The Iola Register, July 19, 2023

Kansas

Reps often split on party

lines

By TIM CARPENTER Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — The Kansas congressional delegation found rare agreement while weighing amendments to the U.S. Department of Defense budget bill by jointly opposing reduction in the number of nuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missiles deployed in the United States.

U.S. Reps. Jake LaTurner, Ron Estes and Tracey Mann, all Republicans, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids stood with an overwhelming majority in the House to block insertion of the ICBM amendment into the defense bill.

Votes on a majority of controversial amendments to the Defense Department funding deal fell along party lines, including those diluting attention to challenges of racism in the military and efforts to further restrict rights of women and transgender service mem-

See HOUSE | Page A6

USD 257

Not-so-happy trails

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

As Allen Countians continue to clear up damage from Friday’s storm, David Fontaine has set his sights on the Southwind Rail Trail.

The hiking and biking trail that connects Iola and Humboldt has been closed to the public since Friday’s storms, with several mangled trees blocking the corridor.

Southwind in particular is closed. Most of Lehigh Portland is open.

“It’s the worst I’ve seen it on the trail,” said Fontaine, one of the lead volunteers who helped build and maintain the 8-mile trail that follows the old Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail corridor.

Just north of the Humboldt trailhead is an oversized Cottonwood tree that was uprooted from winds estimated at more than 80 mph, completing blocking the path.

“That’s going to take multiple hours by itself just getting it cut up and off the trail,” Fontaine said.

At several other places, fallen trees are hung up with others still standing, making it precarious for those attempting to clear the debris.

He said trail users should

See TRAILS | Page A3

District outlines charges for equipment damage

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

Now that Ben Prasko has worked as technology director for USD 257 for a year, he has a better understanding of patterns.

He knows the problems he’s likely to encounter again and again with certain models of Chromebooks. For example, one brand tends to have more broken cameras.

He also knows which age group of students — middle and high school but particularly high school — are more likely to report damaged equipment.

Granted, that’s likely because elementary students do not take Chromebooks home in the evening or on weekends.

Prasko estimates he had to repair about four broken screens over the entire course of last year for elementary students. But for high school students, he fixed one or two every week.

Damaged equipment is costly for the district.

At a school board meeting on Monday evening, Prasko asked for the board’s blessing to institute a new technology policy. Students will be asked to sign a form that outlines their responsibility for the care of technology equipment such as Chromebooks. When those items are damaged through neglect,

the student will be charged a repair fee.

Administrators will be tasked with determining if the damage likely occurred through neglect or an accident. If it happened because of an unavoidable accident or a defect in equipment, students will not be charged.

Prasko offered a chart with repair costs, which students will review before agreeing to the terms. It lists different types of Chromebooks and

the costs for different types of repairs.

If a student damages the Chromebook so badly it needs to be replaced entirely, they could be charged anywhere from $225 to $290, depending on the model. The next most expensive repair is the motherboard, ranging from $135 to $150. If they lose or damage a charger, case or screen, they will be charged $25. Most repairs are between $10 and

Report shows violent crimes dropped in ’22

By RACHEL MIPRO Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — Reports of burglary, murder and rape declined statewide in 2022, according to an annual report, though numbers have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s annual Crime Index Report compiles data from law enforcement agencies to look at crime trends. The 2022 crime index report showed a 4.3% decrease in violent crime statewide from 2021, with 12,849 reported violent crimes, such as robbery, aggravated assault and rape.

In 2022, there were 163 reported murders, 21.5% of which stemmed from domestic violence murders. While this report marks a 5.8% decrease in murder from 2021, it is still 28.3% higher than the 2019 pre-COVID average of 127 murders.

In 2022, 1,160 rapes, 10,985 assaults and more than 1,000 robberies were reported.

$25, such as for the camera, keyboard, hinge or covers.

Students who are assessed charges for technology repairs will need to pay those costs in order to walk across the stage at graduation.

Prasko said his goal is not to penalize students but to provide a transparent framework that will keep them accountable.

“I’m trying to make the process easy for myself and

See FEES | Page A6

While the 2022 violent crime rate is 9.2% above the state’s 10-year-average after a pandemic spike in crime rates, the agency found violent crime has started to level off in the past two years after rising steadily since 2014.

Numbers for every violent crime category decreased from 2021 to 2022.

In 2021, the state had 13,422 reported violent crimes. More than 80% of violent crimes for the year were aggravated assault or

See CRIMES | Page A6

Ben Prasko, technology director for Iola schools, talks about a new policy to charge students for damage to Chromebooks if caused by neglect. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Just north of the Humboldt trailhead on the Southwind Rail Trail, a large cottonwood tree blocks the path. It was uprooted by Friday’s high winds. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Obituaries

Jill Hartman

Leon Cady

American soldier detained in N. Korea

Jill Hartman

Our beautiful and talented Jill Marie Hartman, 33, of Overland Park, passed away in her home on July 14, 2023, after a long battle with addiction. Jill made her presence known to the world on March 5, 1990, at Allen County Hospital in Iola. Being the youngest of three sisters, she wasn’t about to be left out. Before she was even one year old, she insisted on doing everything and going everywhere her older sisters did. As the years went on, she took the job of being the youngest quite seriously by antagonizing her sisters with jokes and pranks. She was also undoubtedly successful in recruiting her friends to participate in her creative, and sometimes ornery, ideas.

Jill bounced down the halls of Marmaton Valley Elementary/Jr/Sr High School and lived to play sports — flag and tackle football, volleyball, basketball, track, and softball. She was also a member of the dance team, cheer squad, band, FFA, FCCLA, Forensics ... you get the picture. She wanted to be involved in it all! Her and her friends could be found, or better yet, heard laughing and joking around. She graduated with honors in 2008.

After high school, Jill continued her athleticism and hooped it up for a year with the Lady Red Devils at Allen County Community College. However, she couldn’t wait to be a Jayhawk and persisted on to the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!) where she made countless friends and memories. She danced through the Campanile and down Mt. Oread in 2012 with a degree in sports management from the School of Education.

Jill used her creativity and determination while working in marketing, advertising, and website development. She loved painting, sewing, crafting, being outdoors, KU basketball, but was most passionate about animals ... a true “Jill of All Trades.”

Stubborn by nature, Jill was determined to fight her disease to find sobriety. Due to her addiction, she knew she had hurt many of those close to her, but she did not want to be defined by her alcoholism and mistakes. She was so much more than that — she was adventurous, bold, and had the biggest heart. Her vibrant personality and sense of humor could light up a room with laughter and joy. Her magnetic personality allowed her the ability to make friends and connections with nearly everybody. Jill was independent, competitive, and sometimes impatient, but she loved fiercely!

Jill was an affectionate Fur-Momma to dogs Ellis and Aspen, and cats Sash and Earp. She was loved by her parents Gene and Kristi Hartman of LaHarpe; sisters Jaci Littrell (Brant) of Winfield and Julie Heskett (Kody) of Moran; and maternal grandmother Judy Welch of Moran. She was a proud Aunt to Emily and Aubrie Heskett, and June and Beck Littrell. She was also adored by many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Jill was preceded in death by her granddad, Don Welch; her grandparents, Kenny and Betty Hartman; her aunt, Rose Hartman Covey; and her aunt, Nina Thompson.

Jill’s family will greet friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 23, 2023, in The Venue, Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 U.S. 54, Iola.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Moran United Methodist Church. Cremation will follow the service and inurnment will be held privately at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to Moran United Methodist Church or ACARF (Allen County Animal Rescue Facility) and left in care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.

Cady. Leon married Sherry Stewart and they later divorced. He married Carol Watts and they divorced. Leon and Tammy Klubek were married Jan. 11, 2008, in Miami, Okla. They later divorced.

Leon is survived by sons, Mitchell (Amy) Cady and Brad Cady; stepdaughter, MaRyiah Cavender; former wife and friend, Tammy (Rick) Barkdoll; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous other relatives and friends.

A visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 20, in The Venue at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 U.S. 54, Iola. A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral chapel.

Burial with military honors will follow in Bronson Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility (ACARF), and may be left with the funeral home.

Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.

Michael Muntzert

Michael William Muntzert, 55, of Le Roy, died Sunday, July 16, 2023, at his residence. Michael was born March 11, 1968, in Iola,to Clifford Muntzert and Barbara (Robinson) Muntzert. Michael married Brenna Daum on Sept. 27, 1990. They later divorced. Michael and Sarena Blum married Nov. 11, 2018, in Le Roy.

She survives, as do children, Kody (Khrista) Daum, Kaleb Muntzert, Keri Hyden, Kolby Daum; three grandchildren; and numerous other relatives and friends.

Memorial services will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday, July 21, in the chapel at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 U.S. 54, Iola.

Memorials are suggested to Coffey County Cancer Society, and may be left with Feuerborn Family Funeral Service.

Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An American soldier crossed the heavily armed border from South Korea into North Korea, U.S. officials said Tuesday. He went “willfully and without authorization,” the U.S. military said, becoming the first American detained in the North in nearly five years at a time of heightened tensions over its nuclear program.

There were no immediate details about why or how the soldier crossed the border or whether he was on duty. The five U.S. officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter ahead of a public announcement.

The American-led U.N. Command overseeing the area tweeted earlier Tuesday that the detained soldier was on a tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom. The soldier purposefully separated himself and ran away from the rest of the group, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment. The official added that it’s “not normal” for ac-

Powerball jackpot grows to $1B

ST. JOSEPH. Mo. (AP)

— The Powerball jackpot rose yet again to an estimated $1 billion after no winning ticket was sold for the latest drawing.

No ticket for Monday’s drawing matched the white balls 5, 8, 9, 17, 41 and red Powerball 21. The jackpot was estimated at $900 million.

The new jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing would be the seventh highest in U.S. history and the third largest for Powerball. Ticket buyers have a chance at $1 billion paid out in yearly increments or a $516.8 million onetime lump sum before taxes. Three people won $2 million after matching

tive duty service members to go on such tours.

The U.S. military in South Korea also said in a statement that he “willfully and without authorization” crossed the military demarcation line into North Korea.

It said that he is believed to be in North Korean custody and that the U.N. Command is working with its North Korean counterparts to resolve the incident. North Korea’s state media didn’t immediately report on the border crossing.

Cases of Americans or South Koreans defecting to North Korea are rare, though more than 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea to avoid political oppression and economic difficulties since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

Panmunjom, located inside the 154-milelong Demilitarized Zone, has been jointly overseen by the U.N. Command and North Korea since its creation at the close of the Korean War. Bloodshed and gunfire have occasionally occurred there, but it has also been a venue for numerous talks and is a popular tourist spot.

Known for its blue huts straddling concrete slabs that form the demarcation line, Panmunjom draws visitors from both sides who want to see the Cold War’s last frontier.

all five numbers plus the Power Play, lottery officials said. The winning tickets were sold in Arkansas, Georgia and Texas.

Five people won $1 million after matching all five numbers. The winning tickets were sold in Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania.

ALLEN ALLEN Fair FairCOUNTY COUNTY

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Trails: Clean-up day scheduled Saturday

Continued from A1

not attempt to clear any brush along either the Lehigh Portland or Southwind trails.

“When you have broken stuff up high, that’s where it gets dangerous,” Fontaine said. “You never know when that’s going to fall.”

Fontaine has secured a mini excavator to help with the project.

But just as he was about to embark on repairs Tuesday morning, his truck broke down.

“It’s just one thing after another,” he muttered. “But we’re working on it. It’s just going to take some time.”

John Leahy, Thrive Allen County’s trails manager for the Lehigh Portland Trails complex, said his area sustained

some damage as well. The main “backbone” trails are for the most part accessible, “but by no means completely cleared,” Leahy said.

He had yet to navigate the 14-plus miles of single track courses to gauge the damage.

He discouraged Lehigh Portland trail users from attempting to clear up, or climb over, fallen tree limbs.

“Certainly if there’s something small, and you need to move it to avoid puncturing a tire, you can,” he said. “But we don’t want anybody moving anything big, or trying to climb over something. The last thing we want is to see anybody get hurt.”

IF THERE’S one lucky

WEEKLY BREAD Schedule

Monday 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Bagels

Sourdough Whole Wheat

Tuesday 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Bagels

Sourdough Whole Wheat

Friday 7:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. Bagels Sourdough Focaccia Rye

Saturday 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Crêpes Sourdough

Open

coincidence, it’s that Leahy leads monthly volunteer work sessions at the Lehigh Portland trails.

The next session is Saturday.

“That timed out perfectly,” he said.

Financial Focus

Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at the east trailhead.

Those wishing to help with cleanup should call Leahy at (620) 3658128 or Fontaine at (620) 496-7408.

Help get your teen started with a Roth IRA

To be successful in most endeavors, it’s important to develop good habits — and that’s certainly the case for investors. And the earlier one develops these habits, the better. So, if you have teenagers who may be starting to work at part-time jobs, now may be a great time to introduce them to investing — and one place to begin might be a Roth IRA.

As you may know, a Roth IRA is a popular retirement savings vehicle — its earnings can grow federally tax-free, provided withdrawals aren’t taken until the investor is at least 59½ and has had the account five or more years. But because a Roth IRA is funded with after-tax dollars, contributions can be withdrawn at any time, penalty-free, to pay for any expenses — including college. Roth IRA earnings can also be used to help pay for college, although these withdrawals will be taxable. However, if a child is the account owner, a lower tax bracket will likely apply.

In 2023, up to $6,500 per year can go into your teenager’s Roth IRA, as long as the amount contributed doesn’t exceed the amount of their taxable compensation for the year. And your child doesn’t have to put all the money in — you and the child’s grandparents can also contribute. In fact, you might want to “match” your child’s contributions up to the limit to provide an incentive for them to continue investing in the Roth IRA. Not only will your matching contribution help build the Roth IRA’s assets but it can also instill in your child’s mind the benefit of earning a match – which can prove valuable later on, when your child is in the workforce full time and has a chance to receive an employer’s matching contributions in a 401(k) or similar plan.

4-H Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), Horticulture, and Photography Judging Contests

4-5 p.m. 4-H Cloverbud Visit, Fairgrounds Community Building

2-4 p.m. Crafts, Baby Barnyard

6 p.m. Community Building Open to View Exhibits

6 p.m. 4-H Swine Show

6 p.m. Baked Pie Contest: Blackberry only

6:30-7:30 p.m. LEGO Competition, Cannot be created prior to competition. Bring your own LEGOS. No kits, freestyle only. Community Building, Little Theatre

6-9 p.m. Kansas Wildlife & Parks, Baby Barnyard

Friday, July 28

9 a.m.-9 p.m. Community Building Open

8 a.m.-10 p.m. Baby Barnyard Open

10 a.m. 4-H Bucket Calf Show followed by Dairy Show

2-4 p.m. Barnyard Olympics

2-4 p.m. Crafts, Baby Barnyard

4-6 p.m. Family games with prizes

5:15 p.m. Watermelon Feed (Sponsored by Green Cover Seed)

5:30-8 p.m. Kiwanis Train Rides, pick up near Baby Barnyard

6 p.m. Ice Cream Social by 4-H Council, Show Arena

6 p.m. 4-H Meat Goat Show followed by Sheep Show

6:45 p.m. Register for Mutton Busting, Rodeo Arena (entry fee required)

7 p.m. Mutton Busting, Rodeo Arena

8 p.m. Bull Bash by LaHaye Bucking Bulls, Rodeo Arena

Adults ($10), Kids 5-12 ($5) and Under 5 (free)

Saturday, July 29

8 a.m. Youth Livestock Judging Contest

8 a.m.-9 p.m. Baby Barnyard

8 a.m. Iola Rotary Club Smokin’ Hot Cars & BBQ, Riverside Park

9 a.m. Sandy Hooves Volleyball Tournament, Sand volleyball court, Riverside Park

9 a.m.-9 p.m. Community Building Open

9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Junk Drawer Robotics, Community Building

10-10:30 a.m. Register for the Dry Land Turtle Race, Baby Barnyard

10:30 a.m. Dry Land Turtle Race, North of Baby Barnyard

11 a.m. (until sold out) Picnic in the Park Community Feed (Sponsored by Iola Rotary Club)

11 a.m. 4-H Rabbit Show followed by 4-H Poultry Show, Baby Barnyard

11-11:30 a.m. Register for Best Dressed Pet Contest, Show Arena

Sourdough Whole Wheat Baguettes Rye

Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Crêpes Sourdough

DERRYBERRYBREADERY.COM

Your child may well find a job at a local restaurant or shop, as these businesses have experienced a shortage of workers the past couple of years. But if you have a family business, you can employ your teen to provide income that can go into a Roth IRA. Furthermore, if the business is one parent’s sole proprietorship, or it’s a partnership in which each partner is the parent, the payments for a child younger than 18 are not subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes. As an employee, your child must perform reasonable tasks necessary for the business and be paid reasonable wages — that is, wages comparable to what you’d pay a regular employee for the same work.

