The Iola Register, Sept. 1, 2023

Restoring an aging starlet

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Arestoration project 12 years — and counting

— received a big boost this week.

Crews from 5M Restoration, Fort Scott, began removing loose brick from near the north roof of the old Iola Theatre in the 200 block of South Washington Avenue Wednesday.

The brick has slowly detached from the rest of the building, said Jim Smith, who is helping oversee the extensive remodel through the The Iola Theatre Association.

Smith previously owned the building with David Toland, a former Iolan, before donating it the Iola Theatre Association.

Smith has taken steps in the past to better secure the brick until a permanent repair could be afforded.

The non-profit organiza-

tion received a grant for that brick work, Smith said, and has applications for other grants in the works to continue the restoration.

The most pressing need is to waterproof the base of the building, near the alley, where water has seeped in and destroyed much of the plaster work in the building’s interior.

“It’s going to take a lot,” he said. “We’ll need to find somebody who knows about plaster and how to best replace it.”

The cost, which will require a significant grant, and the work itself will be months (or years) into the future.

“I just hope I’m around to see it finished,” Smith said. ‘A temple of beauty and comfort’

The theater was built as a showpiece in 1931 by hotelier Ira Kelley, who incidentally owned a smaller theater across the street, Smith noted.

Iolan B.F. Churchill, an architect, offered his guidance in building the structure.

With nearly 900 seats and state-of-the-art technology, the Register account of its construction touted the modernity of its style, rivaling the movie houses in places such as Kansas City and New York.

The front of the building was composed of architec-

See THEATRE | Page A6

Humboldt blues festival returns

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

HUMBOLDT — Humboldt will come alive with music this weekend.

Marion County Record reporter Deb Gruver on Wednesday had the words “freedom of the press” tattooed on her arm. In her lawsuit, she accuses Police Chief Gideon Cody of “recklessly” violating her constitutional rights. SUBMITTED BY DEB GRUVER TO KANSAS

Marion County reporter sues police chief over raid

By SHERMAN SMITH Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — Police Chief Gideon Cody arrived at the Marion County Record and handed a copy of a search warrant to Deb Gruver, the veteran reporter who had questioned him about alleged misconduct at his previous job.

As Gruver read the search warrant, she told Cody she needed to call her publisher and editor, Eric Meyer. The police chief, who was osten-

sibly investigating another reporter’s computer use, snatched the phone out of Gruver’s hand.

The scene is recounted in a lawsuit Gruver filed Wednesday in federal court that says Cody had no legal basis for taking her personal cellphone. She is seeking damages for “emotional distress, mental anguish and physical injury” as a result of Cody’s “malicious and recklessly indifferent violation” of her

See RAID | Page A4

The Middle of Everywhere Music Festival returns for its second year. This year’s event has an expanded list of performers and a pre-party on Friday night.

On Saturday, the Revival Music Hall will feature four acts. On Sunday, head over to Camp Hunter for six performers and bands.

Last year’s inaugural festival brought a crowd of more than 400.

Performers come from all over the region, mostly within the radius of a twohour drive of Humboldt — Kansas City, Wichita, Tulsa, Joplin — which inspired the festival’s name.

FRIDAY’S activities feature a car show and cruise night, along with a music crawl at downtown business.

The cruise begins at 7 p.m. on the downtown square. The music crawl starts

Akeem Kemp will perform Friday at Humboldt’s Middle of Everywhere Music Festival at the Revival Music Hall. The festival concludes Sunday at Camp Hunter. COURTESY PHOTO at 4 p.m. at Octagon City Coffee, where Francesca Noel will perform.

At 5, Cozy’s Grindhouse will feature Elvin Graves.

At 6, Dead End Strings per-

forms at Sticks Golf Lounge.

Prizes and giveaways will be awarded at H&H TJ’s Family Diner, also at 6. At 7, Perrenoud’s Cocktail

See FESTIVAL | Page A3

Much remains to be done to restore the old Iola Theatre building, which has been vacant for the past dozen years. Crews from 5M Construction, at lower left, have begun reinforcing the bricks along the roof on the north side this week. At lower right is a stack of film reels used in the theatre’s heyday. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

REFLECTOR

Obituary

Charlene German

Charlene Sue German, 77, Neosho Falls, died Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, at Kansas Heart Hospital, Wichita. Charlene was born Dec. 20, 1945, five miles west of Neosho Falls on the Big Hill, to Charley S. Chriestenson and Juanita M. (Bushman) Chriestenson.

She and Wayne German were married May 29, 1964, in Iola.

He survives, as do Ron (Vickie) German, Neosho Falls, Susan (Ken) Leedy, Yates Center, and Sara (Eric) Patterson, Manhattan; seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren; five sisters and a brother.

A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, in the chapel at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 U.S. 54, Iola. Burial will follow in the Cedarvale Cemetery, Neosho Falls.

Memorials are suggested to the Neosho Falls United Methodist Church or to Cedarvale Cemetery, and may be left with the funeral home.

Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.

Classic coupe

Crest schools sponsored a Sun in the Fun Car show on Saturday, Aug. 26.

Gary Peters won Best of Show with his 1941 Chevy Master Deluxe 2-door coupe. GSSB sponsored the cash prize. All the money raised goes to Crest school organizations and sport teams. COURTESY PHOTO

Idalia heads out to sea as Florida, Georgia clean up

PERRY, Fla. (AP) —

Tropical Storm Idalia headed out to sea Thursday after thrashing parts of Florida and Georgia with punishing rains and destructive winds, leaving residents to begin the arduous process of clearing fallen trees, restoring power and picking through the debris of devastated homes.

Thus far, authorities have only confirmed only one death, that of a man hit by a falling tree in Georgia. But the storm’s ferocious winds shredded homes in Florida’s Big Bend area, where Idalia roared ashore as a major hurricane. As many as a half-million customers were without power at one point in Florida and Georgia as the storm ripped down power poles.

After pounding Florida, Idalia swung east, flooding many of South Carolina’s beaches and leaving some in the state and North Carolina without power before heading back into the Atlantic Ocean. Forecasters said the weakened storm should continue heading away from the U.S. for several days, although officials in Bermuda warned that Idalia could hit the island early next week as a tropical storm.

Rescue and repair efforts were in full force in Florida’s remote Big Bend area, where Idalia roared ashore Wednesday as a major hurricane. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he planned to tour the area with federal emergency officials on Thursday. He noted that because the storm came ashore in the remote region where Florida’s Panhandle curves into the peninsula, Idalia was far less destructive than feared, providing only glancing blows to Tampa Bay and other more populated areas. In contrast, Hurricane Ian last year hit the heavily populated Fort Myers area, leaving 149 dead in the state.

