Monthly Archives: September 2020

Government, Kansas

Efforts To Land Space Command Headquarters in Kansas Announced

Leave a comment

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Efforts to Land Space Command Headquarters in Kansas

 

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced her strong push to land the new U.S. Space Command headquarters in Kansas. 

 

Four Kansas communities have submitted proposals to become home to the headquarters of the U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM), which is responsible for military operations in outer space. Derby, Kansas City, Kan., Leavenworth, and Wichita have responded to requests for information from the federal government with proposed development sites in their communities. 

 

“I have directed my Cabinet to use all resources necessary to support the selection of Kansas as the headquarters for the U.S. Space Command,” Governor Kelly said. “Our strong teams of state and local economic development professionals have the tools available for the attraction, growth, and retention of the U.S. Space Command headquarters. Kansas is the perfect place for this facility, and we are prepared to do the work to get it here. We look forward to further discussion with the U.S. Air Force as it works toward a decision on the U.S. Space Command headquarters’ location.” 

 

The interested Kansas communities are in the National Security Crossroads, a bi-state region with unique national security assets and talent. This would allow U.S. Space Command to quickly leverage this critical national security infrastructure and skills in establishing its permanent headquarters in Kansas. 

 

The four proposals address facility space requirements, workforce needs, proximity to a military installation, and other vital elements necessary for the successful operation of the U.S. Space Command headquarters. Each community has unique assets and attributes that would make it an attractive and practical location for the USSPACECOM headquarters, employees, and families. 

 

“There’s no question Kansas is the best place in the nation for the U.S. Space Command headquarters,” Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Our central location, talented and educated workforce, existing military infrastructure, the advanced network of higher education institutions across our state – the list of advantages is unmatched. I am confident that Kansas is the most strategic choice for the Space Command headquarters’ location, and we look forward to supporting these four outstanding Kansas cities throughout the process.”

 

Each proposed site in Kansas offers impressive assets, including an educated workforce, quality-of-life amenities, and robust infrastructure attractive to businesses and organizations. Along with its strong military and aviation presence, Kansas also boasts a longstanding record of enthusiastic support for military service members and their families – both active duty personnel and veterans as they transition from military to civilian life. 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Laura Felt Celebrates 80th Birthday, Card Shower Requested

Leave a comment
Laura Felt. Submitted photo.
Laura Felt will celebrate her 80th birthday on September 16.
Her family is requesting cards be sent to her in celebration of the day.
Please send cards to 1440 Scott Avenue, Fort Scott, KS 66701.
Laura Felt is the mother of Rick Felt, Troy Felt and Rhonda Kellstadt; grandmother of Kathy and Kenny (Rick), Scott, Tyler and Haley (Troy) & Clayton and Cade (Rhonda) and great-grandmother of Blair, Smith, Carver, Waylon, Easton and Knox.
Fort Scott, Government

FS Design Review Board Meets Sept. 9

Leave a comment

The Design Review Board will meet on Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. at the City Hall Commission Meeting room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting will be held to discuss a Certificate of Appropriateness for signage in the downtown area for the walking trail, and a Certificate of Appropriateness for signage and alterations to a building at 113 S. National and any others matters to be brought before the Board. This meeting is open to the public.

This meeting will be made available via the City’s you tube channel at City of Fort Scott.

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda for Sept. 8

Leave a comment

Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: September 8, 2020

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COMMISSION ROOM. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.

9:00 – 9:30 Jim Harris

9:30 – 10:00 Executive Session, Non-elected Personnel (Interview)

10:00 – 10:30 Executive Session, Non-elected Personnel (Interview)

10:30 – 11:00 Executive Session, Non-elected Personnel (Interview)

Obituary

Obituary of Merleen Dean

Leave a comment

Merleen Della Dean, age 76, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Friday, September 04, 2020, at her home.

She was born on April 7, 1944, in Canastota, NY, the daughter of William Harris King and Emma Wilma Kolar King.

She married Stephen Dean on January 28, 1961, in Peterborough, NY. She worked as a teacher’s aide, cooked for various restaurants in Parsons, KS, and ran her own daycare.

Merleen enjoyed gardening, cooking, watching Fox News and the Hallmark Channel, and spending time with her grandchildren. She was a member of Eastern Star and the Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband Stephen of the home; a son, James Dean, Ft. Scott; a daughter, Julie M. Van Becelaere and husband Ted, Monticello, MO; a sister, Karen King, Jamestown, NY; 5 grandchildren, Will Dean, Jerry Eddings, Micky Eddings, Rex David Lawhorn, and Rebekah Van Becelaere; 7 great-grandchildren, Cody, Canton, Will Jr., Ariel, Kenzly, Noelle, and Rex James; and 5 step-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Lois Kilroy; and her parents.

