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, the phone number is 620-223-1700.
Click here, then click on the image to enlarge:
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, the phone number is 620-223-1700.
Click here, then click on the image to enlarge:
Cynthia Katherine Gillispie, 56 of Prescott, Kansas passed away March 20, 2018, at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott, Kansas.
Cremation, with private family interment to be held at a later date. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers are suggested to United Methodist Women in Prescott, Kansas or to the ALS Association (6950 Squibb Road Suite 210 Mission, KS 66202). Arrangements entrusted to the Mullinax Funeral Home (660-679-0009) in Butler, Missouri. Messages of condolence for the family may be left at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.
Cynthia was born July 17, 1961, in Fort Scott, Kansas. She grew up and attended school in Fort Scott. Following high school, she moved to Texas and eventually made her way back to Fort Scott to serve the Police and Sheriff’s Department of Bourbon County and Sheriff’s Department of Linn County for 20 years.
Cindy is preceded in death by her parents Johnny Joe Sheehy and Patricia Ann Burrous, and brother John Sheehy. She is survived by her husband Earl Gillispie, her three daughters Morgan Gillispie, Randie Schlichting, and Kathy Messer; her brothers Tony and Joe Sheehy; and several nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.

The Knights of Columbus Fish Fry organizers have been offering fish during Lent for approximately 25 years at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
This Friday, March 23 is the last evening for the fish fry in 2018.
The fish fry is an observance of Lent in the Catholic Church.
Lent is the period preceding Easter that in the Christian Church is devoted to fasting, abstinence, and penitence in commemoration of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness, according to an online dictionary. It runs from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday and so includes forty weekdays.
“Catholics adhere to no meat on Fridays, as abstaining from meat is a part of Lent,” Mark McCoy, Knights of Columbus member said. “Christ gave his life for us, we are making a small gift back to Him.”
The proceeds from the fish fry go to helping agencies in Fort Scott such as the Beacon, Mother to Mother Ministry and Birthline, McCoy said. “A percentage goes to other helping agencies.”
“We have a great time doing it,” McCoy said. “And there is good food, fun, and fellowship.”
The women of the church bake desserts for the event.
“A lot of people get their dessert first,” McCoy said.


State senator Richard Hilderbrand 13th district
communications from the state capitol
March 16, 2018 ∙ Week Ten
Quote of the Week:
“I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”
― James Madison
HARD FACTS:
Explora is an online resource available from the State Library’s web site: http://kslib.info/students. Click on the grade appropriate icon for assistance with Middle School or High School homework or class assignments. Explora delivers high-quality articles from reputable publishers with no pop-ups or ads. Reading level indicators allow selection of material that matches students’ reading abilities. Broad topic overviews provide students with a starting point for their research.
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 inside Kansas and will not need this step. Questions: [email protected] or 785-296-3296.
FLOOR ACTION:
MOTORCYCLE APPROVED SAFTEY TRAINING CURRICULUM (SUB HB 2194): Substitute for House Bill 2194 would exempt applicants for Class M (motorcycle) driver’s licenses who have completed curriculum recognized by the Kansas Department of Education and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation from completing further written and driving testing by the Division of Vehicles. The bill would require an applicant who completes a motorcycle safety curriculum to provide a copy of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation completion form to the Division of Vehicles prior to receiving a Class M license. The bill would also clarify the driving examination required for licensure shall be administered by the Division of Vehicles, the U.S. Department of Defense, or as part of a recognized curriculum. This bill passed the Senate 40-0.
ALCOHOLIC CANDY (HB 2476): House Bill 2476 defines “alcoholic candy” as any candy or other confectionery product with an alcohol content greater than 1.0 percent alcohol by volume. Alcoholic candy would be subject to regulation by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the Kansas Department of Revenue, and retailers would be required to have a liquor license to sell such products. The bill also would increase an exemption for the alcohol allowed in confectionery products under current law regarding adulterated foods from less than 0.5 percent to not more than 1.0 percent.