But wherever your child’s wages come from, using some of them to help fund a Roth IRA can be a good move. For one thing, it gives you a chance to explain the value of putting time on your side when you invest — simply put, the more years you invest, the greater your chances of accumulating the resources you need to meet your goals. And by helping your teen open a Roth IRA, which holds stocks, mutual funds or virtually any other type of security, you can discuss the different risk/reward characteristics of various types of investments — the kind of basic knowledge that all investors should have.

Once your teen’s first paychecks start coming in, consider bringing up the idea of opening a Roth IRA — you may well be opening the door to a lifetime of consistent and informed investing.

11:30 a.m. Best Dressed Pet Contest, Show Arena

12-1 p.m. Registration for Gale Ritter Pedal Pull (Sponsored bt Allen County Farm Bureau)

1 p.m. Wolf's Wild Variety Show: Fire Eating, Sword Swallowing and Juggling

2:00 p.m. Ronnie Ward Band 70s 80s 90s & 00s Pop Rock.

2-4 p.m. Gale Ritter Pedal Pull (Sponsored by: Allen County Farm Bureau)

2-4 p.m. 4-H Swim Party, Iola Municipal Pool

5:30-8 p.m. Kiwanis Train Rides, pick up near Baby Barnyard

6 p.m. 4-H Beef Show

6:45 p.m. Register for Mutton Busting, Rodeo Arena (entry fee required) 7 p.m.

Downed tree limbs obstruct travel on the Southwind Rail Trail between Iola and Humboldt. The trail is temporarily closed until the tree limbs are removed and any resulting damage can be repaired. REGISTER/ RICHARD LUKEN

Phoenix continues to swelter

PHOENIX (AP) —

Phoenix’s relentless streak of dangerously hot days was finally poised to smash a record for major U.S. cities on Tuesday, the 19th straight day the desert city was to see temperatures soar to 110 or more.

Nighttime has offered little relief from the brutal temperatures. Phoenix’s low of 95 F (35 C) on Monday was its highest overnight low ever, toppling the previous record of 93 set in 2009. It was the eighth straight day of temperatures not falling below 90, another record. That hit nine straight days with Tuesday’s overnight low of 94.

It’s “pretty miserable when you don’t have any recovery overnight,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Salerno.

The length of Phoenix’s heat wave is notable even during a summer in which much of

the southern United States and the world as a whole has been cooking in record temperatures, something scientists say is stoked by climate change.

What’s going on in a metropolitan area known as the Valley of the Sun is far worse than a short spike in the thermometer, experts said, and it poses a health danger to many.

“Long-term exposure to heat is more difficult to withstand than single hot days, especially if it is not cooling off at night enough to sleep well,” said Katharine Jacobs, director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions at the University of Arizona.

The last time Phoenix didn’t reach 110 was June 29, when it hit 108. The record of 18 days above 110 that was tied Monday was first set in 1974, and it appeared destined to be shattered with temperatures forecast

above that through the end of the week.

“This is very persistent,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Isaac Smith. “We’re just going to see this streak continue it looks like.”

No other major U.S. city has had a streak of 110 degree days or 90 degree nights longer than Phoenix, said weather historian Christopher Burt of the Weather Company.

NOAA climate data scientists Russ Vose and Ken Kunkel found no large cities with that run of heat, but smaller places such as Death Valley and Needles in California and Casa Grande in Arizona have had longer streaks. Death Valley has had an 84-day streak of 110-degree temperatures and a 47-day streak of nighttime temperatures not going below 90, Vose said.

Phoenix’s heat wave has both long and short-term causes, said Arizona State Uni-

McCarthy: Plant more trees

WASHINGTON (AP)

— As Speaker Kevin McCarthy visited a natural gas drilling site in northeast Ohio to promote House Republicans’ plan to sharply increase domestic production of energy from fossil fuels last month, the signs of rising global temperatures could not be ignored. Smoke from Canadian wildfires hung in the air.

When the speaker was asked about climate change and forest fires, he was ready with a response: Plant a trillion trees.

The idea — simple yet massively ambitious — revealed recent Republican thinking on how to address climate change. The party is no longer denying that global warming exists, yet is searching for a response to sweltering summers, weather disasters and rising sea levels that doesn’t involve abandoning their enthusiastic support for American-produced energy from burning oil, coal and gas.

“We need to manage our forests better so our environment can be stronger,” McCarthy said, adding, “Let’s replace Russian natural gas with American natural gas and let’s not only have a cleaner world, let’s have a safer world.”

The Biden administration has also boosted exports of liquefied natural gas to Europe after Russia, one of the continent’s largest suppliers of energy, invaded Ukraine. The Democratic president has also said that coal, oil and gas will be part of America’s energy supply for years to come.

Scientists overwhelmingly agree that heat-trapping gases released from the combustion of fossil fuels are pushing up global temperatures, upending weather patterns around the globe and endangering animal species. But the solution long touted by Democrats and environmental advocates — gov-

ernment action to force emissions reductions — remains a non-starter with most Republicans.

Enter the idea of planting a trillion trees.

A 2019 study suggested that planting trees to suck up heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere could be one of the most effective ways to fight climate change. Major conservation groups, and former President Donald Trump, who downplayed humanity’s role in climate change, embraced the idea.

But the tree-planting push has drawn intense pushback from environmental scientists who call it a distraction from cutting emissions from fossil fuels. The authors of the original study have also clarified that planting trees does not eliminate “the urgent

need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Planting one trillion trees would also require a massive amount of space — roughly the size of the continental United States. And more trees could even increase the risk of wildfires by serving as fuel in a warming world.

“There is a lot of value to planting trees, but it is not a panacea,” said Mark Ashton, a professor of forest ecology at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

The GOP’s new approach on climate was apparent in 2021. McCarthy and other GOP lawmakers, led by Arkansas Rep. Bruce Westerman, backed a bill to incentivize growing timber forests in the U.S. as part of a worldwide effort to plant 1 trillion trees.

versity’s Randy Cerveny, who coordinates weather record verification for the World Meteorological Organization.

“The long-term is the continuation of increasing temperatures in recent decades due to human influence on climate, while the short-term cause is the persistence over the last few weeks of a very strong upper level ridge of high pressure over the western United States,” he said.

That high pressure, also known as a heat dome, has been around the Southwest for weeks, and when it moved, it moved to be even more centered on Phoenix than ever, Smith said.

All of the southern U.S. has been under a heat dome with temperature records shattered from California to Florida and the globe itself is the hottest its been on record for much of the summer.

Regulators OK casino proposal

By DANIEL CAUDILL Kansas News Service

The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission on Thursday approved a plan by casino magnate Phil Ruffin to develop a historical horse racing facility at the former Wichita Greyhound Park.

The plan will add 1,000 historical horse racing machines at a new casino called the Golden Circle. The devices resemble slot machines and allow people to bet on replays of past horse races.

Ruffin Holdings was the sole remaining applicant after one applicant, Flint Hills Entertainment, dropped out

Public notice

(Published in The Iola Register July 19, 2023)

and another, Boyd Gaming, was disqualified because it also operates the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane.

Phil Ruffin Jr. was at the commission meeting where the plan was selected.

“We’re ecstatic with the news,” he said. “It’s an iconic building – it’s been there since 1989, and there’s a lot of space in there; there’s a lot to do.”

Ruffin Jr. said the plan is to open the new casino in about 14 months.

