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THE IOLA REGISTER Thursday, November 7, 2013
‘Leaving Iowa’ opens tonight
A vendor, played by Madison Luken, takes a photo of the family from “Leaving Iowa.” From left are Garrett Prall, Catherine Venter, Olivia Bannister and Trilby Bannister. REGISTER/STEVEN SCHWARTZ
Streetscape plan challenged
By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
HUMBOLDT — Johnny Appleseed would have suffered a few fits of anxiety here Wednesday night. Most downtown business owners don’t want trees growing in front of their shops. Streetscape improvements for the downtown area, in the works for about three years, were discussed with about 25 residents, including several downtown property owners. The outcome was the owners want a more precise and detailed plan of what will occur before they’re willing to sign off on the project. A frequent sticking point was the inclusion of trees, although they have been removed from the square and relegated to two blocks of Bridge Street, between Sixth and Eighth streets. Dr. Sean McReynolds, who encouraged the public meeting, said if a tree were placed in front of his dental office at 711 Bridge, along with a new street light, access to his office would be impaired. Already two flag standards are in front of the office. “You wouldn’t have any access at all,” he said. Kent Barfoot noted Barfoot Lumber, which takes up a good portion of the south side of Bridge between Sixth and Seventh streets, would suffer with See PLAN | Page A4
A ROAD TRIP TO REMEMBER By STEVEN SCHWARTZ The Iola Register
trip and Donna’ own road trip to find an appropriate place for her father’s ashes. It’s interesting to see the contrast between the two venues. A romping run across Iowa and Missouri, and a somber journey that tries to find lost connections between a daughter and her father. Catherine Venter plays the part of “Sis,” Donna’s energetic, albeit abrasive, younger sister who seems to get most of the attention and sympathy on the long car rides. The part of the mother is played by Trilby Bannister. She fills the gap between the hijinks of the children and their overly optimistic father, played by Garrett Prall.
Iola High School tackles some heavy issues in its latest play — but don’t worry, this road trip never takes itself too seriously. “Leaving Iowa,” which opens tonight and runs Friday evening at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center, is a comedy about a family of four who undertake a literal — and metaphorical — journey. The charismatic lead role, taken on by Olivia Bannister, is of Donna. She is a journalist who recently lost her father, and the best memories she has of him are of their most recent road trips to Hannibal, Mo. The action of the play jumps back and forth between the family’s road
See PLAY | Page A4
Hibbett Sports coming to Iola Hibbett Sporting Goods, Inc., a national retailer based in Birmingham, Ala., announced it had executed a lease for a new store in Iola. Hibbett Sports will open the new store this winter in the former Blockbuster building, 1606 N. State St. The company anticipates employing eight full- and part-time employees. Hibbett is a fast-growing operator of more than 900 full-line sporting goods stores in small to mid-sized markets, predominantly in
the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, including 23 stores in Kansas. The stores offer a large selection of quality branded athletic equipment, footwear and apparel, with a focus on customer service and providing customers with information they can’t always get at other stores selling sporting goods. Hibbett Sports has a long history of focusing on the needs of local teams and leagues, and their coaches and players.
KSU luring students to game with bacon MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State is offering free bacon to lure students to the women’s basketball team’s home opener Friday against Tennessee State. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported Kansas State officials initially planned to cook about 75 pounds of
thick-sliced bacon. But that amount grew to 300 pounds after the pork promotion blew up on Twitter, Facebook and the Internet. Under the promotion, students with identification will be admitted free to the game and will be rewarded with a “boat of bacon.”
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 10
Paul Finney speaks during Humboldt’s town hall meeting Wednesday evening. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON
CITF at it again in downtown Members of the community are working together yet again to beautify Iola’s downtown area. Community Involvement Task Force (CITF) members, along with Allen Community College’s theater students, have been remodeling and repainting the exterior of a building at 115 W. Madison (formerly Sanford’s Book Nook). CITF member Donna Houser said Jim Smith and ACC Theater Director Tony Piazza rebuilt window sashes and rotted areas around the window sills. Piazza, along with theater assistant Cliff Harris, were in charge of organizing the painting project. Paint was provided by building owner Roberta Johnson. CITF provided funding for the window work. ACC students who assisted were Emmaline Durand, Sarah Price, Elvira Avdeyeva, Hannah Horton, Jordan Fountain and Nick Thomsen (a recent ACC graduate).
ACC Theater Director Tony Piazza, on the ladder, paints the front of the building at 115 W. Madison. Piazza, CITF members and ACC theater students worked to refurbish and beautify the building’s front. COURTESY OF DONNA HOUSER
“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.”
— Matsuo Basho, Japanese Poet 75 Cents
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