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National Walk At Lunch Day April 24
Take a walk at lunch with us on Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Did you know that walking just 30 minutes most days of the week can be beneficial to your well-being? Walking is one of the simplest, safest and most effective forms of exercise. A regular walking routine can help control weight, reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure and have a positive influence on heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is hosting the 13th annual National Walk @ Lunch Day to encourage busy people like you to take a walk during your lunch break and start a healthy routine.
Join us in Fort Scott for a Poker Walk over your lunch at Heritage Park Pavilion on 1st and Main street from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. & Community Health Center (CHC) at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd from 12:15- 1:00 p.m. A limited number of free event T-shirts will be available at each location and the top poker hands will receive a prize.
Remember to bring your comfortable shoes to work on April 24. Then get out and walk with us!
Choose by Patty LaRoche
“People react to the glory of God in you, not to you.” When a visiting pastor from Iran shared that, I scribbled it on my bulletin. He then posed two questions: (1) Do our lives invite others to know God as we demonstrate our faith by looking at our circumstances through an eternal lens and not a worldly one? (2) Has the garbage in our souls been recycled into something beautiful, strengthening our faith and drawing others to Christ?
Easter Sunday soon will be upon us. Russell Stover stock will rise as chocolate lovers empty the candy shelves. Plastic eggs (Are those still legal, or are they now made of paper?) will be filled with jelly beans, coins and confetti; family buffets will be scheduled and churches will be packed. We will stand and sing worship songs about Jesus’ exiting the tomb and celebrate that we too can partake in new life if we accept that he died on the cross to pay for our sins. Many will walk the aisle excitedly and profess “Yes, Yes, I want that” as they begin their Christian walk. We who have already made that declaration will clap and some, like me, will tear up.
But for many, the joy of that profession will be lost somewhere along their journey. The bad junk of the world will inhabit their hearts, and they will forget that God stands by, ready to recycle that garbage so their unexplainable joy points others to Him. This is not new to our generation. God established that trash-recyclables substitution with Jesus’ death 2000+ years ago.
Think about it. The cross certainly wasn’t joyful, but what was accomplished through it —Jesus’ victory over death– was. He made something ugly into something beautiful: Resurrection Sunday. The message to us is life-changing: For every Friday of suffering for the believer, there is a Resurrection Sunday ahead. The choice is ours: We can stay on the cross or exit the open tomb.
Does that mean our troubling circumstances immediately disappear?
Not necessarily. But, if we keep our eyes on our Heavenly Father, we will find it much easier to find our garbage recycled into something spiritual. In the Old Testament, Isaiah prophetically reminds us of how the (then) future Messiah will turn our trash into triumph: …he will bestow on them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. (Is. 61:3)
Wow! Should we choose to leave our “tomb,” we are promised beauty instead of ashes, joy instead of mourning and praise instead of heaviness. I pray that this Easter, amidst the egg hunts and buffet dinners, we all take time to understand the choice set before us. The choice for life and not death. The choice to be uplifted and not downtrodden. The choice to make a difference, remembering that now–and every day—people are watching.
Happy Easter, Everyone!
Momentum Indoor Training Services: Summer 2019
Emelia Whiteaker works to improve the lives of area youth.
Whiteaker is the owner and trainer at Momentum Indoor Training located on the south, back side of Tractor Supply Store in the shopping center on South Main Street (69 Hwy.)
“I want Momentum Indoor Training to improve the overall health of all youths in our area, not just athletes,” she said. ” For this reason I am adding the Youth Fitness service. This option is for any aged youth who is not interested in athletics but wants/needs to have physical activity to improve and maintain a healthier lifestyle.”
The list of training opportunities are:
Sports Performance Training – Available Now – For athletes ages 8 and older. This training will teach the proper running, jumping, and movement mechanics while increasing an athlete’s overall athletic performance. Create a group of friends/teammates to receive group/team pricing.
Softball/Baseball Hitting Lessons – Begins in June – For any softball/baseball or tee ball player who wants to learn or needs to improve their hitting ability. Each lesson will include 10 minutes of structured warm-up, 40 minutes of skill training, and 10 minutes of flexibility training. The hitting instructors are currently playing at the Division 1 levels in their respective sports of softball and baseball.
