Fort Scott Community College’s John Deere Technical program has received a prestigious award. During the fiscal year of 2018-2019, FSCC’s John Deere Tech. program was evaluated on several levels to achieve top rankings of the “College of Tomorrow” award. This award is judged on everything from instructor development, internships, and facility image to even scholarships and safety.

The point system added up to a total of 254 points and three different levels; bronze, gold, and platinum. Out of the 254 points, FSCC John Deere Tech. scored 249 points, which obtains the platinum award. Along with a fancy crystal trophy and jacket, platinum winners are awarded scholarship money and funds to help with continued instructor development.

“Many hours of work and attention to detail have went into achieving this award. We strive to provide a great student learning environment. My main goal as an instructor is to help my students improve into better technicians so they will succeed in their career”, says Dale Griffiths, FSCC John Deere instructor.

Stakes are higher for the 2019-2020 fiscal year with some changes made to the criteria and raising the point system to 299. FSCC John Deere Tech. program is one of 16 other programs across the nation, but they plan to continue to win platinum and provide the best for the program.

“It was very exciting earning this award. This is the first time FSCC has earned this award, and I am determined this won’t be the last. Dale and I are always making improvements to classes, our training, and the facility. This award didn’t come easy, nor will future awards”, says Kent Aikin, FSCC John Deere instructor.

If you would like more information on the FSCC John Deere Tech. program, please visit fortscott.edu/johndeere or by calling 620.223.2700 ext. 5371.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Health Care

Fresenius Kidney Care Closes Sept. 30 in Fort Scott.

September 4, 2019 Submitted Story 1 Comment

“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to close the kidney dialysis center at Fresenius Kidney Care located at 2526 S. Main St, Fort Scott, KS 66701 on September 30, 2019. Staff are working diligently with each patient to ensure seamless continuation of treatment, either with the option to dialyze at home or at one of two other clinics in the region. Fresenius Kidney Care will continue to support the clinic’s home therapy patients after the closure.”

“This move toward home therapy reflects a national trend, aligning with the (President Trump) administration’s recent executive order to increase access to home dialysis, which so often is the best treatment for patients, empowering them to participate in their own care in the comfort of their homes.

—Fresenius Kidney Care Regional Vice President, Scott Ochs

Another option is for the patient to find a caregiver to assist with dialysis treatments at the patient’s home.

“If a patient has a caregiver available to help with treatments, we will train them to provide the care, through our Fresenius Kidney Care home training programs, we will work with both the patient and the caregiver until they are ready to administer treatments on their own,” said Shirley Irvin BSN, RN, CDN, Fresenius Director of Operations Home Therapies.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Health Care

Chamber Coffee at Health Department Sept. 5

September 4, 2019 Submitted Story Leave a comment

WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER

Join us for Chamber Coffee and a

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Hosted by:

SEK Multi-County Health Department

Location:

524 S. Lowman St.

Thursday, September 5, 2019 at 8:00 a.m.

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:

September 12 – Stutesman’s Action Realty (New Location: 120 E. Wall St.)

September 19 – Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes (1 S. Main St.)

September 26 – Diehl Banwart Bolton CPA’s P.A. (70th Anniversary)

October 3 – Gordon Parks Museum (16th Anniversary)

Bourbon County Sheriff's Office

The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Sept. 4

September 4, 2019 Submitted Story Leave a comment

Click below:

09-04-2019A

09-04-2019R

Bourbon County, Government, Kansas

KDOT Announces Approved August Bids For Construction/Maintenance

September 4, 2019 Submitted Story Leave a comment

The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas. The letting took place Aug. 21, 2019, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

District Four — Southeast

Statewide ‑ 106 KA‑5380‑01 ‑ Various locations in District Four in Miami, Bourbon, Labette, Crawford, Greenwood, Elk, Chautauqua and Montgomery counties, milling, Dustrol Inc., Towanda, Ks., $19,780.80.

District One — Northeast

Jefferson ‑ 192‑44 KA‑5324‑01 ‑ Pavement marking on K‑192, pavement marking, 7.7 miles, Century Fence Co., Pewaukee, Wi., $110,638.30.

Leavenworth ‑ 92‑52 KA‑5323‑01 ‑ Pavement marking on K‑92, pavement marking, 15.4 miles, Century Fence Co., Pewaukee, Wi., $230,527.46.

Leavenworth ‑ 192‑52 KA‑5325‑01 ‑ Pavement marking on K‑192, pavement marking, 8.5 miles, Century Fence Co., Pewaukee, Wi., $122,233.89.

