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All posts by Submitted Story
Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg President Drew Talbott to retire
Pittsburg, Kan. — August 6, 2024 — After 30 years of exemplary service, Drew Talbott, president of Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg for the past four years, will retire as of August 30, 2024.
Talbott joined Via Christi in 1996 and became the hospital’s interim president in November 2020. His interim title was removed two months later. Before becoming hospital president, he served for 13 years as the hospital’s chief operating officer and for 11 years as its director of Information Systems.
“Drew has spent thirty years serving the hospital in Pittsburg, long before it was a part of the Via Christi system,” said Kevin Strecker, Via Christi’s Market Ministry CEO. “He’s been a dedicated servant leader and I can’t thank him enough for his service.”
Under Talbott’s leadership, Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg has received countless awards for high-quality care, including:
- “A” Hospital Safety Grades from The Leapfrog Group
- Get With The Guidelines, Stroke Gold Plus Award from American Heart Association
- Infant and Maternal Health from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund
- Gold Environmental Excellence award from Stryker
“I have enjoyed three decades of watching talent develop, families grow, patients heal, and yes, mourn the loss of those whom we’ve loved and who continue to inspire us,” Talbott said in an email to hospital associates. “While there is no such thing as perfect timing to wind down my very special time in Pittsburg, I am replete knowing our hospital has a sustainable future with a tremendous talent pool, and an enthusiastic new sponsor in Mercy Health System.”
Talbott’s final day as president comes one day before Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg transitions to be under the sponsorship of Mercy Health System on September 1, 2024.
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About Via Christi
Serving Kansas for more than 135 years, Via Christi is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In Kansas, Via Christi operates seven hospitals and 134 other sites of care and employs more than 6,400 associates. Via Christi is sponsored by Ascension, a national health system that operates more than 2,600 sites of care – including 139 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states. Ascension includes more than 134,000 associates and 35,000 aligned providers. In FY2023, Ascension provided $2.2 billion in care of persons living in poverty and support for community benefit programs. Visit www.ascension.org.
Learn About Bats At Fort Scott Library August 7
Book Signing Event for Local Author on Sept. 14
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports August 6
FSCC Business Expo Is August 20
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National 811 Day (Aug. 11): Separating Fact from Fiction About Safe Digging Practices
Aug. 5, 2024 – Kansas Gas Service is addressing common myths about the 811 service to raise awareness about the importance of safe digging.
“Contacting 811 is one of the most important things that customers and workers who dig can do,” said Sean Postlethwait, Kansas Gas Service vice president of Operations. “Safety is our top priority, and taking the easy step to contact 811 is the best way to protect yourself and your neighbors.”
Digging into the Facts About 811:
- Is contacting 811 a complicated process?
Fact: One easy phone call to 811 or submitting a locate request online at Kansas811.com will alert owners of registered pipelines, telecommunication cables, underground power lines, etc., to mark their buried facilities. There’s no charge to you for this service.
- Do small digging projects require an 811 notification?
Fact: Every digging project, whether small or large, such as planting a tree, installing a fence or major construction, requires contacting 811 at least two full working days in advance.
- Is there a need to contact 811 if you’ve dug in the same spot before?
Fact: Even if you think you know where underground lines are located, it’s important to contact 811 every dig, every time. There may be unexpected lines or changes since your last project.
- Is it necessary to contact 811 in rural areas where there are no utilities?
Fact: Even in rural areas, there can be buried facilities, and their locations can be surprising. Always contact 811 before digging.
On 811 Day, and every day of the year, Kansas Gas Service encourages you to put safety first when undertaking any digging project — no matter the scale.
Essential tips for safe digging:
- If you hire a contractor, make sure they contact 811 before digging.
- Respect the tolerance zone, which is 24 inches on either side of the underground facility. Within this zone, you should exercise reasonable care using hand or soft digging techniques to avoid any contact or damage to the facility. Soft digging includes any excavation with tools and equipment that uses air or water pressure to break up soil and rock. All damages or disturbances to a utility must be reported to the facility owner or operator and 811.
- Smell Gas, Act Fast!If you smell natural gas while digging or damage a natural gas line, leave the area immediately then call 911, 811 and Kansas Gas Service at 888-482-4950.
For more information about safe digging practices and the importance of 811, visit beadigherokansas.com or scan the QR code below.
About Kansas Gas Service
Kansas Gas Service provides a reliable and affordable energy choice to more than 648,000 customers in Kansas and is the largest natural gas distributor in the state, in terms of customers.
Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas Gas Service is a division of ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS), a 100-percent regulated natural gas utility that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OGS.” ONE Gas is included in the S&PMidCap400 Index and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States. For more information and the latest news about Kansas Gas Service, visit kansasgasservice.com and follow its social channels: @KansasGas, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
FSCC Trustees Will Have a Special Meeting on August 8
Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees will be holding a special meeting Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 4:00 pm in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall. The meeting will be to address items that need attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting on August 26, 2024, including personnel additions.
Obituary of Taylor Bowman
Taylor Christine Bowman, age 31, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, completed her journey into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. She was born November 13, 1992, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Christopher Mark Bowman and Lana Lanette Hayden Bowman.
Taylor graduated from the Ft. Scott High School and the Ft. Scott Community College. Taylor had worked both as a CNA and in the dietary department at area nursing homes. She was currently employed as a cashier at Dollar Tree in Pittsburg.
Taylor had a green thumb and enjoyed tending to her many houseplants. She also enjoyed collecting owls and diamond painting. Taylor loved to travel, having made her own way to her dream trip to Ireland and Great Britain at the age of sixteen. She attended the Community Christian Church.
Survivors include her parents, Christopher Bowman and Lana Bowman, both of Ft. Scott, and two sisters, Cari Hunziker (Doug) of Drexel, Missouri and Leslie Farris (Nathan) of Decatur, Michigan. Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her beloved grandparents, Raymond and Marjorie Hayden and Arthur “Tolle” and Doris Bowman.
A Celebration of Life will take place Thursday, August 8 at 1:30 pm at the Cheney Witt.
A time of visitation to follow at the chapel.
Taylor will be laid to rest next to her beloved grandparents at a later date during a private ceremony, in Centerville Cemetery in Devon, Kansas.
Memorials are suggested to the Taylor Bowman Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at chenewitt.com.
Friday Night Free Concert at FSCC Features Mariam Tucker Self
This week’s Friday Night Concert will feature Mariam Tucker Self, Kansas City‘s only female Elvis tribute artist. Singing with professional studio tracks recreated by the EPProject, the evening will feature songs from Elvis’ famous 1973 “Aloha from Hawaii Concert,” plus additional favorite hits. The free concert, held in the Round Room at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 Horton, begins at 7:00 p.m.
“I’ve known this young lady since she was a child singing in church at the age of three. Her mother stood her up on the piano bench and she sang in perfect pitch. Born and raised in Fort Scott, she now resides in Peculiar, MO, with her husband Levi and their three daughters. She is the lead vocalist for the Tucker Family Band, performs solo gigs, and sings in the church worship team in Lee‘s Summit,“ concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “I am pleased to welcome Mariam onto the stage to perform for our great community. You won’t want to miss this lively show. Bring a neighbor and join your friends for a fun evening of musical entertainment.”
The concert series is sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and organized by Carlson.
Ramsey Charged with False Claim of Being Shot By Assailants
Levi M. Ramsey, 30, of Redfield, was taken into custody without incident on August 3, 2024 by the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office for an incident he reported to authorities on July 29, according to a press release for Bourbon County Sheriff William Martin.
At that time, Ramsey reported he had been shot by serveral unknown individuals.
During the investigation, deputies uncovered that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted and he had not been confronted or shot by any other individuals.
Ramsay was booked into jail with $5,000 bond and was released a short time later after posting the bond.
Ramsey will be charged with unlawful request for emergency service assistance giving a false alarm, criminal discharge of a firearm, and interference with law enforcement.
The criminal case is being forwarded to the Bourbon County Attorney’s Office awaiting review and formal charges.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.
Letter to the Editor – Post-Mercy Heathcare – Nick Graham
THE UNOFFICIAL HISTORY OF POST-MERCY HEALTHCARE IN BOURBON COUNTY
Compiled by: Nick Graham
PREFACE: I want to start out by saying that as volatile as the local political climate is right now, I think the one thing that EVERYONE can agree on is that they are genuinely thrilled Freeman is coming to Fort Scott. In my opinion, Freeman provides a level of care that Bourbon County hasn’t experienced in a long time – dating a lot farther back than when Mercy closed.
