The Iola Register, Dec. 10, 2022

Developing motor skills

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Three teenage girls twist wrenches and peer inside the engine of a Chevrolet Malibu on a Friday afternoon at the Regional Rural Technical Center at LaHarpe.

They’ve replaced the engine. Now, they need to finish connecting all the parts and get it running again.

“That’s the girls’ project,” George Shove said. He’s the instructor for a new automotive technology class at the RRTC, offered in partnership with Flint Hills Technical College in Emporia.

The girls are just a few of the 28 students taking the beginning automotive course, which offers a morning and afternoon session. Students come from area high schools including Iola, Marmaton Valley, Uniontown and Humboldt.

Jenna Adair is a senior at Iola High School who is taking the class. She never really looked inside an engine before, let alone got her hands dirty replacing one.

“I just kind of wanted to know a little bit about cars,” she said. “I didn’t even know how to change a tire.”

As vehicles become more reliant on computers and technology, more and more girls are entering the automotive repair industry, Shove said.

“There’s not only a need but a place for female technicians because it’s gotten so high tech,” he said. “It’s not just manual labor anymore. There are so many computers that interface with each other. There are no limitations for just about anyone.”

Sometimes it can be a little

challenging to do some of the heavy lifting, Jenna said.

“But we have tools to over-

NATO chief fears Ukraine war

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The head of NATO expressed worry that the fighting in Ukraine could spin out of control and become a war between Russia and NATO, according to an interview released Friday.

“If things go wrong, they can go horribly wrong,” NATO Secretary-General

Jens Stoltenberg said in remarks to Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

“It is a terrible war in Ukraine. It is also a war that can become a full-fledged war that spreads into a major war between NATO and Russia,” he said. “We are working on

See NATO | Page A2

come that,” Shove responded. “I know a lady who is a diesel mechanic. I encourage girls to

take this class.”

He continued: “All the students are doing really well. The more vehicles we get in here and the more they get hands-on experience, the more they’re going to learn.”

Shove’s enthusiasm and positive attitude are infectious. Six students spoke to the Register about their experiences in the class. They were excited and eager to talk about what they’ve learned.

Not all of them plan to become mechanics. Many of them, like Jenna, took the class to learn more about vehicles so they can make basic repairs to their own cars and

Oil spill shuts down pipeline

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An oil spill in a creek in northeastern Kansas shut down a major pipeline that carries oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast, briefly causing oil prices to rise Thursday.

Canada-based TC Energy said it shut down its Keystone system Wednesday night following a drop in pipeline pressure. It said oil spilled into a creek in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City.

The company on Thursday estimated the spill’s size at about 14,000 barrels and said the affected pipeline segment had been “isolated” and the oil contained at the site with booms, or barriers. It did not say how the spill occurred.

“People are sometimes

Christmas decor fosters cherished memories

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

Step into Donna Houser’s house at Christmastime, and it’s like a trip through history and around the world.

You’ll find four tiny, angelic Christmas choir boys and plastic reindeer toys from the 1940s, still in pristine condition.

There’s a tiny plastic manger scene, a gift her late-husband, Ray, bought the first year they were married. It’s quite a contrast with other presents from Ray over the years, such as the Waterford crystal statues of Santa and an angel bought during a trip to Waterford, England.

“Now, you won’t believe this, but Ray thought I was an angel,” Donna said as if she were telling a secret, then laughed. “He always said, ‘You’re my angel,’ so he bought this angel for me.”

Ray and Donna liked to travel, and they often bought

Christmas ornaments and decorations during their visits. Donna is allergic to many types of fabrics and chemicals, which makes it difficult for people to buy Christmas gifts for her. Makeup, jewelry,

clothes — none of that makes a good gift.

But Christmas decora-

Above, students replace an engine in a Chevrolet Malibu as part of the new automotive technician program at the Regional Rural Technical Center at LaHarpe. From left are Jenna Adair, Deviyn Hartford and Hallie Sutherland. Below, George Shove, a certified technician and instructor for Flint Hills Technical College, talks with students Kolby Knavel, left, and Tristan Cary, both seniors at Marmaton Valley High School. They’re trying to figure out why cylinder No. 3 isn’t firing in Knavel’s 2000 GMC Jimmy. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Donna Houser stands in front of some of her Precious Moments Christmas collection. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

could become a wider conflict

At right, the sisters of Chapter L of P.E.O. held their annual Christmas brunch Saturday, and selected the Red Devil Food Pantry at Allen Community College for their special Christmas project. The group brought non-perishable food and personal hygiene items and donated $350 to the pantry. The Red Devil Food Pantry provides access to supplemental food and other necessities for students in need. The pantry offers a variety of nutritious food products and hygiene items and is available to any student currently enrolled at ACC. In addition to these donations, the sisters supported the Operation Christmas Child project by filling 20 shoe boxes with gift items. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. At right, Wings of Warriors members assembled

“to give them a little

Season of giving Ukraine: Fears conflict will spread

Continued from A1

that every day to avoid that.”

Stoltenberg, a former prime minister of Norway, said in the interview that “there is no doubt that a full-fledged war is a possibility,” adding that it was important to avoid a conflict “that involves more countries in Europe and becomes a full-fledged war in Europe.”

The Kremlin has repeatedly accused NATO allies of effectively becoming a party to the conflict by providing Ukraine with weapons, training its troops and feeding military intelligence to attack Russian forces.

In comments that re-

flected soaring tensions between Russia and the West, President Vladimir Putin suggested Moscow might think about using what he described as the U.S. concept of a preemptive strike.

“Speaking about a disarming strike, maybe it’s worth thinking about adopting the ideas developed by our U.S. counterparts, their ideas of ensuring their security,” he said.

Long before the Ukraine war, the Kremlin expressed concern about U.S. efforts to develop the so-called Prompt Global Strike capability that envisions hitting an adversary’s strategic targets

with precision-guided conventional weapons anywhere in the world within one hour.

Putin noted that such a strike could knock out command facilities.

“We are just thinking about it, they weren’t shy to openly talk about it during the past years,” he said, claiming that Moscow’s precision-guided cruise missiles outperform similar U.S. weapons and Russia has hypersonic weapons that the U.S. hasn’t deployed.

Putin also said he was disappointed with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent comments that a 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine negotiated by France and Germany had bought time for Ukraine to prepare for the 2022 war.

“I assumed that other participants of the process were sincere with us, but it turned out that they were cheating us,” he said. “It turned out that they wanted to pump Ukraine with weapons and prepare for hostilities.”

Putin argued that Merkel’s statement showed that Russia was right in launching what he calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine. “Perhaps we

should have started it earlier,” he said.

He also said her comments further eroded Russia’s trust in the West, complicating any possible peace talks.

“Eventually we will have to negotiate an agreement,” he said. “But after such statements there is an issue of trust. Trust is close to zero. I repeatedly have said that we are ready for an agreement, but it makes us think, think about whom we are dealing with.”

In separate comments via video link to defense and security chiefs of several ex-Soviet nations, Putin again accused the West of using Ukraine as a tool against his country.

and delivered 38 gift bags to area cancer patients Wednesday,

Christmas cheer,” volunteer Adelina Holloway noted. Wings of Warriors is a nonprofit organization that assists cancer victims through the use of gift cards to help defray ancillary costs associated with getting treatment. The volunteers are, from left, Holloway, Mary Ann Ritter, Eddie Johnson and Jackie Thompson.

Treasure: For Iolan, decorations are most precious gifts

Continued from A1

tions? She loves them. So, that’s what she got from all of her family, friends and former students from her teaching days.

For years and years, Christmas came with Christmas-themed gifts. Thousands of them.

During the off-season, they’re boxed and stacked in every closet, every storage area, every nook and cranny of the house.

And each Christmas, she pulls them out and sets up elaborate displays.

Donna, now 85, remembers the story behind most of them.

THE CHOIR boys are among the most special. They were a gift from her parents during the early days of World War II, before the U.S. joined the fight and during the Great Depression. It was a difficult time, and her family was poor enough that her mother made clothes for the three children out of feed sacks.

“I never knew Christmas was supposed to be fancy,” Donna recalled.

“My folks bought me two things, those four choir boys and a Santa. I still have them. Christmas decorations seemed to be something you could afford and you could buy, because everything else was rationed.”

WALK INTO the den of Donna’s house and you’ll see Santas from around the world lining the fireplace mantel. More hang from a Christmas tree, including a corncob Santa bought at The Corn Palace in South Dakota. Each room has a theme, and this is the Santa room.

Even the bathrooms are decorated for Christmas. Cheerful snowmen welcome guests in the bathroom. Angels adorn a guest bedroom.

