The Iola Register, June 15, 2020

Monday, June 15, 2020

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How COVID prevented lower electric rates in Kansas

By BRIAN GRIMMETT Kansas News Service

WICHITA — At the beginning of the year, independent consulting firm London Economics released a study of Kansas electric rates — how they’re developed, why they’re more expensive than neighboring states and some suggestions on how to change that.

Legislators seemed poised to act on some of the recom-

mendations until the coronavirus struck and shortened their session by several weeks. Some consumer and environmental advocates say the abrupt stop cut the time and energy given to critical policy aimed at reducing your utility bills.

“We can essentially write this up as a whole year and legislative session lost as far as moving energy policy forward,” said Zack Pistora, lobbyist for the Kansas Sierra Club, an environmental advo-

cacy group.

The Legislature ordered the study in 2019 to get an independent view on the relatively high cost of electricity in Kansas.

Both consumer advocates and utility companies said they felt most of the consultant’s recommendations were reasonable. They served as a blueprint for ideas such as creating a new state energy office and implementing lowSee ELECTRIC | Page A2

Constitution and High Court history explored

Indian squads rack up victories

Senate hopeful pays visit to Iola

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

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Motorcycle crash kills 2 in SEK

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Stay graceful as friendship changes

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There’s a reason presidential politics, at some point, turn to the Supreme Court.

Former Secretary of State Kris Kobach, now running for a U.S. Senate seat, spoke about the High Court, the Constitution and a number of other factors at a “Constitution 101” session Saturday in Iola.

He presented his summation to a group of fewer than 10 at Bolling’s Eatery and Meatery.

Kobach has recently resumed campaigning after nearly three months of relative inactivity, courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kobach’s hour long preSee KOBACH | Page A2

Before his 2010 election as Kansas secretary of state, Kris Kobach taught constitutional law at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Now a candidate for U.S. Senate, Kobach was in town Saturday to discuss “Constitution 101” to a handful of Iolans. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

The pasture whose name I will not write In northwestern Woodson County, just south of the German-Russian settlement known as Nikkeltown, lies a pasture.

LaHarpe playgrounds open again

Trevor Hoag Just Prairie It looks like any other pasture, really, with dry, brittle grasses swaying slowly in the wind beneath a sprawling cloudless sky.

But this pasture has an incredible secret, and an equally terrible name — a name I will not write.

As I sat watching that sky, the moon grew brighter and brighter, turning my skin yellow-blue, yet on I watched, waiting for it to tell me what I should do, explain how to relate the story of its complex and subtle blackness.

For eight minutes and 46 seconds, I watched, as a thousand fireflies turned on their lights.

In the late nineteenth cen-

The morning sun prepares to fully clear the horizon above a pasture full of cattle in Woodson County. REGISTER/TREVOR HOAG tury, around 1890, there was a ranch to the north of this pasture at one time operated by J.D. Payne, who’d come from Texas and brought along several African-Americans in his service.

Among those cowboys were Jack Oliver and his half-broth-

er whose name is lost to history, though it was said he was half Osage.

Both were outstanding ropers and riders, Jack especially.

After Payne sold his ranch, the Olivers moved into a small shack on the pasture in

question, each day stumbling home exhausted and sore from hours of working cattle.

Or perhaps following a pint of whiskey.

At that time they had begun working for Jim Dye, whose See PASTURE | Page A4

LAHARPE — LaHarpe’s City Hall, playground and other city facilities are once again open to the public.

City officials announced Friday the areas are open once again amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Visitors to City Hall, including those using the fitness center or kitchen, are urged to practice social distancing and abide by other guidelines posted at the front door of City Hall.

Notices also have been posted on each piece of playground equipment at the park and in front of City Hall, reminding users of the ongoing COVID-19 threat.

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A2 Monday, June 15, 2020 Police report Arrests reported Allen County sheriff ’s deputies arrested Dalton M. Garver, 25, Gas, on Thursday for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Deputies arrested Jose Madrid-Dominguez, 39, Welda, on Wednesday for suspicion of driving while intoxicated, possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, transporting an open container of alcohol and no driver’s license.

Humboldt police offi-

The Iola Register

cers arrested Zeffrey T. Doolittle, 26, Bronson, for suspicion of aggravated battery Wednesday.

Ronald L. Porter, 30, Iola, was arrested by Humboldt officers Tuesday for warrants related to drunken driving, no liability insurance and interfering with law enforcement officers.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported June 5 the arrest of Christy J. Young, 34, Enid, Okla., for suspicion of driving while suspended and

possessing a controlled substance.

Deputies arrested Ryan E. Culler, 19, Iola, for suspicion of violating the Registered Offender Act June 3. He also was wanted on a warrant out of Coffey County.

Daniel L. Davies, 39, Iola, was arrested by KHP June 3 for suspicion of driving while suspended or revoked and no liability insurance.

Troopers arrested Kenneth T. Minor, 42,

Neosho Falls, June 3 for suspicion of driving while revoked as a habitual violator.

Humboldt officers arrested Dana J. Guilford, 35, Humboldt, for suspicion of domestic battery and resisting arrest.

George M. Rodriguez, 49, LaHarpe, was arrested by deputies June 3 for suspected domestic battery and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Deputies arrested Darren E. Johnson, 34, Iola, for suspicion of aggravated battery June 1.

Kobach: Discusses Constitution, courts Continued from A1

tation dealt with three elements of the Constitution — its General Principles, its commerce and establishment clauses and the Second Amendment — and how each has shaped court rulings and subsequent legislation for generations.

The general principle of the Constitution, as written by James Madison, was for a limited federal government, designed so that the bulk of regulations be controlled at the state level.

The federal government’s power was focused more on such things as international trade, establishment of a post office and borrowing money on credit, Kobach noted.

And for the better part of 150 years hence, that was the norm.

As late as the 1920s, most governmental regulations affecting dayto-day life came from the states, he continued.

That changed in the Great Depression, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted a slew of “New Deal� social initiatives geared to bolster the economy. But much of that legislation was being stricken down by the Supreme Court.

Roosevelt floated the idea of changing the Court’s makeup, adding as many as six new justices. It was dubbed “court packing,� Kobach noted.

