Medicalodges Fort Scott is sponsoring a drive-up meal fundraiser to provide Christmas presents to its residents from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, November 9.
The facility is located at 915 S. Horton. Orders can be placed by calling 620-223-0210.
The fundraiser meal consists of chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, a roll and dessert.
Delivery is available for orders of 10 or more,
Drive-up service is under the canopy on the south end of the building. The order is taken and delivered to the car.
Dave and I left early Sunday morning to drive to our winter home in Mazatlán, Mexico, with high hopes of relaxing, working at the orphanages and catching up with dear friends. We were grateful there were only a few problems (Dallas traffic-NUTS!) in the twelve-hour ride from Fort Scott to Lytle, Texas, where we spent the night, approximately two hours from the border. That evening, friends began texting warnings of Hurricane Willa which was to hit Mazatlán Tuesday evening. We figured that, with an early start on Monday, we could beat the storm and be there mid-day Tuesday to protect our property.
We have no common sense.
Dave and I left Lytle at 7:00 A.M. and two hours later pulled over just short of the immigration office in order to find our passports and documents to present to the guards. Upon NOT finding my backpack which held my passport (not to mention, my laptop and cash), I was a little desperate when I spoke. “Dave, didn’t you say that you were bringing my luggage to the car this morning, and the ONLYthing I was to get was my water bottle?”
“I said I would get your suitcase and reminded you to get your water. That didn’t mean that was the ONLY thing you were to get.”
“Swell,” I growled. “My backpack, the backpack that I assumed you carried to the car, is in the hotel room. We have to go back.”
Two hours to return to our hotel. Do the math. An EXTRA four hours of driving before even crossing into Mexico. Dave was nonplussed about the entire ordeal. I wanted to bang my head into the dashboard. Four hours seemed like ten.
Around noon we registered our truck and had our documents approved. At 12:30 we were greeted with the Mexico Red Light, meaning we would be delayed as our vehicle had to be inspected, X-rayed and designated drug-free. So, at 1:30 P.M. instead of 9:00 A.M., we were in Mexico. The hurricane was five hours closer than when we started.
At dark, we settled in a hotel room the size of a storm shelter, figuring we now could arrive in Mazatlán around 4:00 P.M. the following day, beating Willa by five hours. WRONG! Text alerts and emails kept us posted on the dangers ahead. People were evacuating Mazatlán and heading for Durango, a city on the other side of the mountains…the mountains we still needed to cross. Should we proceed, we would be driving into 120 mile-per-hour winds and flooded streets. Electricity would be turned off, water polluted and tree damage severe.
When it dawned on us that we really did lack common sense, Dave and I stopped in Durango to spend the night. From there, we continued to receive the devastating news of what awaited us in Mazatlán. Because our condo is on the bottom floor, I pictured our furniture floating, smashing through windows and drifting into the Pacific. But by morning, the forecast changed. Willa had altered courses and missed Mazatlán completely.
There was more good news. The hotel concierge reported that the toll roads now were open which was fortunate since they had been closed the day before. We couldn’t have made the drive even if we dared to! Today was a different story.
In retrospect, it was a blessing my backpack was left in the Lytle hotel room. Those four hours lost possibly prevented us from determinedly pressing forward on our trip, causing us to be on the mountain pass when it was closed.
I wonder how old I will have to be before I live out Paul’s writing to “give thanks in all circumstances.” I could have spent those four extra hours singing praises to God instead of pouting. I’m expecting there to be many more times of testing before I have the common sense to know that God is always working for good, even when I’m not.
TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel is pleased to announce the new child welfare grantees. The new Case Management grant was divided into eight catchment areas, whereas in the current structure, there are only four catchment areas. The new Case Management providers are:
Catchment Area 1—Saint Francis Ministries (previously known as Saint Francis Community Services)
Catchment Area 2—Saint Francis Ministries
Catchment Area 3—KVC Kansas
Catchment Area 4—TFI
Catchment Area 5—Cornerstones of Care
Catchment Area 6—KVC Kansas
Catchment Area 7—Saint Francis Ministries
Catchment Area 8—TFI
The Family Preservation grant catchment areas will continue to align with the four DCF Regions—West, Wichita, Kansas City and East. The new Family Preservation providers are:
West Region—Eckerd Connects
Wichita Region—Eckerd Connects
East Region—Eckerd Connects
Kansas City Region—Cornerstones of Care
Currently, there are two providers providing both Case Management and Family Preservation services to the entire state. Moving forward, there will be four Case Management providers and two Family Preservation providers.
DCF posted the child welfare RFP’s May 31, which included substantial changes from the current child welfare contracts. DCF developed the improved child welfare grants to address known issues within the Kansas foster care system after receiving input from the public, legislators and stakeholders.
“The new child welfare grants include substantial changes—we are putting Kansas children and families first and emphasizing contractor accountability and oversight,” DCF Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel said. “We carefully designed the new grants to positively change the landscape of child welfare in Kansas, and just as purposefully, we chose providers we believed would best serve the needs of children and families.”
