Wednesday, October 28, 2020
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‘The year Peerless came to town’
Changes needed for remote learning
By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
“The year 2020 will be remembered for COVID-19. But in Iola, it will also be remembered as the year Peerless Products came to town,” predicted Iola Mayor Jon Wells at Tuesday’s celebration of the company’s formal announcement of opening a manufacturing facility in town. Wells was joined by state dignitaries Gov. Laura Kelly and Commerce Secretary David Toland as well as a host of local officials who all played a role in bringing Peerless to town, including Thrive Allen County, Iola council members, Allen County commissioners and Iola Industries. Gov. Kelly commended the transaction as a win-win. “Peerless is a fantastic, home-grown Kansas company with a long history in Fort Scott. I appreciate its leadership team recognizing what Iola and the entire Southeast Kansas region has to offer,” she said. Based in Fort Scott, the 68-year-old company manufactures architectural alumi-
IMS hires female wrestling coach
By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
od. “But honestly, I expect to exceed those numbers,” he said. Also present Tuesday were Coby Jones, president of Peerless, and Bill Osbern, CEO
Out of 99 remote learning students in USD 257, about 27 should be back in school, administrators said Monday. About a third of remote learning students haven’t been performing well, they said. There’s no guarantee they would succeed in an in-person environment, Superintendent Stacey Fager said, but having them in a classroom would make it easier for teachers to intervene and help those who are struggling. Fager, administrators and teachers want to change the district’s remote learning policy to force students to return if they don’t meet certain
See PEERLESS | Page A6
See SCHOOLS | Page A3
Josh Granere of Peerless Products, left, Gov. Laura Kelly and David Toland, Commerce Secretary, prepare to cut the ribbon signifying the launch of a new industry in Allen County. REGISTER/SUSAN
LYNN
num windows and doors and has a workforce of 400. A new product line, the G800, will be produced at the Iola site. “It’s a scaled-down version of our architectural window,” said Josh Granere, incoming
plant manager. “We’ll be able to provide windows in a matter of days, instead of weeks.” Granere said the $10.5 million investment in Allen County will bring 125 jobs to the area over a five-year peri-
How to keep the republic after the election By TIM STAUFFER The Iola Register
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Kansas to broaden COVID-19 testing
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Wichita officials caught in smear campaign PAGE A4
For many of us, next Tuesday’s election can’t come soon enough. The country has been locked in a seemingly eternal presidential campaign for close to two years now. It’s been a particularly nasty campaign season. While local races have thankfully remained civil, state and national races remain a world apart. The lies and doomsday scenarios have made watching TV impossible without the mute button. Yet Americans as a whole believe the stakes of this election have never been higher, with 83% of elected voters See LEADERS | Page A5
In a hyper-partisan political environment, building community and finding consensus are more important than ever, says Ed O’Malley of the Kansas Leadership Center. COURTESY PHOTO
County buys tractor; Murphy resigns By TREVOR HOAG The Iola Register
Robert Storrer of Heartland Tractor talks with commissioners about options for purchasing a new tractor for the county. REGISTER/TREVOR HOAG
Allen County is the proud owner of a new tractor. After some discussion with public works director Mitch Garner and a presentation by Robert Storrer of Heartland Tractor, commissioners approved the purchase of a 2020 Maxxum 135 Active Drive 4 Case IH tractor. The purchase price is $99,500, and should be available for use in January 2021. The machine comes with a standard warranty of 24 months or 2,000 hours, and operates at speeds up to 25 mph. Commissioners also considered bids from Prairieland Partners John Deere, but the
purchase price was higher and the machine would not have been available until next summer. Chris Matthews of Prairieland Partners and Robert Storrer of Heartland Tractor met with Mitch Garner and Pam Mueller of public works last week to go over details before making a more formal presentation. It is unclear what the fate of the county’s old tractor will be, and whether it will be used for trade-in or sold for parts. Along with the new tractor, the county also purchased salt for de-icing roads during the winter months. Commissioners voted to accept a bid from Frank Bills
Trucking for $9,750, which calculates to about 200 tons of salt at $48.75 per ton. The county also considered bids from Central Salt and Arlyn Briggs. The purchase represents a savings on salt over last year of $54.75 per ton. IN OTHER news, commissioners accepted the resignation of emergency communications director Angie Murphy. Murphy, who manned Allen County’s dispatch center for the past 12 years, has been hired by the Kansas 911 Coordinating Council, to help enhance 911 services statewide. “I am very grateful for the See COUNTY | Page A3
Vol. 122, No. 255 Iola, KS 75 Cents
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