The
IOLA REGISTER Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Locally owned since 1867
Merger ‘on city’s shoulders’
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From left, Isabella, Zoe and Micah Sneed buy fireworks Tuesday afternoon.
PREPPED FOR A ‘POP’ “
“We have jumped in the middle of the river on this,” Commissioner Tom Williams said. “We’ll drown if the city does not meet us halfway.” Commission Chairman Dick Works said the proposal would seem similar to the city council, mainly because it reflects several proposals they have approved in the past. “The majority of us think it’s not the best solution, but it’s a workable solution,” Works said. Iola Mayor Joel Wicoff and Iola City Administrator Carl Slaugh attended the meeting Tuesday, in order to discuss the status of negotiations between the two entities. One thing both governing bodies can agree upon - they are ready for discussions to end. “I think it needs to be a give-and-take,” Wicoff said. “Let’s just get it done and get on with it.” The proposal, which Weber said totals a mere four pages in length, will be given to the city council members immediately before Monday’s meeting. Williams noted the importance of the contract proposal, and reiterated how much the county has changed its position to move toward a resolution. “It’s on your shoulders and the city’s shoulders to meet us halfway,” Williams said to Slaugh and Wicoff. iff
Last-minute idea a hit for animal shelter
See ACARF | Page A5
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press
Jerry Diltz has been selling fireworks for 32 years, but it has become much more than a business. “It’s what you call ‘in our blood,’” Diltz said as he sat in a shady spot near his fireworks stand in Gas, next to his daughter Heather Wooten. It started very simply. “I liked to shoot them, so I got into it,” he said. Diltz grew up in Allen County, before moving to Wichita and then on to Wyoming. He returns every year for a family reunion of sorts, to sell fireworks and see his family. “It’s been my whole life,” Wooten said. They both are federally certified to sell and shoot class-B explosives, or fireworks, professionally. Their family, including Diltz’s son, two son-in-laws and Wooten, coordinate the Gas fireworks show every year. The show is free. Profits from the fireworks stand fund the
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama’s health care law, hailed as his most significant legislative achievement, seems to be losing much of its sweep. On Tuesday, the administration unexpectedly announced a one-year delay, until after the 2014 elections, in a central requirement of the law that medium and large companies provide coverage for their workers or face fines. Separately, opposition in the states from Republican governors and legislators has steadily undermined a Medicaid expansion that had been expected to provide coverage to some 15 million low-income people. Tuesday’s move — which caught administration allies and adversaries by surprise — sacrificed timely implementation of Obama’s signature legislation but might help Democrats politically by blunting an election-year line of attack Republicans were planning to use. The employer requirements are among the most complex parts of the
See FAMILY| Page A6
See DELAY | Page A5
Kelly Macha, left, and Virginia Macha
Fireworks stand a family affair By STEVEN SCHWARTZ steven@iolaregister.com
Photos by Steven Schwartz
Jerry Diltz, left, and Heather Wooten
Incident a cautionary tale It was a freak occurrence, a one-in-a-million accident that put Iolan Trena Jacobs in the hospital for 10 days, and left her with nightmares for weeks and months afterward. As Thursday’s July 4 festivities are set to commence, Jacobs admits she’s unsure how she’ll react the first time she sees a ball of flaming sparks arc toward the sky. “I know I couldn’t even watch them on TV for a while,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs, her family and some friends - some more reluctantly than others - will gather Thursday evening for a quiet July 4 celebration, one year to the day after she suffered burns to her left hand and buttocks. The physical injuries have healed, for the most part. Her hands still swell in hot weather, to the point she cannot remove her wedding ring if she walks outside. “I have to be careful when I’m cooking, especially if I’m around steam,” she said. “My hands blister easily. It’ll be that way for a couple more See INCIDENT | Page A5
Vol. 115, No.176
There are many reasons Iola snagged the attention of the new USD 257 superintendent, Jack Koehn. The schools’ curriculum, the college and being closer to his family are a few reasons and his time here so far has been a pleasant one. “I haven’t met anyone who isn’t Jack Koehn f r i e n d l y, ” Koehn, 53, said Tuesday in his new office. Koehn’s first day in the district was Monday. Before coming to Iola he was the assistant superintendent for USD 419, Canton-Galva Unified, which is near McPherson. He has dedicated many
Health care law delayed
Virginia Macha already had her banners purchased on June 25, before her fireworks stand even had approval; “always an optimist” her husband, Larry Macha, said. She had the idea two weeks prior to the deadline, in June, to sell fireworks and give all of the proceeds to the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility, or ACARF. “It’s hard to find different avenues of revenue for ACARF,” Macha said. Her husband is president of the ACARF board. She contacted the owners of Jake’s Fireworks, the Mariettas, who are good friends. She found herself sitting in Jason Marietta’s office, pitching the idea to him for support. “I hope you make a fortune for those dogs,” he said, after agreeing to be the distributor for their site. She sent off for their sale license from the state, and received approval - they had two days to prepare for their first day of sales.
Bryan Murphy came
By RICHARD LUKEN richard@iolaregister.com
www.iolaregister.com
See KOEHN | Page A5
By STEVEN SCHWARTZ steven@iolaregister.com
ALLEN COUNTY SherSee COUNTY | Page A6
See B1
By KAYLA BANZET kayla@iolaregister.com
Allen County Commissioners are “reaching out” in hopes to move toward a conclusion in EMS merger discussions with the city. During their meeting Tuesday morning, commissioners approved a contract proposal, drafted with County Counselor Alan Weber, to be presented to the Iola City Council on Monday night. The document has not been made available to the public.
— Tom Williams, County Commissioner
Iola crushes Chanute
Koehn joins USD 257
By STEVEN SCHWARTZ steven@iolaregister.com
We have jumped in the middle of the river on this. We’ll drown if the city does not meet us halfway.
BASEBALL
Iola Municipal Band -Since 1871Thursday, 8 p.m.
At the bandstand
Jake Ard, director
Star Spangled Banner......................................Arr. J.P. Sousa Americans We............................................... Fillmore America the Beautiful.......................................Arr. Moffit Armed Forces Salute........................................Arr. Lowden National Emblem............................................E.E. Bagley Take Me Out To The Ball Game............................ Arr. Morbach This Land Is Your Land.......................................Guthrie Emblem of Unity.............................................J.J. Richards Don’t Fence Me In...........................................Porter Stars and Stripes Forever....................................J.P. Sousa Trena Jacobs
Rained out concerts are scheduled the following evening.
75 Cents
Iola, KS