Kansas accepting applications for mortgage, property tax, and utility assistance

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Nearly $25M has Supported more than 2,300 Kansas Homeowners

Program still accepting applications for mortgage, property tax, and utility assistance

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced that six months after its launch, the Kansas Homeowners Assistance Fund (KHAF) has distributed $24.8 million in mortgage, property tax, and utility aid to 2,321 Kansas homeowners.

“Housing is vital to a strong workforce and a resilient economy,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This program is providing much-needed relief for Kansans, and my administration will continue supporting homeowners by cutting property taxes and expanding affordable housing.”

 

The Kelly Administration granted the funding for the temporary relief initiative distributed by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) to help Kansas homeowners experiencing pandemic-related financial hardship avoid foreclosure and catch up on their mortgages and property taxes. The program assists with mortgage payments, property taxes and charges, utility and internet fees, and more.

 

“Housing stability is essential for strong families, healthy communities, and a thriving economy,” said Ryan Vincent, Executive Director of Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC).“This assistance keeps families safely housed and preserves the dream of homeownership for Kansans facing hardship.”

 

Currently, 2,321 KHAF applications have been granted assistance, and additional funds remain to assist homeowners. Kansans who have fallen behind on their mortgage and/or property tax payments are encouraged to apply now.

Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria:

jjjjjjjj• You own your home in Kansas and are at least 30 days past due on mortgage or jjjjjjjjjjjjproperty taxes.

jjjjjjjj• The property (a single-family home, one-to-four-unit dwelling, condo, townhome, or jjjjjjjjjjjjmanufactured home) is your primary residence.

jjjjjjjj• Your recent income did not exceed 150 percent of your area’s median income.

jjjjjjjj• Your household has experienced financial hardship during the COVID pandemic.

Kansans requesting KHAF assistance are encouraged to apply online. If approved, funds are paid directly to the service provider(s), who apply them to the homeowner’s account(s).

More than 200 mortgage loan servicers partner with the KHAF program as participating lenders. The program will remain open until program funds are fully expended. Homeowners are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is processed in a timely manner.

Applicants in need of assistance may call 1-855-307-KHAF(5423) from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.

 

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The KHAF program is administered by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC), a self-supporting, nonprofit, public corporation committed to helping Kansans access the safe, affordable housing they need and the dignity they deserve. KHRC serves as the state’s housing finance agency, administering essential housing and community programs to serve Kansans.

 

Kansas Housing Resources Corporation

611 S Kansas Ave., Suite 300 | Topeka, KS 66603

[email protected]

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FSHS Theatre Performs Addams Family School Edition for Fall Musical

 

The Fort Scott High School Theatre program performs Addams Family School Edition at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8 and 10 and at 2 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 at FSHS.

 

Theatrical Rights Worldwide says The Addams Family is “a comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family… and it’s every father’s nightmare: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family–a man her parents have never met. And if that wasn’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before–keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents.”

 

Students playing the Addams Family members include newcomer Junie Fisher, a freshman, as Wednesday; junior Casey Gomez as Gomez; sophomore Emma Guns as Morticia; senior Luke Majors as Fester; junior Regen Wells as Pugsley; junior Jaedyn Lewis as Grandma; and junior Jonah Wilterding as Lurch. The Beineke family includes senior Jackson Elton as Mal, senior Karen Primeaux as Alice, and Junior Jericho Jones playing the boyfriend – Lucas. A full ensemble of ghostly ancestors round out the 23-member cast. Another fifteen students serve as crew members for the production.

 

Cast member Casey Gomez knew he wanted the part of Gomez all along, after all, his name made it his destiny to play the role! He says, “Being in The Addams Family is great! I just love it because the songs are super fun and the jokes are hilarious.”

 

The Addams Family is directed by FSHS Theatre Director Angie Bin and Music Director Sarah Dunivan, Winfield Scott Elementary Music Instructor. Eugene Ware teacher Abby Stepps is the Choreographer and FSCC student Christina King serves as Technical Director.

 

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students and children. Tickets are reserved seating and available at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com. Tickets may be available to purchase at the door if any remain. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.

 

The musical is written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa, and Orchestrations by Larry Hochman. It is produced with special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide, 1180 Avenue of the America. Suite 640, New York, NY 10036, www.theatricalrightsworldwide.com.

Community Christian Church Trunk or Treat on Oct. 31

Community Christian Church Trunk and Treat in the southeast parking lot from 5-6:30 p.m. on October 31. The church will have candy, snacks, hot dogs, and bottled water passed out from trunks.

