Southeast Kansas Library Newsletter January 2025

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The SEKnFind Newsletter
January 2025

We hope you enjoy this newsletter sent as a courtesy to adult patrons of a southeast Kansas library using the SEKnFind catalog.
This selection of titles are NEW at a SEKnFind library and available for a hold.
Need assistance? Your local librarian can show you how!
Happy Reading!

New Fiction

Midwestern Gothic : a collection of horror stories from the American heartland /
by Scott Thomas

“Close your eyes. Picture open plains, wheat stalks swaying gently in the wind. Picture the quaint Main Street of a one-stoplight town. Picture endless summers on sunny, tranquil lakes. With three provocative novellas, Kill Creek author and Kansas native Scott Thomas takes a hatchet to the idyllic tropes of the American heartland. With this collection, Thomas digs his hands into the soil of the American heartland and establishes himself as the master of Midwestern Gothic”

Knife skills for beginners
by Orlando Murrin

Covering for friend Christian Wagner at Chester Square Cookery School in London, Paul Delamare enjoys imparting wisdom to students until someone is found killed with Paul’s knife, and Paul must discover the killer before he gets butchered.

Hotel lucky seven : a novel
by Kåotaråo Isaka

In Bullet Train, underworld operative Ladybug was tasked by his handler Maria with retrieving a suitcase from a high-speed train in Japan. The job did not go according to plan, to the delight of millions of readers and movie fans around the world. Will the unluckiest assassin in the world will find things easier this time around? All he has to do is deliver a painting to a hotel guest, a portrait made by his daughter. Easy enough, except when Ladybug makes the delivery, he realizes that the guest is clearly not the guy in the painting. Then he attacks Ladybug, they fight, and the guest ends up dead. How can such simple jobs always go wrong?

Homeseeking
by Karissa Chen

Separated by war and reunited after 60 years, Haiwen and Suchi navigate decades of love, loss and survival across continents, as their shared past clashes with their hopes for a second chance at life.

All the water in the world : a novel
by Eiren Caffall

Follows a young girl, Nonie, and her family as they navigate a post-apocalyptic New York ravaged by melting glaciers, as they safeguard cultural history while surviving storms, scarcity and meeting diverse communities in their quest for a hopeful future.

Give me butterflies : a novel
by Jillian Meadows

Millie, an ambitious entomologist, and Finn, a grumpy astronomer dealing with personal loss, clash at work but can’t avoid each other when he joins the committee for her dream job. Original. 100,000 first printing.

Witchcraft for wayward girls
by Grady Hendrix

“Set in Florida in the 1970s, Grady Hendrix’s newest novel follows five young women in a home for unwed mothers who find a guide to witchcraft”

The Last One
by Rachel Howzell Hall

Waking up in a forest, Kai, who doesn’t remember anything of her life before today, is hunted by otherworldly creatures, unlocking new powers every time she fights them, but the moment she touches another, a piece of her dies, leading her on a desperate search for answers to who?—?and what?—?she is.

Exordia
by Seth Dickinson

“Anna Sinjari–refugee, survivor of genocide, disaffected office worker–has a close encounter that reveals universe-threatening stakes. Enter Ssrin, a many-headed serpent alien who is on the run from her own past. Ssrin and Anna are inexorably, dangerously drawn to each other…While humanity reels from disaster, Anna must join a small team of civilians, soldiers, and scientists to investigate a mysterious broadcast and unknowable horror. If they can manage to face their own demons, they just might save the world”

The bullet swallower : a novel
by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

“In 1964, when Jaime Sonoro, Mexico’s most renowned actor and singer, discovers a book telling of the multitude of horrific crimes committed by his ancestors, he must pay for their crimes unless he can uncover the truth about his grandfather, the legendary bandido El Tragabalas, The Bullet Swallower”

The resurrectionist / : A Twisty Gothic Mystery of Dark Scottish History
by A. Rae Dunlap

In 1828 Edinburgh, determined to study surgery, naïve James Willoughby abandons his privileged life for the bustling medical scene, only to become embroiled with the charming but dangerous body snatcher Aneurin MacKinnon, leading him into a dark world of rival gangs and deadly competition for cadavers.

