The Iola Register, July 12, 2023

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Iola City Council members offered up more questions than answers when approached Monday about a joint recycling venture with Allen County.

The Council visited Monday with Janie Works of Allen County Recycling, a small group of volunteers that collects from businesses in the area, and oversees a depository in the old Thompson Poultry plant on the east edge of town. Works requested, at the behest of Allen County commissioners, that Iola and Allen County join forces to provide a part-time employee to oversee cardboard collections for a 90day trial period.

While Council members were largely supportive of recycling in general, they were hesitant to sign on to the request.

Councilwoman Joelle Shallah asked if the recycling group had considered other options, such as utilizing low-risk Allen County Jail inmates to haul totes filled with cardboard boxes to the recycling center, or if Allen County Recycling has applied for grants to fund staffers.

If a city employee is used, would city equipment also

See RECYCLING | Page A2

Recycling training session on tap

Folks wanting to learn more about recycling efforts in Allen County are invited to any of three training sessions next week at the recycling depot at the old Thompson Poultry plant building at the east edge of Iola.

Allen County Recycling representatives will be at the depository from 6 to 8 p.m. July 17-19.

“It’s for anyone who is interested in learning about being able to sort things better at home, or if they’d like to come up and volunteer at the recycling center,” said Dan Davis, one of of the volunteers behind the program.

The recycling center takes in cardboard, three different types of paper products — office paper,

newspapers and magazines — as well as glass, plastic and aluminum or tin cans.

“The training is mainly to learn more about recycling and what we are trying to do,” Davis said, “and let people take a look at the facility. I’m hoping to convince more people that what we’ve got is much better than nothing.”

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Iola’s 2024 budget will likely require a small increase in property taxes and 4h collection fees, City Council members said Monday.

Another spirited debate at Monday’s meeting led to a poll at the conclusion of the meeting to determine what avenue Council members favored to generate about $290,000, necessary to bring the city’s general fund into balance.

The Council was given three options.

The first, favored by Iola City Administrator Matt Rehder, would eschew any kind of solid waste fee increase, and instead hike property taxes by about 5 mills.

Rehder’s contention was that the property tax obligations would be less for a majority of property owners than it would to pay more for trash collection services.

To wit, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay roughly $57.50 more per year

See BUDGET | Page A2

Program helps vets readjust to civilian life

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

A training session for veterans or their families struggling to readjust to life once their military service is complete is set for 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday at the Iola Community Theatre Warehouse, 203 S. Jefferson Ave. Josiah D’Albini, an Iola City Council member and an

event organizer, noted military veterans often have trouble getting reacclimated to civilian life because of how military life is structured.

“This training will help them through that transition,” he said.

D’Albini is the student activities director at Allen Community College.

Officially dubbed Community Green Zone Advocacy,

the training also is pertinent to family members or others who may have even passing dealings with veterans, D’Albini said.

“You don’t have to be connected to a veteran to get a benefit from this,” he said.

“We’re hoping people in the health care community, civic organizations and local gov-

See VETERANS | Page A4

NATO chief: No timeline for Ukraine

Humboldt native Max Rickerson speaks Monday to Humboldt City Council members. Rickerson is funding construction of a museum to display animal trophies he has accumulated. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN

Humboldt tweaks parking ordinance

By SUSAN LYNN

The Iola

Register

HUMBOLDT — The ordinance to restrict semi-trailers from parking along city streets has been on the books for decades, Humboldt Council members learned Monday night, but never enforced.

That willingness to turn a blind eye caught up with them when “just one guy,” turned into several parking their rigs in front of people’s homes, causing a problem

for fellow residents.

Last month, Council members ordered City Attorney Fred Works to draft an ordinance banning the parking of large vehicles along city streets.

On Monday, the majority approved Works’s tweaks to the current ordinance, which now includes recreational vehicles.

Only Council member Jeff Bowman was opposed. Bowman was sympathet-

See HUMBOLDT | Page A4

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP)

— NATO leaders agreed Tuesday to allow Ukraine to join “when allies agree and conditions are met,” the head of the military alliance said, hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskky blasted the organization’s failure to set a timetable for his country as “absurd.”

“We reaffirmed Ukraine will become a member of NATO and agreed to remove the requirement for a membership action plan,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters, referring to a key step in joining the alliance.

“This will change Ukraine’s membership path from a two-step path to a one-step path,” he said.

Although many NATO members have funneled arms and ammunition to Zelenskky’s forces, there is

no consensus among the 31 allies for admitting Ukraine into NATO’s ranks. Instead, the alliance leaders decid-

ed to remove obstacles on Ukraine’s membership path so that it can join more

See NATO | Page A4

Large bales of cardboard sit at the Allen County Recycling depot at the old Thompson Poultry plant in east Iola. Allen County Recycling volunteers will host a training session for those wishing to learn more about the cause next week. REGISTER/TIM STAUFFER

From left, President Joe Biden, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda attend the first work session as part of the NATO summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday as the countries discuss adding Ukraine into the alliance. POOL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES/JACQUES WITT/TNS

Budget: Property tax, trash fee hikes part of compromise

Continued from A1

roughly $57.50 more per year in property taxes with a 5-mill increase, Rehder said, vs. the $72 a person would pay if his trash fees were hiked $6 a month.

Carl Slaugh took the opposite tack, saying Iola’s lower tax levy makes the city more attractive for potential developers.

He suggested the city make reductions in other areas of the budget, avoid any kind of tax hike, and increase trash fees $3 a month.

However, Councilman Nickolas Kinder said that strategy is akin to “kicking the can down the road” and leaving some depart-

Iola City Council member Carl Slaugh discusses the city’s 2024 spending plan at Monday’s meeting. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

ments short of funds to put aside for such things as new equipment. Slaugh also questioned the city’s re-

liance even more for 2024 on transfers from the city’s electric reserves into the general fund — which has traditionally been done in an effort to keep property taxes low — while avoiding any kind of transfers from the water fund.

The water fund transfer isn’t possible in 2024, Rehder replied, because of the city’s annual bond payment for the water treatment plant, about $600,000, plus other unforeseen costs to the Oak Street water tower, which underwent a full-scale renovation recently. The consensus among the Council members — Slaugh was

the only dissenter — amounted to a compromise: a $3 a month solid waste increase and a 2.5-mill property tax increase.

Rehder will put those figures together and bring them back to the Council at their July 24 meeting to schedule a public hearing in August for community members to get an opportunity to share their thoughts or concerns.

IN OTHER news, Council members approved a bid from Environmental & Process Systems, Lenexa, to replace a sewer lift station pump at Iola’s Riverside Park. The bid of $89,770 was the lowest of four

received.

The Council also accepted a bid from Ray’s Metal Depot of LaHarpe — the only company to submit an offer — to demolish condemned homes at 224 N. State St., 406 E. Lincoln St., 505 S. Fourth St. and 617 S. Fourth St., for a combined price of $11,150.

A fifth home subject for demolition, at 407 S. Elm St., was taken off the list because the owners recently removed the structure, Code Enforcement Officer Gregg Hutton said.

THE COUNCIL ALSO: — Reappointed Barbara Leavitt to the Iola Public Housing Authority Board, because her

term was due to expire this month.

— Approved a request from the Allen County Fair Board to serve cereal malt beverages at the Allen County Fair Rodeo July 28-30 at Riverside Park.

— Waived rental fees for the Allen County Animal Rescue Foundation Second Chance Store to host a craft show fundraiser at the John Silas Bass North Community Building Nov. 4. — Was reminded the Council’s 6 p.m. July 24 meeting will be at the Bass North Community Building, 505 N. Buckeye St. because of the ongoing Allen County Fair that week at the park.

