to carry out his third term in the Iowa House. However, Breckenridgeaccepted a job as assistant director of the Iowa Law Enforce-
ment Academy, which he said came into conflict with his duties as a legislator. “ A lot of state agenc i e s p u t forth d e partment a l Breckenridge Dunwell bills and legislation, whether it be code cleanup or legislation that can assist
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for, Breckenridge said. But to work for the ILEA and have a chance “to make a positive impact on the officers” going out to communities was too good an opportunity to pass up. By Sept. 10, Breckenridge no longer served as representative of Iowa House District 29, which covers most of Jasper County. A special election was held Oct. 12. Almost immediately after Breckenridge announced he was leaving, Dunwell announced he would run for the open seat. Eventually, Democratic challenger Steve Mullan, a retired teacher and a longtime member of the Newton City Council, stepped into the race.
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Christopher Braunschweig/Newton News Jon Dunwell, a Republican, celebrates after finding out the results of the Iowa House District 29 special election Oct. 12 at a house party in Newton. Unofficial results say Dunwell received 59 percent of the votes while his Democratic opponent, Steve Mullan, received a little less than 41 percent.
Still, the local Democratic party knew their candidate entered into the special election at a disadvantage. Although Dunwell had lost to Breckenridge before, Jasper County Republican Party Chairperson Thad Nearmyer said his candidate never stopped campaigning. On Election Night, Dunwell flipped the seat with 2,820 votes to Mullan’s 1,890 votes, according to results from the auditor’s office.
The Iowa House District 29 special election had a 22.03 percent voter turnout. Nearmyer was overjoyed by the party’s big win. “This is a seat we’ve been wanting for so long, and after Zach Nunn won we knew it was possible,” Nearmyer said, noting the voter registration deficits for Republicans have narrowed significantly in the district since 2018. “Jon won in a district that leans blue still. It shows how much work
he’s put into it.” Dunwell was surrounded by friends and family in Newton when he learned he’d won. It was “unbelievably exciting” to see the results, he told Newton News, and it is humbling to learn the voters of Iowa House District 29 have given him this opportunity to serve as a representative of the statehouse. “Community engagement is very important to me. Being out and among
people is very important to me. Giving everyone a seat at the table is very important to me,” Dunwell said. “I have a conservative philosophy. My passion is for Jasper County and Iowa. The team that I work with is for the Republicans.” Officially sworn in as a legislator on Oct. 28, Dunwell spent his first day at the statehouse by participating in a caucus meeting, engaging with constituents, talking with those who had
gathered for a rally, discussing policy with colleagues, returning correspondence and voting for amendments and bills. “It’s exciting, humbling, and sobering all at the same time as I felt the leadership, responsibility, and accountability of the position come upon me,” Dunwell said of his swearing in. Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com
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Jasper County passes $3.6M bond for new admin building Annex building staff finally have new offices to move to once project is finished By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News After acquiring the former NewCare Health Services clinic in 2019, Jasper County successfully passed a $3.6 million bond in March 2021 to reconstruct it into the new administration building, which is expected to be finished within the next year or so. Supervisors touted the advantages of the bond early on. When the special election for the bond referendum was approved by the board in January, supervisors chairman Doug Cupples said the move could lower the levy and free the county of debt within six years. He also said the building would essentially become a “one-stop shop” for county services. The treasurer’s office, the DMV, community development, environmental health, CICS, veterans affairs, human resources, public health, economic development, genealogy, deXxxx Xxxx/Daily News partment of human services, departThe new Jasper County