In the living room, a large tree features red ribbons and ornaments from around the world. Oval ornaments that look like Russian nesting dolls represent

various Russian leaders throughout history, including one that looks like Vladimir Putin.

“We bought that one in China,” Donna said, pointing to various ornaments.

“Oh, this is from Ireland.”

“Here’s something not many people have. A kiwi from New Zealand.”

“This was bought in Finland. And this is from Luxembourg.”

“Here’s one from Baltimore. Boston. Col-

orado. We traveled all over the States, too. Everywhere we went, we bought an ornament.”

Other ornaments are special not because of where they came from, but because of who gave them. Many decorations were gifts from family members.

Ray was a coach and Donna a teacher, which means their idea of family extended to students.

“We had a bunch of students that always loved to come over and see the house. We always

fed the football team and the basketball team. And then the students started giving me things.”

THE COLLECTION of general Christmas ornaments and decorations may be extensive, but that’s just the start of it.

Decades ago, two of her friends started a tradition. Each year, they gave Donna a gift of a Precious Moments ornament. Over time, more friends joined in.

By now, the collection

has grown to more than 2,000.

Each Christmas season, Donna pulls out each of the delicate Precious Moment figurines, cleans them with wax, and sets up displays with greenery and flocked snow.

She needs a little help these days, as her hands shake and she’s afraid she might break one. Her daughter helped this year.

She still has even more items packed away in boxes.

“I finally had to tell everyone to stop giving me things. I just don’t have room,” Donna said. Instead, she asks for donations to a splash park, the latest fundraising effort she is spearheading on behalf of the Community Involvement Task Force (CITF).

Donna plans to continue to display her various Christmas collections as long as she can.

“I keep those things because they’re important to me.”

Continued from A1

Pipelinenot aware of the havoc that these things can wreak until the disaster happens,” said Zack Pistora, who lobbies the Kansas Legislature for the Sierra Club’s state chapter.

Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the Keystone system, the 1,200-mile Keystone XL, which would have cut across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.

Critics also argued that using crude from western Canada’s oil sands would worsen climate change, and President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a U.S. permit for the project led the company to pull the plug last year.

In 2019, the Keystone pipeline leaked an estimated 383,000 gallons of oil in eastern North Dakota.

Reports indicate there have been at least 22 spills along the original Keystone pipeline since it began service in 2010.

These four choir boys were given to a young Donna Houser by her parents in 1940. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Skills: Students flock to RRTC automotive repair program

That’s the case for George Moore, a senior from Marmaton Valley. He also lacked experience working on cars.

“I took this class mostly to see how to do automotive work. It fits my interests. I’ve also done welding for three years,” he said.

He was surprised to learn how long it takes to remove parts from an engine.

“It’s kind of cool how important all the sensors are. I never knew how much stuff is part of an engine.”

TRISTAN CARY and Kolby Knavel, both seniors from Marmaton Valley, are working on Kolby’s 2000 GMC Jimmy. It has a problem with a cylinder, and the repair process is complicated because the spark plugs are located at the bottom of the engine. For most vehicles, spark plugs are found on top.

“The drive shaft is in

the way,” Kolby explains while studying the engine.

“It takes a minute to figure out the problem,” Tristan said. “That’s the fun of it.”

The boys have worked on vehicles before.

“Even if I don’t go into a career with it, I’ll have a nice hobby and I’ll know how to repair my own vehicle,”

Tristan said.

“I’ve

ing more about motorsports. This gives me the basics.”

As they talk, the two continue to study the vehicle, using tools to twist and turn various components.

“We’re making sure it’s firing and doing what it’s supposed to be doing,” Tristan said. “We have wiring diagrams but there are so many wires, it gets really complicated. A lot of this class is about diagnostics — figuring out what the problem is before we can go in and fix it.”

IHS STUDENTS Trey Wallace, a senior, and Samuel Sturgeon, a junior, represent both sides of the spectrum when it comes to what students can get out of the class.

Wallace has been around vehicles most of his life and hopes to open his own shop some day. After graduation,

he plans to join his father’s towing business.

His experience in the classroom helped him land a job at Auto Zone, and he’s now considering continuing his education at the FHTC campus in Emporia.

“I was not planning on going to college, but this did open my eyes to maybe going to college in automotive,” he said. Sturgeon took the class out of curiosity. It helped him realize that an automotive career isn’t right for him. It’s better to learn that now, while in high school, than to invest in college or tech classes later.

“I do like figuring out how parts work, but it’s not something I’d like to do every day,” he said. “I’m still figuring out what I want to do.”

SHOVE, the instructor, is assisted by Don Hatch. Both have decades of experience in the automotive industry.

Shove has been working on cars since 1979 as a mechanic at dealerships and independent garages. He joined FHTC at Emporia as an adjunct instructor a few years ago before applying for the position at LaHarpe.

He enjoys teaching.

“It’s important to pass things on to another generation, so they can take the lead,” he said.

“There’s quite a lot of advanced technology now. We’re working with computers and it’s only getting more complex and complicated. This is a technological field.”

Hatch worked with Shove at an automotive repair shop in Emporia.

“We worked quite well together in the

most of his life and hopes to run his own repair shop after graduation.

always liked working on cars. It gets me out of the house,” Kolby said. “I might do something with it in the future. I’m think-

Kolby Knavel, left, and Tristan Cary are Marmaton Valley High School seniors attending an automotive repair class at the Regional Rural Technical Center this year. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Trey Wallace, above, and George Moore speak about their experiences while attending automotive repair classes at the Regional Rural Technical Center in LaHarpe. Moore notes one of the appeals is being able to do basic repairs to his own vehicle. Wallace, meanwhile, has been around cars

REGISTER/ VICKIE MOSS

Curiosity prompted Samuel Sturgeon to enroll in automotive repair classes this fall at the Regional Rural Technical Center in LaHarpe. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Auto repair program in search of vehicles

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

Does your car need to be repaired?

The Regional Rural Technical Center’s new automotive technician program needs cars.

And because the center doesn’t charge for labor, it could be quite a bargain.

The catch, of course, is that the repairs may take some time. Students are limited on how much time they can devote to the task.

All work is done under the supervision of certified instructors.

“Students can only work in the shop for an hour or two at a time,” instructor George Shove said. “We’re a learning environment, so one of the things we have to stress to our customers is what could be a one-hour

job at an independent shop might take us two weeks.”

The shop charges only

for parts, with a little markup to cover other costs. All repairs are supervised, and Shove

promises the instructors will make sure students deliver quality repairs.

Students are current-

ly able to do anything from oil changes to a complete engine overhaul.

For more information, call Don Hatch at 620-343-4724 or email dohatch@fhtc.edu.

Class: Students bring varied experiences to automotive class

Continued from A1

past, and I was looking for a career change,” Hatch said.

Life as a mechanic can be physically and mentally demanding. His wife encouraged him to consider the job at RHTC. It’s been a good fit, Hatch said.

Shove teaches both classroom instruction and hands-on training. Students typically spend an hour in the classroom, then an hourand-a-half to two hours working on vehicles.

When students are in the shop, Hatch helps them identify the right tool for the job. He keeps careful track of inventory, checking in and out tools as needed, as well as ordering parts.

He’s also in charge of scheduling and finding vehicles for students to work on. If someone has a vehicle that needs repaired — and they aren’t in a hurry — Hatch and Shove encourage area residents to contact them to see if students can take on the project.

Hands-on instruction is vital to student success, Shove said. All repairs are supervised by a certified mechanic.

Currently, the morning class has the most need for vehicles. In the afternoon class, most of the students are working on their own vehicles.

Vehicle owners will pay for parts, but there is no charge for labor.

For more information, call Hatch at 620343-4724 or email dohatch@fhtc.edu.

THE AUTO TECH course is the latest offering at the RRTC and the second-most popular, after welding.

The automotive program was made possible by generous donations from the Barbara and Herschel Perry Charitable Trust and the Patterson Foundation in Kansas City.

The Perry Trust donated $200,000 for all of the equipment, including lifts and tools.

Herschel and Barbara owned and operated Perry’s Restaurant on the west side of the square in Iola for many years.

Herschel also owned and operated Perry’s Refrigeration in Iola.

Herschel died on Nov. 23, 2019, at the age of 86; Barbara died June 20, 2021, at the age of 88.

The Patterson Foundation paid for remodeling expenses such as electrical, mechanical, HVAC and plumbing, at a cost of about $95,000.

The tech center opened in the fall of 2016 and also offers classes on construction trades, wind energy technology and two types of health classes, CNA courses and anatomy and physiology.

A building for the tech center was donated by local businessman Ray Maloney, who purchased the former Diebolt Lumber property.

