Highlights of 2021: USDA Rural Development Kansas
USDA Rural Development Kansas Highlights Its Year of Accomplishments in Jobs, Business Opportunities, Education, Health Care and Housing for Rural Kansans
TOPEKA, Jan. 26, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Kansas, Under Acting State Director Dan Fischer, today highlighted the year’s accomplishments in helping rural Kansas residents and businesses access housing, health care, economic developement and other essential services.
“USDA Rural Development Kansas has had a very successful year helping rural residents through our housing, community and business programs,” Fischer said. “When rural Kansas has access to clean water, affordable homes, and good jobs, all of Kansas is more likely to succeed.”
Rural Development Kansas awarded more than $292 million in loans, grants and loan guarantees in Fiscal Year 2021. This includes $209 million for the purchase of homes by low-income individuals and families, nearly $51 million to improve water and waste disposal systems, and nearly $28 million to improve community facilities and access to essential services.
Rural Development offers many programs to assist rural communities and their residents. For example:
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Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grants This program offers grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas.
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Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.
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Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans This program assists low- and very-low-income applicants obtain decent, safe and sanitary housing in eligible rural areas by providing payment assistance to increase an applicant’s repayment ability.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. Follow us on Twitter at @RurDev_Kansas.
If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
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Obituary of Deborah Parker
Deborah Kay Parker, 70, of Redfield, Kansas, passed away Sunday, January 23, 2022, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas. She was born January 19, 1952, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Neil Benjamin and Anna Mae (Powell) Smith. She married Ronald Dean Parker on April 18, 1971, in Fort Scott, Kansas, and he survives of the home.
Deborah graduated from Fort Scott High School with the Class of 1970.
In addition to her husband Ronald, Debra is also survived by her mother, Anna Smith, of Fort Scott; her children, Jeff Parker and Kim of Norfolk, Virginia, Kimberly Phillips and Adam of Fort Scott, and Beth Blankenship and Jeremy, also of Fort Scott; eleven grandchildren, Marra, Gabe, Conner, Alyssa, Damion, Kenny, Jessica, Russell, Gabe, Keira, and Ben, and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father, Neil Smith.
Jeff Feagins will conduct funeral services at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 31, 2022, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home with burial following at the Fort Scott National Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
City and County Combine Tourism
In a continuing effort by Bourbon County and the City of Fort Scott leadership to combine services, the city’s tourism department will come under the Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.
Jackson Tough, the City of Fort Scott’s Tourism Director moved his office into the Bourbon County REDI office at Landmark Bank today.
“The city commission voted, this month, to move their tourism (department) over to Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.,” Rob Harrington, REDI director said. “Jackson Tough will remain a city employee.”
Funding Is From Bed Tax
The city’s tourism department is funded through a Transient Guest Tax, Harrington said. “Any money left from the transient guest tax, after the administrative stuff, payroll, FICA, and any incumbrances…will come to REDI for marketing.”
The transient guest tax, commonly known as the “bed tax,” is imposed by a city or county on transient guests of hotels, motels, and tourist courts, according to 2006-022 | 9/1/2006 | Kansas Attorney General Opinion (washburnlaw.edu) The purpose of the tax is to provide revenue “to promote tourism and conventions.”
“Convention and tourism promotion,” is defined as follows, according to the website:
“‘Convention and tourism promotion’ means: (1) Activities to attract visitors into the community through marketing efforts, including advertising, directed to at least one of the five basic convention and tourism market segments consisting of group tours, pleasure travelers, association meetings and conventions, trade shows and corporate meetings and travel; and (2) support of those activities and organizations which encourage increased lodging facility occupancy.”
The guest tax has been in force in Fort Scott since Jan. 1, 2014 and is 6 percent, according to Transient Guest Tax Rates and Filers (ksrevenue.gov)
REDI To Provide Oversight
“I’ll oversee the funds to see they are being used appropriately, for what they are supposed to be,” Harrington said.
“Tourism will be under REDI jurisdiction, we’ll be responsible for tourism marketing,” he said. ”
“We are trying to not duplicate services at the county and city levels,” he said. “Just because it doesn’t affect local taxpayers, it does have an effect on tax funds collected from the transient guest tax, which should be efficiently spent.”
Combined Services
The city and county officials have been working together in economic development, finance management, and human resource services, in recent years, to share resources. Tourism will now be a shared service.
I-70 Closed Due to Winter Weather Conditions
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Jan. 25
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports Jan. 24
Celebrate Kansas Birthday Jan. 29
Kansas Tourism Invites Everyone to Help Celebrate Kansas’ Birthday
~Kansas Day is Saturday, January 29, 2022~
TOPEKA– Kansas Day is this Saturday, January 29, and Kansas Tourism is inviting everyone to help celebrate our state’s 161st birthday. This annual commemoration of Kansas’ statehood is designed to help us reflect on our state’s history while highlighting the things that make Kansas special. Kansas Tourism is proud to elevate the holiday with new appreciation and pride for our state.
