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Public Chance to Give Input on Westar Rate Raise June 28
What: Kansas Corporation Commission Public Hearing on Westar’s rate change request
When: Thursday, June 28, 2018
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. CDT
Where: Wichita State University
Lowe Auditorium, Hughes Metropolitan Complex
5015 E. 29th St. N.
Wichita, Kansas
This public hearing will provide Wichita area residents with the opportunity to speak directly to Commissioners and share their thoughts regarding the proposed rate change. A complete copy of
Westar Energy’s Application and supporting testimony is available on the Commission’s website.
The Commission will accept public comments through 5 p.m. CDT, July 18, 2018. In addition to attending the hearing, there are three convenient ways to submit a comment:
1) Go to the KCC website (www.kcc.ks.gov) and click on the “Your Opinion Matters” link to
submit a comment.
2) Send a written letter to the Kansas Corporation Commission, Office of Public Affairs and
Consumer Protection, 1500 SW Arrowhead Road, Topeka, KS 66604-4027. Be sure to
reference Docket No. 18-WSEE-328-RTS.
3) Call the Commission’s Public Affairs office at 1-800-662-0027 or 785-271-3140.
Bourbon County Commission Special Meeting June 28
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
2nd Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Thursday starting at 8:30 a.m.
Date: June 28th, 2018
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________
3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
8:30-Special meeting with Bourbon County Attorney
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
Eureka Tornado Damage Update
EUREKA EMERGENCY RESPONSE UPDATE
The State Emergency Operations Center continues to coordinate response to Eureka after an E-3 tornado struck the city on June 26. Recovery operations will cease from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. to ensure the safety of those working in the area. Security will remain on-site overnight.
Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, the director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management and the adjutant general, and Kansas Department of Transportation’s Secretary Richard Carlson and Deputy Secretary Bryon Harden traveled to Eureka earlier today to tour the damage. They were joined this evening by Governor Dr. Jeff Colyer and visited with local authorities on the response and recovery efforts.
Volunteers will begin citywide cleanup in all areas on Thursday, June 28 at 7 a.m. Volunteers should check in at the Matt Samuels Community Building before starting cleanup.
Westar Energy is reporting 2,800 customers still without power and they are actively working to restore power to all customers. Westar reports that in storms, sometimes the hardware that houses the electric meter and the wires that feed electricity into a home or business can become detached. This is the square metal box and connecting pole on the side of the house or building. If the hardware is damaged, Westar cannot reconnect the service line between the house and the power grid because it’s not safe. The homeowner is responsible for hiring an electrician to make these repairs before power can be restored to the residence.
The American Red Cross shelter remains open at the Methodist Church, 521 N. Main Street, and is also serving as a cooling station for residents. The Red Cross and Operation BBQ are providing mobile canteen operations on site. The American Red Cross is also providing cooling tents for volunteers on-site.
The Kansas Task Force provided search and rescue capabilities overnight and demobilized at 11 a.m. on June 27.
Mutual aid has been provided by Butler, Coffey and Lyon Counties.
Butler County Community Emergency Response Team will be coordinating a Volunteer Reception Center.
Verizon Wireless has deployed their COLT (Cell On Light Trucks) which will be operational on Thursday.
The Kansas Division of Emergency Management deployed the following assets to Eureka:
– GIS Response Vehicle
– Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Support Team
– Advance Incident Management Team (IMT), followed by a full Incident Management Team
– KDEM Response Liaison and Regional Coordinator to support incident command and county emergency management
– Communications on Wheels
– Resource Accountability Tracking Team
– Public Assistance Support for damage assessment and debris management
The SEOC will scale back activation overnight to a staff duty officer and will resume full activation at 7 a.m. Thursday morning.
Lowell Milken Fellows Given Key To The City
The Lowell Milken Center (LMC) for Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott, Kansas has awarded its Fellowship to 12 educators this year.
This week six fellows were given the key to the city by Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin and Mayor Jolynne Mitchell. Last week also six fellows were honored in this way.
The Lowell Milken Center For Unsung Heroes, located at Wall and Main in downtown Fort Scott, has been a part of the renewing of the downtown area, Dave Martin told the LMC Fellows in welcoming them to the city.
The Fellows were presented with a key to Fort Scott and a welcome bag.
This week Lauren Jensen from Virginia, Penny Harth from Oklahoma, Katie Craven from Minnesota, Paula Franklin from Tennessee, Thomas Dennison and Nikos Giannopoulos were the Fellows that came to Fort Scott.
The Center selects model teachers from across America and Europe, drawn from a variety of disciplines, to collaborate on projects that discover, develop, and communicate the stories of Unsung Heroes in history, according to a press release from the center.
See the center’s Facebook page at
Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports June 22-26
The Fort Scott Police Department 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:
U.S. Hwy. 54 Closed Near Eureka Because of Tornado Damage
EMERGENCY RESPONSE UNDERWAY IN EUREKA
Search and rescue efforts continue in Eureka and local officials are conducting damage assessments following tornado damage last evening.
Westar crews have arrived in Eureka and will be cutting power while working towards restoration. They are working diligently to restore power.
The Kansas Department of Transportation has closed Highway 54 from mile marker 287 to mile marker 266 and will be manning the detour.
Two KDEM Public Assistance representatives and one Kansas Department of Health and Environment representative arrived in Eureka to start debris damage assessment.
Search and Rescue teams are on-site and are assisting local authorities.
The American Red Cross is asking anyone affected by the tornado to register at their Safe and Well website at https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php or calling 1-800-RED CROSS. The Safe and Well website can also be used to check on family members in the affected area.
