Total solar eclipse to cross North America on April 8

TOPEKA – On Monday, April 8, a total solar eclipse will cross North America. The Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas Highway Patrol advise travelers to plan ahead as traffic is expected to increase.

“Remember that the shoulders of highways and interstates are for emergencies only,” said KHP Capt. Candice Breshears. “Finding a safe and secure location to view the eclipse is a must for all travelers to make it to their destinations safely.”

Travelers should be patient, avoid distractions and practice safe driving habits.

“Pay attention to the roadway, not the sky,” said KDOT Director of Safety Troy Whitworth. “Be on the lookout for other drivers who may be distracted. Traffic will most likely be heavy before, during and after the event in the locations where the eclipse can be viewed. So, plan your travel accordingly.”

Kansas is not in the direct viewing area of the total solar eclipse. It will begin in Mexico and enter the U.S. in Texas, and parts of 14 additional states will experience the total solar eclipse as it travels northeast across the country. Then it will enter Canada.

According to the National Weather Service, a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon’s elliptical orbit is towards its minimum distance from Earth, making the moon appear larger than the sun. This allows the moon to completely obscure the sun, and a shadow is cast on the Earth’s surface.

Use specialized eye protection to view the sun during this time. Check the weather and plan accordingly – make sure to dress properly and be prepared for potential weather incidents when driving long distances. For information on Kansas road conditions, go to  www.kandrive.gov or call 5-1-1.

Eclipse

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Victim assistance grant opportunities open for application

TOPEKA – (March 27, 2024) – Six grant programs serving victims of crime across Kansas are open for application, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced today.

More than $2.5 million in grant funds were awarded last year from six state programs through the Office of the Attorney General. Funds are used to assist local and state crime victim assistance organizations across Kansas in providing direct services to crime victims, as well as in developing prevention programs to address violence.

Grant opportunities are open in the following programs:

Child Exchange and Visitation Center Program (CEVC) – This fund seeks to provide supervised child exchange and visitation to children and families at risk due to circumstances relating to domestic or family violence.

Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Fund (HTVAF) – This fund was established by the Legislature in 2013 (K.S.A. 75-758) to provide training regarding human trafficking for law enforcement agencies throughout Kansas, and to support the care, treatment and other services for victims of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of a child.

Child Abuse and Neglect (CVAF-CA) – This fund seeks to provide for ongoing operating expenses of programs assisting child victims.

Crime Victims Assistance Fund (CVAF) – This fund seeks to provide for ongoing operating expenses of programs assisting crime victims and establishing and maintaining new programs providing services to the victims of crimes.

State Protection from Abuse Fund (PFA) – This fund seeks to provide temporary emergency shelter for adult victims of domestic violence or sexual assault and their dependent children, counseling and assistance to those victims and their children, or educational services directed at reducing the incidence of domestic violence or sexual assault and diminishing its impact on victims.

Child Advocacy Center Fund (CAC)This fund seeks to provide for ongoing operating expenses of Child Advocacy Centers.

More detailed information on the application process for each of the grant programs can be found at www.ag.ks.gov/grants. Applications will be accepted through the Grant Management System located on the website. All applications are due on May 3, 2024.

Awards will be made this summer. These grant programs are administered by the attorney general’s Victim Services Division and the Victim Rights Coordinator.

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CONTACT: Danedri Herbert – (913) 706-6394 I [email protected]

World League Wrestling Coming To Fort Scott on April 13

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member Advance Bourbon County…

WLW Returns!

Saturday, April 13th, World League Wrestling returns to Ft. Scott, KS at the historic Memorial Hall! This event for the public! This free event still requires a ticket and you can pick up free ticket/s at locations listed below.

