The
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Locally Locally owned owned since since 1867 1867
Iola RegIsteR Monday, October 2012 Wednesday, July 29, 6, 2011
County labor eases Life-long hears budget requests By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
When most his age were preoccupied with social considerations, Dave Comstock was making sure he came up with monthly payments for a lumber yard he had just purchased. “I was barely 19 years old and working for my uncle at Colony Lumber when the banker stopped for a visit,” 70, recalled ByComstock, BOB JOHNSON from behind his desk at Mid-West bob@iolaregister.com Fertilizer, Rd. W.center Calls to506 theLincoln 911 dispatch When one sale almost of the every lumber average 10 yard minpopped up in conversation, “I utes. said, ‘I’ll buy that it,’” may Comstock And while soundsaid. a lit“The banker said, ‘Come me.’” tle slow, played out oversee 24 hours Comstock a He daydid, andand every day of launched the year, athe career that eventually total comes to 55,000. would see“That’s him own four we lumber yardslast — what received in Colony, Iola, Murphy, De Soto and Fort year,” Angie dispatch Scott and have construccenter—director, toldtwo Allen County tion companies, Tuesday one that mornbuilt commissioners about ing. 80 homes in Iola, primarily in The the Briarwood Sunnyside call total and — she figures additions. Comstock built half or more are for also true emerelsewhere Allen,the aspoint well as gencies —in wasn’t of Anher derson and Franklin counties. of appearance, but the magnitude “One of thecaptivated construction comthe number commispanies at the time was the largest sioners. Butler Building in the Murphy was contractor before commiscountry,” herequest said. sioners to a 20 percent Construction and the lumber increase in the department’s budyards by $126,000 the wayside in get forwent 2012, up over this year’s $490,000. The increase seemed pretty hefty. Murphy reasoned health insurance will cost an additional $50,000 and another $6,000 was expected for Kansas Public EmSee COUNTY | Page A5
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HALLOWEEN STARTSCheating EARLY
Mowing effort recalls yesteryear
an occasional break from the A4 stiSee COMSTOCK | Page fling summer heat as Whiteley traversed his way around an 18acre prairie hay meadow. “It’s a little warm, so we’ve been taking it easy,” Whiteley said. “It’s our little hobby.” The mules were pulling Whiteley’s antique sickle bar mower, a small wagon with cutting bar
Iolawith runs at state Baldwin
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1987, when Comstock had to have both hips replaced, a medical procedure that laid him up for six months. “I couldn’t climb ladders anymore,” he said. Since then, his main occupation has been selling agricultural chemicals — both wholesale and retail — including the last five years as a sales representative for Mid-West Fertilizer. That will come to an end at quitting time Wednesday, when Comstock’s retirement becomes official. That doesn’t mean, however, that he will snooze well into late morning Thursday. Register/Richard Luken “I’ve Pat gotten atpull 4:30an for so Mules and up Pete antique sickle bar mower piloted by Ray Whiteley of Le Roy. Whiteley was long, be aGleue hardinhabit toan 18-acre prairie hay field Tuesday. joinedit’ll by Greg cutting break,” he said. “I THINK we (he and wife Glenda) will travel some,” Comstock said, but there still are projects to By RICHARD LUKEN complete and rental properties to richard@iolaregister.com look after. LE ROY — Unlike the mechaAlso,behemoths there are twoofhomes the nized today,in Ray Briarwood by Whiteley’s Addition, mowing started outfit was another contractor several years considerably quieter. andHis then abandoned. “engine” — aComstock pair of purchased them and intendsonly to 1,200-pound mules — needed
BASEBALL
CROSS COUNTY Iola AA Indians split
attached. The bar was triggered through a gear box engaged as its wheels roll. With no mechanical engine to speak of, the only noise emanating from his unit was from the teeth of the seven-foot cutting bar rotating back and forth. Joining Whiteley was neighbor and friend Greg Gleue, with his own mowing outfit, another sickle bar mower pulled by a pair of Percheron draft horses. “We’re having some fun with it,” Whiteley joked. “Greg’s kind of a wimp about it. He needs a See MOWING | Page A5
Ray Whiteley
scandal detailed ATLANTA (AP) — Former Atlanta schools Superintendent Beverly Hall knew about cheating allegations on standardized tests but either ignored them or tried to hide them, according to a state investigation. An 800-page report released Tuesday to The Associated Press by Gov. Nathan Deal’s office through an open records request shows several educators reported cheating in their schools. But the report says Hall, who won the national Superintendent of the Year award in 2009, and other administrators ignored those reports and sometimes retaliated against the whistleblowers. The yearlong investigation shows educators at nearly four dozen Atlanta elementary and middle schools cheated on standardized tests by helping students or changing the answers once exams were handed in. Register/Richard Luken The investigators also found a Scores of young“culture of fear, intimidation and were greeted retaliation”sters in the school district with games, music over the cheating allegations, sorts of lying which ledand to all educators candy Friday eveabout the cheating or destroying
ning during |the an-A5 See CHEATING Page nual Trunk Or Treat celebration on the east side of Iola’s downtown square. Above at right, a group of youngsters join “Johnny Dinero” — also known as Iolan John Hutton — for a song. At top left, David Stoll dresses as a robot. At bottom, Olivia Mathews poses as a paper doll.
