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Bourbon County Commission Minutes of July 15
July 15, 2020
The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners, the County Counselor the County Clerk and the Economic Development Director present.
The Commissioners continued the discussion from July 14th regarding hiring an administrator for the Spark grant funds.
Greenbush, the Southeast Kansas Education Center gave a proposal to the Commissioners to be a grant administrator for the Spark grant. The Commissioners all liked the Greenbush proposal, they felt they could offer more feet on the ground, the business would be local; they felt there would be easier communication and coordination and this would align with the regional development goal.
Jody Hoener said she would put together a steering committee for the Spark grant; all of the Commissioners preferred that Jody be a representative from Bourbon County on the steering committee. Jody and the Commissioners reviewed the names on individuals that they felt should serve on the steering committee.
Nick made a motion to approve the Greenbush proposal for the Spark grant and to allow Lynne to sign the Greenbush contract and to allow Jody Hoener to be the representative from Bourbon County on the steering committee, Jeff seconded and all approved.
Jeff made a motion to allow all of the Commissioners to attend a virtual award ceremony for the Pathways grant, Nick seconded and all approved.
At 1:51, Lynne made a motion to adjourn, Nick seconded and all approved.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
(ss) Lynne Oharah, Chairman
(ss) Jeff Fischer, Commissioner
(ss) Nick Ruhl, Commissioner
ATTEST:
Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk
July 20, 2020, Approved Date
Health and Economic Help From CARES Act Available in Bourbon County: Apps Due Aug. 8
Jody Hoener, LBSW, MBA
Bourbon County Kansas
Economic Development Director
210 S National Ave
Fort Scott, KS 66701
1-620-223-3800
1-620-215-5725 Mobile
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports July 27
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KDOT: Minimum Railroad Crew Size
Kansas Department of Transportation Proposes Safety Rule Regulating Minimum Railroad Crew Size
TOPEKA—The Department of Transportation today proposed a new regulation requiring railroads operating within Kansas to maintain a minimum of two crew members in the control compartment of the lead locomotive unit of a train.
“Kansas has faced issues ranging from crew member fatigue to derailments which pose a threat to our safety and security – but by maintaining the current practice of requiring a two-person crew we can ensure the health and safety of Kansas workers,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This proposed regulation is a commonsense, necessary measure to protect our state’s railroad crew members and keep every community along the tracks safe.”
The regulation reads as follows:
K.A.R. [36-43-1]. Crew Requirements.
- Railroads operating within Kansas shall maintain a minimum of two crew members in the control compartment of the lead locomotive unit of a train.
- Compliance with subsection (a) of this Section shall not be required during switching operations, brake testing, safety inspections, or while performing setouts in conjunction with road service.
The benefits of the proposed rule and regulation is railroad and community safety, including the role two-person crews can play in helping to prevent potential accidents or derailments and in emergency situations.
Other states that have enacted legislation on minimum railroad crew requirements are Wisconsin, Arizona, Oregon, California, West Virginia, Colorado, Nevada, and Illinois.
Nearly all railroads in Kansas are currently operating two-person crews and will have no increased labor costs from the implementation of this regulation.
FS Commission Budget Work Session July 28
Bourbon County Commission Agenda For July 28
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: July 28, 2020
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________
3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
MEETING WILL BE HELD ON THE FIRST FLOOR LOBBY. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
9:00 Commission, Budget Work Session
9:30 Spark Funding & Greenbush
Obituary of Addie Ralph
Addie Mae Ralph, age 94, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Saturday, July 25, 2020, at the Medicalodge of Ft. Scott.
She was born September 26, 1925, in Pleasanton, Kansas, the daughter of Charles J. Vest and Francena Holmes Vest. She married Henry Delbert Ralph on October 8, 1947, at Salinas, California.
Addie was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother.
She was a member of the Prescott Baptist Church.
Survivors include her daughter, Debra Taylor, of Ft. Scott; a grandson, Jeremy Taylor and wife, Teresa, of Springfield, Missouri and two grandchildren, Kailey and Caden.
Addie’s husband, Delbert, preceded her in death on January 28, 2017. She was also preceded in death by a brother, Charles “Buddy” Vest and a sister, Evelyn Ham.
A private funeral service will take place on Tuesday, July 28th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Addie will be laid to rest beside her husband, Delbert, at the Holmes Cemetery northeast of Prescott, Kansas.
