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Kansas lawmakers kick off session By TIM CARPENTER and RACHEL MIPRO Kansas Reflector
Snow blaster City of Iola crews tackle the first significant snowfall of the season on Tuesday morning. Allen County was not hit as hard as other parts of the region in a storm system that walloped the western and northern reaches. Evergy reported high winds knocked out power to 70,000 in the Kansas City metro, Wichita metro, Hutchinson and Ottawa. The Iola Water Plant reported a total of 1.17 inches of precipitation in the form of rain, sleet and snow between Monday and Tuesday morning. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
TOPEKA — The House and Senate launched the 2024 legislative session Monday amid anticipated criticism of Gov. Laura Kelly’s attempt at bipartisanship on tax reform and substantial enthusiasm for a nonbinding resolution delving into Middle East foreign policy. While the threat of six inches of snow by Tuesday led the Democratic gover-
nor to release early executive branch employees and close state office buildings in Shawnee County, both chambers passed the measure condemning Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Hours earlier, GOP lawmakers gave a chilly reception to Kelly’s comprehensive tax reform plan endorsed by Republicans, Democrats and an independent legislator. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said snowfall meant the House would convene See STATE | Page A3
Council welcomes new faces By SARAH HANEY The Iola Register
In a ceremonial start to the new year, Iola City Clerk Roxanne Hutton administered the oath of office to four council members during Monday evening’s city council meeting. The newly sworn-in members include Jon Wells and Max Grundy, and the returning incumbents Kim Peterson and Joelle Shallah. Mayor Steve French also was sworn in for another term. French recognized outgoing council member Carl Slaugh, presenting him with a plaque acknowledging his dedication and service to the city and the Iola City Council Ward 2. French commended Slaugh’s valuable input and knowledge, recognizing his transition from an administrator to a council member. Council member Mark Peters nominated Joelle Shallah as Council PresSee COUNCIL | Page A4
IMS shows improved play
The Iola Elementary School’s Leadership Crew gave a presentation to school board members on Monday night. From left, Easton Higginbotham, Wren Clift, Amelia Wilkins, Matrim Olson, Jim Olson, Nickolas Trester and Brayden Shoemaker. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS
District debates electric bus option By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
Iola’s school board members want a couple weeks to consider whether to upgrade to electric buses. If they can actually buy one, though, will be a matter of chance. Aaron Cole, transportation director, asked the school board on Monday if he should apply for a federal program that would pay all but $68,000 of the cost of two electric school buses. The Iola district qualifies for priority
Winter storm closes area schools Schools in Iola, Humboldt and Moran were open for business Tuesday, but those in Colony and Yates Center were closed due to the wintry weather. Across the state, all the major universities were closed as well as public schools in Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka and Wichita. status this year, which reduces the cost, but buses will be awarded through a lottery. If the district decides not to try for the buses, it’s unlikely they’ll qualify for such a deal
in the future. Without the program, an electric bus typically costs around $400,000. Compare that to the cost of one diesel bus at about $130,000; un-
der this program, the district would get two electric buses for about half the cost of one diesel bus. Board members aren’t sure if the district is ready to make the leap to electric. They wanted more information, particularly about costs and maintenance, or to replace an expensive EV battery. They asked Cole to seek more information, including a comparison of expected costs and benefits of diesel and electric buses. They also asked him to contact othSee BUSES | Page A3
Humboldt agrees to add weather radar station By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
PAGE B1
Earth shatters heat record PAGE A2
Vol. 126, No. 19 Iola, KS $1.00
HUMBOLDT —Think of it as a cherry on top. Humboldt Council members agreed Monday to allow a Kentucky-based company to place a 5,000-pound domeshaped weather radar station on top of the water tower north of town. That the 80foot water tower is shaped like a golf ball, is just a happy coincidence. The massive tower holds 200,000 gallons of water, the equivalent of about 1.6 mil-
lion pounds. “I guess a 5,000-pound ball on top won’t make much of a difference,” said Cole Herder, Humboldt city administrator, in remarks after Monday’s meeting. A round fiberglass structure will contain the weather station and will be accessible from the inside of the water tower, a decided advantage. Bryce Kintigh, senior partner specialist with Climavision Operating, LLC, of Louisville, Ky., introduced the concept to council members
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Obituary Dick Marlow Richard Lyle “Dick” Marlow, 72, of Olathe, passed away at his home on Jan. 1, 2024. He was born on Nov. 27, 1951 to Clinton Dean Marlow and Nadja Jean (Allen) Marlow Knight in Iola. He was very proud of the four years he served in the United States Dick Marlow Marine Corps. After working several years for MKT Railroad, he mostly worked in sales and marketing. He and his wife owned Quality Printing, Inc. in Parsons. After retirement, he enjoyed driving a school bus and the children loved him. He enjoyed riding motorcycles, car shows, doing yard work, taking road trips and rescuing pugs, who were all there to greet him along with his loved ones, when he arrived in heaven. Survivors include his wife, Nancy; three daughters, Sherri Ryan Hyer (Chris) of Olathe, Nicole McAdams (Damion) of Bel Aire, Kan., Miranda Marlow of Humboldt; two sons, Clinton Marlow (Emma) of Wichita, and Travis Marlow of Phoenix, Arizona; two sisters, Cheryl Marlow of Wichita and Josie Marlow of Iola; three brothers, Bill Marlow of Uniontown, Dan Marlow (Janet) of Parsons, and Kyle Knight (Shayla) of Uniontown; 15 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews Richard was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Joe Marlow of Iola and one son, Jason Ryan of Gardner. No service is planned at this time.
Multi-agency efforts result in drug arrests By SARAH HANEY The Iola Register
In a joint operation involving the Iola Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested two individuals in possession of a significant quantity of illegal substances. The arrest, which occurred following a traffic stop in Meade County on U.S. Highway 54, uncovered 2 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 2,500 pills presumed to contain the deadly opioid fentanyl. The apprehended suspects have been identified as 47-yearold Jeffrey A. Filley and 32-year-old Theresa R. West, both residents of Wichita. The charges against Filley and West include distribution of methamphetamine, distribution of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, distribution or possession of a controlled substance using a communication facility, and conspiracy. The investigation traces its roots back to September, when the Iola Police Department initiated efforts to uncover methamphetamine distribution in southeast Kansas, believed to be orchestrated by individuals based in Wichita. Months of collaboration and intelligence gathering culminated
in the joint operation that led to the arrest of Filley and West on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Iola Police Chief Jared Warner noted the local department became involved during an ongoing investigation. “Some information came about from search warrants that we conducted here locally and we passed that information along to the KBI,” Warner said Tuesday. He added that the two individuals were substantial suppliers with connections to the area and having their operation shut down “has the potential to ease the flow of drugs coming into our community.” In addition to the drug-related charges, West faces charges of driving while suspended and multiple traffic violations. The Kansas Highway Patrol executed the traffic stop in Meade County, resulting in the discovery of the illicit drugs. The KBI reported that the 2 pounds of methamphetamine and the fentanyl-laden pills were located soon after the vehicle was stopped. Both suspects, Filley and West, were booked into the Meade County Jail where they await legal proceedings.
