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FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 • WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
Historic residential district designation hopes to bring tourism opportunities to Newton By Pam Pratt Newton News Two new historical districts in Newton were officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in December 2020. Adding these residential districts to the city by the Historic Preservation Commission serves multiple purposes, not the least of which is to attract history buffs to town hoping to glimpse unique architecture from the early days of Newton. The location of the two new districts runs along First Avenue. The First Avenue West Historic District extends from 414 First Ave. W. to 622 First Ave. W., and the First Avenue East Historic District encompasses the area between 415 First Ave. E. to 629 First Ave. E., which also includes 5-10 Cardinal Court. HPC Chair Larry Hurto saw these districts as a natural extension of Newton’s current Historic Downtown District, which was added to the register in 2014. The residences are mostly examples of late19th and early-20th Century architecture with a few 20th century buildings included in the mix. A variety of styles
are represented, but the most popular include Bungalow, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, Prairie Style and Mission Revival. “I’m not a real architecturally minded guy but I do think that this designation will bring to the attention of architecture historians some of the houses that are on First Avenue,” Hurto said. The houses themselves each have a story to tell and that’s what the HPC and volunteers dedicated more than 340 hours to uncovering those histories for the application process. The Historic Preservation Commission members who worked on the project included Hurto, Mary Jo Niskin, Rita Reinheimer, Tanya Michener and Ken Barthelman. While they all worked hard on the project Newton Community Development Director Erin Chambers wanted to make special mention of Reinheimer who served as project coordinator. “(It) was an added responsibility requiring extra time and energy to the project. We are all so appreciative of her willingness to serve in that role,” Chambers said.
Submitted Photo by Jason O’Brien Sayre House, 517 First Ave. E., is included in Newton’s newest historic districts along First Avenue East and First Avenue West.
One thing Reinheimer is passionate about, even after the designation, was to find a way to tell the stories the group has uncovered during their work. “Whenever we get a newspaper article or a radio interview, it’s a specific agenda that really hasn’t given us a chance
to tell the public some of the cool stories that go along with these businesses and the houses and the people who lived there. Somehow, at some point, I think that would be a good idea if we could get the opportunity to tell some of the stories that might interest people more than just the nuts
and bolts,” she said. Hurto hopes as the pandemic conditions improve, the commissioners may be able to arrange a few programs for the public to learn some of the history of these residences. Perhaps, if the homeowner DISTRICT | 2B
MAKING A SPLASH
Committee develops detailed splash pad project, which is being reviewed by city By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News For those who’ve looked closely at the City of Newton’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for FY22-FY26, the next fiscal year could make quite the splash. Although the CIP is not a strict guideline for what’s to come, the fact that a proposed splash pad construction project was even included as a line item has got to make the citizens who pitched the idea feel confident their vision is at least being considered. The city estimated $275,000 in general funds could be allocated to the splash pad construction in FY23. Also listed is $147,000 of private funds. In December 2020, members of the Splash Pad Committee pitched the idea to the Newton Park Board with the open-ended question: “If Newton had a splash pad…” Included were citizen testimonials of what a splash pad could do for the community, as well as mock images and potential estimates. “We met a lot of our friends that are still friends today at the local playgrounds just spending time with other families with young kids,” Chad Klein, of Eye Care Center of Newton, said in his testimonial. “I think this would just create another opportunity for young families
Submitted Photo A girl stands next to the title page, “Hello, Little One: A Monarch Butterfly Story” by Zeena Pliska which was featured last fall at the StoryWalk at Agnes Patterson Memorial Park in Newton.
Submitted Photo Concept images of a proposed splash pad in Newton shows the facility surrounded by green space and with a built-in pathway to connect the Main Street District (downtown) to Legacy Plaza, two of the main areas of attraction in the city.
to gather together.” Presenters suggested the park board view the project as not just a splash pad, but as a green space, too. Concept art shows plenty of grassy areas with benches and a pathway leading to and from Legacy Plaza and downtown. Park board member Bryce Heitman, his wife and owner of Panglossian Design Keirstin Heitman and local dentist Jonathan Van Hemert helmed the initial presentation at the park board meeting before going before the city council. In addition to its water facilities, presenters said the pad would be a green space. The splash pad would be located at the city-owned lot at 224 W. Third St. N., west of Bank Iowa. Splash pads appear in a number of Iowa com-
munities, such as Clarksville, Clear Lake, Fort Dodge, Grinnell, McGregor, Spirit Lake and Walnut. Splash pads are often popular with families and young children. Presenters said splash pads are often established in central locations within cities and are always open to the public at no cost. Newton would be the same. “This isn’t something that’s behind lock and key,” Van Hemert said. “People can come and go at their leisure. They’re not paying an admittance fee. It’s basically something that the city or, in some cases, townships will offer that people can just really take advantage of without any real barriers to access.” SPLASH | 3B
‘Perfect addition’
Positive response to StoryWalk installed at Agnes Patterson Memorial Park By Pam Pratt Newton News A walk along the trail at Agnes Patterson Memorial Park can now take a person to a place of imagination as they dive into a story when they move along the path. Organizers of the StoryWalk® unveiled the addition to the Newton park in July 2020. It took collaboration and financial support of many community organizations to bring the StoryWalk to life. The Newton Public Library worked closely with Kinetic Edge Physical Therapy, the Newton Wellness Coalition and Friends of the
Newton Public Library to raise the funds for the project. Additionally, the Jasper County Health Department and Newton Parks Department worked to make the project come to life. After a year of planning, the new activity’s grand unveiling certainly wasn’t how anyone involved originally pictured it. “Since it was during 2020, it was hard to really promote it and have a big group of people there to go on a walk. We did what we could. We just hope that people enjoy it,” Kinetic Edge Clinic Manager Matt Scotton said. WALK | 2B
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District Continued from Page 1B is open to it, they may even allow visitors in for an open house-type presentation. The project was funded by grants obtained by the commission with the help of the city. The funds allowed the commission to hire Richard Carlson, with the office of the state archeologist, who served as the consultant on the project. Hurto said having an architectural expert helped them discover details about the houses. “It was Carlson who actually was able to pin down the date that Judge (David) Ryan’s house was built on First Avenue East, 1868. I’ll just tell you frankly that we had not realized that there were any properties as old as that,” Hurto said. The houses in these districts were home to some of the more prominent people as Newton was beginning to grow during that era, with Judge Ryan being one of them. It represented an important time in Newton’s history as the focus shifted from agricultural to industrial. Hurto said these houses were built close to the center of town by “the movers, the shakers of the community.” “So you had attorneys, you had bankers and prominent business men but also business owners,” Hurto said.
Walk Continued from Page 1B But in some ways it was the perfect time to launch a family-friendly outdoor activity. Youth service librarian Phyllis Peter called the “perfect addition” during the pandemic as families were looking for ways to get out of the house in a safe way. “(It provided) a way for families to enjoy a story together, all while outdoors and getting some exercise. Although we didn’t get to have the huge launching event we had imagined; we have gotten so much positive feedback from community members,” Peter said. A lot of the groundwork was laid by Peter. She pitched the idea to the Newton Park Board in September 2019 and received positive feedback
Submitted Photo by Jason O’Brien O.C. Meredith House, 602 First Ave. E., is a residence within the new historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. A section of First Avenue East and First Avenue West was added in December after more than 300 volunteer hours were committed to research the historic properties.
