Submitted By: Lindsay Madison, Executive Director, and Shirley Palmer
Phone: Lindsay (620) 223-3566 or Shirley (620) 223-4105
Email: lindsay.madison
People Are Urged To VOTE
Election Day is a few short days away on Tuesday, August 7th and the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce would like to make sure your voice is heard loud and clear – but only you can make that happen. Only you can cast your vote!
In order to help you, here are some quick answers to your possible questions.
Can I vote in the August 7th Primary if I am registered as unaffiliated/independent? Yes, but when you go to your polling place, you must declare a party by filling out a voter registration card at that location as either Republican or Democrat. After you vote, you can always go to the courthouse at a later time and change your registration back to unaffiliated/independent.
Where do I vote? To find your polling place, please check with your county clerk or visit https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView/PollingPlaceSearch.do
How do I know if I am able to vote in this election? Visit https://myvoteinfo.voteks/org/VoterView/RegistrantSearch.do and look up your name.
May I still vote early? Yes. Voting early will end at noon on Monday, August 6th.
Where do I vote early in Bourbon County? At the Courthouse, 2nd floor by the County Clerk’s Office.
Why should I vote early? You can avoid crowds and long lines. It’s generally a quick and easy process. No need to worry about last-minute emergencies deterring you from getting to the polling place on August 7th. You don’t have to worry about maybe being bad weather on Tuesday, August 7th. Bragging rights. It feels good.
If you still have more questions. Your best resource for all election questions is your local election officer or County Clerk’s office. Give them a call and they will help!
In an election like this Primary, one vote really can make all the difference! A handful of votes could very well determine the course of our state for years to come.
The Primary Election in Kansas this year is expected to be the biggest turnout in the past 10 years. The high primary turnout prediction is also keyed by Advance Voting before Tuesday’s election day which is setting records each day.
Kansas has a very unique situation this year for a Primary Election. In many of the races, there are several good candidates for each office on both sides of the ticket (Republican and Democrat). Therefore, each vote is very important. Please exercise your “God-given Right” and Go Vote Tuesday, August 7th or before!
The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation is thrilled to announce that the amount of grants available for the upcoming 2018/2019 cycle totals $32,000, exceeding last year’s total by $2,000 and $11,000 more than the previous year. Thanks to the generosity of all who contributed to the FSACF general fund, the interest accrued will allow the grant committee more opportunities to benefit the 501c3 applicants who meet the qualifications.
Monies granted to the 18 beneficiaries from last year’s cycle were used for a variety of causes, including helping to purchase medals for Special Olympics’ Bourbon County participants, providing benefits to cancer patients, assisting the Beacon to meet family needs, funding classes for CASA volunteers and purchasing lights for the local pickle ball courts. A full listing of the 2017 grantees may be found here.
The FSACF 2018 Grant Applications was released on Wednesday, August 1, and is now available on the FSACF website, www.fsacf.com, or may be picked up in person at the Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall St. Nonprofits such as churches, governmental entities, or organizations with a 501c3 status are encouraged to apply.
Applications are due by Tuesday, August 28. Acceptance and declination letters will be mailed on Tuesday, October 16. Grants will be awarded at the Foundation’s Chamber Coffee held in the Landmark Bank lobby at Third and Main at 8 A.M. on Thursday, November 1.
You may click here for the 2018 Grant Application.
You may click here for the FSACF website and to learn more about YOUR Community Foundation.
FSACF Welcomes new board members:
Craig Campbell, Sheryl Bloomfield,
Travis Shelton, and Janet Braun.
Departing board members:
Blake Hudson, Lindsay Madison, Dr. Randy Nichols, Dave Martin, and Steve Buerge served their terms with much dedication to our community.
Ask any current or former FSACF board members about the “Good Works” of this foundation,
there’s much to share.
The Fort Scott Police Department daily reports can best be viewed on a computer.
The FSPD is located at 1604 S. National, Fort Scott, KS 66701 and can be reached at 620-223-1700.
Click below, then click on the image to enlarge it:
James 1:19-20— My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angrybecause human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
When I am involved in a disagreement (argument?), the common denominator in every one of them is always…well, me. Or you, if you are the one involved. Actually, the root of all my problems is me. Or you, if you are the one involved. Think about it. All of us live on a continuum somewhere between gratitude and entitlement with most of our teeter-totters heavily favoring the entitlement side. Maybe not the government-handout entitlement, but just that part of our self-esteem that somehow thinks WE matter most. People should treat us special. Good things are due to us. After all, we work hard. Most people don’t hate us. We’ve never murdered anyone. Surely we deserve some perks for our efforts. Um-hmm. Keep talking.
Pride at its finest.
I imagine it’s thoughts like this that prompted atheist-turned-Christian C.S. Lewis to call pride the “root of all sin.” He’s right. Who of us doesn’t stubbornly want our way? I try not to, but usually, I’m right, so it’s hard to back down. And yes, I am kidding (sort of). Whoever wrote the adage “You can be right, or you can be married” understood the difficulty in two disagreeing people working toward compromise. Pride makes us want to be right. Like I said, we are entitled.
Lord, help us!
Fortunately, He does, and He used Paul to write to the Romans to explain how we adjust on our temperamental teeter-totter. The first eight chapters give us clear instruction that we are saved by faith. The next three chapters are about God’s mercy that we don’t deserve.
Then we hit Chapter 12: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Notice the first word of verse one: “Therefore.” In other words, “Because of what you have just read about God’s mercy and provision in the first eleven chapters, it’s time to do something. For starters, change your stinkin’ way of thinkin’. Stop putting yourself first.
I know that’s possible, but sometimes it is really, really hard.
While I am writing this article, my phone is on hold with Frontier Airlines. For thirty-five minutes I have been listening to classical music while I stew because, after a month of phone calls (always being told they have “higher than normal hold times,”), they disconnect me. My emails have been answered with an “automatic reply,” promising a response within seven days. Not happening.
The problem? The airline canceled Dave’s flight to attend our granddaughter’s June 8th wedding, offering instead to put him on another flight that would get him there seven hours AFTER the wedding started, AND since they have no reciprocal agreements with any other airlines, that was “the best” they could do. Are you feeling my frustration?
And yes, I know that how I handle this phone call (if I don’t die first while listening to Bach) will indicate my level of pride. Will I chew out some poor, underpaid customer service agent or “renew my mind” and be a witness for Christ?
You will be pleased to know that during this incessantly long delay, I am praying for some Godly intervention. I’m pretty confident I know what my choice will be.
KDHE Announces HHS Grant For Adolescents and Young Adults
The grant will be used for the Lifting Young Families Toward Excellence Program
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has been awarded a $941,475 grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Adolescent Health to provide parent education and life-skills support to pregnant and parenting teenagers and young adults through the Lifting Young Families Toward Excellence (LYFTE) project.
Key partners in delivering LYFTE services include the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, the Geary Community Healthcare Foundation and Baby Talk Pregnancy and Newborn Education of Sedgwick County. Program goals include developing a support network for young parents and their families, integrating strategies that reinforce parenting skills and enhance family relationships, fostering the economic stability of young families through education completion and employment, and improving relationship-related skills among young parents.
A comprehensive process and outcome evaluation conducted by the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research (KU-CPPR) will ensure accountability through quality improvement and performance monitoring throughout this project. Grant writing support for this application was also provided by KU-CPPR.
“The LYFTE project provides support for young families to navigate systems, achieve health goals and move toward self-sufficiency,” said Rachel Sisson, Director of the Bureau of Family Health at KDHE. “We are excited to partner with several communities across Kansas to help young families thrive.”
The HHS Office of Adolescent Health awards grants to provide education and life-skills supports through a competitive application and review process. The opportunity, formally known as Support for Expectant and Parenting Teens, Women, Fathers, and Their Families grants, provides funds for programs that implement evidence-based and evidence-informed practices to help young families live full, healthy lives.
From left: Kenneth Collins, Trevor Jacob, and Lawrence Forbach listen while Adam Lusker has a turn answering a question from the moderator of the candidate forum.
The 2018 Candidate Forum took place at Fort Scott High School auditorium Tuesday night, July 31.
The forum lasted fours hours and featured 25 candidates from the national level to the county level. Tim McKenney was the moderator, Mark McCoy the timer.
