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Obituary of Jeanie Wiley
Jeanie Wiley, 58, of Fort Scott, passed away early Monday morning at Shawnee Mission Medical Center.
She was born July 24, 1959, in Scott City, Kansas, the daughter of Billy Lee and Marjorie Ann (Heim) Riggs.
She married Pete Wiley August 10, 1984, in Garden City, Kansas, and he survives of the home.
In addition to her husband, Jeanie is also survived by her daughter Cheyenne Von Krosigk and her husband Randell, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Following cremation, there will be a visitation 6:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday evening, June 14, 2018, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, and a Celebration of Life afterward at the Wiley home, 1476 225th Street, Fort Scott.
Memorial contributions may be made to Care to Share and left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, PO Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
Fuel-saving Tips for the Farm

Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District
Although the cost of fuel has declined the past few days, input costs are still high especially on the farm. With hay baling, planting soybeans and wheat harvest upon Southeast Kansas, one of the largest expenses will be fuel, so being conscientious how certain vehicles are used could aide in lowering those costs. Several tips are offered by K-State Research & Extension.
- Avoid unnecessary driving. Maybe the task can be handled with a phone call instead of a trip.
- Match the vehicle to the task. Take the family car to pick up parts instead of the four-wheel-drive truck.
- Get rid of junk. Extra tools, supplies and other nonessentials in the back of a vehicle add weight that decreases fuel mileage.
- Keep vehicles in good running order. Clogged filters and injectors rob power and efficiency from tractors, trucks, and cars.
- Check the tire pressure. Underinflated or overinflated tires can increase rolling resistance and fuel use.
- Switch to a minimum or no-till farming practices. Fewer tractor passes through the field means less fuel used.
- Match the tractor to the task. Don’t use a large field tractor when a smaller one will work.
- Make sure the tractor is ballasted properly. Tires on a poorly ballasted tractor will slip and increase fuel use. Too much ballast for the task uses more fuel than necessary.
- Gear up and throttle back when performing field tasks that don’t require full engine power. Operating a tractor at three-quarters power can save 5 to 15 percent, compared to full-throttle operation.
- Consider auto steer attachments for field tasks. Accurate work reduces overlaps or skips with sprayers and tillage equipment, reducing fuel use.
- Avoid unnecessary engine idling. Idling can account for 15 to 20 percent of fuel use.
- Paint fuel storage tanks white. A dark-colored, 300-gallon fuel storage tank can vent up to 120 gallons of fuel a year.
For more information, contact the Southwind District Office in Iola at 620-365-2242 or www.southwind.ksu.edu
2018 Lowell Milken Fellows Coming June 17, June 24
The Lowell Milken Center (LMC) for Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott, Kansas, an international educational non-profit, has awarded its prestigious Fellowship to 12 educators who will come to Fort Scott in the next couple of weeks
The LMC Fellowship is awarded on the basis of merit to educators who have distinguished themselves in teaching respect and understanding through project-based learning or who have the potential for this distinction. The Center selects exemplary teachers from across America and Europe, drawn from a variety of disciplines, to collaborate on projects that discover, develop, and communicate the stories of Unsung Heroes in history.
Week 1 – June 17
Caldarelli, Emily: 2016 Rhode Island Milken Educator – Emily teaches fourth-grade in Providence. Her innovative implementation of math and science curriculum has been recognized all over New England
Flynn, James: 2009 Connecticut Milken Educator – James teaches U.S. History and is heavily involved with local history projects. His energy and enthusiasm will translate into projects.
Guerra, Elisa: Global Teacher Finalist and Teacher of the Year in the Caribbean and Latin America – Elisa teaches Middle School Humanities in Aguascalientes, Mexico and is a project maker.
Johnson, Stephanie: 2016 South Carolina Teacher of the Year – Stephanie teaches 2nd grade and enjoys using cross-cultural lessons with her students. She has received many awards along with a Global Learning Fellowship.
McGaughey, Jordan: 2017 Missouri Milken Educator – Jordan teaches Government at the high school level. His innovation and creativity lend itself to project-based learning and our unsung hero projects.
Safari, Argine: 2017 New Jersey Teacher of the Year – She teaches at a performing arts high school and studied at the Moscow State Conservatory. She was the Princeton University Distinguished Teacher. Dynamic is the word from every area of our research.
Week 2 – June 24
Craven, Katie: Award-winning PBL teacher from St. Paul, Minnesota – Katie’s students have received dozens of honors in project-based learning. She comes to the Fellowship as an accomplished educator in many areas.
Dennison, Thomas: 2017 Maryland Milken Educator – Thomas’ work in elementary education is creative and innovative. As a 5th grade teacher, he stands out for his project work.
Franklin, Paula: 2017 Tennessee Milken Educator – Paula teaches American government at West High School in Knoxville and has much project-based learning experience.
Giannopoulos, Nikos: 2017 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year – Nikos is a Special Education teacher at the Beacon Charter High School for the Arts. He is a leader in New England education and excited about his Fellowship.
Heath, Penny: Award-winning PBL teacher from Canton, Oklahoma – Penny teachers US History and local history in an exciting way. Her students have won numerous national awards for projects as has she for PBL.

Jensen, Lauren: 2015 New York Milken Educator – Lauren is currently teaching high school English in Virginia. Lauren has set a high standard for creativity and innovation in the classroom.
KCC Public Hearing on Westar’s Proposed Increase of $5.91 Per Month
KCC schedules Wichita public hearing on Westar’s rate change application
Topeka – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) will hold a public hearing on Thursday, June 28 in Wichita to receive input from Westar Energy customers on the company’s rate change request. The public hearing will begin at 6 p.m. at Wichita State University’s Lowe Auditorium located at 5015 E. 29th St. N. in Wichita. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the proposed rate change, ask questions of the company and KCC staff and make comments to KCC Commissioners.
A public hearing was held in Topeka on May 22, and broadcast live on the KCC website. This public hearing in Wichita was scheduled to provide Wichita area residents with the opportunity to speak directly to Commissioners and share their thoughts regarding the proposed rate change.
The application, filed by Westar in February, requests a $1.56 million dollar rate decrease effective September 2018 and a $54.2 million dollar rate increase in February 2019 for the company’s retail rate customers. Combined, the adjustments would increase prices by $52.6 million. If approved, residential customers with average monthly consumption of 900-kilowatt hours of electricity will see a monthly increase of $5.91 per month. The request also includes updated tariffs for customers who installed their own source of electric power after October 28, 2015. A complete copy of Westar Energy’s Application and supporting testimony is available on the Commission’s website.
The Commission will accept public comments through 5 p.m. CDT, July 18, 2018. There are three convenient ways to submit a comment:
1) Go to the KCC website (www.kcc.ks.gov) and click on the “Your Opinion Matters” link to submit a comment.
2) Send a written letter to the Kansas Corporation Commission, Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, 1500 SW Arrowhead Road, Topeka, KS 66604‑4027. Be sure to reference Docket No. 18‑WSEE‑328-RTS.
3) Call the Commission’s Public Affairs office at 1‑800‑662‑0027 or 785-271‑3140.
U. of Virginia Professor Speaks at Gordon Parks Museum June 26
Cinema Saturdays at Gordon Parks Museum, 1 p.m.
Wine and Design At The Gordon Parks Museum June 29 & July 27
The Gordon Parks Museum presents Wine & Design: Create a Masterpiece June 29 and July 27 at the museum located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
For a $25 fee receive art supplies, one complimentary glass of a beverage and your printed artwork. The classes are from 1-4 p.m.
Call 223-2700, ext. 5850 to register.
Mercy’s Golf Classic Results

A whopping 32 teams participated in the third annual Mercy Health Foundation Golf Classic held at Woodland Hills Golf Course on June 9. The event is quickly becoming one of the largest tournaments in southeast Kansas and the most successful fundraisers for the foundation. Organizers predict net funds to surpass the $14,000 mark.
“We are extremely grateful to the participants, our huge and growing list of sponsors, golf course employees and our Mercy volunteers who came together to support this amazing fundraiser for the Mercy Health Foundation Fort Scott,” said Tina Rockhold, foundation executive director and community relations manager.
Proceeds from 2018 Mercy Golf Classic will be paired with the July 27th Hit the Bricks Wine Stroll, Art Walk, and Blane Howard Concert proceeds to help the Mercy Health Foundation to purchase a new transport ambulance for Mercy EMS.
The fourth Mercy Golf Classic is already scheduled for Saturday, June 8, 2019.
Event results:
1st Flight Winners
1st Place ($300) with a score of 50 – Jon Allen team
2nd Place ($200) with a score of 51 – Shawn Marshall team
3rd Place ($100) with a score of 52 – Barry Queen team

2nd Flight Winners
1st Place ($300) with a score of 57 (won in scorecard playoff 2 on 2) – Steve Anthony team
2nd Place ($200) with a score of 57 – Mitch Quick team
3rd Place ($100) with a score of 58 – Clay Campbell team

