Lavetta Simmons presents information about Care To Share at the Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition on Aug. 9 at the First Baptist Church.
The Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition meets monthly, except July, to allow agencies that help families to network and share what they are all about.
The coalition’s next meeting is Sept. 4 at noon at the First Baptist Church.
The Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition met Aug. 7 with Board President Billie Jo Drake leading the meeting.
The mission of the Bourbon County Coalition Board is to provide children with an environment of security, permanence, and a sense of belonging and being loved. To support the mission, grants are applied for annually. Last year the board received a $1,000 grant from the T. B. Baker Foundation and $2,000 from the Southeast Kansas Community Foundation, Billie Jo Drake, president of the board, said at the opening of the meeting.
“We have also received funds from United Way, Key Charitable Trust, Mercy auxiliary, civic organizations and individuals,” Drake said.
The two projects the board focuses on are 1) rent and utility assistance, vetted through another helping agency, The Beacon and 2) pool passes in the summer for area low-income children.
This month, the local helping organization, Care To Share, took its’ turn telling what services they provide the community.
Lavetta Simmons, who along with Joy O’Neal and Teresa Davenport, helped found the ministry in 2007.
Lavetta Simmons
“I lost my Mom and Dad to cancer,” Simmons said. “Through that experience, I want to reach out to others.”
“Some people have no family,” she said. “Some have no insurance.”
The number-one expense is gasoline for traveling to treatments, Simmons said.
Last year Care To Share helped people 788 times and gave out $68,874 to assist the cancer patients.
Not only gas for medical appointments but assistance with wigs after hair loss, bras after mastectomies and many other personal needs.
Also housecleaning, respite care, mowing of lawns, meal coordination, providing Ensure (a nutritional drink), and “Sunshine” calls to patients.
Care To Share’s mission is to provide friendship and support through emotional and financial assistance to individuals who are cancer survivors and their caregivers of Southeast Kansas.
For more information contact Simmons at 620-224-8070, Dona Bauer at 620-224-7075 or Teresa Davenport at 620-362-3042.
The organization has fundraisers throughout the year to support the mission.
In addition, “so many people, businesses, organizations and churches give,” she said.
The ministry is also funded by T.B. Baker Foundation, Fort Scott Area Community Foundation, United Way and memorials.
The Care To Share Board is comprised of Dona Bauer, Donna Beerbower, Kathy Clark, Teresa Davenport, Denny Heidrick, Carol Hill, Nancy Hofer, Randy Holt, Richard Long, Dr. Boban Mathew, Sidney Maycumber, Simmons, and Jerry Witt.
Larry Davenport serves as financial advisor to the organization.
KDOT program will replace and rehabilitate deficient bridges on a local road system.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has reinstated a popular program designed to help replace and rehabilitate city and county deficient bridges. KDOT Secretary Julie Lorenz announced the program today at an event in Butler County joined by leaders from the Kansas Association of Counties, the Kansas County Highway Association and the Kansas Contractors Association.
The Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program is a $5 million state-funded program that helps cities and counties by providing up to $150,000 toward the replacement or rehabilitation of a bridge on the local roadway system. To qualify, bridges must be rated as deficient, have a daily vehicle count of less than 100 and be 20 to 50 feet in length. Cities and counties can garner an additional $50,000 by closing a deficient bridge. Local jurisdictions that are awarded funds must provide a 10 percent match.
“Kansas’ local road system is critical for getting people and goods where they need to go,” said Gov. Laura Kelly regarding the program. “I’m pleased to see state and local government working together and combining resources to replace aging infrastructure – creating healthier communities and economies.”
Funding for the program is part of the $216 million in sales tax authorized by Gov. Kelly to remain in the state highway fund in fiscal year 2020. Those funds will be used to increase highway preservation, help complete delayed T-WORKS projects, improve safety and provide new funding opportunities for cities and counties.
“This was a popular program when it was offered in 2014 and I’m very happy that we’re able to bring it back,” said Secretary Lorenz. “Reinstating the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program was one of the top recommendations coming out of last year’s Joint Legislative Vision Task Force and is a great way for us to work together with cities and counties to address needed improvements.”
There are approximately 19,000 bridges on Kansas’ local road systems. About 20 percent – or 3,800 — of those bridges are in poor condition – or unable to meet today’s weight and vehicle requirements.
Under the previous program, 110 bridges were replaced or permanently closed during the two years it operated.