The cracked earth of the Sau reservoir is visible north of Barcelona, Spain, March 20, 2023. Annual heat records were broken in 2023, the European climate agency said Tuesday, Jan. 9. (AP PHOTO/EMILIO MORENATTI, FILE)
Global heat record shattered in 2023 By SETH BORENSTEIN The Associated Press
Earth last year shattered global annual heat records, flirted with the world’s agreed-upon warming threshold and showed more signs of a feverish planet, the European climate agency said Tuesday. In one of the first of several teams of science agencies to calculate how off-the-charts warm 2023 was, the European climate agency Copernicus said the year was 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.66 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. That’s barely below the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit that the world hoped to stay within in the 2015 Paris climate accord to avoid the most severe effects of warming. And January 2024 is on track to be so warm that for the first time a 12-month period will exceed the 1.5-degree threshold, Copernicus Deputy Director Samantha Burgess said. Scientists have repeatedly said that Earth would need to average 1.5 degrees of warming over two or three decades to be a technical breach of the threshold. The 1.5 degree goal “has to be (kept) alive because lives are at risk and choices have to be made,” Burgess said. “And these choices don’t impact you and I but they impact our children and our grandchildren.” The record heat made life miserable and sometimes deadly in Europe, North America, China and many other places last year. But scientists say a warming climate is also to blame for
more extreme weather events, like the lengthy drought that devastated the Horn of Africa, the torrential downpours that wiped out dams and killed thousands in Libya and the Canada wildfires that fouled the air from North America to Europe. For the first time, nations meeting for annual United Nations climate talks in December agreed that the world needs to transition away from the fossil fuels that are causing climate change, but they set no concrete requirements to do so. Copernicus calculated that the global average temperature for 2023 was about onesixth of a degree Celsius (0.3 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the old record set in 2016. While that seems a small amount in global record-keeping, it’s an exceptionally large margin for the new record, Burgess said. Earth’s average temperature for 2023 was 58.96 degrees Fahrenheit, Copernicus calculated. “It was record-breaking for seven months. We had the warmest June, July, August, September, October, November, December,” Burgess said. “It wasn’t just a season or a month that was exceptional. It was exceptional for over half the year.” There are several factors that made 2023 the warmest year on record, but by far the biggest factor was the ever-increasing amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that
trap heat, Burgess said. Those gases come from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas. Other factors including the natural El Nino — a temporary warming of the central Pacific that alters weather worldwide — other natural oscillations in the Arctic, southern and Indian oceans, increased solar activity and the 2022 eruption of an undersea volcano that sent water vapor into the atmosphere, Burgess said. Malte Meinshausen, a University of Melbourne climate scientist, said about 1.3 degrees Celsius of the warming comes from greenhouse gases, with another 0.1 degrees Celsius from El Nino and
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the rest being smaller causes. Given El Nino and record ocean heat levels, Burgess said it’s “extremely likely” that 2024 will be even hotter than 2023. Copernicus records only go back to 1940 and are based on a combination of observations and forecast models. Other groups, including the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA, the United Kingdom’s Meteorological Office and Berkeley Earth go back to the mid-1800s and will announce their calculations for 2023 on Friday, with expectations of record-breaking marks.
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State: Legislature
Lawmakers express support for Israel By RACHEL MIPRO Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Putting aside taxes, looming drought and other policy issues, Kansas lawmakers voted to affirm state support of Israel in their first legislative action of the session. Sen. Kellie Warren, R-Leawood, who carried the motion on the Senate floor Monday, referenced the anti-semitic shootings of 2014, in which three people were killed outside a Jewish community center in Overland Park, along with spikes in anti-semitic hate crimes
in recent months to justify the move. Warren argued the state Legislature needs to defend Israel and all of the actions taken by Israel since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. “That incident rocked the Jewish community in our area. … We must remember that Israel is America’s predominant ally in the Middle East. It is the only true democracy in the Middle East,” Warren said. “Israel has always stood with us and our allies, and we must stand with them. Israel has an unequivocal right to defend itself. We must state that bold-
ly and clearly and never waver. Everything that has occurred in Gaza is the result of Hamas leadership.” During the October attack, militants located in the Palestinian territory of Gaza launched a multi-pronged attack on Israeli cities, killing an estimated 1,200 people. The attack started the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which has led to thousands of casualties in the Gaza Strip. Some support for Israel has begun to wane as the its siege of the area led to a humanitarian crisis. A quarter of the Gaza population is reported to be
Continued from A1
starving, without adequate resources. Some Kansas lawmakers expressed frustration with the speedy debate and passage of the resolution, which did not appear on either chamber’s agenda. The first day of session typically is reserved for ceremonial procedures, such as taking group photos. However, on Monday, lawmakers chose to introduce and then advance the resolution for a final vote in less than an hour, declaring a state of emergency to get around procedural rules.
Tuesday “proforma,” which meant members didn’t have to be present. He said one House committee, a panel devoted to water policy, would meet Tuesday. A collection of other committees were postponed. The Senate was expected to have a comparably light committee schedule due the storm. Hawkins said the 2024 Legislature would engage during the next few months in rigorous debate on tax reform, especially a proposal to establish a single, flat individual income tax rate. He said lawmakers also would work to find solutions to the Kansas child care crisis. He didn’t expect the Legislature to dive deeply into private or home school vouchers, abortion restrictions or Medicaid expansion. “Taxes, taxes, taxes — that’s my top priority in this session and that’s what I’m working towards,” Hawkins said. What about abortion rights? “I doubt it,” he said. “We are going to do some ‘life’ issues, but not abortion issues.” The House and Senate convened at 2 p.m. Monday for what could be a 90-day session in an election year with the entire House and Senate up for grabs. Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said she would advocate on
Buses: District considers federal program Continued from A1
er Kansas districts that have made the switch. He knew of only one, in Caney. The Environmental Protection Agency is authorized by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to dole out a total of $5 billion to help school districts replace diesel buses with cleaner versions such as electric buses. The goal is to protect children from harmful air pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Another round of funding was announced Monday, with nearly $1 billion to pay for 2,700 buses for more than 280 school districts nationwide. The agency already has allocated nearly $2 billion. About 15 states have announced plans to mandate a switch to the cleaner models. Kansas is not one of them, but Cole said the program could prepare the district for that possibility in the future. THE TOTAL cost of the two buses would be around $863,000. That includes a charging station that could allow the buses to charge overnight, as well as installation. The city would need to install a transformer that could handle the station. If approved, the EPA grant and other credits would cover $795,000 of the cost, leaving the district on the hook for about $68,000. Because electric buses don’t use combustion engines, maintenance costs are typically lower with manufacturers estimating 85% lower maintenance costs, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Energy. The comparison of electric versus gasoline costs also tend to result in significant savings. School bus maker Blue Bird said it costs an average of about 14 cents a mile for a bus to recharge with electricity, compared with 49 cents per mile for a bus to refuel with diesel. Electric buses produce no direct greenhouse gas emissions. USD 257 board member Robin Griffin-Lohman said that benefit is not to be taken lightly, as idling diesel buses subject children to harmful fumes. Board member Tony Leavitt questioned Cole how the electric buses, if awarded, would fit into the district’s scheduled bus replacement plan. Cole said the
