“I know I can walk into a classroom and see someone who has been affected,” said Kayla Knavel, Hope Unlimited’s children services specialist.
She’s talking about teen dating violence, and the statistics bear her out. One in three U.S. teens will experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse from someone they’re in a relationship with before becoming adults, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
What’s harder to fathom, and perhaps even more unsettling, is that only 9% of teens in abusive relationships report the abuse.
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, a national effort to raise awareness and provide resources. So Knavel and Jon Miller, community engagement advocate for Hope Unlimited, are doing their best to get the word out. In the next several weeks, Knavel will lead discussions at Iola Middle School and plans to also visit Iola High School, Chanute High School, and the middle and high schools in Yates
Center. All in an effort to help teens stop dating abuse before it starts.
TODAY’S digital world presents new challenges for teens, noted Miller. “There’s no separation between what happens online and in real life,” he said. “The internet is so integrated today into how we
Iola City Council members will discuss the concept of a land bank during Monday evening’s meeting. Pictured are council members Kim Peterson, left, and Joelle Shallah at a previous council meeting. FILE PHOTO
Council to discuss land bank Monday
By SARAH HANEY
The Iola Register
The concept of a land bank will be the topic of a roundtable discussion at Monday evening’s Iola city council meeting. A land bank is a community-owned entity established to acquire, manage, and repurpose vacant, abandoned, or foreclosed properties. In essence, the land bank would serve as a means to take neglected land and put it back into productive use within the
City of Iola. The idea arose from an increase in the number of landowners inquiring about the city’s ability to take ownership of land, whether vacant or containing a structure. Real estate developers have also asked city staff about lots for sale or deed via a land bank.
City staff has reviewed land bank regulations from multiple Kansas cities and have applied them to a set of proposed regulations
See COUNCIL | Page A7
think and act. It’s part of how we live, as just an expansion of our everyday lives. And unfortunately that makes it so much easier to cause damage.”
Miller points to the solicitation of nude photos, blackmail, artificial intelligence
U.S. flu season most intense in 15 years
By MIKE STOBBE The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — The
U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years.
One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, according to data posted Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu. But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. Available data also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading. The flu has forced schools to shut down in some states. The Godley Independent School District, a 3,200-student system near Fort Worth, Texas, last week closed for three days after 650 students and 60 staff were out Tuesday. Jeff Meador, a district spokesman, called it the worst flu season he could
remember.
So far this season, the CDC estimates, there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths — including at least 57 children. Traditionally, flu season peaks around February.
Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states.
The CDC declined to let an Associated Press reporter speak to an agency flu expert about the upswing. The Trump administration ordered a temporary “pause” on health agency communications and has continued
Red Friday: GO CHIEFS!
Employees at businesses in downtown Iola are dressing up in Chief’s colors for Red Friday. Fans typically wear their gear the Friday before a big game. This weekend just so happens to be the biggest. The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the hotly anticipated Super Bowl. If the Chiefs win, they will be the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowl’s in a row.
Above, Sandy Hale, Terrie Matney, Marissa Batcheler, Jamie Anderson, Jim Gilpin, and Tom Strickler were the biggest fans at Community National Bank. Toni Manbeck and Janelle Page, right, were sporting Chiefs colors at Audacious Boutique. See more photos on A8.
REGISTER/SARAH HANEY
Hope Unlimited’s Jon Miller and Kayla Knavel are helping educate area students on teen dating violence during the month of February. REGISTER/TIM STAUFFER
The Iola Register
See TEEN | Page A7
See FLU | Page A8
Obituary
David Ensminger
David L. Ensminger, 94, of Moran, Kan., passed away peacefully Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. He had been receiving hospice care for the past two months.
David was born to Gladys and Alpha (A.A.) Ensminger on Nov. 30, 1930 at the family farm in Moran. He attended Moran schools and married Velma Ann Siders on Sept. 29, 1957 in Moran, where they made their home.
David farmed his entire life with his brother, Alden. Together, they raised cattle and owned and operated Ensminger Grain and Seed in Moran. He was a member and elder of Moran Presbyterian Church until its closure when he then began attending Carlyle Presbyterian Church.
Throughout his lifetime, he served on many committees in his community. These included the USD 256 Board of Education, Farm Bureau, Winslow Trust, Marmaton Lodge and the Citizens State Bank board. David could initiate a conversation with practically anyone he met, whether he knew them or not. For the past several years, he would make a daily trip to Iola to spend his afternoons at McDonald’s (aka “the office”) with his friends. He always stated that one of his greatest achievements in life was getting to become a grandfather and most recently, a great-grandfather.
David was preceded in death by his wife Vel; daughter Lindi Ann Waldman; brother Alden Ensminger; sisters Francis (Sue) Siefker and Barbara Siefker, and a great-granddaughter, Aevri Kuhn. He is survived by his twin daughters Sherry Boultinghouse (Alan) of Girard and Shelly Kuhn (Kim) of Chanute; his son, Brian Ensminger of Joplin; grandchildren Trent Boultinghouse (Helen) of Overland Park, Kan., Darcy Noren (Johan) of Springdale, Ark., Kody Kuhn (Lauren) of Chanute, Megan Ensminger and Bryce Ensminger of Moran and great- grandchildren Gerard Boultinghouse of Overland Park and Kannon and Kase Kuhn of Chanute.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials be sent to Carlyle Presbyterian Church, 15 Covert Rd., Iola, KS 66749 or Good Shepherd Hospice, 427 S. Oak Street, Garnett, KS 66032.
A Celebration of Life is Sunday, Feb. 16 in the Fellowship Hall at Carlyle Presbyterian Church from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Arrangements have been entrusted to Countryside Funeral Home in Chanute.
Sheriff’s report
Yates Center man arrested Allen County sheriff’s deputies arrested Zeno J. Jimenez, 21, Yates Center, Thursday, on an Allen County warrant alleging aggravated sexual battery.
