Football: Broncos, Seahawks are Super Bowl bids
Inside: Car club edges MOMs closer to playground goal
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THE IOLA REGISTER Monday, January 20, 2014
STATE
Kansas schools in national spotlight
A BIRD’S EYE VIEW
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The bitter legal battle in Kansas over education spending is garnering national attention, thanks to the defiant tone struck by conservative Republican leaders as they wait for a state Supreme Court ruling on whether public schools are entitled to additional tax dollars. Top Republicans in the GOP-dominated Legislature contend the Supreme Court doesn’t have the authority under the state constitution to tell lawmakers how much to spend on schools. Republican Gov. Sam Brownback is with them, pointedly calling out the Supreme Court in his State of the State speech last week with five of the seven justices present. With their public statements, Brownback An AP and GOP legislative news leaders suggest they’re analysis prepared to ignore a Supreme Court decision that mandates a massive increase in spending, as a lower court did last year. GOP conservatives were similarly defiant in the last round of school funding litigation, but they now have enough political clout to block compliance, and some have suggested going further, taking steps to rein in the courts. The tone worries educators, teachers and some parents. It’s one thing for governors and legislators who aspire to slash taxes and shrink government to criticize or delay a court ruling but another for them to refuse to comply altogether or to attempt to reduce the courts’ power. “That kind of thing could snowball around the country,” said David Sciarra, executive director of the Newark, N.J.-based Education Law Center, which filed a brief in the Kansas case. “People are really watching Kansas to see how the governor and Legislature respond.” Parents of more than 30 students and the Hutchinson, Wichita, Dodge City and Kansas City school districts sued the state in 2010, arguing that it was not living up to its obligations under the state constitution. In the last round of litigation, ending in 2006, the Supreme Court
John Hanna
Bald eagles make pit stop in Allen County Local photographer Mike Myer snapped these photos of bald eagles soaring near the Neosho River in Iola Saturday morning. He reported there were at least seven eagles in the area. REGISTER/
MIKE MYER.
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Presidio Brass coming Thursday The Bowlus Fine Arts Center will host Presidio Brass at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The Southern California brass ensemble will perform selections from their latest album, “Sounds of Cinema,” that features music from Hollywood’s greatest hits. The musical group formed in 2006 and combines a brass quintet, piano and percussion instruments. Presidio Brass has performed throughout China, in more than 40 states in the United States, conducted master classes at many
Roger Young stands in front of what will be the new location for the Colony Diner, which was destroyed in a fire in early December. REGISTER/STEVEN SCHWARTZ
A happy ending after all Colony Diner being rebuilt after December blaze By STEVEN SCHWARTZ The Iola Register
COLONY — A lot has changed for Roger Young over the past few months, proving that sometimes the best things come from the grimmest circumstances. On Dec. 4, Young woke up to
sirens to find that the Colony Diner — which he is now the full owner — was completely engulfed in flames. It destroyed the diner, along with its neighbor Colony Foods. On Thursday morning, just over a month after the blaze, Young sat in his truck, eyeing the foundation of what will be
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 58
the new and improved Colony Diner — a phoenix from the ashes story, so to speak. “It’s going to be all around better, bigger and more modern,” Young said. “Luckily with the bad, some good has come out of it.” Gary and LaNell Knoll were co-owners of the diner with Young, but decided to bow out after the fire. Young purchased their portion of the See DINER | Page A4
Presidio Brass will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
“It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it.” — Lillian Hellman, American author 75 Cents
of America’s finest colleges and universities, and has been featured on National Public Radio. The Bowlus performance will be the first trip to Kansas for the group. The group came together to promote music education. On Thursday they will work with band students from Iola, Humboldt and Moran in a music clinic. Advance tickets for the Presidio Brass performance are $23 and $25 the day of the performance. Doors will open at 7 p.m. To order tickets call 620-3654765.
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