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Government, Kansas

Public Survey on Drone Usage

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Public encouraged to take a survey on statewide drone usage

The Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) Division of Aviation is seeking public opinion on the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or drones in Kansas airspace.

 

Individuals of all ages, occupations and backgrounds are encouraged to participate in the 10-question online survey available at https://www.ippkansas.org/ks-uas-ipp-survey until Feb. 28.

 

Through the survey, KDOT hopes to gain a better understanding of the public’s familiarity and opinion on UAS use scenarios to drive operations for the Kansas UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP).

 

This federally-initiated program will help tackle the most significant challenges to integrating drones into the national airspace and will reduce risks to public safety and security. The Kansas team is focused on efforts in Long Line Linear Infrastructure Inspection (i.e. highways, railroads, energy distribution lines, etc.) and Precision Agriculture. IPP partners include state universities, Kansas UAS joint task force members and industry leaders. For a full list visit: www.ippkansas.org/partners.

 

KDOT is currently conducting UAS test flights in the airspace north of Gypsum and over partner right-of-way infrastructure and partner-owned land. These operations will support a Phase II safety case that will include Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.

 

About Kansas UAS IPP
KDOT is one of only 10 national leaders conducting advanced UAS operations to guide future rule-making that will result in access to new technologies for the nation. The IPP is the result of a 2017 Presidential Memorandum issued to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

www.ippkansas.org.

Fort Scott Community College

FSCC Cosmetology Offering Free Haircuts To Elementary Students

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Fort Scott Community College School of Cosmetology wants to give a little help to the local elementary kids by offering free haircuts to eligible students. With the permission from their parents, students can participate in the free haircuts, which will take place the 1st of each month, through April.

“We are excited to partner with the schools and help out however we can. We enjoy being a part of the community, especially in this way”, Courtney Goucher, FSCC Cosmetology Instructor.

There is a permission form to participate in this event, which can be obtained from the area elementary school(s). Any questions regarding the event can be directed to Courtney Goucher at [email protected].

Government

Disability Benefits to ‘Blue Water’ Vietnam Veterans

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WASHINGTON — A federal court ruled Tuesday that the Department of Veterans Affairs cannot deny disability benefits to thousands of Vietnam veterans who claim exposure to cancer-causing chemical defoliants simply because those vets served in the waters off the country’s coastline, and not inland.

The ruling marks a major victory for so-called “blue water” Navy veterans who have fought the department for years over the denials. VA officials have said the existing scientific evidence doesn’t justify the presumption of toxic exposure for the group and have strongly opposed legislative efforts to overturn their decision.

But the 9-2 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturns past court opinions backing up VA, saying that Congress never intended to exclude servicemembers in the seas around Vietnam when they awarded presumptive benefits for certain illnesses related to Agent Orange exposure.

Under current department rules, the blue water veterans can receive medical care for their illnesses through VA. But to receive disability benefits — worth up to several thousand dollars a month — they must prove that their ailments are directly connected to toxic exposure while on duty.

That’s not the case for other Vietnam veterans, who are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange and other defoliants known to cause serious and rare cancers.

So while a veteran who served on the shoreline could receive disability payouts after contracting Parkinson’s Disease or prostate cancer, another vet who served on a ship a few miles away would have to provide evidence of direct contact with hazardous chemicals.

Advocates have said that, given the time that has passed since the war, obtaining such proof is impossible and unfair. In their ruling, the federal judges agreed.

“These statutes cast no doubt on our conclusion that, by using the formal term ‘Republic of Vietnam,’ Congress unambiguously referred, consistent with uniform international law, to both its landmass and its 12-nautical-mile territorial sea,” the ruling states.

If VA officials opt not to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court in the next 90 days — or if the court decides not to hear the case — the result means that up to 90,000 blue water veterans could see disability payouts as early as this year.

In a statement, VA spokesman Curt Cashour said the department is reviewing this decision and “will determine an appropriate response.”

