Category Archives: Bourbon County

Bourbon County, Business, Government, Kansas

Pesticide Prohibited After July 31, 2020

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EPA Cancellation Order for Dicamba Products Impacts Kansas Agriculture

 

MANHATTAN, Kansas — On Monday, June 8, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final cancellation order for three dicamba products in response to the recent court ruling that vacated registration for the products. The EPA’s cancellation order intended to clarify the limited and specific circumstances under which these dicamba products can be used for a limited period of time, including provisions for existing stocks. The Kansas Department of Agriculture has identified several unanswered questions about how this order applies to Kansas farmers and agribusinesses and is in communication with the EPA for further interpretation.

 

The EPA cancellation order addresses the sale, distribution, and use of existing stocks of the three affected dicamba products: Engenia, FeXapan, and Xtendimax with Vaporgrip Technology. Under this cancellation order, further distribution or sale of all existing stocks of these products is allowed only to the end user. Such distribution and sales can only be made by Kansas restricted use pesticide dealers. If growers, commercial applicators, and agribusinesses have these products in their possession, end use applications may still occur provided that all label restrictions are followed. All use is prohibited after July 31, 2020.

 

As further details become available from the EPA, KDA will share that information on our website at www.agriculture.ks.gov/dicamba. This site will also serve as a source for more detail on the affected dicamba products, the EPA order, and how this order applies in Kansas. If you have additional questions, please contact the KDA pesticide and fertilizer program at 785-564-6688.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Health Care

Businesses Interested in Insurance: Survey Due June 11

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REMINDER:
Survey due June 11th if interested in a
BCBS Health Insurance Plan through the Chamber if you have at least one part-time employee in addition to yourself.
The Chamber is looking to offer a HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN
to our members!
Businesses/organizations of all sizes
will be eligible from sole proprietors
to large companies.
You must have at least yourself and one other employee,
who is not a spouse, and can be a dependent child,
to be eligible for this plan. Part-time employees working less than 30 hours or more per week are not eligible for the plan, however the owner would still be eligible.
Take this Survey!
As a first step in this process, we would like to gather insight on the level of interest from our members. Please take the survey linked below.
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More Details
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to offer another benefit to our members. We are here to help extend your value by attracting and maintaining employees by offering cost-effective, high-quality health solutions to your team.
If completed surveys indicate enough interest for this initiative to move forward, your company will be able to offer a health insurance plan to your employees and their families. With the ever-changing health landscape, buying coverage for themselves and their families has become a challenge, primarily due to changing health care legislation and affordability issues. By offering a group health insurance plan, purchasing through a pool can help overcome some of these challenges, while also providing more benefit rich plans.
Owner/operators are eligible to join an Association Health Plan provided that they have an employee in addition to themselves. This employee does not have to participate or even be eligible to participate in the group health plan, meaning they could be a part-time employee.
Census Info. Needed for Survey
When you complete the survey link above, you will need to enter the basic census information shown below.
You only need to enter the census info. on yourself & any other interested full-time employees you may have so BCBS can put together a proposal with rates and a benefit package for us.
If you only have a part-time employee in addition to yourself, you will still be eligible for the insurance, you just will not need to provide their census information on the survey.
IF you are already on a BCBS plan, but interested in this Association Health Plan as a comparison, we encourage you to go ahead and take the survey. In this case you will not need to provide employee census info., you will just provide your current BCBS group number and they can access the information needed.
The requested census fields are below. If the employee would like a rate for their spouse and/or dependents, you will need the same information on them. I have drafted a form you may use to collect this information from your employees in case this makes it easier for you. This form is just a resource for you, you may collect the information however you would like.
First Name
Last Name
Date of Birth
Gender
Zip Code
Does the member have Medicare primary?
We would like all responses back by no later than June 11th. Responses will still be accepted after that date,
but we have set that as a stop date to gauge the interest of
members in this opportunity.
If you have any questions or need more information, contact:
Lindsay Madison, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
Phone: 620.223.3566 Email: [email protected]
Area News, Bourbon County, COVID-19, Government, Health Care

SEK COVID 19 Update June 9

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SEK Multi-County Health Departments

Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, and Woodson Counties

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

June 9, 2020

Allen County

Current Positive Cases 0
Current Recovered Cases 1
Total Positives Since Testing 1
Deaths 0

Anderson County

Current Positive Cases 0
Current Recovered Cases 1
Total Positives Since Testing 1
Deaths 0

Bourbon County

Current Positive Cases 0
Presumptive Cases 1-listed on KDHE website, tested negative
Current Recovered Cases 7-includes presumptive case
Total Positives Since Testing 7
Deaths 1

Woodson County

Current Positive Cases 0
Current Recovered Cases 6
Total Positives Since Testing 6
Deaths 0

Recovered cases are based on dates of onset of symptoms, not on day testing results are received.

