School district reveals where the Local woman works on growth is - Breakdown on Page 10 $15,000 quilt - Page 17 www.harveycountynow.com - Newton, KS Vol. 2: No. 36 Thursday, April 20, 2017 USPS (17818) $1.25 School district task force slims down bond options BY MIKE MENDEZ NEWTON NOW STAFF [email protected] In the third task force meeting to discuss op- tions for bond plans, with the group eliminating a K-4 plan from contention, price tags for three different K-5 elementary options have been re- vealed. The task force voted down plan K5D, which was the most costly at $20.2 million with a $3.8 million renovation to Walton, which would keep it at a one-section school, while spending $16.4 million on a new K-5 school. The task force felt like it would be throwing money away if growth PHOTOS BY WENDY NUGENT/NEWTON NOW in the district eventually requires an upgrade to Elizabeth Eells of Newton hugs one of the first responders to her cardiac arrest call in February 2016, Lt. Joe Martin, on Monday afternoon at make Walton a two-section school anyway. the Newton Fire/EMS Department on East Third Street. Below: Elizabeth Eells is among the people applauding during the Newton/Fire EMS Members of the task force didn’t want to “beat Awards Ceremony. around the bush” and keep K5D on the table and that there are really only two options. Plan K5B would be to upgrade Walton to a two-section school, while not building a new ele- mentary school. The Walton upgrade would run $11.7 million, which would be the total cost with How to save a life no new elementary school built. With two sec- tions in Walton, considerations will have to be made for the cost of bussing students to the Several receive awards for keeping Newton resident alive school for years to come. Superintendent Deb Hamm said that currently the district spends BY WENDY NUGENT NEWTON NOW STAFF See BOND / 8 [email protected] During the Newton Fire/EMS Awards Reception earlier this month, there was Eighth-grader starts one unassuming young woman sitting in the audience with her husband. Most folks there probably didn't know Eliza- own business to beth Eells or the fact she's part of the reason a number of folks received the LifeSaver Award during the event. Eells wouldn't have been at the cere- follow his dream mony if it wasn't for the Newton Fire/EMS Department and Newton Med- BY WENDY NUGENT ical Center personnel who saved her life NEWTON NOW STAFF one day in 2016. [email protected] Because of that, Eells is able to go about her life, working two jobs, tending Adrian Holguin has a dream and a desire, and her garden, and happily spending time he knew he had to tackle that dream himself with family and her husband. (with some help from his parents) in order to Eells, who didn't speak at the event make that happen. The dream involves seeing but spoke for an interview on Monday at the Pittsburgh Steelers play at home. the main Fire/EMS station, went into “I've always wanted to go to a game there, and cardiac arrest at the age of 27 in early I just decided it's not going to be handed to me,” February 2016 because of a medical Holguin said. “If I want it, I should earn my emergency, and first responders were money for it.” able to bring her back to life and get her Seeing the Steelers at home is part of Hol- to a hospital where she could get further guin's career dream, and this spring and sum- care. mer, he's working through a business he started “The rate of people going into cardiac just to make that dream come true. arrest and returning to full neurological The Newton resident's career plans go along functioning is very low,” Eells said. “The with this motto, which is “Chasing my dream, reason I am grateful and the reason I one blade at a time.” want to thank everybody who was on The “blade” part of his motto could stand for that call was those people truly saved my the blades of grass he cuts and the lawnmower life.” blades he uses. The dream he's chasing is sports Eells, who lives in Newton, is one of medicine. See LIFE / 8 “I'm saving up to see my favorite team, the See DREAM / 8 Mail Label Newton throwers show off cannons, racking up ton of points in the field BY MIKE MENDEZ May to determine who is the best NEWTON NOW STAFF and the home of state records. [email protected] It is the shot put pit at Wichita State University which makes it the perfect place for Newton’s A dusty gravel pit boxed off Brooke