USA looks to rebound from failing to qualify for 2018 World Cup

BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — The overarching goal for the fledgling U.S. men’s soccer team, as frequently stated by new coach Gregg Berhalter, has been to improve the perception of this sputtering program within the cutthroat hierarchy of global soccer.

Though a strong performance in the CONCACAF Gold Cup probably won’t move the needle much, the Americans surely would benefit, simply, from winning.

Their opening game against Guyana on Tuesday night at Allianz Field in St. Paul, the new home of Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United, will mark the first competitive match for the U.S. since the infamous defeat at Trinidad and Tobago on Oct. 10, 2017, that kept the team for qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. It follows a stretch of 18 consecutive friendlies.

“There will be some nerves, but for us it’s just about continuing to make progress throughout this tournament,” Berhalter said last week after a training session at the National Sports Center in Blaine, a suburb of Minneapolis. “I think part of our profession is playing under pressure, playing in big events, and this is a great opportunity for us to learn.”

The 20-month gap between competitive games is the longest for the Americans since a 38-month span following a loss to Costa Rica on May 31, 1985, their final qualifier for the 1986 World Cup. Their next match that counted was a draw at Jamaica on July 24, 1988, their first qualifier for the 1990 World Cup.

The U.S. won the biennial Gold Cup in 2017, a sixth title in 14 editions of the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean. Mexico, the clear favorite, has won seven such crowns.

Before any mental energy can be spent on assessing the ability to compete with their border rival to the south, though, the Americans, who are ranked 30th in the world, must advance from the group stage. On the surface, Panama (75th), Trinidad and Tobago (92nd) and Guyana (177th) don’t appear to be daunting competition, but the way the U.S. team played this month in exhibition losses to Jamaica (1-0) and Venezuela (3-0) there will be no guarantees of automatic wins. The Americans are missing injured players DeAndre Yedlin, John Brooks and Tyler Adams, all first-choice starters.

“If it doesn’t go well you can just feel that more pressure is going to build, more questions will be asked, more scrutiny will be on Berhalter and the federation, and the outside noise is only going to get louder,” said former U.S. midfielder Stu Holden, now a Fox analyst. “That’s why it’s really important that this team has a really good showing in this tournament.”

With the U.S. women leading their side of the world rankings and off to a dominant start this month in France at the Women’s World Cup , the men’s team won’t be able to avoid the comparison game. The Americans can’t mute the fan angst that has followed them for nearly two years, either, but they can at least take a meaningful step forward in the Berhalter era by displaying some potential within the pressing, possession-prioritized style he has rolled out.

“We want to progress. Of course that also means winning the games, but we want to develop our style,” midfielder Weston McKennie said. “Our goal is to make people see U.S. Soccer as something different as what they see now, probably.”

2022 World Cup coruption scandal

ARIS (AP) — Former UEFA president Michel Platini was questioned by police Tuesday after being arrested in a corruption probe of the vote that gave the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, a judicial official said.

Confirming a report by online news publication Mediapart, the official said Platini was placed in custody on Tuesday morning when he was summoned at the Anti-Corruption Office of the Judicial Police outside Paris. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation.

Platini, a former France soccer great, can either be released or formally charged after questioning ends.

Also detained Tuesday was Sophie Dion, a former sports adviser of Nicolas Sarkozy when he was French president, the judicial official said. Claude Gueant, the former secretary general of the Elysee under Sarkozy, was quizzed by investigators as a witness and not detained.

French financial prosecutors have been investigating the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and previously questioned former FIFA president Sepp Blatter. France’s financial prosecutor services opened the investigation on grounds of private corruption, criminal association, influence peddling and benefiting from influence peddling relating to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which were awarded to Russia and Qatar, respectively.

FIFA said it is aware of Platini’s situation but declined to comment further on his case.

Platini’s lawyer and adviser did not immediately answer messages from The Associated Press seeking comments.

Much intrigue has centered on Platini’s decision to vote for Qatar.

Blatter, who was FIFA president at the time of the vote in 2010, blamed Platini for backing out of a secret “gentleman’s agreement” to award the 2022 tournament to the United States.

