All posts by Loretta George
A Slave, A Nurse and A Soldier Spy
Saturday, March 25, 11 am until noon in the theater of the Infantry Barracks, Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting retired National Park Service Historian Arnold W. Schofield to discuss three notable 19th Century Women from Fort Scott; Ann Shatto, a Slave; MaryAnn Holt Blakely, a Nurse; and Sara Edmonds Seelye, a Soldier, Nurse and Spy during the Civil War.
From November 1-March 31, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its winter hours of operation. The site exhibit areas and visitor center are open daily from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.
FSPD: Jason Eastwood Promoted
The Fort Scott Police Department administration promoted Jason Eastwood, 37, on February 28.
His title and duties changed from a Detective Sergeant to an Administrative Lieutenant.
His new duties are directing the general operations of the Fort Scott Police Department.
Lieutenants supervise, assign duties, and review work performance of the persons assigned to a specific division, according to Eastwood The position requires continuous study of changing criminal and related laws, methods, and procedures related to law enforcement. A Lieutenant may be called upon to command the department, divisions, or units temporarily, or permanently, as department needs arise.
“I am tasked with managing all administrative functions of the police department to include Investigations, School Resource Officers, Evidence/Records Officer, Animal Control, among others,” he said..
Eastwood has been with the FSPD for 12 years.
“I enjoy doing my part to make the community safer,” he said. “I also really enjoy working with my fellow members of law enforcement from the Fort Scott Police Department as well as the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office.”
He is a lifelong resident of Fort Scott, graduating from the Fort Scott High School in 2004, and has been married to wife, Kimberly for 17 years.
Eastwood has been involved in the community as a volunteer in the Scott Township Fire Department for 18 years.
Eastwood is also a member of the Fort Scott Nazarene Church, where he serves as a board member.
Retail and Now Cafe at the Former Scottish Rite Temple
Kathy Dancer, 49, and Tracy Dancer, 50, opened 110 South Main as a retail shop in the former Scottish Rite Temple in December and will be opening a cafe in the building this spring.
Retail
110 South Main Mercantile and Market features decor, gifts, and food from Kansas and the Midwest, Kathy said.
“We have great products from Kansas City Canning Company, Kansas City Caramels, Prairie Fire Candles, Bombshell Beauty, Finding Home Farms, Thompson’s Homemade Decor, and about 30 other small business partners,” she said. ” Our market vendors include many local artisans and craft people who produce glass art, textiles, furniture, cutting boards, keepsake boxes, home decor, pens, notebooks, and decorative signs. We recently added a line of chocolates from Andre’s Chocolates and popcorn and fudge from Simply Delightful.”
“The retail store will be expanding this spring and summer to offer additional space for market vendors and artists who have high-quality handcrafted items,” she said. Additional vendors and artists will be added as they expand the space.
Cafe
“We are also opening Cohn’s Cafe,” Kathy said. The restaurant is named after Sidney Cohn and his wife, who had a cafe and coffee shop in this space from 1926-1948, she said. The restaurant space was used by the Freemasons council as a kitchen and dining space for several decades after that.
“The cafe will feature locally sourced ingredients and will have breakfast and lunch for dine-in or carry-out,” she said. “We will source ingredients from local producers and will have a seasonally adjusted menu based on the availability of fresh, local vegetables, meats, and other ingredients. Our menu will include quiches, crepes, soups, salads, sandwiches, and pies and desserts. We plan to have grab-and-go items available as well.”
“The cafe will be the cornerstone for additional planned improvements to the building,” Kathy said. “We felt the cafe was a great way to share the building with the community while also supporting local artists, craftspeople, and food producers. We are excited to showcase some of the great products available in our community in both the retail space and cafe.”
Electrical Issues
The Dancer’s hope to open this spring, but are having a problem with electric service to the building.
“We will have all of our spaces ready and equipment in place by the end of March but we are still waiting for additional electric service so we can proceed with our inspections and licensing,” she said. “Unfortunately, there was extensive damage done to the electric service to the building while it was unoccupied prior to our purchase.”
