Newton Independent

Governor Branstad asks Iowa school superintendents to continue using beef product that has come under fire

Newton Independent

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds sent a letter to all school superintendents in the state this afternoon asking them to continue using lean, finely textured beef products in school meals, an effort to counter the concerns raised about the safety of the product.

The letter was prompted by the USDA's action allowing schools to choose whether they will continue serving the products to school children. Branstad and Reynolds are also encouraging supermarkets and restaurants to continue to offer the product. Hy-Vee initially decided to pull the product a week ago but has since changed course.

The letter to the Iowa school superintendents penned by the governor and lieutenant governor can be read here.

The Newton Independent is attempting to determine from Newton school officials about their plans for the product's use.

Ingredients to make a spaghetti dinner available for free on Saturday

Newton Independent

The First United Methodist Church's "Power of One" ministry team is inviting the public to drive through Rick's Amoco, 321 1st Ave. E. in Newton, between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday where they will receive all the ingredients necessary to create a spaghetti dinner.

The ingredients are free.

Participants are also invited to enjoy a free slice of pizza and pop at that time as a "way of shoing the power of one person helping another in Christian love," the ministry team stated.

Three-year old vehicular homicide case against Grinnell man to continue

By PETER HUSSMANN

Jasper County prosecutors are continuing their proceedings against a Grinnell man after he lost his three-year legal battle to have the evidence that lead to a charge of vehicular homicide suppressed.

Jasper County Attorney Mike Jacobsen this week asked the court to set the matter for further proceedings after the Iowa Supreme Court in ruled in January that the constitutional rights of Lee Allen Breuer, 52, were not violated when a blood sample was taken that showed he was legally drunk following a single-vehicle accident in November of 2008 east of Newton that claimed the life of woman.

Since that time, Breuer has been fighting to suppress the evidence obtained from the blood draw. In motions before the district court and the Iowa Court of Appeals - both denied before the Iowa Supreme Court's ultimate ruling - Breuer has contended that since the search warrant was not physically present when the blood was drawn, the evidence should be suppressed.

"We note that Iowa has no express constitutional, statutory, or procedural provision requiring a search warrant to be physically present before a search may begin," the Supreme Court ruling denying Breuer's motion to suppress stated. "We conclude this case presents no constitutional violation."

District Court Judge Martha Mertz this week set a conference on the matter for 9:30 a.m. on April 16 in Jasper County District Court.

City Administrator's Weekly Report

Newton Independent

Newton City Administrator Bob Knabel informed Newton City Council members about a number of issues in his weekly report, including:

• The Newton Library Board's approval of a new five-year strategic plan.
• Completion of the library insulation project.
• Community Development Director Bryan Friedman's upcoming presentation at the Iowa Wind Energy Association's April conference on Newton's experience with the wind energy manufacturing industy.
• Development Planner Erin Chamber's participation in a workshop at the State Historical Society of Iowa for the 2012 Historic Resource Development Program, one of the possible grant funding sources for the Maytag Bowl project.
• The Newton Fire Department offering CPR training to interested city employees.

You can download the report, which also contains information on several of the stories posted previously, below.

Download 03-30-12

Hotel/motel tax collections in final quarter of 2011 set record

Newton Independent

Fourth quarter 2011 hotel/motel tax collections set a record for the quarter, up 52 percent from the same quarter the year before and 55 percent higher than the average for the past six years.

On March 13, the Iowa Department of Revenue issued its quarterly hotel/motel tax warrant to the city for $74,549, Newton City Administrator Bob Knabel reported to the council in his weekly report.

The amount of hotel revenue represented by the collection of the 7 percent tax - $1,064,988 - was also a record for the quarter, bettering the mark set in the last three months of 1998 of $976,580.

Knabel said there are two possible explanations for the huge increase. First, he noted, the hotel/motel tax revenues received in December for the third quarter of 2011 were lower than normal. Part of the increase could be attributable to a lag time in payments that should have been sent to the city in December, he said.

Secondly, Knabel said the increase could be due to increased activity at Newton hotels.

"Newton was the host to the Miss Iowa Pageant in October, which drew many people to the community and filled many hotel rooms," he said. "This was a definite boost to the local economy, and the tax revenues reflected that."

The hotel/motel tax helps fund the Newton Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Newton Development Corporation and improvement bonds at Westwood Golf Course, along with general city operations. The March proceeds puts the city on track to meet the $300,000 budgeted in hotel/motel tax proceeds in the coming fiscal year.

