All posts by Loretta George

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Canvass Of Election By County Commissioners Is Today

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Submitted by the county clerk’s office.

Following is the agenda for the Bourbon County Commission, located on the second floor of the courthouse, 210 S. National Ave.

 

Date: November 13th, 2017

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

10:00 a.m.- 2017 City/School General Canvass

Justifications for Executive Session:

· Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel

· Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

· Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency

· Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

· Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property

· Matters relating to the security of a public body or agency, public building or facility or the information system of a public body or agency, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize the security of such public body, agency, building, facility or information system

Fort Scott

St. Mary’s Honors Veterans

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Around the county today, several programs to honor area military veterans were given by school children.

St. Mary’s Catholic School presented an outside ceremony Friday afternoon for veterans.

Kindergarten through fifth-grade students gathered outside near the school’s flagpole to sing patriotic songs, say the pledge of allegiance, say a prayer for the veterans and then gave each veteran who attended a piece of artwork they had made.

St. Mary’s Elementary School Music Teacher, Mrs. Gorman, introduces the students to the attendees of their tribute to veterans.
The pledge of allegiance is recited by the students and the audience attending the presentation honoring veterans.
Students point to the American flag as part of the song “It’s A Grand Old Flag.”
Fifth-grade students at St. Mary’s thank veterans for their service during the ceremony at the school’s flagpole Friday afternoon.
Students sing patriotic songs while veterans that attended the ceremony stand at the flagpole.

 

Students present artwork and some hugs to veterans who attended the tribute ceremony Friday afternoon at St. Mary’s Catholic School.
Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Mercy Hospital Auxiliary Hosts Book Sale

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FORT SCOTT, Kan. (Nov. 10, 2017) – Mercy Hospital Auxiliary will host a book sale on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 17 from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Mercy Hospital main lobby.

The book sale is the perfect opportunity to purchase gifts for holidays.

The two-day fundraising event will feature hundreds of books for all ages at exceptional savings. Soft back, hard back, and even coffee table books are available for purchase. Also for sale are stationary, music, home décor and items for the kitchen. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express are accepted. Mercy co-workers have a payroll deduction option, too.

The Mercy Hospital Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that raises money to benefit the hospital and provides scholarships for the nursing students at Fort Scott Community College.

Over the 12 years decade, Mercy Auxiliary has donated over $850,000 to Mercy Hospital for state-of-the-art equipment, supplies and upgrading of services for the patients’ benefit through vending machine sales, proceeds of sales in the Mercy Market Place gift shop, and other specialty sales. Collectively, auxiliary members volunteer the equivalent of almost 6 full-time co-workers in hours of service each year to the hospital.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Coping with the Holidays

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Mercy Hospice and Konantz-Cheney partner to offer guidance

FORT SCOTT, Kan. (Nov. 8, 2017) – The holiday season can be especially difficult with the absence of a loved one. Mercy Hospice and Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home are co-sponsoring a “Coping with the Holidays” program on Wednesday, November 15 from 2-3:30 p.m. in the McAuley Conference Center at Mercy Hospital Fort Scott.

The educational program is open to the public and will offer guidance for those who have experienced a loss and offers tips on how to make it through the holidays without a loved one.  Caregivers and family members are welcome.

Facilitators for the program are Melissa George, Mercy Hospice chaplain; LaShawn Noel, Mercy Hospice social worker & volunteer coordinator; and Mike Cheney, Konantz-Cheney director.

Refreshments will be provided by Konantz-Cheney. Registration is not required.

For more information, contact Mercy Hospice at 620-223-8533.

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.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Fort Scott Holiday Open House

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The weather cooperated to make the annual Fort Scott Holiday Open House well attended Thursday evening. Shopping, eating,  and visiting with friends and acquaintances were highlights of the event.

A stuffed full-size Santa sits on a bench in front of The Iron Star store and gets a second look from Ernestine Eden.
Diners enjoy a dinner at Papa Don’s during the Holiday Open House Thursday.
Decorated Christmas trees were in abundance at the Liberty Theater.
Carla Farmer enjoys a conversation at the Main Street Gallery.
Shirley Palmer looks at merchandise at the Sunshine Boutique.
Merchants offered appetizers during the Holiday Open House.
Shoppers enjoy the sparkle of a Christmas tree at the Liberty Theater.
Colors from downtown Fort Scott lights add ambiance to shopping during the Holiday Open House.
Mary Eastwood takes a break to visit with Bob Eckles at her upholstery store, Here We Go Again
Young shoppers look over merchandise at the Country Cupboard Thursday evening.
Lora Holdridge shows off a Christmas treasure she found at the Holiday Open House.
Area News, Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Roadwork Activity Ongoing

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KDOT U.S. 69 Hwy. expansion roadwork last week, as seen from Eagle Road.

Kansas Department of Transportation and Bourbon County Public Works have both been working on roadways south of Fort Scott.

People who use Calvary Road will soon have access again, according to Priscilla Peterson, Public Affairs Manager with the Kansas Department of Transportation District 4.

Cherry Grove Baptist Church sits at the intersection of Calvary Rd. and  U.S. 69 Hwy. where the access is closed currently.

