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THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Wildfires plague Kansas counties KIOWA, Kan. (AP) — Hundreds of firefighters were battling a wildfire today that spread from Oklahoma to Kansas has burned at least 280 square miles in one rural southern Kansas county. No injuries have been reported in either state. Fire officials in Barber County, where crews are working to extinguish a 30- to 40-mile line of fire, anticipate that the blaze will continue through Friday, said Darcy Golliher, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Incident Management Team. She expressed hope that there would be just a few hot spots to monitor over the weekend. “It will all depend on the wind,” she said. The National Weather Service said 25 mph winds are forecast in the area until noon, when they are expected to drop to 15 mph and then to 10 mph by sunset. Gusts of 45 to 50 mph were reported Wednesday. Golliher said she doesn’t know how much land has burned in neighboring Comanche County, where the See FIRES | Page A5
Smoke prompts local calls
Smoke from massive wildfires plaguing northern Oklahoma and southcentral Kansas made its way through the Iola area Wednesday evening. Several residents began noticing the smell of smoke around 9 o’clock, first in Woodson County, then in Iola and Allen County, and eventually on into the Fort Scott area. Several called 911, noted the Allen County Sheriff ’s Department. The smoke cast a hazy pall over the nighttime sky, giving the full moon an orange glow. The plumes dissipated as winds eventually shifted from the west to the north as a massive cold front blew through the area. The smoke was thick enough to be picked up by weather satellites.
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The National Weather Service released this radar image showing how plumes of smoke blanketed much of southern and southeast Kansas Wednesday.
Brothers Jimmy, left, and Mat Olson look through assorted pieces of candy. They’re among the youngsters who will partake in Easter hunts in the area Saturday. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Easter hunts this weekend Youngsters of all ages will be on the prowl this weekend for an assortment of Easter eggs, candy and other assorted prizes. Several organizations will once again sponsor Easter hunts Saturday. Windsor Place kicks things off from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. with an Easter parade. Youngsters are invited to come in at any point over those two hours to pick up their Easter goodies. Visitors should enter through the west door.
THE IOLA Kiwanis Club will once again sponsor one of the area’s oldest Easter egg hunts in the courthouse lawn at noon. The candy hunt usually wraps up in less than a minute as youngsters of all ages canvass the courtyard in search of sugary treats. THE
LAHARPE
PRIDE
Committee plans a 2 p.m. Easter hunt filled with candy and other prizes. More than 1,200 pieces of candy will be dispersed strategically throughout the LaHarpe City Park, with hunters divvied up into three age groups: 0-5 years, 6-10 and 11 and older. In addition to the candy hunt, all attendees will be entered into a drawing for cash and other prizes. In case of inclement weather, the event will move indoors to LaHarpe City Hall.
Senate OKs property tax lid bill TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas senators have passed a bill to accelerate a cap on city and county property tax increases. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Senate approved the bill with a 24-16 vote Tuesday. The bill moves up the im-
Medicaid advocates rally at Statehouse By ANDY MARSO KHI News Service
Hundreds of Kansans with developmental disabilities rallied Wednesday outside the Capitol as legislators said they are close to reaching a deal with Gov. Sam Brownback to postpone changes to disability services. Rep. Les Osterman, a Republican from Wichita, told the crowd that a legislative proposal to delay the administration’s Medicaid waiver integration plan until 2018 was a done deal. “I stopped the waiver integration,” Osterman said. “At least until 2018.” Osterman said he worked across the aisle with Rep. Jim Ward, a Democrat from Wichita. The two serve on a subcommittee that made the recommendation to delay. The
THE LIGHT OF LaHarpe Church has an Easter hunt planned at 10 a.m. at the church on South Main Street.
plementation of the property tax lid from 2018 to 2017. The lid was placed into law last year and requires voters to approve property tax increases above the rate of inflation. Debate continued for more than four hours as lawmakers went through amendments seeking exemptions to the
bill’s requirements. The legislation already provided some exemptions that wouldn’t trigger the cap, such as construction of new buildings, increases in personal property valuation and property that has changed use. See SENATE | Page A2
Panels approve new school funding plans By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
Stacy Tucker, center in pink, walked three days from her home in Lawrence to the rally. She wore a shirt with the message: “I walked for special needs people speaking out.” PHOTO BY ANDY
MARSO/KHI NEWS SERVICE
other members were Rep. Willie Dove, a Republican from Bonner Springs, and Rep. Jim Kelly, a Republican from Independence.
Quote of the day Vol. 118, No. 103
Earlier in the week, Ward and Kelly said they believed a deal to delay the integraSee MEDICAID | Page A5
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas legislative committees Wednesday approved similar versions of an education funding plan drafted by top Republican legislators to avoid a big spending increase while trying to meet a state Supreme Court order to help poor districts. The bills passed by the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee now go to their respective chambers for debate. Senate committee Chairman Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, said he hopes both chambers will agree on a
“A day wasted on others is not wasted on one’s self.” — Charles Dickens 75 Cents
single plan Thursday, approve it and send it to GOP Gov. Sam Brownback for his approval. House Speaker Ray Merrick, a Stilwell Republican, said such quick action is possible. The latest school funding developments are: THE NEW PROPOSAL
Both bills approved in comSee FUNDING | Page A5
Hi: 57 Lo: 29 Iola, KS