MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COMMISSION ROOM. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
Submitted by Adelay Martin, UHS Student Sports Reporter
The Uniontown Lady Eagles Volleyball team faced the Marmaton Valley Wildcats in the first home game of the season on Tuesday, October 6. Both JV and Varsity teams defeated the Wildcats.
The JV defeated Moran 25-9 and 26-24. Alexis Herring scored 12 points.
The Varsity Lady Eagles defeated Moran 25-18, 25-18, and 25-11. Bri Stokes scored 11 points, and Paige Mason scored 10 points and had 2 solo blocks. Danielle Howard was 24/25 on attacks with 13 kills and 6 solo blocks. Karleigh Schoenberger was 17/19 on attacks with 4 kills. Libby Schaaf was 15/16 on attacks with 2 kills. Gwenyth Fry was 12/12 on attacks with 3 kills and 2 solo blocks.
“The gym was ROCKIN’!!” said Coach Hall. The student section was indeed, rockin’. “Great atmosphere and it paid off…both teams were victorious!”
The UHS football team lost 28-8 against Riverton on Friday. Treden Buckman had 8 rushes for 27 yards, Hunter Schaaf had 9 rushes for 34 yards with one touchdown, and Drew Perry had 20 rushes for 97 yards. Jake Harvey had 3 pass receptions for 33 yards. Drew Perry completed 5/5 passes for 69 yards. As far as tackling went, Jake Harvey and Drew Perry each had 4 unassisted tackles, and Caleb Davis had 3 unassisted tackles. Joey Marlow had 2 fumble recoveries.
A local business resource center was brought to fruition because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“The idea of a business resource center being needed became abundantly clear around March or April,” Jody Hoener, Bourbon County Economic Director said. “Businesses were scrambling, trying to maintain or adapt as required, trying to keep their heads above water, all while attempting to navigate the very complex financial relief offered by the (U.S.)Small Business Administration and others. Just raising awareness of the opportunities and making critical connections to financial institutions for relief became a full-time job, let alone helping owners fill out applications.”
Jody Hoener, Bourbon County Economic Development Director. Submitted photo.
B-WERC Formed
The local program, called the Bourbon County Workforce and Entrepreneur Resource Center (B-WERC), was funded through Kansas’ Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas program, which was from money dispursed through the U.S. Cares Act Relief, all of these COVID-19 related measures by the layers of government.
Its purpose is to address current and immediate COVID-19 Pandemic related needs to assist business, encourage economic activity, and address unemployment, according to Hoener.
“I realized that the solution of throwing money at the problem was a very short term fix,” Hoener said. ” Businesses need customers for long term sustainability. The value in an increased online presence was highlighted more than ever during this pandemic. Restaurants were developing online solutions for curbside or delivery services as they were forced to close down. Other retailers were developing online solutions to get their products in the hands of customers. Distance learning, telework, or telehealth became a forced reality.”
Partnerships
“Other partnerships and resources are available through the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and the Fort Scott Community College,” she said. “The chamber will assist the county in coordinating and promoting. Fort Scott Community College will be offering community classes in B-WERC on social media and other skills. Classes will be hands-on with available laptops for each participant. Telework and distance learning stations will be available for community members who need access to high-speed internet.”
Fort Scott Community College.
“We will provide 20 qualified businesses free website building with expert assistance in value propositions and messaging critical to branding,” Hoener said.
A partnership with the Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State University will assist businesses to obtain needed capital and provide business planning assistance for sustainability, Hoener said.
Pittsburg State University.
“These incredibly valuable services, in addition to marketing or industry reports, will be readily available,” she said. “This unique assistance will give businesses the needed help to build sustainable models.”
Entrepreneurs
“Many times communities who experience high unemployment rate will in turn see high entrepreneurship rates,” Hoener said. “For those (who are) unemployed and have great ideas to start their own business, this will give them the tools and know-how to move forward successfully.”
Job-Seeking
“A job seeking service will also be available onsite through another partner, KansasWorks, two times a week,” she said.
Childcare, An Important Component
“Childcare centers and daycares have high standards to maintain licensures. One requirement is to meet continuing education requirements. Although continued education for staff is clearly a need, it can create a burden on the facilities in scheduling, costs, and human resources. It is estimated there are approximately 15 illegal daycare providers in our county. Through our partner KansasWorks, B-WERC will be implementing a program that will offer to work with the childcare centers and daycares to meet credentialing requirements of continuing education hours. A program will be implemented to incentivize illegal care to become legal. Childcare is critical to keep our workforce working.” Hoener said.
The B-WERC office will be located on the second floor of the old Kress building at 17 S. Main in downtown Fort Scott. The office is expected to be open Nov. 2, according to Hoener.
