Monthly Archives: February 2021

Opinion

Gender Neutrality by Patty LaRoche

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Patty LaRoche

Margot, a six-year-old Down syndrome girl from Pennsylvania, pointed an index finger at her teacher, violating the school gun policy. The police were called.

Guilty? Let’s talk about the obvious.

  1. She is six years old, not sixteen.
  2. She has Down syndrome.
  3. She pointed a finger, not an AK-47.

Puh-lease tell me the teacher knew the difference between a pistol and a finger, or should that now be included as part of an education degree curriculum? Puh-lease tell me those school officials recognized that the police have more important crimes to investigate than this one. Puh-lease tell me that the principal realized that Margot might not understand that her finger is considered a dangerous weapon, recognizing that, Heaven forbid, she just might point it again. What then? Prison? Solitary confinement? Water-boarding?

People, People, People, when did we lose our common sense? Margot is not the only example of abject over-reaction. Columnist George Will shared some examples of people who need to stop the nit-picking (Am I allowed to use that term?) and get a life…a life of significance. Here is what he wrote:

“Some Texas real estate agents will no longer refer in their listings to ‘master’ bedrooms, lest people be reminded of slavery. The University of Oregon/Oregon State University football rivalry will no longer be called the ‘Civil War.’ Lest people be reminded of what it took to end slavery? …London activists want to rename a school because, Rod Liddle writes in The Spectator, ‘it is named after a road which was named after a dairy farmer who had the same name as someone the activists dislike.’”

If you’re like me, you want to bang your head into a wall. With all the problems our countries are facing, people spend their time on this nonsense? Bang! Bang! Bang!

To promote gender neutrality, there is a movement afoot to degender words in the English language. Seriously. The new 117th U.S. Congress started by recommending new rules for the legislative process, removing all gender-specific words like “man”, “woman”, “mother”, “father”, “son” and “daughter” to promote inclusion and diversity, and representative (Reverend) Emanuel Cleaver finished the opening session prayer by saying “Amen and a-women”.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Here’s something for Reverend Cleaver to consider: “Amen” has nothing to do with gender. It means “so be it.” Was God honored with Cleaver’s ending, or was it a way the Reverend could call attention to himself and his supposed cleverness?

Next thing we know, a manatee will need to become a womanatee. Or should that be a unisexatee? How about a Manwich sloppy joe? Sorry, I mean, a Womanwich. Is it now an advertisewoment? There is no end to this ludicrousness.

Rev. Cleaver ended his prayer “in the name of the monotheistic god Brahma.” Not God the Creator, but Brahma, a Hindu god. And no one called him on it. Our Congresspeople just sat there, like sheep led to slaughter.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bourbon County, Schools, Sports

UHS BASKETBALL GAME 12 vs. CENTRAL HEIGHTS 2/2/2021

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Adelay Martin. Submitted photo.

Tuesday was a successful night for the Eagles. Both Lady Eagles teams won their games, as did the Varsity boys. The JV boys were defeated by the Vikings.

The Varsity girls defeated the Central Heights Vikings 43-27. Danielle Howard scored 19 points and had 5 steals. Karleigh Schoenberger had 7 points and 6 rebounds. Gwenyth Fry and Sammie Hampton had 4 rebounds, and Fry also had 2 assists.

“We earned a couple of good wins on the road tonight,” says Coach Miller. “The Varsity girls faced a little adversity in the second quarter, but overcame it with a solid second half performance. Our JV girls played well in their 2-quarter competition. There are a few in the group that are ready to compete for some Varsity minutes. We will be on the road again this Friday where we will take on the Oswego Indians.”

The boys’ Varsity team also beat the Vikings 51-45. Jake Harvey scored 17 points and had 9 rebounds and 2 steals. Clay Sutterby had 9 rebounds and 2 steals as well. Dawson Dreisbach had 5 rebounds, and Cade Goodridge had 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

“We didn’t play with great energy in the first half,” comments Coach Hays. We got in some foul trouble early and we never really got in a rhythm that first half. I thought, in the second half, we played with much better energy. We applied some full court pressure and that helped change the momentum. Central Heights is a good team and we were fortunate to come out on top.”

-Adelay Martin, UHS Sports Media Reporter

Fort Scott Community College

Fort Scott Community College Ranks Among The Top Colleges In Kansas

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Higher education resource guide releases the best public institution programs for 2021

Fort Scott Community College has been awarded top ranking status for Best Colleges In Kansas by Intelligent.com.