Leaving Independence
by William W. Johnstone

“Independence, Missouri, 1865. Seasoned wagon master Virgil Grissom prepares to lead a new group of families westward across the Oregon Trail. Among them are struggling farmer Matt Moran, his wife Katie, and their three small children. In spite of the long, treacherous journey ahead, Grissom is confident that this solid, hard-working farmer and his family are tough enough to endure the harsh elements, the rugged terrain, and the occasional run-in with hostile tribes. But he’s not so sure about the farmer’s younger brother, Clay, who plans to catch up with them along the trail. Alone. Which has Grissom worried . . . On the Oregon Trail, a lone man is dead man. Clay Moran fought hard in the Civil War, serving as lieutenant in the US Calvary. Now that Robert E. Lee has surrendered, Clay is free to head west with his brother’s family. Problem is, the wagon train has left Independence already-and Clay has to go it alone. Luckily, the army let him keep his horse. But when a couple of bushwhackers steal that horse and all his money, he’s left high and dry. If Clay hopes to catch up with the wagon train, he’ll have to rely on his wits. His guts. And every skill he learned in the war. Along the way, he’ll have to do things a man should never have to do-just to survive . . . “

New Audiobooks

Defense protocol
by Brian Andrews

“Every word a president utters is weighed and examined, but none more so than when he is talking about Taiwan. That’s why it’s shocking that President Jack Ryan seems to imply that the US has no appetite for a war to protect Taiwan from the communist Chinese on the mainland. President Ryan is determined to protect the independence of the island nation, but he is determined that one slip of the tongue should not cost thousands of young soldiers, sailors and Marines their lives. Jack Ryan returns in a blockbuster novel of action, thrills and intrigue in the world created by master storyteller Tom Clancy.”

Stuart Woods’ Golden Hour
by Brett Battles

Teddy Fay is ready to embark on the European press tour of Peter Barrington’s latest film Storm’s Eye, when he receives an unexpected visit from Lance Cabot, director of the CIA. Several CIA agents have been turning up dead. The commonality? They were all part of a mission Teddy was involved in: Golden Hour. Lance wants Teddy to use his trip as a cover to investigate who is behind these killings. From Venice and Budapest to their last stop at a film festival in Berlin, Teddy must dodge excited fans, enamored women, and a few too many assassins who seem dead set on tracking down Golden Hour agents. And if Teddy doesn’t work fast enough, his identity–and life–might just be the next target in the killer’s ruthless plot for revenge.

The Mirror
by Nora Roberts

When Sonya MacTavish inherits the huge Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine, she has no idea that the house is haunted. The footsteps she hears at night, the doors slamming, the music playing, are not figments of her imagination. In her dreams she sees glimpses of the past. In the present she finds portraits of brides. And when she has visions of an antique mirror, she is drawn to it, sensing it holds dark family secrets. Then one night the mirror appears and Sonya glides through this looking glass, into the past, and sees a bride murdered on her wedding day, the circle of gold torn from her finger. It is a scene that will play out again and again, a centuries-old curse that must be broken, and a puzzle she must solve if there is any hope of breaking the curse.

New Nonfiction

The Let Them Theory : A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can’t Stop Talking About
by Mel Robbins

A simple, transformative approach to improving personal and professional relationships by shifting focus from controlling others to accepting them, offering science-backed strategies to reduce stress, enhance happiness, foster healthier connections, and empower individuals to prioritize their well-being and achieve personal fulfillment.