Pastor Larry Stevicks will conduct funeral services at 11:00 am Wednesday, September 9th, at the Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 Tuesday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to Emmanuel Baptist Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Bourbon County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

CHC Fort Scott Reno Plans

1 Comment

Residents who use the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas for health care in Fort Scott, will see a reconfiguration of the spaces in the future.

CHC/SEK  is located at 405 Woodland Hills, in the former Mercy Hospital building.

“We will be adding retail pharmacy space where the gift shop was (near the east entrance of the facility),” CHC/SEK President and CEO Krista Postai, said. “X-ray will be to the right as you walk in the clinic. We’ll also be adding new x-ray equipment into the main clinic…(There will also be) a break room and small meeting room created for staff. We will be creating a ‘women’s center’ within the clinic and moving the mammography equipment into the clinic to save women the long walk down the former Diagnostic Imaging Hallway.  ”

Krista Postai. Submitted photo.

The move is designed to be more convenient for patients, she said.

“We’re still involved in several other construction projects right now, but are working on final designs and talking with plumbers, electricians, etc. about the renovation,” Postai said.

“This is the new layout for our clinic only,” she said. “I have not seen a floor plan for the entire medical mall.”

The timeline for the reno will be made in the next few weeks, Postai said.

Also currently at the former Mercy building is the Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department, located on the south side.

This fall, Fort Scott Community College leased 30 rooms at the west end of the building for student housing, as part of their plan during the COVID-19 Pandemic. They have made rooms for students at the main campus at 2108 S. Horton, should students need to be quarantined.

On the north side of the building is I Am Rehab LLC a physical therapy clinic.

 

 

 

 

Opinion

We Go Through Stuff Differently by Patty LaRoche

Leave a comment

Your story is not my story. (And yes, I sense you celebrating.) Like the picture shows, “We all go through the same stuff differently.” Soooo true!

Example: One friend stresses when her fingernail polish chips. I am thrilled when I exit the manicurist and make it home without red streaks dotting my steering wheel. A mere chip for me is a reason to rejoice. Still, nail polish or not, I enjoy hanging with my gal-pal because she is ultra-patriotic, loves to laugh, is transparent and doesn’t hold a grudge.

Another friend, while visiting her daughter’s orphanage in Haiti, was held at gunpoint, taken to an abandoned area and calmly prayed her way out of danger. Calmly? CALMLY? Not in my top 100 reactions. And even though one of us, I admit, is more excitable than the other, we appreciate girl-gabs where we share our faith and love for Jesus as she demonstrates how to have peace in the storms of life.

I have friends who are chronically late, who are perfectionists, who are hypochondriacs, who are emotionally insecure, who are inconsiderate drivers, who can’t admit their mistakes and who never invite me to their houses, but they all overlook my issues that surely drive them crazy (although, for the life of me, I can’t imagine what they are).

So, let me repeat: We go through stuff differently. We all have unique wirings/ personality quirks, and for those matters we must give others the right to be different. Paul wrote to the Romans, suggesting how the Jews and the Gentiles should handle their differences. His advice is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. In Ch. 14, he writes to encourage Jesus’ followers to live in unity, respecting the different backgrounds with which they came to know Jesus. They weren’t to argue over what foods they were to eat or the necessity of circumcision. Disagreements were to be avoided…unless there were eternal consequences.

We all can learn from Paul and from each other, even if all we learn is to keep our opinions to ourselves. Recently, someone shared that when her baby died, a friend told her she should get a dog. Two years had gone by, and it was “time” she moved on. Perhaps that would have been good counsel for the insensitive friend (although I doubt it), but clearly, the friend did not give the bereaved mother the latitude to go through her tragic “stuff” differently.

Let’s be clear. Accepting others “stuff” does not mean that we avoid conversations about eternal issues. (“If you want to go to Hell, that’s your business.”) “Millie” is a Mazatlán friend with whom it has been difficult to find commonalities. She hates (truly, hates) President Trump, does not believe in God and is married to an egotist who treats her unkindly. Still, we hang out, discuss philanthropic opportunities and play a semblance of tennis. From her, I’ve learned that quiet generosity is the best kind, and from me, she recognizes the importance of my faith.

So, what are we to do with others’ stuff, the stuff that can drive us bonko? We should major on the majors and not on the minors. Friendships are taxing when we do otherwise. We must accept that God created each of us with our own DNA and not as clones. By accepting others individuality, we have a much better chance of drawing others to Him… not to mention, making and keeping friends.

