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Chamber Coffee At Key Apparel Oct. 8
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Obituary of Hope Holeman
Hope Elaine Holeman, age 94, resident of Parsons, KS, formerly of Bronson, KS, died Monday, October 5, 2020, at the Labette Health Center in Parsons. She was born on November 13, 1925, in Iola, KS, the daughter of Olin and Florence Hicks Burtch. They moved to Bronson in 1941. She obtained her teaching degree from Kansas University after beginning at Baldwin College. She taught high school for several years. Hope married Colwell Holeman in August of 1950. She played the piano her entire life. She also enjoyed crossword puzzles. After retirement from the farm, she and Colwell would travel to the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas in the cold winter months to spend time with friends and family. She was a member of the Bronson United Methodist Church.
Survivors include 2 sons, Bob Holeman, Parsons, KS, and Bill Holeman (Lora) Bronson, KS; seven grandchildren, Justin Holeman (Jamie), William Holeman, Jessica Laforge (Jordan), Joshua Holeman (Yuli), Joel Holeman (Crystal), Andrew Holeman, and Adrienne Holeman; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Colwell; a daughter Mary Margaret Holeman; and a brother, Robert Burtch.
Graveside services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, October 10th, at the Bronson Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Bronson United Methodist Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Beacon Will Reopen For Oct. 13 through 31 For Application Sign-Up
The Beacon Board of Directors made a decision to close the building on March 16 after receiving notice from the Feeding America, (a food bank) state, and local health authorities in response to the COVID-19 virus.
The Beacon is a local helping agency, whose main focus is food to those in need.
At the time of the building closure, a new procedure for obtaining The Beacon Food Box was initiated.
Clients were asked to call during normal business hours and arrangements were made to pick up the food off the dock at the rear of the building, Director David Gillen said.
“We felt this was our best approach for our staff and our clients to maintain social distancing,” Gillen said. “We also asked our clients in need of financial assistance or guidance to please call in and ask to speak with the director.”
After having been employed for four years by the Beacon, David Gillen became the director in June 2020. Patty Mowen became the assistant director, at this time.
“The Beacon will open its doors by appointment only starting Oct 13th thru Oct 31st for our clients to apply for their 2021 Beacon Cards,” he said. “At this time we will also be doing the sign-up for the 2020 Adopt A Child Program / Elks Christmas Baskets.”
Work On The Building
In recent weeks there have been some physical changes to the Beacon building at 525 E. Sixth. Some for esthetics and some for protection in the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“The front entrance of the Beacon has been given a new facelift, with paint and new flooring, Gillen said in an email interview.
In addition, new racks have been built for food storage, the main priority of the ministry.
“These improvements could not have been accomplished without the help of Wib Mowen, Patty Mowen’s husband, volunteering,” Gillen said.
Personal protective sneeze guards have been placed on desks in the building.
“Plastic face shields will be used for our protection and the clients when they are allowed in the building, and our clients must wear masks,” Gillen said.
Also going on at this time has been the entering of all the Beacon clients information into a computer, allowing accurate records to be kept, he said.
Beacon Food Distribution
“The Beacon Food Distribution is for all Bourbon County residents who qualify for a Beacon Food Card.,” Gillen said. “Their cards can be used immediately after they are qualified. Cards can be used two times a month.”
“Emergency food requests are granted for anyone in the county who has lost their job, illness as caused them from being able to work, house fire, or any other extraneous circumstance as it is our goal to help those in need.”
“The food we distribute comes from a monthly budget and grants we have received,” he said. “We make purchases from the Kansas Food Bank, GW Foods and Walmart. We also receive generous donations from local food drives, churches, civic organizations, businesses, schools and the local post office. We also receive donated items of meat, bakery and produce items from Walmart three times a week as part of their supporting the Feed America Program.”
Clients receive eggs, butter, fresh meat, bread, canned goods, peanut butter, beans, rice, soups, potatoes, mac and cheese, spaghetti with sauce, cereal and pastry,
“Baskets vary in size according to family size,” Gillen said. “We also offer fresh fruit and vegetables when available.”
“The Beacon is so blessed to exist in a community that so many people help us to help others,” he said.
