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THE IOLA REGISTER

Sports: Mustangs prep for first game of season

See B1

Thursday, September 4, 2014

75 CentsVol. 116, No. 215 Iola, KS

Quote of the day

“Sometimes love is stronger than a man’s convictions.” — Isaac Bashevis Singer, author Hi: 94 Lo: 73

Precision Pump, a manu-facturer of down-hole pumps used in oil production, is un-der thumb of Mark Burris for the second time in its 28-year history.

Burris, his wife Deanne and a partner, Dave Murfin, Wichita, purchased the com-pany from Cameron Interna-tional, Houston, in early July.

“We’re in the midst of re-capturing what we did ear-lier,” Burris told the Register Wednesday afternoon. “We’re re-establishing old contacts, both in the United States and globally.”

Burris also owns Superior Products, another oil field manufacturer, a quarter of a mile east of Precision on Miller Road. It makes valves, chemical pumps and pipeline closures, as well as other ac-cessories used daily in the oil patch.

“We see a lot of upside to Precision” this time around, Burris said, noting today it has 57 employees, about half

as many as when it was sold to Cameron in 2008.

With its corporate office in Wichita, Burris said Randy Misenhelter, who managed the plant previously, had moved over from Superior and would deal with day-to-day issues. Several Supe-rior employees adept at ma-chining work also made the

switch.At time of purchase, Bur-

ris said the company’s reve-nue stream was about a third of what it had been under his earlier watch.

With ample room to grow sales and consequently pro-duction, Burris said refined

Iolans Mark and Deanne Burris, together with a partner in Wichita, Dave Murfin, recently purchased the former down-hole oil field pump manufacturer Cameron Manufacturing on Miller Road and restored it to its original name, Precision International. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON

By BOB JOHNSONThe Iola Register

Precision again locally owned

PIQUA — A Tuesday stand-off has left one man in jail, and the Kansas Bureau of Investi-gation on the case.

Michael Shane Jones was arrested following an alleged domestic disturbance in Piqua, shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday.

According to the Kansas Bu-reau of Investigation, deputies from the Woodson County Sher-iff ’s Department were called to a Piqua residence, where Jones allegedly entered the home and re-emerged with a shotgun.

Jones reportedly aimed the gun at a deputy, who fired a shot

in his direction, before the sus-pect surrendered.

Neither Jones, nor the depu-ty, was injured.

The KBI was called to inves-tigate because of the gunfire.

Jones was arrested, and transported to Allen County Jail, where he remains in cus-tody.

Charges will be determined by the Woodson County Attor-ney.

Woodson County Sheriff An-thony Bauer declined comment because of the ongoing KBI in-vestigation.

Man arrested after standoff in PiquaRichard Peters will take

the stage for the first time ever next week as a puppe-teer.

Er, scratch that.“Actually, it’ll be my sec-

ond time,” Peters joked. “My first, and last.”

Peters and co-star Hazel Ebberts will man the pup-petry for the Iola Commu-nity Theatre production of “Little Shop of Horrors.”

The production, based on the Broadway musical and movie of the same name, runs at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12 and 13, and at 2 p.m. Sept. 14 at

the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. (Tickets are available at So-phisticated Rose.)

“Little Shop of Horrors” follows the story of Sey-mour, a mild-mannered flo-ral assistant, who stumbles across a new breed of plant. He names the plant “Audrey II,” after his coworker and crush.

The plant promises fame and fortune to Seymour as long as he keeps it fed — with blood.

“Little Shop of Horrors” stars Bryan Johnson and Susie McKinnis as Seymour and Audrey, with Sabra Agu-irre, Pam Tressler, Valerie Winslow, Andrew Oatman

and Trent Chriestenson in supporting roles.

But it’s the teamwork of Ebberts, Peters and co-star Dan Johnson who make the show click.

Ebberts will handle the puppetry for Audrey II when it’s still a relatively diminu-tive sapling. Peters takes the helm as the plant grows sig-nificantly by the next scene. Then they’ll both work in sync as the plant becomes large enough to “consume” its victims in a single bite.

Meanwhile, Dan John-son will provide Audrey II’s voice.

“The hard part is staying

Behind the scenesCast rehearses for “Little Shop”By RICHARD LUKENThe Iola Register

See PRECISION | Page A5

Iola City Council members will meet tonight for a special session to discuss proposed changes to their ambulance contract with the county.

County commissioners directed County Counselor Alan Weber to draft a pro-posed contract that would provide the city with $1 mil-

lion annually to provide emergency medical services. Currently, the city provides the countywide service, with the county committed up to $750,000 a year, through rev-enue from ambulance runs.

Tonight’s meeting will be at 6:30 at Iola City Hall. The public is invited.

