New Heirs’ Property Relending Program Accepting Applications
Lenders Can Now Apply for New Heirs’ Property Relending Program
Manhattan Kansas, August 30, 2021 – Intermediary lenders can now apply for loans through the new Heirs’ Property Relending Program (HPRP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications today through October 29, 2021, and cooperatives, credit unions and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply for these competitive loans, which ultimately will help agricultural producers and landowners resolve heirs’ land ownership and succession issues.
“Heirs’ property issues have long been a barrier for many producers and landowners to access USDA programs and services, and this relending program provides access to capital to help producers find a resolution to these issues,” said Charles, Pettijohn, Acting State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency (FSA). “USDA is committed to revising policies to be more equitable and removing barriers faced by heirs’ property owners is part of that effort.”
Through HPRP, FSA loans up to $5 million at a 1% interest rate to eligible lenders. Then, those eligible lenders will reloan funds to heirs to help resolve title issues by financing the purchase or consolidation of property interests and financing costs associated with a succession plan.
How to Apply
Intermediary lenders should apply by the October 29, 2021 deadline using the HPRP application form (FSA-2637), which can be submitted to FSA by mail:
FSA Deputy Administrator for Farm Loan Programs
Loan Making Division
STOP 0522
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
Additionally, FSA will host a webinar on September 15 at 2 p.m. ET for interested lenders, who can register or learn more on the FSA Outreach and Education webpage.
Eligible Lenders
Intermediary lenders must:
- be certified as a community development financial institution, and
- have experience and capability in making and servicing agricultural and commercial loans that are similar in nature.
If applications exceed the amount of available funds, FSA will prioritize applicants that both:
- have at least 10 years or more of experience with socially disadvantaged farmers; and
- are located in states that have adopted a statute consisting of enactment or adoption of the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (UPHPA). A list of these states is available at farmers.gov/heirs/relending.
More Information
Frequently asked questions (including those in Spanish, Thai and Chinese), the August 3, 2021 overview webinar, and other resources can be found on farmers.gov/heirs/relending.
After the loans are announced, USDA will distribute information for heirs on how to apply. Information for heirs is also on farmers.gov/heirs/relending.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
A Fair Day’s Wage: Fort Scott National Historic Site
Labors of Fort Scott
Saturday, September 4 through Monday, September 6, 2021, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the sights, sounds, and smells behind the Labors creating the “Crack Post on the Frontier”.
Labor Day weekend activities include artillery demonstrations, historic cooking, breadmaking, construction skill demonstrations, and a variety of interpretive programs. Visit with soldiers, laundress, and an officer and his wife and find out if everyone earned a fair day’s wage. All programs are free and open to the public.
Saturday, September 4.
- Living History stations are available throughout the day
- 10:00 am – Guided Fort Tour
- 11:00 am – Artillery Demonstration
- Noon – Historic Construction Demonstration
- 1:00 pm – Guided Fort Tour
- 2:00 pm – Artillery Demonstration
- 3:00 pm- Artillery Demonstration
- 4:00 pm – Flag Retreat
Sunday, September 5
- 10:00 am – Guided Fort Tour
- 11:00 am – Artillery Demonstration
- 1:00 pm – Guided Fort Tour
- 2:00 pm – Artillery Demonstration
- 3:00 pm – Artillery Demonstration
- 4:00 pm – Flag Retreat
Monday September 6
- 10:00 am – Guided Fort Tour
- 11:00 am – Artillery Demonstration
- 1:00 pm – Guided Fort Tour
- 2:00 pm – Artillery Demonstration
- 3:00 pm – Crack Post of the Frontier – Construction Tour of Fort Scott
- 4:00 pm – Flag Retreat
The National Park Service currently requires that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask in all federal buildings and outside when others are present and physical distancing (staying at least six feet apart) cannot be maintained.
