Mayor John Carder announced members of his Mayor’s Economic Task Force, as the initial steps to establish a Main Street Program. Members are Chuck Readinger, owner of Iola IGA; Bob Johnson, Register city editor; Jerry Skidmore, who, with his wife, Betty, owns Skidmore’s Davis Paint Store; Charlotte Petty of Klotz Realty and chairman of Iola’s PRIDE Committee; Jim Gilpin of Iola Bank & Trust Co.; Nancy Mechling, who, with her husband, Jim, owns Otasco; and Kent Lawrence, who owns Iola Abstract.
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Barbie and Jim Daugharthy opened the Allen & Wright (A&W) Ice Creamery at 803 N. State. The store was formerly the Peter Pan Ice Cream store. The dining area has seating for 24. Hot and cold drinks are served as well as ice cream. Daugharthy said they offer ice cream in 12 flavors and the product is 16% butterfat and of “the utmost quality.”
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When the J.C. Penny Store at 5 E. Madison closes today, it will not reopen again. Company officials said the store, along with several others in Kansas, would be closed at the end of the year. The closing will leave three stores on the south side of the Iola square vacant, including The Fashion Leader and Montgomery Ward.
