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Area News

Summer Activities at the Gordon Parks Museum

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Fort Scott-The Gordon Parks Museum will host three different activities for the public this summer. On Saturdays, the museum will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will show a film each week starting at 1:00 p.m. “Cinema Saturdays” will feature films of Gordon Parks and two films of filmmaker Kevin Willmott. See the website at gordonparkscenter.org for a list of the films and their dates.

On Tuesday, June 26, at 1:00 p.m., the museum will host a speaker, John Edwin Mason, from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Mason’s talk is entitled: “Seeing Another Charlottesville: Hidden Histories and the Power of Photography.”

Mason teaches African history and the history of photography at the University and he has written extensively on early nineteenth-century South Africa history, especially the history of slavery, South African popular culture, especially the Cape Town New Year’s Carnival and jazz, and the history of photography.

His research now concerns African-American and South-African photography. He is working on “Gordon Parks and American Democracy,” a book about the ways in which Parks’ Life magazine photo-essays on poverty and the black liberation struggle and the books that he published during the civil rights era made him one of the era’s most significant interpreters of the black experience. Mason is also a documentary photographer with a long-term interest in exploring race and gender in American motorsports.

A “Wine and Design” event will be held at the Museum on Friday, June 29 and on Friday, July 27 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Participants will experience creating a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork using photography, pastels and/or watercolors. The finished work will be printed on 11 x 17 paper and be suitable for framing.

Gordon Parks used this technique in his later years and created beautiful images by creating a background either with pastels, watercolor, etc. He then used a found object, lit the entire scene on two levels and took a photograph of it.

The $25 class fee includes supplies, one complimentary glass of wine or soft drink, and the printed artwork. Class size is limited so please register by calling 223-2700, ext. 5850.

The Gordon Parks Museum is open this summer Tuesday through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information contact the museum by email at [email protected] or by phone at 223-2700, ext. 5850.

Contact: Jill Warford at 1-800-874-3722, ext. 5850

Email:[email protected]

 

 

Area News

Non-Driver Transportation Funding Possibilities

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Transportation Alternatives Program call for projects

 

Topeka – The Kansas Department of Transportation announces the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program call for 2020 projects.

 

KDOT’s TA Program provides funding for a variety of alternative transportation projects. These projects include, but are not limited to, the construction of pedestrian and bicycle facilities; infrastructure for non-driver access to public transportation; projects that enhance safety and mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders; projects that improve scenic or environmental assets in the state and Safe Routes to School projects.

 

An estimated $7 million in federal funds are expected to be awarded for Federal Fiscal Year 2020. All selected projects are required to meet a minimum 20 percent local cash match.

 

Important dates:

  • Wednesday, June 13 – TA Program website was live with program guidance materials and application form – http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/TransAlt.asp
  • Friday, July 6, 4 p.m. – Deadline to participate in TA Program Workshops – KDOT will host two workshops to inform applicants about program requirements, review a demo application packet and changes from previous rounds of TA funding and answer questions. Space is limited – contact Matt Messina at [email protected] or (785) 296-7448 by the deadline and select one of the workshop times below:
    • Topeka: Tuesday, July 10 – 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – TA Workshop at Eisenhower State Office Building’s 4th-floor auditorium, 700 SW Harrison, Topeka.
    • Salina: Wednesday, July 11 – 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – TA Workshop at KDOT’s District Two conference room, 1006 N. Third, Salina.
  • Monday, Sept. 10, 4 p.m.  – Applications are due. Submit one paper copy and one digital copy in PDF format on a USB flash drive to KDOT headquarters: Attn: Matthew Messina, 700 SW Harrison St. 2nd Floor, Topeka, KS 66603.
  • October – November – KDOT staff will conduct site visits for eligible projects.
  • December – Project selections and public announcement of awards.

 

Program materials, which includes the TA Program Guide, the project application form, frequently asked questions with answers and more are available for download at http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/TransAlt.asp

 

Area News, Submitted

Jimmy DeYoung to Speak at First Southern Baptist Church June 20

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Jimmy DeYoung is a world-renowned author and prophet of Gods Word.  This rally he will be talking on the subject “Presidents, Politics, and Prophecy”.

The Rally will be held at First Southern Baptist  Church, 1888 S. Main at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2018.

The doors will open at 6:00 pm to visit with Mr. DeYoung or look through his book collection.

VCY of Wisconsin will be bringing singers as well.  After the message, refreshments will be served in our fellowship hall.  All are welcome.

