WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (Kan.) and Roger Marshall, M.D. today announced 23 U.S. Department of Transportation grants for Kansas airports. These grants will be used to make repairs and upgrades to the airports.
“Local airports help bring economic opportunities and critical resources to communities across Kansas,” said Sen. Moran. “These grants are an investment into regional Kansas airports to make certain they are running safely and efficiently to support interstate commerce and travel to and from Kansas.”
“Airports throughout our state provide essential services and expand business opportunities for Kansans,” said Sen. Marshall. “Through these grants, each of these airports will be able to make crucial repairs and upgrades. No doubt, the improvements made will allow the airports to better serve Kansas communities, and I’m glad to see this type of investment in our airports.”
In 2021, Fort Scott newcomer Diane Striler brought up the topic of starting a ladies golf league with Lindsay Madison, the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.
A few weeks ago the idea moved forward with local interest shown.
It was then that Fort Scott Parks Director Doug Guns approached Madison about starting a league, saying that recently several woman had inquired about a women’s league.
Woodland Hills Golf Course is owned by the City of Fort Scott.
“Lindsay introduced me to Doug and I started planning, ” Striler said.
She will be coordinating a new ladies golf league in Fort Scott.
“The League will be called the Par Tee Girls,” she said. “Our sign up will be May 18th at Woodland Hills Golf Course at 5:30 p.m.
That night we will pay our $40 league fee, take a picture for our website, get paired up with a partner (if you don’t already have someone to join with) and meet the other women of the league.”
The league will begin on May 25 and play each Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. through August 10.
“On the last night, we will have our banquet with a best ball scramble, a catered dinner and a lot of fun! ” Stiler said.
“My main goal for coordinating the league is to bring together women off all ages and skill levels to play a great game,” she said. “I have told many women over the years that if you would like to play golf, you need to set the time aside to play on a regular basis so you have a chance to improve your game. The league is very casual, and a great opportunity to learn. Our only opponents are really ourselves.”
There is an opportunity to join a competitive group for those interested in challenging themselves more, she added.
“The nice aspect of the league is that women of all skill levels can play together,” she said. “I only ask that you play ready golf to keep the pace going.”
Striler is coordinating some lessons for those women that are learning or who would like to brush up on their game.
To contact Striler, phone 248-568-7790
“Joining a women’s league is a great opportunity to meet a lot great women, develop your game and friendships, and have a lot of fun in the meantime,” she said. “I hope the women of Fort Scott and surrounding areas will join us!”
Striler coordinated a similar ladies league in the Kansas City area for 18 years, starting the league when her youngest daughter was 4 years old. She started it looking for an excuse to meet with friends on a regular basis.
Here are the Par Tee Girls Information and Rules, provided by Striler:
“*Everyone has a partner.
*We will play from the red tees.
*Please play ready golf – hit when you can if another golfer is not ready.
*Take only 6 strokes before green. If you are not on the green by the 6th shot,
(5th on par 3s) pick up your ball and move to the green so you can count your putts.
*We will have one game each night. The winner receives half the putt money. The rest
will go toward the banquet.
*Turn in one scorecard with all 4 players on it. (I do not record everyone’s weekly score,
so if you want to keep track, you can fill out an extra card to keep)
*When scoring, write down your total score for the hole, and then the number of putts you have for the hole.
Do the same for your total score
This way you can calculate what you need to add to the kitty.
*If you hit a ball out of bounds or into the water, drop a ball near where it went out, and take a one stroke penalty.
*Free lift – If your ball lands on a man-made pathway, sprinkler, etc., bring the ball out two club lengths back away from the hole.
*Keep up with the pace of play. You should be able to complete a hole in less than 15 minutes. That way the tee times don’t get backed up.
*Most of all, relax, play with new people and have fun !!!”
About Striler
Diane Striler. Submitted photo.
Diane Colgan Striler is a realtor for Front Door Realty in Fort Scott.