Bourbon County, COVID-19, Schools

Bourbon County Strong Campaign Starts

1 Comment

A group of concerned citizens has formed a committee to provide awareness to the community about the importance of wearing a mask in public during the COVID-19 Pandemic, according to Kayla Stewart, a spokesman. And they are starting a campaign to purchase masks for students and staff at the Bourbon County school districts.

The name of the group is Bourbon County Strong. It is comprised of Stewart, Gina Shelton, Stephanie Witt, Kelley Barrows, Jody Hoener, Lindsey Madison, Jackie Hall, and several others from USD 234 and USD 235, she said.

“Many people do not believe in the virus or do not think that it will affect anyone in their area, so they have decided not to wear masks,” Stewart,  Ascension Via Christ’s Emergency Department RN Coordinator, said. “If the community members do not wear masks, then children will follow in their footsteps. The campaign will provide awareness to all community members about the importance of wearing their masks in public, social distance, and have good hand hygiene.”

Ascension Via Christ Registered Nurse Kayla Steward. Submitted photo.

Bourbon County Strong is beginning to raise funds to provide masks to the school systems in Bourbon County.

 The group’s goal is to raise enough money to provide all students and staff members of the Fort Scott and Uniontown School Districts with enough masks that will last them until the end of the school year, she said.

 

“We live in a community where we have a high poverty level, and many families can’t afford to provide their children with masks,” Stewart said.

 

“We want to give students masks that fit appropriately and provide the best protection possible,” Stewart said.

 

Experts are still learning about the virus.

“Many people are not worried about their children getting COVID, but they need to be concerned about who they bring the virus home to,” Stewart said. “The statistics currently show that the virus is not as severe on younger children, but children are carriers of viruses and bring it home to your loved ones. These older loved ones have comorbidities or have weakened immune systems due to cancer or an autoimmune disease, and they are more likely to get the virus.”

 

“Being an emergency room nurse, I have taken care of the critically ill, and this virus is nothing to mess with,” Stewart said. ” We are still learning about what the virus is, what damage it is causing to our bodies, and what the long term effects will be.”

 

Stewart shared two personal stories of the virus.

“I have a close friend that had the virus a couple of months ago and is still recovering. They have long-term shortness of breath, where any activity that they do causes them to become short of air. This issue did not occur before they obtained the virus,” she said.

“Also, my uncle has the coronavirus,” Stewart said. “He has been on the vent for over four weeks. Last week, they put a trach in because of the endotracheal tube’s long-term use. They have tried to wean him off the vent, but every time they try to wean him, his blood pressure tanks, and he becomes unstable. It is hard seeing someone you love suffer from the virus, and people in the community don’t think it is real.”

The group has a desire to positively impact the community and help prevent the spreading of COVID through education and providing reliable sources about the coronavirus, she said.

 

 

When was the group started?

The beginning of August.

“We discussed the idea with (USD 234 Superintendent)Ted Hessong and (USD 235 Superintendent)Bret Howard,” she said.

Once approved, the idea went to the school boards, and got final approval.

“Once the campaign was approved, we started designing our plans.,” Steward said. “It has taken a lot of hard work from all committee members, plus USD 234 and USD 235 staff. We will be kicking the campaign off on Sept. 8, 2020 with our t-shirt sale, that will run through September 30th. Throughout September and October, businesses around town will have our posters, flyers, and table toppers posted about the campaign. These flyers will not only provide information about the campaign, but will also have information about mask-wearing.”

To support the campaign, there are several fundraising events planned:

A Bourbon County Strong Golf Tournament on

October 10th, to register: bourboncountystrong.com

 

Operation Mask Up T-Shirt Sale starts September 8th-September 30th.

T-shirts can be purchased at bourboncountystrong.com

Donations can be made at bourboncountystrong.com or

https://usd234.revtrak.net/donations-and-gifts/#/v/mask-campaign

 

Other ways to keep abreast of the group:

Facebook page: Bourbon County Strong (@bourboncountystrong)

Instagram: @bourboncountystrong

Email: [email protected]

 

COVID-19 Update

The last update that was provided by SEK Multi-County Health Department: 11 active COVID cases, 14 presumptive cases, and 97 current recovered cases in Bourbon County.

Crawford County Health Department’s last update: last week there are a total of 599 positive COVID cases. Two hundred sixty-five individuals that are in isolation, and 970 individuals that are quarantined, Stewart said.

 

Have you seen many cases at the ER? 
“We have seen several COVID positive patients and PUI (Person Under Investigation),” Stewart said. “Currently, our COVID numbers are lower, but we are taking all precautions to prevent the spread of COVID. Also, USD 234 and USD 235 are working closely with the SEK Muli-county health department to make the start of the school year 2020-2021 a smooth process and take all precautions to provide a safe environment for the staff students.”