News

A positive COVID-19 test in Bourbon County was confirmed Wednesday morning, bringing Bourbon County’s total case number to seven, according to a news release from the SEK Multi-County Health Departments. The testing was confirmed through a reference laboratory that was used. ...

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly will sign Executive Order 20-34, which moves Kansas into Phase 2 of “Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas.” Phase 2, effective Friday, May 22, will be modified to include data-driven restrictions necessary to prevent community transmission of COVID-19...

The Fort Scott High School Class of 2020 was honored in a unique fashion Saturday night. On the night of the senior class’ originally planned graduation ceremony, FSHS seniors participated in a “Senior Cruise Night,” in which they rode in vehicles along a route throughout Fort Scott. Community members were encouraged to be present along the route to recognize the seniors, but were asked to practice social distancing due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis...

On Tuesday, May 12, Bourbon County Commissioners discussed the future of the health care mall to be located in the Mercy Hospital building. Mercy closed the hospital at the end of December 2018. The county and city partnered to create the Bourbon County Emergency Medical Service in April 2019...

The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees and other college officials discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the college, as well as planning for the future, during the board’s Monday meeting. FSCC President Alysia Johnston said several college administrators and directors created a video presentation for the FSCC Class of 2020, and the video was posted to YouTube...

After conducting three special meetings on three consecutive days, the Fort Scott City Commission on Thursday voted to move forward with an infrastructure improvement project on Horton Street as part of a cost-share program with the Kansas Department of Transportation...

The Uniontown School District has received a gift from an anonymous donor. The donation will allow the district to replace the lower bleachers in the West Bourbon Elementary Gym. Superintendent Bret Howard announced the $70,000 gift during Monday’s board of education meeting...

Thursday afternoon, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed Executive Order 20-32, which establishes a new phase to the “Ad Astra: Plan to Reopen Kansas.” The new “1.5” Phase, effective May 18, 2020, continues reopening efforts while preserving some data-driven restrictions necessary to prevent community transmission of COVID-19...

USD 234 officials on Monday discussed the end of a school year that looked different due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how the district will move forward with uncertainties in the future. The USD 234 Board of Education heard from district administrators and directors on the conclusion of a school year which saw school buildings closed due to the outbreak, continuous learning plans put in place, meal distribution plans in the community and several other changes...

Uniontown High School students will have a graduation ceremony. As of Monday when the USD 235 Board of Education met, graduation is tentatively set for 2 p.m. Sunday, June 21. High School Principal Mike Reith said he sent information to seniors and parents about options for a graduation ceremony. One option was to do a virtual ceremony through Jostens. Other options were the traditional ceremony in the West Bourbon Elementary gym or a ceremony at the football field...

Jon Lowery went through a horrific experience, and lived to tell the story. In late March, after traveling overseas for a mission trip and battling illness, the 56-year-old longtime paramedic from Fort Scott, tested positive for COVID-19. Lowery was one of the first few confirmed positive cases in Bourbon County, not long after the outbreak began. From the time Lowery’s symptoms began to the time he was discharged from the hospital was about two weeks...

A Springdale, Ark., man was reportedly killed in a one-vehicle accident Thursday night on U.S. Highway 69 in Fort Scott. According to a Kansas Highway Patrol crash log, 58-year-old Hugo Herrera Aguilar sustained fatal injuries in the accident, which occurred about 9:30 p.m. on southbound U.S. 69 north of Third Street...

Residents in the 500 block of Andrick Street will receive a water and sewer rebate because a street project is taking longer than commissioners believe it should. According to Kevin Allen, the project has been ongoing for eight or nine months. The project involves replacing curbing and guttering to improve drainage and storm water runoff. The work was one of four projects included in a 2019 Road Improvement Program Public Works Director Chad Brown presented the commission in July 2019...

City commissioners had a list of several candidates to choose from Tuesday for three boards, including the new street advisory board. For each board, commissioners were asked to write down their choices, then City Attorney Jeff Deane read each candidate’s name and the commissioners stated yes or no to each one. Deane and City Clerk Diane Clay then tabulated the votes and announced the top vote getters...

Local companies are doing their part to help out with needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff at Peerless Products and Key Industries are producing cloth masks for use by employees and donation to several businesses and organizations in the community. Masks or other face coverings have been recommended by state and federal authorities as a measure of protection against COVID-19...

As coronavirus stay-at-home restrictions are lifted across the state, there are questions about when entities will reopen, including the Bourbon County Courthouse. The only response county commissioners offered during their regular meeting Tuesday was indefinite: at least not until after May 18...