Prescription drug drop off event set next month

Newton Independent

The Newton Fire Department, the Newton Police Department and Jasper County Sheriff's Office are teaming to host a prescription drug drop off event on Saturday, April 28.

Residents from Jasper County can bring unwanted and unused medications to the Newton Fire Station and drop them off free of charge. The drugs will then be properly disposed.

Last year's drug drop off event recovered more than 70 pounds of unwanted drugs.

Mild winter proves beneficial to city

Newton Independent

The mild winter proved beneficial to the City of Newton in a number of ways, including savings on the purchase of salt and sand, little damage to city streets and golfers generating revenue at Westwood way earlier than normal.

Newton City Administrator Bob Knabel said in his weekly report to the council that Newton typically has 12 to 15 snow/ice events but this year had just nine, with well below normal accummulations.

Because of this, the city expects to save about $20,000 in salt, sand and fuel purchases associated with snow removal.

Knabel said the savings will likely go toward the purchase of a new loader/backhoe in the upcoming year.

The savings do not include labor costs, though the Public Works Department did see a savings in overtime hours.

The mild winter allowed city crews to undertake a number of projects not typically doable during winter months, such as replacing/updating signs, tree trimming and starting storm in-take repairs a month earlier than usual.

The biggest savings, however, is that the dry fall and mild winter resulted "in very little street damage from frost heave."

On the downside, however, is that the early spring means a longer mowing season for city crews.

Jasper County's jobless rate up again

By PETER HUSSMANN

Jasper County's unemployment rate diverged further from the statewide average in February jumping to 8.9 percent as the state rate decline to 5.3 percent.

Iowa Workforce Development today issued its February jobless rates that shows Jasper County's unemployment rate in February jumped from January's rate of 8.5 percent and was more than a percentage point ahead of the December 2011 rate of 7.6 percent. In February 2011, Jasper County's jobless rate was 9.3 percent.

Though the number of unemployed in the county jumped from 1,450 in January to 1,530 in February, the total number of resident employed also increased month-over-month, from 15,650 to 15,710.

Jasper County's unemployment rate is now third highest in the state with only Allamakee (9.3 percent) and Hamilton (9.0 percent) higher.

Meanwhile, the statewide unemployment situation improved during February with Iowa Workforce reporting job gains of 8,700 for the month bringing the overall unemployment level down to 5.3 percent from January's 5.4 percent level.

"The strong job gains of 8,700 reported for February reinforced the view that Iowa's economy is turning the corner," said Teresa Wahlert, director of Iowa Workforce Development. "February's job gains were also broader in scope, occurring in most industry sectors."

The estimate of unemployed Iowans fell to 88,500 in February from 90,100 in January and was 11,200 lower that the level a year ago.

The total number of working Iowans, however, also dropped slightly in February to 1,575,900 from 1,576,300 in January. That figure, however, is 7,500 hgiher than a year ago.

The gain in nonfarm employment is the fourth in the last five months.

Education and health services added the most jobs in February, up 3,600. Leisure and hospitality was up 2,100 with construction posting 1,300 job gains. The only sector to lose jobs was other services, which declined by 500.

 

Former country club sale expected to close today

Newton Independent

The sale of Cardinal Hills Golf & Swim, the former Newton Country Club, is scheduled to close by today.

Insight Land & Investments broker Jon Knudson said earlier this week that an investor from Arizona is scheduled to close on the bank owned property "by Friday of this week."

The Newton Country Club was foreclosed upon last year and is now owned by SA Group Properties of Minneapolis. Through a golf course management firm, the course reopened for public use and its former dining area and bar leased to Joe's Italian Grill.

The property is being listed for sale for $629,000. Its assessed value is $541.300.

Kelley @ the Capitol: Workface shortage areas need to be addressed

By REP. DAN KELLEY
Democrat, Newton

Putting Iowans back to work is my top priority. Growing Iowa's skilled workforce is a key component in these efforts. The future of Iowa's economy is dependent upon a quality workforce prepared to compete with workers around the globe. Strengthening our elementary and secondary schools has been a focus of my work this session. I want to make sure every Iowa child gets the skills they need for a successful career.

