The Iola Register, Aug. 18, 2023

Nine hurt in prison bus crash

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Nine people were injured when a bus carrying inmates to a Topeka women’s prison from a work program at Russell Stover Chocolates in Iola crashed early Thursday morning.

Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy said the wreck occurred when the bus turned in front of a semi-trailer hauling dirt to Chanute at the intersection of U.S. 169 and Oregon Road.

Of the injured, the bus driver was flown from the scene to a Kansas City area hospital, the Kansas Department of Corrections announced in a press release.

The other eight injured were residents of the Topeka Correctional Facility. Of those, three suffered bone fractures. All are expected to recover.

As a precautionary mea-

See CRASH | Page A3

Mortgage rates climb t0 7.09%

By ALEX VEIGA and MATT OTT The Associated Press

The average longterm U.S. mortgage rate climbed this week to its highest level in more than 20 years, pushing up borrowing costs for homebuyers already challenged by a housing market that remains competitive due to a dearth of homes for sale.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan rose to 7.09% from 6.96% last week. A year ago, the rate aver-

See ECONOMY | Page A4

Workers from Lilly’s Towing of Iola work on the wreckage of a bus following a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Oregon Road and U.S.

Woodworker’s gift benefits high school

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

William Matlock’s passion for woodworking has turned into quite a gift for Humboldt High School.

Matlock, who is selling his home in Gas and moving to a smaller home near Buffalo, has no room for the various power tools and stacks of wood that fill his woodshop.

Attempts to sell the items went for naught, so Matlock decided the next best thing was to find a worthy home.

He found one with the Humboldt High industrial arts program.

Scott Murrow, building trades and wood shop teacher at HHS, was at Matlock’s

home Wednesday to begin sorting and hauling off the items.

And there was plenty.

On top of the industrial-sized planer and shaper, Matlock also donated a band saw, table saw, drill press, a radial arm saw, assorted sanders, clamps and hand tools, as well as cabinets and workbenches.

Not to be lost were the stacks of cedar, walnut, hackberry, hickory and pecan.

“This is such a generous contribution,” Murrow said. Matlock, who is now retired, milled all of the lumber himself, Murrow noted. Murrow estimated the

Local duo hears Dolly talk about free books

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

“If you can do good, you should.”

Sharon Moreland, director of the Iola Public Library, appreciates the sentiment shared by iconic musician and entertainer Dolly Parton.

She and Jane Works of Humboldt traveled to Overland Park on Monday for an exclusive event to celebrate Parton’s Imagination Library.

The Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund has ensured every child in Kansas from birth to age five can receive free books.

Parton attended the invitation-only event that brought together about 500 supporters of the Imagination Library, early childhood profession-

program

als, lawmakers and others to celebrate the new statewide program.

In Allen County, children have been able to get books from the Imagination Library since early 2020, thanks to the efforts of the Iola Rotary Club and local organizations and donors.

Because of their work with the project, the Rotary Club received two tickets to the celebration. Moreland was selected because of her work as a librarian and because she is the club’s president-elect.

“I’ve been following the Imagination Library since it started in 1995. I always encouraged my family to be part of it,” Moreland said.

“As a librarian, anything

169 in the wee hours of Thursday morning. The bus was ferrying inmates who work at Russell Stover Chocolates in Iola to the Topeka Correctional Facility. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

William Matlock, left, visits with Humboldt High School industrial arts instructor Scott Murrow Wednesday. Matlock is donating his woodworking equipment and lumber to the high school, a gift estimated at $20,000, because he is selling his home in Gas. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Janie Works of Humboldt, left, and Sharon Moreland of the Iola Public Library pose with a cardboard cutout of music legend Dolly Parton to celebrate Parton’s Imagination Library.

Obituaries

Ronda Nickels

Ronda J. (Sicka) Nickels, 66, of Broken Arrow, Okla., and a former Parsons resident, passed away at 11:41 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, at Labette Health in Parsons.

She was born on March 11, 1957, in Iola, to Frank and Mae (Link) Sicka.

Ronda grew up at Iola and attended Iola schools graduating from Iola High School in 1975. She then went on to attend Pittsburg State University.

Ronda Nickels

She lived in Lyons, Parsons, Independence, and Oklahoma City before moving to Broken Arrow. She worked as a medical coder for many years for several hospitals.

Ronda enjoyed living a quiet and peaceful life. In her younger years she enjoyed riding motorcycles. She was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic Church.

She and Don Nickels were united in marriage on June 18, 1977, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Iola. They later divorced.

She is survived by her sister Sue Smith, and her husband, Richard of Parsons, her nephews, Dr. Christopher Smith, and his wife, Jennifer, of Wichita and Craig Smith, and his wife, Kayla of Monett, Mo., her great-niece and nephews, Joshua, Eli, Mason, and Brinley Smith, and several cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents.

The Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 19, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with Father Curtis Robertson officiating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Parsons. The Rosary will be prayed at 10 a.m. Saturday prior to the Mass. Friends may come to the Carson-Wall Funeral Home to view and sign the register on Friday. Memorials are suggested to the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, and these may be left at or mailed to the funeral home 112 N. 26th St., P.O. Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.

