Category Archives: Government

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott, Government

Alice Maffett, Public Health Nurse, Retires June 26

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SEK Muliti-County Health Department, located at 6th and Lowman Streets, Fort Scott.

SEK Multi-County Health Department lead nurse, Alice Maffett BSN, RN, is retiring after 20 plus years.

“I have worked in public health for over 21 years besides working as a clinical nurse in different settings such as obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedic and psychiatric medicine,” she said.
Alice Maffett. Submitted photo.
“I have always enjoyed the aspect of public health even when I was in nursing school,” she said.  “Public health allowed me the opportunity to work with my community partners and to further good health practices in this county.”
She did this through immunization clinics, teaching health-related subjects in schools, disease investigations, and public speaking to community groups.
“The best part of working in public health was the people in our community I got to help every day,” she said.
 ” I can honestly say that the most challenging issue that I’ve had to face with my job has been the COVID outbreak,” Maffett said.  “At one point I was working seven days a week from early morning until the evening. This virus has just been relentless.  I believe it has wearied all of us.”
Maffett’s last day officially with the SEK Multi-County Health Department will be June 26.
“I will start a new chapter in my life from that point and I’m excited to see where God will lead me,” she said.
“Thank you to all the many, many community members and organizations that I have had the privilege of working with during my time in public health.  I will miss them all,” Maffett said.
Bourbon County, Government

KS Supreme Court Will Issue Decision on Bourbon County Attorney Jacquie Spradling

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The following was submitted to fortscott.biz from a citizen.

Panel urges disbarment of Kansas attorney for deliberate misconduct in two high-profile trials

Spradling’s legal career in jeopardy for ‘win-at-all-costs’ attitude

By

Tim Carpenter

[email protected]–

June 4, 2021

A three-attorney disciplinary panel recommended the Kansas Supreme Court disbar former Shawnee County prosecutor Jacqie Spradling for misconduct in two high-profile Kansas criminal cases overturned on appeal. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)
A three-attorney disciplinary panel recommended the Kansas Supreme Court disbar former Shawnee County prosecutor Jacqie Spradling for misconduct in two high-profile Kansas criminal cases overturned on appeal. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA — A three-attorney panel unanimously recommended the Kansas Supreme Court disbar a Kansas attorney for knowingly making false statements to juries during two high-profile trials and for misleading claims about her prosecutorial misconduct to justices of the state’s highest court.

Jacqie Spradling, who more recently worked as an attorney in Bourbon and Allen counties, landed before the disciplinary panel after the Supreme Court overturned the 2012 double-homicide conviction of Dana Chandler in Shawnee County and the Kansas Court of Appeals overturned a 2017 guilty verdict against Jacob Ewing in a sex-crime case in Jackson County. Spradling was lead prosecutor in both cases.

Chandler is awaiting retrial for first-degree murder, while Ewing accepted a plea deal in May to avoid another trial.

“Based on the deliberative pattern of serious misconduct and the serious injury that followed, the hearing panel unanimously recommends that the respondent be disbarred,” the report submitted to the Supreme Court said. “From all the evidence presented, it appears that the respondent concluded that Chandler and Ewing were guilty of the crimes charged and she adopted a ‘win-at-all-costs’ approach.”

The report obtained Friday by the Kansas Reflector was submitted by panelists John Larson, Darcy Williamson and William Jeter for consideration by the Supreme Court. The panel said the issue wasn’t that Spradling engaged in an isolated incident or made an inconsequential mistake in the heat of trial. The panel said the Iola resident “knowingly and intentionally” engaged in a “deliberative pattern of serious misconduct.”

In addition, the panel determined Spradling’s handling of the two criminal cases “undermines the confidence in the judicial system and caused serious injury to the administration of justice.”

Members of the Supreme Court, which hold final authority in disciplinary cases involving attorneys, will issue a decision based on the panel’s 78-page report.

The state disciplinary administrator’s office in Kansas that investigated complaints about Spradling’s behavior as a prosecutor proposed that her license to practice law be indefinitely suspended. Spradling, however, told the disciplinary panel that she shouldn’t be disciplined at all.

Spradling had been dismissive of allegations of wrongdoing until she testified at the disciplinary panel hearing in December. During that under-oath appearance, she conceded to having “failed in these cases” to uphold the ethical duties of a prosecutor. She begged the hearing panel to accept her assertion that her work as an officer of the court was defined by a “protectiveness, a loyalty and a belief in justice.”

