TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to include two states – New York and New Jersey. Two countries have also been added – State of Palestine and Estonia while one has been removed, Seychelles. Several countries remain on the list including Mayotte, Czechia, San Marino, Montenegro and Seychelles.
A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine includes visitors and Kansans who have:
Traveled on or after March 12 to New Jersey or New York.
Traveled on or after March 12 to State of Palestine or Estonia.
Traveled on or after Feb. 26 to the countries of Mayotte, Czechia, San Marino or Montenegro.
Attendance at any out-of-state mass gatherings of 500 or more where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask.
Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15, 2020.
The travel quarantine period is seven days with a negative test result or 10 days without testing, with release from quarantine on Day 8 and Day 11, respectively. Further information on quarantine periods can be found on KDHE’s website.
For those traveling internationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring testing within three days of flights into the U.S. For further information on this and other requirements, visit their web page.
Lavetta Simmons, middle, holds a Sharing Bucket with other supporters of the helping organization. Photo credit: Facebook.
A local helping organization has a good problem.
Too many people wanted to contribute to their upcoming garage sale.
They have worked to solve the problem.
Care to Share, a local helping organization for cancer patients and their families, is having two garage sales in the coming weeks.
“We have had many ask if they could add to our garage sale at 106 Washington when we posted it,” said Lavetta Simmons, secretary/treasurer of the group. “It was a full garage with the Marsh’s belongings. So, we have scheduled another one, and we invite anyone that would like to come to set up their own space to join us, and have their own sale and collect for their own sale, for a small donation to help cover rental expenses for the day.
Or, we will take your donations for Care To Share Cancer Support Group/The Sharing Bucket.”
The first garage sale is at 106 S. Washington, Fort Scott. Household items donated by Donnie and Barbara Marsh will be for sale.
The Marsh’s are Simmons in-laws who died recently.
“They were always involved with Care to Share,” Simmons said. “We’ve moved things into the garage, that the family is selling.”
The sale is scheduled for Saturday, March 27 from 8 a.m. to noon.
The Marsh garage doors open on the west side of the garage, in the alley.
“Miscellaneous items from Donnie and Barbara Marsh’s many years together, with their wishes to donate to Care To Share Cancer Support Group to fill The Sharing Bucket,” Simmons said.
Some of the items for sale at the Marsh garage sale to benefit Care To Share. Photo credit: Facebook.Some of the items for sale at the Marsh sale to benefit Care to Share. Photo credit: Facebook.
The group is providing bags to fill with items, then you make an offer for the bag.
The second garage sale will be Saturday, April 10 from 8 a.m. to noon at Buck Run Community Center, located just east of the Fort Scott Aquatic Center on Main Street.
For more information contact. Lavetta Simmons-620-224-8070.
Care to Share office is housed at the CHC/SEK facility at 902 South Horton Street, across from Medicalodge. Photo Credit: Facebook.
The group has an office at the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas facility on South Horton Street. CHC donated to office space to Care to Share. Housed in the space are wigs, bras, books, Ensure products, walkers and other personal items for cancer patients. One can meet by appointment to see the items.
“With the amounts of rain that we are getting and will be getting through Sunday there will possibly be some road closures,” William Wallis, Bourbon County Emergency Manager said. “Most, of if not all, of the county roads that normally flood, have signs posted before the crossing that state, ‘impassable due to local flooding.’
Bourbon County Public Works Director Eric Bailey said he hadn’t received any calls on road closures as of 11:45 p.m. on March 12.
“Understanding your surroundings and be mindful of any creeks or river crossings in your area is very wise,” Wallis said. “Never attempt to cross any water over the road, especially if it is flowing across the road.”
Call 911 if there is an emergency situation, he said.
MANHATTAN, Kansas — The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp Advisory Board will meet at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 19, 2021, via teleconference. The advisory board will discuss changes and modifications for the Kansas Commercial Industrial Hemp Program rules and regulations based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s final rule on the establishment of a Domestic Hemp Production Program.
The meeting is open to the public. Individuals who want to call in to the meeting should contact Braden Hoch, industrial hemp supervisor of the plant protection and weed control program, at [email protected].
Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least two days prior to the meeting.
###
WHO: Industrial Hemp Advisory Board, Kansas Department of Agriculture
A spider and a centipede are having tea. The centipede gets up and offers to go buy snacks. He goes out the door and hours pass. The spider is so hungry, wondering what happened, and opens the door, only to find the centipede sitting on the doormat, still putting on his shoes.
Sometimes I am that centipede. It takes me F.O.R.E.V.E.R. to tie my hundred shoes, to get going…in a spiritual sense, I mean. In real world activities, I am the Energizer Bunny.
Francis Chan’s “New York Times” best seller, Crazy Love, makes me wonder if I am taking my own sweet time in becoming what God desires for me, even after 43 years of being a Christian. Chan writes much about “lukewarm Christians” (in other words, not Christians at all). They love God for what He can do for them (like eternity in Heaven) and not for who He is.
The test is simple, using the question John Piper wrote in God In the Gospel: “If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?” Spend some time before answering.
The author is concerned about the unfaithfulness of Christians. Referring to the question “Can I go to heaven without truly and faithfully loving Jesus?”, Chan’s response comes as no surprise. “I don’t see anywhere in Scripture how the answer to that question could be yes.”
We know that Jesus’ sacrifice to die on the cross for our sins benefits us eternally, but have we ever considered the emotional pain well before the crucifixion, like how it had to grieve God to say farewell to His son and send him to earth to live with sinners who would reject him, abandon him, deny him and kill him? (If you are a parent, put yourself in God’s shoes.) Leading up to that Heavenly good-bye, I wonder if the angels were huddled in panic. Were there lingering hugs and tears? Surely Jesus knew what was ahead, that he would be grieved, tempted, exhausted, frustrated and would agonize over his impending death. Still, he volunteered to come, to offer to die in our place.
How much love he has for you and me, that he made that choice!
Jesus wasn’t finished. He returned to Heaven but did not leave us without help: the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His followers and therefore us, “… it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go the Helper will not come …” (John 16:7). Get that? Better than Jesus remaining with the disciples is that we can be gifted with his Spirit. And what a gift he is! In John 14, we learn much about what we Christians have living inside of us, thank you, Jesus, waiting to be used. A helper. A comforter. A teacher. A guide. A prophet. A convicter. An intercessor.
Christians, we have been given everything we need to faithfully follow Jesus. It is time we lace up our spiritual shoes and get moving. Luke 10:2 reminds us of Jesus’ words, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;…”
Last week, I wrote about the horrific death of Jacque, a friend of close friends, but one with whom I had spent time on several occasions when we talked about politics, charities in Mazatlán, the increasing traffic and our families. I just never got around to putting on the Jesus shoe to tell her what mattered most.
I have to wonder, Would Chan use that as a definition of “lukewarm”?
KDADS and Family Service & Guidance Center Team Up to Provide Crisis Treatment for Families
TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced today the agency’s Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Commission has entered into an agreement with Family Service & Guidance Center (FSGC) of Topeka, Inc. to provide immediate crisis services to families and youth with emergency mental health issues.
“We are always looking to engage community partners and provide families a more stable, long-term solution to mental health and substance use treatment,” Secretary Howard said. “This agreement raises the bar and allows us to move forward with the goal of providing immediate access to care in a safe, therapeutic environment and we believe our work with Family Service & Guidance Center is significant in reaching the program goals and outcomes we have set.”