“I think this one, there was definitely a lot of destruction but it was so much debris and so much woods and that’s just going to require a lot to clean all that up,” DeSantis said.

No hurricane-related deaths were officially confirmed in Florida, but the state’s highway patrol reported two people killed in separate weather-related crashes just hours before Idalia made landfall.

The storm was still a

Riot leader sentenced to 17 years

WASHINGTON (AP)

— A former organizer of the far-right Proud Boys extremist group was sentenced on Thursday to 17 years in prison for spearheading an attack on the U.S. Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election.

The sentence for Joseph Biggs is the second longest among hundreds of Capitol riot cases so far, after the 18-year prison sentence for Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes.

Federal prosecutors had recommended a 33year prison sentence for Biggs, who helped lead dozens of Proud Boys members in marching to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Biggs and other Proud Boys joined the mob that broke through police lines and forced lawmakers to flee, disrupting the joint session of Congress for certifying the electoral victory by Biden, a Democrat.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly said the Jan. 6 attack trampled on an “important American custom,” certifying the Electoral College vote.

Biggs acknowledged to the judge that he “messed up that day,” but he blamed being “seduced by the crowd” of Trump supporters.

David Rudd helps Steve Odom, left, carry a kayak onto his porch through the flooded streets caused by Hurricane Idalia passing offshore on Wednesday, in Tarpon Springs, Florida. (JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES/ TNS)

menace when it reached Valdosta, Georgia, about 80 miles inland.

Nearly all of the 600 tarps that officials had set aside to cover damaged roofs had been claimed by Thursday morning, said Meghan Barwick, spokeswoman for surrounding Lowndes County.

More than 24,000 homes and businesses in the county of about 120,000 people remained without electricity, according to Barwick, who said residents should be prepared for several days more without lights or air conditioning.

Still, the storm’s impact on the state could have been much worse, Georgia Gov. Kemp said.

“We’re fortunate this storm was a narrow one, and it was fast moving and didn’t sit on us,”

Kemp told a news con-

ference Thursday in Atlanta. “But if you were in the path, it was devastating. And we’re responding that way.”

He noted that Valdosta, a city of 55,000 people, suffered a direct hit while Idalia remained a strong hurricane with 90 mph winds.

“My curiosity got the better of me, and I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life,” he said.

Today Sunday 92 61 Sunrise 6:51 a.m. Sunset 7:52 p.m.

Monday Temperature High Thursday 86 Low Thursday night 61 High a year ago 92 Low a year ago 58

62 95 63 95

Precipitation 24 hrs as of 8 a.m. Friday 0 This month to date 0 Total year to date 19.76 Deficiency since Jan. 1 6.36

Published Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, except New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Subscription Rates

302 S. Washington Ave. Iola, KS 66749 620-365-2111 | iolaregister.com Out of Allen County Mail out of State Internet Only

$162.74 $174.75 $149.15

$92.76 $94.05 $82.87

people text me in Valdosta and say that city will not be the same once the cleanup is done,” Kemp said. A man in Valdosta died when a tree fell on him as he tried to clear another tree out of the road, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said. All prices include 8.75% sales taxes. Postal regulations require subscriptions to be paid in advance. USPS 268-460 | Print ISSN: 2833-9908 | Website ISSN: 2833-9916

$53.51 $55.60 $46.93

$21.75 $22.20 $16.86

One Year 6 Months 3 Months 1 Month In Allen County $149.15 $82.87 $46.93 $16.86 Member Associated Press. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to use for publication all the local news printed in this newspaper as well as all AP news dispatches NEWS & ADVERTISING

Postmaster: Send address changes to The Iola Register, P.O. Box 767 Iola, KS 66749 Susan Lynn, editor/publisher | Tim Stau er, managing editor

North Korea: Missile launch re-enacted nuclear strike

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Thursday its latest missile launches simulated “scorched earth” nuclear strikes on South Korea and that it’s also been rehearsing an occupation of its rival’s territory in the event of conflict.

Pyongyang has previously tested nuclear-capable missiles and described how it would use them in potential wars with South Korea and the U.S. But the North’s disclosure of detailed war plans reaffirmed its aggressive nuclear doctrine to intimidate its opponents, as it escalates its protest of the ongoing South Korean-U.S. military exercises that it views as a major security threat, observers say.

North Korea’s military said it fired two tactical ballistic missiles from the capital

on Wednesday night to practice “scorched earth strikes” at major command centers and operational airfields in South Korea, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

The North’s military said the missiles carried out their simulated strikes through air bursts, suggesting it confirmed the explosions of dummy warheads at a set altitude.

North Korea said its missile tests were response to the United States’ flyover of longrange B-1B bombers for a joint aerial training with South Korea earlier Wednesday as part of the allies’ field exercises.

“(The aerial drill) is a serious threat to (North Korea) as it was just pursuant to the scenario for a preemptive nuclear strike at” North Korea, the Korean Peo-

ple’s Army general staff said. “The KPA will never overlook the rash acts of the U.S. forces and the (South Korean) military gangsters.”

The missile launches Wednesday were the

latest in the North’s barrage of weapons tests since last year. According to South Korean and Japanese assessments, the two short-range missiles travelled a distance of

Festival: Music returns to Humboldt

Continued from A1

Lounge welcomes local singer Sabra, followed by Pat Nichols at The Hitching Post at 8.

THOSE WHO attended last year’s festival will remember Akeem Kemp, an Arkansas singer, guitarist and songwriter who brought the crowd to its feet with his energetic and soulful performance.

Akeem and his band are the headliners for Saturday’s show at the Revival Music Hall, a former church being renovated as a music venue at 102 S. 10th St. He’s bound to rock the pews starting at 9:30 p.m.

Doors open at 5 p.m. with the first performer to take the stage at 6 p.m. A cash bar is available. Seating is limited. Find the “Middle of Everywhere Music Festival” on Facebook for details and links to purchase tickets.

The line-up and a brief description follow:

6 p.m. — Benjamin Nucaro, gritty soloist with heavy yet tasteful shreds.

7 p.m. — Piper Leigh, smoky vocalist with heartfelt originals.

8 p.m. — Martin & The Dead Guys’ Band, boogie on back with some vintage vibes.

9:30 p.m. — Akeem Kemp Band, transcendental band lead by an old soul with hypnotizing performance.

CAMP HUNTER offers a chance not just to delight in the music but also to camp for the weekend. You might find some of the performers and other musicians playing late into the night around a campfire.