“When these cases were overturned, it was very difficult because I had let the system down. I had let the victims down and I had denied the defendants a fair trial,” Spradling said.

As of Friday, Spradling was employed as the Bourbon County attorney in Fort Scott. Allen County attorney Jerry Hathaway said Spradling resigned from her position Friday as assistant county attorney for Allen County.

“With regard to the recommendation of the disciplinary panel, I was disappointed,” Hathaway said.

The Supreme Court laid the foundation for advancement of a disciplinary case against Spradling in 2018 when the justices overturned Chandler’s convictions in the Topeka slayings of Mike Sisco, Chandler’s ex-husband, and his fiancee, Karen Harkness. The Supreme Court said Spradling’s conduct in the Chandler case illustrated how a compulsion for courthouse victories could subvert a prosecutor’s duty to guarantee a person’s fair-trial rights.

Supreme Court Justice Dan Biles summed up Spradling’s tactics in the Chandler trial: “Taken as a whole, this prosecution unfortunately illustrates how a desire to win can eclipse the state’s responsibility to safeguard the fundamental constitutional right to a fair trial owed to any defendant facing criminal prosecution in a Kansas courtroom.”

During the Chandler trial in Shawnee County District Court, Spradling falsely told the jury a protection from abuse order was issued against Chandler prior to the 2002 slaying of Sisco and Harkness. There is evidence Sisco requested a mutual temporary restraining order four years before his death while going through the divorce from Chandler.

When Chandler appealed her case, Spradling told Supreme Court justices in a written brief that she believed the more rigorous protection from abuse order had been put in place by a district court. That’s what she had told the Chandler jury and repeated to state disciplinary investigators despite an inability to produce evidence a judge had ever issued that type of restraining order against Chandler.

Spradling testified to the three-person disciplinary panel that she never possessed documentary proof of the protection from abuse order. She said filing of the disciplinary case led her to conduct a fresh attempt to locate such a document. That search was unsuccessful, she said.

“I was wrong. Dead wrong,” Spradling told the panel. “So, for a person who wants to be right, strives to be right, being wrong is embarrassing, humbling.”

The disciplinary panel responded to her confession in its report: “In addition to the false statement made to the jury and to the Supreme Court, during the respondent’s sworn statement made during the disciplinary investigation, she also made false statements. During the disciplinary hearing, the respondent admitted that her sworn statement included misstatements. The hearing panel concludes that the respondent took an oath to tell the truth when she gave the sworn statement and she failed to do so.”

Spradling’s reputation as an experienced prosecutor of complex crimes in Johnson and Shawnee counties led officials in Jackson County to hire her as a special prosecutor in the Ewing case. It was a case made difficult because the alleged crimes occurred in a small community and turned on the jury’s conclusions of the credibility of female witnesses.

Spradling convinced a jury in Jackson County that Ewing was guilty of rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and battery. The Holton man was sentenced to 27 years in prison.

In 2019, the Court of Appeals concluded Spradling made a half-dozen errors during the Ewing trial and had offered unsubstantiated claims to the Ewing jury during closing arguments. The case was remanded to Jackson County District Court. Rather than go through a retrial, Ewing agreed in May to a plea deal that would trigger a 10-year sentence for sexual assault.

Tim Carpenter

Tim Carpenter
Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International. He has been recognized for investigative reporting on Kansas government and politics. He won the Kansas Press Association’s Victor Murdock Award six times. The William Allen White Foundation honored him four times with its Burton Marvin News Enterprise Award. The Kansas City Press Club twice presented him its Journalist of the Year Award and more recently its Lifetime Achievement Award. He earned an agriculture degree at Kansas State University and grew up on a small dairy and beef cattle farm in Missouri. He is an amateur woodworker and drives Studebaker cars.
Art, Government, Kansas

Photo Contest through Kansas Department of Agriculture

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KDA Photo Contest Now Accepting Entries

MANHATTAN, Kansas — The beauty of Kansas agriculture has been celebrated throughout the state’s ag industry, and we encourage photographers to capture that beauty and share it with others through the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s annual photo contest. KDA began accepting photos on June 7, and will continue accepting entries through August 16.

