Obituary

Obituary of Thora Shinn

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Thora May Shinn, age 94, a former resident of Iola, Kansas, and more recently of Uniontown, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, March 31, 2021, at the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas.  She was born March 5, 1927, at her grandparents’ home south of Bronson, Kansas, the daughter of Roy Nichols and Mabel Watson Nichols.  Thora graduated from the Bronson High School with the Class of 1944.  Following high school, Thora took the train to Kansas City and worked for a time at Fred Harvey’s Restaurant in Union Station.  She married her high school sweetheart, James O. Shinn on January 24, 1946, after he returned home from serving in World War II.  They later settled in Iola, where Jim worked as a barber and Thora worked as a phlebotomist at the Allen County Hospital.  Thora enjoyed genealogy and compiled several books of family history on both her family as well as her husband’s side of the family.  She also enjoyed bowling.  Following Jim’s death on October 30, 2011, Thora moved to Uniontown to be near her son, Alan, and his family.  She attended the First Missionary Baptist Church of Uniontown.
Survivors include her sons, Alan Shinn and wife, Becky, of Uniontown, Kansas and Jack Shinn, of Pittsburg, Kansas, six grandchildren, Kevin Shinn (Diana), of Uniontown, Kansas, Melissa Gage (Jason), of Louisburg, Kansas, Crystal Shinn, Brett Shinn (Miriah), Tabitha Shinn and Amber Sanchez (Matt), all of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and ten great-grandchildren, Emily Jefferies (Austin), Holly Richwine (Dylan), Lauren Shinn, Brayden, Bryce and Brock Gage, Blade and Aiden Feather, Nichole Schwermer and ShiAnne Sanchez.  Also surviving is a brother, Don Nichols of Wichita, Kansas.    In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Mark Shinn, and two sisters, Reta Jones and Margaret Ruckman.
Rev. Marty Dewitt will conduct graveside services at 2:30 P.M. Wednesday, April 7th at the Turkey Creek Cemetery north of Uniontown.  The family will receive friends at the First Missionary Baptist Church in Uniontown on Wednesday from 1:00 P.M until leaving for the cemetery.  Memorials are suggested to the First Missionary Baptist Church or the Bronson Alumni Association at FSCC 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, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, COVID-19, Fort Scott, Health Care

CHC Closing On Price Chopper Building April 9

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Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, 403 Woodland Hills Blvd.

 

New buildings/expansions are on the horizon for the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas.

 

CHC is working on the purchase plan for moving from its’ Fort Scott present site to the former Price Chopper building on Main Street at  23rd Street.

 

The present site is the former Mercy Hospital building at 401 Woodland Hills.

 

“We are… closing on our purchase of the 40,000 sq. ft. Price Chopper Building in Fort Scott on April 9,” Postai said.  “The plan is to combine our walk-in care and main clinic together. The renovation will start as soon as possible, with a goal of completion prior to the expiration of our current lease with Mercy in December 2022.”

Krista Postai. Submitted photo.

 

There is also a new CHC building in Pittsburg.

 

“We have scheduled our groundbreaking for our new Medical Education Building in Pittsburg which will be home to all the students we are/will be training,” Postai said.

 

The groundbreaking will be May 3 at 12:30 p.m. at the John Parolo Education Building, south of the CHC/SEK System Office.

 

“About $5.6 million in donations have been raised to cover the full cost of the building and its furnishings scheduled for completion in the summer of 2022,” she said. “In the meantime, work continues on the establishment of a family practice residency program in Pittsburg in collaboration with Kansas University Medical Center and Via Christi/Ascension; the application for accreditation has been submitted with a ‘virtual’ survey planned this fall.”

 

CHC is planning a clinic in Chanute in the near future.

 

“We also bought 10 acres of land in Chanute on which to build a clinic in Neosho County,” she said. “Given all our other projects, it will probably take us 3-5 years to get this done.”

Continue reading CHC Closing On Price Chopper Building April 9 →

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

Critical Pandemic Response Maintained in Kansas

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Governor Laura Kelly Signs Executive Orders to Maintain COVID-19 Response

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today issued several executive orders to ensure Kansas can maintain critical pandemic response efforts to keep Kansans healthy, keep businesses open, and keep kids in school.

The orders Governor Kelly issued today extend provisions put in place by previous executive orders and include some updated provisions.

“Since the pandemic began, my administration has been laser-focused on supporting and protecting our communities and our economy,” Governor Kelly said. “Extending these orders will ensure that our efforts will not have been wasted, and that Kansans and businesses don’t lose the resources they need to get back to normal.”

Several executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic were set to expire on March 31 in conjunction with the expiration of the state of disaster emergency. Senate Bill 40 includes a provision that revoked all executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic yesterday, but the Governor retains the authority to re-issue orders under the new process imposed by the bill.

