The Iola Register, July 26, 2023

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Firefighters academy in the works

IFD tackles staffing shortage

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

City officials are doing a little outside-the-box thinking to address an ongoing staffing shortage within the Iola Fire Department.

Iola Fire Chief Corey Isbell attended Monday’s City Council meeting to speak about an upcoming Firefighter/EMT Academy, which kicks off Aug. 21.

The eight-week academy will train applicants on the basics of becoming a firefighter or emergency medical technician, as well as how to handle hazardous materials.

Twenty-one applicants have signed up for the acad-

John Deere dealership to relocate

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Prairieland Partners, Iola’s John Deere dealership, plans to build a new facility along U.S. 169 at the northeast edge of town.

Iola and Allen County officials gave their stamps of approval Monday and Tuesday, respectively, clearing the way for the city to annex more than 105 acres of property owned by Sally Huskey at the northwest corner of U.S. 169 and Oregon Road.

The Prairieland Partners dealership will build on a 25-

See ANNEX | Page A3

UPS, union workers avert strike

By HALELUYA HADERO The Associated Press

UPS has reached a contract agreement with its 340,000-person strong union Tuesday, averting a strike that had the potential to disrupt logistics nationwide for businesses and households alike. The Teamsters called the tentative agreement “historic” and “overwhelmingly lucrative.” It includes, among other benefits, higher wages

and air conditioning in delivery trucks.

“Together we reached a win-win-win agreement on the issues that are important to Teamsters leadership, our employees and to UPS and our customers,” Carol Tomé, UPS chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement.

“This agreement continues to reward UPS’s full- and parttime employees with industry-leading pay and benefits while retaining the flexibility we need to stay competitive,

serve our customers and keep our business strong.”

The company said the five-year agreement covers U.S. Teamsters-represented employees in small-package roles and is subject to voting and ratification by union members.

Members of the Teamsters, angered by a contract they say was forced on them five years ago by union leadership, clashed with UPS over

See UPS | Page A3

Sisterly love guides Daniels clan through fair preparation

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

HUMBOLDT — The Daniels sisters find their best source of support in each other.

And maybe a little bit of friendly competition, too.

“It’s nice to have sisters showing as well,” Chloe, the oldest at 18, said. “I try to lend the biggest hand that I can.”

Each one of the girls shows a different type of animal, which can make it a little difficult to give advice. They also compete in different age divisions.

Chloe shows steers named Cash and Bruno. Bailey, age 13, shows goats named Harry and T-Bone. Sydney, age 11, shows swine who remain nameless and competes in arts and crafts.

“I’m not the best at showing goats,” Chloe continued. “But I kind of know how they’re supposed to look in the ring and I can give her

The Daniels sisters are ready to show their animals at the Allen County Fair. They are shown here with Cash, one of Chloe’s steers. From left are Chloe, Bailey and Sydney. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Oliver Mannell of Kansas City, Mo., foreground, carries a 135-pound weight during a portion of a strength and agility test for prospective firefighters Tuesday at Iola’s Riverside Park. Mannell is one of several applicants who have signed up for a firefighter/EMT academy spearheaded by the Iola Fire Department, which begins Aug. 21. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien speaks during a rally with union members Saturday in Atlanta, days before contract talks with UPS resumed. THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION/HYOSUB SHIN/TNS

McKenzie/Drake family gathers for reunion

The McKenzie/Drake family reunion was July 22, 2023 at Iola’s Riverside Park.

The Joseph McKenzie family settled west of Iola in 1858 along the Neosho River. Their daughter married James Wallace Drake in 1861, also settling west of Iola. This is the beginning of the family history.

Twenty-four attended Saturday’s gathering to enjoy food, games and fellowship.

Those attending were Nelda Hansen, Molly

Biden administration sues Texas Gov. Abbott over Rio Grande barrier

Pourhussin, Wichita; Gary Preston, Yates Center; Andrew, Lee Preston, Udall; Shawna and Amelia Brewster, Carl Junction, Mo.; Mary and Will Rosson. Kansas City, Kan.; Eva Rosson and Nabeil Hijaz, Leavenworth; Lila Roecker, Chanute; Bill and Mary Lou Stotler, Tina, Callie, Jorja Murcko, Mia, Miley, Mavrik Myer Middleton, Iola; Christina Shortsleeve and Kallie Kucera; Broken Arrow, Okla., and Linda Stotler Pittsburg.

Public notice

(Published in The Iola Register July 26, 2023)

AUSTIN, Texas (AP)

— The Justice Department on Monday sued Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over a newly installed floating barrier on the Rio Grande that is the Republican’s latest aggressive tactic to try to stop migrants from crossing into the U.S. from Mexico.

The lawsuit asks a federal judge in Austin to force Texas to remove a roughly 1,000-foot line of bright orange, wrecking ball-sized buoys

joinsubtext.com/theregistertexts

that the Biden administration says raises humanitarian and environmental concerns. The suit claims that Texas unlawfully installed the barrier without permission between the border cities of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Mexico.

The buoys are the latest escalation of Texas’ border security operation that also includes razor-wire fencing, arresting migrants on trespassing charges and sending busloads of asylum-seekers to Democratic-led cities in other states. Critics have long questioned the effectiveness of the two-year operation, known as Operation Lone Star. A state trooper’s account this month that some of the measures injured migrants has put the mission under intensifying new scrutiny.

In anticipation of the lawsuit, Abbott sent President Joe Biden a letter earlier Monday that defend-

ed Texas’ right to install the barrier. He accused Biden of putting migrants at risk by not doing more to deter them from making the journey to the U.S.

“Texas will see you in court, Mr. President,” Abbott wrote.

The Biden administration has said illegal border crossings have declined significantly since new immigration restrictions took effect in May. In June, the first full month since the new polices took effect, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said migrant encounters were down 30% from the month prior and were at the lowest levels since Biden’s first full month in office.

White House press secretary Karine JeanPierre told reporters that Abbott’s policies as a whole have made it difficult for U.S. Border Patrol agents to access Rio Grande.

“Those are unlawful actions that are not helpful and is undermining what the president has put forward and is trying to do,” she said. In a letter last week, the Justice Department gave Texas until Monday to commit to removing the barrier or face a lawsuit. The letter said the buoy wall “poses a risk to navigation, as well as public safety, in the Rio Grande River, and it presents humanitarian concerns.”

The state deployed the buoys without notifying the International Boundary and Water Commission or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mexico’s secretary of state asked the federal government to intervene, saying the barrier violates international treaties. The lawsuit is not the first time the Biden administration has sued Texas overs it actions on the border.

Migrants walk by a string of buoys placed on the water along the Rio Grande border with Mexico in Eagle Pass, Texas, on July 16, 2023. The buoy installation is part of an operation Texas is pursuing to secure its borders, but activists and some legislators say Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is exceeding his authority. (SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES/TNS)

Annex: Implement plans expansion

Continued from A1

acre parcel of that land, Iola City Administrator Matt Rehder said.

Iola City Council members approved a resolution Monday supporting the annexation, which then was approved Tuesday morning by county commissioners.

The final domino was a Tuesday afternoon vote for Iola council members to accept the ordinance to complete the annexation.

As required by state statute and city codes, the land will initially be zoned as residential-single family, with the process of rezoning the land as commercial to begin almost immediately.

A new facility will allow Prairieland Partners to expand, store manager Dale Lalman said after Monday’s Council meeting.

“It’ll be a much bigger facility,” Lalman said. “We’ve outgrown this facility (on North State Street) for a long time. This will allow us to continue to improve our precision ag capabilities, plus we’ll have a bigger shop.”

A larger shop will allow Prairieland to expand from 14 full-time technicians to 20, Lalman said.

IN A SEPARATE matter, Iola Council members approved a request from Fugate Enterprises to split its commercial property in the 1600 block of North State Street into three separate properties for Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and the old Hibbett Sports buildings.

Typically, lot splits can be handled administratively, Code Enforcement Officer Gregg Hutton explained, but only if they’re split into two separate lots. Splitting it into three requires a plat change.