SOUTHWIND 4-H MEMBERS WIN 3 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District 4-H Volunteer
4-H members from the Southwind Extension District excelled at the annual Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes event on August 21-22 in Kansas State University’s Weber Hall. Participants from the Southwind Extension District were Sadie Marchiano, Clay Brillhart, Carly Dreher, Kristy Beene, Gwen Fry, Byron Fry, Leah Mueller, Haleigh O’Brien, Tate Crystal and Kyser Nemecek.
4-H members learned gained new knowledge and worked on livestock skills in order to be competitive in the Sweepstakes event which consisted blending scores in four contests. Southwind Extension District completed the weekend by being named the 2021 Champion Kansas State 4-H Sweepstakes Team. Top individual Sweepstakes winners for Southwind were Gwen Fry, 10th and Sadie Marchiano was named High Individual Overall after excelling in all contests.
The Livestock Quiz Bowl started with a qualifying exam. The twelve teams with the highest average scores advanced to the quiz bowl competition and both Southwind teams qualified. Southwind #4 (Brillhart, Marchiano, Dreher, O’Brien) was seated first after the test and was later named the State Champion Quiz Bowl Team. Southwind #1 (G. Fry, Crystal, Mueller, Nemecek) earned 7th best out of 26 teams in the contest.
The Livestock Judging contest consisted of nine judging classes and four sets of reasons with 227 contestants and 44 teams from across Kansas. Southwind #4 (Marchiano, Crystal, Dreher, Beene) was 2nd in Sheep/Goats; 3rd in Hogs; 1st in Cattle and 2nd in Reasons and named Reserve Champion Team Overall. Southwind #1 (Mueller, Nemecek, G. Fry, O’Brien) was 7th High Team Overall. Individual livestock judging results are as follows:
- Sadie Marchiano – 4th Sheep/Goats; 7th Hogs; 2nd Reasons; 5th High Individual Overall
- Carly Dreher – 7th Beef
- Tate Crystal – 10th Sheep/Goats; 8th Beef; 8th Reasons; 6th High Individual Overall
- Haleigh O’Brien – 8th Sheep/Goats
As the State Champion Livestock Judging Team, Southwind District (Marchiano, Crystal, Dreher, Beene) will represent Kansas 4-H at a national 4-H contest later this fall.
The Meats Judging contest was based on identification of thirty retail cuts, six placings classes and three sets of reasons. Southwind #4 (Dreher, Marchiano, Brillhart, G. Fry) was 3rd in Placings, 3rd in Reasons, 5th in Retail ID and 6th Team Overall.
- Clay Brillhart – 2nd High Individual Overall, 5th Reasons; 5th Retail ID
- Carly Dreher – 2nd Placings
- Tate Crystal – 4th Placings
- Sadie Marchiano – 7th Placings
For the first time in many years, youth from the Southwind District participated in the Intermediate Meats Judging Contest with 13 total teams. Southwind #5 (Sutton, Sutton, K. Bloesser, Maycumber) was 4th Placings, 8th Questions, 4th Retail ID and 5th Intermediate Team Overall. Southwind #6 (Bloesser, H. Shadden, S. Shadden) was 10th Placings, 6th Retail ID and 9th Intermediate Team Overall. Individually, Kendyl Bloesser was 6th in Retail ID and 8th High Individual Overall. Hailey Shadden was 5th in Placings and Marley Sutton was 9th in Placings
In the Livestock Skillathon, 4-H members rotated individually through stations that addressed six areas of animal science. Those included feedstuffs, breed identification, equipment identification, meat identification, wool evaluation and a written test. There was also a team component where members worked together on understanding livestock biosecurity, and understanding issues in livestock reproduction. Southwind #4 (O’Brien, Marchiano, Dreher, Crystal) was 5th in Exam, 2nd in Practicum and Reserve Champion Team Overall. Southwind #1 (G. Fry, Mueller, Beene, Nemecek) was 7th Team in Practicum. Individual Skillathon results are as follows:
- Sadie Marchiano – 2nd Exam; 4th Practicum; 4th High Individual Overall
- Haleigh O’Brien – 10th Practicum
This group worked hard and studied a great deal of material to prepare for four state contests. To be named the Reserve Champion Livestock Judging, Reserve Champion Livestock Skillathon, Champion Quiz Bowl Team and Overall Champion Sweepstakes Team at the state contests shows how hard these 4-H members pushed each other to “Make the Best Better.” The Southwind District is proud of their accomplishments and look forward to future growth and learning.
