K-State Extension

Late October – The Perfect Time to Tackle Lawn Weeds and Fertilize

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Late October – The Perfect Time to Tackle Lawn Weeds and Fertilize

So far, this fall has brought fairly favorable weather—but winter is just around the corner. Before the deep freeze sets in, there are two important tasks every homeowner should check off their lawn care list: weed control and fall fertilization.

Why Worry About Lawn Weeds Now?

Weeds might be the last thing on your mind this time of year. But think back to last spring—was your lawn speckled with purple henbit or dotted with dandelions? If so, those weeds didn’t just show up in spring—they actually started growing last fall.

Cool-season broadleaf weeds like henbit, dandelions, and chickweed germinate in the cool, moist conditions of September and October. They overwinter as small, low-growing plants that often go unnoticed. Once spring temperatures rise, they rapidly grow and bloom, making them much harder to control.

Fall is the Best Time for Broadleaf Weed Control

Treating these weeds in the fall is your best chance for effective control. During this season, the weeds are actively transporting nutrients to their roots in preparation for winter. Herbicides applied now are carried down to the roots, killing the plant from the inside out. Plus, the young, small weeds are much more vulnerable to herbicide treatments.

Look for broadleaf herbicides that contain 2,4-D, or combination products with 2,4-D, MCPP, and Dicamba—commonly sold under names like Trimec, Weed-B-Gon, or Weed-Out. Another effective option is Weed Free Zone, which includes all of the above ingredients plus carfentrazone for enhanced control.

Important Note: Avoid applying herbicides to newly seeded lawns until the grass has been mowed at least two or three times. Always read and follow the label instructions carefully.

Fall applications also reduce the risk of herbicide drift, a common issue during warm, windy spring days. The cooler, calmer conditions of fall—along with the dormant state of many plants—make this an ideal time for treatment.

Don’t Forget Fertilization

Early November is the perfect time to apply the final dose of nitrogen fertilizer to your cool-season lawn. This late-season application can make a big difference come spring.

Why? As temperatures drop, top growth slows, but grass plants continue producing and storing carbohydrates in their crowns and roots. These stored reserves help your lawn green up earlier and grow more vigorously in the spring—often eliminating the need for early spring fertilizer.

Apply 1 to 1½ pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Use a quick-release nitrogen source like urea or ammonium sulfate for best results.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Horticulture agent assigned to Southwind District.  She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

Elections, Government

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall Newsletter

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Senator Marshall Op-Ed: Serving Kansans doesn’t stop during a shutdown

Early in the week, I published an op-ed in the Hays Post, writing that despite the ongoing government shutdown, my offices remain open and continue to serve Kansans.

Read the full op-ed HERE or see the excerpt below:

“Washington is shut down – again – and Americans have every right to be frustrated. Once again, the dysfunction in D.C. threatens to disrupt lives far beyond the Beltway. And while the political blame game plays out, Kansans are left wondering how this gridlock will affect their families and their livelihoods.

“It’s important to know how we got here in the first place. A clean, short-term funding bill — known as a continuing resolution — was introduced by Republicans to keep the government open for seven more weeks.

“This measure would have given Congress the time to complete the normal appropriations process, work towards a balanced budget, and hammer out the details of next year’s funding. But to pass in the Senate, the bill needed bipartisan support — at least 60 votes — which means cooperation across the aisle. Unfortunately, that cooperation didn’t transpire.

“Like many Americans, I am frustrated that we are in this situation. But while some federal offices may close their doors or scale back operations, I want to be clear with the people of Kansas: my office is open, and we’re still working for you.”

Senator Marshall Blasts Democrats for Voting Against Military Pay Bill

Disgracefully, Senate Democrats voted against my colleague Senator Ron Johnson’s (R-Wisconsin) bill, which would have provided paychecks for military service members and “excepted” federal employees who have worked without pay during the last 24 days.

Chuck Schumer’s party showed heartless indifference to military families today and federal workers, including members of their own staff, by blocking their pay to push funding for illegal aliens’ healthcare.

The brave men and women of our military risk their lives every day to defend our freedom — and they deserve better than this.

Sadly, on Oct. 31, those military troops will miss a paycheck.