Other amenities planned for the $84 million facility include a Gilley’s Dance Hall and Saloon, a hotel, an entertainment amphitheater and multiple dining options.

CORRECTION:

(7) 19

The Register’s Allen County Fair Entries magazine incorrectly reported the flavor of this year’s Baked Pie Contest as gooseberry. It is not. The flavor for this year’s contest is blackberry.

The baked pie contest will take place

Thursday, July 27 at 6 p.m. Each contestant must bring a copy of the recipes for both the pie crust and filling. No fresh fruit pies will be accepted if they have not been properly preserved. Further questions can be directed to Linda Garrett at 620-228-2101.

And deliciously enough, all winning entries become property of the Allen County Fair Association.

The Register sincerely regrets the error. (And if anyone has already made a gooseberry pie, we will gladly accept it!)

State officials have approved plans for a casino at the site of the former Wichita Greyhound Park. COURTESY VIA KANSAS NEWS SERVICE/KCUR.ORG

Opinion

~ Journalism that makes a difference

The UAW must adapt to inevitability of EVs

The United Auto Workers just launched contract negotiations with the Big Three North American automakers, and few will be surprised if the result is a strike.

It almost doesn’t matter if Stellantis, Ford and General Motors make a generous offer, as they did during the 2019 negotiations that ended with a six-week walkout against GM.

For starters, union members are still reeling from a bribery and kickback scandal that resulted in convictions of UAW bosses caught selling out their rank and file for personal gain. The current UAW leadership remains untested, and forcing a strike may be the only way to prove to its membership that it is getting the best possible bargain.

On top of that, the union has made a string of inflexible demands, such as bringing back regular cost-of-living adjustments and ending wage tiers that favor members with the most seniority. Those are very expensive asks.

And even if the automakers agree to shell out considerably more pay, that still leaves the biggest threat to the union unresolved. In fact, the most far-reaching item on the UAW wish list probably will be impossible for the automakers to grant in full, at least without ruining their business prospects.

Union autoworkers are concerned, with good reason, about the global transition to electric vehicles. As of now, EVs are a relatively small part of the North American marketplace. But they’re clearly the future, and everything from the way they’re made to the politics behind them stands to weaken the UAW in the years ahead.

Oppenheimer’s tragedy

nies give the union less leverage over those making an increasingly vital auto part.

The current Big Three collective bargaining agreement covers more than 150,000 employees. And while the companies have said they’re committed to creating thousands of new, good-paying union jobs, the reality is that not every current worker will survive the transition into EVs. Fewer workers will be needed for each vehicle produced, and the companies must control their fixed costs to secure their futures.

The UAW’s new president, Shawn Fain, already has made it obvious he doesn’t want to hear those inconvenient facts. Earlier this year, Fain narrowly won election against incumbent Ray Curry, partly by promising that he wouldn’t make concessions in this latest round of bargaining. He’s promised to be more militant in politics as well.

President Joe Biden’s push for electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions has put the pro-union Democrat at odds with entrenched UAW interests.

At a nuts-and-bolts level it takes a lot of work to make a gasoline-powered vehicle, with a carefully engineered piston, fuel-injection system, and complex transmission.

EVs have no pistons or liquid fuel, no radiators, no exhaust, and simple gear boxes power the wheels.

Fain so far has decided to withhold the union’s endorsement of Biden’s reelection campaign, complaining the federal government “is pouring billions into the electric vehicle transition with no strings attached and no commitment to workers,” and pledging to back “whoever stands with our members.”

Seems like the UAW is seeing mortal enemies everywhere it looks these days. Fain also decided not to shake hands with the Big Three’s chief executives, ditching a ceremony traditionally held when contract talks kick off.

At a nuts-and-bolts level, it takes a lot more work to make a gasoline-powered vehicle, with a carefully engineered piston, fuel-injection system, and complex transmission. EVs, on the other hand, have no pistons or liquid fuel, no radiators, no exhaust, and simple gear boxes power the wheels.

By rough estimates, about 30% less labor is needed to make an electric vehicle than its gas-guzzling counterpart.

Advanced robotics and artificial intelligence could cut even more into labor requirements, as new EV factories multiply.

Some of those factories are being set up by upstarts like Tesla, run by the anti-union Elon Musk, and located outside the Midwest in states traditionally hostile to organized labor, like Kentucky, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi and South Carolina.

Already, low-cost manufacturers in China and elsewhere are putting out high-quality EVs that, in effect, limit how much the Big Three can pay to workers without making their products unaffordable. At the same time, joint ventures among carmakers and South Korean battery compa-

Typically, the bargaining ends in a nail-biter, and final offers usually arrive just as the current agreement expires, which this year is in mid-September. At least one prominent Wall Street analyst has put the probability of a UAW strike at 50/50.

A strike would be rough for all concerned, and we doubt it would end any better than the last strike. Workers at GM plants and suppliers lost an estimated $1 billion in wages during the protracted 2019 walkout, while achieving no big structural changes in pay or benefits and having to accept factory closures. GM said the strike cost it $3.6 billion in 2019, plus lingering damage to its brands.

No one should wish for a repeat of that harmful affair.

There’s no way to turn back the clock to the days of large industrial assembly lines where workers spend their careers doing the same job, the same way. Hard though it is, the UAW needs to fight for a good deal for its members, but also embrace changes that will mean a smaller role for itself in an electrified automotive industry.

— The Chicago Tribune

By KAI BIRD Guest opinion for the New York Times

One day in the spring of 1954, J. Robert Oppenheimer ran into Albert Einstein outside their offices at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J. Oppenheimer had been the director of the institute since 1947 and Einstein a faculty member since he fled Germany in 1933. The two men might argue about quantum physics — Einstein grumbled that he just didn’t think that God played dice with the universe — but they were good friends.

Oppenheimer took the occasion to explain to Einstein that he was going to be absent from the institute for some weeks. He was being forced to defend himself in Washington, D.C., during a secret hearing against charges that he was a security risk, and perhaps even disloyal. Einstein argued that Oppenheimer “had no obligation to subject himself to the witch hunt, that he had served his country well, and that if this was the reward she [America] offered he should turn his back on her.” Oppenheimer demurred, saying he could not turn his back on America. “He loved America,” said Verna Hobson, his secretary who was a witness to the conversation, “and this love was as deep as his love of science.”

“Einstein doesn’t understand,” Oppenheimer told Ms. Hobson. But as Einstein walked back into his office he told his own assistant, nodding in the direction of Oppenheimer, “There goes a narr,” or fool.

Einstein was right. Oppenheimer was foolishly subjecting himself to a kangaroo court in which he was soon stripped of his security clearance and publicly humiliated. The charges were flimsy, but by a vote of 2 to 1 the security panel of the Atomic Energy Commission deemed Oppenheimer a loyal citizen who was nevertheless a security risk: “We find that Dr. Oppenheimer’s continuing conduct and association have reflected a serious disregard for the requirements of the security system.” The scientist would no longer be trusted with the nation’s secrets. Celebrated in 1945 as the “father of the atomic bomb,” nine years later he would become the chief celebrity victim of the McCarthyite maelstrom.

Oppenheimer may have been naïve, but he was right to fight the charges — and right to use his influence as one of the country’s pre-eminent scientists to speak out against a nuclear arms race. In the months and years leading up to the security hearing, Oppenheimer had criticized the decision to build a “super” hydrogen bomb. Astonishingly, he had gone so far as to say that the Hiroshima bomb was used “against an essentially defeated enemy.” The atomic bomb, he warned, “is a weapon for aggressors, and the elements of surprise

and terror are as intrinsic to it as are the fissionable nuclei.” These forthright dissents against the prevailing view of Washington’s national security establishment earned him powerful political enemies. That was precisely why he was being charged with disloyalty.

It is my hope that Christopher Nolan’s stunning new film on Oppenheimer’s complicated legacy will initiate a national conversation not only about our existential relationship to weapons of mass destruction, but also the need in our society for scientists as public intellectuals. Mr. Nolan’s three-hour film is a riveting thriller and mystery story that delves deeply into what this country did to its most famous scientist.

