Wednesday, September 16, 2020
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Candidate in town to listen
IMS volleyball hosts Wellsville
By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
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Local businesses receive grants
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Louisville to pay $12M to Breonna Taylor’s family PAGE A3 More Kansans believe in global warming
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A Republican for much of her life, Barbara Bollier said those roots run deep. “I’m still very fiscally responsible,” she said. “And I can work across the aisle.” After 43 years as a registered Republican and 10 years as a GOP lawmaker, Bollier, 62, became a Democrat in 2018, when as a state senator she objected to the Republican party’s discriminatory stance on gay rights, specifically same-sex marriage, as well as its opposition to Medicaid expansion. As a physician, Bollier takes both issues personally. What makes a person unique, she argues, is more than their chromosomal makeup. Bollier also regards providing healthcare as “our moral imperative to take care of each other,” she said Tuesday in a visit to Iola. BOLLIER,
retired
from
Daniel Gile, manager of G&W Foods, talks to candidate Barbara Bollier during a tour of the grocery store Tuesday. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN medicine, is now trying to take her career as a lawmaker to the next level. She is running for the U.S. Senate to replace outgoing Pat Roberts.
She faces Republican Rep. Roger Marshall. On Tuesday, Bollier visited with Daniel Gile, manager of G&W Foods, and Lisse
Regehr, chief executive officer of Thrive Allen County, to hear of their experiences See VISIT | Page A5
Efforts underway to build walking trail to new school site By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
One of the potential hurdles to extending the Missouri Pacific Trail through east Iola has been cleared, even before the project has entered the city’s radar. Iola City Council members approved the purchase of a parcel of land at 308 N. First St. for $1,500. The land held a recently de-
molished house that had been condemned by the city because of its unsafe condition. It also happens to be the only portion of the old Missouri Pacific Rail Line that Iola did not have sufficient easements necessary to extend the walking and biking trail from downtown Iola to the new Iola Elementary School site. Rather than be fitted with the entire $3,275 demolition bill, the property owners have
agreed to deed the property to the city for the trail project, whenever it begins. Minus Iola’s $1,500 purchase price, the owners will pay the remaining $1,750 for the demolition costs. The property contains two lots, roughly 180 feet by 50 feet, Interim City Administrator Corey Schinstock said. With dirt work progressing at the school site, extending the trail, which stretches from Iola High School to State
Moran ambulance station christened By TREVOR HOAG The Iola Register
The new ambulance station at Moran celebrated its grand opening Tuesday, along with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Allen County commissioners. “It’s a big deal for us,” said commissioner Bill King, in reference to the facility. “Taking care of the commu-
nity. That’s what this is all about.” He then thanked a long list of people responsible for helping to make the new station a reality, including Mike and Jamie Stodgell who donated land for the project. “There’s been so many people involved in getting this done,” echoed commissioner Jerry Daniels. “From Mildred down to
Savonburg, this is going to take care of you,” he said, and also mentioned an existing agreement whereby the station will help western Bourbon County as well. “It’ll secure and help the communities over here for decades to come.” AT THE REGULAR weekly commission meeting, See COUNTY | Page A3
Mike and Jamie Stodgell, who donated land for the Moran ambulance station, cut the ribbon at the facility’s grand opening ceremony. REGISTER/TREVOR HOAG
Street, farther to the east has been listed as a city priority. The demolition and removal of the structure facilitated the conversation of property acquisition a bit earlier than the city had planned, Schinstock said. “With that being said, this property should be the only acquisition needed to extend the current trail to the new elementary school site.” Looking even further down the road, the trail could be extended even farther, to Iola’s
eastern city limits, near the Sterling Six Cinemas and Super 8 Motel, Schinstock noted. IOLA employees will pay a tad more for health insurance, but will be allowed to keep their existing plans in place. Council members approved premium hikes of 2.5% for both single coverage and family plans. See CITY | Page A5
California intern learns to build community ties By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
Californian Anya Poplavska came to Allen County this summer to learn more about the Midwest and work on environmental projects. She left last week with a better understanding about what it means to be part of a community. Her introduction to Allen County, though, came with an eye-opening city council meeting in a small town. She felt the judgmental stare from a local resident, who seemed to be sizing her up as a West Coast elitist. “I’d never experienced anything like that, and it was a taste of my own medicine,” she said. “It made me realize we like to put people in boxes. We think we understand people before we even get to know them.” Poplavska spent just about a month in Iola, working as an intern for Thrive Allen County. Though it was a relatively brief time, she took advantage of the opportunity to
Anya Poplavska throw herself into a couple of projects she hopes will benefit the community for years to come. More importantly, she said, she challenged her own assumptions and developed a greater appreciation for the region. “It’s so clear people in this town are dedicated to the health and wellness of the See INTERN | Page A6
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