Basketball: Iola sinks Vikings’ ship
Inside: Community garden may sprout in Gas See A2
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THE IOLA REGISTER Wednesday, January 15, 2014
ANNEXATION HALTED
COUNTY
Iola gets its wish
Inclusion of Country Estates meets strong opposition, falls through
Revitalization plan gets county support By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
nexation, followed by public comments — which took up the majority of the meeting’s time. Several residents of the 54 households came forward to voice strong opinions. Don Erbert said he surveyed residents at 34 of the homes in Country Estates, and the majority said they would rather not be annexed. “Twenty-six homes don’t want to come into the city,” said Erbert, who later walked out mid-meeting. “At least listen to us. It doesn’t sound like there’s any benefit for us to come in. You’ve lost their trust that you’re even listening to us.” Of the numerous public comments, resident Duane McGraw was the sole speaker who was in favor of the annexation. He wants to see more regulation of the area’s sewer district.
County Counselor Alan Weber’s assessment that it was perfectly legal for Iola to include all of the city in its Neighborhood Revitalization Program zone was good enough for Tom Williams. Williams, noting that “the city voted to do it and it’s legal,” moved to give Allen County’s support to open all of Iola, save land owned by governmental bodies, to tax abatements. The abatements will be in force at 95 percent for six years, with tax bills restored to 100 percent at 20 percent a year starting in the seventh year. Jim Talkington’s vote passed the motion. Dick Works said the “issue of fairness” prevented him from making it unanimous. Iola and the county have been at odds on the city’s expansion of the NRP zone for several weeks. USD 257 members joined in on a
See ANNEXATION | Page A6
See NRP | Page A5
Above is a map of the Country Estates subdivision north of Iola. At left is a ground level view of the marked area on the map. The annexation was voted down during a special city council meeting Tuesday evening, following strong public comments in opposition to the ordinance. REGISTER/STEVEN SCHWARTZ
By STEVEN SCHWARTZ The Iola Register
There were plenty of open seats during Tuesday evening’s special city council meeting, but those there had a lot to say about the annexation of Country Estates. Iola City Council members met at the Bass Community Building to discuss the annexation of the subdivision, located north of Iola. Ultimately, the annexation did not pass with Mayor Joel Wicoff casting the deciding vote against a split decision among council members. Council members Steve French, Sandy Zornes, Jon Wells and Beverly Franklin voted for the annexation; Nancy Ford, Don Becker, Gene Myrick and Bob Shaughnessy voted against. The meeting opened with a full explanation of the an-
Iolans have ties to school shooting By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
A cousin of Iolan Kristi Tavarez was critically wounded Tuesday in a school shooting in Roswell, N.M. Nathan Tavarez, 11, was one of two victims shot while at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell, N.M., just before classes began Tuesday morning. Both students were flown by helicopter to the University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas. He suffered gunshot wounds to his face and torso. The other victim is Kendal Sanders, 13, who was shot in the chest. Both are seventh-graders. Kristi, who works at All About U hair salon, said her cousin was shot twice with a shotgun by a 12-year-old, who was arrested immediately after the incident. The two students were among dozens gathered in a gym before the beginning of school. The attacker brought the shotgun to school in a band instrument case, according to press reports. Kristi Tavarez said her cousin went into surgery once he arrived at the Lubbock hospital. “He got out of surgery
Olivia Lee about 4 o’clock,” Kristi said late Tuesday afternoon, but then was taken back to surgery during the night. “I’m about two hours from Lubbock right now,” she told the Register at 8 a.m. today. “I haven’t been able to talk to them (family) for a while. I’ve been driving all night.” The boy is is being treated in the hospital’s intensive care unit. A goal of doctors is to prevent swelling from multiple wounds, Kristi said. ANOTHER student at Berrendo with Iola ties is Olivia Lee, daughter of Sean and Brenda Lee. She is the granddaughter of Iolans Bob and See SHOOTING | Page A5
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 55
Getting a big head Iola High’s raucous cheering section sported giant cardboard cutout heads of several Mustang players and others who roam the halls at IHS. The fans had plenty to cheer about as both the Mustangs and Fillies defeated visiting Central Heights. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Decision put off on county newspaper By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
“It’s the Union’s turn,” said Cliff Ralston, as he encouraged Allen County commissioners to make the Humboldt Union the county’s official newspaper for 2014. Two years ago the Union won the right to publish county legal publications, on the rationale the contract should
alternate between the Union and the Iola Register. The decision was then made by commissioners Dick Works and Rob Francis, with Gary McIntosh opposed. Last year, with commissioners Tom Williams and Jim Talkington on board in place of Francis and McIntosh, the Register was selected. A decision was put off when Works, after listening
“Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children.”
— Sam Levenson, American humorist 75 Cents
to a presentation by Register Publisher Susan Lynn, said he wanted to digest numbers that she unveiled. Lynn, in summation, said she thought commissioners should “consider the value you get for tax dollars” spent, and that commissioners should want legal publications to be seen by as many people as possible. “I think that would be an See NEWSPAPER | Page A5
Hi: 44 Lo: 33 Iola, KS