Maloney attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the auto program last week, along with members of USD 257, students, Perry Trust executor Ken Rowe, the instructors and other

FHTC officials.

Maloney said he was pleased to see how much the RRTC has grown in such a short time.

The building has been remodeled multiple times to fit the various programs. If need continues, he owns other buildings on the site that could be renovated and used for new programs.

“This is great for the community. I hope the interest keeps up,” he said. “This is what I was hoping it would expand into.”

An extra benefit: Students are working on one of Maloney’s trucks. It won’t stay running.

“They’re tinkering with it,” he said. “I hope they can figure out what’s going on.”

Ray Maloney, center, cuts the ribbon Dec. 2 with Karen Daugherty, president of Flint Hills Technical College, at his left, and instructor George Shove, to his right, along with students and other dignitaries at the new automotive repair center at the Regional Rural Technical Center in LaHarpe. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Trey Wallace examines the wiring to a vehicle during a recent automotive repair class at the Regional Rural Technical Center in LaHarpe. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Jenna Adair had never changed a tire before enrolling in an automotive repair class. Now, she’s changing an engine. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Students Tristan Carey, from left, and Kolby Knavel show tools to USD 257 school board member Tony Leavitt and Iolan Ken Rowe at the Regional Rural Technical Center in LaHarpe. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Brittney Griner goes free

The release of WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday from a Russian prison labor camp is welcome news. The price was high, as the White House negotiated a prisoner swap for notorious Russian arms deal Viktor Bout, but there should be relief when any American is sprung from hostile and unjust captivity.

Yes, Ms. Griner was foolish to enter Russia in February with vape cartridges containing hashish amid rising U.S.-Russia tensions. But she was clearly treated harshly, and handed a nineyear sentence, because she is American. She was arrested shortly before Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine invasion, and he viewed her as political leverage.

Some on the American right are grousing that, at the height of the George Floyd protests, Ms. Griner called on the WNBA to stop playing the national anthem before games — implying she had forfeited her right to the government’s support. But political views should be irrelevant when it comes

to rescuing Americans held abroad as political hostages.

More troubling is that the prisoner swap didn’t include Paul Whelan, a former Marine and businessman held in Russia on trumped-up espionage charges. Ms. Griner is a celebrity with prominent backers, while Mr. Whelan’s public lobbyists are few beyond his family. President Biden said Thursday that Mr. Whelan is “unjustly detained” — and vowed that his Administration will keep fighting for his release.

THE LARGER issue isn’t whether Ms. Griner’s cultural status helped her gain release. What matters is the recognition that a U.S. passport means something. The world becomes a much more dangerous place for all Americans when bad foreign actors think they can get away with abusing any U.S. citizen.

Welcome home, Ms. Griner, and we hope you take up the cause of Paul Whelan in the same way so many others took up yours.

— The Wall Street Journal

Germany’s wakeup call

A secret group of German ultranationalists being arrested after plotting to overthrow the government, murder the chancellor and install a monarch is a situation you might expect to find in a 19th or 20th century history textbook, not contemporary headlines.

Yet in these strange times we live in, exactly that happened this week as German police arrested 25 people of a roughly 50-member group of fanatics bent on reestablishing a state modeled around the nation’s Second Reich, under Kaiser Wilhelm and Bismarck.

There are plenty of crackpot groups out there, but this one set itself apart by having members as prominent as the aristocratic Prince Heinrich XIII and a former German federal legislator, military officers and reservists, and plans already drawn out for the new state they would supposedly create.

Most alarming though, were the ideological motivations of some of the adherents; according to prosecutors, in addition to the homegrown Reichsbürger movement, members were driven by COVID conspiracy

theories that first took hold in the U.S. and the all-American QAnon conspiracy.

While we often talk about the risk of political violence posed by dangerous disinformation and conspiracy-mongering here, it’s worth remembering that this noxious cultural export, driven largely by U.S.-based social media companies and often trialed on U.S. audiences, is driving a risk of extremist violence everywhere.

QAnon began as a series of obscure postings on the far-right message board 4chan, growing out of earlier Pizzagate theories about a supposed cabal secretly controlling U.S. and global institutions. Now, this one bizarre movement is getting warped into whatever local flavor is most appealing and radicalizing people into violence, highlighting the fact that content moderation and efforts to combat the spread of disinformation online have global implications. The reckless actions of tech titans like new Twitter owner Elon Musk have consequences around the world, and they should have to answer for that.

—

New York Daily News

Journalism that makes a difference

It takes a village to retain talent

The job of an economic development director is punishing, admitted Jonathon Goering.

“It beats you up,” he said.

And it can be thankless.

“You put your heart and soul into it every day, trying to do good for the community, but the pushback can be brutal. The naysayers who don’t want change can be deafening.”

And sometimes, just when the finish line is in sight, “something changes, and you’re back to square one.”

On the other hand, “It’s great when you move the needle. When you make a difference.”

In just the past year, Goering has been instrumental in bringing Sharky’s, the Fillmore Coffee House and Jock’s Nitch to the Iola square. He’s also been behind expanding major infrastructure at Allen County Airport in order to accommodate industrial ventures.

Thursday was Goering’s last day as economic development director for Thrive Allen County.

The position serves all of Allen County with Iola, Humboldt, Allen County and Iola Industries providing the bulk of the funding.

Goering was eager to make clear his decision to take a similar position with the Greater Wichita Partnership has nothing to do with any dissatisfaction here.

Instead, the move was precipitated by the fact that his wife, Betsey, a high school science teacher in Wichita, was unable to find a position in the Iola area.

Susan Lynn Register editor

“It’s simply a matter of family and at the end of the day, that has to take precedence,” he said.

GOERING’S situation is a reminder that simply filling a position isn’t enough.

“You have to think about the employee’s family and work to attract them as well,” he said.

That can require a community-wide effort in terms of securing adequate housing, childcare, and employment.

As an outsider, Goering also learned that small towns come with unfortunate assumptions.

“Everyone thinks that everyone knows everyone. Even if it’s a single person, people assume that person must be connected to others in the community, or that they are somehow in a network of like-minded friends.”

Truth is, small-town living can be lonely.

“Social isolation in a rural community is real,” Goering said, especially for newcomers.

“Businesses are so thankful to successfully recruit someone, that they think ‘OK, now onto the next,’” failing to follow through as to how new employees are adjusting to the community.

Even when people are extremely busy, “we still need that human connection. It’s so important to our health,” Goering said.

AVID RUNNERS, Goering said he and Betsey fell in love with the area’s trail system.

“They are an amazing asset,” he said.

But to his mind, “the perfect weekend,” was loading up his 1991 Ford Ranger with his little aluminum boat to go fishing.

“Every weekend Betsey and I would go to a different lake where we’d spend hours putt-putting around to fish. It was a great way to discover the beauty of Southeast Kansas. It was the highlight of our weekends. I’m going to miss that,” he said.

And that boat was not just any boat.

“It was my grandfather’s, purchased in 1967 in California. It’s seen both oceans,” Goering said, regarding it as a prized heirloom.

AFTER 2.5 YEARS in Iola, leaving is proving difficult.

“I didn’t take into account how painful the process could be,” he said. “I didn’t anticipate the relationships I would be creating at Thrive or that I would get so involved in the community.

“My time here has been a remarkable experience. Saying goodbye is incredibly hard.

“I will miss Allen County immensely. There will always be a place in my heart for this place.”

Pastor asks, ‘Why aren’t people coming back to church?’

I am going to assume you’re a positive person who enjoys people, radiates goodness, and thrives on hope. I’m also going to assume you’re familiar with discouragement. So, tell me if I have this much right: sometime in the last year you looked out over the sanctuary and congregation you love, and you wondered, What happened to the people? Why did so many kiss congregational life good-bye?

If you’ve contacted any of these absent parishioners, you may well have learned that they’re doing just fine. Their weekends are active and full. They either endured COVID or escaped it altogether. They sound healthy and well. The topic of church may have surfaced briefly when you spoke, but it didn’t seem to be very high on their priority list. So what should you do?

Peter Marty Christian Century

Well, keep the doors of your church and heart wide open. Don’t write off anyone’s place in your community unless they insist on it. Restarting a lapsed habit of any kind, remember, can be more difficult than creating and cultivating a brand-new one.

I wouldn’t overanalyze why all sorts of people aren’t showing up. Your church may be as good as any. Let’s not forget the growing secularization of culture and rising religious indifference staring us all in the face. Much of the public perceives faith as hav-

ing limited social value. “We now live in a time,” says Andrew Root, “where the very idea that God is real and present in our lives is no longer accepted. Indeed, it’s widely contested.” Skepticism about the benefits of religious community has caused many people to quit looking to the church for personal meaning or identity.

