Government, Kansas

Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson

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Caryn Tyson

 

January 14, 2022

 

2022 Session Begins

You thought last year was a mess – well – here we go again.   With the increased COVID-19 cases, variants, and major inflation, 2022 is going to be another challenge.  I am confident that we can meet these challenges with perseverance and by remembering the words of our Founding Fathers, that our government is of “We the People” and that every decision we make as legislators must be in support of our Constitution.

 

Wildfires

December 16, 2021, several communities in Kansas were devastated by wildfires.  The high winds, storms, and fires resulted in loss of life, homes, and livelihoods.  There has been an outpouring of help, but more is needed.  The Senate Tax Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 318 out of committee. This Bill would allow a sales tax exemption on fencing material purchased as a result of losses from the wildfires.  The legislature has passed similar legislation in the past.  The difference in SB 318, is that it would not sunset so with any future fires the exemption would be available.

 

I offered an amendment to SB 318 that provides an option for County Commissioners to abate property taxes on agriculture or commercial property destroyed in a Governor declared disaster.  It passed unanimously.  Currently, County Commissioners have an option to abate property taxes on homes but they cannot abate property taxes on other property in a disaster.  It was reported that a Senator was concerned about the optional abatement because it might decrease K-12 funding from the 20 mil property tax.  Can you imagine losing almost all of your property and still having to pay property tax on it as if it wasn’t destroyed?

 

Personal Note

In less than a two-week period we lost several friends and family.  Two of them died from COVID-19, but the rest died from other causes.  We also have friends and family who are in the hospital and fighting to recover.  It has been a difficult time, but with God’s grace we find strength.

 

Some media and now social media allow people to make false claims about me not taking COVID-19 seriously.  This is fake news.  I have and will continue to take precautions and hope that you do also.  I will also continue to fight for your life, your liberty and your pursuit of happiness so that you may decide for yourself, not your government mandating and stripping you of your freedoms.

 

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.

Caryn

www.KSLegislature.org

Government, Health Care, Kansas

Critical Blood Shortage Impacting Kansas Hospitals 

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Trauma Program (KTP) continue to highlight the importance of blood donation amid increasingly critical blood shortages experienced across the state and nation. Blood shortages can pose risks to hospitals in performing necessary patient care. As January is National Blood Donor month, KDHE and KTP encourage those able to schedule an appointment to donate blood. In recent weeks, the Red Cross has declared this the worst blood shortage in over a decade, with less than a one-day supply of critical blood types. The Community Blood Center for our region is at a 1-2 day supply.

“We encourage Kansans who can donate blood to schedule an appointment today,” Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said. “Blood donation helps ensure our hospitals can continue their operations and has the ability to save lives.”

Updated policies and practices allow for safe donation during the pandemic. Donation centers provide specific guidance on the blood donation process and safety measures taken within their centers. The National Institutes of Health have found blood donations to be safe under current COVID-19 screening guidelines.

Locations for blood donation can be found at organization websites such as savealifenow.org, AmericasBlood.org, or redcrossblood.org.

Business, Fort Scott

Proofreading/Copy Editing Business Starts in Fort Scott

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Kim Carpenter. Submitted photo.

Fort Scott native Kim Carpenter, 56, is the owner of a new business called Writer’s Edge, LLC. 

Carpenter’s business provides proofreading and copyediting services for a variety of written materials including ads, reports, books, articles, blog posts, and more. 

Her Background

She has 14 years of experience as an elementary school teacher.

Carpenter earned her Associate of Science degree from Fort Scott Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Pittsburg State University, and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from William Woods University.

Her hometown is Fort Scott.

She is married to Jon Carpenter and has four children, two that live in Fort Scott: Jana Johnson, and Jon T. Carpenter.

She is a member of the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of Faith Church.

“In my free time, you might find me hiking the Gunn Park trails, kayaking the local waterways, or shopping at area flea markets,” she said.

A New Adventure

“Writer’s Edge was born out of a passion to read, write, and a desire to pursue a new career,” she said. 

