Kansas Water Authority Virtual Meeting July 30

 

 

The Kansas Water Authority (KWA) will have their meeting by Webinar on Thursday, July 30 starting at 9 a.m.

 

For additional meeting information or how to access the meeting, visit the Kansas Water Office website, www.kwo.ks.gov or call (785) 296-3185.

The KWA is responsible for advising the Governor, Legislature and Director of the Kansas Water Office on water policy issues. They also ensure that water policies and programs address the needs of all Kansans as well as serve as advisors of the Kansas Water Vision and Kansas Water Plan. The KWA was established in 1981 and consists of 13 voting members who are appointed by the Governor or Legislative leadership. State agency directors serve as ex-officio members.

Note to Editor: The Americans with Disabilities Act, (42 U.S.C. 12101), requires the Kansas Water Office to print the reasonable accommodations messages.

 

KDHE amends travel quarantine list

 

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list. Florida as well as those countries with a CDC Level 3 Travel Health Notice with restrictions remain, but Arizona, Bahrain and French Guiana are removed effective today. Those traveling internationally are subject to CDC re-entry guidance and protocols.

 

This list is effective for all persons returning to or entering Kansas on the effective dates. The state will review/update this list every two weeks. A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine for 14 days includes visitors and Kansans who have:

 

Traveled to:

  • Florida on or after June 29.
  • Arizona between June 17 – July 27.
  • Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15.
  • International travel to Bahrain or French Guiana July 14 – July 26.
  • International travel on or after July 14 to countries with a CDC Level 3 Travel Health Notice, including China, Iran, European Schengen area, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Brazil. International travelers must follow CDC guidance and protocols.

 

Others needing to continue quarantining:

  • Anyone subject to a travel-related quarantine for a state or country previously on the travel-related quarantine list must complete their 14-day quarantine period.
  • Received notification from public health officials (state or local) that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19.

 

“It’s important to remember that traveling comes with risks,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary said. “We encourage those thinking about traveling to review their options, determine its necessity and if choosing to go, remember to still take precautions: wear a mask, socially distance and avoid mass gatherings.”

 

States added to this list are determined by evaluating new cases in states over a two-week period, then adjusting for population size, giving a case per 100,000 population which can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. States with significantly higher rates (approximately three times higher) are added to the list. Kansas’ rate was 223 cases per 100,000 population; whereas Florida’s is currently 717 cases per 100,000 population.

 

Travel quarantines do not prohibit travel through Kansas. People from these locations may still travel through Kansas. If this is done, KDHE recommends limited stops, wearing a mask at rest stops or when getting gas and being six feet from others when doing so. If the destination is Kansas, they would be required to quarantine upon arrival to their destination.

 

Critical infrastructure sector employees who have travelled to these destinations should contact their local health department regarding instructions for application of these quarantine orders while working. Critical infrastructure employees, such as public health, law enforcement, food supply, etc., need to have the staffing resources to continue serving Kansans so the local health department may allow a modified quarantine. Please note the only exemption for these quarantine mandates for critical infrastructure sector employees is work – they are not to go any other locations outside of work.

 

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.

Bourbon County: 65 COVID-19 Cases

“This doesn’t affect most of you but in case you saw the numbers and wondered why the difference, I wanted to let you know,” Rebecca Johnson, SEK Multi-County Health Departments Administrator, said.

The local health office is at 524 S. Lowman,Ft. Scott, KS 66701

Contact info: (620)223-4464 work, (620)223-1686 fax, [email protected]

“Yesterday Bourbon County had a new case and it was listed as active and under the total positives,” she said.  “After the investigation, it was found that the individual doesn’t actually live in Bourbon County. They hadn’t visited recently either. So, this case was sent to the county where they reside.”

 

“Also, in Bourbon County, they have a new hospitalization as of yesterday evening. So, their total in hospital at this time is 2.”

 

SEK Multi-County Health Departments

Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, and Woodson Counties

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

July 28, 2020

Allen County

Current Positive Cases 6
Total Hospitalizations 2-1 remaining in hospital
Current Recovered Cases 8
Total Positives Since Testing 14-1 removed-out of state and to remain there
Deaths 0

Anderson County

Current Positive Cases 2
Total Hospitalizations 0
Current Recovered Cases 24
Total Positives Since Testing 26
Deaths 0

Bourbon County

Current Positive Cases 5
Presumptive Cases 3-1 listed on KDHE website, tested negative
Positive Out of State/County-staying in Bourbon 11
Total Hospitalizations 5-2 currently, with 1 of the 2 being new admit
Current Recovered Cases 60-includes presumptive cases
Total Positives Since Testing 65
Deaths 1

Woodson County

Current Positive Cases 0
Total Hospitalizations 1-0 remaining in hospital
Current Recovered Cases 11
Total Positives Since Testing 11
Deaths 0

Recovered cases are based on dates of onset of symptoms, not on day testing results are received.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obituary of Earl Colley Jr.

