The Iola Register, Jan. 19, 2021

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

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County raises wages by 6% for inflation

Humboldt beats Iola in game

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

After taking a week to consider whether to give county employees a 4% or 5% raise this year, Commissioner David Lee ended up proposing something different: 6%.

His fellow commissioners quickly agreed.

Commissioners last week debated a cost-of-living adjustment, noting the national inflation rate was projected to be 5.9% this year.

Commissioners had budgeted for a 3% COLA, but Chairman Jerry Daniels and Commissioner Bruce Symes last week said they were ready to approve 5%.

They indicated they were open to a larger amount.

Symes pointed to the inflation rate as a need to increase salaries. Daniels said he wanted the county to be competitive to attract and retain employees, and noted some departments are currently short-staffed.

Lee, who tends to run on the more conservative side when it comes to financial matters, said he needed more time to mull over the amount.

Discussion with citizens led him to believe an even larger increase was necessary.

“The long and the short of it, if we’re interested in keeping quality employees, we need to pay them what they’re worth,” Lee said.

The salary increase will be across the board, and includes raising starting salaries. The change is effective See COUNTY | Page A3

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GOP releases first redistricting map

Iolan Bob Walden speaks against a proposal to convert the old Arkhaven Nursing Home on North Walnut Street into an apartment complex. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Arkhaven project rejected

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

A developer’s proposal to convert the old Arkhaven Nursing Home complex on North Walnut Street into an apartment complex was shot down by Iola Planning Commission members.

Commission members voted 5-2 Tuesday to recommend the city reject Meo Development Co. LLP’s request to have the property rezoned from single-family to multi-family use. The property must be rezoned in order to build apartments there.

The matter now goes to the Iola City Council, which has the final say. City Administrator Matt Rehder said the decision is set for the Council’s Feb. 14 meeting.

The Planning Commission’s role in the matter is

A developer wants to convert the former Arkhaven Nursing Home complex on North Walnut Street into apartments. advisory.

TUESDAY’S vote came with minimal comment from Planning Commission members, but plenty of comment from neighbors opposed to seeing an apartment complex built at 1336 N. Walnut St. At issue is the request from Meo Development owner Rocky Meo, who spelled

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

Iola Fire Chief Corey Isbell, left, and Mayor Steve French talk to Allen County commissioners about a new ambulance contract.

REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

timately entered a new contract.

One of the sticking points had been mutual aid agreements for coverage of communities outside Iola. They previously expressed concerns about incidents in which an ambulance was not available because crews were busy at fire scenes.

The new contract includes provisions ensuring ambu-

Carriers pause 5G after airlines object

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Kansas will stop contact tracing work By the Associated Press

out his vision for the complex, which consists of two large wings and an adjoining building that housed several apartments for senior citizens.

Meo said he hoped to essentially take the building down to its exterior walls, and refit them with new electric, plumbing and HVAC See PLAN | Page A6

Mayor, fire chief reassure county on EMS services Steve French remembers answering the phone when he was a child.

His parents ran the ambulance service out of Moran, and he would sometimes answer the telephone when calls came.

He remembers a call concerning a heart attack. The ambulance arrived within minutes, but the man passed away.

“I remember as a 10-yearold, hearing her cry and the trauma of her pain,” French said. “So I’ve always been in tune to those concerns. If a call goes out, I want to make sure we are there.”

French, who recently took office as Iola mayor, met with Allen County commissioners Tuesday morning to introduce the new fire chief, Corey Isbell, and talk about a new contract for EMS services.

The county had explored possibly ending its long-time contract with the city for ambulance services, but ul-

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lance stations in Humboldt and Moran remain staffed during transfers or “non-EMS activity.”

Isbell assured commissioners ambulance personnel would only perform medical activities when called to a fire, helping to fight a fire only under an extraordinary situation.

Commissioner David Lee asked Isbell how he would de-

termine what constitutes “an extraordinary circumstance.”

Isbell said every call was different, and he was reluctant to discuss specific scenarios in a public setting. He offered to have private conversations with commissioners.

Lee also asked if the county could receive a log of ambulance calls. Isbell said he would defer that question to city council members or the city administrator.

French later said the council would consider requests, and assured commissioners the city and county share a commitment to running a professional department.

“Iola has a vested interest in saving on wear and tear, because Iola is part of the county,” French said.

“We’re fairly new into this contract. I want to see those relationships build and heal.

Let’s keep the transparency and the dialogue going.”

Commissioners agreed they were looking forward to continued conversations regarding the ambulance services.

Kansas will stop contact tracing for COVID-19 next month because it is “futile” as confirmed cases increase and the public becomes less interested in participating, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Tuesday.

The change, which takes effect Feb. 1, means people who test positive for COVID-19 will be responsible for notifying their close contacts about possible exposure. If the person has been exposed at high-risk settings such as schools or daycares, state or local health departments will contact the setting, which will be responsible for notifying close contacts about the potential exposure.

Local health departments have already reduced contact tracing and K-12 schools that were participating may also temporarily suspend contact tracing,the health department said in a news release.

“As we enter the third year of this pandemic, public health has to begin to adjust the level of response to help alleviate the strain on the Public Health system,” said Janet Stanek, acting secretary of the health department. “The pandemic is far from over, but this step is a move toward managing COVID-19 as an endemic disease. The responsibility of protecting yourself and others belongs to all of us.”

The change comes as Kansas sees a marked increase in COVID-19 cases.

The state reported an average of 7,887 new cases a day for the seven days ending Friday. The data was not updated Monday because of the Martin Luther King holiday.

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GOP map carries curious boundaries

By TIM CARPENTER and SHERMAN SMITH The Associated Press

TOPEKA — Republicans in the Senate and House unveiled a new congressional map Tuesday that would slice the Kansas City metro area in half and move Lawrence into the deeply conservative district that stretches to the Colorado border.

Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, defended the new boundaries, which would weaken Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids’ chances of re-election, over objections by Democrats who accused Republicans of gerrymandering. Masterson said Davids and the three Republicans who represent Kansas in Congress would all retain their seats in the new districts, based on 2020 election results.

He rejected the assertion that splitting Wyandotte County — with the southern part remaining in Davids’ 3rd District and the northern part joining Topeka and rural areas of the eastern third of the state in the 2nd District — will result in a court battle.

“No matter what map we draw, how you draw it, there’s gonna be some interest group not happy, and there’ll probably be litigation that has zero effect on that,” Masterson said.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said Republicans ignored the feedback given to lawmakers during town halls last year when residents asked them to keep the greater Kansas City metro area in the same district. She said the map won’t “pass muster” because of the way it divides minority groups.

The revised 2nd District looks like “a salamander,” she said.

“I would expect it to

Sen. Roger Marshall

Kansas House and Senate Republicans have unveiled a map that would divide the Kansas City metro area, and place Lawrence in the rural First District, which stretches to the Colorado border. KANSAS REFLECTOR.COM be challenged,” Sykes said. “It looks like it has been gerrymandered.”

Republicans dubbed their map “Ad Astra,” a reference to the state’s motto. Sykes introduced a competing plan called “United” that slightly adjusts current districts to account for rural-to-urban population shifts.

The House and Senate redistricting committees both plan to take action on Thursday to choose a map.

Kansas Republicans have made no secret of a desire to undermine re-election prospects of Davids, a Democrat serving the 3rd District in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, and to reinforce the campaign of GOP challenger Amanda Adkins. At the same time, Republicans don’t want to meaningfully influence the re-election challenges faced by U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann of the 1st District, Jake LaTurner of the 2nd District and Ron Estes of the 4th District.

Democrats, while a minority party in the House and Senate, want to do the opposite. Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, has veto authority over maps adopted by the Legislature for the U.S. House, Kansas House, Kansas Senate and Kansas State Board of Education. The GOPled House and Senate could override a veto by

the governor.

State Rep. Chris Croft, an Overland Park Republican and chairman of the House Redistricting Committee, said the Ad Astra proposal would leave the state with four districts with exactly the same populations — 734,470 — based on the 2020 census.

“What I really like about what you got today is there’s a big variety out there for us to really dig into and see what the best options are for the state,” Croft said.

In 2012, the Legislature failed to complete the mapping project.

The job was assumed by federal judges who quickly compiled the maps relied upon in elections for the past decade. The new set would control boundaries through 2032, and must reflect the dramatic population growth in Johnson County and loss of residents in dozens of rural counties.

State Rep. Tom Burroughs, a Democrat from Kansas City, Kan., introduced a map that would leave Wyandotte and Johnson counties united in the 3rd District. The 2nd District would become concentrated in northeast Kansas in his “Buffalo 2” map, while the 1st District would reach into southeast Kansas.

He said the Legisla-

ture should produce maps that kept together so-called communities of interest, such as urban residents in Wyandotte County and rural Kansans in rural communities.

“Those concerns have been expressed to us in thousands of pages of testimony,” Burroughs said. “The advantage of my map is that he meets the population variances and it keeps the metropolitan Wya n d o t t e - Jo h n s o n counties together.”

A map, which was formally introduced by Croft and Sykes, was developed by the Kansas League of Women Voters and was consistent with the map proposed

by Burroughs.

Another map was introduced by state Rep. Kyle Hoffman, R-Coldwater, that was a slight modification of the congressional map approved by the Kansas House in 2012. It was never implemented, but it would have placed Wyandotte County inside the agrarian 1st District.

Hoffman said he voted for that map a decade ago, but wasn’t certain he would still hold to that perspective. He said the previous incarnation was made available for comparison sake as the Legislature went through the process of compiling updated maps.

White House: Hostage taker raised no red flags DALLAS (AP) — The gunman who took four people hostage at a Texas synagogue in a 10-hour standoff that ended in his death was checked against law enforcement databases before entering the U.S. but raised no red flags, the White House said.

