The Iola Register, Aug. 30, 2023

Iola gears up

tennis

Fire Dept. hires six newcomers

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Florida braces for Idalia

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Florida residents loaded up on sandbags and evacuated from homes in low-lying areas Tuesday, less than a day before Hurricane Idalia was expected to barrel into the state with the threat of flooding that could swamp the Gulf Coast.

Idalia was churning in the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 1 storm, but it was projected to come ashore as a Category 3 system with sustained winds of up to 120 mph — a potentially big blow to a state still dealing with lingering damage from last year’s Hurricane Ian.

“You still have time this morning to make your fi-

See IDALIA | Page A3

Recent efforts to fill vacancies within the Iola Fire Department are bearing fruit.

Six new employees — Casy West, Dakota Parker, Zachary Wilper, Brogan Nicholas and Sarah Heisler — were hired Aug. 21, Iola City Council members were told Monday.

The newcomers are being trained through the city’s newly developed firefighters academy, which provides the basics of becoming a firefighter or emergency medical technician, as well as how to handle hazardous materials.

The academy began Aug. 21.

Funding comes from a FEMA grant, which means the only cost to the city is the paycheck to the employees.

The academy runs for eight weeks.

Iola Mayor Steve French was impressed with the results.

“It’s wonderful to see those new employees,” he said.

In addition to the new hires, Eric B’Hymer, was promoted as a deputy fire chief and Ryan Chapman as a lieutenant.

IOLA will work rapidly over

the next few weeks to develop a strategy to tap into federal infrastructure funding. City Administrator Matt Rehder and Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock sat in on a meeting Monday afternoon to discuss specifics of the $3.8 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) legislation passed by Congress in 2021. Of that, $3.2 billion will be spent across the country on

See IOLA | Page A4

After court ruling, Biden weakens clean water rules

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration weakened regulations protecting millions of acres of wetlands Tuesday, saying it had no choice after the Supreme Court sharply limited the federal government’s jurisdiction over them.

The rule would require that wetlands be more clearly connected to other waters like oceans and rivers, a policy shift that departs from a half-century of federal rules governing the nation’s waterways.

Educator pursues DC field trip

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

Iola Middle School’s new assistant principal wants to bring a Humboldt tradition to Iola.

Scott Brady, former social science teacher for Humboldt, has joined IMS this year as assistant principal and athletic director.

While at Humboldt, Brady

organized an annual trip to Washington, D.C., for eighth grade students. The popular trip has taken place for about five years. Brady proposed a similar program for IMS eighth-graders, starting this school year. He outlined his plans at Monday’s school board meeting. Technically, the trip isn’t affiliated with the school

district. Brady works with a tour company and will have planning meetings at IMS for students and parents. The trip is all-inclusive, so students pay one price for their flight, lodging, meals and admission to sites during the tour. The trip costs about $2,300 per student and near-

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan said the agency had no alternative after the Supreme Court sharply limited the federal government’s power to regulate wetlands that do not have a “continuous surface connection” to larger, regulated bodies of water.

Justices boosted property rights over concerns about clean water in a May ruling in favor of an Idaho couple who sought to build a house near a lake. Chantell and Michael Sackett had objected when federal officials required them to get a permit before filling part of the property

with rocks and soil.

The ruling was the second decision in as many years in which a conservative majority on the high court narrowed the reach of environmental regulations.

“While I am disappointed by the Supreme Court’s decision in the Sackett case, EPA and Army (Corps of Engineers) have an obligation to apply this decision alongside our state co-regulators,” Regan said in a statement Tuesday. The rule announced Tues-

See EPA | Page A4

Iolan Lee Grimes shows a picture to Iola City Council members Monday of a curb in downtown Iola he described as hazardous because of its steep steps, an unprotected stairwell and other chunks of missing concrete. Below is a closer view of the sidewalk and curb in the 100 block of North Washington Avenue. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Scott Brady, assistant principal at Iola Middle School, speaks Monday with Iola-USD 257 school board members. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

EPA Director Michael Regan TNS

Obituary

Kenneth Campbell

Kenneth Walter Campbell, age 82, of Iola, died on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023, at Moran Manor.

He was born Dec. 13, 1940, in Almena, to George Campbell and Genola (Grose) Campbell.

He married Mary Kathryn Jones on March 20, 1960, in Clayton.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Kathryn, of the home; children, Craig Campbell, Iola, and Tina Barnett, Mapleton; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and sister, Donna Mintzmyer, Norton.

A visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Sept. 8 in the chapel at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 US Highway 54, Iola, followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. Inurnment will follow in Highland Cemetery, Iola.

Memorials are suggested to The Barn Church, and may be left with Feuerborn Family Funeral Service.

Scam targets Iolan

Susan Booth reported a likely scammer call Monday, in which the caller purported to be from a “fraud department” tied to Walmart, asking for her information.

Sure enough, as she pressed the caller for more information, Booth grew increas-

Prairie Rose, Piqua 4-H clubs get together

By KASON BOTTS Prairie

ingly dissatisfied with the answers, she told the Register, and she abruptly ended the call.

Booth notified Iola’s Walmart employees about the call, and offered a warning to others to avoid giving out information when receiving an unsolicited call.

Motivational speaker to address retired teachers

The Allen County Area Retired School Personnel organization will meet Wednesday, Sept. 6, in the Mary Ellen Stadler Conference room at Allen Community College. The meal and meet-

ing will start at 12:15 p.m.

Amber Jewell, LMSW motivational speaker and trainer, will present the program.

All retired school personnel are invited to attend.

No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise diagnosed with blood cancer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2-ranking House Republican, said Tuesday he has been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma and is undergoing treatment.

Scalise, 57, said he will continue to serve in the House. He described the cancer as “very treatable” and said it was detected early.

The Louisiana Republican was among several people wounded in 2017 when a rifle-wielding attacker fired on lawmakers on a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, outside Washington.

The cancer diagnosis came, Scalise said, after he had not been feeling like himself in the past week. Blood tests showed some irregularities and after addition-

al screening, he said he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

“I have now begun treatment, which will continue for the next several months,” Scalise said in a statement. “I expect to work through this period and intend to return to Washington, continuing my work as Majority Leader and serving the people of Louisiana.”

The regular monthly meeting of the Prairie Rose 4-H Club was Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023 with the Piqua 4-H Club of Woodson County for our exchange meeting.

Prairie Rose members talked about one of their projects this year. The Piqua 4-H club was the host. It was a fun evening with friends.

Wings of Warriors gives 105 gift cards

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.

(AP) — The Jacksonville shooter used to work at a dollar store and stopped in at one before a security guard’s presence apparently led him to instead target the Dollar General down the road, where he killed three people.

He worked at a Dollar Tree from October 2021 to July 2022, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said at a news conference Monday. And, the sheriff said, he stopped at a Family Dollar store Saturday before pulling into a parking lot at Edward Waters University, where he donned tactical gear. He left when security approached.

“Based off what we saw: him stopping off at the Family Dollar and working at a Dollar Tree previously and then him going to Dollar General, that was his intent the whole time,” Waters said. “Why that store? Still hard to tell.”

In audio released Tuesday from a 911 call, the gunman’s father said his son had stopped taking psychiatric medication and stayed in his room after dropping out of

college and losing his job. Other records show the 21-year-old had encounters with police as a teenager, including one involving a suicide threat that led to an involuntary psychiatric evaluation.

Security footage from the Family Dollar shows him walking in and leaving a few minutes later with a small shopping bag. But after he reached his car, Waters said, a security guard pulled into the lot and the shooter left.

Waters believes the guard’s presence deterred him. It appeared the shooter wanted to take action at the Family Dollar, but he got tired of waiting, Waters said.

Minutes later, the gunman made his way to the Dollar General in the predominantly Black New Town neighborhood and killed Angela Michelle Carr, 52, an Uber driver who was shot in her car; store employee A.J. Laguerre, 19, who was shot as he tried to flee; and customer Jerrald Gallion, 29, who was shot as he entered the store. The gunman then killed himself.

Wings of Warriors gave 105 gift cards to cancer patients since May, the organization reported at its Aug. 17 meeting.

Among the recipients are five new patients.

After hot weather forced the cancellation of an Allen County Farmers Market, Wings of Warriors gathered for a private raffle drawing to cap a recent fundraiser.

Winners were Thre-

sa Strunk and Don Best, who each will receive $200 meat bundles; Jacky Vega, who won a $200 grocery card to G&W Foods; Kayla Alvardo, who received a $200 gift card; and Dimity Lowell, who received a B&W Trailer Hitch.

Members discussed plans for a float for the upcoming FarmCity Days celebration in October.

The next meeting is Sept. 14.