The bill would also allow licensed microbrewers in the State to produce beer containing up to 15.0 percent alcohol by weight. Current law prohibits microbrewers from producing beer with more than 10.0 percent alcohol by weight. A microbrewery licensee would be allowed to sell beer manufactured by the licensee in refillable and sealable containers to consumers for off-premises consumption if containers do not contain less than 32 fluid ounces or more than 64 fluid ounces of beer. Licensees would be required to affix labels to all containers sold, which would include the licensee’s name and the name and type of beer in such container. This bill passed the Senate 38-2. (I voted against this bill. This bill will contradict federal law that only allows up to 0.5 percent of alcohol in confectionery products. Without making the necessary changes to protect the vendors in our state, this could leave them vulnerable to prosecution by the federal government.)
EMERGENCY OR CATASTROPHE (HB 2469): House Bill 2469 prohibits local units of government from imposing restrictions or enforcing local licensing or registration ordinances on insurance claims’ handling operations during any catastrophic event threatening life or property. The bill would require insurers to notify the city or county prior to establishing a claims handling operation. Under the bill, a political subdivision would not be prohibited from exercising its police power when necessary to preserve public health and welfare, including, but not limited to, enforcing its building, zoning, and fire safety codes. This bill passed the Senate 40-0.
OFFENDER’S CRIMINAL HISTORY CLASSIFICATION (HB 2567): House Bill 2567 modifies a statute governing determination of criminal history to replace references to “another state” with “the convicting jurisdiction,” clarify the comparable offense to be used for comparison for misdemeanor crimes in another jurisdiction is the offense under the Kansas Criminal Code in effect on the date the current crime of conviction was committed and standardize terminology.
The bill also would add a provision that if a crime is not classified as either a felony or misdemeanor in the convicting jurisdiction, the comparable offense under the Kansas Criminal Code in effect on the date the current crime of conviction was committed shall be used to classify the out-of-state crime as either a felony or misdemeanor. If Kansas does not have such comparable offense, the out-of-state crime would not be used in classifying the offender’s criminal history. This bill passed the Senate 40-0.
TRIBAL REGALIA AND OBJECTS OF CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE AT PUBLIC EVENTS (HB 2498): House Bill 2498 would prohibit state agencies and municipalities from prohibiting any individual from wearing tribal regalia or objects of cultural significance at an event held or sponsored by a state agency or municipality, including, but not limited to, an award ceremony, a graduation ceremony, or a meeting of a governing body. Kansas Legislature declares the purpose of the bill is to help further the State’s recognition of the distinct and unique cultural heritage of Native Americans and the State’s commitment to preserving Native Americans’ cultural integrity. On the effective date of the bill, the Secretary of State would have to send a copy of the bill to each tribal government on the four reservations in Kansas on the effective date of the bill. This bill passed the Senate 40-0.
CHANGING LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE FACILITIES (SB 428): Senate Bill 428 changes the licensure requirements for a child care facility operating in a public recreation center or school. A public recreation center means any building used by a political or taxing subdivision of the state, and does not include child care facilities located in an individual’s residence. This bill passed the Senate 40-0.
CAMPUS FREE SPEECH PROTECTION ACT (SB 340): Senate Bill 340, the Campus Free Speech Protection Act, forbids public universities from creating free-speech zones, requiring students from adopting certain beliefs, and prevents schools from banning speakers based on the content of their speech.
SB 340 was introduced to protect all students’ First Amendment rights and helps to prevent unfair treatment due to students’ individual beliefs. Censorship on college campuses has been an issue throughout the nation in recent years, growing even more common since the 2016 election. The implementation of free-speech zones act as restrictive measures where students are only allowed to express their beliefs or host tabling in designated areas on campus. Legislators argued during debate that as state institutions, students should be allowed to exercise their First Amendment rights throughout the entire campus. This bill failed 20-20 (21 votes are needed to pass). (I voted for this bill. It is very disappointing to know that we were not able to guarantee freedom of speech on our college campuses.)
