Sports: State championship mystery resolved See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
COUNTY COMMISSION
Public restrooms on square debated By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Iolans view cars at the car show at the 2014 Farm-City Days. REGISTER/KAYLA BANZET
Farm-City Days committee resigns By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
The future of Iola’s FarmCity Days has been put in doubt. Mike Jewell, former FarmCity Days committee member, said the committee has resigned en masse. “This isn’t a call for new volunteers, but the beginning
of its end if someone doesn’t come forward,” Jewell said. The plan is to hand the reins over to a non-profit organization, or the celebration will cease. “The celebration has been in need of new blood, and the committee asked for volunteers a few years ago,” Jewell said. “But it’s time for another organization to take on the en-
tire project.” Jewell said committee members are willing to work with whoever steps forward, but they “are too tired to do all the work.” “The committee has tried to stay true to the original intent by bringing the farm and its concerns to town with farm displays and activities,” JewSee FC | Page A4
Allen County Commission Chairman Tom Williams thinks downtown Iola needs public restrooms. The idea surfaced twice in recent meetings, through requests from organizers with the annual Relay for Life all-night walk and the Allen County Farmers Market that occurs on Thursday evenings from spring to fall. Tuesday morning commissioners reached apparent solutions for those two events, though they agreed permanent restrooms would be better. Sheriff Bryan Murphy said he would keep open the lobby to his office, which has a single restroom, for use overnight for Relay for Life. The hallway outside district court offices will be opened on Thursday evenings, probably until about 7 o’clock, for
farmers market vendors and patrons. As for a permanent structure, Williams said “I think there is a need,” although he is “antsy about putting it on the courthouse lawn.” David Toland, Thrive Allen County executive director, who was also at the meeting, said the pocket park adjacent to City Hall is accessible to utilities and would be a convenient location. Toland volunteered to research grants and loans available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and perhaps other sources. County Counselor Alan Weber said he doubted financial support would be available through the Allen County Community Foundation. COMMISSIONERS met in executive session with Toland to discuss a potential See COUNTY | Page A4
School funding heads back to high court By JOHN HANNA Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A dispute over whether Kansas must boost its spending on public schools by tens of millions of dollars each year is headed back to the state Supreme Court. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office notified a three-judge panel in Shawnee County District Court this week that the state will appeal a recent ruling from the panel in a school funding lawsuit. That ruling affirmed a decision by the same panel in December that the state must spend at least $548 million more a year on aid to schools to fulfill its duty under the Kansas Constitution to provide a suitable education to every child.
The Republican-dominated Legislature passed a bill this week to overhaul how the state distributes more than $4 billion in aid to its 286 school districts. The measure is headed to GOP Gov. Sam Brownback and promises education funding increases — but far less than the lowercourt panel’s target. The lawsuit was filed in 2010 by the parents of more than 30 students and the Dodge City, Hutchinson, Wichita and Kansas City, Kansas, school districts and touches on two major issues. One is whether the state’s total spending is adequate and the other is whether the money is distributed fairly among poor and wealthier school districts. The Supreme Court last See SCHOOL | Page A4
Dishing out breakfast From left, Opal Beshore, Roberta Johnson and Theresa Gribble prepare their dishes at the First Baptist Church’s Lenten breakfast this morning. Calvary United Methodist Church will host its breakfast at 7 a.m., March 25. REGISTER/RICK DANLEY
KS closer to allowing concealed carry with no permit TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas gun owners were a step closer Tuesday to being able to carry concealed firearms without obtaining a state permit after a legislative committee approved a bill ending the requirement. The House Federal and State Affairs Committee’s voice vote endorsing the measure sends it to the full chamber for further debate. The Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill last month. The bill would allow any Kansas resident 21 or older who can legally own a firearm — including a rifle or shotgun — to carry it concealed. How-
ever, the state would continue to issue permits so that its residents could carry concealed in other states recognizing the Kansas permit. The measure is part of an effort by gun-rights supporters across the nation over the past decade to loosen state restrictions on guns. Kansas last year barred local restrictions on gun ownership and sales, and its Republican-dominated Legislature has large gun-rights majorities in both chambers. Every state at least allows residents to carry concealed with a permit, but four — Alaska, Arizona, Vermont
Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 95
I think we’ve proved that it works here in Kansas and that we can safely expand it. — Rep. Steven Becker, Buhler (R)
and Wyoming — don’t require one, according to the National Rifle Association. Montana allows concealed carry without a permit outside of cities, which is most of the state, and in West Virginia, lawmakers recently passed a bill allowing concealed carry without a
permit. Supporters of the Kansas proposal said that with the right to own firearms protected by the state and federal constitutions, residents who can own a gun legally shouldn’t have to ask the government’s permission to carry it con-
“I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.” — Arthur Rubinstein 75 Cents
cealed. They also said there have been no real problems with concealed carry since the state began issuing permits in 2007. The attorney general’s office said Tuesday that it has issued more than 94,000 permits, and nearly 87,000 of them remain current. “I think we’ve proved that it works here in Kansas and that we can safely expand it,” said Rep. Steven Becker, a Buhler Republican who acknowledged he didn’t like the concealed carry law when it was enacted in 2006. See PERMIT | Page A4
Hi: 45 Lo: 38 Iola, KS