The Airport Advisory Board will meet on Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. at the City Commission meeting room at City Hall, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting is open to the public.
This meeting will be made available via the City’s you tube channel at City of Fort Scott.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) today announced that the state Health and Environmental Laboratories has found the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in one Kansas resident.
The Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories are screening all current positive PCR COVID-19 samples received at the lab to look for a specific genetic characteristic that would indicate the Omicron variant. Any samples that screen positive will be sequenced for confirmation of the Omicron variant. Additionally, the lab sequences a random sample of PCR positive COVID-19 samples regardless of whether they pass this screening process. This multi-pronged approach led to the detection of the variant.
“Since the Omicron variant was classified as a Variant of Concern, KDHE’s Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories has been working to identify the variant in the state. Through genomic sequencing, they were able to confirm the first case of the Omicron variant in Kansas,” Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said. “The detection of the variant does not come as a surprise. This virus is highly infectious and transmittable. We must do our part to protect ourselves and those around us by using the tools available to us.”
The individual with the Omicron variant is a vaccinated adult in Franklin County. This individual has not received a booster dose. No additional details will be released to protect the privacy of the individual.
Health officials urge Kansans to use the following tools to protect against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.
At-home tests are available for purchase at grocery stores and pharmacies. These can be used at home, work or anywhere and can provide rapid results. If a positive result is received through an at-home test, individuals should follow up with a health care provider about a confirmation test.
Rachel Marie Hall, age 52, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Thursday, December 16, 2021, at her home. She was born June 17, 1969, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Harvey Wayne Hall and Barbara Louise Taylor Hall. Rachel enjoyed listening to music and spending time with her family and friends. She was also a great fan of the Kansas City Chiefs. Rachel will be remembered for her fantastic fried chicken.
Survivors include her three children, Brandon Hall (Jodi Clayton), Jacklyn Colvin (Micah Davis) and Kenny Meek (Brandy Meek) all of Ft. Scott and nine grandchildren, Nevaeh Davis, Josephine Davis, Cora Davis, Katie Meek, Erica Grewing, Kylie Higgins, Elizabeth Higgins, Jason Johnson and Ashlin Williams and a great-grandson, Malachi Chamberlin. Also surviving are her mother, Barbara Underwood, of Ft. Scott; and three sisters, Tammy Underwood, of Garland, Kansas, Linda Wiggans and Cheryl Hawkins, both of Ft. Scott, numerous nieces and nephews and a special friend, Don Shorter.
Rev. Kevin Moyes will conduct funeral services at 1:00 P.M. Monday, December 20th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Following services, there will be cremation.
The family will receive friends on Monday from Noon until service time at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the Rachel Hall Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
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TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced the application window for Broadband Acceleration Grant Program submissions.
“Access to high-speed internet is critical for Kansans to access health care, education, and compete in an increasingly digital economy,” Governor Kelly said. “My administration is committed to getting every Kansas home and business connected. I encourage anyone who qualifies to apply for this round of Broadband Acceleration Grants.”
The Broadband Acceleration Grant Program is critical in Kansas’ plan to address broadband gaps statewide. Funds will be targeted to areas that are unlikely to receive broadband service without state or federal funding support.
Launched in 2020, the program is poised to invest $85 million over 10 years to bridge the digital divide in Kansas, thanks to broadband modernization funding provided by the Kelly Administration’s bipartisan Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE).
Applicants may make a maximum grant request of $1 million that requires a 50% match for the construction of high quality, reliable broadband infrastructure in Kansas. The program prioritizes applications that address unserved areas, economically distressed communities and areas with compelling needs. The deadline for the intent to apply is Friday, January 14, 2022, with final applications due by noon on February 11, 2022.
“Broadband Acceleration Grants are a powerful tool to provide more Kansans with the high-speed internet they need to compete economically and improve their quality of life,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “We will continue building partnerships with innovative, visionary organizations on projects that give Kansas communities an edge now and well into the future.”
“The Broadband Acceleration Grant Program is one of the key building blocks we have put in place at the Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) to accelerate broadband expansion across the state and build upon the work we completed as part of the pandemic response programs,” KOBD Director Stanley Adams said. “We’ve long known of the significant digital divide in Kansas, and the pandemic reinforced what we need to do. We are prepared to seize the opportunity to connect every Kansan with the broadband access they need and deserve.”
The Kansas Office of Broadband Development will host the first webinar on the grant opportunity at 1 p.m. Thursday, December 16. Additional webinar opportunities are planned for January.
To submit your intent to apply, please click here.
For program information and webinar opportunities click here.
Since the summer of 2020, Governor Kelly’s efforts have spurred more than $75 million of total investment in broadband infrastructure in Kansas to address pandemic health, education and business challenges and spur community and economic development. The first program, the Connectivity Emergency Response Grant funded through the state SPARK program, generated more than $65 million in total investment through 66 broadband infrastructure projects completed across the state. Impacting rural communities in 74 of Kansas’ 105 counties, the program improved the availability of broadband access for more than 51,000 households, businesses and municipalities. The initial year of the Broadband Acceleration Grant invested an additional $10 million in state broadband grants and matching funds.