A tornado struck the community of Eureka in Greenwood County at approximately 7:31 p.m., June 26. Search and rescue efforts are underway and local officials are conducting damage assessments.
Gov. Jeff Colyer declared a State of Disaster Emergency proclamation at 8:33 p.m. Greenwood County declared a state of local disaster. The State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka was activated to coordinate the response of state agencies. Personnel from the Kansas Division of Emergency Management are in contact with Greenwood County emergency management officials to respond to requests for assistance.
The American Red Cross has opened a shelter for displaced residents at the Methodist Church, 521 N. Main Street in Eureka.
The Kansas Highway Patrol was on the scene and providing security and manning roadblocks.
Last night there were are approximately 5,700 Westar Energy customers that are without power.
State agencies that are represented in the State Emergency Operations Center include the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, the Kansas National Guard, Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Fire Marshal and Department of Children and Family Services
.The Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM), a division of The Adjutant General’s Department, is asking all concerned citizens wishing to assist with rescue and recovery efforts in Eureka to please stay home until asked.
Supreme Court Rules on Free Speech and Abortion
Governor Jeff Colyer Issues Statement in Response to Today’s Supreme Court Ruling on Free Speech and Abortion
“I was both thankful and encouraged to see today’s ruling by the United States Supreme Court in favor of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, which struck down an unconscionable law that had forced pro-life pregnancy centers to assist in the promotion of abortion. This ruling serves as an important reaffirmation of religious freedom, and I am hopeful that the court will continue to rule in favor of freedom of conscience and uphold the 1st Amendment.”
South End of Hwy.69 Project Traffic Switch July 2
Traffic switch on U.S. 69 expansion next week
The week of July 2 the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) plans to switch head-to-head traffic to the newly completed two lanes along a one-mile section of the U.S. 69 expansion project in Bourbon County. The transition will occur on the south end of the project, where the speed limit will be reduced to 50 miles per hour.
The traffic switch is being made so that work can begin to rehabilitate the bridge and approaches on the existing two lanes. The overall U.S. 69 expansion will widen the highway to a four-lane upgradable expressway from Fort Scott south for six miles to the Bourbon-Crawford county line. Koss Construction Company of Topeka is the primary contractor at a cost of $21.7 million. The project is expected to be completed in late 2018.
KDOT reminds drivers to watch for the signs and reduce speed through the work zone. Persons with questions may contact Darrin Petrowsky at the KDOT Iola office, (620) 365-2161, or Priscilla Petersen at the Chanute KDOT office, (620) 902-6433.
Obituary Of Melvin Endicott
Melvin Earl Endicott, a resident of Fort Scott, KS, died Friday, June 22, 2018, in Joplin, MO, at Mercy Hospital.
He was born June 20, 1929, the son of Earl Leonard Endicott and Melva Mae (Koppa) Endicott near Savonburg, KS. He graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1947, from Fort Scott Junior College in 1948, and from Kansas State University in 1955, as a civil engineer.
He married Betty (Beadell) Endicott September 17, 1950. Melvin served in the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army National Guard, the U.S. Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force from which he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He worked as a civil engineer for the Missouri Highway Department and the Texas Highway Department. He enjoyed flying his Paper Apache, researching genealogy, and collecting classic cars.
Melvin was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
Survivors include his wife Betty Endicott, his children Gary Endicott and wife, Diana, of Bronson KS, and Alicia Dye and husband, Charles, of Claremore OK; grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Also surviving are two sisters.
Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct graveside services at 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 2, in the U. S. National Cemetery.
Military honors will be conducted by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard. Friends and family will meet at the cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott KS. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports June 26
New Life To Condemned Building
The building at the corner of Scott and Wall streets has seen better days.
But with the purchase of the property formerly known as the “The Spoiled Brat” building, there will be new activity. Spoiled Brat was the name of the beauty salon that was located there years ago.
Roy and Jody Hoener own the property now.
The Hoener’s envision this to be breathing new life into a previously condemned structure that sits at a gateway to Fort Scott.
The Hoener’s own The Hole In the Wall Liquor Store, currently located at 13 W. Oak.
The business has been in the family for three generations, Roy Hoener said.
“My grandpa, Roy Louderman, bought the business in 1985,” Roy said. “My mother, Connie Hoener, bought the one-half interest in 2005. In 2015 Jody and I took it over from my mom when she retired.”
But come October they are hoping to be moved to the new site at 124 E. Wall, Jody Hoener said.
“We are doing pretty good on the timeline,” Roy said.
Over the next month’s several local businesses will be helping the Hoeners transform the once blighted and deteriorating building into the store and in addition, apartments on the second floor.
The liquor store will be 24 by 84 foot in dimensions, Roy said, with the apartment space above having the same dimensions.
“We are trying for two apartments,” Roy said. “That will be down the road.”
Behind, to the south of the store, will be an event space, Roy said.
“It will be for wine tastings, etc.,” he said
Those businesses hired by the Hoeners are Hofer and Hofer and Associates Inc.-general contractor, Agricultural Engineering Associates-structural engineers overseeing the entire project, RII Concrete Construction LLC-steel work outside, Geiger Plumbing-plumbing, KTK Electric LLC-HVAC and new wiring and lights, Great Expectations LLC Restoration Company—inside floor joists, Murphy Roofing-roof, Kirby’s Cabinets-counter and display, Miles Woodworking-shelving, and Perry Cannon-interior painting.
Contact info for the public is Facebook: Hole in The Wall Liquor; or on the web: http://hole-in-the-wall-liquor.business.site/ or by phone: 620-215-0016.