Arrests reported Sheriff’s deputies arrested Austin Bradley, 23, of rural Iola Wednesday for suspicion of violating a protection order in the 300 block of Eisenhower Drive in Iola.
Also Wednesday, deputies arrested Jessica J. Epting, 41, Moran for a warrant alleging Epting failed to appear in court to face a driving while suspended charge.
Kimberly J. Adams, 50, Bronson, was arrested by deputies Sunday for a warrant alleging failure to appear in court to face a felony theft charge.
Deputies arrested Michael W. Jensen, 59, Gas,
on Feb. 1 for a warrant alleging aggravated domestic battery.
Deputies arrested Brandon A. Aiello, 31, LaHarpe, Feb. 1 for a warrant alleging he failed to appear in court to answer a worthless check charge.
Deputies arrested Dixie L. Collins, 57, Iola, for suspicion of trespassing after deputies were called to a residence southeast of LaHarpe.
Lock damaged Deputies were told Monday that a padlock owned by Evergy was damaged at a property in rural Humboldt.
Hay bale, stolen A Mildred property owner told deputies Monday that a large hay bale had been stolen. The property owner said a 14-foot, V-bottom boat and two pipe gates had been stolen in the past.
Humboldt royalty
Humboldt High School 2025 Sweetheart candidates are, front row from left, Aisley Galloway, Chanlynn Wrestler, Karingten Hall and McKenna Jones; back row, Brody Gunderman, Avery Works, Asher Hart and Kyler Isbell. Crowning of the king and queen will be announced during halftime of the boys basketball game against Cherryvale Feb. 14.
| HHS MULTIMEDIA
Search for plane on
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Rescuers flew over stretches of ice-covered seas and scoured miles of frozen tundra Friday for any sign of a plane that went missing while carrying 10 people in western Alaska just south of the Arctic Circle.
FBI agents were using cellphone tracking data to help locate the aircraft. The region is prone to sudden snow squalls and high winds in the winter.
Airplanes are often the only option for travel of any distance in rural Alaska, particularly in winter.
The plane’s disappearance marks the third major U.S. aviation mishap in eight days.
A look back in t me.
A look back in t me.
55 Years Ago February 1970
Miss Becky Sue Dailey, daughter of Mrs. Charles Bicknell of Iola and a graduate student in sociology at Kansas
State College in Pittsburg, has been chosen to be a member of Governor Docking’s Task Force for the White House Conference on Children and Youth.
PHOTO BY BAILEY CROISANT
K-State awaiting guidance as $50m from USAID hangs in limbo
By COLTER ROBINSON KSNT
MANHATTAN (KSNT)
— Kansas State University is waiting answers after President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk’s move to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
USAID’s website has been taken offline, hundreds of contractors have been laid off and employees are being locked out of their accounts one by one without notice. Last year, K-State was awarded $50 million over the next five years to fund agricultural research on multiple continents. In 2023, USAID awarded $22 million to K-State with a ceiling of $37 million to fund cereal crop research.
“I am able to share that federal funding supports research at Kansas State University with outcomes that
K-State has been awarded at least three projects over the past two years by USAID. But the shutdown of the agency by billionaire Elon Musk and the Trump administration makes it unclear what will happen to that funding. Funding was to be $50 million over five years, with an opportunity for it to be renewed for another five years and $50 million more. (DREAMTIME/TNS)
advance biosecurity, agriculture, engineering and human and animal health in Kansas and beyond,” K-State Director of News and Communications Services Michelle Geering said. “We are awaiting updates and guidance from our federal partners and will take ac-
What does the International Criminal Court do, anyway?
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court could jeopardize trials and investigations at the world’s only permanent global tribunal for war crimes and genocide.
The order Trump signed Thursday accuses the ICC of “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.” It cites the arrest warrant the ICC issued last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The Hague-based court condemned the move.
“The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world,” the court said in a statement.
The court was created in 2002 to be a last stop
for the most serious international crimes: war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression.
The United States and Israel are not members, but 125 other countries have signed the court’s foundational treaty, the Rome Statute. The ICC becomes involved when nations are unable or unwilling to prosecute crimes on their territory.
The court’s newest member, Ukraine, formally joined in January.
In November, a pretrial panel of judges issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza.
The warrants said there was reason to believe Netanyahu and Gallant used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid, and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Israeli officials deny the charges.
tion as needed.”
Nina Lilja, associate dean in K-State’s College of Agriculture said USAID has invested close to $128 million in K-State innovation labs for agricultural research.
“When it comes to resilience in farming, Kansas is the place,”
K-State Climate Resilient Sustainable Intensification Lab Director Vara Prasad said in a November 2024 K-State press release. “So what we learn from other countries is going to be extremely valuable for Kansas and other places around the country and world.”
Public notice
Slavery in Allen County
By KURTIS RUSSELL Allen County Historical Society
When Kansas was admitted into statehood, it did so as a free state in January 1861. In doing so, the state would oppose slavery, and months later, thousands of Kansans would join the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Unfortunately, eight years prior to statehood, Kansas would have to deal with its own fight against the same issue. Due to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and statehood being acquired through popular sovereignty, Kansas experienced the bloodshed known today in history as Bleeding Kansas.
1883. In that section, Andreas points out that even though there were a fair amount of pro-slavery individuals, very few of them owned slaves within the county. Through his research, he found that only five individuals owned and brought slaves to Allen County.
Of the five, three of them owned from one to three slaves each, and another one owned about five to six slaves. The fifth man was said to have owned several, but the actual number was not known.
the 15th day of February, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., an annual meeting of the Allen County Conservation District will be held at the Dr. John Silas Bass Community Building.
The meeting agenda shall include the following business items: ONE: The supervisors of the Allen County Conservation District shall make full and due report of their activities and financial affairs since the last annual meeting.
