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Monthly Archives: January 2024
110 South Main Cafe and Store Will Reopen February 6: New Distillery on the Horizon
The owners of Cohn’s Cafe and 110 South Main Mercantile & Market closed for January 2024 to work on the south half of the building.
The banquet hall, which was used by the Scottish Rite, is just on the other side of the cafe and is an area that has been closed off to customers in the past.
“The carpet has been removed, the walls have been repainted, and the ceiling has been removed and will be replaced this week,” she said. “The space will not be complete for the February 6th reopening, but it should be complete in early spring once we finish adding heating and air conditioning and complete some plumbing work in that portion of the building. Once HVAC is done, the retail store will move to that area.”
Facebook: Cohn’s Cafe on Main
Joseph Rash Obituary
Joseph Wayne Rash, age 43, a resident of Garland, Kansas, passed away unexpectedly, Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at his home. He was born June 26, 1980, in Kansas City, the son of Wayne Cecil Rash and Donna Mae Cole Rash.
Joseph enjoyed reading about history, collecting comic books and movies, and spending time on the computer. He attended the Hannon Freewill Baptist Church in Liberal, Missouri. Joseph loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and had read the entire Bible.
Survivors include his mother, Donna Rash; three sisters, Rosemary Harris of Ft. Scott, Kay Wallace of Pittsburg, Kansas and Donna Hassan of Cady, Texas and three brothers, Glenn Rash of Ft. Scott, Cecil Rash of Topeka, Kansas and Roy Rash of Independence, Missouri.
He was preceded in death by his father, two brothers, Wesley Wallace and Henry Rash and a sister, Sherry Palmer.
There was cremation. A memorial service with burial in the Dayton Cemetery will be held at a later date. Memorials are suggested to the Joseph Rash Memorial Fund and may be left
in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
KS Marketing Campaign Launched
Kansas Tourism celebrates Kansas Day by Launching 2024 Marketing Campaign
TOPEKA — To commemorate Kansas Day, Kansas Tourism has released a new video inviting audiences to reclaim their vacation in Kansas. The video kicks off Kansas Tourism’s 2024 marketing campaign that focuses on the true meaning of a vacation and how Kansas is the perfect vacation destination.
To watch the video, click here. Kansans and non-Kansans alike are encouraged to join the movement by sharing the video on social media and making their plans to vacation in Kansas at the Tourism website here.
“Too many trips leave us drained instead of refreshed, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Instead of counting vacation days, we want visitors to make their vacation days count in Kansas.”
The concept of a vacation was first popularized in the 1860s and was intended to encourage people to “vacate their homes” to experience the wilderness and reconnect through rest and relaxation, essential to living a healthy life. But nowadays, vacations are often stress-inducing, jam-packed and expensive.
“Let’s get back to the heart of what a vacation is meant to be,” Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. “We know that you can find it in Kansas.”
Kansas Tourism provides valuable free resources to help plan a Kansas trip, including a free travel guide available to be mailed or immediately downloaded. The TravelKS.com website features an entire Plan Your Trip section.
“Visitors worldwide should plan a Kansas vacation in 2024 because Kansas is filled with outdoor adventure, inspirational history, world-class attractions, and exceptional arts and entertainment,” Jobe said.
Kansas Day, January 29, provides the perfect opportunity for Kansans to come together and honor the unique history that has shaped the Sunflower State and to kick-off the 2024 tourism marketing campaign. On this day in 1861, Kansas officially entered the Union as the 34th state, marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s history. This celebration provides the opportunity to acknowledge contributions of Kansans throughout the years, from the pioneers who settled the prairies to the modern-day innovators driving the state’s progress.
Follow Kansas Tourism on:
Facebook – / travelks
Instagram – / kansastourism
#VacationinKansas
#ToTheStarsKS
About Kansas Tourism:
The mission of Kansas Tourism is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism 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 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.