The key consider-

ation is to ensure all three properties have access to nearby Patterson Avenue and State Street, Hutton said. The

IFD: Academy slated to begin

Continued from A1

emy, Isbell said, with the goal of gaining as many as nine new employees by the end of the eight-week course.

The academy addresses one of the key barriers to finding qualified firefighters and ambulance personnel, Isbell noted, in that the city is offering up the training, rather than requiring personnel to be trained in order to be hired.

Additionally, the cost of the training is mitigated through a FEMA grant that pays for most of the instructional materials.

The only cost to the city, Isbell explained, is the hourly paycheck the cadets will earn.

Those who complete the academy will be re-

DeSantis unhurt in car accident

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

(AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was involved in a multi-car accident on Tuesday in Tennessee but was uninjured as he traveled in a motorcade to a campaign stop for his 2024 presidential bid.

The chain reaction crash happened before 8:15 a.m. when traffic slowed on Interstate 75 in Chattanooga, causing four cars in the motorcade to hit one another, police said. All the vehicles involved in the crash were government vehicles taking DeSantis and his team to his scheduled event, police said.

DeSantis was scheduled to hold events throughout central and eastern Tennessee as he prioritizes Super Tuesday states in his campaigning. Super Tuesday, held on March 5 next year, is when the largest number of delegates are up for grabs of any day in the primary cycle.

Earlier this month, DeSantis addressed more than 1,800 attendees at a state GOP dinner in Nashville.

quired to stay with the city for two years, Isbell said, or they will have to reimburse the city for the cost of the training. That dollar figure has yet to be determined.

Upon completing the course, the applicants then go through the traditional certification process from the state for EMTs, or from the University of Kansas for firefighter I or hazmat certification. Those tests cost about $40 a person, Isbell said.

“A lot of these applicants are local,” Isbell said. “We’re gonna grow our own, we hope.”

If nine cadets successfully make it through the academy, it would put IFD at nearly full staff for both firefighters and ambulance per-

sonnel.

“I can’t guarantee all these folks are gonna make it through,” Isbell added.

Ideally, the department is fully staffed within six months, Isbell said.

The applicants were asked to partake in a physical endurance test Monday and Tuesday at Iola’s Riverside Park, where they were required to perform such tasks as roll up and unspool fire hose, lug a 200-pound bag along the ground, carry a 135-pound barbell a set distance, and hammer a weighted I-beam along a sliding scale, before ending the test by carrying a length of hose to the top of the football stadium grandstand and

proposed plat change ensures that access.

“This is possibly the easiest plat change possible,” Hutton said.

Aug. 21

then scaling a ladder.

The test is timed, Isbell noted, but most important is that the students finish the course.

“That tells me a lot if they’re able to finish,” he said.

The genesis for the academy came during a recent brainstorming session, Isbell said, with City Administrator Matt Rehder and others in the department.

“I understood why we had those requirements” for prospective employees, Rehder told the Council. “I thought, ‘Why don’t we just come in and train the people ourselves?’”

The lead instructor is IFD’s Andy Hill, who recently completed certification to be an instructor.

UPS: Contract averts labor stoppage

Continued from A1

pay as profits for the delivery company soared in recent years. Union leadership was upended last year with the election of Sean O’Brien, a vocal critic of the union president who signed off on that contract, James Hoffa, the son of the famous Teamsters firebrand. The two side reached a tentative agreement early on safety issues, including equipping more trucks with air conditioning equipment. Under the agreement, UPS said it would add air conditioning to U.S. small delivery vehicles purchased after January 1, 2024.

But a two-tier wage system remained a sticking point. The Teamsters called it

“unfair,” and that is ended under the new agreement.

Profits at UPS have grown more than 140% since the last contract was signed as the arrival of a deadly pandemic drastically transformed the manner in which

households get what they need.

Unionized workers argued that were the ones shouldering growth at the Atlanta company and appeared dead set on righting what they saw as a bad contract.

Member voting rus

The Republican White House hopeful was not hurt, according to Chattanooga police, Florida law enforcement protecting the governor and DeSantis campaign spokesperson Bryan Griffin. DeSantis continued on to the campaign event. A female staff member who suffered a minor injury in the crash was treated at the event, police said.

The governor’s staff and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s agents, who are required by Florida law to provide security for the governor and his immediate family, “all have been cleared with no significant injuries,” department spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger said. One of the department’s agents was driving the governor’s vehicle, she said.

Representatives for DeSantis’ campaign did not offer more details about the accident. A spokesperson for the Florida governor’s office deferred questions about the accident to the campaign.

The Florida governor, who has trailed front-runner Donald Trump in the GOP presidential contest, was expected to be at a fundraiser at a private home in Chattanooga on Tuesday. Hosts for the fundraiser were to pay $10,000 per couple for the event, while co-hosts were paying $5,000 and other attendees were paying $2,000 each, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

DeSantis was expected to attend additional fundraisers on Tuesday in Knoxville and Franklin.

The Republican candidate has been attending a string of fundraisers lately as his campaign has faced some surprising financial pressures. He was in Utah over the weekend holding fundraisers and in New York last week for an event in the Hamptons. Just two months after entering the race, DeSantis already has been cutting staff while facing new questions about his aggressive spending, his media strategy and his apparent willingness to brawl with any and all foes except for Trump, the one person he must defeat to claim the GOP’s 2024 presidential nomination.

WEEKLY BREAD Schedule

Aug. 3-22.

UPS has the largest private-sector contract with workers in North America and the last breakdown in labor talks a quarter century ago led to a 15-day walkout by 185,000 workers that crippled the company.

Building a Strong Marriage Bible Study

Iola City Administrator Matt Rehder speaks Tuesday to Allen County commissioners about a proposed annexation of property northeast of Iola. The annexation would accommodate construction of a new Prairieland Partners dealership. The John Deere dealer has outgrown its facility on North State Street (below). REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Israeli doctors walk off job as protests continue

JERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of Israeli doctors walked out of work, labor leaders threatened a general strike and senior justices rushed home from a trip abroad Tuesday, a day after the government approved a law weakening the country’s Supreme Court that critics say will erode the system of checks and balances.

Four leading Israeli newspapers covered their front pages in black ink — an ominous image paid for by an alliance of high-tech companies. The only words on the pages were in a line at the bottom: “A black day for Israeli democracy.”

Monday’s vote — on the first of a series of measures that make up Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s divisive judicial overhaul — reverberated across the coun-

try. It came despite seven months of fierce popular resistance, Netanyahu’s promises of an eventual compromise and a rare warning against the overhaul from Israel’s closest ally, the United

States.

The bill was unanimously passed by the governing coalition, which includes ultra-nationalist and ultra-religious parties, after the opposition stormed out of

the hall shouting “Shame!”

But opponents say they are not done fighting: Civil rights groups submitted petitions to the Supreme Court, calling for the new law to be overturned, and protests roiled the country’s streets anew.

“These protests are not going anywhere, especially because the government has clearly stated that this is just phase one,” said Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank. “This is the most widespread and significant democratic awakening in the history of the country. Clearly, it won’t end.”

Hundreds of thousands of people fanned out in Tel Aviv overnight, burning tires, setting off fireworks and waving national flags. In Jerusalem, mounted police

and water cannons spraying foul-smelling liquid cleared protesters from a main highway. At least 40 people were arrested by police in protests around the country.

Videos showed police officers dragging protesters by the hair and neck, beating people until they bled and violently pushing them back with batons. At least 10 officers were assaulted and injured, police said.

Israel is now hurtling into uncharted territory against the specter of further social and political unrest. Thousands of officers in the military reserves have announced they’ll no longer turn up for voluntary service — a blow that could undermine the country’s operational readiness. High-tech business leaders are considering relocation.

Daniels: Sisters cooperative (and competitive) on farm

Continued from A1

guidance.”

Chloe helped her sisters understand the weight of the responsibility of caring for animals. The girls take turns pretending to be judges in mock competitions at the family’s farm east of Humboldt. They are the daughters of Scott and Heather Daniels.

Do the girls feel any pressure to live up to each other’s successes?

They all laugh. Bailey and Chloe nod their heads.

