Town of Newton Receives State Grant for Library, Museum

State Sen. Jimmy Holley and Rep. Steve Clouse presented the Town of Newton Sunday afternoon with $25,000 toward its preservation efforts of the Oates-Reynolds Memorial Building, which was once a Baptist college and now the town's library and museum.

State Sen. Jimmy Holley and Rep. Steve Clouse presented the Town of Newton Sunday afternoon with $25,000 toward its preservation efforts of the Oates-Reynolds Memorial Building, which was once a Baptist college and now the town's library and museum.

Each presented a check for $12,500, made possible by the Alabama Historical Society.

Newton Mayor Mike Byrd said that he was very pleased for the town to receive the funds. "We are hoping to expand the museum and attract more people to our library with the money," he said. "The historical building here is the very nucleus of something that could be very attractive for the town."

The checks were presented at a special reception at the museum sunday afternoon. Byrd indicated that the event was part of an eventful week in the town. At last week's council meeting, he said the Newton Police Department welcomed Marty Spears and Marie Guenther as new members of the regular force and accepted the resignation of Officer James Arrington.

Arrington has served two separate times with the department and was Police Chief during part of the town's last administration. Both spears and Guenther come to Newton with service records as police officers. Spears is filling a part-time position and Guenther was aded to the full-time force.

Two police reserve appointments were also made in addition to the department's regular force, Byrd said. Local pastor Keto March and Fort Rucker MP Rob Pierce are filling these positions.

Also during the meeting, a special commendation went to Ms. April Windham for her efforts in helping with some of the duties at the Newton Town Hall. A senior at Dale County High School, Ms. Windham has been assisting daily in the offices of both the town and the court clerk.

Byrd also expressed his thanks to Mr. Howard Hanners, who has volunteered to cut the Town Park's grass at no charge.