Nemaha ‑ 66 TE‑0462‑01 – 6th Street from Main Street to the Sabetha Sports Complex, located north of Lincoln Street, pedestrian and bicycle paths, 0.5 mile, Bryant & Bryant Construction Inc., Halstead, Ks., $301,231.42.

Statewide ‑ 106 KA‑5218‑01 ‑ Bridge #026 (over the Missouri River on the Kansas side) on K‑92 in Leavenworth County; bridges #235 and #240 (over the Missouri River) in Wyandotte County located 1.84 miles northeast of K‑5, bridge repair/navigational paint, Comanche Construction Inc., Shawnee Mission, Ks., $422,971.96.

Statewide ‑ 106 KA‑5379‑01 ‑ Various locations in District One in Jackson, Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Jefferson, Douglas, Osage, Riley, Pottawatomie and Marshall counties, milling, Dustrol Inc., Towanda, Ks., $40,255.00.

District Two — North Central

Chase ‑ 177‑9 KA‑3943‑01 ‑ Bridge #025 (over U.S. 50) on K-177 located at the U.S. 50/K‑177 junction, bridge replacement, Bridges Inc., Newton, Ks., $2,286,700.94.

Chase ‑ 177‑9 KA‑4430‑01 ‑ Bridge #024 (over Fox Creek) on K-177 located 3.33 miles north of U.S. 50., bridge replacement, Bridges Inc., Newton, Ks., $1,907,168.13.

Chase ‑ 177‑9 KA‑4431‑01 ‑ Bridge #023 (over Fox Creek Drainage) on K-177 located 5.7 miles north of U.S. 50, bridge replacement, Bridges Inc., Newton, Ks., $1,346,389.23.

Statewide ‑ 106 KA‑5378‑01 ‑ Various locations in District Two in Clay, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Geary, Marion, Republic, Saline and Washington counties, milling, APAC-Kansas Inc Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks., $35,443.60.

District Three — Northwest

Osborne ‑ 24‑71 KA‑5294‑01 – U.S. 24, from 0.6 mile east of County Road 515 east to the south U.S. 24/U.S. 281 junction, sealing, 12.7 miles, Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc., Topeka, Ks., $1,272,303.50.

Russell ‑ 281‑84 KA‑5290‑01 – U.S. 281, from the west K‑18/U.S. 281 junction east to the east K‑18/U.S. 281 junction, sealing, 8.5 miles, Heft and Sons LLC, Greensburg, Ks., $269,856.60.

District Five — South Central

Barton ‑ 56‑5 KA‑5289‑01 – U.S. 56, from the east city limits of Pawnee Rock northeast to the south city limits of Great Bend, milling and overlay, 11.5 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks., $2,146,969.84.

Rice ‑ 14‑80 KA‑5286‑01 ‑ K‑14, from the north city limits of Lyons north to the Rice/Ellsworth county line, milling and overlay, 11.3 miles, APAC-Kansas Inc Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks., 3 $1,877,091.15.

Rice ‑ 56‑80 KA‑5287‑01 – U.S. 56, from the Lyons east city limits east to the McPherson/Rice county line, milling and overlay, 14.5 miles, APAC-Kansas Inc Shears Division, Hutchinson, Ks., $1,935,248.66.

Rush ‑ 183‑83 KA‑5288‑01 – U.S. 183, from the Pawnee/Rush county line north to the south city limits of La Crosse, milling and overlay, 12.0 miles, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks., $2,066,584.48.

Rush ‑ 04‑83 KA‑5327‑01 ‑ K‑4, from the Rush/Ness county line east to the Rush/Barton county line, crack repair, 36.7 miles, Scodeller Construction Inc., Wixom, Mi., $123,315.77.

District Six — Southwest

Statewide ‑ 106 KA‑5326‑01 ‑ Various locations in District Six in Greeley, Wichita, Finney, Haskell, Seward, Stevens, Morton, Clark and Ford counties, milling, Venture Corporation, Great Bend, Ks., $12,928.00.

The following projects were approved from the July 17, 2019, letting.

Riley ‑ 24‑81 KA‑4757‑01 – U.S. 24 and Kimball Avenue intersection in Manhattan, intersection improvement, 0.3 mile, Pavers Inc., Salina, Ks., $881,990.47.

Mitchell ‑ 62 U‑2330‑01 – Beloit along Bell, Walnut, 15th, and Poplar Streets, pedestrian and bicycle paths, 1.9 miles, Brummer And Miller Construction, Beloit, Ks., $416,970.55.

Chase ‑ 9 C‑4910‑01 – Bridge over Bloody Creek located 3.4 miles south and 5.4 miles east Cottonwood Falls, bridge replacement, 0.2 mile, King Construction Company Inc. and Subsidiaries, Hesston, Ks., $435,647.98.

Miami ‑ 61 C‑4916‑01 – Bridge on 263rd Street over North Wea Creek located 2 miles north and 4.2 miles west of Louisburg, bridge replacement, Bryan-Ohlmeier Construction Co. Inc., Paola, Ks., $508,074.49.

Obituary

Obituary of Virginia Lea Fern Brown

September 3, 2019 Submitted Story 1 Comment

Virginia Lea Fern Brown, age 89, a resident of Ft. Scott, passed away Monday, September 2, 2019, at the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas.

She was born May 24, 1930, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of William Aaron Swank and Mabel Clare Allison Swank

. Virginia graduated from the Ft. Scott High School. She married Bernard D. Brown on July 15, 1951, at Ft. Scott.

Virginia worked for the Western Insurance Company which later became American States Insurance company for twenty years.

She enjoyed studying and preserving her family’s history and could often be found behind the camera at many family gatherings.

She served as Librarian for the Old Fort Genealogical Society for several years.

She was a past member of the First Church of the Nazarene. She and Bernard were the first couple married in the new church on Third Street in 1951.

Survivors include her children, Alona Wise, Cindy Clements, and Jeff Brown, all of Ft. Scott; eighteen grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Her husband, Bernard, preceded her in death on August 30, 1984. She was also preceded in death by two sons, Craig and Randy Brown; two sons-in-law, Darryl Wise and Darrell Clements; three brothers, Lawrence, Robert and Wayne Swank and two sisters, Lillian Swank and Wilma Witherspoon.

Funeral service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Monday, September 9^th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the West Liberty Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 P.M. Sunday afternoon at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the Old Fort Genealogical Society 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.

Bourbon County, Entertainment

Old Settler’s Parade Winners Results

September 3, 2019 Submitted Story Leave a comment

2019 Old Settler’s Parade, Uniontown, float results.

Best Church Float: Marmaton Christian Church- 1st

Best Class Float:Class of 1959- 1st
Class of 1964- 2nd

Best ATV: Dale’s Cushman- 1st
(Dale Jackson’s family)
Alvin Beerbower- 2nd
Ft. Scott Livestock Market- 3rd

Oldest Woman Present – Natalie Comstock
Oldest Man Present – Glen Post
Couple Married the Longest – Leo and Arla Hartman
Person coming farthest – Ellie Matos, Puerto Rico
Person with the longest Uiontown address – Loris Wilson
Cash Drawing:

$100 – James Stark
$75 – Ed Hartman
$50 – Henry Homan

2019 Children’s Parade
Best Theme–Genesis Walker and Lauren Walker 1st/2nd

Most Creative – Draxton Stewart

Coolest – Ryeker Stewart

Wildest – Blake Ervin

Most Colorful – Willow Franklin

Most Fun – Zoey Franklin – Rhuey and Scout Eden

Best Decorated Bike:

Ana Christy- 1st

Caden Martin-2nd

Casen Martin-3rd

Best Costume::

Avri Clayton -1st

Quinn Clayton-2nd
Mercedes Schultz -3rd

Best Pet- Jayden Dawson – 1st

Best Decorated Battery Operated – Harper Bunnel -1st
Hunter and Holden Bunnel -2nd

Government, Kansas

KDOT Cost Share Program

September 3, 2019 Submitted Story Leave a comment

KDOT’s new Cost Share Program now accepting applications

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has launched a new program designed to provide state funding for transportation projects while also leveraging local and private funding. The new Cost Share Program will provide funding to local entities for transportation projects that improve safety, support job retention and growth, improve access or mobility, relieve congestion and help areas across the state improve the transportation system.

Up to $50 million will be available in the program for fiscal year 2020. The on-going program, which has at least $11 million available, requires a minimum of 15% non-state cash match. Additional consideration will be given to project applications that commit more than the minimum required match amount. The funding above the base $11 million comes from a one-time, $50 million State General Fund transfer. A minimum 25% match is required for projects to qualify for the one-time funds.

The Cost Share Program is open to all transportation projects including roadway (on and off the state highway system), rail, airport, bicycle/pedestrian and public transit. Funds from the program can only be used for construction.

“Creating the Cost Share Program allows us to leverage both state and local dollars to help address important transportation needs across Kansas,” said Kansas Secretary Julie Lorenz. “We look forward to working with Kansas communities to build projects that improve safety and keep the Kansas economy moving.”

Funding for the program is part of the $216 million in sales tax authorized by the Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly to remain in the state highway fund in fiscal year 2020. In addition to the Cost Share Program, those funds are being used to increase highway preservation, help complete delayed T-WORKS projects, improve safety and provide new funding opportunities for cities and counties.

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis beginning Sept. 3, 2019, and will be reviewed twice annually, in October and March. To be included in the first review period, applications must be submitted by Oct. 11, 2019. Selection criteria will include consideration of projects that meet program objectives, eligibility categories and requirements. Geographic distribution also will be considered during project selection.

Application and a fact sheet on the Cost Share Program can be found at www.KSDot.org or with the links below:

Application

Fact Sheet

Art, Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Takin’ Notes Band: Friday’s Free Concert

September 3, 2019 Submitted Story Leave a comment

The Friday Night Free Concert series continues this Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. at Heritage Park, 1st and Main Street.

“This weeks concert will feature the “Takin’ Notes Band”with Randy Maple on lead guitar and vocals, Terri Louk guitar and vocals; Jeff Deal, bass; Mike Church, rhythm guitar; Dr. Larry Buck, mandolin and vocals; Bill Buck, mandolin; Brian Crites, dulcimer; Lane Steiner drum / harmonica; and David Shelby, guitar and vocals,” Ralph Carlson said. Carlson is the coordinator for the weekly event.

“The band has been a real hit with our audiences,” Carlson said. “They play traditional, blue grass, gospel and classic country music.”

“The weather is predicted to be good, but in the event of a change we will move to the Common Grounds Coffee shop.. Come early and bring a lawn chair as seating is limited.”

Government, Kansas

State finishes August $2.9 million above estimate

September 3, 2019 Submitted Story Leave a comment

TOPEKA – The state’s August collections are slightly above estimates with total tax collections at $497.2 million; $2.9 million or 0.59% more than the estimate. Those collections are also $2.8 million more than the same month in Fiscal Year 2019.

Retail sales tax collections were $205.3 million; up 3.67% from the $198.0 million estimate. Compensating use tax collections came in at $32.6 million; $2.4 million below the estimate.

Individual income tax collections were $231.3 million. This is $6.3 million, or 2.78%, more than the estimate and $10.5 million more than August 2018. Corporate income tax collections were $6.6 million; $5.4 million below the estimate.

“We continue to hold steady with the estimates,” Secretary Mark Burghart said. “I’m encouraged by both the improved sales tax collections and the stability of individual tax collections as we have now finished the second month of the fiscal year.”

Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fair

Kansas State Fair – State Fun, Local Flavor

September 3, 2019 Submitted Story Leave a comment

Carla Nemecek is Southwind District Director and agent.

Submitted by: Carla Nemecek

Kansas 4-H members ages nine and up are eligible to enter projects at the Kansas State Fair, but only eligible after first earning the top award in the project category at the county fair. That means 4-H entries at the Fair come with high praise, and also means seeing the various projects in 4-H Centennial Hall may inspire others to join 4-H and learn by doing, choosing a new 4-H project (if already involved in 4-H programs) or provide the nudge that’s needed to complete a hobby project or try something new.

Kansas 4-H offers more than 30 educational 4-H projects and seeing the completed projects under one roof is testimony to experiential learning in 4-H.

The 2019 Kansas State Fair will open Sept. 6 and continue through Sept. 15. While attending the annual event is a tradition for many, seasoned as well as first-time fairgoers are encouraged to visit 4-H Centennial Hall to view 4-H projects that have earned the top awards at our local county fairs.

4-H Centennial Hall is located at the north end of the fairgrounds, and will house the majority of the more than 11,000 4-H project exhibits during the fair. The Southwind Extension District will be well represented, with exhibits entered from Allen, Bourbon, Woodson and Neosho Counties.

The 4-H building is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., from Sept. 6-Sept. 14, and, on Sept. 15 (closing day) from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.

“Celebrating All Things Kansas” is the theme for the 2019 Kansas State Fair, so I certainly want to mention some of our most grassroots projects – the livestock. Southwind 4-H members will also be exhibiting horses, sheep, swine, meat goats and cattle at the south end of the Fairgrounds. Horse project members who previously qualified at the District Horse Show will compete the second weekend of the State Fair, while livestock exhibitors will show the first weekend as part of the Grand Drive. Youth enrolled in the Dog project will also compete the second weekend.

Information on daily schedules and admission can be found on the Kansas State Fair website, www.kansasstatefair.com

If you are looking for results from our local 4-H members, those can be found by clicking on the link at www.kansas4-h.org, or stop by the Southwind Extension District website, www.southwind.ksu.edu and we will direct you to those 4-H results that will be updated on a daily basis.

From the fun fried foods that can be found on the mid-way to the open and youth exhibits across the fairgrounds, there are opportunities for the young and old alike. I encourage you to put on your best walking shoes and make a trip to Hutchinson, KS September 6-15, 2019 and “Celebrate All Things Kansas” at the 2019 Kansas State Fair!