The Iola Register, July 7, 2023

Iola natives acquire DQ

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Angie King couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia.

King, then Angie Barnett, worked at Iola’s Dairy Queen franchise 30 years ago while a high-schooler.

“After 30 years, it’s crazy how much this place has not really changed,” King said with a chuckle Wednesday afternoon.

King and husband Buddy are the new owners of the treat shop, formally taking over from Jim and Laura Baker on July 1. Mandy Boeken, Angie King’s younger sister, will serve as general manager.

“We’re excited,” King said. “This is our hometown. It gives us an excuse to come back home more often.”

The Iola store is the third

See DQ | Page A6

blast lifts Indians

Twitter rival Threads app makes a quick splash

By KELVIN CHAN The Associated Press

Tens of millions of people have quickly signed up to Meta’s new app, Threads, as it aims to compete with Twitter — a sign that users are looking for an alternative to the social media platform that has undergone a series of unpopular changes since

Earth hits record high temp

By SETH BORENSTEIN and MELINA WALLING

The Associated Press

Earth’s average temperature on Wednesday remained at an unofficial record high set the day before, the latest grim milestone in a week that has seen a series of climate-change-driven extremes.

The average global temperature was 62.9 degrees, according to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer, a tool that uses satellite data and computer simulations to measure the world’s condition. That matched a record set Tuesday, and came after a previous record of 62.6 degrees was set Monday.

While the figures are not an official government record, “this is showing us an indication of where we are right

See HEAT | Page A6

Belarus: Wagner chief back in Russia

Elon Musk bought it.

Meta Platforms’ CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday that 30 million people had registered for the app, including 10 million in the first seven hours of its launch Wednesday in the U.S. and over 100 other

countries, including Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan.

Threads is billed as a textbased version of Meta’s photo-sharing app Instagram that the company says provides “a new, separate space for real-time updates and public conversations.”

Instagram users can log in

See THREADS | Page A2

MINSK, Belarus (AP) — The mercenary leader who led a short-lived mutiny against the Kremlin is in Russia and his troops are in their field camps, the president of Belarus said Thursday, raising new questions about the deal that ended the extraordinary challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s rule. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s claim could not be independently verified, and the Kremlin refused to comment on Yevgeny Prigozhin’s whereabouts. But Russian media have reported he was recently seen at his offices in St. Petersburg. It was not clear if Prigozhin’s presence in Russia would violate the deal, which allowed the head of the Wagner Group military contractor to move to Belarus in exchange for ending the rebellion and a promise of amnesty for him and his troops. But the reports signaled that the agreement may have allowed him to finalize his affairs in Russia. If that’s true, it could suggest the threat posed by Prigozhin has not yet been fully defused and that the Krem-

See WAGNER | Page A3

From timber to tinder Drought taking toll

on area trees

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

Most of us don’t appreciate trees until they’re gone, said Krista Harding, horticulture agent with the Southwind Extension District.

A drought that has extended more than a year is taking a significant toll on trees. The effects can be seen throughout the county. Just take a drive through a town or even the countryside, and you’ll see dead, brown foliage.

“Now that everything has leafed out, it’s more dramatic to see the number of trees we’ve lost,” Harding said. “It’s really taken a toll.”

Early warning signs came late last summer, especially affecting a type of hedge tree called the emerald green arborvitae. The tree is especially popular in urban areas so the rows of unsightly brown foliage was especially notable. Maple trees also showed

signs of struggle because of drought.

Fast forward about a year, and the damage is more widespread and affecting numerous species.

“I haven’t seen as much damage in Bourbon County as I’ve seen in Allen and Neosho,” Harding noted.

“It’s not just young trees. They’re big, mature trees.”

Just last week, Harding took a call from someone who thought she could save a maple tree that had leafed out this spring but then took a turn for the worse.

“I told her the tree was actually dead. It had enough

MOSS

energy to put out a few leaves but not enough to sustain them.”

As of Wednesday morning, Iola was 6.07 inches short of normal precipitation levels for this point in the year. For the past 12 months, the area

Hull’s

Trees such as this pine are typically resistant to dry weather, but severe drought conditions are taking their toll on these species in Allen and Neosho counties. REGISTER/VICKIE

Angie and Buddy King, from right, are the new owners of Iola Dairy Queen, 323 S. State St, acquiring the treat shop from Jim and Laura Baker on July 1. Mandy Boeken, Angie King’s sister, is the new general manager. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

St. Mark United Methodist Church in Atlanta is an affirming congregation. Members say they support the LGBTQ community. ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION/ALYSSA POINTER/TNS

Divisions remain among United Methodists

By PETER SMITH The Associated Press

More than 6,000 United Methodist congregations — a fifth of the U.S. total — have now received permission to leave the denomination amid a schism over theology and the role of LGBTQ people in the nation’s second-largest Protestant denomination.

Those figures emerge following the close of regular meetings in June for the denomination’s regional bodies, known as annual conferences. The departures began with a trickle in 2019 — when the church created a four-year window of opportunity for U.S. congregations to depart over LGBTQ-related issues — and cascaded to its highest level this year.

Church law forbids the marriage or ordination of “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals,” but many conservatives have chosen to leave amid a growing defiance of those bans in many U.S. churches and conferences.

Many of the departing congregations are joining the Global Methodist Church, a denomination created last year by conservatives breaking from the UMC, while others are going independent or joining different denominations.

Some 6,182 congregations have received approval to disaffiliate

Obituaries

Fred Wiley Grant

MUNCIE, Ind. — Fred Wiley Grant, 79, passed away on Monday, July 3, 2023, after a long battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his family in the comfort of his own home.

Tim Saxer

A wandering soul has found his way home. Timothy Earle Saxer, 73, Neosho Falls, passed away June 16, 2023, at his home. Cremation with a Celebration of Life will be held at a future date.

since 2019, according to an unofficial tally by United Methodist News Service, which has been tracking votes by annual conferences. That figure is 4,172 for this year alone, it reported.

Some annual conferences may approve more departures at special sessions later this year, according to the Rev. Jay Therrell, president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, a conservative caucus that has advocated for the exiting churches. While most UMC congregations are remaining, many of the departing congregations are large, and denominational officials are bracing for significant budget cuts in 2024.

The numbers of exiting churches are higher than conservatives originally estimated, Therrell said.

Legal wrangles have largely been resolved over how much compensation the departing congregations must pay for their property and other financial obligations.

“For the most part, bishops and other annual conference leaders have been very gracious, and I deeply appreciate that,” Therrell said. “There have been some small exceptions to that, and those are unfortunate, but we’re grateful that cooler and calmer heads have prevailed.”

Shooting suspect dies after chase

EL DORADO, Kansas

(AP) — Authorities say a woman who was fatally injured in a crash while being chased by the Kansas Highway Patrol on Wednesday had just fled the scene of a shooting.

The Butler County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to the shooting in rural Butler County around 10:30 a.m. The shooting victim was taken to a Wichita hospital with critical injuries.

The patrol said a trooper soon spotted the suspect’s pickup and a brief pursuit ensued. Trooper Chad Crittenden said the officer performed a maneuver using his vehicle to try to force the pickup to spin out and stop. The pickup then hit a sign in a

business parking lot in the Wichita suburb of Bel Aire. The driver, a woman in her 60s, died at the scene. Her name has not been released.

Crittenden told reporters that the trooper tried to force the stop because the woman was a suspect in a shooting and was getting ready to travel into a highly populated part of northern Wichita. He said he didn’t know her hometown.

Details on the shooting in Butler County were not immediately released.

The patrol is investigating the crash, while the Butler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting.

Fred Wiley Grant, better known as Wiley, was born on October 26, 1943 in Wichita, to Paul W. Grant and Mary M. Gallop. He grew up in Gas and graduated from Iola High School in 1961. He then attended Iola Junior College before joining the Navy. While in the Navy, he flew anti-submarine missions from the aircraft carriers USS Intrepid, USS Randolph, and USS Wasp. He was also a participant in the recovery operations of the Gemini IX space capsule.

Wiley Grant

Following the Navy, Wiley flew corporate and charter commercial planes where he met his wife of 38 years, Constance Ritchie. Wiley flew for many corporations in the Muncie area such as: Paws Inc., Ontario Corporation, and Saint Gobain Containers. During his career with Paws Inc., he was recognized for setting two airspeed records.