About the Kansas Office of Broadband Development
The Kansas Office of Broadband Development was established in 2020 by Governor Laura Kelly to help ensure all Kansans have the opportunity to live, work, learn and compete in a global economy by improving universal access to quality, affordable and reliable broadband.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas in 2021 was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award and was named Site Selection Magazine’s Best Business Climate in the West North Central region of the United States. Find the Department’s strategic plan for economic growth here: Kansas Framework for Growth.
The City of Fort Scott Administrative Offices will be closed on Friday, December 24th and Monday, December 27th, 2021 in observance of the Christmas Holiday. The offices will reopen on Tuesday, December 28th, 2021.
The City’s tree and brush dump site located on North Hill will also be closed on Saturday, December 25th, 2021 for the Christmas holiday. It will be open again on Tuesday, December 28th, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
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Evergy Crews Responding as Windy Conditions Persist
KANSAS CITY, MO. – Dec. 15, 2021 – Due to heavy winds across Kansas and Missouri, Evergy crews are responding to power outages to restore power to affected customers. As of mid-afternoon Wednesday, outages were limited and scattered, but gusty winds (up to 70 mph) are expected to become more intense through midnight Wednesday.
Proactive maintenance work, including tree trimming, helps reduce the impact of storms and wind on the power grid, but prolonged or extreme winds still pose a threat to the power grid and may cause outages.
Customers are encouraged to take steps to prepare for potential outages. Keep phones and other electronics charged. Have flashlights, batteries, water and non-perishable food on hand, as well as a communication plan for family members to connect if an emergency situation occurs.
Customers may report outages at Evergy.com. They also may sign up for outage text alerts when their account is registered online. Evergy’s automated outage reporting lines can accept thousands of calls per hour to serve customers in need.. Outages may be reported by phone at:
Coming into contact, even indirectly, with a power line can cause extreme injury and could be fatal. High winds and storms could cause tree limbs to blow into power lines or result in downed powerlines. If a branch or other debris is in contact with a power line, do not attempt to remove it. Assume downed power lines are energized and keep a distance of at least 10 feet from them. If a downed line is in a heavily trafficked area, report it to 9-1-1. Downed lines can also be reported via Evergy’s outage reporting lines.
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On Sunday evening, November 7th, Nelson and his wife, Euna, were driving in a car east of Uniontown on Hwy. 54.
They struck a cow in the road.
“Nelson sustained minor injuries, however, Euna wasn’t as lucky,” Bourbon County Sheriff’s Deputy Trey Sharp said. “She was life-flighted to Kansas University Medical Center and has been there since the night of the accident. Nelson has been by her side throughout this whole time. We were told it may be up to a year before we will know the significance of her brain injury.”
“Nelson started his career with the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office and is currently working for the Linn County Sheriff’s Office,” Sheriff Bill Martin said. “Nelson has assisted the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office since he has been with Linn County. Deputies and support staff with the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office still consider Nelson as part of the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office family.”
The sheriff’s department has organized a benefit event to help defray the costs of the catastrophic accident to the Blythe family.
“Nelson and Euna have medical insurance, but we all know insurance will not always cover all medical bills,” Sharp said. “We also have to think about their everyday life and how they are going to pay their normal bills that come with life. Nelson has been off work since the night of the wreck, which creates financial stress. This event is simply to raise money for them to hopefully relieve some of the financial stress and so they can focus on helping Euna recover and come back home.”
The fundraising event is Friday, December 17th, 2021 from 6 pm – 11 pm at The Liberty Theater, downtown Fort Scott.
Following the event, either Nelson or a family member will be provided a check of the money that has been raised, Sharp said.
“Up to this point, we have had multiple different items donated to us and we are still gathering items as we speak,” Sharp said. “Organizing this event just shows us how a community will truly gather together to help someone in need. We have had people reach out to us who do not know us or Nelson, they just want to help. Some of the items we have are guns, grills, fire pits, certificates to different area businesses, sports memorabilia, and multiple different items. If you look at our Facebook page ‘Blythe Family Benefit’ it will show you every item we have had donated. We update the page daily.”
“I would like to give a huge shout-out and thank you to Fort Scott Munitions,” Sharp said. “They have donated an extremely rare gun that has raised a tremendous amount of money so far. That gun is on an online raffle on their website. The link is also on our Facebook page as well.”
Latest News On Euna
“Euna has …been moved to a KU Med rehab center where she has made extreme strides throughout this recovery process,” Sharp said. “She still has a long road ahead of her. But the process she has made is nothing but a miracle. I had recently Facetimed her and Nelson. Euna was able to talk to me, she is sitting up, and is even walking with assistance.”
