The Allen County Fairgrounds will see some much-needed updates in the near future. County Commissioners approved the purchase of new fencing for livestock pens during this week’s meeting.
Fair Board President Bo Garrett initially approached the commission on Jan. 14 with the request. The purchase, he said, is attributed to an increase in sheep and goat numbers. “We’re running out of room,” he added. “We would like to actually replace all of the pens.”
The request was originally for $25,328 from the rejuvenation funds — money that is earmarked for projects updating the fairgrounds. The fund sat at approximately $35,000 at the time of the request.
The sole bid came from
Settlement:
Opioid maker to pay $7.4B
By GEOFF MULVIHILL
The Associated Press
Members of the family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, and the company itself, agreed to pay up to $7.4 billion in a new settlement to lawsuits over the toll of the powerful prescription painkiller, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday.
The deal, agreed to by Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family members who own the company and lawyers representing state and local governments and thousands of victims of the opioid crisis, represents an increase of more than $1 billion over a previous settlement deal that was rejected last year by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Sacklers agreed to pay up to $6.5 billion, Purdue to pay $900 million, for a total of $7.4 billion.
It’s among the largest settlements reached over the past several years in a series of lawsuits by local, state, Native American tribal governments and others seeking to hold companies responsible for a deadly epidemic. Aside from the Purdue deal, others worth around $50 billion have been announced — and most of the money is required to be used to stem the crisis.
The deal still needs court approval, and some of the details are yet to be ironed out.
Joining Attorney General James in securing the settlement in principle are the attorneys general
Northeast Gate Co. “There are only a few companies that sell these items. This bid is directly through the company,” Garrett said. “Most require that you go through a
dealer.” He noted that going through a dealer, as opposed to buying directly from the company, would mean more transportation cost.
Some of the hog pens cur-
rently at the fairgrounds are the same as those sold by Northeast Gate Co., he added.
“We’d like to keep the product similar, in case we have any problems with gates, latches, or whatever, we can go through one company.”
Commissioners requested Garrett return with more bids. “If you could get us at least more than one bid, that way we can look at the numbers, we will look at those,” said Commissioner Jerry Daniels. He added that Garrett can note which bid is preferred.
On Tuesday, Commissioner David Lee presented the requested second bid. “It is for $29,114 from a company in Texas,” he said. Lee then motioned they approve the low bid from Northeast Gate Co.
“It is my understanding that they will also deliver to the fairgrounds,” he added. The motion was met with unanimous approval.
was fourth. The top three finishers move on to the Allen County Spelling Bee Feb. 25 at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. Mileham will serve as an alternate competitor. PHOTO COURTESY OF PAIGE OLSON
Trump says: Invest in US or face tariffs
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump used an address Thursday to the World Economic Forum to promise global elites lower taxes if they bring manufacturing to the U.S. and threatened to impose tariffs if they don’t.
Speaking by video from the White House to the annual summit in Davos, Switzerland, on his third full day in office, Trump ran through his flurry of executive actions since his swearing-in and claimed that he had a “massive mandate” from the American people to bring change. He laid out a carrot-andstick approach for private investment in the U.S.
“Come make your product in America and we will
LA firefighters battle to maintain upper hand
CASTAIC, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters battled Thursday to maintain the upper hand on a huge wildfire that swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles and left over 50,000 people under evacuation orders or warnings.
The Hughes Fire broke out late Wednesday morning and in less than a day had charred nearly 16 square miles of trees and brush near Castaic Lake, a popular recreation area about 40 miles from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week.
The Hughes blaze didn’t grow much overnight and crews hoped to increase containment before winds pick up again later in the day, fire spokesperson Jeremy Ruiz said Thursday morning. “We had helicopters dropping water until around 3 a.m.
That kept it in check,” he said.
As of Wednesday night, the fire was about 14% contained.
Though the region was under a red flag warning for critical fire risk, winds were not as strong as they had been when the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out, allowing for firefighting aircraft to dump tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant.
Red flag warnings were extended through Friday morning in LA and Ventura counties.
More than 31,000 people have been ordered to evacuate from the Hughes Fire, and another 23,000 are under evacuation warnings, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said. There were no reports of homes or other structures burned. Parts of Interstate 5 near
See FIRES | Page A8
Jan.
Allen County Fair Board President Bo Garret requests funds from the commission on Jan. 14 to purchase new livestock pens for the fairgrounds. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY
See TRUMP | Page A8
Donald Trump
A firefighter carries a drip torch as he ignites a backfire against the Hughes Fire burning along a hillside in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday,
22, 2025. AP PHOTO/JAE C. HONG
Obituary
Chelle Stewart
Michelle “Chelle” Stewart, 43, of Moran died Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, at Allen County Regional Hospital.
She was born Jan. 9, 1982, to John and Teresa Stewart.
Survivors include her mother and children, Austyn Stewart, Tyler Lively and Kase Stewart. Services are set for 10 a.m. Monday at Midpoint Baptist Church in Moran.
Unity Club
Charyl Link gave a report on the book “Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memory of Family” by Dr. Condoleezza Rice at the Jan. 13 meeting of Unity Club. Rice was the first black woman to become Secretary of State (2001-2005). In the book, she shares her family history and her life growing up in Birmingham, Ala., during the height of segregation.
Her parents were convinced that education was a kind of armor shielding her against everything, including racism.
Dr. Rice’s success was demonstrated in fields of politics, education, and business all over the world. She found her place in a sometimes hostile world, and of two exceptional parents, an extended family, and a community — that made all the difference.
Linda Johnson was hostess to nine members.
The club will next meet Feb. 10, at 1:30 p.m., in the St. John’s Parish office. Linda Brocker will be the host and Doris Stranghoner will provide the program.
Riebel attends national health conference
Tori Riebel, regional Public Health Emergency Preparedness coordinator and marketing and outreach specialist for the Allen County Health Department, attended the 2024 National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference Dec. 10-12 in Orlando.
The conference focused on enhancing preparedness and collaboration within communities and organizations. Key themes included the importance of mental readiness through visualization and positive self-talk, effective communication, and fostering trust and cooperation among partners.
Attendees learned the significance of knowing available resources before they are needed and ensuring coordination between stakeholders to achieve consistent, collaborative responses. There was an emphasis on the need to prepare for not just natural disasters, but also emerging threats like cyberattacks.
The conference un-
Bill would cancel grace period for ballots
By GRACE HILLS Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Legislation proposed in the Kansas Senate would end the three-day grace period for mail-in ballots, requiring them to be received by 7 p.m on Election Day to be counted, regardless of postage date.
Senate Bill 4 is similar to one Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed in 2023, and introduced last year. The Legislature adopted the three-day grace period for ballots postmarked by Election Day in a near-unanimous vote in 2017 after then-Secretary of State Kris Kobach asked the Legislature to pass the law in response to slow U.S. Postal Service delivery.
Former Rep. Ann Mah, a Topeka Democrat, said the bill is “pure partisan politics” during a Wednesday hearing before the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee.
bill that would make it harder to vote,” Snead said.
across the country to oppose public assistance programs and restrict voting access.
Davis Hammet, president of the voter advocacy group Loud Light, said that is not the case.
derscored the idea that collective strength and active participation from all members of the community are vital to achieving success and resilience.
