Category Archives: Area News

KU’s Willmott Wins Oscar

Kirk Sharp, director of the Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College shared a  link about the 2016 Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award winner, Kevin Willmott.

Willmott is a KU Professor and filmmaker that won an Oscar on Feb. 24 for Best Adapted Screenplay for the movie ‘BlacKkKlansman’ that  he co-wrote with Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz.

Click below for the link.

https://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/movies-news-reviews/article226740399.html

U.S. 69 Hwy. Closed South of K-7 and K-39 Junction

US-69: ROAD CLOSED between 0.4 miles south of Junction Kansas 7 South and Kansas 39 and Junction US 69 Business Route and Kansas 57-Franklin.

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Fort Scott American Legion Post 25 Scuttlebutt

 Upcoming Events

 

February 26. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 6:15 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.

 

February 28. Post 25 Executive Committee meets at 6 pm in Memorial Hall.

 

March 4. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 6:15 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.

 

March 4. Post 25 meet and greet at 6:30 pm in Memorial Hall. Come and enjoy the fellowship of other Veterans. Bring an eligible Veteran to visit our Post.

 

March 4. Post 25 general membership meeting at 7 pm in Memorial Hall. Our membership meetings are open to all. SAL members are strongly encouraged to attend.

 

March 5. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 6:15 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.

 

March 11. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 6:15 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.

 

March 12. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 6:15 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.

 

March 14. Post 25 Color Guard meets at 7 pm in Memorial Hall. All Post members including SAL members are invited to join our growing Color Guard.

 

March 18. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 6:15 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.

 

March 19. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 6:15 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.

 

March 23. Department of Kansas District 2 Convention at Gardner Post 19 starts at 8 am. Districts will meet in Convention for the purpose of conducting its business and electing officers for the 2019-20 membership year which begins on July 1. All Legionnaires in good standing are invited and encouraged to attend District and Department conventions.

 

March 25. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 6:15 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.

 

March 26. Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle departs Pete’s Convenience Store, 1920 South Main Street, parking lot at 6:15 am. Vets needing a ride for a medical appointment must call 785-925-0261 to schedule a seat.

 

April 1. Post 25 meet and greet at 6:30 pm in Memorial Hall. Come and enjoy the fellowship of other Veterans. Bring an eligible Veteran to visit our Post.

 

April 1. Post 25 general membership meeting at 7 pm in Memorial Hall. Our membership meetings are open to all. SAL members are strongly encouraged to attend.

 

I am pleased to announce that once again Fort Scott American Legion Thompson-Harkey Post 25 leads the Department of Kansas in membership this week. Our 2019 goal was 51 members. Our current membership is at 143% and 73 members. We are 22 members over our goal. By way of comparison, Sterling Post 128 in District 7 is in 2nd place for membership at 121%. Thanks to all members who have made Fort Scott Post 25 a highly visible and active Legion Post in the Department of Kansas.

 

Recruit a new Legion member and both you and the new member will be entered into a drawing where each of you could win $500. This new member contest runs until May. Bringing in a past member whose membership expired in 2017 or earlier would also count towards the $500 drawing. If you need recruiting brochures or membership applications, please contact me. I’ll make arrangements to deliver them to you. A copy of the membership drive rules is attached.

 

Post Service Officer Myra Jowers will no longer hold office hours on Tuesdays at Memorial Hall. She will meet with anyone, by appointment, who has questions about filing VA claims, who need a second set of eyes to review their claims or help understand VA documents they have received in the mail. Her service is free and is for anyone, Veteran or family member, who wishes to file a claim or appeal a denied claim. She can be reached at [email protected] or 620.215.1286 to schedule an appointment.

 

Fort Scott/Topeka VA Medical Center shuttle is now in operation. Currently, the shuttle is only operating on Tuesdays. As more drivers are cleared by the VA, additional days will be added to the schedule. Monday shuttle runs will start on Monday, March 4.th.

 

Any area Vet needing a ride for a medical appointment should call 785-925-0261 for more information or to reserve a seat. All Vets riding the shuttle must have medical appointments between 9 am and 1 pm and call by 5 pm the day before their appointment to schedule their ride.

 

We are moving towards starting an American Legion Riders. An organizational meeting will be scheduled in mid-March. The date and time will be based upon ALR District Officers availability. If you are interested in joining the Post 25 Riders Chapter, contact Post Commander Carl Jowers to be placed on a meeting notification list. The requirements to join the ALR are on the attached flyer.

 

Nominations for Post 25 Officers for the 2019 – 2020 Legion year will begin at our March meeting. Any Post 25 Legionnaire who is current on their dues can be nominated for any office. Please give thought to stepping up and being nominated for an office or encourage other members to step up and help guide Post 25’s growth for another year.

 

Legion merchandise can be ordered through Emblem Sales: https://emblem.legion.org/.  Contact me if ordering a Legion cap to insure your cap has the correct lettering.

