The
IOLA REGISTER Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Locally owned since 1867
SOFTBALL MV players earn league honors See B1
www.iolaregister.com
On the road again... Cross-country cyclists make pit stop in Iola By RICHARD LUKEN richard@iolaregister.com
A cross-country trip on two wheels brought Ben and Johanna Kracke through Iola Monday. The Krackes, who live in the Washington, D.C., area, are engaged in a three-month, 4,200-mile bicycle trip from Yorktown, Va., to Astoria, Ore. The impetus for such an ambitious “vacation?” “We’re both 29 and about to enter a new phase in our lives,” Ben said while the two loaded up on water, snacks and other supplies at McDonald’s. “It’s about time for us to start thinking about buying a house, things like that. So we’re taking a sabbatical for our summer vacation.” The pair departed from the Atlantic Ocean on May 1 — their back tires were literally in the water at the starting line — and plan to reach Oregon by the end of July. “We’ll be done when we dip our front tires in the ocean,” Ben said. The Krackes left Fort Scott Monday morning and made it as far at Yates Center before buckling down for the night. They’ll continue due west until reaching Pueblo, Colo., where they’ll begin the northwest portion of their trip, through the Rocky Mountains to Missoula, Mont. Then, they follow a winding route through Idaho and Oregon.
Jonathan Wells
Wells looks to tap into young citizens
Register/Richard Luken
Johanna and Ben Kracke “Our return flight is July 31, so we have to be done by then,” Ben said. Aside from “leap-frogging storms,” and some narrow roads through the Appalachian Mountains, the trip has been largely free of drama, Johanna said. “We had to duck under an ATM awning for about two hours one day to dodge the hail,” she said. “But days like today are perfect because it’s not too hot, and we have a nice tailwind.”
Kansans, she noted, have a well-deserved reputation for their friendliness when the Krackes are in a town, and for their politeness on the road. “Kansas traffic has been great,” she said. “Other places, not so much.” Narrow, curvy roads through places like Kentucky have created some dicey traffic situations, Ben added, “but it’s gone pretty well.” See CYCLISTS | Page A6
By KAYLA BANZET kayla@iolaregister.com
There is a new face on the Iola city council and he is on a mission to increase participation within the community. Jonathan Wells has recently been appointed to Ward 1. Wells, an Allen Community College history and political science instructor, has lived in Iola for five years. Before moving to Iola, Wells resided in Tulsa, Okla. He studied at the University of Tulsa where he received his bachelor and master’s degrees in history and political science. He originally wanted to practice law but moved to-
ward the teaching route. “I never thought I’d go into teaching,” Wells said. “Both of my parents are teachers and so was my grandfather.” Currently, he is finishing his doctorate in history at the University of Kansas. Although he doesn’t have political experience, Wells is familiar with the procedure. Many people encouraged him to run for the council member position but he was reluctant to run a campaign. When he saw the opening position for Ward 1 he applied quickly and went through a See WELLS | Page A6
Iola looks Merger talks leaning toward Iola ahead of tech curve By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
By KAYLA BANZET kayla@iolaregister.com
Technology is rapidly advancing in this digital world and the knowledge for technology is essential in the classroom. Iola hopes to stay ahead of the curve by starting technology education in kindergarten. Angie Linn, curriculum director for Iola, has been working on advancing Iola school’s technology curriculum. On Tuesday night Linn addressed the Iola school board with a proposal to integrate a new plan that includes hiring a new teacher who would divide his time between schools. The teacher would help with K-3 courses and oversee K-5. The teacher would also provide course support at the middle school to teach supplemental courses. “We already have two paras who assist with technology education,” Linn said, but stressed the need for an additional full time teacher. Currently, in upper level elementary classes students had to create PowerPoint presentations and do basic keyboarding. This will now be moved down to the third grade. Students as young as kindergarten will learn keyboarding and how to use a web browser. The reason requirements are being moved to earlier levels is because of the new state assessment requirements. “Previously students who took the assessment would have a multiple choice opSee TECH | Page A6
If details can be worked out, Iola will run countywide ambulance service as well as its fire department. That outcome surfaced from an hour-long meeting between governing bodies of Iola and the county Monday evening. Dick Works, longtime commissioner and staunchest of all in insisting the county should provide the service, said: “I’m not saying I would never go to option 3 (city control), but I want more numbers,” showing the city could perform the task at a lesser cost than is required by the two services of today. Next chore for commissioners will be to develop a list of priorities for a contract.
FRED HEISMEYER, the meeting’s moderator, opened the session by listing four options: 1) Leaving things as they are, the county answering ambulance calls outside Iola, Iola dealing with those in the city as well as fire calls; 2) A combined fire and ambulance service, operated by
Register/Bob Johnson
Allen County Commission Chairman Dick Works, left, makes a point during ambulance discussions Monday evening while Iola Councilman Don Becker listens. the county, with volunteer fire departments in outlying areas unaffected; 3) The city operating countywide ambulance and local fire service, also with volunteer departments unaffected; 4) Separate departments — the city operating Iola fire, the county all ambulance response. With Commissioner Jim
Talkington and three council members, Beverly Franklin, Steve French and Nancy Ford, absent, a straw vote on the options left No. 3 with six votes, No. 4 two — Works and Councilman Bob Shaughnessy. Four council members — Don Becker, Jon Wells, Sandy Zornes and Gene Myrick — and Mayor Joel Wicoff favored No. 3, which would have been enough support for it to
pass had it been a formal proposal. County commissioners were split, with Williams in favor of No. 3, Works No. 4. Williams signed on to city control of all services because, as Heismeyer mentioned, that is what the majority favors. “It will be the most complicated,” Williams predicted, and will take “a monumental effort to work out all the details. The fourth option would be the simplest.” Financial information developed since the two bodies last met indicated overall savings of $535,000 with either the city or county operating ambulance and Iola fire. The accounting showed a savings of $557,000 with the county operating all ambulances, Iola its fire department. Income last year from the two services was $700,000, but the anticipation is, with aggressive collection and changes in federal reimbursements with the Affordable Care Act, the total would approach $1 million. Of that, $700,000 would come from responses throughout the county and See MERGER | Page A6
Layin’ it down Progress for a new fiber optic line began Friday morning on West Miller Road. Workers started feeding the line into the ground in front of Advantage Computer Enterprises. The line is for Cox Communications and the project should take about a week. Register/Kayla Banzet
Vol. 115, No.155
75 Cents
Iola, KS