The Iola Register, Feb. 16, 2024 by Iola Register

Friday, February 16, 2024

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Allen has new tuition policy for students By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

Allen Community College is changing its payment policy after international students and faculty shared concerns in December. The college had tightened its policies last spring, particularly targeted to international students who were required to pay their tuition in full at the start of the semester rather than in installments . Several international students, backed up by faculty including English instructor Tracy Lee and some coaches, called the policy discriminatory. They said it was unfair to hold international students to a different standard. It was also pointed out that other community colleges in the state offered some sort of payment plan. As a result, a group of faculty and staff met to determine changes, which they unveiled at Tuesday night’s meeting of ACC trustees. Under the new policy, inSee ACC | Page A3

Iola soccer player signs with Sweden

PAGE B1

Israel attacks main hospital in southern Gaza PAGE A6

Law enforcement and medical personnel respond to a shooting at Union Station during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade on Wednesday, in Kansas City, Missouri. Twenty-three people were shot, one fatally. Three people were detained after the rally as suspects. JAMIE SQUIRE/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

Horror hits home Iola woman who was near shooting site recalls terror, scramble for safety By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Her first thought was that a fireworks display had malfunctioned. Iolan Winter Snyder was among the legions of Kansas City Chiefs fans — a crowd estimated in the hundreds of thousands — who had flocked to downtown Kansas City Wednesday to watch the team’s parade and rally for winning Super Bowl LVIII. What she didn’t realize until afterward was just how close she and her friends were to being at the epicenter of a mass shooting that injured 22 and resulted in the death of a Johnson County woman. “I was a little shaken up,” Snyder said upon returning to Iola Wednesday evening. “My nerves have finally calmed down a little bit.” According to media reports, the shooting occurred just west and south of Union Station, roughly 45 feet from where Snyder and two family friends were standing during the rally. The scariest part, Snyder noted, was she was standing shoulder to shoulder with one of the accused shooters. SNYDER’S GROUP arrived late Wednesday morning, not long before the team’s victory parade was set to begin in downtown Kansas City.

For more information about the shooting at the Chiefs victory celebration at Union Station, read related article on page B1. “I’m surprised we got as close as we did.” As the revelry began, Snyder was worried about being able to hear the speakers, so they decided to move even closer, settling on the other side of a cluster of trees and a small barricade. “If we hadn’t moved, we would have been right in the middle of it,” she said.

Winter Snyder at the rally before the shooting. Initially setting up camp alongside Kessler Road, which borders a grassy area separating Union Station from the World War I Memorial to the south, and where the bulk of the fans gathered to cheer on the players and coaches as they spoke, Snyder and friends were able to make their way almost to the front of the lawn.

WEDNESDAY’S rally started much like the previous two rallies Snyder had attended, the first in 2020, the second in 2023. As with the other two, the goal wasn’t to watch the parade, but to hear Coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and other players address the fans. While the weather was significantly better for the most recent rally, Snyder noted the crowd was significantly less raucous than the first two. “It was almost quieter,” she noted. As she was listening to the speeches,

60+ Dine program exceeds expectations By SARAH HANEY The Iola Register

When starting the “60+ Dine” program, Kathy Brennon was told to expect 20 participants within the first year. Five months in, the program has 172 participants and counting. “It shows us there is a tremendous need here in Allen County,” she said. “We’re very excited to be able to meet that need.” As the Director of the SEK Area Agency on Aging (SEKAAA), Brennon spearheaded this initiative with the aim of providing not just nutritious meals but also fostering invaluable social connections among older adults,

all made possible through community partnerships. From its beginnings in early September, with an enrollment of 78 individuals, the program quickly gained momentum. The program is open to individuals over 60 years old with no income eligibility requirements. It is also open to spouses of participants or disabled adult children who live with participants. Operating five days a week during the lunch hour, the program serves as a vital hub for social interaction, emphasizing the importance of communal dining. “We believe that sharing a meal is about See MEALS | Page A4

Jerri Krokstrom, SEKAAA’s 60+ Dine Coordinator, and SEKAAA Director Kathy Brennon are excited about the success of the program in Allen County. Brennon hopes to duplicate the program in Woodson and Neosho counties in the future. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY

See RALLY | Page A6

Groups clash over civil asset forfeiture law TOPEKA — Kansas chief deputy attorney general Daniel Burrows defended a hardfought attempt to overhaul the state’s civil asset forfeiture law and urged rival factions to avoid the temptation to march to their castles, close the drawbridges and shoot arrows at each other rather than agree to support meaningful reform. He said Attorney General Kris Kobach, who oversees the Kansas Bureau of Investigation as well as a team of state prosecutors, commitSee KOBACH | Page A4

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A2 Friday, February 16, 2024 Obituary

Arrest made in Jackie Robinson statue theft

Darin Harclerode

By KYLIE CAMERON Kansas News Service

Darin Lee Harclerode, age 49, of Iola, died Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Bourbon County near Bronson, as the result of a motorcycle accident. He was born April 13, 1974, in Kansas City, Mo., to James M. Harclerode and Shirley (Conner) Edwards. He married Renee Trabuc on Sept. 21, 2001, in Uniontown. He was preceded in death by his father. Survivors include his wife, Renee Harclerode, of the home; son, Tyler Ramsey; three step-daughters, Andrea Larsen, Annie Tush and Kayleigh Clendenny. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the chapel at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 US Highway 54, Iola. A private family inurnment will follow in the Colony Cemetery.

Colony Church news Pastor Chase Riebel’s message Sunday was from John 4. Jesus went out of His way to go through Samaria so He could talk to a woman at Jacob’s well. The woman became a disciple when she went and told the people of the town to come see Jesus because He told her all things. Darren McGhee’s communion meditation focused on faith being bigger than football. Being on God’s team is a sure victory.

Lynette Prasko led worship with the opening song “When We All Get to Heaven” and scripture from Matthew 18 about how entering Heaven requires becoming as humble as a child. Lynette was joined by Ben and Ethan Prasko, Anna Riebel and Mike Billings as worship continued with the songs “Your Name is Power,” “Simple Kingdom” and “Psalm 19.” Sunday services begin at 10:45 a.m.

Area news USD 246 approves 4-day week ARMA — After months of deliberation and extensive input, the Northeast USD 246 Board of Education approved a four-day school schedule at Monday’s meeting, according to a report by The Morning Sun. The Northeast School District joins a growing number of Kansas schools switching to a four-day week. According to a report from Natalie Wallington of the Kansas City Star, the Kansas State Department of Education listed 71 public schools with four-day weeks in 2023, increasing from 69 schools in 2022 and 56 in 2021. USD 246 Superintendent Dr. Ray Streeter noted the significance of the new schedule adding more professional development days (PD) for the staff, which gives them time to become more proficient, work with others, and acquire new skills to use in the classroom.

