Bourbon County, Schools

New FSCC Harley-Davidson Teacher: Alex Mason

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This is part of a series of new teachers in our community.

Alex Mason is a new Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Technician Training and Development Program instructor at Fort Scott Community College.

Name: Alex Mason

Title of position: Harley-Davidson Instructor

Education: AAS FSCC Harley-Davidson

Experience: Technician at Gail’s Harley-Davidson, Grandview MO

Age: 28

Family: Wife is Holli Mason, a daughter, Lucy.  Parents are Steve and Kendell Mason.

Why did you choose education as a career?

“This is an opportunity for me to apply my skill set closer to home, so I may spend more time with my family.”

What is the first on your list of priorities for the position?

“Implementing my experience at an H-D dealership in order to help create better-prepared technicians for the field.”

Fort Scott, Schools

New Eugene Ware Elementary School 5th-Grade Teacher: Abby Stepps

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The is one of a series of profiles of new teachers in our community.

Abby Stepps is a new Fifth Grade Teacher at  Eugene Ware Elementary School.

Name: Abby Stepps
Title: 5th Grade Elementary Teacher
Education: Fort Scott Community College and at Pittsburg State University, with a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education.

Experience: She began teaching in 2009 in Nevada, MO. Taught in Fort Scott in 2012 one year, then Nevada in 2013 until the present.

Family: Husband, Trent Stepps, a Fort Scott Alumni and has two “beautiful daughters.”

Why did you become an educator?

“I once had a teacher make me feel as though I could conquer the world. She made me feel important and a part of something bigger than I was. Inside her classroom, I could be myself and at the same time anyone/anything I wanted to be, she IS the reason I chose education as my career, Mrs. Scott, 4th grade, in Neosho, Missouri.”

What is first on your list of priorities for the position?

“I hope to bring a feeling of newness and rigor to the 5th-grade crew at Eugene Ware. I am very excited to be working with such great teachers! This year will be wonderful!”

Bourbon County

Kale Nelson Handing Out $1 For Each Random Driver Who Is Buckled Up

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Bucks Rewarded to Drivers Who Buckle Up

Safe Kids Kansas, State Farm and KDOT Partner for Safety Message

TOPEKA, Kan. – Thousands of vehicles will be traveling the Kansas roadways during the Labor Day weekend. Many families will head out on one last camping trip or getaway as the school year begins.  The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Safe Kids Kansas, State Farm and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) want to encourage families to buckle up and drive safely to protect their most valuable asset, their families.

From Aug. 26 through Sept. 9, a safety belt awareness campaign called “Bucks for Buckles” is being held in 56 cities across Kansas. One dollar bills are being distributed by local volunteers to drivers who have all occupants buckled up securely in their vehicle. Those riding unrestrained will receive educational materials about the effectiveness of seat belts and child safety seats in saving lives and reducing injuries.

“No one can predict when they will be involved in a motor vehicle crash, yet almost all of us will be involved in an automobile crash in our lifetime. Last year, 382 people lost their lives on Kansas roadways and 50 percent of them were unbuckled,” said Cherie Sage, State Director for Safe Kids Kansas. “The single most effective means of protecting the lives of you and your passengers are wearing seat belts and using appropriate child restraints every time you ride in the vehicle – even short distances.”

Local Agent Kale Nelson with State Farm Insurance will be participating in this program to promote wearing seatbelts, in both Fort Scott and Uniontown.

Exact dates will not be announced.

One dollar bills are being distributed by local volunteers to drivers who have all occupants buckled up securely in their vehicle.

 

 

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Coffee At Scott Township Fire Department on Thursday

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WEEKLY CHAMBER COFFEE REMINDER
Join us for the weekly Chamber Coffee!


Co-hosted by:

 
 
  
Location: 2060 Hwy. 54
 ( 1.5 miles west of the Hwy. 54/69 junction,
on the south side of the highway)


Thursday, August 16th, 8am


Click here for Scott Township Rural Fire Department’s
Facebook page.
Chamber members and guests are encouraged to attend for networking, community announcements, and to learn about the hosting business or organization.
Members may pay $1 to make an announcement about an upcoming event, special/sale/discount, or news of any kind.
Upcoming Coffees:
August 23rd – Available – contact Chamber to reserve your spot
August 30th – Avaliable – contact Chamber to reserve your spot
September 6th – Lowell Milken Center
September 13th – Airport OR Water Treatment Plant
K-State Extension

Trust

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Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director & Agent

From the Kansas State University website, “K-State Research and Extension is a partnership between Kansas State University and the federal, state, and county governments. Research completed is used by extension agents and others to help solve community issues.” Although the word “trust” isn’t in our mission statement, it is a vital part of the extension relationship on a local level. It is also a word that I personally value, and certainly a topic worthy of further discussion.