The idea never gained traction, but was enough to force some justices to switch their votes more in line with the president’s agenda. Suddenly, Roosevelt’s legislation was being approved, and

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The episode led to the term “a switch in time saves nine,� Kobach noted.

It took 60 years, to the mid 1990s, for the court to essentially strike down any kind of subsequent federal legislation affecting commerce, when they ruled a student could not be punished for violating commerce laws by bringing an unloaded gun to school, for the purposes of selling it to another student.

The vote, Kobach noted, was 5-4.

Fast forward to 2013, when justices offered a split ruling on the Affordable Care Act — Obamacare — striking down the part of the law mandating citizens buy health insurance, but leaving the mechanics in place because it could be considered a tax.

Both of those rulings also were decided by 5-4 votes.

Now, with the 2017 tax legislation signed into law, which essentially takes away ACA’s taxing authority, Kobach predicts the Supreme Court ultimately will either strike down Obamacare, as a whole or in part.

Meanwhile, the Constitution’s Establishment Clause — Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion — followed much the same path.

For decades, the Court ruled against public displays “of anything that encourages religion,�

Kobach said, until 2005.

Then, the Court ruled on a pair of cases, one that blocked the display of the 10 Commandments in front of a courthouse, but allowing a similar display as part of a monument near the Texas Statehouse grounds.

Second Amendment rulings followed another similar pattern.

For the better part of 150 years, there was no gun control legisla-

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tion, until 1939, when the Court ruled a pair of defendants could be punished by transporting a sawed-off shotgun across state lines.

The next significant High Court ruling on gun legislation came in 2008, when the justices struck down the Washington, D.C., gun ban.

In all of the cases, the Supreme Court had gone for years without blocking federal intervention, Kobach noted, “but now it’s swinging back the other way.�

Oh, and all were decided by 5-4 votes, bringing Kobach to the moral of his story.

With notable justices Clarence Thomas, Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsberg nearing 80 or older, the next president could be tasked with appointing multiple replacements. “There’s a reason the Supreme Court is such a big factor in presidential elections,� Kobach said.

And no, Ginsberg is not immortal, Kobach responded in jest, to a question from audience member Larry Walden. “I imagine she’s waiting until after the election� to decide on when to retire, Kobach said. to questions from the audience, Kobach said President Trump likely does not have the authority to disband the post office, in light of the president’s threats to defund the U.S. Postal Service unless they raise bulk delivery rates for companies such as Amazon.

Kobach said while IN

RESPONSE

Kansas has effectively allowed mail-in ballots for elections, which he supports, he is against mandatory mail-in ballot elections, such as what’s done in Colorado, Oregon and Hawaii.

KOBACH ALSO spoke

briefly on this year’s truncated campaign season.

Saturday’s activities included a debate in Wichita, his Iola visit and an evening closeddoor event with campaign supporters, the second such weekend Kobach has been out in the public since the start of the pandemic in early March. “I had a pretty packed schedule for March and April, and everything really got wiped off,� he said.

He participated in a handful of social media events and Zoom meetings, “but really there wasn’t much going on.�

In a typical election season, Kobach estimated he could attend weekends with two or three parades. “I haven’t been to a single parade this year,� he noted. And he’s uncertain there will be any before the Aug. 4 primary election. “We’re still planned out, all the way through the primary,� he said. “We’re just now getting back to normal.�

Republicans will choose their nominee Aug. 4 to replace the retiring Sen. Pat Roberts.

Other key candidates are Bob Hamilton, David Lindstrom and Roger Marshall.

Electric: Rates Continued from A1

er rates to help lure and keep businesses. It also floated the idea of giving utilities a financial tool called “securitization� that would let lower interests on the loans the pay and, consequently, cut rates for customers.

There seemed to be some genuine momentum on these issues.

After all, lawmakers commissioned the consultant’s work, and they held hearings on bills that would put the recommendations into practice. Then, in midMarch, the coronavirus pandemic struck and the Legislature essentially stopped weeks earlier than normal.

What Wasn’t Passed

Consumer and environmental advocates had high hopes for legislation recommended in the London Economics study. That started with the creation of a

state energy office that would set priorities for things like what types of energy to develop and how to reduce costs.

Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposal to create that office was voted down on the last day the Legislature met in March.

Dorothy Barnett of the Climate and Energy Project was a supporter of the plan and believes that it was used as a bargaining chip in the debate over Medicaid expansion and an effort to put an anti-abortion amendment in the state consutitution. “If there had been more time before any kind of a vote was taken,� she said, “we may have been able to get that moving.�

The London Economics study argued securitization would open the way for refinancing debt on coalfired plants, taking adSee RATES | Page A4

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Around Town Community Calendar

Events may be canceled, postponed or modified because of the coronavirus crisis. Check with organizers.

MONDAY — LaHarpe PRIDE Committee meeting, 7 p.m., LaHarpe City Hall.

TUESDAY — Allen County Commission meeting, 8:30 a.m., Allen County Courthouse. — Iola Kiwanis Club, noon, Allen Community College. —Allen County Farmers Market, 1 to 4 p.m., 700 N. State St.

THURSDAY — Rotary Club, noon, Allen Community College. — TOPS No. KS 880 4:30 p.m. weigh in, 5 p.m. meeting, Calvary United Methodist Church. — Allen County Farmers Market, 5:30 to 7 p.m., southeast corner of the square. Enter from the north on East Street. — Iola Municipal Band Concert, 8 p.m., courthouse bandstand.

FRIDAY — Senior Citizens Card Club potluck dinner, 5:30 p.m., senior citizens center.

SATURDAY — Allen County Farmers Market, 8 to 11 a.m., downtown Humboldt. — Hooked on Fishing Not Drugs, 8 to 11 a.m., Abbott’s Pond, on North Cottonwood. — 620 Day in Downtown Iola, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., various locations.

Man shot to death in SEK COFFEYVILLE, Kan. (AP) — Police are investing the shooting death of a man in Coffeyville.

The shooting happened early Sunday morning, when police were called for a report of shots fired in the city of 9,300. Arriving officers found Otis Horner, 38, of Coffeyville, who had been shot.

Horner was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said they are searching for two local people wanted for questioning in the shooting.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call police or leave an anonymous tip at the Crime Tip Hotline.

2 killed in motorcycle crash CHANUTE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people have been killed in a motorcycle crash in southeast Kansas.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reports that it happened around 12:30 a.m. Saturday when the motorcycle went off a road

just west of Chanute, continued across railroad tracks and overturned.

