The Iola Register, June 29, 2023

County considers recycling test

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

Allen County commissioners might be willing to test drive a proposal from recycling leaders that would dedicate part of an employee’s time for recycling efforts.

The catch is: They want the City of Iola to do the same.

Allen County Recycling representative Janie Works asked commissioners Tuesday to designate an employee to work about 20 hours a week picking up cardboard in dedicated bins scattered around the county and to compress the material into bales.

Commissioners weren’t enthusiastic about the pro-

posal and expressed limited support. “I’m open to a trial basis,” Commissioner Jerry Daniels

said. He suggested the county and city each designate an employee who could help

with recycling two or three days a week for a 90-day period. They could evaluate after that.

Commissioner Bruce Symes questioned the recycling leaders about their plans and experience with cardboard collection efforts.

Businesses are willing to put cardboard trash in totes on their property, Works and Steve Strickler said, but they don’t transport it to the recycling center behind Pete’s convenience store on East Street/U.S. 54.

The recycling group places totes at businesses throughout the county, Strickler said. He and his employ-

See COUNTY | Page A3

Kimball hangs up helmet

By RICHARD LUKEN

Growing up, Gary Kimball didn’t give a second thought to a career fighting fires. He thought even less about manning an ambulance.

“While we were in college, I had a conversation with a girl from my home county who was doing a ride-along with the ambulance service,” Kimball said this week. “She’d tell us about some of the things they did.”

Kimball’s response?

“I told her it’d be a cold day in hell before I did that job,” he muttered.

But something funny happened once he gave it a try. Turns out he liked it.

Kimball joined the Iola Fire Department on Aug. 1, 1988.

On Friday, his 35-year career as deputy fire chief with IFD is coming to an end. The Department will host a reception for Kimball from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday at 408 N. Washington Ave.

“I know a few who have worked here longer than I have,” Kimball said, “and I know a lot of volunteers who have been there longer than I have. But 35 years I figured was a good number to stop.”

KIMBALL grew up in rural Franklin County.

“I was just a kid on a farm,” he said.

His plans to farm changed after high school. Kimball was attending what then was Allen County Community College in Iola, when his father died.

It was about then that Kimball also met a local girl, Karen, who would soon become his wife.

But if he were to stay in Iola, Kimball needed a job.

Kimball was hired by former fire chief Clarence Hydorn, not quite sure how long he’d stick around, or even if he’d be any good at it.

“I was hired at a time where you didn’t have to have any training or certification to be

See KIMBALL | Page A6

MVHS replaces 40-year-old windows

By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register

MORAN — New windows are being installed at Marmaton Valley High School, replacing 40-year-old models that no matter the weather, “always allowed fresh air to come in,” said USD 256 Superintendent Kim Ensminger. Work began the second week of June.

The $200,000 project has been on Ensminger’s radar ever since she became superintendent three years ago. Funding for the windows is from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

“It’s basically still COVID-19 funds,” said Ensminger. The high school was built in 195152. The old double-pane win-

Signs of progress can be messy. USD 256 Superintendent Kim Ensminger is all smiles as the district’s high school gets new windows. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN

dows were covered with curtains and blinds. Even when the windows were closed, “the curtains would flutter,” Ensminger said.

The superintendent noted

the new windows also allow fresh air — on purpose. The school district is using windows manufactured by

PIXABAY.COM

Fireworks displays continue

By the Register staff A community fireworks display will continue in a new location this year.

The Elks will stage their annual fireworks show on Tuesday, July 4, behind the Gas Community Building at 624 W. Pine St. The show begins at dusk. For decades, the Elks offered the fireworks show at the lake they leased from Iola Industries. Now that the lake is being transferred to the state to create a new state park, the lake site isn’t avail-

See FIREWORKS | Page A6

Gary Kimball is retiring from the Iola Fire Department after 35 years of service. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

The Iola Register

Gary Kimball in his early days with the Iola Fire Department.

Janie Works, a volunteer with Allen County Recycling, talks to commissioners on Tuesday. In back from left are Paul Zirjacks, Steve Strickler and Ron Holman. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

JoAnn Fehr

JoAnn Fehr, 88, of Iola passed away on Monday, June 26, 2023 at home surrounded by her family.

JoAnn is survived by her sons

Curtis Kevin Fehr and his wife

Emily and Scott Joseph Fehr; her daughter Cynthia Lyn Anderson; three grandchildren, Kristin Stotler and her husband

Justin, Tyler Fehr and his wife

Nikki, and Kyle Fehr; and six great-grandchildren Emalee, Colton, Lynsie, Cain, Bailey and Marlee.

Cremation has been requested with no services planned at this time. Memorials have been suggested to ACARF and may be left with or mailed to Countryside Funeral Home, 101 N. Highland, Chanute, KS 66720.

Court to hear voting rights case

By RICHARD LUKEN The Associated Press

TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court will review portions of a voting rights lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of mandates created in 2021 in response to election fraud conspiracy theories.

To settle some of the debate around state elections, justices will hear arguments about whether Kansans’ right to vote is undermined by state law restricting the number of advance ballots a person can deliver to an election office. The arguments will also challenge state law requiring election volunteers to verify signatures on advance ballots.

On Tuesday, the plaintiffs filed a motion asking the Kansas Supreme Court for an injunction on these provisions while the appeals process is ongoing.

“The provision is obviously incredibly concerning,” said Davis Hammet with Loud

Light, one of the groups involved in the case. “It should be concerning to every Kansan, the idea that you do everything right, and then the state just alleges that someone didn’t think your signature match so your vote isn’t counted.”

Among other restrictions laid out in House Bill 2332 and House Bill 2183: Election officials must evaluate advance ballots by matching signatures on file with the county with signatures on ballot envelopes, and one person cannot deliver more than 10 advance voting ballots on behalf of other voters. The law also created new penalties for touching somebody else’s ballot, distributing ballots or altering the postmark on an advanced ballot.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed both bills, but was overridden.

The Kansas Court of Appeals issued a March opinion that the case should go back to District Court, reversing the decision of a Shawnee County judge,

who dismissed the voting-access lawsuit. The court opinion indicated the plaintiffs had ground to sue.

THE lawsuit was originally filed in 2021 against Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Attorney General Kris Kobach by the League of Women Voters of Kansas, Loud Light, Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, and the Topeka Independent Living Resource Center.

The Kansas Legislature had passed several election laws meant to stop fraudulent ballots from being cast in response to conservative theories about the 2020 loss of former President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden. No evidence has been given to support election fraud, and Schwab has repeatedly affirmed the security of Kansas elections.

“The state legislature can’t willy-nilly just make an absurd claim of fraud, pass a law that will disenfranchise a

bunch of folks and have that be OK,” Hammet said. “The state really needs to carefully craft solutions to address a real problem. They can’t just make it harder to vote based on conspiracy.”

On a national level, a series of claims of voter fraud were all debunked by government officials and the Trump campaign’s own legal team.

“For two years, the League of Women Voters of Kansas has halted our core work of voter assistance because our state law targets voter assistance organizations with criminal penalties,” said Martha Pint, League of Women Voters of Kansas president. “LWV and our partners have known all along that this law hurts Kansans, and we are eager for the Supreme Court to hear our arguments.”

A spokesperson from the secretary of state’s office didn’t immediately respond to Reflector inquiries for comment.

1940, to Joseph and Elsie (Tucker) Murcko in Flint, Mich. He served in the U.S. Air Force.

He married Shirley on Dec. 18, 1960.

Ronald is survived by his wife Shirley, of the home; children Teresa (Keith) Nickell of Chanute, Michael Murcko of Dallas and Richard (Tina) Murcko of Iola; eight grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and other relatives.

A visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 30, in The Venue at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 U.S. 54, Iola. A funeral service will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Humboldt United Methodist Church, 806 N. Ninth St. Burial will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery, Humboldt.

Memorials are suggested to the Wings of Warriors or the Humboldt Food Pantry and may be left with the funeral home.

Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.

Hospital Auxiliary offers scholarships

Scholarships to pursue health-related fields are being provided by the Allen County Regional Hospital Auxiliary.

Applicants must be accepted for admission in a health-related field of study

Tensions high in France after police kill teenager

NANTERRE, France

(AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron called the shooting death of a 17-year-old delivery driver by police “inexcusable” and pleaded for calm while justice takes its course. The government heightened the police presence in Paris and other big cities Wednesday after the killing triggered a night of scattered violence.

The death of 17-yearold Nael during a traffic check Tuesday in the Paris suburb of Nanterre elicited nationwide concern and widespread messages of indignation and condolences. French soccer star Kylian Mbappe tweeted: “I hurt for my France.” Nael’s surname has not been released by authorities or by his family.

Nael’s mother called for a silent march Thursday in his honor on the square where he was killed, while French activists renewed calls to tackle what they see as systemic police abuse. Government officials condemned the killing and sought to distance themselves from the police officer’s actions.

“Nothing justifies the death of a young person,” Macron told reporters in Marseille, calling what happened “inexplicable and inexcusable.”

Videos of the incident shared online show two police officers leaning into the driver-side window of a yellow car before the vehicle pulls away as one officer fires into the window. The car is later seen crashed into

a post nearby.