There are two parts to trust: an intangible, “feeling” part and a performance record that confirms this trust. An active feeling of trust is confidence in leadership, indicated in ability and integrity. Trust is also expressed by the absence of worry or suspicion. Productive relationships are already based on trust, sometimes unrecognized and frequently taken for granted. The track record is a confirmation of well-placed trust.

Trust is a vital ingredient in all relationships. If you find it hard to trust someone, you are less likely to talk to that person. But, a relationship built on mutual trust is marked by open communication and fewer arguments. It’s the feeling of safety you have with another human being.

Many scholars have created lists of the characteristics of leaders. Trust always makes the list. Trust develops as the cumulative effect of one-on-one, day-to-day relationships. Trust is won or lost by how well you know yourself, how open you are to letting others see your real self, and how well you show your interest in others. These personal actions depend on you, regardless of the organization, committee, or other group.

Think of trust as an emotional bank account. If you make deposits with another person through courtesy, kindness, honesty, and promise-keeping, you build up a reserve. That person’s trust toward you becomes higher, and you can call on that trust when needed. When the account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective. But, if you show discourtesy, disrespect, threats, or just do not listen, your emotional bank account will become overdrawn. Trust needs continuing deposits. Furthermore, it takes more deposits to outweigh a negative balance or withdrawal. One guideline suggests that every negative encounter requires six positive encounters to restore the original level.

You can show you are trustworthy by being responsible. Being open and honest with people is essential. In any relationship, it takes time and effort to develop trust, and trust and commitment are closely related. If you trust more, you are willing to commit more. Each person must accept some responsibility.

Trust is a relevant topic to the Southwind District because we recently added Woodson County to our Extension District Family. Folks in the Yates Center area will now have access to our Agents who specialize in a variety of areas – including Family Resource Management, Horticulture, Healthy Living Initiatives, 4-H activities and expanded SNAP-Ed programming in the schools. It is an exciting time of change, and we look forward to creating new partnerships across the 4-county District.

K-State Research & Extension in the Southwind District strives every day to be a trusted and reliable source of factual information for families – both urban and rural. If you would like to know more about us, please check out our website, www.southwind.ksu.edu

Obituary

Obituary Of James Eastwood

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James Lewis Eastwood, age 81, a resident of rural Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away early Tuesday, August 14, 2018, at the Mercy Hospital Emergency Room.
He was born March 27, 1937, in Fort Scott, the son of Harold Lewis Eastwood and Verda Leola Thomas Eastwood.  Jim graduated from the Fort Scott High School with the Class of 1955.  He married Patricia Ann Hoggatt on February 10, 1957, at Fort Scott.
In earlier years, Jim had been employed by various Ft. Scott Grocery Stores including, Gunsolles Grocery, Foodtown, and Safeway.  In 1963, Jim began a career with Peerless Product and worked there until he retired as a supervisor.  He later worked as a part-time custodian for the Bourbon County Courthouse.  Jim enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping.
He was a member of the Community Christian Church as well as the Ft. Scott Masonic Lodge, the Mirza Shrine, and the Scottish Rite.
Survivors include his wife, Pat, of the home; a son, James Eastwood, and wife, Paula and two daughters, Susan Carnes and husband, Mike and Shelly Brennon and husband, Kenny, all of Ft. Scott as well as nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.  Also surviving are a brother, Kenneth Melvin Eastwood, and wife, Carolyn, of Fulton, Kansas and a sister-in-law, Mary Eastwood, of Ft. Scott.
  He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Marion Eastwood, a sister, Phyllis McLain and a great-grandson, Weston Brennon. 
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, August 18th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Clarksburg Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 9:00 A.M. until service time on Saturday at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes Association and may be left in the 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.
Bourbon County, Government

County Commission Canvasses 2018 Election Aug. 16

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

2nd Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Thursday starting at 9:00

Date: August 16th, 2018

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

10:00-Canvass for the 2018 Primary Election

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, Government

Bourbon County Declared In A Drought Emergency

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Drought Declarations Updated in Kansas Counties

The Governor’s Drought Team examines declining surface water conditions

 

Topeka – While there have been some recent rains, drought conditions for many areas of the state, especially eastern Kansas, continue to worsen.

