30 Years Ago
September 1989
The Southeast Shavers, a barbershop chorus with members from several communities in this area, will open the 1989-90 season at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center with a concert on Sept. 23. Iolans in the chorus are L. C. Bob Bodemann, Jr., Gordon Conger, H. E, Bud Redfearn, Jr., Russell Goes, Don Hood, Dick Tomlinson, Mike Frihart and T. D. Wheat.
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Conrad Jackson, Elsmore, is one of the few Allen County farmers who still grows broom corn each year. Jackson says his field may be the only one in Kansas and notes that most commercially grown broom corn is now grown in Mexico.
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The annual U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for Kansas shows that only about one-fourth of the counties of Kansas gained population. Allen County showed a loss of 4.1 percent to 15,000; Anderson lost 6 percent to 8,200; Woodson, 13.5 percent to 4,000; Bourbon, 5.1 percent to 15,200 and Neosho, 4.6 percent to 18,100.
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Sheriff Ron Moore and Chief of Police Jay Thyer said they thought alcohol abuse was a greater problem than drug abuse among Iola teens. Information obtained through surveys conducted at IHS show alcohol abuse is a greater problem than either may have perceived. The surveys showed that alcohol was used regularly daily, weekly or monthly by 70 percent of sophomore and senior students last spring. That was an increase of more than 10% from the fall to spring semesters. Principal Keith King said the figures would also likely apply to juniors, who didnt take the surveys. Twenty percent said they had tried drugs; but only 7 percent said they used drugs at least once a month and 4 percent said they did on a weekly basis.