Officers of the Piqua and Prairie Rose 4-H clubs lead a joint meeting Aug. 13. The officers are, from left, Piqua officers Clayton Culver, Cody Willie and Sydnea Bumstead and Prairie Rose officers Kason Botts, Sophia Heim and Kooper Welch. COURTESY PHOTO

Members of the Prairie Rose and Piqua 4-H clubs took part in a recreational activity at a joint meeting Aug. 13.

Rose 4-H Club

Man who killed 3 at Dollar General used to work at similar store

Rep. Steve Scalise (RLA). (ANNA MONEYMAKER/ GETTY IMAGES/TNS)

Florida prays Idalia won’t join infamous list

Residents brace for what could be another big storm

By JEFF MARTIN The Associated Press

Since 1955, 13 Atlantic storm names beginning with “I” have been retired, according to the National Weather Service. That happens when a storm’s death toll or destruction is so severe that using its name again would be insensitive, according to the World Meteorological Organization, which oversees storm naming.

Some letter has to be No. 1, and hurricane season often reaches its peak around the time that the pre-determined alphabetical storm-name list gets to the “I.”

After “I” storms, 10 names that begin with “F” have been retired, as have nine storms beginning with “C,” University of Miami hurricane expert Brian McNoldy said.

In addition to the 13 retired “I” names from Atlantic Ocean hurricanes, a handful of Pacific Ocean storms beginning with “I” have been retired since 1982.

The U.S. began using female names for storms in 1953 partly to avoid confusion and make warnings more efficient by using easy-to-remember names. Before then, radio stations used to broadcast warnings with numbers and names that confused people. By the late 1970s, male names were also being used for storms in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, according to NOAA.

Notorious I-storms in recent memory have included:

HURRICANE ISABEL

Florida braces for direct hit from Hurricane Idalia

Gulf Shores, Alabama, spawning more than 100 tornadoes as it moved inland. More than 92 people were killed.

HURRICANE IKE

Ike “left a long trail of death and destruction” in Haiti, Cuba and the United States in 2008, the weather service said. An estimated 74 people in Haiti were killed by flooding and mudslides, the agency said. Later, it struck the U.S. as a Category 2 hurricane at Galveston Island in Texas.

HURRICANE IRMA

The 2003 storm reached Category 5 strength over the Atlantic. Though it weakened before making landfall on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, its winds caused extensive damage. More than 8 feet of

seawater flooded rivers across the Chesapeake Bay region, according to accounts from the National Weather Service. The hurricane was blamed for 17 deaths.

HURRICANE IVAN

Ivan tore through Grand Cayman island in 2004, damaging or destroying an estimated 95 percent of the buildings there, the National Weather Service said. Then, it slammed into the United States near

Irma was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic Ocean when it took aim at several Caribbean islands in 2017, according to the National Weather Service. The Category 5 storm had sustained winds of up to 185 mph. As it approached Antigua, officials announced the closing of the airport with an om-

inous message: “May God protect us all.” Irma destroyed an estimated 90 percent of the structures on Barbuda, one of the hardest-hit islands.

HURRICANE IDA

Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast with winds of up to 150 mph in 2021, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people across New Orleans and nearby parishes. The deaths included at least five nursing home residents who were among about 800 elderly residents sent to a warehouse to try and survive the storm.

HURRICANE IAN

Ian struck Cuba as a major hurricane in 2022, bringing down the nation’s electric grid and causing blackouts across large parts of the island nation. Later, as a Category 4 hurricane, it slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast, flooding houses on both coasts of the state and causing more than 100 deaths.

Idalia: Projected to hit Florida’s Gulf Coast Wednesday

Continued from A1

nal preparations ... but you got to do that now,”

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced at the state’s emergency operations center.

Tolls were waived on highways out of the danger area, shelters were open and hotels prepared to take in evacuees. More than 30,000 utility workers were gathering to make repairs as quickly as possible in the hurricane’s wake.

On Tuesday, Idalia was 275 miles south of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. It was moving north at 14 mph.

The storm’s center will most likely hit a lightly populated area of the Gulf Coast known as the Big Bend before crossing the peninsula and drenching southern Georgia and the Carolinas on Thursday, forecasters said.

“Right now, the biggest hazards are storm surge,” Robbie Berg, a senior hurricane specialist at the hurricane center in Miami, said Tuesday. “We’re expecting a surge as much as 8 to 12 feet above normal tide levels.”

Idalia thrashed Cuba with heavy rain, especially in the westernmost part of the island, where the tobacco-producing province of Pinar del Rio is still recovering from Ian. More than 10,000 people evacuated to shelters or

stayed with friends and relatives as up to 4 inches of rain fell. More than half of the province was without electricity.

Idalia will be the first storm to hit Florida this hurricane season, but it is only the latest in a summer of natural di-

sasters, including wildfires in Hawaii, Canada and Greece; the first tropical storm to hit California in 84 years, and devastating flooding in Vermont.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently

said the 2023 hurricane season would be far busier than initially forecast, partly because of extremely warm ocean temperatures. The season runs through Nov. 30, with August and September typically the peak.

Top row, from left: Fort Myers Beach as Hurricane Ian made landfall in 2022; a flooded canal in Philadelphia after heavy rain from Hurricane Ida in 2021; and a flooded Miami street during Hurricane Irma in 2017. Bottom: Virginia Beach resident Sean J. Fayhey looks out at Hurricane Isabel in 2003 as the peak of the storm hits Hampton Roads. DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD, ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ, AL DIAZ, MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/TNS

EPA: Weakens clean water rules after high court’s ruling

Continued from A1

day revises a rule finalized earlier this year regulating “waters of the United States.” Developers and agriculture groups have long sought to limit the federal government’s power to use the Clean Water Act to regulate waterways, arguing the law should cover fewer types of rivers, streams and wetlands. Environmental groups have long pushed for a broader definition that would protect more waters.

The new rule is highly unusual and responds specifically to the Supreme Court ruling in the Sackett case. Typically, a rule is proposed, the public weighs in and then the federal government releases a final version. This rule changes existing policy to align with the recent Supreme Court decision and is final.

A coalition of business groups was unhappy with the rule, saying the Biden administration ignored other ways in which Sackett limited the reach of the Clean Water Act.

“This revised rule

does not adequately comply with Supreme Court precedent,” said Courtney Briggs, chair of the industry group Waters Advocacy Coalition in a statement. “Even worse, the agencies blocked public input and engagement in the revision process.”

The Supreme Court ruling was a win for developer and agriculture groups. It said federally protected wetlands must be directly adjacent to a “relatively permanent” waterway “connected to traditional interstate navigable waters,” such as a river or ocean.

They also must have a “continuous surface connection with that water,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote.

The court’s decision broke with a 2006 opinion by former Justice Anthony Kennedy that said wetlands were regulated if they had a “significant nexus” to larger bodies of water. That had been the standard for evaluating whether developers needed a permit before they could discharge into wetlands. Opponents had long said the standards was vague, hard

to interpret and generally unworkable.

Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a separate opinion that the majority’s decision was political, improperly weakening regulatory powers Congress gave the federal government.

EPA: Ruling

‘adds uncertainty’

The rule issued Tuesday removes the “significant nexus” test from consideration when identifying tributaries and other waters as federally protected.

The Supreme Court ruling “created uncertainty for Clean Water Act implementation,’’

the EPA said in a statement Tuesday. The Biden administration issued the amended rule “to provide clarity and a path forward consistent with the (Supreme Court) ruling,’’ the agency said. Because the sole purpose of the new rule is to amend specific provisions of the previous rule that were rendered invalid by the high court, the new rule will take effect immediately, the EPA said.

Julian Gonzalez, senior legislative counsel with Earthjustice, said EPA did what it was forced to do after Sackett and weakened

The rule severely restricts the ability to protect critical waters including wetlands that shield communities from damaging floods and pollution.

— Kelly Moser, Southern Environmental Law Center

wetlands rules. He said the change is also likely to weaken protections for ephemeral streams, which only flow after rainstorms and are especially common in the arid Southwest.

Kelly Moser, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, said the new rule overturns decades of federal law and practice. “The rule, like the Sackett decision itself, severely restricts the federal government’s ability to protect critical waters including wetlands that shield communities from damaging floods and pollution.”

Reducing wetland protections “while two hurricanes are barreling off our coasts is nothing to celebrate,” she added.

Michael Connor, assistant Army secretary

for civil works, said that with publication of the revised rule, the Army Corps will resume issuing jurisdictional decisions that were paused after the Sackett decision. “Moving forward, the Corps will continue to protect and restore the nation’s waters in support of jobs and healthy communities,’’ he said in a statement.