Sadly, Oppenheimer’s life story is relevant to our current political predicaments. Oppenheimer was destroyed by a political movement characterized by rank know-nothing, anti-intellectual, xenophobic demagogues. The witch-hunters of that season are the direct ancestors of our current political actors of a certain paranoid style. I’m thinking of Roy Cohn, Senator Joseph McCarthy’s chief counsel, who tried to subpoena Oppenheimer in 1954, only to be warned that this could interfere with the impending security hearing against Oppenheimer. Yes, that Roy Cohn, who taught former President Donald Trump his brash, wholly deranged style of politics. Just recall the former president’s fact-challenged comments on the pandemic or climate change. This is a worldview proudly scornful of science.

After America’s most celebrated scientist was falsely accused and publicly humiliated, the Oppenheimer case sent a warning to all scientists not to stand up in the political arena as public intellectuals. This was the real tragedy of Oppenheimer. What happened to him also damaged our ability as a society to debate honestly about scientific theory — the very foundation of our modern world.

Quantum physics has utterly transformed our understanding of the universe. And this science has also given us a revolution

in computing power and incredible biomedical innovations to prolong human life. Yet, too many of our citizens still distrust scientists and fail to understand the scientific quest, the trial and error inherent in testing any theory against facts by experimenting. Just look at what happened to our public health civil servants during the recent pandemic.

We stand on the cusp of another technological revolution in which artificial intelligence will transform how we live and work, and yet we are not yet having the kind of informed civil discourse with its innovators that could help us to make wise policy decisions on its regulation. Our politicians need to listen more to technology innovators like Sam Altman and quantum physicists like Kip Thorne and Michio Kaku.

Oppenheimer was trying desperately to have that kind of conversation about nuclear weapons. He was trying to warn our generals that these are not battlefield weapons, but weapons of pure terror. But our politicians chose to silence him; the result was that we spent the Cold War engaged in a costly and dangerous arms race.

Today, Vladimir Putin’s not-so-veiled threats to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine are a stark reminder that we can never be complacent about living with nuclear weapons. Oppenheimer did not regret what he did at Los Alamos; he understood that you cannot stop curious human beings from discovering the physical world around them. One cannot halt the scientific quest, nor can one un-invent the atomic bomb. But Oppenheimer always believed that human beings could learn to regulate these technologies and integrate them into a sustainable and humane civilization. We can only hope he was right.

About the author: Mr. Bird is the director of the Leon Levy Center for Biography and co-author with the late Martin J. Sherwin of “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.”

J. Robert Oppenheimer

‘Father of the atomic bomb’ was subjected to a Congressional witch hunt

Fees: Equipment

Continued from A1

staff, and improve communication with parents,” he said.

PRASKO and Superintendent Stacey Fager also talked about the impact of hiring a technology assistant to help Prasko over the summer.

David Daugharthy, chemistry teacher, took on that role. He helped Prasko organize equipment in the tech storage area and office. He also helped set up new Chromebooks for the coming school year.

Prasko said the organization revealed some surplus equipment. Once he determines what is still usable, he will look at options to sell it.

“I haven’t found as much surplus as I expected,” Prasko said.

Fager noted similar clean-up efforts at the former Jefferson Elementary School, with surplus equipment to be sold at auction.

IN OTHER news, the board:

• Heard a budget report. Fager said he hopes to keep any tax increase to a minimum, thanks to an increase in the county’s assessed valuation.

• Approved a negotiated agreement with

House: Representatives often divided

the teacher’s union.

• Approved typical housekeeping items such as committee assignments, scheduling meeting dates and designating bank depositories. The board meets at 6 p.m. every second and fourth Monday, but decided to have just one meeting in March, July and December. In previous years, the board met twice in March but made the change because of a conflict with spring break.

• Learned BNIM, the firm seeking to convert Iola’s three former elementary schools into housing, was not successful in its request for low-income tax credits from the state, Fager reported. BNIM will refocus and reapply next year.

• Briefly discussed current uses for the old elementary schools. McKinley and Lincoln are rented to Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center and the ANW Cooperative, respectively, for programs offered through those agencies. Because BNIM is not able to start work on McKinley and Jefferson, as planned, McKinley remains available. However, Fager said he will ask SEKMHC if staff might prefer a move to Lincoln.

Crimes: Dropped

Continued from A1

battery, with rape, murder and robbery accounting for the other 18.2% of reported violent crimes.

In the past year, the rate of reported property crimes also declined, dropping by 10% since 2021, though the agency warned that property crimes are likely to be underreported.

The year 2022 had the lowest number of recorded property crimes since 1973.

In 2022, there were 45,303 thefts and 15,822 burglary and motor vehicle thefts reported. There was a 27.4% decline in robberies from the 10-year average and a 3.2% decline from 2021. The number of reported arsons also dropped in 2022 with 470 reported cases, a 17.8% decrease from the 10-year average.

In 2021, there were 512 arson cases reported.

Continued from A1

bers.

Mann, who serves the 1st District stretched from Colorado to Lawrence and featuring the U.S. Army based at Fort Riley, stood alone among Kansas’ representatives in Congress on three amendments tied to Ukraine’s response to an invasion by Russia.

He voted to block future military assistance to Ukraine, to end a lend-lease program with Ukraine and to forbid sale or transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine. Those amendments, which were soundly rejected by the U.S. House, were offered by U.S. Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, and Andrew Ogles, R-Tennessee.

‘Defend America’s interests’

The House forwarded the package Friday to the U.S. Senate by a margin of 219-210, with Mann, Estes and LaTurner voting “yes” and Davids casting a “no” vote. It stood little chance of passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

“As America faces growing threats from our adversaries, it’s vital that we strengthen our military readiness and ensure our servicemen and women have the resources they need to defend America’s interests at home and abroad,” LaTurner said.

LaTurner said the House bill would improve quality of life for troops and their families by raising wages 5.2%, broaden investment in deterring China and bring an end to “woke programs” pushed on military personnel by the administration of President Joe Biden.

Mann, Estes and LaTurner voted for — with Davids against — an amendment to end a Defense Department policy of providing time

off and reimbursement to service members traveling out of state for abortion services. The amendment passed 221213. The policy was implemented after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision granting women a nationwide right to abortion.

The same 3-1 division marked House passage of an amendment preventing the Pentagon from providing health coverage for gender reassignment surgeries or gender hormone treatments for transgender individuals. The state’s delegation split in the same manner as the House passed a measure offered by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, to keep Defense Department schools from buying or holding books espousing a “radical gender ideology.”

Estes, who serves the 4th District around Wichita, said the House bill was a strong message against the Biden administration’s “radical political agenda that does nothing to promote military readiness.”

“In addition to prioritizing military readiness and service members’ needs,” he said,

Cybersecurity program aims to prevent hacking

WASHINGTON (AP) —

The Biden administration and major consumer technology players on Tuesday launched an effort to put a nationwide cybersecurity certification and labeling program in place to help consumers choose smart devices that are less vulnerable to hacking.

Officials likened the new U.S. Cyber Trust Mark initiative — to be overseen by the Federal Communications Commission, with industry participation voluntary — to the Energy Star program, which rates appliances’ energy efficiency.

“It will allow Americans to confidently identify which internet- and Bluetooth-connected devices are cybersecure,” deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger told reporters in a pre-announcement briefing.

Amazon, Best Buy, Google, LG Electronics USA, Logitech and Samsung are among industry participants. Devices including baby monitors, home security cameras, fitness trackers, TVs, refrigerators and smart climate control systems

that meet the U.S. government’s cybersecurity requirements will bear the “Cyber Trust” label, a shield logo, as early as next year, officials said.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the mark will give consumers “peace of mind” and benefit manufacturers, whose products would need to adhere to criteria set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to qualify.

The FCC was launching a rule-making process to set the standards and seek public comment. Besides carrying logos, participating devices would have QR codes that could be scanned for updated security information.

In a statement, the Consumer Technology Association said consumers could expect to see certification-ready products at the industry’s annual January

show, CES 2024, once the FCC adopts final rules. A senior Biden administration official said it was expected that products that qualify for the logo would undergo an annual re-certification.

The director of technology policy at Consumer Reports, Justin Brookman, welcomed the White House proposal but cautioned in a statement that “a long road remains” to its effective adoption.

“this bill curbs waste by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons and unnecessary bureaucracy in the Pentagon.”

Denounce DEI policies

The delegation again divided 3-1 while the full House approved culture-war amendments aimed at deleting the Pentagon’s office of diversity, equity and inclusion, preventing the Department of Defense from creating new DEI administrative positions and forbidding use of affirmative action policies on race or ethnicity in determining admissions to military academies.

The three Kansas Republicans also favored an amendment to halt federal funding of DEI training, but that mea-

sure fell short of a majority.

In addition, the three Kansas GOP members helped pass a House amendment withdrawing Defense Department funding from efforts promoting the notion of the United States as a racist country or labeling the Declaration of Independence or U.S. Constitution as racists documents.

The LaTurner, Estes and Mann coalition voted for an amendment, which failed, to exempt the Department of Defense from the federal endangered species act. The three Kansas Republicans supported an amendment that passed 217-216 to deny the Defense Department an opportunity to implement climate change executive orders issued by Biden.

U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas, sided with some of the House’s most conservative members on a series of votes against U.S. funding of Ukraine’s war against Russia. (TIM CARPENTER/KANSAS REFLECTOR)

Daily B

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Springer a speedy Seahorse

By QUINN BURKITT

The Iola Register

Iola’s Moira Springer has all the attributes of being a top Seahorse. At last weekend’s SEK League Championship, the 10-year-old earned six medals, including first place in the 25-yard breaststroke, third in the 100-yard individual medley and fourth in the 25-yard butterfly.

“There were more people and it felt more competitive,” said Springer. “Getting the medals at the league meet was awesome because I knew I did well.

I was trying to get as many personal-best times as I could.”

This summer, Springer has improved by leaps and bounds in both style and times.

The breaststroke has become her best stroke, finishing in first place in the event in a number of meets.

She had personal-best times in every race except for one at the SEK League meet.

The multi-sport athlete has been swimming since she was five years old and loves to compete. She also plays softball, soccer and dances.

Springer believes she has been able to ramp up her competitiveness this summer.

“I feel like I improved a lot and that made it that much better,” said Springer. “Our coaches pushed me to be more competitive. Coach Marcia (Davis) wants to make sure everyone enjoys the sport and loves swimming and coach Carter (Hutton) wants to win.”

“Having a good dive is important to get across the pool and then focusing on the stroke also helps,” said Springer. “It’s fun and very competitive.” At Iola’s June 28 and July 5 swim meets, Springer earned first place in the 25yard back crawl, the 50-yard freestyle and the 25-yard breaststroke.

“You just have to think that you can swim a certain race or swim it in a certain time because if you don’t think you can, you can’t,” Springer said. “But if you think you can do something, you can

Paris Olympics budget set

PARIS (AP) — The operating budget for the Paris Olympics is “under control,” the president of the organizing committee said Tuesday.

With one year to go before the opening ceremony, organizing committee president Tony Estanguet said partnership deals are on track, with 22 new sponsors joining since the start of the year.

do anything. I want to be the fastest and the best.”

Springer took second place in the 25-yard back crawl and third place in both the 25-yard breaststroke and 100-yard individual medley in Chanute on June 21.

Springer frequently practices with older youths so she can be pushed to improve her times.

“She likes to be competitive,” said Moira’s mother, Katrina Springer. “Anything she’s going to win at, that’s what she likes best.”

Lawsuit filed against Fitzgerald, Northwestern

By LARRY LAGE The Associated Press

A former Northwestern football player filed the first lawsuit against Pat Fitzgerald and members of the school’s leadership, seeking damages stemming from a hazing scandal that cost the former football coach his job.

The player, identified in the lawsuit as John Doe, alleged Tuesday in the Cook County Court in Chicago that Fitzgerald, Northwestern University President Michael Schill, the board of trustees and athletic director Derrick Gragg enabled and concealed sexual misconduct and racial discrimination.

The player, who was on the football team from 2018 to 2022, had his filing submitted by the Chicago-based Salvi Law Firm.

“It wasn’t just confined to one bad actor,” attorney Parker Stinar said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It wasn’t just confined to one team, like the football team. It also included a culture that was accepted and tolerated and encouraged on the baseball team and other sports

teams, and also with men and women’s sports. “So, it’s a tainted athletic department.”

The lawsuit allegations include naked players in locker rooms forcing freshmen to also strip naked and then perform various acts. It also accuses Fitzgerald of enabling a culture of racism, including forcing players of color to cut their hair and behave differently to be more in line with the “Wildcat Way.”

Northwestern spokesperson Jon Yates said the school’s

policy is to not comment on the specifics of pending litigation.

“Protecting the welfare of every student at Northwestern University is central to our mission and something we approach with the utmost seriousness,” Yates said. “When the University was made aware of anonymous hazing complaints in November 2022, we acted immediately with an independent investigator to conduct a comprehensive review of the allegations. We have tak-

en a number of subsequent actions to eliminate hazing from our football program, and we will introduce additional actions in the coming weeks.”

Fitzgerald’s agent, Bryan Harlan, declined comment and the office of Fitzgerald’s lawyer, Dan Webb, said Tuesday that Webb had no comment. Webb is a former U.S. attorney and for decades has been one of the most sought after private lawyers in the country, with a client list that includes multiple governors, Microsoft and tobacco giant Philip Morris.

A message seeking comment was left with Gragg.

More lawsuits, filed by multiple law firms, are expected to follow from former football and baseball players as well as from student-athletes who played other sports for the Wildcats.

At least eight former Northwestern football players have retained attorneys following recent revelations that led to Fitzgerald’s firing and sharp criticism of university leadership for its initial response

See NORTHWESTERN | Page B3

“Just recently, we passed the 1 billion euro ($1.1 billion) mark in secured revenue from our partners,” Estanguet said. “This is unprecedented. It’s obviously the first time that a sporting event in France has raised so much money from companies and partnerships.”

Estanguet said the money in investment does not include “a new premium partner with whom we’re in talks.”

Paris organizers are sill negotiating a partnership contract for the 2024 Games with luxury group LVMH.

The organizing committee, known as COJO, has an operating budget of about 4.4 billion euros ($4.5 billion).

Estanguet insisted that 96% of the budget is funded by the private sector, including the IOC, partner companies, as well as the ticketing office and licensing. He added that organizers aim to secure 92% of the budget by the end of the year.

“We continue with enthusiasm and serenity

See OLYMPICS | Page B3

Swimmers keep shaving off times

INDIANAPOLIS

(AP)

— For all the high-tech suits and advancements in training techniques, there is one time-honored — and sometimes painful — tradition that swimmers cling to before every big meet: shaving down.

While there is scant scientific evidence that a razor helps produce faster times, good luck finding anyone who will say the sleek look is not just as important as strenuous workouts, good nutrition and proper strokes.

“I don’t know (about the science), but I can tell you it works,” said Bob Bowman, who was Michael Phelps’ longtime coach. “It definitely

See SWIM | Page B3

Iola’s Moira Springer competes in the breaststroke during the SEK League Championship at Riverside Park Sunday, July 16. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Iola’s Moira Springer with her SEK League meet medals, including a first place for breaststroke. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Pat Fitzgerald is shown during the Wildcats’ game against Central Michigan on Sept. 25, 2010. DAVID BANKS/TNS

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Martin Truex Jr. ponders NASCAR retirement

LOUDON, N.H. (AP) —

With three wins, a lead in the points standings, and a NASCAR championship push ahead, the good times are rolling again for Martin Truex Jr. So why quit now?

Joe Gibbs asked himself the same question about Truex as the Hall of Fame owner tries to keep Monday’s winner at New Hampshire in the fold of his eponymous race team for one more season.

The 82-year-old Gibbs playfully nudged Truex to make the call soon: Retire or give it another run at JGR.

“He tells me the same thing every year, that I’m right in the middle of trying to make this decision,” Gibbs said. “I go, come on, what are you talking about, man? You’re making money, you’re having fun, you’re driving race cars. Come on.”

If Gibbs can’t get an easy answer yet, maybe he should consult Truex’s dad.

