Monthly Archives: May 2021

Business, Fort Scott

Lyons Realty Group Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting June 2 at 5:15 p.m.

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CHAMBER-AFTER HOURS GRAND OPENING & RIBBON CUTTING REMINDER TO CELEBRATE LYONS REALTY GROUP

Wednesday, June 2, 2021
5:15 to 6:30 p.m.

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members to a Chamber After-hours Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting as we celebrate the Lyons Realty Group establishing an office in the Downtown Historic District at 8 E. Wall St. The event will take place Wednesday, June 2nd from 5:15 to 6:30pm with the remarks and ribbon cutting starting at 5:45pm.

The team of Lyons Realty Group is excited to share their new offices and learn more about how they can help reach real estate goals of sellers and buyers.

Mark your calendars for an evening of networking, prize giveaways, food, drink and much more. There will be a $2 admission for the Chamber half-and-half drawing.

Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for more information at 620-223-3566 or [email protected].

Obituary

Obituary of Betty Messer

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Betty Jo Messer, 86, of Fulton, Kansas, passed away Wednesday evening, May 26, 2021, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas. She was a current resident of A Country Place Senior Living in Fort Scott. She was born September 10, 1934, in Linn County, Kansas, the daughter of Chester W. and Mary Elizabeth (Hines) Shafer. She married Merlin Boyd Messer on September 14, 1952, in Fulton, Kansas. He preceded her in death March 8, 2014.

Betty graduated from Fulton High School in the class of 1952. She played on the basketball team and was a cheerleader.  She loved music, playing in the school band and developing her singing voice.  She was offered a college vocal music scholarship but was unable to accept it.  She relaxed from being a farmer’s wife and mother of 5 children by playing the piano and singing every afternoon. She introduced her children to musicals and continued that love by attending her grandchildren’s concerts and programs.    

She was an accomplished seamstress making clothing for the family.  She sewed at night to stay awake to make sure that Merlin would wake up to drive the fuel truck to the next destination.  

She tried to go to every basketball, baseball, softball, soccer and volleyball game and track and cross country meets that the grandchildren were in.

She was a member of the Fulton United Methodist Church.  She was active in the Prescott United Methodist and First United Methodist Church while living in Prescott and Fort Scott the past 10 years.  She was a 50-year member of the Order of Eastern Star and served as Rainbow Mom in Fort Scott.  She loved to sing in the church choir and as a soloist.  She was a member of the Fort Scott Sweet Adelines.

Betty is survived by her children, Millie Karleskint and husband Larry of Fort Scott, Margie Brown and husband Rod of Fulton, Martin Messer and wife Kathy of Franklin, KS, Matt Messer and wife Susan, of Fort Scott, and Scott Messer and wife Brenda, of Peculiar, MO; a sister, Vera McCormick and husband Rex, of Louisburg; two sisters-in-law, Marie Sears, and Shirley Shafer; seventeen grandchildren, twenty-seven great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. In addition to her husband Merlin, she was also preceded in death by her parents, three sisters, Jane Cummins, Alice Harkness, and Ina Kite, and four brothers, Allen Shafer, Keith Shafer, Clarence Shafer, and Chester Shafer.

Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct funeral services at 2:00 p.m. Monday, May 31, 2021, at the First United Methodist Church in Fort Scott with burial following at the Barnesville Cemetery under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. The visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. prior to services on Monday. Memorial contributions may be made to the Fulton United Methodist Church, or the Ellis Foundation Scholarship Fund and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Bourbon County Cars Expands

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Bourbon County Cars is moving from this location. Submitted photos.

Bourbon County Cars, a local used car dealer, is moving July 1.

“We’ve been looking for a place to buy on the highway, for several years,” Josh Jones, general manager, said.

“I wanted to own the building so we can carry more inventory,” he said.

“We are moving about 25 steps away to the south,” Dave Shepherd, president, and owner of the business said.

