Disposal of leftover prescriptions, vaping devices planned

 Allen County residents can dispose of unused prescription drugs at a special event this weekend to recognize National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. New this year, residents also can dispose of electronic vaping devices and cartridges.

“Vaping has been declared a serious health epidemic and I feel it will also cause a recycling nightmare,” Jessica McGinnis, Drug Free Community Coordinator with Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center, said. “E-cigarette waste disposal is a significant environmental problem. The cartridges hold flavored nicotine or cannabis solution and contain harmful chemicals that must be dealt with as hazardous waste. I’m happy to see that the DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back is taking this seriously.”

Locally, prescription medications and vaping devices can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Iola Police Department and Humboldt Police Department. Educational material will be offered during the event. The service is free and anonymous.

Unused or leftover prescription drugs can be dropped off throughout the year at stations in Moran, Humboldt and Iola. The special event is organized as a way to educate the public about the danger of keeping unused or leftover medications, where they are vulnerable to misuse, theft or abuse by family members and visitors, including children and teens.

McGinnis recommends residents black out their personal information on the label or remove the label. Also, some prescriptions should not be flushed, as most of the chemicals in the drug passes through treatment plants or septic systems and can end up in nearby rivers and lakes. The FDA has a list of drugs that can be flushed. This list can be found at FDA.gov website.

It’s dangerous to throw prescriptions in your trash, where others can take and use it. That also makes you a target, as thieves might return to look for more medications in your home, McGinnis said. She also advises residents to lock up prescription drugs, especially if you have children or teens in your home.

 To dispose of vaping devices, remove lithium ion batteries before dropping off the devices. If batteries cannot be removed, consult with stores that recycle lithium ion batteries.

The local event is sponsored by Allen County Multi-Agency Team-ACMAT and Thrive Allen County.

Master shares talent

Classical pianist Andreas Klein, front left, met with piano students of Kathleen McCollam Wednesday evening for a workshop. Klein will give a performance tonight at 7 o’clock in Creitz Recital Hall. Tickets are $12. With Klein are William Toland and Caroline Toland; second row, Audrey Powe, Jesse Taylor and Jarrod Powe; back row, Spencer Ames. REGISTER/ SUSAN LYNN

Fresh-brewed conversation

Allen County commissioner Jerry Daniels speaks with Iola residents on Thursday morning for the first Coffee with Commissioners meeting. Commissioner Bruce Symes was also in attendance. They plan to meet again next month in Humboldt. REGISTER/ERIC SPRUILL

MV math relay team competes in Fort Scott

FORT SCOTT — Marmaton Valley High School senior Ty Scharff and sophomore Garrett Henderson both earned high honors at the Fort Scott Community College Math Relays Oct. 15.

Scharff finished first in the mental math competition, while Henderson finished fifth in equations and inequalities.

Twenty-three MVHS students competed by taking 15-minute tests against students from 20 other schools in Kansas and Missouri.

Students were tested in a wide array of subject: set theory, geometry, algebra, equations and inequalities, simplifications, mental math, potpourri, number theory and word problems.

“I was very proud of the kids and their efforts,” math coach Kelci Botts said in an email. “Only 10 of the 23 students had ever competed before in a math relay. It can be very overwhelming for the first time. I expect great things from this group and look forward to our spring competitions.”

Others participating: Senior Rachel Schaffer; juniors Antonio Campos, Lexis Jones, Haylee Meiwes, Tea Smith, Kaylee Becker and Kayla Ard; Sophomores Aly Ard, Kamryn Boyd, Jenni Armstrong, Kira Stahl, Caidence Cook and Kendall Scharff; Freshmen Katrina Woods, Zach Allee, Madi Lawson, Mary Brown, Dylan Drake, Bryce Ensminger, Kaitlyn Drake and Mallory Heim.  

Trump lifts sanctions on Turkey

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will lift sanctions on Turkey after the NATO ally agreed to permanently stop fighting Kurdish forces in Syria and he defended his decision to withdraw American troops.

“We’re getting out,” Trump said at the White House, asserting that tens of thousands of Kurdish lives were saved as the result of his actions.

“Let someone else fight over this long, blood-stained sand,” he said.

The president, who campaigned on a promise to cease American involvement in “endless wars,” took a victory lap as he lopped the American presence inside Syria in less than a year from about 2,000 troops to a contingency force in southern Syria of 200 to 300.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle chastised the president for turning on the Syrian Kurds, whose fighters battled side by side with American troops to beat back the Islamic State group. They also questioned whether the move has opened up the region to a resurgence of IS.

