All posts by Loretta George

Uncategorized

Appointments Available April 29 for CHC/SEK Pfizer vaccine Clinic 

Leave a comment

 

On Thursday, April 29, individuals can receive a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination at the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas in Fort Scott.  The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the only approved vaccine for ages 16-17 with parental consent, and anyone age 18 and up.
The vaccination clinic at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd will be held from 2 PM-4 PM by appointment only. This is a two-dose vaccine that is given 21 days apart.

Individuals can request a vaccine appointment on the CHC/SEK website chcsek.org. Click the COVID Vaccine Request button. After selecting the “first dose” button, there is an option to select the Pfizer vaccine. CHC/SEK representatives will contact the recipients to schedule a date for the vaccine.

For those without web access, the health center has a toll-free number, 866-888-8650 and a second number for Spanish-speakers 620-240-8940 to make vaccination appointments.

As with all COVID-19 vaccines, there is no out-of-pocket costs to vaccine recipients.

 

 

Government, Kansas

Governor Laura Kelly Signs Budget, Removes Certain Provisos

Leave a comment

~ HB 2007 includes significant funding to support vulnerable Kansans ~

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today signed House Bill 2007, the state budget for FY 2021 and FY 2022, which passed with bipartisan support. However, she line-item vetoed certain provisos resolved in existing legislation or that would be better addressed not in this budget but through better collaboration between agencies and stakeholders.

The following message is from Governor Laura Kelly regarding her signing of HB 2007, and her line-item vetoes:

“I want to thank the legislature for working together thoughtfully and expeditiously to pass this budget, which includes many enhancements to the work we began before the pandemic to restore funding through fiscally responsible tax and budget policy. There is still more work to be done, however, this budget includes significant funding to support some of the most vulnerable Kansans, including those in long-term care and those with intellectual disabilities. It also increases access to newborn screening, preventive mental health, and crisis services.

“While I support the majority of the provisions in this budget, there are items that have either been resolved in existing legislation or that would be better addressed not in this budget but through better collaboration between agencies and stakeholders. Other provisions tie funding mandates or prohibitions to blanket policies that should either be more narrowly tailored or independently vetted on their own merits through the regular legislative process.

“I look forward to working with the legislature to address the critical funding measures that must be passed during Omnibus. These include our constitutional obligation to adequately and equitably fund our K-12 public schools, salary increases for state employees, and restored funding for state agencies whose budgets were reduced as a precautionary measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Therefore, pursuant to Article 2, Section 14(b) of the Constitution of the State of Kansas, I hereby return House Bill 2007 with my signature approving the bill, except for the items enumerated below.”

State Bank Commissioner—Per Diem Increase for Kansas Banking Board Members

Section 4(b) has been line-item vetoed in its entirety.

This section would increase the per diem for members of the state banking board from $35 to $100 for the 2021 fiscal year, which ends in less than 70 days. The legislature should study this issue over the interim and make recommendations applicable to all boards and commissions. These recommendations should consider the fiscal impact of potential increases.

Legislative Coordinating Council—Room 221-E

Sections 29(d) and 31(a) have been line-item vetoed in their entirety. Additionally, the following portion of section 30(a) has also been vetoed:

  • Provided further, That notwithstanding the provisions of K.S.A. 75-3765a, and amendments thereto, or any other statute, expenditures shall be made by the above agency from the legislative coordinating council – operations account of the state general fund for fiscal year 2022 for the designation and identification of room 221-E of the state capitol building as a meditation room.

These sections would designate Room 221-E as the meditation room in the Statehouse. I support legislative efforts to provide a meditation space in one of the many rooms in the Capitol that remain unused for much of the year and are more convenient, more accessible, and closer to the public entrance.

Room 221-E, which is adjacent to the rest of the Governor’s Office and has been designated as part of the Governor’s Office space in the Statehouse, is currently being used by our constituent services team to provide critical assistance to Kansans on unemployment issues, proclamations, questions regarding legislative matters, and other inquiries.

Continue reading Governor Laura Kelly Signs Budget, Removes Certain Provisos →

Bourbon County, Entertainment, Food, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Good Ol’ Days: A Go For 2021

Leave a comment
Vendors lined Main Street in 2017.

Good Ol’ Days, Bourbon County’s biggest festival, is a go for June 3-5, 2021.

 

Last year there was a celebration of the event’s 40 years planned, but the COVID-19 Pandemic shut it down.

 

“It’s always been an annual event, until last year,” Shawn O’Brien, chairman of the festival steering committee said.

 

“We got the news from the Southeast Kansas Multi-Health Department that we are approved to have the festival this year,”  O’Brien said.

 

“Come out and walk Main Street,” O’Brien said. “We are looking forward to seeing everybody.”

Jared Leek in the Good Ol’ Days parade in 2016.

 

New this year is a zipline, with more details to follow, O’Brien said.

 

“There will be a talent show on June 3, and the other activities are June 4-5,” he said.

 

Vendors will once again line Main Street for people to enjoy, along with food trucks.

 

The Red Garter Saloon in 2016.

 

The Red Garter Saloon will perform, along with balloon artists and caricature drawings on Main Street, all for free.

 

There will be the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce sponsored parade on Friday evening, June 4, as well as the Chicken Mary’s Meal on the Mall that evening.

The parade in 2019.

 

The baby contest will be Saturday morning, June 5.

 

The baby contest in 2016.

 

“We will have live entertainment on Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Heritage Pavilion (First and Main Street), featuring the Wayward Betty’s,” O’Brien said. “This is free to the public.”

 

 

Saturday at the Heritage Pavilion, Public Display of Affection, will be the featured performers, from 7 to 10 p.m.

 

Fun Shows Carnival will be set up across from Luther’s BBQ at Oak  Street and National Avenue.

The carnival in 2016.

 

The Steering Committee

The committee is comprised of O’Brien as chairman, Kayla Hull, Melissa Wise, Charlotte Thompson, Cheryl VanHoecke, Tim Van Hoecke, Shaylynn Clements, Kelsey Demott, and Carl Brenner.

 

“We are excited,” O’Brien said. “We have waited two years.”

 

Tickets for each event will be available soon at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall Street.

A float in the 2016 parade.

Applications for different events are on their website.

Check out the latest on the Fort Scott Good Ol’Days Facebook page and their websitehttp://fortscottgoodoldays.com

 

 

 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

We Need Quality Housing! By Greg Motley

13 Comments
Greg Motley. President of the Bourbon County Economic Development Council. Submitted photo.

Submitted by Greg Motley, President of Bourbon County Economic Development Council.

 

Last week I gave 10 reasons why our community is shrinking; next, I will address what can be done to stem the tide. None of these solutions are particularly easy; after all, we are fighting megatrends that are impacting most small towns in America.

Our most obvious need in Bourbon County/Fort Scott is quality housing. There is a dearth of desirable places for people to buy and call home at all price points, but particularly in the mid-range. Do you realize that more than one in three workers you see around the county every day have driven in from another jurisdiction because they can’t find an affordable, quality alternative closer to their workplace?

You have probably noticed that not too many new homes have been built around the county in the recent past. The problem stems from building costs compared to the appraised value of the property once it is completed. Excluding land, with modest finishes, it costs a minimum of $150 per square foot to build a new home; that cost has accelerated dramatically during the pandemic, as lumber has skyrocketed. Lenders cannot get appraisals to come out anywhere close to the real number it costs to build a house in Bourbon County, so the homeowner has thrown away thousands of dollars in equity on day one of homeownership. How many Southeast Kansans can afford that loss?

What is the problem? Years of low comparable sales data, along with high taxes on Bourbon County real estate, are the two main culprits. Our mil levy combined for all jurisdictions inside the county are much higher than our neighbors, especially Missourians. Hundreds of people own homes in our neighbor to the east, while paying MUCH lower property taxes, then commuting to Bourbon County for a good job and pay a lower state income tax rate. It is a win-win for Show-me Staters.

