Herschel George, K-State Watershed Specialist for Southeast Kansas, finds some shade to check in on a cell phone Monday at the Bourbon County Fair. Pictured is the solar-powered watering system he is demonstrating.

In past generations, farmers used windmills to bring water to their livestock, using one of Kansas’ resources-wind. There are still a few relics around today.

Now, farmers are being encouraged to water their animals with water pumped by a solar panel, which uses another resource Kansas has much of- solar energy.

The purpose of this watering system is to keep surface water from being contaminated by animal feces, which naturally happens when animals are allowed into streams, ponds, and rivers to drink.

A sign near the solar water system tells of the possible cost share to reduce potential water contamination.

“The solar pump helps producers move livestock away from streams and ponds as their only water source,” Herschel George, Southeast Kansas Watershed Specialist for Kansas State University, said.

This week George is at the Bourbon County Fair to demonstrate the solar-powered water delivery system and visit with interested cattlemen and others about it.

“We pump out of a well or a pond into a tank,” George said Monday afternoon at the fair. “This helps keep manure out of the Marmaton River.”

A K-State sign near the solar water system tells the results of adding an alternate water source.

The Marmaton River traverses from west to east through Bourbon County towards Missouri and is the recipient of water from streams in the county.

These streams are on private property and some have animals that get their needed water from those streams.

While at the water source, animals defecate and urinate into the streams and ponds and rivers.

This system is to rectify that problem of water quality.

Herschel George checks out the solar-powered watering system, in this case with a tire tank made out of old tires from equipment on a farm.

Much of George’s time as a K-State Watershed Specialist is spent developing and installing water plans for livestock alternative water systems, according to the to https://www.kcare.k-state.edu/staff/Watershed_specialists.html

He installs concrete and tire tank livestock water supply lines to ponds full of water and solar water pumping systems. He also assists farmers in finding cost-share solutions to improving water quality, according to the website. Additionally, he assists to bring them into compliance with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

George can be reached on his cell phone at 913-294-6021 or via email at [email protected].

George will be demonstrating at the Bourbon County Fair Wednesday through Thursday, July 18-19, located near the Merchant’s Building and also Friday through Sunday at the Four State Farm Show, south of Pittsburg in booth 280.

Bourbon County, Fair

Bourbon County Fair Highlights For Tueday

July 18, 2018 Loretta George Leave a comment

Tuesday at the Bourbon County Fair was a day of judging animals, foods, plants, the annual bake sale for student scholarships and the draft horse pull contest.

Wednesday’s highlights are more judging of animals and plants, presentations of public interest by local Family and Consumer Education clubs, followed by the Eastern Kansas Timed Event Circuit at the grandstand at 6:30 p.m.

The following are highlights of Tuesday evening at the fair.

Clay Brillhart with his reserve grand champion meat goat Tuesday evening.

Calvin Walker shows off his Lego creation that won reserve grand champion in the miscellaneous self-determined department of the 4-H Contests.

The 4-H Chuck Wagon offers up good food, at affordable prices as a fundraiser each year for 4-H.

Uniontown 4-H Club had their turn in running the Chuck Wagon eatery Tuesday evening. From left Angela Nading, Chris Maycumber, Deidre Maycumber and Charity Walker work the kitchen.

Uniontown 4-H Club family members run the cash register. From left Tim Endicott and Dale Griffith.

A line of customers waits to order their supper Tuesday evening.

Brooklyn Pruitt washes her cow, Penny, in preparation for the market calf show Wednesday.

Family and friends visit the animal stalls at the fair Tuesday evening.

Families enjoy looking at the swine on Tuesday evening at the fair.

Brooklyn Pruitt washes her calf, Penny, in preparation for the market calf show Wednesday.

Genesis Walker pets goats as she makes her way through the Joe Chambers Building Tuesday evening.

The Draft Horse Pull contest has several rounds with the first being the one where the team of two horses pulls the total pounds of their weight in a sled of concrete bricks. Each successive round adds 1000 pounds of weight to the sled, eliminating pull teams until a winner is declared.

