Sports: ACC volleyball coach ready for rivalry match See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
www.iolaregister.com
ALLEN COUNTY COMMISSION
Humboldt Hill road safety in focus Sheriff’s dept. reorganizes
By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Safety on old U.S. 169 remains on the minds of Allen County commissioners. Tuesday they encouraged Sheriff Bryan Murphy to ramp up patrols when Monarch Cement Company starts to mine and haul shale from 2½ miles north of Humboldt. Still several months away, truck traffic is expected to significantly increase along the old highway. The speed limit half a mile north of Humboldt Hill and on into town will be lowered from 55 mph to 45. Commissioners endorsed an idea proposed by Monarch engineers to install a pressure plate in the new road they are constructing leading to the highway. When traversed, the plate would trigger a warning light atop
Allen County commissioners are considering various traffic control measures along Humboldt Hill on Old 169 Highway. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN the hill to alert oncoming motorists of truck traffic. As for closure of the road to Monarch trucks during foul weather, Murphy said he and Mitch Garner, director
Revenues $30 million short of forecast
Changes are in the works for his department, Sheriff Bryan Murphy told Allen County commissioners Tuesday. After more than 10 years in the position, Joni Tucker resigned as jail administrator, “to move on,” Murphy said. For the time being, the position will not be filled, rather will fall to Undersheriff Roy Smith. Dathan McMurtery, a recently minted deputy, will take over Smith’s position as court security officer.
“Dathan has been a corrections officer (in the jail) for five or six years and has wanted to be a deputy,” Murphy told the Register. McMurtery completed mandatory training on Aug. 21. While court security will be his main responsibility, he also will be available for road patrols. Meanwhile, Iolan Mike Aronson, who has served with Iola Police and Fire departments, will join the
of Public Works, would monitor conditions, but, “when it gets bad they’re probably not going to be hauling anyway.” In another road-related matter, Garner said he didn’t
think the height of the main north-south street through LaHarpe, the county’s responsibility, was the root
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas collected $30 million less in taxes than anticipated last month, though officials said Tuesday that largerthan-expected income tax refunds were most of the reason. The state Department of Revenue reported that tax collections were almost $418 million in August, compared with the official projection of $448 million. The shortfall for the month was 6.8 percent. Since the current fiscal year began in July, tax collections have fallen nearly
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See REVENUES | Page A3
See CHANGES | Page A4
By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
Renovations begin at Twin Motors dealership By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
After six months of planning, Tim Henry was understandably eager to see renovations begin this week at Twin Motors Ford. “It’s taken a while to get the numbers put together, and to make sure we’re meeting Ford Motor Company’s criteria,” Henry said Tuesday, one day after crews began demolishing the dealership’s showroom. The renovations include a complete rebuild of Twin Motors front offices and showroom. The existing 3,000-squarefoot building will nearly double in size providing a more spacious — and comfortable — customer waiting area. “We’ll have a canopy covering our service area, and we’ll have a new car delivery area, where we can show cars in snowy or wet weather,” Henry said. The new building also will sport fully accessible restroom facilities and be more energy efficient. The dealSee TWIN | Page A4
Crews from Whitworth Construction, Chanute, began demolishing the old Twin Motors Ford showroom this week as part of a major renovation to the auto dealership at 2501 N. State St. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
SEK priest accused of stealing $150k
Colony Day activities on tap
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas priest charged Tuesday with stealing nearly $151,000 from two parishes and the Catholic Diocese of Wichita used the money to fund his gambling, federal prosecutors alleged. Documents filed in U.S. District Court in Wichita charge Father Thomas H. Leland with one count of bank fraud. Leland was assigned in 2010 to St. Francis Parish in St. Paul and St. Ambrose Parish in Erie, both located in southeast Kansas. He is no longer active with the diocese, spokeswoman Amy Pav-
COLONY — Colony Day organizers will recognize two prominent pieces of Americana Saturday — baseball and firefighters. This year’s celebration, themed “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” kicks off bright and early with the Colony Lions Club breakfast at 7 a.m. in the community room at City Hall. Meanwhile, automotive enthusiasts will line up their hot rods along Broad Street. The 5k run/walk departs at 7:30 before vendors begin setting up their booths and photographers enter their
lacka said. Court records do not list a defense attorney who could comment on his behalf, and church officials had no contact information for him. “The charges filed today reflect a difficult time for the Catholic Diocese of Wichita,” Pavlacka said in an email. “Our priorities throughout have been to assist and secure the financial well-being of St. Francis and St. Ambrose Catholic parishes, which we have done, and to help Fr. Leland navigate this difficult time with justice and mercy.” Both parishes have “turned
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the page,” and are thriving under new leadership, she said. Prosecutors allege that between 2012 and April 2014, Leland executed a scheme to defraud the two parishes and the diocese. “During that time period Father Leland began gambling extensively and funded that endeavor with funds embezzled from the victims,” the government said in its filing. Leland, the only priest assigned to the parishes, had sole signature authority on See PRIEST | Page A3
“All, everything that I understand, I understand because of love.” — Leo Tolstoy 75 Cents
images at 8. A children’s tractor pull starts at 9 o’clock, followed by other games and races at 9:30. The bike decoration contest at 10:30 is part of the run-up to the 11 o’clock parade. This year’s parade grand marshals are members of the Colony Fire Department. A co-ed volleyball tournament north of the fire barn kicks off at 11. A pie-eating contest, children’s inflatable games See PARADE | Page A3
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