Photo caption: Ten 4-H members from the Southwind Extension District – Allen, Bourbon, Neosho and Woodson Counties – had the opportunity to participate at the annual Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes at Kansas State University. Their skills and knowledge were challenged by participating in Livestock & Meats Judging, Livestock Quiz Bowl and Livestock Skillathon contests. Those attending were (from left to right) Carla Nemecek (Coach), Clay Brillhart, Sadie Marchiano, Kristy Beene, Kyser Nemecek, Tate Crystal, Carly Dreher, Byron Fry, Haleigh O’Brien, Gwen Fry, Leah Mueller. Pictured virtually by phone, Aidan Yoho.
Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC) Automatic Increases
Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent
Adult Development and Aging
Family Resource Management
K-State Research and Extension
Southwind Extension District
210 S. National
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Office: 620-223-3720
Fax: 620-223-0332
[email protected]
If you have a health insurance plan through HealthCare.gov, you may see a decrease in your monthly premiums beginning September 1.
The American Rescue Plan enhanced premium assistance for 2021 and 2022 by lowering the share of premiums people pay. This includes people who already qualified for the APTC with income below 150% of the federal poverty level, people with income over 400% of the federal poverty level, and those with unemployment benefits in 2021.
Starting September 1, HealthCare.gov will automatically update the advance premium tax credit for some enrollees. If an enrollee is eligible to be automatically redetermined, HealthCare.gov sent notices in late July. Redetermination will occur for enrollees who have not updated their HealthCare.gov application since April 1; currently pay a premium; and previously chose to receive their full APTC up-front.
Enrollees who have received or been approved to receive unemployment compensation in 2021 will have their APTC automatically redetermined if they have confirmed since January 1 that they receive or have been approved to receive unemployment in the current month; have not updated their HealthCare.gov application since July 1; currently pay a premium; and previously chose to receive their full APTC up front.
Some enrollees are not eligible for the automatic APTC redetermination including those who already returned to HealthCare.gov since April 1, current enrollees, or July 1, unemployment enrollees; taking less than the full APTC amount; and those in zero-premium plans.
Adjustments can be made to increase or decrease qualifying APTC by updating the 2021 application by selecting “Life Change” and manually updating how much of the APTC to apply. A reminder that all premium tax credits are reconciled for the year when completing taxes. If income is underestimated for the year, enrollees may owe back a portion of the APTC and repayment forgiveness will not apply for 2021 plan year.
For more information and FAQ, visit Health Reform: Beyond the Basics at https://www.healthreformbeyondthebasics.org/. For local assistance, contact me at 620-223-3720 or [email protected]. Marketplace 2022 open enrollment is November 1 through December 15 for coverage that starts January 1, 2022.
Chamber Coffee Sept. 2 Sponsored by Stewart Realty
Chamber Coffee hosted by Stewart Realty
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee this Thursday, September 2nd at 8 a.m. hosted by Stewart Realty. The location for the coffee will be at 1519 S. National Avenue and will be showcasing the old Bartelsmeyer’s Jewelry property. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served, and attendees may enter a drawing for door prizes.
Diann Tucker invites everyone to the Chamber Coffee and has this property is listed on the Stewart Realty website and Facebook.
Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 for more information.
Friday Night Free Concert: Matt Harper
This week’s Friday Night Concert will be presented by Matt Harper of Nevada, Missouri. Harper sings and plays guitar and harmonica, and performs a variety of music including country, folk, jazz, inspirational, blues, and original tunes.
