Monthly Archives: October 2018

Government, Kansas

Mobile Driver’s License Renewals Launch

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Governor Colyer highlights the successful launch of KanLicense, mobile driver’s license renewals

 

TOPEKA—Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. on Wednesday congratulated the Department of Revenue and its partners on the extraordinarily smooth rollout of two new interfaces to serve Kansas driver’s license and ID holders.

 

Kansas is now the first and only state in the country to offer driver’s license renewals through a mobile application. Mobile renewals join other already existing services like vehicle registration renewal and vital statistics on the iKan application available for iOS and Android.

 

“My vision for Kansas is to make as many services accessible through phones and computers and this is a huge addition. Most everyone has to renew their license and now many of them can do it without ever stepping foot in an office,” Governor Colyer said. “Congratulations to KDOR and its partner PayIt on getting this fantastic service out the door and ready for use.”

 

The availability of mobile renewals was made possible by the launch of a different system, KanLicense, the new secure interface used by driver’s license examiners to issue licenses and IDs.

 

“This launch was incredibly smooth with minimal interruption to service for Kansans,” Governor Colyer said. “The modernized system now in place empowers faster customer service, plus ease of use for examiners—two critically important factors for a better experience for Kansas drivers at the office.”

 

Web access to iKan services like mobile renewal, vehicle registration and more is at ikan.ks.gov.

 

This week, the hours of operation for most driver’s license offices statewide changed to 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, which brings the addition of a full day of service every week.

Airport, Fort Scott, Government

Seth Simpson Hired As New Airport Manager

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Seth Simpson, Fort Scott City Airport Manager, as of Dec. 2018.

Seth Simpson has been hired as the Fort Scott Airport Airfield Operation Flight Manager.

His hiring was announced at the airport Monday afternoon.

The Fort Scott Airport entrance at 187th and Indian Road.

A 2002 Fort Scott graduate, Simpson, 35, has worked at Elgin Air Force Base, Florida for six years as an Air Force Air Traffic Controller.

He then entered the Air National Guard and served in Stillwell, OK; Manhattan, KS; Montgomery, AL; Biloxi, MS, and most recently St. Joe, MO.

Simpson is married to the former Amy Cozens and his parents are Scott and Becky Simpson, Fort Scott. They have three children: Lydia, Maylie, and Alex.

“Five people applied,” said Kenny Howard, the current airport director, who will be retiring in  December 2018.

“We selected Seth because of his experience in aviation, plus he was a local boy,” Howard said.

“He will be training one day, every other week, until December 21,” when Simpson will become fulltime and Howard will step down, Howard said.

“I will be in charge of air traffic control, airfield operations, and landing systems maintenance,” Simpson said.

Simpson will continue in the Air National Guard one weekend a month, two times a year, he said.

 

 

Business, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Coffee at Landmark Bank Nov. 1

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Join us for Chamber Coffee hosted by Fort Scott Area Community Foundation @ Landmark Bank
 Location: 200 S. Main St.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
The Foundation will be presenting their grants for 2018!


Click here for Fort Scott Area Community Foundation’s website. To visit their Facebook page, click here.
Chamber members and guests are encouraged to attend for networking, community announcements, and to learn about the hosting business or organization.
Members may pay $1 to make an announcement about an upcoming event, special/sale/discount, or news of any kind.
Upcoming Coffees:
November 8th – VFW
November 15th – Bourbon Co. Arts Council
November 22 – Thanksgiving – NO CHAMBER COFFEE
November 29 – Mercy Home Health and Hospice
Bourbon County, Schools

St. Martin’s Academy Quarterly Public Faculty Lectures

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Patrick Whelan
St. Martin’s Academy will present a quarterly public faculty lecture on Friday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Boiler Room Brewhaus, located at National and Wall Street.
“We’re planning the lecture on Friday the 9th to kick off Veterans Day weekend and the feast of St. Martin of Tours on the 11th, our patron saint,” Patrick Whelan, headmaster at the boy’s Catholic school, said. ” I will be the one giving the lecture, and the title of the talk is ‘Warfare in Epic Poetry.'”
“I’m a Marine veteran and still serve as an officer in the Marine Reserves in addition to pursuing my Ph.D. in combat trauma in literature,” he said.
The event will start with a mixer /cocktail hour at 7:30 p.m.  The presentation will begin at 8:30 p.m. and with time for questions, will run until 9:30 p.m.
“Then folks are free to hangout and talk until the pub closes (at 10 p.m.),” Whelan said.  “This is open to anyone who is interested in hearing the talk.  Our students will be present so we ask that folks be respectful.”
 ” St. Martin’s Academy does these in order to share the intellectual work and interests of the Academy with the local community, family, and friends,” he said.
Business, Fort Scott

New Bookstore Grand Opening Today, Oct. 30

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Jan and Dick Hedges, owners of Hedgehog.INK.