The street-level floor of the building will house a grocery store.
The store owner, BAJA Investments, LLC, was also a recipient of the SPARK grant program. To see the story on that, click below:
Bourbon County Website Building and Marketing Grants Program Parameters
The grants will be scored and consequently awarded on a first come first serve basis to those that are eligible, according to Hoener. Applications will remain open until October 31, 2020. The grant will be awarded until 20 qualified businesses have been awarded.
Who Is Eligible
For businesses located within Bourbon County, priority will be given to those businesses with a physical location.
The business must currently have minimal (basic) to no online or website presence.
Grants are for businesses who have experienced business disruptions as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic and will benefit from an increased online presence through any or all of the following:
Increased foot traffic
Encouraging tourism activities
Enhance or enable online scheduling (i.e. curbside, delivery, hair appointments)
Enhance or enable online sales
Raise awareness of critical structures in the community (i.e. Food Access, Child Care, etc.)
The applicant must be willing to spend a minimum of 5-10 hours over the next several months working with The Bureau of Small Projects staff.
Non-profits are not eligible under this program
The County reserves the right to request additional documentation
How to Apply
Applications are online at Bourboncountyks.org/spark
Once an application is submitted, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce President, Lindsay Madison, and Bourbon County Economic Development Director will review, Hoener said. The application will be scored to determine if the application meets minimum standards to qualify. A follow-up email will be sent to the applicant’s business.
Lindsay Madison, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. Submitted photo.
An application will only be considered once it is fully completed with all requested documentation required to support the requested funding.
Parameters
Grants applications will be open until October 31st.
Grants are awarded on a first come first serve basis to those who are eligible.
Grant Scoring Algorithm:
Grant Purpose: Website Building and Marketing Services for Business Impacted by the COVID 19 Pandemic
Points
Current Online Presence
Facebook Only
5
No Facebook or Website
5
A basic, static, webpage only
5
A dynamic web page currently exists
0
How Would an Online Presence Benefit the Applicant? (Check all that apply)
Increased foot traffic
5
Encourage tourism activities
5
Enhance or enable online scheduling
5
Enhance or enable online sales
5
Raise awareness of a public need such as food or childcare
5
Business Activities and Impact (Check all the Apply)
The business is a childcare center or daycare
5
Business sales a product that can be legally sold online
5
The business provides a service that scheduling can be done online
5
The business is located in Downtown Historic District
5
The Business encourages overnight stays
5
***Minimum score of 5 from each of the three categories is required to be determined eligible
Process
A complete application must be submitted online.
Additional Information may be requested for clarification.
Economic Development Director and Chamber President will score the application and make the final determination of eligibility.
Economic Development Director will send congratulatory and introductory emails to The Bureau of Small Projects and the business contact.
I overheard a conversation in our office the other day that included, “I just want normal, whatever that is anymore.” No one has escaped the insecurities that has taken place since Covid became a pandemic.
There are days I just feel ‘off’. I don’t feel bad physically, but I really can’t put a finger on it. Sometimes it’s a lack of focus, or I forget things easily, because a routine has changed. I read an article recently that seemed to hit the nail on the head for me. Maybe you can relate. I’ll share some thoughts from “Our Brains Struggle to Process This Much Stress” from Elemental by Tara Haelle.
When we find ourselves in an emergency, we experience an adrenaline rush that presents a fight or flight type of reaction. We can think more clearly and react more quickly – often reacting before we have a chance to think about it. The incident is usually over quickly and our hormones return to normal.
Unlike the boost of energy of an adrenaline rush, in the early weeks of the pandemic we were using ‘surge capacity’ to function. Surge capacity is a collection of adaptive systems—mental and physical—that humans draw on for short-term survival in acutely stressful situations, such as natural disasters. However, pandemics can stretch on indefinitely.
In the case of natural disasters, we can see the end results of the physical damage that has been done. With a pandemic the harm is ongoing and invisible. Many systems that we work with everyday are not working normally right now. We might think we should be used to this by now, yet, we’ve never experienced a pandemic before.
Our surge capacity may be running on empty. We have ups and downs and often feel depleted or burned out – all from dealing with chronic stress. Those who are problem solvers and are used to getting things done may feel a harder hit, because none of that is possible right now.
Understanding ambiguous loss – any loss that’s unclear and lacks a resolution – may be helpful. It’s not a death, but in the case of the pandemic, there has been a loss of a way of life.
How do we adjust to a ‘new normal’ when there is indefinite uncertainty? Here are some tips shared by Pauline Boss, PhD, a family therapist and professor emeritus of social sciences at the University of Minnesota.
