Fort Scott Police Officer Derick Burke wears one of the newly acquired body-worn cameras the department recently received.
A few weeks ago the Fort Scott Police Department began wearing body-worn cameras.
“We upgraded to a system that has both body cameras and car cameras,” FSPD Chief Travis Shelton said. “We always had car cameras.”
“We budgeted for them, approximately $65,000, and received them about three weeks ago,” he said.
Each of the five FSPD officers will additionally have a spare camera for charging purposes, Shelton said.
The cameras were purchased to give several benefits to the police department, Shelton said.
“We can better document calls for service, there is officer accountability, better evidence collection, we can document crime scenes,” he said.
Shelton said body-worn cameras also:
enhance officer and public safety,
enhance officer ability to document and review statements and actions for internal reporting requirements for courtroom preparation,
preserve video and audio information for current and future investigations,
are an impartial measurement for self-critic and field evaluation during duties conducted by an officer,
enhance public trust by presenting factual representations in the form of video/audio recordings.
In an emergency situation, when the patrolman turns on the car’s emergency lights, the body-worn camera automatically comes on, Officer Derick Burke said.
“It’s linked to the car camera,” Burke said.
No-shave November
The public may notice that some FSPD officers have beards, Shelton said.
In an effort to boost department morale, officers can grow beards this month, Shelton said.
“It’s ‘no-shave’ November at the Fort Scott Police Department,” he said.
Fort Scott Police Officer Derick Burke is one of five officers with the new body cameras.
Fort Scott Library Teen Advisory Group, front from left are Joshua Kobernat, Kayla Kobernat, Jadelynne Russell; back row: Zachary Beerbower, Daniel Watson, and Dominic Cannon.
Submitted by Valetta Cannon, Fort Scott Public Library Youth Librarian, and Assistant Director
Fort Scott Public LibraryTeen Advisory Group events for November:
November 8, 4-6 p.m., the teens will have their monthly games and snacks night in the library’s event room.
November 15, 4:15 – 5 p.m., the teens will create and share (if they want) creative writing short stories or poems. This will be the first teen creative writing night, in celebration of National Novel Writing Month.
November 29, 4:15 – 5 p.m. the teens will meet with at Common Ground Coffee for free treats while discussing this month’s Book Club story, “The Watsons go to Birmingham” by Christopher Paul Curtis.
What: Dinner & relaxed reading: tips and activities to help your child enjoy books
Featured Book: The Napping House
When: Tuesday, November 14, 2017, 6:00-7:00pm
Where: Fort Scott Preschool Center, 409 S. Judson, West entrance
Who: Special Guest, Youth Librarian & Assistant Director, Valetta Cannon
*Giveaways & door prizes!
*We will be wearing our pajamas and invite and encourage you all to do the same! We are providing dinner and story time. If you take care of baths before this adventure, the only evening task remaining for you is to tuck them in when you get home! We look forward to a great adventure in reading with you and yours! Please RSVP by Friday, November 10th to let us know how many we need to prepare food for. Thanks & see you there!!
The Fort Scott City Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 7 at City Hall, 123 S. Main.
On the agenda for the commission:
A certificate of appropriateness will be reviewed for 9 N. Main, 11 N. Main and 13 N. Main on the Old Fort Blvd. side of the building.
There will be public hearings on the unsafe and dangerous structures at 747 S. Wilson St., 1837 E. First St., 616 S. Horton St., 701 S. Barbee and 1311 S. National Ave.
They will consider an ordinance to adopt a common consumption area.
They will consider an amendment to a development agreement with Super Market Developers, Inc.
There will be consideration of four-way stops at 2nd St. and National Ave. and 3rd St. and National Ave.
They will approve a quit claim deed for 716 S. Crawford.
Consideration will be given of closing Gunn Park for Christmas In The Park.
They will discuss the Stout Building.
Consideration will be given to annex La Roche Ball Complex.
They will consider approval of Jeanie Parker as KCAMP voting delegate for the city.
There will be an expansion of scope for river intake and dam improvement.
There will be a time change for the Dec. 5 commission meeting to 4 p.m. because of the downtown Christmas parade.
Several traffic lights in the south one-half of Fort Scott were out, following the power outage Saturday afternoon. Pictured is the recently installed lights at 23rd and Main Streets.
A piece of equipment called a lightning arrester, failed Saturday about 3:30 p.m. in the southern part of Fort Scott and some rural areas south of town. Power was restored in stages between 5 and 6 p.m., according to Gina Penzig, media relations manager with Westar Energy.
“It was in a sub-station that serves Fort Scott,” Penzig said.
About 3,000 customers of Westar, were affected, she said.
