Cherokee County Health Department-Kansas

06/01/2026

Heads up everyone! New four way stop signs are going up as we speak! Pay attention!

Update as of 3:00 pm Monday, June 1, KDOT had not installed the signs yet.

ATTENTION the intersection of K-26 and Bagdad Road old K-12 junction will be a 4-way stop by end of day

06/01/2026

Distribution of Senior Farmers Market Vouchers will begin today from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM at the Cherokee County Kansas Health Department located at 110 E. Walnut St. Columbus, KS.

This is a first come, first served notification of the program. If any additional vouchers are remaining after tomorrow, they can be obtained during normal business hours until all are depleted.

Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash

05/31/2026

Today is World To***co Day and we cannot think of a better day to put the ci******es, pipes, hookah's, vapes, and ci**rs down to take the necessary steps to leading a healthier life.

There are many FREE programs that will assist you in your journey of To***co Cessation and we would love to assist you! Please call our office for more information or call the Quitline at Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW
(784-8669) or visit KSquit.org.

Literally, to***co cessation is one phone call away! Call today and begin this journey for not only yourself but your family, friends, community, pets and mostly-your health!

***coDay ***cocessation

On ***coDay, know the facts: there are more than 7,000 chemicals in commercial to***co smoke.

Learn more about to***co, e-ci******es and va**ng, and take the first step toward quitting or supporting others: samhsa.gov/substance-use/learn/to***co-va**ng

05/31/2026

Senior Farmers Market Voucher Distribution will begin tomorrow at 8:00 AM at the Cherokee County Health Department located at 110 E. Walnut St. in Columbus KS.

This will be a first come, first served opportunity until all vouchers have been distributed. You must complete an application and be approved before being awarded vouchers.

Eligibility

The Kansas Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition program qualifies eligible Kansas seniors who are:

60 years of age and meet income eligibility guidelines

or

55 years of age and a member of an Indian Tribal Organization and meet income eligibility guidelines

Benefits are distributed individually, meaning any others in your household also meeting the eligibility guidelines may apply for and receive their own benefits.
Income Eligibility Guidelines, July 1, 2026 Through June 30, 2027
Household Size Annual Income Monthly Income Weekly Income
1 $29,526 $2,461 $568
2 $40,034 $3,337 $770
3 $50,542 $4,212 $972
Each additional member Plus $10,508 Plus $876 Plus $203

2026 Income Eligibility Guidelines (PDF)

Photo by Chantal Garnier on Unsplash

05/31/2026

This week we received a call from a Columbus property owner who was cleaning up a lot and noticed used syringes and gloves, laying just a few feet away from public sidewalks where town patrons walk.

The good news is, the syringes were both capped and it appeared the person used gloves to protect themselves while giving or receiving an injection.

The bad news is, they disposed of used syringes in a public area where not only adults and children frequent, but so do animals.

There is no need to dispose of used syringes anywhere that someone else can reach them. The Cherokee County Health Department gives out to the residents of Cherokee County, free sharps containers AND we dispose of them for free. No questions asked. No names. Just hand us your filled container and we will exchange with you a free one to continue to place your syringes in.

It really is that simple. Oh, and we have sharps containers in the blessing box at Fellowship Baptist Church in Baxter and at the Sentinel Times in Galena. And as soon as we move to our temporary location in a few weeks, we will have our take back box on our lot, where you can deposit your empty syringes 24/7/365.

Thank you,
Peyton Kessler MSN RN Administrator
Cherokee County Health Department
110 E. Walnut St.
Columbus, KS

05/29/2026

Today, we said goodbye to a dear friend and colleague. Today was Becky’s last day as she has retired completely and plans to enjoy living life to its fullest. Although we are very happy for her, we are going to miss her terribly!

Good luck Becky! See you at the coalition meetings! ❤️

05/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/18eGQ6n5kM/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Tick season is in full swing, y'all😲 While ticks can transmit diseases, if you're properly prepared, they don't have to stop you from enjoying the outdoors!

Here's some top tips for safely exploring:
1. Avoid tall grass, bushes, and wooded areas with lots of leaf litter. Stick to the center of trails.
2. Use insect repellent on your skin and/or permethrin on your clothing. If you're wearing sunscreen, apply that first, then insect repellent.
3. Wear long sleeves and pants that are tucked into high socks or boots.
Bonus tip- bring a lint roller or roll of duct tape along to easily remove ticks (especially "seed" ticks) from your clothing.

Check for ticks on your clothing and yourself when you're back indoors. They especially like hiding in warm crevices, around your waist, and around hair. If you find a tick, DON'T PANIC. Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove the tick as close to your skin as possible so you fully remove the head. Wrap it tightly in tape or submerge it in alcohol and keep it just in case you develop an illness. Learn more here: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/after-a-tick-bite/index.html

05/19/2026

*Canceled*. We will reschedule and post the new date.

Join us today for our car seat clinic located at 110 E. Walnut St. Columbus KS from 10 AM until 3:00 PM.

If you or someone you know is in need of a new care seat due to expiration date, motor vehicle accident or if your child has outgrown their current seat, please stop by and see Gayla for a new car seat.

Qualifications for receiving a car seat include: must be a resident of Cherokee County, child must be present at time of car seat placement in vehicle, family must be enrolled in a program such as WIC, SNAP, Birth to Three, Medicaid, and must not have received a car seat prior. One car seat per family.


Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash