Inside: Conservation winners See A5
2017 1867
Sports: Red Devils fall in Indy See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Cowboy Poet hits airwaves By SHELLIE SMITLEY The Iola Register
Singing cowboy, Del Shields, Humboldt, invites area cowboys, cattle ranchers, and Western music enthusiasts to listen in on his latest endeavor, a radio show broadcast locally. The show, found at betterhorsesnetwork.com since Oct. 1, 2016, is a world-wide radio show that links back to Dave Pratt’s radio studio in Scottsdale, Ariz., and is digitally broadcast from wherever Shields is, including his home in Humboldt. The show is recorded live at 10 a.m. Saturdays. All shows are archived, Shields said. The shows are not always broadcast from Kansas. Shields is performing and conducting a live radio broadcast Feb. 25, from Alpine, Texas during the 31st annual “Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering.” “We can do it live from different places so that’s been a See POET | Page A3
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Labor nominee withdraws
WASHINGTON (AP) — President D o n a l d Trump’s nominee for labor secretary abruptly withdrew his nomination We d n e s d ay Andrew after Senate Puzder Republicans balked at supporting him, in part over taxes he belatedly paid on a former housekeeper not authorized to work in the United States. Fast-food executive Andrew Puzder issued a short statement abandoning the effort, saying he was “honored to have been considered by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Labor.” White House spokesman Sean Spicer declined to com-
Delbert Shields performs Wednesday at the Allen County Conservation District’s annual meeting. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON
See PUZDER | Page A5
Kansas lawmakers advance tax hike to balance budget TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators learned Wednesday that they might have enough bipartisan support to pass a big income tax increase to balance the state’s budget, though Republican Gov. Sam Brownback said he would not sign the measure. The GOP-controlled House
gave firstround approval to a bill that would generate more than $1 billion in new revenues over two years, starting in July. It would raise income tax rates
Brownback persuaded lawmakers to cut, restore a third tax bracket he had eliminated and end an exemption for more than 330,000 farmers and business owners that he championed. The governor told members of the National Federation of Independent Business
in a Statehouse speech that the bill would be “a huge step backwards.” While he didn’t explicitly threaten a veto, he later told reporters, “Have I ever been for income tax increases?” “This is not the way to go,” Brownback said. The vote Wednesday was
83-39, one shy of a two-thirds majority necessary to override a veto by the governor, with three House members not voting. The margin surprised even the bill’s supporters. The House plans to take a See TAX | Page A5
Flu numbers vary here By SHELLIE SMITLEY The Iola Register
The Centers for Disease Control lists Kansas as one of 15 states experiencing high numbers of influenza-like illnesses. but local agencies say they are not seeing large numbers of confirmed cases. According to the CDC’s website, Kansas experienced high influenza activity during the week ending Jan. 28. While schools are shut down in states like Tennessee over the large number of influenza cases, Jacki Chase, nurse at Iola’s middle and high schools, said although there have a been a few actual confirmed cases of influenza, there have not been as many cases See FLU | Page A3
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, center, cuts a crime scene tape as part of a ceremony to unveil a pair of digital kiosks purchased by the Allen County Crime Stoppers. The kiosks provide information about unsolved crimes, local fugitives and other public service announcements. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Kiosks latest tool in Crime Stoppers arsenal By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
New kiosks set up at Walmart and City Hall could help answer unsolved crimes, law enforcement officials said. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and several sponsors were on hand last week for the unveiling of a pair of Community ProTektor kiosks, the latest tool
Quote of the day Vol. 119, No. 78
made available to Allen County Crime Stoppers. “We’re hoping these are great tools for us,” Iola police officer and Kansas Crime Stoppers President Mike Ford said. “And they’re not just for crime,” but can also provide information about events, public service announcements and weather alerts. The 5-foot kiosks have three screens, the top one of which
will ask for help on unsolved crimes in the area. The middle screen spotlights the sponsors who help fund the devices, which cost $8,000 to equip, as well as public service announcements or information about upcoming events. The third screen will show those wanted on arrest warrants. A pair of QR codes are also a part of the kiosk, for cell phone users to scan and ei-
“Never give advice in a crowd.” — Pope Paul VI, 1897-1978 75 Cents
ther download a Crime Stoppers app, or to make an online tip to law enforcement. As with other Crime Stoppers projects, tipsters remain anonymous. “We don’t want to know your name, just your information,” Ford said. The kiosks can be updated in a matter of minutes, Ford See KIOSKS | Page A3
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