 

Declining livestock water and feed supply continue to be reported. This has resulted in emergency status being added in eastern Kansas for any county with a U.S. Drought Monitor Severe Drought (D3) status, contiguous counties and reported issues. This now moves 10 counties into Emergency status from a Watch and 12 into Emergency from a Warning. Below are the counties listed in Bold indicating these changes.

 

Drought Watch counties (18): Cheyenne, Cloud, Decatur, Gove, Graham, Jewell, Logan, Mitchell, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Republic, Rooks, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas

 

Drought Warning counties (15): Allen, Chautauqua, Elk, Ellis, Greeley, Lane, Ness, Rush, Russell, Scott, Trego, Wallace, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson

 

Drought Emergency counties (72): Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown,  Butler, Chase, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Grant, Gray, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Labette,  Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Morton, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wyandotte

 

Counties in emergency stage are eligible for emergency use of water from certain state fishing lakes. They also become eligible for water in some Federal reservoirs.

 

Individuals and communities need to contact the Kansas Water Office (KWO) for a water supply request prior to any withdrawals from lakes. They will in turn be referred to the appropriate office to obtain the necessary permit to withdraw the water.

 

The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the effects the drought has on Kansans.

 

For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the KWO website at: www.kwo.ks.gov.

 

 

Note to Editor:  The Americans with Disabilities Act, (42 U.S.C. 12101), requires the Kansas Water Office to print the reasonable accommodations messages.

 

 

Business, Fort Scott

Free Grocery Pickup at Walmart: Not Yet

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Walmart Fort Scott, 2500 S. Main.

Personal grocery shopping is coming to Fort Scott Walmart, but not anytime soon. Although communications from Walmart indicate otherwise.

Perhaps you were one who received a flyer recently from Walmart or saw the advertisement on TV, or received an email like below that said: “Free Grocery Pickup save you time and money.”

The following is the response from Walmart headquarters:

“Fort Scott will be getting Grocery Pickup, but not for some time,” Molly Blakeman, Walmart Media Relations Corporate Communications said. “The store closest to Fort Scott that currently offers the service is store number 5791 in Pittsburg KS, 30 miles away.”

   Free Grocery Pickup save you time & money.
Walmart Grocery
Try Grocery Pickup today
$10 off your first order*
Use code WOWFRESH at checkout.
Grill & chill
Grill & chill
Order online & let us do the shopping. You’ll get the same low prices as in stores & there’s never a membership fee. We’ll even load your car.
Get started

 

 

 

Fort Scott, Schools

New FSHS Language Arts Teacher: Erica Clark

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Erica Clark

This is part of a series of profiles of new teachers in our community.

Erica Clark is the new Fort Scott High School English Language Arts Teacher.
Name: Erica Clark
Title of position: English Language Arts
Education: Bachelor of Science in English Education, Pittsburg State University, May 2018
Experience: 1st-year teacher.  She interned and student taught in Nevada, MO,  from August 2017-May18.
Age: 29
Family: Husband, Drew Clark,  a sales manager at  Win-Vent, Fort Scott. They have a set of twins, Bryson and Laurali,  8-years-old in July. “They are excited to begin third grade at Eugene Ware this year.”
Affiliations:
“I worked as an eye technician at Quinlan Eye Center for 7 years. The last four of those years, my employer worked around my school schedule as I pursued a degree in English Education.”
Why did you choose education as a career?
“I have always loved all things literary – writing is a passion of mine. Ever since I was a child, I have wanted to become an educator. My heart has always been set on inspiring students to become the best version of themselves. It wasn’t until about five years ago when I decided to pursue this dream. I was able to mix my passions of reading and writing with my desire to help lead tomorrow’s leaders and become an English teacher – nothing is better than that!”
What is the first on your list of priorities for the position?
“I am excited to become a part of this community. My priorities right now include developing positive relationships with my students, their families, and my colleagues. I am so excited to start this new journey at Fort Scott High School. “

Bourbon County Local News