administration building, located across the street from Legacy Plaza, is currently being renovated and ment of correctional services and is expected to open sometime during summer 2022. juvenile correctional services will use the 12,000-square-foot space. BBS Architects Engineers, a Des “We all want a positive situation formational flyers that were sup- tion. According to comments some Moines-based firm, created the de- to come out of the annex building,” posed to be sent to citizens before citizens made on social media, the sign, which included a 4,000-square- Cupples told Newton News in a Jan- the March 2 special election had flyers had not arrived until the day foot addition for the DMV, which uary interview. “It’s been in need way arrived late. Jasper County Supervi- before, the day of or even the day currently operates from the first before I ever came in four years ago, sor Brandon Talsma apologized for after. Others affirmed they received floor of the Jasper County Court- way before probably the guy before the error a day after the bond had flyers in February. When the board of supervisors house. Jasper County Treasurer me. It had been in need of upgrade already passed. Doug Bishop said the new addition and repair.” Talsma clarified the flyers were were deciding on a general conwill make improvements to efficienIn order to pass the bond, the not sent to every registered voter in tractor to complete the project, the cy and workflow. county needed more than 60 per- the county because it “didn’t make initial low bidder had mistakenly Employees currently working in- cent approval from voters. Follow- sense” to be “doubling up on houses.” submitted the wrong bud and asked side the deteriorating annex build- ing the election, the bond exceeded The county contracted with a com- elected officials to retract it. The next ing will be moving their offices to the that threshold and passed with 64 pany to print the flyers. He claimed lowest bidder, Garling Construction, administration building. The annex percent approval. More than 1,350 the flyers were mailed Feb. 17 and he was later approved as the general building — which was also sold this people voted in the election. Howev- was confused why it took so long to contractor. year — is considered by the county er, the election wasn’t without con- distribute them. Contact Christopher Braunschweig at to be a sore subject. The structure troversy. Jasper County’s intention, he add641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or suffers from foundational problems After the election, Jasper Coun- ed, was to get flyers out to citizens cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com and water damage for many years. ty acknowledged a number of in- two to three weeks before the elec-
Newton News • 2021 Year in Review – Page 13
Pyrotechnics convention to be hosted in Newton Organizers expect 2022 event could draw millions of dollars in economic impact By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News Newton will host a major pyrotechnics convention in 2022 at the Iowa Speedway. Organizers say the weeklong Pyrotechnics Guild International (PGI) convention could draw up to 2,000 members and their families and result up to $5 million in economic impact to Newton and the surrounding communities. The convention will be held July 30Aug. 7. Randy Ervin, a member of the Newton City Council, pitched the idea in May of having Newton as a potential host city for the convention. PGI has held annual conventions since it was established in 1969. Although they are reserved for members of the guild, the conventions do hold public nights. Three public nights will be open for about six hours each day, which Iowa Speedway Director of Operations Tyler Clement claimed could draw 4,0008,000 more people to the convention. In addition to music entertainment and other festivities, public nights will have an approximately 90-minute fireworks display. When Ervin announced in July 22 that PGI had chosen Newton as the host city, the council member held back tears delivering the news at a public meeting.
File Photo Newton will host a major pyrotechnics convention in 2022. The Pyrotechnics Guild International has held its conventions every summer for more than 50 years. Randy Ervin, a city council member and proponent of fireworks, says it could draw up to 1,300 members and their families for one week and bolster millions of dollars in economic impact to the city and county.