Council to discuss EMS contract tonight

See SHOW | Page A5

Hazel Ebberts, from left, and Richard Peters will man the puppetry of Audrey II as part of the up-coming Iola Community Theatre production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” At right, Dan Johnson is the voice of the voracious plant. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

A printing press break-down interrupted production of Wednesday’s Iola Register, with delivery to most custom-ers delayed until today.

The Register is printed in Independence, Mo., site of The Independence Examiner.

The paper was eventually printed in Sedalia, Mo., and didn’t make its way to Iola un-til the early evening hours.

“It was a nightmare,” said Susan Lynn, Register editor

and publisher, “and we appre-ciate the understanding and patience of our subscribers that these things happen.”

Register crews face a 10 a.m. deadline to have the paper ready to be transmitted elec-tronically to the printing plant in Independence. Typically, the printed product is on its way to Iola by 11:30 a.m., with delivery in the early afternoon.

Wednesday’s paper did not arrive until 7:30 p.m.

Printing pains

Threats against Iola Mid-dle School posted on Face-book are being investigated, although police do not be-lieve there is any danger.

The threats included a shooting at the school.

Iola Police Chief Jared Warner said the investi-gation so far points to the threats coming from a Facebook account that was hacked.

The account holder is a juvenile living in Iola, but is not a student at the middle school, said Warner.

The first threat, posted Sunday, prompted an alert to Facebook officials, who deac-tivated the account, Warner said.

At some point after then, the account was reactivated, and another series of threats

against the school were post-ed.

Screen shots showing the threats quickly made their way through social media circles, even after the ac-count again was deactivated.

The commotion prompted IMS Principal Jack Stanley to send an automated tele-phone notice Tuesday after-noon to middle school par-ents to apprise them of the situation.

Iola police officers inter-viewed the alleged perpetra-tor and his parents, Warner said. No charges are pending against the juvenile.

Even though the threats appear to have been a hoax, Warner said IPD has ramped up patrols around the middle school at the start and end of each school day.

Online threats to IMS under investigation

B3A5Thursday, September 4, 2014The Iola Registerwww.iolaregister.com

motionless,” Ebberts said. “We have to stay completely still until Dan speaks.”

Likewise, Johnson notes he must remain completely quiet when it’s not his turn to speak.

“Otherwise, it’ll look

like the plant is a ven-triloquist,” he joked.

The large plant was rented from A to Z Theat-rical, out of Kansas City, noted Director Richard Spencer.

“Creating a costume like that is a little beyond our skill set, and buy-ing one would have cost

up to $4,000,” he said. “We’ve worked with A to Z several times before.”

Jan Knewtson serves as the musical director, Trilby Bannister the choreographer and Ely-ssa Jackson as assistant director and stage man-ager.

manufacturing tech-niques would be em-ployed to tap into the company’s potential. He also expects to bring on board new employees. A part of the equation will be evaluating manufac-turing processes, which “will be done on a con-tinuing basis.”

“We are excited, Deanne and I, to be back involved (with Preci-sion),” Burris said. “We have a good crew here.”

Being a member of the USD 257 Board of Education, Burris didn’t resist pointing out that new schools would en-hance his opportunities to hire quality employ-

ees. New schools will en-courage young families with work-a-day parents to favor living in or near Iola, he said.

DOWN-HOLE pumps are a component of an oil well’s production se-quence. They are con-nected to a pump jack atop the ground by a rod that activates their ac-tion to lift fluids — oil or water — from under-ground formations.

With Precision back in hand, Burris said he can now produce the whole package of pro-duction equipment. Bur-ris is also president of Century International, a Wichita company that sells jacks.

Merging the business-es of Century and Preci-sion is down the road, Burris said.

Burris and Murfin also have oil field service companies based in Gar-nett and Madison.

FORMER IOLAN Joe Betzen started what to-day is Precision Pump in the old Walton Foundry building at the east edge of Iola in 1986.

Burris worked for Bet-zen. He purchased the company in 1990. Short-ly thereafter, he moved it to a building at the north edge of Humboldt and then returned to Iola and the old Miller and Son Dress Factory, 25 W. Miller Rd., in 2003.

Precision: Business localContinued from A1

Susie McKinnis, left, and Bryan Johnson hold starring roles in the upcoming Iola Community Theatre production of “Little Shop of Horrors,” which runs Sept. 12-14 at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Show: Cast preps for openingContinued from A1

TALLINN, Estonia — U.S. intelligence of-ficials have verified the authenticity of a video showing the behead-ing American jour-nalist Steven Sotloff, President Obama said Wednesday as he de-clared the U.S. would “not be intimidated” by the Islamic State mili-tants’ acts of “barba-rism.”

“Whatever these mur-derers think they’ll achieve by killing inno-cent Americans like Ste-ven, they have already failed,” Obama said. “We will not forget, and our reach is long and justice will be served.”

The Sunni militant group released the video Tuesday purport-edly showing Sotloff shortly before and after his death. In the video, a black-clad militant declares that Sotloff ’s killing was retaliation for the U.S. airstrike Obama has ordered on Islamic State targets in northern Iraq.

“Just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will

continue to strike the necks of your people,” the man says.

The video was re-leased hours before President Obama left Washington for Esto-nia, where he is meet-ing with Baltic leaders before heading to Wales for a NATO summit. At a press conference Wednesday morning, Obama expressed his condolences for Sotl-off ’s family and praised Sotloff as a journalist who “deeply loved the Islamic world.”

Sotloff, a 31-year-old freelance journalist who wrote for such out-lets as Time magazine and Foreign Policy, was kidnapped shortly after crossing into Syria in August 2013. Two weeks ago, he appeared in vid-eo showing the behead-ing of fellow American journalist James Foley. In that video, a militant in a similar black mask and speaking English with British accent threatened that Sotloff would be next.

Obama has contin-ued the air campaign

against the group de-spite the threats. The Islamic State has seized large pieces of north-ern and western Iraq in its campaign to estab-lish a caliphate across the region.

Unlike some nations, the U.S. does not nego-tiate or pay ransom for hostages, officials say. Earlier this summer, Obama authorized a raid on an Islamic State camp in Syria in an at-tempt to rescue Sotloff, Foley and others be-lieved to be to held by the group, but no hos-tages were found at the site.

Obama has said he is considering striking Islamic State forces in

Syria, although he ac-knowledged he hopes to more fully develop a strategy for such action as he consults with al-lies in coming days.

Asked Wednesday whether his goal was to destroy the group, also known as ISIL, or mere-ly contain it, Obama tried to set realistic aims. He compared the group to al-Qaida, say-ing “there’s always go-ing to be remnants that can cause havoc.”

“Our object is to make sure that ISIL is not an ongoing threat to the re-gion and we can accom-plish that,” he said. “It’s going to take some time; it’s going to take some effort.”

Whatever these murderers think they’ll achieve by killing innocent Americans like Steven, they have already failed. We will not forget, and our reach is long and justice will be served.

— President Obama

Obama: U.S. won’t be intimidated

SAN FRANCISCO — At age 30, Zachary Rosen has three startups to his name and thousands of miles logged on his bi-cycle. The serial entre-preneur founded Chap-ter Three, a web design consulting business, in 2006, not long after drop-ping out of the Univer-sity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Chapter Three was barely off the ground when he be-gan building Mission Bicycle Company, an in-dependent bike shop in San Francisco’s Mission District.

But his latest under-taking, Pantheon, is Rosen’s largest project. Housed in San Francis-co’s Chinatown neigh-borhood, Pantheon, which has raised $28 million from investors, offers professional web designers a platform to build their websites. Pantheon takes care of the back-end technical requirements for run-ning a website — setting up the server, install-ing an operating sys-tem, building a firewall and keeping hackers out, managing traffic and making sure there aren’t any bugs.

ROSEN’S TECH ca-reer started with his love of politics. He was still a teenager when he dropped out of col-

lege to work for Howard Dean, who in 2004 was running a presidential campaign out of Burl-ington, Vt., where Rosen helped build one of the first Internet-driven po-litical campaigns.

Rosen took a break from his three jobs and bicycle trips around San Francisco to talk with the San Jose Mercury News. His comments have been edited for clarity and length.

Q: Did you get in-volved in the Howard Dean campaign because you were a true support-er of him, or because you thought it would be a fun way to spend some time in Vermont?

A: I was a true sup-porter. He was taking stances on issues in a very upfront, honest, di-rect and combative way, which I thought was right at the time. The campaign had a very simple premise — he was an outside candi-date and it was a long-shot campaign, and the only option to put Dean in a good position was via the Internet, and bypass all the $2,000 din-ners and the traditional fundraising models. In my view, we kind of in-vented this low-dollar, broad-based Internet campaign model, which Obama used to great success.

Zack Rosen, CEO and co-founder of Pantheon, at the company’s San Francisco headquarters. Rosen also co-founded Mission Bicycle, a popular bike shop. Bay Area News Group/Karl Mondon

Rosen building better bicycles

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Fewer than one-quarter of Missouri’s 520 public school districts are using a new staff evalua-tion model developed by the state Department of Elementary and Second-ary Education.

The department says half of the districts are using their own evalua-tion systems that align with the seven key evalua-tion principles developed by the agency. It says 28 percent are using an eval-uation model developed

by the University of Mis-souri and 22 percent are using the state’s model.

One of the state’s new guidelines calls for stu-dent performance mea-sures to be used when evaluating staff.

A proposal on Mis-

souri’s November ballot would require student performance data to be the majority factor in staff evaluations that are used in determining which teachers to retain and how much to pay them.

Most Mo. schools using own evaluations