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Obituary of Judith Matson
Judith A. Matson, a former resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas and more recently of Pittsburg, Kansas, passed away Friday, February 24, 2023, at the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg. Judy married
Roger G. Matson on January 20, 1962; he preceded her in death in 2018.
Survivors include a son, Quinton R. Matson of Kansas City, Missouri; two daughters, Quita Coffman (Donald) of Ft. Scott, Kansas and Dana Noe of Peculiar, Missouri and six grandchildren, Amber Sheehy (Joe), Tylar Montgomery (Justin) and Erin Coffman, all of Ft.
Scott, Devon Hudspeth (Taylor) of Overland Park, Kansas, Austin Noe of Cleveland, Missouri and Arie Noe of Webb City, Missouri; and six great-grandchildren, Brooklyn Sheehy, Madison
Sheehy, Joseph G. Sheehy and Madelynne Montgomery all of Ft. Scott, Jackson Montgomery of Nevada, Missouri and Easton Hudspeth of Overland Park, Kansas. Also surviving is an aunt,
Kathryn Bennett of Girard, Kansas.
Mrs. Matson donated her body to science for the study of SCA6 and other medical research at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Following completion of their studies, Judy will be laid to rest with her husband, at in the U. S. National Cemetery #1 in Ft. Scott, Kansas.
Memorials are suggested to St. Jude’s Hospital, the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, Oltjen Orthodontics or Operation Smile 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 cheneywitt.com.
Obituary of Betty Clayton
Betty Le Clayton, age 89, a resident of rural Mapleton, Kansas, went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday, February 26, 2023. She was born March 22, 1933, at her grandmother’s house near Prescott, Kansas, the daughter of Raymond Leroy Long and Helen Irene Johnson Long. Betty graduated from the Prescott High School with the Class of 1951. She married Bobby Glenn Clayton on June 18, 1953, at Manty, Kansas. They went on to enjoy sixty-five years of marriage. For the last sixty years, Betty had made her home on the family farm east of Mapleton. Over the years, Betty had been employed by both the Western Insurance Company and the ASCS Office; however, the job she considered her favorite and the most important was being a homemaker. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Betty worked hard to meet her family’s needs. Along with the help of her husband, Betty always raised a large garden and readily canned the fruits of their labor. She was also an excellent cook and will be remembered for her chicken and noodles. Family was always Betty’s number one priority. She enjoyed family get-togethers and attending her grandchildren’s many activities. She was a woman of faith and was a member of the Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene.
Survivors include her six children, Terry Erie (John) of Ft. Scott, Kansas, Bobby Dean Clayton (Crystal) of Mapleton, Kansas, Tracy Clayton of Ft. Scott, Danny Clayton (Janet) of Redfield, Kansas, Kelly Fleming (Rodney) of Ft. Scott and Tami Clayton of Mapleton; twenty-four grandchildren, fifty great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers, Larry Long (Donna) of Hepler, Kansas and Richard Long (Helen) of Mound City, Kansas and four sisters, Bonnie Hunter, of Springfield, Missouri, Donna Morris of Ft. Scott, Diana Carpenter (Bill) also of Ft. Scott and Leana Gier (Gary) of Girard, Kansas. Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby, on November 24, 2018. She was also preceded in death by two grandsons, Drew and Eric Clayton and a sister, Jean Mayhugh.
Rev. Virgil Peck will conduct funeral services at 11:30 P.M. Friday, March 3rd at the Ft. Scott Church of the Nazarene. Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 P.M. Thursday at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Ft. Scott Church of the Nazarene Building Fund 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.
Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson
February 24, 2023
What a difference a week makes? In the two days before turnaround, the halfway point in session, 42 bills were scheduled for debate on the Senate floor, 3 of them were pulled for various reasons. The list of bills is not made available to Senators or the public until the evening before debate. On Tuesday evening, 27 bills were scheduled for debate Wednesday. It makes for an intense environment. Think of it this way. In 7 weeks of session, 280 Senate bills have been introduced, 62 that passed out of committee were selected by leadership for debate on the senate floor and passed to the House. Thirty-eight of the 62 were passed in two days. Here are a few highlights.