Platini told the AP in 2015 that he “might have told” American officials that he would vote for the United States bid. However, he changed his mind after a November 2010 meeting, hosted by then-President Nicolas Sarkozy at his official residence in Paris and Qatar’s crown prince, now Emir, Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani.

Platini has long insisted that the meeting did not influence his vote for Qatar less than two weeks later.

“Sarkozy never asked me to vote for Qatar, but I knew what would be good,” he told the AP in 2015.

But Blatter claimed in a 2015 interview with the Financial Times that Platini told him ahead of the World Cup vote: “I am no longer in your picture because I have been told by the head of state that we should consider the situation of France.”

Both Platini and Blatter were toppled from their positions of power at the top of soccer in 2015. Platini was banned by FIFA for financial misconduct in relation to a $2 million payment authorized by Blatter — a suspension due to expire in October.

Qatar’s methods to bring the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time have been subject to investigations by FIFA. American attorney Michael Garcia found that some of Qatar’s conduct “may not have met the standards” required by FIFA but concluded there was no “evidence of any improper activity by the bid team.”

HOFNOD happenings

A cool, overcast morning made for pristine fishing conditions Saturday at the Iola Police Department?s annual Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs (HOFNOD) fishing derby at Craig and Georgia Abbott?s pond in north Iola.

Henry Kramer was one of 69 youngsters to cast their lines in hopes of landing a fish.

 

Wendell Tyler brings in his catch to be weighed.

 

Iola officer Tom Roush was among the volunteers who helped oversee the derby, which concluded with prizes and free lunch for the participants.

Iran says it will crank up uranium enrichment

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran will break the uranium stockpile limit set by Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in the next 10 days, the spokesman for the country’s atomic agency said today while also warning that Iran could enrich uranium up to 20% — just a step away from weapons-grade levels.

The announcement by Behrouz Kamalvandi, timed for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, puts more pressure on Europe to come up with new terms for Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal.

The deal has steadily unraveled since the Trump administration pulled America out of the accord last year and re-imposed tough economic sanctions on Iran, deeply cutting into its sale of crude oil abroad and sending its economy into freefall. Europe has so far been unable to offer Iran a way around the U.S. sanctions.

The development comes in the wake of apparent attacks on oil tankers last week in the Mideast, assaults that Washington has blamed on Iran. While Iran has denied being involved, it has used mines in the past against commercial traffic around the crucial Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil passes.

Kamalvandi accused Europeans of “killing time” as the clock runs down.

“If this condition continues, there will be no deal” anymore, Kamalvandi said.

President Hassan Rouhani, greeting France’s new ambassador to Tehran on Monday, similarly warned that time was running out for the deal.

“The current situation is very critical and France and the other parties to the (deal) still have a very limited opportunity to play their historic role for saving the deal,” Rouhani said, according to his website.

Under terms of the nuclear deal, Iran can keep a stockpile of no more than 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of low-enriched uranium. Kamalvandi said that given Iran’s recent decision to quadruple its production of low-enriched uranium, it would pass the 300-kilogram limit on Thursday, June 27.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said last month that Iran still remained within its stockpile limits. The Vienna-based agency declined to comment Monday on Iran’s announcement.

Kamalvandi said Iran needs 5% enrichment for its nuclear power plant in southern Iranian port of Bushehr and it also needs 20% enrichment for a Tehran research reactor.

The nuclear deal had limited Iran to enriching uranium only to 3.67%, which is enough for power plants and peaceful purposes.

But after America’s pullout and escalated sanctions, Tehran set a July 7 deadline for Europe to come up with better terms for the deal, or it would take additional steps away from the accord, likely meaning it would boost enrichment further.

Kamalvandi enforced that stance, saying that Tehran will increase uranium enrichment levels “based on the country’s needs.”

Enriching a supply of uranium means boosting its concentration of the type of uranium that can power a nuclear reaction. That type, or isotope, is called U-235. Enrichment basically means stripping away atoms of another isotope, called U-238. Boosting its purity to 20% means removing 22 more unwanted isotopes per atom of U-235, while going from there to 90% purity means removing just four more per atom of U-235. Ninety percent is considered weapons-grade material.