This was the period of time which would lead to Newton being considered the “workshop of Iowa.” Hurto said it wasn’t just the Maytag Company that brought jobs to the area, which at that time had been founded as Parsons Band Cutter & Self-Feeder Co. “The other big three companies, the Automatic, the One Minute and the Woodrow company were also active during this period in time,” Hurto said. So as people moved to town they constructed homes and at that time, the
from the parks department about getting the stands installed. She was so appreciative of the support the library received from groups like the Newton Wellness Coalition. Sheri Benson said when the library approached the coalition the project was a perfect fit for their mission. “It was an activity that met our goals of free, fun activities for Newton families. We had a small amount of funds in our treasury, with which we hoped to seed an outdoor gym. As time passed, we just could not get that project off the ground. The StoryWalk is a different type of outdoor gym and promotes literacy. Boon for us!” Benson said. She said they knew the group was supporting a good idea when the primary financial donor, Kinetic Edge got on board, as well. Scotton echoed Benson,
home was where important milestones would happen in these family’s lives. People were born, lived and died in these houses and it was the HPC’s mission to uncover the stories that would unveil Newton’s history in the process. “If the walls could talk, we would hear some fascinating stories about some of the parties that were held. The wives of a lot of these individuals and I’m thinking of a couple of Newton mayors ... the women that would have been married to the men that caused these houses to be
calling the project a “natural fit” for the physical therapy businesses. The StoryWalk is an outdoor activity that encourages movement for people of all ages, which is a big part of Kinetic Edge’s mission. “As therapists we’re movement specialists in the first place so we know acutely well that movement is therapeutic and healing. When we move better, we feel better,” Scotton said. “We serve people of all ages here and several of us have a passion for helping everyone with literacy, especially kids.” The StoryWalk became the Newton Wellness Coaltion’s final project in the community as the organization has disbanded. “I do believe the StoryWalk was the capstone project that the group had been seeking, and we feel good about that,” Benson said. “The StoryWalk
built would have been prominent club women and so you can imagine the card parties that went on and so on,” Hurto said. With the designation comes the desire to let residents and tourists know when they have reached these historic districts. The commission is working on a plan to add signage in several areas to let people of the prominence of the area. HPC Vice Chair Mary Jo Niskin has taken the lead on working out a design and hopes the commission can move forward quickly with the project. To potentially raise funds for the signage, the group has released its second edition of the “Images of Newton Coloring Book.” They are being sold at $10 and some of the money could be used toward signage, Hurto said. The properties located in these two new districts will benefit from recognition of the property’s historic, architectural or archaeological significance. Listed properties are also taken into account during various preservation and development projects. Most of the homes in the district have been well preserved to showcase the history of the structure. Hurto encourages people who purchase a historic home to maintain its historical integrity. It is, afterall, a piece of history for the town that surrounds it.
is in good hands. The library in partnership with the Newton Parks will maintain the stations, so that for many years readers can enjoy the journey.” Peter is looking ahead to warmer days when families will once again seek out the StoryWalk or people discover the activity for the first time. She is planning to partner with the county health department and the Jasper County Conservation about two books. Planning is still in the early stages, but the health department will help host a family education event with a book about food filling the StoryWalk stands. The conservation will lend a hand with a book about fairies. “We are going to leave some natural items for StoryWalk goers to make fairy houses,” Peter said.
Beyond those two events, Peter is planning to bring some “perennial kid favorites” to the StoryWalk this year with titles like “Pete the Cat,” “Duck on a Bike” by David Shannon and “Big Hungry Bear” by Don and Audrey Wood, just to name a few. The StoryWalk itself is a little under a mile long and situated along a paved walkway. The story begins by the concession stand so the people are encouraged to park in the gravel lot between the ball fields at Agnes Patterson Park. Each stand is clearly marked with numbers which makes it easy to follow. Books will be switched every two to four weeks by Peter so people are always encouraged to make a return trip to read the next adventure. “We think it’s a great addition to the Newton community,” Peter said.
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COUNTY PREPARES FOR MOVE
Jasper employees to move into new admin building after $3.6M bond passes, which supervisors say will lower tax levy among other things By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News Taxpayers had the final say in whether the county financed a $3.6 million reconstruction of a new administration building, which elected officials say could have more positive outcomes for citizens in the future. In March, a special election resulted in 865 people (or about 64 percent) voting in favor the of the bond, and 486 people (or less than 46 percent) voting against the bond. The county auditor’s office said 1,351 people voted. Only 60 percent approval was needed to pass the bond. Earlier this year, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors announced it would hold a bond referendum to finance the extensive remodel of the former NewCare Health Services clinic, 315 W. Third St. N., in Newton. This property was purchased in October 2019 for $620,000. Doug Cupples, chair of the Jasper County Board of Supervisors, told Newton News the key takeaways were: the “county wants to borrow $3.6 million, lower the levy and … all their debt will be paid off in six years. And we get a new building. A brand new, really efficient, wellbuilt, beautiful building.” Pitched as a “one-stop-shop” for several county services, the administration building would also serve as a way to relocate staff from the annex building — which has suffered from foundational issues and mold spores
in the past — into an entirely new office space. The annex building has been “a sore subject” for some time, Cupples said. “We all want a positive situation to come out of the annex building,” he added. “It’s been in need way before I ever came in four years ago, way before probably the guy before me. It had been in need of upgrade and repair.” About 13 county departments will operate from the new administration building: county treasurer’s office, driver’s license/motor vehicle department, community development, environmental health, CICS (MH/DS), veterans affairs, human resource, public health, economic development, genealogy, department of human services, department of correctional services and juvenile correctional services. Designs from BBS Architects Engineers, the Des Moinesbased firm helming the project, also include a 4,000-squarefoot addition for the driver’s license/motor vehicle departments, which currently operates from the first floor of the Jasper County Courthouse. Although the transition could be challenging for staff — labeled a top performer by the state in 2019 — Jasper County Treasurer Doug Bishop is excited for the potential opportunity “to make great improvements in efficiency and workflow,” and also address ADA issues. “The senior citizens and
Splash
Continued from Page 1B However, there is a real cost to building the splash pad. At a March city council meeting, Newton Community Services Director Brian Laube provided the city council with additional information about the proposed splash pad project, most notably the costs of operation, staff upkeep estimates and water usage More details about the project suggest a significant amount of water would be used to operate the recreational facility and a minimum of $15,000-$20,000 will need to be added to the parks budget for splash pad maintenance every year. Two different types of splash pads were considered when trying to pin down the costs: a flow-through system and a recirculating system. When compared to its recirculating counterpart, the flow-through system has loser initial costs. Based on the Splash Pad Committee’s estimates, a flow-through facility could cost $250,000-$300,000. However, no water is reused. “Any water that comes out of the city water main goes through the spray features, down the drain and out,” Laube said. For more upfront costs, a recirculation system splash pad will reuse and treat the water. The committee estimates this type of splash pad would cost $385,000$435,000. Using information staff gathered from two different design firms that specialize
Submitted Photo Rendered images created by BBS Architects Engineers show how the north entrance of the county administration building might look like during the day when fully reconstructed.
