Ks State Virtual Job Fair Sept. 29-30

Governor Kelly Encourages Participation in Statewide Virtual Job Fair

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today encouraged Kansans looking for employment to participate in this week’s KANSASWORKS Statewide Virtual Job Fair.

The virtual job fair that begins at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 29, and ends at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30, will give job seekers the opportunity to meet virtually with multiple businesses, with the ability to live chat and conduct interviews through computers, tablets and mobile devices. Job candidates also will be able to upload their resumes to their Virtual Job Fair account for employers statewide.

Click here to register for the Virtual Job Fair.

KANSASWORKS has done an exceptional job of adapting to the circumstances and continuing to connect Kansas employers with qualified job seekers,” Governor Kelly said. “Our workforce plays a key role in attracting people and businesses to our state, and I applaud KANSASWORKS for emphasizing safety in helping Kansans seek employment and helping Kansas businesses fill open positions.”

In 2020, the Department of Commerce partnered with the Local Workforce Development Boards to offer virtual statewide job fairs as a way to continue to provide job opportunities and maintain a ready workforce for Kansas businesses. That led to 10 virtual job fairs, with the 10th in March 2021 attracting 159 employers and 538 registered job seekers. There currently are over 130 employers participating in the upcoming fair with hundreds of open positions.

“These statewide virtual job fairs offer a tremendous opportunity to help Kansans find meaningful employment opportunities in our state,” Lieutenant Governor David Toland said. “The previous 10 virtual job fairs all succeeded in connecting job seekers with employers, and the virtual job fair to come will do the same in achieving more real results.”

The Virtual Statewide Job Fair portal features a Job Seeker Training video, a list of participating employers, and channels for attendees to register and login.

Open positions are listed on the registration page. Registration is required for each individual virtual event, regardless of previous attendance. As employers may request to engage in a video interview during the virtual job fair, job seekers are encouraged to dress professionally.

Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.

About KANSASWORKS

KANSASWORKS links businesses, job candidates and educational institutions to ensure that employers can find skilled workers. Services are provided to employers and job candidates through the state’s 27 workforce centers, online or virtual services KANSASWORKS is completely free for all Kansans to use. Learn more at KANSASWORKS.com.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and the world. Our strong partnerships allow us to create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses.

Kansas Racial Equity Collaboration Virtual Sessions in 2022

Kansas Racial Equity Collaboration Announces Learning Sessions

Examining racial inequities to grow understanding and create change for Kansas children

TOPEKA – Creating understanding through collaboration is the goal for the Kansas Racial Equity Collaboration, a statewide effort to understand the history of racial inequities in child welfare and how to move from controlling to supporting Kansas Black and Brown families.

“Black and Brown children are in the foster care system at double the rate they are in the population,” said Shanelle Dupree, DCF regional director. “And even more, data suggests that once these children are in foster care, they have worse outcomes and experiences.”

“Our hope is that by examining the history of racial inequities, asking tough questions and listening to uncomfortable answers, we as a state, may be able to more fully support Kansas families and children,” continued Abby Fry, CarePortal Regional Manager.

The Collaboration is a partnership between the Kansas Department for Children and Families, the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare, and CarePortal, created by The Global Orphan Project. Group conversations, both virtually and in person, led by nationally respected speakers will be the cornerstone of the Collaboration.

“We invite educators, medical community leaders, legislators, judges, attorneys and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to take part in the sessions,” said Dr. Michelle Mohr Carney, Dean and Professor in the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare. “By the end, participants will have a toolkit that will provide them ways they can address racial disparities and advance racial equity in the child welfare system.”

The conversation will continue through a dedicated list serv. This information source will share on topics of racial equity for children and families, spotlighting progress, and continuing to highlight data and research to explain the need for action.  Sign up for updates here.

Register for the virtual sessions here, Kansas Racial Equity – CarePortal.

Four virtual sessions are scheduled followed by an in-person symposium, scheduled for April 15, 2022 at the University of Kansas.

Sept. 29, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Topics: Understanding the historical context of structural racism and current day implications. How we got here and a better path forward

Speaker: Haywood Burns Institute

Oct. 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Topic: Addressing racial inequities in child welfare. View from early childhood education

Speaker: Iheoma U. Iruka, Ph. D.

Jan. 26, 2022, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Topic Debunking myths around racial inequities in child welfare

Speaker: Panel Discussion

Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Topic: Forward movement: Shifting from control to support for black and brown families

Speaker: Panel Discussion

Hear more about the Racial Equity Collaborative from the people who will help lead the effort.