“I am worried that a full withdrawal will create space for ISIS to regroup, grow and gain more strength,” said Michael McCaul of Texas, the lead Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We learned from President Obama’s reckless retreat from Iraq that power vacuums are exploited by America’s worst enemies. We do not want to repeat the same mistake. We must learn from history.”

Trump warned that if Turkey does not honor its pledge for a permanent cease-fire, he will not hesitate to reimpose sanctions. Earlier this month, Trump halted negotiations on a $100 billion trade deal with Turkey, raised steel tariffs back up to 50% and imposed sanctions on three senior Turkish officials and Turkey’s defense and energy ministries.

“The job of our military is not to police the world,” Trump said. “Other nations must step up and do their fair share. Today’s breakthrough is a critical step in that direction.”

Trump earlier in October ordered the bulk of the approximately 1,000 U.S. troops in Syria to withdraw after Turkey’s president, Recep Tayipp Erdogan, told Trump in a phone call that Turkish forces were set to invade northeastern Syria. Turkey’s goal was to push back the U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters. Turkey views the Kurds as terrorists and an ever-present threat along its southern border with Syria.

The U.S. pullout was seen as an abandonment of Kurdish fighters, who have incurred thousands of casualties as they fought with U.S. forces against the Islamic State militants.

The U.S. troops left, but the conflict was not without repercussions.

Trump’s critics say he gave up American influence in the region and signaled to future allies that the United States is no longer a reliable partner. More than 176,000 people have been displaced by the Turkish offensive and about 500 IS fighters gained freedom during the conflict.

“There were a few that got out, a small number relatively speaking,” Trump said. “They’ve been largely recaptured.”

Turkey is taking control of areas of Syria that it captured in its invasion. Russian and Syrian forces are now overseeing the rest of the border region, leaving the United States with little influence in the region.

Trump said he would “bring our soldiers home” from Syria, but then recalibrated and his administration plans to shift more than 700 to western Iraq. Those troops, however, do not have permission to stay in Iraq permanently. Iraq’s defense minister, Najah al-Shammari, told The Associated Press that the U.S. troops will leave the country within four weeks.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper visited the Iraqi capital on Wednesday, a day after Russia and Turkey reached an agreement that would send their forces along nearly the entire northeastern border to fill the void left when U.S. forces left. Between 200 and 300 U.S. troops will remain at the southern Syrian outpost of Al-Tanf.

Under the new agreement, much of that territory would be handed over to U.S. rivals.

The biggest winners are Turkey and Russia. Turkey would get sole control over areas of the Syrian border captured in its invasion. Turkish, Russian and Syrian government forces would oversee the rest of the border region. America’s former U.S. allies, the Kurdish fighters, are hoping Russia and Syria will preserve some pieces of the Syrian Kurdish autonomy in the region.

“In the blink of an eye, President Trump has undone over five years of progress against the Islamic State,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Chiefs hopefall for speedy Mahomes recovery

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid was unwilling to rule out quarterback Patrick Mahomes from their upcoming game against Green Bay, even though it’s been less than a week since the reigning league MVP dislocated his kneecap in a victory in Denver.

Regardless of whether he plays Sunday night, that’s good news for the Chiefs.

The initial thought was that Mahomes could miss up to six weeks, but X-rays and an MRI exam returned the best possible result. So while the Chiefs are moving ahead as if Matt Moore will be under center against the Packers, the starting job may not be his as long as expected.

“I mean, he attacks everything. That’s how he goes about it,” Reid said of his young franchise quarterback. “I think it was important that he hear from the doctors and the trainers that he could proceed and things would be OK as he goes forward, so he’s full-steam ahead.”

While most of the Chiefs were given a couple days off after their victory Thursday night, Mahomes was back at the facility over the weekend getting treatment on his knee. That has continued right into their first practice for the Packers on Wednesday, when Mahomes was expected to do some throwing.

Reid said that Moore, the former quarterback in Carolina and Miami, would take the majority of reps as the starter. But he indicated that Mahomes could get a few of them, and that’s a positive sign that one of the league’s prolific passers could be back in the next couple of weeks.

The Chiefs promoted rookie Kyle Shurmur from the practice squad to serve as a potential backup.

“Everybody is different,” Reid said, “and really the doctors are telling Patrick what he can do along the way, within reason. He’s been doing that and doing it well. That’s probably what I would tell you. We just have to wait and see how it goes, but that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing.”