those with disabilities would have a much easier time accessing their vital services in the new location,” Bishop said. “One hundred-year-old courthouses are beautiful, but they aren’t easily accessible.” Presently, without any additions, the NewCare building has 12,000 square feet of usable, ground-level space. Comparatively, the annex building has less available parking, less ADA access and a smaller lot size of 0.4 acres.The former NewCare facility is comprised of 1.8 acres and is expected to hold 70 parking spots — as opposed to the annex’s dozen or so — when reconstruction is complete. Last year, Jasper County had tried to find a buyer to redevelop the annex building, which was
in these types of recreational amenities, Laube feels the splash pad could be “a great asset” to the city’s parks system and possibly not a detriment to maintain. Typically, a lot of splash pads in Iowa are open from Memorial Day and Labor Day. So that would equal to about 98 days of operation. Many of those cities are using 50,000 gallons of water a day on a flow-through system, Laube said. There are ways for the city to reduce the amount of water a splash pad could use. Many systems have timers installed. When not in operation, the facility would cycle itself off after a few minutes. “(And) it’s going to run a good period of the day in warmer weather,” Laube said. The splash pad, presenters said, could bridge the gap between these two, high traffic districts. Bryce Heitman described the space as a “natural funnel between Main Street and Legacy Plaza,” adding that these two places are important for Newton and form organic gathering points. Installing a splash pad funnels people back and forth to these areas, presenters said. It also adds “walkability” to the community, which they defined in the presentation as “an environment friendly to the presence of people living, shopping, visiting, enjoying or spending time in an area.” The Splash Pad Committee argued parks and other community spaces that are buzzing with people and activity is also more attractive to walk through than parking lots and suburban apartment complexes. They also said both DMACC and Newton Main Street support the con-
identified as an “endangered” property by Preservation Iowa. At one point, a development group signed a contract with the county to buy and historically rehabilitate the structure if it successfully secured a grant. By the end of January, the contract will have expired. Cupples told Newton News those plans look to have fallen through, allowing the annex building to be up for sale once again. Rather than pay for substantial repairs to the annex building, the county sees the most efficient and cost effective option is moving to a new office space entirely, paid for by the $3.6 million bond. BBS has since updated its cost estimates for the building to $3.77 million. With low interest rates com-
cept for a splash pad. Presenters provided two ways the city could structure its costs. Without a water recirculation system, the initial estimate would be between $250,000 and $300,000. With a water recirculation system, that price tag could increase from $385,000 to $435,000. Yearly maintenance for either option is about $4,000. Both firms have argued whether it is allowable to discharge the water wasted in a flow-through system into a storm sewer line and then into a crew. The water is seemingly treated and has touched other people, which is prompting debate. If it was instead discharged into the sanitary sewer rather than the storm sewer, Laube said it would add another $25,000 in annual expenses for the sewer rate. With the flow-through system, there are no chemical costs. This type of splash pad would not be treated like a pool. Laube estimated there would also be lower annual electrical, equipment and upkeep costs. Ignoring any potential sanitary sewer treatment costs, the flow-through system would require $21,800 per year from the city. Laube also noted there is no source of revenue coming from the splash pad. The cost city staff found for a recirculating system exceeded the committee’s initial estimates. Laube said it would put the city back $500,000. The community services director described the facility as a smaller version of the pool. “It’s treated water, chemicals added to it, it recirculates it (and) uses a lot less wa-
bined with the county’s strong bond rating, elected officials tout the administration building construction as a good and welltimed investment. Jon Burmeister, managing director of Public Financial Management and municipal advisor for Jasper County, said there are “a lot of positives” to take away from the bond. Fiscal year 2022 valuations in Jasper County increased by 3.23%. Based on the county’s existing debt and the $3.6 million bond proposal, the county’s is able to structure it in a way that tax rates will be “stable or slightly lower,” Burmeister said. Low debt burden is also in the county’s favor. “You probably have one of the lowest debt burdens of any issuer in the state of Iowa. And the debt that you do have is coming off very, very quickly,” Burmeister said, noting a few series bonds will be paid off fully in 2022 and 2023. Another in 2016 is expected to be paid off in 2027 by tax increment revenue bonds. Since the tax rates are expected to be stable or slightly lower, Burmeister said there will be relatively no tax impact to this project — or, at least, none that he can foresee. Timing of the project is key, too. Burmeister said interest rates are at historical lows, making the prospect of bowering bond money all the more attractive. “Right now, I think the county’s in the driver’s seat,” Burmeister said.
ter,” Laube said. Keeping the same amount of usage in mind, it would cost the city $4,900 in annual water costs, which Laube said is “substantially lower” than the flowthrough system. If the water had to be discharged into the sanitary sewer, the city estimates $6,200 a year in sewer fees. Again, a much lower cost than the flow-through. However, Laube said if the water does flow into the sanitary sewer, the city would be “contributing to the I&I (Inflow & Infiltration) problem.” The city’s wastewater staff “are not real fond” of that particular detail. Chemical costs would be $1,500 per year and a $150 permit from the state. One of the biggest issues Laube noted with the recirculation system is staff having to treat the splash pad like a miniature pool. Like Maytag Pool, an employee would have to test the water. “And we could have people up there 6 or 7 o’clock at night on a Saturday night or Sunday night doing water tests if it were still open,” Laube said. “…That is something that could be done by seasonal people, (like) pool staff.” Equipment repairs, water testing, facility upkeep, winterization and extra labor is estimated to cost the city an extra $9,500 for a recirculation system, he added. And since water is used so much less, Laube said the total estimated operating costs would be $19,900. Ignoring any sanitary sewer charges, Laube reasoned both systems’ costs are about the same.
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www.newtondailynews.com | Friday | April 16, 2021
BUSINESS
PROGRESS Two buildings in Newton re-establish themselves as restaurants An old county garage becomes a Vietnamese and Thai restaurant, a bank becomes a pizzeria By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News While everyone was cooped up in their homes during the pandemic, a number of new restauranteurs were crammed inside their kitchens making food to-go. Theresa Hoang, owner of Viet-Thai Taste, was eager to share her Thai- and Vietnamese-inspired dishes to the people of Newton when she opened her doors in August 2020. She knew local folks may not be as familiar with dishes like pho, fresh spring rolls, pad thai and bánh mì. But she’d win them over. Opening in the middle of a pandemic wasn’t easy, especially when she and her staff were trying to find their rhythm early on. It helped that Hoang crafted her menu to appeal to Newton’s more Midwestern palates: recipes were basic yet flavorful and served in a homestyle way — just how she likes it. “It’s my own style, my own tastes,” Hoang told Newton News last year. Ever since Viet-Thai Taste opened, Hoang has constantly shifted her menu with new dishes. Recently, Hoang even teased sushi. While it allows her to be more flexible with her offerings,
Submitted Photo Graphic Packaging International in Newton is home to a new Marquip sheeter machine.
Graphic Packaging adds new sheeter to Newton plant $3.5 million investment creates at least 12 new positions
the changes in food also give opportunities for customers to try new things inside the 208 S. Second Ave. W. restaurant. Viet-Thai Taste operates out of an old county garage building, which was purchased and remodeled by Goldfinch Growth, Inc. The local real estate developer pitched its idea of transforming the old, relatively unused building into a bar or restaurant to the Jasper County Board of Supervisors in 2018. Bryan Friedman and Natalie Umsted of Goldfinch Growth
Dollar General filling lot formerly occupied by Mid-Iowa Motel Results of city’s D&D program attracts new developer to Newton
Christopher Braunschweig/Newton News Dollar General will be built on the former Mid-Iowa Motel site, 1803 First Ave. E., in Newton.