“The counties are excited and appreciative of this new bridge replacement program,” said Justin Mader, Saline County Engineer and president of the Kansas County Highway Association. “It will be good for agriculture, good for safety, will put construction workers to work and boost the Kansas economy while building and rehabilitating bridges that will benefit Kansas for decades into the future.”
Applications will be accepted through mid-September and KDOT will select projects in early October. Details are posted on KDOT’s website and can be seen at the links below:
The following is part of a series of new teachers in Bourbon County schools.
Uniontown teachers have In-Service on Monday, August 26. The first day with students is Thursday, August 29.
Name: Gabrielle Studer
Age: 41
Title and where you will teach: Junior high social sciences teacher, Uniontown
Experience: Five years of teaching English at Fort Scott High School, two years as an instructional coach at Fort Scott Middle School.
Education: BS in sociology from MSSU, and earned a teaching license through PSU. “I worked as a social worker for several years before moving to Fort Scott in 2004.”
Family: Husband Brian and two kids, Sadie (age 7) and Callum (age 5).
Hobbies/interests: “I enjoy traveling, reading, snow skiing and of course being with family and friends.”
How did you become an educator?
“I didn’t initially study to be an educator. For several years, I had been enjoying my work in the field of social work. But after moving to Kansas, I found that the private sector required me to have different qualifications than I had. Rather than attending school to gain a similar degree to what I already had, I decided to switch to education. Since high school, I’d always worked in some capacity with youth. It was my niche. So I thought teaching would be fun. And I was right — I love teaching secondary students.”
What is the best part of teaching for you?
“I enjoy teaching because I love hanging out with teenagers. It’s just a serious bonus that I also get to teach material that I love. I could learn all day about history, archaeology, geography, literature — even grammar. As a teacher, I get to keep learning about the topics that thrill me, and I also get to hang out with teenagers, who are so much fun and always full of surprises. I can’t think of a better job. Besides getting paid to travel the world. I admit that would be better.”
What is the greatest challenge in teaching?
“For me, the greatest challenge to teaching is finding a way to interest every student. But if people are having fun together, they often find interest in whatever they’re doing together — even if it’s learning the Pythagorean theorem or diagramming sentences.”
Krista Harding District Extension Agent, Horticulture Southwind Extension District 111 S. Butler Erie, KS 66733 Office: 620-244-3826 Cell: 620-496-8786
I know there is still a lot of summer left. But in just a few weeks, students will be back in school and fall will be here in the blink of an eye. Although our summer gardens are going strong, it is time to start thinking about getting our fall vegetables planted. Believe it or not, fall is a great gardening season!
When you think about it, fall weather is much like spring – warm daytime temperatures and cool nights. Rainfall is typically more abundant in the fall than summer (although we have had plenty this summer) so less irrigation is needed and fall gardens often have fewer insect pest and disease problems. Combine all of these and you have the ingredients for a great garden! And of most importance is the taste of the produce grown. Flavors of fall grown vegetables are often sweeter and milder in taste than those grown during hot summer weather.
Some of the best vegetables for a fall garden are lettuce, spinach, radishes, beets, cabbage, turnips and carrots because of their frost-tolerance. These vegetables can be planted directly into your garden wherever space can be found – next to plants still growing in the garden like tomatoes, cucumbers and pumpkins. Plant mid-August until the first week of September.
Left over seed from spring planting can be used as long as it was stored in a cool, dry location. To speed up germination and seedling emergence, soak the seeds overnight before planting. If you are purchasing new seed, look for the shortest season cultivars that you can find to insure harvest before a killing frost. The average fall freeze date for our area is around October 24 according to the Weather Data Library on the K-State campus.
Sometimes establishing a fall garden can be difficult during the summer when soil temperatures are extremely high. One way to avoid this is to establish plants in containers or pots for transplanting into the garden later in the season when the weather begins to cool. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and collards can be grown in cooler protected areas for 2-4 weeks prior to setting in the garden. Be sure to acclimatize crops for several days before transplanting directly into the garden.
Garden soil should be prepared just like for spring. An application of fertilizer will probably be necessary for optimum plant growth. Use one pound of a complete analysis fertilizer, such as 12-12-12, applied per 100 square feet of garden area. Weeds and grasses will also grow well in a fall garden so mulching may be warranted.
Everyone gets geared up to plant vegetables in the spring, but the fall season offers many benefits to gardening. Few take advantage of the season, but consider giving it a try this year.
