Crews from 5M Restoration of Fort Scott have been hard at work this month reinforcing the exterior of the Brooklyn Park building at 220 South St. in Iola. The bricks on the north wall had to be removed because they had begun to separate from the rest of the structure. In addition to rebuilding the north wall, workers are tuck-pointing the east side by replacing cracked and decayed mortar between the bricks to better weatherproof the building. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
A delinquent property tax sale is scheduled for June 8 at the Allen County Courthouse.
About 62 parcels are eligible for the auction after a lengthy process that was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, a judge granted judgment against the delinquent property owners, clearing one of the final hurdles before the sale.
Those owners still have one last opportunity to prevent their properties from being sold, Allen County Counselor Bob Johnson said. They have until the day of the sale to settle the account but must pay additional penalties and fees.
Otherwise, the parcels will be sold in an auction conducted by Sheriff Bryan Mur-
See SALE | Page A3
NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records arising from a hush money payment to a porn actor during his 2016 campaign, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter.
The plea came during a history-making arraignment in a lower Manhattan courtroom, with Trump becoming the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal prosecution.
The two officials who confirmed the plea spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because prosecutors had
See TRUMP | Page A4
Jerad Larkey, president of the Farm City Days committee, at right, gave attendees of Tuesday’s Chamber coffee, hosted at April Kroenke Photography, a preview of the upcoming festival. “Travel through time” is the theme for the 53rd edition of Iola’s biggest event, scheduled for Oct. 19-22. Per tradition, the annual medallion hunt will kick off the celebration and plans are already in place for a carnival on the square.
REGISTER/TIM STAUFFER
TOPEKA — In little more than a week, the Kansas Legislature considered and overwhelmingly approved a landmark reform to childhood sex abuse law, voting unanimously to expand the timeframe in which survivors can file lawsuits and prosecute
abusers.
Rep. Bob Lewis, a Garden City Republican, said the changes would send a message of support to survivors.
“At bottom, the bill will help at least some survivors recover their agency,” Lewis said. “It tells them that they are being heard and listened to. That what happened to them is not right, and that
those who abused them or enabled the abuse will be held to account.”
Lawmakers voted Monday to pass Senate Substitute for House Bill 2127 by a 120-0 margin, days after the Senate approved the legislation by a 40-0 vote. The bill removes a statute of limitations for criminal prosecution of childhood sexual abuse and
extends the time frame for civil lawsuits involving child sex crimes, among other provisions.
The bill adds childhood sexual abuse to the list of crimes for which a criminal prosecution can be started at any time. Current crimes included on the list include rape, murder and terrorism,
See BILL | Page A3
Lowell Graham
Lowell Howard Graham, 82, went to be with the Lord at his home on Sunday, April 2, 2023, with his family around him.
He was born March 28, 1941, at his parents’ home in rural Le Roy. He went all 12 years of school at Le Roy.
He graduated from Le Roy High School in 1959 and attended Allen County Community College, graduating in 1961.
He was in the Army for a few years. Then he sold Prudential Insurance for years before returning to Le Roy to farm for years. He also sold oil pipe until his health wouldn’t let him any more.
He was a member and deacon at Le Roy Christian Church. He also was a member of the National Rifle Association.
He married Anita Julie Bower in August 1967 in Iola. They had two children, Yvonne Lynn (Graham) Parks and Curtis Warren Graham.
His hobbies were hunting and fishing, and walking in the timbers on the family ground. He also was able to enjoy hunting trips in Canada, Alaska and Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents (Neal and Manda Graham) and sister (Jeannie Dody).
He left his wife at home, as well as daughter Yvonne Parks and husband Jeff Parks, Le Roy, two stepgrandkids; Brandon Parks in Garnett and Beth Parks in Drexel; son Curtis Graham and wife Kristie Graham of Waverly; four granddaughters, Katie Graham of Lincoln, Neb., Hannah Graham of Wichita, Nina Graham of Wichita and Maddie Graham of Pittsburg; two nieces, Shawnee Williams and Tonalea Dody; and other great-nieces and nephews and cousins.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 8, at Logue Cemetery, Le Roy.
Memorial contributions may be made to the LHS/SCC Alumni Scholarship fund and sent in care of the Van Arsdale Funeral Home at P.O. Box 8 Le Roy, KS 66857. Condolences may be sent to vanarsdalefs.com.
The Prairie Dell 4-H Club met Monday, April 3.
It was “Wear a 4-H Shirt” night.
For roll call, members shared their middle names. They sang “Happy Birthday” to the three April birthdays.
Leader Terri Kretzmeier performed a reading on the real rewards of 4-H. For recreation, members played “Bunny Hop.”
The next Prairie Dell meeting will be at 7 p.m. May 1 at the Southwind Extension District office in Iola for parent’s night.
— Lizzy Michael, ReporterMORAN — Marmaton Valley High School’s forensics team has an egg-citing fundraiser in the works this weekend.
The speech and drama students are taking part in their annual “Egg My Yard” fundraiser.
Pre-filled eggs with assorted Easter goodies will be delivered and scattered in yards on Friday, and from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday.
Orders for 25, 50, 75 or 100 eggs can be placed through Thursday. Deliveries are available anywhere within a 30-mile radius of Moran.
The Marmaton Valley bunnies ask that customers include delivery date, the chil-
Taking part in an “Egg My Yard” delivery prior to Easter 2022 are speech and drama instructor Halie Luken, foreground, and Marmaton Valley HIgh School
dren’s names and ages and number of eggs desired.
To book your eggs,
email hluken@usd256. net. Proceeds will go to the students who qual-
ified for a national forensics tournament May 27-28 in Louisville, Ky.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Forecasters are warning of more severe weather, including tornadoes, this week in parts of the South and Midwest hammered just days ago by deadly storms.
That could mean
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)
— Flashing red lights atop wind turbines would be curtailed to improve nighttime views under a bill that has been sent to the governor.
If signed by Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly, it would require installation of light-mitigating technology on new and existing wind farms, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports.
The aircraft detection lighting system technology would turn off the lights except for when air-
craft are near. Aircraft aren’t near a wind farm about 97% of the time the lights are blinking, said Rep. Lisa Moser, R-Wheaton.
“This bill came about because there are thousands of Kansans who see red blinking lights every three seconds, 24 hours a day,” Moser said, “and this is legislation that will mitigate that.”
Kansas has about about 4,000 turbines with plans to add 6,000 more, Moser said.
It could take years for the new systems to be installed, with new developments required to comply first.
Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, said a radar system is about $1.5 million, and one should be enough for most developments. That’s less than the approximate $5 million cost to build a single turbine, he said.
more misery for people sifting through the wreckage of their homes in Arkansas, Iowa and Illinois. Dangerous conditions Tuesday also could stretch into parts of Missouri, southwestern Oklahoma and northeastern Texas. Farther south and west, fire danger will remain high.
“That could initially start as isolated supercells with all hazards possible — tornadoes, wind and hail — and then over time typically they form into a line (of thunderstorms) and continue moving eastward,” said Ryan Bunker, a meteorologist with the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma.
Hours before the biggest storms were expected to hit, strong thunderstorms swept through the Quad Cities area of Iowa and Illinois on Tuesday morning with winds up to 90 mph and baseball size hail. No injuries were reported but trees were downed and some businesses were damaged in Moline, Illinois. The tornado risk in the Upper Midwest was expected to be highest in the late afternoon and evening Tuesday, and areas of southern Missouri and Arkansas were most at risk overnight. In Keokuk County, Iowa, where 19 homes were destroyed and more were damaged Friday, emergency management official Marissa Reisen worries how those cleaning up the damage will cope if another storm hits.
“All of the people who have been impacted by the storms Friday night are doing all this work, to clean up, to gather their stuff, to pile up the debris,” Reisen said. “If a storm comes through and hits them again and throws all that hard work all over the place again, it will be so deflating to those people.”
Severe storms could produce strong tornadoes and large hail Wednesday across eastern Illinois and lower Michigan and in the Ohio Valley, including Indiana and Ohio, according to the Storm Prediction Center. The severe weather threat extends southwestward across parts of Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas.
Just last week, fierce storms that spawned tornadoes in 11 states killed at least 32 people as the system, which began Friday, plodded through Arkansas and onto the South, Midwest and Northeast.
The same conditions that fueled last week’s storms — an area of low pressure combined with strong southerly winds — will make conditions ideal for another round of severe weather Tuesday into early Wednesday, Bunker said.
Those conditions, which typically include dry air from the West going up over the Rockies and crashing into warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, are what make the U.S. so prone to tornadoes and other severe storms.