By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News Dollar General is expected to be built on land formerly occupied by the now-demolished Mid-Iowa Motel in Newton. The Overland Group, LLC, which is based in Missouri and has offices in Alabama, purchased the land for $155,000 in December 2019. By then it was unclear what the lot would become. The group has been involved in the development, purchases and sales of more than 600 properties in the country. Richard Boggess, a broker associate for Birkenholz Realty,
By Pam Pratt Newton News
Christopher Braunschweig/Newton News Theresa Hoang, owner of Viet-Thai Taste, prepares a meal in the kitchen of her new restaurant.
told the Newton City Council the group has constructed several retail shopping centers such as Dollar General, Home Depot, AT&T and Verizon. Councilperson Evelyn George was excited about the potential development and was curious what it would be. By February 2021, the secret was out: Dollar General would fill the vacant lot. Per the redevelopment agreement with the city, The Overland Group will construct approximately 9,000 square feet of retail building space “which DOLLAR GENERAL | 6B
said the property’s downtown location, access to parking and unique sense of place would make it an idea building for this type of use. The old county garage was originally built in 1915 and initially used as part of a public safety complex. In 2018, Goldfinch Growth said the proposed restaurant, bar or pub would seat an estimated 50 to 75 guests, plus an additional outdoor capacity. Goldfinch Growth had also considered
Graphic Packaging International has made an investment in Newton that expands its workforce and streamlines its production process. The company has installed a new $3.5 million machine in its smaller warehouse in Newton, which is located near the former Maytag Plant 2. The new machine has created 12 new positions to run the Marquip sheeter machine. The crew underwent a two-week training and safety course to get the new machine up and running. GPI produces cartons for dry, frozen and refrigerated foods and has been in operation in Newton since 2011. It was originally a Walter G. Anderson plant until Graphic Packaging bought
RESTAURANTS | 6B
SHEETER | 5B
Farmers market reports record numbers, utility wraps beautify downtown Despite pandemic, Newton Main Street was able to maintain its vision and still support small businesses By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News Operating an organization like Newton Main Street can be a challenge if the businesses in your district are forced to shut down or alter services for an entire year because of the pandemic. Erin Yeager, executive director of Newton Main Street, said 2020 was full of unknowns, but there were just as many silver linings to grasp onto. Despite the pandemic’s limitations and the economic hardships that followed, Yeager said Main Street was still able to act as a support network for business owners. “We had to learn to pivot on any given day not knowing what would be thrown at us,” she said. “We became a stronger Newton Main Street organization and a stronger Main Street program as a whole state. We learned to be creative on how to continue to fundraise and bring awareness to the community.” Newton Main Street was still able to make community connections and beautify its district with highly visible, curbside projects. Of note was a project the
Christopher Braunschweig/Newton News Nancy Woody of Nancy’s Canned Creations gives a customer a plastic bag carrying jams and jellies at the Newton Farmers Market.
organization started fundraising for the previous winter: utility box wraps. Seven downtown utility boxes were decorated with ornamental wrappings. Each one depicted historical, black-and-white photographs of what downtown Newton looked like several decades ago. Yeager said all of the boxes were funded by businesses or families in the community. The process, she added, was not to just pick photos and slap them onto boxes. “It was hours spent looking at the location of the boxes and finding the his-
torical photos significant to the area,” she said. “Newton is very lucky to have local volunteers that know the history of the downtown and love to volunteer their time.” Main Street’s mission is to preserve the history and invest in the future of communities, and the utility box wraps were a creative way to do just that. Yeager said since Newton is already full of artwork and sculptures around town that the utility box wraps fit in nicely with that established aesthetic. MARKET | 5B
www.newtondailynews.com | Friday | April 16, 2021 | 5B
Submitted Photo Graphic Packaging International in Newton is home to a new Marquip sheeter machine. Employees are training on the $3.5 million machine that added 12 jobs to the food carton manufacturer.
Sheeter Continued from Page 1A the business in 2016. The company prints the products on paperboard, diecast and glues the materials together to send to food companies to be filled. Human resources manager Gayle Kingery said they get their paperboard from several different locations, including
Market
Continued from Page 4B “What I want everyone to do is take time and go look at the boxes, look at the history of our town,” Yeager said. “During COVID we were unable to do walking tours of the boxes. Because of that we created a walking, (self-guided) tour that can
fellow Newton business Patriot Converting. With the new machine, they can now order the big rolls of paper board to be delivered on site. The new machine then cuts and shapes to the size of a specific product. “We will take that directly over to our printing department. It cuts out one step in our process and will help us be more efficient,” Kingery said. Despite the challenges that
be found on Newton Main Street’s YouTube channel.” Newton Main Street had a wildly successful farmers market season in 2020, which certainly caught organizers by surprise. Yeager said vendors increased from about 1012 to 18-20. Because of the tuckpointing work at the courthouse, the Newton Farmers Market also
arose in 2020, Kingery said GPI was busier than ever with such a high demand for food products across the nation and worldwide. The new sheeter helps address efficiencies and at the same time brings growth to the Newton plant. “Graphic Packaging is a global company, and it shows that they are willing to invest in Newton and continue to put resources here which is
moved its location. Even with the governor requiring farmers markets to adjust for spacing, Newton organizers held their event in front of businesses on North Second Avenue and around the corner of The Farmer’s Wife on North Second Street West. Yeager said the positive response was overwhelming.
great news for the community because we will continue to add jobs,” Kingery said. “Our local workforce was excited about it just because it shows growth. It definitely helps you realize that it is a stable industry.” The new machine has increased the Newton workforce to nearly 160 positions. GPI has invested in the Newton operation previously, completing a $20 million
“Each week our number of patrons grew, as well as new vendors,” she said. “The town came out to support the vendors to feel some sort of normalization that we could during COVID. Then the storm hit, which moved us to all of North Second Avenue. Once again we were making a change on the fly.”
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dollar expansion that was announced in the same year they purchased the Newton plant. GPI makes a range of products for many clients but some of their main customers are Kellogg’s and Digiorno’s Pizza. Chances are, the next time you buy something at the grocery store it was printed by Graphic Packaging, and maybe some of those products will have been run through the new sheeter in Newton.