In December, the Biden administration finalized its regulations basing them on definitions in place prior to 2015 that federal officials hoped were durable enough to survive a court challenge. They protected many small streams, wetlands and other waters and repealed a Trump-era rule that environmentalists said left far too many of those waterways unregulated.

Iola: City will vie for federal infrastructure grant dollars

Continued from A1

transportation projects, Rehder said. Another $454 million will be spent on various water and sewer projects in the country, with $200 million allocated for “other stuff” such as electric vehicle charging stations.

Rehder said he and Schinstock counted at least seven potential projects — chiefly the U.S. 54 rebuild planned for within the next few years — that could utilize BIL funds.

“I need to sit down with staff and start prioritizing,” Rehder said. “We need to get ourselves organized. This is a federal program, so there are a lot of hoops we need to go through.”

As an aside, Rehder noted Iola learned recently it was unsuccessful in an earlier application for EV charging stations.

“I’m successfully 0-for-3 in writing grants,” Rehder said, “so maybe I’m not the best at grant writing.”

Thrive Allen County, however, is much more successful, he added, and will work with the city once it’s ready to begin the application process.

“We’ll have something for you, but probably not for the next two or three meetings,” Rehder said.

Iolan: ACARF

action needed

Iolan Gary McIntosh is eager to see the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility on more solid financial footing.

McIntosh, speaking on behalf of the ACARF board of directors, is seeking a liaison from each of Allen County’s municipalities to give the organization a better feel for each town’s concerns about animal control, and to keep cities better informed about the shelter.

The liaison would serve on a committee

specifically tied to fundraising. McIntosh has received commitments from both LaHarpe and Elsmore, he said.

McIntosh also pointed to the National Day of Giving, set for Nov. 28 — the Tuesday after Thanksgiving — during which donations to ACARF will be matched from other donors, through the Your Community Foundation

For more information, contact McIntosh at (620) 363-0446 or ggmac_2000@yahoo.com.

Curb, sidewalk dangers voiced Lee Grimes, who lives in the Townhouse Apartments on North Washington Avenue, complained to Council members about a sidewalk a block to the north

on Washington, adjoining Derryberry Breadery.

The sidewalk’s steep steps, with several holes in the concrete surface and an open stairwell, are a danger, said Grimes, who utilizes a scooter.

“I counted six ways I could die right there,” Grimes said, without elaborating.

Budget gets boost

Council members voted 7-0 to ratify the city’s 2024 spending plan, which will be supported in part by an ad valorem tax levy of 57 mills, a 2.5-mill increase from 2023.

That means the owner of a $100,000 home would spend about $656 to support the city’s general fund budget next year, an increase of about $29.

That figure does not account for taxes paid to support USD 257, Allen County, Allen Community College and other taxing entities.

The tax hike was discussed extensively by Council members, who

by consensus favored this levy over a larger one endorsed by Rehder.

As part of a compromise, Council members previously approved a $3-per-month increase in trash collection fees, with a portion of that revenue allocated into a transfer into the general fund.

Councilman Nickolas Kinder was absent.

Excavator on the way

Council members approved purchase of a Komatsu excavator from Berry Tractor in Topeka for $11,372.19.

The Berry Tractor bid was the third highest of six.

Mitch Phillips, gas, water and wastewater superintendent, said the Komatsu unit was preferred because it’s the same model as the city’s old excavator, and thus crews can reuse attachments such as buckets, steel plate compactors and a hammer.

Two of the bids coming in at a slightly lower price would need to

have fabricated adapters, Phillips said.

The lowest bid, at $89,000, was of a Samy model, “which I’d never heard of five months ago,” Phillips added. After testing the equipment, Phillips said he was less comfortable going with the other models.

Council members endorsed his recommendation, 7-0.

THE COUNCIL also:

— Approved a request by the Iola Booster Club to host a tailgate party from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday in advance of Iola High School’s season-opening football game against Osawatomie. Council approval is necessary because of vendors’ booths as part of the proceedings.

— Approved a request from downtown merchants Myra Gleason and Cara Walden to utilize the city’s electric pedestals to offer up free movie nights on the courthouse square Sept. 8 and Oct. 6. “Little Rascals” will be shown in September; “Hocus Pocus” in October.

Iolan Gary McIntosh speaks Monday with Iola City Council members about the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility (ACARF). REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Environmental rules affecting wetlands, including this area in North Carolina, often varies depending on which party controls the White House. TNS

Opinion A5

Spain’s champions deserve so much more

Tim Stauffer Register Managing Editor

The 2023 Women’s World Cup was the biggest and best version of the competition in history. This year’s event, hosted by Australia and New Zealand, was the first to feature 32 teams, instead of 20 as in years prior. It was the best attended and most watched Women’s World Cup ever, and when all the receipts came in, it was the second-highest grossing sporting event in the world.

Spain’s women played brilliantly against England in the final, where they saw out a 1-0 victory for their first-ever World Cup title. They were amazing the whole tournament, in fact, cruising past the Netherlands and Sweden — respectively ranked seventh and first in the world, by the way — en route to the championship.

They won a World Cup that had been a terrific success. Until the award ceremony in Sydney, that is, when Spain’s top soccer official Luis Ruibales grabbed his crotch as he stood next to the Queen of Spain and her 16-year-old-daughter. He apologized for that. But then he forcefully grabbed Jennifer Hermoso, one of the Spanish stars, for a non-consensual kiss while on the podium.

So here we are. Instead of focusing on a Spanish mas-

terclass, we’re stuck talking about Rubiales, a man whose career on and off the field doesn’t hold a candle to the women he insults every day he remains president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. No one is talking about Spain’s heroes, about Olga Carmona’s breathtaking goal to win the final, or the dazzling footwork of Alexia Putellas, or the scorching

Letter to the editor

Dear editor, I read with much interest editor Susan Lynn’s comments about Nikki Haley.

I watched most of the Republican debate last week, until the moderators lost —or forfeited — control. The next morning I read several reports in metro newspapers that confirmed the opinions at which had I arrived.

Let us look at the candidates:

First, I think the debate showed three of the former governors, if they remain in the race, are bound to be non-factors.

I suspect Asa Hutchinson (Arkansas) and Doug Burgum (North Dakota) are good men (of the WASP variety), who mean well and have talent for governing, though I think their lack of support, financial and among voters, has amply shown a clear view of what lies ahead.

Chris Christie (New Jersey), the self-appointed Donald Trump antagonist, is in the field for that purpose only and knows full well he doesn’t have a ghost of a chance of winning the nomination.

Mike Pence certainly took his handlers’ plea to heart to be aggressive, but still came across short on solid conviction and too quick to talk outside the debate’s rules. When pushed into corners, he was a bit rude, which I thought questioned his character.

Ron DeSantis, for all the time he has spent on the campaign trail — probably to the delight of Floridians — and money he has raised, stumbled often. Also, he is too conservative for many voters. Rewriting history that flies in the face of facts is a sin.

Vivek Ramaswamy was forward to a fault. He has much to learn before he may project a serious challenge for high office, no matter how much money

speed of the tournament’s breakout star, Salma Paralluelo. One man has managed to steal all that attention and make everything about him. He’s a disgrace, and he needs to leave now.

HERMOSO, for her part, called the kiss “an impulse-driven, sexist, outof-place act without any consent on my part.” The Friday after, Rubiales, slimy

he has at his disposal. I suspect much of his worship of Trump is meant to position himself for the vice presidency. Trump loves those who put him on a pedestal. But, Heaven help us if he is the nominee.

That leaves Tim Scott, a senator from South Carolina of 10 years, and Haley, well-seasoned in the intrigue and ramifications of national politics.

I find both breaths of fresh air.

However, Scott’s time is in the future, when he would be more able through experience and age to cope with the vast and varied duties of being in the Oval Office, or anywhere else on a singular national scale. He has shown repeatedly to be a kind, caring individual who wants to bring factions together and honestly make the United States the true envy of the world.

That leaves Haley.

She is sensible, has seasoned expectations of high office from being a governor and serving as ambassador to the United Nations, and is firm in her belief that when it comes to social, cultural and all other aspects of daily life the nation is one and not divided along ethnic, financial or intellectual lines.

She is a true facilitator, such as another governor-become-president, Ronald Reagan, or Sen. Bob Dole.

Haley cares only about the nation and its people.

She has my vote.

Trump, so remarkable from all that has occurred since he lost in 2020, continues to lead GOP polls by double digits, an outcome that any thoughtful citizen should find just as disheartening as it is extraordinary. Hopefully, that will change as he is weighed on the scales of justice.

Bob Johnson, Humboldt, Kan.

as an eel, spoke at a press conference where everyone thought he’d tender an apology and his resignation. He did neither, claiming to be the victim of a “witch hunt” where “false feminists” are out to get him. The Spanish women’s coach Jorge Vilda (who also needs to get the boot) applauded. And in a disgusting move that reeks of machismo, the Spanish soccer federation has said it

will investigate Hermoso for lying about the kiss.

Please. The world saw it. The women’s team has backed Hermoso, boycotting any future games until Rubiales leaves. FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, has suspended Rubiales, and on Monday Spanish authorities said they were investigating the episode as possible sexual assault. (The men’s national team and their stars, you ask? Crickets. Their coach has backed Rubiales.)

THIS IS TOO OLD of a story to have to explain away once again. One can only hope the moment brings a reckoning in Spain, that it serves as an inflection point. That it brings real and lasting change.

Because unless Rubiales is fired, and that is different than a resignation, the lesson to women is crystal clear: You can rise to the pinnacle of sport, become champions of the world, but it doesn’t matter. You are still subject to the casual aggression (and worse) of mediocre scumbags like Rubiales.

Until Rubiales is punished, no means no — except when your country wins the World Cup. No means no — unless you’re president. No means no — until it doesn’t. Until powerful men decide it does.

As they are saying in Spain, se acabó. Time’s up. The longer the Spanish soccer federation waits to get rid of Rubiales, the more it insults women across the world — and disgraces its deserving champions.

Simone Biles sticks the landing

When Simone Biles stuck the landing of her fi nal tumbling pass on Sun day to win a record-break ing eighth national title, she added to her legend by achieving one of the greatest comebacks in U.S. sports. Gymnasts rarely get sec ond acts, especially at the age of 26. Yet as she so of ten has, Ms. Biles made the incredible look effortless.

The last time we saw Ms. Biles compete at a major event was the Tokyo Olym pics in 2021 when she withdrew from the competition because of a mental health crisis. The backlash was harsh. She was called a quitter and blamed for costing the United States a gold medal. (The team won silver without Ms. Biles.) But she knew and trusted herself enough to stand up to her critics and, without apology, explain: She had the “twisties,” a dangerous condition in gymnastics meaning the brain and the body are not in sync.

Ms. Biles put her mental health first. Other athletes rallied around her. So did many of the more than 57 million American adults and rising number of teenagers suffering from mental illnesses.

And in another supreme act of courage, she testified alongside three fellow gymnasts at a 2021 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the system that, as she put it, “enabled and perpetuated” the sexual abuse they had suffered at the hands of team doctor Larry Nassar. “To be perfectly honest, I can imagine no place where I would

be less comfortable right now than sitting here in front of you and sharing these comments,” Ms. Biles said.

The most decorated gymnast in U.S. history has been showered with accolades, including becoming the youngest person to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

does not apply to her. She added more artistry to her routines and performed such difficult moves that she finished almost four points ahead of the silver medalist.

Called ‘a quitter’ because she put her mental health first, Biles has silenced the naysayers.

About four months ago, she got married to National Football League player Jonathan Owens.

But instead of retiring, the one so often called “the greatest of all time” has come back to the sport she loves and helped redefine. She looked better than ever at the U.S. championships in San Jose, where her nearly flawless athleticism made it seem as though the law of gravity

She also devoted a lot of time to high-fiving and cheering on younger competitors (many of whom idolized her for years and credit her for inspiring them to do more in the sport).

Ms. Biles didn’t just silence her naysayers. She dropped the mic on them. She shattered another record. She pushed the boundaries of gymnastics — again. And she reminded the world that putting mental health first is key to success.

— The Washington Post

Above, from left, Alexia Putellas, Jennifer Hermoso and Irene Paredes of Spain celebrate after winning the FIFA Women’s World Cup. At right, fans sit behind a banner reading “We are with you Jenni,” in support of Jennifer Hermoso. (PHOTOS BY JUSTIN SETTERFIELD/ GETTY IMAGES/TNS AND, AT RIGHT, AP PHOTO/ALBERTO SAIZ)

USA’s Simone Biles won a record-breaking eighth national title Saturday. Here she performs on the balance beam during the U.S. Classic gymnastics competition. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP/GETTY IMAGES/TNS)

3M pays $6 billion over faulty

NEW YORK (AP) —

Chemical and consumer product manufacturer 3M has agreed to pay $6 billion to settle numerous lawsuits from U.S. service members who say they experienced hearing loss or other serious injuries after using faulty earplugs made by the company. The settlement, consisting of $5 billion in cash and $1 billion in 3M stock, will be made in payments that will run through 2029. The agreement announced by the Minnesota company on Tuesday marks a resolution to one of the largest mass torts in U.S. history. Hundreds of thousands of veterans and current service members have reportedly sued 3M and Aearo Technologies, a company that 3M acquired in 2008, over their Combat Arms Earplug products. The service members alleged that a defective design allowed the products — which were intended to protect ears from close range firearms and other loud noises — to loosen slightly and allow hearing damage, according to Aylstock,

The settlement over 3M’s Combat Arms earplugs would end one of the nation’s largest ever mass torts. 3M/TNS

Witkin, Kreis, & Overholtz PLLC, one of the law firms representing plaintiffs.

In an online summary about the Combat Arms Earlplug litigation, the Florida-based law firm notes that 3M previously agreed to pay $9.1 million to settle a lawsuit on behalf of the government alleging the company knowingly supplied defective earplugs to the U.S. military. And since 2019, the firm added, 3M has lost 10 of 16 cases that have gone to trial — awarding millions of dollars to plaintiffs to date.

Tuesday’s agreement “represents a tremen-

IMS: Trip proposed

Continued from A1

ly $2,700 for adults. Brady said parents are also invited and he typically brings a few adults to supervise.

Most students will do fundraising throughout the year to raise all or part of the cost.

One year, Brady said, a Humboldt student sold biscuits and gravy at Iola’s Farm City Days and raised $800. Financial assistance may be available for those who qualify, which will reduce the cost by a couple of hundred dollars.

Brady usually starts the process in March for the next year’s trip, which takes place right after the end of the school year. That gives students more time to raise the money.

But with the job change from Humboldt to Iola, IMS students will have less time to plan. He also had already talked to Humboldt students and about five of them plan to participate.

If a district brings at least 35 students, they qualify for their own tour bus and guide. However, Humboldt never reached that number and had to share with a district from elsewhere in the U.S.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Humboldt brought around 30 students. After the pandemic, numbers have been around 25. Superintendent Stacey Fager supported Brady’s plan. He said the district had few opportunities in the past to send students to visit major U.S. cities. A government class traveled to DC for a national contest one year, and the band has made a few trips including to St. Louis last year.

SAFE BASE, the afterschool program, organized out-of-state summer trips for sev-

dous victory for the thousands of men and women who bravely served our country and returned home with life-altering hearing injuries,” attorneys representing the plaintiffs said in a joint statement. “We are proud to have obtained this settlement, which ensures that those who suffered hearing damage will

earplugs

receive the justice and compensation they so rightly deserve.”

In Tuesday’s announcement, 3M maintained that the agreement — which includes all claims in Florida’s multi-district litigation, coordinated state court action in Minnesota, and potential future claims — was not an admission of liability.

“The products at issue in this litigation are safe and effective when used properly,” the company wrote. “3M is prepared to continue to defend itself in the litigation if certain agreed terms of the settlement agreement are not fulfilled.”

3M has previously tried to reduce exposure to the earplug litigation through bankruptcy court, the Wall Street Journal reported.

CBS to celebrate ‘Price is Right’ icon

NEW YORK (AP) — CBS is giving the late game show host Bob Barker a last run on television with a primetime tribute special that will air on the network Thursday night.

“The Price is Right: A Tribute to Bob Barker,” scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, will be replayed Labor Day in the game show’s regular daytime slot, which is 11 a.m. Eastern and 10 a.m. Pacific.

The smooth-talking host, who urged participants to “come on down” and play the enduring game that required them to guess the price of consumer goods, died at age 99 Saturday at his home in Los Angeles.

With his signature long, thin microphone, Barker commanded the show’s stage from 1972 to 2007. His tribute will

be hosted by Drew Carey, his replacement and still the show’s host now.

Bob Barker

The show of highlights from Barker’s 50-year television career will feature clips from his first and last days on “The Price is Right.” Barker hosted the game show “Truth or Consequences” before that.

It will illustrate Barker’s ability to make the most out of every moment, said Margot Wain, senior vice president of daytime television at CBS.

“Bob was one-of-akind,” Wain said. “He’ll be remembered as an extraordinary host, a devoted animal activist and, as he would put it, ‘a loyal friend and true.’”

eral years but now visits more regional locations.

School board members also indicated their support.

HVAC update

Last week’s heat wave challenged cooling systems in the district, particularly in buildings with new systems.