Elliott named Pittsburg superintendent PITTSBURG — According to a report by The Morning Sun, during the search for candidates for superintendent of USD 250, one name rose to the top out of the 17 applicants compiled by the search firm McPherson & Jacobson LLC. On Monday night, the board of education voted unanimously in favor of J.B. Elliott, who is currently completing his seventh year as superintendent at USD 343, Perry-Lecompton. “USD 250 is fortunate to be able to hire such a great superintendent,” said school board President Rusty Akins. Elliott is entering his 29th year in education with the last 21 years spent in administrative roles. He began as a biology teacher and coach in 1995 in Hoisington, Kan., and was named athletic director in 2001. In 2003, he became the

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Wichita Police have made an arrest and formally charged a 45-year-old man in the theft of the Jackie Robinson statue from League 42’s youth baseball facility at McAdams Park. Police said the suspect, Ricky Alderete, stole the statue to sell it for scrap metal. Officials said it was not a hate-motivated crime. “If you try to take something from this community, it won’t tolerate it,” Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said. Alderete was arrested for felony theft, aggravated criminal damage to property, identity theft and making false information on Monday. He was scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday. The statue was found destroyed and on fire in a dumpster in Garvey Park, seven miles south from where it was stolen. “This is a occurrence that should not have happened,” City Coun-

high school principal in Hoisington. In 2006, he accepted the position of principal of Perry-Lecompton High School. In 2015, he was made the director of curriculum and instruction at Perry-Lecompton before becoming superintendent in 2016. Elliott earned a bachelor of science degree in education from the Univeristy of Kansas and a master of science degree in education administration from Fort Hays State University. He completed his district level licensure program at Washburn University. “I am a forward thinker who looks for strategies to prepare the district and all students for the future,” Elliott said. “I am excited to bring my high expectations, hard work ethic, dedication, and problem-solving skills to the Pittsburg school district.”

Museum Passport program returns CHANUTE — The Southeast Kansas (SEK)

Police Chief Joe Sullivan, with members of the Wichita City Council and League 42’s executive director, announces additional arrests will be made in the theft of the Jackie Robinson statue. HUGO PHAN/KMUW/KANSAS NEWS SERVICE

cil member Brandon Johnson said during a news conference at City Hall. “We were all baffled and even talking earlier about why something like this would happen. “Hopefully this is a testament to all who might think about doing something like this in the future.” Police are expected to make additional arrests in the case. Surveillance video from the theft shows at least three people were

Museum Alliance is launching its 2024 Museum Passport program, notes a report by The Chanute Tribune. Passports will be available from participating museums and visitor centers, and will be given to visitors, guests, and patrons for free. The Museum Passport looks like an actual passport and gives information on each of the 49 participating museums and historical sites in Southeast Kansas. The passport contains a map that shows the location of each museum and historical site and is designed so the visitor can plan an adventure into the history of southeast Kansas. The passport program, initiated in 2021, quickly asserted its worth to Kansas and other travelers who wanted a quality trip on a small budget. Because of its popularity, the program was rejuvenated this year, adding more museums to the passport as worthy destination points.

originally involved in the theft of the statue. While the statue is not salvageable, the league is working on replacing it using the same mold as the original, which was created by the late John Parsons of Derby. The statue is estimated to cost $75,000. It was unveiled by the cityin 2021. Donations poured in after the theft, approaching $300,000, said Bob Lutz, executive director League 42.

Bill could lead to Pike Reservoir TOPEKA — According to ksnt.com, new legislation under discussion by Kansas lawmakers could lead to a new water resource in the eastern part of the state. On Friday, Feb. 9, lawmakers in the Kansas Senate introduced Senate Bill 497 which seeks to establish the Pike Reservoir Project District Act. This bill, if approved, would allow for the construction of a new dam and lake in Bourbon County. Furthermore, SB 497 also aims to create two taxes to help fund the project. It would establish the Pike reservoir district sales tax fund

Major League Baseball and its clubs have also pledged funding and support for its replacement. Lutz has said that some of the extra money raised could enhance some of League 42’s programming and facilities. League 42 said the new statue will also include updates to the area surrounding it, including flower beds and enhanced security to prevent possible future thefts.

and the Pike reservoir district sales tax refund fund. Language in the bill outlines the area which will be taken up by the proposed construction project. It starts at the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 65; east along Highway 65 to 95th Street; north along 95th Street to the Linn County line; west along the county line to Highway 3; and south along highway 3 to the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 65. The construction of new recreational and commercial facilities is also included in the bill. Pike reservoir will be used as a public water resource and for fish and wildlife conservation.

4-H club creates Valentines for Moran Manor The regular monthly meeting of the Prairie Rose 4-H Club was held on Sunday, Feb. 11. Prior to the meeting, members met to complete a service project of creating Valentine’s Day cards for the residents of Moran Manor. The meeting was called to order by Kylar Botts, Junior President. The Cloverbuds led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and the 4-H Pledge. Roll call was: Who will win the Super Bowl? There was a quorum present and the minutes were approved as read. All officer reports were approved. A fundraising committee report was given. Members will begin selling braided bread in February. The orders will be due and will be delivered in March. Community leader Angelea Heim announced the club’s skit results and individual mem-

bers’ results from 4-H District Days. Community leader Kelci Botts announced information and dates from the Southwind District Newsletter. This included the following: Member in Good Standing, Walk Kansas, K-State Junior Beef Producer Day, K-State Junior Sheep Producer Day, photography project and entomology project information, Discovery Days and Rock Springs 4-H Camp, summer contest information, and Kansas Sheep Association start flock program. There were no project leader reports or old business. In new business, a motion was made and approved to perform the club skit at Regional 4-H Days. Next, a motion to have a club group participate in the Walk Kansas program was approved. Junior song leader Rynlea Heins led the

club in “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Junior recreation leaders Kylar Botts and Henry Gabbert led the club in a game of Red Rover. Junior Vice President Doug Dix led the program. Doug Dix gave a project talk over “How to Play the Trumpet.” Jacque Gabbert announced that the first welding meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 3:30 to

Today

4:30 p.m., at the school. The next meeting will be Sunday, March 3, at 3 p.m. at the Moran United Methodist Church. This will be a club exchange meeting with Seekers Not Slackers of Anderson County. It was moved and seconded to adjourn the meeting by saying the 4-H Motto. — Junior Reporter, Harper Gabbert