In 2021, Yeager added the Newton Farmers Market will return to North Second Avenue with more new vendors, and organizers hope to add some live music and other attractions. Yeager is “incredibly proud” of the community for their support of small businesses during the pandemic. She his also proud of the Main Street board and volunteers for never giving up during such a difficult time and pushing the organization forward. The #NewtonStrong campaign shirts helped solidify community support, too. Yeager has
served as executive director for almost two years now, which she said is hard to believe. Her goal was to build stronger committees, a stronger board, get new volunteers and tell Main Street’s story. “I am very lucky to have a great group of volunteers that make this job worthwhile and community that shows support,” Yeager said. “I could not do this job without my board members and volunteers. I am so excited for this year and the things to come.” Visit Newton Main Street’s new website at www.newtoniowamainstreet.com
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Dollar General Continued from Page 4B exhibits visual interest along its primary facade” by utilizing at least two kinds of building/siding/wall-covering materials and windows. City documents said the building permits would be issued for the new Dollar General site after March 1. Comments from city council members suggested the development project was delayed because of the pandemic. Councilperson Craig Trotter was thrilled to see the project moving
Restaurants Continued from Page 4B retail or office use for the building. Umsted said the once tax exempt building would be paying property tax if transformed. The real estate developer would use economic development tools for historic preservation of the building, ultimately retrofitting the entryways and windows and using historically appropriate replacements instead. They would also maintain many of the well-preserved features such as the brickwork. On the other end of town, the former FNNB Bank location on First Avenue East would be altered into a North-
forward again. Compared to the property that had occupied the land before it, Dollar General will be a welcomed sight to Newton. Mid-Iowa Motel was purchased by the city for $200,000 in 2018 as part of its D&D program and to fulfill its goal of continued improvements to the aesthetics of First Avenue. The lot is about one acre in size, Newton News reported in 2018, and had been valued at $236,130 at its last assessment. Mid-Iowa Motel was seen by some as a blight on the community, so demolishing the building would inevitably improve the city’s curb ap-
ern Lights Pizza. Although still equipped with the ATMs and pick-up window, much of the building’s interior has been outfitted with a pizza conveyor oven and a fully loaded kitchen. Jeremy Smith and Marty Maynes, who now operate the pizzeria, were originally recruited as investors of Northern Lights Pizza. After falling out with past leadership, the investors were thrust into their new roles as business owners. They admitted to knowing nothing about pizza making. Maynes was about the only one with any kind of pizza parlor experience. When he was teenager he remembered delivering pizzas for a short time,
but that’s about it. He never had to form the dough with a confident spinning toss, smear the sauce in a circular pattern or generously dabble pies the toppings. Northern Lights Pizza opened in Newton the week after Thanksgiving to a “much bigger rush” than the new owners planned on. To put it lightly, it didn’t go well. They were told about 80% of Northern Lights Pizza’s sales were delivery, while the remaining is walk-in. On the first day, it was the exact opposite. “There was no ‘grand opening’ — I put a two-by-two sign out there that said: ‘NOW OPEN.’ And the next day we broke the all-time sales record for the company,” Smith said.
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peal. The Newton Police Department had been called to the property 88 times in 2017 and received 90 calls about it in 2016. Officers had responded to various calls including disputes, domestic, disturbing the public quiet, unwanted guest, theft, drugs and harassment. Dollar General’s completed building must have a minimum assessment of $470,000. According to Dollar General’s website, corporate owns more than 17,000 “convenient, easy-to-stop stores” in 46 states. The company says it strives to make shopping hassle-free and affordable.
The company says it has been committed to its mission of serving others since its found in 1939. Dollar General stores provide low-price “foods, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, housewares, seasonal items, paper products and much more.” Dollar General sells products from such brands as: Clorox, Coca-Cola, Energizer, General Mills, Hanes, Kelloggs’, Kimberly-Clark, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Unilever and more. Private brands such as Clover Valley, Good & Smart and Studio Selection are also available.
“We weren’t ready.” Maynes added, “It took us a couple weeks to figure out what to do. Jeremy and I have owned a bunch of businesses and we know how business operates and what kind of the basic ‘dos’ and ‘dont’s’ (are). I know a ‘don’t’ is when you screw up somebody’s order you don’t ignore it. You fix it.” It took about five to six weeks to really get the right personnel and figure out a workable system. Since then, Maynes and Smith suggested Northern Lights Pizza staff have upped their game and hope customers who had poor experiences in the past will give them a second chance. “I try to make it a point to call the customers who have
had a bad experience.” Maynes said. “We literally had a couple customers call in who I now consider friends of mine because I’ve talked to them on the phone once or twice a week — never met ‘em in person but they both had complaints. Smith and Maynes are determined to provide better experiences and are excited to have Northern Lights Pizza contribute to the Newton community. “I feel confident that the experience somebody might have got Dec. 1 versus the experience they’re going to get Feb. 1 is night and day,” Smith said. “I know with all the confidence in my heart that we have a good team now and we know what we’re doing.”
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EDUCATION
PROGRESS
WHAT A TIME TO BE SUPERINTENDENT Messinger joined Newton in midst of pandemic, was set back by the derecho and yet still recalls a positive first-year experience By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News Tom Messinger’s had an interesting first year as superintendent of the Newton Community School District. From the start, Messinger has faced an uphill battle. In addition to navigating through the pandemic with staff he had just met, Messinger was trying to manage a school district in a town he was relatively unfamiliar with. Then to make matters worse a derecho swept through the county and delayed school openings. Still, Messinger looks back on the experience optimistically and viewed the working conditions under the pandemic as a positive because “everybody was forced to come together and work closely from the very beginning.” The
COVID-19 pandemic was not only new for him, it was new for his staff, too. “I can tell you a lot of times when you come into a place, into a new position — this is the fourth school district I’ve worked at — if there’s already a lot of things that are still in motion from before, you don’t necessarily get to dive right in and be apart of that decision making process because it’s already started. “We hit something brand new at the time I was coming in here. So it really kind of provided that opportunity to be a part of working on something with everybody from the ground up. That, I think, helped me get to know some of our school staff and some of our processes better than if it wasn’t in place.” Perhaps some other dis-
Christopher Braunschweig/Newton News Newton Superintendent Tom Messinger receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Feb. 18 at an immunization clinic held in E.J.H. Beard Administration Center.