TWO: The supervisors shall conduct an election by secret ballot of qualified electors there present, of one supervisor to serve for a term of three years ffrom date of said meeting.
The term of David Colgin is expiring.
All in the county of Allen in the State of Kansas.
By: David Colgin Chairperson Allen County Conservation District
Attest Colleen Riebel District Secretary/ Manager (2) 1, 8
Proslavery strongholds mostly along the Missouri border made their way into Kansas territory with the passing of the “Bogus Legislature of 1855” which deemed Kansas to be pro slavery. That same pro-slavery legislature also created the first 33 counties within the territory, including Allen County.
Allen County, like many others, would have an influx of proslavery individuals in the early years of its territorial history. Historian and author A.T. Andreas writes about this in his Allen County section of his book “History of Kansas” in
Yes, there were slaves in Allen County history, but thankfully it was only for a very short part of our history due to the free-staters who also flooded into Allen County during the same time. The free-state individuals made it clear to those who owned slaves that slavery would not be tolerated in Allen County. This caused one of the slave owners to free his slave very early on, and the other four men would either remove their slaves from the county or free them as well.
This topic is a dark spot in Allen County’s history, but one that should be told. Thankfully, many of the early settlers of Allen County knew what was right, and made sure that a terrible part of our country’s history would not be tolerated here.
Live poultry markets ordered shut in NYC
NEW YORK (AP) — All live poultry markets in New York City and some of its suburbs were ordered Friday to close for a week after the detection of seven cases of avian flu, which has also hit farms nationwide, led to the slaughter of millions of birds and driven up egg prices.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said there is no immediate threat to public health and that the temporary closure of bird markets in the city and its suburbs comes out of an abundance of caution. No cases of avian flu have been detected among humans in New York, officials said. The order came after
birds infected with the virus were found during routine inspections of live bird markets in the New York City boroughs of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the virus poses low risk to the general public. The agency said there have been 67 confirmed cases of bird flu in humans in the U.S., with illnesses mild and mostly detected among farmworkers who were exposed to sick poultry or daily cows.
The first bird flu death in the U.S. was reported last month in Louisiana.
I
Wife’s yearning for girl has life in limbo
Dear Carolyn: I increasingly feel like my life is on hold until my wife and I decide, finally, whether to have a third baby. We always wanted two children; we have two boys who are in elementary school. I considered us finished, but my wife dealt with some disappointment about not having a girl. I would have liked a girl, too, but didn’t feel as strongly about it. Sometimes her sadness has seemed really intense, such as when friends welcome baby girls.
A couple of years ago, she opened a conversation about possibly having a third baby. I reminded her of all the reasons we initially decided to stop at two, which are still in play. But I did not close the door.
Now I regret not doing so because we’ve been locked into indecision since then. We want to buy a new house, but she won’t commit until we settle this question. Same thing with upgrading our cars and
Carolyn Hax
getting rid of our old baby gear. We can’t take a family vacation to Disney World yet because then there’s a possibility our future child would have missed it.
I don’t want to just slam my foot down and close this issue because it makes her so sad when I do. But is there a way to keep our lives moving forward until the decision is eventually made? — On Hold
On Hold: This limbo problem isn’t just snagging the house and Disney. It’s so much bigger than that: Two little boys are going through life as disappointments to their mother. You don’t say as much, and I’m not saying it to rip into your wife, but it’s there.
Right? It’s an Alfred
Hitchcock gut punch, where you never see the fist, the gut or the ghost of the little girl, but everyone leaves in pain. Sorry for the dusty cultural reference. We advice columnists take flak for “always” recommending therapy. Okay, it’s me, I do. But this is such a question for therapy that I’m devoting my answer to why you two need to go. (Snow day for haters — you can skip to something else.) Your wife’s grief for the daughter she doesn’t have is keeping her heart, her emotional center of gravity, outside your home and with this other-possible-maybefuture-my-little-girl third child. Who may be another boy, by the way. And if it’s a girl, will the boys ever get even her distracted attention again?
Her grief is significant and may have needed its own therapeutic work even if you had “close[d] the door” — so that’s another bit of advice there: Let yourself off the hook.
Employers added 143,000 jobs in solid but unspectacular January
WASHINGTON (AP)
— U.S. employers added just 143,000 jobs last month, but the unemployment rate fell to 4% to start 2025.
The first monthly jobs report of Donald Trump’s second presidency points to a solid but unspectacular labor market. January job creation dipped from the 261,000 added in November, and 307,000 in December.
CRYPTOQUOTES
Economists had expected about 170,000 new jobs in January. The outlook is uncertain as Trump prepares to shake up economic policymaking by cutting federal jobs, imposing big taxes on foreign goods and deporting millions of undocumented workers.
His tariffs and immigration crackdown could push up prices, potentially rekindling the inflation that turned many U.S. voters against President Joe Biden and helped return Trump to the White House. For now, most Americans still enjoy unusual
job security. But for those looking for work, the job hunt has been getting harder compared with the red-hot hiring days of 2021-2023.
Average hourly wages rose by 0.5% from December and 4.1% from January 2024, a bit hotter than forecasters had expected. That may be disappointing for the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve.
Still, some inflationary pressure from wage gains is being offset by U.S. productivity growth, which allows companies to pay more and earn fatter profits without raising prices.
Something else about her attachment to the idea of a girl, which I’ll type to you but she will have to come to herself (ergo, therapy again): An actual baby girl would have been herself, always — never what your wife imagined she would be.
So your wife could have, would have, had her heart broken regardless, for wanting so badly or envisioning so clearly something that was never in her control. And she could have broken her daughter’s heart, too, over and over, if she didn’t accept her for who she was — or, worse, resented her for not being as craved. Fixating on a girl was always the problem, not the failure to have one.
The greatest gift we can give children is our openness to them. To let them erase what we foolishly thought we wanted.
So, therapy. For your wife’s grief, but for everyone’s sake. When managed, it won’t hold her back from the family — the life — she’s got.
Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up. -- James Baldwin
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
Saturday, February 8, 2025
The Iola Register
~ Journalism that makes a difference
Gaza is not ours to have
Trudy Rubin
The Philadelphia Inquirer /TNS
If there was any doubt President Donald Trump believes he is no longer bound by history or laws — either American or international — it was eclipsed by his astounding proposal that the United States “take over the Gaza Strip” and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Flying high from his demolition of America’s international aid agency and attempted gutting of the FBI and other key agencies — all engineered by unelected billionaire Elon Musk — and buoyed by GOP senators’ supine support for his dangerous cabinet choices, Trump has turned to what he knows best: land deals.
As if the world were his real estate pickings, Trump is demanding foreign nations hand over territory on his terms, irrespective of the people who live there. First came his harsh call to Denmark’s prime minister, insisting Copenhagen must sell him its autonomous territory of Greenland. Then came the command that Panama “return” its canal to U.S. ownership.
But his brazen proposal that “all of” 2.2 million Gazan Palestinians be “relocated” permanently to make way for international resorts projects his fantasy of U.S. land grabs in the Western Hemisphere onto the wider world.
“I do see a long-term [U.S.] ownership position,” Trump said about Gaza, at a Tuesday news conference alongside visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was smiling broadly. The president added, “Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning [and developing] that piece of land.”
As if the world were his real estate pickings, Trump is demanding foreign nations hand over territory on his terms, irrespective of the people who live there.
In the Middle East, they have sent shock waves that won’t advance peace but will cause more chaos. They reveal a president who has lost touch with reality. Unless checked by courts or Congress, he will endanger U.S. security at home and abroad. It’s true Gaza has been turned into a wasteland by Israel’s lax rules on bombing civilian structures in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack. The destruction of most Gazan housing and civilian infrastructure went far beyond the need to destroy Hamas tunnels.
But that wreckage doesn’t provide any legal authority for the U.S. to seize Gaza, a narrow strip of land along the Mediterranean about the size of Philadelphia that was run by Egypt from 1948 to 1967, but which has been under Israeli control one way or another since then, even though Israel pulled out its troops in 2005.
Who is “everybody”? Perhaps he referred to far-right Israeli settlers who have been calling for all Gazans to be expelled. More likely he was recalling the real estate dreams of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who in March praised the “very valuable” potential of Gaza’s “waterfront property.” (Kushner presumably could fund a Trump hotel project with some of the $2 billion the friendly Saudis poured into his new private equity firm in 2022.)
Yet, Trump’s words can’t simply be dismissed as venal or his usual hyperbole.
Moreover, the president wouldn’t rule out sending U.S. troops to handle the massive job of demolishing and clearing destroyed Gazan buildings and disposing of unexploded munitions. He insisted, “We’ll own it [Gaza] and be responsible.” What happened to Trump’s America First insistence U.S. troops would no longer be involved in Mideast wars or nation-building? Did it disappear with the vision of a Trump resort on Gaza beach?
The president also neglected to say whose troops would
be responsible for forcing unwilling Palestinians to leave Gaza for good, an act of horrifying ethnic cleansing.
Can you imagine the TV shots of American soldiers dragging Gazan women and children to buses? Trump insisted Palestinians would be “thrilled” to leave the territory, and fantasized Egypt or Jordan would take them and build them “really nice places to live” with money from rich Arab states.
This is, to put it politely, baloney. With its struggling economy, Egypt is drowning under the burden of millions of jobless Sudanese and Libyan refugees, along with 100,000 Gazans. Jordan, which has taken in millions of Palestinian refugees from previous wars, along with hundreds of thousands of Syrians, can’t afford more refugees.
Neither country wants the burden of millions of desperate Gazans who will agitate to return home to Palestine.
Jordan’s King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have turned him down flat. But Trump insisted Tuesday that he could make them obey him, presumably by threatening to cut off economic and military aid. “They say they are not going to accept,” he said. “I say they will.”
TRUMP IS WILLFULLY ignorant of the politics of the region: Neither Jordan’s king nor Egypt’s president could afford politically to be party to new mass expulsions of Palestinians.
Moreover, even if by some miracle Egypt or Jordan could accept two million-plus Gazans, most would wind up living not in “really nice places,” but in refugee camps in
the desert — the only place where cheap land is available. I have visited massive Syrian refugee camps in Jordan, where work is scarce and young men are desperate. No one would willingly move there.
Huge new Palestinian camps in Jordan or Egypt would destabilize those countries — not bring regional peace.
Most shameful, even as Trump poses as a humanitarian champion for Palestinians, Musk is dismantling the U.S. aid agencies that would be called on to help feed and shelter a new outflow of Palestinians. If Trump gave a hoot about Palestinian conditions, he would be strengthening the U.S. Agency for International Development (known as USAID), not letting Musk destroy it.
So why did the president toss out a Gaza bombshell that could explode in his face?
Perhaps he has truly convinced himself his Gaza plan is his ticket to a Nobel Peace Prize as a reward for “solving” the intractable Palestinian problem and normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. But the Saudis quickly responded that the kingdom “unequivocally rejected” Trump’s proposal, and said recognition won’t come before Palestinians receive “their legitimate rights.”
This is not lip service: Trump’s friend, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, must consider the anger of his youthful population over the Israeli destruction of Gaza, a rage that would be further inflamed if Palestinians were expelled.
Or maybe Trump believes his pipe dream might convince the reluctant Netanya-
hu to continue to the next phases of the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire. More likely, Trump’s endorsement of displacing Gaza’s population will embolden Netanyahu along with Israeli cabinet hard-liners who want to end the ceasefire and annex the West Bank.
Moreover, the prospect of mass expulsions from Gaza will help revive the broken Hamas organization, along with the Iranian proxy militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. It will also inspire new anti-American terrorist attacks.
