Bourbon County, Schools

Seventeen New Teachers, 3 New Administrators in Bourbon County Schools Next Year

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There will be many new faces in school districts in Bourbon County for the upcoming school year.
St. Mary’s Catholic School
For St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School there are no resignations, according to Principal Josh Regan.
USD 234 Board of Education Building, 424 S. Main
USD 234 has received 10 resignations thus far.
Connie Billionis, U234 Board Clerk sent the following:
From Fort Scott High School:
Math Teacher – William Hall
Math Teacher – Jeff Armstrong
Social Science Teacher – Tami Campbell and the district has hired Jonathon Barnes to fill the position.
English Teacher – Jennifer Hartman
From Fort Scott Middle School:
Science Teacher – Kelly Toll
Special Education Teacher – Shelly Sanborn
From Eugene Ware Elementary School:
5th Grade Teacher – Mary Mauer
Music Teacher – Mary Jo Harper
5th Grade Teacher – Kristin Duffy
3rd Grade Teacher – Carrie Southwell
“We have hired an elementary Instructional Coach, Suzan Durnell,” Billionis said .  “This position was vacant this year.”
Uniontown High School.
USD 235 2021–22 Resignations and New Hires for 2022–23
Three administrative positions will have new people in the Uniontown School District, U235, according to the school superintendent. In addition there will be five teachers for current vacancies and  two more added because of COVID-19 funding.
Bret Howard resigned as Superintendent and will be replaced by Vance Eden, who is currently the elementary school principal.
Eden,  West Bourbon Elementary Principal, resigned and will be replaced by Tema Gilion.
Jim Lambert,  UJH/HS Principal, resigned and will be replaced by Dalaina Smith
Five teachers have resigned in this school district.
Neva Rowland, Uniontown High School Band and Choir teacher will be replaced by  Morgan Egidy.

Johnathan Stark, Uniontown Junior High and UHS Physical Education Teacher will be replaced by Zach Mason. Mason will also be the new head high school football coach.

Andrew Ables, UHS Science, resigned and the district is  taking applications.

Mike Durnell, UJH/UHS Math, resigned and the district is taking applications.
Linda Rogers resigned from first/second grade and the ESSER 2 Funded position will not be refilled.
There are two newly created teaching positions, funded by ESSER Funds.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted on March 27, 2020, and included Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Funds for K-12 schools, according to the Kansas Department of Education website: https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Special-Education-and-Title-Services/Federal-Disaster-and-Pandemic-Relief
These ESSER grants provide school districts with emergency relief funds to address the impact COVID-19 has had elementary and secondary schools.

 A UJH/UHS Language Arts Teacher position is filled by Brianna (Hampton) Taylor. This is a new position using ESSER 3 Funding.

In 4th/5th Grade, Kaitlyn Bradbury is a new 4th/5th grade teacher, using ESSER 3 Funding.


Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Backyard Birding – Tips for Attracting Hummingbirds

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Krista Harding
District Extension Agent, Horticulture
Southwind Extension District
111 S. Butler
Erie, KS 66733
Office: 620-244-3826
Cell: 620-496-8786

The Southwind Extension District had a great program recently on landscaping to attract hummingbirds. The program speaker, Chuck Otte, gave the attendees information on the hummingbird season, nesting habits, food sources and feeder tips. I will highlight some of his information in hopes that it will help you be more successful in attracting hummingbirds to your landscape.

Although there are approximately 360 species of hummingbirds between North and South America, 99.99% of all hummingbirds found in our area will be the Ruby-throated. Their furious spring migration starts in April and continues until early May. Once the migration is complete, hummingbirds settle into nesting mode.

Nests are built in June, with the female determining the site location. The Ruby-throated hummingbird nests will be built near the tip of a down-sloping tree branch with a fairly open area below and the canopy above. Popular tree species for nest building include oak, yellow birch, pine and hackberry. Hummingbirds generally prefer deciduous tree species over conifers. The nesting site will be determined based upon availability of nectar sources and insects. The nests are small – no larger than the size of a quarter!

When it comes to food sources, hummingbirds are attracted to the color red. It is like a flashing neon on sign to them. To prove this point, try putting on a red cap or shirt and sit quietly near a feeder. The hummingbirds will definitely check you out! However, hummingbirds do feed on more than just red flowers.

