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Introducing the Candidates: Bryan Hoffman
This is part of a series on introducing the candidates for the November 6 election.
Kansas Senate, 13th District (vote for one)
Bryan Hoffman 370 N. 250th St. Mulberry 66756 Democratic
Richard Hilderbrand 10337 SE 107th Terr. Galena 66763 Republican
Sam Habjan 300 N Cherokee St. Frontenac 66763 Libertarian
Name: Bryan Hoffman
Age: 35
Candidate for the position of Kansas Senate District 13
Place of residence: Mulberry, KS
Current occupation: Job Superintendent – Construction of Roads and Bridges
Community involvement: I have coached little league and I am a member of the producers cooperative in Girard.
Party affiliation: Democrat
1) What is the biggest issue, if elected, and how do you plan to address it?
The biggest issue is expanding access to affordable healthcare with Medicaid expansion. Southeast Kansas needs a leader who will fight to provide Southeast Kansans with access to healthcare by protecting our community hospitals and clinics. We must ensure federal tax dollars paid by Kansas taxpayers are returned and invested right here at home.
2) Give your views on food sales tax:
Kansas has the highest food sales tax in the country, and that’s not okay. I am in favor of lowering the food sales tax rate in order to reduce the burden on hardworking Kansas families.
3) Give your views on legalizing marijuana:
I would be willing to consider legalizing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. I would not be in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana.
4) Give your views on health care for our state, including Medicaid:
Providing Southeast Kansans with access to affordable healthcare means a healthier and more productive workforce. I support expanding Medicaid. In addition to providing more Kansans with access to healthcare, it creates more good-paying jobs and stimulates our economy.
5) Give views on abortion and Planned Parenthood:
I am pro-life. However, abortion is a federal issue because Roe v. Wade is the law of the land.
Pray For Mercy by Patty LaRoche
2 Chronicles 7:14 ~ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Mercy Hospital of Fort Scott, we are told, will close its doors at the end of this year. The news causes many to question how a medical facility that, at one time, was touted as being one of the most respectable, highly-sought providers of medical care in southeast Kansas will no longer exist. Community members are stunned by this decision and saddened for the future of those faithful employees who no longer will have a job.
It is time to pray.
It is time we take this loss to our Heavenly Father and ask Him to perform a miracle. Blaming the powers-that-be or welfare recipients or drug addicts or insurance companies is a natural response (and just a few I have heard), but our best chance to give Fort Scott a chance to resolve this earthly crisis is to pray.
Will you join me in doing that? Today? Right this moment and every time you think of this loss? Will you give God a chance to be God?
You know…
The same God who created the world…and you?
The same God who made it possible for a 90-year old woman to give birth?
The same God who parted the Red Sea for the Israelites and provided manna to them for 40 years?
The same God who delivered Daniel from the snares of the hungry lions?
The same God who joined three faithful men to save them in a fiery furnace?
The same God who sent his son, fulfilling hundreds of Old Testament prophecies, to save this world?
And, if you are reading this article, the same God who has given you another day of life?
God is not surprised by Mercy Hospital’s decision to close. He is not pacing Heaven’s golden streets, wringing His hands, trying to figure out what His next move will be. Quite the opposite, according to evangelist Alan Redpath who wrote the following in the 1950’s: “There is nothing—no circumstance, no trouble, no testing—that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret—for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is!”
Re-read 2 Chronicles 7:14. Let us not waste our time fretting. Let us humble ourselves and seek God’s face, repent and trust that God waits for us to rely on Him.
Let us pray.
Obituary Of George Holt
George Holt, 83, of Uniontown, Kansas passed away Wednesday evening, October 10, 2018 at Country Place Living in Fort Scott. He was born May 6, 1935, in Uniontown, Kansas, the son of Herbert and Beulah (Neth) Holt. He graduated from Uniontown High School in 1953 where he lettered in football and basketball. He married Esther Ann McKee on March 4, 1956, In Uniontown. To this union were born two sons, Brent and Brad. The boys grew up on the family farm north of Uniontown, where their parents worked the land and raised cattle for sixty-two years.
