The
IOLA REGISTER Monday, June 10, 2013
Locally owned since 1867
SPORTS
Couple continues cross-country walk See B1
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Benefits sprout at jail garden By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
Joni Tucker often spends several minutes scrubbing her hands when she gets home from work. Tucker is Allen County Jail administrator, and since gardening weather has arrived she spends part of most days helping inmates and jail staff tend to a vegetable garden at the corner of Jackson and Jefferson avenues. “My hands get pretty dirty,” she laughed, but not to worry, it’s for a good cause and one inmates are given the opportunity to embrace. The garden’s produce also has saved Allen County about $17,000 since it came into being five years ago. Cook Darlene Kitchens dai-
River park draws praise By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
HUMBOLDT — Music and accolades flowed along the bank of the Neosho River here Saturday afternoon, leading up to dedication of Neosho River Park. The day was made to order, with not too warm temperatures and a soothing breeze. Scores of people, including a contingent of cyclists who arrived after dedication of the Southwind Rail-Trail earlier in the afternoon, came to celebrate. Riley Herder strummed his guitar and sang gospel, country and original songs. Vada Aikins, city council member and one of those behind the establishment of the park through the Humboldt Healthy Ecosystems committee, allowed the park would be a “place to enjoy for many, many years.” Just west of the dam that creates a reservoir for Humboldt’s water supply, the area first was a campground for Osage Indians and then a park for settlers, who found the higher (east) side of the river an ideal place See RIVER PARK | Page A4
Dedication of Humboldt’s Neosho River Park drew a crowd late Saturday afternoon, including Ed Bideau, 9th District representative, who held granddaughter Hannah as he added congratulations for the park’s completion. Register/Bob Johnson
An inmate trims grass among boxes that hold vegetable plants in the Allen County Jail garden.
Tax plan triggers spending controls
Register/Steven Schwartz
Above, Southwind RailTrail volunteers, led by Trail Manager Dave Fontaine, take the first ride on the trail immediately following the ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday afternoon. At Left, Elizabeth Stewart, with the Sunflower Foundation, speaks to the audience during ceremonies.
Ribbon cut on Southwind Rail-Trail Over 100 cyclists, walkers and enthusiasts showed up for the ribbon cutting for the Southwind Rail-Trail Saturday afternoon in Riverside Park. As people began to file in on their mode of transportation — everything from road and mountain bicycles to tricycles and recumbent bikes
See GARDEN | Page A4
Register/Bob Johnson
GRAND OPENINGS
By STEVEN SCHWARTZ steven@iolaregister.com
ly uses most of what is grown and also preserves some, which extends financial benefits over a full year, not just garden season. “We’re just using up green peppers we froze last year,” Kitchen said. Inmates eat cucumbers fresh and she also makes relishes and pickles. Tomatoes are eaten in season, as well, and the crop lasts into the next spring as sauces and those frozen. The garden occupies a corner lot owned by Kent Thompson, local real estate agent and former county commissioner, who made it available when the idea for a garden first took root.
— Jay Kretzmeier opened the ceremonies. “This is truly a joyous occasion,” he said. He highlighted the timeline of the trail’s completion, starting with the Sunflower Rails to Trails Conservancy acquiring a grant, all the way to the clearing of the trail and its completion. “What an absolute wonderful coalition and coming together of private funding,” Kretzmeier said. The speakers for the Vol. 115, No. 159
event included Clark Cohen, a representative of the conservancy who has been instrumental in the logistics of the trail; Don Becker, who represented Iola City Council; Dick Works, representing the Allen County Commission; Sunny Shreeve, representing the Humboldt City Council; and Elizabeth Stewart from the Sunflower Foundation, another organization that played a key role in the See SOUTHWIND | Page A4
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Important but relatively littlenoticed provisions in the tax plan approved by Kansas legislators this year embody conservative Republicans’ vision for long-term constraints on government spending. Most of the debate on tax policy focused on whether the state should cancel all or part of a scheduled decrease in the state’s sales tax to help prevent budget shortfalls while Kansas pursues further cuts in personal income tax rates. Republican leaders in the GOP-dominated Legislature couldn’t agree on a new sales tax rate, and their impasse drew out the lawmakers’ annual session. But the bill legislators ultimately passed also has provisions for limiting annual increases in state spending and ensuring that Kansas cuts income taxes each year, until those taxes eventually disappear. Good financial times wouldn’t loosen the restraints on spending but instead accelerate what Brownback and his allies call “the glide path to zero” on income taxes.
Anti-tax groups and legislators who want to shrink state government have pushed for years for constraints on spending, hoping to set up future tax cuts. With relatively little fanfare, they’ll achieve that goal when Brownback keeps his public promise to sign the tax plan.
John Hanna An AP news analysis “If you want to control government spending and you’re going to continue to buy down the income tax, you have to have a piece like that,” said Jeff Glendening, state director for the small-government and anti-tax group Americans for Prosperity. “That may be the most important piece of legislation this year.” The piece of the tax plan See SPENDING | Page A2
Walmart raising funds for Miracle Network Walmart has started its 2013 fundraising for the Children’s Miracle Network. Through June 21, customers at Walmart may donate $1 or more. Last year, the Iola Walmart raised over $11,000, topping its goal of $10,000. The goal for 2013 is $10,000 as well. Walmart manager Jeff Liv75 Cents
ingston said several associates of the Iola Walmart have had children receive benefits from the organization. The Children’s Miracle Network raises money to treat children through selected hospitals across the nation. All money raised in this year’s drive will be put to use in southeast Kansas. Iola, KS