Garden club features program on geraniums

The Dirt Diggers Garden Club discussed five things to love about zonal geraniums when members met June 12 at Greystone Assisted Living. 

1. Container superstar. They look great in containers, provide different color flowers and a steady supply of color that makes a big impact up close or from a distance.

2. Fantastic foliage. Most have a “zone” on the leaf, faint or dark, narrow or wide. But fancy leaf varieties make colorful foliage.

3. They make a big splash almost anywhere. You can also fill a bed or edge a border. A big mass of one color is economical. When started with seeds, flowers are smaller and single. 

4. They are easy to grow. It doesn’t take a lot of fuss. Give the plant six or more hours of sun. They bloom in late spring to frost. Use slow-release fertilizer at planting time. To get more blooms, feed every time you water with water soluble, all-purpose plant food at quarter strength. Remove spent blooms. Follow slender bloom stem back to the main stem and snip it off. 

5. You can keep them for many years. Bring them in and put in a sunny window or sunroom, cut back on water and don’t feed. Dig up and store in paper bags or boxes. Dig in fall and shake off as much soil as you can. Remove foliage that looks dead or diseased and set the plant aside to dry for a couple of days out of direct sunlight. Store upside down. Pull plants out 6 to 8 weeks before last frost date. Cut the stems back to the green part of the stem and pot them. You should see new growth in a couple of days.

 

THE NEXT meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. July 10 at the home of Shirley Robertson.

Vatican formally opens debate on married priests in remote Amazon

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican formally opened debate Monday on letting married men be ordained as priests in remote parts of the Amazon where priests are so few that Catholics can go weeks or months without attending a Mass.

The call for study on the proposal was contained in the working document, released Monday, for an October meeting of South American bishops on the Amazon.

The document, prepared by the Vatican based on input from the region, affirmed that celibacy is a gift for the Catholic Church.

But it suggested officials study “the possibility of priestly ordination for older men, preferably indigenous and respected and accepted by their communities, even if they have stable families, for the region’s most remote areas.”

The idea of ordaining so-called “viri probati” — married men of proven virtue — has been around for decades to cope with a priest shortage and decline in vocations overall. But it has drawn fresh attention under Pope Francis, history’s first Latin American pope, thanks to his familiarity with the challenges facing the Amazon church.

The Oct. 6-27 meeting on the sacramental and environmental needs of the Amazon will draw bishops from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.

Brazil’s bishops have long pushed for the church to consider ordaining viri probati to minister in remote parts of the Amazon where by some estimates there is one priest for every 10,000 Catholics.

The celibacy question has been a mainstay in Catholic debate given it is a discipline, not a doctrine, and therefore can change. 

The church has had the tradition since the 11th century, imposed in part to spare the church the financial burdens of providing for large families and to ensure that any assets of the priest would pass to the church, not his heirs. 

Proponents of a relaxation of the rule say more men would consider a vocation to the priesthood if they could marry, a surefire fix to the decline in priests globally.

Opponents say relaxing the rule for the Amazon will certainly fuel calls for it to be relaxed elsewhere. Already, married men can be ordained in the Eastern rite Catholic Church and married men who convert from Protestant churches can be Catholic priests.

In addition to ordaining married men, the document called for the synod to identify “the type of official ministry that can be conferred on women.”

It said women, who already play important roles in indigenous communities, must be guaranteed leadership roles. But it stopped short of recommending debate on whether women could be ordained as deacons.

One of the organizers, Monsignor Fabio Fabene, said the female diaconate was essentially off the table since Francis has recently determined that the issue needs further discussion.

Iola Recreation box score

Friday’s Results

Bitty Ball

El Charro Mexican Restaurant 8,

Piqua State Bank 3,

Hits for El Charro: Milo Franklin, 3-1b; Cruz Ross, 2-1b; Brayden Griffeth, 1-1b; Henry Kramer, 2-1b; Chance Conley, 3-1b; Joseph McIntire, 3-1b; Spencer Sargent, 2-1b. Hits for Piqua: Maddux Franklin, 1-1b; Cade Curry, 2-1b; Corbin Coffielfd, 1-2b; Jaxen Ranes, 1-1b; Jace Warner, 1-1b; 

Jr. Ponytail

Nelson Quarries 4,

A&B Cleaning 1

Hits for Nelson: Elza Clift, 1-1b, 1-2b; Zoie Hess, 1-2b; Hallie Sutherland, 2-1b; Kate Erbert, 2-1b; Jackie Fager, 1-1b. Hits for A&B: Kinsey Shinstock, 1-1b; Natalee Lower, 1-3b; Kadin Smith, 2-1b. 