Penzig encourages people while the power is on and the weather is fine to download the Westar app, mywestar and/or sign up for text alerts.
To register for text alerts on a mobile phone, text 97827 and send “reg”. Then if there is a power outage in the future, text to that same number and send “out” for the outage, she said.
Calling 1-800-544-4857 or 1-800-LIGHTKS is another way to tell of a power outage and a person can also go to westarenergy.com and report it there, Penzig said. Click “Outage Center” to see the map of the affected area and how to prepare for an outage.
“On the outage map, you can see if someone is on the way and an outline of the affected area and when electricity will be back on,” she said.
It is best to prepare ahead of time for power outages with a storm kit of bottled water, batteries, charging up a cell phone, and making sure flashlights are working, she said. For an extensive list of preparedness, see the website.
“For winter storms, we usually have advance notice of severe weather,” Penzig said.
If power lines are down, assume they are live and call 911, she said.
Check for damage to electric meter boxes and the power line that attaches to the house.
“If the damage is to those items, you may need an electrician before we can safely reconnect power,” she said.
Using the different messages received from Westar, “You will want to see if you should stay home or find shelter somewhere else she said. In addition, check on neighbors safety, she added.
Renowned expert Elaine K. Sanchez speaks on “Finding Hope, Humor and Heart in Caregiving”
FORT SCOTT, KAN. (Nov. 3, 2017) – Caring for a loved one or friend during a long-term illness may be one of the most rewarding and selfless things a person can experience. It may also be taxing on the caregiver’s physical and emotional health.
That’s why it’s important to learn more about the delicate balancing act in the role of caregiver.
Mercy Fort Scott Home Health and Hospice invites the public, as well as registered nurses, respiratory therapists, and other clinicians to attend “Finding Hope, Humor and Heart in Caregiving” by Elaine K. Sanchez on Thursday, November 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene.
The presentation will cover many topics including anger, guilt, depression, grief, and self-care. There will also be time to visit with local professionals to collect helpful information and resources about being a caregiver.
Register online at www.mercy.net/FtScottCares by Nov. 24. Lunch is provided. Space is limited, so register today.
The general admission fee is $10 or $60 for six CEUs. CEUs can be provided to Registered Nurses and Respiratory Therapist. Certificates of Completion will be given for all other disciplines.
For more information, contact Chris Welch at (620) 223-8060.
Note: Partial funding was provided by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation. FSACF serves to fulfill the philanthropic goals that benefit the common good and improve quality of life by providing leadership and programming that is responsive to the interests and needs of the residents of the Fort Scott area.
Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2017 by Truven, an IBM Watson Health company, serves millions annually. Mercy includes 44 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, more than 700 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 40,000 co-workers and more than 2,000 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
Advance voting may be done at the Bourbon County Courthouse.
Advance voting for the November 7 election for city and school boards has begun. Don’t forget to bring photo identification to the Bourbon County Courthouse if choosing to vote early.
To see who is running and for what position, reference here:
2017 Fort Scott Area Community Foundation grant award recipients received checks Thursday during a presentation at the weekly Chamber of Commerce coffee.
Local helping agencies, businesses, and organizations were presented with grant awards Thursday morning as part of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee, at the Landmark Bank in downtown Fort Scott.
“From the interest of the general endowment fund, we are handing out $30,000 today,” Blake Hudson, chairman of the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation (FSACF) board, said. “Last year $150,000 was raised for the general fund.”
Hudson said a new fundraising campaign is set to begin with FSACF.
This year, 29 entities submitted grant applications this year, with 18 funded, he said.
Grant committee members are Hudson, Stephanie Witt, Greg Mottley, Larry Seals, Patty LaRoche and adviser, Dave Martin.
LaRoche is committee chair of the granting committee.