Beyond anxiety : curiosity, creativity, and finding your life’s purpose
by Martha Nibley Beck

“From bestselling author Martha Beck, a new path to overcoming anxiety by awakening the creativity within We live in an epidemic of anxiety. Most of us assume that the key to overcoming it is to think our way out. And for a while it works. But there is always something that sends us back into the anxious spiral we’ve been trying to climb out of. In Beyond Anxiety, Dr. Martha Beck explains why anxiety is skyrocketing around you, and likely within you. She also tells you how to not only reduce your anxietybut use it to propel you into a life filled with peace, meaning, and joy. Using a combination of the latest neuroscience as well as her background in sociology and coaching, Beck explains how our brains tend to get stuck in an “anxiety spiral,” a feedback system that can increase anxiety indefinitely. To climb out, we must engage different parts of our nervous system–the parts involved in creativity. Beck provides instructions for engaging the “creativity spiral,” in a process that not only shuts down anxiety but leads to innovative problem solving, a sense of meaning and purpose, and joyful, intimate connection with others–and with the world. The opposite of anxiety, it turns out, is a wonderful new way of life–one that can calm and inspire us as individuals and help us become a source of healing for everything around us”

Breaking free from broke : the ultimate guide to more money and less stress
by George Kamel

“America has become the land of the free and the home of the broke. Household debt is at an all-time high, and every day people-just like you-are feeling more cynical and hopeless about their financial futures. It’s time to stop believing countless liesfrom a system designed to take your money-lies like student loans are the golden ticket to a good-paying job, car payments are just part of life, and that you need to have a credit card. Ramsey Personality and personal finance expert George Kamel shareshis story of going from a negative net worth to a millionaire in under 10 years by following Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps. George’s delivery, highlighted by his snarky sense of humor, will keep you laughing and engaged from cover to cover (no put-you-to-sleep financial advice here). Through a millennial point of view, George exposes the toxic money system designed to keep you average (and broke) and offers solutions to help you break free from: credit cards and credit scores, student and car loans, mortgage mistakes, investing traps, marketing and consumerism. No matter where you’re starting from, you’ll learn that you have the power to buck the toxic money system and build wealth if you follow the same principles George used to become a millionaire”

Fluent forever : how to learn any language fast and never forget it
by Gabriel Wyner

“Gabriel Wyner speaks seven languages fluently. He didn’t learn them in school-who does? Rather, he mastered each one on his own, drawing on free online resources, quick daily practice sessions, and his knowledge of neuroscience and linguistics. In Fluent Forever, Gabe shares his foolproof method for learning any language. It starts by hacking the way your brain naturally encodes information. You’ll begin by learning how to hear new sounds and training your tongue to produce them accurately. You’ll connect spellings and sounds to images rather than rely on translation exercises so that you start thinking in a new language. With the help of spaced-repetition systems, you’ll build a foundation for your language in one week and learn hundreds of words a month-with just a few minutes of practice each day. This revised edition also shares fresh strategies that Gabe has refined over years of study. You’ll learn how to: Use your interests to curate vocabulary that you’ll actually be excited to study; Pick up the subtleties of your target language by conversing with native speakers; Fast-track fluency with a new appendix devoted to conversation strategies with native speakers; Compile the best language-learning tool kit for your budget; Harness the science of motivation and habit building to turbocharge your progress; Find the perfect level of difficultly with reading and listening comprehension to stay engaged and avoid frustration”

Vanishing treasures : a bestiary of extraordinary endangered creatures
by Katherine Rundell

“A tour of the natural world’s most awe-inspiring animals currently facing extinction”

Instant loss quick and easy : 125 recipes that are big on flavor when you’re light on time
by Brittany Williams

“Bestselling author Brittany Williams is back with a new collection of 125 recipes that make it easier than ever to enjoy delicious, healthy meals every day! Brittany Williams, founder of the popular online platform Instant Loss, transformed her life bychanging the way she eats. Her motto is simple: just eat real food. Brittany understands the challenges of maintaining a healthy diet while juggling a busy life and feeding a family. In her highly anticipated cookbook, Brittany shares 125 brand-new recipes that come together in a hurry, so you can enjoy crowd-pleasing, wholesome meals without spending hours in the kitchen”

Making things : finding use, meaning & satisfaction in crafting everyday objects
by Erin Boyle