Malik Faisal Akram, a 44-year-old British citizen, arrived in the U.S. at Kennedy Airport in New York on a tourist visa about two weeks ago, officials said. He spent time in Dallas-area homeless shelters

before the attack Saturday in the suburb of Colleyville.

Akram was not believed to be included in the Terrorist Screening Database, a listing of known or suspected terrorists maintained by the FBI and shared with a variety of federal agencies, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

Had he been included, it would have been extremely difficult for him to get into the country.

“Our understanding, and obviously we’re still looking into this, is that he was checked against U.S. government databases multiple times prior to entering the country, and the U.S. government did not have any derogatory information about the individual in our systems at the time of entry,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday.

She added: “We’re certainly looking back ... what occurred

to learn every possible lesson we can to prevent attacks like this in the future.”

British media, including the Guardian, reported Tuesday that Akram was investigated by the domestic intelligence service MI5 as a possible “terrorist threat” in 2020, but authorities concluded he posed no danger, and the investigation was closed.

Britain’s Home Office did not immediately comment on the reports.

U.S. home building rates up SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Construction of new homes in the U.S. rose again in December as builders ramp up projects amid a persistent shortage of homes.

The December in-

crease puts home construction at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.70 million units, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday, the third consecutive monthly gain.

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Senator to visit Allen Co. Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall will be in Allen County Monday for a town hall session.

The event begins at noon at the Allen County Country Club, 1318 2000 St. “I look forward to the opportunity to speak with Kansans and learn more about the issues and concerns impacting their lives,” Marshall said in a press release. “I value the opportunity to hear directly from folks in Allen County so that I can take their stories and concerns with me when I return to Washington D.C.”

Iolan dies in wreck Iolan Edward J. Danford, 59, was killed in a single-vehicle accident Tuesday morning in rural Miami County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol said Danford was southbound on U.S. 169, between Spring Hill and Paola, when the semitractor-trailer unit he was driving went off the left side the road, and across the median and northbound lanes on the four-lane highway.

The truck entered the ditch and came to rest against a tree.

Danford was declared dead at the scene.

He was not wearing a seat belt, troopers said.

Financial Focus

What Should You Know About Investment Risk?

When you invest, you incur risk – there’s no avoiding it. But the concept of “risk” may be more expansive than you realized. And by understanding the different types of investment risk and how these risks can be addressed, you can improve your skills as an investor.

The most common perception of investment risk is simply the risk of losing money. When you invest in stocks and stock-based vehicles, such as mutual funds, there are no guarantees that your principal – your initial investment amount – will be preserved.

Generally speaking, if you hold stocks or mutual funds over a period of years, and even decades, you can reduce the likelihood of sustaining losses that could send your investments’ value to zero.

Hopefully, the value of your investments will rise over time. And it’s worth noting that, since the Great Depression, U.S. stocks have averaged 9.59% annual returns, according to Morningstar Direct, an investment research service. However, past performance can’t guarantee future results.

In any case, this type of risk is real, and it’s a factor to consider when making your investment decisions. But you can’t avoid all risk by avoiding stocks and putting your money into other types of investments. Consider bonds, for example. When you purchase a bond, you typically receive regular interest payments and you get back your initial investment when the bond matures, provided the issuer doesn’t default. But if interest rates go up and you want to sell your bond before it matures, you’ll have to offer it at a “discount,” because no one will pay the full price for your bond when they can buy new ones at a higher rate.

You can help manage this type of interest rate risk by owning a variety of bonds with different maturities. When interest rates are rising, you can reinvest your short-term bonds at the new, higher rates. And in a falling-rate environment, you can still benefit from your longer-term bonds, which typically pay higher interest rates.

Foreign or international investments also contain specific risks. When you purchase foreign stocks, you’ll find that fluctuations in the value of currencies relative to the U.S. dollar can affect your returns. Also, international investments may carry political risk, since some foreign governments and political systems may change in ways that work against businesses in those countries. To contain these types of risk, you’ll want to maintain an appropriate allocation of international holdings and diversify across regions.

Ultimately, your most broad-based defense against all types of risk is to build a diversified portfolio containing U.S. stocks, international stocks, corporate bonds, mutual funds, government securities and other investments. Diversification works because it helps reduce the impact that market volatility can have on your portfolio if you only own one type of asset, such as domestic stocks. (However, diversification can’t guarantee profits or protect against all losses.) And you’ll also want your portfolio to reflect your individual tolerance for risk.

By being aware of the different types of risk, and taking steps to mitigate them, you can create a strategy that offers the potential to help you achieve your important goals, such as a comfortable retirement. And by doing so, you’ll avoid the greatest risk of all: not investing for your future.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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County: Insurance costs drop Continued from A1

starting with the current pay period.

Commissioners, though, decided not to approve any sort of merit increase.

Daniels said the commission has previously discussed setting a minimum starting wage of $15 an hour, but hasn’t yet done so and many positions are under that rate. Several employees are earning somewhere in the $13-an-hour range, so this will help boost those lower wages.

IT WASN’T all good news, though.

Allen County’s prescription drug cost is significantly higher than other groups, Drescher said. Typically, the ratio between medical costs and prescription costs is about 75/25.

But Allen County’s is closer to 50-50, with $466,939 in medical costs and $422,451 in prescription costs.

This year, the county will move to a new prescription program aimed at reducing those costs. The program will require generic medication when possible, rather than brand name phar maceuticals, with exceptions made such as when a doctor overrides the generic version.

Phil Drescher with Bukaty, the county’s insurance representative, talks to county commissioners about a decrease in the county’s total liability for health insurance costs.

Employees may not be happy with that change, Drescher warned, but the program does offer some flexibility.

He also noted that medications related to diabetes account for the high cost, by a large margin.

He and BCBS representative Rita Ortolani could look at bids for Tria Health, a pharmacy program that helps employees manage their medications. That could reduce prescription drug costs, but it would come with a fee.

IN OTHER news, commissioners: • Advised Jason Trego, emergency management director, to consider purchasing one of the sheriff ’s department’s old patrol trucks for about $10,000 rather than buying a new Ford F250 at a cost of about $40,000. Trego said he would use grant money and other sources to offset the cost of a new vehicle, but commissioners were concerned about the high price when another option was available. A truck is needed to pull a generator Trego recently purchased to use during emergencies.

• Asked Ron Holman, facilities director, to continue to seek bids for work at the new Humboldt Senior Center. Holman obtained a bid for a new sink, which the state requires, but commissioners were skeptical of the $3,211.13 price tag. They asked Holman to see if he could do bet-

ter, and to put together a plan on everything that might be needed for the new senior center.

• Got a revised list of weight limits for county bridges that could be impacted when the state closes part of U.S. 169 south of Humboldt this summer. Some of the bridges — mostly on 600 Road — had a lower limit, including one bridge that's rated for a maximum load of 18 tons (36,000 pounds). However, a bridge on 1600 Road can hold a maximum load of 44 tons (88,000 pounds).

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Companies pause some new 5G after airlines raise alarm

By DAVID KOENIG The Associated Press

Health insurance rates

Commissioners heard a bit of unexpected good news when it came to, of all things, health insurance rates.

Turns out, the county will save 29.38% on health insurance costs for the coming year.

“That’s incredible, folks,” Phil Drescher with Bukaty, the county’s insurance representative, told commissioners.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a number like that, certainly this year, for any of my groups.”

Drescher attributed the savings to a switch last year to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.

BCBS reduced the “attachment point,” which is the maximum liability for a group, from about $1.2 million last year to $791,247 this year.

The county’s fixed costs will increase from $209,784 to $246,648.

However, Drescher pointed out that switching to BCBS paid off last year and is likely to pay off even more this year.

That’s because BCBS reimburses the county more for stop-loss claims, which protects companies when claims exceed a certain amount.

Last year, BCBS reimbursed the county for about $91,000. This year, they expect that number to be about $132,000.

That’s because the county’s policy caps its costs at $50,000 per employee. If an employee’s costs exceed that amount, BCBS reimburses the county.

“We knew we were going to have large claims and that’s what happened,” Drescher explained. “So the BCBS is paying you back much more than you would have gotten from the old carrier.”

BCBS also provides several discounts that weren’t offered by the previous provider.

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

The Iola Register

AT&T and Verizon will delay launching new wireless service near key airports after the nation’s largest airlines said the service would interfere with aircraft technology and cause widespread flight disruptions.

The decision from the companies came Tuesday as the Biden administration intervened to broker tried to broker a settlement between the telecoms and airlines over a rollout of new 5G service.

The companies said they will launch 5G or fifth-generation service Wednesday, but they will delay turning on 5G cell towers within a 2-mile radius of runways designated by federal officials. They did not say how long they would keep those towers idle.

President Joe Biden said the decision by AT&T and Verizon “will avoid potentially devastating disruptions to passenger travel, cargo operations, and our economic recovery, while allowing more than 90% of wireless tower deployment to occur as scheduled.”

He said the administration will keep working on a permanent solution.

Even with the concession by the telecommunications companies, federal officials said there could be some cancellations and delays because of limitations of equipment on certain planes. Delta Air Lines also said there could be issues with flights operating in bad weather because of airport restrictions that regulators issued last week, when the 5G rollout appeared to be on schedule.

The new high-speed wireless service uses a segment of the radio spectrum that is close to that used by altimeters, which are devices that measure the height of aircraft above the ground. Altimeters are used to help pilots land when visibility is poor, and they link to other systems on planes.

AT&T and Verizon say their equipment will not interfere with aircraft electronics, and that the technology is being safely used in 40 other countries.

However, the CEOs of 10 passenger and cargo airlines including American, Delta, United and Southwest say that 5G will be more disruptive than earlier thought. That is because dozens of large airports were subject to flight restrictions announced last

week by the Federal Aviation Administration if 5G service was deployed nearby. The CEOs added that those restrictions wouldn’t be limited to times when visibility is poor.