K-39 closed between U.S. 59 and K-3 next Tuesday

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Tuesday, Oct. 5, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) plans to close K-39 from U.S. 59 east to K-3. Crews will replace the fill between pipes running underneath a bridge on K-39 and repair the driving surface. The closure will be in effect from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

 

Traffic should use alternate routes. Check KDOT’s updated traveler information website, www.Kandrive.org, for more road conditions and construction details. Persons with questions may call KDOT Area Superintendent Derrick Shannon at (620) 901-6550 or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433.

 

 

 

 

Obituary of Warren Schooley

Warren Lee Schooley, age 91, a resident of rural Walnut, Kansas, passed away Saturday, September 25, 2021, at the Guest Home Estates Care Home in Ft. Scott, Kansas. He was born December 29, 1929, on a farm near Walnut, Kansas, the son of Maurice Schooley and Elsie Fern Schooley.

At the age of 5 Warren and his folks moved to Elsie’s family farm to care for her father. As Warren grew he learned to work the farm with his folks and eventually purchased an additional farm for his new wife. He married Irene Grannemann on April 27, 1952. Daughters, Janice Marie and Beverly Kay, were added to the family.

The Schooley family farm has been loved and enjoyed by 6 generations.

Warren was devoted to his family and loved to visit with neighbors. Irene said he never knew a stranger and would strike up a conversation with anyone. His sense of humor and crazy sayings made him the ‘fun’ Grandpa and Uncle.

Warren enjoyed camping trips with family and friends and especially boating and water skiing on Sunday afternoons in the summertime.

He also had a dream to become a pilot and realized that dream in 1970. He purchased a two-seater tail dragger airplane and loved to take family and friends for short trips around the farm and nearby towns.

Warren and Irene became avid square dancers in the 1980’s and 90’s joining the local Ft. Scott club. They made several trips to Tulsa for large square dance competitions.

Survivors include Janice (Jan) Reimer and husband, Cal, of Walnut, Kansas and Beverly (Bev) Nelson and husband, Rod, of Ft. Scott, Kansas; six grandchildren, Seth Reimer (Jennifer) of Sumter, South Carolina; Kelly Reimer (Natasha) of Louisville, Kentucky; Cassi Kuhn (Scott) of Topeka, Kansas; Stacy Jackson (Chris), of Arma, Kansas; Kristen Pope (Dustin) of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; and Blake Nelson (Cori) of Arma, Kansas. Fifteen great-grandchildren, J.T., Kinslee, Anton, Alisa who shares her birthday, December 29, with Great Grandpa, Rosemary, Hunter, Makenzie, Brooklyn, Mason, Kaden, triplets Maddox, Zander, and Bryson, Kennedy, and Jamison.

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Irene.

Pastor Matthew Hunt will conduct funeral services at 11:00 A.M. Friday, October 1st at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 P.M. Thursday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the Guest Home Estates Activity Fund and may be left in care 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

Obituary of Karlie Phillips

Karlie Sueann Phillips, age 26, passed away September 23, 2021, in Wichita, Kansas.  She was born February 9, 1995, in Ft. Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Paul Eugene Phillips and Tina Ann Ford Phillips.

In addition to Ft. Scott, Karlie had made her home in Eldorado and Wichita, Kansas.  She had worked in the fast-food industry and been employed at various area restaurants.  Karlie enjoyed horses and in her younger years, rodeo was an important part of her life.  She also enjoyed fishing, dancing and singing.  Family was everything to Karlie,  she so enjoyed spending time with her children and nieces and nephews.

 

Survivors include her three children, Zackery age 6, Zoey age 5 and Zarina age 3; her parents, Paul and Tina Philips; three sisters, Kayla Phillips, Keisha Brown and Kelcie Phillips all of Ft. Scott and grandparents, Dee Norris and Kenneth Phillips, Sr. and his wife, Marge also of Ft. Scott.  Also surviving are several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins, as well as a close friend with whom she was raised, Kori LeMaster.

Funeral service will be held at 10:30 A.M. Monday, October 4th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Friends and family are encouraged to wear pink or bright colors in honor of Karlie.  Burial will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 P.M. Sunday afternoon at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the Karlie Phillips memorial fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words or remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Family Fun at Care to Share Fall Festival This Saturday

Sign provided by Melissa Wise for the Care to Share Fall Festival. Taken from its’ Facebook page.

The annual Care to Share Fall Festival is this Saturday, October 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Simmon residence at 2480 Limestone Road, Fort Scott.