Bourbon County, Elections

Bill Meyer Announces Candidacy for Kansas House District 4

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On June 1, Bill Meyer, who retired after 30-year career as a healthcare executive and chose, with his wife, Liz, to relocate to Fort Scott, filed as a candidate for the Kansas House of Representatives in District 4.

 

Bill earned his M.H.A. degree from George Washington University in 1971 and over his career served on hospital and hospital system executive staffs in Virginia, Maryland, Kansas, Iowa, Maine, and Washington, D.C. In the mid-1980s, he served as President of Mercy Hospitals of Kansas, based in Fort Scott. He is a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Upon returning to Fort Scott in 2000, Bill served as Registrar of Fort Scott Community College until retiring in 2007. During that same period, his wife, Elizabeth Meyer, served as Director of the Nursing Program at the College. Bill is a member and past-President of the Rotary Club of Fort Scott, a member of the Bourbon County Arts Council, the Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County, and a volunteer in the Kansas Guardianship Program. He served on a committee that successfully promoted voter support of the bond issue to renovate and update U-234 high, middle and elementary schools. In January of this year, Bill was chosen to serve as a Trustee on the Board of Fort Scott Community College. The position had been held by his wife who died suddenly in November 2019. Bill and Liz celebrated 50 years of marriage shortly before her death.

 

“I am a Kansan by choice, not birth,” said Bill Meyer. “Liz and I fell in love with Fort Scott and the surrounding community during my years with Mercy Hospitals of Kansas and, when we decided to retire, Fort Scott was where we wanted to be.” Meyer added, “Of all the places we lived, we always felt welcomed and wanted here. I am now in a position where I have an opportunity to give back to this community through service in public office.”

 

Bill Meyer knows and is prepared to deal with the challenges we face. He will be a strong advocate for Medicaid Expansion and protecting funding for K-12, Community, and Technical Colleges. He sees the expansion of broadband internet availability as a critical ingredient in fostering economic stability and growth in rural communities across Kansas. He recognizes that promoting economic growth is the only alternative to the heavy tax burden currently carried by homeowners, small businesses, and farmers/ranchers in District 4.

District 4 covers the eastern half of Bourbon County, to view:

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Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Minutes of June 2

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May 26, 2020 Tuesday 9:00 am

The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners, the County Counselor and the County Clerk present.

Shane Walker was also present for a portion of the meeting.

Jim Harris with Road & Bridge met with the Commissioners; he said his crew is mowing the grass near the blacktop roads, responding to calls and doing general maintenance, they are patching on 250th (south of the 4 way stop), they did ditching on Hackberry west of 215th, they put in culverts, they are crushing at the Thomas Quarry and they plan to do a blast at the Blake Quarry in approximately 2 weeks. Jim said they are dragging the roads, Jerad has been working with FEMA, the overlay equipment is ready for the season and they are wedging on the Landfill road. Jim said there is water standing on Indian Road near the Lake; they will try to open up some areas for drainage there. They are installing a crossing at the Landfill gate; Jim said they have the floor and the walls poured for the crossing, Jeff said where the wing walls were installed the transition at the ends might need a headwall.

Lynne reported that the bridge on Osage between 75th & 85th was plugged up. He also reported a request for gravel at 115th & Range Road going east for approximately ¾ mile. He also reported a drainage issue (he said culverts may need to be installed) at 167th Terrace and Prairie Road. Lynne reported patching needs done on 125th north of Tomahawk Road.

Nick reported a soft spot in the road on 240th between Poplar and Range Road.

Jeff reported that east of Birch on 145th is impassible for a passenger car due to a drainage issue there, he also reported a drainage issue on Birch going north on 145th.

Lynne made a motion that he sign a release from liability for a beaver issue at 235th & Range Road, Nick seconded and all approved, Lynne signed the document and gave it to Jim Harris for the landowner at that address.

Lynne said he had been on the radio today discussing public works, he said the priority roads right now were Indian and the Landfill Road.