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. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
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Ground(hog) Pancake Feed on February 3 at the First Southern Baptist Church
FIRST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH OF FORT SCOTT
JOIN US FOR OUR 5TH ANNUAL
ALL YOU CAN EAT PANCAKES
WITH A SERVING OF GROUND(HOG)
DINE IN OR CARRY OUT
ALSO SILENT AUCTION,
VALENTINE GIFTS & BAKE SALE
February 3, 2024, 8 A.M.- 2 P.M.
at First Southern Baptist Church
1818 South Main, Fort Scott, KS
Children 7 and under FREE
8 to Adult $5.00 in advance
or
$6.00 at the door
for advanced tickets Contact
Ida Ford 417-262-3948,
Terri Williams 620-215-3202
Refuse the Cues by Carolyn Tucker
Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker
Through the years, I’ve always appreciated the cue for when to stop playing the prelude for funeral services. After seating the family and the minister, the funeral director would walk past the piano and quietly say, “Finish this verse and we’ll be ready,” or “Play the chorus again and we‘ll start.“ His cue to me was very important for ensuring a smooth start of the service. Since I was unable to see what was happening out front, I relied on his cue. Cues are important, but we need to be careful who we take our cues from. Not just anybody will do.
The Passion Translation has the chapter heading, “Characteristics of the Last Days.” Apostle Paul is writing to young Pastor Timothy and boldly lays it on the line: “But you need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce. People will be self-centered lovers of themselves and obsessed with money. They will boast of great things as they strut around in their arrogant pride and mock all that is right. They will ignore their own families. They will be ungrateful and ungodly. They will become addicted to hateful and malicious slander. Slaves to their desires, they will be ferocious, belligerent haters of what is good and right” (2 Timothy 3:1-3 TPT). I could be wrong, but it appears these scriptures have become a reality in today’s culture.
I refuse to take my cues from today’s culture because it usually stands in the opposite direction of God‘s Spirit. Believers are called to be God lovers, people lovers, humbly gracious, reverent to God, and forgiving of others. I believe our American culture is actively practicing what Jesus talked about in Matthew 12:25 TEV: “Any country that divides itself into groups which fight each other will not last very long. And any town or family that divides itself into groups which fight each other will fall apart.”
Apostle Paul later admonishes the Romans on how to live as Christ followers in a pagan culture: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2 NLT). Believers need to be brazen enough to wisely decide for ourselves by allowing God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to lead us. Let’s leave the crowd behind and stop allowing society to influence us to do stupid stuff. I recently heard a message about how important it is for a shepherd to keep all the sheep safely together. Because if one wanders away from the flock, others will follow it and fall off the cliff just like the first one. Surely humans are smarter than sheep and won‘t do something silly or ungodly just because someone of influence does it.
As believers, let’s not become so well-adjusted to our culture that we fit into it without even thinking. Let’s continue to fix our focus on God and what He wants. If we’re asleep at the wheel, today’s influencers can drag us down to their level of disrespect for God. Many in our culture are faithless, twisted in their thinking, and defy general truth and the truth of God’s Word. They’re far from being trustworthy influencers from whom we should take our cues. I could be wrong, but it appears that some of them have lost their minds.
The Key: Let’s continue to conform to God’s standards and not today’s culture.
The Bourbon County Commission Agenda for January 29
Attachments:
Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800
Fax: 620-223-5832
Bourbon County, Kansas
Nelson Blythe
1st District Commissioner
Jim Harris, Chairman
2nd District Commissioner
Clifton Beth
3rd District Commissioner
Bourbon County Commission Agenda 210 S. National Ave.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
January 29, 2024 5:30 p.m.
- Call Meeting to Order
- Flag Salute
- Approval of Consent Agenda
- Approval of Minutes from 1/22/2024
- Approval of Payroll Totaling $288,272.48
- Approval of Accounts Payable Totaling $526,700.78
- Public Comments
- Vance Eden-USD 235 Walking Trail
- Department Updates
- Public Works
- Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk-17 County Meeting
- Commission Comments
- Adjourn Meeting
Executive Session Justifications:
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 the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting
would jeopardize such security measures.
What’s Happening in Fort Scott
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Know Your Numbers for a Healthy You
I recently completed my annual wellness checkup, including the essential step of having my blood drawn. While I tend to procrastinate on this particular task, I am well aware of its vital importance. Now, let me share some valuable insights on the significance of knowing your numbers:
Cholesterol
- A waxy substance found in the fats (lipids) in your blood crucial for building and maintaining healthy cells and hormones. It has no symptoms so many people may not be aware of their risk.
- The recommended target cholesterol level is less than 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood.
