Government, Kansas

Criminal Justice Reform Members Appointed

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Governor appoints two members

to Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission

 

Governor Laura Kelly appointed Sylvia Penner and Adrion Roberson to the Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission.

 

“Sylvia and Adrion have a proven track record of working hard in their communities,” Kelly said. “We have a lot of work to do. I know they are ready for the challenge and will become integral voices in the discussion and work of this commission.”

 

Penner, Wichita, currently serves as an attorney at the firm Fleeson, Gooing, Coulson and Kitch, LLC. Previously, she was an instructor for both Tabor College in Wichita, and Washburn University School of Law in Topeka. Penner received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Tabor College, and a juris doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law. Penner has held numerous leadership and membership positions including: American Bar Association, Kansas Bar Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Wichita Crime Commission, Wichita Women Attorneys Association, Kansas Admissions Review Board and Kansas Appleseed board of directors.

 

Penner will fill the position of the criminal defense attorney appointment.

 

Roberson, Kansas City, currently serves as co-pastor of the Berean Fellowship Church and as CEO/co-founder of KC United! Youth Sports and Education Initiative. Previously, Roberson served as a faculty member for the Kansas Leadership Center and created multiple development initiative programs to help Kansans mobilize and gain critical life skills. He served as chairman for Connect the DOTTES for a better KCK. Roberson received his bachelor’s degree in urban pastoral theology from Calvary Bible College.

 

Roberson will fill the position of the faith-based community appointment.

 

The Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission was created as part of HB 2290, which passed during the 2019 legislative session. The governor appoints one criminal defense attorney or public defender, one member of the faith-based community and one facilitator to provide administrative assistance to develop a project plan and assist the Commission in its duties.

 

Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Aug. 8 for Meeks Law and State Farm Insurance

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 The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony celebrating the new location of State Farm Insurance and Meeks Law Firm at 1805 S. National Avenue. The event will take place Thursday, August 8th, with remarks and ribbon cutting immediately following the Chamber of Commerce Coffee which begins at 8 a.m.

JK Hold’M Properties invite you to stop by and check out the transformation of their building to an updated and modernized office building in the heart of 69 Highway in Fort Scott.

Justin Meeks and Kale Nelson purchased the building that has served Fort Scott since 1925.  Formerly being the home to Lockwood’s Steakhouse, various liquor store owners, Silver Spur Bar, a pet shop and other business entities, the building was renovated and now is the home to Justin Meeks Attorney at Law and Kale Nelson State Farm Insurance.

 

Please join Meeks Law Firm and Kale Nelson State Farm Insurance on Thursday, August 8th, 2019 for the ribbon cutting ceremony at 1805 St. in Fort Scott. Refreshments will be served.

Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566 or visit fortscott.com.

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Uncategorized

Wayward Bettys July 27

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REMINDER:
The Wayward Bettys
A concert at
Boiler Room Brewhaus
to benefit Fort Scott
Paws & Claws Animal Shelter
The Wayward Bettys
will be performing live at
Boiler Room BrewhausTOMORROW, July 27th at 7pm!
This concert will benefit
Fort Scott Paws & Claws Animal Shelter
Watch a YouTube video of The Wayward Bettys by clicking HERE
Tickets are $10 in advance and may be purchased at the following:
Fort Scott Paws & Claws – 8 N. Judson
The Boiler Room Brewhaus – 2 S. National
Chamber of Commerce – 231 E. Wall St.
Visit Paws & Claws’ website by clicking HERE
Visit Paws & Claws’ Facebook page by clicking HERE
Bourbon County, Elections, Government

Advance Voting Has Begun In Bourbon County

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The “vote here” sign sits in front of the north wing of the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National.

“In-person advance voting began on July 22nd, it will end at noon on August 5,” Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk said today.  “As of right now we have had 107 voters.”

“The Courthouse is the only location to cast an in-person advance ballot,” she said. Courthouse hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Primary Election on August 6 will narrow the candidates down to two times the number of positions open.

Bourbon County will have a Primary Election for the following offices

CITY OF BRONSON-CITY COUNCIL (3 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

JAMES E. OLSON

DANIELLE MINOR

MICHAEL STEWART

 

CITY OF FORT SCOTT-CITY COMMISSION (3 COMMISSION POSITIONS)

CHERYL L. ADAMSON

HAROLD (PETE) ALLEN

KEVIN “SKITCH” ALLEN

CYNTHIA BARTELSMEYER

CASEY BOLDEN

TRACY DANCER

BOBBY DUNCAN

BOB FARMER

JOSH JONES

DEB MCCOY

DIANA MORRISS

JEANIE PARKER

LINDSEY WATTS

MATTHEW WELLS

 

CITY OF FULTON (1 MAYOR & 5 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

NO CANDIDATES FILED

 

