COVID-19, Fort Scott, Schools

U234 Adopts New COVID-19 Operating Guidelines

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USD 234 Board of Education Building, 424 S. Main
Update on USD 234 Operations Guidelines taken from the school district’s Facebook page.
By Ted Hessong (Superintendent of USD234)
Wednesday, October 13, 2021

On Monday, October 11, at the USD 234 School Board meeting the USD 234 School Board adopted gaiting criteria and a Test to Stay and Learn addendum to the current Operations Guidelines for the 2021-2022 school year that will begin on October 18, 2021.

The gaiting criteria adopted would allow the district to go mask optional if the criteria adopted is met.

The gaiting criteria consists of two areas, the first being the monitoring of new COVID-19 cases in Bourbon County.  The threshold of less than 30 new cases in a week in Bourbon County will be the guideline.

A COVID-19 positivity rate of less than 2% for a specific school building will be the guideline for each building.

If these two criteria are met, this would allow the school buildings to be mask optional.

Mask optional would mean the parents/guardians can decide if their child should wear a mask at school.

If the numbers go above the 30 new cases in a week and if there is a COVID-19 positivity rate above 2% for a particular building, the district or specific building would go back to masks being required.

These gaiting criteria will take effect on Monday, October 18, 2021.  The district will monitor county cases on a weekly basis and the building COVID-19 positivity rate will be monitored daily.

The district will communicate on the Friday before whether a building or the district is able to be mask optional depending on the adopted criteria for the upcoming week.

The USD 234 School Board also adopted a new mitigation protocol called the Test to Stay and Learn Modified Quarantine.

This modified quarantine will include rapid antigen testing for identified school high-risk (not wearing a mask or not vaccinated or has not had COVID-19 in the last 6-months) or household close contacts where parents/guardians will give consent to have their student tested for COVID-19 daily.

If they test negative, they will be allowed to attend in-person during their quarantine period but will be required to wear a mask while at school.

The rapid antigen test is a nasal swab and will only be performed with parent/guardian consent.

If the high-risk or household contact does not opt-in to the Test to Stay and Learn Modified Quarantine, they will need to stay home during their quarantine.

USD 234 has received a grant from the Kansas Department of Health & Environment (KDHE) and will partner with Community Health Center (CHC) to implement the testing program. The logistics of this testing program are being developed and more information will be released before testing becomes available.  It is going to take some time for CHC to hire the staff to implement the testing and to set up the logistics of the testing.

Masks will still be required on school transportation no matter the gaiting criteria.  This is a federal mandate school districts are required to follow.

USD 234 recommends that students have a mask with them at all times in case a cluster breaks out in a building and masking needs to be implemented immediately.

Low-risk close contacts, those who are wearing a mask or are vaccinated or have had COVID-19 in the past 6-months, will not be expected to quarantine from school unless they have COVID-19 symptoms.

Click on the link below to see the updated Operations Guidelines:

USD 234 Operations Guidelines

Click on the link below to see the Test to Stay and Learn Modified Quarantine addendum:

USD 234 Test to Stay and Learn Modified Quarantine

Click on the link below to see an infographic about the Test to Stay and Learn Modified Quarantine:

USD 234 Test to Stay and Learn Modified Quarantine Infographic

Government

Ranchers to be Compensated For Drought Costs

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USDA Offers Online Tool for Drought-Stricken Ranchers to

Estimate Compensation for Feed Transportation Costs

Assistance also available for water hauling expenses

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2021— An online tool is now available to help ranchers document and estimate payments to cover feed transportation costs caused by drought, which are now covered by the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated the program this year to include feed transportation costs as well as lowered the threshold for when assistance for water hauling expenses is available. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin taking applications this fall.  

 

“Drought has had a tremendous impact on producers, and we are thinking outside the box to help producers mitigate the effects of drought, which is a necessary first step to realizing the Secretary’s vision of ensuring agricultural producers get a fair share of the food dollar,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “From climate change to COVID-19, we are continuously working to make our programs as flexible as possible and so they effectively help producers face today’s challenges.”

 

The new ELAP Feed Transportation Producer Tool is a Microsoft Excel workbook that enables ranchers to input information specific to their operation to determine an estimated payment. Final payments may vary depending on eligibility.  

 

To use the tool, ranchers will need: 

  • Number of truckloads for this year. 
  • Mileage per truckload this year. 
  • Share of feed cost this year (if splitting loads). 
  • Number of truckloads you normally haul. 
  • Normal mileage per truckload.  
  • Share of normal feed cost 

 

The tool requires Microsoft Excel, and a tutorial video is available at fsa.usda.gov/elap. 

