Sports: Cubs move forward in substate bracket See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Legislature kicks off second half of session By JOHN HANNA Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators are returning to the Statehouse for the second part of their annual session with big budget debates looming but topics such as lobbying laws and rules for social services programs also on their agenda. Lawmakers were set to reconvene Wednesday after a five-day weekend tied to their “turnaround” deadline, when many bills must clear their chamber of origin to be considered further this year. It was the 47th day of their 90-day session. The biggest task for the Republican-dominated Legislature and GOP Gov. Sam Brownback is erasing a budget shortfall projected at nearly $600 million for the fiscal year beginning July
Serving the community Marjorie Mentzer receives food at the St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church Lenten breakfast this morning. The next breakfast will be at St. John’s Catholic Church on March 11. REGISTER/RICK DANLEY
Allen courthouse parking an issue Preferred parking for citizens come to conduct business at Allen County Courthouse is at a premium many days, a circumstance commissioners hope to change. Tuesday morning they encouraged courthouse employees — about 50 total — to avoid parking on the east side of Washington Avenue, between South and Jackson streets. That would open 12 parking spaces for people arriving at all times of the day to visit the courthouse. Commissioners pointed out there are nearly 100 parking spaces on the eight blocks facing the courthouse, which should provide ample opportunities for all-day parking. Late Tuesday morning, few of the 50 parking space on the south and east sides of the square were in use. Chairman Tom Williams said he thought employees should be willing to defer to
See LEGISLATURE | Page A4
By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
citizens who come at all hours of the day and stay usually just a few minutes. The issue arose after County Clerk Sherrie Riebel asked employees to avoid parking in the South-to-Jackson area along Washington, and drew rebukes. Her request was prompted by citizens who had had a hard time finding parking close to the courthouse, some of whom had physical problems that make walking any distance difficult. “I kind of stirred up a hornet’s nest,” Riebel said. Parking in question is controlled by signs limiting it to 30 minutes, but the limit, posted by Iola, is seldom enforced. While commissioners and department heads have no legal right to dictate where employees park — streets and adjacent parking are public property — Williams said, “it’s a matter of common courtesy.”
Greeting motorists as they arrive in Iola along U.S. 54 is a sign proudly documenting the school’s signature athletic teams. The sign notes Iola’s state champion track and field teams from 1976 and 1993, respectively, as well as the Mustangs’ 1969 boys cross country titleists. On the girls’ side, of course, is the 2006 powerhouse Fillies basketball team. But one entry — 1915 boys basketball — is out of place. While Mustang squads appeared in the state title game two straight years, in 1915 and 1916, Iola came up short in both championship matches. The 1915 title game, a 4131 loss to Wichita, was Iola’s only loss of the season. The Mustangs entered the game with a perfect, 21-0, record. “‘Disappointed’ doesn’t
come within a million miles of naming the woe and anguish and utter heartbreak with which Iola received the news,” the Register reported at the time. Score updates were telephoned to Iolans huddled at the YMCA. “The boys had gathered to get the returns from which they expected to rush out with shouts of victory to the
burning of bon fires,” the paper read. “And when the news did come they cried, just lifted up their voices and wailed and let the tears run down their faces and fall in great puddles on the floor and were not ashamed. “All day Sunday the gloom was so thick it could have been cut in chunks,” the stoSee STATE | Page A4
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UN: World eating too much sugar
USD 256 superintendent plans to retire at end of year MORAN — David Hardage, superintendent of schools for Marmaton Valley-USD 256, will retire at the end of the school year. Board of Education members have begun interviews for Hardage’s replacement. Two, Dan Slack and Randall Jansonius, were interviewed
BUDGET DEBATES
The House Appropriations Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee have been reviewing Brownback’s spending recommendations for weeks. The House committee Wednesday is debating proposed budgets for the Legislature and Brownback’s office. The Senate panel is taking up spending recom-
Recalling Mustang despair
COUNTY COMMISSION
By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
1. It arose after lawmakers slashed personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging to stimulate the economy. “They’re going to get it done,” Brownback said during a brief interview Tuesday. “The beauty of it is, is that in the end, we have to have a budget. It has to balance. It will.” Here is a look at the legislative agenda for today.
during a special meeting Tuesday. More interviews are scheduled for next week when the board meets for its regular monthly meeting. Hardage has been with USD 256 for the past five years. Hardage announced in January his intention to retire.
Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 85
LONDON (AP) — Put down the donut. And while you’re at it, skip the breakfast cereal, fruit juice, beer and ketchup. New guidelines from the World Health Organization says the world is eating too much sugar and people should slash their sugar intake to just 5 to 10 percent of their overall calories. The guidelines, released Wednesday after a year of consultations, are focused on the added sugars in processed food and those in honey, syrups and fruit juices.
The advice does not apply to naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables and milk. “We have solid evidence that keeping intake of (added) sugars to less than 10 percent of total energy intake reduces the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay,” Francesco Branca, director of WHO’s nutrition department, said in a statement. To meet the lower threshold set by the new guidelines, Americans, Europeans and others in the West would have to slash their average
“When love is not madness, it is not love.” — Pedro Calderon de la Barca 75 Cents
sugar intake by about twothirds. In the United States, adults get about 11 to 15 percent of their calories from sugar; the figure for children is about 16 percent. In Europe, sugar intakes range from about 7 percent in Hungary and Norway to 17 percent in Britain to nearly 25 percent in Portugal. Some experts said the 10 percent target was more realistic for Western countries than the lower target. They See SUGAR | Page A4
Hi: 31 Lo: 16 Iola, KS