CLARIFYING JUVENILE OFFENDER REVIEW REQUIREMENTS (HB 2454): House Bill 2454 would amend the statute in the Revised Kansas Juvenile Justice Code governing detention hearings to expand the permitted use of two-way electronic audio-visual communication between the juvenile and the judge. The bill would further amend law related to detention review hearing by adding a provision stating that hearings are not required for a juvenile offender that is held in detention awaiting case disposition. If a juvenile is being held in detention, HB 2454 would require sentencing to take place within 45 days after the juvenile has been adjudicated. This bill passed the Senate 40-0.
PROHIBITING GUN OWNERSHIP TO THOSE CONVICTED OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (HB 2145): House Bill 2145 would prohibit gun ownership to those convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense within the last five years. HB 2145 would also amend state law by adding throwing star with intent to harm as a crime. Before this amendment, an individual could be held accountable for simply possessing a throwing star. This amendment clarifies that individuals can only be held accountable if they possess a throwing star and have an intent to harm another person. This bill passed the Senate 40-0.
FIREARM RECIPROCITY (HB 2042): House Bill 2042 allows for the recognition of out-of-state concealed carry permits. HB 2042 requires individuals with out-of-state concealed carry permits to abide by Kansas law while in the state. This bill passed the Senate 25-15 (I voted for this bill)
GOV. COLYER’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON DROUGHT AND WILDFIRE HAZARDS:
On Monday, Governor Jeff Colyer signed an executive order covering all 105 counties in Kansas on the hazard of severe drought and wildfires. He placed 28 counties in emergency status, 29 in warning status, and 48 in watch status. The executive order comes after several wildfires took place over the past week. The most severe region in the state includes Hamilton, Barton, Rice, Reno, Sedgwick, and Sumner counties. The least threatened areas include counties on the Nebraska line and Northeast Kansas along the Missouri border.
INDIA DAY AT THE STATEHOUSE:
India Day at the Kansas Capitol was held on Wednesday March 14th. The event was sponsored by Governor Colyer, Senate President Wagle, Speaker of the House Ron Ryckman, and Senator Rob Olson. The event promoted Indian culture and recognized prominent Indian decision makers from across the state. There were numerous tables in the Capitol rotunda that showcased different regions, religions, arts, and culture of India.
MONDAY-
TUESDAY-
WEDNESDAY-
THURSDAY-
Below are links to make it easy for constituents to follow the Kansas Legislature:
Website – www.kslegislature.org. It is great for looking up bills, calendars, journals, as well as, the roster in each Chamber.
YouTube of Legislature – http://bit.ly/2CZj9O0 Did you know the legislature is now streaming its proceedings? The YouTube page has an archive of the sessions thus far – including the State of the State and the State of the Judiciary.
Committee Streaming – http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/ The Kansas Legislature is also streaming committees, with every committee room equipped with audio streaming technology.
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.
The Airport Advisory Board will meet on Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. at the Airport, 1862 Indian Road, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting is open to the public.
Doris Kay Belcher, age 73, a resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Tuesday, March 20, 2018, at the Franklin House, Ft. Scott.
She was born February 8, 1945, in Hammond, KS, the daughter of Cleatis Carl Duncan and Thelma May Cummings Duncan.
She worked as a CNA and cared for the elderly for several years. She especially enjoyed caring for the Sisters of Mercy at the convent in Ft. Scott.
She married Ralph Belcher on July 26, 1982, in Miami, OK. He preceded her in death on June 23, 2009.
She liked to crochet and read. She was a former member of the LaCygne Christian Church.
