Monthly Archives: November 2020

Entertainment, Fort Scott Community College

BIGFOOT LEARNS ABOUT CHRISTMAS IN FSCC VIDEO PLAY

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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.”

Obituary

Obituary of Edward Sprague Sr.

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Edward Everett Sprague, Sr., 70, of Erie, Kansas, passed away Thursday, November 26, 2020, at the Via Christi Medical Center in Pittsburg, Kansas.

He was born July 20, 1950, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the son of Elgie Olen and Wilma Christine (Gardner) Sprague.

He married Kathy Lynn Petty April 4, 1976, in Cherryville, Kansas, and she preceded him in death April 3, 2011.

Edward served in the US Army from April of 1968 until August of 1970. He worked for many years as a welder and auto mechanic.

Edward is survived by his five children; Gina Lewis of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Bob Burk and his wife Alicia of Pittsburg, Kansas, Edward Sprague, Jr. of Independence, Kansas, Tammy Rahe and husband Corey of Erie, Kansas, Tiffany Sprague of Chanute, Kansas; a sister, Dee Etta Redmon, of Pittsburg, Kansas; three brothers, Elgie Olen Sprague Jr. “Sonny”, of Fort Scott, Donald B. Sprague, of Tularosa, New Mexico, and Byron Sprague, also of Tularosa, New Mexico; fourteen grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

In addition to his wife Kathy, Edward was also preceded in death by a son, James Petty, a brother, Tom Sprague, four sisters, Karen Totman, Sharon Webb, Dorothy Fry, and Darlene Archer, and two grandchildren.

Following cremation, private (family only) graveside services will be held at the Fort Scott National Cemetery, under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Obituary

Death Notice of Latroy White Jr.

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Latroy F. “Troy” White, Jr., age 77, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away September 18, 2020, at his home in Ft. Scott.

A celebration of life service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, December 5th at the Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene.

Burial with military honors was in the U. S. National Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the Ft. Scott Church of the Nazarene and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Obituary

Obituary of Della Lorene Emmerson

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Della Lorene Emmerson, age 85, a former resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas and Joplin, Missouri, more recently of Gardner, Kansas, passed away Friday, November 27, 2020, at Azria Health Care in Olathe, Kansas.  She was born July 22, 1935, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Charles Dixon and Della Reno Dixon.  She married Robert Emmerson on September 18, 1954, at Ft. Scott.  Lorene was a homemaker and dearly loved her family.  She always enjoyed when family and friends came for a visit.  Lorene liked doing the crossword puzzles in the newspaper and taking the occasional trip to the casino.

 

Survivors include a step-daughter, Virginia Lowry, of Gardner, Kansas and two sisters, Mary Brandt, of Joplin, Missouri and Betty Carpenter, of Lamar, Missouri.  Also surviving are eight grandchildren and several great and great-great-grandchildren as well as numerous nieces and nephews and a special neighbor and friend, Betty Campbell, of Joplin, Missouri.  Lorene was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Emmerson, a daughter, Tina Benton, a step-son, Steve Emmerson and her parents, Charles Dixon and Della Dixon Runkle.

 

Graveside services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Wednesday, December 2nd at the Maple Grove Cemetery.  Friends and family may meet at the cemetery.  Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Obituary

Obituary of William Junior Hamilton

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William Junior Hamilton, age 92, a former resident of Garland, Kansas and more recently of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, passed away Friday, November 27, 2020, at the Jane Phillips Medical Center in Bartlesville.  He was born July 31, 1928, in Garland, the son of William Hamilton and Mary A. Lockner Hamilton.  He graduated from the Arcadia High School.  Mr. Hamilton served with the United States Army from 1951 to 1953.  He served as Postmaster for the Garland Post Office for many years.  He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite Consistory and the American Legion.

 

Survivors include a brother, Robert Hamilton, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma and two sisters, Mary Bach of Sebewaing, Michigan and Wilma Kleuver of Kansas City, Missouri and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Betty Brown and Helen Reed.

