Robert Eugene Cochran, Jr. age 58, resident of Yates Center, KS, died Wednesday, February 12, 2020, as the result of highway accident near Yates Center.
He was born December 31, 1961, in Pueblo, CO, the son of Robert Eugene Cochran, Sr. and Barbara Jean Davis Cochran.
Bob served in the U. S. Army. He was discharged due to a training accident.
Bob enjoyed fishing, camping, dirt track racing, and football, especially the Denver Broncos. He loved spending time with his granddaughter, attending her activities, and being with family. Bob was a generous man and willing to help anyone in need.
Survivors include his wife Brandy of the home; daughters Amy Lee and Tasha Cochran; stepdaughter Tina Dixon; brothers Donnie Cochran and Tim Cochran; stepbrother Allen Smith; sisters Evelyn Cox and Debbie Tenpenny; and eight grandchildren including Elena Rose Dixon who Robert was raising.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Regina Wenger; and his parents.
Graveside committal services will be held at 1:30 PM Wednesday, February 19th, at the U. S. National Cemetery, Ft. Scott.
Military honors will be provided by the Olson Frary Burkhart Post #1165 V.F.W. The family will receive friends from 12:30 PM until 1:15 PM at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the Epilepsy Foundation 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.
Loren and Regena Lance, owners of Mildred Store in Allen County. Submitted photo.
Loren and Regena Lance are contemplating duplicating what they have done to the Mildred Store in Allen County, in downtown Fort Scott. They have a grocery store in the town of Mildred, population 26.
See the end of this feature for how to give input to the Lance’s.
The Mildred Store in Mildred,KS, population 26.
“Loren and I purchased the Mildred Store six years ago this coming June,” Regena Lance said. “We purchased the existing store because we saw a community need. We have taken a store in the middle of basically nowhere and made it a hub to the community and developed it into a destination business.”
Produce offered by the Mildred Store. Submitted photo.
“We feel after nearly six years in business we have an idea of how to be competitive and provide a great service to our community,” she said. “We would hope to be able to duplicate this in Fort Scott, if we decide to pursue this opportunity.”
Mildred Store is known for sandwiches and live music that happens monthly.
Submitted photo of the Mildred Store.
” Several people from Fort Scott visit our Mildred Store, especially on the third Saturday of the month which is our ‘Music Night’ and had commented on how nice it would be to have a store like this in the downtown area of Fort Scott,” Regena said.
“After thinking it over and discussing it with employees of the city of Fort Scott, we have decided to give it further consideration,” she said.
Submitted photo of the Mildred Store.
“The situation in Fort Scott is similar to what we saw in Mildred,” Regena said. “There is a need in a community that could be fulfilled by a small store that stocks all the basic goods and a few specialty items. We are not trying to compete with any other existing businesses in Fort Scott just hoping to fill a void that has become apparent in the downtown area.”
Submitted photo of the Mildred Store.
Location
No location has been determined yet, she said, but the future grocery store would be in downtown Fort Scott.
When
“If we do decide to move forward with this venture we will be looking a late spring start up,” she said.
Submitted photo of the Mildred Store.
Community Input Sought
“We are looking for community input on what they would like to see in a future store, as far as staple goods, store hours and any other possible suggestions,” Regena said. ” We would like to invite anyone interested to come visit the Mildred Store to see how we could model a new store off of our existing one. Mildred Store is open seven days a week Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.”
“Music night is this Saturday night starting at 6:30 if anyone is interested in coming to see what’s happening in Mildred,” she said.
To comment ideas for staple goods and store hours, use the store’s Facebook page: Mildred Store or call the store at 620-439-5424.
9:00 – Executive Session – Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship (Lynne Oharah, Jeff Fischer,
By Addie Martin, Uniontown High School Sports Writer
The Uniontown Eagles and the Yates Center Wildcats went head-to-head in Tuesday’s game. Both Varsity teams came home with another couple of wins for Uniontown.
The girls’ Varsity beat the Wildcats 53 to 38. Danielle Howard scored 17 points this game, and Karleigh Schoenberger scored 18. They each had 8 rebounds, and Howard also had 7 assists and 3 steals. Sammie Hampton was another prominent player this game, scoring 6 points and rebounding the ball 5 times. Gwenyth Fry scored 7 points and rebounded twice. Breleigh Harris had 5 points, 1 assist, and 2 steals. “Extremely proud of how our team bounced back from a very disappointing loss last Friday,” said Coach Miller. “These young ladies chose to get better in practice on Monday, and it showed on the court tonight. On Friday, February 14, we will host Pleasanton for our winter homecoming.”