Recycling: Iola Council members question project

Continued from A1

be necessary, Mayor Steve French wondered. “It’s not like we have spare trucks lying around,” he said.

Likewise, Councilwoman Kim Peterson asked if the recycling group had approached the businesses who benefit from the cardboard recycling to see if they’d be willing to pay a monthly stipend for the service.

“I’d love to see Allen County take the initiative and have the city follow in the path behind them,” Shallah concluded, while noting other cities like Humboldt, LaHarpe

and Moran should also be approached to help.

Works, in response to the questions, noted that Allen County Recycling had applied for some grants, and called the request for inmates “a great idea,” noting it had been discussed previously. She also noted the cardboard can be sold when prices are up, say $175 a ton.

But as has been the case recently, cardboard fetches only a fraction of that amount today, to the point that any sales go right back into a fund for equipment maintenance. So for the most part, the group allows the cardboard and other mate-

rials to accumulate before they’re transported when prices are up.

City Administrator Matt Rehder said any city participation would need to be “thoroughly studied” before any commitment is offered.

There are other barriers to consider as well, Councilman Nickolas Kinder offered. For one, the city does not offer trash service to commercial businesses, yet the bulk of the cardboard would almost certainly come from businesses.

And while the recycling venture is popular for businesses now, their participation will likely drop if it were to come at a cost, he added.

Finally, French noted having Iola funds directed to recycling could be considered unfair because the county operates the landfill as a moneymaker by charging out-of-county users a fee.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” French said. “We get to use the landfill for free. But we’re taking in

a lot of trash from outside counties. It benefits the county to keep those trucks loaded down, because it pays more when it gets here. We’re being asked to keep the hole bigger so more can keep coming in and paying.

“Do we need to recycle?” French continued.

“Absolutely, but Iola would be punished in a way. My comment, my perception, is that (recycling) needs to be at the county level at the landfill level.”

Only one Council member, Nich Lohman, offered support for Works’ request. He said a community’s perception can be shaped if it offers recycling. “Spending a minute amount of money is worth looking into,” he said. “I think the county should be a leader, but we should play a part, too, and have some skin in the game. As the largest community in the county, we’re also a leader as well.”

ALLEN COUNTY Re-

cycling picked up the baton for countywide recycling after the Iola Rotary Club ended its efforts in 2022.

Since then, the recycling group has collected nearly 400 tons of cardboard, enough to fill a semi trailer each month.

The group also collects office paper, magazines and newspaper, glass and assorted plastics.

The glass is kept in three industrial-sized dumpsters, which are taken to Kansas City

Obituaries

Craig Michael

when full. Currently, two of the three are full.

The group also collects aluminum and tin cans, which are stored at Strickler’s Dairy. Someone takes the aluminum to Ray’s Metal Depot and donates proceeds to local schools.

Yet the group’s success has led to increased demand, much more than the small cadre of volunteers can handle, thus leading to the requests for assistance from the Allen County and Iola governing bodies.

Craig Lee Michael, 68, Iola, died Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at his residence.

Craig was born Sept. 7, 1954, in Iola, to Charles Dean Michael and Marian M. (Hurlock) Michael.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Scott Michael.

Craig is survived by sons, Ryan Michael, Iola, Aaron Michael, Snyder, Texas, and six grandchildren.

No services are planned.

Memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes Association, and may be left with Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 U.S. 54, Iola. Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.

Smoot services

Funeral services for Doug Smoot, whose death was reported in Tuesday’s Register, have been moved to 10 a.m. Saturday at Yates Center High School. Burial will follow at Buffalo Cemetery.

Collectibles show on tap

Coin, stamp and sports memorabilia

collectors can feast to their hearts’ content Saturday at the 38th annual summer coin, stamp, postcard, sports memorabilia and collectibles show at the Carthage, Mo., Memorial Hall, 407 S. Garrison.

The Barton-Jasper

County Collectors Association is sponsoring the daylong event, beginning at 9 a.m. Doors close at 5 p.m.

Dealers from Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma will staff 48 tables.

Admission is free.

For more information call Brad Potter at 417-682-4500.

Lake Superior region could be a nickel gold mine

6% and 5%, respectively.

By RILEY BEGGIN The Detroit News/TNS

WASHINGTON — The Lake Superior region could be home to as much nickel as Russia or Canada, some of the largest nickel producers in the world, according to estimates by the United States Geological Survey.

A mining company and federally funded researchers are now trying to determine whether Michigan could be a global mineral hub as part of separate hunts for undiscovered deposits that could help meet rising demand in the United States for battery-powered electric vehicles.

Talon Metals Corp. is citing USGS’ estimates — which indicate potential for undiscovered nickel in northeast Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the western Upper Peninsula — as it prepares to launch its exploration of 400,000 acres of the western U.P., and as it seeks exclusive rights to explore stateowned land in Baraga, Houghton, Iron, Ontonagon and Marquette counties. The company also is working to launch a nickel mine in northern Minnesota that would supply nickel for Tesla Inc. for the next six years. If the USGS estimates are accurate, the discovery could lead to renewed interest in mining in the Upper Peninsula’s historic mining regions — and spark debates about environmental safety and tribal sovereignty as communities weigh interests in furthering a clean economy with concerns over potential contamination.

The projects also come as the U.S. auto industry prepares to capitalize on new electric vehicle incentives passed through the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes big subsidies for companies that source minerals from within the United States and with allies.

“Seventy years ago, ‘critical minerals’ wasn’t in anybody’s vocabulary,” said John Yellich, director of the Michigan Geological Survey housed at Western Michigan University. “We need to understand our battery resources — that’s one of the critical things, particularly for the automotive industry … and we’re looking for any other critical minerals that can be used for other things (to combat) climate change.”

Nickel mining comes with environmental risks due to potential acid leaching from exposed ore, even as mining practices and oversight have improved since the U.P.’s mining heyday. But as international experts demand major near-term changes to prevent the most disastrous effects of climate change, environmental advocates are weighing their concerns.

— Anne Woiwode, Michigan Sierra Club

“There’s a critical need” to ensure sensitive wilderness areas and the Great Lakes aren’t harmed by any future mining there, said Michigan Sierra Club Chapter chair Anne Woiwode. But she added that there is “no question” the country needs to move away from gas-powered cars, trucks and SUVs.

“One of the big questions to be faced is: How do we achieve the clean energy goals without destroying the environment?”

Mid-Continental rift

The Michigan Geological Survey also is searching portions of the U.P. as part of the first nationwide minerals mapping project USGS has undertaken in around 70 years.

Researchers are open to the possibility that nickel and other crucial battery minerals such as lithium, graphite and manganese may also be present in the Upper Peninsula.

Both projects are spurred on by the growing need for minerals to power the country’s transition to electric vehicles and ongoing concerns about reliance on supply chains controlled by China, home to top battery makers and the largest EV market in the world.

Indonesia supplied 42% of the world’s nickel in 2022, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, though much of that is tangled up in Chinese investment and refined using environmentally risky technology. China produced 16%, while Canada and Russia supplied

the rights to explore for nickel deposits on 400,000 acres of land that was once owned by Ford Motor Co. Now, Talon is seeking rights from the state to explore an additional 23,288 acres with a public comment period closing at the end of the month.

There’s already an indicator that there’s nickel in the Upper Peninsula: It is home to the nation’s only nickel mine, Eagle, which is expected to close around 2026. Bitterroot Resources Ltd., another mining company, said it has also found more nickel nearby. But Talon believes there’s likely even more, based in part on a USGS report from 1997 that showed similarities between the geology around Lake Superior and that found in major nickel-producing regions in Canada and Russia.

“Now they’ve doubled down and said there’s more to discover,” Goldner said. USGS researchers released a second analysis in 2016 that says there are likely five undiscovered deposits remaining in Michigan’s U.P. and two more in Minnesota.

