Newton
Serving Newton & Jasper County Since 1902
Daily News
Monday, October 28, 2013 OBITUARIES Marie Brandhof, 81 Dolores ‘Dee’ Marlow Politano, 71 James Lawson Stanley, 84
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Rotary donates books
Local
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Submitted Photo The Newton Rotary Club recently presented books to local elementary school students. Rotary members pictured include (from left) Bob Knabel, Bob Main, Marty Hoffert and Lonnie Porter.
House of Mercy offering family group discussions Sports
Intended to help family members coping with loved ones’ addiction issues
Aquagirls nab NCIC title Page 1B
Weather
By Bob Eschliman Daily News Editor
Tuesday
High 52 Low 48
Wednesday
High 61 Low 45 Weather Almanac
Friday, Oct. 26 High 55 Low 28 No Precipitation
Sat., Oct. 27 High 50 Low 36 No Precipitation
Sun., Oct. 28 High 60 Low 26 No Precipitation Also:
Larry Rossow has seen the need for substance abuse and addiction counseling grow in Newton and Jasper County firsthand. As the initial clinician when House of Mercy opened in the former Meisner Building in Newton three and a half years ago, he has seen the demand grow to where it now features three substance abuse counselors and two mental health clinicians. But House of Mercy’s services haven’t ended there. “We noted there were many parents, spouses and loved ones who needed help, too,” Rossow said. “They were wondering, ‘What do we do?’ So, about six months ago, we began offering family group sessions.” Unlike rigidly structured programs, like AlAnon and Alateen, the family group sessions at House of Mercy are in-
tended to be informal discussions where family members can freely discuss the issues they face. It is open to the general public, not just the families of House of Mercy clients, and there is no cost to attend the monthly meetings. “We meet for an hour and a half once a month, on the second Tuesday each month from 6 to 7:30 p.m.,” Rossow said. “It’s not intended for a particular age range, either. Children can attend, too.” Rossow said he has found some families are hesitant to come because they feel shame, or because they feel like they are alone. He said once they come to a group session, they quickly realize there are many others in the same boat. “Just like with mental illness, there’s a stigma, as though they think it’s something wrong,” he said. “They feel like it’s a struggle, and they don’t know what to do. We don’t want them to feel like they’re the only ones out there with this problem.” “They’ll be amazed, once they open up,” he added. “It takes a load off them, it’s a relief. They
build bonds together.” House of Mercy is an extension of Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. The original House of Mercy is a residential treatment facility for women, providing counseling for drugs and alcohol, as well as mental illness. House of Mercy took over substance abuse and addiction counseling services in Jasper County in 2010. Services are provided on a sliding scale, based on income, but the goal is to get treatment to those who need it. “We don’t want them to not get treatment because they feel like they can’t pay,” Rossow said. “Our goal is to get them the treatment they need.” Rossow said the counselors at House of Mercy will speak one-on-one with anyone interested in family group sessions. He said it can be a good way for some people to ease into the program. For more information, call (641) 792-0717. Daily News Editor Bob Eschliman may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 423, or at beschliman@newtondailynews.com.
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During tonight’s meeting of the Newton Community School District’s Board of Education, a vote to approve the Certified Annual Financial Report and Special Education Services report will be held after both measures were tabled on Oct. 14. The CAR and SES reports were shelved so that the board would have time to properly review the reports. NCSD Business Manager/Board Secretary Gayle Isaac said that Callaghan both reports had already been approved by the state. In addition to the reports, there will be several other action items the board will vote tonight. One item, the demographic study, was also heavily discussed during the last board meeting. “We tried to get the demographic study information done,” NCSD Superintendent Bob Callaghan said at that meeting. “Right now, we kind of narrowed our focus to a company outside of Kansas City. For whatever reason — plus they are a pretty busy company, highly utilized in Iowa — and so that’s who we would highly recommend to the board.” Callaghan also said the demographic study would be needed to fully utilize the facilities study the board approved. “We believe that this is vital to our study of the facilities — to also have a demographic study,” Callaghan said. “The left hand can’t know what’s going on if they don’t know what the right hand is doing.” There will also be a vote on a district contract with Youth & Shelter Services, Inc. According to its website, YSS exists to provide prevention, education, treatment, and residential services to children, youth, and families; to advocate on their behalf, and to help them solve problems, grow, and be self-sufficient, responsible, contributing members of society. In other business: • the board will discuss assessment results with Secondary Education Director Tina Ross. • vote on bids for a trailer for the band; • Callaghan will update the board on how parent teacher conferences went; • building reports from the district’s administrative team; and • student representatives Grace Perrin and Paige Reed will present reports. The meeting will be held at Aurora Heights Elementary School.
Reformation Party at Newton CRC
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School board to vote on financial, special ed reports By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
INSIDE TODAY
Cardinal Regiment competes at state
Newton, Iowa
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Bob Eschliman/Daily News The members of Newton Christian Reformed Church held their annual Reformation Party on Friday night. Parents and children alike shared in a soup and chili supper, played games, made crafts and learned about Augustine of Hippo, an early church figure whose teachings were important to Protestant Christian Reformers many centuries later.