Iola Pharmacy 2,

AC Regional Hospital 12

Hits for Pharmacy: Mckenna Hammond, 1-1b; Leeann Maloney, 1-1b; Mary Brown, 1-1b. Hits for AC: Liliana Blaufuss, 3-1b; Addie fudge, 1-1b, 1-3b; Jenelle Hartman, 1-1b; Faith Warden, 1-1b, 1-2b; Kadence Gragg, 1-1b. 

Little League

Iola Insurance Associates 7,

AC Regional Hospital 1

Hits for Insurance: William Jay, 2-1b; Alijah Christy, 1-1b; Justin McCollough, 1-1b, 1-2b, 1-3b; Charles Rogers, 2-1b; Ashton Hess, 1-1b, 1-2b. 

Nelson Quarries 3,

Iola Pharmacy 0

Hits for Nelson: Kele Michael, 1-1b; Grady Dougherty, 1-1b, 1-3b; Luke Maier, 1-1b. Brennan Coffield, 2-1b; Shaun McLaughlin, 1-1b; Dayton Dawson, 1-1b.

Humboldt Speedway: Bryant earns sixth win

Humboldt Speedway-In Home Savings Bank NASCAR Factory Stocks, Jon Westhoff rolled the bottom of the speedway and made his move on Lap 9, passing Pole Sitter Wayne Johnson on his way to the A Feature win. Logan Boone and Wayne Johnson rounded out the top three. Heat Race wins went to Wayne Johnson and Logan Boone.

Tumbleweed Music Festival Street Stocks saw Nathan Vaughn from Sedalia, Missouri set a torrid pace on a lightning fast Humboldt Speedway in the opening stages of the A Feature. Vaughn opened up a sizeable lead before disaster struck giving the lead to Collinsville, Oklahoma’s Dalton Garrison. Garrison went on to secure the win with Nick Fritch and Devin Irvin completing the top three. The Heat Race win went to Nathan Vaughn.

In Ray’s Metal Depot NASCAR B Mods Fort Scott’s Andy Bryant squeezed by Matthew Kay on lap 5 and held off last week’s winner Tyler Kidwell to pick up his sixth win on the year. Bryant used multiple lanes to keep the lead and secure the win. Kidwell and Kay rounded out the top three. Heat Race wins went to Dennis Bishop and Tyler Kidwell.

In the night’s final feature, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Sports Compacts, Brandon Vink grabbed an opening hole slot and outdueled Allen Jesseph to pick up the night’s final A Feature. Heat Race wins went to Allen Jesseph and Brandon Vink.

In Ameriflex Hose & Accessories OCRS Sprint Cars action, a last lap pass for the win propelled Zach Chappel to the victory. For a complete recap vsit www.ocrsracing.net.

Racing returns to Humboldt Speedway on June 21. Competing that evening will be Ray’s Metal Depot NASCAR B Modifieds, Home Savings Bank NASCAR Factory Stocks, O’Reilly Auto Part Sport Compacts, Love’s Travel Stops Midwest Mods and Late Models racing for $1,000. For more information make sure to check out www.humboldtspeedway.com for all the latest news about the Humboldt Speedway.

 

Woodland takes U.S. Open championship

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Very soon, Gary Woodland will be a father of three, and odds are he’ll answer the same way about the kids as he will about the three shots that cemented him in as a U.S. Open champion.

Which is his favorite? They’re all perfect in their own, special way.

Woodland’s Father’s Day at Pebble Beach included a flushed 3-wood that set up birdie to give him a two-shot cushion, a wedge clipped off the 17th green that helped him preserve it, then a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 18 that ended the tournament with a flourish — and put him in the record book, to boot.

