The Kansas Corporation Commission will review details of Evergy’s new Sustainability Transformation Plan to protect ratepayer interests
TOPEKA – With the announcement that Evergy’s Board of Directors voted in favor of a standalone plan (Sustainability Transformation Plan) to increase shareholder value, KCC staff will soon begin its review of the details and how the Sustainability Transformation Plan might affect electric ratepayers.
In June, the KCC opened a general investigation into an agreement between Evergy, a regulated utility, and Elliot International. The agreement required the utility to develop a standalone plan to cut costs or pursue a merger transaction to increase shareholder profits. KCC staff were concerned that either path had the potential to have a negative impact on consumers.
Evergy is required to file a report addressing questions posed by KCC staff about the new Sustainability Transformation Plan within two weeks of today’s announcement. After receipt, the KCC as well as other stakeholders participating in the investigation, have 45 days to respond to the information provided.
Six stakeholder groups, including the Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board, Kansas Power Pool, Kansas Electric Power Cooperative Inc., Kansas Industrial Consumers, IBEW, and USD 259 Sedgwick County have intervened to participate in the investigation.
The local fire department is looking for a few good men….or women.
The Fort Scott Fire Department is currently looking for men or women who are interested in serving in the fire department as a reserve firefighter, said FS Deputy Chief Mike Miles, who is also the fire marshal.
“We prefer ones with experience or past training but we will recruit and train the right candidate,” he said.
“Currently, Fort Scott Fire has 14 full-time members and three reserves,” Miles said. “That consists of Fire Chief Bruner, Deputy Chief Miles and three shifts of four crew members that work 24 hours on and 48 hours off, revolving.”
“Our reserve program is essentially a part-time job,” he said. “They can pick up open shifts from full-time guys needing off for vacation or sick leave. We do allow them to work as a fifth man on any shift to get training and comfortable with the job and skills.”
” We are needing reserves because our roster is very limited right now,” Miles said. “We need candidates that are available to work to cut down on the overtime. When a reserve can’t work, a full-time member is required to stay and work another 24-hour shift causing overtime.”
The new reserve firefighters are needed to help cut operating costs throughout the year, he said.
” Also a bonus about being a reserve firefighter, you kind of get to pick and choose what days you can and can’t work,” Miles said. “This is also a great program to get your foot in the door to the fire service and work your way into a full-time spot and career.”
The reserve firefighter position is just a title, he said.
“You are a firefighter just not full-time status,” Miles said. “That does not take away from the job required. They do everything a full-time firefighter would do on a daily basis. Run rescue, ambulance calls. Work all fire calls involving hazmat (hazardous materials), fire alarms, vehicle, and structure fires. During the daytime when not running calls this time of year we are currently flowing hydrants. Our crews stay busy throughout the days performing assignments required.”
A job description for the position can be seen on the Fort Scott Fire Department’s Facebook page.
The requirements of the job:
“We do require candidates to hold Firefighter 1 certification,” Miles said. “Along with Hazmat Ops and Awareness. Those are the basic requirements to legally be able to work as a city employee in the fire department. We look for candidates with prior experience and many more certifications. EMT is a plus. We will recruit the right candidate we believe may be a good fit for our department and provide them the proper training or academy to become certified.”
Candidates can contact Miles directly at the firehouse. 620-223-2140. Lieutenant Clint Lawrence can also assist callers.
It is with our deepest regret that we need to announce the loss of a resident of Bourbon County, KS (elderly female), due to COVID-19. We would like to extend our sympathy to the family and friends of this individual during this difficult time and encourage the public to do the same as her family and friends mourn her loss.
The individual had been hospitalized and the contact investigations have been completed. If you have not been contacted, your risk of exposure from this individual is minimal.
The overwhelming opinion of medical professionals across the country is that we MUST all do our part to help reduce the spread of this virus. Even though many will only experience mild symptoms, the higher risk/elderly population and those with underlying health issues could experience more severe symptoms.
In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, it is recommended that everyone stay home if you are ill, utilize social distancing, use frequent hand hygiene, cough or sneeze into your sleeve/elbow, wear a mask when applicable, and disinfect highly touched surfaces.
If you feel you are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) please call your clinic first. If you are experiencing life threatening symptoms, please call 911!
If you have questions, the Bourbon County Health Department will answer your call at (620)223-4464. Due to the volume of calls, we are not answering messages via Facebook or Messenger.
You can also visit Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Departments on Facebook for local updates regarding COVID-19 or our website www.sekmchd.com.
We appreciate everyone’s efforts to decrease the spread of COVID-19. Please continue this effort.
There will be a special City Commission meeting scheduled for 11:00 am today, August 5th, 2020. This meeting will not be held in public. This is due to an outbreak in coronavirus at City Hall. You can call into the 1-620-724-9910, participant code 515698# to listen to the meeting.
This meeting will be held to consider approval of the Consent Agenda and four items under consideration.
City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice.
Judy Kay Duffy, age 78, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Monday, August 3, 2020, at Select Specialty Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas.
