Governor Ensures Job Seekers Not Asked About Criminal Record

Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. Issues Executive Order to “Ban the Box” on Executive Branch Employment Applications

 TOPEKA, KS – Governor Jeff Colyer today issued Executive Order 18-12 regarding state employment practices. The order instructs all Executive Branch departments, agencies, boards, and commissions under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Governor to ensure that job applicants are not asked about their criminal record during the initial stage of a state employment application.

“Studies have shown that gainful employment is a major factor in reducing recidivism rate among former offenders,” said Gov. Colyer. “This is simply about treating people as individuals and allowing them to explain their circumstances at a later point in the process”.

The executive order notes that individuals with criminal records often experience obstacles when trying to rejoin society, such as the practice of automatically disqualifying those with criminal records from consideration. The ‘Ban the Box’ initiative, which has been adopted in numerous other states, allows applicants to explain their unique facts and circumstances to potential employers while still allowing employers to inquire about a criminal background in later stages of the process.

The order does not prevent employers from conducting criminal background checks or from excluding such applicants if a law or regulation prohibits those with criminal records from holding that specific position.

Studies show that recidivism rates fall substantially when ex-offenders achieve gainful employment. Many other states have adopted policies revising their state employment practices to lower the barriers to individuals with criminal histories seeking to enter the state workforce, including more than 30 that have adopted some form of “Ban the Box” policy. The national “Ban the Box” initiative has brought renewed attention to the value of discussing applicants’ criminal history later in the hiring process and providing applicants with an opportunity to explain their unique facts and circumstances to potential employers.

Prayer Breakfast May 3 At FSCC

The National Day of Prayer Breakfast is Thursday, May 3, at the Ellis Fine Arts Center, 2108 S. Horton, on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
Breakfast will be served at 7:30 am.
The program begins at 8:00 am, entitled “Unity” by Danny Brown Sr.
The event is sponsored by Cheney Witt Chapel, Pioneer Kiwanis, Fort Scott Ministerial Alliance, and Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
The weekly Chamber of Commerce Coffee attendees are invited to attend this event in place of the coffee.
Upcoming Chamber of Commerce Coffees will be:
May 10th – Woodland Hills Golf Course
May 17th – Riverfront Park

Bike Share Coming To Fort Scott

Courtesy photo. New bikes stand at the Bike Share spot at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce office.
Bike Share is coming soon to Fort Scott, in fact, the bikes are here!
“It all started with a group of us visiting Thrive Allen County’s Bike Share program and deciding the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce would take it on under their wing,” Jody Hoener, Mercy Hospital Clinic Quality and Community Benefit Liaison, said.

” Lindsay Madison (Executive Director of the Chamber) has done an exceptional job coordinating it all.”
The bikes are made possible through a grant from Blue Cross/Blue Shield Kansas Insurance.
For more information about this $500,000 grant awarded to the Bourbon County Action Team click here:
Allen County Bike Share is a free program that allows people to borrow bikes to explore the streets and trails of our communities, according to its website.
To learn more about the Thrive Allen County Bike Share, click here:
The bikes in Fort Scott will be available at spots around the city.
The bike pick-up spots will be the Chamber office, 321 E. Wall and Peerless Products Inc., 2403 S. Main.
“Then we need to decide the other spots,” Hoener said. “There were several community members who are also part of Gunn Park Volunteers who joined us originally.”
Courtesy photo. Frank Halsey backs up a bike into his company trailer to bring all the newly purchased bikes to Fort Scott Tuesday. Halsey is an avid mountain biker and is president of Mid-Continental Restoration Co. Fort Scott.
Frank Halsey, who has spearheaded creating new bike trails in the community with others in the Gunn Park Volunteers, has been a part of the effort.

Courtesy photo. Frank Halsey, Gunn Park Volunteers, Jody Hoener,  and Lindsay Madison, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
Hoener, Madison, and Halsey picked up the bikes May 1 from Velo+ Bicycle Shop in Iola.
Courtesy photo. Lindsay Madison, Frank Halsey, and Jody Hoener packing the bikes in the trailer for transport from Iola to Fort Scott.
“The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team participated in bringing the bike share program here and paid for 10 bikes,” Hoener said. “Peerless is going to take two of them at that end of town!”
Members of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team are:
Reta Baker, Sherise Beckham, Craig Campbell, Alice Maffet, Rachel Pruitt, David Martin, Alysia Johnston, Madison, Joy Miller, Kathy McEwan, Mark McCoy, Rhonda Hoener, Pam Brown, Janet Braun, Rhonda Dunn, Dr. Randy Nichols,  and Hoener.

Good Samaritan Auction and Dinner Today

Presbyterian Village, 2401 S. Horton, Fort Scott.

The Good Samaritan Auction and Dinner is today, Wednesday, May 2.

The annual event is to benefit senior citizens who have outlived their resources at Fort Scott Presbyterian Village.

Chicken Mary’s dinners are served from 4:30-6:30 p.m. along with homemade desserts and the auction begins at 5:00.

The village is located at 2401 S. Horton, Fort Scott, KS. Call (620) 223-5550 or stop by for meal tickets. Meal tickets were $8.50 in advance and $12 today. Carry out is available.

“We started this specific fundraising event in 2003 doing an auction and dinner, however, we have had a Good Samaritan fund ever since the first Presbyterian Manor opened,” Ginger Nance, executive director of the local assisted living facility, said. “Each year our fundraising event gains momentum as people learn more about the mission of our organization and how the funds are used.  Every dollar raised is used to help seniors who have a financial need to pay for the care that they need if they should outlive their resources, through no fault of their own.  All money stays local in Fort Scott.  We have never asked someone to move out due to lack of resources.  This is a commitment we make to people when they move in.”

All money donated to the Good Samaritan program is tax-deductible.

The Presbyterian Village is a not-for-profit, Christian mission organization.

Nance is asking the community to get involved.

“An event of this caliber cannot happen without the help of hundreds of volunteers who donate their time, talents and resources,” Nance said. “Our community understands that a program like this is only sustainable through the commitment of supporters… who reach out to help.  One never knows when it might be them who needs the help in return one day. ”

This year there will be a drawing to win a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Drawing tickets are $5 each or three for $10. One need not be present to enter this drawing.

The New Mexico adventure is into the beauty of 7,000-foot Rocky Mountain vistas of Santa Fe. Ancient native culture mixed with modern arts and legendary cuisine is part of the visit, according to information provided by Nance.
There are many attractions… numerous art galleries, historic sites, museums, shops,  and plenty of places to hike, cycle or climb nearby, and winter skiing at the Santa Fe Ski Basin.

“The donor of the trip is a local person who has supported the mission of the Village for many years,” Nance said. ” He and many others have seen firsthand the benefits that the Village can provide family members in their time of need.”

The auction, at 5 p.m. May 2, is a large one.

“We have many super great items for the auction,”  Nance said.  ” We have started lining things up but we are a long way from done.”

Pictured are a few of the auction items:

Items are still being accepted for the auction.

“If people have things they are no longer using, or simply don’t need, we’d love to have them donated to the auction,” Nance said. “Sometimes people have a boat just sitting around that they haven’t used, maybe a motorcycle, a vehicle, a piece of furniture, golf cart, tractors, you name it, we can use it!  We can provide a receipt to the donor and it is a tax-deductible contribution for them.  Everyone wins in this situation.  The person who donates their items, the person who buys a nice item they would love to own, and the seniors who benefit from this awesome fund.”

“More than anything, I hope people can understand that each person can make a positive difference in the lives of seniors in need Nance said. ” Every meal sold, every item donated, every ticket purchased, every item bought at the auction, every smile and word of encouragement means the world.  Come out and see what a great time it is!”

 

 

 

Obituary Of Marjorie Greenfield

Marjorie Darlene Hudgen Greenfield, age 95, a former resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas and more recently from Denton, Texas, passed away Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Denton, Texas. 
She was born February 12, 1923, in Altamont, Kansas, the daughter of John Wesley Hudgen and Beulah Marjorie Kingsbury Hudgen.  She worked at the Western Insurance Company in Ft. Scott until her marriage to Ben C. Greenfield, Jr. on September 2, 1967.  After their marriage, Ben and Darlene lived in Jackson, Mississippi, and Parsons, Kansas.  They later moved to Irving, Texas where Darlene cared for her Aunt Ester until her passing.  They later returned to Ft. Scott where they retired.  She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Ft. Scott. 
 
Darlene is survived by cousins, Bob Kingsbury and wife, Judy, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and Gary Cawood, of California.  Also surviving are a step-daughter; Pamela Marshall and husband, Terry, of Florida; grandchildren, Troy Marshall, and wife, Susan and great-granddaughter, Sienna, of Vermont, Brandon Marshall, and wife, Jennifer and great-grandchildren, Kelsey, Alissa and Aden of New York and a second step-daughter, Rhonda Nelson and grandchildren, Robbie and Aaron Nelson and great-grandchildren, Alyson, Trey, Alex, and Trevor, all of Texas. 
Darlene was preceded in death by a step-son, Ben W. Greenfield and is survived by his wife, Connie and grandchildren, Deborah and Carey Greenfield and great-grandchildren, Raymond and Skyla, of Texas. 
She was also preceded in death by a step-daughter, Eileen Marshall and is survived by her husband, Sam and grandchildren, Steve and Tammy and great-granddaughters of Washington State.
 
Rev. Steve Cole will conduct graveside services at 1:30 P.M. Friday, May 4th at the U. S. National Cemetery in Ft. Scott, Kansas. 
Family and friends will meet at the cemetery.  Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas.