There will be a Special Meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30th, 2020. This meeting will be held to discuss opening of City facilities, the opening of City Commission meetings, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This meeting will be held at 123 S. Main Street in the City Commission meeting room. This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel. This meeting will not be open to the public.
Category Archives: Government
Bourbon County Has 21 COVID-19 Cases as of June 29
SEK Multi-County Health Departments
Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, and Woodson Counties
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
June 29, 2020
Allen County
| Current Positive Cases | 3 |
| Current Recovered Cases | 1 |
| Total Positives Since Testing | 4-1 removed-out of state and to remain there |
| Deaths | 0 |
Anderson County
| Current Positive Cases | 0 |
| Current Recovered Cases | 3 |
| Total Positives Since Testing | 3 |
| Deaths | 0 |
Bourbon County
| Current Positive Cases | 12 |
| Presumptive Cases | 1-listed on KDHE website, tested negative |
| Current Recovered Cases | 10-includes presumptive case |
| Total Positives Since Testing | 21 |
| Deaths | 1 |
Woodson County
| Current Positive Cases | 2 |
| Current Recovered Cases | 6 |
| Total Positives Since Testing | 8 |
| Deaths | 0 |
Recovered cases are based on dates of onset of symptoms, not on day testing results are received.
City Offices Close For Holiday
The City of Fort Scott Administration Offices will be closed on Friday, July 3rd, 2020 in observance of the Independence Day holiday. The offices will reopen on Monday, July 6th, 2020.
The City’s tree and brush dump will also be closed on Saturday, July 4th, 2020. It will reopen on Tuesday, July 7th, 2020 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Mobile Testing Unit To Assist Underserved Communities
Governor Laura Kelly Deploys Mobile Testing Unit to Assist Communities
with COVID-19 Testing for Underserved Populations
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) deployed a Mobile Testing Unit to assist communities with COVID-19 testing for underserved populations.
“In order to combat the spread of COVID-19 and safely reopen Kansas, our public health experts must be able to track the scale and scope of this virus,” Governor Kelly said. “Working with local communities and public health officials, this mobile unit helps us reach the vulnerable populations that are experiencing barriers to testing access.”
KDHE is working with local health departments and other health organizations to identify locations throughout Kansas which would benefit from this service. The Mobile Testing Unit is a van outfitted with COVID-19 laboratory-sampling equipment that can travel to locations and areas as requested. Currently, the Mobile Testing Unit is tentatively scheduled through mid-July. It will make its first appearance in conjunction with an Advent Health/Mercy and Truth Medical Missions event in Wyandotte County on June 27. For information regarding that event or future events, please reach out to the organizing entity.
“We recognize there are disparities with COVID-19 testing,” said Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary. “Part of our testing strategy in Kansas is to alleviate the barriers to getting tested.”
The lab testing is provided at no cost to any individual seeking testing. There is also no cost to the community. The test being performed is a diagnostic test, meaning it will say if the individual currently has COVID-19. The Mobile Testing Unit will collect the samples while at each site and then send them to the Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories for processing. Results will be available to individuals in approximately 1-2 days through the partnering local health department or health organization.
If you are interested in having the Mobile Testing Unit in your community, KDHE encourages people to coordinate with their local health departments or also reach out to our COVID-19@ks.gov.
Photos below:
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Updated: If You Were Served at Common Ground Coffee Company
SEK Multi-County Health Departments
Bourbon County, Kansas
PRESS RELEASE:
NOVEL CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19
June 25, 2020;
It is the recommendation of the Bourbon County Health Officer, that if you were served at Common Ground Coffee Company (12 E. Wall, Fort Scott, KS) on the dates of June 15th (between 7:00am-3:00pm) June 16th (between 7:00am-9:30pm), June 17th (between 6:30am-3:00pm), June 18th (between 7:00am-3:00pm), and June 19th (between 5:00-9:00pm), to please quarantine yourself in your home and monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.
Johnson asked that this update be added:
“It is recommended that if you were served on any of these dates listed you quarantine for 14 days since your exposure date (date you were last served-from dates listed).”
Symptoms are:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. This list does not include all possible symptoms.
For more information you may call the SEK Multi-County Health Department: Bourbon: (620)223-4464 Monday-Thursday 7:00am-5:30pm OR the COVID-19 Hotline: (866)534-3463.You may also visit the COVID-19 Resource Center at: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/OR Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Departments on Facebook or our website: www.sekmchd.com for local updates.