3rd Flight Winners
1st Place ($300) with a score of 60 (won scorecard playoff 3 on 4) – Mike Harper team
2nd Place ($200) with a score of 60 – Beth Nuss team
3rd Place ($100) with a score of 62 – Jed Perez team

4th Flight Winners
1st Place ($300) with a score of 62 (won scorecard playoff 3 on 14) – Allen Bukowski team
2nd Place ($200) with a score of 62 – Dean Crager team
3rd Place ($100) with a score of 65 – Cliff Yarick team
Special Events
Chipping Contest – (golf bag, umbrella, $30 LaHacienda and grilling utensils) – Matt Sanders
Men’s Longest Drive (1 dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls) – Blake Hudson
Women’s Longest Drive (1 dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls) – Jordan Mason
Closest to Pin (1 dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls) – Jim Ermel 37.5 inches
Closest to the Line (1 dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls) – Jordan Mason at 16 ft.
Closest to the Line (1 dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls) – Drew Clark at 4 inches
Sponsors for the event include: Queen’s Price Chopper, All Hit 103.9, 5 Corners Mini Mart, McDonalds of Fort Scott and Nevada, Briggs Auto of Fort Scott, Care 4 All, Landmark National Bank, Walgreens, Go2Partners, WCA, City of Fort Scott, Extrusions, Inc., Fort Scott Family Dental, City State Bank, Union State Bank, Cancer Center of Kansas, Names & Numbers, Cheney Witt Chapel, Inc., Citizens Bank, R & R Equipment, Mid-Continental Restoration Company, Inc., HydroWorx, Central States Fitness, EVCO, Campbell Print Solutions, Inc., Bourbon County Assisted Living, LLC, Pumpin Pete’s, Lowell Milken Center, SMM Holdings LLC, Peerless Products, Timken, Stutesman’s Action Realty, Watts Fitness LLC, Ward-Kraft, Common Grounds, Atkins Insurance Agency, Fort Scott Community College, Hammons Realty Company, Marsha’s Great Plains Deli, Medicalodges, Inc., Goody’s Department Store, {Re:Freshed Aesthetics} by Delane, LaHacienda of Fort Scott, and Labconco Corp,
The Mercy Health Foundation Fort Scott in a not-for-profit corporation which secures public support for projects that enhance health care in the Fort Scott area. Over the years, contributions have helped purchase medical equipment, support programs and established an endowment to meet Mercy’s future health care needs.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports June 12
Local Author at Library June 18
Federal Grant to Help Traumatic Brain Injuries
KDADS Awarded Federal Grant to Expand and Improve TBI Services
TOPEKA – The federal Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living has awarded the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) a three-year grant to expand and improve the services the state provides to individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
KDADS will use the $150,000-a-year grant to create and strengthen a system of services and supports that maximizes the independence, well-being and health of Kansans with TBI in collaboration with the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City, the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators and other key stakeholders.
The objectives of this project are to increase representation of people affected by TBI on Kansas’ TBI Advisory board, develop an annual State TBI Action Plan, develop a TBI Registry, increase enrollment of at least 30 people onto TBI Medicaid waiver, conduct annual seminars and educational events that increase knowledge and build capacity for advocacy, and create a sustainability plan to maintain and expand services in the future.
“We expect this project to result in an increased number of individuals with TBI receiving services under the state’s 1915(c) Medicaid waiver for TBI, which currently serves about 425 individuals,” KDADS Secretary Tim Keck said. “Another aim of this project is to educate people experiencing TBI, and the public, about brain injuries and to make them aware of the community resources available to support them.”
Kansas’ TBI Medicaid waiver provides a range of services and supports to individuals with TBI and their families with the aim of ensuring that individuals can remain in their homes and be as independent as possible in a safe, healthy environment. The HCBS/TBI program serves individuals who would otherwise require institutionalization in a TBI rehabilitation facility. The TBI waiver is designed to be a rehabilitative program for consumers to receive therapies and services that enable them to rely less on supports as their independence increases.
In 2018, the Kansas Legislature enacted a law requiring that the TBI Medicaid waiver cover children and people with acquired brain injuries as well as those with traumatic brain injury. Kansas is in the process of renewing federal approval for its TBI waiver and the proposed new waiver will include children and individuals with acquired brain injuries as required. The waiver is due for renewal in July of 2019. If approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Kansas will become the first state in the nation to establish a rehabilitation program for children who have a brain injury.