The headlining act is the Seth Lee Jones Band. Guitar World magazine described the performance as “the raw, dirty and intimate vibe of a wellworn band doing their thing.”

The campground will be filled with vendors and food trucks. Bring your lawn chairs.

The line-up and a brief description follow:

2 p.m. — Sister Lucille Band, they have a Billboard chart-topping album. The band is from Springfield, Mo.

3:30 p.m. — Dustin Arbuckle and Matt Woods, stripped down harmonica and foot stompin’ from Wichita. Arbuckle

performed at last year’s festival but Woods is new.

5 p.m. — KALO, soulful, heart racing, blues, roots and rock and roll from Oklahoma City.

6:30 p.m. — Stranded in the City, chicano soul, funk, R&B. From

Kansas City.

8 p.m. — Cassie Taylor, singer-songwriter and producer with a modern day edge from Kansas City.

9:30 p.m. — Seth Lee Jones Band, killer shreds paired with gritty heavy vocals, from Tulsa.

225-250 miles at the maximum altitude of 30 miles before landing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff called the

launches “a grave provocation” that threatens international peace and violates U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban any ballistic launches by North Korea. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan remains “ironclad.”

South Korean and Japanese authorities said their warplanes conducted combined aerial drills with U.S. B-1B bombers respectively on Wednesday.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said that Wednesday’s B-1B deployment is the 10th flyover by U.S. bombers on the Korean Peninsula this year.

North Korea is extremely sensitive to the deployment of U.S. B-1B bombers, which can carry a huge number of conventional weapons.

Seth Lee Jones will perform Sunday as part of Humboldt’s Middle of Everywhere Music Festival. COURTESY PHOTO

A man walks past a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul on Aug. 24.

AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES/JUN YEON-JE/TNS

Hawaii may be at risk for another round of wildfires

HONOLULU (AP) —

The National Weather Service warned gusty winds and low humidity have increased the risk that fires could spread rapidly in the western parts of each Hawaiian island, three weeks after a deadly blaze tore through a coastal Maui town during a similar alert.

But the agency said winds would not be as powerful compared to Aug. 8 when flames burned down much of Lahaina, killing at least 115 people and destroying more than 2,000 structures. The fire was

the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century.

Lahaina’s flames were fanned by wind gusts topping 60 mph. This time, winds are forecast to be 15 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph, said Maureen Ballard, meteorologist at the agency’s Honolulu office.

“There is a magnitude of difference between the wind speeds in this event versus August 8th,” Ballard said.

The agency issued a Red Flag Warning for the leeward sides of the Hawaiian Islands through Thursday afternoon. It said gusts, low humid-

ity and dry grasses and trees could contribute to “extreme fire behavior.” It urged people to delay activities that could throw off sparks.

“It’s definitely still something to be concerned about,” Ballard said.

The Lahaina fire was fueled by powerful winds whipped up by a combination of Hurricane Dora, which passed some 500 miles (800 kilometers) to the south, and a very strong high pressure system to the north of the islands.

The cause of the blaze hasn’t been deter-

mined, but it’s possible it was ignited by bare electrical wire and leaning power poles toppled

Raid: Reporter sues police chief

Continued from A1

First Amendment free press rights and Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure.

“Although I brought this suit in my own name, I’m standing up for journalists across the country,” Gruver said. “It is our constitutional right to do this job without fear of harassment or retribution, and our constitutional rights are always worth fighting for.”

Cody spearheaded the Aug. 11 raid under the pretense that reporter Phyllis Zorn committed identity theft when she accessed public records on a public website. His real motivation, Gruver’s lawsuit contends, was to punish the journalists for investigating and reporting news stories.

Gruver had questioned Cody in April, when he was hired as police chief, about allegations made by his former colleagues with the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department. They accused Cody of making sexist comments, being a poor leader and driving over a dead body at a crime scene. The newspaper initially declined to write about the allegations without an on-the-record source or documentation that Cody was in danger of being demoted when he left Kansas City.

In Marion, a town of about 1,900, Cody became an ally of Kari Newell, who owns a restaurant and cafe.

A dizzying drama unfolded in the days preceding the Aug. 11 raid as Newell had Cody evict Meyer and Zorn from a public meeting at her cafe, and a confidential source provided Zorn with information that could jeopardize Newell’s efforts to obtain a liquor license at her restaurant.

The source said Newell had lost her driver’s license following a 2008 drunken driving conviction. When Zorn asked the Kansas Department of Revenue how to verify the information, the agency directed her to search the public records in its online database. Meyer told Cody about the information in part because the source also alleged that police knew Newell was driving without a license and had ignored repeated viola-

tions by Newell of driving laws.

Cody prepared an affidavit that claimed Newell was the victim of identity theft, and he requested permission to raid the newspaper office. Cody wrote in his affidavit that Zorn had accessed Newell’s driver’s license history by impersonating Newell or lying.

Magistrate Laura Viar authorized the raid.

Nothing in the affidavit or search warrant connects Gruver or her cellphone to the alleged crime. The search warrant only identifies Zorn as a suspect.

Cody ignored federal and state laws that prohibit authorities from taking journalists’ materials as he and his four police officers, aided by two sheriff’s deputies, seized an assortment of electronic devices from the newsroom that were unrelated to Zorn’s supposed crime.

Officers read the reporters their Miranda warning during the raid, then left them waiting outside for three hours in heat that reached 100 degrees. After the raid, Gruver went to the sheriff’s office, where police stored the confiscated equipment, to ask for her personal cellphone.

Gruver spoke with Cody there and told him she had nothing to do with the search of driver’s license records.

Cody grinned. “I actually believe you,” he said, according to the court filing.

The equipment was returned five days later, when the county attorney determined there wasn’t evidence to support the search warrants. Police altered an evidence list to avoid disclosing they secretly copied and unlawfully retained files from the computers.

Gruver is seeking at least $75,000, the minimum threshold for filing a civil case in federal court. She is suing Cody in his individual capacity for the “shocking, unprecedented and unconstitutional police raid,” her lawsuit says. Cody could claim qualified immunity, but the lawsuit argues that no reasonable police officer would think his actions were constitutional.

Blake Shuart, a Wichita attorney, is representing Gruver.

In a statement, Shuart pointed to Gruver’s 35 years of experience as a journalist. She has won numerous awards for her reporting and is a former board member of the Kansas Coalition for Open Government.

“Gruver is not the one to target for a violation of fundamental constitutional rights,” Shuart said. “She will fight for herself and her fellow journalists.”

Newell is not a defendant in the lawsuit, but

THINK SAFETY FIRST!

her name appears 25 times through 18 pages of the complaint.