The weather pattern was expected to bring
warm temperatures that would plunge after storms moved through the region. The high Tuesday in Des Moines was forecast for 79 degrees and an even warmer 80 degrees in Kansas City, followed by overnight lows in the upper 30s.
A blizzard warning was in effect for nearly all of North Dakota and most of South Dakota through at least Wednesday night. The National Weather Service predicted parts of South Dakota could see up to 16 inches of snow and wind gusts as high as 55 mph.
Dozens of schools in South Dakota were closed on Tuesday due to blizzard conditions. State executive branch offices were also closed in much of the state.
In Minnesota, a winter storm warning was in effect in the north, while the southern part of the state expected thunderstorms that could include hail and strong winds.
The state’s popular EagleCam captured the moment in which high winds blew a 20-yearold eagle’s nest out of a tree, killing an eaglet that had hatched just days earlier. Officials believed heavy snow that fell in a weekend blizzard — coupled with the weight of the more than 2,000-pound nest — became too much for the tree to support.
Low humidity, dry vegetation and wind gusts as high as 70 mph are exacerbating the threat of fire across the lower midwest, according to the National Weather Service.
TOPEKA — Adoptive parent Janelle DuBree knows firsthand what it meant to be responsible for children who exhibited behavior so extreme they were regrettably placed back into the Kansas foster care system.
DuBree, of Emporia, said she and her husband had been assaulted by youth in their care. Children in her care also attacked school staff and classmates, and damaged property at home and school while suffering from substance abuse and mental health challenges, she said. The juvenile justice system, a backstop in extreme circumstances, was content to place these violent individuals on probation.
“As a parent, I feel that my children need to be held accountable,” DuBree said. “Probation has made no positive impact. Placing children that have criminal-like behaviors into the foster care system is not the answer.”
DuBree said the comprehensive foster care reform law adopted in 2016 to reduce youth incarceration rates removed an important tool for moderating unhealthy conduct. Contents of Senate Bill 367, hailed as a landmark overhaul of the problem-plagued foster system, moved Kansas away from relying on state custody and group homes and toward community-based treatment. Limits were placed on sentencing so fewer youth funneled into a criminal justice system that could culminate in prison.
“Senate Bill 367 had good intentions of re-
habilitating youth, but in reality it isn’t doing so,” she said. “It is giving youth a false idea that they can assault others and damage property and only receive probation time and time again.”
DuBree’s view wasn’t an isolated response to the complex, heartbreaking difficulties of dealing with more than 6,000 Kansas children and youth in foster care.
During a joint House and Senate committee hearing on foster care, several parents and activists highlighted unintended consequence of the 2016 legislation as well as ramifications of other changes made by the Legislature.
Caseworker expertise
Nicole DeHaven, of Gardner, requested the Joint Child Welfare System Oversight Committee turn the dial back toward licensure of caseworkers engaged in foster care. In 2018, the shortage of caseworkers in the state prompted the Kansas Department for Children and Families to lower a requirement that all of those workers had to be licensed in the field.
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phy starting at 9 a.m. in the courtroom.
At that point, potential buyers will face a vetting process. They cannot purchase property if related to the owner, and cannot purchase property if they also have delinquent property taxes.
Buyers will need to pay with either a cashier’s check, cash or money order. No personal checks are accepted. It will take about 60 days after the auction to finalize the sale.
“Tax sales are quite the process,” Johnson
told commissioners at their meeting on Tuesday.
The county started with a list of 225 parcels and have since collected about $700,000. The goal of the tax sale is to either bring taxes current, or sell the property to someone who will pay property taxes. Often, parcels that are sold in tax sales are dilapidated properties or vacant lots.
The county will need to publish a notice about the sale prior to the auction.
Johnson said his goal is to have a tax sale every two or three years.
“This removal has not benefitted Kansas in any way,” DeHaven said. “We have a regular issue with caseworkers not having the knowledge needed to effectively make decisions regarding the best interest for our children in need.”
Nicole, and her husband John, were engaged in a lengthy dispute that prompted a Wyandotte County judge’s decision requiring a 3-year-old girl they cared for since birth to be surrendered to a Manhattan family where the child would live with biological siblings. DCF had recommended the DeHavens be allowed to adopt the child.
Nicole DeHaven said the state should give consideration to licens-
ing caseworkers through implementation of an exam of the type deployed for people working in cosmetology. She said test questions ought to include child welfare subjects ranging from ethics, trauma a well as fundamental policies and procedures. Higher standards would hold accountable agencies contracting with the state to perform foster care duties, she said.
Kansans convinced a caseworker wasn’t conducting himself or herself in an ethical manner or following correct procedures didn’t have opportunity to file complaints with a state licensing board. Instead, anyone alleging wrongdoing filed directly against the organization committing the purported infraction.
“Agencies are not going to admit that their workers are not accurately doing their job,” DeHaven said.
‘A primal wound’ Sister Therese Bangert, of Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, said children in the state’s welfare system claimed a place in her heart nearly 50 years ago when she worked as a teacher and child care worker at St. Vincent Home in Topeka.
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among others.
The legislation also allows civil lawsuits for recovery of damages related to this type of abuse within 13 years after the victim turns 18 or three years after an abuser is criminally convicted for a child sex abuse-related crime, whichever occurs later.
This is a change from current law, which mandates that civil lawsuits have to be brought by the time the victim turns 21, or three years after the person discovers injury or illness caused by childhood sexual abuse. Research has shown that many
survivors may not be ready to disclose their abuse at an early age, with the average age of disclosure being 50.
The change comes after intensive lobbying and outreach efforts from a group of childhood sexual abuse survivors who have lobbied in the Statehouse entrance since January, advocating for change.
Rep. Mark Schreiber, an Emporia Republican, acknowledged this group during his Monday introduction of the legislation.
“I cannot emphasize enough the work the survivors did to promote and work on this compromise bill,” Schreiber said.
Bangert said she learned it was easy to grab headlines when a tragedy occurred, but hard to find ways and means to protect vulnerable Kansas children. She said removing a child from the home might result in trauma so deep it could fairly be characterized as “a primal wound.”
Challenges facing the state’s privatized foster care system included a shortage of experienced workers, she said, but other complications included economic inequities of families and the motivation of some foster parents.
“These positions should ideally be held by the most seasoned workers,” Bangert said. “Many times recent college graduates end up in these positions. They are excellent learning experiences, but the complexity of the families’ lives is often foreign to the workers.”
Bangert said cultural differences between child welfare workers and families with vulnerable children led to strain. She said foster parents ought to be paid
well, but a high level of attention and care should be delivered to these children. In the past, she said, evidence emerged that a portion of foster parents were “in it for the money.”
Foster care worker Mary Bundy said the rise in children and youth with acute behavioral problems, and policy not capable of holding them accountable, contributed to a shortage of residential placements and overwhelmed staff trying to deal with the children.
The result was foster parents with secondary trauma and a greater likelihood they left foster care work, she said. Bundy shared with state legislators a summary of what happened to a 17-year-old male on probation who posted to Facebook a photograph of himself with a firearm and ammunition. The image appeared to have been taken in a foster parent’s home, she said, so law enforcement searched the residence but didn’t turn up a weapon.
The financial markets have gotten off to a rocky start this year. What’s caused this volatility? And does it present opportunities for patient investors?
First of all, several factors are behind the market volatility, including the war in Ukraine, higher inflation, rising interest rates and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while these factors may be specific to the recent market decline, volatility itself is a common feature of the investment environment. In fact, history shows that corrections of 10% or more happen about every year, and declines of 15% or more have happened every other year, on average. Furthermore, while 2022 has thus far been challenging for investors, it was preceded by a long period of strong markets, with the S&P 500 averaging more than a 20% return over the past three years.
Knowing the typical frequency of market volatility and reviewing the results of the past few years may make the current situation seem less shocking. But you don’t have to simply “ride out” the downturn – because a down market may give you the opportunity to buy more investment shares at good prices. Specifically, you can expand your holdings in companies that have good growth prospects due to strong management and products or services that provide sustainable competitive advantages. And this type of opportunity is important, because one of the keys to building wealth is to increase the number of shares you own in your various investments and hold them for the long term. While the market will always fluctuate, the long-term trend has been positive, particularly for well-diversified portfolios built with quality investments.
