Royal beatdown: Los Angeles crushes Kansas City, 13-0 See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
YIPPEE KI-YAY KIDS Brothers to compete in bulllriding national event
Vet wall work gets a boost
By RICK DANLEY The Iola Register
W
hen the ninth annual Youth Bull Riders World Finals kicks off in Abilene, Texas, next week, the Shannon boys will be in the chute. “We’ve been to Texas before,” explains Curt, 9, as he adjusts his chaps and clambers onto the top rail of a fence at the family’s farm in rural Humboldt on Monday, “but never to Abilene.” Curt and his brother Creed, 8, qualified for the famed event by accumulating the most points across a series of 16 rodeos over the last year Curt has been riding for two years, he says. Creed has been at it for half that. “They started off riding sheep,” recalls their mom, Amy. “Mutton-busting — at the Allen County Fair and at small, local youth rodeos. But, in bull riding, it goes by levels. You start with sheep, then calves, then steers, then junior bulls, then regular bulls.” “You’re just climbing the stairs,” says Curt, who will be riding steers at the world finals. Creed — who admits that sheep are actually “more fun” to ride —
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By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Creed, left, and Curt Shannon will compete next week in the Youth Bull Riders World finals in Abilene, Texas. REGISTER/RICK DANLEY is entered in the calf-riding competition. The Shannons, members of the Christian Youth Rodeo Association, based in Ottawa, will compete against riders from Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and beyond.
But Creed’s not nervous. He says he never gets nervous before an event. Curt, though, who recently graduated from calves to steers, emits a more thoughtful caution. “Every time I move up a level,” he confesses, “it gives me more nerves.”
The boys, unfailingly cheerful and polite, with wide, matching smiles, are also patient in explaining the sport to an outsider. Placed on his beast in the See RODEO | Page A4
Tom Nevans came with hat in hand to Allen County commissioners Tuesday morning — and left smiling ear to ear. Nevans outlined plans Veterans Committee members have to redo concrete access in front of the Veterans Wall on the courthouse lawn, as well as replace more than 200 recognition tiles laid out on a small plaza. Many of the tiles are cracked and broken, Nevans said, an outcome he thinks from them being thin and having names deeply inscribed. They intend to replace all concrete in place since about 1990 and add sidewalks along recently added wings. “We have $5,000 or so and are getting close to what we need,” Nevans said. A contractor’s estimate soon will give a better reading. “If you could, it would be a big help if the county could remove See WALL | Page A4
Credit rating downgraded TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A major rating agency on Tuesday downgraded Kansas’ credit rating for the second time in two years because of the state’s budget problems. S&P Global Ratings dropped its rating for Kansas to AA-, from AA, three months after putting the state
on a negative credit watch. S&P also dropped the state’s credit rating in August 2014. Forty-one states now have a higher rating from S&P, and only three — Illinois, New Jersey and Kentucky — have worse ratings. The ratings See CREDIT | Page A2
Iola Municipal Band — Since 1871 —
At the bandstand Jake Ard, director Thursday, Junly 28, 2016 8 p.m. PROGRAM
Star Spangled Banner....................................... (arr. J.P. Sousa) On Wisconsin.............................................................W.T. Purdy Great Themes from Great Italian Movies......Arr. John Cacavas Torch of Liberty..........................................................K.L. King How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying............... by Frank Loesser How Firm Thy Friendship......................... James Swearingen Them Basses...........................................................G.H. Huffine March Slav....................................................... P.I. Tchaikovsky Canadian Sunset...........................................Heywood/Gimbel Washington Post March..............................John Phillip Sousa Rained out concerts will be rescheduled for Friday evening.
Food, fashion and fun A throng of supporters was invited Tuesday to the annual Friends of 4-H Picnic and Style Revue. Above, the particpants line up to feast on pulled pork. Among the participants were, from left, Lilli Hirt, Sam Hull and Chloe Daniels. More pictures are on A4. PHOTOS BY TERRI KRETZMEIER
Quote of the day Vol. 118, No. 189
“The sweetest of all sounds is praise.” — Xenophon, Greek soldier 75 Cents
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