Survivors include his wife, Esther, of the home, a son, Dr. Brent Holt and his wife Cheryl, of Roanoke, Virginia; two grandsons, Logan Holt (Carolina), and Sam Holt, of Christiansburg, Virginia; three step-grandchildren, Trevor, Sean, and Cara, and one great-granddaughter, Fernanda Alison Holt-Salinas. Also surviving is his sister, Nadyne Walker, of Fort Scott, several nieces and nephews, including two special care-givers, Donna Sifers and Marci Williams. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Marilyn Brown, and his beloved son, Brad, who died in 1989.
Private services are under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, with burial in the Uniontown Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Uniontown First Missionary Baptist Church Building Fund, and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, PO Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
Obituary for Linda Susan Toepfer
Linda Susan Toepfer, age 69, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Thursday, October 10, 2018, at the Mercy Hospital Emergency Room in Ft. Scott.
She was born April 18, 1949, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Allan Todd and Dorothy Sackett Todd.
Linda graduated from the Uniontown High School with the Class of 1967. She married Thomas Charles Toepfer; they later divorced.
In earlier years, Linda had worked at Wal-Mart in both Baxter Springs and Ft. Scott. She then attended nursing school at Fort Scott Community College and became a Registered Nurse. She worked as a nurse in Florida and Joplin, Missouri. She later retired from the Bates County Hospital in Butler, Missouri.
Linda was a loving and devoted mother to her three daughters; she worked hard as a single mother to make sure the family’s needs were always supplied. She loved spending quality time with children and grandchildren as well as going to the beach and taking trips to the casinos.
Survivors include her three daughters, Michelle “Shelly” Edwards, of Leawood, Kansas and twins, Kerri Bohlken and husband Randy and Kendell Dawn Mason and husband, Steve, all of Ft. Scott; five grandchildren, Alex Mason (Holli) of Redfield, Kansas, Ashton Mason, of Olathe, Kansas, Jessica Amico (Joey) of Maryland, Max Bohlken (Savannah) of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and Lane Bohlken of Ft. Scott; and a great-granddaughter, Lucy Mason. Also surviving is a brother, Matt Todd and wife, Ezra, of Independence, Missouri.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Following cremation, a graveside service will be held at 3:00 P.M. Monday, October 15th at the Paint Creek Cemetery south of Redfield, Kansas.
The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 2:30 P.M. Monday at the Cheney Witt Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Polycystic Kidney Disease “PKD” Foundation 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.
Introduction To The Candidates: Richard Hilderbrand
This is part of a series introducing the candidates for the November 6 election.
Kansas Senate, 13th District (vote for one)
Bryan Hoffman 370 N. 250th St. Mulberry 66756 Democratic
Richard Hilderbrand 10337 SE 107th Terr. Galena 66763 Republican
Sam Habjan 300 N Cherokee St. Frontenac 66763 Libertarian
Name: Richard Hilderbrand
Age: 49
Candidate for the position of Kansas State Senate, District 13
Place of residence: Galena, KS
Current occupation: Small Business Owner
Community involvement: Local Business Owner, Economic Development, Lions Club, Masonic Lodge #71
Party affiliation: Republican
1) What is the biggest issue, if elected, and how do you plan to address it?
We need fiscal accountability in Topeka.
The biggest issue that we are facing in Kansas is the out of control spending and high taxes. I will continue to fight against the out of control spending budgets that increase spending by $1.1 billion; continue to rob $355 million from our employee’s retirement, and $580 million from our highway funding; cuts $114 million from education funding, and still out spends our revenue by $304 million over two years. I will continue to fight to lower taxes in the state of Kansas, especially our high property taxes, and sales tax.
2 )Give your views on food sales tax:
We are 1 of only 12 states that tax food sales. We have the second highest food sales tax in the nation. This is just down right embarrassing. We have to control our state spending so that we can lower this.
3) Give your views on legalizing marijuana:
I do no support it.
4) Give your views on health care for our state, including Medicaid:
Healthcare like everything else, is becoming more urbanized.
When Obamacare was passed, it cut reimbursement rates for our elderly and disabled by $1 trillion to set up Medicaid expansion to the able-bodied. We have to restore those cuts, so that we can give the most vulnerable the care that they need. We have to continue to cut regulations on hospitals so that they can offer more services in rural areas, such as telemedicine.