“One of my key takeaways is the importance of clarifying roles and responsibilities before disaster strikes and knowing who our community resources are in preparation for an event. By enhancing communication and building trust with these groups, we can ensure they have confidence in our organization’s ability to deliver accurate and timely information,” Riebel said.
“I appreciated the opportunity to connect with individuals from various states and expand my understanding of the healthcare industry. I look forward to applying what I’ve learned in our ongoing initiatives.”
Mah pointed to statistics showing that far more Democrats than Republicans use mailin ballots, and the bill’s lack of funding for an education program that would inform citizens of the change. She said more Democratic votes would be rejected than Republican votes.
CLAY BARKER, general council for the Secretary of State’s Office, said Kansas has one of the shorter grace periods. Deadlines for mail-in ballots in other states range from 5 p.m. on Election Day to 14 days after.
If you make this change and do not fund an edition program, you’re intentionally causing thousands of votes to be thrown out.
— Former Rep. Ann Mah
“If you make this change and do not fund an edition program you’re intentionally causing thousands of votes to be thrown out,” Mah said. “That’s voter suppression.”
Supporters argue that Kansas would join the “national norm,” as 32 other states have already enacted a similar law. Jason Snead, the executive director of the Honest Elections Project, a conservative group that lobbies for stricter voting laws, said his organization produced a survey that found 89% of respondents believed ballots should be returned by Election Day.
“I see nothing in this
Saudi leader offers $600 billion pledge
By SHERIF TAREK Bloomberg News/TNS
told President Donald Trump that his country is willing to expand its investments and trade with the U.S. in the coming four years by $600 billion, or even more if opportunities arose, according to the state-run news agency SPA.
The crown prince, known as MBS, spoke to the American president in a congratulatory phone call on Wednesday, SPA said.
During the call, Bin Salman said the kingdom was eager to seize partnership and investment opportunities created by the new administration’s anticipated reforms, which could
achieve “unprecedented economic prosperity.”
The SPA report did not provide further details on the call or say what reforms he was talking about.
Both men, who have had warm ties since Trump’s first tenure, also discussed cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the US in efforts to bring peace and stability in the Middle East, and to fight terrorism.
TRUMP and the crown prince spoke at a time of rapid shifts in the Middle East. Iran, Saudi Arabia’s rival in the region, has been weakened with defeats by its proxy militias Hamas and Hezbollah at the hands of the Israelis. President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, a crucial ally, has been
overthrown and forced into exile. And early this week, a ceasefire went into effect in Gaza, halting, at least for now, the war between Israel and Hamas.
The crown prince’s move could help secure a return visit by Trump to his country. The U.S. leader’s first overseas trip as president in 2017 was to Saudi Arabia, which Trump earlier this week said came after the kingdom agreed a substantial investment in buying U.S. goods, including weaponry.
Trump told reporters he’d be happy to visit Saudi Arabia again if it wanted to buy another $450 billion or $500 billion worth of US goods. The $600 billion offer would easily clear that threshold.
Barker said that in the states with shorter or no grace periods, ballots are often sent out farther in advance. Kansas sends out mailin ballots 20 days before an election, meaning recipients would have a shorter turnaround time. SB 4 does not require mail-in ballots to be sent earlier.
The bill’s supporters argue the grace period allows more leeway for theoretical voter fraud because, they claim, the U.S. Postal Service’s postmarks are unreliable.
Madeline Malisa, a visiting fellow at Opportunity Solutions Project, says that the bill would “ensure that Election Day is Election Day in Kansas.” Opportunity Solutions Project is the lobbying arm of the Foundation for Government Accountability and works in statehouses
“Really — the only question this bill asks is should we count a citizen’s vote?” Hammet said. “I hope you don’t take that protection away from Kansas citizens for inefficiencies in the federal government.”
If passed, the law would go into effect in July.
Tori Riebel
Clay Barker, general council for the Secretary of State’s Office, appears at the Federal and State affairs committee meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 22, to provide context for how mail-in ballots are sent and received. GRACE HILLS/ KANSAS REFLECTOR
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman
South Korea probe team seeks indictment of Yoon over martial law
South Korean anti-corruption agency asked prosecutors to indict impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on insurrection charges after wrapping up a preliminary investigation into his ill-fated martial law declaration.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials said they have decided to send Yoon’s case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on Thursday.
The announcement comes after Yoon had been stonewalling the probe team’s efforts to secure answers about his role in imposing the martial law, despite his arrest last week. That raised questions over the agency’s ability to follow through on the investigation into a sitting president.
Yoon has questioned the validity of the probe launched by the CIO, and said the martial law declaration was within his constitutional powers.
“We thought it’d be more efficient for the prosecutors’ office, which has to decide whether to indict him, to comprehensively look into the materials gathered so far and conduct additional investigation as needed to reveal the truth behind this case,” Lee Jaeseung, the deputy head of the agency, told reporters.
It was not immediately clear if Yoon would change tack and agree to sit down with prosecutors for questioning after the transfer of the case. Before becoming president, Yoon was a star prosecutor who investigated a number of high-profile cases, including one into former President Park Geunhye who was removed from office in 2017 and later imprisoned.
YOON SHOCKED the nation with his abrupt martial law declaration on Dec. 3, a move that sent the won plunging and has been partly blamed for South Korea’s weaker economy growth forecasts for this year. The short-lived decree ultimately led to his impeachment and the first-ever arrest of a sitting president in South Korea.
Prosecutors are expected to indict Yoon in early February before the detention period granted by a district court expires, South Korea’s Yonhap News said. If indicted by then,
Yoon will stay in detention while a trial that is likely to continue for months takes place.
Speaking at his impeachment trial on Thursday, Yoon said the martial law ended faster than he had expected, but he didn’t see it as a failure.
“This is not a failed martial law,” Yoon said at the Constitutional Court. “I also thought it would end quickly but it just ended faster than I’d expected.”
AT THE TRIAL, Yoon’s former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun appeared as a witness and admitted drafting the martial law decree that banned political activities. Kim also said he ordered his subordinate to keep an eye on key politicians, but denied ordering their arrest. Kim himself was arrested and indicted last month for his involvement in the martial law declaration.
Yoon’s martial law
decree has left the country in a leadership vacuum at a crucial time when Donald Trump was sworn in as
the 47th president of the U.S. Businesses and policymakers are concerned about the possibility of Trump impos-
Public notice
(First Published in The Iola Register Jan. 7, 2025)
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-03
“A RESOLUTION FIXING A TIME AND PLACE AND PROVIDING FOR NOTICE OF A HEARING BEFORE THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF IOLA, KANSAS, AT WHICH THE OWNER, ms OR HER AGENT, LIENHOLDERS OF RECORDS, OCCUPANTS AND OTHER PARTIES IN INTEREST OF STRUCTURES LOCATED WITHIN SAID CITY AND DESCRIBED HEREIN MAY APPEAR AND SHOW CAUSE WHY SUCH STRUCTURE SHOULD NOT BE CONDEMNED AND ORDERED REPAIRED OR DEMOLISHED AS AN UNSAFE OR DANGEROUS STRUCTURE.”