The lawsuit notes that Gruver and Newell had been friendly before Cody’s arrival. When Gruver was new to town in August 2022, the lawsuit says, she wrote a “glowing review” of Newell’s restaurant. The review complemented Newell’s spatchcock chicken with whole new potatoes and asparagus, followed by “death by chocolate” cake.

Then, in April 2023, Newell objected to Gruver talking to sources on the phone while at her restaurant and began complaining about her reporting, the lawsuit says. In a contentious exchange of text messages, according to the lawsuit, Newell told Gruver she was not one to mess with.

The Marion County Record continued to publish its weekly paper and report on the circumstances surrounding the raid.

Recent Record stories revealed additional allegations made against Cody by his former colleagues.

by the strong winds.

Maui’s electric utility, Hawaiian Electric, acknowledged its power lines started a wildfire on Maui but faulted county firefighters for declaring the blaze contained and leaving the scene, only to have a second wildfire break out nearby.

Maui County has sued the utility.

As high winds re-entered the weather forecast on Tuesday, the county, Hawaiian Electric and Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, head of the Ha-

waii National Guard, issued a joint statement saying they were working together to minimize the risk of wildfire and ensure public safety.

“In our lifetimes, Hawaii has never been tested like this,” the statement said. “We will do what we have always done when confronted by hardship and heartbreak — we will stand together for our people and communities and work to keep them safe.”

The electric utility serving Kauai said it would cut power to a mountainous western part of the island in response to the weather service warning.

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative said in a news release it would de-energize the electrical line serving about 100 members in Kokee and Makaha Ridge.

The utility said it expected it wouldn’t restore power to this area until the Red Flag Warning is rescinded and utility crews have inspected the lines to make sure they are safe to re-energize.

We honor all who work to make our country strong. We wish a happy and safe holiday to everyone in our communi !

The Register will be closed on Labor Day Monday, September 4

We will not have a paper on Tuesday, September 5, but the o ce will be open om 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

302 S. Washington | 620-365-2111 iolaregister.com

Mitch Phillips, Gas Superintendent

Brian Cochran, Gas Technician

After 5 p.m. call 911 — the Iola Police Department will dispatch a service person.

2. If the odor is strong (indicating a severe leak) and you are indoors. Go outside. Call us from a neighbor’s house.

3. DO NOTturn any electrical switches on or off. DO NOT light any matches, lighters, don’t smoke or create any source of spark of combustion.

However slim the chances are of danger, it doesn’t pay to take needless risk. At the first sniff of gas, THINK SAFETY and give us a call.

A man walks along carcasses of cars that couldn’t escape a wildfire that swept through Lahaina, Hawaii. LOS ANGELES TIMES/ROBERT GAUTHIER/TNS

She (the reporter) is not the one to target for a violation of fundamental constitutional rights. She will fight for herself and her fellow journalists.

— Blake Shuart, attorney for Marion County reporter Deb Gruver

The U.S. backslide on child labor

By MICHAEL LAZZERI Special

Over 100 years ago, the National Child Labor Committee used photos of children doing industrial work to demand change in America.

Several states adopted child labor laws, and after much debate and several setbacks, the Fair Labor Standards Act became federal law in 1938.

Its protections included the nation’s foundational child labor laws, including restrictions on the age of workers and hours they can toil.

As we reflect on this Labor Day holiday almost a century later, we must not overlook the recent federal investigation conducted by my staff in the Midwest that found children working overnight to clean a Nebraska meatpacking plant with caustic chemicals, amid razor-sharp cutting machines and tools.

It revealed shocking facts that showed the ugly truth, that some businesses are still illegally employing young teens and putting them at risk.

Since 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor has seen a 69% increase in children employed in violation of federal child labor laws.

Hard-fought progress made five generations ago to eliminate child labor exploitation is

munities across the country. America is better than that.

In February 2023, the Department of Labor launched the Interagency Task Force to Combat Child Labor Exploitation, bringing together federal agencies to improve information sharing, provide outreach and education to the public, and coordinate efforts to advance the health, education, and well-being of children in the U.S.

The department has also launched a National Strategic Enforcement Initiative on child labor, and is using all of our enforcement and legal tools to stop companies from profiting

illegally on the backs of children.

We’re taking violators to court and have invoked the Fair Labor Standards Act “hot goods” provision, to prevent shipment of goods produced using illegal child labor. We are also scrutinizing labor violations at all steps in industry supply chains.

To strengthen our efforts, our leadership has called on Congress to bolster protections for children and toughen penalties for companies that use child labor, which currently stand at a maximum of just $15,138 per violation.

That’s not high enough to be

a deterrent for major profitable companies.

Further, the Labor Department has requested increased funding for its enforcement agencies to investigate child labor cases and to expand outreach to employers, workers’ advocacy groups, schools and other community resources to educate employers and workers on the law.

We cannot put profitability ahead of the physical, emotional and educational well-being of children.

That is not the basis for a sound and just economy.

Our job is to make sure a teen’s work experience is positive and safe — and does not endanger them or interfere with their educational opportunities.

We cannot allow children in America to return to laboring in modern-day workhouses.

Our national and state leaders must come to the table and work together to prevent the scourge of child labor abuse from again becoming an American-made tragedy.

We cannot build our economy on the backs of children. America was better than that 100 years ago, and America is better than that today.

About the author: Michael Lazzeri is the Midwest Regional Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, which covers Kansas employers

In 1908, a 10-year-old girl takes a moment to glimpse at the outer world. She said she had been working as a spinner for one year at the Rhodes Manufacturing Co., in Lincolnton, N.C. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C.

SION WASHINGTON, D.C.

to the Wichita Eagle

In 1910, Salvin Nocito, 5 years old, carries 2 pecks of cranberries for long distance to the “bushel-man,” in Browns Mills, N.J. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C.

In 1908, Soarbar Seris said he had worked at the Maple Mills textile plant in Dillon, S.C., for five years. “I recon I’m about 14,” he said. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Ten-year-old Mollie Schuman is left at the shack to tend these babies while the adults work far off in the field, out of sight. Mollie tops and piles too. Near Sterling, Colo., 1915. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Once again, children are being exploited by those who put profits ahead of their wellbeing.

Theatre: Restoration effort continues, albeit slowly

Continued from A1

tural designs from different periods, the article noted.

“A theater is a place where the emotions are stimulated, and the setting should be in keeping with that purpose.”

Visitors were greeted in the foyer with plush carpets, doorways screened with dark-colored drapes.

Marvelously fabricated crystal chandeliers brought to life a riot of colors upon the walls.