Hedgehog.INK, a bookstore featuring new and gently used books has its’ grand opening today at 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.

The ribbon cutting is at 5:45 p.m.

The store is located at 16 S. Main and owned by Jan and Dick Hedges.

Hedgehog.INK, located at 16 S. Main, in historic downtown Fort Scott.

The store accepts paperbacks and hardback books for all age levels, according to information provided.

Most of the books traded for store credit will receive up to 20 percent of the price charged for the book at Hedgehog.INK.

Book pricing depends on book quality, age, demand, current stock, and condition.

Trade credit can be redeemed at the rate of 1/2 credit and 1/2 cash for books only. For example, if a book is purchased for $4, one can apply $2 of credit, and the customer will pay the remaining$2 in cash.

New or used books can be special ordered through Hedgehog.INK.

Jan Hedges stands in front of her display of a new children’s series of books, called Barefoot Books.

The Hedges will sell a series of new children’s books, called Barefoot Books.

“They are colorful, high-quality books for children,” Jan said.

The children’s area of the Hedgehog.INK bookstore.

In addition to a children’s area, there is a writers area in the store, where customers can read or write.

Sheryl Bloomfield is the assistant manager and Addison Guilfoyle is an employee.

Sheryl Bloomfield logs in books Monday afternoon at Hedgehog.INK.

In addition to books, local products will be for sale.

Goat milk products, lavender products, and homemade cards are among the items provided by local producers to Hedgehog.INK, that are for sale.

The Lavender Patch owner, Betsy Reichard, has a sales area in Hedgehog.INK. She sells lavender products that she produces on her farm: soaps, sprays, dried lavender, etc.
Homemade cards by Jean Solomon will be for sale in the store.

“Dick and I have been amazed at how people have come to volunteer and help us,” Jan Hedges said.

Dick Hedges, left, works on processing books Monday afternoon, while volunteer Sharon Campbell works on books on the shelves.

“Our motto is a community of books for the community,” Jan said.

Recipes

From Linderhof’s Kitchen . . . Martha Meinsen Scott

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There is nothing better than muffins in the morning.    Or for tea! These have been around “forever” attributed to The Morning Glory Cafe on Nantucket.     They have “everything” in them from carrots to nuts to raisins and are heavy and moist. They’re a good keeper as well.

 

MORNING GLORY MUFFINS

 

1 c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
2 ¼ c. flour
1 T. cinnamon
2 t. Baking soda
½ t. Salt
½ c. coconut
¾ c. raisins (I used golden)
1 apple, grated
1 c. crushed pineapple, drained
2 c. shredded carrots
½ c. chopped nuts (I used pecans)
3 eggs
1 c. oil
1 t. Vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350.     In a bowl, whisk eggs with the oil and vanilla.     Add coconut, raisins, apple, pineapple, carrots and nuts.     Stir to combine.

 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.     Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

 

Put into muffin cups.     Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Martha Meinsen Scott is a Fort Scott foodie who creates from her home, called Linderhof.
Area News, Entertainment

Winter Hours For Fort Scott National Historic Site

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The leaves are changing for fall and winter, so are the hours of operation at Fort Scott National Historic Site.
Beginning Thursday, November 1, the park visitor center, park store, and historic structures will be open daily from 8:30 am–4:30 pm through March 31, 2019.
The buildings are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The park grounds, walkways, and parking lot are open from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset daily.

Fort Scott National Historic Site is a fee-free park that offers a glimpse into the growth of our nation through a short film, interactive audio-visual programs, displays, the museum, and historic objects.

A walk through the fort reveals the significant role it played in the opening of the West, as well as, the Civil War and the strife in the State of Kansas that preceded it.
Park Rangers are on hand and happy to help you learn more about the area and plan your visit. For more information about Fort Scott National Historic Site programs, the candlelight tour, or other activities, please call the park at 620-223-0310, or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.