WHEREAS, the enforcing officer of the City of Iola, Kansas, did on the 13th day of January, 2025, file with the governing body of said city, a statement in writing that the structure, hereinafter described, is unsafe and dangerous. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF IOLA, KANSAS:
Public notice
(First published in The Iola Register Jan. 17, 2025)
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-02 “A RESOLUTION FIXING A TIME AND PLACE AND PROVIDING FOR NOTICE OF A HEARING BEFORE THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF IOLA, KANSAS, AT WHICH THE OWNER, HIS OR HER AGENT, LIENHOLDERS OF RECORDS, OCCUPANTS AND OTHER PARTIES IN INTEREST OF STRUCTURES LOCATED WITHIN SAID CITY AND DESCRIBED HEREIN MAY APPEAR AND SHOW CAUSE WHY SUCH STRUCTURE SHOULD NOT BE CONDEMNED AND ORDERED REPAIRED OR DEMOLISHED AS AN UNSAFE OR DANGEROUS STRUCTURE.” WHEREAS, the enforcing officer of the City of Iola, Kansas, did on the 13 th day of January, 2025, file with the governing body of said city, a statement in writing that the structure, hereinafter described, is unsafe and dangerous. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF IOLA, KANSAS:
That a hearing will be held on the 24th day of February, 2025, before the governing body of the city at 6:00 0’clock pm., at the Park Community Building, 510 Park Avenue in Iola, Kansas at which the owner, his or her agent, any lien holders of record, any occupant and any other parties in interest, as that term is defined by law, of the structure located at: DELAPLAINS ADD TO IOLA LTS 9 & 10, BLK 2 & S2 ABAN RR WW ADJ N A.K.A. 14 N Fourth May appear and show cause why such structure should not be condemned as an unsafe or dangerous structure and ordered repaired or demolished.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk shall cause this resolution to be published and shall give notice of the aforesaid hearing in the manner provided by law.
Adopted this 13th day of January, 2025
(SEAL) s/ Steve French, Mayor ATTEST: s/ Roxanne Hutton, City Clerk (1) 17, 24
That a hearing will be held on the 24th day of February, 2025, before the governing body of the city at 6:00 0’clock pm., at the Park Community Building, 510 Park Avenue in Iola, Kansas at which the owner, his or her agent, any lien holders of record, any occupant and any other parties in interest, as that term is defined by law, of the structure located at: IOLA CITY, S26, T24, R18, BLOCK 55, LOT N 56’ LT 1 A.K.A. 108 N Walnut May appear and show cause why such structure should not be condemned as an unsafe or dangerous structure and ordered repaired or demolished. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk shall cause this resolution to be published and shall give notice of the aforesaid hearing in the manner provided by law.
Adopted this 13th day of January, 2025
(SEAL) s/ Steve French, Mayor ATTEST: s/ Roxanne Hutton, City Clerk (1) 17, 24
GOING ON VACATION?
ing trade tariffs while the ongoing political turbulence is weighing heavily on consumer confidence.
The Constitutional Court has six months
to decide whether to permanently remove Yoon from office. If the court upholds Yoon’s impeachment, it would trigger a presidential election within 60 days.
Public notice
(First published in The Iola Register Jan. 17, 2025)
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-04 “A RESOLUTION FIXING A TIME AND PLACE AND PROVIDING FOR NOTICE OF A HEARING BEFORE THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF IOLA, KANSAS, AT WHICH THE OWNER, ms OR HER AGENT, LIENHOLDERS OF RECORDS, OCCUPANTS AND OTHER PARTIES IN INTEREST OF STRUCTURES LOCATED WITHIN SAID CITY AND DESCRIBED HEREIN MAY APPEAR AND SHOW CAUSE WHY SUCH STRUCTURE SHOULD NOT BE CONDEMNED AND ORDERED REPAIRED OR DEMOLISHED AS AN UNSAFE OR DANGEROUS STRUCTURE.”
WHEREAS, the enforcing officer of the City of Iola, Kansas, did on the 13 th day of January, 2025, file with the governing body of said city, a statement in writing that the structure, hereinafter described, is unsafe and dangerous. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF IOLA, KANSAS:
That a hearing will be held on the 24th day of February, 2025, before the governing body of the city at 6:00 0’clock pm., at the Park Community Building, 510 Park Avenue in Iola, Kansas at which the owner, his or her agent, any lien holders of record, any occupant and any other parties in interest, as that term is defined by law, of the structure located at: HIGHLAND PLACE ADD TO IOLA, S26, T24, RI 8, BLOCK 16, LOT 10 A.K.A. 309 N First May appear and show cause why such structure should not be condemned as an unsafe or dangerous structure and ordered repaired or demolished. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk shall cause this resolution to be published and shall give notice of the aforesaid hearing in the manner provided by law. Adopted this 13th day of January, 2025 (SEAL) s/ Steve French, Mayor ATTEST: s/ Roxanne Hutton, City Clerk (1) 17, 24
Public notice
(First published in The Iola Register Jan. 17, 2025) RESOLUTION NO 2025-05 “A RESOLUTION FIXING A TIME AND PLACE AND PROVIDING FOR NOTICE OF A HEARING BEFORE THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF IOLA, KANSAS, AT WHICH THE OWNER, HIS OR HER AGENT, LIENHOLDERS OF RECORDS, OCCUPANTS AND OTHER PARTIES IN INTEREST OF STRUCTURES LOCATED WITHIN SAID CITY AND DESCRIBED HEREIN MAY APPEAR AND SHOW CAUSE WHY SUCH STRUCTURE SHOULD NOT BE CONDEMNED AND ORDERED REPAIRED OR DEMOLISHED AS AN UNSAFE OR DANGEROUS STRUCTURE.”
WHEREAS, the enforcing officer of the City of Iola, Kansas, did on the 13 th day of January, 2025, file with the governing body of said city, a statement in writing that the structure, hereinafter described, is unsafe and dangerous. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF IOLA, KANSAS:
Public notice
(Published in The Iola Register Jan. 11, 2025) IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF ALLEN COUNTY, KANSAS THIRTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF KANSAS PROBATE DIVISION
In the Matter of the Estate of MARY J. WILES, a/k/a MARY JANE WILES, deceased
Case No. AL-2023-PR-300004
Pursuant to Chapters 59 & 60 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR FINAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE
THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL
That a hearing will be held on the 24th day of February, 2025, before the governing body of the city at 6:00 0’clock pm., at the Park Community Building, 510 Park Avenue in Iola, Kansas at which the owner, his or her agent, any lien holders of record, any occupant and any other parties in interest, as that term is defined by law, of the structure located at: IOLA CITY, S35, T24, R18, BLOCK 101, LOT 11. A.K.A. 419 S Washington May appear and show cause why such structure should not be condemned as an unsafe or dangerous structure and ordered repaired or demolished. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk shall cause this resolution to be published and shall give notice of the aforesaid hearing in the manner provided by law. Adopted this 13th day of January, 2025 (SEAL) s/ Steve French, Mayor ATTEST: s/ Roxanne Hutton, City Clerk (1) 17, 24
PERSONS CONCERNED: You are hereby notified that a Petition has been filed in this Court praying for final settlement of the Estate of MARY J. WILES a/k/a MARY JANE WILES, deceased, approving the acts, accounts and proceedings of the Special Administrator and Executor of the said estate, and allowance of attorney fees and other costs and expenses, if any, and determination of the heirs, legatees and devisees entitled to the estate and assignment of the decedent’s assets and property to them in accordance with the Last Will and Testament of the above-named decedent.
