Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Locally owned since 1867
iolaregister.com
COUNTY COMMISSION
Mustangs knock off Santa Fe Trail
Iolan decries grocery store aid By TREVOR HOAG The Iola Register
In a heated series of exchanges, former Iola Councilman Ken Rowe came before Allen County Commissioners to challenge the proposed partnership between Allen County and Our Hometown Market in Humboldt. Rowe stated, “I hope [Scotty Welch] is able to open up a grocery store, and have a booming business … and that it just thrives. But that doesn’t make me believe that it’s a good idea to throw government money at it.” Rowe discussed a previous committee that had been formed to evaluate proposed public-private partnerships, recalling that The Mildred Store and Bolling’s Meatery had previously been denied
similar funding assistance. “How is it fair?” he asked, “for the Commission and the taxpayers of Allen County to deny giving money to Bolling’s, and then turn around and give money to somebody that’s going to be in direct competition with Bolling’s?” In response, Humboldt Administrator Cole Herder argued that the denial of assistance had been based on “the quality of the application” for those funds. Our Hometown Market’s business proposal is even stronger than that of Marmaton Market’s, claimed Herder, which was ultimately funded by the county to the tune of $100,000. Another disagreement that arose between Rowe and Herder regarded whether a grocery store should be
PAGE B1 Former Iola City Councilman Ken Rowe shares concerns regarding the proposed grocery store in Humboldt, while Humboldt City Administrator Cole Herder, proprietor Scotty Welch and Commissioner Jerry Daniels listen. REGISTER/TREVOR HOAG viewed as a vital service worthy of economic development monies. “It’s not the same thing as
incentives to get a major manufacturing plant or a major
Trump, Pelosi share snubs at State of the Union speech
PAGE A2
See COUNTY | Page A3
ALLEN COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT AWARDS
Getting down and dirty with the Kramer brothers By TREVOR HOAG The Iola Register
“Conserve the dirt!” exclaimed David Kramer with a grin. He and his brother Steven have been farming in Allen and Woodson counties since 1973, and have just been honored with the Banker’s Award for Soil Conservation. “And it ain’t never going to be done,” David and Steven’s mother told them, “because conservation is an ongoing project.” Over the years, the Kramer brothers (and sons) have engaged in numerous conservation projects, and are more practiced at protecting soil than just about anyone around. Despite the fact they didn’t grow up with much, today they have an extensive farming operation where they
grow everything from corn to soybeans and wheat. In the past, the brothers also raised hogs. “Mom and Dad here started in ‘48,” explained David, “and everyone said they’d starve to death.” As an example of what they’ve been up to lately, David’s “No. 2 son,” John, explains how in one case to preserve soil, “we plugged the end of the terraces that drain into the waterway,” “pushed all the dirt out of the waterway down to a certain grade,” “then reseeded it with grass.” After that they took the “dirt plugs out of the terraces and put them back into the waterway,” all of which prevents erosion. If that sounds a bit complicated, that’s because it is. Soil conservation isn’t just hard work, say, by clearing See KRAMERS | Page A3
John Kramer, from left, Steven Kramer and David Kramer stand in front of a field full of waterways and terraces they constructed to promote soil conservation. They will be honored Saturday by the Allen County Conservation District. REGISTER/TREVOR HOAG
Patricia’s leaves of grass By TREVOR HOAG The Iola Register
Pat Howerton poses with her award-winning fields of fescue and native prairie grass stretching across the horizon. REGISTER/TREVOR HOAG
“You up for walking?” Pat Howerton asked, pressing up her glasses and gesturing toward the nearby field. Taking care of pastures is a lot of work, she adds. “But it’s good exercise.” Howerton has just been given the Grassland Award for prairie restoration, specifically for her pasture containing 41 acres of native grass and one containing 14 acres of red clover fescue. She began the project in 2017. Pointing south toward the field of golden-brown fescue,
she explained how she recently built a pit pond so “that we can have cows in there part of the time.” Though, she adds “it was seven months before it got any water in it.” Pat then led the way over the hill next to her home, and in accompaniment with the sound of soft wind, explained how the native grass there is comprised of six different species: osage, big bluestem, side oats, aldous, barton, and switchgrass. She later retrieved a label to double-check each name. “When you [grow] native grass, you have to sow it by See HOWERTON | Page A3
Services, Monuments & Events
Vol. 121, No. 325 Iola, KS 75 Cents
Garnett • Iola
620-365-2948
1883 US Hwy 54, Iola • www.feuerbornfuneral.com