Artificers Art Show Dec. 3-4 at 119 S. Main

The Artificers 5th Annual Christmas Show,  a new artshow to Fort Scott this year, is Friday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 119 S. Main.
“Once a year Trent and I create Christmas and holiday-themed (art) work,”  Kate Freeman said. “We invite some artists’ friends to share their offerings as well.”
The Freeman’s, from the Kansas City area,  purchased the building north of the radio station 8 North National Avenue in Fort Scott and were renovating it, but had a few setbacks, Kate said.
To view the prior story on the Freeman’s art business: The Artificers Are Coming
“Jared Leek, the owner of Front Door Realty, was kind enough to give our show a home when we weren’t able to open our studio in time for our annual show,” Kate said. “We were hoping to be open for business, but due to some setbacks our space isn’t finished.”
This year seven artists are participating in this event.
“I hand-picked them for their craftsmanship and diverse mediums,” she said. “There is sure to be something special for everyone on your Christmas list!”
The artists include Trent and Kate Freeman, in the medium of sculpture:  Andrea Latham, Kansas City, Kansas, ceramic pottery; Erin Shevling, Edwardsville, Kansas, functional pottery;
Tim Kienzle, Bonner Springs, Kansas, copper jewelry;
Darrell Williams, Kirksville, Missouri, airbrush art; and
Julie Snitker, Kansas City, Missouri, mixed media collage.
Some of the artists work:
 
The Artificers studio is progressing on National Avenue.
“Slowly but surely,” she said. “There is progress on all fronts, it just feels like a snail’s pace when we are so excited to share our space and art with our new community.”
Below is a link to sign up for updates and emails for classes and events.

SEK Library System Newsletter for November 2021

The SEKnFind Newsletter
November 2021

This newsletter about new books is distributed to people who are registered adult users at a southeast Kansas library participating in the SEKnFind catalog. We hope you find it useful, but if you don’t wish to receive this anymore, you can click on the “Manage Subscriptions or Unsubscribe” link at the bottom.
All the books included in this newsletter are new additions in one or more SEKnFind libraries–and since the catalog is shared, that means they are available to you whether they are in your local library or not!  Just place a hold on the item(s) you want.  If you don’t know how, your librarian can show you.

New Fiction

The neighbor’s secret
by L. Alison HellerWhen late-night acts of vandalism target the women of the Cottonwood Book Club in increasingly violent and personal ways, they are forced to decide just how far they will go to keep their secrets and protect their children—even if it means someone has to die. 75,000 first printing.

Sleigh bells ring
by RaeAnne ThayneWhen Tate Sheridan unexpectedly returns home to Angel’s View Ranch, caretaker Annie McCade is shocked when he lets her to stay in exchange for posing as his long-lost love to keep his busybody matchmaking grandmother off his back—a ruse that leads to something more. 10,000 first printing.

When two feathers fell from the sky
by Margaret Verble”Louise Erdrich meets Karen Russell in this deliciously strange and daringly original novel from Pulitzer Prize finalist Margaret Verble: set in 1926 Nashville, it follows a death-defying young Cherokee horse-diver who, with her companions from the Glendale Park Zoo, must get to the bottom of a mystery that spans centuries”

56 days
by Catherine Ryan Howard”No one even knew they were together. Now one of them is dead. 56 DAYS AGO. Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the same week COVID-19 reaches Irish shores. 35 DAYS AGO. When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests they move in together. Ciara sees a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends. Oliver sees a chance to hide who-and what-he really is. TODAY. Detectives arrive at Oliver’s apartment to discover a decomposing body inside. Can they determine what really happened, or has lockdown created an opportunity for someone to commit the perfect crime?”

Riverbend Gap
by Denise HunterMoving to a small North Carolina town to be near her new boyfriend, Katelyn Loveland, after a chance encounter, finds herself falling in love with local sheriff’s deputy Cooper Robinson—her boyfriend’s brother—and stands to lose everything. Original.

A flicker of light
by Katie PownerWidower Mitch Jensen is at a loss with how to handle his mother’s odd, forgetful behaviors and his daughter’s sudden return, but when his mother reveals a long-held secret about her past, their lives will never be the same. Original.

These bones
by Kayla Chenault”In a neighborhood known as the Bramble Patch, the Lyons family endures despite poverty, racism, and the ghoulish appetites of an underworld kingpin called the Barghest. As the years pass and the neighborhood falls into decay, along with the town that surrounds it, what’s left of the Bramble Patch will learn the saying is true: These bones are gonna rise again”

Trashlands
by Alison StinePlucking plastic, which is now currency, from rivers and fields to sell or trade, artist Coral is forced to dance at Trashlands to recoup her savings in an attempt to rescue her son from the recycling factories, in this love story to survival in an unloved place. 50,000 first printing.