IMS has reported several issues with its new system, which was part of a 2019 school bond issue and installed two summers ago. The company that installed it has made adjustments.

When temperatures topped 100 degrees last week, a couple of classrooms in the middle of the building had trouble keeping cool. That was fixed, only to have airflow issues in a different classroom.

Iola Elementary School opened last fall, so the system there got a major test last week.

It had a few problems, Fager and Maintenance director Aaron Cole reported.

The chillers went offline the weekend before the heat wave and it took time to cool the building on Monday morning. Then, a unit that serves the fourth and fifth grade wing had airflow issues.

“We haven’t signed off on that yet, have we?” board member Tony Leavitt asked, referring to giving final approval of the work.

No, board member Dan Willis answered. That won’t happen until the district is satisfied with the work.

Construction manager Randy Coonrod, who oversaw the bond projects, is still involved with those communications, Willis said.

Iola High School also had a chiller go down last week but the issues have been resolved, Cole reported.

Sports Daily B

Bronny James back in class

LOS ANGELES (AP)

— Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, is doing well and attending classes after the highly regarded freshman guard went into cardiac arrest during a workout last month, Southern California basketball coach Andy Enfield said Monday.

“The good thing is he’s doing extremely well and he’s in class right now. And we all love him,” Enfield said. “I think everybody is hopeful that Bronny will return to the court. We just have to be patient and take it step by step.”

The James family released a statement Friday saying a congenital heart defect was the probable cause of James’ cardiac arrest. The statement said the heart defect can be treated and that the family is confident in James’ ability to make a full recovery and return to the court in the near future.

James was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and released three days after being stricken on July 24.

“Our goal is to support Bronny in any way we can academically, athletically, and be patient with how things develop in his return,” Enfield said.

James, a 6-foot-3 guard, committed to USC in May and bolstered what was already one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. He is the sixth McDonald’s All-American to join the program since Enfield became coach in 2013.

The Trojans had the nation’s fourth-ranked recruiting class, including the top-rated player in guard Isaiah Collier.

Enfield said the pitch to James and his family wasn’t different compared to other recruits.

“He’s a terrific basketball player and was playing very well (before the cardiac arrest). We all

See JAMES | Page B3

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Mustangs confident in stacked roster

also returns after competing in doubles action last fall. Other returners include juniors Kyndal Bycroft and Madeline Wanker.

“We will push for a better season year after year,” said Belknap. “My hopes are to always grow the team. Not just by team numbers, which we are succeeding at, but also by community buyin to tennis which is evident year after year.”

Fifteen Mustangs are on the roster, including four sophomores and two freshmen. Off the bat, Belknap is emphasizing technique.

By QUINN BURKITT

The Iola tennis team is heading into the season with the most loaded roster it’s had in recent memory. The Mustangs will be returning a strong string of senior leaders including Keira Fawson, who reached the state meet last fall for

the second time in her career. Fawson placed fifth at the regional meet in Chanute to qualify for the state competition. Rebekah Coltrane also returns valuable playing time. Both she and Fawson will play in singles competition. Seniors Kennedy Maier and Molly Riebel will likely return in doubles play. Jillian

Coco Gauff, Djokovic advance at US Open

NEW YORK (AP) — Coco Gauff knew the perfect word to describe her victory on Day 1 of the U.S. Open on Monday night.

“Slow,” Gauff said during her on-court interview, then sort of suppressed a smile and paused for effect, drawing laughter from a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd that rattled her opponent, Laura Siegemund.

What Gauff meant was the pace of Siegemund, a 35-year-old qualifier from Germany who took her sweet time between points and never seemed ready to play when the 19-yearold from Florida was. The sixth-seeded Gauff also could have been referring to her own start to the match, one she eventually turned around and won 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the second round at Flushing Meadows.

“I was really patient the

whole match. She was going over the time since the first set. I never said anything. I would look at the umpire, and she didn’t do anything,” said Gauff, who got into a lengthy discussion with official Marijana Veljovic in the third set. “Then obviously the crowd started to notice that she was taking long, so you would hear people in the crowd yelling, ‘Time!’”

In the day’s last match, 23time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic made his return to the U.S. Open a swift one, defeating Alexandre Muller 6-0, 6-2, 6-3. Djokovic couldn’t travel to the United States last year because he wasn’t vaccinated against COVID-19.

Siegemund, whose faults drew applause and whose own back-and-forth with Veljovic drew jeers, cried during her post-match news

See GAUFF | Page B3

Ward joins the team for the first time.

“All five of the seniors have their own ways of being team leaders,” Iola head coach Chris Belknap said. “The team is very welcoming to all and it is great seeing players step up to help each other without being told to.”

Junior Melanie Palmer

“Serves are very important. Without a consistent serve you give away a lot of points,” he said. “The girls are also learning how to hit different balls and stay in the moment. We’re also going to be working on playing more aggressively.”

“I like the constant movement and fast pace of the sport,” said Belknap. “Constantly moving so there’s no time to get lost in thought. It’s OK to make mistakes, it’s how you deal with those mistakes and move on that matter. But you get a second

See IOLA | Page B4

Mahomes is unanimous MVP

By ROB MAADDI The Associated Press

Patrick Mahomes is a twotime NFL MVP, a two-time Super Bowl MVP and has led the Kansas City Chiefs to the AFC championship game five straight seasons. Any poll that ranks players has to start with No. 15. Mahomes was a unanimous

choice by The Associated Press for the top spot among quarterbacks.

A panel of nine AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at QB, making their selections based on current status entering the 2023 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place

See NFL | Page B4

Simone Biles wins record 8th US Gymnastics title

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) —

Simone Biles is not going to explain herself. Part of this is by design. Part of this is because she simply can’t.

When the gymnastics star is at her best, as she was on Sunday night while winning her record eighth U.S. championship, she feels like she’s in a “fever dream.” It’s not autopilot exactly. It’s more of a vibe. A flow.

It’s in those moments that the doubts that still plague her almost daily even now, a decade into a run of unprecedented excellence, fade away. There is no thinking. No overanalyzing. No “ twisties.” All of it recedes into the background. Her coach Laurent Landi calls it a skill. Biles, even at 26, won’t go that far. Maybe because she

simply doesn’t want to. She spent a long time, far too long, getting caught up in her head. She’s intent on not doing it this around. So yeah, she was smiling midway through a floor routine that made almost every other competitor on the floor stop what they were doing to watch and drew a standing ovation from a portion of the sellout SAP Center crowd.

No, she can’t explain why.

When her coaches told her she’d nailed every tumbling pass, she was clueless.

“It just doesn’t feel real for some reason,” Biles said.

It is. Remarkably.

Ten years ago she was a teenage prodigy who doesn’t remember much from her ascension to the top of her sport. She was always fixated on the next thing. World

championships. Team camps. The Olympics. Now she’s a 26-year-old newlywed determined to enjoy this. For real. Six months ago she wasn’t sure she was all in. Three weeks ago she returned to competition in Chicago feeling as if she was going to “throw up” every time she saluted the judges. The woman who posted

See BILES | Page B3

Iola’s Keira Fawson goes for a hit last season. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

The Iola Register

Matt Nagy, left, Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs open the season against the Lions. HEATHER KHALIFA/THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/TNS

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Drugs targeted for Medicare negotiation

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is targeting the blood thinner Eliquis, diabetes treatment Jardiance and eight other medications for Medicare’s first-ever drug price negotiations as it seeks to lower medical costs for Americans.

The administration on Tuesday released a list of the 10 drugs for which prices will be negotiated directly with the manufacturer. The move is expected to cut costs for many patients, but it faces litigation from drugmakers and heavy criticism from Republican lawmakers, and it will be years before consumers notice any savings.

The effort is a centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s reelection pitch as the Democrat seeks to show Americans he’s deserving of a second term because of the work he’s doing to lower costs for them

while the country is struggling with inflation. But like the drug negotiations, many of Biden’s biggest policy moves take time to roll out, and his challenge is to persuade the public to be patient.

“For many Americans, the cost of one drug is the difference between life and death, dignity and dependence, hope and fear,” Biden said in a statement. “That is why we will continue the fight to lower healthcare costs — and we will not stop until we finish the job.”

Biden plans to deliver a speech on health care costs from the White House later Tuesday. He’ll be joined by Vice President Kamala Harris.

The drugs on the list announced Tuesday accounted for more than $50 billion in Medicare prescription drug costs between June 1, 2022,

and May 31, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS.

The government agency also noted that Medicare patients taking the drugs spent a total of $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs on them last year.

The diabetes treatments Jardiance from Eli Lilly and Co. and Boehringer Ingelheim and Januvia from Merck made the list. It also included Amgen’s autoimmune disease treatment Enbrel and Entresto from Novartis, which is used to treat heart failure.