Of course, while it is a good idea to boost your share ownership at favorable prices, you still want to be strategic about it, rather than just buying whatever seems to be the biggest bargain. In reviewing your existing portfolio, can you identify any gaps that could be filled with new investments? Are there opportunities to further diversify your holdings? By owning different types of stocks, bonds, government securities and other investments, you can help reduce the impact of volatility on your portfolio. (Keep in mind, though, that diversification can’t guarantee profits or prevent losses in declining markets.) Or, if your portfolio has become “unbalanced” in some way, you could also use this time to rebalance it back to its original long-term targets. You might also consider setting up a systematic investing program in which you invest the same amounts in the same investments on a regular basis, such as monthly. When prices go down, you’ll automatically buy more shares, and when prices rise, you’ll buy fewer shares. (However, systematic investing does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss and you’ll need to be willing to keep investing when share prices are declining.)
Before this year, average annual returns have been solid for about a decade, which makes it somewhat easy to forget about normal market volatility and may have led to overly optimistic performance expectations. So, it would not be surprising if your initial reaction to the current downturn is one of concern. But by viewing the current investment environment as a chance to add quality investments at attractive prices, you can help yourself develop a behavior that can serve you well throughout your life as an investor.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Finland joined the NATO military alliance Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe’s post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
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The arraignment, though procedural in nature, amounts to a remarkable reckoning for Trump after years of investigations into his personal, business and political dealings.
The case is unfolding against the backdrop not only of his third campaign for the White House but also against other investigations in Washington and Atlanta that might yet produce even more charges.
A silent and stonefaced Trump, his lips pursed in apparent anger, entered the courtroom shortly before 2:30 p.m. He left court about an hour later, also without commenting.
Before the arraignment, he narrated his feelings in real time, describing the experience as “SURREAL” as he traveled from Trump Tower to lower Manhattan to face a judge.
It represents the new split-screen reality for Trump as he submits to the dour demands of the American criminal justice system while projecting an aura of defiance and victimhood at celebratory campaign events.
Wearing his signature dark suit and red tie, Trump turned and waved to crowds outside the building before heading inside to be fingerprinted and processed. He arrived at court in an eight-car motorcade from Trump Tower, communicating in real time his anger at the process.
“Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse,” the voluble ex-president posted on his Truth Social platform. “Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”
TRUMP, who was impeached twice by the U.S. House but was never convicted in the U.S. Senate, is the first former president to face criminal charges. The nation’s 45th commander in chief was escorted from Trump Tower to the courthouse by the Secret Service and may have his mug shot taken.
“He is strong and ready to go,” Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina told The Associated Press. Earlier, Tacopina said in a TV interview that the former president wouldn’t plead guilty to lesser charges, even if it might resolve the case. He also said
he didn’t think the case would make it to a jury. New York police said they were ready for large protests by Trump supporters, who share the Republican former president’s belief that the New York grand jury indictment and three additional pending investigations are politically motivated and intended to weaken his bid to retake the White House in 2024. Journalists often outnumbered protesters, though.
Trump, a former reality TV star, has been hyping that narrative to his political advantage, saying he raised more than $8 million in the days since the indictment on claims of a “witch hunt.” His campaign released a fundraising request titled “My last email before arrest” and he has repeatedly assailed the Manhattan district attorney, egged on supporters to protest and claimed without evidence that the judge presiding over the case “hates me” — something his own lawyer has said is not true.
Trump is scheduled to return to his Palm Beach, Florida, home, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday evening to give remarks. At least 500 prominent supporters have been invited, with some of the most pro-Trump congressional Republicans expected to attend. A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.
THE INDICTMENT contains multiple charges of falsifying business records, including at least one felony offense, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press last week.
The investigation is scrutinizing six-figure payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrong-
doing involving payments.
The arraignment unfolded against the backdrop of heavy security in New York, coming more than two years after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to halt the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s win.
Trump was defiant ahead of his arraignment. He used his social media network to complain that he was going to court in a heavily Democratic area, declaring, “KANGAROO COURT” and “THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE!” He and his campaign have repeatedly assailed Bragg and even trained scrutiny on members of Bragg’s family.
Despite that, the scenes around Trump Tower and the courthouse where Trump will stand before a judge did not feature major unrest. Police tried to keep apart protesters supporting the former president and those opposing him by confining them to separate sides of a park near the courthouse using metal barricades.
Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress, staged a brief rally at the park, but the scene was so chaotic that it was hard to hear her over the crush of reporters and protesters.
“We’re the party of peace,” Greene said, thanking those Trump supporters present. “Democrats are communists.”
Embattled Republican New York Rep. George Santos also showed up in solidarity with Trump, saying, “I want to support the president.”
“I think this is unprecedented and it’s a bad day for democracy,” Santos said, suggesting that future prosecutors could target Biden and other presidents with other cases, which “cheapens the judicial system.”
The Nordic country’s membership doubles Russia’s border with the world’s biggest security alliance. Finland had adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II, but its leaders signaled they wanted to join NATO after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through its neighbors.
“The era of nonalignment in our history has come to an end — a new era begins,” President Sauli Niinistö said before his country’s blueand-white flag was raised outside NATO headquarters. A short distance away, outside the security fence, a few dozen people wrapped in flags of their own chanted, “Ukraine needs NATO.”
In praising Finland’s membership, U.S. President Joe Biden noted it came on the 74th anniversary of the signing of NATO’s founding treaty on April 4, 1949.
“When Putin launched his brutal war of aggression against the people of Ukraine, he thought he could divide Europe and NATO. He was wrong,” Biden said in a statement. “Today, we are more united than ever. And together — strengthened by our newest ally, Finland — we will continue to preserve transatlantic security, defend every inch of NATO territory, and meet any and all challenges we face.”
THE MOVE is a strategic and political setback for Putin, who has long complained about NATO’s expansion toward Russia and partly used that as a justification for the invasion.
“I’m tempted to say this is maybe the one thing that we can thank Mr. Putin for because he once again here precipitated something he claims to want to prevent by Russia’s aggression, causing many countries to believe that they have to do more to look out for their own defense and to make sure that they can deter possible Russian aggression going forward,” U.S. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken said before accepting the documents that made Finland’s membership official.
The U.S. State Department is the repository of NATO texts concerning membership.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent his congratulations to Finland, writing on Telegram that “amid Russian aggression, the Alliance became the only effective guarantee of security in the region.”
Russia warned it would be forced to take “retaliatory measures” to address what it called security threats created by Finland’s membership. It had also warned it would bolster forces near Finland if NATO sends any additional troops or equipment to what is its 31st member country.
The alliance says it poses no threat to Moscow.
Alarmed by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine last year, Finland, which shares a 832-mile border with Russia, applied to join in May, sought protection under the organization’s security umbrella.
“Russia tried to create a sphere around them and, well, we are not a sphere. I’m sure that Finns themselves feel more secure, that we are living in a more stable world,” Niinisto said.
Neighboring Sweden, which has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, has also applied. But objections from NATO members Turkey and Hungary have delayed the process.
Niinisto said Finland’s membership “is not complete without that of Sweden. The persistent efforts for a rapid Swedish membership continue.” Finland even gave its ratification of Sweden’s application to Blinken as it joined.
In Stockholm, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson congratulated Finland and said he believed it would improve Sweden’s security but added that “it’s no secret that we would like to have concluded it hand-in-hand.”
Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Moscow “will be forced to take military-technical and other retaliatory measures to counter
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the threats tional security from Finland’s sion to NATO.” It said marks “a change in in Northern which had been one stable regions world.” Kremlin Dmitry Peskov land’s membership flects the ti-Russian warned will respond on what allies place also sought the impact, Russia has disputes It’s not additional sources send to border. Moscow ployed the most capable units to Ukraine. NATO eral Jens said no would be unless it The country protected tenberg “iron-clad antee,” under member to come of any ally under attack.
But Stoltenberg fused to possibility more military es there NATO would Russia’s demands tate the decisions.
“We are sessing our presence. exercises, presence, Nordic area,”
In 1939 land’s tiny, forces fought became Winter the Soviet
“You gotta be determined as the devil, selfless as a saint. Keep it ‘tween the white lines, and hit ‘em where they ain’t.”
—John McCutcheon, Sermon on the Mound
I can’t remember the last time I’ve looked forward to a baseball season as much as this one.
As I write this on a sunny spring Friday afternoon, opening day for the Royals was yesterday.
The Wichita Wind Surge have their home opener on April 11.
Dion Lefler
The Wichita Eagle
you were wearing one and some players even painted fingernails on theirs to fool the fans in the stands.
You’ve probably seen the funny videos on social media: A dog, high off secondhand marijuana smoke, staring into space in his owner’s hazy living room. Maybe the pup is off-balance stumbling a bit when it walks.