She grew up in the Kansas City area and discovered Fort Scott around eight years ago when husband, Dean, and she were looking for a lake house. Friends had recently purchased a home at Lake Fort Scott and suggested that they come look.
The community has been very welcoming, she said, and the couple “fell in love with Fort Scott.”
Striler’s original plan was to fix up some houses and sell them because of a need for housing in the community. She enjoys working with hand tools, has a background in sales and a marketing degree.
She decided to get a real estate license.
After visiting with Jared Leek, owner of Front Door Realty, things fell into place.
“I started working as a realtor with Front Door Real Estate and we (she and Dean) purchased the Ren-nett Studio Building at 6 N. Main,” she said. She now has a Kansas and Missouri license.
She works to get unoccupied homes back on the market, she said.
“It ends up being a win win situation for everyone: back taxes get paid, the past owner is relieved of the burden and a new person finds a home,” she said.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is proceeding with what will ultimately be a $10 million investment in their newly renovated building in Fort Scott that they are fully funding, according to Krista Postai, CEO and President.
The renovation project is located at the former Price Chopper building at 2322 S. Main.
“We are on schedule to be in the new building in December as planned,” she said. “We did discover tunnels underneath the former grocery store that we weren’t expecting which came as quite the surprise, but are addressing the situation especially in those areas which will be supporting heavy equipment such as the CT Scanner and Mammography Unit.”
Renovation began Feb. 2022 on the future CHC/SEK Fort Scott Clinic in the former Price Chopper building on South Main Street.The Price Chopper building, 2322 S. Main.
CHC currently is housed in a portion of the former Fort Scot Mercy Hospital on Woodland Hill Blvd. but their lease is up in December 2022.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, 403 Woodland Hills Blvd.
Postai Provides Impact Studies
CHC/SEK and Fort Scott were featured in a national case study focusing on the transition of the Mercy Clinics to CHC/SEK, Postai said.
Postai attached the case findings plus the information compiled on the economic impact on the community, which were completed by Capital Link. Capital Link is a national, non-profit organization that has worked with community health centers and primary care associations for over 25 years to plan for sustainability and growth, access capital, articulate value and improve and optimize operations and financial management, according to info in the study.
The current CHC project value to the community is shown to have both temporary impacts during construction and ongoing impacts from expanded operations including economic, employment and tax impacts.
“When Mercy Hospital Fort Scott (Mercy) closed its doors in Fort Scott, Kansas, after 132 years in operation, the rural community of 7,800 was left without a hospital. In the tumultuous aftermath of this closure, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK or CHC), a Federally Qualified Health Center based 30 miles away in Pittsburg, Kansas, stepped forward to take over two of the closed hospital’s primary care clinics, providing a range of primary and preventive care services in Fort Scott, partially filling the gap left by the hospital’s closure. The circumstances leading up to the hospital’s closure and its impact on the community have been well- documented by Sarah Jane Tribble in NPR’s nine-episode podcast, “Where it Hurts, Season 1: No Mercy.” This case study focuses on CHC’s response to the closure and its efforts to restore access to primary care in Fort Scott, while the community grieved the loss of its hospital. Through interviews with CHC/SEK’s leadership, Capital Link explored CHC/SEK’s response to Mercy’s closure, the subsequent impact on the community and the current state of the situation, in order to highlight lessons learned for rural centers in similar situations.”
The CHC building at 902 S. Horton will soon be the Fort Scott Community College Nursing Department. March 2023 is the scheduled transfer.
Recently on social media there was a comment that CHC had neglected paying property tax on their building at 902 Horton Street that currently houses some of their staff and a Veteran’s Administration local office.
Postai responded with the following:
“CHC/SEK is a non-profit 501(c)3 and, like the Mercy Health System, Ascension and most other healthcare organizations is exempt from property taxes,” Postai said. “Fort Scott Community College is also exempt, as is the Veterans Administration who currently occupies the Horton Street Building along with CHC/SEK staff.”
“Appropriate paperwork has been filed and is working its way through the system and we were advised by the county to hold payments pending final determination, which is what we’ve done.”
“We had actually mailed a check to the county for the taxes, who returned it to us because they anticipate our tax-exempt status will also apply to this building and they’d just have to refund our payment,” she said.
“In the meantime, we’re proceeding with what will ultimately be a $10 million investment in our newly renovated building (on Main Street) in Ft. Scott that CHC/SEK is fully funding itself.
“Any money from the sale of the Horton Street Building will be utilized toward the redo of the former Price Chopper building (on Main Street) which will also include classrooms for use by Fort Scott Community College at no cost to them.
“A portion of the funds will also be used for scholarships at FSCC.
“We will be in the new facility by the end of December and are looking forward to expanding services, recruiting additional professionals and serving all regardless of ability to pay.
“I am always available to answer any questions and can be reached at 620-235-1867 or on my cell at 620-249-9936. My email is [email protected]. Krista Postai, CEO, CHC/SEK.
The Parks Advisory Board will meet on Monday, May 16 th , 2022
at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas.
This meeting is open to the public. This meeting will be made
available via the City’s you tube channel at City of Fort Scott.
The Board encourages the community to come meet the candidate at the Meet & Greet opportunity on Thursday, May 12th. This will be held at the Fort Scott Middle School Flex space from 4-5 pm and from 5:30-6:15 pm. Please enter through the south doors.
Those who attend the Meet & Greet receptions will be given a paper survey to provide feedback. Be sure to turn this in before you leave to provide your feedback. The responses will be tallied and provided to the board in summary.
The Board will then meet in executive session at the board office at 6:30 pm on Thursday evening for purposes of interviewing the candidate.
The Lake Fort Scott Advisory Board will meet on Saturday, May 14th, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. at the City Hall Commission meeting room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting is open to the public.
The meeting will be available on the City’s YouTube channel.
The new FLAG Church start up will be in Fort Cinema, 224 W. 18th.
A new church will soon be starting in Fort Scott which is being started from Family Life Assembly of God (FLAG) of Pittsburg.
At 3 p.m. on May 22, FLAG will be hosting a first interest meeting at the Fort Cinema Movie Theater, 224 W. 18th.
“We want to start being in the community and give the opportunity for people in Fort Scott to come learn what were all about,” said Grady Proffitt, Fort Scott Campus Pastor for FLAG.
“We will be in the exact location where we will host our Sunday morning worship services starting September 11,” he said. “Everyone and anyone are welcome as we get to share and our plan and meet new people!”
History of the Church Plant
Family Life Assembly of God Church, Pittsburg, KS. is located at 1234 S. Rouse. Submitted photo.
FLAG Church began the church planting process in 2019, he said, but they had a transition with lead pastor’s at the church as well as the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in early 2020.
“FLAG decided to pause and wait for the dust to settle during the pandemic before continuing the process to church plant,” he said.
In the pandemic, the Fort Scott Assembly of God Church closed late last year, he said.
“The pastor lost his wife to COVID,” Profitt said.
“We believe God is sending us to be another light in a great community”, he said. “FLAG’s decision to plant a video venue campus was heavily influenced by the closing of (the) other affiliated Assemblies of God church in Fort Scott just this past year. Our heart is to be another avenue for people of Fort Scott to be a part of a healthy church community and become disciples of Jesus!”
“Everything is live (in a video venue), except a message that will come from the church in Pittsburg,” Proffitt said. Tom Jacobs is the pastor of that church, with an attendance at about 480 people. “In person attendance has been going up (since the waning of the pandemic),” he said.
“We think God is sending us there for a reason,” he said. “We are not replacing a church, we are starting a new church.”
“Through God’s perfect timing, we as a church have said yes to God’s call and we are planting FLAG Fort Scott Sunday, September 11th, 2022.”
Proffitt, 27, and his wife, Jacque, have a one-year-old son, Tyson.
Pastor Grady Proffitt and wife, Jacque, with son, Tyson. Submitted photo.
Proffitt attended the James River Leadership College, Springfield, MO. then earned a bachelor of science in business administration from Evangel University, Springfield. He has been in ministry seven years and helped plant James River Church in Joplin and has been at FLAG for two years.
“I love pastoring,” he said. “I will still be under the administration of FLAG Church, with the official title of campus pastor.”
There will be several “interest” meetings, he said. This one in May, then one in June, one in July and one in August.
“At the meetings we will tell about who we are and listen and hear what people are excited about,” Proffitt said.
Family Life Assembly of God can be contacted in the following ways for more information:
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at the Board of Education office on Monday, May 9, 2022, for their regular monthly meeting.
President James Wood opened the budget hearing. There were no comments; the budget hearing was closed. The board approved the official agenda. The board also approved the consent agenda as follows:
A. Minutes
B. Bills and Claims
C. Payroll – April 20, 2022 – $1,443,359.12
D. Financial Report
E. Activity fund accounts
F. Point of Information
G. LCP Assurances
H. Greenbush Energy Group Participation Agreement and Hedging Authorization for 2022-23
There were no comments in the public forum. Representatives from HTK Architects presented ideas and concepts for the Fort Scott Preschool Center.
Board members reviewed the principals’ reports. In addition, board members heard reports from Dalaina Smith, Academics Director; Ted Hessong, Superintendent; and Gina Shelton, Finance Director.
The board approved the budget adoption. Dan Koppa, Facilities Director, reported on summer maintenance projects. Superintendent Hessong gave a KESA update and ESSER III update.
The board approved the following
· High school science curriculum recommendation
· Summer camps
· 2022-23 lunch fees
· 2022-23 fees
Board members shared comments and then went into executive session to discuss employer-employee negotiations. The board returned to open session and then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel. The board returned to open session and approved Resolution 21-13 – Intent to nonrenew a teacher’s contract. The board approved the following employment matters:
A. Resignation of Jeff Dillow, central office HVAC maintenance, effective June 30, 2022
B. Resignation of Raymond Allen, high school custodian, effective May 13, 2022
C. Resignation of Amanda Jamison, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year
D. Transfer of Sabrina Keating, Eugene Ware fourth grade teacher, to high school/Eugene Ware gifted teacher for the 2022-23 school year
E. Transfer of Moriah Dillow, Winfield Scott focus room teacher, to Winfield Scott kindergarten teacher for the 2022-23 school year
F. Transfer of Stuart Troutman, central office maintenance, to central office technology help desk specialist beginning May 10, 2022
G. Employment of Hannelie Smit as a district occupational therapist for the 2022-23 school year
H. Employment of Jessica Johnson as a Eugene Ware secretary for the 2022-23 school year
I. Extended contract request from Angella Curran, high school debate/forensics teacher
J. Resignation of Torrie Singmaster, middle school girls’ basketball coach, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year
K. Resignation of Jared Martin as high school summer conditioning coordinator
L. Addition of a middle school summer conditioning position for the upcoming summer
M. Resignation of Reyna Valenzuela, high school English teacher, effective May 9, 2022
N. Resignation of Clint Heffern, high school physical education teacher and high school head boys’ basketball coach, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year
O. Resignation of Laura Howard, middle school language arts teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year
P. Resignation of Zach Hart, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, effective May 12, 2022
Q. Employment of Shelly Charter as Winfield Scott Principal for the 2022-23 school year
R. Employment of Krystle Griem as Winfield Scott Assistant Principal for the 2022-23 school year
S. Employment of Colin Downey as a high school social studies teacher for the 2022-23 school year
T. Employment of Christina Lutter-Smith as a speech/language pathologist for the 2022-23 school year
U. Employment of Lori Jett as a high school English teacher for the 2022-23 school year
V. Employment of Andrew Ables as a middle school seventh grade science teacher for the 2022-23 school year
W. Employment of Sarah Long as a high school paraprofessional for the 2022-23 school year
X. Employment of Bo Graham as high school summer conditioning coordinator for the 2022-23 school year
The board went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel. The board returned to open meeting and adjourned.