Softball Pitching Lessons – Begins in May – For any softball pitcher or potential pitcher. The softball pitching instructor is Christian Novak. A native of Nevada, MO, graduated with a master’s degree from the University of Memphis where she started 5 seasons for the Memphis Tigers. She threw 313 1/3 innings with 230 strikeouts for the Tigers and was recognized as the American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the week in 2016 and named to the American Athletic Conference Honor Roll in 2017. She was an Academic All-American and named to the Academic All-Conference Team from 2014-2018. Christian is currently an assistant softball coach at an NAIA college.
Youth Fitness – Available Now – You create your own class of 4 to 5 individuals. This class is for those youths who just need a couple of hours a week of activity. It is designed to be low impact, bodyweight activities with very little running involved.
Prep Class – Available Now – You create your own group of youths ages 4-7, no more than 6 individuals in a class. This class utilizes fun games and activities to start teaching the mechanics movement along with assisting in the development of healthy muscles and bones.
For Pricing, Scheduling, or more information contact Momentum Indoor Training, (620) 223-1803, momentumtraining.com or find us on Facebook: @mitrainingfs.
SEK-CAP WAITLIST FOR HOMELESS PROGRAM CLOSES APRIL 30TH, 2019
The Southeast Kansas Community Action Program (SEK-CAP), will accept applications for the Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program until 4:30pm on April 30th, 2019. SEK-CAP expects to have enough eligible applications by April 30th, 2019 to fully obligate the funding for this grant year. SEK-CAP will issue another press release to notify the public when the application process and waiting list is reopened.
The TBRA Program, funded through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, assists qualifying homeless individuals and families with rental subsidies, as well as security and utility deposits. Participants can receive rental assistance for up to two years in the counties of Allen, Bourbon, Cherokee, Chautauqua, Crawford, Elk, Labette, Linn, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson.
For more information about this program, please visit http://sekcap.housingmanager.com or call (620)724-8204. This is an Equal Housing Opportunity. ### ___________ The Southeast Kansas Community Action Program is a 501 (c) (3) private, non-profit organization serving twelve southeast Kansas counties. SEK-CAP is headquartered in Girard and was created in 1966 to combat poverty. The organizational mission is to address the causes and effects of poverty by uniting staff, individuals, families, and community partners to provide quality, comprehensive services through compassionate, respectful relationships. Programs include Head Start, Early Head Start, Housing, Community Engagement, and General Public Transportation. Contact the SEK-CAP central office at 401 N. Sinnet or by dialing 620.724.8204. Visit the website at www.sek-cap.com.
Kansas Child Welfare Services Funding Increased
Governor signs bill increasing funding of child welfare services in Kansas
Aligns state requirements with federal Family First Prevention Services Act
Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2103 today, injecting millions into Kansas programs that strengthen vulnerable children and families. This bill amends the revised Kansas Code for the Care of Children and enacts statutory provisions enabling Kansas to meet the requirements of the federal Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA).
“In the last few years, nothing has frustrated me more than the callous disregard some agency leaders demonstrated towards our vulnerable children and their families,” Kelly said. “This legislation will help to rebuild the Department for Children and Families and provide critical funding for programs aimed at strengthening families and keeping children safe.”
House Bill 2103 allows for an enhanced federal match rate for certain child welfare system evidence-based prevention services and programs beginning October 1, 2019. The bill defines a qualified residential treatment program (QRTP), establishes notice and hearing requirements when a child is placed in a QRTP, requires certain action a court must take when QRTP placement occurs, and places additional documentation requirements on the court in a permanency hearing involving a child placed in QRTP.
“The Department for Children and Families has already begun to connect with community partners across the state to kick off our Family First initiatives,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. “The additional federal funds along with these valued partnerships will allow us to introduce evidence-based practices throughout the state that will keep families together and children safe.”
Further, the bill amends the definition of a secure facility and requires a child in need of care petition to have an attached copy of any existing prevention plan for a child. The bill takes effect upon publication in the Kansas Register.
The governor signed ten additional bills today, bringing the total number of bills signed in the 2019 Legislative Session to 53, with one being vetoed. By law, the Kansas governor has 10 calendar days to sign bills into law, veto bills or allow bills to become law without her signature.