What is to be done? Here are a couple of thoughts:

We HAVE to lower taxes. High mil levies have a direct impact on home values. Additionally, people have a strong disincentive to improve, or add on to their properties. To accomplish this, we must look to lower the cost of government by looking to see how we can cooperate with one another between jurisdictions and share services.

We have to look at where prices are closer to the market, and develop those areas. Market pricing is closer to cost on, and around, Lake Fort Scott land, and large lot subdivisions around the area, such as along Maple Road. Can we get government owned land into the hands of developers and back on the tax rolls? Are there actions we can take as a community in these areas to narrow the gap between cost and appraisal?

We have to consider options at all price points. In-fill vacant lots in the city will require grant money or a charitable donation to work. Similarly, mid-price housing will require creativity and an outside injection of capital.

This quality housing dilemma will take time to solve, but we need to dedicate ourselves to an outside-the-box, persistent search for solutions. We need to tackle it together as a community.

Bourbon County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Fort Scott, Health Care

CHC Purchases Price Chopper Building

Leave a comment
The Price Chopper building.

 

It’s official.

The former Price Chopper building on south Main will be developed for a new site of the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas in Fort Scott.

CHC currently leases the former Mercy Hospital building at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd.

 

“The sale has been finalized including an outparcel that was once being held for another development that didn’t materialize,” Krista Postai, CEO of CHC said. “So the entire building and parking lot is ours to develop.”

CHC paid $3,625,000 for the former grocery store that sits on the main thoroughfare of Fort Scott.

 

Krista Postai. Submitted photo.

CHC Closing On Price Chopper Building April 9

 

“The outparcel was immediately off US 69, near the sign,” Postai said.   “A very large chunk of the current parking lot.”

 

The future site is in a high-traffic area of Fort Scott, on U.S. Hwy. 69, with an address of 2322 S. Main Street.

 

The medical center will be making a large investment in the community.

 

“We estimate that when it’s all complete, we’ll have a $7 to $8 million investment including renovation and diagnostic equipment,” Postai said.

 

The project will be completed in less than two years, with the expiration of CHC’s current lease with Mercy ending in December 2022.

 

“We have less than two years to get it done so we’re jumping into the design phase,” Postai said.

 

CHC will be combining the clinic, walk-in care clinic and the pharmacy into the new development at 2322 S. Main.

 

“We did invite Via Christi Ascension to join us in this project but they indicated – very graciously – that they would need more time and were opting to remain in the existing Emergency Room in the Mercy Hospital Building (at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd.) which is still owned by the Mercy Health System.:

 

“As they requested, we will be donating back the land and helipad Mercy gave us behind the hospital for new construction now that we have the Price Chopper Building finalized,” she said.

 

The former Price Chopper tenant was there for two years.

 

Barry Queen, Queen’s Price Chopper, is the former tenant of the building. The property owner was  AWG, he said.  “(The property) is 40,000 sq. feet. “We closed the store in January of 2019, we had opened in December of 2017.  However, getting all the equipment out, etc. all happened in 2020.”

Allergy Clinic Coming

Also new on the horizon is a regional allergy clinic CHC will be starting this summer, she said.

“We thought Ft. Scott would be a good location for access from throughout our north and south service area,” Postai said.

 

 

Bourbon County, Business

Freedom Farm: Next Generation of Family Farms

1 Comment
Free-range chicken is a meat product grown by Freedom Farms. Photos submitted by Gary Palmer.
Gary and Kylene Palmer are the owners of  Freedom Farms, located at 1863 Eagle Rd, Fort Scott.
“WE LOVE FOOD!!!, Gary said.  “We eat a lot, with a family
of six. With eating being one of the things we do most, just like many of you, our minds began to wonder about the nutritional value of the
food we eat.”
So after research and thought, the  couple decided to start raising and producing some of their own food, he said
“We have been raising our own cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens for several years to provide healthy, great tasting meat for our
family,” he said.  “This way, we know exactly what is (and
what is not) in our food.”
“We take much comfort in knowing where our food comes from,” he said.  “We believe other people would too!”
They strive for a healthy option for the animal and themselves, Gary said.  “We take great pride in giving our animals the best life possible. They are treated as part of our family. Our dream is to work as a family to share this with others.”
Ground lamb is one of the meat products grown at Freedom Farm. Photo by Gary Palmer.
Currently, the Palmers offer free-range farm fresh eggs, whole, and packaged chicken, lamb, and goat meat.
“Our eggs are currently available at the Downtown Star Emporium,” he said. “We hope to offer meat there in the near future.  We are licensed with the state of Kansas and candle and inspect every egg sold in the grocery store.”
The egg label shows Grade: AA Size: Large and the Package Date. Photo by Gary Palmer.
“Since our eggs go from free-range to package quickly we can grade them AA,” Gary said. ” To my knowledge, we are the only provider of Grade: AA eggs in town. Each egg is inspected and approved by hand.”
Gary, along with his wife, Kylene, and their four daughters currently operate the farm.
Gary and Kylene Palmer and their four daughters. Submitted photo From left to right: .Lexi Marchiano, Jentry Palmer, Kylene Palmer, Gary Palmer, Riley Marchiano, Sadie Marchiano
  Gary is a Fort Scott native and second-generation farmer and entrepreneur in business.  Gary’s parents, Ron and Shirley Palmer,  have a farm and raised beef and sheep while Gary was growing up.
Kylene is from the Hume and Nevada area originally, and her parents Stephen and Jeanette Zinn had a small farm and raised pigs while she was young.
  Together Gary and Kylene purchased a farmstead adjacent to Gary’s parent’s farm shortly after they married.
 “Freedom Farms is a constant work in progress and we have been working diligently to upkeep both Palmer’s farms,” Gary said.

There are many dreams yet to happen.

Continue reading Freedom Farm: Next Generation of Family Farms →

Entertainment, Fort Scott

A Little Friday Night Concerts History and D.J. Brown/ Bourbon County Revival This Friday

Leave a comment
Ralph Carlson, left,  introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians in May, 2019. That evening it was the St. Martin’s Academy Boys Choir.
Free Friday Night Concerts were the outgrowth of the Fort Scott community’s vision for live music outdoors, downtown.
This Friday’s concert will be at Common Ground Coffee Co. at 12 E. Wall Street.  D.J. Brown and the Bourbon County Revival will be performing in the Loading Dock Room from 7 to 8 p.m.
If weather permits, this room can be opened up to the patio area of the shop, Gage Addington, the manager of the coffee shop, said. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase for attendees, he said.
The concert attendees are asked to observe social distancing, according to the long-time event coordinator, Ralph Carlson.
D.J. Brown and Bourbon County Revival. Taken from the group’s Facebook page.
“I am really pleased to get the concerts going again,” said Carlson.
Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert at Heritage Park,  May 2019.

 

Ralph Carlson, Coordinator of the Concerts

“Ralph Carlson has been a loyal and steadfast coordinator of the concerts over the years,” Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison said.  “Ralph puts in a great amount of time scheduling the entertainment, finding alternate locations if bad weather, writing up press releases each week, overseeing equipment needs, and more.”
Lindsay Madison is the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.
 “Ralph truly deserves most all of the credit for the Friday Night Concerts over the years,” she said.  “We are so blessed to have him in the community, not only for the concerts but for his work on housing, streets, with youth, and many other projects.  Ralph was recognized with the Mayor’s Citizenship Award in 2012 at the Chamber Annual Dinner & Awards Celebration.”
History Of The Concerts

“The Friday Night Concerts in the Park began after the Heritage Park Pavilion concept came out of the Community Visioning process back in 2007,” said Madison. “That’s when multiple key projects were conceived such as Riverfront Park, the Aquatic Center, Youth Activities Team, and the Good Neighbor Action Team. A large number of community members met several times during that period for ‘Community Conversations’ through a facilitated process with Public Square Communities and one outcome was to have a gathering park in Downtown Fort Scott where live music would be played often along with other events and activities.”

