The Iola Register Locally owned since 1867
Weekender Saturday, June 29, 2013
BASEBALL Indians sweep past Garnett See B1
www.iolaregister.com
Hawk tells colorful history By KAYLA BANZET kayla@iolaregister.com
Gary Hawk intrigued Iola citizens during Friday’s meeting of See, Hear Iola. Hawk was the guest speaker and gave a talk on his work and achievements. Hawk brought multiple visuals for the crowd to see and with the help of Elyssa Jackson, A l l e n County Historical SoRegister/Kayla Banzet c i e t y director, explained the item’s purpose. Each item or photo had a story and history behind it. The crowd took special interest in his story of painting an ornament for the White House Christmas tree. Hawk has worked for many places in the past like Hallmark and Boeing and he said he “loves making things.” He has met important people including U.S. presidents and Walt Disney. “Work is not work for me,” Hawk said. “Work is a pleasure for me.” He has created invention
SAFE BASE explores preserve, gold mine
Adventure sparks learning
By STEVEN SCHWARTZ steven@iolaregister.com
Register/Steven Schwartz
Todd Eyster stirs the campfire at Sugar Loafin’ Campground outside of Leadville, Colo.
See HAWK | Page A4
CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. — A volunteer from the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center led Ke’nai, a young male timberwolf, into the circle of SAFE BASE students. They rocked back and forth in anticipation as the wild animal moved from person to person, letting them pet its soft black fur. The group had traveled from Leadville earlier Thursday morning, and had arrived at the preserve at around noon. The compound sits outside of Cripple Creek, in the Rocky Mountains. Inside its wire fences live some of the mountains’ most beautiful and endangered wolf species. The students had the chance to examine timber wolves, red foxes, arctic wolves, coyotes and not-to-be-forgotten, Burrito the donkey. The tour culminated in the petting session with Ke’nai. Darlene, the owner of the See SAFE BASE | Page A4
Senior complex on horizon By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
Register/Richard Luken
This building along Main Street in LaHarpe was among those damaged in Thursday night’s powerful storm that downed scores of trees here and elsewhere, and cut power for much of LaHarpe through Friday afternoon. Even with the damage LaHarpe PRIDE said it will still host its Color Splash 5K run and 3K walk this morning at 8 o’clock.
Construction of a senior living complex on a 3.8-acre parcel in the 1000 block of North Kentucky Street may start this fall. “We plan to have it open by about this time next year,” said Jack West, founder and CEO of Neighborhood Senior Living, Inc., Dallas. Iola’s Planning Commission will consider the project July 17. The planners’ recommendation then will go to city council members. At a by-invitation meeting for neighbors Tuesday evening, several expressed reservations about the project, which would necessitate a change in zoning for the area from R-1 (single family) to R-3 (multi-family). Iola Administrator Carl Slaugh said about 30 people attended the session, with most expressing opposition or reservations about having a multi-family dwelling near-
by. Among concerns were traffic and lights that would be associated with buidlings and parking areas. “They questioned the impact on the neighborhood, having been used to it having been an empty field for years,” Slaugh said of the prospective site. West’s intention is to develop 26 residential suites for senior living, as well as eight suites in a memory care unit for people with dementiatype concerns. Project cost was put at $5 million. West said the complex was designed with neighboring residential areas in mind. Unlike most apartment buildings, it would be single story and its tenants are of a quiet nature. The complexes also generate little additional traffic to a neighborhood, West said. Initial reports were of two memory care units and a larger residential building. “We have additional land
if we want to expand,” West said. “We didn’t want to overdesign at the start.” West predicted as many as 25 full-time employee positions would be created with the project’s opening. City officials have been in the loop as West’s plans have unfolded to add Iola to his stable of 30 senior living complexes. The first, Georgetown Village, opened in Wichita in 1982. The majority of neighborhood projects are in smaller towns, including Marysville, Clay Center, Seneca, Belleville, Basehor, Lyons, Larned and Hoisington. “We have gone to smaller communities where the need is greatest and that developers have overlooked,” West said. While he would be the majority owner of the Iola project, West said he would seek local investors. “I like to include local people as much as possible,” he See SENIOR | Page A4
Storm leaves scores powerless A thunderstorm accompanied by fierce winds swept through Allen County late Thursday night, downing limbs and trees, severing power and damaging buildings. The storm’s duration was relatively short but intense. It produced little moisture; about half an inch in Iola and lesser amounts elsewhere. Power was off in broad areas of west Iola and many other places, where service lines were whipped loose or broken from moorings by falling limbs. Most power in Iola was restored by midnight or a
little after, but in Gas and LaHarpe, where it took longer. Corey Schinstock, assistant city administrator, said Iola crews would pick up limbs placed along the roadside starting Monday. “We figure the weekend will give residents plenty of time,” to prepare for the pickup, he said. Farmers were not distressed by the rain that fell. It wasn’t enough to deter the wheat harvest and gave a boost to corn and soybeans. LAHARPE
TOOK
THE
brunt of the storm, although outages were reported else-
‘Walking water’
Register/Kayla Banzet
Kids examine a demonstration using water Friday at science camp at Allen Community College. Beth Toland, instructor, helped kids ages 4-9 learn about ecology and physics. Toland said the camp had five volunteers. The camp was a week long.
See STORM | Page A4
Vol. 115, No.173
75 Cents
Iola, KS