This year’s KDA Photo Contest categories were selected to promote different aspects of Kansas agriculture. Kansas Weather, Celebrating Local Foods, Water in Kansas and Rural Kansas categories will showcase the many places and ways we experience agriculture across the state of Kansas — from the beauty of the Flint Hills and the western plains to the family-run local ranches and colorful farmers’ markets, and the many ways that weather and water have an impact on Kansas agriculture. And for the first time ever, we have added a Video category to showcase drone footage, harvest videos, or other short clips of under 30 seconds. As always, there will be a separate Youth category, for young photographers under age 19. Prizes will be awarded to the top two winners in each of the six categories.

KDA serves to advocate for agriculture, the state’s largest industry and economic driver. Photos which best capture the categories will be used throughout the year as we tell the story of Kansas agriculture. After submission, KDA is granted permission to use any photograph for publications, social media, websites, displays, etc. without payment or other consideration from the photographer.

Photo entries should be sent in .jpg format to [email protected]. Videos should be sent in .mp4 or .mov format. Entries must include a title and brief description, where and when the photo/video was taken, the photographer’s full name and age, entry category hometown and email address.

Guidelines for the KDA Photo Contest, including deadlines, categories and prizes, can be found at agriculture.ks.gov/photocontest. Voting to select finalists will begin on KDA’s social media sites in late August. For more information, contact Heather Lansdowne, KDA director of communications, at [email protected] or 785-564-6706.

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PR – KDA Photo Contest Now Accepting Entries.pdfPh

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda For June 8

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Agenda 

Bourbon County Commission Room 

1st Floor, County Courthouse 

210 S. National Avenue 

Fort Scott, KS 66701 

Tuesdays starting at 9:00 

 

Date: June 8, 2021 

1st District-Lynne Oharah                                                                Minutes: Approved: _______________ 

2nd District–Jim Harris                                                                      Corrected: _______________________ 

3rd District-Clifton Beth                                                                              Adjourned at: _______________ 

County Clerk-Kendell Mason 

 

 

MEETING WILL BE HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM. 

 

 

Call to Order 

 

  • Flag Salute 
  • Approval of Minutes from previous meeting 
  • Eric Bailey – Road and Bridge Report 
  • Commissioners to Review Fireworks Permits 
  • Will Wallis-2022 Budget Review 
  • Elected Officials Comment 
  • County Counselor Comment 
  • Susan Bancroft, Finance Director 
  • Public Comment 
  • Commission Comment 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Justifications for Executive Session: 

          KSA 75-4319(b)(1) To discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy 

          KSA 75-4319(b)(2) For consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship 

          KSA 75-4319(b)(3) To discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency 

          KSA 75-4319(b)(4) To discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust, and individual proprietorships 

          KSA 75-4319(b)(6) For the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property 

          KSA 75-4319(b)(12) To discuss matters relating to security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize such security measures. 

Government, Kansas

SPARK Continues

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Governor Laura Kelly Announces Bipartisan SPARK Executive Committee to Continue Economic Recovery Efforts

TOPEKA – As part of her efforts to build a better, more resilient economy in Kansas, Governor Laura Kelly today announced the bipartisan members of the executive committee of the second Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce.

The Taskforce, originally established in May 2020 to oversee the distribution of funds from the federal CARES Act, is charged with leading Kansas forward in continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Through the SPARK process, we have transparently and equitably allocated more than $1 billion in CARES Act funds to support businesses, keep Kansans healthy, improve access to broadband, and boost our economy,” Governor Kelly said. “I’m pleased to reignite the Taskforce this year to maintain that transparent process and show Kansans that we’re using these relief funds to make strategic investments where they are needed most.”

Similar to the CARES funding distribution process, the Kansas Office of Recovery will again be responsible for the statewide distribution of federal coronavirus relief funds allocated to Kansas through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of March 2021.

A new and expanded seven-member executive committee will oversee the funding distribution process, assisted by an advisory committee with additional members. The advisory committee recommends investments to the executive committee, and the executive committee then makes recommendations to the State Finance Council, which makes the final determination.

Appointments to the advisory committee will be announced in the following weeks.

The members of the SPARK Executive Committee are as follows:

  • Lt. Governor David Toland – Chair
  • Secretary of Administration DeAngela Burns-Wallace – Governor’s Public Sector Appointee
  • Jon Rolph, Governor’s Private Sector Appointee
  • Speaker of the House Ron Ryckman
  • Senate President Ty Masterson
  • Greg Orman – Speaker Ryckman’s Appointee
  • Bill Pickert – President Masterson’s Appointee

“Through its combination of public and private partners, I know that the SPARK Taskforce will look past immediate COVID-19 recovery to build a better, more inclusive and resilient economy for future generations,” Governor Kelly said. “I want to thank these leaders for their willingness to serve.”

