COVID-19, Government, Health Care

Vaccine Mandate For Healthcare Workers Blocked

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PASSED: Sen. Marshall Resolution to Block Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers 

(Washington, D.C., March 2, 2022) – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. released the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed his legislation to halt President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. Senator Marshall delivered remarks on the Senate floor prior to the vote. You may click HERE or on the image below to view the Senator’s speech.

“Make no mistake, this federal vaccine mandate is not about public health or science – it’s about Joe Biden fulfilling his desire to control every aspect of our lives, and it’s a slap in the face to the hard-working men and women who never took a day off on the frontline fight against COVID-19,” said Senator Marshall. “Today is a huge victory for all the healthcare workers who ran to the sound of the COVID battle as Senate Republicans joined forces taking us one step closer to invalidating President Biden’s overreaching and harmful CMS vaccine mandate. These workers are the true heroes of the pandemic and deserve our best fight and utmost respect.”

 

You may click HERE to view Senator Marshall’s remarks as prepared.

Background:

Senator Marshall’s resolution stops the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for virtually all healthcare employees and prevents any similar rule from being proposed in the future. The resolution now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives. Companion legislation was introduced by Representatives Jeff Duncan (SC) and has the support from over 168 members.

President Biden’s mandate would exacerbate staffing shortages and impose burdensome costs at health care facilities. According to CMS, the unfunded mandate will cost over $158 million to health care facilities to implement. For nursing homes and rural health providers, which already face staff shortages, losing even one percent of staff is catastrophic in their field. These providers would be forced to limit available services or close their doors for not meeting minimum staffing requirements. The rule also does not take into account infection-acquired immunity or the fact that vaccines do not prevent the transmission of the now dominant Omicron variant.

The CMS vaccine mandate was previously prohibited from taking effect by two federal courts in Louisiana and Missouri. While the Supreme Court ruled in January that the CMS has the statutory authority to impose conditions upon health care facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid, it harms access to care for rural and underserved communities. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and nine other Attorneys General have asked a separate federal court to reopen litigation to lift the stay on further district proceedings.

The Congressional Review Act is a legal tool whereby Congress can overturn rules issued by federal agencies, once it has been properly noticed. “Proper notice” occurs once a regulation is printed in the Federal Register and received by the Clerks of the House and Senate.  The CMS vaccine mandate regulation was printed in the Federal Register on November 5, 2021. With more than 36 original cosponsors, the resolution received privilege in the Senate and allowed the body to vote on it.

Area News

Summer Camp Registration Open

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Rock Springs Ranch, a camp located on 735 acres of prairie in the Kansas Flint Hills, is opening Summer Camp for the first time to youth ages 8-18 who are not currently involved with a 4-H Club. They believe all youth deserve a 4-H experience!
The benefits of attending camp an American Camp Association accredited program like Rock Springs Ranch include:
  • Social Skills Development
  • Self-Respect & Character Building
  • Community Living/Service Skills
Registration for camp this summer is now open featuring their new flexible camp session opportunities. RSR offers 4-H Camp for 3rd through 12th rising grades, Leaders in Training (LIT) for rising 11th graders and Counselors In Training (CIT) for rising 12th graders. Dates and pricing can be found online here.
The Rock Springs Ranch team will be providing transportation to and from camp from nine hubs across the state of Kansas including Olathe, Lawrence, Topeka, Emporia, Wichita, Great Bend, Hays, Dodge City and Colby.
Rock Springs Ranch is also currently hiring for internships, seasonal and year-round positions. Open seasonal positions/internships include:
  • General Counselors
  • Conservation, Challenge, Shooting Sports, Aquatics, Equine, Crafts & Retail Specialists
  • Program Area Coordinator
  • and more!

Those pursuing degrees in education, nursing, hospitality, wildfire management, biology or recreation can benefit from the soft skills developed while working at camp that employers are looking for such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication.

Submitted by Jenna Black
Senior Account Executive
Parris Communications
620-952-2944
Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Youth Entrepreneur Challenge Tradeshow March 8

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CHAMBER INVITES COMMUNITY TO THE
YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGE TRADESHOW EXHIBIT
Stop by the FSHS Aux Gym
Tuesday, March 8th between
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Come check out the different business plans conceived by students, either individually or in
small groups, as part of the competition organized
by the Chamber. These students have worked hard over the last semester-plus on all aspects of their business concepts and your attendance and support would be appreciated!
Click here for the FB event.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the third annual Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in partnership with Fort Scott High School. Thirty students, either individually or in groups of two or three, have prepared sixteen startup business ideas and will compete for cash prizes to be judged on Tuesday, March 8th. As part of the event, the students will have tradeshow exhibits displaying their business concepts in the Fort Scott High School auxiliary gym from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday and the public is invited and encouraged to stop by during this time and take a look at the different booths.
Although the competition is open to any students in Bourbon County, students enrolled in the business and entrepreneurship class at Fort Scott High School with instructor Mrs. Morgan Sage have been the primary ones to enter the competition.
The Chamber organizes the program in association with the NetWork Kansas E-Community Partnership and Bourbon County is one of many communities across Kansas to host a local competition from which the students compete against each other for $3,500 in prize money with the top winner advancing to the state Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge to be held in April in Manhattan.
The public is welcome and encouraged to stop by the tradeshow on Tuesday, March 8th to view the creative business plans and support these students who have worked on their projects over the past several months as part of their class. Both the east and west doors of the high school will be open for entry during this time.
Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for more information at 620-223-3566 or [email protected].
Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Coffee at Angie Dawn’s Boutique

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Join us for this week’s
Chamber Coffee,
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
to celebrate the physical store remodel
& new website of
Angie Dawn’s Boutique
108 Scott Ave., Ste. B
Come enjoy a Hot Cocoa & Coffee bar
and a variety of breakfast items.
Register to win certificates & prizes!
Visit Angie Dawn’s website here.
Like the Angie Dawn’s Facebook page here.
Art, Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Young Mom Turns Creative Outlet into Business

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Genna Gilbert. Submitted photo.