The Extension office has the “Vegetable Garden Planting Guide” publication available free of charge. This guide offers information such as days to first harvest, days to germination, planting depth, frost resistance, and more.
Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Attorney Justin Meeks is in his new office at 1801 S. National Avenue. The wall behind him was the former outside wall of Lockwoods Steakhouse, he said.
Attorney Justin Meeks has moved into his newly renovated office space at 1801 S. National Avenue after months of hard work.
“It would’ve been way cheaper to tear down and build new,” he said. “But we saved the building….it’s got lots of character.”
Character such as original walls with a hand-painted sign and names sketched in concrete from a different era, which were both preserved.
And a great location with Hwy. 69 and National Avenue in close proximity.
The building was renovated and now is the home to Justin Meeks Attorney at Law and Kale Nelson State Farm Insurance.
Meeks is also the Bourbon County Counselor for the county government, which is a part-time position. The new space is for his private law practice, which is also part-time.
“I moved into this space for my private law practice in late June,” Meeks said. “It’s a very limited private practice: probate, business transactions, human resource issues, contract work, landlord-tenant issues, and banking issues.”
As of October 1, Meeks has been the Bourbon County Counselor for five years. “I’ve been out of private practice for five years,” Meeks said.
“I like helping people, that’s why I’m going back into a limited part-time practice,” Meeks said.
His office hours are Monday through Thursday, appointment only; Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m.
History Of The Property
Justin Meeks and Kale Nelson purchased the circa 1925 building last year.
The new office spaces have had many repurposings through the years: a machine shop, Lockwood’s Steakhouse, various liquor store owners including Silver Spur Bar, a pet shop, a vape shop and other business entities.
This handwritten note was discovered in the renovation of the 1925 building, during the era of the machine shop. Meeks left the note on the exposed brick as art for his new office.
The renovated building was first used for a machine shop, Meeks was informed by people in the community.
There is a handwritten sign on the exposed brick in his entrance space that says “Leave Tools After Used.”
Then the shop was added onto in the 1960-70s, according to Meeks.
On the concrete floor in a closet, the names Patty Chow and Sharon Manyo are sketched into the concrete.
That’s part of the character of the building that was preserved.
Ribbon Cutting
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the new location of State Farm Insurance, 1805 S. National Avenue and Meeks Law Firm at 1801 S. National Avenue on Thursday, August 8 following the Chamber of Commerce Coffee, which starts at 8 a.m.
Owner of the property is JK Hold’M Properties, a partnership of Meeks and Nelson.
The public is invited to the ribbon-cutting to view the transformation of the buildings to updated and modernized offices.
Justin Meeks law office is located at 1801 S. National Avenue.The Meeks and Nelson offices before renovation in July 2018.Justin Meeks Attorney at Law is next door to Kale Nelson State Farm Insurance on South National Avenue with Hwy. 69 behind the complex. This is the “after photo.”
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 vote here sign sits in front of the north wing of the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National.
The Bourbon County Primary Election is today, August 6.
Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Exercise your right as a U.S. citizen to vote your conscience in this election.
From the Bourbon County Clerk Kendell Mason:
“This primary will only be for the City of Fort Scott and USD 234 position 3. The other schools, cities, FSCC, Extension District, etc. will not be on the Primary ballot.”
The November general election will be for Bourbon County cities, schools and K-State Extension Board positions.
Vote at these sites (taken from the Bourbon County Kansas website)
1st Ward Community Christian Church DRYWOOD Grace Baptist Church
2nd Ward Grace Baptist Church FRANKLIN Mapleton Community Building
3rd Ward Grace Baptist Church FREEDOM Fulton Community Building
4th Ward Community Christian Church MARMATON Redfield City Hall
5th Ward Community Christian Church MILLCREEK Redfield City Hall
6th Ward Community Christian Church OSAGE Fulton Community Building
7th Ward Grace Baptist Church PAWNEE Redfield City Hall
NORTH SCOTT Community Christian Church
SOUTH SCOTT Grace Baptist Church
TIMBERHILL Mapleton Community Building
The Primary Election will narrow the candidates down to two times the number of positions open.
From left: Rebecca Johnson, BSN, RN, the administrator of SEKMCHD; Alice Maffett, Registered Nurse in Bourbon County and Kristi George, the administrative assistant. They stand in front of the new public health department facility at 6th and Horton.