Thanks to the awesome people at Advance Bourbon County / The Hall Events for their work in making this event happen and thanks to the businesses for their sponsoring April 13th’s event –

Findley Auto & Body LLC

Sleep Inn & Suites

No Limits Rehabilitation

5 Corners Mini Mart

Lyons Realty Group

Peerless Products

Bourbon County Cars

Kale Nelson State Farm

Brumback Motorsports

Pearson Towing

Fort Scott American Legion Post 25

H2 Painting LLC

H2 Logistics

Aunt Toadies

Linn’s Sanitation Services

Ron Hurd Construction

Jeff Allen Electric

City of Fort Scott

Again – we want to send out a HUGE THANK YOU for all the businesses above and Advance Bourbon County for getting this event free for the public to attend!

It’s time to fill up Memorial Hall and have a great night of pro-wrestling!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!
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Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

Catholic Church and Rectory Buildings are Coming To Fruition

The Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church following the fire on August 29, 2022. Submitted photo.
Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church was damaged beyond repair following the lightning event that struck the church on August 29, 2022.
Since then the church members pulled together to design a new building, which is anticipated for completion in December 2024.
Statutes are being restored by an artist

“When I heard about the fire, I immediately contacted Fr. Yancey Burgess ( the parish priest)  to offer my help,” Robert Elliot, an artisan specializing in church renovations and statue restoration, said. “Father Yancy …presided over my wife’s funeral mass along with three other priests and this has always meant a great deal to me, so helping him and his community was the only thing to do.”
Elliot’s studio in Wichita. Submitted photo.

He received the Stations of the Cross and other statues last May, he said.

Some of the statues that are being restored. Submitted photo.
“We are restoring the fourteen Stations of the Cross and the following statues: The Corpus Of Christ, Mary Queen of Angels, The Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Joseph with the Infant Jesus, two angels with ribbons, and one free-standing angel.
Elliot anticipates completion of the statue restoration project in mid-September after 16 months of work,  he said.
Elliot started his company in 1995 and is located in Wichita.
Update on the church rebuild
Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church at 714 S. Eddy earlier this month.  Photo from Margaret Humphrey.
Simpson Construction, Wichita,  is the general contractor for the project. which began a year ago and is scheduled for completion in December 2024.
“Currently, they are working on the outside,” putting up OSB boards,” said a spokesman, Mark McCoy.
Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church from Holbrook Street, the back side of the church, on March 26, 2024.
Then a sealer will be applied, followed by brick masons, who will be coming in approximately three weeks, he said.
“The base of the church will look like St. Mary’s school, which is adjacent to the church,” he said.
“Our plan is to have a dedication Mass in December,” McCoy said.
The image of the church will look like the previous church, he said.
To view prior features:
The Rectory

The rectory, where the parish priest lives,  should be finished and Father Yancy moving in by the end of April, McCoy said.

The Catholic Rectory on March 26, 2024. Workers putting up rails are Bruce Swank, Frank Casper, and Bo Casper of Casper Enterprises.

That project is being completed by Casper Enterprises, Bo Casper is the contractor.

 

Texting and Driving Is Illegal and The Main Cause of Vehicle Crashes

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month:

Texting while driving is illegal

The Drive To Zero Coalition, along with the Kansas Department of Transportation, urges drivers to always put safety first and ditch distractions, as inattention is the main cause of motor vehicle crashes.

Preliminary 2023 data for Kansas shows 102 people died and more than 450 people were injured in crashes due to distracted driving.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which takes place in April, focuses on raising awareness and educating motorists to increase safety on roadways. During April, Kansas motorists will hear and see more distracted driving safety messages. Increased law enforcement will remind drivers any distraction, including texting, is unsafe, unnecessary and illegal.

“Distracted driving for any reason is dangerous and puts others at risk,” said Gary Herman, KDOT Behavior Safety Manager. “As soon as your eyes leave the road and your hands leave the steering wheel, focus on driving is gone. This results in no time to safely react to traffic hazards.”

Herman said distractions include eating, sipping a beverage, turning attention to a child in the backseat and texting.

Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows drivers ages 18-34 represent the most distracted drivers, namely due to cell phone use. In addition, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports mental distractions can last up to 27 seconds after using voice commands on cars, changing music or using phones.