IES Leadership Crew members Brayden Shoemaker and Kiley Porter talk about the program. district is on track to replace about one bus per year. This year, the board approved a smaller, 14-passenger bus. These would replace two of the district’s oldest buses — 21 and 22 years old — and would have larger seating capacity. The district has a fleet of 21 buses, both small and full-sized. A total of 392 students ride regular bus routes and are transported for special education classes and shuttles. Board member John Wilson was particularly concerned about the replacement cost of a battery, which some reports say account for as much as 40% of the cost to manufacture an electric bus. But, as board chair Jennifer Taylor pointed out, the costs of such batteries has dropped significantly in recent years. The batteries can last up to 10 years; much can change in that time. Cole said he did not have a recommendation for the board. The application is due Jan. 31. If the board were to apply, there’s no guarantee they’d receive the buses. And if they were approved, they could still decide not to accept. “Are we ready for this step?” board member Dan Willis asked, noting Cole’s staff would need additional training for basic maintenance and upkeep. The board is expected to revisit the issue at the Jan. 22 meeting. IN OTHER news, the school board: • Heard a report from students who take part in Iola Elementary School’s Leadership Crew program. The students talked about their various activities, such as organizing a food drive for Humanity House, “Spotted Being Good” recognition for students who help
their school and peers, a bullying prevention project, a coloring project for World Kindness Day and collecting pop can tops for the Ronald McDonald House. The students also organized a recycling program but it ended when the local effort was discontinued. Students in fourth and fifth grade apply for the program, with one fourth-grader and one fifth-grader selected each quarter. IES third through sixth grade counselor Julie Mileham leads the program, and students meet weekly to discuss leadership. • Learned awnings are being installed at IES to protect students from inclement weather during pickup and dropoff. Leavitt asked IES Principal Andy Gottlob for an update on the after school pick up process. Most days, traffic is cleared within eight minutes. A more challenging day might see that time max out at 10 minutes. The process involves up to 20 staff members. Leavitt also asked about the shuttle bus program, which transports students to former community elementary
schools such as Lincoln, Jefferson and McKinley. Those are very popular, Gottlob said, and also requires coordination among staff to get students to the right bus each day. The shuttle buses are usually full, with the greatest number of students going to Lincoln. • Heard from Griffin-Lohman, who recognized community service projects by the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) student organization. • In honor of School Board Appreciation Month, administrators and staff presented each board member with a gift. • Heard a report about the food service program. In December, OPAA, the district’s food service provider, served a total of 12,000 meals for breakfast, lunch and staff. At a special holiday meal in December, they served 688 meals to students, parents, grandparents and others. Food service staff would like to organize a similar meal in the spring, perhaps around the Easter holiday. • Re-elected Taylor as board president, with Willis as vice president.
A3
behalf of state funding to K-12 public education, including additional spending on special education programs. “I want to see some improvement there and continue to protect our public schools,” Sykes said. Sykes said she anticipated Republicans would soon introduce a bill creating a flat individual income tax rate in Kansas. In 2023, the GOP sought a 5.15% rate for all Kansans, but it was vetoed by the governor. Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, vowed to bring the flat tax back. “I think it will probably come up fairly quickly, the flat tax and hopefully we are able to sustain a veto on that again,” Sykes said. Sen. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, said he would concentrate on advancing the $1 billion, three-year tax reform bill made public by the governor. It contained property, sales and income tax reforms. “If this were my decision, this is the kind of tax cut I would make for every Kansan,” he said. Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, said the opening of the Senate was a departure from the tradition of dealing primarily with ceremonial activities. The Hamas resolution altered that dynamic, he said. “It’s quite an interesting way to start a session,” Haley said.
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The Iola Register
Humboldt: Weather radar station to cover a broad area Continued from A1
at their Dec. 11 meeting. Positioning the weather station on the outskirts of town is beneficial, Kintigh said, because the radar doesn’t detect what is directly above it but rather the surrounding areas from about a quarter mile beyond. Kintigh, also a meteorologist, referred to this as a “small cone of silence.” Humboldt has three water towers. The oldest is on the square and holds about 75,000 gallons; the largest is a block directly south of city hall and holds about 300,000 gallons of water. The newest was built in 1979 in Humboldt’s Industrial Park. Allen County is well-positioned for the radar station, Kintigh explained in December, with the nearest National Weather Service office in Wichita. Once functioning, the system will provide local municipalities access to live radar feeds for the purpose of forecasting, public alerts and emergency preparation activities.
Marilyn Davis defends the city’s current policy banning pit bull dogs. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN KINTIGH described Climavision as a small, but growing, company that is looking to fill in “the gaps” in transmission of traditional weather radar information across the country. Humboldt’s installation will be the company’s first in Kansas. Climavision will extend electrical and communications lines up to the weather station. Its logo will also be placed on the outside. The lease between Humboldt and Climavi-
sion is for 20 years. Kintigh said the radar’s reach will be from Ottawa to Coffeyville, north to south, and from Eureka to Nevada, Mo., east to west. The project comes at no cost to the city. With the contract signed, Herder said Climavision employees were expected Tuesday morning to further study the water tower to ensure its structure is suitable for the weather station. The weather station
A round fiberglass weather radar station will sit atop Humboldt’s water tower north of town. REGISTER/TIM STAUFFER
should be up and running by summer, Herder predicted. IN OTHER NEWS:
• Marilyn Davis spoke in favor of the city retaining its policy on banning pit bull and rottweiler dogs. In 2007, the city’s policy determined the dogs
as “inherently dangerous.” Davis told of a harrowing incident of a pit bull savagely attacking her granddaughter two years ago. “I know that it’s oftentimes the dog, not the breed, that is the problem,” Davis said. “But some dogs are
more inclined to be aggressive than others, and pit bulls are one of those.” In December, Kenny Gore appealed to city council members to lift the ban. • Pastor Jerry Neeley of the Humboldt Ministerial Alliance said the new food pantry at 910 Central is open for business. Neeley thanked Allen County commissioners and B&W Trailer Hitches for their help. Its hours are from 5 to 6 p.m. • After deferring a decision last month to renew their contract with Thrive Allen County for its economic development services for 2024, council members unanimously approved the measure Monday. The contract is for $17,000. Absent from Monday’s meeting were Council members Kent Goodner and Cindy Holinsworth. • Jeffery Marquez joined the Council Monday evening. He replaces outgoing Council member Jeff Bowman who opted not to run for re-election after serving one term.
Council: Residents can vote online, in person on flag design Continued from A1
ident, a motion that was seconded by Jon Wells and unanimously approved by the council. Gregg Hutton presented resolutions concerning four dangerous structures. With approval of the resolutions, a hearing will be set to begin the process of condemning the houses. The houses are at 116 N. Fourth St., 306 S. Kentucky St., 602 E. Lincoln St., and 1014 N. Sycamore St. “These houses are not repairable,” Hutton said. “When you go by these houses, you’ll think that they don’t look that bad. Look at the pictures in the reports. These houses are in bad shape inside.” The council unanimously passed each of the four resolutions. A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to the selection of a city flag. After de-
Steve French is joined by his daughter Michaela Goodner, left, and his wife, Becky, as he is sworn in for another term as mayor of Iola. From left, Joelle Shallah, Max Grundy and his daughter, Church, Kim Peterson and Jon Wells take their oath of office. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY liberating over several options in the previous meeting, the council settled on two final designs: the Land and Water flag, representing Iola’s landscape and agricultural connections, and the Clock Tower flag, depicting the old Allen County Courthouse’s clock tower. The council, led by local
artist Max Grundy, opted for a dark blue and cream color scheme for the Clock Tower flag. Both designs will be presented to the community for a vote. “We will put the two options on the city website and explain where they can vote,” said Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock.
“Digitally, we will do some kind of polling mechanism on Facebook.” A ballot box also
will be placed on City Clerk Hutton’s desk at City Hall. IN OTHER news, Council member Peters
commended the efforts of the Iola Police Department for their role in a drug bust. (See page A2 for the complete story.)
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Opinion A5 The Iola Register
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
~ Journalism that makes a difference
When schools were closed at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many parents took control of their children’s education. Though for the most part children have returned to formal education, there’s been a sizeable uptick in homeschooling. Pictured above, former third-grade teacher Kristen Bristow helps her daughter Andie, 6, with a book report while her other daughters Kat, 12, left, and Ellie, 11, do homework at the kitchen table on April 16, 2020, in Riverside, California. (GINA FERAZZI/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS)
Home schooling is surging. States have to step up their oversight If the coronavirus pandemic turned “working from home” into common parlance, “learning from home” might be next: The Post reported last year on the skyrocketing number of home-schooled children, of whom reporters estimate there are now between 1.9 million and 2.7 million. Data on these students is spotty, so that’s only a guess — which itself raises big concerns. Home schooling was once a niche practice, attractive mostly to religious households dissatisfied with the secular public school system. Now, it has increased by what The Post believes might be as much as 51 percent over the past six academic years — across geography and demography alike. Some parents are disturbed by politics in education; others are concerned about safety from shootings; others still see it as the best choice for their kids who don’t feel comfortable in the classroom. Home schooling includes not just parents teaching their own children in their own homes. Cooper-
this trend, with at least six extending vouchers to home-schoolers, offering parents thousands of dollars per year to educate children outside the public school system. But the influx of funding hasn’t been accompanied by a matching increase in oversight — and states that aren’t funneling dollars into home schooling are scarcely paying attention to the practice at all. By The Post’s count, 11 states, including Texas, Connecticut and Illinois, don’t even require notification when families choose to educate their children at home. And even if a state keeps track of who is learning from the kitchen table, it is not necessarily monitoring those students’ well-being: Fewer than half of states require any sort of assessment of homeschooled kids. Most oversight that does occur is minimal. Only five states, according to the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, have “thorough” regimens. None of this means that home schooling isn’t a good choice for plenty of children. It only means
Home schooling can be a good choice for plenty of children. But when it’s a bad choice, fairly often no one finds out — much less intervenes.
ative arrangements called microschools, for example, are cropping up; parents coordinate activities through Facebook. Many homeschooled kids today play competitive sports against each other, go to prom and don caps and gowns for graduation. Several states are encouraging
that when it’s a bad choice, fairly often no one finds out — much less intervenes. The science on home schooling has always been iffy. Home-school advocates have tended to cite research by, well, home-school advocates, and even disinterested academics have had a hard time accounting for self-se-
lection: The home-schooled stuOther tales are more alarming. dents who take standardized tests The Post chronicles the life and tend to be the ones more likely death of one boy, 11-year-old Roto perform well on them, for one man Lopez. His stepmother was thing. For another, home-schooled “home schooling” eight children kids generally tend to come from in her household, but at best they wealthier backgrounds. More re- played video games all day — and cently, studies have found mixed at worst, as in Roman’s case, they results, though there is one were locked up, tortured and through line: a relative strength in starved. Other abusive parents, it the humanities alongside weak- turns out, have seized on home edness in math and science. ucation as a way to avoid catching But it’s not the avthe notice of social erage home-schoolservice agencies. Peer policymakers diatricians have even should be worried concerns It’s not the average shared about — it’s the home-schooler policy- along these lines child who is left far, makers should be wor- with politicians. far behind. SomeThese grisly stories times, that’s a ques- ried about — it’s the are probably rare extion of academics. child who is left far, ceptions, and abuse Part of the allure of far behind. .... Where can go undetected by home schooling, there’s no oversight, public schools, too. for many parents, is Yet, tightening of the ability to depart there’s no guarantee policy would benefit from the typical that children will learn even those children path drawn by pub- skills considered foun- whose parents are lic education. Some dational in public edu- trying to responsibly home-school cur- cation and essential to educate them. New riculum developers, York has a robust for example, offer adult life. model in which infor purchase “undividuals providing schooling” modules instruction must that allow children be “competent” but to direct their learning according needn’t have any teaching qualto their interests and at their pace. ifications, and students must be But where there’s no oversight, assessed annually either by stanthere’s no guarantee that children dardized test or portfolio evaluawill learn skills considered foun- tion. Pennsylvania has a similar dational in public education and but slightly more flexible system. essential to adult life. Many wom- The point isn’t to eliminate home en from religious families who schooling or to pick on families were home-schooled say their that want to educate their own schooling focused on just that: the way. As in public schools, all stuhome. This, they were instructed, dents should be assessed on the was a woman’s place, and accord- basics. State standards should eningly, they were mostly taught sure that all the kids are all right. how to bear and raise children. — The Washington Post
How to contact USD 257’s elected officials
John Masterson john.masterson@ usd257.org
Doug Dunlap doug.dunlap@usd257. org
Robin Griffin-Lohman robin.griffin-lohman@ usd257.org
Tony Leavitt tony.leavitt@usd257. org
Jen Taylor jen.taylor@usd257.org
John Wilson john.wilson@usd257. org
Dan Willis dan.willis@usd257.org
A6 Wednesday, January 10, 2024
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The Iola Register
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Michigan takes title By RALPH D. RUSSO The Associated Press
Michigan running back Donovan Edwards eludes Washington Huskies safety Asa Turner for a 41-yard touchdown to open the scoring in the CFP National Championship Monday, THE SEATTLE TIMES/JENNIFER BUCHANAN/TNS
HOUSTON (AP) — Jim Harbaugh raised the championship trophy as gold and white confetti sprayed over his team and “We Are the Champions” blared. Nine years after he took over at Michigan, Harbaugh delivered on the lofty expectations he brought with him to his beloved alma mater. Blake Corum ran
for 134 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns as Harbaugh and the top-ranked Wolverines — undeterred by suspensions and a sign-stealing case that shadowed the program — completed a threeyear surge to a national title by beating No. 2 Washington 34-13 Monday night in the College Football Playoff. “We’re innocent and we stood strong and tall because we knew
we were innocent. And I’d like to point that out,” Harbaugh said when asked about offfield issues, jumping in to answer a question posed to his players. “And these guys are innocent. And overcome that? It wasn’t that hard because we knew we were innocent. “(The season) went exactly how we wanted it to go. It went exactly See MICHIGAN | Page B4
Winter hits local sports A winter storm has forced some shuffling in the local sports scene this week. Several basketball games have been postponed due the snow and ice, including Tuesday’s showdown between Crest High School and Marmaton Valley. Yates Center was set to visit Southeast-Cherokee Tuesday, but those games were called off when Yates Center canceled its classes. Humboldt’s game set for Friday at Cherryvale has been pushed up a day to Thursday. Southern Coffey County’s visit to Marais des Cygnes Valley was pushed back two days, from Tuesday to Thursday, because of the weather. Monday’s middle school basketball action also was affected. Iola Middle School was slated to host Wellsville Monday, but those games have been pushed back to Jan. 30. Humboldt’s Monday games at Leon-Bluestem were canceled, as were Marmaton Valley’s games at Uniontown.