On Nov. 1, the following federal programs will run out of federal funding:

  • WIC
  • SNAP
  • Federal education impact aid
  • Military tuition assistance
  • Head Start
  • All federal employees will have missed at least one full paycheck

Several public-facing programs have already run out of funds, impacting Kansans of all ages across the state:

  • Some FSA programs and services
  • USDA Rural Development programs and payments to local contractors
  • Federal Flood Insurance Program
  • Medicare telehealth
  • Acute Care Hospital Care at Home
  • National Parks
  • Eisenhower Presidential Library

Senator Marshall: It’s Time for Democrats to Come to Their Senses

As the Schumer Shutdown entered its third week, I spoke with multiple news outlets, including Fox Business, MSNBC, Newsmax, Bloomberg, Fox News Radio, and KCMO, to discuss potential off-ramps, the unaffordability of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), what solutions Republicans are proposing, and our attempts to get paychecks for our troops and federal workers.

We also discussed a potential congressional stock trading ban, renovations at the White House, President Trump’s trade negotiations with Argentina for beef imports, rural healthcare, my Patients Deserve Price Tags Transparency Act, and the strikes against drug cartels near Venezuela.

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Click HERE or on the image above to watch my interview with Fox Business.

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Click HERE or on the image above to watch my full interview with Newsmax.

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Click HERE or on the image above to listen to my full interview on Fox News Rundown.

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Click HERE or on the image above to watch my interview with Fox Business.

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Click HERE or on the image above to watch my interview with Bloomberg.

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Click HERE or on the image above to watch my interview with MSNBC.

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Click HERE or on the image above to listen to my full interview with Pete Mundo on KCMO.

Senator Marshall: Democrats Own the Problems with the ACA

I also took to the Senate floor this week to call on Democrats to come to their senses and reopen the government so there can then be a conversation about their broken healthcare system.

As I said in part during my remarks, “as all America knows, my friends across the aisle have kidnapped the federal government.

“In fact, they’ve now voted a dozen times not to reopen the government, and even, surprisingly to most of us, twice, they voted against funding the military during these challenging times. I think it’s obvious to all of America that this is a political shutdown, that this is showbiz to them, this is an opportunity for their left legacy media to shout and scream at President Trump and to kowtow to their far-left Marxist base.”

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Click HERE or on the image above to watch my full remarks.

Senator Marshall: We Need to Turn Patients Into Consumers Again

During a Senate Special Committee on Aging, I had the opportunity to question numerous witnesses, including Entrepreneur Mark Cuban, Co-Founder of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma and the Free Market Medical Association, G. Keith Smith, M.D., and Chief Health Director of CalPERS, Don Moulds, PhD. My questions focused on how shoppable services can improve outcomes and lower costs for Americans.

I asked those in the hearing, “Could you imagine going into a restaurant, you look at the menu, have your choice between a good Kansas City strip or some day-old chicken with gravy and cream on it to make it taste good, and not knowing what the price tags are?

“But for some reason, in healthcare, it’s the only industry in the world, in America, that doesn’t have a price tag with it.”

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Click HERE or on the image above to watch my full line of questioning.

Senator Marshall: Broken ACA Sticks 24 Million Americans with $5,000 Deductibles

In a separate Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing, focused on the 340b program and examining its growth and impact on patients, I was able to question Michelle Rosenberg, Director of Health Care at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Aditi Sen, Ph.D., Chief of the Health Policy Studies Unit at the Congressional Budget Office, and William B. Feldman, MD, Dphil, MPH, physician and health policy researcher at the University of California.

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Click HERE or on the image above to watch my full line of questioning.

Senator Marshall Tours Clinical Reference Laboratory & Highlights Dangers of Synthetic Kratom Compound “7-OH”

Earlier today, I joined leaders from the Clinical Reference Laboratory and the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) to raise awareness about the growing threat of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) – a powerful, unregulated opioid compound derived from the kratom plant and now widely available in retail stores across the United States.

This product, despite sometimes being marketed as harmless, can, in fact, be 13 times more potent than morphine.

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During this tour, I met with Matt Roney and Bob Thompson of Clinical Reference Laboratory and Dan Neill, Executive Director of the Midwest HIDTA, to review their findings showing that 7-OH is being sold in gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops – often disguised as natural kratom products.

What we know is that these synthetic versions of kratom are highly addictive and dangerously misleading. In June 2025, I sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Makary urging the agency to act on 7-OH’s growing prevalence in over-the-counter products. I hope the FDA will provide consumers and retailers with the clarity of knowing what’s safe and what’s not.
Click here to learn more.
Bourbon County, Schools, Youth

USD235 Vocational Agriculture Building Is Prepared For The Future

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Machines of various types are available to students at Uniontown VoAg. shop.