The Governor today issued the following orders, which will generally remain in effect until rescinded or until the statewide state of disaster emergency expires, whichever is earlier:

Fort Scott, Schools

USD 234 Preschool Roundup May 7

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There will be a USD 234 Preschool Center Roundup on May 7, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  If your child will be four years old on or before August 31, 2021, and if you can answer “YES” to any of the following questions, your child may be eligible to attend.

 

  1. Does your child qualify for the free lunch program?
  2. Are you a single parent family?
  3. Have you been referred to us through DCF?
  4. When your child was born, was either parent a teen?
  5. Is either parent lacking a high school diploma or GED?
  6. Is the main language spoken in your home NOT English?

 

We also have very limited three-year old slots available for those who qualify.

 

Contact Tammy Catron at 620-223-8965 or by email at [email protected] by May 1, 2021, to schedule an appointment.

You will need to allow 30 to 45 minutes to complete the application process.  Parents will need to bring the following documents to the appointment:

 

  • State-Issued Birth Certificate
  • Immunization Record
  • Social Security Card
  • Medical Card or Insurance Card
COVID-19, Government, Kansas

KS Senate Bill Extends COVID-19 Response Health Care Measures

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Governor Laura Kelly Signs Bill to Maintain Increased Access to Health Care Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today signed a bill to ensure Kansas can maintain pandemic-related provisions that increase Kansans’ access to health care across the state.

Senate Bill 283 extends the following COVID-19 response measures until March 31, 2022:

  • The expanded use of telemedicine,
  • The authority of the Board of Healing Arts to grant certain temporary emergency licenses,
  • And the suspension of certain requirements related to medical care facilities and immunity from civil liability for certain health care providers and certain persons conducting businesses in Kansas for COVID-19 claims.

“The effects of the pandemic are far-reaching and long lasting, and continued support for Kansans is paramount,” Governor Kelly said. “This bill extends critical provisions that have expanded access to health care for a year – provisions that are still necessary to protect Kansans’ safety, keep our businesses open, and keep our kids in school.”

View the bill here.

Obituary

Obituary of Kevin Bryan Shelton

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Kevin Bryan Shelton, age 56, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away unexpectedly, Thursday, March 30, 2021, at his home.

He was born May 14, 1964, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, the son of John Newton Shelton and Geraldine Marsh Shelton.

Kevin had been employed by Smico Norvell, Klein Industries and later for Ft. Scott Greenhouse.

He liked tinkering with electronics and enjoyed HAM radio.  He also enjoyed woodworking and fishing.

 

Survivors include his mother, Geraldine Shelton of Ft. Scott; four brothers, Larry Shelton (Cathy) of Ft. Scott, Steven Shelton (Roxanne), of Woodstock, Illinois, Darryl Shelton (Deb), of Gardner, Kansas, and Don Shelton (Terri) also of Ft. Scott and a sister, Sharon Shelton of Ft. Scott.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Shelton and two brothers, Michael Shelton and James Shelton.

 

There was cremation.  A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Memorials are suggested to the Kevin Shelton 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, Government

K-39 bridge replacement project starts in Bourbon County

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The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) plans to start work Thursday, April 1, on a project to replace a bridge on K-39 in Bourbon County. The bridge spans Pawnee Creek and is located approximately 7½ miles east of the east K-3/K-39 junction.

 

K-39 traffic will be placed on a state route detour around the work zone. Eastbound traffic, from the K-3/K-39 east junction, will travel south on K-3 to K-47, east on K-47 to K-7, and north on K-7 to K-39. Westbound K-39 traffic should follow the same route in the opposite direction.

 

KDOT awarded the $1.4 million construction contract to B&B Bridge Company of St. Paul. Weather permitting, the project should be completed by November 2021. Persons with questions may contact Iola Area Engineer Troy Howard, (620) 901-6557, or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen, (620) 902-6433.

Bourbon County, Business, Government

Jayhawk Wind Project in Construction in Southwest Bourbon County

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Standing at the bottom of a wind turbine looking up at the clear Kansas sky.

The Jayhawk Wind Project in Bourbon County is in construction.

“We are moving forward,” said Bourbon County Commissioner Lynne Oharah. “They are out there now,  putting gravel on roads and widening access on the roads.”

Lynne Oharah. Submitted photo.

To view the map of the wind farm site: JAY_Final_Facilities_Map_20210308

“They are east and north of Porterville, in southwest Bourbon County, around 40th and Eagle Road,” Frank Young, an engineer with Agricultural Engineering Associates, Uniontown, said. “I have looked at a couple of culverts for them to see if they will hold up traffic for them.”

