Broadway Street from 5th to 6th Closed

ATTENTION: Broadway from 5th to 6th street will be closed until further notice due to a sinkhole developing, due to the storm drain collapsing, in this area of the road. Please use an alternate route when traveling in this area. City crews will be closing this section of Broadway off shortly. All residents in this block will have access to their houses, please use 6th street when entering your residence.
I will continue to update citizens on our findings.
Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience in advance,
Brad Matkin
City Manager
City of Fort Scott

Alysia Johnston: Under Fire For Alleged Role in Fort Scott Community College’s Financial Crisis.

Alysia Johnston, taken from the Ks. Board of Regents website.

https://pro.stateaffairs.com/ks/education/alysia-johnston-fort-scott-regents-2

The above link is an article published by State Affairs/Hawver’s Capitol Report and written by Matt Resnick, a former Fort Scott Tribune reporter.  https://stateaffairs.com/author/mresnick/

It is a story on former Fort Scott Community College President Alysia Johnston who retired in April  2023 as FSCC President.

Alysia Johnston Retires as FSCC’s President

Johnston was appointed by Governor Kelly to the Kansas Board of Regents in June 2023.

https://www.kansasregents.org/about/meet_the_board/alysia-johnston

 

Be on the Look-out for Garden Pests

Now that the gardens are planted and things are growing, gardeners should be on the look-out for insect pests.

If you are having difficulty with insect, the first thing you need to do is determine exactly what insect pest you are dealing with. To figure this out, start by looking at the type of damage being caused to the plant.

Most pests that feed on vegetable plants have either chewing or sucking mouthparts which each produce different types of feeding damage. For example, insect pests with chewing mouthparts feed on leaves, stems, flowers, fruits and roots. They physically remove plant tissue while feeding. This type of pest will often leave physical evidence of their feeding as well – such as the tomato horn worm.

Insect pests with sucking mouthparts feed on plant juices causing stunting, wilting, leaf distortion and leaf yellowing. An example of this is aphids. They also leave behind physical evidence in the form of honeydew – a clear, sticky substance on plant surfaces.

Scouting plants for insects is an important part of gardening and should be done often. I know many gardeners browse through their plants every day and that is great! It is important to find insect pests as soon as possible. Inspect the top of the leaves as well as the underside of the leaves. The underside is where most insect pests will be found.

Once pests are found, again it is very important to get them correctly identified. Caterpillars, beetles and bugs can be removed from plants quickly and easily by handpicking and then placing them into a container of soapy water. Aphids and mites can actually be dislodged off of plants with a forceful spray of water.

Pesticides can also be used and those labeled for vegetable gardens work in one of two ways – they either kill insects on contact or act as stomach poisons. But again, you need to know what insect you are targeting before application of chemical control. Many times, at the first sight of a pest, gardeners get excited and search the cabinet for some type of product to use. This is not the best approach to take! Beneficial insects can be killed using this tactic.

Speaking of beneficial insects, they actually prey on other insects and mites. Examples include parasitic wasps, ladybird beetles and green lacewings. Beneficial insects can even be encouraged to remain in a garden area by planting specific plants to attract them. The plants need to be placed in or around the perimeter of the garden. Examples of plants include dill, fennel, coneflower, yarrow and garlic chives.

If gardeners do not want to used pesticides, there are other practices to keep insect pressure down in the garden. Healthy plants are less likely to be attacked by insects. Plants that receive too much or too little water are more susceptible to insect pests. The same is true for fertilizer use – too much or too little will cause problems. Keep weeds down too as weedy areas are just a good place for aphids, mites and leafhoppers to congregate.

As you scout for insects in the garden, if you come across one that you cannot identify, the Extension office can help! Insects can be brought into one of our four office locations or pictures can be e-mailed. Remember, it is very important to know what pest you are targeting before pesticides are used.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Horticulture 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.

 

 

Starlite FCE Minutes June 2024

 

 

Starlite FCE held its June meeting at the Presbyterian Village Community Room.  Twelve members and five guests were in attendance.  President Glenda Miller opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and led the group in the Club Collect.  The members reported that they had volunteered thirty hours and had recycled one hundred and ninety pounds.

 

Donna Strickland shared with the club the replicas of the flags that have flown over the United States which she had made.  Glenda Miller presented the history of each flag while Taylor Bailey displayed them.