Survivors include four daughters, Rebecca Cowlishaw and Cheryl Cowlishaw, both of Ft. Scott, Gail Walker, Drexel, MO, Jean Mataya, Roseburg, OR; two sons, Patrick Duncan Williams, Mayfield, KY, and Matthew Huggins, Lenexa, KS; a brother, Carl Dean Duncan, Blue Mound, KS; a sister, Shirley Chambers, LaCygne, KS; 23 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Deana Butler; a twin brother, Dennis Duncan; a sister, Donna Parker; a granddaughter; a great-grandson, Cooper Adams; a great-granddaughter, Noel Grace Belcher; and her parents.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Thursday, March 22, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Doris Belcher Memorial Fund and may be left in the care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

The Hole in the Wall Liquor Store is moving.
The store, currently at 13 W. Oak will be moving to 124 E. Wall soon.
“Hopefully we will be able to start work in the next month,” Jody Hoener who along with husband Roy own the liquor store. ” We meet with our contractor this week to get our timeline nailed down.”
They have hired Hofer and Hofer of Humboldt to do the work of renovating what is known locally as the “Old Spoiled Brat Building” at the corner of Wall and Scott streets.
“Mike Hofer is a great contractor and an upstanding individual,” Hoener said. “I look forward to working with him and his crew.’
On March 6 Hoener was on the Fort Scott City Commission Agenda for consideration of bids and Community Development Block Grant approval for renovation of the property at 124 E. Wall.
Susan Galemore, a grant administrator for Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission, informed the Commission that this project was recently rebid a second time, according to the city minutes.
The second round of bids produced three bids, with the low bid from Hofer and Hofer in the amount of $150,084. This amount is still about $50,000 over the projected budget for the project as the grant amount is $95,000, according to the city minutes.
City Finance Director Jon Garrison prepared a spreadsheet reflecting the grant in the amount of $95,000, the City of Fort Scott contribution of $30,000, and the Economic Development Grant in the amount of $3,000. The Hoener’s contribution is $49,759. The total project is $177,759, according to the minutes.
” (City Manager) Dave Martin and Jon Garrison at the City have made this project smooth and have been involved since inception,” Hoener said. “We all have the same goal to move our city and it’s economic growth forward. It’s amazing what can happen when everyone is working towards that same vision.”
The Hoener’s will also be adding housing opportunities to the community.
“Our plan is to move Hole in the Wall Liquor to the new building with apartments in the upstairs,” she said. ” In the back, the empty lot is ours too, we will create a patio space for tasting events.”
“We do not own the building at the location we are at now and wanted to make an investment in our community,” Hoener said. “This building (on Wall Street) is an eyesore to the gateway of our downtown and has been for half a decade. It needed to be fixed and what better way than to use our resources and business to work towards our downtown revitalization. (It’s a)Great location. ”
Submitted by Kathy S. McEwan, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Foods & Nutrition, SNAP-Ed Coordinator, Southwind Extension District
To celebrate National Nutrition Month in March, the National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is promoting the theme, ‘Go Further with Food.’
In today’s world, it’s a worthwhile call to action, says Kansas State University nutrition specialist Sandy Procter.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports that one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, which is about 1.3 billion tons of food – and just under $1 trillion in equivalent U.S. dollars – each year.
Not all of that is food lost in the home, but Procter said that’s a good place to start.
“It’s not just the people with higher incomes who waste food,” said Procter, who is with K-State Research and Extension. “Folks that are trying really hard to save money and do all of their grocery shopping just once a month are likely to have more food waste than if they were able to get to a store on a regular basis.”
To maintain good nutrition and reduce the amount of food wasted, Procter shared these ideas for helping to make food go further:
Fruits and vegetables. “The way you store fruits and vegetables is part of the art of reducing waste,” Procter said. Extension educators often conduct tours with shoppers to help them identify good quality fruit and vegetables, and then how those will be stored. For example, tomatoes don’t need to be refrigerated, but strawberries certainly do.
Selecting quality produce and storing them correctly “work together to keep food at its best as long as possible,” Procter said.