The driver, 52-yearold Ronald Bigpond, and his passenger, 47-year-old Richard Standridge, were pronounced dead at the scene. Neither was wearing a helmet.

Alligator caught in trap, dies MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — An alligator that was recently spotted near a Kansas creek has died after being caught in a trap.

The 5-foot alligator is believed to be one of two stolen from a pet store in the northeastern Kansas city of Manhattan earlier this month.

The pet store, Manhattan Reptile World, said the alligator drowned

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after getting caught in the trap that was set out for the animal.

The second alligator that was taken from the pet store has yet to be found. Authorities have said they don’t know whether the other alligator stolen on June 5 is also on the loose.

The alligator that died was trapped in the area of Wildcat Creek in Manhattan.

Tuesday

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Temperature High yesterday Low last night High Saturday Low Saturday night High Friday Low Friday night Sunrise 5:59 a.m.

92 68 92 64 89 63

69

Wednesday

91

71

High a year ago 84 Low a year ago 60 Precipitation 72 hours ending 8 a.m.

0 This month to date 8.44 Total year to date 20.06 Excess since Jan. 1 3.22 Sunset 8:46 p.m.

Opinion A3 The Iola Register

Monday, June 15, 2020

~ Journalism that makes a difference

The answer to police violence is reform; not defunding departments The discussion over undue violence by police — especially against minorities — is long overdue.

The answer, however, is reform, not the dismantling of the thousands of departments across the country, as some are proposing.

Because for every bad actor, there are many, many good ones.

Most police officers have stellar records, according to a recent study at Bowling Green State University, and take their duties to protect citizens and communities to heart. The small fraction of police officers who do not, are repeat offenders.

Such is the case with Derek Chauvin, the white Minneapolis police officer who held his knee against the neck of African American George Floyd for almost nine minutes, suffocating him to death.

Over his 19 years in the police force, 17 complaints of misconduct, including those of excessive force, had been filed against Chauvin.

And yet, he continued to wear the badge.

The public deserves to know if those serving on their local police forces have a history of misconduct. As is, those records are for the most part kept confidential either by state law or by contracts negotiated by police unions.

Congress is considering

laws that would make an officer’s disciplinary history public as well as create a national database of their infractions.

It’s only by showing that a department holds its police force accountable that it will earn the public’s trust as well help department morale. That the Minneapolis department had among its ranks officers like Chauvin, as well as the three who stood by during Floyd’s murder, speaks of a heinous culture in dire need of reform.

THE CALL for police

reform has as much to do with a lack of adequate social services. Too often, police are the only service available to respond in low-income neighborhoods.

Instead of law enforcement, social health experts say a better system would be beefed-up networks that help provide access to health care or housing, education or job opportunities. These are the root of many of the problems that police are forced to address, though ill-equipped.

Such steps would help atone the senseless death of George Floyd and hopefully help deter others.

The door is cracked open to the possibilities of change. Now is the time to move forward.

— Susan Lynn

A protestor holds the photo of a victim of police violence as she lays on the ground for more than eight minutes during a peaceful rally in Elizabeth, N.J. on June, 7. ED MURRAY | NJ ADVANCE

Juneteenth is a somber celebration Juneteenth is coming on Friday. The holiday celebrates the emancipation of African Americans from slavery in the South and is keyed to the day the Emancipation Proclamation was read to the newly freed in Texas: June 19, 1865.

Through the years, the celebration has meant different things in different places to different people. It has spread steadily throughout the United States, its organic growth no doubt due to the fact that — of all the things we celebrate publicly in this country — the ending of chattel slavery should be one of the most auspicious. In Topeka, with its rich history of civil rights activism, Juneteenth has been a prime opportunity to share history as well as celebrate with family and friends.

This year, Juneteenth has a different cast. The ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapo-

Laugh track sure sign it’s staged Julie Doll

Growing up in southwest Kansas, one of the tenets of life I learned early is this: A good steak needs no sauce.

After moving around the country a bit, I got used to A Kansas people dousing their steaks contributor with A.1. or other goop. More recently, marinades and rubs have come into fashion. But are willing to add — or delete I remain a firm believer that — to make their product more the best steaks, properly sea- appetizing. soned and grilled, can’t be imHow far are they from alterproved by such additions. ing not just the circumstances It’s a belief that carries into in which an event occurs but other areas of life, which is other aspects of the game? why I oppose the plans of TV Perhaps even the outcome? and radio companies to artiIt’s already common in arficially add cheering-crowd eas outside sports and in sosounds to sports telecasts. called sports such as profesThe plans gained some sional wrestling. media attenOur culture tion recently increasingly as European The plans by radio prizes what we soccer restartlike more than ed. Because of and TV companies to what is real. the pandemic, add the artificial sound For example, the games are we think — or of crowds cheering played with no pretend to think spectators in and chanting during — that the rothe stands. That games diminishes mances and means no cheer- their authenticity. family dramas ing crowds and seen on misno chants from named “reality the multitudes.

TV” are somehow authentic.

Sports and media execWe post and repost artiutives decided this was a ficial, unsubstantiated and problem, one that it must be false information online — “fixed.” So they decided to without caring enough to add cheering soundtracks, check if it’s true. atop the usual commentary We no longer are alarmed, and play-by-play audio. annoyed or angered when There’s now speculation people lie, unless it affects us about whether cheering personally or we can use it to soundtracks will be added to score political points.

U.S. football, baseball, basketWhat is true — what is ball and other sports that are real — matters less and less. televised.

That’s a worrisome thing.

Such a decision should Some might argue that make us wonder what else smearing the lines between sports and media executive fact and fiction may be ben-

eficial, or at least harmless.

They might say it’s not much different from TV sitcoms adding laugh tracks or movies adding music to evoke certain emotions from the audience.

But it’s worth asking whether we should submit to having real life altered in an aim to manipulate not only our feelings but also public opinion.

It’s true that the use of such devices in fictional entertainment is not new. But increasingly, shows, news and events that are touted as “fact” or “real” are altered using similar devices. Videos are doctored, pictures falsified, soundtracks added, and experiences scripted for TV and social media audiences.

If we don’t know where the lines are, it’s hard to determine whether you are being harmed or causing harm.