Drivers are encouraged to develop safe driving habits and:

  • Put the phone away and out of reach.
  • Activate the phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature.
  • Avoid adjusting the radio, handling food and other items that take your hands off the wheel.
  • Have passengers oversee navigation information and all phones.
  • If needed, pull over at a safe location to handle things.

For more information about the distracted driving, go to https://www.nhtsa.gov/book/countermeasures-that-work/distracted-driving.

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This information can be made available in alternative accessible formats upon request. For information about obtaining an alternative format, contact the KDOT Division of Communications, 700 SW Harrison St., 2nd Fl West, Topeka, KS 66603-3745 or phone 785-296-3585 (Voice)/Hearing Impaired – 711.

Unapproved Minutes of the Special Meeting of the Uniontown City Council

The Special Council Meeting on March 25, 2024 at Uniontown City Hall, was called to order at 5:30PM by Mayor Jurgensen.  Council members present were Jess Ervin (5:31), Danea Esslinger, Amber Kelly, Mary Pemberton, and Bradley Stewart.  Also in attendance for all or part of the meeting was City Clerk Sally Johnson.

 

Motion by Kelly, Second by Esslinger, Approved 4-0 to enter in to executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel matters exception, KSA 4319(b)(1), in order discuss offer of position of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at 6:05PM

 

Johnson in at 5:41, out at 5:42.  Open meeting resumed at 6:05.

 

Motion by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0 to authorize Mayor Jurgensen to hire a City Clerk at $15/hour with benefits as specified in employee policy manual

 

Moved by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0, to adjourn at 6:08PM

Obituary of Lynn Graham

Lynn Robinson Graham, age 75, resident of Fort Scott, KS, died Monday, March 25, 2024, at Freeman Health System West, Joplin, MO.  Lynn was born on December 30, 1948, to John and Eltheda (Robinson) Kennedy in Blue Mound, KS. Shortly after graduating from college, she started her career in transcription at Mercy Hospital, where she met many lifelong friends.

 

She was a devoted and fun-loving mother and grandmother who loved spending time with her family.  Her bubbly personality was sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.  She could be found most days putting a puzzle together while sitting in front of her T.V. watching The Food Network. She enjoyed making treats; her brownies were always requested anytime there was a gathering where side dishes were a must, and her Chex mix for the Holidays was something everyone looked forward to.  She loved her Coca-Cola collectibles, word search puzzles, bingo, and her cats.  She also enjoyed spending time with her best friend Nancy.

 

Lynn is survived by her son, Brandon and her grandchildren, Garrison, Jenna, and Ashlyn.

 

The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 PM Friday, March 29th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Private family burial will take place later.

Memorials are suggested to Lee’s Paws and Claws and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.

The Lowell Milken Center Newsletter March 26

March 26, 2024                                                                               Volume 2

A Timeless Tribute to Your Hero: A Gift That Lasts a Lifetime!

Looking for the perfect gift for someone who has everything?

Consider a personalized brick to be showcased in our Unsung Heroes Park. For just $100, it’s a unique and enduring way to honor a hero in your life. By purchasing a brick, you’re creating a lasting tribute and supporting the Lowell Milken Center’s mission to share remarkable stories of Unsung Heroes throughout history.

Your purchase is tax-deductible, as the Lowell Milken Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Printable certificates will be promptly emailed, making it a hassle-free gift option. Secure your brick today by visiting the Lowell Milken Center at 1 S. Main, Fort Scott, KS, or by submitting this form: https://bit.ly/brick_form. For more information, contact LMC at 620-223-1312.

Design Your Brick

Unsung Heroes Park is a stunning exhibit space that serves as an outdoor extension of the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. Unveiled in September 2022, it boasts interactive exhibits, a walking trail, a water feature, and beautiful landscaping, which delights thousands of visitors anually.

