Category Archives: Area News

Teen Activities At The Library

The Fort Scott Public LibraryTeen Advisory Group will continue meeting on Wednesdays, and each week is different but on a rotating monthly schedule.
For the upcoming two months, this is the current lineup:
September 5 at 4:15 p.m.Teen Community Service Night
September 12 at 4:15 p.m.: Teen Craft Night
September 19 at 4 – 6 p.m.Teen Games & Snacks Night
September 26 at 4:15 p.m.: American Idiots Teen Book Club at Common Ground Coffee Co.
October 3 at 4:15 p.m.: Teen Community Service Night
October 10 at 4:15 p.m.: Teen Craft Night
October 17 at 4 – 6 p.m.Teen Games & Snacks Night
October 24 at 4:15 p.m.: American Idiots Teen Book Club at Common Ground Coffee Co.
October 31 at 4:15 p.m.: Teen Halloween Party

Library Puts in Motion Fall Activities

Beginning in September, Fort Scott Public Library will offer two new monthly programs to local families: Marvelous Mondays and Maker Mondays.
Marvelous Monday is a family program for all ages, with the primary goal of serving local homeschool families by offering educational activities, special guest speakers, and collaborative projects. The first meeting will be held on September 10, 2 – 3 p.m. in the library event room. The theme will be a Back to Homeschool party with special guest speakers, retired educator Yvonne Holloway and local author Cathy Werling. Attendees will be invited to join a chat group and to offer their ideas and suggestions for future program themes.
Maker Monday is a S.T.E.A.M. program, focused on offering school-aged children opportunities to unleash their creativity, make unique projects, and learn new skills. All ages are welcome to attend, but children 2nd grade and below must have an adult with them at all times. At our first Maker Monday on September 24, 4 – 5 p.m., we will create book art from the pages of old books, enjoy snacks and bottled water (attendees are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks as well), add stickers to our sticker mosaic poster, and discuss ideas for future programs.
Library programs are offered free of charge. If you would like to volunteer or donate snacks or supplies, please contact Miss Val at [email protected], call 223-2882, or visit the library. Follow Fort Scott Public Library on Facebook or visit our website at fortscott.mykansaslibrary.org to view upcoming events.”

Flags at Half-Staff For Senator John McCain

Governor Jeff Colyer orders flags flown at half-staff

Monday, August 27 in honor of Senator John McCain

 

Topeka – In accordance with Executive Order 10-12, Governor Jeff Colyer has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from sun up to sun down Monday, August 27th. in honor of United States Senator John McCain, who passed away Saturday, August 25th.

 

“Senator McCain will long be remembered for his years of dedicated service to our nation,” said Gov. Colyer, “He displayed great courage and strength in the way he lived his life. We are grateful to him for his devotion to this country and send our deepest condolences to his family as they grieve his passing.”

To receive email alerts when the Governor orders flags to half-staff, please visit http://governor.ks.gov/subscribe-to-flag-honors.

 

Mary Jo Harper Directs Youth Chorale: Invites Local 4-6th Graders

Pittsburg Youth Chorale Fall Enrollment Open

Area singers in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade are invited to join Pittsburg Youth Chorale through Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center. Participants do not need to be enrolled in USD 250 to belong to this ensemble.

Pittsburg Youth Chorale is under the direction of Mary Jp Harper, Music Teacher at Eugene Ware Elementary in Fort Scott, KS. The purpose of this vocal ensemble is to further grow vocal abilities, musical knowledge, and choral repertoire. Participants will have the opportunity to perform at community events as well as on the Memorial stage.

Rehearsals are Tuesdays from 5PM-6PM at Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center, 503 N. Pine, Pittsburg, KS. Rehearsals begin September 4th. There is a fee of $60 per session (Sept 4-Dec 11). To enroll, visit Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, or call 620-231-7827, deadline September 4th.

FSCC Expo Showcases Local Businesses By Briana Blandamer

FSCC students Ally McKenzie and Kristen Davis receive a handout from Pizza Hut employee, Krista Johnson.

On Wednesday, August 22,  Fort Scott Community College hosted a Business Expo showcasing local Fort Scott businesses, giving the students a look at what this town has to offer.

The businesses included this year were Pizza Hut, Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene, US Cellular, KKOW Radio, Mercy Hospital, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, The Shirt Shack, The Tannery, Safehouse, KOMB Radio, Family Video, Advanced America, Medicalodge, Paparazzi, Common Ground Coffee Shop, Hartman Chiropractic, the U.S. Army, Community Christian Church, Briggs Automall, and Trinity Lutheran Church.

The students were given a slip of paper to collect ten signatures from ten different booths to be entered into a drawing for a free laptop and a set of Bluetooth headphones, which were provided by the college.

The winner of the laptop was Samantha Stumfoll and the headphones were awarded to Audrey Whetzell.

During this expo, FortScott.Biz Intern Briana Blandamer interviewed 2008 Fort Scott High School graduate, Dr. Grant Hartman, owner of Hartman Spine & Joint.

Dr. Hartman has been running his clinic in Fort Scott for three years, offering general chiropractic services as well as tending to sports injuries and offering rehabilitation services. Some of the other services he offers include acupuncture and soft tissue therapy.

Dr. Hartman in front of his booth at FSCC Business Expo.

The Tannery also had a booth during the FSCC business expo, ran by Jenna Kakas. The Tannery has a student discount offering a Buy 2 Tans, Get the 3rd for $1.

Jenna said, “Come to see me at The Tannery, Monday through Friday 11 a.m. -6 p.m. to get your glow on!”

Jenna Kakas with The Tannery booth giving away Chapstick and entering students into a drawing for goodie baskets.
FSCC President Alysia Johnston is pictured with Shirt Shack owner, Billy Webster.
The TRIO program gave out the student-business signature papers, entered students into the drawing and also had signups to Escape the Fort! Trenton Allison helped run this booth.

 

Briana Blandamer is the FortScott.Biz intern whose focus is Fort Scott Community College. To give news ideas send to [email protected].

 

Kansas Aquatic Biodiversity Center Opens at Farlington Lake

Aquatic Wildlife Propagation Center Opens

 

Farlington The future for some of Kansas’ most imperiled aquatic species got brighter Thursday, August 16, with the grand opening of the Kansas Aquatic Biodiversity Center (KABC) at the Farlington Fish Hatchery in southeast Kansas. More than 60 people attended the opening ceremony for the facility, which culminated more than 10 years of planning and work.

 

The KABC is operated by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT). It is part of a program to propagate imperiled aquatic wildlife for reintroduction into areas where they have had serious population declines due to human activities and other factors. It will also be a holding facility for animals in immediate peril due to a decline in the quality of their habitat. In the next few months, KABC staff will work to propagate common, non-imperiled animals to develop procedures and get the rearing systems up and running. Once the systems are ready, KABC staff will begin propagating a few select species that have been determined by KDWPT to be important to restoring existing populations.

 

Robin Jennison, KDWPT Secretary, told a crowd at the event the facility could have a quick impact by raising and releasing aquatic animals currently on a threatened or endangered species list. Jennison said the center will play a huge role in the recovery of species in future disaster areas, such as where a chemical spill has impacted miles of a particular stream. As well as a place to take survivors of the disaster, the center could also propagate replacement animals far faster than the species could reproduce naturally. KABC will also participate in research projects pertaining to such aquatic animals.

 

Dan Mosier, KABC manager, said building the facility required the collaboration of various state and federal agencies. KDWPT, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) contributed to the $853,000 construction cost. KDHE provided more than half, largely with funds collected from mitigation agreements with corporations responsible for past ecological disasters. Such funding will help support the center in the future, too.

 

“KDHE is proud to partner with the KDWPT on this crucial aquatic biodiversity facility. This facility will allow for critical research and production work with species that are in need of conservation,” said Leo Henning, KDHE director of the division of environment.

 

Mosier said KABC is currently working on a research project concerning alligator snapping turtles with a Missouri university.

 

The Farlington Fish Hatchery is located at 101 Hatchery Rd., Farlington, which is below the Crawford State Fishing Lake Dam in Crawford County. The KABC will not be open to the public, but tours may be given by prior arrangement by calling 620-362-4166.

 

Manufacturing Summit coming to Wichita

 

TOPEKA – Wichita is the site of the second annual Kansas Manufacturing Summit, a forum providing those in the manufacturing sector the opportunity to network, learn about business match options, and gain insight into workforce development. The event will be held September 18 at the National Center for Aviation Training in Wichita.