Wiley was an avid pilot and flew as often as he could. When he wasn’t in the sky, he spent time enjoying nature and wildlife in his own backyard in Eaton. He was well known for his dedicated participation in local organizations such as, Muncie Junto, Muncie Amvets, and Quiet Birdmen of Indianapolis. He was a lifelong learner who earned his BS of Professional Aeronautics from Embry Riddle at the age of 60.

Wiley is survived by his wife, Constance Grant; his four children, Amy (Eric) Laster of Kittery, Maine, Wiley (Calista) Grant of El Paso, Texas, Jeffrey Grant of Houston, Texas, and Emily (Nathan) Hansel of Nashville, Tenn.; six grandchildren, Jack, Bradley, and Avery Settele, William, Grady, and Diana Grant; and one brother Kenneth (Nina) Grant.

Wiley was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Paul; and brother, Gerald Grant.

Funeral Services with military honors will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at The Meeks Mortuary and Crematory, Washington Street Chapel in Muncie. Cremation will take place following services.

Family and friends may call at The Meeks Mortuary and Crematory, Washington Street Chapel from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Memorial Contributions may be made in Wiley’s name to the donor’s favorite charity; condolences may be left at www.meeksmortuary.com.

Joanne Ludlum

Joanne Ludlum, 70, older sister of Iolan Melinda Tindel, died Thursday, June 29, at Storemont Vail Health in Topeka.

Cremation is planned. The family will host a private gathering at Quincy Cemetery in Toronto. Flowers and correspondence may be sent to 402 McGuire Dr., Iola, KS 66749.

(Note: An earlier obituary for JoAnn Ludlum contained incorrect information).

Kerry Troxel

Kerry Troxel passed away Monday, July 3, 2023, at his home in Adams, Wisc. at the age of 70. He was the second child born to Floyd (Pete) Troxel and Frances (Hougland) Troxel in Wichita on Sept. 12, 1952.

Kerry grew up with his family in the La Harpe and Iola area. He graduated from Marmaton Valley High School in Moran with the class of 1970. Shortly afterwards, he married Donna (Wolf) Troxel in Gas on June 26, 1970.

Together they had two sons, Chris Troxel, Buffalo, N.Y., and Bill Troxel, Adams, Wisc.; and one daughter, Melissa Albright, Coloma, Wisc.

Preceding him in death are his parents and two brothers, Kelly Troxel and Michael (Pete) Troxel.

Survivors include a sister, Cindy (Troxel) Beckmon, Carlyle; a brother, Jim Troxel, Erie; Donna, his beloved wife of 54 years; children Chris (Audrey) Troxel, William (Bill) Troxel and Melissa (Frank) Albright; six granddaughters, Jordan, Kessia, Shondra, Reagan, Kyleigh and Ashlyn; a grandson, Frankie Albright, and three great-grandsons.

Kerry moved his family to Newton in 1985 and started working at PLUS WOOD in a warehouse position. After many years, he moved up to assistant manager until his health declined. In 2016, Kerry and Donna moved to Adams, Wisc. to be near their children.

Tim was born in Fort Scott, on Sept. 10, 1949, to Theodore Earle Saxer, Jr and Beatrice (Peck) Saxer. Tim was a United States Navy Veteran, servingfrom1967-1973. Hewasstationedabroad on the U.S.S. Holder DD819 and the U.S.S. Arlington AGMR2. Tim was an HVAC installer by trade but was a jack of all trades. He was quite a man with a big heart, always willing to help others. He will be greatly missed; God rest his soul.

Tim was preceded in death by his parents; younger brother Thomas Saxer and stepfather Bill Farris. He is survived by his son Billy Earle Saxer Williams; brother Jack Saxer; stepmother Helen Saxer and numerous family and friends. He leaves behind his best friend and trusted companion Dexter the dog.

Arrangements by Van Arsdale Funeral Home, Le Roy, (620) 964-2396.

Threads: App

Continued from A1

with their existing us-

ernames and follow the same accounts on the new app, giving Threads users a readymade audience and an edge over other Twitter challengers like Bluesky and Mastodon.

“I think I’ll just see — I’ll keep Twitter for a while and then if everyone moves over there (to Threads), then I’ll probably move,” said Javi de Andreas, a 24-year-old researcher in London.

He added that Instagram “feels like a bit more reliable just in terms of nothing really changes.”

There was plenty of excitement among Threads users about the opportunity to make a fresh start on a new social media app, giving Threads a “first day of school” vibe.

Early adopters included celebrities like chef Gordon Ramsay, pop star Shakira and actor Jack Black as well as Airbnb, Guinness World Records, Netflix, Vogue magazine and other media outlets.

There were also glitches, annoyance about the lack of a chronological feed and gripes about missing features — raising the question of whether the initial burst of interest would lead to sustained growth that could pose a meaningful challenge to Twitter.

“The euphoria around a new service and this initial explosion will probably settle down,” said Paolo Pescatore, a technology analyst at PP Foresight. “But it is apparent that this alternative is here to

stay and will prove to be a worthy rival given all of Twitter’s woes.” Teething problems for Threads include Zuckerberg’s posts — or Threads as they’re dubbed — not loading in several countries. But his replies to other users did appear.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri acknowledged the early issues.

“The real test is not if we can build up a lot of hype, but if you all find enough value in the app to keep using it ove time,” Mosseri posted in a thread.

“And there are tons of basics that are missing: search, hashtags, a following feed” and direct messaging, he said. “We’re on it,” but “it’ll take time.”

Threads does have buttons to like, repost, reply to or quote a thread, and users see the number of likes and replies a post has received. Posts are limited to 500 characters, which is more than Twitter’s 280-character threshold for most users, and can include links, photos and videos up to five minutes long.

Some questioned whether it made sense to seek to combine Twitter and Instagram users, which are two distinct online groups. Twitter is tailored for quick and short updates, while Instagram is best for visually creative posts.

“Some people will want to keep it separate from Instagram for numerous and very good reasons,” Pescatore said. “This is something that Meta might have to address, which could halt its progress.”

O’Shaughnessy celebrates

Members and supporters of the Iola Area Chamber of Commerce gathered Wednesday morning to celebrate O’Shaughnessy Liquor. Owners Lindsey and Brian Shaughnessy, on left and right of bow, have completed an extensive remodel of the store, converting storage space into a new showroom, completing an enclosed and uber-refrigerated “beer cave,” and opening a drive-thru window (right). The new digs also include a fresh paint job, almost a perfect match of the couple’s beloved Chiefs’ ruby red. The Shaughnessys have owned the liquor store at 1211 East St. since 2008. REGISTER/PAUL VERNON

Wagner: Chief said to be still in Russia after failed mutiny

Continued from A1

lin is treading carefully with him until it can figure out what to do with troops who may still be loyal to him.

Putin has said that Wagner troops can join the Russian military, retire from service or move to Belarus.

But much about the the agreement, which was brokered by Lukashenko, remains murky.

Last week, Lukashenko said the mercenary leader was in Belarus, but on Thursday he told international reporters that Prigozhin was in St. Petersburg and could also travel to Moscow if he wishes, while Wagner’s troops were in their camps. He did not specify the location of the camps, but Prigozhin’s mercenaries fought alongside Russian forces in eastern Ukraine before their revolt and also have bases on Russian territory.

He also said that Prigozhin has been given back the cash and weapons that were confiscated by Russian authorities.

Asked where Prigozhin is, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov shrugged off the question, saying that the Kremlin has neither the desire nor the means to track his movements — but reaffirmed that the deal that ended the mutiny envisaged his move to Belarus.

Lukashenko said his government offered Wagner, which has sent troops around the world to fight for Russia’s interests, the use of Belarusian military camps but that the company had not made a final decision.

The Kremlin has played down the fact that Prigozhin

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko speaks with foreign media at his residence, the Independence Palace, in the capital Minsk Thursday. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is still in Russia, Lukashenko said, despite a deal with the Kremlin for him to move to Belarus following his failed insurrection last month. AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES/ALEXANDER NEMENOV/TNS

escaped punishment for his mutiny while other Putin critics have been met with harsh prison sentences, exile or even death, saying that the deal with the Wagner chief was necessary to avoid massive bloodshed.