KDADS has awarded FSGC $312,500 over the next 15 months with potential for yearly funding extensions using monies from Lottery Vending Machine revenue. FSGC will use the funds to address three identified needs as outlined in the agreement:
To expand the capacity of FSGC’s Crisis Recovery Program for the stabilization of youth and families throughout the state of Kansas for youth aged 5-17, in a therapeutic environment setting, that require an immediate or intermediate episode of care for a maximum of 28 days for the resolution of psychological and substance use symptoms and impairment and/or until the family rupture involving the youth can be re-stabilized.
To create a program that is strategically designed for a vulnerable population that incorporates a flexible, yet safe, design scheme that will allow for the ability to scale the program and operations in an effective and cost-efficient manner.
Recruit and retain a workforce that is cross trained to treat youth and families that may seek our services for a variety of crisis situations, including substance use disorders.
The specific counties served through this grant include Shawnee, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Lyon, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley and Wabaunsee. The agreement also provides for services to youth from other counties when warranted, so no exceptions to service are made based only on location.
KDADS and the Kansas Department of Children and Families recognize the need for these crisis services to prevent and mitigate family disruption and the placement of children and youth into residential treatment facilities or foster care due to a behavioral health crisis.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to implement a program we feel will be effective in reducing the demand for admission of children and youth to private psychiatric hospitals or PRTFs by addressing the need for crisis stabilization in this population.” Commissioner Andy Brown said. “Combined with DCF’s initiative for Mobile Crisis Response services, we are expecting positive results for many youths. This program offers a real opportunity to demonstrate a regional solution that broadens the system of care and creates new access points for families in need of help.”
“Our mission at FSGC is to provide high quality behavioral health services to children and families, and we are deeply appreciative of the support from KDADS so we can further our mission,” said Brenda Mills, CEO of Family Service & Guidance Center. “The number of children struggling with mental health and substance use disorders is alarming, and it continues to grow. Expanding our crisis program will help meet this challenge by allowing us to implement a more comprehensive program tailored to meet these pressing needs.”
About Family Service & Guidance Center
Family Service & Guidance Center (FSGC) is a nonprofit community mental health center that specializes in meeting children’s unique needs. For more than 115 years, they have provided direct clinical services, prevention education and outreach to nearly 12,000 children, adolescents and families from 38 Kansas counties annually. Today, FSGC is an innovator and recognized leader in children’s mental health services.
The former First Source Building is located in Fort Scott Industrial Park, south of town.
BOURBON County Health Department COVID-19 Clinic:
Date: Tuesday, March 16th, 2021
Location: Former First Source Building (4500 Campbell Drive, Fort Scott). Just South of Key Industries in the Fort Scott Industrial Park.
Time:
9:00am-12:00pm: 65 years and older
12:00pm-5:00pm: all persons eligible in Phase 2 (Age 65+, work/reside in congregate setting, high-contact critical workers, all un-vaccinated persons prioritized in previous phase)
LIMITED SUPPLY-If we do not get through everyone in this group, we will have another clinic for this group when vaccine is available.
Please do not begin to line up any earlier than 1/2 hour prior to the stated opening of the clinic-THISWILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS.
There will be one-way traffic flow into and out of the clinic site. Please be mindful of the signs.
Required:
Masks are required at the vaccination site. Please wear a mask.
Because of the vaccine shortage, we will be prioritizing in-county residents. You will need to bring proof of age and county residence to the clinic.
Wear short sleeves. Layer as appropriate for weather.
Be available for 2nd dose on Tuesday, April 13th, 2021-same location and time.
You cannot take the COVID-19 Vaccine at this time if you:
Had any vaccine within the last 14 days (flu, shingles, etc.)
Are in isolation or quarantine
Received Bamlivinimab as treatment for COVID-19 within the last 90 days
Please bring your completed consent form with you to the clinic. This will save time. Forms are available on our website (www.sekmchd.com) and at the Bourbon County Health Department.