Earl “Poncho” Colley, Jr., age 55, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at his home.

He was born October 24, 1964, in Tahlequah, OK, the son of Earl Colley, Sr. and Pamela Rice Colley.

Earl worked for Rent-A-Center for 17 years. He never met a stranger and could always make you laugh. He enjoyed MOKAN races, football (Chiefs), swimming, and classical rock music.

Earl was a talented individual, from auto mechanic, to carpentry, to cooking.

He and wife Lisa never had an argument.

Survivors include his wife Lisa of the home; three sons, Zach Lyman, Ft. Scott, Andrew Colley and wife, Erica, CA, and Joseph Colley, CO; two daughters, Kaitie Lyman, Ft. Scott, and Enjoli Colley, CO; three brothers, Rusty Green, Joplin, MO, Earl Colley and wife, Froenie, Sulphur OK, and Jamie Allen Rice, Midland, TX; a sister, Missy Colley Carriger and husband Darren, Osawatomie, KS; 10 grandchildren including JayLynn and Lynkoln Lyman; and 7 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

There was cremation. Memorial graveside services will be held at a later date.

Memorials are suggested to the Earl Colley, Jr. Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Kansas Deadlines for Titling, Registration, Renewals

Some Vehicle Titling, Registration, and Renewals Near Deadlines 

 

TOPEKA – As the end of July approaches, deadlines near for vehicle registration renewals and extensions given for recent vehicle purchases. The following information outlines the deadlines for specific transactions administered by county treasurers across the state.

Vehicle Registration Renewals:
Vehicle registrations with an expiration date of March through June 2020 must be renewed by Nov. 14, 2020. Vehicle registration renewals from July 2020 forward must be renewed in the regularly scheduled month.

Recent Vehicle Purchases:
Kansas residents who have purchased new or used motor vehicles on or after Jan. 1, 2020, and are operating with a valid, extended 60-day permit, may continue to do so beyond the 60 days. Through Governor Laura Kelly’s Executive Order 20-55, the Kansas Department of Revenue is extending any temporary, 60-day Kansas permit for motor vehicles purchased after Jan. 1, through May 31, 2020.

 

The table below determines the deadline to complete the title and registration process for a recently purchased vehicle. Late penalties and loss of authority to operate motor vehicles on State roadways will be incurred after the deadline listed.

 

Purchase Date:  Title & Registration Deadline: 
Jan. 1-31, 2020 Monday, Aug. 31, 2020
Feb. 1-29, 2020 Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020
March 1-31, 2020 Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020
April 1-30, 2020 Monday, Nov. 30, 2020
May 1-31, 2020 Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020

Driver’s License Renewals:
The deadline to renew Kansas driver’s licenses and state identification cards with expiration dates of March 12 through Sept. 15, 2020, is Dec. 31, 2020.

 

Some county treasurer offices offer limited licensing services in which operations may vary.

While each county treasurer determines how its office completes these transactions, the Kansas Department of Revenue continues to encourage the online renewal of vehicle registrations and driver’s licenses. This can be done by visiting ikan.ks.gov or by downloading the iKan app from the Apple App or Google Play stores on your mobile device. By statute, some restrictions apply.

State identification card renewals require a visit to a Kansas Department of Revenue Driver’s License Office.

 

If a visit to a Kansas Driver’s License Office is necessary, an appointment is required. To schedule an appointment, customers are asked to use the method listed at ksrevenue.org/reopening. This site only lists state-run office locations.

 

 

KS Virtual Job Fair July 28-30

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Department of Commerce’s Third KANSASWORKS Statewide Virtual Job Fair

 

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that the third KANSASWORKS Statewide Virtual Job Fair will be held today, Tuesday, July 28, through Thursday, July 30.

 

“We need to maintain a strong, healthy workforce in our state, and getting Kansans back to work safely is one of my top priorities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The KANSASWORKS virtual job fair has proven to be a creative and effective way to connect Kansans with jobs opportunities, and will be important as our economy recovers from the challenges of COVID-19.”