“My whole life, I’ve been able to compete and win at everything I’ve done,” he said. “It’s taken a while, but it’s trending in the right direction.”

Straight past Tiger Woods in the record book, in fact.

Woodland, whose wife, Gabby, is expecting twins in a couple of months to join their soon-to-be-2-year-old son, Jaxson, got to 13-under-par 271 with that closing birdie, beating by one the record Woods set for a U.S. Open at Pebble Beach during his 15-shot romp to victory in 2000.

Pebble Beach played tougher that year.

But to say Woodland took the easy way to his first major title would be missing the point.

He spent the entire day holding off Brooks Koepka, who himself was shooting for history — trying to become the first player since 1905 to complete a U.S. Open three-peat.

Koepka made clear early that he was up for the challenge. He opened with four birdies over the first five holes to pull within a shot of Woodland, who was playing one hole behind.

“I thought, ‘Yeah, we’ve got a ballgame now,’” Koepka said.

They did, except it wasn’t a back-and-forth ballgame. Woodland never surrendered the lead.

“When I started to transition into golf, the short game was what was really bad, to be honest,” Woodland said. “And so my whole deal was, I had to hit chips off putting greens all the time, and there were some times where superintendents weren’t a huge fan of me.”

He’s not bad with the putter on those greens, either.

After Koepka’s birdie putt on No. 18 slid just past to close his tournament at 10 under, Woodland carried a two-shot lead onto the 18th green and only needed to get down in three from 30 feet to secure the trophy.

He got down in one instead, raised his hands to the heavens then finished with a huge fist pump.

Stormont Vail gets naming rights

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Stormont Vail Health has agreed to spend $2.575 million to acquire naming rights for the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Shawnee County commissioners approved the contract Thursday. County counselor Jim Crowl says the health system will pay the county $325,000 in the first year of the 10-year deal, and $250,000 in each of the next nine.

The event center’s website domain immediately changed to reflect its new name, www.StormontVailEventsCenter.com .

The facility’s manager, Spectra, said in a news release that there also will be major exterior and interior signage, a mother’s room and brand recognition in all advertising for the facility.

The center is currently undergoing a $48 million makeover. Plans call for the work to be completed by May 2021.

Bronson High School alumni, friends reunite

About 77 alumni and guests attended the 82nd Bronson High School Alumni Reunion at the Bronson Community Center on May 25. 

Inductees into the Hall of Fame for 2019 are Bonnie M.C. Stewart, class of 1960, for her teaching and coaching career; and Mary Louise Camac Wilson, class of 1944, along with her deceased husband, Gene, for their service to the community.

The group had a memorial service for deceased alumni Clair Duggan, Robert Lamb, Myron Woodward, Lois Rogers Lamb, Elvis Reeder, Vera Jane Wiggans Hays, and Brenda Stewart Nichols.

Allen Warren shared an update on the BHS Alumni Scholarship at Fort Scott Community College. The group approved a $200 donation to the Scholarship Endowment Fund. 

Officers for 2020 will be John Shelton, president; Donald Mefford, vice president; Judy Wilson, secretary/ corresponding secretary; and Jackie Warren, treasurer.

Those in attendance according to the year of their graduation:

1943 – Kathryn Danielson Pitts, Tatum, N.M., and her guests Cheryl Lair, Houston, Texas, Glenda Armstrong, Liberal, James and Saing Pitts, Oklahoma City, Okla., and Regina Watson; Lee Pritchett Rudisill, Corvallis, Ore., and guest Kay Pritchett Danley, Mason, Texas.

1944 – Mary Louise Camac Wilson, Bronson, and guests Robert and Peggy Clark, Ft. Collins, Colo.; Thora Nichols Shinn and guests Alan and Becky Shinn, Uniontown.

1945 – Enid Shinn Large and guests Vivian Moore and Connie Snow, Fort Scott; Lucille Deer Bacon, Moran, and guest Nora Jean Davolt, Wichita.

1946 – Wanda Miller Abbott and guest Rhonda Peeples, Lakeland, Fla.

1947 – Dean Pratt and guests Jeff and Valerie Keating, Seneca, Mo., and Pat and Dianne Keating, Fulton.

1948 – Audrey Miller Stewart, Fort Scott; Ilene Townsley Woodcock and guest Jacque Bass, Lone Jack, Mo.

1949 – Geraldine Wolford Reeder, Bronson.

1951 – Tom Johnson and guest Margaret Johnson, Bronson; Richard Woodward and guest Barbara Woodward, Bronson.

1952 – Ednamarie Sharkey Jackson, Nixa, Mo,. and guest Darcy Sinn, Fort Scott.

1953 – Buford Stewart, Bronson; Wanda Wiggans Woodard, Manhattan; Wanda Bolling Kring and guest Dale Kring, Lawrence.

1954 – Jack Dawson, Iola.

1955 – Joan Finfrock Armour, Grain Valley, Mo., and guests Earlene Brewster and Richard Lafferty, Bronson.

1956 – Janice Leadstrom Olson, Chanute; Wanda Ellington Stephens and guest Wesley Stephens, Moran.

1957 – Joe Dawson, Fort Scott; Raymond (Chub) Bolling, Bronson; Don Nichols and guest Dane Nichols, Wichita; Ruth Mary Womelsdorf Bankert, Fla.; Judy Kuns Gifford and guest Everett Gifford, Girard.

1958 – Katherine Stewart Guss, Fort Scott.

1959 – Gerald Robinson and guest Carol Robinson, Fort Scott.

1960 – Bonnie M.C. Stewart and guest James Gray, Emporia; Helen Clark Bolling, Bronson. 1961 – Allen Warren and Jackie McClimans Warren, Fort Scott; Rex Wilson, Bronson.

1962 – Martha Kuns Ivey, Fort Scott.

1963 – Dianna Dunn Taylor and guest Scott Glover, Dallas, Texas; Melinda Hockett Henderson, 

Moran; Judy Johnson Wilson, Bronson.

1964 – John and Martha Poore Shelton, Drexel, Mo.; Gary Welch, Bronson; Ronda Johnson Murrow, Uniontown.

1965 – Dennis Hockett and guest Pam Hockett, Gardner.

1966 – Donald Mefford and guest Linda Mefford, Mound City; Revelle Wilson, Bronson.

 

USDA’s plan to move offices sparks concerns about research

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday that it will relocate two research agencies’ headquarters to the Kansas City area, delighting Kansas and Missouri officials but intensifying critics’ fears that research will suffer and be less accessible to federal policymakers.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said that moving most employees out of Washington will bring the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture closer to farmers and agribusinesses they serve. He also said the USDA would save about $20 million a year on rent and other employee costs, freeing up extra dollars for research.

Members of the Kansas and Missouri congressional delegations and the two states’ governors praised the USDA’s move, saying the research agencies are a good fit for their region. The USDA said nearly 550 of the roughly 640 jobs will move, and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, said they will pay between $80,000 and $100,000 a year.

But critics said the research agencies have lost veteran employees and been unable to fill vacancies since the USDA announced last year it was considering moving their headquarters. Opponents also argued that moving them will make it harder for federal policymakers to get objective research that might raise questions about President Donald Trump’s policies.

“This is a blatant attack on science and will especially hurt farmers, ranchers and eaters at a particularly vulnerable time,” said Mike Lavender, a senior manager for the scientist group’s Food and Environment Program.

The Economic Research Service examines a wide range of issues, including the rural economy, international trade, food safety and programs that provide food assistance to poor Americans. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides grants for agricultural research.

Perdue said the two agencies are the only parts of the USDA with no presence outside the greater Washington area, and 90 percent of the department’s employees live outside that region. He also said the agencies will be able to draw future staff from a large “agriculture talent pool” in the Midwest.

The agriculture secretary told reporters on a conference call that the USDA doesn’t yet know how many employees will move to Kansas City but the plan is not “an operation to leave anybody behind.” He said the goal is to have workers relocated by the end of September.

“Once people who choose to move can relocate to Kansas City, I think there would be more furor trying to move them back after three or four years,” Perdue said. “We didn’t do this with disruption in mind. We did this for the benefit of the two agencies.”

