The Iola Register, Nov. 17, 2023 by Iola Register

Friday, November 17, 2023

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Enrollment is underway for health insurance on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace. This year brings several changes. AP PHOTO

Drive-through Thanksgiving Wesley United Methodist Church’s Elizabeth McArdle hands out a free Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday evening. The church served over 450 families, with a small army of 20 volunteers helping put together containers including turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, homemade noodles, green beans and a dessert. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Humanity House receives boost Grants, donations give organization new hope By SARAH HANEY The Iola Register

A series of grants are helping to progress the mission of a local foundation in its efforts to combat poverty. Funds will allow Humanity House to hire a part-time director, a position that’s been vacant since Tracy Call retired in June. Interim director Georgia Masterson, who has been with the organization since its founding in 2016, was recently notified it received a $20,000 grant from REACH Foundation, which seeks to advance health equity through coverage and care for underserved people in the region. Humanity House was also awarded a $75,000 grant from the Health Forward Foundation. This grant will be received in two payments of

Georgia Masterson at Humanity House’s office. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY

$37,500, with the first payment already on its way. Along with the generous donations of community members and organizations, the infusion of new grant funding raises hopes the organization will soon fill the director position and con-

tinue to provide free laundry service; help with utilities; a food pantry; and online application assistance for state programs. “It definitely will depend on the skills and preferencSee HUMANITY | Page A3

Open enrollment brings changes By SARAH HANEY The Iola Register

During this year’s enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Marketplace health insurance, residents of Allen County will notice some important changes and additions. Open enrollment began Nov. 1 and ends Jan. 15. Those who enroll by midnight on Dec. 15 get full-year coverage that starts Jan. 1. The final deadline to enroll in coverage is Monday, Jan. 15. For those who enroll from Dec. 16 through Jan. 15, coverage will not start until Feb. 1. So what’s new this year? According to Thrive Lead Care Coordinator Greta Ingle, there are two new insurances offered this year for residents in Allen County — Oscar Health Insurance and United Healthcare. They will join the already existing Ambetter Health Insurance and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. But, as always, buyer beware. While Oscar Health Insurance is likely to offer cheaper premiums, no health providers in Allen County quality as in-net-

work, a significant drawback. And as far as United Healthcare, Ingle noted that there are “limited” providers in-network in Allen County. Unsubsidized premiums on the lowest cost plans are expected to rise in 2024, according to KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation.The Silver plan will increase by 5 percent, the Bronze plan by 6 percent. The increase has been attributed largely to rising prices paid to health care providers, due to inflation in the economy. Marketplace consumers may be eligible for financial help with the cost of coverage, due to the Inflation Reduction Act’s temporary enhancement of subsidies. With these subsidies, a cap is placed on how much a consumer must spend on a Silver plan premium as a share of their household income. ALSO NEW to the Marketplace this year is an update to the automatic re-enrollment process for some consumers. To help better unSee ENROLLMENT | Page A3

Senate sends funding bill to Biden, averting shutdown

Bear hugs: New pandas coming to US

By STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping signaled that China will send new pandas to the United States, calling them “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.” “We are ready to continue our cooperation with the United States on panda conservation, and do our best to meet the wishes of the Californians so as to deepen the friendly ties between our two peoples,” Xi said Wednesday during a dinner speech with business leaders. The gesture came at the end of a day in which Xi and President Joe Biden held their first face to face meeting in a year and pledged to try to reduce tensions. Xi did not share additional details on when or where pandas might be provided but appeared to

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ending the threat of a government shutdown until after the holidays, Congress gave final approval to a temporary government funding package that pushes a confrontation over the federal budget into the new year. The Senate met into Wednesday night to pass the bill with an 87-11 tally and send it to President Joe Biden for his signature one day after it passed the House on an overwhelming bipartisan vote. It provides a funding patch into next year, when the House and Senate will be forced to confront — and somehow overcome — their considerable differences over what funding levels should be. Vol. 125, No. 288 Iola, KS $1.00

In the meantime, the bill removes the threat of a government shutdown days before funding would have expired. “This year, there will be no government shutdown,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference after the bill’s passage. The spending package keeps government funding at current levels for roughly two more months while a long-term package is negotiated. It splits the deadlines for passing full-year appropriations bills into two dates: Jan. 19 for some federal agencies and Feb. 2 for others, creating two deadlines where there will be a risk of a partial government shutdown. “Everybody is really kind See CONGRESS | Page A3

By DIDI TANG Associated Press

A recent thawing of relations between China and the U.S. could mean new pandas heading to the U.S. They have long been seen as a symbol of friendship. AP PHOTO/JOSE LUIS MAGANA

suggest the next pair of pandas are most likely to come to California, probably San Diego. The bears have long been the symbol of the U.S.-China friendship since Beijing gifted a pair of pandas to the National Zoo in Washington

in 1972, ahead of the normalization of bilateral relations. Later, Beijing loaned the pandas to other U.S. zoos, with proceeds going back to panda conservation programs. The National Zoo’s three giant pandas, Mei Xiang, Tian See PANDAS | Page A4

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A2 Friday, November 17, 2023 Obituaries

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The Iola Register

Wilma May Brock Wilma May Brock, age 87, died on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, at Credo Living Center, Chanute. She was born on March 20, 1936 to Herman and Alma (Schmidt) Schultz in Roper. She married Lawrence (Larry) D. Brock Jr. on Nov. 9, 1958. He survives. Survivors also include children, Stephanie Larson of Iola, Mark Brock of Independence, Alisha Mueller of Humboldt, Daneen Hollern of Spring Hill, Matt Brock of Redfield. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday at the United Methodist Church, Humboldt. Burial will take place at Dewitt Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to United Methodist Church of Humboldt or Harry Hynes Hospice and can be left in the care of Feuerborn Family Funeral Service.

Horse loose on jet forces plane back to New York The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A cargo jet headed to Belgium from New York had to turn around mid-flight after a horse escaped its stall and got loose in the hold, according to air traffic control audio. The Boeing 747 operated by Air Atlanta Icelandic had just started its flight across the Atlantic Ocean on Nov. 9 when the pilot radioed air traffic control in Boston and said that a horse on board had escaped its stall. The controller cleared the aircraft to return to John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The pilot said that due to the plane’s weight, he had to dump 20 tons of fuel before going back to New York. The controller gave the OK and alerted nearby pilots about a “fuel dumping in progress approximately 10 miles west of Martha’s Vineyard.” The 747 pilot had one more request. “I do believe we need a vet — veterinarian, I guess you call it, for the horse upon landing,” he said. The controller said he would pass it on. The flight landed at Kennedy, took off a short time later and successfully arrived at Liege Airport the next morning.

