Football: Mustangs face another tough test
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THE IOLA REGISTER Thursday, October 24, 2013
Area politics heating up Otto considering race for house By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Bill Otto may take another shot at being elected to the Kansas House of Representatives, now that Jeff Freeman, 53, Le Roy, is out of the race for the 76th District seat. He had intended to support Freeman. Otto, 65, Le Roy, told the Register he was taking a hard look at the race to represent Coffey and parts of Lyon and Osage counties. He was Allen County’s go-to Ninth District voice in the Legislature until redistricting shoved him into Peggy Mast’s neighborhood. Mast won a three-person 2012 Republican primary with 46.9 percent of the vote. Otto got 33.1 percent, Willie Prescott 19.8 percent. Mast went on to win election over Democrat Janet Lewis in November 2012 in landslide fashion, with 63.8 percent of the vote. Early this month Freeman, a former legislator and more recently a federal lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, said he would seek the Republican nomination for the 76th District seat, thinking that Mast had decided not to run. When he learned Mast would be a candidate, Freeman pulled out of the race and said he would support her, that his candidacy resulted from miscommunication. “She’s done a good job and is the better person” for the legislative position, Freeman told the Register. Mast, 65, Emporia, first was elected to the House in 1996, and has been re-elected in every biennial election
since. Otto said he “considered running before” Freeman’s short-lived entrance to the race and “I’m considering it again,” with Freeman on the sidelines. The filing deadline is June 2. A former teacher and public school administrator, Otto said he favored “more money for education,” which Bill Otto has been plagued by cuts in state aid in recent years, first because of the recession and more recently in deference to Gov. Sam Brownback and the Legislature’s insistence on cutting income taxes. He pointed out that the income tax reductions weren’t cuts at all, rather a shift of tax burden to cities, counties and school districts. Otto spent eight years in the House, starting with his election in 2004. AS FOR ALLEN County, Kent Thompson, 49, rural LaHarpe, appointed last week to the 9th District seat after the death of Chanute’s Ed Bideau, is the only person who has indicated interest in the 2014 race. While no candidates other than Thompson have surfaced for the Ninth District seat, legislative races seldom occur without opposition. In the Senate, Caryn Tyson, 50, Parker, is in the second year of her first fouryear term representing the 12th District, which includes Allen County.
Dan Willis pets one of his dogs at his home north of LaHarpe. REGISTER/STEVEN SCHWARTZ
A LASTING EFFECT Once an Eagle, always an Eagle for Dan Willis
By STEVEN SCHWARTZ The Iola Register
Dan Willis’ home sits north of LaHarpe, a large, dark-wood house that overlooks 200 acres along Rock Creek. It’s only fitting that members of Iola Boy Scout Troop 55 use his land for camping trips. “It’s neat to give back this way,” he said. Willis was in the Boy Scouts from 1979 to 1985, when he received his Eagle Scout ranking. While he appreciates it now, he almost didn’t take the time to complete requirements for the lofty ranking. Dr. Jack Lundy was a district executive with the Quivira Scout Council at the time, and pushed “late bloomers,” such as Willis and his son, to complete See WILLIS | Page A5
More than man’s best friend By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Kyla Lankton poses with Arley, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador trained to detect Kyla’s blood sugar level. COURTESY PHOTO
Quote of the day Vol. 115, No. 256
LE ROY — Several Le Roy townspeople are helping raise funds for 7-year-old Kyla Lankton, who has a new companion to help her battle with type I diabetes. Lankton, a second-grade student at Southern Coffey County Elementary School, was diagnosed about a year ago. Her body no longer produces insulin. She must wear an insulin pump 24 hours a day, and closely monitor her diet and activity levels. Her blood sugar level must be monitored constantly. That’s where a new, fourlegged tool enters the picture. Kyla’ parents, Korey and Lacy, recently acquired Arley, a 2-year-old female yellow Labrador, trained to de-
Pulling together
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Terry Sparks, right, hands boxes of food to First Baptist youth group members Wednesday evening. First Baptist donated $1,000 worth of food to the food pantry, which is in dire need of donations. Pastor Mike Quinn said the church’s missions fund paid for the supplies from Walmart. For those interested in donating to the Iola Area Ministerial Alliance’s food pantry, contact the Rev. Phil Honeycutt at 365-5774. REGISTER/STEVEN SCHWARTZ
“It’s amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper.” — Jerry Seinfeld 75 Cents
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