Talon’s exploration team is also led by an expert with a track record: The company’s lead geologist, Dean Rossell, discovered both the Eagle deposit in Michigan and the Tamarack deposit in Minnesota, the only other known highgrade nickel deposits in the country.

“He’s explored for nickel all around the world,” said Talon’s Chief External Affairs Officer Todd Malan. “But his lifelong conviction is that this Mid-Continental rift area — and the U.S. Geological Survey agrees with him — has a lot more nickel to provide.”

ium in the state — all used to build EV batteries — in addition to other critical minerals. Cobalt would likely be produced as a byproduct of nickel mining, said William Cannon, a Scientist Emeritus with USGS specializing in the Upper Peninsula. Lithium “might be kind of a longshot, but it’s a possibility.”

The federal government hasn’t done significant mapping in the Upper Peninsula for 70 years, Yellich said. At that time, researchers largely mapped creek bottoms, the only exposed rock that allowed sampling. New technology allows for exploration in other areas that will help gather “as much scientifically accurate information as possible,” he said.

China produces most of the critical minerals for the rest of the world. There’s always a potential they could shut off our supplies. If they did that tomorrow, we’d be dead meat.

— John Yellich, Michigan Geological Survey

or other minerals are found in Michigan, it would take years for Talon or another mining company to break ground.

Around 1.1 billion years ago, North America was splitting apart. A tear started in present-day Kansas, ran up across the Upper Peninsula and down to southeast Michigan, spewing lava and dragging up nickel from the center of the earth.

Over time, layers of sediment settled over the tear and likely left mineral deposits running through the region.

“What we’re exploring is essentially the plumbing system of an ancient volcano,” said Brian Goldner, chief exploration and operating officer at Talon Metals.

Rio Tinto discovered a nickel deposit near Tamarack, Minnesota, around 20 years ago. Talon, a joint venture with Rio Tinto, has now proposed a mine in the area and is seeking permits from the state to set up shop producing nickel and copper. It plans to expand its search into Michigan in the fall, where it believes there’s more of the valuable metal to be found.

Last year, it acquired

Right now, nickel is primarily used to produce stainless steel. There is more supply than demand globally, said Caspar Rawles, Chief Data Officer at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, which is expected to last until 2025. But from 2026 on, there will be a global undersupply of nickel driven by growing demand from the battery supply chain.

This year, Benchmark estimates nickel demand from batteries alone will be around 560,000 tons. By 2030, that is expected to grow to 1.8 million tons.

Going beyond nickel

Meanwhile, the Michigan Geological Survey is undertaking a mapping project of its own in the Upper Peninsula.

Using funding from USGS, Michigan Geological Survey researchers and geologists at Michigan Tech University are conducting aerial mapping over 200 square miles of the western U.P. They’re looking for differences in the earth’s surface that may indicate mineral content — something Yellich called a “geophysical signature.” When they identify a spot, they take a core sample of the rock and send it to USGS to analyze its contents.

USGS says there may be graphite, manganese, cobalt and lith-

Their project began in 2019 but was derailed for nearly two years due to the pandemic. It’s funded through 2026 as part of USGS’ Earth MRI program, a nationwide research project that officials hope will rival government-funded research in countries like Australia and Canada that has enabled businesses to invest in critical mineral production there.

Yellich’s team is also asking for $304,000 more from USGS to look at areas containing old mine waste for potential critical minerals, which cover a wide swath of the western U.P.

They plan to find the waste dumps using LiDAR and study their contents — which could include critical minerals already sitting on the top of the ground, Yellich said, including battery minerals graphite and manganese.

And they’re knocking on the doors of retired geologists and mining engineers to dig up old data from the 1990s and ‘80s on historical mine dumps that may have been lost when the government shut down the U.S. Bureau of Mines, a federal agency that researched mining and processing minerals from 1910 to 1996.

For Yellich, the work also has a national security imperative: “China produces most of the critical minerals for the rest of the world. There’s always a potential they could shut off our supplies. If they did that tomorrow, we’d be dead meat.”

What’s next

If mineable nickel

Proposed mines go through extensive environmental reviews at the state and federal level, undergo a public comment period, and often face legal battles. On average, it takes seven to 10 years to permit a mine in the United States. Eagle Mine, between Marquette and L’Anse in the Upper Peninsula, took nine years from applying for permits to mining ore.

That was in part due to environmental concerns over acid mine drainage: Rock containing certain minerals (most commonly

copper, nickel, lead, cobalt, silver, iron and zinc) can pose hazards to local waterways and human health when extracted because it has sulfides that leach acid once exposed to the air. This type of mining can also release heavy metals into the environment, such as lead and mercury, which can hurt human health.

Mining experts say advanced practices and regulations have made modern mining safer, but many remain wary. Talon has faced opposition from tribes and environmental groups in Minnesota as it seeks permits to mine at Tamarack and send ore to a processing facility in

See NICKEL | Page A4

WEEKLY BREAD Schedule

One of the big questions to be faced is: How do we achieve the clean energy goals without destroying the environment?

The mineral is essential to the development of electric vehicles.

The planned Tamarack mine in Aitkin County would produce nickel as its primary metal, making it a rarity in the U.S. The project is a joint venture of global mining giant Rio Tinto and Canadian junior mining company Talon Metals. (MIKE HUGHLETT/MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE/TNS)

Flooding woes in Vermont

ANDOVER, Vt. (AP) —

A storm that dumped up to two months of rain in two days in Vermont and other parts of the Northeast brought more flooding Tuesday to communities marooned by water, including the state capital, where officials kept watch on a dam just upstream. The flooding has already caused tens of millions of dollars in damage, officials said, with more to come: If water pours over the dam on the Winooski River that flows through Montpelier, it could surge through downtown blocks where the floods were already waist-high.

NATO: No Ukraine timeline

Continued from A1

quickly once the war with Russia is over.

Zelenskyy pushed back sharply against the decision.

to ensure that his country wins the war, because “unless Ukraine prevails there is no membership to be discussed at all.”

City officials said Tuesday afternoon, however, they had not seen any significant changes in the water levels at the dam, but would continue to monitor it.

The sun was out Tuesday and more sunshine was expect-

ed Wednesday. But more rain was forecast Thursday and Friday.

“We are not out of the woods,” Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said.

“This is nowhere near over.” He tweeted that the roads around his house were impassable Tuesday.

“It’s unprecedented and absurd when a time frame is set neither for the invitation nor for Ukraine’s membership,” Zelenskyy tweeted as he headed to the summit. “While at the same time, vague wording about ‘conditions’ is added even for inviting Ukraine. It seems there is no readiness to invite Ukraine to NATO or to make it a member of the Alliance.”

Asked about Zelenskky’s concerns, Stoltenberg said that the most important thing now is

The broadside from Zelenskyy could renew tensions at the summit shortly after it saw a

burst of goodwill after Turkey agreed to advance Sweden’s bid to join NATO. Allies hope to resolve the seesawing negotiations and create a clear path forward for the alliance and its support for Ukraine.

Veterans: Help

Continued from A1

ernments will be a part of it.”

The goal is to create a local network of resources to ease the transition, he said.

Attendance is free of charge, and lunch will be provided.

The Iola session will be the fifth in the region.

If response is favorable, the program will be expanded to the rest of the state. For more information, contact D’Albini at (620) 901-6271.

Humboldt: Council keeps property taxes level for 2024

Continued from A1

ic to the drivers’ plight.

“Not that I would like their vehicles parked in front of my house,” he said. “But we’re doing nothing to help them find a place to park.”

“I feel like we’re saying, ‘figure it out on your own.’”

