Sports: Crest siblings excel
Humboldt lowers cart fees: See A2
on track. See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Brownback ‘hopeful’ aid changes satisfy Court By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Attorneys for Kansas hope to persuade the state Supreme Court that recent changes in the state’s education funding system are fair enough to poor districts that the justices can abandon a threat to shut down public schools. The high court was set to hear arguments today on
whether the technical changes legislators made earlier this year comply with a February order from the justices to Sam improve fund- Brownback ing for poor school districts. The changes leave most districts’ aid unchanged and don’t boost over-
all education spending. Lawyers for four school districts suing the state contend legislators’ work shouldn’t satisfy the Supreme Court because aid to all poor districts didn’t increase. But the state’s attorneys have submitted more than 950 pages of documents in an attempt to show that lawmakers’ solution was in keeping with past court decisions. “I’m hopeful the Supreme
Court’s going to take what the Legislature has done and say it’s an appropriate answer,” Republican Gov. Sam Brownback told reporters ahead of the arguments. The Dodge City, Hutchinson, Wichita and Kansas City, Kansas, districts sued the state in 2010, arguing that Kansas spends too little on its schools and unfairly distributes the aid it does provide, more than $4 billion a year.
The court concluded in February that lawmakers hadn’t done enough to ensure that poor districts keep up with wealthy ones. The justices ordered lawmakers to fix the problems by June 30 or face having schools shut down. If the high court rejects the Republican-dominated Legislature’s work, lawmakers could go back for another See GOVERNOR | Page A2
Murder suspect appears in court By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Joshua Knapp, charged with the murder of Iolan Shawn Cook, made his first court appearance Monday. District Judge Daniel Creitz set Joshua Knapp Knapp’s bond at $1 million, and scheduled a status hearing for 1:30 p.m., June 15. Knapp, 34, of Bourbon County, was arrested March 24 on unrelated charges, and had been held in the Hutchinson state prison since then. He’ll serve the remainder of a 90-day probation revocation sentence in the Allen County Jail, as ordered by the See KNAPP | Page A2
Iola man sentenced for role in wreck By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Iolan Bill Stierwalt will spend the next 75 months in jail for his role in a drunkendriving accident in Gas that injured a Bronson woman. Allen County District Judge Daniel Creitz “reluctantly” accepted a plea agreement between Allen County Attorney Jerry Hathaway and Stierwalt’s defense attorney, allowing the 75-month jail sentence for aggravated battery, because Kansas sentencing guidelines recommended a 130-month sentence. The 75-month sentence is 10 months longer than what originally had been agreed to in February 2015, Hathaway explained. That’s because Stierwalt failed to return to court a month after the origiSee SENTENCE | Page A2
Humboldt High School journalism students competing in the State KSPA contest Saturday in Lawrence, were, front from left, Nisha Ingle, Kailyn Hammer, Megan Hudlin, Haylie Yost, Hannah Hulett and Briana Yokum; second from left, Hannah Krone, Annalise Whitcomb, Rylan Wilhite, Cara Bartlett, Tilar Wells and Kira McReynolds; third from left, Morgan Lea, Chassis Hoepker, Britnee Works, Kailey Wolken, Sydney Houk, Makaylah McCall and Sarah Heisler; back from left, Calvin Schoendaller, Noah Johnson and Hannah Hudlin. COURTESY PHOTO
Humboldt journalists set another record HUMBOLDT — Humboldt High School’s journalism department remains the state’s gold standard when it comes to student-produced newspapers and yearbooks. Humboldt brought home its sixth consecutive state sweepstakes championship Saturday at the Kansas Scholastic Press Association competition at the University of
Kansas in Lawrence. The latest state title breaks the record, previously held by Kapaun Mt. Carmel, according to a school press release. Humboldt placed in 20 categories, among Class 3A and 4A schools, which also is a state record for schools of any size in Kansas. Of its 37 entries, Humboldt
was a top finalist in 15 of them. Humboldt’s 45 points in the 3A division, dwarfed all other schools. Secondplace finisher Sterling High School had 11 points, followed by Silver Lake with 10. “Waiting for the state results was nerve-racking, but when we finally received the news that we had won it was liberating,” said Hannah Hu-
District clarifies vision for Thursday Bowlus talks By RICK DANLEY The Iola Register
The centerpiece of Monday night’s school board meeting concerned the prospective Regional Rural Technology Center, whose progress continues apace. But Superintendent of Schools Jack Koehn took a minute at the start to look back at the public forum organized last week on the occasion of the board’s decision to seek guidance from the District Court regarding their role as trustees of the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
Quote of the day Vol. 118, No. 137
lett, Cub Tracks co-editor in chief and features editor. “I cannot even describe the immense pride I feel in respect to not only winning the 2016 KSPA State Journalism Competition, but also towards breaking the record for most consecutive wins. I am so honored to share in this acSee HHS | Page A8
City keeps ball field lights open By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
“I would like to clarify something,” said Koehn, who listened to the commentary of nearly 20 residents’ at Jack Koehn the May 2 forum while abstaining from comment himself. “It became apparent at that meeting that some of the people who spoke didn’t quite understand that all we are asking for is the court to tell us See 257 BOE | Page A3
Iola City Council members showed little appetite Monday for changing the city’s policies regarding how Riverside Park ball field users can turn on lights. City Administrator Carl Slaugh brought the matter to the Council’s attention after fielding complaints over the past few years about the Riverside Park lights being left on after games were over. “After the last round of complaints, we figured we’d fix this, and put locks on those lights,” Slaugh said. That announcement, how-
“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.” — Og Mandigo, American author 75 Cents
ever, drew even more complaints, because it could potentially stifle the opportunity many kids have to Carl Slaugh play ball after the sun sets. Councilman Jon Wells noted while coaches and youngsters alike could get keys to unlock the lights, many would be unable to do so if the rec office closes at 5 p.m., well before sundown. “If we put locks on the lights, it gives the city a bad See LIGHTS | Page A3
Hi: 83 Lo: 60 Iola, KS