Inside: Day of reckoning for Congress Gorsuch See A5
2017 1867
Sports: Royals fall again to Twins See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Thursday, April 6, 2017
Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
‘TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY’ IHS brings ‘Music Man’ fun to Bowlus
Iola Council approves G&W utility extension
By RICK DANLEY The Iola Register
Beware the con man! Beware the charlatan! Beware the silver-tongued moralizer, the two-bit Jimmy Swaggart, the oily politician and the dollar-drunk preacher! Beware the clever pitchman. This is the subject on which “The Music Man,” one of the most incorruptible pieces of popular Americana, spins its antic tale of a conniving musical-instrument salesman who is redeemed by his love for a small-town librarian in See MUSICAL | Page A5
By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Karly McGuffin, from left, Bobby Lewis and Aaron Terhune rehearse a scene from the Iola High School production of “The Music Man,” which runs tonight and Friday at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. Below are the ladies of River City from another scene. Additional photos are on A6 and on the Register’s Facebook page. REGISTER/RICK DANLEY
While not to the extent of Allen County’s or Iola Industries’ contributions, Iola city council members also will assist with construction of a new G&W Foods grocery store. Council members voted, 5-1, Wednesday to extend utilities to the store site at the intersection of U.S. 54 and First Street — the old Allen County Hospital site — at a cost of about $38,000. The cost to extend utilities typically is the responsibility of the developers, but the city has offered similar assistance with other development projects, Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said. Councilman Aaron Franklin voted in opposition. Council members Bob Shaughnessy and Don Becker were absent from Wednesday’s special meeting. Earlier this week, Allen See CITY | Page A3
The heat is on (It just doesn’t work that well) By SHELLIE SMITLEY The Iola Register
HUMBOLDT — Things are heating up at USD 258. Humboldt school board members were given a lot to digest Tuesday when 360 Energy and DeWayne Vaughn of Integrated Consulting Engineers, Inc., vied for the opportunity to address the district’s chronic air and heating issues.
Jacob Hurla of 360 Energy began the evening’s discussion with a brief description of the Lawrencebased company and pointed See 258 | Page A3
Lawmakers to debate ‘flat’ income tax proposal TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators are preparing to debate a proposal to raise additional revenue with a “flat” personal income tax that has the backing of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. The state Senate was taking up an income tax bill Thursday, a day after Brownback said publicly that he
would sign it or something similar. T h e proposed budget fix would impose a 4.6 percent rate for all filers starting next year. That is the top rate for higherSee FLAT TAX | Page A3
Quote of the day Vol. 119, No. 113
Humboldt celebration takes shape By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
HUMBOLDT — Another page was turned this week as members of the local historical preservation group continued laying plans for the town’s 160th birthday celebration. The event will unfold starting May 20 at the bandstand on the square and continue with old-time baseball, kids’ games and other attractions at Walter Johnson Field. Among things discussed were a bicycle-decorating contest for youngsters and a procession from downtown to the field, including transporting baseball players to the playing field in antique cars. Also, the cars will be on display downtown before taking flight for the field. Raymond Red Corn, assistant chief of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma, has promised to be on hand and bring a delegation from the tribe’s Cultural Department. What awaits Humboldt observers, Red Corn said, still is in the deciding stage. The Osage had a role in ear-
Tom Rutledge and Jan Coykendall, both former Humboldt mayors, are among Humboldt Historical Preservation Alliance members planning for the town’s 160th birthday party on May 20. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON ly Humboldt. So did Confederate raiders during the Civil War, but re-enactors’ portrayal of the town’s burning will be deferred to another time. The vintage ball game that afternoon, featuring teams from Topeka and Wichita, will be a featured event. In the late 1800s, baseball had much different rules, equipment had little resemblance to today’s and the game was
“Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong.” — Winston Churchill 75 Cents
played as much for fun as to win. Baseball is very much a part of Humboldt’s history, with Walter Johnson, the Washington Senators’ pitching ace, having been born on Nov. 6, 1887, a couple of miles north of town. He often returned for exhibitions and had a great following among See HUMBOLDT | Page A3
Hi: 62 Lo: 35 Iola, KS