Any flowering plant that has a trumpet-style flower and is in the red/orange sector of the color spectrum will be quite attractive to hummingbirds. In his presentation, Chuck highlighted several plants to include in your landscape to bring in the most birds. The list included: traditional red Salvia, Agastache, Scarlet runner bean, Cardinal flower, Beebalm, Trumpet Creeper (only if you have lots of space), Butterfly Bush, Hollyhock, Rose of Sharon, Cardinal Climber and Canna.

As for feeders, mark the date of April 10th on your calendar. Chuck stated that in southeastern Kansas, our feeders need to be up and open for business by then. He had several good tips for feeder management:

  • You CAN’T have too many feeders!
  • Don’t fill feeders completely full – clean at each filling
  • If hummingbirds are not emptying feeder – change nectar and clean every 2-3 days
  • Do not dye the water red – just a small amount of red on the feeder is all you need
  • Artificial nectar – 4 parts water, 1 part sugar

One eight ounce feeder will fulfill the daily energy needs of 40 to 60 hummingbirds. By having more feeders available, this will allow the hummingbirds to feed more easily with less stress. Also, it will decrease the likelihood of territorial fighting. If you’ve fed hummingbirds in the past, then I’m sure you know all about the one that seems to be the gatekeeper at the feeder!

In casual conversations, you might hear someone say that they have no hummingbirds over the summer, while others seem to be overrun with hummers. This could be due to “neighborhood feeder saturation.” Basically, this is when the number of feeders within a geographic area exceeds the biological needs of the hummingbirds present which spreads the birds out. Populations of birds can be cyclical – you can have hummers for several summers and then those birds go elsewhere or don’t survive the winter. However, in a year or two, the population will probably cycle back around.

If you have no hummingbird activity by late May or early June, you may just want to take the feeders down until early August. The south bound migration usually starts in late July or early August. Many bird watchers indicate that August and September are actually their best months.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Horticulture agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826

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

Area News, Business

New ‘Dig Heroes’ Encourage Kansans to Dig Safely

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Kansas Gas Service April awareness campaign aims to increase calls to 811


 April is National Safe Digging Month and Kansas
Gas Service is celebrating by introducing its team of “Dig Heroes.” The Dig Heroes’ purpose is
to help promote safe digging among Kansans – regardless of the type or size of digging project
they’re planning.


Kansans can become Dig Heroes by taking the Safe Digging Pledge at BeADigHeroKansas.com,
where they can share their commitment to always calling 811 before they dig and be entered to
win a $100 gift card.


Who Are the Dig Heroes?
The Dig Heroes are a group of superheroes who have taken the pledge to practice safe digging
no matter how big or small their digging project might be.
“The Dig Heroes are a fun new addition to our annual public awareness campaign, as they
encourage participation from all types of customers – from developers to homeowners and
gardeners, and of course, dog lovers,” said Dawn Tripp, manager of Public Relations for Kansas
Gas Service.


When someone digs in Kansas, whether planting a tree or digging the foundation of a skyscraper,
there is a high probability of an underground facility within the site. When customers make the
free call to 811 or visit Kansas811.com before digging, professional locators will mark
the underground facilities within the designated project area with flags and/or paint at no cost to
the home or business owner.


“Many people don’t remember to call 811 before planting a garden, removing trees, installing
sprinklers and other outdoor projects, but a quick call to 811 can prevent significant outages and
inconveniences to neighborhoods,” said Trey Pool, Manager of Public Awareness and Damage
Prevention for ONE Gas, parent company of Kansas Gas Service. “We hope to help change that
by raising awareness to call 811 before starting any projects that involve digging into the
ground.”


When to Call 811
Individuals should call 811 at least two full working days before starting their digging projects –
no matter how small – to make sure that all lines are protected and the chances of hitting a line
decrease.

3 Tips to Remember Before Digging
1. Even if you’re digging shallow, you need to call to have your lines marked.
2. If you hire a contractor, make sure they call 811 prior to digging.
3. Respect the Tolerance Zone, which is the area 24 inches from the outside edge of the pipe
in all horizontal directions. Within this zone, you should use reasonable care, such as
hand digging, vacuum excavation or similar safe excavation methods to avoid any
contact or damage to the line.


Learn more about the Dig Heroes, safe digging, and take the pledge at BeADigHeroKansas.com
for your chance to win a $100 gift card.