House Bill 2007
Amends requirements for tolled projects of the Kansas Turnpike Authority and the Secretary of Transportation. This was a recommendation of the Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2031
Revises the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) as it pertains to the Kansas Police and Firemen’s Plan (KP&F) and provisions relating to working after retirement, membership eligibility, and the administration of KPERS. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2038
Creates law within the Kansas Probate Code providing for the automatic revocation of certain inheritance rights of a former spouse or former spouse’s relatives upon divorce. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2039
Amends the Charitable Organizations and Solicitations Act to exempt from its registration requirement any charitable organization that is an animal shelter licensed pursuant to the Kansas Pet Animal Act. The bill also creates and amends law related to limited liability companies in the Kansas Revised Limited Liability Company Act, Business Entity Standard Treatment Act, and other statutes. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2087
Amends the definition of “school bus” in the Motor‐Fuel Tax Law to remove a requirement that the vehicle be designed for carrying more than ten passengers and to remove use for the transportation of school personnel. The bill retains in the definition that a school bus be any motor vehicle used by a school district or nonpublic school to transport pupils or students to or from school or to or from school-related functions or activities; the vehicle may be owned and operated by the school district or privately-owned and contracted for, leased, or hired by a school district or nonpublic school. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2177
Amends the Insurance Code to permit life insurance companies that offer fixed index annuities to utilize an alternative methodology when accounting for certain reserves; amends the effective date specified for risk‐based capital instructions; amends registration requirements in the Insurance Holding Company Act related to a filing exemption for enterprise risk reports; and amends provisions governing fraudulent insurance acts and associated criminal penalty provisions. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2126
Amends law restricting access to motor vehicle records. The bill removes from state law certain purposes for which state motor vehicle records may be released, but also authorizes release for any purpose not listed in Kansas law that is permissible under the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act as it existed on January 1, 2018. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
House Bill 2119
Amends the Pharmacy Act of the State of Kansas to require certain prescription orders be transmitted electronically and to permit a licensed pharmacist to administer a drug by injection in certain situations. The bill also allows a business entity issued a certificate of authorization by the Board of Healing Arts (BOHA) to employ or contract with one or more licensees of BOHA for the purpose of providing professional services for which such licensees hold a valid license issued by BOHA. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
Senate Substitute for House Bill 2214
Adds passenger vehicle registration categories and establishes fees for those categories: $100 for all‐electric vehicles and $50 for motor vehicles that are electric hybrid or plug‐in electric hybrid vehicles. This was also a recommendation of the Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force. It will be effective on and after January 1, 2020. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
Senate Substitute for House Bill 2225
Increases fees for certain permits authorizing oversize or overweight vehicles to operate on designated routes and requires registration of escort vehicle companies. This legislation will become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book.
Correction: The Armstrong Highway/Gilbertson Bridge bill number is HB 2070, not HB 2040, as published in the April 17 press release.
Effort To Create Labor Market
The State of Kansas Joins The Skillful State Network
Topeka, Kan. – Kansas has joined The Skillful State Network, a Markle Foundation initiative.
Governor Laura Kelly, along with the governors of California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Pennsylvania have joined the founding states in the Network’s efforts to create a labor market in which skills learned anywhere are valued and people can rapidly and affordably access the information and training needed for good jobs in the digital economy. Entering its second year, the Skillful State Network fosters collaboration among innovative governors from states large and small, coast to coast and across the political spectrum. The governors in the Skillful State Network have made workforce development a state priority and are committed to acting on proven practices that enable their residents and employers to thrive.
“This is important moment of change for the Kansas economy,” Governor Kelly said. “We must work together to ensure workers have the skills they need to compete in a modern, digital economy. I look forward to collaborating with the Skillful State Network and partner states to transform our labor market and grow our economy.”
“The Skillful State Network acts on the urgent need for leadership to bring the talent of Americans into the rapidly changing digital economy. Governors are joining together to break down the barriers keeping too many people from finding good careers,” said Zoë Baird, CEO and President of the Markle Foundation. “With bipartisan gubernatorial leadership from 26 states across the country, we are giving people greater power in the labor market to pursue rewarding careers.”
The Skillful State Network launched in 2018 to drive transition to labor markets in which skills are valued as well as degrees, and people can access the tools and build the skills necessary to thrive in today’s digital economy. Members share innovative ideas and proven practices each can adopt to achieve workforce goals and growth, for example, effectively aligning education with industry; providing robust data on skills needed to jobseekers; and training employers on skills-based practices to find talent from other sectors or with informal training. The Network is enabling a systems-level change in the labor market.
