Supplemental Pandemic Food Assistance program announces benefit distribution dates
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announces the distribution of the Supplemental Pandemic EBT food assistance benefit to eligible Kansas students.
Distribution of the one-time benefit of $375 per child will begin to be issued starting tomorrow, Oct. 12. This benefit is for the summer months of June, July and August 2021.
All school aged children who were eligible for free and reduced-price meals during the 2020-2021 school year through the National School Lunch program will receive the one-time benefit. This includes Head Start children who attend a Community Eligible Provision (CEP) school or were enrolled in the National School Lunch program.
Qualifying school aged children who did not receive P-EBT for the 2020-2021 school year because they attended school in person and do not already have a Kansas Benefits Card will receive a preloaded card in the mail beginning Oct. 26. Eligible households that do not receive the benefit by Nov. 4 will need to provide additional information to DCF through the DCF Self Service Portal after Nov. 1.
The benefit can be used to purchase eligible food items from approved vendors that accept food assistance benefits like grocery stories and online at Aldi, Amazon or Wal-Mart.
The Supplemental P-EBT program provides temporary food benefits to families of children who normally receive National School Lunch program benefit but the education cycle was disrupted due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Learn more at www.dcf.ks.gov/pages/p-ebt.aspx.
Contact DCF at 1-888-369-4777 with questions or visit the P-EBT page on www.dcf.ks.gov.
At the Fort Scott High School Football Game and the Uniontown High School Volleyball Tournament this weekend, one might think there is a crime being investigated.
But that thinking would be wrong.
Both Fort Scott Police and the Bourbon County Sheriff Officers will be there to mingle with people to “meet the community and let the community know us,” said Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Bob Jackson.
The Fort Scott Police Department from its Facebook page.
The events are part of an organization called Faith and Blue.
“Nation-wide, after the George Floyd deal, things started spiraling downhill for law enforcement,” said Jackson.
Last year following the civil unrest, an organization called Faith and Blue was started nationally.
“Communities are stronger and safer when residents and law enforcement professionals can relate as ordinary people with shared values, hopes, and dreams. The partners who are a part of National Faith & Blue Weekend believe we can find ways to work together around our many commonalities instead of being divided by our differences.”
The Faith and Blue weekend nationally is Oct. 8-11, according to Jackson.
Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Bob Jackson. Courtesy photo.
The law enforcement officers will be at Frary Field this evening, Oct. 8, on the campus of Fort Scott High School starting about 5 p.m. to “pass out popcorn and give away tickets to the concession stand,” Jackson said.
Then on Saturday, the officers will be at West Bourbon Elementary School for the Uniontown High School Volleyball Tournament from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There, they will be giving away food too, with the help of local food truck (The Sunshine Shack) owners, Shayla and Kyle Knight.
“They are going to set it up inside the school cafeteria,” Jackson said.
The officers are hoping to get to know those they serve a little better in the mingling and also let the community get to know them.
He is hoping the event will be a positive one, he said.
“It will not be to hear complaints,” Jackson said. “But it’s to get to know you and you know us.”
The event is a collaboration of some local churches and the FSPD and the BCSO.
In Fort Scott, Community Christian Church, Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene, Trinity Lutheran and the Seventh Day Adventist Church have provided funds for the event.
In Uniontown, the Uniontown Missionary Baptist Church, along with the Bronson, Hiattville, and Uniontown United Methodist Churches have contributed to the event.
Wib Mowen and Joe Lee stand in front of the new sign at The Beacon. Submitted photo.
Those who need food assistance for 2022, may sign-up at Beacon Food Pantry, 525 East Sixth, Fort Scott from October 25 through October 29.
“Sign-ups must be done by October 29th ,” Dave Gillen with The Beacon, a helping agency, said. “No exceptions. You will need to call in advance for appointment for one of these days.”
The Beacon staff started taking appointments on October 4.
Gillen said the participants will need to bring the following to qualify for a food card:
Picture ID for all adults in household
Social Security card for all in household and birthdates, all dependent children with different names must show full-time parental custody, adoption papers. must live with you to be on your card.
Proof of income, pension, retirement, social security disability, VA benefits, unemployment, child support/alimony and any other income
If you receive any services from DCF please bring the verification letter.
“If you are also getting food that day, you will need to call in advance and your order will be put on the back porch for pick-up,” he said.
“We’ll also be doing sign-ups for the Adopt-A-Child program and additionally the Elk’s Club food basket, at this time,” Gillen said.
“Adopt-A-Child pick up and food baskets will be at Community Christian Church on December the 17th from 9 am to 1 pm,” he said. “Pick-up will be a drive-through like last year.”