That means going from 20% to 90% is a relatively quicker process, something that worries nuclear nonproliferation experts. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Iran reached its nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, agreeing to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Since President Donald Trump took office, the U.S. has steadily stripped away at the accord. Trump pulled America out of the deal in May 2018.

Tensions have ratcheted up in the region since last month. The U.S. rushed an aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets to the Mideast in response to what it said were threats from Iran. Meanwhile, a series of mysterious attacks have targeted oil tankers and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched a series of drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of the general staff of Iran’s armed forces, denied Tehran was involved in the ship attacks, saying Monday the country only would respond in “an open, strong and severe way” if needed. However, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which the U.S. suspects in the attacks, answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and operates outside of the army’s control.

Kamalvandi spoke to Iranian journalists in a news conference at the country’s Arak heavy water nuclear reactor. Such reactors produce plutonium that can be used in nuclear weapons. Iran, under the nuclear deal, had reconfigured the facility to address Western concerns on that issue.

However, Kamalvandi said the country could rebuild the facility to make it produce plutonium. He also said Iran would continue to allow the U.N. to inspect its nuclear facilities for the time being.

The U.S. alleges Iran used limpet mines to target two tankers last Thursday, pointing to black-and-white footage it captured that American officials describe as an Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessel removing an unexploded mine from the Japanese-operated tanker Kokuka Courageous, one of the two ships that were targeted.

The Japanese tanker’s owner said its crew described “flying objects” as having targeted the vessel.

In Brussels on Monday, European Union foreign ministers said they were still looking for more information on who might be behind the incident involving the tankers. Germany and others insisted they need a clearer picture before wading into a diplomatic conflict which could have serious implications in the Middle East.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that U.S. and British intelligence needs to be compared with other information from allies. “We have to be very careful,” he said.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said it was not a time to jump to action without proper information. “The maximum restraint and wisdom should be applied,” she said ahead of the monthly foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg.

Shawn Koester

Shawn Steven Koester, age 49, passed away on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 in Chanute. He was born Oct. 14, 1969, in Chanute, the son of Gene and Sheryl (Tasche) Koester. 

He graduated from Chanute High School in 1988. 

On Oct. 3, 1992, he married Denise Westerman in Piqua.

Shawn worked at Gates in Iola for 14 years and currently worked as a machinist at B&W in Humboldt for five years. He was a “jolly ole man” and liked to have fun. He enjoyed woodworking, being outdoors and taking care of his garden. He loved his family dearly and spending time with his kids and grandkids. Shawn was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife, Denise Koester; parents, Gene and Sheryl Koester of Chanute; sons, Brett Koester and significant other Amanda Mae Sexton of Chanute, and Keith Koester of Chanute; brothers, Bill Koester and wife Robyn of Wellsville, and Clint Koester and wife Trinia of Chanute; and grandchildren Gunner and Kolter.

The Rosary will be said at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Chanute. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Chanute. Interment will take place at St. Martin Cemetery in Piqua.

Online condolences may be left at: www.countrysidefh.com. The memorials have been suggested to the family to help with expenses and may be left with or mailed to the funeral home. Arrangements have been entrusted to Countryside Funeral Home, 101 N. Highland, Chanute, KS 66720.

Walter Stotler

Walter J. Stotler, Sr., age 85, of Moran, died Friday, June 14, 2019, in Moran. He was born Jan. 14, 1934, in Iola, to Dewey H. Stotler and Sarah (Gashey) Stotler.

He married Iva J. Zornes on Sept. 9, 1951, in Iola. She preceded him in death.

He also was preceded in death by two daughters, Joyce Howell and Eula McKee.

Survivors include a daughter, Annetta Reed, Moran; two sons, Walter Stotler, Jr., Emporia, and Dewey Stotler, Moran; and other relatives.

A visitation for Walt will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today in The Venue at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 US Highway 54, Iola. A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, Iola. Burial will follow in the Moran Cemetery, Moran.

