The City of Fort Scott Administration Offices will be closed to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 27th, 2021 so that City Staff can participate in training.
The City office will reopen at 11:00 a.m.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Oct. 25
What Will Your Retirement Be?
What Will Your Retirement Be?
We humans spend a lot of time and effort planning ahead for different stages of our lives. A good amount of that effort involves planning for the finances that will be involved, such as purchasing a car or home, starting a family, education for ourselves or our children, or retirement. All of these require a commitment to some kind of planning process to make the puzzle pieces fit together.
I’ve written about retirement before. Maybe that is because every day brings me a little closer to my own. When we are younger, we feel we have more options or time to reach some of those larger goals as previously mentioned. We might take on additional work or put off a larger purchase giving ourselves more time to collect the funds needed. We might even decide to change course in our decision-making process…because we have the time. Retirement often seems a far-off distant concept in our younger years, which is why we sometimes put off thinking about or preparing for retirement.
More serious thoughts about retirement loom as we get closer to that stage in life – “Do I have the finances set aside to sustain me?” “Will my health hold out for the long haul?” “Will I need to make major changes to my lifestyle? If so, when?” These can be nagging questions, because, like previous stages, there are uncertainties. However, in reaching this stage in life, there are limits in our ability to compensate for shortfalls, such as the time and ability to change course or acquire more funding.
It goes without saying that preparing for retirement should begin before the event is official. There may be much to do that may include a transition to a different lifestyle. Income and expenses will likely change as a result. Following are three general aspects that may help in the retirement consideration process.
Organize Your Finances. Take a closer look at your monthly or annual budget. Project the changes you expect to take place when you retire. For example, will you continue to work part-time, start receiving a pension, or count on Social Security for support? With our longer life expectancies, retirement can last decades. Your tax bracket may change, so look ahead by doing some tax planning in relation to how your future income will be taxed based on tax laws related to pensions and Social Security.
Plan Your New Lifestyle. Start thinking about where you want to live. Have your children moved, or have you? You may want to move closer to them. Is a recreational or leisurely type of retirement important to you? Where might that best happen for you? Do you want to consider senior housing with plenty of conveniences and support, as well as the freedom to come and go? Consider the monthly income you will need for any of these options. You may want to add more to your IRA or investment accounts to support your retirement wishes.
Start taking steps now. Besides stashing away more money to prepare for the golden years, there are other preparations that can be made. If you are close to retirement, you might consider downsizing your furnishings and personal effects, so you don’t need as much space in the future if you move. If a move is in your plan, start looking at the neighborhoods where you want to live after retirement to help you acclimate to a different lifestyle and community.
Many plan to retire right where they are. If a consideration now is to make your home a safer and comfortable living space, some modifications may need to be made. Most modifications are simple, but a remodel may be done as part of that preparation. Just for fun, or a little inspiration, take a look at the Universal Design Living Laboratory at www.udll.com. This is more house than most of us need. However, many of the concepts included, such as the hardwood flooring, creating clear and wider paths, adding natural light, and no steps, are some good features to study. Think through your options now for an easier transition before it becomes necessary. There is also a vast resources list on that site with helpful information.
We’ve heard it before, “It’s never too soon to start planning for retirement.” What would you like your retirement to look like?
For more information on simple home modifications or home assessment tools, contact the Southwind Extension District Office in Yates Center at 620-625-8620.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Friday Night Free Concert: St. Martin’s Academy
Students of Saint Martin’s Academy will be the featured entertainment at this week’s Friday Night Concert. The school currently has an enrollment of 55 boys, ages 13 to 18. The music department is under the direction of Dave Agee and Daniel Kerr.
“This lively group of young men will warm your heart with their endearing performances of folk, country, and gospel songs,“ concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “In addition to their musical talent, these students have proven to be an asset to the community with their willingness to help out in various areas. We are pleased to welcome Saint Martin’s Academy back to perform in our downtown pavilion. This concert will conclude the 2021 season, so bring a friend and join us for an enjoyable evening of music.”
The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The shows, sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, are free and open to the public. Stephan Moses will serve as sound technician this week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports Oct. 22-23
Somebody’s Knockin’ at the Door by Carolyn Tucker
Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker
Recently, I was sitting at the computer in my quiet office/utility room when I heard an extremely-loud banging on my glass front door. I was both startled and annoyed at the unnecessary intensity of the knocking. When I answered the door, there stood someone I knew. I guess the individual was just excited or ate too many bowls of Wheaties for breakfast.
The classic painting of “Christ at Heart’s Door” hung on the wall of my parent’s living room for most of my life. Since the 1940s, this beloved painting by Warner Sallman has been a long-standing favorite in the home of many believers. It depicts a loving and patient Savior willing to come into a person’s heart and life, but the individual has to open the door because there’s no handle on the outside.
Jesus says, “Look! I have been standing at the door and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20 TLB). No doubt, this was the scripture that inspired Mr. Sallman to paint the beautiful picture of Christ Jesus standing at a door. The Son of God described Himself as gentle and humble in spirit (Matthew 11:29). His knocking is not abrasive because it reflects who He is. I appreciate the fact that He knocks constantly because He’s not willing that any should perish but that everyone would welcome and accept Him as their personal Savior.
The choices we make with the doors in our life will determine our final outcome. The first and most important door must be opened by us so Jesus can come in, cleanse us, and make us right with God. When Jesus was crucified and died, the thick curtain (which represented a door) in the temple was ripped from top to bottom signifying that we could come directly to God now. “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT).
Back to our resurrected Lord standing at the door, I also like this translation: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you will eat with Me” (Revelation 3:20 NCV). “Here I am” indicates that Jesus is as close as the mention of His name. He has to be very close in order to knock on your heart’s door and tenderly speak to you. But in this contemporary age, most people don’t like to be quiet. But quiet is a necessity in order to hear a gentle voice. “God says, ‘Be quiet and know that I am God…’” (Psalm 46:10 NCV). If you refuse to be quiet you might not hear the knock on the door or the voice of the Good Shepherd.
The Key: If you’re an unbeliever, Jesus is knock, knock, knockin’ on your heart’s door.
Crime by Gregg Motley
Crime
Before my wife and I moved to Bourbon County, we reviewed the crime statistics to make sure it was safe. After moving, we were surprised to hear rumors about the high crime rate in the county. What are the latest crime statistics in the county? Are the rumors true? Let’s take a look.
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Crimes per 1,000 residents |
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2018 |
2019 |
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| County |
Violent |
Property |
Total |
Violent |
Property |
Total |
| Allen |
3.0 |
23.9 |
26.9 |
4.1 |
22.0 |
26.1 |
| Anderson |
2.2 |
15.2 |
17.4 |
2.0 |
13.4 |
15.4 |
| Bourbon |
4.4 |
21.8 |
26.2 |
3.8 |
9.2 |
13.0 |
| Cherokee |
3.0 |
22.7 |
25.7 |
2.6 |
19.0 |
21.6 |
| Crawford |
3.1 |
29.6 |
32.7 |
3.3 |
36.5 |
39.8 |
| Labette |
6.0 |
22.1 |
28.1 |
4.4 |
23.3 |
27.7 |
| Linn |
0.6 |
5.2 |
5.8 |
2.5 |
11.1 |
13.6 |
| Montgomery |
4.4 |
38.7 |
43.1 |
5.6 |
31.0 |
36.6 |
| Neosho |
1.6 |
6.5 |
8.1 |
0.7 |
2.8 |
3.5 |
| Kansas |
4.2 |
27.2 |
31.4 |
4.3 |
25.0 |
29.3 |
The most populous county in SEK, Crawford, had the highest crime index at 39.8 crimes per 1,000 people in 2019. Bourbon County compares favorably with a crime index of almost one-third of the county to the south, but our violent crime rate was higher than Crawford County.
In 2019, Montgomery County had the highest violent crime rate in the region at 5.6, followed by Labette at 4.4. Who had the lowest violent crime rate in SEK? Neosho County at 0.7; in fact, Neosho County was by far the safest county in SEK in 2019 with a crime index of just 3.5, down from 6.5 in 2018. Bourbon County had a dramatic drop in the property crime rate between 2018 and 2019.
Property crimes were down for the whole state, falling to 25.0 in 2019 from 27.2 the previous year; however, violent crime was up one decimal point to 4.3, yielding a state crime index of 29.3. The lowest crime county in Kansas? Wallace County reported zero crimes in 2019. Wyandotte County had the highest crime index at 47.0.
I have been a part of welcoming two new families to the area in 2021, both of whom have experienced property crimes in their short tenure here; one of which has had three occasions to call the police already. As one might expect, they are questioning their decision to move here. Continued investment in public safety is critical if we want to continue welcoming newcomers here. If we want to save money in policing, look at efficiencies by sharing services, not reducing our commitment to public safety. Ask yourself, “Would I rather drive to work on a bumpy street, or have a greater risk of experiencing a crime while I am there?”
Rumors to the contrary, crime statistics are not a major deterrent to those considering relocating to Bourbon County; however, we need to maintain our commitment to public safety. This factor is critical to our ongoing economic development efforts.
COVID Quarantine List
KDHE Amends Travel & Exposure Related Quarantine List
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to remove the countries of Bermuda and New Caledonia. The countries of Barbados, Georgia, Latvia and Serbia have been added to the travel quarantine list. An unvaccinated individual should quarantine if they meet the following criteria:
- Traveled between Oct. 7 and Oct. 22 to Bermuda and New Caledonia.