The ordinance becomes effective Aug. 1

COUNCIL members voted to renew the city’s 93.746 mill levy rate on property for fis-

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cal year 2024. Because the city’s recently assessed property valuations have increased from $11.5 million to $13.1 million over the past year, the difference will mean an additional $150,000 to city coffers.

Of the increased valuation, $335,753 was due to either new construction or renovations on existing properties.

MAX RICKERSON introduced himself to Council members.

A native of Humboldt who has returned home, Rickerson said “I’d like to give back,” in the form of a museum to showcase his animal trophies accumulated over a lifetime of hunting.

Rickerson is building a facility in downtown Humboldt to showcase his collection. “I’ve hunted all over the

world,” Rickerson said, including Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, as well as throughout the United States.

Rickerson said the “fruits of my work” as a Sonic Drive-in franchisee over the last 50 years has afforded him the ability to be generous.

The facility will also be used to teach animal

conservation, he said.

TRACEY COOK, manager of Pete’s convenience stores in Humboldt, and Roberta Vink, deli manager for the store on South 9th Street, apprised Council members of the company’s fundraising efforts for CASA, Court Appointed Special Ad-

vocates, who help represent foster children in legal situations. The corporation raised over $72,000 for CASA last year, Cook said, with Humboldt’s store on South 9th as the state’s top fundraiser, raising $5,600, and third among the company’s 56 stores across Oklahoma, Missouri

and Kansas. Council members approved the duo’s request for a Sept. 9 fundraiser that will include a car show, activities for children and food booths on the downtown square.

IN OTHER news:

∙ Council members approved A Bolder Humboldt’s annual Water Wars for Saturday, Aug. 12. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

∙ The Middle of Everywhere music festival at Camp Hunter on Sept. 1-4, also organized by A Bolder Humboldt, was approved. ∙ Council members renewed the contract for a school resource officer for Humboldt public schools, including a 2 percent raise. The city and Humboldt school district split the cost of the officer’s pay and benefits.

Nickel: Pros, cons of mining

Continued from A3

North Dakota, aided by a $114 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

“There’s a great momentum coming out of the Biden administration and the state of Minnesota to push for electrification of the nation and to transition away from petrol fuels,” said Kelly Applegate, commissioner of natural resources for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, which leads the “Water Over Nickel” opposition campaign.

But he said the tribe fears it will impact nearby resources like medicinal plants, fish and animals: “That’s

part of our culture and our identity of who we are, and they all depend upon the clean water that’s in the area now.”

Talon says any highgrade nickel deposit found in Michigan would be mined in a similar underground mine as Eagle, and that tailings — mine waste that can pose an environmental threat when not properly disposed of — would be handled using the latest technology and meet or exceed any state and federal requirements.

The company also has said it is committed to “proactive transparency” with tribal

communities on any of its U.S.-based projects and will “respect tribal government’s role and authority in protecting the environment.”

“Our goal is to demonstrate how we plan to protect the natural environment during exploration and seek tribal knowledge to ensure we protect areas of cultural importance,” said Malan, Talon’s chief external affairs officer, in a statement. “Our team is committed to protecting the environment and cultural resources while also discovering additional minerals that are required in the energy transition.”

Tracey Cook, left, and Roberta Vink, employees of Pete’s, discuss a Sept. 9 fundraiser for CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN

A flooded road on Monday in Chester, Vermont. GETTY IMAGES/SCOTT EISEN/TNS

Opinion

Post-Election Day ’24, the term ‘wokeness’ will be obsolete

A candidate for president of the United States recently said: “wokeness is a virus that is more dangerous than any pandemic.” Other politicians claimed that wokeness caused the collapse of more than one bank, with billions of dollars in assets.

Given the potential for such dire consequences, I asked a few Kansans at random if they were woke, and what woke meant to them.

Their responses included:

“I’m not sure exactly what woke means.”

“Woke is an attack on American family values.”

“Maybe, but I don’t know what a nonbinary person is.”

“I’m absolutely woke because I have respect for people of all races.”

“No. I don’t worry about being overly sensitive to the feelings of every person I encounter.”

Woke seems to have multiple definitions, but Kansas residents don’t seem to think that woke will give them a deadly virus or threaten the American banking system.

Readers will need to make up their minds about issues that fall within the range of wokeness. For example, is canceling speakers whose views we disagree with being woke? Both conservative and liberal speakers have been targeted, so where does that leave us? How about censorship of public figures on social media sites, whether Donald Trump or Nancy Pelosi?

Is it woke to say one should be blocked but not the other? Any point of view can be tagged as objectionable and thus wrong.

The biggest woke issue right now is gender. You can sort through multiple definitions; male, female, agender, bigender, cisgender, and gender fluid. We’ve seen debates over bathroom use and pronouns. On the other hand, the U.S. military has active-duty transgender soldiers who have fought in combat.

Next year is an election year. Wokeness has a lot of traction these days, and we’re likely to hear about the tedious issue for months to come. After election day in November 2024, I suspect that wokeness will disappear from the scene. In the meantime, when charlatans from all walks of life drone on about being woke, tune them out.

Wokeness will have little, if any, effect on the everyday

Mike Durall

For the Kansas Reflector

lives of Kansans. As amusing as it is to write about the absurdity of being woke, there is a dark side that citizens of all states cannot ignore. Weeks after Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized the Disney Corporation for being woke, protesters gathered outside Disney World in Orlando waving Nazi flags as families with children were entering the park.

In today’s America, it’s not out of the question to realize this could happen in other parts of the country. It could happen in Kansas.

Such zealots bring with them deeply held views that they are right. Not occasionally, but all the time. This view is common in many political and religious movements.

But that belief doesn’t just go in one direction. What goes unsaid about wokeness is mentioned in an article in the July 2023 issue of Harper’s, by Ian Buruma, titled “Doing the Work: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Wokeness.”

Buruma writes that wokeness in America has taken on religious and class connotations, and that adherents view themselves as The Elect.

“This has the right religious and class connotations. … Like pre-modern Christians, the Elect must either convert or punish those who have not seen the light,” he writes. Herein lies the danger of a theory run amok.

The original meaning of woke comes from a frightening reality described by African American Vernacular English. It meant being cognizant of racial prejudice, discrimination and especially potential violence.

The Black singer Lead Belly used the phrase in a 1938 song. He said:, “I advise everybody, be a little careful when they go along there. Best stay woke, keep your eyes open.”

About the author: Mike Durall is a freelance writer, the author of 10 books and a weekly columnist for the Salina 311 newspaper.

It’s time to mine the seabed

Burning fuel to move humans and goods by road produced about 6 billion tons of carbon dioxide in 2021, 16% of global energy-related emissions. If countries are to curb the increase in the world’s temperature, they must stop these emissions. That means building battery-powered vehicles which run on electricity rather than internal combustion. And that in turn means mining and processing metals on an unprecedented scale.

Take nickel, which is used in the part of a battery that stores energy. The International Energy Agency reckons 80 million tons of it must be mined between now and 2040 if the world is to hit its climate targets. That is more nickel than has ever been mined, and approaches the 100 million tons of global unmined reserves measured by the United States Geological Survey. It is a truism among resource economists that new demand creates new reserves, as price signals spur exploration and innovation. But that takes time, and the need is urgent. Happily, there exists a vast untapped source of the metal. A stretch of seabed in the Pacific Ocean, called the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), some 4,000 meters deep, holds a staggering 340 milion tons of nickel. The trouble is that the rules covering seabed mining, which the International Seabed Authority (ISA), an arm of the United Nations, has been working on for 29 years, have been held back by a weak bureaucracy and the questionable concerns of conservationists. On July

9, a deadline for finalizing them was missed, but the ISA did begin allowing companies to file permit applications for commercial deep seabed mining.