You are hereby required to file your written defenses thereto on or before the 4th day of February, 2025 at 1:30 o’clock P.M., of said day in the District Court of Allen County, Kansas, Allen County Courthouse, Magistrate Courtroom, 1 North Washington, Iola, Kansas 66749 at which time and place the cause will be heard. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon said Petition.
DAVID J. BIDEAU, Executor BIDEAU LAW OFFICES, LLC David J. Bideau #11285 Kenna B. Bideau-Kepley # 28097 P. O. Box 945 18 North Forest Avenue
Subscribers have unique access to
Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol participate in an rally near the Constitutional Court on Thursday, Jan. 23, in Seoul, South Korea. CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAGES/TNS
Teen fatally shoots student, himself
NASHVILLE, Tenn.
UK teen who killed girls sentenced to over 50 years
LONDON (AP) — A teenager who stabbed three young girls to death at a Taylor Swiftthemed dance class in England has been sentenced to more than 50 years in prison.
Judge Julian Goose said Thursday 18-yearold Axel Rudakubana “wanted to try and carry out mass murder of innocent, happy young girls.”
The judge said he
couldn’t impose a sentence of life without parole, because Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the crime.
But the judge said he must serve more than 51 years before being considered for parole and “it is likely he will never be released.” Rudakubana attacked the children in the seaside town of Southport in July.
(AP) — A shooting in a Nashville high school cafeteria Wednesday left a female student dead and another student wounded, nearly two years after another deadly school shooting in the city that ignited an emotional debate about gun control in Tennessee.
The 17-year-old shooter, who was also a student at Antioch High School, later shot and killed himself with a handgun, Metro Nashville Police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news conference. Police identified him as Solomon Henderson.
Police Chief John Drake said the shooter “confronted” student Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, in the cafeteria and opened fire, killing
The wounded student was grazed by a bullet. He was treated and released from the hospital, Drake said. Another student was taken to a hospital for treatment of a facial injury that happened during a fall, Aaron said.
Metro Nashville Police, federal and state agencies are examining “very concerning online writings and social media posts connected to 17-year-old Solomon Henderson” as they work to establish a motive, police said in a statement Wednesday evening.
Investigators at this point have not established a connection between Henderson and the victims, and police said the gunfire may have been random, according to the state-
ment.
Two school resource officers were in the building when the shooting happened around 11 a.m., Aaron said. They were not in the immediate vicinity of the cafeteria and by the time they got down there the shooting was over and the gunman had killed himself, Aaron said.
The school has about 2,000 students and is in Antioch, a neighborhood about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of downtown Nashville.
The children were bussed from the school to a medical center where officials helped shocked parents reunite with their children.
Dajuan Bernard was waiting at a Mapco service station to reunite with his son, a 10th
grader, who was being held in the auditorium with other students Wednesday afternoon. He first heard of the shooting from his son, who “was a little startled,” Bernard said. His son was upstairs from the cafeteria but said he heard the gunfire.
“He was OK and let me know that everything was OK,” Bernard said.
“This world is so crazy, it could happen anywhere,” he said. “We’ve just got to protect the kids, and raise the kids right to prevent them from even doing this. That’s the hardest part.”
Fonda Abner said her granddaughter had called her a couple of times but that she only heard commotion and thought it was a pocket dial. They spoke briefly before being cut off.
CRYPTOQUOTES
Trump says he may withhold federal aid for LA over state’s water policies
WASHINGTON (AP) —
President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal disaster aid for wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles unless California leaders change the state’s approach on its management of water.
In a Fox News Channel interview on Wednesday, Trump repeated false claims that the state’s fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in urban areas. He says the blame for Los Angeles’ struggles to tame some of the deadly fires lies with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, a political foe who has called for partnership and mutual respect as the state fights the blazes.
“I don’t think we should give California anything until they let the water run down,” Trump said in an interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity.
The president leveled the threat as he prepares for the first presidential trip of his second term.
On Friday, he will visit Southern California in addition to western North Carolina, which is recovering after Hurricane Helene pummeled the area more than three months ago.
Trump in the interview also called for reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, claiming it is “getting in the way of everything.”
“I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems,” he said. He did not elaborate on his proposed reforms,
only saying that the agency is “going to be a whole big discussion very shortly.”
In other developments for the new administration, Trump met Wednesday with a small contingent of the most politically endangered House Republicans as the party struggles to agree on a strategy for implementing the tax cuts and other priorities that it promised voters.
The meeting happened as Trump tried to advance other priorities during the first week of his second term. Roughly 160 aides at the National Security Council were sent home while it is determined whether they align with Trump’s agenda. The Pentagon has begun deploying
1,500 active-duty troops to support border security efforts.
“The American people have been waiting for such a time as this,” said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary.
Stephen Miller, a top Trump adviser, met with Senate Republicans to update them on plans for deportations and reinstating Title 42, a policy that was put in place during the coronavirus pandemic to stop border crossings.
Although Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress, they have only thin majorities on Capitol Hill, and there are disagreements on how to move forward with so many issues on the table.
We’re trying out some new comics! Take a look at “Alice”, “Curtis” and “Between Friends.” Like them? Not so much? Give us a call and let us know your thoughts at 620-365-2111.
Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: If you do the right thing in the here and now, the future has a way of taking care of itself. -- Dolly Parton
ZITS
by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman
BEETLE BAILEY by Mort Walker
HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by Chris Browne
MARVIN
by Tom Armstrong
HI AND LOIS by Chance Browne
BLONDIE by Young and Drake
MUTTS by Patrick McDonell
CURTIS by Ray Billingsley
BETWEEN FRIENDS by Sandra Bell-Lundy
ALICE by Andrea E. Beizer
Friday, January 24, 2025
The Iola Register
~ Journalism that makes a difference
China eagerly awaits for America’s green economy to go bust
In its heyday in the mid20th century, the steel mill in Weirton, W.Va., employed 13,000 people and offered workers a relatively stable blue-collar life. In 2003, Weirton Steel filed for bankruptcy. Shops downtown boarded up their windows, and young people moved away from the declining Appalachian town.
Weirton’s prospects were turning around in May 2023 when I made a trip there as energy secretary. Form Energy, which builds large iron-air batteries to store energy for the electric grid, had just broken ground on a 550,000-square-foot factory. Today, the production line is humming, and when the plant reaches full capacity, it will employ more than 750 people, primarily locals who were laid off from the mill.
Form Energy’s plant is one of nearly 1,000 new or expanded clean energy factories announced across the United States in the past four years, along with about 800,000 new manufacturing jobs — proof that America has begun a manufacturing renaissance.
But you can kiss that goodbye if President Trump and the new Congress roll back the laws that made it possible. Our economic competitors are lying in wait to entice companies overseas and turn our innovation into their prosperity.
The United States used to be great at building things. Around the middle of the 20th century we made half the world’s steel and half the world’s cars. By the 1970s, more Americans held manufacturing jobs than ever before.
Then, other countries started poaching our technology. They lured companies abroad with free capital and cheap labor. Back in America, policymakers stuck to their laissez-faire guns. If employers want-
ed to move production offshore, who were we to question the free market?
But our economic competitors weren’t playing by the same rules. The free market didn’t take our jobs; China and Mexico did, by tempting companies with financial incentives.
By the time I became Michigan’s governor in 2003, many workers who had started their careers making the world’s best cars ended their careers without a pension — sometimes even training their replacements overseas before handing in their identification badges. Around 60,000 American factories shut down between 2001 and 2011.
