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Bucks Rewarded to Drivers Who Buckle Up


Safe Kids Kansas, State Farm and KDOT partner up for safety message

Topeka – Thousands of vehicles will be traveling the Kansas roadways during the Labor Day weekend.  Many families will head out on one last camping trip or getaway as the school year begins.  Safe Kids Kansas, (sponsored in part by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment), State Farm and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) want to encourage families to buckle up and drive safely to protect their most valuable asset, their families.

This year, August 28 through September 12, a safety belt awareness campaign called “Bucks for Buckles” is being held in 46 cities across Kansas.  Dollar bills are being distributed by local volunteers to drivers who have all occupants buckled up securely in their vehicle.  Those riding unrestrained will receive educational materials about the effectiveness of seat belts and child safety seats in saving lives and reducing injuries.

“No one can predict when they will be involved in a motor vehicle crash, yet almost all of us will be involved in an automobile crash in our lifetime.  In 2020, 365 people lost their lives on Kansas roadways and 56 percent of them were unbuckled,” said Cherie Sage, State Director for Safe Kids Kansas.  “The single most effective means of protecting the lives of you and your passengers is wearing seat belts and using appropriate child restraints every time you ride in the vehicle – even short distances.”

According to the 2020 KDOT Seat Belt Survey, 85 percent of Kansans surveyed were wearing their seat belts.  This compares to the national average is 90 percent.  Kansas ranked 42nd in belt use in 2019, among 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Seat belts save more than 15,000 lives every year and are the best defense against drunk, aggressive, and distracted drivers. “Seat belts are the single most effective device you can use to save your life during a vehicle crash,” said Sage.   “They also reduce your chances of having a serious injury by as much as 50 percent.  It’s such a simple thing, so take your life into your own hand and buckle up.”

For more information about safety belt or child safety seat use, call 785-296-1223 or visit www.safekidskansas.org, www.safekids.org and www.facebook.com/safekidskansas.

A list of Bucks for Buckles sites and coordinators can be downloaded here.

This information can be made available in alternative accessible formats upon request. For more information about obtaining an alternative format, you may contact Safe Kids Kansas at 785-296-1223, or [email protected]. Both speech/hearing disabled and hearing Kansans can access the Kansas Relay Center by calling toll-free 1-800-766-3777. Callers should inform the relay operator of the number they wish to call and the type of call they are making direct, credit card, collect, person-to-person, etc.

Visit us at www.safekidskansas.org and on Facebook.

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Obituary of Pauline Dunn

Pauline Marie Dunn

Pauline Marie Dunn, age 91, a former resident of Macomb, Illinois, passed away Tuesday, August 24, 2021, at the Medicalodge in Ft. Scott, Kansas. Pauline moved to Ft. Scott fourteen months ago to be near her daughter.

Pauline is survived by her three children, Christy Pollock, Jim Dunn and Randy Dunn.

A memorial service will be held at a later date in Macomb, Illinois under the direction of the Dodsworth-Piper-Wallen Funeral Home. Local arrangements were handled by the Cheney Witt Chapel of Ft. Scott, Kansas.

Jazz and R and B Violinist to Play October 8

The Gordon Parks Museum Presents:
“DOMINIQUE HAMMONS”
“I AM STRADIVARI”
Multi-Talented Contemporary
Jazz & R&B Violinist
PERFORMING AT
The River Room
3 W. OAK ST., FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Performance at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $30 in advance, or $35 at the door.
Tickets are available at the Gordon Parks Museum or over the phone (620) 223.2700, Ext. 5850
ClickHERE to visit the Gordon Parks Museum website.
Click HEREto view the Press release from The Gordon Parks Museum and learn more about his amazing and talented performer that is coming to Fort Scott!

KDHE Announces Release of Kansas COVID County Rankings Report

Editors note: SEK Multi County Health Department Administrator Becky Johnson provided the following helpful links: https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data (this has numbers of persons vaccinated)
This is the link for number of cases in Kansas by county: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas

 

TOPEKA – Today, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced the release of the Kansas COVID County Ranking report. This report is designed to help county commissioners and local leaders stop the spread of COVID-19 in their communities by tracking critical COVID-19 metrics including testing, case and vaccination rates.