 

Glenda also recognized Birthdays for June and July, which were Joyce Allen, Doris Ericson, Betty Johnson Bernita Hill and Jackie Warren.  The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.   Doris Ericson presented the Treasurer’s report, Deb Lust moved we accept the Treasurer’s report, Claudia Wheeler seconded, motion carried.  Glenda reminded the Club that the State Meeting will be October 7-9 in Chanute this year.

 

Karen Peery passed out Operation Christmas Child boxes and Glenda handed out a list of items that can be placed in the boxes.  We will be collecting the boxes at our October meeting.

 

Glenda also announced that she had placed a Tri-fold display at Hedge Hog Inc. about Flags, which is on display in their History Room.  Plans for the Clubs entries in the Hay Bale and Scarecrow contest were discussed as well as sign-up sheets to help at the fair were passed around.

 

Joyce Allen moved the meeting be adjourned, Doris Ericson seconded the motion, meeting adjourned.

 

Glenda Miller presented the lesson on Citizenship after the meeting.  She reminded us that one set of rules apply to all and that we the people make the rules through our elected officials.  A good citizen takes action and votes.  We must be informed to make a discission.  She also informed us on proper flag etiquette then Myra Jowers and Deb Lust preformed the Flag folding ceremony

 

Refreshments of Red White and Blue Pie, Fruit Pizza, nuts, chocolates and water were provided by Letha Johnson and LeAnna Taylor and enjoyed by all.

 

Prepared by

Terri Williams

Bourbon County Commission Work Session Is July 8

 

 

Bourbon County Courthouse

210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800

Fax: 620-223-5832

 

 

Bourbon County, Kansas

Brandon Whisenhunt

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

 

 

The budget work session scheduled for Monday, July 1, 2024 from 4:00-5:00 has been rescheduled to Monday, July 8, 2024 beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Agenda For the Bourbon County Commission on July 1

Payroll 6-28-2024

Accounts Payable 6-28-2024

 

Bourbon County Courthouse

210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800

Fax: 620-223-5832

 

Bourbon County, Kansas

Brandon Whisenhunt

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

 

July 1, 2024 5:30 p.m.

 

  1. Call Meeting to Order
  2. Flag Salute
  • Approval of Consent Agenda
    1. Approval of Minutes from 6/24/2024
    2. Approval of Payroll Totaling $291,826.40
    3. Approval of Accounts Payable Totaling $553,347.94
  1. Public Comments
  2. Department Updates
    1. Public Works
  3. 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.

 

Candidates on the August Primary Ballot: Walker, Holdridge, Crux

This is part of a series featuring candidates on the August Primary Election Ballot.

The following people have no opposition on the ballot:

Susan Walker. Submitted photo.

Susan Walker,49, is seeking the position of Bourbon County Clerk, and there are no other candidates on the ballot for this position.

She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from MSSU, is a Certified Municipal Clerk through Wichita State University, and is a Certified Public Manager through Kansas University.

“I have 20 years of combined experience in governmental accounting and human resources while serving as Finance Director and Assistant City Manager with the City of Fort Scott, Business Manager for U234, and most recently Chief Financial Officer for Bourbon County.  I also worked for NPC as their Human Resources Manager overseeing payroll, risk management and benefits for 40,000 employees across half of the United States at Pizza Hut and Wendy’s restaurants.”

“After losing my husband in a car accident in 2019, I needed to work closer to home for my daughter and was blessed to have the opportunity to return to the City of Fort Scott for a short time as Finance Director. I have worked for Bourbon County as CFO since January of 2022.”

“While serving as CFO I have identified a lack of financial controls which leads to errors.   When hired, the County had experienced five years of audit violations and unreconciled cash.  I worked with County Departments to address deficiencies and am pleased to say that the 2022 and 2023 audits had no violations.”

“The county form of government relies on statutory authority given to the County Clerk, Treasurer and Commission with very specific requirements for checks and balances.  Following these statutory checks and balances are important to protect the county from errors and fraud.  There are still many procedures to implement to protect the County in the future and I feel I can be more effective in making these changes as County Clerk.  Jennifer Hawkins (current County Clerk), Patty Love (current County Treasurer, and I have worked well together over the past two years. Patty has decided not to run for re-election as County Treasurer. Jennifer worked in the Treasurer’s office for five years and felt she would better serve the community in this role since she has experience in the Motor Vehicle office.  Jennifer is a wealth of knowledge for many departments in the County and this would also make the transition smooth if she were to be elected as Treasurer.”