There should be no confusion about why new factories are opening again: America is finally playing hardball with its economic competitors. Former President Joe Biden enacted three laws — the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act — which created tax credits, grants and loans to make it cost effective to build American products on American soil with American workers. That’s especially true of clean energy technologies like solar panels and batteries.
Form Energy received a grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help build its factory. It will also claim tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act for producing batteries. Over the next decade,
Letter to the editor
Dear editor, I recently found myself reading the latest discussion about public notices in Allen County. As someone who doesn’t reside in Allen County full-time, I value the Iola Register’s efforts to keep its readers informed.
One comment made by a Commissioner particularly frustrated me: the suggestion that the Register could continue publishing notices without financial support from the county.
As a statewide community organizer, I’ve worked with other local newspapers across Kansas. None compare to the outreach and professionalism of the Iola Register.
During the 2024 November Election, I encountered numerous issues with other newspapers — my volunteers had to send multiple emails and make repeated calls just to get their letters to the editor published in their weekly editions.
In contrast, the Register has always been responsive, timely, and open to a range of bipartisan opinions in a daily format — one of fewer than 30 local papers in the state that still maintain this frequency.
In addition to what sets the Reg-
our clean energy laws could add almost $2 trillion to the U.S. economy.
Yet Mr. Trump seems poised to roll back the very incentives that are reviving American manufacturing. He has promised to kill an electric vehicle tax credit that has helped save auto factories, including in my home state.
On his first day in office, he signed an executive order declaring an emergency need for more energy, which he defines almost exclusively as oil and gas. There is no mention of solar, which is generating thousands of new manufacturing jobs and was our largest new source of energy capacity last year.
This is a risky economic strategy. Other governments are waiting with bated breath for us to pare back our grants, loans and tax credits so they can use the same tools to sweettalk the next generation of factories to their shores.
CONSIDER ELECTRIC vehicles: It’s no secret China wants to dominate the global market. Today, it accounts for more than half the world’s electric vehicle production. But
ister apart is its dual commitment to tradition and innovation.
They continue to provide physical paper deliveries while adapting to modern times by offering online alternatives, email and text updates, and even hosting podcasts.
These efforts are invaluable to people like me who live outside the area but want to stay connected to the issues affecting my home community and my family still living there.
All this to say: Suggesting that the Register should shoulder this responsibility without support undermines their ability to continue serving the community so effectively.
If anything, Allen County should recognize the Register’s centuryand-a-half long contributions and ensure its partnership continues for the benefit of all residents of the county.
Thank you to the Iola Register for the vital role you play in keeping the public informed. Your dedication does not go unnoticed.
Sincerely, Allie Utley, former Iolan, Overland Park, Kan.
over 450 electric vehicle battery companies have announced they are moving to America or expanding factories here since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act — many of them leaving China to do so. It would be a national embarrassment to cede this entire industry back.
And we stand to lose more than jobs or pride.
The United States’ electricity demand will grow 15 percent over the next decade because of new data centers, factories and transportation. If the Trump administration forces the loss of wind, solar and other clean energy jobs, we’ll lose access to the technologies that help make up our energy mix. Monthly utility bills will rise, and brownouts and blackouts will become regular experiences.
The administration is also deluding itself if it believes “drill, baby, drill” will create a jobs boom. The United States is already the world’s largest oil producer and gas exporter. A combination of tepid oil prices and subdued market demand has left many industry leaders weary of making major investments to increase output.
THE POLITICS of presidential transitions are delicate. Incoming administrations want to turn the page, but some policies, and some people, ought to be exempt from this tug of war. I think of the autoworkers in Michigan and the steelworkers in West Virginia — skilled women and men left asking if America still has use for their talents. It took us too long to respond, but because of these new manufacturing laws, we can finally say yes. Securing the next generation of U.S. manufacturing jobs will require strong government and private-sector partnerships and continued investment in domestic clean energy production. When we flipped off the lights in our offices on Monday, we left the next occupants a plan for success — already in motion. It will be up to them to decide if they want to make the most of it.
About the author: Jennifer Granholm was energy secretary in the Biden administration and governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2011.
How to connect with legislators
By TOD BOWMAN Center for Rural Affairs
Effective advocacy requires understanding the legislative process and employing strategic communication. Constituents can impact legislation by providing their perspective on a bill and explaining the reasoning for their position.
As a former Iowa state senator from Maquoketa, 2011-2019, I saw countless examples of advocacy.
Understanding a legislator’s background can lead to more effectively tailored communication, increasing the likelihood of successful messaging. For example, my constituents knew I was a wrestling coach and enjoyed other sports, and we built rapport over those.
Personal meetings are the best way to build relationships with legislators. However, make sure to schedule an appointment in advance rather than simply showing up at the Capitol — scheduling a meeting prior to a visit can ensure a legislator has time to meet and is prepared to discuss a specific legislative issue.
If traveling to the Capitol is difficult, consider inviting a legislator to meet at a cafe or coffee shop in your
district that is convenient to your legislator.
Communicating directly with a legislator through personalized, handwritten letters can be a highly effective approach to sharing your perspective.
A particularly memorable communication I received during my time as a senator was a unique and creative expression of support: A singing card with a short note encouraging support for a bill. This unexpected and heartfelt gesture underscored the power of personal advocacy.
Remember to follow up to thank your legislator for their support or to encourage them to reconsider their position.
Surprisingly few constituents contact their legislators, but effective communication with policymakers is essential for a healthy democracy. Every voice matters—it shapes the policies affecting the community and ensures the people’s concerns are heard.
Established in 1973, the Center for Rural Affairs is a nonprofit organization working to strengthen small businesses, family farms, and rural communities by addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.
Jennifer Granholm Guest essay for the New York Times
Federal incentives only recently enacted have enabled homeowners, farmers and industries to install green energy systems, spurring the creation of new jobs. If those are eliminated, the U.S. will cede those industries to its global competitors. PHOTO BY RAZE SOLAR/UNSPLASH
Mapmakers ponder Trump’s renaming plans
By LAURIE KELLMAN and HILLEL ITALIE The Associated Press
What’s in a name change, after all?
The water bordered by the Southern United States, Mexico and Cuba will be critical to shipping lanes and vacationers whether it’s called the Gulf of Mexico, as it has been for four centuries, or the Gulf of America, as President Donald Trump ordered this week. North America’s highest mountain peak will still loom above Alaska whether it’s called Denali, as ordered by former President Barack Obama in 2015, or changed back to Mt. McKinley as Trump also decreed.
But Trump’s territorial assertions, in line with his “America First” worldview, sparked a round of rethinking by mapmakers and teachers, snark on social media and sarcasm by at least one other world leader. And though Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put the Trumpian “Gulf of America” on an official document and some other gulf-adjacent states were considering doing the same, it was not clear how many others would follow Trump’s lead.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum joked that if Trump went ahead with the renaming, her country would rename North America “Mexican America.” On Tuesday, she toned it down: “For us and for the entire world it will continue to be called the Gulf of Mexico.”
The politics of maps are undeniable Map lines are inherently political. After all, they’re representations of the places that are important to human beings — and those priorities can be delicate and contentious, even more so in a globalized world where multiple nations often share the same maps.
There’s no agreed-upon scheme to name boundaries and features across the Earth.