 

 

Remember to check out Post 25 on Facebook. It contains current information pertaining to Veterans and their families.

 

American Legion Fort Scott Post 25 American Legion Riders 022219

Carl Jowers. Commander

Telephone: 620.215.1688

Alabama Residents are Invited to Tumbleweed Music Festival for Free

Governor Laura Kelly: Alabama Residents are Invited to Tumbleweed Music Festival for Free

 

Topeka, Kan. – Governor Laura Kelly announced details today of a new and entertaining musical opportunity for residents of Kansas and Alabama.

Working with assistance from the Kansas Department of Commerce, Governor Kelly announced today that residents of the state of Alabama are invited to attend the Tumbleweed Music Festival in Kansas for free, thanks to an offer from the festival’s promoter.

 

The festival will take place from May 30th through June 1st in La Cygne, KS. Every citizen of the state of Alabama is eligible to receive a three-day General Admission pass to the festival at no charge.

 

“I want to thank Alabama Governor Kay Ivey for the ability to share this Kansas experience with the residents of Alabama,” Governor Kelly said. “I hope this marks the beginning of a long-term relationship between our two beautiful states.”

In 2019, the Tumbleweed Music Festival will be headlined by the band Alabama. Other acts performing will include The Marshall Tucker Band, Blackberry Smoke, Whiskey Myers and many more.

 

Any Alabaman wishing to register can go to this site to claim their free pass: http://www.TumbleweedCountry.com/Alabama

 

Tumbleweed Festival Lineup Announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHnm0TOvtUE

 

Beacon Will Provide Evening Hours

 

From left: Gary Murrell, Director and David Gillen, Food Packaging Specialist at the Beacon, 525 E. Sixth.

The Beacon has a multi-decade history in Fort Scott as a helping agency to those with limited resources.

“The Beacon has just completed 33 years as a food pantry,” said Carol MacArthur, president of the Beacon Board of Directors. “We are working toward making Beacon’s services more available to clients, and this includes trying some methods not done previously.”

This includes the agency becoming more consumer-friendly by adding evening hours on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, starting March 12.

“On March 12, The Beacon will adapt its hours in order to become more “user-friendly” to Bourbon County residents,” MacArthur said.

“Since a number of individuals have expressed a need for evening hours, the Beacon staff will open for full service twice a month between 4:30 and 7 p.m.,” she said.

“We’ll be closed the Tuesday we are open in the evening,” said Garry Murrell, the director of the Beacon.

Murrell will be available to provide service and assistance as he does during day-time hours.

The Beacon provides a food pantry for the community.

“Basic needs for the family,” Murrell said. “Canned goods, rice, beans, potatoes, (the food) varies.”

“We have a limited amount of meat, which we give until we don’t have anymore,” he said.

Individuals, churches, businesses and others donate food throughout the year.

“We have a lot of food drives to help us,” Murrell said.

From left: David Gillen, Food Packaging Specialist and Sharon Farmer, Front Desk Receptionist at the Beacon.

The Beacon also provides financial assistance, if the person qualifies, for utility bills, and occasionally rent and prescription assistance.

“If we have the funds, we can help,” Murrell said. “If we don’t we can’t.”

The new evening hours will be offered on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month.

March 12th and 26th

April 9th and 23rd

May 14th and 28th.

To contact the Beacon, please call 223-6869.

Prairie Troubadour: Feb. 22-23

The Prairie Troubadour Symposium is nigh upon us!

Rejuvenate your weary soul with a much-needed weekend of mirth and friendship.

Program at a glance:

  • Dates are Feb. 22nd (evening) & 23rd (full day), 2019
  • This year’s theme is Reason for Faith: Reflections on Particles and the Paraclete.  Discussions will range from evolution and the New Atheists to the role of science in education and the work of Fr. Stanley Jaki.
  • Dale Ahlquist, David Whalen, Stacy Trasancos, William Fahey and Kevin O’Brien fill-out yet another all-star cast of presenters.
  • A slightly less frenetic schedule this year allowing for more time to catch up with friends and browse 8th Day Books’ magnificent bookstore.
  • A great opportunity to get to know the students, faculty, families and growing community of Saint Martin’s Academy and tour campus!
Click here for full details and to register.

“Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so.
Benedicamus Domino!”

– Hilaire Belloc

Veterans Shuttle On Mondays and Tuesdays Starting March 4

The Fort Scott – Topeka VA Shuttle service is now providing weekly service to area Veterans on Mondays and Tuesdays. The new schedule starts Monday, March 4, 2019.

There is no cost to the Veteran to ride the shuttle. The shuttle service is for any Veteran who needs transportation to Topeka for their medical appointment.

The VA shuttle holds five passengers and riders must preregister for a seat. Seats on the shuttle are open to any area Veteran on a first come, first served basis.

The shuttle will depart from Pete’s 66 service station on Main Street at 6:15 am and will return to Fort Scott after the last rider has completed their appointment in Topeka.