She was born September 13, 1941, at Emporia, Kansas, the daughter of Leonard Walker and Hildred America Standau Walker.
She first married Charles Turner. They later divorced. Judy later married Loyal Duffy on August 13, 1993, at Miami, Oklahoma.
In earlier years, Judy made her home in both Kansas City and Emporia. She worked in Human Resources for Montgomery-Ward. She later became a licensed dental hygienist and worked in this capacity for a time. She was later employed in document services at Wolf Creek Power Plant.
Following her marriage to Loyal in 1993, she moved to Ft. Scott. She enjoyed tending her flowers and watching birds as well as traveling and taking trips on the motorcycle. Following her husband’s retirement, Judy and Loyal spent several years working for the parks department at Beaver Lake.
Survivors include her husband, Loyal, of the home; a daughter, Brenda Gordon and husband, Robert, of Hartford, Kansas; two step-children, Kevin Duffy and wife, Shelley, of Burlington, Kansas and Deanna Duffy, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, six grandchildren, Josh Turner, Scott Turner, Trisha Ecton, Patrick Gordon, Mikel Duffy and Kenyon Duffy and several great-grandchildren. Also surviving are a brother, Quintin Walker of Kansas City, Kansas and Freda Birchmier, of Americus, Kansas.
She was preceded in death by a son, Charles “Chuck” Turner, Jr.; two sisters, Hildred Marie Barrett and Helen Sill and three brothers, Jack Walker, Leonard Walker, Jr. and Darrel Walker.
There was cremation. A memorial service with burial in the Chicago Mound Cemetery at Emporia, Kansas will take place at a later date. Memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes Association and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Voters took advantage of advance voting Monday morning at the Bourbon County Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by the Bourbon County Clerks office:
2020 PRIMARY ELECTION UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
AUGUST 4, 2020
Editor’s note: the clerk does not list the winners in each position for both the Republicans and Democrats together.
Republicans:
United States Senate
Vote for One 1
Lance Berland . . . . . . . . . 41 1
John L. Berman. . . . . . . . . 10
Derek C. Ellis. . . . . . . . . 31 1
Bob Hamilton . . . . . . . . . 579
Kris Kobach. . . . . . . . . . 1,029
David Alan Lindstrom. . . . . . . 85
Roger Marshall. . . . . . . . . 537
Brian Matlock . . . . . . . . . 38
John Miller. . . . . . . . . . 41
Steve Roberts . . . . . . . . . 101
Gabriel Mark Robles . . . . . . . 10
United States House of Representative
Vote for One 1
Jake LaTurner . . . . . . . . . 1,256
Dennis Taylor . . . . . . . . . 283
Steve Watkins . . . . . . . . . 948
Kansas Senate, 13th District DISTRICT 13
Vote for One 1
Richard Hilderbrand . . . . . . . 1,451
Kansas Senate, 12th District DISTRICT 12
Vote for One 1
Caryn Tyson. . . . . . . . . . 819
Kansas House of Representatives, 2nd DISTRICT 2
Vote for One 1
Kenneth Collins . . . . . . . . 202
Kansas House of Representatives, 4th DISTRICT 4
Vote for One 1
Arlyn Briggs . . . . . . . . . 205
Trevor Jacobs . . . . . . . . . 2,030
Kaitlyn Arnold, 26, is a new Winfield Scott Elementary School first-grade teacher.
She earned her bachelor of science in education from Pittsburg State University, and has taught in first and second grades.
” I was born and raised in the best town in the country! Fort Scott, Kansas!,” Arnold said.
In her spare time, Arnold likes to garden, raise cattle and chickens, sew, crochet, “go junking” and redo antiques, attend concerts, work out (especially yoga), travel, hike, and spend time with family and friends, she said.
Kaitlyn Arnold. Submitted photo.
How did you become an educator?
“I decided at age eight that I wanted to become a teacher. Even at the age of three, I was saying I wanted to be a teacher. “
Is there someone who inspired you to teach?
“I became an elementary teacher for many reasons. The one who inspired the most would be my mom who has taught for over 30 years. Her care and love she shows her students inspires me daily to become a better teacher. I also have had many aunts, uncles, cousins and a grandma who have been in education and inspired me as well.”
What is the best part of teaching for you?
“The students. I dearly treasure each day with my students. I love getting to know them and building good teacher-students relationships. Watching them grow positively in social, emotional and educational skills gives me so much joy. I love hearing about the new dog they got over the weekend, the tooth that got yanked out by a string and a door or the flat tire they had while going to see their grandparents.”
What are the greatest challenges?
“Saying goodbye to the students at the end of the year is hardest for me. I’m so excited and celebrate their success of accomplishing a year of growth but the goodbyes are hard.”
“I treasure each moment I get to have with my students and do my very best to help them grow positively in every way,” Arnold said.” I am so ready to get this school year started and meet my awesome future students!”
The City Commission meeting scheduled for tonight at 6;00 p.m. will not be held in public. This is due to an outbreak in coronavirus at City Hall. You can call into the 1-620-724-9910, participant code 515698# to listen to the meeting.
City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice.