For more information on ARPA, visit https://covid.ks.gov/arpa/.

Government, Kansas

Public Health Advisories for Kansas Lake Due to Blue-Green Algae

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), has issued several public health advisories for Kansas lakes due to blue-green algae.

Active Advisories

Warning

Marion Reservoir, Marion County (upgraded from watch 5/27)

Webster Reservoir, Rooks County (new)

Jerry Ivey Lake, Saline County (continued from 5/27)

Watch

Marion County Lake, Marion County (new)

Keith Sebelius Reservoir, Norton County (new)

When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock.
Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.
Water contact should be avoided.
Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.
Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.
If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.
Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.

A watch means that blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop. People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water.

During the watch status, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

Signage will be posted at all public access locations.
Water may be unsafe for humans/animals.
Avoid areas of algae accumulation and do not let people/pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.
Swimming, wading, skiing and jet skiing are discouraged near visible blooms.
Boating and fishing are safe. However, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals.

Avoid direct contact with water, and wash with clean water after any contact.
Clean fish well with potable water and eat fillet portion only.

KDHE investigates publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on credible field observation and sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.

If you observe a scum, a paint-like surface on the water, small floating blue-green clumps or filaments, or the water is an opaque green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.

For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm.

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Government, Kansas

Kansas Notable Books 2021

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The State Library of Kansas Announces the 2021 Kansas Notable Books

TOPEKA – State Librarian Eric Norris announced the 16th annual selection of Kansas Notable Books celebrating Kansas people, places, and events. The fifteen books feature quality titles with wide public appeal, either written by a Kansan or a Kansas related topic and published in the previous calendar year.

“I am proud to present the 2021 Kansas Notable Book list. This year’s books bring to life the Kansas experience through the vivid storytelling of gifted writers, talented illustrators, essayists, and poets. The rich array of works on this year’s list will both entertain as well as educate,” State Librarian Eric Norris said. “Reading is more important than ever. I encourage every Kansan to contact their local public library and celebrate the artists and artistry of Kansas.”

The State Library first launched the Kansas Notable Books Program in 2006. Since then, more than 200 books have been recognized for their contribution to Kansas literary heritage. This year’s selection committee included representatives of public, university, and school libraries, teachers, academics, and historians. State Librarian Eric Norris selected the final list of 15 titles which includes nonfiction and fiction books that will appeal to a wide range of audiences and cover a variety of topics and issues.

Kansas Notable Books authors will be awarded their medals at the Kansas Book Festival on September 18 at Washburn University. The public is invited.

Kansas Notable Books is a project of the Kansas Center for the Book, a program at the State Library of Kansas which is the state affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. The Kansas Center for the Book exists to highlight the state’s literary heritage and foster an interest in books, reading, and libraries.

For descriptions, downloadable bookmarks, posters, and more information about Kansas Notable Books, visit kslib.info/2021KNB, call the State Library at 785-296-3296 or email [email protected].

2021 Kansas Notable Books

All Hallows’ Shadow by Michael D. Graves (Emporia) Meadowlark Books

The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray (Fayetteville, AR) Paula Wiseman Books

The Chicken Sisters by KJ Dell’Antonia (Lyme, NH) G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Croaked! (The Misadventures of Nobbin Swill) by Lisa Harkrader (Tonganoxie) Yellow Jacket

Farmers Unite!: Planting a Protest for Fair Prices by Lindsay H. Metcalf (Concordia) Calkins Creek

Ladybird, Collected by Meg Heriford (Lawrence)

Un Mango Grows in Kansas by Huascar Medina (Topeka) Spartan Press

Mawson’s Mission: Launching Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Kansas by L. Marlene Mawson (Lawrence) University Press of Kansas

Northern Cheyenne Ledger Art by Fort Robinson Breakout Survivors by Denise Low (Lawrence) and Ramon Powers (Topeka) University of Nebraska Press

People, Pride, and Promise: The Story of the Dockum Sit-in by Prisca Barnes (Wichita), illustrated by Priscella Brown (Wichita) Storytime Village

Prairie Bachelor: The Story of a Kansas Homesteader and the Populist Movement by Lynda Beck Fenwick (Pratt) University Press of Kansas

Premeditated Myrtle: A Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Lenexa) Algonquin Young Readers

Swimming Shelter: Poems by Al Ortolani (Lenexa) Spartan Press

What Sound is Morning? by Grant Snider (Wichita) Chronicle Books

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil (Oxford MS) Milkweed Editions

The State Library of Kansas – To learn more, visit kslib.info.