The body scout : a novel
by Lincoln Michel”Kobo has some problems. His cybernetics are a decade out of date, he’s got a pair of twin sister loan sharks knocking on his door, and his work scouting for a baseball league run by pharmaceutical companies is about to go belly-up. Things couldn’t get much worse. Then his childhood best friend–Monsanto Mets slugger J.J. Zunz–is murdered at home plate. Determined to find the killer, Kobo plunges into the dark corners and glittering cloud condos of a world ravaged by climate change and repeat pandemics,and where genetic editing and advanced drugs mean you can have any body you want–as long as you can afford it. But even among the philosophical Neanderthals, zootech weapons, and genetically modified CEOs, there’s a curveball he never could have called”

Hyde
by Craig RussellThe chief detective of Edinburgh in Victorian Scotland is shocked and appalled when he finds himself at the scene of a grisly murder, with no idea how he got there in this reimagining of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Down range : a novel
by Taylor MooreAn elite, undercover DEA officer helps out a formerly-peaceful ranching community in Texas who are under assault by a group of criminals controlled by a rich, entitled businessmen with ties to law enforcement and local businesses. 100,000 first printing.

Winter wolves
by Matthew P. Mayo””One man’s quest to lose himself in the West.” Roamer’s long-planned winter snowshoe trek to the high, lonesome peaks of the Bitterroots takes a hard turn when the big loner of a woodsman finds his mentor, cantankerous mountain man Maple Jack, savaged, terrorized, and raving about the Alooknok, blood-eyed demons who absconded with his cold-weather mate, Winter Woman, a no-nonsense healer and midwife. It’s up to Roamer to rescue her. He takes to the trail in the wake of a blizzard, battling winter-starved timber wolves and the unforgiving elements. Tracking him, the addled Maple Jack falls prey to a trio of greasy wolfers. Then the very demons Roamer seeks find him-and force him deep into the belly of the beast, a foreboding, grim place in the raw mountains where sunlight never shines. A brutal battle among friends, enemies, and Alooknok will seal their fates and haunt the few survivors . . . forever”

New Nonfiction

Around the world in 80 books
by David Damrosch”A transporting and illuminating voyage around the globe, through classic and modern literary works that are in conversation with one another and with the world around them”

The age of AI : and our human future
by Henry KissingerThree leading thinkers put their heads together to explore Artificial Intelligence and how it will change our relationships with knowledge, politics and the societies in which we live. 100,000 first printing.

The book of hope : a survival guide for trying times
by Jane GoodallTold through stories from an extraordinary career and fascinating research, this urgent book, written by the world’s most famous living naturalist and an internationally best-selling author, explores one of the most sought after and least understood elements of human nature—hope. 300,000 first printing.

The end of bias : a beginning : the science and practice of overcoming unconscious bias
by Jessica Nordell”A transformative, groundbreaking exploration into how we can eradicate unintentional bias and discrimination, the great challenge of our age”

Frequently asked questions about the universe
by Jorge ChamYou’ve got questions: about space, time, gravity, and your odds of meeting your older self inside a wormhole, and all the answers you need are right here. Illustrations.

Immune : A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive
by Philipp DettmerThe creator of a popular educational YouTube channel presents and illustrated journey through the human body’s immune system, with each chapter focusing on an element including defenses like antibodies and inflammation as well as threats like bacteria, allergies and cancer. Illustrations.

Gastro obscura : a food adventurer’s guide
by Cecily WongThe team behind Atlas Obscura, a friendly tour-guide to the world’s most amazing places, presents incredible ingredients, food adventures and edible wonders from around the world, including Chilean beer made from fog and 2,000-year-old egg ovens. 250,000 first printing. Illustrations.

Pottery for beginners : projects for beautiful ceramic bowls, mugs, vases and more
by Kara Leigh Ford”If you ever daydream about delving into pottery but aren’t sure where to begin, this is your book. Professional potter Kara Leigh Ford will be your personal pottery guide, helping you to overcome any doubts about your abilities. All you need are curiosity and a few simple tools to mold stunning stoneware with confidence. Inspiring projects and primers on equipment, technique, clay types and setting up a workspace make pottery approachable for complete newcomers, as well as budding potters who want to hone their skills. Plus, gorgeous photos from Kara’s studio offer visual guidance every step of the way”

Code name Badass : the true story of Virginia Hall
by Heather DemetriosThis rebellious and revolutionary biography of the most dangerous of all Allied spies follows Virginia Hall as she plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Hitler’s henchman, becoming the Gestapo’s most wanted spy. 30,000 first printing. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations.