Tentative timing for U.S. 169 opening is mid-December

Prairie Rose 4-H officers who attended Officer Training on October 29 in Moran are, front row left to right, Lucas Owens, Kylar Botts, Henry Gabbert, Harper Gabbert, and Doug Dix; back row, Natalea Elmenhorst-Heins, Kaden McVey, Kooper Welch, Sophia Heim and Kason Botts. Not pictured: Kylee Resco and Easton Resco. COURTESY PHOTO

Prairie Rose 4-H elects officers During the October monthly meeting of the Prairie Rose 4-H club, officers and junior officers were elected. The officers are as follows: • President: Sophia

Heim • Vice President: Kooper Welch • Secretary: Kason Botts • Treasurer: Kaden McVey • Reporter: Lucas Ow-

ens • Parliamentarian: Doug Dix • Historian: Natalea Elmenhorst-Heins • Song Leaders: Kylee and Easton Resco • Recreation Leaders:

Lucas Owens and Doug Dix • 4-H Council Members: Sophia Heim and Kason Botts • Alternate: Doug Dix -Lucas Owens, reporter

Nearly one-third of KS election officials have left since ‘20 By DYLAN LYSEN Kansas News Service

Democratic Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew spent weeks preparing volunteers to serve at polling places for the recent local elections in Kansas. At the county’s election offices in Lawrence, about a dozen people gathered to get up to speed. Some of the volunteers were experienced poll workers who had served several elections before, while others were newcomers this year. While Shew focused on what the volunteers may encounter this year, he also hinted at what they should know for the elections in 2024 — the first presidential election since the ultra-contentious 2020 vote. “So in the smaller elections,” Shew said to the poll workers, “please continue to be as sharp as you will be a year from now.” Making sure the poll workers do everything right is always important for conducting a safe and secure election, but next year their actions will be under a microscope. After the 2020 election, Republican President Donald Trump repeatedly pushed false claims that voter fraud cost him re-election. That’s led to state lawmakers and the public scrutinizing the security of elections. And that’s fueling a huge turnover — 35 of the state’s 109 officials have quit since 2020. The Kansas Legislature’s Special Commit-

Clarkson Construc- Remaining project action Co., the primary tivities include shoulproject contractor, cur- der paving, asphalt rently plans to open paving at all side road U.S. 169 from Thayer intersections and the south to U.S. 400 to installation of pertraffic mid-Decem- manent pavement ber, weather permitmarkings. All remainting, according to the Kansas Department ing items of work are of Transportation weather dependent. The signed de(KDOT). tour for U.S. 169 is on According to Southeast District Engineer U.S. 400, U.S. 59 and K-47. Check D a r r i n KDOT’s upPetrowsky, “KDOT R e m a i n i n g dated travelwants to project activities er informar e i n f o r c e include shoulder tion website, the need paving, asphalt K a n d r i v e . for the travpaving at all gov, for more eling pubhighway conlic to abide side road interdition and by the in- sections and the of c o n s t r u c s t a l l e d installation traffic con- permanent pave- tion details. Those with trol devic- ment markers. questions es. Please may contact do not drive around the Road District Construction Closed barricades as & Materials Engineer work continues.” Troy Howard at (620) “The concrete pave- 902-6432 or Public Afment must cure for a fairs Manager Priscilla period of time before Petersen at (620) 902having any kind of 6433. traffic on it,” Petrowsky said. “Driving on uncured concrete will 302 S. Washington Ave. Iola, KS 66749 cause damage to the 620-365-2111 | iolaregister.com new pavement. The contractor will then Published Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, except New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, have to remove the Thanksgiving and Christmas. damaged section and replace it. We have Subscription Rates already experienced One Year 6 Months 3 Months 1 Month this type of damage In Allen County $149.15 $82.87 $46.93 $16.86 because drivers disOut of Allen County $162.74 $92.76 $53.51 $21.75 regarded our traffic Mail out of State $174.75 $94.05 $55.60 $22.20 control devices, which has contributed to the Internet Only $149.15 $82.87 $46.93 $16.86 delay in reopening U.S. All prices include 8.75% sales taxes. 169.” Postal regulations require subscriptions to be paid in advance. KDOT closed the Postmaster: Send address changes to The Iola Register, P.O. Box 767, Iola, KS 66749. 7-mile section of U.S. Member Associated Press. The 169 in mid-July to conAssociated Press is entitled exclusively struct passing lanes to use for publication all the local and replace the pavenews printed in this newspaper as well as all AP news dispatches. ment. The contractor NEWS & ADVERTISING is currently placing Susan Lynn, editor/publisher | Tim Stauffer, managing editor concrete pavement on Periodicals postage paid at Iola, Kansas. the mainline section. USPS 268-460 | Print ISSN: 2833-9908 | Website ISSN: 2833-9916

Amid conspiracy theories and ongoing scrutiny from the public and state lawmakers, Kansas election officials are preparing for a hectic vote in 2024. KANSAS NEWS SERVICE/DYLAN LYSEN

tee on Elections recently held hearings where advocates for election security changes argued the state’s voting systems are not safe. But it included people lining up to share dubious claims. Republican Harvey County Clerk Rick Piepho, who serves as a legislative liaison for the Kansas County Clerks and Election Officials Association, chose not to participate in the hearings. He said the committee was only focusing on disinformation and unfounded conspiracy theories. “I still haven’t seen any evidence,” Piepho said, “from any of these groups that anything that they’re theorizing has actually happened.” Additionally, Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab has repeatedly said Kansas elections are safe and secure

despite the voter fraud claims from outside groups. Liz Howard, deputy director for the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program and a former election official in Virginia, said the scrutiny may be causing additional stress to public officials who play a very important role in American democracy. They have no

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choice but to be ready for 2024. “Election officials can’t get extensions,” Howard said. “Election Day is coming and they must prepare for it. There are no excuses.” Shortly after the 2020 election, Douglas County’s deputy clerk who helped with elections left the job. Since then, Shew has had three different deputy clerks. He said the mass resignation of election workers is partly spurred by the constant criticism over voting security, despite no evidence of widespread fraud. Shew said the 2020 election was difficult because it occurred at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said it was traumatic because election officials felt they were putting their lives on the line. “And then the response to that was to question and vilify all of us,” Shew said.

Saturday

Sunday

70 38 41 24

Precipitation 24 hrs as of 8 a.m. Monday 0 This month to date 0 Total year to date 25.37 Deficit since Jan. 1 9.87 Sunset 5:09 p.m.

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Friday, November 17, 2023

The Iola Register

St. Marys library gets new lease by removing LGBTQ books for kids By RACHEL MIRPO Kansas Reflector

ST. MARYS — The public library in St. Marys has managed to hang onto its lease for one more year by removing all of the youth-oriented LGBTQ books from library shelves. Library director Judith Cremer said the decision was the result of her efforts to work with the city commission, which has been threatening the library’s lease for more than a year. Cremer said the adult section of the St. Marys location still contains some LGBTQ books, but in the junior collection, there are “probably not” any books left that contain LGBTQ content.