“Bailey’s been really good at showing her goats and winning showmanship awards,” Chloe, a senior, said. “Then she’s like, ‘Oh, I got a banner. Where’s your banner?’”

But that was last year, Bailey noted. This year, she struggled to bond with her goats while Chloe found success at spring shows.

“At the beginning of this year, it was really hard,” Bailey said. “I had to really step back and find my way.”

CHLOE JOINED 4-H when she was just 8. Now, having graduated from high school, she’s competing in her last Allen County Fair this week.

The fair officially kicks off Thursday and ends with a livestock sale on Sunday evening.

Over the years, Chloe has competed in several projects: swine, foods, photography and clothing buymanship. She’s new at showing steers, with two this year named Cash and Bruno.

“There are a lot of life lessons to be learned raising livestock. I grab onto everything I’ve learned and take it with me,” she said.

“Last year at the fair, I had a decent calf and a lot of people helping guide me and show me the ropes.” She included her calf’s breeder, Shiloh Eggers, as one of her mentors last year.

“She helped me out so much. She wanted me to be a better showman and it felt good to know I had someone who wanted that for me and

supported me.”

Her calf won his class and Chloe went on to take third in overall senior showmanship. She graduated from Humboldt High School this past spring and plans to attend Neosho County Community College for two years to earn an associates degree in business before transferring to Oklahoma State University. She plans to obtain a degree in agribusiness. Her showing season won’t end after the county fair. She expects to continue on to the state fair.

“When we bought this calf, we knew he was designed to be a state fair calf. Maybe we’re not going to win the entire state fair, but my goal is to go there and be com-

petitive and place well in the Shorthorn class. I know I can do well.”

She encourages others to join 4-H and hopes to continue with the organization in some way.

“There’s so much to be learned. The people you meet are some of the best people to be around,” she said. “It’s not something I’m necessarily ready to give up.”

BAILEY has been in 4-H for five years.

During that time, she competed in the foods division and showed a bucket calf before moving on to meat goats. She enjoys working with animals.

“I love goats the most,” she said. “I love showing and I love all

Biden’s dog has bitten Secret Service officers

WASHINGTON (AP)

— President Joe Biden’s dog Commander bit or otherwise attacked Secret Service personnel at least 10 times between October 2022 and January, including one incident that required a hospital visit by the injured law enforcement officer, according to records from the Department of Homeland Security.

The conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch on Tuesday released nearly 200 pages of Secret Service records that it obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. The group said it filed suit after the agency, a division of DHS, “failed to respond adequately” to its request last December for records about biting incidents involving the purebred German shepherd. The group said it

filed the request after receiving a tip about Commander’s behavior.

Commander is the second dog of Biden’s to behave aggressively, including biting Secret Service personnel and White House staff. They eventually sent the dog, a German shepherd named Major, to live with friends in Del-

aware after those incidents.

The White House and the Secret Service appeared to play down the situation on Tuesday, but the latest incidents raise questions about why the Bidens brought another German shepherd to the executive mansion and why the attacks continued.

Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for first lady Jill Biden, said in an email that the White House complex is a “unique and often stressful environment” for family pets and that the Biden family was “working through ways to make this situation better for everyone.”

The barn will remain open with many critters for you to come and visit. See you there!

Sincerely, Becky Robb

the people that you get to meet.”

One of her first goats, Randy, acted more like a dog. Bailey led him with a leash and he followed her everywhere. They kept him for two years after the fair. Goats are known for their strong and stubborn personalities. You just have to be patient and get to know them, Bailey said.

Like her sister, Bailey received advice from her goats’ breeder, the Higbie family. This year, especially, they gave her tips to teach her how to better connect to her animals.

“Every goat has a different style,” Bailey said. “It takes time but if you keep working at it and get advice, it will come.”

In 2020, she had quite a successful year showing her goat. She won three showmanship competitions at different spring shows and won grand champion market meat goat. She qualified for the state fair but wasn’t able to go because it was in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“4-H has helped me grow a lot, having responsibilities, building those connections with the animals, the environment and the people and building friendships,” Bailey said.

As much as she enjoys showing goats, Bailey might try showing steers at some point.

“I keep pushing myself. I want to get better and hope for success.”

SYDNEY, who comes across as the most practical of the three,

watched her sisters compete in 4-H. By the time she was old enough to join, she was ready.

She started with bucket calves for two years. It’s a good project to start with, because calves are smaller.

This is her first year showing pigs, a project she chose for a very pragmatic purpose: “We wanted pork and bacon.”

Any other reason?

“I wanted to get into actual showing so I can sell my animals and get money and meat.”

Her siblings and her father helped teach her how to show.

“My pigs keep their heads up and they have to know I’m the boss,” she said. “You kind of want to start them when they’re small but also big enough so they can be ready for the fair when it comes time.”

It can be a little intimidating to step into the show ring, knowing all eyes are on you.

“I don’t look at the crowd. I pretend they’re not there,” she said.

Last year, she earned reserve champion with her bucket calf. She has set an even higher bar for herself and her pigs at this year’s Allen County Fair.

“I hope they do well and maybe get Grand Champion.”

She plans to continue with the swine project.

She also enjoys arts and crafts, especially painting. She’s been inspired by projects she’s seen at craft shows and on Pinterest.

This year her projects are a bird bath and a “little guy” who holds cooking utensils.

Due to the high forecasted temperatures, the Turtle Race and Best Dressed Pet Contest on Saturday, July 29 are canceled.

Sorry to disappoint, but the safety of people and animals is very important on these hot days.

One of Bailey Daniels’s goats watches the action on the family farm prior to this week’s Allen County Fair. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Protesters and Israeli police officers clash during a demonstration near the Israeli Knesset Monday in Jerusalem. GETTY IMAGES/AMIR LEVY/TNS

Opinion

Outdated rule stifles

Kansas air travel

By MICHAEL MURPHY For the Wichita Eagle

Before having the honor of representing the people of the 114th District in the Kansas House of Representatives, I was a captain for United Airlines for 28 years.

I flew thousands of people all over the world, including into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport — one of Washington, D.C.’s primary airports.

Many Kansas residents travel to D.C. every year, but there’s a federal regulation that was established by Congress in 1966 that impacts how we get there and how much we pay for airline tickets. It’s called the “perimeter rule” — and there’s a battle happening right now in the halls of Congress over whether to modernize it.

Kansans have a reason to be invested in the outcome.

Today, the only direct flight to Reagan for Kansas travelers is from Kansas City, Missouri. Fortunately, a new direct flight to Reagan is coming to Wichita’s Eisenhower National Airport starting in January. As we work to attract families and businesses to grow our state, we must build on this momentum and pursue more affordable access to markets around the country, including our nation’s capital.

Unfortunately, the perimeter rule strictly limits Reagan’s long-distance flights, and it is the only airport in the country that is governed by a federal regulation like this. The primary stated reasons to enact such a policy back in 1966 was to allow the newly-built Dulles International, the capital region’s other airport, to grow, and to protect residences near Reagan from noise pollution.

The demand for air travel has changed significantly over the past 60 years. Aircraft performance has improved significantly and noise levels are now dramatically lower.

Dulles is a thriving airport in the capital region with domestic and international flights. Yet, the perimeter rule still persists and these restrictions are now costing travelers sky-high prices when they fly to the nation’s capital.

In fact, Washington, D.C. is now the most expensive air travel market of any major U.S. city. It’s suppressing competition, enabling only a handful of airlines, particularly my former employer United Airlines, to control most of the market. United controls 80% of the gates at Dulles and it does not want more competition. This is why United is leading an expensive lobbying campaign to defeat this effort and leave in place a protectionist policy that helps their financial bottom line at the expense of air travelers.

It is disappointing to see some in our state, including some voices published on this opinion page, misled by their campaign.

I loved my time working for United but as an elected leader in my community, I will always put Kansans first. And you don’t have to be an economist to know that fewer choices lead to higher prices.

Time and again, including in the air travel industry, free markets lead to additional options and more competitive costs for consumers. After the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, ticket prices dropped while choices increased, and air travel was no longer a luxury few could afford.