By that, he means preparing Moore to start a primetime showdown between division leaders who are both targeting a spot in the Super Bowl. The Packers roll in at 6-1 and fresh off a blitzing of the Chiefs’ bitter rival, Oakland. Kansas City is coming in at 5-2 and fresh off a blowout win over the Broncos.

It might not be the showdown between Mahomes and Packers counterpart Aaron Rodgers that everyone was anticipating, but it’s still a marquee matchup between two of the league’s storied teams.

And the Chiefs don’t believe their chances are any worse with Moore leading them out.

“Both of those guys are great quarterbacks, and Matt’s been in the league a long time,” rookie Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman said. “We know what Pat can do. Both can get the job done.”

Notes: DE Frank Clark (neck) and LB Darron Lee (illness) did not practice Wednesday. CB Kendall Fuller (broken thumb) also missed the workout. … LT Eric Fisher (groin surgery) was back at practice for the first time since Week 2. “He’s going to give it a whirl,” Reid said. “See how he does.” … WR Sammy Watkins (hamstring) appears on track to play. He practiced last week before missing his second consecutive game. “He’s moving around well enough to be out there at practice, and we’ll just see how it all goes,” Reid said. “I put him in that group of guys that are practicing but banged up.”

Humboldt to talk about sales tax issue

HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt City Council will gather at a special meeting Saturday morning to discuss a proposed half-cent sales tax issue in front of local voters.

The referendum will be decided in the Nov. 5 General Election.

If approved, the tax would fund street repairs.

Nothing will be decided at Saturday’s meeting, but residents with questions or concerns are invited.

The 10 a.m. meeting will be held in the Humboldt High School cafeteria.

 

Low pay biggest concern among state employees

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A survey of the state of Kansas’ 8,000 executive branch employees shows that the biggest concern for most of them is low pay and poor benefits.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that while 65% of respondents from 14 Cabinet agencies are satisfied with their jobs, three in five cite low pay and benefits as their most significant workplace concern.

The Kansas Department of Administration released findings Wednesday of the anonymous, voluntary survey. It was conducted in June at the urging of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

The department said 54% of employees from the Cabinet agencies responded.

“We know the past several years have been difficult for our public employees,” Kelly said. “Their well-being and satisfaction dramatically affect the efficiency and effectiveness of the services Kansans receive. Better working conditions for public employees lead to a better government for the citizens of Kansas.”

Of the survey respondents, 60% said they weren’t reasonably compensated, while 24% cited training, technology and equipment inadequacies as their top concern.

The Department of Administration said eight in 10 employees were convinced their work advanced their employer’s mission and agreed their supervisors valued input from staff.

Agency managers and supervisors dealt ineffectively with poor job performance, according to 40% of respondents. Also, 13% said they didn’t feel physically or emotionally safe at work.

Lawmakers this year approved a bill signed by Kelly to provide state employees with a 2.5% pay raise. Health insurance plan premiums for state workers were lowered in 2019 by 6%. That followed increases of more than 30% from 2016 to 2018.

DeAngela Burns-Wallace, secretary of the Department of Administration, recently told legislators that low salaries of information technology employees complicated hiring efforts.

“You can see on-the-ground results when the employees of the state are adequately compensated and treated as professionals,” she said.

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Information from: The Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal, http://www.cjonline.com

Sheriff: Johnny Cash was once deputized

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville’s sheriff says there’s proof that Johnny Cash was granted law enforcement authority four decades ago.

At the Johnny Cash Museum this week, Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall unveiled a blown-up image of the late musician’s September 1979 deputy sheriff commission card, issued by then-Davidson County Sheriff Fate Thomas, featuring Cash’s headshot, fingerprint and signature.

Hall says one of his photographers discovered the card in a box. The card authorized Cash to “execute any and all processes that may come into his hands and to maintain the peace and dignity of the State, and arrest any and all persons violating the Criminal laws of the State of Tennessee.”

Hall says he doesn’t have evidence of what the deputy work entailed, but Cash believed in prison reform and criminal justice reform.

LaHarpe candidates to appear at forum

LAHARPE — Three LaHarpe City Council candidates, incumbent Danny Ware Jr. and challengers Austin Lee and Rosetta Greathouse, will attend a public forum at 7 p.m. Tuesday in LaHarpe City Hall.

The forum, hosted by LaHarpe PRIDE, gives the three candidates an opportunity to speak in advance of the Nov. 5 election.

Two seats are up for grabs, Ware’s and the seat held by David Lee, who opted not to run for re-election.

Austin Lee is David Lee’s son.

Mayor Mae Crowell is unopposed in her bid for re-election as LaHarpe mayor.