“Unless our major hubs are cleared to fly, the vast majority of the traveling and shipping public will essentially be grounded. This means that on a day like yesterday, more than 1,100 flights and 100,000 passengers would be subjected to cancellations, diversions or delays,” the CEOs said in a letter Monday to federal officials. “To be blunt, the nation’s commerce will grind to a halt.”

The showdown between the airline and telecom industries and their rival regulators — the FAA and the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees radio spectrum — threatened to further disrupt the aviation industry, which has been hammered by the pandemic for nearly two years.

This was a crisis that was years in the making.

The airlines and the FAA say that they have tried to raise alarms about potential interference from 5G C-Band but the FCC ignored them.

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Splintered Democrats stumble toward defeat on voting rights

By LAURA LITVAN and STEVEN T. DENNIS Bloomberg News/TNS

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats edged closer to handing President Joe Biden another defeat as the chamber took up voting-rights legislation with extraordinarily long odds in the evenly divided chamber.

Republicans are expected to block a final vote on the bill, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday he would propose a one-time change to the chamber’s filibuster rules to make it harder to hold up the legislation.

But that last-gasp effort has little chance with at least two Democrats saying they won’t infringe on the minority party’s most powerful tool in the chamber.

Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, has said he won’t support changing Senate rules with a simple majority vote, which will be necessary to make the change. He insisted late Tuesday that while other Democrats have come to support changing the filibuster, he won’t.

“You have a right to change your mind. I haven’t,” Manchin said. “I

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D- N.Y., speaks during a news conference on Jan. 4. Schumer plans to hold a vote as soon as today on whether to change the Senate’s filibuster rules, which require at least 60 votes to move forward with most legislation. (KENT NISHIMURA/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS) hope they respect that, too. I’ve never changed my mind on the filibuster.”

A loss on the voting rights legislation would shatter yet another Democratic goal and underscore the difficulty of pursuing the party’s priorities with the narrowest of congressional majorities.

“We’re under no illusion. We know this is an uphill fight,” Schumer said at a news conference Tuesday evening.

He said his decision to press ahead would put every senator on the re-

cord on a bill written to expand ballot access.

But the likely doomed effort to change Senate rules to get it passed also highlights fractures among the Democrats as they head into an election year in a climate that strongly favors Republicans.

The issue could come to a head on Wednesday, the same day that Biden has scheduled a news conference. As he approaches the one-year anniversary of his presidency, Biden is faced with major challenges, including a stalled do-

mestic agenda, inflation, a fresh coronavirus onslaught and Russia threatening war with Ukraine.

Schumer said it’s imperative to overcome Republican opposition and consider a measure aimed at countering new laws in Republican-led states that he argues are aimed at suppressing voting by Democratic-leaning residents.

He said he would propose that the filibuster rule for the voting rights bill be changed to the so-called talking filibuster. That would require

opponents hold the floor with speeches to “defend their ideas,” and once their two turns to speak are exhausted, the Senate could move to a final vote with just a simple majority, Schumer said.

Under the current rules, any senator can simply object to moving forward on most legislation and 60 votes are needed to override that.

Biden last week acknowledged his drive for voting-rights legislation could be doomed after Manchin and Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona reaffirmed their opposition to changing filibuster rules to allow the bill to move forward with a simple majority.

After meeting privately with Senate Democrats, the president said while he hoped lawmakers would advance the measure, “the honestto-God answer is: I don’t know if we can get this done.”

Senate Republicans say the legislation is designed to benefit the Democratic Party in elections and that the debate is taking time away from more pressing issues like rising inflation and expanding coronavirus cases. Minority Leader Mitch Mc-

Connell said Democrats have pushed for these changes long before GOP state legislatures passed their new laws.

“Targeting Americans’ online speech and sending government money to political campaigns is not about civil rights,” McConnell said Tuesday. “It’s about tilting the playing field, weakening widely popular voter I.D. laws and making it harder to produce accurate voters rolls. It’s not about making voting easier, it’s about making cheating easier.”

The debate will center on two Democrat-drafted voting rights measures that were combined into a single bill passed by the House last week — an approach that allows the Senate to begin debate without a GOP filibuster but doesn’t prevent Republicans from blocking a final vote.

The legislation includes the Freedom to Vote Act, a broad bill backed by every Senate Democrat and designed to expand ballot access, and a second measure that restores the Justice Department’s ability to require some states to get pre-clearance for changes to their voting laws.

US faces wave of omicron deaths in coming weeks, models say

By CARLA K. JOHNSON The Associated Press

The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, but COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing and modelers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the wave subsides in mid-March.

The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. has been trending upward since mid-November, reaching nearly 1,700 on Jan. 17 — still below the peak of 3,300 in January 2021.

COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents started rising slightly two weeks ago, although still at a rate 10 times less than last year before most residents were vaccinated.

Despite signs omicron causes milder disease on average, the unprecedented level of infection spreading through the country, with cases still soaring in many states, means many vulnerable people will become severely sick. If the higher end of projections comes to pass, that would push total U.S. deaths from COVID-19 over 1 million by early spring.

“A lot of people are still going to die because of how transmissible omicron has been,” said University of South Florida epidemiologist Jason Salemi. “It unfortunately is going to get worse before it gets better.”

Morgues are starting to run out of space in Johnson County, Kansas, said Dr. Sanmi Areola, director of the health department. More than 30 residents have died in the county this year, the vast majority of them unvaccinated.

But the notion that a generally less severe variant could still take the lives of thousands of people has been difficult for health experts to convey. The math of it —

that a small percentage of a very high number of infections can yield a very high number of deaths — is difficult to visualize.

“Overall, you’re going to see more sick people even if you as an individual have a lower chance of being sick,” said Katriona Shea of Pennsylvania State University, who co-leads a team that pulls together several pandemic models and shares the combined projections with the White House.

The wave of deaths heading for the United States will crest in late January or early February, Shea said. In early February, weekly deaths could equal or exceed the delta peak, and possibly even surpass the previous U.S. peak in deaths last year.

Some unknown portion of these deaths are among people infected with the delta variant, but experts say omicron is also claiming lives.

“This is omicron driven,” Shea said of the coming wave of deaths.

The combined models project 1.5 million Americans will be hospitalized and 191,000 will die from mid-December through mid-March.

Taking into account the uncertainty in the models, U.S. deaths during the omicron wave could range from 58,000 to 305,000.

Yet, it’s become increasingly clear that the risk from omicron is lower than from previous variants. New evidence from nearly 70,000 patients in Southern California suggests omicron is causing milder illness than delta.

A study, posted online and cited during a recent White House briefing, found patients with omicron had a 53% lower risk of hospitalization with respiratory symptoms, a 74% lower risk of ICU admission, and a 91% lower risk of death. The study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, comes from researchers at Kaiser Permanente and University of California, Berkeley.

“It’s hard for me to

say straight out it’s good news,” said study co-author Sara Y. Tartof, a Kaiser Permanente research scientist. “Maybe there’s good news in the sense that if you are infected your chance of becoming severely ill are decreased, but from a societal perspective it’s a very heavy burden for us. It remains a serious situation, and we need to maintain practices and behaviors we know protect us.”

Overburdened hospitals could also contribute to more deaths, said Marc Lipsitch of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and scientific director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s forecasting center.

“In places with extremely short staffing and overloads of patients, as the medical professionals have been telling us, the quality of

Today

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care begins to suffer,” Lipsitch said. “That may also lead to higher death rates, but that’s not in any of the models that I’m aware of.”

Thursday

21

Temperature High yesterday Low last night High a year ago Low a year ago

58 28 48 23

Sunrise 7:34 a.m.

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This month to date Total year to date Deficient since Jan. 1

0 .06 .06 .79

Sunset 5:30 p.m.

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Opinion A5 The Iola Register

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

~ Journalism that makes a difference

Kansas shifts onus of reporting COVID to individuals Overwhelmed by COVID caseloads, Kansas health officials are shifting the responsibility of monitoring the virus’ spread to the general public.

As of Feb. 1, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment will cease contact tracing, a program that sought to notify and monitor those exposed to the virus.

For those who now test positive, it will be up to them to notify their workplaces, churches, schools and close circles of their infection.

“The responsibility of protecting yourself and others belongs to all of us,” said Janet Stanek, acting secretary of KDHE in a press release.

Public resistance also factored into KDHE’s decision to cease contact tracinge. From the get-go a vocal minority viewed it as government overreach and harassed public health workers for doing their job.

“We are not finding that the public is as willing to share information, so efforts relating to contact tracing end up being a little futile at this point,” Stanek told members of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee on Tuesday.

In any case, health officials say the task is simply not feasible. Over five days last week the state recorded more than 40,000 new cases, a record. Our total is now 621,273.

FOR SCHOOLS, suspension of contact tracing begins immediately.

On Tuesday, school officials were notified they can pause tracking the spread of the virus for the next 30 days.

“We understand the immense pressure you are facing to deliver quality education in light of the current Omicron surge,” stated Sec. Stanek and Education Commissioner Randy Watson in a letter. “We are hoping to temporarily relieve one pressure point, specifically the identification of susceptible close contacts who were exposed to COVID-19 in K-12 school settings.”

To be clear, Stanek and Watson are not suggesting that schools stop contact tracing, but that the state won’t be of any help.

“For school districts that are able to maintain their current process for identification of close contacts, we encourage you to continue doing so as this is an important tool to help control school-based transmission of COVID-19,” they wrote.

Stacey Fager, superintendent of USD 257 schools, said the change will not affect local procedures.

“We will continue to determine close contacts to active cases in our school buildings, and give parent(s) the option to have their child tested if a close contact occurred,” Fager said.

The district’s policy allows students exposed to the virus in a school setting to continue at school as long as they wear a face mask and undergo daily testing for a specified period.

A FEW things come to mind.

Clearly, state health officials are overwhelmed by this highly contagious omicron variant, but rather than treat it as an emergency, they’re saying we should accept it as a part of life.

“The pandemic is far from over, but this step is a move toward managing COVID-19 as an endemic disease,” Stanek said.

That is a gross understatement of the seriousness of this pandemic.

As initially touted, this is not influenza. Not even close.

For one, COVID-19, thankfully, is not nearly widespread as the flu. And second, it’s much, much more lethal. In the 20182019 flu season, 95 Kansans died from influenza or influenza-related illnesses.

After two years of COVID, more than 7,000 Kansans have died.

Do the math.

Yes, the goal is for COVID-19 to be just another low-level virus like a cold or the flu that sets us back a few days. But we’re a long way from that reality and to minimize its health threat does a disservice to the effort to get people vaccinated and follow other recommended measures.

Our rally cry should be “all hands on deck!” not, “You’re on your own.”

— Susan Lynn

Cyberattacks by Russian intelligence are on the rise. (DREAMSTIME/TNS)

Cyberattacks on Ukraine could go global

By PARMY OLSON Bloomberg Opinion/TNS

In cyberwarfare, the toughest question to answer definitively is “Who did it?” It’s no surprise then that Microsoft Corp. avoided the attribution on everyone else’s lips in its analysis of last week’s cyberattacks on Ukraine. That would be Russia. But several clues suggest they not only came from the Kremlin but will follow a pattern of spilling into other countries in Europe and the U.S. too.

That ratchets up geopolitical tension across the world: Ukraine is currently bracing for potential military action from Moscow; Russian President Vladimir Putin has 100,000 troops at the border; and Moscow’s security talks with the U.S. and NATO have broken down.

There’s a lot of circumstantial evidence for a Russian hand in the latest cyberattacks, which affected around 70 government agencies in Ukraine, the worst in the country in four years.

They resemble a devastating series that was widely attributed to Moscow, which began in 2015, continued into 2017 and swamped Ukraine’s banks, media and electric utilities with malware targeting Windows-based systems.

If so, the wider world outside of Ukraine had better start taking precautions.

Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center on Saturday said the latest assault had a similar profile to the 2015 attacks: appearing to be ransomware, residing in file directories, and executing when a computer is switched off. The researchers at the Center say it then overwrites a critical part of a computer’s hard drive with the following ransom note:

“Your hard drive has been corrupted.

“In case you want to recover all hard drives of your organization, You should pay us $10k via bitcoin wallet 1AVNM68gj6PGPFcJuftKATa4WLnzg8fpfv and send message via tox ID 8BEDC411012A33BA34F49130D0F186993C6A32DAD8976F6A5D82C1ED23054C057ECED5496F65 with your organization name.

“We will contact you to give further instructions.”

Except, that isn’t what a ransom note is usually like.

Ransomware attackers often customize different messages for different victims; the attackers in Ukraine last week used the same note for multiple victims. And instead of just encrypting files that could later be deciphered after payment, the perpetrators were far more destructive, completely overwriting data with no possibility of recovery, according to the Microsoft researchers.

That’s reminiscent of the malware attacks against a range of Ukrainian organizations back in 2015 and 2016. Hackers with Russia’s GRU intelligence agency also planted fake ransomware messages to try and confuse investigators, according to the book “Sandworm” by Wired reporter Andy Greenberg. It culminated in the release of a devastating computer worm called NotPetya in June 2017. NotPetya, which purports to be ransomware but can’t actually undo the changes it makes, caused an estimated $10 billion of damage globally after spreading from machine to machine, prompting the White House to promise “international consequences” against Russia.

One victim was Chicago-based Mondelez Interna-

tional Inc., maker of Oreos and Triscuits. The food company found its email and logistics systems were disrupted for weeks. After it suffered permanent damage to 1,700 servers and 24,000 laptops, Mondelez filed a claim for costs of more than $100 million with its insurer, Zurich Insurance Group AG. Zurich denied the claim on the grounds that it didn’t cover damages caused by war, interpreting the harm as a consequence of Russia’s shadow war in the Ukraine that included the annexation of Crimea in 2014. The case, which could have far-reaching ramifications for insurers, remains undecided.

AS WARFARE becomes more digital, it is getting harder to dismiss geopolitical conflicts as distant and isolated. Only around 75% of NotPetya’s damage took place in Ukraine, according to a 2017 analysis by cybersecurity firm ESET. Germany was the second-hardest hit with around 9%. Companies and organizations across Europe and the U.S. also fell victim.

No wonder the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has publicly encouraged organizations to review Microsoft’s blog post, as well as its own advisory on protecting critical U.S. infrastructure from cyberattacks.

Warnings about imminent cyber threat can appear paranoid — until they’re not.

For now, you may not want to turn off your computer for the night.

About the author: Parmy Olson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. She previously reported for the Wall Street Journal and Forbes and is the author of “We Are Anon-

How to contact your elected officials

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 S.W. 10th Ave., Suite 212S, Topeka, KS 66612-1590; (785) 296-3232; www. governor.ks.gov/comments/comment.htm

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, (Republican) 109 Hart Senate Office Building Washington D.C., 20510; (202) 224-4774; www.marshall.senate. gov.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, (Republican) Russell Senate Office Building, Room 354, Washington D.C., 20510; (202) 224-6521; moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-jerry

Rep. Jake LaTurner, (Republican) 130 Cannon House Office Building, Washington D.C., 20515; (202) 225-6601; LaTurner.house.gov/ contact/email

Sen. Caryn Tyson, (Republican) State Capitol-236 E Topeka, KS 66612 (785) 296-6838; caryn.tyson@senate. ks.gov

Rep. Kent Thompson, (Republican) House District No. 9, (620) 496-7200 State Capitol, Room 050-S 300 SW Tenth Ave. Topeka, KS 66612, kent@iolare.kscoxmail. com

Rep. Kenneth Collins, (Republican) House District No. 2, (785) 296-7698;State Capitol, Room 043-S 300 SW Tenth Ave. Topeka, KS 66612 Ken.Collins@house. ks.gov

A6

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Plan: Arkhaven project rejected Continued from A1

systems, and convert it into 51 one- or two-bedroom apartment units.

The complex also would include laundry facilities, a community room for tenant use and off-site parking.

Meo said a property manager would live on site, and assured the Planning Commission all of his work would be up to city codes.

He also noted the complex would be rented at market rate, and would not be subsidized for low-income tenants.

Meo said he planned for long-term ownership. “We won’t build it and vacate,” he said.

“We won’t cut corners.”

Meo provided the Commission with drawings of his proposal.

After the meeting, Meo said the apartments would rent for $450 a month for single-bedroom units, and $650 for the two-bedroom units.

The development would be an estimated $5 to $6 million investment.

THE SUBSEQUENT hour of discussion came mostly from residents who lived nearby, all of whom spoke out in opposition Becky Nilges noted that while Iola needs housing, it needs single-family homes much more than another apartment complex.

Her main sticking point was that Meo purchased the property knowing it’s zoned for single-family usage. “‘That’s something I can’t get over,” she said;.

“They knew the situation to begin with.

“Our fear is a lack of upkeep,” Nilges continued. “What happens down the line when the next person doesn’t keep it up? How long is it gonna sit there the way it is right now?”

The building has been vacant since the owners of Iola Nursing Center closed its doors in 2015.

Nilges asked the Commission members “not to judge” those opposed to Meo’s plans.

“We’ve been very frustrated,” Nilges said.

“Through the years, we feel like we’ve been ignored. We’ve been referred to as elitist. It’s been suggested to us to buy the property ourselves.

“Our only concern as a neighborhood is to keep it in good condition and to keep it safe,” Nilges said. “We’re gonna have to live with it every day. The day-to-day issues that take place here, will be in our backyard.”

Leon Brack said his concern was that having a nearby apartment will hurt his property’s valuation.

“Who’s gonna make a profit?” he asked.

“Who’s gonna benefit?

It’s not gonna be any of us that live there.”

Mike Ford pointed to the building’s current appraised value — roughly $15,000 — and said the city should have

Meo Development owner Rocky Meo spells out his plans for the former Arkhaven Nursing Home. it demolished because the price to fix it is more than 50% of its value.

Nancy Ford, meanwhile, noted those who live near the nursing home are unique.

“We know each other,” she said. “There are lots of children. They’re outside, playing kickball, riding bikes. If you put in 51 apartments, that will bring 60, 80, 90 cars. What happens to that neighborhood?

“I don’t want to live in a neighborhood where people are coming and going and I don’t know who they are,” she continued. “I want to keep the neighborhood safe for my grandkids.”

Scott Fehr asked the Commission to consider the state of other apartment complexes in Iola.

“Do you want apartments right across the street from your house?”

Fehr asked.

A number of opponents, including Bob Droessler and Reine Meyer, spoke to the influx of cars in a neighborhood with only one outlet road.

Bob Walden said the apartment would attract low-income families, and that if the property is rezoned for multi-family, it will remain zoned that way forever, even if the apartments are sold years down the road.

“We need housing,” Walden said. “But I don’t think that’s the place to achieve it.”

Jim Lewis, who built the facility and ran the

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nursing home in its first years of existence, said the city will need to “have a lot of supervision” if apartments were built.

“There are rules and regulations the city needs to have, so people know what’s going on,” Lewis said.

THE HEARING had a single Iolan speak out in favor of Meo’s plan: Mary Kay Heard, who said she felt compelled to speak through her affiliation with Iola Industries.

Heard hammered at Iola’s need for affordable housing.

“Our goal is to keep the companies we have,” Heard said. “And they can’t get workers.

There’s no place for them to live. Every single one of them is looking for help.

“It’s a real problem with our industries,” she continued. “We want to keep Gates and Russell Stover, but we’ve got to keep their shifts running. If they can’t, it’s a problem.”

While Heard appreciated the neighbors’ desire to see homes built instead of apartments, she noted others have had the option to do so.