Medicare spent about $10 billion in 2020 on Eliquis, according to AARP research. The drug from Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb treats blood clots in the legs and lungs and reduces the risk of stroke in people with an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.

LUKEN

MVJH volleyball wins

By QUINN BURKITT

The Iola Register

The Marmaton Valley Junior High volleyball squad matched up against Yates Center as well as Pleasanton and Thayer over the weekend. The Wildcats came out firing and took down Yates Center in the first match of the season, sweeping Yates Center by scores of 25-9, 25-23 and 15-3.

Mustangs meet at Fort Scott JV quad

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

Iola’s junior varsity tennis team fared well at the Fort Scott JV meet on Monday, with most coming away with second-place medals.

Pittsburg, 6-1. The duo then beat Independence, 6-1.

Marmaton Valley then took down Pleasanton in two sets, 25-16 and 25-17. In the first set, the Wildcats scored seven match points in a row and then strung together a couple of five-point swings in the second set.

Marmaton Valley dropped their final match to Thayer, 25-9 and 25-12.

The Wildcats travel to St. Paul for a matchup on Thursday at 5 p.m.

The Mustangs were most successful in singles play where they won a couple of matches.

Bethany Miller and Madeline Wanker each earned wins in singles action.

Kennedy Maier and Jillian Ward as well as Marlee Westhoff and Madelyn Ashworth earned victories in doubles play.

Iola’s doubles team of Kennedy Maier and Jillian Ward knocked down Fort Scott, 6-1, before they lost to

Marlee Westhoff and Madelyn Ashworth were taken down by Fort Scott, 6-2, in doubles action. As well as by Pittsburg, 6-2. The duo then beat Independence, 6-1.

Miller started out by defeating Fort Scott’s Danica Patrick, 6-3, and was then taken down by Pittsburg’s Peyton Morey, 6-5. Miller and Wanker each lost to Independence singles players by final scores of 6-1.

Wanker shut down Fort Scott’s Emma Cook, 6-0 and also defeated Pittsburg’s Addie Broxterman, 6-1. Miller and Wanker as well as the duo of West-

See MUSTANGS | Page B4

James: Is healthy according to USC coach

Continued from B1

think there is a big upside in his game and he can help our team win,” Enfield said. “It was a little later in the recruiting cycle and also was different because he comes from a pretty good basketball family. But it really didn’t change our recruiting pitch because we’re very honest with people and showed him an opportunity that we thought he could have here at USC. His parents were terrific through the whole recruiting process and have been very supportive since.”

Enfield also said he was pleased with his team’s development during a recent trip to Europe that saw his squad play games in Greece and Croatia.

Fifth-year senior guard Boogie Ellis has embraced the role of being a team co-captain while Collier and

forward DJ Rodman, a graduate transfer from Washington State, got to mesh with new

Gauff: Advances at US Open

Continued from B1

conference, saying the fans “had no respect for me.”

teammates in game situations.

Enfield said Collier is one of the best pass-

ers he has seen come out of high school in a while while Rodman can be a threat with his skills on offense.

The player who made the biggest strides on the trip was junior guard Kobe Johnson, a co-captain who averaged 9.3 points last season.

“He’s the best defensive player in our league and also improved his offense,” Enfield said.

USC — which has made the last three NCAA Tournaments — will have a challenging nonconference schedule before starting its final campaign in the Pac-12. The Trojans open against Kansas State in Las Vegas on Nov. 6 and will play in a Thanksgiving week tournament in San Diego that includes Seton Hall, Iowa and Oklahoma. USC also has a road game against Auburn.

Biles: Earns 8th US Gymnastics title

Continued from B1

a two-day all-around total of 118.40 this weekend in northern California — four points clear of runner-up Shilese Jones and well ahead of Florida junior Leanne Wong in third place — is not ready to hit fast forward. She won. She’s letting herself be happy this time. That didn’t always happen before.

“We really try to celebrate our success individually and as a team just so that in a couple of

years you can remember this,” she said. “Because I really don’t remember a lot from the past.”

She knows that gymnastics won’t last “forever” even if, for her in a way it has.

Peaks aren’t supposed to last this long. Most elite gymnasts at 26 — at least the ones who haven’t retired — are simply hoping to hold on to what they have.

The athlete who became the oldest woman to win a national title

since USA Gymnastics began organizing the event in 1963 is not interested in that. Landi called Biles’ floor routine in the finals the best he’d ever seen her do.

“I think it’s maturity,” he said.

Biles’ eight crowns moved her past Alfred Jochim, who won seven between 1925-33 when the Amateur Athletics Union ran the championships and the men’s competition included rope climbing.

Yes, really. The sport has come a long way over the last century. No one has spent more time at the far end of the Bell curve than Biles, whose singular talents continue to push boundaries.

She’s training smarter these days, her only real acquiescence to the miles she’s put on it for the last 20 years. While she remains one of the most visible active athletes in the Olympic movement.

“I am very, very disappointed (by) the way the people treated me today,” said Siegemund, who has won U.S. Open titles in women’s doubles and mixed doubles. “This is something that I have to say hurts really bad. There is no doubt that I’m slow. ... I should be quicker. But at the same time, it’s how I play.”

Added Siegemund: “They treated me like I was a bad person.”

With former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, in the audience, Siegemund outplayed Gauff for the first set, using all manner of slices and superb volleying.

Gauff had lost her past two Grand Slam matches — including a first-round exit at Wimbledon last month — and did not want to leave quietly or quickly this time. With thousands of partisan fans getting rowdier by the moment, she converted her eighth break point in a 30-point, 25-plus-minute game to begin the second set.

“It was a great mental boost,” Gauff said. “That game was a vital momentum changer.”

That put her in front for good. In the third set, Veljovic called Siegemund for a time violation. Brad Gilbert, who is one

of two coaches working with Gauff lately, shook his head at how long it took Veljovic to intervene, and his reaction drew a smile from Gauff.

Serving while ahead 3-0 in that set, Gauff had enough and went over to make her case.

“She’s never ready when I’m serving. ... How is this fair?” Gauff told Veljovic. “I’m going a normal speed. Ask any ref here. ... I’ve been quiet the whole match. ... Now it’s ridiculous. I don’t care what she’s doing on her serve, but (on) my serve, she has to be ready.”

Gauff wound up dropping that game. Later, Siegemund was docked a point for delaying, which put Gauff up 5-1. That prompted Siegemund to argue her case to Veljovic — “I can’t go to the towel anymore?” — and drew some boos.

There was another hiccup for Gauff toward the finish: She served for the match at 5-2 in the third, but double-faulted three times. Those were her only double-faults of the entire 2-hour, 51-minute match.

In the end, she held on, and it was Gauff’s 12th victory in 13 matches since the disappointing showing at the All England Club. This recent run includes the two biggest titles of the American’s career and a win over No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

MV’s Kenlee Redburn. PHOTO BY HALIE

Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates a point against Rebecca Peterson of Sweden during their first round match of the 2023 US Open on Monday. Swiatek won, 6-0, 6-1. (AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES/ TNS)

Bronny James (6) of the West team looks on during the 2023 McDonald’s High School Boys All-American Game at Toyota Center on March 28, 2023, in Houston. ALEX BIERENS DE HAAN/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

Spanish soccer official’s kiss unleashes fury

MADRID (AP) —

Spain’s Aug. 20 victory at the Women’s World Cup was a momentous occasion for the soccer-crazed country, but the joy on and off the field was soon sullied by the leader of the country’s soccer federation when he planted an unwanted kiss on the lips of a star player during the medal ceremony.

By defiantly refusing to step down as fury over the incident mounted, Luis Rubiales only exacerbated the controversy, prompting the world champions to say they will not play again until he’s gone and prosecutors to launch an investigation.

The incident is fueling nationwide soul-searching about sexism in sports, and in society at large.

The Spanish soccer scandal has even drawn in Rubiales’s mother, who defended him by launching a hunger strike.

Here is a summary of the twists and turns of the controversy:

IT STARTED WITH A KISS

As the jubilant Spanish team lined up to collect their winning medals and salute dignitaries after beating England 1-0 in Sydney, Australia, Rubiales, 46, grabbed player Jenni Hermoso, 33, by the head with both hands, and kissed her on her lips.

Moments earlier, Rubiales had grabbed his crotch in a victory gesture to those down on the field as he celebrated wildly in the presi-

dential box not far from Spain’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter, Princess Sofia. Taken together, Rubiales’s actions — replayed repeatedly on TV and social media — have shone a light on the way machismo permeates soccer in Spain, and throughout the world.

