Monthly Archives: March 2020

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Meets March 3 at 9 a.m.

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: March 3, 2020

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

9:00-9:45 – Jim Harris

10:30-10:40 – Kendell Mason, Non-elected personnal

11:00-12:00 – Apex Wind Generation Contracts

12:00-1:30 – Lunch

2:00-2:05 – Barbara Peine, Wind Turbines

2:05-2:10 – Mike Wunderly, Wind Turbines

2:10-2:15 – Mary Pemberton, Wind Turbines

2:15-2:20 – Carla, South Wind Extension

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Special Meeting March 3 at 8 a.m.

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: March 3, 2020

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

8:00 – Executive Session, Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

Fort Scott, Government

Water Main Work Begins March 3

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The City of Fort Scott Water Distribution Department will be renewing a water main from 5th & Andrick to 6th & Andrick. A new water main and valves will be installed to replace the existing aging and shallow one.

Work will begin on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020 with the excavation of the water main at 6th & Andrick. Customers on Andrick and the surrounding area may experience water outages for short durations during the construction time. Precautions by the Water Distribution Department will be followed when the water is restored. However, customers may experience discolored water and some air. This should clear up by running the water for a short time from an outside faucet.

Access to your area and home will be available. At the beginning of the project, the intersection of 6th & Andrick will be closed and 5th and Andrick will be open. As the project moves north on Andrick, and it becomes necessary to close the intersection of 5th and Andrick, 6th and Andrick will be reopened for traffic.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact City Hall at 223-0550 and ask or the Water Distribution Department.

Government, Kansas

Legislative Update By State Senator Caryn Tyson

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February 28, 2020
Turnaround, the ½-way point of session, is an important milestone. There is a push to pass bills to keep them alive.

If a bill has not been in one of these exempt committees, Federal and State Affairs, Tax, or Ways & Means, and has not passed the originating chamber, that bill dies at turnaround. The Senate passed over 50 bills last week to the House. The bills and debates are posted at www.kslegislature.org.

Legislation 101 Senate Bill (SB) 294, the bill we are following in these updates, that brings transparency to your property tax increases, was debated on the Senate floor. The Majority leader brought the bill above the line for debate and it passed the Senate 39 Yes and 0 No. There were a couple of attempts to weaken the bill but those amendments failed. SB 294 is now in the House Tax Committee. Hopefully, the Chair of the Committee will schedule a hearing for the bill. SB 294 would require local governments, starting in 2021, to notify taxpayers if they intend to collect more money in property tax than the previous year. It would allow taxpayers an opportunity to comment before property tax increases occur.

Here’s a brief overview of some of the bills that passed the Senate and were sent to the House:

SB 272 would prohibit a property valuation from increasing during the appeals process. You shouldn’t have to worry about your valuation being raised as a result of an appeal. The bill passed unanimously.

SB 331 would allow the department of corrections employees, local correctional or detention officers, judicial branch employees, and municipal court employees to remove any identifying information from public websites, including home addresses or home ownership. The bill passed unanimously.

SB 295 would stop the value of real property being increased solely as a result of normal repairs or maintenance. It should encourage, rather than discourage, property owners to maintain their investment. The bill passed with 39 Yes, 1 No. I voted Yes.

SB 283 would allow for sports betting and online gambling. It would allow for state-owned casinos to provide software applications that run on your phone or other devices to be used for gambling. The bill would give money to Eureka Downs (only one race track – why not all if any), established computer science scholarship fund, and creates a temporary rules and regulations process, ignoring the one that is already in place. The bill passed 23 Yes to 15 No. I voted No on the final bill. There were a couple of amendments offered that I did supported but they failed to go on the bill. One was to pay down KPERS with the increased state money.

SB 358 would give authority to the highway patrol to administrator ignition interlock manufacturers and their service providers for DUI offenders. The bill passed unanimously.

SB 404 would establish a process to terminate parental rights of a person whose sexual assault of another resulted in the conception of a child. The bill passed unanimously.

SB 337 would allow students enrolled in nonpublic schools to take the ACT college entrance exam and other assessment exams at no cost. The bill passed 39 Yes to 1 No. I voted Yes.

SB 308 would require a label for raw milk being sold, stating it is raw milk – non pasteurized. It would also clarify the definition of milk to include all mammals. The bill passed 37 Yes to 3 No. I voted Yes.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn

Art, Bourbon County

Bourbon County Arts Council 28th Annual Fine Arts Exhibit

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Bourbon County Arts Council 28th Annual Fine Arts Exhibit

The Bourbon County Arts Council will present their 28th Annual Fine Arts Exhibit, March 5th through 7th, at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center, on the Campus of Fort Scott Community College.

“The mission of the Bourbon County Arts Council is to foster, promote and increase the knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts in our community,” said Deb Halsey, who is  a board member and also  co-chairing the Fine Arts Exhibit along with President Deb Anderson.