 

Updates to ELAP 

ELAP provides financial assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. ELAP now covers feed transportation costs where grazing and hay resources have been depleted. This includes places where: 

Drought intensity is D2 for eight consecutive weeks as indicated by the U.S. Drought Monitor; or 

Drought intensity is D3 or greater. 

 

The tool calculates the estimated payment for feed transportation assistance, but it is not an application. Once FSA begins accepting applications later this fall for feed transportation assistance, ranchers should contact their FSA county office to apply. To simplify the application process, ranchers can print or email payment estimates generated by this tool for submission to FSA. The deadline to apply for ELAP, including feed transportation costs, for 2021 is Jan. 31, 2022. 

 

ELAP already covers above normal costs for hauling water to livestock in areas where drought intensity is D3 or greater on the drought monitor. FSA is also updating ELAP to also cover water hauling in   areas experiencing D2 for eight consecutive weeks, lowering the threshold for this assistance to be available. Program benefits are retroactive for 2021. 

 

Payment Calculations 

USDA will reimburse eligible ranchers 60% of feed transportation costs above what would have been incurred in a normal year. Producers qualifying as underserved (socially disadvantaged, limited resource, beginning or military veteran) will be reimbursed for 90% of the feed transportation cost above what would have been incurred in a normal year. 

 

USDA uses a national cost formula to determine reimbursement costs that will not include the first 25 miles and distances exceeding 1,000 transportation miles. The calculation will also exclude the normal cost to transport hay or feed if the producer normally purchases some feed. For 2021, the initial cost formula of $6.60 per mile will be used (before the percentage is applied).  

 

Eligibility 

To be eligible for ELAP assistance, livestock must be intended for grazing and producers must have incurred feed transportation costs on or after Jan. 1, 2021. Although producers will self-certify losses and expenses to FSA, producers are encouraged to maintain good records and retain receipts and related documentation in the event these documents are requested for review by the local FSA County Committee.  

 

More Drought Recovery Information 

USDA has taken additional steps to assist drought-impacted producers, including: 

 

USDA offers a comprehensive portfolio of disaster assistance programs.  On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine all program or loan options available for disaster recovery assistance. For details, producers should contact their local USDA Service Center. 
 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.  

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Government, Kansas

Strong For the Next Generation Conference Oct. 21-22

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Fourth Annual Kansas Prevention Conference Scheduled for Next Week: “Strong for the Next Generation”

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) has partnered with the Kansas Prevention Collaborative (KPC) to host the fourth annual Kansas Prevention Conference October 21-22, 2021, with a pre-conference session October 20. This year’s conference, “Strong for the Next Generation,” is a virtual event and welcomes two nationally recognized keynote speakers. Last year, the conference drew more than 175 virtual attendees who joined for educational opportunities designed to help them in their prevention work throughout the state.

The KPC Conference will provide attendees with educational opportunities to increase awareness of emerging trends in prevention, build skills and knowledge to prevent suicide, alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse and advocate for best practices. Participants in the conference will also learn ways to connect and network with their community and advocate for best practices in prevention.

“Each year this conference attracts people across that state who understand that the work we do around prevention is a fundamental part of the larger public health conversation we must have in our state,” KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said. “Bringing everyone together is one of the ways we can share our knowledge with coalitions and communities across the state in an effort to empower them to move forward with some of the strategies presented in the diverse breakout sessions offered.”

The conference will kick off October 21 with opening remarks by Secretary Howard followed by a keynote address by speaker Dr. Wanda Boone, founder of Together for Resilient Youth (TRY). Dr. Boone’s presentation will reveal how traumatic events and experiences impact prevention as she also takes a dive into the importance of identifying trauma as a social determinant of health and how to apply a resilience-based, equity informed, and community driven lens to prevention.

National Director of Children’s Programs at Betty Ford Center, Jerry Moe, MA, will also give a keynote presentation, “Through a Child’s Eyes,” on the second day of the conference. He will discuss how children are impacted in a family with alcoholism and drug addiction and uncover specific prevention strategies that can make a real difference in their lives.

KDADS’ Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Commission and the KPC are excited to provide this learning opportunity to communities across Kansas. To learn more about the conference, view the schedule and read more about the keynote speakers, visit kansaspreventioncollaborative.org/conference.