THE BELARUSIAN leader shrugged off suggestions that Putin might order Prigozhin killed, saying: “If you think that Putin is so vicious and vindictive to finish him off, no, it’s not going to happen.”

On Wednesday, Russian online newspapers Fontanka and Izvestia posted videos and photos of Prigozhin’s opulent mansion in Russia’s second-largest city that showed stacks of cash and gold bullion. The images appeared to be part of the au-

thorities’ efforts to denigrate Prigozhin, who has postured as an enemy of corrupt elites even though he has owed his wealth to Putin.

A photo hanging in the mansion showed a lineup of decapitated heads. In one published image, an oversized souvenir sledgehammer could also be seen with the inscription “for important negotiations.” The sledgehammer has become a symbol of Wagner after reports its troops used the tool to beat defectors to death.

The Russian media also published a collection of selfies that showed him posing in various wigs, fake beards and foreign uniforms, an apparent reflection of Wagner’s deployments to Syria and several African countries.

Asked if Prigozhin and his mercenaries would eventually move to Belarus, Lukashenko answered evasively that it would depend on the decisions of the Wagner chief and the Russian government.

The Belarusian leader said he doesn’t think the mercenaries’ presence in his country would lead to its destabilization and said any Wagner troops there would be required to sign a contract with Belarusian authorities that would outline conditions and limitations of their actions.

Belarusian political analyst Valery Karbalevich argued, however, that Lukashenko could feel uneasy about Wagner’s presence on his turf. “If this structure rebelled against its master

once, it can do it again and again and march on Minsk instead of marching on Moscow,” Karbalevich said.

The Belarusian president dismissed suggestions that the mercenaries could attack Ukraine from Belarusian territory, which Russian troops used as a staging ground ahead of their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow has also maintained a military presence in Belarus.

During their short revolt, Prigozhin’s mercenaries quickly swept through the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and captured the military headquarters there before marching to within about 125 miles of the Russian capital. Prigozhin described it as a “march of justice” to oust his longtime foes — Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the military’s general staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, whose handling of the war in Ukraine he criticized.

The Wagner fighters faced little resistance, smashing occasional roadblocks. They also downed at least six helicopters and a command post aircraft, killing at least 10 airmen.

When the deal was struck, the Wagner chief ordered his troops to return to their camps.

The abortive rebellion represented the biggest threat to Putin in his more than two decades in power, exposing his weakness and eroding the Kremlin’s authority. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Shoigu and Gerasimov retained Putin’s favor after vanishing from public view during the mutiny, but so far they have kept their positions.

Two die in cargo ship fire

NEWARK, N.J. (AP)

— Two firefighters were killed and five others injured battling a blaze that began deep inside a docked cargo ship carrying 5,000 cars, Newark’s fire chief said Thursday.

Timber: Drought takes toll on trees

Continued from A1

nearly 20 inches short of normal levels. Southeast Kansas has faced the worst of the drought this past year, with Sedan, near the Oklahoma border, reporting the biggest deficit of 23.16 inches.

Rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for the next week or so, which could ease the pressure. The National Weather Service in Wichita reported drought conditions have improved but much of the state remains in at least extreme drought conditions. An El Nino weather pattern this summer and fall could turn things around, with below average temperatures and above average precipitation possible.

But for many trees, it’s already too late.

“A lot of times, people think a tree is going to come back. But if they don’t have leaves on them at this point, they’re dead,” Harding said.

TREES provide numerous benefits, according to reports from the National Extension Council and USDA.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide and remove hazardous pollutants from the air. They control stormwater runoff and reduce the risk of flooding. Rainfall slows as it falls through a leafy canopy, providing more time for water to infiltrate the soil.

The shade provided by trees isn’t just beautiful. It reduces energy costs, too.

The tree canopy reduces heating by minimizing both glare and reflection, the bouncing light on a reflective service, by filtering or blocking the source of light and covering surfaces that reflect it.

Trees shade surfaces, including roofs, from direct sunlight and ultraviolet rays that can break down the material.

“I don’t think people fully appreciate what shade does for us and for our electric bill until you don’t have it. Then, you really notice,” Harding said.

An online tool, which is also available to install as an app on your phone, is itreetools.org. Provided by the USDA, the site and app offer numerous free tools and resources, including the ability to assess individual trees and estimate their benefits.

WATER YOUR trees if you have the means and ability to do so, Harding suggests.

“Annuals come and

go every year, but trees and shrubs are an investment because they take so long to grow,” she said.

Harding suggests deep, regular watering. Ideally, soak the soil at least a foot deep every two or three weeks. Newly planted trees and shrubs need about 10 gallons of water each week.

Savannah Flory, owner of TLC Garden Center of LaHarpe, reiterated the need for deep watering.

“Rather than watering often with just a little water, it’s better to water really deep a little less often,” she said.

She’s seen an increase in customers with trees that didn’t make it through the winter, or they leafed out and then died.

“A lot of people this spring had trees die from drought, whether

they recognize it or not,” she said.

It’s important to continue watering newly planted trees even through the winter, especially during a dry winter such as the preceding one.

As the summer heat increases, it’s normal to see trees and plants stop growing.

“If you have concerns, it’s better to call at the beginning when you first start seeing signs versus waiting until something is dead,” Flory said. “Some things can be remedied and we can get them on the right path before something actually dies.”

THE EXTENSION office offers numerous resources, advice and tests to help those who are concerned about trees and shrubs, or other questions. Call 620-3652242 to learn more.

Responding firefighters found five to seven vehicles already on fire when they reached the 10th floor of the cargo ship at Port Newark around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night. The blaze quickly extended to the 11th and 12th floors, and as firefighters were pushed back by the intense heat, two of them were lost, Fire Chief Rufus Jackson said at a news conference.

Firefighters weren’t initially able to find their colleagues and outside rescue companies from around the state were called in. Augusto Acabou, 45, and Wayne Brooks, 49, were found and removed from the structure, but unfortunately they lost their lives, Jackson said.

“Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the loss of two Newark firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement.. “This tragedy is a painful reminder of the dangers our firefighters face and their remarkable

courage.”

Three Newark firefighters and two Elizabeth firefighters were treated for injuries including smoke inhalation. All were expected to recover, but their names and details on their conditions were not disclosed.

Marine traffic trackers show the Grande Costa D’Avorio, which was built in 2011, arrived from the Port of Baltimore several days earlier.

“We lost two firefighters today,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka at the scene. “A tragedy for us in the city of Newark and tragic for all firefighters who know what it means to go in a burning structure in a danger that you are going to have to experience when you do so.”

Baraka said he saw unparalleled acts of bravery and camaraderie, but he called the loss traumatic for all of Newark. The fire was still burning while officials spoke at the news conference, but they would continue to work to put it out, Baraka said.

Shipboard firefighting is a unique skill and Newark firefighters don’t commonly face this kind of fire, Jackson said. He said they trained on ships before, but it was a vessel that had compartments and living quarters, not a ship like this.

Scores of trees have begun to dry up and die as a result of an extended drought, in which some places in this part of the state have received only half of their average annual precipitation. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Opinion

~ Journalism that makes a difference

Recruiting woes reach national crisis levels

America’s armed services are failing to meet their recruiting goals, with the Army in particular suffering the worst shortfalls in five decades. There are many reasons behind this, but one is very surprising: veterans themselves.

James Stavridis

Recent reporting and anecdotal evidence indicate the likelihood that children of service members will sign up, or be urged to do so by their families, is at a nadir. Given that 80% of new recruits have a relative who served in uniform, there is no understating the crisis.

When I came out of high school in 1972, the draft had just ended and America was embarking on a great experiment: an all-volunteer force.

As someone who grew up in the military (my father was a career infantry officer in the Marines, retiring as a colonel in 1970 after distinguished combat in Korea and Vietnam), following the family trade was a foregone conclusion. But as I entered the Naval Academy on a hot summer’s day half a century ago, it was entirely unclear if the volunteer force would succeed.