“We have been working with our electrician to have adequate service reinstalled in the building but we are having to work around other utilities that were added in the alley,” Kathy said. “As soon as we have enough electricity to operate the commercial kitchen equipment and modern HVAC, we will finish licensing and begin training staff. We will announce opening dates on our social media pages, 110SouthMain and Cohn’sCafeonMain.
Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT)Grant
The Dancer’s received a restaurant /retail grant in the amount of $7,000 from HBCAT.
“We are very excited to be named as a recipient of the HBCAT grant in the restaurant category,” Kathy said. “The grant will be used to help install the commercial kitchen for the cafe. We have several pieces of used equipment including a sink, ovens, and a commercial refrigerator that need minor repairs and installation. The balance of the funds will be used to acquire additional kitchen equipment including a commercial cook top, a commercial freezer, and a refrigerated table for salads and sandwiches.”
Contact info
Elevate Fort Scott: Bringing Entertainment Events To Town
Elevate Fort Scott is one of several community “movers and shakers” groups that have have organized recently to improve the quality of life in the community.
“Besides our Elevate Fort Scott group there are several other groups that are making things happen and bringing great events to Fort Scott,” said Brad Matkin, one of the organizers of Elevate Fort Scott. “Advance Bourbon County, Fort Scott Forward, and others have been working very hard to bring in events and activities for our citizens and visitors to enjoy.”
“We are not only looking for a strong 2023 but are already planning some events for 2024 we feel everyone will enjoy and be excited about,” he said.
“While talking to one of the current members, I told them I felt I wanted to get a group together that wanted to make Fort Scott a place to be and to put on events that would make us a destination place plus add more things for our citizens to do,” Brad Matkin, group member said. “Even though I am the one that thought of getting this group together it is the six other members that make Elevate Fort Scott successful, they do the leg work and put in the time to make these events a reality.”
The group is comprised of Cory Bryars, Kirk Sharp, Jackson Tough, Josh Jones, Diane Striler, Lindsay Madison, and Matkin.
They first met last year around November, he said.
“The purpose of this group is to come up with positive ways and events to help Fort Scott grow, to show visitors what Fort Scott has to offer, and to get citizens involved in the many great things Fort Scott has to offer,” he said. “We are not trying to reinvent the wheel with the events we are working on, just trying to build off the already great events Fort Scott has to offer”
“Our goal is to think of an idea, work to get it started, then hand it off to a charity organization to put it on and raise money for their cause,” Matkin said. “Our group is not generating any funding for the events and are not involved in that part of the event; we just want to help get more things going in our great town and help the charities raise money.”
Events in The Works
“This group has been working on a lot of different ideas that are still in the early stages, but I can tell you we have added a BBQ cook-off that will share Riverfront Park with the second annual Care to Share/Sharing Bucket Fall Festival and Blues Festival,” he said.
“We are also working on a newly named Christmas on the Bricks that will take place of Christmas in the Park that has been a yearly tradition for Fort Scott,” Matkin said. “Christmas on the Bricks will offer the opportunity for the uptown shops to bring out their holiday flare and stay open late for holiday shopping. We are looking at this event to flow along right with the Christmas Parade, Artificers Christmas Shoppe, and the Annual National Historic Site Candlelight Tour. Some of the things we have already planned is a movie night, a Christmas concert, carolers, chili, and much more.”
“Some of the newest things this group has brought to life is a ‘Rock-N-Roll Karaoke’ which will allow people to sing with a real band,” he said. “This will be held at Memorial Hall on June 9th. ‘Almost Kiss’ will be at Memorial Hall on November 18th. They are a cover band for the Legendary Rock band Kiss and is one of only six Kiss tribute bands that former Kiss star Gene Simmons endorses.”
Sami Rogers Starts Handmade Baby Clothing Business
Sami Rogers, 21, started her business, The Baby Stitch, at the encouragement of her best friend, Chloe Mohn.
“I started with hairbows for my friend, Chloe, who had a baby,” Rogers said. “She suggested I start making bummies, a baby diaper cover. She said I had an eye for design.”
