By PETER HUSSMANN
The Newton City Council agreed to establish a dog park at Westwood Park with its estimated $16,500 cost to be raised privately by supporters of the park's development.
The council agreed to the construction of the dog park upon the recommendation of the park board that had determined its [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Jasper County's unemployment rate jumped a percentage point in November to 8.9 percent, Iowa Workforce Development statistics released today show.
The county's 8.9 percent jobless rate compares to a 6.7 percent statewide average. The unemployment rate stood at 8.1 percent in September and 9.2 percent in August, the highest [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Unit holders of Newton's biodiesel plant were told a recent mailing they received seeking taxpayer identification information as part of Central Iowa Energy's consolidation with REG was sent prematurely and should be disregarded, a letter from the plant's general manager states.
Shareholders of Central Iowa had been asked to return W-9' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Mechanics liens totaling more than $280,000 have been filed against the developers of the Prairie Suite Hotel under construction near the Iowa Speedway.
Four central Iowa contractors are claiming outstanding bills on the project being developed by HNF Development, LLC of Newton totaling $280,687.08 and dating as far back as [...]
Newton Independent
The Iowa Power Fund recently approved a $3.8 million grant that will aid Elevance Renewable Sciences in adding technology to the Newton, Iowa biodiesel plant to turn feedstock oils and animal fats into specialty chemicals and jet fuels.
The state grant is in addition to a $2.5 million U.S. Department of [...]
Newton Independent
The Jasper County Compensation voted unanimously on Thursday to recommend that county elected officials receive no pay increase in next fiscal year's budget.
This will be the second consecutive year that Jasper County elected officials have not received a pay increase.
Prior to the meeting, the majority of county elected officials' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
A second class-action lawsuit was filed against Iowa Telecom in federal district court in Des Moines on Wednesday claiming its board of directors breached their fiduciary responsibilities to shareholders by agreeing to be acquired by Arkansas-based Windstream Corporation at a price below the real value of the company.
The [...]
Newton Independent
The average value of an acre of farmland in Jasper County dropped 3.2 percent this year, an annual survey released Wednesday indicates, a percentage point greater than the state average showing a 2.2 percent drop.
The survey conducted by Iowa State University Extension showed an acre of farmland in Jasper [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
A Wisconsin man has filed a class action lawsuit against Iowa Telecom, its CEO, Alan Wells, and each of the company's board of directors claiming they breached their "fiduciary duty" to shareholders by agreeing to be acquired by Windstream Corporation at a price that undervalues the Newton, Iowa' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Skiff Medical Center's financial losses continue to mount as the city-owned hospital recorded a $1.06 million loss from operations in November bringing total operational losses for the first five months of the fiscal year to more than $2.3 million.
The hospital's financial results were released as part of the [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
A Newton woman charged with misappropriating money from a local veteran's club won't stand trial as scheduled on Wednesday after agreeing to enter a plea at a hearing scheduled later this month.
On Monday, Judge Gregory Hulse entered an order setting Dec. 28 as the date for a "plea" [...]
Newton Independent
This news report gives further detail on Elevance Renewable Science's plan to build a test facility on to the Jasper County biodiesel plant currently in the process of being taken over by REG. The Illinois company, which recently received a $2.5 million federal grant and is seeking state of Iowa' [...]
Newton Independent
Skiff Medical Center today announced the appointment of a number of local hospital employees to interim management positions now currently held by representatives of the B.E. Smith consulting firm, the Kansas-based firm that is concluding its work with the city-owned hospital.
"When Steve Long, our new CEO, arrives in mid-January," [...]
Newton Independent
Skiff Medical Center honored 18 individuals with a combined 400 years of service to the city-owned hospital during the 2009 Employee Service Awards held Friday at the hospital.
Employees, physicians and board members were invited to attend the luncheon. Interim Administrator Brett Altman, also a service award recipient, emceed the [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Due to my involvement with the St. Nick's Christmas Club, I'm forecasting a light week of posts, though I'll make an effort to get something posted everyday.
Club members are putting the final touches on this year's program that includes 225 Jasper County families with 525 kids. As I [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Newton City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. tonight to get a budget status update from city administration officials as initial fiscal year 2010-2011 budget work continues.
City officials are expected to paint a somewhat brighter picture of the city's financial condition than in years past due to' [...]
Newton Independent
Beginning Monday, all Iowans will be eligible to receive an H1N1 flu vaccination, the Iowa Department of Public Health announced today.
"Local public health agencies have done a tremendous job during this vaccination campaign, and in getting those at highest risk vaccinated," said Tom Newton, director of the state's public' [...]
To the Newton Independent
I would like to share a little story with you about my snow thrower and I. Today I was committed to take the three-foot deep snow off my deck. So I started my trusty 826-D John Deere blower and worked my way around to the steps blowing [...]
Newton Independent
Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, announced on Tuesday more than $18 million in earmark funding for Iowa's 3rd Congressional District for projects he says create jobs, invest in local communities and promote programs that help the state's children and families.
"The project funds for the 3rd District in this year's omnibus appropriations'" [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
A federal judge has allowed a lawsuit filed on behalf of Maytag retirees who asserted Whirlpool improperly made changes to the health care benefits of former workers at the Newton plant to be voluntarily dismissed.
Robert Pratt, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District [...]
Newton Independent
Iowa Speedway officials announced this morning that the Holiday Open House scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today has been postponed.
It will be rescheduled at a later date, speedway officials said.
[...]By PETER HUSSMANN
Last week, President Barack Obama hosted a discussion on ways to promote job creation across the country. While the economy is showing some signs of recovery, job creation lags with national unemployment figures hovering at 10 percent, and about 8 percent here in Jasper County.
As an outgrowth of [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Jasper County's elected officials were nearly unanimous in asking that the county compensation board again recommend they receive no salary increases in the coming fiscal year due to the current poor state of the local economic climate.
The annual compensation board meeting has been set for 6 p.m. Thursday,' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Newton schools are eligible to receive more than $540,000 for the purchase of new technology as a result of a class-action lawsuit that awards schools statewide more than $60 million.
The money is part of a $179.95 million settlement of a class action lawsuit against Microsoft Corporation alleging the [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Jasper County Board of Supervisors today said they have been assured by representatives of Central Iowa Energy, the beleaguered biodiesel plant in the process of being acquired in by Renewable Energy Group, that the company will pay nearly $130,000 it owes in back property taxes once the [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Newton City Council will decide at its meeting Dec. 21 whether to move forward with plans of developing a dog park at Westwood Park.
The council heard a presentation from Parks Director Denny Slings on the plans put together by the Newton Dog Park Committee in hopes of [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
All Newton City Administrator Tom Wardlow wanted was a little direction.
"I'm at a loss," he said after about 30 minutes of council discussion.
At issue was the process the city administrator uses in filling staff vacancies. Some on the council suggested that each time an opening occurs that' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Renewable Energy Group's acquisition of the Jasper County biodiesel plant is expected to take another step toward completion today when the Jasper County Board of Supervisors acts on an assignment and assumption agreement between the two companies and the county and agrees to a subordinate financial position with plant's [...]
Newton Independent
Jasper County's assistant director of buildings and grounds, Adam Sparks, is expected to step into the director's position following a hiring resolution slated for action at Tuesday's Jasper County Board of Supervisors' meeting.
Sparks is expected to assume the post left vacant due to the retirement of former director Doug [...]
Newton Independent
Iowa Workforce Development Deputy Director Joseph Walsh joined labor commissioners from across the country in Washington, D.C., today in calling for Congress to renew provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that if let to expire would force millions of Americans to become ineligible for unemployment and COBRA [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
A plan to reorganize the Iowa Department of Human Services operations under two deputy directors, six rather than nine divisions, five rather than eight service areas, more part-time offices and the elimination of 78 currently vacant positions was presented to the Iowa Council on Human Services by DHS Director Charles [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
As the City of Newton welcomes two new employees to its fold, the council will discuss the staffing process prior to acting on a resolution tonight that would allow the Newton Fire Department to apply for grant money to fund the staffing of two additional firefighters.
New Public Works [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The U.S. Department of Energy today announced that Elevance Renewable Sciences will receive a $2.5 million grant to help fund a pilot project at the Newton biodiesel plant aimed at turning biomass material into high-value chemicals and fuels.
Funding for the Elevance project at the Central Iowa Energy facility [...]
Newton Independent
Holiday Bazaar
Saturday, Dec. 5 - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Holiday Inn Express
Cash and carry items and free gift wrapping. Various vendors including Discovery Toys, Tastefully Simple, Lia Sophia, Mary Kay, Avon, Pampered Chef and more. 515-897-9887.
Newton Women's Connection - The Gift
Saturday, Dec. 5 - 8 a.m.
Park Centre Garden Room
500' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The number of closed home sales in Newton in November was the second highest in the last five years driven by the first-time home buyer tax credits though average sales prices continued to fall, data provided by the Newton Board of Realtors indicate.
Twenty-four homes listed by local realtors sold [...]
Newton Independent
Bob Campbell, director of quality management at Skiff Medical Center, will leave the position he's held at the city-owned hospital since 1995 to take a similar post at Spencer Hospital in northwest Iowa.
Hospital officials in Spencer said Campbell has accepted the position of Quality Services Director and will begin' [...]
Newton Independent
TPI Composites, a leading supplier of wind turbines with a plant in Newton, Iowa, announced today that it has raised $26 million in growth capital from Element Partners and existing investors.
"We continue to be excited about the growth prospects provided by the wind industry," said TPI President and CEO [...]
Newton Independent
Court offices across the state will be closed on Friday as part of the Judicial Branch's decision to order all judicial officers and court staff to take 10 days of unpaid leave during the remainder of the fiscal year in response to the state's revenue shortfalls.
Friday's court system closure is [...]
Newton Independent
The Centers for Disease Control is warning U.S. residents of reports it has received concerning fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC sponsored state vaccination program for H1NI. The emails request that recipients create a personal H1N1 flu vaccination profile on the CDC.gov Web site.
The CDC is warning that clicking [...]
To the Editor:
I am a liberal and I am not ashamed of that title so, as you might expect, the 30 or 40 thousand new troops now being sent to Afghanistan is a burden on my heart. But make no mistake about it; I am not ready to abandon Obama.
There [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Nearly 80 percent of those filing appeals to this year's state-ordered valuation increases on residential, commercial and ag land properties in Jasper County were successful, county assessor officials said today.
Jasper County Assessor John Deegan said the four-member county Board of Review concluded its work Monday on the 968 petitions [...]
Newton Independent
Jasper County senior citizens have until Dec. 31 to open enroll into new plans for Medicare health and prescription drug coverage and Skiff Medical Center is trying to make residents aware of a free program that may help residents make the best decision for their individual situations.
The Senior Health [...]
Newton Independent
Rock Communications in Newton is adding a new, high-tech web press to its local production facility, a move the company says will add to its printing capabilities.
Graphic Arts Online reported that installation of the six-color Goss M600 heatset web began at Rock's Newton facility in November with the new [...]
Newton Independent
Springboard Engineering in Newton will receive $150,000 in federal funds to finance research on a clean energy innovation project, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, announced in a press release today.
The funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Specifically, the press release notes, the funds will be used [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
There's a $75,000 question out there that's getting little public attention but most certainly has not gone unnoticed by the Newton business community, especially to those involved with the Newton Development Corporation.
In 30 short days, one of the NDC's major funding streams - if not its biggest - [...]
Newton Independent
Newton Mayor Chaz Allen and Dan Kelley, chair of the Jasper County Democratic Party Central Committee, will appear on former state lawmaker Ed Fallon's live radio program from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
Allen is scheduled to speak on the reconstruction of the Newton economy following the closure of Maytag, [...]
Newton Independent
County residents are invited to join a discussion on global climate change, clean energy solutions and creating green jobs in a presentation slated for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Jasper County Community Center, 2401 1st Ave. E.
The New Energy for Jasper County event, hosted by the local Democratic Party, [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Violations of state rules concerning tobacco use by prison inmates lead to the demise of Jasper County's work release program, resulted in the termination of employment for two county maintenance department employees and lead to a simple misdemeanor criminal charge being leveled against one of the dismissed employees.
In' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The former commander of the Newton American Legion Post has been awarded a $5,000 judgment against the local veterans organization after the court found he had not been repaid for using his own money to "tide" the organization over during a "period of low participation and financial difficulty."
In October, Larry [...]
Newton Independent
A new high-volume, high-speed emergency notification system will soon be tested and deployed in Jasper County.
Called the Code Red Emergency Notification System, the program allows local emergency responders to provide geographic specific, customized emergency messages to area residents' land line and cell phone telephone numbers in the event of' [...]
Newton Independent
Skiff Medical Center and Jasper County Public Health will host an H1N1 vaccination clinic from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8, in the hospital's Specialty Clinic located on the main level of the Ross Medical Arts Building, 300 N. 4th Ave. E.
The vaccines will be given on a' [...]
Newton Independent
The AFSCME Iowa Web site is indicating this morning that public employees of Iowa's largest union have voted to make $26.4 million in concessions in return for a promise of no layoffs for 479 state workers.
Voting results posted on the Web site show that 66 percent of the membership' [...]
Newton Independent
The Skiff Medical Center Board of Trustees will hold closed sessions today and Tuesday to discuss patient care quality and process improvements.
The meetings, being held at 1 p.m. today and 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, are being closed to the public because marketing and pricing strategies, along with other proprietary information, will be [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Jasper County's financially reeling biodiesel plant lost more millions of dollars than gallons of renewable fuel produced last fiscal year, documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission after the close of business Monday indicate.
Central Iowa Energy filed its year-end financial statement that showed the company incurred a' [...]
Newton Independent
The Newton Community School District's "District Improvement Team" turned over its nearly year-long study on possible new elementary school boundaries and alignments to the Newton School Board on Monday in a report that identified several different ways for the "potential reinvention" of the district.
Team members, comprised of parents, teachers and school administrators' [...]
Newton Independent
Two New York City-based securities law firms announced they plan to launch investigations into the actions of the board of directors of Iowa Telecom for possible breach of fiduciary duties concerning the planned $1.1 billion sale of the Newton-based telecommunications firm to Arkansas-based Windstream Corporation.
Press releases put out by [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
City of Newton officials, like the rest of the community, are attempting to discern the potential economic impact to Newton following this morning's unexpected announcement that Iowa Telecom will be sold to Little Rock, Ark.-based Windstream Corporation.
In a press release today, City Administrator Tom Wardlow states that city' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Skating is in Jerry Lee Chandler's blood. Forty years ago he plopped down his first 50 cents at the Newton roller rink and a bond was formed that remains to this day. That bond, however, appears soon to be broken.
Chandler, who has operated Skate Castle for the last seven years' [...]
Arkansas-based corporation will keep 'operating presence' in Newton headquarters; plans to expand call center; deal valued at $1.1 billion
Newton Independent
(Iowa Telecom issued the following press release this morning.)
Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc., announced today that its Board of Directors has approved an agreement for Windstream Corporation to acquire the Newton, Iowa-based [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Jasper County's unemployment rate fell to 7.9 percent in October but still remains well ahead of the statewide average of 6.7 percent.
Iowa Workforce Development released local unemployment rate data today showing that Jasper County's jobless rate last month fell from September's rate of 8.1 percent and was well' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Jasper County's Director of Buildings and Grounds, Doug McClun, who has been on paid administrative leave since an employee evaluation earlier this month, gave notice today that he plans to retire from employment with the county effective at the end of the year.
At a meeting of the Jasper' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Iowa's fragile economy is driving enrollment at the state's 15 community colleges with 2009 enrollment figures topping 100,000 for the first time in their 43-year history.
The Iowa Department of Education released its annual report today on community colleges that shows enrollment increasing to 100,736 full- and part-time students, [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The St. Nick's Christmas Club's 'adoption' book, the heart of the 20-year-old plus organization's efforts to provide gifts, clothes and food to children and families in need of help during the holiday season, is now available at the offices of the Newton Daily News.
Over the past month, the group has' [...]
Newton Independent
A new branch of Edward Jones Financial is planned for construction on the site of the former used furniture store located across the street from the Hy-Vee gas station.
The structure at 1402 1st Ave. E. has been purchased by NEH, L.L.C., a new limited liability corporation organized in October [...]
Newton Independent
The Newton Police Department and Newton Public Works Department are reminding residents that it is against the law to "push, blow, throw or shovel" snow from residential or business sidewalks and driveways onto city streets.
City officials state that putting snow back on a street that has already been cleared [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Skiff Medical Center Board of Trustees will hold a closed session for the "evaluation of personnel" at 5 p.m. Monday at the hospital board room.
Notification of the special meeting was provided early Saturday afternoon.
In calling for the closed session, the agenda states that it not to [...]
Newton Independent
Iowa's unemployment rate rose to 6.7 percent in October from a revised September rate of 6.6 percent, Iowa Workforce Development announced today.
In releasing the new unemployment levels, Workforce officials note the Iowa economy continues to face significant challenges.
"Significant economic obstacles lie ahead for the state, and the October jobs'" [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Iowa Economic Development Board did not take up the issue of state financing for an Illinois company's plan to retrofit the Newton biodiesel plant into a fully functioning biorefinery when it met in Des Moines on Thursday.
The agenda for Thursday's development board's meeting included Elevance Renewable Sciences,' [...]
Newton Independent
The Iowa Judicial Branch released a new report on Thursday that shows how state budget cuts will impact court services provided to Iowans, oftentimes to the detriment of the state's most vulnerable citizens.
"Justice in the Balance" is a 20-page report that outlines the budget reductions the Judicial Branch has' [...]
Newton Independent
Skiff Medical Center employees today were given an overview of remarks made by new Interim CEO Brett Altman at the department directors' meeting held following Wednesday's board of trustees meeting. The following, at the request of the new interim CEO, appeared in today's issue of Vital Signs, the hospital's [...]
Newton Independent
Jackie Black, director of business services for the Newton Community School District, has been hired as the director of education finance for the Iowa Association of School Boards.
The announcement was made to members of the school board association in a memo dated earlier this week. The group is concluding [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Skiff Medical Center trustees were told at its meeting on Wednesday that the hospital emergency room has been busy treating people with flu-like symptoms with 19 admissions recorded and three testing positive for the H1N1 flu virus.
Susan Howell, the B.E. Smith-employed director of patient care services, gave an [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Skiff Medical Center's financial losses continued in the fourth month of the fiscal year reaching $1.27 million year-to-date, hospital trustees were told at Wednesday's monthly meeting, but it could have been worse.
Expenses from operations outpaced revenue by $82,000 in October as admissions, outpatient, surgeries and emergency department procedures [...]
Newton Independent
The following message was sent to employees at Skiff Medical Center today on behalf of the Board of Trustees following actions and announcements it made today in regard to Interim CEO Francie Jahn's immediate resignation and consulting firm B.E. Smith's pending departure:
"It goes without saying that this has been a" [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Skiff Medical Center Board of Trustees today voted to accept the immediate resignation of Interim CEO Francie Jahn and place Brett Altman, director of physical medicine and rehabilitation, in the interim chief executive role at the hospital until the newly appointed CEO, Jeff Long, comes aboard in [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
A court hearing on a move to have one of the felony charges dismissed against the Newton woman charged for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Newton American Legion Post has been continued until next month.
Earlier this month, the attorney for Shari Good filed a motion to have the [...]
To the Newton Independent
All over the news media the smart people are proclaiming bad news for Democrats. The polls of the most likely voters show that the Democrats are behind and the Chicken Little Democrats are running around flopping their wings and crying "woe is us, the most likely voters" [...]
Newton Independent
The offices of clerk of court at the Jasper County Courthouse will be closed to the public for part of each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon beginning next month following an order filed today by the state's chief justice.
Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus filed an order this afternoon stating that' [...]
Newton Independent
Iowa Public Radio's Rick Fredericksen took a field trip to Newton recently to learn about a Newton native's efforts to transform the old Maytag product testing facility into a 50-barrel beer brewery.
Mason Groben, who along with about 20 investors, has opened his Mad House Brewing Company in a portion [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
A decision on state funding for an Illinois company's plan to retrofit the Newton biodiesel plant into a fully functioning biorefinery could come as early as Thursday.
The Iowa Economic Development Board will consider a financial assistance award for Elevance Renewable Sciences when it meets at 8:30 a.m. Thursday' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The chief administrative officer of part of a large Wisconsin non-profit hospital system and former finalist for the Skiff Medical Center CEO position has been named to the top post at the hospital following a special meeting of the board today.
Steve Long was appointed to fill the position previously held [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Jasper County's biodiesel plant could soon begin producing oils for uses that go far beyond its traditional use in diesel engines if state funding for a demonstration project is approved.
On Tuesday, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors will be asked to sign off on an application to the' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Skiff Medical Center's Interim CEO Francie Jahn has provided consulting firm B.E. Smith with written notification of the hospital's intention to terminate its contract with the Lenexa, Kan.-based firm.