Sahara Desert Dust Alert
KDHE shares steps to protect health amid potential
air quality impacts from Sahara Dust
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) wants to alert Kansans to a potential air quality impact from Saharan dust. The Saharan dust comes from the Sahara Desert in Africa, where storms can lift the dust into the atmosphere. Dust is picked up by trade winds and carried thousands of miles across the Atlantic and eventually to the U.S. The particulate matter from this event has the potential to impact Kansas.
Editors note, here is a National Public Radio story on the dust:
Particulate matter can cause health problems, even in healthy individuals. Common health problems include burning eyes, runny nose, coughing and illnesses such as bronchitis. Individuals with respiratory issues, pre-existing heart or lung diseases, children and elderly may experience worse symptoms.
Steps to protect your health on days when particulate matter is present in your community include:
- Healthy people should limit or avoid strenuous outdoor exercise.
- People with respiratory or heart related illness should remain indoors.
- Help keep indoor air clean by closing doors and windows and running the air conditioners with air filters.
- Keep hydrated by drinking lots of water.
- Contact your doctor if you have symptoms such as chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath or severe fatigue.
Recommendations For Those Served at Common Ground Coffee Company, Updated
SEK Multi-County Health Departments
Bourbon County, Kansas
PRESS RELEASE:
NOVEL CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19
June 25, 2020;
It is the recommendation of the Bourbon County Health Officer, that if you were served at Common Ground Coffee Company (12 E. Wall, Fort Scott, KS) on the dates of June 15th (between 7:00am-3:00pm) June 16th (between 7:00am-9:30pm), June 17th (between 6:30am-3:00pm), June 18th (between 7:00am-3:00pm), and June 19th (between 5:00-9:00pm), to please quarantine yourself in your home and monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.
Johnson asked that this correction be added:
“It is recommended that if you were served on any of these dates listed you quarantine for 14 days since your exposure date (date you were last served-from dates listed).”
Symptoms are:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. This list does not include all possible symptoms.
For more information you may call the SEK Multi-County Health Department: Bourbon: (620)223-4464 Monday-Thursday 7:00am-5:30pm OR the COVID-19 Hotline: (866)534-3463.You may also visit the COVID-19 Resource Center at: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/OR Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Departments on Facebook or our website: www.sekmchd.com for local updates.
FS Street Advisory Board Meets July 2
The Street Advisory Board will meet on Thursday, July 2nd, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. at the City Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street.
The Street Advisory Board meeting will not be open to the public at this time due to the limited number allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meeting will be made available via the City’s you tube channel at City of Fort Scott.
Health Care and Child Care Support During Pandemic
Kelly Administration Announces Enhancements to Hero Relief Program
Revenue replacement and health care/emergency support worker bonuses provide additional support to child care providers
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly, Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard and Child Care Aware of Kansas today announced additional benefits within the Hero Relief Program to continue to support child care providers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic brought forth unexpected challenges for many Kansas families and businesses, and our child care providers were among the hardest hit,” Governor Kelly said. “These resources will help offset lost income, and will make sure our families have access to high-quality child care programs as we get Kansans back to work and back to school.”
Providers will now be eligible for Revenue Replacement and Health Care and Emergency Worker Support bonuses. The funding for these opportunities is provided by the Kansas Department for Children and Families through the federal CARES Act and is administered by Child Care Aware of Kansas.
“We know the pandemic continues to have significant impact on the child care community,” Howard said. “These new benefits will provide additional supports to providers who are working hard to keep their businesses viable.”
The revenue replacement grant opportunity is designed to provide financial assistance to DCF-enrolled child care providers and relative providers who have lost child care subsidy income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All DCF-enrolled providers will be eligible to receive this payment if they experience a measured decrease in subsidy payments, including school age programs and Head Start programs. Child care providers who are open or who have closed temporarily are eligible. Relative providers, enrolled as DCF providers, who have remained open are eligible.
The Health Care and Emergency Worker Support bonus is a one-time bonus to provide recognition to the child care provider and elevate the importance of ensuring that child care options are available to the health care and emergency workforce in Kansas. Due to the increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 by caring for children of workers (parents/legal guardians) on the frontlines, a bonus acknowledges the additional protective measures needed to ensure a child care provider can meet the demand of a healthy and safe environment.
- Healthcare workers are defined for this program as hospital and nursing home employees.
- Emergency workers are defined for this program as fire, law enforcement, and corrections officers.