About Kansas Gas Service
Kansas Gas Service provides a reliable and affordable energy choice to more than 645,000 customers in Kansas and
is the largest natural gas distributor in the state, in terms of customers.
Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas Gas Service is a division of ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS), a 100–percent
regulated natural gas utility that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OGS.” ONE Gas is
included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States.
For more information and the latest news about Kansas Gas Service, visit kansasgasservice.com and follow its social
channels: @KansasGas, Facebook, Nextdoor, LinkedIn a

Business, Fort Scott

Poetry Contest and More Offered at HedgehogINK!

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 HedgehogINK, a used bookstore at 16 S. Main, is sponsoring a poetry contest  for all ages in April.Poetry Contest 2022

There is a two poem limit for entry with the theme of “What Inspires YOU?”, which must be submitted by April 30.

The application and guidelines are below.

Poetry Contest 2022

 

 Name:

Check age group:    _____Under 12 _____13-20     _____  Adult 21-55   _____ Seniors 55+

Address:

Phone:                              Email:

Title of each Poem: (Remember, each poem needs to be on a separate page. Limit 2 poems per entry. – list titles here)

Entry:         $5 entry fee. An entry may include up to 2 poems. One entry per person.  Entry forms are available at the store or email Jan at [email protected] for an entry form.

Deadline:      All entries must be delivered, emailed to [email protected] or mailed to Hedgehog.INK! 16 S. Main, Fort Scott, KS 66701 by 5:00 p.m. on April 30, 2022.

Theme:         The theme for this year’s contest is, “What inspires you?”

Guidelines:

  • Entries need to be typewritten if at all possible. (Neat hand-written manuscripts will be accepted.)
  • Each poem should include a title and be submitted on a separate page. No other information should be included. A number will be assigned to each participant at the time of submission.
  • Remember, do not include your name on your submitted poem.

 Two winners in each age group will be posted during the first week of May.  A celebration of poetry will be held at a later date.

Contact info:

620-670-2752,   16 S. Main Fort Scott, KS 66701                  [email protected]                                                 

A Community of Books for the Community

Bourbon County

Bourbon County Coalition Meets April 6

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The Bourbon County Coalition will meet at the Scottview Conference Room on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m.

Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition

General Membership Meeting Agenda

 

April 6, 2022

 

 

  1. Welcome:  Elizabeth Schafer will replace Nancy Van Etten on our Coalition Board.

 

 

  1. Member Introductions and Announcements:

 

 

  1. Program: Joshua McCloud, Donor Relations and Community Outreach Coordinator, Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas.

 

 

  1. Open Forum:

 

 

 Adjournment:

Opinion

Forgot To Remember To Forget by Carolyn Tucker

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Keys to the Kingdom

“I Forgot to Remember to Forget” is a rockabilly/country song written by Stan Kesler and Charlie Feathers and was first recorded by Elvis in 1955. I especially like songs with a  great hook — a phrase that catches my ear and makes me think. The first time I heard this song, it made an unforgettable impression on me. Certain experiences in life are better forgotten than remembered. For example, if someone says or does something that hurts you, it’s best to just drop it, leave it, forget it, and move on.

 

Good memories are a source of comfort and joy that we can cherish forever. And bad memories aren’t to be wallowed in, but forsaken and left in the past. Jesus makes it quite clear that believers are to live our lives forward. “Jesus said to him, ’No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things behind] is fit for the kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:62 AMP). Forget any negative circumstances that lie behind you and plow ahead toward God’s excellent master plan. Looking and living in reverse will severely hinder your ability to live the abundant life that Jesus died and arose to give you.

 

Most everyone has a tendency to revisit painful memories, but it should just be a flash of remembrance for believers. God doesn’t want us to dwell on (or live in) the past. You’re no good to yourself or your loved ones if you’ve been “out to lunch” since 1987. Make the decision to let go of past sorrows and disappointments. God’s grace is bounteously given to help us overcome all of our hurts, as Paul plainly instructs us. “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are [our inner being is] being renewed every day” (2 Corinthians 4:16 NLT). He restores my soul — this is a “now” healing. God is an ever-present help and He needs us to keep heading toward our destiny.

 

In the Old Testament we find an amazing declaration spoken by Joseph in Genesis 41:51 ESV: “God has made me forget all my hardship.“ Obviously, God didn’t give Joseph amnesia, but He enabled him to live abundantly blessed in the present. His hurtful past was simply a fleeting memory because Joseph chose to focus on the goodness of God.

