Jerry Newton (politician)
Encyclopedia
Gerald F. "Jerry" Newton (born September 15, 1937) is a Minnesota
community leader and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
who represented District 49B, which includes portions of the cities of Andover
and Coon Rapids
in Anoka County
in the northern Twin Cities
metropolitan area. A Democrat
, he is also a former grocery store owner and manager, and a career soldier.
, who did not seek re-election. He was unseated by Republican
Branden Petersen
in the 2010 general election. He was a member of the House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee, and also served on the Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee for the Veterans Affairs Division, of which he was vice chair, and on the Finance subcommittees for the K-12 Education Finance Division and the Transportation Finance and Policy Division. He was the Minnesota School Board Association 2009 Legislator of the Year.
, then earned his B.A.
in Government from the University of Maryland
in 1973. He received his M.A.
in International Relations in 1975 from Boston University
, and studied at the doctoral level at the Catholic University of Louvain in Leuven, Belgium, and at the University of Minnesota
in Minneapolis
.
Newton served in the United States Army
from 1955–1978, retiring as a sergeant major, after serving in Vietnam
during the Vietnam War
, and spending seven years in the Middle East
. The Bronze Star and the Vietnamese Medal of Valor
are among his many awards and decorations. He taught government at the University of Maryland from 1975–1976, and was a teaching assistant at the University of Minnesota from 1979-1980. He owned and managed the Blaine
Dairy Store from 1980-2000.
City Council from 1994–2000, and served as acting mayor from 1999-2000. He was a member of the Anoka-Hennepin School District 11
School Board from 2000-2008. Through the years, he chaired the Anoka Human Rights Council, served on the Anoka County Affordable Housing Coalition, the Coon Rapids Economic Development Authority, the Crystal
Housing and Re-Development Authority, the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee of the National League of Cities
(1995–2000), the Metropolitan Council
Transportation Advisory Board (1996–2000), the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, and the Northstar Corridor Development Authority. He also initiated the Highway 10 Corridor Coalition.
Newton was a founding board member of Free 2 Be, Inc. and is a member of the Metro North Chamber of Commerce and the Coon Rapids Rotary. He is a life member of the VFW and is a member of the Coon Rapids American Legion. Newton is best known locally for virtually single-handedly creating the rail crossing quiet zones which set a national standard for enhanced rail crossing safety while silencing train whistles. He also wrote the local school district anti-bullying policy which became the base for the State of Minnesota anti-bullying policy.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
community leader and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
who represented District 49B, which includes portions of the cities of Andover
Andover, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,588 people, 8,107 households, and 7,150 families residing in the city. The population density was 779.6 people per square mile . There were 8,205 housing units at an average density of 240.6 per square mile...
and Coon Rapids
Coon Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,627 people, 22,578 households, and 16,572 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,718.1 people per square mile . There were 22,828 housing units at an average density of 1,007.2 per square mile...
in Anoka County
Anoka County, Minnesota
Anoka County is the fourth-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the counties of Isanti on the north, Chisago and Washington on the east, Hennepin and Ramsey on the south, Sherburne on the west, and the Mississippi River on the southwest.As of 2010, Anoka...
in the northern Twin Cities
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
metropolitan area. A Democrat
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
, he is also a former grocery store owner and manager, and a career soldier.
Legislative service
Newton was first elected to the House in 2008, succeeding six-term Rep. Kathy TingelstadKathy Tingelstad
Kathy Tingelstad is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented District 49B, which primarily includes portions of the cities of Andover and Coon Rapids in Anoka County in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area. Prior to the 2002...
, who did not seek re-election. He was unseated by Republican
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
Branden Petersen
Branden Petersen
Branden Petersen is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represents District 49B, which includes portions of the cities of Andover and Coon Rapids in Anoka County in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area...
in the 2010 general election. He was a member of the House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee, and also served on the Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee for the Veterans Affairs Division, of which he was vice chair, and on the Finance subcommittees for the K-12 Education Finance Division and the Transportation Finance and Policy Division. He was the Minnesota School Board Association 2009 Legislator of the Year.
Education, military and professional service
Newton graduated from Osseo High School in OsseoOsseo, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,434 people, 1,035 households, and 606 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,179.7 people per square mile . There were 1,060 housing units at an average density of 1,384.7 per square mile...
, then earned his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Government from the University of Maryland
University of Maryland
When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
in 1973. He received his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in International Relations in 1975 from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, and studied at the doctoral level at the Catholic University of Louvain in Leuven, Belgium, and at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
.
Newton served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1955–1978, retiring as a sergeant major, after serving in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, and spending seven years in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. The Bronze Star and the Vietnamese Medal of Valor
Medal of Valor
The Medal of Valor is the highest Israeli military decoration.The medal was established in 1970 by the Knesset in an act of law as a replacement for the Hero of Israel military decoration that was awarded during the War of Independence...
are among his many awards and decorations. He taught government at the University of Maryland from 1975–1976, and was a teaching assistant at the University of Minnesota from 1979-1980. He owned and managed the Blaine
Blaine, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,942 people, 15,898 households, and 12,177 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,330 people per square mile . There are 16,169 housing units at an average density of 477.6 per square mile...
Dairy Store from 1980-2000.
Community leadership
Active in his local community and government, Newton was a member of the Coon RapidsCoon Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,627 people, 22,578 households, and 16,572 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,718.1 people per square mile . There were 22,828 housing units at an average density of 1,007.2 per square mile...
City Council from 1994–2000, and served as acting mayor from 1999-2000. He was a member of the Anoka-Hennepin School District 11
Anoka-Hennepin School District 11
The Anoka-Hennepin School District 11 is a school district in Minnesota, northwest of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The district serves 13 communities: All of Anoka, Champlin and Coon Rapids, and parts of Andover, Blaine, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Dayton, Fridley, Ham Lake, Nowthen, Oak Grove...
School Board from 2000-2008. Through the years, he chaired the Anoka Human Rights Council, served on the Anoka County Affordable Housing Coalition, the Coon Rapids Economic Development Authority, the Crystal
Crystal, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,698 people, 9,389 households, and 6,102 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,929.3 people per square mile . There were 9,481 housing units at an average density of 1,641.3 per square mile...
Housing and Re-Development Authority, the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee of the National League of Cities
National League of Cities
The National League of Cities is an American advocacy organization representing 19,000 cities, towns, and villages, and encompassing 49 state municipal leagues....
(1995–2000), the Metropolitan Council
Metropolitan Council
The Metropolitan Council or Met Council is the regional governmental agency and metropolitan planning organization in Minnesota serving the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area. The Met Council is granted regional authority powers in state statutes by the Minnesota Legislature. These powers...
Transportation Advisory Board (1996–2000), the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, and the Northstar Corridor Development Authority. He also initiated the Highway 10 Corridor Coalition.
Newton was a founding board member of Free 2 Be, Inc. and is a member of the Metro North Chamber of Commerce and the Coon Rapids Rotary. He is a life member of the VFW and is a member of the Coon Rapids American Legion. Newton is best known locally for virtually single-handedly creating the rail crossing quiet zones which set a national standard for enhanced rail crossing safety while silencing train whistles. He also wrote the local school district anti-bullying policy which became the base for the State of Minnesota anti-bullying policy.