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Thursday, March 3, 2022
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3 die in house fire at Greeley By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
GREELEY — Two adults and a child died in a house fire in Greeley on Wednesday morning. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Anderson County Sheriff ’s Department and the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office, according to a report from Anderson County Fire and Emergency Management. The fire was reported a little before 7 a.m., and dispatchers did not know at that time if occupants were inside. Heavy fire was visible when Greeley firefighters arrived at the two-story structure, and the fire spread rapidly through the home. “Once the fire was brought See FIRE | Page A6
Red Devil revelry! Chris Dixon is hoisted up by his ACC teammates after the Red Devils defeated rival Neosho County, 86-79, to win the Region VI-II semifinals Wednesday night at Allen Community College. With the victory, Allen advances to Saturday’s championship game in Salina. They face Johnson County for a berth in the upcoming national tournament. A win would give Allen its first regional title since 1924. Full details on the thrilling win are on Page B1. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Trio’s efforts help foster kids adjust By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
It’s difficult for a child to go to a foster home. Not only are they leaving behind everything that is familiar, those who are placed during an emergency may not have all the personal supplies they need. A group of three Iola High School students want to make that process a little bit easier. They sewed blankets and filled backpacks with supplies to give to children who are entering a foster home. It’s part of a community service project for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). The team includes Maddy McVey, a sophomore; Kinsey Schinstock, a freshman; and Jess Kroenke, a junior. The girls took second place at a district STAR Events contest in Yates Center on Feb. 9, which qualifies the project for state. The idea for the project came from conversations with McVey’s mother, who is a social worker, and learned about the plight of children who en-
Allen County COVID-19 Case Count
Cases since 2/28 .....3 Total cases* ...........3,939 Deaths ..................46 *Since the start of the pandemic Sources: Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Departments, Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Iola season ends at Bishop Miege
Iola High School FCCLA students Maddy McVey, from left, Kinsey Schinstock and Jess Kroenke sewed blankets and filled backpacks with items to help foster children adjust when they are placed in a new home. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS ter the foster care system. “They don’t really have things they need,” McVey said. “They don’t have their personal items so they feel really alone.”
Kroenke said she was inspired to work on the project because she knew friends who had been in foster care. It took a great deal of work to make the project a reality.
They each sewed blankets and divided the work into three sets of 10 for a total of 30 backpacks. They separated them into different age cateSee FCCLA | Page A2
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KDOT pours bridge deck near Moran PAGE A3
Russian forces seize key Ukrainian port, pressure others KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces seized a strategic Ukrainian port and besieged another Thursday in a bid to cut the country off from the sea, as the two sides headed for another round of talks aimed at ending the fighting that has sent more than 1 million people fleeing over Ukraine’s borders. Moscow’s attempt to quick-
Vol. 124, No. 107 Iola, KS $1.00
ly take over the Ukrainian capital has apparently stalled, but the military has made significant gains in the south as part of efforts to sever the country’s connection to Black and Azov seas. The Russian military said it had control of Kherson, and local Ukrainian officials confirmed that forces have taken over local government head-
quarters in the Black Sea port of 280,000, making it the first major city to fall since the invasion began a week ago. Elsewhere, the Russians pressed their offensive on multiple fronts, though a column of tanks and other vehicles outside the capital of Kyiv has made little progress in recent days. Heavy fighting continued Thursday on the
outskirts of another strategic port city on the Azov Sea, Mariupol, plunging it into darkness, isolation and fear. Electricity and phone connections are largely down, and homes and shops are facing food and water shortages. Without phone connections, medics didn’t know where to take the wounded. In just seven days of
fighting, more than 2% of Ukraine’s population has been forced out of the country, according to the tally the U.N. refugee agency released to The Associated Press. The mass evacuation could be seen in Kharkiv, a city of about 1.4 million people and Ukraine’s second-largest. Residents desperate to escape falling shells See UKRAINE | Page A6
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