Government, Kansas

Toland Sworn In As Lt. Governor

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Commerce Secretary David Toland Sworn in as Lt. Governor of Kansas Today

TOPEKA – David Toland was sworn in as the 52nd Lieutenant Governor of Kansas in a ceremony today at the Kansas Statehouse.

Toland has served in the Kelly Administration as Secretary of Commerce since his appointment in January 2019. He will maintain the duties of Commerce Secretary while serving in this new role as Lieutenant Governor.

“There’s no doubt about it, this is a great day for Kansas,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “As Secretary of Commerce, David has spearheaded efforts to provide critical assistance for small businesses and rebuilt programs within the Department that make Kansas competitive on a global scale when it comes to business recruitment. He is a smart and dynamic leader, and is ready to step up on Day One to help our administration drive our economic recovery and keep Kansans healthy.”

Toland was sworn in by Judge Daniel Creitz, Chief Judge of Kansas’ 31st Judicial District and a fellow Iolan.

“I’m honored, excited and so very humbled to be Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary working alongside Governor Kelly as she continues to rebuild our state and create a healthier, brighter and more prosperous future for all Kansans,” Lt. Governor Toland said. “I am sincerely grateful for Governor Kelly’s strong, steady quest to keep people safe and healthy, and help businesses and our communities recover and move forward. We will continue to work in a bipartisan, collaborative way on Kansas-specific strategies and solutions for the people of Kansas and the future of our state.”

As Commerce Secretary, Toland has overseen sweeping changes within the state’s lead economic development agency. Under his leadership, the Department has rebuilt its in-state, domestic and international business recruitment teams; launched the state’s Office of Broadband Development; re-established a Community Development division and the Kansas Main Street Program; and launched the state’s first new economic development strategic planning process since 1986.

Toland and his team have been at the forefront of Governor Kelly’s efforts to support the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, providing technical and financial assistance to thousands of small businesses. He also led negotiations on behalf of Governor Kelly that resulted in the end of the economic incentives “Border War” that existed between Kansas and Missouri for a decade.

Efforts across the Kansas Department of Commerce have resulted in over $2.5 billion in new capital investment by businesses in Kansas in 2020, an increase of nearly 80% over the previous year and the highest in state history.

Prior to joining the team at Commerce, Secretary Toland was the first CEO of Thrive Allen County, a nonprofit coalition that works to improve quality of life and economic conditions in Allen County, Kansas. A seventh-generation Allen Countian, Toland oversaw the organization in its efforts toward improving economic conditions, healthcare access and quality of life in the small, rural Kansas county. Toland holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kansas.

Toland succeeds former Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers in this position after Rogers was appointed to be the 41st State Treasurer of Kansas, filling a position left by former Treasurer Jake LaTurner’s election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Photos of the ceremony below available for media use:

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Government, Kansas

Kansas Tax Collections Up

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Kansas’ December Total Tax Collections Up $13.6 Million Compared to Last Fiscal Year

TOPEKA – Kansas’ December total tax collections continues the state’s trend of outperforming the estimate. Total tax collections were up $64.5 million, or 9.1%, for the month with $770.2 million collected. That is a $13.6 million, or 1.8%, increase from December of Fiscal Year 2020.

“While it appears that receipts are relatively stable, we must continue to be prudent and exercise caution as we move forward,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Additionally, we are still determining the full impact that the recent federal COVID-19 relief package will have on state receipts.”

For December, retail sales tax collections were $201.9 million; a $6.9 million, or 3.6%, increase from the estimate. That is 0.5%, or $995,601, more than the same month of last fiscal year. Compensating use tax collections grew 34.4%, or $13.4 million, over last December with the collection of $52.1 million. That’s $7.1 million, or 15.9%, more than estimated.

“With the 2020 tax filing season starting this month, we will get a clearer picture of the economic implications the COVID-19 pandemic has presented over the last ten months and how to address those issues,” Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart said.

Individual income tax collections were $306.7 million; an increase of 2.2%, or $6.7 million, above the estimate. These collections were $9.5 million, or 3.0%, less than the same month of last fiscal year. Corporate income tax collections were $99.2 million for the month; $39.2 million, or 65.4%, more than estimated. That is $8.5 million, or 9.4%, more than last December.

Please find the revenue numbers here.