 

I taught piano for 25 years and, occasionally, it was necessary to instruct a student on the proper technique for correcting mistakes. If a student messed up in the middle of the piece, sometimes he/she would stop and start all over from the beginning. I would ask, “If you were on your way to Pittsburg and had a flat, after you changed the tire, would you drive back to Fort Scott and start the trip all over?” A straightforward explanation about moving on was all the student needed in order to correct a bad habit and faulty mindset.

 

Believers cannot successfully accomplish anything without fully depending on Christ Jesus. Since we are in Christ, we have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to hold onto our hope. “So these are two things that don’t change, because it’s impossible for God to lie. He did this so that we, who have taken refuge in Him, can be encouraged to grasp the hope that is lying in front of us” (Hebrews 6:18 CEB). Don’t look backward, because hope is in front of you. My retired Navy pilot friend has often stated, “The runway behind you ain’t no good.”

 

The Key: Don’t forget to remember that God’s power equips you to forget an ugly past.

Fort Scott

Free Tree Offer to Fort Scottians Deadline Is April 4

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The Fort Scott Kiwanis Club on a workday at Gunn Park in August. 2020, one of many community projects/events of the club. Submitted photo.

A local organization is helping to add more of a tree canopy to the community.

The Fort Scott Kiwanis Club is offering free trees to residents of the city.

To be considered for trees contact the City of Fort Scott at 620.223-0550, by April 4. Trees will be planted sometime in April.

“This is made possible through a grant from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation,” Phil Gorman, treasurer of Kiwanis, said.  “Sixty trees will be purchased and planted by the club in cooperation with Fort Scott Community College, Fort Scott High School, and the City of Fort Scott.”

“FSCC,  and the high school, we are going to use some of their organizations for labor to help us get the trees in the ground,” Gorman said.

“The city helped us with the grant and they will help dig the holes and also help with logistics of where the trees will be planted,” he said.

Two large-growing tree varieties are being offered,  Swamp White Oak and Shumard Oak.

For safety, the group won’t plant trees in the way of high lines or on street corners, Gorman said.

The Kiwanis tree planting program has been done for many years, Gorman said.

“Some street trees all around the city were planted by Kiwanis years ago,” he said. “I’d say in the thousands.”

The group is rejuvenating the program and hopes to make it an annual event.

The Fort Scott Kiwanis logo. Submitted.

About Kiwanis

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community, at a time.

They meet each Tuesday at noon at the Presbyterian Church, 308 S. Crawford.

“There are currently 35 members,” Gorman said. “We are always open to new members.”

Addisyn Fowler, Fort Scott High School Key Club member, left, along with Fort Scott Kiwanis Club members Bob Eckles and Clyde Stepps serve pancakes at the annual Pancake Feed in February 2020.
Angelyka and her dad, Daniel Simonds, pick up Easter eggs in the preschool section of the Kiwanis Easter Egg hunt in this 2018 photo.
Some of the projects of the Fort Scott Kiwanis Club were showcased on a poster of the gym at Buck Run Community Center during the annual pancake feed in 2020.
Opinion

Selected Data by Gregg Motley

2 Comments

Selected Data

 

As with most rural communities, Bourbon County is a mixed bag of advantages and disadvantages that at once move us forward and hold us back.  I have spent the last year writing about what we need to do to strengthen our weaknesses and leverage what we do well.  To round out year one, let’s take a look at some selected data from the 2020 Kansas Statistical Abstract to give us a general sense of how we are doing.

 

Per capita personal income in Bourbon County is $46,149, which ranks us 71st out of the 105 counties in Kansas.  Greeley County is number one, with almost $100,000 in per capita income, more than double our number.  Of the SEK counties, we rank first.  The worst SEK County? Montgomery at $39,041, placing them at 104th; Crawford is only slightly better, ranking 103rd.  Interesting side note, two Kansas counties have consolidated the county government with that of the largest cities within the county: Greeley and Wyandotte; ironically, Greeley ranks number one in personal income, Wyandotte dead last at 105.

 

Bourbon County does better when considering what percentage of our residents 25 years and older have a high school diploma; that number is 91.3%, which ranks us 57th in the state.  In this category, Allen and Crawford bested us at 91.9% and 92.1%, respectively.  These three SEK counties have respectable rankings near or above the top half of Kansas counties.  These are important numbers for future workforce development.

