The
IOLA REGISTER
BASEBALL PeeWee tournament opens See B1
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
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Heritage Arts corrals campers By KAYLA BANZET kayla@iolaregister.com
The Bowlus Heritage Arts camp is quickly approaching. On July 8-11 registered campers, preschool through eighth grade, will experience the Old West at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
Decaying and dejected Register/Steven Schwartz
This house on North First Street is just one of 152 structures listed as a substandard structure in Iola.
Substandard homes in ‘limbo’ A small, blue home sits on North First Street in Iola. Branches from nearby trees wind their way across the lawn, intertwined with the loose boards on the porch. According to Shonda Jeffries, Iola’s code enforcement officer, this is one of 152 structures on the “substandard structures” list in Iola. She said the home is owned by a family living in Texas, and they have no plans of renovation. This home is neither condemned, nor fit for living — the plight of many lots caught in limbo in Allen County. “They are the kind of houses you can drive by and tell,” Jeffries said of the dilapidated structures. The city currently budgets $16,000 a year for the demolition of between three to five houses. From the long list, Jeffries selects which homes will be demolished and then contacts a contractor. She said many people con-
tinue to live in what the city considers “substandard structures.” She leaves those properties alone when deciding which buildings to condemn. There’s enough vacated structures to deal with as it is.
hard to get the funds to get things done without raising the mill levy.” Jeffries said deciding which structures should be razed is just the first of many necessary steps taken before a
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The council has been very vocal. But it’s always about money. It’s hard to get the funds to get things done without raising the mill levy. — Corey Schinstock, assistant city administrator
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By STEVEN SCHWARTZ steven@iolaregister.com
The substandard structures list also includes garages, sheds and other small buildings. Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said the council, which chose not to increase budget funds for demolitions during its June 24 meeting, has seen the need for more razing of homes in Iola. “The council has been very vocal,” Schinstock said. “But, it’s always about money. It’s
board can be removed. “It’s a long process to go through condemnation,” she said. “It’s so long and drawn out.” A PROPERTY is placed on the substandard list when it is essentially “totaled” — the value of the home is less than the cost to repair, Jeffries said. “Some house values are very low,” she said. Often-
times, a decaying roof may cost more to repair than the value of the home. With a slow economy, Jeffries said the number of dilapidated homes increases; the less money residents have, the less upkeep is done and the faster the home falls into disrepair. The city was awarded a Community Development Block Grant, a program funded through the state, to aid in the rehabilitation of rundown homes in the city limits. Over the past three years, 16 homes were rehabilitated through the grant, which allotted for $20,000 per home. For those whose repairs would cost more than $20,000, the owners were given the option to meet the cost at the midpoint. “We had to walk away from a few homes,” Jeffries said. She is currently writing reports on three homes to be demolished within city limits, the first of 2013. Humboldt City Administrator Larry Tucker said the city See CONDEMNED | Page A6
Grades kindergarten through 8th grade will meet from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The registration for this age group is $25 and $12.50 for Bowlus Kids Club members. There are still 20 spots available in this age group. The preschool (3-5) category has 10 available spaces. They will meet 9 a.m.11 a.m. at the Iola Public Library Flewharty-Powell Annex. Campers will have a full day of Western activities Monday through Thursday. Activities include cross stitch, making beef jerky, brewing root beer, and the construction of apple head dolls, bandana skirts, cowboy journals and much more. When choosing this year’s theme Traci Plumlee said organizers wanted to do something different than years past. Plumlee, business manager of the Bowlus as well as a mother of three, said the kids will have special entertainment on July 9. The Great American Medicine Show will perform for the kids during the camp. The Old West fun won’t stop there. “The variety act will give a free public performance Tuesday night in the bandstand,” Plumlee said. Show time is at 6 p.m. Later in the week the Iola Municipal Band will perform Old West tunes to incorporate the camp’s theme. Partners who are helping with the camp will give demonstrations during the week. Elyssa Jackson, Allen County Historical Society director, will give a basketweaving lesson and Kathy McEwan, Southwind Extension office, will See CAMP | Page A2
Egypt’s Morsi facing deadline CAIRO (AP) — With a military deadline for intervention ticking down, protesters seeking the ouster of Egypt’s Islamist president sought today to push the embattled leader further toward the edge with another massive display of people power. Meanwhile, Mohammed Morsi faced fissures from within after a stunning surge of street rage reminiscent of Egypt’s Arab Spring revolution in 2011 that cleared the way for Morsi’s long-suppressed Muslim Brotherhood to win the first open elections in decades. Three government spokesmen were the latest to quit as part of high-level defections
that underscored his increasing isolation and fallout from the ultimatum from Egypt’s powerful armed forces to either find a political solution by Wednesday or the generals would seek their own way to end the political chaos. The Cabinet, led by the Morsi-backed Prime Minister Hesham Qandil, was scheduled to meet later today. But the defense and interior ministers were expected to boycott in a sign of support for the military’s warnings. The police, which are under control of the Interior Ministry, have stood on the sidelines of the protests, refusing even to protect the offices of the Muslim Brotherhood that have been attacked and ransacked. Before the Cabinet session, Morsi met with Defense Vol. 115, No.175
Minister Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Qandil in the second such meeting in as many days. No details were given about the meeting, reported by an official at the president’s office, Ayman Ali. At least 16 have been killed in clashes since Sunday between Morsi’s opponents and his many backers, who have equated the demonstrations and military arm-twisting to a coup against a democratically elected president. The Tamarod, or Rebel, movement which organized the protests has given the president until 5 p.m. today to step down or face even larger demonstrations and possible “complete civil disobedience.” In a highly symbolic move, the crowds have camped out See EGYPT | Page A6
Nature’s geometry
Register/Phyllis Luedke
This sunflower came up as a volunteer around my bird feeding station. It is amazing how naturally perfect this design is. I got to enjoy the birds last winter and now this beautiful flower.
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Iola, KS