The victim, who was driving the car, was wounded by a gunshot and died at the scene, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. A passenger in the car was briefly detained and released, and police are searching for another passenger who fled. Anger over the killing spawned unrest in multiple towns around Paris. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 31 people were arrested, 24 police officers injured and 40 cars burned in overnight unrest.

The police officer suspected of firing on Nael remains in custody and faces potential man-

slaughter charges, according to the Nanterre prosecutor’s office.

The Nanterre neighborhood where Nael lived remained on edge Wednesday, with police on guard around the regional administration and burned car wreckage and overturned garbage bins still visible in some areas. Bouquets of orange and yellow roses were tied to the post where the car crashed after the shooting, on Nanterre’s Nelson Mandela Square.

Speaking to Parliament Wednesday, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said, “the shocking images broadcast yesterday show an inter-

vention that clearly appears as not complying with the rules of engagement of our police forces.”

Deadly use of firearms is less common in France than in the United States.

Tuesday’s death unleashed anger in Nanterre and other towns, including around housing projects where many residents struggle with poverty and discrimination and feel police abuse is under-punished.

at a two or four- year college, university, or technical school to be eligible. Preference will be given to applicants who live in Allen County, graduated from an Allen County high school, are employed by Allen County Regional Hospital, or are a child/grandchild of a hospital employee.

Up to two $500 scholarships per semester are available. Applications must be received or postmarked by July 31, to be considered for the upcoming fall semester.

To request an application form or for information, contact Kay Walker, ACRH Auxiliary Scholarship Committee Chair, at 620-228-2406 or kaywalker1234@gmail. com. Printed applications may also be picked up at the front reception desk at the hospital in Iola.

The Kansas Supreme Court will review portions of 2021 election law dealing with ballot collection and signature verifications. KANSAS REFLECTOR/SHERMAN SMITH

Ronald Murcko

JoAnn Fehr

County: Commissioners consider option for recycling effort

Continued from A1

ees at Strickler Dairy collect the totes each day but it’s a time-consuming process. At one point, they picked up 93 totes; they’ve reduced the number to 26.

Terry Sparks, a business owner who was at Tuesday’s meeting for other reasons, said he’s noticed the difference in recycling. Businesses that have totes use them; when those totes were taken away, large amounts of cardboard ended up in the landfill.

Commission Chairman David Lee said he was concerned that if the county started to help with recycling efforts, the number of requests to pick up cardboard will increase.

“Let’s get with the city and see if they will commit,” Lee said.

City Administrator

Matt Rehder confirmed he had received a request to put the matter on the city’s agenda, but his focus currently is on budget work and he doesn’t anticipate considering it until after the budget process, which could take a few more weeks.

Meanwhile, the county asked Mark Griffith, road and bridge director, to serve as the coun-

ty’s lead on recycling. Griffith lives in Coffey County and is quite familiar with a successful recycling program there. He also noted the new federal infrastructure bill includes opportunities to fund recycling projects.

COMMISSIONERS have been hesitant to jump into recycling efforts, though Works and other recycling leaders say the job is too big to rely on volunteers. Works spoke to commissioners a few weeks ago, saying recycling should be treated like other services. She noted recycling keeps items out of the county land-

fill, thus increasing its lifespan.

That’s true and it’s important to recycle to reduce the pressure on the landfill, Commissioner Daniels said, but he researched the matter and found Allen County’s trash accounts for just 25% of items dumped at the landfill. Other counties ship their trash to Allen because the landfill meets stringent federal requirements. Works came armed with statistics when she returned in front of commissioners Tuesday.

In 2022, the recycling group collected 244 tons of cardboard. So far this year, they’ve collected

MVHS: Projects underway

Continued from A1

Peerless Windows.

Ensminger noted several MVHS alums work at Iola’s Peerless Commercial Applications Group facility, including Josh Granere, plant manager, and Derek Sharff. Ensminger said discussions about the new windows began with Mike Jackman of Moran, who has since retired from Peerless.

The district is also continuing to replace air conditioning units with the more energy-efficient mini-split units, a project begun last year, and again with

pandemic-relief funds.

“It was a choice between electric versus natural gas,” she said, adding the electric units are pleasantly quiet, a plus for the classroom.

“The KDHE money has been a blessing,” she said.

In addition to her responsibilities as superintendent, Ensminger is also principal of the district’s elementary school.

“It’s challenging,” she said with a smile.

She noted that the elementary’s summer school recently concluded. Of the 31 students

invited, 27 students attended. The district is planning to move the four-week program to the end of summer so that it precedes the beginning of school in the fall, “to catch up the ones who really need it.”

To better help working parents, the district is also investigating childcare options, she said.

The district has 270 students. Ensminger hopes their numbers remain steady but worries the area’s high cost of rent “will make things worse before they get better.”

135 tons. They typically collect a semi-load of cardboard each month.

So far this year, the group has collected:

48 bales of office paper, magazines and newspaper. A bale measures 54 inches by 63 inches by 36 inches.

16 bales of plastic.

864 cubic feet of glass. The glass is collected in three industrial-sized dumpsters, which are taken to Kansas City when full. Currently, two of the three are full.

The group also collects aluminum and tin cans, which are stored at Strickler’s Dairy. Someone takes the aluminum to Ray’s Metal Depot and donates proceeds to local schools.

Medical Arts Building

Sparks spoke to commissioners in his role as the chairman of the Allen County Regional Hospital facilities committee.

He thanked commissioners for their investment into a remodel of the Medical Arts Building and talked about new lease agreements for tenants who use the

building.

The county should expect to receive about $6,200 per month, with a net of about $4,500 a month after expenses.

The county will need to provide various supplies and services to tenants. Sparks had hoped to contract with the Saint Luke’s Health System for medical items, but found that is not allowed because Saint Luke’s is a non-profit entity. Instead, he believes the county can supply those items through the EMS service. He worked with Ron Holman, the county’s maintenance director, to find ways to supply other items and contracts for services such as cleaning or technology.

IN OTHER business, the commission:

• Heard from Paul Zirjacks, a citizen who is concerned about the future of newspapers. He noted two publications in southeast Kansas recently were sold and reduced to twice-a-week publication. He wants the community to better support the daily Iola

Register.

• Heard a report from Public Works Director Mitch Garner, who said the airport runway had been painted and work continues on the taxiway. Pilots say the new paint is easy to see from the air.

• Heard from Griffith, the road and bridge director, that dust control efforts were delayed again and not expected to start until after July 4. Griffith has been frustrated by the delay and is researching options to form some sort of consortium with other counties.

• Heard from Holman about plans to remodel a building at the Humboldt Senior Center for use as a food pantry. The work had been delayed but should start this week.

• Noted the state had requested an easement on county-owned land near the west trailhead for the Lehigh Portland Trails. The trails and nearby lake will become a state park, and more space is needed there to allow emergency vehicles to access the trail.

where

Terry Sparks, chairman of the Allen County Regional Hospital facilities committee, talks to commissioners about the Medical Arts Building.

Few options as millions lose Medicaid

By ARIEL COHEN CQ-Roll Call/TNS

WASHINGTON — States are disenrolling residents from Medicaid at a breakneck pace, even though a large percentage of those losing coverage are still eligible for the program.

But the unique structure of the jointly run federal and state program means there’s little the Biden administration can do to prevent poor people from losing health care.

As of June 22, more than 1.5 million people in 25 states and the District of Columbia have been disenrolled from Medicaid through the unwinding of the pandemic continuous coverage provision, according to data from KFF, the group formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. And as many as 17 million could lose coverage soon by the time the process concludes.

Across all states, 73 percent of those disenrollments are procedural terminations, meaning patients in question still qualify for Medicaid based on their income or disability status, but they may have missed a phone call from a state health official, could not verify income with a previous employer or dealt with some other procedural misstep that thwarted the process of reenrolling.

The disenrollments are happening in the context of the end of a continuous coverage requirement brought on by the COVID-19 public health emergency. That requirement barred states from removing anyone from their Medicaid rosters during the emergency. The end of the requirement in March means that Medicaid recipients must verify their eligibility or risk being cut from the program, and many red states see this as an opportunity to quickly cut costs and trim their Medicaid rolls.

The White House gave states a few months to prepare for the end of the public health emergency and the resumption of Medicaid renewals, but some policy experts say it was difficult for states to realize the downstream impact.

“It is hard to underestimate or underscore enough the historical, traumatic events that we are experiencing in the Medicaid base right now,” said Karen Shields, a former deputy director

of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services under the Obama administration and now client engagement officer at Gainwell Technologies, a company that provides digital solutions to administer health and human services programs.

“The [coverage] grounds that we have made since the passage of the [2010 health care law] are quite frankly about to erode because we are not taking this problem seriously enough,” she said.

In Arkansas, for example, the state reported 72,802 beneficiaries had lost Medicaid coverage during the first month of redeterminations — 40 percent of whom were children and 72 percent of whom lost their coverage for procedural reasons.

But the Arkansas Department of Health defended these high numbers of procedural terminations by arguing that many residents simply chose not to turn in their Medicaid paperwork because they knew they no longer qualified. While these people may count as procedural coverage losses, they were aware of the process, argued Arkansas Department of Health communications chief Gavin Lesnick.

IN KANSAS, 89 percent of Medicaid enrollees who lost health insurance lost coverage for procedural reasons. Many were children who rely on parents or other caregivers to update their contact information with the state. More than 62 percent of KanCare enrollees are kids, and roughly 64 percent of KanCare sign-ups during the pandemic were children, according to data from the Georgetown Center for Children and Families.

