July 2024

Hazel Spielman, who served as a crossing guard for about 35 years and became well known in the community for her work, passed away on July 4.Spielman was nominated for a national crossing guard of the year award in 2018, just missing a top five finish in the public voting online.She was stationed at Chisholm Middle School and Slate Creek, watching over the First Street crossing near Shalom Mennonite Church.She started serving as a crossing guard in February of 1989.“It is here, and it is my job,” Spielman told The Kansan in 2018.

Mike Fellows was really not expecting the phone call he received from city hall – it was a shock to him to learn he and his wife’s yard had been named the 2024 Yard of the Year.He told The Kansan neither he or his wife had any knowledge of who might have nominated them for the award.“When we got the phone call we were surprised as all heck.

The Newton city commission voted July 9 to notify the county clerk of the city’s intent to exceed the “revenue neutral rate” for the next budget year – meaning that the final budget for 2025 will spend more money than the previous year.The commission capped the final budget mill levy rate at the current rate of 72.361.“That is the maximum we can go up to.