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Will Not Meet Jan. 5

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: January 5, 2021

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

 

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.

NO MEETING

Fort Scott

Ninety-one Year Old Former Fort Scottian Fulfills Lifelong Dream

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The book Russell Wilson co-authored with William Hedlund. Submitted photo.
One 91-year-old man is not letting age stop him from fulfilling a life-long dream.
A  former Fort Scottian has published a book, In His Own Words: The Harold Hughes Story.
 

“The book is co-authored by my father, Russell Wilson,” said Connie Wilson. “He is a robust 91-years-old and he and my 91-year-old mother live in the house they have lived in since 1964 in Des Moines, Iowa.”

 

 

“It was a lifelong dream to write a book so that others could know the man he knew so well,” his daughter said in an email.

 

Russell Wilson. Submitted photo.
Wilson was friends with and then worked for Iowa Governor and U.S. Senator Harold Hughes for years, he said.
“Hughes evolved from a troubled alcoholic to become one of the most respected, effective, and humane political leaders in the United States,” Wilson said.
 
“I write to you because I think some folks in my hometown who remember me or know about Hughes’ legacy might
be interested in knowing about the book,” Russell Wilson said in an email.
“During my time as a pastor at the Church of God in Ida Grove, Iowa, in the 1950s, I met Harold Hughes and we began a lifelong friendship.”
In 1964 Wilson was asked by then-Governor Hughes to work on the Iowa Board of Control for State Institutions.
“I worked with him for four years in that capacity and we remained friends until his death,” Wilson said.
“It has been my longtime dream to write a book revealing the character of this man as I knew him.”
Russell Wilson’s Remembrances of Fort Scott

Russell Wilson sent memories of his life in Fort Scott.

 

His parents were George and Ina Wilson, and they lived at 124 North Broadway.

 

 

“I went to Eugene Ware Grade School and graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1947, as well as attending a few classes at the community college,” Russell Wilson said in an email.  “My
contemporaries would know me as ‘Guss’ Wilson.”

 

His parents were born and raised in Fort Scott, and Russell and his sister, Jeanette, were raised here as well.
“My maternal grandparents, Chick and Sadie Riley, were also born and raised in Fort Scott, as was my paternal grandmother, Clara Wilson.
“Chick (also called Jessie) ran the barbershop on the main street. My father’s sister, Gladys Wilson, also lived in Fort Scott and was married to District Judge Harry Fisher when she died.
“My dad was a pressman at Standard Advertising and also worked for the local Heraldette newspaper.
“My mom also worked for those businesses and ran a letterpress that imprinted fans and other advertising products.
“My oldest daughter is a graphic designer and inherited their love of printing. When my mom was almost 100 years old Connie would take her to the printer just so she could smell the ink on the presses. Mom said it brought back wonderful memories of her days in the print shops in Fort Scott.
“For a few years, my mom ran the Country Kitchen Restaurant on the east end of town. She made the best curly french fries! Some folks might remember the restaurant and the fireworks stand and carousel that were next to it in the summer.
“My folks were lifelong members of the Church of God. 
“Growing up I remember a lot about the Frisco Railroad and it was a big part of my life. We lived at 125 North Broadway, about a block from the roundhouse. As a junior in high school, I worked as a crew caller on the railroad. From 10 pm to 6 am it was my job to wake the crews and let them know when their trains were scheduled to arrive or leave. I also sold magazines and candy bars to the soldiers on the troop trains during WWII.
“I went to Fort Scott High School. Some of my contemporaries might remember me as Guss Wilson. I had a dance band called the Guss Wilson Band and I played football during my senior year. And I remember spending a lot of time in the summer at the local swimming pool.
“I remember the Fort. In fact, a photo that my mother gave to the current museum of my great grandfather as a soldier on horseback provided the dimension reference needed to determine the correct measurements for the horse barn. I believe that photo hangs in the museum today and was made into a postcard that the Fort hand out.
“I left Fort Scott after graduating from high school and went to Findlay College in Findlay, Ohio where I met my wife, June. After we were married in Fort Scott in 1949, we moved to Shambaugh, Iowa, where I served as a pastor at the Church of God and where our first child, Connie, was born in 1952.
“June and I have been married for 71 years and have raised our 4 children—Connie, Bruce, Clarice, and Kristin—in a number of towns in Iowa. We currently live in our home in Des Moines. My mother, Ina, lived here in Des Moines until her death at 100 years.  We have three grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.”