Power of the purse

Biden administration officials and Capitol Hill lawmakers are quickly trying to figure out how many of these procedural terminations could have been avoided and what to do about it.

HHS offered states some new flexibilities earlier this month in an effort to stem the disenrollments.

This includes allowing managed care firms to complete Medicaid renewal forms on an enrollee’s behalf, allowing states to delay administrative termination for one month while the state conducts additional targeted outreach, and allowing pharmacies and community-based organizations to facilitate reinstatement of coverage for those who were disenrolled.

But the new flexibilities stop short of the agency’s ultimate power move: cutting off funding to individual state Medicaid programs. While CMS controls the power of the purse, it rarely uses it.

During a call with reporters on June 13, CMS officials urged states not to rush the process and warned it would crack down on states that seem to be needlessly discarding people from their Medicaid rosters.

“If we find any violation of federal rules, we will use every lever Congress gives us,” said Rachel Pryor, the counselor to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. She said a pause on procedural terminations is a probable option.

But Washington, D.C., doesn’t have a lot of control over state Medicaid programs.

While the federal government oversees and funds Medicaid, each state designs and operates its own Medicaid program within federal guidelines.

When federal bureaucrats see something

amiss in state programs, its first course of action is typically a corrective action plan, and the last resort is withholding federal funds. But such drastic steps rarely occur, and corrective action plans take a long time to produce results, explained Robin Rudowitz, vice president at KFF and director for the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

Congress gave CMS some additional enforcement tools to ensure states aren’t needlessly disenrolling Medicaid recipients as part of recent omnibus legislation, including financial penalties and requiring states to pause disenrollments.

A sense of urgency

The agency has yet to take these steps, though, and Congress wants it to move faster.

Top Democrats on Capitol Hill are urging the Biden administration to take a greater role in overseeing state reassessments of Medicaid beneficiary eligibility.

Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and House Energy and Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., sent a letter to CMS on June 8 urging the agency to take a greater role in overseeing state reassessments of Medicaid beneficiary eligibility. The Democrats asked CMS to threaten to defund state Medicaid programs if they don’t undertake good-faith efforts to prevent procedural terminations.

“We urge you to move swiftly to use these tools to prevent more coverage losses among eligible children and adults in Florida, Arkansas, and other states,” Wyden and Pallone wrote.

Pallone on Friday said that Republican states aren’t doing enough to ensure their citizens don’t lose coverage. He called on CMS to “be more assertive in laying out their plans for enforcement action.”

But taking a heavy hand with state Medicaid programs is not usually the agency’s style, Shields said. Since Medicaid is a state-federal program, it has to walk a careful line.

Once kicked off Medicaid, an individual has 30 or 90 days, depending on their coverage, to appeal the decision and provide the necessary information to have their coverage reinstated without any gap. But many are not aware of that option.

Blood clots can be deadly

The patient was young, healthy, and short of breath. She had not been sick recently, other than a minor cough. Her oxygen level was normal and her lungs sounded clear. Her heart rate was a little fast and she was breathing rather quickly, too. She was anxious about it, but she knew there was more to this than anxiety. Meanwhile, she was taking an antibiotic for bronchitis which did not seem to be helping. We did some additional tests, some blood work, to look for other possible causes. One test result gave us a big clue: her “d-dimer” was elevated. While not tied to a specific diagnosis, this gave us more reason to keep looking. We proceeded to get a CT pulmonary angiogram, a special scan of the chest, specifically looking at the vessels that run from the heart to the lungs, looking for a blood clot. Sure enough, that is what it was: a pulmonary embolism. The treatment was medication to help thin the blood, which helps the clot to gradually dissolve. She was relieved to know the cause of her symptoms and within days she was feeling better. Without treatment a pulmonary embolism, or blood clot in the lungs, can be fatal. Thus, early detection and treatment is key. Unfortunately, detecting it may be difficult, especially since the symptoms are often vague and common with numerous other illnesses. In addition to shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing,

Andrew Ellsworth The Prairie Doc

coughing up blood, or pain with breathing can be symptoms of a blood clot. Another hallmark symptom of a blood clot may be calf pain or swelling. Unexplained swelling and pain of a limb may indicate a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in the leg or arm. Left untreated, a DVT can become larger and may break off and go through the heart to the lung vessels and cause a pulmonary embolism).

A person may be at increased risk of a clot due to a genetic condition, an illness, pregnancy, after surgery, after an injury, because of cancer, or because of medications such as birth control pills. Covid has been a more recent cause. Sometimes a clot happens for no apparent reason. Prolonged travel is also a reason, so on a long drive or flight, take time to stop and stretch your legs. Wearing high compression socks while traveling may also be helpful.

Shortness of breath can be a symptom of numerous ailments, major or minor. No matter the reason, however, please consult your doctor if you are short of breath or have unexplained swelling of an arm or leg. It could be a blood clot.

About the author: Andrew Ellsworth, M.D. is part of The Prairie Doc® team of physicians and currently practices family medicine in Brookings, South Dakota.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra speaks as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass looks on at a news conference following a tour and roundtable discussion at an Asian American Drug Abuse Program facility on May 31, 2023, in Los Ange

les. (MARIO TAMA/GETTY IMAGES/TNS)

~ Journalism that makes a difference

How the state can improve the health of 400,000 Kansans

Over the next 18 months, the state of Kansas will have an opportunity to improve the health of Kansans.

Taking advantage of this opportunity will not require passing legislation. Instead, it will require the state embracing an innovative approach to the contracting process for the state’s Medicaid managed care program, KanCare.

The state’s KanCare program provides health coverage to approximately 400,000 Kansans, including children, low-income parents and Kansans with disabilities. The KanCare program is managed by private insurers, known as managed care organizations, that contract with the state to deliver high-quality health benefits to enrollees.

As the state begins the contracting process for KanCare, the state has an opportunity to improve the health and experience of enrollees. With new MCO contracts, Kansas can do more than in the past to advance health equity, support children’s health and development, narrow health disparities, and ensure critical community linkages and supports for enrollees.

We can achieve these goals by learning from other states that have leveraged their managed care programs to prioritize community involvement, support primary care by recognizing that prevention is paramount, especially for young children, and investing in innovations that address health-related social needs and the social drivers of health.

As Kansas prepares to solicit bids, the state should leverage strategies that will convey a clear message to prospective MCOs about their expectations and should require MCOs to respond to specific questions aimed at distinguishing their approach to addressing issues of concern to Kansans. For example:

• How will you ensure that all enrollees have access to the care they need to attain the highest level of health, and how will you improve data collection to track equity improvements?

• What will you do to focus attention on the health of rural Kansans?

• How will you deploy community based providers such as community health workers, doulas, community paramedics, home-visitors and peers to ensure that KanCare enrollees have sufficient access to services in community-based settings?

• Given Kansas’ extension of Medicaid coverage to 12 months post-partum, what will you do to ensure a robust set of benefits are available to this group?

• How will you ensure a two-generation approach to care, including screening and treatment for caregiver depression?

• How will you ensure comprehensive screening and effective referrals for health-related social needs, and how will you forge meaningful partnerships with community organizations to address needs?

David Jordan For the Kansas Reflector

Kansas can set the expectation of innovation by requiring at least one cross-plan performance improvement plan focused on driving statewide change and use of a public-facing dashboard to contribute to transparency.

The state has the authority — and obligation — to require a level of excellence in health care delivery that can improve health care quality and produce better health outcomes in both the short term and over time. Kansas also can incentivize and assist MCOs to perform at the highest levels, placing significant value on continuous quality improvement.

To focus on improving health, Kansas can ensure KanCare dollars are spent on enrollees’ health instead of administrative costs. Currently, at least 85% of payments to MCOs must go to improving health outcomes, but more can be done. Rather than being penalized, MCOs that don’t meet this obligation should invest the difference in activities that improve health outcomes through strengthening connections with the communities they serve.

Alternatively, Kansas can catalyze further investment in innovation by increasing the MCO’s obligation to provide health coverage to, say, 88%, and allowing MCOs to “count” a portion of expenditures on specific priorities (such as advancing equity, community involvement and reinvestment, attention to health-related social needs and enriching primary care services).

The best way to ensure there is accountability, transparency and oversight built into the contracts is by the state setting those expectations and planning for it in the contracting process. This should be grounded in thorough and intentional data reporting and as well as consistent and accessible data sharing, especially for race, ethnicity and geography.

Most importantly, throughout the contracting process and implementation of the new contracts, we encourage Kansas to continue to promote opportunities for KanCare enrollees and Kansans to voice concerns about whether the systems are working for them and to improve the health of Kansas. Meaningful engagement, particularly with enrollees and underserved Kansans, will build a better health care system for all Kansans and result in a healthier state.

Public comments about this process are due in early July to be considered by the state government on this important contracting process.

About the author: David Jordan is the president of the Hutchinson-based United Methodist Health Ministry Fund.

What I need to tell Americans

Rochelle Walensky

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Exactly one year after the first laboratory-confirmed case of Covid-19 was identified in the United States, I began my tenure as the 19th director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the time, vaccines were available, but new variants continued to emerge. I viewed my primary charge as bringing this country from the dark and tragic pandemic days into a more restored place.

