Kansas wins SILVER FINISH Newton vs. Newton Railers take second at Page 6 state gymnastics - Page 12 www.harveycountynow.com - Newton, KS Vol. 1: No. 12 Thursday, October 29, 2015 $1.25 GHOST INVESTIGATION ADAM STRUNK/NEWTON NOW Newton police officers talk with a man accused of cashing stolen checks Monday, Oct. 26, at First Bank, 128 E. Broadway. Crime fails WENDY NUGENT/NEWTON NOW Cierra Ebert, left, looks through Brad Buchta's camcorder's night vision Monday night in her and Jo Twitchell's basement. Twitchell is at center with Buchta on the right. to pay out at Brad Buchta searches for spooks in Newton home BY WENDY NUGENT “There is one who goes down and “They don't have to be part of the First Bank peeks and goes back up” the property or house.” NEWTON NOW STAFF BY ADAM STRUNK [email protected] staircase leading from the first Erbert also said the ghosts in to the second floor. the house are positive entities NEWTON NOW STAFF Erbert identifies as a medium. and that she's also seen a woman [email protected] ierra Erbert and Jo “I'm a very highly spiritual in white once in her house after Twitchell say they live in a person, and I was getting shown waking from a dream. The When cashing stolen checks, it's probably not the Chouse with at least four I can work with nature,” Erbert woman faded as Erbert looked at best idea to do so next to a police station. ghosts at 511 E. Eight St. said about the dream. her. Two hapless individuals found themselves boxed in “Someone hangs out in the “With mediums, they always by four Newton Police Department vehicles at the basement,” Erbert said. […] present themselves,” Erbert said. See GHOSTS / 7 First Bank drive-through the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 26. Police officers questioned them at the bank, 128 E. Broadway, while other officers rifled through their ve- hicle, searching for evidence and locating three stolen Area residents tell tales of ghosts, folklore checks from Newton. Newton Police Detective Scott Powell said the two BY WENDY NUGENT See CRIME / 7 NEWTON NOW STAFF [email protected] This is the time of year when people talk of ghosts Residents enjoy their in hushed tones, giving friends and co-workers goosebumps as they re- count their encounters with time living downtown these specters that scare or Editor’s note: This is the second in a multi-part se- delight their families, ries Newton Now is calling “Second Stories,” which whatever the case may be. looks at the creative ways individuals have used sec- Just like many other ond-story real estate in retail and other buildings in towns, Newton has a rich Newton. history of hauntings, real or rumored, from the Old BY WENDY NUGENT Mill to the Harvey County NEWTON NOW STAFF Historical Museum & [email protected] Archives to private dwellings. In good fun, we Marva Weigelt doesn't just like living in downtown looked around for a few of WENDY NUGENT/NEWTON NOW Newton. She loves it, and she really likes her apart- The Fifth Street bridge in Newton is said to be the site of a Cacooey. See STORIES / 7 ment above the Hair Cutting Co. “I love living here,” she said. “Curtis is the best landlord I've ever had in my life.” She's talking about Curtis Stubbs, who manages the Mail Label New apartment complex gets first nod of See DOWNTOWN / 5 approval from Newton City Commission BY ADAM STRUNK of moderate income housing units. The project would be built in phases. NEWTON NOW STAFF The first phase would involve 32 apart- [email protected] ment units split into two 16-unit build- ings. Half would have one bedroom and Another developer wants to bring one bath and the other half would in- apartments and duplexes to Newton. clude two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Ross Vogel of Heartland Housing Rental rates for apartments would Partners made his case to the Newton range from $750 to $900 for single-bed- Board of Commissioners about a large room apartments, Vogel said. Two-bed- moderate-income housing and duplex room apartments would range from complex at Southeast 24th Street and $950 to $1,000 a month. Interstate 135. “Everywhere we go, we have to drag “I say this in most communities I the market up,” he said. “People will come to. If the 29- or 39-year-old me got pay for something that's nice and new.” dropped into Newton, Kansas, I'd either According to the U.S. Census Bureau, WENDY NUGENT/NEWTON NOW be lucky or not happy with what I would Pamela Barthell enjoys herself in the kitchen