Humboldt High School celebrates biennial reunion

The Humboldt High School Biennial Reunion was Oct. 11-12 at the Humboldt Community Fieldhouse, with graduates who have been out of HHS for at least 40 years, from 1943 to 1979.

This year’s reunion was the largest since the reunion’s beginning in 1961, with 554 attending the Friday night and/or Saturday activities. Attendees came from 30 states and Canada.

Events included a vintage baseball game, touring the high school and facilities and bus tours of the town. Saturday’s banquet was highlighted with special recognition of the 1968-1969 undefeated football team, the 1969 State Basketball Championship Team and the 4th place State Basketball Team of 1970. Many of the team members were recognized along with Coach Don Walburn and Coach Leland Moore.

The next Biennial Reunion will be on Oct. 8-9, 2021 which will include classes from the beginning of Humboldt High School in 1885 to 1981.

Attending Friday evening and/or Saturday by class were:

1943: Neil Hartwig, Humboldt; Doris (Lassman) Wilhite, Humboldt; Daisy (Massey) Clements, Humboldt

1944: Robert and Rosie Nelson, El Dorado

1945: Tim and Faye Yockey, Humboldt

1946: Melvin Baker, Humboldt; Darlene (DeMeritt) Houk, Bartlesville, Okla. and guest Debbie Birk

1947: Joe and Anita Baker, Humboldt

1948: Bob and DeeDee Schmidt, Richland Hills, Texas, and guests Mary Anne and Tim Cole

1949: Rita (Kemmerer) Ridgely, Parkville, Md., and guests Amy Ostendorf and Sue Stoltz; Eugene Bennett, Humboldt; Vada (Snodgrass) Aikins, Humboldt; Charles Tilman, Humboldt;  Allen Wiles, Sterling, Ill.

1950: Baird Brinkmeyer, Grove, Okla., and guest Judy Bradley; Clyde Roush, Chanute

1951: Joan (Elliott) Snodgrass, Lawrence; Bruce Snodgrass, Lawrence

1952: Richard Barnett, Gravois Mills, Mo.; Rita (Frederick) Roush, Chanute; Sal and Carolyn Marquez, Frontenac; Verna (Reaves) Rives, Humboldt

1953: Wayne Jackson, Iola; Donna (Ostrander) Lower-Nord, Iola and guest Dwight Blackwood;  Dale Wiles, Humboldt; Norma (Wolford) Jackson, Iola; Sylvia (Wulf) and Truman Borghardt, Topeka; Paul Zirjacks, Iola, and guest Frances Scearce

1954: Deloris (Baker) Wiles, Humboldt; Maynard and Jeanice Cress, Humboldt; Louise (Feeney) Wright, Emporia; Donald Snart, Tuttle, Okla.; Gary Upton, Bonita, Calif.; Sonya (Upton) Crowl, Omaha, Neb.

1955: Joann (Burwell) Tasche, Chanute; Jerry and Ann Coltrane, Elmhurst, Ill; Joyce (Edwards) Debrick Rogers, Ark.; Jean (Elliott) Lindsey, Humboldt; Pat (Hilton) Friederich, Butler, Mo.; Wilma (Huffmaster) Beaumeler, Stockton, Calif.; Dwight and Caroline Jackson, Lawrence; Chuck and Mary Magill, Vinton, Iowa; Virginia (Pollman) Finuf, Chillicothe, Mo., and guest Tracy Smith; Marilyn (Stinson) Marts, Chanute, and guest Melissa Burris; Mary Frances (Temming) White, Humboldt. Elizabeth (Tilman) Smothers, Julian, Calf.

