An electric benefit card, which looks like a credit card, is coming to WIC recipients.

WIC stands for Women, Infant, Children and is a government program to provide needed services to low-income families.

Starting Feb. 7, the program will switch from special checks to a benefit card, according to Linda Timme, the nutrition service coordinator at the Crawford County Health Department (CCHD).

CCHD is the service provider for WIC in Bourbon County.

“Right now we have printed checks that have food items on them, provided through the WIC program,” Timme said.

The switch to a benefit card is to simplify for both clients and program administrators, Timme said.

“It will be good for our clients, easier to use at the store,” she said. “And it will be easier for us. We’ve been talking to our clients about this change.”

WIC provides food, healthcare referrals, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotions and support to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women and additionally to infants and children to age five years old, who are found to be at risk nutritionally, according to the website: wic.fns.usda.gov

There is a state WIC website to see if one will qualify for the program: www.kansaswic.org.

The CCHD offers weekly clinics in Fort Scott. Three times clinic services are offered at Buck Run Community Center and one clinic is offered at Mercy Hospital.

The next clinic is at Mercy.

“At clinics, they are asked to bring proof of income and residency in the county,” Timme said. “They must show an ID, and also IDs for children.”

“First we decide if they are qualified, then health screenings are given,” she said. “We have risk factors to see if they qualify. Then we issue benefits. People go home with checks to purchase food on the list.”

Foods provided are specific, Timme said. Eggs, milk, cereal, juice, fresh vegetables and fruit and whole grains.

Clients must call for an appointment, Timme said.

The number is 620.231.5411.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are offered on the WIC program.

The face of Uniontown is about to be changed with two buildings on the city’s square being condemned.

At a Uniontown City Council meeting on January 8, the city held a public hearing for the structures owned by Mary Beerbower and Hartman J. Kite respectively.

Following the meeting, legal notices were published in the Fort Scott Tribune stating that the owners have until July 21, 2018, to remove the buildings and make the premises safe and secure.

The owners are cooperating with the council, Mayor Larry Jurgensen said.

“They both are in agreement they should come down,” Jurgensen said. “And they are getting it taken down themselves.”

Mary Beerbower had a business located in her building, the easternmost one, called Mary’s Cafe. The other building was vacant and the ceiling had caved in.

The structures are located on the south side of the square at 112A Second Street.

The kitchen refrigerator and cooler didn’t fit in the new law enforcement center. Twice.

“The first two that came in would not fit,” Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin said. “There was some miscommunication between the architect, the construction company or the company building the fridge and cooler.”

The refrigerator and cooler are custom built and have to meet certain requirements, he said.

The good news is, the custom-built refrigeration system has arrived and is being installed, Martin said.

Following installation, there will be a final inspection by the state fire marshall.

“It was delayed until everything is in place in the kitchen,” Martin said.

“We have some additional training once that is met, ” he said. “We should be able to open the door and have inmates the end of January to the middle of February.”

The new law enforcement center is located at 293 East 20th Street.