School children learn that poems are words and space.Poets know that words are soul — the heart of a matter distilled into verse or prose.Being a poet, like any other art, is not a path…

Iola Mayor Bill Maness announced he would not seek re-election come April, when an eight-person council plus a mayor will be elected to replace the existing three-man commission.“I’m accepting a position with Senator-elect Jerry Moran…

Flossie Ruth Doyle of Yates Center, Kansas died Monday, December 27, 2010, at her home. She was 82. Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Yates Center Cemetery in Yates Center. The family will…

Darlene J. Olsen, 78, Yates Center, died Monday, Dec. 27, 2010, at Neosho Regional Memorial Medical Center in Chanute.Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Campbell Funeral Home. Interment will be at 1…

Florentino “Tino” Flores, 83, Humboldt, died Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010, at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Humboldt.He was born in Humboldt on March 14, 1927, the son of Socorro and Andrea (Vidal) Flores.He attended schools in…

Kansas raised its general sales tax from 3 percent to 4 percent in 1986. That was a 33 percent increase. Huge.Iola’s Bob Talkington played a key role in guiding that increase, which was proposed by…

An era came to a close Friday when four long-time stylists locked the doors and departed Unique Beauty Salon, 310 W. Garfield St.Tuesday morning, the doors opened under the ownership of Charity Jones, who recently…

Joyce D. Scharven, San Antonio, Texas, died Nov. 29, 2010.She was born in Kincaid to the late John Thomas and Frances Thomas Cavin. Her family moved to Bayard, where her parents ran the Bayard Mercantile.…

Willard Everett Mills, 89, Moran, died at his home Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010.He was born May 18, 1921, the son of Raymond Guy and Lydia Louella (Miller) Mills on a farm near Alexander.He graduated from…

Clara Lee “Ted” Francis, 85, Aliceville, died Friday, Dec. 24, 2010, at Wilson Medical Center in Neodesha.She was born June 6, 1925, in Garnett, the daughter of John and Bonnie (Kennie) Corwin. She grew up…