After a bumpy post-draft period, the military was rejuvenated under President Ronald Reagan in early 1980s, becoming the highly successful force that fought the nation’s battles from Panama to the Persian Gulf. Yet the foundations of that all-volunteer military feel shakier

than they have for decades.

What can the Pentagon do about it?

The first step is to understand why recruiting is down. The biggest factor is probably today’s very strong civilian job market. In so many ways, life is “compared to what?” If someone can make a starter wage of $20plus an hour, perhaps with a decent healthcare plan and a 401K, it is simply much harder to convince them to shave their head, report to a steaming Parris Island boot camp, meet rigorous physical standards, get up before dawn every day, and prepare for long separations from their friends and family, often in risky conditions.

Another factor, counterintuitively to many, is the withdrawal of the U.S. from largescale, active war. Some young people have always been drawn to what they see as the enormous life-test of combat, as well as the adventure of deploying to distant lands. The dispiriting images of the chaotic withdrawal from Af-

ghanistan in 2021 shattered that image for many.

Additionally, the bar to get into the military is high. Only 25% of the nation’s youth can meet the standards: a high school diploma or equivalent; reasonably high standardized test scores; physical fitness; no drug use or arrest record; mental stability. The Pentagon is competing with universities and the private sector for a small segment of each year’s high-school graduates. It didn’t help that recruiters were unable to go onto campuses for two years during the Covid pandemic.

Additionally, the rightwing media hypes and decries the supposedly “woke” activities of the armed forces. Many critics on the left characterized the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan as imperialistic misadventures. Neither of those narratives is accurate, but they have a discouraging effect on recruiting.

Finally, the growing sense of political division across the nation is diminishing

the young person’s faith in America. This may be the most disturbing factor of all, and the one that ultimately defeats the all-volunteer force. The respect for the military overall, still atop the list of the country’s institutions, has been dropping sharply. Fewer than half of Americans now say they “trust” the armed forces, down from 70% just five years ago.

The Pentagon needs to reverse these trends or there will be grave risk to national security in an era of great-power competition. Fortunately, planning and executing complex campaigns is something the Department of Defense is very good at.

First, just as any good company knows when it needs to focus on marketing and advertising in the face of falling market share, the military must send its brightest and most impressive personnel to lead recruiting efforts; provide additional resources to generate leads (artificial intelligence can perhaps help); re-tailor marketing

Congress must act on student debt relief

It’s not surprising but still deeply disappointing that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against the Biden administration’s plan to provide more than $400 billion in student loan forgiveness. Compounding the injustice is the fact that a divided Congress is unlikely to fill the vacuum left by the decision with remedial legislation. But advocates for debt relief should continue to press their case, not just at the Capitol but in next year’s elections.

Crushing student debt is a burden not just on former students but on the national economy. The pain was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why the Biden administration acted, claiming authority under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (HEROES) Act of 2003. That law

empowers the secretary of Education to waive or modify loan provisions in response to a national emergency.

The Biden plan was not an indiscriminate bonanza but rather was targeted to help those most in need of relief.

For borrowers with an annual income of less than $125,000, the Education Department would forgive up to $10,000 in student loans. Recipients of Pell Grants, a form of financial aid for lower-income students, could qualify for up to $20,000 in loan cancellation. The scope of the problem was evident in the fact that 26 million borrowers applied for relief.

But in a 6-3 decision Friday, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court held that the administration exceeded its authority. In response to a lawsuit brought by Nebraska

and five other Republican-led states, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote that the HEROES Act allows the secretary to “waive or modify” provisions, “not to rewrite that statute from the ground up.”

The solicitor general made a persuasive case that the administration was acting within its authority. As Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a dissent joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson: “The statute provides the Secretary with broad authority to give emergency relief to student-loan borrowers, including by altering usual discharge rules. What the secretary did fits comfortably within that delegation.”

She emphasized that the delegation of authority is not some tucked-away provision but “is at the statute’s very

campaigns to appeal directly to the most promising and untapped communities; assign inspirational two-star generals and admirals to lead the services’ recruiting commands; and provide incentives for success — give the most successful recruiters the choice of their next assignment, for example.

As for quality-of-life criticisms: Barracks need to be spotless and well run; food in the chow halls must be plentiful and reflective of new trends and appetites; medical treatment has to be firstrate; and pay/benefit packages must more than keep pace with inflation. (Fortunately, Congress just approved a 5% pay raise, the biggest in two decades).

The Pentagon could also broaden the recruiting base in innovative ways. During my career, many of the best sailors I encountered were from the Philippines, who had been convinced to join the Navy as a path to citizenship. There were strong historical reasons for that program — including the pre-World War II colonial relationship, not America’s finest hour. It’s time to think about a broader program along those lines, perhaps looking to Central and South America.

Above all, we as a nation we need to do more to encourage the idea of service. A pledge to honor the Constitution rises above the rancor and bitter divisions in the country — something America’s veterans know but seem to be less willing or able to instill in their children. On this Independence Day especially, we need to thank our troops for their sacrifice, sincerely and continuously. America’s security in a dangerous world depends on it.

center, in its ‘waive or modify’ language.”

Inaction and obstruction on Capitol Hill have often forced presidents to respond to pressing national problems with executive action. In this case, that action was grounded in a long-standing law. Now it is the duty of Congress to ensure that this relief program is carried out.

Reacting to Friday’s decision, President Joe Biden said he will pursue some relief for student loan borrowers based on another law, the 1965 Higher Education Act. This backup plan may take longer to establish than the plan blocked by the court — which is all the more reason candidates for Congress next year should be pressed to restore the lifeline Biden tried to extend.

— Los Angeles Times

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

July 1998

Iola commissioners authorized the sale of $3.1 million in general obligation bonds to fund improvements to Kentucky, Miller, Madison, Lincoln, Broadway and Cottonwood streets. The bonds will be retired with money generated by the half-cent sales tax authorized by the voters. In other business, commissioners approved the annexation of a stretch of land along North State Street, which includes the Alco and J & W Implement dealerships, plus land owned by Dr. Richard Knewtson and Ruth Boyer, and land east of town containing Hiser Implement and Storrer Implement.

A military recruitment center stands in Times Square in Manhattan in New York City. GETTY IMAGES/SPENCER PLATT/TNS

A look back in t me. A look back in t me.

President Joe Biden,

Heat: Earth hits warmest-ever average daily temperature

Continued from A1

now,” said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief scientist Sarah Kapnick. And NOAA indicated it will take the figures into consideration for its official record calculations.

Scientists generally use much longer measurements — months, years, decades — to track the Earth’s warming, but the daily highs are an indication that climate change is reaching uncharted territory.

While some countries had colder weather than usual, high-temperature records were surpassed this week in Quebec and Peru.

In North Grenville, Ontario, the city turned ice hockey rinks into cooling centers as temperatures Wednesday hit 90, with humidity making it making it feel like 100.

“I feel like we live in a tropical country right now,” city spokeswoman Jill Sturdy said. “It just kind of hits you.

The air is so thick.”

Beijing reported nine straight days last week when the temperature exceeded 95 degrees, and ordered a stop to all outdoor work Wednesday, as the temperature climbed to 106.

On Wednesday, 38 million Americans were under some kind of heat alert, Kapnick said.

Scientists have warned for months that 2023 could see record heat as human-caused climate change, driven largely by the burn-

ing of fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil, warmed the atmosphere. They also noted that La Nina, the natural cooling of the ocean that had acted as a counter, was giving way to El Nino, the reverse phenomenon marked by warming oceans.

“A record like this is another piece of evidence for the now massively supported proposition that global warming is pushing us into a hotter future,” said Stanford University

DQ: Iola natives acquire treat shop

Continued from A1

Dairy Queen franchise for the Kings, who operate two others in Missouri. They live in Farmington, Mo., about an hour’s drive south of St. Louis.

“We’d seen it had been up for sale, and since we were from Iola originally, there was interest, but we needed to find someone locally who could run it,” she explained.

That changed when Boeken stepped forward to join the family business.

Boeken underwent extensive training on all things ice creamy before working two weeks at a Dairy Queen in Colorado.

“She’ll be the one running this,” King said.

Among the most notable changes since the Kings and Boeken came on board was the removal of the metal carport that had been set up for customers to place orders at the store’s side window.