Ellen Preston

Ellen Louise Preston, age 80, Moran, died Saturday, June 15, 2019, at Allen County Regional Hospital, Iola.

A Rosary followed by a Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Martin’s Oratory, Piqua. The date and time of the Rosary and Mass will be published after those arrangements are finalized. Inurnment will follow the Mass in St. Martin’s Cemetery, Piqua.

Ancient religious practices discussed at Colony church

Bruce Symes told a story about the ancient Mayan’s sacrifice rituals for the Communion Meditation at Sunday’s Colony Christian Church. The Mayans made sacrifices to their “god” of rain, Chaac. When the site was dredged up in 1904, they found sacrifices of gold, jade, and even human remains including children. 

Pastor Chase Riebel gave the sermon on “Life is Wild, God is Good.” 

At vacation bible school this week, they’ll teach how life is unfair, scary, changes, sad and good. Back in the “good old days” (in the Garden of Eden), everything was perfect. After sin entered the world, it became a scary place. God told them that there would be hostility between Satan and Adam and Eve. The Egyptians also experienced true fear of God when God sent the plagues down on them when Pharoah wouldn’t follow God’s demands. 

You can listen to the sermon in its entirety at http://www.colonychristianchurch.org.

Men’s Bible study is 7 a.m. Tuesday in the church basement. VBS this week at 9 a.m., Monday through Friday. Bible study will be 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the parsonage. Movie Night is 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 29; doors will open at 6.

Notre Dame hosts first service since fire

PARIS (AP) — The archbishop wore a hard-hat helmet, burnt wood debris was still visible and only about 30 people were let inside, but Notre Dame Cathedral on Saturday held its first Mass since the devastating April 15 fire that ravaged its roof and toppled its masterpiece spire.

Exactly two months after the blaze engulfed the landmark Gothic building in the French capital, the service was celebrated by Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit in a chapel behind the choir, a place confirmed by construction experts as safe.

French Culture Minister Franck Riester said this week the cathedral remains in a “fragile” state, especially its vaulted ceiling, which is still at risk of collapsing.

For security reasons, only about 30 people — mainly priests, canons and church employees — were admitted inside the cathedral for the service, while Aupetit and others wore construction worker’s helmets. Some of the workers rebuilding the church were also invited.

Other worshippers could watch the Mass live on a Catholic TV station. The video showed some burnt wood still in the church but a famous statue of the Virgin and Child appeared intact behind wooden construction planks.

The annual Dedication Mass commemorated the cathedral’s consecration as a place of worship.

“This cathedral is a place of worship, it is its very own and unique purpose,” Aupetit said.

One French priest called the service “a true happiness, full of hope.”

“We will rebuild this cathedral. It will take time of course — a lot of money, lot of time, lot of work — but we will succeed,” Father Pierre Vivares told The Associated Press outside the cathedral. “Today it’s a small but a true victory against the disaster we have had.”

It is still unclear when the cathedral will reopen to the public.

French President Emmanuel Macron has set a goal of rebuilding it in just five years, which many experts consider unrealistic. In the meantime, the French parliament is debating amendments to a new law that would create a public body to expedite the restoration of the cathedral and circumvent some of France’s complex labor laws.

Police report

Arrests reported

Iola police officers arrested Craig E. Duvall, 49, Carthage, Mo., Friday for a warrant related to charges of disorderly conduct and pedestrian under the influence.

Devon M. Simpson, 23, Iola, was arrested by Iola officers Friday on three warrants related to misdemeanor traffic charges and alcohol charges.

Allen County sheriff’s deputies arrested William C. Abbott, 31, Iola, on a warrant Thursday for failing to appear in court, where he faces rape and aggravated criminal sodomy charges.

Jason T. Sinclair, 29, Iola, was arrested by Iola officers Thursday for suspicion of disorderly conduct and being a pedestrian under the influence.

Deputies arrested Matthew K.W. Wells, 24, Iola, for a Bourbon County warrant Thursday.

Deputies arrested Kelly A. Hopkins, 32, Iola, for suspicion of driving while suspended.

