The Weekender Saturday, August 23, 2014
Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Icy challenge hits Iola High School By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
The gauntlet has been thrown. By Friday morning, a large chunk of the Iola High School population had been challenged to get icy wet — all for a good cause. The IHS Marching Mustangs took part Friday morning in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a Facebook-based fundraiser for the ALS Association. Their challenge came courtesy of instructor Matt Kleopfer, who himself was challenged and doused himself in ice water one day earlier. As per the unofficial rules of the challenge, anybody who is challenged must either douse himself with a bucket of ice water or donate $100 to the ALS Association. Those who do partake must still make a donation, but can choose how
lenge has been posted on the Register’s Facebook page. Kleopfer agreed to donate $2 to the ALS Association for every bucket utilized in Friday morning’s dump. At more than 50 members, he expected to hand over more than $100. The middle schoolers will accept their challenge Monday, Kleopfer said.
At top, the Iola High School marching band partakes Friday morning in the ALS ice bucket challenge. Above, IHS Athletic Director Martin Bambick, from left, USD 257 Superintendent of Schools Jack Koehn, IHS Assistant Principal Matt Hoffman and IHS Principal Stacy Fager do the same, challenging others in the area as part of the growing social media fad. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN much to contribute. (Some have chosen other charitable organizations to benefit.) The marching band’s drum majors, Trilby Bannister and
Yohon Sinclair, have since extended the challenge to other area schools, including the Humboldt, Chanute, Burlington and Santa Fe Trail bands,
as well as “our best friends in the world,” the Iola Middle School Marching Band, Sinclair said. A video of the band’s chal-
BUT THE FUN was only halfway over. Another group challenged by Kleopfer, USD 257 Superintendent of Schools Jack Koehn and IHS administrators, Principal Stacey Fager, Athletic Director Martin Bambick and Assistant Principal Matt Hoffman, took their turn next. They, in turn, have challenged all of USD 257’s fall sports teams, as well as school administrators throughout the rest of the Pioneer League. See ICE | Page A4
Grassroots effort key to new Garnett school By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Sandy Moore
ACC librarian expands services
More than books By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
It didn’t take long for Sandy Moore to create a vision for the Allen Community College library. When Moore arrived in January as the new library director she took notes on how to boost students’ interest in the library. First off, Moore started a small DVD collection that has engendered a positive response. “We now have around 250 DVDs,” she said. “A lot of them were donated by faculty and they are popular titles.” Moore said a lot of the library’s fiction had become outdated. Earlier this year she held a book sale to weed out the old. Sales helped purchase new items. Fiction geared to young adults is a growing market, she said. To help fuel students in their study endeavors Moore purchased a Keurig coffee machine and created a mini coffee cart. Moore said students can purchase Keurig
cups for 50 cents. “We are opening 15 minutes earlier so students can get their cups filled up and head to class,” she said. This semester students don’t even have to be in the library to ask a question. The library’s website now has a chat system where students can ask a librarian or library employee about research or a technical question. “We did have an e-mail system but that took longer for us to reply,” Moore said. “This is more instant and is available during library hours.” “I love knowing what’s helping the students and see them get excited about the tools available to them,” she said. MOORE received her master’s degree in library science from Emporia State University in 2013. In 2008 she received her master’s in religious studies from the University of Kansas and in 2005 she received her See MOORE | Page A4
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 210
GARNETT — A well-heeled grassroots effort — fueled by the realization their old school had become an aging, inaccessible energy hog — led to overwhelming support of a new school here less than four years ago. Don Blome, USD 365 superintendent of schools, spoke to a visitor this week about the $12 million construction project, leading to the 2012 grand opening of Garnett Elementary School. The school has garnered plenty of attention locally as Iola and USD 257 voters prepare to go to the polls in November to decide on a $50 million project to fund construction of new elementary and high schools on the north edge of Iola. While he couldn’t comment about the state of USD 257’s facilities, the Garnett project became an easy sell, Blome said. Voters there realized See GARNETT | Page A3
Garnett USD 365 Superintendent of Schools Don Blome, left, and Garnett Elementary School Principal Krista Hedrick stand in front of the school, built in 2012. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Otto earns spot on ballot By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
LE ROY — Bill Otto will be on the general election ballot as an independent candidate for state representative from the 76th District. He will oppose Peggy Bill Otto Mast, who has been the district’s representative since 1996. She defeated Jeff Freeman in the Republican primary Aug. 4. See OTTO | Page A4
Humboldt Chamber sets sights on plans, funding By KAREN INGRAM The Iola Register
HUMBOLDT — Big plans for upcoming events and city improvement projects were discussed at the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce meeting Thursday. Humboldt Healthy Ecosystems received an $18,000 grant — the full amount they had applied for — to build restrooms and make other improvements to River Park. They hope to finish placing the rocks before the second week of September, because new plants will be arriving, mostly perennial bushes. They also had an analysis of the soil done to find out why
“Marriage may be the closest thing to Heaven or Hell any of us will know on this earth.” — Edwin Louis Cole, American author 75 Cents
the flowers were dying and will be applying fertilizer, which they hope will solve the issue. Lions Club will be hosting a fundraiser golf tournament on Sept. 18 for the Humboldt Golf Association. Those interested in learning more or signing up for the tournament should contact Chris Bauer at bauerchris@ sbcglobal.net. Another major improvement project discussed was a new information sign to be set up in the park. Terry Butts said the current sign is becoming increasingly difficult to use because the See CHAMBER | Page A3
Hi: 99 Lo: 72 Iola, KS