“Nobody’s building,” Heard said. “They can’t afford it. This gentleman is ready to invest in Iola. It’s really important not to overlook that aspect of it. We need places to live.”

Heard noted Iola In-

dustries built the Eastgate Lofts apartment complex on the old Allen County Hospital site in 2016.

Those apartments have been filled to capacity since then.

ONCE the visitors had their say, the Planning Commission members had their turn.

Only Teresa Longbotham spoke up, saying she was not ready to make a decision.

“I understand the traffic concerns,” Longbotham said. “Are there options for access? We need to do our homework.”

Her proposal to table any recommendation was shot down by City Administrator Rehder, who said the Commission’s only role is to advise the City Council on the matter.

“In my entire career, I’ve never heard of a planning commission table an item,” Rehder said.

“It’s not an option to table it,” Planning Commission chairman Tony Godfrey agreed. “Our job is solely to advise, not make a decision.”

WITH THAT, Planning Commission members voted on the matter.

Longbotham, Ben Middleton, Larry Crawford, Bill Hobbs and Eddie Johnson were opposed to approving the rezoning request. Godfrey and Cathy Greenwood endorsed the plan.

No charges in Black teen’s custody death WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas prosecutor said Tuesday that he won’t file criminal charges over the death of a Black 17-year-old who became unresponsive while being restrained facedown for more than 30 minutes following an altercation with staff at a Wichita juvenile center in September.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said the state’s “stand-yourground” law prevents him from bringing any charges in the death of Cedric Lofton because staff members were protecting themselves.

Bennett said that if he did bring charges, “a judge would be duty bound to dismiss the case.”

The teen’s family decried Bennett’s decision, issuing a statement in which they called it “yet another instance of an unarmed Black teenager killed by law enforcement with impunity, threat of reprisal or even an ounce of accountability.”

Community activists previously have called for a special prosecutor, the release of video and the names of the individuals involved in Lofton’s death. Lofton’s brother Marquan Teetz and a local pastor on Tuesday asked a court to release video of the altercation, citing the state’s open records law. The Wichita Police Department on Tuesday released its body camera video.

Lofton was living with foster parents when Wichita police responding to a report of a disturbance encountered him outside a home on Sept. 24, according to a report from Bennett based on a review of video and other evidence. His foster family said Lofton had been behaving erratically in recent

months, had become paranoid and was hallucinating, according to the report. Bennett said Lofton was in the midst of a mental health crisis and that police initially tried to get him to seek treatment.

The 5-foot-10, 135-pound Lofton resisted police, assaulting at least one officer before they could restrain him, Bennett’s report said. Police took him to the Sedgwick County Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center, where officers put him in a holding cell at 2:45 a.m.

The Wichita officers left the center at 4:15 a.m., leaving Lofton unrestrained with an intake specialist who opened the door to Lofton’s holding cell.

Bennett said the intake specialist later told investigators that he informed Lofton he would be released to his guardian. The teen walked out of the cell.

A security officer arrived and tried to help get Lofton back into the holding room after Lofton tried to grab a computer monitor from the intake counter. Lofton hit the intake specialist, knocking his glasses to the ground, according to Bennett’s report.

The two staff members then struggled with Lofton before more staff members arrived. Staff then shackled Lofton’s ankles, put him on his stomach on the floor, then struggled with him some more before handcuffing him, according to Bennett.

Around that time, staff said Lofton began to snore, Bennett’s report says.

A few minutes later, staff members realized Lofton had no pulse.

They began chest compressions and called emergency personnel, just before 5:15 a.m., the report said.

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B

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Mustangs have rough start to week Boys fall late against Cubs

By REESE BECKER The Iola Register

Iola’s Landon Weide shoots a bucket from deep vs Humboldt.

REESE BECKER/IOLA REGISTER

YATES CENTER — Humboldt High School’s boys basketball took on Iola in a non-tournament game at the Mid-Season Classic on Tuesday night. Humboldt came away victorious 51-45 despite a late Iola rally.

Tyler Boeken was back in play for Iola for the first time in two weeks. While Boeken didn’t have the offensive game that he would have liked, he provided a strong presence on the boards.

Humboldt started on a 7-4 run in the first, propelled by accurate shooting from Trey Sommer and great ball control by the Cubs. The Mustangs took a little while to warm up, but when they did, Iola turned up the heat.

Humboldt was up to the challenge, taking over to build a double-digit lead early in the second quarter.

Iola had a big issue in the first half with turnovers, giving Humboldt extra possessions which allowed the Cubs to build a solid lead. A big block by Sam Fager on a

Humboldt layup energized the team and the Iola shooters began to hit better shots.

Humboldt led at the half 28-16.

The two teams went back and forth in the third, Humboldt maintaining its lead while Iola tried to close the gap. The Mustangs got it down to an 11-point deficit.

Iola mounted a charge in the fourth, going on a run that saw the Cubs’ lead down to 4338 with just five minutes left.

Iola continued to chip away, coming within four points See MUSTANGS | Page B4

Girls lose tough test

By REESE BECKER The Iola Register

YATES CENTER — The Yates Center Mid-Season Classic didn’t start the way the Iola High School girls had hoped. The Mustangs fell 4925 to St. Paul.

The Mustangs got off to a sluggish start and soon found themselves down 6-0 before Iola could score their first points.

Iola was outrebounded and allowed St. Paul too many second-chance shots. Iola’s defense improved toward the end of the first, but the offense remained stagnant.

None of Iola’s normal contributors could get the ball rolling early. St. Paul executed their defensive assignments almost perfectly all

night.

Turnovers began to rear their ugly head for the Mustangs at the start of the second quarter. St. Paul took advantage and went on a 16-5 run in the second. Iola couldn’t find open shots and eventually that dug a hole for the Mustangs.

St. Paul led 22-7 at the half.

Turnovers continued to haunt Iola in the second half, allowing St. Paul to take a 20-point lead early in the third. Iola scratched and clawed at the Indians’ lead but inconsistent play buried their chances. One of the big keys for Iola, Aysha Houk, was silenced by the Indian defense. St. Paul held Houk scoreless throughout the See IOLA GIRLS| Page B4

Iola High’s Josie Plumlee, left, collides with St. Paul defender Sophia Albertini Tuesday. REGISTER/ REESE BECKER

Yates Center’s Canon Cavender shoots in the second vs Cherryvale. REESE BECKER/IOLA REGISTER Marmaton Valley High’s Brynn Newman (14) jostles for position against Humboldt’s Kenisyn Hotttenstein (10) Tuesday.

PHOTO BY HALIE LUKEN/MVHS

Cubs defeat Wildcats

By REESE BECKER The Iola Register

YATES CENTER — Humboldt High School’s girls basketball team took on Marmaton Valley in the opening round of the Mid-Season Classic on Tuesday. Humboldt won 40-30.

Marmaton Valley was slow coming out of the gate and Humboldt took advantage, holding the Wildcats to

four points in the first quarter while Humboldt shooters hit some key shots.

Humboldt’s defensive dominance continued in the second, as the Cubs limited Marmaton Valley to six points, while once again scoring in double digits.

The way to beat Marmaton Valley is to not let Janae Granere beat you and HumSee CUBS | Page B4

Yates Center swept by Cherryvale

By REESE BECKER The Iola Register

YATES CENTER — Yates Center High School’s boys and girls basketball teams got swept by Cherryvale in the first round of the Yates Center Mid-Season Classic on Tuesday. The girls lost 5221, while the boys dropped the game late 49-45.

The girls got off to a rocky start and were unable to handle the athleticism of the Chargers early on. Yates Center was careless with the ball, allowing Cherryvale to drive down the court and dominate. When Yates

Center did have the ball, they were unable to get open shots and the shots they did get, they couldn’t capitalize on.

Cherryvale looked to be the more physical team, dominating on the boards early and taking advantage of second-chance shots.

Cherryvale led 31-13 at the half.

The second half wasn’t much better for the Wildcats as their offensive struggles continued. Yates Center turned the ball over multiple times, allowing the Chargers to storm down the floor on the fast break, getting quick

points. At times, it was like a revolving door on offense.

Yates Center would carry the ball out, turn it over and then Cherryvale would score and repeat the cycle.

Cherryvale’s defense dominated and clamped down to allow the Wildcats to score only four points in the third, while the Chargers ran away with the game.

Grace Westerman led the way for the Wildcats with six points. Hannah Jones and Callyn Miller both had four.

Morgan Collins had three.

Krystina Hurst and Addison See YC | Page B4

B2

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

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Desktop Support Technician (Ottawa Campus) Minimum $14.00 per hour

Upward Bound Administrative Assistant Starting Wage $12.50 -13.00 per hour

Assistant Coach Positions (9 mo)

(Wrestling and Track & Field) • Salary $19,000

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

ALLIED HEALTH PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Immediate Opening!

SEK Multi-County Health Department Woodson County (Yates Center) Position: Public Health Nurse This is a full-time position, 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday.

Benefits include but are not limited to: 12 paid holidays, accrual of 10 hours vacation time monthly, accrual of 10 hours sick time monthly, health/dental/vision insurance, KPERS retirement and a set schedule!

Seeking an independently motivated individual with excellent communication, leadership and organizational skills.

Required: Active Kansas Registered Nurse License.

Responsible to coordinate and instruct both onsite and online in the Allied Health program, responsible for student recruitment, program development and advising. Courses include CNA, Medical Terminology. Full time position. RN or LPN required. Excellent benefits including generous time off, paid single health/dental insurance, and tuition, fees and book rental grants. Review position description on website, www.allencc.edu.

Submit letter of interest, resume, employment application (on website, www.allencc.edu ) and three professional references to: Shellie Regehr, Human Resources, Allen Community College, 1801 N. Cottonwood, Iola, KS 66749 or email to hr@allencc.edu.

ACC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

NOW HIRING! of Iola has a full-time opening in our maintenance department.

HELP WANTED

Good carpentry, plumbing and people skills a must. Must be available for weekend call rotation.