Victory formation score was bad display By ARNIE STAPLETON The Associated Press
Victory formation hits different now — just like the Atlanta Falcons defenders undoubtedly will next time they face the New Orleans Saints. That’s the fallout of backup quarterback Jameis Winston going rogue during mop-up duty and leading New Orleans to a rub-it-in touchdown Sunday against an unsuspecting opponent that was really undeserving of such shenanigans. Defying his coaches’ call for a couple of kneel-downs near the goal line following See NFL | Page B3
Tiger Woods and Nike have ended their 27-year partnership. TNS FILE PHOTO
Iola Middle School’s Braylon Keithly, center, races upcourt in a game last week against Burlington. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
By DOUG FERGUSON The Associated Press
IMS shows improved play WELLSVILLE — Iola Middle School’s eighthgrade A basketball team took home second place Saturday at a tournament in Wellsville. The Mustangs were in a hotly contested battle with host Wellsville in the title game when leading scorer Reed Clift exited in the second quarter with a potential injury. Wellsville took advantage of Clift’s absence, pulling way in a 39-18 win. Clift and Reggie Davis shared high-scoring honors for the Mustangs with six points apiece. Mosiah Fawson chipped in with five. The loss came after See IMS | Page B3
Tiger, Nike end longtime union
Iola Middle School’s Mosiah Fawson, center, hauls in a rebound between teammate Kevon Loving, left, and a Burlington player in a game last week. On Saturday, Fawson helped propel the Mustangs to second place in a Wellsville tournament.
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — The red shirt on Sunday came to identify Tiger Woods. So did the swoosh. Woods and Nike were partners from the time he stepped to a podium at the Greater Milwaukee Open in August 1996, a 20-year-old fresh off his unprecedented third straight U.S. Amateur title. With a swoosh on his striped shirt, he gazed at the room and said, “I guess, hello world, huh?” It all sounded so innocent until Nike launched its “Hello, World” campaign a few days later. That wasn’t put together overnight, but so what? It worked. Just about everything did when it came to Woods and Nike. “Amazing run. Great partnership,” said Mark Steinberg, his agent at Excel Sports. There was some downtime during a commercial shoot in Florida in 1999 when Woods began bouncing a golf ball off his wedge and a producer decided to See TIGER | Page B6
B2
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Entry Level Welder II The Monarch Cement Company is seeking to fill the position of Entry Level Welder II for the Humboldt, KS plant. Monarch is a rewarding place to work and offers an excellent benefit package including medical, dental and vision insurance, company paid life insurance, 401K with a company match, an educational assistance program, and an employee assistance program (EAP). This is a union position and starting wage begins at $34.21/hour with additional pay for working shifts. Shift work is a good probability. To be considered for the position a candidate must be 18 years of age, have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent, successfully complete a pre-hire physical, drug screen and background check, and possess a valid state issued driver’s license. This position also requires the candidate to be capable of following oral and/or written instructions and able to accomplish duties in a safe and systematic manner. A college education and/or technical certification and WorkReady Certificate through KansasWorks is preferred. Successful candidates must successfully complete and pass screening tests for this occupation. This job will include performing all types of gas and electric welding and must have a good understanding of operation and maintenance of all welding machines and equipment used. Looking for a self-motivated individual, willing to learn, have good welding skills, be resourceful, sound judgment and competent in reading blueprints and drawings for fabrication or repair tasks required in the plant. This job will be exposed to cold, heat, dust, noise and all weather conditions. Candidates interested in testing for the WorkReady Certificate through KansasWorks can register by calling 620-432-0320 or contacting Lonnie Jones at the Mitchell Career and Technical Center at 4101 S. Ross Lane, Chanute, KS. Applications can be obtained either online at monarchcement.com or by stopping by the plant office between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. or at the Corporate Office between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Completed applications can be dropped off at the Corporate Office, by email at hr.dept@monarchcement.com or by mailing the application to The Monarch Cement Company, Att. Entry Level Laborer Position, P.O. Box 1000, Humboldt, KS 66748. Previous applicants must complete a new application.
Applications are to be submitted by January 19, 2024. The Monarch Cement Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages qualified minority, female, veteran and disabled candidates to apply and be considered for open positions.
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Wednesday, January 10, 2024
B3
Houston primed for Big 12 grind By DAVE SKRETTA The Associated Press
Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, shown arguing with a referee during a game against Tampa Bay Dec. 10, angrily confronted New Orleans coach Dennis Allen Sunday, after the Saints scored a late touchdown after lining up in a victory formation. Smith was fired a few hours later. ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION/MIGUEL MARTINEZ/TNS
NFL: Late score enrages opponent Continued from A1
an interception with about a minute to go and the Saints up by 24 points, Winston put it to a vote, then handed the football to running back Jamaal Williams, who hadn’t reached the end zone since joining the team as a free agent in the offseason after rushing for a league-leading 17 touchdowns last season in Detroit. Was one TD against air really that much better than none? All it did was two things: a) leave coach Dennis Allen to answer for his players’ insubordination and b) transfer the embarrassment from the vanquished to the shameless. Falcons defensive lineman Calais Campbell said that while he understood the Saints players wanting to get a touchdown for Williams, he took issue with the way New Orleans deceptively lined up as if to take a knee. “I wish they would have lined up in run formation,” Campbell said. “Don’t look like you’re going to take a knee and then run the ball.” That’s the crux of the matter: if you’re going to try to score, then do it against a defense trying to prevent you from scoring. Then, if you do cross the goal line, it may be piling on but at least it’s not a cheap shot, a sucker punch or even a lowdown, dirty slap in the face. Arthur Smith’s final act as Falcons head coach before his midnight firing a few hours later was to angrily confront his counterpart as Allen
tried to apologize for his players’ dereliction. “They did that on their own. That’s not acceptable,” Allen said later, adding that he understood Smith’s anger. The Saints found themselves with the ball at the Atlanta 1 after Tyrann Mathieu’s late 74-yard interception return. Instead of running out the clock by taking a knee after a couple of snaps as instructed, Winston told the offense in the huddle that he would hand off to Williams if they all agreed to defy their coaches’ instructions. Apparently, nobody spoke up to quash the defiance. “The question was posed in the huddle about what we wanted to do on the play, and we had received our instructions and went against them,” Saints tight end Foster Moreau explained. “Right or wrong or indifferent, it’s just kind of what happened. Jamaal had no touchdowns on the year. He bleeds and fights just like the rest of us — awesome, awesome dude. I’m glad he got in the end zone. “I wish we didn’t do it out of a victory formation.” It’s one thing to fake a spike to deceive the defense. It’s quite another to fake taking the high road and a knee only to hand the ball off and score a trick touchdown when you’re already ahead by four scores. Victory formation was legalized in the NFL in 1987 when the league permitted the quarterback to declare himself down by kneeling with the ball. Before that, a defender had to touch
him before he was declared down. That rule change came nine years after the practice of taking a knee was popularized following one of the most notorious bloopers in NFL history, the “ Miracle at the Meadowlands.” The Giants were leading the Eagles 17-12 on Nov. 19, 1978, but instead of taking a knee to run out the clock, the coaches called for a running play and quarterback Joe Pisarcik flubbed a handoff to Larry Csonka. Philadelphia’s Herman Edwards scooped up the ball for a stunning score and a 1917 Philly win. Also known as “The Fumble,” few victory formations ever since have been so dramatic and problematic as Sunday’s fake kneel-down in New Orleans. “The Bumble,” as we’ll call it, wasn’t the only call in Week 18 that was ripe for regret. COLT JOLT The Indianapolis Colts missed out on a playoff berth with their 23-19 loss at home to Houston. On fourth-and-1 from the Texans’ 15-yard line after a timeout with 1:06 remaining, coach Shane Steichen dialed up a make-or-break play not for star running back Jonathan Taylor — who had 188 yards on 30 carries and caught both passes thrown his way for 8 yards Sunday — or for top receiver Michael Pittman, who had a team-high five catches for 44 yards in the game — but for third-string running back Tyler Goodson, who hadn’t touched the football all afternoon. It actually looked
like a good call when Goodson ran into the flat to quarterback Gardner Minshew’s left and was wide open for the first down and maybe even the touchdown. Only, Minshew’s throw was behind Goodson, who couldn’t contort his body to haul in the catch, which would have been just his seventh reception of the season and first in four weeks. LIONS LAMENT The Detroit Lions played their starters in the regular-season finale against Minnesota, hoping to improve from the No. 3 to No. 2 NFC seed in their first postseason appearance since 2016. (They found themselves in this position because of a referee’s controversial call that cost them a win in Dallas a week earlier). The strategy didn’t work out. The Cowboys thrashed the Washington Commanders 38-10 a few hours after the Lions’ 30-20 win over the Vikings to secure the No. 2 seed, and the Lions lost Pro Bowl tight end Sam LaPorta and standout return specialist Kalif Raymond to knee injuries Sunday. Coach Dan Campbell said there’s an outside shot that LaPorta will be back Sunday. That’s when former Detroit QB Matthew Stafford returns to Ford Field for the first time since being traded three years ago to the Rams for current Lions QB Jared Goff, adding extra spice to the Lions’ first home playoff game since 1993.