- About 25% of cholesterol comes from food (meat, fish, dairy), and the rest is produced by the body.
- There are two forms of cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) — also known as the “bad” cholesterol much can form plaque, clogging arteries and leading to heart disease and stroke.
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) — the “good” cholesterol, helps clean the artery walls and removes excess bad cholesterol.
Triglycerides
- A type of fat in the bloodstream that provides energy for body tissues to function
- Like cholesterol, high triglyceride levels (over 200 mg/dL) increase the risk of heart disease.
- Dietary and lifestyle changes help lower triglyceride levels:
- Avoid fatty foods and foods high in cholesterol such as processed meat, fried food, and whole-fat dairy products
- Choose to eat fruits, vegetables, and nonfat or low-fat dairy
- Opt for foods high in good, unsaturated fats.
Blood Pressure
- Is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries and can vary due to many factors
- Normal blood pressure is usually less than 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury)
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Facts
Factors like age, diet (too much sodium, too little potassium, calcium, magnesium), excess alcohol, smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, lack of exercise, stress, and insulin resistance can contribute. It often has no obvious symptoms but can damage the heart, brain, eyes, and kidneys.
- Hypotension (Low Blood Pressure) Facts
Happens when blood flow is lower than normal and can be caused by dehydration and nutrient deficiency. Signs can include dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, thirst, lack of concentration, blurred vision, nausea, and fatigue.
Blood Sugar
- Blood sugar, or glucose, is a type of sugar in the blood and is a primary fuel for the body. It comes from carbohydrates including sugars, starches, and fiber.
- The Mayo Clinic emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet with healthy carbohydrates including: Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables without added sugar, whole grains, Low-fat dairy, beans and legumes, and limited sugar
- Fasting blood sugar, which is measured six to eight hours after a meal provides an accurate measure in non-diabetic individuals.
- The normal range of blood sugar is approximately 70 to 100 milligrams per deciliter. After a meal, blood sugar will rise but not usually above 135 to 140 milligrams per deciliter, leaving a fairly narrow range of blood sugar throughout the entire day.
Track Your Heart Health Stats, Together
Keeping a log of your blood pressure, weight goals, physical activity, and if you have diabetes, your blood sugars, will help you stay on a heart-healthy track. Ask your friends or family to join you in the effort. Check out NHLBI’s my health tracker here: https://bit.ly/3OfjjEF.
Today’s information comes from Keys to Embracing Aging: Know Your Health Numbers Fact Sheet. More information, contact Tara Solomon-Smith, [email protected], or call 620-244-3826.
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Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
Letter To The Editor: Pete Allen
I read on another post, a description of events in Lindsborg, Ks. and the following is my reply: Their are a lot of differences between Lindsborg and Fort Scott.
Lindsborg is pushing and highlighting what they have, building on their history and entertaining 30,000 people at their 2-day festival. Quite obviously they like what they have and are proud of their heritage. It is a place geared to tourism, and it sounds like they have learned to live within their means.
Quite the opposite for our town. We are being naive about our history and what the future of our town is. Our past leaders have quite simply ignored what makes a town a place where people want to come to visit, play, shop, and stay. Who wants to come to FS with our overflowing sewers, pollution of our waterways, suspect water in our water supply, sewers backing up into homeowners basements, kitchens and bathrooms, restrooms in our parks that takes 2 years to get a water line fixed to a toilet, streets one can barely navigate and a community college in danger of closing, due to lack of funding.
The character of our town, and what brought me back to town, is defined by the old fort, and more importantly, the character of the people who live here. Our citizens are our most important asset, and yet our leaders are more interested in the glitzy, pie-in-the-sky projects that mean nothing to the citizens now, and never will.
Our town is crumbling, and we need to fix it, not build some $300M project south of town that is completely out of character with our heritage.
Where in our comprehensive plan does it suggest such a plan?
FS needs to stop the nonsense perpetrated by BB Co. REDI. and get our town back to the basics of fixing what we have and making it a great place to live.
Overland Park is 90 miles north, we don’t need another one south of FS! I like it like it is, or like it used to be.
My vision of FS is a clean, well maintained, friendly, formerly frontier city, with clean water to drink, sewers that do not pollute, and streets we are proud to own. We need neighborhoods cleaned up and kept that way and available jobs with pay that will sustain a family and make them want to stay in FS.
We have come a long way toward this vision in the past four years and we have a marvelous base, let’s be like Lindsborg and build on it! Our roots are not in commercialization!
Bowman Purchases Geneva and Son Monument
Dan Bowman purchased the Geneva and Son Monument business in August 2023, from Kenny and RoAnn Blake, who owned the business for 24 years.
The new business is now called Bowman Monument Co. and Bowman has two employees, Emily Selvey, his daughter, and Colten Selvey, his son-in-law.
The products provided by this business are urns (for funeral cremation) memorials (headstones), grave markers, monuments, and benches. The services offered are installation, resetting, and cleaning of headstones.
They recently created a bronze plaque that will be placed on the First Colored Infantry Memorial Mural in downtown Fort Scott.
The location remains the same at 111 Scott Avenue, Fort Scott. The phone number is 620.223.3350, the email address is [email protected].
Business hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday by appointment.
They are currently putting the final touches on a website, Bowman Monuments.com.
D and J Glass Company
In addition, Bowman has housed his other business, D and J Glass at the 111 Scott Avenue site. Formerly the business was on State Street. He has been in the glass business for about eight years, he said.
“I sell new windows and do glass replacement for home and auto, and commercial,” Bowman said.
D and J Glass Company’s phone number is 620.223.1220.
KS Broadband Grants Available
Broadband Acceleration Grant Makes $10M Available
TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced $10 million is available to enhance broadband infrastructure statewide through the Broadband Acceleration Grant program. Grants funded through this program are designed to offset the capital expenses needed to deploy in unserved areas.
In its fourth year through the bipartisan Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE), the Broadband Acceleration Grant program aims to provide high-quality, reliable broadband access throughout the state, prioritizing unserved areas, economically distressed communities, and areas of compelling need.
“Empowering communities through broadband infrastructure buildout allows Kansas to lean into our innovative spirit as we grow businesses, keep talent here, and pursue new opportunities,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The IKE program is a great example of how state agencies, local communities and the private sector provide high speed internet to all Kansans.”
During the first three years of this program, high-speed internet has been delivered to 8,000 homes and businesses in 25 counties. The cumulative $15 million generated another $17.5 million in matching funds.
“The IKE Program is founded on strong partnerships to leverage investments in critical infrastructure sectors, like broadband,” Secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation Calvin Reed said. “I’m proud KDOT investments support Kansas communities to meet the needs of businesses and citizens now and in the future.”
The Broadband Acceleration Grant program is action-oriented to connect all Kansans. Through this ongoing infrastructure investment, Kansas aspires to be a top 10 state for broadband, improving the lives of Kansans and fostering economic growth for all.
“It is important to focus taxpayer resources on projects that provide sustainable economic benefits that help to grow our state and will encourage people to live and do business in Kansas,” Senate President Ty Masterson said. “The IKE program and the Broadband Acceleration Grant accomplishes that by providing high-quality, reliable broadband access throughout the state, prioritizing the areas that need it the most.”
“Expanding access to quality broadband services not only helps to develop our Kansas workforce but provides more tools for small businesses as well, which is why we included it in the IKE Transportation program,” House Speaker Dan Hawkins said. “After four years of this program, I’m looking forward to seeing the difference these grants make in our underserved communities.”
Key highlights for the fourth round of the Broadband Acceleration Grant program include:
- Maximum grant funding request of $1 million
- Qualifying program speed of 100/20 Megabits Per Second (Mbps)
- Requirement of 50% matching funds for the project, including the possibility of an in-kind match of up to 50% of the required match
- Co-investment required by sources other than the applicant
“Building digital infrastructure enables KOBD to serve underserved and unserved Kansans, supporting buildout in previously neglected areas,” Office of Broadband Development Director Jade Piros de Carvalho said. “The Broadband Acceleration Program allows KOBD to strategically align with our Five-Year Action Plan, working towards the goal of bringing affordable broadband to every corner of the state.”
The application period runs from January 29 to March 11. The Office of Broadband Development will have a kickoff webinar from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Monday, January 29. For more information about the program, register for the webinar, or to apply for the Broadband Acceleration Grant Program, click 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. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.