1956: Ronald Barlow, Green River, Wyo.; Phyllis (Hoepker) and Richard Durham, Romona, Okla; Larry and Rose Jones, Humboldt; Ellen (McVey) Hess, Lawrence; Edna (Menke) and Jim Morris Chanute; Jim Morelan, Campbell, Calif. and guest Wayne Smith, Humboldt; Sandra (Morris) and Norman Cross, Overland Park; Charles Reaves, Chanute;  Burm Snart, Mills River, N.C.; Dennis Vaughn, Chanute; Lorel and Darlene Watts, Nevada, Mo.; Roberta (Womack) and Bill Campbell, Yates Center; Dolores “Dodie” (Wulf) and Don Copley, Humboldt

1957: Nancy (Burwell) Bammes, Manhattan; Robert Hess, Lawrence; Carol (Honeycutt) and Roosevelt Marell, Jacksonville, Fla.; Jim Leonard, Holly Lake Ranch, Texas

1958: Larry and Isabel Barlow, Las Cruces, N.M.; Neal Brown, Chanute; Dale and Patty Collison, Charlotte, N.C.; Cora (Honeycutt) Smith, Topeka; Calvin and Sandy Hunt, Afton, Okla.; Mary Jo (Morelan) Vaughn, Chanute; Pat (Porter) Nickell, Owasso, Okla.; Eugene Reaves, Humboldt; Leon and Janet Storck, Chanute; Phil Wolford, Humboldt

1959: Joyce (Baker) Weeks, Iola; Ken Brinkman, Augusta; Todd Cannon, Union Pier, Mi., and guests Joe and Lucy Brucel and Lesley Cannon; Kale (Collison) Herder, Neodesha; Elaine (Debler) Wolford, Humboldt; Phyllis (Frevele) Kinney, Omaha, Neb; Juanita (Galemore) Hamm, Humboldt; Charles Herder Neodesha; Leontine (Hoepker) Stiles, Peculiar, Mo.; Ellen (Jackson) and Francis Jackson, Yates Center; Helen (Jackson) and Fred Eisele, Fredonia; Paul Setter, Humboldt; Verna (Smith) Layton, Chanute; Mary (Vass) Ballard, Las Vegas, Nev.

1960: Kay (Bain) Davis, Joplin, Mo.; Keith and Gloria Beeman, Humboldt; Janice (Blattner) Campbell, Frontenac; Janice (Frevele) and Frank Schomaker, Humboldt; Charles Hiller, Little Rock, Ark.; Gary Hofer, Spring Hill; Andrew and Deborah Honeycutt, Fayetteville, Ga.; Shirley (Leonard) and Ron Murcko, Humboldt; John and Gloria Ramirez Independence, Mo.; Max and Carol Rickerson, Chanute; Vaughn and Margaret Rinehart, Humboldt; John and Judy Snavely, Iola; Floyd and Sharlyn Thompson, LaHarpe; Bob and Glenna Wulf, Humboldt,

1961: Barry Adams, Chanute; Carolyn (Barr) and Bill Whitaker, Wichita; John Crane, Overland Park; Dale Daniels, Humboldt; Patty (Goble) Gardner, IolaS; Dan and Darlene Harwood, Owasso, Okla.; Michael and Yvonne Honeycutt, Denver, Colo.; Bob Johnson, Humboldt; Jerry Middendorf, Humboldt; Beverly (Mintz) Johnson, Humboldt; Janice (Pollman) and Charles McCullough; Jack Porter, Bullhead City, Ariz.; Mary Jo (Sinclair) Cummins, Shawnee; Les and Jo Solomon, Williamsburg, Va.; George Squire and guests Marcee and Savannah Squire, Middleton, Idaho; Merle and Julia Sterling, Humboldt; Milly (Thompson) and Larry Cress, Belton, Texas

1962: Charles Barnett, Gardner; Delores (Beeman) Mosley, Humboldt; Janice (Brinkman) and Robert Garcia, Rose Hill; Judy (Elliott) Middendorf, Humboldt; Paul Finney, Humboldt; Mary (Foulke) McCullough, Humboldt; Paul and Mary Keller, Broken Arrow, Okla.; Loren Korte, Humboldt; Kay (Nash) Tindel, Independence; Carolyn (Rutledge) and Mel North, Humboldt; Marylyn (Rutledge) and Jack Ellis, Humboldt; Randall and Elizabeth Thompson, Arlington Heights, Ill.