NICKEL SITS on the seabed in potato-sized lumps called nodules, bound up with cobalt, copper and manganese, which are also present in quantities more than sufficient to meet the needs of the green-energy transition. The nodules were created over millions of years as metal particles drifted down and clumped together on the sea floor. They can be vacuumed up using bus-sized robots, then pumped to a ship on the surface.

Conservationists say this process poses grave environmental risks. Carbon will be kicked out of the seabed and make its way into the atmosphere, they argue, generating more warming; life-choking sediment plumes will be created by the collection system and hitherto untouched CCZ ecosystems will be destroyed, disrupting food webs and damaging fisheries.

But on closer examination many of these arguments are spurious. When it comes to nickel, mining the CCZ is greener and cleaner than mining on dry land. Research shows that the amount of carbon stored in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone is negligible, meaning that mining will not stir up enough of it into the atmosphere to add to warming. Nor, according to research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will the sediment churned up spread as far or as thickly as

claimed.

The most serious concern is the threat to diverse organisms that are unknown to science. But life in the CCZ is scarce — some 270,000 tonnes of biomass would be destroyed by mining—and mostly microbial. And because the CCZ is the oceanic food web’s final stop, there would be few spillovers to other ecosystems. Compare that with the situation in Indonesia, the country that dominates nickel supply and holds a fifth of all reserves. If all those reserves were mined, at least 10m tonnes of living organisms would be destroyed (as in the CCZ, mostly species unknown to science). The associated emissions would also be ten times higher.

Several ISA members have called for a “precautionary pause”, claiming that too little is known about the impacts of CCZ mining. This logic is backwards. Too much is known about the vital need for nickel, and the environmental destruction that is wrought by obtaining it on land, for anything other than cautious but expedited action to be a sensible path. Battery technologies that use less nickel — or even none at all — may in time reduce the need for it, but on current trends vast amounts are called for. Member states should therefore seek to finalize the rules as soon as possible, and then to monitor the impact on the CCZ and surrounding ocean as mining takes place. The reward is a cooler planet that hosts a greater abundance of life.

— The Economist

Moment’s not right to admit Ukraine to NATO

President Joe Biden is meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, this week with leaders of other NATO countries to try to shore up an alliance whose importance has been accentuated by Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, but which continues to face challenges and lingering internal tensions.

But even as Biden is emphasizing the utility of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the need to assist Ukraine as that country presses its counter-offensive, he is appropriately exhibiting caution about Ukraine joining NATO. This might seem like a contradiction, but it isn’t. In an interview on CNN, Biden made the obvious but

important point that NATO membership for Ukraine while its defensive war with Russia continued would necessitate direct U.S. involvement. “We’re determined to [defend] every inch of territory that is NATO territory,” Biden said. “It’s a commitment that we’ve all made no matter what. If the war is going on, then we’re all in a war. We’re at war with Russia, if that were the case.”

Biden also noted that, at a time when the unity of NATO is important, “I don’t think there is unanimity in NATO about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the NATO family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war.” Better, as the president seems to realize, to focus on easing dif-

ferences within the alliance.

On Monday, in a major step forward, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that Turkey’s leader had agreed to support Sweden’s bid to join NATO. This breakthrough came a short time after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had indicated that the European Union would have to act first on Turkey’s effort to join that association. With Turkey’s agreement, Hungary is also expected to approve membership for Sweden.

IT’S UNDERSTANDABLE that Ukraine, seeing NATO states extend a welcome to Finland and Sweden, might wonder why it must defend itself without the protec-

tion of the North Atlantic Treaty’s Article 5, which says that an armed attack against one or more NATO members shall be considered an attack against them all. But even after the war with Russia ends, ideally with a Ukrainian victory, it may make sense for Western nations to provide Ukraine with security guarantees short of NATO membership.

Biden said in his CNN interview that he favors a “rational path” for Ukraine to qualify for NATO membership. While that process played out, he suggested, the United States could provide security assistance similar to that provided to Israel. It could turn out that such assistance would be adequate

to Ukraine’s needs without the further step of full NATO membership.

To their credit, Western nations have provided significant assistance to Ukraine in its just war of self-defense. The Biden administration has decided to provide Ukraine with cluster weapons, a controversial decision that is troubling despite the administration’s suggestion that the weapons in question are less dangerous to civilians than other cluster bombs and that Ukraine will not use them in urban areas populated by civilians. That military assistance can continue, and even increase, without admitting Ukraine to NATO.

— The Los Angeles Times

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Sports Daily B

Mustangs topping Wichita Junior Tour

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

Iola High golfers Brennen Coffield, Chris Holloway and Xander Sellman competed in a multitude of events last week.

Holloway currently holds second place while Sellman sits in fourth place in the year long standings on the Wichita Junior Tour. Two matches remain on the tour.

Coffield and Sellman tested their shots on the Central Links Junior Tour at the Teradyne Country Club in Andover Thursday. Coffield finished in 16th place after carding a 12 over 83 while Sellman shot an 8 over 79 for an 18th place finish.

“Brennen struggled a bit with the consistency of his swing with his irons and his putter,” said Iola head coach Jeremy Sellman. “Teradyne is a long, tough course with a thick rough and large fast greens which play even tougher with the wet conditions of the day.”

Sellman had most of his trouble on the first nine holes, going seven over par, before finishing only one shot over par on the back nine holes.

“With no warm-up and practice time, I was impressed he (Sellman) played as well as he did,” Sellman said. “It was obvious with his back nine score that he finally got warmed up and figured out the greens.”

On July 3, Holloway and Sellman took part in the Wichita Junior Tour at Auburn Hills Country Club. Holloway came in fifth place,

five strokes off the lead golfer. Sellman finished in third place, only two strokes be-

hind the leader. “Chris putted really well but seemed to find trouble

Guerrero Jr. wins HR Derby after dad’s win

SEATTLE (AP) — Of course a Junior had to do something special in Seattle.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won the All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday night, matching Vladimir Sr.’s 2007 title to become the first father-son duo to accomplish the feat.

As far as who might win a head-to-head swing-off, well, that depends.

SCC shoots at Sunflower Games

By QUINN BURKITT

Southern Coffey County student and adult trap shooters participated in last weekend’s Sunflower State Games in Topeka.

Representing the SCC Titans were Emily and Olivia Ludolph, Charley and Cyrus Nickel, Jagger Jacobs, Tyler Rolf, Jalea True, Karley Ohl, Treyton Houston, Seth Gleue, Durgen True and Hank Newton.

The eight adults competing were Hayden and Alan Newton, John Rolf, Alston Newton, Larry Gleue, Wade Gleue, Dale True and Jim Hills.

In the 14 and under registered shooters group, Houston took first place while Tyler Rolfe and Jacobs tied for second, hitting 15 of 18 targets. John Rolf secured third place.

For the 14 and under unregistered shooters, Charley Nickel finished in first place while Cyrus Nickel took second after hitting 15-of-18 shots. Seth Gleue tied for first place alongside Dale True while Hayden Newton took second place and Jim Hills was third.

In the girls class 16-18, Jalea True came in first place, Emily Ludolph took

See SUNFLOWER | Page B3

Highlight reel...

Iola’s recreational baseball teams were in action Monday. At top, Iola Pharmacy’s Jonas Mueller holds on Emprise Bank’s Marcus Whitcomb at second base. At right, Iola Masonic Lodge’s Ty Thomas takes a swing. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

off the tee on most holes,” said Sellman. “Xander had the lead going to the last hole then took a quadruple bogey to finish in third. Two bad iron shots took him out. He got too aggressive at the wrong time and it cost him.”

Holloway competed in the Wichita Junior Tour at the McDonald Golf Course in Wichita. Holloway tied for first place by shooting a 7 over 79, but later finished in second after a sudden death playoff hole.

“What a great round from him,” Sellman added. “It’s nice to see him having success after working hard on his swing last week and getting some professional advice on course management.”

