Obituary

Obituary of Franklin Lee Davis

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Franklin Lee Davis

Franklin Lee Davis, age 66, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Friday, February 22, 2019, at his home.

He was born November 11, 1952, in Wichita, Kansas, the son of Donald Lee Davis and Carol Lee “Kay” McCracken Davis.

Lee graduated from the Uniontown High School with the Class of 1970. He later graduated from Pittsburg State University in 1974 with a degree in plastics engineering. Following his education at Pitt State, Lee worked for a time for Wichita Testing Laboratories. He later began a career as Noxious Weed Director for Bourbon County. He served in this position for over thirty years. Following his retirement, he worked as a bus driver for SEKAP. Lee enjoyed making and collecting knives. In earlier years, he enjoyed fishing. At an early age, he became a member of the Hiattville United Methodist Church.

Survivors include a brother, Dallas Lee Davis and wife, Sue, of Leadville, Colorado and a sister, Cindy Lee Davis, of Highland, Kansas and a nephew, Joshua Lee Davis, also of Leadville. Also surviving are several cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents.

There was cremation. A memorial visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M. Thursday, February 28th at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to Care to Share and may be left in 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.

Obituary

Obituary of William Lawrence Gates

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William Lawrence Gates, Jr., age 82, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Sunday, February 24, 2019, in Pittsburg, Kansas.

He was born April 22, 1936, in Dewey, Oklahoma, the son of Rev. W. L. Gates, Sr. and Donna Hurley Gates. He first married Dixie Dill. They later divorced. He later married Billie Short and she preceded him in death. Bill grew up in the Church of God (Holiness). He enjoyed racing cars, hunting, fishing and being outdoors. He also liked taking care of his cows and watching Western movies especially those starring John Wayne.

Survivors include his children, Debbie Stewart, of Ft. Scott, Donna Smith (Nathan), also of Ft. Scott; Randy Gates (Angela), of Girard, Kansas and Victoria Gates, also of Ft. Scott; and four grandchildren, Kayla Smith, of Ft. Scott, DeAnn Hixon, of Topeka, Kansas, Nate Smith, of Springfield, Missouri and Melissa Gates of Quetwa, Oklahoma. Also surviving are a brother, Don Gates, of Kodiak, Alaska and a sister, Frances Wise, of Wichita, Kansas.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by a son, William L. Gates III, a daughter, Dixie Diane Hixon; a brother, James Gates and three sisters, Ida Durkee, Ethelene Richardson and Ella Judy.

Pastor Trevor Jacobs will conduct graveside services at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, March 2nd at the Oak Grove Cemetery. Family and friends may meet on Saturday at the Cheney Witt Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery at 10:45 A.M. Memorials are suggested to Ft. Scott Christian Heights or to Comfort Care Homes of Pittsburg and may be left in 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.

Business, Fort Scott

Gordman’s Fort Scott Grand Opening March 20

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Get ready to rock with Gordmans during our 2019 Grand Opening Tour!

Our new location at 2400 S. Main St. in Fort Scott, KS is having an epic celebration on March 20th and you’re invited.

No tickets necessary. Just stop by!

Don’t miss our ribbon cutting ceremony at 5:30 pm. Then get to know Gordmans and find out why this is where frugal meets fierce. Our deals on home decor galore will be music to your ears.

The first 100 guests will get a scratch-off card and one lucky person will reveal a $50 shopping card!

Get more info at http://gordmans.com/tour

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Entertainment, Fort Scott

Blues and BBQ, March 9

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Bourbon County Arts Council “Blues & BBQ”
Liberty Theatre/Crooner’s Lounge, featuring
Missy Andersen
& Her One Man Band
Saturday, March 9th, 2019
Bourbon County Arts Council Presents: “Blues & BBQ” with
Missy Andersen & Her One Man Band.
Restaurant opens at 5pm, BBQ buffet at 6pm, show starts at 8pm.
Visit Missy Andersen’s web page by clicking: http://missyandersen.com/
Watch one of Missy’s videos by
clicking here.
Tickets: $40/members, $50/non-members (BBQ buffet included)
Tickets available:
Chamber of Commerce,
Terri Floyd 620-224-7221
Deb Anderson 620-224-8650
Area News

KU’s Willmott Wins Oscar

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Kirk Sharp, director of the Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College shared a  link about the 2016 Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award winner, Kevin Willmott.

Willmott is a KU Professor and filmmaker that won an Oscar on Feb. 24 for Best Adapted Screenplay for the movie ‘BlacKkKlansman’ that  he co-wrote with Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz.

Click below for the link.

https://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/movies-news-reviews/article226740399.html

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Meeting Agenda Feb. 26

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

 

Date: February 26th, 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

 

               10:30 – Jody Hoener & Justin Meeks – EMS Crew Requirements

 

               11:00-11:10 – Justin Meeks – Executive Session – Attorney Client

              

11:10 -11:20 – Justin Meeks – Executive Session – Personnel Matters

 

               11:20 – 12:00-Justin Meeks

 

12:00 – 1:30-Commissioners gone to lunch

 

               2:00 – 4:00 – Commissioners to have a 2019 hard surface road planning session

 

              

 

 

 

 

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

 

 
Fort Scott, Schools

FSHS Talking Tigers Take First

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Photo: top row: left to right: Ashton Nave, Dalton Womeldorff, Grant Feagins Middle Row: L-R Jonie Antonio, Audra McFarland, Jakob Slinkard, Jorden Willard, Landon Doherty, Jade Bailey, Karina Kantilal, Takia Page, Natalie Eaton, Brooklyn Miller. Bottom Row: Reaghn Dowell, Shekhar Gugnani, Thade Yates, Elizabeth Ngatia, Brooklyn Lyons, Rebekah Sweyko, Hunter Adamson, Neil Gugnani, Zach Mundhenke

The Fort Scott High School Talking Tigers Forensics Team competed on February 23 and took first place in the sweeps, with 202 points. The event was held at Pittsburg High School.

“For not being able to go out in over a month due to bad weather, this team really did an outstanding job!,” said forensics teacher, Angella Curran.

 

The following students placed:
(* indicates state qualifiers)

 

*Brooklyn Lyons placed 4th in prose and 1st in Program Oral Interpretation

*Elizabeth Ngatia place 2nd in poetry and 1st in Original Oratory.

*Hunter Adamson placed 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation.

*Karina Kantilal placed 2nd in Program Oral Interpretation.

*Rebekah Sweyko placed 1st in impromptu and 2nd in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking.

*Shekhar Gugnani placed 1st in Foreign Extemporaneous.

*Reaghn Dowell placed 2nd in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking.

Neil Gugnani placed 6th in Impromptu.

Karina Kantilal and Audra McFarland placed 5th in duo.

Thade Yates placed 3rd in Info 10.

Audra McFarland placed 6th in Dramatic Interpretation.

Dalton Womeldorff placed 5th in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking.

 

 