- Traveled on or after Oct. 7 to Alaska.
- Traveled on or after Oct. 22 to Barbados, Georgia, Latvia and Serbia.
- Attendance at any out-of-state or in-state mass gatherings of 500 or more where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask.
- Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15, 2020.
The travel and mass gathering quarantine period is seven days with a negative test result or 10 days without testing, with release from quarantine on Day 8 and Day 11, respectively. Further information on quarantine periods can be found on KDHE’s website.
For those traveling internationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring testing within three days of flights into the U.S. For further information on this and other requirements, visit their website.
For those who are fully vaccinated (meaning it has been greater than two weeks since they completed their vaccinations) they are not required to quarantine regarding travel or mass gatherings if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2- dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine).
- Have remained asymptomatic since the travel.
Persons who do not meet the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel or mass gatherings.
Additionally, people with previous COVID-19 disease are not required to quarantine following travel if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Have evidence of a previous infection supported by a positive PCR or antigen test
- Are within 6 months following infection. If an investigation was done documenting the date that symptoms resolved, or the date isolation measures were discontinued for asymptomatic patients, then the 6-month period can start from that end date. If those dates are not available, then the period will start from the date of the positive laboratory test. A serology or antibody test may not be substituted for a laboratory report of a viral diagnostic test.
- Have remained asymptomatic since the travel
Persons who do not meet all three of the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel.
The travel quarantine list is determined using a formula to evaluate new cases over a two-week period, then adjusted for population size to provide a case rate per 100,000 population. This provides a number that can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. Locations with significantly higher rates — approximately 3x higher — are added to the list.
For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.
Bo Co Commission Work Session Oct. 26 at the Empress
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: October 26, 2021
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jim Harris Corrected: _______________________
3rd District-Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Ashley Shelton
THE COUNTY & CITY COMMISSION WILL HOLD A WORK SESSION AT THE EMPRESS EVENT CENTER BEGINNING AT 12 NOON ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021. NO COUNTY BUSINESS WILL BE CONDUCTED. THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WILL NOT BE BROADCAST ON YOUTUBE.
Obituary of Donna Davidson
Donna M. Davidson, 77, of Uniontown, Kansas, passed away Sunday evening October 17, 2021, at her home. She was born March 7, 1944, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Lee Charles and Allie Ethyl (Peterson) Middleton. She married Clarence Williams November 21, 1998, in Mapleton, Kansas, and he preceded her in death.
Donna is survived by her children, Marvin Davidson, Teresa Varin, Bryan Davidson, and Lisa Enloe; a brother, Kenneth Middleton; a sister, Lois Cooney; and ten grandchildren, Aaron, Cinthyia, Blake, J.C., Resa, Travis, Cody, Ty, Quinten, and Corey.
In addition to her husband Clarence, Donna was also preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, Carol Rourke and Carrie Elbrader, and a brother, David Middleton.
Following cremation, the family will celebrate Donna’s life at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St, Fort Scott, Kansas. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
What’s Happening in Fort Scott Oct. 22 Newsletter
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Obituary of Patsy Vaughn
Patsy Ann Vaughn, age 84, a resident of Nevada, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at her home in Nevada.
She was born September 5, 1937, in Ft. Scott, Kansas the daughter of Harold Sipe and Thelma Fitzgerald Sipe. Patsy spent her childhood on the farm on the banks of Mill Creek near Devon, Kansas. She attended the Crescent Rural School and went on to graduate from Uniontown High School.
She trained under the direction of Sister Mary Jude (Dietrich). Following her training with the sisters of Mercy, she moved to Nevada where she worked in Dr. Wray’s office. She later worked as a lab tech at the Nevada City Hospital and the Bates County Medical Clinic and the Nevada Medical Clinic. She retired from the Nevada Regional Medical Center at the age of 75.
Survivors include her children, Steven Michael Sipe (Becky) of Kincaid, Kansas, Mikki Gardner (Rocky) of Nevada, Douglas Duncan of Nevada, Missouri, Chadd Duncan of Walker, Missouri, Jana Vaughn of Nevada and D.J. Vaughn also of Nevada, Darlene Hallford (Dennis) of Eldorado Springs, Missouri and Melissa Smith (Paul), of Nevada; twenty grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Also surviving is a brother, John Sipe (Marilyn) of Ft. Scott, Kansas, and a sister in law, Joyce Sipe of rural Fort Scott, Kansas.
She was preceded in death by her daughter Lisa Vaughn, a grandson, Tanner Duncan, a sister, Shirley Loubier and a brother, Bob Sipe.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials are suggested to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and may be left in of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.