“I’m not real proud of that. … I feel bad because I think that there should be a variety of things for everybody, but like I say, we do have eight locations and I can get anything for anybody within about a day,” Cremer said. “So that’s a compromise I have to make.” “I’m just trying to be realistic in the fact that we do have a precarious position here,” she added. The St. Marys library is the headquarters for branches in more rural communities within Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties. Cremer described the titles that were removed as “pretty mild” and “nothing that isn’t normal in mainstream

The library had been working to appease St. Marys city commissioners, who said they wanted LGBTQ “garbarge” removed from library shelves, above. RACHEL MIRPO/KANSAS REFLECTOR

society.” A six-person library advisory committee is in charge of evaluating books. One of the committee members searched “gay,” “trans-

gender,” “lesbian,” “bisexual” and “queer” in the library’s catalog to find books the committee wanted to review. They then read the books before determin-

ing which ones needed to be physically removed from the library premises. They removed about a dozen books, including “Squad,” “Blood Countess,” “The Great American Whatever,” “Beyond Clueless,” “Red Rolls of Magic,” “Infinity Son” and “Icebreaker.” “Most of these titles, the topic really isn’t LGBTQ or anything like that,” Cremer said. “It’s just describing a reality that is normal now for most people.” Cremer has been working with the library advisory committee over the past few months in an attempt to appease city commissioners who threatened to pull the library’s lease because of reli-

gious-based objections to LGBTQ books. While the commissioners have no governing influence over the library, the Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library would be forced to find a new location if the lease weren’t renewed, giving up a community spot it has held for decades and depriving St. Marys residents of easily accessible library material. The regional library has locations in Alma, Alta Vista, Eskridge, Harveyville, Olsburg, Onaga, St. Marys and Westmoreland, with county residents funding the library through taxes. Books removed from St. Marys were sent to these other locations.

Enrollment: New plans bring additional options, benefits Continued from A1

derstand this update, it is important to know the four health plan categories that are offered in the Marketplace. They include Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans, which offer tiered levels of insurance. Bronze plans leave individuals to cover 40% of the costs, while Platinum plans cover 90%. This year, eligible in-

dividuals who would normally be automatically re-enrolled in a Bronze plan will now be re-enrolled into a Silver plan. No need to worry about extra costs, though. It will only apply if the Silver plan is available in the same product type, with the same provider network, and with a premium no greater than the initial Bronze plan the consumer would otherwise

be enrolled in. Simply put: free upgrade. This applies for any eligible Bronze plan consumer who does not make an active plan selection prior to the Dec. 15 deadline. ONE MORE change for young adults will take effect this year: no more loss of coverage as a (grim) birthday present. Young adults have been able to stay

covered as a dependent on their parent’s policy until they are 26 on the Marketplace. In 2024, however, federal Marketplace health plans will no longer be allowed to end coverage for adult dependents mid-year, on their 26th birthday. With this change, the dependent coverage will continue through the end of the calendar year. This has already been occurring,

Congress: Bill leaves out aid to Ukraine Continued from A1

of ready to vote and fight another day,” Republican Whip John Thune, the No. 2 Republican, said earlier Wednesday. The two-step approach was not favored by many in the Senate, though all but one Democrat and 10 Republicans supported it because it ensured the government would not shut down for now. Sen. Patty Murray, the Washington Democrat who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted for the bill but said it would eventually “double the shutdown risk.” The spending bill also does not include the White House’s nearly $106 billion request for wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine, as well as humanitarian funding for Palestinians and other supplemental requests. Lawmakers are likely to turn their attention more fully to that request after the Thanksgiving holiday in hopes of negotiating a deal. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who crafted the plan, has vowed that he will not support any further stopgap funding measures, known as continuing resolutions. He portrayed the temporary funding bill as setting the ground for a spending “fight” with the Senate next year. The new speaker, who told reporters this week that he counted himself among the “arch-conservatives” of the House, is pushing for deeper spending cuts. He wanted to avoid lawmakers being forced to consider a massive government funding package before the December holidays — a tactic that incenses conservatives in particular. But Johnson is also facing pushback from

other hardline conservatives who wanted to leverage the prospect of a government shutdown to extract steep cuts and policy demands. Many of those conservatives were among a group of 19 Republicans who defied Johnson Wednesday to prevent floor consideration of an appropriations bill to fund several government agencies. GOP leaders called off the week’s work after the vote, sending lawmakers home early for Thanksgiving. It capped a period of intense bickering among lawmakers. “This place is a pressure cooker,” Johnson said Tuesday, noting that the House had been in Washington for 10 weeks straight. The House GOP’s inability to present a united front on funding legislation could undercut the Louisiana congressman’s ability to negotiate spending bills with the Senate. Republicans are demanding that Congress work out government funding through 12 separate bills, as the budgetary process requires, but House leadership has so far been forced to pull two of those bills from the floor, seen another rejected on a procedural vote and struggled to win support for others. When it returns in two weeks, Congress is expected to focus on the Biden administration’s requests for Ukraine and Israel funding. Republican senators have demanded that Congress pass immigration and border legislation alongside additional Ukraine aid, but a bipartisan Senate group working on a possible compromise has struggled to

find consensus. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in a floor speech pledged that Republicans would continue to push for policy changes on the U.S. border with Mexico, saying it is “impossible to ignore the crisis at our southern border that’s erupted on Washington Democrats’ watch.” One idea floating among Republicans is directly tying Ukraine funding levels with decreases in the number of illegal border crossings. It showed how even longtime supporters of Ukraine’s defense against Russia are willing to hold up the funding to force Congress to tackle an issue that has flummoxed generations of lawmakers: U.S. border policy. Most Senate Republicans support the Ukraine funding, said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., but he added, “It is secondary to securing our own border.”

But the U.S. is already trimming some of the wartime aid packages it is sending Ukraine as funds run low, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said from San Francisco, where he accompanied President Joe Biden for a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders. He said the pot of money available for Ukraine is “withering away, and with it will be a deleterious effect on Ukraine’s ability to continue to defend itself.” Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said in a statement that he voted against Wednesday’s funding package because it did not include aid for Ukraine. Schumer said the Senate would try to move forward on both the funding and border legislation in the coming weeks, but warned it would require a compromise and implored the House speaker, Johnson, to once again work with Democrats.

but the measure is to codify the practice to ensure that it will continue. This year will mark the first time that consumers can elect to answer optional demographic questions on the Marketplace application. The new demographic questions are entirely optional and consumers may choose to answer or skip them, or choose to note that they prefer not to answer. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the new questions will be used to analyze health disparities in access to coverage. ACCORDING TO the Kansas Health Institute, Marketplace enrollment reached a record high in 2023. During the open enrollment

period that ended Jan. 15, 2023, there were 127,473 Kansans who selected or were automatically re-enrolled in a health insurance plan. This was a 15.5 percent increase from the prior year’s open enrollment period. All counties in Kansas had at least two insurers offering coverage through the Marketplace. Also important to note, Marketplace coverage is not available through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) exchange in Kansas. This means that businesses or entities can not provide insurance for their employees via the Marketplace in the state of Kansas. FOR HELP enrolling in the Marketplace, contact Thrive Lead Care Coordinator Greta Ingle at (620) 365-8128.