Advocates hailed the news as a major step ahead in their effort to win benefits for the aging veterans.

“This is a big win,” said John Wells, retired Navy commander and the executive director of Military-Veterans Advocacy, which helped file the lawsuit. “We want to work with VA on how to implement this as painlessly as possible, but making sure these veterans get all they deserve.”

Bart Stichman, executive director of the National Veterans Legal Services Program, said the decision “unequivocally rights a wrong that is a terrible injustice to all veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange in the waters of Vietnam.”

Legislation that would have awarded presumptive status to the blue water veterans was blocked by a small group of senators at the end of last year, disappointing advocates who saw the legislative momentum as their best chance for a victory in years.

Now, instead of granting the benefits to veterans, lawmakers may be forced to scramble new bills to cover the cost of the court-ordered awards.

Congressional Budget Office officials had estimated that awarding the benefits to the blue water veterans could total about $1.1 billion over 10 years, but VA officials have insisted the total is closer to $5.5 billion. Disagreements over whether to use new home loan fees to pay for the costs stalled the previous legislation.

If the court order stands, VA will be forced to cover the costs regardless of whether an offset is agreed upon, a potential drain on the department’s annual budget. Several new bills on the issue are already pending before Congress, and the chairmen of both the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees have promised to deal with the topic quickly this year. In a statement, Senate chairman Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., said that he was pleased with the court decision and would work closely with VA on the next steps.

The full decision is available at the appeals court’s web site.

The article can be found at https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2019/01/29/court-rules-va-must-pay-disability-benefits-to-blue-water-vietnam-veterans/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Socialflow+MIL&utm_source=facebook.com&fbclid=IwAR2-jzycWfDe0TV9q1nNDMO_m0LgVimIL9c3ZOAzPazJbFf3KnYaFJlz6F8

Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, K-State Extension

Chamber Coffee At Courthouse Jan. 31

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WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER
Join us for Chamber Coffee
 
Hosted by:

Southwind Extension District
 
Location:

Courthouse Lobby, 210 S. National Ave.
Thursday, January 31, 2019


Click here for Southwind Extension District web page.


Chamber members and guests are encouraged to attend for networking, community announcements, and to learn about the hosting business or organization.
Members may pay $1 to make an announcement about an upcoming event, special/sale/discount, or news of any kind.
Upcoming Coffees:
February 7 – City State Bank
February 14 – Visage Skin Care
February 21 – Fort Scott Lofts
February 28 – Hole in the Wall Liquor Store/Adventures in Mission
Fort Scott, Health Care

City of Fort Scott On Health Care Transitions

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The emergency room operations have been assumed by Ascension Via Christi.

The City of Fort Scott has been anxiously awaiting an announcement regarding the Emergency Room.

We are fortunate to have Ascension Via Christi provide Emergency Room services in our community.

In October of 2018, a task force was quickly pulled together to work on three priorities:   1) Primary Care to maintain our medical staff with no disruption of service; 2) Ambulance Service, and 3) Emergency Room.

The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas will be assuming operations of Mercy Convenient Care Friday, February 1. The most noticeable change will be a new sign reading CHC/SEK Walk-In Care. Hours of operation will remain the same – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Telephone numbers remain the same; the majority of the original staff have been retained. Patients still should enter through the main hospital door. The pharmacy will continue to operate as usual.

The main clinic located within the hospital building will be closed Friday, February 1, to change out phone and computer systems and will reopen Monday, February 4 at 8 a.m. Hours of operation are expanding with the clinic open Monday through Thursday until 6 p.m. Friday hours will remain the same which are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CHC/SEK will also be providing Mammography Services beginning in mid-February following completion of all licensure requirements.

Specialty clinics will continue and expand to add specialists from Kansas City, Joplin, Pittsburg and Iola. Previously located in Mercy’s building on Horton Street, these are being moved into the main clinic to make it more convenient for patients. A full listing of all visiting physicians will be published next week. The VA Clinic will remain in the Horton Street Building.

CHC/SEK has also initiated discussions with potential oncology providers to reopen the Cancer Center as soon as possible.

As with any transition, some glitches should be expected and appreciate everyone’s patience during this period.

As a reminder, the current EMS contract with Mercy remains in place through the end of March.  The City/County EMS partnership will begin April 1st.  The current EMS staff has been preparing for this provider transition for several months.  The EMS service remains fully operational during the transition.

City Manager, Dave Martin, has maintained a close relationship with executives from Via Christi and Mercy to ensure the future of healthcare services in our community.  Martin heard from Randy Cason, President of Ascension Via Christi and discussed future healthcare opportunities earlier today.  Cason said he looks forward to a new partnership and providing services to Fort Scott.

 “Fort Scott has a chance to be a role model for the future of rural healthcare,” said Martin.  He added, “The task force will begin establishing a relationship with Via Christi and continue to partner with CHC/SEK to provide the best solution for future healthcare in our community.”

  As always, the City of Fort Scott remains committed to the needs of the citizens and will continue to monitor healthcare throughout these exciting changes.

Obituary

Obituary of Ruth Mudd

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Ruth R. Mudd, 98, formerly of Uniontown, passed away Monday morning, January 28, 2019, at the Kingswood Health Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

She was born November 20, 1920, in Uniontown, Kansas, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Effie Bertha (Summers) Hart. She married (James) Kelly Mudd June 18, 1943, in Riverside, California. He preceded her in death February 22, 2002.

Ruth worked for the Social Security Administration for seventeen years prior to her retirement in March 1982. She was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church and the Altar Society, as well as the Social Security Administration Alumni. She was also a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, NARFE Chapter 20, and a former member of American Federation of Government Employees 1336.

Ruth is survived by several nieces and nephews, including Pat Pearson, of Emporia, Kansas, Pam Pollock, of Leawood, Kansas, Pat Price, and Jean Wiley, both of Fort Scott.

In addition to her husband Kelly, Ruth, as the last of nine children, was also preceded in death by eight brothers and sisters and her parents.

Father Yancey Burgess will celebrate the Funeral Mass 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 31, 2019, at the Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church with Rosary at 10:30 a.m. prior to services.

Burial will follow at the St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Walnut, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be made to the Catholic Community Hospice and may be 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.

Fort Scott, Health Care

Via Christi To Operate Fort Scott Emergency Room

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Ascension Via Christi will Operate Fort Scott Emergency Room

January 29, 2019

PITTSBURG, Kansas – Ascension Via Christi has an agreement to operate Fort Scott’s emergency room, diagnostic imaging and laboratory services, as soon as it can get regulatory approval to do so.

As planned, Mercy Hospital will close the emergency room in Fort Scott at midnight on Jan. 31. Therefore, there will be a gap in service while regulatory inspections to operate under new management are obtained.

During that time, ambulance service will continue to be available to respond to 911 emergency calls. EMS’ well-trained staff is aware of all options for treatment and will have two crews available to respond to calls and transport, as may be necessary to the four hospitals located within an hour drive, including Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg.

Under the agreement, Ascension Via Christi will lease approximately 16,000-square feet of clinical space from Mercy and Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg will manage the emergency and outpatient services in Fort Scott.

Mercy announced the closure of its Fort Scott hospital in October, along with plans to pursue opportunities to transfer certain services to other area providers. Under the agreement, Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg will manage emergency and outpatient services at the Fort Scott hospital location.

“We have worked diligently to retain the staff working at Mercy Fort Scott and are in the process of recruiting and onboarding the clinical and non-clinical associates we’ll need to staff services in Fort Scott,” said Randy Cason, president of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, adding that having an emergency room is critical for the residents of Fort Scott and surrounding communities.

“Taking on emergency room and outpatient diagnostics responsibilities is a continuation of our mission to care for the residents of Southeast Kansas,” Cason said. “Mercy has agreed to transfer its emergency, laboratory and radiology equipment on-site to allow for a smooth transition of services.”