Saturday, March 5, 2022
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Woman charged with murder in baby’s death By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Rebecca Ann Dobbs, of Gas, has been charged with first-degree murder following the Jan. 11 death of her infant Rebecca Dobbs son. Charges were filed Thursday by Allen County Attorney Jerry Hathaway. He also charged
Dobbs with one count of aggravated child endangerment. Her arrest Thursday was announced by the Allen County Sheriff ’s Department. She is being held in the Allen County Jail without bond. A status hearing has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 16. Cecil Jay Dobbs, who was born Nov. 8, 2021, died Jan. 11 in LaHarpe. A subsequent autopsy was ordered.
Russia takes nuclear plant KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops Friday seized the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe after a middle-of-the-night attack that set it on fire and briefly raised worldwide fears of a catastrophe in the most chilling turn in Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine yet. Firefighters put out the blaze, and no radiation was released, U.N. and Ukrainian officials said, as Russian forces pressed on with their week-old offensive on multiple fronts and the number of refugees fleeing the country topped 1.2 million. While the vast Russian armored column threatening Kyiv remained stalled outside the capital, President Vladimir Putin’s mili-
tary has launched hundreds of missiles and artillery attacks on cities and other sites around the country, and made significant gains on the ground in the south in an apparent bid to cut off Ukraine’s access to the sea. In the atttack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in the southeastern city of Enerhodar, the chief of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said a Russian “projectile” hit a training center, not any of its six reactors. The attack triggered global alarm and fear of a catastrophe that could dwarf the world’s worst nuclear disaster, at Ukraine’s Chernobyl in 1986. In an emoSee UKRAINE | Page A5
Craig Newman, left, and Chase Butcher are the owners of Sticks Golf Lounge, which opened this week in Humboldt. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Pick up Sticks By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
HUMBOLDT — Avid golfers can test their skills at navigating the iconic 17th hole at St. Andrews, work their away around Amen Corner at Augusta or even try their luck on the famed island green at Sawgrass — all from the friendly confines of downtown Humboldt. A series of golf simulators is the centerpiece of Humboldt’s newest recreational establishment, Sticks Golf Lounge, at 806 Bridge St., which opened its doors Wednesday. Sticks is the brainchild of
Steven Lucke shoots a virtual round of golf. Craig Newman and son-in-law Chase Butcher, both of whom would be perfectly content on
Stacy Cakes makes room for family
the golf course seven days a week. “We’ve always wanted something like this,” Newman said. “I really don’t know what got us started on the idea. But this town needs some type of entertainment, something you can do on evenings and weekends that doesn’t involve shopping.” “We’d been looking at different simulators,” Butcher said. “It finally got to the point where the prices were where we could do something like this.” Newman and Butcher found a site for their golf lounge in what had been an event center See STICKS | Page A7
Area teams bow out at substate
By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
HUMBOLDT — Between the COVID-19 pandemic, running a business and adopting a child, Stacy Mueller felt herself stretched pretty thin over the past couple of years. Something had to give. So Stacy closed her downtown storefront for her bakery and catering business, Stacy Cakes. She and her husband, Mark, sold the building, bought a fixer-upper house, set a cabin on the property and moved the business there in August. Her business model also has changed. Everything she sells today is pre-ordered or is catered. The change has allowed her to cut down on overhead and waste. But most importantly, she now has more time for her family. “Life changes,” she said. “We just roll with it.” THE MUELLERS moved to Humboldt in August 2009 to be closer to family. They had been living in Georgia, where Stacy worked
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Request to dismiss redistricting lawsuits denied PAGE A2
Allen County Mark and Stacy Mueller gave up their downtown storefront for Stacy Cakes, and instead operate out of a smaller cabin next to their home at 404 Mulberry St., Humboldt. The pandemic and the need to spend more time with family precipitated the move. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS in bakery management. She started working as a home baker in 2010, and opened the shop downtown in 2012. The couple lived above the store with their three children, enjoying about 5,000 square feet of living space. Their children are now 24, 21 and 19 and have moved out
on their own. Several years ago, though, Mark and Stacy became foster parents. That led to the adoption of their son, age 6, in May. They’re also caring for another young child. The business demanded much of their time and attention. They offered baked goods for pre-order, shipping
and on-demand. The storefront offered not only cookies and cakes but also hot lunches. An events center next door allowed them to offer catered events. Mark was the face of the business, and typically handled the customer service side of things while Stacy took
COVID-19 Case Count
Cases since 3/2 .......6 Total cases* ...........3,945 Deaths ..................46 *Since the start of the pandemic Sources: Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Departments, Kansas Department of Health and Environment
See BAKERY | Page A3
Vol. 124, No. 108 Iola, KS $1.00
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