1963: Raymond Barnett, Humboldt; Judy (Barr) and Ray Ragone, Kansas City, Mo.; Garry Daniels, Humboldt; Betty (Frevele) Alexander, Farley, Mo.; Ken and Nancy Johnson, Bella Vista, Ark.; Connie (Leonard) Griffith, Chanute; Jerry Long, Humboldt, and guest Linda Baum; Sherry (Long) Crane, Overland Park; Jim McCullough, Humboldt; Steve and Alice Palstring, Greenville, Texas; Suzanna (Shurtz) Adams, Chanute; Dave and Ginny Tinkler, Great Bend; Walter and Karin Wulf, Humboldt

1964: Craig Adams, Olathe; Joyce (Barnett) and Robert Kilpatrick, Fletcher, N.C.; Larry Barnett, Humboldt; DeEtta (Croisant) Holcom, Andover; Bonita (Doty) Strack, Humboldt; Christina (Griffith) Tilman, Humboldt; Steve Honeycutt, Magnolia, Texas; Glen Laymon, Garden Plain; Judy (Magill) Daniels, Humboldt; Sue (Moore) and Dave Scantlin, Iola; Sally (Nord) Ballenberg, North Brunswick, N.J.; Madlyn (Ostrander) Adams, Olathe; Nelda (Pollman) and Jerry Moore, Humboldt; Nelda Jo (Storck) Lidbom; Charles and Gloria Thurman, Marceline, Mo.; David Wylie, Lecompton

1965: Ron and Anita Barnett, Inola, Okla.; Floyd “Glen” Boman, Bristow, Okla.; Virginia (Debler) and Don Hurt, Chanute; Douglas Hoke, Bunch, Okla.; Janis (Ingles) Stockebrand, Savonburg; Douglas Leonard, Humboldt; Ed McCoy, Olathe; James Woods, Humboldt

1966: Ann (Bain) Bevins, Joplin, Mo.; Linda (Barlow) Ames, Chanute; Wayne Barnett, Iola; Carollyn (Barney) Barnett, Humboldt; Karen (Brinkman) Ferrell, Independence; Alan Churchill, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada; Larry and Carol Crawford, Iola; Edward Harner, Humboldt; Frank and Nancy Hempen, Yates Center; Robert and Victoria Hoke, Lyndon; Beth (Honeycutt) and Charles Harrison, Shawnee; Terry (Johnson) Broyles; Darrell Krone, Humboldt; Sara (Lombard) Hill, Hillsboro, and guest Lisa Harper; Donald and Mary Anne Lower, Humboldt; Linda (McCall) Leonard, Humboldt; Vince and Evelyn Morales, Chanute; James and Pamela Mueller, Moran; Pamela (Nessel) Bagley, Wichita; Charles and Gayla Rinehart, Clearwater; Judy (Trammell) Henderson, Colony

1967: David Broyles, Humboldt; Randy Clements, Wichita and guest Karolyn McGinness; LoEtta (Doty) and Paulo Bowyer, El Dorado Springs, Mo.; Theresa (Gilmore) Gutierrez, Humboldt; Sonny and Kim Goble, Wyoming, Iowa; Phyllis (Ladd) and David Loomis, Iola; Phyllis (Mendoza) Perez, Humboldt; Karen (Miller) King, Humboldt; Wayne Orth, Humboldt; Roger Orton, Chanute; Judith (Ostrander) Rutledge, Humboldt; DeAnna (Rutledge) Woods, Humboldt; Danny Stanley, Humboldt; Barbara (Tebben) Muñoz, Wichita; Carl Wilhite, Olathe; Joe and Jane Works, Humboldt; Nancy (Zuzzio) and Mike Hahn, Bartlett,

1968: Juanita (Clounch) and George Bell, Chesterfield, Va.; Jan (Farmer) Ensminger, Kansas City, Mo.; Terry Gillham, Moran; Terry Gutierrez, Humboldt; Nona Honeycutt, Fresno, Texas; Carol (Jarred) Ross, Iola, and guest Tom Nevans; Debby (Johnson) Daniels, Humboldt; Judy (Kaufman) Goble, Iola; William “Bill” Klotzbach, Humboldt; Nancy (Leonard) Weilert, Humboldt; Lana (Lombard) Clements, Emporia; Suzanne (McCall) Stanley, Humboldt; Dorothy (Ornelas) Coker, Lawrence; Joyce (Thummel) Quick, Branson, Mo.; Marcia (Tinkler) Klotzbach, Humboldt; David Weilert, Humboldt; Allen Wilhite, Humboldt; Tim and Rosann Wood, Lenexa; Tom and Joan Wood, Winfield; Cindy (Zuzzio) Briggs, Derby,

