Sports: Chiefs come up short See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Monday, January 16, 2016
Cloudy budget has lawmakers singin’ the blues By JIM SUHA and JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Already frustrated by Kansas frequently overshooting how much money the state will bring in month to month, state Sen. Jim Denning was anything but comforted by fellow Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s latest budget plan and the widening gap it
looks to fill. Unveiled Wednesday to the Republican-dominated Legislature, the spending blueprint for the fiscal year Sen. Jim that begins in Denning July projects a $190 million hole — something Brownback believes can be patched by such things as
juggling state funds and selling off assets of a soon-to-beprivatized state agency. It isn’t a unique crisis — Illinois’ budget gap is said to be anywhere from $5 billion to $8 billion and Oklahoma is at about $900 million for the coming fiscal year. Kansas’ budget woes began after the Legislature got on board with Brownback’s plan See BUDGET | Page A4
Legislative forum tonight Area elected officials will meet with the public tonight at 6 o’clock in the basement meeting room of Community National Bank. On tap will be state Sen. Caryn Tyson and Representatives Kent Thompson and Adam Lusker. Of the Allen County com-
missioners, Jerry Daniels and Tom Williams have committed. Commissioner Jim Talkington said the only thing that may keep him away is a potential schedule conflict. The public is encouraged to attend, armed with questions and comments.
Dedication pays off for IHS senior Food tax sends
shoppers elsewhere
By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
It’s a bit unfair to describe Emily McKarnin as just an honor student. Yes, she makes “almost” straight A’s. But coupled with her extra-curricular activities, job, and chores on the family farm, the Iola High School senior keeps a very busy schedule. And then there’s her hobby of riding horses. On Jan. 9, McKarnin took top honors at the Mid-Eastern Kansas Western Horseman’s Association Banquet for horse events and rodeos through 2015. The events include everything from timed competitions with barrel and pole racing, to judged events, such as western pleasure, where a horse’s behavior is rated at more leisurely pace. The circuit is one of several to keep McKarnin busy through the year. She’s also a member of the National Barrel Horse Association and Eastern Kansas Timed Event Circuit.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ high sales taxes on groceries have people crossing state lines to shop, particularly residents living in border counties, and the trend is hurting not only low-income families, but also rural grocery stores and local governments, according to a new study. Kansas lost $345.6 million in food sales in 2013 — costing the state $21.2 million in lost sales tax revenue, according to a recent report by Wichita State University’s Kansas Public Finance Center. The center analyzed the latest available food sales data, which does not include last year’s food tax hike to 6.5 percent, among the highest in the nation even before local sales taxes are added in. Kansas is one of only 14 states that tax food. In northwest Kansas, 73-year-old Larry Adams and his wife struggle to make ends meet on the $800 monthly Social Security check he receives. The Logan couple has been doing most of their grocery shopping and non-food item shopping in neighboring Nebraska for about 10 years when they cross the border for doctor’s appointments. Nebraska doesn’t have a grocery tax, he said. “It doesn’t cost us anything extra to go out of state,” Adams said of driving the 80 to 100 miles. Of the state’s 105 coun-
A MEMBER of Prairie Dell 4-H club, McKarnin, the daughter of Robert and Karen McKarnin, received the prestigious Key Award in November, given in recognition of community service, leadership and 4-H participation. She was active during the holidays by helping with the Community Pantry, and “adopting” a family in need of assistance by supplying See MCKARNIN | Page A4
Emily McKarnin
Developmentally disabled have an advocate with CLO By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Since its founding in 1977, Community Living Opportunities’ mission has been to integrate those with developmental disabilities into the community, Jamie Price told Iola Rotarians Thursday. Price, operating officer for statewide CLO activities, was accompanied by Jodie Kaufman, who looks after the program in Allen County. Kaufman told the Regis-
ter the Iola office currently serves 15 clients. Its Iola office is at 201 West St. Price said CLO was founded by families of individuals with developmental disabilities and faculty in the University of Kansas’ Department of Applied Behavioral Science. Among its programs is the family teaching model, which may be likened to foster care for children. In this model a handful of inSee CLO | Page A4
Quote of the day Vol. 118, No. 56
ties, 35 counties share at least one border with a neighboring state that has either no or lower food sales tax than Kansas, the study noted. Colorado exempts grocery store food sales from taxes, Missouri has a 1.2 percent tax on food sales and Oklahoma has a 4.5 percent tax. The WSU study was commissioned by KC Healthy Kids, a nonpartisan, nonprofit that has been advocating for healthy living for 10 years. The study found that for every 1 percent difference in sales taxes between adjacent states or counties, food consumption drops about $101.80 per person per year in the county with the higher food sales tax. KC Healthy Kids was looking for ways to make compelling arguments to the Legislature this session on why it should eliminate or reduce the sales tax on food, state policy manager Ashley Jones-Wisner said, and the first was equity, because sales taxes on groceries have a disproportionate impact on low-income families and their access to See TAX | Page A4
Vehicle recovered; probe widens By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
HUMBOLDT— Two vehicle thefts earlier this month in Humboldt may be connected to a larger set of crimes. Chief of Police Bryan Dillow told the Register this morning a 25-year-old Anderson County man was arrested after a 2002 Chevy Tahoe belonging to Stephen Reed was found late Friday in a garage near a vacant house in Garnett. A 2012 Ford Taurus owned by Joyce Hudson also was stolen and found wrecked a few hours later.
“We also want Humboldt residents to know we recovered property that had been reported stolen from vehicles and garages here,” Dillow said. The identity of the person arrested was withheld pending charges being filed. Dillow said others were thought to be involved in a series of auto thefts and burglaries that apparently encompass Allen, Bourbon, Anderson, Franklin and Neosho counties, as well as perhaps Montgomery and elsewhere in southeast Kansas. “We’ve had two calls already this morning (shortly after 8 o’clock) from two oth-
“That old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind.” — Martin Luther King Jr. 75 Cents
er jurisdictions asking about property that was recovered in Garnett,” said Assistant Chief Jerry Daniels. Dillow said it appeared the Tahoe was in a chop shop, a place where thieves dismantle vehicles to then sell their parts. “The tires and wheels already had been taken off,” he said. The same time the two vehicles were stolen in Humboldt, a Jeep belonging to Iolan Thurman Flynn was stolen. An arrest in that case was made in Fort Scott — whoever stole the Jeep left a vehicle stolen in Fort Scott See THEFTS | Page A4
Hi: 27 Lo: 21 Iola, KS