Icy roads were the culprit for this wreck on U.S. 169, north of Chanute Friday afternoon. Two trucks struck each other on the bridge, causing one to collide with the railing. There was a head-on collision on the Neosho River bridge west of Iola as well. Two ambulances were dispatched. REGISTER/STEVEN SCHWARTZ
The Weekender Saturday, February 1, 2014
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KanCare gets OK to assume management of disabled TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is moving ahead with the last piece of overhauling its Medicaid program after receiving federal government permission to turn over management of in-home services for the developmentally disabled to private health insurance companies. The changes state officials announced Thursday will take effect today and affect about 8,500 people receiving services aimed at allowing them to live independently, including health monitoring and help with daily tasks, employment, and financial management. The state’s Medicaid director received approval from a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services administrator in a letter dated Wednesday. The $3 billion-a-year Medicaid program provides medical coverage for about 345,000 poor and disabled Kansans, and last year, the state turned administration of most of the program over to three private health insurance companies. Republican Gov. Sam Brown-
Young duo campaigns for chickens in Iola city limits By STEVEN SCHWARTZ The Iola Register
See KANCARE | Page A4
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evi Meiwes and Jacob Riebel walked out of the Meiwes house and toward the barn, which borders a large metal chicken coop surrounded by wire. “The chickens stopped laying a couple weeks ago,” Levi said. “Now they’re starting up again.” He walked into the hen house, bringing out several light brown eggs. “Not too bad,” he said of the day’s take. The Meiwes farm, northeast of Iola, has nearly all of the barnyard essentials — a horse, pigs, cats, dogs, and of course, chickens. Jacob and Levi spend time working and playing together, but didn’t expect their first experience in government to play out through the avenue of their feathered friends. “I’ve already promised myself I’m not going to become a politician,” Levi said. Jacob, 14, and Levi, 10, recently appeared before the city counSee CHICKENS | Page A4
Lawmakers consider gun bill At top are some of Levi Meiwes’ chickens. Above are Jacob Riebel, 14, and Levi Meiwes, 10, who are campaigning for chickens in Iola. REGISTER/STEVEN SCHWARTZ
Terry Taylor, local to the bone By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
A “no-frills” type of girl. That’s how USD 257 school board clerk Terry Taylor describes herself. “I’m just a simple girl,” she said. “I care about my job, family and community, and I want it to grow. I’m proud of this town.” Taylor grew up on a farm outside of Iola and attended Humboldt High School. “I married a local guy and we’ve always been here,” she said “We raised our kids here and are very proud of the education they got here.” Her husband, Mike Taylor, is the human resource manager at B&W Trailer Hitches. They have been married for 24 years. Taylor said she loves spending time with her family. Her son Corey is a sociology major at McPherson College and plays baseball. Her daughter Erika and grandson Darrien live in Iola and Erika works as a receptionist at B&W. “I like to go and watch Corey’s games,” she said. “Ball has been our life for a long time.” Taylor said she married into a big
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Influential gun rights groups are pushing proposals in Kansas to strip cities and counties of any power to restrict the open carrying of firearms or regulate guns, telling legislators Thursday that a muddle of local rules confuses firearms owners and infringes upon their civil liberties. The Kansas House Federal and State Affairs Committee began two days of hearings on a bill ensuring that the open carrying of firearms
Not a day goes by that our office doesn’t receive calls from people who are confused about the law, who are given conflicting information by various municipalities as to what the law is. I think it’s time we really set this to rest. — Patricia Stoneking, Kansas State Rifle Association
Terry Taylor is the USD 257 Board of Education clerk, and has been working with the district for 18 years. REGISTER/KAYLA BANZET sports family. The kids got their interest from baseball because Mike coaches. “Baseball is his favorite sport and he coached Legion for 24 years so that was the big instigator,” she said.
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 67
Her family lives in Humboldt and his is in Iola. They try to spend as much time together as possible. Taylor said she couldn’t see herself living anywhere else. See TAYLOR | Page A3
“The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.” — John K. Galbraith, economist 75 Cents
is allowed statewide, prohibiting cities and counties from regulating gun and ammunition sales, and voiding existing local ordinances. The measure also prohibits cities and counties from using tax dollars to administer gun buyback programs and prevents local governments from regulating the carrying of knives, even in public buildings. The committee hasn’t set a date See BILL | Page A6
Hi: 35 Lo: 14 Iola, KS