Yet, the most dangerous explanation is that Trump believes his own rhetoric. Drunk on his domestic successes, he is convinced he can pull off illegal land grabs via economic threats against friendly nations. He thinks he can operate like Russian President Vladimir Putin, without having to carry out physical invasions.
Such fantasies of swift solutions are so much simpler than the hard work of temporarily housing Gazans while reconstruction commences and negotiations proceed toward some form of Palestinian homeland. In the Middle East, there is no shortcut to peace.
The idea Trump would suggest a grandiose U.S. resort scheme as the solution for Gaza — as if he were back in Atlantic City — reflects the acute danger of leaving foreign policy solely in the hands of an egomaniacal president. It “risks the rest of the world thinking that we are an unbalanced and unreliable partner because our president makes insane proposals,” as Sen. Chris Coons, D.-Del., put it on Tuesday. Yes, indeed.
Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians walk along Gaza’s coast to return home Jan. 27 after a breakthrough in negotiations between Hamas and Israel. Tuesday evening President Donald Trump said the United States could assume ownership of Gaza, envisioning its coast could be turned into a “Riviera of the Middle East.” (OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES/TNS)
Trump to unveil reciprocal tariffs
President Donald Trump said he plans to unveil reciprocal tariffs next week in a major escalation of his trade war with U.S. economic partners.
Trump made the announcement during a meeting with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday but did not identify which countries
would be hit. The push for reciprocal tariffs has long been a pursuit of Trump and some of his top advisers. Trump promised during the presidential election campaign to advance legislation empowering him to hit any country that charges a duty on a U.S.-made good with “the same exact tariff.”
Trump has repeatedly complained about levies
other countries impose on U.S. goods, arguing the nation needs a “fair deal,” even as he threatens sweeping fresh tariffs of his own against imported steel, pharmaceuticals, oil and other key sectors.
Trump has used the specter of tariffs to bolster his negotiating leverage with other countries on issues like illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling.
Council: Land bank discussion
Continued from A1
they will present to council members for discussion. City Administrator Matt Redher notes that no formal direction is expected from the discussion, but that it will serve as an introduction to the concept.
COUNCIL MEMBERS will consider a request from Allen County Recycling to assist with
Allen County Recycling group to ask for assist with monthly electric bills.
their electric usage at the recycling center. The monthly electric charges are an estimated $50. Additionally, they will review four
bids for the annual tree trimming project. The council has allocated $100,000 for this project within the Electric Distribution Fund.
Jared Wheeler, Economic Development Director with Thrive Allen County, will also be on-hand at Monday’s meeting to present a 2024 year-inreview for economic development in Iola and the county.
Teen: Hope Unlimited raises awareness of teen dating violence
Continued from A1
and deepfakes, or manipulated images and video, as part of a digital landscape today’s teens have to navigate.
Miller also sees conflicting expectations as part of the problem.
“Girls grow up learning about relationships from Disney princesses. Boys today, and this is a serious problem, but they mostly learn about sex and relationships through pornography. And so you often have two people walking into their first relationship with wildly different ideas on how it should work.”
Apart from physical and sexual violence, dating violence can also include psychological aggression, where the abuser inflicts mental and emotional damage, and stalking.
Knavel urges parents to talk with their children so they don’t deal with such difficult issues alone.
“Parents should start conversations early, before their teen starts dating,” recommended Knavel. “Teens need to learn how to set boundaries, and they need to know what a healthy relationship looks like. More than anything, they need to know their parents provide a safe place, somewhere they can go to talk without judgement or fear.”
She smiles as she says, “Parents may need to text their kids saying how much they care.”
But Knavel has a serious point: Meet kids where they are. Because as much as teens pretend to ignore everything adults say, Knavel knows parents still have a huge influence on what teens learn to value and believe. One easy way to do
this is to dissect movies and TV shows together.
“It can be fun to look at what’s happening on the screen and ask, ‘Is that realistic?’ or ‘Do you think that actually happens’” Doing so can give kids a chance to share their perspectives — without actually talking about themselves.
More than anything, parents should build trust and show they’re there to help, not judge.
“Nobody asks for dating violence,” said Knavel. “Nobody asks for something terrible to happen to them. The last thing a teen needs is to then be punished for something they didn’t ask for.”
AS THE children services specialist for Hope Unlimited, Knavel works with young people under the age of 18. In schools, she speaks with 7th through 12th grade students. She tries to keep things dynamic in the classroom, centering most of her messages around games and activities.
“Anytime there’s a guest speaker, kids want to goof off. But I’ve been surprised at how receptive students are. I try to use their language,” she said. “When I see someone who struggles to identify dating violence, or maybe doesn’t see it that way, I’ll navigate it in a private setting,” said Knavel. “I don’t want to cause any
shame or humiliation.”
But Knavel knows progress doesn’t happen with the flip of a switch, or because of a single visit. “We just have to keep showing up, keep letting them know we’re here for them. It takes time. The number of kids we work with at Hope Unlimited are high,” said Knavel. “And
that’s unfortunate.”
That said, Knavel feels hope. “I’ve had a lot of kids come and tell me thank you when they see me around town,” she said. “They catch on so quickly. And I’ve been a part of some amazing success stories.”
Warning signs that something’s wrong?
Knavel advises parents to keep an eye out for sudden changes of behavior. “Take a look and see if teens are suddenly spending all their time alone or on their phone, when they used to be social. Or if their emotions take unpredictable swings, or their behavior in school changes.”
“Know your kid,” urges Knavel. “Spend time with them unplugged. Hang out with the people you love without distractions.”
The larger message Knavel and Miller have for parents is a sim-
ple one: Teen dating violence is real, and it often happens to kids in their first relationships. “It’s important to know that if you don’t weigh in with your kids, they’ll end up listening to someone else,” noted Miller.