5) Give views on abortion and Planned Parenthood:
I am endorsed by Kansans For Life. I would vote in favor of any legislation that would ban, or make it more difficult to kill an innocent unborn child. I don’t have any positive views on Planned Parenthood.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Oct. 11
Medicare Open Enrollment Begins October 15;
Free counseling available from KDADS’ SHICK program
TOPEKA, Kan. – The open enrollment period for Medicare coverage in 2019 begins October 15, 2018, and runs through December 7, 2018.
“Older adults can sign up for Medicare for the first time during this period, and current Medicare consumers can make changes to several aspects of their coverage as well,” said Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Tim Keck. “If you’re already enrolled, this is an opportunity to review your coverage and adjust, as necessary, so it better meets your needs.”
“Earlier this year, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new policies that support increased flexibility of benefits, allowing Medicare Advantage plans to offer innovative coverage that fit the needs of people with Medicare,” Secretary Keck said. “The more affordable choices being made available through this patient-centered approach to health care lead to greater health security for those who need it most.”
During open enrollment, those currently enrolled may:
- Switch from original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or vice versa;
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another or from one Medicare Part D prescription drug plan to another;
- And if you didn’t enroll in a Medicare Part D plan when you were first eligible, you can do so during open enrollment, although a late enrollment penalty may apply.
If you want to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, you must meet some basic criteria:
- You must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and B
- You must live in the plan’s service area
- You cannot have end-stage renal disease (some exceptions apply)
CMS estimates that the Medicare Advantage average monthly premium will decrease by $1.81 in 2019, from an average of $30 in 2018 to $28. Approximately 83 percent of Medicare Advantage enrollees remaining in their current plan will have the same or lower premium for 2019.
If you’re already enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan and you do not want to make changes to your coverage for 2018, you don’t need to do anything during open enrollment, assuming your current plan will still be available in 2019. If your plan is being discontinued and isn’t eligible for renewal, you will receive a non-renewal notice from your carrier prior to open enrollment. If you do not, it means you can keep your plan without doing anything during open enrollment.
Be aware that benefits and premiums could be changing for 2019. So even if you’re confident you want to keep your current coverage for the coming year, it is important to understand any changes that may apply and check to make sure your current plan is still the best available option. The available plans and what they cover change from one year to the next, so even if the plan you have now was the best option when you shopped last year, it is important to verify that again before you choose your plan for another year.
Between January 1 and March 31 each year, those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan have the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) to make a change. Your coverage begins the first day of the month after you enroll in the plan. You must be in an MA Plan already on January 1 to use this enrollment period. There is a coordinating Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to add or drop Part D when switching plans if applicable. You can only make one change during the MA OEP.
Changes to be aware of for 2019 include:
- 58 Medicare Advantage plans are available
- 100 percent of people with Medicare have access to a Medicare Advantage plan
- 26 Medicare prescription drug plans are available with premiums varying from $16.20 to $99.10
- 100 percent of people with a Medicare prescription drug plan have access to a plan with a lower premium than what they paid in 2018
State-by-State Fact Sheets are now available at https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Reach-Out/Find-tools-to-help-you-help-others/MA-Part-D-Landscape-State-by-State.pdf
For more information on these changes and other Medicare-related issues, please contact KDADS’ Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK), a free program that offers Kansans an opportunity to talk with trained, community volunteers and get answers to questions about Medicare and other insurance issues. SHICK has counselors throughout the state that can assist people to stay informed on changing conditions in health care insurance. Call 800-860-5260 for this free counseling service.
SHICK counselors receive training on Medicare, Medicare Supplement Insurance, Long-Term Care and other health insurance subjects that concern older Kansans. The counselors do not work for any insurance company, their goal is to educate and assist the public to make informed decisions on what’s best for each individual situation.
Driving a Holiday Shopping Rush For Your Business
GOOGLE HOLIDAY LIVESTREAM
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Papa Don’s Pizza, 10 N Main St.
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
FORT SCOTT – The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a free Google Livestream event at Papa Don’s Pizza, 10 N Main St. in Downtown Fort Scott. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 17th from 11:00 am to 1 pm.
