http://www.newtondailynews.comThe latest news from the newtondailynews.com websiteen-usDEAR ABBY: My parents divorced when I was 6, and my father remarried when I was 8. My father got custody of my brother and me. A year later, my half-sister was born and that’s when my stepmother began physically and mentally abusing me. http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_d9mejpsuqhwmg2utmrkqxw/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_d9mejpsuqhwmg2utmrkqxw/index.xmlMon, 08 Feb 2010 18:12:00 GMTTo the Editor, http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_sgbi1vnrpmbyxczgk2ajw/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_sgbi1vnrpmbyxczgk2ajw/index.xmlMon, 08 Feb 2010 18:11:00 GMTTo the Editor,http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_wk3sahc3qbgu43jht4d_a/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_wk3sahc3qbgu43jht4d_a/index.xmlMon, 08 Feb 2010 18:10:00 GMTTo the Editor,http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_xr9frbhcrc6mhv5mxiqgjw/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_xr9frbhcrc6mhv5mxiqgjw/index.xmlMon, 08 Feb 2010 18:10:00 GMTWhen you take a stroll around Newton, there are several things that immediately pop out at you.http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_bvshju8esmkybw18gbna6g/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/08/r_bvshju8esmkybw18gbna6g/index.xmlMon, 08 Feb 2010 18:09:00 GMTNobody likes paying taxes. In a perfect world, taxes would go down every year while services provided by our government would improve.http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/05/r_bc4nponjq6ewt2iwlodpoq/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/05/r_bc4nponjq6ewt2iwlodpoq/index.xmlFri, 05 Feb 2010 18:04:00 GMTI had a computer select several thousand names across my district, and those folks were sent a questionnaire regarding their desires for the current legislative session. The cards are rolling in, and 4 of 5 identify the top issue in Iowa is JOBS. This is certainly the case across the nation. However, I personally can’t accept that government should be the creator of jobs. Conversely, government should get out of the way, reduce the impediments placed in front of business and industry, and let the free enterprise system work. http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/05/r_opmkmca2tkc16zsiwobryq/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/05/r_opmkmca2tkc16zsiwobryq/index.xmlFri, 05 Feb 2010 18:03:00 GMTTo the Editor,http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/04/r_t6vstcrlq1qakdcnjekrdq/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/04/r_t6vstcrlq1qakdcnjekrdq/index.xmlFri, 05 Feb 2010 18:02:00 GMTDEAR ABBY: You missed an important clue in the letter from "Must Choose in Maryland" (Nov. 30), who is considering moving to improve her daughter's school life. Abby, the child is only 7. She has been in public school for three years, so the private school where she "flourished" was PRESCHOOL. http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/04/r_u2n3sox5tdubwfffsufsxa/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/04/r_u2n3sox5tdubwfffsufsxa/index.xmlThu, 04 Feb 2010 17:35:00 GMTIf President Obama’s recent face-to-face meeting with congressional Republicans had been a prizefight, they’d have stopped it: Obama by TKO. It was such a mismatch that Fox News, unofficial network of the GOP, basically conceded defeat by cutting away 20 minutes before it ended. Other networks showed it all.http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/04/r_qt7aetharrieerdmoofgpq/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/04/r_qt7aetharrieerdmoofgpq/index.xmlThu, 04 Feb 2010 17:34:00 GMTWhat do Bob Dole, Howard Baker, Pete Domenici, Sam Nunn, Tom Daschle and Chuck Robb have in common? They are all former senators, from both parties, who are working together on such issues as expanding health care, reducing the deficit, controlling nuclear weapons, and promoting energy independence. They prove that bipartisanship is not some impossible goal dreamed up by egghead professors and editorial writers.http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/04/r_xjtrc6jcsboax_69ddld7q/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/04/r_xjtrc6jcsboax_69ddld7q/index.xmlThu, 04 Feb 2010 17:34:00 GMTTo the Editor,http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/03/r_to1t2z_9qsw9wwg6ixkcrw/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/03/r_to1t2z_9qsw9wwg6ixkcrw/index.xmlWed, 03 Feb 2010 18:16:00 GMTDEAR ABBY: My husband, “Harry,” and I had a good marriage for 25 years, but we have grown apart and have agreed to divorce when our child finishes college. We just don’t have a lot in common anymore. Harry is on the road a lot, and I have my own business.http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/03/r_enckastmtuwc2pryyvrvew/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/03/r_enckastmtuwc2pryyvrvew/index.xmlWed, 03 Feb 2010 17:50:00 GMTAmericans are not going to pay for pie-in-the sky schemes designed to alter the climate. Most don’t believe the theory of anthropogenic global warming, and they don’t much care. Nor will they waste time, money or energy trying to undo immigration trends of the past two decades.http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/03/r_qy3kfwkxqaa8ztkf3bivja/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/03/r_qy3kfwkxqaa8ztkf3bivja/index.xmlWed, 03 Feb 2010 17:49:00 GMTTo the Editor,http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/03/r_4cnypma0tiualerfr_40ka/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/03/r_4cnypma0tiualerfr_40ka/index.xmlWed, 03 Feb 2010 17:48:00 GMTIt was on July 4, 1941, and Dad was out splitting wood that morning for the kitchen range. To this day, no one in our family remembers, but I think someone set off a firecracker while Dad was bringing that sharp ax down toward the log. His left hand was in the way and he chopped his thumb off, slick as a whistle. It was only hanging on by a piece of skin. What to do?http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/02/r_3plxpfibtvikj1lyn8yyq/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/02/r_3plxpfibtvikj1lyn8yyq/index.xmlWed, 03 Feb 2010 17:47:00 GMTHere is an open letter to members of the Iowa General Assembly, particularly those who represent Jasper County — namely Senator Dennis Black, Representative Paul Bell and Representative Geri Huser.http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/01/r_hoip5_ffsylelhuzx9pnq/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/01/r_hoip5_ffsylelhuzx9pnq/index.xmlTue, 02 Feb 2010 17:19:00 GMTLast week, Gov. Culver released his budget plans for the state fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1. With Iowa still struggling due to the effects of the lingering national recession, the governor proposed a lean budget that reflects the priorities of Iowans — helping middle class families, balancing the budget without raising taxes, maintaining quality schools, and creating good-paying jobs. The governor recommends a budget that incorporates many of the cost saving initiatives proposed by his office and the Legislature to reduce the cost of state government. The governor is proposing a general fund budget that expends $5.32 billion, which is less than the budget three years ago. http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/01/r_ynf0eezzqosnrgetgvqnmw/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/01/r_ynf0eezzqosnrgetgvqnmw/index.xmlTue, 02 Feb 2010 17:19:00 GMTTo the Editor,http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/01/r_vagpgegwtkgs8cdnxxbung/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/01/r_vagpgegwtkgs8cdnxxbung/index.xmlTue, 02 Feb 2010 17:17:00 GMTDEAR ABBY: Shortly before my wedding, I decided to have my teeth fixed. The dentist quoted me a price of $4,000, which my husband and I could not afford since we were paying for our entire wedding.http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/02/r_dppkgsgmsrktliwhi0sha/index.xmlhttp://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2010/02/02/r_dppkgsgmsrktliwhi0sha/index.xmlTue, 02 Feb 2010 17:14:00 GMT