Wall panels were adorned with murals of palm trees.

A mezzanine below the second-story balcony — next to an apartment built into the building — was a smoking lounge.

Once inside the auditorium, “air-cushioned” seats offered the comforts of home.

Kelley also spared no expense with the sound equipment and projection system.

A packed house saw the Clark Gable hit “Sporting Blood” on the theater’s opening day in 1931.

As an unfortunate sign of the times, minorities were relegated to the balcony in the theater’s early years, Smith noted.

An aging beauty

Over the next 70 years, the theater served as home to thousands of movies, and other events, such as regular bingo nights. During the restoration, Smith found several unused bingo cards. Those are being kept for display.

In the 1970s, the balcony seating area was closed off in order to add a second screen as the theater became Iola Cinemas I & II. (Smith, who worked at TG&Y at the time, recalled helping hang the second screen overnight prior to the grand reopening.)

The cinemas closed in 2001, upon construction of the Sterling Six Cinemas at the east edge of town.

A church utilized the building for a few years until Smith and Toland purchased it and eventually donated it to the Iola Theatre Association.

While much of the building has been gutted, several remnants of the cinematic past remain.

What’s left of three chandeliers are being kept in storage.

Old reels and canisters are stashed in the mezzanine.

Many of the building’s antique controls remain, and eventually will be dealt with, including the archaic air-conditioning system that was built in the basement.

“I still don’t know how they got it in there,” Smith said.

Corrections

An article in Wednesday’s Register misspelled Casy Weast’s name and omitted Sage Shaughnessy as newcomers to the Iola Fire Department.

In addition, we missed a digit on the price of an excavator, which should have been $111, 372.19. We regret the errors.

Another remnant of the building’s origins will eventually be replaced — the original zinc “Iola” marquis out front. That, too, will require a craftsman’s touch, Smith noted.

A long road ahead

Smith realizes much work lies ahead, and costs continue to rise.

With that in mind, the ITA board has offered seat naming and other donation opportunities as part of a fundraising campaign.

Because the Theatre Association is a non-profit organization, all donations are tax-deductible.

For more information, visit www.iolatheatre.org.

When it was built in 1931, the Iola Theatre was hailed as one of the most luxurious, state-of-theart facilities of its generation. Above is the auditorium with its original design, including murals of palm trees along the walls. At top right is one of the old chandeliers. Now, 70 years later, water damage to the base of the plaster walls, shown at left, must be dealt with. PHOTOS COURTESY OF IOLA THEATRE ASSOCIATION (TOP RIGHT) AND RICHARD LUKEN

Above at left is the interior of the foyer at the Iola Theatre shortly after it opened in 1931. Seventy years later, armrests from one of the original seats is being kept in storage. The theatre’s original zinc marquis is shown below.

Sports Daily B

Mustangs will rely on experience

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

A senior-heavy Iola football team is coming into the season focused on avenging a lackluster season last year that included a playoff loss.

Iola brings 13 seniors into this season whose histories go all the way back to peewee football.

The seniors have only one team goal this season: win the Pioneer League.

“It’s our last year so we may as well give it everything we’ve got,” said senior Korbin Cloud. “The energy has gotten a lot better since last year. We’re communicating well defensively, yelling coverages and reads across the field and we’re always on the same page.”

The seniors are keyed in on creating an atmosphere of continuous improvement throughout the season. A strong group of freshmen is helping contribute to the competitive atmosphere.

“It’s been a lot more competitive than it was last year,” said senior Landon Weide. “All of us seniors have been stepping up big. Last year was a learning curve. We’ve all been playing with each other since peewee so we know our tendencies, what we’re capable of and how to pick each other up.”

Last season, senior Danny Boeken was tabbed as an All-State Honorable Mention

Come out to the Mustang Mash Friday

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

Fans can celebrate the launch of the Iola High School football season by attending Friday’s “Mustang Mash,” at Riverside Park from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The tailgating event precedes the Iola v. Osawatomie matchup, and includes food trucks, inflatables and games, and an introduction to the Iola athletes.

Tickets are $15 per family of four and include admission to the game. All funds go toward Iola High School athletics.

For more information contact coach Doug Kerr at doug.kerr@usd257. org.

Allen sweeps Fort Scott

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

The Allen Red Devil volleyball team swept Fort Scott Community College in three straight sets on the road Wednesday.

Allen eked out the first and third sets by scores of 25-22, while cruising to a 25-18 victory in the second.

“It was definitely a confidence boost and a good atmosphere to play in,” said Allen head coach Maria Aitkins. “The girls came in pretty ready to play. Once everybody settled into their roles, everything else started to take care of itself.”

defensive lineman. Draydon Reiter and Ben Kerr each took All-Pioneer League Second Team linebacker honors while Cloud was named an All-Pioneer League Second Team DB.

“I’ll be playing both sides of the ball,” said Boeken. “I started on offense as a freshman so I definitely have more knowledge and a lot of varsity time. I feel like the expectations are set higher for me personally and we want a winning season.”

Senior Kolton Greathouse will also look to make a dif-

ference on the line where he racked up eight solo tackles and four tackles for a loss of yards last season. He has signed a letter of intent to play for Friends University in Wichita.

“I’ve put in a lot of work over the offseason with coach Tre Howard and I’ve gotten a lot better since last year,” said Greathouse. “I want to make state honors for defense and All-League for offensive line because last year I didn’t take home any honors.”

Weide returns at quarterback where he completed

49-of-88 passes for 596 yards and eight touchdowns a season ago. Reiter, also a senior, hauled in two touchdowns and 289 yards while making 13 solo tackles and two tackles for a loss last year. Other key returners for the Mustangs will be seniors Gage Skahan, Mac Leonard, Damian Wacker, Korbyn Fountain and Briggs Michael. Juniors Grady Dougherty and Cortland Carson will also play a lot at linebacker and offensive line, respectively.

Skahan is learning new po-

Nebraska volleyball draws record 92,003

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s fight song begins, “There is no place like Nebraska.” When it comes to volleyball, those words never rang more true than Wednesday night.

The Cornhuskers laid claim to the world record for largest attendance at a women’s sporting event with 92,003 filling Memorial Stadium for their volleyball match against Omaha.

The university took aim at the record last spring when it announced it would hold a daylong celebration of a sport that enjoys immense popularity in this state of fewer than 2 million.

“We took a chance by playing in Memorial Stadium, and to go for the record and break it. ... I don’t think anybody could have envisioned that when this whole thing started,” Nebraska coach John Cook said. “It feels like a great accomplishment for this sport called volleyball played by women. It’s a state treasure. We proved it.”