“We put everybody back inside the store,” King said. “It’s much easier to ring people up and to talk to customers instead of talking to everyone through the window.”

Window service will remain for ball teams or other large groups who cannot easily fit inside at one time.

“Otherwise, we’d like to see everybody come inside,” King said.

THE IOLA Dairy Queen will remain classified as a “treat store,” with a vast array of soft-serve ice cream delicacies, rather than a full Brazier, which offers fast food items like hamburgers, etc. As a treat store, the shop must remain open through Oct. 31, and reopen by midMarch.

“If the weather is nice and we still have business, we may stay open later,” King said.

Dairy Queen also may remain open later than the normal 10 p.m. time in the summer if demand is there. The shop opens at noon daily.

The shop is fully staffed for now, but new employees will be needed within the next month or so as many of the workers head away for college. “We love the kids who are sticking around, but we’re sad when they’re leaving,” King said.

Other than that, there will be few changes for now, although the couple would eventually like to find a new, larger location to allow such amenities as drive-thru service.

The store’s location at 323 S. State St. is convenient for those going to or from Riverside Park, but with little room to

expand, and parking stalls at a premium, finding a new location may be in the works at some point.

“I want us to be at a location where you could walk or get to us on a bike,” Buddy King said. “I don’t want you to have to drive to us.”

As an aside, the Kings are not related to Kyle

climate scientist Chris Field, who was not part of the calculations.

One of the largest contributors to this week’s records is an exceptionally mild winter in the Antarctic, according to data from the Climate Reanalyzer. Parts of the continent and nearby ocean were 18-36 degrees warmer than averages from 1979-2000.

“Temperatures have been unusual over the ocean and especially around the Antarctic this week, because wind fronts over the Southern Ocean are strong pushing warm air deeper south,” said Raghu Murtugudde, professor of atmospheric, oceanic and earth system science at the University of Maryland and visiting faculty at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.

Chari Vijayaraghavan, a polar explorer and educator who has visited the Arctic and Antarctic regularly for the past ten years says global warming is obvious at both poles, and threatens the region’s wildlife as well as driving ice melt that raises sea levels.

“Warming climates might lead to increasing risks of diseases such as the

avian flu spreading in the Antarctic that will have devastating consequences for penguins and other fauna in the region,” Vijayaraghavan said.

University of Maine climate scientist Sean Birkel, creator of the Climate Reanalyzer, said the daily figures are unofficial but a useful snapshot of what’s happening in a warming world.

Even though the dataset used for the unofficial record goes back only to 1979, Kapnick said that given other data, the world is likely seeing the hottest days in “several hundred years that we’ve experienced.”

More frequent, and more intense heat waves disrupted life around the world and caused life-threatening temperatures.

Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, regional director for Europe at the World Health Organization, said climate change was attacking the continent “in a big way” which had the potential to wind back 50 years of progress in public health.

Large parts of India and Pakistan faced a days-long heat wave in June that killed over 100 people across the two countries. Temperatures subsided in the last week as the monsoon rains began.

King or other descendants of Harley King, who owned the Dairy Queen franchise for half a century after acquiring it in the early 1950s, until selling to the Bakers in 2004. Harley King also built King’s Sandwich Shop next door, where Kyle marks the third generation of the family to own the eatery.

The Iola Masonic Lodge’s first-ever fireworks sale sure ended with a bang! As the start of a new tradition, the Lodge held a sale and sponsored a giveaway for all those who spent more than $100.

The Godfather, valued at over $750 and clocking in at a whopping 126 pounds, was the grand prize, and it was awarded to the Dereck Caudell family of Colony. His children Tatum and Cooper, at right, accepted the gigantic package of pyrotechnics.

All money raised during the Iola Masonic Lodge’s sale will remain in the community. In addition to its local scholarships for college and junior college, the Lodge is a regular contributor to Wings of Warriors, Iola CITF/PRIDE, and sponsors students to attend the Shrine Bowl. Thank you to everyone who shopped with us this year. See you next year!

We’re proud to be an

ACTIVE PART COMMUNITY! of our

Iola Masonics Lodge #38

Iola natives Buddy and Angie King, who live in eastern Missouri, have acquired Iola’s Dairy Queen franchise. Mandy Boeken, Angie King’s sister, will oversee day-to-day operations. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Sports Daily B

Hull’s walk-off handles Garnett

By QUINN BURKITT

A walk-off three-run homer courtesy of Sam Hull in game two ultimately secured Iola’s AA Indians a season sweep of the Garnett Post 48 Muddodgs Wednesday night.

The Indians (21-5) went down 1-0 in both games but scored three runs in the fourth inning of game one before holding off Garnett’s late rally for a 3-2 victory. In game two, Iola scored five runs across the final two innings, including Hull’s homer, for a comeback 7-4 win.

“It felt really good, especially against a close rival like Garnett,” Iola’s Hull said after his walk-off home run. “I think in the last couple weeks I’ve started to get my swing back. I’ve been seeing the ball a lot better out of the pitcher’s hand so that’s been good.”

Game one — 3-2 win

Iola went down in the top of the first thanks to a single from Garnett’s Tyler Stinnett, but a three-run fourth inning was the difference for the Indians in a 3-2 victory. Kaiden Barnett drove in one run and scored another while Trevor Church also knocked in a run.

Brandon McKarnin got the win on the mound.

The southpaw was tagged with a couple of runs, the second coming in the fifth. Across a five inning win, McKarnin struck out six while allowing only three hits on two runs.

Ashton Hesse earned the save, tossing the final two innings and not allowing a run.

“Just like when I was playing on this same team, we let them stay in it,” Iola head

coach Ethan Tavarez said.

“We make it a close game and make our jobs harder. We do it to ourselves. Neither game should have been close. This team can get it figured out before zone.”

Barnett doubled to center field in the bottom of the fourth and scored Hull for the first Iola run of the game, knotting the score at 1-1. Barnett then stole home on a wild pitch to take a 2-1 lead before

Friday, July 7, 2023

‘Wembymania’ in Vegas as NBA Summer League begins

LAS VEGAS (AP) — There are just some tickets that are hard to get in Las Vegas. Like Adele, for example. Or Garth Brooks. Or U2, which starts a residency there this fall.

And now, add Wemby to that list.

Church singled to third to score Jack White and make it a 3-1 advantage.

The Muddogs brought one more run home in the top of the fifth on a Dallas Kueser RBI single to center field to cut Iola’s lead to 3-2.

“We had bases loaded a couple of times and couldn’t score any of them,” said Tavarez. “We had 11 hits and only scored three runs, so we’re not getting guys across that we need to.”

Hesse was solid on the mound for the Indians in the final two innings, not allowing a hit and striking out three.

Barnett had a team-high three hits while Hull and White each had two.

Game two — 7-4 win

A two-run deficit in the

Iola Seahorses race against Humboldt

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

Iola’s Seahorses hosted Humboldt at Riverside Park during a refreshingly cool and cloudy Wednesday evening.

There were a number of top place finishes for Iola including Adam Klubek, who won four races, taking top honors in the 50-yard butterfly, 50-yard breaststroke, 50-yard freestyle and the 50-yard individual medley.

Moira Springer earned three first place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle, 25-yard back crawl and 25-yard breaststroke, while Mariah Mathis also won a trio of competitions in the 50-yard butterfly, 50-yard breaststroke and 100yard medley.

Rohan Springer and Joshua Wanker scorched the pool in the 50-yard free, taking first and second with respective times of 33.08 and 33.82 seconds. Jyler Granere finished first in the 25-yard fly in 37.55 seconds. The fastest time of the evening belonged to Jayden Brady of Humboldt, who won the Men 7-8 25-yard free (the meet’s shortest distance) in 22.12 seconds.

Iola hosts the league swim meet at Riverside Park next

Saturday, July 15. The Seahorses will compete against teams from Coffeyville, Chanute, Humboldt and Independence.

Mixed 6&U 100-yard medley relay — 1. Humboldt, 3:15.25.

Mixed 7-8 100-yard medley relay — 1. Humboldt, 2:04.64; 2. Iola, DQ.

Mixed 9-10 100-yard medley relay — 1. Iola, 2:16.39.

Mixed 11-12 200-yard medley relay — 1. Iola, 3:36.01.