If the vaccine clinic has to be cancelled due to inclement weather or lack of vaccine, the cancellation will be reported on the radio, our Facebook page and website: www.sekmchd.com
MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COMMISSION ROOM. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
Daniel Joseph Karleskint, age 68, a resident of Fort Scott, KS, died Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at Life Care Center of Osawatomie, Osawatomie, KS.
He was born December 20, 1952, in Fort Scott, KS, to Leo James Karleskint and Alwilla Boyd Karleskint. He graduated from Fort Scott High School.
He was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He married Iris Jarrett on July 15, 1983, in Fort Scott, KS. They had two daughters: Sarah and Molly. He had a daughter, Angie, from a previous marriage. He was a salesman for many years. All who knew Dan knew he was a people person, a storyteller and a jokester.
Dan is survived by wife Iris Karleskint; daughters Sarah Long and husband Ryan and Molly Willow and husband Josh; grandsons Kenneth Perry III and Jareth Long; brother Mark and wife Mary Jo; sisters Marilyn Miller, Barbara Marchant, and Sharon Manahan and husband Glen.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Howard Karleskint, and daughter Angie Perry.
There was cremation.
Elder Greg Brown will officiate memorial services via Zoom at 1:00 PM Sunday, March 14th, viewable at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Saturday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to jw.org. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Rhonda Elaine Oliver, 62, of Fort Scott, passed away early Tuesday morning March 9, 2021, at KU Medical Center. She was born July 17, 1958, in Monroe, Michigan, the daughter of Robert Daniel and Hallie Mae (Seitz) Navarre.
She married James Henry Oliver, Jr. November 3, 1977, in El Paso, Texas, and he survives of the home.
Rhonda served in the U.S. Army from November of 1976 until April of 1980. She worked for Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas in Pittsburg, Kansas as a Personnel Administrative Assistant in the Medical Records department. Rhonda enjoyed playing cards and bingo, cooking, traveling, shopping, social media, and collecting antiques.
In addition to her husband James, Rhonda is also survived by her children, Noelle N. Oliver, and James H. Oliver, IV, both of the home, and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Graveside services for Rhonda will be at 12:30 p.m. Monday, March 15, 2021, at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Scott, under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.
Military honors will be provided by the Kansas National Guard Military Funeral Honors Detail. Due to COVID restrictions, attendance is limited to family. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
A Good Neighbor Action Team past project, before volunteers, worked on painting the house. From the Good Neighbor Action Team Facebook page.After the GNAT volunteers painted the house. From the GNAT Facebook page.
Good Neighbor Action Team is gathering resources and also looking forward to helping people with projects in the community of Fort Scott.
If a person is interested in serving on the committee, organizing a group of friends, co-workers, a civic club, relatives, or your neighborhood, contact Craig Campbell on the Good Neighbor Action Team Facebook page.
The first organizational meeting of the 2021 GNAT season is at 4 p.m. on March 18 at Fort Scott City Hall.
“Clint Anderson, the Bourbon County Appraiser, will speak on the topic of GNAT projects and the impact on assessed valuations of the property,” Campbell said. “AndJeremy Frazier, Fort Scott City Manager, will speak on his experience with a similar organization in Cushing, OK.”
“I am willing to meet with citizens in small groups if unable to attend the first meeting on the 18th,” Campbell said.
Interested people are encouraged to attend the meeting.
Ideas will be discussed for this year’s projects.
For over a decade the Good Neighbor Action Team has been helping Fort Scottians with painting, helping rid yards of debris, building handicap ramps, and other needed projects.
The team provides help for those who are not able to do the job themselves.
GNAT has tried to handle the project workloads using the model of Habitat For Humanity, Campbell said.
Work project recipients are asked to provide family and friends to assist GNAT workers.
For example, if GNAT provides five people, the recipient will need to bring five people to help with the project, he said in the prior feature.
In addition, proof of income is required with one of the following: income tax return, pay stubs from the last two paychecks, a Vision card or Healthwave card.
Logo from the Good Neighbor Action Team Facebook page.