 

Funeral services will be held at 12:30 P.M. Friday, December 4th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.  Burial with military honors will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery.  Memorials are suggested to the Memphis Masonic Lodge #108 of Garland, Kansas and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Business, COVID-19, Fort Scott

Peerless Products Combats COVID-19

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Peerless Products Inc. received a SPARK Grant to help with the costs of keeping the manufacturer producing during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“We applied for $50,247 of reimbursement for items purchased to battle the coronavirus within the Peerless community, but also to do our part in mitigating the spread of the virus in the surrounding communities as we have employees who work here, but live generally within a 45-mile radius of Fort Scott,” said Cindy Davis, the company’s wellness and benefits manager.  “We received our grant money about a month ago.”

 

The Strengthing People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) taskforce is responsible for the statewide distribution of the U.S. Coronavirus Relief Fund.

 

But the largest Bourbon County employer did not wait for help to begin combating the virus.

 

“In the initial weeks of the pandemic, we had a number of employees volunteer to hand-make face masks for every employee to have five, and then we were able to donate masks out around the local community,” she said.  “For a solid month, after purchasing seven sewing machines, our small sewing taskforce churned out over 4,000 cloth reusable face masks!”

 

” We also implemented contact tracing,” Davis said.  ” Supplies for all these methods of mitigating virus contamination were submitted on our SPARK grant application.  The Peerless family collectively has viewed this pandemic as a very serious threat to personal health and welfare, but also to the financial welfare of each family supported by the work we do here, AND the economic health of Bourbon county.”

 

“As the reality of the COVID-19 virus became quickly apparent back in early March, we realized that, as the largest employer in Bourbon County (350-400 employees), we had to jump into action immediately,” she said. ” We kept close watch on the Center for Disease Control and state government guidelines and protocol recommendations, and continue to do so.”

 

They worked in the plant to reduce the virus.

 

“If certain steps were recommended, we put things into action here at Peerless as requirements,” she said.  “As a business, Peerless has kept in close communication with state and local authorities, as well as with all of our employees regarding actions and protocols.”

 

“Peerless Products manufactures high-end custom windows and doors for buildings all over the country, high-rise business and apartment buildings, schools, hotels, hospitals, military installations, and more,” Davis said.

 

” However, when the pandemic accelerated, we pulled our field service personnel off the road, curtailed any travel by our sales force, and began daily temperature taking of every employee or vendor entering our facilities, she said. “Within our plant, our safety and environmental staff, employee wellness, human resources, Peerless culture, top-level management, as well as purchasing staff, sought out tools and supplies and methods to mitigate virus contamination.”

 

“Signage all around the plant on proper hygiene, procuring large numbers of face masks, extra handwash stations, great quantities of hand sanitizer, gloves, special air purifiers, enrollment of employees in telemedicine as a healthcare option (at no cost to the employee), the arrangement of employee break room seating (indoors and out) and office desks to implement the six feet distancing recommendation, and more were implemented.”

 

 

Bourbon County, Food, Government, Health Care, Housing, Jobs

BoCo Inter-Agency Coalition Meets Dec. 2

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Billie Jo Drake, left, leads the Bourbon County Coalition, in a prior meeting.

The regularly scheduled Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition membership meeting will be this Wednesday, December 2, at noon, in the Community Room at the High Rise Apartments, 315 Scott Avenue.

The agenda is as follows:

Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition

General Membership Meeting Agenda

December 2, 2020

  1. Welcome:
  1. Member Introductions and Announcements:
  1. Program (no programs until January, 2021, at the earliest):
  1. Open Forum:
  1. Adjournment: Next General Membership meeting will be January 6, 2021.

“Be sure to wear your mask and social distance as much as possible,” Billie Jo Drake, facilitator of the group said. “Due to the rise in Covid cases in Bourbon County, I certainly understand if you do not wish to attend a face-to-face meeting. If you have any announcements that you need to share, be sure to send them to me prior to 9:00 a.m. on meeting day.”

 

Opinion

I Only Ate The Syrup by Carolyn Tucker

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Carolyn Tucker. Submitted photo.