And there’s help. Hope Unlimited’s hotline is available 24/7. Call 620365-7566 to speak with one of their trained staff. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800799-7233. Online, visit https://www.loveisrespect.org/.
Red and gold
Above, Emprise Bank employees Crystal Taylor, Jill Wilks, Brianne Jett, and Jerry Dreher wear Chiefs colors for Red Friday. Kristin Wright was the only defector, opting to wear her favorite team’s jersey instead — the Pittsburgh Steelers. At Iola Pharmacy, Drew Spencer, Jordan Spears, and Laura Newkirk were all smiles in their Chiefs gear. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY
Temple Grandin addresses students
Students from 15 high schools, Allen Community College and Iola Middle School gave their rapt attention to Temple Grandin’s presentation on animal behavior and humane animal treatment at Iola’s Bowlus Fine Arts Center. It was well received by students, many of whom represented local FFA chapters and agricultural studies programs.
Flu: Child flu shots are down
Continued from A1
to refuse interview requests that were routinely granted in the past.
U.S. health officials recommend that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination.
About 44% of adults got flu shots this winter, the same as last winter. But coverage of children is way down, at about 45% this winter. It’s usually around 50%, according to CDC data.
About 23% of U.S. adults were up to date in their COVID-19 vaccinations as of late January, up from about 20% at the same point
in time the year before. COVID-19 vaccination rates for kids were about the same, at around 12%.
The government has not yet reported its estimates of how well this season’s flu vaccine is working.
Noted scientist, author and autism advocate Temple Grandin warmed up her speaking voice Friday morning, addressing an audience of over 320 students. The extra program was arranged due to the high interest in Grandin, who later spoke to a packed house Friday evening. (More to come in Tuesday’s paper.) REGISTER/TIM STAUFFER
Sports Daily B
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Mustangs medal at Pioneer League tourney
By RICHARD LUKEN
The Iola Register
CARBONDALE — Iola
High’s Zoie Hesse and Addilyn Wacker are picking the perfect time to put forth their best wrestling performances of the season.
Hesse made it 2-for-2 Thursday, capturing her second straight Pioneer League girls wrestling championship.
Hesse improved to 24-2 on the season while pinning both of her opponents to win the 190-pound division.
Wacker, meanwhile, narrowly missed out on making it an Iola sweep. She went 2-1 to take second place in the 130-pound division.
The league competition wraps up the regular season for Iola’s girls, who will trav-
el to Paola Feb. 14-15 for the Class 4A Regional Meet, with a berth in the state meet in Salina on the line.
“They’re both hitting their stride pretty well right now,” Mustang wrestling coach John Taylor said. “What makes them special is they take every moment as a learning experience. They want to know what happened and why, and they’ll work on those things specifically over the next week. They both take instruction and coaching very well.”
Hesse got things going quickly, pinning Kaitlynn Charlton of Burlington in 13 seconds in her first match of the day.
The de facto championship match, against Santa Fe Trail’s Sky Kelly went almost
See MEDALS| Page B2
IHS girls blast Oz
By JIMMY POTTS
OSAWATOMIE — The Iola Mustangs picked up their second win in a row after handily defeating Osawatomie Thursday 57–17.
Thursday’s win puts the Mustangs at 9-8 overall with rival Chanute in town Friday and a road trip Tuesday to Prairie View, who is tied with Iola for third in the Pioneer Conference standings following the results of Thursday’s contest.
“We’re heading in the right direction,” said Iola coach Kelsey Johnson. “We have kind of been slowly moving up this whole time. Our big goal for this week is to win three games in a row. We’re just focusing on one game at a time. We haven’t really looked at Prairie View yet, but we will.”
While Iola’s offense deserves much of the credit for Thursday’s victory, the defense shouldered much of the load. The Mustangs held the Lady Trojans scoreless until the 6-minute mark in the second quarter after Osawatomie freshman forward Avaya O’Brien picked up a loose ball and found the
Middle school takes on Santa Fe Trail
By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
A strong start lifted Iola Middle School’s eighth-graders to victory Thursday.
The Mustangs roared ahead to a 14-3 after one quarter and didn’t look back in a 44-29 victory over Santa Fe Trail.
The IMS seventh-graders, meanwhile, clamped down in the second quarter with an 11-2 run, giving the Mustangs just the lift they needed in a 40-20 romp.
Iola’s combined B team squad
See MUSTANGS| Page B2
By JIMMY POTTS The Iola Register
OSAWATOMIE — The Iola
Mustangs’ slide down the Pioneer Conference standings continues after falling 49-32 to Osawatomie (8-5, 1-4) Thursday.
With Iola scoring only twice in the first quarter, the Mustangs faced an uphill battle for the majority of the game.
“I feel horrible about the game tonight. We did not show up on either end of the floor. We did not read on the ball well enough, which is something we’ve been struggling and working on,” Coach Luke Bycroft said. “Offensively, we have to have some guys step up and make some plays.
They were doubling [senior Courtland Carson]. He’s our primary scorer and every team is going to try and double him and take him away. We’ve been doing better things about it lately, just not tonight.”