This feature highlights excerpts from the Kansas House of Representative Candidates for District 2 and District 4.
District 2 Kansas House of Representative Candidates excerpts from opening remarks:
Adam Lusker is the current house representative, married, three children, a lifelong resident of Southeast Kansas, Frontenac.
Kenneth Collins is a military veteran, Air Force, and Army National Guard, divorced, Conservative, pro-life, pro 2nd amendment.
District 4 Kansas House of Representative Candidates opening remarks excerpts:
Trevor Jacob is from Fort Scott, and is pro-constitution, pro-life and is the current District 4 Representative.
Lawrence Forbach was an Eagle Scout, a Navy Veteran, a retired union boilermaker, single, and lives in Mound City.
Question 1: Property Tax Relief?
Lusker: ” We changed last year, about 350 business owners. like my self, put back on the tax rolls… I think that will deal with some of the problems that the sheriff’s office or here in the county are dealing with, as well as local governments.”
Collins: ” I think we should look into it… cut waste from the budget…and bring more business to the state.”
Jacobs: “It’s a matter of being accountable for our spending…We need a vision change and a heart change.”
Forbach: “I don’t know that we can lower, but I think we make them more accountable… It’s not what you spend, it’s what you get for your money.”
Question 2: Are you in support of any tax dollars going toward the funding of abortions?
Collins “Absolutely not.”
Jacobs: “Absolutely not.”
Forbach: “I am pro-choice for women’s rights, but not with taxpayers dollars”.
Lusker: “No, I would not be in favor of paying for that with state dollars.”
Question 3: Kansas Education Spending and how to fund it?
Jacobs: ” Right now Kansas spending on education is over 60 percent of the budget…I think the (local)school board and teachers and parents should have more involvement where that money is being allocated I think it’s best for local control”.
Forbach: “Schools on a local level…are doing bond money to improve their schools, so there is stuff done on a local level…The schools on a state level need adequate funding…That’s where we need to make sure teachers have adequate funding.”
Lusker: “I think we have made some incredible strides this past year to meet those funding needs… I think as money comes in, in the next few months, we’ll be able to fund our schools and meet that requirement…I’ve worked on a school board we stretched every dime we could… we need to give them the all the resources they need.”
Collins: “We should strive to keep funding on par with neighboring states…We are competing with neighboring states with taxes and education…Let local school boards decide what to do with the money they get… I would like to see our schools funded adequately.”
The candidates were allowed closing remarks:
Forbach: “We’ve heard doctors talk about hemp and the proceeds that could come from that, I’ve talked to some of the lobbyists on this and I ‘d like to see the tax revenues that come from this help schools with funds…and school lunches…There are students not having lunches.”
Jacobs: Quoted Ronald Reagan. “There are no easy answers but there are simple ones.” He quoted the Bible, “‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”‘.” We need to be under the authority of God… I believe our rights come from God and not man… I believe in small limited government with accountability to the people.”
Collins: ” I’ve been talking to people…. in different communities. I am going to go talk to ….school boards, teachers, hospitals to see what they need… A state representative is a basic level of state government… The job of the representative is to represent the people.”
Lusker: “I own a masonry company in Frontenac for 25 years… In Topeka, I’ve served in leadership roles in my house minority party… Over the past five years, I have been able to bridge the aisle in the Kansas Legislature… He quoted John Glenn: Don’t tune out, cop out, or drop out don’t give into complacency or cynicism… concentrate building on what is good.”
Modern Woodmen of America representatives Scott Gander and JoLynne Mitchell (front) presented a $2,000 check to assist with the purchase of a new ambulance to Mercy Health Foundation representatives (back row, left-right) Jared Leek, Chris Petty and Tina Rockhold.
Mercy Health Foundation Receives $2,000 for
New Ambulance from Modern Woodmen of America
FORT SCOTT, Kan. (August 2, 2018) – Mercy Health Foundation Fort Scott received a $2,000 matching fund check from the Modern Woodmen of America today to support the purchase of a new ambulance for Mercy EMS.
Jolynne Mitchell and Scott Gander from Modern Woodmen of America presented the check to Mercy Health Foundation Board officers Jared Leek and Chris Petty and foundation executive director Tina Rockhold.