Bucket list USA
by Fodor’s TravelA trave guide packed with 500 carefully curated “must” lists to see and do in the United States, including Grand Canyon camping, cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, walking through sunflowers in Kansas and partying at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Original. Illustrations. Maps.

Even more reading suggestions

NextReads Sneak Peek
Looking for something else to read? Try subscribing to our free NextReads newsletters. Newsletters are divided into a variety of genres and topics so you can get recommendations tailored to your interests sent directly to your inbox every month to two months.
Each issue contains around 9 to 10 reading suggestions. If we don’t have a copy, make a purchase suggestion or ask your library about in

Gordon Parks Museum to Celebrate Gordon Parks Birthday on November 30


Fort Scott–The Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College will celebrate the anniversary of Gordon Parks’ birthday on Tuesday, November 30th with the showing of films by or about Parks throughout the day along with cupcakes for visitors.

The event is free of charge and the public is invited to attend.

The schedule of showings throughout the day will include:
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – “The Learning Tree,” (Filmed in Fort Scott) 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – “Half Past Autumn” 2:30 p.m. –4:30 p.m. – “Solomon Northup’s Odyssey”

Parks, born in Fort Scott on November 30, 1912, would have been 109 this year. He died in March, 2006 at the age of 93. For more information contact the Gordon Parks Museum at 620-223-2700, ext.5850 or by email at [email protected].
###

FS City Offices Closed For Thanksgiving

The City of Fort Scott Administrative offices will be closed on Thursday, November 25th and Friday, November 26th, 2021 in observance of the Thanksgiving Day Holiday. The regular offices will reopen on Monday, November 29th, 2021.

The City’s tree and brush dump site located on North Hill will also be closed on Thursday, November 25th, and Saturday, November 27th, 2021 for the Thanksgiving Day holiday. It will be open again on Tuesday, November 30th, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Newsletter, Nov. 2021

Hoener Recognized as the 2021 National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health’s Community Star for Kansas

The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health is a national nonprofit membership organization that represents the 50 state Offices of Rural Health around the nation and promotes a healthy rural America through state and community leadership.

NOSORH sets aside the third Thursday of every November to celebrate National Rural Health Day (NRHD).

“Jody Hoener is a prime example of how one person can make a massive impact on the lives of thousands of people,” according to the NOSORH award presentation.Though she may not be a household name to the roughly 7,500 residents of Fort Scott, her dedication, passion, strategic planning and grant writing skills, and deep commitment to addressing the community’s health disparities are evident every place you turn in Bourbon County, Kansas.”

To view the award presentation: https://en.calameo.com/read/0045723395dc12ef8ac48

Jody Hoener. Submitted photo.

This Day is an opportunity to ‘celebrate the power of rural’ by honoring the selfless, community-minded spirit that prevails in rural America. Learn more: https: /www.powerofrural.org

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Newsletter

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s

CEO’s Message P. 2

Grant Program P. 3

Bronson Bikeway Plan P. 4

KANSASWORKS

Highlight P. 5

HBCAT.ORG

Jody Hoener

A Message from the CEO

At The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, we are celebrating and giving thanks. We have seen a considerable number of large wins in 2021 and we are eternally thankful for the BCBS Pathways to Healthy Kansas Grant that helped our organization get off the ground in 2016. We have built lasting relationships as they continue to support us and our work to build healthier, thriving communities.

We remain steadfast to our mission and purpose to support our local food systems, advocate for increased access to recreation and physical activity, work with all sectors of Bourbon County on creating healthier environments and making the healthy choice the default.

Our community has been awarded almost $1 million from the BCBS Pathways to Healthy Kansas Grant since 2016. This solid foundation has given us the capacity to grow our organization and address challenges head on with strength and determination. This year we have celebrated building our program to address poverty at the Center for Economic Growth with the $78,175 award from USDA Rural Business Development and then a $560,140 award from the Patterson Family Foundation to expand.

This funding is critical to our work in addressing the social determinants of health. The health of a community – and its people – is dependent on a number of social, political, economic, and environmental conditions. We believe in investing in our people. Today we recognize the gifts of our collaborations and grateful for our partners at Pittsburg State Small Business Development Center, Southeast KANSASWORKS, and The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. These relationships have shown to be mutually beneficial while making measurable impacts on the lives of individuals and the community as a whole.

