The Weekender Saturday, July 2, 2016
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Area schools could see property tax hikes By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
Iola Middle School musicians are getting some extra jam time this week with morning classes offered up by band director Matt Kleopfer and assistant director Keith Mallory. At top, Mallory works with a group of students on their percussion skills. Below, Kleopfer assists Holden Barker. REGISTER/KLAIR VOGEL
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A handful of small, rural Kansas school districts face spikes in local property taxes or cuts spending because they’re losing state aid under a new education funding law. But a few other rural districts could see tax levies decrease significantly, and dozens of districts of all sizes will see modest decreases
because of additional state aid for the 2016-17 school year. The new law that took effect Friday is meant to Kay Lewis ensure educational offerings across the state don’t vary too widely by smoothing See SCHOOLS | Page A4
Budding musicians By KLAIR VOGEL The Iola Register
As the summer starts, Iola band students don’t stop practice. Students entering middle school and wanting to learn an instrument are welcome to take lessons. Many students already enrolled in band are attending practices to better prepare themselves for the year to come. Many high school band students come in to work on music for district auditions in the fall. Band Director Matt Kleopfer is not alone when he is teaching this sumSee BAND | Page A6
Family’s fun features food, fireworks By JASON TIDD The Iola Register
HUMBOLDT — Family and friends will enjoy an evening of food, fun and fireworks at Steven and Jennifer Johnson’s annual Independence Day party Sunday. More than 50 people from across about a dozen families will gather at the Johnson’s Humboldt home for a day of celebrating the country’s independence and
REGISTER/KLAIR VOGEL
watching the Lions Club fireworks show. “It’s just one massive extravaganza,” Johnson said.
The first barbecue 15 years ago featured only three or four couples and their kids, Johnson said. Now, the partygoers span several generations. Johnson, 40, is a regional sales manager for SmithCo. He and wife Jennifer, 38, have two children, Kaylie, 15, and Colton, 12. Kaylie was 9 months old at the first barbecue. “Everybody’s families See CELEBRATE | Page A3
Platt Wilmoth
Hunting, bonding (Editor’s note: Brandon Wilmoth, Wellington, wrote this article about his son’s first turkey kill. The Wilmoths have several relatives in the Iola area.) By BRANDON WILMOTH
M
y 5-year-oldson, Platt, and I have developed our father/ son bond in many ways, but I most cherish the moments we’ve spent hunting. The sport has long been my passion, and I’ve carefully introduced him, taking the process slowly from his earliest days in the blind to ensure his safety and understanding.
On many occasions, he’s accompanied his grandfather and me on hunting adventures. It was when he was 3 that he watched me take an Eastern turkey on a family farm in eastern Kansas. He was ecstatic and I loved his enthusiasm in that moment. From then on, he’s enjoyed pheasant, quail, deer and turkey hunts at my side. Our goal on these hunts isn’t to always conquer, but to create a memory and learn important lessons about the outdoors. Before each adventure, I develop a plan. Platt’s first hunt behind the trigger was no difSee BONDING | Page A4
Elks plan July 4 show The Iola Elks will once again cap Independence Day with a fireworks extravaganza Monday. But folks needn’t wait until dusk to show up for the fun. That starts much earlier. The gates to Elks Lake open at 7:30 a.m. for registration for the annual Ed Hendrix Fishing Derby. Youngsters 16 and under are welcome, although all youth must be accompaSee ELKS | Page A6
Hot tracks Workers from United Sports Systems, Wichita, apply a fresh layer to the Riverside Park track this week, a measure done every six years or so to prevent the track from eroding. REGISTER/KLAIR VOGEL
Quote of the day Vol. 118, No. 174
“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.”
— George Washington 75 Cents
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