The local public health department moved from behind the Bourbon County Courthouse to a more spacious building and reopened on July 29 to offer health services to the community.
The new space for Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department is located between 6th and Horton and 6th and Lowman Streets at 524 S. Lowman.
The Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department is located between 6th and Lowman Streets and 6th and Horton Streets.
In former years the building has been Mercy Home Health, Curves-a woman’s fitness center, then Cornerstone Bible Church.
The location on two main streets in Fort Scott will be an advantage.
“We hope this location makes people more aware of the health department,” Alice Maffett, health department nurse, said.
Now the employees can serve the community in a larger and more visible building with services such as physicals, immunizations, pregnancy tests, family planning, Kan Be Healthy Screenings, blood pressure and blood glucose checks, hearing and vision screenings, SRS referrals, Sexually Transmitted Disease testing and treatment, and lab/blood draws.
The Public Health Department, located at 6th and Horton Street, Fort Scott.
Rebecca Johnson, BSN, RN is the administrator of SEKMCHD and her primary office will be in Fort Scott. Maffett is the Registered Nurse in Bourbon County and Kristi George is the administrative assistant.
A physical exam and current immunizations are required for entrance into kindergarten.
New this year in immunizations, is the state-required meningitis shots for 7th and 11th-grade students, Maffett said, which the department offers.
The WIC program will be utilizing the building and also available are breastfeeding classes.
The health department board is working to build community partnerships.
“It is a great building and we are looking for other community groups or agencies to utilize our conference room.
The conference room is approximately 25 feet by 16 feet and has an adjacent kitchenette for use, she said.
Dave and Jan Elliott will be offering Love and Logic Parenting classes in the future.
The health department board is also interested in exploring the option of telemedicine in the future, Johnson, said.
Another possibility in the future is to hire a Nurse Practitioner, Maffett said.
The hours of operation: Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information: 620.223.4464. The fax number is 620.223.1686. or www.sekmchd.com
The Bourbon County Primary Election is August 6, next Tuesday.
Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Exercise your right as a U.S. citizen to vote your conscience in this election.
Correction from the Bourbon County Clerk Kendell Mason:
“This primary will only be for the City of Fort Scott and USD 234 position 3. The other schools, cities, FSCC, Extension District, etc. will not be on the Primary ballot.”
The November general election will be for Bourbon County cities, schools and K-State Extension Board positions.
The following are a list of polling places in the county.
1st Ward Community Christian Church DRYWOOD Grace Baptist Church
2nd Ward Grace Baptist Church FRANKLIN Mapleton Community Building
3rd Ward Grace Baptist Church FREEDOM Fulton Community Building
4th Ward Community Christian Church MARMATON Redfield City Hall
5th Ward Community Christian Church MILLCREEK Redfield City Hall
6th Ward Community Christian Church OSAGE Fulton Community Building
7th Ward Grace Baptist Church PAWNEE Redfield City Hall
“It’s My Very Own” Bags of Love, a ministry to provide children from birth-17 years old some “comfort” and immediate personal care items of their very own, after being removed from their home through the Department of Children and Family Services.
The ministry started in February 2016.
A group of volunteer women donate their time to come to the church and each one has a preference of what they do to help.
“Some sew the comforters, iron the fabric, cut the fabric, make duffle bags, tie the finished comforter or sew on labels or buttons,” said Janet Tucker, organizer of the ministry.
The meeting times are Monday evenings at the Seventh-day Adventist Church at 2308 East Jayhawk Road from 4-8 pm.
Call Janet Tucker, Chapter President at 620-768-9356 to check if the group is meeting that week.
Funding is provided by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.
FSACF serves to fulfill the philanthropic goals that benefit the common good and improve quality of life by providing leadership and programming that is responsive to the interest and needs of the residents of the Fort Scott area.
“Also the Bourbon County Community has been so good to donate from clubs, organizations, to individual’s,” Tucker said. “This mission has been so blessed by a community of giving people.”
American Legion Post 25 Colorguard. Submitted photos.
The new Legion year has begun. The Legion calendar runs from July 1 – June 30 each year. Please consider renewing your Legion membership at this time. By doing so, you keep your mailbox from being cluttered with requests to renew from Legion National and you save the Legion printing and mailing costs that can be used for programs to support our Veterans and their families.
You can mail in the renewal notification you received in the mail. However, the quickest way to renew your membership is to go online to www.legion.org. Just follow the prompts to renew. We’ll be notified of your renewal and will mail you your new Legion card.
