Allen Schellack, Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries Outreach Center, shows the bell and bucket needed to volunteer for the Salvation Army fundraising campaign.
It’s that time of year again!
The Salvation Army needs volunteers to ring bells in their annual fundraising campaign.
Allen Schellack, Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries(FSCM), is seeking bell ringers in partnership with the Salvation Army.
The hours and days are flexible, he said.
Individuals, families, churches, and community service organizations are encouraged to call 620-223-2212 to set up a time to serve.
All donations stay in Bourbon County, he said.
This year $4,134.47 is assistance was provided to local families.
FSCM is the designated Salvation Army Disaster Relief and Services Extension Unit for Bourbon County. Through the partnership the following services are provided:
disaster relief,
rental and utility assistance,
prescriptions (no narcotics),
temporary lodging,
gasoline for work or doctor,
vision help(eyeglasses),
Salvation Army Kids Camp,
and other unspecified needs are on a case by case basis.
In addition, FSCM is a volunteer organization that provided these services in 2016-17:
fire disaster packs,
homeless/transition assist packs,
Christmas presents for teens,
school supplies for middle and high school students.
Fort Scott Compassionate Care Ministries is located on the second floor at 26 N. Main. Pass through the Senior Citizens Center to get there.
Anicia Robinson, activities director at Presbyterian Village shows one her favorite trees in the contest Thursday morning while waiting for the judges to arrive.
New to the Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County’s Homes for the Holidays Tour, December 2 and 3, is Presbyterian Village, an assisted living facility at 2401 S. Horton.
“At this location, we are showcasing the Christmas tree decorating contest in Fort Scott where over 15 trees were entered and are all uniquely decorated using creativity and class,” Ginger Nance, executive director of Presbyterian Village, said.
Christmas trees are displayed throughout the facility.
Dr. Grant Hartman, daughter, Zoey, and wife, Dr. Heather Davis, decorate a tree Thursday morning for the Presbyterian Village Christmas Tree Contest. They own Hartman Spine and Joint.
Businesses, organizations, and individuals could enter the tree decorating contest.
Since Presbyterian Village is in the Homes for the Holidays tour the Christmas trees will be on display the same hours on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
For more information contact the village at 620-644-4362.
Quilts are a new addition to the Homes for the Holidays Tour this weekend. They will be featured at the Beaux Arts Center at First Street and National Avenue.Grace Kramer looks at the quilts on display at the Beaux Art Center Thursday during the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee.
Quilts are an American form of art, Rhonda Dunn told attendees at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee Thursday morning.
Dunn said in her family a previous generation of sisters exchanged cloth handkerchiefs as presents. A few of the “hanky’s” are in quilts on display at the first-ever quilt show during the Homes for the Holiday Tour.
The quilts are part of an exhibit at the Beaux Arts Center, owned by Denise and Bobby Duncan, who live on the third floor of the center.
The center is just north of the Fort Scott Post Office on National Avenue.
People who purchase $15 Homes for the Holidays Tour tickets can view the quilts from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets will allow entry to three featured homes, the quilt show and Presbyterian Village’s Christmas Tree Contest, 2401 S. Horton.
Deb Martin stands near a “hanky” quilt she made with her Grandmother Carrie Carpenter in the late 1980s.Rhonda Dunn speaks during the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee amid the quilts that will be on display in the Homes for the Holidays Tour.
The theme of this year’s Fort Scott Christmas Parade is Christmas Vacation. The event starts at 6 p.m. at Third and Main Streets, heading north on Main to Skubitz Plaza.
“People can have fun with that,” Lindsay Madison, executive director of Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce said. “They can play off the movie by the same name or what they do on Christmas vacation.”
Prizes will be awarded for first place, $75; second place, $50 and third place, $25. Briggs Automall of Fort Scott is providing the prize money.
New this year is a theme decorated golf cart category, with a $25 prize for the winning entry.
Fort Scott Recreation Department will offer free hot chocolate before and during the parade.
The parade entries will exit the parade at Skubitz Plaza, past the Mayor’s Christmas Tree. The tree will be lit following the parade by Mayor JoLynne Mitchell.
Pre-register for children lucky-draw prizes at Papa Don’s Restaurant, 10. N. Main prior to the parade. Pre-registration is from Friday, Dec. 1 until Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. when the parade starts.
Names for lucky-draw prizes will be drawn following the parade for children. Categories are as follows: ages 3-8, both boys and girls; 9-14, both boys and girls and one prize for children 14-18 years old. The drawing will take place after the Christmas tree lighting.
Mayor Mitchell will give some brief comments, then Santa will go to Papa Don’s Restaurant Celebration Room for children to visit with him.
Each child that comes to visit Santa at Papa Don’s will receive a book, compliments of USD 234.
Fort Scott High School Pride Club students will have Christmas crafts for children to do while waiting in line for Santa in the big room of the restaurant.
