The Fort Scott Fire Department is promoting an event they perform every year amongst members to commemorate 9/11- the day the United States was attacked by terrorists, in 2001. Many firefighters on duty died that day attempting to help people.
“I thought this would be a neat tribute to get the public involved as well,” FSFD Deputy Chief Mike Miles said. “The purpose is to remember those who sacrificed and served on September 11.”
Mike Miles. Submitted photo.
“We are also using this to start a scholarship for high schoolers who may want to venture into the Fire Service,” he said. “We could provide them with tuition for the academy. There would be steps and measures one would have to take to receive the scholarship. That will be discussed at a later date when we get the Junior Fire Fighter program going.”
“We would also use some proceeds to donate to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation,” he said.
September 7, is the event, located on South Main Street, at the Fort Scott High School football stadium. Registration and walk-ups start at 8 a.m. The event will begin at 9 a.m.
There are three different options to participate.
“You can perform the stair climb, which would consist of 15 trips back and forth, up and down the stadium stairs. Or walk a 5k around the track or run a 5k through downtown and back to the stadium.”
One can register on the link provided on the fire department’s Facebook page.
“You receive a T-shirt with your registration and the cost is $25 for adults, $15 for kids.”
This t-shirt is for sale for the event. Photo taken from the Fort Scott Fire Department Facebook page.
“We have flyers also at local businesses and gas stations you can scan the QR code and it takes you to the registration page.”
As respiratory illnesses such as colds, flu, COVID-19, and other viral infections are on the rise in our region, it is crucial for our community to take preventive measures to protect both individual and public health. The SEK Multi-County Health Department is urging everyone to be vigilant in practicing habits that can reduce the risk of infection and help control the spread of these viruses.Here are some key steps everyone can take:
Practice Good Hand Hygiene: Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of viruses.
Wear a Mask: Masks are particularly important in crowded or enclosed spaces where social distancing may be difficult. They help reduce the transmission of respiratory droplets.
Cover Coughs and Sneezes: Always use a tissue or your elbow to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. This simple action helps prevent the spread of germs to others.
Stay Home if You Are Sick: If you are experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness, please stay home to avoid spreading the virus to others. Rest and recovery are essential for your health and the health of our community.
Get Vaccinated: Staying up to date with your flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine (when available) is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and others from serious illness. You may also want to consider getting the RSV vaccine if you are pregnant or are 60 years or older.
We encourage everyone to follow these guidelines and stay informed about the latest public health recommendations. Together, we can make a significant impact in reducing the spread of respiratory viruses in our community.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. By working together, we can keep our community healthy and safe.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Johnson, BSN, RN
Administrator/SEK Local Health Officer
SEK Multi-County Health Department
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Becky Johnson, BSN-RN
Administrator/SEK Local Health Officer
Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees will be holding a special meeting Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 4:00 pm in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall. The meeting will be to address items that need attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting on August 26, 2024, including personnel additions.
Immediately following the originally scheduled special meeting referenced , the Board will conduct another special meeting. They will adjourn to executive session to discuss non-elected personnel.
KDA Advises Public Regarding EPA’s Emergency Suspension of DCPA
MANHATTAN, Kansas — The Kansas Department of Agriculture is sharing notice that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the emergency suspension of all registrations of pesticide products containing the active ingredient dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA). EPA previously approved registrations for pesticide products containing DCPA to control weeds in both agricultural and non-agricultural sites, including non-residential turf sites, nursery stock and produce.
This emergency suspension is a result of EPA’s determination that DCPA is an imminent health hazard, in particular for babies whose mothers were exposed to DCPA during pregnancy. EPA’s determination that led to the emergency suspension comes as a result of the registration review process in which registered pesticides are periodically evaluated to ensure they cause no unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment. The emergency suspension is effective immediately, and prohibits the continued sale, distribution and use of any pesticide products containing DCPA.
Dacthal Flowable Herbicide, (EPA Registration Number 5481-487) is the only pesticide product containing DCPA which had been approved for use in Kansas. Although most usage of this product was likely in commercial operations, it is possible that individual consumers may have purchased it as a general use product. If you are in possession of Dacthal Flowable Herbicide, you are advised to cease use of that product and contact the manufacturer for details on the return procedure. Retail or wholesale businesses must remove the products from their sales inventory and contact the manufacturer for details on the return procedure. Do not dispose of the product by any means until you are provided with instructions by the manufacturer.
KDA’s pesticide and fertilizer program oversees the use of pesticides in the state, including registration of pesticide products and enforcement of federal orders that apply to products that are registered for use in Kansas. Additional information about the emergency suspension of DCPA, including the text of the emergency order, can be found on the EPA website at www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-issues-emergency-order-stop-use-pesticide-dacthal-address-serious-health-risk-4.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) requests comments on the draft Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2025-2028 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) document.