Tom Wilson

Thomas “Tom” Wilson, 76, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, surrounded by family in Sioux Falls, S.D.

He was born Dec. 20, 1946, to Elmer and Teresa Wilson in Iola.

Horticulture teams do well at state contest

Area 4-H’ers competed at the Kansas State University State 4-H Horticulture Judging Contest at Manhattan on Saturday.

In the intermediate division, the team placed fourth and Hailey Shadden placed 10th as an individual. Also competing were

Camryn Wille, Kason Botts and Austin Maycumber.

In the senior division, the team placed second and Abigail

Meiwes placed first individually. Also competing were Jewel Endicott, Seth Shadden and Will Maycumber.

Leonard family gathers for reunion

The descendants of Calvin and Bessie Leonard met for a reunion at the home of their granddaughter, Rhenda Whitworth. Everyone enjoyed swimming, volleyball, corn hole, ax throwing and many other activities.

Riley Whitworth, Kaydence Whitworth, Braydie Whitworth, Sage Whitworth, Ravyn Whitworth, Chase Mussulman, Doug and Linda Leonard, Steven and Camille Leonard,

Christy and Kyle Seufert, Nancy and David Weilert, Jason and Julie Weilert, Carlie Weilert, Taylor Weilert, Peyton Weilert, Andi Weilert, Rob and Erin Weilert, Luke Weilert, Logan

Public notice

Weilert, Brenda Leonard, Todd Leonard, Amy and Ryan Sleeper, Debbie and Randy Callahan, Eric and Lindsey Callahan, Staci and Aaron Goard, Averie Goar and Liza Goar.

(Published

Visitation is 5-7 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 24, with a wake starting at 6 at Miller Funeral Home Westside Chapel, 6200 W. 41st St., Sioux Falls. Mass of Christian Burial is at 10 a.m.

Tom Wilson

Friday, Aug. 25, at The Cathedral of St. Joseph, 521 N. Duluth Ave.

Interment will take place at St. Martin’s Cemetery in Piqua at a later date.

Grateful to have shared his life are his wife, Waconda “Connie” Wilson; children, Christine (David) Koepp, Stephen Wilson, Cheryl Wilson, and Cindy (Dusty) Ballenger; brother, John (Sue) Wilson; grandchildren, Charlie, Mollie (Ben), Dominic (Nevada), Tyana, Chase, Tyesha, Sydney, Bayley, Blake, Amaryah, and Bristol; great-grandchildren, Brody, Jase, Grayson, McKinley, and McKenzy; and many family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Martin Wilson.

Edith Modlin

Edith Ione Modlin, age 85, of Humboldt, died

Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, at her residence.

She was born Feb. 4, 1938, in Westphalia, to Loren McCullough and Violet (Ewing) McCullough.

She married Loren Modlin on July 1, 1954, in Iola.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; son, Larry Modlin; and daughter, Cindy Cullison.

Survivors include her children, James Modlin, Charlotte Slater, Wanda Foster, Randy Modlin; 18 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; numerous great-great grandchildren; sisters, Elizabeth Zastrow, Corrine Boeken, Shirley Hines, Joyce Kielen; brother, Virgil McCullough; and numerous other relatives and friends.

A visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m., on Tuesday, Aug. 22, in the chapel at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 US Highway 54, Iola, followed by a funeral service at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery, Humboldt.

Memorials are suggested to Wings of Warriors, and may be left with Feuerborn Family Funeral Service.

Attending were Shirley Murcko, Teresa Nickel, Shannon Osborn, Tymber Schultz, Rick and Tina Murcko, Connie Griffith, Rhonda McMillan, Rhenda Whitworth, Ragyn Cummings, Brandy Foster, Ayden Cummings, Ashtyn Cummings, Addisyn Cummings, Kobe Patterson, Jovi Beeman, Rhett Beeman, Taryn Kustanborter, Ellie Kustanborter, Landyn Lawder, Ryan and Heather Whitworth, Riggs Whitworth,

Area 4-H’ers competed at the Kansas State University State 4-H Horticulture Judging Contest at Manhattan on Aug. 12. Pictured from left are Kason Botts, Will Maycumber, Jewel Endicott, Austin Maycumber, Seth Shadden, Camryn Wille, Hailey Shadden, Abigail Meiwes and Coach Casey Diver. COURTESY

PHOTO

Crash

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sure, all of the passengers were sent to either Allen County Regional Hospital or Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center for assessment.

The extent of the bus driver’s injuries were not immediately available.

The semi-truck driver was not injured, Murphy said.

The names of the drivers and the injured have not been released.

The prisoners had just finished their 3-11 shift at the Russell Stover plant, the KDOC report said.

The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, Murphy said.

Dolly: Singer provides free books for children

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you can do to support brain development from birth to age 5 is fantastic. There’s also a social-emotional bond when a child is read to by an adult, and there’s cognitive development in hearing language and talking about the book.”

Works attended as one of the earliest donors to Rotary’s program. Early childhood education is important to Works, a former teacher who now owns a preschool.

“I’d heard her (Parton’s) story before and it was great to hear it again,” Works said. “I really enjoyed her singing.”