KPC is a group of eight partner organizations funded by KDADS working to integrate and innovate behavioral health prevention efforts. This conference is part of KPC’s strategy to ensure that Kansans get the tools they need to prevent underage drinking, substance misuse, problem gambling and suicide. Partner organizations are KDADS, Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ, Wichita State University Community Engagement Institute, DCCCA, Learning Tree Institute at Greenbush, and Life Span Institute University of Kansas.

These eight partner organizations along with these nine conference sponsors make this year’s event possible: Aire Recovery Center, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, United Behavioral Health, Mirror, Opioid Response Network, Valeo, C.E. Mendez Foundation, Inc., Verde Environmental Technologies, Inc., Valley Hope Addiction and Recovery.

About the Kansas Prevention Collaborative: The Kansas Prevention Collaborative was created in 2015 in an effort to integrate and innovate behavioral health prevention efforts. A partnership of several different state, educational, and provider agencies, the KPC’s goal is to expand prevention efforts to be more inclusive of mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and problem gambling education and awareness, as well as to increase the availability of resources to adequately fund local-level prevention and promotion strategic plans. For interviews, media inquiries, or more information, please contact the Kansas Prevention Collaborative at [email protected].

Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Coffee At Hedgehog INK Oct. 14

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Join us for this week’s
Chamber Coffee hosted by
Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore
Thursday, October 14th
8 am
16 S. Main St.
Downtown Fort Scott
Let’s celebrate with Dick & Jan Hedges on the 3rd anniversary of their store in the Downtown Historic District!
Click herefor Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore’s website.
Click hereto visit their Facebook page.
Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for more information at 620-223-3566 or [email protected].
UPCOMING CHAMBER COFFEE’S
10/21 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by Sleep Inn & Suites (7 yrs)
10/28 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by Trinity Lutheran Church
11/4 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by VFW
11/4 ~ Chamber After-hours Event hosted by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation at Landmark National Bank
11/11 ~ No Coffee… Veterans Day
11/18 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by FS Compassionate Ministries
11/25 ~ No Coffee…Thanksgiving Holiday
12/2 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by Fort Scott National Historic Site
12/9 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by Sunshine Boutique
12/16 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by City of Fort Scott
12/23 ~ No Coffee…Christmas Holiday
12/30 ~ No Coffee…New Year’s Holiday
Bourbon County, Government, Kansas

Update: Hwy.3 Closed on Oct. 14

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K-3 closed on Oct. 14 for wind tower crane move

 

K-3 will be closed from K-39 south to K-47 on Thursday, Oct. 14. The move was delayed one day due to rain on Oct. 13.

The daylong closure will start at 7 a.m., when a wind tower crane will be moved across the highway between Birch Road in Bourbon County and Arrowhead Road at the Bourbon-Crawford county line.

 

A detour will be signed on K-146, U.S. 59 and K-39. Traffic should use the detour and other alternate routes. Persons with questions may call Kansas Department of Transportation Area Superintendent Derrick Shannon at (620) 901-6550 or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433. For updates go to www.kandrive.org.

 

Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Fred Campbell

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My name is Fred Campbell. I was born in Fort Scott and have called Fort Scott my hometown for 90 years now. I graduated from FSHS in 1948, was Fort Scott recreation director for 16 years, from 1960 to 1974 and taught and coached in Fort Scott for 25 years, and retired as superintendent of schools for the USD-234 school district. I have served on numerous boards and was past president of the Fort Scott Historical Society and was vocal on the effort to preserve our brick streets.

For too many years, I have watched the disintegration of our infrastructure, in particular the streets and utilities. I have watched each year, the lack of maintenance performed until now there is almost none. I see our sanitary sewers overflowing and plugged with tree roots, storm water flowing through yards and worst of all, the deplorable condition of our aged water lines. These are all basic functions of city government, and our infrastructure must be brought up to standards of acceptability if our citizens are to lead the quality of life they seek.

I am pretty much confined to my home now, but I have been watching the commission meetings on Youtube and reading the newspaper to keep up on what our city officials are doing, and I don’t like what I see.

But this message is not about me, it is about preserving and caring about this town we call home. With the upcoming election we the citizens have a chance to make a difference with our votes and I am asking the following questions:

Why wouldn’t we not want commissioners who:·

– Know and understand the workings of our infrastructure and the
ordinance/statute/resolution that established them,

·- Would work together as a team to rebuild the infrastructure of this once great town, our
streets, water, and sewer lines,

– Would honor the intent of our statutes, ordinances, and resolutions by using the funds
generated by a sales tax or utility charge to fund the rebuild of said utility or street
instead of trying to find ways to circumvent the intent and use those funds for other
things.