Because you are a person of faith who leans into Christian community, however, there are some things to keep in mind when you’re discouraged.

First, remember that God has given the church a bigger and better hope than what the world lives by. How you communicate this beautiful idea that we follow a light brighter than the flicker of our own little bulb is up to you.

Second, don’t forget to love your Christian community

as you find it, not merely as you wish it were. That’s Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s idea, not mine. He also reminds us that there’s no way to know Christ apart from Christian community. Christus als Gemeinde existierend — Christ exists as community. Anybody can talk up their love for Jesus. But the church is the one place where we actually meet the living and present Christ.

Third, remind yourself that your church needs to welcome and accept people for who they are — if it is to be any kind of magnet in your community — and then love them into who they get to become in Christ.

Fourth, keep looking for ways to grow and share the bubbling energy that ought to be evident in your church when people come together around a shared purpose.

Émile Durkheim coined the term collective effervescence to describe what happens when communal gatherings foster a deep religious experience.

Finally, delight in every sign of your congregation’s faithfulness. Fixating on who’s not in the pews is a worthless and suffocating exercise. There is no convincing anybody of their need for Christian community. They have to want it. And their best chance for discovering that desire may come from observing the joy that’s in you.

Your companion on the journey, — Peter

About the author: Marty is editor/publisher of the Century and senior pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, Iowa.

Jonathon Goering’s last day as economic development director for Thrive Allen County was Thursday. During his tenure, he’s helped bring significant talent to the area. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Mustangs get win number one

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

RICHMOND — The Iola High boys won their first game of the season but the girls lost Thursday night in the Central Heights High tournament.

The Mustang girls (1-2) dropped their second game of the season to Olathe Heritage, 34-26, while the Iola boys (1-2) handled West Franklin, 50-40.

Girls Basketball

Making shots and securing rebounds plagued the girls in their low-scoring loss to Olathe Heritage, 34-26.

It was also an ugly offensive game for both sides, combining for 71 turnovers, Olathe Heritage with 37 while Iola gave up 34 turnovers.

Mustang Elza Clift provided the only two points of the first quarter as she dribbled in for a layup. Olathe Heritage’s Carlyn Ferguson posted four points in the first quarter on a two-point basket and a couple of free throws.

Mustang Jackie Fager hit a three-pointer and a two in the second quarter while Aysha Houk also knocked down a three-pointer. The Chargers were led in the second quarter by Anna Schenk’s six points and Carris Cunningham’s four points.

“We had quite a few turnovers in the first half which gave the other team more opportunities at their basket,” said Iola interim head coach Ali Peters. “If we limit our turnovers and just get more

aggressive at the beginning with shooting, we would have been right there with them.”

Olathe Heritage led Iola at halftime, 23-11.

Houk came out firing in the second half, knocking down a three-pointer as well as a two. Karingten Hall also went underneath for a two-pointer.

Schenk hit a two-pointer and a free throw while Elsa Anderson and Allie Sprogue each banked in a layup for Olathe Heritage to extend their lead to 30-18 heading to

Yates Center downed by Sedan at home

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

YATES CENTER — The Yates Center High boys basketball team was dealt a setback in their matchup with Sedan on Thursday night, 42-15.

The Wildcats (1-2) got down big early and could never relinquish their deficit after some bad defense allowed the Blue Devils to stretch their lead to 25 points in the first half.

“Doing the little things is what wins basketball games, and that’s what we have preached to our guys. Tonight we failed to do much of anything, and our focus has to change,” said Yates Center head coach Lane Huffman. “We have to bounce back quickly.”

Emmit George and Garrett Audis put Yates Center on the board in the first quarter as each hit a two-pointer. Sedan was led early by Walt Gooden’s four points and Koda Blankenship’s three points which helped them take an 8-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Wildcats only scored

one point in the second quarter on a Cash Cummings free throw. Sedan’s Justus Norris put up 12 points after a pair of three’s helped stretch the margin while Gooden put up another pair of layups and a free throw.

Yates Center trailed Sedan at halftime, 29-5.

The blue and white would have trouble finding the rim and executing good shots all night long as Devin Sarchet knocked down a pair of free throws for the only third quarter points. The Blue Devils would go on a 25-0 run through a period of the second half.

“Our 2-3 zone was rotating fast and playing with our hands up in the first quarter,” said Huffman. “After that we slowed down, and allowed Sedan to get open shots, and offensive rebounds. Poor defense paired with a lack of execution on offense led them on a 25-0 run.”

Sedan’s Lyndon Sears posted six points in the third following a trio of two’s while Norris put up a couple two’s and a free throw. Sedan led Yates Center heading to

the fourth quarter.

Iola was aided by Alana Mader’s four points via a pair of two-pointers in the fourth quarter as Hall also hit a pair of free throws. The effort wasn’t enough though as the Mustangs fell to Olathe Heritage in the fourth by eight points, 34-26.

“They’re all really starting to step up,” Peters said. “I think they’re starting to understand we don’t want just one person who’s scoring and one person who’s being

vocal. We’re trying to make it so that everyone is getting to the basket, everyone’s getting a chance to lead the team and I think they’re doing a really good job of getting everyone involved.”

Houk’s eight points led the Mustangs offensively, followed by Hall, Fager and Mader with two points apiece. Houk’s scoring included leading the team from three-point distance with a pair of treys knocked down in the first half while Fager

Boys Basketball

The timing couldn’t be more perfect for the Mustangs to show progress in becoming a more tightly knit team.

The Mustangs won Thursday evening, mid-way through a packed week of the early season Central Heights Tournament.

The boys used a mix of hot shooting from a distance and tough defense to secure their first victory of the season, 5040 over West Franklin.

“We had some stretches where it looked like we were picking things up and looking better,” said Iola head coach Luke Bycroft. “We rebounded the ball. I felt like we got in position and boxed out. We were more physical and we kept the ball out of the lane. We sped them up early and got some stuff out of that and got in the rhythm of playing defense aggressively.”

Preston Hurst kick-start-

Cubs claw past Crest

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

HUMBOLDT — Some sterling inside play by Humboldt High’s Sam Hull made life miserable Thursday for Crest.

Hull erupted for a career-high 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Cubs prevailed, 47-35, in the second round of the Emprise Bank Humboldt Preseason Tournament.

Hull’s aggressiveness also created another headache for the Lancers and head coach Dylan Sporing — foul trouble.

Lancer standout Stetson Setter went to the bench with his fourth foul in the opening seconds of the third quarter. He re-entered the game in the fourth, only to see his night end moments later with a fifth foul.

Two other key cogs in the Lancer machine — Karter Miller and Ethan Godderz — wound up with four personals on the night.

“The foul trouble comes from not finishing possessions on the defensive end,” Sporing said. “They’d get a putback, or we’d be out of position. We take care of that, and it may be a different game.”

Iola High’s Landon Weide (1) dribbles the ball against a West Franklin defender in the team’s first win of the season on Thursday night. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

“Sam had a nice ball

game,” Humboldt head coach

Humboldt High’s Sam Hull, center, puts up a field goal attempt over Crest defender Karter Miller Thursday. REGISTER/ RICHARD LUKEN

MV teams fall to Madison

MORAN — Marmaton Valley High’s squads fell behind early and never could make up the difference Thursday.

In the girls contest, visiting Madison raced to a 14-3 lead after the first quarter and never looked back in a 46-28 victory. The boys contest didn’t see much difference as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 20-4 cushion in what became a 57-25 romp.

The contests marked the second round of Marmaton Valley’s preseason tournament.

The Wildcats were supposed to play again Friday to wrap up tournament play, but their games against Oswego were called off after the Indians canceled school this week due to a large number of illnesses.

Marmaton Valley will host Humboldt Tuesday as regular season action resumes.

After Thursday’s cold start for MV’s girls, the Wildcats (1-2) picked up the pace, but didn’t make much of a dent in Madison’s lead. Marmaton Valley trailed 24-10 at halftime and 36-20 after three.

Janae Granere scored nine and Piper Barney seven to lead the way for the Wildcats. Madi Lawson chipped in with six.

MADISON kept up the pressure in the boys game, pushing its 20-4 advantage to a 31-13 lead at halftime and 48-21 after three quarters.

Dylan Drake proved to be the Wildcats’ key offensive protagonist, erupting for 15 points.

It marks the third straight game this season that Marmaton Valley (1-2) has had a leading scorer.

Tyler Lord added four points and Ethan Lawson three.