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The Iola Register

Fort Scott is trying to save its emergency room — or cope with the loss By BEK SHACKELFORD NWANGANGA KCUR

When Fort Scott’s Mercy Hospital closed in early 2019, the community of 7,550 people in southeast, Kansas, briefly lost its emergency room. Mayor Matthew Wells remembers the time without an ER clearly. “I watched several people, two in particular that I’ve known my whole life, die with injuries sustained that

very easily could have been resolved in an ER,” Wells said. Now, the town is once again in that position after the community’s stand-alone ER closed, leaving residents to travel at least 20 miles to the nearest emergency center and raising concerns about attracting new residents and businesses. Local officials are scrambling to bring in a new provider but are running into regulatory hurdles. After Mercy Hospital

“Losing an ER would be a definite blow to our community” — Fort Scott resident Anne Dare

KCUR FILE PHOTO

closed its doors in 2019, a non-profit Catholic health system based in Pittsburg, Kansas,

Ascension Via Christi, stepped in to provide emergency room services. But recently, cit-

Pandas: Popular bears could return Continued from A1

Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji, eight days ago began their long trip to China. After their departure, only four pandas are left in the United States, in the Atlanta Zoo. “I was told that many American people, especially children, were really reluctant to say goodbye to the pandas, and went to the zoo to see them off,” Xi said in his speech. He added that he learned the San Diego Zoo and people in

California “very much look forward to welcoming pandas back.” Xi is in California to attend a summit of Indo-Pacific leaders and for his meeting with Biden. He made no mention of the pandas during his public remarks earlier in the day as he met with Biden. When bilateral relations began to sour in the past few years, members of the Chinese public started to demand the return of

giant pandas. Unproven allegations that U.S. zoos mistreated the pandas, known as China’s “national treasure,” flooded China’s social media. But relations showed signs of stabilization as Xi traveled to San Francisco to meet with Biden. The two men met for about four hours Wednesday at the picturesque Filoli Historic House & Garden, where they agreed to cooperate on anti-narcotics, resume

high-level military communications and expand people-to-people exchanges. The National Zoo’s exchange agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association had been set to expire in early December and negotiations to renew or extend the deal did not produce results. The San Diego Zoo returned its pandas in 2019, and the last bear at the Memphis, Tennessee, zoo went home earlier this year.

Humanity: Advocacy work to continue Continued from A1

es,” noted Masterson about potential applicants for the part-time position. “If we find the right candidate and if we get additional grants, we could make it a full-time job. Our original plan was to hire an executive director and an advocate.” The advocate role would also be part-time, with the role’s main focus set on changing Iola’s utility policy. Currently, the City of Iola applies a 2.5 percent penalty to all unpaid utility account balances after the due date. Fourteen days after the original due date, a $35 delinquent

fee is charged if still unpaid. Any unpaid accounts that are older than 60 days are classified as a “bad debt,” and are submitted to the Collection Bureau of Kansas for collection. Utility customers have 42 days from when a bill is issued to get it paid before utilities face disconnection. Masterson said Humanity House has asked the city to consider allowing a limited “Promise to Pay” agreement, where a bill could be paid within two weeks of the due date without the risk of the utility being shutoff. After the agreed upon “Promise to Pay” period is over, then the

utility may be shut-off. “The city wouldn’t even consider it,” she said. She is referring to the 5-2 vote by the Iola City Council this April to leave its policy regarding past-due utility bills unchanged. Multiple concerns were raised by council members at the time, with a common theme among members the concern that extending the payment could potentially result in people falling further behind and accruing even more debt. The Humanity House’s advocate role would spearhead an effort to collaborate with the city and come up with a solution.

MASTERSON NOTED Humanity House also applied for two other grants and will know the outcome of these applications after the first of the year. One is for $25,000 from the Sunflower Foundation, a statewide health philanthropy with a mission to serve as a catalyst for improving the health of all Kansans. The other is a $50,000 grant from the Patterson Family Foundation, a family-led foundation that seeks to lift up rural communities through health care, education, and economic opportunity.

ing financial hardship and a decline in patients, Ascension announced the company would be leaving town December 20. “After exploring the options available, it was clear that this was the only option for us,” Drew Talbott, president of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, said in a release. “There are other providers in the region positioned to serve the residents of Fort Scott and neighboring communities.” Wells said while he is thankful for the services Ascension provided Fort Scott, the departure is devastating to the community he loves so much. “I’m a person who believes that I’ve been called into this position to take care of these people,” he said. “I always like to say that I’m for people. And I love these people.”

The closest hospital to Fort Scott is about 25 minutes away across the state line in Nevada, Missouri. In Kansas, the closest hospital is in Pittsburg, a more than 40-minute drive from Fort Scott. Fort Scott resident Anne Dare said some locals might not make it that far. Dare said before her in-laws passed away, they relied heavily on the Fort Scott ER. Oftentimes, she explained, all it took was a couple of hours in the ER to resolve their issues. Dare said she worries not having a hospital or ER could stifle the community’s growth. “Losing an ER would be a definite blow to our community across the board,” Dare said. “There’s some great things happening in Fort Scott right now and in our county, and we want that to continue. And one of the vital pieces is having an ER.” Dare said she is urging her neighbors to contact lawmakers about the challenges. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease. And if our own residents can’t keep hounding state officials for licensing,” Dare said, “and things that are needed to have an ER continue, it’s going to be a real sad day for Fort Scott.”

WE WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY

Thanksgiving

In observance of Thanksgiving, we will close at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22 and remain closed until 8 a.m. Friday, November 24. The Register will not be published on Thanksgiving Day. The Register will close at 2 p.m. on Friday, November 24 and remain closed until 8 a.m. Monday, November 27.