We have an employment opportunity for a motivated individual. Duties include general labor, some custom application, and all activities associated with day-to-day operations. CDL or ability to get one a must. Seasonal long hours can be expected. Safety is a priority. Excellent benefit package including health insurance, 401K, retirement, safety bonuses, and profitability bonuses included.

Call 620-237-4668

For a detailed description of all open positions and instructions for submitting your application, visit our website at

www.neosho.edu/Careers.aspx NCCC is an EOE/AA employer.

NOW HIRING!

FULL-time POSITIONS

Whitaker Aggregates is looking for dependable, safety conscious employees and has immediate full-time openings to fill.

$20 PER HOUR STARTING WAGE Employees are eligible for health and dental insurance, retirement contributions, and paid vacation and holidays.

Current openings in the Humboldt and SEK area:

Applications may be picked up at any of our offices or downloaded from our website: www.sekmchd.com under the contact tab. Please email completed application and a current resume to Becky Johnson at becky@sekmchd.com or fax to (620) 223-1686.

Ag Choice Moran/Blue Mound, Kansas is a retail fertilizer, feed, seed and custom application business located in Southeast Kansas.

Full-time benefits include employer paid single employee health and dental insurance. KPERS eligible, vacation, sick and holiday pay.

LOCAL ROUTE CLASS A CDL TRUCK DRIVERS Call or text 620-496-6098 or 620-664-7449 and apply online at www.whitagg.com

Pick up an application at 600 E. Garfield, Iola.

EOE

(620) 365-3183 • WINDSORPLACE.NET

SOUTHEAST KANSAS History Online

The University of Kansas (KU) School of Social Welfare (SSW) is seeking candidates for an associate professor of the practice position to teach social work across degree programs and campuses.

Review of applications will begin on 2/9/2022. Apply online at www.employment.ku.edu/academic/20944BR. KU is an EEO/AE employer.

iolaregister.com

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

The Iola Register

In

BUSINESS

, Read local 2 2 20

Shop local Enjoy local 6 times/month $100/1 Mo. • $200/3 Mo.

DIRECTORY

WE WANT TO HELP YOU

GROW

DIGITAL MARKETING FOR BUSINESSES

­

620 365-2111

• Lots of storage units of various sizes • Boat & RV Storage building • Fenced - under lock & key - supervised 24/7 • RV park for trailers and self-contained vehicles • Concrete pads & picnic tables • Ferrellgas propane sales • Laundry & shower facilities

1327 W. Hwy. 54 (620) 365-2200

ALLEN COUNTY REALTY, INC.

302 S. Washington Iola, KS

No More Somedays

800-374-6988

Richmond, KS

CUSTOMIZED HEALTHCARE ACUPUNCTURE • SPORTS INJURIES NUTRITION & ALLERGY TREATMENTS MOST INSURANCE ACCEPTED

Two Locations To Serve You MWF Iola-T & TH Fort Scott

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9 close-by locations to serve you: 709 N. State – Iola • 1700 East St. – Iola 205 S. State – Iola • 317 S. 9th – Humboldt 218 N. 9th – Humboldt • Hwy 54 – Gas Jct. 54 & 59 – Moran • Jct. 54 & 75 – Yates Center 701 N. Santa Fe – Chanute • HOT, FRESH COFFEE • COLD DRINKS • LARGE SNACK SELECTION • BREAKFAST ITEMS • PIZZA • DELI SANDWICHES • CHICKEN... AND MORE!

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513 N. STATE • P.O. BOX 513 Iola, KS 66749

JOHN F. BROCKER, PRESIDENT

108 West Street Iola, Kansas 77649 Tai Lee 620-228-4363

Tire Sales & Service On The Farm Tire Service

JD’s

Miller’s Gas Body Shop

Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Come see us at our new location for all your tire & mechanic needs!

1304 East St. • Iola, KS

Together, we can change a child’s life!

OF THE CITY OF IOLA

We treat your car right...the first time! We guarantee it!

Hwy. 54 in Gas • (620) 365-6136 • 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon. -Fri. David (Duke) Miller, owner

Beyer Motor Co.

Since 1949. Your Satification is our #1 priority.

(620) 212-4255

• Headstones • Final Dates • Setting & Straightening • Vases

202 S. State • Iola Jason Williams owner and operator Luke 11:10

• Residential Doors & Openers • Commercial & Rolling Steel Garage Doors • Garage Door Repairs • Installations, Walk-through Doors and more!

5350 County Rd. 5600 • Cherryvale, KS www.sekgaragedoors.com

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or

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housing authoritY

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510 Main St. • Gridley, KS • 620-836-3181

Join Us! casadirector31@yahoo.com

620-365-3163 Mechanic Shop 620-363-4652 Farm Service

511 S. State Street, Iola, KS

103 West St. • Iola, KS, 66749

WE USE R VALSPA IVE AUTOMOT T IN PA

Goodyear • Firestone Bridgestone • Toyo Mastercaft • Cooper

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Advanced Systems Homes Homes from the heartland Building homes for 43 years in the Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri areas.

EHO-HUD and USDA/Rural Development Projects townhousewest@haiola.kscoxmail.com TDD: 1-800-766-3777 217 North Washington Avenue • Iola, KS 66749

office 620-365-6684 cell 620-496-9156

Danny Ware No matter how big or small the project is, we get the job done right, ELECTRIC with timely service!

Custom Modular Homes Built to Order

John Baker • Master Electrician

From start to finish, our custom modular process is simple, fundamentally logical, and just makes plain sense.

414 East Main Chanute, Kansas 66720 (620) 473-3520 (after hours) (620) 431-9854 (mobile) jdbaker2462@outlook.com

advancedsystemshomes.com 4711 S. Santa Fe Avenue • Chanute, KS

Family owned and operated since 1934.

FIND A JOB. FILL A JOB.

QUALITY STEEL FABRICATION

Marketplace

i o l a r e g i s t e r . co m / m a r ke t p l a ce

SINCE 1934

4115 S. JOHNSON RD. • CHANUTE, KS • (620) 431-2199

GoodLife

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801 Kansas Ave., Iola, KS 620-365-5700

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commercial-residential licensed-insured

MAKING We support children in reaching their potential as learners as well as to help them enjoy their childhood.

B3

SERVING THE IOLA AREA SINCE 1978

HavE your HEATING AND A/C unitS checked to save on energy bills!

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824 N. Chestnut-Iola tholenheatingandcooling.com

is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping adults with developmental disabilities achieve personally satisfying and fulfilling lifestyles.

NOW HIRING!!

CALL US: 620-365-7119 201 WEST ST. IOLA, KS WWW.MYGOODLIFE.ORG

B4

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Mustangs: Fall to Humboldt Continued from A1

with just under three minutes left thanks to a huge run by Fager, part of a 17-point night.

Iola couldn’t complete the comeback and fouled Humboldt down the stretch. Trey Sommer was perfect from the free throw line.

Three Cubs scored in double digits in the win. The Cubs got wide open shots all night, and were accurate enough to hit them.

Couple that with Iola’s struggles turning the ball over, and it created a perfect storm for Humboldt.

“We told our kids at practice to bring their stuff with them today,” said Humboldt coach David Taylor. “You never know what is going to happen. It worked out. Iola didn’t have a game and I think the world of IHS head coach Luke (Bycroft) so this was a lot better than missing a game.”

Iola will play Cherryvale on Thursday at 8 p.m. Humboldt will

CARRIER DELIVERY DEADLINES Mon.-Thur.

City Limits of Iola 5:30 p.m.

All Other Carrier Routes 6:30 p.m.

Saturday

All Carrier Routes 9:30 a.m.

iolaregister.com

The Iola Register

play Anderson County at 5 p.m.

HUMBOLDT (14-14-914—51) McGowen 2/10-2-5 Ellie 0-1-1-1 Cook 3-2-3-8 Sommer 3-4-5-10 L. Page 0-1-1-1 G. Page 4-6-2-14 Slocum 6-0-2-12 TOTALS 17/1-14-16-51 IOLA (8-8-10-19—45) Weide 4/1-1-2-12 Adams 2/1-1-5-7 Fager 6-5-4-17 Wanker 1-0-1-2 Riley 1-22-4 Leonard 0-2-2-2 Boeken 0-1-0-1 TOTALS 13/213-19-45

Iola girls: lose to St. Paul Continued from B1

game.

St. Paul stretched the lead toward the end of the game but was never able to trigger a running clock, coming short of the 30-point threshold needed.

The Indian defense held Iola scorers out of double digits and did the best job of any team so far this year of locking down Josie Plumlee, who was held to seven

points with one of those coming via a free throw.

“It was a tough loss because defensively I thought we played really well,” said IHS head coach Kelsey Johnson.

“St. Paul was just really good offensively. If we had one breakdown they scored.”

On Thursday, Iola plays Yates Center at 6:30. St. Paul will play Cherryvale, also at 6:30.

IOLA (2-5-8 -10—25) Plumlee 3 1 1 Houk 0 0 2 Sell 1 0 2 Miller 0 6 2 J. Curry 1 0 4 R. Curry 3 0 4 Shelby 2 0 0 TOTALS: 9 7 15 25 ST. PAUL (6-16 -8-17—49) E. Doherty 7/2 4 0 Winter 0 1 0 Albertini 0 0 2 J. Harris 3 2 0 Bradshaw 1/1 1 4 Str. O’Brien 6/1 0 4

0 2 6 2 6 2 20 1 0 8 4 13

YC: Wildcat teams fall in tournament openers Continued from B1

Solander both scored two.

Yates Center’s girls play Iola at 6:30 Thursday.

The boys game was the polar opposite. In what was probably the best game of the night, the two teams fought tooth and nail down the

wire.

In the first half the teams traded the lead while their defenses warmed up.

Sean Hurst led Yates Center while Cherryvale’s Stetson Hemple-Schafer led the Chargers.