The contest had the following results:

First place: Jason Ellis team from Iola; second place: Fred Robinson team from Galesburg, third place: Steve Williams team from Redfield; fourth place: Cody Zook team from Columbus; fifth place: Justin Woolery team from Thayer; sixth place: Lloyd Wiley from Fort Scott; seventh place: Rusty Moore team from Columbus.

A crowd watches as horses pull heavy loads in the draft horse contest at the grandstand Tuesday evening at the Bourbon County Fair.

Cody Zook gets ready to have his horses pull the sled of bricks.

Steve Williams team pulls the sled away from the starting point.

Families play ball in the campground of the Bourbon County Fairgrounds at sunset Tuesday.

Fort Scott, Mercy Hospital

Mercy’s New Home Health and Hospice Partnership

July 18, 2018 Submitted Story Leave a comment

Mercy and Integrity to join forces to coordinate home care and hospice across the region

Not all healthcare happens in a hospital or a doctor’s office. Patients who head home after a surgery or serious illness often require some time to continue healing at home, and chronically-ill patients must manage their conditions at home daily.

For patients in either situation, having quality health care in their home can be the key to living their best life.

To provide that crucial service, Mercy and Integrity Home Care + Hospice are joining forces to more closely monitor and assist patients and their families throughout their healthcare journey.

“Integrity serves many patients throughout the region,” said Jon Swope, president of Mercy Springfield Communities and president of Mercy’s central region. “We plan to integrate Integrity with our electronic health record, so our doctors and clinical teams will be able to monitor and respond to even more home care patients’ conditions. That kind of coordinated care will reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and hospital readmissions because we can intervene more quickly.”

To create this fully integrated home care system, Integrity will merge Mercy Home Health & Hospice into its operations throughout southwest Missouri and southeastern Kansas. As a partner, Mercy will become a shareholder of Integrity and a member of the board of directors. While the company’s name will remain Integrity Home Care + Hospice, the logo will include information about its partnership with Mercy. Together, the two systems will become an even stronger home care and hospice team to serve the region.

“We help patients and their families navigate the challenging path of chronic illness, aging and end of life care in their homes, with an emphasis on their quality of life,” said Cliff Stepp, president of Integrity Home Care + Hospice. “Our goals include keeping chronically ill patients out of the hospital by monitoring their overall health and intervening before changes become serious. With skilled care, integrated medication management, and personal care services provided by an outstanding team of clinicians and caregivers, we’ll also closely support patients who choose us after they’re discharged from Mercy to home.”

As part of this new partnership, Mercy Home Health & Hospice co-workers in southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas will become a part of the larger Integrity team. Integrity Home Care + Hospice is headquartered in Springfield with offices in Joplin, Lebanon, Kansas City, Columbia, and St. Louis.

“This partnership makes great sense,” Swope said. “Along with their great quality scores, Integrity shares our faith-based mission and core values and puts patients at the center of making decisions about their own care. Our caregivers do the same and I know they will be valuable members of this new organization.”

A transition team is in place, with plans to complete the work this fall.

Mercy, which services millions annually, and was named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2018, 2017 and 2016 by IBM Watson Health. Mercy includes more than 40 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, 800 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 44,000 co-workers and 2,100 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In addition, Mercy’s IT division, Mercy Technology Services, supply chain organization, ROi, and Mercy Virtual commercially serve providers and patients in more than 20 states coast to coast.

Business, Kansas

Workforce Innovation Conference Oct. 8-9 in Wichita

July 18, 2018 Submitted Story Leave a comment

Workforce Conference Graphic2

The Kansas Department of Commerce, KANSASWORKS, Kansas Department for Children and Families, and the Kansas Board of Regents are currently planning the first annual Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Conference in Kansas. This conference will aim to enhance and improve workforce development solutions in the state. The conference is scheduled for October 8-9, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Wichita.