“I believe that data is a powerful tool we can use to guide our response to COVID-19,” Dr. Lee Norman said. “I am hopeful this report empowers action in communities and encourages sharing and implementation of best practices across Local Health Departments. Local leaders and communities are working tirelessly to keep us safe; to help them, helps all of us.”

This report is not a report-card, as multiple factors impact COVID-19 testing, case and vaccination rates in our communities. It brings together the most critical COVID-19 metrics at a local level to help state, county, and local leaders work together to stop the spread of the dangerous COVID-19 delta variant and keep Kansans safe and keep the economy open.

“Over the past 18 months, Kansas Counties have worked tirelessly to provide ongoing response and vital resources for county residents to keep them safe and informed on the evolving COVID-19 virus,” shared Bruce Chladny, Executive Director, Kansas Association of Counties, “And, the county response efforts, including vaccinations and essential messaging, continue as Kansas now experiences yet another surge from the deadly virus.”

Three metrics are reported and ranked across each county:

  • Full series vaccination rate of eligible population (12+ year olds)
  • 7- day daily average number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people
  • 7- day daily average number of COVID-19 tests administered per 100,000 people

Each county’s rankings are added together to generate a total score for the county. The total scores for counties are then ranked from 1-105.

The report will be refreshed three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It can be found on KDHE’s website at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas. Data for the report is provided by the CDC and KDHE.

Governor Directs State Agencies to Return to Remote Work

TOPEKA – In response to the continued spread of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, Governor Laura Kelly today released new guidance directing state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch to resume remote work operations where possible.

“Since the start of the pandemic, my administration has followed the best public health guidance to keep our communities safe, mitigate the spread of the virus, and reduce strain on hospitals,” Governor Kelly said. “The decision to return to remote work was not made lightly – but we know that this is a necessary step to prevent COVID-19 infections. I am confident that our state employees will continue to provide quality services to all Kansans who need them.”

The remote work model will remain in place through October 4th. At that time, a re-assessment of current COVID-19 infection rates will determine when state employees can return to fully on-site work.

At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, state agency operations shifted to remote work for employees whose job functions could be performed remotely. In June, after a significant reduction in daily COVID-19 infections, state employees began returning to state office buildings.

As infection numbers began to rise again throughout the summer, a transition to remote work will help control the spread of the virus among state employees. Onsite staffing will be limited to only those necessary to safely conduct agency operations.

Mask requirements, social distancing and other mitigation measures will remain in place for employees whose jobs must be performed on-site. Public offices serving customers will be encouraged to re-institute mitigation measures that were previously utilized during the pandemic, such as scheduling “by appointment only” or making allowances for virtual as opposed to in-person interactions. All such measures will be carried out in a way as to have as minimal an impact or inconvenience on customers.

View the new guidance here. 

Kansas Industrial Hemp Regulations Amended for Harvest Season

MANHATTAN, Kansas — The state rules and regulations board has approved the adoption of temporary amendments to the Kansas industrial hemp regulations which were proposed by the Kansas Department of Agriculture. The regulation amendments will align Kansas’ industrial hemp regulations with the USDA’s Final Rule on commercial hemp production.

The amended regulations extend the timeframe to complete sampling and harvest, provide flexibility to producers regarding potential remediation of plants if sampling tests above acceptable THC levels, and increases the threshold at which a crop will be deemed to have been produced negligently. The full amended regulations for K.A.R. 4-34-24, K.A.R. 4-34-25 and K.A.R. 4-34-29 can be found at www.agriculture.ks.gov/IndustrialHemp.

Because these amendments directly address regulations that affect harvest, they were expedited to be in place on a temporary basis. Plans are in progress to make them permanent through the official rules and regulations approval process. Public comments may be submitted online after September 2 and a public hearing will be held on November 8 as KDA considers finalizing the regulations; KDA will release details on the public comments and hearing soon.

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Kansas Industrial Hemp Regulations Amended for Harvest Season.pdf


COVID Vaccine Offered by Health Department

The Southeast Kansas Multi County Health Department offices are now offering an additional dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine for those moderately to severely immunocompromised.

Mondays are walk-in days, but otherwise someone wanting vaccinated would need to call for an appointment.

Please bring ID and your COVID-19 vaccine card to the appointment.

Office numbers are as follows:

Allen County: (620)365-2191;

Anderson County: (785)448-6559,

Bourbon County: (620)223-4464;

Woodson County: (620)625-2484

Submitted by


Rebecca Johnson BSN, RN

SEK Multi-County Health Department

Administrator

Chamber Coffee hosted by Museum of Creativity on August 26

Chamber Coffee hosted by Museum of Creativity

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee this Thursday, August 26th at 8 a.m. hosted by Museum of Creativity located at 102 S. National Ave. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served and attendees may enter a drawing for door prizes.

Owners Lorina & Jonathan have recently been working on renovations as funds become available. They welcome everyone to come and see what they have changed and accomplished since they have become Chamber members.

Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 for more information.

SEK Library Newsletter August 2021

The SEKnFind Newsletter
August 2021

This newsletter about new books is distributed to people who are registered adult users at a southeast Kansas library participating in the SEKnFind catalog. We hope you find it useful, but if you don’t wish to receive this anymore, you can click on the “Manage Subscriptions or Unsubscribe” link at the bottom.
All the books included in this newsletter are new additions in one or more SEKnFind libraries–and since the catalog is shared, that means they are available to you whether they are in your local library or not!  Just place a hold on the item(s) you want.  If you don’t know how, your librarian can show you.

New Fiction

The madness of crowds
by Louise Penny

When a visiting professor spreads lies so that fact and fiction are so confused it’s near impossible to tell them apart, leading to murder, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache must investigate this case as well as this extraordinary popular delusion – and the madness of crowds. 750,000 first printing.

If it rains : a novel
by Jennifer L. Wright

“A story of resilience and redemption set against one of America’s defining moments-the Dust Bowl. It’s 1935 in Oklahoma, and lives are determined by the dust. Fourteen-year-old Kathryn Baile, a spitfire born with a severe clubfoot, is coming of age in desperate times. Once her beloved older sister marries, Kathryn’s only comfort comes in the well-worn pages of her favorite book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Back in Boise City, Melissa Baile Mayfield is the newest member of the wealthiest family in all of Cimarron County. In spite of her poor, rural upbringing, Melissa has just married the town’s most eligible bachelor and is determined to be everything her husband – and her new social class – expects her to be. But as the drought tightens its grip, Henry’s true colors are revealed.

Dark roads
by Chevy Stevens

Beth Chevalier quits school, lies to her parents and becomes addicted to pills while dealing with the murder of her sister on the notorious Cold Creek Highway in the new thriller by the author of Still Missing. 100,000 first printing.

For your own good
by Samantha Downing

Belmont Academy’s Teacher of the Year, Teddy Crutcher is frustrated by his colleagues and endlessly meddlesome parents who begin digging a bit too deeply into his affairs after the death of an Academy parent and his seemingly missing wife.

Along a storied trail
by Ann H. Gabhart

“Kentucky packhorse librarian Tansy Calhoun doesn’t mind the rough trails and long hours as she serves her mountain community during the Great Depression. Even the rough people-like ornery Perdita Sweet-have their charms. But can love bloom in such rockysoil?”

Pug actually
by Matt Dunn

Doug, a rescue pug, wants his owner, Julie, who is in a bad relationship, to be happy and sets in motion a chain of events that leads her to Tom, whom Doug believes is perfect for her, if only she can get over her initial animosity towards him. Original. 50,000 first printing.

The Moonshine Shack murder
by Diane Kelly

The prime suspect in a murder investigation after the body of a rival bar owner is found on her doorstep, Hattie Hayes, to clear her name, must distill the evidence herself and serve the killer a swift shot of justice. Original.

Come back to me
by Jody Hedlund

“Scientist Marian Creighton was skeptical of her father’s lifelong research of ancient holy water-until she ingests some of it and finds herself transported back to the Middle Ages. With the help of an emotionally wounded nobleman, can she make her way back home? Or will she be trapped in the past forever?”

