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Category Archives: Entertainment
COVID 19 Relief Legislation Passed
Marshall Issues Statement on COVID Relief Legislation Passed on Dec. 21
WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D. issued the following statement and details on the new COVID relief legislation.
“Millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses are being distributed and administered, bringing the hope and possibility of widespread immunity by mid-March. However, our nation still needs a bridge to help us to the spring. With that in mind, I’m supporting the $900 billion COVID relief bill. Since the summer, Republicans have called for a targeted relief package that prioritizes refunding the Paycheck Protection Program, funding for vaccine distribution, additional support for unemployed Americans and resources to allow our children to safely return to the classroom. This relief legislation delivers on all of those priorities and leaves out the unnecessary funding for cities and states and socialist priorities of the left.
This bill repurposes more than $500 billion in unused CARES Act funds to help hardworking Kansans make it through these next winter months. By reopening the highly successful Paycheck Protection Program, which saved more than 500,000 Kansas jobs this year, we will ensure that assistance is again available to struggling small businesses and improvement are made to address issues raised by lenders and business owners.
Families will receive another stimulus check, and federal unemployment benefits have been extended for both full-time and contract workers. Finally, this legislation includes essential funding for the continued manufacturing and distribution of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. This package not only will help families, small businesses, and communities still struggling with the impacts of COVID-19, but it also gives us the tools we need to defeat this virus.”
The COVID Relief bill does the following:
- Adds $280 billion to the Paycheck Protection Program to support small and mid-size businesses impacted by COVID-19, allowing them to retain employees and keep their door open
- Gives businesses with 300 employees or less experiencing severe revenue reductions an opportunity to apply for a second PPP loan
- Includes 501(c)(6) organizations but excludes unions from PPP eligibility
- $15 billion in funding for entertainment venues, movie theaters, and museums that are experiencing significant revenue loss
- Codifies federal rules that ensure churches and faith-based organizations are eligible for PPP loans
- Makes expenses businesses covered with funds from the Paycheck Protection Program tax deductible
- Provides $68 billion to ensure continued manufacturing and distribution of safe, effective COVID-19 doses to all Americans, regardless of their ability to pay
- Delivers $600 in direct payments to both adults and children, with reduced payments for high-earning families
- Provides $300 per week federal unemployment benefits until March 14, 2021, to help those still struggling to reenter the workforce
- Extends and phases-out Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which is a temporary federal program covering self-employed and gig workers, to March 14 (after which no new applicants) through April 5, 2021
- Sets aside $13 billion for the USDA to continue support of farmers, ranchers and the biofuels industry
- Provides $82 billion in funding for schools and universities to assist with reopening for in-person learning that also includes $2.75 billion in designated funds for private K through 12 education
- Extends the deadlines for states and cities to use CARES Act funds by one year
- Provides $25 billion in temporary and targeted rental assistance for individuals who lost their source of income during the pandemic
- Extends the eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021
- Allocates $7 billion in broadband funding that includes funding to build out rural networks and telehealth
“As a physician I often tried to share a message of hope to patients facing a tough diagnosis,” said Rep. Marshall “Over the past 11 months, I’ve learned even more about how important hope is to all of us. With the vaccines being distributed and given, and now this next phase of COVID relief, I believe hope is visibly there for all Kansans. This Christmas season, I encourage those of us with more than enough to reach out to our neighbors who might benefit from some encouragement and a message of hope.”
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Christmas Eve with Santa and Friends Dec. 24
Christmas Eve with Santa and Friends !!
It’s at 806 S. Barbee Fort Scott, Thursday, Dec. 24th starting at 5 pm until the hosts run out of cocoa !!
It’s hosted by John Willis and Travis and Jennifer Sawyer.
The public is invited for hot cocoa and cookies which is Sponsored by Sawyer Automotive.
Prom for People with Special Needs
Submitted by
Michelle Hudiburg and Clayton Whitson,
fsnighttoshine@gmail.com
Fort Scott Nazarene to Host Night to Shine Prom for People with Special Needs
Sponsored by Tim Tebow Foundation
FORT SCOTT, KS, The Tim Tebow Foundation’s NIGHT TO SHINE, hosted in Fort Scott Kansas is holding a raffle to raise funds to help make this year’s Night to Shine unforgettable. It is a 50/50
raffle.