Certainly, the people who are unfairly maligned by false media reports are harmed.

An obvious example of that are the parents of murdered children who were targeted by Alex Jones’ website Infowars, which accused the parents of faking the Sandy Hook school shooting and their children’s deaths.

Such cases underscore why it’s impossible to make good decisions if we are assessing situations and drawing conclusions based on false or altered information.

A native of Garden City, Julie Doll is a former journalist who has worked at newspapers in California, Indiana and New York, as well as across Kansas.

lis and violence against African Americans in general has electrified communities across the nation.

The question we all face as this day approaches is simple: Have we truly ended the dark legacies of slavery and discrimination? Or do they endure, sometimes quietly and sometimes not? Have we truly moved forward as a united people, with one voice and purpose? Or does shameful separateness endure?

The answer should be sadly obvious.

So on one hand, this Juneteenth seems like a poignant occasion, rather than a celebratory one. White Americans should have been doing so much more, should have done so much better, to truly change this country. And in this age of COVID-19, with the stark differences in outcomes in illnesses and deaths between black and white peo-

ple, we can see how deep the challenges go and how far they spread.

But on the other hand, the protests across the nation should be a source of profound hope. They show an array of people of different races and ethnicities coming together to demand change.

The crowds are not solely made up of black or brown people. They also comprise white people, Latino people, members of the LGBT community and beyond.

The ideals behind this celebration endure. True, full freedom from discrimination and inequality might not have arrived yet. But so many people from our country have seen what they must do, and they have raised their voices to do it. Surely that’s worth acknowledgment, even as we embark on the challenging road ahead.

— Topeka Capital-Journal

A look back in t me.

70 Years Ago June 1950

Richard Cook, a graduate of the University of Kansas school of pharmacy, will join his father, Gene, in the operation of Cook’s Rexall Pharmacy on the west side of the square. ***** The widening of U.S. 59 from 18 to 22 feet from Iola to Humboldt got started this week. Today workmen are laying strips of a hot asphaltic mix, two feet wide, on each side of the old concrete pavement. The project includes the new approach to the Santa Fe viaduct, the new sweeping curve about a mile south of the viaduct, eliminating three former right angle turns, and a new approach to and through Humboldt. ***** John Krupp, owner of Krupp Iron and Metal Co., said he will build a drive-in theater near Iola this summer. He has an option on two sites, both on Highway 54, one east and the other west of town. The screen, individual loud speakers and other equipment for the theater have been purchased. The theater will accommodate about 300 cars and will occupy from 10 to 12 acres. ***** TOPEKA (AP) — Mayor Ivan Jones of Iola today was ordered removed from office by the Kansas Supreme Court. The court held Jones was not eligible for the office because he had lived in a suburban tract outside the

city limits from April 1947 to June 1949. He was elected in the 1949 election and state law requires candidates to have lived within the city limits for at least two years, continuously, immediately before the election. The decision means that Tom Waugh, previous major, will serve until a successor is qualified. ***** Ground was broken at the site of the new Allen County Hospital. Thos. H. Bowlus was the principal speaker.

Heavy construction equipment is already on the site and work will begin immediately ***** Clark King, field man, and Walker Beard, salesman for the Meadow Sweet Dairy, Erie, were arrested this morning on a charge of offering to sell milk in Iola without a local license. The dairy is a subsidiary of the Neosho creamery cooperative which applied for an Iola license nearly two months ago. The permit has not been granted. For a number of months, the Neosho Valley Creamery has endeavored to secure a license to sell milk in Iola. Today the cooperative is taking its first step in trying to force the issue. ***** The city commission passed a milk inspection ordinance setting fees at threeeights cents on each gallon processed at plant. The Neosho Valley Creamery was given a license to sell in Iola but says the inspection fee is unfair.

A4

Monday, June 15, 2020

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The Iola Register

Pasture: Woodson County land carries unfortunate name Continued from A1

as if hellfire itself was licking its backside, and the slaver leapt from its mouth.

At last, exhausted, the stallion was forced to relent, hanging its head in defeat as Jack led him back to the astonished audience.

All Jack said was: “Guess he’s ready for use now.”

land stretched clear into Greenwood County, and whose last name provides a clue to understanding the name I will not write.

It’s not a question of giving color to fabric, that name, of dying, but to death, to the underworld and underground, like the basement dug in that pasture for which I have searched and not yet found, that eludes me like some bashful wraith.

NOW Jack Oliver, by contrast, was anything but shy.

In life, he was a seasoned bronc rider and legendary tamer of outlaw horses.

Once, there was a ferocious stallion near Gridley, which someone brought to the Spade ranch to see if Jack might not meet his match . . . or his maker.

The horse was saddled with a halter and rope, but no bridle.

Unmarked sandstone pioneer graves in rural Gridley’s Fairhope cemetery may belong to African-American cowboys. REGISTER/TREVOR HOAG Jack then pulled a silver dollar from his pocket and held it up to the light, letting it glimmer.

With a mean grin he

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turned around and said, “Whoever sees this fly; it’s theirs,” then placed the coin in the stirrup.

Like white dynamite, the bronc exploded, thrashing with every muscle, its body extending and tensing like a piston.

Again and again it kicked its hooves out and back, and in lunge after lunge of otherworldly strength, brought all four legs from the ground, forcing Jack to lie back along its spine.

Swapping end over end, the mount bucked

JACK Oliver wasn’t always so fortunate, though.

His dark face, long arms and rough hands were covered in scars from rides gone bad, as well as from knife fights.

One night, he and his fellow cowhand, Ira Martin, had gone to Gridley for some excitement.

During a backroom poker match, the liquor was flowing, the smoke was rising and Jack and Ira were winning.

In response, Ace Merrill from Gridley grumbled a racial slur beneath his breath, and in response it was all Ira could do to pull Jack away and across the prairie back to Payne’s ranch before he added another long white scar to his collection.

Jack had asked Martin for his knife. Honor was more important than living.

It was the code Jack Oliver had come to live by, to fight at every turn, as he was being fought

at every turn.

Spit on, degraded, disrespected, distrusted.

Jack was an angry man, and had come by his rage honestly though it caused him to race face-first into danger.

As I sat by the field named for him, though, watching as the moon reached the apex of the onyx sky, I dreamed him singing, perhaps while his brother played harmonica.