Steven J. Yates, 30, Iola, was arrested by deputies Wednesday for suspected possessing illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Hayden T. White, 29, Iola, was arrested by deputies Wednesday for suspicion of possessing illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia and a warrant related to another drug charge.

Deputies arrested Jesse J. Vail, 48, Elsmore, for a warrant relating to a charge of driving after being declared a habitual violator.

Iola officers arrested Jason L. Poffenbarger, 42, Iola, for suspicion of aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery and criminal restraint.

Deputies arrested Kelly D. Ewing, 48, Gas, for suspicion of burglary, criminal damage to property and trespassing.

Humboldt police officers arrested Mathieu K. Hertzog, 24, Tulsa, for suspicion of driving while impaired, driving while suspended, illegal registration and transporting an open container of alcohol June 10.

Deputies arrested Storm A. Acklin, 24, Yates Center, for suspected driving while suspended (second or greater offense).

Anthony T. Benjamin, 33, Colony, was arrested June 10 by deputies for a probation revocation warrant.

Deputies arrested Legin J. Johnston, 53, Iola, for suspicion of violating the Offender Registration Act.

Steven J. Yates, 30, Iola, was arrested by deputies June 10 for suspicion for violating the Offender Registration Act.

Deputies arrested Duane A. Hibbs, 31, Humboldt, for suspicion of driving while suspended (third or greater offense) and a misdemeanor traffic warrant June 9.

Delores K. Silcox was picked up by deputies June 9 for suspicion of driving without a license and possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Evan J. Dean, 19, Humboldt, was arrested by deputies June 8 for suspicion of driving without a license, transporting an open container of alcohol and possessing alcohol as a minor.

Christopher S. Keidel, 45, Humboldt, was arrested June 8 on a misdemeanor traffic warrant, deputies reported.

Deputies arrested Kaela S. Kumalae, 26, Garnett, on a traffic warrant June 8.

Danika L. Rose, 36, rural Iola, was arrested by deputies June 8 on an Allen County warrant stemming from DUI and drug charges and a separate Bourbon County warrant.

Iola officers arrested Jon M. Kettle, 54, Iola, on a traffic warrant June 7.

Deputies arrested Brock N. Pollard, 43, Owasso, Okla., June 7 for suspicion of driving while suspended.

A traffic warrant led to the June 7 arrest of Donna J. Aldridge, 55, Wichita, deputies reported.

Deputies arrested Cheynne P. Ferguson, 41, Niotaze, June 7 on a traffic warrant.

Jacob E. Reed, 24, rural Humboldt, was arrested on a probation revocation warrant June 7, deputies said.

Deputies arrested Robert L. Earleywine, 36, Iola, June 5 on warrants out of Iola and Neosho County.

Deputies arrested James A. Myers, 62, Iola, June 5 for suspicion of violating the Registered Offender Act.

Jessica C. Vanover, 23, Chanute, was arrested by deputies June 4 on a warrant.

Humboldt officers arrested Tracey L. Womelsdorf, 27, LaHarpe, June 4 for suspected possession of drug paraphernalia.

Iola officers arrested Travis E. Doolittle, 28, Neosho Falls on a warrant out of Lyon County June 4.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the June 4 arrest of Harvey M. Love, 62, Chanute, for suspicion of driving while suspended and illegal registration.

Iola officers arrested Jennifer C. Herman, 38, and Joseph L. Wools, 23, both of Iola, for suspicion of distributing a controlled substance, distributing marijuana, distributing depressants and possessing drug paraphernalia June 4.

Deputies arrested Codie D. McDown, Iola, June 4 for suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia.

Christopher D. Glukowsky, 35, Iola, was arrested by deputies June 3 for suspicion of driving while suspended (third or greater offense), illegal registration, no liability insurance and possessing drug paraphernalia.

Troopers arrested Sierra R. Healy, 34, Spring Hill, on June 2 by KHP for suspicion of driving while suspended.

Deputies arrested Tyrell O. Yelm, 29, rural Iola, for suspicion of driving while impaired and transporting an open container June 1.