tricts would have been deterred by the setback of both a derecho and the pandemic, but that added time allowed Messinger to see how schools fared with online learning and hybrid instruction models for
SRO Choat now on duty PCM adds school resource officer to the district By Jamee A. Pierson Newton News A new, masked face is now roaming the halls of PCM. School resource officer Adam Choat started his patrol in the district Oct. 1, a part of a partnership between the City of Monroe and the school. “It has been a long process. It is something I had brought up several years ago with former superintendent Brad Jermeland,” Monroe Police Chief Nick Chambers said. “Essentially, what kind of helped it come together was the initial discussion, then I applied for the SRO grant, which we were awarded. That was more than
$114,000 that will be applied toward the SRO. It is a four year initial contract which I think, if it is a positive experience, which I believe it is going to be, it’ll be, hopefully, continued and make it a permanent thing.” A Nevada, Ames-area native, Choat previously worked at the Pleasant Hill PD, completing his final four years as the SRO at the Southeast Polk High School. From there, he moved on to help create the Iowa State Fair Police Force where he served until coming to PCM. “I did patrol, detectives, media, PIO and the SRO the past four years. I really enjoyed that experience,”
rienced a cold snap — which did affect the calendar — but rather than look back on it negatively, the superintendent said it gave him an opportunity NEWTON | 8B
A welcome addition
Baxter construction project adds space, updates to district
Choat said. “In January of 2018, I had the opportunity to help start the new Iowa State Fair Police Force, so I left the city and went over there. It was fun to get that up off the ground. They are up and running and it has been a good experience.” Having kept in contact with Chambers since working part-time in Monroe years earlier, he knew the community was looking to fill the SRO position. After initially looking to help with the search, he looked at from the angle of taking the position himself. “Talking with Chief Chambers, him and I have known each other for more PCM | 9B
students. He saw those early obstacles and saw how Newton could prepare. Of course the turbulence of the 2020-2021 school year wouldn’t let up. Messinger recalled when Newton expe-
By Jamee A. Pierson Newton News After living for a year in a construction zone, followed by a pandemic, Baxter Community School District was excited to unveil it’s newest addition, a $6 million school renovation project. Although the public hasn’t been able to tour the new facilities, yet, students and staff are enjoying the added space and updated features. “The fun part of this year is we get to open our new building,” Baxter Superintendent Mickolyn Clapper said. Located primarily on the northeast side of the property, the new building replaces the aged two-story school that had been in Baxter for more than a century. The approximate-
ly 24,570 square foot addition includes laboratories within the science classrooms, a green screen classroom for multi-media production, special education classrooms and the principal and secretary’s office. Bolt Pride is felt as soon as you walk through the doors with the school colors showing exactly who the school is. Those visiting who come in the newly constructed section also get a first hand look at work spaces designed for the students. Within the school is community areas, filled with individual and group tables, chairs and work spaces. Those spaces have become invaluable as the students and staff headed back to the classroom for instruction BAXTER | 8B
Under construction
New 1,200 seat stadium underway at Colfax-Mingo By Jamee A. Pierson Newton News Construction is underway for the $12 million project at Colfax-Mingo Community School District. A multi-phase project, improvements are planned for the stadium and school. “Right now the first phase of that master plan is addressing what was identified as the highest priority within our district which was our extracurricular areas and psychical fitness type areas,” Colfax-Mingo Superintendent Erik Anderson said. Currently underway is work to complete a new 1,200-seat stadium for football, soccer and track. The stadi-
um is located east of the current stadium on the school’s property and is expected to be complete by fall of 2021 The second phase includes a new 1,000-seat gym, a new 3-mat wrestling room and a new weight and fitness room. It is expected to be ready for use in the fall of 2022. Bringing in the community into the project is also important to the district and with that the “Pave the Path” opportunity was created. A fundraiser, individuals bricks and pillars can be purchased and personalized to help fund the exciting addition to the district. “From the beginning, we were C-M | 9B
File Photo Construction is underway on the new stadium for the Colfax-Mingo Community School District. The $12 million project also includes a new 1,000-seat gym, a new 3-mat wrestling room and a new weight and fitness room, anticipated to be completed in 2022.
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www.newtondailynews.com | Friday | April 16, 2021
Newton Continued from Page 7A to learn the county roads a bit better. “It’s really been a year where there’s been a lot of opportunities that have come up for me to learn more about Newton and the school district here than any other year might not have been as possible,” he said, adding that it is easy to take a positive approach now that the district is past those larger obstacles. Although Messinger said if he would have had been asked the first day he still would have viewed some positives and potential opportunities; but there was also a lot more fear and anxiety about some of those heftier topics and circumstances than what there is now. It was all so unknown, he said. “But it’s been interesting to see some of the moods change or to see some of the outlooks that people hold change over the course of the year once we began to get some of those first cases of COVID in the district,” Messinger said. “It didn’t all of a sudden blow up into 300 people or more
Baxter Continued from Page 7A during a pandemic. By having them, there was additional space, if needed, for social distancing while learning, something every school is working to provide while dealing with COVID. The student parking lot has also been redesigned, allowing parking spots to be angled instead of straight to allow up to an additional 120 parking spaces behind the school. “We’re also going to change the parking out front, as well,” Clapper said. “Instead of parallel parking, it’s going to be angle parking so we can get more spots. Most of the parking (work) will be out back.” Construction took place for the project throughout the 2019-2020 school year and summers. Staff and students often had to adjust on the fly as crews moved in and out of the buildings, and
getting it. “We were able to somewhat maintain the educational direction that we have here with our processes that we have in place. I think people began to gain some respect and appreciation for those processes all the way up to the point now where we’re maintaining the lowest numbers that we’ve had all year.” Messinger will never forget the look on staff members’ faces when they received their vaccinations this year. The clinics, organized by Newton Clinic and the Jasper County Health Department, were held in the E.J.H. Beard Administration Center. Messinger said it was a “major turning point” in the year. “I’ve never seen that big of a change in outlook or a mood swing in school in my 28 years in education,” he said. “It was something that was a major milestone that people were waiting for, that people were wanting to get to that point. Once it got here I think it was just a huge relief to people.” When the pandemic restrictions begin to loosen up a bit more, Messinger expects he’ll have more time to acquaint himself with the
classrooms looked a little different but with the end goal in mind, everyone worked together in what became a historical year. “The crews we have been working with are great and we have stayed pretty much on time with the project. It has progressed so much,” Clapper said during construction. “We really started with demolition last summer and we are now almost ready to wrap up completion of the new building. It has been an amazing process to watch.”\ While COVID caused many issues for schools, businesses and everyday life, when it came to the construction crews, having the buildings empty was beneficial. “The crews working on the project are wearing masks and they are trying to social distance. At one point there were too many people working too close together, so they project manager had to send some crews home to ensure everyone’s safety,” Clapper
community. COVID-19 has occupied a lot of time, he said, and it replaced the time an ordinary year would have been spending on other things. Get to know Tom Messinger: Messinger is a graduate of Adair-Casey High School, which is now known as Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center High School or AC/GC. His parents moved to Casey in 1970, the year Messinger was born. They still live in Casey in the same house to this day, Newton News previously reported. Messinger looks back fondly on his upbringing. It was “the greatest life any kid could have.” Oftentimes he would work odd jobs for farmers and played baseball every day until his mom told him to get back into the house. After high school graduation, Messinger attended the University of Iowa and received his bachelor’s degree. From there, he got a job at the school district in Eddyville teaching high school math, before the school consolidated with the neighboring Blakesburg. He taught there for four years. Once Messinger secured his master’s degree through Drake University, he transitioned into a joint position as
assistant principal and athletic/activities director at Eddyville-Blakesburg. Since he needed five years of teaching prior that, the school got the state’s permission to keep him on while teaching. This meant that Messinger taught pre-calculus one period per day and was the assistant principal/AD for the remainder of the day. He maintained the high school administrative position for about two years before becoming the principal for five years. Altogether, he spent 11 years at Eddyville-Blakesburg. Messinger then became principal at Burlington High School, spending another 11 years at the district. It was the farthest away from home he had ever been. The four-hour drive was a big change. Messinger went back to school to get his specialist degree through Drake, taking classes Fridays and Saturdays. Eventually, he interviewed for the superintendent position at Red Oak Community School District, where he would stay for the next five years. “Then the job came open here, I applied for it and interviewed — and here I am,” Messinger said.
Jamee A. Pierson/Newton News Baxter Superintendent Mickolyn Clapper cut the ceremonial ribbon officially opening the new building in August.
said. “We also had the same crew that only works on our project now rather than people working on multiple projects to limit possible exposure.” Even through a pandemic, the project wrapped up
• • • • • • • •
before the 2021-2022 school year was set to begin. While the school leaders would have loved to show off the new facility to the public, it unfortunately was closed to outside visitors. A ribbon cutting was held to celebrate the project
along with virtual tours before students took their first steps in. “We are just really excited about the whole project for students, staff and community enjoy this fantastic new facility,” Clapper said.