Girls Madison (14-10-12-11—46) FG/3pt FT F TP Luthi 0/2 1 3 7 Albert 1 0 3 2 Weakley 6 0 4 12 Y. Luthi 4 1 0 9 Foltz 0 4 2 4 Miser 1/3 0 3 11 Totals: 12/5 7 15 46 MV (3-7-10-8—28) Schar 1 0 0 2 Lawson 3 0 5 6 Drake 0 0 2 0 Barney 2 3 2 7 T. Sutton 1 2 2 4 Granere 3 3 3 9 Total 10 8 14 28

Boys Madison (20-11-17-9—57) FG FT F TP Turner 9 0 0 18 Luthi 1 0 2 2 C. Isch 3 3 4 9 Ruth 2 0 0 4 Pyle 2 1 2 5 Darbro 3 1 2 7 G. Isch 4 2 2 10 Hurlburt 1 0 0 2 Worrell 0 0 1 0 Totals: 25 7 13 57 MV (4-9-8-4—25) Drake 6/1 0 3 15 Smith 0 1 2 1 Stevenson 1 0 1 2 Morrison 0 0 3 0 Lord 2 0 2 4 Lawson 1 1 4 3 Totals: 10/1 2 15 25

Wildcat junior high girls stave o challenge

ARMA — It was a tale of two halves Thursday evening for Marmaton Valley High’s girls.

The Wildcats were dominant early, racing to a 13-1 lead by intermission against host Northeast-Arma.

But the Vikings came back in the third and fourth quarters.

Marmaton Valley did just enough, despite going scoreless in the third quarter, to emerge on top, 16-14.

Mahala Burris had a crucial basket in the fourth quarter, while Emma Louk drained a clutch free throw to help seal the win.

Andie Carr led MV in

scoring with five points. Burris and Addisyn Drake added four each. Louk scored three.

The B team contest ended in an 8-8 deadlock after two quarters.

Taylen Blevins, Kaylee Burris, Emma Michael and Drake each had two points for the Wildcats.

ARMA — Some cold shooting spelled trouble for Marmaton Valley Junior High Thursday.

The Wildcats were stuck in neutral offensively as host Northeast cruised to a 46-10 victory.

“We had a tough night shooting the ball, but we worked hard,” Wildcat head coach Byron Marshall said.

Kris McVey and Ethan Lawson scored six apiece for the Wildcats, Thomas Allee

scored three, while Dagan Barney and Bryant Uhlrich notched one point each.

The B team game was on the other end of the spectrum as MV blasted its way to a 46-10 win.

Kaden McVey had 14 and Kris McVey 12 for the Wildcats. Brady Burton added eight, Lane Lord and Uhlrich had four apiece, Kameren McClenning two and Colin Ard one.

The Wildcat C team pitched a 6-0 shutout in two quarters.

Kooper Welch scored four and Truett Blevins two for the Wildcats, who return to action Monday at Jayhawk-Linn.

IOLA ACC HUMBOLDT MARMATON VALLEY YATES CENTER

Tuesday: Basketball v. Burlington, 6 p.m. Thursday: Wrestling @ Erie, 5:30 p.m. Friday: Basketball v. Prairie View, 6 p.m.

Tuesday: Basketball @ Marmaton Valley, 6 p.m. Friday: Basketball v. Neodesha, 6 p.m.

Tuesday: Basketball v. Humboldt, 6 p.m. Thursday: Basketball v. Yates Center, 6 p.m.

Thursday: Basketball v. Yates Center, 6 p.m. Friday: Basketball @ Jayhawk Linn, 6 p.m.

SOUTHERN COFFEY COUNTY

Tuesday: Basketball v Olpe, 6 p.m. Thursday: Basketball @ Hartford, 6 p.m.

Above, Marmaton Valley High’s Payton Schar looks to pass the ball to a teammate in the Wildcats’ tournament game Thursday against Madison. Below, Marmaton Valley’s Dominic Smith dribbles upcourt in the boys game against Madison. PHOTOS BY HALIE LUKEN/MVHS

Marmaton Valley travels to Jayhawk-Linn on Monday.

SCC’s scoring struggles persist in loss to Altoona-Midway

LE ROY — The Southern Coffey County High boys fell to Altoona-Midway on Thursday night, 52-21.

The Titans (0-3) relied on AJ DeAnda and Thomas Nickel for most of the night. When it came down to it, Southern Coffey lost because of their

inability to spread the ball and poor defense.

Nickel began the night scoring a trio of two-pointers and a free throw in the first quarter. The Titan defense allowed 24 points in the first quarter, seven points to both Jacob Meigs and Harley Lopeman,

to fall behind 24-7.

SCC’s DeAnda got involved in the second quarter when he hit a three-point jumper.

Nickel also added a layup for the Titans. Kage Beck and Brandon Johnson each went for a couple of two-pointers.

Southern Coffey

County trailed Altoona-Midway at halftime, 40-12.

DeAnda bucketed a pair of two-pointers and a free throw for the only Southern Coffey County points of the third quarter. Altoona-Midway’s William Stackhouse went for four points and Ki -

eran Foster hit a three by the end of the third quarter.

The Titans scored two baskets in the fourth off the hands of DeAnda and Nickel to finish the game.

On the upside, SCC held Altoona-Midway to only three points in the fourth.

Nickel finished with 11 points while DeAnda had 10 points for the Titans. Nickel hit five two-pointers and DeAnda hit a lone three as well as a trio of two-pointers.

Southern Coffey County hosts Olpe next Tuesday night.

Director of Development Salary: $50,000 - $60,000

STARS Math Specialist Salary: $30,160 - $34,600

Safety Officer Part-time Minimum starting wage: $15.50

Assistant Spirit Coach Salary: $21,000

How to handle mother-in-law’s veiled critiques

Dear Carolyn: What is the best way to handle passive-aggressive comments? My mother-in-law is constantly making them to me, especially when my husband is not around. A quick sampling: “You’re eating ANOTHER cookie?” “I can’t believe you considered sending your child out trick-or-treating when it’s raining!” “There sure are a lot of dirty dishes in your sink. Do you ever have a bug problem?” “That skirt is so short. I wish I had your confidence to wear clothes like that at your age.”

I address them in the moment with as much compassion and patience as I can handle. The problem is that she is moving to our area, and I can’t handle these comments on a regular basis. — Sorry, Not Sorry

Sorry, Not Sorry: Actually, you can, because you have to — you can’t make her disappear, and you can’t make yourself disappear without consequences to your marriage. Unless your husband has your back, of course, which he ap-

Hax

Tell Me About It

parently doesn’t, which is an answer unto itself; why else note that she takes her shots “when my husband isn’t around.”

But first things first. Your own attitude is a power source you always control, so always use it to your advantage: You can handle these comments. You can handle your mother-in-law. Why? Pick one based on your preferred kindness level — because you’re way more emotionally competent than you credit yourself for being, or because she’s too emotionally stunted to warrant the power you’ve granted her. Both work.

Once you have your attitude on straight, shape your replies. Short version: If you take every point of her oblique criticisms as a compliment — unless and until she finally spits out what she really means

— then our work is done here. “Hell yes, another cookie. Want one?”

“Less competition, more candy.” (Alternate: “It’s just rain.”) “No, the bugs are too well-fed to complain.” (Okay, that’s a little snotty: “We’re not worried,” will do.) “Thanks! But give yourself credit, you always look great.”

These may sound aggressive all bunched together. However, spaced out at the normal intervals of her veiled … observations, each response will have a softer yet more significant impact: showing her you intend to eat, nurture, dress and live on your own terms, thankyouverymuch.

Which brings us to what your mother-inlaw “can’t handle”: Someone who can’t live on her own terms, carpe cookie — someone who can’t even trust her own standing to say what she actually means — is actually more to be pitied than loathed. Your mother-in-law sounds so knotted up in all the notions of what a woman, especially a mother, is “supposed” to be, based

on whatever societal nonsense she was fed to keep her in check while she was coming of age, that she can’t even declare a simple opinion … to the point of hiding it from her own son when she tries. Forget how annoying it is — it’s freaking tragic.

Look at the sample replies through that lens now. Yes to more cookies, yes to the rain, yes to postponing housework sometimes, yes to showing some leg.

That’s a world I can get behind, and if it’s yours, then own it. Maybe her oblique criticisms really are compliments, in the form of envy. Maybe instead of shackling you she’ll be inspired by your upbeat example to free herself.

Or you will be. Her sideswipes may continue, in which case honesty and living on your own terms and all that good stuff demand that you be able to express a simple opinion, too: “That sounds to me like a veiled criticism. Is that how you meant it?” If that’s her game, then name it, and make sure she plays it alone.

Breast implants might be correlated to extremely rare cancers

Dear Dr. Roach:

I recently caught a quick news headline on breast cancer stating that there are now findings of cancer in women who have had breast implants. What can you tell us about these new findings and studies?