Proceeds from the ticket sales will go into a pot, 50% will go to Night to Shine and one winner will win the other 50%.
Last reports put that pot at over $400. You can purchase tickets in FORT SCOTT at Common
Ground Coffee or Five Corners anytime or Nazarene Church THIS Saturday from 10-1.
In NEVADA, you can purchase tickets at Verco / Davidson Shoes or Western Finance.
The winner will be drawn on DECEMBER 14th, 2020
.
We are still looking for Honored Guests, Volunteers, and Corporate sponsors. To register or for more information you can email: fsnighttoshine@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page:
facebook.com/fsnighttoshine
Please like and share the Fort Scott Night to Shine Facebook page for the most up to date information.
********
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For 2021, due to the global circumstances of COVID-19, the Foundation has chosen to provide Night to Shine as a virtual event in 2021.
We feel that the best way to honor and love our guests is
to forego in-person proms in order to keep them as safe as possible. We are incredibly disappointed that we are not able to celebrate each amazing king and queen in person this year,
but we are committed to throwing one spectacular, safe, virtual celebration in their honor .
While this year’s event will be virtual, Fort Scott Nazarene and partners are anticipating hosting this event for years to come. This is just the beginning for Night to Shine in our community and
surrounding areas AND we are looking for sponsors to ensure a high-quality, high-impact evening for our honored guests. If you are interested in sponsoring, please visit our website or email
fsnighttoshine@gmail.com .
An event of this magnitude requires an army of volunteers to make it successful. The Night to Shine Steering Team is actively seeking people to help make this celebration a reality. Register to
be a volunteer by using the provided link (you must be at least 16 years old to volunteer).
Volunteer Registration: https://forms.gle/7HFfz8KwqxcZ5RMt8
For additional information on the Night to Shine hosted by Fort Scott Nazarene, please visit our site or find us on Facebook. These will be the best sources of information as we approach Night to
Shine.
https://fsnighttoshine.wixsite.com/
https://www.facebook.com/FSNightToShine
For more information on the worldwide movement of Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, visit: http://www.timtebowfoundation.org/index.php/night-to-shine/
ABOUT TIM TEBOW FOUNDATION
The Tim Tebow Foundation exists to bring Faith, Hope and Love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. This mission is being fulfilled every day through outreach in the fields of
Orphan Care + Prevention, Special Needs and Children with Profound Medical Needs. To learn more about how the Tim Tebow Foundation is serving children and sharing God’s love by fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves, visit www.timtebowfoundation.org .
Virtual Fort Scott National Historic Site Candlelight Tour, Dec. 4
The COVID-19 Pandemic has affected many local events, but one annual event, the Fort Scott National Historic Site Candlelight Tour has created an online opportunity for the community to enjoy.
“Last spring we began expanding park programming by creating virtual opportunities for visitors including online programs/events and virtual visits,” Carl Brenner, FSNHS Program Manager for Interpretation and Resource Management, said. “As we moved into the fall and began planning for the 39th annual Candlelight Tour, we understand that not everyone is ready to travel. We want to have alternative opportunities and provide an event that was safe and available to those who have traditionally participated and for those who are unable to travel to the park. We hope everyone enjoys our virtual rendition of the Fort Scott Candlelight Tour, Friday, December 4, 2020, at 7 pm on the park’s web page (www.nps.gov/fosc).”
Brenner described the six vignettes that comprise the tour.
- Scene 1-Hospital – Health and Care of the Soldiers. This scene is a depiction of healthcare and hospital conditions on the frontier. Actors in this scene are Skip Thomas and Reed Hartford, with a depiction of sick patients by Aiden Mann and Daxson Ruggero
- Scene 2- Stables – Health and Care of the Horses. Horses were one of the most important tools of the Dragoon soldier. Sometimes horses were treated better than the soldiers. Actors are Brett Dawson, Jericho Jones, and Jesse Dineen.
- Scene 3- Mess Hall – Lifestyle, Comfort, Camaraderie. Enlisted soldiers had a less formal or private life. They ate, slept, and worked in crowded conditions. Actors are Wayne, Dee, and Barrett Young.
- Scene 4-Officers’ Quarters – Lifestyle, Wealth, Comfort. With greater responsibility came greater space, freedoms, and comfort. Actors are George and Diane Bernheimer.