1969: Richard and Debbie Baker, Fennimore, Wi.; Larry Bartlett, Humboldt; Sharon (Bennett) Gordon, Summerfield, Fla.; Larry Carey, Branson, Mo., and guest Mary Carey, Humboldt; Bob Clements, Emporia; Pat (Dietrich) Wilhite, Humboldt; Everett Goble, Iola; Alan Hauser, Humboldt; Lowell Johnson, Merriam Woods Village, Mo.; Marilyn (Klotzbach) Clave, Holiday Island, Ark.; Marcelle (Larson) Miller, Harrisonville, Mo.; Pam (Lower) and Ron Powers, Shawnee; Randy McCoy, Chipley, Fla.; Vickie (Ornelas) Lopez, Carl Junction, Mo.; Teresa Ortiz, Aurora, Co.; Larry Ross, Moran; Lynn and Jas Seyfert, Seattle, Wa.; Craig and Sussie Sharp, Humboldt; Dennis Sherwood, Iola; Beth (Shurtz) Gillham, Moran; Roger and Leslie Williams, Shawnee,

1970: Chris Bauer, Humboldt; Pat (Brinkman) Rogers, Broken Arrow, Okla.; Carol (Cress) Bauer, Humboldt; Jerry and Donna Croisant, Elsmore; Marlene (Doty) Penn, Broken Arrow, Okla.; Jerrie (Gilmore) and Pete Lucke, Humboldt; Mary (Honeycutt) Davis, Missouri City, Texas; Beverly (Johnson) Wagner, Iola; Janis (Julich) Krone, Humboldt; Debbie (Long) and Neil Stewart, Longmont, Co.; Karla (Miller) Crowl, Naples, Fla.; Kenny Miller, Humboldt; Randy Stanley, Humboldt; Rita (Tilman) and J.R. Hill, Lenoir City, TN; Martha (Weilert) and Michael Heffron, Eureka; Jane (Yount) Barnett, Iola,

1971: Roberta (Barton) Sanchez, Olathe; Helen (Boman) Roberts, Stark; Paula (Brinkman) Rudiger, North Newton; Betty (Broyles) Bartlett, Humboldt; Chris and Terry Butts, Olathe; Randall and Sue Cartwright, Hazel Green, Ala.; Tim Clounch, Humboldt; Bethenia (Dickey) Heiman, Scranton; Chuck and Linda Gillham, Plevna; Rick Henderson, Leawood; Philip and Gina Honeycutt, Iola; Liz Hottenstein, Humboldt; Nancy (Johnson) Hegwald, Humboldt; Lonnie Larson, Iola; Susan (McIntyre) Scofield, Topeka; Max Michael, Iola; Kay (Miller) and Rick Trim, Humboldt; Bruce Mueller, Humboldt; Michael Munch, Hesperia, Calif.; Patti (Ortiz) Hanes, Eudora; Charleen (Riebel) Ross, Topeka; Shirley (Rogers) and James Naff, Chanute; Don Ross, Topeka; David Sanchez, Olathe; Jean and Denice Squire, Westfield, Ind.; Dick and Karen Works, Humboldt; Ted and Karen Zuzzio, Baldwin City,

1972: Cynthia (Bennett) Michael, Iola; Karen Bruenger, Humboldt; Otis and Ruby Crawford, Humboldt; Karen (Ford) Hemphill, Baldwin City; Mary (Harner) Mueller, Humboldt; J.L. Hegwald, Humboldt; James Jarred, Humboldt; Carol (Kemmerer) Tucker, Humboldt; Belva (Klingensmith) White, Chanute; Eugene Lee, Midwest City, Okla.; Larry Mendoza, Humboldt; Craig Mintz, Humboldt; Mary (Morales) Tinsley, Fort Scott; Joyce (Pool) and Mike Allen, Chanute; Carla (Stanley) and Ken Hunt, Iola; Jill (Sterling) Beck, Sioux City, Iowa