The only sewing she had been taught was in Fort Scott Middle School, “And it was a pillow,” she said.
She began looking on the internet.
“I got on Etsy and purchased patterns, and started on YouTube to learn the techniques of sewing,” she said.
For her business, she makes baby clothes, which include bummies, hairbows, bell bottom pants, leggings, shirts and joggers.
“I only make baby and toddler clothing, up to size 3-4 Toddler,” she said. “Everything is handmade.”
Go to her website to order: http://the-baby-stitch.myshopify.com
The Baby Stitch is also on Facebook and Instagram.
About Rogers
Rogers is a 2020 graduate of Fort Scott High School and attended Fort Scott Community College.
At age 19, while a freshman at FSCC, she started her business.
She is a recent recipient of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) grant for women, minorities or low income to start up a business, in the amount of $5,000.
“Dacia Clark was amazing to help you,” Rogers said.
Clark is Assistant Director of the Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State University, with an office in the HBCAT office at 104 N National Ave, Fort Scott.
The HBCAT Phone is (620) 215-2892
“They help with a business plan, expense projection,” she said.
Rogers had applied for a grant previously, but wasn’t accepted.
“I felt defeated,” she said. “I do run a business and the grant would help me, so I reached out again. They gave pointers to improve the application.”
She applied again, and received the grant, which she plans to use on a serger sewing machine, fabric and specialty scissors to “help get the product out the door.”
Catholic Fish Fry Continues Until March 31 to Benefit Rebuild of Mary Queen of Angels Church
The Knights of Columbus organization at Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church will offer three more Friday Fish Dinners in support of the rebuilding of the church.
The church was struck by lightening in August, 2022 and and a fire ensued which destroyed the building.
March 17, March 24, and March 31 are the last three dates and will end the annual fish dinners for the year.
The dinners always precede Good Friday, which is April 7 this year.
The community is invited to the dinner, which is from 5 to 7 p.m. and is a free-will donation event.
Two Projects on Skubitz Plaza Started
Citizens have noticed activity on Skubitz Plaza, west and south of Fort Scott National Historic Site.
Radell Construction, Pittsburg, is running trenches underneath Skutbitz Plaza for CrawKan Telephone, to the FSNHS, according to Jill Jaworski, Superintendent of FSNHS.
“This is to improve connectivity to the Fort,” she said.
They were hoping to get the trenching done before the Fort Scott Splash Pad project begins.
The piles of dirt are for that project.
“The dirt is to level the ground for the splash pad,” Josh Jones, who is part of the Fort Scott Splash Pad and Sensory Park committee.
That project is expected to be started next week, he said.
Native American Program Series Starts March 18 at Fort Scott NHS
Fort Scott National Historic Site (FSNHS) personnel are collaborating to bring stories of indigenous tribe’s histories to Bourbon County.
“We want to help share the stories of tribal partners, a lot of it is the Osage Tribe,” said Carl Brenner, program manager for interpretation and resource management at the Fort. “We are trying to tell the story with the background of everything that was here in Kansas, the Fort is just a part. It’s a bigger story than Kansas and the Fort. It’s the story of the growing pains of a nation.”
The first program, in a series the Fort is bringing to Fort Scott, is this Saturday.
The series of events will be of authors, historians, artisans, and Native American Tribal members, which will continue through the fall of this year.
Colonialism and the Osage in Kansas
FSNHS is hosting historian and author, Dr. Tia Edwards, this Saturday, March 18 from 11 a.m. to noon in the theater of the infantry barracks.
“She will discuss how nineteenth century U.S. Indian policy functioned as settler colonialism, displacing Indigenous nations across the eastern United States, including the Osage who were expelled from their Missouri homelands and confined to a reservation in Kansas,” Brenner said.
Dr. Edwards is a historian and director of the Kansas Studies Institute at Johnson County Community College, according to the press release.
Her book Osage Women and Empire was published by the University Press of Kansas in 2018. She is an officer in the Kansas Association of Historians (KAH) and the Kansas Association for Native American Education (KANAE).