of her two-bedroom find here,” Vogel said of the availability See COMPLEX / 7 apartment above Hair Cutting Co. in Newton. High Top Dining Table $798 200 W. Broadway • Newton 316-283-1818 • 800-964-1812 • Mon-Fri 10-6 • Saturday 10-5 Page 2 www.harveycountynow.comNEWS Newton Now October 29, 2015 Relay for Life: Many turn out for annual event BY WENDY NUGENT NEWTON NOW STAFF [email protected] nnie Brown gave Michelle Newman a Abig bear hug and shed a few tears during Relay for Life Saturday, Oct, 24, in the 100 block of East Sixth Street. Newman, who resides in Louisiana, lost her hus- band to cancer a few months ago, said Brown, who is from Wellington. Newman's late husband, Mike, had been a longtime family friend. “I hadn't met her yet,” Brown said about New- man, who was dressed in a green ballerina skirt and green top. PHOTOS BY WENDY NUGENT Brown said she came to /NEWTON NOW Harvey County Relay for ABOVE: Pam Wedel, Life because she wanted to right, puts a medal on participate and meet New- mother-in-law Lois man. Wedel, 96, of Newton Relay for Life raises following her trek dur- money to save lives from ing the survivors cancer, as well as recogniz- march. ABOVE RIGHT: ing those who didn't win Annie Brown, left, the battle with cancer and LEFT: Those attending Relay for Life on Saturday listen to the National gives a big hug to Anthem. those who did. Official dol- Michelle Newman, lar amounts on how much who recently lost her money was raised were not husband to cancer. cancer was discovered he'd need a device he'd available as of press time. BOTTOM RIGHT: Peo- early. have to hold up to his Opening ceremonies in- ple take part in the “I think you're seeing throat so folks could tell cluded the singing of the survivors walk Satur- cancer isn't an automatic what he was saying. “National Anthem,” a cere- day, Oct. 24, in down- death sentence like it used He also said having the mony by the Knights of town Newton. to be,” Heckman said. survivor march is a good Columbus, a speech by one left vocal chord in 2005. cancer. Having cancer of the idea, especially for people of the organizers and a lap. His career included work- “Actually, I don't, but it vocal chord for someone who are newly diagnosed cancer survivor walk One survivor, John ing in radio as a news re- helped me notice it,” Heck- who made a living with his and can see people do sur- around the luminaria. Heckman of Newton, was porter, as he said he was man said. “I got a little voice was a scary proposi- vive; it gives them hope. Newton High School cheer- there, wearing a medal born with a “good set of hoarse, and it didn't go tion, Heckman said, “I think having it down- leaders and others put held around his neck by a pipes.” However, he does- away.” adding his doctor said he town is nice,” his wife of 41 medals around survivors' purple ribbon. Heckman n't think being on air con- He went to the doctor to might not be able to speak years Roberta Heckman necks after they made a said he had cancer of the tributed to his vocal chord get it checked out, and the again if they cut it out or said. Newton school board tables recreation commission tax authority request BY ADAM STRUNK crease would cost the eral public, in their mind, bathrooms, which the Rec the repairs weren't sched- school board spent around owner of a $100,000 home, all this gets lumped to- Commission hoped to use uled to take place 2017 or an hour and a half in a NEWTON NOW STAFF $33 more in taxes a year. gether in their overall mill additional monies for were 2018, she thought the dis- strategic planning ses- [email protected] The Board approved levy,” he said. “There's a things he already felt ok trict had time to gather sion. This week’s topic tabling the request until a strong tendency not to dif- approving the commis- more information about was distilling motivations The Newton Recreation January meeting by a vote ferentiate these things. sions taxing authority to the increase. in order to find the Commission will have to of 4-1. There's a lot of uncer- pay for. He also compli- The Recreation Com- “mantra” of the school dis- wait a little while longer “I'm not saying I'm tainty in what is coming mented the job the Rec mission will be invited to trict. before the School Board against increasing the au- down from Topeka.” Commission has done make another presenta- District members after vote on increasing its tax- thority but I would like to Board member Barbara with a stagnant budget.