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Opinion A5 The Iola Register

Friday, November 17, 2023

~ Journalism that makes a difference

Documentary leaves no doubts about Putin Trudy Rubin Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Every U.S. legislator who currently opposes continuing aid to Ukraine should be forced to watch “20 Days in Mariupol,” a PBS “Frontline” documentary scheduled to air on Tuesday. Any American confused about why such aid is crucial for America’s security should watch it, too. The film is directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning Associated Press video journalist Mstyslav Chernov; he and an AP colleague were the last two Western journalists left in Mariupol after Russia invaded that port city in February 2022. They barely escaped after 20 days of filming Russia’s pulverization of the city, including direct bomb hits on hospitals. As Americans fixate on video of Hamas’ butchery of more than 1,000 Israeli civilians and horrific scenes of Gazans dying from Israeli reprisals, it is easy to forget about Ukraine. But this harrowing film makes clear why Russian President Vladimir Putin is far more threatening to global security than Hamas. Directly responsible for slaughtering tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians in Mariupol through indiscriminate bombing, Putin has no scruples about mass murder. He is waiting for Donald Trump’s MAGA followers in Congress to abandon Kyiv, along with America’s global leadership role. The Party of Putin wing of the GOP plays right into his hands when members insist that money for Israel and the southern border trump helping

Russian President Vladimir Putin projects a menacing image in an address on Aug. 23, 2023. Putin continues to wage war against neighboring Ukraine to further his dreams of rebuiding the Russian empire. (GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/POOL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES/TNS) Ukraine. All are important. But “20 Days in Mariupol” shows why helping Kyiv defeat Putin is more vital than either to U.S. security — and that of its allies. Chernov made the incredibly courageous choice to stay in Mariupol even though his work was known to the Russians, who probably would have killed him if he had been caught. “What we didn’t expect was that we would be the only ones reporting, so we were exposed,” he told me. What he filmed was critical to understanding Russia’s intentions for Ukraine, which were to destroy it as a sovereign nation. Keep in mind that Putin’s utter destruction of an entire city — and the continued targeting of civilians — was not preceded by any Ukrainian attack. Russia launched an unprovoked war to gobble up a neighboring country. If the U.S. allows Putin to suc-

President Joe Biden welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Dec. 21, 2022. Biden remains a stalwart supporter of Ukraine’s defense against Putin’s authoritarianism ambitions. (YURI GRIPAS/ABACA PRESS/TNS)

ceed in Ukraine, it will encourage him to expand his dreams of rebuilding the Russian empire, undermining other European countries, including members of NATO. Down that road lie further wars. Chernov’s gripping footage dispels current Kremlin propaganda about how Mariupol welcomed the Russians. He documents how Moscow deliberately bombed hospital after hospital (just as it did during the Syrian civil war to help its client Bashar al-Assad survive). One desperate Ukrainian doctor, having failed to save a 4-yearold child, looks directly into the camera and says, “Show this bastard [Putin] the eyes of this child and all these doctors are crying.” He then uses an expletive to describe those killing civilians. In other words, show the work of a cold-blooded Putin who will not hesitate to take global advantage of U.S. weakness and MAGA extremists. Chernov took the famous video of a very pregnant wounded woman being urgently wheeled across the courtyard from the maternity wing of a Mariupol hospital, a scene that Moscow still insists was played by crisis actors. Chernov and AP reporters followed up on her case and found that she subsequently died from a shattered pelvis. Her baby didn’t survive, either. Without the video, there would be no concrete way to dispute Russian lies. The AP journalists finally had to escape. They did so the day before Russia bombed the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater, full of women and children seeking safety. “There were no pictures, no witnesses,” Chernov told me regretfully, as Moscow

still claims Ukrainians destroyed the theater. “This gives you an idea of how important journalists are on the ground.” The siege of Mariupol lasted for months after the AP team left the city. “Every day was just like these videos,” Chernov told me, as Russia continued to destroy towns and villages. Only 40 minutes of his footage was published by the AP, despite “hundreds of thousands of war crimes in Mariupol,” he said. “I knew how important the story was. The world moves on, and the only way to preserve that scale is to do more,” Chernov said. “I hope the film gains attention for what has already happened and what is happening now.” Which brings us back to Putin’s “useful idiots” in the U.S. Congress. Are they so blind that they cannot see the link between Putin’s Mideast machinations and his savagery in Ukraine? The Russian leader is receiving Iranian drones to use against Ukraine, and in exchange reportedly helping Tehran with nuclear technology. Moscow has long welcomed Hamas leaders and backed its propaganda in an effort to internationally isolate the U.S. Israel can fight Hamas without more immediate military assistance, and the mess at the U.S. southern border can only be addressed with bipartisan cooperation. But Ukraine’s last chance to regain the offensive against Putin is now. Congress must not cave to a global terrorist who threatens America far more than Hamas does. Watch “20 Days in Mariupol” and you will see why.

High court finally has a code of ethics, but it has a fatal flaw By ERWIN CHEMERINSKY Los Angeles Times/TNS

Although it is welcome and overdue that the Supreme Court finally adopted an ethics code for its justices on Monday, the approach is seriously flawed in that it includes no enforcement mechanism. Instead it continues to leave it to each justice to decide whether to be recused in a particular case. Until Monday, every judge in the country — state and federal — was bound by an ethics code, except for the most important jurists: United States Supreme Court justices. Recent revelations of serious ethical lapses by several justices, most notably Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, highlighted this absence. The court has its lowest public approval ratings in history, and while there are certainly many causes for this, the absence of an ethics code

surely has contributed to the loss of legitimacy. This was a self-inflicted wound. There was no reason the justices could not adopt the same code of ethics that all other judges have been bound to follow. With the Supreme Court’s newly released “Code of Conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States,” was a brief statement of the court saying, in effect, it hopes the new code will clear up any “misunderstanding.” THE CODE ITSELF is unremarkable. It is based on the American Bar Association’s Model Code of Judicial Conduct, which is used throughout the country. In structure and in content it is largely the same. Indeed, all that’s remarkable is how long the court delayed taking this easy and obvious step — and how much pressure was required before the court acquiesced. But there is a crucial prob-

lem with what was released on Monday. It continues to defer to each justice about whether he or she should be disqualified from hearing a particular case. There is no indication of any change in this disturbing practice. A commentary from the court that accompanies the new code even stresses the harms when a justice recuses, because no other judge can substitute for the absent member. But this wrongly assumes that having nine justices is more important than avoiding a bench tainted by ethical improprieties. There are already many instances when the court functions without all nine justices, such as when one is ill or when there is a vacancy that has not been filled. After Justice Antonin Scalia died in February 2016, there were only eight justices for the next 15 months because of the Senate’s refusal to consider Pres-

ident Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland. Having eight justices is not ideal, because of the danger of ties and leaving issues unresolved. But avoiding ethical clouds is more important. No person should be a judge of himself or herself. There must be a mechanism to determine when a justice should be recused that does not leave it entirely up to that individual. The documented ethical lapses in recent years certainly provide a basis for questioning whether justices are sufficiently sensitive to these issues. There are many different approaches to this that could work. My colleague Jeremy Fogel, a former federal judge, proposed to the Senate Judiciary Committee in May that the chief justice appoint three retired federal court of appeals judges to decide recusal issues. There are many superb retired judges who could

be appointed to perform this function. An alternative would be to have recusal issues for a justice decided by the other eight justices. The danger with this approach is that the justices might develop a norm of deferring to one another and refusing to meaningfully enforce the code of conduct. However it is structured, there must be an enforcement mechanism for the ethical code to have meaning. “Trust us” is never an adequate answer, especially when dealing with matters of ethics. The court’s legitimacy, and the very foundation of the rule of law, demand that the court take the next step and provide a way of enforcing the rules that it has adopted. About the author: Erwin Chemerinsky is the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law. His latest book is “ Worse Than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of Originalism.”

