JOB OF THE DAY – FULL-TIME MACHINIST – WARD KRAFT INC.
Ward Kraft is seeking applicants for a machinist to ensure all machine shop fabricated parts and assemblies are fabricated to high standards. Qualifications include; Previous experience, Able to operate a manual lathe, mill, and CNC setup. For more information visit http://ow.ly/OMBD30jd3Vd
Holy Yearning For More by Patty LaRoche
We celebrate Easter this Sunday because Jesus died and was resurrected so that you and I can spend eternity with him. In Matthew 18:2-4 he lays out the blueprint for what we need to do.
Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them (his disciples). Then he said, “I tell you the truth unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (bolded lettering mine)
The somber words lack loopholes. If you and I want to get to Heaven, we must be like children: vulnerable; needy; dependent. Gary Haugen, author of Just Courage: God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian, writes that these aren’t adjectives most Christians use to describe themselves. The majority—and I include myself here—are cut out for a “more muscular” approach to the life of Christ.
Haugen’s book was recommended to me by my son, Adam. On page one, the author speaks of his college experience when he read John Stuart Mill’s 1859 essay “On Liberty.” In explaining why words lose their meaning, Mills used the example of Christians who have the ability to say the most wonderful things without believing them. I get it.
Take the words we say, for example. “It’s better to give than receive.” “Judge not, lest you be judged.” “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Haugen questioned how differently he would live his life if he actually believed those things. (I would add “If we lived like the Resurrection is real.”)
He ultimately would find out. Rejecting the safe, easy path, Haugen instead would yield himself to God’s calling and give up his job as a prosecutor at the Department of Justice to start a non-profit organization determined to rescue helpless individuals. As founder of the International Justice Mission (IJM), Haugen has spent the majority of his adult life rescuing young girls trapped in the sex trade industry, abused orphans and widows, and slaves (yes, actual slaves—more than 40,000,000!) tortured while laboring in work mills. Through some of those projects, Adam came to know this remarkable man.
Rarely do I recommend a book, but this is an exception. Page after page, I could insert my name in Haugen’s pre-conversion lifestyle description:
- I prefer safety and security and too often will miss the adventure instead of gambling on the unknown.
- I would rather be an adult than a child “where I can still pull things together if God doesn’t show up.”
- I do not have set times for prayer. (Haugen models his organization’s dependence on prayer after Mother Theresa’s who couldn’t imagine doing her work for more than 30 minutes without prayer.) When Adam joined Haugen at his headquarters, he was amazed when an 11:00 A.M. bell rang, all work stopped and everyone prayed. Why? In Haugen’s words, “We don’t do this so much as a matter of discipline but out of desperation.”
Haugen’s book is a call to action for Christians who know there is more than words, who feel a sense of disappointment in the way their life is turning out, who want their life in Christ to be more significant, more vivid, more glorious. He calls it a “holy yearning for more.” I call it “making Jesus’ Resurrection real.”
If those words describe your heart’s cry to serve God more authentically, Just Courage: God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian is a great place to start.
Make a difference – Adopt a highway
Make a difference in your community and help the environment at the same time – join the Adopt-A-Highway program in Kansas.
The goal of the program is to clean along the roadways throughout the state to increase safety for motorists and pedestrians as well as improve the beauty of Kansas. This helps to raise awareness of the negative effects of pollution and the positive aspects of a clean community.
“We’ve been a long time with Adopt-A-Highway,” said Humboldt Lions Club member Larry Barnett, who estimated that club members have been cleaning up a two-mile stretch of U.S. 169 right-of-way east of Humboldt for over 20 years. “We try to do the best we can to keep the highways clean,” he said.
Any non-profit group that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion or gender can join and there is no cost to the group. Members must be at least 11 years old and have adequate adult supervision. Groups have clean-ups two to three times a year and are recognized for their efforts with signs marking their sections of highway. Since spring 1990, thousands of groups have participated and a number of the original groups are still active today.