WE ARE THANKFUL

HBCAT’S

Grant Program

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) was recently awarded the Patterson Family Foundation Grant. Through this grant HBCAT created three grant programs: Start up businesses, Restaurants and food retail, and Farmers/Ranchers. A healthy workforce is a prerequisite for economic success in any industry and in all cities. Through these grant programs, the HBCAT is supporting local entrepreneurs and building up more resilient food systems.

All applicants must enroll with PSU Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at The Action Team’s Center for Economic Growth. The services that SBDC provides are, but not limited to, developing business plans, financial cash flow projections, registering for LLC, applying for EIN, Marketing, and setting up KS Sales Tax Payable Account.

Dacia Clark, the Assistant Director, is in Fort Scott’s HBCAT office Mondays and Fridays or available by appointment via Zoom.

The three grant options available are: Minority, Women owned, Minority owned Startup businesses ($5,000)

Restaurant and Food Retail ($7,000) Farmers/Ranchers ($10,000)

Grant applications can be picked up at HBCAT’s office located at 104 N National Fort Scott, KS or at The Chamber of Commerce.

Any questions regarding the Grant Program can be directed to Rachel Carpenter at 620- 215-2562 or through email at [email protected].

A special thanks to Fort Scott Community College’s Cheerleaders for handing out Community Health Needs Survey flyers at Walmart! The Community Health Needs

Survey gathers data, solicits community member perspectives, and collects information about the community’s resources. More information will be gathered through focus groups. It will measure health and wellness beliefs/perceptions about needs and resources, the community environments, and demographics. It will ensure programs, policies, and systems changes are designed, planned, and carried out in a coordinated manner that benefits the entire county. Thank you for taking the time to fill out the survey and sharing your voice on the needs of the community.

City of Bronson Opts-In to Tri-County Bikeway Plan

Prairie Pathways has made major progress with the approval of sign placement from both City of Uniontown and City of Bronson Council members.

Prairie Pathways began as ABC Trails in 2018 when leaders of Thrive Allen County, The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, and Live Well Crawford County initiated conversations to build a tri-county bikeway trail system. Funding was soon obtained from the Sunflower Foundation to turn the idea into a strategic planning document.

Committee members from all three counties informed the document entitled, “ABC Trails Active Transportation Plan.” This plan was formally adopted by resolution by all three county commissions in early 2019.

Grant funds from HBCAT’s BCBS Pathways to Healthy Kansas Grant was awarded for branding and implementation of the transportation plan. ABC Trails was re-branded to Prairie Pathways. Thrive Allen County obtained additional funding through a CDRR grant to purchase signs. HBCAT worked with Bourbon County’s Public Works Department to purchase signposts with BCBS Pathways grant funds and install the signs.

Although COVID-19 pandemic delayed progress, we are very excited about seeing Prairie Pathways signs up in the very near future.

Uniontown Saddle Club Benefits from $4,000 Grant

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team was awarded a $4,000 grant on behalf of Uninontown’s Saddle Club from The Fort Scott Area Cmmunity Foundation. The grant funds are going to be used to add 8 new RV electrical receptacles that the rodeo contestants will be able to utilize. This affordable housing option will allow any visitors to stay in Uniontown year round and increases access to outdoor recreation!

KANSASWORKS

KANSASWORKS is a resource The Healthy Bourbon County Action offers to help strengthen the workforce of Bourbon County. They work with individuals seeking employment and connects them with local employers they have partnered with.

Christina Abbott who is in Fort Scott on Mondays and oversees the youth program. She helps youth who are 16-24 years old and who are typically out of school. Some of the services that Christina provides are skills training, work experience, and GED classes. There is also a workshop available called LifeWorks that focuses on career exploration and preparation.

Ashley Finnie will also be joining the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team on Fridays.

Ashley oversees the adult program with KANSASWORKS. Individuals who are 18 years or older who are dislocated workers can enroll in services such as on the job training, job searching, career guidance and participate in mock interviews.

COME MEET US

Fort Scott Home Placed on the Kansas Historical Register

512 S. Judson.
The house at 512 S. Judson has recently been approved for the Kansas State Historical Register.
The current owner, Ronda Hassig, and husband, Rob,  moved in in February 2019.
“We are both history teachers and moved from Olathe to Lawrence for retirement,” Ronda said.
They were there for one year when a native of this area and friend, Carmen Streeter Misse, showed her the house.
“We drove right down and bought it outright,” she said. “It was the house we had always dreamed of owning and putting our Victorian antique furniture in.”
It had been up for auction two times since Ken Lunt died, she said.
Ken and his wife, Charlotte, were well-known volunteers in the community. Lunt who was the mayor of Fort Scott died in 2013, Charlotte in 2007.
“Both times (it went up for auction) there was interest from a salvage company in Kansas City,” she said. “We decided to get it on the Kansas Historical Register, once we settled in. Once on the register, it would be protected from such a fate.”
Ronda was a middle school librarian, and is a historical fiction author and “all-around research nerd,” she said and began researching the history of the house.
Ronda Hassig. Taken from the Lowell Milken Center Facebook page.