“Denali” is the mountain’s preferred name for Alaska Natives, while
“McKinley” is a tribute to President William McKinley, designated in the late 19th century by a gold prospector. China sees Taiwan as its own territory, and the countries surrounding what the United States calls the South China Sea have multiple names for the same body of water.
The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of “Gulf” and “Arabian Gulf” is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran — formerly Persia — threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company’s decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps. Many Arab countries don’t recognize Israel and instead call it Palestine. And in many official releases, Israel calls the occupied West Bank by its biblical name, “Judea and Samaria.”
Americans and Mexicans diverge on what to call another key body of water, the river that forms the border between Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. Americans call it the Rio Grande; Mexicans call it the Rio Bravo.
Trump’s executive order — titled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” — concludes thusly: “It is in the national interest to promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation and ensure future generations of American citizens celebrate the legacy of our American heroes. The naming of our nation-
al treasures, including breathtaking natural wonders and historic works of art, should honor the contributions of visionary and patriotic Americans in our Nation’s rich past.”
But what to call the gulf with the 3,700-mile coastline?
“It is, I suppose, an internationally recognized sea, but (to be honest), a situation like this has never come up before so I need to confirm the appropriate convention,” said Peter Bellerby, who said he was talking over the issue with the cartographers at his London company, Bellerby & Co. Globemakers. “If, for instance, he wanted to change the Atlantic Ocean to the American Ocean, we would probably just ignore it.”
For some, it’s decision time
As of Wednesday night, map applications for Google and Apple still called the mountain and the gulf by their old names. Spokespersons for those platforms did not immediately respond to emailed questions.
A spokesperson for National Geographic, one of the most prominent map makers in the U.S., said this week that the company does not comment on individual cases and referred questions to a statement on its web site, which reads in part that it “strives to be apolitical, to consult multiple authoritative sources, and to make independent decisions based on extensive research.” National Geographic also has a policy
Opioids: New board for Purdue
of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Under the new proposal, members of the Sackler family who own Purdue would contribute up to $7.4 billion over 15 years and give up ownership of Purdue, which would become a new entity with its board appointed by states and others who sued the company. A portion of the money is also to go to victims of the opioid crisis or their survivors.
The family’s contribution will be higher than the $6 billion agreed to under the previous version. The Supreme Court blocked the agreement last year because it protected members of the wealthy
family from civil lawsuits over OxyContin — even though the family members themselves were not in bankruptcy.
The new agreement protects family members from lawsuits only from entities that agree to the settlement.
There’s been mediation seeking a new deal since the court’s ruling was delivered. If one is not reached, it could open the floodgates to lawsuits against Sackler family members.
The new settlement could bring to a close a chapter in a long legal saga over the toll of an opioid crisis that some experts assert began after the blockbuster painkiller OxyContin hit the market in 1996. Since then, opioids have been linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths in the U.S. The deadliest stretch has been since 2020, when illicit fentanyl has been found
as a factor in more than 70,000 deaths annually.
Members of the Sackler family been cast as villains and have seen their name removed from art galleries and universities around the world because of their role in the privately held company. They’ve continued to deny claims of any wrongdoing.
Collectively, family members have been estimated to be worth billions more than they’d contribute in the settlement, but much of the wealth is in offshore accounts and might be impossible to access through lawsuits.
Purdue sought bankruptcy protection in 2019 as it faced thousands of lawsuits over the opioid crisis. Among the claims are that the company targeted doctors with a message that the addiction risk to the powerful painkillers was low.
More Americans file for unemployment
By MATT OTT The Associated Press
Jobless claims applications ticked up modestly last week, but the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits rose to their highest level in more than three years.
of including explanatory notes for place names in dispute, citing as an example a body of water between Japan and the Korean peninsula, referred to as the Sea of Japan by the Japanese and the East Sea by Koreans.
The Associated Press, which disseminates news around the world to multiple audiences, will refer to the Gulf of Mexico by its original name while acknowledging the name Gulf of America. AP will, however, use the name Mount McKinley instead of Denali; the area lies solely in the United States and as president, Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country.
In discussion on social media, one thread noted that the Sears Tower in Chicago was renamed the Willis Tower in 2009, though it’s still commonly known by its original moniker. Pennsylvania’s capital, Harrisburg, renamed its Market Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard and then switched back to Market Street several years later — with loud complaints both times. In 2017, New York’s Tappan Zee Bridge was renamed for the late Gov. Mario Cuomo to great controversy. The new name appears on maps, but “no one calls it that,” noted another user.
“Are we going to start teaching this as the name of the body of water?” asked one Reddit poster on Tuesday.
Applications for jobless benefits rose by 6,000 to 223,000 for the week ending January 18, the Labor Department said Thursday. Analysts were expecting 219,000 new applications.
Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs.
The total number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits for the week of January 11 climbed by 46,000 to 1.9 million, the most since November of 2021.
The rising level of continuing claims, the total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits, sug-
gests that some who are receiving benefits are finding it harder to land new jobs. That could mean that demand for workers is waning, even as the economy remains strong.
The four-week average of continuing claims is about 100,000 higher than it was a year ago.
Though some signs of labor market weakness surfaced in 2024, jobs are still plentiful and layoffs historically low.
Earlier this month, the Labor Department reported that job growth in December surged and unemployment fell. Employers added 256,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1%.
The final jobs report of 2024 underscores that the economy and hiring were able to grow at a solid pace even with interest rates much higher than they were before the pandemic.
Cancun, Mexico. PIXABAY.COM
How the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal will unfold —and why it’s so precarious
CAIRO (AP) — Israeli troops have pulled back to the edges of Gaza, the first hostages have been released and many Palestinians have returned to what remains of their homes in the first few days of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.
If it goes according to plan, there will be no fighting in Gaza for at least six weeks, and dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed, while more aid flows in.
The question is if the ceasefire will survive beyond the first phase — and an appendix to the deal provided to The Associated Press reveals some of the tensions in it.
Extending the ceasefire depends on even more negotiations meant to begin soon and eventually tackling the tough issue of how Gaza will be governed, with Israel still demanding the elimination of Hamas.
Hanging over those talks is the possibility Israel could resume its campaign to destroy the militant group — even as dozens of hostages remain in its hands.
Here is a look at the plan and the major chal-
A woman speaks with a girl outside a tent at a camp for people displaced by conflict in Bureij, in the central Gaza Strip, on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, following the announcement of a truce amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. EYAD BABA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES/TNS
lenges ahead.
Israeli troops pull back and Palestinians return home
As part of Phase 1, Israeli troops have pulled back into a buffer zone along Gaza’s borders with Israel. According to the appendix, which AP has verified, the buffer is about 0.4 miles wide in most areas.
That has allowed displaced Palestinians to begin to return to their homes, many of which were destroyed or heav-
ily damaged by Israel’s campaign.
But their return has been a complicated point in the negotiations. Israel long demanded it keep control over Palestinians’ movement to ensure Hamas does not move weapons back to northern Gaza close to Israeli communities.
Throughout the war, the Israeli military had barred Palestinians from returning to the north by severing Gaza along the Netzarim corridor, a belt
that runs east to west across the strip where troops cleared out the Palestinian population and set up bases.
According to the appendix, Israel will start on Saturday allowing displaced Palestinians to return to the north without searches, but only on foot via the main northsouth coastal road. In the coming weeks, it is supposed to open another route to foot traffic, without inspection.
