September 1973
Mike Russell, president of the Iola Broadcasting Company, Inc., took over ownership of radio station KALN today. Russell told the Register this morning that approval of the purchase by the Federal Communications Commission in Washington cleared the way for him.
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The city has replaced 105 mercury vapor lights in the downtown area of Iola with Unaluxes, high pressure sodium lamps developed by Sylvania. The new lights provide 70 percent more light on the streets at a power usage of 10 percent less, officials report. The switch-over was readily apparent Friday night. The Unalux bulbs cast a golden-white light, compared to the white light of the mercury vapor units.
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The stockholders of Thompson Poultry, Inc. of Iola, facing a debt of $1 million, sold the business to James B. Blair, attorney for Tyson Foods, Inc. of Springdale, Ark., on Aug. 2. Under the terms of the contract, Blair is to transfer the stock to Tyson Foods upon demand. Tyson will operate the plant under this arrangement as Thompson Poultry, Inc., until such time, if ever, a decision is made to incorporate the Iola plant into the Tyson operation under the Tyson name. Last week Robert Harris, a Tyson employee with broad experience in poultry plant operation, moved to Iola and took over plant management.
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Rainfall officially totaling 5.81 inches the past four days has swollen the total for this month to 12.70 inches and pushed the total for the year to 51.36 inches, 20.85 inches more than has normally fallen by this time of year. September 1973 is the fourth-wettest September since 1900.