 

The virtual fair will allow job seekers to easily live chat with employers from across the state through computers and mobile devices. This is the third KANSASWORKS virtual job fair so far in 2020, with four more planned later this year.

 

Click here to register.

 

The Department of Commerce moved its statewide job fairs online this year to eliminate the public health risks associated with mass gatherings, while continuing to provide job opportunities for job seekers and maintain a ready workforce for Kansas businesses.

 

“Increasing employment opportunities and keeping our economy strong is a top priority of the Department of Commerce,” Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The need for both businesses and job seekers in our state is significant, but health and safety concerns mean it’s still not safe to hold in-person job fairs. The Virtual Statewide Job Fair system is a perfect example of how our KANSASWORKS team is continuing to provide Kansans access to employers in a way that protects everyone involved.”

 

This year’s second virtual fair in June was a great success, with approximately 165 employers and 1,497 jobseekers participating. Employers represented included:

 

  • KanEquip, Inc.
  • Foley Equipment
  • Fuller Industries
  • Johns Manville
  • National Beef
  • PKM Steel Service Inc.
  • Salina Regional Health Center
  • Cornejo
  • Russell Stover
  • Reser’s Fine Foods
  • Johnsonville
  • Dillons
  • Glassman Corporation
  • CivicPlus
  • ADT
  • Bombardier Aviation
  • Creekstone Farms
  • Southwest Medical Center
  • Farmers Insurance
  • Goodwill Industries of Kansas
  • Emprise Bank
  • Wichita Public Schools
  • The University of Kansas

 

As concerns for the health and safety of Kansans remain high due to COVID-19, the Department of Commerce will maintain the virtual job fair system for the remainder of 2020. Future statewide events are scheduled for:  

 

  • August 25-27
  • September 22-24
  • October 27-29
  • December 8-9

 

As these dates get closer, updates will be provided with employer and jobseeker registration links for each individual virtual fair.

 

FSHS Graduation August 1

A prior prom photo of the class 2020 of FSHS.
Submitted photo.

The 156 graduates of Fort Scott High School will have an unprecedented graduation on August 1 at the football stadium on Main Street at 8 p.m.

 

The changes are the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is currently seeing a surge in the country and in Bourbon County.

 

“We are approved for an outside graduation, with masks, a limited number of guests for each student, a maximum of 6,” said Amber Toth, Fort Scott High School, Principal. The crowd will not be allowed on the field, we will dismiss our seating by section and have people leave immediately to help control crowd gatherings, and we will ensure social distancing.”

 

“We are not allowed to conduct graduation in the gym,” she said. ” If there is a weather issue we will reschedule time of graduation or date of graduation.”

 

“Teachers are allowed to attend graduation but there will not be a farewell line,” Toth said.  “We plan to have students do a lap on the track for audience members where they can wave, etc.”

 

The following is from the FSHS Facebook page:
“We have worked very hard to ensure we can have this ceremony and create a gathering that was approved by the health department. That means your cooperation and support will be needed moving forward. We need families to be flexible. We cannot have graduation in the gym with our current level of spread. Therefore, we may need to adjust the time etc if weather prevents us from having it at the stadium. GRADUATION WILL NOT BE OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND STUDENTS WILL BE GIVEN 6 TICKETS FOR GUESTS. Graduation will be live streamed for the public. We will have graduation practice on July 31st at 10:00 am. Students are required to attend so they can pick up their tickets for families and their mask at graduation practice. We will provide further details concerning entering the stadium before graduation.
Procedures:
1. We will expect the 6 guests from families to set together. We have provided seating for each student’s guests allowing for 6 foot distancing between families. We will expect you to follow and respect these guidelines.
2. We ask that each student’s guests enter the stadium together to help with seating.
3. You must have a ticket to enter the stadium.
4. All guests, graduates, and staff will be required to wear a mask throughout the ceremony. If you are not wearing a mask, you will not be allowed to enter the stadium but will be able to watch through the livestream from your home or car.
4. At the conclusion of graduation, no one will be allowed to enter the football field. We will do a recessional for the graduations and lead them off of the field.
5. Families will be dismissed from the bleachers one section at a time. This was an important step for getting our plan approved. We ask that you immediately leave the field when your section is dismissed so we can move to the next section.
6. You will need to meet your graduate at home or in your car after the ceremony.
7. Graduation masks will be provided for graduates and faculty.
8. If you have been mandated to quarantine while awaiting testing or have been quarantined due to a positive test or exposure, you will not be able to attend graduation. The health and safety of our community is our number one priority.”