Tri-Valley Developmental Services’ Tim Cunningham receives a check from Fort Scott Area Community Foundation Board Members Blake Hudson and Patty Laroche. Tri-Valley will replace several aging computers with the money.John Lair, right, representing Special Olympics, received a check for purchasing medals for entrants in the special event.Christa Horn, left, Court Appointed Special Advocates, received a grant for training new volunteers.Reed Hartford, left, receives a grant award representing the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site, to provide teen internships for the fort.Cheryl Larson, left, representing Presbyterian Manors, receives a check to create an arbor and garden area for residents.Meredith Reid, left, receives a check to help refurbish the local school district’s grand piano. She is representing Friends of U.S.D. 234.LaShawn Noel, left, receives a check to purchase caregiver’s training journals for stressed-out caregivers. She is representing Mercy Hospital.Elaine Buerge, right, receives a check for the Bourbon County Arts Council to help fund an art fair at the 2nd Story Festival of Arts and Ideas.Briann Martin, left, representing Fort Scott Festival of Arts, receives a check to help local and regional students become involved in the festival.Lowell Milken’s Center for Unsung Heroes’ Jessica Schenkel receives a check to purchase local author Kathy Werling’s book on bullying, to be used in classrooms and libraries.Representatives for Friends of Two Girls and a Zoo, left, receive a check to promote the well-being and support of the zoo’s animals.Representatives of the City of Fort Scott receive grant money for lights for the pickle-ball courts.Lindsay Madison, left, receives a check to provide adult mentors with materials to partner with students interested in a specified career. She is representing U.S.D. 234 and the Chamber who collaborate in the program.Janet Tucker, left, representing Kansas Seventh-Day Adventists, receives grant money to provide bags and comfort items for kids who are displaced from their home.Jean Tucker, right, receives a check for Feeding Families in His Name, to help fund a free weekly meal provided for impoverished families.City of Fort Scott’s Rhonda Dunn, left, receives a check to develop a Land Bank to help make decisions about property management in an effort to renovate dilapidated, tax-forclosed properties.Lavetta Simmons, right, receives grant money to help meet the financial needs of families stricken with cancer. She is representing Care to Share.
The Beacon inadvertently did not receive a check at the coffee and will at a later date. The helping agency received a grant to add healthy food additions to the food pantry they facilitate.
Fort Scott High School Carpentry Instructor Larry Lawrence tells students of the work needed to complete the first kiosk the class is working on as a community project. From left are Cole Rogers, junior; Hunter Davis, senior; Averie Ryburn, junior; Caleb Rhoades, senior; Lawrence, Tracy Watkins, senior; Tristan Stone, junior; and Cole Hall, sophomore. The classes are building information kiosks that will be placed on trails in Fort Scott and Uniontown.
New wayfinding signs will soon dot the walking/biking trails in Fort Scott and Uniontown.
With $7,500 received in late summer from The American Planning Associations Kansas Chapter and Pathways to Healthy Kansas, the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team will provide information kiosks to be placed around the county, according to Jody Hoener, member of the team.
Hoener is also a member of the sub-committee tasked with pulling the kiosk project together. Also serving on the sub-committee are Todd Farrell, Frank Halsey, Lindsay Madison, and Jerry Witt.
Each kiosk will have maps of the trail and the surrounding community placed on them for reference to walkers/bikers using the trails, Hoener said.
The 10- foot- long, four-foot-wide and nine- feet -high wooden signs with roofs will be placed at Riverfront Loop Road, Bell Town Trail, the new trail at Gunn Park, Ellis Park Trail, Fort Scott Community College Trail, Industrial Park Trail, and in the western part of the county, the Uniontown Trail.
FSHS teacher, Larry Lawrence, works with students Averie Ryburn, Tristan Stone and Tracy Watkins on the rafters of the second kiosk in production at the school. To the left is the finished roof of the first kiosk.
The construction of the kiosks is being completed by Fort Scott High School Carpentry Classes, under the instruction of Larry Lawrence.
Lawrence was looking for community projects for his students to work on, he said.
This summer, Fort Scott Superintendent of Parks Todd Farrell called with the kiosk idea, Lawrence said.
Two carpentry classes have been working on them since school started, Lawrence said.
“We are building four (kiosks) right now, and maybe four in the spring,” Lawrence said.
“They gave me the initial plans and I created them in more detail on AutoCAD (computer-aided design),” Lawrence said.
Simon Ballou will do the artwork for the kiosks and Darren Crays will print and apply the work on plastic panels, Crays said.
“Frank Halsey is going to take them to his place (following completion),” Lawrence said. “He’ll keep them until the city is ready to put them up.”
New sidewalks to be unveiled Nov. 14
The proposed new sidewalks in Uniontown. Taken from the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Facebook page.The Fort Scott sidewalk plan to be proposed on Nov. 14, taken from the Health Bourbon County Action Team Facebook page.
In addition to wayfaring signs, the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team has been planning for more sidewalks in the county.
That team, along with PedNet will be at both the Fort Scott City Commission and the Uniontown City Council November 14 to show the results of the sidewalk plans, according to its Facebook page. They will unveil the proposed non-motorized transportation plan from 5-6 p.m. at the Fort Scott City Hall, 123 S. Main, and from 7-8 p.m. at Uniontown City Hall, 206 Sherman, on the east side of the square.
PedNet is a non-profit consulting firm specializing in Safe Routes to School, non-motorized transportation, and nutrition, according to the Facebook page.