Mixed 13-14 200-yard medley relay ‚ 1. Iola, 3:10.66.

Mixed 15-18 200-yard med-

ley relay — 1. Humboldt, 2:34.80; 2. Iola, 2:44.21.

Women 10&U 50-yard freestyle — 1. Moira Springer, Iola, 51.27; 2. Anna Klubek, Iola, 52.63; 3. Aubree Trim, Humboldt, 1:03.09.

Men 10&U 50-yard freestyle — 1. Jayden Brady, Humboldt, 53.68; 2. Knox Hufferd, Iola, 1:05.53; 3. Cooper Cook, Iola, 1:07.67; 4. Wilder Schooler, Iola, 1:10.89.

Women 11-12 100-yard freestyle — 1. Helena Morrison, Iola, 1:38.44; 2. Mariah Mathis, Iola, 1:39.23.

Victor Wembanyama’s debut at NBA Summer League is Friday night — and it’s sold out. All 17,500 tickets that were available for Day 1 of the 11-day series of games on the campus of UNLV were gone by sometime Wednesday, largely because of the debut of the 7-foot-3 rookie who will be playing his first game in a San Antonio Spurs uniform.

“It’s going to be intense,” Wembanyama said. “I can’t wait to wear that Spurs jersey for a first time.”

The plan, as of now: He’ll play “at least one or two games” in Vegas, Wembanyama said. That means he’ll play Friday against Charlotte (and No. 2 pick Brandon Miller) and likely again Sunday against Portland (and No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson). He’s got appearances to make as well — Wembanyama is one of the headline attractions at the inaugural NBA Con event that starts Friday; he’ll be part of the Saturday unveiling of the new in-season tournament alongside Commissioner Adam Silver, and he’ll have an on-stage conversation with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a session called “Exploring the Evolution of Basketball.” Welcome to the NBA, Wemby. People have been waiting.

Tickets aren’t just gone — this is only the fifth sellout of Summer League in Las Vegas, the NBA said — but they’re also soaring on the secondary resale markets. Vivid Seats, a resale ticket marketplace, said its data shows the average cost of a ticket for Friday was $96; that would top the record of $86 set on opening night in 2019, when Zion Williamson made his debut for the New Orleans Pelicans.

Women 13-14 100-yard freestyle — 1. Evie Schooler, Iola, 1:50.18.

Men 13-14 100-yard freestyle — 1. Joshua Wanker, Iola, 1:21.64.

Women 15-18 100-yard freestyle —1. Ricklyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 1:13.58; 2. Bethany Miller, Iola, 1:25.84; 3. Assya Goforth, Humboldt, 1:27.76.

Men 15-18 100-yard freestyle — 1. Zach McDown, Humboldt, 1:27.06.

Women 6&U 25-yard fly — 1.

See SEAHORSES | Page B6

Spurs summer coach Matt Nielsen hadn’t heard that Friday was sold out; he was told after San Antonio finished its two-game stay at the California Classic summer league in Sacramento before flying to Las Vegas on Wednesday night.

“It’s probably not the biggest surprise,” Nielsen said.

The growth of Summer League in Las Vegas is well-chronicled.

Suttyn Hullmon, Humboldt,

Iola’s Knox Hufferd swims the breaststroke. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Iola’s Sam Hull delivered the walk-off three-run blast against Garnett. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Iola’s Brandon McKarnin pitching. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

The Iola Register

See INDIANS | Page B6

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Twins flush Royals, 5-0

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) —

The Minnesota Twins gave up a lot to get Pablo López.

He made it look as if he was well worth the price Wednesday night.

López pitched his first career shutout, a fourhitter complete with a career-high 12 strikeouts in the Twins’ 5-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

“That was a ‘Here I am’ performance,’” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said.

López (5-5) retired 15 straight from the third to the eighth inning, including a stretch with six consecutive strikeouts, to help the Twins post a three-game sweep.

The 27-year-old righthander, who came to Minnesota this season from Miami in a trade for major league batting leader Luis Arraez, had the Twins’ second shutout from a starter in less than two weeks after Joe Ryan spun one for the club’s first in five years.

The last time the Twins had multiple shutouts

Public notices

in one season was 2011, done by Brian Duensing, Francisco Liriano and Carl Pavano.

“I just came in here and tried not to be anybody else,” López said. “I tried to just come in here and let the Twins know who Pablo López is.”

Rookie Edouard Julien hit his second home run of the series to give the Twins the lead in the first, and Ryan Jeffers went deep in the seventh.

Alex Kirilloff’s RBI single sparked a tworun third inning, Donovan Solano added an RBI double in the eighth, and the Twins won for the fifth time in six games since a humbling sweep at Atlanta prompted them to declare the season was starting over.

Kyle Isbel hit a twoout double in the eighth to end López’s retiredbatters streak, but right fielder Max Kepler kept the shutout alive with a dive and a snag of Matt Duffy’s line drive to end that inning.

(Published in The Iola Register June 23, 2023)

NOTICE OF PROPOSED BANK MERGER

Second shift differential $2 per hour Shifts are 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Apply online at PeerlessProducts.com or visit us at 2702 N. State, Iola (620)

Notice is hereby given that the Bank of Commerce, Chanute, Kansas has made application to the State Bank Commissioner, Topeka, Kansas, for written consent to merge with The Piqua State Bank, Gas, Kansas. It is contemplated that all of the offices of the above-named institutions will continue to be operated with the exception of the Piqua State Bank office located at 1356 Xylan Rd, Piqua, Kansas, which the Target Bank has scheduled to close prior to the time of the merger. This notice is published pursuant to Kansas Statutes Annotated 9-1724. Any person wishing to comment on this application may file his or her comments in writing with the State Bank Commissioner, 700 Jackson, Suite 300, Topeka, Kansas, 666033796. The comment period will

end July 18, 2023. Public comments may be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Kansas Open Records Act; K.S.A. 45-201 et. seq. For information about submitting a request for records, please refer to: https://www.osbckansas. org/consumers/open-recordsrequests/

Date of First Publication: June 23, 2023

Applicant Bank: Bank of Commerce Location: 101 W. Main Street, Chanute, Kansas Target Bank: The Piqua State Bank Location: 301 W. 1st Street, Gas, Kansas (6)

super vise dealt with having cameras around them constantly during the filming of “LA Fire & Rescue”?

A: I was ver y proud of all of them. It’s not an easy thing to do, to invite somebody into your home like that and agree to be filmed ever y moment of ever y day. And not only in our “home,” but also on our emergency responses and medical calls. They’re filming ever y step we’re taking, so we’ve got to be on our game 100 percent of the time. Other wise, you’re going to look silly. That level of pressure, on top of an already pressure-filled situation, can be stressful … and ever ybody handled it professionally

Q: Are you glad to have other California firehouses besides the one you were with at the time (Palmdale) showcased by the series?

A: Absolutely. The Los Angeles County Fire Depar tment is unique in its ability to of fer so many dif ferent experiences to firefighters. It’s one of the only depar tments where you can fight a wildfire, work on a boat, work on a helicopter, work in a high-rise — it’s got ever ything to of fer to a fireman, and not many depar tments are able to do that. The producers of the series were able to capture a lot of the dif ferences and uniqueness.

Q: Though you worked in the world of finance previously, you come from a family of firefighters, since that also has been the profession of your twin brother and your father (both named Steve). Does that give you special pride in doing your job?

A: It’s an honor to be able to ser ve, and we’re just tr ying to make ever ybody proud.

Friendly favor spirals into trouble

Dear Carolyn: For many years, one of my oldest friends has very kindly taken in my cats for a month every summer while I am out of town. Because they live in an apartment on a high floor with a balcony, they have always asked me to help them install some safety barriers to reduce the chances that a cat might fall and meet an untimely end. I have told them that I find this risk very low, but I have gone along because it gives them peace of mind.

This year, I need to delegate the cat dropoff to my partner, who shares my view that a barrier is unnecessary and … doesn’t want to help with the installation.

My friend is upset about this and has complained bitterly to me. While I do sympathize, I resent that they expect me to be the messenger when they have their own relationship with my partner and could easily express their disappointment directly.

Is it acceptable to treat someone as a proxy for their other half in these situations? What is the best response?