I am also working in a bi-partisan manner to address needs in key worker shortage areas. We're working on a plan to train and place unemployed and underemployed Iowans in areas such as welding and advanced manufacturing. Locally, these skills are valuable in the wind energy industry. Community colleges, such as DMACC in Newton, are instrumental in filling these gaps. The plan is an ongoing effort. Eventually, it will assist over 90,000 Iowans still out of work in finding a good job.

Since Iowa students currently carry one of the highest debt loads in the country after graduation, our plan will make sure training and education after high school at a community college or state univesity isn't out of reach for any student who works hard. As we begin to wind down the 2012 legislative session, a bipartisan group of legislators is working to find common ground on these issues before we adjourn for the year. I'm proud to be part of it. These efforts will help put Jasper County's unemployed back to work.

This week I worked to promote biofuels in Jasper County and all of Iowa. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I was assigned by the Committee Chair to the subcommittee for SF 2311. This bill is refered to as the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) Technical Bill. It is an act revising provisions affecting the agriculture department including associated regulations and licensing. In addition to biofuels, the bill concerns weather and market information, internet publications, soil and water conservation, various livestock diseases, grain and pesticides. As ranking member, it's my responsibility to take part in subcommittee meetings and make sure my caucus is prepared for debate on the bill. It is likely to be part of next week's floor action.

SF 2311 updates IDALS powers. Should this bill pass and become law, the agriculture department will be charged with promoting biofuels. This is a positive move for farmers and biofuel workers. It's also good for the environment. Homegrown biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, are key components of President Obama's "all of the above" energy policy which is making us less dependent on foreign oil. I'm encouraging my colleagues to support SF 2311 with much success. I expect the bill to pass with solid bipartisan support.

I value my position on the agriculture committee and I'm glad I was assigned to work on this bill. Agriculture is the foundation of Iowa's economy. As the nation has faced an economic downturn, agriculture has put Iowa on steadier ground than many states. The production of food, fiber and fuel is necessary in good and bad economies.

Fortunately, we are seeing evidence of steady economic improvement. A panel of nonpartisan state budget experts, called the Revenue Estimating Conference (REC), meets quarterly and makes state budget projections used by the Governor and the Legislature to craft the state budget. By law, the state budget must be balanced and can only spend 99 percent of what the REC estimates the state will take in next year. Any surplus is put in the state's savings accounts, which are capped at 10 percent of the state budget. When the REC held their last meeting a week ago, they said Iowa's economy is continuing to improve and the state budget remains on stable ground with well over $1 billion in surplus and reserves when the state fiscal year ends on June 30. In addition, they raised their revenue estimates for the current fiscal year by $51 million and added $29 million to their projected revenue growth for fiscal year 2013. The good news should make it easier for the Legislature and Governor to find common ground on the state budget.

Evidence of economic progress is welcome news. Boosted by a stronger housing sector, Iowa's Leading Indications Index continues to increase. This and the REC estimate indicate that our economy is growing. Still, it's not happening fast enough. Too many Iowans struggle to find work.

Many unemployed Iowans are military veterans. Next Wednesday, April 4, DMACC will host the Iowa Veterans Career Retreat at the FAA Enrichment Center on the DMACC Ankeny Campus. This is not a traditional job fair, but an interactive program to help military veterans transition into civilian careers. The event brings together career planning experts, educators and employers to help veterans with all aspects of career development.

While employers in many fields value the work ethic of veterans, they don't always see the connection between military training and specific job skills. The Iowa Veterans Career Retreat will bring businesses and veterans together to better understand the value military training can bring to the workforce.

Perhaps best of all, it's free to veterans and their family members. Veterans can register online here or call DMACC at 877-863-6222.

Feel free to contact me anytime at 641-521-9260 or dan.kelley(at sign)legis.state.ia.us. Visit my web site at electkelley.com, friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Rep. Pearson: Tuition used for scholarships needs to be disclosed

Newton Independent

Rep. Kim Pearson, R-Pleasant Hill, put out some interesting information in her weekly newsletter that I had not previously been aware of until an alert reader sent me some information about it last week.

The state representative, who represents the western half of Jasper County, diverged from her normal presentation by publishing an article written by a fellow Republican representative, Scott Raecker of Urbandale. (Full disclosure: Mr Raecker's father was in dental practice with my father in Waterloo.)

Rep. Raecker notes that beginning in the late 1980s, Iowa's regent universities "implemented a practice of setting aside a portion of tuition payments to offer as scholarships to other students."