The Uniontown school district has an expanded classroom and shop, all new workspaces, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation, along with new security features to take the vocational agriculture program at the junior high and high school into the future.

Scott Sutton, from the USD 235 Staff Directory.

Vocational Agriculture Instructor Scott Sutton told attendees at the October 23 open house that there was a definite need for the renovation to the building constructed in 1967. The building is on the north side of the main campus building on Fifth Street in Uniontown.

Scott Sutton, center, discusses the newly made (by students) welding spaces with attendees.

The shop floor was uneven, there was no air conditioning, and the electrical, plumbing, and ventilation systems needed to be upgraded. The roof was replaced about nine years ago and was still under warranty, Sutton said.

The classroom space was extended in size, and additionally,  space was added to the shop by removing some stairs to a loft that was taken out. And now the teacher can see what is going on in the shop, while in the classroom, with a security camera.

“It’s ADA compliant, fire marshal approved,” he said.

The modernization of the 40-foot by 70-foot building began in February 2025. “It was gutted to the beams, the floor was torn out, and the new windows, electric, plumbing, ventilation system, air conditioning, and heating installed. We had heat, but no air conditioning,” Sutton said. “A new CNC Plasma Table to make metal parts will be here next week. It’s a common industry standard.”

An example of what can be made from a plasma table, Sutton said.

Sutton is the only vo.ag. teacher in the district with 187 students in the junior/senior high school, and 59 of those students are enrolled in the vo.ag. classes.

Freshmen students are offered an agriculture science class. Sophomores are offered plant and animal science, Juniors- agriculture mechanics (welding, electrical, engines), Seniors- agriculture leadership and communication.

Vance Eden, from the USD 235 Staff Directory.

USD 235 Superintendent Vance Eden said the program helps students with the teaching of “presentation of self and team effort.”

 

Sutton said students have been very successful with livestock judging, meat judging, parliamentary procedure,  and public speaking competitions in the program. “Several students have received scholarships for livestock and meat judging at the collegiate level. And there are a lot of other scholarship opportunities in the agriculture field and through FFA.

The renovation was sparked by an audit in 2021 that declared there was a need for a plan for the future of the building, USD235 Superintendent Vance Eden said.  There was poor insulation, leaks and exhaust fume problems, among others.

A bond issue that included a renovation of the building failed in November 2023. COVID-19 Pandemic era funds were able to be set aside along with some Capital Improvement State Aide, Eden said. “We knew something was going to have to be done, so we saved for 3-4 years.”

The building renovation was just under one million dollars. There was also a donation from the Timken Foundation for the project.

 

 

 

Bourbon County

Proposed Bourbon County Noise Ordinance Presented at Meeting on 10/23/2025

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AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS, REGULATING UNREASONABLE, EXCESSIVE, AND DISTURBING NOISE WITHIN THE COUNTY, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF.

 

Article I — Purpose and Authority

Whereas public health, safety, comfort, and welfare are best served by reasonable regulation of loud, unnecessary, or unusual noises, the Board of County Commissioners of Bourbon County, Kansas, by authority granted under K.S.A. 19-101a and other applicable laws, does hereby adopt this Noise Ordinance.

Article II — Definitions

  1. Noise means any sound that is loud, discordant, or unnatural to the surroundings and which endangers or injures the public health or welfare, or disturbs the reasonable peace, comfort, or repose of persons.
  2. Residential property means any property upon which a dwelling unit is located.
  3. Plainly audible means a sound that can be heard by an unaided human ear at a distance of seventy-five (75) feet from the source.
  4. Stationary source means any sound-producing device which is not mobile, including mechanical devices, fixed engines, or equipment.
  5. Motor vehicle means any vehicle intended for highway use, including automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles.

Article III — Prohibited Acts

  1. It shall be unlawful for any person to make, continue, cause, or permit to be made or continued any loud, unnecessary, unusual, or unnatural noise which either:

    a. Annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace, or safety of others; or

    b. Interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property by a person of reasonable sensibilities.