It doesn’t make sense that the Washington, D.C., market is still controlled by a stagnant, anticompetitive regulation enacted by Congress before the Boeing 737 made its first commercial flight.

PROTECTIONISM serves few at the expense of many, and it’s the Kansas students, families, business leaders and policymakers who want and need to affordably travel to Washington, D.C. who are being hurt most.

Only Congress can authorize new flights to Reagan — and in a rare act of bipartisanship, Republicans and Democrats are coming together on a commonsense free-market solution. The Direct Capital Access Act, also known as the DCA Act, would reverse course on this decades-long, anti-competitive trend and add new direct flights inside and outside of Reagan’s artificial perimeter.

The key word is “new.”

Regional airports such as Kansas City International could potentially gain additional direct service to Reagan while the current direct flight would remain in place. A city like Wichita which is anxiously awaiting the ribbon-cutting on a new direct flight to Reagan could see travel costs decrease when more flights are allowed.

More options to D.C. would benefit folks who travel out of our smaller Kansas airports through large hubs as well. Consumers would have more choices when they travel and benefit from lower prices. It’s an unequivocal win for Kansas travelers.

When you’re a pilot, safety comes first. Reagan is indeed a busy airport, but if adding more flights there weren’t safe, I wouldn’t endorse the idea.

But others with industry knowledge agree that more flights can be added, including a former FAA administrator who recently validated that Reagan National has the capacity to do so. If Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall care about affordable access to Washington, D.C. for Kansas residents, they should be in full support of the DCA Act.

About the author: Michael Murphy represents the 114th District in the Kansas House of Representatives.

We’ve been on the front lines. We know what Ukraine needs

Guest opinion for

The New York Times

Both of us have been the targets of enemy fire. It nearly cost one of us her life. We know a truth every combat veteran learns: For all the planning and consideration that goes into a war, much of it gets thrown out the window the moment the shooting starts. You often learn more about your enemies in the first 24 hours of a conflict than you do from years of studying them.

This has unequivocally been the case in Ukraine. At the outset of the war, Russia had one of the largest militaries in the world, and it was widely assumed Russia would march through Ukraine and take Kyiv in a matter of weeks, if not days. That didn’t happen. The limitations of Russian military hardware, training and discipline became evident quickly — as well as the strength of Ukrainian resolve.

Still, from the earliest days of the conflict, we both saw that military aid from the United States would be critical for Ukraine to win this war. For the past 17 months, we have advised the Biden administration, urging it to continually assess and reassess the shifting realities on the front line to understand what Ukraine needs and then deliver it quickly. We must remain committed to keeping Ukraine supplied with the missiles, artillery shells and other munitions that at this stage in the conflict can be the difference between a commander’s being able to approve an attack or not. And we have to do that while analyzing where new capabilities, like modern fighter jets, can give Ukraine the edge.

War is dynamic. It requires us to look around the next corner. We heard from President Volodymyr Zelensky and met with other Ukrainian officials, and it was clear to us that Ukraine needs not just guns and ammunition but also other, newer capabilities that can decisively alter the direction of the fast-evolving conflict. In the early weeks of the war, Javelin and Stinger missiles were needed to blunt the advantage of Russian armored vehicles and aircraft. Then long-range, mobile artillery to hit Russian positions. After that, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems to strike strategic targets farther behind Russian lines and then main battle tanks to break them.

Not every weapon system can come off a warehouse shelf and quickly be put to use on the battlefield. That

is certainly the case with the F-16. We have both flown in combat. It took hundreds of flight hours to learn to fly the aircraft and more to master the range of different missions we’d be asked to carry out, whether that was dropping bombs on a target or conducting combat search and rescue. That’s why we encouraged the Pentagon in March to analyze what it would take to train Ukrainian pilots and maintainers on modern F-16 fighter jets to replace their aging fighters such as MIG29s and understand their specific uses in the context of this war. Last week the United States reiterated its commitment to supporting its allies to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the American-made F-16 — a great step toward strengthening Ukraine’s capabilities in the long term.

In all of these cases, the United States had to assess not just whether certain weapons would be effective but also how urgent each priority was relative to others, how quickly Ukrainians could be trained to use the weapons and whether the equipment could be sustained over the course of the war. The more complex a system is, the more difficult to keep it working.

ly lower dud rates) only in self-defense and away from civilians and to document where to facilitate cleanup after the fighting ends.

The cluster weapons that Mr. Zelensky has requested are effective against spreadout targets, like groups of dug-in infantry, artillery batteries and vehicle convoys.

Those weapons will help Ukraine carry out a successful counteroffensive and help ensure its military has sufficient munitions to defend itself. Failing to do so, after all, is what would pose the gravest risk to the people who call Ukraine home. These are the difficult calls that must continue to be made every day until Ukraine prevails. Some will criticize our decisions as too slow; others will say they go too far. What matters is that the United States continue to lead in backing Kyiv — because even as the war grinds on into its second year, the stakes haven’t lowered an inch. The

Ukrainians are now several weeks into their counteroffensive, hoping that with the correct tactics, determination and Western hardware, they can retake their country.

What matters is that the United States continue to lead in backing Kyiv — because even as the war grinds on into its second year, the stakes haven’t lowered an inch.

The same assessment went into the administration’s decision to provide Ukraine with cluster munitions, or rounds that disperse smaller explosives. While some oppose this decision because of the risks to civilians associated with using cluster munitions, Mr. Zelensky and his military leadership asked for these weapons because they see them as critical to their nation’s survival. Russia has used cluster munitions — with dud rates as high as 40 percent — since the early days of the war, very likely firing tens of millions of small bombs on Ukrainian soil, including in civilian areas. Unlike Russia, Ukraine has promised to deploy the weapons (U.S.-made cluster munitions have significant-

Vladimir Putin is conscripting his citizens, seemingly banking on the belief that he can outlast the West and conquer Ukraine, then move on to his next objective.

It is vital that he fail. A world with a Ukrainian victory is a safer one. It’s a world in which we can further strengthen the NATO alliance and establish a bulwark against tyrants like Mr. Putin.

The two of us know what it means to sacrifice for our country, but even we have never experienced what it is to fight on your own soil, with your own families and neighborhoods in harm’s way, to defend the ability of your children and their children to inherit a free homeland. Now as much as ever, we must remain steadfast in our belief in the Ukrainian people and undeterred in our work to get them the support they need.

About the authors: Sen. Mark Kelly is a retired U.S. Navy captain who served in Operation Desert Storm. Sen. Tammy Duckworth is a retired U.S. Army National Guard lieutenant colonel who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sen. Mark Kelly, Arizona

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Illinois

2023-2024

USD 258 HUMBOLDT BACK-TO-SCHOOL

2023-2024

Enrollment Information

Enrollment for grades K-12 will be held at each attendance center office. Thursday, August 3 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. & Friday, August 4 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Textbook Fee: Kindergarten-Grade 12 $25

Notice: Students whose family income would qualify for free lunches will have the textbook fee waived. Students whose family income would qualify for reduced lunches will have one-half of their textbook fee waived. Free and reduced meal applications will be available at the time of enrollment or may be picked up at the Board Office, 801 New York St., prior to enrollment. After enrollment, applications can be picked up at each attendance center office.

Tech Fee: Grades 4-12 $25

Notice: With the 1:1 digital conversion, each student in grades 4-12 will be assessed a $25 Tech Fee. These funds will be used for the repair and maintenance of the computers. The fee is payable at enrollment when the laptop is assigned to the student. Students will receive their laptop and all appropriate training on the first day of classes. A payment plan can be set up if a student is unable to pay the full fee upfront.