This engaging and interactive conference will afford an opportunity for employers, educators, economic development professionals, and community leaders to come together with state and local officials to discuss the unique challenges of meeting the growing workforce needs in the state.

The keynote speaker for the 2018 conference will be Dr. Michael Wooten, Acting Assistant Secretary & Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges with the U.S. Department of Education – Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education. Dr. Wooten provides leadership, direction, and management for over $2 billion in initiatives supporting career and technical education, adult education, correctional and re-entry education and community colleges.

The conference will be organized into four unique tracks:

Developing the Future Workforce
Developing a Talent Pipeline
Engaging Business Resources
Enhancing Career Pathways

Session topics including Recruiting and Retaining Talent, Future Workforce Skills, The Gig Economy, Generations in the Workplace, and many more.

“Our Kansas economy is very diverse and ever-evolving, requiring our state and education leaders to consider how best to develop a workforce with the skills required by employers,” said Mike Beene, Director of Employment Services at the Kansas Department of Commerce. “The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Conference will not only be a great opportunity to hear from national and state thought-leaders on how workforce needs are being addressed across the country and state, but also participate in a constructive dialogue among Kansans on how to successfully overcome talent recruitment and development challenges.”

The cost to register for the two-day conference is $100 and can be completed online at KansasCommerce.gov. The website will also include the full conference schedule, speaker biographies, and hotel information as they become available.

Entertainment, Fort Scott

Author of Life In A Jar at Liberty Theater July 28

July 17, 2018 Submitted Story Leave a comment

Lowell Milken Center to present Life in a Jar with author Jack Mayer at Liberty Theatre Event Free to the Public

The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes will host the award-winning Life in a Jar: the Irena Sendler Project author Jack Mayer on Saturday, July 28 in the Liberty Theatre at 10 AM for a presentation followed by a performance of Life in a Jar at 2 PM.

These events happen in conjunction with the 2018 Poland Reunion and are free to the public.

Visitors from around the country and abroad will be in attendance to reconnect with those who traveled to Poland in 2017 to explore the story of Holocaust hero Irena Sendler, brought to light
by Kansas teens as part of a History Day Project.

The cornerstone project of the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, Life in a Jar has gained worldwide attention with over 350 presentations of the play, international media coverage, Hallmark Hall of Fame motion pictures, and award-winning book.

The public is invited to join in the following events:

10 AM – Life in a Jar: the Irena Sendler Project author Jack Mayer speaking at Liberty Theatre.

Q&A to follow.

2 PM – Life in a Jar performance at Liberty Theatre

5 PM – Wine and cheese social at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes

For more information regarding these events please call the Lowell Milken Center at 620-223-1312 or email Norm Conard ([email protected]).

About the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes:
The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes works with students and educators across diverse academic disciplines to develop history projects that highlight role models who demonstrate
courage, compassion, and respect. Through our unique project-based learning approach, students discover, develop and communicate the stories of Unsung Heroes who have made a profound and positive impact on the course of history. By championing these Unsung Heroes, students, educators, and communities discover their own power and responsibility

Bourbon County, Sheriff's Office

The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Report July 17

July 17, 2018 Submitted Story Leave a comment

The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office daily reports can best be viewed on a computer.

The office can be reached at (620) 223-2380.

Click below, then click on the image to enlarge:

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Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Meeting July 18 At New Jail

July 17, 2018 Submitted Story Leave a comment

Agenda

Bourbon County Commission

Fort Scott, KS 66701

9:00 a.m.

Date: July 18th, 2018

1^st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2^nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3^rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

10:00-Commissioners attend meeting at the new jail.

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

Bourbon County, Business, Schools

FSCC Business Expo August 22: Get Registered

July 17, 2018 Submitted Story Leave a comment

Kassie Fugate-Cate, FSCC Director of Strategic Communications.

Fort Scott Community College’s Annual Business Expo will take place August 22 from 9 am to 11:30 am.

