Sports: Royals lose to in-state rivals See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
Iola considers options for Gas water contract
By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Iola City Council members remain in a wait-andsee mode to learn if negotiations between Iola and Gas will allow for Iola to increase the price of the water it sells to Gas. The 30-year pact between the cities — established in 2001 — allowed for Iola to institute six rate increases over the life of the contract. “We’ve already reached the six rate increases,” Iola City Administrator Carl Slaugh told Council members Monday. Gas officials balked when informed of Iola’s latest rate increase instituted earlier this year. “It’s hard to second guess (Iola’s point of view) when
www.iolaregister.com
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
this agreement was passed in 2001,” Slaugh said, but allowing a limited number of rate hikes over such a lengthy period has put Iola in a jam. “Even (Iola’s City Commission) felt, when the water plant was built, somehow they could get by without a rate increase,” Slaugh continued. “They had $2 million in reserve at that time. “But that $2 million was quickly used up,” Slaugh continued, and by the close of the decade, the water fund was in a deficit, and was supplemented by other utility funds. Since then, Iola continues to struggle to make ends meet and make the See WATER | Page A6
Fairgrounds repair effort pursued
By RICK DANLEY The Iola Register
IR FAAIIR TY FA NTY UNT COOUUN EN CO LEN LLE AL ALL 123rd Annual
In the summer of 2007, when rains draped a blanket of water over most of Allen County, the buildings at the fairgrounds in Riverside Park were among those hardest hit. On Tuesday, representatives from the Allen County Fair Board asked the commission for their support in
Riverside Park - Iola,
Kansas
repairing a list of building defects, many of which likely stem from that disaster — and, of course, from the decades of vigorous use. Among the menu of ailments, Extension agent and
fair board representative Carla Nemecek listed comprehensive paint flaking, rotted lumber, rusted tin. The commission currently gives the fair board $11,000 per year, said Nemecek. “Fivethousand of that goes to 4-H, so that we can pay judges and premiums and all that good stuff. And then the rest of it is spent on utilities, insurance, See COUNTY | Page A3
Beating the heat
Iolan Cheri Michael snapped this photo of a squirrel making itself at home atop a shade tree on North Vermont Street.
Court accepts school funding changes By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court signed off Tuesday on a new state law increasing aid to poor school districts, formally ending a threat that the state’s public schools could be shut down. But the court’s brief order resolves only a small part of
a lawsuit filed in 2010 by four school districts. The court will consider next whether
the state is spending enough money overall on its schools, and it could rule on that issue by early next year. The court issued its threepage order , signed by Chief Justice Lawton Nuss, only a day after Republican Gov. Sam Brownback signed the education funding measure into law. The measure boosts aid to poor districts by $38 See COURT | Page A3
Light ’Em Up Fireworks
Fireworks stand benefits ACARF By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Virginia Macha hopes that fireworks sales this year will make life a little brighter for the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility. Macha is proprietor of Light ’Em Up Fireworks, just east of Jump Start Travel Center in the 1700 block of East Street. As in years past, Macha’s
stand will benefit ACARF, the dog and cat rescue shelter in LaHarpe. “We’ve had a few people bring in their ACARF pets to the stand,” Macha said Tuesday afternoon. “It’s been great.” Profits from the fireworks stand could be used for a number of projects, Macha said, the most ambitious of See FIREWORKS | Page A6
Iola Municipal Band Learning fun
A gaggle of youngsters keep themselves busy this week at the Science of Super Powers science camp offered at Allen Community College. At left, Braydie Whitworth tests her lung capacity in the ACC lab. Above, instructor Beth Toland hands out art materials for a workshop on the human body. The camp runs through Friday. REGISTER/
RICHARD LUKEN
— Since 1871 —
At the bandstand Jake Ard, director Thursday, June 30, 2016 8 p.m. PROGRAM
Star Spangled Banner....................................... (arr. J.P. Sousa) Bonds of Unity....................................................... Karl L. King Intermezzo............................................................... P. Mascagni Kansas City Star....................................................... A. Liberati Twilight Time................................................Buck Ram, Morty Nevins, Al Nevis and Marty Dunn South Pacific.........................................Rodgers/Hammerstein Repasz Band........................................................ Harry Lincoln Lichtensteiner Polka........................................ Kotscher/Lindt The Pink Panther..............................................Henry Mancini The Fairest of the Fair ����������������������������������������������J.P. Sousa Rained out concerts will be rescheduled for Friday evening.
Quote of the day Vol. 118, No. 172
“You believe that easily what you hope for earnestly.” — Terence, Roman writer 75 Cents
Hi: 87 Lo: 69 Iola, KS