Inside: Hospital recognized for employee health See A3
Sports: Iola athletes claim league track gold medals See B1
2017 1867
The Weekender Saturday, May 13, 2017
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CELEBRATING MOTHERS
Mom’s support leads to daughter’s success
Thompson’s love fueled by admiration
By SHELLIE SMITLEY The Iola Register
By SHELLIE SMITLEY The Iola Register
Kim Ensminger said it is her mother’s moral support that has contributed to her own s u c c e s s Kim as prin- Ensminger cipal of Marmaton Valley High School. Ensminger’s mother, Beverly Welborn, 81, has a tendency to put others ahead of herself. She is caring, thoughtful and a hard worker, Ensminger said. It is those traits that have been passed down and serve her daughter well. “She’s been an excellent model as far as how to put forth time, how to earn respect
There is a mom who lives in Batesv i l l e , Ark., who makes the best pies around, according to her Tony son, Allen Thompson County Regional Hospital Administrator, Tony Thompson. “In fact my favorite is coconut creme pie,” he said. Carolyn Jean Thompson is an 82-year-old mother of four, grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of seven. She was born in Batesville, Ark., and grew up in Bethesda, where she graduated from high school. She worked at a shoe factory for
Beverly Welborn, seen here with her grandson, Bryce, is a Proverbs 31 woman, according to her daughter, Marmaton Valley High School Principal Kim Ensminger. COURTESY PHOTO from other people and how to serve others,” Ensminger said. Welborn was born in Peculiar, Mo., during the latter part of the Depression. She grew up on a farm close to the Richards/Gebaur Air Force Base. “Her earliest childhood memories of are
War World II,” said Ensminger. “She remembers planes flying over it at night.” Ensminger said her mom enjoys sharing childhood stories that unfolded in a close-knit community. “Lots of ‘choring’ See EARLY | Page A8
Carolyn Bell Thompson holds her great-granddaughter, Caroline Harper Bullard. Thompson is the mother of Tony Thompson, Allen County Regional Hospital administrator. COURTESY PHOTO a short time before marrying Marion Thompson,who had an 18-month-old daughter, Sherry. Carolyn instantly became a stayat-home mom, caring
for Sherry, and eventually Tony and his two other siblings. When her youngest turned six, Carolyn re-entered See LOVE | Page A6
Trump lashes out after firing backlash WASHINGTON (AP) — In an ominous warning, President Donald Trump declared Friday that fired FBI Director James Comey had better hope there are no “tapes” of their private conversations. Trump’s tweet came the morning after he asserted Comey had told him three times he wasn’t under FBI investigation. Later, White House press secretary Sean Spicer repeatedly refused to address whether recording devices had been placed in the White House. He dismissed the notion that the president threatened the former FBI director. “The president has nothing further to add on that,” Spicer said when questioned about a recording system. “The tweet speaks for itself.” Comey has not confirmed Trump’s account of discussions that included the FBI’s probe of Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and allegations of Trump
Donald Trump campaign collaboration with the Russians. On Friday, a person close to the former director recounted a Comey-Trump dinner in January at which Trump asked for a pledge of loyalty. Comey declined, instead offering honesty. When Trump then pressed for “honest loy-
alty,” Comey told him, “You will have that,” recounted the Comey associate. Spicer denied on Friday that Trump asked Comey to pledge his loyalty, insisting that the president simply “wants loyalty to this country and the rule of law.” Details of the dinner were first reported by The New York Times. Trump, in an interview Thursday with NBC News, had this version: “I said, ‘If it’s possible, would you let me know, am I under investigation?’ He said you are not under investigation.” Trump said the discussions happened in two phone calls and at a dinner in which Comey was asking to keep his job. The president tweeted early Friday, “James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” His comment again raised
Puzzle-solver Levi Meiwes, a precocious Iola Middle School eighth-grader, gave Iola Rotarians a tutorial on how to solve a Rubik’s Cube Thursday. After demonstrating step-by-step the cube’s solution, to the bewilderment of most, he put all colors of the nine small squares on one side each in 1 minute and 3 seconds. His personal record is 49 seconds. The world record, he said, is an unfathomable 3.5 seconds. REGISTER/
See TRUMP | Page A3
BOB JOHNSON
Drug Court grads celebrated By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Seven Drug Court graduates were celebrated Thursday in an emotional ceremony filled with applause, hugs and a few tears. Hosting the ceremony was District Judge Daniel Creitz, who noted the graduates have a high standard to meet. Since its inception into the 31st Judicial District in 2013, the Drug Court’s 39 graduates have remained notably clean. Only two of the 39 have “re-entered” the system due
Judge Dan Creitz, left, applauds as Jacob Beard, right, gets a hug from Charles Towne, his court services officer during Drug Court graduation ceremonies Thursday. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Quote of the day Vol. 119, No. 139
“I liked myself better when I wasn’t me.”
— Carol Burnett, legend 75 Cents
to drug arrests, Creitz said. “As addicts, you know that’s a remarkable number,” Creitz told the graduates. Each of the seven graduates gave short speeches thanking those who assisted along their road to recovery. One graduate described herself as “going from a hopeless dope addict to a dopeless hope addict.” PRIOR to the ceremony, Creitz greeded the other 15 or so participants in various See COURT | Page A6
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