“I have been an elementary educator for 14 years,” Carpenter said. “I loved the opportunity to be a constructive influence in children’s lives. Yet, I felt the pull to pursue a different path in which I can also have a positive impact. As I am a strong advocate of reading and writing, this adventure felt like a perfect fit for me”.

After extensive research, Carpenter learned what was needed to transition from full-time teacher to full-time proofreader, copyeditor.

First, she graduated from an educational course with certification in professional proofreading and editing and confirmed her grasp of advanced grammar as well as strong oral and written communication skills, she said.

Next, Carpenter converted a spare room into an office space, and with the help of her friend and fellow entrepreneur, Lori Sherrell Cable, built her LinkedIn profile, resume, and her website. 

In addition, she attended meetings with the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) and the Kansas Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to make the dream a reality. The team of Jody Hoener, Dacia Clark, and Rachel Carpenter worked with her to formalize her business and develop a business plan. 

“The whole process was very easy, and the team was so great to work with. They explained everything and answered all of my questions. They truly have a heart to see people succeed and are very knowledgeable in the process,” Carpenter said.

She also looks forward to working with students, researchers, and business owners to improve written communications from social marketing to printed materials and no project is too big or too small, she said.

Carpenter’s website www.writersedge.page will be up soon, but for now, she can be reached at [email protected] 

Kim Carpenter has an office in her home. Submitted photo.

 

 

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

KDHE Announces Changes to COVID-19 Contact Tracing

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) today announces that as of Feb. 1, 2022, COVID-19 contact outreach and monitoring, otherwise known as contact tracing, operations will be discontinued at KDHE. KDHE contact tracing staff will be reassigned to contact investigations. County Local Health Departments have already begun to wind down contact tracing and K-12 schools who were participating in contact tracing as part of the Test to Stay program may temporarily suspend contact tracing as well. Contact tracing is when Public Health notifies close contacts to let them know that they were exposed to an infectious disease and tells them about the signs and symptoms to watch out for. Participation with contact tracing has always been voluntary. The decision to end contact outreach and monitoring was made due to the surge in amount of positive COVID-19 cases and the public’s willingness to participate has diminished since the beginning of the pandemic.

“As we enter the third year of this pandemic, public health has to begin to adjust the level of response to help alleviate the strain on the Public Health system,” Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said. “The pandemic is far from over, but this step is a move toward managing COVID-19 as an endemic disease. The responsibility of protecting yourself and others belongs to all of us.”

Individuals who are positive for COVID-19 will now be responsible for letting their close contacts know about their potential exposure. Additionally, if the individual with COVID-19 exposed others at high-risk settings such as schools, correctional facilities, long-term care facilities, homeless shelters, daycares and churches, KDHE or the local health department will notify the setting. The setting will be responsible for identifying close contacts and notifying them about the potential exposure.

Individuals who are positive for COVID-19 or a close contact of someone with COVID-19 can find information on what to do here.

KDHE urges Kansans to use the following tools to protect against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.

  • Get vaccinated and boosted. Vaccines remain the best tool to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging. The authorized COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalizations, and death. The COVID-19 vaccines approved or authorized in the United States are expected to protect against serious illness, hospitalizations, and death in people infected with the Omicron variant, especially those who have received a booster. COVID-19 vaccines are now authorized for people ages 5 and over. Moderately or severely immunocompromised people ages 5 and over should receive an additional primary dose of vaccine 28 days after their second shot. The COVID-19 booster shots are authorized for all people ages 12 and over. To find a vaccine near you, visit Vaccines.gov.
  • Wear a mask. Masks offer protection against all variants. It is recommended that people in Kansas wear the most protective mask that fits well and can be worn consistently  in public indoor settings, where COVID-19 transmission remains high, regardless of vaccination status. For more information, visit the CDC website, Types of Masks and Respirators.
  • Get tested. If you are sick or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, it is recommended that you get tested for COVID-19. Go to KnowBeforeYouGoKS.com to find a free testing location near you. If a positive result is received through an at-home test, isolate at home for at least 5 full days. If you took an at-home test and need Public Health to issue a letter stating that you are positive, you will need to follow up with a health care provider for a confirmation test.
  • Stay home if exposed. If you are exposed to COVID-19 and you are not up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, you should stay home and away from other people for 5 full days after your last contact with the person who has COVID-19. Anyone who is exposed, including those who are up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters and those who had COVID-19 within the last 90 days, should wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public and watch for symptoms for 10 full days. Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask, avoid travel, and avoid people at high risk for developing severe disease. Get tested for COVID-19 at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19, or get tested immediately if you develop symptoms.
  • Stay home if sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive, you should stay home and isolate away from other people for at least 5 full days. You can end home isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your symptoms are improving. If you did not have symptoms, end home isolation 5 days after your positive test. Severely ill people should isolate for at least 10 days. Take precautions for 10 days including wearing a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others. Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask, avoid travel, and avoid people at high risk for developing severe disease.
  • Social distance and practice good hand hygiene. People should avoid large gatherings and stay at least 6 feet from others in public settings, especially if they are at higher risk of getting sick.  Wash your hands often with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Health Care