The event is hosted by the Simmons family in support of cancer fighters and their families/caregivers.

“This is the 15th annual and final fall festival,” Lavetta Simmons, spokesperson, said. The family has grown and scattered some distances, making it more difficult to host the event, she said.

The organization is a 501-C3 non-profit ministry. “We are 100 percent volunteers and 100 percent funded by fundraisers and donations and community support,” Simmons said.

There will be all categories of vendors at the festival as well.

“If you are interested in having a booth, there is still room,” Simmons said. “We have boutique items, bummies, bell bottoms, leggings, fall decor, earrings, homemade fudge, pies, cakes, candles, fresh flower bouquets. Join the fun!”

Last year the non-profit started the $10 wristband for all the activities that are offered.

“The many activities are pony rides, big bubbles, obstacle course, maze, photo booth, corn hole, garden craft, face painting, train ride, wagon ride, bowling, and a petting zoo, featuring kangaroos- Stella Lou’s Zoo by Amy Gorman,” she said.

And come hungry because there are many fall festival foods to purchase:  caramel apples, apple cider, funnel cakes, snow cones, cinnamon rolls, chili-including Frito pie, and chili dogs, pies by the slice along with Butcher Block Smash Burgers.

“The food is available at cost,” Simmons said.

Simmons is the contact person for the organization and can be reached at 620.224-8070.

Lavetta Simmons.

About Care to Share

The mission statement of Care To Share is “To provide friendship and support through emotional and financial assistance to individuals who are cancer fighters and their caregivers.”

They provide fuel and motel accommodation assistance for those going to cancer treatments, and also help with utility assistance as needed for the cancer fighters, Simmons said.

The next quarterly cancer support group meeting is on November 6 at 10:30 a.m. at the Care to Share Office, 902 S. Horton.

This office space was donated to the ministry organization by Mercy Hospital in 2008 and Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas has continued the in-kind donation, she said.

In the office, they keep wigs, special bras, and Ensure products-nutritional protein drinks, as well as use it for the quarterly support groups.

The board is comprised of Dona Bauer, Fort Scott; Donna Beerbower, RN, Fort Scott; Kathy Clark, Fort Scott; Teresa Davenport, Farlington; Denny Heidrick and Nancy Hofer, Girard;  Carol Hill, CPA, Fort Scott; Randy Holt, Fort Scott; Richard Long, Mound City; Dr. Boban Mathew, Pittsburg; Lavetta Simmons, Jerry Witt, Sidney Maycumber, BSN/RN; and Financial Advisor Larry Davenport, Fort Scott.

 

 

 

 

SEK Library Newsletter Sept. 2021

The SEKnFind Newsletter
September 2021

This newsletter about new books is distributed to people who are registered adult users at a southeast Kansas library participating in the SEKnFind catalog. We hope you find it useful, but if you don’t wish to receive this anymore, you can click on the “Manage Subscriptions or Unsubscribe” link at the bottom.
All the books included in this newsletter are new additions in one or more SEKnFind libraries–and since the catalog is shared, that means they are available to you whether they are in your local library or not!  Just place a hold on the item(s) you want.  If you don’t know how, your librarian can show you.

New Fiction

Cloud cuckoo land : a novel
by Anthony Doerr

Follows four young dreamers and outcasts through time and space, from 1453 Constantinople to the future, as they discover resourcefulness and hope amidst peril in the new novel by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of All the Light We Cannot See.

The reading list : a novel
by Sara Nisha Adams

Working at the local library, Aleisha reads every book on a secret list she found, which transports her from the painful realities she’s facing at home, and decides to pass the list on to a lonely widower desperate to connect with his bookworm granddaughter. 75,000 first printing.

The heron’s cry
by Ann Cleeves

While looking into the murder of Dr. Nigel Yeo, who was investigating the suicide of a young man who was a member of chilling online group, Detective Matthew Venn, as the body count rises, must wade through the lies at the heart of his community. 150,000 first printing.

How to kill your best friend
by Lexie Elliott

When their close friend and former swim teammate, Lissa, drowns while on vacation with her husband, Georgie and Bronwyn attend a celebration of her life at Kanu Cove and discover danger lurking in the water and beyond.

Sisters in arms : a novel of the daring black women who served during World War II
by Kaia Alderson

The first Black women allowed to serve in the army, Grace Steele and Eliza Jones, helping form the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, navigate their way through the segregated ranks, finally making it overseas where they do their parts for the country they love.