1973: Sherry (Allen) Hermreck, El Dorado; Virginia (Ballenger) and Gary Coltrane, LaHarpe; Gloria (Davidson) Burtnett, Girard; Steve Hemphill, Baldwin City; Marsha (Hettler) Ellison, Chanute; Greg Kaufman, Humboldt; Stephen Klotzbach, Abilene; Karen (Krout) Clounch, Humboldt; Cindy (Lassman) Pennie, Stillwater, Okla.; Nancy(Miller) Overacker, Shawnee; Janie (Mueller) Hutson, Humboldt; Clyde Mark Pasley, El Dorado; Karen (Thompson) Sanchez; Suntee, Calif.; Mike and Debbie Tinkler, Kansas, Okla.; Lorie (Wiles) Jarred, Humboldt,

1974: Linda (Baeten) Hill, Iola; Ron and Ellie Baker, Concordia, Mo.; Scott and Greta Baker, Humboldt; Karen (Becannon) Mendoza, Humboldt; Barbara (Brinkmeyer) Smelser, Debary, Fla.; David Clements, Camanche, Iowa; Dan Cress, Oak Creek, Wis.; Sheryl (Crowl) Voss, Omaha, Neb.; Gary and Debra Hegwald, Humboldt; Roxanna (Heider) Lee, Midwest City, Okla.; Dan Julich, Humboldt; Alan and Christy Ladd, Atlantic, Iowa; Ray and Cindy Ladd, Effingham; Terry Lower, Iola; Patricia Michael, Lawrence, and guest Abby Michael; Bonnie (Riebel) Bair, Iola; Anthony Sanchez, Humboldt; Loretta(Thompson) Julich, Humboldt; Carolyn (Thummel) Heenan, Chanute; Jeff Tilman, Humboldt,

1975: Joi (Anderson) and Craig Harris, Chanute; Douglas Coltrane, Humboldt; Michael Dillon, Humboldt; Gloria (Giefer) Tilman, Humboldt; Anna (Ornelas) Chapman, Humboldt; Marilyn (Owens) Bumstead, Humboldt; Debra (Sherwood) and Roy Torres, Lowell, Ark.; Barbie (Smith) Boots, Humboldt; Cheryl (South) Coltrane, Humboldt; Julie (Tinkler) and Mark Goldberg, Wichita; Cheryl (Tucker) Miller, Humboldt; Cathy (Ysusi) and J.D. Baughn, Humboldt,

1976: William “Bill” Barton, Humboldt; Paul and Kim Bradford, Wichita; Sandy (Myer) Mintz, Humboldt; Jane (Riebel) Gibson, Humboldt,

1977: Lauren Baeten, Topeka; Dale Boman, Iola; Stephanie (Brock) Larson, Iola; Lori (Clements) Woods, Humboldt; Cindy (Dooley) and John Scovill, Humboldt; Cathy (Hunt) Bowman, Springfield, Mo.; James and Sari Hunt, Iola; Becky (Johnson) Stanley, Humboldt; Janice Klotzbach, Humboldt; Lydia (Mendoza) and John Baker, Iola; Curt and Alisha Mueller, Humboldt; Kelly Nordt, Humboldt; Lisa (Perez) Perez-Miller, Pratt, and guest Joan Perez, Humboldt; Tony Sehorn, Chanute; Gail (Tucker) Clements, Comanche, Iowa; Robert VanNice, Iola, and guests Sheila and Jesse VanNice; Sharon (Weilert) Barton, Humboldt; Joe and Laura Weiner, Humboldt; Chris (Weldon) and Tim Hurley, Parsons; Kevin Wood, Kansas City, Mo.; John Works, Humboldt

1978: Lora (Barnett) and John May, Humboldt; Guadalupe (Coronado) Amin, Yukon, Okla.; Donna (Criger) Ellsworth, Humboldt; Timothy Heenan, Chanute; Darla (Laver) Hart, Humboldt; April Moles, Houston, Texas; Carla (Ortiz) and Tony Tabares, Chanute; Darylene (Osborn) Taylor, Lincoln, Neb.; Louise Riebel, Humboldt; Connie (Stanley) Rourk, Iola, and guest Sharon Bauer, Humboldt;