She has collaborated on many projects including recording veterans’ oral histories, preserving the Quindaro ruins in Kansas City, KS and rematriating a sacred boulder in Lawrence to the Kaw Nation.
Indigenous Histories Series
The Fort is collaborating with local entities to bring the histories of indigenous peoples to Fort Scott. The Lowell Milken Center, Hedgehog INK bookstore and Fort Scott Community College is collaborating with the Fort for this series.
Speakers
The Lowell Milken Center will have Billy Mills, an Oglala Souix, on April 12. Mills was a 1964 gold medal winner at the Tokyo Olympics, who inspired America with his win.
To view his story:
https://olympics.com/en/athletes/billy-mills
On April 15, Isaias Mc Caffrey, author of Last Stand at Rebel Creek: The Osage as Union Allies in Civil War Kansas will be at the Fort.
McCaffery is a professor of history at Independence Community College. His presentation explores the Osage tribe’s contributions to the Union Army cause in Kansas during the Civil War.
Ballet
Wahzhazhe, the name the Osage people call themselves, will perform a contemporary ballet that tells their history from pre-contact years to present day, according to https://www.osageballet.com/. This event will be July 21-22 at the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College.
“From the hand-painted scenery, to the original score , which features the use of traditional drums, to the exquisitely detailed costumes, the world of the Osage comes to life in vivid color, a mesmerizing blend of historical accuracy and raw emotional symbolism,” according to its website.
In addition to the ballet, there will be an exhibit of historic photos of the Osage people.
This event is partially funded by Humanities Kansas. Donations for this project are welcome to the Friends of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
Fort Scott National Historic Site: Part of the National Park System.
The FSNHS exhibit areas and visitor center are open daily from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.during the winter months, which ends March 31. Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset.
To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.
Expansion of Services, Hours at CHC Start April 17 At New Facility
The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Ft. Scott Clinic opened in January 2019 to fill the primary care gap when Mercy Hospital closed in December 2018, after over 100 years in the community.
On April 17, the new facility at 2322 S. Main will be open to the public, following the move from the former Mercy Hospital building at 401 Woodland Hills.
To view details of the move:
More Space & Services In One Location For CHC Starting April 17: Other Tenants Staying
With the move to a new facility, residents have services not previously offered, including expanded clinic hours, expanded Walk-In Care, expanded pharmacy, telehealth and behavioral health services, according to a press release from CHC.
Benefits of the the new services at the new facility:
A Larger More Efficient Medical Clinic
The new location expands to 36 exam rooms including, telehealth, according to the press release.
It features updated furnishings and efficient design to save steps for both patients and the staff.
There is an integrated model of care with a wide array of enabling services including behavioral health via telemedicine, patient navigation, and care management.
The medical staff include Dr. Sarah Bradshaw, Dr. Holly Gault, Dr. Pankaj Gugnani, MD, and Dr. Maxwell Self. Advanced Nurse Practitioners include Amanda Stice, Kayla Tinsley and Whitney Dickerson.
Specialty Care offered within the clinic:
Diabetic Care: APRN Becky French-diabetic care and education.
Pulmonology: Paden Shaffer APRN-pulmonology and sleep disorders/CPAP management.
Pain Management and Infectious Disease: Dr. Julie Stewart.
Wound Care: Dr. Michael Nagle. Todd Carl, APRN
Freeman Orthopedic clinic: Greg King, FNP
A Larger Walk-In Care Clinic
The new Walk-In Care service features a larger waiting area, more privacy and expands to eight exam rooms. There were three at the prior one. Hours of operation are 7 AM- 7 PM every day.
Expanded Imaging Services
Advanced diagnostic imaging equipment is under one roof including digital x-ray, ultrasound, mammography, bone density, and a newly purchased 64-slice Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner.
The CT is an important addition to the clinic providing a detailed look at what is happening inside of the patient’s body, according to the press release.
“In an urgent situation, having CT locally is important so patients can be scanned quickly to rapidly assess their condition,” according to the press release. “CT scans can often be difficult to access and quite expensive for patients. Having CT in-house makes these scans accessible and affordable. For patients receiving discounted charges through the sliding scale program for uninsured and underinsured patients, the cost of a CT scan can be as low as $50 including the physician’s read.”