On Oct. 30, two-days after the Skiff trustees approved a reduction in force initiative put together with the assistance of [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Skiff Medical Center Board of Trustees has called a special meeting for Tuesday morning, a day before its regularly scheduled monthly meeting, to hold a closed session to discuss CEO candidates followed by an open session to discuss hiring of a chief executive officer at the hospital.
Notice [...]
Newton Independent
The Newton Salvation Army will host its annual chicken noodle dinner and auction beginning at 5 p.m. Friday at the Army hall, 301 N. 2nd Ave. E.
Dinner will be served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. with the live and silent auctions to follow.
Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 [...]
Newton Independent
An Iowa State University civil engineering graduate has been hired as the City of Newton's new public works director.
Keith Laube, one of three finalists for the position, will begin his duties with the city on Dec. 8.
Laube is a 1990 engineering graduate from ISU. A year later, he received' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The confidentiality agreements signed by members of the Skiff Medical Center Steering Committee are all - save one - dated the day before the hospital board approved the reduction in force recommendations put forward by the group following weeks of study.
Newton City Attorney Darrin Hamilton today released the confidentiality [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Newly named Skiff Medical Center Board of Trustees chair Debby Pence has provided City of Newton officials with the confidentially agreements sought earlier this week through an open records request by the city attorney.
In providing the information to the city, Pence said that she, not the hospital's consulting [...]
Newton Independent
More categories of area residents are now eligible to receive the H1N1 flu vaccination, according to information released by Jasper County Public Health.
The updated population groups, according to a press release issued by Skiff Medical Center, include:
People ages 6 months to 24 years old People ages 25 through 64 [...]Newton Independent
The Iowa Judicial Branch today said it would layoff 105 employees, cut 100 vacant staff positions and reduce work hours for 58 employees in continued efforts to reduce its operating expenses for the current fiscal year.
Today's actions are in addition to the 10 days of court closures and unpaid leave [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Iowa Court of Appeals today denied Justin Robuck's appeal of his conviction of second degree murder in the death of Jerry Pittman II of Newton in October 2007.
Lawyers for Robuck contended his conviction should be overturned because District Court Judge Dale Hagen erred in excluding testimony from' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Skiff Medical Center Board of Trustees accepted the resignations of board members Gary Kahn and John Lee and voted to appoint board-elect members Dr. Gary Richardson and Lois Vogel to fill their unexpired terms until the two officially take office in January.
Kahn and Lee tendered their resignations, [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Newton City Attorney has made an open records request to the counsel for the Skiff Medical Center Board of Trustees seeking copies of "confidentiality agreements" allegedly signed by board members at the request of its consulting firm B.E. Smith.
In a letter dated Tuesday to Edwin McIntosh of [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Skiff Medical Center Board of Trustees revised its agenda for Thursday's special meeting for the second time this morning.
The board posted notice on Tuesday afternoon of its intention to meet in special session at 9 a.m. Thursday to act on board resignations. Later in the day the [...]
Newton Independent
The Newton Convention and Visitors Bureau is putting a new twist on an old tradition this year with its Holiday Treepalooza.
With the Newton Arboretum unavailable for Project Awake's traditional Festival of Trees, the Newton CVB decided to continue the tradition, but with a couple of new twists and the [...]
Newton Independent
The Jasper County Democratic Central Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Park Centre in Newton to continue planning for a presentation on the green economy set for next month.
The local Democratic party plans to hold a presentation called "New Energy for Jasper County" at 2 p.m. on [...]
Newton Independent
The Skiff Medical Center Board of Directors has scheduled a special meeting for 9 a.m. Thursday in the board conference room to act on one item - board resignations.
No further information has been provided. The information was provided to the Newton Independent 30 minutes ago.
Last week, two new board [...]
Newton Independent
The Iowa Supreme Court today ordered that all judges, magistrates and court staff take 10 days of unpaid leave over the course of the final seven months of the fiscal year to deal with state's revenue shortfalls.
In addition, the Supreme Court ordered that all court offices be closed on' [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
Trials for the three people charged in connection with the alleged misappropriation of nearly $154,000 from the now defunct Jasper County Transit agency have been pushed back to February.
On Monday, Judge Gregory Hulse approved Jasper County Attorney Mike Jacobsen's motions to continue the trials of Mark Ackerman, Susan Reese and' [...]