His haunting voice lifted across the brightening night, as a billion stars illuminated the vast ocean of a sky that consumed 360 degrees of horizon.

It wasn’t a beautiful voice, but harsh, full of pain and frustration and perhaps made coarse by more than a few handrolled cigarettes.

To the south a pack of coyotes began to join the chorus, their wails cutting the air like blades.

“I can’t breathe,” he said, clutching at his sides, grimacing in pain, so much so that his companions decided to speed him back to Virgil for the doc.

The internal injuries were a death-sentence, and although Jack managed to make it back to the little shack on the pasture whose name I will not write, he died right there, with the night black and the moon bright.

Since Jack’s death over 120 years ago, folks have called that place by a name which combines a racial epithet with a curse that he and others like him should die, even to this day, often uttering the words blithely and without a second thought.

It’s a testament to the way in which racism creeps casually into our lives, digs in and festers, going almost unnoticed even as it shows itself to be an undeniable part of our local language and shared history.

It reveals to us how the mythic figure of someone like Jack Oliver can be all but lost, the grandeur of his deeds almost entirely faded from memory, when what hangs on is a slur, a curse that reduces everything he was to nothing more than a name which I will not write.

Instead, I sing the nightsong of his legend.

SOMETIME in the early 1890s, Jack and several other cowboys journeyed to Virgil for a rodeo, out west of town.

This time, his luck had run out.

Jack Oliver drew the meanest bronc in the lot and was both thrown and stomped.

He told the pick-up man he was alright, that it was nothing, but on the return ride home, he began to grow pale and vomit uncontrollably.

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Rates: COVID-19 stalled discussions

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vantage of lower interest rates with savings that could get passed on to customers. Lowering the cost on the debt, the consulting firm argued, might also let utilities shutdown those inefficient plants earlier.

But it’s a complicated subject and advocates said legislators just didn’t have enough time to really look into it this year.

“It’s a big enough issue that we’re going to get right back into it (next year),” Jim Zakoura, president of the Kansas Industrial Consumers Group said.

Similarly, a push to subsidize business and

AND MOMENTS THAT

LIFETIME.

consumer purchases of more energy-efficient appliances and thermostats fell victim to a session cut short and mired in partisan issues. So far, no major utility has taken advantage of a law passed in 2014 intended to clear the way for those changes.

Even though electricity utility Evergy supports changes to the law that would make it easier for the company to implement, its lobbyist didn’t have much confidence the bill would pass this year.

“It’s unlikely that coronavirus and the way the session ended impacted that bill from a passage standpoint,” Chuck Caisley, Evergy’s chief customer officer said.

But others considered it a missed opportunity.

“We need to do better with energy efficiency,” Barnett said. “We need

QUALITY & VA

to be able to offer people programs to help them save energy and ultimately save money.”

What Was Passed

But not every effort to lower your electricity bill fell by the wayside.

When legislators came back for a day in May to finish up the session, they passed two provisions aimed at saving customers money. One clarified a utility’s ability to create special lower rates for businesses it’s trying to attract to the state.

Zakoura said Kansas’ higher electric prices, which are 20 to 40 percent higher per kWh than Missouri and Oklahoma, have scared away some businesses in the past, and the ability to offer special rates is a step in the right direction.

The second provision eliminated the ability of

utilities to recover state income tax payments through customer bills.

Major utility companies like Evergy haven’t had to pay state income tax for at least five years, yet customers were still being charged as if they had.

“There’s a big beneficiary and that is retail ratepayers in Kansas, who will see their rates reduced by, we estimate to be $40 to $50 million dollars a year,” Zakoura said.

The economic pain triggered by the coronavirus pandemic might actually boost changes in utility regulation next year.

“There’s folks that need jobs,” Pistora said.

“Could they get jobs doing home repairs to help people save energy? Could they do jobs, in a pandemic, safely outside installing solar?”

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Monday, June 15, 2020

American Legion Baseball: A Iola Indians

Indians earn crown, finish first in Adam LaRoche 16U tourney

By ERICK MITCHELL The Iola Register

FORT SCOTT — The A Iola Indians were crowned champions of the Adam LaRoche 16U Invitational tournament on Saturday in Fort Scott with a 10-7 win over the Olathe Vipers.

Iola steamrolled its way there with three impressive victories against McPherson and two different Natural Baseball Academy 15U squads before reaching the championship game.

Early scoring helped the Indians jump ahead of McPherson in their tournament opener on Friday. Carter Hutton opened the scoring with a two-

Hamlin wins at Miami

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — Denny Hamlin found the magic at Homestead-Miami Speedway, once again.

Hamlin went to the lead for the final time with 30 laps left and held off Chase Elliott for his record-tying third NASCAR Cup Series victory at Homestead.

Former drivers Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle are the other three-time winners.

Hamlin is in the club now, after battling Elliott most of the night.

“This one was real special,” Hamlin said.

Hamlin raced to his third victory of the season and 40th overall. He opened the season with a victory in the Daytona 500 and won at Darlington last month. And when the night was over, Hamlin — who wears the Michael Jordan “Jumpman” logo on his race suit — made no secret that he’s racing with some extra energy these days.

“I’m motivated. I’m motivated more than ever,” Hamlin said.

He led 137 of 267 laps on the 1 1/2-mile track in Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 11 Toyota, finishing 0.895 ahead of Elliott.

“I just need to get through lap traffic better,” Elliott said.

Ryan Blaney was third in a race oft-delayed by rain and lightning. Tyler Reddick finished fourth.

“I just needed to execute a little bit better,” Reddick said.

“It was tough. We were just a little bit off there in the last two runs.”

Fittingly, a very long day was the capper to a very long week for NASCAR — three Cup Series races in eight days, all of them bringing drivers into hot and steamy weather conditions that left many of them exhausted, all wrapped around the ongoing national outcry surrounding the battle for racial equality.

Bubba Wallace, the only black driver in the Cup Series, has become the sport’s most prominent activist after he successfully called last week on NASCAR to ban Confederate flags at its events; the See NASCAR | Page B4

RBIs double, giving the Indians a 2-0 lead after the first.

Eli Adams, Brandon McKarnin, Avery Blaufuss, and TJ Taylor each collected an RBI to give the Indians a 6-3 lead after the third inning. The Indians’ pitching duties were shared by committee. Trevor Church and Eli Adams featured in the first two innings, and Jack White pitched the final five to secure the Indians’ 6-2 victory.

Natural Baseball Academy (NBA) of Olathe fielded two 15U teams for the two-day tournament. Against NBA (team 1), the Indians rattled off 15 runs in four innings to capture a 15-0 run-rule victory.

Eight Indians collected RBIs, with Drake DeLaTorre leading the pack with three, and Trey Sommer, Gavin Page, and Taylor each collecting two apiece.

The big win carried a load of momentum into Saturday’s games, with the Indians taking on NBA (team 2). Once again, Iola’s bats flexed their strength.

The Indians combined for seven runs in the second and third innings, giving Iola the juice it needed to carry them the rest of the way. Iola scored 12 runs on seven hits, with the opposition committing 10 errors that played its part on the See A INDIANS | Page B4

REGISTER/ERICK MITCHELL

American Legion Baseball: A Iola Indians

Cal Leonard fires away from the mound against the Topeka Kansas Senators on Saturday in Ottawa. REGISTER/ERICK MITCHELL

INDIANS START STRONG

By ERICK MITCHELL The Iola Register

OTTAWA — The AA Iola Indians’ bats popped in their season opener on Saturday in Ottawa. Iola combined for 26 runs in 11 trips to the plate, beating the Topeka Kansas Senators and Ottawa by an identical 13-2 scoreline.

Clearly, after a near yearlong break from live action on the diamond, these Indians were ready to play.

“It was a lot of fun,” Indians head coach Jason Bauer said. “I didn’t expect us to play this well. We looked pretty good for only having had three practices.”

Iola High’s Washburn signee Cal Leonard led the way on the mound and behind the plate for the Indians.

After the Indians trailed 2-0 after the first inning against Topeka in game 1, Leonard shut down the Senators’ bats the rest of the way. In three innings of work, Leonard allowed two hits and earned four strikeouts while allowing only one earned run.

The Indians tallied nine runs in the second inning, starting with four runs off Topeka’s miscues on the mound and behind the plate.

With the Indians leading 4-2, and the bases loaded, Leonard sent one over the fence to

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catapult Iola to a six-run lead.

The Indians led 9-2 after the second inning.

“Cal hit the ball hard, and squared up quite a few balls — I was pretty impressed,” Bauer said. “After the first inning pitching, he was pretty dialed in.”

Iola added four more runs to their lead in the third inning. Once again, Leonard made an impact in the batters’ box, this time with an RBI single to center field.

Zane Whitney added to Iola’s lead with a two-RBIs single.

A passed ball allowed Brady Wiggin to cap Iola's scoring for the game.

Crest graduate Zach Beck-

mon finished off Topeka in the fourth, helping the Indians secure a 13-2 victory runrule victory.

Nathan Louk opened the scoring for Iola in game 2. An error by Ottawa’s shortstop on the throw to first which allowed the Indians’ center fielder to cross home plate safely. Humboldt’s Jackson Aikens added to the lead with his first RBI of the season, and Leonard followed with a two-RBIs single.

The Indians scoring in the second didn’t stop there.

Whitney chipped in his second RBI of the evening with a See AA INDIANS | Page B4

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By DAVID SHARP and KELVIN CHAN The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Fitness junkies locked out of gyms, commuters fearful of public transit, and families going stir crazy inside their homes during the coronavirus pandemic have created a boom in bicycle sales unseen in decades.

In the United States, bicycle aisles at mass merchandisers like Walmart and Target have been swept clean, and independent shops are doing a brisk business and are selling out of affordable “family” bikes.

Bicycle sales over the past two months saw their biggest spike in the U.S. since the oil crisis of the 1970s, said Jay Townley, who analyzes cycling industry trends at Human Powered Solutions.

“People quite frankly have panicked, and they’re buying bikes like toilet paper,” Townley said, referring to the rush to buy essentials like toilet paper and hand sanitizer that stores saw at the beginning of the pandemic.

The trend is mirrored around the globe, as cities better known for carclogged streets, like Manila and Rome, install bike lanes to accommodate surging interest in cycling while public transport remains curtailed. In London, municipal authorities plan to go further by banning cars from some central

thoroughfares.

Bike shop owners in the Philippine capital say demand is stronger than at Christmas. Financial incentives are boosting sales in Italy, where the government’s post-lockdown stimulus last month included a 500-euro ($575) “bici bonus” rebate for up to 60% of the cost of a bike.

But that’s if you can get your hands on one.

The craze has led to shortages that will take some weeks, maybe months, to resolve, particularly in the U.S., which relies on China for about 90% of its bicycles, Townley said.

Production there was largely shut down due to the coronavirus and is just resuming.

The bicycle rush kicked off in mid-March around the time countries were shutting their borders, businesses were closing, and stayat-home orders were being imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus that has infected millions of people and killed more than 450,000.

Sales of adult leisure bikes tripled in April while overall U.S. bike sales, including kids’ and electric-assist bicycles, doubled from the year before, according to market research firm NPD Group, which tracks retail bike sales.

It’s a far cry from what was anticipated in the U.S. The $6 billion industry had projected lower sales based on lower volume in 2019 in which punitive tariffs

on bicycles produced in China reached 25%.

There are multiple reasons for the pandemic bicycle boom.

Around the world, many workers were looking for an alternative to buses and subways. People unable to go to their gyms looked for another way to exercise. And shut-in families scrambled to find a way to keep kids active during stay-at-home orders.

“Kids are looking for something to do. They’ve probably reached the end of the internet by now, so you’ve got to get out and do something,” said Dave Palese at Gorham Bike and Ski, a Maine shop where there are slim pickings for familyoriented, leisure bikes.

Bar Harbor restaurateur Brian Smith bought a new bike for one of his daughters, a competitive swimmer, who was unable to get into the pool. On a recent day, he was heading back to his local bike shop to outfit his youngest daughter, who’d just learned how to ride.

His three daughters use their bikes every day, and the entire family goes for rides a couple of times a week. The fact that they’re getting exercise and enjoying fresh air is a bonus.

“It’s fun. Maybe that’s the bottom line. It’s really fun to ride bikes,” Smith said as he and his 7-year-old daughter, Ellery, pedaled to the bicycle shop.

