PLAY BALL!
Iola summer rec baseball See B1 and softball leagues begin
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
Run Carlos Run By RICHARD LUKEN
l
www.iolaregister.com
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Journey ties endurance, charity
C
The Iola Register
Carlos Ibarra approaches LaHarpe Monday as part of his cross-country run.
arlos Ibarra felt his dreams becoming stagnant, so he decided to take steps to recharge them. About 3,000 miles worth of steps. Ibarra, 29, reached Iola Monday as part of his “Run Carlos Run” campaign. Run Carlos Run is a multipronged effort stemming from his 2½-month run from Brooklyn to Costa Mesa, Calif. The run’s main thrust is to raise money for disadvantaged youth through three charitable organizations, Save Our Youth, out of Costa Mesa;
Assistance League of Newport-Mesa; and the Horatio Alger Association. Just as importantly, Ibarra and his support team are filming a web series and narrative short to tie in with his other passion — filmmaking. He hopes to turn Run Carlos Run into a documentary. “It’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of doing the same thing, day after day,” Ibarra said during a rest stop Monday. Ibarra departed Brooklyn on April 30, and has run pretty See RUN | Page A6
Senate abandons sales tax plan By JOHN HANNA and NICHOLAS CLAYTON The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ GOP-dominated Senate abandoned a tax package Monday to fill looming budget shortfalls after debates and procedural votes showed the chamber’s Republicans are still sharply divided on the issue. Administration officials warned senators Sunday that state workers would be furloughed June 7 if a deal is not reached. But lawmakers were not ready to accept the compromise package that included a variety of tax increases, said Senate President Susan Wagle. “I think that everybody is still stuck on their individual plan that they’re hoping to win other members over for,”
the Wichita Republican said. Unable to resolve tax issues, lawmakers have yet to pass a budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Wagle compared the tax package under debate Monday to a “cocktail” of medicines that would include unpleasant ingredients but could heal the budget. Republican Sen. Jeff Melcher from Leawood opposed the tax increases in the package and retorted, “I don’t think this is a medicinal cocktail; I think this is an overdose.” Budget Director Shawn Sullivan told GOP senators Sunday that all nonessential state workers will be immediately furloughed if the Legislature does not pass a budget by June 7. He said the state isn’t authorized to pay workers beyond Saturday without See SENATE | Page A6
Courts funding approved By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators on Monday approved a budget for the state court system to head off the possibility that judicial offices would be forced to close next week. Lawmakers also approved a bill to prevent cities and counties from imposing special taxes on gun sales or using zoning ordinances to limit firearms sales. A Democrat also criticized the Senate’s lack of action on proposals to loosen marijuana laws, briefly delaying the approval of a bill aimed at helping human trafficking victims. The court system’s fund-
ing was the first piece of a proposed $15.5 billion state budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 to clear the Republican-dominated Legislature. State Budget Director Shawn Sullivan has warned that nonessential employees will face furloughs if a budget isn’t passed by Sunday because of payroll laws. The budget for the court system would allow it to spend $131 million during the next fiscal year, an increase of nearly $2.5 million, or 1.9 percent. But the Kansas Supreme Court had sought a $149 million budget. “The budget is too short to provide the justice for the See COURTS | Page A6
Moran water will cost more By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
MORAN — Moran councilmen Monday night increased water rates by $6 a month for an average residential customer, based on consumption of 4,000 gallons. The effective date for the increase probably will be Aug. 1, but councilmen deferred being specific. They want to know how recent repairs to water distribution lines will affect loss that has created ongoing shrinkage of the water profit margin. They also want to see how much Westar will propose to increase wholesale electric rates. If water loss were to subside substantially, the water rate increase might be reconsidered. What the council may have to do to meet be higher charges expected from Westar also may enter the equation. Councilman Jim Mueller noted water revenue decreased markedly in 2014. City Clerk Lori Evans pointed out revenue was “down” $5,000 to date this year. Water loss, which has precipitated the decline in revenue compared to cost, is baffling, said Councilman Jerry Wallis. “We don’t know where it’s going.” Repairs made to the system may help, but with them completed only recently there isn’t enough of a sample size to give expectation of a financial upswing. The rate increase was pegged at $2 more for meter
See MORAN | PageA6
SAFE BASE summer program returns — but not until 2016 By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
SAFE BASE supporters can breathe a sigh of relief. The 15 year old program will have a summer program for 2016. Angela Henry, SAFE BASE director, said the program received a $75,000 grant which will fund a full four week summer program in 2016. Henry applied for the Kansas State Department of Education 21st Century Learning Center grant earlier this year and recently found out the good news. SAFE BASE is one of four programs in the state to get the full $75,000. After a cut in grant funding for the 2014-15 school year the program was forced to cut the 2015 summer program. “In the 15 years we’ve had
SAFE BASE we haven’t had a summer program twice,” Henry said. “And one of those years was the first one and we weren’t suppose to have one.” In the past students have taken field trips to places like the Kansas Cosmosphere and hosted classes on science and other subjects. The most notable field trip was in 2013, when the program received a $100,000 grant and students traveled on a camping trip to Colorado. “I am so glad we will have the program next year,” Henry said. “It’s a great thing for the kids.” Henry said many parents take vacation time to travel on the field trips with their children and help supervise. In the past, some fathers See GRANT | Page A6
Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 147
Hoo goes there?
These young screech owls have made themselves at home in Phyllis Luedke’s maple tree in Colony. The young owls sat silently as Luedke approached them for this picture. If you look closely, you can even see their whiskers, Luedke notes. PHOTO COURTESY OF PHYLLIS LUEDKE
“Life is a collection of moments, to live each one is to succeed.” — Corita Kent, American philosopher 75 Cents
Hi: 81 Lo: 64 Iola, KS