The event began with an exhibition between in-state Division II powers Nebraska-Kearney and Wayne State and was followed by the Huskers’ three-set sweep of Omaha in a regular-season match. Country artist Scotty McCreery performed afterward.

The previous attendance record was 91,648, set during a Champions League soccer

match when Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-2 at the Camp Nou Stadium in 2022. Memorial Stadium’s official capacity is just over 85,000 for football, but that number was higher for this event because there were seats and standing room on the field. Fans in red and white started their tailgate parties outside the stadium hours before first serve of an exhibition Wayne State won in three sets. The stadium was one-quarter full at the start of that match and gradually filled to capacity as players for Omaha and Nebraska were warming up. There was a flyover during the national anthem and, minutes before first serve, Cook led his Huskers into the stadium to the Tunnel Walk, the longtime tradition of the football team. Synchronized

chants of “Go Big Red!” were heard all around.

Conditions were 83 degrees, clear skies and a south wind listed at 4-mph at court level with gusts that sometimes moved the ball in unpredictable ways.

Though 91,648 was widely acknowledged as the women’s sports attendance record, at least one match at the unofficial 1971 Women’s World Cup in Mexico City reportedly drew 110,000 people.

The American record attendance for a women’s sporting event had been 90,185 for the 1999 World Cup soccer final between the United States and China at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California — the game where Brandi Chastain ripped off her shirt after scoring the decisive penalty shot for the U.S. win.

Offensively, Veronica Agostini led Allen with a team-high 11 kills while Lexi Deweese had eight and Abby Altic went for seven.

At the serving line, Isabella Simione recorded a team-high 27 aces.

“We just tried to stay as calm as possible, it’s a game of mistakes and we can’t let them snowball,” Aikins said. “Staying level-headed and understanding what our role is was key. If everyone shows up every night, we’ll be a good team.”

“They served pretty aggressively and were more consistent on the passing and serving line,” Aikins said. “We were able to dictate scoring more, dictate the tempo and keep them out of system. The blocking got better from Neosho.”

Agostini led the Lady Red Devils with 12 points, Altic had 10.5, Gallegos, 8.5, and Lexi Deweese, 8 points.

“Fort Scott is a very scrappy team and we did a good job of staying disciplined in certain times,” said Aikins.

Allen hosts the Ottawa University JV squad Monday at 6:30 p.m.

No. 16 KSU has healthy expectations

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State coach Chris Klieman knows what it’s like to have everyone in the conference watching out for you.

He lived it for five seasons at North Dakota State, where high expectations turned into four national championships. So after the Wildcats snuck up on just about everybody in the Big 12 a year ago, beating College

See K-STATE | Page B6

Iola’s Cortland Carson, No. 13, keeps the ball at Osawatomie in the season opener last season.

REGISTER FILE PHOTO See

Nebraska and Omaha play a college volleyball match Wednesday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. AP PHOTO/ERIC OLSON

Iola’s Eli Adams, right, celebrates a touchdown. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

1304 South Main • Garnett (785) 448-2888 www.ekaellc.com

NOW HIRING FOR MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANINSTRUMENTATION & ELECTRICAL

East Kansas Agri-Energy, LLC, a fuel ethanol manufacturer in Garnett, Kansas, has an opportunity available for a maintenance technician who will be responsible for testing, calibrating, troubleshooting, and repairing various electrical equipment including flow meters, level transmitters, flow control valves and other electrical equipment as needed.

Justice Thomas discloses additional flights

By TODD J. GILLMAN The Dallas Morning News/TNS

WASHINGTON — Justice Clarence Thomas reported two trips last year on private jets provided by Dallas billionaire Harlan Crow — the first such flights he has disclosed, after revelations earlier this year that the real estate mogul had provided luxury trips to him for years.

One of the trips was justified by security concerns, after a draft leaked of the ruling that would soon overturn abortion rights, according to Thomas’ ethics filing released by the Supreme Court on Thursday.

Thomas’ lavish secret trips with Crow, revealed in April by ProPublica, sparked an intense debate about Supreme Court ethics.

The two trips last year were not vacations. Both were for speeches in Dallas at conferences held by the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative group.

Harlan Crow sits for an interview at home on April 16, 2023, in Highland Park. (SMILEY N. POOL/THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS/TNS)

The first was in February 2022. Crow provided meals and a private flight back to Washington, D.C., during what Thomas described on his filing as an “unexpected ice storm.”

The second was in May.

“Because of the increased security risk following the Dobbs opinion leak, the May flights were by private plane for official travel as filer’s security detail recommended noncommercial travel whenever possible,” Thomas wrote in an explanatory note.

Crow is chairman of one of North Texas’ most successful private investment firms, Crow Holdings, which has almost $29 billion in assets under management, including real estate and securities. His late father, the legendary Trammell Crow, developed the Dallas Market Center, Atlanta’s Peachtree Center and San Francisco’s Embarcadero Center.

He has shrugged off allegations of unethical behavior by Thomas, not just over the undisclosed luxury vacations

but other instances of financial support that surfaced in recent months.

That includes paying at least $150,000 in boarding school tuition for a Thomas grandnephew who the justice was raising.

Crow also purchased the home where Thomas’s mother lives.

“Clarence Thomas has been the target of a 32-year-old campaign to destroy him personally,” he told The Dallas Morning News in May.

Crow called the justice and his wife, Ginni Thomas, a prominent conservative activist, “dear friends” since 1996 and the justice “one of the greatest Americans of our time.”

“Justice Thomas and Ginni never asked for any of this hospitality. We have never asked about a pending or lower court case, and Justice Thomas has never discussed one, and we have never sought to influence Justice Thomas on any legal or political issue,” he said.

3 x 8” ad

Q: Now that “The Company You Keep” is over, what’s next for Milo Ventimiglia?

A: That remains to be seen.

The actor put a lot into that ABC series, since his production company was heavily involved in it, in addition to his being the show’s star. It also came pretty much on the heels of the end of his run on NBC’s “This Is Us,” so he had been busy for quite some time.

The much-acclaimed family drama, on which Ventimiglia played Jack Pearson, followed a string of other regular roles for him on series (“Mob City,” “Chosen,” “The Whispers”) so if he should take a break from weekly television work for a while, it’s understandable. It’s also mandated, at least for the time being, given the work stoppage that has been prompted by the actors’ and writers’ strikes.