Despite the slow start, the Mustangs remained in contention through the first half, trailing by 18-13 before opening the third quarter. In the second half, the Mustangs struggled to stop 6-4 Trojan junior Jasper Sallee, who scored the majority of his team-leading 29 points in the third quarter. After going down 11 points late in the third quarter, and putting the Trojans in the bonus, both coaches began pulling their starters to rest
The Iola Register
Iola High School senior Harper Desmarteau puts in three of her team-leading 12 points Thursday. REGISTER/JIMMY POTTS
Allen Community College’s Lewis Hill plays offense earlier this season. REGISTER/JIMMY POTTS
Iola High School wrestlers Zoie Hesse and Addilyn Wacker pose for a photo after taking silver and gold at the recent Pioneer League Tournament Thursday. PHOTO COURTESY OF IHS/FACEBOOK
Iola High School senior Lucas Maier puts up a contested shot Thursday in Osawatomie. REGISTER/JIMMY POTTS
Lady Cubs win big at
home
Saturday, Feb. 8 — Wrestling @ Silver Lake
Tuesday — Basketball hosts Neodesha
Friday — Basketball hosts Cherryvale (HC)
Saturday, Feb. 15 — Girls wrestling @ 3-1A Regionals (Rossville)
Saturday, Feb. 8 — Wrestling @ Erie
Tuesday — Basketball @ Prairie View
Wednesday — IMS bb @ Anderson County
Thursday — Boys wrestling @ Osawatomie (Pioneer League)
Friday — Basketball @ Anderson County
Saturday, Feb. 15 — Regional Girls Wrestling @ Paola
Tuesday — Basketball @ Yates Center
Friday — Basketball hosts Crest
ACC ACC CREST ACC HUMBOLDT IOLA
Friday — Boys basketball @ Marmaton Valley
Tuesday — Girls basketball hosts Northern Heights; Boys basketball hosts Marmaton Valley Friday — Basketball @ St. Paul
Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Basketball hosts Chetopa
Friday, Feb. 14 — Basketball @ Madison
Saturday, Feb. 8 — Basketball @ Hesston, women 1 p.m., men 3 p.m.; Baseball @ NEO A&M, 1 p.m.
Wednesday — Basketball hosts Neosho County, women 6 p.m., men 8 p.m.
Sunday — Basketball @ South Florida, 1 p.m., ESPN+
Wednesday — Basketball @ UTSA, 6:30 p.m.,
HUMBOLDT — Humboldt High’s girls were the model of offensive efficiency and defensive dominance Thursday.
The Lady Cubs saw six players notch buckets in a dominating first quarter as Humboldt blasted its way to a 21-2 lead over Jayhawk-Linn.
The drumbeat continued from there as Humboldt extended its lead
to 38-15 at halftime and 49-19 by the end of the third quarter of a 52-21 romp.
The Lady Cubs will host Neodesha and Cherryvale next Tuesday and Friday, respectively. Skylar Hottenstein and Chanlynn Wrestler both connected on a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter.
By the time the dust
settled, McKenna Jones had the high-scoring honors with 10 points. Shelby Shaughnessy was right behind with nine points, while Karingten Hall and Hottenstein each scored eight. Jayhawk-Linn (2-13-4-2—21)
Humboldt boys steamroll Jayhawks
HUMBOLDT — Humboldt High’s boys exploded out of the locker room Thursday.
Twice.
The Cubs blitzed visiting Jayhawk-Linn with a 27-7 first-quarter run.
But the Jayhawks turned the tables in the second quarter, cutting Humboldt’s lead to 3625 at halftime.
But the Cubs regrouped at halftime, and emerged with renewed vigor in the third quarter.
A 23-7 Humboldt run propelled the Cubs to a 68-38 victory.
The win lifts Hum-
boldt to 13-2 on the season, with games against Neodesha Tuesday and Cherryvale next Friday.
“We started out very well,” Humboldt head coach David Taylor said. “We started getting away from what we needed to do in the second quarter, but we responded well in the third.”
The Cubs were the model of offensive efficiency throughout, shooting a jaw-dropping 70% — 26 of 37 — from the field, and 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
Asher Hart was an early protagonist, hitting 4 of 5 3-point at-
tempts while scoring 16 points.
Fellow senior Colden Cook had 19 points, six rebounds and two steals. Tre Franklin poured in 10 points, on 4 of 5 shooting, to go with four steals and five assists. Blake Ellis scored eight.
The Jayhawks eked out a 44-43 victory in junior varsity play. Luke Coronado and Conner Newman paced Humboldt’s JV with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Thatcher Mueller and Jack Works added six points each. Ty Shaughnessy scored
five; Kolton Hansen had three.
Humboldt also dropped a 26-11 setback in C team play. Corbin Bowers scored six and Bryer Grisier had five for Humboldt. Jayhawk-Linn (7-18-7-6—38)
Humboldt (27-9-23-9—68)
Humboldt FG/3pt
Mustangs: Middle school teams win
Continued from B1
narrowly missed out on making it a clean sweep on the night, falling just short in a 14-11 setback.
BRODEN Emerson proved to be a dominating force for the eighth-graders pouring in 22 points, including three 3-pointers and hitting 5 of 7 free throws. Braylon Keithly also connected on a pair of 3-pointers while scoring
14. Cameron Findley and Konner Morrison added four points each. Brody Buessing scored 19 to lead Santa Fe Trail.
JAXEN Mueller took over for Iola’s seventh-graders in the second half, scoring 10 of his game-high 17 in the third quarter. Austin Campbell and Cade Curry added eight points each. Milo Franklin scored three and Kaiden
Medals: Iola girls
Continued from B1
as quickly.
After ceding a penalty point to Kelly in the opening portions of the first round. Hesse quickly took control, getting a quick takedown and pin at the 59-second mark.
“Everybody thinks it’s about strength with Zoie, but she’s probably the lightest girl in her class,” Taylor noted. “It’s her technique and speed. She’s quicker and more aggressive. Her opponents know when she gets on the mat, she’s going to leave it all out there.”
WACKER also opened strong with a pin of Marlee Hollon of Anderson County near the end of the first period.
But she ran into trouble after another quick start against Prairie View’s Lexi Freeman.
Wacker earned an early takedown and held a 3-0 lead going into the second period.
“She got caught out of position,” Taylor said, leading to Freeman seizing control and getting the pin.
Undaunted, Wacker responded with a wallop, shutting out Wellsville’s Morgan Mietchen, 8-0, to secure the silver.
“Addie was the best wrestler in that bracket,” Taylor said. “She just made one mistake. It was a learning moment.”
Taylor is optimistic both Hesse and Wacker
will continue to show their improved wrestling at next week’s regionals.
“They’ve both got a great shot at qualifying for state,” he predicted.