  2. Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., it shall be unlawful to cause any noise which is plainly audible at a distance of seventy-five (75) feet or more from the source on any residential property.
  3. No person shall operate or permit to be operated any motor vehicle or sound amplification system in a motor vehicle so as to make or cause to be made any sound which is plainly audible at a distance of fifty (50) feet or more from the motor vehicle.
  4. Stationary sources shall not emit sound that exceeds the maximum permissible levels below when measured at the boundary of another property:
Zoning/Use District Daytime (7 a.m.–10 p.m.) Nighttime (10 p.m.–7 a.m.)
Residential 60 dB(A) 50 dB(A)
Agricultural/Rural 65 dB(A) 55 dB(A)
Commercial/Industrial 70 dB(A) 60 dB(A)

Article IV — Specific Prohibitions

The following acts are declared to be violations of this ordinance, but this list is not exclusive:

  1. Operating outdoor power equipment, lawn tools, or machinery between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m..
  2. Discharging the exhaust of any engine or device except through a muffler designed to prevent loud or explosive noise.
  3. Operating a vehicle or machinery in such a manner as to create unnecessary grating, grinding, or rattling sounds.
  4. Operating amplified music or loudspeakers at a volume plainly audible at or beyond the property boundary.

Article V — Exceptions

This ordinance shall not apply to:

  • Emergency vehicles and public safety operations during emergencies.
  • Activities authorized by county permit (special events, parades, etc.).
  • Normal farm and agricultural operations consistent with accepted practices.
  • Construction or maintenance activities conducted between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., provided reasonable noise control is observed.

Article VI — Enforcement and Penalties

  1. Enforcement shall be by the Bourbon County Sheriff or authorized designee.
  2. Violations may result in a Notice of Violation, citation, or both.
  3. Any person convicted shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00), imprisonment in the county jail for not more than thirty (30) days, or both.
  4. Each day of violation constitutes a separate offense.
  5. The county may seek abatement or injunctive relief to stop continued violations.

Article VII — Severability

If any portion of this ordinance is held invalid, the remainder shall remain in full force and effect.

Article VIII — Effective Date

This ordinance shall take effect and be in force after publication once in the official county newspaper, as provided by law.

Opinion

Opinion: Bitcoin, Noise, & Zoning’s Future

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In a recent county commission meeting, a moratorium on commercial bitcoin mining was passed. The moratorium makes it illegal for an entity to run a cryptocurrency mining algorithm if it meets the following criteria:

  1. Contains 3 or more interconnected computers.
  2. Is operated for commercial purposes.

If it isn’t immediately apparent the breadth of what the commissioners have voted to ban, here is a photograph of three computers that can be interconnected, can be used to mine cryptocurrency, and are owned by a commercial entity.

Why would the commissioners write a moratorium that would ban a particular algorithm from running on these three computers that can fit in the palm of your hand? It all goes back to a complaint by Cassie and Dereck Ranes, who reside in the county. (It isn’t clear exactly when they moved in, but tax records show they made their first tax payment on a modular home in January of 2025.) In 2024, a company called Evolution Technology, LLC leased a gas well across the road from them and at some point after January of 2024 put a large generator on it to run a bitcoin mining operation.

The Ranes say the sound of the generator is unbearable, even to the point of making it difficult to sleep. While the Ranes have standing to seek resolution in civil court under existing Kansas nuisance laws, they have not chosen to exercise that option. The county does not currently have standing to do anything on their behalf. The Ranes and other neighbors asked for this moratorium to prevent any new bitcoin mining operations from being started. A moratorium does nothing to deal with existing businesses operating in the county and would only stop new installations from operating.

Imagine that you have a problem with cars driving by the front of your house at high speeds. You go to the commissioners to complain and mention that there is a red car that drives by really fast. The commissioners could tell you to talk to law enforcement about laws that were being broken. They could change the speed limit to 45 mph to help slow people down. They might even have the county put a speed bump in front of your house. Those would all be things related to the speed issue.

But what if instead they passed a moratorium on registering cars that match the particular shade of red that you mentioned? What would that do?

  1. It would deprive everyone in the county of the freedom to buy a car of a particular color.
  2. It would introduce a huge burden of compliance with silly rules that would need to be enforced by someone.
  3. It would require the commissioners to spend time and attention doing things that individual citizens can better handle for themselves and away from things that only commissioners can do (deal with benefits, understand the budgeting process, make sure the payroll service they selected can handle the county needs, etc.).

Would it address the actual problem in any way? No. Absolutely not.

Is the car example just silliness, or is it a good proxy for what the county is doing with this moratorium?