 

Russell Wilson’s email is
[email protected]

Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Caregivers Program Offered

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

Program to be Offered to Support Family Caregivers

A couple of months ago I wrote an article on supporting family caregivers. You might remember that I mentioned family caregivers, often referred to as informal caregivers, provide 90% of the long-term care offered in America. The value of the unpaid care they provide runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars.

Caregivers frequently experience the need to ‘do it all’. ‘Doing it all,’ from the caregiver’s perspective, may not include caring for themselves so they can thrive, and not just survive during their caregiving experience.

The Southwind Extension District is joining the Wildcat Extension District and also Sedgwick County Extension in offering Powerful Tools for Caregivers. This educational program is designed to support family caregivers in taking better care of themselves while caring for a relative or a friend. The program can benefit participants who are helping a parent, spouse, child, friend or someone who lives at home, in a nursing home, or across the country.

The 6-session course will be offered virtually on Thursdays, January 14 – February 18, 2021, from 1:30-3:00 p.m. A $5.00 registration fee covers the postage for sending out the Caregiver Helpbook. The helpbook includes topics on: Hiring in-home help, helping memory impaired elders, making legal, financial, and care decisions, understanding depression, and making decisions about driving.

Caregiver tools provided as part of the sessions include: Helping the caregiver reduce stress; communicating effectively; encouraging ways for the caregiver to take care of themselves; reducing caregiver guilt, anger and depression; helping the caregiver to relax; making tough decisions; setting goals and problem solving.

Register online by going to https://bit.ly/tools4care or call the Yates Center Southwind office at 620-625-8620. Class size will be limited. Registering early will allow staff to help participants be able to participate virtually and to receive the Caregiver Helpbook prior to sessions beginning.

The program is being offered at a reduced cost thanks to partial funding by the K-State Research and Extension Adult Development and Aging Program Focus Team and the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas.

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

Bourbon County, Food, Health Care, Housing, Schools

Bourbon County Coalition Meets Via Zoom Jan. 6

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“We will be having a Zoom meeting at noon on Wednesday, January 6, thanks to Robin and Allen County Thrive,” Billie Jo Drake, the chairwoman, said in an email.

Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition

General Membership Meeting Agenda

January 6, 2021

  1. Welcome:
  1. Member Introductions and Announcements:
  1. Program (no programs for Zoom meetings)
  1. Open Forum:
  1. Adjournment: Next General Membership meeting will be February 3, 2021.
Opinion

Mirror, Mirror, on My Wall…By Carolyn Tucker

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Carolyn Tucker. Submitted photo.

Keys to the Kingdom – Carolyn Tucker

 

I was born in 1958, so I’ve seen many versions of myself in the mirror since graduating from high school. In recent years, there have been times I’ve wondered, “Who stole my face?“ However, I’ve never looked into the mirror and thought, “Who is that?“ I still recognize myself, thanks to Revlon. After all, grandmas are just antique little girls!

I like the everyday language of The Message for James 1:23,24: “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”

It’s one thing to read your Bible; it’s another thing to do your Bible. Your life as a Christ follower begins in knowing what God wants you to do. And then we glorify Him when we actually do it. “Not everyone who says to Me, ’Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 NKJV).

With a new year ahead, may I suggest we look daily into the perfect mirror of God’s Word. This mirror accurately reflects every detail of your life in a clear image. Comparing yourself to other people will always give you a fuzzy image. The best way for you to have a “Happy New Year” is to obey God’s Word. The proof is in the pudding with this scripture: “But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it (James 1:25 NLT). God’s perfect law is love — plain and simple. The lifestyle of a real disciple is loving God and loving others. In a nutshell, be a doer of the Word and you will be blessed.

God’s Word is the only trustworthy mirror for our spiritual lives. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16,17 NLT). You will not find godly direction from reading your horoscope or consulting a psychic. In fact, if you’re participating in anything apart from God’s spiritual realm, you’re opening the door to a spirit of darkness.