Frank Young. From the Agricultural Engineering Associates website.

“They are upgrading some of the roads to be able to get some big rigs down them,” Young said.

Bourbon County Public Works Director Eric Bailey said I.E.A. , the contractor, sends him a plan of the day, every day and yesterday they worked on Eagle Road between 40th and 50th Streets, capping over 2100 linear feet and additionally, 50th from Eagle Road to Hwy. 3 putting over 4200 linear feet.

Eric Bailey. Submitted photo.

“They put on 4-6 inches of gravel,” Bailey said.

Today they are working on 50th from Eagle to Hwy. 39 and 30th from Hwy. 39 going south, he said.

“They have a lay-down yard at (the junction of) Hwy. 39 and Hwy. 3,” Bailey said. “This is where they will have all their job trailers, their starting point every day, where the contractors will report in.”

Young said the area is about 10 acres and is the delivery area as well.

The Jayhawk Wind project will have a capacity of 193.2 Megawatts and can power 65,000 homes, according to the  Apex website.

 

According to the March 3 press release from Apex Clean Energy

“The Jayhawk facility… is expected to be operational later this year, will consist of 70 GE wind turbines totaling an installed capacity of more than 190 MW. The project will provide significant economic benefits for the local and state economies—including the creation of more than 115 construction jobs and 7 long-term operations positions—and will generate over $20 million in landowner payments and $27.2 million in tax revenue.”

To view the press release:

Jayhawk Wind Sold to WEC Energy Group

To see a prior feature:

Jayhawk Wind Project Breaks Ground This Week

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Minutes of March 23

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March 23, 2021                                              9:00 am

 

The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners, the County Counselor and the County Clerk present.

 

Also present were the following; (some were present for a portion of the meeting and some were present for the entire meeting), Jason Silvers with the Fort Scott Tribune, Susan Bancroft, Kim Simons, Anne Dare, Mr. & Mrs. Clint Walker, Michael Hoyt and Mark McCoy.

 

Jim made a motion to approve the minutes from the prior meeting, Clifton seconded and all approved and signed the minutes.

 

Eric Bailey met with the Commissioners; he had a moving permit from Mr. Borntrager to move a 50 X 30 X 15’6” home from an area near Xavier to Wagon Road, Eric suggested that they wait to make a decision on this permit until the required insurance had been submitted, Lynne suggested that Eric talk to Justin Meeks regarding any bond requirement.

 

Eric reported they did work to a crossroad at 245th & Hackberry.

 

Eric said they are patching potholes with cold patch mix.

 

Eric said they removed a large tree from the road near 240th & Birch & Cavalry, but said someone took the County barricades from this site.

 

Eric said they finished the blast at the Beth Quarry last week and hope to be crushing soon.

 

Eric said KCAMP is finalizing the details on the belly dump trailer to agree on a settlement for the belly dump trailer and truck that was involved in an accident, for the truck and trailer the KCAMP offers are $39,036 & $35,616; the Commissioners felt this was a fair offer.  Lynne suggested putting the money in the Special Machinery fund when the County receives it, but Susan Bancroft said the money needed to be put in the insurance proceeds account.

 

Lynne reported that a low water crossing East of Fulton on Xavier doesn’t have any signs posted saying that it isn’t passable during high water.

 

Eric Bailey presented a map showing the site of the windmills that will be in Bourbon County, the Commissioners asked that this map be posted in the hallway.  Eric said he had a meeting with APEX regarding the road use agreement to make sure everything is followed; he said Todd Foxx will be doing the inspections.  He said the company did boring yesterday to see the depth of the gravel on the roads.  Eric said he has been working with engineer Frank Young and said everyone is working well together.

 

Eric Bailey and Emergency Manager William Wallis met with the Commissioners regarding the 2019 floods; Will said this is FEMA disaster DR-4449-KS.  Will said he has been working for almost 2 years gathering and submitting the data of the damage for reimbursement.  The heavy rain began in April of 2019 and continued through July of 2019, with the heaviest rain occurring on the July 4th weekend.  The State declared the flooding a disaster.  Will said after PDA’s were done the initial estimate of damage was $366,592.  Will said the Cat. A (debris removal) total was $13,600, Cat. B (emergency protective measures) total was $5,739.22, Cat. C (roads) $355,221.38 total (the County will get reimbursed 85% of this for a total of $301,938.17), Cat. Z administrative costs $18,000 (the maximum the County will get is $18,000).  Will said he is still getting the cost of the culvert projects.  Will said the grand total that the County will get from FEMA is $392,560.  Will said Road & Bridge has already started tabulating expenses from the recent ice storm and suggested that for future disasters that once the damage starts to occur that the process starts on gathering data to make it easier and faster to report to FEMA.  Eric said that Jennifer Hawkins deserved a big “Thank You” for collecting the data to submit for the flooding disaster.  Lynne asked Eric what he felt they should use the FEMA money for; Eric suggested setting the money back for bridges and going after grant funds and using the money for the matching grant funds for bridges.