“Right now they are doing a re-route behind the church,” Peterson said. “If the weather is good, the Calvary Road access should be opened by the end of the month.”

KDOT personnel makes an effort to contact people before limiting access to a road, Peterson said.

The Calvary Road closure is part of the improvements being made to U.S. 69 Hwy.

The six-mile highway expansion to a four-lane upgradeable expressway, with access points, was started in March 2017 and is scheduled for completion November 2018, according to Peterson.

Two-way U.S. 69 Hwy. traffic is being maintained while building the new lanes, she said.

Road surfaces on 230th Street between Kansas and Jayhawk were changed from an asphalt road to a gravel road this year.

County Roads Converted From Asphalt To Gravel

Two county roads south-east of Fort Scott have been ripped up this year to eventually be improved, according to a county official.

Eagle Road between 69 Hwy. and 250th Street and 230th Street between Kansas and Jayhawk Roads were converted from asphalt back to gravel.

“This is part of a process,” Jim Harris, Bourbon County Public Works director, said. “We did several miles last year.”

“We turn it back into gravel, then our goal is to overlay on top in the spring,” Harris said. “We do a manual contraction, but leaving it over the winter helps with compaction.”

Exactly what improvements these roads receive is up to the Bourbon County Commissioners.

In March the Bourbon County Commission holds a public meeting annually to discuss the priorities for road repair and maintenance.

“We’ll have a work session on roads, ” Harris said. “I make recommendations about repair or maintain, the commission decides.It’s a public meeting. In March the road priorities are determined by the commission. They decide what roads we are going to reclaim.”

The gravel road has left at least one Garland area resident re-routing his travel.

“It’s so bad I don’t go down that way,” Raymond Kalm said. “It’s too rough and too dusty.”

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Looking For Something To Do?

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Thursday evening is the annual Holiday Open House where Fort Scott Merchants stay open from 5-8 p.m. for residents to get a jump start on holiday shopping.

Veterans will be honored at several community schools.

Friday there are several Veteran’s Day activities:

Uniontown High School will honor locals vets with coffee and donuts at the school at 8 a.m. followed by a school assembly to say “thank you”.

Winfield Scott Elementary School students will be performing for vets at 9 a.m.

Fort Scott High School students will present a ceremony in the high school gym at 11:15 a.m.

St. Mary’s Catholic School students will gather at the school’s flagpole to sing, pray and honor vets at 1 p.m.

Fort Scott Community College will host a Veteran’s Day fundraiser at the Ellis Fine Arts Center at 3 p.m. The food fundraiser will be a free-will donation to benefit Wreaths Across America for soldiers graves at Fort Scott National Cemetery during the Christimas season. The event is in conjunction with the induction ceremony of Phi Theta Kappa.

On Thursday, November 16 Eugene Ware Elementary School students will present a patriotic performance at 6:30 p.m. at the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College. Veterans are invited to attend.

For other events, this weekend,  click on the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce link below.

2017 November 10-12

Fort Scott

Body-Worn Cameras For Police Department

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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.

 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Election Results 2017

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The Bourbon County Courthouse, where the votes are tabulated.

The following are the unofficial results of the November 7, 2017 elections.

FSCC BOARD OF TRUSTEES: John Bartlesmeyer, 1,141; Elizabeth Meyer, 680; Tina Rockhold, 904;  Kevin  Wagner, 656.

USD #234 SCHOOL BOARD POSITION 4: Geoff Southwell, 418; David Stewart, 704.

USD #234 School  Board Position 5: Gary Billionis, 922

USD#234 School Board Position 6: Jamie Armstrong, 953

USD #235 School Board Position 4: Brian Stewart, 242

USD # 235 School Board Position 5: Mike Mason, 241

USD #235 School Board Position 6: Tyler Martin, 255

 

FOR MAYOR BRONSON: Alan Stewart, 57; Lee Roy Whitcomb, 20

FOR CITY COUNCIL BRONSON: Clearsia Botts, 64; Geraldine Reeder, 61; Charlotte Stewart, 43; Kathaleen Stewart,29; Michael Stewart. 50

 

CITY COMMISSION FT. SCOTT: Cheryl Adamson, 439; Carol MacArthur, 329; JoLynne Mitchell,544; Robert Nichols, 632.

 

FOR MAYOR FULTON: No Candidate Filed

FOR CITY COUNCIL FULTON: No Candidate Filed, 45 write-ins

FOR MAYOR MAPLETON: No Candidate Filed, 7 write-ins

FOR CITY COUNCIL MAPLETON: No Candidate Filed, 11 write-ins

FOR MAYOR UNIONTOWN: No Candidate Filed, 26 write-ins

FOR CITY COUNCIL UNIONTOWN: No Candidate Filed. 30 write-ins

FOR SOUTHWIND EXTENSION DISTRICT: Ethan Holly, 761; Terri Williams, 1037

 

FOR MAYOR REDFIELD: Clarence “Ed” Guss, 20

FOR CITY COUNCIL REDFIELD: Michael Beerbower,30;  Wilma  Graham,17; Clarence “Ed” Guss,20; Kirby Martin, 31; Richard A. Smith, 25.

 

 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Uncategorized

Library Teens November Events

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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.