— Stuck in the Middle Stuck in the Middle: The answer is, sure, it would be less complicated for your friend to talk to your partner directly. Still, the favor is between you and your friend, not between your partner and your friend, so talking to you makes more sense.

But you’ve asked me the wrong question and chosen the wrong target for your resentment.

The issue here is the rather stunningly obnoxious choice your partner has made, to draw a hard line against a minimal effort to humor one of your “oldest friends” who is doing you a massive favor on an annual basis.

Carolyn Hax

Holy flying cats. You are not “stuck,” and your “middle” status is a responsibility to point out to your partner that when people do significant favors for you, you either indulge them on what they require or stop asking the favors.

And yes, you are asking your partner for a favor, too — one you hope they will either do fully, as asked, or decline upfront, because the halfarsing of this favor has set resentments in motion that might cost you your friend’s goodwill.

Are you sure about this partner, may I ask?

Sure-sure? The only information I have to go on is Catgate, granted, but passing up such a basic opportunity to be a good sport does not make your partner look good.

Dear Carolyn: I think my granddaughters, 12 and 7, spend way too much time on their devices and I have brought up the fact that the surgeon general is now weighing in on this. How much, as a grandparent, can I push? They go to bed every night with a device rather than a book! And when they spend time with me, which is often, can I set my own rules as far as time limits?

—

Doting

Grandma

Doting Grandma: The question is not how much you can push, but what possible consequences of pushing are acceptable to you. You “can” push 24-7, for example, if you’re willing to stake your entire relationship on it, and probably lose it all.

I assume you’re not willing. That means

deciding how much of your time and your relationship with your granddaughters — and their parents — you’re willing to devote to this problem … cause … crisis.

Plus, if you do take up the cause zealously enough to alienate the girls, then they will lose one of the key emotional connections that serve as guardrails against the potential harms of being online. That’s an ironic outcome you dearly want to avoid.

The answer to your second question is yes, absolutely, you can set rules when they’re with you. A way to Goldilocks this issue — not too soft, not too hard — is to zip it on the greater issues of devices and overuse and harms and surgeons general, and instead invite the girls’ input on some limits because you simply like things better that way.

No phones overnight in your home, for example, or at the table during meals, or on any “field trips” they go on with you. Create noscreen zones for x-hour stretches during the day, or, conversely, allow set check-in or play times during otherwise unplugged days. Giving them some say shows respect and encourages them to buy in. This NPR article teems with ideas.

When you’ve chosen the rules, again, don’t preach — just set them down and hold to them, with unflinching good nature. The moment

you bad-mouth the devices or the girls’ device habits, or the culpability of devices for the wreckage of civilization as pre-device people once knew it, you will encourage defensiveness and add their voices to the universal adultsdon’t-get-it harrumphing chorus, which is already loud enough to scare the angels.

The kids may resist visits on the new terms, but they’re young enough that their parents can veto that as a reason for opting out. Secure their support as well as the kids’ for thoughtfully designated unplugged spaces when the kids are with you. The rest is rightly the parents’ battle to choose.

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

by Mort Walker

Chris Browne

by Young and Drake

Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: I am out with lanterns, looking for myself. — Emily Dickinson

by Patrick McDonell

Armstrong

by Chance Browne

BEETLE BAILEY

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by

BLONDIE

MUTTS

MARVIN by Tom

Indians: Win game two on Hull walk-off home run

Continued from A1

fourth inning turned into a three-run lead and victory for Iola when Hull walked it off on a three-run home run to right center field for the 7-4 victory.

“I wanted to get in a position that made sense to try and win the ballgame,” said Tavarez. “He (Hull) wanted a first-pitch fastball down the middle to hit. He did what I asked and held off on the first one.

I knew he was going to do something big. The last couple nights he’s been hitting well and that’s something he really needed.”

The homer erased any early angst the Indians had after going down 4-2 in the fourth inning before tying things up that inning and then winning it in the fifth.

Barnett earned the win on the mound in relief, tossing the final two innings and allowing only

one hit and two runs.

Rogan Weir started at pitcher for the Indians and allowed three runs, one in the first inning and two more in the third. It was enough for Iola to take the win.

Addison Smith singled to left field in the top of the first to drive home Garnett’s first run for the 1-0 lead.

McKarnin then grounded to shortstop, reached by error and drove home Iola’s first

run to knot the game at 1-1.

In the second, Gavin Page scored on a wild pitch with White at bat for the 2-1 advantage. The Muddogs knotted it up in the top of the third when Braden Wheat scored on an error to tie the game at 2-2. Dallas Kueser then singled to right field to bring home another run and take a 3-2 lead.

Wheat grounded into a fielder’s choice in the

fourth to score Garnett’s final run and led 4-2. In the bottom of the fourth, Gavin Page scored on a wild pitch to bring the score within one, 4-3. Tre Wilson then singled to left field to score another run and tie the game at 4-4.

The game remained tied until Hull came to the plate in the bottom of the fifth with two runners on base and no outs. Hull slammed the ball to deep center field

for the three-run homer and the 7-4 walkoff victory. The Indians dugout exploded as the ball soared over the fence. Hull drove in a teamhigh three runs with one swing of the bat while Wilson drove in one. Wilson, Hull and Church each had one hit.

The Indians host Pittsburg Post 64 in Humboldt on Thursday at 6 p.m.

Seahorses: Host Humboldt; finish with top placements

Continued from B1

51.93; 2. Wren Schultz, Humboldt, 55.75; 3. Carter Mitchell, Humboldt, 1:07.01; 4. Parker Mitchell, Humboldt, 2:00.01.

Men 6&U 25-yard fly — 1. Myles Brady, Humboldt, 42.95.

Women 7-8 25-yard fly — 1. Stella Walls, Humboldt, 38.00.

Men 7-8 25-yard fly —

1. Jayden Brady, Humboldt, 29.12; 2. Knox Hufferd, Iola, 33.90; 3. Korben Barnhart, Humboldt, 38.92; 4. Cohen Sigg, Iola, 41.80; 5. Ryker Roach, Humboldt, 48.61; 6. Gavin Granere, Iola, 54.90; 7. Lakelen Lemmon, Humboldt, 59.17.

Women 9-10 25-yard fly — 1. Anna Klubek, Iola, 28.13; 2. Moira Springer, Iola, 29.10;

3. Aubree Trim, Humboldt, 32.68; 4. Luuly Tran, Iola, 33.39; 5. Seattle Nagy, Iola, 40.51.

Men 9-10 25-yard fly — 1. Jyler Granere, Iola, 37.55; 2. Cooper Cook, Iola, 43.78; 3. Taylor Chriestenson, Iola, 56.10.

Women 11-12 50-yard fly — 1. Mariah Mathis, Iola, 1:03.97; 2. Ember Friend, Iola, 1:03.99; 3. Helena Morrison, Iola, 1:04.99.

Men 11-12 50-yard fly — 1. Adam Klubek, Iola, 54.08; 2. Michael Hancock, Iola, 1:07.37.

Women 13-14 50-yard fly — 1. Adalyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 40.94; 2. Lainey Oswald, Iola, 45.83; 3. Evie Schooler, Iola, 54.02.

Men 13-14 50-yard fly — 1. Joshua Wanker, Iola, 38.71; 2. Rohan Springer, Iola, 41.59.

Women 15-18 50-yard fly — 1. Ricklyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 37.28; 2. Assya Goforth, Humboldt, 37.84; 3. Madeline Wanker, Iola, 39.87; 4. Bethany Miller, Iola,

44.17. Men 15-18 50-yard fly — 1. Zach McDown, Humboldt, 39.72; 2. Toby Veal/Jernigan, Iola, 44.64.

Women 6&U 25-yard back crawl — 1. Carter Mitchell, Humboldt, 47.45; 2. Suttyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 57.99; 3. Wren Schultz, Humboldt, 58.95; 4. Elizabeth Chriestenson, Iola, 1:42.40; 5. Parker Mitchell, Humboldt, 1:56.47.

Men 6&U 25-yard back — 1. Myles Brady, Humboldt, 56.90.

Women 7-8 25-yard back — 1. Stella Walls, Humboldt, 37.80.