Toward the end of the half, Cherryvale

was able to gain a slight advantage after a few Wildcat turnovers gave the Chargers extra possessions.

Cherryvale led 29-26 at the half.

In the fourth quarter, Yates Center pulled ahead only to be reeled back in by the Chargers.

The game was tied at 40

two minutes in after a Sean Hurst jumper.

The turning point came soon after the tie was broken by Cherryvale when they went on a small run to take the lead. The Wildcats tried to once again pull the lead back but Schafer iced it for Cherryvale on the free throw line with

five seconds left.

“Cherryvale played a nice game and hit some tough shots,” said Yates Center head coach Jeremy Neville. “The second quarter was a critical point in the game. It seemed like we stopped playing defense and paired that with some turnovers on offense.”

Cubs: Girls defeat MV squad Continued from B1

boldt came in ready with a plan to shut down Granere. That plan worked wonders.

Humboldt led 21-10 at halftime.

The Wildcats stormed back after the half thanks to four points by Payton Scharff but the Cubs still held a 10-point lead as the game headed

to the fourth.

Granere came to life in the fourth, with six points as the Wildcats tried to take over the game. This time, the Cub defense focused on the rest of the Wildcats’ shooters and held the team to four points over the final few minutes.

Marmaton Valley’s comeback attempt came

up short and Humboldt held its 10-point advantage to close out the win.

Kirstyn Murrow and Karley Wools were perfect from the free throw line, both going 2-2.

CRYPTOQUOTES MVFESA QS QW X E DY P S FV Y E TPCQSO OEEA PQW QM YE DV F E O S Q HV GTV S

MARMATON VALLEY (46-10-10—30) (FG/3pt) P. Scharff 2-0-0-4 Newman 1-01-2 Ard 4-0-3-8 K. Scharff 2-0-0-4 Granere 5-2-1-12 TOTALS: 14-2-7-30 HUMBOLDT: (10-11-910—40) (FG/3pt) Jones 3-22-8 Murrow 5-1-1-11 Hottenstein 2-0-1-4 Haviland 2/1-0-3-5 Wools 5-2-3-12 TOTALS: 16/1-5-11-40

Y E X J K K YTV YDQOOVD. — VKWVD O. KVYYV DW P S Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: Ennui, felt on the proper occasions, is a sign of intelligence. — Clifton Fadiman

You Dream It. We Build It. ZITS

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IOLA REGISTER

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iolaregister.com

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

The Iola Register

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

The terms of sale are cash or some other mutually agreed form of payment and must include a reasonable earnest money payment with the entire balance due at closing and also shall include the following: 1.) Prospective purchasers will be required to utilize a purchase agreement form.

2.) The awarded bidder must sign an “acceptance and release” form accepting the property “as is” and releasing USD #257 from any claim regarding the condition of the property (or with modifications to either document as mutually agreed upon prior to signing of contract).

Both of these signed documents will be kept on file at the USD #257 Board of Education Office at the address noted below.

Transfer will be a quitclaim deed with all title work to be conducted by Security 1st Title Companyy, 108 West Jackson Street, Iola, Kansas. Cost of closing will be split 50% each with the Buyer and the Seller. Any prospective sale is subject to completion of statutory hearing and other sale procedures.

To view the property(s), please contact:

Come join our team and be a part of worthwhile work!

General Laborers Needed! 1st shift-Temp to hire position! $14.50 hour Previous concrete experience a plus!

Valid Driver’s License Required.

Call Today to Schedule Interview!

Interviews will be in Iola!

Apply Online!

600 E. Garfield, Iola

620-331-6200

www.expresspros.com

BRYANT’S FURNITURE SATURDAY, JANUARY 22 Starting at 10:30 A.M. 8900 K 30 HIGHWAY CHANUTE, KANSAS AUCTIONEER’S NOTE: AFTER 62 YEARS IN BUSINESS, B. E. BRYANT HAS DECIDED TO RETIRE AND SELL THE REMAINING MERCHANDISE FROM HIS STORE. SALE WILL CONSIST OF NEW, USED AND FLEA MARKET ITEMS. WE WILL BE SELLING SEVERAL FLEA MARKET BOOTH CONTENTS! SALE WILL BE INSIDE SO NO WORRY ABOUT WEATHER!! GUNS & VAN WILL SELL AT APPROXIMATELY 1 P.M. ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES: GUNS: FURNITURE: VEHICLE: MISCELLANEOUS: SEE WEB SITE FOR FULL AD AND PHOTOS dpetersenauction.com

Bids must be received at the Board of Education Office no later than 4:00 p.m. on Monday, January 31, 2022. All bids will remain sealed until date of opening. Late bids will not be considered. Bids will remain valid for 40 days.

It is required that prospective buyers provide a written letter of intent/development of the property and present it with the bid(s) submitted by Monday, January 31, 2022 to the board of Education Office at 305 N. Washington, Iola, KS. USD #257 reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any condition of sale, to negotiate further, with any bidder or bidders and to sell to the bidder it deems in the best interest of the District, which may or may not be the highest financial bid.

The Board is interested in a development plan which will add value to the community surrounding USD #257, Iola, Kansas and predict a well maintained and attractive development into the future. The bidder must submit a detailed written description along with its bid detailing its proposed use in light of current zoning (or proposed change in zoning) including plans for renovation and/or demolition, timeline, for implementation of its plan, project financing, prior experience relating to projects similar to the proposed project, maintenance plans for the property and building after construction and any other factors the bidder deems important. USD #257 plans to choose the bid and bidder which it wishes to work with toward potential sale at the Board of Education meeting to be held Monday, February 14, or within 20 days thereafter.

USD #257 Board of Education, Iola, Kansas

LAND FOR SALE

is now hiring a dietary manager, cooks and dietary aides.

620-365-3183

Mr. Stacey Fager, Superintendent of Schools USD #257 Board of Education 305 North Washington Avenue Iola, Kansas 66749 Phone: 620-365-4700

AUCTIONS

PUBLIC AUCTION

PUBLIC NOTICE Unified School District #257 Board of Education invites public offers to purchase District owned property including McKinley Elementary School (located at 209 South Kentucky Street, Iola, Kansas), Jefferson Elementary School (located at 300 South Jefferson Street, Iola, Kansas), and Lincoln Elementary School (located at 700 North Jefferson Street, Iola, Kansas).

The property(s) are expected to be available for transfer of possession on Monday, October 3, 2022.

B5

NOW HIRING

Warehouse And Production Personnel Pay up to $12 hour

LAND FOR SALE

Colony Community Church

Real Estate for Sale by Sealed Bids [Estate of Vernon Diebolt, deceased] The Estate of Vernon Diebolt, deceased is offering the following real estate for sale by sealed bid.

is in search of a Pastor

S/2 NE/4, Section 7, Township 25, Range 18 Allen County, Kansas (approximately 79.5 Acres) [1066 800 Street, Iola, Kansas] (the Property)

Email:

Bidding instructions:

colonycommunitychurchks@gmail.com

for details or find it on indeed.com

1. The Property may be bid in whole or separate tracts as follows: •

Tract 1 (Complete Tract) The entire 79.5 acre tract.

•

Tract 2 (Homestead Tract) A tract commencing in the NE corner of the S/2 NE/4 then West approximately 445’; then South 730’; then East 445’; then North 730’ to the point of beginning S/2 NE/4, Section 7, Township 25, Range 18 Allen County, Kansas. (Approximately 7.45 acres and consisting of the homestead and outbuildings.) * *

•

Tract 3 (Non-Homestead Tract) S/2 NE/4, Section 7, Township 25, Range 18 Allen County, Kansas LESS the Homestead Tract described above (Approximately 72 Acres) **

PHARMACY

Mustang Express Delivery Service (a division of Iola Pharmacy)

is currently looking for part-time and contract delivery drivers.

Apply at focusjobs.com or call 620-875-0104

LAND FOR SALE

IOLA

Must have excellent customer service and a clean driving record.

Terms: Cash or approved check.

Not responsible for accidents.

CONCESSIONS AND REST ROOM WILL BE AVAILABLE. All property sold “AS IS”, “WHERE IS”, With No Guaranties or Warranties from seller or sellers agent.

All sales final and statements made day of sale take precedence over advertised material.

Nothing Removed Until YOUR Bill is Paid!

BRYANT FURNITURE - OWNER PETERSEN AUCTION SERVICE AUCTIONEERS - DAVID PETERSEN & BRUCE MYRES CLERK- LISA WELCH 1109 West Fourth, Chanute, Kansas (620) 431-0849 Cell (620) 433-0682 dpetersenauction.com

For more information, please contact Randy at

(620) 365-3377 or come in to apply!

109 E. Madison • Iola iolapharmacy.com

BEETLE BAILEY

FIND A JOB. FILL A JOB.

Marketplace

iolaregister.com/marketplace

by Mort Walker

** The legal description of the Homestead Tract listed is approximate and denotes the general tract to be conveyed. If sold as a separate tract, the exact legal description of the Homestead Tract will be determined by a survey to be conducted prior to closing on the sale of the Property and the actual measurements and total acreage may vary slightly.

2. The seller reserves the right to sell the Property in any combination of the above Tracts that yields the highest overall sales price. The Seller also reserves, in its absolute discretion, the right to reject any and all bids.

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE

by Chris Browne

3. The Property is sold AS IS with no representations or warranties, except as to title.

4. The Property will be open to inspection on January 23, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

5. All Bids must be: • In writing and sealed with the bidder’s name, address, and contact information clearly marked on the outside of the envelope.

• Hand-delivered to Sherry Henry, Co-Administrator of the Estate of Vernon Diebolt, deceased at the USD 256 Board Office, 128 Oak Street, Moran, Kansas M-F 9:00-12:00 and 1:00 – 4:00.

• All bids must be received by January 31, 2022 by 4:00 p.m.

• Clearly identify which tract(s) are being bid on.