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Fort Scott, Government

Rachel Pruitt Brings Lawsuit Against The City of Fort Scott

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Rachel Pruitt

 

Fortscott.biz is presenting the information of the lawsuit filed by Rachel Pruitt in March 2021 against the City of Fort Scott.

This is the plaintiff, Pruitt’s, document filed in court:

Rachel-Pruitt-v-City-of-Fort-Scott1(5)

According to court records, on May 5, 2021, the City of Fort Scott was presented with a waiver document.

“The waiver that you are referencing has nothing to do with the merits of Ms. Pruitt’s claims,” according to Forest Rhodes, a partner with Foulston Siefkin, Wichita,  who was the referral to contact given from the City of Fort Scott.  “It is simply a procedural tool that allows the plaintiff to avoid having to engage someone to formally serve the complaint on the City.  In a nutshell, the City has agreed to voluntarily accept service of the Complaint, which also allows it to avoid the potential of having service costs imposed against it.”

“In terms of next steps, later this month the City will file an Answer that responds to the allegations in the Complaint,” Foulston said in an email.  “Sometime after the Answer has been filed the Court will set a scheduling conference in order to establish a schedule for the case.”

Pruitt has requested a trial by jury, according to the March 21 document.

“It’s too early to know when a trial might be scheduled but the various litigation activities that occur prior to trial often take as much as a year or more, so it’s unlikely that any trial would be scheduled before Summer 2022, although that’s all subject to the court’s determination.”

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

KDHE amends travel quarantine list

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to include the countries of Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Several states and countries have been removed from the list, including Maine, Minnesota, all of the counties in Colorado, and the countries of Cabo Verde, Georgia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Sweden.  These changes are effective today, June 3.

A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine includes visitors and Kansans who have:

  • Traveled on or after June 3 to Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Suriname or Trinidad and Tobago.
  • Traveled on or after May 20 to the countries of Costa Rica or French Guiana.
  • Traveled on or after May 6 to the countries of India, Maldives or Seychelles.
  • Traveled on or after April 22 to the countries of Argentina or Bahrain.
  • Traveled on or after April 8 to the country of Uruguay.
  • Traveled between May 20 and June 3 to the countries of Georgia, Lithuania or the Netherlands.
  • Traveled between May 20 and June 3 to Maine or the Colorado counties of Alamosa, Baca, Costilla, Dolores, Mesa, Mineral, Otero, Prowers, Rio Grande, Saguache, Sedgwick or Yuma.
  • Traveled between May 6 and June 3 to the Colorado counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Conejos, Crowley, Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Fremont, Huerfano, Jefferson, Larimer or Pueblo.
  • Traveled between May 6 and June 3 to Cabo Verde.
  • Traveled between April 22 and June 3 to Minnesota or Sweden.
  • Attendance at any out-of-state mass gatherings of 500 or more where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask.
  • Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15, 2020.

The travel quarantine period is seven days with a negative test result or 10 days without testing, with release from quarantine on Day 8 and Day 11, respectively. Further information on quarantine periods can be found on KDHE’s website.

For those traveling internationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring testing within three days of flights into the U.S. For further information on this and other requirements, visit their website.

For those who are fully vaccinated (meaning it has been greater than two weeks since they completed their vaccinations) they are not required to quarantine regarding travel if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2- dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine).
  • Have remained asymptomatic since the travel.

Persons who do not meet the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel.

Additionally, people with previous COVID-19 disease are not required to quarantine following travel if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • Have evidence of a previous infection supported by a positive PCR or antigen test
  • Are within 6 months following infection. If an investigation was done documenting the date that symptoms resolved, or the date isolation measures were discontinued for asymptomatic patients, then the 6-month period can start from that end date. If those dates are not available, then the period will start from the date of the positive laboratory test. A serology or antibody test may not be substituted for a laboratory report of a viral diagnostic test.
  • Have remained asymptomatic since the travel

Persons who do not meet all three of the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel.