Sometimes it’s seems easier to ignore the hardest tasks we have and to keep pushing them to the back of the list of things to do. It’s time for us to break that pattern. Let’s do what’s right for our hometown and elect commissioners who are ready to take on the problems basic to the survival of Fort Scott.

Art, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Community College, Gordon Parks Museum, History

Education and Entertainment: the Gordon Parks Celebration

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John Mason, left,  leads a discussion on Gordon Parks’ book A Choice of Weapons, with  Harold Hicks, one of the book club facilitators, attending on the Zoom screen. A Fort Scott Community College Book Club had been discussing the book in previous weeks.  Mason is a history professor at the University of Virginia. In the book, Parks states that his weapons of choice in the fight against bigotry and poverty were love, dignity, and hard work. The book discussion was on Oct. 8 at the Ellis Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
Gordon Parks Museum Director Kirk Sharp gives an introduction to the Lunch and Learn speaker on Oct. 8 at the Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College. The speaker, Angela Bates, is on the left.

The annual Gordon Parks Celebration weekend Oct. 7-9 was packed with events to educate and entertain.

The Gordon Parks Museum is located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2401 S. Horton.

Parks was an African American documentary photojournalist, photographer, musician, writer and director, with humble beginnings in Fort Scott.

He died in 2006.

There were photo exhibits and a local photo contest, speakers, tours, film showings, entertainment, book discussions, and the opening of the Learning Tree Tourism Trail.

Two African American men were honored as the “Choice of Weapons” annual recipients, Kyle Johnson and Eli Reed.

Kyle Johnson is an actor, performer, and activist. Submitted photo.

 

Eli Reed is a photographer, author, producer, and director. Submitted photo.

Parks Choice of Weapons Award Winners Announced

During the weekend celebration, The Learning Tree Tourism Trail was introduced.

The Learning Tree Tourism Trail is a series of signs located at the different locations where the filming of The Learning Tree took place around Fort Scott. The signs include QR codes, to be used with a smartphone,  along with a virtual tour of the identified scene locations of the film, according to a Gordon Parks Museum press release.

To learn more:

The Learning Tree Tourism Trail Grand Opening is Oct. 7

Angela Bates speaks on Nicodemus, an African American town in Kansas, at a Lunch and Learn as part of the Gordon Parks Celebration on October 8.  Nicodemus, KS was a community of African Americans who came following the Civil War to start new lives as free people. Bates said the first year, 1877,  the Potowattamie and Osage Tribes of indigenous peoples helped the newcomers with food.

The annual photography contest in conjunction with the Gordon Parks Celebration had the winners on display at the Ellis Arts Center on the campus of FSCC.

Additionally on display were some of Parks’ photos and photos of The Learning Tree, the autobiographical film that Parks wrote and directed.

Winners of the Gordon Parks Celebration “Fashion & Diversity” photo contest, sponsored by Merl Humphrey Photography, are below.

Twenty-six entries were received and the winner of First Place was Johanna Walker (Franklin, KS) with the photo titled “Spotlight.”

Second Place was also Johanna Walker with the photo “Johnny.”

Third Place was Frank Clay with his photo, “Enjoying Each Other.”

First, Second, and Third place winners received cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50 respectively.

There were six Honorable Mentions named: “Diversity.” by (Yasser Alaa Mobarak,( Alexandria, Egypt.); “Skating the Disaster.” by Julie Steck (Merriam, KS); “Jewels of Plenty” by Bareigh Farrell (Fort Scott); “Portrait.” by Yasser Alaa Mobarak, (Alexandria, Egypt); “Queen of Color” by Alexxus Browning, Tulsa, OK and “Baby Blue.” by Adelay Martin (Redfield, KS).

The contest was open to any non-professional photographer and was inspired by Gordon Parks, who started his career in fashion photography and chose a camera to fight against racism, discrimination, and poverty.

Judges for the photo contest were professional photographer, Veretta Cobler, and established make-up artist and hairstylist, Donna Fumoso based in New York City.

The photo exhibit is on display in the lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center through October 15. The building is open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

First Place was Johanna Walker (Franklin, KS) with the photo titled “Spotlight.”
Johanna Walker, Franklin, KS was second-place winner in the Gordon Parks Photography Contest. The contest winners were one of many artistic displays at the Gordon Parks Celebration.
Enjoying Each Other, a photograph by Frank Clay, Overland Park, KS was the third-place winner of the Gordon Parks Photography Contest.

