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Labor/Housing and Retail Studies To Be Conducted By Bourbon County Eco Devo
There is a shortage of workers and also quality housing in the county.
The Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI) organization is working to address that problem.
“We are conducting a labor and housing study that will be used to help create programs that will allow REDI to help our current employers and the communities within Bourbon County to attract people,” Robert Harrington, director of REDI said.
“We know that there is a shortage of workers and quality housing within our county,” he said. “We are hopeful that after these reports are published we will get a lot of information that we can use to help find solutions for both issues.”
Looking for Retailers That are Needed
REDI is also facilitating a retail survey at the same time.
“We will use (this study) to help give us an idea of what new retailers the citizens of Bourbon County would like to see and the information we would need to attract such retailers,” he said.
The retail survey can be viewed at:
REDI Consultants Conduct Interviews, Send Surveys
REDI recently hired Goldstone Consulting, Moberly, Missouri, and O’Brian and Associates, Joplin, Missouri, who will be conducting the interviews and putting together the studies after they accumulate all of the information, he said.
“They will also be giving the REDI Board a strategic plan based on the data we receive,” he said REDI is paying for the study
“The consultants that we hired will be conducting interviews with several of our business owners in the upcoming months as well as surveys being sent out to Chamber members and citizens across the county,” Harrington said.
“We are also hopeful that we will be able to send these same surveys out to students in the two high schools and the community college so that we can get a perspective of our younger generation on their needs and wants as well as hopefully entice them to stay and live and work here at home,” he said.
“The studies are being paid for by Bourbon County REDI and the results will be given to my board of directors by August of this year,” he said.
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports March 2
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports March 3
Vaccine Mandate For Healthcare Workers Blocked
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.
CASA Training Begins
Summer Camp Registration Open
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
Youth Entrepreneur Challenge Tradeshow March 8
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Chamber Coffee at Angie Dawn’s Boutique
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Young Mom Turns Creative Outlet into Business
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.”
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]
KS Tax Collections Exceed Estimates
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.