Local businesses, please contact Kassie Cate at 620.223.2700 ext. 5248 or email [email protected] to register.

Spaces fill up fast so don’t hesitate. No registration cost. Take this opportunity to market your business and hire eager college students. The expo will take place in Bailey Hall.

Entertainment, Fort Scott

Magician Taylor Hughes Comes To FSCC August 3

July 17, 2018 Submitted Story Leave a comment

Taylor Hughes is a full-time entertainer with over 20 years of performance experience. He is one of the only people to have performed in all three showrooms at the World Famous Magic Castle before the age of 21.

He is a featured act on the television series “Masters of Illusion” and was recently presented the awards for “Best Illusion” “Best Comedy Magic” and “Best Showmanship” by the Society of American Magicians in Los Angeles.

A popular entertainer, Taylor has performed for multiple organizations including Home Depot, AT&T, and The American Heart Association.

MagicShowPoster

Business, Fort Scott

Dr. Crawford Set To Move Downtown

July 17, 2018 Loretta George Leave a comment

Dr. Tim Crawford, the owner of Fort Scott Family Dental, 1115 S. Main, has a contract pending on his current building in preparation for the move of the dental office to Wall and Main streets.

In two to three months, Dr. Tim Crawford, a local dentist, hopes to be in the renovated building he has been working on this past year.

“We have no firm timeline,” Crawford said. “The end of summer or beginning of fall. We are super excited to see this come to fruition.”

The historic three-story building at the corner of Wall and Main streets, Fort Scott, known as the Marble Building; has at points in time been a theater, bank, retail store, tanning bed business and will be the dentist’s office when completed.

“You can still see the dome for the chandelier in the attic space,” referring to its’ grand past, Crawford said.

The lobby is being restored, including the stained glass windows, the rest will be new construction.

The top floor is six apartments that have recently been renovated, Crawford said.

“The middle level needs some remodeling,” Crawford said. MCM Restoration occupies most of the second floor.

The main floor of the building he purchased, where his office will be, is also the office of Crain Insurance on the Wall Street side.

The move from 1115 S. Main to the new location for the dentist office will increase the size of the office almost four times.

“We are looking at over 5,000 square feet, and right now (at the current location) we have 1,300 to 1,400 square feet,” Crawford said.

Currently, Crawford has two receptionists, one hygienist, and two dental assistants, he said.

“We’ll probably have to add one more employee,” following the move to the new office, Crawford said.

JT Contracting, RL Construction and Peerless Products, all local businesses have been involved in the reno process, Crawford said.

Jayce Simons and Nick Leighty, with JT Contracting, Fort Scott, work on the masonry front door of the building at Wall and Main streets.

An old dental chair sits next to a commercial vacuum cleaner in the lobby area of the new Fort Scott Family Dental office. The office is being renovated, including some original stained glass windows.

The operating rooms are new construction in the new Fort Scott Family Dentist office, at Wall and Main streets.

Fort Scott, Police

The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports July 16

July 17, 2018 Submitted Story Leave a comment

The Fort Scott Police Department daily reports can best be viewed on a computer.
The FSPD is located at 1604 S. National, Fort Scott, KS 66701 and can be reached at 620-223-1700.

Click below, then click image to enlarge:

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Bourbon County, Fair

Highlights Of Bourbon County Fair

July 16, 2018 Loretta George Leave a comment

Monday afternoon activity at the Bourbon County Fair included checking in entries in the open class division, entering 4-H Exhibits, conference judging of 4-H photography, weigh-in of animals, in addition to setting up the Chuck Wagon Restaurant. Entering into open class exhibits continues this evening, Monday, July 16, until 8 p.m.

Tomorrow, July 17, judging begins with rabbits, foods, fiber and visual arts, plant science, poultry, sheep and meat goats. The bake sale for Open Class foods will be at noon with proceeds going to scholarships for Bourbon County students. There will be a draft horse pull in the evening.

Below are some highlights of Monday afternoon.