Adopt-A-Highway groups are gearing up for the annual Clean Up Kansas Campaign which takes place during the month of April. This event, as well as the program, is sponsored by the Kansas Department of Transportation. All Adopt-A-Highway groups are encouraged but not required to participate in the statewide event.
Groups clean their sections of roadway several times a year at their convenience. Most choose to schedule a clean-up time in the spring, summer, and fall.
For more information contact the KDOT office in your area (listed below).
KDOT – Iola
KDOT – Garnett
(785) 448-5446
KDOT – Independence
(620) 331-3760
KDOT – Pittsburg
New Digital Platform Simplifies Vehicle Registration
Kansans can now renew their vehicle registration from the convenience of their mobile phone with the launch of the new State of Kansas iKan application, Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D., announced Thursday.
The iKan platform is designed to allow users to interact with multiple state services in a self-service, intuitive experience from their mobile phones, tablets, and computers. In addition to renewing vehicle registration, the application empowers Kansans to have access to their official documents anywhere they bring their phone, tablet, or have access to a computer.
“One of the foremost goals of my administration is to make government more accessible for Kansans,” Governor Colyer said. “I’m so pleased that with the launch of iKan, we now have more options to make transactions quickly and conveniently.”
Citizens who use the application will benefit from a modern and personalized experience, with the ease and convenience of having everything they need in one place. Users can receive status updates through email alerts and push notifications for services that previously would have required a drive to the closest office location and a wait in line. The ease of iKan will increase digital transactions while reducing office wait time for those who don’t choose to use the app.
In addition to simplifying the vehicle registration renewal experience, the state plans to roll out access to other frequently requested services through iKan, including vital records and voter registration in the coming months.
“Providing modern, intuitive solutions is a priority for Kansas, as we continue to transform our digital strategy to better serve our citizens,” said Donna Shelite, the Kansas Chief Information Technology Officer. “iKan gives Kansans the ability to get what they need from multiple services in a single experience.”
To launch this new service, Kansas partnered with PayIt, a Midwest-based technology firm specializing in the simplification of government transactions across the country, including taxes, utilities, court records, and more as part of their unique, cloud-based platform. PayIt has provided the myKTag app for the Kansas Turnpike since 2014.
“We’re excited to partner with the State of Kansas and see great results at home,” said John Thomson, CEO of PayIt.
ABOUT PAYIT:
PayIt simplifies doing business with state and local government through its award-winning digital government and payment platform. Along with our government partners, we are transforming the customer experience and making government more modern, convenient and mobile.
Governor Colyer Releases Statement on School Finance Legislation
“In the last two weeks, I have had many productive meetings with education stakeholders and legislators, listening to their thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. I am confident that we can reach an agreement on a solution that ends the school finance litigation and serves the best interests of our children and the state of Kansas.
I applaud the work of the Kansas Senate this week to address the equity fixes required by the Kansas Supreme Court. I also appreciate the hard work of the House’s K-12 Education Budget Committee.
Last month, I shared with Kansans a framework for responding to the school finance ruling:
- We must keep our schools open.
- We need a definitive solution that ends the school finance lawsuits for good.
- Increased funding should be accomplished using a phased-in approach that will give schools time to plan and spend most effectively.
- We need to ensure the investment is sustainable without increasing the tax burden on Kansas families.
- Lastly, and I think most importantly, we must insist on accountability and improved outcomes.
As I have said before, I will support any effort that meets these objectives, keeps our schools open, and ends the cycle of litigation once and for all.
As legislators go home this evening for Easter weekend, I am calling on the legislature to send a school finance bill to my desk before they leave Topeka again. Let’s get this done.”
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports March 29
Cold Weather Rule to End March 31
The Kansas Cold Weather Rule ends on Saturday, March 31.
That means Kansans who are behind on electric and natural gas utility bills will be subject to disconnection of service unless they contact their utility company to make payment arrangements.
The Cold Weather Rule is in effect from November 1 through March 31 each year. It provides protection from disconnection to residential customers serviced by utilities under the Kansas Corporation Commission’s (KCC) jurisdiction. That protection ends on Saturday.