“It’s kind of difficult right now,” the Toronto Blue Jays star said with a wide grin, speaking through a translator. “With the time, with the minutes, I’ll win. If it’s by outs, he’ll win.”

In a ballpark made famous by the Mariners’ Ken Griffey Jr. a generation earlier, Guerrero beat Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena 25-23 in the final round. He was 8 when his father won the crown in San Francisco.

“I don’t remember much about 2007,” Vladimir Jr. said. “I guess I was too young.”

Guerrero totaled 5 1/2 miles of homers — 29,390 feet to be exact. He defeated Julio Rodríguez 21-20 in the semifinals after the Mariners star hit a record 41 in the first round in front of his

See MLB | Page B3

Iola’s Xander Sellman drives a ball at the Allen County Country Club. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Iola’s Chris Holloway tees off. COURTESY PHOTO

The Iola Register

SCC’s Charley Nickel, left, and Jagger Jacobs, right, in Le Roy. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Body:

Help

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your Wi-FI signal will not harm you

DEAR DR. ROACH: We had to get a router attached to our computer to get Wi-Fi for our house. Is there any health risk in sitting or sleeping near the router from the radio waves it puts out? — B.R.

ANSWER: A Wi-Fi router connects devices to your home network wirelessly using radiofrequency waves, as you correctly say. The energy output from a typical Wi-Fi router is about 10 watts, and the energy is the low-frequency, nonionizing type. Very powerful radio sources, such as AM radio towers, can actually cause injury by heating tissues, but these have a power output in the thousands, or even tens of thousands, of watts. There has never been evidence of health effects on humans by low-output radio waves, such as the waves from Wi-Fi or cellphones.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I took ibuprofen for my osteoarthritis, but developed hives. Does this mean I’m allergic to all NSAIDS? What other therapeutic options do I have? — J.B.

Footer: (Published

Register July 12, 19 & 26, 2023.)

ANSWER: Anti-inflammatory drugs can have many allergic and allergic-type reactions, and ibuprofen is probably the most likely of

Dr. Keith Roach

To Your Good Health

all to do so.

For people with mild reactions (such as hives that go away), without swelling or shortness of breath, I recommend avoiding ibuprofen and similar medicines, such as naproxen (Aleve and Naprosyn, among others), as well as any other medication ending in -profen, such as ketoprofen or flurbiprofen.

Aspirin is safe as far as allergies go, for most people, although it is a little more likely to cause side effects at higher doses. The prescription medicines meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen) and celecoxib (Celebrex) are among the least likely to have any cross reaction with ibuprofen. Anti-inflammatory gels like diclofenac cream (Voltaren) should also be safe for topical use.

People with more serious reactions need referral to an allergist, who may consider desensitization.

No,

Every player at Women’s World Cup to be paid $30K

By ANNE M. PETERSON The Associated Press

A group of players across the globe asked FIFA late last year to increase the prize money for this summer’s Women’s World Cup. There had been pleas from the women to boost those funds before, but this time it was different.

The players not only wanted a prize pool equal with the men’s World Cup, they also sought a guarantee that a percentage of the prize money would go directly to the players themselves.

While it wasn’t true equity with the men’s World Cup, FIFA indeed raised the prize pool for the women’s tournament by more than three times that of the 2019 event in France.

But more than that, soccer’s governing body agreed in June that a chunk of those funds should be paid straight to the players — all 732 of them.

Every player will earn at least $30,000, with the amount increasing the further along that teams progress in the tournament. The 23 players in the title-winning squad will each get $270,000.

That’s significant

for many of the players, who in some cases don’t have club teams that pay salaries, are semi-pros or even amateurs. FIFA released a report last year that said the average salary for female players was $14,000 a year.

And not only that, the conditions the players will experience on the ground in Australia and New Zealand — such as travel and accommodations — are now equitable to those provided the men.

“We still have a ways to go, but having them direct the payments to

players is huge — it’s a life-changing thing for many of these players entering the tournament. Coming away with each player making $30,000 is huge because usually that money goes to federations and those players don’t see any, or much of that money,” U.S. forward

Alex Morgan said.

A $152 million fund was set for the first 32team Women’s World Cup. The total covers prize money, team preparation and payments to players’ clubs. That’s a big boost from the 2019 Women’s

World Cup in France, which had a $40 million fund, with $30 million in prize money.

In contrast, the prize money pool for the men’s World Cup last year in Qatar was $440 million. The nations that got knocked out after the group stage made $9 million apiece.

FIFPRO, the global players union, backed the effort by 150 players from 25 nations — including the United States, Japan and Germany — to push FIFA for more equitable terms. The result was a letter to FIFA President

MLB: HR Derby runs in Guerrero blood

Continued from B1

hometown fans.

Batting against Blue Jays manager John Schneider, Guerrero was the last semifinalist to swing and the first finalist, setting a final round record for homers to top the mark Pete Alonso set when he beat Guerrero 23-22 in 2019.

With Guerrero Jr. catching his breath while watching, Arozarena hit against Tampa Bay field coordinator Tomas Francisco. Arozarena had 21 homers in his initial 2 minutes. He had 23 with 7 seconds left in his automatic 30 seconds of bonus time before lining and popping up on his final four swings.

Guerrero had 1 minute of bonus time, earning an additional 30 seconds because he twice reached 440 feet.

“Obviously, the power that he has was incredible,” Arozarena said through a transla-

tor. “For me, I felt good going into that round. But also he was able to get a minute of bonus time. I only had the 30 seconds of bonus time.”

Vladimir Guerrero Sr. won the 2007 derby while with the Los Angeles Angels, beating the Blue Jays’ Alex Rios 3-2 in the final.

Arozarena had the most overall homers over the three rounds, 82 to Guerrero’s 72, and the most distance at 33,077 feet. Arozarena overcame Luis Robert of the Chicago White Sox 35-22 in the semifinals. Robert hit the longest drive of the night, a 484-foot shot to left in the second round. That topped the high of 476 feet by Barry Bonds in the 2001 derby in Seattle.

Trying to become the youngest Derby winner at age 22, Rodríguez knocked out Alonso, a two-time champion who hit 21. Rodríguez beat Corey Seager 32-24

in the first round last year at Dodger Stadium, then knocked out Alonso 31-23 before losing to Juan Soto 19-18 in the final.

Arozarena beat Texas’ Adolis García 24-17 in the opening pairing before a crowd of 46,952 at T-Mobile Park. García is the godfather to Arozarena’s daughter, and the two jumped into each other’s arms during warmups.

Robert knocked out Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman 28-27 in the opening round. Rutschman hit 21 left-handed, and the switch hitter then turned around to the right side and hit six more right-handed during a 30-second bonus round. From Portland, Oregon, Rutschman grew up attending Mariners games.

Guerrero, back for the first time in four years, defeated the

Los Angeles Dodgers’

Mookie Betts 26-11 in the first round. Four years ago at Cleveland, Guerrero hit 29 in the first round and 40 in the second, then lost to Alonso in the final.

Alonso was trying for his third title in four years. Griffey Jr. is the only three-time winner, taking the title in 1994, ‘98 and ‘99.

Guerrero Sr. was a nine-time All-Star but never won a World Series. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Guerrero Jr. is a three-time All-Star and was MVP of the game two years ago in Denver. What’s in the future? A World Series ring? Joining dad in the Hall?

“I’m a little bit too young to think about that right now,” he said. “When I get there, then I’ll think about it, I’ll see if I match my dad or was better than my dad or not.”

Gianni Infantino dated Oct. 19, 2022. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter.