–Accept that life is different now. This does not mean we are giving up. It means quit fighting reality so we can place our mental energy into things that are constructive.
–Expect less from yourself. With the losses we have experienced, take some time to reflect to find out what rhythms of life you need right now.
–Recognize the different aspects of grief. The familiar stages of grief apply to this pandemic –anger, denial, depression, and acceptance—all concepts in facing loss. Acceptance might mean choosing to have a good time in spite of the pandemic.
–Look for activities that fulfill you. Self-care has always been included as a good coping skill. Unfortunately, the pandemic may have taken away some of those activities, such as meeting with friends for coffee or your regular bunko night. One thing we have control over is our daily lives. ‘Do it Yourself ‘ projects like gardening, painting, and house projects, for example, could feed that fulfillment need.
–Focus on maintaining and strengthening important relationships. Social support systems and remaining connected to people are most important when facing adversity. This includes helping others even when we are feeling used up ourselves. It’s a win-win strategy in helping overcome our sense of helplessness and loss of control as we are doing something to help someone else.
–Begin slowly building your resilience account. Like a bank account, we may have overdrawn our resilience account over the past few months. We need to gradually build up our life practices to have something to fall back on when life gets out of sorts. Starting small with focuses on nutrition, sleep, exercise, meditation, self-compassion, gratitude, connection, and saying ‘no’ are basic needs and great areas to begin a foundation.
Do a little bit every day and you will start building momentum in re-building your surge capacity. Make sure to give yourself some slack when a link in your new routine chain breaks, and be ready to start again.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
At the September meeting of the Uniontown 4-H club, officer elections were held to selectthe 2020-2021 Uniontown 4-H Club officer team. Members were able to sign-up for the positions they wanted to run for and voting took place shortly after. Here are the results:
President- Bareigh Farrell
Vice President- Seth Shadden
Secretary- Austin Maycumber
Treasurer- Will Maycumber
Reporter- Kendyl Bloesser
Historian- McKinley Sutton
Parliamentarian- Hailey Shadden
Song Leader- Calvin Walker
Recreation Leader- Tucker Sutton
Council Representatives- Bareigh Farrell, Kendyl Bloesser and Austin Maycumber
We also had some members compete at the Kansas State Fair in September.
Here is how our members did:
Kendyl Bloesser- Blue ribbons in Fiber Arts and Food Preservation
Seth Shadden- Blue ribbon in Energy Management
Marley Sutton- 1st Place in class in Commercial gilts, Reserve Champion Light AOB Market Hog,
MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COMMISSION ROOM. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
Chet and Linda Bower received news that they are a recipient of the Kansas SPARK Grant.
The Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce is leading Kansas forward in recovery from the effects of COVID-19. They are responsible for statewide distribution of the U.S. Coronavirus Relief Fund.
The Bowers own five acres northwest of Fort Scott, of which one acre is in garden produce.
The Bower’s grant will be used for repairing or updating farm equipment, Linda said. “The equipment must be repaired or purchased by Dec. 31, according to the grant.”
“This will allow us to effectively increase produce to supply to local people,” she said.
The Bower’s have been vendors at the Fort Scott Farmer’s Market for many years.
In addition, they supply produce to Papa Don’s Restaurant, Fort Scott and Emory’s Restaurant in Missouri.
“Excess produce is donated to the Beacon,” Linda said. “Also local assisted living facilities. We hate to throw anything away.”
The Fort Scott Farmer’s Market ends the last Saturday in October.
“Right now there is squash, tomatoes, watermelon, cucumbers, potatoes, zucchini, pumpkins, baked goods, pies, chicken, eggs, honey, and crafts,” Linda said.
The market is located on Skutbitz Plaza, in front of the Fort Scott National Historic Site, at the end of North Main Street.
The vendors set up shop on Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.
Jody Hoener, Bourbon County Economic Development Director. Submitted photo.
The following is a statement from Jody Hoener, the Bourbon County Economic Director, in regards to recent activities of the Bourbon County Economic Development Corporation.
“Currently, there are three economic developers in our community. The City of Fort Scott employs two, with community and economic development directors, and Bourbon County employs me as the county-wide economic development director.
“Consolidating services between the City of Fort Scott and the County has been discussed in depth with departments like public works, human resources, and economic development.
A group of community members researched potential cost savings in addition to best practices as modeled by similar communities.
A recommendation was presented to BEDCO to develop a private/public partnership in order to consolidate economic development to one director, under a single entity, with broad representation from each of the six cities, the county, and taxing entities.
Bourbon County has committed to funding this position. I believe it is the hope that all entities, including the City of Fort Scott, will see the benefit in this model and participate likewise.