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Friday, February 16, 2024

The Iola Register

ACC: Emergency medical certification program to return Continued from A1

ternational students will no longer have to pay a $1,500 deposit. Students found the deposit to be a barrier, Vice President for Student Affairs Cynthia Jacobson told the board. It’s also unnecessary, she said. The deposit was intended to serve as a contingency fund in case the student had to be sent back home. It has never been used. International students do have to meet certain requirements that prove they have sufficient funds to cover the cost of attenRebecca Nilges, chairman of the Allen Community College Board of Trustees, dance, ACC President Bruce Moses noted. leads a meeting Tuesday evening. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS Policies and deadlines related to those federal tificates, starting with course requires 12 cred- as well as national acthe most basic level it hours or a full semes- creditation, Wheeler rules will not change. of emergency medical ter with a certificate. said. Now, all students can Board of trustees use a third-party ven- responder to emergen- Advanced EMTs can cy medical technician learn more skills and, member Jenny Spilldor, Nelnet, to set up a to paramedic. A goal often, earn more pay. man noted Allen ofpayment plan. Howevis to eventually deA paramedic course fered a similar program er, the vendor requires 54 credit in the past but dropped students to have a U.S.- velop a sort of “bridge requires based bank account or program” to prepare hours. Allen will seek it because of low enrollstudents for nursing national accreditation ment. All of the equipcredit card. ment was donated to Allen will extend the school if they want to for the program. extend their educaStudents can go on other schools. payment deadline for tion. to earn an associate CTE-type programs all students. Currently, “Southeast Kansas degree with 68 credit are cyclical, Wheeler students must pay all is a little desperate for hours. acknowledged. Many fees one week before Having a stair-step colleges ended EMT the term begins. That paramedics and EMTS will be extended to Oct. at all levels,” Kara approach benefits both programs around the 20 for the fall semester, Wheeler, vice president Allen and emergen- same time as Allen, March 20 for spring and for academic affairs, cy personnel, Wheeler resulting in fewer opsaid. Many students are portunities to train July 1 for summer. Stu- told board members. Colter Whiting, working professionals workers that eventually dents with outstanding health professions prowho can take classes contributed to the curbalances after those gram coordinator, dewhen convenient, then rent staffing shortage. dates will be withdrawn and cannot enroll for a veloped the program earn more money after Now, there’s demand subsequent term until with help from the Iola they obtain certifica- for such programs and Fire Department, St. tion. many companies offer the balance is paid. Luke’s Health System It also gives Allen a lucrative hiring bonusBoard members and Anderson Counchance to develop highes. asked for clarificaty Emergency Medical school level programs The federal govtion about some matServices. that will encourage ernment also offers ters, such as why they Emergency medical students to continue millions of dollars in dropped the $1,500 deposit requirement. Ja- responders are the first- to seek further educa- grants to establish such cobson said the college line of defense who tion. Lisa Wicoff, dean programs, board memcan try the new policy provide support until of Career and Techni- ber Jessica Thompson for a year to see how ef- EMTs and paramed- cal Education, said the said. ics arrive. High school lower-level emergenStart-up costs were fective it is. students can take the cy responder program estimated at about course starting at age can be offered in cor- $210,000. Those funds Emergency medical 17, though they can’t relation to multiple ca- would come from services program take the test for certifireers, including law en$413,000 the college Allen will bring back forcement and health has received from the training programs for cation until age 18. The program would sciences. state to spend on trainemergency medical offer two levels — baThe entire program ing for business and inprofessionals. sic and advanced — for is intense and requires dustry. A new machinThe program will ofEMTs. The basic EMT approval from the state ery and manufacturing fer stepping-stone cer-

Trump’s hush-money case will start March 25 NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s hush-money trial will go ahead as scheduled with jury selection starting on March 25, a New York judge ruled Thursday, turning aside demands for a delay from the former president’s defense lawyers. The decision means that the first of Trump’s four criminal prosecutions to proceed to trial is a case centered on years-old accusations that he sought to bury stories about extramarital affairs that arose during his 2016 presidential campaign. Other cases charge him with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election and illegally hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate. In leaving the trial date intact, Judge Juan Manuel Merchan noted a delay in the separate prosecution in Washington related to efforts to undo the election. That case, originally set for trial on March 4, has been effectively frozen pending the outcome of Trump’s appeal on the legally untested question of whether a former president enjoys

immunity from prosecution for actions taken in the White House. Noting that he had resisted defense lawyer urgings from months ago to postpone the trial, Merchan said: “I’m glad I took that position because here we are — the D.C. case did not go forward.”

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program also will be developed using those funds. The college also can apply for grants for equipment. Wheeler also noted enrollment for the programs would be capped at 15 students to meet a recommended ratio of one teacher for every seven students. It’s a difficult program and a handful of students are likely to drop out each semester. The board approved the new program. IN OTHER news, the college board of trustees: Approved spending up to $6,000 for an outside company to conduct an evaluation of President Bruce Moses. The trustees were divided about the need to hire someone to develop the evaluation process, versus doing it themselves. Trustees noted they don’t have an evaluation system in

place; this process will help them develop one. Heard an update from Jacobson about a new application system for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The new application has caused delays processing applications. Jacobson said the majority of Allen students typically wait to file their FAFSA applications, so staff are used to those kinds of delays. Staff assured the board they will stay on top of the situation. Scheduled a work session for 4 p.m. Thursday, March 7, two days after a regularly scheduled board meeting. The special meeting will allow trustees to take a tour of facilities, including dormitories, to see some of the challenges facing maintenance crews. Wicoff also will give a CTE presentation after the tour.

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A4 Friday, February 16, 2024

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Kobach: Group argues law fuels ‘for-profit’ policing tactics Continued from A1

ted to a mission of protecting citizens’ rights and the ideals of limited, constitutional government. In that vein, he said the attorney general had during the past year stopped thousands of dollars in unwarranted forfeiture claims from moving forward and maneuvered behind the scenes to develop a compromise acceptable to civil libertarians, defense attorneys, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and other interested parties. “To be clear, the attorney general strongly supports asset forfeiture reform. He recognizes that while forfeiture is an important tool in the law enforcement toolkit, it is easily abused and requires vigorous oversight,” Burrows said. He said the challenge was to craft a durable compromise that delivered consequential change in state law but didn’t make asset forfeiture practically impossible. To that end, he said, the attorney general endorsed House Bill 2606 rather than Senate Bill 458. The House and Senate introduced comparable asset forfeiture bills under consideration by their respective judiciary committees. Both bills would remove the crime of drug possession from the list of offenses subject to forfeiture, require a judge to approve a probable cause affidavit before a forfeiture case could proceed and allow defendants who recovered more than half of their property to recoup attorney’s fees and litigation costs. Senate Bill 458 diverged from House Bill 2026, however, by including a provision granting defendants the right to a jury trial and a section forbidding nearly 400 law enforcement agencies in Kansas from transferring their asset seizure cases to the federal courts. If handled by the federal government, the local law enforcement agency in Kansas could retain about 80% of the financial seizure but not deal with costs of that process.

Attorney General Kris Kobach urged legislators, libertarians and law enforcement leaders to get behind a compromise bill that would deliver substantial reform of Kansas' civil asset forfeiture system. TIM CARPENTER/KANSAS REFLECTOR Opposition to Senate plan Tony Mattivi, director of the KBI and a former prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice, said he preferred the House’s option because jury trials were impractical and the opportunity to pass cases to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Justice relieved local law enforcement agencies of the financial burden of forfeiture actions grounded in the quest to strip criminals of ill-gotten gains. “Asset forfeiture is a useful and effective tool for removing the financial incentive and the means of trafficking narcotics and people,” Mattivi told the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Most of the changes that Senate Bill 458 makes to the act do an excellent job of balancing law enforcement’s need for such a tool and the desire of all of us to protect the due process rights of any potential claimants.” He said elements of the Senate’s version could “tip the balance” in favor of defendants and “conceivably do more harm than good.” Col. Erik Smith, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, said he was neutral on the House bill and opposed to

the Senate option. He said he agreed with the KBI and attorney general that it would be a mistake to prohibit federal prosecutors from taking charge of Kansas forfeiture cases. He also objected to a provision in the House and Senate bills that raised the state’s burden of proof in asset forfeiture cases from a low “preponderance” of evidence to the more challenging “clear and convincing” standard. He argued it would make recovery of criminal profits more difficult. “The clear and convincing evidence standard has historically been reserved for more serious, non-property conflicts such as a loss of parental rights or an involuntary mental commitment,” Smith said. “The burden of proof in Kansas property disputes is, and has been, a preponderance of the evidence for all parties.” On this point, the attorney general disagreed with KHP. The attorney general and others have been working for months to build support for the higher evidentiary standard in Kansas forfeiture cases. Since the 2019 fiscal year, KHP has received $6 million in revenue from civil asset forfeiture actions in Kansas.