CITY OF MAPLETON (3 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

NO CANDIDATES FILED

 

CITY OF REDFIELD-CITY COUNCIL (3 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

WILMA K. GRAHAM

JIMMIE JACKSON

L.D. MORRISON

ANGELA HIXON

 

 

CITY OF UNIONTOWN-CITY COUNCIL (3 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

DANEA D. ESSLINGER

DAVE WEHRY

USD 234

JAMES WOOD-POSITION 1

DANNY BROWN- POSITION 2

MICHELLE HUDIBURG- POSITION 2

KELLYE BARROWS- POSITION 3

JOE FOULK SR.- POSITION 3

MICHAEL J. HOYT- POSITION 3

JOSH JONES-POSITION 3

AARON JUDY-POSITION 3

SHAWN GOANS-POSITION AT LARGE

LYNETTE JACKSON-POSITION AT LARGE

BILL MICHAUD- POSITION AT LARGE

 

USD 235

TROY GOODRIDGE-POSITION 1

JASON SUTTERBY-POSITION 2

JOSHUA HARTMAN-POSITION 3

KOLBY STOCK- POSITION 3

SALLY JOHNSON- POSITION AT LARGE

 

FSCC BOARD OF TRUSTEES (3 POSITIONS)

DAVID ELLIOTT

KIRK HART

MICHAEL J. HOYT

CURTIS LEAR

ROBERT NELSON

 

SOUTHWIND EXTENSION DISTRICT (2 POSITIONS)

DIANE BRILLHART

PETE WILEY

 

 

 

 

 

Art, Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Art is Ageless Winners

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Fort Scott Presbyterian Village artists among
Art is Ageless® masterpiece level winners

FORT SCOTT, Kan. — Three winning artists in Fort Scott Presbyterian Village’s annual Art is Ageless® juried competition will be featured in the 2020 Art is Ageless calendar produced by PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America).

“Carpenters Bluff Bridge,” a photograph by Paul Milks; “Church on the Mountain Side,” a painting by Glenda Stevicks; and “Nature,” a sculpture/3-D entry by Tony Fornelli, will appear in the calendar when it is released this fall. “Bright Journey,” a fiber arts entry by Carolyn Munsell, will be featured on the new pull-out postcards included in the 2020 calendar.

In addition, “His Name is Jesus,” a needlework by Charlotte Kite, will be featured on the Art is Ageless greeting cards.

Works by local winners are automatically entered into a masterpiece level competition with winning art from 16 other PMMA communities. More than 190 entries were received for this year’s masterpiece competition. The winners are featured in the Art is Ageless calendar with pull-out postcards and greeting cards.

 

Art is Ageless, open exclusively to people age 65 and older, is a copyrighted program of PMMA. For the competition, works must have been completed in the past five years.

PMMA’s Art is Ageless program encourages Fort Scott Presbyterian Village residents and other area seniors to express their creativity through its annual competition, as well as art classes, musical and dramatic events, educational opportunities and current events discussions throughout the year.

Started in 1980, Art is Ageless is an extension of PMMA’s wellness programs, which focus on mental, physical, social and spiritual health. Residents and friends of PMMA’s Art is Ageless program are proving that art, in any form, is an ageless ambition.

For more information about Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, contact Becky Kellum, marketing director, at 620-223-5550 or [email protected]. For more on Art is Ageless, visit ArtIsAgeless.org.

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Fort Scott

Hungry For Pulled Pork?

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Starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m. today July 26, Medicalodges Fort Scott, 915 S. Horton, is having a pulled pork fundraiser to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.

Pulled pork sandwich, baked beans, chips and a cookie for $5.

You may call the order in ahead of time at 620-223-0210.

Drive up to the south end of the building for your order to be bought to you.

Any order with 10 or more dinners can be delivered, if requested.

Church news, Fort Scott

Iraq in the Bible By Pastor James Collins

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Chaplain (retired) James Collins is pictured on the Ziggurat of Ur in Iraq. Collins, who is now pastor of First Southern Baptist Church, will be presenting Iraq in the Bible this Wednesday. Submitted photo.

Iraq in the Bible

A special presentation of “Iraq in the Bible” will be held at Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church on Wednesday, July 31st beginning at 6:30 pm.

The church is located at 1818 South Main in Fort Scott.

This interactive video presentation will look at the history, archeology, and prophecies of Iraq. Israel is the most mentioned nation in the Bible. Iraq is the second most mentioned nation in the Bible.

However, it is not called Iraq. Instead, Iraq is known as Nineveh, Babylon, Shinar, Assyria, Ur of the Chaldees, and Mesopotamia.

Chaplain James Collins, a retired U.S. Army Chaplain, visited all of the historic locations. Chaplain Collins will be your guide through the land of Iraq.

You are invited to attend this special free presentation. Bible Study small groups are welcome.