Temps for run look inviting By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
Dave Comstock
An anticipated field of a thousand runners and walkers, who will flee Iola’s downtown business district early Saturday as Charley Melvin did in 1905, can be thankful that Melvin chose to do his dastardly deed in the middle of the night. Had the event being commemorated occurred in mid-day, participants would battle oppressive heat and humidity, with both forecast at the upper end of the discomfort scale during daytime Friday and Saturday. As is, they will run and walk in somewhat more inviting temperatures predicted for the low 70s by 12:26 a.m. Saturday. The race — many walkers will be out for stroll — will cap activBya TINA SUSMAN, ities that start late Friday afterJOSEPH TANFANI and noon and will go on throughout RICHARD SIMON the evening. IncludedTimes will be the Los Angeles much-awaited race,” feaATLANTIC “drag CITY, N.J. — Hunturing of the area’s finest dreds some of thousands of people men and women in drag. were told to fleedressed low-lying areas, Chris Weiner at Thrive New York and WashingtonAllen shut County, co-sponsor Allen down their subways,with federal ofCounty Crimestoppers forclosed, “The fices and local schools Charley Melvin Mad Bomber Run and presidential candidates curfor yourtheir Life,”campaigning said total of as partictailed Huripants approaching 450,closer with ricanewas Sandy roared ever about signedSeaboard on for theon 5-kiloto the200 Eastern Sunmeter run. The walk follow a day, promising epicwill storm surg3-kilometer course. es, howling winds and drenching “Registration, including probrain across much of the Mid-Atably a region fifth online, has really lantic and Northeast. Facing the fury of a storm system nearly 1,000 miles wide, at least five states declared emergencies. Airlines canceled more than 7,000 flights, and anxious families and businesses from North Carolina to Maine were warned to expect power blackouts lasting days or longer once the storm makes landfall, probably late tonight. More than 450,000 people were ordered to evacuate. With high tides driven by a full moon, forecasters warned of devastating waves and tidal surges 6 to 11 feet above normal that could trigger flash floods and treacherous conditions from Brian center, visits New with New Pekarek, Jersey to southern the USD 257 office. England. Asboard far west as Chicago, the National Weather Service cautioned that Lake Michigan's
picked up,” Weiner said Tuesday afternoon. As in the past, “we expect a lot of people to sign up Friday night.” Cost is $12 for the walk. Runners’ fees are $14 for youth to age 17, $20 for adults and $17 each for members of teams. Runners in the third annual event will aim for best times of waves could reach 16 to 22 feet — 15.40.06 for males and 20.44.78 for about four times normal. females, set last year. "This is a once in a lifetime Sticks of “Melvin Dy-No-Mite” storm," said Tom Kines, senior will be awarded the first three meteorologist at AccuWeather. places for males and females in The damage "is going to be pheeach of five ages groups, 15 and nomenal." under, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60 and 61 The storm — which was exand over. pected to get even worse once it All participants will break slammed into two other weather from in front of the post office. systems — churned northwest Runners will follow a course that in the Atlantic and appeared will take them on West to Washlikely to slam ashore with winds ington, then Jackson, Jefferson at or near hurricane force in and East to Cottonwood. They southern New Jersey. But unlike See TEMPS | B6 most hurricanes, the eye of this monster wasn't the focal point. "The winds are spread out over a huge area," said Todd Kimberlain, a forecaster at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Strong winds "are going to extend all the way up into Boston." Hurricane force winds were expected to whip parts of the coastline between Chincoteague, Va., and Chatham, Mass., the weather service said — a distance of 540 miles. Heavy snows were expected when Sandy collided with a cold front. As federal and state officials scrambled to open shelters and position emergency supplies, President Barack Obama joined a conference call with governors Barb and Virginia, Marcy Boring at of Geffert Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Mas-