Kansas State University and the University of Missouri’s main campus are roughly a two hours’ drive from the Kansas City metropolitan area. Also, the Kansas State campus is home to a billion-dollar federal biosecurity research lab that’s under construction.

Perdue said state and local officials offered $26 million in incentives, although he declined to provide details. The joint Kansas-Missouri bid beat out 135 others.

“It is always positive when our government can operate outside of Washington and closer to the people it serves,” said Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican.

The move drew strong criticism from two Democratic chairwomen of U.S. House Agriculture subcommittees, Marcia Fudge of Ohio and Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands. They accused the USDA of rushing its decision and ignoring farmers, ranchers and researchers opposed to it.

Reporters present when Perdue spoke to employees from the two agencies Thursday tweeted or posted photos of them turning their backs on him.

The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents workers at the two research agencies, also denounced the plan. Employees at both recently unionized.

J. David Cox Sr., the union’s national president, said the move will make it harder for the USDA research agencies to coordinate with other science and research agencies.

“We will continue to work with Congress and other parties to fight this wrongheaded proposal, which is little more than a backdoor way to slash the workforce and silence the parts of the agencies’ research that the administration views as inconvenient,” Cox said in a statement.

Students show support, understanding for the abused

Colorful pinwheels decorated the hallways of 18 area elementary schools during the month of April to recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month. Elementary students across southeast Kansas participated in the coloring contest. Judges selected three winners from each school. 

The effort brings attention to the work done by CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and Hope Unlimited?s Children?s Advocacy Center to help children in abusive situations. 

The message, ?It?s not OK to hurt a child and if you or another child you know is being hurt, tell a trusted adult about it,? was incorporated with the activity. 

CASA and Hope Unlimited led the public in 40 events during April in their efforts to reduce and prevent child abuse, according to Aimee Daniels, director of CASA for the 31st Judicial District, which serves children of Allen, Neosho, Wilson and Woodson counties. Donita Garner is director of the Children?s Advocacy Center of Hope Unlimited, serving abused partners and children in Allen, Anderson, Neosho and Wilson counties. 

 

Jefferson students Abigail Haupt and Nebula Burrow. Not pictured, Samantha Thomas.

 

McKinley students Greyson Skahan, Abigail Boeken and Finley (last name unknown).

 

Humboldt students Lois Henderson and Adalyn Hillman. Not pictured, Riley Carney.

 

Marmaton Valley students Tierce Moore, Harlie Cook and Tayleigh Forman.

 

Crest students Kole Walter, Kroy Walter and Gracyn Ellington.

Harvey Loewe

Harvey Loewe, age 96, of Welda, passed away on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at his home.

He was born April 18, 1923, at Dean, Ark., the son of William Otto and Bertie (Eddington) Loewe.  Harvey attended country grade schools at Greenlawn and Cedar Creek, and then graduated from Welda High School with the Class of 1942.

Harvey married Ann Shockey on Sept. 25, 1955, in Carlyle. They made Mont Ida their home for a couple of years. This union was blessed with three children, Beverly, Tracey, and Charles (Chuck).

He and Ann moved to the family farm that Harvey had worked all of his life, raising livestock and row crops.  Throughout the years, he increased the size of the farm. He and Ann enjoyed weekly card games with Don and Judy Wiley, helping build 4-H floats, taffy pulling and ice cream socials at the Church of the Brethren in Mont Ida. As a younger man, Harvey enjoyed bowling, participating in men’s leagues in Garnett. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, woodworking, and coin collecting. He worked the small family orchard taking pride in the gathering of the fruits of his labor.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Bertie Loewe; two sisters, Irene Sass and Edith West; and one infant brother, Russell Loewe.

Harvey is survived by his wife, Ann Loewe, of the home; two daughters, Beverly Miller and husband David of Camden, Ark.; Tracey Loewe of Iola; one son, Chuck Loewe and companion Jeanette Gadelman of Welda; two grandchildren, Matthew Miller and wife Katie Flynn, Stacy Cochran and husband Andy; one great-granddaughter, Hannah Cochran, all of Camden, Ark.; also several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and -nephews.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, Garnett, with burial to follow in the Garnett Cemetery.  The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening at the funeral home. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the National Rifle Association. You may send your condolences to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.