Expanded Pharmacy
Apothecare Pharmacy is a subsidiary of CHC/SEK, and is now open to the public providing a full range of prescriptions, according to the press release. “The Apothecare staff include Kelsey Burford, PharmD, Cetra Horton, PharmD, Adam Malone, PharmD, Blake Martin, PharmD, Julie Pellett, PharmD, and Darin Treiber, PharmD. They work directly with the medical staff to ensure patients get the medications they need, affordably, quickly, and safely.”
Apothecare pharmacy is open 7 AM-7 PM, seven days a week, with a convenient drive-through pick-up window and to-your-door delivery within 15 miles. Apothecare accepts most insurance plans Medicare, Medicaid and private commercial plans.
Laboratory
Outpatients requiring laboratory services will find the new space and expanded 7AM-7 PM Monday-Saturday hours more convenient. “We want patients to be able to stop in for a quick lab draw and be on their way,” said Baily Davis, CHC/SEK Fort Scott Practice Manager.
Wellness Center.
“CHC/SEK has long recognized that ‘health’ and ‘wellness’ go hand in hand,” according to the press release. They will continue to cultivate a culture of health and wellness for both patients and staff.
The center features cardio and strength equipment and is staffed by Physical Therapist and Pelvic Health Physical Therapist, Jessie McGown, DPT; Registered Dietitian, Patrick James, RD; and Chiropractor, Dr. Dave Miller, DC.
There are individualized treatment plans for each patient to best meet their health and wellness goals, which includes teaching and supporting healthy eating habits, improving overall strength and mobility, and pain management, according to the press release.
Teaching Opportunities
“Since its beginning, CHC/SEK has focused on education,” according to the press release. “To have a thriving… community, rural America needs to train and retain future healthcare workers to replace the retiring workforce, and meet increasing healthcare needs.”
“The new clinic will allow space to collaborate with teaching institutions for students to train alongside staff. CHC/SEK supervises approximately 250 students (medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, behavioral health, etc.) per year, and has an accredited family practice residence program with Kansas University for training and retaining rural physicians.
Group Therapies
Expanded meeting space will allow group therapies for addiction treatment, diabetic education, tobacco cessation, and SNAP-ED classes to offer to patients and the community.
2022 CHC Service to the Community
Last year, the clinic saw more than 60,000 patients, including medical, behavioral health, wellness and support services.
During 2022, staff provided more than 1,700 mammograms, Apothecare Pharmacy filled more than 70,000 prescriptions and the clinic provided more than 4,500 COVID-19 tests and administered more than 8,000 immunizations.
Help For Uninsured, Underinsured
CHC/SEK offers a sliding scale discount for uninsured and underinsured patients based on the household’s annual income and the number of individuals living in the household. All patients seeking care at CHC/SEK are eligible to receive services regardless of income or ability to pay.
Fresh Produce Pre-Order Sales Began This Month In Bronson
In most small towns, fresh produce nearby is hard to come by, unless you grow your own.
Thaddeus and Kelly Perry have started a service that allows people to order fresh fruits and veggies ahead of time, then pick up at their Bronson store, Perry’s Pork Rinds and General Store.
The store is located on Hwy. 54 that goes through the town, east to west. Bronson is in the rural western part of Bourbon County.
The box of produce will typically cost $15 and have a variety of approximately 15 lbs. of fresh fruits and veggies, with prices subject to change based on the cost of food.
Depending on what fruit and vegetables are in season and what their pricing is, will decide what is in the boxes, Kelly Perry said.
For the next distribution of fresh veggies and fruits, today, March 13,
is the deadline for a March 17 pick-up order.
“This is something that is not only smart for our business to attract more foot traffic into the door, but also valuable for the community to not have to travel to get fresh produce,” Kelly said. “This fits in line exactly with what Thaddeus and I have always said, we will invest back into our community locally.”
Perry’s Produce is a Bourbon County community program designed to make affordable bundles of fresh produce regularly available in their town and the surrounding area.