SAFE BASE students get presidential As Hurricane Sandy nears, 450,000 told to evacuate Register/Susan Lynn
By ALLISON TINN These men are ready to leave their inhibitions at home as they participate in Friday night’s favorite race,allison@iolaregister.com the drag race. From left to right are Matt Skahan, Brian Wolfe, Nic Lohman, David Toland and With it being election year,begins SAFE at 10:30 p.m. on the courthouse square. Fred Heismeyer. The race
BASE staff thought it only appropriate to dedicate the first session of the after-school program to getting patriotic. For the past couple of months students have been learning By SUSAN LYNN about year a woman’s garter was transpresidents’ favorite foods, how to be ferred from one participant’s leg susan@iolaregister.com ready for paparazzi and how to be a to another. If you’ve got enough of it, FriWhite House day night is chef. the night to let your “It’s better than a baton,” said Ondown. Wednesdays students have David Toland, executive director hair hadOne blue-plate dinners, foods of Thrive Allen County and one sure test is to eating participate they prepared in the day. to of the organizers for Friday’s in the “Drag earlier Race” as a runup The meals Melvin have all Mad been practice the Charlie Bomber events. for the big night, Nov . 5, when they Run For Your Life race. If you don’t have a thing to have hold a blue-plate special Men and women alike aredinen- wear — no worries. ner for parents and staff in the Jefcouraged to dress in a cross-genDresses, hats, purses, jewelry ferson Elementary gym,“compete” in honor and other accoutrements will be der manner and then of Nov.of 6 general in the teams four inelections. a relay. Last available at Elizabeth Donnelly’s In addition to having a presidential dinner, a two-man comedy show will put on a show, “The Presidents.” The group is coming from the Coterie Theatre at Kansas City’s — Since 1871 — Crown Plaza. The show is funded by At the bandstand Jim Garner, director theThursday, Bowlus Fine Arts Center. July 7, 2011 8 p.m. The show will give a brief history PROGRAM of 44 presidents inBanner 45 minutes. Star Spangled ..................................................arr. J.P. Sousa Students also encouraged their Americans We — march .......................................... Henry Fillmore parents to register to vote; three Rock, Rhythm and Blues — did. medley ...................... arr. Jack Bullock
Put that ego on the shelf, boys
Iola Municipal Band
Army of the Nile — march...................................Kenneth J. Alford
SAFE be Wednesday , Begin BASE of the will Beguine ...................................................... Cole Porter
Halloween, and—the final................................................... preparaInvercargill march Alex Lithgow tions for the dinner will be made Hymn to the Fallen.................................... John Williams/Sweeney that day.of Ohio — march ............................................. Henry Fillmore Men For more Time information contact A Sixties Capsule — medley .............................. arr. Jennings SAFE BASE office in Iola The Washington Post — Middle march ...................................John P. Sousa School, (620) 365-4785. Rained out concerts will be rescheduled for Friday evening.
The Shirt Shop, 20 W. Jackson, where participants will have a wide selection from which to choose. Doors open at 10 p.m. Registration to participate in the drag race is $5. That also gains participants entrance to a 9:30 p.m. pre-party at the Thrive office, 12 W. Jackson. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Thrive office or Friday night on See EGO | Page B6
Above, kindergartner Charles Rife turns the apple peeler while Shaylene McEnaney makes sure the skin By JOE SNEVE falls into the trash can. joe@iolaregister.com left, Pekarek pareprofessional WhenAt Brian was hired Joni Thummel as superintendent of helps the Iola first-grader school district in Augustus February, he flipto french saw an Simpson opportunity “reinvigotoast. SAFE BASE rate” USD 257. With students a focushave on been academic learning to transparcook in achievement andhow public ency, Pekarek hopesofhe furpreparation thecan Blue ther success the district Plate for Special dinner and the more than Nov. 5.1,300 The students dinner isrelyin ing on it. conjunction with the Pekarek his talk. A naNov.walks 6 general election.
Pekarek finds home at USD 257
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