Gov. Laura Kelly sat down with Parton for a wide-ranging question-and-answer conversation.

Parton presented Kelly with a copy of her book, “Coat of Many Colors,” and concluded the event by singing “Try” and “Coat of Many Colors.”

Kelly gave Parton a gift of a handcrafted piece of copper embellished with the state flower, by Wichita artist Jennifer Walterscheid. The copper was removed from the roof of the Kansas State Capitol building during a 2013 renovation.

Bunker Hill state Rep. Troy Waymaster, a leader in establishing the Kansas program, kicked things off with a discussion of his own experience with the Imagination Library. Each of his children participates. Each will receive an age-appropriate book every

month until their 5th birthdays.

The first book children receive is “The Little Engine That Could.” The last book prepares them for kindergarten. “There’s an excitement kids get when these books are delivered in the mail. It’s addressed to them. It’s theirs,” Moreland said. “They are creating a home library. They can read the book over and over again. To instill a love of reading is a loving act.”

Moreland said her goal as president of Iola Rotary is to increase participation among the county’s children. She plans to promote the program to other entities such as physicians and others who work

with families.

IN ADDITION to the inspiring words from Parton, Moreland and Works both said the best part of the trip was connecting with others who share a passion for early childhood education.

The two hadn’t met before and enjoyed the car ride and ensuing conversation.

Moreland, who came to Iola in 2021, also met Lt. Gov. David Toland, an Iola native, and his wife, Beth, an early childhood education at Allen Community College.

“There was a lot of energy. It was very exciting to be around so many people who care about early childhood education,” Moreland said.

Newspapers Newspapers

The program at Russell Stover plants in Iola and Abilene has been around since 2021 and was launched as a major work program for around 60 female inmates in Iola.

It has garnered some pushback from prison reform activists, though inmate safety was never considered one of the chief objections, the Topeka Capital Journal reported. A portion of the inmates’ salary is redirected to pay for transportation and other costs.

The crash is at least the second in as many years involving the program at Russell Stover in Iola. In 2022, a bus went off the road in Anderson County, but no injuries were sustained. It is believed the driver on the bus fell asleep, the Capital Journal reported.

Together we are working to help educate our young people, leading

better informed, more involved and community-focused.

Gov. Laura Kelly joins singer and child literacy advocate Dolly Parton at an event marking statewide expansion in Kansas of a program donating a book each month to children 0-5. COURTESY PHOTO

Gift: HHS gets woodworking supplies

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gift’s value at about $20,000.

MATLOCK connected with Murrow a few weeks back through real estate agent Derrick McCall, a Humboldt High alum.

“He asked if Derrick knew of any programs that could use this,” Murrow said. “We were more than happy to come up and take a look.” The equipment will come in handy, particularly in introducing middle-schoolers in the industrial arts program to the purpose and use of various equipment, Murrow said.

The sizable donation will force Murrow to reorganize the high school’s workshop — a small sacrifice for such a gift, he noted.

“We’re going to change the layout so that we make sure to incorporate all of this, and so we have it set up so students can all use it and enjoy it and learn from it.”

Murrow said he will leave some of the lumber behind for the home’s new owners.

“The instructions

are, if there are items we can’t or won’t use, the new owners will be happy to take it,” Murrow said.

Receiving the gift now will allow Murrow to reorganize the work areas at the start of the school year, so the donations can be used promptly.

“Our students don’t

know it, but they’ll be helping unload a lot of this on Friday,” Murrow laughed. “It’s good to have strong, young backs to do the hard work.”

MATLOCK, a skilled craftsman and carpenter, for years has built much of his own furniture and cabinets as well

Canadians flee oncoming fires

YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories

(AP) — Residents of the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories began fleeing an approaching wildfire Thursday in long convoys while air evacuations were underway for those who could not leave by road, the latest chapter in Canada’s worst fire season on record.

The fire was within 10 miles of the northern edge of Yellowknife, and people in the four areas of the city of 20,000 at highest risk were told to leave as soon as possible, Fire Information Officer Mike Westwick said.

a government minister for the Territories, told a news conference. “Without rain, it is possible it will reach the city outskirts by the weekend.”

Authorities said the intensive care unit at a Yellowknife hospital would close within 24 hours as the Northwest Territories health authority starts to reduce its services.

In-patient units from Stanton Territorial Hospital would be moved in the coming days, if required, and most long-term care patients have been transferred to institutions to the south, the Health and Social Services Authority said on its website.

as other items, such as jewelry boxes. He joked that he built pretty much everything in his house. But now it’s time to allow somebody else to hone their craft, Matlock said. Will he miss it?

“Nope,” he joked. “I’ll be too busy fishing.”

Residents in other areas should be out by noon Friday, because strong north winds could push the fire toward the highway needed for evacuation, Westwick said. Although some rain was forecast for the region, first responders were taking no chances.

“I want to be clear that the city is not in immediate danger and there’s a safe window for residents to leave the city by road and by air,” Shane Thompson,

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was convening an urgent meeting with ministers and senior officials Thursday to discuss the evacuation.