The retired racer, who won a regional stock car race at New Hampshire 29 years earlier, believed a big rebound season for his son may fuel the resolve to return in the No. 19 Toyota in 2024.

“The way they’re running, I would be surprised if he retired,” the elder Truex said Tuesday by phone. “But that’s up to him.”

The JGR driver has publicly pondered retirement for a second straight season. Truex quieted season-long speculation last June that he could retire at the end of 2022 with a succinct statement: “ I’m back. “

Last year, the possibility of retirement seemed a bit more understandable. The 43-year-old Truex

Swim: In with the old

Continued from B1

works.”

Cullen Jones agrees.

The winner of four Olympic medals, including a pair of golds, the now-retired swimmer always felt faster after clipping off every bit of hair that might come in contact with the water.

ter he or she dives into the pool.

struggled in the first season of NASCAR’s new Next Gen stock car. He failed to win a race or make the playoffs for the first time since 2014 when he drove for now-defunct Furniture Row Racing, the organization where he would shortly undergo a career rebirth and win the 2017 championship.

Once FRR went away, Truex moved to Gibbs and won seven races in his first season. He’s a three-time champion-

ship runner-up since moving to Gibbs and he’s won 19 races since joining the organization -- including his first one in 30 tries at New Hampshire.

Truex insisted he’s honestly conflicted about the outcome.

“I’m bad at making big decisions,” he said.

Truex has figured out the car and the results show he’s in sync with crew chief James Small.

See TRUEX JR. | Page B6

Olympics: Budget set for Paris 2024

Continued from B1

in a bid to achieve this goal,” Estanguet said, adding that ticket sales have also been successful, with 6.8 million tickets already sold.

The overall budget for the Paris Olympics,

including the cost of building and renovating venues, is about 8 billion euros ($8.2 billion).

In a separate interview, IOC president Thomas Bach said Paris is on pace to deliver a new type of Olym-

pics that leaders envisioned when they wrote guidelines for an era of streamlined games. Bach said 95% of the city’s venues are “existing or temporary,” a nod to an attempt to reverse the decades-long trend of

cost overruns involved in building massive stadiums.

“We are living in a time where you cannot look so much at the ‘nice to haves,’” Bach said. “We have to concentrate on the essentials.”

Northwestern: Coach faces lawsuits

Continued from B1

to the allegations.

Civil rights attorney

Ben Crump and the Chicago-based Levin & Perconti law firm announced Monday they have “uncovered a vast array of incidents of abuse in the Northwestern football program.” They also said more athletes are expected to join the legal action and it will expand beyond Northwestern football to other college athletic programs.

A news conference is scheduled for Wednesday morning in Chicago with Crump, former Northwestern athletes and attorneys from Levin & Perconti.

Crump has represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and others in high-profile civil rights cases.

Stinar represented about 200 of the 1,050 people who shared in a $490 million financial settlement last year with the University of Michigan after saying they were sexually assaulted by a late sports doctor, Robert Anderson. The attorney also had clients among the hundreds of victims of sexual abuse by former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar and were part of a $380 million settlement in late 2021.

“It’s disgusting that this conduct is continuing into 2022,” Stinar said. “We fully intend to hold those that were involved, that knew, that enabled, and hold the university accountable as well.”

Northwestern may eventually join a long list of American uni-

versities that have made large payouts following accusations of sexual abuse.

Fitzgerald was fired last week after a university investigation found allegations of hazing by 11 current or former players, including “forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature,” Schill wrote.

Fitzgerald, who led Northwestern for 17 seasons and was a star linebacker for the Wildcats in the mid1990s, has maintained he had no knowledge of the hazing. Fitzgerald said after being fired that he was working with his agent, Bryan Harlan, and Chicago defense attorney Dan Webb, who recently represented Fox News in a defamation case, to “protect my rights

in accordance with the law.”

After the school initially suspended him, The Daily Northwestern published an article including allegations from a former player who described specific instances of hazing and abuse and suggested Fitzgerald may have been aware.

“Based on the allegations that we’ve seen and the reports we’ve seen, he (Fitzgerald) knew and approved of the sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, hazing and racial discrimination,” Stinar said. “He was aware of it. It was happening under his roof. He knew what was going on and he permitted it for years upon years upon years.”

“The big reason we shave is it does knock off time,” Jones said. “You will see people swimming faster when they have less hair on them because they’re more hydrodynamic. We’re trying to be like fish.”

Still, for all the importance that swimmers place on it, there’s actually been little research on whether shaving down significantly reduces drag in the water — a key factor in producing faster times. Certainly, there’s more data on snugger suits, tighter-fitting caps and more aerodynamic goggles.

A study from the late 1980s found that shaving down had little effect on such important factors as distance per stroke, heart rate or blood lactate, though it did, indeed, appear to provide a reduction in drag.

Bowman believes the most beneficial aspect to shaving down is the feel it gives a swimmer af-

“What it really does, in my opinion, is it takes off the first layer of skin, so your body is more sensitized to the water,” Bowman said. “You definitely feel different when you do it. I think that’s the key. You take off the top layer of your skin and your body is more sensitive to the feel of the water.”

At the very least, shaving down provides a psychological edge: If you feel like you’re faster, chances are you actually will swim faster.

“I don’t know, like, the physiology of it. I just know when I shave I feel higher in the water. I feel fast,” said backstroker Ryan Murphy, a four-time Olympic gold medalist.

Shaving down occurs only before the biggest of meets, such as the Olympics or the world championships, which are being held this week and next in Fukuoka, Japan.

In the lead-up to those important competitions, many swimmers let the hair on their head and body grow as much as possible. Some men will show up looking like they’re hockey players who grew wooly beards for the NHL playoffs.

Martin Truex Jr. at Charlotte Motor Speedway. JARED C. TILTON/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

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Footer: (Published in The Iola Register July 12, 19 & 26, 2023.)

TAKE DUE NOTICE

The following vehicle will be sold at public auction on Thurs., July 27, 2023 at 8 a.m.

R&W Towing, LLC

1306 Belton, Iola, KS 66749

1995 Chevrolet Blazer Maroon

VIN 1GNDT13W4S2213479

(Published in The Iola Register July 12, 19 & 26, 2023.)

Testosterone replacement carries risks

DEAR DR. ROACH:

You wrote about the dangers of testosterone replacement in men over 70 in your column a few months ago. Could you please describe the dangers of this again?

My husband is 73 and injects testosterone every 10 days or so. He’s not feeling too well overall, but he doesn’t know from what. He’s been to the cardiologist, but the studies came back fine. He says he feels nerves in his stomach, a bit of shortness of breath, and he also feels tired and without much energy. — E.D.

ANSWER: There are clear dangers from excess testosterone use, especially in older men. Some men use very high doses of testosterone or other androgens for muscle building. This can cause heart damage, blood clots and stroke, and I recommend strongly against this, which

Dr. Keith Roach

To Your Good Health

is generally used illicitly. By contrast, for men in whom testosterone therapy is given appropriately, the dangers are quite small, and in most men, the benefits outweigh the risks. Men

should have a clear reason to receive it, such as having low bone density, low libido, loss of body hair or development of breast tissue, in addition to repeatedly low testosterone levels (including a level taken between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., when testosterone levels are highest). In these men, the goal is to return the testosterone level to normal, and the risks of the catastrophic outcomes listed above

Public notice

(Published in The Iola Register July 5, 2023)

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF ALLEN COUNTY, KANSAS PROBATE DIVISION

In the Matter of the Estate of BEVERLY J. HAWK, Deceased AL-2023-PR-000027

NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL PERSONS CONCERNED:

You are hereby notified a Petition was filed on June 27th, 2023, in this Court by Deborah Smail, Susan Hawk, and Lora Obermueller, praying for the appointment of Deborah Smail, Susan Hawk, and Lora Obermueller as co-executrices of the estate of Beverly J. Hawk, and for the issuance of Letters Testamentary.

You are required to file your written defenses thereto on or before July 28th, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. of said day, in the District

appear to be very small or zero. Testosterone levels should also be measured during therapy. I can’t speculate on what’s causing your husband’s symptoms. Nonspecific symptoms, such as low energy, can be caused by low testosterone, but unless there are more specific symptoms of low testosterone, I generally do not recommend testosterone replacement.