The Commissioners discussed reopening the Courthouse (the Courthouse has been closed to the public since March 17th due to COVID-19; the north side of the Courthouse will be open by appointment only, there will be a buzzer installed at the front northeast door for visitors with an appointment on the north end of the building (the south side of the Courthouse will still be closed to the public, visitors for the south side will need to work with those offices to conduct business). The Treasurer’s office will be conducting business with customers in a glass office; the Clerk’s office will conduct business through a window in the Clerk’s office. There will be 6’ distance markers installed on the floor. Justin Meeks said District Court isn’t planning on doing live court for a while, he said only one person will be allowed on the elevator at a time. Lynne said the department heads will be issued non-contact thermometers (Lynne said they could be used on employees and if an employee had a temperature they should be sent home and the individual should contact the health department and follow the health department’s recommendations). Nick made a motion to re-open the Courthouse on June 1st (by appointment only), Jeff seconded and all approved.

Weather permitting the Commission meeting on June 2nd will be held on the front east steps.

At 9:23, Jeff made a motion to adjourn, Nick seconded and all approved.

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
(ss) Lynne Oharah, Chairman
(ss) Jeff Fischer, Commissioner
(ss) Nick Ruhl, Commissioner
ATTEST:
Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk
June 2, 2020, Approved Date

Bourbon County, Food, Schools

USD 235 Provides Meal Program in Summer 2020

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USD 235 Driver Bill Marlow loads food to deliver to the district’s children on June 9.

The Uniontown School District is providing a meal program to its’ districts’ children through June 25.

 

The first day for meals was June 2.

 

In addition, summer school children receive activity packets.

 

“We usually have kids in the building for summer school,” Tara Gorman, third-grade teacher at West Bourbon Elementary School, said. “We couldn’t because of the pandemic. This is our alternative plan, if they signed up for activity packets.”

 

“This week is a book, they get a book once a week, a craft kit and a couple of games to work on with siblings,” Gorman said.  “This week they will be building paper airplanes and testing paper airplanes.”

 

Breakfast and lunch are available to children ages 1-18 in this program, with no eligibility or paperwork required to receive the food.

 

Multiple days breakfast and lunch will be provided to each child on Tuesday and Thursday of each week through June 25.

 

USD 235 Food Service Director Michelle DeMott said food is prepared on Mondays and Wednesdays and delivered on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

 

USD 235 Food Service Director Michelle DeMott, left, checks lists of students that will be delivered food. In the back is Courtney Campbell, fifth-grade teacher; Hannah Hayes, social studies teacher and Tara Gorman, third-grade teacher. Teachers go on the route and deliver activity kits for students as well as the food.

 

Parents are asked to call  DeMott at 620-238-4968 to sign up.

 

 

DeMott will ask for some information of either a pickup point or a rural address for delivery.

 

Deliveries will be between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

 

Driver Roxy Gregg, left and Food Service Director Michelle DeMott discuss the routes before leaving West Bourbon Elementary School.

 

Pickup points are the West Bourbon Elementary School on at the front of the building, Marmaton Community Church in Redfield, the city park in Mapleton, in front of the Bronson Meat Locker in Bronson.

 

Pickup points open from 11 to 11:20 a.m.

 

The meal schedule for USD 235 for June 2020.

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda for June 9

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: June 9, 2020

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE FRONT STEPS OF THE COURTHOUSE WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING IN PLACE

9:00 – 9:15 Jim Harris

9:15 – 9:30 Commissioners to Review Annual Summaries

9:30 – 9:45 Commissioners to Review Fireworks Sales Permits

9:45 – 10:15 Jody Hoener, Review CDBG-CV Application Scoring

10:15 – 10:30 Jody Hoener, Executive Session, Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

Bourbon County, Elections

Lynn D. Grant Files to Represent Kansas State House District 2

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Lynn Grant. Submitted photo.

 

Frontenac, Kan. – Kansas native Lynn D. Grant, longtime city councilor and widow of 10-term Kansas legislator Bob Grant, filed Monday to run for her late husband’s seat representing Kansas State House District 2.

Kansas State House of Representatives District 2 includes most of Crawford County, the eastern 1/3 of Allen and Neosho Counties, and a small portion of SW Bourbon County.

“I have been involved in the community that is SEK for over 50 years,” said Grant, who was born in Overland Park, but moved southeast to attend Pittsburg State University and never left. “This is my home. Now I hope to honor Bob’s legacy by representing the constituents of the second district in Topeka.”