Income Tax cuts passed the Senate in Senate Bill (SB) 33 and SB 169. SB 33 would exempt Social Security from state income tax. Some of the amendments that passed during debate include increasing standard deductions each year based on inflation, exempting all retirement accounts from state income tax, and increasing qualifying parameters for the property tax freeze for seniors and disabled veterans that became law last year. The home valuation limit would go from $350,000 to $595,000. The 50% exemption of Social Security from income would be 100%. More Kansans will qualify for the program with these changes. SB 33 bill passed 36 to 3. I voted Yes.
SB 169 would create a single 4.75 state income tax rate without increasing taxes. The bill exempts the first $10,450 for married filing jointly or $5,225 filing single. This exemption is what keeps the 4.75 rate from being a tax increase on lower income earners. Currently, individuals with taxable income of $2,500 or below are not taxed, $5,000 for married filing jointly. But if a taxpayer makes $2501, there is a “cliff”, meaning that a dollar difference results in a taxpayer paying 3.1 percent on the entire income amount. After a single filer reaches the $2,501 threshold, taxable income not over $15,000 is taxed at 3.1, income between $15,001 and $30,000 is taxed at 5.25, and income above $30,000 is taxed at 5.75. For married filing jointly, the thresholds double. It is obvious the 4.75 rate simplifies state income taxes and would get rid of the cliff for low-income filers. It will allow Kansans to keep more of their hard-earned money, instead of growing government. I voted yes. The bill passed 22 to 17.
State Grocery Taxes are scheduled to go to zero in 2025, unless SB 248 becomes law. In SB 248, all grocery taxes, state and local, would go to zero in 2024. It is a big change. Some local governments are against the bill, but it is tax relief that many Kansans need. The bill passed 22 to 16. I voted yes.
Secure Elections by prohibiting ballot drop boxes passed the Senate 21 to 19 in SB 208. I voted yes. Another attempt was made to make odd year elections partisan in SB 210. I did not support this change. The bill failed on a vote of 16 to 24. Write-in candidates for certain elections would have to file an affidavit in SB 221. The bill was brought by election officials that want to save time when counting ballots, so if a person writes in Micky Mouse it will not count unless there is a signed affidavit for Micky. It’s your ballot and you should be able to write-in whomever you please. I voted no, but the bill passed 29 to 7.
Women’s Bill of Rights, SB 180, would designate biological sex at birth, male or female. It will protect women’s sports and stop situations such as males being housed in a female prison because it would require separate accommodations. It should also stop this nonsense on school trips – Eudora girl forced to room with biological male on school-sponsored overseas trip. The Senate passed it on a vote of 26 to 10. I supported the legislation.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn
Marsha Fest: 80s Music on March 4 at the Liberty Theater
Marsha Lancaster died in September 2021 at the age of 54, but those who knew her, want to continue to honor her legacy of supporting community youth sports.
There will be a fundraiser in her honor on Saturday, March 4 at 8 p.m. at the Fort Scott Liberty Theater. Tickets are $35.
“Marsha Lancaster was a Fort Scott native and lived her entire life at 2nd and Hill Street,” said her friend Rhonda Dunn, who is helping with the annual event in remembrance of her. “She was active in many things in school including sports like basketball and volleyball. After attending Fort Scott Community College (FSCC), Marsha bought the Great Plains Deli and her food was legendary in the area.”
To learn more of Lancaster: Obituary of Marsha Lancaster
Marsha’s Deli was known as a local eatery that offered generous portions and a welcoming, down-home atmosphere.
Today her nephew, Brian Lancaster, owns Marsha’s Deli and strives to continue her legacy.
“She supported many organizations and teams through the years,” Dunn said. “She fed many teams that traveled to Fort Scott. It was a tradition for the FSCC Coaches to bring prospective athletes to the Deli for a welcome from Marsha and their first meal at the Deli. Marsha didn’t know a stranger and was amazing at making everyone feel welcomed as soon as they walked through her Deli doors. Marsha was a Fort Scott legend.”
