The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office daily reports can best be viewed on a computer.
The office may be reached at (620) 223-2380.
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Category Archives: Submitted
Veteran Chuck Ringey Recognized By Mercy Hospice
Mercy Hospice Recognizes Army Veteran Charles Warren Ringey
PARKER, Kan. (May 16, 2018) – At only 17, young Chuck joined the Army with two friends and headed off to Vietnam. “The Army helped me grow up,” Ringey said. “I came back more mature.”
US Army Sergeant E5 Charles Warren Ringey served one tour of active duty during the Vietnam War from April 1967 to April 1968. He was so young his parents had to give permission for him to enlist.
Ringey came from military roots. His father, uncles, and brother-in-laws all served our country. He completed boot camp at Fort Ord, California, and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He also had special training through the tank core. He chose the tank core because “a tank had a bit more protection around it than a shirt.”
During the Vietnam War, Ringey drove an Armored Personnel Carrier that carried troops going into combat from Pleiku in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. His team included three soldiers – the Tank Commander, the Gunner, and the driver. In case the need arose, Ringey was cross trained to perform all three positions.
Ringey describes his tank as “solid aluminum…five inches of solid aluminum.” He could see out 360 degrees with a swivel chair and periscopes inside the tank. If he wanted some fresh air or a better view, he could open the hatch and stick his head out as long as he watched out for snipers.
Ringey earned the Purple Heart Medal when his tank ran over a land mine in the road. “It just went kablooey,” he explained. The explosion left a 100-foot crater in the ground where the tank hit. Ringey needed 15 stitches in the back of the head, x-rays, and a sling for his shoulder. His two other team members survived with injuries and earned the Purple Heart Medal as well.
After his injury, Sergeant Ringey spent two days in camp then served on light guard duty for a week or two to recover. “It was the middle of the war. They needed you.”
Ringey remembers his time on guard duty as dangerous. “We never knew when the adversary was coming.” He recalls one person was killed on guard duty while he was there. “You had to watch what you were doing,” he said. He also performed road security to check for land mines, kept his tank in working order with the help of the maintenance crew, and played cards in his down time.
Ringey describes where he was stationed in Vietnam as “beautiful country, beautiful things over there, jungles, mountains – and I got to see it all!” The climate was humid with lots of moisture and monsoons. “It could rain for ten days straight, then you’d get ten days of heat.” He also remembers dust, three foot ruts in the road, and lots and lots of mud. All of this made driving his tank challenging at times.
Back in the states, Ringey served at Fort Carson, Colorado, for 18 months. In his role, he tracked troop movements in Vietnam using radar equipment.
Ringey reflects on his Army experience as “more influential than harmful, enlightening, and meaningful.”
After Ringey was honorably discharged in 1968, he returned home to California. He attended aircraft mechanic school on the GI Bill, and he spent the rest of his working life as an auto mechanic. Originally born in Paola, he returned to his Kansas roots a few years ago to care for his parents. He and his wife Donna are residents of Parker.
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Mercy Hospital Fort Scott is an acute care hospital with 46 licensed beds, offering comprehensive medical, surgical, OB/GYN, pediatric, homecare and hospice services. Inpatient care is provided with 24/7 physician coverage. In 2017, Mercy Hospital Fort Scott received The Leapfrog Group’s prestigious A rating. Mercy Clinic Fort Scott is located on hospital grounds as well as Mercy rural health clinics in Arma and Pleasanton.
Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2018, 2017 and 2016 by IBM Watson Health, serves millions annually. Mercy includes more than 40 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, 800 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 44,000 co-workers and 2,100 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In addition, Mercy’s IT division, Mercy Technology Services, supply chain organization, ROi, and Mercy Virtual commercially serve providers and patients in more than 20 states coast to coast.
supply chain organization, ROi, and Mercy Virtual commercially serve providers and patients in more than 20 states coast to coast.
Governor Colyer Signs Care Worker Background Check Bill
Expands KDADS’ authority to conduct fingerprint-based background checks
TOPEKA – Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D., signed into law Thursday a bill authorizing the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services’ (KDADS) Health Occupations Credentialing program to conduct national fingerprint-based background checks on individuals seeking to work in adult care homes or home health agencies or to provide services through one of the state’s seven home- and community-based services Medicaid waivers.