A6 Friday, November 17, 2023

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Santos ‘cannot be trusted’ Ethics panel seeks ouster for congressman

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, and husband Paul Pelosi in 2022. GETTY IMAGES/PAUL MORIGI/TNS

Jury convicts man of attacking Pelosi’s husband SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A jury on Thursday convicted the man who broke into former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco home seeking to hold her hostage and attacked her husband with a hammer of federal charges of attempted kidnapping and assault. The jury deliberated for about eight hours before finding David DePape guilty of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official. He faces up to 50 years in prison. The attack on then82-year-old Paul Pelosi that was captured on police body camera video just days before last year’s midterm elections sent shockwaves through the political world. DePape, 43, admitted during trial testimony that he broke into the Pelosis’ home on Oct. 28, 2022, intending to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and “break her kneecaps” if she lied to him. He also admitted to bludgeoning Paul Pelosi with a hammer after San Francisco police officers showed up at the home, saying his plan to end what he viewed as government corruption was unraveling. Defense attorney Angela Chuang told jurors during closing arguments that DePape was caught up in conspiracies. She said he was motivated by his political beliefs, not because he wanted to interfere with Nancy Pelosi’s official duties as a member of Congress, making the charges against him invalid. During her rebuttal, prosecutor Helen Gilbert said the defense had made a false distinction between the California Democrat’s politics and official duties and that DePape didn’t differentiate between the two. DePape, a Canadian citizen who moved to the U.S. more than 20 years ago, also is charged in state court with assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary and other felonies. A state trial date will be set during a Nov. 29 hearing, said Randy Quezada, a spokesperson for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. Defense attorney Jodi Linker argued that DePape believed “with every ounce of his being” that he was taking action to stop government corruption, the erosion of liberty in America, and the abuse

of children by liberal politicians and actors. During his testimony, DePape echoed right-wing conspiracy theories and told jurors he had planned to wear an inflatable unicorn costume and record his interrogation of Nancy Pelosi to upload it online. Prosecutors say he had rope and zip ties with him. Detectives also found body cameras, a computer and a tablet. DePape testified that his plan was to get Nancy Pelosi to admit that she had been lying to the American people. “If she lied, I would break her kneecaps,” he said. “The choice is on her.” He said he would then move to other targets, including a women’s and queer studies professor who testified at the trial, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, actor Tom Hanks and President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden. Paul Pelosi also testified, recalling how he was awakened by a large man bursting into the bedroom door and asking, “Where’s Nancy?” He said that when he responded that his wife was in Washington, DePape said he would tie him up while they waited for her.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee in a scathing report Thursday said it has amassed “overwhelming evidence” of lawbreaking by Republican Rep. George Santos of New York that has been sent to the Justice Department, concluding flatly that he “cannot be trusted” after a monthslong investigation into his conduct. Shortly after the panel’s report was released, Santos blasted it in a tweet on X as a “politicized smear” but said he would not be seeking reelection to a second term. He gave no indication, however, that he would step aside before his term ends next year, vowing to pursue his “conservative values in my remaining time in Congress.” But a renewed effort to expel him from the House was quickly launched. The House could vote on his expulsion as soon as it returns from the Thanksgiving holiday later this month. The panel said that Santos knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission, used campaign funds for personal purposes and violated the Ethics in Government Act with financial disclosure statements filed with the House. “Representative Santos sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit,” an investigative subcommittee said in a 56-page report detailing its findings to the full Ethics Committee. The ethics panel also detailed Santos’ lack of cooperation with its investigation and said he “evaded” straightforward requests for information. “Particularly troubling was Representative Santos’ lack of candor during the inves-

U.S. Rep. George Santos (R-NY) leaves the House Chambers of the U.S. Capitol Building Tuesday in Washington. GETTY IMAGES/ANNA MONEYMAKER/TNS tigation itself,” the committee determined. The panel tasked with investigating the allegations against Santos provided him the chance to submit a signed, written statement, provide documents responsive to the panel’s request for information and to provide a statement under oath. But he did not do so, the report said. The information that he did provide, according to the committee, “included material misstatements that further advanced falsehoods he made during his 2022 campaign.” The committee’s investigative panel said that without Santos’ cooperation it was unable to verify whether some expenses reported by his campaign were legitimate. But certain expenses on their face did not appear to have a campaign nexus. For example, it cited $2,281 spent at resorts in Atlantic City and $1,400 spent at a skin spa for what one spreadsheet described as “Botox.”

The panel also identified a $3,332 expense for a hotel stay, though the campaign’s calendar indicated he was “off at the Hampton’s for the weekend.” And there were tax and hotel charges on the campaign credit card from Las Vegas, during a time Santos told his campaign staff he was on his honeymoon and there were no corresponding campaign events on the calendar. The report says that an investigative subcommittee decided to forgo taking steps that would have led to a lengthy sanctions hearing by the full Ethics Committee, after which recommendations about punishment could be submitted to the full House. Instead, it urged House members “to take any action they deem appropriate and necessary” based on the report. The findings by the investigative panel may be the least of Santos’ worries. The congressman faces a 23-count federal indictment that alleges he stole the identities of

campaign donors and then used their credit cards to make tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges. Federal prosecutors say Santos, who has pleaded not guilty, wired some of the money to his personal bank account and used the rest to pad his campaign coffers. Santos, who represents parts of Queens and Long Island, is also accused of falsely reporting to the Federal Election Commission that he had loaned his campaign $500,000 when he actually hadn’t given anything and had less than $8,000 in the bank. The fake loan was an attempt to convince Republican Party officials that he was a serious candidate, worth their financial support, the indictment says. Over 200 Booths!

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The Iola Register

Friday, November 17, 2023

HIGHER GROUND

Iola athletes honored

There was a common thread connecting Iola High’s football and volleyball teams this season. Both had plenty of doubters entering 2023. The football team had won only two games in 2022, largely due to an uncanny knack for seeing multiple starters on the sidelines due to injury on a weekly basis.

And the young volleyball squad went 6-24 last season, as the Mustangs struggled to find consisBen Kerr tency. “I don’t think people were giving us much of a shot,” junior vol-

leyball star Alana Mader said. That all changed this fall. The volleyball team Alana Mader racked up 22 wins this year, advancing to the Class 3A Substate quarterfinals,

while Iola’s gridiron club won four games, tying for first in its district standings in the process, while knocking off traditional powers like Girard and Prairie View. They had one other connection, as it turns out. Senior Ben Kerr, who earned All-Pioneer Second See ATHLETES | Page B6

Mader makes her mark By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Alana Mader was voted as the Register’s Female Athlete of the Month for October. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

Iola High’s Alana Mader found herself quite effective manning the middle of the court at the net in 2023. The Register’s Female Athlete of the Month for October ranked second on the Mustangs with 240 kills, with a teamhigh 122 blocks. She also led the team in kill percentage at .244, while serving up 30 aces with 222 digs. “I’ve had many people tell me I’ve improved, and I could feel it and see it,” she said. “I definitely put in a lot of work.” Mader shifted over to the middle from the setter position her sophomore year, and quickly grew to love the move. “It felt like I got more action, even though setters touch the ball every time,” Maders said. “I liked the action up front better.” Mader has been playing volleyball since she was in the seventh grade. She also plays during the offseason with the Allen County Aces, a traveling volleyball squad featuring area standouts. “I’m playing this winter, and will probably do something in the summer,” she said. She’s bullish on Iola’s prospects in 2024, noting the Mustangs lose only one senior from this year’s squad. “My junior class has See MADER | Page B6

Iola High senior Ben Kerr was voted as the Iola Register’s October Allen County Area Athlete of the Month. REGISTER FILE PHOTO

Kerr’s can-do spirit lifts IHS By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

On a senior-laden football team, Iola High’s Ben Kerr emerged as a leader on both sides of the ball, particularly down the stretch. He took over as Iola’s front line running back in October, eclipsing the 100-yard rushing mark in Iola’s last three games. For the season, Kerr rushed for 497 yards, on a 6.7-yardper-carry average with four touchdowns. He also averaged 9.7 yards per reception on 23 catches, with four more scores. His strong finish

netted Kerr another honor. He was voted by the Register’s readers as the Male Athlete of the Month for October. Defensively, Kerr led Iola from the linebacker spot with 59 tackles, nearly seven per game. He also forced a fumble and recovered a fumble. Did he have a favorite? “Probably defense,” Kerr said with a sly grin. “It’s fun to tackle and get to the line.” But Kerr’s contributions, as well as those from his fellow seniors, extended beyond Friday night games. Head coach David

Daugharthy praised the IHS senior class for its leadership “It’s about really working in practice, and in the summertime,” Kerr said. “Our goal this year was to be different, and to change the culture. I felt like the younger kids expect to win now.” Kerr is uncertain where he’ll attend college. The son of Camille and Doug Kerr is weighing offers from Baker, Ottawa and Bethany universities in Kansas. He’s also uncertain whether See KERR | Page B6

K-State hopes to stay in Big 12 title race as KU tilt looms By DAVE SKRETTA The Associated Press

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Sunflower Showdown between Kansas State and Kansas hasn’t been much of a showdown over the past decade or so. That’s because the Jayhawks have rarely shown up. The Wildcats have not lost to their rival since the 2008 season, just before Hall of

Fame coach Bill Snyder returned for his second stint in charge. And nothing changed when Chris Klieman took over four years ago, adding four wins to make it 14 straight and by an average margin of more than four touchdowns per game. Yet few think their matchup Saturday will be just another blowout. While the No. 23 Wildcats (7-3, 5-2 Big 12) are tied for

second in the conference and still in the hunt to defend their Big 12 title, the Jayhawks (7-3, 4-3) are among the teams one game back. And with identical overall records, the two teams are on remarkably even footing as they resume the fourth-oldest continuously played rivalry in the Bowl Subdivision. “We’re just going to keep working on closing that gap and see where it turns

out,” Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold said. “It was our responsibility to make this rivalry a better game and I think we’re taking those steps, but we have to go out and play that way.” It won’t be easy if the Jayhawks are missing Jason Bean. Bean was No. 2 on the depth chart to start the season, but he’s deftly guided Kansas most of the way while

starter Jalon Daniels deals with a back injury. Then came last Saturday’s game against Texas Tech, when Bean sustained what Leipold called “a head injury” and walk-on freshman Cole Ballard played the rest of the way in a last-minute 16-13 loss. Leipold expressed optimism Monday that Bean would be able to play, then See K-STATE | Page B6

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GM reaches deal with autoworkers DETROIT (AP) — United Auto Workers union members have voted to approve a new contract with General Motors, making the company the first Detroit automaker to get a ratified deal that could end a contentious labor dispute and a series of crippling strikes. A vote-tracking spreadsheet on the union’s website shows that with all local union offices reporting, the contract passed by just over 3,400 votes, with 54.7% in favor. A union spokesman on Thursday confirmed that the spreadsheet had the official GM totals. The outcome was closer than expected after the UAW’s celebrations of victories last month on many key demands that led to six weeks of targeted walkouts against GM, Ford and Stellantis, the maker of Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles. On Thursday the contract had a big lead in voting at Ford and Stellantis. Ratification was leading at Ford by more than 10,000 votes, with 66.7% of ballots in favor. At Stellantis, the lead was over 5,700, with 66.5% voting for the deal, according to the UAW website. Voting continues at Ford through early Sat-

urday with only two large factories in the Detroit area and some smaller facilities left to be counted. At Stellantis, three Detroit-area factories were the only large plants yet to vote, with tallies expected to be complete by Tuesday. The three contracts, if approved by 146,000 union members, would dramatically raise pay for autoworkers, with increases and cost-ofliving adjustments that would translate into a 33% wage gain. Top assembly plant workers would get immediate 11% raises and earn roughly $42 per hour when the contracts expire in April of 2028. At GM, about 46,000 workers were eligible to vote on the deal, and about 36,000 cast ballots. Of the four GM plants that went on strike, workers at only a large SUV plant in Arlington, Texas, approved the contract. Workers in Wentzville, Missouri; Lansing Delta Township, Michigan; and Spring Hill, Tennessee, voted it down. Workers said that longtime employees at GM were unhappy that they didn’t get larger pay raises like newer workers, and they wanted a bigger pension increase. “I’m not ungrateful, but I feel like it could

have been better,” said Andrea Repasky, a body shop worker at GM’s pickup truck factory in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, who voted against the deal. Repasky said she’s happy that temporary workers will be hired faster and won’t have to wait multiple years to reach the full assembly worker pay rate, now about $32 per hour. She’s also glad that workers at parts warehouses and component factories will get the top wage. But she says that she’ll get only $4 per hour more at ratification, and her pay will have gone up only $7 per hour since 2006 due to concessions made to help the company out of dire financial straits during the Great Recession. “I would have been happy if we would have gotten a bigger jump up front,” she said. “I just think in 17 years, $7 more is not too good of a deal.” She also wanted to see larger pension increases as well as defined benefit pensions and health care in retirement for workers hired after 2007. With GM making healthy profits, she’s worried that the union may have missed the chance to get more because it may not be doing as well in 2028 when the contract expires.

