Presbyterian Village, an assisted living facility, hosted a talent show Friday afternoon.
Members of the community were invited to showcase their talent, along with some employees and residents of the facility.
A crowd filled the dining room of Presbyterian Village to enjoy the entertainment.
The following are photos from the event.
TOPEKA – On Tuesday, Lt. Governor Colyer urged Kansas utility companies to pass the savings they receive from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on to consumers, so that Kansans may feel the full benefit of the tax decrease. In response to Lt. Gov. Colyer’s calls for relief, KCP&L President Terry Basham and Westar President Mark Ruelle sent letters (attached) agreeing to pass 100 percent of the benefit from the tax cut on to their customers.
In December, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In addition to reducing the burden for the majority of taxpayers, the legislation also lowers the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. Since utility companies benefit directly from this rate decrease, Colyer wrote to Kansas utility companies requesting they provide relief to Kansas utility consumers by sharing the savings.
“The cost of utilities affects every Kansan. Ensuring that the reduction in corporate federal tax rate is fully recognized in utility rates is an important benefit to Kansas and businesses in communities throughout Kansas,” said Colyer. “This action will make a significant difference to the bottom lines of budgets across our state—particularly to families and small businesses that are just trying to make ends meet.”
In his response to Lt. Governor Colyer, KCP&L President Terry Basham said, “We […] look forward to working with regulators and other stakeholders to get these benefits to our customers as soon as possible.”
Mark Ruelle, President of Westar, responded, “We share an interest in keeping electricity reliable and affordable for Kansans. Supporting the latter goal, we look forward to making sure our customers receive the full benefit of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.”
Lt. Governor Colyer remains committed to ensuring Kansas utility companies pass along the benefits of our nation’s new tax cuts to all Kansans.
Here are the responses from the utilities:
Bassham Colyer Response 1172018
Submitted.
Fort Scott Community College’s Meats Judging team took 2nd place overall at the AMSA National Western Intercollegiate Meat Contest on January 14, 2018. The team traveled to Denver to take on other eager teams and didn’t leave there without a trophy!
The team was led by Alysia Johnston, FSCC President, who was said she was very excited to see the team in action.
Freshman, Kaylyn Crystal quotes, “Overall, we are very pleased with this outcome. We are a young team and this was our first contest at the college level. I have a good feeling about how our team will continue to grow, and the progress we will make.”
The individual rankings are found below.
FSCC congratulations the Meats Team.
Kaylyn Crystal
2nd High Individual Overall
2nd High Individual in Overall Beef
2nd High Individual in Beef Grading
3rd High Individual in Beef Judging
3rd High Individual in Questions
4th High Individual in Pork Judging
Matt Robinson
3rd High Individual in Lamb Judging
4th High Individual in Beef Judging
5th High Individual in Lamb Judging
William Green
3rd High Individual in Overall Placing’s (3-way tie for 1st)
5th Overall
The Kansas Department of Agriculture, K-State Research and Extension and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment will host a regional workshop in Chanute on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. This is one of five regional workshops which are being held this year to assist farmers’ market vendors and managers.
Kansas farmers’ markets not only provide a fresh food source but also stimulate the local economy. In 2017, 85 farmers’ markets were registered with KDA’s Central Registration of Farmers’ Markets.
“Farmers’ markets provide growers a chance to tell their farm’s story, with face-to-face interaction with consumers, but there are also legal, safety and financial parameters that farmers need to understand before choosing to sell at a farmers’ market,” said Londa Nwadike, consumer food safety specialist with K-State Research and Extension and the University of Missouri.
Workshop topics will include:
Marketing and Pricing Tips
Growing in High Tunnels 101
Regulations on Selling Meat, Eggs and Poultry Direct to Consumer
Double Up Food Bucks and Sales Tax for Vendors
Vendor Marketing and Communications
Morel Mushroom Identification Certification
Kansas Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program Certified Farmer Training
KDA’s weights and measures program will also offer free scale testing and certification at the workshop for attendees.
The workshop will be held at Mid-West Fertilizer at the Chanute Agronomy Center, 3030 W. Santa Fe Ave. in Chanute. Onsite registration will open at 8:30 a.m. and the workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude by 3:00 p.m.
Registration for this workshop is now open and is $20 per participant. Registration includes lunch; however, lunch will only be guaranteed to those participants who register by February 1.
Registration forms can be found at FromtheLandofKansas.com/FMWorkshop or at your local extension offices.
For more information, please contact Kathy McEwan, Southwind Extension, at 620-365-2242 or [email protected], or Krista Harding at 620-244-3826 or [email protected].
KDA is committed to providing an environment that enhances and encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy. These workshops will provide support and assistance to help make Kansas businesses more successful.
Kathy S. McEwan, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Foods & Nutrition, SNAP-Ed Coordinator, Southwind Extension District – Iola Office, P.O. Box 845, Iola KS 66749, telephone 620-365-2242 or email: [email protected].
Cold vs. Flu
Can you tell the difference?
A runny nose. Muscle aches. Fever. Is it a cold or the flu?
Dr. Katrina Burke, family medicine physician at Mercy Clinic Fort Scott offers these tips to help you distinguish the difference between a cold and the flu.
“Flu is usually a sudden onset,” Burke explains. “Headaches, muscle aches, tiredness/weakness and exhaustion are common and often severe with the flu.”
“A fever is possible with both colds and the flu, but a temperature of 102 or above in children and adults that last 3 to 4 days is common with the flu,” she adds.
“A cold typically worsens over a day or two. Adults seldom have a fever with a cold. Infants and young children may have a fever with a cold but the fever usually subsides within a couple days.”
The best way to prevent the flu is good hand hygiene and getting the flu vaccine. If you become sick, stay at home, use over-the-counter medication for a fever and drink lots of water.
If you have questions visit your Mercy provider or Mercy Convenient Care located at 1624 S. National in Fort Scott.
New opportunities for students to attend Fort Scott Community College on an athletic scholarship are here.
Woman’s golf and also men’s and women’s track and field programs will be offered in Fall 2018, according to Tom Havron, athletic director and dean of students, said.
“This is an opportunity for us to add to the student body and give students academic opportunities,” Havron said.
Ryan Pulsifer was hired as the new track and field coach.
“This is near and dear to my heart….I was a track and field coach for Neosho County Community College, Chanute,” Havron said.
“There is a possibility of using local talent on our team,” Havron said.
“Fort Scott High School has tremendous cross country and track teams. The local talent is high.”
Track has potential to add 50 to 90 students to the student body, and up to 15 for golf, Havron said.
Jeff Tadtman, current head women’s basketball coach, is the new women’s golf coach.
“Tadtman has had some experience coaching golf in a previous position,” Havron said.
FSCC has already signed two high school students for this team and is aiming for eight, he said.
For college, women’s golf is played during fall and spring semesters, Havron said.
“We were looking to add a woman’s sport,” Havron said. “Because of Title 9, it’s important to have things equal, to give opportunities to females.”
Havron said in addition to staff recruitment, people can apply for the athletic scholarships.
In addition to academics and sports, FSCC allows students opportunities to serve the community.
Havron said the athletic department prides itself on “producing a culture of community service.”
He cited such service as helping the middle school with several fundraisers, Beacon Adopt-A-Child, Angel Tree, reading programs at the elementary schools, line judges at the high school volleyball games, Upward Bound referees and shoe donations to a third-world country.
“We get multiple calls every month, people who need help,” Havron said. “The coaches are great to get this going.”
Following is the agenda for the Bourbon County Commission, Tuesday, Jan.9, starting at 9 a.m. The commission is located on the second floor of the courthouse at 210 S. National.
9-9:45 a.m. Jim Harris
9:30 Disposal of wreaths at the national cemetery
9:45-10:15 Commissioners consider and take action on any and all questions regarding the law enforcement project
10:30-11 Ben Cole-Sheriffs Dept. Wages
11-12 Justin Meeks
Noon-1:30 Commissioners gone to lunch
2-2:30 Ed Guss-City of Redfield/Fire Department
2:30 Employee handbook
Justifications for an executive session:
Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel
Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship
Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency
Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships
Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property
Matters relating to the security of a public body or agency, public building or facility or the information system of a public body or agency, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize the security of such public body, agency, building, facility or information system
“In the past, Mercy Hospital Fort Scott has been able to accept Blue Cross/Blue Shield, but Mercy Hospital Joplin and Springfield were excluded,” said Tina Rockhold media spokesperson for Mercy Hospital said.
Kansas residents with Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s plan which are part of the Blue Card network now have access to Mercy Joplin doctors, hospitals, labs, imaging facilities and other health care services, effective January 1, 2018.
Mercy Joplin and Springfield are now in-network with a number of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas health insurance plans.
“This is a tremendous benefit to our patients,” Rockhold said. “Because if they are transferred or need specialty care not offered here, they can now receive care in Joplin or if need be in Springfield.”
“In Springfield, for example, there is a highly specialized pediatric service,” she said. “If needed patients could be treated there.”
Click here for a list of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans accepting Mercy providers.
Patients with the following plans will receive in-network privileges at Mercy Joplin: Blue Choice, Preferred Care, Preferred Care Blue, Pathway/Pathway X and Medicare Advantage.
Because of its efficient, quality care, Mercy recently was named one of the top five large health systems for the second year in a row by IBM Watson Health’s Truven Health Analytics.
In addition to quality care across the board, patients in these Blue Cross Blue Shield plans will have access to a variety of Mercy health care specialties in Joplin that include:
The full list of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans accepting Mercy providers follows:
Blue Access – PPO
Blue Access Choice – PPO
Blue Traditional
Medicare Advantage HMO
Medicare Advantage PPO
Pathway
Pathway X
Blue Access Choice – S
Bronze Pathway
Bronze Pathway X
Catastrophic Pathway
Catastrophic Pathway X
Gold Pathway
Gold Pathway X
Lumenos Plans (Blue Access Choice)
Lumenos Plans (Blue Access)
National PPO (Blue Card Basic)
National PPO (Blue Card PPO)
Silver Pathway
Silver Pathway X
Anthem MediBlue (HMO)
Anthem MediBlue (PPO)
Anthem MediBlue Dual Advantage (HMO SNP)
Anthem MediBlue Plus (HMO)
Anthem MediBlue Preferred (PPO)
Blue Medicare Advantage (PPO)
Blue Medicare Rx (PDP) with Senior Rx Plus
Blue Medicare Rx Plus (PDP)
Blue Medicare Rx Premier (PDP)
Blue Medicare Rx Value (PDP)
Federal Employee Program
Blue Card Worldwide
Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2017 by Truven, an IBM Watson Health company, serves millions annually. Mercy includes 44 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, more than 700 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 40,000 co-workers and more than 2,000 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison has been the executive director since October 2010.
On January 11, 2011, Madison initiated the Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet.
“I started it to provide a platform for downtown business owners and any interested party to network for ideas related to downtown,” Madison said.
Usually, approximately 18 to 25 people attend, with the host business invited to tell about their business and any future events, she said.
” City representatives (Dave Martin or Rachel Pruitt) usually give a city update and a Fort (Scott National Historic Site) representative usually announces upcoming fort events,” Madison said.
Some of the projects and ideas that have come out of the meetings include:
On January 9 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. the meet and greet will gather at Papa Don’s Restaurant, 10 N. Main to share ideas once again for the downtown area.
The goal of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is to be a premier chamber of commerce in the region, acknowledged for leadership effectiveness, member-focused services and success, and being a go-to resource for business and community, according to its website.
For more information:
http://fortscott.com
Years in a Pennsylvania boarding school created a passion and vision for education for a local Fort Scottian.
Daniel Kerr’s experience altered him.
“It was a life-changing experience,” Kerr said.
Since that time Kerr has had an interest in developing a boarding school that would incorporate farming into the school curriculum and has been working towards that vision and laying the groundwork.
“This is not a reform school,” Kerr said. ” This will be for kids of high character and goodwill. There is a fairly rigorous application process and an in-person interview with parents and prospective students.”
Thus plans were begun for constructing St. Martin’s Academy, a boys Catholic boarding school.
The Kerr Family Estate deeded to St. Martin’s Academy about five acres of land west of Fort Scott on Indian Road.
Daniel Kerr met with the bishop and vicar-general of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita to tell them of his vision.
“They are enthusiastic and have been supportive of our plans,” he said.
In October 2017 construction began of phase one, Theotokos Hall.
Kevin Klassen Construction, Kansas City, is the main contractor, Kerr said. The architect is Greg Madeen, Durango, CO, who does alternative energy construction and design.
This month the City of Fort Scott granted the school a land use permit.
Also this month, the footings for the first building were laid.
The footprint of the hall is 74 feet by 36 feet, with a full basement, first floor, and loft area, totaling over 6,000 square feet, Kerr said.
Theotokos Hall is the first and largest building and will be constructed of native oak timbers and stone.
“Overall, the school campus will be situated on five acres with access to 200 acres,” Kerr said. “We live on the property and built a house here. Kerr is married with children.
The school will be using passive solar and hope to have a windmill for electrical and also active solar, he said.
Theokotos Hall will serve the needs of the school for the first year before becoming the permanent dining hall and hearth. It is slated for completion in July 2018.
Eventually, there will be five separate buildings on the site.
By 2022 there is a plan to complete construction on the crowning feature of the campus, a chapel made of native stone.
Patrick Whelan, who will be the new headmaster, has moved to Fort Scott with his family and has been working on the school’s curriculum development and educational compliance, along with recruiting students, Kerr said.
“We are blessed to be able to work together for about 15 months of preparation leading into the first academic year,” Kerr said.
“We’ll be applying for grants, benefactors, and financial partners interested in investing in a bold new adventure in education,” Kerr said.
Some upcoming events for St. Martin’s Academy:
Feb. 9 -10 the academy staff will be hosting the Third Annual Prairie Troubadour Conference in Fort Scott. This year’s topic is “Field and Family: Reflections on a Healthy Human Ecology”, according to information provided. To learn more and to purchase tickets http://prairietroubadour.org/
F.O.R.T Leadership Camp will be offered April 16-22, 2018 and again June 11-17, 2018 for boys ages 12-14. Cost is $500 per session. The young men will learn to build a fire, make a shelter, forage for food, race kayaks, serve mass and butcher a hog, according to information provided. Visit: SaintMartinsAcademy.org/#camp.
For more information view the academy’s website at http://www.saintmartinsacademy.org
