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THE IOLA REGISTER Thursday, September 19, 2013
Shaken, not scared Boy recovers from snake bite; expert offers advice
By STEVEN SCHWARTZ steven@iolaregister.com
Gage Scheibmeir stands next to an inflatable snake that was bought for him after he was released from the hospital. He was bitten by a copperhead snake on Sept. 7. REGISTER/STEVEN SCHWARTZ At right is a photo of the type of copperhead native to Kansas.
The number one rule is to never pick up a snake. Giving healthy respect and space will go a long way.
It seemed the little things made all the difference for an Iola boy, Gage Scheibmeir, on the evening of Sept. 7 — the “little pinch” that turned a fun day at the lake into a nightmare and the steps his family took to protect him. Gage, 8, was bitten by a young copperhead snake while carrying garbage to a trash can at Chaparral Lake, near Mound City. He, along with his family and friends, were spending the day fishing and swimming at the lake. The snake was poised at the bottom of the trash can, and struck when he came near. It bit him on the right side of his right foot. “It felt like something pinched me,” Gage said. His parents, Sha-Donna and Chris, had taught him about snakes at an early age; he knew exactly what had happened, and he spotted the snake. He returned to his parents, who sprung to action when they found out what had happened. Sha-Donna began “milking” his leg to force the venom out of the wound. Chris, along with a few others, found the snake, killed it and put it in a bag. The group called 911 within about five minutes — ShaDonna admitted “it felt like forever” — they drove Gage to the entrance of the lake area and met a CareFlight helicopter. “They freaked out, I stayed calm,”
— Trent McCown, KDWP park manager and certified EMT
See SNAKE | Page A5
Banding together for a friend Benefit to aid cancer patient By KAYLA BANZET kayla@iolaregister.com
One day can change everything. Laura Kustanborter and her fiancé, Justin Houk, diligently had been working to open a new restaurant in Humboldt. One day Kustanborter started experiencing discomfort, which sent her to the emergency room. Later she learned there was a grapefruit sized tumor behind her uterus and spots on her spleen and kidneys. Within a week of the news, Kustanborter went into surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible and had a complete hysterectomy. Enough malignancy remained that doctors determined she will have to undergo four to five months of chemotherapy. The news sent shock waves through the Humboldt and Iola communities and her friends decided to band together and help their friend in See BENEFIT | Page A6
Keaton celebration enters its 21st year By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
Buster Keaton will be the entertainment rage hereabouts, starting Friday of next week and continuing through Saturday (Sept. 2728), with the 21st annual Buster Keaton Celebration. Most activities, which annually draw fans of the silent screen genius from many states and several for-
eign countries, will unfold in the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. No charge is made for any events, but, organizers said, “donations are very much appreciated, this year more than ever.” The event is steeped in tradition and none more so than the first-day 10 a.m. pilgrimage to the Buster Keaton Museum in Piqua, with the caravan starting from the Bowlus See KEATON | Page A6
Making monster magic Allison Chase demonstrates how to transform someone into the living dead Wednesday night at the Iola Public Library, in applying makeup to Brandon Baker’s face. Chase is a professional makeup artist originally from Iola. REGISTER/KAYLA BANZET
Law has Kan. voters on hold 17,100 halted due to proof-ofcitizenship law By JOHN HANNA AP Political Writer
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Four times as many prospective Kansas voters have their registrations on hold for failing to meet a proof-of-citizenship requirement than for all other reasons combined, state statistics show.
Quote of the day Vol. 115, No.230
Kansans with registrations on hold can’t legally cast ballots. A law that took effect in January requires new Kansas voters to produce a birth certificate, passport or other papers documenting their U.S. citizenship, but election officials also put registrations on hold for other reasons, such as when people fill out registration forms improperly or register before turning 18. Kansas had about 21,300 voter registrations on hold this week, and more than 17,100 — 80 percent of the total — were for people who hadn’t met the
“Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact.” — George Eliot 75 Cents
proof-of-citizenship requirement. The secretary of state’s office provided the figures to The Associated Press. Most voters whose registrations are on hold filled out their forms at a driver’s license office, the secretary of state’s office says. Kansas requires anyone obtaining a new license to document that they’re living in the U.S. legally, but the Department of Revenue, which oversees licensing, has backed away from requiring anyone renewing a See VOTERS | Page A5
Hi: 92 Lo: 65 Iola, KS