The boys’ Varsity also won against the Wildcats with a score of 53 to 43. This was a tense game for many players, as well as students past and present. Jake Harvey once more lead in points, racking up 21 during the game. Luke George scored 17 points. Both Harvey and George made half of their field goals; also, George made 2 three-point shots out of the 3 he took and was 9 for 10 on free throws. Drew Perry had 4 rebounds and 2 assists, Hunter Schaaf had 5 rebounds, and Clay Sutterby scored 8 points and had 11 rebounds. 20 of our points were made inside the lane. Coach Hays said, “The atmosphere for our game against Yates Center was awesome. It was great seeing so many Eagle fans travel to Yates Center to support our teams. I thought we got off to a slow start, but the boys responded well and played extremely hard. We shot the ball well and rebounded well tonight.”
Governor Laura Kelly and Julie Lorenz, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), announced a new transportation program, FORWARD, at a news conference today as part of the Transportation Day activities at the State Capitol.
“Key features of FORWARD include a flexible, responsive rolling program where major projects are selected every two years rather than once a decade,” Kelly said. “FORWARD also calls for completion of delayed T-WORKS projects; transit, aviation, rail, bike and pedestrian solutions that solve problems in rural and urban Kansas; and more partnerships with local communities to increase both local matches and the number of improvements we can make.”
FORWARD will also provide more resources to communities through new initiatives such as the Cost-Share, Local Bridge Improvement and Strategic Safety programs to help address Kansans’ pent-up demand for transportation investments, Secretary Lorenz said.
“Most importantly, FORWARD will provide better service through helping communities solve more transportation problems by utilizing all of KDOT’s resources,” Secretary Lorenz said.
Both Governor Kelly and Secretary Lorenz stressed the need to end transfers out of the State Highway Fund. Over the past several years, more than $2 billion has been transferred, causing the condition of the state’s highway system to decline. Governor Kelly’s budget, with the Legislature’s support, began to reverse that trend last year.
“To pass FORWARD, we must close the ‘Bank of KDOT’ – and make sure that funding for transportation is spent on transportation,” Kelly said. Governor Kelly has pledged to close the “Bank of KDOT” by the end of her first term.
The FORWARD program is a plan for Kansans, developed in consultation with Kansans, that works for the whole state.
“Kansans are ready to build a better transportation system for themselves and for future generations,” Secretary Lorenz said. “With FORWARD, KDOT will be ready to deliver.”
Stocking supplies, cleaning equipment are among management strategies
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Cattle producers who have not yet started the spring calving season still have time to plan ahead, and a Kansas State University veterinarian notes that could make a big difference in having a successful year.
“This is the time for a pre-emptive strike,” said A.J. Tarpoff, a beef veterinarian with K-State Research and Extension. “If you haven’t started calving yet on your operation, now is the time to start thinking about what you can do to be ready.”
Tarpoff noted that producers need to make sure they have the necessary supplies on hand, which may require buying or repairing items and facilities. Then, he adds, set in motion a plan to manage the birth of the new calves.
“Calving books are a phenomenal tool,” Tarpoff said. “It could be just a little pocketbook where you write down who calved, when they calved, if there was difficulty, and whether it was a male or female coming out. There is a lot of information that we can capture about the birthing process so that we’re able to make better decisions within our herd in the future.”
One of the newer management techniques that can lead to successful calving is to feed cows at dusk. “There have been several research studies that show reliable results that a higher percentage of animals are born during daylight hours when we feed the cow in the late evening hours,” Tarpoff said.
Feeding late in the evening, he said, will help decrease midnight or early morning births, which are hard on workers and can make the birth more complicated if there are difficulties.
Tarpoff hosted a series of calving schools across Kansas over the last several weeks to help the state’s producers be adequately prepared to bring in as many healthy animals as possible. The final session for this season was video-streamed on Facebook Live. A recording of that session can be seen on the K-State Research and Extension Facebook page.
One of his recommendations is that producers use a cooler to store tools and equipment: “On cold days and nights, the cooler will help equipment to stay nice and warm. We can close it up and know that our equipment is not going to freeze,” he said.
Tarpoff said producers should check calving chains or obstetric straps for rust, sharp spots or fraying. He also suggests having multiple sets on hand in case there are multiple births at once. The straps should be cleaned, disinfected and hung to dry after each use.
“Once those straps are dried, put them in a closed container so that you don’t re-contaminate them by accident,” he said. “Then, throw them back into your cooler kit.”
Producers should have a meeting with their local veterinarian to discuss situations that may occur, and what medicine or other supplies may be needed to handle those. “They can prescribe the products you’ll need and set you up to be a little more prepared,” Tarpoff said.
Producers can also contact their local extension agent or visit KSUBeef.org for more information on getting prepared for spring calving.