“This is open to everyone,” Delynn Abati, communications administrator for the church said. “We will have a contingency plan if it rains and will post that to social media early in the day.”

 

Chamber After-Hours Oct. 26 at Landmark Bank

JOIN US FOR A
CHAMBER AFTER-HOURS
TONIGHT!
Wednesday, October 26th
5:15-6:30pm
Landmark National Bank
200 S. Main Street
Hosted by the
Fort Scott Area
Community Foundation
The Foundation will be presenting grants for 2022.
The grant presentations will
begin at 5:30pm.
Honoring the Past and Impacting the Future
____
The mission of the Community Foundation is to “Honor the Past, Impact the Future” by creating a giving and granting environment which addresses the immediate and long-term charitable needs of our community. The After-hours event will feature grant presentations to 26 award recipients totaling $53,500. Light refreshments will be served.
Any individual or organization can donate to the foundation in the form of monetary gifts, transfer of real estate, investments, or a memorial. Contributions are placed in an endowed fund which is a permanent pool of resources of which only the interest is used in granting each year. The goal of the endowed funds is to exist in perpetuity so that the needs of the greater Bourbon County area are met both now and in the future.
2022-2023 Foundation Board of Directors
Craig Campbell, Chairperson
Becky Tourtillott, Vice Chairperson
Carla Farmer, Past Chairperson
Lindsay Madison, Secretary/Marketing Chair
Gregg Motley, Granting Chair
David Shepherd, Asset Development Chair
Travis Shelton, Nominating Chair
Sheryl Bloomfield
Janet Braun
Michelle Bruner
Steve Buerge
Diana Endicott
Ronda Hassig
Bailey Lyons
Gary Palmer
Kirk Sharp
Click HERE to learn more about the
Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.

Beacon Taking Appointments for Food Pantry Families, Adopt-A-Child and Christmas Basket

Dave Gillen is the director for the Beacon. Submitted photo.

They are paying $500 to $600 more per month on the food they give away, but the Beacon, a local food pantry, is not low on food, said Director Dave Gillen.

The cost of adding perishables to the food pantry has risen.

“With inflation and the number of people we are getting, 10 new families a month…we are spending over our budget,” Gillen said.
“I used to give out eggs with the food basket, but I had to cut them out,” he said. “At one time just buying bread and eggs was eating 1/3 of our budget.”
Gillen said donations of food are “doing well.”
“Schools, organizations, businesses and others, we can count on them to help,” he said.
The staff started on October 24 taking appointments for the 2023 sign up for the food pantry.
Other days they will be taking the appointments  for the sign up are  October 28th and 31st. November 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 11th.
Sign-ups must be done by November 11, with no exceptions.
One must  call in advance to make an appointment for one of these days.
The phone number is 620.223.6869.
Hours the Beacon is open are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday. The agency is closed Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
If one is a member,  bring a current Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF) letter and proof of residency, along with a photo ID for all adults in the household, a Social Security card for all in the household and birth dates for all in the household.
All dependent children with different names must show full time parental custody, adoption papers, and must live with you.
Proof of income, pension, retirement, social security disability, VA benefits, unemployment, child support/alimony and any other income is required.
If DCF services are  received, please bring the verification letter.
Adopt-A-Child
Also at this time, the Beacon will be doing sign-up for the Adopt-a -Child program and food baskets.
One family member should come for the whole family.
These will be picked up on Dec. 16 at Community Christian Church from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in a drive-through operation.
Elk’s Christmas Basket
The Elk’s organization baskets will be delivered the Sunday before Christmas, December 18th.
Dave Gillen, director, and Patty Mowen, co-director, of The Beacon Food Pantry of Bourbon County. Submitted photo.

U234: Today Is Last Day To Let Your Views Be Known On The Survey

Just a reminder that the Communication Surveys we have open for our community will close at 4:30 today!

Tiger Families and Community:

A goal of our District is to provide better communication. Please help us do this by completing the following surveys.

·         Click HERE for Parent/Guardian Survey

·         Click HERE for Community Survey

Survey will close on October 26th at 4:30 p.m. If you would prefer to fill out a written survey, a paper copy may be picked up at the Board Office at 424 S Main or you may call and we will take the survey over the phone at 620-223-0800.

Submitted by Gina Shelton, USD234 Board Clerk

Bourbon County Commission Special Meeting Oct. 26

Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 

 

Date: October 26, 2022

1st District-Nelson Blythe                                                                 

2nd District-Jim Harris                                                                     

3rd District-Clifton Beth                                                                              Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Ashley Shelton

 

         

MEETING HELD IN THE COPURTHOUSE FOYER BEGINNING at 7:45 AM.

THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE BROADCAST ON YOUTUBE

 

Call to Order

 

  • Flag Salute
  • KSA 75-4319(b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Justifications for Executive Session:

          KSA 75-4319(b)(1) To discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy

          KSA 75-4319(b)(2) For consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

          KSA 75-4319(b)(3) To discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency

          KSA 75-4319(b)(4) To discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust, and individual proprietorships

          KSA 75-4319(b)(6) For the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property

          KSA 75-4319(b)(12) To discuss matters relating to security measures, if the disc

Candidate Forum at 5:30 p.m. Today at the Ellis Center

TONIGHT ~ Tuesday, October 25th, 2022
Join us for the 2022
General Election Candidate Forum
Tuesday, October 25th
Doors open 5:30pm for Meet & Greet w/Candidates
Forum beings at 6pm
(will also be on Facebook Live ~ Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce page)
Candidates in the races below have been invited to attend & participate in the forum.
United States Senate
United States House of Representatives, 2nd District
Governor / Lt. Governor
Secretary of State
Attorney General
State Treasurer
Commissioner of Insurance
State Representative, 4th District
Member, State Board of Education, 9th District
County Commissioner, 1st District
County Clerk
County Attorney

Obituary of Buddy Copelin

Buddy Copelin, age 90, of Peculiar, MO, passed away Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center in Mansfield, TX.

He was born October 12, 1932 in Talihina, Oklahoma, the son of Elias and Etta Copelin.  He graduated from Rogers High School in Arkansas with the class of 1952.

Shortly after graduating, Buddy entered the US Army and served in Salzburg, Austria.  He married his bride, JoAnn, in May 1953 and had 69 wonderful years together.

He owned and operated Goodyear Tire stores for the majority of his life and after retirement, he worked another 20 years for O’Reilly’s Auto Parts.  Buddy enjoyed fishing, camping, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Peculiar for almost 50 years.

Buddy will be lovingly missed by his wife, JoAnn, his daughter, Debbie Taylor, and husband Steve, his grandsons, Nathan Taylor, Nick Copelin, and wife Jennie, and Zack Copelin, three great-grandchildren, Presley, Foster and Judah Copelin and many nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law and friends.

Preceded in death by his parents, four brothers; Paten, EJ, JT, Billie, 3 sisters; Nadine, Alene and Maxine and his son, Randy.

Pastor Tim Reeding, will conduct funeral services, at 11:00 A.M. Friday, October 28, 2022 at the First Baptist Church in Peculiar, Missouri.

Burial will follow on Monday, at 11:00 A.M. October 31, 2022, at the U. S. National Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at the First Baptist Church in Peculiar, Missouri, 216 E. Broadway, Peculiar, Missouri, 64078.

Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer’s Disease Research and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 666701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com

 

FS National Historic Site Candlelight Tour Tickets Next Tuesday

 

Be an Active Part of History this Holiday Season

 

Fort Scott Kan. – Tuesday, November 1, 2022, tickets for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 41st Annual Candlelight Tour go on sale. Tickets are available by calling the fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd. Tickets are $8.00 per person and non-refundable, children 5 and under are free. It is recommended that you get your tickets early to ensure your choice of tour times, as this event frequently sells out.

 

The 41st Annual Candlelight Tour is December 2 and 3, 2022. Tours on December 2 will begin at 6:30 pm and leave every 15 minutes until 9 pm. On Saturday, December 3, the tours will start at 5 pm with the final tour leaving at 9 pm. Please arrive 10 minutes early to allow time to park, present/pick up your ticket, and get oriented. Participants are advised to please dress for the weather and conditions, as the entire tour will be outside and on sidewalks.

 

1,000 candle lanterns illuminate the site and reenactors (including you) bring the fort to life. “This year’s tour is about Milestones of Time.” said Carl Brenner, Acting Superintendent, Fort Scott National Historic Site. “It will commemorate several important milestones of our nation’s history from the bicentennial (200th anniversary) of the Santa Fe Trail to the sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of the railroad era.” Each of these milestones led to the further growth and development of the nation. As the nation grew, it expanded westward.  Rapid expansion and development created many opportunities for Americans moving westward, but to the detriment of others. Discover how each of the milestones depicted in this year’s tour dramatically altered the landscape of 19th century America.

 

From November 1-March 31, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its winter hours of operation.  The site exhibit areas and visitor center are open daily from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The park grounds are open daily from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. For more information about Fort Scott National Historic Site programs or become involved in the candlelight tour, or other activities, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.

 

 

 

NPS Photo: C. Brenner

Bourbon County Local News