“Cheryl Adamson was on the team,” Carlson said of the original committee for concerts in the park. “Darlene and Jim Shoemaker were involved and it became my job to get the talent and coordinate the show. There were others, including the Manns.”

 

“Dean and Becky Mann, formerly of Fort Scott, were instrumental in designing and raising the funds needed for the pavilion and park area which included electricity and outlets needed for music equipment, benches, flower beds maintained by the Bourbon County Garden Club, and a beautiful clock donated by Bartelsmeyer Jewelry,” Madison said. “Many community members donated to the cost of the pavilion and those donors are recognized on plaques in the park area at 1st and Main in Downtown Fort Scott.”

“I had initially helped coordinate music in various events in town for years,” Carlson said. ” Including the early years for Good Ol’ Days and Pioneer Harvest Fiesta. The team asked me to help (on the concert in the park committee).”
“It really seems like a success,” Carlson said. “Such a unique setting and so well maintained by those who tend the plantings. I have counted crowds up there, in excess of 350 people.”

 

“The Concerts have fallen under sponsorship of the Chamber since they began I believe, as the Chamber helps with organizing and promotion, and has helped with some equipment and other expenses needed in the past,” Madison said.

 

 

Info For Attendees
The concerts take place each Friday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. from mid-April through October at the Heritage Park Pavilion, at First and Main Street corner, unless an alternate location is announced due to weather.
Seating is limited at Heritage Park, so attendees are always encouraged to bring a lawn chair, and maybe a blanket.  Any entertainers interested in performing may contact Carlson or the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.

 

Bourbon County, Government

Harper Retires As Bronson City Clerk After 34 Years Service

Leave a comment
Ellen Harper has seen many changes since she began working  as the Bronson City Clerk, in  Oct. 1986, over 34 years ago.
“Government is constantly changing,” she said. “There’s a lot more demands and red tape. Technology has advanced, I’ve gone from paper and pencil to everything computerized. Even community has changed, it’s difficult seeing the struggles a small town faces trying to survive, businesses and organizations closings, but I’ve been involved in assisting with many positive projects to keep our town viable with upgrades to our utility systems, streets, parks, a new fire station, community center, and library.”

Her duties have included ‘just about everything!” she said. “I always said, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to be an accountant, teacher, or do social work, and being a city clerk you do all that and more.”

 

 

“It’s not just sending out utility bills and answering the phone,” Harper said. “There are so many different aspects to the job. You work with the governing body, keep records, ordinances, accounting, utilities, human resources, reporting, court records, take citizen’s complaints -that’s a tough one-and anything else necessary to serve the community. I’ve learned that with the government you never learn everything and what you do, they change it. You have to do the best you can and accept you can’t please everyone.”

 

 

“Working in public service is challenging and sometimes you deal with adverse situations,” she said. “I enjoy meeting people and being part of helping the community on a local level, but I’ve also met many great people through the state agencies I’ve worked with and colleagues from other cities throughout the state. We have some great state organizations to help us grow personally and professionally and just be there to help each other out.”

 

 

Harper pursued her career because she needed a job, but it became so much more, she said.

 

 

“This was close to home while raising our children, but it became so much more,” Harper said.  “I grew up here and I care about the community.”

 

 

 

Fort Scott City Clerk Diane Clay sent the news tip of Harper retiring.

 

 

” We both attended the Wichita State University City Clerk School and graduated together in 2003,” Clay said.   “We have attended numerous city clerk functions and trainings together as well as many court clerk trainings. We have traveled together to many trainings and I enjoy her company.”