The witness for the dead
by Katherine Addison

While serving the common people Amalo, Thara Celehar, a Witness for the Dead, finds his skills leading him out of the quiet and into a morass of treachery, murder and injustice, in this stand-alone sequel to The Goblin Emperor.

The whispering dead
by Darcy Coates

“When Keira wakes in a strange forest, she can remember only two things: she can see ghosts, and strange, mask-wearing men are hunting her. She seeks shelter at a church, and the kind pastor offers to let her stay in the groundskeeper’s cottage for a fewdays. But the cottage is situated behind the graveyard, and its spirits are only too eager to make themselves known. This sleepy, quaint town has dark secrets from the past that continue to haunt in increasingly terrifying ways. Keira’s shocked to discover her lost memories may be woven through the town’s bizarre hauntings, and soon, she’s thrown full-tilt into a race to unravel the decades-old mystery…before it’s too late”

The guide : a novel
by Peter Heller

Trying to return to normalcy after a young life filled with loss, Jack takes a job as a guide for the elite Kingfisher Lodge where he, while guiding a well-known singer, discovers that this idyllic fishing lodge may be a cover for a far more sinister operation.

Hell’s Jaw Pass
by Max O’Hara

When a railroad crew at Hell’s Jaw Pass in Wyoming Territory is slaughtered, detective Wolf Stockburn is sent in to investigate and stays at a nearby mining town where he must contend with train holdups, ranch wars, murder — and a deputy’s pretty daughter. Original.

New Nonfiction

The Storytellers : Straight Talk from the World’s Most Acclaimed Suspense and Thriller Authors
by Mark Rubinstein

Collected here are interviews with forty-seven accomplished authors, including Michael Connelly, Ken Follett, Meg Gardiner, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, and Don Winslow. These are their personal stories in their own words, much of the material never before published. How do these writers’ life experiences color their art? Find out their thoughts, their inspirations, their candid opinions. Learn more about your favorite authors, how they work and who they truly are.

The comfort book
by Matt Haig

Incorporating a wealth of sources from across history, science and his own experiences, the New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Library offers reassurance and encouragement for anyone looking for a more fulfilling, more uplifting way through life.

Paradise : one town’s struggle to survive an American wildfire
by Lizzie Johnson

A San Francisco Chronicle reporter, drawing on years of on-the-ground reporting and reams of public records, provides a first-hand account of California’s Camp Fire—the nation’s deadliest wildfire in a century, investigating root causes and how to avert future tragedies as the climate crisis unfolds. Maps.

How Stella learned to talk : the groundbreaking story of the world’s first talking dog
by Christina Hunger

An incredible, revolutionary true story and surprisingly simple guide to teaching your dog to talk from a speech-language pathologist who has taught her dog to communicate using simple paw-sized buttons associated with different words. 100,000 first printing.

The first survivors of Alzheimer’s : how patients recovered life and hope in their own words
by Dale E. Bredesen

Outlining revolutionary treatments, an internationally recognized expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases presents first-person accounts from survivors of Alzheimer’s—amazing stories of hope told in their own words. Original.

Hook, line, and supper : new techniques and master recipes for everything caught in lakes, rivers and streams, and at sea
by Hank Shaw

“So many people get all tense when faced with a piece of fish or a bag of shrimp. It’s understandable: you went through all that effort to catch it, or, if you bought it from the store, we all know that fish isn’t cheap. You don’t want to mess things up.Hook, Line and Supper aims to cure that stage fright once and for all by breaking down the essence of fish and seafood cookery, allowing you to master the methods that bring out the best in whatever you catch or bring home from the market”

The green indoors : finding the right plants for your home environment
by Maddie Bailey

“The Green Indoors is a useful guide on how to find perfect plant matches for your home environments with a sustainable and innovative approach. Focusing on working with the plants you already own, the book is divided into chapters detailing all the possible conditions: extreme sun/heat, dry air/central heating, deep shade, high humidity, draughty, cold. By matching awkward spaces in your home with environments in the natural world, this book shows you how to relocate plants to improve their growth and help them thrive. Features an extensive section with informative plant profiles that include their origin, easy-to-follow tips on feeding and watering, optimum conditions, prospective growth, and is concluded by a helpful troubleshooting chapter dealing with common problems, and what to try when all hope is lost”

The new oil painting : your essential guide to materials and safe practices
by Kimberly Brooks

“A guide to the materials and safe practices that will take your oil painting practice to new heights–whether you are just starting out, or have been painting for years”

The girls who stepped out of line : untold stories of the women who changed the course of World War II
by Mari K. Eder

Experience the untold story of 15 women who changed the course of history as part of the Greatest Generation.

The American war in Afghanistan : a history
by Carter Malkasian

“The American War in Afghanistan is a full history of the war in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2020. It covers political, cultural, strategic, and tactical aspects of the war and details the actions and decision-making of the United States, Afghan government, and Taliban. The work follows a narrative format to go through the 2001 US invasion, the state-building of 2002-2005, the Taliban offensive of 2006, the US surge of 2009-2011, the subsequent drawdown, and the peace talks of 2019-2020. The book examines the overarching questions of the war: Why did the United States fail? What opportunities existed to reach a better outcome? Why did the United States not withdraw from the war?”

Even more reading suggestions

KS New Heart Program

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services Receives $2.7 Million to Fund New KS HEART Program

~ KDADS one of five organizations receiving funding to provide substance use disorder services for pregnant and postpartum women ~

TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced that the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) is one of only five organizations nationally to be awarded a three-year, $2.7 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). Grant funds through the FY 2020 State Pilot Grant Program for Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women (PPW-PLT) will be used to provide evidence-based, family-centered treatment services to pregnant and postpartum women in Kansas with substance use disorders.

“This grant will expand critical treatment services to support pregnant and postpartum Kansans with substance abuse disorders – along with their children,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “By addressing the behavioral needs of mothers, we can protect mothers and their families.”

The KDADS program, which will be known as KS Helping Empower And Recover Together (KS HEART), will take effect September 30, 2021.

It’s estimated the KS HEART program will serve approximately 55 women a year at two pilot locations, for a total of 165 women over three years. Partners identified in the grant are DCCCA, Inc. and CKF Addiction and Treatment Services, with pilot sites in Salina and Wichita.

“By focusing on family-centered therapy, expanding outpatient programs, and providing community-based wraparound services, the KS HEART program aims to accomplish the goals of decreasing substance use, including opioids, among pregnant and postpartum women in Kansas,” KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said.

The purpose of the KS HEART program is to enhance flexibility in the use of funds designed to:

  1. Support family-based services for pregnant and postpartum women with a primary diagnosis of a substance use disorder, including opioid use disorders;
  2. Help state substance abuse agencies address the continuum of care, including services provided to pregnant and postpartum women in nonresidential-based settings; and
  3. Promote a coordinated, effective, and efficient state system managed by state substance abuse agencies by encouraging new approaches and models of service delivery.

Pregnant and postpartum women using substances face complex challenges that put the health and stability of their family at risk. Funding and eligibility restrictions to existing substance use treatment services often cause women to lose access to care during some of the most vulnerable points postpartum.

“The KS HEART program will bridge identified gaps to services and provide evidence-based treatments, including Medication Assisted Treatment and tobacco cessation as well as increase family stability and support and maintain community tenure and recovery for the whole family unit,” said KDADS Behavioral Health Services Commissioner Andy Brown.

“CKF Addiction Treatment is excited about this grant partnership with KDADS to help further treat the behavioral health needs of pregnant and postpartum women attending our services,” said CKF President and CEO Shane Hudson, MS, MSHCT, LCP, LCAC. “Addiction involves many layers and those with mental health symptoms that only exacerbate the symptoms of addiction need extra support. This grant aligns well with CKF’s focus of positively impacting patient health outcomes in addiction health care settings.”

“DCCCA is proud to partner with this project and excited to bring our expertise in women’s treatment to this work,” DCCCA CEO Lori Alvarado said. “We have prioritized services for pregnant and parenting women for more than 20 years and are eager to expand these critical services to women and children in Kansas.”

Bourbon County Local News