The rider must be at the designated departure point by 6:10 am. This is not a pickup or taxi service. The Veteran is responsible for being at Pete’s by the departure time.

The shuttle does not accommodate wheelchairs or pets. Only certified service dogs are permitted on the shuttle. Oxygen tanks are not permitted on the shuttle. Oxygen concentrators are allowed.

Family members may not ride with the Veteran on the shuttle. Those Veterans who need a caregiver to accompany them must have a signed note from their doctor attesting that the Veteran requires a caregiver to accompany them to and from their appointment.

To register for a shuttle seat, the Veteran must

·         Have an appointment at the Topeka VA Medical Center between 9 am and 1 pm for the day they schedule their shuttle seat.

·         Call 785-925-0261 to schedule their seat. All seat reservations must be scheduled by 5 pm, the day prior to their appointment in Topeka.

Contact Carl Jowers, Fort Scott Shuttle Coordinator, at 785-925-0261 with any questions you may have about the shuttle service or for information on becoming a shuttle driver.

WW II “Rosie the Riveter” Kansas Women Honored

AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY NOTIFIED OF GOVERNOR’S PROCLAMATION

The Kansas American Legion Auxiliary will honor nearly 120 heroic Kansas women who earned the moniker of Rosie the Riveter. These women answered the call to work on assembly lines, in shipyards, airplane factories, and other institutions in support of World War II’s military operations. “The Auxiliary wants to recognize its Kansas Rosies for their inspiring patriotism and service to Kansas and the United States,” Auxiliary President Karen Hasting said. “The Auxiliary will honor its known Rosie the Riveters during the American Legion’s Mid-winter Forum in Dodge City on February 1, 2019.

Auxiliary Vice-president Paula Sellens spearheaded the effort to organize a Roses for Rosies Ceremony. “I was hopeful that Governor Laura Kelly would support our event,” Sellens said. “The Legion Press Committee sent a request for a proclamation and described how patriotic the Rosies were. I received the Governor’s Proclamation today. I’m thrilled! The proclamation will be made a part of the ceremony!”

 

Fort Scott National Historic Site Opens Sunday

Statement from FSNHS on the Resumption of Full Operations

With the enactment of the continuing resolution, staff at Fort Scott National Historic Site will have begun the process of resuming normal operations today, and anticipate all regular operations by tomorrow, Sunday, January 27, 2019.

Please visit www.nps.gov/fosc for updated information about the park.

Fort Scott National Historic Site employees are happy to be back at work, serving the American people and welcoming visitors to their national parks.

“We anticipate all regular operations by tomorrow, Sunday, January 27,”  said Carl Brenner, Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management.

KU Professor Kevin Willmott Nominated For 2019 Academy Award

“Our 2016 Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award winner Kevin Willmott, who is KU Professor and filmmaker, is being nominated for an Academy Award for the movie ‘BlacKkKlansman’,” said Kirk Sharp with the Gordon Parks Museum.  “He co-wrote it with Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel and David Rabinowitz.

The Academy Award nomination is for best adapted screenplay for Willmott’s work on “BlacKkKlansman.”

On Tuesday, the film received six nominations which also include best picture, as well as director (Spike Lee), supporting actor (Adam Driver), original score (Terence Blanchard) and editing (Barry Alexander Brown).

BlacKkKlansman is based on the real-life story of Ron Stallworth, the first African-American police officer in Colorado Springs, who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the late 1970s.

To learn more click on these links:

https://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/movies-news-reviews/article224897260.html

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/oscar-nominations-2019-complete-list-nominees-1172407/item/best-picture-1172473

Kansas Female Veterans Sought

The United States was plunged into World War II on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese Imperial Navy bombed Pearl Harbor. Thousands of Kansas patriots were among the millions who left their civilian jobs and joined the military in response to a presidential call to arms.

Heroic Kansas women were among those sixteen million females who answered the call to work on assembly lines, farms, in shipyards, airplane factories, and other institutions in support of the military overseas.

Rosie the Riveter became the iconic image of World War II’s working women. She was the star of a campaign to recruit females to work in defense industries. American Legion Auxiliary President Karen Hasting announced an initiative to honor their service and share their stories with future generations of Americans.

“The Auxiliary wants to recognize its Kansas Rosies for their inspiring patriotism and service to Kansas and the United States,” Hasting said. “The Department of Kansas American Legion Auxiliary will honor its known Rosie the Riveters during the American Legion’s Mid-winter Forum.

Auxiliary Vice-president Paula Sellens is spearheading the effort to identify Rosies.

“The Auxiliary is issuing a call for Rosies,” Sellens said. “Our known Rosies will be honored in a ceremony in Dodge City, Kansas on February 1, 2019. We’re asking that everyone that knows of a Kansas Rosie, living or deceased, to call me at 620-255-9339 or send information by email to: [email protected].”