Leo and Arla (Ater) Hartman were married May 7, 1950, at the bride’s parents’ home in Hiattville, Kan. They are the parents of Dennis (deceased), Mark and Jerry. They have five grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren...

Bourbon County Commissioners on Tuesday elected to not move forward with a proposal involving testing for COVID-19 by MRI Global, a contract research organization based in Kansas City, Mo. Commissioner Jeff Fischer was scheduled to talk about a proposal and project agreement by MRI Global titled “COVID-19 Surveillance, Diagnostic Testing and Population Monitoring,” however, commissioners voted to remove the item from the meeting agenda and to not move forward with the proposal. ...

Fort Scott City Commissioners on April 21 voted to hire an engineer to work as a city employee as well as adopted a new pay scale to accommodate that position and adopted a new street advisory board ordinance. Commissioner Pete Allen has suggested the city have an on-staff engineer to oversee utility projects. On April 21, City Manager Dave Martin said there have been “some really good meetings with Pete this last week.”...

Bourbon County Commissioners on Tuesday decided the time is not right following the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak to hold a tax sale in 2020. Commissioners were to discuss opening bids for title work for a tax sale sometime this year, but elected to delay a tax sale after talking with Bourbon County Counselor Justin Meeks. ...

Staff and volunteers from Avalon Hospice painted bright messages and images on residents' windows at Medicalodges Thursday. The hope is to brighten the days for residents who, due to the coronavirus pandemic, are unable to have visitors.

A Fort Scott city commissioner was censured following an executive session Tuesday night. A motion of censure Kevin “Skitch” Allen passed 3-2, with Randy Nichols, Lindsey Watts and JoLynne Mitchell voting in favor and Kevin Allen and Pete Allen voting no...

On Tuesday, Fort Scott City Commissioners voted to de-annex property that had once been owned by a former city commissioner. The property, located in the 1100 area of 207th Street, is currently owned by Darrin Boss. He asked the property be de-annexed from the city...

A city commissioner received a censure during the Fort Scott City Commission meeting Tuesday night. Commissioners met with city attorney Jeff Deane and Fort Scott Human Resource Director Deb Needleman in an executive session to discuss non-elected personnel and attorney-client privilege information. The 20-minute session was extended five minutes...

During the statewide school building shutdown, the focus at Uniontown USD 235 has been on continuing education for students, according to Superintendent Bret Howard. That means other projects, programs and plans have been placed on the backburner. See the print or online edition of the Tribune for complete story...

Before public gatherings were prohibited under first a countywide, then a statewide coronavirus pandemic stay-at-home order, Adam LaRoche and his mother, Patty LaRoche, presented one of the last programs held at the Fort Scott Rotary Club. They spoke of work they have been doing to prevent human trafficking...

Several small businesses have either closed or closed their doors to the public. That doesn’t mean there isn’t activity. Construction projects, such as at the corner of Main and 1st streets continue.

In a world where the traditional way of learning has changed, sometimes students need a boost of encouragement. In March, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the closing of school buildings across Kansas and the country. School districts went to work organizing and implementing Continuous Learning Plans tailored to meet each district’s needs. The plans combine a variety of methods for at-home learning for the rest of the school year...

This is the second of a two-part story about my experience with being tested for the coronavirus. I had been housebound for more than a week after being tested for the coronavirus. Each day I called the Community Health Center/Southeast Kansas to learn if my test results had returned...

Lorna May Smith, 79, of Redfield, Kan., passed away suddenly on Monday, April 13, 2020, at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Mo. Lorna was born Aug. 23, 1940, the daughter of Albert Johnston and Mona (Shoemaker) Johnston in Tulare, Calif. Lorna is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Glenn Smith of the home, daughter Glenna Hendrickson (Kevin) of Osceola, Mo., and son Craig Smith (Cathy) of Leavenworth, Kan.; siblings Earl Johnston (Sharon) of Ellsworth, Kan., and Sharon (Lonnie) Horner of El Cajon, Calif.; five nieces and five nephews.. ...

Note: This is the first story in a two-part series. As I was mowing the yard one Sunday afternoon, the neighbor pulled up to say hello. As with most anyone these days, the conversation soon turned to the coronavirus (COVID-19). We both agreed we were not going to get sick...

The COVID-19 pandemic could have an impact on this year’s election, but Bourbon County officials are currently preparing for business as usual. Citizens who are prepared to file for one of several county offices up for election this year can contact the Bourbon County Clerk’s office when they are ready to file, Bourbon County Clerk Kendell Mason said Monday. The Bourbon County Courthouse remains closed to the public, however, employees returned to work last week...