In the two and a half years since that day, the world has faced an unrivaled density of public health challenges. There was the evolving Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the first-ever global mpox outbreak The largest outbreak of the Sudan species of Ebola virus in Uganda in two decades threatened to spread across international borders; the first U.S. case of paralytic polio since 2013 was identified; over 80,000 immigrants from Afghanistan arrived, some with cases of active measles and other diseases that were contained; and the largest and longest highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak among flocks of birds is ongoing around the world.

Public health work will continue to be critically important and the challenges just as complex. Yet I fear the despair from the pandemic is fading too quickly from our memories, perhaps because it is too painful to recall a ravaged nation brought to its knees.

As the leader of the C.D.C., I had the privilege of a unique perspective, seeing public health in the United States for both its challenges and its gifts. And yet the agency has been sidelined, chastened by early missteps with Covid and battered by persistent scrutiny We tackled the aforementioned threats and barreled forward to address the hard lessons learned along the way. Even amid the challenges, Americans must recognize the need for a strong public health system and for a robust C.D.C.

I believe that scientific expertise should not take a back seat to partisan will. That said, public health and scientific recommendations inevitably intersect with social values and policy. Acknowledging this intersection is not to suggest that elected leaders — regardless of party — should disregard science or undermine its integrity. We in public health must recognize that recommendations do not occur within a vacuum; rather, they affect other sectors of American life — education, the economy and national security, to name a few.

THE JOB of public health is to strike an appropriate balance between protecting the health of all those who live in the United States while minimizing the disruption to the normal functioning of society. The goal is to offer science-driven recommendations that balance protection and practicality in the context of one’s individual risk tolerance and value set. For example, the question of how low the rates of infections in schools need to be

for them to remain open has much to do with whether you have an immunocompromised family member in the household, or whether you can supplement education with personal tutors or whether you require school lunches for your child’s nutritional needs.

All of this is made easier with strong institutions and a strong public health work force. Decades of underinvestment in public health rendered the United States ill prepared for a global pandemic. Some estimates suggest we are 80,000 public health workers short across the United States to meet basic public health needs. To this day some of our public health data systems are reliant on old fax machines National laboratories lack both state-of-the-art equipment and skilled bench scientists to work them. During the pandemic, the answer to these prevailing problems was a rapid infusion of money — resources that were swiftly withdrawn.

It is not enough to support public health when there is an emergency. The roller coaster influx of resources during a crisis, followed by underfunding after the threat is addressed, exposes a broken system and puts future lives at risk. Longstanding, sustainable investments are needed across public health, over time and administrations, to position the United States to be better prepared for the next largescale infectious disease outbreak or other health threat.

The responsibility of the public health community and its leaders to articulate strategy and communicate regularly with the public has also never been more apparent. Four years ago, most people were much less familiar with the C.D.C. We felt our primary audience was mostly health scientists, academics and public health practitioners, and our initial pandemic messages were frequently speaking to those scientifically attuned. Today, our audience is all the people of this country — from those in the Bronx to rural Montana to the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, all the way to Guam.

Over the past year, I started an effort, called C.D.C. Moving Forward, to address pandemic breakdowns and restore eroded trust. The goal is to make the C.D.C. the public health agency the American people demand and deserve. This includes many changes, among them more regular communication with people, politicians and other public health leaders. I found significant benefit in regularly meeting with members of Congress as well as visiting health de-

partments across the nation and C.D.C. offices around the world to learn more about needs on the ground while discussing our shared priorities. Continuing this kind of work can go a long way in building trust and making clear the C.D.C.’s goals.

Delivering information both in scientific detail and in plain language can be challenging, especially when messaging is met by efforts to compromise our work with nefarious intent. As a society, we must be more discerning of dubious rhetoric. People deserve accurate information to make the best health decisions — accounting for their own vulnerabilities and ideals — for themselves and their families.

I’M HOPEFUL for the future of public health in America because of the people I met during my tenure who, in spite of the challenges, care deeply about this work.

Among the greatest gifts of my time at the C.D.C. has been meeting the people of the agency who worry about public health day and night so that you do not have to. Many spent significant time during the pandemic away from their families, because the task at hand was so important to the greater good.

Most people are likely to never know the name of the person who rappelled from a helicopter to drop Covid-19 test kits onto a cruise ship, nor the fear of a public health officer deployed to an Ebola-laden Ugandan community to carry out a family risk assessment. You may not have considered the grueling hours necessary to conduct door-to-door exposure assessments after the Ohio train derailment, and you most likely do not know the tenacity of the team of C.D.C. experts who, after months of investigation, isolated deadly bacteria normally found half a world away from a commonly sold air freshener (the contaminated batch now off the market). And that’s how it’s supposed to be. The people who do this work for you — who often put themselves in harm’s way — serve you and the nation tirelessly, skillfully and selflessly.

I want to remind America:

The question is not if there will be another public health threat, but when. The C.D.C. needs public and congressional support if it is going to be prepared to protect you from future threats. Godspeed to the 20th director and to my incredible friends at the C.D.C.

About the author: Dr. Walensky is the outgoing director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

First responders care for crew members as they arrive from life boats from a cruise ship that experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020. DAVID SANTIAGO, MIAMI HERALD/TNS

Kimball: Longtime firefighter set to retire Friday

Continued from

hired,” he recalled. “Got all my training, schooling and technician education while I was here.”

Turns out Kimball was (a) a quick learner, and (b) a hard worker.

“Coming to work became a good habit,” he explained. “And once you get established, with a good work ethic, you can get comfortable doing it.”

It wasn’t always easy.

“There was a wreck early in my career that made me question whether I wanted to continue,” Kimball recalled. “But I was able to learn over time how to deal with activities, emergencies. … Compartmentalize is a great way to describe it.”

There was plenty of action to keep him busy.

Kimball was on duty fighting two of Iola’s most historic downtown blazes, less than a year apart. He was there when a lightning strike led to the fire that destroyed the old Oddfellows Hall building along U.S. 54 in downtown Iola. Less than a year later, an arsonist set a fire that destroyed the old Globe building and two others on the west side of the square (where the Funston Home now sits.)

Kimball and Corey Isbell, who’s now Iola fire chief, were dispatched to the fire that devastated several buildings in downtown Fort Scott in 2005, and he’s been to Chanute on multiple occasions for mutual aid calls.

Maintaining composure in high-stress situations is key, he noted.

“Sometimes you can tell by the excitement in the dispatcher’s voice that something big might be happening,” he said.

Speaking of…

Wife Karen is nearing her 26th year as a dispatcher with the county, which means she’s often the one sending her husband on emergency calls.

Truth be told, Kimball said his wife usually has the tougher job.

“When you ask about adrenaline, we get that call, and we get that release,” he explained. “We can go out and jump in a fire truck and an ambulance and go to work. She’s there without seeing a picture, wondering what’s happening.”

“Oh, gosh, I won’t miss hearing that pager,” Karen said in a telephone interview about the summons her husband receives.

The worst times are fire calls when she hears her husband’s voice.

“I can tell from the sound of his breathing in his air pack, that it’s him,” she said. “But being calm like that is good. He does a really good job of working with people. It seems like any time we go out to eat or anything, everybody knows Gary. So many people have met him through being a patient or a relative of a patient. After 35 years, he’s made a big impact on the community.”

Those are the good times, he agrees. Some of the best come from

the most dire of circumstances.

“When you get to see a person who was pulseless and not breathing spend additional time with their family after they recover is pretty special,” Kimball said.

WITH RETIREMENT here, Kimball has plenty on his plate to keep him busy.

He will continue to work with emergency fire crews at Kansas Speedway and Iowa Speedway for NASCAR races and motor events.

Kimball also was introduced to beekeeping as a hobby years ago, when his son, Reece, took an interest.

“It’s fun as long as I don’t go to the hospital from it,” he said, recalling a time when he fainted after being stung.

“I don’t think it was an anaphylactic reaction,” he said. “I just passed out.”

Karen said she has a list of things that need doing around the house.

“But he seems to have

already made other plans,” she joked.

It will be nice having her husband home more often, she quickly added.

It’s not a joke when Kimball notes he often spends more time with his fellow firefighters — 24-hour shifts are like that — than with his own family.

“The kids really missed out on both of us parents being involved in a lot of things,” Karen said. “He’d be working 24 hours, and I’d be working weekends. Our kids gave up a lot.”

Son Reece works for a landscaping company in Kansas City. Daughter Haley works closer to home for the Allen County Sheriff’s Department.

“We’re gonna do more things as a family, and do more things with the grandkids,” Karen promised.

ISBELL notes Kimball’s retirement brings an end to an era at the Fire Department. It’s like that a lot,

Canadian wildfires leave Detroit with worst air quality

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit area woke up Wednesday to some of the worst air quality in the United States as smoke from Canada’s wildfires settled over most of the Great Lakes region and unhealthy haze spread southward, as far as Missouri and Kentucky.

Drifting smoke from the wildfires has lowered curtains of haze on broad swaths of the United States, pushing into southern Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, and moving into parts of West Virginia.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow.gov site showed Detroit in the “hazardous” range and warned that “everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels.” Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Ohio; and Pittsburgh all have “very unhealthy” air. A wider circle of unhealthy air spread into St. Louis and Louisville, Ky.

“The more breaths you’re taking, you’re inhaling, literally,

Fireworks

Continued from A1

when long-time employees leave.

