Starlite FCE May, 2023

 

 

The Starlite FCE held it’s May meeting at the Presbyterian Village meeting room.  Vice President Joyce Allen called the meeting to order and led the club in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the club collect.  Nine members and one guest were in attendance.  The club reported that they have volunteered for thirteen hours and had recycled fifty pounds.

 

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.  Doris Ericson presented the Treasurer’s report, she announced that she had sent in the Best Choice labels and had received sixty dollars.  Karen Peery reported that the Spring Tea was held in Humboldt with a lesson on Day Lilies.

 

New business consisted of discussing the June meeting which we are opening to the public.  The lesson will be presented by Jack Jackson on Men’s Health, and will be held at the Presbyterian Village meeting room at 2:00 on June 15th.  Refreshments of cobblers and ice cream will be served.

 

Doris Ericson moved that the meeting be adjourned, Betty Johnson seconded the motion, meeting adjourned.

 

After the meeting Taylor Bailey presented the lesson on “What’s on your Device.”  Taylor informed the club about the pros and cons of apps for your devices.

 

Refreshments of cookies, strawberry frozen dessert, nuts and water were provided by Letha Johnson and Taylor Bailey and enjoyed by all.

 

Prepared by

Terri Williams

USDA Extends Application Deadline for Revenue Loss Programs to July 14  

 

Nine Partner Organizations to Provide Assistance with ERP Phase Two Applications

 

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two and Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP) to July 14, 2023, to give producers more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was June 2.

 

Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is partnering with nine organizations to provide educational and technical assistance to agricultural producers and provide assistance in completing an ERP Phase Two application. The extended deadline will give producers more time to work with these partner organizations and apply for assistance.
“Farm Service Agency recognizes that there is a learning curve for producers applying for our new revenue-based programs and we want to make sure producers have the time they need to apply for assistance,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Partnering with these organizations through cooperative agreements provides additional educational and technical assistance to producers who may need help with the Emergency Relief Program Phase Two application process. The deadline extension gives producers more time to locate and work with these organizations to complete their program application.”

 

Cooperative Agreements for ERP Phase Two Application Assistance

Through cooperative agreements with FSA, the following organizations are providing free assistance to producers across the United States and territories.

 

 

Depending on a producer’s location, these nine partners can provide assistance either by phone or through online meeting software like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

 

There is never a charge for technical assistance provided by FSA employees or cooperative agreement recipients. These organizations will assist producers with completing the application and any follow-up future insurance coverage requirements. Producers who receive ERP payments are statutorily required to purchase crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for the next two available crop years. These organizations will not collect producer records, complete or sign the application form, or act on the producer’s behalf in any way throughout this process.

 

Find more information on FSA cooperative agreements and contact information for the nine organizations please visit fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/cooperative-agreements/index.

 

PARP Application Assistance

 

USDA will host a webinar that focus on completing the PARP application form on June 8, 2023 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. eastern with members of the National Farm Income Tax Extension Committee. Register here.

 

Eligibility 

 

To be eligible for ERP Phase Two, producers must have suffered a decrease in allowable gross revenue in 2020 or 2021 due to necessary expenses related to losses of eligible crops from a qualifying natural disaster event. Assistance will be primarily to producers of crops that were not covered by Federal Crop Insurance or NAP, since crops covered by Federal Crop Insurance and NAP were included in the assistance under ERP Phase One.

 

To be eligible for PARP, an agricultural producer must have been in the business of farming during at least part of the 2020 calendar year and had a 15% or greater decrease in allowable gross revenue for the 2020 calendar year, as compared to a baseline year.

 

FSA offers an online ERP tool and PARP tool that can help producers determine what is considered allowable gross revenue for each respective program.

 

Producers should contact their local FSA office to make an appointment to apply for ERP Phase Two and PARP assistance. Producers should also keep in mind that July 15 is a major deadline to complete acreage reports for most crops. FSA encourages producers to complete the ERP Phase Two application, PARP application and acreage reporting during the same office visit.

 

More Information

 

For more information, view the ERP Phase Two Fact Sheet, PARP Fact Sheet, the ERP Phase Two-PARP Comparison Fact Sheet, ERP Phase Two application video tutorial, PARP application video tutorial, myth-buster blog or contact your local USDA Service Center.

 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America and committing to equity across the department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

 

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

GET YOUR DISCOUNT TICKETS FOR WAHZHAZHE: AN OSAGE BALLET SOON

 

FORT SCOTT, Kan. – Time is running out to get discount tickets for Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet.  This moving story of the Osage people is coming to Fort Scott, Kansas for three performances July 21-22, 2023.  Discounted early bird prices are only available until May 31.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.osageballet.com/events or by clicking on the get tickets button on the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site Facebook page.  Persons needing assistance with online purchases can do so, in person, at the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.