DCF awarded the new child welfare grants following an extensive and robust review process. Two internal DCF teams, consisting of DCF staff from across the state, analyzed and blind-scored each bid submission offsite for three days at the end of August. The agency then entered negotiations with bidders in September, and continued internal discussions into October.
As part of the bid process, each applicant was required to submit a six-month transition plan in order to establish a seamless changeover and continuity of services for Kansas children and families. In addition, DCF has formed internal oversight teams to help support the current and future providers as they transition. The agency is also seeking feedback, both internally and externally, from those who have experienced a contract change before to ensure a smooth transition. To share suggestions, concerns or thoughts, visit http://www.dcf.ks.gov/Agency/pubcomments/Pages/Child-Welfare-Grant-Transition.aspx.
“I am confident that services to Kansas children and families will improve with the new child welfare grants because we have removed conflicts of interest and increased competition, bringing more providers to the table to provide quality, timely services,” Governor Jeff Colyer said. “These new grants will serve as the foundation for enacting true reform in Kansas child welfare.”
Transitions will start January 2019 and the new providers will begin serving Kansas children and families July 1, 2019.
Governor’s Water Conference Deadline Fast Approaching
The Conference Agenda Has Been Posted on the Kansas Water Office Website
The Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas will be Tuesday, November 13 and Wednesday, November 14, at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center in Manhattan, Kansas. Registration price increases after November 1.
This is the seventh year for the conference and building off last year’s success, there will be keynotes in the morning on Day 1 including Tom Kula, Executive Director of North Texas Municipal Water District, Tim Hardman, World Wildlife Fund and breakout sessions in the afternoon.
The conference topics include:
Reservoir Management to Meet Growing Demands
Market Forces That Influence Conservation and Management Practices
Infrastructure for the Future
Water Technology Farms and Ogallala Aquifer Impacts
Kansas Water Vision Implementation
Why Does Navigation Matter to Kansas
The fourth Water Legacy Award will be presented at the conference Tuesday morning and ‘Be the Vision’ nominees will be recognized as well.
To view the brochure for a current list of speakers and panelists visit: www.kwo.ks.gov
Day two will build on the water policy, funding and vision implementation discussions from the previous day with technical presentation talks and posters. Graduate and undergraduate students will also present their research.
Anyone who has an interest in our state’s water resources, legislators, water managers, state, federal, city and county officials as well as scientists, organizations and agricultural producers are all welcome and encouraged to attend.
Registration is available online at www.kwo.ks.gov. The deadline for regular pricing is November 1! Conference details, brochure, speakers, sponsors and hotel information can be found online as well.
The Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas is hosted by the KWO, K-State /Kansas Water Resource Institute. Major sponsors for the event include Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock.
If accommodations are needed for persons with disabilities, please notify the KWO, (785) 296-3185, at least five working days prior to the meeting.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce presents the 15th Annual Forks & Corks tasting event of the year! Come out SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd for a great night of tastings, auctions, raffles and more!
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend the 15th Annual Forks & Corks event. Forks & Corks is one of the most popular events among Fort Scott locals and visitors!
Forks & Corks is one of three primary fundraisers the Chamber hosts annually to benefit our mission to support business, build community, and promote spirit.
This is a tasting event where Fort Scott restaurants and caterers are invited to share tasting of several of their popular items. Standard Beverage will be present to provide tasting of numerous wines, beers and liqueurs. Awards will be presented, and the evening will end with a silent and live auction.
Please contact the Chamber at (620)223-3566 if you have any questions.
Tickets to this event are available for purchase at the Chamber – 231 E. Wall St. (open Saturday until 4pm) or at the door of the event.
THE FORT SCOTT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INVITES YOU TO SHOW OFF YOUR BEST HOME-MADE SALSA AT THE 15TH ANNUAL FORKS AND CORKS TASTING EVENT, THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, AT THE MEMORIAL HALL, FROM 6:30PM-9:00PM
Do you have what it takes to be the “Salsa Master”? Prove it by bringing two 1 qt. containers of your best homemade salsa to be judged at the Forks & Corks tasting event! One container will be for the judging, and the second container will go into the Salsa Auction. The winner will receive a personalized award and bragging rights. Bring on the heat!!
Salsa may be dropped off at the Chamber, 231 E. Wall St., until 5 pm Friday, or Memorial Hall, 1 E. Wall St., until 4 pm Saturday. Please call the Chamber at 620-223-3566 to let us know you’ll be participating.
Fiscal year tax collections exceed previous year by $183.49 million
TOPEKA—Fiscal year tax collections have exceeded previous year’s totals by $183.49 million according to data from the latest revenue report released Thursday.
Fiscal year 2019 tax collections so far total $2.20 billion, exceeding estimates by $105.60 million.
October tax collections were up $10.71 million, or 2.14 percent over last year. October’s tax collections exceeded expectations for the month by $6.99 million.
Individual income tax collections in October totaled $242.29 million which is $12.88 million or 5.61 percent above the same time last year. October sales tax collections fell short of last October’s collections by $3.88 million.
One of the St. Martin’s Academy boys rappeling at Looking Glass Arch, near Moab, Utah. Courtesy photo.