 

 

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Ad: Fall Pressure Washing Special

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Armstrong Power Wash. Submitted photos.

Prepare your home for the harshness of winter!

Contact Armstrong Pressure Washing at 620-224-3036 or check us out on Facebook @armstrongpressurewash. Mention this add to receive 10% off your next house wash, roof wash, driveway/sidewalk surface wash, deck wash, gutter cleanout, or gutter brightening.

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Fort Scott, Schools

U234 Press Release of Minutes from Oct. 11

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NEWS RELEASE

 

Monday, October 11, 2021

 

Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at the Fort Scott Middle School Commons on Monday, October 11, 2021, for their regular monthly meeting.

President James Wood opened the meeting.  The board approved the official agenda.

The board approved the consent agenda as follows:

 

A.    Minutes

B.    Bills and Claims

C.    Payroll – September 17, 2021 – $1,425,060.90

D.    Financial Report

E.     Activity fund accounts

F.     FCCLA Fundraiser

G.    Operations Guidelines Correction

 

Patrons spoke in the public forum.

Board members discussed and approved COVID gaiting criteria that will begin on October 18 for USD 234.  The gaiting criteria will allow for masks to be optional pending the number of cases/percentages in each school building.  In addition, the board approved to proceed with a Memorandum of Understanding with CHC to provide parent opt-in COVID testing for students.  Board members approved the gaiting criteria and testing procedure to be added to the Operations Plan.

Ted Hessong, Superintendent, and Gina Shelton, Business Manager/Board Clerk; gave reports.  Dalaina Smith, Director of Academics, and principals from each building shared written reports with board members.  Gina Shelton gave an ESSER Funds update.

Board members reviewed the September 20 Enrollment Count Report.   In addition, the board approved the following:

 

·       Emergency Operations Plan for 2021-22

·       Purchase of three buses

·       Audit contract with Diehl, Banwart, Bolton for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021

·       Workers Compensation with Atkins Insurance

·       Live streaming school board meetings

 

The Fort Scott Middle School VIP Fall Extravaganza will be held on November 22, 2021, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the middle school commons and gymnasium.

Board members shared comments and then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel and returned to open meeting.   The board then went into executive session to discuss employer-employee negotiations and returned to open meeting.

The board approved the following employment matters:

 

A.    Resignation of Jeff Armstrong, high school math teacher (currently on a leave of absence), effective September 29, 2021

B.    Transfer of Carrie Lord, preschool center teacher aide, to preschool paraprofessional for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year

C.    Transfer of Bobbie Yoakam, preschool paraprofessional, to part-time preschool paraprofessional and part-time preschool nurse for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year

D.    Reemployment of Kourtney Harper as a high school paraprofessional for the 2021-22 school year

E.     Employment of Selena Alvarado as a high school assistant softball coach for the 2021-22 school year

F.     Leave of absence for Danielle Cavin, Eugene Ware special education teacher

G.    Resignation of Glenda Cooper, high school cook, effective October 14, 2021

H.    Resignation of Haleigh Lowry, Winfield Scott cook, effective October 11, 2021

I.      Resignation of Marie Henderson, middle school paraprofessional, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year

J.      Resignation of Evangeline Korinke, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, effective January 2, 2022

K.    Employment of Gary Floyd, II as a high school ISS teacher aide for the 2021-22 school year

L.     Addition of an occupational therapist assistant position for the 2021-22 school year

M.   Addition of a speech/language pathologist position for the 2021-22 school year

 

The board approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Fort Scott KNEA.

The board adjourned.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

LEAD Bourbon County Registration

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DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD
LEADERSHIP CAPACITY IN YOURSELF,
YOUR BUSINESS, OR ORGANIZATION!
WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE
KATIE CASPER & DEB MCKENNEY AS
CO-FACILITATORS OF THIS YEAR’S CLASS!
THE CHAMBER IS EXCITED TO KICK OFF OUR
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LEADERSHIP PROGRAM OF THE
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REGISTER YOURSELF OR SPONSOR AN EMPLOYEE!
DON’T DELAY ~ REGISTER TODAY!
Co-facilitators for this class will be:
Katie Casper, Union State Bank
Deb McKenney, Fort Scott Broadcasting
8 Sessions will be held the 3rd Thursday of the month from October to May, 8am-3:30pm
The morning of each session follows the leadership curriculum, principles, and competencies of the
Kansas Leadership Center.
And, the afternoon of each session features a guest speaker and tour of a local business or organization, speaking to putting leadership into action in their workplace or through volunteerism.
CLICK HERE FOR A PROGRAM BROCHURE.
CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE REGISTRATION FORM & PROGRAM OVERVIEW.
YOU MAY ALSO REGISTER ONLINE HERE.
Classes will start October 21st.
Deadline to register October 13th.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CHAMBER BOOSTER MEMBERS BELOW!
Area News, Kansas

What’s an alligator gar doing in the Neosho River

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Alligator Gar Fish taken from Bing.