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PCM Continued from Page 7A than decade and he talked to me about this SRO opportunity and it kind of went from ‘haha’ or ‘OK,’” Choat said. “I was actually trying to find someone for the position then next thing I know we started having the discussion on how about I do it, so here I am.” Choat has worked in a variety of communities, from 10,000-plus people to less than 1,000. Having worked part-time in Monroe he is already familiar with the towns and feels it will be an easy career transition. “I had a great experience from 2014 on in a larger metro school so I think this will be nothing but a good experience for this community,” Choat said. During his time at Southeast Polk, Choat enjoyed getting to know the students at a younger age and then seeing them come up through high school and later as adult members of the community. While it was not always easy, the work was definitely rewarding. “Working the street, when you deal with adults, they are people that already have a preconceived thought process of people in law enforcement and society works,” Choat said. “When I went to the school, I found that it was a challenge that I embraced in
Jamee A. Pierson/Newton News Officer Adam Choat, center, stands with school administrators after being approved as the new PCM school resource officer.
a non-traditional approach to police work. I was able to build relationships with the youth who were going to be coming into the work and you want to have a positive experience with law enforcement and you want to make it a positive experience for them.” He feels that is especially important in the current climate our country is in. He wants students to know how to interact with police officers and that they are people with families, too. “They aren’t synchronized robots that are out to get you,” Choat said.
C-M Continued from Page 7A trying to figure out ways to commemorate aspects of our communities within our new stadium,” Anderson said. “Part of it was, outside of the Mingo building where the football stadium was, there were a couple of brick pillars. We were trying to figure out how to integrate those, potentially, into our stadium. That kind of rolled into a brick project where we are selling bricks and have them engraved.”
Like in most positions, challenges arose for Choat as he worked both with the school and the city. He found being transparent with all entities the best practice for success. “Often times there was a different expectations between the city and the school so just trying to keep the separation there,” Choat said. “I was able to figure out a program that works and I found that transparency and communication was the key and I tried to keep the open communication with the school board and administration and
The idea developed to about 700 bricks and additional pillars that could be purchased and personalized in a new plaza outside of the stadium. Not originally a part of the stadium project, the plaza was added after seeing similar areas at other school. “A couple of the schools we visited on our benchmarking tours, they had maybe three to five foot pillars then they had a plaque or were engraved if somebody wanted to purchase that,” Anderson said. “We have already received enough interest that we will be adding the plaza and pillars. It has just kind of come together in that
A good neighbor has your back.
thepolice administration and it worked out well.” At PCM, he plans to spend equal time among the four buildings, crafting a schedule that works to serve each school when it is needed most. He will spend is morning and afternoon at the high school helping to patrol the streets and parking lot as students arrive and leave for the day. “That is important, the traffic safety side of it,” Choat said. “It’ll be interesting building a routine and rapport and figuring out what times there is more of need, if
way.” Brick are set at $100 and can be personalized with up to two lines of ext and 14 characters per line. Pillars are available at $2,000 each with up to four lines of text at 14 characters per line. “(We) understand that this is a really difficult time to be asking people for money,” Anderson said. “Understanding that, there is obviously no pressure because the bricks, we will fill them in with all of the bricks instead of having them engraved and they can buy them at a later time, it doesn’t have to be right now.”
there is.” PCM Athletic Director Greg Bonnett said he excited for Choat to join the district. “I think it is going to be a sense of security in some of our student population that wouldn’t otherwise have it. I think that is one of the most important things,” Bonnett said. “I also think it will be a good deal to have an SRO presence while high school kids are pulling in and out of our driveways and parking lots. I think it will be a neat amenity and it’ll take care of a lot of the safety issues that in modern day schools need to be addressed.” Mostly, Choat hopes for a great experience for everyone as he starts his time at PCM. He has learned just how much of an impact he has had on former students he worked, when seeing them out in the community, still today. “After I got out of the school environment, the kids that I still come in contact with and would remember you and would approach you and still want to say ‘hi,’” Choat said. “It happened just recently when I was out to dinner with my wife, a waitress comes by and says Officer Choat and it was a girl that I had multiple dealing with and I was there when her mom died but she knew me, I was familiar and I was a good experience for her and now she is an adult. That is what was most rewarding for me.”
As the weather continues to improve, noticeable progress will be seen on the project. While it can be hard to see when at the school, once complete it will be a destination for the community. “It is moving,” Anderson said. “It is hard to see when you drive up to the school, you have to drive around back and there is still a great big, we call it our dirt mountain, as well, blocking to be able to see what is happening. If you drive on old Hwy 6 on the south side of the school, you can see the retaining walls, it looks really neat.”
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HEALTH
PROGRESS
Jamee A. Pierson/Newton News
Stakeholders take part in the groundbreaking ceremony at the new Prairie City Medical Clinic.
Poised for growth
Construction underway at Prairie City Medical Clinic By Jamee A. Pierson Newton News “If you build it, they will come.” The line from “Field of Dreams” has never been more appropriate as the new Prairie City Medical Clinic will be housed on the former Prairie City Ball Fields on the east side of town. “In September of 2017, the staff and physicians of the Prairie City Clinic joined up with Pella Regional Health Center and that was quite a deal and it continues to be,” Pella Regional CEO Bob Kroese said. “But what I enjoyed
so much was almost immediately after we met, we started talking about things that were really important to us like our faith and the commitment to the care we deliver and with that we felt, hey we have a lot of common right off of the bat. We started talking about what can we do to bring more medical services and providers to the Prairie City area.” Knowing the current facility in use had size limitations, Pella Regional, along with the city and physicians, started to work toward what will eventually be a 7,700 square foot medical
facility able to provide primary care, mental health counseling, pharmacy and imaging services. “This is a very exciting time for both Pella Regional and for the Prairie City community,” Kroese said. “This project has been carefully designed to keep the quality of patient care in mind. I’m very proud of the thought and effort our staff has put into creating an environment that puts the needs of our patients first.” Greg Ingle, the primary care physician that has been at the Prairie City Clinic for almost 42 years, spoke about how the clinic first came to the community, how it has grown and where he sees it after the doors open in the new facility.
“It was Aug. 1, 1978 that we started with 1,200 square feet, two employees and a community that has been very good to us over the years taking care of us. We’ve tried to take of them as they have taken care of us,” Ingle said. “We’ve grown and moved and now we have 4,000-5,000 square feet and I’ve lost count of employees. It is exciting, a lot of good people to work with. Hopefully, this will just be a start of things. We thank the community and look forward to what is happening here and we really think it is just the beginning of bigger things.” A lot of work has already been done by a group of stakeholders committed CLINIC | 11B
Building healthy communities Pandemic life at Kinetic Edge at MercyOne
New Colfax clinic allows team to reach even more individuals in the county By Pam Pratt Newton News Kinetic Edge Physical Therapy has continued its community-minded care model in Newton over the past 14 years they have been in the city. After moving to its new location three years ago, Kinetic Edge could bring on more team members, who share the drive to make an impact on the community that surrounds them. “It’s important because it’s our vision to build communities of healthy, happy, hopefilled people. It’s important to us as individuals because, this group, this team of people really loves what they do. They’ve really latched on to that higher purpose,” Kinetic Edge Clinic Manager Matt Scotton said. While the focus at the clinic is to improve people’s lives through movement, the dedication to help others has really extended beyond the clinic walls. Scotton sees it as Kinetic Edge’s culture, not only at the Newton location but also at the eight other facilities under the brand. One of the more prevalent ways Kinetic Edge gives back
Pam Pratt/Newton News A therapist treats a patient for a back injury at Kinetic Edge Physical Therapy in Newton.