“Gary was my lieutenant when I started here,” in 1999, Isbell said. “He’s the last one of the old-timers to go. They were the guys who led us to be as successful as we are now.’

Kimball said the department remains in steady hands with leaders such as Isbell and other long-time firefighters such as Kenneth Powell, Eric B’Hymer, Jeremy Ellington and Eric Sanders.

He recommends joining the Fire Department to anybody willing to learn.

“You’ll have your ups and downs, but it’s a great career,” he said. “Obviously, the city has increased pay over the last 35 years, you can make a living at it and raise a family. For somebody who wants to be a firefighter or an EMS provider, you have to have compassion and concern for other people. Your job is to be there to help them.”

As an aside, the department also is in the midst of a transformation in terms of equipment.

Two of its older trucks, Engine 3 and Engine 312 were among the newest vehicles in the fleet, but have been replaced in recent months.

“We know fire trucks usually have a shelf life of 20 to 25 years,” Kimball said. “Turns out they got to retire before I did.”

able.

Those who plan to attend the show in Gas can park or sit anywhere south of Pine Street.

Humboldt also is continuing its annual show. The Humboldt Lions Club will have the Mike Rickner Memorial Fireworks Display on Monday, July 3, at the Humboldt Golf Course. The show begins at dusk. Bring lawn chairs and blankets.

A model RC airplane show kicks things off at 6:30 Monday evening, followed by an ice cream social at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church at 7.

COMMUNITIES in the county each have their own regulations for shooting fireworks. Check with your local City Hall to find out about specific limits.

In Iola, fireworks are permitted from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. until July 3. On July 4, they are allowed from 9 a.m. to midnight. On July 5, they are allowed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In Humboldt, the discharge of fireworks is allowed from 8 a.m. to midnight between June 30 and July 4.

a fire, camp smoke, into your lungs,” said Detroit resident Darren Riley, who said he would wear a mask if he had to go outside at all on Wednesday.

The smoke is exacerbating air quality issues for poor and Black communities that already are more likely to live near polluting plants, and in rental housing with mold and other triggers.

Detroit’s southwest side is home to a number of sprawling refineries and manufacturing plants and has battled air pollution for decades. It is also one of the poorest parts of a mostly Black city, which has an overall poverty rate of about 30%. According to a 2022 report by the American Lung Association, the city’s ozone and short-term particle pollution ranked among the worst in the nation.

Riley’s own experiences being diagnosed with asthma in 2018 a few years after moving to Detroit and with the

poor air quality in parts of the city prompted him to start JustAir, which provides air pollution monitoring.

“Just because you’re born in a certain ZIP code or you’re born into a certain family with a certain skin color doesn’t mean that you should have an unequal go at it,” said Riley, who is Black.

Elsewhere, Milwaukee County Emergency Medical Services has seen a spike in calls for residents with respiratory complaints, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Office of Emergency Management data show a disproportionate amount of calls for respiratory issues – 54.8% – have been for Blacks in Milwaukee, according to the newspaper. Milwaukee County’s population is 27.1% Black.

In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson urged young people, older adults and residents with health issues to spend more time indoors and pledged “swift action to ensure

that vulnerable individuals have the resources they need to protect themselves and their families.”

Above, Gary Kimball, center, stands with former Iola Fire Chief Jack Graves, at right, and Tim Thyer, who would later become fire chief, in 1996. At right, Gary Kimball rides in a Farm City Days parade with son Reece and daughter Haley. COURTESY PHOTOS

Sports Daily B

Former NFL QB Mallett dies

at 35

DESTIN, Fla. (AP) —

Former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, who also played for New England, Houston and Baltimore during five seasons in the NFL, has died. He was 35.

Mallett died in an apparent drowning, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Mallett was a football coach at White Hall High School in his native Arkansas, and the school district also confirmed his death in a post on its website on Tuesday.

Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek said the university “lost an incredibly special person.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and teammates of Ryan Mallett,” Yurachek posted on Twitter.

Mallett played for the University of Michigan for one season before finishing his college career at Arkansas. He passed for 7,493 yards and 62 touchdowns in two seasons with the Razorbacks.

Mallett was selected by New England in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. He appeared in four games with the Patriots during the 2012 season, completing 1 of 4 passes for 17 yards.

New England coach

Bill Belichick said he was “extremely saddened by Ryan’s tragic passing.”

“My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the many people whose lives he touched,” Belichick said in a statement posted by the team on Twitter.

Mallett made six starts in nine games with the Texans and two starts in eight appearances with the Ravens. He completed 190 of his 345 attempts in the NFL for 1,835 yards and nine touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

“Ryan was a part of us,” Ravens coach John See NFL | Page B3

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Iola sweeps Ottawa; 11-1, 6-0

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

OTTAWA — The Iola A Indians made quick work of the Ottawa A’s on the road Tuesday night with a four-inning 11-1 victory in Ottawa’s “Strikeout Breast Cancer” game.

Grady Dougherty knocked in a team-high five runs, including a first inning RBI single, and Kyler Isbell and Jacob Harrington each drove in two runs. Isbell earned the win on the mound and tossed three shutout innings while

striking out four and allowing only one hit.

Dougherty got the scoring started for Iola (13-6) in the top of the first with a single to right field to score Blake Ellis for the early 1-0 advantage.

“I thought our approaches were really good at the plate and we were aggressive. A lot of kids hit first-pitch fastballs,” Iola head coach Jason Bauer said. “We hit it the other way and that’s not something you see us do a lot. We’re starting to play our best ball when we need to.”

In the third inning Dougherty singled to left to score two runs and give the Indians a 3-0 edge. Ryan Golden then singled to left to score Kade Nilges and take a 4-0 lead.

“When he’s (Dougherty) good, he’s really good because he’ll use all parts of the field which is what I try to preach to him,” Bauer said. “If we can get everyone going and Grady can be the igniter, hitting is contagious. If one guy starts to hit, everyone is going to start to hit.”

Isbell then singled to left

field to extend the lead in the third to 5-0. Golden then scored on a passed ball to make it a 6-0 game.

Dougherty drove in two more runs with a single to left field in the top of the fourth to take an 8-0 lead. Isbell shot a sacrifice fly to center field later in the inning for the 9-0 lead before Jacob Harrington sent a two-run double to right field for the 11-0 difference.

“I told them it’s time to bear down now, we’ve got to get ready for zone,” Bauer said. “We have started to look like a complete team in the last three games. We’ve got to keep the train moving and not have one bad inning like we did earlier in the season.”

JT Reese brought in Ottawa’s lone run of the game with a single to left field in the fourth inning, bringing the score to 11-1.

On the mound, Isbell allowed a double in the bottom of the second. Gavin Jones closed the game in the fourth inning, allowing one run and two hits.

“He (Isbell) looked really good,” said Bauer. “I told him he needed to let it go. I told him to go out and throw strikes and to have faith in his defense. He said he felt really good and he looked really good. Hopefully we can use him a lot down the stretch.”

The Indians host Fort Scott’s E3 Freedom on Thursday at 6 p.m.

AA Indians dominate with strong hitting

By QUINN BURKITT

The Iola Register

OTTAWA — The Iola AA Indians got on the board early and never let off the gas in an 8-0 victory at Ottawa for the “Strikeout Breast Cancer” game Tuesday night.

Tre Wilson had a teamhigh three hits and drove in two runs to lead Iola’s (15-4) offense while Trey Sommer

and Jack White drove in a team-high two runs apiece.

Trevor Church earned the win on the mound, tossing a shutout through five innings while striking out eight.

Sommer kick-started the scoring for the Indians in the top of the first when he tripled to center field to plate Wilson for the 1-0 lead.

Wilson struck for an RBI groundout to third base to

bring home Church for the 2-0 advantage in the third.

An inning later, Logan Page singled to right field to score Sam Hull for the 3-0 lead. White singled to center field to score Rogan Weir for the 4-0 advantage one at bat later.

Hull came home on a throwing error in the top of the sixth to make it a 5-0

See IOLA | Page B3

Iola’s Grady Dougherty, left, stands on second base after a base hit at Ottawa Tuesday. The players wore pink t-shirts in recognition of the effort to fight breast cancer. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Iola’s Kyler Isbell threw three shutout innings against Ottawa. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Iola’s Jack White pokes a base hit against Ottawa. REGISTER/ QUINN BURKITT

Help us build a brighter future for Kansas children and families.

Healthy Families Home Visiting Family Support Specialist/ HFHVFSS

Kansas Children's Service League in Iola, Kansas is actively seeking a positive full-time Healthy Families Home Visiting Family Support Specialist to build trusting relationships with families based on the Healthy Families America model.

As a family support specialist, your vital family services consist of visiting families in their homes to provide support in establishing positive home environments, promote strong attachments through the parent-child relationships, and encourage the well-being of children and families.

This position earns a competitive hourly wage starting at $17.25/hour. We provide excellent benefits and perks, including health insurance, PTO, sick leave, and vacation.

Do you enjoy assisting families that need support?

Are you ready to advance your career with a company that is committed to prospering the lives of children and families?

If so, please apply at:

https://www.kcsl.org/resources/careers/ or reach out to HR@kcsl.org for more information!

ANDERSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS TWO FULL-TIME DETENTION OFFICER OPENINGS AND ONE FULL-TIME 911 OPERATOR POSITION.