From left: Elaina Koppa, Rebekah Houser, and Bethany Johnson pray together. Photos courtesy of Kenny Felt Photography.
IF, a Christian women’s ministry conference, is planned for Saturday, February 29 at 9 a.m. at Fort Scott Middle School, 1105 E. Twelfth.
IF God is real, then what? That is the premise of the ministry to women.
Area women are asked to join others from local churches to look into God’s Word through teaching, conversations, worship of Jesus, and hearing stories, according to information provided from organizers.
Bible Study. Courtesy of Kenny Felt Photography.
Presentations from popular Christian leaders, including Beth Moore, Sadie Robertson, Jennie Allen, and Bianca Olthoff will be from the IF: Gathering 2020 Livestream.
Also included is live music from local artists Madison Christian and KaLisa Veer.
The cost is $25 and includes a coffee bar, light pastries, lunch, and snacks, plus receive a free notebook and pen.
A few local IF participants were interviewed by FortScott.Biz:
How has IF impacted your life?
Rebekah
“Last year was my first time attending an IF event…and I don’t know why I waited so long to join,” said Rebekah Houser, who will be the photographer for the 2020 event. “I loved the event so much that I’ve done every IF: Equip study we’ve held since then. It has filled the hole I’ve had since I graduated out of my high school youth group and has seriously been a huge blessing. Some of my closest friends now are the women who have also participated in these studies alongside me.”
Rachel
“After suffering the loss of my brother four years ago, I decided to attend a Christian women’s event at a local church, one that I didn’t attend,” Rachel French, IF: Fort Scott Steering Committee Member said. “It was totally a God move. Over the years, the Lord has laid on my heart to promote unity throughout the body of Christ here in our community. Since that initial gathering, I have seen our IF: community put aside our differences and focus on the core common beliefs that we share.”
Bethany
“When I first attended the gathering in 2017, I was new to Fort Scott and was still trying to find my place in the small town scene, having grown up in a larger city,” Bethany Johnson, IF Steering Committee Member said. “I was asked to serve at the IF: Gathering and I came excited to learn and worship with other women. I quickly realized how much I needed to be there. I soaked up teaching from God’s Word and powerful and encouraging stories. That was just the beginning of how God has used this ministry to impact my life and connect me to other Christian women in my community.”
What is your favorite part of the event?
Rebekah
“My favorite part about IF is the building of a community with women from other churches and denominations. I love that IF isn’t about putting one denomination over another. It’s simply about creating a community with other women in your town and forming relationships with them. Then, the opportunity to join an IF: Table or participate in the short six-week IF: Equip studies can continue to build and solidify those relationships. No matter what age or denomination you are, we just get together to love each other and lean into each other. I love that,” Rebekah said.
Rachel
“I love that IF: Fort Scott doesn’t end when the gathering is over. We have weekly and monthly opportunities for the women of the community to get involved and continue to learn and grow more in their faith. We offer weekly Bible studies that start every six to eight weeks, with our next study starting on March 10th. We also offer monthly IF: Tables, where six women meet for two hours over a meal and have a conversation over a topic provided by the IF: Gathering team,” Rachel said.
From left: Rebekah Houser, Elaina Koppa, Brodi Dare, Jessica Majors, and Suzanne Griffin, during an IF small group event. Photos courtesy of Kenny Felt Photography.
Bethany
“This event is unlike any other women’s conference or retreat I have ever attended. We come together and watch recordings of other women and Christian leaders share powerful teaching from God’s word and testimonies of what He is doing in their lives. Since I volunteer as a youth sponsor and spend time with teenage girls each week at my church, my favorite part is gathering with women from every age and background to be united in one purpose. I am encouraged because it is an opportunity for teenage girls to see other girls their age leading women much older than them,” Bethany said.
How has attending challenged you personally?
Rebekah
“Since attending IF, I’ve felt compelled to not only get to know other women in my community better but get to truly know them. I have so many new close relationships with women now that one year ago I did not! I needed that desperately, and they have truly been a lifeline for me on so many occasions. I have the best and most understanding husband, but sometimes you just need a great group of ladies to lean on too,” Rebekah said.
Rachel
“This will be my fifth gathering and after each event I feel God stretching me to grow deeper in my faith and rely on him more. We get to hear from so many amazing speakers who communicate the word of God in a way that is different than a regular Sunday morning service. Through the IF: Equip app the speakers provide more content which has allowed me to continue learning from these godly women,” Rachel said.
Bethany
“Through attending this event, I have had the opportunity to study the Bible with other women, serve in many ways out of my comfort zone, and lead alongside new friends. I am challenged to grow in my relationship with Jesus through this event. There are many free resources available to study Scripture and dive deeper into your faith through the IF: Equip App,” Bethany said.
