Sports: Mustangs roll past Labette County See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
Monday, September 21, 2015
A FESTIVE, ACTIVE WEEKEND
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Restraint urged in courts dispute By ROXANA HEGEMAN The Associated Press
Storybook weather conditions greeted throngs of crowds at both the Moran Days and Kincaid Free Fair celebrations Saturday. Among the participants were, at top, Delaney Madden, leading the Osawatomie High School marching band; at far left, Harley Cook, who received a crown and goody bag from Miss Hay Capital Angela Thomas at the Little Miss Moran Pageant; middle right, Elaine and Scott Stewart at the Moran Days Parade; center, Taryn Covey, who was crowned Miss Kincaid Fair Queen; at bottom left, a group of horsemen who capped the Kincaid Fair Parade; and bottom right, Ray LaRue, who led the Color Guard at the Moran Day Parade. PHOTOS BY RICK
DANLEY AND RICHARD LUKEN
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Justices who publicly criticized a 2014 law to strip the Kansas Supreme Court of its ability to appoint chief judges should not review the appeal in a lawsuit challenging the law’s constitutionality, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Friday. The constitution “insists upon both legislative control of the purse strings and judicial independence,” Schmidt, who filed a notice of appeal Friday in the recent court decision that struck down the 2014 law, said in a statement. “From the standpoint of the attorney general’s office ... I urge a healthy dose of humility and restraint by all involved in an effort to ease tensions and improve inter-branch cooperation.” The Republicancontrolled Legislature stripped the justices of their ability to appoint chief district court judges in each of the state’s 31 judicial districts, transferring the power to the district judges instead. The Legislature sought earlier this year to preserve the change by enacting another law saying that if the first policy is invalided, the judicial branch’s entire budget through June 2017 is “null and void.” Shawnee County District Judge Larry Hendricks struck down the 2014 law this month, calling it an unconstitutional interference, but put it on hold Schmidt’s request. That temporarily ended the threat to the court system’s funding. Schmidt said he planned to formally ask the justices to recuse themselves from deciding the case because it directly involves their own power. He said he recognizes such a move would be unusual, but said there is precedent in Kansas and other states. “Although I would prefer to avoid the crossfire See DISPUTE | Page A4
Boil order LAHARPE — A ruptured water main prompted City of LaHarpe officials to institute a boil order, the second time in less than two months residents have had to boil their water before consuming it. The water should be boiled for at least one minute before consumption, or for such things as brushing teeth.
Judge orders state to release names of candidates KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas judge on Friday ruled that Gov. Sam Brownback does not have the right to withhold the names of applicants for two newly created county commission seats that he filled late last year. The Associated Press and Salina Journal filed a lawsuit against Brownback’s office in
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January seeking the names of more than a dozen applicants for two seats on the Saline County Commission, which voters in November expanded from three to five members. In December, the Journal requested copies of the applications and the AP requested a list of applicants’ names
and hometowns. Brownback’s press secretary denied both requests, saying the information was protected under personnel exemptions in the Kansas Open Records Act. On Dec. 18 — the same day press secretary Eileen Hawley rejected an AP reporter’s request — Brownback ap-
“In politics, nothing is contemptible.” — Benjamin Disraeli, British statesman 75 Cents
pointed banker David Smith and former Salina Mayor Luci Larson to the commission. The media lawsuit contended that contrary to Hawley’s assertions, applicants for a public governmental entity are neither state employSee JUDGE | Page A4
Hi: 79 Lo: 64 Iola, KS