Walgreen Drug Store will take a free 4 X6 inch photograph of children with Santa. The photo may be picked at the store, later.
Local author Cathy Werling will have an author reading and book signing of her book “Why Did Grandpa Cry” at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Saturday, December 9 at the Lowell Milken Center, Wall and Main Streets.
For more information contact the center at 620-223-1312
The La Roche Baseball Complex is located south of the city and parallel to U.S. Hwy. 69.
The City of Fort Scott recently annexed the LaRoche Baseball Complex into the city limits at a recent meeting.
The complex is located in the industrial park south of the city on U.S. 69 Hwy.
“The city maintains the complex,” Rhonda Dunn, Fort Scott Community Development Director, said. “They do the mowing, the maintenance, the painting, the lights, etc. It makes sense, that since the city owns the park, it should be within the city limits.”
A board oversees the park, which includes members from the city, Fort Scott’s school district, and the LaRoche family.
The Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National Avenue.
The following information is the public record available at the Bourbon County Courthouse, third floor, district court office.
Joseph W. Banker, age 36, is a defendant whose case is pending in Bourbon County for the charges of sexual solicitation, sexual exploitation, and sexual battery.
In May 2017 the Bourbon County District Court filed a case against Banker in Oklahoma, for the charges and he was arrested.
A hearing was held on November 17, 2017, in which Banker pleaded No Contest to two of the charges. The preliminary hearing was waived.
Banker pleaded No Contest, thereby waiving his right to a trial. No Contest is an admission by Banker that the prosecution has sufficient evidence to prove his guilt and will not contest such evidence.
His plea of No Contest is the result of a plea agreement between the Bourbon County Attorney Justin Meeks and Bank’s attorney, Christopher Meek.
He is pleading No Contest in connection with Count II and Count III charges against him in the amended complaint/information.
Count II reads that between August 1, 2009, and September 21, 2009, Banker sexually exploited a child under 18 years of age. The charge is a severity level five, person felony with a minimum sentence of 31 months imprisonment, a maximum of 136 months and a fine up to $300,000.
Count III reads that between November 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, Banker sexually exploited another child under 18 years of age. The charge is a severity level five, person felony with a minimum sentence of 31 months imprisonment, a maximum of 136 months and a fine up to $300,000.
There will be a plea hearing on December 8, 2017, at 1:15 p.m. in series before the Honorable Judge Amy Harth.
Banker is a former youth pastor at Community Christian Church.
Looking northwest from the corner of Jayhawk Road and Liberty Bell Road. This land is being rezoned for future development by Peerless Products and Labconco Corporation on Dec. 5
Land south and east of El Charro Restaurant will be annexed into the city with Peerless Products and Labconco Corporation planning to develop the properties, according to a city official.
The City of Fort Scott will rezone the Emory Arnold Trust land, located on U.S. Highway 69 for redevelopment on Dec.5, Rhonda Dunn, Fort Scott Community Development Director said.
“Part of it is the Emory Arnold Trust, south of El Charro Restaurant, down to Jayhawk Road to Liberty Bell Road,” she said. “Peerless and Labconco are buying the properties for future development.”
The land will be annexed into the city.
Labconco Corporation is located at 2500 Liberty Bell Road, while Peerless Products, Inc. is located at 2403 S. Main Street, parallel to U.S. 69 Hwy.
Emery Arnold’s home in the photo, at right. The Emery Arnold Trust land is being rezoned Dec. 5.
Emory Arnold was a prominent Fort Scottian who died in 2015 at age 98. He served in positions at Fort Scott Community College as the registrar, assistant dean, athletic director and vice president until his retirement in 1981, according to his obituary. The arena at FSCC bears his name.
· 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
Westar Energy, Inc. Fort Scott office on Old Fort Boulevard.
Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy Shareholders Approve Merger at Special Shareholder Meetings
Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR) and Great Plains Energy Incorporated (NYSE: GXP), the parent company of Kansas City Power & Light (“KCP&L”), announced on Nov. 21 at their respective shareholder meetings that shareholders overwhelmingly approved the proposals necessary for the merger between the two companies. More than 90 percent of the shares voted at each company approved the transaction.
“We are excited about today’s approval from shareholders of both Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy. This vote indicates that both companies’ shareholders believe in our combined ability to create a stronger regional energy provider, positioned to better serve all of our customers,” said Terry Bassham, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Great Plains Energy and KCP&L. “This new combined company will ensure we keep ownership of our utility assets in our region to grow local economies.”
“Customers and shareholders will benefit by combining Westar Energy and Great Plains Energy into a strong Midwest utility,” said Mark Ruelle, president and chief executive officer of Westar Energy. “Our geography and history of partnership position us to bring efficiencies and savings by joining our operations. We continue to make progress toward completing the transaction in the first half of 2018.”
