The Fort Scott City Commission will hold a work session on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. in the City Commission Meeting room. No action will be taken.
Following the Work Session will be the regular City Commission Meeting beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the City Commission Meeting room.
These meetings are open to the public. They will also available on YouTube live and as a recording following the conclusion of the meeting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A friend sent me an email of the following story. I found it preposterous but asked my friend who worked in the nuclear weapon’s lab to verify it. He did, with only a couple of modifications, not significant enough to mention.
Scientists at NASA built a gun specifically to launch standard, four- pound, dead chickens at the windshields of airliners, military jets and the space shuttle, all traveling at maximum velocity. The idea was to simulate the frequent incidents of collisions with airborne fowl to test the strength of the windshields.
British engineers heard about the gun and were eager to test it on the windshields of their new high-speed trains. Arrangements were made, and a gun was sent to the British engineers. When the gun was fired, the engineers stood shocked as the chicken hurled out of the barrel, crashed into the shatterproof shield, smashed it to smithereens, blasted through the control console, snapped the engineer’s back-rest in two, and embedded itself in the back wall of the cabin, like an arrow shot from a bow.
The horrified Brits sent NASA the disastrous results of the experiment, along with the designs of the windshield and begged the U.S. scientists for suggestions.
NASA responded with a one-line memo: “DEFROST THE CHICKEN.”
Such a minor detail, right? But as we all know, that’s where the most problems occur.
Dave and I have been visiting with our son Jeff and his wife Kira. Kira is taking classes to get her pilot’s license, and the more she explains what she is learning, the more I realize that I have no desire to fly an airplane. Yesterday, she shared just how dangerous it is if a fowl fouls up a flight pattern. Or if she enters an airspace designed for bigger planes. Or if a pre-flight inspection misses a minor detail (like the propellers hides a plastic cover over a vent). And let’s face it, if you fly, you want every little detail taken care of by your flight crew.
There seems to be an epidemic of this missing.
At Burger King in Louisburg, Kansas, last month, only one man had shown up for work. He took the orders, made the food and collected the money. People don’t feel like coming to work? Apparently, no big deal. Then, when I was clothes shopping in a department store in Kansas City, two elderly ladies were running around, trying to place things where they belong. I struck up a conversation with the manager. When she asked a couple of the younger workers why they didn’t put things in the right place, she was told, “I just don’t feel like it.”
Details!
Every employer needs a detail person, the one who looks at the big picture and calculates what needs to be done. No one is better at that than God. When you read the Bible, take notice of the exact dimensions God gave Moses to build the Tabernacle, of the specifics he gave Noah to construct the Ark, of the rules for sacrifices and obedience expected of the Israelites. Then think of the ways our bodies are designed and the structure of the planets. God is definitely involved in the details.
And we should be too. Let’s purpose this week to see the trees instead of the forest: an extra tip to the weary waitress; an offer to help the customer shopping in the wheel chair; a “thank you” to the trash collector; an email of appreciation to the frazzled teacher; an “I love you” to our spouse; a prayer offered…just because.
In so doing, you will be putting God in the details…right where He belongs.
The Rita J. Bicknell Women’s Health Fund (WHF) is furthering its support of women’s health
initiatives in the Southeast Kansas area by awarding a total of $50,992 in grants in 2022. The
Women’s Giving Circle awarded $43,312 to five SEK nonprofit organizations and the Circle of
Friends Giving Circle awarded four nonprofit organizations $7,680. All projects receiving funding
are committed to carrying on the WHF mission “To improve the health and wellbeing of
women by supporting education, increasing awareness, and sharing quality of life
opportunities to benefit all women.”
In 2007, the establishment of the Rita J. Bicknell Women’s Giving Circle at the Community
Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) was a philanthropic beginning for women helping
women in our area. Today the Rita J. Bicknell Women’s Health Fund is made up of the Women’s
Giving Circle, the Circle of Friends, and the Nightingale Endowment. Circle memberships
support granting to area organizations. The Nightingale Endowment supports the Irene Ransom
Bradley School of Nursing Simulation Hospital at Pittsburg State University. Since inception, the
giving circles have generously granted over $350,000 to improve women’s health in our
community.
The Women’s Health Fund and the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas would like to
congratulate the following 2022 grant recipients:
Women’s Giving Circle
Community Health Center of SEK, Inc.: Scope it Out – Reducing the Risk of Cervical Cancer
Fostering Connections: Teen Girl Shopping Spree
Kansas Angels Among Us Inc.: Financial Assistance for Cancer Patients.
Labette Health Foundation: OB/GYN Patient Care Improvement Project
Mount Carmel Foundation: Better Care at the Bedside: Ultrasound Probes Needed to Care for
Expectant Mothers & Babies.
Circle of Friends Giving Circle
Friends of Mapleton Association: Emergency Preparedness
Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters: Here We Grow
Labette County USD 506 Meadowview Elementary School: Girls Day in Aviation at Greenbush
Safehouse Crisis Center, Inc.: A New Bed for a New Beginning
The Women’s Health Fund is proud to be able to contribute to the success of these
organizations and their projects in support of women’s health and wellbeing in the SEK region.
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas is pleased to be the host agency for the Rita J.
Bicknell Women’s Health Fund. CFSEK is a public non-profit foundation that serves the region
by helping donors fulfill their charitable giving goals in ways that benefit the common good and
improve the quality of life. The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation and the Girard Area
Community Foundation are CFSEK affiliates. If you would like to learn more about the CFSEK or
the Women’s Giving Circles, we invite you to visit SoutheastKansas.org or call 620-231-8897.
Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition
General Membership Meeting Agenda
November 2, 2022
1. Welcome:
2. Member Introductions and Announcements:
3. Program: Barb McCord and Janet Irvin: Fort Scott Garden Club
4. Open Forum:
5. Adjournment: Next General Membership meeting will be December 7, 2022, at 1 pm.
Jan Hedges, owner of Hedghog INK, opened the bookstore in October 2018, with her husband Dick, at 16 S. Main.
“Both Dick and I loved books,” Jan said. “Anytime we traveled we always went to a bookstore. I thought it would be neat to work in one. We had a lot of books at home we needed to do something with.”
“Dick was very supportive of Fort Scott and was sad to see the downtown with hardly any businesses,” she said. “We started talking and, well, instead of someone else doing something, maybe we needed to do something.”
“We started looking at storefronts downtown,” she said. “I talked with the city staff and found that Jared Leek was looking for someone to rent this building.”
“Dick and I had both retired three times, and then we opened this bookstore,” Jan said. “We took the leap.”
And so the business venture began in October 2018.
“Dick died March 11, 2022,” Jan said. “He was the official greeter.”
The Business Has Grown
In the four years since opening, Jan has doubled the size of the store, finding space to rent behind 14 S. Main and a doorway entry to the space opened up.
“The added space we call the Great Room, we rent out, after hours to local groups,” she said. “PEO, the Garden Club, a magazine club have used the space.”
In this space also is a mezzanine type area.
“The reading loft is good for small groups,” she said. “High school, college kids study there, moms and their children sometimes go to read books.”
Coffee and tea are available for free, for those who want to sit a spell.
Employees
Currently there are four part-time employees at Hedgehog INK.
Sheryl Bloomfield has worked at the store since its opening and her specialty is decorating the windows at the front of the store.
Lynn Pallaske is in charge of their social media marketing.
Rylan Mason is a high school student and Casey Lewis was a customer who was “here all the time, so we asked her if she’d help us out.”
They all do the work of the store, processing donated books, shelving, working as cashier, etc.
People can call to see if the store has a certain book in stock.
“If we don’t have a book, we can try to order for people,” she said.
Book Offerings
Children’s books and history books are the store’s best sellers.
There is a section for local authors in all genres.
The list of local authors: Cathy Werling, Evelyn Kalvelage, Carol Russell, Sally Freeman Jadlow, Joyce Love, Rick Mayhew, Bourbon County Historical Preservation Association Books, Ann Miesner, Martie Wells-Smith, Jane Tucker, Mary Barbara McKay, Gerri Hilger, Kay Large, J. Speer, Rogena McPherson, Nanette Holloway, R.J. Thesman, Sally Smith, Barbara Ramsey, Marvin Ramsey, George Proctor and Ann Joyner.
“We have Writers Wednesday, a group that meets from 1 to 3 p.m. every week and recently hosted a writers seminar,” Jan said.
Story time at the store is starting again after a hiatus because of the COVID 19 Pandemic.
“It’s the first Saturday of each month in the reading loft area,” she said.
Fort Scott has been so generous in donating books to the book store, that during November and December they are not accepting donations.
They have over 30,000 books.
Other Products Are For Sale
In addition, the store sells local products such as goat milk lotions and lavender products, handmade handbags, photo cards, arts and crafts materials, games and puzzles, journals, chocolates and more.
Hours are Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are open by appointment at other times.
Contact the store at 620.670.2752 or [email protected].
|
|
|
The Fort Scott High School Theatre program performs Addams Family School Edition at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8 and 10 and at 2 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 at FSHS.
Theatrical Rights Worldwide says The Addams Family is “a comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family… and it’s every father’s nightmare: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family–a man her parents have never met. And if that wasn’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before–keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents.”
Students playing the Addams Family members include newcomer Junie Fisher, a freshman, as Wednesday; junior Casey Gomez as Gomez; sophomore Emma Guns as Morticia; senior Luke Majors as Fester; junior Regen Wells as Pugsley; junior Jaedyn Lewis as Grandma; and junior Jonah Wilterding as Lurch. The Beineke family includes senior Jackson Elton as Mal, senior Karen Primeaux as Alice, and Junior Jericho Jones playing the boyfriend – Lucas. A full ensemble of ghostly ancestors round out the 23-member cast. Another fifteen students serve as crew members for the production.
Cast member Casey Gomez knew he wanted the part of Gomez all along, after all, his name made it his destiny to play the role! He says, “Being in The Addams Family is great! I just love it because the songs are super fun and the jokes are hilarious.”
The Addams Family is directed by FSHS Theatre Director Angie Bin and Music Director Sarah Dunivan, Winfield Scott Elementary Music Instructor. Eugene Ware teacher Abby Stepps is the Choreographer and FSCC student Christina King serves as Technical Director.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students and children. Tickets are reserved seating and available at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com. Tickets may be available to purchase at the door if any remain. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.
The musical is written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa, and Orchestrations by Larry Hochman. It is produced with special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide, 1180 Avenue of the America. Suite 640, New York, NY 10036, www.theatricalrightsworldwide.
Community Christian Church Trunk and Treat in the southeast parking lot from 5-6:30 p.m. on October 31. The church will have candy, snacks, hot dogs, and bottled water passed out from trunks.
“This is open to everyone,” Delynn Abati, communications administrator for the church said. “We will have a contingency plan if it rains and will post that to social media early in the day.”