Memorials are suggested to the Medicalodge 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 cheneywitt.com.
Missy Miller: New U234 K-5 Instructional Coach
Watch for New Food Labels
Kansas State University nutrition specialist Sandy Procter says recent changes to nutrition labels on most foods should be viewed as a great ally for consumers and their good health.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration initially published rules on changing nutrition information on food labels in 2016, citing the need for those labels to reflect updated scientific information, including the link between diet and such chronic diseases as obesity and heart disease.
Since that time, American food companies have gradually come into compliance. Manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales were required to switch to the new label by January 1 of this year; those with less than $10 million in annual sales must meet the labeling requirements by January 1, 2021.
“The consumer is the winner here,” Procter said. “It allows each of us to control what we are putting into our bodies.”
The new label not only reflects more of what we know about foods, but also is based on current nutrition and public health research, and the updated dietary guidelines for Americans. Public input was also considered, Procter said.
In addition to larger print, the new label is more clear on the number of calories per serving of any given food, and lists information on nutrients considered more vital for overall health.
For example, Procter said, “vitamin D and potassium were never on the label until now. Before, the nutrients highlighted were vitamin A and vitamin C, which are nutrients of concern in other countries, but not in the United States.
Procter said the new labels reflect the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, identifying vitamin D and the mineral potassium as nutrients where most U.S. consumers fall short.
“Vitamin D is activated in the liver and is made by our bodies when we spend a little time out in the sun each day,” Procter said. “But vitamin D is limited in food sources.”
“Vitamin D is important to boost our auto-immune systems. And it works with calcium to support bone health and bone strength. So, it makes sense for us to look at a food label and determine that a food is a great source of vitamin D.”
Potassium, she adds, forms a pump with sodium to keep fluids in balance in and around cells. Eating foods high in potassium helps to offset high levels of sodium, which can contribute to high blood pressure and other disease.
“So, while we are carefully watching our salt intake, we might want to be more interested in sources that are high in potassium,” Procter said. “Fruits, vegetables, milk and other dairy products are good sources of potassium.”
The new food labels not only include the quantity of sodium, potassium and other nutrients in a single serving, but also the percentage one serving contributes to the daily dietary guidelines of a given nutrient – called the Percent Daily Value.
“That information was there before, but you had to invest time and some thought process to find it,” Procter said. “Most of us really don’t want to do that when it comes to limiting or determining our food intake.”
More information about all of the changes on the nutrition facts label is available online from the FDA.
“The new label is user-friendly and contains as much information as most of us would really need when choosing foods,” Procter said. “If you are watching your weight or concerned about pre-diabetes, then it’s much easier to look at calories and added sugars. Or maybe you’ve been told to watch your fat and sodium intake because you have high blood pressure; in that case, you may read the label to quickly know how many calories, grams of fat or sodium is in a food.”
“We can pick and choose the parts of the label that mean the most to each of us. It’s great if you want to read the whole label, but certain parts may be more important and allow us to focus on our personal nutrition needs.”
For more information about making wise food choices, contact Kathy McEwan at [email protected] or by phone at 620-365-2242.
Bourbon County: 66 Total Positive Cases of COVID-19, Update
SEK Multi-County Health Departments
Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, and Woodson Counties
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
July 27, 2020
Bourbon County and Anderson County have 1 new case each this morning.
Allen County
Current Positive Cases | 6 |
Total Hospitalizations | 2-1 remaining in hospital |
Current Recovered Cases | 8 |
Total Positives Since Testing | 14-1 removed-out of state and to remain there |
Deaths | 0 |
Anderson County
Current Positive Cases | 2 |
Total Hospitalizations | 0 |
Current Recovered Cases | 24 |
Total Positives Since Testing | 26 |
Deaths | 0 |
Bourbon County
Current Positive Cases | 6 |
Presumptive Cases | 3-1 listed on KDHE website, tested negative |
Positive Out of State/County-staying in Bourbon | 11 |
Total Hospitalizations | 5-1 remaining in hospital |
Current Recovered Cases | 60-includes presumptive cases |
Total Positives Since Testing | 66 |
Deaths | 1 |
Woodson County
Current Positive Cases | 0 |
Total Hospitalizations | 1-0 remaining in hospital |
Current Recovered Cases | 11 |
Total Positives Since Testing | 11 |
Deaths | 0 |
Recovered cases are based on dates of onset of symptoms, not on day testing results are received.