“It’s really positive that we have shown them (the players) what’s possible through their collective voice — through their collective action and the solidarity that they have between each other — and this really intrinsic, inherent drive to want to push the women’s game forward and create sustainable models for themselves and for the industry more broadly,” said Sarah Gregorius, FIFPRO’s director global policy and strategic relations for women’s soccer.

“It just shows what happens when players come together united behind very clear principles for change for themselves, but also a legacy for players to come,” she added.

Earlier this year, Infantino said that the ultimate goal is equity between the men’s and women’s games by the 2026 Men’s World Cup and the 2027 women’s edition.

The U.S. bargained for equal pay with their male counterparts in a groundbreaking agreement reached last year that will split tournament winnings equally among all players. But the United States is the only country that has such an arrangement.

For many teams at the World Cup,

that kind of equality isn’t realistic. So the $30,000 can mean a college education, even a down payment on a home. And for those who aren’t paid well — or at all — by their clubs, it can mean a chance to play without having another job.

“That is a lot of money, and it can be used for a lot of things. I know definitely a lot of my teammates are happy for that money.

I’m definitely happy for that money,” said Michelle Alozie, who plays for Nigeria and the Houston Dash of the National Women’s Soccer League.

The prize money pool trickles down to all participating teams. The 16 nations that exit the group stage will get a total of $2.25 apiece million from FIFA -- $690,000 to share among the players and $1,560,000 for the federation.

FIFA will pay $10.5 million to the title-winning nation. The majority of that, $6.21 million, will be distributed among the players with the remaining $4.29 million going to the federation.

In addition to helping pay the players, the teams and federations that haven’t often seen the big stage will benefit, too. Each team is receiving nearly $1 million in preparation funds.

“It means a lot to every player stepping into that tournament

See WOMEN | Page B4

SCC’s Jagger Jacobs REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Sunflower: SCC aims

Continued from B1

place and Durgen

True came in third place.

The Sunflower

State Games is the only team event for the SCC trapshooting team this summer.

United States’ forward Megan Rapinoe poses with the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards after the France 2019 Womens World Cup football final match between USA and the Netherlands. FRANK FIFE/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

Blue 42, set, hike!

The Iola Middle School football team was soaking in a practice on Tuesday.

At

Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou to clash in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Boxing heavyweight champion

Tyson Fury and ex-UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will fight Oct. 28 in Saudi Arabia, promoters announced Tuesday.

The latest high-profile crossover boxing match between a mixed martial artist and a professional boxer will take place in a regulation ring, with three ringside judges using the 10-point scoring system. The fight announcement by promoter Top Rank didn’t specify whether the bout will count on the fighters’ professional boxing records or whether Fury’s WBC heavyweight title will be on the line.

Fury and Ngannou have talked about a potential meeting for more than a year since Ngannou’s acrimonious departure from the UFC. Promotional companies Queensberry, Top Rank and

Women

Continued from B3

erations to do better by their players. And I think this prize money is a testament to all of our fights — the collective fight.

“When we step on to the field, yes, we are opponents, but at the end of the day we’re all fighting for this game to grow, and for everybody.”

Ngannou’s promotional banner, GIMIK Fight Promotions, partnered with Riyadh Season — Saudi Arabia’s state-sponsored entertainment and sports festival — to host the

fight in Riyadh.

Fury first became the unified world heavyweight champion in November 2015 when he toppled Wladimir Klitschko. After losing his belts during nearly

three years of inactivity, the 34-year-old Englishman regained the WBC heavyweight title in 2020 and established himself as the world’s top heavyweight.

Fury is 33-0-1 (24

KOs) after stopping Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora last year. He was in negotiations to meet unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk later this year to determine an undisputed champ, but the fight fell apart.

“This guy is supposed to be the hardest puncher in the world, but let’s see how he reacts when he gets hit by the Big GK,” Fury said of Ngannou in a news release. “I can’t wait to get back out there under the lights. I’m looking forward to showing the world that The Gypsy King is the greatest fighter of his generation in an epic battle with another master of his craft.

“It’s going to be a fight for the ages.”

Ngannou will make his professional boxing debut after going 17-3 (12 KOs) in MMA. The Cameroon-born Frenchman who trains

in Las Vegas became the UFC’s first African heavyweight champion in 2021, and he defended his title in January 2022 with a clear unanimous-decision victory over undefeated interim champ Ciryl Gane.

“My dream was always to box, and to box the best,” he said. “After becoming the undisputed MMA heavyweight champion, this is my opportunity to make that dream come true and cement my position as the baddest man on the planet.”

The 36-year-old Ngannou said he has been waiting to fight Fury for three years. He decided not to re-sign with the UFC after his promotional contract expired last year, becoming the first active champion to walk away from MMA’s dominant promotion in nearly two decades.

See FIGHT | Page B6

top left, coach Chris Weide talks with the Mustangs. Noah Anderson, top right, practices a drill. At bottom right is Brycen Baker. At bottom left is Corbin Coffield. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Tyson Fury, right, and Deontay Wilder exchange punches during their World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight Championship Title boxing match at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on February 22, 2020. JOHN GURZINSKI/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

Missing out on being a grandparent

(Adapted from an online discussion.)

Dear Carolyn: How do I deal with the feelings of grief over not being a grandparent? I’m surrounded by friends who are, and they love to talk about their grandchildren. I struggle to listen and stay positive. And do readers have suggestions for volunteer work or ways to fill that void?

— Not a Nana Not a Nana: Your call-out actually answers your question: You can choose to make the effort to form other meaningful connections. If your joy lies in being around children vs. having the title, then

Carolyn Hax

volunteer to work with kids, many of whom need more loving adults in their lives. At the risk of sounding like a caricature of myself, I’ll also add that even someone with grandkids/kids/dogs/ cats/antique cars/gardens/etc. can glaze over at occasions with people who looove to talk about their grandkids/ kids/dogs/cats/antique cars/gardens/etc. So feel free not to conflate your struggle to listen

Public notices

(Published in The Iola Register July 5, 2023)

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF ALLEN COUNTY, KANSAS PROBATE DIVISION

In the Matter of the Estate of BEVERLY J. HAWK, Deceased AL-2023-PR-000027

NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL

PERSONS CONCERNED:

You are hereby notified a Petition was filed on June 27th, 2023, in this Court by Deborah Smail, Susan Hawk, and Lora Obermuel-

(Published

to mono-topical conversations with your sadness at not having grandkids — and maybe try to bring up some more interesting things to talk about, while you cast about in the meantime for a meaningful volunteer gig.

To: Not a Nana: I’d focus on two things: First, the way to deal with feelings of grief is just to feel them. It’s a loss, and the grief over it will come and go over time, as with all losses. Second, I wouldn’t try to “fill that void” somehow, because I’m not sure you can, and because I think it puts too much emphasis on that one part of your life. I’d just go on about my life,

and fill it with activities and people I love, and accept the losses as being part of the whole.

— Anonymous Anonymous: Wise, thank you.

OTHER readers’ thoughts:

∙ In my area, schools are desperate for help, and substitutes are few and far between.

∙ There are programs connecting people who want to be grandparents to families looking for grandparent figures. It sounds as if this would be perfect for you. I don’t know a specific program to recommend, but here is an article from AARP about surrogate grandparents.

ler, praying for the appointment of Deborah Smail, Susan Hawk, and Lora Obermueller as co-executrices of the estate of Beverly J. Hawk, and for the issuance of Letters Testamentary.

You are required to file your written defenses thereto on or before July 28th, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. of said day, in the District Courtroom, at the Allen County Courthouse, in the City of Iola, Allen County, Kansas, at which time and place the cause will be heard. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon the petition.

All creditors of the decedent notified to exhibit their demands against the estate within four (4) months from the date

and by virtue of an Order of Sale issued to me by the Clerk of the District Court of Allen County, Kansas, the undersigned

of the first publication of this notice as provided by law, and if their demands are not thus exhibited, they shall be forever barred.