“This bill is a common-sense measure that will help to protect vulnerable Kansans. I was pleased to sign this important legislation because it closes a loophole that could allow caretakers to victimize disabled or elderly Kansans. Expanding our fingerprint-based background checks makes all of those receiving care safer,” Governor Colyer said.
“This will allow us to carry out a more thorough check of individuals who work caring for the vulnerable in our state,” KDADS Secretary Tim Keck said. “Currently, there are approximately 8,000 individuals working in Kansas adult care homes who reside in a state that borders Kansas. The national background fingerprint check will ensure that records of crimes committed in other states are available for review before individuals can be hired, regardless of their state of residence.”
The bill signed by Governor Colyer amends three existing criminal record-check statutes to align all the offenses and timeframes that disqualify or prohibit an individual from working in any of those health care settings and sets a length of time after conviction of a disqualifying crime must pass before the individual is eligible to be employed in those settings. Alignment of the prohibited offenses and timeframes creates parity for all potential workers because all are held to the same standards.
KDADS’ background check portal, KanCheck, has been developed and built through a grant from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at no cost to the State of Kansas. The system was designed to be utilized by multiple agencies and programs. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will be utilizing the KanCheck system to complete their criminal record checks for childcare providers.
In 2017, KDADS completed a total of 63,514 criminal record background checks and issued a total of 976 employment prohibitions, 147 for adult care home/home health agency applicants and 829 for home- and community-based services job applicants.
Governor Signs Law Against Human Trafficking
Governor Colyer Signs SB 281 Adding a Protection Against Human Trafficking to Kansas Law
Governor Jeff Colyer today signed SB 281 which amends the Protection from Stalking or Sexual Assault Act to include victims of human trafficking. The Act will now be called the Protection from Stalking, Sexual Assault, or Human Trafficking Act.
When a minor child is alleged to be a human trafficking victim, the bill allows the following individuals to seek relief on the minor’s behalf: a parent of the minor child, an adult residing with the minor child, the child’s court-appointed legal custodian or court-appointed legal guardian, a county or district attorney, or the Attorney General. Additionally, the bill allows the child’s court-appointed legal custodian or court-appointed legal guardian to seek relief on behalf of a minor child under the Protection from Abuse Act and the Protection from Stalking, Sexual Assault, or Human Trafficking Act.
“For some, life as a victim of human trafficking is a daily reality,” said Governor Jeff Colyer. “We have an obligation to the victims of this terrible evil to strengthen laws aimed at preventing trafficking and take meaningful steps to end this horrible practice once and for all. I applaud the legislature’s work on this bill, and hope it will be just one piece of a larger effort to help eliminate trafficking in the state of Kansas.”
Barry Feaker, Executive Director of Freedom Now USA said, “Laws that continue to strengthen our ability to protect victims of human trafficking are a win for all Kansas citizens. Freedom Now USA thanks our legislators for their historical decision to be the first state in the nation to declare war on human trafficking, which is modern-day slavery. Continuing to prioritize the fight against human trafficking will significantly contribute to the eventual eradication of slavery from our state.”
The bill also allows a court to enter an order restraining the defendant from following, harassing, telephoning, contacting, recruiting, harboring, transporting, or committing or attempting to commit human trafficking upon the human trafficking victim or otherwise communicating with the human trafficking victim.
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Weekly Chamber Coffee/Ribbon Cutting At Riverfront Park Pavilion Thursday
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Local Author Cathy Werling Signs Newest Book in Series
Local author, Cathy Werling, will be signing and reading from her latest book, “Why Did Sergeant Stubby Go to War?” in the Fort Scott Public Library event room on Monday, May 21, from 4 – 5 p.m.
Her picture book follows the life of heroic dog Stubby, who served alongside his soldier master in World War I. Be inspired by the true re-telling of this canine hero’s story. This is a treat for the whole family! Stop in anytime during this hour-long event.
Cathy is a retired educator, formerly teaching at Eugene Ware Elementary and Winfield Scott Elementary.
She has been an inspiration and leader for our community’s youth for many years and continues to do so today by creating picture books about real-life unsung heroes at the Lowell Milken Center as writing specialist. Find out more at www.lowellmilkencenter.org.