“The Bourbon County Clerk serves as the clerk to the Board of County Commissioners and maintains all records for the board.  The Clerk is also responsible for ensuring budget and cash laws are being followed by each department and taxing entity.  The clerk is statutorily charged with calculating the July and November abstracts of valuation and taxation, preparation of the tax role, special assessments, and motor vehicle abstracts.  The County Clerk is also the Election Officer, sells licenses for KDWP, conducts permitting for fireworks and cereal malt beverages, maintains fixed asset inventory, assists taxpayers with Homestead and Food Sales Tax refunds, serves as Freedom of Information Officer, Administers Oaths of Office.  In addition, the Clerk administers accounts payable, payroll and human resources duties.

“Most of my working adult life I have held a position that serves our community.  I want to continue to serve the community in which I live in the most transparent, efficient, and professional manner possible.  There is a lack of trust in our community, and I plan to improve our website with current information to keep the community better informed.”

“As stated before, there are still many procedures to implement in financial controls.  I plan to work with all departments to reduce liability.”

“The most important issue to me for Bourbon County to be successful is electing individuals to positions with experience, the willingness to collaborate and work together, civility, and transparency.”

Lora Holdridge. Submitted photo.
Lora Holdridge, 57, is the current Bourbon County Register of Deeds and is running unopposed.
The  Bourbon County Register of Deeds’s primary role is ensuring all documents are recorded and indexed properly, she said.
“We deal with all real estate,” she said. “We record over 100 types of documents and index them in our track index books.”
“The most pressing issue for the register of deeds is to preserve all land records for the future,” she said.  “Where all land transactions begin.”
Holdridge has 20 years of experience in this job.
In her spare time, she enjoys “watching my grandchildren in various activities.”
James Crux. Submitted photo.

James Crux, 32, is the only candidate for the Bourbon County Attorney position and currently is the Assistant County Attorney in the Bourbon County Attorney’s Office.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts from  Fort Hays State University and J.D. Washburn University School of Law and has worked as a prosecutor since 2017.

“Bourbon County is a great place that is dealing with issues that a lot of what smaller communities are dealing with.  Keeping the residents of Bourbon County safe, alongside our law enforcement partners, is my biggest concern. ”

“I see the Bourbon County Attorney’s primary role as doing justice,” Crux said.

Southeast Kansas Library Newsletter June 2024

The SEKnFind Newsletter
June 2024

We hope you enjoy this newsletter sent as a courtesy to adult patrons of a southeast Kansas library using the SEKnFind catalog.
This selection of titles are NEW at a SEKnFind library and available for a hold.
Need assistance? Your local librarian can show you how!
Happy Reading!

New Fiction

All the colors of the dark : a novel
by Chris Whitaker

After a string of disappearances in 1975 Missouri, a one-eyed boy heroically thwarts a kidnapping, igniting a chain of events that blur the lines between triumph and tragedy as the townspeople of Monta Clare confront hidden truths.

Hall of mirrors
by John Copenhaver

Suspicious after his lover and writing partner’s death in house fire is ruled a suicide in 1954 Washington, DC, Lionel joins forces with two friends and amateur sleuths to investigate and stop a serial killer.

The unwedding
by Allyson Braithwaite Condie

Recent divorcee Ellery Wainwright, while staying at the luxurious Resort at Broken Point in Big Sur, finding the place beautiful, yet unsettling, especially when a mudslide traps her and the other guests with a murderer who has something horrific in store for them all.

The glassmaker
by Tracy Chevalier

From the height of Renaissance-era Italy to the present day, this spellbinding novel follows Orsola Rosso and her family of glassblowers as they live through creative triumph and heartbreaking loss, and how through every era, the Rosso women ensure their work, and their bonds, endure.

Lula Dean’s little library of banned books ; : a novel
by Kirsten Miller

When Lula Dean, trying to rid public libraries of“pornographic” books, starts her own lending library in front of her home, Lindsay, the daughter of Lula’s arch nemesis, sneaks in nightly, secretly filling it with banned books wrapped in“wholesome” dust jackets, changing the lives of those who borrow them in unexpected ways.

