Monthly Archives: May 2021

Opinion

I Can Love by Carolyn Tucker

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Carolyn Tucker. Submitted photo.

Keys to the Kingdom by Carolyn Tucker

 

The sound of music — there’s nothing like it! It’s powerful enough to uplift your mood if you’re down in the dumps. The evil spirit that plagued King Saul would utterly vanish when young David played his harp for him. The day God created me, He threw in a little of this and a little of that. But He poured in a gallon of musical sauce that’s still seasoning my life. As a kid, I heard a beautiful song that has stuck with me for 56 years. “What the World Needs Now is Love,” written by Hal David (lyrics) and Burt Bacharach (music), was released by recording artist Jackie DeShannon on April 15, 1965.

The other day I was discussing this particular song with a musician friend and the word “timeless” came up. Because the world needed love, God provided it through what His only Son did at Calvary. And then from the cross Jesus said, “It is finished.” He accomplished His part, so now it’s in the hands of believers all over the world to love their neighbor. It’s pert near impossible to truly love others if the love of Jesus isn’t inside you. And even then, it can be a gargantuan challenge if the other person has a scratchy personality.

Sometimes I cut the tag off of my clothing because it’s scratchy and irritating. Some people are like tags, but you can’t just cut them off. We must learn to deal with them and love them like Jesus would. Books have been written on how to love people you don’t like, but none are better than the Bible. “Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13 GW). That’s a tall order, but Christians aren’t called to just love the lovable.

Songwriter Hal David was inspired to pen these enduring words: “What the world needs now is love sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. No, not just for some, but for everyone.” The world still needs the timeless God-kind of love that emanates from believers. Here’s a red-letter scripture from the mouth of Jesus that’s sure to be a challenge for all of us who are followers of Christ: “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate” (Luke 6:35,36 NLT).

Have you ever wondered how to obey God’s command to love someone you can’t stand to be around? As usual, Jesus is our example because He practiced what He preached. In John Chapter 13, Jesus knew the time had come to ascend back to the Father. He loved all His disciples in the highest degree right to the very end. By now, the devil had Judas Iscariot firmly in his grip and everything was set for the betrayal. After supper, Jesus set aside his robe and put on a servant’s apron, poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet. If we had been in Jesus’ sandals, we might have chosen not to wash Judas’ feet. But Jesus did the right thing by not showing partiality and demonstrating His boundless love to that scratchy disciple. We can choose to love like that too.

The Key: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).

Business, Fort Scott

Economies of Scale by Gregg Motley

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Greg Motley. President of the Bourbon County Economic Development Council. Submitted photo.

Economies of Scale

Rural areas will never be able to compete, if the measuring stick is scale; and that has been the trend in the vast majorities of industries and markets. Consider the following as examples:

Agricultural

In 1900, 40% of Americans employed, age 10 and over, worked in agriculture. By 1960, that number was 8%. In real numbers, despite the labor force increasing by 1.54 times, the number of people employed in agriculture was nearly cut in half. By 1920, more Americans were employed in manufacturing than on our farms. This despite the number of acres farmed dramatically increasing over time, until recent years. It is easy to understand why: technology. Instead of a farmer’s sons and daughters staying on the farm to work, they have moved to the city to work in John Deere manufacturing plants, among others. This has to be the number one reason rural America’s population has dropped since 1941.

Banking

The number of banks in the US reached an all-time peak of 30,812; by the end of 2017, that number was 4,918. The two primary reasons are regulation and technology. The number dropped dramatically after Congress established the FDIC 1934, which began a rise in bank regulation. Smaller banks could not absorb the additional cost of regulation, along with the fallout of the extended Great Depression, and began to sell to larger banks. When I started in banking in 1979, there were about 14,000 banks in the US. Then, in 1986, the Savings & Loan crisis spawned a whole new set of regulations, and our latest steep decline in number of bank charters ensued. This whole dynamic was hardest on rural America. The insurance industry has experienced a similar trend, as we well know from the loss of Western Insurance.

Retail

There is no need for me to recite all the raw numbers. We all know there are less stores in our small communities than when we were kids. Improved roads and transportation made it easy to drive to the cities. Big box stores shut down Mom and Pop shops on Main Street, including the small town newspaper who lost many advertisers. The latest blow is the Internet, which has helped delivery services to the detriment of retailers everywhere. In 2020, online sales represented 21.3% of total retail sales in the US. It is not hard to understand why rural communities struggle to hold a sales tax base.

What can we do? We can’t fix it all, but we can shop where we live, we can bank with local and regional charters, we can buy our insurance from a local expert, we can employ local expertise and knowledge to build for us. You might even want to open your own small business and invest your capital on Main Street, instead of Wall Street. There is certainly not a panacea, but we can use our buying and investing power for the maximum good of our rural communities.

Lastly, I would say love and support your local farmers and ranchers. When There is no bigger business in Bourbon County than agricultural, by dollars in sales, and by employment. The vast majority of the dollars they bring into our county is outside money; this is a tide that raises all of our boats. Show our agricultural community the respect they are due.

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Today is the Organic Homestead Festival at The Shead Farm

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May 22, 2021 10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M

Click For Facebook Event Page

Experience the Shead Farm and gather ideas on how to live a SUSTAINABLE ORGANIC LIFE-STYLE.

  • Tour the SheadStead Gardens, Orchard, High Tunnel, Animals, Bee-keeping, etc
  • Q & A sessions concerning sustainable organic lifestyle
  • Children’s Activities: Games, Petting Barn, Story Station, Photo Cut-outs, Milking and Butter Making, etc.
  • Visit SHEADSTEAD MARKET / Fruit STORE
  • Fresh Produce picked as you order
  • Veggie Powders (to add nutrient to any meal or dessert) Animals for sale: Peacocks, Turkeys, Chicks, Ducklings, Kittens
  • Sign-up for future homesteading classes (planting, harvesting, preserving, etc.)

ADMISSION:
SINGLE TICKET – $5.00 OR FAMILY (4+) $20.00
2468 CAVALRY RD, GARLAND, KS
620 223-4363

Click Here For Facebook Event with Up-to-date Information

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda For May 25

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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: May 25, 2021

1st District-Lynne Oharah                                                                Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jim Harris                                                                      Corrected: _______________________

3rd District-Clifton Beth                                                                              Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

 

   

    MEETING WILL BE HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM.

 

Call to Order

 

    • Flag Salute
    • Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
    • Eric Bailey – Road and Bridge Report
    • Richard Horton – Project 17
    • Heartland Benefits Group – Joshua Sapp – Health Insurance Presentation
    • Gunn Park Bike Trails & PILOT Funding
    • General Obligation Refunding Bonds – Series 2021B
    • Elected Officials Comment
    • County Counselor Comment
    • Susan Bancroft, Finance Director
    • Public Comment
  • Commission Comment

Justifications for Executive Session:

          KSA 75-4319(b)(1) To discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy

          KSA 75-4319(b)(2) For consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

          KSA 75-4319(b)(3) To discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency

          KSA 75-4319(b)(4) To discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust, and individual proprietorships

          KSA 75-4319(b)(6) For the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property

          KSA 75-4319(b)(12) To discuss matters relating to security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize such security measures.

Fort Scott, Government

FS City Commission Special Meeting May 25

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The City Commission will meet for a special meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 25th, 2021 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will meet to discuss the Taxable Industrial Revenue Bonds for Fort Scott Lofts, LLC. They will also discuss potentially amending the agreement that was previous awarded to Bettis Asphalt for the mill and overlay of National Avenue from 13th to Highway 69.

After the special meeting, at 7:00 p.m. the 2022 Budget Work session will begin.

This meeting is open to the public.

Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

MERCHANT MADNESS SIDEWALK SALE May 28-29

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The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces a Merchant Madness Sidewalk Sale will take place in the Downtown Historic District on Friday and Saturday, May 28th and 29th.

Participating merchants include Angie Dawn’s Boutique, Barbed Wire & Roses Vintage Market, Bids & Dibs, Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore, Iron Star Antiques & Such, J & W Sports Shop, Laree + Co Boutique, The Rainbow Unicorn, Ruddick’s Furniture & Flooring. Sunshine Boutique, and Treasure Hunt Flea Market.

The Merchant Madness Sidewalk Sale is a great opportunity to support locally owned retailers while winning prizes and finding good deals.

Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for more information at 620-223-3566 or visit fortscott.com.

***

Government, Kansas

Governor Signs Budge for 2021, 2022

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Governor Laura Kelly Signs Omnibus Budget, Increases Funding for Disability Services, Criminal Justice System, Mental Health Services, Higher Education

~~SB 159 includes one line-item veto~~

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today signed SB 159, the state omnibus budget for FY 2021 and FY 2022, which passed with bipartisan support.

“I’m proud of this bipartisan, fiscally-responsible budget that demonstrates what lawmakers can get done when we work together,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This budget includes increased funding for disability services, the criminal justice system, mental health services, and higher education. These critical services will help provide Kansans, businesses, and local governments with the support and tools they need to continue powering our COVID-19 recovery.”

Highlights from Governor Kelly’s budget:

  • Increased the Protected Income Limit for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers and the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (this is an addition to the 150% increase Governor Kelly championed as a state senator when she served on the Robert G. (Bob) Bethell KanCare Oversight Committee and signed into law as Governor in 2019). This increase gives individuals utilizing waiver services additional flexibility to earn income and use more of their money to pay for essential needs like rent, food, and more.
  • Added $3 million for costs associated with the 988 Crisis Hotline, the FCC’s new, nationwide 3-digit phone number for Americans in crisis to connect with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors.
  • Increased funding for 4-year and 2-year public and private colleges and technical schools totaling $53 million, including funding for need-based aid and other student scholarships, economic development, staff recruitment and retention, and other priorities.
  • Increased salary and operations funding for our Judicial system by $17 million, which will help improve our criminal justice system through recruitment and retention.
  • Added $3.6 million to the Board of Indigents’ Defense Services to fund the assigned counsel rate increase up to $100 per hour for FY 2022 providing a well-earned boost to our public defenders in a system that has been historically underfunded.
  • Funding to advance innovative mental health treatment in our communities through the adoption of the certified community behavioral health center model to increase access to mental health and substance use treatment and improve and expand partnerships between mental health centers, law enforcement, schools, and hospitals.
  • Restored $259,000 funding for the Commission on Veterans Affairs to allow staff to reinstate visiting veterans in the communities where they reside. This will help veterans in the rural parts of the state, and allows us to offer the full complement of services to these veterans as we meet them at home.

Below please find the message from the Governor regarding Senate Bill 159:

“Senate Bill 159, this session’s omnibus budget bill, makes many important investments in our state. But as with many omnibus budget bills, not every appropriation included is necessary or appropriate. Therefore, pursuant to Article 2, Section 14(b) of the Constitution of the State of Kansas, I hereby return Senate Bill 159 with my signature approving the bill, except for the item enumerated below.”

$500,000 from the State General Fund to the University of Kansas Medical Center for clinical trials on a COVID-19 treatment using MSCTC-0010 cells developed at the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center

Section 46(a) has been line-item vetoed in its entirety.

This section provides $500,000 to the University of Kansas Medical Center to conduct clinical trials for a COVID-19 treatment using MSCTC-0010 cells developed at the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center. During debate on the Senate’s original budget, contained in Substitute for Senate Bill 267, an amendment to add this funding was wisely withdrawn. The medical experts who lead the research associated with this proviso have clearly and plainly communicated to the Legislature that such a clinical trial would not be realistic or even feasible given the timeframe and funding provided. A 2018 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the average cost of a clinical trial is $19 million, with the total cost of developing a new drug closer to $2 to $3 billion. Given those realities and the proven effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments that are now widely available, we should focus our efforts on increasing the number of Kansans who are vaccinated so that we can prevent infections, severe illnesses, and deaths. We should listen to those with knowledge of how clinical trials work when they tell us that the proposal outlined in this proviso is unrealistic and unneeded, and we should focus on saving lives by expediting vaccinations for as many Kansans as possible throughout the state.

Government, Kansas

Governor Laura Kelly Vetoes Senate Bill 273

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~ Remains committed to bipartisan, transparent, federally compliant distribution of federal stimulus funds ~

TOPEKA – The following is attributable to Governor Laura Kelly regarding Senate Bill 273:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges for Kansas businesses over the last year, and my administration has been committed to doing all we can to support their continued pandemic recovery efforts through the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (“SPARK”) Taskforce. The SPARK process brings together business, legislative, and community leaders from across the state to collaborate on data-driven, innovative investments using federal relief dollars. All recovery initiatives should go through the transparent, federally compliant, bipartisan, and efficient process we have already established through the SPARK Taskforce.

“SB 273 is well-intentioned, but it violates federal rules for the use of American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) funds that prevent the state from placing conditions or requirements on local governments’ use of ARPA funds. SB 273 also fails to comply with federal rules that prohibit using ARPA funds to resolve potential legal claims against state or local governments.

“I am committed to working with the SPARK Taskforce to develop relief programs that comply with federal requirements to ensure that our economy emerges from this pandemic stronger and more agile than ever.

“Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Bill 273.”

Business, Government, Kansas

Evergy’s Sustainability Plan Workshop on May 24: How It Will Affect Ratepayers

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KCC will hold virtual workshop on
Monday to discuss Evergy’s STP

 
The Kansas Corporation Commission will conduct the final of four virtual workshops designed to learn more about Evergy’s Sustainability Transformation Plan and how it will affect ratepayers on Monday, May 24.

The workshop will be broadcast on the KCC’s YouTube channel begining at 10 am. It will be recorded for later viewing as well.

At the workshop, Evergy will present an updated STP that incorporates feedback received from earlier workshops and intervenor comments.

The Commission opened the investigation to evaluate whether the STP is in the public interest. The general investigation docket is available on the KCC’s website.

The Commission is currently accepting public comments on the docket. More information is available here.
Government, Kansas

Criminal Justice Reform: Other Legislation Signed

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Governor Laura Kelly Signs Criminal Justice Reform Bill; Additional Bipartisan Legislation

TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2026 into law, creating a drug abuse treatment program for people on diversion.

“This bill is a significant step towards criminal justice reform in Kansas,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “Through this new drug abuse treatment program, our judicial system can redirect individuals struggling with addiction to the services they need to get healthy and successfully reenter society. I want to thank the entire legislature for passing this important legislation.”

More information about House Bill 2026 can be found here.

Additionally, Governor Kelly today signed the following bipartisan legislation into law:

House Bill 2079

Transferring duties concerning address confidentiality program (safe at home) and the registration of charitable organizations from the secretary of state to the attorney general, enacting the Kansas fights addiction act to establish a grant program for the purpose of preventing, reducing, treating and mitigating the effects of substance abuse and addiction and requiring posting of a human trafficking awareness notice approved by the attorney general in certain businesses and public places.

House Bill 2158

Establishing the joint committee on child welfare system oversight, providing certain exceptions to the confidentiality of state child death review board documents, requiring visual observation of an alleged victim of child abuse or neglect as part of an investigation, exempting the caregiver of a child in state out-of-home placement from the child care assistance 20-hour-per-week work requirement, permitting the secretary for children and families to license certain family foster homes where a former foster care youth with certain juvenile adjudications resides making permanent provisions for the advisory committee on trauma and the statewide trauma system regional council to conduct closed meetings and keep privileged records regarding trauma cases.

HB-2158 contains Adrian’s Law (requiring visual observation of an alleged victim of child abuse or neglect as part of an investigation). The bill is name after Adrian Jones of Kansas City, Kansas, a 7-year-old boy who was murdered by his father and stepmother after years of reported abuse went uninvestigated.

House Bill 2224

Expanding the definition of “infectious disease” in certain statutes related to crimes in which bodily fluids may have been transmitted from one person to another.

House Bill 2397

Senate Substitute for Substitute for HB 2397 by Committee on Ways and Means – Reconciling conflicting amendments to certain statutes.

Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Poison Ivy – Easy to Identify But Tough to Control

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Krista Harding
District Extension Agent, Horticulture
Southwind Extension District
111 S. Butler
Erie, KS 66733
Office: 620-244-3826
Cell: 620-496-8786

Leaves of three – let it be! I’m certain that someone has told you this before in an attempt to keep you away from poison ivy. It is true that poison ivy has three leaflets. However, the untrained eye can easily confuse poison ivy with other plant species such as Virginia creeper.

Poison ivy occurs in three forms: an erect woody shrub, a groundcover that creeps along the ground, and a woody vine that will climb trees. It can grow to 10 feet or more as it climbs up trees or fences. All parts of poison ivy – leaves, sap, roots, and burning vines, are poisonous at all times of the year. All of these plant parts contain a toxic oil which causes irritation to the skin on many people. The typical reaction is an itchy rash with clear blisters about 2-3 days after contact with the oil.

As stated earlier, poison ivy always has three leaflets. But the leaf margins can vary. They can be toothed, incised, lobed or smooth. The size of the leaf can also vary. The middle leaflet is larger than the other two and the middle one is the only leaflet with a long stalk. The other two are closely attached to the leaf stem. Virginia creeper has the same habitat as poison ivy and is often confused as being such. However, if you look close, Virginia creeper has five leaflets rather than three.

Have you ever gotten poison ivy, but swear that you didn’t touch it? Yes, it can happen. Poison ivy can be spread to you from your pet’s fur after they have ventured out to an infested area; from touching the clothing of a person who has come in contact with it; from garden tools that may have been used to pull down or chop vines; and even by the smoke from a burning vine. Burning poison ivy will cause the toxic oil to vaporize and be carried in the smoke. Believe it or not, the oil from poison ivy can remain active on clothing and footwear for as long as a year.

Poison ivy is not the easiest plant to kill. It is a tough plant and difficult to eradicate without killing desirable plants in the process. There are three methods used to destroy poison ivy – pulling the plants out by hand, cutting the plant off at the vine and treating the stump, or spraying the plant directly. The first two methods are more risky as far as infecting yourself with poison ivy.

The method used depends somewhat on the growth form the plant has taken. If it is in the groundcover form, direct spray or hand pulling is often used. If the plant is in the shrub form, direct spray is routinely used. For plants that are a woody vine and climbing, the preferred method is to cut the plant off at the base and treat the sprouts after they emerge. With any method, make certain to wear gloves and preferable a long sleeve shirt. Wash clothing and your skin immediately after you have finished.

Several herbicide products are labeled as “Poison Ivy Killers.” The products are premixed, ready-to-use products containing the active ingredient triclopyr. Glyphosate, 2, 4-D and dicamba (Banvel) offer fair to good control. Once a treatment is made, wait 3 to 4 weeks for the product to work before applying any additional herbicide. Read label directions and follow with care as these chemicals cannot differentiate between poison ivy and other plants – meaning you might accidentally kill desirable plant species while trying to kill poison ivy!

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Obituary

Obituary of Ronald W. Bolin Sr.

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Ronald Wilmot Bolin, Sr., age 67, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Thursday, May 20, 2021, at his home.

He was born on September 9, 1953, in Ft. Scott, the son of Wilmot “Sandy” Bolin and Mildred Barrett Bolin. He graduated from Ft. Scott high school.

Ron worked his entire life as a mechanic and salvage yard owner. His passion was racing. Ron raced stock cars from the early 70’s until 2018. He made many friends through his years racing.

He loved anything mechanical as well as animals.

He was a hard-working man who would help anyone in need.

Survivors include his mother, Mildred Bolin, Ft. Scott; four sons, Brian Bolin, Ron Bolin, Jr. and wife Brooke, Brandon Hall, and Blake Bolin, all of Ft. Scott; two daughters, Megan Bolin and Kristen hall and husband Derek, all of Ft. Scott; two sisters, Connie Broyles, and Patty Frye and husband Jimmy; seven grandchildren, Caden, Dylann, Raegan, KaMiya, Anthony, Trae, and Tyce; significant other, Vanessa Hershey; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by two daughters, Patricia Marie Bolin, and Michella Lynn Bolin; two brothers, Bobby McClenahan, and Ralph Van Winkle; and his father.

Rob Music will conduct funeral services at 10:00 AM Thursday, May 27th, at the Ft. Scott Nazarene Church.

Burial will follow in the Prescott Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 Wednesday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

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