USD 258 2023-2024 CALENDAR

OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATION

Board of Education Office

(620) 473-3121

Humboldt High School (620) 473-2251

Humboldt Middle School (620) 473-3348

Humboldt Elementary School (620) 473-2461

Humboldt Preschool (620) 473-3997

Superintendent - Dr. Amber Wheeler 620-333-9669

HS Principal - John Johnson (620) 473-0441

Middle School Principal & Athletic Director - Ron James 620-429-3943

Pre-K, Elementary Principal Staci Hudlin (620) 365-0420

Virtual Education - Jody Siebenmorgen (620) 228-4186

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Red Devil athletes win academic honors

Ellis, Ellie Hacker, Madisyn Havenstein, Kaitlyn Miller and Jaydee Pulliam; Ayoup Bader, Marcus deLima, Santiago Gonzalez-Uribe and Maximo Rolon of the men’s soccer team and women’s basketball players Sara Navarro, Britney Schroer, Lucia Caballero Morante and Noa Muranaka.

NJCAA All-Academic Second Team

Second team recognition requires a GPA of 3.8 — 3.99.

Allen’s John James delivers a pitch in a home game this spring. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

A slew of Allen Community College athletes were recognized by the National Junior College Athletic Association for their academic success in the 2022-23 school year.

Sixty-six Red Devils earned All-Academic honors, of which 27 were named to the first team, 18 the second team and 21 the third team.

NJCAA All-Academic First Team

First team honors require a 4.0 GPA.

Those qualifying include volleyball’s Abby Altic, Katherine Harris and Karsyn Smith; women’s soccer team members Catherine Harold and Hannah Meadwell.

Byiza Ntozo of the men’s cross country and track team; Rhett Jaggers and Blake Venneman, baseball; softball’s Morgan Baska, Morgan Collins Brooklyn

Those qualifying include men’s soccer players Denzel Dzokamushure, Gabriel Silva Mocco, Augusto Ruiz, Bruno Vadez and Andres Varges Romero; Baseball’s Brett Buchanan, Cale Clark, John James, Brandon Harper, Landon McGinnes and Carson Sowell; Softball’s Hayley Gerberding, Elizabeth Hipp and Makayla McGinnis; Women’s soccer’s Rebecca Lord and Tanika Rother, and Jade Feller of the women’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams.

NJCAA All-Academic Third Team

Third team recognition requires a 3.6 — 3.79 GPA.

Those qualifying include men’s soccer’s Diogo Cardeal, Hiroki Konno, Thabang Machaka, Davi de-

Perez hits 200th homer as catcher; Royals beat Guardians 5-3 on road

CLEVELAND (AP) — Salvador Perez became the 10th player in major league history to hit 200 homers as a catcher and Ryan Yarbrough allowed one run in six innings, lifting the Kansas City Royals to a 5-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night.

Perez hit a two-run shot in the sixth off Logan Allen (43) to put Kansas City ahead 4-0. He has 240 total home runs in 12 seasons, all with the Royals. Hall of Famer Mike Piazza holds the big league record for homers as a catcher with 396.

“Every time we win and I hit a homer, I feel better,” said Perez, who didn’t know about the milestone until afterward. “I like to compete every day and do my best.”

Yarbrough (3-5), who carried a shutout into the sixth, won at Cleveland for the second time in 15 days. The left-hander struck out one and didn’t issue a walk in his third start since being struck on the face by a liner from Oakland’s Ryan Noda on May 7.

“The Guardians are an aggressive team, but don’t strike out much, so I tried to put them in positions where they had to swing the bat,” Yarbrough said. “I wanted

JAMIE SQUIRE/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

to control what I could control.”

Edward Olivares had a two-run double and Maikel Garcia hit a solo homer for Kansas City, which ended a five-game skid and has the second-worst record in baseball (29-73). Scott Barlow gave up two hits in the ninth before retiring Myles Straw and Steven Kwan to pick up his 12th save.

Straw hit a two-run single in the seventh off Jose Cuas to pull Cleveland within 5-3.

Josh Bell added an RBI single and Amed Rosario went 3 for 4, his 12th game with three

hits or more, which tied the major league lead.

“We just had a tough time keeping the line moving,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “Yarbrough gave our lefties some difficulties.”

Cleveland fell four games behind first-place Minnesota in the AL Central. Earlier in the day, ace Shane Bieber was shifted to the 60-day injured list as he continues to battle right elbow inflammation.

Francona said the 2020 AL Cy Young winner has not

See ROYALS | Page B3

Allen’s Karsyn Smith goes for a dig in a home match last fall.

Siqueira, Leandro Suhs and Rafael Wodevotzky; Katherine Hammond-Lammas of Allen’s women’s soccer team; Softball’s Bailey Cravens, Brooklyn Goehring, Skyler Jackson, Calyn Michaelis, Maddison Soman and Ash-

ley Tribble; Baseball’s Jack Harris, Garrett Rusch, Cade Schupp, Morgan Stroer and Landen Volner; Nathan Canterberry of Allen’s cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams.

Jaylen Brown, Celtics ink biggest deal in NBA History

The Associated Press

The Celtics have locked in Jaylen Brown for the remainder of the upcoming decade after agreeing to a five-year $304 million supermax extension with the All-Star on Tuesday.

A league source confirmed to MassLive that the deal will be fully guaranteed with no fifth-year player option. Brown will also get a trade kicker from Boston as part of the deal. The new contract will kick in during the 2024-25 season.

Here’s a breakdown of the deal by year with eight percent raises for each season after Brown earns 35 percent of the projected salary cap in the first season of the new deal.

Related: Mobile sports betting is live in Massachusetts on DraftKings. Get started with $150 in bonus bets

Jaylen Brown extension by year

2024-2025: $52,368,085

2025-2026: $56,557,532

2026-2027: $60,746,979

2027-2028: $64,936,425

2028-2029: $69,125,872

Total: $303,734,893 (estimate)

So what does the new contract mean for the Celt-

ics salary cap picture? Let’s look at a few areas for the short and long term.

No impact on 2023-24 books

Brown still has one year left on his current deal ($30.7 million) so the team’s payroll remains as is right now even after agreeing to the new extension. Boston remains a luxury tax team in the present but are still under the second apron for the moment.

Urgency, limitations hit harder in 2024-25

With Brown’s new deal kicking in this year along with an extension for Kristaps Porzingis ($30 million) taking effect, Boston’s books will suddenly get very pricy. The Celtics will have $185.1 million committed to just nine players for the 2024-25 season, which puts them well into luxury tax territory already before even filling out the remainder of the 15-man roster. The team likely won’t have use of any mid-level exception next year and could look to cut some pricy role players on the payroll. Letting Grant Williams walk this offseason for draft picks was an example of this instead of

See CELTICS | Page B3

REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

The Kansas City Royals’ Salvador Perez (13) is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after scoring a first-inning run against the Cincinnati Reds at Kauffman Stadium on June 13.

South Korea’s Casey Phair youngest ever World Cup player at 16

SYDNEY (AP) —

Throughout South Korea’s Women’s World Cup opener against Colombia on Tuesday, players stayed loose behind the goal. Early in the 78th minute, one player broke away from the group. Casey Phair, at 16 years and 26 days, stepped onto the field and became the youngest player to do so in a World Cup — women’s or men’s.

“Going on, I was really, really nervous,” said Phair, who has an

American father and a South Korean mother and was raised in the United States. “It was a scary moment, but then going on and running around, I think it just settled in.”

The record previously was held by the late Ifeanyi Chiejine, who was 16 years and 34 days old when she played for Nigeria in the 1999 Women’s World Cup.

In the 17 minutes she spent on the field in South Korea’s 2-0 loss, Phair was near the ball

at all times, competing with Colombian players for possession every chance she got.

“She deserved the chance to play,” South Korea’s head coach Collin Bell said. “She trained really well, just as well as anybody. I wanted to throw her on to give her that experience.”

Phair’s next chance to play comes Sunday, when the Taegeuk Ladies take on Morocco in Adelaide, Australia.

Born on June 29,

2007, in South Korea, Phair also is the first multi-ethnic player, female or male, to play for a South Korean senior national team.

“I’m really proud and really honored to be the first mixed player for the Korean Federation,” Phair said. “I really appreciate the opportunity I was given today.”

Phair is not the only young star in this year’s Women’s World Cup. Two other 16-year-old players are on squads for the tournament, al-

though both were born in 2006. Giulia Dragoni started for Italy, wearing the No. 16, in its 1-0 win over Argentina on Monday, and Sheika Scott subbed in for Costa Rica in its 3-0 loss against Spain on Friday.