“This saves residents time and money shopping while helping them eat healthier,” Kelly said.
This Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Initiative works with a program coordinator, in this case, The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT), located in Fort Scott.
“(BCBS)Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Initiative works with 24 communities across the state of Kansas,”HBCAT President and CEO Jody Hoener said. The HBCAT and the Perry’s worked together on ways to improve health in the community by awarding the Perry’s a $20,000 grant for a five year commitment to the food program for rural citizens.
“The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team has worked since 2016 to build up and support local food systems,” Hoener said. “We are thrilled to have Perry’s Produce as a partner in our efforts to increase access to healthier food options.”
With the funds, they are purchasing grocery shelves that will have a larger capacity to hold even more groceries, pet supplies, home goods, toiletries and more so families do not have to travel into “town” to get something they need, saving them time and money, Perry said.
Shelving for produce distribution and storage, scales, and a printer/date labeler for the fresh grab-and-go salads, sandwiches and deli items, will all be purchased as a direct result of this grant.
The Perry’s, HBCAT and Pathways started researching a program, KSTATE’s Simply Produce program, around eight months ago via zoom calls and emails and in-person meetings.
The first distribution date of the produce was March 3.
“We distributed 61 bundles to members of the community,” Kelly said. “There was a clerical error at the produce company and we ended up having to improvise, so some folks got double on certain items to still fulfill our end of the deal versus them not getting a bundle at all. There will be learning curves and this is new, so we are working hard to combat all of those curves.”
“We’ll try to source locally as much as possible for this program,” Kelly said. “Some models are based on weight, others base off a set number of items in their bundles and we will work with this over the next few months to see what works best and gives shoppers the most bang for their buck. Inside each bundle will also be a recipe card provided by K-State Southwest Extension District Snap Education.”
The bundles are currently being placed in reusable grocery bags provided by K-State Southwest Extension Snap Ed. Division, she said.
The pre-paid bundles can be picked up over the next five years on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during open store hours.
The bundles are $15 each, plus tax.
“ALL bundles are pre-ordered and pre-pay unless you’re an EBT/SNAP user,” Kelly said.
“Due to regulations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture EBT/SNAP users cannot prepay for food. EBT/SNAP users can come in or call in and place their orders and pay on pick up days,” she said.
“Each buyer will get a receipt with their pick up date written at the top and we will print a second copy for the store and have the customer write their name and number on the receipt,” she said
“If you have not picked up your receipt by 2 p.m. we will call or text the number for a reminder,” she said. “When you arrive in the store, you will sign the book showing you came to pick up your order.”
Those that wish to purchase online:
FS Streets and Parks Have Vacant Position on Advisory Boards
STREETS ADVISORY BOARD
There are TWO (2) openings on the Fort Scott Street Advisory Board to fill vacated positions. The function of the Board is to provide suggestions to the City Commission regarding road improvement projects throughout the City of Fort Scott. When submitting your letter/email of interest, please provide any specific knowledge or training you have that would complement you being a member of this Board. All Boards and Commissions serve on a volunteer basis and are not compensated. Currently the Streets Board meets the 2nd Thursday of the month at 4:00PM at City Hall. If you would like more information please contact Lisa Lewis, City Clerk at [email protected] or by calling 620.223.0550. Please submit your Letter of Interest by 4:00PM on April 12th, 2023.
FORT SCOTT PARKS ADVISORY BOARD:
There is ONE (1) opening on the Fort Scott Parks Advisory Board. The function of the Fort Scott Parks Board Committee is to provide suggestions to the City Manager and Governing Body regarding all the parks within the City of Fort Scott. All boards and commissions of Fort Scott serve on a volunteer basis and are not compensated. Currently the Parks Board meets quarterly at 4:00 PM at City Hall. If you have a desire to serve on this board, please submit a Letter of Interest to the City Clerk, Lisa Lewis, 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701 or [email protected]. The names and letters will be submitted for consideration to the City Commission.
Please submit your letter of interest by 4:00 PM on April 3rd, 2023.