”Through easy-to-follow tutorials for over 100 projects that are both accessible and aspirational, Making Things invites readers to try their hands at a variety of crafts and celebrate the satisfaction that comes from slowly and carefully creating for oneself. Learn to fold magazine pages into Masu Boxes for organizing bits and bobs, make a cardboard loom for weaving potholders out of old linens, braid your own Kumihimo Dog Leash, or starch fabric scraps for decorative bunting. Makers Rose Pearlman and Erin Boyle met in 2018 and immediately struck up a friendship, united by a reverence for everyday objects. Their approach towards craft reflects a shared commitment to sustainability and accessibility–as they write in Making Things’ introduction, ”Craftcan be exquisite and exacting, the result of formal training and years of practice, but it can also be experimental and messy and not quite perfect.” Scouring sidewalks, stoops, and thrift stores, the authors repurpose materials to create projects that range from functional to fun and frivolous. Step-by-step guides make it simple to start and finish each project, while the book’s stunning photographs show how each craft can fit within an organized, thoughtfully curated home. As Making Things demonstrates, relying on a limited range of supplies and repurposing the same materials can spur our creativity, encouraging us to look at a pile of junk on a stoop and see endless possibilities”

Let’s move the needle : an activism handbook for artists, crafters, creatives, and makers
by Shannon Downey

With activities, exercises, prompts and stories about the work of other art activists across mediums and throughout history, a guide to social activism using art educates and empowers creatives to center their art around action in service of political, social or community issues. 12,000 first printing. Illustrations.

Red Dead’s history : a video game, an obsession, and America’s violent past
by Tore C. Olsson

Weaving the best-selling games’ plot and characters into an exploration of American violence between 1870-1920, an award-winning historian reveals the gritty and brutal world that inspired the Red Dead games, shedding light on dark corners of the American past for gamers and history buffs alike. Illustrations.

Four against the West : the true saga of a frontier family that reshaped the nation–and created a legend
by Joe Pappalardo

“A thrilling true saga of legendary Texas figure Judge Roy Bean and his brothers–and their violent adventures in Wild West America. Roy Bean was an American saloon-keeper and Justice of the Peace in Texas, who called himself “The Only Law West of the Pecos.” He and his three brothers set out from Kentucky in the mid 1840s, heading into the American frontier to find their fortunes. Their lifetimes of triumphs, tragedies, laurels and scandals will play out on the battlefields of Mexico, in shady dealings in California city halls, inside eccentric saloon courtrooms of Texas, and along the blood-soaked Santa Fe Trail from Missouri to New Mexico. They will kill men, and murder will likewise stalk them. The Beans chase their American dreams as the nation reinvents itself as a coast-to-coast powerhouse, only to be tested by the Civil War. During their saga, the brothers become soldiers, judges, husbands, guerillas, lawmen, entrepreneurs, refugees, fathers, politicians, pioneers and–in Judge Roy Bean’s case–one of the Old West’s best known but least understood scoundrels. Using new information gleaned from exhaustive research, Four Against the West is an unprecedented and vivid telling of the intertwined stories of all four Bean brothers, exploring for the first time how their relentless ambitions helped create a new America”

Even more reading suggestions

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Southeast Kansas Library System
218 E. Madison Ave.
Iola, Kansas 66749
620-365-5136sekls.org

Friends Now Accepting New and Renewed Subscriptions for U.S. Flags

Flag Project by the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site. Submitted photo.

 

The Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site Inc. is now accepting applications for new subscriptions and renewals for their Fly the Flag project.  The project provides homeowners and businesses, within the city limits of Fort Scott, the opportunity to display “Old Glory” on five different flag holidays during 2025 without the hassle of purchasing, placing, and storing a flag and pole.  You don’t even have to remember the holiday!

For $40 annually, the Friends will install a 3’x5′ flag on a 12-foot

staff at your home or business on each of the following Flag Holidays :

Memorial Day, May 26th

Flag Day, June 14th

Independence Day, July 4th

Labor Day, September 1st

Veteran’s Day, November 11th

 

Applications for new subscriptions can be obtained at the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce or can be requested by phone, text, or email. Call 417-684-2484 or email [email protected].  Renewal notices are being mailed/e-mailed to 2024 subscribers. Both new agreements and renewals must be returned by March 31, 2025.

 

All proceeds support programs at Fort Scott National Historic Site including the Naturalization Ceremony, Candlelight Tour, and Veterans Challenge coins among other special programs.