When the commissioners wrote the moratorium, the problem at hand was noise, but they inexplicably wrote and passed a resolution that doesn’t contain a single parameter, guideline, or requirement related to noise. Instead, they banned an algorithm with parameters that encompass hardware that a middle schooler might run in their bedroom. (Though the middle schooler might be able to claim they are not operating commercially when law enforcement shows up at their door.)

Would the moratorium keep a company from putting another loud generator on another gas well they have leased? Absolutely not. The moratorium is completely orthogonal to the use of generators, production of sound, or pretty much anything else that is causing an issue. They could put in another installation, exactly like they have now, and run a different algorithm on it. For example, their setup would be perfect for training large language models.

I suppose the commissioners could try to pass another moratorium this time to ban a different algorithm. If they used a similar definition, they could ban people with a job working on AI training models who happen to have more than three computers in their home. The commissioners can play whack-a-mole with various algorithms without ever actually addressing the underlying problem. What if the commissioners finally decide to ban any GPU installation capable of more than 20,000 tera hashes per second? That would take care of the noise problem, right? Well, no. The generator can still be used to charge electric vehicles, pump water for irrigation, and all the other things that electricity can be used for.

While the moratorium is a bit silly with problems a crypto-savvy high-school student could have pointed out, it seems unlikely it could legally be applied to everything it technically applies to. However, I believe it points to a much bigger problem with the direction the commissioners are trying to go with zoning. As I’ve mentioned before, under the best conditions, maybe zoning would have some positive aspect for the county. There is some theoretical possible future where zoning does more good things than it does bad. But this moratorium illustrates that there are many more possible futures where zoning creates a huge mess.

How do we know what type of future zoning would have in Bourbon County? This moratorium is a good way to predict what would be a probable future. With full access to legal counsel and citizens who are willing to look over technical details, the commissioners managed to pass a moratorium that is completely divorced from the actual problem they were trying to address and is so broad that it covers things people run under their desks and even things that would fit in the palm of your hand.

In an effort to pass a moratorium quickly, no one stopped to consider what was actually in the documents they were signing. Imagine that same type of decision-making process being applied in the future with an expanded set of powers under zoning. This particular example is relatively benign, but it should serve as a warning about where the commission is trying to take the county with zoning.

Mark Shead

Note: FortScott.biz publishes opinion pieces with a variety of perspectives. If you would like to share a perspective or opinion, please send a letter to [email protected]. 

Bourbon County

Bourbon County Core Community: Giving A Helping Hand To Those Want It

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Submitted photo of Deana Betts.

 

Bourbon County Core Community is a local program that seeks to open the gates of poverty, give education and resources, and offer support to people in this community.
The organization is having its year-end funding campaign called Faces of Change,  which supports the program.
“The Core Community Faces of Change Campaign features three community members who are prominent leaders in Bourbon County but had humble beginnings in poverty,” said Deana Betts, liaison for the organization. “They had to navigate broken families, isolation in school and community, and nearly insurmountable odds to get to where they are today.”
To see the stories of local leaders, Greg Motley, Kelly Perry, and Josh Jones,  who had their lives begin in poverty: https://www.facebook.com/bbcocorecommunity/
Submitted photo.
“Many times, people have untapped potential trapped behind the bars of poverty. Core Community exists to open the gates of poverty, to give education, resources, support, and hope to people.”
“The results we are seeing are amazing! In our first two classes alone, we have seen eight people walk away from poverty!”
“As a group, our participants have increased their monthly income by $12,738, and they have paid off $36,786 worth of debt! This doesn’t just affect the families in our program; it has a lasting effect on our communities, our schools, dependency on the government, and so much more.”
“This work is needed in Bourbon County, but we cannot do it alone. We are a non-profit 501(c)3 and need the help of our community, churches, organizations, and individual donors to sustain this work.”
They currently have a $20,000 match on funds given during this campaign, which can double every dollar donated.
“This will be a great budget booster,” Betts said.
The match donors are Dean and Becky Mann, Carla Farmer
Steve Buerge, and two anonymous donors.
The website for giving, which also lists the “Faces of Change” stories in full:
“Every dollar donated between now and Christmas will double. If you donated $100 , it would be matched, and be $200,” Betts said.
Opinion

Be Determined to be Determined by Patty LaRoche

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Patty LaRoche. 2023.
Author: A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection
www.alittlefaithlift.com
AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)

The story is told of a little boy who lived in a ghetto. Because of his strong belief in God, his friends constantly teased him, saying, “If God loves you, why doesn’t he take care of you? Why doesn’t God tell someone to bring you shoes or send someone with a warm coat?  Where is the good food you’ve been asking God for?” The little boy thought for a moment and with tears in his eyes, softly said, “I guess He does tell somebody but somebody forgets.”