First-ever Alligator Gar Caught in Kansas

PRATT – When a lure drops below the water’s surface, it’s not always known what might rise to meet it. On a warm night late last month, one angler fishing the Neosho River east of Parsons caught something he probably never expected to see – a four and a half-foot, 39.5-pound Alligator Gar. The kicker? Alligator Gar aren’t native to Kansas and have never been documented here.

Though not always common, Alligator Gar are distributed from southwestern Ohio and southeastern Missouri and Illinois, south to the Gulf of Mexico, and a small portion of northeastern Mexico. A predatory fish, Alligator Gar are sometimes referred to as “living fossils” since fossil records trace them back nearly 100 million years. As the name implies, Alligator Gar are easily identified by their broad snouts that loosely resemble that of the American Alligator. Alligator Gar are the largest gar species with specimens weighing more than 300 pounds and measuring more than 8 feet long. Just three gar species are native to Kansas: Longnose, Shortnose, and Spotted Gar. Longnose Gar are the most common and largest gar species in Kansas. While the Longnose Gar are common in the state and reach lengths exceeding 5 feet, they are distinguished from the Alligator Gar by a narrow snout and smaller overall size, among other characteristics. So, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Fisheries biologists must ask, “What’s an alligator gar doing in the Neosho River?”

It’s a good question, and one KDWP Fisheries biologists are attempting to answer.

“We’re confident the information from the angler is accurate and the fish was, in fact, caught from the Neosho River,” said KDWP Fisheries biologist Connor Ossowski. “However, that doesn’t mean the fish originated from the river.”

To determine the fish’s origins, KDWP biologists have several unique options.

Since all states involved in Alligator Gar reintroduction efforts for populations in decline have been tagging each hatchery-produced Alligator Gar, KDWP staff had the option of looking for a tag. After using a “wand” to detect any identification markers, KDWP staff are confident this catch was not part of a formal reintroduction effort.

“Because most populations of this species can be distinguished from one another with a sample of the fish’s fins, another option we’re considering is genetic identification,” said KDWP assistant director of Fisheries research, Jeff Koch. “This will tell us if the fish came from an existing population in another state.”

If genetic testing doesn’t pan out, not all hope is lost; KDWP Fisheries biologists would still have one more option.

“Microchemistry is another technique at our disposal,” Koch added.

Microchemistry is performed by measuring the elemental proportion of a bone on a given fish and comparing it to the elemental concentration of a surrounding water. If consistencies exist, the data may be able to help Fisheries biologists determine at least how long the fish had been in the Neosho River.

Of all the potential scenarios for how this giant came to be in the Neosho River, there’s one hypothesis that rings the truest – the possibility that the Kansas-caught Alligator Gar was released from an aquarium.

“It’s not unlikely that this fish was once somebody’s pet or purchased from a pet store, and simply released into the river once it became too large,” said Doug Nygren, KDWP Fisheries Division director. “These techniques should allow us to determine which mode of introduction occurred.”

Time will tell if the Neosho River Alligator Gar made its way to the Sunflower State by natural or assisted means. While it would be very difficult for this fish to have made its way to Kansas naturally, due to the distance to the nearest population and the series of dams along the river, KDWP Fisheries biologists won’t jump to conclusions; they’ll do as they always have, which is rely on verifiable data from proven research methods.

Once their research is complete, KDWP Fisheries biologists will publish the results of this catch on ksoutdoors.com and on the Kansas Fisheries Division Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KDWPFisheries.

In the meantime, it’s important to note that transporting and releasing fish or other species in public waters, whether native or non-native, is illegal in Kansas. Chris Steffen, KDWP Aquatic Nuisance Species coordinator, warns, “Transporting and releasing fish risks spreading other harmful species such as microscopic zebra mussels, fish diseases, or aquatic vegetation that might be present in the water used to transport the fish.”

To report a rare species find in Kansas, email [email protected] and visit  https://ksoutdoors.com/Services/Threatened-and-Endangered-Wildlife/Rare-Species-Sighting for more information.

Bourbon County Local News