Veteran’s Day Parade Entries Sought

Entries are being sought for the 2018 Veteran’s Day Parade at 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 10.

Marching bands, floats, automobiles, tractors, horses are envisioned as part of the parade honoring veterans.

The oldest Bourbon County veterans will be featured in the parade.

Please pick up an entry form at 231 E. Wall, the Fort Scott Convention and Visitors Bureau or visit www.visitfortscott.com

Grief Support Lunch Nov.7

The next scheduled grief support luncheon will be Wednesday November 7th, at noon. 

Anyone dealing with a loss is encouraged to come and bring a friend.

  Rev. Leon Weece will be speaking. 

Cheney Witt Chapel will provide lunch at the Carriage House, 301 S. Main. 

Call us at 223-1186 if you have any questions.  We look forward to seeing you!

DCF Announces New Child Welfare Providers

 

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel is pleased to announce the new child welfare grantees. The new Case Management grant was divided into eight catchment areas, whereas in the current structure, there are only four catchment areas. The new Case Management providers are:

  • Catchment Area 1—Saint Francis Ministries (previously known as Saint Francis Community Services)
  • Catchment Area 2—Saint Francis Ministries
  • Catchment Area 3—KVC Kansas
  • Catchment Area 4—TFI
  • Catchment Area 5—Cornerstones of Care
  • Catchment Area 6—KVC Kansas
  • Catchment Area 7—Saint Francis Ministries
  • Catchment Area 8—TFI

 

The Family Preservation grant catchment areas will continue to align with the four DCF Regions—West, Wichita, Kansas City and East. The new Family Preservation providers are:

  • West Region—Eckerd Connects
  • Wichita Region—Eckerd Connects
  • East Region—Eckerd Connects
  • Kansas City Region—Cornerstones of Care

 

Currently, there are two providers providing both Case Management and Family Preservation services to the entire state. Moving forward, there will be four Case Management providers and two Family Preservation providers.

DCF posted the child welfare RFP’s May 31, which included substantial changes from the current child welfare contracts. DCF developed the improved child welfare grants to address known issues within the Kansas foster care system after receiving input from the public, legislators and stakeholders.

“The new child welfare grants include substantial changes—we are putting Kansas children and families first and emphasizing contractor accountability and oversight,” DCF Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel said. “We carefully designed the new grants to positively change the landscape of child welfare in Kansas, and just as purposefully, we chose providers we believed would best serve the needs of children and families.”

DCF awarded the new child welfare grants following an extensive and robust review process. Two internal DCF teams, consisting of DCF staff from across the state, analyzed and blind-scored each bid submission offsite for three days at the end of August. The agency then entered negotiations with bidders in September, and continued internal discussions into October.

As part of the bid process, each applicant was required to submit a six-month transition plan in order to establish a seamless changeover and continuity of services for Kansas children and families. In addition, DCF has formed internal oversight teams to help support the current and future providers as they transition. The agency is also seeking feedback, both internally and externally, from those who have experienced a contract change before to ensure a smooth transition. To share suggestions, concerns or thoughts, visit http://www.dcf.ks.gov/Agency/pubcomments/Pages/Child-Welfare-Grant-Transition.aspx.

“I am confident that services to Kansas children and families will improve with the new child welfare grants because we have removed conflicts of interest and increased competition, bringing more providers to the table to provide quality, timely services,” Governor Jeff Colyer said. “These new grants will serve as the foundation for enacting true reform in Kansas child welfare.”

Transitions will start January 2019 and the new providers will begin serving Kansas children and families July 1, 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Future Of Water In Kansas Nov. 13-14

Governor’s Water Conference Deadline Fast Approaching

The Conference Agenda Has Been Posted on the Kansas Water Office Website

 

The Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas will be Tuesday, November 13 and Wednesday, November 14, at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center in Manhattan, Kansas. Registration price increases after November 1.

 

This is the seventh year for the conference and building off last year’s success, there will be keynotes in the morning on Day 1 including Tom Kula, Executive Director of North Texas Municipal Water District, Tim Hardman, World Wildlife Fund and breakout sessions in the afternoon.

 

The conference topics include:

  • Reservoir Management to Meet Growing Demands
  • Market Forces That Influence Conservation and Management Practices
  • Infrastructure for the Future
  • Water Technology Farms and Ogallala Aquifer Impacts
  • Kansas Water Vision Implementation
  • Why Does Navigation Matter to Kansas

 

The fourth Water Legacy Award will be presented at the conference Tuesday morning and ‘Be the Vision’ nominees will be recognized as well.

 

To view the brochure for a current list of speakers and panelists visit: www.kwo.ks.gov

 

Day two will build on the water policy, funding and vision implementation discussions from the previous day with technical presentation talks and posters. Graduate and undergraduate students will also present their research.

 

Anyone who has an interest in our state’s water resources, legislators, water managers, state, federal, city and county officials as well as scientists, organizations and agricultural producers are all welcome and encouraged to attend.

 

Registration is available online at www.kwo.ks.gov. The deadline for regular pricing is November 1! Conference details, brochure, speakers, sponsors and hotel information can be found online as well.

 

The Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas is hosted by the KWO, K-State /Kansas Water Resource Institute. Major sponsors for the event include Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock.

 

If accommodations are needed for persons with disabilities, please notify the KWO, (785) 296-3185, at least five working days prior to the meeting.

Forks and Corks Nov. 3

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce presents the 15th Annual Forks & Corks tasting event of the year! Come out SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd for a great night of tastings, auctions, raffles and more!
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend the 15th Annual Forks & Corks event. Forks & Corks is one of the most popular events among Fort Scott locals and visitors!
Forks & Corks is one of three primary fundraisers the Chamber hosts annually to benefit our mission to support business, build community, and promote spirit.
This is a tasting event where Fort Scott restaurants and caterers are invited to share tasting of several of their popular items. Standard Beverage will be present to provide tasting of numerous wines, beers and liqueurs. Awards will be presented, and the evening will end with a silent and live auction.
Please contact the Chamber at (620)223-3566 if you have any questions.
Tickets to this event are available for purchase at the Chamber – 231 E. Wall St. (open Saturday until 4pm) or at the door of the event.

Salsa Contest Nov. 3

THE FORT SCOTT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INVITES YOU TO SHOW OFF YOUR BEST HOME-MADE SALSA AT THE 15TH ANNUAL FORKS AND CORKS TASTING EVENT, THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, AT THE MEMORIAL HALL, FROM 6:30PM-9:00PM
Do you have what it takes to be the “Salsa Master”? Prove it by bringing two 1 qt. containers of your best homemade salsa to be judged at the Forks & Corks tasting event! One container will be for the judging, and the second container will go into the Salsa Auction. The winner will receive a personalized award and bragging rights. Bring on the heat!!
Salsa may be dropped off at the Chamber, 231 E. Wall St., until 5 pm Friday, or Memorial Hall, 1 E. Wall St., until 4 pm Saturday. Please call the Chamber at 620-223-3566 to let us know you’ll be participating.

Latest Kansas Revenue Report

Fiscal year tax collections exceed previous year by $183.49 million

 

 

TOPEKA—Fiscal year tax collections have exceeded previous year’s totals by $183.49 million according to data from the latest revenue report released Thursday.

 

Fiscal year 2019 tax collections so far total $2.20 billion, exceeding estimates by $105.60 million.

 

October tax collections were up $10.71 million, or 2.14 percent over last year. October’s tax collections exceeded expectations for the month by $6.99 million.

 

Individual income tax collections in October totaled $242.29 million which is $12.88 million or 5.61 percent above the same time last year. October sales tax collections fell short of last October’s collections by $3.88 million.

 

A New Bourbon County School: St. Martin’s Academy

One of the St. Martin’s Academy boys rappeling at Looking Glass Arch, near Moab, Utah. Courtesy photo.

St. Martin’s Academy,  a new Catholic boys boarding school started its inaugural school term in Moab, Utah in September.

The staff and students spent six days canoeing, technical rock climbing and exploring, during the first days of the school year.

” It was a time of intense bonding and camaraderie, and life-long friendships were born,” Daniel Kerr, founder of the school said in a newsletter.

St. Martins’ Academy, Oct. 2018, is still in the construction stage.

The school campus is still under construction, with a tentative completion date for the first building, Theotokos Hall,  by late spring 2019, according to Patrick Whelan, headmaster of the academy.

Meanwhile the students/faculty are staying in the Levine House on South National until the facility is complete.