Scene 6: a depiction of the officers quarters at Fort Scott. Submitted photos. - Scene 5- Quartermaster Storehouse – Supplies, Preparedness, struggles. The Quartermaster, and his staff, kept all aspects of the fort running. They also knew what was really happening on the post. Actors are Barry Geertsen and Frankie Ruggero.
- Scene 6-Guardhouse – Discipline, Law and Order, Punishment. To ensure their soldiers were ready for whatever task they were assigned, discipline was a frequently used motivational tool on the frontier. Actors are Lucas Leininger and Casey Gomez.
The scenes and their introductions are being filmed by Barry Geertsen, Laura Abbott, and Abby Schauer from the park staff.
Brenner gave a little background of how the pandemic is affecting the NPS and Fort Scott in particular.
“We, like many Park Service sites, have experienced a reduction in visitation,” he said. ” We have taken this time to reach out to a broader audience. We continue to develop virtual opportunities for visitors and content for teachers to engage their students. Two such projects include: working with educators to develop curriculum around the Missouri Compromise; and to engage students to research and develop videos around African American heroes from the Fort Scott area.”
The park staff has increased their online presence during the pandemic, Brenner said.
“Sharing park stories through Facebook and Instagram is not new,” he said. “However, we have been increasing these opportunities to share more of the park’s stories and connect with a broader audience.”
FS Public Library Holiday Countdown Dec. 1-15
Celebrate the Holiday Season with Miss Val and your friends at Fort Scott Public Library by participating in the 15-Day Holiday Countdown!
From December 1-15, visit the Library’s Facebook page between 7 am and 11:59 pm to view a special daily video by Miss Val. Each video will feature one or more unique stories, songs, crafts, or activities the family can enjoy together. Families that post a photo or video of their child(ren) enjoying the activity or of the finished project will earn a small prize to go in their holiday prize bag. If they’d rather, parents may send the photos or videos directly to Miss Val at vcyouthlib@gmail.com. All photos and videos must be submitted by 11:59 pm on December 15 in order to be eligible. Miss Val will compile the treat bags, contact participating families, and hand the bags out through the library’s curbside service from December 17-19.
Happy Holidays from your FSPL Staff !
Christmas Parade Tonight At 6 p.m.
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BIGFOOT LEARNS ABOUT CHRISTMAS IN FSCC VIDEO PLAY
Bigfoot is back bigger than life at Fort Scott Community College during the theatre department’s filmed presentation of “A Very Hairy Christmas,” an original children’s play by Allen Twitchell, theater instructor.
The 25-minute video play is set to begin streaming Dec. 4 on the FSCC Theatre Facebook page and on the college’s web page at fortscott.edu.
“In true ‘Star Wars’ fashion, this play is actually a prequel to last year’s ‘Santa Claws is Coming to Town’ and the previous year’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is Bigfoot’s Teeth,” Twitchell said. “This time around, Bigfoot is discovered by a group of children and seeks their help to learn about Christmas. Of course, there is a bad guy, Darth Hunter; a chase scene; a couple of slow-witted henchmen; and a few holiday songs.”
Candy canes, courtesy of Walmart of Fort Scott, were distributed to school district students last week as part of the video’s promotional campaign.
The cast features: Dawson Ellington, freshman from Powder Springs, Ga., as Bigfoot; Abby Sweat, sophomore from Pleasanton, as Ben; Grace Springer, freshman from Mound City, as Jordan; Jacquie Hampton, freshman from Redfield, as Grace; Colleen Sweat, freshman from Pleasanton, as Darth Hunter; Kaleb Morrow, sophomore from Fort Scott, as Dim; Mickey Donahue, sophomore from Fort Scott, as Dimmer; Trenton Ward, freshman from Kansas City, Mo., as Ace Reporter; Carlee Studyvin, freshman from Fort Scott, as Reporter No. 2; Kiera Threlfall, freshman from Frontenac, as Reporter No. 3; Isabella Loyd, sophomore from Fort Scott, as Reporter No. 4; and Mackenzie Peoples, freshman from Fort Scott, as Reporter No. 5.
The cinematographer/camera operator is Jared Wheeler, FSCC’s instructor of public speaking, while James Beltz, music instructor for the Pleasanton school district, served as musical director.
“Certainly, the times are challenging, and staying safe is the priority, but we wanted to keep our theater department as active as possible,” said Twitchell. “Also, this format allows us to maintain our tradition of giving the gift of theater to the community for Christmas.”
Free Entrance to Kansas State Parks on Black Friday
PRATT – Swap the shopping centers for scenic views this Black Friday, as Kansas state parks will once again waive entrance fees as part of the nationwide #OptOutside initiative. All 28 of Kansas’ state parks are participating in an effort to get families and friends outdoors and enjoying nature.
On Friday, Nov. 27, state park visitors will have a chance to win a free night’s stay in a Kansas state park cabin of their choice. To enter, visitors must simply take a selfie within the park and share it on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the tags #OptOutside and #MyKsStatePark.
#OptOutside is the brainchild of outdoor retail giant REI, who in 2015 decided to close all 150-plus stores for a day and pay more than 13,000 employees to spend the day outside. It’s become a valued annual event for REI, state parks across America and the millions of people who’ve taken the day to grab some fresh air.
And this year’s event couldn’t have come at a better time.
“In the middle of everything, we have watched as people all over the world, some for the first time, looked to time outdoors to reflect, restore and connect with one another,” said Eric Artz, REI president and CEO. “We are focusing on what matters most.”
Earlier this year, Governor Laura Kelly encouraged Kansans to head to state parks for healthy recreation and relaxation – and thankfully, many have. As a result, Kansas State Parks director Linda Lanterman said attendance has been exceptionally high.
“We’re really proud that people could turn to Kansas state parks for hiking, cycling, camping, fishing and safely relaxing with loved ones out-of-doors,” said Lanterman. “Hopefully, #OptOutside will be a continuation of all of that with thousands taking advantage of what we have to offer, and at no cost.”
For more information on Kansas state parks, visit www.ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks.
New Skating Rink on the Horizon For Fort Scott
A new skating rink is on the horizon for Fort Scott.
“This project came from community discussion about a need for more kid-friendly activities,” said Allyson Turvey, Fort Scott Tourism and Community Development Manager. “Memorial Hall was used as a roller rink back in the ’80s, so the initial idea was really just to give that another go. It will benefit the community’s youth, and will hopefully draw families from the larger region as well. ”
“Originally we had hoped to use Memorial Hall, but the cost to resurface the floor is simply too high,” she said. “So for now we are focusing our attention on the old gym at Buck Run. Ideally if this goes well we could eventually look to investing in the floor of Memorial Hall since it is a larger venue.”
Turvey is the project leader.
“Leah Bowman has helped a lot with research,” she said. “But this project simply wouldn’t be possible without the tremendous amount of community support we’ve received”
“Craig Campbell and Angie Rhodes Kemmerer along with her class have been heavily involved in the planning, and have also thrown out many ideas we had not considered. It’s also fantastic to have a project with not just community involvement, but student involvement. Students are excited and working really hard to make this thing a success.”
Logistics such as staffing, insurance needs, and safety requirements are being considered.
“But we really have two priorities at this point, the rink itself, and the skates,” Turvey said. ” Without these pieces locked down, we won’t be able to move forward. We’ve now decided on the ideal location, so we need to find the skates. The cost to purchase enough skates to run this type of facility isn’t really feasible, so Angie and Craig have put us in touch with roller skate rental companies. We’re hopeful to have a solution for skates soon.”
The skating rink project is for the area youth.
“The target population for the rink is of course local youth,” she said. “It’s been a widely held opinion that Fort Scott needs more activities for kids. This will certainly meet that objective. The students that have been helping with the project are really excited about the possibilities and have lots of ideas of how we can make it successful.”
“Our goal is to make this happen by the beginning of the year,” Turvey said. ” We do have logistics that will need to be worked out very quickly. And as I mentioned the whole project currently hinges on securing roller skates”.
What is the cost to the city?
“At this point, I don’t have an exact cost estimate to offer, but the use of Buck Run will allow for fairly low startup costs,” she said. ” Use of Memorial Hall for this project would have required a significant initial investment. We don’t feel this is a feasible solution at this time, and are working to make this project as cost effective as possible.”
Mistletoe Market Tonight at the River Room
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FS Downtown Christmas Parade: Dec. 1
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