The United States was plunged into World War II on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese Imperial Navy bombed Pearl Harbor. Thousands of Kansas patriots were among the millions who left their civilian jobs and joined the military in response to a presidential call to arms.

Heroic Kansas women were among those sixteen million females who answered the call to work on assembly lines, farms, in shipyards, airplane factories, and other institutions in support of the military overseas.

Rosie the Riveter became the iconic image of World War II’s working women. She was the star of a campaign to recruit females to work in defense industries. American Legion Auxiliary President Karen Hasting announced an initiative to honor their service and share their stories with future generations of Americans.

“The Auxiliary wants to recognize its Kansas Rosies for their inspiring patriotism and service to Kansas and the United States,” Hasting said. “The Department of Kansas American Legion Auxiliary will honor its known Rosie the Riveters during the American Legion’s Mid-winter Forum.

Auxiliary Vice-president Paula Sellens is spearheading the effort to identify Rosies.

“The Auxiliary is issuing a call for Rosies,” Sellens said. “Our known Rosies will be honored in a ceremony in Dodge City, Kansas on February 1, 2019. We’re asking that everyone that knows of a Kansas Rosie, living or deceased, to call me at 620-255-9339 or send information by email to: [email protected].”

I-70 between Colby and WaKeeney has just closed this morning in both directions because of winter weather conditions. Several other highways in western Kansas are closed as well.

For up-to-date information on road closures and road conditions, check travel information online at www.kandrive.org, or call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside Kansas.

The American Red Cross is having a Fort Scott Community Blood Drive at Buck Run Community Center, 735 Scott, following the holidays.

Wednesday, Dec. 26 from 1 to 7 p.m. and Thursday, Dec. 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. donors are encouraged to donate.

Please call 620-223-5946 to schedule an appointment.

Fort Scott KS – During the shutdown of the federal government due to the lapse of appropriations, national parks will remain as accessible as possible while still following all applicable laws and procedures. Park grounds at Fort Scott National Historic Site will remain accessible to visitors, but emergency and rescue services will be limited.

There will be no NPS-provided visitor services at Fort Scott National Historic Site, including public information, restrooms, trash collection, and facilities and roads maintenance (including plowing and snow removal if applicable).

Because of the federal government shutdown, NPS social media and websites are not being monitored or updated and may not reflect current conditions. All park programs have been canceled, including: Fort Guided Tours.

Please visit www.nps.gov/fosc for park information and www.nps.gov and select “Find a Park” for additional information about access to other parks and sites.

For updates on the shutdown, please visit www.doi.gov/shutdown.

Fort Scott KS –  The Fort Scott National Historic Site’s Visitor Center and fort buildings will be closed and no programs will be offered on Christmas day and New Year’s day (December 25, 2018 and January 1, 2019) to allow staff to celebrate the holidays with their families. Regular winter hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily.

Please visit our website for pictures and information about the fort, as well as its role in U.S. history and the shaping of the west. Information on visiting can be found on the Plan Your Visit page of our website (www.nps.gov/fosc), by calling 620-223-0310, or by emailing us.

KCP&L and Westar Energy warn customers of imposters

Callers use threat of disconnection to get immediate payment.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., and TOPEKA, Kan. – Dec. 17, 2018 – KCP&L and Westar Energy are alerting customers that imposters claiming to work for the companies are threatening to disconnect service and asking for prepaid cards as payment. In some cases, the caller is using a prerecorded voice. Several customers have called to report receiving suspicious phone calls.

Some imposters are very convincing. They may use websites that allow them to manipulate caller ID, making the call appear to come from KCP&L or Westar. They may use a prerecorded message. They speak with authority. When the targeted customer calls the phone numbers provided, the person who answers sounds like they work for KCP&L or Westar. In some cases, callers may even provide information like amount due that makes them sound credible.

“Scammers create a sense of urgency to get customers to act quickly rather than allowing them time to check their account,” Gina Penzig, manager, media communications, said. “We will never require a pre-paid card for payment. Also, we notify customers multiple times in advance if service may be interrupted for non-payment.”

Before acting on one of these calls, check your records to see if a recent payment has been made. If you are still unsure, check your account online or call the Westar Energy Customer Relations Center, 1-800-383-1183, or the KCP&L Customer Contact Center, 1-888-471-5275, and check your account status. More about identifying scams: https://www.westarenergy.com/scams or https://www.kcpl.com/involvement/safety/fraud-alerts.

If a customer receives a suspicious visit from an individual, he or she should also report it to their local law enforcement agency.

About KCP&L and Westar Energy:

Serving approximately 1.5 million customers in Kansas and Missouri, Kansas City Power & Light Company (KCP&L), KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company and Westar Energy are the electric utilities of Evergy, Inc. (NYSE: EVRG). Together we generate nearly half the power we provide to homes and businesses with emission-free sources. We support our local communities where we live and work, and strive to meet the needs of customers through energy savings and innovative solutions.

Contacts – Media:

Gina Penzig

Manager, media communications

785-575-8089

Media line: 888-613-0003

[email protected]