1979: Lori (Baker) Moran, Iola, and guest Clarie Moran; Linda Butts, Pittsburg; Jim and Karen Emerson, Chanute; Donald and LuAnn Hauser, Humboldt; Danny and Claudia Hegwald, Olathe; Lora Hunt, Humboldt; Joe Lee, Howard; Mark Muninger, Killen, Ala.; Paula (Stanley) Wachholtz, Papillion, Neb.; Tim and Vickie Weilert, Chanute; Jerry Whitworth, Santa Monica, Calif.

 

Special guests of the night were the 2019 HHS Alumni Scholarship Recipients Riley Brown and mother, Sheila Brown, and Zoey Rinehart and parents, Samantha and Dean Rinehart; coaches of the 1968-1969 football team and the 1969 and 1970 basketball teams, Leland Moore and Don Walburn and wife, Ellie; USD 258 Superintendent Kay Lewis and husband, Tim Lewis; and the 2018-2019 Humboldt High School Alumni Association officers: President Chris Bauer, (1970), 1st Vice President Dennis Sherwood (1969), 2nd Vice President Terry (Johnson) Broyles  (1966), 3rd Vice President Curt Mueller (1977), Past President Loren Korte (1962), Adviser Karen (Miller) King (1967), Secretary Allen Wilhite (1968), Treasurer: Janice Klotzbach (1977)

Recording Secretary:  Carol (Cress) Bauer  (1970) and Alumni Historian Judy (Elliott) Middendorf (1962).

 

 

Kansas prosecutor retires amid protest

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas prosecutor is retiring amid calls for her to step down after a Missouri judge overturned the double murder conviction of a man whom she helped send to prison more than two decades ago.

The Douglas County, Kansas, district attorney’s office said in a statement this week that Chief Assistant District Attorney Amy McGowan is transitioning her cases to other attorneys in preparation for her Nov. 1 retirement. The statement provided no other explanation.

McGowan had been the subject of recent protests by the KC Freedom Project after a judge found that, while working in the Jackson County, Mo., prosecutor’s office, she failed to disclose exculpatory evidence in Ricky Kidd’s case. He was freed from prison in August after a judge found clear and convincing evidence that he was wrongfully convicted of the February 1996 deaths of George Bryant and Oscar Bridges in Kansas City, Missouri. Prosecutors subsequently decided not to retry him.

“She should be disbarred,” Kidd told The Kansas City Star’s Editorial Board in September.

McGowan also was accused of withholding evidence in the case against Richard Buchli II, a Kansas City attorney who spent about five years in prison in the 2000 death of his law partner before his conviction was overturned. Charges later were dismissed. And in 2013, the Kansas Supreme Court found McGowan made improper comments during closing arguments in five cases between 2007 and 2009. In one instance, the court vacated a sentence in a child-exploitation case.

After Kidd was freed, protesters held signs and chanted in Douglas County and in downtown Topeka in front of the state agency tasked with investigating complaints against attorneys.

The Douglas County prosecutor’s office previously defended McGowan in a statement, saying that while she did make errors in Kidd’s case, the verdict was overturned primarily because the main witness recanted.

“False and grossly misleading rumors are being spread that Ms. McGowan was ‘found guilty,’ ‘convicted,’ and ‘disciplined,’” the statement said. “Ms. McGowan has never been convicted nor disciplined by the Missouri Court System or the Kansas Supreme Court.”

Teacher strike affecting Chicago athletes

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A strike by school teachers in Chicago has spread from the picket line to the playing field.

Thousands of high school athletes, shut out of class for more than a week, are arguing, rallying and even filing lawsuits for the chance to compete in post-season play. Hanging in the balance, they say, are not just the pursuits of state-championship glory and lifelong memories, but scholarships that for some represent a lone opportunity to attend college and, in some cases, escape drugs and violence in city neighborhoods.

“We’ve been working for this goal of making this stage, running in the postseason, since June,” said Ian Bacon, a senior cross-country runner at Jones College Prep and a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed Thursday against the Illinois High School Association. “This fight … it’s not just for us. It’s for all the future student-athletes that may find themselves in this situation.”