Lachenmeyer and with rotting railroad ties seems Amanda Dorrell to catch up with like an odd place for a family re- last year’s teammate, Katie Reed, union. But this pit full of tiny, who transferred to Garden City chalky rocks is sacred ground, not this year. They are bonded with only for Newton but for the rest not only a state championship of the state. It is where Joshua they won last year in Wichita but Fulmer became a state champion as Newton throwers, a badge of a year ago. It is where Payton honor and a support system that Roberts won the last state title of makes Cessna Stadium home. one of the best athletic careers in “I think that because we were MIKE MENDEZ/NEWTON NOW Railer history. It is where the Newton’s Brooke Lachenmeyer launches the shot during the Pre-State meet on April best in the state congregate every See TRACK / 8 14 at Cessna Stadium. Page 2 www.harveycountynow.comNEWS Newton Now April 20, 2017 Mark your calendars for premier music festival in October in Newton NEWTON NOW STAFF Kansas’s best when it comes to Blues, Brews and Barbecue will come to Newton on Saturday, Oct. 7, so mark your cal- endars. Newton Now would like to publicly announce its inaugural Blues, Brews and Barbecue out- door music festival that will fill Athletic Park with award-winning Newton to perform start- figure in the Blues world blues acts, Kansas craft ing at 7 p.m. following a strong per- beers and a “The first time I heard formance at the Interna- barbecue/food truck rally. the group, they blew my tional Blues Challenge in The event will open at mind,” event organizer Nashville. 3 p.m. and carry on well and Newton Now Pub- Fish is a regular in the into the night. lisher Joey Young said. Kansas City Blues scene, The festival will be Young, a blues enthu- regularly playing gigs at headlined by Moreland siast has been a long- the well-respected and Arbuckle, a blues time fan of the group. Knucklehead Blues Bar PROVIDED PHOTO and rock band with “They sound great live. and performing with Moreland and Arbuckle will perform during the Saturday, Oct. 7, event in Athletic Park. Kansas roots whose cur- They put on a blast of a artists such as Anthony rent album, “Promise show,” he said. “They Gomes. Land or Bust” is up for come highly reviewed, Fish comes from a tal- lection of local craft local brewers attending concert as well as gener- album of the year by the and we wanted to bring a ented family and is sister brewers at the festival, to pass out samples as ate some buzz and excite- American Blues Founda- premier blues bands to to Samantha Fish, also a selling their beers and well, yet that has not ment, there will be a kick tion. Newton, Kansas. We touring artist. letting event goers taste been worked out. off party/concert on Sat- USA Today described thought they fit that bill. Amanda brings a some of the best brews And, finally, no rally urday, June 3, in down- the Album's sound as They were our first chunk of soul and a good coming out of this section would be complete with- town Newton by The Old “Raw, dirty, primal and choice, and we were bit of funk to the experi- of the country. out food, and food trucks No. 5's. The band plays infectious…sizzling gui- thrilled they agreed to ence, which should be Local brews from Wal- as well as local barbecue “Powerhouse Blues” and tar, sturdy vocals and come out.” good to get the crowd nut River, Wichita Brew- vendors plan to set up in “Old Gnarly Roots.” The rude harmonica.” Opening the concert warmed up and moving. ing Company, Three the park. Names of those concert will be free, and The group, back from a will be Amanda Fish, an Along with blues rock- Rings and Salt City will participating will be an- peoples should keep European tour, will award-winning artist in ing into the afternoon be on tap, with more to nounced in the near fu- checking Newton Now for travel through the coun- her own right, who is be- and then the evening, be announced later. ture. more details as they are try before coming to come an up-and-coming there will be a large se- There's the possibility of To help kick off the released. Art and Music in the Heart of Newton brings in fun event to downtown BY MIKE MENDEZ NEWTON NOW STAFF [email protected] Your Independent Agency since 1978 !UTOs(OMEs&ARMs#ROP The Newton Area Cham- #OMMERCIALs26s"OATs&LOOD ber of Commerce wants to WWWMILLERINSAGENCYCOM invite you to downtown from 6 to 8 p.m.