The live stream focus will be on driving a holiday shopping rush for your business. Learn how your business can get in front of customers and showcase what you offer using Google My Business, Google Ads, and more. Live questions will be taken from viewers.
For more information please contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566.
Fort Scott Special Events Oct. 12-14
Number of Missing or Runaway Foster Care Youth Decreases in Kansas
TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel is pleased to announce a significant decrease in the number of youth who have run away from their foster care placement. On August 31, 2017, there were 86 missing or runaway youth. Comparatively, on August 31, 2018, there were 63, representing a 26.7 percent decrease in the number of missing and runaway youth.
“It is exciting to see a decrease in the number of youth missing or running away from placement, as this was one of my primary focuses when I started at the agency,” Secretary Meier-Hummel said. “I am extremely proud of the work of our Missing and Runaway Youth Investigator unit. We will continue to actively look for these youth because even one child missing from placement is one too many. Ensuring their safety is of the utmost importance.”
While the number of youth who have run away from placement continues to fluctuate on a daily basis, DCF has consistently seen lower numbers, as a result of recent agency initiatives.
Since Secretary Meier-Hummel’s arrival at the agency, DCF has emphasized locating missing and runaway youth. DCF has a team of investigators dedicated to actively looking for these youth and ensuring their safety. On a regular basis, these investigators partner with contract staff and local law enforcement to locate these youth. Secretary Meier-Hummel receives a daily report on youth who are missing or have run away from placement.
Another initiative DCF has recently launched is Missing and Runaway sweeps. During these sweeps, our missing and runaway youth investigators partner with contract staff and local law enforcement to target specific locations to find youth. The agency has conducted these sweeps in Wichita and Kansas City—two of the most populated areas in the state. To date, there have been 880 recovery events.
“On a daily basis, we are working with contacts across the state to search for and locate these youth. Youth that are missing or have run away from placement are at a higher risk of becoming victims of human trafficking, among other issues and that is why the work we do is so vital. We want to help these youth and keep them safe,” Missing and Runaway Youth Investigator Kody Johnson said.
DCF has also recently partnered with the Youth Advocate Program (YAP). YAP comes alongside case managers to be advocates for families. Once in care, a youth is assigned an advocate through YAP that sticks with them regardless of where they go in the state or where they are placed. It is a trust-based relationship between the advocate and the youth. In our partnership with YAP, we will assign every youth that runs away from placement an advocate that can support them, help identify why they run and help prevent them running in the future. With this partnership, we are giving youth that run away from placement a level of safety, security and support through establishing meaningful relationships with their YAP advocate.
Division of Vehicles to Launch Improved Service
TOPEKA—Many Kansas drivers will have the option to renew their license online starting October 23, just one customer service improvement in a list that includes new Monday hours and faster customer processing time, the Division of Vehicles announced Thursday.
The option for some drivers to renew using the iKan mobile application comes alongside the launch of KanLicense, a software program that updates the interface used by driver’s license examiners from an outdated mainframe system to a cloud based application. The modernized software prorgam should decrease customer processing time.
“We are so pleased to jumpstart improved customer service with these new applications,” Director of Vehicles David Harper said. “The combination of these two new platforms set the stage for the long-term reinvention of the process of obtaining or renewing a license or ID across Kansas.”
Starting October 29, the new schedule for most driver’s license offices will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The addition of Monday service, plus the option for mobile renewals and faster counter service should ease pressure and wait times during the week. Opening for service on Saturdays will remain an option during peak times such as spring break.
“We are signifcantly expanding our capacity to serve our customers,” Director Harper said. “We will be open normal business hours everyone is accustomed to, but also offer 24/7 access for renewals on the iKan mobile application.”
Director Harper noted that high demand will remain as Kansans come into the office to upgrade to a Real ID credential ahead of the October 1, 2020 federal implementation date.
“We are modernizing the credential process for the long-term, but many people will still have to come in to get their Real ID before the one-time federal implementation event,” Director Harper said. “We continue to encourage our customers to make sure they have all the documents they need before getting to the office.”
Driver’s and ID holders can use a Real ID checklist at ksrevenue.org/realid to ensure they have the necessary documents.
Driver’s license offices statewide will be closed Saturday, October 20 to prepare for the launch of the KanLicense system.