Inside: IMS students work on problem solving
2017 1867
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Sports: Kunkler sets IHS hurdles record See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Thursday, April 27, 2017
Locally owned since 1867
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ACARF’S FINANCIAL WOES MOUNT By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Humanity House receives $40K grant By SHELLIE SMITLEY The Iola Register
Humanity House has received a $40,000 grant from The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, it learned Wednesday. As a capacity building grant for programs and salaries, the funds will enable Tracy Keagle, executive director, and Georgia Masterson, chairman of the board of directors, to get paid for their work. Keagle’s daughter, board member Emerald Catron, wrote the grant, her first. Encouraged, Catron said she has plans to write two more. Keagle has worked for the non-profit for two years, See GRANT | Page A5
LAHARPE — Janice and Robyn Porter are not related, but they are kindred spirits in their passion for animals. Wednesday afternoon Janice, director of ACARF, and Robyn, whose self-assumed duties are too many to list, talked about the successes of the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility — and its challenges. “We’re in the hole, there’s no other way to put it. We owe quite a bit of money,” Janice said. ACARF depends on donations to fund its annual budget of $125,000. At first blush that might sound like a handsome sum, but when ACARF’s responsibilities are considered, the figure deserves another take. At any given time 50 or more dogs and at least 30 cats are in kennels. That number can easily exceed 100 when litters of puppies or kittens are born. The bare necessaries of caring for the animals and the paperwork and administration required of such an enterprise demand better than five full-time paid positions. Janice, who has been involved with ACARF since its inception almost seven years ago, said the jobs are “a labor of love. All of
Janice Porter holds Pepper, one of the dogs being kept at the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON us could make more money doing practically anything else.” Other pressing costs are for utilities and feed, with dogs alone consuming about 50 pounds a day. Sustenance became more of a financial issue this year. Previously, an anonymous company provided free feed. Now the center purchases it from a Philadelphia-based company,
Greyhound Adoption. While the prices are greatly reduced from retail, nothing beats free. Each animal is also vaccinated and neutered or spayed before being given for adoption. A blown boiler added $6,000 to costs a few months ago. Despite such challenges, both of the women’s enthusiasm for the ACARF mission
remains strong. THROUGH WEDNESDAY
1,916 pets had been adopted over ACARF’s tenure. Many have found homes in or near Allen County, and others have gone to new homes throughout the Midwest, from the Gulf of Mexico — one found a home in New Orleans recently — and the CaSee ACARF | Page A5
GOP lawmakers preparing new income tax proposals By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican lawmakers in Kansas are working on new proposals for raising income taxes to fix the state budget that include a plan similar to one GOP Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed earlier this year. Brownback told reporters
Wednesday that he has given legislators multiple options
for raising new revenues but that he still supports moving Kansas to a personal income tax with a single rate for all filers. Kansas currently has separate rates for lower- and upper-income earners, and some legislators would like to add a third rate for the highest earners. Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, of Overland
Park, said he and fellow GOP senators are working on plans for increasing income taxes that have both two and three rates. Denning said he’s not working on any proposals for a single rate. Republican legislators slashed personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging, and budget problems followed. Kansas
faces projected budget shortfalls totaling $889 million through June 2019, and lawmakers are considering rolling back past tax cuts. The Republican-controlled Legislature returns Monday from its annual spring break. Brownback vetoed a bill in February that would have See TAXES | Page A5
Allen Co. Democrats prepare for 2018 race By RICK DANLEY The Iola Register
Square strollers Tiffany Johnston was part of a caravan of 40 walkers who used their lunch hour Wednesday to burn off calories as part of National Walk Lunch Day. The local event was sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield and spearheaded by Thrive Allen County. Several firefighters, Allen Community College and Iola city employees took part, despite Wednesday’s cold, wet and windy weather. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Quote of the day Vol. 119, No. 128
“We have the best government that money can buy.” — Mark Twain 75 Cents
The Allen County Democratic Party celebrated its second anniversary on Monday with a gathering that included the chairman of the Kansas Democratic Paul Davis Party, John Gibson; 2nd congressional district hopeful and former gubernatorial candidate, Paul Davis; and a slab of chocolate cake with a frosted donkey on it. After refreshments, the See DEMS | Page A5
Hi: 64 Lo: 51 Iola, KS