Baseball: Boston takes 3-2 World Series lead
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THE IOLA REGISTER Tuesday, October 29, 2013
City will add bike markers
A towering achievement
Moving one step closer toward a “bicycle friendly” city, Iola council members granted permission for sharrows to be painted on designated streets in the city limits. Sharrows are painted markers on streets that alert motorists and pedestrians to bicyclists. In Iola’s case, there will be an image of a cyclist, along with a series of arrows designating the flow of traffic.
It’s a good reminder to motorists, that we have cyclists in the area.
Ag students contribute 24-foot band tower
— Councilman Steve French
By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
A recent addition to the Iola High School band has instructor Matt Kleopfer higher than ever. Literally. As the Marching Mustangs prepare for their final football game performance of the year Thursday, they recently became the grateful recipients of a project involving Charlie Kerr’s vocational agriculture students. The ag students erected a 24-foot metal stand, perfect for Kleopfer to watch the band as it goes through its drills on the field. Just in the nick of time. Kleopfer has taken full advantage of the group’s final practices as they put the finishing touches on their grand finale “Battle Cry,” a musical depiction of a World War II soldier who must say goodbye to his beloved as he heads off to war. See TOWER | Page A3
Iola High School band member Trilby Bannister and her bandmates rehearse a number for the group’s halftime performance Thursday at the IHS football season finale. The students are under the direction of instructor Matt Kleopfer, who watches from atop his tower built by the IHS vo ag students. REGISTER/RICHARD
LUKEN
David Toland, executive director for Thrive Allen County, has been working with city officials and administrators to map out exactly where the sharrows will be painted. After examining the streetscape with Becky Pepper, the Kansas bicycle and pedestrian coordinator from Topeka, both decided sharrows were instead of designated bike lanes. “The streets are for everyone,” Toland said. He pointed out that Iola’s See MARKERS | Page A2
City considers pay study School board talks food services By STEVEN SCHWARTZ The Iola Register
EMS merger progress is currently stalled in negotiations over pay for county employees moving over to the city services, and Iola City Council members are exploring a revision of how they pay their employees. EMS Director Ryan Sell met with county employees individually to discuss how or if their pay would change when the transition is made at the end of the year. Currently, three county employ-
ees are above the maximum pay scale the city allows. One such employee, Eric Sanders, addressed the council to voice his concerns over what would ultimately be a $2,000 loss for him. The council voted unanimously Monday night to pursue a pay and benefit study, which will be completed by a third-party group. Administrator Carl Slaugh will open the study up for bids. “I think it would be a better product (with an outside group),” Slaugh said. “They See STUDY | Page A2
By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
Hamburgers and spaghetti were the topic of discussion at Monday night’s USD 257 school board meeting. An OPAA food representative came before the USD 257 Board of Education to show the company’s different food options for the district. Steve Adams, OPAA business development adviser, told board members that OPAA specializes in homestyle cooking and baking. OPAA is a family owned business. Its home office is in
Chesterfield, Mo. “We work with 101 districts in Missouri and 14 in Kansas,” Adams said. Adams provided three different menus for different grade levels. Students would have multiple options on the menu during breakfast and lunch hours. The company helps district staff members with monthly staff training and has developed partnerships with big retailers like Tyson Foods. Adams said the district would still have control See FOOD | Page A3
OPAA representative Steve Adams addresses USD 257 board members Monday night.
Boosters help in a pinch By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Iola High School Booster Club members host a hamburger stand at a recent home football game, one of the group’s major fundraisers. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 3
With pennies being pinched ever tighter in Kansas schools, a group of USD 257 supporters have come to the aid of Iola High School students. The IHS Booster Club helps raise thousands of dollars each year in private funding to support the athletic teams and clubs in their numerous endeavors. In years past, the Booster Club has helped paint the football field stadium, paid for new scoreboards and padded wall mats in the IHS gymnasium, an ice machine at the stadium and flags to be displayed around Iola’s downtown square on game days. Last year alone, the club gave to the boys and girls basketball pro-
“After all is said and done, more is said than done.” — Aesop 75 Cents
grams, cheer squad, bought an iPad to help the volleyball team more easily record statistics and a software program for the football team to develop its own website. “We probably average raising between $9,000 and $10,000 each year,” noted club treasurer Jan Sigg. Last year was no different, and numbers are close for 2013-14. But as with any such group, the Booster Club needs a boost of its own from time to time. “We need help, in manpower or members,” said Larry Toney, one of the most active Booster Club members. The longest-serving members have children who will graduate See BOOSTERS | Page A6
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