Soccer has for years battled allegations of discrimination against women, and sexual misconduct by male coaches and other officials against national teams’ female players.

IMMEDIATE REACTIONS

Before even leaving the field in Australia, Rubiales lashed out when asked about the immediate criticism of him that came raining down on social media.

He claimed the kiss was made with affection and in celebration — and insulted his detractors in crude terms.

In an Instagram video in the dressing room after the incident, the players screamed and laughed while watching the kiss on a phone. Hermoso laughed and shouted, “But I didn’t like it!” and said she couldn’t do much about it.

The Spanish soccer federation later that day released a statement attributed to Hermoso, saying “It was a totally spontaneous mutual gesture due to the immense joy of winning a World Cup” and that she and Rubiales “have a great relationship.”

But Hermoso accused the federation later in the week of trying to

pressure her and her family into supporting Rubiales.

The calls for Rubiales’ resignation only intensified.

On his way back from Australia, Rubiales issued a video in which he tried to repair the damage by saying he had no choice but to apologize.

He acknowledged that he “surely made a mistake,” but said relations with Hermoso and her teammates were great.

The apology and his cocky attitude rang false, and only fueled public anger.

THE BACKLASH GETS SERIOUS

A few days after the game, Spain’s acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, stepped into the fray by saying that Rubiales’ apologies were insufficient and that his behavior was “unacceptable.”

A day later, Hermoso and the players’ union issued a statement saying Rubiales act was inappropriate and should not go unpunished.

While machismo has historically run deep in Spain, Rubiales has found himself out of step with the country’s rapidly changing social mores. Women’s rights activism has been around for decades, but was supercharged in 2018 following a high-profile case of gang rape viewed as Spain’s “Me Too” moment. Since then, laws have been passed protecting women’s right to abortion and promoting equality in the workplace. A controversial

NFL: Names Mahomes MVP

Continued from B1

votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts each received second-place votes. Four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers was named on seven ballots. Justin Herbert, Kirk Cousins, Trevor Lawrence and Lamar Jackson also received votes.

1. PATRICK MAHOMES, Kansas City Chiefs: Mahomes had another spectacular season despite losing star receiver Tyreek Hill. He received 49 of 50 firstplace votes for AP All-Pro and 48 of 50 for AP NFL MVP. If any player has a chance to challenge Tom Brady’s seven Super Bowl rings, it’s Mahomes. He only turns 28 next month and the Chiefs are built to keep winning. Mahomes and coach Andy Reid are a perfect fit together.

Mustangs

Continued from B1

Westhoff and Ashworth earned second place medals. The Mustangs finished in third place as a team, winning five matches, behind Independence’s first-place finish and Pittsburg’s second-place finish. Yates Center came in fourth.

The Mustangs travel to Parsons next Tuesday, September 5 at 3 p.m.

2. JOE BURROW, Cincinnati Bengals: Burrow edged Allen for the No. 2 spot by one point despite being left off two ballots due to his calf injury. Burrow got five second-place votes. He’s led the Bengals to the AFC championship game against Mahomes and the Chiefs two years in a row, winning one. Burrow beat Mahomes on the road in the playoffs in 2022 and led the Bengals to a victory over Allen and the Bills on the road in the AFC divisional round last season.

3. JOSH ALLEN, Buffalo Bills: Allen was named on every ballot, getting votes in every spot from

law that defines sexual consent is seen among the most ambitious in Europe.

As players, fans and soccer officials rallied around Hermoso, the Spanish soccer federation announced an emergency meeting for last Friday. Rumors swirled that Rubiales was going to resign.

RUBIALES GROWS

MORE DEFIANT

Rather than resign, Rubiales lashed out again at critics, claiming he was the victim of a witch hunt by “false feminists.” He argued that Hermoso “lifted me up” in a celebratory gesture and he asked her for “a little kiss?” and she “said ‘yes.’” Most of the male soccer federation members present gave Rubiales a standing ovation after the nationally

televised speech.

But Hermoso struck back in statements posted on social media and said that she did not consent to the kiss or try to lift Rubiales and that there was no conversation like the one he described. Hermoso said the kiss “left me in a state of shock.”

The federation retaliated, releasing a statement that accused her of lying and threatening legal action.

FIFA STEPS IN

Within 24 hours of Rubiales’s jaw-dropping speech, FIFA, the world soccer governing body, suspended Rubiales for 90 days while its disciplinary committee investigates his conduct.

It was just the first major blow to Rubiales.

Hours later, several federation members,

including the head of women’s soccer, resigned.

The entire Spanish women’s team, plus 50 other women players, said last week they would not play for their country so long as Rubiales remained as head of the federation.

The coach of the champion women’s team, Jorge Vilda, and Spain’s men’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, initially defended Rubiales. But after he was suspended by FIFA, they changed their tune and issued statements condemning him.

In another blow, the federation’s regional leaders — who also had initially supported Rubiales — on Monday asked him to step down. That has left few supporters by his side.

Iola tennis: Roster loaded

Continued from B1

serve and could still win.”

Belknap said he appreciates the support

the team receives from the community.

“We owe great thanks to our community,” said Belk-

nap. The Mustangs face off against Independence and Columbus on Thursday at 3 p.m.

Nos. 2-5. Allen is the only QB in NFL history with three straight seasons throwing 25 touchdown passes and rushing for five scores. Allen has led the Bills to three straight AFC East titles but Buffalo has lost in the divisional round the last two seasons.

4. AARON RODGERS, New York Jets: Rodgers had a disappointing season to finish his career in Green Bay after winning consecutive MVP awards in 2020-21. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer has been rejuvenated in New York. He’ll become a folk hero if he can lead the Jets to a Super Bowl.

Iola head coach Chris Belknap, left, talks with his Mustangs at a meet in Chanute last fall. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

They have just announced they are going to buy a home near to us, again. They say all the same things they said before. They want to have a home base near us and help, etc. I am very angry. Part of the reason for moving back was for our kids to spend some time with my family, whom they only saw a couple of times a year before. I think it is unfair for my husband’s parents to keep following us, uninvited. The whole idea of moving to be near your kids seems like a ridiculous concept to me. Again, they say how wonderful it will be to be close and how they will help but I know this will not be the case. I asked my husband to tell them it would make things difficult for me, since I already have to

Tell Me About It Carolyn Hax

deal with my own divorced family tensions here, but he will not. I feel like they are almost trespassing on my family’s turf and time. I cannot even imagine how they would not see that. Am I being unreasonable? — Angry

Angry: If you have cause to dislike your in-laws, like if they criticize you or show up unannounced or undermine you as a parent or call constant attention to themselves (or pick your item from the family dysfunction menu), then I get your visceral frustration. Otherwise, the only foul I can call on your in-laws is their making and breaking vague promises to help with your kids.

It is annoying but hardly justifies a mission to “confront” these “lovely” people. Babysit for us, or else! If your outrage stems solely from the help that never materializes then: 1. Please know they are pretty typical grandparents, as plenty opt out of the harder work. Yours just have unusual means to remove geographic obstacles. 2. A little reframing can be magic. “They are here to love us not babysit” makes a fine mantra. The “help!” phase of child rearing is fleeting anyway, except of course when you are in it.

It appears, though, your fury is more gen-

eral than that, over their building a life on a concept of closeness you find “ridiculous” after you just moved back to be closer to your own family. And having more anger than consistency is a theme. Your in-laws are not “on top of us” but they are “trespassing” and their projected involvement “will not be the case.”

Okay... Again, if they mistreat you, then I get it. Otherwise, you have given your husband cause to see you as “unreasonable and mean,” not to mention dismissive of what he wants, assuming he is thrilled to keep the grandkids and generous grandparents within easy driving distance (yet still willing to move away). To be fair, his calling you these things is not helpful. The compassionate move is to ease pain instead of lash out at it.

I would say your real problem here is a marital one, not an in-law one, if indeed your husband backs his mom over you, but that is only true if your positions are reasonably backable. Resenting your in-laws for not wanting to live 2,000 miles from their son and his family does not, to my mind, meet that standard, when you say yourself they are not crowding you and have friends and other places to be.

So I have written my way to this: Maybe the problem is not your inlaws, or geography, or your marriage, but instead your pain. Maybe your pain is easier to feel in anger form. And maybe anger is easier to express at your in-

laws, who sit at a safe distance from the very core of your being, than at your tense divorced family, who now occupy it.

That is a lot of speculation. But even if I am way off I would suggest therapy regardless. Your letter radiates anger at things beyond your control and your marriage seems a little crisp at the edges. Lessons in healthy detachment from other stuff rarely go to waste. When you approach your life as choices you make, like whom you spend time with, how often, for how long, instead of choices made at you, so much anger melts away.