Other shows on which Ventimiglia has appeared have included “Gilmore Girls,” “American Dreams,” “The Bedford Diaries” and “Heroes.” He’s also not opposed to guest shots, as he proved on “The Mar velous Mrs. Maisel” as it was nearing its finale. Even if TV isn’t the route Ventimiglia takes when show business gets back to business, he’s done a suf ficient amount of movie work that might inspire him to go down that path again instead. “The Ar t of Racing in the Rain” and “Second Act” are among his more recent films, as is “Creed II,” in which he reprised the role of Rocky Balboa Jr. that he first played in (aptly enough) “Rocky Balboa.” The relationship he developed with Sylvester Stallone on the latter picture led to Stallone’s guest stint on “This Is Us.”

Should you lie about attraction to partner?

Adapted from an online discussion.

Dear Carolyn: I have a decent relationship with my co-parent, “C.” We were recently discussing what went wrong in our marriage, and C resurrected their complaint that I never told them they were physically attractive while we were together. They are correct about this.

I don’t know that I’ve ever been, “OMG, that person is hot,” about anyone I’ve dated. With the people I’ve been with, it’s more about the emotional and intellectual connection and general ability to enjoy time together than anything. C is a good-looking person who dresses well. I could have complimented those attributes in general, but I could not have authentically fawned over my physical attraction to C, so I didn’t.

Thinking about this in the context of love languages, attachment styles and just general ways people con-

Carolyn Hax

nect, I wonder whether I should have lied sometimes to meet C’s desire for affirmation as a sort of compromise between what they wanted to hear and what I felt, or whether this is just another way we were wildly incompatible. —

Anonymous Anonymous: No, there’s no, “I should have lied more.” Knowing what you know now, I would say you “should have” been crystal clear early on in your relationship that you were not wired to provide this kind of attention — because you don’t feel it and you never see anyone this way.

But I won’t say that. Because: 1. You apparently weren’t ready to say this at the time, because you hadn’t lived

through the events that forced such clarity on you, and what-ifs are useless unless paired with time travel. And 2. Your ex also “should have” figured out at some point that you were not a source of that brand of affirmation at any point, and therefore seeking it from you was futile.

… And that continually seeking it and pointing fingers at you now (still!) for not providing it is merely Act III, where Act I was having a need for a highly specific brand of affirmation and yet choosing someone! who! did! not! provide! it!, and Act II was marrying that stone, then trying to squeeze blood out of it for the entirety of the marriage.

Whew.

It’s not your business to help your ex with this unasked. But if I were friends with your ex, then I hope I’d have taken my one shot at asking point-blank whether they were ready to stop squeezing stones

What to expect from sports screening

By SONYA GOINS Mayo Clinic News Network/TNS

Summer is winding down, and soon kids will be heading onto the field to play their favorite fall sports. But before they can check into the game, they have to head into the doctor’s office for sports screenings.

It’s generally required that young athletes get a preparticipation exam before participating in organized activities. The exams aren’t just a formality. It’s to ensure your child’s safety and check to see if they are physically able to play.

Dr. Matthew Anastasi, a Mayo Clinic sports medicine physician, explains what parents should look for when it comes to sports exams.

It’s very important to identify any potential risk that they may be exposed to before their participation in the respective sport.

— Dr. Matthew Anastasi

“It’s very important to identify any potential risk that they may be exposed to before their participation in the respective sport,” says Dr. Anastasi.

A typical sports screening includes assessing vision, heart and lungs. Sports medicine specialists also will look at the joints.

“Really focusing on all the joints, ranging

from neck, shoulders, elbows, and then moving down to lower extremity hips, knees, ankles,” says Dr. Anastasi.

A thorough exam also includes going over medical and family history. This will help identify underlying conditions that might put a child at risk during physical activity.

Dr. Anastasi says sports screenings are not substitutes for health maintenance exams. He also recommends young athletes get a yearly sports physical.

“It’s a great opportunity to really identify if something is normal or abnormal, and also to help that athlete succeed at the highest level of his or her ability,” says Dr. Anastasi.

in search of blood, and maybe start looking into why they do that?

I hope we’ve also come to the point of the answer where we’re all ready to see how futile “should have” is as a source of satisfaction. Take a moment to imagine where we’d all be if we had gotten all of our “shouldas” right. Now laugh really hard and stop doing that and look at where we are.

That’s what we actually have to work with. So you can say to your ex, when asked: “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you the one thing you really wanted from me. I think I would have if I were wired that way, because I did and do care.”

You can also say to anyone you date from now on: “I’ve never been, ‘OMG, that person is hot,’ about anyone I’ve dated. It’s more about the emotional and intellectual connection and general ability to enjoy time together than anything.” Let them know, as soon as it’s not ridiculous to, what they can reasonably expect from you.

Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: I chose to pursue a career in physics because there the truth isn’t so easily bent. — Angela Merkel

ZITS

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

BEETLE BAILEY by Mort Walker

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by Chris Browne

BLONDIE by Young and Drake

MUTTS

by Patrick McDonell

MARVIN by Tom Armstrong

HI AND LOIS by Chance Browne

Spain players in running for player of the year

MONACO (AP) —

Two players who won the Women’s World Cup with Spain are on the short-list for the player of the year award from European soccer body UEFA on Thursday as the sport continues to deal with the turmoil created by Luis Rubiales.

The Spanish soccer federation president has refused to resign from his position despite causing an uproar after kissing Spain

K-State: Begins season of high expectations

Continued from A1

player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the team beat England in the World Cup final 11 days ago.

Spain teammates Aitana Bonmatí and Olga Carmona are both candidates to win the UEFA award, along with Australia forward Sam Kerr.

Rubiales, who is also a UEFA vice president, has been banned from the award ceremony because he has been suspended.

Iola: Has experience

Continued from B1

sitions this year, including cornerback where he’s becoming more comfortable in practice.

“Going up against the starting receivers is challenging at cornerback, especially being my first time learning it,” said Skahan. “I feel like it’s one of the hardest positions on the field because you have to cover, run and pass, and be good at block shedding.”

Boeken also men-

tioned how some of the freshmen skill players like Kale Pratt and Austin Crooks have stepped up in practice and are looking like veterans.

David Daugharthy leads the team as head coach, along with assistant coaches Doug Kerr, Ben Wiehn, John Taylor, Tre Howard and Tristan Carson. Iola kicks off their season on Friday evening at home against Osawatomie at 7 o’clock.

Football Playoff-bound TCU in the league title game, Klieman is back in some familiar territory. No. 16 Kansas State begins the season Saturday night against Southeast Missouri State, one of the better teams in the Football Championship Subdivision, knowing that it will get everyone’s best shot in the newly expanded conference this season.