 

Show your patriotism and help our local National Park by lining the streets  of Fort Scott with our nation’s symbol!

 

The Fly the Flag project is a yearly project sponsored by the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site.  Once signed up, you will receive the option to renew annually.

 

#####

Chamber Coffee Hosted by SparkWheel on January 30

Join us for Chamber Coffee

hosted by

SparkWheel

Thursday, January 30

8am

 

SparkWheel

Fort Scott Middle School – 1105 E. 12th St

(Please enter through the South Entrance of the school)

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting this Thursday, January 30th at 8am hosted by SparkWheel. The location is at the Fort Scott Middle School, 1105 E. 12th St., and attendees can arrive through the south entrance of the building. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served along with a door prize drawing.

SparkWheel is an independent nonprofit partnering with Fort Scott Public Schools to provide a model of wrap-around services for middle school and high school students and their families. SparkWheel’s full-time staff member in each Fort Scott site works to deliver its mission to remove barriers and provide those we serve with the tools and resources they need to thrive, now and into the future. The collaboration between SparkWheel and USD 234 started in the 2018-19 school year at the High School and then added Middle School services in 2020.

As an independent nonprofit that is impact-focused, SparkWheel is a multi-state organization providing integrated student support services. Across the SparkWheel network, the organization serves more than 30,000 students in 64 sites. Primarily a school-based model of services, SparkWheel has broadened its range of services to include early childhood through post-secondary activities. SparkWheel’s programs across southeastern Kansas include those in Uniontown, Pittsburg, Chanute, Independence, Neodesha, and Parsons.

Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 for more information. Visit the Events Calendar and category of Chamber Coffees on fortscott.com for upcoming locations.

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below…
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701

620-223-3566

fortscott.com

Obituary of Goldie Weyant Arndt

Goldie Marie Weyant Arndt, age 94, a resident of Uniontown, Kansas, passed away Sunday, January 26, 2025, at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute, Kansas.  She was born April 27, 1930, in Ft. Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Willis William Wells and Goldie Belle Weston Wells.

Goldie was raised in the Uniontown area and graduated from the Uniontown High School.  She married Miles Weyant on December 25, 1948.  Together they had five children, Jim, Brad, Chuck, Mary and Matt.

Goldie loved to cook.  She owned and operated her own restaurant, Goldie’s Place, located on the north side of the square in Uniontown, for many years.  During this time, she made countless pies and was often called on to cater the annual Thanksgiving dinner for the employees of Bourbon County.

Goldie’s husband, Miles, preceded her in death on December 13, 1993.  She later married Larry Arndt on October 4, 2003.  They enjoyed several happy years together until his death in 2015.

Goldie was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

 

Survivors include her three children, Chuck Weyant (Donna) of Bronson, Kansas, Mary Beerbower (Alvin) of Uniontown, Kansas and Matt Weyant also of Uniontown and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.  Also surviving is a brother, Richard Wells (Sharon) of Poteau, Oklahoma.

In addition to her husbands, Goldie was preceded in death by her parents, two sons, Jim and Brad Weyant, three grandsons, Clayton Michael Weyant, Brandon Weyant and Tony Weyant, a granddaughter, Melanie Beerbower and a sister, Una Wells.

 

Rev. Marty Dewitt will conduct a memorial service at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, February 1st at the First Missionary Baptist Church in Uniontown.

Private burial will take place at a later date at the Uniontown Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the First Missionary Baptist Church 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.