“Kansans are famously humble people—it’s not in our nature to boast,” said Bridgette Jobe, Kansas Director of Tourism. “But this Kansas Day, we are shouting from the rooftops our love for our beautiful, unique, exciting and welcoming state. We invite all Kansans and those who love Kansas to join in our celebration.”
There are several ways to get in on the statewide social tribute. Details can be found in the Kansas Day toolkit at TravelKS.com/KansasDay.
To participate:
First, on January 29, make your own special salute to the Sunflower State on your social media channels. Make sure to use the ‘To the Stars’ format and #ToTheStarsKS as outlined in the toolkit.
Second, Kansas Tourism is premiering a new video tribute for Kansas Day 2022. Make sure you are following Kansas Tourism on social media to watch and share the new video. Surprises are in store for those that engage with and share the video! A lucky few participants may win a ‘To the Stars’ Gear Giveaway. Stay tuned to the Kansas Tourism social channels for more information.
Third, print out a Kansas Day poster to hang in your business window, classroom, office, or community announcement board to share the Kansas Day excitement. The free poster download is available in the toolkit.
Finally, get your official Kansas Tourism ‘To the Stars’ gear at TravelKS.com to show your Kansas pride year-round. A new limited-edition series featuring a custom Kansas inspired design by Hutchinson artist Brady Scott is now available.
Additional information and educational resources can also be found on the Kansas Day toolkit.
Follow Kansas Tourism on social media.
https://www.facebook.com/TravelKS
https://www.instagram.com/kansastourism/
The mission of the Kansas Tourism Division is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism is a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce and works hand in hand with other Commerce community programs to elevate and promote Kansas as a tourist destination. Kansas Tourism oversees all tourism marketing and PR for the state, produces travel publications and advertising, manages the states travel website TravelKS.com, manages state Travel Information Centers, manages both the Kansas By-ways program and the Kansas Agritourism program, approves tourist signage applications, produces the KANSAS! Magazine, and provides financial and educational support to the tourism industry in Kansas through grants, education, and support. The ‘To the Stars’ marketing campaign developed by Kansas Tourism honors the states motto of Ad Astra Per Aspera.
Building Professional Relationships: Chamber Workshop on Jan. 26
KDHE Announces Dr. Joan Duwve as Acting State Health Officer
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Acting Secretary Janet Stanek today announced Joan Duwve, M.D., MPH, as the new Acting State Health Officer. Duwve previously served as the Deputy State Health Officer.
“Joan has served Kansans since 2020, providing valuable input on the COVID-19 response,” Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said. “Her time at KDHE coupled with her extensive history as a physician and public health official makes her the best choice for this role.
Duwve joined KDHE in Nov. 2020 to lead the COVID-19 Unified Testing Strategy before moving into the Deputy State Health Officer position in July 2021. Prior to her roles at KDHE, Duwve spent 12 years in various public health leadership roles in South Carolina and Indiana. While at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control, Duwve worked to elevate the health equity program and hire a director of diversity, equity and inclusion. She also spent 11 years practicing as a family medicine physician.
“I’m grateful to Secretary Stanek for selecting me for this role within KDHE,” Joan Duwve, M.D., said. “The importance of public health has become increasingly evident over the past couple of years as we have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m looking forward to working alongside state and local public health officials and stakeholders as we continue to work together to protect and improve the health of all Kansans.”
Duwve completed her medical degree at Johns Hopkins University. She also holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan and Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from the Ohio State University. She has served on the CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Board of Scientific Counselors, a National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine Evaluation Committee and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Board of Directors and Infectious Diseases Policy Committee.
Timken Hiring Event Jan. 28-29
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Obituary of Richard Petrechko
Richard Eugene “Rick” Petrechko, age 67, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away early Monday, January 24, 2002, at the Kansas City Hospice House after injuries he received in an accident at his home in November of last year.
He was born October 29, 1954, in Independence, Missouri, the son of Richard Petrechko and Berniece Pitts Petrechko. Rick was raised by his mother and step-father, John Buell. Rick graduated from Truman High School in Independence, Missouri. He was currently employed by Extrusions, Inc. in Ft. Scott.
Rick enjoyed fishing and barbecuing. He also enjoyed reading historical books and listening to music. He was an avid fan of the Rolling Stones and enjoyed going to many different concerts over the years.
Survivors include his children, Jessica Lynn Collins of New Jersey, Bradley Petrechko (Rosalina) of Ft. Scott, Rex Petrechko (Erin) of Florida and step-children, E. J. Willard of Nebraska and Vanessa Willard of Ft. Scott and eleven grandchildren. Also surviving are his mother, Berniece Buell of Ft. Scott and two sisters, Paula Hochstedler (Mike) of Lee’s Summit, Missouri and Karen Mix (Mike) of Ft. Scott.
He was preceded in death by his step-father, John Buell, step-brother, Steve Buell and longtime companion and best friend, Lynette Vann.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, January 27th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Mirza Transportation Fund or the Paws & Claws Animal Shelter and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS.
Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.