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COVID-19, Fort Scott, Schools

FORT SCOTT KNEA STATEMENT ON USD 234 QUARANTINE POLICY

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Submitted by the Fort Scott Kansas National Education Association’s Media Relations Contact Brian Pommier.

Prior to this school year, the Fort Scott KNEA negotiations team sat
down with their counterparts on the USD 234 Board of Education’s team and came to an agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding dealing with COVID-19.

At Monday night’s meeting, however, the board voted to change the COVID-19 quarantine requirements previously in place, which we believe to be a violation of the terms of the agreement.

Included in the MOU was an agreement to put the Return to Learning plan in place for this school year and to jointly address issues arising to COVID-19.

The Return to Learning plan defines the term “close contact” as someone who has been within “6 feet of the case for 10 minutes or more or if they had direct exposure to secretions into their nose, eyes, or mouth (for example, being coughed or sneezed on).”

The plan also stated that close contacts must remain in quarantine until they have met the criteria for release from quarantine set by KDHE or SEKMCHD.

On Monday, however, the board of education voted 4-3 to change the district’s policy regarding the quarantine of close contacts. Now, someone who has spent more than 10 minutes within six feet of
someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 no longer has to quarantine so long as masks are worn.

The board’s decision — in essence — to redefine the term “close contact” to avoid quarantine violates the terms of the agreement.

The issue should have been addressed in conjunction with the FSKNEA, as per our agreement.

The FSKNEA negotiations team denounces the board’s action and demands that the board honor the Memorandum of Understanding.

During our negotiations this summer, the FSKNEA found the board of education willing to come to a common-sense agreement to address COVID-19 issues in an attempt to re-open our schools and
allow in-person learning to occur.

We are disappointed in the board’s decision to back away from that
agreement without even discussing the issue with our team.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

CHC: 3-D Screening/Diagnostic Mammography

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Technicians Jennifer Dugan and Suzanne Quick. Submitted photo.

COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS, FORT SCOTT OFFERS 3-D SCREENING AND DIAGNOSTIC MAMMOGRAPHY SERVICES

Each October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as a reminder to women to be diligent about breast cancer screening.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is proud to offer 3-D screening and diagnostic mammography and breast ultrasound services at their Fort Scott location, 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. Mammography services are available to everyone, whether they are a CHC/SEK patient or not.

Women 40 years old and older should begin annual mammograms to help detect breast cancer. Appointments at CHC/SEK are offered five days a week with extended hours to accommodate busy schedules.

CHC/SEK’s Fort Scott mammography program is accredited by the American College of Radiology and is inspected annually by the FDA. Technicians Jennifer Dugan and Suzanne Quick bring over 30 years of combined, dedicated service to mammography and take great pride in the work they do.

“There are often barriers to why women don’t get the mammograms they need, says Dugan and Quick. “We work closely with Kansas Early Detection Works (EDW), which can provide free and low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings, and, at CHC/SEK, no one is denied services based on ability to pay.”

Where there are language barriers, CHC/SEK has interpreter services available.

For those with transportation issues, the health center can assist patients with rides to and from their appointment.

Dugan and Quick take special pride that for diagnostic mammography, they can offer same-day breast ultrasound with results before patients leave, so there is no “wait and worry.”

Dugan explained, “When a patient comes for a diagnostic mammogram (a diagnostic exam is performed when a patient has a breast problem such as lump, pain, etc.), we take our images, send to our radiologist via the computer for review, all while the patient is waiting. If the radiologist recommends a breast ultrasound, we then take the patient directly over for a breast ultrasound to be performed. Those images are also sent to the same radiologist. When he responds with a recommendation, we relay this to the patient while they are here with us. If the patient has a negative result, we then let them know. Suppose the patient has a positive result that needs further evaluation; in that case, we talk with the patient about their options and try to help get this arranged as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, most facilities have lag times between the diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound if needed. When the ultrasound is performed, they will send the patient home to wait for the provider to receive the report, and the patient is the last to know when they are called by phone or sent a letter. We do not want our patients having multiple appointments and worrying while awaiting results…we think our process ensures that we are giving the best patient care possible!”

Patients at CHC/SEK benefit from the latest 3D Genius Technology at no additional cost. 3D mammography is an advanced technology that takes creates a 3-dimensional picture of the breast.

Women with dense breast tissue, in particular, may benefit because it provides a clearer picture. Using 3D mammography makes it easier for doctors to detect breast cancer early and reduces the chances of doctors seeing a false positive.

If you have questions about breast health or would like to schedule a mammogram, please call Jenny or Suzanne at the CHC/SEK Mammography Department at 620-223-8484.

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda for Special Meeting On October 15

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: October 15, 2020

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

 

MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COMMISSION ROOM. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.

 

10:30 Becky Johnson, COVID-19 Pandemic Discussion

Obituary

Obituary of Dale Geiger

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Dale Geiger, 87, of Fort Scott, passed away early Tuesday morning, October 13, 2020, at Girard Medical Center. He was born June 24, 1933, in Uniontown, Kansas, the son of Schley and Ruth Marie (Wells) Geiger. He married Bonnie Bolinger on November 6, 1952, at the Petersburg Presbyterian Church, and she survives of the home.

Dale was an insurance underwriter for The Western Insurance Co. for many years and also farmed.

He served in the US Army during the Korean War from November of 1953 until December of 1955 as a heavy artillery instructor in the 3rd Army Infantry under Dwight Eisenhower.

In addition to his wife Bonnie, Dale is also survived by his daughter Joyce Jennings of Mound City, Kansas, his son Steve Geiger of Uniontown, Kansas, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother, Dewayne Geiger.

Rev. Carl K. Ellis will conduct graveside services at 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 16, 2020, at the Uniontown Cemetery under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to either 4H, Meals-On-Wheels, or the Beacon, and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St., P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Business, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Coffee at Niece Products on Oct. 15

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Join us for
Chamber Coffee tomorrow!
Hosted by
NIECE PRODUCTS
OF KANSAS
Thursday, October 15th, 8am
3904 Liberty Bell Rd.
In the Fort Scott Industrial Park
The Coffee will be held outside
(weather permitting).
Masks & social distancing are encouraged.
Click HERE for their Facebook page!
Click HEREfor their website.
Chamber Members & Guests are welcome
to make any announcement for $1 to the Chamber about their business or organization including events, new products, promotions, or any other specials!
UPCOMING CHAMBER COFFEE SCHEDULE
Announcer for October: Gregg Motley
  • 10/22 ~ OPEN date to schedule a Chamber Member Coffee
  • 10/29 ~ OPEN date to schedule a Chamber Member Coffee
  • 11/5 ~ VFW
  • 11/12 ~ INTEGRITY HOME CARE & HOSPICE
  • 11/19 ~ BRIGGS AUTO
  • 11/26 ~ NO CHAMBER COFFEE
Opinion

Letter to Editor: Michael Hoyt on Charter Ordinance

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Submitted by Michael J. Hoyt
The petition to place the City of Fort Scott Charter Ordinance 31 was successful in placing the issue on the ballot sometime in 2021.
Please DO NOT confuse this issue with the sales tax question that WILL be on the ballot November 3, 2020, in all of Bourbon County.

Thank you to everyone who supported the petition; the result will be the suspension of transfers of  City funds collected for the purpose of supporting the sewer and storm-water infrastructure until the VOTERS decide the right thing to do.

The ballot question will most likely be polled during an election later next year.
Government, Kansas

Personal Protection Equipment For Adult Care Homes

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KDADS Launches Online Portal for Adult Care Homes to Order Personal Protective Equipment

 

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly and Secretary Laura Howard announced today that the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services has partnered with a Minnesota-based supply company to launch an online order portal available to adult care homes across the state to procure personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection control supplies during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

 

“Our state’s adult care homes have been working diligently throughout the pandemic to control the spread of COVID-19 and keep residents and caregivers safe, but these safety measures become more difficult to implement without the proper protective equipment,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I want to thank the SPARK Taskforce and the State Finance Council for making this new partnership possible, and for assisting my administration’s commitment to distributing critical resources to the facilities across Kansas that need them most.”

 

“We have heard from many facilities over the last eight months that finding the necessary PPE supplies to operate safely and efficiently has been one of the ongoing challenges during the pandemic,” Secretary Howard said. “The funds allocated to us from Governor Kelly’s SPARK committee allowed us to take what we hope will be a giant step forward in alleviating this challenge for our dedicated Kansas caregivers.”

 

KDADS received $10 million on October 1 from the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Committee and approved by the State Finance Council to help provide PPE and infection control supplies to adult care homes that are not federally regulated for participation in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Title 18 or Title 19 program. Adult care homes in Kansas that qualify for this earmarked SPARK funding include:

 

  • Adult Day Care (ADC)
  • Assisted Living (ALF)
  • Boarding Care Home (BCH)
  • Home Plus (HP)
  • Intermediate Care Facility / Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled (ICF/IDD)
  • Residential Health Care Facilities
  • Nursing Facilities who do not participate in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Title 18 or Title 19 program

 

KDADS entered an agreement with SOURCE 309 Powered by American Solutions for Business, to connect adult care homes with suppliers of PPE through a dedicated KDADS portal focused on critical supplies and rapid fulfillment of orders to adult care homes. SOURCE 309 assembled a list of selected PPE supplies that meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) safety recommendations. The products available can be found at https://online.fliphtml5.com/hldlw/axug/.

 

KDADS has assigned a budget of approximately $575 per qualified bed per facility to each adult care home with qualifying beds. Facilities can use the budget to purchase PPE supplies through the portal and do not need to provide any additional funds. KDADS will review incoming orders and may make changes to orders to fit within a facility’s budget and to ensure SPARK funds are allocated to purchase PPE.

 

SOURCE 309 will combine group incoming orders to drive down prices and make individual orders cost effective for members of this program. The target is to ship individual PPE orders 7 to 20 business days after an order has been submitted. Due to demand and market volatility, some items in an order may arrive faster than others and, if market conditions change, some hard-to-get items like nitrile gloves and N95 masks could see extended delivery dates. PPE supplies in the portal may also change based on availability.

 

If a facility has an emergency need for supplies, they should continue to reach out to their local emergency management officials.

 

KDADS’ expectation is that adult care homes will also be able to use the State of Kansas master contract (state use contract) to purchase PPE and other COVID-19 related supplies using their own resources. Approved vendors can be found at https://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-and-contracts/additional-files-for-procurement-contracts/personalprotectiveequipmentrelatedsuppliescontracts.

 

These two mechanisms help KDADS meet the requirement in HB 2016 passed by the 2020 Legislature to “provide personal protective equipment to adult care homes in Kansas.”  KDADS was authorized $38.4 million for Skilled Nursing Facilities from SPARK and approved by the State Finance Council. In all, 309 Nursing Facilities have agreed to accountability mechanisms for SPARK funding and $33.8 million has been sent to nursing facilities. Facilities can use those resources to meet COVID-19 needs and expenses, including acquiring PPE or other supplies from their suppliers or the Department of Administration website.  The $10 million related to qualifying facilities for PPE purchases are in addition to the other resources nursing facilities have received to help with costs related to COVID-19.

 

If facilities have problems or questions regarding the KDADS process for ordering PPE, contact [email protected].

Bourbon County, Schools, Sports

UHS VB and FB WEEK 6 RESULTS

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Adelay Martin. Submitted photo.

Submitted by Adelay Martin, UHS Student Sports Reporter

The Uniontown Lady Eagles Volleyball team faced the Marmaton Valley Wildcats in the first home game of the season on Tuesday, October 6. Both JV and Varsity teams defeated the Wildcats.

The JV defeated Moran 25-9 and 26-24. Alexis Herring scored 12 points.

The Varsity Lady Eagles defeated Moran 25-18, 25-18, and 25-11. Bri Stokes scored 11 points, and Paige Mason scored 10 points and had 2 solo blocks. Danielle Howard was 24/25 on attacks with 13 kills and 6 solo blocks. Karleigh Schoenberger was 17/19 on attacks with 4 kills. Libby Schaaf was 15/16 on attacks with 2 kills. Gwenyth Fry was 12/12 on attacks with 3 kills and 2 solo blocks.

“The gym was ROCKIN’!!” said Coach Hall. The student section was indeed, rockin’. “Great atmosphere and it paid off…both teams were victorious!”

The UHS football team lost 28-8 against Riverton on Friday. Treden Buckman had 8 rushes for 27 yards, Hunter Schaaf had 9 rushes for 34 yards with one touchdown, and Drew Perry had 20 rushes for 97 yards. Jake Harvey had 3 pass receptions for 33 yards. Drew Perry completed 5/5 passes for 69 yards. As far as tackling went, Jake Harvey and Drew Perry each had 4 unassisted tackles, and Caleb Davis had 3 unassisted tackles. Joey Marlow had 2 fumble recoveries.

Bourbon County, COVID-19, Government, Health Care

Bourbon County: 55 Active COVID-19 Cases

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SEK Multi-County Health Departments

Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, and Woodson Counties

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

October 13, 2020

Please call your local health department if you would like a further breakdown of cases.

Allen County

Current Active Cases 15
Total Hospitalizations 5-0 in hospital
Current Recovered Cases 88
Total Cases Since Testing 104
Deaths 1

Anderson County

Current Active Cases 15
Total Hospitalizations 3-1 in hospital
Current Recovered Cases 98
Total Cases Since Testing 113
Deaths 0

Bourbon County

Current Active Cases 55
Total Hospitalizations 12- 1 in hospital
Current Recovered Cases 206
Total Cases Since Testing 264
Deaths 3

Woodson County

Current Active Cases 1
Total Hospitalizations 2-0 in hospital
Current Recovered Cases 25
Total Cases Since Testing 26
Deaths 0