About 6,800 people in eight other communities, have already been forced to evacuate their homes, including the small community of Enterprise, where 80% of the town was destroyed. Officials said everyone made it out alive.

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate jumped this week to its highest level in 20 years. THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS/RON BASELICE/TNS

Economy: Mortgage rates on the rise

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aged 5.13%.

It’s the fourth consecutive weekly increase for the average rate and the highest since early April 2002, when it averaged 7.13%. The last time the average rate was above 7% was last November, when it stood at 7.08%.

High rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting how much they can afford in a market already unaffordable to many Americans.

The latest increase in rates follows a sharp uptick in the 10-year Treasury yield, which has been above 4% this month and climbing. The yield, which lenders use to price rates on mortgages and other loans, was at 4.30% in midday trading Thursday, it’s highest level in nearly a year.

The yield has been rising as bond traders react to more reports showing the U.S. economy remains remarkably resilient, which could keep upward pressure on inflation, giving the

Federal Reserve reason to keep interest rates higher for longer.

“The economy continues to do better than expected and the 10-year Treasury yield has moved up, causing mortgage rates to climb,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Demand has been impacted by affordability headwinds, but low inventory remains the root cause of stalling home sales.”

High inflation drove the Federal Reserve to raise its benchmark interest rate 11 times since March 2022, lifting the fed funds rate to the highest level in 22 years.

Mortgage rates don’t necessarily mirror the Fed’s rate increases, but tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. Investors’ expectations for future inflation, global demand for U.S. Treasurys and what the Fed does with interest rates can influence rates on home loans.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage remains more than dou-

ble what it was two years ago, when it was just 2.86%. Those ultra-low rates spurred a wave of home sales and refinancing. The sharply higher rates now are contributing to a dearth of available homes, as homeowners who locked in those lower borrowing costs two years ago are now reluctant to sell and jump into a higher rate on a

new property. The lack of housing supply is also a big reason home sales are down 23% through the first half of this year.

The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with those refinancing their homes, rose to 6.46% from 6.34% last week. A year ago, it averaged 4.55%, Freddie Mac said.

William Matlock, who is selling his home and workshop in Gas, is donating his woodworking equipment and lumber to the Humboldt High School industrial arts program, a gift estimated at $20,000. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Opinion

~ Journalism that makes a difference

Marion County Record: Bloodied, but unbowed

Marion County law enforcement were determined Eric Meyer would learn a lesson: Don’t go messing where you’re not wanted.

So the entirety of the Marion Police Department and two sheriff’s deputies raided the home he shared with his elderly mother and his newspaper office last Friday, seizing the equipment necessary to publish his weekly newspaper, the Marion County Record.

Though the goal was to put him out of business, the heavy-handed method spurred Meyer’s staff and supporters to cobble together enough equipment and resources to successfully put out this week’s paper.

The emotions must have certainly been mixed for Meyer and crew.

Any celebration would have been muted.

The day after law enforcement officers raided their home, Meyer’s mother, Joan, and co-owner of the paper, collapsed and died.

WEDNESDAY afternoon, Marion County Attorney Joel Ensley said it appeared “insufficient evidence” existed for Magistrate Judge Laura Viar to issue a search warrant on Meyer’s home and business as well as that of Marion councilwoman Ruth Herbel, as requested by the police and sheriff’s departments.

Ensey ordered the newspaper’s equipment returned.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation will continue to review the case. What’s supposedly in dispute is whether the newspaper violated a restaurant owner’s privacy when a reporter followed up on a news tip that her driver’s license had been suspended, a fact that could interfere with her pending application for a liquor license, which was before city council.

The reporter used the Kansas Department of Revenue’s website — a public database — to conduct the search, which confirmed the woman’s DUI record. The newspaper did not print the information.

County attorney Ensley said he would determine whether the KBI’s report produces sufficient evidence to pursue charges.

By all appearances, there is no there there.

MOST NEWSROOMS aren’t typically a nest of intrigue. We don’t chase down criminals. We don’t go digging for dirt.

Most times, it’s delivered on our desks or in our emails, often anonymously. Which is telling.

From there we separate the wheat from the chaff, dispelling rumors and fatuous claims. Sometimes it leads to more research and interviews.

And even then, we may not publish the story, weighing whether the outcome does more harm than good. Oftentimes we work with school administrators and the local police and sheriff’s departments to come to a satisfactory resolution.

Sometimes people come to us with sensitive information that we conclude is best kept private. Sometimes they just need to have someone to talk to.

But on occasion, people come to us with incriminating evidence of wrongdoing.

Which is to say that on many of our computers is sensitive information that we are trusted to keep confidential. And as journalists, that information is protected by state and federal laws.

Which is why the slapdash search warrant issued Friday fell far short of what is legally required to search and seize a newspaper’s equipment.

THIS IS HOW public servants lose our trust.

Tactics like these are meant to silence not only the press, but also everyday citizens. The chilling effect makes us second-guess our instincts and responsibilities.

Publisher Meyer is bloodied, but unbowed. Since the raid, subscriptions and outright gifts have flowed to his paper by those who cherish our constitutional freedoms. Our heart sings that he will remain in business — maybe even pay himself.