 

Register of Deeds Lora Holdridge met with the Commissioners; she said the map she present to them a few weeks ago was not the reappraisal map, but said she has since found the 1989 reappraisal map (she gave the Commissioners and Eric Bailey a copy of the map).  She said this map is the latest map since the reappraisals.  She said they would need to use this map to update the road record map.  Justin Meeks said based on the new map he would be working with Lora to research properties.  Jim questioned Lora on why she was confident the 1989 map was the correct map; Justin said this was done for 911 and said hearings were held and said they went through the process to find out what was an open road.  Justin said people can petition to open or close a road.

 

Greg Vahrenberg with Raymond James met with the Commissioners (via telephone) regarding refinancing the 2012A and 2012B sewer district bonds.  He said refinancing the bonds could result in an estimated savings of $136,500 and would lower the interest rate from 2.75% to 2.19%.  He said this would be a 20 year issue.  Susan Bancroft asked what the new annual payment would be; Greg estimated it to be $40,000 annually, Susan said the City is currently only collecting $30,000 a year and suggested that Greg look at a 25 year financing option.  Susan said since the County just did a bond rating could they just use that bond rating; Greg said Standard and Poor’s is willing to simplify the process and said the County will have a lower rating expense because of this.  Clifton made a motion to adopt Resolution 15-21, A resolution authorizing the offering for sale of general obligation refunding bonds, series 2021, of Bourbon County, Kansas, Jim seconded and all approved and signed the Resolution.  Clifton made a motion to respond to S&P that the engagement letter is received and we are ready to proceed with the rating engagement, Jim seconded and all approved.

 

Patrick Clift with Nelson Quarries met with the Commissioner regarding the rock to be used for the Jayhawk Windfarm project.  Patrick said they have built up a surplus of AB1, (he said it is pure limestone and said no fines have been added).  He said Eric Bailey requested rock for the roads with less fines.  Eric said Frank Young recommended using SS5, Jim Harris said if Eric and the engineer recommend using SS5, then that is what needs to be used.   Eric said the windfarm company can use a different rock on private roads, but said SS5 needs to be used on the County roads.  Eric said the roads (when finished) will be 4-6” thick.  Patrick said they have 6,000 ton of clean 1/2” chips if the County needs to purchase any.

 

Lynne made a motion to go into a 7 minute executive session for KSA 75-4319(b)(1)to discuss personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel to protect their privacy regarding medical issues with an employee, the Commissioners will meet in another location and reconvene in the Commission room at 10:08, Clifton seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners, Justin Meeks and Susan Bancroft).  At 10:08, Lynne made a motion to come out of executive session, back into open session and said no action, Clifton seconded and all approved.

 

Justin Meeks briefly discussed the tax sale, he said the title company has been busy and said there are 30 parcels ready (1 of the properties was recently destroyed in a fire), but said he wanted to wait until there are at least 50 properties ready before they publish.

 

Justin said he would have a new contract for the sewer district in the coming weeks.

 

Justin said that the Attorney General’s office moved the scheduled KOMA training from today to April 13th @ 10:30.

 

Public Comment: Anne Dare asked where the exact placement would be for the wind turbine map, the Commissioners said it would be in the hallway.  She asked if the Commissioners would have an updated 2021 map, Lynne said he hopes to have an accurate map in the future.

 

Commissioner Comment: Jim said a recent post on Facebook said that a ball tournament generated $200,000; he said as a private citizen or as a Commissioner in the future he would like to meet with the City and School Board regarding getting more ball diamonds in order to host more tournaments.

 

Clifton said he had received several comments from property owners regarding their property valuations going up; he said he wanted people to know the Commissioners were aware of this.  Justin said raising the valuation was a goal of the Commissioners and said as the valuation goes up the Commissioners could lower the mill.

 

Justin said the topic of the Multi County Health Board needed to be added to next week’s agenda.

 

Jim said he has heard questions asking why the Commissioners aren’t staying until noon on meeting days; Justin said the new structure of the meetings makes the meetings go faster.

 

At 10:26 am, Clifton made a motion to adjourn, Jim seconded and all approved.

 

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS

(ss) Lynne Oharah, Chairman

(ss) Jim Harris, Commissioner

(ss) Clifton Beth, Commissioner

ATTEST:

Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk

March 30, 2021, Approved Date

 

 

 

Bourbon County Local News