“I can’t congratulate the people of Newton enough,” Ervin said, noting several city officials were involved to help make this happen. “This is something to be proud of … We’re talking about a national, international convention coming to Newton. Folks, we have a lot of things to celebrate.” To be the host city, Newton had to submit an official proposal. The city touted its proximity to the Des Moines metro area and the Des Moines International Airport among its selling points. It is also a commu-
nity whose stakeholders “welcome new events and support public entertainment opportunities.” Particularly those targeted to families with children, the proposal stated. The public nights would offer family-friendly activities for a general admission fee. Other than those three nights, Ervin said, it is a convention for members only. Fireworks will be shot but none will be sold to the general public. “We believe the festivities surrounding PGI’s 2022 convention are perfectly
suited for our community and we are very excited to invite your members to ‘Get to Know Newton’ as we present three fabulous public pyrotechnics shows at our most renowned venue, Iowa Speedway,” the city said in its proposal. Iowa Speedway’s capabilities to hold more than 25,000 spectators makes it an ideal location for the PGI Convention. The venue also has a full-size concert stage, hard surface and mature turf parking, space for on-site campus and “all of the properly distanced open
area” for pyrotechnics testing and displays. Other buildings may be more suitable for classroom training, pyrotechnics design and building workshops, the proposal stated. Owned by National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc., the racetrack’s on-site, regional and executive staff “have been very supportive of Newton’s bid” to host PGI’s 2022 convention. Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com
Newton News • 2021 Year in Review – Page 14
Uhlenhopp Arboretum still going strong New county amenity opened in August and ready for winter activities By Abby Knipfel Newton News
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Since first opening in August the Uhlenhopp Arboretum has become widely popular with not just Jasper County residents, but also any outdoorsman in Central Iowa. The 250-acre park contains seven ponds — each named after the days of the week — miles of prairie grass and plenty of opportunities for foraging. After a three long years of planning and another year long delay due to damage done by the derecho, everything in the park is finally open for
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visitors. The land that has become Uhlenhopp Arboretum, 2706 E. 146th St. N., was originally willed to county conservation in 2018 from Professor Elliott Uhlenhopp. “The whole place was left to the county by Uhlenhopp,” Jasper County Conservation Director Keri Van Zante said. “He was a professor over at Grinnell College who had this land in his family for generations. He planted thousands of trees here. That’s how we got the name, actually. Elliott always called this place ‘The Arb’ and we didn’t have the heart to change it.”
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Within the arboretum are miles of trails through both forest and tall prairie grasses for visitors to explore. “Since we opened on Aug. 6 we’ve seen visitors to the park almost all day, every day,” Ethan Vander Pol, the head of maintenance at the arboretum, said. Since August the number of visitors to the park has only grown. “I’d say that the park get around 100 visitors every week. Even when it’s cold and damp we’ll still see a visitor or two, and on days when the weather is nice it’s not uncommon for the parking lot to fill up very
quickly,” Environmental Education Assistant Jade Read said. Fishing will also be allowed at all of the arboretum’s ponds once conservation finally starts to stock them. “We’re looking into working with the DNR to stock fish in all of the ponds hopefully by next summer,” Van Zante said. “We encourage people who visit to forage responsibly. We have apple and pear trees, raspberries, nuts and mushrooms out here for people to take. But we ask that people don’t take rocks or pick flowers, because those don’t come back once they’re gone.”
The area that has really helped to attract weekly visitors is the cabin available for rent on the park’s property. The cabin became available for rent at the end of September and has been booked almost every weekend since. “People just love the place, we have reservations even now in the middle of winter and next summer we have the place booked for several weddings,” Read said. But the cabin and ponds aren’t the only improvements conservation has made to the park property. Going into 2022 conservation plans
to add a restroom and reusable trail maps near the parks entrance to help make the space more visitor friendly. “This place is kinda like a living memorial to Elliott, and we hope that we can maintain and expand the land here in his memory,” Van Zante said. A small memorial plaque with information and a photo of Elliott have also been installed near the park entrance. Contact Abby Knipfel at 641-792-4687 ext. 6531 or aknipfel@shawmedia.com
Newton News • 2021 Year in Review – Page 16
15 — To assist the expansion of a local manufacturer located in the outskirts of Jasper County, the board of supervisors on May 18 accepted a tax increment financing proposal. 18 — Entering its sixth year, the Berg Middle School Lip Sync Battle not only was an opportunity to raise money for charity but also a time for students to take part in one of the most exciting non-sports activities the middle school has to offer. The event was once again a huge success for the school. 18 — Of the original $518,250 budget approved by the Jasper County Board of Health, another $51,180 was cut by the board of supervisors after
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the second budget hearing. The cut brings the budget to $467,070, removing the expenses set out for a PRN, potential overtime and additional auto expenses. 25 — Gov. Kim Reynolds prohibits schools from issuing mask mandates, students end last weeks without face coverings.