About eight years ago, the Board of Regents put the practice into a formal policy that requires "the public universities to set aside a minimum of 15 percernt of gross tuition proceeds for student financial aid."

For undergraduates today, the impact of the policy is that between $980 and $1,864 of student's tuition bill goes to other students as scholarships.

Raecker makes note that his brief survey of state college alums from UNI, Iowa and Iowa State did not know that the policy even existed. He goes on to urge the Regents to more fully explain the situation to students as they are making their tuition statements.

You can read the newsletter below.

Download Newsletter Week 12 2012

NCVB releases 1st quarter newsletter

Newton Independent

Linda Bacon, executive director of the Newton Convention & Visitors Bureau, recently released the bureau's first quarter newsletter that provides updates on a number of activities scheduled for the community this summer and beyond.

The newsletter touches on the five Iowa Speedway race weekends, its hosting of the first Iowa Grand Motorcycle Rally, the new Thunder Nites in Newton motorcycle gatherings and plans for the 10th Annual Iowa Sculpture Festival in Newton.

You can download the newsletter below.

Download 1st Qtr Newsletter 2012

DOT sets public meeting on Highway 117 proejcts

Newton Independent

The Iowa Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting Thursday, April 12, in Mingo to discuss two projects on Iowa Highway 117 in Jasper County.

The public is invited to attend the meeting anytime between 5 and 6:30 p.m. at the Mingo Community Center, 200 E. Railroad St.

The first project involves bank stabilization along Indian Creek just east of Iowa 117 near Mingo. Traffic will be maintained during construction.

The second project involves replacing two small bridge structures with reinforced box culverts on Iowa 117 approximately 1.2 miles south of the U.S. 65/Iowa 330/Iowa 117 intersection. Four detour options will be presented for this project.

The public information meeting will be conducted utilizing an open forum format. Iowa DOT staff will be present to informally discuss the proposed improvements. No formal presentation will be made.

For general information regarding the proposed improvements or public meeting, contact Tony Gustafson, assistant district engineer with the Iowa DOT District 1 Office in Ames at 515-239-1635 or 800-899-0623 or by e-mail at tony.gustafson(at sign)dot.iowa.gov.

Replacement license plate program begins Monday

Newton Independent

The Iowa Department of Transportation, in conjunction with Iowa's 99 county treasurers, will begin implementation of a 10-year license plate replacement cycle beginning on Monday.

The DOT is not implementing a new license plate design. However, since Iowa has not conducted a plate reissue since 1997, there are plates in circulation that are reaching the end of their useful life and faded, worn or damaged, making them difficult to read.

Rather than reissue all Iowa plates, as has been done in the past, the DOT is implementing a "rolling" replacement cycle to replace only those plates that have reached an age that is beyond the usual lifespan of a license plate. The replacement will occur at time of registration.

The oldest license plates will be replaced first as follows:

• 2012 - Plates originally issued in 1996 and 1997 will be replaced
• 2013 - Plates orginally issued in 1998 through 2003 will be replaced
• 2014 - Plates issued in 2004 will be replaced
• After 2014 - Plate replacement will occur on a rolling 10-year cycle

Specialty plates will be replaced with the current version of the same specialty plate. Personalized plates, whether standard of specialty, will be replaced with the same personalized alpha-numeric sequence. Specialty and standard plates that are not personalized will be replaced with a plate with a new alpha-numeric sequence.

Annual registration renewal notices will inform vehicle owners if their plates are due for replacement. The plates will be issued along with the registration renewal, either in person at the local county treasurer's office or by mail.

Windstream CEO sees compensation jump

Newton Independent

Jeffrey Gardner, the CEO of the Little Rock, Ark., telecommunications firm that bought Newton-based Iowa Telecom in 2010, saw his total compensation jump by nearly $2.5 million in 2011 to $9,787,459, the proxy statement filed by the company in advance of the May 9 annual meeting indicates.

Though Gardner's base salary remained unchanged at $991,000, he saw his stock awards jump $3 million to $6.5 million for the year.

Other company executives saw their base salaries increase in 2011 but saw decreases in stock awards bringing down their total compensation year-over-year.

At the annual meeting, shareholders will be asked to elect nine directors to the company's board, including former Iowa Telecom CEO Alan Wells, a director on the board since Windstream's acquisition of the former Newton company.

