March 29, 2024

Loebsack sees occupied, vacant buildings on tour

Congressman walks downtown Newton with new Main Street director

On his third visit to Newton in less than a five-week span, U.S. Congressman Dave Loebsack saw the city in a way not many visitors experience it.

Loebsack took a casual tour of downtown Newton businesses on Monday, observing everything from vacant storefronts or buildings to learn more about Jasper County’s overall economic picture.

Newton Main Street Director Graham Sullivan guided the tour.

Starting and ending at the Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce, Loebsack, Sullivan and Loebsack’s district representative, Bri Dennison, toured several buildings and businesses located on or near the courthouse square. Loebsack didn’t stay long at any one business, as his schedule called for him to later take a tour of Key Co-Op facilities in the Sully area later Monday afternoon.

The tour covered some of the area’s newest, most recently placed businesses, such as Bun in the Oven, to some of the older, most established businesses around the square. Loebsack chatted briefly with business owners, asking how long each one had been in business.

Laurie Nelson, owner of Relics Antiques, talked about the challenges of moving across the square to the old Pappy’s Antique Mall location from a previous, cramped arrangement in a storefront on the west side of the square. Loebsack asked about the history of the antique mall site, which was, among other former identities, a JC Penny’s store.

Sullivan, who was Newton Main Street’s Board president until director Andrew Bassman left to take another position, has only been the director a short time. However, she is knowledgeable about several recently obtained grants by local businesses, and she described progress made, challenges overcome and vacant spaces and other challenges that lie ahead.

After the tour, Loebsack told the Newton Daily News federal help with startup costs are important, but there are also ways Congress can do more to help small businesses sustain growth.

“Having the right kind of regulatory environment is really a big key,” Loebsack said.

The five-term Democrat, who is being opposed by Coralville surgeon and Republican Chris Peters for the Second District seat, was in Philadelphia a few days ago as one of Iowa’s superdelegates, said the convention process is exhausting, and by Saturday, his voice was hoarse.

Loebsack greeted the owner or whichever staff were on hand at five of the businesses he visited Monday in Newton. Only one of the store owners — Bonnie Terpstra of The Farmer’s Wife — mentioned the differences in the business climate from when Maytag was still operating its plant, through the ensuing transition years.

Loebsack is a member of the bipartisan Small Business Caucus and has sponsored or supported several bills to help small businesses. He’s a co-sponsor of HR 5022 — the Helping Individuals with Reemployment and Entrepreneurial Development (HIRED) Act — a recently introduced amendment to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to include assistance to dislocated workers.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com