Government, Kansas

Senator Hilderbrand’s Weekly Newsletter Feb. 22

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February 22, 2019∙ Week Six
HARD FACTS
·       The Kansas Department of Corrections recently discovered that 591 inmates have tested positive for Hepatitis C, an infection that damages the liver. It is estimated that treatment for inmates will be roughly $9 million (Wichita Eagle).
Learn Online with Universal Class
Universal Class https://kslib.info/uclass offers over 500 lifelong learning courses in more than 30 areas of study at no charge. Join a full course with instructors and readings or just watch the lecture videos to brush up on a topic. The wide range of courses offers something for everyone: from accounting to yoga, babysitting to parenting, cake decorating to computer training.
Easy registration and self-supplied password is necessary to use this resource and allows you to resume your work. If the page above asks for a Kansas Library eCard number, you may get one at any library in Kansas. Most people will be automatically recognized as being in Kansas and will not need this step.  Questions: contact the State Library at [email protected] or 785-296-3296.
FLOOR ACTION
EXPIRATION DATE OF RISK-BASED CAPITAL INSTRUCTIONS(SB 28): Senate Bill 28 changes the date specified in the Insurance Code for risk-based capital (RBC) instructions promulgated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for property and casualty companies and for life insurance companies. The instructions currently specified became effective on December 31, 2017. The bill would update the effective date on the RBC instructions to December 31, 2018. This bill passed the Senate 40-0(I voted in favor of this bill).
EXEMPTING CERTAIN DOMESTIC INSURERS FROM FILING ENTERPRISE RISK REPORTS (SB 66): Senate Bill 66 modifies registration requirements in the Insurance Holding Company Act related to filing exemptions for enterprise risk reports. SB 66 requires enterprise risk reports filed by the controlling person of every insurer subject to registration, to be appropriate to the nature, scale, and complexity of the insurer. The bill also exempts the ultimate controlling person of domestic insurance from submitting an enterprise risk report if the domestic insurer is authorized, admitted, or eligible to engage in the business of insurance only in Kansas with total direct and assumed annual premiums less than $300 million; unless the ultimate controlling person of the domestic insurer also controls other insurers not meeting the requirements of the section. Stating that an insurer is not considered to be authorized, admitted, or eligible to engage in the business of insurance only in Kansas if the insurer directly or indirectly writes or assumes insurance in any other manner in another state. This bill passed the Senate 40-0(I voted in favor of this bill).
M DRIVER’S LICENSES OPERATING UNDER TEMPORARY PERMIT (SB 17): Senate Bill 17 removes an exception for motorcycles operated with a temporary registration permit from requirement for each operator of a motor vehicle in Kansas to hold a license classified for the operation of the motor vehicle. Previous law stated that any person operating a motorcycle registered in Kansas shall be the holder of a class M driver’s license; except when any person is operating a motorcycle that is registered under a temporary permit. This bill passed the Senate 40-0(I voted in favor of this bill).
CLAIMS AGAINST THE STATE (SB 25): Senate bill 25 authorizes expenditures of $82,886 in FY 2019 to pay claims against the State of Kansas. This bill passed the Senate 40-0(I voted in favor of this bill).
APPROACH OF AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE (SB 40): Senate Bill 40 removes language requiring a law enforcement officer to issue a warning citation from, and after, the effective date of the act, and prior to July 1, 2001. This is for provisions requiring a driver to move into a nonadjacent lane or, if changing lanes is not possible or unsafe, proceed with due caution upon approaching an authorized emergency vehicle or police vehicle using flashing or hazard warning lights. This bill was passed and placed on the Consent Calendar 40-0(I voted in favor of this bill).
SEAT BELT USE IN TRAFFIC INFRACTION (SB 41): Senate Bill 41 amends the Uniform Act Regulating Traffic to specify the violation of law that requires seat belt use by occupants ages 14 and older in passenger cars or autocycles. This will now be considered a traffic infraction. This bill was passed and placed on the Consent Calendar 40-0(I voted in favor of this bill).
KANSAS FARM BUREAU MEMBER HEALTH CARE BENEFITS (SB 32): Senate Bill 32 allows the Kansas Farm Bureau to establish a health care benefit that offers coverage specifically for Farm Bureau members in Kansas. Senate Bill 32 aims to reduce the number of uninsured Kansans by creating competition and free-market options for health care. Senate Bill 32 is the Farm Bureau’s solution to addressing the critical need for KFB members to find affordable health care coverage. A recent study pointed out that 65 percent of agriculture producers view health care as the number one threat to the future of their operation. This bill passed the Senate 28-11(I voted in favor of this bill).
REPORTING OF MISSING FOSTER CARE CHILDREN
On Thursday, the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee held hearings for Senate Bill 162, which would require foster care contractors to inform the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) within 24 hours if any child in the foster care system goes missing. The bill would give DCF 48 hours to then inform legislators, the governor and media about missing children. In addition, SB 162 would compel DCF to fine their private contractors $500 daily for violations of the proposed disclosure law.
The legislation, which was drafted by Senator Molly Baumgardner (R-Louisburg), comes after multiple reports over previous years about missing children in DCF. Sen. Baumgardner expressed the need for the Kansas Legislature to address this crisis within the state. Currently, there are around 7,500 children within the Kansas foster care system.
ONLINE EDUCATION AND DEDICATED MCO FOR FOSTER CARE CHILDREN
On Wednesday, the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee held hearings for Senate Bill 122. Senate Bill 122 would require the Kansas Department of Education to track academic records, make online access available and provide a laptop for high school students in the foster care system as they transfer from one school to the next. SB 122 would also have a nonprofit managed care organization (MCO) serve Kansas foster care children under the umbrella of Medicaid.
NEXT WEEK
Monday –
·      Hearing on: Senate Bill 178, sales tax exemption for nonprofit integrated community care – [Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee; February 25 at 9:30 am]
·      Hearing on: Senate Bill 179, increasing the married tax filer income threshold for the subtraction modification for social security income – [Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee; February 25 at 9:30 am]
·      Hearing on: Senate Bill 93, establishing restrictions on the use of step therapy protocols by health insurance plans – [Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee; February 25 at 9:30 am]
·      Hearing on: Senate Bill 124, prohibiting the state corporation commission from authorizing certain charges for electric service – [Senate Utilities Committee; February 25 at 1:30 pm]
Tuesday –
·      ON FLOOR ALL DAY
Wednesday –
·      ON FLOOR ALL DAY
Thursday –
·      ON FLOOR ALL DAY
Friday –
·      NO SESSION
Thank You for Engaging
Thank you for all your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. Constituent correspondence helps inform my decision-making process and is taken into great consideration when I cast my vote in the Kansas Senate. I hope you’ll continue to engage with me on the issues that matter most to you, your family, and our community. If you are on Twitter or Facebook, I encourage you to follow along with the #ksleg hashtag for real-time updates on legislative happenings in Topeka.
Please know that I am fully committed to addressing the current issues in our state, and I am proud to be your voice in the Kansas Senate.

Bourbon County Local News