Only justice served helps steel us to make the right decisions. Thank God we live in a democracy.

— Susan Lynn

Silence is our greatest offense

By LEONARD GREENE New York Daily News/TNS

At the age of 92, attorney and activist Clarence Jones reminds us of the life Martin Luther King Jr. might have enjoyed if he had been a simple church pastor or a seminary professor.

Jones, a top King lieutenant and a trusted friend of the slain civil rights leader, has been blessed with longevity and a perch from which to reflect on a great man and an even greater movement.

“I thought Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the greatest geniuses of our time,” said Jones, a lawyer and adviser who helped craft many of King’s soul stirring speeches. “An imperfect person and a perfect calling.”

Sixty years ago, Jones helped King craft his signature sermon, the “I Have a Dream” speech that is almost synonymous with King himself.

Jones remembers the days of preparation and exasperation at Washington D.C.’s Willard Hotel, where he and King and other advisers pored over the language of the speech, chasing away labor leaders and elected officials who all wanted to make a last-minute contribution.

It was as if King were making a State of the Union speech, and they all wanted to play a part.

Long story short, the speech was a hit. Yet even now, as America commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Aug. 28, 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, it is another speech from that day that still resonates with Jones.

Speakers in the lineup that day included Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee leader John Lewis, who would go on to be a long-serving congressman from Georgia.

But Jones says he remains drawn to the words of Joachim Prinz, a German-born rabbi who spoke out against the Nazi party there before joining the civil rights movement in America.

“His speech in my opinion is the most important speech other than the “I Have a Dream’ speech,” Jones said.

Prinz, who spoke just before King, was president of the American Jewish Congress, and Jones remembers his words today.

“When I was the rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin under the Hitler regime, I learned many things,” Prinz said that day.

“The most important thing that I learned under those tragic circumstances was that bigotry and hatred are not the most urgent problem. The most urgent, the most disgraceful, the most shameful and the most tragic problem is silence.”

Jones was blown away.

“You could hear a pin drop,” Jones said. “I thought to myself, ‘How prophetic.’ That’s the message we should take away today.’

Jones includes Prinz’ words in his new book, “Last of the

Lions: An African American Journey in Memoir,” which was released earlier this month ahead of the March on Washington anniversary.

In the book, Jones writes about his upbringing in a Catholic boarding school, and his friendship with King.

“We used to call ourselves the odd couple,” Jones said. “I knew how his mind worked.”

He also knew how King’s ego worked, so he sometimes had to put him in check.

“I used to say to Martin, ‘You’re brilliant but let’s be realistic. There is no way for 12% of the population to convince 83% of the population to do what they don’t want to do. We have to find a significant percent of the white population that agrees with us.’ I was just being realistic.”

Jones says that now to emphasize that the road ahead requires everyone to work together. His biggest concerns today are gun violence and Black on Black destruction.

“If Martin were alive today, I would craft for him a speech called, “The Black Killing Fields,” Jones said. “Nobody is telling it like it is.”

Jones is. That’s because he hasn’t stopped dreaming yet.

President Joe Biden, (Democrat) 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Washington D.C., 20500; (202) 456-1414; (comments): (202) 456-1111

Gov. Laura Kelly, (Democrat) Capitol, 300

Martin Luther King gives his “I Have a Dream” speech to 200,000 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963. (ALBUM/ZUMA PRESS/TNS)

Clarence Jones was a trusted friend of Martin Luther King Jr. and instrumental in helping him craft his speeches, including ‘I Have A Dream.” Though significant, Jones said another speech rings truer today. (FREDERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAGES/ TNS)

Sports Daily B

Moran’s Granere caps summer with athletic feats

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

Marmaton Valley multisport athlete Janae Granere didn’t have any down time this summer between the basketball court and the track.

Granere, a senior, competed on a USA basketball team in Barcelona, Spain. The 10day trip included four days of games.

“I feel super lucky because this is something some kids never get to do and it’s super cool I got to go do something I love overseas,” said Granere. “I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect but we only lost one game, so that was amazing.

Granere then took her track talents to the AAU Junior Olympics national meet in Las Vegas.

A three-sport athlete, Granere has impressed most on the track, where she went to the state meet in multiple events. She also plays on the MVHS volleyball team.

For the trip to Spain, Gra-

nere’s team consisted of one other player from southeast Kansas and the rest hailed from Wichita.

Competition included multiple Spanish teams, a Swiss team, as well as other USA teams. Granere’s team played a total of eight games.

“All the teams from Spain thought we were the nicest Americans they had ever met,” said Granere. “At the end of the tournament we got to trade jerseys so now we have jerseys from Spain. We got pictures, too.”

Coaches from McPherson College and Cowley Community College coached the girls.

Granere said the Spanish players were more aggressive and brought a physical style not always seen in the United States. Granere was the team’s main rebounder and began to knock down more three-pointers near the end of the trip.

“I think these games taught me to always be active, even when you’re not guarding someone,” she

said. “I improved on defense the most. Our team played really well together. The parents said it seemed like we had been playing together for years. We all had our own things we were good at and it helped form the team.”