For more information, call Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church at (620) 223-2986.

 

Opinion

Warning Signs by Patty LaRoche

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Our neighborhood here in Florida is filled with warning signs. The alligator notice posted above is one block from where Dave and I live.

The “cart” sign hangs on a wall outside our local supermarket, and a neighbor’s front door holds the “I’m happy…don’t ruin it” sign. None of us are unfamiliar with notices of caution, but how about this one? “Removing consumer labels from pillows is punishable by fines.” When I was young, I feared the pillow police would show up at my door if I tore off one of those scratchy tags. (Tell the truth; you did too.)

Humorous signs now are the norm. “Children left unattended will be given a Red Bull and a puppy.” “Do not cross this pasture unless you can do it in nine seconds because the bull can do it in ten.” “Stay off the tracks. They are only for trains. If you can read this, you’re not a train.”

Most warnings, however, are not laughable. We heed them…or we pay the consequences. Especially ones God has given us. Every book in the Bible cautions us about what our bad choices can do to us…and to others. Our problem is that sometimes we don’t take the warnings seriously, if we read them at all.

For example, God gave strict instructions on how to choose the right spouse. I have Christian friends who chose their mates only after much prayer, seeking God’s wisdom because of the decision’s lifetime importance. (I wasn’t one of those people, I admit, but God blessed me in spite of myself.) With the divorce rate in the U.S. nearing 40% (one site said that every 13 seconds, there is a divorce in America), many couples—Christians included– are choosing to split.

In Judges’ chapters 13-16, we read of a tragic story in which a young man disobeyed God’s marriage order, and it cost him his life. You’ve probably heard his name, synonymous with what NOT to do in choosing the right mate. Samson. For starters, he refused to listen to his parents’ warning. I have known three sets of praying parents who convinced their children that they were marrying the wrong person. All now are happily married in a union blessed by their father and mother and are grateful for the wisdom in their parents’ concerns.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying all parents know what is best for their children. Many times wedges are drawn when personalities clash with future in-laws as they circumvent God’s best with their attempts to break up a relationship. Children need to recognize the difference in motive. They need to pray for God’s wisdom.

That did not enter Samson’s mind. Worse than not heeding his father and mother, he disregarded God’s advice and lusted after a beautiful Philistine woman, a no-no to any God-fearing Israelite, much less a young Nazarite (set apart from birth to honor God) like Samson. Suffice it to say, Samson ended up being captured and blinded before dying, thanks to the sinful woman he chose as his wife.

Readers, I think I have this figured out. Messing with an alligator might be much safer than messing with an ungodly spouse.

Government, Kansas

Kansas Lakes With Health Advisories

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Public Health Advisories for Kansas Lakes Due to Blue-Green Algae

Seven lakes with warnings; nine with watches

 

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), has issued public health advisories for Kansas lakes.

 

Warnings:

Big Eleven Lake, Wyandotte County (unchanged)

Jerry Ivey Pond, Saline County (unchanged)

Marion County Lake, Marion County (unchanged)

*Gathering Pond near Milford (Hatchery Supply Pond), Geary County (unchanged)

South Lake, Johnson County (unchanged)

Colby City Pond (Villa High Lake), Thomas County (unchanged)

Lebo Kids’ Pond, Coffee County (new 7/25)

 

When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

  • Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock.
  • Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.
  • Water contact should be avoided.
  • Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.
  • Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.
  • If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.
  • Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.

 

Watches:

Lake Shawnee, Shawnee County (unchanged)

Marion Reservoir, Marion County (unchanged)

Keith Sebelius Reservoir, Norton County (unchanged)

Rock Garden Pond (Gage Park), Shawnee County (unchanged)

Hiawatha City Lake, Brown County (downgraded 7/25 from warning)

Lovewell Reservoir, Jewell County (downgraded from 7/25 warning)

Westlake in Gage Park, Shawnee County (new 7/25)

Lake Afton, Sedgwick County (new 7/25)

Hodgeman County State Fishing Lake, Hodgemen County (new 7/25)

 

A watch means that blue-green algae have been detected and a harmful algal bloom is present or likely to develop.  People are encouraged to avoid areas of algae accumulation and keep pets and livestock away from the water.

 

During the watch status, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

 

  • Signage will be posted at all public access locations
  • Water may be unsafe for humans/animals
  • Avoid areas of algae accumulation and do not let people/pets eat dried algae or drink contaminated water.
  • Swimming, wading, skiing, and jet skiing are discouraged near visible blooms
  • Boating and fishing are safe. However, inhalation of the spray may affect some individuals. Avoid direct contact with water, and wash with clean water after any contact.
  • Clean fish well with potable water and eat fillet portion only.

 

KDHE samples publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.

 

Kansans should be aware that blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.

 

For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm.

 

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Bourbon County Local News