Four other Women’s World Cup players are 17, and there’s 39 teenagers among the 32 teams.

One is Colombia’s 18-year-old Linda Caicedo, who scored her first World Cup goal in the 39th minute Tuesday

in her tournament debut, earning her player of the match honors. She is the youngest goal-scorer at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand thus far.

The crowd was noticeably pro-Colombia, which Phair had to deal with as she created her piece of history.

“Warming up I think it was very loud,” Phair said. “I really enjoyed that being my first time playing and I’m hoping to get used to it.”

USA and Netherlands to meet at Women’s World Cup

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Now that the United States women have won equal pay with their male counterparts, there’s no need for their supporters to again chant for fairness when the Americans play the Netherlands on Thursday in their rematch of the 2019 Women’s World Cup final.

The Americans defeated the Netherlands 2-0 in France for their second straight World Cup trophy, and fourth overall. They were in the midst of a lawsuit and a contract battle at the time over pay with U.S. Soccer, and the players were feted with shouts of “Equal Pay!” from the fans.

The team’s pursuit for equal pay was finally resolved last year, when a deal was struck that paid the women the same as the U.S. men’s team and, importantly, evenly split the tournament prize money earned by both teams.

“Everything where we were in 2019 to where we are now is almost the same but couldn’t be more different,” Alex Morgan said.

“We were fighting a legal battle off the field and trying to also win over the the world on the field.”

So the crowd at Wellington on Thursday doesn’t need to fight for the Americans to receive equal treatment. They can instead focus

on the rematch and cheer for another win over the Dutch.

The game is the second Group E match for both teams, and both the U.S. and the Netherlands opened the tournament with wins.

The trophy isn’t on the line for this match

Royals: Perez slugs past Guardians

Continued from B1

not experienced a setback but isn’t on track to return until mid-September. Bieber went 5-6 with a 3.77 ERA in 19 starts before getting hurt on July 9 against the Royals.

Rookie left-hander Allen matched his season highs with seven innings and five runs allowed, striking out five. He allowed two homers for the first time.

“I was trying to go up against Perez, but pulled it down and he put a good swing on it,” Allen said. “That’s why he is as good as he

is. We were really efficient today, but they took advantage of some of those opportunities and jumped on them.”

FRANCHISE FIXTURE Perez, an eight-time All-Star and the 2015 World Series MVP with Kansas City, is one of 21 catchers with 500 extra-base hits and has a team-best 17 home runs this season.

“Everyone knows what a big part of the organization that Salvy is,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “And he continues to be one.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Guardians: RHP Triston McKenzie (right elbow strain), who was placed on the IL on June 17, will be permitted to pick up a baseball for the first time Thursday. ... RHP Cal Quantrill (right shoulder inflammation) threw a bullpen Saturday and has another scheduled for later this week.

UP NEXT Royals RHP Zack Greinke (1-10, 5.40 ERA) takes on Guardians RHP Aaron Civale (3-2, 2.71). Greinke has not won on the road since Aug. 13, 2021, when he was pitching for Houston at Angel Stadium.

Celtics: Sign Brown to mega-deal

Continued from B1

signing him to a longterm deal.

Decision time in 202526

With Tatum’s own expected supermax extension set to kick in for the 2025-26 season, the summer of 2025 could be a fork in the road moment for the franchise.

The combined salaries of Tatum, Brown and Porzingis at that point

are projected to take up nearly 90 percent of the salary cap during the 2025-26 season and that will be happening right as repeater tax penalties kick in for Boston. The Celtics will either need to pay record-breaking tax penalties or downgrade significantly with cost-cutting for their supporting cast. The other possibility? Trading one of their stars

to relieve some of the tax burden and build a well-rounded roster.

How the team fares in the next two seasons will likely go a long way in determining how Brad Stevens handles this conundrum. For now, Brown and the Celtics both have plenty of longterm security locked in as they make a push back toward returning to the NBA Finals next year.

as it was in 2019, and both teams are already in good position to advance to the knockout round. But the game remains important for the final group standings: the winner has an easier path to advance in the next stage.

The Netherlands has won just one of its 10 matches against the United States, although only one of those matches was in a World Cup — that 2019 final. The only Dutch victory in the series came in the first meeting in 1991.

The two teams also met in the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics, with the Americans advancing on penalties af-

ter a 2-2 draw.

“Super excited for that game,” forward Megan Rapinoe said in looking ahead to the matchup. “Obviously we’ve seen them a number of times in big tournaments over the last few years. Ready for a good one.”

The United States is coming off a 3-0 victory over Vietnam in the team’s tournament opener in Auckland.

Sophia Smith scored a pair of goals, with captain Lindsey Horan contributing the other.

U.S. coach Vlatko

Andonovski rolled out a somewhat surprising lineup for the first match, moving midfielder Julie Ertz to center back and starting Savannah DeMelo

at midfield. She made her first start in just her second appearance with the team.

Ertz returned to the team earlier this year after the birth of her son. She had not played for the United States for more than 600 days but was able to ramp up while playing for her club team, Angel City.

While Ertz has some experience on the backline from earlier in her national team career, the recent move was prompted by the loss of captain Becky Sauerbrunn, who injured her foot and could not play in the World Cup.

“When we knew that Becky was not going to be able to make it, that’s something that we started looking into even even deeper. We had a conversation with Julie before we tried it, did a lot of work before we even got in camp in terms of video analysis on both sides. We were helping her out but also she wanted to get adjusted, committed as soon as possible,” Andonovski said.

The United States will need to shore up its attack for the Netherlands, which beat Portugal 1-0 in its tournament opener. Stefanie van der Gragt scored in the 13th minute.

“I think if there’s one thing we need to do better besides finishing the opportunities, it is just how can we help the players that are in the position to finish those opportunities and give them a little better service,” Andonovski said.

Sophia Smith, #11, of USA celebrates with teammate Lindsey Horan after scoring her team’s first goal during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group E match between USA and Vietnam at Eden Park on July 22 in Auckland. BUDA MENDES/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

See Soccer | Page B4

Katie Ledecky wins gold in 1,500 at swimming worlds

FUKUOKA, Japan

(AP) — Katie Ledecky won the 1,500-meter freestyle with ease on Tuesday at the World Aquatics Championships in a landmark victory which made her the most decorated female swimmer at the worlds with 20 golds overall, 15 of which have come in individual events.

That ties Michael Phelps’ record at the worlds for individual gold medals.

American Ryan Murphy added the second American gold medal on Tuesday, winning the 100-meter backstroke. But as usual when the 26-year-old Ledecky swims, she’s the story.

Ledecky has won seven Olympic golds, the first coming more than a decade ago in London. And she’s talking about racing not just in next year’s Paris Olympics, but perhaps also in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I never dreamed of winning one Olympic gold,” Ledecky said.

“So after I did it, it was like, ‘OK, the rest is icing on the cake, a cherry on top,’ whatever you call it. I’m just trying to build a really big cake, I guess.”

That cake is getting bigger for one of the greatest freestylers the sport has ever seen. She won Tuesday in 15 minutes, 26.27 seconds, the third quickest time of her

Soccer

Continued from B3

At least there’s not the drama of the past impacting the team’s preparation.

“Any time you take your focus off of playing, off of what’s in front of you and what your job is, of course that’s taking your focus away from what you need to be doing, that’s distractions that are unnecessary,” Morgan said. “So not having distractions like that, like having to fight for equal pay, equal working conditions moving forward at all, ever again, it feels really good.

“And I hope that will soon be the case for all of the players around the world on the international level.”

career.

“The last couple of years I’ve just tried to be really locked in on my stroke,” Ledecky said, improving quickly post-pandemic. “That was a really good performance from me -very pleased.”

Italy’s Simona Quadarella finished 17 seconds behind Ledecky in 15:43.31, with Li Bingjie of China third in 15:45.71.

Ledecky will compete in the 800 on Saturday — her favorite race — and is set to become the only person to win six titles at the worlds in the same event.