“There’s a lot of great expectations out there, and I appreciate you guys throwing those high expectations on those guys, because they have earned the right because of what they did last year,” Klieman said. “But now we have to prove it on the field. There are a lot of guys that — here are the expectations, here is what was done — but they haven’t done anything yet.”

In truth, there aren’t a whole lot of them, at least in the starting roles on the initial depth chart.

Will Howard is back at the clear-cut starting quarterback after seizing the job from Adrian Martinez a year ago. His entire offensive line returns intact,

though Christian Duffie will miss the opener with an injury. Phillip Brooks and RJ Garcia are back to headline the wide receiver corps, and tight end-fullback Ben Sinnott could be an NFL draft pick by the spring.

On defense, the Wildcats have some holes to fill in the secondary but return Kobe Savage, one of the best safeties in the Big 12 who dealt with injuries late last season. Defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah was a first-round pick of the Chiefs, but veterans Khalid Duke, Brendan Mott and Nate Matlock should provide plenty of trouble for opposing quarterbacks.

“It’s been a long offseason,” Howard said, “but it’s also flown by. And man, I couldn’t be more pumped for this weekend.”

Southeast Missouri State is no pushover. They’re ranked No. 11 in the preseason FCS coaches poll and, like Kansas State, return a bevy of starters. The list is headlined by running back Geno Hess, who needs just 1,038 yards to break the Ohio Valley’s career rushing record of 5,149 yards.

“Our biggest challenge, I think, is just

Frances Tiafoe loves US Open and it loves him

NEW YORK (AP) —

There was not much drama involved in Frances Tiafoe’s second-round victory at the U.S. Open on Wednesday night. He quickly grabbed a lead and never let go. He only faced one break point — and saved it. He volleyed terrifically. His outmatched opponent needed some help from a trainer for a bothersome neck.

And you couldn’t escape the feeling that the 10th-seeded Tiafoe was having the time of his life. This is where he wants to be, no matter the details of the match. Under the lights at a Grand Slam tournament, absorbing the attention of thousands of folks in the Arthur Ashe Stadium stands and reciprocating the love while getting past Sebastian Ofner of Austria 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in a tad more than 1 1/2 hours. “I love it. I love it. I love all of it. I love the 1-on-1 battle. You’re putting your heart on the line. Everyone’s there to watch you and one other guy. You’re competing like crazy. Everyone’s anticipating the match. And it’s like, ‘Who wants

it more?’” Tiafoe, a 25-year-old from Maryland, said during an interview before the U.S. Open. “If you don’t love that, it’s the wrong sport for you. I just absolutely love being in those positions and those atmospheres.”

He knew this was Ofner’s U.S. Open debut and said after Wednesday’s encounter that he wanted to use “the environment to my advantage.”

Tiafoe took a step forward on a day two highly seeded men exited on his half of the draw: No.

5 Casper Ruud, last year’s runner-up, and No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas. With No.

4 Holger Rune out in the first round, three of the tournament’s top seven men already are gone.

A year ago at Flushing Meadows, Tiafoe’s career changed and his life did, too. He beat Rafael Nadal in the fourth round along the way to reaching the semifinals of a major for the first time, then pushing eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz to the limit before bowing out.

All the way, the fans — including some wellknown ones, such as for-

mer first lady Michelle Obama and NBA All-Star Bradley Beal — showered Tiafoe with affection. And he certainly enjoyed basking in that adulation and the extra attention that came with his higher profile, including a role in the Netflix docuseries about tennis, “Break Point.”

“I’m totally cool with putting myself fully out there and seeing what happens. Let the chips fall where they may. I love feeling the crowd with me. Everyone paid their hard-earned money to come watch. So I want them to enjoy,” said Tiafoe, who went over to the stands to greet rapper Pusha T, a guest of his, after the triumph over Ofner. “And also, I want to win.”

Next up for Tiafoe is No. 22 Adrian Mannarino of France, who produced one wild on-therun ‘tweener during his win Wednesday.

“He’s very tricky. He’s got an unorthodox game style,” Tiafoe said. “I’m ready. I’m ready for him.”

Tiafoe is part of a crop of American men in their 20s who have been steadily moving up the

going to be ourselves. Our ego,” Redhawks coach Tom Matukewicz said. “We do have a lot of great things going for us, but I struggle with my ego and I’m 50. What do you think a 20-yearold does? We just have to make sure we check our egos, have the courage to do the things it takes to keep ourselves on track.”

INJURY NEWS

The Wildcats expect Carver Willis to start at right tackle with Duffie out. Defensive tackle Uso Seumalo also has been dealing with an injury and was not on the initial depth chart, but Klieman said one of the breakout stars of fall camp practiced earlier in the week and could be a game-time decision by Saturday night.

FRESHMAN WATCH

While the Wildcats are stocked with veterans, they could play a bunch of freshmen early in the season. No fewer than 10 were able to work their way onto the two-deep, including quarterback Avery Johnson, one of their top recruits in recent memory. Johnson, a dual-threat athlete, was listed alongside returning backup Jake Rubley

on the depth chart.

“We feel really comfortable at the quarterback spot,” Klieman said. “Everyone knows that Will is the guy, but both are competing every day for the No. 2 job. We’ll just see how it plays out.”

TRANSFER TIME

Like most programs these days, the Wildcats hit the transfer portal to fill some of their biggest holes. Keagan Johnson will start at one of the wide receiver spots after arriving from Iowa, Florida State transfer Treshaun Ward will share carries with returning running back DJ Giddens, and Marques Sigle locked down a starting safety job after his arrival from North Dakota State.

GETTING DEFENSIVE

The Redhawks, the defending Ohio Valley champions, should present a nice opening test for the Wildcats on defense. They are led by defensive back Lawrence Johnson and linebacker Bryce Norman, both of whom showed up on the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the nation’s top FCS defensive player.

rankings and starting to show signs of threatening for major championships. Andy Roddick was the last man from the country to earn a Grand Slam trophy, at the U.S. Open 20 years ago. Three other U.S. men joining Tiafoe in the third round with victories were No. 9 Taylor Fritz; No. 14 Tommy Paul, an Australian Open semifinalist in January who collected his first career comeback from two sets down to beat Roman Safiullin 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3; and Ben Shelton, who advanced when 2020 champion Dominic Thiem stopped playing in the second set after being visited by a physiotherapist.

For U.S. women, Jennifer Brady bead Magda Linette of Poland, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2; Peyton Stearns beat Clara Tauson of Denmark, 6-3, 6-0; Bernarda Pera beat Wang Xiyu of China, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2; and Coco Gauff beat Mirra Andreeva, 6-3, 6-2.