Other voices in the mix

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, Kansas Justice Institute litigation director and general counsel Sam MacRoberts said reform of Kansas statute on asset forfeiture was necessary because the law incentivized profit-based policing, disregarded the owner’s constitutional property rights and due process considerations, facilitated government overreach and forbid the accused from seeking a trial by jury. MacRoberts, who operates an institute affiliated with the Koch-linked Kansas Policy Institute, said allowing law enforcement agencies the right to keep proceeds from forfeiture actions they initiated created a “policing-for-profit system.” In the guise of a war on drugs, he said, existing state law enabled law enforcement agencies to take property from law-abiding citizens — not just criminal defendants. He said the Kansas Constitution’s Bill of Rights, in Section 5, affirmed the right to a trial in front of a jury “shall be inviolate” and the Legislature didn’t have authority to abolish it. “The language of Section 5

Eager Beaver

Meals: Program available at hospital Continued from A1

more than just nourishment; it’s about forging meaningful connections,” Brennon said. Brennon recounted encounters with individuals who had long remained isolated. “To see their faces light up with excitement as they reconnected with others — it’s truly awesome,” she shared. “It’s exactly the purpose of the program.” The genesis of the “60+ Dine” program stemmed from a deep-seated need within the community, with Brennon identifying a gap in services provided by SEKAAA. The organization already offered frozen meals for homebound individuals, but lacked a hot meal program. “There are kitchens in Coffeyville and Pittsburg that provide hot meals for Wilson, Montgomery, Labette, Bourbon, Crawford, and Cherokee counties collectively,” she said. “We didn’t offer that here in Allen County, though.” Drawing inspiration from these other successful models, she crafted a program tailored to Allen County. THE PROGRAM is currently available at one location — Allen County Regional Hospital. “I looked at the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging,” noted Bren-

Between 400 to 600 meals are provided each month by Allen County Regional Hospital. Participants are asked to donate $4 per meal, though no one is denied a meal if they are unable to donate. Meals are funded by the Older Americans Act and donations.

non. “They partner with a hospital and I wanted to model this program off of that.” She reached out to both Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute, as well as Allen County Regional Hospital. Both were considered before Allen County ultimately became the designated location. “This is the only one we have right now,” she added. “Hopefully we get some other businesses involved and each one will be negotiated uniquely.” Between 400 to 600 meals are provided each month by Allen County Regional Hospital. The meals are dietitian-certified and follow Kansas Department of Aging & Disability Services nutritional guidelines. All participants are asked to donate $4 per meal, though no one is denied a meal if they are unable to donate. Meals are funded by the Older Americans Act and donations. “If they don’t want to make that donation,

they don’t have to,” Brennon clarified. “We have contracted with the site and we pay them per meal so we do have to worry about sustainability. People have been really good about donating.” Participants must sign a form annually and are given a card to take to the 60+ Dine location. Each month, participants tell the 60+ Dine coordinator how many meals they would like loaded on their card. This can be done in person, on the phone, or by mail. There is a maximum of 16 meals per month. “We deliver the frozen meals four days a week in other places, so that makes it comparable,” said Brennon. “We wanted to keep the services equal.” The hope is to expand this program to other areas. Brennon’s wish is to duplicate the program in Woodson and Neosho counties, but wants to see the financial impact in Allen County first. “We definitely need do-

is uncompromising,” he said. “Section 5 imposes clear, precise and definite limitation upon the powers of the Legislature. It was chosen precisely because the people recognized that the right to jury trial required protection from legislative efforts to modify it in ways that destroy the substance of that right. In our view, it makes good sense to allow a person to be judged by a jury of one’s peers.” Retired Johnson County Sheriff Currie Myers, who also worked as a KBI special agent and a KHP trooper, said seizure of private property for public use by law enforcement agencies without due process violated the U.S. Constitution. He said Kansas law should require a charge and conviction on a criminal act before formal taking of property. “While other reforms, such as raising the burden of proof on forfeiture proceedings would be beneficial, requiring a conviction before allowing the government to take someone’s property” adhered to the idea of due process, he said. Greg Glod, who works on criminal justice issues at Americans for Prosperity, said the process in Kansas tended to target small-time offenders and took the majority of property from people still legally innocent of a criminal act. Ninety percent of property taken in Kansas was forfeited by the accused, in part, because the cost of recovering the property exceeded value of the belongings. He said individuals who won return of property seized by government agencies in Kansas waited an average of 400 days for delivery. “After speaking with countless lawmakers and stakeholders,” Glod said, “it became clear that although there were differences in policy, all stakeholders wanted the same thing: Allow police to effectively do their job and ensure innocent property owners don’t have to fight bureaucracy with one hand tied behind their back.”

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nations,” she said. “Our nutrition program, altogether, is underfunded.” For those eager to join this initiative, signing up is just a phone call away. Interested individuals, or those who would like to donate, can reach out to SEKAAA’s 60+ Dine Coordinator, Jerri Krokstrom, at (620) 431-2980.

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Opinion A5 The Iola Register

Friday, February 16, 2024

~ Journalism that makes a difference

Lobbyists a necessary factor in today’s politics Kansas lobbyists get a bad rap. After all, they’re paid to push special interests in the esteemed halls of governments. Lobbyists grease the wheels of those with deep pockets, such as energy giants, pharmaceuticals, and weapons manufacturers, goes the group-think. But lobbyists also represent the interests of publicly funded entities such as city and county governments, watershed districts, National Guard units, police departments, school districts, etc. In those cases, it’s sometimes one government entity lobbying another, which today is coming under attack by state legislators who maintain the use of public tax dollars for such purposes should be outlawed. For the most part, these legislators are doing the bidding of Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of energy giant Koch Industries. Before the Kansas Committee on Federal and State Affairs is Senate Bill 373, AFP-sponsored legislation that forbids the use of public funds for lobbying efforts. Considering how far the tentacles of Koch Industries reach into Kansas politics, the irony is rich. And dangerous. Familiar targets of AFP lobbyists are public education, public healthcare, equitable taxation, renewable energy and public assistance such as food stamps. THE PREMISE that public entities need lobbyists is increasingly based on the ideological divide between elected officials and those they represent. If a legislator’s allegiances differ from the majority of his or her constituents, then a logical go-between is a lobbyist who has the background and expertise to help bridge the mismatch so that publicly funded municipalities, school districts, health clinics, etc., see that they

are not entirely left out in the cold. Increasingly, it’s the job of lobbyists to keep the channels of communication open so that potholes are repaired, arms are injected with life-saving vaccines and all children are properly educated. IT’S ALSO about efficiencies of scale. Lobbyists with the Kansas League of Municipalities, for instance, are hired to represent the interests of the state’s 625 cities and 105 counties. Rather than each city and county having to send their administrators and commissioners to represent their interests at the statehouse, the League’s lobbyists are their standins. Not all legislators appreciate the paid representation and complain it’s a waste of public funds. Allen County Commissioner Bruce Symes begs to differ and uses the current debate over the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund, Senate Bill 196, as an example. The LAVTR fund was created in 1937 as a way to reduce the burden of property taxes on homeowners. The money comes from taking 3.63 percent of sales tax collections and dividing it among counties based on their population and assessed property tax value. For the last 30 years, legislators have diverted those funds — an estimated $130 million today — to the state’s general fund, forcing local entities to raise their property taxes. Were legislators to return to local entities their due through the LATVR fund, “it would mean a whole lot more money to Allen County than what we pay a lobbyist,” to argue their case, Symes said. IT’S ALSO about fairness.

If private corporations are allowed to gain a legislator’s private audience, so too should publicly funded entities. — Susan Lynn

Medical personnel load a woman into an ambulance after a shooting at Union Station after the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade on Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri. (NICK WAGNER/THE KANSAS CITY STAR/TNS)

Guns ruin everything By JOEL MATHIS The Kansas City Star

Guns ruin everything. There’s no nice, nuanced thing to say about the shooting Wednesday at the end of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City. No “on-one-hand-on-theother-hand” equivocating about the death and injury and stupidity that happened because there are too many damned guns in the hands of too many damned idiots in this country. No, it’s simple. Guns ruin everything. Everything. They make it impossible to send your kids to school without a little bit of fear. They make it impossible to worship with your neighbors in the complete and confident belief your church is a sanctuary from the violence outside. And they make it impossible to attend a parade — to celebrate a great triumph with thousands of people in your community — without worrying that some nut will choose a mass gathering as a time to enact their most sociopathic tendencies. God help us. THERE HAS BEEN a remarkable amount of reporting in recent years about the epidemic of loneliness that is sweeping the country. The U.S. surgeon general has made it a priority. We’re making ourselves ill with isolation, preferring the company of screens and

pets to the possibility of interacting with real people. Americans, an article at The Atlantic told us just this week, have “suddenly stopped hanging out.” “ This young century, Americans have collectively submitted to a national experiment to deprive ourselves of camaraderie in the world of flesh and steel, choosing instead to grow (and grow and grow) the time we spend by ourselves,” the writer Derek Thompson observed. Why? Well, there are lots of reasons. The pandemic got us out of the habit of associating with one another. There are too many distractions available on our phones. We don’t go to church as often as we used to. All that is true. LET ME SUBMIT the likelihood of another factor: The not-zero chance of mass violence breaking out at any large gathering puts a real damper on our ability to be with each other. To live and laugh and love and celebrate life’s joys as a community. To even trust each other. A friend of mine once told me she always made sure that her kids were enrolled in different schools, even though they weren’t so far apart in age. Why? Because she didn’t want to risk losing multiple children in one horrific, bloody incident. Her efforts struck me at the time as an overreaction. But it’s possible that I was being unkind. The perni-

ciousness of American gun culture is that you know mass violence is possible — even likely — on any given day in this country. By one count, there were 656 mass shootings in the United States during 2023, a rate of nearly two a day. You just don’t know when or where the horror will strike. Why wouldn’t you take precautions? Why wouldn’t you just … stay home? And so we find ourselves in a terrible spot. We Americans are a polarized people, increasingly suspicious of one another. It’s not a good thing. But this ugly spasm of gun violence — and the next, and the next, and the next — makes us a little more scared of each other, a little less likely to encounter each other in communal spaces and express joy together. Why? Because so many of our fellow citizens (and the politicians who pander to them) have decided that protecting themselves from one another is more important than not threatening one another. Thousands of families gathered in Kansas City on Wednesday because they wanted to be a part of something bigger, something good, something we all could take joy in regardless of politics or religion or any other stupid opinion. The day ended in horror and panic. Guns ruined what should have been a good day. Guns ruin everything.

President Biden shouldn’t give up on border security The glimmer of hope that Congress might pass a bipartisan border-security bill has been extinguished, at least for now. In killing immigration reforms that their party has long supported — and that are now far less likely to become law — Republicans have demonstrated their lack of interest in governing and their unfortunate fealty to Donald Trump, who would prefer to weaponize the issue on the campaign trail. Despite the failure of this compromise, the bipartisan group that spearheaded the bill shouldn’t give up. Nor can the White House wait for Congress to act. The problems at the border are too pressing — and, for President Joe Biden, too politically damaging to ignore.

In rejecting the bill, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans claimed that legislation was unnecessary because Biden could end the border crisis on his own. This is mostly false — the executive branch is bound by existing immigration laws and can’t appropriate additional resources on its own — but Biden can still take action in a variety of areas that the bill sought to address. Among other things, the bill would’ve provided $440 million to hire immigration judges and personnel to speed up asylum cases, which can take more than five years to resolve. Although nothing can make up for the loss of that funding, Biden can shift resources

within agencies and make operational changes that can expedite reviews and speed deportations. He should also push through changes in the standards that asylum seekers have to meet in order to request a hearing, which would go some way toward limiting entry at the border itself. The bill also would’ve allowed asylum seekers who pass the screening process to be immediately eligible for work permits, a key demand of Democratic mayors and governors dealing with the costs of the recent influx. With 1.4 job openings for every unemployed American, this is common sense: Asylum seekers who are prevented from working will seek black-market jobs

or government handouts, thereby costing taxpayers more. Biden has used executive action to allow some people to work as their cases are processed, and he should do what he can to allow more to do so. That said, there is much in the legislation that Biden can’t do alone. Most notably, it would’ve authorized the government to deny asylum seekers a hearing and deport them immediately on days when the border is overwhelmed. This provision alone should’ve guaranteed Republicans’ support. Instead, they’ve decided that blocking people from entering the US illegally is less important than helping Trump return to the White House.

THE NATION’S immigration system desperately needs overhauling. One of the reasons why so many people are arriving is that US visa levels have long been too low. (The compromise bill would’ve increased the current cap on green cards by 50,000 a year, a decent start.) The failure of the bill makes Biden’s job more difficult, but it also gives him an opportunity to use the bully pulpit more aggressively, not simply to blame Republicans but to outline how only comprehensive reform will ever fix the problem. Trump and Republicans want to perpetuate chaos and conflict at the border. Biden should deny them that wish. — Bloomberg Opinion

A6 Friday, February 16, 2024

iolaregister.com

The Iola Register

Israeli forces storm main hospital in Gaza

The Kansas City Chiefs celebrate during their victory parade in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday. Gunfire erupted at the end of the rally, located near the intersection shown center left in the photo. Iolan Winter Snyder sought safety behind nearby vehicles, which were located in front of Union Station. AP PHOTO/CHARLIE RIEDEL