| Skillful State Network Members | ||
| Arkansas | Gov. Hutchinson | |
| California | Gov. Newsom | |
| Colorado | Gov. Polis | |
| Connecticut | Gov. Lamont | |
| Delaware | Gov. Carney | |
| Illinois | Gov. Pritzker | |
| Indiana | Gov. Holcomb | |
| Kansas | Gov. Kelly | |
| Kentucky | Gov. Bevins | |
| Massachusetts | Gov. Baker | |
| Michigan | Gov. Whitmer | |
| Minnesota | Gov. Walz | |
| Missouri | Gov. Parson | |
| Montana | Gov. Bullock | |
| New Jersey | Gov. Murphy | |
| North Carolina | Gov. Cooper | |
| North Dakota | Gov. Burgum | |
| Ohio | Gov. DeWine | |
| Pennsylvania | Gov. Wolf | |
| Rhode Island | Gov. Raimondo | |
| Tennessee | Gov. Lee | |
| Utah | Gov. Herbert | |
| Vermont | Gov. Scott | |
| Virginia | Gov. Northam | |
| Washington | Gov. Inslee | |
| Wisconsin | Gov. Evers | |
| For more information about member state involvement, quotes from the governors and examples of workforce initiatives, please visit here. |
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The Network is grounded in Skillful’s work in Colorado and Indiana, where Skillful works directly to align the efforts of the state, employers, educators, and local workforce boards behind a mutually reinforcing strategy. Drawing on its on-the-ground operations, Skillful produced the Skillful State Playbook, a step-by-step guide to help states build a skills-based labor market, which includes tools and resources for implementation. One signature initiative currently operating in Colorado and Indiana, the Skillful Coaching Corps (SCC), is an upskilling program for career coaches. Applying tools and training from the Corps, coaches are better equipped to help job seekers and incumbent workers learn what skills are in demand and how to demonstrate or obtain those skills. The Skillful State Network continues to draw key learnings and practices from Skillful Colorado and Skillful Indiana, and supports transformation at a scale and pace not possible through individual state actions alone.
“We are thrilled to welcome the eight new member states to the Skillful State Network, as well as the newly elected governors from founding member states Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The importance of this issue and the value of the Network transcends changes in administration and even party,” said Beth Cobert, CEO of Skillful. “Workforce development is a nonpartisan issue as every state confronts helping workers transition to digital economy jobs. These new voices will strengthen this already forward-thinking group in this our second year.”
Network members will continue to share assets, foster partnerships, and hone methods of engagement within their labor markets. The free and public availability of the Skillful State Playbook supports the open sharing of key learnings and practices. Skillful State Network members may draw from and contribute tools to the Playbook.
All interested states are invited to join the Network by contacting Skillful CEO Beth Cobert at [email protected], (212) 713-7633.
Download the Skillful State Playbook here.
Find more information about Skillful here.
About Skillful
Skillful, a non-profit initiative of the Markle Foundation, is dedicated to enabling all Americans – particularly those without a four-year college degree – to secure good jobs in a changing economy. Skillful, in partnership with Microsoft, is developing skills-based training and employment practices in collaboration with state governments, local employers, educators and workforce development organizations. With its partners, Skillful is working to create a labor market in which skills are valued, and people can more easily access the information and education they need to keep pace with technology’s impact on work. Skillful currently operates in two states, Skillful Colorado and Skillful Indiana, bringing investment, training, tools and innovative methods to augment local workforce development efforts. It formed and facilitates the Skillful State Network, a collaboration among 26 state governors to accelerate the development and deployment of effective skills-based practices to transform their labor markets. Skillful is grateful for support provided by Lumina Foundation and Walmart, and its partnerships with the states of Colorado and Indiana, Purdue University and Purdue Extensions and many great local organizations committed to strengthening their local workforce and creating better opportunities for all.
About The Markle Foundation
The Markle Foundation works to realize the potential of technology to achieve breakthroughs in addressing some of the nation’s most pressing issues. Markle challenges itself and diverse partners to deploy their varied expertise to identify solutions and achieve systemic change. Today as advanced technology and automation change the very nature of work, Markle’s priority is advancing solutions toward a skills-based labor market that will enable Americans to transition to the opportunities of the digital economy. Markle’s workforce initiatives include Skillful and the Rework America Task Force. They follow Markle’s success in creating policy and technology architecture that has enabled improvements in healthcare, national security and access to the Internet. For more information, visit markle.org, follow @MarkleFdn and @ReworkAmerica on Twitter, and read our book, America’s Moment.
Ryan Brinker
Public Information Officer
Kansas Department of Commerce
1000 SW Jackson St. Ste. 100
Topeka, KS 66612-1354
Phone: 785-296-4931
Cell: 785-276-9723
American Legion Baseball Info Session April 27
American Legion Baseball Information Session for players ages 16 to 19. Players must be a student or recent graduate of Fort Scott High School or Uniontown High School
Saturday, April 27, 2019 at 10:00am
Fort Scott Memorial Hall (Corner of National Ave. and 3rd Street)
1 E 3rd St, Fort Scott, KS 66701
Email Post 25 Baseball Chair Earl Adams at [email protected] with any questions.
