http://www.newtondailynews.comThe latest news from the newtondailynews.com websiteen-usAs much as I love my job, I freely admit there are stories I would much rather not have to cover.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/23/id-much-rather-be-doing-something-else/amg72st/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/23/id-much-rather-be-doing-something-else/amg72st/Thu, 23 May 2013 16:07:00 GMTMy doctor and dear friend Larry calls it “an exciting gateway of genetics, for it is leading to specific therapy to specific subsets of a given disease.” Some of the folks writing comments call it a conspiracy by drug companies and medical establishment motivated by greed.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/22/an-exciting-gateway/a5yp2b7/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/22/an-exciting-gateway/a5yp2b7/Thu, 23 May 2013 16:05:00 GMThttp://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/22/reader-opposes-merger-of-speedway-prairie-fire-tif-districts/aiyys8n/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/22/reader-opposes-merger-of-speedway-prairie-fire-tif-districts/aiyys8n/Wed, 22 May 2013 16:27:00 GMTWith my columns, I usually prefer to talk about my life and the random adventures that transpire in the life of a 20-something Kansas City transplant in Newton, Iowa.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/22/we-should-support-one-of-our-own/ahb5aiv/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/22/we-should-support-one-of-our-own/ahb5aiv/Wed, 22 May 2013 16:27:00 GMTAs a continuation of last week’s column on budgeting, I want to cover entertainment. I was asked by several people, “Don’t you have to miss out on a lot of fun opportunities because you’re worried about your budget?”http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/entertainment-on-a-budget/a9vliud/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/entertainment-on-a-budget/a9vliud/Tue, 21 May 2013 17:08:00 GMTEleven years into No Child Left Behind, requiring schools to stop the practice of considering students defective and educate them up to grade level, Iowa remains stuck on the pathetic  41st national percentile as the student proficiency level (when the 65th national percentile is grade level for this country – and our 95th national percentile is grade level for international standards).  http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/21/iowas-proficiency-standard-not-its-students-is-problem/av5svx0/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/21/iowas-proficiency-standard-not-its-students-is-problem/av5svx0/Tue, 21 May 2013 17:07:00 GMTThis time of year, as college students return home for the summer, many parents may notice how many politically correct ideas they have acquired on campus. Some of those parents may wonder how they can undo some of the brainwashing that has become so common in what are supposed to be institutions of higher learning.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/21/undoing-the-brainwashing-of-your-college-students/ael0meh/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/21/undoing-the-brainwashing-of-your-college-students/ael0meh/Tue, 21 May 2013 17:07:00 GMThttp://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/thank-you-to-volunteer-guards-at-wall-that-heals/a9ldvbk/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/thank-you-to-volunteer-guards-at-wall-that-heals/a9ldvbk/Mon, 20 May 2013 17:00:00 GMTOne year ago, on May 19, 2012, four young adults, Jacob Boyd, Caitlyn Atchley, Blake Eakins, and Matthew House, drowned in the Mississippi River after two jon boats collided.  One year later, Zach Boyd, Jacob (Jake) Boyd’s brother, decided to walk across Iowa, wearing a life jacket, in memory of the four victims and to promote boating safety.  It was a daunting task, but Zach was determined that if he could get the message across to just one person about the importance of wearing life preservers and following safety rules of the river, his trip would be worth it.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/walk-to-raise-awareness-for-boating-safety-makes-a-splash/apjmb1j/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/walk-to-raise-awareness-for-boating-safety-makes-a-splash/apjmb1j/Mon, 20 May 2013 17:00:00 GMThttp://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/dont-miss-fred-maytag-park/aregwtt/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/dont-miss-fred-maytag-park/aregwtt/Mon, 20 May 2013 17:00:00 GMThttp://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/thank-you-to-boy-scouts-for-memorial-day-preparations/aggcxfo/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/thank-you-to-boy-scouts-for-memorial-day-preparations/aggcxfo/Mon, 20 May 2013 17:00:00 GMTMy 8-month-old is a terrible gift giver. I don’t mean to embarrass him on his first try at this whole Mother’s Day thing, but really, I expected better.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/having-a-baby-can-make-parents-look-like-college-students/admd2l3/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/20/having-a-baby-can-make-parents-look-like-college-students/admd2l3/Mon, 20 May 2013 16:54:00 GMTIn 2005, the Newton City Council took a gamble on the idea that a multi-million-dollar speedway in the midst of Iowa’s cornfields would pay off for our community, our county, our region and our state. And, by even the most stringent standards, there is little doubt that gamble paid off.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/17/councils-speedway-deal-provides-best-of-both-worlds/ayczdwo/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/17/councils-speedway-deal-provides-best-of-both-worlds/ayczdwo/Fri, 17 May 2013 16:22:00 GMTWednesday, the students of Newton Senior High School fanned out across the community, tending to projects in need of helping hands, as part of Red Pride Service Day. That’s something Newton should be proud of; few school districts in Iowa do anything like it.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/17/community-should-be-proud-of-red-pride-service-day/afvuoci/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/17/community-should-be-proud-of-red-pride-service-day/afvuoci/Fri, 17 May 2013 16:22:00 GMTRecently, I was part of a small group who gave testimony to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee regarding serious concerns about the Home’s Commandant. We were there for only one reason — we care deeply about the veterans/residents and staff at the IVH. Now, the Governor charges us with being politically motivated and having only hear-say information that bears no further investigation. He is WRONG on all counts!http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/16/disappointed-for-the-iowa-veterans-home/aa5xbto/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/16/disappointed-for-the-iowa-veterans-home/aa5xbto/Fri, 17 May 2013 16:21:00 GMTThe recent revelation that the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI subpoenaed the phone records of the Associated Press’ Washington, D.C., bureau is an affront to some of the most fundamental rights of Americans, and those who were responsible should be fully held accountable.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/17/ap-wiretapping-is-a-serious-overstep-by-government/adlwx8l/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/17/ap-wiretapping-is-a-serious-overstep-by-government/adlwx8l/Fri, 17 May 2013 16:21:00 GMThttp://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/17/reader-thankful-proud-to-be-newton-native/aue1542/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/17/reader-thankful-proud-to-be-newton-native/aue1542/Fri, 17 May 2013 16:21:00 GMTIf you haven’t figured it out by now I am both a realist and a dreamer. One of my most coveted ideas is that all of life must balance. I must work and I must play. I must give credence to my physical side, my emotional side, my mental side and my spiritual side. Literacy allows me to do all that. I even balance my reading among those items. I read to learn and I learn to read and understand more deeply. http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/14/earn-to-read-understand-more-deeply/adcd4ad/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/14/earn-to-read-understand-more-deeply/adcd4ad/Fri, 17 May 2013 16:12:00 GMTOne year after I walked across the stage of C.Y. Stephens Auditorium only to receive a blank diploma cover (they wait to make sure you’ve passed your finals before handing out any sort of degree), I headed back up to Ames to see the remaining bunch of my friends do the same this past weekend.http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/15/paying-it-forward/a4a8z80/http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/05/15/paying-it-forward/a4a8z80/Thu, 16 May 2013 15:23:00 GMTCutting the Speedway Assessment in half has to be one of the, I can’t think of a proper word to use of what I think of this. But that is the way this city does things: have a special meeting with 24-hours notice and shove it through.http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2013/05/16/1dbed9ec0c2e4b92855e6dfd68873362/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2013/05/16/1dbed9ec0c2e4b92855e6dfd68873362/index.xmlThu, 16 May 2013 15:22:00 GMT