Rally: Iolan sought safety during shooting Continued from A1

Snyder snapped photos and recorded videos. As the rally concluded, the team retreated from the stage and the music began. The Tomahawk Chop chant could be heard, as well as the Beastie Boys song “You Gotta Fight,” both of which have become unofficial anthems at Chiefs games. Cannons had just fired off a round of confetti over the ebullient crowd. Then all hell broke loose. SNYDER heard the gunshots. It sounded like 20 or more, she noted, within a second or two. “At first I thought it was fireworks,” Snyder said. “I thought they were shooting them like they do at the stadium. But I looked up and didn’t see anything.” With her cell phone in hand, Snyder recorded a bit of the confusion that followed. Confetti could still be seen fluttering to the ground. “You could tell everyone was thinking, ‘What’s going on?’” Snyder said. That’s when she heard someone shout: “Here he comes again!” “That’s when everybody took off running,” Snyder said. “So we took off, too.” Snyder and her two friends were separated as she raced for Union Station. When they approached the barricades, they hesitated. “I don’t think we’re allowed back there,” one said. “I don’t give a sh—,” Snyder replied. “I’m going.” Snyder leapt over the barricades and hid behind a row of trucks. “It looked safe to me,” she recalled. She immediately telephoned her mother, Tammy, who was at work at a Chanute nursing home, to apprise her of the chaos. But spotty cell phone service made the call al-

most impossible. “I really freaked my mom out,” Snyder said. “I had to call her five or six times to get through. And then, all she could hear me say was ‘There’s an active shooter.’ She didn’t hear me say the part where I’m OK, I’m hiding.” Eventually, Snyder was able to get word of her safety to her mother. Reaching her friends was another story. “It probably took 30 or 45 minutes before I could reach them,” she said. “But I figured they were probably safe.” Eventually, Snyder and her friends reunited, and then trekked back to their vehicle, about a quarter-mile away from the shooting site. There, they waited for another half hour or longer, as a stream of ambulances and other emergency vehicles flowed by in both directions

ing a red jumpsuit, had been standing immediately in front of Snyder and her friends. “He was right next to me.” Snyder also recalled that his demeanor seemed odd. “He was standing really weirdly,” she said. “He was kind of hunched over but leaning backward. I even pointed out how weird he was standing.” As Snyder scrolled through photos she took of the crowd, she spotted the distinct image of the man, with his back to the camera. Descriptions of the other two people taken into custody haven’t been released. Snyder is uncertain if she’d recognize them. Snyder did not remember seeing the man in the red jumpsuit interact with anybody else, aside from when he walked past them. “He shoulder-checked

I really freaked my mom out. I had to call her five or six times to get through. And then, all she could hear me say was ‘There’s an active shooter.’ She didn’t hear me say the part where I’m OK, I’m hiding. — Winter Snyder

Even after the shooting, Snyder continued to record videos of the scene, including a pair of harrowing clips showing medical personnel and others administering medical aid to at least two shooting victims in front of shocked, and terrified, rally-goers. AS SNYDER began putting the pieces together of what happened, somebody showed her a video, then a photo, of a man being taken into custody. That’s when one last bit of horror from Wednesday’s carnage hit home. The detainee, wear-

Leah Stout

us,” Snyder said. As she replayed the videos of the victims receiving treatment, Snyder also realized that she had recognized them. Both appeared to be kids, she said. One appeared to be shot in the leg; the other in the side. SNYDER grew up in Humboldt, and became a standout on the Lady Cub softball team, even though she lost her senior year after it was canceled during the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She went on to become an all-conference hitter for Labette Community College, graduating in 2022.

SNYDER is uncertain if she will ever want to attend a large-scale rally like Wednesday’s again. Even before the event, she wondered why the festivities weren’t held at Arrowhead Stadium. “Getting in there, you have to go through metal detectors,” Snyder noted. “You can’t sneak in anything.” Conversely, with the Union Station rally, “you could walk up the street with whatever weapon you want,” she continued. “And there were so many cops around, but it didn’t matter. And who knows how many people in the crowd were carrying guns. There’s no telling. “I’d never been in a situation like that before,” Snyder said. “I didn’t know what to do or who to call.” But even now, “I don’t regret going,” she said. AS THE day settled down, Snyder’s mood shifted, first from fear and shock, to one of anger. Snyder ended her day with a lengthy post on social media. “We left this morning thinking it was going to be a fun, memorable day, celebrating the best football team in the world,” Snyder wrote. “And up until the end, it was fantastic! However, the celebration ended very quickly. “Surrounded by a million people, yet I felt so alone and scared,” she continued. “Running from bullets being shot into the crowd less than 40 feet away from me. ... What has this world come to?”

bly evacuate medics or patients. Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals and other civilian structures to shield its fighters. A released hostage told The Associated Press last month that she and over two dozen other captives had been held in Nasser Hospital. International law prohibits the targeting of medical facilities, but they can lose those protections if they are used for military purposes. The troops were searching several hospital buildings after ordering all medical staff and patients to move into an older building in the compound, said Shaban Tabash, a nurse at the hospital. Doctors were unable to provide treatment to the patients in the building, which was not properly equipped. “The situation of patients is difficult,” Tabash told the AP. Separately, Israel launched airstrikes into southern Lebanon for a second day after killing 10 civilians and three Hezbollah fighters on Wednesday in response to a rocket attack that killed an Israeli soldier and wounded several others.

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But an elbow injury required surgery at the conclusion of her sophomore season, bringing her softball career to an abrupt end. Snyder may return to school someday. “Now that I don’t have a scholarship, I need to find a way to pay for it,” she laughed. Snyder works at B&W Trailer Hitches in Humboldt.

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli forces stormed the main hospital in southern Gaza on Thursday, hours after Israeli fire killed a patient and wounded six others inside the complex. The Israeli army said it was a limited operation seeking the remains of hostages taken by Hamas. The raid came a day after the army sought to evacuate thousands of displaced people who had taken shelter at Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis, the focus of Israel’s offensive against Hamas in recent weeks. The war shows no sign of ending, and the risk of a broader conflict is growing as Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah step up attacks after a particularly deadly exchange on Wednesday. The military said it had “credible intelligence” that Hamas had held hostages at the hospital and that the hostages’ remains might still be inside. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson, said forces were conducting a “precise and limited” operation there and would not forci-

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Sports Daily The Iola Register

Friday, February 16, 2024

A special day for Special Olympics team Iolan PITTSBURG — A group of Iola students enjoyed a day of cooperation and competition Tuesday, and made history in the process. Iola’s Special Olympics and Unified Sports teams traveled to the campus of Pittsburg State University Tuesday to participate in the SEK regional basketball and cheerleading competition. The cheer competition started the proceedings. Iola’s cheer team was made up of peer buddies Marlee and Kenleigh Westhoff and athletes Phoenix and Eryx Means, Zoey and Rosetta Kile and Breah Jones. The peer buddies taught and practiced with the athletes a routine over the last month. The hard hard work paid off with a gold medal.

extends soccer contract By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Kason Botts, from left, a member of the Iola Special Olympics Unified Sports Team, gets a high five from peer buddy Reese Curry after the Iola squad scores in a game Tuesday at Pittsburg. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANN BATES/IOLA HIGH SCHOOL

points at each station based on their performance, then lowed with an individual their scores were tabulated skills competition, includfor their overall medal results Iola’s results follow: High School — Guilis Pina, second; Vernon Klinzman, third; Weston Helman, first; Xavior Burrow, fourth; Blayne Endicott, first; Enzy Mynatt, first. Middle School — Aiden Fraker, first; Nick Stogsdill, first; Jacob Catron, third; Kobear Smith, second; Jenny A group of cheerleaders from the Iola Special Olympics Unified Kile, first; Karlie Audiss, secSports Team and their peer buddies perform a routine Tuesday ond; Luke Pitts, first; Kason Botts, second; Joseph Gardin Pittsburg. BASKETBALL athletes fol-

ing a speed dribble, spot shot, and target passing stations. Athletes accumulated