The heart-pounding drumbeats, rhythmic dancing, and compelling stories of Wahzhazhe are sure to delight dancing enthusiasts and history fans of all ages. The Fort Scott performances will be held Friday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 22 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.

The Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site in partnership with the National Park Service are hosting Wahzhazhe as part of Fort Scott National Historic Site’s educational programming.  Contact [email protected] for more information.

 

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Obituary John Kirby

John Dewey Kirby, age 61, resident of Fort Scott, KS died Wednesday, May 24, 2023.  He was born November 23, 1961, in Wichita, KS, the son of William and Mary Elizabeth Long.

John was a bull rider for over 20 years on the rodeo circuit.

More recently he worked maintenance for Lake Chaparral in Mound City, KS.

He enjoyed anything outdoors, camping, woodworking, and listening to rock music.

John always had his trusty dog “Bo” by his side.

He loved spending time with family, especially his grandchildren.

John married Chastity Mackley on November 12, 2022, in Fort Scott.

 

Survivors include his wife Chastity of the home; a son Dustin Erikson; a daughter, Cherokee Erikson (Clint Szuwalski); and 3 grandsons, Hunter, Gunner, and Kaiser.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

 

There was cremation.  A memorial service will be announced at a later date.  Memorials are suggested to the John Kirby Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas to Host Forum for Professional Advisors


The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) will host the 2023 Estate Planning Forum in the large conference room of The Foundry at Block22 in downtown Pittsburg on Tuesday, June 13.

The fullday Forum, hosted annually in partnership with Foulston Siefkin LLP of Wichita, is open to Southeast Kansas attorneys, CPAs, insurance professionals, and financial advisors. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., and the first session will begin at 10:00 a.m.


Attendees will learn about new developments in the field of estate planning, earn up to six hours of continuingeducation credit, and enjoy a free lunch from Chatters courtesy of CFSEK.


This year’s Forum includes sessions on legal ethics; a comparison of probateavoidance devices;
drafting advice to minimize family disharmony; drafting support and discretionary trusts; and recent developments in estate planning, including the effects of recent changes on charitable
giving. Sessions will be taught by Foulston Siefkin’s Tim O’Sullivan, JD, LLM, and Corey Moomaw, JD, LLM.


The Forum has been approved for 6 hours of CLE credit (including one hour of ethics credit) and 5 hours of insurance CE credit. It also offers a recommended 5 hours of CPE credit for accountants and 5 hours of PACE credit for qualifying financial advisors.


Registration is required for this event. Professional advisors who want to attend the 2023 Estate Planning Forum can register by completing the online form at
SoutheastKansas.org/forum2023/, emailing j[email protected], or calling
(620) 2318897.

***

Fort Scott’s Labyrinth To Be Dedicated May 28

Pictured are people painting the initial labyrinth lines in fall 2022 at the vacant lot across from First Presbyterian Church at 308 S. Crawford. Submitted photo.

In nearly every culture, walking labyrinths are a single path to a center used for prayer and meditation, or just a brief walk, according to Pastor Christopher Eshelman of Fort Scott First United Methodist.

“We find examples all over the world, from petroglyphs to indigenous basket weavings, stamped coins and labyrinths themselves,” he said. “In this sense, a labyrinth is not a maze or a puzzle – there are no dead ends (and no Minataur!).”

Building a labyrinth in Fort Scott, was Eshelman’s idea.

“Walking labyrinths is one of my favorite spiritual disciplines and I’ve been building them for several years – everything from temporary chalk on concrete or painters tape on a gym floor to mowing them into fields or, in this case, arranging stone to form the path boundaries,” he said.

The Fort Scott Labyrinth was completed last month, and will be dedicated on May 28 at 11:45 a.m., right after the Methodist church service is over.

Pictured is the completed labyrinth with benches. Submitted photo.

“It just really got finished in the last month or so and we are formally dedicating it on Sunday, May 28th with a brief ceremony, he said. “We added the benches and sign a few months ago using funds from a grant given by the Healthy Congregations program of the UMC’s Great Plains Conference. Anyone can use the space.”

 

The labyrinth is a place to meditate.

“It’s a personal favorite practice and it is a way of transforming the space from an abandoned lot into something beautiful,” Eshelman said. “This site, where people once bought food to nourish their bodies now serves as a space to nourish mind and spirit. It is a great way to engage people in walking, exercise, and spirituality as well as deepening the connection and cooperation between our two congregations.”

