Stories from Friday, March 20, 2020

Governor Laura Kelly was joined Friday by David Toland, Secretary of Commerce; Delía García, Secretary of Labor; David Herndon, State Bank Commissioner; and others to discuss what the Kelly Administration is doing to help mitigate the potential impact of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, on the Kansas economy...

A special meeting of the Board of Education, Unified School District No. 234 will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday in the board of education office. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the learning needs of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting will be open virtually to the public by calling any of the following numbers: (669) 900-6833 (San Jose) (346) 248-7799 (Houston) (301) 715-8592 (U.S.) (312) 626-6799 (Chicago) (929) 205-6099 (New York) or (253) 215-8782 (U.S.) Callers will then need to enter the meeting ID, 602 622 4923. A notice of the board meeting states district officials request that no patrons physically come to the meeting due to Governor Laura Kelly’s announcement of the closing of all school facilities.

Starting Monday, USD 234 will offer a lunch and a breakfast for any child 1 to 18 years of age, according to information posted Friday on the district’s website, www.usd234.org. Families will have two options to receive meals: pick up at Winfield Scott, Eugene Ware, Fort Scott Middle School or Fort Scott High School, or receive meals through route deliveries. The pick-up meals will be handed to families in their vehicles at the pick-up locations. The pick-up times will be from 10 to 11 a.m...

Starting Monday, USD 234 will offer a lunch and a breakfast for any child 1 to 18 years of age, according to information posted Friday on the district’s website, www.usd234.org. Families will have two options to receive meals: pick up at Winfield Scott, Eugene Ware, Fort Scott Middle School or Fort Scott High School, or receive meals through route deliveries. The pick-up meals will be handed to families in their vehicles at the pick-up locations. The pick-up times will be from 10 to 11 a.m...

The VA Eastern Kansas remains open to Fort Scott Veterans, however visitors are limited. The VA has implemented Tier 2 screening process, which includes controlled entry to ensure safety. The Fort Scott clinic remains open, but upon arrival to the clinic, VA staff will perform an administrative screen for active illness...

Topeka – As the COVID-19 crisis continues to develop and reports of bottled water shortages make headlines, the Kansas Water Office and Kansas Department of Health and Environment want to remind Kansans the drinking water provided by our public water supply systems is free of viruses and other pathogens...

For the protection of patients and staff, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas will not be allowing patients to walk in to our pharmacies to pick up prescriptions at this time, a CHC/SEK news release said Friday. Apothecare in Iola and Apothecare in Fort Scott will have pick up available at the drive-through. ...

Marjorie Joan Logsdon, 83, of Winfield, Kan., passed away Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at Winfield Senior Living Community. Due to the current health concerns of public gatherings, a memorial service will take place at a later time at the First United Methodist Church of Winfield, Kan., and burial will follow at the Fort Scott Kansas National Cemetery. ...

TOPEKA - By statute, the Kansas Department of Revenue's Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is granted discretionary powers in the interest of public health and welfare. On Friday, Debbi Beavers, director of the Kansas Alcoholic Beverage Control, sent guidance notices to alcoholic beverage distributors and liquor stores concerning COVID-19...

Starting Monday, USD 234 will offer a lunch and a breakfast for any child 1 to 18 years of age, according to information posted Friday on the district’s website, www.usd234.org. Families will have two options to receive meals: pick up at Winfield Scott, Eugene Ware, Fort Scott Middle School or Fort Scott High School, or receive meals through route deliveries. The pick-up meals will be handed to families in their vehicles at the pick-up locations. The pick-up times will be from 10 to 11 a.m...

At the direction of Governor Laura Kelly, all Department for Children and Families service centers will close to the public, until further notice, beginning Monday. While the public won’t be able to access buildings, the agency’s core services will continue...

In response to COVID-19 public health concerns, the Southwind Extension District Offices are closed to the public until further notice. However, Extension staff remain available to answer your questions with unbiased, research-based information and expertise on issues important to Kansas. ...

Fort Scott Community College officials provided an update Thursday on the college’s plan moving forward amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement from FSCC President Alysia Johnston said all FSCC courses will be online for the remainder of the semester. ...

TOPEKA – The attorney general’s office has proposed formal rules for state and local governments to ensure their meetings remain open to the public during ‘social distancing’ emergency restrictions on gathering in person, Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced today...

As some government entities, businesses and organizations have closed their doors to the public and cancelled gatherings, for Fort Scott manufacturers, it’s business as usual, with a few changes. Those manufacturers and industries that responded to calls from the Tribune say they are following guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control...

The Kansas State High School Activities Association issued a statement Thursday that all spring championships, competitions and festivals for the remainder of the school year have been cancelled in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. “The KSHSAA is committed to the safety of our student-participants and the health of our school communities,” the statement said. ...

On Friday, March 13, Bourbon County Commissioners signed contracts with APEX Clean Energy, the company planning to construct the Jayhawk Wind Energy project in the southwestern portion of Bourbon County. The five contracts are: Development Agreement; Decommission Agreement; Contribution Agreement; and Complaint Resolution Agreement...

Local school districts face challenges in the coming weeks amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted this week in Gov. Laura Kelly closing all school buildings across the state. Kelly announced late Tuesday afternoon that Kansas school buildings will close for the remainder of the school year, and a task force would begin devising a plan for Continuous Learning. ...

The community is showing signs of spring, much like this magnolia tree in bloom at the corner of Fourth Street and National Avenue. It is a reminder that there is still beauty to behold, even with all that is wrong in the world.