June 1 — After being closed to the public for an entire year due to the pandemic, the Jasper County Historical Museum is reopening its doors for tours starting June 1. 1 — “Unjustified,” a film by Brady Comer and Leo Friedman, both sophomores of Newton High School, pre-
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7 — Five people have been chosen to represent Jasper County’s steering committee in the Central Iowa Economic Development District, which could assist the region’s cities and counties with federal grant applications to better their respective communities or recoup losses incurred from natural disasters. The steering committee consists of: Alliant Energy Key Account Manager Amanda Accola, JEDCO Executive Director Jeff Davidson, Newton Development Corporation Associate Director Tanya Michener, Jasper County Supervisor Brandon Talsma and Colfax City Administrator Wade Wagoner.
11 — Farmhouse Creation opens in former Computer Pro location and accentuated the older character buried underneath.
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application for Federal Aviation Funding assistance for the project’s design and engineering services. This will be the second time Newton has tried to submit a grant for the project.
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miers at the Capitol II Theatre. 8 — Tucked away in little downtown green space in Newton are newly planted fruit trees and raised beds filled with seedlings. In a few years, Newton Assistant Superintendent of Park Operations Jamie Murphy expects this “edible orchard” will be flourishing with ripe fruits for the community. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries were planted in the eight raised beds on the property, which were fashioned from old railroad wood. When matured, the fruit trees will produce peaches, pears, cherries, apple and plum. Murphy said the city parks staff planted the orchard in April. 8 — Gezellig Brewing Company celebrates 2-year anniversary in Newton. 11 — The Newton School District
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and local YMCA formed a partnership that will result in the launch of before- and after-school programs for students this fall, but the collaboration could grow further to include a shared pre-K curriculum and a sports program for fifth and sixth graders.
for Iowa Senate District 15 — which covers a large portion of Jasper County, including Colfax, Baxter, Kellogg, Mingo, Newton and Valeria — announced his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives, more specifically Iowa’s third congressional district.
14 — The installation of fiber optic cables at H.A. Lynn Stadium and the adjacent softball complex was approved by the Newton Community School District Board of Education and is expected to increase internet access while also allowing the Cardinal TV club to more easily broadcast home games. Three bids were collected by the school district. Van Maanen Electric provided the winning low bid of $28,600. Tim Bloom, director of business services at the Newton school district, described the project as a “collaborative effort” between the technology and maintenance departments. Technology manager Noah Short explained that fiber installations will connect to a number of areas around the two sports facilities.
16 — Jasper County is now officially a “gun sanctuary” — the first in the state — which means it will not have the sheriff ’s office nor other employees enforce federal or state laws that the board of supervisors believe infringe on the Second Amendment rights of its citizens in the unincorporated territories.
15 — Newton Fest back after a year off with great entertainment, fun activities and a weekend full of memories. 18 — The Jasper County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday accepted a $16,000 bid from business owner Chris Byrd to purchase the county annex building, which he says will be used to expand his telemarketing services. The county only received one bid after putting the building up for sale in late May. 22 — Vicki Wade knew she wanted to expand Olive ‘et Boutique before she even opened the downtown Newton retail store in 2017. Four years later, it was time. For Olive ‘et, it was its growing line of shoes. But Wade didn’t want to just add more shelves, she took customer feedback into account. Frequent vis-
itors wanted dressing rooms to try on clothes and a place to sit while fitting into a pair of ankle boots, flats or sandals. Plus, more space means more products. 29 — Kelcie Steenhoek chosen as the 2021 Jasper County Fair queen, Dakota Bokhoven crowned princess.