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Bourbon County Commission Agenda April 22
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: April 22nd, 2019
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________
3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
9:00-9:45-Jim Harris
11:00-12:00-Justin Meeks
12:00-1:30-Commissioners gone to lunch
Justifications for Executive Session:
Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel
Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship
Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency
Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships
Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property
Matters relating to the security of a public body or agency, public building or facility or the information system of a public body or agency, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize the security of such public body, agency, building, facility or information system
Airport Advisory Board Meets April 24
The Airport Advisory Board will meet on Wednesday, April 24th, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. at the City Commission meeting room at City Hall, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting is open to the public.
FSCC theater department ties up semester with ‘Loose Ends’
Before dropping the final curtain on the school year, Fort Scott Community College presents “Loose Ends,” a night of five student- and guest-directed one-act plays (and two monologues) designed to make the audience laugh, cry, think, curse or all of the above.
There is no admission charge for the event, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. May 2-3 in the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center.
“This gives us one last opportunity to showcase our student performers, technicians and directors,” said Allen Twitchell, FSCC theater instructor. “It puts a nice bow on our season.”
The plays, in tentative order of performance, are:
- “Easy Credit,” written by Samuel M. Post and directed by Clayton Whitson, FSCC speech instructor. The cast includes Wendy Monahan, a junior at Fort Scott High School; Massiel Ordonez, freshman from Panama City, Panama; and Amy Walker, sophomore from Fort Scott.
- “Piece of Your Heart,” written and directed by Katelynn Coe, sophomore from LaCygne. The cast features Jasper Dunn, sophomore from Whitehall, Wis.; Kaitlyn Hanks, freshman from Redfield; Meaghan Hay, freshman from Fort Scott; and Ordonez.
- “Hands of Fate,” written by D.M. Larson and directed by Mickey Donahue, sophomore from Fort Scott. The cast includes Aiden Ballinger, freshman from Pleasanton; Dunn; Monahan; and Marcus Robinson, freshman from Paola.
- “Last Day of Camp,” written by Jeffrey Sweet and directed by Twitchell. The cast features Ka’Si Gates, sophomore from Bronson; Hanks; and Robinson.
- “Teacher Boot Camp,” written by Adam Sharp and directed by Gates. The cast includes Ballinger; Coe; Hay; and Walker.
In addition to the short plays, Royalty Mercer, a freshman from Lithonia, Ga., will perform two monologues.
Assisting with the technical aspects of the production is Michael Woodward, a freshman from Fulton.
Some plays contain mild profanity and mature themes.
New Bus Service From Joplin to Wichita Stops at Fort Scott
Since August 2018, Fort Scottians can take a bus to Wichita and Joplin and points in between on Beeline Express, seven days a week.
“This is a community service for rural Kansans,” said Jim Lynch, the manager of Beeline Express. “It’s subsidized by the Kansas Department of Transportation.”
The pickup point is Pump N Pete’s, 1920 S. Main on 69 Hwy.
Riders can purchase a one-way ticket for $40 for the destination of Wichita, with stops at Iola, Eureka, and El Dorado, Lynch said.
The 48 passenger bus has a restroom and electric chargers for phones, Lynch said.
“You can put the seats back and take a nap,” he said. “We do have wheelchair accessibility.”
“A lot of people use it for Fort Scott to Joplin,” Lynch said. The cost of a ticket from Fort Scott to Joplin is $19, with a stop in Pittsburg.
The bus arrives at 8:55 a.m. at Pump N Petes on 69 Hwy. and arrives at noon in Wichita. It leaves Wichita at 2:45 p.m. on its way back to Joplin.
It arrives at 5:55 p.m. in Fort Scott to pick up riders and arrives in Joplin at 7:15 p.m.
“A person can just show up, pay $40 and get on the bus to Wichita,” Lynch said. To pre-arrange phone 1-855-201-6700. The Beeline office number is 316-249-6774 with office hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“You can look up the schedule online,” Lynch said. http://www.Beeline-Express.com
For more destinations past both Wichita and Joplin, go to http://www.greyhound.com to secure a ticket to all points in the U.S., he said.
Tickets are non-refundable but may be transferable at the discretion of the ticket agent, according to information provided.
