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Sports: Red Devil soccer squad eyes first victory See B1

THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867

www.iolaregister.com

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Soil cleanup to resume By RICHARD LUKEN The Associated Press

Iolans began receiving notices Monday from the Environmental Protection Agency, detailing the agency’s plans to remove lead-contaminated soil from 350 or so properties later this month. In the letter sent out Friday, yards with more than 800 parts-per-million (ppm) of lead-soil contamination will have the soil removed starting Sept. 21. At least two feet of topsoil will be replaced with “clean” dirt and re-seeded with grass. All is being done at no cost to local residents. Lead-tainted soil has been

a part of Iola’s landscape since zinc and lead smelters were in operation in the early days of the 20th century. The industries are long gone, but their tailings remain, and are still a health risk, EPA officials said. A study in 2006 found more than 130 properties surveyed in Iola, most of which were near where the smelters operated in the east part of

revealed more than 350 other properties with lead-soil levels of 800 ppm or greater. Other property owners with lead-soil contamination of 400 ppm or greater — about 700 have been identified — also need to be cleaned eventually. In Friday’s letter, the agency said it will spell out those cleanup plans by the end of the year with the goal of beginning cleanup next spring. The price tag has been pegged at between $8 million and $10 million, Iola City Administrator Carl Slaugh said. Prior to Iola’s inclusion in the National Priorities List,

town, had unsafe levels of lead. Those studies were voluntary, in which samples were taken from properties only upon the landowner’s request. It was evident then that additional testing was required, EPA officials said. Iola was placed on EPA’s National Priorities List in late 2012, noting more cleanup was necessary. Subsequent testing in 2013

See EPA | Page A6

Expert: Child care programs at risk of funding cuts By DAVE RANNEY Kansas Health Institute

A national expert on the federal government’s plan for reforming its support for child care says Kansas has a lot to be concerned about. “When you look at Kansas, you see that you’ve lost lots of children who were receiving child care assistance and that you’re paying very low rates to child care providers who serve families getting assistance,” said Helen Blank, director of child care and early learning at the National Women’s Law Center in Washington, D.C. “You

don’t want that, and you don’t want that to be cut any further.” Blank addressed a forum Monday in Topeka on policy issues tied to the federal government’s pending rollout of its Child Care and Development Block Grant program, which generates about $42.2 million annually in federal funds for early childhood development and child care assistance programs in Kansas. The forum was a project of Kansas Action for Children, an organization that advocates for children and families. About 40 people —

Blank and Stephanie Schmit, a senior policy analyst with the Center for Law

a mix of child care providers, education officials and early childhood development instructors — attended the four-hour session.

Rides to recall ‘Big Train’ By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register

HUMBOLDT — Casey Jones, the renowned train engineer of the 19th century, would be right at home in Humboldt a few weeks hence. On Oct. 10 a prominent sideshow of a Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit will be roundtrip train rides between Humboldt and Chanute. The Walter Johnson “Big Train” Special will be part of the Hometown Teams event. Johnson often was referred to as the “Big Train” during his extraordinary pitching career with the Washington Senators, 1907-1927, when he won 417 games. The event is organized by the Humboldt Historic Preservation Alliance Lynn Lytle, an HHPA member, gave a rundown: Three rides will be offered by the Burlington North Santa Fe and South Kansas Oklahoma Lines See TRAIN | Page A6

See EPA | Page A6

Additional email data released

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton and her aides at the State Department were acutely aware of the need to protect sensitive information when discussing international affairs over email and other forms of unsecure electronic communication, according to the latest batch of messages released by the agency from Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state. The State Department made public roughly 7,121 pages of Clinton’s emails late Monday night, including 125 emails that were censored prior to their release because they contain information now deemed classified. The vast majority concerned mundane matters of daily life at any workplace: phone messages, relays of schedules and forwards of news articles. But in a few of the See EMAIL | Page A6

Crews are putting the last touches at Iola Auto Wash, 815 N. State St. The car wash’s new owner said it was scheduled to reopen later this week. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Remodel nearly complete for local car wash Aside from the brick walls and wooden rafters, not much of the old remains in place at Iola Auto Wash. “Everything else is pretty much A-to-Z brand new,” said Kyle Owens, who acquired the former Iola Auto Spa at 815 N. State St. with his wife, Maggie, and parents, Scott and Jody Owens. The Owenses purchased the facility in early June, and since then have overseen the massive renovation project. The work is nearing a conclusion. Owens hopes to have the facility open by the end of the week.

Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 209

Among the upgrades: The automatic car wash in the southernmost bay has been removed and replaced with the same pressurized hose system for motorists to do the washing themselves. Because the bay is 2 feet narrower than the other five, Owens has outfitted it with equipment geared for small cars or motorcycles. “You can get a large car or a truck in there, but it would be a tight squeeze,” Owens said. “We’d figure we’d try something different. There are a lot of motorcyclists around here.” The most unique feature

is a second hose to pump out warm air for motorcyclists to dry off their rides without having to wipe them down. An outdoor truck bay has been built at the building’s north end, replacing an automated dryer system. The bay includes a 14-foot, 6-inch clearance below the spray equipment. The bay is described as a “super bay,” and releases even more highly pressurized soap and water capable of cleaning the biggest trucks and semis. All new vacuums outside the bays have been installed as well. The Owenses also replaced the car wash’s roof.

“Love is love’s reward.”

Owens plans to install a new vending machine to provide such things as protectant wipes, air fresheners and chamois cloths. “About the only piece of equipment we’re keeping is the dollar bill changer,” Owens said. “That was working properly, so there’s no sense in replacing it.” THE FORMER Iola Auto Spa was built by the late Charlie Masoner in the mid 1980s. He, in turn, sold it in 2000 to John and Sandy Ellis, who sold it to the Owenses — who own two other car washes in eastern Kansas.

Hi: 91 Lo: 68

— John Dryden, English poet 75 Cents

Iola, KS


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