The travel quarantine list is determined using a formula to evaluate new cases over a two-week period, then adjusted for population size to provide a case rate per 100,000 population. This provides a number that can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. Locations with significantly higher rates — approximately 3x higher — are added to the list.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

Kansas Speedway to Host Race to End COVID-19 Vaccination Event

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For Immediate Release:    
June 2, 2021

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Kansas Speedway to Host Race to End COVID-19 Vaccination Event

~All event participants can drive two laps around the track, enter to win raffle prizes~

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced that Kansans will have the opportunity to drive two laps around the Kansas Speedway this weekend during a Race to End COVID-19 event, and can enter a free raffle drawing for various prizes.

Participants can enter the Race to End COVID-19 by getting a free COVID-19 saliva test and/or vaccine administered by the University of Kansas Health System and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Testing is open to all ages. Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available to anyone age 12 or older.

The Kansas Speedway is offering all Kansans age 16 and older who choose to be tested and/or vaccinated the opportunity to drive their personal car or truck on the track. Drivers and their riders will take two laps behind a track pace vehicle at highway speed. Motorcycles are not permitted.

“It is critical to our state’s continued pandemic recovery efforts that every Kansan gets vaccinated,” Governor Kelly said. “The Race to End COVID-19 is a great incentive to curb declines in vaccine demand and encourage Kansans to get tested for and vaccinated against COVID-19. I appreciate the Kansas Speedway for their partnership in making this event possible, and I encourage all unvaccinated Kansans to attend.”

The Race to End COVID-19 will be held at Kansas Speedway, 400 Speedway Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas (enter via France Family Drive, near the Sporting KC stadium across from Nebraska Furniture Mart):

  • Friday, June 4 from 5 to 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, June 5 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Kansas Speedway is hosting the event in partnership with Wyandotte County Unified Government, University of Kansas Health System, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

All vaccine recipients will be asked to review educational material about COVID-19 vaccines and sign a consent form. After receiving the vaccine, participants will wait 15 minutes for observation for any rare allergic reactions. Those receiving the Pfizer vaccine will need to make separate arrangements for their second dose.

RAFFLE DRAWING:

Individuals that are tested and/or vaccinated will be entered into a free raffle drawing. Prizes include a set of two tickets to the Oct. 24, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Race; a set of four tickets to the Oct. 24, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Race; and gift cards for the NASCAR Racing Experience Ride Along.

VICTORY LAP DETAILS:

Track lap participants must have a valid driver’s license, car registration in their name, and proof of vehicle insurance. Track lap participants 16 to 17 years old with a valid driver’s license must have a parent or legal guardian in the vehicle to sign a minor release form. All track lap participants are required to remain in their personal vehicle at all times. Drivers and their riders will take two laps behind a track pace vehicle at highway speed. No motorcycles, tractor-trailers, recreational vehicles, etc., may be used for track rides.

Additional information can be found at: https://www.kansasspeedway.com/Vanity-Pages/Race-to-End-COVID-Laps.aspx.
Government, Kansas

Help Prevent Equine Disease This Summer 

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For Immediate Release:
June 2, 2021

For more information:
Heather Lansdowne
785-564-6706
[email protected]

MANHATTAN, Kansas — As summer approaches, the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health encourages horse owners to take proactive steps to prevent the transmission of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), an equine disease that is common in the summer months. VSV is transmitted by insect vectors, and recent years have seen an increase in cases of VSV in Kansas.

If you own horses or take care of horses, this is the time of year to be vigilant in changes to your animal care routine to prevent introduction of VSV. Consider these best practices in your horse care this summer:

  • Strict fly control. VSV is primarily spread by black flies and midges. Keep pens clean, remove manure, and use appropriate fly sprays and traps. Minimize bright lights that attract insects at night.
  • Regularly inspect horses for symptoms that might indicate VSV, such as blister-like lesions, fever, excessive salivation, reluctance to eat, or lameness.
  • If you travel to events with horses from other properties, keep your horses separated. Don’t tie up your horse with other horses, and don’t share equipment, tools, tack or water buckets.

Kansas experienced a significant outbreak of VSV in 2020, with positive cases on over 100 premises in 26 counties. Other species including cattle can be susceptible to VSV, although it is primarily an equine disease. VSV is a reportable disease by state law; if there is a concern of a possible VSV infection or another reportable disease, call the Kansas Animal Health Commissioner at the KDA Division of Animal Health.