Murphy, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and the defending world champion in the 200 backstroke, edged Italian Thomas Ceccon by .05 seconds. Murphy clocked 52.22 and Ceccon 52.27, with bronze for American Hunter Armstrong in 52.58.

“It’s awesome to go against a great field, and it’s awesome to get two Americans on the podium,” Murphy said. “The USA is off to a start. We’re starting to build some momentum and we can just keep it rolling from here.”

The big shock was 18-year-old Romanian David Popovici, who was a clear favorite in the 200 free. He finished fourth behind two British swimmers — Matthew Richards in 1:44.30, and Tom Dean in 1:44.32. South Korean Hwang Sunwoo took bronze (1:44.42) with Popovici finishing fourth in 1:44.90.

“It felt awful,” Popovici said.” But that means that we can im-

prove something and that’s a good thing. Because if you have the absolute perfect race ... you have nothing else to improve.

“I’m glad it happened now and I’m sure it has a meaning and I’m going to learn from it.”

Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania captured gold in the women’s 100 breaststroke in 1:04.62, ahead of Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa and third-place Lydia Jacoby of the U.S. World-record holder Lilly King was fourth.

The American finished in 1:06.02.

Kaylee McKeown of Australia won the women’s 100 backstroke in 57.53, edging Regan Smith of the United States by 0.25. American Katharine Berkoff took third in 58.25.

McKeown was disqualified earlier in the 200 IM for a violation on the backstroke leg, infuriating her and her team.

“If you’re not learning you’re not growing,” she said. “So I had to find a positive in a negative and that’s what I did. I channeled it and I managed to make it work. Being up against the Americans, they bring out the best.”

In news away from the pool, swimming will set up an “open category” that will include transgender competitors, the governing body of the sport said.

World Aquatics president Husain Al-Musallam said the event would take place in the future among other races but gave no details. Reports suggest it could be this year.

Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) looks for room to run during the first half of an NFL game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium in 2022 in Las Vegas. HEIDI FANG/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL/TNS

Contract disputes steal spotlight at NFL camps

By ROB MAADDI The Associated Press

NFL camps open this week with most of the focus on players who aren’t showing up.

All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones skipped Sunday’s first workout with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs over a contract dispute.

Veterans with the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are scheduled to report on Tuesday, but Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs are expected to hold out because they didn’t receive long-term deals after getting the franchise tag. Both star running backs would earn $10.1 million this season under the tag.

Neither Barkley nor Jacobs signed the franchise tender, which means they wouldn’t be fined for missing practices. They’d lose $560,611 per game if they sit out during the season.

Holdouts are nothing new in the NFL and they used to be more common decades ago. Jones is due to make $19.5 million in base salary this season and carries a salary cap hit of almost $28.3 million, so the Chiefs are motivated to get a new deal done. He faces a mandatory fine of $50,000 per day.

“Look, we love Chris Jones and when he decides to report, we’ll welcome him,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said. “I don’t want to get into speculating on when that’ll happen, or if it’ll happen.”

Barkley and Jacobs are a different story. They’re angry and frustrated. They feel undervalued and underappreciated. So do many of their peers around the league.

“There’s really nothing we can do,” Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb said Sunday after he took part in a Zoom call with several backs around the league on Saturday. “We’re kind of handcuffed with the situation.”

It’s expected Barkley and Jacobs will eventually report. Missing games only costs them money they’ll never regain. But there’s no incentive for them to show up before September.

The biggest story line beyond holdout players surrounds Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets and their appearance on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” Rodgers and the Jets already were going to be under the microscope. Now, television cameras will be there to follow them every step of the way.

Jets coach Robert Saleh downplayed any added pressure to win because of Rodgers.

“What I’ve noticed in New York is that they really don’t care,” he said. “You’re either winning or you’re not, it doesn’t matter who you’ve got. The expectation to win is constant in this league. You’ve always got that monkey on your back, like you’ve got to get that result. I’ve said it before — as important as the result is, if that’s your only focus, you’re

going to skip on the process that it takes to get that result that you want, so the pressure lies in how you handle the day, how you’re getting better.”

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs reported last week, eager to get working on becoming the first team to repeat since the New England Patriots in 2003 and ‘04.

“It’s hard to win the Super Bowl,” Mahomes said. “I think I’ve noticed that from my first one to my second, you can do everything the right way and you don’t win.”

The Philadelphia Eagles, who report Tuesday, are aiming to become the first team since the 2018 Patriots and fourth ever to win a Super Bowl the year after losing one.

“This team has to find an identity for itself,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said.

Plenty of eyes in camp will be on rookie QBs Bryce Young in Carolina, C.J. Stroud in Houston and Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis.

Young, the No. 1 overall pick, already took over first-team reps in the offseason and appears headed to start Week 1. Stroud, the No. 2 pick, should get a similar opportunity with the Texans and first-year coach DeMeco Ryans. Richardson, who was picked fourth and didn’t have much playing experience in college at Florida, probably won’t start right away for the Colts but he’s expected to supplant veteran Gard-

Katie Ledecky celebrates after winning the Women’s 1500m Freestyle Final at Tokyo Aquatics Center in Tokyo, Japan in 2021. ROBERT GAUTHIER/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Body:

The following vehicle will be sold at public auction on Thurs., July 27, 2023 at 8 a.m.

R&W Towing, LLC

1306 Belton, Iola, KS 66749

VIN 1GNDT13W4S2213479

Footer: (Published in The Iola Register July 12, 19 & 26, 2023.)

TAKE DUE NOTICE

The following vehicle will be sold at public auction on Thurs., July 27, 2023 at 8 a.m.

R&W Towing, LLC

1306 Belton, Iola, KS 66749

1995 Chevrolet Blazer Maroon VIN 1GNDT13W4S2213479

(Published in The Iola Register July 12, 19 & 26, 2023.)

Groom’s parent chafes at guest

list limitations

Adapted from an online discussion.

Dear Carolyn: My son just got engaged, and we are all thrilled. He is giving me such a small list, though, that I can only include some first cousins and not others. I hate to hurt anyone’s feelings, but we are closer to some than others. I’d be happy to give my son and daughter-in-law more money, but my son says it’s about the space, and even more than that, he just wants to keep numbers down. He doesn’t want his wedding filled with people he doesn’t really know. (Our family is quite spread out geographically now, but I grew up with most of them.) I don’t know what to do. Inviting some cousins but not their siblings feels wrong, but not doing what my son wants for HIS wedding feels more wrong. I feel paralyzed and hate that this is already an issue in what should be a joyful time. — In a Quandary

In a Quandary: How about no cousins at all? Just because you have these slots doesn’t mean you have to use them.

Carolyn Hax

Obviously, you want to, for good reason. But it’s his party. It’s also a reasonable thing he’s asking, but “it’s his party” means it doesn’t have to be reasonable. So, choose the people you want most whom you can invite without directly hurting someone else. If you’re under your allotment, then so be it. Bask in your son’s gratitude. Assure any complainers (ugh) that your allotment was so small, you chose not to pick and choose.

Re: Quandary: Would your son be okay with your using the extra money for an engagement party or a celebration of their marriage afterward with the family? — Anonymous

Anonymous: That could work, thanks. Though it should be afterward. An engagement party would mislead people into thinking they’re invited to the wedding.

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Death of Earnhardt Jr. in 2001 Daytona 500 most pivotal NASCAR moment

By DAN GELSTON The Associated Press

The 2001 Daytona 500 remains the bleakest day in NASCAR history.

The death of Dale Earnhardt from a crash on the last lap of the race robbed a family of its patriarch and the industry of the greatest stock car star of his era. But beyond the seven championships, The Intimidator persona and fierce rivalries that ushered NASCAR into the mainstream, Earnhardt’s enduring legacy may be how his death changed auto racing safety.

NASCAR was still reeling from three driver fatalities in 2000

— Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin Jr., and Tony Roper -- ahead of a Daytona 500 that seemed intent on setting a new course for the series.

NASCAR had moved at its own pace to impose safety rules at a time when some drivers balked at wearing enhanced technology such as the Head And Neck Safety (HANS) device. There were complaints that it was too cumbersome for a comfortable ride, while others suggested improvements were too simplistic for a sport that was akin to mayhem on the track.