About 25,000 members of the Chicago Teachers Union walked out Oct. 17 . They continue to negotiate with administrators for the nation’s third-largest school system, but disagreement remains over issues such as class sizes and staffing. The work stoppage also idled action on the gridiron, tennis court, soccer field and cross-country course.

CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates, a basketball player in her Indiana school days, was sympathetic to the young competitors, saying, “This sucks.”

“Student athletes spend a lot of time in preparation to make sure that they can meet the highest level of competition,” Gates said. “I am not going to say anything to them that’s going to make this feel any better because it will never feel any better.”

A Chicago Public Schools spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The strike came at the very moment competitors were gearing up for state playoff runs. Solorio Academy missed its chance to win a second state soccer championship in three years because the tournament began last week. The lawsuit by Jones Prep and other cross-country teams argues that a different interpretation of an IHSA rule could still allow runners to answer the state-meet gun on Nov. 9. Football teams that have completed eight games and won at least five were expected to be seeded for the playoffs by the IHSA Saturday. But IHSA rules stipulate that the strike must end by Tuesday night, allowing the teams to suit up for three days of practice before going full-tilt in the first playoff round Nov. 2.

Simeon Career Academy at 6-1 is ranked third in the state in Class 6A by The Associated Press, but was ineligible for the playoffs because a regular-season game fell through, leaving the team short of the eight required. The IHSA agreed on Friday to waive that rule for Simeon and two other schools, allowing them to be seeded, but rejected Simeon’s request to skirt the three-practice requirement. That means the strike would have to end by Wednesday to give eligible schools a chance to play.

Also Friday, the cross-country runners’ request for a judge to let them participate in state-qualifying races Saturday played out in a packed Cook County courtroom, but there was no immediate ruling.

The post-season, players say, is what piques college recruiters’ interest.

“We don’t have the opportunity to make it out of Chicago,” said Khalyl Warren, a Simeon Career Academy senior. “We’re talking about kids who, all their lives, they’ve been through struggles and been through things that no child should have to go through, gangbanging in most of our areas, drug-selling. Sports is the only way out.”

Warren, a 6-3, 290-pound offensive lineman who’s accepted a football scholarship from Southeast Missouri State, organized a rally by idled players outside Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office Friday morning to call for an end to the strike.

 

MISSING THE post-season hurts college recruits’ chances of playing on the next level, said Josh Helmholdt, Midwest analyst for Rivals, a media organization that rates prep gridders. But the greatest impact is on elite athletes who are juniors hoping to sign letters of intent to major college programs before next fall and on lower-level seniors still scrapping for scholarship offers from smaller schools.

It’s not hopeless, Helmholdt said, but playoff games do provide talent showcases.

“You’re losing more valuable games as it relates to your overall resume,” Helmholdt said. “A college coach who sees something against semifinal opponent, that carries more weight than doing it against a team you blew out 48-0.”

Bogan High School senior quarterback James Brown, whose 3-4 team was less concerned about playoff laurels than enjoying “Senior Night” and other end-of-season festivities, said he believes his small-school scholarship hopes were hampered during an awkward telephone conversation last week in which he was embarrassed to tell a football coach that he wasn’t playing because of the strike.

“This has got to end,” Brown said. “It’s too much for everyone. People are suffering and we need our education.”

Lincoln Brady

Lincoln Timothy Brady, son of Scott and Krista Brady, Moran, was born Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute.

Lincoln weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce, and was 21.5 inches long.

Lincoln joins siblings Jayden, 5, and Myles, 2. 

His maternal grandparents are Daryl and Sandra Drake. Paternal grandparents are Tom and Doreen (deceased) Brady.

Nations pledge $9.8B to global climate fund to help the poor

PARIS (AP) — Rich countries have pledged $9.8 billion to help poor nations tackle climate change, the Green Climate Fund said Friday, as environmental activists slammed the United States for refusing to contribute and other nations for giving too little.

Yannick Glemarec, the executive director of the Green Climate Fund, said 27 countries announced contributions by the end of a two-day conference in Paris.