On the track

Shortly after returning from Spain, Granere qualified for the national track meet in Las Vegas at a regional meet. Granere competed in summer track through the Girard Warriors track club, an AAU Junior Olympics training team.

Granere competed in the triple jump at the national meet where she placed 10th with a jump of 37 feet, 4 inches.

At the state track meet this spring, her triple jump was 37 feet, 5.5 inches.

“My approach is something my coaches have really worked on with me,” said Granere. “I used to never get up to full speed on the runway. Once I started going full

See GRANERE | Page B6

Friday, August 18, 2023

MLB Commissioner backs new KC Royals stadium

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)

— MLB Commissioner Rob

Manfred threw his support behind a new stadium for the Royals on Wednesday, calling both of their potential sites near downtown Kansas City “unbelievably high quality” for the type of revenue-producing, multiuse districts that are necessary for small-market clubs to compete.

Manfred spoke for an hour at the Urban Youth Academy, which is designed to encourage inner-city youth in baseball, alongside Royals chairman John Sherman and Bob Kendrick, the president of the nearby Negro Leagues Baseball Museum — which itself is in the midst of a $25 million fundraising effort for a new home.

The Royals plan to announce in September whether they will build a replacement for Kauffman Stadium in the East Village, an area near the T-Mobile Center and the existing Power & Light District, or across the Missouri River in Clay County, where there is more land available for a potentially larger baseball village.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for this community — forget the Royals,” Manfred said. “Either of these sites are outstanding sites for a new ballpark. Either present the opportunity for entertainment district development around the ballpark.

“I think in our economic system,” Manfred said, “new facilities provide a ballclub with an opportunity for revenue generation that simply doesn’t exist in older footprints. At some point — great ballpark here, but having said that, it is an older ballpark that does not have the kind of premier revenue-generating opportunities that you get in a new facility for a market this size.”

The Royals have said the new ballpark project will cost about $2 billion. Most will be privately funded, but a portion of the money is expected to come from the renewal of a 3/8-cent

sales tax that has been used the upkeep of Kauffman Stadium.

However, the sales tax was passed by voters in Jackson County, which is where the downtown ballpark location sits; if that location is chosen, the vote for it would likely occur in April. But the site across the river sits in Clay County, and that would potentially require a different funding structure than what has long been envisioned.

Another factor is that the Royals have shared that tax revenue with the Chiefs, because Kauffman Stadium shares the Truman Sports Complex with Arrowhead Stadium. But the NFL franchise prefers Arrowhead Stadium rather than build anew, and how those two franchises can continue to co-exist in different locations is not entirely clear.

Regardless of the choice of location, Sherman has said the new Royals stadium will take about three years to complete, which would mean opening day for the 2027 or 2028 season. He also said in a recent letter to fans that the project would create about 20,000 jobs, produce roughly $1.4 billion in labor income and $2.8 billion in total economic output, while its inaugural season would “generate some $185 million more in regional economic output than The K does today.”

Much of that money would come from premier seating and club spaces that are not possible at Kauffman Stadium, which has long been one of the jewels of Major League Baseball, but is currently the sixth-oldest park still in operation.

“Our region is at a critical juncture, and I say that in a positive way,” Sherman said. “We have a new airport. The World Cup is coming (in 2026). We just hosted the NFL Draft. We have a women’s soccer stadium coming out of the ground on the riverfront, the only one of its kind, and the Chiefs and RoySee ROYALS | Page B6

Deion Sanders rebuilds roster in first year at Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion Sanders cleaned house when he first arrived at Colorado. Not satisfied, the coach of the Buffaloes carried on with the extreme makeover after the spring game.

His lavish use of the transfer portal to build, scrape and rebuild his roster has drawn the wrath of some in college football. Not that he cares what others think as he tries to fix a program coming off a 1-11 season.

He’s conducting this remodeling project his way, even if it ruffles some feath-

ers. He’s got 56 new players from the spring game alone, and three starters back from a season ago. Ask the Pro Football Hall of Fame player about culture, though, and he goes into full lockdown cornerback mode.

It’s a concept that puts him on the defensive.

“We’re trying to win. I don’t care about culture,” said Sanders, whose team is playing its final season in the Pac-12 Conference before moving to the Big 12. “I don’t even care if they like each other. I want to win. I’ve

been on some teams where the quarterback didn’t like the receiver, but they showed harmony when the ball was snapped. We’re not like that, trust me, these kids are very fond of one another.”

And still getting to know each other. There’s been that much turnover since he stepped on campus in December, with 86 newcomers on the 114-player roster.

After the spring game, another mass exodus of players hit the portal. It caught the attention of several of

See SANDERS | Page B6

Janae Granere of Moran, right, and a player from Spain swap jerseys after a game. COURTESY PHOTO

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks during a news conference on Aug. 4 in Boulder, Colo. HYOUNG CHANG/THE DENVER POST/TNS

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Wildfire scorches Spain’s Tenerife island

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — An out-of-control wildfire on the Spanish Canary island of Tenerife has burned thousands of acres and affected nearly 8,000 people who are either evacuated or confined, authorities said Thursday.