to the community is when every team member, company-wide, selects a nonprofit in the community they serve to present with a $1,000 donation around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays each year. “That’s been a unique program I think. Not many companies have their team members pick out local nonprofit groups as the recipients of $1,000 donations,” Scotton said. This has a direct impact on
the community by supporting these programs that create opportunities for people who live and work in Jasper County. Other ways the team at Kinetic Edge tries to be involved is by sharing their talents and passions in different ways. Scotton said their team of physical therapists, occupational therapists and athletic trainers often participate in training or speaking engagements. KINETIC EDGE | 11B
By Stephanie Alexander MercyOne One of the most common words used during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic was “unprecedented” – and nowhere was that more evident than at MercyOne Newton Medical Center. The hospital, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary on May 30, served as Jasper County’s frontline as the coronavirus upended not only health care, but life in general as employees knew it. While hospital staff were dealing with the same challenges as their neighbors – virtual learning for children, shortages at local grocery stores, social distancing from family and friends – they were also deemed to be essential workers, and therefore went to work each day to face obstacles unique to health care. For a time, non-emergent services were curtailed, which meant staff furloughs in some departments. Every person who walked into the building had to be screened, with temperatures taken and masks distributed. Medical-surgical units housing COVID-pos-
itive patients were sealed off to all but the most necessary staff. “We cannot stress enough how appreciative we have been of the work all of the staff have done each and every day,” said hospital president Laurie Conner. “Especially during this difficult pandemic, the dedication of this team has been nothing short of amazing.” While much of the year was colored by the pandemic’s stressors – fatigue, uncertainty, loneliness – that does not mean 2020 was void of successes or accomplishments for MercyOne Newton. As staff came together and rose above, a number of triumphs were celebrated. For two years in a row, the hospital has had a local nurse named to the list of 100 Great Iowa Nurses: lactation consultant Christine Hinshaw and Cardiac Rehab nurse Christie Milligan. Also in quick succession were two staff members who received the Spirit of Mercy award: Nick Schlatter, Radiology, and Craig Hudson, Plant Operations. MERCYONE | 12B
www.newtondailynews.com | Friday | April 16, 2021 | 11B
Clinic
Continued from Page 10B to the project. A Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) loan was funded through USDA’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program (REDLG) to help finance almost half of this $3.1 million project. The program provides zero-interest loans to rural utility providers who in turn re-lend the money at zero interest to local businesses. It is a nationally competitive program and CIPCO’s economic development partner, Iowa Area Development Group (IADG) assists in the appli-
cation process. CIPCO and its member cooperatives, Pella Cooperative Electric Association, utilize the REDLG program as one of the economic development tools to promote community development, economic growth and help create and retain jobs in rural Iowa. “We didn’t waste any time moving dirt,” Prairie City Mayor Chad Alleger said. “Having a doctors office in our community to service not only our communities but all of the communities around is essential. Building this clinic, for the foreseeable future, our residents will be rest assured we will Jamee A. Pierson/Newton News have the ability to have a Hospital, partners and city leaders celebrate the ribbon cutting of the new Pella Regional Health Clinic in Prairie City in August. nice clinic to go to.”
Kinetic Edge Continued from Page 10B During these events, whether they are for a large or small group, they are afforded the opportunity to share their knowledge with people beyond their clients. “We enjoy doing that. We know that’s another great way to serve a community,” Scotton said. Kinetic Edge also has employees who serve on various boards and lend their talents to coaching at the youth or high school level. This is a direct line to things happening in the community and allows the people to have a purpose outside of their work at the clinic. Scotton himself has been involved with Newton High School as an athletic trainer at sporting events. That has given him quite a bit of recognition with students, parents and grandparents. They extend their trust to know he can help if a student is ever injured while participating in a sport. “That’s how you build relationships and serve your community is to help people understand what you do or share your gifts and talents,” Scotton said. But at the heart of all this community engagement is to provide quality one-on-one care to their clients. Scotton sees that as an important facet of their community-focused attitude. He
Pam Pratt/Newton News A woman does a stair exercise with one of the therapists at Kinetic Edge Physical Therapy in Newton.
said people don’t always get that oneon-one attention at clinics around the
country. “We feel like we can have the big-
gest impact on people’s lives and health and help them learn and understand the things that are going to help them get better the fastest with one-on-one care,” Scotton said. Now Kinetic Edge has extended its reach further in Jasper County by operating a satellite clinic in Colfax, which opened in November. The city had been without that type of care for several months, so the company stepped up to fill the need. To begin with, they had appointments available with physical therapist Emily Chia two days a week. In just a few short months, the clientele has expanded, and they are considering expanding their hours in Colfax. “There’s a convenience factor, people won’t always drive out of town or a distance to get therapy, especially in the winter, if they’re older or if they have to get a ride to get to another town, it’s not always convenient so people just sit and suffer and think they can’t make that work out,” Scotton said. With the difficulties of 2020 and many things being canceled, Scotton said it was difficult at times to stay involved with community activities. As they have explored different things they can do, a lot of what they discuss are things they couldn’t do last year. “We want to get reengaged,” Scotton said. “People see and appreciate things that make a difference, especially for young people. I think that’s especially powerful.”
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www.newtondailynews.com | Friday | April 16, 2021
MercyOne Continued from Page 10B The annual Gala, the hospital’s largest fundraising event, had to convert from an in-person celebration to an online event. Despite the drastic shift in format, the Gala still earned nearly $32,000, which has set the stage for another successful virtual event starting at 6 p.m. on April 17. The Cancer and Infusion Care clinic was relocated to a much larger and more convenient area of the hospital, expanding by about 1,000 square feet and increasing comfort and privacy for patients. The project was made possible through the generosity of donors who contributed $236,000. A new Employee Health and Occupational Health Clinic was opened in the Ross Medical Arts Building, fulfilling a need expressed by many area businesses.
Other highlights from 2020 at MercyOne Newton included: • Patients began receiving text or voice phone call reminders for upcoming appointments. • Thirteen area students received scholarships from the MercyOne Newton Auxiliary. • Physical therapist Robyn Friedman introduced functional dry needling as a service to treat patients dealing with weak, tight or otherwise dysfunctional muscles. • Monoclonal antibody infusions are now offered for COVID-positive patients. • MercyOne Newton was featured on WGN News Nation for their adept handling of the COVID crisis in a rural health-care setting. • Nearly $4,300 was raised at the annual Jingle for a Cure 5K fundraiser event in December. • Numerous donations, grants and fundraisers throughout the year helped recognize staff for their un-
ending dedication and also made possible the purchase of various pieces of vital technology and equipment needed by patients. Last but not least, as of early April, nearly 75 percent of hospital staff have received the COVID vaccine, joining the more than 60 million Americans who have also gotten vaccinated. “I got my vaccination because I know it’s an important tool to slow down and stop this pandemic,” said Lauren Figland, Radiology manager. “I got the vaccination because my kids need to return to normal. I want them to be able to participate in group activities with a huge crowd of family and friends cheering them on from the sidelines. I got the vaccination for my parents, grandparents, and all of the people in our more vulnerable population. I got the vaccination because I am one of many vital team members on the frontline. Our patients need us healthy!”
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