Circus Is Coming To Town May 18
The Carson & Barnes Circus will be in Fort Scott Friday, May 18, at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds, sponsored by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
Events of the day:
11 a.m. free circus educational session for all ages.
3 p.m. free elephant washing, featuring the Fort Scott Fire Department and the circus elephants.
At 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. will be the two big top circus shows.
Tickets at the door are $20 for adults and $6 for children.
In advance, tickets are $14 for adults and $6 for children.
Tickets are available at the Chamber office, 321 E. Wall or Bids and Dibs, 19 S. National Avenue.
All events take place at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds, 2102 Huntington, at the corner of 23rd and Horton streets.
State Budget Announced for 2018 and 2019
Governor Colyer Signs State Budget for FY 2018 and 2019
Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. today signed the state budget for the 2019 Fiscal year at a ceremony at Pittsburg State University.
In his remarks, Colyer said, “I am pleased to be able to sign a budget that strikes the balance between fiscal responsibility and making the necessary investments in our schools, our workforce, and our communities. It has been exciting to see the progress our state has made over the past few months, and I look forward to seeing the incredible impact these investments will have on our state.”
The State Budget for FY 2018-2019:
Makes a Historic Investment in Education:
The 2018-2019 budget increases our investment in K-12 education by more than half a billion dollars. This $525 million investment will be stair-stepped over five years so that it will not result in a tax increase on hardworking Kansans.
The increased investment in education prioritizes outcomes for our students, increases funds available for special education programs and will result in higher pay for Kansas teachers.
Our state’s colleges and universities are ranked in the top 15 nationally.* The 2018-2019 budget makes important investments to ensure that we remain a national leader in higher education by increasing funding by $18 million to our state’s higher education institutions. Increased investment will help keep tuition from rising at historical rates.
The FY 2018-2019 budget invests an additional $9.6 million to fund early childhood development programs including the Pre-K pilot, Parents-as-Teachers, and Children Initiatives Fund programs.
We are also giving back to those who serve our country in the Kansas National Guard by funding up to 15 credit hours per semester at a state institution at little to no cost to the student.
Prioritizes Workforce development:
A skilled workforce is absolutely critical to the long-term growth of Kansas. That’s why this budget fully funds SB 155, which provides free tuition to high school students who are enrolled in technical education courses. As the home of the Air Capital of the World, aviation is one of the strongest sectors of our economy. This budget helps us build upon those strengths by investing $5 million in the National Institute for Aviation Research and another $1.7 million in the National Center for Aviation Training, both of which will allow us to bolster our workforce training efforts and help us ensure our aerospace manufacturers have the talent they need to continue to thrive in Kansas.
This budget also funds an expansion of the Jobs for America’s Graduates program (JAG), which partners with at-risk students to prepare them for college and help them successfully enter the workforce.
Invests in State Employees:
For state government to be successful, it is crucial that we have the ability to secure the best talent available. Our state agencies need quality employees to be able to carry out their missions effectively. That’s why this budget includes additional funds to help bring our state employees compensation closer to the market rate. We also included much-needed pay increases for our state correctional officers.
For more than 20 years, our KPERS system has been underfunded. The 2018-2019 budget begins to address that issue with an $82-million investment into the KPERS system. Our state employees are some of our most valuable assets. They work hard and ensure that state government works for Kansans, and they deserve to know that the retirement they have worked for will be there for them when they are ready to retire.
Funds Critical Needs at DCF:
The 2018-2019 budget also takes aim at critical needs at the Department for Children and Families, providing funds for the agency to hire an additional 20 full-time child welfare caseworkers to their field staff and adding $2 million dollars to our family preservation programs, so that we can keep more families together.
We have also allocated funds to secure emergency crisis beds to end the practice of foster children sleeping in agency offices. This bill will also allow DCF to hire a full-time protective investigator to assist the agency in locating missing children.
Makes Investments in Infrastructure:
As an important logistical hub in the Midwest, a great highway system is important to the economic health of the state. The 2018-2019 budget reduces transfers from the State Highway Fund by $59.6 million and leaves a higher balance in the highway fund to address delayed T-WORKS projects.