Regional President Fernando Clavijo said some 250 firefighters and members of the Spanish army are tackling the blaze, located in the north of the island, a key tourist destination. Clavijo said the fire had a nearly 19-mile perimeter.

“This is probably the most complicated blaze we have had on the Canary Islands, if not ever, in at least the last 40 years,” Clavijo

told reporters. Extreme temperatures in the island, he said, added to “specific meteorological conditions” caused by the fire that turned the area into a virtual oven.

The blaze, which started Tuesday night, is centered on a craggy, mountainous area, which is difficult for emergency brigades to access. Spanish authorities said their main goal is to contain the fire and prevent it from reaching more populated areas.

The island’s main town, Santa Cruz, is 12 miles away from the flames.

The wildfire is threatening six municipalities. Some 7,600 residents in the area have either been evacuated or ordered to stay indoors Thursday due to hazard-

ous air quality. Clavijo said firefighters were working day and night but the fire remained “out of control.”

The seven-island archipelago is located off the northwest coast of Africa and southwest of mainland Spain.

Tenerife is one of Spain’s tourist hotspots. Tenerife Tourism office stressed in a statement Thursday afternoon that the main tourist areas and cities of the island are away from the fire.

Business continues as usual in accommodation establishments, beaches and other tourist sites located in areas near the coast and in the midlands, the office said.

But access to the Teide National Park, the most

important tourist attraction in Tenerife after the beaches, will be closed to the public starting Thursday. All tourist facilities around the Teide volcano area, including accommodation, will be evacuated, alongside the Astrophysics Institute of the Canary Islands’ personnel.

Q: What is it in Alyssa Farah Griffin’s background that qualifies her to be a co-host of “The V iew”?

A: For a program that relies heavily on political conversation, Grif fin is in the right place, having held several positions in the Republican administration between 2017 and 2020. She was the press secretar y to the vice president, then special assistant to the president, and then deputy assistant to the secretar y of defense for public af fairs and press secretar y to the United States Depar tment of Defense.

After that, Grif fin went into the business of being an analyst on television, working online for The Hill’s program and also appearing regularly on CNN – which she still does, while fulfilling her regular weekday job on ABC’s “The View.” She had been a guest on the latter show’s panel during 2021 and 2022, then was made a permanent co-host with the star t of the series’ 26th season in the fall of 2022 (along with Ana Navarro, who’d had a similar arrangement).

Grif fin came by her interest in public af fairs naturally, being the daughter of Joseph Farah, who was an editor at both the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and the Sacramento Union. She wrote (as did her mother) for the website WorldNetDaily, which her father founded.

Elsewhere, Grif fin was the captain of her high-school girls’ soccer team, and she has a black belt in karate. She married Justin Grif fin in 2021, and some members of her family boycotted her wedding – including her father and stepmother – because of their political dif ferences with her

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Ice chunk falls on house

SHIRLEY, Mass. (AP)

— A large ice chunk fell from the sky and hit a house in Massachusetts, damaging the roof of the home, the homeowner said.

Jeff Ilg said he and his wife, Amelia Rainville, suspect the ice fell off an airplane traveling to Boston Logan International Airport.

Neither the couple nor their two children were hurt when the ice chunk, which Ilg said was initially estimated to be 15 to 20 pounds, hit the roof on Sunday night.

“We heard an explosion, basically,” he said on Thursday. “The loudest pop, bang I’ve ever heard.” Then they heard debris rolling down the roof onto a lower roof, he said.

Initially it was thought the house was struck by lightning.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it’s investigating.

TRUTH

put truth ont and center

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

BEETLE BAILEY by Mort Walker

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by Chris Browne

BLONDIE by Young and Drake

MUTTS

by Patrick McDonell

MARVIN by Tom Armstrong

by Chance Browne

Twila Kilgore tapped as interim USWNT coach

By ANNE M. PETERSON The Associated Press

Twila Kilgore will serve as interim coach of the U.S women’s national soccer team following the resignation of coach Vlatko Andonovski, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Thursday.

Kilgore, the first American-born woman to earn U.S. Soccer’s top-level Pro License, was an assistant under Andonovski for 1 1/2 years and will lead the team while a search for a permanent coach is conducted.

Andonovski’s resignation comes less than two weeks after the United States was knocked out of the

Women’s World Cup

earlier than ever before.

“While we are all disappointed by the outcome at this year’s World Cup, I am immensely proud of the progress this team has made, the support they’ve shown for each other, and the inspiration they’ve provided for players around the world. I will be forever thankful to the U.S. Soccer Federation for giving me the chance to coach this remarkable team,” Andonovski said in a statement.

Previously, Kilgore was an assistant coach with the Houston Dash in the National Women’s Soccer League and worked with numerous U.S. youth women’s national teams. She’s

spent 15 years in the college game, as a head coach at UC-Davis and an assistant at Pepperdine before landing the top job there.

Kilgore will lead the U.S. team in a pair of exhibition matches against South Africa on Sept. 21 in Cincinnati and on Sept. 24 in Chicago. The four-time tournament champions struggled throughout the World Cup. A victory over Vietnam to kick off the group stage was followed by a pair of draws against the Netherlands and Portugal — barely enough to get the team into the knockout stage.