You should be so lucky : a novel
by Cat Sebastian

Ordered by the team’s owner to give a bunch of interviews to reporter Mark Bailey, baseball shortstop, Eddie O’Leary, during the 1960 season, slowly gives in to the attraction between them, and when it’s just them against the world, they must decide if that’s enough. Original.

Horror movie : a novel
by Paul Tremblay

The only surviving cast member of a notorious, disturbing 1993 art house horror movie joins the remake, but begins having trouble distinguishing between reality and film in the new novel by the author of The Pallbearers Club. 150,000 first printing.

How to become the Dark Lord and die trying
by Django Wexler

“Davi has done this all before. She’s tried to be the hero and take down the all-powerful Dark Lord. A hundred times she’s rallied humanity and made the final charge. But the time loop always gets her in the end. Sometimes she’s killed quickly. Sometimesit takes a while. But she’s been defeated every time. This time? She’s done being the hero and done being stuck in this endless time loop. If the Dark Lord always wins, then maybe that’s who she needs to be. It’s Davi’s turn to play on the winning side”

The stardust grail
by Yume Kitasei

Once the best art thief in the galaxy, anthropology student Maya Hoshimoto, when an old friend comes to her with a job she cannot refuse: find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction, sending her on a breakneck quest through the universe with her visions as a guide.

The wealth of shadows : a novel
by Graham Moore

In 1939, Ansel Luxford uproots his family and moves to Washington, D.C., to work on a clandestine project to undermine Nazi Germany, one involving economic warfare, and is plunged into a world of espionage, danger and deceit, especially when his wife takes a job with the FBI, bringing subterfuge to the home front.

A lonesome place for dying : a novel
by Nolan Chase

The town’s new chief of police, Ethan Brand, receiving threats on his first day on the job, is faced with the first homicide case Blaine, Washington, has seen in years and with no one to trust, must find the killers and bring them to justice before anyone else winds up dead.

Iron star
by Loren D. Estleman

A pioneering film star searching for a cinematic story that will launch his career, Buck Jones approaches a retired Pinkerton detective to set the record straight about the larger-than-life Deputy U.S. Marshal Iron St. John to tell the truth about this part-time hero in the American West.

New Audiobooks

Long Island
by Colm Toibin

In 1976 Lindenhurst, Long Island, Ellis Lacey, an Irishwoman in her 40s with no one to rely on in this still-new country, discovers her husband got a woman pregnant and the woman’s husband refuses to raise it, forcing Ellis to decide what she will do and not do in this unexpected situation.

The Rom-Commers
by Katherine Center

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies, good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates it’s a break too big to pass up. Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone, much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script, it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme. But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself.

Red Sky Mourning
by Jack Carr

When three seemingly disconnected events are about to ignite a power grab unlike anything the world has seen, Navy SEAL sniper James Reece, to save America, must reconnect to a quantum computer called“Alice” who is positioned to act as either the county’s greatest savior or its worst enemy.

New Nonfiction

Swimming pretty : the untold story of women in water
by Vicki Valosik

Published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of synchronized swimming’s elevation to Olympic status, this breathtaking book, tracing a century of aquatic performance, from vaudeville and dime museums to the Olympic arena, honors the grit, glamor and sheer athleticism of an utterly unique sport that forever changed women’s relationships with water. Illustrations.

Raising a socially successful child : teaching kids the nonverbal language they need to communicate, connect, and thrive
by Stephen Nowicki

Reveals how to identify the nonverbal areas where a child might be struggling, and equips readers with a set of simple exercises for helping any child learn how to: follow the rhythm of conversations, respect others’ personal space and much more.

The art and science of connection : why social health is the missing key to living longer, healthier, and happier
by Kasley Killam

In this groundbreaking redefinition of health and wellbeing, an internationally recognized expert in social health argues that the definition of wellbeing is missing a major component: social connection, proving that relationships not only make us happy, but they are also critical to our overall health and longevity.