Genna Gilbert, 23, is a stay-at-home mom who is turning a creative outlet, arts and crafts, into a business to benefit herself and her family.

The business is called Made With Love by Genna.

She started doing artwork at 16-years-old to “get away from reality,”  Gilbert said. “Painting/crafting helped me escape and get away from all the negativity that was going on in my life at the time.”

Submitted photo.
Submitted photo.
Submitted photo.

Then people started noticing her art and asking her to do some painting for them.

That began the process of selling her work. This year she made it an official business, she said.

She paints on metal, resin, glass, clay, and wood, creating items from earrings, drinking cups to windows. “A lot of things, custom artwork,” she said.

She does most of her work at her dining room table, with her husband Dante assisting her with paperwork and “cutting wood,” she said.

In the near future, she is hoping to put items online and in addition, have painting sessions for children and adults.

To contact her see her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MadeWithLoveByGenna or email her at [email protected]

From Made with Love by Genna Facebook page.

 

Government, Kansas

KS Tax Collections Exceed Estimates

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Governor Laura Kelly Announces February Total Tax Collections Continue to Exceed Estimates

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that total tax collections for February were $502.5 million. That is $18.7 million, or 3.9%, more than the February estimate. Those collections are also $46.6 million, or 10.2%, more than February 2021.

“My administration has taken steps to restore the Kansas economy, and that fiscal responsibility has paved the way to provide direct tax relief to Kansans,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I urge the Legislature to work together to send me a clean bill eliminating the state’s tax on food immediately, so that we can put this money back into the pockets of Kansas taxpayers.”

Individual income tax collections were $183.4 million in February. That is $6.6 million, or 3.5%, below the estimate. However, it is important to note that income tax refunds are being issued much quicker than in prior years. There have been 15,000 more refunds sent out in February 2022 compared to February 2021. The increase in refunds total $21.0 million more paid out in February compared to the same month of 2021.

“The positive trend in tax receipts continues with all of the major tax types, individual income tax, corporate income tax, retailer’s sales tax, and compensating use tax, performing well. But for the larger number of refunds issued in February, individual income tax receipts also would have surpassed the February estimate,” said Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart. “We are pleased to be able to get individual income tax refunds paid more quickly and into the accounts of taxpayers.”

So far, nearly 281,000 refunds, totaling $147.0 million, have been paid out this filing season. Refunds for electronically filed returns can be expected to be deposited in taxpayers’ bank accounts in 4-7 days, with some deposits occurring in as little as three days.

Corporate income tax collections were $23.4 million, which is $12.4 million, or 112.8%, more than the February 2022 estimate. Those collections are $15.2 million, or 186.3% more than February 2021, reflecting substantial corporate profits.

Retail sales tax collections were $195.2 million, which is $5.2 million, or 2.8% more than the estimate. Those collections are also $16.0 million, or 8.9%, greater than February 2021. Compensating use tax collections were $59.4 million, which is $4.4 million, or 8.0%, more than the estimate. Those collections were $20.7 million, or 53.7%, more than February 2021.

View the tax receipts here.

Entertainment, Fort Scott

1st Annual Marsha Fest

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REMINDER!!!
Get your tickets NOW
1st Annual Marsha Fest
with Disco Dick & the Mirror Balls
Saturday, March 5th from 8-11pm
Liberty Theatre
113 S. Main St.
Fort Scott, KS
Join us to celebrate Marsha Lancaster with one of her favorite nights out. Disco Dick will be performing at the Liberty Theatre on March 5th, 2022. We hope to make this an annual event to honor a person that meant so much to so many.
Click here to buy tickets
Click here for the FB Event page
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members for all of their support.
Fort Scott Area Chamber

Obituary

Obituary of Addie Grigsby

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Addie L. Grigsby, age 83, a resident of rural Prescott, Kansas, went home to be with the Lord Saturday, February 26, 2022, at Louisburg Healthcare & Rehab Center in Louisburg, Kansas. She was born May 1, 1938, in Springfield, Tennessee, the daughter of John Edward Woodard and Daisy Mae Crow Woodard. Addie graduated from the Greenbrier High School in Greenbrier, Tennessee. She met Arthur N. Grigsby on a blind date in Nashville, Tennessee. Art and Addie were married on June 30, 1957, at the Stewart Air Force Base in Smyrna, Tennessee. Addie was a devoted wife and mother. She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior while talking with Cora Mae Collins at the Grace Baptist Tabernacle in Ft. Scott, Kansas. She was currently a member of the First Baptist Church of Mound City, Kansas. Addie enjoyed refinishing furniture, gardening, canning, sewing and crocheting, as well as reading, singing and listening to music.

Survivors include her husband, Art, of the home; four children, Deborah GrigsbyLynch (Virgil) of Prescott, Kansas, Melissa Brown (Lynn), Ft. Scott, Kansas, Arthur N. Grigsby, Jr. (Kim), Prescott, Kansas and Tina Page (John), Cheyenne, Wyoming, eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Also surviving is a sister, Becky Brady of Madison, Tennessee and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by ten infant grandchildren; four sisters, Rose Meadows, Ruth MacArthur, Jeannie Copley and Doris Parks and two brothers, Burton and David Woodard.

There was cremation. A graveside service will be held at 9:00 A.M. Monday, March 7th at the U. S. National Cemetery in Ft. Scott. A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, March 7th at the First Baptist Church of Mound City. Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church Mission 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 cheneywtt.com.

Bourbon County Local News