get to play Saturdays or Sundays, because every team is good,” Sampson said. “That’s why you don’t get too excited when you win, and I don’t worry about stuff if we lose again.” Well, the Cougars haven’t lost yet. They improved to 14-0 with their win over the Mountaineers and, after losses last weekend by James Madison and Ole Miss, they are the last unbeaten team in Division I men’s basketball. The only other times in school history the Cougars started 14-0 came in 1967-68, when they started 28-0 and lost in the Final Four, and in 2018-19, when they started 15-0 before a loss to Temple. While their offense has been good, the Cougars’ defense has been downright excellent. Heading into the week, the Cougars are first nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency; first in turnover percentage; first in block and steal percentage.
Kelvin Sampson knows exactly what Houston is getting into now that the meat of the Big 12 schedule has arrived. After the second-ranked Cougars rolled to an 89-55 win over West Virginia on Saturday in their first league game since making the move from the American Athletic Conference, they are hitting the road for a couple of tough matchups. They visit Iowa State, which has been bumping along just outside the Top 25, on Tuesday night before visiting TCU on Saturday night. “The Big 12 thing is real, and it’s a great conference,” said Sampson, who shared a regular-season Big 12 title with Kansas while he was with Oklahoma, and led the Sooners to three consecutive Big 12 Tournament championships in the early 2000s. “I made a statement earlier this week: If you win on Thursdays and Fridays, you
IMS: Tourney Continued from B1
place game against Prairie View. Konner Morrison scored 11 to lead against the Buffalos; Braylon Keithly added eight.
Iola steamrolled Anderson County in the first round, winning 49-25. Clift scored 16 points, followed by Fawson with 14 and Davis with 12. Iola’s seventh-graders also competed at the tournament, placing fourth. The Mustangs dropped a 37-4 defeat to Anderson County in the opener, before falling short, 33-22, in the third-
IOLA’S squads had a full slate of games set for Monday against Wellsville postponed due to wintry weather. Those home contests will be played on Jan. 30. Iola travels to Prairie View on Thursday.
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With trophy in hand, all eyes shift to Harbaugh HOUSTON (AP) — Michigan’s climb back to the summit of college football ended with its 34-13 win over Washington in the College Football Playoff championship game on Monday night. Next, the Wolverines and their fans wait and see if Jim Harbaugh stays or goes. Harbaugh, as he did during the lead-up to the championship, deflected all questions
about his future an hour after the game and again Tuesday. But decision time is drawing near as NFL franchises begin or consider searching for new coaches. “I just want to enjoy this. I hope you give me that. Can a guy have that?” Harbaugh said after the game. “Does it always have to be, ‘What’s next, what’s the future?’” Harbaugh looked into NFL jobs the last two
years before deciding to stay at Michigan. It’s possible he won’t this time, especially with the school facing possible NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations and the sign-stealing scandal that hung over the team all season. There is also the question of what’s left to accomplish at Michigan for the 60-year-old Harbaugh. The “Michigan Man” did what he set out to do when he
left the San Francisco 49ers in 2014 to return to Ann Arbor, where his father was an assistant under Bo Schembechler and where he was a star quarterback in the mid1980s. Running back Blake Corum pointed out Harbaugh has been a winner at each of his coaching stops. “So who wouldn’t want him?” Corum said. “When things come up like that, hey, you’ve
Michigan: Thumps Huskies for title Continued from B1
how we wanted it to go.” The Wolverines (15-0) sealed their first national title since 1997 when Corum, who scored the winning touchdown in overtime against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, blasted in from the 1-yard line with 3:37 left to put Michigan up by 21 and set off another rousing rendition of “The Victors” from the band. After a third consecutive playoff appearance, Harbaugh won the championship so many expected when he took over a struggling powerhouse in 2015 — despite missing six regular-season games this season while serving two suspensions. “That man, he’s the reason we’re here today,” Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy said of his coach. And Harbaugh did it with a team his old coach, Bo Schembechler, would have adored. The Wolverines ran for 303 yards against Washington (14-1), and their rugged defense held Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies’ prolific passing game to just one touchdown while intercepting the Heisman Trophy runner-up twice. “There are more than 100 Michigan men who are on this team,” Harbaugh said. “What they’ve done is amazing. They will forever be known as national champions.” Penix’s remarkable six-year college career ended with maybe his worst performance of the season. Usually unfazed by pressure, Penix was not nearly as precise against a Michigan defense that took away his signature deep throws. “That was a spectacular game by our defense,” Harbaugh said. The Indiana transfer who came back from two knee surgeries and two shoulder injuries was roughed up by the Wolverines, limping at times, stepped on another time. Asked how he was feeling, Penix said, still undaunted: “Better than I was three years ago.” Penix finished 27 for 51 for 255 yards and a touchdown as the Huskies had their 21game winning streak snapped. “They’ve given me everything they possible can,” coach Kalen DeBoer said of a group of players who went 4-8 just two seasons ago and 25-3 since he took over in 2022. McCarthy had a modest game, throwing for
Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. throws against Michigan Wolverins linebacker Junior Colson in the CFP National Championship Monday. THE SEATTLE TIMES/DEAN RUTZ/TNS
140 yards and running for 31. But it was enough for him to improve to 27-1 as a starter for the Wolverines. Michigan gave Washington a taste of life in the Big Ten, where the Pac-12 champions are heading next season, and the Huskies were up for the grind for a while. Two long touchdown runs by Donovan Edwards and 229 yards rushing in the first quarter put the Wolverines up 17-3 early in the second and conjured up memories of last year’s historic Georgia blowout of TCU. Washington stabilized and didn’t allow the Wolverines another point in the first half. After the Huskies stopped Michigan on a fourth-and-2 from the UW 38 with 4:46 left in the second quarter, Penix went to work. He found Jalen McMillan on a fourth-andgoal with 42 seconds left for a 3-yard touchdown. After being on the verge of getting buried by the Wolverines, the Huskies fans sang along to “Who Let the Dogs Out,” happily down only 17-10 at half. Will Johnson’s interception of Penix on the first play of the second half gave Michigan another opportunity to open up a two-touchdown lead, but the Huskies forced a field goal by James Turner to make it 20-10. “Today was a complete, complete team effort,” Corum said. Michigan nursed a touchdown lead until halfway through the fourth quarter, when it put together a 71-yard drive, capped by Corum’s tackle-breaking 12-yard touchdown that finally gave the Wolverines some room with a 27-13 lead and 7:09 left. Corum, the engine of the ground-and-pound offense and heart and soul of a team loaded with fourth-, fifth- and
