Category Archives: Bourbon County

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Schools

New FSCC Biology Teacher: Heather Davis

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Heather Davis is the biology instructor at Fort Scott Community College.

This is part of a series of profiles of new teachers in our community.

Dr. Heather Davis is the new biology instructor at Fort Scott Community College.

Name: Dr. Heather Davis

Title of position: Biology Instructor, Fort Scott Community College

Education: Fort Scott High School 2006, Associate of Science- Cowley College 2008, Bachelor of Science in Biology- Pittsburg State University 2010, Master of Science & Doctor of Chiropractic- Logan College 2014

Experience: No prior formal teaching experience, but extensive education and background in the sciences.

Age: 30

Family: Husband-Dr. Grant Hartman, children-Zoey (age 2) and Zeke (age 3 months), late father-Tom Davis, mother-Cindy Davis, parents-in-law- Brad and Robin Hartman, Grandparents-in-law-the late Ron Billiard and Karen Billiard.

Affiliations:

“I have been in private practice with my husband at Hartman Spine & Joint for three years practicing functional medicine, which relies extensively on knowledge of human biology, anatomy, physiology, laboratory evaluation, nutrition and performance. While I will still be practicing part time, I am excited to start my teaching career.”

Why did you choose education as a career?

“I found that in private practice, I was teaching patients one-on-one every single day, something I did not realize would happen to this extent. I finally recognized my passion for teaching and, paired with my love of science, formal teaching just made sense. It is also a way for me to be more involved in the community, develop relationships, influence more people, and be involved in something bigger.

What is the first on your list of priorities for the position?

“Ensure each and every student in my classroom develops a basic understanding of the world around them, lead more students to the sciences, and foster relationships with local high schools to enable students to work ahead.”

 

Bourbon County, Schools

New FSCC Harley-Davidson Teacher: Alex Mason

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This is part of a series of new teachers in our community.

Alex Mason is a new Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Technician Training and Development Program instructor at Fort Scott Community College.

Name: Alex Mason

Title of position: Harley-Davidson Instructor

Education: AAS FSCC Harley-Davidson

Experience: Technician at Gail’s Harley-Davidson, Grandview MO

Age: 28

Family: Wife is Holli Mason, a daughter, Lucy.  Parents are Steve and Kendell Mason.

Why did you choose education as a career?

“This is an opportunity for me to apply my skill set closer to home, so I may spend more time with my family.”

What is the first on your list of priorities for the position?

“Implementing my experience at an H-D dealership in order to help create better-prepared technicians for the field.”

Bourbon County

Kale Nelson Handing Out $1 For Each Random Driver Who Is Buckled Up

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Bucks Rewarded to Drivers Who Buckle Up

Safe Kids Kansas, State Farm and KDOT Partner for Safety Message

TOPEKA, Kan. – Thousands of vehicles will be traveling the Kansas roadways during the Labor Day weekend. Many families will head out on one last camping trip or getaway as the school year begins.  The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Safe Kids Kansas, State Farm and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) want to encourage families to buckle up and drive safely to protect their most valuable asset, their families.

From Aug. 26 through Sept. 9, a safety belt awareness campaign called “Bucks for Buckles” is being held in 56 cities across Kansas. One dollar bills are being distributed by local volunteers to drivers who have all occupants buckled up securely in their vehicle. Those riding unrestrained will receive educational materials about the effectiveness of seat belts and child safety seats in saving lives and reducing injuries.

“No one can predict when they will be involved in a motor vehicle crash, yet almost all of us will be involved in an automobile crash in our lifetime. Last year, 382 people lost their lives on Kansas roadways and 50 percent of them were unbuckled,” said Cherie Sage, State Director for Safe Kids Kansas. “The single most effective means of protecting the lives of you and your passengers are wearing seat belts and using appropriate child restraints every time you ride in the vehicle – even short distances.”

Local Agent Kale Nelson with State Farm Insurance will be participating in this program to promote wearing seatbelts, in both Fort Scott and Uniontown.

Exact dates will not be announced.

One dollar bills are being distributed by local volunteers to drivers who have all occupants buckled up securely in their vehicle.

 

 

Bourbon County, Government

County Commission Canvasses 2018 Election Aug. 16

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

2nd Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Thursday starting at 9:00

Date: August 16th, 2018

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

10:00-Canvass for the 2018 Primary Election

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

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Declared In A Drought Emergency

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Drought Declarations Updated in Kansas Counties

The Governor’s Drought Team examines declining surface water conditions

 

Topeka – While there have been some recent rains, drought conditions for many areas of the state, especially eastern Kansas, continue to worsen.

 

Declining livestock water and feed supply continue to be reported. This has resulted in emergency status being added in eastern Kansas for any county with a U.S. Drought Monitor Severe Drought (D3) status, contiguous counties and reported issues. This now moves 10 counties into Emergency status from a Watch and 12 into Emergency from a Warning. Below are the counties listed in Bold indicating these changes.