Ground(Hog) Breakfast Fundraiser On Feb. 1

JOIN US FOR OUR 6TH ANNUAL

 

“ALL YOU CAN EAT PANCAKES

WITH A SERVING OF GROUND(HOG)”

OR (added this year)

“ALL YOU CAN EAT BISCUITS WITH GROUNDHOG GRAVY”

 

DINE IN OR CARRY OUT

SILENT AUCTION & BAKE SALE

 

February 1, 2025, 8 A.M. – 2 P.M.

at First Southern Baptist Church

1818 South Main, Fort Scott, KS

 

Children 7 and under FREE

8 to Adult $5.00 in advance or

$6.00 at the door

 

for advanced tickets Contact

Ida Ford 417-262-3948 or

Terri Williams 620-215-3202

 

**All proceeds go to FSBC Building Fund

 

Program Helps Families with Eligible Children Offset the Cost of Food over Summer Break

DCF Announces 2025 SUN Bucks Application Period Now Open

 

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced Monday, Jan. 27 that the 2025 application period for SUN Bucks is now open. SUN Bucks, previously called Summer EBT in Kansas, is a federal program administered by DCF that provides a one-time benefit of $120 per year for each eligible school-aged child to help offset the cost of groceries over the summer.

“Children and teenagers need consistent access to healthy foods to grow and thrive, and summer is a time when many of them lose access to the healthy meals they receive at school,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. “SUN Bucks can help fill the gap by providing families a small boost with helping to put nutritious food on their tables.”

Many families will automatically get the SUN Bucks benefit without needing to apply. Households with an eligible child who can be identified by DCF will receive a letter from DCF in January 2025 notifying them that their child is eligible for SUN Bucks. SUN Bucks benefits will be added​ to an existing household Kansas Benefits Card (also known as an EBT card) or loaded onto a Kansas Benefits Card and mailed to their home in April.

If a household ​did not receive a letter from DCF in January regarding SUN Bucks eligibility, and they believe their child is eligible, they will need to apply. SUN Bucks applications will be accepted from Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, through 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. Families will need to use their existing DCF self-service account or create an account to apply through the DCF online self-service portal, dcfapp.kees.ks.gov. Benefits will be issued beginning in April 2025.

Eligibility:
Children may be eligible for the program if:

  • The child attends a Kansas school offering the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program, and the household income meets the requirements for free or reduced-price school meals at any point since July 2024.

OR

  • The school-aged child (7-17 years old) lives in a household where someone has received Food Assistance (SNAP) or TANF Cash Assistance at any point since July 2024.

Children in the custody of the DCF Secretary and enrolled in a Kansas school are eligible for SUN Bucks. Relatives, non-related kin, and foster homes will need to submit a SUN Bucks application for children in their care after April 1, 2025, to ensure the benefit is issued to the correct address. For any applications submitted after April 1, SUN Bucks benefits will be issued once the child has been determined eligible.

In 2024, the SUN Bucks program provided more than $15 million in benefits to 127,202 Kansas children. Learn more about SUN Bucks at SUNBucks.dcf.ks.gov.

###

Updated Agenda for the Bourbon County Commission for Jan. 27

Agenda 1.27.25 updated

Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S. National Ave
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Phone: 620-223-3800
Fax: 620-223-5832
Bourbon County, Kansas
Brandon Whisenhunt, Chairman
1st District Commissioner
David Beerbower, Vice-Chairman
2nd District Commissioner
Leroy Kruger
3rd District Commissioner
Bourbon County Commission Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room 210 S National Ave.
January 27, 2025, 5:30 PM
I. Call Meeting to Order
a. Roll Call
b. Pledge of Allegiance
c. Prayer – JD Handly
II. Approval of Agenda
III. Approval of Minutes from 01.20.25
IV. Consent Agenda
a. Approval of Accounts Payable Totaling $392,977.53
b. Approval of Payroll Totaling $295,830.74
V. Old Business
VI. Public Comments for Items Not on The Agenda
VII. New Business
a. County Clerk End of Year Reallocations
i. Reallocate Expenses from Public Safety to General $52,325.45
ii. Reallocate Expenses from Appraiser to General $4,500
b. Executive Session K.S.A.75-4319 (b)(1) – Whisenhunt (10 minutes)
c. Sheriff Salary Discussion – Leroy Kruger
d. Executive Session K.S.A.75-4319 (b)(3) – Whisenhunt (10 minutes)
e. Teri Hulsey, EMS Director – Ambulance Bids
f. John Heckman, Noxious Weeds Manager
i. Financial Report
ii. Weed Management Plan
g. Meeting Decorum – Whisenhunt
h. Noise Ordinance Discussion – Whisenhunt
i. Resolution Setting Legal Descriptions for Five Districts
j. Election Information for District #4 & #5
k. Board Seats
i. Southeast Kansas Health Department
ii. Soil Conservation District
iii. Juvenile Detention Center
iv. Bourbon County Senior Citizens
v. Bourbon County Redi
vi. Fair Board
l. Commissioner Comments
VIII. Adjournment