even sixth-year players, missed the CFP last year with a knee injury. He was named offensive player of the final national title game in before the College Football Playoff expands from four teams to 12 next season. “Michigan, this is for you,” Corum told the Wolverines fans. Michigan seemed to be steaming toward a third consecutive Big Ten championship when in October it was revealed the NCAA was investigating the program for potentially breaking rules that prohibit in-person scouting of opponents and using video equipment to attempt to decode opponents’ play signals. The scandal turned Connor Stalions, the low-level Michigan recruiting staffer accused of orchestrating the scheme, into a household name and threatened to derail the Wolverines’ season. The NCAA process will linger well into 2024 and it is unknown what penalties Michigan could face. The Big Ten, though, decided to act quickly and punished Michigan by suspending Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season, including matchups with Penn State and rival Ohio State. With offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore taking Harbaugh’s place, it became Michigan vs. Everybody and nobody could stop the Wolverines. Harbaugh returned for the postseason, completed the mission and got to celebrate with his 84-year-old father, Jack — himself a former college football coach — as he accepted the trophy. Michigan became the first college football program to record 1,000 victories when it beat Maryland in November and won its third na-
tional title in January. “Who has it better than us?” Jack Harbaugh asked the fans during the trophy ceremony. They replied with a boisterous: “Nobody!” Harbaugh said it felt good to no longer be the only coach in the family without a national championship. His father won a Division I-AA title with Western Kentucky and brother John won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens by beating Jim’s San Francisco 49ers 11 years ago. “I can now sit at the big person’s table in the family,” Harbaugh said.
got to do what’s best for you. You have a great coach like that, everybody wants a piece of you.” Harbaugh took over a proud program humbled under Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke and has gone 89-25 over nine years, six with at least 10 wins. His only losing record came during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The last three years mark one of the most dominant periods in the history of the only program to win more than 1,000 games. The Wolverines have gone 40-3, won three straight Big Ten championships, made three consecutive playoff appearances and now are national champions. Harbaugh’s father, Jack, and NFL coach brother John watched his moment of triumph inside NRG Stadium. Harbaugh did divulge one of his future plans after the game. He said he would make good on his promise to get a tattoo saying “15-0” if the Wolverines had a perfect season. “I’m going to put it on my shoulder — I don’t know if it’s my left or right yet,” he said. “I’m a right-handed quarterback. I’ll probably get it on my right.
And then an ‘M’ that’s a maize and blue ‘M.’ Also that signifies a thousand in Roman numerals. Can’t tell you what that means to us, too, that we reached 1,000 wins this year.” Michigan has said it wants to retain Harbaugh, but the coach put off contract talks, perhaps a sign he wants to entertain NFL offers. As great a season as it was, the road to 15-0 was bumpy. Harbaugh served a school-imposed, threegame suspension to start the season for the alleged recruiting violations during the pandemic. He also was suspended for the last three regular-season games for violating the Big Ten sportsmanship policy in connection to the sign-stealing scheme blamed on a staffer who resigned during the season. Michigan fourth-year defensive end Braiden McGregor said Harbaugh is always helpful and happy for players who decide to pursue an NFL career. “So I think that’s the same way we should feel about him,” McGregor said before the game. “If that is his decision at the end of the day or he does get a job, happy for him, hopefully he can go win a Super Bowl. But if he comes back, happy that he comes back, let’s try to win another natty.”
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Grandma steals thunder My mom adores my son — her only grandchild. In her efforts to shower him with affection, she sometimes steps on something that is special to me and him. Example 1: My son was very much into sharks; I took him to an aquarium and bought him a shark’s tooth as a special token from our trip. My mom, who heard him talk about it with lots of joy, showed up on her next visit with four much bigger shark’s teeth. Example 2: I started a new job. My son told me he would miss me. Within my mother’s earshot, I promised him that, when my workday was over, I’d take him out for ice cream and tell him a special story. I came home to find my mom and my son gone — she took him out for ice cream. Am I right to be miffed, or should I just delight that she loves him so much? And if I’m right, how to communicate my annoyance to my mom in a way that is not dismissive of her wonderful grandmothering? — Stolen Thunder Stolen Thunder: I’m going with “right to be miffed,” pending a third incident. Once is a misfire, twice is a cloud of suspicion, three times is a memo from Mom that she feels competitive with you for your son’s attention, which is as common as it is creepy. Or creepy as it is common. Reader’s choice. Anyway, part of what makes it so icky is that articulating it puts you under a cloud of suspicion, too — unfairly. “Mom, your three big shark teeth make my shark tooth look puny!” I.e., you’re just trying to stand up for yourself and all you accomplish is to declare that you’re now competing with her. I think your awareness of Grandma’s competitive energy can be the bulk of the solution. It will help you: remain mindful of her inclination to one-up you; make a habit of closing off your information supply the best you can; Dear
Carolyn:
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think long-term, since the days of winning him with ice cream are numbered; and maintain perspective. The last one is the big one. She’s competing because she knows you’re the center of his world. Her ability to dislodge you and take over is near zero. Trust that and go Mona-Lisa-smile on her clumsy attempts to have some of that gravitational pull. And write back when she buys him a car. Re: Thunder: I recognize your mom, I think. My mom isn’t quite like that, but she does struggle to find things she knows my kid will like and appreciate — so it makes or would make total sense if she’d see something he already does like and think, “Okay! More of that would be even better!” I think Carolyn is right that the odds your kid will prefer your mother to you approach nil, but if it’s possible for you to direct her to something that can be particularly Her Thing With Her Grandson, so that it won’t conflict or compete with your special things or times with your boy, then that could be a kindness to you both. — Anonymous Anonymous: Beautiful. Thank you.
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Bieniemy’s fate uncertain after Washington fires head coach ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Eric Bieniemy went to Washington in part to run an offense under a defensive-minded coach and show what he could do away from Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. That defensive-minded coach is gone, and now it looks like Bieniemy’s calculated risk did not work out. Following the firing of Ron Rivera and an inconsistent season that saw the Commanders finish with the 24th-ranked offense, Bieniemy’s future is uncertain. He remains employed by the team as ownership goes through the search for a head of football operations and a coach, though the most likely scenario is that Bieniemy goes elsewhere. Asked what he thought of Bieniemy’s performance as offensive coordinator and if he’d be considered for the head job — one that has eluded him despite more than a dozen interviews around the NFL — controlling owner Josh Harris implied the former Kansas City assistant would be in the mix. “I’ve enjoyed working with Eric and, obviously, he’s had success over the years,” Harris said. “If I could write the script, (we would be) having
Eric Bieniemy TNS FILE PHOTO our senior football operations executive in place and then approaching the coaching search with Eric and others.” Rivera last week said he still thinks Bieniemy can be a head coach in the league. “You never know what people are thinking,” Rivera said. “I think the biggest thing for Eric is the things that he’s learned. And hopefully he’ll take those things and continue to use them and help him grow. But we’ll see. I mean, you never know what people are thinking or what people
are looking for.” Commanders players didn’t seem to be looking for what Bieniemy gave them this season. Questions about Bieniemy in recent days brought varying degrees of compliments for his consistency as a person but more criticism than praise from inside the locker room. “I wanted to run the ball more,” right guard Sam Cosmi said when asked generally about playing for Bieniemy. “I felt like we weren’t balanced. I think we were 30th in the league in attempts at runs. I
love running the ball, and I felt like it was just nothing but drop-back passes. I just want it to be more balanced, to be completely honest with you.” Swing tackle Cornelius Lucas said it was “different” under Bieniemy compared with the previous couple of years under former offensive coordinator Scott Turner, when he said Washington had a “completely balanced attack.” Tight end Logan Thomas said, “We had our ups and downs.” “E.B. was the same person every day,” left tackle Charles Leno said. “You know what you were going to get out of him. That’s really all I’ve got to say: He was the same guy every day, so I have nothing to say about that.” Quarterback Sam Howell, who has worked closely with Bieniemy since offseason workouts last spring, said it was a pleasure and fun, calling him a great person and a great coach. Similarly, right tackle Andrew Wylie — who spent five seasons with Bieniemy on the Chiefs — said he has a great deal of respect for the two-time Super Bowl-winning coach. “I’ve got so much love for that man,” Wylie said. “He
stayed to his guns this year. He didn’t change. E.B. stayed the same coach that I’ve known for the last five years. I commend him for that.” Rivera let slip during training camp that some players had come to him expressing concern about Bieniemy’s coaching style, then apologized and tried to clarify those comments. But it was clear Bieniemy did rub some players the wrong way, and the results on the field — including an average of fewer than 20 points a game for a team that went 4-13 — were not what anyone had hoped. “We didn’t have the season we wanted, so I feel like he’ll come back, shake back, do what he needs to do to get right and he’ll be all right and we’ll be all right,” running back Antonio Gibson said. “That’s just part of the game.” Bieniemy last week in his final news conference of the season was unwilling to contemplate what might be next for him, saying he could only live and coach in the moment. “I’ve had a great deal of fun,” Bieniemy said. “It’s been a great learning experience, not only for them, but for me, as well.”
Tiger: 26-year partnership with Nike comes to an end Continued from B1
catch it on camera. The result was a 30-second spot of Woods bouncing the ball while switching hands, going through the legs, behind the back and then popping it up in the air and making solid contact with a baseball swing. Pure magic. One of the most famous shots in Masters history was his pitch up the slope on the 16th green, back down the slope toward the hole and then the ball comes to a stop — with the swoosh in full view — before dropping for birdie. That wasn’t scripted, of course. It just seemed that way. Woods had switched to the Nike golf ball in May 2000 and then won the next four majors, the only player in history to hold them all at the same time. He switched to Nike irons a week before the Ryder Cup in 2002. Asked about the timing of the change, Woods said: “Off the record? Because the majors are over.” Asked for a comment on the record, he thought for a minute, laughed and said, “Because the majors are over.” And now the partnership is over after 27 years. Woods has had three regular caddies and two agents during that time. He has had six corporate sponsors on his bag and four swing coaches. He has used three golf balls and and four brands of irons.
Woods has had three regular caddies and two agents during that time. He has had six corporate sponsors on his bag and four swing coaches. He has used three golf balls and and four brands of irons. What never changed was his relationship with Nike.
What never changed was his relationship with Nike. “I would have thought without a doubt he would have been a lifer,” Curtis Strange said. Strange has his own history with Nike Golf. He and Peter Jacobsen wore the swoosh when it was best known for sneakers, particularly the Air Jordan created for Michael Jordan, who remains the one athlete forever linked with Nike. Strange had a swoosh with “Nike Golf” in block letters when he won back-to-back in the U.S. Open, the first to do that since Ben Hogan. He even wore a red shirt on Sunday for the second title at Oak Hill in 1989. Not many remember that. Even fewer probably cared. “They were still so young,” Strange said. “Even when they pushed us a little bit in ads and posters, it was a small piece of the market.” And then it became much bigger when Nike co-founder Phil Knight signed Woods. “What Michael Jordan did for basketball,
Tiger Woods absolutely can do for golf,” Knight told Golf World magazine about the original deal (5 years, $40 million) that seemed so enormous at the time and now looks to be what his father, Earl Woods, once called it — chump change. “The world has not seen anything like what he’s going to do for the sport,” Knight said. “It’s almost art. I wasn’t alive to see Claude Monet paint, but I am alive to see Tiger play, and that’s pretty great.” He was right about what Woods did for his sport. He created a popularity boom not seen since Arnold Palmer, and Woods was the catalyst behind network TV deals that made everyone richer than they imagined, at least in the non-Saudi division.
But it never really translated into success for Nike Golf. It outsourced the golf ball. It once made a squareshaped driver (Woods never used it). And then it abandoned the equipment in 2016 and stuck with apparel. Brooks Koepka remains a Nike athletic and equipment holdout — he still uses a Nike 3-iron. Knight told Bloomberg in a 2017 interview about Nike’s decision to get out of the golf equipment business that it was a “fairly simple equation.” “We lost money for 20 years on equipment and balls and realized next year wasn’t going to be any different,” he said. Woods wasn’t giving Nike much visibility lately, either, mainly a product of knee surgeries, five back surgeries and most recently the February 2021 car crash outside Los Angeles that shattered bones in his right leg and led to ankle fusion surgery in April. And then he switched to FootJoy shoes when he did return following the car crash, saying he needed “something that allowed me to be more
stable.” Nike responded by saying it would work with Woods to “meet his needs.” Woods was still wearing FootJoy a month ago. Woods, who turned 48 a few weeks ago, wants to play a tournament a month if his body allows. He gets more eyeballs than any golfer in history. But it’s still only six tournaments. Woods spoke of “another chapter” in his social media post announcing the end with Nike. Steinberg, the agent, hinted at “an exciting announcement” at Riviera in February. But it will be a different look. It’s hard to
imagine Woods can create the moments he had with Nike over the years, mainly because Woods is more about medical science than painting like Claude Monet. Nike still has Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, and Nelly Korda from the LPGA Tour, in its stable. Cutting ties with Woods will lead to speculation its day in golf are numbered, though there has been no indication of that. As for Woods? He will show up in Los Angeles for the first time without a swoosh to be found. At least the Sunday shirt will be red.
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