Joel Hemphill composed the encouraging song “He’s Still Workin’ on Me” many years ago. As long as we continue in Christ, we’ll be transformed into His likeness. “In the mirror of His Word, reflections that I see make me wonder why He never gave up on me. But He loves me as I am and helps me when I pray. Remember, He’s the Potter, I’m the clay. He’s still workin’ on me to make me what I ought to be.” God loves you too much to leave you the way you are, so He will keep sculpting you into His image. Now that’s a happy thought for the year 2021!

The Key: Jesus is the fairest of all, and His Word tells you when you need to clean your mirror.

Obituary

Obituary of Steven Wells

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Steven Earl Wells

Steven Earl Wells, age 69, a resident of Arma, Kansas, went to be with the Lord, Thursday, December 31, 2020, at the Via Christ Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas.  He was born April 8, 1951, in Wichita, Kansas, the son of Kenneth Earl Wells and Ruth Fidelia Culler Wells.  Steven graduated from the Ft. Scott High School.  He married Patricia Ann Johnston Judy on July 20, 1979, in Ft. Scott, Kansas.  In earlier years, Steve worked for Comstock Lumber Company.  In 1987, he started his own design/drafting business, Design Tech, which was still in operation until his passing.  Steve was an active member of the Bible Believers Baptist Church in Oronogo, Missouri where he served as church treasurer and door greeter.  Steve enjoyed playing the banjo and fishing as well as going on drives and attending car shows.

 

Survivors include his wife, Patsy, of the home; and two children, Jamie Judy (Julie), of Ft. Scott, Kansas and Melissa Love (Galen), Independence, Kansas; and seven grandchildren, Nicklous, Garrett, Hannah, Jake, Caelie, Will and Nate.  Also surviving are a brother, Dwayne Wells (Sally), of Ft. Scott and two sisters, Faith Varner (Steve), of Ft. Scott and Kathy Wells, of Pittsburg.  He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother Warren Wells and a sister, Lorie Wells.

 

Brother Bradley Friesen will conduct funeral services at 2:00 P.M. Friday, January 8th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.  Private burial will follow in the Deerfield Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 PM Thursday at the Cheney Witt Chapel.  Memorials are suggested to the Steve Wells Memorial Fund 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.

Obituary

Obituary of Dora Page

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Dora Gertrude Page, age 87, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Friday, January 1, 2021, at Via Christi Medical Center in Pittsburg, KS.

She was born on March 8, 1933, in Earlton, KS, the daughter of Cecil Bernard Dozier and Wilma Edna Grayson Dozier. She graduated from Hepler, KS high school. Dora married Glenn Page on June 7, 1950 in Ft. Scott. He preceded her in death on April 13, 2006.

 

She worked for 25 years at the nursing home in Uniontown, KS. She was skilled at sewing and embroidery, everything from cheerleading outfits to formal dresses. She canned food and enjoyed crossword puzzles, playing cards, and working cryptograms. Dora was an avid Royals and Chiefs fan.

 

She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who never missed a grandchild’s birthday. She was a member of the Hiattville United Methodist Church.

 

Survivors include 3 sons, Ronald Page and wife Dana, Atoka, OK, Rodney Page and wife Joan, Ft. Scott, and Michael Page, Ft. Scott; 6 daughters, Beverly Brown and husband Ronald, Ft. Scott, Janet Leasure and husband Tad, Independence, KS, June Hill and husband Billy, Mapleton, KS, Bonnie Worthy and husband Rhys, Waretown, NJ, Roberta Sorrentino and husband Mark, Beachwood, NJ, and Nancy Sprague and husband Sonny, Independence, KS; 4 brothers, William Dozier, Independence, KS, Cecil Dozier, Topeka, KS, Richard Dozier, Independence, KS, and Dwight Dozier, Great Bend, KS; 2 sisters, Faye Pettyjohn, Tulsa, OK, and Lucille Dozier, Great Bend, KS; 29 grandchildren; 52 great grandchildren; 5 great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

 

Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by 2 brothers, Joseph, and James Dozier; 4 sisters, Nelda Cook, Mary Shelton, Bertha Radabaugh, and Betty Farnsworth; a grandson, Mark Leasure; a granddaughter, Ronnette Vincent; and 3 great-granddaughters, Kierra, and Skylar Sorrentino, and Jayla Worthy.

 

Rev. Dwight Dozier will conduct private family services with burial following in the Hepler Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes Association and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Bourbon County Local News