Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, 403 Woodland Hills Blvd.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is now offering COVID-19 vaccine appointments for individuals aged 65 and older as part of Phase 2 of the Kansas Vaccine Prioritization Plan. There is no out-of-pocket cost to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinations will be available at all CHC/SEK clinic locations.
The vaccine appointment telephone number to call is 866-888-8650, which will be answered 7 a.m. -7 p.m. seven days a week. There is an additional line for Spanish speakers, available at 620-240-8940, answered from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
CHC/SEK is one of 250 health centers nationally selected to receive a direct supply of COVID-19 vaccine to ensure underserved communities are equitably vaccinated, according to a recent announcement from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and CDC. A shipment of 4,000 doses of Moderna vaccine is expected to arrive the week of March 1.
CHC/SEK will follow the state priorities for what populations are eligible to receive the vaccine, however vaccine recipients will not be restricted by county residency, nor do they have to be a patient of CHC/SEK.
“This is a gift to the people of Southeast Kansas, the least healthy and most economically challenged region of the state,” said Krista Postai, President & CEO of CHC/SEK. “With almost 20 percent of our population over 65, the ability to reach out to provide this potentially life-saving vaccine is probably one of the most important initiatives in our history.”
Vaccine appointments will be available at CHC/SEK locations.
In Pittsburg, CHC/SEK has established a vaccine center at 924 N. Broadway, with extended and weekend hours to make receiving a COVID-19 vaccination as convenient as possible. The health center has also formed special vaccination outreach teams to target special populations by taking the vaccine to them.
“Based on the calls we’ve been receiving, we know many people are eager to get vaccinated and so afraid they’ll be overlooked because they live in rural Kansas,” Postai said. “It is so wonderful to tell them they’ve actually been prioritized nationally.”
CHC/SEK and Grace Med Topeka/Wichita were the two Kansas health centers chosen for this program. Both serve a large population of individuals experiencing homelessness, public housing residents, migratory and seasonal agricultural workers, patients with limited English proficiency and serve a significant population of patients age 65 years and older.
“We know these vaccines are safe and highly effective against a very serious disease,” Postai said. “Now that they have become available to us, CHC/SEK is ready to get them delivered into the arms of our communities.”
About CHC/SEK
The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is a not-for-profit Federally Qualified Health Center dedicated to providing quality health care to everyone regardless of income or insurance status. CHC/SEK serves more than 50,000 children and adults annually and employs more than 400 professionals and support staff at 18 locations throughout Crawford, Cherokee, Labette, Linn, Montgomery and Allen counties, and Ottawa County in Oklahoma. CHC/SEK is governed by a 14-member Board of Directors, which includes patients from the communities it serves.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has placed a truck weight restriction of 20 tons on K-7, from K-47 at Girard north to K-39. The weight restriction is the result of asphalt failure on K-7 within the city limits of Girard. The restriction is in effect until repairs can be made to the highway.
Persons with questions may contact KDOT Construction Engineer Kyler Farmer, (620) 308-7621, or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen, (620) 902-6433.
TOPEKA – The state of Kansas announces the launch of a new art contest geared towards Kansas youth. The Youth Suicide Prevention Art Contest is for artists, musicians, painters, writers, sculptors, poets, singers and photographers in grades 6 to 12. The contest, hosted by Kansas Partners in Empowering Youth for Suicide Prevention, will help state agencies shape suicide prevention messages and health promotion campaigns.
In 2019, 521 Kansans died by suicide including six under the age of 15 and 83 individuals between the ages of 15 and 24.
“Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Kansans age 15 to 24 and is a leading cause of death for youth ages 5 to 14 – this is unacceptable,” Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said. “Every one of us has a role to play, whether you’re a friend, parent, community member or school employee. We need to come together to help our youth.”
The Kansas Partners for Empowering Youth for Suicide Prevention is comprised of the following agencies: KDHE, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), Kansas State Department of Education, the Kansas Suicide Prevention Headquarters along with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.
This group believes that every young person deserves to be safe from suicide and that the best way to reach youth in Kansas is to provide opportunities for youth to reach out to their peers, thus creation of the Youth Suicide Prevention Art Contest.
The goals of the contest are to raise awareness of the possibility of hope and healing while working to provide enough support to Kansas youth so that no one ever walks alone in crisis. The submissions will reach other youth to reduce stigma around mental health and experiencing thoughts of suicide. Preventing suicide is a community effort and youth are extremely important. So, the partners ask eligible Kansas youth to pull out your pen and paper, reach for your guitar and mic, or grab your favorite art supplies to let your voices be heard!
All submissions to the Youth Suicide Prevention Art Contest are due by April 4, 2021, 10 p.m. For more information and to submit a project, please visit https://www.ksphq.org/artcontest/.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 (or 800-273-TALK).
After 40 years of marriage, I laid my kind and gentle husband to rest on February 25. One of my earliest memories as a young child was attending the funeral of a relative on my mother’s side. From that day on, I’ve attended or provided music for hundreds of memorial services. Over the years, I’ve said, “Death is just as much a part of life as living is, but most people don’t know how to deal with it.”