While I am fully aware that my current position will be eliminated, and have no preconceived notion that I will be gainfully employed in the new position, I fully support the decisions made by the county commissioners and BEDCO Board. I have been encouraged to apply for the new position, along with other incumbents in Bourbon County, once it is posted.
The move is in the best interest of the entire community and is one step in the right direction toward building a better business climate.
FORT SCOTT– The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation announces the recipients of the
12th annual granting cycle. This year, $36,250 is being awarded to 18 non-profits in the
community.
Of the total amount, $5,000 is restricted to youth projects. In total, the Foundation received requests for grants totaling $73,146.
“We have the privilege of seeing the heart and soul of our non-profits through the review of their grant applications. We read their goals to meet the most basic needs of our citizens from food, to
clothing, to just keeping on the lights and heat. And then, we read applications that represent aspirational goals to improve the quality of life we all treasure. It reaffirms to all of us the importance of the work of the Foundation through its granting program”, said Gregg Motley, chairperson of the granting committee.
Applicants were required to provide proof of their 501(c)3 status in order to be considered.
Additionally, applicants responded to questions regarding their programming and how it responds to the specific needs of the community.
They also provided a plan for the sustainability of the project, groups with whom they collaborate, and a budget.
The 18 non-profits receiving grants include
U-234 third grade music program,
City of Ft. Scott
Fire Department safety trailer refurbishing,
Beacon,
KSU Extension Aging with Attitude expo,
Ft. Scott/Bourbon County Riverfront Authority walking trail enhancements,
CASA volunteer training during pandemic,
Lowell Milken Center Ft. Scott Front Line Heroes,
Special Olympics Kansas meals for athletes,
Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition rent/utilities assistance,
Fort Scott Community College Martin Luther King celebration.
Other agencies receiving grants are
Care to Share transportation vouchers,
Gordon Parks Museum Learning Tree Film Trail,
City of Ft. Scott/Kiwanis friendship swing at park,
Faith Christian Center school supplies for all Ft. Scott students,
Pioneer Harvest Fiesta fairgrounds seating,
First United Methodist Church Feeding Families In His Name,
U-234 first grade virtual community experience, and
Compassionate Ministries ID and winter warming project.
The funds for these grants are derived from interest earned each year from the Foundation’s unrestricted endowment. Currently, this endowment stands at $650,677.
“It is through the generosity of our community that the unrestricted endowment has grown significantly to where we are today,” said Carla Farmer, FSACF chair. “The principal from this
endowment is never touched allowing the interest to be used in its entirety for grants to our
hardworking non-profits.”
The Good Works Forever Campaign, which begins in November, is the primary way in which citizens can contribute to the unrestricted endowed fund. For more information on how to make a gift to the Campaign call 620-224-6500 or visit fsacf.com.
A complete listing of the grants is available on fsacf.com.
*****
The American Legion Oratorical Contest exists to develop deeper knowledge and appreciation for the U.S. Constitution among high school students.
The overall national contest winner gets a $25,000 scholarship. Second place takes home $22,500, and third gets $20,000.
The American Legion assigns new topics based on Constitutional Amendments each year and all contestants must use the assigned national topics in their orations.
Your Fort Scott American Legion is seeking Bourbon County students to participate in a program to prepare for the February 2021 Fort Scott oratorical competition.
Interested students must be in grades 9 – 12 and can be enrolled in public, private or homeschooled.
Ideally, each oratorical contestant should be willing to meet one Saturday morning a month through January and present both an 8 – 10 minute prepared oration and a 3 -5 minute assigned topic to three judges, who will evaluate their orations and provide feedback to prepare for their next presentation.
There is no reason why a local Bourbon County student, with preparation, cannot go all the way to National for the top American Legion oratorical prizes.
The American Legion Oratorical competition is unique in that competitors can compete each year until they graduate high school or win the national competition.
Any student who is interested in participating in the local American Legion competition should email American Legion Post Commander Carl Jowers at 620.215.1688 or email him at [email protected] for more information.
Deadline to register to vote in the November National Election on November 3rd, is October 13th.
You can register to vote at the County Clerk’s Office, online at many websites.
BUT if you assistance to register, have any questions or concerns on residency, where to vote, former or pending criminal charges, your registration status – ANY CONCERN YOU HAVE THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM VOTING please call us at 620-222-0075, leave a confidential message with at least a phone number where we can reach you.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE but you may also write us at Advocates, P.O. Box 1009, Fort Scott, KS 66701, and we can assist to find answers at NO COST.
This is not legal advice nor is an attorney-client relationship implied. All information will be private and confidential.