 

Our shining statistic is median age, in which we rank 28th at 38.2 years; not bad for small town America.  As you might expect, Crawford County is much younger than we are with the median age at 32.6 years, ranking them in the top 10.  The balance of the SEK counties rank behind us, with Linn County as the oldest of the bunch at 44.8 years.  The youngest county in Kansas?  The home of the Wildcats: Riley County at 24.3 years.  Only four Kansas counties have a median age below age 30; the other three are Geary, Douglas and Seward.  Jewell County ranks as having the oldest residents in the state with a median age of 52.5.

 

Lastly, we have two challenges in this list of general statistics: unemployment rate and food stamp participation.  While we rank better than our neighbors on unemployment, our year-end 2020 number of 5.6% ranked us 88th in the State.  Hamilton County is number one at 1.7%, while our most populous county, Sedgwick is dead last at 8.7%.  Food stamp participation is our Achilles Heel: we rank 104th at 12.2% of residents.  Only Wyandotte County is worse at 12.8%.  As you might expect, the most food independent county in Kansas is Johnson at 2.1%.  Obviously, we are the bottom of the “food chain” in SEK.

 

These are not terrible numbers considering the challenges we have faced in the last 40+ years.  There is much upon which to build, and problems to solve.  Our economic development team has these important statistics in view, along with many others, as we invest our resources in Bourbon County.

Bourbon County, Government, Uncategorized

Bourbon County Commission Agenda for April 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: April 5, 2022
1st District–Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District–Jim Harris Corrected: _______________________
3rd District–Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk–Ashley Shelton
MEETING HELD IN COMMUNITY CENTER IN MAPLETON @ 6PM
Call to Order
• Flag Salute
• Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
• Eric Bailey – Road and Bridge Report
• Opening Hays Bids
• County Counselor Comment
• Susan Bancroft, Finance Director Comment
o Executive Session – KSA 75–4319(b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual
nonelected personnel to protect their privacy
o Contract Renewal for I AM REHAB & FITNESS at the Medical Building
• Public Comment
• Elected Officials Comment
• Commission Comment

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Minutes of March 25

1 Comment

March 25, 2022 Friday at 2:00 P.M.
The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with two Commissioners and Jim
Harris by phone and the County Clerk present.
Anne Dare, Mike Houston, Christi Keating, Randy Nichols, Jason Silvers, Tim
VanHoeke, Katie Harrington, Mary Pemberton, Jennifer Wiggans, Trace Evans, and
Austin Bahr were present for some or all of the meeting.
Clifton stated that with the news of what is happening in Missouri with a couple of
Noble Health Hospitals, we need to make a statement. Clifton stated that we paid
for a feasibility study and we fully expect to get that study. It is in existence, I’ve
seen parts of it and Noble Health will be here Tuesday of next week. There are
rumors on Facebook circulating that Noble Health is not what they presented
themselves to be. Comments have been made by some that don’t know what they are
talking about. What happens in Missouri doesn’t affect us at all. We paid
$1,000,000.00 for a study and that’s what we will get. The study is 99% completed
and they will be here Tuesday to deliver a little bit of it. Jim stated that he wants
the public to understand that the funding for this study came from the federal
government and were for healthcare improvements only and that money for the study
that we are receiving did not go to Noble it went to the folks doing the study. Clifton
stated that the commissioners have done their homework. They owe us a study and
they are going to deliver that study in the coming weeks. I feel sorry for what is
happening in Missouri. I hope they can reorganize. Instead of being negative and
calling Noble Health all kinds of names, we should be praying for those communities.
Jim stated the feasibility study can be taken to any hospital if Noble Health doesn’t
open a hospital. Jim continued stating that we haven’t spent one penny of taxpayer
money. This is all federal money that had to be spent on healthcare or send it back.
Clifton stated that we have not transferred the building to Noble Health. We haven’t
given Noble Health any more money. Two or three weeks ago we were going to
transfer the building and Noble Health said no. They said they potentially have some
issues and we are not going to take the building or money from you right now. Again,
we paid for a feasibility study and that’s what we expect to receive. Jim stated that
Noble Health is the first company in four years that have shown any interest. Clifton
stated that Tuesday will be a normal meeting and Noble Health will be here to share
parts of the feasibility study.
At 2:09pm, Clifton made a motion to adjourn. Lynne seconded. All approved.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
(ss) Jim Harris, Chairman
(ss) Lynne Oharah, Commissioner
(ss) Clifton Beth, Commissioner

Bourbon County Local News