“We have 18 students this year, eight freshmen and ten sophomores,” Whelan said. “We have students from all over the country including Virginia, Georgia, Texas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, etc.”
” We have a relatively large staff (12) due to the 24 hours per day supervision requirements,” Whelan said. ” We have four residential staff that we call House Fathers. They live in the same building as the students and are responsible for supervising all daily activities.”
“St. Martin’s is unique in that it is neither a prep school for the socio-economic elite nor is it a reform school for young men with behavioral problems,” Kerr noted in a recent newsletter.
The platform-tent at Camp Kapaun on the campus of St. Martin’s Academy, located on Indian Road, serves as a classroom each morning for Natural History, Liturgy, Ancient History and Latin lessons. Courtesy photo.
Courtesy photo.  Coach Simon Webster said many of the St.Martin’s Academy freshmen and sophomore boys had never played soccer. The school ended with a winning record and had competed against varsity level teams.
Courtesy photo. Two St. Martin’s students take a turn milking Sweet Molly Brown, a Jersey cow. St. Martin’s Academy students participate in daily chores. The first two weeks of work, students butchered rabbits, castrated hogs, bucked two fields of alfalfa hay and milked cows.
These are the faculty and staff of the school:
Chris DeCleen age 24 is from Indiana and earned a degree in philosophy from Ave Maria University in 2017. He teaches Freshman History.
Joseph Free, age 23, is from Massachusetts and earned a degree in the Humanities and Liberal Studies from Ave Maria University in 2018. He teaches music and is assistant rugby coach.
Joshua Mincio, 20, is from California and interned at a monastery in Oklahoma before joining us this fall. He teaches advanced Latin.
Simon Webster, 20, is from Texas and comes from the University of Houston Business College. Simon is the head soccer and rugby coach and athletic director.
Faculty:
Travis Dziad and his wife Margi come from Ave Maria University where Travis is ABD in a Ph.D. in Theology. He serves as the Residential Dean and teaches Algebra and History.
Daniel Kerr is from Fort Scott and is the owner and co-founder of Adjuster Pro. Dan is the president and co-founder of St. Martin’s Academy; he leads development efforts and teaches Natural History.
Kenneth Klassen is from Fort Scott. He holds a Ph.D. in literature from the University of Kansas and has taught a variety of subjects for over 30 years. He teaches Literature and Geometry.
Ronald Klassen is from Fort Scott, holds a Masters degree in Classics, and has taught in public and private schools for over 30 years. He is the head Latin teacher.
Sebastion Macik and his wife Erin come from Dallas, TX where Seb taught and served as an EMT. He is the chef.
Fr. Bob McElwee is from Pittsburg, KS holds several Masters degrees and is a retired priest in the diocese of Wichita. Fr. McElwee is the Chaplain and teaches all Religion classes at the academy.
Michael Taylor and his wife, Jenna, recently moved to Fort Scott from Mound City, KS. Mike has worked as a hunting guide in Alaska and in various dairies for over a decade. Mike is the Farm Foreman and teaches leather-working and pottery.
Patrick Whalen and his wife, Kristi, moved to Fort Scott last year from St. Louis. Patrick is the headmaster and co-founder of the academy. He is a Marine veteran, a reserve officer in the Marines, and a Ph.D. candidate at Washington University in St. Louis. Whelan teaches literature at the academy.

Whelan provided the following information about the school:

The curriculum taught at the academy for freshmen: Mythos, Greek Literature, Roman Literature, Pre-History to the Hebrews, Greek Civilization, Roman Civilization, Basic Catechism (The Problem of Evil), Natural History, Algebra 1/Applied Mathematics, Latin 1.
The curriculum for sophomores: Rome and the Incarnation, Medieval Literature 1 and 2, Roman Empire to Late Antiquity, Early Middle Ages, High Middle Ages, The Liturgy, Earth Science, Biology, Geometry/Euclidean Geometry, Latin Advanced.
” In addition to their academics, the boys play soccer in the fall and rugby in the spring,” Whelan said. ” We are currently engaged in the FORT (Functional Outdoor Resilience Training) program which is an outdoorsmanship, fitness, and leadership development program we designed.  In their free time, the boys learn folk music, juggle, and enjoy the parks and trails around Fort Scott.”
“All students participate in athletics and a series of Practica that include Leatherworking, Pottery, Drawing, Painting, Cartography, and Gregorian Chant,” according to Whelan.
 School is in session from Sept 3 to May 25.

 

Veterans Grand Ball Nov. 10

The Friends of Fort Scott NHS are once again hosting an 1800s Grand Ball on Saturday, November 10, 2018, as part of the citywide Veterans Day Weekend in Fort Scott.

We will honor all veterans and current military personnel as well as remember the WW1 armistice signed on November 11, 1918.

Veterans and military personnel, along with their escorts, will be leading off the Grand March to begin our evening of 1800’s period dancing and music.

We would like to encourage everyone attending the Veterans Day Weekend activities to come and participate in the 1800s Grand Ball, and likewise, we encourage anyone attending the 1800s Grand Ball to take part in the other activities offered during the weekend in Fort Scott.

All funds raised at the Grand Ball will go to support the activities of the Friends of Fort Scott NHS.

The Friends provide support to the national historic site in a variety of ways, such as assisting with educational activities and programs for all ages as well as providing refreshments for special events.

Submitted by Dee Young

For more information contact Dee Young at 913.557.1632 (home),  913.269.1632 (cell),[email protected]