The Exhibit will be open to the public on Thursday and Friday, March 5th and 6th, from 12:00 pm to 7:00pm, and on Saturday, March 7th, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. A Reception will be held on Thursday evening from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, to honor this year’s Juror and artists; the public is invited to attend and enjoy the opportunity to meet and visit with them about the art. (Note: In previous years, the reception was held on Wednesday evenings. The change to Thursday was made in hopes of allowing a greater number of community members to attend.) The Bourbon County Arts Council will host the Chamber Coffee at 8:00am on Thursday, March 5th.

Artists will have their work on display and for sale in this multi-media exhibit, with categories including Ceramics, Drawing & Graphics, Fiber Arts, Glass, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting (oil and acrylic), Pastels, Photography,Printmaking, Sculpture, and Watercolor. A “themed” category was added to the Exhibit, with this year’s theme being “My Hometown”. An artist may create a piece in any of the above catogories, in relation to the theme. In recent years, artists from Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Vancouver, British Columbia have participated in this show. This year, 55 artists have contributed 148 pieces of art. Local artists presenting at this year’s Exhibit include Elaine Buerge, Cheyanne Carpenter, Steve Floyd, Chance Fuhrman, Jane Gaines, Barbara Gibson, Deb Halsey, Bobbi Kemna, Cindy Lipe, Paul Milks, Connie Neil, Jezeriah Simpson, Bri Stokes,and Jean Strader.

James Oliver will serve as Juror for this year’s Exhibit. He holds his BFA from Denison University in Granville, OH, his MA from Easten Illinois University in Charleston, IL, and his MFA from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. Mr. Oliver has acted as Pittsburg State University Assistant Professor of Painting and Drawing since 2001, and was Assistant Professor of Painting and Drawing at Denison University from 1997 t0 2001. James has taught courses at Pittsburg State University in Designed World, Intro to Art Studio, Drawing, Perspective Drawing, Color Theory and Application, Painting, Structural Anatomy and Figure Drawing, Special Topics of Plein Aire Painting, Portrait Painting and iPad for the Artist, and Graduate Drawing. He has participated in numerous Group Exhibitions, and his works have been featured in Solo Exhibitions in Deleware, Illinois, Missouri, New York, and Oklahoma. Mr. Oliver has affiliation to the College Arts Association, the Popular Culture/American Culture Association, and FATE(Foundation in Art:Theory and Education. Publications include American Art Collector and New American Paintings.

The Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center is located at 1208 Horton St., in Fort Scott, Kansas. There is no admission charge for this event, and all are encouraged to come and enjoy a wonderful collection of original artwork.

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Bourbon County, Business

Iron Star Southside Being Renovated

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A section of Iron Star Antiques and Such, 3 N. Main is being renovated.

Iron Star Antiques and Such owner Barbara Trimbur was sitting at the cash register on Wednesday, with the sound of hammer’s pounding in the background.

 

“Every year I try to improve the store,” Trimbur said. Last year she renovated half of her store at 3 N. Main, this year, she is renovating the south half.

 

“We are redoing the floor, took off the drop-down ceiling that was put in during urban renewal in the 60s,” Trimbur said. “We are going back to the old ceiling tile. And new light fixtures and fans.”

 

The contractor for the renovation is Ron Query Construction, Fort Scott.

 

The store remains open during the renovation.

 

The window on the store’s Wall Street side is covered over with plywood, following  a January 2020 storm.

 

Trimbur said she had the plans in place to start the reno well before the window blowout, and added that the glass is being provided by Peerless Products, a local company.

 

The renovated space should be operational again in mid-March, Trimbur said.

 

Trimbur said there are four women in the store’s co-op of selling decorative items, furniture and more.

 

“There are several ladies that sell stuff and we take turns working,” she said. “They pay a commission to the store and can work it off, like a co-op.”

 

Asked if anything was new on the horizon for the store, Trimbur replied with a laugh “I would always welcome someone to buy it from me, so I can retire.”

 

To follow the store on Facebook: The Iron Star.

 

 

Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Aging With Attitude Expo set for April 24

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Barbara Stockebrand

 

Life brings with it many stages. There are the formative years of growing and education, the middle years of working and maybe raising a family – and the later years, which can be even more challenging and more fulfilling than the earlier stages.

K-State Research and Extension has joined with community partners in bringing the Aging With Attitude Regional Expo to the Fort Scott community for a second year. The event will be held at the Community Christian Church, on 1919 Horton Street, on April 24, 2020. It is a one-day educational event from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The expo promotes positive attitudes about aging and provides inspiration, answers questions and delivers information to seniors, their families and caregivers about making the most of life. The event has rotated between five locations in the southeast Kansas area over the years to stay true to its ‘regional’ approach. It will be the 10th anniversary for this annual event.