The pandemic is also

driving a boom in electric-assist bikes, called e-bikes, which were a niche part of the overall market until now. Most e-bikes require a cyclist to pedal, but electric motors provide extra oomph.

VanMoof, a Dutch ebike maker, is seeing “unlimited demand” since the pandemic began, resulting in a 10-week order backlog for its commuter electric bikes, compared with typical one-day delivery time, said cofounder Taco Carlier.

The company’s sales surged 138% in the U.S. and rocketed 184% in Britain in the February-April period over last year, with big gains in other European countries. The company is scrambling to ramp up production as fast as it can, but it will take two to three months to meet the demand, Carlier said.

“We did have some issues with our supply chain back in January, February when the crisis hit first in Asia,” said Carlier.

But “the issue is now with demand, not supply.”

Sales at Cowboy, a Belgian e-bike maker, tripled in the January-April period from last year.

Notably, they spiked in Britain and France at around the same time in May that those countries started easing lockdown restrictions, said Chief Marketing Officer Benoit Simeray.

iolaregister.com

The Iola Register

Monday, June 15, 2020

Friendships change, but it’s possible to stay graceful Dear Carolyn: So. Here’s my dilemma: I’ve been friends with someone since middle school.

Like blood. Always at one another’s houses.

I went through some difficult family issues for a number of years and “went dark” — although she’d never actually contacted me during this time — while I dealt with them. A few years ago we reconnected and spent a wonderful day together that felt like old times. I explained the reasons I’d been out of touch, and she shared some of her own struggles and said she understood. I left feeling elated; I’d found my friend again!

That night I get a text she’d meant to send to her husband, saying what a “mess” my family was. There was more to it, but that’s the gist of it. I was devastated and texted her back. She wanted to talk that night, and I just could not — too busy crying and reconsidering decades of friendship.

A few months later I reached out and explained why I was so upset. She suggested we leave things as they were.

I agreed. Now with this stupid covid-19, I am feeling a need to get in touch with her to see how she and her family are doing.

Feel free to tell me this is pandemic-inspired and completely stupid nostalgia. It would probably

Tell Me About It Carolyn Hax

help. — I Am That Lame I Am That Lame: You say nostalgia, I say forgiveness.

You say pandemicinspired, I say just inspired.

You say stupid, I say, why not?

You want to talk to your friend. What a humble tragedy it would be if you talked yourself out of that impulse just because you thought remaining estranged was the smarter thing to do.

Check in with her.

If it turns out not to have been a good idea, then you’ll find that out soon enough, and you’ll bounce back from it as you did the last time. At least you’ll know you tried.

Dear Carolyn: This past winter, my friend “Charlie” and I had sort of a joint revelation that we might make a good couple, and we gave it a shot, starting with a few dates and outings. I felt a spark but he did not, and right before Christmas we talked it over and decided to return to being just friends.

I am sensible enough not to take it personally, and believe there is probably someone out there

who would value me more. And I am grateful for Charlie’s continued friendship, but now I’m not sure if the friendship will work the way it used to.

In the past, Charlie used to say encouraging things about how I deserved a great guy. If he were to say something like that in the future, I might be tempted to laugh in his face — to keep from crying, at least. How can I hold on to a friend who is no longer in a position to make me feel good about myself ? — Imbalanced Imbalanced: I know this is not coming in your preferred form — love from Charlie — but: It’s hard to think of a better reason to feel good about yourself than your brave, rational, self-aware and utterly disarming response to watching this relationship fizzle out.

Such rejections are often quickly repurposed into tees for face-saving platitudes: “It’s Charlie’s loss”; “He doesn’t deserve you”; “You can do better anyway.” You’ve already risen above that, a difficult thing to do.

Plus, you’ve done it without hiding your pain behind false bravado.

My advice to you now is to stay on this elegantly imperfect path. Keep being brave enough to show your feelings and rational enough not to let

Colon recommendations hard to digest

By DR. KEITH ROACH To Your Good Health

Dear Dr. Roach: My wife is 65, and I am 62.

We have the same gastroenterologist. Several years ago, my wife was diagnosed with diverticulosis. The doctor told her to refrain from eating hard-to-digest foods such as nuts, corn and seeds. A year ago, the doctor told me that I have diverticulosis. He informed me that the recommendation to stay

away nuts and seeds is no longer needed. The doctor did not explain why his recommendation had changed.

Please provide some guidance on dietary recommendations for patients who have diverticulosis but are not currently experiencing problems with it. — S.O. Answer: Diverticulosis is the presence of small pouches in the colon. These can become inflamed, causing pain and fever, a condition called

diverticulitis. Nuts and seeds were once thought to precipitate diverticulitis by becoming lodged in the pouches.

There was never good evidence to support the recommendation against eating seeds and nuts, and the recommendation has changed because nuts and seeds are generally a healthy addition to diet, and because there is some evidence that eating these may actually reduce the risk of developing diverticulitis.

B3

them curdle into bitterness and recriminations.

See where this takes you.

The one change I suggest is that you dispense with any hope or expectation the friendship will “work the way it used to.”

The connection you have now will be different, because it’ll be between two different people from the you and Charlie of before — because your experience will have changed you both. Maybe only a little, but you say it yourself: Even if Charlie responds to you now the same way he used to, it will hit different ears this time.

That’s okay. It might even be better now, since you’re at a point of rare honesty. You just need to get past the initial awkward stage of weird moments and cringe-y comments as you find a new way to fit.

Assuming, of course, you decide you want to try. There’s nothing that says you have to try to be friends again or keep trying when it doesn’t feel right. It’s tough when a valued friendship doesn’t work out, yes — but love and friendship are renewable resources, too.

ZITS

BEETLE BAILEY

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— Christopher Hitchens

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by Chance Browne

B4

Monday, June 15, 2020

The Iola Register

Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday. MICHAEL REAVES/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

iolaregister.com

Nathan Louk makes contact with a pitch on Saturday against Ottawa REGISTER/ERICK MITCHELL

Hamlin earns third career Homestead win Two wins to start Continued from B1

series quickly did just that to mostly rave reviews. So, while fans —1,000 of them, mostly invited military members who could each bring a guest — were back at a NASCAR race for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic started, there were none of the banned flags in sight.