July 4 — Dave and Liz Dodd serve as 2021 grand marshals of the Fourth of July Parade. The streets of Newton were packed with people wearing red, white and blue. Smiles spread across their cheeks as they watchedhe floats in the Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth of July Parade slowly cruise down First Avenue East. Packed in elbow to elbow, the crowd was eager to celebrate a community tradition that had suffered the fate of so many other local events and festivities the year before. Much to the disappointment of the com-
munity and the event organizers, the 2020 parade had to be postponed due to the pandemic. 6 — At the direction of the state, Jasper County has transitioned to a new alert system. The free service can alert citizens in the event of an emergency or severe weather by voice phone, email or text along with many other new features. 8 — TT Nail Salon opens in Newton Plaza, next door to La Cabaña Mexican Restaurant. 8 — Three grants totaling more than $212,000 were approved for the Jasper County Health Department by the board of health at it’s July meeting. The grants, which cover local public health services, COVID and immunization services, provide funds to assist the health department in serving the county and its citizens. 13 — Michael Frietsch hired by Jasper County Board of Supervisors to manage secondary roads department as county engineer. 13 — Zach Nunn, representative
16 — A Newton football coach has been indicted for seven counts of wire fraud, the loss which totals approximately $632,000, U.S. District Court documents say. Ryan J. Arguello, of Newton, allegedly marketed himself as a real estate investor and established the entity RC Homes in 2014, where he purportedly bought properties at a discount, fixed them up and tried to sell them for a profit, the indictment from the Southern District of Iowa says. 19 — The Jasper County Fair Parade was held in downtown Colfax. The fair’s theme of “Christmas in July” was on full display, with many floats sporting holiday-inspired decorations. 23 — Newton approved to host a major pyrotechnics convention next year at the Iowa Speedway by the Pyrotechnics Guild International.
August 2 — An incentive program designed to increase housing construction by giving new homebuyers a check has been extended for another two years, but the city council also
Newton News • 2021 Year in Review – Page 18
approved changes that would lower the amount of money given out and increase the minimum valuation needed to be eligible. 10 — After matching private donations in a month-long fundraising campaign for the Newton Police Department, Advantage Credit Union announced more than $2,500 was raised for the police station’s “Buddy Bear” program. 13 — KayLea Marchant was hired as the social media/communications specialist for the county. 15 — An injured bald eagle found Aug. 15 evening by deputies of the Jasper County Sheriff ’s Office is reportedly healing well and is expected to survive. Deputies Kira Lazenby and Josh Borg responded to a call of an injured bald eagle in the 9000 block of Highway F-17 W in Jasper County. The caller told authorities the eagle appeared to be injured to the point it could not fly. Using a bit of ingenuity, Lazenby and Borg — with assistance from deputies Nick Aldrich and Landon Moss — were able to safely secure the not-so-happy eagle, who had come to be known by officers as “Jade.” 20 — An Iowa telecommunications company announced it will install an estimated $10 million fiber broadband network throughout Newton in the next few years, which will provide high-speed internet and other communication services to every home and business within city limits. 27 — Crazy Redhead Quilting moves from its former location at a small church on First Avenue East to a large building on the Newton town square.
September 3 — After three years of planning, Jasper County Conservation’s Uhlenhopp Arboretum is now open to the public.
The 250-acre park contains seven ponds – each named after the days of the week – miles of prairie grass and plenty of opportunities for foraging. After a year-long delay due to damage done by the derecho, nearly everything in the park is ready for visitors. The land that has become Uhlenhopp Arboretum, 2706 E. 146th St. N., was willed to county conservation in 2018. 5 — 28th Annual Bowlful of Blues back at the Maytag Bowl in Newton. 7 — Less than two weeks into the new school year, Woodrow Wilson Elementary School and Berg Middle School have more than 10 percent of their students absent due to illness. In a letter addressed to families and staff, Newton Superintendent Tom Messinger said 29 Woodrow Wilson students — or 10.86 percent — were counted absent because of illness or medical reasons on Sept. 1. 10 — Wes Breckenridge resigned from his post as representative of Iowa House District 29. Breckenridge accepted a job as assistant director of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. 14 — Remediation of the former manufactured gas plant is going to cost the City of Newton more than $670,000, but assuming nothing odd is found and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources sees nothing wrong with the water quality tests in the next two to three years, the long overdue project will finally be completed. 16 — FrankFest, formerly Thanks with Franks, moves to Maytag Park with many new activities. 22 — Local historian Dr. Tom Hoover is featured to help tell the story of Newton’s own Maytag washing machine on the History Channel series “The Machines That Built America.” 23 — The Newton school district and community celebrate Homecoming with
Newton News • 2021 Year in Review – Page 19
a pep rally, parade, activities and football game.