Keys to the Kingdom – Carolyn Tucker

 

My everyday routine occasionally triggers a childhood memory for me. I guess that’s a sign I’m getting older, but I really enjoy my trips down memory lane. While eating some canned peaches the other night, I remembered that when I was a kid I only liked to eat the sweet heavy syrup. There was no nutritional value in the syrup, and by refusing to eat the fruit I missed out on some protein, fiber, and vitamins. I eventually outgrew that silliness and now I eat the peaches and pour the syrup down the drain!

Occasionally, it appears that some Christians only want the limelight of following Jesus. You know, just the sweet stuff. But Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me“ (Matthew 16:24 NLT). Taking up your cross means to give your entire life to God. It’s a total dedication of your soul, spirit, and body given to His service in anything He says. You may be thinking, “God hasn’t told me to do anything for Him.” I think you better blow the dust off your Bible and read it.

Following Christ wholeheartedly means being a servant. At the Passover supper, scripture reveals the following account: “So He [Jesus] got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel He had around Him. …And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them” (John 13:4,5,14,15, 17 NLT).

The Son of God and King of kings performed an object lesson in humility and servanthood. Since Jesus humbled Himself to do the lowly service of a slave, we should serve one another in the same way. Sometimes we want the blessing without the service or the dedication. We also need to realize that love is the motive for being a servant. If we serve out of duty, then there’s no blessing in helping others because it‘s just a “job.” But if we serve out of love and compassion, then we’re reaching out to others as Jesus commands us.

The road of unselfish service is pretty narrow. There’s no room for all the sweet stuff you think you need, so toss it out. Living a self-centered life will blind you to the basics of what Jesus taught. But once your selfishness is laid aside, you’ll be able to see those in need. You’ll be free to use your gift to bless others: “God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT).

Servant living is not popular today because the focus of our culture is on personal happiness and comfort. Believers should pray for a bigger servant’s heart toward God and man. Since Jesus washed dirty feet, it’s fair to say there’s no act of kindness too lowly for Christ followers to perform.

The Key: If you want a blessed life, drain the syrup and follow Jesus’ example.

Obituary

Obituary of Talitha (Brown) Madison

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Talitha Ann (Brown) Madison

Talitha Ann (Brown) Madison, age 47, resident of Fort Scott, KS, died Wednesday, November 25th, 2020. She was born April 10, 1973, in Fort Scott, KS, the daughter of Mike and Vicki (Trites) Brown. She graduated from Fort Scott High School with the class of 1991. She attended Fort Scott Community College and obtained an associate degree then furthered her education at Pittsburg State University. In 1995, Tally married Charles “Hunter” Reeves. They were married 20 years and had 4 children together. In 2015 her life suddenly changed with the loss of Hunter. In normal Tally fashion she persevered and took on the role as both parents. In 2018, she remarried to Thomas William Madison. Together, they found a forever kind of love.

Tally lit up a room with her contagious smile and a few “colorful” words. She was the kind of friend that made life beautiful for others. Her love for dogs was evident as she wanted to bring every dog home just so they could feel loved. Her family was her first priority, but her friends always felt the same amount of love.

Survivors include her husband, Tom of the home; two daughters, Hannah Reeves and fiancé Caleb Brandt, Herman, MO, Emmah Dikeman and husband Miles, Fort Scott, KS; two sons, Hunter Reeves and Hollis Reeves; one brother, Kyle Brown and wife Jamie, Fort Scott; two nieces, Graycyn and Kinsley Brown; mother in law, Marge Madison, Ft. Scott; father in law, Dr. Stewart Reeves, Denver, CO; and sister in law, Catherine and Joe Kilanoski, Denver CO. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Hunter; mother in law, Harriett Reeves; grandmother, Mary Jane Brown; sister in law, Angie Handke; and father in law, Bill Madison.

Pastor Danny Brown will conduct graveside services at 11:00 AM Wednesday, December 9th, in the Centerville Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy memorial contributions are suggested for the Reeves Children and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St. Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.