I am afraid that too many of us are that “somebody.”

We see the man on the side of the road, holding his cardboard sign that lets us know that he is homeless, broke, a veteran, asking for money.  The scribbled writing ends with “God bless you.”  We drive away.  After all, he could get a job; everybody is hiring.  He probably will buy alcohol with the money we give him, anyway.

Our neighbor recently taped aluminum foil to her windows in an effort to save on her heating bill.  Embarrassed?  You betcha.  What’s this neighborhood coming to?     

We watch obese people struggle to manage their Walmart shopping cart and put groceries into their car trunks, and we scurry on by.  After all, it’s not our fault they don’t try to get in shape, and we’re in a hurry to get home from work.  They should try to walk a mile in our designer shoes!           

The call goes out for volunteers to hang wreaths on the tombstones of the soldiers buried at our National Cemetery or place flags in the ground at our National Fort, but that’s the day we are having a family get together or a lunch date with a friend.  Just too busy!

How about this one?  I know that I should take a meal to ________ who is going through a difficult time right now, but I’m sooooooo tired.

And yes, some of us have tried to help and have gotten burned.  No fun.  We offer our couch for a two-night stay that turns into a two-week visit.  Our guests do nothing to help but treat our offer as something they are owed.  Or we “loan” money, never to see an attempt to repay. We vow never to help again.

What’s really sad is when we tell someone we will pray for them, and then we don’t.  (My hand is raised here.)  My intentions are good.  My actions?  Not so much.  And then they let us know that all is well and thank us for our prayers, and we don’t admit that we forgot or just were too preoccupied to follow through.

Not everything needs to be a grand gesture.  Sometimes, we just need to keep our antennas up and be aware of needs around us.  A smile.  A compliment.  Opening a door.  The other day in Costco, I stood in the line that, of course, was the slowest one available.  The man in front of me had three orders, and something went wrong with the way the employee rang them up.  He needed a manager.  The assistant manager came, but that wasn’t good enough.

As the other lines moved along smoothly, I turned to a young woman behind me.  “This is my fault, you know,” I said to her.  “You never should get behind me in a line; this happens regularly.”  She grinned and said, “I sure hope you’re not going to Trader Joe’s next.”  We both cracked up.  When I finally got through the line, the register attendant looked exasperated.  I paid and said, “Have a blessed day.”  She stopped, looked at me and said that I made her day.

In the parking lot, I watched an elderly lady wandering, clearly looking for her car.  Been there, done that!  I pulled up beside her and asked what her car looked like and then drove around, looking for it, to no avail.  Finally, I persuaded her to get into my car (she was terrified of me!) so we could search together. As it turned out, it wasn’t where she thought she left it.

Philippians 2:4 can change lives: Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. We need to be determined to be determined not to forget.               

Entertainment, Fort Scott

Downtown Halloween Parade/Trick-or-Treat is Tomorrow, Saturday Oct. 25 at 10 a.m.

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Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to the

Downtown

“Trick-or-Treat”

Halloween Parade

& Festivities!
Schedule of events:

Saturday, October 25, 2024

10-11am: Halloween photo backdrop for pictures with your own camera.

Face painting will be offered by the Fort Scott High School Community Empowerment Club and Thespian Clubs!

11am: Parade will start at La Hacienda, down the west side of Main Street to 2nd, then back down the east side of Main Street to Skubitz Plaza.

Following parade: A slice of pizza and a drink will be served to the kids in costume provided through the generous donation of local businesses!

Click HEREto visit the FS Downtown “Trick-or-Treat” Halloween Parade

Facebook Event Page!
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
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Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
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Ad: DBB Seeks Individuals With Accounting, Payroll, and Bookkeeping Experience

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DBB Inc, formerly Diehl Banwart Bolton CPA PA’s, is looking to add to our great staff.  We are looking for qualified, motivated individuals with experience in accounting, payroll, and/or bookkeeping.  We have full-time and part-time positions available.  DBB Inc, is a full-service accounting, payroll, and tax preparation firm with a long history of excellence.  We offer competitive compensation and benefits for all full-time employees. Please send your resume to [email protected] , mail to PO Box 869 Fort Scott KS 66701 or drop off at 7 ½ E Wall St, Fort Scott KS.  We will schedule interviews with all qualified applicants.

Bourbon County

Bourbon County Commission Special Meeting: Noise Ordinance and Payroll

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The north wing, east side of the Bourbon County Courthouse.

Before discussing a proposed noise ordinance, the clerk’s office addressed the commission concerning the new payroll company the county is changing over to.

Payroll

County Clerk Susan Walker read a statement to the commission about the payroll and benefits problems they are currently having with the new payroll system the county.

“It was not an operation improvement. It was a political move,” she said the commission’s decision to hire Pay Entry to do the county’s payroll.

“It undermines the efficiency,” she said.  It has not saved time for her office but has added to the hours needed.

Walker also stated that recent comments in commission meetings implied a failure of her office. Implying that any payment has been processed without prior approval is false.

Jennifer Hawkins, Deputy Clerk, addressed the commission regarding  the affects of what the new payroll system is doing.

She is working directly with Pay Entry and cited several issues she found in her meeting with them Thursday morning.

“My main concern is employees can change the cost center and their job title,” even by accident, she said, which would change their pay rates and what account their pay comes out of. Pay Entry said they cannot lock employees out of that part of the program without locking everyone else out too, including supervisors.

“The system seems rather clunky compared to what we have now. In my opinion, it’s taking two steps back compared to what we now use,” said Jennifer.

Commissioners Samuel Tran and Mika Milburn both wanted to include the vendor’s representative in a meeting about the issues.

Commissioner David Beerbower suggested putting the changeover to having Pay Entry manage the county’s payroll (which was to take place on Sunday) on hold until they can have a meeting with the payroll vendor at the regular commission meeting on Monday.

This shouldn’t be happening during the election time, Beerbower pointed out, as the clerk has election responsibilities taking her time.

Beerbower told Milburn to reach out to Emerson to ask for a delay in starting up to allow for time to work out the issues.

Walker said she was asked to start up at the end of the quarter, and she suggested waiting to start up until the start of the new year.

Tran said the commission needs to discuss it among the three of them. He also said that when there’s a problem, those involved are either a help or a hindrance.

He said the county officials and employees need to work as a team.

He also said they are trying to make things better.

Walker said that nothing was broken in the system that the county had been using.

Milburn will pass on the clerk’s office issues to Pay Entry, and the changeover will be delayed until the problems can be worked out.

Noise Ordinance Resolution

Tran said he spoke to the county’s attorneys, and the county doesn’t have standing for an injunction or a cease and desist order, so the noise ordinance is the next step they can take. It will give them standing.

Beerbower shared a noise resolution example with the commission that a citizen had given him for review. He said it is similar to noise resolutions in Atchison and Douglas Counties.

Some highlights from the resolution he read include:

Defining “plainly audible” as sound an unaided human ear 75 feet from the source can hear. Tran also requested the addition of reverberation to the ordinance.

The ordinance differentiated between residential, agricultural and commercial/industrial areas. It also distinguished between noise volume allowed during the day and night.

Daytime (7 AM-10 PM) decibel limits in the ordinance are 60 dB in residential, 65 in agricultural, and 70 in commercial and industrial areas.

Actions on the list of violations include: operating outdoor power equipment between 10 PM and 7 AM, operating muffler-less vehicles, operating amplified music or a speaker at a volume heard beyond the property boundary.

Normal agriculture operations, special events, and construction during the day are exempted from the resolution.

Enforcement would be by the sheriff’s department. Violations may result in a citation and misdemeanor charge with fines of $500 and up to 30 days in jail. Each day of the violation qualifies as a separate offense. The county can seek an injunction to stop continuous offenders.

Beerbower expressed concern about adding decibel levels to the resolution because of the issue of who measures the sound.

He said the language of the ordinance, which calls noise that causes damage to another’s health and impedes their ability to enjoy their life a violation, is adequate.

Public Comments

Zach Cross expressed concern that the commissioners consider grandfathering in existing businesses. He owns a kennel business in the south end of the county and is concerned about his ability to continue to operate if a new neighbor doesn’t want the noise of the kennel so close to their property.

Mary Ridge expressed concern about noise from gunfire and fireworks.

Michael Hoyt compared the ordinance to a speed limit change, which is enforced the minute it’s published.

Beerbower asked Tran and Milburn if they had any changes to suggest.

Beerbower asked to bring it back to the regular meeting on Monday. He said he would get legal’s opinion before then.

Bourbon County Local News