A private company — the details of which are
Fires: High winds, rain forecasted
Continued from A1
the Hughes Fire that had been closed reopened Wednesday evening.
A 30-mile stretch of the major north-south artery had been closed for emergency vehicles, to move equipment and to prevent accidents due to smoke billowing across it.
Winds in the area were gusting at 42 mph in the afternoon. They had reached as high as 65 mph in some mountain pockets by Wednesday night, according to David Roth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Kayla Amara drove to Castaic’s Stonegate neighborhood to collect items from the home of a friend who had rushed to pick up her daughter at preschool. As Amara was packing the car, she learned the fire had exploded in size and decided to hose down the property.
“Other people are hosing down their houses, too. I hope there’s a house here to return to,” Amara said as police cars raced through the streets and flames engulfed trees on a hillside in the distance.
Amara, a nurse who lives in nearby Valencia, said she’s been on edge for weeks as major blazes devastated Southern California.
“It’s been stressful with those other fires, but now that this one is close to home it’s just super stressful,” she said.
Closer to Los Angeles, residents in Sherman Oaks received an evacuation warning Wednesday night after a brush fire broke out on the Sepulveda Pass near the I-405 Freeway. The blaze was first reported just after 11 p.m., but the Los Angeles Fire Department said Thursday that forward progress had been stopped at about 40 acres
and the evacuation warning was lifted. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported, fire officials said, but firefighters remained at the scene.
The low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds came as firefighters continued battling the Palisades and Eaton fires. Officials remained concerned that those fires could break their containment lines as firefighters continue watching for hot spots. Containment of the Palisades Fire reached 70%, and the Eaton Fire was at 95%.
The Palisades and Eaton fires have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out Jan. 7.
Luna said Wednesday his department was still investigating 22 active missing person reports in both fire zones. All reported missing are
Trump: Speaks to Davos elite
Continued from A1
give you among the lowest taxes as any nation on earth,” Trump said. “But if you don’t make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply, you will have to pay a tariff — differing amounts — but a tariff, which will direct hundreds of billions of dollars and even trillions of dollars into our treasury to strengthen our economy and pay down debt under the Trump administration.”
Trump, who spoke Wednesday to Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, also said Thursday that the kingdom wants to invest $600 billion in the U.S. but that he would ask Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to increase it to $1 trillion. The remark drew
some laughter from the crowd in the hall in Davos.
Introducing Trump, Davos founder Klaus Schwab told the new president that his return and his agenda have “been at the focus of our discussions this week.” He invited Trump to speak at the summit in person next year.
Trump, who promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war before taking office, said it remained a top priority, but he offered few clues for how he would do so.
“One thing very important: I really would like to be able to meet with President Putin soon and get that war ended,” Trump told the Davos audience. “We really have to stop that war. That war is horri-
ble”
Earlier in his address to the forum, Trump laid blame on the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries for keeping the price of oil too high for much of the nearly three-year war. Oil sales are the economic engine driving Moscow’s economy.
“If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately,” Trump said. He added about OPEC+, “They are very responsible to a certain extent for what’s taking place.”
Oil prices have more recently slumped due to weaker-than-expected demand from China as well as increased production from countries such as Brazil and Argentina that aren’t in OPEC+.
yet to be formally an-
nounced — will search Palestinians returning in vehicles to prevent military hardware from reaching the north, according to the appendix. The document says this will also start from Saturday, but it is still unclear how it will work.
The appendix was confirmed by multiple officials involved in the negotiations, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
Swapping hostages for imprisoned Palestinians
During the first phase, Hamas is set to free 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The first exchange took place Sunday with the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners. By the end of the 42 days, all living women, children and older people held by the militants should be freed.
Currently, some 94 hostages remain captive inside Gaza, a mix of civilians and soldiers and foreigners. The military believes at least a third
them are dead. The next exchange is set for Saturday. After that, if the deal does not collapse, there will be weekly releases.
The 33 will include women, children, sick people and those over 50 — almost all civilians, but the deal also commits Hamas to freeing all living female soldiers in Phase 1. Hamas will release living hostages first, but could release some bodies if they don’t have enough living hostages in this category.
In exchange, Israel will free 30 Palestinian women, children or older people for each living civilian hostage freed. The deal says those released will include more than 110 Palestinians serving life sentences. For each female soldier freed, Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 serving life sentences.
Many of the prisoners who will be released were convicted in deadly attacks. A number of Palestinian prisoners will be sent abroad or to Gaza, according to the deal, but it unclear who this will apply to and which country will accept them.
adults, he said.
Ahed of the weekend, Los Angeles officials were preparing for potential rain even as some residents were allowed to return to the charred Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. Gusty weather was expected to last through Thursday and precipitation was possible starting Saturday, according to the weather service.
The California fires have overall caused at least $28 billion in insured damage and probably a little more in uninsured damage, according to Karen Clark and Company, a disaster modeling firm known for accurate post-catastrophe damage assessments.
Sports Daily B
Just out of reach
Allen falls at home to Johnson Co.
By RICHARD LUKEN
The Iola Register
A spirited back-and-forth affair took a turn Wednesday late in the first half for Allen Community College.
The Red Devils, riding high after a big win over rival Neosho County on Saturday, were knotted at 2626 with first-place Johnson County late in the first half.
But the Red Devil offense went cold from there.
The Cavaliers ended the first half on a 14-6 run to take a 38-30 lead into intermission.
That was prelude to a prolonged scoring drought in which Allen scored only one field goal over the first 10 minutes of the second half.
Johnson County led by as many as 22 down the stretch in a 72-60 victory.
The loss drops Allen to 2-2 in Jayhawk Conference play, 7-10 overall.
The Cavaliers extended their lead to 46-31 early in the second half before Allen’s Tyler Pinder converted a rare four-point play to slice the lead to 11.
Problem was, Allen didn’t score again from the field until Jackson Langford drilled a 3-pointer at the 10-minute mark.
By then, Johnson County had extended its lead to 5836.
The Red Devils mounted a
ACC
Allen Community College’s women showed glimpses Wednesday of how good the Red Devils can be.
“But that’s the problem,” Red Devil head coach Leslie Crane said. “They’re only glimpses. We’ve gotta be more consistent.”
Allen’s lulls against the nation’s second-ranked Johnson County Cavaliers, including a particularly costly one early in the fourth quarter, turned into a 79-62 defeat.
The loss is Allen’s second straight after a 13-0 start to the 2024-25 season.
“We cannot continue to have these unforced errors that kill you,” Crane said. “We’re showing some imma-
Friday, January 24, 2025
Fourth time a charm?
The near annual playoff matchups between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are hardly unprecedented. The one-sided nature of the postseason rivalry between the two star quarterbacks is more unusual.
Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs will host Allen and the Buffalo Bills in the AFC title game on Sunday night for the fourth postseason matchup between the QBs in the past five seasons.
Mahomes has come out on top in the first three, winning the 2020 AFC title game and 2021 divisional round matchup at home and then a divisional rounder last season in Buffalo. Mahomes and Allen are the fifth set of quarterbacks to start against each other at
PLAYOFFS | Page B4
turity, which is disappointing.”
After trailing by 10 in the early going, Allen stormed back to tie the game at 26-26 on consecutive buckets from Yolaine Luthi. A pair of free throws from Aaliyan Brown on ACC’s next possession gave Allen its first lead.
