Happy
New Year 2021
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Locally owned since 1867
iolaregister.com
Here’s to a new year, new start By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
When the calendar flipped to 2020, Americans were ready to greet the new year with a hearty cheer. Many made resolutions to eat healthier, be friendlier or find ways big and small to make the world a better place. Of course, nobody had an inkling the looming global pandemic would tip the world on its ear. Soon quarantine, social distancing and face masks became a part of the “new norm.” Schools closed their doors for a time, while busi-
nesses were left to contend with a stunning drop in activity. (Some closed their doors and never reopened.) Tack on one of the nastier presidential elections in recent memory, and more than a few are happy to say “good riddance” to what 2020 had to offer. But as is our nature, hopes for a brighter future persist. Life is slowly coming back
to normal, even with plenty of questions remaining on how the country will emerge from the pandemic. News that most Americans will have access to vaccines protecting us from the novel coronavirus (eventually) is the latest indication that we may once again be able to frequent restaurants, gather with loved ones or simply offer a hearty handshake. With that in mind, the Register reached out to several in the community about how the past year has inspired them to become more involved in the community, or take part
in broader movements, as well as their goals and resolutions for the upcoming year. Their comments follow.
COVID-19 Case Count
Current cases ...............109 Total cases* .................653 *Since the start of the pandemic Randy Rasa
“2020 re-emphasized for me the value of our local trail network, especially when many of our regular activities were severely limited by safety concerns and the necessity of social distancing,” writes Randy Rasa, cycling enthusiast and
Sources: Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Departments, Kansas Department of Health and Environment
College football playoffs on tap
See RESOLUTIONS | Page A8
2020 wraps up on a hopeful note By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
As the summer came to a close, COVID-19 cases were rising in Allen County and across Kansas. Students were back in school, with new restrictions. The governor’s mask mandate and protests on race across the nation shattered whatever spirit of cooperation existed at the beginning of the pandemic. Just reading the highlights has been exhausting. But the worst is yet to come. COVID-19 would soon claim its first Allen County resident. Families would share life-altering experiences. Oh, and there’s also an election ahead. There are glimmers of hope, too. School sports and activities mostly have continued with some modifications. Grant funding helped businesses
Allen County
PAGE B1
911 center gets an upgrade By TREVOR HOAG The Iola Register
Voters wear masks as they cast ballots in local, state and federal elections Nov. 3. FILE PHOTO
September
stay afloat and brought huge amounts of food to local pantries and residents. The first vaccine would be administered before the end of the year.
On Sept. 1, Allen County’s COVID cases had climbed to 33. By Sept. 10, cases jumped to 43, a 30% increase. By the end of the month, they would nearly double with a total of
82 cases. News of the county’s first COVID death came later in the month. Details were not released, but social media and family reported Rick Booe, 68 of Humboldt, died Sept. 19. On Sept. 22, Gov. Laura Kelly expressed alarm at the state’s rapidly worsening numbers: 53,959 cases with 600 deaths. That same day, the national death toll from the virus topped 200,000 with more than 6.8 million confirmed See YEAR | Page A3
The annual Farm-City Days event in October was one of the year’s few festivals. FILE
PHOTO
Allen County’s 911 center is getting some upgrades. Chelsie Angleton, interim 911 communications director, along with Karen Kimball, received permission from Allen County commissioners to make several key purchases for the dispatch station. One item was a “simulator phone” for helping to educate grade schoolers about calling 911. Until this point, they had been using a classic hand-held for such purposes, where a lot of the students had never even seen or used one before. The cost of the simulator was $5,000. Commissioners also approved the purchase of an additional UHF radio for $1,082. Angleton had received bids for painting an ugly peach and lime green-colored garage on-site, and received permission from commissioners to have Chad Reeves do the work for $4,750. She also received permission from commissioners to purchase new shelving for storing Personal Protective See COUNTY | Page A7
Moran native reflects on life in China during pandemic By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
It seems appropriate to end the year’s coronavirus coverage the way it began, with an update from Molly McEwan. The Moran native and her fiancé, Tyson Carpenter, are living in China, where they Vol. 122, No. 298 Iola, KS 75 Cents
both work as teachers. McEwan shared her experiences with Register readers at several points throughout the year. Late in the summer, as Allen County schools prepared to reopen, she talked about the challenges of teaching online. Since then, she and Tyson have remained in China and
2019 NATIONAL AWARD
continue to teach. School began Sept. 1 and has been pretty normal, she said. While COVID-19 was first discovered in China, the country was able to quickly control the spread of infection. A country of 1.4 billion, it has reported a total of 87,053 infections with 4,634 deaths See REFLECT | Page A7
Moran native Molly McEwan with fiancé, Tyson Carpenter.
The Employees of Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center Awarded
Top 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare By Modern Healthcare magazine for the 12th consecutive year multiple national award for award-earning care