A girl who grew up in 1980s, Marsha Fest will have an 80s Hair Band Rock group to entertain the attendees.
“Baloney Ponyz (a naughty 80s joke) is from the KC area and plays 80s Hair Band Rock music,” Dunn said. “Many of the members of Baloney Ponyz are also members of Disco Dick and the Mirror Balls as well as Legends of Rock.”
The event is sponsored by the Lancaster family. Profits from the event are going to support the Fort Scott High School Sports Booster Club, Dunn said.
“Marsha always enjoyed watching sports and made sure to support the area sports teams by donating or making treats for them to enjoy on game days and we want to keep that legacy alive,” Dunn said. “The proceeds from last year’s Marsha Fest went to Care to Share and the Splash Pad.”
For the latest information, view the Marsha Fest Facebook page.
Learn How to Can
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Bo Co Arts Council Art Exhibit March 2-11
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Feb. 27
Museum of Creativity Spring Newsletter
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102 S. National Ave
Do You Qualify? by Carolyn Tucker
Keys to the Kingdom
The clerk at the grocery store was cute, sweet, and petite and after she totaled my items, she said something I didn’t catch. I responded, “Pardon?” (Possibly she could have put 2 and 2 together and figured it out on her own when I didn’t hear the question.) Nevertheless, she asked again, “Do you qualify for the senior discount?“ I grinned and said, “Yes, I do! Thank you for asking.” So I saved 64 cents and walked out a happy 64-year-old shopper. Honestly, I don’t think of myself as a senior, even though the evidence is in my mirror every day. I’ve heard that no matter how old you are, you mentally feel about 35 years old.
Do those of us who profess Jesus as Lord qualify to be called Christ followers? If we were hauled into court, would the jury find enough evidence to convict us as Christians? When Jesus was teaching His disciples, He said the world would know us by our love for one another. According to Jesus, the most important qualifier is love. “All people will know you are My followers if you love one another” (John 13:35 NCV). Love is not abstract; it’s a verb. You can see it in action with your eyes and feel it in your heart. Love is a lifestyle devoted to demonstrating acts of kindness at every opportunity.
A life of love is described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.“ Love is uncommonly patient under the stress of difficult relationships and challenging situations. It always thinks the best, encourages, and builds up. Love overlooks offenses, doesn’t keep score, and refuses to hold any resentment. It is not overly sensitive, easily offended, or insulted. Love doesn’t focus on what’s wrong with others and overlooks their shortcomings. Love goes the extra mile and extends grace and mercy without expecting anything in return.
When Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth, he painted a very sobering illustration. “…I may understand all secrets and know everything there is to know, and I may have faith so great that I can move mountains. But even with all this, if I don’t have love, I am nothing. I may give away everything I have to help others, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing all this if I don’t have love” (1 Corinthians 13:2-3 ERV). Love is the greatest virtue of all and, if we don‘t have it, we won‘t amount to a hill of beans.
Even though my parents, husband, and brother are gone from planet earth, I still experience their love everyday. Even death can’t destroy the power of love. Love is an eternal energy that comes from the depths of a heart that’s been transformed by God‘s love. Since Jesus has given believers such a high calling, we must love out loud in obedience to Him. As long as we stay focused on Christ as our example, He will enable us to love others like He does.
The Key: Love never gives up, so keep demonstrating the qualifications of a sold-out Christ follower.
U234 Board of Education Agenda For Special Meeting on Feb. 27
BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL MEETING
FEBRUARY 27, 2023 – 5:30 P.M.
PUBLIC AGENDA
1.0 Call Meeting to Order
Danny Brown, President
2.0 Flag Salute
3.0 Long-Term & Capital Improvement Needs (Information/Discussion)
4.0 Other Business – Personnel Matters (Action Item)
4.1 Enter Executive Session – Personnel Matters (Action Item)
4.2 Exit Executive Session
4.3 Approval of Personnel Report (Action Item)
5.0 Adjourn Meeting Danny Brown, President
Books to Read: Southeast Kansas Library System
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Continue reading Books to Read: Southeast Kansas Library System