County leaders want the state to reinstate the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction. The program was introduced to help local governments during difficult times, but the state has withheld funding for the past 20 years. Kansas, grappling with economic challenges, introduced the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction (LAVTR) in 1937 to alleviate the burdens on local governments during the Great Depression. For the last 20 years, the state has withheld that funding. Today, a measure to reinstate the funding is gaining traction. During the economic turmoil of the 1930s, the state faced a dire situation, with Kansas being hit especially hard by [...]

Jenna Morris, a music teacher at Southern Coffey County and director of the Iola Municipal Band, took part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a spectacle enjoyed by millions every year, but for Jenna Morris, a local musician and music educator, it became a dream come true as she recently took part in the parade with the Band Directors Marching Band. Morris, a music teacher for the Southern Coffey County school district in Le Roy, had the opportunity of a lifetime to join the group of band directors and music educators from across North [...]

Local artist Max Grundy presented six options for a city flag during Monday evening’s Iola City Council meeting. Noting that he’s not originally from Iola, Grundy said his inspiration for the artistic renderings came mostly from his appreciation of the area’s natural beauty. The flag presentation unfolded as council members expressed varied opinions on the designs, with options ranging from a clock tower to five representations of Iola’s scenic landscapes. The favorite among council members depicted the old Allen County courthouse’s clock tower. Grundy added that the time on the clock is set to 3:04 — significant because Kansas became the [...]

More than a year ago, Iola council members voted 7-0 to extend water, electric and streets in the Cedarbrook Addition and followed through last spring by committing $1.7 million to the project with the goal of attracting developers. It worked. On Monday, council members sold the 22 lots to the mother-and-son duo Jennifer Chester and Blake Boone. The two plan to start construction in January 2024. When all is said and done, Iola will have at least 16 single-family homes and possibly another three larger homes or three duplexes. The new development is designated as Cedarbrook Third Addition. Time and again, [...]

An open house on Tuesday was designed to answer questions about a new floodplain maps. Most Allen County residents got good news, as 85 properties no longer are listed in the floodplain. Eight were added. Debbie Menzie was surprised to receive a notice that her home is now in a floodplain. It’s never flooded at her home in the north part of Iola, just off Washington Street. Not even close. She attended an open house on Tuesday at the Community Building in Riverside Park, hosted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture to review new floodplain maps. The new maps show 85 properties are no [...]

A proposal to renovate the Allen County Courthouse because of security issues failed with 76% of voters opposed. The other bond issue on the ballot, for renovations at the Crest school district, passed comfortably. City council and school board races also were decided. Allen County voters overwhelmingly rejected Tuesday a proposed $9.95 million bond issue to renovate the Allen County Courthouse. ... Such huge margins represent a stinging defeat for the plan’s proponents, which included District Judge Dan Creitz and Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy, who attempted to convince voters the renovations were needed to improve security at the courthouse. Source: The [...]

It took four bond issues for local citizens to support building a new school in Iola. Administrators learned the secret was paying attention to public input. A countywide referendum on whether to renovate the Allen County courthouse likely drew more voters to the polls Tuesday than in a typical off-year election. An estimated 2,510 voters — or about 29% of Allen County’s 8,698 registered voters — weighed in. ... As local school administrators can attest, community engagement is vital to passing bond issues. After three failed measures to build new schools — 1979, 1985 and 2014 — local voters in 2019 approved a $35 million [...]

The county’s first foray into recycling might look a little different than they expected. Allen County commissioners agreed Tuesday to allow a recycle and trash service provider from Erie set up a bin at the landfill to collect some types of No. 2 plastic items such as milk jugs.  “It’s not cardboard, but it’s a start,” Mitch Garner, Public Works director, said. The county had identified cardboard as its top recycling need. Kenny Schettler, whose company collects trash for the City of Humboldt, offered to set up a container to collect only No. 2 plastic, a sturdier type of plastic that [...]

Allen County will start small with a recycling effort, with commissioners offering to set up a cardboard collection spot at the landfill. Commissioners directed Mark Griffith, road and bridge director, to find some sort of container to hold the cardboard. Then, it will be taken to Coffey County’s recycling center. Commissioners still need to verify their plan with Coffey County and work through the details, so it is not yet known when the new program might begin. Still, it will be a significant step toward recycling for the county after two volunteer-led efforts ended. Source: The Iola Register

It’s been a century since Mildred’s halcyon days. At one time, the little burg at the northeast corner of Allen County had a population of more than 2,000, with a cement plant that employed more than 300. Alas, demand for cement declined at the end of World War I, and the Great Depression shuttered the Mildred industry for good. The town’s population slowly but surely evaporated over the ensuing generations. The high school graduated its last class in 1944; the post office closed in 1973. Source: The Iola Register