“Performing since the early 1990s, Harper is a musician of excellence and is a jack of all styles,” concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “Harper has a wife and four kids and is a busy guy, so we really appreciate his willingness to return to the park pavilion and entertain our crowd of music lovers. Come out and join your friends for an enjoyable evening.”
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. Dave Oas of Parsons serves as sound technician each 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.
Healthy Bourbon Action Team Newsletter
Obituary of Henry Ericson
Henry Emmanuel Ericson, a resident of Hiattville, Kansas, passed away Friday, August 27, 2021, at the age of 91. Henry was born on March 1, 1930, in Salina, Kansas on his mother’s birthday, to Clarence Cornelius and Amelia Gladys Helena (Hanson) Ericson.
In 1940, his family moved from Assaria, Kansas to Savonburg, Kansas to farm with his grandfather. Henry graduated from Elsmore High School in 1948. He was a lifelong member of Friends Home Lutheran Church in Savonburg, where he married his lifelong companion, Doris Graham, on December 24, 1952.
He served in the United States Army during the Korean War from 1953 to 1955 serving at Sault Saint Marie, Michigan. They returned to Elsmore and then moved to Hepler working for farmers in those areas.
In 1962, they purchased their own farm near Hiattville.
As a young 4-Her in the Happy Hustlers in Allen County, he started his Angus cattle herd under the Double X Bar brand.
At Hiattville, he started the Cloverdale Angus Farm but kept the brand. He was a member of the Kansas Angus Association, the American Angus Association and helped form the Southeast Kansas Junior Angus Association so his grandchildren could begin their own herds. He was also a member of KLA, served on Bourbon County Extension Board, Bourbon County Fair Board and was a 4-H swine leader for the Hiattville 4-H Club.
In 1990, he and Doris were inducted into the Kansas Master Farmer Homemaker group for their Extension, agriculture and community involvement.
In 2007, his family was recognized as the Kansas 4-H Family of the Year. He served as the President of the organization.
He served on the board of the Friends Home Lutheran Church, USD #235 School Board, and Craw-Kan Telephone Board.
For sixty-seven years he was a Free Mason attached to the Virginia Lodge #315 and a thirty-five-year member of the Thompson-Harkey Post #25 American Legion.
Henry is survived by his wife of sixty-eight years and seven months, Doris, his daughters, Debra Lust, Ft. Scott, Karen Ericson, Riley, Kansas, Susan Jones (Roger), LaHarpe, Kansas and Brenda Peacock (Terry), Golden, Missouri; his sons, Kevin Ericson (Donna), Frisco, Texas and John Ericson (Ellaine), Ft. Scott, Kansas, seventeen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister, Gloria Crowley, of Frontenac, Kansas.
He was preceded in death by a son, George Russell “Rusty” Ericson, his parents and two brothers, Gordon and Dale Wesley Ericson.
Henry will be remembered by his family and friends as a fun loving, hardworking, God-fearing man that will be missed.
Rev. Chub Bolling will conduct funeral services at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, September 5th at the Friends Home Lutheran Church west of Savonburg, Kansas.
Burial with military honors will be in the Elsmore Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Saturday at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the Elsmore Alumni Scholarship Fund or the Bourbon County Fair Association 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.
Butterfly Habitat Is Shrinking: Enthusiasts Meet This Evening
A small group of people is putting together a non-profit 501 (c) (3) called “The Butterfly Weed Club of Southeast Kansas.”
“Our purpose is to restore habitat for the Monarch Butterfly in an effort to slow or reverse its decline,” David Everett, an organizer, said.
Monarch Butterfly populations have been decreasing, according to authorities: https://www.fws.gov/savethemonarch
Everett appeared before the Bourbon County Commission to announce the existence of the group and its’ purpose.
“Susan Bancroft, the finance director for city and county, spoke up and told me there were interested people on the parks commission,” Everett said.
The group is having a meeting this evening
at 7 p.m. at 501 E. Third Street in Fort Scott to view a butterfly garden by the railroad tracks, he said.
