Deborah Kay Parker, 70, of Redfield, Kansas, passed away Sunday, January 23, 2022, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas. She was born January 19, 1952, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Neil Benjamin and Anna Mae (Powell) Smith. She married Ronald Dean Parker on April 18, 1971, in Fort Scott, Kansas, and he survives of the home.
Deborah graduated from Fort Scott High School with the Class of 1970.
In addition to her husband Ronald, Debra is also survived by her mother, Anna Smith, of Fort Scott; her children, Jeff Parker and Kim of Norfolk, Virginia, Kimberly Phillips and Adam of Fort Scott, and Beth Blankenship and Jeremy, also of Fort Scott; eleven grandchildren, Marra, Gabe, Conner, Alyssa, Damion, Kenny, Jessica, Russell, Gabe, Keira, and Ben, and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father, Neil Smith.
Jeff Feagins will conduct funeral services at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 31, 2022, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home with burial following at the Fort Scott National Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association 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.
In a continuing effort by Bourbon County and the City of Fort Scott leadership to combine services, the city’s tourism department will come under the Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.
Jackson Tough, the City of Fort Scott’s Tourism Director moved his office into the Bourbon County REDI office at Landmark Bank today.
Jackson Tough. Submitted photo.
“The city commission voted, this month, to move their tourism (department) over to Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.,” Rob Harrington, REDI director said. “Jackson Tough will remain a city employee.”
Landmark Bank, 200 S. Main, Fort Scott. From its Facebook page.
Funding Is From Bed Tax
The city’s tourism department is funded through a Transient Guest Tax, Harrington said. “Any money left from the transient guest tax, after the administrative stuff, payroll, FICA, and any incumbrances…will come to REDI for marketing.”
The transient guest tax, commonly known as the “bed tax,” is imposed by a city or county on transient guests of hotels, motels, and tourist courts, according to 2006-022 | 9/1/2006 | Kansas Attorney General Opinion (washburnlaw.edu) The purpose of the tax is to provide revenue “to promote tourism and conventions.”
“Convention and tourism promotion,” is defined as follows, according to the website:
“‘Convention and tourism promotion’ means: (1) Activities to attract visitors into the community through marketing efforts, including advertising, directed to at least one of the five basic convention and tourism market segments consisting of group tours, pleasure travelers, association meetings and conventions, trade shows and corporate meetings and travel; and (2) support of those activities and organizations which encourage increased lodging facility occupancy.”
“I’ll oversee the funds to see they are being used appropriately, for what they are supposed to be,” Harrington said.
“Tourism will be under REDI jurisdiction, we’ll be responsible for tourism marketing,” he said. ”
“We are trying to not duplicate services at the county and city levels,” he said. “Just because it doesn’t affect local taxpayers, it does have an effect on tax funds collected from the transient guest tax, which should be efficiently spent.”
Combined Services
The city and county officials have been working together in economic development, finance management, and human resource services, in recent years, to share resources. Tourism will now be a shared service.
The Kansas Department of Transportation has closed westbound I-70 at Goodland because of winter weather conditions in Colorado. Motorists traveling west are advised to use alternate routes or delay travel if possible.
Additional closures may be necessary if conditions worsen. Please follow Northwest Kansas KDOT on Facebook (www.facebookcom/nwkansaskdot) or Twitter (@NWKansasKDOT) for updates.
For up-to-date information on road closures and road conditions, visit www.kandrive.org, or call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside Kansas.
Kansas Tourism Invites Everyone to Help Celebrate Kansas’ Birthday
~Kansas Day is Saturday, January 29, 2022~
TOPEKA– Kansas Day is this Saturday, January 29, and Kansas Tourism is inviting everyone to help celebrate our state’s 161st birthday. This annual commemoration of Kansas’ statehood is designed to help us reflect on our state’s history while highlighting the things that make Kansas special. Kansas Tourism is proud to elevate the holiday with new appreciation and pride for our state.
“Kansans are famously humble people—it’s not in our nature to boast,” said Bridgette Jobe, Kansas Director of Tourism. “But this Kansas Day, we are shouting from the rooftops our love for our beautiful, unique, exciting and welcoming state. We invite all Kansans and those who love Kansas to join in our celebration.”