Witch please
by Ann Aguirre

A fully modern witch who keeps her heart protected, Danica Waterhouse meets her match in Titus Winnaker, who’s been cursed to be alone, and wonders if she can find love with an old-fashioned mundane who refuses to settle for anything less than forever. Original.

Murder most fowl
by Donna Andrews

When a filmmaker takes footage of Macbeth, which her husband is producing, that reveals dark secrets about the major players, Meg Langslow, with the filmmaker’s electronic devices destroyed, must uncover the darkest secret of all to expose a killer. 40,000 first printing.

My heart is a chainsaw
by Stephen Graham Jones

Protected by horror movies—especially the ones where the masked killer seeks revenge on a world that wronged them—Jade Daniels, an angry, half-Indian outcast, pulls us into her dark mind when blood actually starts to spill into the waters of Indian lake. 100,000 first printing.

Holdout : a novel
by Jeffrey Kluger

Walli Beckworth refuses to leave her post at the international space station after an accident forces her colleagues to evacuate in the hopes of using her position to save her niece working as a healthcare provider in the Amazon jungle.

Shards of earth
by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Idris, an enhanced human, and his crew, 50 years after the destruction of the earth by alien aggressors, the Architects, discover some strange in space that many people would kill to obtain—and could herald the return of the enemy. 40,000 first printing.

The great glorious goddamn of it all : a novel
by Josh Ritter

Filled with heart, humor and magic, this lyrical, sweeping novel about the last days of the lumberjacks is told by of one of the greatest lumberjacks of all who recounts tales rife with murder, mayhem, avalanches and bootlegging in the tiny timber town of Cordelia, Idaho. 75,000 first printing.

Fork in the false trail
by C. M. Wendelboe

“Tucker Ashley returns to his Black Hills ranch only to find that Indians have raided it. They’ve killed livestock and taken his best friend and business partner Jack captive. Tucker has no choice but to head out after the Indians. Meanwhile, Hack Reed, his nemesis from his recent prison stint, has just broken out of jail, and his gang of cutthroats is hot after Tucker. The Reed gang attacks the posse, killing everyone except their tracker, who narrowly escapes with a gunshot wound. The fact that Tucker was not with them only fuels Reed’s fury. Tucker, tracking the Indians who kidnapped Jack, sees they have taken others captive. Among the familiar faces are a murderer of miners, and a rancher and his daughter. Suddenly Tucker has more pressing issues. The gang springs an ambush that Tucker should have seen coming. Still, he manages to kill some of Reed’s men and make his escape. Resuming the hunt for Jack, his pursuit of the Indians is more difficult now that Tucker is on foot. In a desperate act, the captives cut their bonds and flee the Indians. The murderer and the rancher are killed right off. The posse tracker that was left for dead catches up with Tucker. Together, they follow the Indians, unaware that the rancher’s daughter and Jack escaped. They made it far enough away to hide out in the forest, safe for now. It’s a tight line Tucker walks between surviving himself and saving his friend. Will Tucker find Jack before he is killed by the Indians, or will Reed and his killers find Tucker first?”

New Nonfiction

The quiet zone : unraveling the mystery of a town suspended in silence
by Stephen Kurczy

An award-winning journalist takes us deep into the Appalachian Mountains where the last truly quiet town of America exists and where its residents live a life free from constant digital connectivity, challenging us to rethink the role of tech in our lives. 50,000 first printing.

Breaking the stress cycle : 7 steps to greater resilience, happiness, and piece of mind
by Andrew Bernstein

Using a program developed by the author called Activinsight, this simple seven step guide can help you through some of the most challenging experiences of modern life in a matter of minutes. Original.

Pastoral song : a farmer’s journey
by James Rebanks

The author of the New York Times best-selling A Shepard’s Life returns with a chronicle of his family’s farm in England’s Lake District across three generations and how he restored the viability of its future. 25,000 first printing.

Can I recycle this? : a guide to better recycling and how to reduce single-use plastics
by Jennie Romer

This practical guide to recycling includes a look at how recycling actually works, how to better handle the waste we produce, the way rules differ in every municipality and which common household objects can or cannot be recycled. Illustrations.

Arriving today : from factory to front door–why everything has changed about how and what we buy
by Christopher Mims

An investigative look at how the demand for convenience and instant gratification has changed online commerce, caused huge shifts in transportation and supply chain management and led to massive shifts in how industry uses labor. 50,000 first printing.

Easy crafts for the insane : a mostly funny memoir of mental illness and making things
by Kelly Williams Brown

The New York Times best-selling author of Adulting describes how she used crafting to help her cope with a series of negative events in her life, including a failed marriage, unrelated bodily injuries, and her father’s cancer diagnosis. Illustrations.