For additional information call 620-223-2986 or go to vcyamerica.org or fortscottsbc.com

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Ribbon Cutting At Lavender Patch June 14

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Join Us For Chamber Coffee & Ribboutting Ceremony!
Join us for the
Chamber Coffee and
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!
The Lavender Patch
Thursday, June 14th
Chamber Coffee will start at 8am & Ribbon Cutting will immediately follow
Click here for The Lavender Patch Facebook page.
Click here for information
about the festival happening this Saturday.
Chamber Coffee:
  • June 21st– Skitch’s , Inc.
  • June 28th– Bourbon County Garden Club
  • July 5th– No Coffee
  • July 12th– Bourbon County Conservation District
cocoa_gurantee_sign.jpg
Mercy Hospital, Submitted

Paid Parental Leave Available To Mercy Workers

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Mercy Offers Paid Parental Leave to 40K Co-workers

Paid leave also extends to foster and adoptive parents, both moms, and dads

ST. LOUIS (June 13, 2018) – While paid parental leave is fairly standard in other developed countries, it’s less common in the U.S., particularly in the healthcare industry. Two weeks of paid parental leave are now available to nearly 40,000 Mercy co-workers across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. To learn more about opportunities at Mercy, visit bit.ly/Mercy-Careers.

“This is awesome,” said Sherise Beckham, a registered dietitian at a Mercy Hospital Fort Scott. “I am proud to work for a hospital that cares about their employees…especially us working mommas!”

In 2017, Mercy surveyed co-workers about benefits and services. Mercy listened and then took action.

“Paid parental leave was one of the top concerns,” said Cindy Rosburg, Mercy’s chief human resources officer. “In the U.S., only about 10 percent of healthcare organizations offer paid parental leave. Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, never married or had children herself, but she adopted children. She founded the order in Ireland almost 200 years ago to help address critical human needs, especially those of children and mothers. For Mercy, providing paid parental leave is the right thing to do. Catherine would be proud.”

For co-workers, it’s no small change. Heather Schroeder, a registered nurse in Ozark, Missouri, has fostered children for nearly four years.

“Placement of foster children comes with the same joy and challenges as a birth or adoption,” she said. “To be honest, foster placements often come with more challenges because you are unable to prepare for the children in your home before they come and there are many requirements and tasks to complete within the first week they are placed. I am so thankful to work for Mercy and appreciate that every family, no matter how God chooses to bring them together, is valued.”

For Mercy, it’s a significant commitment. With 54 percent of Mercy’s nursing workforce under age 40, compared with an industry average of 37 percent, Mercy has a higher ratio of employees at the prime age for having children. In 2017 alone, nearly 1,000 Mercy co-workers gave birth. Although the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires all large employers to provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave, the U.S. has no law requiring paid leave.

In addition to paid parental leave, Mercy is piloting a program to provide child and elder care assistance. Mercy also recently rolled out a program for co-workers to refinance student loans, as well as share the benefit with family and friends. One co-worker refinanced a $314,244 loan, the largest submitted to date, and will likely save almost $80,000 over the life of the loan.

Like paid parental leave, these were some of the co-workers’ top concerns.

Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2018, 2017 and 2016 by IBM Watson Health, serves millions annually. Mercy includes more than 40 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, 800 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 44,000 co-workers and 2,100 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In addition, Mercy’s IT division, Mercy Technology Services, supply chain organization, ROi, and Mercy Virtual commercially serve providers and patients in more than 20 states coast to coast.

Obituary, Submitted

Obituary of Jeanie Wiley

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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.

Bourbon County, K-State Extension, Submitted

Fuel-saving Tips for the Farm

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Carla Nemecek is Southwind District Director and agent.

 

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.

 

  1.  Avoid unnecessary driving. Maybe the task can be handled with a phone call instead of a trip.
  2. Match the vehicle to the task. Take the family car to pick up parts instead of the four-wheel-drive truck.
  3. Get rid of junk. Extra tools, supplies and other nonessentials in the back of a vehicle add weight that decreases fuel mileage.
  4. Keep vehicles in good running order. Clogged filters and injectors rob power and efficiency from tractors, trucks, and cars.
  5. Check the tire pressure. Underinflated or overinflated tires can increase rolling resistance and fuel use.
  6. Switch to a minimum or no-till farming practices. Fewer tractor passes through the field means less fuel used.
  7.  Match the tractor to the task. Don’t use a large field tractor when a smaller one will work.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Consider auto steer attachments for field tasks. Accurate work reduces overlaps or skips with sprayers and tillage equipment, reducing fuel use.
  11. Avoid unnecessary engine idling. Idling can account for 15 to 20 percent of fuel use.
  12. 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

Schools

2018 Lowell Milken Fellows Coming June 17, June 24

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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.

 

Kansas

KCC Public Hearing on Westar’s Proposed Increase of $5.91 Per Month

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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.