Southeast Kansas Library System Newsletter

The SEKnFind Newsletter
March 2024

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

Listen for the lie
by Amy Tintera

When Lucy’s friend Savvy is murdered, anyone could be the killer, even Lucy, and soon enough a true-crime podcast comes investigating.

The mystery writer : a novel
by Sulari Gentill

When he is accused of murdering his sister Theo’s literary mentor and lover, Gus, after Theo disappears, leaving behind clues in the form of a story, soon discovers that in order to protect the carefully constructed deceit, Theo, and everyone who ever looked for her, must die. Simultaneous.

A step past darkness
by Vera Kurian

Twenty years after a group of misfit kids working on a capstone project in 1995 uncovered sinister secrets within their local mines, one of them turns up dead sending the others racing back to finish what they started.

Redwood court : fiction
by DâeLana R. A. Dameron

Mika Tabor, the baby of the family, learns important lessons from the people who raise her: her hardworking parents, her older sister, her retired grandparents and the community on Redwood Court, who are committed to fostering joy and love in an America so insistent on seeing Black people stumble and fall.

The great divide : a novel
by Cristina Henrâiquez

An epic novel of the construction of the Panama Canal casts light on the unsung people who lived, loved and labored there.

Kilt trip
by Alexandra Kiley

In Scotland, one woman discovers more than the just the magic of the heartland’s lochs and landscapes—but not before clashing with the proud Scotsman she’s forced to work with. Original.

The angel of Indian Lake
by Stephen Graham Jones

Jade returns to Proofrock, Idaho, to build a life after the years of sacrifice—only to find the Lake Witch is waiting for her.

The tainted cup : a novel
by Robert Jackson Bennett

“An eccentric detective and her long-suffering assistant untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder in fantasy reimagining of the classic crime novel”

Annie bot : a novel
by Sierra Greer

Looks at the relationship between a female robot and her human owner, exploring questions of intimacy, power, autonomy and control.

The county line : a novel
by Steve Weddle

During the Great Depression, Cottonmouth Tomlin, after the death of his uncle, returns home to Columbia County to the broken-down outlaw camp—the sum of his family legacy, but soon pushes the boundaries of the community’s forgiving nature as he is faced with hard choices. Original.

American spirits
by Russell Banks

Three interlocking tales about the locals in a rural New York town, including two criminals who kidnap an elderly couple to blackmail their grandson and a man who is hounded on social media after selling his property to a stranger.

The Forty-Niners : a novel of the Gold Rush
by William W Johnstone

In 1848, Cord Bennett, leaving his family behind to stake his claim in California, arrives in the gold-rich canyon of Rio Oro, controlled by deadly and ruthless criminals, where he discovers in a land of opportunity, not all that glitters is gold. Original.

New Audiobooks

The Hunter
by Tana French

Moving to rural Ireland, Cal Hooper, who took early retirement from Chicago PD, has built a relationship with Lena and is gradually turning teenager Trey Reddy into a good kid, but when Trey’s long-absent father reappears with an English millionaire and a get-rich-quick scheme, Trey wants revenge.

Come & get it : a novel
by Kiley Reid

A senior resident assistant at the University of Arkansas accepts an easy yet unusual opportunity offered by a visiting professor and things get messy when her new side-hustle is jeopardized by strange new friends and illicit and vengeful dorm antics.

Wandering Stars
by Tommy Orange

Colorado, 1864. Star, a young survivor of the Sand Creek Massacre, is brought to the Fort Marion Prison Castle, where he is forced to learn English and practice Christianity. Oakland, 2018. Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield is barely holding her family together after the shooting that nearly took the life of her nephew Orvil. Now adrift, Opal searches for a way to heal her wounded family.

New Nonfiction

Tough broad : from boogie boarding to wing walking–how outdoor adventure improves our lives as we age
by Caroline Paul

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Gutsy Girl comes a humorous, inspiring, deeply researched exploration into the science and psychology of the outdoors and our place in it as we age.

