The week of Aug. 17 the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) started a survey for a proposed shoulder widening project on K-7 in Crawford County. The survey is on the existing highway alignment, beginning at the north city limits of Girard and continuing north for 11 miles to the Crawford-Bourbon county line.
KDOT expects the survey to be completed by December. Activities include the use of survey instruments on the ground to determine locations of existing features within the corridor. A member of the survey crew will contact property owners or tenants for permission to enter private property.
Craig Chaney of RIC will manage this survey for KDOT. Persons with questions may contact KDOT Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen, (620) 902-6433.
This is part of a public servant profile series featuring the City of Fort Scott and Bourbon County employees. If you would like to nominate a person to be featured, please send their email address to [email protected].
Travis Mewhinney, 33, is a Fort Scott Fire Department Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician.
He is a Fort Scott High School graduate, attended Fort Scott Community College for college classes and EMT classes; Hutchison Community College for fire science classes and Kansas University Fire Rescue training certifications.
Mehinney has five years of experience and works from both Station 1 and 2.
What are your duties?
“Driver operator, fire suppression, EMS and rescue, vehicle maintenance, hydrant maintenance and records.
He and his wife Becky, have two sons: LT, 10 years old, and Jaxon, 4 years.
His community involvement, interests or hobbies:
Avid car collector, diesel mechanic, sign and antique collector.
Why did you pursue your career?
“I enjoy helping others in times of need and serving my community.”
The following is the official election results of the Bourbon County primary election Aug. 4, 2020, following a canvass by the Bourbon County Commissioners.
On Sunday, August 16, the Bourbon County Democratic Party held their biennial reorganizational meeting following the primary election.
Precinct committeemen and women voted on new officers, all of whom were elected unanimously.
Dwight Moore was elected County Chair. Moore is a retired biology professor and the former County Chair of Osage County. He and his family moved to Fort Scott in 2019.
Carol MacArthur was elected Vice-Chair. Shirley Palmer and Jacki Prettyman were re-elected as Treasurer and Secretary, respectively.
Out-going Chair Kate Emmett-Sweetser and Vice-Chair Clint Walker were thanked for their dedicated service.
The Bourbon County Democrats meet on the third Sunday of the month at 1:00 p.m. In order to facilitate social distancing, September and October meetings will be held in Shelter No. 1 at Gunn Park.
For more information about the Bourbon County Democrats, Moore can be contacted at 620-341-3074.
Submitted by Carl Jowers, American Legion Post 25 Commander.
There will be a blood drive on Tuesday, August 18, and Wednesday, August 19 at Buck Run Community Center, 735 Scott Avenue, Fort Scott.
“The American Legion Blood Donor Program has existed officially since 1942 to help that cause and blood donations are a community service under one of the Four Pillars of the American Legion.This is one way that as a Veteran you can still service your community and nation.
Every precaution is taken to insure your personal safety during your blood donation appointment.”
You can schedule your blood donation at 1.800.733.2767 or visit the Fort Scott Post 25 Facebook event page.
The post membership goal for 2021 Legion year is 92, As of today, there are 55 renewals. This places us at 59.78% of the goal.
“You can easily renew your Legion membership online by going to www.legion.org and follow the prompts to renew.
Once Post 25 has been informed of your online renewal, usually within 48 hours, your new membership card will be mailed to you.”
“With the passage of the Legion Act, any honorably discharged Veteran who has served one day of active duty since December 7, 1941 can join the American Legion. Many Veterans have never joined the American legion because they were not asked.”
“Your Post 25 Color Guard has been active in flag presentations at local Veterans funerals. Please consider joining your Post Color Guard. We have received area recognition for the crispness and professionalism of our Post Color Guard. For more information about joining the Post 25 Color Guard, reply to this email or call Darrell Spencer, Color Guard Captain at 620-224-6720. Any member of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion can join the Fort Scott Post 25 Color Guard.”
Submitted photo.
You can schedule your blood donation at 1.800.733.2767 or visit the Fort Scott Post 25 Facebook event page.
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 25 was presented with a Unit 25 Auxiliary banner at their Thursday night meeting. This banner will help with their recruitment and fundraisers. Grandmothers, mothers, sisters, spouses, and direct and adopted female descendants of honorably discharged Veterans or active duty military can join the American Legion Auxiliary. Female veterans can also join the American Legion Auxiliary and many female Veterans are dual members of both the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary. If you know of a female relative of a Veteran who would like to honor their service by joining the American Legion Auxiliary, ask them to contact me or Auxiliary Unit President Sylvia Norris at 701-404-3143 for more information.
As always, Post 25 is your Post. Do not hesitate to contact me regarding your thoughts and ideas for improving our Post.”
We’re continuing our way through the COVID pandemic. Some of us are starting to venture out and ‘testing the waters’ so to speak.
We know that staying home is the safest for our physical health — especially for our senior adults. As we look down the road to what the future holds beyond this pandemic, there are likely some additional precautions our older adults (and many others) may take – even after a vaccine becomes available.
The handshake may be gone forever.
Increased handwashing, disinfecting, mask wearing will develop into standard protocol in many establishments.
Businesses and restaurants will elevate their hygiene standards and will make that a key piece of their advertising strategy to their customers.
Look for other forms of greeting while social distancing that you can use to show your enthusiasm in meeting someone.
Many have already moved into the more isolated economy where online shopping has become the norm.
Some older adults are having to make a big jump into the realm of online shopping, not having used the internet a great deal in the past. Yet, shopping from the comforts of home enhances the safety reassurances older adults are seeking. Shopping from home and picking up curbside or by mail will bolster those assurances.
Local small restaurants and businesses may find their way again as residents restrict their travel to the city to shop and eat. Those in their smaller communities will likely do more business locally since they know and trust the owners.
Travel will change. Overseas travel will decrease. More vehicles will be on the road for longer drives, which may have been by air in the past. When flights are required, extra seats may be purchased to assure a more comfortable social distancing experience. Future travel plans are most likely to focus around visiting family. With more wheels being on the road, renting an RV may become an attractive alternative for multi-generational travel for families.
Travel to visit family may not be as necessary in the future as in the past. Families are more apt to move closer together.
A trend may develop where older family members that were leaning toward assisted living situations may be moving in with family members. The trust level of family members looking over the care and contacts of loved ones versus strangers taking that charge, may override many of the usual deciding factors for external health care.
Looking at health care, telemedicine will continue to surge ahead as an appealing option to monitor personal health. My recent experience with telemedicine options has been refreshing when conducting follow-up with a specialist. While my situation was not serious, it was a nice opportunity to visit with the doctor from my own home and getting mine and his questions answered without having to travel out-of-town for a 5-minute conversation. Obviously those visits requiring procedures need to be face-to-face. However, telemed options can save time, not to mention allowing for safe social distancing.
Change is ever-present. As we age, change is often not as welcomed as it may have been when we were younger. However, pandemic has mandated many changes in how we go about our daily lives. Many of those changes will be here for the foreseeable future.
When our children were young, I’d have fun playing hide-and-seek with them in the house. Every time Mariam or Aaron was “it,” they could never find me. I always hid in the bathtub behind the shower curtain; they never thought to look for me there. The kids were in the same room, just a few inches from me, but they never found me because their “seeking” was superficial. They eventually got old enough that we stopped playing this game, and that’s when I told them my secret hiding place.
Do you ever get the feeling God is hiding from you? If you do, it’s probably because you’re focusing on the cares and frustrations of life instead of looking for God in your daily routine. I assure you that God’s not hiding. The Bible tells us that, “I will find the Lord when I seek Him with all my heart and with all my soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29 NKJV).
Feelings are fickle — you can’t trust them. You or someone you know may have said, “Nobody loves or cares about me. I just feel rejected and worthless.” That’s an example of feelings. You may feel that way, but it’s a lie from the devil. Reject the feeling and accept the truth. God loves you as much as He loves Jesus. Is that a new concept to you? It might be new to you, but it’s as old as Jesus’ prayer for believers in the Garden of Gethsemane: “…I am in them and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me” (John 17:23 NLT).
God isn’t hiding, He’s right out in the open all the time. Believers who seek Him will find Him. Evidently, this is a daily process and not just something we do once. Jesus said He would not abandon us as orphans, He (Holy Spirit) will come to us. We need to make sure we’re not acting like unbelievers who aren’t even looking for Him and don’t recognize Him when they do see Him.
There’s great reward for seeking God. “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need” (Luke 12:29-31 NLT).
Stuart Hamblen composed a song in 1959 and the lyrics of the refrain are: “How big is God, how big and wide His vast domain; To try and tell, these lips can only start. He‘s big enough to rule His mighty universe; Yet small enough to live within my heart.” On a dark night, we can look up and see the stars and find God. Why? Because the scripture tells us that God has given all the countless stars names (Isaiah 40:26). You can find God every time you comb your hair. Why? Because God has numbered the hairs on your head (Luke 12:7).
The Key: Seek [look for, search, pursue, find] God everyday as if your life depended on it…because it does.
Fort Scott Community College offers adult education classes to assist students in GED preparation, basic math and reading skills, employment skills, and college preparation and transition. Individuals who have completed the adult education classes will have the opportunity to earn a GED, Basic Computer Skills certificate, and the Kansas Work Ready certificate.
Adult education classes are open to students ages 16 and older. Students who are under 18 must have a Parental Waiver for Compulsory Attendance to attend class; the form can be obtained from the last school district the student attended.
Attendance is mandatory all days of orientation. Class times are Monday through Thursday from 9 am – 12 pm, 1 – 4 pm, and 4 – 7 pm. The adult education center is located in the Student Success Center in Bailey Hall.
Based on the results of your assessment during orientation, staff members will develop an individualized plan to help you achieve your goals. In order to be eligible to take the GED examination, you must have completed all of the adult education class requirements, passed all required exams, and have a valid government issued photo identification card.
The cost for the class is $30 and includes the ACCUPLACER college entrance exam, Northstar Digital Literacy Certification, WorkKeys Employment Skills Test, TABE assessment, and one GED Ready Practice Test. GED testing fees are not included in the class fee. The GED test fees are $33 per subject (Math, Reasoning Through Language Arts, Science, Social Studies) which can be taken and paid for separately; due when you register for the test.
Upon successful completion of the examination, the student will be issued a diploma by the Kansas State Department of Education.
I am currently trying to build back my face-to-face classroom but I also offer online classes. These classes could be for students lacking a diploma OR for anyone needing to review their basic reading and/or math skills. I have had students take my class to prepare better for college entrance, to qualify for a program such as KansasWorks, or to even just learn how to use a computer and brush up on technology skills. Students CAN enroll in the ABE class if they lack basic skills, even if they have a HS diploma or GED.
I am accepting students that are ready to learn. They would just need to contact me to schedule an appointment to fill out paperwork and take the TABE pre-assessment. If students are not ready to start right away, our next orientation will be in September. If you know someone that is interested, please send them my way.