Rogers

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

by Mort Walker

by Chance Browne

MUTTS by Patrick McDonell

Dear Carolyn: For several years we lived close to my husband’s parents. They had moved 2,000 miles away from our shared hometown to be closer to us. They did not ask us. They just did it. They also have a second home, so they were not on top of us, but having them nearby was a source of contention between my husband and me. They spoke often about wanting to help with our young kids, but they almost never actually did, except on very few occasions. My husband has always refused to confront them about anything and never wants to hurt their feelings. They are lovely and generous people, but he protects his mom and chooses her feelings over mine. He says I am unreasonable and mean. We then moved back to where we both grew up. His parents have visited frequently over the years and reconnected with some of their old friends.

ATLANTA (AP) —

Tiger Woods was the richest guy in golf and played like he didn’t have two nickels to rub together. That’s one of many traits that made him so incomparable.

Just don’t get the idea he wasn’t in it for the money.

Dominican Republic, Italy, Australia reach KO stage

The Associated Press

The Dominican Republic, Australia and Italy advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup. Through play Tuesday, 10 teams have reached the final 16 with six more berths to be determined on Wednesday.

The Dominican Republic finished 3-0 in Group A after a 75-67 victory over Angola.

Australia, the Olympic bronze medalist two years ago in Tokyo, defeated Japan 109-89 despite 33 points from American-born Japan center Josh Hawkinson. Australia finished second in Group E behind Germany.

Italy took second place in Group A, defeating the Philippines 90-83. The Philippines, the main host country for the World Cup, needed to beat Italy by a lopsided margin to advance.

Defending champion Spain, the United States, Canada, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Montenegro have also advanced.

GROUP E — AUSTRA-

LIA 109, JAPAN 89

At Okinawa, Josh Giddey scored 26 points, Xavier Cooks added 24 and Australia (2-1) advanced to the knockout stage by taking second place behind group winner Germany. The Tokyo Olympic bronze medalists entered the World Cup as one of the favorites.

Japan (1-2) disappointed home fans and could not repeat its rousing comefrom-behind win on Sunday against Finland. Hawkinson led Japan with 33 points and Yuta Watanabe

Iola: JV quad

Continued from B3

pendence singles players by final scores of 6-1. Miller and Wanker as well as the duo of Westhoff and Ashworth earned second place medals. The Mustangs finished in third place as a team, winning five matches, behind Independence’s first- place finish and Pittsburg’s second-place finish. Yates Center came in fourth.

The Mustangs travel to Parsons next Tuesday, September 5 at 3 p.m.

chipped in with 24.

Hawkinson hit 12 of 13 2-point field goal attempts and was 1 of 3 on 3-pointers.

GROUP A — ITALY 90, PHILIPPINES 83

At Manila, Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio had 18 points and six rebounds and Italy advanced after knocking out the Philippines.

Italy (2-1) finished second in the group behind the Dominican Republic. Giampaolo Ricci scored 14 points for Italy, which pulled away in the second quarter to lead 48-39 at halftime and held off a late rally from the Philippines.

Jordan Clarkson had 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Philippines (0-3), which needed to win in a blowout to advance.

GROUP D — LITHUANIA

91, MONTENEGRO 71

At Manila, Rokas Jokubaitis had 19 points, five rebounds and six assists, while Mindaugas Kuzminskas had 15 points. Tadas Sedekerskis led his team with 11 rebounds.

The victory gave Lithuania (3-0) first place in the group with Montenegro (2-1) taking second. Both had already advanced and the game decided the top two spots.

Nikola Vucevic led Montenegro with 19 points. Marko Simonovic and Kendrick Perry each had 13 points.

GROUP H — CANADA 101, LATVIA 75

At Jakarta, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half as Canada overpowered Latvia. RJ Barrett added 22 points for Canada (3-0), which overcame a 35-23 deficit in the second quarter with a 30-9 run and steadily built its lead.

Lu Dort missed his second straight game because of soreness.

Andrejs Grazulis had 16 points for Latvia (2-1) but Davis Bertans — his team’s only NBA player — struggled with just 7 points in 23 minutes.

Latvia captain Dair-

is Bertans did not play after a hamstring injury sustained against France ended his tournament.

Both teams had already qualified for the next round with Canada winning a group for the first time in its World Cup history.

GROUP A — DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 75, ANGOLA 67

At Manila, Andres Feliz hit 17 points and Victor Liz scored 13 and the Dominican Republic (3-0) advanced to the knockout round. The Dominican Republic trailed by one after three quarters but outscored Angola by nine in the final quarter.

Silvia De Sousa led Angola with 19 points. Neither team shot well. Angola made only 2 of 21 3-pointers and the winners were only 5 of 25.

GROUP E — GERMANY

101, FINLAND 75

At Okinawa, Dennis Schroder and Isaac Bonga led Germany (3-0) with 15 points each, and Johannes Theimann added 13. Germany had already advanced to the second round and Finland (0-3) had already been eliminated from contention.

Olivier Nkamhoua had 14 points for the Finns and Lauri Markkanen and Ilari Seppala added 12.

GROUP D — EGYPT 100, MEXICO 72

At Manila, playmaker Ehab Amin had 22 points and 10 assists as Egypt earned a consolation win over Mexico. Center Patrick Gardner added 20 points for Egypt (1-2), which extended an early 14-point lead to a 59-35 advantage at the half.

Pako Cruz and Joshua Ibarra each scored 21 points for Mexico (03), which was 6 of 23 on 3-pointers.

Both teams had already been eliminated from contention for the round of 16.

GROUP H — FRANCE 85, LEBANON 79

At Jakarta, Guerschon Yabusele had 18 points and teammate Evan Fournier had 17 as France (1-2) salvaged a victory in the tournament.

Woods won the first of his 82 titles on the PGA Tour in 1996 at the Las Vegas Invitational. He walked into the press room and glanced at the computer screen of an Associated Press writer who turned and asked him, “Like it?”

“I like this,” Woods replied, pointing to the reporter’s reference of his $297,000 winner’s check.

Then there was 2002 in Ireland at a World Golf Championship, which offered $1 million to the winner (back when $1 million meant something).

Woods opened with a 65 and was asked if he would rather win that week or the following week at the Ryder Cup.

“Here this week,” he said. When asked why, Woods smiled and said, “I can think of a million reasons why.” The room erupted in laughter.

That seems like chump change now. Money will never be part of the legacy Woods leaves behind. But the more money there is in golf, the easier it is for players to forget the very reason they turned pro.

Money. And it rules the game more than ever.

Golf has never been in a greater state of chaos and disruption,

all because of money.

Even as the PGA Tour ended a season with performances worth celebrating, it was hard to get away from the topic of money — increased prize funds, deals to stop paying legal fees, potential Saudi investments and inevitably more money for players.

Let’s be clear: Players who chose not to join Saudi-funded LIV Golf are not on food stamps.

Xander Schauffele hauled in nearly $15 million this season, including his $6.5 million FedEx Cup bonus, without winning a tournament. Scottie Scheffler just finished his fourth season on the PGA Tour and he already has exceeded $50 million in earnings, including his FedEx Cup bonuses.

That’s why it was so curious the final three weeks of the season to hear so many comments that it’s not about the money. They were sincere, and at times credible.

British Open champion Brian Harman was asked if $20 million purses alone would have been enough to bring the best players together, instead of limited fields and referring to them as “signature events.” He doesn’t think so.

“Because as much as money has been the topic of the discussion, a lot of guys out here — especially the guys that play to win — even when they win they couldn’t tell you within a margin of error how much they won that week,” Harman said.

Jackson Mahomes case delayed

OLATHE, Kan. (AP)

— The preliminary hearing in the felony case for Jackson Mahomes, the brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, has been pushed back nearly a month because the judge has COVID-19.

Jackson Mahomes was charged in May with three felony counts of aggravated sexual battery and one misdemeanor count of battery. He is accused of forcibly kissing a woman Feb. 25 in the office of an Overland Park, Kansas, restaurant that she owned at the time.

The hearing was initially scheduled for Thursday. Johnson County District Court Judge Thomas Sutherland said during a scheduling conference over Zoom on Monday that he has COVID-19 and couldn’t be sure he would be well enough by Thursday, the Kansas City Star reported. The hearing was postponed until Oct. 24.

At the preliminary hearing, the prosecution is expected to outline its case and the judge will likely hear testimony from witnesses. Jackson Mahomes pleaded not guilty to the charges and is free on $100,000 bond.

The accuser, Aspen Vaughn, has since closed the restaurant. She said her business suffered from the publicity associated with the case.

GOING ON VACATION?

Dominican Republic forward Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and team celebrates after winning against Angola. AP PHOTO/AARON FAVILA

So much money in golf is hard to ignore