While this may appear to be harmless fun, comparable to giving a cat catnip, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. As a responsible pet owner, it is crucial to understand the harmful effects of marijuana — THC specifically — on dogs, and take necessary precautions to keep them safe.
With the recent legalization of recreational cannabis in Missouri and beyond, veterinarians across the country are seeing an increase in cases of marijuana poisoning, particularly in dogs and puppies.
It does not matter whether cannabis is rolled into a joint, cooked into an edible or processed in any other way: No part of the marijuana plant — be it oils, stems, seeds, or sticks — is safe for an animal to consume. The main reason marijuana is so dangerous for dogs boils down to the primary psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. When dogs ingest marijuana, much like humans, the THC compound binds to their brains’ cannabinoid receptors, causing the “high” that people are looking to achieve. But unlike humans, dogs are hypersensitive to THC, and its intoxicating effects are amplified in their bodies, leading to marijuana toxicity.
The severity of marijuana toxicity in dogs depends on several factors, such as the amount ingested, the dogs’
size and their overall health. Some dogs may be more sensitive to marijuana than others, and even a small amount of marijuana can be dangerous for them.
Obviously, prevention is key when it comes to avoiding THC poisoning. Make sure to store all marijuana products, including edibles, oils, and plants, in a secure location that your pets cannot access. Equally important is the safe disposal of marijuana products. When disposing of cannabis products, make sure to do so in a way that your pets cannot get to them. This may involve sealing the products in a tight lidded container and disposing of them in a secure garbage bin.
Despite owners’ best efforts at prevention, it is not uncommon for dogs to accidentally ingest marijuana outside, or in other areas you cannot control, such as pets inhaling secondhand smoke or eating butts from joints discarded improperly. The rising popularity of edibles is particularly dangerous for dogs, as it allows them to accidentally consume a large amount of THC very quickly in small gummies or baked goods left unattended. This is why it is important to educate yourself on the signs of THC poisoning, so that you can act quickly if necessary. Some of the com-
mon symptoms of marijuana toxicity in dogs include lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, tremors, seizures and even comas. It is exceedingly rare for marijuana to be lethal, but cannabis poisoning is dangerous, very distressing, and can have serious effects on your dog. Complications from symptoms, such as choking on vomit, can cause aspiration pneumonia, leading to death at worst, and extreme distress at best.
If you suspect that your pet has ingested or inhaled marijuana, seek veterinary care immediately. Treatment may involve medically induced vomiting, administering activated charcoal and providing supportive care to manage symptoms.
While some evidence has shown that marijuana may provide legitimate health benefits for humans under medical supervision or in modest quantities, as we’ve established above, it is very dangerous for pets. However, cannabidiol of CBD can be useful for reducing anxiety and chronic pain in pets. Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive, and is safe and effective for dogs with joint pain or geriatric soreness. It is important, however, that any CBD product be administered with veterinary approval and guidance.
About the author: Dr. Nicole Fulcher is the director of veterinary medicine at the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Medical Center of Mid-America in St. Louis. She graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine and has been practicing veterinary medicine for 32 years.
My own opening day was Sunday on the field at the Old Cowtown Museum. For more years than I’d care to admit, I’ve been a member of the Bull Dozers, which along with our rival team, the Red Stockings, makes up the Cowtown Vintage Base Ball Club.
Base Ball, by the way, is not a typo. That’s the way they spelled it in the 1870s, the period Cowtown endeavors to re-create.
Our team names and uniforms come from grainy newspaper clippings about two local teams from back when Wyatt Earp patrolled the streets of Wichita.
We play by the same rules they did.
The pitching is underhand, but you can throw as hard or soft as you like. If a batter’s bit by a pitch, the pitcher has to tip his cap and apologize — no walks.
In fielding, if you catch a ball on the first bounce, the batter’s out, although any baserunners can still advance.
They didn’t have video replay back then, so if an umpire was unsure of a close play, he could appeal the call to the fans in the stands.
They call it “vintage” baseball and I’m a little more vintage than most.
Most guys play barehanded. The ball’s a little softer than a modern one, but after breaking a finger 10 years or so ago catching a high fly, I’m one of the few who wears a period-correct reproduction glove.
Baseball gloves were a new invention in the 1870s and more like a leather work glove than a modern mitt. Even so, they were considered somewhat unmanly (like I care). The earliest gloves were made with fleshtoned leather to hide that
But despite the rule differences and the historical re-enactment aspects — the only modern equipment on the field is shoes, to prevent injuries — it’s still baseball and we’re playing to win, against each other or teams from Topeka, Emporia, even other states.
The thing I’ve noticed is that every year, the other players keep getting younger. Our players range in age from teens to retirees, and I’ve been in the “wily old veteran” category ever since I started.
IN THE SONG I quoted at the top, folk singer John McCutcheon advises “Play every game like it was your last.” I do, because at my age, it very well could be.
I’ve been practically haunting the YMCA, working the Octane machine and the hand bike to try to get in some kind of shape for the upcoming season. My wife, Kathy, accused me of obsessing on it, and she’s right.
But Kathy’s also the one who made me appreciate my extended opportunity to play this game that I’ve always loved.
In 2019, I had brain surgery for a life-threatening bacterial infection that affected the use of my right hand. My first game back, my throws were weak and erratic, and I was feeling pretty down on myself.
Kathy looked me straight in the eye and said “You do remember that five months ago, you couldn’t hold a pencil in that hand, right?”
It’s a perspective I’ve carried ever since.
If you want to play, show up early and talk to any of us. We’re always looking for volunteers and we can always make room.
That’s how I got involved, all those years ago. And I’ve not regretted it even one day since.
The Kansas Court of Appeals recently ruled voting is a fundamental right under the Kansas Constitution, and therefore it is subject to stronger legal protections from the barriers to voting an overzealous Kansas State Legislature continues to create.
Kansas Appleseed, the League of Women Voters of Kansas, Loud Light and the Topeka Independent Living Resource Center had brought a challenge under the Kansas Constitution to defend against restrictions placed on voting and voter engagement. The ruling is a big deal for Kansas voters. You might have caught bits and pieces in the news recently about several legislators denying Kansans’ right to
vote. That is not an accident.
Many legislators want to nickel and dime voters who are already at the highest risk of voter suppression and disenfranchisement. Recent proposals working their way through the Legislature could make it harder to cast a ballot and have our voices heard, disproportionately affecting people with physical disabilities, those who live in rural communities, or those who work long shifts or numerous jobs.
Denying the right to vote makes it far easier for lawmakers to enact voter suppression tactics. However, the Kansas Court of Appeals ruling that voting is a fundamental right requires the Kansas Legislature to demonstrate that proposed restrictions on voting not only serve a “compelling governmental interest,” but also that these
restrictions are “narrowly tailored” to achieve that interest in the “least restrictive” manner possible.
The new standard is a win for Kansans, meaning a much higher level of protection for voters. For example, the collateral damage the Legislature routinely inflicts on legal voters in the interest of “election security” will be significantly curtailed. These restrictions will no longer fly in Kansas.
Under the ruling’s strict scrutiny standard, the legislature must show that the state not only has a very high “compelling” interest in any new regulation, but that legislators were very precise in applying proposed laws in a fashion that burdens the right to vote in the least restrictive way possible and affects the least number of people. This is a significant shift in the
landscape of civil rights in our state. At Kansas Appleseed, we work on the ground in Kansas to promote civic engagement. When our communities are able to activate around the issues that matter most to us, we are healthier and stronger. There is a direct correlation between better health outcomes and voter turnout. The more communities are civically engaged, connected around the policies that affect them, and working to ensure policymakers allocate resources and make decisions to benefit Kansans, the healthier our communities tend to be. There is such a strong correlation, in fact, that the American Medical Association has declared voting to be a “social determinant of health.”
We still have a long way to go in defending voting rights
in Kansas. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has indicated he will continue his career of attacking Kansans’ voting rights and that he intends to appeal the ruling to the Kansas Supreme Court.
However, under the current ruling, civic groups such as Kansas Appleseed and organizations working across the state to bolster our democracy will be able to register voters, assist with turning in advanced mail ballots for voters who are elderly or have a disability, and encourage people to vote.
The Kansas Bill of Rights declares “All political power is inherent in the people.” And we won’t let up in our fight to preserve Kansans’ voting power.
About the author: Caleb Smith is campaign director at the Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.