Courtroom, at the Allen County Courthouse, in the City of Iola, Allen County, Kansas, at which time and place the cause will be heard. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon the petition.

All creditors of the decedent notified to exhibit their demands against the estate within four (4) months from the date of the first publication of this notice as provided by law, and if their demands are not thus exhibited, they shall be forever barred.

Deborah Smail, Petitioner Susan Hawk, Petitioner Lora Obermueller, Petitioner JOHNSON SCHOWENGERDT, PA

118 W. Madison/P.O. Box 866 Tel. (620) 365-3778/Fax (620) 380-6230 Iola, Kansas 66749 chase@jslaw. kscoxmail.com

/s/ Chase J. Vaughn Chase J. Vaughn, # 29371 Attorney for Petitioners (7) 5, 12, 19

Mort Walker

by Chris Browne

HI

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman BEETLE BAILEY by

BLONDIE by Young and Drake

MARVIN by Tom Armstrong

by Chance Browne

MUTTS by Patrick McDonell

Messi warms up with Inter Miami mates

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi jogged a lap with his new teammates, took part in a warmup drill of players making short passes in a tight circle and before long tapped his left foot at a ball that wound up in the back of an open net.

Inter Miami’s new star wasted no time fitting right in.

The World Cup winner and seven-time Ballon d’Or recipient as the world’s best player took part in a training session with his new Major League Soccer club for the first time on Tuesday, three days after signing a 2.5 year contract that’ll pay him between $50 million and $60 million a year.

A helicopter hovered overhead, drones buzzed around the field and about 200 media members lined up toward the back of the complex to get a look at Messi. He, like newly signed Sergio Busquets — also a World Cup winner — went through a welcome tunnel as part of the first practice, which meant jogging past teammates as they lined up and clapped.

Messi’s first match is expected to be Friday, a Leagues Cup contest at home against Cruz Azul. Some tickets are going for as little as $275 or so on the secondary market; some

of the very best seats are exceeding $19,000. Prices have been fluctuating quite a bit and likely will continue doing so until game time.

Then again, someone might get front-row tickets for $1. Miami

Mayor Francis Suarez, a Republican candidate for president, has asked backers to “consider making a $1 donation” to get him on the debate stage — saying all such donors would be entered in a chance to be in the front row for Messi’s debut game.

Such is the power of Messi. Inter Miami hasn’t won an MLS match in more than two months; it has gone 0-8-3 in MLS play since beating New England on May 13. Making the MLS play-

offs are a long shot for Miami. But there is hope for other trophies, such as Leagues Cup — a tournament between teams from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX, with both leagues shutting down regular play for the competition — and the U.S. Open Cup.

Inter Miami is in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup; it’ll play Cincinnati in late August. The final of that tournament is in September.

Messi’s decision to play in the U.S. might be the biggest boost ever for American soccer on the pro stage. Some of the game’s biggest names — Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Thierry Henry and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham himself — have come to the U.S. toward

MLB to broadcast Diamondbacks

By JOE REEDY The Associated Press

Major League Baseball will take over broadcasts of Arizona Diamondbacks games after a federal bankruptcy judge on Tuesday granted a motion for Diamond Sports to reject its rights agreement.

MLB will take over production of the broadcasts beginning with Tuesday’s game at Atlanta. The Diamondbacks are the second team where MLB has had to step in to deliver the games.

ter July 1. Diamond Sports has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in Texas since March. The company said in a financial filing last fall that it had debt of $8.67 billion. Fans in the Diamondbacks’ home television market will be able to watch games on DirecTV, Cox, Spectrum, AT&T U-Verse and fubo. MLB will also offer a direct-to-consumer streaming subscription through MLB.TV.

the end of their careers, but landing a player still no worse than near the pinnacle of his game and just a few months removed from hoisting a World Cup is simply huge, especially with part of the next World Cup in 2026 set to be played on U.S. soil.

“It shouldn’t be lost on anybody that the timing is right,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “Copa America will be here in 2024, Club World Cup will be here in 2025, the World Cup will be here in 2026. This is not a coincidence, right? It’s all part of our continual focus to do everything we can to make our league a league of choice, not just here, but around the world and be part of the conversation.”

MLB took over the broadcasts of San Diego Padres games May 31 after Diamond Sports missed a rights fees payment and let the grace period expire. MLB set up a local media department during the offseason to prepare for a bankruptcy filing by Diamond Sports, which took place in March.

Diamond Sports, which owns 19 regional sports networks under the Bally Sports banner, determined its contract with the Diamondbacks was not profitable. It had a large rights payment due on July 1, but both sides tried to negotiate an amended agreement.

Diamond paid the Diamondbacks on a per-game basis for any games played af-

Truex Jr: Has trouble with retirement decision

Continued from B3

Truex has won three of the last 10 Cup races — oddly, Dover and New Hampshire were on Mondays — and has four other top 10s over that span.

“I think it’s just learning these new cars,” Truex Sr. said. “It’s a whole new different package. It takes a little time, especially with no practicing. So whoever hits it is gonna look like a superstar.”

And that’s his son right now.

“They’re on to something,” Truex Sr. said.

Truex, who is 0 for 19 in the Daytona 500, picked up two of his more meaningful victories of his career this season.

The first came in May at Dover when he was part of a family sweep at the track. Younger brother Ryan won the second-tier Xfinity Se-

ries race for his first NASCAR victory across all three national series in 188 career starts. Big brother was the first one to poke his head in Ryan’s Toyota as he pulled it into victory lane. Dad was there to celebrate with both sons.

“That was awesome. Like a dream come true,” Truex Sr. said. Then came New Hampshire. The elder Truex, who raised his family in Mayetta, New Jersey, still owns the Maryland-based clam supplier Sea Watch International. He had enough free weekends to race stock cars, mostly in the Northeast. He even made 15 starts in what is now the Xfinity Series.

It was those family trips to the track

-- Ryan tweeted an old photo of him, Martin and their mother at the track — that helped form Truex’s

earliest racing memories. It also helped get Truex hooked on racing — and dad could tell he had a prodigy.

“I knew that when he was 12 years old racing go-karts,” Truex said. “He was above his class. He was good at it.”

Truex Sr. won the 1994 Auto Palace/Slick 50 150 in the Busch North Series in July 1994 at Loudon. (Naturally, his sponsor was Blount Seafood). Ryan Truex won at Loudon, too, taking the checkered flag in 2010 in a K&N Pro Series East race. Martin had just turned 20 when he won he won a regional stock car series race at the track in the same race his father finished fifth.

His father then promptly retired.

“He’s like, ‘you’re too good. I need to give you my cars, the best equipment I have and put everything behind you,’” Truex Jr. said. “I’m like, why are you doing that?

(He said) ‘You can win here and keep going.’”

Truex hasn’t stopped yet.

But the time to hang up the helmet is coming.

Truex said he was poised to buy a saltwater fishing boat so he could spend his free days on the water in search of some tuna. It sounded like a perfect retirement gift to himself. Dad said don’t worry, if Truex wants to keep racing and still

fish, the family has a Viking 56 Convertible at their disposal.

Truex laughed as he said his family “screwed up” for not attending Monday’s win. That’s OK. Truex Sr. said the family already booked their trip for the championship finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Phoenix because he thinks Truex will race for the championship?

“Absolutely,” the elder Truex said.

But will Phoenix also serve as the last time Truex will strap in and drive the Toyota?

“I wish I had more time to figure out what I want to do next year, but I don’t,” he said. “So I’ll know soon and you’ll know soon.”

The Diamondbacks signed a 20-year, $1.5 billion contract with Fox Sports Networks in 2015. Diamond Sports Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group bought the regional sports networks from The Walt Disney Co. for nearly $10 billion in 2019. Disney was required by the Department of Justice to sell the networks for its acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s film and television assets to be approved.

Diamond Sports said in last week’s filing that it loses significant amounts of money under the agreement with the Diamondbacks and that the deal “no longer fits” within its long-term plans.

The Diamondbacks are a part owner of Bally Sports Arizona.

Inter Miami FC star player Lionel Messi greets members of the media during his first practice session with his new team, Tuesday, July 18. JOE CAVARETTA/ SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL