Wednesday, August 10, 2022
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Humboldt seeks ‘Last Mile’ bike path By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
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CASA takes part in Family Safety Night PAGE A2
Trump’s Mar-A-Lago searched by FBI PAGE A3
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HUMBOLDT — Beth Barlow of A Bolder Humboldt updated council members Monday night on “The Last Mile,” which is a bike lane connecting the Southwind Rail Trail trailhead north of town to downtown Humboldt, funded by a $1.2 million state grant. The path would begin at the trailhead near 14th Street traveling west on Hawaii Road to 9th Street. From there it would proceed along the west side of 9th Street to Bridge Street. Cody Porter, an engineer with Wilson & Company of Kansas City, Mo., shared the results of an engineering study of how the path could be implemented. Where possible, the concrete path would be 8 feet
wide with 2-foot shoulders. Porter’s study included traffic flow. Of special concern is the intersection of Hawaii Road and 9th Street where traffic is especially heavy mid-afternoon when shifts change at nearby B&W Trailer Hitches and the schools are released. To improve safety, Porter suggested eliminating the merging of 8th and 9th streets. “AASHTO (The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) recommends streets intersecting as much at a diagonal as possible,” he said. Instead, the triangular space can be turned into green space with benches and landscaping. Because the area is in Allen County, county commissioners would be consulted about See HUMBOLDT | Page A4
This map of Humboldt shows the proposed bike path, in red, from the Southwind Trail to downtown. COURTESY PHOTO
ANW needs to use Lincoln for day school By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
Turns out there’s still a lot of need for old school buildings. Since USD 257 moved out of three older elementary schools, two agencies have asked to use the buildings. On Monday, the ANW Special Education Cooperative asked to use the Vape detectors fo r m e r to be installed Lincoln Elementaat Iola middle, ry School high schools. for its day school pro— See A3 gram. The request is kind of an emergency, ANW director Korenne Wolken told the school board. The fire marshal declared a facility used for the program in Chanute had too many safety hazards and could not be used. That sent ANW leaders scrambling for options just a couple of weeks before the start of the school year, and it made sense to use one of the former schools in Iola. The day school program is one of the most restrictive environments offered through ANW, and provides services to students who have serious behavioral issues that prohibit them from successful interaction with their peers. “We try not to use that unless absolutely necessary,” Wolken said. This year, she expects 17 students will need the service. Some students may need a classroom to themselves, so it’s important to find a building that offers appropriate
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On behalf of the Allen County Historical Society, Dennis Piatt taught a class on how to clean tombstones. Above is an example of how effective the process can be over time. COURTESY OF DENNIS PIATT
Deep cleaning at the cemetery By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
who owns them, and whether you have permission to do so.
HUMBOLDT — Dennis Piatt’s newest hobby — restoring cemetery headstones — is a treat in many ways, he notes. For one, it allows Piatt, a retired Army veteran, to pay homage to those who served, especially in the Civil War. Second, it offers a unique look at history, and the people who lived here. But mostly, it’s fun. “We’ve really enjoyed it,” he said, “especially with the folks we do this for, the interred. They never complain.” With that bit of levity aside, Piatt, a Humboldt native now living in Wichita, and wife Houi were in Humboldt Monday for an Allen County Historical Society meeting on how to restore aging headstones. The presentation drew a crowd of about 20 to Humboldt’s Methodist Church before the Piatts took the group to Humboldt’s Mount
PIATT offered some do’s and don’ts to follow when cleaning a headstone. Use the gentlest, least invasive method possible to avoid doing any harm to the stone, he stressed. Minimize cleaning impacts and test your cleaner first. Use soft-bristle brushes if scrubbing is required, or a wooden stick such as a paint stirrer to ensure the stone sustains no damage. Soft plastic scrapers work well, too. Never use metal tools, scouring pads or wire brushes. Same goes for pressure waters or power tools. “I know those little Scotch Brite pads you use on a drill are really, really tempting,” Piatt said. “Don’t do it.” Anything more abrasive than a soft bristle or more powerful than a garden hose nozzle is liable to remove a
Dennis Piatt shows tools used to clean the tombstones. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Hope Cemetery for a demonstration on the proper way to clean a stone without damaging it. The Piatts started their hobby about two years ago at a Buddist temple in Wichita. Houi, originally from Laos, has several relatives interred there. That led them to seek out several of Dennis’s ancestors, many of whom are bur-
ied in Humboldt. It was at Mount Hope the Piatts noted the conditions of several Civil War-era soldiers in the Grand Army of the Republic portion of the cemetery. Those stones were government-issued, an important distinction because it gives Piatt permission to work on them. When restoring stones, it’s vital to determine
See GRAVES | Page A6
See ANW | Page A3
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