October 1 — Dan and Pam Holtkamp sold Newton’s Maid-Rite to new owners and are retired after 51 years of working in downtown Newton. 5 — TPI Composites Inc., the largest employer in Jasper County, announced it will suspend operations at its Newton-based wind blade manufacturing facility at the end of December, which could mean about 750 employees would lose their jobs. 12 — Idea Spin’s Morning Networking takes place each Tuesday at Muse Wine Bar, 109 N. Second Ave. E., in downtown Newton. 12 — Jon Dunwell was elected the new representative of Iowa House District 29, according to the unofficial results of the special election. Upon a successful canvass, Dunwell, a Republican, flipped a seat long held by a Democratic representative. 15 — Nancy’s Canned Creations opens in downtown Newton. Nancy’s Canned Creations also has everything one could expect to find at a small local market. Jams, jellies, butters, fruit spreads, potholders, tea towels, produce and baked goods are just a few of the products available at the newly opened retail space. 23 — Paws-N-Claws Adoption Center opens in Newton. 26 — Newton schools see reduction in certified enrollment. District sees a drop in 8 students, administrators worry about future finances. The non-profit officially started last Summer as a foster-based animal shelter. 29 — Maytag Dairy Farms moves its retail store to downtown Newton’s
Muse Wine Bar and allowing customers to perfectly pair the company’s signature product with a glass of wine.
November 2 — State of Iowa’s legislative map rearranged with Jasper County residing within one senate district and two house districts after 2022 elections. 2 — Two incumbents were joined by new two faces on the Newton school board following the November election. Robyn Friedman and Travis Padget, both incumbents were re-elected along with newcomers Liz Hammerly and Ray Whipple, who received the second and third highest votes, respectively. 12 — Jasper County Board of Health member John Van Ryswyk honored for 16 years of service. 15 — The food truck ordinance proposed by city staff — which would have regulated operations, required inspections and maintained fire safety standards, among other things — failed to pass its first reading after a prolonged discussion with council members and testimonials from local business owners. 16 — Central Iowa Community Services, or CICS, is moving from county-based funding to state-based funding to help staff move between counties and coordinate their outreach work far more easily. 26 — A packed downtown Newton celebrates the annual courthouse lighting event marking the start of the holiday season. 29 — Midtown Cafe closes after more than 50 years in downtown Newton.
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1 — Holiday Light Display returns to Maytag Park after being located at Agnes Patterson in 2020 due to damage done by the derecho. The drive-thru light display — sponsored by Clemon-Maki Insurance — is a collaborative effort between the City of Newton’s parks division and Friends of Newton Parks as a way to spread holiday cheer. The park’s features, including Maytag Bowl and Maytag Pool, have been adorned with lights and decorations. 3 — The Newton High School Pacesetters Dance Team took home second place for its kick routine, fifth place for jazz and sixth place for pom, along with three Division I ratings and a slew of other soloist awards during the 2022 High School State Solo and Team Championships in Des Moines. 4 — The classic holiday tale by Charles Dickens was brought to life on the stage of Newton High School auditorium. The cast is made up entirely of high schoolers. Robertson found out many of them did not entirely know about “A Christmas Carol.” Those who did know about that bah-humbugging Scrooge only knew the story from “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” starring Michael Caine and Kermit
7 — The Dental Practice’s “Flossing Rudolph” turns 30. Long-standing decoration returns for milestone anniversary. 10 — 130 employers attend job fair at DMACC Newton Campus to attract workers displaced by upcoming TPI closure. 10 — Collaboration between three Central Iowa law enforcement agencies will continue following the Jasper County Board of Supervisors’ approval of the 2021-22 Central Iowa Regional Tactical Team agreement. CIRTT is made up of officers from three different law enforcement agencies: Jasper County Sheriff ’s Office, Pella Police Department and Grinnell Police Department. The agreement between the three agencies was originally passed by the board in 2019. 14 — Newton Main Street has expanded its district boundaries to include areas such as DMACC Newton Campus, the Centre for Arts & Artists and the ever-developing Legacy Plaza, which executive director Erin Yeager said will benefit efforts to make the city’s downtown area a tourist destination. 15 — Rare December storm heavily damaged farm properties east of Newton, causes power outages across county.
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