The United States did not make any pledge, as U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to stop paying into the fund. Former U.S. President Barack Obama pledged $3 billion toward the fund, but Trump moved to withhold $2 billion of that after taking office.

The Climate Action Network, which is made up of more than 1,300 non-governmental organizations, castigated both the U.S. and Australia for refusing to pitch in.

They “have turned their backs on the world’s poorest and have once again isolated themselves in global efforts to respond to the climate emergency,” the network said.

It also named Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Austria and Belgium as countries that “failed to deliver their fair share” and called on them to make up the shortfall.

Oxfam International’s Armelle Le Comte called the failure of the United States and Australia to provide funding “appalling.”

But the Green Climate Fund’s Glemarec put an optimistic spin on the shortfalls.

“We will most likely be able to find additional resources” before the United Nations’ annual climate conference, which will be held in December in Santiago, Chile, Glemarec said.

Glemarec said the extra money will increase the fund’s capacity from about $1.4 billion per year now to $2.4 billion per year in the period from 2020-2024.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, speaking earlier Friday, praised “a great success” that he attributed largely to European countries, noting that almost half of the amount was being provided by France, Germany and Britain alone.

“Many countries will double their contributions,” Le Maire said.

The South Korea-based fund, which provides money to help developing countries reduce their emissions and cope with the impacts of climate change, says it has nearly exhausted some $7 billion received following an initial funding round five years ago.

DeVos held in contempt of court over loan forgiveness

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has held Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in contempt of court for violating an order to stop collecting loans from thousands of former for-profit college students.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim issued the ruling Thursday in San Francisco. She also fined the Education Department $100,000.

Kim previously ordered DeVos to stop collecting federal loans from former Corinthian Colleges students who applied for loan forgiveness after the chain shut down in 2015 amid allegations of fraud.

The Obama administration sought to make it easier for defrauded students to get loans forgiven, but the Trump administration has worked to tighten the rules.

The Education Department acknowledged in September that it continued to collect loans from more than 3,000 former Corinthian students, prompting Kim’s response.

The department did not immediately comment.

A look back in time

Twenty years ago

October 1999

The Iola City Parks Department is preparing a base in Cofachique Park at the north edge of Iola on State Street for a M110A2 self-propelled Howitzer which has been donated to Iola by the U.S. Department of the Army. Parks Superintendent Berkley Kerr said concrete will be poured for the base early next week and the motorized weapon could be on display as early as December.

*****

City commissioners donated $2,000 to the Millennium Blast 2000 party and fireworks display scheduled for Dec. 31 in Riverside Park. Bonnie Steward, a leader in the celebration committee, told commissioners Tuesday afternoon that about $4,000 has been given or pledged for the project and that $5,000 was needed by Nov. 1, next Monday, as a first payment on the fireworks. 

*****

Iola firefighters are going to sell baked goods, wash cars and do whatever else they must to raise about $20,000 to buy a thermal imaging camera. Fire Chief Don Leapheart said a thermal imaging camera would permit firefighters to see through smoke and darkness to find victims. The camera will also allow firefighters to find hot spots after a fire appeared to be extinguished. He said the firefighters want to raise the money rather than have the city buy the camera because it would mean so much to them personally.

Yvette Morrison

Yvette Deanne Morrison, age 69, of Iola, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, at Select Specialty Hospital in Wichita. 

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Monday at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service chapel, 1883 US Hwy 54. Burial will follow in the Le Roy Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. 

Church asks ‘Who are you?’

Howard Reiter gave the Communion Meditation “God is Great!” 

Pastor Chase Riebel gave the sermon asking “Who are you?” Small groups were formed based on the movie “Overcomer.” Truth is under attack. Satan’s lies are effective when we don’t guard against them. The teachings of Jesus have the power to answer our questions and change who we are. When a person’s identity is rooted in anything but Christ, change must occur. So what do you allow to define you? Does your identity match who Jesus is calling you to be? 

To hear this sermon in its entirety, go to http://www.colonychristianchurch.org. 

Men’s Bible study is at 7 a.m. Tuesdays. Youth group is at 7 p.m., Wednesdays. Small groups Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Movie night is at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.