THE MUSTANG boys will take eight junior varsity wrestlers to Erie Saturday before the varsity wraps up its regular season Thursday with the League meet.
The boys regional will be Feb. 22 in Altamont.
The Class 4A State Meet for both boys and girls is Feb. 28-March 1 in Salina.
Jones and Corbin Coffield scored two apiece. Max Orwig scored 11 for the Chargers.
Elbrader scored five, while Michael Hancock scored four and Rudra Desai two for Iola.
Corey Rogers led Santa Fe Trail’s B team with six.
IOLA’S Brox Elbrader gave the combined B team a lift with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to give the Mustangs a three-point lead. But Santa Fe Trail ended the game with a 6-0 run to seal the win.
Rebound: Mustangs look for return to form Tuesday
Continued from B1
them for Friday’s games. Senior Matt Beckmon scored a team-leading 12 points, followed by senior Lucas Maier with 5 points, and seniors Grady Dougherty and senior Jordy Kauffman with 3 points each.
“It’s frustrating. We see all of the things we’ve been working on and glimpses where we’re getting better, then we have a game tonight where our boys thought we’d beat them because we usually do,” Bycroft said. “Our boys overlooked them and didn’t realize [Osawatomie] is big. They’re physical and they’re going to play hard. They have a couple of kids who can score too, and they’re tough to guard. Our kids thought we were going to come and win. It doesn’t work like that.”
With the loss, the Mustangs fall to 5-9 overall and 1-6 in conference play.
Friday’s contest against the 11-2 Chanute Comets exits conference play. Results are posted on the Register’s website, iolaregister.com.
Bycroft said he hopes his team will play up to Chanute’s level of competition and snap their fourgame losing streak.
“Chanute is going to be a much tougher game than this. They’re dangerous,” Bycroft said.
The Mustangs return to Pioneer Conference play Tuesday for a road game rematch against Prairie View. The Mustangs previously defeated Prairie View 56-44 last December, but Coach Bycroft has no plans of overlooking the 2-11 Buffalos following Thursday’s blowout. With the season winding down, Bycroft believes the Mustangs must build confidence in order to succeed.
“We’re begging these guys to just be aggressive. That’s what we’re searching for right now, some
Blowout: Prairie View rematch ahead
Continued from A1
basket.
“That was really our focus, too. That’s what sparks our offense, when we get defensive tips and steals and we get breakaways because our girls are fast and they’re athletic. If we can score out of transition, that really motivates our defense,” Johnson said.
As for the Mustangs’ offense, seniors Harper Desmarteau and Reese Curry provided the Mustangs with a 1-2 punch for much of the game. The pair tied for
the team lead in scoring with 12 points each. Iola was capable of running up the score, but Coach Johnson opted to pump the brakes in the second quarter with her team ahead 26-0. “We just kept telling them, ‘I know we’re up and whatever, but it’s not about them. It’s about us. We have to prepare ourselves for the next game. So, the little things that we don’t do right now, like setting up in our half court offense, we did a lot of that tonight,” Johnson said.
Other offensive contributors included senior Alana Mader with 9 points, senior Elza Clift 8 and senior Kyndal Bycroft with 6.
IOLA’S junior varsity scored 16 points in a special four-on-four, two-quarter contest with a running clock. Dally Curry led Iola with 13 points, followed by Brooklyn Holloway with four and Mahala Burris with two. Stats for Osawatomie’s JV were unavailable.
Iola (20-16-17-4—57)
guys with the confidence to go make the plays that need to be made,” Byrcoft said.
THE Mustang junior varsity emerged with a 4929 win. Hayden Kelley led the way with 17. Brennen Coffield was next with eight points, Keegan Hill scored six, Mosiah Fawson five, Reed Clift four, Gavin Jones and Jase Herrmann three apiece and Austin Crooks two.
Iola also picked up a 63-47 win in C team action, behind Clift’s 19 points. Fawson was next with 13. Colton Thompson added six, Otto Malloy scored five, and Kaeden Vega and Hill scored four each.
Iola (6-7-10-9—332)
Iola High’s Keegan Hill, center, goes up for a block Thursday in a C team game against Osawatomie. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
HMS girls advance to title game; Cub boys eliminated
ERIE — Humboldt Middle School’s girls punched their ticket for the Tri-Valley League championship game Thursday. The Lady Cubs put forth what head coach Eric Carlson said was their best performance of the season with a 37-25 victory over Bluestem. Humboldt took control in the second quarter, using a 15-6 run to take a 22-13 half-
time lead. Jadey Ellis led the way with 16 points, followed by Karis Cook with five. Hadlee Allen and June Taylor added four points each. Hadlee Allen had six steals. Cook had six blocks.
Brynna Ellis chipped in with three points. Ellie Carlson and Aspen Wimsett chipped in with two apiece. Tinley Ermel had a free throw.
Bluestem overcame a Humboldt rally to win the B team affair, 34-27. Ermel led Humboldt with 10 points, followed by Rhys Trieber with six. Hadlee Allen was next with four, June Taylor scored three and Wimsett and Peyton Weilert both had two.
MEANWHILE, a cold finish doomed Humboldt’s boys. The Cubs dropped a 39-31
decision to Eureka. Eureka took a 22-16 lead into halftime.
Zane Sanchez scored 10 points and Tucker Wrestler nine to lead Humboldt. Mason Miller chipped in with five, while Breckin Guenther, Riley Lassman and Bentley Kolb all scored two. Envy Oberbeck added a point. Humboldt’s A team ends the season with a 5-8 mark.
HUMBOLDT’S B team, conversely, ended with a flourish. The Cubs outscored Eureka 13-2 down the stretch to seize a 27-25 win in its season finale.
Nate Froggatte poured in 15 points for Humboldt, followed by Tate Thomas with eight. Waylon Johnson was next with four points, and Mason Gunderman scored one.