The $2,000 was pledged in April to the foundation by the Modern Woodmen of America as a corporate sponsorship for the Hit the Bricks Wine Stroll, Art Walk, and Blane Howard Concert. In the sponsorship agreement, the Mercy Health Foundation needed to net a minimum of $2,000 in event proceeds to receive the matching $2,000.
Gross revenue for the Hit the Bricks event totaled $22,303.53 which includes the pledge from Modern Woodmen of America, individual contributions, ticket sales and proceeds from 1:1 matching funds collected the night of the event.
“On behalf of the Mercy Health Foundation Board, I want to my express gratitude to everyone who played a role in making the second Hit the Bricks event a success,” said Rockhold. “A huge thanks to the extensive list of people for tremendous teamwork and commitment to hosting the event.”
“We were blessed with beautiful weather for the night but more importantly, we made significant strides to making it possible to purchase a new ambulance for our family, friends, and neighbors who may need emergency care.”
Mercy Health Foundation Board will continue fundraising efforts to collect the remaining $42,879 necessary to purchase the new ambulance. The goal is for the new ambulance to be in service by mid-fall.
The Mercy Health Foundation Fort Scott is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which raises money and community awareness for Mercy Hospital. It is dependent on the support of individuals, corporations and foundations to help Mercy meet community health care needs. Mercy Health Foundation invests its philanthropic support in facilities and the advancement of technologies and programs to enhance Mercy’s ability to provide excellence in health care.
To make a donation, please visit www.mercy.net/giving or call the Mercy Health Foundation office at 620-223-8094.
Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2018, 2017 and 2016 by IBM Watson Health, serves millions annually. Mercy includes more than 40 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, 800 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 44,000 co-workers and 2,100 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In addition, Mercy’s IT division, Mercy Technology Services, supply chain organization, ROi, and Mercy Virtual commercially serve providers and patients in more than 20 states coast to coast.
supply chain organization, ROi, and Mercy Virtual commercially serve providers and patients in more than 20 states coast to coast.
10th Street from Wilson Street to Margrave Street will be closed all day on Tuesday, August 7th, 2018 to repair a water main. Please adjust your route accordingly.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact City Hall at 223-0550.
Fort Scott Presbyterian Villageartists among Art is Ageless® masterpiece level winners
Two winning artists in Fort Scott Presbyterian Manor’s annual Art is Ageless® juried competition will be featured in the 2019 Art is Ageless Calendar produced by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America.
A quilted wall hanging titled Barnyard Beauties by Helen Nuzum and a painting by Aggie Keesling, Welcoming Light, will appear in the calendar when it is released this fall.
In addition, Mary Wood’s piece, Yo Yo Quilt, will be in the Honorable Mention gallery.
Works by local winners are automatically entered into a masterpiece level competition with winning art from 16 other PMMA communities. More than 180 entries were received for this year’s masterpiece competition. The winners are featured in the Art is Ageless calendar and greeting cards.
Art is Ageless, open exclusively to people age 65 and older, is a copyrighted program of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. For the competition, works must have been completed in the past five years.
Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s Art is Ageless program encourages Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor 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 Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s wellness programs, which focus on mental, physical, social and spiritual health. Residents and friends of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s Art is Ageless program are proving that art, in any form, is an ageless ambition.
For more information about Fort Scott Presbyterian contact Becky Kellum Marketing Director at (620)223-5550 or at [email protected]
People begin to file into the Fort Scott High School auditorium for the Candidate Forum July 31
The 2018 Candidate Forum July 31 at Fort Scott High School lasted fours hours and featured 25 candidates from the national level to the county level. Tim McKenney was the moderator, Mark McCoy the timer. The event was sponsored by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
Four candidates are vying for Bourbon County Commission Dist. 1 and were allowed to respond to questions during the forum.
The current Bourbon County Attorney is running unopposed and was allowed a few minutes to give remarks.
Jackie Spradling is running unopposed for the Bourbon County Attorney position she has held since January.
Spradling has been a prosecutor for over 28 years, tried over 120 jury trials and 81 murder trials, she said.