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Starbucks workers approve 1-day strike NEW YORK (AP) — Workers at more than 200 U.S. Starbucks locations walked off the job Thursday in what organizers said was the largest strike yet in the two-yearold effort to unionize the company’s stores. The Workers United union chose Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day to stage the walkout since it’s usually one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks expects to give away thousands of reusable cups Thursday to customers who order holiday drinks. The union said it was expecting more than 5,000 workers to take part in its “Red Cup Rebellion.” Workers were expected to picket for part of the day and visit nonunion stores the rest of the day, the union

said. Around 30 stores also staged walkouts on Wednesday. Juniper Schweitzer, who has worked for Starbucks for 16 years, said she loves the company and its ideals but believes it’s not living up to them. “They have promised the world to us and they have not delivered,” said Schweitzer, who was picketing outside her Chicago store on Thursday. Frequent promotions like Red Cup Day or buy one-get one free offers put added stress on workers, she said, who have no ability to switch off mobile orders or otherwise control the workflow.

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NOVEMBER 19

9:30 10 AM 10:30 11 AM 11:30 12 PM

(16)(2) Buick KSNF SheepS.. Meet Press (N) St. Paul's Un James.. KCEnd.. Missouri PGATour LPGAG.. (7) Dr. Mack In Search CBS News Sunday (N) KOAM The Nation (N) Slyway NFL (N) (Live) Football (10) Tomorr.. In Touch (N) CWPL Key/Da.. Cath.M.. P. Stone Paid Paid Paid Paid TMZ (N) K30AL (30)(11) WildKratt Curious Work It Tiger Sesame.. Rosie Donkey Pink Dinosaur Market Heartla.. (12) Good Morn. (N) KODE This Week (N) Paid Paid Listen-Silence Gun Shop Sports (14) David KFJX BigWorld Bible Tomorr.. Fox News (N) Kickoff (N) (Live) NFL Sunday (N) Football (19) Crimes Crimes Crimes Crimes Crimes Crimes The FBI Files KPJO The FBI Files FBI Files (28) Law-SVU USA Law-SVU "Stolen" Law-SVU "Night" Law-SVU Law-SVU "Class" Law-SVU (29) Friends Sheldon Sheldon Sheldon Sheldon Sheldon Wipeout TBS Santa Movie (30) NCIS: N.O. TNT NCIS: N.O. NCIS: N.O. NCIS: N.O. <++ "Happy Gilmore" ('96) (31) black-ish <+++ "Men in Black" ('97) FX <++ "Men in Black II" ('02) < "Men in Black (32) SportCtr (N) (Live) SportCtr (N) (Live) Sunday NFL Countdown (N) (Live) ESPN Basket.. (33) Football Final (N) ESPN BET (N) ESPN2 Fantasy Football Now (N) (Live) Basket.. (34) Epic Trail Sports.. Hoover Golf Life BSN Football Polaris P1Raci.. Spotlight Focused WildRide (36) Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. Ridicul.. <++ "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising" Movie MTV (38) Amazing Jeremiah J. Osteen Paid LIFE Below < "Merry Swissmas" ('22) < "Mistletoe & Menorahs" (39) Holmes HGTV Holmes "Framed" Holmes Holmes Holmes Wrecked (40) FOOD Valerie's Valerie's Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer Girl-Farm Girl-Farm Delicious Mary Ma. Kitchen (41) A&E Zombie Flip Zombie Flip Zombie Flip Killer Killer Buddy Valastro's Custom.. (42) Kingfish Tomorr.. Gold Rush DISC Gold Rush Blind Frog Ranch Homestead Rescue (43) Who Do You TLC Conjoined Twins Tumor Fat Fabulous Fat Fabulous Fabulous (44) Bar Rescue PARMT Movie <++++ "Titanic" ('97) Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Leonardo DiCaprio. (45) Bluey DISN (:15) Kiff (:40) Kiff Hailey Hailey Ladybug Ladybug Bluey <++ "Rio 2" ('14) (46) Sponge.. <++ "The Addams Family" ('19) NICK <++ "Dr. Seuss' the Lorax" ('12) < "Croods: A (47) (6:00) < "Gnomeo <++ "Shrek Forever After" ('10) FREE (:05) <+++ "Enchanted" ('07) Amy Adams. (48) (:25) Golden Girls GoldGir.. GoldGir.. GoldGir.. GoldGir.. (:25) Golden Girls GoldGir.. GoldGir.. Mike TVLD (49) Modern Marvels Modern Marvels Modern Marvels Modern Marvels Modern Marvels Titans HIST (50) Twi.Zone Twi.Zone Twi.Zone <+ "Scary Movie 5" ('13) SYFY <+ "Texas Chainsaw 3D" ('13) (51) Dumbest TRUTV Dumbest Matters Matters Matters Matters Matters Matters Matters (52) CMT Music CMT Hot20 Countdown Mama's Mama's Mama's (54) <+++ "Strange Interlude" ('32) TCM <++ "Strange Bargain" < "Magnificent Ambersons" Movie (55) (5:30) <++++ AMC <+++ "The Fugitive" ('93) Harrison Ford. < "Perfect Storm" (56) North Woods Law North Woods Law North Woods Law North Woods Law North Woods Law North-L.. ANPL (57) Prince Prince Prince Prince Prince Prince My Wife MyWife MyWife MyWife MyWife BET (58) Parks COM Parks Parks Parks Parks Parks < "Talladega Nights: Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (59) (6:00) <++ "This E! <++ "Almost Christmas" ('16) (P) <+++ "Girls Trip" ('17) (60) UEFA FS1 (:50) UEFA Qual. Hungary vs. Montenegro (N) Highlig.. (:50) 2024 UEFA Euro Qualifying (61) Below Deck BRAVO Below Deck Below Deck Below Deck Below Deck BelowD.. (62) Mysteries at TRAV Mysteries at Mysteries at Mysteries at Mysteries at Mysteri.. (63) WeBare WeBare < "Scooby-Doo in Where's ... WeBare Hero TOON Hero Looney Tiny Too Teen

SUNDAY AFTERNOON 12:30 1 PM

MOVIES