Sports: ACC splits
SPRING AHEAD Daylight Saving
See B1
Time begins Sunday
The Weekender Saturday, March 12, 2016
Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Iola KDOT County counselor battles breast cancer may lose Weber thankful for colleagues’ area office support, prayers By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
As many as 11 Kansas Department of Transportation employees may be affected if a decision is made to close KDOT’s area office in Iola. Wayne Gudmonson, District 4 engineer, which encompasses Allen County, said no decision has been made, but it has been strongly considered. The area office is responsible for such things as coordinating road construction projects in southeast Kansas. Iola’s KDOT maintenance See KDOT | Page A5
By RICK DANLEY The Iola Register
A
lan Weber moved to Iola from Lincoln, Neb., in 1967, when he was 14. His parents owned the motel on North State Street. As a teen, Weber worked at the motel, cleaning the pool, attending to the laundry, gathering up the great tangled hunks of sheets and towels. After high school, he enrolled at Allen County Community College, one of the first classes to gather at the new campus. He then went on to Kansas University. From there, to KU Law.
Alan Weber In 1977, Weber returned to Allen County, to Humboldt this time, where he entered into practice with John White, a former district court judge. Within a couple of years, he was practicing on his own. He fell in love with a woman he met in court one day, a fellow attorney named
Nanette Kemmerly. In time, they married and, eventually, the pair had a child, a daughter, Katie. In 1998, Nanette was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. By the time of her first treatment, the disease had already found her brain. Doctors removed the tumor in
her brain and removed a part of her lung and she lived for another eight years. “Seven of those were good,” remembers Weber, “the last one, not so much.” She served Allen County as its attorney for two decades. Weber remained in private practice in Humboldt for 15 years, after which he was invited to become the county counselor for Allen County, first on a retainer basis and full time starting in 2005. A few years ago, sensing that his narrow frame was carrying too much flesh, Weber started walking during his lunch hour. Inside the two-story courthouse, he would make a circuit. Up the steps, down the hall; down the steps, down the hall; up the steps ... On nice days, weatherSee WEBER | Page A6
How does your garden grow? By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Tracy Keagle
Bringing the community together By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Tracy Keagle doesn’t see challenges, she sees opportunities. Most recently she has picked up a torch that often has been in her grasp. She wants to help people, with the magnitude being much better defined than it would seem on the surface. Feeding people is a first
step, of which she already has made definite plans, but it goes much further. Ultimately Keagle would like to break down barriers that exist here — and most everywhere else — because of financial, social, racial and religious divides. Feeding first, though. With no one apparently well-equipped to manage the garden across Jackson Avenue from Allen County’s Law Enforcement Center, Keagle
Froggatte joins race for Allen Co. sheriff By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Jared Froggatte, an Iola Police Department detective, filed for the Republican nomination for Allen County sheriff this week. Froggatte, rural Iola, handed County Clerk Sherrie Riebel petitions containing 275 names, about 200 of which were of registered Republicans, 80 more than needed to make him a candidate. Encouragement from others, often from frustrations with current Sheriff
Bryan Murphy and his department, led him to file, Froggatte said. “I’d heard frustrations about narcotics (illegal drugs) Jared and lack of Froggatte cooperation with police departments,” he said. “I think the department could be better. “We’ve had people who are unsatisfied and who
has been given her head to cultivate the many mini gardens that for several years have provided fresh produce for inmates. This year what grows there will benefit clients of Hope Unlimited that among other things gives assistance to abused children and adults. Some will be enlisted to assist and learn gardening techniques. See HELPING | Page A3
Vol. 118, No. 94
See GARDEN | Page A5
Police chief: Nothing criminal in fatal house fire By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Investigators from state and federal agencies remained for more than a day at the scene of a house fire that resulted in the death of whom authorities believe was Iolan Charles Burton Thursday morning. There appears to be no criminal wrongdoing, Iola Police Chief Jared Warner said. The state fire marshal’s office has not yet released
See RACE | Page A6
Quote of the day
Enthusiasm and animation weren’t lost on Tracy Keagle Thursday evening when she gave her views on how best to plant and enjoy a garden. Five women and a single male were mesmerized, not only by what she said but also by the presentation, so entertaining and informative its 80 minutes flew by. Promise made was that if her recommendations were followed, hard work to prep a garden spot would pay dividends later when hot, dry weather arrived. The principal task then would be harvesting, while others toiled to keep weeds in check and their gardens moist enough for plants to grow. It’s no mystery, she said, and chuckled about experiences past when veteran gardeners watched her pre-
pare a garden space and shook their heads incredulously. Keagle’s secret? Preparing a deep and mellow bed for plants, one where their roots can course as far as they want without butting up against hardened soil. Traditionally gardens are laid out in rows, usually about a foot wide with two feet between to give room for tilling. Potatoes, tomatoes and all other garden favorites are planted literally straight as a string and gardeners meander between the rows, cultivating, pulling weeds and plucking or poisoning insects that mean to dine wantonly. Keagle’s approach might be described as haphazard. She describes it “as curvy and beautiful.” The plan: She designs her garden — it can be small as
See FIRE | Page A6
“It takes a long time to become young.” — Pablo Picasso 75 Cents
Training for the unthinkable A team of Iola police officers enter the front doors at Marmaton Valley High School in Moran Friday as part of a training exercise re-enacting a mass shooter. Further details of the event are on Page A3. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Hi: 68 Lo: 50 Iola, KS