“Elk’s baskets will be delivered the Sunday before Christmas.”
There will be COVID-19 Protocols when one comes to sign-up.
“You will be required to have temperature checked and wear a mask before entering the Beacon,” he said. “If you do not have a mask, one will be provided for you. Please enter through the front door. We are asking only one person per family in the building at this time.”
Kasi, 23, and Aung Kyaw-Gates, 29, are working to open a hibachi/sushi restaurant in downtown Fort Scott at 17 S. Main.
They have named it Samurai Hibachi and Sushi and hope to be open in October following renovation and hiring of employees, Kasi said.
Sushi is raw meat with seaweed rice on the outside, rolled into a roll then cut into eight pieces, she said.
“We have salmon, shrimp tempura, eel, veggie, spicy tuna, and a crab salad,” Kasi said.
Hibachi is rice or noodles with meat, grilled on a flat top grill with a sauce, she said.
The couple ran a food truck on East Wall street earlier this year, but closed down when a partner left the business for a larger town, Kasi said.
Kasi and Aung Gates with Robert Coon, inside the former Kress Building. Submitted photo.
“We waited until we could find a place to open a restaurant and Robert Coon got a hold of us,” she said.
Coon is the owner of Coon Rentals LLC and recently bought 17 S. Main at a Bourbon County Commission auction.
“My husband has always wanted to open his own restaurant…and had worked in many restaurants and food places. He knows everything needed to open and succeed,” Kasi said.
Gates provided the following menus for the restaurant:
Kasi is a 2017 graduate of Uniontown High School and a 2019 graduate of Fort Scott Community College with a general science degree, she said.
Her husband, originally from Myanmar (Burma) has been in the U.S. for five years, ending up in Pittsburg, KS, where they met.
They were married in November 2019.
Aung is currently working in Pittsburg at a hibachi/sushi restaurant and Kasi owns the Third Fairy shop at 1 E. Wall Street.
“I sell incense, herbs, tarot cards, chrystals, and pagan and Wiccan items,” she said.
Kress Building, 17 S. Main, August 2020.
Coon said the first floor of the building will be divided, with the restaurant on the current kitchen side. He said an attorney has expressed interest in renting the other side.
“We wanted to establish more business,” Kaur said. “People would come from this area to our store near Hammond for Opie’s Pizza that we serve. We thought we would come here to provide it.”
Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information or to order a pizza, call 620-644-9867.
K.C. Mart, 946 S. Highway 69, across from the LaRoche Baseball Stadium.
In front is Seraphine, with Jackson, Marty, Carrie, and Caleb Elton. Submitted photo.
A new family to Fort Scott has purchased the two former Lyon’s Mansions on National Avenue.
Marty and Carrie Elton moved their family into the north mansion on June 1.
The south mansion’s main floor, formerly known as Nate’s Place, will be a restaurant called Dry Wood Creek Cafe, Carrie Elton said.
The Elton’s will be offering delicious food, and a comfortable space to enjoy it, Carrie said.
“Marty has been in the restaurant business his entire life,” she said. “He has been both in the back of the house and the front of the house. He is past president of the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association and most recently the owner and operator of a successful catering company.”
Marty Elton. Submitted photo.
Carrie grew up north of Buffalo, NY among “amazing bakers and cooks” and desires to bring those flavors to the people of Fort Scott, she said.
The Eltons were looking for opportunities to move to a small town, she said.
“We found this property and immediately fell in love with it,” she said. “A perfect confluence of events made this dream a reality for us.”
“We are currently living in the former bed and breakfast with our three children and two dogs,” Carrie said. “Once the children are grown we may look at reopening the north mansion as a bed and breakfast.”
They have been preparing to open the restaurant soon, possibly next week if staffing and licensing issues are resolved.
There is office space available on the second floor that they “look forward to partnering with someone as they begin their journey,” she said.
The third floor is a two-bedroom apartment that is currently a vacation rental on Vacation Rentals By Owner, VRBO, she said.
The restaurant is slated to have hours of operation: Tuesday through Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Contact information for Marty or Carrie is 620.224.2970. Like the restaurant on their Facebook page, Dry Creek Cafe.
“We look forward to holding special events a couple of times a month, at night,” she said. “More information will be available on these once we get up and running.”
Next weekend, two annual sports events will be combined: the Marmaton Massacre with the Tri-Yak-A-Thon and additionally a separate golf disc tournament.