Westar Energy and Great Plains Energy announced a revised transaction in July 2017 after the Kansas Corporation Commission denied the companies’ original request to combine in April. This revised agreement involves no transaction debt, no exchange of cash, and is a stock-for-stock merger of equals, creating a company with a combined equity value of approximately $15 billion.
The merger is expected to help maintain reliable, low-cost energy for the company’s 1 million Kansas customers and nearly 600,000 customers in Missouri. Additionally, with one of the largest renewable energy portfolios in the nation, the new combined company will be a clean energy leader, supplying nearly half of its retail sales from emissions-free electricity.
Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Great Plains Energy Incorporated (NYSE: GXP) is the holding company of Kansas City Power & Light Company and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company, two of the leading regulated providers of electricity in the Midwest. Kansas City Power & Light Company and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company use KCP&L as a brand name. More information about the companies is available on the Internet at www.greatplainsenergy.com or www.kcpl.com.
About Westar Energy
As Kansas’ largest electric utility, Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR) provides customers the safe, reliable electricity needed to power their businesses and homes. Half the electricity supplied to the company’s 700,000 customers comes from emissions-free sources – nuclear, wind and solar – with a third coming from renewables. Westar is a leader in electric transmission in Kansas, coordinating a network of lines and substations that support one of the largest consolidations of wind energy in the nation. For more information about Westar Energy, visit www.WestarEnergy.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this communication that are not based on historical facts are forward-looking, may involve risks and uncertainties, and are intended to be as of the date when made. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the anticipated merger transaction of Great Plains Energy Incorporated (Great Plains Energy) and Westar Energy, Inc. (Westar Energy), including those that relate to the expected financial and operational benefits of the merger to the companies and their shareholders (including cost savings, operational efficiencies and the impact of the anticipated merger on earnings per share), the expected timing of closing, the outcome of regulatory proceedings, cost estimates of capital projects, dividend growth, share repurchases, balance sheet and credit ratings, rebates to customers, employee issues and other matters affecting future operations. In connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy are providing a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the provided forward-looking information. These important factors include: future economic conditions in regional, national and international markets and their effects on sales, prices and costs; prices and availability of electricity in regional and national wholesale markets; market perception of the energy industry, Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy; changes in business strategy, operations or development plans; the outcome of contract negotiations for goods and services; effects of current or proposed state and federal legislative and regulatory actions or developments, including, but not limited to, deregulation, re-regulation and restructuring of the electric utility industry; decisions of regulators regarding rates that the companies can charge for electricity; adverse changes in applicable laws, regulations, rules, principles or practices governing tax, accounting and environmental matters including, but not limited to, air and water quality; financial market conditions and performance including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates and credit spreads and in availability and cost of capital and the effects on derivatives and hedges, nuclear decommissioning trust and pension plan assets and costs; impairments of long-lived assets or goodwill; credit ratings; inflation rates; effectiveness of risk management policies and procedures and the ability of counterparties to satisfy their contractual commitments; impact of terrorist acts, including, but not limited to, cyber terrorism; ability to carry out marketing and sales plans; weather conditions including, but not limited to, weather-related damage and their effects on sales, prices and costs; cost, availability, quality and deliverability of fuel; the inherent uncertainties in estimating the effects of weather, economic conditions and other factors on customer consumption and financial results; ability to achieve generation goals and the occurrence and duration of planned and unplanned generation outages; delays in the anticipated in-service dates and cost increases of generation, transmission, distribution or other projects; Great Plains Energy’s and Westar Energy’s ability to successfully manage and integrate their respective transmission joint ventures; the inherent risks associated with the ownership and operation of a nuclear facility including, but not limited to, environmental, health, safety, regulatory and financial risks; workforce risks, including, but not limited to, increased costs of retirement, health care and other benefits; the ability of Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy to obtain the regulatory and shareholder approvals necessary to complete the anticipated merger or the imposition of adverse conditions or costs in connection with obtaining regulatory approvals; the risk that a condition to the closing of the anticipated merger may not be satisfied or that the anticipated merger may fail to close; the outcome of any legal proceedings, regulatory proceedings or enforcement matters that may be instituted relating to the anticipated merger; the costs incurred to consummate the anticipated merger; the possibility that the expected value creation from the anticipated merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; difficulties related to the integration of the two companies; the credit ratings of the combined company following the anticipated merger; disruption from the anticipated merger making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees, regulators or suppliers; the diversion of management time and attention on the anticipated merger; and other risks and uncertainties.
This list of factors is not all-inclusive because it is not possible to predict all factors. Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other materials that Great Plains Energy, Westar Energy and Monarch Energy Holding, Inc. (Monarch Energy) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with the anticipated merger. Other risk factors are detailed from time to time in quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K filed by Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy with the SEC. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement. Monarch Energy, Great Plains Energy, and Westar Energy undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