Fort Scott Community College was listed among thousands of public institutions in the nation, and the comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 2,277 accredited colleges and universities.

Each university is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment.

The 2021 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system that includes student engagement, the potential return on investment, and leading third party evaluations.

Intelligent.com analyzed 192 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 48 making it to the final list. The methodology also uses an algorithm that collects and analyzes multiple rankings into one score to easily compare each university.

 

To access the complete ranking, please visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-colleges-in-kansas/

About Intelligent.com
Intelligent.com provides unbiased research to help students make informed decisions about higher education programs.

The website offers curated guides that include the best degree programs as well as information about financial aid, internships, and even study strategies. With comprehensive, user-friendly guides and hundreds of program rankings, Intelligent.com is a trusted source among students and prospective students.

To learn more, please visit https://www.intelligent.com/.

Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

What’s Happening in Fort Scott Feb. 5 Edition

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What’s Happening
in Fort Scott
February 5th
Weekly Edition
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
________________
BLACK HISTORY MONTH |TRIBUTE EXHIBIT
Consist of over 80 posters, photos, and literature of the great and important Black Innovators and Leaders throughout history! Free display in the lobby at
2108 S. Horton located at the FSCC.
2/4- Songwriter Nights @ Hound Nutrition ~ tonight featuring David Byerly, 116 S. Main St., bring a friend & enjoy live music starting 7pm, click here for more info.
2/5, 2/6 & 2/7- STAR EMPORIUM GRAND OPENING SPECIALS! New grocery store Downtown Fort Scott, Fri., Sat. & Sun. during normal business hours. Prizes, Giveaways, and In-Store Specials! Click here for full details.
2/5- Karaoke Friday Nights at The Boiler Room Brewhaus! Experience or beginners, it does not matter! Let’s have some fun with music & drinks! Click here for their FB page.
2/5 & 2/6- Livestock sale at the Fort Scott Livestock Market, both Friday & Saturday, click here for their FB page.
KOMB RADIO AUCTION ~ FM103.9
Every Thursday & Friday from 2 ~ 4 pm
Call or text 620.724.7962 for new Bid #
Our stations are also now streaming, so you can listen anywhere, anytime on http://www.kombfm.com.  You can now access our website, and bid on any items, and even buy it now prices.
2/6- First Southern Baptist Church ~ 3rd Annual “ALL YOU CAN EAT PANCAKE FEED, SILENT AUCTION
& BAKE SALE”! ~ located at 1818 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS
Click herefor the flyer and more details!
2/6- Pickleball from 8-10 am at Memorial Hall, open to anyone wanting to play! Always check the FB Group page herefor any location changes or cancelations. Tuesday, Thursday & Saturdays
2/6-The Lavendar Patch Gift Shop will be open! Sat., Feb. 6th from 9 am -2 pm located 2376 Locust Rd., Valentine Day Items and other lavender items.
2/7- Papa Don’s Pizza back open on Sundays & featuring their football shaped pizzas this Sunday for Super Bowl, call 620-223-4171 to order (open this Sunday 10:30am-4pm).
2/7- Soup-er Bowl Drop Off Event! First United Methodist Church with nonperishable donations going to the Beacon. Sunday beginning at noon until 3 pm. Clickherefor event details.
2/11- Chamber Coffee hosted by Sunshine Boutique, 18 E. Wall St. ~ will be held in both the gift shop & boutique.
2/11- Poodle in Paris Paint & Sip Party by Happy Snappy Art! Reserve your spot with the Boiler Room Brewhaus! 6-10 pm, click here for full details
2/11 & 2/13- TIMKEN JOB FAIR, Clickhere for full details and see the flyer below.
2/12- Virtual Lunch & Learn on the forgotten Mayhew Cemetery by the Gordon Parks Museum celebrating Black History Month, 11am-12pm, click here for more info.
2/12- Creative Canvas Couples Paint Night, Gunn Park, 6pm, click here for details.
2/12 & 2/13- The Prairie Troubadour 5th Annual Symposium, most events will take place at the River Room Event Center, 3 W. Oak St., click here for more info.
2/13- Love Local Chocolate Crawl Shopping Event, Downtown & Around shops will feature chocolate tasting as you shop specials & enter drawings for giveaways! See flyer below for more info.
2/13- Ice Bowl Disc Golf Tournament @ Gunn Park, registration starts 9am, click here for more info.
2/13- Valentine Crafts @ Buck Run Community Center, pre-school to 5th grade, 9am to 10:30am, pre-register for $1 thru Buck Run.
SUPER BOWL LV 2021
Kansas City Chiefs
vs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Streaming live on CBS, ESPN Deportes & NFL
Sunday, February 7th at 5:30 pm
Local Fort Scott Business viewing & Super Bowl Specials ~ See Below!
SHOPPING ~ SUPPORT LOCAL!
Downtown Fort Scott is booming!
Click here for Chamber member
specialty shopping & other retail in
Downtown & other areas of the community.
Fort Scott Area
Chamber of Commerce
620-223-3566
In This Issue
Chamber Highlights
Click here for our
Membership Directory.
We THANK our members for their support! Interested in joining the Chamber?
Click here for info.
Thinking of doing business in or relocating to Fort Scott?
Contact us for a relocation packet, information on grants & incentives, and more!
Seeking a job/career?
We post a Job of the Day daily on our Facebook page, distribute a monthly job openings flyer, and post jobs on our website.
Many opportunities available!
Housing needs?
Click here for a listing of our Chamber member realtors.
Click here for our rental listing.
FITNESS FOR EVERYONE IN FS!
Many fitness options are available…
SPIN classesnow offered bySmallville Athletics, every Mon & Wed at 5:15 pm, and Tu & Thurs at 6 pm. $5/class or $50/mo. unlimited.
Total Body Fitness ~ M & W Karen Reinbolt at BRCC@
8:15 am $20/8 week session.
Zumba~ M,W, F @ 6pm Monalynn Decker at BRCC $40 for a 12-week session.
Indoor Fitness/Gyms at
I AM Rehab + Fitness, Smallville Athletics, and Buck Run!
Star Emporium General Store
Community Grand Opening
This Friday – Saturday – Sunday
February 5th-7th!
Super Bowl this Sunday!
Local biz specials below…
The Fort Scott Chamber Presents
Love Local Chocolate Crawl
Shopping Event in Fort Scott ~ February 13th!
UPCOMING PROGRAMS AT BUCK RUN
PANCAKE FEED & BAKE SALE THIS SATURDAY!
2-DAY JOB FAIR TO BE HOSTED BY TIMKEN!
…
COVID-19, Government, Health Care, Kansas

UK Variant identified in Kansas

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A note from Rebecca Johnson, SEK Multi-County Health Dept. Administrator, on this recent development.

“I recommend we continue to follow the mitigation path we’ve been on and continue to wear masks, even after being vaccinated.”

TOPEKA – A CDC Emerging Variant, which has been found in 33 U.S. states, was identified in Kansas yesterday afternoon.

A Kansas resident in Ellis County was found to have the United Kingdom, or UK, variant known as B.1.1.7.

A case investigation is being conducted to determine how the person became infected with this particular variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as if others may have been exposed.

No further details are being released concerning the patient, including demographics.

The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing (WGS) conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

“This finding does not change our public health recommendations. We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions: follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, wearing masks, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to, once the supply is sufficient,” Dr. Norman, KDHE Secretary, said.

This variant was first reported in the U.S. at the end of December 2020.

Evidence from the UK indicates that this variant spreads much more quickly through the population and, given that fact, may rapidly increase the number of hospitalizations and deaths. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Interest In The Mayhew Cemetery Has Revived

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Submitted photo.
Shirley Hurd is a lifelong resident of Fort Scott and a researcher at Old Fort Genealogy Society (OFGS).
In 1995 she started to research the Mayhew Cemetery, she said in a press release. “This cemetery was set out in a deed in 1885, when the owner, Henry Mayhew sold all but a 100 x 100-foot section where his son-in-law was buried.”
The cemetery is predominantly an African-American burial site .
At the time she began her research, she and two others made a visit to Chet Ober (the property owner) of the site and asked if he could show them where the Mayhew Cemetery was.
“The location (Ober) took us to is where the Mayhew No. 2 cemetery is located,” she said. “Mr. Ober told us that he asked Bourbon County several times to fix up the cemetery. He stated that the county dozed the tombstone, sometime after 1961, into the river, and told him to use the ground as farmland.”
Others Have Sought Info About the Cemetery
Prior to Hurd, in 1973 OFGS Member Gerald Wood met with Ober.
“He stated that he tried diligently to get someone to help preserve the cemetery, but when they were unable to do so, they had it bulldozed since they needed the land,” she said.
In 2006 Hurd was asked for information about the Mayhew Cemetery by Sandra Dudley who was writing a story about the cemetery.
Hurd told Dudley all that she knew about the cemetery and Dudley attempted to view the site.
Dudley found a sign that stated “Do Not Enter – Hazardous Waste – Keep Out” and a Fort Scott City employee told her she was not allowed on the property, that it was private property, according to Hurd.
Dudley published a booklet in 2007 named “The Buried Roots of African-American Ancestry in Fort Scott, Kansas” which includes information on the Mayhew Cemetery.
Hurd Started Researching Again in 2019, After a Hiatus
Last year, she had another join in the research.
“In 2020, Ann Rawlins joined the research of the Mayhew Cemetery and we soon located Mayhew Cemetery No. 2 from aerial maps,” she said. “We believe that Mayhew No.1 could no longer hold any more burials in the 100 x 100-foot lot and burials were started north of the original site, and then to the east just south of the (Marmaton) river bank.”
The updated list of names is now about 175 buried in the two sites of the Mayhew Cemetery, she said.
“There is a Civil War Soldier buried in Mayhew, along with some that were freed as slaves and retained their slave owners’ names,” Hurd said. “There is an entire family that died in 1911 – 13 of whooping cough and other complications due to disease at that time. There are newborns, children, families, neighbors, and a couple (of people) that even lived to be 100 years old. There are so many stories of these families that need to be told.”
“Restoration of the cemetery is not possible,” Hurd said, “but there is a plan to have a memorial stone with all the names of the deceased on it placed in Fort Scott.”
A tombstone that had been located at Mayhew Cemetery. Submitted photos.
The memorial stone will be financed through personal and business donations.
“If you would like more information on the Mayhew Cemetery, please stop by OFGS Library or give me a call,” Hurd said.
OFGS’s phone number is 620-223-3300 or her email address is [email protected]. The office is located on National Avenue, in the basement of Memorial Hall.
Ann Rawlins is a librarian at Old Fort Genealogical Society and recently assisted  Hurd on the project.
 The site for Mayhew Cemetery No. 2 was unknown until Rawlins’ twin brother, Dr. Wayne R. Tucker, used lidar photography of the area. He found that there were two separate locations that were divided by a low channel.
“Once this was discovered…and we had located and recorded GPS coordinates of several surface items,” Rawlins said, “we have been authorized…to dig, but are still working on surface finds.”
“There are many buried in Mayhew who would never have been posted in the local newspapers or death records, so the total number of burials may never be known,” Rawlins said.
“Robert J. Hoard, Ph.D., State Archeologist of Kansas Historical Society is investigating the sites,” Rawlins said, “and has now classified them as historic and archeological cemeteries.”
Currently, a moratorium is in effect that Fort Scott city crews can only brush hog the area to maintain it, and no further damage to the site can be done.
The document is signed by former Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin and authorized by the Fort Scott City Commissioners, Rawlins said.
For an upcoming information event on the Mayhew Cemetery:
To donate to the memorial:
Government, Kansas

Kansas New Eco Devo Strategy Announced

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Governor Laura Kelly Announces Comprehensive ‘Framework for Growth’ Economic Development Strategy

~Framework for Growth is the first comprehensive economic development strategy produced by the State of Kansas in over 30 years~

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today unveiled Kansas’ new, comprehensive economic development strategic plan, the first of its kind in more than 30 years. The Kansas Framework for Growth is an aggressive strategy to align our state’s strengths with emerging trends across the global economy, while guiding economic development at state and local levels into the future.

“Our economic development progress over the past two years has been significant, but an effective strategy does more than focus on the here and now – we must plan for the future and set the stage for sustained growth and prosperity,” Governor Kelly said. “The Framework for Growth is a bold plan to address current and future trends in our state, while we continue to promote job growth and new capital investment in communities of every size all across Kansas.”

The Framework for Growth was created through data analysis and with input from Kansans statewide. Business and community leaders were engaged to offer suggestions and determine priorities for the Kansas economy, and through a virtual survey and town hall meetings across the state, thousands of Kansans came together to help create the final plan.

“At the end of the day, the Framework for Growth is about keeping our kids and families in Kansas,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “For too long we’ve exported our greatest asset – our educated young people – at a loss, sending them to states where they can find better economic opportunities. That’s unacceptable, and we can and must do better. The Framework for Growth provides a path forward, leveraging our assets – high-quality workers, top-notch K-12 and higher ed, excellent infrastructure and a business-friendly climate – to dramatically accelerate our rate of economic growth in this decade. Ultimately that’s how we make sure our grandchildren can grow, prosper and raise their own kids in Kansas.”

The Framework for Growth outlines specific approaches to help develop the state’s number one asset – its people. By focusing on talent and innovation, the Framework aims to build resiliency in the Kansas workforce and unlock the potential for new ideas to cultivate and develop into tomorrow’s prosperous businesses.

Some key initiatives outlined within Framework for Growth include a renewed emphasis on the following, among many others:

  • Talent development and retention
  • Harnessing the state’s colleges and universities for job and business creation
  • Innovation as a driver of new business opportunity
  • Community assets and regional approaches to economic development
  • Policies to support long-term growth.

“I know from my experiences as Governor, and later as Archivist of the United States – leading the National Archives Records Administration at the federal level – there is tremendous value in looking big-picture, long range, at where we are and where we want to be,” former Kansas Governor John Carlin said. “With everyone pulling in the same direction, you can accomplish some amazing things. I have no doubt that, if the Framework for Growth is bought-into and implemented, it can do great things here in Kansas.”

“It’s time for us to build another common approach and lay out our goals to grow the state.” former Kansas Governor Mike Hayden said. “This plan does not belong to one administration; it is the Kansas plan for growth. As former Governors, John and I are proud to join with the current Governor in making the case for this shared vision for our state’s future.”

“By emphasizing innovation across our core industries as a driver of economic development, the Framework demonstrates forward-thinking vision for Kansas,” Andrew Nave, Executive Vice President of the Greater Wichita Partnership, said. “Our region fully supports the Framework and its guiding principles as the right course for Kansas.”

“Reinforcing and expanding on commitments to businesses and manufacturers as catalysts for growth – while seizing opportunities to attract and retain talent as a way to bolster the workforce – is a welcome and appropriate strategy in positioning our state’s economy for growth now and for years to come,” Mark Chalfant, CEO of Fuller Industries, said. “We’re glad to see our state taking bold action to grow and succeed well into the future.”

“I’m pleased to see the Framework’s people-first approach, which we very much embrace in rural Kansas, and the emphasis on building and strengthening our communities statewide,” Director of Greeley County Community Development Christy Hopkins said. “This plan indicates that our state understands the value of quality of life in overall economic development in places rural, urban and suburban. The Framework’s commitment to strengthening people and communities of all sizes is both refreshing and critical to our state’s future.”

“To ensure the continued strength and vitality of the Kansas economy, we need to craft policies and programs that anticipate our long-term needs,” said Blake Schreck, President and CEO of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce and President of Team Kansas. “We need to be creative and aggressive in our economic development efforts, and I believe this Framework gives us clear direction on how we can build a dynamic economy for our state that serves us not only today, but well into the future.”

“I’m pleased to see our state implementing this creative new approach to economic development,” Joann Knight, Economic Development Director for Dodge City, said. “Workforce and housing are major priorities in Western Kansas, and I’m glad to know that the Kelly administration sees these concerns as major priorities. I look forward to the implementation of the Framework for Growth, and I know its lasting effects will be hugely positive for our city, our region and our state.”

“Making talent retention and talent growth central to the Framework is absolutely the right and necessary move,” Matt Pavarnik, CEO of the Greater Topeka Partnership, said. “We’ve benefitted from so many young professional minds creating new opportunities, and we understand that keeping and creating the next generation of leaders in Kansas is essential for our state’s economic future. We look forward to the focus on this economic development blueprint the Framework delivers.”

Creation of the Framework for Growth began in late 2019, but the new challenges brought about through the COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent need to rethink our approach resulting in a strategic plan with the flexibility to respond to our ever-changing economic conditions.

Through the Framework for Growth, Kansas will be one of the first states in the nation to take a comprehensive look at the new normal beyond COVID-19 and develop a wholistic strategy to guide state-level economic development policy.

The full report can be seen electronically here.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses.

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

English COVID-19 Variant identified in Kansas

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UK Variant identified in Kansas

TOPEKA – A CDC Emerging Variant, which has been found in 33 U.S. states, was identified in Kansas this afternoon.

A Kansas resident in Ellis County was found to have the United Kingdom, or UK, variant known as B.1.1.7.

A case investigation is being conducted to determine how the person became infected with this particular variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as if others may have been exposed. No further details are being released concerning the patient, including demographics.

The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing (WGS) conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

“This finding does not change our public health recommendations. We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions: follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, wearing masks, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to, once the supply is sufficient,” Dr. Norman, KDHE Secretary, said.

This variant was first reported in the U.S. at the end of December 2020. Evidence from the UK indicates that this variant spreads much more quickly through the population and, given that fact, may rapidly increase the number of hospitalizations and deaths. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.