 

Bourbon County Commission Minutes of July 15

July 15, 2020

The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners, the County Counselor the County Clerk and the Economic Development Director present.

The Commissioners continued the discussion from July 14th regarding hiring an administrator for the Spark grant funds.

Greenbush, the Southeast Kansas Education Center gave a proposal to the Commissioners to be a grant administrator for the Spark grant. The Commissioners all liked the Greenbush proposal, they felt they could offer more feet on the ground, the business would be local; they felt there would be easier communication and coordination and this would align with the regional development goal.

Jody Hoener said she would put together a steering committee for the Spark grant; all of the Commissioners preferred that Jody be a representative from Bourbon County on the steering committee. Jody and the Commissioners reviewed the names on individuals that they felt should serve on the steering committee.

Nick made a motion to approve the Greenbush proposal for the Spark grant and to allow Lynne to sign the Greenbush contract and to allow Jody Hoener to be the representative from Bourbon County on the steering committee, Jeff seconded and all approved.

Jeff made a motion to allow all of the Commissioners to attend a virtual award ceremony for the Pathways grant, Nick seconded and all approved.

At 1:51, Lynne made a motion to adjourn, Nick seconded and all approved.

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
(ss) Lynne Oharah, Chairman
(ss) Jeff Fischer, Commissioner
(ss) Nick Ruhl, Commissioner
ATTEST:
Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk
July 20, 2020, Approved Date

Health and Economic Help From CARES Act Available in Bourbon County: Apps Due Aug. 8

The Bourbon County Commission received $2.9M in CARES Act funds through the State of Kansas SPARK funding.  This funding is designed to help the county with the health and economic emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic.  For more information about the funding, visit https://www.bourboncountyks.org/spark/.
The County Commission has created the following categories of funding requests:
Reimbursement-for COVID related expenditures from March 1-July 30.
Direct Aid-for COVID related expenditures from August-December.
Small Business/Nonprofit Grant Program-a formula grant program designed to support these two groups with less than 50 employees.
Applications for funding requests from Bourbon County businesses, government entities, schools, and nonprofits can be found hereAPPLICATIONS ARE DUE Saturday AUGUST 8 AT NOON.
There will be Zoom information meetings on Wednesday, July 29.  Register here to watch live or visit this link after Wednesday afternoon for a recording of the meetings.  Instructional slide decks will also be posted.
Call 620.724,6281 or email sparkinfo@bourboncountyks.org.
PLEASE PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO ANYONE YOU THINK MIGHT BE INTERESTED!
Submitted by:

Jody Hoener, LBSW, MBA

Bourbon County Kansas

Economic Development Director

210 S National Ave

Fort Scott, KS 66701

1-620-223-3800 

1-620-215-5725 Mobile

www.bourboncountyks.org

KDOT: Minimum Railroad Crew Size

Kansas Department of Transportation Proposes Safety Rule Regulating Minimum Railroad Crew Size

 

TOPEKA—The Department of Transportation today proposed a new regulation requiring railroads operating within Kansas to maintain a minimum of two crew members in the control compartment of the lead locomotive unit of a train.

 

“Kansas has faced issues ranging from crew member fatigue to derailments which pose a threat to our safety and security – but by maintaining the current practice of requiring a two-person crew we can ensure the health and safety of Kansas workers,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This proposed regulation is a commonsense, necessary measure to protect our state’s railroad crew members and keep every community along the tracks safe.”

 

The regulation reads as follows:

 

K.A.R. [36-43-1].  Crew Requirements.

 

  1. Railroads operating within Kansas shall maintain a minimum of two crew members in the control compartment of the lead locomotive unit of a train.

 

  1. Compliance with subsection (a) of this Section shall not be required during switching operations, brake testing, safety inspections, or while performing setouts in conjunction with road service.

 

The benefits of the proposed rule and regulation is railroad and community safety, including the role two-person crews can play in helping to prevent potential accidents or derailments and in emergency situations.

 

Other states that have enacted legislation on minimum railroad crew requirements are Wisconsin, Arizona, Oregon, California, West Virginia, Colorado, Nevada, and Illinois.

 

Nearly all railroads in Kansas are currently operating two-person crews and will have no increased labor costs from the implementation of this regulation.

 

Bourbon County Local News