Baseball: Allen wins in walk-off
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THE IOLA REGISTER Monday, April 7, 2014
Teachers lose tenure for school funding By JOHN HANNA Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Legislature on Sunday narrowly backed a plan that would boost funding to poor school districts while eliminating tenure for teachers. With red-shirted teachers who have been protesting the tenure provision looking on, 63 House members — the minimum needed — voted in favor of the bill, while 57 voted against it. Hours earlier, the Senate approved it with a 22-16 vote. It needed 21 votes to pass. The bill, which was the product of a compromise between House and Senate Republicans, now heads to
GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. He wasted no time in issuing a statement praising the bill, suggesting he will sign it. The plan is designed to comply with a Kansas Supreme Court order last month in a lawsuit filed by parents and four school districts in 2010 over education funding. The
court directed lawmakers to boost aid to poor districts. “The school finance bill passed by the Kansas legislature today fully complies with, and indeed exceeds, the requirements of the recent Kansas Supreme Court ruling for funding schools and providing equity,” Brownback said in his
You cannot find a more dedicated professional than a teacher, and to have us be insulted in the manner is very dispiriting. — Karen Godfrey, Kansas National Education Association president
statement. The bill also allows districts to levy additional local property taxes to supplement their state aid to get more funds into classrooms. While the plan helps poor districts, conservative Senate Republicans insisted on eliminating tenure for public school teachers. The proposal brought dozens of red-shirted teachers to the Statehouse to protest. Officials with the Kansas National Education Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union, predicted a raft of lawsuits, with individual teachers who are dismissed likely to go to court. David Schauner, the union’s general
counsel, said after the Senate vote that any teacher who had earned protections should sue if a school district says those protections no longer apply. Karen Godfrey, the union’s president, blasted that initial vote. “You cannot find a more dedicated professional than a teacher, and to have us be insulted in this manner is very dispiriting,” Godfrey said. Critics of the tenure system say it makes it difficult for administrators to fire poor or abusive teachers. The conservative Republicans who back the legislation said they didn’t want to authorize so much See FUNDING| Page A4
Eclectic art a Bowlus staple Tax break for private health clubs clears
By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Brad Wilkinson grew up on a farm in northwestern Kansas, where trees are an anomaly. When he arrived at Neosho County Community College 20 years ago to take the reins of its art department, he was fascinated by a pin oak on the campus, so much so that several perspectives of that tree are in works he has on display in the Mary L. Martin Gallery at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. Wilkinson’s art, realistic and abstract, is on display through May 16 and open for viewing each weekday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. “There are lot of subtleties in nature if you take the time to look,” Wilkinson, 63, said during a reception for his show Saturday evening. His work ranges from drawings, to an abstract piece featuring dabs and streaks of colored hot glue, to old photographs reworked in Photoshop and accentuated by modern day art markers. A favorite, Wilkinson said, is a futuristic piece with a small dark orb sprouting a proliferation of curved lines filling the canvas, all made with metallic markers, he said. Wilkinson’s approach isn’t
By DION LEFLER The Wichita Eagle
Brad Wilkinson talks about his combination of realistic and abstract art that will be at the Mary L. Martin Gallery in the Bowlus Fine Arts Center through May 16. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON specific to any media or art form. “I use a lot of mixed media,” he said. One piece is a large birch oval with cattails and other applications; a second is a piece of Styrofoam a student tossed aside. He spray painted
the foam and made a few additions for a three-dimensional wall-hanging. Among the more intriguing are the old photographs and a huge canvas covered mostly with orange paint, “part of See ARTIST| Page A4
After intense debate over the role of campaign contributions in legislation and the value of YMCAs to communities, the Senate decided Friday to exempt private for-profit health clubs from property taxes. The bill has been heavily promoted by Rodney Steven II, owner of Wichita-based Genesis Health Clubs. Steven has for years pressed for tax breaks for health clubs, contending that his business and similar ones face unfair competition from the nonprofit and taxexempt YMCAs. Les Donovan, chairman of the Assessment and Taxation Committee, strongly opposed the tax break for health clubs. He said it opens the door for country clubs to seek tax breaks because they compete with municipal golf courses, and for Wesley Medical Center, a for-profit hospital, to ask for tax exemptions to compete with the nonprofit Via Christi system. During the debate, Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, distributed a list showing that Steven and his business had do-
nated $45,000 to senators and Senate candidates during the 2012 election cycle. “The people who write the checks end up writing the laws,” Hensley said. “He’s basically trying to buy a tax break and I don’t think we should allow that to happen. “Our constituents, many of our constituents, are very skeptical and cynical about the process because this kind of legislation comes to the floor of the Senate.” That brought a quick response from Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, R-Shawnee, who said Hensley shouldn’t impugn the motives of other senators. “That is not something that’s acceptable to do on the Senate floor. I had no idea who this gentleman was. I had no idea he gave any money to my campaign,” she said. Sen. Jeff Melcher, RLeawood, defended Steven’s campaign contributions. “I think it is a shame a taxpayer has to expend so many resources to try to get tax fairness,” he said. The amendment to provide the tax break for health clubs passed 21-17. Steven or his business contributed to 22 of the 40 sitting See CLUBS| Page A4
Group organizes community baby shower By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
The Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department hosted a community baby shower Saturday afternoon for area parents. This was the first year for what organizers hope will be an event. Eight businesses and centers set up booths to provide area residents with information and goods. Tina Poe, manager of obstetrics at Allen County Regional Hospital, said they were providing information on infant care. The booth had simulations like a backpack with a weight in it to illustrate how heavy preg-
nancy can be for a woman. Carolyn Krohn, from the Pregnancy Resource Center, provided information on the center’s classes. The center helps those who are pregnant — sometimes unexepectedly. “We are seeing lots of new clients and some old ones,” Krohn said. The booth provided pamphlets on the center and had “mommy money” which is fake currency that can be used in the Center’s boutique. Vicki Howard, Healthy Start Home Visitor with SEK MultiCounty Health Department, organized the event. Howard said she was pleased with the See SHOWER | Page A4
Vicki Howard, left, Christie Joyce, Ruby Gulick, and DeeDee Martin are part of the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department. The women helped organize a community baby shower. REGISTER/KAYLA BANZET
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 113
“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” — Ambrose Bierce, editorialist 75 Cents
Hi: 65 Lo: 40 Iola, KS