Support For Moms with Infants Available For Free

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Diapers are given to mothers who participate in each meeting of the Mommy and Me program. Submitted photo.

Mommy and Me is a support and education program for mothers with children or who are pregnant.

The support group meets monthly at the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department in Fort Scott at 6th and Horton.

The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, January 19 at 4 p.m.

The group meets once a month, with a topic of discussion.

As an encouragement to attend the meetings, diapers are given to participants each meeting, Holly Fritter, Healthy Start Home Visitor, said.

Holly Fritter. Submitted photo.

“We give away a packet of diapers every time they attend because we want people to be supported, and educated,” she said.

The program was created to help support moms in taking care of their babies and themselves.

“Discussions in the past have been breastfeeding, formula feeding, prenatal care, postpartum care, postpartum depression and other maternal warning signs, stages of labor and what to expect, nutrition, baby basics, parenting, things like that,” she said.

“We want people to know that they are not alone, they have someone to talk to and someone to listen.

The Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department is located between 6th and Lowman Streets and 6th and Horton Streets.

 

Obituary

Obituary of Charles Hull

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Charles E. Hull, age 81, a resident of Ft Scott, Kansas, passed away Saturday, January 15, 2022, at the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas. He was born November 28, 1940, in Ft. Scott, the son of James I. Hull and Ruby Terrill Hull.  Charles was a man of honor, integrity and dignity.  He lived his life loving his wife, children and grandchildren with all his heart and soul.  There was nothing his family needed that he didn’t make sure they had.  No one every went hungry or thirsty when he was around.  His love for chicken was known by all.  To most, he was a quiet force, not saying much but everybody listened when he spoke.  He was a man of steel, a Superman, the John Wayne of westerns, but his family called him Dad and Grandpa.  He was born a man but died an angel.
Survivors include his wife, Leta, of the home; four children, Charles, Jim, Jeff and Gina; fifteen grandchildren and twenty-two great grandchildren. Also surviving are four brothers, Robert, Earl, Harold, and Leland and a sister, Beulah.  He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Joe and two sisters, Virginia and Liz.
Private funeral services with burial in the Evergreen Cemetery will be held Monday, January 24th.  Friends are welcome to pay their respects during the week at the funeral home.  Cards and other expressions of sympathy may be left in care of the funeral home or submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.  Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas.
Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Beating the Post-Holiday Funk

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Barbara Stockebrand. K-State Extension Agent. Submitted photo.

Some of us may still be winding up our holiday celebrations – gift exchanges may be lingering on our calendar yet, and the decorations may remain hanging to keep those festive vibes alive. The holidays can take over our lives in many ways, given the deadlines and extra hubbub that go along with the festivities.

Often, our regular routines change in the time leading up to the holidays. Our work life changes with having some work days off. Our energy level may be heightened to meet the demands of the holidays. Then we are expected (or we expect of ourselves) to jump back into our regular daily life where we left it before the holidays.

For many, having the holiday break is reinvigorating and refreshing, as we have broken completely away from the norm of our daily lives. However, being out of our routine for a week or two can also leave us struggling to get back into the swing of things.