Deborah Smail, Petitioner Susan Hawk, Petitioner Lora Obermueller, Petitioner JOHNSON SCHOWENGERDT, PA

118 W. Madison/P.O. Box 866 Tel. (620) 365-3778/Fax (620) 380-6230 Iola, Kansas 66749 chase@jslaw. kscoxmail.com

∙ There is a desperate need for foster or resource parents for both short- and longterm placements. Especially teens, who too often end up in group homes. It’s hard work, but if you have the love, energy and space, please consider this option. You can have such a positive impact on a young person’s life.

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

McAtee Rd, Iola, KS 66749 (the “Property”) to satisfy the judgment in the above-entitled case. The sale is to be made without appraisement and subject to the redemption period as provided by law, and further subject to the approval of the Court. For more information, visit www.Southlaw.com

Bryan J. Murphy, Sheriff Allen County, Kansas

Prepared By: SouthLaw, P.C. Shari Ashner (KS #14498) 13160 Foster, Suite 100 Overland Park, KS 66213-2660

BEETLE BAILEY by

Mort Walker

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by

Chris Browne

by Young and Drake

by Patrick McDonell

by Tom Armstrong

by Chance Browne

Hopkins, Cook lead remaining NFL free agents

By ROB MAADDI The Associated Press

DeAndre Hopkins and Dalvin Cook lead a list of accomplished players who are still available a week before several NFL teams open training camp.

Hopkins, the threetime All-Pro wide receiver, became a free agent when Arizona released him in May. He visited the Tennessee Titans and has talked to the New England Patriots.

The 31-year-old Hopkins, a five-time Pro Bowl pick, could be waiting for a Super Bowl contender to make an offer. He’d fit in nicely with Patrick Mahomes and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs if they could find a way to pay him.

Cook, a four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook, was released by the Minnesota Vikings in June after six seasons. He has plenty of suitors, including his hometown Miami Dolphins. The New York Jets and Denver Broncos are among oth-

er teams with strong interest in the 27-year-old Cook.

Here are 10 more free agents who previously have had plenty of success in the NFL:

EZEKIEL ELLIOTT: The three-time Pro Bowl running back ran for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging a career-low 3.8 yards per carry for Dallas last season. Elliott still could return

to the Cowboys, who got 1,007 yards rushing from Tony Pollard last season.

JADEVEON CLOWNEY: The former No. 1 overall pick is seeking his fifth team in six years. A threetime Pro Bowl defensive end, Clowney had two sacks last season in Cleveland after getting nine in 2021.

YANNICK NGAKOUE: The 28-year-old

defensive end is an ideal fit for any team that needs a pass rush specialist. Ngakoue has had at least eight sacks in each of his seven seasons in the NFL. He had 9 1/2 last season for the Colts after tallying 10 in 2021 with Las Vegas.

MARCUS PETERS: Peters, a ball-hawking, two-time All-Pro cornerback, is coming off a subpar season in Baltimore, but he’s two years

removed from an ACL injury and provides an experienced playmaker for a team that needs help in pass coverage.

JUSTIN HOUSTON: At 34, Houston may be past his prime, but he had 9 1/2 sacks last season for the Ravens. The four-time Pro Bowl edge could spark a defense as a rotational player.

CARSON WENTZ: His MVP-caliber 2017 season in Philadelphia is a distant memory, and he’s looking for his fourth team in four years. Wentz got booted out of Indianapolis after a 2021 season in which he threw 27 TD passes and had just seven interceptions. He struggled in an injury-shortened year with Washington in 2022 and has run out of opportunities as a starter.

JOHN JOHNSON: The veteran safety has started 80 games in his six-year career, missing only two games over the past three seasons. He had 101 tackles last season for Cleveland. The versatile Johnson has filled several roles in the defensive backfield and should find a new

home, perhaps Green Bay, before the season starts.

LEONARD FOUR-

NETTE: “Playoff Lenny” helped Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl a few years ago, but he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry behind a mediocre offensive line last season. The bruising runner may have to wait for a team that loses a couple running backs to injuries.

KAREEM HUNT: He’s far removed from his 2017 rookie season in which he ran for 1,327 yards for the Chiefs, but Hunt is a versatile back who would provide depth. He may be a fit in Washington where he would reunite with former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and play behind Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson.

DALTON RISNER: A left guard who started 62 games in four seasons in Denver, Risner shouldn’t be unemployed too far into camp. He’s a strong pass blocker and a potential fit for the Chargers or Vikings.

Jabeur reaches Wimbledon quarterfinals; Rybakina awaits

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Ons

Jabeur is getting another shot at Elena Rybakina, a year after losing to her in the Wimbledon final.

It’s just the quarterfinals this time around, but the Tunisian player has to go through the defending champion to have a chance of winning her first Grand Slam tournament.

The sixth-seeded Jabeur routed two-time champion Petra Kvitova 6-0, 6-3 on Monday in the fourth round at the All England Club.

“I’m probably going for my revenge,” Jabeur said on court. “It was a difficult final last year. It’s going to bring a lot of memories.”

Jabeur has been a Grand Slam runner-up twice — both times last year. After losing to Rybakina in three sets at Wimbledon, she lost to Iga Swiatek in straight sets at the U.S. Open — falling just short of becoming the first African or Arab woman to win a major tennis tournament in the sport’s professional era.

Two things jump out to Jabeur when she thinks about the Wimbledon loss to Rybakina, who represents Kazakhstan but was born in Russia.

“The fact that I was really exhausted like emotionally,” she began. “I wanted to keep pushing, but I felt lit-

tle bit empty. Second thing, maybe what my coach kept telling me, to stick more to the plan, to do certain things, even though I was thinking something else in that match.”

The 28-year-old Jabeur hopes to “play more freely, just think about each point and not the results.”

Mission accomplished on Monday, when Jabeur felt free enough on Centre Court to execute a David Beckham-style — Jabeur is a fan of the England great — half-volley kick on a bouncing ball while up a set and 3-1.

The ninth-seeded Kvitova, who eliminat-

ed Jabeur in the first round at Wimbledon in 2019, dug herself a hole from the start, committing a double-fault and three unforced errors to hand Jabeur a service break in the first game.

Rybakina advanced Monday when Beatriz Haddad Maia retired from their match with a lower back injury with Rybakina leading 4-1.

“Now I’m feeling much better and more confident coming and playing on Centre Court,” Rybakina said.

“It is different from the first round. I think it was just overall the atmosphere and the nerves to play the first match to get used to the grass, just to play some matches here. I

Fight: Between Fury, Ngannou in Saudi Arabia

Continued from B4

Ngannou signed a deal in May to compete in the Professional Fighters League MMA promotion. Boxers and mixed martial artists are

competing with increasing frequency in the boxing ring ever since Floyd Mayweather Jr’s wildly lucrative victory over Conor McGregor in 2017.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields is among the boxers who have attempted to start a parallel MMA career, drawn by the sport’s higher payouts for the

majority of fighters. Other MMA fighters, including multi-promotion champion Cris “Cyborg” Santos, have tried to start boxing careers.

think now mentally I’m much better. Physically also good now.”

In other women’s results, second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka reached the quarterfinals by beating No. 21 Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-0. The Australian Open champion will next face Madison Keys. The American, seeded No. 25, defeated 16-year-old Mirra An-

dreeva 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

On Tuesday, topranked Iga Swiatek fell to Elina Svitolina, 5-7, 7-6, 2-6 on Centre Court for a spot in the semifinals, and fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula of the United States lost to the Czech Marketa Vondrousova, 4-6 ,6-2, 4-6 in the quarterfinal match.

DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. NORM HALL/GETTY IMAGES/TNS