Most of those fans were gone when Hamlin drove under the checkered flag at 10:46 p.m., ending the marathon day.

The race was over. So was the day. Finally.

“I knew if I was just patient, ran the pace I wanted and the pace I was comfortable with, we were going to be hard to beat in the long run,” Hamlin said.

Wallace finished 13th.

Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time champion who had the tunnel that leads to the track named in his honor earlier in the weekend and is retiring as a full-time driver after this season, was 16th.

Hamlin won the first two stages and bucked a

trend this season, where drivers who do that don’t wind up with the win.

Elliott swept the first two stages at Las Vegas before finishing 26th, Clint Bowyer did it before finishing 22nd at Darlington, Alex Bowman took the first two at Charlotte but ended up 19th, and Elliott did it again and finished 22nd at Bristol.

The last driver to win the first two stages and ultimately win the race was Martin Truex Jr. at Martinsville last Oct. 27.

That is, until now.

“I’ll take every win I can,” Hamlin said.

“Let’s just keep piling them up.”

The weather toyed with the race all day.

A slight shower, one where it only rained over Turns 3 and 4, popped up around the very instant that drivers fired up the engines to get things going.

That was followed by the day’s first batch of lightning and the delay caused the race to start 55 minutes later than planned.

Drivers got through

three laps — not even five miles — when lightning was spotted near the track and a caution came out that turned into a red-flag stoppage and would last for 2 hours, 8 minutes. And after about 25 more laps once things finally resumed, lightning struck again to prompt another interruption of nearly 39 minutes.

“It was a little bit different,” Blaney said.

“Obviously, we raced later than we thought, but on the other side of that, the race that we’re used to down here usually ends a little bit later too. ... It was difficult getting in and out of the car, that part stinks, but safety is important.”

Counting the pre-race delay, that was 3 hours, 42 minutes of sitting around in weather-related stoppages on a day where most of the track was completely dry throughout. It was 8:15 p.m. when the green flag dropped again and drivers — who had been through only 33 laps to that point — started the final 234 times around the Homestead surface.

Austin Dillon had a day he’ll never forget, though his seventh-place finish wasn’t even close to the most significant development. Dillon and wife Whitney became parents early Sunday, announcing the birth of a boy named Ace. “Hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was say goodbye to go race today,” Dillon wrote in the Instagram post in which he announced the birth. “Hopefully we bring back a trophy for Ace on the first day we welcomed him into this world!”

Instead, the trophy went to Hamlin, who has now won this season with stands full of fans (Daytona), no fans (the second race at Darlington) and some fans (Homestead).

“It’s a number that I’ve been looking at for quite a few years and at one point I didn’t know if I’d get there,” Hamlin said of hitting the 40-win milestone. “I’ve adjusted my goals since then. ... I don’t think we’re at the top of our game with our team yet.”

FIFA urges ‘tolerance’ after Trump’s anthem kneeling rebuke

By ROB HARRIS The Associated Press

FIFA appealed Monday for “tolerance, mutual respect and common sense” after U.S. President Donald Trump denounced the annulment of a policy that required soccer players to stand during the national anthem.

“I won’t be watching much anymore!”

Trump tweeted Saturday.

Trump retweeted a

tweet by Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, who wrote: “I’d rather the US not have a soccer team than have a soccer team that won’t stand for the National Anthem.”

It was United States captain Megan Rapinoe kneeling in support of Colin Kaepernick that led to the U.S. Soccer Federation adopting the rule in 2017. It was annulled last week after American soccer leaders acknowledged

a change in sentiment among the public since the death of George Floyd sparked global anti-racism protests.

“FIFA strongly advocates for tolerance, mutual respect and common sense when such important matters are debated,” world soccer's governing body said in a statement to The Associated Press when asked about Trump's comments. “FIFA has a zero-tolerance approach to incidents of all forms

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of discrimination in football, as outlined in the FIFA Statutes. We must all say no to racism and no to violence.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino introduced Trump at a dinner at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January, expressing a desire to "make sure that the ‘American dream’ becomes reality, not only in America, as we have seen, but all over the world.”

Continued from B1

hard-hit ball to the gap in center field, and Louk made his way home once more to cap Iola’s scoring in the second.

The Indians led 6-0 after the second inning.

Other than an RBI

by Drake Sellman in the fourth, Iola’s offense remained fairly quiet in the middle innings. While the offense slowed, Iola’s pitching staff continued to do its part.

After a brief appearance pitching in game 1, Beckmon was granted the start for game two. He finished with one earned run, and seven strikeouts in five innings of work. Ryker Curry came in to relieve Beckmon, notching four strikeouts in his two-inning appearance.

The Indians pulled further away in the sev-

enth after RBIs from Curry, Leonard, Beckmon, and Louk, putting the Indians ahead 13-2 entering the final half inning. Aikens relieved Curry for an easy onetwo-three inning, giving the Indians a 2-0 start for the 2020 season.

Even though the Indians don’t have a state tournament to look forward to, they can still improve for the future.

“Some of these kids had never played together, but right away they seemed on the same page,” Bauer said. “We want the kids to play and get better, and everyone that played today is eligible to come back for next year to make a run at a state title.”

The Indians will be back in action on Thursday at Burlington for a doubleheader starting at 6 p.m.

A Indians: Champs Continued from B1

scoreboard.

Church pitched all six innings before the game was cut short due to Iola’s eight-run lead after five innings. Church finished with five strikeouts, allowing nine hits and four earned runs to help Iola reach the championship game against Olathe.

In the championship, Iola trailed for the first time all weekend after Olathe jumped on the board in the first inning. The Indians battled back in the third, taking a 2-1 lead off an RBI from Eli Adams.

Unlike the three previous games of the tournament, Olathe made the Indians earn their feathers. Olathe regained its lead with

four runs in the fourth inning, taking a 5-2 lead.

The Indians’ offense continued to answer the call, adding two runs in the fourth before exploding for six in the fifth inning. Cooper Riley, Taylor, and Page each collected two RBIs in the fifth, giving Iola a 10-5 lead entering the sixth.

Olathe scored two more runs in the sixth, but that would be their final chance at the plate due to time, giving Iola the 10-7 championship victory. McKarnin was credited with the win, allowing two runs while mustering a single strikeout in two innings pitched.

The Indians will be at home on Tuesday to face Garnett at 6 p.m.