The current business location is 15 E. Huntington Blvd., the new location is 1810 S. Main Street, the recently vacated property of Pizza Hut.

“The location is a little better,” Shepherd said. “More inventory display area.”

Steve Anthony (Sales), Josh Jones (General Manager), Josh Binford (Sales), David Shepherd (Owner/President) and
Bud Hall (Sales). Submitted photos.

Expanding

“We have started stocking newer inventory,” Shepherd said.

Along with expanding the inventory, to include newer model cars, the business also has added some additional financial services, Shepherd said.

“For customers who qualify, there will be financing rates as good as anywhere,” he said.

The business offers both in-house financing and outside financing, Jones said.

In addition, a new salesman has been hired, Jones said.

On The Horizon

Jones will take over the business, eventually.

“I don’t want to do this for the rest of my life,” he said. “Josh is somebody I trust….the goal is for Josh to buy it (the business).

 

Opinion

Mazatlan Beggars by Patty LaRoche

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Patty LaRoche

He appeared to be no older than six or seven. Dave and I were on a four-lane road at a stop light in Mazatlán, Mexico, when he walked in front of all of the cars, carrying two plastic balls. The young juggler was going to perform for tips. The only problem was that he couldn’t juggle. He spent more time chasing his errant ball between cars than he did catching it mid-air. Plus, one cannot call transferring two balls from hand to hand “juggling.” Still, many drivers saw beyond his lack of talent and tipped the youngster. Here in Mexico, it is not uncommon for “entertainers” to camp out at busy intersections. From stilt-walkers to break dancers to fire jugglers to acrobats to musicians, all distract bored drivers and passengers, hoping for a few pesos of gratitude. Occasionally entrepreneurs walk up and down the rows of stopped cars, selling strawberries, trash bags or some yellow drink in a water bottle (which I have no plans to ever try). Groups wash windshields for tips, firemen hold out their helmets for handouts, amputees sit on corners, hoping to earn a living, and blind people are led by a helping friend through the rows of cars. You get the picture. There is no shortage of diversions while waiting for a light to turn green. The other day, however, I saw something disturbing. Across the busy street, standing in front of stopped cars coming the opposite direction, was a woman with a child—a child, not an infant– strapped horizontally on her back, while she attempted to juggle. Just as I noticed her, the light changed, and she hustled to the sidewalk area. I determined that when we returned and would be on her side of the street, I would give her more than the usual amount we donate. Our errand was a short one, but when we drove to her spot, she was gone. I was sick. How desperate this mother had to be to traverse through stopped cars in the hot sun doing whatever it took to make a little money! Had I been intentional, I could have had Dave stop in the parking lot after we crossed the intersection and run the money over to her. Instead, I opted to wait until it was convenient. Convenient. Probably not a word in this woman’s vocabulary. What can be convenient about spending my day begging, having no one to watch my toddler while being a side- show for the travelers too inconvenienced to help out? 2 Timothy 4:2 tells us to keep a sense of urgency, whether the situation is convenient or inconvenient, and Proverbs 3:27-28 reinforces Timothy’s writing: Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person. Don’t tell your neighbor “Maybe some other time” or “Try me tomorrow. The intersection where that occurred is about 20 minutes from our house. I have returned there a few times, but the woman has been replaced by political supporters working for the upcoming election. Not only did this begging woman lose, but so did I. Pastor Jonathan Del Turco reminds us of who benefits from being put out: “Life teaches us that all too often the best things in life – its greatest breakthroughs, miracles and memories – seem to be deliberately placed just beyond our convenient reach.” I wish I would have thought of that when I had the chance.

Entertainment, Fort Scott

FS Public Library Opening June 1

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Fort Scott Public Library will be opening to the public on June 1st. Our hours will be 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays.

Masks are not required, but patrons are encouraged to follow the current CDC recommendations. We will have hand sanitizer and a supply of disposable masks available for those who need them.

Patrons are asked to limit browsing the stacks to thirty minutes. Newspapers and magazines may be checked out for reading at home. We will not have a seating area for reading in the library.

We will continue to have our “curbside” service for those who prefer it.

We realize this service has been popular, as we’ve had 3,730 scheduled pickups of over 13,000 materials. We are renaming it NextDayGrab&Go. If you wish to use this service, place holds on items or let us know what items you need, then arrange with library staff as to what date and time you plan to come pick up your items. We will have them checked out and ready for you to pick up at the downstairs circulation desk. Just tell us your account number when you come in. If you prefer, we can place them in the entryway where we’ve been placing items for patrons to pick up.

Also we will still have our themed book bags available to check out. These include 10 books on a topic either for kids Birth – 1st Grade or for kids 2nd – 5th Grades.

We keep a list at the circulation desks of the topics currently available. You can arrange to check out book bags when you’re here to browse the stacks by letting us know a day ahead of time, or you can schedule NextDayGrab&Go, and we’ll have the book bags ready for you to pick up. The books need to be returned. The bag, and any goodies in it, are for the child to keep.

For a few weeks, we will still be calling everyone with holds available to check out at the library. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will assume you are coming in person to check out items, and they will be located at the upstairs circulation desk. If you haven’t already set your account to receive email or text notifications about holds, staff can assist you. Sadly, T-Mobile and Sprint cannot send library text notifications, so you’ll need to arrange for notifications by email if you have those providers. We will continue to call anyone who doesn’t set their account to receive emails or texts, so don’t worry if you prefer to hear our voices.

Items can be returned in the book drop or inside the library at either circulation desk. If you have items that belong to Fort Scott Public Library that have already been processed as unreturned and are still in good condition, you can return them until June 30th , and we will remove the charges from your account. If you have items that belong to other libraries that have already been processed as unreturned, we have already paid the owning library for the items, and your account won’t be reinstated until you reimburse Fort Scott Public Library.

We have set up several temporary stations downstairs for wifi use in the library. These stations and the public computers are limited to one hour’s use per day. We will be adding software soon that will make it easier for patrons to remember if they’ve already used the library computers by logging in with their library cards.

Our public restrooms and drinking fountain are available for use. We still are not accepting donations of any materials. Weather permitting, we will continue to place free books on the north lawn.

Library programming continues to be virtual. Follow us on Facebook or check our website fortscott.mykansaslibrary.org to see our program schedule. We are beginning some new programming on the library’s Discord Server, including coloring for all ages, online jigsaw puzzles, and many teen programs. You can sign up for our Discord Server through our Facebook or website.

Coming soon, we will have wifi hotspots for patrons to check out. These devices will allow you to connect devices to wifi from home or anywhere that can find a cell tower.

The library will close at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 4th and will be closed on Saturday, June 5th for Good Ol’ Days.

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Evergy: Renewable Energy Goal

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Evergy Files Kansas Integrated Resource Plan

Inaugural Kansas filing mirrors Missouri as energy company
moves toward goal of net-zero carbon emissions.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 28, 2021 – Today, Evergy filed its first Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) with the Kansas Corporation Commission. The plan prioritizes sustainability, reliability and cost competitiveness with retirement of 1,200 megawatts of coal-based fossil generation and the addition of 3,200 MW of renewable generation in the next 10 years.

 

“We’re on a journey to a cleaner energy future, while balancing the highest priorities of reliability and affordability for our customers,” said David Campbell, president and chief executive officer. “Our coal-fired fossil plants are now more flexible than ever and frequently operate as a backup to renewable generation sources. This flexibility allows us to adapt to real-time needs – running fossil plants more when renewable availability is low or customer demand is high. This measured transition toward more sustainable resource options maintains the reliability our customers need.”

 

The filing includes the same forecasted generation additions and retirements announced in April when Evergy filed its IRP with the Missouri Public Service Commission. The transition toward more sustainable energy sources advances Evergy’s goal to reduce carbon emissions 70 percent by 2030 (relative to 2005 levels) and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, assuming technology, regulatory, and legislative enablers have advanced to facilitate this goal. Within the next three years, the company will retire its Lawrence (KS) Energy Center and add 700 MW of solar energy.

 

Continuing recent trends, Evergy expects its coal plants will run fewer hours as their energy is increasingly displaced by lower cost renewable resources. At the same time, the reliability challenges driven by the extreme weather of February 2021 demonstrated the value of dispatchable generation with fuel on the ground. The phased transition approach in the IRP provides Evergy the ability to adjust planned additions and retirements based on evolving market, technology, and policy dynamics. As the company’s older fossil-fueled plants near the end of their useful lives, Evergy will continue to responsibly manage these assets for the benefit of customers while allowing advancing and emerging technology to develop. Evergy will also continue its focus on people, offering opportunities for employees at retiring generation facilities to learn new skills and fill different roles at the company.

 

Today’s IRP is a triennial filing that establishes a clear implementation plan through the next triennial filing in 2024 and describes expectations for meeting longer-term customer energy needs through 2040. The Plan was developed through an extensive regulatory stakeholder process to meet the diverse needs of the company’s customers and communities. The IRP is central to Evergy’s Sustainability Transformation Plan (STP), the company’s strategic plan guiding decisions through 2024, and continues the company’s transition toward a more sustainable energy company. Click here to read Evergy’s 2021 IRP Overview and here to learn more about Evergy’s energy mix.

 

 

 

About Evergy, Inc.

Evergy, Inc. (NYSE: EVRG) serves approximately 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. We generate nearly half the power we provide to homes and businesses with emission-free sources. We support our local communities where we live and work and strive to meet the needs of customers through energy savings and innovative solutions.

Continue reading Evergy: Renewable Energy Goal →

Health Care, Kansas

Youth Suicide Prevention Art Contest

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Partners in Empowering Youth for Suicide Prevention believes that every young person deserves to be safe from suicide and that the best way to reach youth in Kansas is to provide opportunities for them to reach out to their peers, thus the Youth Suicide Prevention Art Contest was created. The contest, which ended April 5, 2021, was open to Kansas youth in grades 6 through 12 and 28 youth from across the state dedicated their time and talents to developing messages to reach other youth with their submissions.

“We are pleased with the incredible quality of submissions for the contest. Every person who entered clearly put great thought and effort into their submission,” Steve Devore, President/CEO of Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ said. “We look forward to sharing them across the state to raise awareness of the possibility of hope and healing while working to provide enough support to Kansas youth so that no one ever walks alone in crisis. We anticipate all entries will resonate with youth but there were top prizes awarded for the three grade categories by youth judges.”

To view submissions to the Youth Suicide Prevention Art Contest, visit the online gallery at www.ksphq.org/artcontestgallery/.

The agencies involved in the Kansas Partners in Empowering Youth for Suicide Prevention include the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, the Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, in collaboration with the Kansas Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

There is something each of us can do, follow these tips to help prevent youth suicide.

If I am a teen, I can…

  • Encourage friends that getting help for life’s ups and downs is okay.
  • Share stories about times getting help has worked.
  • Talk to my doctor during my annual well visit.
  • Break the stigma by encouraging discussion of mental wellness.
  • Be an example of kindness and connection to those around me.

If I am a parent, I can…

  • Be willing to listen without judgement.
  • Be the one to help my child seek mental and physical care when needed.
  • Store my firearms and prescription/over-the-counter medications safely at home to reduce the likelihood they will be used in a suicide crisis.

If I am a school employee, I can…

  • Be willing to listen without judgement.
  • Download the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale screener tool and champion protocol changes for successful implementation within my school or district.
  • Recognize social emotional learning initiatives that focus on building social skills especially problem-solving skills are effective upstream efforts to reduce suicide and other risky behaviors in students.
  • Implement evidence-based screening for depression and suicide for the entire student body.

If I am a community member, I can…

  • Be willing to listen without judgement.
  • Make resources for safe storage or disposal of means for suicide available (e.g. trigger locks, prescription take back initiatives).
  • Enroll in training like Mental Health First Aid or Applied Suicide Intervention Skills.
  • Participate in training like (ASIST) or Question. Persuade. Refer (QPR) to be able to better identify when youth are struggling with thoughts of suicide.
  • Practice good self-care; share my coping mechanisms with those around me, tell stories of seeking help and gaining recovery.

If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please text KANSAS to 741741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Kansas

Child Abuse Prevention Training Offered

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Kansas Children’s Service League has several child abuse prevention training topics scheduled. These trainings are free and open for anyone to attend.

For a current schedule and descriptions, and to register, please find the listing at https://www.kcsl.org/training_events.aspx.

 

Upcoming Trainings (just a few of the available offerings… see the link above for a full listing for trainings through July):

 

  • Darkness to Light Stewards of Children (child sexual abuse prevention training)

 

 

  • Preventing Infant Abuse with the Period of PURPLE Crying (recommended for anyone working with parents with a new baby)

 

  • Child Abuse and Neglect Recognition and Reporting (Mandated Reporter Training)

 

 

 

These trainings are all KDHE approved for child care licensing hours, and all participants will receive certificates of attendance. Please email Rachelle Soden at [email protected] with any questions, or to schedule a training for your specific group/date/time.

Government, Kansas

Grant To Reduce Substance Abuse Available

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TOPEKA — The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) announces a grant funding opportunity for communities through a request for application (RFA) process for the Kansas Prevention Collaborative-Community Initiative (KPCCI) to reduce and prevent substance abuse in identified communities and enrich prevention efforts across the state through the implementation and sustainability of effective, culturally competent prevention strategies.

Grantees will use these funds to create a comprehensive, community-based strategic plan to address the problems of underage drinking, youth marijuana use, or ATOD (Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs), shared risk and protective factors, and produce sustainable systems change in their communities. Communities will utilize the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) model designed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to assess their local needs, build capacity and create an implementation plan.

“Community-driven grants are an important piece of our statewide prevention system,” said KDADS Secretary Laura Howard. “KDADS’ Behavioral Health Services Commission works directly with community partners who apply for and receive these funds to provide essential training and support. We encourage communities to apply for this grant opportunity and become part of the statewide team working to prevent substance use in Kansas.”

The KPCCI grant is funded by SAMHSA “to prevent and reduce substance abuse in identified communities and enrich prevention efforts across the state through the implementation and sustainability of effective, culturally competent prevention strategies. Through the advancement of technological supports, learning processes, technical assistance, direct consultation and other resources, grantees will be supported through each of the five steps of the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF).”

The RFA is directed at newly established coalitions in existence for the past six months ready to incorporate the SPF’s sustainable guidance and evidence-based strategies:

  • The planning phase: determining what works to address prevention needs and how to do it well based on data;
  • The implementation phase: delivering evidence-based intervention as intended, supported by KDADS and its partners in the Kansas Prevention Collaborative (KPC).

Communities ready to start the process or who have already started the planning stage and are ready to progress to the implementation phase are eligible to apply for funding. KDADS strongly encourages those eligible to apply.

“The KDADS prevention team continues to support positive community outcomes with this grant. For many years the communities involved in this meaningful work have played a pivotal role in the state’s prevention efforts,” said KDADS Children’s Services Director Gary Henault. “Our grantees and community partners committed to serving others continue to have a positive impact on the communities they serve.”

About the Kansas Prevention Collaborative:

The Kansas Prevention Collaborative was created in 2015 to integrate and innovate behavioral health prevention efforts. A partnership of several different state, educational and provider agencies, the KPC’s goal is to expand prevention efforts to be more inclusive of mental health promotion, suicide prevention and problem gambling education and awareness, as well as to increase the availability of resources to adequately fund local-level prevention and promotion strategic plans. For more information, see https://www.kdads.ks.gov/commissions/behavioral-health/kpc.