Crossing the desert : the power of embracing life’s difficult journeys
by Payam Zamani

“By blending the personal with the historical and the technical with the motivational, Crossing the Desert gives readers an intimate look at how the paths we choose, the values we embrace, and the systems we decide to participate in-or not-can make or break us, not only financially, but spiritually”

The great river : the making and unmaking of the Mississippi
by Boyce Upholt

In this landmark work of natural history, a journalist tells the epic story of the Mississippi River and the centuries of efforts to control it, which have damaged its once-vibrant ecosystems, carrying readers along the river’s last remaining backchannels and exploring how scientists hope to restore what has been lost. Illustrations.

Dog smart : life-changing lessons in canine intelligence
by Jennifer S. Holland

Based on evidence from trainers, owners, behaviorists and the animals themselves, this cutting-edge science narrative, filled with heartwarming and tail-wagging case studies, seeks to understand the world’s smartest dogs and how they got that way. Illustrations.

Big dip energy : 88 parties in a bowl for snacking, dinner, dessert, and beyond!
by Alyse Whitney

“Food editor, recipe developer, and TV host Alyse Whitney has been a Dip Queen for decades, making her the perfect diplomat for this first-of-its-kind cookbook. Big Dip Energy offers endless fun and easy ways to both entertain and enjoy solo with creative dips and dippers”

FS City Commission Agenda for July 2

NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR REGULAR

MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION

City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

July 2, 2024 – 6:00 P.M.

 

  1.     Call to Order
  2.     Roll Call

Tim VanHoecke,  Matthew Wells,   Dyllon Olson,   Kathryn Salsbury,  Tracy Dancer

III.       Pledge of Allegiance

  1. Invocation
  2. Approval of Agenda
  3. Consent Agenda
  4. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1363-A – Expense Approval Report – Payment Dates June 12, 2024 – June 25, 2024$1,907,395.59
  5. Approval of Minutes for June 18, 2024
  6. Request to Pay – Hofer, Hofer & Associates, Inc. – Application No. 4 – Gunn Park Restroom & Shower House$2,250.00
  7. Request to Pay – Earles Engineering & Inspection, Inc. – Invoice #17366 – Project No. 22-656 PS – (6) Additional Lake Lots – Lake Fort Scott Boundary Survey$5,760.00

 

VII.    Public CommentSign up required before the beginning of the meeting on register at the entrance of the Commission Room. Public Comments are for any topic not on the agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at the Commission’s discretion.

VIII.     AppearancesMust be scheduled with the City Clerk at least (1) week prior to the meeting             

              you wish to address the Commission. You will be scheduled on the agenda to speak on your topic.

  1. Travis SawyerTemporary Street Closure – Heylman between 6th and 7th – July 4, 2024 – 3:30PM – 11:00PM
  2. Jason Marbury – RHID

 

  1. Old Business
  2. Consideration of Resolution No. 12-2024 –RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE REPAIR OR REMOVAL OF AN ALLEGED UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURE – KNOWN AS [110 W. OAK], FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 Tabled from April 2, 2024 Owner to return with requested information for the Commission – Removed from April 16, 2024, AgendaMay 7, 2024 – Owner appeared and motion approved to extend time to July 2, 2024, with conditions. – L. Kruger

 

 

  1. New Business

            Action Items:

  1. Consideration of Change Order Request for Electrical Requirements – Grit Removal System at WWTP – Estimate #1019 by KTK Electric LLC – $17,681.30 – S. Flater
  2. Lake Lot Discussion Continued – Requested by D. Olson
  3. Dispatch Discussion – B. Matkin
  4. Consideration of Approval of License to Sell Retail Cereal Malt Beverages For Consumption on the Premises (New License) – OUTPOST 13 WEST – 13 W. Oak, Fort Scott, Bourbon County, KS 66701.
  5. Revenue Neutral Worksheet Oliphant

 

  1. Reports and Comments
  2. City Manager Comments
  3.  Engineering Comments
  4.   Commissioners Comments
  5. City Attorney Comments

 

 

XII.      Executive Session

 

XIII.     Adjourn

The “Be” Word by Patty LaRoche

Patty LaRoche. 2023.
Author: A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection
www.alittlefaithlift.com
AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)

When people say that they are working hard to become more like Jesus, I wonder how that plays out.  How many sacrifices of their time, money and talents are necessary to meet that goal, and what is their attitude as they strive to get there?  It took me years to realize that I cannot “do” enough to be Christ-like.  What I can do is “Behold” Jesus by “Being” with him, and then God will help me surrender and “Become” like him. Personally, I’m thrilled that this is God’s job and not mine.  It would be yet another thing at which I fail miserably.