Trying to stuff hurting emotions way down inside your soul is not God’s way. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount included The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:4 NKJV: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Believers need to understand that the blessing is not in the mourning, but the blessing is in the comfort you receive if you resign yourself to grieve appropriately. Jesus can’t comfort you if you refuse to mourn, because He cannot go against His own word.
God’s Word is the best source regarding the topics of death and grieving. Reading and studying the Bible teaches us how to live a holy life, and how to get ahold of “dying grace” that only comes through Christ. Thousands of songs have been written about death and heaven. Country music artist Kenny Chesney recorded a song with these lyrics: “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to go now.“
Those lyrics reflect a truthful sentiment, but that’s not the song I recently found myself singing upon my bed in the night. I awoke after a couple of hours of sleep and began to sing a Dottie Rambo song: “The things that I love and hold dear to my heart are just borrowed, they’re not mine at all. Jesus only let me use them to brighten my life, so remind me, remind me dear Lord. Roll back the curtain of memory now and then. Show me where you brought me from and where I could have been. Remember, I‘m human and humans forget; so remind me, remind me dear Lord.”
By day, the Lord is a continuous source of comfort, anointing our lives with His grace and tender mercies. “The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me” (Psalm 42:8 NKJV). I’ve never sung a song in the night before, but I’ve never had a reason to until now.
I like King David’s meditation in Psalm 77:6 NKJV: “I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, and my spirit makes diligent search.” Believers have the choice to reflect upon God’s merciful help in the past and to trust that He will remain faithful to provide comfort and peace for the days ahead. David refused to allow present heartache to erase the reality of God’s unfailing forever love.
Jimmy’s Bible has the following scriptures underlined: “I look up to the mountains — does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the One who watches over you will not slumber. The Lord Himself watches over you” (Psalm 121:1-3,5 NLT).
The Key: If you sing a song in the middle of the night, just go ahead and cry while you‘re at it. You’ll then be blessed by God’s loving comfort and peace.
In the beef project, youth will learn all aspects of the beef industry by raising a market steer or building your own herd by raising heifers and cows.
There is 4-H Curriculum that can be purchased for anyone interested in the beef project. Here is a breakdown of what youth can learn at different levels:
Things to Learn/Do in the Project
Age 7-9
Identify breeds of beef cattle
Learn the parts of a calf
Compare animal differences
Halter break a calf
Age 10-13
Learn about cattle feeds and how they are digested
Judge beef cattle and present oral reasons
Show a calf and learn showing techniques
Age 14 and Older
Use performance data to make breeding decisions
Evaluate beef carcasses and identify meat products
Explore impact of technology and career opportunities in the beef industry
In addition to the curriculum, youth are also offered the opportunity to attend project meetings held by volunteers. Each year, youth are able to demonstrate their hard work locally at the county fair and depending on age and placing, the Kansas State Fair. There are other local and state shows available to youth as well.
The beef project is a great opportunity for youth to learn important life skills. For more information about this project or the workshop, contact Jennifer K. Terrell, 4-H Youth Development for K-State Research and Extension – Southwind District at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.
MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COMMISSION ROOM AT CITY HALL. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
PLEASE NOTE THE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT CITY HALL BEGINNING AT 9AM
Call to Order
Flag Salute
Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
Eric Bailey – Road and Bridge Report
Eric Bailey – Executive Session, KSA 75-4319(b)(1) To discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy
Discuss Unlocking Front Door During Business Hours
County Counselor Comment
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.
A special meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission was held February 23rd, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Commission Meeting Room, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas.
ROLL CALL:
Commissioners Kevin Allen, Pete Allen, and Lindsey Watts were present with Mayor Josh Jones presiding. Randy Nichols was absent.
AUDIENCE IN ATTENDANCE: Bailey Lyons, Lindsay Madison, Allyson Turvey, and Susan Bancroft.
CONSIDERATION:
Consideration to apply for a grant for downtown Christmas lights – Bailey Lyons, said that she is the Chairperson for the Downtown Committee for the Chamber of Commerce. They have identified a project to work on this year. They decided to focus on Christmas decorations in the downtown area. There are improvements that can be made to the decorations and they have identified some grant funds and are looking for more grant opportunities. They are not asking for money, but for permission to apply for grant funding. The Chamber is not a 501C3, nor are they are government entity, so they would be applying for these grants using the City’s name. The Chamber would do all the work on this. The funds would be allocated to the City for the purpose of Christmas decorations. They think the citizens would like to see new Christmas decorations in the downtown area.
Bailey said that they were looking at lighted toy soldiers that are about 8’ tall and would be attached to the light poles. They would need the City’s assistance in placing these soldiers on the poles. They did talk about possibly doing a fundraiser also. There is a company in Stilwell, Kansas that they have talked to regarding Christmas decorations.
Susan asked that when you are ready to purchase these, that Chad Brown be checked with to make sure that there are no issues with power on the poles.
K. Allen made a motion to approve the Chamber to apply for grants for downtown Christmas decorations. L. Watts seconded. All voted aye.
APPROVED TO ALLOW THE CHAMBER TO APPLY FOR GRANTS FOR DOWNTOWN CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.
ADJOURNMENT:
K. Allen moved to adjourn the special meeting at 7:07 p.m. L. Watts seconded. All voted aye.