The Kansas Manufacturing Summit, hosted by Kansas Department of Commerce and Kansas Chamber of Commerce’s Manufacturing Council, in conjunction with Wichita State University, will cover a range of topics aimed at improving business operations and productivity with Kansas manufacturers.

Conference sessions include:

  • Emerging (3D) Technologies
  • Automation and Additive Manufacturing
  • Sustainability and Efficiencies in Manufacturing Workforce
  • Workforce Development and Integration
  • Block Chain Management
  • Cyber Security
  • Digital Transformation

 

“A highlight of this year’s conference will be a panel discussion giving manufacturers insights and opportunities available to help grow and develop the workforce,” said Susan NeuPoth Cadoret, Director of Business Development at the Kansas Department of Commerce.

The cost to register for the Summit is $35 through August 28, after which the cost will increase to $50. Guests will be able to attend the reception held at the end of the Summit for only $20. Registration can be completed online at KansasCommerce.gov/manufacturingsummit. The website will also include the full conference schedule, speaker biographies and hotel information as they become available.

 

Leadership, Exploration and Development: Lead Bourbon County Sign Up

NOW TAKING REGISTRATIONS!


What is LEAD Bourbon County?

A program designed to develop and engage the leadership skills of potential and current leaders through exposing participants to diverse aspects of our local community. The program includes 9-sessions that run from September to May. Sessions are the second Thursday of the month (8am to 3:30pm) and held at various locations throughout Bourbon County, with Mercy Hospital as the main site.

Who should participate?

LEAD Bourbon County is open to all community members, all ages, all positions.  A company may sponsor one or more employees to participate, or a person may register individually on their own.
(Cost is $325 plus $50 materials fee per registrant,
includes lunch at each session, graduation, and any other expenses.)

What should participants expect?

The sessions held on the 2nd Thursday of each month begin with the class attending the weekly Chamber Coffee at a local business at 8am, then convening at Mercy Hospital for a morning session following the curriculum of the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC), A guest speaker will be featured at each afternoon session which will often include a tour of a business or community attraction to exemplify leadership in action.

Robert Uhler and Deborah Needleman are co-facilitators of the program.

KLC’s principles include that anyone can lead anytime, anywhere.  Leadership is not a position, it is an action.

Click here for more information and to download the printable registration form.

Registrations are requested by Friday, August 24th.
The first session will be September 13th.

Trailblazers: Discovery and Exploration

Thursday morning Trailblazers practice a play to be performed for their parents, on Friday. The Fort Scott National Historic Site Youth Engagement Team helped with the program.

The Fort Scott National Historic Site’s Trailblazer Program ends August 10.

During this workshop, children were introduced to the National Park Service mission of caring for the nation’s natural and cultural heritage, according to the Fort Scott National Historic Site website: https://www.nps.gov/fosc/learn/news/trailblazercamp.htm

They searched for treasure in a mock archaeological dig, explored the prairie, and discovered methods used to preserve the buildings and artifacts of the fort. The students engaged in living history, learned flag protocol and worked on a play that they will present at the end of the week.  Also, there were green activities that taught children how to use resources wisely.

Fort Scott National Historic Site Ranger Ryan O’Connell takes a photo of the Trailblazer Camp participants Thursday morning. From left: Kaylee, Ana, Jordan, Jubilee, James, Nate, Timothy, Jude, Aiden, and Althea.

Ridding of Propane

Passersby on Hwy. 69 might have noticed a flame near the intersection of the highway with Calvary Road, south of Fort Scott.

Not to worry.

“They are flaring off what is left in a propane tank, in order to repair the tank,” said Linda of Specialized Piping and Equipment, Leon, KS.

SPE works for other companies and was hired to empty the tank completely for repair, she said.

New Ranger Wants the Opportunities of The Fort To Be Known

Carl Brenner, new Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management at Fort Scott National Historic Site, started July 22.

The new Fort Scott National Historic Site Ranger has been around.

From Shenandoah National Park, VA to Grand Canyon National Park, AZ to Pinnacles National Monument, Yosemite National Park, Golden Gate National Park-all in California to Lake Meredith National Recreation Area in the Texas  Panhandle, Carl Brenner has been all across America.

As of July 22,  Brenner is the new Supervisory Ranger and Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management at FSNHS.

“I came to Fort Scott to continue my journey,” Brenner said. “I grew up in St. Louis, MO. I love the history close to home.”

Brenner is ready to become a part of Fort Scott.

“I’m ready to begin engaging with the community-schools, hospital, veterans, all civic organizations here in town,” he said. “And reaching out to other communities to bring them here.”

He wants to tell the story of the fort and its opportunities.

Brenner has a passion for the National Park Service.

“The park service story is the story of America,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to share that story.”

“Growing up I never realized you could have a job in the park service,” Brenner said. “Learning about nature and the cultures, being able to share them can be a career.”

That’s what his father, John Brenner, taught him, which inspired him. His first supervisor, Barb Stewart,  also ” instilled the values of what the park service is and the possibilities that exist.”

The N.P.S became his family, he said.

His personal family is a wife, Maggie, who is still packing up their belongings in Texas, and his dogs, a German Shepherd and a Golden Retriever.

Brenner has been welcomed by the community, he said, and he is impressed with the number of activities that go on in town.

He will have to coordinate with all the activities to “have people come and enjoy the fort,” he said.

This week is Trailblazer Week at the fort.

Brenner believes this is an exposure to the fort and a pathway into a career for youth.

“I’d like to start doing that with schools, the curriculum at the schools,” he said. “Try to build pathways for people to learn about resources  and opportunities with the park service.”

 

 

Pump Trails Ready To Try Out

Shane Walker, Fred Pather, Olivia Walker and Deven Coulter at the Gunn Park Pump Track Sunday morning.

Something new has been added to Fort Scott’s biggest park.

With no sign to designate the spot, it looks like piles of dirt on the south side of Park Avenue, just before entry to Gunn Park.

“It’s kind of evolving,” Fred Prather, one of the designers of the track said. “It needs bikes to pack it down.”

Prather, Shane Walker, and Frank Halsey started physical work on the new Gunn Park Trails Pump Track about four months ago.

“We’ve had the vision of a pump track since the land purchase,” Prather said. ” We wanted someplace to set up for the kids that was easy to access and spectator friendly. “

“The project was started last year, as a result of a grant from Timken (a local company), allowing for the purchase of the property,” said Frank Halsey.

Mid-Contenintal Restoration donated the dirt and the City of Fort Scott brought the dirt in.

Then the workers began piling into small hills with which to hone biking skills.

So, what is pump track racing?

 “Pump track translates from the rider pumping the bike with his arm and legs to maintain and even create momentum,” Prather said.

Olivia Walker rides on the pump track Sunday morning, Deven Coulter is in the background.

To create the local Gunn Park Pump Track, Prather did his homework.

” For research I rode every pump, BMX and slopestyle course I could find in a 4-hour driving distance….well, there really isn’t that many, so it seemed like a perfect addition to our trail system, Gunn Park Trails, to draw in more riders.”

” It is loosely styled for BMX riding which stands for bicycle motocross, so when finished it will be wide enough to run 2-3 riders at a time in a head- to- head race.”

“I grew up riding BMX and ride mountain bikes now and I am involved with Gunn Park Trails and other bike projects in town,” Walker said.

“It is open to ride,” Walker said, “but we still have finish work to get done.”

“We will do improvements and additions to only increase the fun,” Prather said. “Things like adding obstacles called ‘skinnies’ to open areas where you can try riding along something 4-10 inches wide for a length of 10 foot, etc.”

 ” We also plan to construct ‘drop zones’  of progressing heights, where you effectively ride off a ramp to flat ground,” Prather said.  “These are skills we commonly use on a mountain bike trail.  It will be a place where it’s nice and open and you can practice and perfect technique. This not only improves your riding ability faster, it is also safer.”

There is a beginner course on the far south side of the property.

Eventually, there will be a sign with safety rules and “possible billboards behind the hills,” Prather said. “And grass will be sown on the side of the hills.” He also envisions bleachers for spectators.

” I’ve been involved with Gunn Park Trails since the beginning,” Prather said.  “When you can get kids participating and excited about a project it’s a win, they tell their friends and family.”

“We started to feel a need for BMX style riding and to allow mountain bikers access to a pump track which is an activity becoming increasingly popular,” Shane Walker said.