NOW HIRING

In Iola

General Manager & Shift Managers

Looking for friendly, customer focused employees with smiling faces and a strong work ethic.

We offer:

Competitive Pay Employee Benefits

Flexible Schedules

Positive Work Environment

Apply Online at tbamericajobs.com

EqualOpportunityEmployer

TAKE DUE NOTICE

with a potential increase for experience. Must have a valid Driver’s License, pass criminal background, a general knowledge test, and a fit for duty physical. Shifts are 12 hours with paid lunch. Because of many questions, know that a tra c citation/ticket and simple misdemeanor convictions may not disqualify you from working for a government or law enforcement entity. Call 785-448-5678 for the application or stop by 135 E. 5th Ave., Garnett, KS 66032. ANCOSO is an equal opportunity employer and follows veterans’ preferences laws.

is

Public

THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL PERSONS CONCERNED: You are hereby notified that a Petition for Summary Distribution of Property under the Uniform Testamentary Additions to Trusts Act has been filed in this Court by Paul Michael Setter, Petitioner and Trustee, requesting that the decedent’s entire probate estate be assigned pursuant to his Last Will and Testament (filed with the Court pursuant to K.S.A. 59-618a on December 6, 2022) to the decedent’s testamentary trust pursuant to the Uniform Testamentary Additions to Trusts Act, K.S.A. 59-3101 et seq. You are required to file your

written defenses thereto on or before Friday, July 7, 2023, at 9:00 A.M. in the District Court of Allen County, Kansas, 1 N Washington, Room B, Iola, KS 66749, at which time and place the cause will be heard. Should you fail therein, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon the petition.

Paul Michael Setter, Petitioner KNIGHT LAW, LLC Jacob T. Knight 6 E. Jackson Ave. Iola, KS 66749 (P): (620) 305-2598 Attorney for Petitioner (6) 15, 22, 29

(Published in The Iola Register June 29, 2023)

The City of LaHarpe is accepting sealed bids for the demolition and cleaning of property located at 402 S Harrison. Submit sealed bids to the City Clerk by 4 p.m., July 14, 2023.

(6) 29

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Officials said a Delta flight landed roughly but safely at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Wednesday without part of its landing gear extended.

The airport said in a tweet that the runway was closed following a mechanical issue with Delta Air Lines. No injuries were reported and all passengers were tak-

en to the terminal.

The airport said it was working to remove the aircraft and reopen the runway.

Delta said the flight left from Atlanta with 96 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants and was on its way to Charlotte.

Delta jet withstands rough landing in NC RECYCLE

Gymnastics star Simone Biles returns

By WILL GRAVES

Associated Press

The

Simone Biles is back. The gymnastics superstar plans to return to competition at the U.S. Classic outside Chicago in early August, her first event since the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics. USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist and the 2016 Olympic champion, is part of the women’s field for the single-day event set for Aug. 5 at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates.

Biles has taken most of the last two years off following her eventful stay in Japan in the summer of 2021, where her decision to remove herself from multiple events to focus on her mental health shifted the focus from the games themselves to the overall wellness of the athletes.

She served as a cheerleader as her American teammates won the team silver then sat out the all-around, vault and floor exercise finals she had qualified for while dealing with what is known as “the twisties” — a gymnastics term for when an athlete loses their spatial awareness when airborne.

Biles returned for the balance beam final, where she won a bronze medal that tied Shannon Miller’s record for most Olympic medals by an American female gymnast. She hinted at the Paris 2024 Olympics but only after taking a lengthy break.

The last two years have been a whirlwind of sorts. She headlined her post-Olympic tour in the fall of 2021 and married NFL player Jon-

athan Owens — now a defensive back for the Green Bay Packers — this spring.

The 26-year-old Biles has also become one of the most vocal advocates for athletes finding space to protect their mental health after her stand in Japan put the issue front and center. While the conversation around the subject is constantly evolving, Biles’ return to the sport she dominated for nearly a decade suggests an athlete who wants to go out on her own terms.

The U.S. Classic is one of the marquee events on USA Gymnastics’ annual calendar and typically serves as a warm-up of sorts for the national championships, this year scheduled for late August in San Jose.

Biles used the Classic as her comeback meet in 2018 following a twoyear hiatus after her record medals haul in Rio de Janeiro. It took her all of two hours to show she remained the gold standard in her sport, setting the stage for an-

other spectacular run that included two more world all-around championships in 2018 and 2019 and three more national titles.

Things could be different this time around, in more ways than one.

Biles courted the spotlight during her run-up to Tokyo, becoming in many ways the face of the U.S. Olympic movement. She appears to be taking a more subdued approach with the Paris Games about a year away. She’s kept her various social media channels almost entirely gymnastics-free, instead using them to highlight snippets of her personal life.

And for the first time since rising to stardom as a teenager in 2013, Biles won’t have to shoulder the burden of being the standard bearer for the U.S. program. Sunisa Lee, who won gold in the all-around final in Tokyo, will also be at the U.S. Classic after spending two years competing at Auburn, where she helped

Ohtani awes

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani’s combination of power and pitching is unmatched by any player in baseball.

On Tuesday, the superstar from Japan used them to accomplish something that had not been done by an American League pitcher in nearly 60 years.

spearhead a massive uptick in interest in collegiate gymnastics.

Lee missed the second half of her sophomore year with the Tigers while grappling with health issues but is eyeing a return to the Olympics not necessarily to defend her all-around title but to take another shot at gold on uneven bars, her signature event.

Lee placed third on bars in Tokyo, due in no small part to the attention she received in the immediate aftermath of becoming the fifth straight American woman to win the Olympic title.

Biles became adept at navigating the various demands of her time as her stardom rose. She appears to be plotting a more subdued path as she tries to make a third Olympic team, a rarity for an American female gymnast. Dominique Dawes (1992, 1996 and 2000) is the only U.S. woman in the last 50 years to be selected for three Olympic teams.

Then again, Biles is also competing at a time when it is becoming more commonplace for elite gymnasts to compete well into their 20s and beyond.

The easing of name, image and likeness rules at the NCAA level have allowed Lee and several other top Americans like Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Leanne Wong to not be forced to choose between competing collegiately and cashing in on their Olympic success.

Carey, the 2020 Olympic champion on floor exercise and

See U.S. | Page B4

Iola’s Trevor Church pitches at Ottawa. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Iola: Handles Ottawa easily

Continued from B1

game before White grounded to shortstop for a fielder’s choice which brought home Weir for the 6-0 lead. Wilson then singled to right field to score White for the 7-0 advantage in the sixth.

Two batters later, Sommer walked with the bases loaded to bring home Church for the 8-0 lead. On the mound, Sommer came on in relief for a no-hit sixth inning, securing the 8-0 victory.

The Indians have now swept the Ottawa Post

60 Arrows this season, 4-0. Iola grabbed the season opening victory against Ottawa in Topeka in the season opener, 3-1, and then took down the Arrows at home on June 13, 8-1 and 3-2.

Iola travels to Garnett Post 48 on Thursday at 6 p.m.

NFL: Mallett dies from drowning

Continued from B1

Harbaugh said in a Twitter post by the team. “I will always remember the love he had for his teammates and for making the most

of, and enjoying every football day while here.”

In his first start on Nov. 16, 2014, Mallett directed Houston to a 23-7 victory at Cleveland. His first career TD pass was

a 2-yarder to defensive end J.J. Watt.

“Horrible news to read about Ryan Mallett,” Watt posted on Twitter. “Gone way too soon. Rest in Peace brother.”

Ohtani hit two homers and struck out 10 Chicago batters in the Los Angeles Angels’ 4-2 victory over the White Sox, adding another extraordinary performance in what has been one of his best months since coming to the majors in 2018.

“We’re seeing things every day that we’ve never seen before and you try not to take it for granted. I don’t think many of us do,” manager Phil Nevin said.

Ohtani, who leads the majors with 28 home runs, hit solo shots in the first and seventh innings, the first time he has gone deep twice while also pitching. The second blast came after he threw 6 1/3 innings, but came out because of a cracked fingernail.

“It was a small crack before the game and gradually got worse. I came out of the game before it got too bad so the plan is to go on schedule,” Ohtani said through his interpreter.

The last AL player

before Ohtani to hit at least two homers and strike out at least 10 was Cleveland’s Pedro Ramos on July 31, 1963. That came in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Angels. It has been done four other times in the majors: by Baltimore’s Milt Pappas (1961), Philadelphia’s Rick Wise (1971), San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner (2017) and Arizona’s Zack Greinke (2019).

“The first one came in a good spot to give us the lead. The second one gave us an insurance run,” Ohtani said. Ohtani (7-3) struck out at least 10 for the sixth time in 16 starts and allowed one run on four hits and two walks. He leads the

See MLB | Page B4

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles reacts after competing on the uneven bars in the women’s team qualifying at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, July 25, 2021. WALLY SKALIJ/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Shohei Ohtani (17) of the Los Angeles Angels watches his solo homerun take flight against the Chicago White Sox. (HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES/ TNS)

Women’s soccer league gaining momentum

By ANNE M. PETERSON The Associated Press

When Olivia Moultrie was just 13, her family moved from California to Oregon so she could train with the Portland Thorns.