Putting these best practices into action now can protect horses across the state and assist the Kansas equine industry in disease prevention to help avoid an outbreak this summer. Go to www.agriculture.ks.gov/VSV for more information about VSV symptoms and prevention.

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Bourbon County, Government

Candidates that Filed For Bourbon County Elections

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CANDIDATES THAT HAVE FILED FOR THE 2021 CITY/SCHOOL ELECTION provided by Bourbon County Clerk Kendell Mason.

Bronson City Council
Clearsia Botts, 912 Linn St, Bronson, KS 66716, 620-939-4557
Kayla Greenway, 904 Clay St., Bronson, KS 66716, 620-363-0195
Kelly Perry, 611 Orange St., Bronson, KS 66716, 620-363-4842
Bronson Mayor
Joshua Marlow, 212 S. Clay, Bronson, KS 66716, 620-363-2769

Fort Scott City Commission
Michael Hoyt, 1315 Beech Ave., Ft Scott, KS 66701, 602-405-5202
Josh Jones, 617 Fairway, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-215-3680
Ann Rawlins, 1017 E Wall St, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 541-801-9179
Tim Van Hoecke, 802 S Hill Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 913-240-6348
Judy Warren, 1706 S. Eddy St., Fort Scott, KS 66701, 913-488-1889
Matthew Wells, 1201 South National Ave, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 417-684-1714
Willa Wilson, 304 Ivy, Ft Scott, KS 66701, 913-285-0496

Fulton Mayor
No Candidates Filed
Fulton City Council
No Candidates Filed

Mapleton City Council
Mike Blevins, 1251 N. Main St, Mapleton, KS 66754, 620-743-3070
Homer Wisdom, 507 N Bourbon, Mapleton, KS 66754, 913-795-7381
Mapleton Mayor
Ronald B Burton Jr, 127 E 6th, Mapleton, KS 66754, 620-768-9399

Redfield City Council
Michael Beerbower, 402 W 3rd Street, Redfield, KS 66769, 620-756-4175
Kirby Martin, 403 W. 2nd, Redfield, KS 66769, 620-756-4718
Redfield Mayor
Wilma K. Graham, 102 W 4th, Redfield, KS 66769, 620-756-4436
Clarence Ed Guss, 301 N Pine, Redfield, KS 66769, 417-339-1530

Uniontown City Council
Jess Ervin, 401 Clay St., Uniontown, KS 66779, 620-756-4825
Amber Kelly, 408 Fulton St., Uniontown, KS 66779, 620-228-0130
Kyle Knight, 606 Sherman, Uniontown, KS 66779, 620-224-6053
Uniontown Mayor
Larry Jurgensen, 113 S. Hill, Uniontown, KS 66779, 620-224-9810
Bill Marlow, 403 Sherman St, Uniontown, KS 66779, 620-224-7209

USD 234 – Position #4
David Stewart, 772 190th, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-224-1179
USD 234 – Position #5
Garold (Gary) Billionis, 719 S National, Ft. Scott, KS 66701, 620-223-6733
Casey Bolden, 2015 E 1st, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-215-1961
USD 234 – Position #6
Brian L. Allen, 1809 Richards Rd., Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-224-6679
Tracy King, 2386 Jayhawk Rd, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-412-8500
Joshua Query, 721 S Margrave St, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-719-6828

USD 235 – Position #4
Brian Ray Stewart, 179 Soldier Rd, Bronson, KS 66716, 620-215-6394
USD 235 – Position #5
Mike Mason, 978 60th Street, Uniontown, KS 66779, 620-756-4561
USD 235 – Position #6
Tyler J. Martin, 1058 Hackberry Rd., Redfield, KS 66769, 620-547-2519

FSCC – Board of Trustees
John Bartelsmeyer, 22 ½ N Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701, 620-224-9547
James L. Fewins, 1200 Maple Rd., Redfield, KS 66769, 620-756-4749
Bryan Holt, 2095 Kansas Rd, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-215-2832
Bill Meyer, 14 Golfview Drive, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-224-4299
Kevin D Wagner, 390 130th St., Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-547-2233

Southwind Extension District
Ethan A. Holly, 1606 Maple Rd, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-228-7258
Gary Palmer, 1863 Eagle Rd, Fort Scott, KS 66701, 620-224-1001