Electric Cooperative Youth Tour: All-expenses-paid Trip to Washington, D.C

Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative is pleased to support the next generation of leaders and skilled workers in eastern Kansas through two programs that are now accepting applications from Heartland-served high schoolers.
The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., scheduled to take place from June 14–20 this summer. Each year, Heartland selects one outstanding high school sophomore or junior who lives in a home served by Heartland to attend, giving them the opportunity to meet state and national leaders, tour historic landmarks, and build lifelong connections.
Those interested are encouraged to apply online at https://www.heartland-rec.com/community/youth-tour/. Applications are due February 17, 2025.
Meanwhile, the newly expanded Future Foundations Scholarship Program provides up to $1,000 for high school seniors pursuing careers in trades, nursing, teaching, and other high-demand fields. Up to eight scholarships will be awarded each year (two per Heartland voting district).
Students must live in Heartland-served homes, have a GPA of 2.0+, and plan to enroll in a Kansas-based college or training program in Fall 2025.
More information and a downloadable application form are available at https://www.heartland-rec.com/community/future-foundations-scholarship/. Applications due March 17, 2025.
Questions can be directed to Doug Graham at [email protected] or (620) 724-5526.

Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson

Caryn Tyson

 

 

Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson

January 24, 2025

 

The past week eyes were on Washington D.C. and the swift actions taken by our President.  He has established a path for states and a constitutional government dealing with illegal immigration, tax reductions, runaway spending, and government efficiencies.  The Kansas Senate is on board with the President.

 

Illegal immigration will be debated on the Senate floor January 28; Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 1602, requesting the Governor fully cooperate with federal enforcement of immigration laws.  The opponents cried foul in committee debate because the SCR would support President Trump’s attempts to deport illegals, especially those who continue to break federal and state laws.  Citizens have been put in harm’s way by the open border.  Just ask Mr. Hopkins whose daughter was killed and his granddaughter brutally attacked in Kansas City.  Ask the lady that was attacked by an illegal immigrant near Garnett while riding on a bike trail, or the youth that was violently raped in Topeka by an illegal.  Are the opponents more concerned for the criminals than the victims?

 

Some of you may remember the illegal immigrants who committed identity theft and were prosecuted.  The Kansas Supreme Court ruled they couldn’t be prosecuted because, in the Court’s opinion, the criminals couldn’t be held accountable for breaking State laws because they had illegally entered the United States and that was a federal issue.  That doesn’t even make sense.  Thankfully, Kansas Attorney General Schmidt took it to the U.S. Supreme Court and the opinion of the Kansas State Supreme Court was rejected.  The three illegal immigrants who stole Social Security numbers and committed identity theft were convicted and Kansas laws were upheld.  It’s past time that federal immigration laws are upheld.

 

Property Tax will also be debated on the Senate floor next week; Senate Bill (SB) 10 exempting ATVs, electric wheelchairs, golf carts, watercraft and other items from property taxes; and SB 35 repealing the 1.5 mill the state collects in property taxes.  I’ll let you know the results.

 

Budget work has begun.  This year the legislature established a new process.  Instead of using the Governor’s proposed budget as a baseline, last year’s budget with all the one-time spending and other reductions will be the baseline.  Let’s hope it helps reign in runaway spending.  According to Legislative Research, State General Fund (SGF) spending increased 7.3% in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and 18.1% in FY 2025.  The state FY is from July 1 to June 30 the following year, so FY 2024 is from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

 

The Senate Committee On Government Efficiencies (COGE) was established this year.  The Committee is intended to align with President Trump’s plans for an unofficial federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

 

All bills, hearings, and floor debates can be found at www.KSLegislature.gov.

 

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.

Caryn

Bourbon County Local News