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THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
COUNTY
New owner takes on liquor store
By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Allen County Commissioner Dick Works, right, visits with Ron Holman, left, maintenance supervisor at the courthouse, and County Counselor Alan Weber during lunch at the Iola Senior Center. County Clerk Sherrie Riebel, background, also attended the event to give county officials first-hand experience with congregate meals served daily at the senior center. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON
Empty warehouse sparks interest By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
eral weeks ago about a county property, a vacant implement warehouse at 410 N. State, to use as new quarters. On Tuesday, commissioners said the building, built in 1950, had been appraised for $32,000 and would be advertised for sale with Richards in mind. “It’s an economic development opportunity for the county,” said Commissioner Dick Works, but allowed it
Jeff Richards’ business has outgrown its quarters — his garage at 301 S. Elm St. Richards owns Rebel Works metal manufacturing, a business that makes signs out of metal. Richards approached Allen County commissioners sev-
must be put out on the open market. “One other person has expressed some interest,” said Alan Weber, county counselor. Richards said he would be willing to pay the appraised value. Richards said he had been working from his garage for 10 years and had reached the point that sales dictated larg-
Chris Richards worked for more than 30 years at Iola’s largest employer, Gates Corporation. As such, he became familiar with scores of coworkers, past and present, through the years until he retired from the hose manufacturing plant earlier this summer. “But I’ve never met as many people as I do now,” he said with a smile. Richards’ retirement included purchase of the former Piley’s Liquor, 311 West St., and renaming the retail liquor store as Little Mac’s
Liquor in late July. “I saw this as a business opportunity,” Richards said. “Business has been good. We’ve had a lot of good people come by.” Little Mac’s offers a full selection of domestic and imported beers, wines, malt liquors, wine coolers and flavored malt beverages. Richards also accepts specialty orders upon request. “I’ve learned pretty quickly there’s more to running a liquor store than you might think,” Richards said. “There’s a knack to knowing how much to order, depending on where you’re ordering it.” See STORE | Page A4
See COUNTY | Page A4
HOSPITAL TRUSTEES
Board to assume fundraising efforts
By KAREN INGRAM The Iola Register
Members of Allen County Community Foundation discussed the future of fundraising with hospital trustees Tuesday evening. Susan Michael, foundation director, told the board that fundraising efforts for Allen County Regional Hospital need to be taken over by another group to allow the foundation to pursue other proj-
ects. The foundation would continue to do support services for fundraising efforts, but organizing events and meeting with donors has become too much of a strain for their limited staff. “We will wholeheartedly support you, but we can’t do it anymore,” Michael said. “We don’t have enough bodies.” Michael and Don Copley, president of the foundation, said they would still organize this fall’s gala for them. The
gala will be in celebration of the new hospital’s one-year anniversary and will recognize donors and United for Excellence for their contributions. It would also be a good opportunity to update donors on the progress made at the hospital in the last year and discuss goals for the future. The date of the gala has not been set at this time. See HOSPITAL | Page A4
Chris Richards recently acquired the former Piley’s Liquor Store at 311 West St., and has since renamed the business Little Mac’s Liquor. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Teacher uses recreation for math lessons By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
As young children we carefully watch our parents’ actions. Monkey see, monkey do. When Aubrey Creitz was a child growing up in Erie she knew she would follow her mother Shaila’s footsteps into education. “I enjoyed watching her teach and always dreamed of doing it, too,” Creitz said. Creitz is a new fifth grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School. For many years her mother was a fifth grade teacher at Erie Elementary School. She now is the district librarian. Her brother Daniel followed in their father’s career path by becoming an attorney. Their father is Judge Daniel Creitz of the 31st Judicial District. Creitz has family from Iola
and that’s what first encouraged her to apply for a fifth grade teaching position here. Her grandfather is the late Dale P. Creitz, longtime band and symphony director as well as director of the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. “I loved the town of Iola and it had a really good history of being a great school district,” she said. “I want to show the community what else we as a family can do.” Her high school math teacher, Kelci Botts, encouraged her to pursue mathematics in college. “She taught me about how you have to go above and beyond for your students,” Creitz said. “Mrs. Botts also helped me fall in love with math. I hope to instill these things in my students just like she did for me.” Creitz graduated from Pittsburg State University last December and started substitute teaching in the
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 213
Stress on mental health system grows By DAVE RANNEY KHI News Service
Aubrey Creitz is teaching fifth grade students math at Jefferson Elementary School. This is her first year teaching. REGISTER/KAYLA
BANZET
Chanute and Erie school districts. “I hope in my first year
here I will be able to make an impact on my kids to work See CREITZ | Page A4
“You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” — A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, scientist 75 Cents
OSAWATOMIE — One day last month, Osawatomie State Hospital had 254 patients in its care — almost 50 more than its optimal capacity. The overcrowded conditions forced a few dozen patients, all of them coping with a serious mental illness and likely a danger to themselves or others, to be triple-bunked in rooms meant for two. “It got really crowded there,” said Mark Hornsby, a 56-year-old Topeka man who was an Osawatomie patient earlier this summer. “In the lunch room, you were like elbow-to-elbow. And it got really loud there. It got to a point where I just wanted to stay in See STRESS | Page B3
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