310 S. Jefferson Ave., Iola St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
107 E. Bell St., Yates Center
On Holy Thursday and Good Friday, services will be held at 5:30 p.m. in Yates Center and 7:30 p.m. in Iola. On Holy Saturday, both congregations will meet for an Easter Vigil at 8:30 p.m. at St. Martin of Tours in Piqua. Easter Sunday services will be held at 8:30 a.m. in Yates Center and at 10:30 a.m. in Iola.
Father David Michael
Community Church of the Nazarene
1235 N. Walnut St., Iola
Easter Sunday sunrise service is at 7 a.m., followed by a breakfast. Sunday School is at 9:45 a.m., and regular services will start at 10:45 a.m.
Pastor Kelly Klubeck
Wesley United Methodist Church
301 E. Madison Ave., Iola
Maundy Thursday service, 6 p.m., meal and worship. Good Friday, 7 p.m. worship service. Easter Sunday, 8 a.m. service with communion at the church, and a 9:30 a.m. worship service at the church.
Rev. Jocelyn Tupper
Faith Assembly of God
1019 N. 9th St., Humboldt
Our congregation will join Humboldt’s First Baptist Church for a Sunrise Service at 7 a.m. on the Humboldt square. Sunday School is at 9:30 a.m., and regular services will begin at 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Cameron Carter
St. Joseph Catholic Church
514 Central St., Humboldt
Good Friday service is at 3 p.m. Easter Sunday Mass at 8 a.m.
Father J.D. Betzen
1020 E. Carpenter, Iola
Easter Sunday services are at 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Paul Miller
First Presbyterian Church
302 E. Madison Ave., Iola
Maundy Thursday, 7 p.m. Good Friday, 7 p.m. service. Easter Sunday sunrise service 6:45 a.m. at the church, and a 9:30 a.m. service
Rev. Dan Davis
Carlyle Presbyterian Church
29 Covert St., Carlyle
Maundy Thursday service: 7 p.m.; Easter Sunday services begin at 9:30 a.m.
Pastor Steve Traw
Harvest Baptist Church
2001 N. State St., Iola
No Sunday School. Instead, we’ll hold a family-oriented service for adults and children at 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Tony Godfrey
First Christian Church
1608 Oregon Rd., Iola
Good Friday services are at noon. On Easter Sunday, sunrise service will begin at 7 a.m. followed by a church breakfast. Traditional church services are at 10:30 a.m. There will be no Sunday School.
Pastor Kenyon Kaehr
Grace Lutheran Church
117 E. Miller Rd., Iola
Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. Good Friday service at 7 p.m. Easter morning will begin with a church breakfast at 7:30 a.m. followed by worship at 9 a.m. Rev. Bruce Kristalyn
Colony Churches
Four churches in Colony will provide a joint Good Friday service at 6 p.m. at The United Methodist Church, 311 S. Maple St. Henry Womelsorf, pastor of Colony Community Church, will deliver the message. Music will be provided by the Christian Church and the children’s message will be given by the Cowboy Church.
Colony Christian Church
306 S. Maple St., Colony
Easter sunrise service, 6:15 a.m., at the church’s new building site at 211 Catalpa St. First Easter church service is at 8 a.m. at the church’s original building, 306 Maple St. Sunday school, 9:30 a.m. Second Easter service at 10:45 a.m.
Pastor Chase Riebel
Midpoint Baptist Church
3965 US-54, Moran
Easter Sunday service will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed immediately by an Easter Egg Hunt.
Pastor Mathew Kalmeta
910 Amos St., Humboldt
The Maundy Thursday service is at 6 p.m. Good Friday will be celebrated at 6 p.m. Easter Sunday will begin with a sunrise service at 7 a.m. Regular church services begin at 9:30 a.m.
Pastor Matt Jennings
Waypoint Church
329 S. First St., Iola
A Good Friday service will be held at 6 p.m. Easter Sunday service begins at 10:45 a.m. David Sturgeon, Campus Pastor
First Baptist Church of Iola
801 N. Cottonwood St., Iola
Easter Sunday service begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by an Easter Egg Hunt at 11 a.m.
Pastor Travis Boyt
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church of Iola
202 S. Walnut St., Iola
Maundy Thursday service is at 6 p.m. On Good Friday, the service is at 6 p.m. Easter Sunday service is at 10 a.m.
Deacons Oliver Bunker and Darrell Stanford
Fellowship Regional Church
214 W. Madison Ave., Iola
Easter morning service is at 10:30 a.m.
Pastors Jared Ellis and Luke Bycroft
806 N. 9th St., Humboldt
Maundy Thursday service, 5:30 p.m., at Big Creek Chapel. Good Friday service at 12:20 and again at 5:30 p.m. Easter Day service at 11 a.m.
Rev. Blake Stanwood
Rivertree Christian Church
301 W. Miller Rd., Iola
Easter morning service is at 10 a.m.
HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt High softball team experienced early pitching struggles and then dominant offense to take an even split against Bluestem at home Monday.
The Lady Cubs (51) won a thrilling extra inning 8-7 game in the opener when Karley Wools stole home on a passed ball in the ninth. Humboldt then couldn’t overcome a first inning five-run deficit and dropped the second game, 15-10.
Game one Bluestem jumped out to an early lead with a 5-0 advantage in the bottom of the first. Shelby Shaughnessy started in the pitcher’s circle for Humboldt and surrendered five runs on four walks and four hits.
“We’ve just got to get Shelby (Shaughnessy) to where she is ready to go in the first inning,”
Humboldt head coach
Brad Piley said. “Once she got through that she didn’t let them score any more runs. She throws it hard enough where they weren’t touching her later on.”
The Lady Cubs didn’t have an answer until the bottom of the second when Emily Ross reached first base on an error and then scored on a Tayven Baylor RBI double to left.
Humboldt added another run in the third inning when Shaughnessy smacked an RBI double to left to bring home Carsyn Haviland for the 5-2 deficit. Ross then singled to center to plate Shaughnessy and bring the Lady Cubs within two runs, 5-3.
Wools tripled down the left field line and scored on a wild pitch to bring the margin within one run in the bottom of the fifth, 5-4.
Ryland Covey tied the game up for Humboldt in the bottom of the seventh when she tripled down the right field line and made it a 5-5 game on a Wools ground ball to shortstop which was mishandled by Bluestem.
“We’ve been pretty patient about swinging at good pitches, which is a lot of it,” said Piley. “Eventually they’re going to throw one down the middle so we’ve just got to wait for that pitch and take advantage of it.”
Bluestem went back ahead in the top of the ninth, 7-5, when Bridget Mohr and Emily Neal came around to score on errors and singles.
Humboldt’s Chloe
See PILEY | Page B3
Cole Mathes RBI groundout for the 2-0 lead heading into the third.
Sommer and Page both reached on walks and scored on a Colden Cook two-run double for a 4-1 lead in the fifth.
Ellis drove Cook and Page home on an RBI single for the 6-1 advantage. Ellis then scored on a Kyler Isbel RBI single for the 7-1 edge. Humboldt posted one more run in the bottom of the sixth when Sommer singled and came home on a Cook RBI double.
Humboldt had eight hits, led by Cook’s three hits. Hull, Ellis and Harrington each collected two hits.
Game two It was all Humboldt in the second game. The Cubs shut out Bluestem’s hitting and secured a run-rule 11-0 victory after five innings.
Hull singled and stole home on a wild pitch for the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt High baseball team got behind a pair of dominant pitching outings and swept Bluestem in their first home games of the season.
The Cubs (6-0) allowed Trey Sommer and Logan Page to have their way on the mound, combining to allow only one run through 12 innings. The Humboldt bats didn’t wake up until the fifth inning of game one but they came in bunches as the Cubs won 7-1 and 11-0.
“I just hope our pitchers continue to fill up the zone, attack hitters and keep play-
ing strong defense behind them,” Humboldt head coach Mike Miller said. “Hopefully our hitters can keep improving and keep building off this.”
Game one
Humboldt was able to jump ahead immediately in the first inning and pace themselves behind the arm of Sommer for a 7-1 victory. Sam Hull ignited the scoring when he ripped a standup triple to lead off the bottom of the first and then scored on a Brody Gunderman RBI groundout for the 1-0 lead.
Sommer allowed Bluestem to score their only run of the game in the top of the second inning when Dawson Crutcher walked and then scored on an RBI groundout.
“It’s really just our pitchers doing a great job keeping us in games, getting us out of tough situations and waiting for those bats to come around and put together a big inning,” said Miller. “It’s always going to come and then you don’t let it up, keep putting it on them.”
Blake Ellis knocked a leadoff double in the bottom of the second and scored on a
The Cubs scored seven in the second inning, which began with Ellis walking.