What you’re about to read is the result of me falling down a rabbit hole. While helping compile information on healthcare for a Facebook post for Leroy Kruger’s County Commission campaign, I ended up spending hours poring over old Tribune articles, County Commission meeting minutes and videos, and other news articles about the crazy ride that has been Bourbon County’s healthcare journey post-Mercy. What follows is the full tale of the $3.3 million dollars committed by the Bourbon County government in its quest to bring a hospital (or at least an ER) back to our community.
THE FIRST $800,000
JUNE 25th, 2021– The County and City sign a contract with a company called Noble Healthcare for a feasibility study regarding reopening the former Mercy Hospital. This contract is for $1 million dollars, with the City providing $200 thousand and the County providing $800 thousand of the first round of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds they received from the federal government.
According to USA Today, Noble was founded in December of 2019 by two individuals with no prior experience operating a hospital, and one of those individuals had been accused by the Department of Health & Human Services of Medicare Fraud (he ended up settling without admitting wrongdoing). This first obvious red flag was followed by a second one, which is that no feasibility study like this in modern history has ever cost anywhere close to $1 Million dollars, at least that I am aware of. That being said, we as a community were reeling from the traumatic loss of Mercy, and I understand how that could put us in a position to accept any and all explanations from some very slick people who told us exactly what we wanted to hear. At the time, Noble *did* have two hospitals operating in Missouri, which gave them some leeway to explain away these red flags.
One thing that you will notice if you go through the County Commission meeting minutes and news articles during this time is that the name of Noble representative MERRILL ATWATER shows up multiple times – remember that name, it comes back into the story later on.
JANUARY 31st, 2022 – A big press conference is held at the site of the former hospital, with multiple Congressmen and Senators flown in (at whose expense, I’m not sure), where Noble Healthcare announces their intentions to reopen the hospital. According to the February 2nd, 2022 issue of the Tribune, one of the Noble team members introduced by Noble CEO Drew Solomon at that press conference was…Merrill Atwater. Again, keep that name in mind.
MARCH 25th, 2022 – As news breaks that Noble is ceasing its hospital operations in Missouri under very abrupt and controversial circumstances, the Bourbon County Commission holds an emergency meeting. According to the March 26th, 2022 Fort Scott Tribune, “Commissioner Clifton Beth, who has been the Commission’s lead on healthcare issues, referenced a March 24 news release that stated Noble Healthcare Corporation – the company conducting the health care study for Bourbon County – is ceasing all of its hospital operations in Mexico, Mo., and Fulton, Mo., as of 5 P.M. Friday.” The Tribune article also quotes Commissioner Beth as saying the County still expects to receive the Feasibility Study (which it did -though it was authored by Noble themselves), and states that Beth also said that “If I was somebody who liked to be on Facebook, I’d be careful what I said. If I was Noble Health, I’d be suing some people, personally. Because you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Multiple articles in the following months, some published by USA Today, detail the devastating impact Noble’s closure had on employees and patients alike, including the fact that Noble employees had discovered that while Noble had collected money for their healthcare plans, they had failed to actually FUND them, leaving those people both jobless AND facing surprise giant medical bills. The demise of Noble leads to multiple investigations, as well as multiple lawsuits against the company. Throughout 2022 and into 2023, news articles detailing Noble’s misdeeds make national headlines.
THE NEXT $2 MILLION (AND A BUILDING)
NOVEMBER 17, 2022 – It is announced that the County is transferring the former hospital building to a California based nonprofit organization named the Legacy Healthcare Foundation. In addition to the building, the County will be giving Legacy $2 million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funds, with the condition being that the funds be used for building and property maintenance, development of an acute care hospital, and a handful of other specific expenses such as providing reduced rents to tenants like Via Christi, who was operating an ER in the hospital building. A November 17th, 2002 article in FortScottdotBiz quotes Commissioner Beth as stating “We have been in negotiations with them for six months…We transferred the building to them to develop. The building is the responsibility of Legacy Health Foundation as of today.” ’ I feel it should be noted that when this agreement with the County was signed, Legacy had NO LICENSE to practice healthcare in Kansas, and to this day this still doesn’t (those licenses are very difficult to obtain), which comes into play later in our story. But that’s the not the only red flag of concern:
A search of the Kansas Secretary of State’s office website shows that the Legacy Healthcare Foundation was incorporated in Kansas on September 26th, 2022, with the Registered Agent being listed as…MERRILL ATWATER. A registered agent is “an individual or a company that will be the LLC’s or corporation’s official point of contact in the state to receive service of process, other legal documents, and official communications from the state, and forward these documents and communications to the LLC or corporation for which it is acting as registered agent.” Mr. Atwater, according to his Linkedin (which is listed under Merrill Atwater Eisenhower) now serves as the Chief Strategy Office (CSO) for Legacy, as well as their parent company The B/R Companies. Did this information cause any pause with those negotiating on behalf of the County (presumably Commissioner Beth and the Director of REDI)? I want to make it clear that I am NOT implying that Mr. Atwater has done anything wrong, but I would think that his previous, public involvement with Legacy would have given anyone major pause prior to donating $2 million dollars and a building to them.
In fact, the opposite seems to be true: In an article in the November 30th, 2022 Tribune about community concerns regarding the agreement with Legacy, Commission Clifton Beth is quoted as saying “They’re not Noble. We paid for a study, Noble delivered a study. I don’t understand what people don’t understand about that. We, as a county, paid for something and got that something. I’m sick and tired of hearing about Noble. They’re not the same company.” The Tribune article also quotes Commissioner Harris as saying “The County was in a position we had to make some decisions with the building,”, and “We can discuss more detail at a later date…Noble has nothing to do with Legacy.” No one seems to have any concern that someone who was presented as a top member of Noble’s management team appears to be involved on a high level with Legacy.
OCTOBER 13th, 2023 – The Bourbon County Commission holds an emergency meeting due to rumors of an imminent announcement from Ascension Via Christi that they will be closing their ER in Fort Scott. Commissioner Beth makes a motion that the County contribute $500,000 towards Amberwell Health, Inc. for operation of an ER, with the understanding that other taxing entities such as the City and the Community College will also contribute. The motion passes 3-0. Per the official minutes of that meeting: “Clifton made a motion that we support, along with other taxing entities in the county, an entity that Legacy Health has brought to the county and has been working with for many months, which is Amberwell, to provide ER services in Bourbon County soon if not as close to possible after January 1st, 2024. The amount that Bourbon County would need to contribute is $500,000 contingent upon a signed MOU along with them coming and providing the services. Justin Meeks clarified that if other entities don’t agree to fund, the county’s share would go up. Jim seconded the motion and all approved.” Note that the motion specifies Amberwell as the recipient of this $500,000 contribution.
OCTOBER 31st, 2023 – Just under a year after the agreement with Legacy is signed, Ascension Via Christi announces it will be closing it’s Emergency Room operations in Fort Scott on December 20, 2023, leaving Bourbon County without an ER for an indefinite amount of time for the first time in modern history. It is announced that the Bourbon County EMS will continue services, but will have to transport patients out of the County for emergency care.
JANUARY 23rd, 2024 – Commissioner Clifton Beth makes three motions during a Tuesday night meeting of the Bourbon County Commission. The first motion is to allow Commissioner Jim Harris to sign a Memorandum Of Understanding with Amberwell Health, Inc. out of Atchison, KS regarding possible collaboration for emergency healthcare services. It is stated that this motion does not guarantee Amberwell will be able to provide those services, but it allows the County to start laying the groundwork for those services should Amberwell be able to get the licensing to open an ER in Bourbon County. The second motion is for the County to begin the process of preparing a 1/2 cent sales tax ballot question to be placed on the ballot in April to subsidize an ER and other healthcare services. Commissioner Beth states that this one-half cent sales tax will provide “$1.5 million, give or take” towards healthcare services. The third motion is for the Commissioners to sign a donation agreement from Ascension Via Christi, donating the equipment from their closed ER to the County.
Amberwell is ultimately unable to obtain the licensing to open an ER in Bourbon County.
THE FINAL $500,000
MARCH 11th, 2024 – The County Commission unanimously approves language for a 1/4 percent sales tax to go towards funding an ER question to be placed on the ballot for a special election on May 14th. Why did it go from 1/2 percent to 1/4 percent?
According to the March 13th issue of the Tribune: “On Monday, the original question presented asked for a one-half cent sales tax, but Commissioners approved a motion by Commissioner Clifton Beth to change the amount to a one-quarter cent sales tax.” The article goes on to say that Beth said the reason that he asked for a change in the amount of sales tax is the funds would be used to help an ER cover a loss. “One half-cent is around $1.5 million,” he said. “The loss in an ER is closer to half, to $750,000. We are not in the business of providing them a profit. This is strictly to make up their loss.” The article then states that Citizen Anne Dare asked the Commission’s response if a company needed $750,000 up front.
“I would say no,” Beth said.
“They don’t get a blank check.” Commissioner Jim Harris said.