Men 7-8 25-yard back — 1. Jayden Brady, Humboldt, 29.05; 2. Ryker Roach, Humboldt, 30.13; 3. Knox Hufferd, Iola, 30.95; 4. Cohen Sigg, Iola, 37.42; 5. Brigham Smith, Iola, 38.53.

Women 9-10 25yard back — 1. Moira Springer, Iola, 26.83; 2. Luuly Tran, Iola, 31.49; 3. Anna Klubek, Iola, 32.75; 4. Raina Borjas, Iola, 35.49; 5. Seattle Nagy, Iola, 37.13.

Men 9-10 25-yard back — 1. Cooper Cook, Iola, 36.94; 2. Jyler Granere, Iola, 51.21; 3. Taylor Chriestenson, Iola, 1:08.55.

Women 11-12 50-yard back — 1. Helena Morrison, Iola, 54.56; 2. Mariah Mathis, Iola, 54.98; 3. Isabelle Chapman, Iola, 56.75; 4. Ember Friend, Iola, 1:10.18.

Men 11-12 50-yard back — 1. Lee Wanker, Iola, 57.94; 2. Adam Klubek, Iola, 1:01.41.

Women 13-14 50yard back — 1. Adalyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 53.06; 2. Evie Schooler, Iola, 56.18.

Men 13-14 50-yard back — 1. Rohan Springer, Iola, 40.46; 2. Joshua Wanker, Iola, 41.49;

3. Ben Fager, Iola, 45.30.

Women 15-18 50yard back — 1. Assya Goforth, Humboldt, 42.10; 2. Ricklyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 44.71; 3. Madeline Wanker, Iola, 47.34; 4. Bethany Miller, Iola, 47.44.

Men 15-18 50-yard back — 1. Toby Veal/ Jernigan, Iola, 49.09; 2. Zach McDown, Humboldt, 50.14.

Women 6&U 25-yard breast — 1. Wren Schultz, Humboldt, 50.04; 2. Suttyn Hullmon, Humboldt, 51.63; 3. Carter Mitchell, Humboldt, 58.27; 4. Parker Mitchell, Humboldt, 1:52.58.

Men 6&U 25-yard breast — 1. Myles Brady, Humboldt, 46.08; 2. Ryker Barnhart, Humboldt, 1:38.74.

Women 7-8 25-yard breast — 1. Stella Walls, Humboldt, 40.72.

Men 7-8 25-yard breast — 1. Jayden Brady, Humboldt, 33.06; 2. Brigham Smith, Iola, 39.12; 3. Cohen Sigg, Iola, 43.85;

4. Knox Hufferd, Iola, 43.98; 5. Lakelen Lemmon, Humboldt, 58.00

Women 9-10 25yard breast — 1. Moira Springer, Iola, 28.17;

2. Anna Klubek, Iola, 28.57; 3. Luuly Tran, Iola, 30.87; 4. Aubree Trim, Humboldt, 34.14;

5. Raina Borjas, Iola, 37.01.

Men 9-10 25-yard breast — 1. Cooper Cook, Iola, 42.97; 2. Jyler Granere, Iola, 54.92.

Women 11-12 50yard breast — 1. Mariah Mathis, Iola, 49.95;

2. Helena Morrison, Iola, 55.55; 3. Isabelle Chapman, Iola, 56.25;

4. Ember Friend, Iola, 1:08.85.

Men 11-12 50-yard breast — 1. Adam Klubek, Iola, 59.10; 2. Michael Hancock, Iola, 1:00.30; 3. Lee Wanker,

Iola, 1:09.82.

Women 13-14 50yard breast — 1. Adalyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 48.42; 2. Lainey Oswald, Iola, 54.16; 3. Evie Schooler, Iola, 1:09.45.

Men 13-14 50-yard breast — 1. Rohan Springer, Iola, 47.69; 2. Joshua Wanker, Iola, 55.13; 3. Ben Fager, Iola, 55.70.

Women 15-18 50-yard breast — 1. Ricklyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 42.42; 2. Assya Goforth, Humboldt, 46.12; 3. Madeline Wanker, Iola, 47.45; 4. Bethany Miller, Iola, 53.37.

Men 15-18 50-yard breast — 1. Zach McDown, Humboldt, 52.16; 2. Toby Veal/ Jernigan, Iola, 52.19.

Women 6&U 25-yard free — 1. Wren Schultz, Humboldt, 46.60; 2. Suttyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 49.10; 3. Jolee Westervelt, Iola, 52.34; 4. Carter Mitchell, Humboldt, 56.04; 5. Elizabeth Chriestenson, Iola, 1:21.36; 6. Parker Mitchell, Humboldt, 1:24.66.

Men 6&U 25-yard free — 1. Myles Brady, Humboldt, 42.04; 2. Ryker Barnhart, Humboldt, 1:30.28; 3. Declan Springer, Iola, 1:34.31.

Women 7-8 25-yard free — 1. Stella Walls, Humboldt, 31.10.

Men 7-8 25-yard free — 1. Jayden Brady, Humboldt, 22.12; 2. Knox Hufferd, Iola, 26.51; 3. Ryker Roach, Humboldt, 30.02; 4. Korben Barnhart, Hum-

boldt, 32.29; 5. Brigham Smith, Iola, 32,80; 6. Cohen Sigg, Iola, 37.20. 7. Gavin Granere. 8. Lakelen Lemmon.

Women 9-10 25-yard free — 1. Moira Springer, Iola, 23.76; 2. Anna Klubek, Iola, 27.67; 3. Raina Borjas, Iola, 28.12; 4. Aubree Trim, Humboldt, 29.45; 5. Seattle Nagy, Iola, 30.70; 6. Luuly Tran, Iola, 32.75.

Men 9-10 25-yard free — 1. Cooper Cook, Iola, 29.29; 2. Jyler Granere, Iola, 31.27; 3. Wilder Schooler, Iola, 33.58; 4. Taylor Chriestenson, Iola, 48.50.

Women 11-12 50-yard free — 1. Isabelle Chapman, Iola, 43.40; 2. Mariah Mathis, Iola, 44.72; 3. Helena Morrison, Iola, 46.45; 4. Ember Friend, Iola, 59.31.

Men 11-12 50-yard free — 1. Adam Klubek, Iola, 43.83; 2. Michael Hancock, Iola, 44.54; 3. Lee Wanker, Iola, 44.76.

Women 13-14 50-yard free — 1. Lainey Oswald, Iola, 36.79; 2. Adalyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 42.84; 3. Evie Schooler, Iola, 50.87.

Men 13-14 50-yard free — 1. Rohan Springer, Iola, 33.08; 2. Joshua Wanker, Iola, 33.82; 3. Ben Fager, Iola, 41.64.

Women 15-18 50-yard free — 1. Ricklyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 31.69; 2. Assya Goforth, Humboldt, 35.89; 3. Madeline Wanker, Iola, 36.12; 4. Bethany Miller, Iola, 38.55.

Men 15-18 50-yard

free — 1. Zach McDown, Humboldt, 36.26; 2. Toby Veal/Jernigan, Iola, 36.53.

Women 10&U 100yard IM — 1. Moira Springer, Iola, 2:10.53; 2. Anna Klubek, Iola, 2:16.09; 3. Luuly Tran, Iola, 2:43.07; 4. Raina Borjas, Iola, 2:54.44; 5. Seattle Nagy, Iola, 2:58.22.

Men 10&U 100-yard IM — 1. Knox Hufferd, Iola, 2:49.75; 2. Ryker Roach, Humboldt, 3:22.36.

Women 11-12 100yard IM — 1. Mariah Mathis, Iola, 1:55.13; 2. Helena Morrison, Iola, 2:00.24; 3. Ember Friend, Iola,

Iola, 1:37.94; 3. Ben Fager, Iola, 1:48.34.

Women 15-18 100yard IM — 1. Ricklyn Hillmon, Humboldt, 1:27.71; 2. Madeline Wanker, Iola, 1:35.90;

3. Bethany Miller, Iola, 1:45.47; 4. Assya Goforth, Humboldt, 1:49.42.

Men 15-18 100-yard IM — 1. Zach McDown, Humboldt, 1:42.47; 2. Toby Veal/Jernigan, Iola, 1:55.61.