Red Devil squads fall to Johnson Co. OVERLAND PARK — Allen Community College’s women had top-ranked and unbeaten Johnson County on the ropes Wednesday. The Red Devils, courtesy of a 21-10 second-quarter run, led Johnson County 31-21 at the break. But Johnson County showed its mettle in the third quarter, racing to a 47-44 lead. The Cavaliers held the slight advantage down the stretch to remain undefeated, 62-57. The loss drops Allen to 18-5 overall and 6-3 in Jayhawk Conference play. Johnson County also picked up a 102-78 win over the Red Devil men Wednesday. Both teams are at home Saturday with a doubleheader against Kansas City Kansas. The women’s game tips off at 2 p.m.; the men about 4 o’clock. Torrid 3-point shooting from Johnson County helped tilt the scales. The Cavaliers’ Saige Grampsas drilled three from long range. Allen stayed close, but both teams struggled from the free throw line down the stretch. Johnson County was 3 of 7 from the line;

Allen Community College’s Khassidy Warr dribbles the ball in a game earlier this season. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

ACC was 2 of 5. Mafalda Chambel’s layup with 4 minutes left pulled ACC to within 54-51. The lead swelled to seven before Allen’s Khassidy Warr scored on a layup with 1:17 left. Johnson County left the door open with a pair of missed free throws, and Noa Muranaka’s 3-pointer suddenly had Allen within 59-57 with 19 seconds left. But that was as close as the Red Devils could get. See ALLEN | Page B6

ner, first. Elementary — Gabe Jones, second; Braxton Valentine, second; Brier Valentine, first; Zoey Kile, first; Rosetta Kile, first. IOLA’S squad also made a bit of history as one of the first teams in southeast Kansas to participate in a unified basketball game. Team members were Weston Helman, Guilis Pina, Nick Stogsdill, Jenny Kile, Karlie Audiss, Luke Pitts, Kason Botts and Joseph GardSee OLYMPICS | Page B6

Royce Smith’s prowess on the pitch has led to a new contract. The Iola native has signed a twoyear contract extension with Jarpens IF, a soccer team based in northern Royce Smith Sweden. Smith, 22, will return to Sweden in March shortly before the season begins in April. “They offered me a contract, which is a little better than what I had earned last year,” Smith said. Jarpen IF finished in the middle of the pack from last season’s Division IV soccer league. But Smith’s work as goalkeeper led to his being named Jarpens IF’s teammate of the See SMITH | Page B6

Police: Shooting may have stemmed from dispute KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The mass shooting that unfolded amid throngs of people at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration appeared to stem from a dispute between several people, authorities said Thursday. Police Chief Stacey Graves said that the 22 people injured in the shooting ranged between the ages of 8 and 47 years old, half of whom were under the age of 16. A mother of two was also killed. Three people were detained — including two juveniles — but no charges have been filed yet, Graves said. Police are calling for witnesses, people with cellphone footage and victims of the violence to call a dedicated hotline. “We are working to determine the involvement of others. And it should be noted we have recovered several firearms. This incident is still a very active investigation,” Graves said at a news conference. The shooting outside Union Station occurred despite the presence of more than 800 police officers who were in the building and area, including on top of nearby structures, said Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended with his wife and mother and ran for safety when the shots rang out. But he doesn’t expect to cancel the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day parade. “We have parades all the

A man is detained by law enforcement following a shooting at Union Station during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade Wednesday in Kansas City. GETTY IMAGES/DAVID EULITT/TNS

time. I don’t think they’ll end. Certainly we recognized the public safety challenges and issues that relate to them,” Lucas said. Throngs had lined the parade route before the shooting, with fans climbing trees and street poles or standing on rooftops for a better view. Players rolled through the crowd on double-decker buses, as DJs and drummers heralded their arrival. The police chief said 1 million people likely attended the parade, which occurred in a city with a population of about 470,000 people and a metropolitan area of about 2 million, but stressed that the violence was wrought by just a handful of people. “The law enforcement re-

sponse was exemplary. Those in attendance also responded,” Graves added. “They helped one another and even physically stop a person who was believed to be involved in the incident.” Meanwhile, police are still asking witnesses to come forward. Many described a sense of confusion that rippled through the crowd. The rally had just ended and music was still blaring when the shots erupted. Many people initially thought they were hearing fireworks. But then chaos ensued. Some in the crowd hit the ground while others leapt over barriers and sprinted from the scene, some carrySee SHOOTING | Page B6

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS USD 257 of Iola, Kansas is soliciting bids from Food Service Management Companies. The FSMC is responsible for the management and production of tasteful, nutritious meals for our district students. Menus must meet USDA and state guidelines. Sealed bids will be accepted until 12 p.m., Friday, April 12, 2024. For information or to obtain a Request For Proposal, contact Staci Talkington at staci.talkington@usd257.org or call 620-365-4711.

Job requirements include a variety of tasks to be completed in new movie theatres, as well as movie theatres undergoing renovations. The scope of the position includes: · Installation of audio, projection, concession, and auditoriumrelated materials. · Ability to work from heights on ladders, scaffold, or scissor lifts. · Work with hand tools and power tools. · Some heavy lifting is required. Experience in construction/ assembly is preferred but will train the right person. Applications available at our office or email resume to info@sonicequipment.com.

(620) 365-7501 900 W. Miller Rd., Iola

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LOCATION Pick up and drop off your pre-packaged, pre-labeled shipments. Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. 302 S. Washington Ave., Iola 620-365-2111

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ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT D of K Vaults in Iola, KS seeks an administrative assistant with prior customer service experience. A meticulous, well-organized person who enjoys multiple tasks. Assist with customers, answer phones, file, enter orders, and other office duties. Computer experience is required. Must be able to work without direct supervision, be an initiative-taker, and pay attention to details including accurate data entry. Flexible hours, but prefer the candidate work 5 hours per day, 4 days a week. Starting pay is $18 per hour. High school diploma or equivalent and successfully complete a physical and drug screen before starting the position. Smoke-free office. Send resume to: Ms. Kendy A. Troiano Human Resource Manager PO Box 8250 Columbus, OH 43201 Phone: 800/848-3571 ext. 116 Fax: 614/299-2324 Email: resume@clarkvault.com

Catholic bishops in Mexico say they negotiated for possible peace accord with drug cartel leaders MEXICO CITY (AP) — Four Roman Catholic bishops met with Mexican drug cartel bosses in a bid to negotiate a possible peace accord, one of the bishops said, and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Thursday he approves of such talks. The revelation by Bishop of ChilpancingoChilapa, José de Jesús González Hernández, in remarks at a public appearance, illustrated the extent to which the government’s policy of not confronting the cartels has left average citizens to work out their own separate peace with the gangs. López Obrador acknowledged it wasn’t the first time church leaders had held such talks, and that they have done so before in the neighboring state of Michoacan and in other states. “Priests and pastors and members of all the churches have participated, helped in pacifying the country. I think it is very good,” López Obrador said the day after the existence of the negotiations was revealed.