Marci Penner and WenDee Rowe of the Kansas Sampler Foundation will present an upbeat keynote address on some of the lesser known attractions in southeast Kansas.

Breakout sessions are offered on various topics relating to aging issues. Morning session topics will include disaster preparedness, downsizing, fraud awareness, the hemp culture, new healthcare options through telemedicine, and tips for making homes safer and more efficient through advanced technology.

Afternoon sessions include brain boosters – the fads and facts, the ideal environment of aging in place, a review of Medicare cost savings programs, telling your family story, and conversations on valuable records. There will be a fun exercise activity during both the morning and afternoon.

Other community partners engaged with the expo planning include Angels Care Home Health, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, Integrity Home Care + Hospice, Medicalodges – Fort Scott, Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging, Southeast Kansas Library System, and interested community individuals.

A goal of the expo is to empower older adults–with information and education that is shared throughout the day–to make more confident and proactive decisions that influence how they age.

A grant from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation is providing partial funding to support the 2020 Aging with Attitude Regional Expo.

Registration is $15 per person and covers snacks, lunch, speaker fees and program materials. The pre-registration deadline is April 15. After the deadline, registration is $25 per person, and lunch is not guaranteed. Check out the expo website for registration and program information at www.agingexpo.k-state.edu or contact the Southwind Extension District Office by calling 620-625-8620.

Church news, Fort Scott

Christian Human Trafficking Awareness Speaker March 2

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The monthly meeting for the Ft. Scott Aglow Lighthouse will meet Monday, March 2, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. at the Rodeway Inn Conference Room, 101 State Street, Ft. Scott, KS.
The guest speaker is Bob Reazin from LeRoy, KS.
  Bob is retired but has been involved in Eight Days of Hope Ministry over the last 10 years. He will be providing information about Human Trafficking Awareness.
 Aglow Lighthouse desires to provide a place to bring unity among like-minded believers in our community.
This is a place to grow in relationship with God and others.
Men, women, and youth coming together to discover who Christ made you to be and who God wants to be for you.

The group also engages in meeting community needs such as protecting the unborn and orphans.

Currently, they are in the preparation stages of getting food, clothing, and shelter ready.
Donations are welcome.
“Please be our guest and bring a friend,” Fort Scott Aglow President Amanda Gilmore said.
Visit aglow.org for more information.
Opinion

Choose Wisely by Pastor Jimmy Tucker

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The Bottom Line by Pastor Jimmy Tucker

Last summer I installed (with the help of several pages of instructions) two garage doors. I’ve learned from experience to always use the instructions because it saves time in the long run. Without the installation instructions I might not have ended up with doors that would open and close properly. I’ve made the mistake of trying to put something together by trial and error without using the instructions, only to have to take it apart and do it all over again with the instructions.

A godly man once said, “Learn by the mistakes of others, because you won’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” That’s pretty good advice. The Bible is full of examples of people who did things right and people who did things wrong. It’s beneficial to look back at history and learn from the past as we live our lives today.

One of the most common things society does wrong is gripe and complain. Most Christians join right in there without blinking an eye. A good example of a bad example would be the Israelites. Right after God performed the miracles of leading them out of bondage through the Red Sea on dry ground, they started grumbling and complaining about their conditions. In the New Testament, Paul wrote, “Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them [Israelites] did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age” (1 Corinthians 10:9-11 NLT). Okay, so stop complaining about the weather, the government, the food, or anything else. Be thankful for the good things in your life.

In Acts Chapter 5, we read about Ananias and Sapphira. They sold some property and brought part of the money to the apostles and claimed it was the full amount. They both agreed to lie about it. They chose poorly and they both died. Because of this, great fear gripped the entire church and everyone who heard about it. Okay, don’t lie — God hears every word you speak.

Jesus sent off His disciples to cross to the other side of the lake while He stayed behind to pray. During the night, a storm came up and Jesus came walking on the water toward them. Peter yelled, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” So Jesus said, “Come.” Peter stepped over the side of the boat and began to walk toward Jesus. But when Peter saw the wind and waves, he started to sink and called out to Jesus for help. “Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ’You have so little faith,’ Jesus said. ‘Why did you doubt Me?’” (Matthew 14:31 NLT). Okay, choose to believe and repent of your doubt and unbelief.

And then we have Jonah. God told him to go and preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. Jonah didn’t want to do that, so he boarded a ship headed in the opposite direction. He ended up being tossed overboard to save the ship. God sent a great fish to rescue him and then vomited him out on the shore three days later. Immediately, the Lord commanded Jonah a second time and said, “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh and deliver the message I have given you” (Jonah 3:2 NLT). This time Jonah chose wisely; he had learned his lesson the hard way. When you argue with God, you will always lose.

The Bottom Line: Don’t live your life by trial and error — follow God’s instructions.

Pastor Jimmy Tucker

Diamond Community Church

Worship 10:45 a.m.