“It starts with getting the leadoff runner on. It puts a little pressure on the defense and having a good approach at the plate,” said Miller. “Being able to string consecutive good at bats where you can get multiple runners on base and score some runs in just one hit is also helpful.”
Bluestem’s pitcher, Brayden Altenhoffen, walked the first three batters and then was hit with four hits and seven runs.
See HUMBOLDT | Page B3
By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register
The spring sports season is in full swing with baseball and softball, track and field and golf and boys tennis. Here are our nominees from the area’s high school and college athletes for the March Athletes of the Month. To vote, go to iolaregister. com.
John James James has been most impressive on the mound in his freshman season at Allen Community College, collecting a 6-0 record with a 2.22 ERA through a teamhigh 44.2 innings pitched.
It’s been a sigh of relief every time James gets the ball this season. The Red Devils have won six of James’ seven starts. The Red Devil’s best start to date came in a 5-0 shutout victory over Northeast. James threw seven innings, allowing only four hits and no runs and striking out 10 batters. He then earned a win over Neosho with a seven inning, no run, three hit performance on March 17.
Brandon McKarnin
McKarnin got the Iola Mustangs season off to a good start when he shut out and held Independence hitless in a 12-2 home opener victory on March 21. He also had four strikeouts and is serving as one of three senior leaders on this year’s Iola High baseball team. McKarnin then turned around and brought it at the plate against Burlington last week when the senior knocked a two-run double before collecting two more hits in the second game.
McKarnin’s presence both on the mound and at the plate is a key part of Iola’s success.
Brayden Lawson Lawson is a powerhouse in the javelin and shot put for the Marmaton Valley Wildcats. A junior, Lawson was an integral part of the Wildcats’ first place win at the season opener track and field meet at Uniontown. Lawson placed third in the boys javelin throw with a distance of 115 feet and also placed fifth
in the shot put with a mark of 34’ 4.75”.
He is expected to lead a strong Marmaton Valley boys track team which also has young talent in Jaedon Granere and Evan Kent.
Robin Todd
The Allen softball team has won eight games so far and Todd has been one of the main reasons why. The Lady Red Devil leads her team with 18 RBIs and a .324 batting average while also smacking
See MARCH | Page B3
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LYNDON — The Humboldt High track and field team competed in their second meet of the season at the Lyndon Spring Relays on Friday.
The Humboldt boys claimed fifth place as a team with 46 points while the Lady Cubs finished in eighth place overall with 33.5 points. There were seven events where Cubs took top three places including Maddox Johnson taking top three in discus, javelin and shot put.
On the boys side, Chase County came in first, Osage City finished in second and Lyndon placed third. The girls were headed by West Franklin’s firstplace finish, Osage City in second place and Wabaunsee in third place.
“Overall I was happy with many of our performances,” said Humboldt head coach Eric Carlson. “Everyone now has at least one meet under their belt and should be able to start concentrating on the things we need to do to improve. On a day as windy as it was, we just wanted to focus on competing and placing as high as we could.”
Trey Sommer took second place in the boys long jump with a distance of 19 feet,
7 inches. He also took third place in the boys 200 meter dash with a time of 26.10 seconds.
Johnson took third place in the discus with a throw of 155’ 4” and second place in the boys javelin with a throw of 162’ 8”. He also took third place in the shot put at 46’ 4.25”.
Laney Hull took second place in the girls 100 meter hurdles with a time of 17.70 seconds.
Mateo Miller secured
third place in the boys 110 meter hurdles at 18.32 seconds. “Friday was a beautiful but extremely windy day,” Carlson said. “The sprint races were all run directly into the wind and every other race was really affected by the wind as well. Some of the jumps and throws were also into the wind.”
In the girls high jump, Hull took fourth place with a 4’ 8” mark while Ricklyn Hillmon
Continued from B1
Sommer completed the second inning scoring when he made it an 8-0 game after reaching on a single.
The Cubs brought their final three runs
to the plate in the bottom of the third inning when Hull singled and scored, Gunderman was hit by a pitch and scored and Cook was also walked and later scored for the 11-0 final score.
Humboldt had 10 hits which was led by Hull’s three hits while Cole Mathes and Ellis each had two hits.
The Cubs travel to Fredonia on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
Continued from B1
two homers. Todd, a Lawrence sophomore, has had eight multi-hit games this season and drove in a season-high four runs in a 12-7 win over Oklahoma Wesleyan JV on Feb. 22. It’s been a big jump from her freshman season when Todd had a .238 batting average with 15 hits.
Josie Walter
Even though she’s only a freshman, Josie
Walter is making her name known after the Crest girls secured first place at the Uniontown track meet last week.
Walter took first place in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:59.01. Then in the 800-meter run, she took second place with a time of 2:48.48, one place behind teammate Peyton Schmidt.
Walter is coming off a strong cross country season where the Lady Lancers reached new
heights as well.
Carsyn Haviland Carsyn Haviland has been a force at the plate to start the season after she drove in three runs in a couple of victories at Neodesha. The Lady Cub is only one piece of a hard-hitting Humboldt softball lineup which can strike for runs at any time. A senior, Haviland plays at first base.
came in seventh place, 4’ 6”, and Ella Lassman took ninth place with a 4’ 4” jump. In the girls long jump, Cassidy Friend earned 17th place with her jump of 12’ 10.25 “. Mallory Sinclair got 22nd place with her 11’ 2.50” jump.
In the girls triple jump, Morgan Sterling took fifth place with a jump of 29’ 9”. In the girls discus throw, Kinley Tucker secured fourth place with a throw of 104’ 2”.
In the boys discus throw, Carson Peters followed Maddox by placing in 12th with a throw of 92’ 5” while Garren Goodner came in 25th place with a throw of 57’ 3”.
In the boys javelin throw, Miller came in fifth place with a throw of 132’ 6”. Goodner placed 26th with a throw of 83’ 6”.
In the girls shot put, Tucker took fourth place with a 31’ 8.25” throw. Carsyn Haviland came in fifth with a
throw of 29’ 10.25”.
In the girls 100 meter hurdles, Hull placed second while Morgan Hunter came in ninth in 20.10 seconds. Miller placed third on the boys side.
In the girls 100 meter dash, Josey Ellis took 18th with a time of 15.20 seconds while Sterling got 19th in 15.22 seconds. Teghen Jaro got 24th place with a time of 15.95 seconds.
In the boys 100 meter dash, Sommer took sixth at 12.40 seconds and Gavin Jaro took 15th with a time of 12.97 seconds.
In the boys 200 meter dash, Sommer took third while Jaro claimed 13th place with a time of 27.64 seconds.
In the girls 4x800 meter relay, Humboldt took third place with a time of 11:46.77.
In the girls 1600 meter run, McKenna Jones took 11th place with a time of 6:56.22 and Tori Melendez finished in 20th with a time of 07:24.40.
In the boys 1600 meter run, Peyton Wallace secured seventh place with a time of 5:28.75.
In the girls 4x100 meter relay, Humboldt took seventh with a time of 59.92 seconds.
In the girls 400 meter dash, Sinclair finished in 12th place with a time of 1:14.78 and
See TRACK | Page B6
Continued from B1
Daniels and Wrestler got on base before Wools also singled and all three scored after a Haviland double cleared the bases and marked the 8-7 walk off winner.
Game two
The Bluestem Lions got their bats heated up again in the first inning but this time held Humboldt from cutting into their lead as much in a 15-10 loss for the Lady Cubs.
The first five Bluestem batters of the game all reached base and scored for an early 5-0 hole.
Humboldt’s Shaughnessy singled and later scored for the 5-1 score. Bluestem tacked four more runs on the board through the fourth inning.
Shaughnessy and Ross scored in the fourth for Humboldt for the 9-3 deficit.
The closest the Lady Cubs got the rest
of the ballgame was when Wools cracked a grand slam to make it an 11-9 game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Bluestem then extended the lead right back to five runs on a three-run homer in the top of the seventh, 14-9.
The Lions plated one more run in the top of the seventh and Humboldt was dealt a 15-9 loss.
Humboldt plays at Fredonia on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
CHEROKEE — A promising start for Marmaton Valley High baseball Monday — Wyatt Ard’s RBI double scored Dominic Smith to give the Wildcats a quick 1-0 lead over host Southeast – soon turned sour.
Southeast evened the score in the bottom of the inning, and then took advantage of five walks and a dropped third strike to kickstart a 13-run second inning.
By the time the dust
cleared, the Wildcats were on the short end of a 16-1 defeat.
Brevyn Campbell had Marmaton Valley’s only other hit, a second-inning single. A similar pattern followed in Game 2.
Brevyn Campbell walked to lead off the game and scored on an Ard single to give MV a 1-0 lead. But Southeast responded with another wallop, scoring eight in the first inning as part
CHEROKEE — Charles Dickens surely didn’t have Marmaton Valley High’s softball team in mind when he penned his epic novel “A Tale of Two Cities.”
Nevertheless, the iconic opening line — “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” — certainly fit the Wildcats’ day on the diamond Monday.
of an 18-3 victory. Chase Smith was hit by a pitch to lead off MV’s third inning. He moved up to second on a balk and third on a passed ball before scoring on Dylan Drake’s RBI single. Drake then stole a second and scored when Ard delivered his second RBI single of the game. The losses drop Marmaton Valley to 1-5 on the season. The Wildcats are at Crest Thursday.
Marmaton Valley started out like gangbusters, plating nine runs in the first inning of a 17-4 romp over Southeast of Cherokee, the squad’s first win of the 2023 season.. But the magic dissipated rather quickly in Monday’s nightcap.
The host Lancers exploded for seven runs in the first and 16 more in the second to roll, 23-1.
The split puts Marmaton Valley at 1-5 headed into a doubleheader at Crest on Thursday. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
Brooklyn Adams, Braelyn Sutton and Payton Scharff set the tables for the first-inning explosion in
Marmaton Valley High’s Bailey LaRue fields a ground ball during a game earlier this season. On Monday, the Wildcats picked up a road split at Southeast. PHOTO BY HALIE LUKEN/MVHS
the opener. All three reached base twice in the frame and came around to score. Haylee Lanham, Mary Brown, Shelby Sprague and Gabby Briggs also scored runs before Southeast got its first turn at bat.
It was more than enough for Scharff, who limited Southeast to two runs each in the third and fifth innings,while striking out 11.
Tayven Sutton scored for MV to make it 10-0 in the top of the third. She and Scharff
both scored in a tworun fifth, before Adams, Scharff, Brown, Sprague and Bailey LaRue put the game away in a five-run sixth.
But some troubles with the strike zone, including four hit batters, three walks and an error doomed MV’s chances in Game 2.
Six walks and six hit Lancer batters in the second inning ended the game.
Adams accounted for Marmaton Valley’s only run in the top of the third inning.
PLEASANTON — Marmaton Valley Junior High, Crest Middle School and Yates Center Middle School athletes competed Monday at the Pleasanton Invitational, earning several top medals.
Seventh grade girls
Team scores — 1. Jayhawk-Linn, 99; 2. Crest, 82; 4. Marmaton Valley, 70; 5. Yates Center, 52 High jump — 3. Tatum Slyter, Crest, 3’8”; 4. Evva Sander, MV, 3’8”
Long jump — 2. Addisyn Drake, MV, 12’5”; 3. Slyter, 12’3.5”; 4. Casey Collier, YC, 11’7.25”; 6. Kaelynn Moore, YC, 10’5”; 9. Kaylee Burris, MV, 9’5”
Discus — 1. Summer Valentine, Crest, 73’; 2 Drake, 64’4”; 4. Whitley Shaffer, YC, 61’10”; 6. Casey Collier, YC, 59’5”; 7. Mirandi Sorenson, YC, 58’11: 11. Clara Ferguson, MV, 51’8”;
12. Madi Moyer, Crest, 45’6”; 13. Devynn Sitler, Crest, 42’; 15. Tayleigh Forman, MV, 20’10”
Shot put — 1. Valentine, 28’9”; 2. Mckynzee Burkholder, YC, 26’5.5”;
4. Drake, 24’3”; 5. Ferguson, 24’1”;
8. Moyer, 22’6: 10. Sitler, 22’2: 11. Sorenson, 21’10”; 13. Forman, 19’7.5”;
14. Natalie Weber, YC, 18’9: 3200 — 1. Kallei Robb, Crest,
14:04.54; 3. Haylie Aiello, MV, 18’40.84
100m hurdles — 1. Drake, 20.11; 5. Braylee Edgerton, Crest, 26.07 100 — 3. Slyter, 14.99; 5. Sander, 15.45; 8. Collier, 16.37; 10. Burris, 16.82; 11. Payten Ballin, YC, 17.44;
13. Elliot Hoag, YC, 18.42; 15. Sun-
ny Brewer, Crest, 19.01; 16. Jemma Womelsdorf, Crest, 19.13 1600 — 2. Gracyn Ellington, Crest,
7:15.44; 5. Moore, 8:24.19
4x100 — DQ. Crest (Edgerton, Adayrean West, Emma Kent, Valentine), NA 400 — 1. Burkholder, 1:13.68; 2. Karla Pilgrim, YC, 1:13.73; 3. Emma Louk, MV, 1:18.54; 5. Aiello, 1:26.45; 7. West, 1:26.86
— 2. Crest (Ellington, Kent, Womelsdorf, Edgerton), 2:43.72
Louk, 3:08.22; 5. Moore, 3:25.04 200 — 3. Sander, 32.13; 5. Burkholder, 32.72; 8. Burris, 36.96; 10. Aiello, 38.72 800m medley relay — 2. Crest (Edgerton, Valentine, Ellington, Robb), 2:39.82; 3. MV (Ferguson, Forman, Aiello, Louk), 2:42.47
Eighth grade girls Team scores — 1. Crest, 87; 4. Yates Center, 54; 6. Marmaton Valley, 9
High jump — 1. Jaycee Schmidt, Crest, 4’4”; 2. Jaylynn Birk, YC, 4’2”; 7 (tie). Cayten Cummings, YC, 3’10”; 7 (tie). Andie Carr, MV, 3’10; 10. Kamryn Jones, Crest, 3’8”
Long jump — 1. Hanna Schmidt, Crest, 15’9”; 4. Danielle Lomon, YC, 12’4”; 5. Taylen Blevins, MV, 11’9.75”; 10. Austyn Olson, YC, 11’1”; 12. Mahala Burris, MV, 10’8.5”; 13. Emma Michael, MV, 9’7.75” Discus — 3. Jayda Rice, YC, 62’8”; 6. Olson, 51’5”; 10. Brailey Valentine, Crest, 35’; 11. Danielle Burnett, Crest,
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Continued from B4
Kole Walter, Crest, 4’6”; 5. Thomas Allee, MV, 4’4”; 6. Brady Burton, MV, 3’ Long jump — 1. Lawson, 14’6: 4. Charlie Slyter, Crest, 12’10”; 7. Shane Schields, YC, 12’5; 9. Ty Coberly, Crest, 11’8”; 10. Marcus Cummings, YC, 11’6’ 11. Lane Lord, MV, 11’6”; 12. Truett Blevins, MV, 11’5”; 14. Ben Cook, YC, 11’ 16. Will Disbrow, Crest, 9’6” Discus — 2. Kooper Welch, MV, 70’3.75”; 3. Trewit Luedke, Crest, 65’9”; 6. Bentley Hammond, Crest, 59’11.5”; 9. Kris McVey, MV, 53’5.25”; 10. Tagan O’Brien, YC, 52’8.5”; 12. Brogan McConaghie, YC, 50’5: 13. Disbrow, 49’5”; 14. Blevins, 44’3”
Shot put — 1. Gavin Riles, YC, 31’1”; 4. Welch, 27’.5”; 5. Luedke, 24’9”; 6. McConaghie, 24’7”; 8. Hammond, 23’; 10. Kr. McVey, 22’1: 12. Blevins, 18’7”; 13. Noah DeTar, Crest, 18’; 14. O’Brien, 17’9.5” 3200 — 2. Tucker Sutton, MV, 13:13.77; 3. Bryant Uhlrich, MV, 13:26.28; 4. Dagon Denny, Crest, 13:42.37; 5. Jimmy Ayers, Crest, 14:08.02
100m hurdles — 1. Kaden McVey, MV, 18.89. 3. Lawson, 19.12; 5. Burton, 21.50; 6. Disbrow, 22.70; 7. Ayers, 24.17; 8. Coberly, 26.37
100 — 1. Riles, 13.35; 2. Daylan Nichols, Crest, 13.81;
3. Kaden McVey, MV, 14.11; 4. Lawson, 14.30; 5. Colin Ard, MV, 14.32; 9. Ben Cook, YC, 15.31; 10. Schields, 15.34; 11. Grady Allen, Crest,
8. Denny, 6:46.05; 9.
6:51.15; 10. Stoll, 7:03.72;
Coberly, 8:08.99
4x100 — 1. Crest. (Slyter, Koiy Miller, Wyatt Francis, Nichols), 1:04.00; 3. MV (Kameron McClenning, Blevins, Burton, Jaxon Stevens),
1:05.29
400 — 1. Walter, 1:06.92;
3. McClenning, 1:12.55; 4. Cummings, 1:12.57; 7. Allee,
1:19.78; 9. Denny, 1:25.94; 11.
Corbin Schultz, YC, 1:32.08
4x200 — 1. Crest (Al-
len, Slyter, Francis, Miller),
2:16.28; 3. MV (Kr. McVey, McClenning, Burton, Uhlrich),
2:28.76
800 — 1. Walter, 2:39.27; 2. Sutton, 2:50.66; 3. Cummings,
2:58.03; 4. Welch, 3:03.83; 6.
Ard, 3:09.58; 7. Culver, 3:13.9;
CRYPTOQUOTES
Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate. — Katharine Hepburn
8. Francis, 3:32.80; 9. Coberly, 3:40.70
200 — 1. Riles, 27.46; 2. Nichols, 28.60; 3. Ka. McVey, 28.77; 5. Cook, 30.96; 6. Miller, 31.43; 7. McClenning, 31.47; 8. Lord, 31.73; 10. Jeremiah Schnichels, 35.17; 12. 19. Lukas Blaufuss, Crest, 41.33 800m medley relay — 1. Crest (Allen, Miller, Nichols, Walter), 2:09.67; 2. MV (Lord, Stevens, Ka. McVey, Sutton),
2:19.73
Eighth grade boys
Team scores — 1. JayhawkLinn, 100; 2. Marmaton Valley, 86; 3. Crest, 56; 5. Yates Center, 45
High jump — 1. Xander
Fuller, Crest, 4’10: 5. Jeremiah Jones, YC, 4’2”
Long jump — 2. Cooper
Scharff, MV, 16’; 3. Fuller, 15’5”; 8. Brendon Newman, MV, 12’6”; 10. Ethan Flyingman, Crest, 11’4” Discus — 2. Dagan Barney, MV, 80’9.5”; 3. Jordan Bishop, YC, 80’4.5”; 4. Mason Fergu
son, MV, 79’4.5”; 7. Preston Blaufuss, Crest, 64’8.25”; 9. Kaidan Cuppy, YC, 62’4”; 10. Michael Schields, YC, 62’3”; 11. Tristan Boone, Crest, 58’11”; 12. Hunter Doolittle, MV, 57’8.75 Shot put — 2. Ferguson, 32’1.5”; 3. Barney, 32’; 4. Bishop, 30’1.5”; 5. Asher Arnold, YC, 27’5”; 6. Schields, 26’4”; 9. Doolittle, 23’8”; 11. P. Blaufuss, 22’6: 12. Boone, 22’2” 100m hurdles — 1. Barney, 19.88; 2. Flyingman, 21.66 100 — 1. Scharff, 12.36; 4. Fuller, 13.37; 6. Colton Burkholder, YC, 14.52; 9. Jones, 15.29; 10 Wyatt Francis, Crest, 16.04; 12. Flyingman, 16.54; 13. Schields, 17.69
1600 — 1. Burkholder, 5:48.77; 4. Arnold, 6:19.71; 5. Newman, 6:50.39 4x100 — 2. Crest (Boone, Luedke, Bentley Hammond, Lukas Blaufuss), 1:11.17 400 — 1. Scharff, 1:03.46; 5. Newman, 1:21.14 4x200 — 1. Crest (P. Blaufuss, Boone, L. Blaufuss, Flyingman), 2:31.39
800 — 2. Burkholder, 2:41.99; 3. Arnold, 2:47.92
200 — 1. Scharff, 25.60; 3. Fuller, 27.28; 4. P. Blaufuss, 32.24; 6. Jones, 32.88; 8. Doolittle, 38.53 800m medley relay — 2. MV (Ferguson, Doolittle, Barney, Newman), 2:21.43
ZITS by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman BEETLE BAILEY by Mort Walker HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by Chris Browne
The Cinderellas certainly had their moments in this March Madness. More than a few, actually.
In the end, it was a familiar face that won the NCAA Tournament.
UConn — a No. 4 seed — beat No. 5 seed San Diego State 76-59 on Monday night in Houston for its fifth title in the past 24 years. The Huskies and coach Dan Hurley cruised through the tournament in impressive fashion, winning all six games by at least 10 points.
The Aztecs of the Mountain West Conference didn’t go quietly, cutting UConn’s lead to six points late in the second half before the
Huskies used one more run to put the game away. It was San Diego State’s first trip to the title game.
Before Monday night, college basketball fans enjoyed three weeks of great moments. Here are a few that stood out:
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON
SHOCKER
Little-known Fairleigh Dickinson — a private, commuter school in Teaneck, New Jersey — provided an early stunner, becoming just the second No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed with its 63-58 win over Purdue.
Only in the NCAA Tournament field due to a technicality, FDU, which went 4-22 last season, won a First Four game in Dayton before the victory over the Boilermakers. FDU lost the
Northeast Conference Tournament title game 67-66 but still received the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA bracket
Continued from B1
Hillmon came in 16th place with a time of 1:15.96. Skylar Hottenstein came in 17th place with a time of 1:17.89.
In the boys 400 meter dash, Jaro placed 23rd with a time of 1:07.51.
In the girls 300 meter hurdles, Hull placed fifth in 56.64 seconds. Anna Heisler came in ninth place in 1:02.87.
In the boys 300 meter hurdles, Miller took sixth place in
48.92 seconds.
In the girls 800 meter run, Haviland came in seventh place in 3:09.48. On the boys side, Wallace came in fifth place in 2:21.19 and Javyn Hess came in 15th place with a time of 2:30.39.
In the girls 3200 meter run, Melendez finished in 13th with a time of 16:21.19.
In the girls 4x100 meter relay, Humboldt placed eighth with a time of 5:16.39.
In the boys 4x100
meter relay, the Cubs finished in eighth with a time of 4:18.94.
In the girls javelin throw, Haviland took sixth place with a throw of 98’ 1”. Tucker took ninth place with a throw of 91’ 1”. Hunter claimed 12th place with a time of 85’ 1”.
In the girls pole vault, Heisler took fifth place with a throw of 5’ 6”.
Humboldt travels to Eureka on Thursday at 3 p.m.
because champion Merrimack remains ineligible for postseason play after moving up from Division II to Division I.
PRINCETON, TOO Smart kids made it all the way to the Sweet 16 when Ivy League champion Princeton — a No. 15 seed — won not just one but two games in the tournament to advance to the second weekend.
The Tigers used a late-game run to earn their first NCAA Tournament win in 25 years, beating No. 2 seed Arizona 59-55 before a dominant 78-63 win over No. 7 Missouri.
TOP SEEDS BITE DUST
Purdue’s loss to Fairleigh Dickinson was just the opening
salvo in a tough tournament for No. 1 seeds.
The men’s tournament did not have a No. 1 seed in the Elite Eight for the first time since seeding began in 1979. Kansas bowed out in the second round, with Arkansas taking down the reigning national champion Jayhawks. Alabama, the bracket’s No. 1 overall seed, succumbed in the Sweet 16 to San Diego State. Later in the Sweet 16, Miami capped the No. 1 carnage with a dominant 89-75 win over Houston.
BUTLER’S BUZERBEATER
San Diego State’s Lamont Butler hit a buzzer-beating jumper that will live a long time in college basketball lore, sending the Aztecs to their first national
championship game with a 72-71 win over fellow mid-major Florida Atlantic in the Final Four.
The clock ticking down, Butler dribbled to the baseline, found that cut off and circled back. He stepped back to create a little room and hit a jumper that sent the Aztecs racing out onto the floor and had San Diego Padres fans going wild at Petco Park.
THAT WAS COOL Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell broke the NCAA Tournament record for assists in a game with 19, including one late in the game that was among the most creative in postseason history.
Nowell found Keyontae Johnson for a reverse alley-oop with 52 seconds left in OT to give the Wildcats the lead for good over Michigan State in the Sweet 16. Nowell appeared to be arguing with coach Jerome Tang right before the pass, catching the Spartans flat-footed in one of the most important moments of the game.
GREAT GAMES
There were a lot of great games in this year’s tournament. Among the best: Gonzaga’s 79-76 thriller over UCLA in the Sweet 16.
Julian Strawther hit a 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds left to answer a 3-pointer by UCLA’s Amari Bailey, lifting Gonzaga to the wild win over the Bruins.