He said such talks had been held in the neighboring state of Michoacan and in other places in Mexico as well. “The church does it, I can vouch for this, in Michoacan, and they do it in other places.” López Obrador said that while he had no problem with the talks, he wouldn’t approve of “any agreement that meant granting impunity, privileges, or licenses to steal.” Many average Mexicans have quietly agreed to pay protection payments to drug cartels for fear of being attacked or having their homes or businesses burned. The church has also suffered — priests have also been killed by the cartels — but some gang leaders talk with church leaders. The bishop said the talks failed because the cartels and drug gangs didn’t want to stop fighting over territory in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero. Those turf battles have shut down transportation and led to dozens of killings in recent months. “They asked for a truce, but with con-

ditions,” González Hernández said of the talks, held a few weeks ago. “But these conditions were not agreeable to one of the participants.” Asked by local reporters what those conditions were, the bishop answered “territories.” Drug cartels and gangs in Mexico don’t just sell or smuggle drugs; they extort money from nearly every line of business in territories they control. Under López Obrador’s “hugs, not bullets” policy, the government has avoided direct confrontation with the cartels, allowing them to essentially take control of a dozen or more midsized cities, where the prices of most products are higher because they include a ‘tax’ charged by the cartels. Retired Bishop Salvador Rangel, who headed the same diocese until 2022, told The Associated Press that he had been informed of the talks by people who were there. He did not identify which cartels that attended, but there are at least a dozen such gangs

fighting for control of various regions in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero, home to the resort of Acapulco. Rangel confirmed that the talks failed because the gangs “did not want to concede anything.” However, he defended the talks. While serving as bishop, he had previously spoken openly about meeting with gang leaders to pursue peace. “I think that any attempt to achieve peace and harmony is valid,” he said. González Hernández suggested the approach had been at least implicitly approved by Pope Francis during a meeting with bishops last year. A Vatican spokesman didn’t immediately respond when asked about the bishop’s remarks. The Vatican rarely comments on the pope’s private audiences. That said, the position articulated by the bishop is consistent with Francis’ tendency to defer to the expertise of bishops on the ground, and his strong belief in the need for dialogue at all costs.

iolaregister.com

The Iola Register

Friday, February 16, 2024

WHAT’S ON

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SUNDAY MORNING 7 AM

7:30

MOVIES

8 AM

8:30

FEBRUARY 18

SPORTS

9 AM

9:30 10 AM 10:30 11 AM 11:30 12 PM

(16)(2) Buick KSNF SheepS.. Meet Press (N) St. Paul's Un James.. Paid Paid Paid Paid (7) Dr. Mack In Search CBS News Sunday (N) KOAM The Nation (N) Paid PBR Los Angeles Basket.. (10) Tomorr.. In Touch (N) CWPL Key/Da.. Cath.M.. P. Stone Paid Paid Wm. Basketball K30AL (30)(11) Lyla WildKratt Tiger Rosie Sesame.. Work It Donkey Pink Curious Market Heartla.. (12) Good Morn. (N) KODE This Week (N) Ozarks Paid Sports InsideEd. GameDay (N) Basket.. (14) David KFJX BigWorld Bible Tomorr.. Fox News (N) Worship GameTi.. HouseC.. RaceW.. RaceDay (19) Crimes Crimes Crimes Crimes Crimes Crimes The FBI Files KPJO The FBI Files FBI Files (28) Premier (N) (Live) Premier League Soccer USA Premier Premier League Soccer (29) Friends Friends Friends Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang <++ "Aquaman" ('18) TBS (30) NCIS: N.O. TNT NCIS: N.O. NCIS: N.O. NCIS: N.O. < "American Gangster" (31) (6:00) < "Pacific Rim Uprising" <+++ "Live Free or Die Hard" ('07) Bruce Willis. FX <++ "Uncharted" (32) SportCtr (N) (Live) SportCtr (N) (Live) SportCtr (N) (Live) SportCtr (N) (Live) College Basketball ESPN (33) Cheerlea Cheerlea Cheerlea College Softball ESPN2 Climb College Basketball (34) Epic Trail SnowM'.. Facing.. Advent.. Ultimate Epic Trail SnowM'.. WildRide Lights Out XF LXF13 BSN (36) Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Movie MTV (38) Amazing Jeremiah J. Osteen Paid LIFE < "How She Caught a Killer" ('23) < "Burned by Love" ('23) (39) Married-Estate HGTV Married-Estate Married-Estate Married-Estate No Demo Reno No Demo (40) FOOD Girl-Farm Girl-Farm Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer Magnolia Magnolia Mary Ma. Mary Ma. Kitchen (41) A&E Triple Digit Flip Triple Digit Flip Zombie Flip Zombie "Bumby" Zombie "Brown" WWERi.. (42) Saltwater Sports.. Naked and Afraid Naked and Afraid Naked and Afraid Naked and Afraid Afraid DISC (43) Gypsy Wedding 90 Day TLC 90 Day 90 Day Love Love (44) Bar Rescue PARMT (:55) Yellowstone (:55) Yellowstone Yellowst. Bar Rescue Yellowstone (45) LEGO DISN Hailey Hailey Hailey Hailey Ladybug Ladybug Marvel's <+++ "Aladdin" ('92) (46) RockPa.. Sponge.. Sponge.. Sponge.. Sponge.. Sponge.. <+++ "Dora and the Lost City of Gold" ('19) NICK (47) (6:00) < "Gnomeo... <+++ "The Secret Life of Pets" ('16) <++ "The Secret Life of Pets 2" FREE Movie (48) (:25) Golden Girls GoldGir.. GoldGir.. GoldGir.. GoldGir.. (:25) Golden Girls GoldGir.. GoldGir.. Mike TVLD (49) Toys-America HIST Toys-America Toys-America Toys-America Built America America (50) <+++ "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" ('01) SYFY < "Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secr... (51) Dumbest TRUTV Dumbest Dumbest Dumbest Dumbest Dumbest (52) CMT Music CMT Hot 20 Countdown Mama's Mama's Mama's (54) (6:00) < "Romeo & Juliet" <++++ "Friendly Persuasion" ('56) TCM <+++ "Quo Vadis" ('51) (55) Movie AMC <++ "U.S. Marshals" ('98) Tommy Lee Jones. <+++ "Cast Away" Tom Hanks. (56) Pets & Pickers ANPL Wardens Wardens Wardens Wardens Wardens (57) Behind the Music Prince Prince (:05) <++ "Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion" ('06) Movie BET (58) COM Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld < "Talladega Nights: Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (59) <+++ "Easy A" ('10) Emma Stone. <+++ "Pretty Woman" ('90) Richard Gere. E! < "Bridesmaids" (60) (6:00) NASCAR FS1 NASCAR Motocross RaceDay Daytona 500 (N) (Live) Bowling (61) Housewives BRAVO Housewives Housewives Housewives Housewives House.. (62) Mysteries at TRAV Mysteries at Mysteries at Loch Ness Alaska Bigfoot Bigfoot (63) Scooby.. Scooby.. < "Straight Outta Nowhere: ... (:45) Teen Teen TOON Teen Teen Teen Teen

SUNDAY AFTERNOON 12:30 1 PM

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