The Daytona 500 also marked the first year of NASCAR’s six-year, $2.8 billion television contract with Fox and NBC, a TV deal at the time that symbolized NASCAR’s true emergence as a mass-market sports power. The splashy debut instead was forever marred by Earnhardt’s death at the age of 49. It forced NASCAR to finally, emphatically confront its safety issues and force life-saving advancements that reverberated throughout every wreck over the last 22 years. Just look at Ryan Newman, who survived a death-defying crash in the 2020 Daytona 500 in large part because of the collective growth — from the car to equipment -- of safety.

“We lost many lives before him,” three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin said, “but until it was ‘The Man’ himself, it wasn’t at the forefront.”

As part of the celebration of NASCAR’s 75th season, The Associated Press interviewed 12 veteran contributors to the industry on topics ranging from the most memorable race to key

Golf’s majors delivered inspiring comebacks minus the drama

HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Wyndham

Clark was on the 18th green, 60 feet away from the hole. Rory McIlroy was in the scoring room, watching on television.

Clark rolled the long putt to within a foot of the hole and pumped his fist. All that remained was tapping in for par to win the U.S. Open.

DAVID T. FOSTER III/CHARLOTTE OBSERVER/TNS

challenges ahead. With the death of NASCAR’s toughest star from a basilar skull fracture, Earnhardt’s crash was picked as the most pivotal moment in NASCAR history.

It was not a unanimous choice: Richard Petty and team owner Eddie Wood noted how in 1971 tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds branded the elite series in NASCAR the Winston Cup and made racing sponsorship on a car as common as four wheels and a race number. The long-ago meeting at the Streamline Hotel that led to the formation of NASCAR appealed to team owner Rick Hendrick as the most pivotal moment.

And while safety measures over the last two decades grabbed the spotlight, it was NASCAR’s waning popularity and the impossible search for the next Earnhardt in the wake of the crash that got it a vote from Deb Williams, an AP panelist now in her fourth decade of racing coverage.

“Thousands of fans lost interest in the sport with Earnhardt’s death while others didn’t like the changes in racing formats,” she said. “They also didn’t like the changes the new TV contract brought because they believed the sport’s history was cast aside. Motorsports historians often point to Earnhardt’s death as the beginning of the sport’s decline.”

There are but a few instances in any sport where tragedy stands at the forefront of most fans’ minds. There are no grainy replays or second-hand stories passed down about the event. The clip is just a click away on any device.

“It changed everything for NASCAR,” said veteran driver Lyn St. James.

NASCAR has yet to have another death in the series since Earnhardt was killed. On the 20th anniversary

of the 2001 Daytona 500, The Associated Press noted the three biggest safety upgrade s over that span:

— SAFER Barriers: The Steel And Foam Energy Reduction Barrier was designed to absorb and reduce kinetic energy during high-speed crashes. “ Soft walls “ have been gradually added to nearly every NASCAR track, first in high-impact areas and later, after Kyle Busch broke both legs in a 2015 crash at Daytona, over nearly every spot of exposed wall.

— HANS device: NASCAR mandated the use of head-and-neck restraints in late 2001. Drivers had resisted using the U-shaped neck restraint made of carbon fiber because they found it restrictive. They became required equipment after 25-year-old Blaise Alexander was killed in a crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway eight months after Earnhardt’s death.

— Redesigned cars: NASCAR has developed three new cars since 2001, each one adapting to the latest technology. The latest “Next Gen” car debuted in 2022 to some controversy. Drivers expressed anger and concern about their safety after multiple drivers suffered concussions.

Yet through missed races, hospital stays, even premature ends to a career such as 2004 NASCAR champion Kurt Busch’s from the lingering effects from a concussion, each driver walked away and lived another day.

In their own solemn way, every NASCAR driver that gripped the wheel since 2001 can pay respect and appreciation to how the death of an old-school driver led to pivotal revolutions in thinking and technology that continue through today.

That was the extent of Sunday drama in the majors this year.

The champions are not about to complain, least of all Clark at Los Angeles Country Club or Brian Harman at Royal Liverpool, both of them first-time major winners who played as though they had been there before.

Not every Masters can have the remarkable back-and-forth between Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose, much less a comeback by Tiger Woods. Augusta National always seems to deliver, but the slogan of the Masters not starting until the back nine on Sunday would be a tough sell the last four years.

All that can salvage 2023 for edge-of-theseat theater is the Ryder Cup.

Rahm becoming a Masters champion is a big deal, particularly winning on the birthday of the late Seve Ballesteros with caddie Adam Hayes being assigned No. 49 — 4/9 is Seve’s birthday — for his caddie bib. But with Brooks Koepka going 22 holes without a birdie, Rahm all but sealed it with an 8-iron from the trees to 3 feet for birdie on the 14th and a four-shot lead with four to play.

Clark also hit his money shot on the 14th hole, a 3-wood onto the green at the 623-yard par 5 for a two-putt birdie, right after Rory McIlroy couldn’t hit the same green with a wedge. Clark had a three-shot lead with four to play.

The PGA Championship at Oak Hill was reasonably tight until it wasn’t. Brooks Koepka was one shot ahead when Viktor Hovland hit 9-iron from the bunker into an embedded lie in the face, leading to double bogey. Koepka made birdie and the lead was four shots with two to play.

As for the British Open, consider that Harman took the lead on Friday morning with a 25-foot birdie

putt on the third hole. No one caught him the rest of the week. On the weekend, his lead was never fewer than two shots (that lasted one hole). He won by six.

While dull, the majors did not lack for inspiration, particularly the last two.

Most amazing about Harman winning the British Open was how seldom he had won for his ability. No one ever questioned his talent or his ability, particularly his putting. But he had won just two tournaments in his 335 previous starts as a PGA Tour member.

Why? Not even Harman knew.

“It just hasn’t happened,” he said Friday. “I don’t know why it hasn’t happened, but I’m not going to quit. I’m going to stick with it and just keep after it. And hopefully, it’ll pop one day.”

It didn’t pop at Hoylake, it burst. And then he was asked the same question with the silver claret jug at his side. And he still had no answers. He had the pedigree as an amateur. He was 18 when he partnered with Anthony Kim in the Walker Cup.

He poured time into his iron play at the expense of his reliable putting. The iron play was sublime, and the putting caught up in a big way. He missed only one putt inside 10 feet over 72 holes at Royal Liverpool.

“I don’t know why this week,” he said. “But I’m very thankful that it was this week.”

He never looked happier.

Clark was highly sought as a high school player in Colorado and landed at powerhouse Oklahoma State. His mother died of cancer and he lost his way, transferring to Oregon and eventually return-

ing to his potential. His U.S. Open victory was preceded by beating a field of stars at Quail Hollow.

Koepka, already a prolific major champion, also returned to his potential. His journey was more about health, particularly his knee and hip that made him question his future and might have led to him taking Saudi cash to join LIV Golf.

He joined Curtis Strange as the only back-to-back U.S. Open winners in the last 50 years. He joined Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back PGA champions in stroke play. But his win at Oak Hill, considering how much he had to overcome, was the sweetest of all.

As for Rahm? The Masters was the last surprising outcome of the majors. He is among the best in the world. He already had won three times this year before arriving at Augusta National. This felt a little like destiny.

Rahm was fresh from disappointment of the British Open, and he was soaking wet from the Sunday rain. The first question that came his way was about the Ryder Cup.

“I just finished The Open Championship. I’m not going to lie. I love the Ryder Cup, but it’s not really on my mind right now. Especially after the day like we had today. I’m looking forward to a shower,” he said. But he’s excited about a chance to regain the cup in Italy. He expects Europe to have a lot of fresh faces. If called upon to be a leader, he said he would try to “channel my inner-Seve.”

It should be a good one. The Ryder Cup never lacks for excitement.

NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., prior to the start of the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., on October 8, 2017.

Wyndham Clark celebrates on the 18th green after winning the U.S. Open golf championship during the final round at The Los Angeles Country Club on Sunday, June 18. GINA FERAZZI/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS