Kansas youth were given the opportunity to create artwork depicting the theme “New Faces, New Neighbors”.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is exhibiting the youth artwork in the building west of the visitors center.
The winter hours of the fort, from November 1 to March 1, are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The fort is located at the north end of downtown Fort Scott on Old Fort Boulevard.
For more information: 620.223-0310
For more information, click here:
“New Faces, New Neighbors” Textile Art Display
In addition to the above exhibit, while at the Fort view the excellent exhibit “The Fight Over Freedom”, adjacent to the youth exhibit.
Extension Update by Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director, Agriculture, Iola Office. Phone: 620-365-2242 [email protected]
The Southwind Extension District met for their annual organizational meeting on Tuesday, January 30, 2018.
After much discussion, a motion was made and seconded to bring Woodson County into the existing District that includes Allen, Bourbon and Neosho Counties.
There is a lengthy process that includes that Kansas Attorney General before the district merger with Woodson County will be finalized on July 1.
Board members learned that Lois Carlson accepted the 2017 Extension Board Leadership Award on behalf of Southwind at the annual partnership meeting in Lawrence.
Finally, officers were elected – Chairman, Kathy Brazle; Vice-Chairman, Jim Smart; Secretary, Lori Shue; Treasurer, Job Springer.
The next meeting will be held March 27 at 6 pm at the Moran United Methodist Church.
Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. was sworn in as the 47th governor of Kansas at 3 p.m. today in the Capitol rotunda in Topeka, accompanied by First Lady Ruth Colyer and their daughters, Serena and Dominique. Governor Colyer attended mass in Hays this morning with his classmates from Thomas More Prep-Marian High School. He then visited West Side Alternative School, which is also in Hays.
Governor Colyer said, “This public school is a unique partnership with the High Plains Mental Health Center that ensures special needs kids have the same opportunities for success as any other Kansan.”
When asked about his inauguration, Governor Colyer said, “Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to serve in a variety of ways including as a doctor, humanitarian and lieutenant governor. I’m excited to begin serving Kansans in an even greater way today as the governor of this beautiful state.”
Dr. Colyer is a fifth-generation Kansan from Hays who is dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives on the personal, state, national and international level. Over the last 25 years, Dr. Colyer has volunteered, as a surgeon, in dangerous war zones such as Afghanistan, Iraq, the Balkans, Libya, and Africa. He was an International Medical Corps volunteer and the only surgeon in southern Rwanda during the genocide that killed 800,000 people.
Dr. Colyer also served as a White House Fellow under President Ronald Reagan and President George H.W. Bush in international affairs.
Fort Scott Tiger Andrew Callahan will sign and be officially invited to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl on Feb. 14 at 11:30 am in the Fort Scott High School Media Center.
More Bourbon County families are getting the food and resources they need to be healthy due to a new collaboration between Mercy Hospital Fort Scott and the Crawford County Health Department, which provides Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to Bourbon County.
In October, the Crawford County Health Department partnered with Mercy to bring WIC counseling services for pregnant women and new mothers to the hospital. Personnel from the health department meet with new and ongoing clients the last Wednesday of every month at the hospital.
Additional clinics are held at Buck Run Community Center the first Tuesday and second and third Thursday of each month.
“Since starting the clinic at Mercy, we have seen the number of participants jump from three in October to 23 in December,” said Linda Timme, MS, RDN, LD, CBE, nutrition services coordinator at Crawford County Health Department. “This validates the significant need for continuing WIC services and other services for families in the Bourbon County area.”
The goal of the partnership between Mercy and the WIC clinic is to ensure families have access to supplemental food, nutritional education and other vital health care and social services.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website, WIC serves 53 percent of all infants born in the United States.
Statistics for Bourbon County demonstrate the importance of offering WIC services to the area residents. For example, the number of babies born at a low-birth-weight (less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces) is on the upswing, despite the national numbers declining.
Additional research by County Health Ranking and Roadmaps show families in Bourbon County are more likely to have limited access to healthy foods and lack a steady and reliable source for food than families in other areas of the country.
The idea of merging WIC with Mercy originated from the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team’s Healthcare Pathways Subcommittee.
“Our focus is to take care of the whole person—including the social determinants of health, said Jody Hoener, LBSW, MBA, Mercy Clinic quality and community benefit liaison. “Before offering the WIC clinic at Mercy, pregnant women at Mercy’s Maternal and Infant Clinic found it difficult to make it to both their prenatal appointment and their WIC appointment due to work schedules and limited time off or finding transportation. We didn’t want these mothers to have to choose between eating healthy food or receiving prenatal care.”
Mercy dietician Sherise Beckham, MS, RD, LD, hopes the collaboration will help moms by connecting them to services in one location.
“We’re hoping Mercy can provide a one-stop-shop for mothers to access great obstetric care, prenatal/postnatal education and all the resources WIC has to offer them,” Beckham said. “Many of the mothers we see in the maternal and infant clinic also participate in WIC so it seemed a natural fit to begin a working relationship between WIC and Mercy. As a dietitian, I hope this will help eliminate barriers for these mothers to access nutrition education. I hope this collaboration will reinforce the importance a healthy diet and lifestyle is for them and their children.”
WIC’s target population is low-income, nutritionally at-risk pregnant women, breastfeeding women, non-breastfeeding postpartum women, infants, and children up to their 5th birthday.
For more information about the monthly WIC clinic at Mercy, contact Jody Hoener at 620-223-7029.
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback on Friday issued a proclamation declaring Tuesday, January 30, 2018 a “Day of Prayer and Fasting” in Kansas, and issued the following statement:
“President George Washington, in his 1795 Proclamation for a Day of Public Thanksgiving called on Americans “to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experience.””
“I personally feel blessed by the time I have spent serving our great state and would like to observe a time of prayer and fasting before God takes me on to the next part of my journey. I invite all Kansans to join me as we pray for our state and our nation.”
This is Governor Brownback’s final proclamation signed as Governor of Kansas.
The agenda for the Bourbon County Commission, which meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30 at the courthouse, 210 S. National Ave.
9:00-9:45-Jim Harris9:45-10:15- Commissioners consider and take action on any and all question regarding the law enforcement project10:00-Attorney-client privilege
11:00-11:15-Justin Meeks-acquisition of real property
12:00-1:30-Commissioners gone to lunch
2:00-Review deposit process for R & B Accounts
Tax sale/timeline
Health Insurance dept. head meeting update
Petition on drugs
Response from landowners about rock quarry
Fire Districts
2:30-Employee Handbook
1st District is Lynne Oharah,2nd District-Jeff Fischer,3rd District-Nick Ruhl, County Clerk-Kendell Mason.
Justifications for 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
The United Way of Bourbon County kicked off its campaign at the Jan. 25 Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee, which was hosted by Mercy Hospital.
Gina Shelton, president of the local United Way Board, said the best way to help in the fundraising is a payroll deduction.
She said the cost of a purchased soft drink, $1 if it was payroll deducted by many people, would help the agency meet its 2018 Campaign goal of $50,000.
The agency helps these entities in the county:
Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition Board provides rental and utility payment assistance and provides family season passes to the Fort Scott Aquatic Center. Telephone: 620-223-5946
Bourbon County Senior Citizens provides Meals On Wheels to the elderly, general transportation and distributes commodities. 620-223-0750
Bourbon County 4-H Fair provides the annual fair and collaborates with the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce on special events, as well as partners with Fort Scott Community College for parking during the annual rodeo. 620-547-2571
Kansas Legal Services provides legal representation to obtain restraining orders, provides advice on custody and child support and coordinates services with Safehouse and others. 620-232-1330
Keyhole Youth Center provides youth with games, TV, pool tables, ping pong and regular parties and get-togethers. The facility is located across from the Fort Scott High School. 620-223-4700
Mother to Mother Ministries helps women build friendships across economic barriers as well as self-esteem and parenting skills. Diapers, baby supplies, and food to mothers in need are also provided. 620-224-0809 or 620-215-0924.
Fort Scott Ministerial Alliance Hospitality Fund assists transients in their travel through the area by providing gas, food, bus transportation, rooms and auto repairs, as well as meet other physical needs of Bourbon County residents. 620-223-3862
Southeast Kansas Respite Service provides people to come into the home to give caregivers a break. Also provided are cleaning services, errands, and transportation services. 620-421-6550 Ext. 1642
Tri-Valley Developmental Services provides employment and retirement services, residential services and horticultural Therapy Programs. 620-431-7401
The Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation of Kansas provides financial aid with assistive technology and medical equipment and assistance with selecting the technology, along with specialized seating systems for wheelchair users. 316-688-1888
Members of the United Way Board of Directors are Shelton, president; Dee Anne Miller, vice-president; Alene Jolly/Jodi Johnson, secretary; Devin Tally, treasurer; Jessica Werner; Vickie Chaplin; Amanda Lancaster; Mitzi Davis; Mert Barrows: Cindy Bowman; and Charli Bolinger.
New Vegetables to Try in 2018 by Krista Harding, District Agriculture Extension Agent, Southwind District. Call 620-244-3826, cell: 620-496-8786
Each year, the All-America Selections (AAS) tests and introduces new flowers and vegetables to home gardeners. These plants have proven themselves to do well in trials across North America. The AAS winner label is like a stamp of approval.
The vegetable descriptions were taken from All-American Selections material.
Corn, Sweet American Dream – with its excellent germination, very tender, super sweet kernels, this newbie will make a great addition to the home garden. American Dream matures slightly earlier than the comparisons and produces vigorous, healthy plants with cobs that have good tip fill of bi-colored kernels. Plants grow 6-7 feet tall and mature in 77 days after planting the seeds. It is perfect fresh, roasted, grilled, canned or frozen.