Resident Alison Leach has one butterfly habitat restoration project at Gunn Park, he said.
“We want to help with that,” Everett said. “But the area of intense interest to me is the riverfront area at Bridal Veil Park (off of West Second Street). I’ve been evaluating that area in hopes of meeting criteria for Kansas University’s Monarch Watch program.”
Everett has begun documenting existing pollinators and existing butterfly populations, he said.
“I’ve been a gardener for decades and have experienced two Monarch migrations,” he said. Recently I have decided that I can do more than my small-scale efforts, so far, in support of restoring Monarch Habitat. I’ve long been dedicated in my heart to various public service activities.”
“In the early 80’s I saw the Monarch migration twice while living on our family farm,” Everett said. “I first saw them coming and mistook them for a dark storm cloud over the horizon, but when they arrived it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen–just thousands of butterflies in every direction for hundreds of yards. During one of these migrations, the Monarchs decided it was time to take a rest and they landed everywhere–carpeting the fields, the trees and bushes, and even landing on me. It’s my hope that everyone can have the opportunity for such an experience, and that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing. It had a very deep spiritual impact on me that I think everyone should have.”
Butterfly populations have been declining, he said.
“The primary cause of the decline is that various species of milkweed are the sole host plant for the Monarch caterpillar,” he said. It eats nothing else. Because milkweed is poisonous to vertebrates, farmers eradicated it without understanding or perhaps caring what they were doing to the Monarchs.”
“This left marginal areas as largely the only possible place for milkweed to grow,” Everett said. “This was still enough habitat for quite some time, but today county and state governments mow and spray roadsides too, and that has left very little habitat for the Monarch, which is becoming quite precious.”
“Our purpose is to restore such habitat, to educate the public, government, and businesses on the matter, and hopefully we will eventually be able to maintain a seed bank as a community resource for appropriate native milkweed and other pollinators,” he said.
Grants For Non-Profit Arts Organizations Announced
Governor Laura Kelly Announces New Grant Program to Support Non-Profit Arts Organizations
TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced new grant program designed to help non-profit arts organizations in Kansas recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These grants will provide immediate help for non-profit arts organizations across Kansas,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “My administration will continue supporting our arts community to create new tourist opportunities and recruit new families and businesses to Kansas. I encourage any organization that would benefit from these funds to apply now.”
The Short-Term Operational Support program provides immediate on-time grants to arts non-profits facing financial hardship due to unforeseen circumstances beyond their control. Funding for this program comes from the National Endowment for the Arts through the 2021 Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Nationally, $54 million has been allocated for 62 state and regional agencies to grant.
Grant funding can be used for:
- Salary support;
- Fees to support the services of contractual personnel for specific activities required as part of annual organizational operations;
- Facility operational costs such as rent and utilities;
- Costs associated with health and safety supplies for staff and/or visitors;
- Marketing and promotion costs.
“These grants will help ease this financial burden for Kansas’ arts community,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “This funding is designed to assist with day-to-day operations that are critical to any organization. If you think that your organization might benefit from this program but aren’t sure how to start, reach out to the Commerce team and we’ll be happy to help.”
Applications are open through September 4, 2021. For more information, including qualifications and how to apply, click here.
Applications will be reviewed by a committee of Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC) and Kansas Department of Commerce staff. Grant recommendations and reviews will be presented to the full KCAIC Board, which will make final determination based on available funding and size of qualified applicant pool.
KCAIC will notify all applicants of the final decision in early October.
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 world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas in 2021 was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award and was named Site Selection Magazine’s Best Business Climate in the West North Central region of the United States.
FS Offices Closed For Labor Day
The City of Fort Scott Administrative Office will be closed on Monday, September 6th, 2021 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The offices will reopen on Tuesday, September 7th, 2021.
The City’s tree and brush dump site located on North Hill will also be closed on Saturday, September 4th, 2021 for the Labor Day holiday. It will be open again on Tuesday, September 7th, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.