The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System. The draft STIP document is available for review online at https://www.ksdot.gov/bureaus/burProgProjMgmt/stip/stip.asp. Select the draft FFY 2025-2028 STIP- link at the top of the page.
The approval of the STIP requires a public comment period of 30 days, which concludes on Sept. 6. To make comments on the STIP document, contact Lisa Roth at (785) 296-0892 or Gene Ingwerson at (785) 296-0136 with KDOT’s Division of Program and Project Management.
This information is available in alternative accessible formats. To obtain an alternative format, contact the KDOT Division of Communications, (785) 296-3585 (Voice/Hearing Impaired-711).
The west entrance of the Kansas Renewal Institute, June 2024.
Kansas Renewal Institute is an addiction treatment center, mental health service and healthcare administrator, which opened its doors at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd, in April 2024.
The facility receives patient referrals through Managed Care Organizations (MCO) from the State of Kansas Medicaid Program, said Joe Tinervin, K.R.I.President of Operations.
They currently have 32 adolescent residents.
” We chose not to pursue a license for Substance Abuse Disorder/Detox at this time,” Tinerin said. “We decided to go all-in for Physiactric Residential Treatment Facility because that’s what the State needs help with the most.”
Joe Tinervin, from his LinkedIn site.
“Our current census consists of residents between the ages of 8 to 16 with separate units for pre-adolescents and adolescents. Our license allows us to work with youth ages 6 to 18,” he said.
“We currently have 72 employees and growing,” he said. ” We have enough staff to accommodate our current census with room for growth, but we’re always searching for new talent who are aligned with our mission and core values, to join our organization.”
“All referrals come through the MCOs,” he said. “Sunflower, United Healthcare and Aetna Better Health of Kansas.”
“The kids we have admitted have been on the waitlist for quite a while,” Tinervin said.
K.R.I. is opening a pre-adolesent unit specifically for children aged 9-13 years old, allowing this age group to be separated from older adolescents.
K.R.I. occupies the north and west wings of the former Mercy Hospital.
A small sign on the sliding door is the only marker for the entrance to K.R.I. at the west entrance to the facility. There is a similar small sign on the east door. June 2024
On June 13, Freeman Health Systems announced that the southwest part at 410 Woodland Hills Blvd. will become a 10-bed hospital with an emergency department.
“Having both medical and behavioral health under one roof, we’ll be able to reach more people with needs,” Tinervin said.
The former Mercy Hospital is the site of the new Kansas Renewal Institute. Several other entities are officed in the building as well.
Two Kansas Notable Books Selected for 2024 Great Reads from Great Places
TOPEKA – The Kansas Center for the Book, part of the State Library of Kansas, selects one youth and one adult book to represent the state in the annual Great Reads from Great Places program. The program highlights books that are written by authors from the state, take place in the state, or celebrate the state’s culture and heritage.
The Kansas great reads for this year feature two Kansas Notable Book winners: One Boy Watching, written and illustrated by Grant Snider and Hell’s Half-Acre: The Untold Story of the Benders, A Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier, by Susan Jonusas.
One Boy Watching celebrates the extraordinary found within the ordinary. This book puts into words what it feels like to be a passenger, inviting young readers to climb aboard bus number four as it opens a new world of discovery.
Hell’s Half-Acre: The Untold Story of the Benders, A Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier tells the story of how the people of Labette County, Kansas, in 1873, made a grisly discovery. Buried by a trailside cabin beneath an orchard of young apple trees were the remains of countless bodies. Below the cabin itself was a cellar stained with blood. The Benders, the family of four who once resided on the property, were nowhere to be found. The discovery sent the local community and national newspapers into a frenzy that continued for decades, sparking an epic manhunt for the Benders.
The Kansas selections officially join the 2024 Great Reads from Great Places at the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. on August 24, 2024. To view previous years’ selections visit Library of Congress Great Reads from Great Places. You can start in Kansas, then discover literary highlights from the other 49 states and 6 territories that have Center for the Book affiliates.
A meeting of the Industrial Development Research Committee will be held on August 5, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in the Bourbon County Commission Meeting in the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National Ave. Fort Scott, KS 66701.
A1 Towing and Recovery LLC provided manpower and equipment to stack the containers for the future FSFD Training Center. Submitted photo.
Regular training helps firefighters build competence in emergencies.
The Fort Scott Fire Department has never had its own training facility, crews have trained in the station bay areas, online, and in a small storage shed area near the Hawkins Public Safety facility, FSFD Deputy Chief Mike Miles said in a press release.
“New recruits need better training opportunities, with real-life situations translating to better service when an emergency happens,” Miles said. He believes it will help with retention, morale, more opportunities to go train on new skills or different skills, and will relieve frustration to have better training opportunities.