Pak Choi, Asian Delight F1 – Asian Delight F1 Pak Choi (or Bok Choy) is a Chinese Cabbage that outperformed the comparisons by leaps and bounds. This Pak Choi did not bolt like the comparisons, even weeks after other varieties went to seed. That means the yield from this AAS winner can be double or even higher than that of other Pak Choi on the market. Asian Delight forms small to mid-size heads that have a tasty, tender white rib and dark green, textured leaves.
Pepper cayenne, Red Ember F1 – this pepper winner won judges over by being earlier to mature than the comparison varieties. Red Ember produces a large number of rounded end fruits on durable, medium-sized plants. Judges described the thick-walled fruits as spicy, but tastier than the traditional cayenne, with just enough pungency for interest.
Pepper habanero, Roulette F1 – Routlette F1 resembles a traditional habanero pepper in every way (fruit shape, size and color, and plant type) with one exception – NO HEAT! The fruits are red with thick walls at maturity and have a nice citrusy (no heat) habanero flavor. This pepper is an early producer of large, uniform fruit and a very high yield.
Tomato, cocktail Red Racer F1 – this cocktail size tomato produces small, uniform fruits with a great taste. Cocktail tomatoes have a good sweet/acid balance and are a smaller variety tomato (although larger than cherry or grape tomatoes). These tomatoes are uniform in size and mature as a cluster of fruit. The compact determinate plants produced a huge yield 7-10 earlier than the comparisons. They are ideal for small spaces and container gardens. It is available in both organic and conventional seeds.
Tomato, Valentine F1 – hands down, the judges agreed this was the most appealing grape tomato they trialed. It has a deep red color and a very sweet taste. It held on the vine longer without cracking or losing the excellent eating quality. This tomato was quite prolific and matured earlier than the comparisons used for this entry. Valentine F1 is an indeterminate vine so it should be staked for best results. Tomato lovers will appreciate the sweet, firm flesh that is meaty enough to resemble a Roma tomato but in a smaller, grape-type fruit.
I will cover the 2018 AAS flowers in my next column. For a complete description of the 2018 All America Selections, visit www.all-americaselections.org.
Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at 620-244-3826 or [email protected].
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Stay Strong, Stay Health Strength Training Class for Older Adults at Buck Run Community Center 8:30 am620-223-3720.
26-27
Livestock Sale, Fort Scott Livestock Market, 2131 Maple Rd., 10 am
26
FSHS FR/JV/V Basketball VS Girard (Homecoming) 4:30pm -9:30pm
27
FSHS JV Wrestling Tournament at FS High School Gym 9:00am – 3:30pm
27
Jack & Jill Scottish Doubles Pool Tournament at Holmtown Pub 11am – 4pm. Proceeds o Care to Share
27
FSCC Hounds Women’s Basketball VS Labette 2:00 pm
27
FSCC Hounds Men’s Basketball VS Labette 4:00 pm
29
Celebrate Kansas Day with your Local Kansas owned Businesses! Visit a participating Chamber member retailer wearing a Sunflower or the word Kansas on your apparel to receive 10% off of your purchase.
**Participating businesses will have a
sunflower placed in the front of their store and include: Bids & Dibs, Common Ground Coffee Co., Country Cupboard, Courtland Hotel & Spa, Iron Star Antiques & Such, J&W Sports Shop, Main Street Gallery & Gifts, Papa Don’s Pizza, Shirt Shack, Ruddick’s Furniture, Sekan’s Occasion Shop, Sunshine Boutique and Trader Dave’s.
30
SEK Day on the Hill. A breakfast with legislators from 7:30 am to 9:30 am in Topeka.
30
Westar will be at the Fort Scott Area Chamber LIEAP (Low Income Energy Assistance Program)Application Assistance 9am-3pm
*Please bring utility account numbers, proof of income & SS# for all members of the household.
30
Kiwanis Meeting- FSCC Heritage Room- 12 pm
30
Story Time: Snow -Featuring the ever-popular cotton ball “snowball” fight – 10 am – 11:00 am – Fort Scott Public Library – Enjoy stories, songs, crafts, and snacks -Downstairs event room.
31
Story Time: Snow – Featuring the popular cotton ball “snowball” fight. 10 am – 11:00 am – Fort Scott Public Library – Enjoy stories, songs, crafts, and snacks -Downstairs event room.
31
Rotary Meeting – Presbyterian Church – 12:00pm -1:00pm
Feb 1
Chamber Coffee hosted by Liberty Theatre /Crooner’s Lounge, 117 S. Main St.
2/1 -3/31
New Face, New Neighbors – Fort Scott National Historic Site Art Exhibit.
Kids will create textile works of art that encompass the change of Fort Scott NHS throughout its history.
1
Kiwanis Pioneer Club – FSCC Heritage Room -12pm- 12:00pm -1:00pm
1
Gordon Parks Museum presents “When Freedom Changed America”
Guest speaker: John Edgar Tidwell, Professor at KU and a member of the Kansas Humanities Council’s Speaker’s Series. 12 pm – 1 pm at the Gordon Parks Museum on FSCC campus. (This is the MLK Day program that was previously scheduled for January and rescheduled due to weather)
1
Thursday Card Players, Buck Run Community Center, 6-9pm