The National Women’s Soccer League had a rule at the time that all players had to be at least 18, so Moultrie could only practice with the team. On game days, she watched the Thorns from afar.

She wasn’t happy with the situation and did something about it, successfully suing two years ago for the right to play and paving the way for a youth movement in the NWSL that will likely grow as talented players see a path toward a professional career that doesn’t include playing in college.

“When I was fighting for the ability to play, I was just thinking, ‘This isn’t right. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough. Women should have the exact same opportunities as men should have,’” Moultrie said.

The league is now welcoming others who followed the 17-yearold’s lead after adopting new rules for players under 18 to join the league last year.

Alyssa Thompson became the first high schooler to be drafted in the league this year when she was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by Angel City. She also played her way onto the U.S. squad headed to the Women’s World Cup starting next month in Australia and New Zealand.

Thompson and Moultrie are among six teenagers in the league this season, and they’re not the youngest. In March, the San Diego Wave signed 15-year-old Melanie Barcenas, the youngest player ever to reach a deal in the NWSL. That followed

won the under-15 national championship last year. She already has a sponsorship deal with adidas.

“I think people jumped to a conclusion, like I don’t have a life outside of soccer. But my life is soccer, that’s what I do to feel happy. My friends support me and so does my family, and they’ve supported me so I could get here. This is my journey,” Ricketts said. “Managing it is actually pretty easy because I have practice in the morning so then I have the rest of the day to do school and hang out with friends and just have time to be a kid.”

Continued from B3

majors in opponent batting average (.180) and is third in strikeouts with 127.

Ohtani’s 3.02 ERA nearly mirrors his batting average, which is .304 after he went 3-for3 with a walk.

“He’s extremely talented. He’s probably the best player in the game. He was tough to hit and he’s tough to pitch to,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said.

The last AL starting pitcher to hit multiple home runs Boston’s Sonny Siebert on Sept. 2, 1971, against Baltimore. The designated hitter was introduced to the league two years later.

“Every game somehow seems to get even crazier watching him play,” catcher Chad Wallach said. “To watch him pitch like that and then go hit two homers, it somehow still surprises you every time.”

Mike Moustakas had two hits and an RBI in his second start since

Kylie Strom (right) and the Pride, who fell to Sophie Schmidt and host Houston on June 3, didn’t fare much better in Saturday night’s NWSL defeat at North Carolina. CARMEN MANDATO/GETTY IMAGES/TNS played as a substitute in the waning minutes of the game in front of a sellout crowd of 76,000.

the Washington Spirit’s signing of 15-yearold Chloe Ricketts.

The influx started in 2021 when a then15-year-old Moultrie signed with the Thorns after winning her legal challenge. Her lawsuit alleged the rule requiring players to be 18 or older violated antitrust law and hindered Moultrie’s career development and chances of joining the U.S. team. There was no such age rule in the top U.S. men’s league, Major League Soccer.

“Obviously, I’m super excited that we now have that equal opportunity, the same as they have in Europe, the same as they have in MLS,” Moultrie said. “I just think that will continue to evolve the women’s game, and at the end of the day that’s what we all want.”

It wasn’t just the lawsuit that spurred action. Younger players, like Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson, came into the league before playing meaningful games at the college level and it was clear the future was getting younger.

“I think the future of American soccer is very, very bright because there’s so many really, really bright, intelligent soccer players coming through the youth ranks,” San Diego Wave coach Casey Stoney said. Under the NWSL rules adopted last year, players under 18 must live with a parent or guardian, must by U.S. citizens, and cannot be traded without the consent of the player and her parent or guardian. Young players cannot be selected in expansion drafts.

Thompson developed her skills playing for the under-17 Total Futbol Academy boys’ team in MLS Next and scored in her Angel City debut. “I think she has lived up to all the hype.” teammate Ali Riley said.

Thompson also caught the eye of U.S. senior team coach Vlatko Andonovski, who included the high schooler on his roster for a pair of European matches last year — including a match against England at Wembley Stadium. Thompson, then 17,

MLB: Great Ohtani shining bright

being acquired from Colorado Saturday night.

Carlos Estevez picked up his 20th save despite allowing the first four White Sox batters to reach in the ninth and giving up an RBI single to Andrew Vaughn. Estevez then struck out Seby Zavala and induced a game-ending double-play grounder from Elvis Andrus.

Eloy Jimenez had three hits for the White Sox, who have dropped four of six. Gavin Sheets had an RBI single in the seventh inning.

Ohtani drove a 95 mph fastball from Michael Kopech (3-7) in the first 418 feet into the elevated stands in right-center. It was the ninth time in his career and fourth time this season he homered while also on the mound.

His homer to right-center off Touki Toussaint in the seventh was his fourth homer in five games, extended the Halos’

advantage to 3-1 and gave Ohtani his third multi-homer game this season. Ohtani has 13 homers this month, which ties the franchise record for June.

Ohtani, who also had 13 home runs in June 2021, shares that mark with Albert Pujols (2015) and Tim Salmon (1996).

The Angels extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth. Luis Rengifo hit a one-out triple into the right-field corner and scored two batters later on David Fletcher’s grounder.

“I feel like we’re in a really good spot right now. We played a good game last night and tonight obviously. We need to stack up as many wins as possible going into the All-Star break,” Ohtani said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: RHP Liam Hendriks (right elbow inflammation) will play catch Wednesday for first time since going on the injured list on June 11.

Thompson was called into the second game of the national team’s recent two-game series against Ireland after forward Swanson was injured. Swanson tore her patellar tendon, and won’t be ready in time for the World Cup — providing the opening for Thompson to become the youngest player among the 23 on the roster for soccer’s biggest tournament.

“The environment of a pro is very similar to (the national team). There’s a little bit more pressure here,” Thompson said during her

latest U.S. call up. “But Angel City has prepped me really well for this. I’m just continuing to grow my skills and continuing to grow as a player.”

Barcenas, who played for the San Diego Surf youth club and the U.S. under-17 team, made her professional debut in a recent match this season between the Wave and the Orlando Pride.

“She’s an exceptional talent, but she’s obviously still only 15, so we need to look after her,” Stoney said. “She’s still got lots of lessons to learn.”

Ricketts, now 16, played for a boy’s team, the Michigan Tigers 2007 Boys Gold, that

Spirit coach Mark Parsons cautioned that as players get younger, greater care must be taken to ensure they are ready to become pros — and that they aren’t pushed too hard once they get there.

“You’ve seen just as much as I have, Chloe deserves to be on the pitch, she makes it better when she comes on and it’s the start of a fun journey for her,” Parsons said. “The biggest role I’ve played with her is try and make sure this goes slow, probably slower than it needs to, but we all need to take this one step at a time.”

U.S.: Gymnastics star Biles back

Continued from B1

the 2022 world champion on vault, has spent the last two years at Oregon State. Chiles, who won a team silver in Tokyo and added three medals — including silvers on floor and vault — at the world championships last fall, has thrived at UCLA. Wong, the 2021 world championship silver medalist, has helped Florida reach the na-

tional finals each of the last two years. They will all arrive in Chicago sharpened by having competed regularly since Tokyo.

Biles, by contrast, is in a different place. She’s maintained since she left Japan that she wouldn’t rush into any decision attempting to make a run at Paris, stressing all along that she would only return to the sport she domi-

nated for so long because she wants to and not out of a sense of duty. Registering for the Classic is but one step in several that she’ll need to make over the next 14 months. The key for her will be to find the right balance that she mastered while experiencing the kind of crossover success reserved for select few Olympic champions.

No, money concerns aren’t ‘small talk’

Adapted from an online discussion.

Dear Carolyn: Many topics that I find important, my fiancé views as irrelevant, inefficient small talk. When I moved in with him, we established a joint bank account for regular expenses, such as food and utilities and other joint expenses.

We equally put in a few thousand dollars to start it off, and each equally put in a few hundred with each paycheck. Just this week, he withdrew 50 percent of the balance without a word to me. It took a lot of effort for me not to explode and just SMH.

I tell him I need to know what is going on; I need an ongoing dialogue. His stance is that if I trust him, there’s no need for him to tell me what the withdrawal was for. He classifies it as meaningless small talk that is a waste of

Carolyn Hax

his time.

The explanation is that, a few months ago, we started using his new credit card that gives us/him a good rebate on groceries. So the withdrawal was for three to four months of groceries and other monthly expenses.

Any ideas how I can break his habit of evaluating topics and unilaterally deciding what topics are worthy of discussion and what are not? I sense that he’d prefer no conversation and just to make decisions as if he were single.

— Need Communication Need Communication: This is shooting off red flags like a T-

shirt cannon. “Evaluating topics and unilaterally deciding what topics are worthy of discussion and what are not” is not a “habit”; it is a disregard for you and for your agency in your own life. This is a dealbreaker. See this, please, and say it to him. And run.

Also, “a lot of effort for me not to explode” identifies a root problem to address, not a symptom to celebrate your ability to gut out. Don’t marry him, or anyone, until you can speak freely and feel heard, and you’re valued for who you are. Full stop.

READERS’ thoughts:

∙ Please don’t marry this guy. If he won’t even tell you what he spends your joint money on, is he also going to buy a house or speculate on the stock market without your knowing, because you should

Prostate may be behind frequent peeing

Dear Dr. Roach: I’m a 76-year-old male who has had nighttime urination problems for many years. I must get up from sleeping every 1.5 hours. I can set my clock by the urge! I was prescribed tamsulosin, which I took for many months, but it wasn’t effective. I was then prescribed tadalafil, which I have been taking for a month with no relief. Is there another alternative? — D.T.