St. Martin’s Academy, a new Catholic boys boarding school started its inaugural school term in Moab, Utah in September.
The staff and students spent six days canoeing, technical rock climbing and exploring, during the first days of the school year.
” It was a time of intense bonding and camaraderie, and life-long friendships were born,” Daniel Kerr, founder of the school said in a newsletter.
St. Martins’ Academy, Oct. 2018, is still in the construction stage.
The school campus is still under construction, with a tentative completion date for the first building, Theotokos Hall, by late spring 2019, according to Patrick Whelan, headmaster of the academy.
Meanwhile the students/faculty are staying in the Levine House on South National until the facility is complete.
“We have 18 students this year, eight freshmen and ten sophomores,” Whelan said. “We have students from all over the country including Virginia, Georgia, Texas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, etc.”
” We have a relatively large staff (12) due to the 24 hours per day supervision requirements,” Whelan said. ” We have four residential staff that we call House Fathers. They live in the same building as the students and are responsible for supervising all daily activities.”
“St. Martin’s is unique in that it is neither a prep school for the socio-economic elite nor is it a reform school for young men with behavioral problems,” Kerr noted in a recent newsletter.
The platform-tent at Camp Kapaun on the campus of St. Martin’s Academy, located on Indian Road, serves as a classroom each morning for Natural History, Liturgy, Ancient History and Latin lessons. Courtesy photo.Courtesy photo. Coach Simon Webster said many of the St.Martin’s Academy freshmen and sophomore boys had never played soccer. The school ended with a winning record and had competed against varsity level teams.Courtesy photo. Two St. Martin’s students take a turn milking Sweet Molly Brown, a Jersey cow. St. Martin’s Academy students participate in daily chores. The first two weeks of work, students butchered rabbits, castrated hogs, bucked two fields of alfalfa hay and milked cows.
These are the faculty and staff of the school:
Chris DeCleen age 24 is from Indiana and earned a degree in philosophy from Ave Maria University in 2017. He teaches Freshman History.
Joseph Free, age 23, is from Massachusetts and earned a degree in the Humanities and Liberal Studies from Ave Maria University in 2018. He teaches music and is assistant rugby coach.
Joshua Mincio, 20, is from California and interned at a monastery in Oklahoma before joining us this fall. He teaches advanced Latin.Simon Webster, 20, is from Texas and comes from the University of Houston Business College. Simon is the head soccer and rugby coach and athletic director.
Faculty:
Travis Dziad and his wife Margi come from Ave Maria University where Travis is ABD in a Ph.D. in Theology. He serves as the Residential Dean and teaches Algebra and History.Daniel Kerr is from Fort Scott and is the owner and co-founder of Adjuster Pro. Dan is the president and co-founder of St. Martin’s Academy; he leads development efforts and teaches Natural History.Kenneth Klassen is from Fort Scott. He holds a Ph.D. in literature from the University of Kansas and has taught a variety of subjects for over 30 years. He teaches Literature and Geometry.Ronald Klassen is from Fort Scott, holds a Masters degree in Classics, and has taught in public and private schools for over 30 years. He is the head Latin teacher.Sebastion Macik and his wife Erin come from Dallas, TX where Seb taught and served as an EMT. He is the chef.Fr. Bob McElwee is from Pittsburg, KS holds several Masters degrees and is a retired priest in the diocese of Wichita. Fr. McElwee is the Chaplain and teaches all Religion classes at the academy.
Michael Taylor and his wife, Jenna, recently moved to Fort Scott from Mound City, KS. Mike has worked as a hunting guide in Alaska and in various dairies for over a decade. Mike is the Farm Foreman and teaches leather-working and pottery.
Patrick Whalen and his wife, Kristi, moved to Fort Scott last year from St. Louis. Patrick is the headmaster and co-founder of the academy. He is a Marine veteran, a reserve officer in the Marines, and a Ph.D. candidate at Washington University in St. Louis. Whelan teaches literature at the academy.
Whelan provided the following information about the school:
The curriculum taught at the academy for freshmen: Mythos, Greek Literature, Roman Literature, Pre-History to the Hebrews, Greek Civilization, Roman Civilization, Basic Catechism (The Problem of Evil), Natural History, Algebra 1/Applied Mathematics, Latin 1.
The curriculum for sophomores: Rome and the Incarnation, Medieval Literature 1 and 2, Roman Empire to Late Antiquity, Early Middle Ages, High Middle Ages, The Liturgy, Earth Science, Biology, Geometry/Euclidean Geometry, Latin Advanced.
” In addition to their academics, the boys play soccer in the fall and rugby in the spring,” Whelan said. ” We are currently engaged in the FORT (Functional Outdoor Resilience Training) program which is an outdoorsmanship, fitness, and leadership development program we designed. In their free time, the boys learn folk music, juggle, and enjoy the parks and trails around Fort Scott.”
“All students participate in athletics and a series of Practica that include Leatherworking, Pottery, Drawing, Painting, Cartography, and Gregorian Chant,” according to Whelan.