Any updated information about breast cancer for women with implants would be appreciated by many who have implants them-

To Your Good Health

selves and their family members. — V.G.

Answer: In 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified a rare cancer, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, as be-

ing associated with a particular type of textured breast implants — the vast majority made by one company, Allergan, who was requested to (and subsequently did) recall all textured breast implants.

In September 2022, the FDA noted 10 cases of squamous cell carcinoma in people with breast implants, but also noted that there is not “enough infor-

mation to say whether breast implants cause these cancers or if some implants pose higher risk than others.” They continued, “The FDA does not recommend the removal of breast implants because of this safety communication.” The communication also noted different types of lymphomas (not the same as those identified in 2019) associated with both textured and

smooth implants.

Squamous cell cancer and these lymphomas are rare cancers whose incidence are not well-described, so it is not clear if implants increase the risk of developing this cancer (or, if they do, by how much). For the anaplastic large cell lymphoma, an analysis of six published studies showed a risk of about 1 in 10,000 people over a lifetime of a breast im-

plant. Even though this risk is small, it should still be considered by anyone considering a breast implant.

I would not recommend removing a breast implant just because of these reports of extremely rare cancers: Any operation has risks, even plastic surgeries, and in my opinion, it is not clear that the benefits of removing implants are worth that small risk.

Dr. Keith Roach

Carolyn

Sen. Sinema drops alignment with Democratic Party

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced Friday she has registered as an independent, a renegade move that could bolster her political brand but won’t upend the Democrats’ narrow Senate majority. She says she will not caucus with Republicans.

Sinema, who faces reelection in 2024, has been a vibrant yet often unpredictable force in the Senate, tending toward the state’s independent streak and frustrating Democratic colleagues at times with her overtures to Republicans and opposition to Democratic priorities.

Rather than assailing

the Democratic Party in her statement Friday, she said she was “declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington.”

While unusual for a sitting senator to switch party affiliation, Sinema’s decision may well have more impact on her own political livelihood than the operations of the Senate. She plans to continue her committee positions through the Democrats. Her move comes just days after Democrats had expanded their majority to 51-49 for the new year, following the party’s runoff election win in Georgia.

In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck

Public notices

IN THE THIRTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT ALLEN COUNTY, KANSAS

In the Matter of the Estate of Jean M. Barber, a/k/a Jean Marie Barber, Deceased AL-2022-PR-000032

NOTICE OF HEARING

THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL PERSONS CONCERNED:

You are hereby notified that a Petition has been filed in this Court by Barry N. Barber, the

duly appointed, qualified and acting Executor of the Estate of Jean M. Barber, a/k/a Jean Marie Barber, deceased, praying Petitioner’s acts be approved; account be settled and allowed; the heirs be determined; the Will be construed and the Estate be assigned to the persons entitled thereto; the Court find the allowances requested for attorneys’ fees and expenses are reasonable and should be allowed; the costs be determined and ordered paid; the administration of the Estate be closed; upon the filing of receipts the Executor be finally discharged as Executor of the Estate of Jean M. Barber, a/k/a Jean Marie Barber, deceased, and the Executor be released from further

Schumer said Sinema had informed him of her decision and asked to keep her committee assignments — effectively keeping her in the Democratic fold.

“Kyrsten is independent; that’s how she’s always been,” Schumer said. “I believe she’s a good and effective sena-

tor and am looking forward to a productive session in the new Democratic majority Senate.”

The Democrats “will maintain our new majority on committees, exercise our subpoena power and be able to clear nominees without discharge votes,” he said.

In case of tie votes, Vice President Kamala Harris will continue to provide the winning vote for Democrats.

Sinema, who has modeled her political approach on the maverick style of the late Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, will join a small but influential group of independent senators aligned with the Democrats — Sen. Angus King of Maine and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

liability.

You are required to file your written defenses to the Petition on or before Friday, December 16, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. in the District Court, in Allen County, Kansas, at which time and place the cause will be heard. Should you fail to file your written defenses, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon the Petition.

Barry N. Barber, Executor HEIM LAW OFFICES, P.A. 424 North Washington Iola, Kansas 6449 (620) 365-2222 Attorneys for Executor (11) 26 (12) 3, 10

OF

IN

JOSHUA WRESTLER &

PLAINTIFF, v. KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE; 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE VIN 1GYEK63N55R160186; David Flowers, 934 Grand Street, Emporia, Kansas 66801; And the unknown heirs, executors, administrators, devisees, trustees, creditors, and assigns; the unknown spouses of any defendants; the unknown officers, successors, trustees, creditors, and assigns of any defendants which are existing, dissolved, or dormant corporations; the unknown executors, administrators, devisees, trustees, creditors, successors,

CRYPTOQUOTES

and assigns of any defendants who are or were partners or in partnership; the unknown guardians, conservators, and trustees of any defendants who are minors or under any legal disability; and the unknown heirs, executors, administrators, devisees, trustees, creditors, and assigns of any person alleged to be deceased and any person claiming an interest in the 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE VIN 1GYEK63N55R160186

DEFENDANTS.

NOTICE

OF SUIT AND NOTICE OF HEARING

STATE OF KANSAS TO THE ABOVENAMED DEFENDANTS, AND ALL OTHER PERSONS WHO ARE OR MAY BE CONCERNED:

You are hereby notified that a Petition has been filed in the District Court of Allen County, Kansas, by Joshua Wrestler and

Kelly Wrestler, praying for a decree quieting the title to the following described vehicle: 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE VIN 1GYEK63N55R160186.

You are required to plead to said Petition on or before the 13th day of January 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in said Court at Iola, Allen County, Kansas. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon said Petition.

/s/JOSHUA WRESTLER /s/KELLY WRESTLER

JOHNSON SCHOWENGERDT, P.A. Jacob T. Manbeck, #27684 P.O. Box 866 Iola, Kansas 66749 (620) 365-3778/Fax (620)3806230

ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFFS (11) 26 (12) 3, 10

In a video explaining her decision, she said: “Registering as an independent and showing up to work with the title of independent is a reflection of who I’ve always been. ... Nothing’s going to change for me.’’

BLONDIE

Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: Blow, blow, thou winter wind, thou art not so unkind as man’s ingratitude. — William Shakespeare

MARVIN

HI AND LOIS

ZITS by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

BEETLE BAILEY by Mort Walker

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by Chris Browne FUNKY WINKERBEAN by Tom Batiuk

by Young and Drake

by Tom Armstrong

by Chance Browne

THE DISTRICT COURT

ALLEN COUNTY, KANSAS

KELLY WRESTLER

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. (DREW ANGERER/ GETTY IMAGES/TNS)

Humboldt girls find groove in win over Crest

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

HUMBOLDT —

Thursday offered a concise vision of what teamwork can accomplish.

Humboldt High’s girls were clicking on offense, defense and even on the bench as the Lady Cubs served up a dominating 54-18 win over Crest.

The win comes in the second round of Humboldt’s preseason tournament.

Friday’s tournament finals for both teams were unavailable by press time.

Three Humboldt players scored in double figures, while six others notched points.

“Tonight feels great,” said Humboldt head coach Aubrey Jones. “We knew we didn’t play the greatest team

ball the other night. We talked about that and emphasized coming out as a team, and really getting after it. Our defense did great things, and our bench was into it the whole game. It makes a huge difference to get everybody involved.”

Humboldt took full control, courtesy of a 24-2 run spanning the first and second quarters.

Sophomore McKenna Jones drilled a pair of 3-pointers during the run, while Shelby Shaughnessy and Kenisyn Hottenstein took advantage beneath the basket.

“McKenna hit some huge shots, but everybody played well,” Coach Jones said. “Our starting five worked well together, and they communicated well. Knowing our

Hermreck

shooting isn’t always the greatest, they were there for the putbacks. It made every bit of difference tonight.”

Aylee Beckmon, Kayla

Cursten

McKenna Jones scored 13 to lead the way. Shaughnessy had 12 and Kenisyn Hottenstein 10.

clock once the spread hit 30 points in the fourth quarter.

“Our goal was to clear the bench,” Jones said. “We got it.”

Mustangs: Get win number one against West Franklin

Continued from B1

when he went underneath for a pair of layups in the first quarter. Landon Weide also hit a two-pointer. West Franklin’s Kyle Haner went for a two-pointer and free throw in the first quarter as well.

Mustangs Courtland Carson and Weide scored five points apiece in the second quarter after Carson found his stroke and hit a three-pointer and Weide hit a two and a trio of free throws. Hurst also put up a couple more layups and Mac Leonard hit a three.