Witchcraft : a history in thirteen trials
by Marion Gibson

Taking readers across Europe, Africa and the Americas, this dramatic journey through 13 witch trials, some famous, some lesser-known, empowers the people who were and are victimized and marginalized, giving a voice to those who were silenced by history. Illustrations.

Slow productivity : the lost art of accomplishment without burnout
by Cal Newport

“The author of Digital Minimalism and Deep Work offers a philosophy for pursuing meaningful accomplishment while avoiding overload. History’s most creative and impactful philosophers, scientists, artists, and writers mastered the art of producing valuable work with staying power. In this book, Cal Newport harnesses the wisdom of these traditional knowledge workers to transform modern jobs. Drawing from research on the habits and mindsets of a varied cast of thinkers from Galileo and Isaac Newton to Jane Austen and Georgia O’Keefe, Newport lays out the key principles of “slow productivity” and provides step-by-step advice for workers to replace the standard notion of productivity with a slower, more humane alternative”

How to find a four-leaf clover : what Autism can teach us about difference, connection, and belonging
by Jodi Rodgers

A special-education teacher with thirty years of experience working with autistic people gives readers a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the neurodiverse community and looks at ways we can develop more meaningful connections with others. 60,000 first printing.

How to win friends and influence fungi : collected quirks of science, tech, engineering, and math from nerd nite
by Chris Balakrishnan

The co-founders of the global science organization Nerd Nite present a quirky, illustrated collection of narratives and infographics centered around STEM, such as the importance of microbes and how the Webb telescope has influenced movie special effects. 150,000 first printing. Illustrations.

The hunger habit : why we eat when we’re not hungry and how to stop
by Judson Brewer

An internationally renowned addiction psychiatrist offers a proven step-by-step program, grounded in cutting-edge neuroscience, that will help us understand what’s going on in our brains so we can heal the guilt and frustration we experience around eating—and heal our relationship with food and our bodies.

The ultimate wildlife habitat garden : attract and support birds, bees, and butterflies
by Stacy Tornio

This visually stunning guide to creating an earth-friendly garden provides essential information for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard by sharing details about which plants attract specific creatures. Original. Illustrations.

Obituary of John Read

John William Read, age 68, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas,  passed away Monday,  March 25, 2024.

 

John was born March 8, 1956, in Ft. Scott, Kansas, the son of Francis  Marion “Cisco” Read and Ruth Louise Groner Read.

 

John was married May 22, 1976 to his wife Paula Raye Smith at the Catholic church in Fort Scott, Kansas.

 

He attended elementary school at Saint Mary’s Catholic School, where he made lifelong friends, and graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1974.

 

He began working as a mechanic at the age of sixteen and was a diesel mechanic for B&D until the flood of 1986.  Shortly after, he began working for Kansas Truck Center Freightliner in Wichita, Kansas until his retirement in 2021.

 

After retirement, he and Paula moved back to Fort Scott to spend more time with their children and grandchildren.  In addition to being with his family, he enjoyed fishing, tinkering and fixing things, growing tomatoes, and reading to his great-granddaughter.

 

He is survived by his wife Paula Read; one son David Charles Read and his wife Jessica of Carl Junction, MO; one daughter Carrie Louise Read Lord and her husband Heath of Uniontown, KS; four grandchildren Isabel Neva Read and Isaiah William Read both of Carl Junction, MO, Krystal Raye Lord of Chanute, KS and McKenna Mae Lord of Uniontown, KS; and one great-granddaughter Bexley Raye Shelton of Chanute, KS.  Also surviving are one brother Chuck Read: six sisters: Becky Grounds, Brenda Read, Julie Smith, Carol Read, Joyce Swearingen, and Rose Gauthier; and several nieces and nephews.

 

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Friday, March 29th at the Apostolic Christian Church in Ft. Scott.  Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Thursday at the Cheney Witt Chapel.  Memorials are suggested to the John Read Memorial 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.

Bourbon County Local News