Local businessman and bike enthusiast, Frank Halsey is the organizer of the bike race called the Marmaton Massacre and the kayak-run-bike contest called the Tri-Yak-A-Thon.
The Marmaton Massacre is still seeking participants, according to the Gunn Park Trails Facebook page.
The deadline to register is this Sunday, September 12, at midnight.
Frank Halsey, the event organizer, hugs his grandson following a first-place win in the kids’ race in July 2018.
“The Gunn Park Trail Volunteers (the sponsors of the events)are super excited! It’s going to be a very busy weekend in beautiful Gunn Park,” Halsey said.
“We’ve combined our annual Marmaton Massacre Festival and The annual Tri-Yak-A-Thon into a really fun-packed weekend, September 18th & 19th,” Halsey said. “In addition, Danny Craig is hosting a disc golf tournament on Saturday, the 18th.
“We kick off the activities with the Tri-Yak-A-Thon, at 9 a.m. Saturday,” Halsey said. “This is our 8th year for this charitable fundraiser of running a 5k on the trails, kayaking a 5k on the Marmaton River, and finishing with a 10k ride on the trails.”
Participants may go solo, or as a relay team.
“Solo is for those hard-core athletes, while the relay team is not easy, it’s definitely easier,” he said. “I don’t run any longer, so my daughter, Libby, and I will be a team. Proceeds of the Tri-Yak-A-Thon are donated to proceeds go to Fort Scott Paws and Claws Animal Shelter.”
“At 1 p.m. the Massacre officially starts with the marathon race,” Halsey said. “This is a 3-hour race, where participants complete as many laps as possible on our trails.”
To participate in the events see the Gunn Park Trails Facebook page, registrations must be sent by Sunday, Sept. 12.
The whole community is invited to watch.
“While most of the events are not really spectator-friendly, we’d love to have the locals show up for the Saturday evening festivities,” he said. “These start about 5:30 p.m. with the always fun Kid’s Bike Race. We create an open course, through the park, so not on the trails, for kids 10 years old and under. This is a hoot watching these kids, and everybody cheering.”
At 6:30 p.m. a father and son, Ed and Exander Schilling, St. Joe, MO will give a demonstration on bike skills.
Halsey describes the two as “extremely talented.” “Ed can do things on a bike that most can’t do on their feet, and Exander likes to get big air,” he said.
“Around 7:30 pm we have live music with DJ Brown & The Bourbon County Revival performing until about 9 or 9:30 p.m.,” he said. “They are a local band, that plays a little bit of everything.”
“The Beech Street Eats food truck will be onsite for refreshments,” Halsey said.
“This is a great family atmosphere, and we hope the people of Fort Scott, and the surrounding area, will bring their lawn chairs, kid’s bikes, enjoy the evening in beautiful Gunn Park,” he said.
“We could not do this without our volunteers and our generous sponsors, including:
Wib Mowen and Joe Lee stand in front of the new sign at The Beacon. Submitted photo.
The Beacon, a local helping agency, depends on volunteers.
The Beacon organization was established in 1985 to serve Bourbon County residents in need.
Volunteer donations of services and talents are what it takes to make the Beacon a more attractive and inviting place for clients and the community, according to Carol MacArthur, chairwoman of the Beacon board.
“Joe Lee is a local artist who has worked inside and outside the Beacon volunteering his talent,” MacArthur said. “He does the signs and has painted a beautiful lighthouse mural inside the building.”
Lee recently created a new sign for the front of the building to replace one in need of repair.
Other Beacon volunteers include Wib Mowen who volunteers carpentry skills and helps with many other tasks, including helping Lee with his sign.
Hi wife, Patty Mowen is the assistant director of the Beacon.
This summer, Bro’s Cleaning Services, Fort Scott, power washed the whole building for free, MacArthur said. “The siding absolutely looks new.”
“Philips Lawn Care has mowed the last three years–again for free–to keep up the yard,” MacArthur said.
“Then we have Dave Gillen’s wife, Debbie,” she said. “Dave is the director. Debbie is the main coordinator for the signups for Adopt a Child.”
The Beacon is funded by donations from churches, civic organizations, schools, businesses, and individuals.
Also, each year the Beacon applies for various grants to help with food and monetary assistance.
They serve approximately 960 individuals a month and if a person is on food stamps, they are automatically eligible for services.
In addition to food packages, The Beacon provides non-food items like blankets, toiletries, laundry powder, and diapers.
To receive assistance, individuals must be willing to share information about their current income levels and proof of Bourbon County residency. Families in crisis are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Contact info:
525 E. Sixth Street, Fort Scott; phone 620.223.6869.