Failure to make arrangements or failure to adhere to an already established payment plan could result in service disconnection. Reconnection may require payment in full.
The Cold Weather Rule requires regulated utilities to set up 12-month payment plans for customers who cannot afford to pay their full bill. As part of this arrangement, the customer must make an initial payment of 1/12 of the overdue amount, 1/12 of the bill for current service, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fees, plus any applicable deposit owed to the utility. The balance is billed in equal payments over the next 11 months in addition to the regular monthly bill.
The KCC adopted the Cold Weather Rule to protect customers during cold winter weather by providing a reasonable and organized method of paying past due and current bills. For a complete list of utilities regulated by the KCC visit: http://www.kcc.ks.gov/aboutus/jurisdiction
More information about the Cold Weather Rule is available at http://www.kcc.ks.gov/consumer-information/cold-weather-rule. Kansans may also contact their local utility company or the KCC’s Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at (800) 662-0027.
Tri-Valley Serves People With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities
Tri-Valley Developmental Services (TVDS) is a United Way of Bourbon County grant recipient.
Fort Scott.Biz is featuring each agency in a series.
The following is an interview with TVDS.
The contact person is Tim Cunningham, whose phone number is 620-223-3990 and whose email address is [email protected]
What service do you provide for our community?
We provide the following services for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities: case management, day rehabilitation, residential rehabilitation, employment services, and life enrichment.
TVDS is open Monday – Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm.
The local address is 4305 Campbell Drive, Fort Scott, KS 66701
What percentage of your budget is the United Way grant?
Twenty-seven percent.
Board members are:
Bourbon County – Ken Anderson, Steve Sewell, Mark Ward; Allen County – John McRae, John Scovill, Susan Jones; Neosho County – Karen Vallier, Margaret Bideau, Mali Ziglari; Woodson County – Leo Gensweider, Peggy Leis, Charles Sheedy.
National Historic Site Announces Summer Hours
Beginning April 1, Fort Scott National Historic Site will return to its spring/summer hours of operation of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. These hours will remain in effect until October 31, 2018. The park is open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Upcoming events in the next couple of months include:
Civil War Encampment on April 21and 22, 2018;
Memorial Day weekend activities from May 26 to 28, 2018;
and Good Ol’ Days on June 2, 2018.
From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, staff will offer guided tours daily at 11 a.m. Visitors coming the rest of the year can take self-guided tours, using a number of tools available including the site brochure, the site’s film, exhibits along the way, and our cell phone tour. IPhone and IPad users can also access NPS Fort Scott, the site’s Mobile App.
For additional information call 620-223-0310 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/fosc.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTubewww.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Job of the Day
JOB OF THE DAY- SEASONAL-APRIL – OCTOBER – GOLF COURSE LABORER
The City of Fort Scott is seeking applicants for a Golf Course Laborer to work under direct supervision of the Golf Course Superintendent.
The laborer will be trained in course management including equipment operation, rotary work, trimming, bunker work, sod work, mowing of greens, tees, collars and approaches, watering and clean-up.
Applicant must be able to follow directions, be a motivated self-starter and conduct oneself in a professional manner. Must have a valid drivers license, meet City’s driving history guidelines, pass drug/alcohol screening test and be at least 18 years old.
The season is April – October depending on the weather.
Apply here: http://ow.ly/HQW930j9C1E
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports March 28
Flags Half-Staff In Honor Of Brown
Governor Colyer Orders Flags to be Flown at Half-staff in Honor of Civil Rights Icon, Linda Brown
In accordance with Executive Order 10-12, Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from today until sundown, Friday, March 30, 2018, to honor the life of civil rights icon, Linda Brown, who as a young girl was the center of the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, in which the Supreme Court declared the segregationist doctrine of “separate but equal” to be unconstitutional.
“Linda Brown’s life reminds us that by standing up for our principles and serving our communities we can truly change the world. Linda’s legacy is a crucial part of the American story and continues to inspire the millions who have realized the American dream because of her.”