According to the SEK Multi-County Health Department’s weekly update released Thursday afternoon, the following are the updated COVID-19 case numbers for the department’s four-county service area: • Allen County -- current positive cases, 0; current recovered cases, 0; total positives since testing, 0; deaths, 0...

Administrators and staff in the USD 234 and USD 235 school districts are doing what they can to make sure students are fed during the COVID-19 crisis. USD 234 staff is asking families to register for pick up of meals, which will be distributed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week. Each child will receive two meals on Monday, and a total of eight meals each on Tuesday and Wednesday...

The Fort Scott City Commission on Tuesday discussed the need for a city engineering firm, as well as a separate charter ordinance dealing with filling vacancies in elected public offices. Director of Finance Susan Bancroft informed commissioners there are several grant opportunities the city can apply for, and city staff would like to accept requests for qualifications for a city engineering firm. ...

As of 11 a.m. Thursday, April 9, there were 1,106 cases from 57 counties with 42 deaths reported. Other information provided by KDHE: • There have been 263 of 847 cases that have been hospitalized. • There have been 9,669 negative tests conducted at KDHE and private labs...

In a news release issued late Tuesday morning, the Bourbon County Health Department announced the first death in Bourbon County related to COVID-19. "It is with our deepest regret that we need to announce the loss of our first resident of Bourbon County, KS (elderly male), due to COVID-19, plus other health conditions. ...

Fort Scott City Commissioners on Tuesday approved an amended resolution regarding declaration of a local state of emergency. Director of Finance Susan Bancroft said language was changed on the resolution, which failed to pass during the commission’s March 31 meeting...

Three more Bourbon County, Kan., positive COVID-19 tests were confirmed Sunday morning, bringing Bourbon County’s total number of cases to seven, according to a news release issued Sunday by the SEK Multi-County Health Departments. The testing was confirmed through a reference laboratory that was used. ...

Even though the Bourbon County courthouse remains closed to the public, all county employees are back to work, as of midnight Sunday. County Commission Chairman Lynne Oharah said a meeting with department heads took place Sunday afternoon. “They (employees) are either at their offices or at home,” Oharah said...

Three more Bourbon County, Kan., positive COVID-19 tests were confirmed Sunday morning, bringing Bourbon County’s total number of cases to seven, according to a news release from the SEK Multi-County Health Departments. The testing was confirmed through a reference laboratory that was used. ...

For more information on these topics, we encourage you to visit our website, www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus. Quarantines Do I need to quarantine? You should home-quarantine for at least 14 days after return from travel from the following locations: • Travel to one of the following states on or after March 15: California, New York, Washington state and Florida...

During a work session held prior to the Fort Scott City Commission’s regular meeting Tuesday, Director of Finance Susan Bancroft talked to commissioners and other city staff about recommended changes to the 2020 budget due to uncertainties about revenues moving forward amid the COVID-19 pandemic...

Fort Scott City Commissioners discussed some policies for moving the city forward during the COVID-19 crisis during their regular Tuesday meeting. Commissioners considered a resolution that would declare a local state of emergency and would temporarily expand the authority of the city manager “to act on behalf of the city; and ratifying previous decisions regarding the COVID-19 emergency,” the resolution states. ...

TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister on April 1 announced a state-federal partnership to investigate and prosecute scammers attempting to prey on Kansans during the COVID-19 outbreak. The two offices agree coordinating information and manpower will allow the agencies to more quickly verify allegations and prosecute those who are profiteering off the crisis...

Topeka — On April 2, Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt put out a warning to Kansas consumers and investors about potential scams in the insurance and securities industry related to COVID-19. “Scammers don’t take breaks,” Commissioner Vicki Schmidt said. “While Kansans are adjusting to their new everyday lives, scammers are out there looking to take advantage of the situation.”...

USD 235 Superintendent Bret Howard issued an update Thursday on the district’s Continuous Learning Plan. The following is Howard’s post on the district’s website, www.uniontown235.org. What has USD 235 staff been doing this week? • Staff began development of quality learning activities that not only re-emphasize the skills that have been previously taught, but also skills that will prepare students for the upcoming year...

USD 234 officials have updated the district’s food service routes for the week of April 6. The district will conduct three distributions next week. Children will receive the same amount of meals for the week but will pick them up over three days. Each child will receive two meals on Monday, four meals on Tuesday and four meals on Wednesday...

Adversity is no stranger to CHC/SEK. We have always relied on creativity, innovation, and adaption to meet the needs of the communities we serve. In this time of uncertainty with COVID-19, we remain committed to deliver quality healthcare, the way it should be...

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has updated the number of COVID-19 cases in Kansas as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 1. According to information from KDHE, there have been updates to the COVID-19 map, which is available at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus. The map contains new data sets and more information...