The Americans played well in the Round of 16 against

Sweden, but ultimately fell on penalties after a scoreless tie. The U.S. scored just four goals over the course of the tournament. The United States had never finished worse than third at the World Cup.

U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker, appointed to the job in April, will lead the search for a new coach. Crocker has launched an in-depth analysis of the women’s program aimed at ensuring the team remains competitive.

“It’s imperative that we continue to evolve and innovate, and we are excited about the path that lies ahead,” Crocker said in a statement.

Granere: Caps a productive summer

Continued from B1

speed it was a lot easier because your momentum carries you most through your jumps.”

Heading into her senior year, Granere hopes to leave every last ounce of effort she has, no matter the sport.

“In basketball, we are shooting to be league champions,

Royals: New stadium

Continued from B1

are talking about doing some really special things for this community.”

Manfred pointed to the way new stadiums for the Nationals and Braves have driven revitalization and revenue.

and I definitely think that’s doable,” said Granere. “I’d also like to hit 1,000 points. In track, I want to hit a 38-foot, maybe even a 39-footer in the triple jump. I also want to try and break the school-record in the long jump.” Granere is now suiting up as a Wildcat for the MVHS volleyball team.

Sanders: Rebuilds Colorado’s roster

Continued from B1

his coaching colleagues, with Oklahoma coach Brent Venables telling OU Nightly Sports that he didn’t appreciate the way Sanders gave “pink slips” to the bulk of the players he inherited.

The revolving door was necessary, Sanders contended, to assemble the team he needed to turn around a program that’s only had two winning seasons since joining the Pac-12 in 2011.

“You had some young men that just didn’t want to play the game,” Sanders said of overhauling the roster after arriving from Jackson State, where he went 27-6 over three seasons.

“They didn’t love football. It’s hard for me to be effective if you don’t love it, if you don’t like it, if you don’t want to live it. That’s tough. That’s tremendously tough when you’re looking at a body of just

dead eyes. That’s tough on any coach, not just me.”

Sanders brought with him from Jackson State his quarterback son, Shedeur, and a big-time playmaker in cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter. This spring, the coach also added another of his sons, Shilo, to play safety.

Although Shilo Sanders hasn’t been in Boulder long — he arrived from Jackson State after a stint at South Carolina — one thing’s clear to him: “We’ve got some real dogs,” he said. “It starts with Coach Prime.”

ON THE MOVE

These days, Sanders is motoring around on a scooter due to surgeries to fix issues with blood clots in his legs. He had two toes on his left foot amputated in 2021.

SAYING GOODBYE

Sanders hasn’t given

much thought to how the latest round of realignment took the Buffaloes from the Pac-12 to the Big 12.

“I don’t care what conference, who we’re playing against, we’re trying to win,” Sanders said. “Everybody’s chasing the bag (money) and you get mad at the players when they chase it.”

FAVORITE SON?

Sanders has an undisputed No. 1 quarterback in his son, Shedeur, who threw for 3,752 yards and 40 touchdowns last season. But he’s not Sanders’ favorite son — according to Shilo, anyway.

Shilo’s basis is the screensaver on his father’s phone.

“Usually it’s me,” Shilo said, laughing.

“Sometimes I get to catch who’s on there and I tell the whole family. It’s been me for a while now.”

NEW STAFF

The coaching staff that Sanders brought in has a combined 200 seasons of experience, with 1,254 wins. Sanders also added former NFL coach Pat Shurmur in a support role.

SCHEDULE

The Sanders Era at Colorado opens with a road game against TCU on Sept. 2. The first home game is the following week against former Big 12 rival Nebraska. Sanders has certainly been good for business at the box office, where the Buffaloes’ season-ticket allotment sold out for the first time since 1996.

In the case of the Nationals, their new ballpark has sped up development of what was once a largely industrial neighborhood known as Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. In the case of the Braves, the glittering new Truist Park serves as the fulcrum of The Battery Atlanta, where restaurants and high-end residential areas have sprung from the ground.

“I lived in the District, worked in the District for 15 years. The Navy Yard, where Nationals Park sits, the time I lived there you wouldn’t go there. Nobody went there,” Manfred said. “If you go there now, you have the ball-

park, all this development, high-class housing, mixed-use development. ... (In Atlanta), they built a city where there was none. It has become one of the prime entertainment centers in the metropolitan area where there was nothing.”

Both of the Kansas City sites are optimal for development in that they are riddled with old, vacant buildings and empty lots. But both also would require substantial investment in parking, ingress and egress, and other infrastructure.

“This process that we’re in the middle of right now — evaluating — it’s imperative we do this right now to find a new home, a new stadium, a new ballpark,” Sherman said, “but as importantly a new location where we can bring vibrancy and energy around the ballpark and do great things for this city.”

MJ Melendez (1) of the Kansas City Royals is doused with water by Bobby Witt Jr. (7) after the Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox 12-5 on May 8. JAMIE SQUIRE/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

Granere and a USA squad. COURTESY PHOTO