RIVALRY SWEEP: Allen squads knock off Neosho County.
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THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Teens target smoking dangers By RICK DANLEY The Iola Register
Last year, a survey taken by students at Marmaton Valley, Humboldt and Iola high schools revealed that the percentage of teenage smokers in Allen County is nearly twice the state average. “The Kansas average for students who smoke is only 12.83 percent,” explained Elizabeth Hopkins, the local Drug-Free Communities “youth mobilizer.” “In Allen County, that percentage is 21.86. Smoking here is way up.” For nearly 40 years, the American Cancer Society has promoted the third Thursday of every November (reader, that’s today) as the Great American Smokeout, an antismoking advocacy campaign that 1) encourages current smokers to pocket their cigarettes for the day — with the idea that it could be the first of many — and 2) seeks to warn young people off the habit by highlighting its morbid consequences. The Allen County MultiSee SMOKING | Page A5
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Hearings in Cook case pushed to January By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Death by smoking was outlined on the sidewalk outside Humboldt Middle School Wednesday afternoon. Marking chalk lines around Leigh-Anne Bartlett, a freshman, are Alyssa Hosey, left, an Allen Community College student from Tulsa, and Emily Clark, another Humboldt freshman. In the background doing an image independently is Hope Everett-Snyder, a seventh grader. At left, Drug-Free Communities youth mobilizer Elizabeth Hopkins, along with freshman Gaby Lampe, left, and Alexis Heslop, right, have been busy advocating today’s Great American Smokeout. REGISTER /BOB JOHNSON (ABOVE) AND RICK DANLEY
The preliminary hearing for one of the five suspects accused of the murder of Iolan Shawn Cook will not occur before the new Shawn Cook year. Allen County Attorney Jerry Hathaway told the Register Wednesday that Rhonda Jackson — originally scheduled to have her preliminary hearing Dec. 2 — instead will have another status hearing that day. Jackson, 50, is charged with first-degree murder, along with Amber Boeken, 25, Joshua Knapp, 35, James Myers, 60, and Jessica EptSee COOK | Page A5
Election clouds Medicaid expansion forecast in Kansas By JIM MCLEAN KHI News Service
Medicaid expansion advocates in Kansas say they’ll move forward with legislation despite national election results that signal a repeal of Obamacare. But they are a lot less optimistic about their chances
than they were before a nonprofit advocacy last week. group formed to push “There is still sigfor the expansion of nificant support in KanCare, the state’s Kansas for expandprivatized Medicaid ing KanCare both program. in the public and Jordan is techniamong legislators,” cally correct. Primary said David Jordan, David Jordan and general election director of the Allivictories by dozens ance for a Healthy Kansas, of moderate Republicans and
Democrats appear to have given expansion advocates majorities in both the Kansas House and Senate. But that may not matter given the results of the presidential election and those that preserved Republican majorities in Congress. They all but ensure that substantial changes will be made in
the federal health reform law that gives states financial incentives to expand their Medicaid programs. “Clearly, this changes the landscape,” said Tom Bell, president and CEO of the Kansas Hospital Association, which maintains that expanSee MEDICAID | Page A5
A TOUCH OF HISTORY
Hunts on stage Saturday The Hunts, a self-described “harmony-laced take on alt-folk” music vocal group, will grace the Bowlus Fine Arts Center stage Saturday night.
Tickets remain available for the 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets sell for $18 for orchestra seating and $15 for the balcony. (Student tickets sell for half price.)
Share your Thanksgiving plans A Register holiday tradition of readers sharing their Thanksgiving holiday plans returns Wednesday. All it takes is a sentence or two telling us who will be around your table or lounging in front of the TV watching a parade or a slew of football games. We’re hoping to hear from one and all. Our deadline to receive in-
formation is Monday. Thre are five easy ways to send your info: 1. E-mail to news@iolaregister.com. 2. Give us a call at (620) 365-2111. 3. Send us a fax to (620) 365-6289. 4. Leave a message on the Iola Register’s Facebook page. 5. Stop by our offices at 302 S. Washington.
Quote of the day Vol. 119, No. 17
Lincoln Elementary third-grader Brandi Frame, center, feels one of the wild animal pelts on display during a class field trip Wednesday to the Allen County Historical Society Museum. She was joined by classmates, back from left, Braeden Frame, Mack Crawford-Davis and ACHS volunteer Pauli Hawk. In the foreground is third-grader Hayden Kelley. The students are learning about Allen County history in social studies, instructor Audrey Gardner explained. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
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