There are several ways to get in on the statewide social tribute. Details can be found in the Kansas Day toolkit at TravelKS.com/KansasDay.
To participate:
First, on January 29, make your own special salute to the Sunflower State on your social media channels. Make sure to use the ‘To the Stars’ format and #ToTheStarsKS as outlined in the toolkit.
Second, Kansas Tourism is premiering a new video tribute for Kansas Day 2022. Make sure you are following Kansas Tourism on social media to watch and share the new video. Surprises are in store for those that engage with and share the video! A lucky few participants may win a ‘To the Stars’ Gear Giveaway. Stay tuned to the Kansas Tourism social channels for more information.
Third, print out a Kansas Day poster to hang in your business window, classroom, office, or community announcement board to share the Kansas Day excitement. The free poster download is available in the toolkit.
Finally, get your official Kansas Tourism ‘To the Stars’ gear at TravelKS.com to show your Kansas pride year-round. A new limited-edition series featuring a custom Kansas inspired design by Hutchinson artist Brady Scott is now available.
Additional information and educational resources can also be found on the Kansas Day toolkit.
The mission of the Kansas Tourism Division is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism is a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce and works hand in hand with other Commerce community programs to elevate and promote Kansas as a tourist destination. Kansas Tourism oversees all tourism marketing and PR for the state, produces travel publications and advertising, manages the states travel website TravelKS.com, manages state Travel Information Centers, manages both the Kansas By-ways program and the Kansas Agritourism program, approves tourist signage applications, produces the KANSAS! Magazine, and provides financial and educational support to the tourism industry in Kansas through grants, education, and support. The ‘To the Stars’ marketing campaign developed by Kansas Tourism honors the states motto of Ad Astra Per Aspera.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Acting Secretary Janet Stanek today announced Joan Duwve, M.D., MPH, as the new Acting State Health Officer. Duwve previously served as the Deputy State Health Officer.
“Joan has served Kansans since 2020, providing valuable input on the COVID-19 response,” Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said. “Her time at KDHE coupled with her extensive history as a physician and public health official makes her the best choice for this role.
Duwve joined KDHE in Nov. 2020 to lead the COVID-19 Unified Testing Strategy before moving into the Deputy State Health Officer position in July 2021. Prior to her roles at KDHE, Duwve spent 12 years in various public health leadership roles in South Carolina and Indiana. While at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control, Duwve worked to elevate the health equity program and hire a director of diversity, equity and inclusion. She also spent 11 years practicing as a family medicine physician.
“I’m grateful to Secretary Stanek for selecting me for this role within KDHE,” Joan Duwve, M.D., said. “The importance of public health has become increasingly evident over the past couple of years as we have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m looking forward to working alongside state and local public health officials and stakeholders as we continue to work together to protect and improve the health of all Kansans.”
Duwve completed her medical degree at Johns Hopkins University. She also holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan and Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from the Ohio State University. She has served on the CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Board of Scientific Counselors, a National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine Evaluation Committee and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Board of Directors and Infectious Diseases Policy Committee.
Richard Eugene “Rick” Petrechko, age 67, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away early Monday, January 24, 2002, at the Kansas City Hospice House after injuries he received in an accident at his home in November of last year.
He was born October 29, 1954, in Independence, Missouri, the son of Richard Petrechko and Berniece Pitts Petrechko. Rick was raised by his mother and step-father, John Buell. Rick graduated from Truman High School in Independence, Missouri. He was currently employed by Extrusions, Inc. in Ft. Scott.
Rick enjoyed fishing and barbecuing. He also enjoyed reading historical books and listening to music. He was an avid fan of the Rolling Stones and enjoyed going to many different concerts over the years.
Survivors include his children, Jessica Lynn Collins of New Jersey, Bradley Petrechko (Rosalina) of Ft. Scott, Rex Petrechko (Erin) of Florida and step-children, E. J. Willard of Nebraska and Vanessa Willard of Ft. Scott and eleven grandchildren. Also surviving are his mother, Berniece Buell of Ft. Scott and two sisters, Paula Hochstedler (Mike) of Lee’s Summit, Missouri and Karen Mix (Mike) of Ft. Scott.
He was preceded in death by his step-father, John Buell, step-brother, Steve Buell and longtime companion and best friend, Lynette Vann.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, January 27th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Mirza Transportation Fund or the Paws & Claws Animal Shelter and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS.
Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Carol Oakleaf, left, and Lori Lovelace show the donation can for clothing to the Fort Scott Community Closet which is located in the Fort Scott Washateria in this 2019 photo.
Carol Oakleaf and Lori Lovelace, owners of Fort Scott Washateria, 501 S. National Avenue, started the Fort Scott Community Closet when they opened the laundromat in September 2019.
Recently they have been revamping their clothes-give-away operations to be more accessible to the people of Fort Scott.
“After Saturday, Jan 29th, we will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday,” Lovelace said. “Those interested in finding clothing or household linens and bedding can sign in at the laundromat front desk and will be able to go into the closet and pick out needed items.”
“We will have bags at the front desk to put items in after sign out,” she said. “As always, our items are donated by the people of Fort Scott and are available to all in need.”
“We will be open on Saturday, Jan 29th as we are finishing up the retooling and welcome all who wish to come by,” Lovelace said. “We have a good selection of coats and cold weather items as well as clothing and bedding.”
“Thank you to all of the people who have donated,” Lovelace said.
“We started the Community Closet when we opened the Washateria in September 2019 because there was limited availability for obtaining donated clothing for folks since Beacon( a local helping agency) had ceased taking clothing donations,” she said. “We thought that a laundromat was a logical place, as we wash the clothes and we have a large outreach within the community.”
Fort Scott Washateria, 501 S. National Avenue. 2019
The clothes and bedding are free to those in need.
Then In March 2020, the COVID-19 Pandemic hit.
“While the laundromat has remained open as an essential service, we limited access to the closet, taking requests over the phone and gathering clothes for people to pick up at the laundromat,” she said.
“We are ready to move out of the COVID restrictions and the number of calls has increased, making it difficult to keep up,” Lovelace said. “So, we have redesigned the closet for folks to be able to come to the laundromat, sign in and go to the closet to gather clothing and household linens as needed during the closet open hours.”
She said they have had a large number of items donated and are trying out the self-service idea.
“The kick-off is Saturday, Jan 29th and we will see how it works,” she said. “Our mission has always been to be a middleman for a flow of items from folks willing to donate to folks in need and we have been learning how the best way to efficiently do that over the past two years.”
Fort Scott Washateria Services
“Fort Scott Washateria continues to provide a clean place for people to do their laundry and we have been doing a lot of laundry in our Wash/Dry/Fold Service,” she said. “We still have free pick and delivery for the WDF service including hotels and campgrounds in the area and we provide commercial laundry service to local businesses.”
Oakleaf and Lovelace give a tour of the Washateria prior to opening in Sept. 2019.
“We have some new promotions and services set up for this year, stay tuned for more information on those,” Lovelace said.
The laundromat is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.
“We also starch and press, steam, and do some limited alterations,” she said.
Rules for the Community Closet
“The rules for the closet are, for folks looking for items, to sign in at the front desk and when they are done looking to come back in for a sack and to sign out,” Lovelace said. “We ask for respect in going through the items, returning them to their tubs and shelves so the next folks can easily find what they need.”
To Donate
For people interested in donating, they accept clothing, bedding, and coats.
“We can’t handle shoes or items other than the clothing due to space limitations,” she said. “You just have to bring your items to the front desk in bags, boxes or loose, we will take care of them from there. We take donations during all hours the laundromat is open.”
Front row: Naomi Kim, Hampton Sayers. 2nd row: Amanda Emmerson, Jenny Heckman, Alaenah Michaud, Alyssa Smith, Ashley Smith Back row: Dryden Cosens, Luke Goldston, Neil Gugnani, Trent Peck, Eli Williams. Submitted photo.
The Fort Scott High School Homecoming King and Queen will be announced Friday night between the Lady Tiger Varsity and Boys Varsity games.
Saturday night is Winter Formal!
The dance will be held at the high school auxiliary gym, from 7:30 until 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
Mitch Barker will be taking pictures.
Submitted by Bert Lewis, Fort Scott High School Student Council Sponsor, Senior & Junior Class Sponsor, Key Club Sponsor, Ed Rising Sponsor, and Scholars’ Bowl Coach