“I stand proudly with Bill (Martin, Sheriff) and Travis (Shelton, Police Chief) and your law enforcement officers in fighting the crime in this community. We have filed more cases so far this year than was filed all of last year. We have also filed more Child In Need Of Care cases so far this year than all of last year. We are trying to hold offenders accountable, protect people who have been victims of crime and take care of the babies and kids who can’t take care of themselves.”
The following are the questions posed to the Bourbon County Commission District 1 candidates and excerpts of their responses.
Opening remarks:
Lynn Oharah is 70-years-old, has a wife and two daughters. He is a veteran, retired from ATT as a manager, was the state representative for two years, USD 235 Board of Education member for 10 years and the current District 1 Commissioner two years. Management experience is what he has to offer in the position.
Clinton Walker is married, has two children and spent 22 years in the military, where he learned to manage people, budget, equipment, facilities, and buildings. “I think that I can make a difference and save taxpayer money,” Walker said.
Matt Crystal served in the military 25 years and moved back to help on the family farm. “Leadership, budgeting, construction is what he brings to the table,” Crystal said.
Robert Query is a rancher and heavy equipment business owner. He served eight years as county commissioner. “I know how to do more, spend less,” Query said.
The candidates answered questions previously submitted to the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
Question 1: The Bourbon County Jail was approved by voters with a cost of approximately 6.4 million dollars, the price has now increased. How do you make sure projects stay on track and not go over budget?
Walker: “You’ve got to be involved in that project. Staying on a budget that’s not hard to do. If you don’t have the money, you don’t buy it…you don’t put it on credit card. ”
Crystal: “You have to stay involved as commissioners. More involved with a contractor that was going to oversee the entire project, so they could stay on track and stay on budget.”
Query: “Involvement with it from day one, when it was going out for bids, I was not for the jail in the first place. We are going to have to be responsible out there to look at every bill… and work with Bill (Sheriff Martin).”
Oharah: “Unforeseen material and labors costs went way up, but we stayed within the parameters of the question on the ballot.” If we didn’t build the jail we would be spending over $300,000 this year to house our prisoners, a total waste of taxpayer money.”
Question 2: Some counties are hiring a manager to handle the daily operations, do you think it makes sense to hire a county manager and then use non-paid elected commissioners to oversee his performance?
Crystal: “I can see some efficiencies in it, however, that’s what the commission is doing and that’s the commission’s job. You can’t manage the county one day a week, you have to be out there to see what else is going on. I don’t think the county could afford to pay a salary that the commission was elected to do.”
Query: “It would be another big salary, we already have too many of those big salary employees at this time.”
Oharah: “I’m not in favor of a county manager. It’s the job of the county commissioners to oversee what is going on. I don’t take benefits from the county. I spend two and a half days a week looking at the county. The equipment we’ve bought has been a benefit to the county.”
Walker: “No it doesn’t make any sense to hire a manager. Lead from the front. I’ll be that leader.”
Question 3: How can you foster economic development in Bourbon County?
Query: “We had strategic planning to meet with us (when he formerly served on the Bourbon County Commission). I think it needs to be put back. The programs at the college are teaching welding and carpentry work and that can create jobs in this deal and that will help with economic development.”
Oharah: “Bourbon County is slated to lose population. We are putting the final touches on our Neighborhood Revitalization Plan. Which is going to give tax refunds for qualified construction projects for new and remodels on homes and farms and businesses.”
Walker: “First, stop buying new equipment, second, internet service we need to have that because you can’t have entrepreneurs come into the county without broadband.”
Crystal: “Airport expansion, could bring in a business. We can’t get people here fast enough. We need new blood, we need new thoughts and fresh ideas.”
Closing remarks by the candidates:
Oharah: “Reduce taxes through economic growth. We have implemented programs that should draw growth. We are Christian, pro-life, 2nd amendment supporters. Why run? I have a passion to see Bourbon County succeed and grow.”
Walker: “Number 1, debt. We don’t maintain vehicles. (in the county).We need to have a good maintenance program for this county. Buy with cash, I don’t want to pass this debt on to the next generation. I’ll manage personnel and equipment.”
Crystal: ” I want to serve my community. I’ll use my 25 years in the military, use that leadership expertise in order to improve the services in the county.”
Query: ” Eight years experience is needed in the county. We need to quit buying more than we can pay for. Bottom line, live within your means, we are the ones who pick up the tab.”