The game still was knotted before the Cavaliers ended the first half with a 9-1 run to take a 42-33 lead into the locker room.
Undaunted, Allen responded again, with a pair of free throws from Nikki Gear pulling the Red Devils to within 51-48 midway through the third quarter.
But Johnson County ended the period with five straight points, including Aa’mya
Allen Community College’s Dirk Johnson, (33) is fouled as he puts up a shot Wednesday against Johnson County. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Allen Community College’s Marat Cutazzo lunges for the ball Wednesday against Johnson County. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
By RICHARD LUKEN
The Iola Register
See ALLEN | Page B4
Josh Allen TNS FILE PHOTO
By JOSH DUBOW The Associated Press See
Q: It was good to see Carrie Under wood on “Dick Clark’s New Year ’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2025.” I know she’ll be a judge on “American Idol” for the new season. Does that mean she’ll be popping up on many other ABC shows?
A: It’s cer tainly a possibility, since the network isn’t being shy about promoting her new role on the singing contest, which she won herself in 2005 (its four th season, when it still was on Fox). While her New Year’s Eve appearance ser ved the immediate purpose of having an all-star music lineup, it was also a way to publicize her upcoming “Idol” stint (reinforced by the presence of Seacrest, who is also the host of “Idol,” of course).
At the ver y least, you can expect to see Under wood turn up in such other ABC programs as “Good Morning America,” “The View” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” It’s normal for hosts of reality-competition shows to make guest appearances on the same network’s talk-oriented fare, and in Under wood’s case, that’s especially likely to happen in late Februar y and early March — as the new “Idol” season gets a preview telecast after the Oscars on March 2, before it has its of ficial premiere on March 9.
Lately, the network with which Under wood has been most associated is NBC, since she has per formed the theme song for its “Sunday Night Football” since 2013. She inherited that mantle from fellow countr y-music star Faith Hill, who had the job for six years. Interestingly, Under wood was first approached about doing it soon after her “Idol” win, but she turned it down then, reasoning that she had much else going on career-wise at that time (which she cer tainly did). When Hill decided to step down, NBC Spor ts went back to Under wood a second time, and the rest has been histor y for more than a decade.
3 x 8” ad
Friday, Jan. 24 — Basketball TBD; JV wrestling @ Eureka
Saturday, Jan. 25 — Wrestling @ Eureka
Thursday — Basketball hosts Santa Fe Trail; Boys wrestling hosts Humboldt/Fredonia; Girls wrestling @ Burlington; IMS bb hosts Osawatomie
Wednesday — Basketball hosts North Texas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Playoffs: Chiefs take on Bills, Part 4
Continued from B1
least four times in the postseason, with most of the others being fairly even.
The Patriots’ Tom Brady won his first two playoff matchups against Peyton Manning before losing the final three in the only QB rivalry with five postseason meetings.
Brady split four matchups with Baltimore’s Joe Flacco, with the Patriots and Ravens alternating wins in those games that came in a span of six seasons.
Oakland’s Ken Stabler won his first and fourth playoff starts in four seasons against Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw but lost the two in the middle. Stabler also came off the bench in the 1972 divisional round matchup and scored on a goahead TD run with 1:17 to play before Bradshaw and the Steelers
won with the “ Immaculate Reception “ pass to Franco Harris for a game-winning 60-yard TD pass.
The only other matchup that started so one-sided came in the 1990s when Green Bay’s Brett Favre won his first three playoff games against Steve Young and the 49ers before San Francisco responded with “The Catch II” and a game-winning 25-yard TD pass from Young to Terrell Owens in a 1998 wild-card game.
Favre added one more playoff win over San Francisco with Jeff Garcia at QB and is one of two QBs to beat the same opponent four times in the postseason, with Brady holding a 4-1 record against the Colts.
Mahomes can join them on Sunday with a fourth playoff win against Buffalo. A loss would tie Allen with
Aaron Rodgers (0-4 against San Francisco) for the most defeats against one opponent in the playoffs.
Sensational Saquon The Los Angeles Rams seem to bring out the best in Saquon Barkley.
Barkley followed up his 255-yard rushing performance in the regular season against the Rams with a franchise playoff-record 205 in Philadelphia’s 28-22 win on Sunday, putting Barkley in some rare territory.
Barkley had the fifthmost rushing yards ever in a playoff game and broke the Eagles mark of 195 set by Steve Van Buren against the Rams in the 1949 NFL title game.
He did it thanks to big plays, with a 62yard TD run in the first quarter and a 78-yarder in the fourth, giving him an NFL-record six touchdown runs of at
least 60 yards this season, including four in the two games against the Rams.
Barkley finished with 460 yards against Los Angeles this season. There have been only four other times that one player ran for more than 430 yards against an opponent in a single season, playoffs included.
Adrian Peterson has the most, with 508 yards in three games against Green Bay in 2012, followed by Jamal Lewis with 500 against Cleveland in 2003, O.J. Simpson with 469 versus New England in 1973 and Derrick Henry with 462 against Houston in 2020.
Barkley needs 135 yards on Sunday against Washington to join that group for a second time after rushing for 296 yards in the first two meetings against the Commanders.
Red Devils: Lulls sink ACC women
Continued from B1
Stacker’s putback at the buzzer to stretch the lead to double digs.
Allen was stuck in neutral in the early going of the final period. A 3-pointer from Tawhirikura Doyle with about 6 minutes left in the game finally halted what had become a 19-3 Cavalier run.
“What’s killing us is that 5-minute gap of not executing,” Crane said. “When they made that shot at the buzzer in the third quarter, we just weren’t there mentally the first five
minutes of the fourth quarter.
“We’ve got to toughen up,” she continued.
“That’s what this conference does. You’ve gotta be tough, or you’re gonna get walked on.”
Aiyanna Mason came off the bench to score a team-high 11 points for the Red Devils.
“We’ve been waiting for that,” Crane said “I’m gonna expect that out of her now.”
Luthi added 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Doyle had four assists. She, Marta Cutazzo and Brown each had two steals.
Allen: Setback
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charge late in the contest. Dirk Johnson scored on a putback, Malachi Schilreff followed with a dunk and Johnson drained two free throws to cut ACC’s deficit to 64-54 with just under two minutes remaining.
But Johnson County’s Steven Samuels scored on a drive on the next possession before teammate Gavin Harvey scored on back-to-back layups to extend the lead to 68-54.
Mike Smith led the way for Allen with 15 points and nine rebounds. Schilreff scored 13 points with nine boards and three assists. Pinder scored 13 as well.
Brandon Mann scored 17, Traeger Rader 16, Harvey 12 and Samuels 11 for Johnson County. The Red Devils are back in action Saturday at Highland.
Johnson Co. (38-34—72)
The Red Devils shot a cold 3 of 22 from 3-point range. “You’re not gonna win many games shooting like that,” Crane said. Mostly, the team must improve its mental approach, she continued.
“Every possession is important,” she said. “Every defensive situation is important. They’ve never been in that situation where they have to be accountable every time.”
Allen gets little room for a breather, with a third straight matchup against a ranked opponent on the calendar.
On Saturday, the Red Devils travel to seventh-ranked HIghland.
“This has got to show the national people how competitive this (Jayhawk) conference is,” Crane
said. “For us not to have two or three teams in the national tournament is crazy. We’ve got teams here that can beat teams in the