“He (Leonard) can really stroke it,” said

Bycroft. “His biggest struggle the past couple of years has been his confidence to take shots. I want him to continue to shoot with confidence. He’s taking a lot of good looks. It makes a huge difference because he’s shooting well right now.”

Iola led West Franklin at halftime, 25-21.

Leonard continued his hot shooting in the second half when he drained a three-pointer along with a three from Weide to keep the Mustang offensive attack rolling. Lucas Maier put in a layup and Hurst banked in a free throw to take a 34-31 lead head-

ing to the fourth.

Iola was able to shut down West Franklin’s main scorers and held Gavin Gonzales to three-of-six shooting and Trey Rogers to fourof-15 shooting from the floor.

The blue and gold were helped again by Leonard’s nine points in the fourth quarter, including a three, two-pointer and four free throws. Weide also banked in four free throws while Maier went underneath for a layup to hang on for the 50-40 victory.

“Tonight was a good step for us,” Bycroft said. “It was a

more consistent step forward through the whole game, little bits and chunks of doing things right, mixing in some stuff we’ve got to fix. If we continue to do that, we’ll get where we want to go. We’re not there yet but it’s better and we want to keep getting better every day.”

Leonard led the Mustangs offensively with 15 points, followed by Weide’s 14 points, Hurst’s nine points and Carson’s six points. Iola scored the majority of their points in the second quarter when they sank 17 points.

The Iola boys tip-off

Cubs: Claw past area foe Crest

Continued from B1

Taylor said. “He did some good things. It was good to see.”

Humboldt led from start to finish, but it wasn’t always pretty, Taylor noted.

“I thought they outplayed us,” Taylor said. “They were doing what they do better offensively than what we were doing defensively.”

Problem was, many of Crest’s shots weren’t dropping.

“It did seem like there was a lid on the basket,” Sporing lamented. “We showed a little bit of heart. We talked about grit and we didn’t roll over and die. We continued to fight.”

Hull scored seven of Humboldt’s 12 points in the second quarter, including a key 3-point play during a 9-0 Cub spurt to push the lead to 25-13.

But Crest responded each time the Cubs threatened to pull away.

Godderz drilled a 3-pointer late in the half, Setter scored inside and Jacob Zimmerman’s free throw made it 26-21 at the break.

Hull and Colden Cook each found openings inside as the Cubs slowly built their lead to 38-28 by the end of the third period.

The spread would have been wider had it not been for Crest’s Karter Miller, who made it a point to attack the basket relentlessly. Miller had five of Crest’s seven points in the third quarter, en route to a teamhigh 15 points.

“It wasn’t necessarily the plan coming in, but after that first quarter, I knew he was feeling pretty good offensively,” Sporing said. “I told him that without him this game would have been a lot different, especially on the offensive end.”

While pleased with the

win, Taylor saw room for improvement.

“Sometimes, we can’t help ourselves,” Taylor said. “There were a couple of times we’d be in a good position, and then we’d get caught with our hands in the cookie jar. It’s not that they’re playing selfishly. We’re trying. I think we can get where we need to be, but we’re not there yet.”

Trey Sommer added eight points and 10 rebounds, while Colden Cook and Asher Hart scored six points apiece for the Cubs. Cook dished out four assists. Hull also had three assists and two steals to cap his monster night.

Godderz drilled three 3-pointers en route to nine points for the Lancers. Setter wound up with five points.

Crest (9-12-7-7—35) FG/3pt FT F TP McGhee 0 0 1 0

Yates: Center downed by Sedan

Continued from B1

the fourth quarter, 51-7.

Sarchet and Cummings would finish the scoring for Yates Center in the fourth quarter when they each banked in a couple layups. The baskets were nowhere near enough as the Blue Devil Dowell hit a trio of two-pointers in the final quarter as the Wildcats took the 59-15 defeat.

“It starts with me,” Huffman said. “I hav-

en’t prepared our guys well enough, and it showed tonight. If our guys keep working hard like I know they can, we will improve and be in a spot to succeed.”

Cummings led Yates Center offensively with seven points while George notched four points and Jayston Rice and Britain netted two points apiece.

Yates Center opposes Cherryvale on Friday night at 5 p.m.

Golden 0 1 2 1 Miller 5/1 2 4 15 Weir 0 0 2 0 Ramsey 1 0 2 2 Godderz 0/3 0 4 9 Zimmerman 1 1 2 3 Setter 1/1 0 5 5

Totals: 8/5 4 22 35 Humboldt (14-12-12-9—47)

Hull 8 3 1 19 Cook 3 0 2 6 Ellis 1 1 4 3

Sommer 1 6 2 8 Harrington 1 0 3 2 Hart 3 0 1 6 Sterling 1 1 1 3 Totals: 18 11 14 47

on Friday night at 8 p.m.

Iola (10/5-15-8—50) (FG/3pt FT F TP): Weide 2/1 7 1 14 Adams 0 0 1 0 Hurst 4 1 4 9 Leonard 1/3 4 0 15 Carson 1/1 1 1 6

Dougherty 0 0 1 0 Maier 2 0 0 4 Kerr 0 2 0 2.

West Franklin (14/3-3-21—40) Haner 1 1 2 3 McMahan 4/1 0 3 11 Nichols 2 0 4 4 Rogers 3/1 2 5 11 Froggatte 2/1 0 5 7 Gonzales 2 0 2 4

Blondel 4 0 4 8, Sears 3 1 3 7, Carter 0 0 2 0, Dickens 1 0 0 3, Dowel 3 0 1 6, Nordell 1 1 4 3, Wade 1 0 0 2, Blankenship 1 2 2 4, Gooden 4 1 1 9.

and

Allen ended Crest’s scoring drought with field goals in the third quarter, but it was not enough to prevent a running

Crest High’s Kinley Edgerton (24) and Humboldt’s McKenna Jones (1) jostle for position Thursday during a free throw attempt. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Bouncing back: Chiefs seek 14th straight win over Broncos

DENVER (AP) —

Cincinnati.”

The catchphrase coined eight years ago by Bill Belichick after the Patriots were blown out at Kansas City was updated this week by Chiefs coach Andy Reid following his team’s latest loss to the Bengals.

Now, it’s “We’re over Cincinnati.”

Reid was peppered with questions this week about the Chiefs (9-3) bouncing back after squandering a chance to maintain control of the AFC playoff race when they blew another late lead in a 27-24 loss to Cincinnati last weekend.

That marked the third time this calendar year Joe Burrow got the best of Patrick Mahomes, including last year’s conference championship at Arrowhead Stadium.

After about the fourth question, Reid made it clear his focus was on the Broncos, not the Bengals.

Same with Mahomes, who is 41-9 in games after Halloween over his career and has never lost to the Broncos (3-9) in nine tries.

“In this league,” Mahomes said, “you have to move on or you’ll make one loss turn into

two.”

The Chiefs have been adept at sequestering their losses under Mahomes, who has only lost back-to-back three times in his career, including just once in Kansas City’s last 64 games.

When the Broncos, who have lost 13 consecutive times to the Chiefs, traded for Russell Wilson in the offseason, this game looked like a marquee matchup and certainly

must-see TV.

While Mahomes is having another MVP season, though, Wilson has struggled mightily since coming to Denver, throwing just eight touchdown passes for a team that’s not even averaging 14 points a game.

The Broncos have already assured themselves of a sixth straight losing season and will sit out the playoffs for a seventh consecutive time, raising the possibility of yet another offseason shakeup.

The Broncos haven’t won on American soil since Sept. 25. Their 13.8-point scoring average is the worst in franchise history and the league’s lowest in more than two decades.

It’s all a massive letdown after an offseason of change — new owners, new coach, new quarterback — set the city abuzz with expectations of the Broncos finally beating Mahomes and ending the Chiefs’ divisional dominance.

Wilson has looked nothing like the nine-time Pro Bowler he was in Seattle, rookie coach Nathanial Hackett has surrendered both operational decision-making and play-calling duties during games and an injury epidem-

ic has swept aside the likes of Javonte Williams, Tim Patrick and Garett Bolles, making a recovery even harder.

The Broncos’ latest embarrassment was getting Mahomes, the MVP favorite, flexed out of the Sunday night slot and into the afternoon after they struggled through four games under the lights, scoring 16, 11, nine and 16 points.

“When you don’t win, things like that are going to happen,” Hackett said.

Kansas City can clinch its seventh straight AFC West crown with a win Sunday coupled with a loss by the Los Angeles Chargers.

FAIR FIGHT

The Chiefs’ winning streak over the Broncos is the league’s second-longest by one team over another, behind only the Patriots’ 14 consecutive wins over the Jets.