Meats. Buying in bulk may help you save money at the store, but “it takes a little bit of discipline,” Procter said. A five-pound package of chicken thighs may be on sale, but “unless you’re doing a banquet, you’re probably going to want to re-package for freezing and have those ready in a size that you can thaw out for a meal’s worth.”
Make a plan for cooking meals. It takes some planning, but if you can take time on the weekend to cook and then freeze individual meals, it saves time and helps to use up available groceries.
Others may choose to shop for ingredients as they’re needed, though Procter says “that can create a problem with access to the right ingredients, in addition to more time spent shopping.”
Use the foods you have. Everyone tends to build up extra cans of food or other items that were originally intended for another purpose. As those build up, think of how you can pair foods to make another meal.
“Maybe you have a protein, and maybe you have a vegetable and sometimes it can be incorporated into a one-pot meal,” Procter said. “Or, maybe you have a can of tuna and corn, and you can do a similar type meal with ingredients that you wouldn’t normally choose but would fill all of the components of a healthful meal.”
There are many other ways that consumers can contribute to making food go further, she said, including trying a variety of foods, purchasing at local farmer’s markets, and supporting the local food pantry.
“Eating a variety of foods is a way to ‘go further’ in a healthy lifestyle,” she said. “The body does amazing things; if we make choices from a variety of colors and variety of foods, our body is going to get most of the nutrients that it needs just from the variety that we choose.”
Procter noted that farmer’s markets give consumers a chance to talk directly with the person who has grown a certain food. “And the foods are going to be at their prime, and we’re probably not going to be able to experience them at a more tasty level than what we might find at the farmers market,” she said.
For more information on health and nutrition, contact Kathy at [email protected] or by phone at 620-365-2242. Information about National Nutrition Month is available at https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month.

The size of Mercy Clinic Family Medicine Arma may be small, but its impact is widespread. That’s because nurse practitioner Kim Burns sees her role as a health care provider to be more than a clinician. “My work is to serve people and that carries endless possibilities outside the walls of a clinic. It is my privilege to help students find their passion in life and then work alongside them to see their dreams come true.”
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
2nd Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: March 20, 2018
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: ____________
2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________
3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
9:00- 9:15 Jim Harris- Discussion of truck
9:15-9:30 Jim Harris- Discussion of Right-Of-Way East Hwy 54
9:30-9:45 Jim Harris- Chemical Bids
9:45 -10:00 Fire Department 3 and Fire Department 4 Consolidation
10:30-10:45 Justin Meeks- Opioid meeting discussion
11:00-12:00 Justin Meeks
12:00 Commissioners gone to lunch
2:00 Fair Housing Month
2:30 Employee Handbook
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

Survivors include his two sons, Shawn M. Pulliam and Miranda, Bronson, KS and Dalton Pulliam and wife Caroline, Redfield, KS; siblings Julia Pulliam, Carthage, MO, Frank Pulliam, West Plains, AR, Mary Jean Fogle, Nevada, MO, and Rodney Pulliam and wife Dorothi, Mapleton, KS; nine grandchildren, Koda Stockstill, Ida K. Pulliam, Tayton Pulliam, Allyson Pulliam, Connor Pulliam, Elizibeth Pulliam, Landyn Pulliam, Madilyn Pulliam, and Oaklie Pulliam; his mother, Mary Ann Pulliam; two nephews, Calvin Pulliam and Jimmy Kastle as well as several other nieces and nephews; two cousins, Tim Adams and Donald Adams; and an aunt, Ruth Braack and husband Gary. He was preceded in death by his father, Franklin D. Pulliam; and ex-wife Ida Mae Hull.
Billy Phillips will conduct funeral services at 11:30 a.m. Friday, March 23rd, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Cremation will follow. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 Thursday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Shawn W. Pulliam Memorial Fund and may be left in the care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, KS, 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at Cheney