The heirloom gardener : traditional plants & skills for the modern world
by John Forti

An award-winning heirloom specialist, garden historian, ethnobotanist and writer offers this wood-block illustrated, alphabetical compendium of heirloom flowers and artisanal crafts like distilling and wreath-making to help inspire gardeners to connect with the natural world. Illustrations.

Sheet cake : easy one-pan recipes for every day and every occasion
by Abigail Johnson Dodge

A baking guru and award-winning cookbook author teaches home bakers how to build spectacular sheet cake creations with her three techniques for assembly—classic, stacked and rolled—along with everything else you need to turn your cake into a masterpiece. Illustrations.

52 weeks of socks : Beautiful Patterns for Year-Round Knitting
by Laine

“52 Weeks of Socks is a modern collection of sock patterns from Nordic knitting experts Laine. That’s 52 sock patterns contributed by 46 leading knitwear designers from across the world, suitable for knitters of all abilities. Each uses different yarns and techniques, including projects with stunning stitch definition and classic slippers for beginners. From sole to toe, these easy-to-follow patterns will sweep you up with stunning photography and styling that evokes the inspiring Nordic landscape and slow living”

Travels with George : in search of Washington and his legacy
by Nathaniel Philbrick

Written at a moment when America’s founding figures are under increasing scrutiny, the author, retracing George Washington’s journey as a new president through all thirteen former colonies, paints a picture of 18th-century America as divided and fraught as it is today. Illustrations.

Even more reading suggestions

NextReads Sneak Peek
Looking for something else to read? Try subscribing to our free NextReads newsletters. Newsletters are divided into a variety of genres and topics so you can get recommendations tailored to your interests sent directly to your inbox every month to two months.
Each issue contains around 9 to 10 reading suggestions. If we don’t have a copy, make a purchase suggestion or ask your library about interlibrary loan. Here’s a sneak peek of titles from this month’s

Letter to the Editor: Trevor Jacobs

Today, four of my colleagues and I have formulated a letter that has been sent out today.
We are trying to encourage our fellow Legislators to get on board and actually stand for individual liberty.
Some legislators have made excuses for why this will not work. Some say it will cost 60 to 65 thousand dollars a day to stand and defend the individual liberties of the people of Kansas. Sadly, are many of these excuses because they do not want to go back to work for us?
Still, all of these legislators who oppose this are the very same legislators who voted for the highest spending budget in Kansas history. This grew bigger government and shrunk our own private budgets. Yet they will not stand for our God-given liberties?
How can this make rational sense to anyone who is about ready to lose their job, their home, or their livelihood? It does not. Still, state leadership will not stand up and are also holding captive both legislative bodies.
There must be pressure put on those who claim to stand for Justice. We the people must remind these legislator holdouts that they swore to uphold the Kansas State Constitution and they swore to serve we the people and protect our individual liberties.
Let’s stand together for Liberty,
4th District
Representative
Trevor Jacobs
620-224-6928

Bourbon County Commission Agenda Sept. 28

Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

 

Date: September 28, 2021

1st District-Lynne Oharah                                                                Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jim Harris                                                                      Corrected: _______________________

3rd District-Clifton Beth                                                                              Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

 

   

MEETING HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM

 

Call to Order

 

    • Flag Salute
    • Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
    • Eric Bailey – Road and Bridge Report
    • Terry Sercer – 2020 Audit Review
    • County Counselor Comment
    • Susan Bancroft, Finance Director Comment
    • Public Comment
    • Elected Officials Comment
  • Commission Comment

Chamber Coffee hosted The Pioneer Harvest Fiesta, 65th Anniversary

 

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee hosted by the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta, Thursday, September 30th at 8 a.m. inside the Yeager Building on the Fairgrounds located at 2102 S. Huntington Blvd. Coffee and refreshments will be served and a drawing for Pioneer Button for the 65th Annual Pioneer Fiesta.

The Pioneer Harvest Fiesta will be celebrating its 65th Anniversary of hosting this event at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds in Fort Scott, Kansas October 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. The Pioneer Harvest Fiesta features one of the largest, most interesting Flea Markets in the Four-State regions. Experience educational and historic exhibits, refreshments, and live musical entertainment all weekend.

Chamber members and guests are invited to Chamber Coffee events each Thursday at 8 a.m. to network, make announcements, hear about happenings in the community as well as learn about the host business or organization.

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Bourbon County Local News