 

 

Harper has been a member of the City Clerks and Municipal Finance Officers Association of Kansas, the International Institution of Municipal Clerks from which she obtained a Municipal Clerk Certification, and a member of the Kansas Association for Court Management, she said.
She is also involved in her community.
“I was a volunteer member of the Bronson Fire Dept., which later became Bourbon County District 3,” she said.  “I’ve helped organize activities and fundraisers and volunteer time and labor in refurbishing our park. I’m a member of the Bronson United Methodist Church in which I hold several positions.”
Ellen Harper. Submitted by Diane Clay.
Following her retirement on April 16, Harper is looking forward to more free time with family and friends, gardening, and traveling.
Ellen Harper and her family at her retirement luncheon given by the City of Bronson. Submitted photo by Diane Clay.
In addition, “‘ll be riding the trails and sand dunes in our RZR and taking trips on our trike.”
The Bronson City Council had a retirement luncheon for Harper on April 14, which was open to the public.
“She knew what she was doing and did it patiently,” said longtime council member Geraldine Reeder of  Clerk Harper. “She put in all in her job, she just did.”
Bourbon County

Walker Starts Facebook Page As A Ministry

Leave a comment

Jana Walker  started the Facebook group, Buy Nothing Bourbon County,  in August of 2020.

 

 

“When feeling I could not communicate well enough that this group is a reflection of Christ’s love in us and for us, I asked God that when I opened my Bible, I would find his words to express the reasoning behind and the heart of this group,” Walker said. “I opened my Bible blindly to, 1 Corinthians 4:1. It says, ‘Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.'”

 

 

“There were things in our home that we no longer wanted or needed, but there was not a local place to donate the items to, on a daily basis,” Walker said.

 

 

“When people are cleaning out their homes or purging most would rather not store their unwanted things for a garage sale once or twice a year,” she said. “We have such a throw-away society. This gives people an option to share their resources instead of tossing it in the trash or donating the items to a nearby community when there are people in Bourbon County who could benefit and appreciate the kindness from their friends and neighbors.”

 

 

 

“After realizing that there was a need and benefit for sharing with people in our county, it was only a matter of figuring out how to go about advertising and exchanging,” Walker said.  “There are large followings on other local Facebook pages that are for buying and selling, and there are members who occasionally offer free items there, but why not promote this as only free items to really be a quick resource to meet the needs of both the givers and receivers?”

 

 

 

“This also gives community members the opportunity to ask if someone might have an item they are no longer using and might want to pass on, or even ask to borrow something,” she said.

 

 

 

Everything has value to someone, she found.

 

 

“Group members have shared joy through splitting plants and sharing new starts, listing a dining room table so now a family can sit together and enjoy a meal, home decor, used furniture, old magazines to be used for recipes or collages, children’s bikes, sports equipment, empty egg cartons for chicken owners, and so much more,” she said.

 

 

 

“No money may exchange hands in this group, and local free resources can be listed,” she said. “There are wonderful opportunities to both donate to and benefit from that we want the community to know about!”

 

 

 

“Most people exchange by porch pick up at their home, but each party can make their own arrangements according to their preference,” Walker said.

 

 

 

Members of this Facebook page have listed the following resources for the community, according to Walker.

 

A small free food pantry is located in a yard on 4th Street (underneath a willow tree) that one can give to or take from.

It has all kinds of donated non-perishable foods, she said.

 

The Washeteria, 5th Street and National Avenue accepts used clothing, washes them and people can ‘shop’ the clothing in the sheds at the business, Walker said. They are currently operating by appointment only. They request that you call ahead with requests and sizes. They prepare clothing in those sizes for you to go through at your appointment, and it is a totally free service they offer! The other option is they set out clothing of all sizes on the third Saturday of each month for people to come and ‘shop’ at their location.

They have adult, children, and baby sizes.

 

Bids and Dibs, 108 Scott Avenue, also accepts donations of gently used clothing and then sells them as regular stock,  then the proceeds or credit for merchandise go to local groups, such as Care to Share, documented fire victims, the Beacon, and others, she said.

 

 

Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries assists community members in need of heaters, coats, hats, gloves, and blankets, Walker said.

 

 

Angel Gifts Facebook page was created in December 2020 to provide family adoptions for Christmas, she said.

 

“The people of Bourbon County are just amazing,” Walker said.  “We are blessed to live in this community!”

Here are the rules for Buy Nothing Bourbon County