Keep that in mind…
MAY 14th, 2024 – The sales tax ballot question is approved by a wide margin of voters. In my opinion this was largely due to a volunteer group of well respected local medical professionals and business owners taking the reins of the issue and having town hall meetings about it. In my opinion this group of citizens helped eliminate a massive trust deficit that existed due to the back to back Noble and Legacy “investments”.
JUNE 13th, 2024: Thanks to the sales tax passing, Freeman announces they are bringing ER services back to the hospital, as well as a 10 bed hospital. This is a huge, desperately needed shot in the arm for Bourbon County’s morale. Freeman CEO Paula Baker announces that they hope to have licensing in place to open by April 2025. Based on what I’ve been told by multiple ER sales tax committee members, and confirmed by the Director of REDI at the June 27th, 2024 County Commission meeting, Kansas Renewal Institute’s TJ Denning, who has local ties and is well connected with the Freeman board, was the lynchpin in bringing Freeman to Bourbon County.
JULY 8, 2024 – The front page of the documentation packet provided at the July 8, 2024 County Budget meeting shows that the County plans to drain $394,863 from the General Equipment Fund to go towards startup costs for Freeman. At the regular Commission meeting immediately following the budget meeting, citizen Anne Dare asks about this $394,863, and Commissioner Beth clarifies that the County is actually going to provide $500,000 toward startup costs for Freeman, and that the City also pledged $600,000. However, that is in reference to the motion and vote back on October 13th, 2023, which as shown above was specifically for Amberwell Health.
If the County was going to offer Freeman (or any potential ER provider) an additional $500,000 from the already incredibly depleted County budget, why not just keep the ballot question at one-half cent, which would have provided an additional ~$750,000? If you watch that July 8th County Commission meeting on YouTube, Commissioner Harris states that this is because the newly voted on sales tax won’t start accumulating until “late next year”. This isn’t correct, as the sales tax goes into effect in October, and the County will begin receiving it in January of 2025.
AFTERWARD: After finishing putting together what you’ve just read, I heard from a member of the ER sales tax committee who offered me some additional context. The sales tax committee was under the impression that the County’s commitment of $500,000 to Amberwell wasn’t specifically bound to Amberwell, but to whichever ER provider they could get across the finish line first. The committee intended to utilize that $1.1 million ($500k from the County, $600k from the City) if the prospective ER provider could start operations prior to the when the sales tax would start coming in (which will be January 2025). This committee member also informed me that there will be startup costs involved, as the ER and the equipment therein was not in the turn-key condition that was originally presumed.
Sources for THE FIRST $800,000:
1) Fort Scott Tribune, Saturday, January 26th: “County to look at feasibility of hospital in Fort Scott”
2)https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/03/22/noble-health-investigation-missouri-hospital-closures/11510166002/
3)https://www.bourboncountyks.org/march-29-2022-commission-meeting-minutes/?highlight=merrill%20atwater
4)https://www.bourboncountyks.org/june-14-2022-commission-meeting-minutes/?highlight=merrill%20atwater
5) Fort Scott Tribune, Wednesday, February 2, 2022: “A step closer to Bourbon County Hospital”
6) Fort Scott Tribune, Saturday, March 26, 2022: “Commissioners address rumors about company performing hospital feasibility study”
7)https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/08/15/missouri-hospitals-failed-provide-staff-health-insurance/10307764002/
Sources for THE NEXT $2 MILLION (PLUS A BUILDING)
1) Fort Scott Tribune, Saturday, November 19, 2022: “Hospital building transfer a done deal”
2) Legacy Healthcare Foundation registration with Kansas Secretary of State
3) Fort Scott Tribune, Saturday, November 19, 2022: “Questions surround county’s agreement for hospital building”
4) October 10th, 2023 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Minutes
5) October 10th, 2023 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (13:15 in)
6) Wednesday, October 11, 2023 Fort Scott Tribune: “County to subsidize ER – if other entities follow their lead”.
7) Fort Scott Tribune, Wednesday, November 1st, 2023: “Official: ER is closing”
8) January 23, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (1:23:47 in)
Sources for THE EXTRA $500,000 YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT…
1) March 11, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (41:51 in)
2) March 11, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Minutes
3) Wednesday, March 13th, 2024 Fort Scott Tribune article: “Commissioners approve language for sales tax question on May ballot”
4) June 17th, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (31:39 in)
5) July 8th, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (20:45 in)