Making that adjustment can create a funk that is real. Feeling unmotivated or even sluggish are some of the signs. We’ve just come off of an intense level of holiday activity. Then suddenly, it’s all over. The excitement is gone. The highly anticipated moments are done (and those moments we dread, for that matter.)

Beating the post-holiday funk begins with realizing that it is a form of loss and is in reality an adjustment to less stimulation. It can be similar to feeling at loose ends after completing a big project at work, or feeling somewhat empty after a vacation, even though you are glad to be home.

Consider these suggestions if you are feeling the funk.

Continue your social connections. The holidays usually create more occasions for social gatherings. Make an effort to call or visit a friend or two to catch up on their holiday experiences and then share yours also. Don’t let it be a texting conversation. A phone conversation, at a minimum, will stimulate your mind as your conversations transpire.

Get out of the house. Weather this time of year may create challenges in getting out. However, even on a gray day, pushing yourself for some time outside can raise your energy. You are also creating space and interrupting moods that may be tied to those parts of the house with lingering reminders of the recent holidays.

That leads me to getting some exercise. It’s likely we’ve overindulged over the holidays, whether it be with food or drink, sitting around visiting, or binge-watching the various sporting presentations available. Be ready for a pleasant mood shift following some vigorous body movement.

Look forward, not backward. It is common at the beginning of the year to think about those things we didn’t achieve when we review our accomplishments from the previous year. These reflections are often the source of many people’s New Year’s resolutions. Instead, think about one thing you would love to have happen this year. Don’t make it a ‘life goal,’ as that could lead to more exhausting feelings. Identify one small thing and then make a plan to bring it into being.

Try one of these ideas to help you take charge of your mood. It might be just what it takes to shake off those funky feelings that may be hanging around. Have a truly happy new year!

For more information on combatting post-holiday blues, contact your local Southwind Extension District Office.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Opinion

Down by the Creek Bank by Carolyn Tucker

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Carolyn Tucker. Submitted photo.

Keys to the Kingdom

 

When my daughter and son were young enough to play outside without hands-on supervision, yet not old enough to be entirely trusted, they played within the boundary of our fenced-in yard. As they grew older and proved themselves to be trustworthy, they were allowed to leave our property and play down by the creek bank just west of our house. Mariam and Aaron learned about nature and mastered the art of catching crawdads by placing a cup behind them as they shifted into reverse when threatened. I could always depend on the kids to return home whenever I blasted my athletic whistle. Because of their maturity and obedience, they were continuously rewarded (blessed) with the fun of expanded freedom.

Our heavenly Father is kindly watching our steps of obedience and disobedience. He watched the steps of the Israelites as they wondered all over the wilderness for 40 years. As a test, He gave them simple instructions on how to collect the miracle manna. “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow My instructions‘” (Exodus 16:4 NLT). By their disobedient actions when collecting the manna, they proved they didn’t think God’s voice was important. They also proved that they weren’t trustworthy.

As believers, most of us are willing to do great things for God, but few are willing to do little things for Him. But God tests us in the little things first and if we flunk that simple test, we can’t be promoted to bigger things. “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities” (Luke 16:10 NLT).

Christ followers need to make the wise decision to start obeying God’s instructions in the little things. If we won’t obey the gentle voice of God and do little stuff, we can’t be promoted to bigger stuff because of our spiritual immaturity. We pray, “O Lord, what do You want me to do? I’ll do whatever You tell me to do,” thinking it will be something glorious in the limelight. Then when He gives us a small task and we ignore His voice because it’s not what we expected, or appears to be unimportant, we get to stay in spiritual kindergarten.

What are examples of little things? Picking up trash as you walk down the hall at work, not parking in the handicapped stall when you’re able-bodied, being kind to harried cashiers, reaching out to people the Lord has put on your heart, etc. Small acts of obedience are big in God’s eyes. “For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me” (Matthew 25:35,36 NLT). If you haven’t heard God tell you to do something specific lately, He’s probably still waiting for you to do the last thing He told you to do. God will give you greater responsibilities once you follow His previous instructions.

The Key: Stay within the boundary of God’s authority so you can hear and obey His voice and be blessed.

Bourbon County Local News