Strengthens our Hospitals and Nursing Homes:
The 2018-2019 budget includes $22.1 million to provide a 4% increase in reimbursement rates for hospitals, in addition to $17.7 million to increase reimbursement rates for nursing homes. It is critically important to keep our health care facilities viable so they can continue providing quality care to Kansans. We have also included funding for pay increases to our nursing home surveyors to help us better recruit and retain staff to ensure that our regulatory oversight of nursing homes is timely and appropriate.
This budget also increases Medicaid reimbursement rates by $556,000 for emergency medical services providers.
Innovates in Agriculture:
The FY 2019 budget invests $250,000 in a Cattle Traceability Pilot Program in the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA). The United States Department of Agriculture intends to tighten existing rules on its Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) program. This program increases our ability to trace animals back from slaughter and forward from premises where they are identified, as well as trace animals’ interstate movements to identify, prevent and control the disease.
Gov. Colyer concluded his remarks with optimism about the direction of the state, saying, “It is clear that Kansas is getting back on the right track. I am honored to serve as the governor of this great state, and I pledge to continue to fight to ensure we succeed in offering the best service possible to the people of Kansas.”
To read the FY 2019 Budget, Click HERE. For a list of the budget items vetoed by Gov. Colyer, click HERE.
Elephant Bath Time This Friday at 3 p.m.
IT’S TIME TO GET CLEAN!!!
The Fort Scott Fire Department will be honorary elephant bathers when they aid the mighty Carson & Barnes Circus in washing their amazing pachyderms. Come meet your local Hero’s!
The bath time will be scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds on May 18, 2018.
This event will take place prior to the Carson & Barnes Circus performances scheduled at 4:30 & 7:30 pm. For more information, please call 580 743-7292.
Pachyderm Facts
Just like humans, the Carson & Barnes Circus elephants take daily showers. Although; unlike most of us, they really get the royal treatment. They get to lay down and get scrubbed cleaned by their loved handlers. It takes approximately 500 gallons of water and 2 gallons of soap just to give one elephant their daily bath. The majestic pachyderms are bathed with a special soap that is brought in from Missouri that is specially formulated for their skin. Pressured water is used to help them achieve a spa-like cleansing! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see an elephant bath!!!
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports May 15
Recent Bills Passed Into Law
Governor Colyer Signs Eleven Bills into Law
Topeka – Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. has signed the following bills into law:
On Friday, May 11:
- Senate Bill No. 56: Creates the Kansas Cybersecurity Act.
On Saturday, May 12:
- Senate Sub for House Bill No. 2028: Establishes the Kansas Telemedicine Act.
On Monday, May 14:
- House Bill No. 2470: Permits the sale of beer in sealable and refillable containers as well as the operation of self-serve automated taps; modernizes additional alcohol regulations.
- House Sub for Senate Bill No. 179: Creates juvenile crisis intervention centers; amends Kansas code for care of children and newborn infant protection act; amends powers and duties of the DCF Secretary.
- Senate Bill No. 199: Amends bond requirements for civil court appeals.
- Senate Bill No. 282: Updates substance classification in the uniform controlled substances act.
- Senate Bill No. 288: Repeals prohibition on Saturday process service.
- House Sub for Senate Bill No. 374: Changes administrative procedures and regulations relating to driving under the influence.
- Senate Bill No. 461: Reconciles amendments to statutes.
- House Bill No. 2479: Amends criminal procedure.
- House Bill No. 2488: Prohibits the use of automated sales suppression devices.
The Governor has now signed 107 bills into law this session. By law, the Kansas governor has 10 calendar days to sign bills into law, veto bills or allow bills to become law without his signature.
Business Seminar By Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce
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Fort Scott Area Chamber presents
A Passion for Service Seminar
Tuesday, May 22nd
Choose from 2 sessions: 8:30-11:30am or 1-4pm
Empress Event Center, Downtown Fort Scott
Click here for printable registration form.
Or, click here to register online.
Discount if you register 5 or more people from your
business or organization! Bill Drury began his speaking career with the Zig Ziglar Corporation, has received rave reviews from over 400 of the Fortune 500 companies and thousands of small businesses, and has delivered over 2,000 keynotes, workshops and presentations! He is noted for his humorous and enthusiastic presentations and believes learning must be fun to be productive. Take advantage of this great opportunity brought to you by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
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ABOUT BILL DRURY:
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