Sports: Macha, Mustangs nab top-5 finishes at state golf See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
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Thursday, May 28, 2015
Senate leader eyes cuts after tax plan fails By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators must trim state spending, the Senate’s top leader said Wednesday, after the chamber rejected a plan for raising taxes to close a projected budget shortfall. The Senate voted 30-1 against giving first-round approval to a bill to raise sales, tobacco and gasoline taxes and to suspend for two years a 2012 tax break for business
owners and farmers that is one of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s biggest economic initiatives. “Clearly, we need to do some additional cutting in order to get out of here,” said Sen-
ate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican. The Senate’s daylong debate exposed multiple divisions among its Republican supermajority over closing a $406 million budget deficit projected for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Wagle, a Wichita Republican, and Majority Leader Terry Bruce, a Nickerson Republican, disagree over preserving the tax break for business owners and farmers. See SENATE | Page A5
State furloughs may be in store By NICHOLAS CLAYTON The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s office is working to determine when it would have to inform state workers they would be furloughed if a budget is not passed on time, the governor’s spokeswoman said Wednesday.
The Legislature already is in overtime on its 90-day session, with Wednesday being its 97th day, and has yet to pass a balanced budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Spokeswoman Sara Belfry said the governor’s office is working with several agencies to “determine the See FURLOUGHS | Page A5
Democrat appeals for grassroots growth here By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
Tomorrow, tomorrow
Kamri Hall, above, is the title character in the Cooper Studios Dance Center summer revue “Annie,” which runs Friday and Saturday at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. Here, she dances with fellow CSDC troupe members, from left, Lauren McDermeit, Emma Weseloh, Emily Weide, BreAnna Peeper, Justice Wilson, Alexei Fernandez, Brie-Anna Winner, Brittany Cooper and Devin Rubow. At left, Wilson, Peeper, Cooper, Fernandez and Weide dance to another number. The curtain rises at 7 p.m. Tickets for the show will be available at the door both nights. REGISTER/RICK DANLEY
He’s young, energetic, and a veteran with the Kansas Democratic Party. Kerry Gooch, 24, assumed the post of executive director three weeks ago. In that short time he is already making his way across the state spurring Kerry Gouch efforts to establish more county organizations. A graduate of Kansas State University, Gooch interned with the state office while a student. For the past two years he has served as its political director. He also comes from political blood. His grandfaSee GOOCH | Page A5
Farm life still suits Wood, 97 By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
Sweet Slice Carsyn Galloway slices sweet potatoes at her work station at the Humboldt Kids Can Cook session on Wednesday afternoon. Students prepared sweet potato fries, chicken fingers and deviled eggs.Iola students cooked in the morning. The Moran session will begin June 8. REGISTER/KAYLA BANZET
Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 144
MORAN — At 97, it’s a safe bet Ruth Wood is the sole survivor of the 1936 graduating class of Elsmore High School. After all, there were only a dozen in her class. She fondly remembers walking the three miles to school and back each day. And though she wanted to take bookkeeping and typing courses, lack of equipment prevented more than two students at a time to take the popular classes. The school closed about 50 years ago. As a youngster, Ruth remembers an Elsmore of a different era. She grew up on a farm, the daughter of Elmer and Hanna Mattson. In its heyday, Elsmore had three grocery stores, a hardware store, bank, doctor’s office, hotel and restaurant. Three of Ruth’s grandpar-
Ruth Wood, 97, reflects on attending the old Elsmore High School this week. Here she’s with her children, Susan Haddan and Gary Wood. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN ents immigrated to the United States from Sweden. Both Elsmore and its neighbor, Savonburg, were early Swedish colonies. The iconic Swedish symbol, a decoratively painted red horse hangs on the
“You can’t hit what you can’t see.” — Walter Johnson, Humboldt native and MLB Hall-of-Famer 75 Cents
kitchen wall. At age 18, Ruth married Paul Wood, a farmer. They were married 65 years up until his death in 2002. See WOOD | Page A5
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