Answer: Many times, men with increased urinary frequency in the nighttime have a problem of an enlarged prostate. Tamsulosin (Flomax) is a frequent choice and effective for most men with urinary symptoms due to an enlarged prostate, which is extremely common for men your age. Tadalafil

To Your Good Health

(Cialis) is more often used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, but it is also a useful drug for men with prostate issues. Although there are other medications, such as finasteride, it is worthwhile to take a figurative step backward and ask whether an enlarged prostate is really the problem. Very often, the problem isn’t the prostate at all — but the bladder.

Sometimes an overactive bladder can be very difficult to distinguish from an enlarged prostate by its symptoms. Urologists have special-

ized tools at their disposal that can help distinguish between these possibilities (and some less-common ones). An evaluation of how much urine is left in the bladder after urination is easily obtained by a handheld ultrasound, but most primary care doctors don’t (yet) have that ability. Urine flow can also be measured, and if the problem is thought to be an overactive bladder, an entirely different set of medications is used. Hopefully the correct diagnosis will lead to better treatment.

Of course, it’s possible your problem really is an enlarged prostate, so contemplation of surgery and newer prostate procedures could be in your future. I refer men in your situation to a urologist.

“trust him”?

∙ Omigosh, Carolyn was so even-keeled in her response! Girl, RUN. Your fiancé takes out half your shared stash and won’t share the reason (at the time)? That is NOT COOL. To classify finances as “meaningless small talk” is such … I can’t even. You know one of the first reasons for divorce is because couples are not on the same page financially? He won’t even DISCUSS his finances with you. Your SHARED checking account! Also sounds as if you may need some counseling to increase your self-esteem, because you find yourself with someone who does not value you, and you don’t appear to value yourself enough to see what is going on.

∙ Ignore the deflection into alleged lack of “trust” on your part. Money issues are almost always about more than just money, and if you can’t talk about those other issues, then they’ll probably show up in your bank accounts, or on your credit card bills.

ZITS

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

BEETLE BAILEY by Mort Walker

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by Chris Browne

MARVIN by Tom Armstrong

HI AND LOIS by Chance Browne

BLONDIE by Young and Drake

MUTTS by Patrick McDonell

Dr. Keith Roach

76ers face uncertain future with Harden

PHILADELPHIA

(AP) — James Harden might have side-eyed questions this week — much like he did in a playful reaction in his Houston days — about his future with the Philadelphia 76ers.

But the issue is real in Philly: Will Harden return to the 76ers for a third season?

All signs point to Harden declining his $35.6 million option on Thursday and entering this summer as an unrestricted free agent. That leaves the 2018 NBA MVP and 10time All-Star free to sign with any team.

A return to the Rockets? Perhaps, if he prioritizes cash over a championship chase. The 76ers? Depends. Does Harden really enjoy playing as the second option to NBA MVP Joel Embiid?

Plan C? Harden might not have planned much beyond a potential Houston reunion or Sixers return. Philadelphia has the home-contract edge: The 76ers have the right to offer Harden a $210 million, four-year deal, $8 million more overall than any other team.

Houston, though, where Harden blossomed into a surefire Hall of Famer is a city that still tugs at his heart.

Nick Nurse, hired earlier this month to replace Doc Rivers as coach of the 76ers, wants a shot at coaching Harden.

“James has a decision to make, and I’d be very happy if he came back,” Nurse said when he was hired.

Tobias Harris, himself in a bit of a contract quandary this summer, also stumped for a Harden return as he grabbed rebounds and posed for selfies with children Tuesday at a Fanatics promotion.

“There’s not many guys that can go out and drop 40 in a playoff game. I think that goes under the radar a little bit too much,” Harris said. “I think James is a phenomenal player, somebody who works his tail off, and somebody’s who’s an overall great leader. Of course I want him back.”

Harden, who turns 34 in August, played the last few months with nagging left Achilles soreness and flashed only glimpses of his Houston prime. He scored 45 points in Game 1 and 42 in Game 4 victories of the Eastern Conference semifinal loss against Boston, and was 0 for 6 on 3s in Game 2 and Game 6 losses. He scored only nine points in Game 7, and that included going scoreless in the second half.

Stuck in the muck of salary cap restrictions, the 76ers have few real options to replace Harden should he sign elsewhere. Not only that, the Sixers are fielding trade offers for Harris, who enters the final season of a $180-million, five-year contract. Harris averaged 14.7 points last season, well behind

NBA scoring champ

Embiid, Harden and Tyrese Maxey.

Torrel Harris, Tobias Harris’ father and agent, blasted the way the 76ers have used Harris since 2018 and said on the “Business of Sports” podcast his son was an “assassin scorer.”

“I mean, they can’t stop him,” Torrel Harris said on the podcast. “Nobody in the league can stop him. So he’s proven that over his career, even when he was with the Clippers.”

Harris has the all-important expiring contract that the 76ers can dangle as trade bait. While his dad believed Harris is still a prime scorer, the 76ers forward wants to put a freeze on public negotiations.

“When I’m a father, I’m going to tell my kid he’s better than LeBron James,” Harris said. “But I’ve also told him as a dad and agent, not to speak for me when it comes to the media. Obviously, he has his viewpoint on that. But that’s not the way I feel. I knew going into last year what my role was and I was going to be the fourth option offensively. I knew that going in.”

Harris said he was “OK” with that role and knew if the 76ers were going to win a championship, he would be the player to “sacrifice from that group.”

Sometimes, the dip in production meant a dip in popularity.

“Trade speculation, casual Sixers fans, they would trade me for a Crumbl Cookie,” he said.

The cookie certainly crumbled for the Sixers for the playoffs, where they were eliminated in the second round for the third straight season. The early exit for a team that won 54 games marked 22 seasons since the franchise reached the Eastern Conference finals. It cost Rivers his job.

It’s up to Nurse, who won a championship with Toronto in 2019, to find a formula that can win the 76ers a championship.

With or without Harden and Harris.

“I believe we have the right talent to be a championship team,” Harris said. “We have the right pieces and the right culture. With a new coach, I’m excited with what we can bring to the table.”

Harris and Embiid — who declined to talk about the Fanatics’ goodwill merchandise promotion for underserved kids — helped with the giveaway of 300,000 pieces of merch donated to around 100,000 kids and their families in nearly 100 different locations across the country.

Michael Rubin, CEO of Fanatics, also co-founded the Reform Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to probation, parole and sentencing reform in the United State. He once had an ownership stake in the 76ers, is a friend with Harden and tried not to pick a side on the contract issue.

U.S. vying for 3rd straight Women’s World Cup

By ANNE M. PETERSON The Associated Press

Even without a few key players, the United States heads into the Women’s World Cup with a formidable group of wily veterans and eager newcomers. The question is, will it be enough for the team to lift international soccer’s most prestigious trophy again?

The United States has won the last two World Cups and the goal is to three-peat. But American dominance in women’s soccer isn’t assured anymore.

Teams like England and France have caught up, Germany and Sweden remain strong, and then there’s that rival to the north, Canada, which won gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

The growth of women’s soccer globally means greater parity. And that means the United States has had to adapt.

“There’s so many leagues around the world that are paying players more, that are

playing more often throughout the season, and that are treating players in a professional way that we’ve been fighting for a long time, so I think that that has a lot to do with it,” star forward Alex Morgan said.

The Americans look far different now that they did four years ago, when they beat the Netherlands 2-0 in the World Cup final and fans in Lyon, France, feted them with chants of “Equal Pay!”

The players did indeed achieve equitable pay with their male counterparts, coming to a historic collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Soccer in 2022. As part of the deal, the men and women on the national teams will split World Cup prize money.

On the field, the team settled for a disappointing bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics two summers ago. Afterward, U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski turned his attention to developing young talent.

Among the young-

sters is 18-year-old phenom Alyssa Thompson and up-and-comer Trinity Rodman, the 20-yearold daughter of former NBA star Dennis Rodman.

There’s also Sophia Smith, who has made a quick ascent with the national team and with her club, the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League.

Just 22, she was named NWSL Most Valuable Player and U.S. Soccer’s Player of the Year last year.

Smith was left off the roster for the Tokyo Games. Andonovski said it was a tough conversation when he let her know his decision, but he’s been impressed with how she responded. “She had to face some adversity, she had to face some tough times. I know I’ve had some tough conversations with her, but from every conversation and every moment she just rose above and was better,” Andonovski said. “Every time it seemed like she had a setback

or she had a tough moment, she took it as an opportunity to grow and get better and that’s why she’s where she’s at now. She performs very well. We’re very happy with where she’s at, but I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Sophia Smith.”

Two other young players who were also part of Andonovski’s plans for the future, Catarina Macario and Mallory Swanson, won’t join the team in Australia and New Zealand because of injuries.

Swanson, 25, was the team’s top scorer this year before she injured the patellar tendon in her left knee during an exhibition match against Ireland in early April. Macario, 23, tore an ACL last year while playing for the French club Lyon. She tried to recover in time — she was even treated in Qatar at Aspetar, one of the world’s leading orthopedic hospitals — but ultimately time ran out on her return.

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