The labyrinth is sponsored by First Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church.

The Presbyterian Church logos, left and the Methodist Church Logo, right. Submitted graphics.

“The Presbyterians now own the land, which was the former site of Whiteside’s Grocery at 3rd and Crawford,” he said. “The Whiteside’s are longtime members of First United Methodist, where I now serve as pastor. With permission of their Sessions board, I and a few volunteers initially laid it out with marking paint and then gradually added stone – some is debris from the site and some is stone gathered and donated from nearby fields and projects by one of our members. What was once scattered now contributes to a place of wholeness.”

Memorabilia from Whiteside’s Grocery Store, now the site of the labyrinth. Submitted photo.

“It is a space where you can, quite literally, center yourself,” he said. “It really is what you make of it and what you bring to it. There is no wrong way to walk a labyrinth so long as you are respectful of the space and others who use it. One of my favorite experiences was a time I was trying to very seriously instruct a group of Cub Scouts in the ancient practice… and they did not care. They just wanted to play. When I finally got out of the way and let them runs and skip, they immediately started playing follow the leader and exploring the space. It was wonderful. Our design copies one that was laid in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France between 1200 and 1220AD and used as a pilgrimage spot.”

Chartres Labyrinth design. Submitted photo.

 

 

 

Rev. Darryl Burton’s Faith Story: Miracle Man, on June 11

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member
First Presybertian Church…
Rev. Darryl Burton tells his story!
Join us on Sunday, June 11th at 10:30am to hear about Rev. Darryl Burton’s story about Faith and how he helped others who feel lost and hopeless.
Rev. Burton was wrongly convicted and spent 25 years in a prison for a crime he did not commit. Burton founded Miracle of Innocence, an organization to help others who have been wrongfully convicted.
For more information please contact 620.223.3180
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

Looking For the Good by Patty LaRoche

Patty LaRoche. 2023

This week has been a tough one for my friends and their families.  I grieve because of what they are enduring.  Some I cannot share.  Some I can.

My friend Joyce died.  Unexpectantly.  In her last text to me, two days before her death, she wrote this: “I’ve got my eyes on The Prize…Jesus…”  Little did Joyce know that she would meet her “Prize” a short time later.  The day before, she had asked her friends to send her cards so she could post them on the wall in her care facility room.  If Joyce was praying for you, you can be sure she never missed a day.

My girlfriend “Sarah” phoned and reacquainted me with the term “mean girls” who obviously are alive and not well. I don’t understand what makes them tick. Her granddaughter “Jessie,” a student at a new school, had made friends with three girls. After moving several times because of her parents’ divorce and remarriages, this was the first time she had close friends.  Jessie’s invitation to prom gave her renewed confidence.  All four girls would meet at Jessie’s house to dress for the prom where Jessie’s mother, thrilled about her daughter’s excitement, created a potato bar for the girls and their dates.

When Sarah arrived at her granddaughter’s house to take pictures, the mood had changed.  Jessie’s date had phoned and said that he was not able to drive and asked if Jessie’s dad could drop her off at the prom.  Strange, but what else could she do?  When none of the friends arrived at her house, Jessie called them.  No one answered.  Sarah made excuses and attempted to encourage her granddaughter that this “obviously” was some goof-up.  Jessie needed to go to the dance where, surely, everything would be explained.

Fifteen minutes after Jessie was dropped off at prom, she called her dad, asking that he pick her up.  None of the girls were talking to her, and her “date” acted as if she didn’t exist.  My friend cried for three days and then called me.  “I have some advice,” I said.  “Drive up to Jessie’s school and greet the three girls when they leave.  Ask them what pleasure they had in destroying your granddaughter’s confidence and belief that they were her friends. And then meet her “date,” and knock him unconscious. (And yes, I know that this is not what Christians do…but remember, even Jesus got angry.)

The next night, a text came from one of my five college friends who meet up annually for a reunion.  She had been on a date-night with her husband.  He choked on a piece of steak and died. Waiters had attempted the Heimlich but to no avail.  What a horror for my friend to watch!

I tried to find blessings out of such sadness.  Joyce had been struggling for the past year with health issues.  Jessie didn’t need “friends’ like these mean girls.  My sorority friend’s husband had been dealing with early-onset-dementia, had to move out of his house and was grieving because of it.  God knew all of that…and more.

How does one know how God is working?  Because He’s always working.  His permissive will allows things to occur that we do not understand.  When I opened my emails today, this appeared: “God absolutely longs to help us in our hurt.”  He does that by offering Heaven to those who love Him and accept the gift of His son.  When I think of my two friends’ deaths, I know that their last breath here on earth became their first breath in eternity. They loved Jesus. They are so much better off than we are.

Their physical and mental deficiencies are no more.  No pain.  No sorrow.  Only pure joy.  As for my friend’s granddaughter, I pray that God leads her to a “real” friend…hopefully one that will last and love her unconditionally.  A perfect friend like Jesus.

Local Kansas National History Day Champs Will Present Projects on June 1

National History Day State Champions from Fort Scott Set to Present at the Empress Events Center Southeast Kansas will send two projects to the National History Day Championship in College Park, Maryland June 1115.

Four groups from the Bourbon County community attended the State National History Day Championships in Topeka in April.


The two groups from Fort Scott who are State Champions competing at Nationals in June will present their projects at 7:00 PM on June 1st at the Empress Events Center. This presentation will allow the students to practice sharing their projects and raise funds for their trip to College Park, MD. This event is open to the
public.


The following students are the State Champions and will be sharing their projects on June 1st:


Kenlee Eden, Blair Felt, and Kodie Wells from Fort Scott Christian Learning Center will participate in the Junior Group Documentary category, coached by Megan Felt and Rachel Wells. Their project is entitled Blazing a Trail for the Forgotten. It is a documentary based on Jean Purdy, the first embryologist in history.
Jean’s efforts in helping biologist Dr. Robert Edwards and gynecologist Dr. Patrick Steptoe led to the first IVF baby being born in 1978.


Taly Banwart, Holly Crain, and Abby Jacobs from Fort Scott Christian Learning Center will participate in the Senior Group Performance category, coached by CLC history teacher Dan Kobernat. Their project is entitled A Love Larger Than Life. It is a performance based on Dr. Leila Denmark and her efforts to eradicate whooping cough by creating the pertussis vaccine. Dr. Denmark’s vaccine was the 11th vaccine ever developed.


History Day encourages students to express their knowledge of and interest in history through creative and
original dramatic performances, media presentations, historical papers, website design, or threedimensional exhibit projects. The research and study for district, state, and national competitions take place throughout the entire school year.


The national competition involves the top 2,000 students from across the nation, chosen from over 800,000
who compete in order to advance from local to state to national competition. All 50 states and several countries will be represented at the National competition. The theme this year is “Frontiers in History: People, Ideas, and Events.”

The Lowell Milken Center is located at the corner of First and Wall Streets.


The Lowell Milken Center provides critiques and helps with research for National History Day Unsung Hero
projects from Kansas and throughout the United States.

Help Build the Field of Honor at Fort Scott National Historic Site on Friday May 26

Photo credit: National Park Service. Staff and community members set up the Field of Honor in 2022.

Symbols of Sacrifice, an annual event at the Fort Scott National Historic Site, was started about 10 years ago to commemorate those killed in wars the U.S. has fought in.

The first event was organized by the late Anne Emerson and the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site and was on Sept. 11, 2013.

“The Symbols of Sacrifice event began in 2013 (http://www.friendsofthefort.com/2013/08/symbols-of-sacrifice.html) with events around September 11th developed by the Friends of Fort Scott NHS,” said Carl Brenner, FSNHS Program Manager for Interpretation and Resource Management.  “It has occurred on September 11th until  2018 when it was moved to July 4th for that year. Beginning in 2019 we moved the event to Memorial weekend to be more inclusive of everyone who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country free.”

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day and originated in the years following the Civil War, becoming an official federal holiday in 1971, according to a FSNHS press release.

The Field of Honor with its approximately 7,000 flags commemorate the ultimate sacrifice members of the United States Armed Forces have made to keep this country free, according to the press release.

 

Volunteers Needed

Members of the community are invited to join the Fort Scott National Historic Site park staff in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor on Friday morning, tomorrow, May 26, according to the press release.

Volunteers,  individuals and groups, are asked  to plan on working from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. Volunteers are also asked to help remove the display on Tuesday, May 30, according to the press release.

To find out more and to become involved, please contact the park at 620-223-0310, email us at [email protected], or just come out and help.

 

Symbols of Sacrifice continues the entire Memorial Day Weekend, Friday, May 26 through, Monday, May 29, and the Field of Honor will be open throughout the weekend, according to the press release.

There will be guided fort tours daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. This is an all-weather event.

Fort Scott National Historic Site

 

About the Fort

From April 1 to September 30, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its summer hours of operation.

The site exhibit areas and visitor center are open daily from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.

 

Bourbon County Local News