History of the house

“The Thomas and Anna Herbert house sits at 512 Judson Street, the sign on the house says it was built in 1887, but it was built in 1888,” she said. “Thomas bought the property in 1870 and married Anna in 1873. They waited a while to build the house though.”
“He owned a successful home design business at 2nd and Wall and sold paint, wallpaper, household items from all over the world, and anything dealing with decorating your home,” she said. “He was a painter. In my research, I found that he helped decorate some of the most beautiful homes in Fort Scott.”
The couple had no children and Thomas died in 1913. Anna sold the house in 1917 to a banker, C.D. Sample.
In seeking to be on the register, Hassig thought she could do the architecture piece on the application.
“It became apparent after trying to use the dictionary for every other word when explaining the features of the house, that this was a job for a professional,” she said.
Hassig hired Susan Fort, a preservationist, and architect from Kansas City, Missouri to help her with the application.
On November 13, 2021, she found out the application was approved.
Now it is on the Kansas State Historial Register, but is heading to the U.S. Park Service for approval for the National Register of Places, she said.
“We should know in three to six months,” she said. “Then a plaque will be put on its’ beautiful facade.”
“I hope that Ken and Charlotte Lunt are happy in heaven with the exciting news and won’t mind too terribly that the house will now be called the Thomas and Anna Herbert House,” she said.

AD: Sheriff’s Office Seeks HVAC Bids

The  Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center.

From the Office of the
BOURBON COUNTY SHERIFF
293 East 20th Street
Fort Scott, Kansas 66701
[620] 223-1440 (office) or [620] 223-0055 (fax)

The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office (Law Enforcement Center) is taking bids that will address any and all issues with the heating, ventilation, and airconditioning (HVAC) system together with the electrical conduit related to the HVAC system or other electrical conduit that needs to be corrected, adjusted or repaired.

An inspection was conducted on August 24th, 2021 finding the following issues that need to be addressed, including but not limited to:

* Numerous electrical conduits that are mounted on the roof feeding multiple pieces of mechanical equipment has threaded joint connectors that were not securely fastened and have multiple open slices causing the water inside of the conduit to freeze during the winter months.

* There are some electrical conduit connectors that have gasket access covers that were not sealed properly, or the proper material was not used.

* Most of the HVAC equipment locations have standing water in the units causing inadequate drainage.

* The HVAC systems are not changing over from heat to cool, cool to heat. The temperature has been as low as 64 degrees in the winter and as high as 80 plus degrees in the summer.

* Other issues that need to be addressed according to the inspection that was conducted on August 24, 2021. A copy of the inspection can be obtained upon request.

These are some of the issues and the bidder/contractor can make an appointment to review and inspect the area and equipment that will need to be fixed or replaced.

We ask that if your company can address all issues that you make the choice if you want to split the work in a separate bid or have a (complete) package.

We ask that the bid be broken down by line item. What item is being used for what?

The bidder/contractor will provide/present a sealed bid in person or by designee to the Board of County Commissioner. The commission will be opening bids and making the choice of contractor/bidder and during the November 30, 2021, public meeting at or around 10:00 am.

If the contractor/bidder would like to submit the bid by mail, the bid should arrive no later than the postmark date of November 26, 2021. The contractor/bidder or a designee is encouraged to attend
the Bourbon County Commission meeting,  in case there are any question(s) asked of the commission.

The bid can be mailed to the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center at 293 East 20th Street Fort Scott Kansas 66701: attention Bill Martin, Sheriff.

If you have any question, please feel free to call me at the above listed phone number.

Respectfully submitted,
/s/Wm K. Martin, Sheriff

Fort Scott High School Debate Takes First at Invitational

On Saturday, November 20, The Talking Tigers took a small contingency of six teams to compete at the Louisburg Wildcat Invitational.
In the open division, Joy Self and Lillian Collins placed sixth, Berkley Wood and Thade Yates placed fourth, while Anna Hall and Reagan Wells finished in first-place.
The Talking Tigers’ combined scores were enough for a first-place team finish in sweepstakes.
“Thanks for your hard work,” said teacher/coach Angella Curran. “Tigers. It certainly paid off this weekend.”