Six of the Broncos-Chiefs games have been decided by one score, including Mahomes’ NFL debut in the 2017 regular-season finale when he led Kansas City to a 30-27 overtime win at Denver. Since then, he leads the NFL with 22,799 passing yards and 181 touchdown passes.

REID ADMIRER

With a win Sunday, Reid will become the third coach in NFL history with double-digit wins in eight consecutive seasons, joining Belichick (2003-19) and George Seifert (1989-96). Among Reid’s biggest admirers is Hackett, who strives to emulate his creative play design.

“He’s one of the greatest coaches to ever coach the game. I always judge it with coaches being with different quarterbacks, different teams and showing success at all those different places with different people,” Hackett said. “I definitely strive to be anything I can like Coach Reid.”

HEY, I KNOW YOU

The Chiefs signed Melvin Gordon to their practice squad a couple of weeks ago after Denver released the two-time Pro Bowl running back because of his fumbling issues, especially near the goal line. The Chiefs were short on depth with Clyde Edwards-Helaire on IR with a high ankle sprain.

While Gordon will no doubt be itching to play against his former team, the Chiefs are healthy with Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon atop the depth chart.

No. 6 Kansas visits rival Mizzou for rst time in 10 years

LAWRENCE, Kan.

(AP) — Dajuan Harris Jr. grew up in the shadows of the University of Missouri, and he played his prep basketball at Rock Bridge High School, just a short drive down South Providence Road from the heart of the college campus.

Imagine what folks back there thought as they watched him lead Kansas to the national championship last season.

Harris will no doubt get an earful from them Saturday, along with the rest of the sixth-ranked Jayhawks, when they head across the state line for the first time in nearly a decade. Kansas is set to face unbeaten Missouri in the latest renewal of one of the most bitter rivalries in college sports.

“When I grew, I had some family members that don’t like KU,” Harris admitted. “But really, KU has always been the best. The people that I’ve been around, they didn’t really care about me going to KU. It was just the outside people that be saying stuff. My family really don’t care about that stuff.”

There are plenty of people that do.

The series known as

the Border War traces its history to actual war: guerilla fighting in western Missouri and eastern Kansas in the 1850s and ‘60s over whether slavery would be legal in the proposed state of Kansas. Dozens died during the frequent raids and skirmishes, and names such as William Quantrill became famous if not notorious.

Fierce competition between Missouri and Kansas — the schools, not the states — likewise built to fevered pitch over more than a century. Longtime Tigers coach Norm Stewart so despised Kansas that he instructed bus drivers to fuel up before crossing the state line lest they spend a penny in the Sunflower State. And the Tigers’ notorious student section, known as the Antlers, have a penchant for calling up Kansas players and coaches at all hours of the night before games.

“Missouri-Illinois is a good rivalry. I thought there was a little bit of respect in that rivalry,” said Jayhawks coach Bill Self, who spent three seasons with the Illini before taking over Kansas and winning a pair of national titles.

“With Kansas-Missouri,” Self said, “from a fan standpoint, I don’t know if there’s as much respect as there is flatout dislike or hate. And I think that’s what makes it a great rivalry. I don’t think you could have Larry Brown or Norm Stewart or Roy Williams or Quin Snyder or Dennis Gates or myself enjoy a rivalry as much without those emotions involved.”

Self claimed to have never had a bad experience playing at Missouri, though he did acknowledge “getting our butts beat there before.” The Jayhawks lost the last time they played

in Columbia on Feb. 4, 2012.

The schools played again that season in Lawrence and Kansas won, but they didn’t meet on the hardwood again until last year. That’s because for nearly a decade, Self steadfastly refused to play the Tigers, who put the Big 12 in peril when they joined Texas A&M in jilting their longtime conference home for the Southeastern Conference.

When the series resumed, the Jayhawks took out any lingering angst on the hapless Tigers with a 102–65 victory at Allen Fieldhouse.

It was the most lopsided result in the long-simmering feud in more than 40 years.

“When we play Kansas State,” Self said, “it’s a rivalry, make no mistake. But it doesn’t feel quite the same as the historic rivalry that’s existed between Missouri and Kansas, going way back before the universities even had basketball teams.”

The teams no longer play twice a year, so the history — or hatred — is not as naturally ingrained. But even players that grew up in South Carolina or Texas or some other far-flung locale eventually learn

about it, whether by lessons from the coaching staffs or messages passed on to them by former players.

“This is one that people have circled,” said Gates, who’s in his first season coaching the Tigers, “and they make plans to be back, and it’s exciting, man. It’s one of the longest-standing rivalries. There’s some historical perspective in it as well, non-basketball. But it’s a rivalry that I think college basketball should continue to have.”

All rivalries are better when there’s something riding on the outcome, and there is much at stake this season.

The Jayhawks (8-1) are again among the nation’s top teams, while the Tigers — led by their soft-spoken yet confident coach and an influx of Division I transfers — are 10-0, one of the last 10 unbeaten teams in men’s major college basketball.

“We know it’s going to be a big-time game. There’s going to be a lot of people here,” said Missouri guard Nick Honor, a transfer from Clemson. “The biggest thing is pride. Getting those bragging rights for the next year.”

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs visit Denver Sunday. TNS

Kansas head coach Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks will be in Columbia, Mo., Saturday for the rst time since 2012. TNS

Lynch goes ‘Yeast Mode’ for holiday baking show

By TAYLOR BLATCHFIELD The Seattle Times

The clock was running down. The pressure was on Marshawn Lynch.

His task: Decorate a baked meringue wreath with blueberry coulis, mascarpone cream and sugared berries.

The former Seattle Seahawks running back is one of six contestants on a new celebrity special of “The Great American Baking Show,” a spinoff of the beloved British competition show. Lynch — introduced by host Ellie Kemper as “hoping to turn Beast Mode into Yeast Mode” — competed with D’Arcy Carden, Liza Koshy, Nat Faxon, Chloe Fineman and Joel Kim Booster.

Hosted by Kemper and Zach Cherry, the contestants tackled three holiday baking challenges for judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

LYNCH is better known for his love of Skittles than for his own baking, and his inexperience quickly became apparent in the famed baking show tent. The first challenge required contestants to bake eight identical cream puffs shaped like holiday characters — Lynch chose Christmas elves, filled with strawberry cream and topped with fondant hats.

“If you could just go ahead and throw me a couple little pointers, I

wouldn’t hate them or snitch on you or none of that,” he told the judges, decked out in a Beast Mode hoodie and beanie.

What do you need help with? Hollywood asked. “All of this,” he said.

The plate of elfish cream puffs was in disarray when the judges came to taste them, but Lynch explained that there had been a fight between North Pole and South Pole elves. The judges accepted the explanation and told Lynch his fluffy, golden choux pastry buns were “really delicious.”

The second challenge — the meringue wreath

— went south quickly. Lynch struggled to separate eggs and whisk them with sugar (“What is soft peaks? I don’t

know what this is”). Later, he added an entire jar of vanilla bean paste to his meringue (the recipe had called for one teaspoon). The result: a meringue (which Lynch pronounced “mer-ain-gay”) that Hollywood said “burned his mouth.”

“What’s whisked?”

Lynch sheepishly asked the judges after they said his meringue was underwhisked, but his cream was overwhisked. “Y’all are using different language.”

But the third challenge brought his redemption: a lemon drizzle cake in honor of his grandfather, PaPaw Lynch. Decorated with fondant dice, the cake represented his holiday memory of playing dice games with family.

“My grandfather has been making this cake for my whole life,” Lynch told the judges. “After the games when I first started playing organized football, Little League, he used to bring

these cakes as ‘hey, you did a good job.’ “

The simple sandwichlike cake wowed the judges, who called it “perfectly made.” Leith likened his simple icing to a glace of sugar and water; Lynch beamed and said, “You used a lot of words I don’t know, but they sound good, baby.”

“What caught me unaware with this particular one was how good the celebrities actually were,” Hollywood told Tasting Table in an interview. “You can tell that because they’d practiced — all right, Marshawn Lynch didn’t — and the celebrities that practiced are

always going to bring their best.”

One takeaway from the show: an unexpected connection with notoriously critical judge Hollywood.

“I was watching some of his rushes, actually, when he was in the tent, and I went and had a chat with a few of them about it afterwards,” Hollywood told Tasting Table. “It was lovely catching up with him, speaking to him one to one, quietly having a cup of tea. It was fantastic.”

“I won for sure,” Lynch said at the end of the episode. “I for sure for sure enjoyed myself, for real for real.”

Qui ing smoking was hard. Screening for lung cancer is easy.

Marshawn Lynch measures milk while competing in “The Great American Baking Show” holiday special. COURTESY OF THE ROKU CHANNEL/TNS