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THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
Thursday, November 19, 2015
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Attack plotter said killed
Dancers with “Ballroom With a Twist” — featuring past performers from “American Idol,” “Dancing With The Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance” will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. Tickets remain available at www. bowluscenter.org, or by calling 365-4765. Tickets also will be sold at the door. Below is Jonathan Platero, a 2009 “So You Think You Can Dance” finalist.
‘Ballroom With a Twist’ comes to Bowlus stage By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
A team of performers will present “Ballroom With a Twist” ... and some salsa, a waltz and almost certainly a few breakdance moves as well. The curtain rises for the live dance extravaganza — billed as a reality television fan’s dream come true — at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. The show features past performers from “American Idol,” “Dancing With The Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” But unlike on television, the dancers aren’t competing with each other. Rather,
they’re working in league with a singular focus — to entertain the audience, notes performer Jonathan Platero. “There’s something here for every age demographic,” Platero, a 2009 “So You Think You Can Dance” finalist. “The audience is going to have a lot of fun with this,” Platero said. “We’ll have some hip hop, jazz, contemporary. We even have some break-dancing. It’s very energetic, an amazing show.” For two hours, the 15-member ensemble will serve up a night of energy, rhythm and a few instructional bits, Platero promises. “We’ll give the audience See DANCERS | Page A5
PARIS (AP) — The Belgian jihadi suspected of masterminding deadly attacks in Paris died along with his cousin in a police raid on a suburban apartment building, officials said today. Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins’ office said 27-year-old Abdelhamid Abaaoud was identi- Abdelhamid fied based Abaaoud on skin samples, but authorities did not know how he died. His body was found in the apartment building targeted in the chaotic and bloody raid in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis on Wednesday. Three police officials say a woman who died in the raid was Abaaoud’s cousin. One said Hasna Aitboulahcen is believed to have detonated a suicide vest after a brief conversation with police officers. The official confirmed an audio recording, punctuated by gunshots, in which an officer asks: “Where is your boyfriend?” and she responded angrily: “He’s not my boyfriend!” Then loud bangs are heard. The exact relationship between Abaaoud and Aitboulahcen was not clear. The bodies recovered in the raid were badly mangled, with a part of AitbouSee RAID | Page A3
Jonathan Platero
KU’s diversity plans rankles some Republican lawmakers By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas’ plan to require “inclusion and belonging” training for everyone on campus drew criticism Wednesday from Republican legislators who
worry that it will become an effort to squelch conservative thought. It could complicate the university’s sometimes-rocky relationship with the GOPdominated Legislature as lawmakers face tough budget decisions and potential spending cuts next year. The university and Lawrence,
home to its main campus, are widely viewed as liberal political bastions. Diversity training is among the demands from a student group, Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk, which contends administrators haven’t done enough combat discrimination and other problems facing minority and “mar-
Foster care contractors draw scrutiny By ANDY MARSO KHI News Service
The Kansas Department for Children and Families announced major changes to its standards for substantiating child abuse Tuesday. But lawmakers want more reform of a privatized foster care system they say is failing to protect children.
DCF Secretary Phyllis Gilmore announced that the agency will begin using a “preponderance of the evidence” as the standard for substantiating a child abuse claim rather than the more stringent “clear and convincing evidence.” The change comes after the Wichita Eagle and Topeka Capital-Journal report-
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ed on children who were injured or died after multiple reports of abuse. Gilmore noted that Kansas is the only state using the “clear and convincing evidence” standard. The change will make it easier for state investigators to place people suspected of See SCRUTINY | Page A5
ginalized” students. The university says it is creating an advisory team to produce an “action plan” by mid-January that will cover “mandatory education.” Several GOP legislators said they have free-speech concerns and worry that the training will castigate participants for holding conserva-
tive political views unpopular on liberal campuses. “They preach inclusion and diversity, but they do the opposite when it comes to conservative thought,” said Republican Rep. John Rubin of Shawnee. “I think we will definitely have a role, and we See GOP | Page A5
See, Hear Iola Friday Jeff Cokely, newly appointed director of the Allen County Community Foundation, will describe at Friday’s See, Hear Iola session how the organization functions and how it can benefit other organizations. Representatives from Daylight Donuts, the city of Iola, Allen Community College and the Iola Register also will speak.
“In government, one actress is enough.” — Evita Peron, Argentinian stateswoman (1919-1952) 75 Cents
The 10 a.m. session will be at the New Community Building at Riverside Park. The community is invited. The monthly presentation — normally held the fourth Friday of each month — was moved up a week because of the Thanksgiving holiday. The event also will be replayed on Iola’s public access television channel.
Hi: 53 Lo: 33 Iola, KS