I recently heard a pastor say that surrender cannot happen without transformation, but don’t I need to surrender so that God helps me be transformed?   I cannot undo my addictions or my propensity to anger or my selfishness or my desire to not forgive until I surrender my right to do as I please…which means I would be transformed, right? As long as I crave control, I have no chance of becoming like Jesus because that craving is rooted in my pride and my desire to be in charge instead of allowing God to run my show.

The story in the Bible about the Tower of Babel is applicable today.  “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves…” Get that?  Not for “God” but for “ourselves.”  How many of us seek self-importance instead of allowing God to be the important One in our lives?  We strive to acquire more.  More power.  More money.  More respect.  More happiness.

More. More. More. Meanwhile, there is only striving and no surrender, no transformation.

In Philippians 3:8-14 (MSG), Paul explains how he surrendered. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him…I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself… I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.                Paul was saying that everything fails but Jesus. He’s right.  Everything we strive to accomplish or possess on earth will fade away.  Jesus won’t.  He can’t.

Sometimes, when I’m looking for stories of transformation, I Google “People whose lives were radically changed by Jesus.” Even shock-rocker Alice Cooper speaks about the difference Jesus made in his life.  The list is endless, but the results are all the same: Being with Jesus transforms lives.

How do I know if I’ve surrendered?  If I’ve been transformed?  I will have unspeakable joy and peace and know that life is not about me.  Rather, it’s about the One who created me, the One Who wants me to Be with Jesus so that He will make me Become like him.

In truth, my job is the easy one.

City of Fort Scott’s East National Avenue Project: KDOT Awarded

Governor Kelly Announces $8.6M Awarded to
Cost Share Program Projects

EDWARDSVILLE – Governor Laura Kelly and Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed today announced that $8.6 million will be awarded to 14 transportation construction projects through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Cost Share Program for spring 2024.

“These new Cost Share projects will repair and modernize transportation infrastructure in communities across Kansas,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Collaboration on these selected projects address short-term challenges to bring long-term solutions to the places Kansans call home.”

Governor Kelly lauded the 104th Street sidewalk expansion in the City of Edwardsville as a prime example of how a Cost Share project can benefit a community. Enhancements to the city’s pedestrian facilities will fill the largest gap in pedestrian access between K-32 and the elementary school and encourage safe non-motorized access to school and recreational activities.

With today’s announcement, more than $260 million has been invested to support the 179 projects selected in the Cost Share Program since it began in the fall of 2019. Combining more than $146 million in state funding with more than $115 million in matching local funds has been a substantial boost to Kansas communities.

“Kansans understand the value of partnerships,” Kansas Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed said. “The Cost Share Program provides the opportunity for partnership between KDOT and communities to solve local transportation issues through shared investment. Addressing these infrastructure projects enables solutions that will help these communities and residents keep moving forward for generations.”

Both rural and urban areas can submit transportation projects that improve safety, support job retention and growth, relieve congestion, and improve access and mobility. The program is part of the Kelly administration’s 10-year, bipartisan Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, or IKE.

Click here to view a map of the 14 Cost Share Program projects announced today. These projects are also listed below:

  • City of Baxter Springs – Bagcraft Boulevard improvements.
  • City of Edwardsville – 104th Street sidewalk expansion.
  • City of Fort Scott – East National Avenue project.
  • City of Hesston – East-west community connection.
  • City of Hoisington – Green and Vine Street resurfacing and pedestrian improvements.
  • City of Inman – Street improvements for Nikkel Addition.
  • City of Norton – Oliver Lane and Franklin Avenue paving project.
  • City of Sabetha – Kansas Road and 14th Street surfacing.
  • City of St. John – St. John Street improvements.
  • City of Wamego – Kaw Valley Road improvements.
  • Cloud County – Noble Road pavement preservation project.
  • Lane County – Airport runway and county road improvements.
  • Seward County – Meade Lake Road HMA overlay.
  • Wallace County – Smoky Hill River low water crossings project.

More information about KDOT’s Cost Share Program is on KDOT’s website at https://www.ksdot.org/CostShare/CostShareProgram.asp.