6. Bids will be opened and reviewed February 1, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at the Law Office of Fred Works, 6 East Jackson, Iola, Kansas.

FUNKY WINKERBEAN

by Tom Batiuk

7. Any successful bidder will be required to pay into escrow an Earnest Money Deposit equal to 10% of the accepted bid and to enter into a Real Estate Purchase Agreement listing additional terms and conditions of the sale.

8. The sale of the Property is subject to the approval of the District Court of Allen County, Kansas.

Questions, please contact: Fred Works Frederick J Works, PA 6 East Jackson • Iola, Kansas 66749 620-363-0507 Attorney for the Estate of Vernon Diebolt, deceased

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

Maclaskey Oilfield Services

BLONDIE

by Young and Drake

BABY BLUES

by Kirkman & Scott

HI AND LOIS

by Chance Browne

iolaregister.com/archives

NOW HIRING CDL LICENSED DRIVERS CLASS A WITH TANKER & HAZMAT ENDORSEMENTS PREFERRED OILFIELD EXPERIENCE A PLUS

Apply at 105 N. Industrial Rd., El Dorado, KS or call 316-321-9011 for details.

ARCHIVES

B6

iolaregister.com

The Iola Register

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Sunflower state squads pick up road wins Braun’s late trey lifts Jayhawks

Kansas State rallies past Texas

NORMAN, Okla.

(AP) — Jalen Wilson scored 16 points, Christian Braun hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 10.9 seconds left and No. 7 Kansas defeated Oklahoma 67-64 on Tuesday night.

Braun’s corner 3 gave the Jayhawks a 65-62 lead. They fouled Jordan Goldwire with 6.1 seconds remaining to prevent him from shooting a potential tying 3, and he made both free throws to make it 65-64.

Braun then drained two at the other end with four seconds to go.

Oklahoma, out of timeouts, missed a desperation heave from beyond halfcourt that could have forced overtime.

Braun shot his late 3-pointer a bit earlier than Kansas coach Bill Self wanted.

“Well, it won the game, I mean, so I think it’s pretty big,” Self said. “I mean, a tie game and he shoots it five seconds too early.

It better — it’s got to go in.”

Braun finished with 15 points and Ochai Agbaji, the Big 12 scoring leader, had all 10 of his points in the final six minutes for the Jayhawks (15-2, 4-1).

Though Kansas won its third straight, Self said he’d like his team to embrace the ugly games more.

“I don’t think we did a great job of that tonight, but we did a good enough job,” he said. “I thought the ball stuck. I didn’t think we did a lot of things very well. But we ... played pretty well the last four minutes, which is obviously the most important stretch of the game.”

Goldwire scored 15 points for Oklahoma

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Kansas State finally is at full strength, and the Wildcats are eagerly making up ground.

Mark Smith scored 22 points, Nijel Pack made a go-ahead layup with 1:13 left, and Kansas State held No. 23 Texas scoreless for the final 3½ minutes to rally for a 66-65 win on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats (10-7), hit hard by COVID-19, lost their first four Big 12 games. But with the roster restored, they beat No. 18 Texas Tech on Saturday before coming to Austin.

“I’m just thrilled for our guys,” coach Bruce Weber said. “It gives us another mark on the resume.”

Marcus Carr scored 19 of his season-best 25 points in the second half for Texas but missed a jumper with 2 seconds left, one of Texas’ two chances to take the lead in the final minute. Courtney Ramey also misfired on a potential goahead jumper as Texas missed its last four shots from the field.

Pack finished with 16 points and Mike McGuirl added 13 for Kansas State, which closed the game with a 6-0 run.

Timmy Allen scored 15 points for Texas (135, 3-3), and his layup with 3:32 left put the Longhorns ahead 6560. But he missed two free throws with 2:26 left and Texas leading 65-62. Markquis Nowell followed with two free throws for the Wildcats after Smith retrieved his missed 3-point at-

(12-6, 2-4), which lost its third in a row. It was a disappointing finish for the Sooners, who nearly pulled off their fourth win over a ranked team this season.

“You can’t forget how this feels because this is where we want to go,” coach Porter Moser said. “We want to win these games.”

Agbaji, who was averaging 20.6 points per game, headed back to the locker room midway through the first half after hurting his left wrist. Oklahoma took advantage and went on an 11-0 run to grab a 28-24 lead.

Self said X-rays were negative.

“Yeah, if he broke his wrist or something, I don’t know what we’d do in that situation,” Self said.

Agbaji returned to the game with his wrist taped, and Kansas recovered to take a 34-32 halftime lead.

Consecutive 3-pointers by Braun and Wilson put the Jayhawks up 42-32 and caused the Sooners to call a timeout. Oklahoma missed its first four shots after the break, and the Jayhawks went on a 10-0 spurt before the Sooners scored nearly four minutes into the second half.

Oklahoma rallied, and Umoja Gibson’s nasty step-back into a 3-pointer gave the Sooners a 47-46 lead.

Agbaji scored his first points on a layup

that tied it at 52 with about 5:30 to play, and he later made a 3 that evened the game at 58.

Agbaji’s layup with just under a minute left put the Jayhawks up by two, but Goldwire scored in close to tie it 62-all and set up the final sequence.

THE TAKEAWAY

Kansas: Wilson, averaging 7.8 points per game coming in, stepped forward when Agbaji struggled to score most of the night. Agbaji finished strong and lifted his team when the Sooners had momentum and looked as though they might win it.

Oklahoma: The Sooners continue to battle and give themselves a chance against top teams, but they had no answer for Agbaji down the stretch. Oklahoma played gritty defense and made Kansas work for its points, but the Jayhawks’ superior talent won out in the end.

QUOTABLE

Self, on his first matchup with Moser after years of facing coach Lon Kruger at Oklahoma: “I actually think it was a lot like playing Lon. A lot of similarities. Guard your man.

Not going to get a lot of easy baskets, not going to score in transition.

Going to have to make some shots. I thought it was very similar to a Lon-coached team.”

TURNAROUND

Ogbaji missed his first seven field goal attempts before making his last four.

UP NEXT

Kansas: Visits rival Kansas State Saturday.

Oklahoma: Hosts No. 5 Baylor on Saturday.

tempt.

The game was tied at 55 when Texas’ Christian Bishop blocked a driving attempt by Nowell. Carr followed that play with consecutive mid-range jumpers, giving the Longhorns a four-point lead.

Texas led 35-31 after a first half in which both teams got into foul trouble. Each was whistled 12 times. Texas had five players with two fouls while Kansas State had four.

Smith, a rugged 6-foot-4, 225-pound guard who played at Illinois and Missouri before Kansas State, was too tough inside for Texas to handle. He hit 5 of 7 shots in the first half, helping the Wildcats stay in the game.

Thanks largely to Smith, Kansas State finished with a 28-16 scoring advantage in the paint Kansas State had a 13-7 edge in second-chance points. The Wildcats finished with 23 fouls, three more than Texas.

“They turned the game into a street fight,” Texas coach Chris Beard said. “And we’re willing and able and capable and more than excited to be in a street fight.”

However, Beard added: “We had some players on our team tonight

that looked like they kind of got punched in the face few times. We gotta be a lot more aggressive.”

The Wildcats, meanwhile, are working to salvage their season.

“Even though we lost a couple of games in the beginning, we were gaining confidence,” Smith said. “We knew we could be better. We never got down when we lost those first four games.”

BIG PICTURE

Kansas State: The Wildcats earned a split with Texas for the regular season. They were without Weber, two starters and a top substitute because of COVID-19 issues during a 70-57 home loss to Texas on Jan. 4, while the Longhorns were missing Andrew Jones.

Texas: Beard has said he expects the Longhorns will become a good 3-point shooting team, but they continue to struggle. They missed 13 of 17 against Kansas State and are hitting 31% in Big 12 play.

UP NEXT

Kansas State: Hosts No. 7 Kansas on Saturday.

“We can’t get emotionally drunk because Kansas is coming in,” Weber said. “We gotta have the same self-discipline and play the right way if we are gonna have a chance to beat another great team.”

Texas: Hosts Oklahoma State on Saturday. The Cowboys beat the Longhorns 64-51 on Jan. 8 in Stillwater.

Osaka rolls to victory MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — For the first set, Naomi Osaka’s rediscovered love of the game meant it was anything but fun for Madison Brengle in the second round of the Australian Open.

The defending champion conceded only four points in the first four games today and rifled forehand winners seemingly at will as she breezed to 6-0 in a mere 20 minutes.

The second set started with Brengle celebrating a service hold like she’d finished a long-distance race, but gradually the No. 54-ranked American’s kee p-the-ball-in-play strategy ground down Osaka to a stage where she finally converted a break-point opportunity — after missing her first nine chances.

That triggered a change in the former No. 1-ranked Osaka, who responded by breaking back immediately and reeling off the last nine points to complete a 6-0, 6-4 victory. She finished with 37 winners and 32 unforced errors.

Osaka will next face Amanda Anisimova, a 20-year-old American who beat Olympic gold

medalist Belinda Bencic 6-2, 7-5. The winner of that is likely to face topranked Ash Barty in the fourth round.

Osaka won the Australian Open last year, her fourth Grand Slam title, but then withdrew from the French Open and skipped Wimbledon as she took a break for her mental health. She then was ousted early at the U.S. Open.

After a long off-season to reset, she’s unbeaten in five matches in Australia this year.

Asked how she rated her form, Osaka said that’s not how she’s approaching things.

“Honestly I’m trying not to do that,” she said in an on-court TV interview. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist. If I compare myself with the past, I’ll never be satisfied.

“The goal for me is just to have fun ... (and) I think we’re accomplishing that.”

Since the draw for the first major of the year was made, a big focus has been on a potential encounter between Osaka and Barty, the 2021 Wimbledon and 2019 French Open champion who is aiming to be the first Australian woman since 1978 to win her home championship.

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