Retired professional sign painter Joe Lee, a personal friend of Patty and Wib Mowen, painted a mural of a lighthouse for display in the Beacon.
“Joe volunteered his time and supplies,” Gillen said. “The Beacon is so thankful for this wonderful gift…Joe also painted our sign by the back deck…which was made by Wib Mowen.”
The back porch has been extended to allow more free items to be left out, Gillen said.
“Thank you Ralph Carlson and Don Tucker for volunteering and the material you provided,” he said.
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports Oct. 6
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Oct. 7
Roofing Replacement Begins at Fort Scott NHS
Fort Scott Kan. – Fort Scott National Historic Site has contractors beginning work next week to remove and replace the cedar shake shingles, eave troughs, and downspouts on seven (7) restored and reconstructed buildings. To allow the work to proceed as quickly and safely as possible, no more than one building will be temporarily closed at one time and the entire project will last approximately eight (8) months. Beginning with the Guard House, all three Officer’s Duplexes, both Infantry Barracks, and the Dragoon Barracks will be included.
Much of the funding for these projects is from park entrance fees collected at other National Parks. Additional federal monies are specifically identified for deferred maintenance projects around the country.
Information about the building closures will be available on www.nps.gov/fosc, on signs and park bulletin boards, shared with local media outlets, and posted on park social media outlets in advance of building closures. These schedules are subject to change with limited notice due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
From April 1-October 31, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its summer hours of operation. The site exhibit areas are open daily from 8:00 am-5:00 pm. The park grounds are open daily from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or learn more at www.nps.gov/fosc.
Energy Efficiency Education Program Offered K-12
The Kansas Corporation Commission promotes a new K-12 education program as the state observes Energy Efficiency Day on October 7
Wednesday, October 7 is Kansas Energy Efficiency Day. Governor Laura Kelly signed a proclamation joining hundreds of state and local governments in a national day of awareness about the benefits of energy efficiency.
In conjunction with Energy Efficiency Day, the Kansas Corporation Commission is promoting a new K-12 education program that teaches students the necessary data collecting and analytical skills to help their schools lower energy costs.
Nationwide, schools spend billions of dollars each year on energy. It is the second largest budget item after personnel costs. The new K-12 Benchmarking program offers teachers an all-inclusive energy efficiency curriculum that includes professional equipment and guidance from energy experts – all at no cost to the school. The curriculum meets Next Generation Science Standards and can be adapted for students of various grade levels.
The KCC is collaborating with Kansas State University Engineering Extension to implement the program. Funding is provided by a U.S. Department of Energy grant.
Participating schools will form an energy team to benchmark and understand the school’s energy use. The next step is to conduct an energy efficiency treasure hunt using professional energy auditing equipment to look for ways to reduce energy loss and save money. Those findings lead to an energy efficiency campaign within the school followed by measuring cost reductions.
More information, including a video explaining the program, is available on the KCC’s website at https://kcc.ks.gov/energy-education/teachers.
FSHS Talking Tigers Place First
Congratulations to the FSHS Talking Tigers Debate Team! They placed first overall at the Pittsburg Virtual Debate Tournament on October 3rd. The individual teams that placed were Neil Gugnani and Shekhar Gugnani: 1ST in the Open division, Isaiah Self and Gavin Warfield: 6th place in the JV division, and Kinsley Davis and Lillian Collins: 7th in the JV division!
Way to go team! We compete at the Wichita East Virtual tournament next.
Submitted by Angella Curran
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports Oct. 5
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Obituary of Norma Jean Jackson
Norma Jean Jackson, 90, of Fort Scott, Kansas, passed away early morning on September 27, 2020.
She was born March 9, 1930, in Redfield, Kansas, the daughter of Willard L. and Bertha Mae (Delzell) Smith. She married John Lyle Jackson November 25, 1950, in Bronson, Kansas.
John and Jean were married for 68 years. John survives Jean at their home in Fort Scott. They had three children who also survive her: Dan and his wife Jeannie of Bartlesville, Oklahoma and three grandchildren April, Zeb, and Danielle and with six great-grandchildren, Carley, Justin, Nayeli, Brady, Everly, Larkin, and Boone, and great-great-grandson Jaxxen; Rick and his wife Denise of Bartlesville, Oklahoma and one granddaughter Janett with two grandsons, Colin and Foster; and Diana and her husband Vincent Myers of Overland Park, Kansas, and three grandchildren, Rachel, Evan, Skyler and two grandsons Keith and Kassius and grand-dog Bubba John.