“Regular training in a dedicated facility helps firefighters build confidence in their abilities and competence in handling emergencies,” Miles said in the press release. “This confidence translates into better performance and decision-making during real incidents, ultimately leading to a more effective emergency response and better outcomes.”
The FSFD has planned a site that is currently open space on the southwest corner of the Hawkins Public Safety Facility at 17th and Judson Streets. It is unused currently.
Judson and 17th Street corner is the site of the new Fort Scott Fire Department Training Center. Seen in this photo on the left, is the new training center in progress.
“We are hoping to have it completed by the end of September,” he said. ” We still have concrete to pour for work areas and then we will go inside and start to construct the layouts we desire for training purposes.”
He said the rooms will be set up like living rooms, bedrooms, kitchen, entanglement areas, etc. where search and rescue skills can be practiced.
Miles has sought to let the neighborhood know of the plans the department has.
He sent letters to surrounding neighbors to invite them to the station to answer questions and discuss the plans for the training facility. He said positive feedback was received from that endeavor with a “couple of concerns of smoke.”
“We want to be good neighbors, training times will be during the daytime hours… nontoxic smoke…always mindful of the weather conditions before considering any burn…maybe a couple of times a year with actual live fire,” he said.
He said they did look at other areas for the location of the facility, but didn’t find a suitable location or landowner contacting them back.
“Having the training center on-site at the FSFD gives us more flexibility,” he said “If we get called out during a training evolution we can leave the site and not worry about our gear. Water, bathrooms, and all the equipment are already on site.”
The Fort Scott Police, Bourbon County Emergency Medical Service, and other agencies will also be able to use this facility as a training opportunity, he said.
“This will be a major benefit to the service FSFD provides to the community and only make us stronger,” he said. “The capital improvement budget set forth by Fire Chief Dave Bruner allows for this project to be completed.”
A1 Towing and Recovery LLC provided manpower and equipment to stack the containers for the future FSFD Training Center. Submitted photos.
A1 Towing and Recovery LLC volunteered company time, equipment, and employees to help with the project.
“It’s exciting to see the Fort Scott Fire Department wanting to continue practice/training to stay at the peak of their skills that our community depends on,’ said A1 owner, Robert Coon.
City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
August 6, 2024 – 6:00 P.M.
Call to Order
Roll Call
Tim VanHoecke, Matthew Wells, Dyllon Olson, Kathryn Salsbury, Tracy Dancer
III. Pledge of Allegiance
Invocation
Approval of Agenda
Consent Agenda
Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1365-A – Expense Approval Report – Payment Dates of July 10, 2024 – July 31, 2024 – $2,311,545.74
Approval of Minutes for July 16, 2024, Regular Meeting and July 29, 2024, Special Meeting
Request to Pay – Earles Engineering, Inc. – Project No. 06 KA-6898-01 – Invoice No. 17392 – Billing Statement No. 3 – Payroll for Earles Engineering – June 2, 2024 – June 29, 2024 – KDOT CCLIP – $91,352.17
Request to Pay – Heck & Wicker, Inc. – EEI Project No. 24-414 – Horton Street & 6th Street Improvements Contractor’s Application for Payment No. 1
VII. Public Comment – Sign up required before the beginning of the meeting on register at the entrance of the Commission Room. Public Comments are for any topic not on the agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at the Commission’s discretion.
VIII. Appearances – Must be scheduled with the City Clerk at least (1) week prior to the meeting
you wish to address the Commission. You will be scheduled on the agenda to speak on your topic.
Thomas Metcalf Jr. – Sons of American Legion Car Show – Temporary Street Closure of 3rd Street between National Ave. and Main St. – September 7, 2024 – 8AM-2PM
Unfinished Business
Consideration of Proposals for Repairs to Memorial Hall Facade – Kruger
Tabled from July 16, 2024.
Consideration to Approve Ordinance No. 3769 – Golf Cart Ordinance – VanHoecke – Tabled from July 29, 2024.
Consideration of Change Addendum No. 1 – WWTP Change in Infrastructure Permit EEI File: 23-306 – Earles Engineering & Inspection, Inc. – Original Contract $7,500.00 – Additional Service Fees – $5,000.00 – J. Dickman – Tabled from July 16, 2024
New Business
Action Items:
Consideration to Pay KDOC – Legal Fees for a Preliminary Visitation Study for the Feasibility Study Regarding the Star Bond Project – $10,000.00 – B. Matkin
Consideration to Approve Change Order No. 3 – Hofer-Hofer & Associates – B. Matkin
Request to Pay – Hofer-Hofer & Associates – Application No. 5 – Gunn Park Shower House – $3,726.00 – B. Matkin
Request to Pay – Hofer-Hofer & Associates – Application No. 6 – Gunn Park Shower House – $10,500.00 – B. Matkin
Consideration of Resolution No. 18-2024 Adopting the Kansas Homeland Security Region H Hazard Mitigation Plan – B. Matkin
