Inside: Humboldt pantry goes all out See A6
Football: Injuries mount for the Chiefs
THE IOLA REGISTER Tuesday, November 26, 2013
A THANKFUL HEART
The Casners have a lot to be grateful for this holiday season By STEVEN SCHWARTZ The Iola Register
Raef Casner and his family have plenty to be thankful for this holiday season. Just one year ago, a doctor looked his mother, Lea Casner, in the eyes and delivered some hard news. If Raef didn’t receive a liver transplant soon, his days were numbered. “You’re looking at three months,” the doctor said, according to Lea. “He (Raef) never knew that.” But this story has a happy ending. Raef, 12, and his brother Evan, 10, rustled around the classroom in Jefferson Elementary where Lea works, laughing, fighting and running around the tables and chairs. “I’m so thankful for having my son back,” Lea said. Thankful for being alive
In August of 2012, right before Raef was slated to start fifth grade at Jefferson, he complained of not feeling well.
Eventually he became so sick he couldn’t walk. A CAT scan at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City revealed things had taken a turn for the worse. “He had a tumor the size of a grapefruit on his liver, and it had ruptured,” Lea said. He was diagnosed with stage II hepatoblastoma, a rare form of liver cancer normally seen in toddlers and infants. “It was so odd, that type of cancer,” Lea said. “He is a national case. At Harvard, his case is in the books.” He was immediately placed on chemotherapy and admitted to the hospital. Two days later, doctors performed a liver resection taking 80 percent of his liver in the process of removing the tumor. He and his family returned home under close scrutiny and a chemotherapy regimen with medication. Then, in October, he began having seizures as a side effect of the therapy. “I was on the phone like that,” his mother said, with a snap of her fingers. He was careflighted back to Children’s Mercy, while Lea was forced to drive there by herself. “That was so hard.” See CASNER | Page A3
I have no idea of all the people that helped. I mean, being a single parent and going through that. I just thought, ‘this is our city,’ that kept us going. — Lea Casner
From left, are Raef, Lea and Evan Casner. REGISTER/ STEVEN SCHWARTZ
Smith is new undersheriff By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church members, from left, Donna Sifers, Sirena and Denis Lust and Sue O’Connor gather to begin preparation for a community Thanksgiving meal the church will host Thursday. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON
Roy Smith is Allen County’s new undersheriff, replacing Jerry Daniels, who resigned Nov. 18. Smith has 26 years of law enforcement experience, including previous stints as undersheriff in Neosho County, 1991-1997, and under Allen County Sheriff Robbie Atkins, 2003-2005. He has been on the Allen County force since 2001 and carried the rank of captain when he was promoted by Sheriff Bryan Murphy. In addition to law enforcement chores, Smith has been in charge of court security and was involved from day one of Drug Court, which started Jan. 24. “I’m going to continue with court security and see how that works with my undersheriff du-
ties,” which will have him more involved in daily administration of the department, Smith said. Smith grew up north of Emporia and graduated from Northern Heights High School in 1978. He earned an associates degree from Allen Community College and at- Roy Smith tended Emporia State University, before deciding against teaching as a career. After three years of security work with Iowa Beef Processors in Emporia, Smith started his law enforcement career with Council Grove Police DeSee SMITH | Page A3
A chance to help the hungry School boundaries still By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 202 S. Chestnut St., will host its community Thanksgiving meal Thursday for the seventh consecutive year. Serving will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with carry-out available. No charge will be attached but donations will be accepted. Organizers stress the Thanksgiving Day meal is for everyone, not just the down and out. “It isn’t just for people who can’t afford to go elsewhere,” said Sue O’Connor, a parishioner who helps organize the meal. “It’s fellowship for the community.” Plans are to feed as many as 200 Thursday, but just 50 at a time because of the size of the dining area, said Donna Sifers, another stalwart of the church. Those who wish to carry out a meal should call 3657306 on Thursday to alert church workers
that they will be by. The Episcopalians began providing the Thanksgiving community meal after the flood of 2007. “We saw people out of work and with nowhere to go,” Sifers said. “It was something that needed to be done for the community,” said O’Connor. FOR 10 YEARS now the church has also provided monthly meals to the public. Donations from each meal pay forward for the purchase of food for the next month’s meals as well as for weekend food supplies for elementary and middle school students, Sifers said. About 80 students at McKinley and Jefferson benefit from the church’s program. Employees at Sonic Equipment do the same for 50 middle school and Lincoln Elementary students.
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 23
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in ‘rough draft’ phase By KAYLA BANZET The Iola Register
The design of new school district boundaries for USD 257 has some bugs to be worked out. A rough draft of a new map was presented at Monday night’s board of education meeting. And while it was in compliance with the Kansas Association of School Boards, it would be problematic for district elections. The problem with the rough draft is that Ward 4 is not currently represented by a school board member, while Ward 1 represents the area of two members.
“Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” — Mark Twain 75 Cents
“This becomes problematic with board members who have different terms,” said Jack Koehn, superintendent of schools. “I don’t want to put existing board members against each other.” The board made the decision to keep exploring their options of the new boundary lines. Curriculum director Angie Linn informed the board she is reviewing math textbooks. She said she has spoken to other districts to see what they are working with. “I’ve taken suggestions from See BOUNDARIES | Page A6
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