 

Drought Watch counties (18): Cheyenne, Cloud, Decatur, Gove, Graham, Jewell, Logan, Mitchell, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Republic, Rooks, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas

 

Drought Warning counties (15): Allen, Chautauqua, Elk, Ellis, Greeley, Lane, Ness, Rush, Russell, Scott, Trego, Wallace, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson

 

Drought Emergency counties (72): Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown,  Butler, Chase, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Grant, Gray, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Labette,  Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Morton, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wyandotte

 

Counties in emergency stage are eligible for emergency use of water from certain state fishing lakes. They also become eligible for water in some Federal reservoirs.

 

Individuals and communities need to contact the Kansas Water Office (KWO) for a water supply request prior to any withdrawals from lakes. They will in turn be referred to the appropriate office to obtain the necessary permit to withdraw the water.

 

The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the effects the drought has on Kansans.

 

For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the KWO website at: www.kwo.ks.gov.

 

 

Note to Editor:  The Americans with Disabilities Act, (42 U.S.C. 12101), requires the Kansas Water Office to print the reasonable accommodations messages.

 

 

Bourbon County, Government

The Bourbon County Commission Agenda for August 14

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

2nd Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: August 14th, 2018

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

9:00-9:45-Jim Harris

Consideration of agreement between BNSF Railway Company

Report on Inspection and Analysis of Off System and RS Bridges

10:00-11:00-Commissioners to discuss County Health Insurance

11:00-11:15-Executive Session-Privileged in the attorney-client relationship

11:15-Handbook

11:20-NRP

11:00-12:00-Commissioner to work on 2019 Budget

12:00-1:30-Commissioners gone to lunch

1:30-Lora Holdridge-Executive Session-Justin and the Commissioners

2:00-2:15-Bobby Reed-Parking on north side of Courthouse

2:15-4:30-Commissioners to work on 2019 Budget

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

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Schools

Greyhound Lodge Nearing Completion

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The Greyhound Lodge, August 8. Jim Woods is part of the maintenance crew at Fort Scott Community College who helped in the renovation of the Red Ram Motel into student housing.

The Red Ram Motel property has been cleaned up from the overgrown trees and shrubs which abounded on the property,  given new paint, doors, and floors in the individual rooms and it is almost ready for the transformation to student housing for Fort Scott Community College.

A peek at the inside of one room at the Greyhound Lodge on August 8. New paint and new floors have been completed. Furniture is next to be moved in.

Greyhound Lodge, as it is now known,  will be part of the FSCC housing options.

“We are excited to see the transformation and having it done,” FSCC President Alysia Johnston said on Wednesday. “I think the students will like it.”

All the remodeling of the building was done by maintenance staff or the construction trades class, she said.

“Kim Coates (construction trade instructor) and a couple of kids have been on it,” Johnston said. “Lane Cutler cleaned up the property. Jim Woods is a member of the maintenance team.  All the remodel has been in-house, except the floors.”

Johnny Walker was the high bidder for the Red Ram Motel sign.

The Red Ram Motel sign is gone now, purchased by Johnny Walker. Work is in the final stages before students move in, August 18-19, Fort Scott Community College President Alysia Johnston said Wednesday.

Each room will have bunkable beds. “The kids can decide whether to bunk them or not,” she said. “Each room will have beds, a small fridge, microwave, dresser.”

“It’s affordable, $300 per month per student,” Johnston said. “It’s also appropriate, supervised student housing.”

A member of  FSCC staff will be living in an apartment at Greyhound Lodge, for security and supervision duties.

A computer lab, a student lounge with a pool table, washer and dryer and kitchen will be available for students use.

Greyhound Lodge is on the north side of town, near the intersection of Hwy. 54 and Hwy. 69. The FSCC main campus is on the south side of town. Students will be moving in the weekend of  August 18-19, Johnston said.

“The students who live there can purchase a meal plan,” Johnston said. “We now have a 10-meal-plan or a 7-meal-plan, if they want to purchase it.”

 

 

 

Area News, Bourbon County, Business

Leadership, Exploration and Development: Lead Bourbon County Sign Up

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NOW TAKING REGISTRATIONS!


What is LEAD Bourbon County?

A program designed to develop and engage the leadership skills of potential and current leaders through exposing participants to diverse aspects of our local community. The program includes 9-sessions that run from September to May. Sessions are the second Thursday of the month (8am to 3:30pm) and held at various locations throughout Bourbon County, with Mercy Hospital as the main site.

Who should participate?

LEAD Bourbon County is open to all community members, all ages, all positions.  A company may sponsor one or more employees to participate, or a person may register individually on their own.
(Cost is $325 plus $50 materials fee per registrant,
includes lunch at each session, graduation, and any other expenses.)

What should participants expect?

The sessions held on the 2nd Thursday of each month begin with the class attending the weekly Chamber Coffee at a local business at 8am, then convening at Mercy Hospital for a morning session following the curriculum of the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC), A guest speaker will be featured at each afternoon session which will often include a tour of a business or community attraction to exemplify leadership in action.

Robert Uhler and Deborah Needleman are co-facilitators of the program.

KLC’s principles include that anyone can lead anytime, anywhere.  Leadership is not a position, it is an action.
Click here for more information and to download the printable registration form.

Registrations are requested by Friday, August 24th.
The first session will be September 13th.