As a Kansas State Representative, Grant plans to focus on supporting ideas that will use Kansans’ tax dollars wisely by keeping public education viable, maintaining rural hospitals, providing healthcare for those who desperately need it, and improving road safety, especially on Highway 69 and Highway 7 north of Girard.

“I share Bob’s fearless passion for continuing our region’s advancement,” Grant said. “Education and healthcare are crucial not just for individual growth and prosperity but for advancing our community as a whole.”

Grant currently serves on the City Council for Frontenac, where she resides. She is a board member for Big Brutus, Inc., Elm Acres Foundation, and the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau. She retired from her job as an Administrative Specialist at Pittsburg State University in 2011.

“I’ve served in municipal government, educational institutions, and in numerous leadership positions throughout my long history in SEK,” Grant said. “I care deeply about the needs of Southeast Kansans, and I intend to fight for our interests in the state legislature.”

Grant is also a member of Women for Kansas and the Sacred Heart Altar Society, and volunteers for Festa Italiana, the Frontenac Education Foundation fundraiser. She helped found the Interfaith Alliance of Pittsburg.

Before moving to Frontenac in 2011, Grant lived for 42 years in Cherokee, where she served on the City Council for 12 years. In addition to her public service, Grant worked in the Southeast School District USD #247 for 20 years and owned and operated Idle-a-While Tavern & Grill in Cherokee for 15 years. She also helped re-establish Cherokee Homecoming, planned the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, established women’s softball, and assisted in the reorganization of Cherokee Senior Citizens.

Lynn was married to Bob for 46 years. They have a daughter, Megan Fry, married to Kevin Fry, and two grandchildren, Ross and Katie.

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For more information, contact Lynn D. Grant at (620) 249-2676 or email [email protected], Donations to Lynn’s campaign may be made out to Grant for Kansans, 202 S. Appleton, Frontenac, KS 66763

Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Get Your Free Credit Report Weekly

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Joy Miller, RD, LD
Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent
Adult Development and Aging
Family Resource Management
K-State Research and Extension
Southwind Extension District
210 S. National
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Office: 620-223-3720
Fax: 620-223-0332
[email protected]

It is now easier than ever to check your credit report for free on a weekly basis. Due to the COVID- 19 pandemic economic issues, CARES Act Federal Loan forbearance, and fraud, the three national credit reporting agencies are allowing people to access their reports more often than once a year.

Staying on top of your credit report is a key part of being financially responsible. Credit reports show in detail all credit usage and payment activity. When you review your report, the activity should look familiar. If it doesn’t, the activity should be investigated further.

Your credit rating means more than whether or not you care able to open a credit card. It can sometimes determine if you get a good or a great interest rate on your next home or car purchase or get a loan at all. It can also be a deciding factor on whether you can rent or not.

Credit inquiries, also known as ‘pulls’, can impact your credit score. The inquiry section of your credit report is divided into two subsections: hard and soft. When your credit report is accessed with your consent from the credit reporting agencies, this is known as a hard pull. This kind of inquiry signals a financial event where money is needed and shopping for credit. A hard pull within the past 12 months can influence your score by up to 10 points.

To maintain a consistent score, you will need to manage your hard pulls. That means spacing requests out rather than make multiple ones at the same time. A best practice is to do your research before applying.

A soft inquiry involves the same type of information as a hard pull, but it is not tied to a particular application and it can be done without your consent. Soft pulls have no effect on your credit score and lenders disregard this information. An example of this is a pre-approved credit offer or when your bank checks to see if they will increase your credit.

Checking your credit report is considered a soft pull. Until April 2021, you can pull your credit report from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax weekly. These free reports are available at AnnualCreditReport.com.

K-State Research and Extensions is offering Check Your Credit e-mail program, reminding participants to obtain their free credit report and provide educational tips throughout the year. You can register for this program at bit.ly/ksrecheckyourcredit. For more information, please contact Joy Miller at [email protected] or by calling 620-223-3720. Follow us on Facebook @southwindextensiondistrict.

 

Bourbon County

American Legion Update

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The American Legion’s success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The following monthly reports provide a summary of membership, participation and volunteerism making an impact in the lives of veterans, families and communities.

American Legion Posts can share the many ways Legionnaires are making a difference in their communities.  

To view the impact American Legion posts made throughout the year, please read the attached May 2020 membership impact report.

Carl Jowers. Post 25 Commander.

American Legion May Impact Report

Bourbon County, Schools

UHS 2020 Graduation: July 11

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Luke George is valedictorian for the class of UHS 2020.
Liberty Franks is salutatorian for the class of UHS 2020.
Uniontown High School personnel are working to provide an in-person graduation ceremony for its’ 2020 seniors.
The UHS Class of 2020 Graduation Ceremony will take place on Saturday, July 11 at 2:00 pm in the WBE gymnasium.
Mike Reith, Principal at Uniontown High School, recently posted a notice to the families of 2020 seniors on social media.

 

“When Governor Kelly modified the Reopen Kansas plan, it caused us to need to move our graduation date scheduled for June 21. The seniors who participated in the graduation ceremony discussion Zoom session with me wanted to set a date in each of the three summer months. The second date was originally set for Sunday, July 12, but I realized that for some families and situations, a Saturday graduation might be preferable. So I gave the seniors and families an option to vote for either July 11 or July 12.  The result of that vote was to have the ceremony on Saturday, July 11.”

 

Reith answered questions in an email interview with fortscott.biz:

 

 

Will there be a limit on how many family members can attend the ceremony?

“Currently, we are not planning to limit attendance. It is a small class, so we feel we can structure the gymnasium for proper social-distancing while still being able to accommodate for all who plan to attend.”

 

 

Will social distancing be maintained?

“We have been advised by Rebecca Johnson, SEK Multi-County Health Departments Administrator, to follow the ‘Phase Out’ recommendations of Governor Kelly’s Reopen Kansas plan, which we were planning to do already. Graduates will be spaced 6 feet apart. We will encourage all those who plan to attend to use proper hygiene and stay home if they feel sick. We will advise those who may be at a higher risk due to their health situation to strongly consider staying home, but we will leave that decision up to them. We will structure the facility so that families can sit together, but different family groups will be social-distanced. We will make hand-sanitizer readily available, and we will encourage attendees to wear masks if they choose.”

 

 

Who will be the speakers?

” Speakers are Valedictorian – Luke George, Salutatorian – Libby Franks, Inspirational Speaker – Mrs. Alicia Jackson (chosen by the Class of 2020).” Jackson is a teacher at UHS.

The Class of  Uniontown High School 2020 has 19 students”
Donavan Beerbower, Kord Bowen, Makenzie Brown, Alissa Button, Cheyanne Carpenter, Morgan Coulter, Ty Davidson, Colt Eck, Libby Franks, Luke George, Dalton.Graham, Jacquie Hampton, Matthew Harclerode, Breleigh Harris, Kolby Martinez, Sivanah McAnulty, Shelby Morillo, Gavin Ross, Lauren Shinn.

The following are photos of the class.

Donovan Beerbower
Kord Bowen
Makenzie Brown
Alissa Button
Cheyanne Carpenter
Morgan Coulter
Ty Davidson
Colt Eck
Liberty Franks
Luke George
Dalton Graham
Jacquelyn Hampton
Matthew Harclerode
Breleigh Harris
Kolby Martinez
Sivanah McAnulty
Shelby Morilla
Gavin Ross
Lauren Shinn

 

Bourbon County, COVID-19, Government, Health Care

Bourbon County Confirms No. 8 Case of COVID 19

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SEK Multi-County Health Departments

Bourbon County, Kansas

PRESS RELEASE:

NOVEL CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19

June 3, 2020;

A Bourbon County, KS positive COVID-19 test was confirmed this afternoon, making Bourbon County’s total number of positive cases 8. The testing was confirmed through a reference laboratory that was used. The resident is in isolation and their family is in quarantine. This case is most likely travel related. The investigation is complete and any potential contacts have been notified. There is low risk of exposure for Bourbon County residents from this case.

The Bourbon County Public Health Department urges the public to continue to take appropriate actions. Individuals should continue to practice social distancing, clean/disinfect any high touched surfaces, wash their hands with soap and water routinely, use hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available and avoid touching your face (especially eyes, nose & mouth).

Please remember if you have the symptoms to:

Call before going to a Clinic, Hospital, ER, or Health Department

Close contact means: 6 foot or less for 10 minutes or more, with a positive case.

If you are experiencing life threatening symptoms, PLEASE CALL 911.

For more information you may call the SEK Multi-County Health Department: Bourbon: (620)223-4464 Monday-Thursday 7:00am-5:30pm OR the COVID-19 Hotline: (866)534-3463.You may also visit the

COVID-19 Resource Center at: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/OR Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Departments on Facebook for local updates.