The following child care programs are eligible for the Health Care and Emergency Worker Support Bonus:
- Child care centers, school age programs and day care home (to include Group Day Care Home) programs must be licensed by and in good standing with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
- Child care centers, school age programs and day care home (to include Group Day Care Home) programs must hold a current Kansas Child Care Center License or a Kansas School Age Program License or a Kansas Day Care Home License or a Kansas Group Day Care Home License.
- Child care centers, school age programs and day care home (to include Group Day Care Home) programs must be currently open to provide care at least full-time (30 hours or more per week).
- Child care centers, school age programs and day care home (to include Group Day Care Home) programs who care for children with a parent/legal guardian working as a health care or emergency worker for organizations such as hospitals, nursing homes, fire and rescue, law enforcement, or correctional staff which have operated during the COVID-19 outbreak. Child(ren) identified must be or have been attending the program from the date of application to August 1, 2020.
For more information and for instructions on how to apply, visit KSHeroRelief.com or ks.childcareaware.org
Governor Discusses Education With Kansas Teachers
Governor Laura Kelly Holds Virtual Distance Learning Discussion with Kansas Teachers
Kelly asks for ways to improve partnership between state and educators
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today joined a zoom call with Kansas teachers, Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers, and Representative Cindy Holscher to discuss ways to improve education access and continuous learning during COVID-19.
“Kansas teachers stepped up when schools were closed, and continued to give our kids the education they deserve,” Governor Kelly said. “Today Lt. Gov. Rogers, Rep. Cindy Holscher, and I spoke with teachers about the challenges of distance learning and how this administration can support their work in the fall.”
On March 17 Governor Kelly took aggressive actions to save lives and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by closing school buildings for the duration of the school year. In just a few days a group of dedicated teachers and administrators from across the state came together to develop the continuous learning plan, which provided robust guidance on how schools can continue education safely.
“Our state’s educators are resilient, passionate, and dedicated to their students,” Lt. Gov. Rogers said. “I enjoyed our conversation this morning, and I look forward to future discussion and collaboration with educators from across the state.”
During the call, Governor Kelly asked educators how their districts met the challenges presented by the pandemic, and how her administration can support their work as the school year nears.
The below photo is available for media use:
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Purchase Groceries Online Using Kansas Benefits Card
Kansas Approved for Online EBT Purchasing
Starting in September Kansans will have the option to purchase groceries online using Kansas Benefits Card
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture approved the Department for Children and Families (DCF) proposal to offer Kansas food assistance recipients the option of purchasing groceries online using a Kansas Benefits Card also known as an EBT card.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented enormous challenges – especially for our vulnerable families,” Governor Kelly said. “We will continue to work with our federal and local partners to make critical resources – like food and nutrition – accessible, to keep families healthy and safe.”
DCF is working with its EBT partner to test the new system to ensure there are no disruptions to the normal EBT transaction process. The agency expects testing to be done during the summer with full implementation of online purchasing expected in September.
“We know the pandemic has made it difficult for those receiving food assistance to travel to grocery stores to purchase food,” Howard said. “This new online purchasing program provides those families the flexibility to safely purchase groceries online.”
In addition, the agency will announce partner vendors closer to implementation.
Kansas currently has more than 185,000 individuals who receive food assistance benefits totaling $265 million annually.
When You Get COVID 19: Bourbon County Health Department
SEK Multi-County Health Departments
Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, and Woodson Counties
WHEN SHOULD I STAY HOME?
- After you have been tested for COVID-19, until told otherwise by the County Health Department
- If you have been in close contact with a confirmed positive COVID-19 case, until told otherwise by the County Health Department
- If you are feeling sick
- If your Doctor or the County Health Department has instructed you to do so
WHEN SHOULD I GO BACK OUT IN PUBLIC AFTER ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE?
- When you have been instructed to do so by your County Health Department
HOW LONG COULD MY ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE LAST?
- If you are in isolation because you were tested POSITIVE for COVID-19, your isolation time is a minimum of 10 days after onset of symptoms or testing date (if onset unclear or asymptomatic). You can be released from isolation after fever free and asymptomatic for at least 72 hours. Release from isolation is up to the County Health Department.
- If you are a household contact of a positive COVID-19 case, you must quarantine for a minimum of 24 days. Release from quarantine is up to the County Health Department.
- If you are a non-household contact of a positive COVID-19 case, you must quarantine for 14 days from the date of last contact with the positive case. Release from quarantine is up to the County Health Department.
You may contact your County Health Department by calling:
Allen County: (620)365-2191
Anderson County: (785)448-6559
Bourbon County: (620)223-4464
Woodson County: (620)625-2484