Photo: Valle Drive-In Theater
(Newton, IA) -- Valle Drive-In Theater in Newton plans to open in a couple weeks after having to repair damages left by a tornado earlier this year. Co-Owner Jeff Namminga says the drive-in is normally open in April. But he says the tornado last March caused about $70-thousand in damage. It ripped off a third of the screen and damaged the concession stand's interior when the wind lifted the roof partially and then slammed it back down. Namminga says the insurance covered very little of the damage, and the theater has lost about 60% of the season so it's been a rough go so far this year. Valle Drive-In is selling new T-Shirts to help cover costs. Valle Drive-In says people can place their order until July 17th. If they wear their shirt to the drive-in, as a thank-you for their support, they will receive one free small bag of popcorn. Follow Valle Drive-In on Facebook to get updates on the official open.