She was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers and their wives: Dwight and Faith, Delbert and Berniece, John and Dot, Bob and Hazel (all Smith’s) and two sisters and their husbands: Rosalie and Ben Banta and Clarabelle (Sue) and Richard Garrison.
Jean graduated from Moran High School in 1949. She was a secretary for Merle Humphrey Insurance for over 30 years. She also volunteered for the Mainstreet Program for over 30 years. Jean was blessed with lots of other family and friends that are too numerous to mention here, but she knew every one of them and loved and cared for them all.
She will be greatly missed by everyone she came into contact with in her 90 years. She was a truly beautiful soul.
Following cremation, Chaplain Lloyd Houk will conduct graveside services at the Fort Scott National Cemetery under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.
The service will only be attended by the immediate family due to COVID -19 and family restrictions.
Family and friends who cannot attend may submit condolences to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com. Flowers are welcome as well as cards and letters to the family. Memorial contributions may be made to John L. Jackson and left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St., P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701.
County: Renewal of 1-percent Sales Tax Is Needed For Public Roads
The sales tax that is up for renewal on the November 3 General Election has been in place for 20 years, according to Bourbon County Commissioner Lynne Oharah.
“(It) is essential for the maintenance and improvement of the hard service road system in Bourbon County which is around 140 miles,” he said.
“Thirty-five percent of the Bourbon County Public Works Department budget comes from this sale tax revenue and (it) can only be used on hard service roads within the county,” Oharah said.
“The total (tax collected) is about $2 million for the county and all the cities in the county,” Oharah said. “Our part is used for our hard surface road program, about $1,100,000 per year, for maintaining and improving our hard surface roads.”
The county gets one-half of the sales tax, the rest goes to the other cities in the county, he said.
Hard surface roads include mowing 280 miles of ditches at least three times a year; ice and snow removal and application of brim/chip application for better traction, pothole repair, maintaining easements which includes ditching, equipment updates, side trim of rights-of-way and replacing culverts into people’s property, he said.
“With a sales tax, everyone pays, which includes out-of-county residents that use our county road system,” Oharah said. “This responsibility to maintain and repair hard services roads in Bourbon County does not fall on to the property owner of Bourbon County.”
The Bourbon County Road Service Department has costs below the standard for the industry, he said.
“You get more roadwork for less cost,” Oharah said.
“Norm Bowers, who is a retired engineer and surveyor and teaches at the University of Kansas Transportation Center, did a study on Bourbon County asphalt program, a year or two ago, and indicated the average cost per ton for asphalt applied to hard service road in Bourbon County is $90 per ton and the average per ton in the open market for Bourbon County to hire a contractor is $180 per ton to apply the product to the hard service road,” he said.
Oharah said the following are county costs for roads.
- $30,000 to $35,000 for 1-inch overlay per mile in Bourbon County.
- $13,000 for chip and seal of hard service road per mile in Bourbon County.
- $80,000 to $110,000 per mile for a 3-inch new road service per mile, which includes most of the prep work in Bourbon County.
“Bourbon County can produce chips for hard surface roads, snow and ice safety for about $4 dollars a ton which is under half the cost of retail,” Oharah said. “This is a huge saving to the Bourbon County citizens. Its over $10 in the marketplace.”
The sales tax will appear on the Bourbon County November 3, 2020, as follows (taken from the county’s website):
Shall the following be adopted?
Shall Bourbon County, Kansas, levy (renew) a one percent countywide retailers’ sales tax to take effect on July 1, 2021, and expire on June 30, 2031, with the allocated shares pursuant to K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 12-192 to be used as follows: (1) to Bourbon County, for the purpose of maintenance and construction of hard surface roads, and (2) to each city located in Bourbon County, for the purpose of providing funding for public services?
To vote in favor of any question submitted upon the ballot, darken
the oval to the left of the word “YES”; to vote against it, darken
the oval to the left of the word “NO”.