Last year, Wells became a founding partner of Financial Advisory Partners, LLC., in Johnston, a company that makes private equity investments and provides financial advisory services to mid-sized companies in the Midwest.

Wells was paid $160,000 in cash and stock for his service on the Windstream board last year, the proxy states.

Windstream is continuing its strategy to tranform its business from a rural, consumer-focused voice and broadband provider into a national provider of advanced communications and technology solutions to business. Last year, Windstream acquired PAETEC, based in Rochester, N.Y.

South Skunk hosts blues performance

The South Skunk Blues Society will host internationally acclaimed blues artist Bryce Janey and Curry Harter in a free performance from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the First Avenue Speakeasy on the south side of the Newton square.

JCARL adoptable pets on display at local retailers on Saturday

Newton Independent

The Jasper County Animal Rescue League and Humane Society (JCARL) is partnering with several Newton businesses to promote the adoption of dogs and cats currently available at the League.

On Saturday, representatives from JCARL will have a small group of available dogs and cats at three local retailers allowing shoppers to consider adoption, learn more about the role of the League throughout the county and discover how they can help the League's operations.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, the adoptable pets will be located in both Earl May and Theisen's stores in Newton and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pet Kingdom in Newton.

The available dogs will include some that are currently in training in the "Pups on Parole" program - a partnership between JCARL and the work release program at the Newton Correctional Center. Through the program, dogs requiring obedience training live on-site at the correctional facility where they are trained by prison inmates.

With the training, the dogs learn basic obedience commands, ultimately allowing them to become better adoption candidates. The program provides the inmates an opportunity to help dogs in need of training, while participating in a fulfilling program.

For more information onn donation, adoption and volunteering opportunities, contact JCARL at 641-792-5407 or visit the League's web site here.

Free workshop offered on how to start, grow your business

Newton Independent

Area residents interested in starting or growing their own business are invited to a free workshop in early April sponsored by SCORE, a business development assistance program, and the Newton Development Corporation.

Individuals attending the two evening sessions set for April 9 and April 11 will learn how about business planning, legal issues, marketing, taxes,insurance, banking, accounting and personal factors involved in operating a business.

The classes will run from 5:45 to 9 p.m. both evenings. The sessions will be held in the offices of the Newton Development Corporation located in Room 264 on the second floor of the Newton DMACC campus.

Those interested in attending the free workshops are asked to RSVP by 8 a.m. Monday, April 9, by calling 641-787-8210. More information on the program can be found on the Newton Development Corporation's web site here.

Seng will be allowed to run against Loebsack in Dem. primary

Newton Independent

Davenport State Senator Joe Seng will be allowed to run against sitting U.S. Congressman Dave Loebsack in the June Democratic primary after a three member state panel today dismissed a challenge to his nomination petitions.

A Coralville attorney filed the challenge last Friday alleging the petitions Seng submitted to be able to be placed on the June 5 Democratic primary ballot did not contain the signatures of registed voters needed to meet the statutory threshold.

The review panel, consisting of Attorney General Tom Miller, Secretary of State Matt Schultz and Iowa State Auditor Chief Deputy Warren Jenkins found the errors found in the petition filing were not serious enough to warrant denial of his chance to run against Rep. Loebsack in June's Democratic primary.

Two Republicans are seeking the nomination in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, John Archer of Bettendorf and Dan Dolan of Blue Grass.

Jasper County was moved from its previous 3rd Congressional District location due to redistricting and now sits in the new 2nd District which stretches mostly south and east toward the Mississippi River.

 

Only one contested race currently set in this fall's county elections

Newton Independent

There will be no contested primary races this June and only one contested county elected position race has shaped up as the filing deadline for candidates seeking their party's nomination for the open seats passed at 5 p.m. today.

Doug Cupples filed his nomination papers today seeking election in the June 5 Republican party primary election for the one open county supervisor seat up for election this fall.

As it stands, though candidates with no party affiliation are able to file for a place on the November ballot later in the year, Cupples will face incumbent Denny Stevenson, who previously filed his nomination papers for re-election to the open supervisor seat.

Current County Auditor Dennis Parrott is currently running unopposed for re-election to his seat on the Democratic party ticket, having previously filed his nomination papers for the primary election.

Current Jasper County Sheriff Chief Deputy John Halferty is also currently running unopposed for the sheriff seat that is currently held by Sheriff Mike Balmer, who previously announced his retirement at the end of the current term. Halferty is running on the Democratic party ticket.