Online renewals are safe, easy and are quicker than writing a check, finding a stamp and mailing your renewal in.
You can also pay your 2020 dues at our August 5 meeting as well.
There is a Department membership contest for Posts that reach 75% by mid-September. We are very close to achieving that goal. We’ve been the Number 1 Kansas Post for two consecutive years. Let’s continue to set the bar high for other Posts.
The Legion Act has passed both houses of Congress. As soon as President Trump signs this bill into law, any honorably discharged Veteran who has served since December 7, 1941 can join the American Legion. There are many Bourbon County Veterans who can now join the American Legion and Post 25, in particular. Invite them to our next meeting or contact me for membership applications.
American Legion Post 25 Colorguard in the opening game at LaRoche Stadium, Fort Scott. Submitted photo.
The Post 25 baseball team finished 4th in the zone playoffs in Humboldt. This was the 1st Fort Scott American Legion team in several years. Our players did an outstanding job competing against nearby powerhouses such as Pittsburg and Iola. Kudos to Legionnaire and Vice Commander Earl Adams who pulled together a Legion baseball team and guided it to zone playoffs. Also, we also thank our many corporate and individual donors who helped the team fund its season.
Earl Adams, American Legion Post 25 baseball organizer. Submitted photo.
Next year, Post 25 will get an early start on the Legion’s baseball season and through community and Post 25 support, we hope to recruit and field a Fort Scott Legion baseball team by March, 2020. The American Legion baseball program is based on integrity and develops young men of character for our community and our nation. Our young men never gave up in a game. They played their hearts out until the last inning, even when it was obvious that the “W” was out of reach in a game.
A Past Post Commander of Columbus Post 3 commented how crisp and professional looking the Post 25 Color Guard is. He was very impressed with them and commented how long it’s been since he has observed an American Legion Color Guard presenting colors at an athletic event.
I have attached a copy of the July Department eNewsletter and the quarterly Sunflower. As a cost cutting measure, these publications are now only sent to registered to http://myLegion.org members.
To stay informed about National and Kansas Legion activities and events, go to myLegion.org and set up your own personal myLegion.org account. It’s easy to do and your information is never sold to any third party.
Legionnaires Marvin Taylor and Raymond Kalm are home recovering after being admitted to area hospitals for health issues. Let’s keep them and their families in your thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery. If you are aware of a Legionnaire or a Legion family member in sickness or distress, please let me know so I can inform our Post Chaplain.
Upcoming Events
August 5. Post 25 meet and greet at 6:30 pm in Memorial Hall. Come and enjoy the fellowship of other Veterans. Bring an eligible Veteran to visit our Post.
August 5. Post 25 general membership meeting at 7 pm in Memorial Hall. Our membership meetings are open to all. SAL members are strongly encouraged to attend.
August 8. American Legion Auxiliary Unit 25 meets in Memorial Hall at 6 pm this month. All eligible female family members of veterans are invited to attend.
August 8. American Legion Post 25 Color Guard meets in Memorial Hall at 7 pm this month. The Post 25 Color Guard is open to all Post 25 Legionnaires and SAL members.
August17. Homecoming event at Shawnee American Legion Post 327 for Department Commander, Department Auxiliary President and Department SAL Commander. See below flyer for more details.
Remember to check out Post 25 on Facebook. It contains current information pertaining to Veterans and their families.
NEW VA Shuttle August Schedule
VA Shuttle Service between Fort Scott and Topeka/Kansas City VA facilities is now available Mondays – Thursdays.
The VA shuttle departs Fort Scott and depending upon the destination, riders can be picked up in Pleasanton, Louisburg and Ottawa. A rider must be at one the designated pickup locations.
The shuttle will go to either Topeka or Kansas City, but not both cities on the same day. The city destination is based upon the 1st Rider who calls to schedule a seat for either Topeka or Kansas City.
Shuttle seating is limited. Riders must schedule a seat by calling 785-925-0261 and leaving a message with their appointment day and time and a call back telephone number.
Veterans needing a caregiver to ride with them must let the scheduler know. Shuttle seating is limited so only authorized caregivers can accompany the Veteran.
Appointments can also be scheduled by email through [email protected].
Appointments must be between 9 am and 1 pm.
Contact shuttle coordinator Carl Jowers at 785-925-0261 or [email protected] with any questions you might have regarding the shuttle usage or for more information.
