Monthly Archives: May 2023

Area News, Business

Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas to Host Forum for Professional Advisors

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The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) will host the 2023 Estate Planning Forum in the large conference room of The Foundry at Block22 in downtown Pittsburg on Tuesday, June 13.

The full–day Forum, hosted annually in partnership with Foulston Siefkin LLP of Wichita, is open to Southeast Kansas attorneys, CPAs, insurance professionals, and financial advisors. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., and the first session will begin at 10:00 a.m.


Attendees will learn about new developments in the field of estate planning, earn up to six hours of continuing–education credit, and enjoy a free lunch from Chatters courtesy of CFSEK.


This year’s Forum includes sessions on legal ethics; a comparison of probate–avoidance devices;
drafting advice to minimize family disharmony; drafting support and discretionary trusts; and recent developments in estate planning, including the effects of recent changes on charitable
giving. Sessions will be taught by Foulston Siefkin’s Tim O’Sullivan, JD, LLM, and Corey Moomaw, JD, LLM.


The Forum has been approved for 6 hours of CLE credit (including one hour of ethics credit) and 5 hours of insurance CE credit. It also offers a recommended 5 hours of CPE credit for accountants and 5 hours of PACE credit for qualifying financial advisors.


Registration is required for this event. Professional advisors who want to attend the 2023 Estate Planning Forum can register by completing the online form at
SoutheastKansas.org/forum2023/, emailing j[email protected], or calling
(620) 231–8897.
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Church news, Fort Scott

Fort Scott’s Labyrinth To Be Dedicated May 28

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Pictured are people painting the initial labyrinth lines in fall 2022 at the vacant lot across from First Presbyterian Church at 308 S. Crawford. Submitted photo.

In nearly every culture, walking labyrinths are a single path to a center used for prayer and meditation, or just a brief walk, according to Pastor Christopher Eshelman of Fort Scott First United Methodist.

“We find examples all over the world, from petroglyphs to indigenous basket weavings, stamped coins and labyrinths themselves,” he said. “In this sense, a labyrinth is not a maze or a puzzle – there are no dead ends (and no Minataur!).”

Building a labyrinth in Fort Scott, was Eshelman’s idea.

“Walking labyrinths is one of my favorite spiritual disciplines and I’ve been building them for several years – everything from temporary chalk on concrete or painters tape on a gym floor to mowing them into fields or, in this case, arranging stone to form the path boundaries,” he said.

The Fort Scott Labyrinth was completed last month, and will be dedicated on May 28 at 11:45 a.m., right after the Methodist church service is over.

Pictured is the completed labyrinth with benches. Submitted photo.

“It just really got finished in the last month or so and we are formally dedicating it on Sunday, May 28th with a brief ceremony, he said. “We added the benches and sign a few months ago using funds from a grant given by the Healthy Congregations program of the UMC’s Great Plains Conference. Anyone can use the space.”

 

The labyrinth is a place to meditate.

“It’s a personal favorite practice and it is a way of transforming the space from an abandoned lot into something beautiful,” Eshelman said. “This site, where people once bought food to nourish their bodies now serves as a space to nourish mind and spirit. It is a great way to engage people in walking, exercise, and spirituality as well as deepening the connection and cooperation between our two congregations.”

The labyrinth is sponsored by First Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church.

The Presbyterian Church logos, left and the Methodist Church Logo, right. Submitted graphics.

“The Presbyterians now own the land, which was the former site of Whiteside’s Grocery at 3rd and Crawford,” he said. “The Whiteside’s are longtime members of First United Methodist, where I now serve as pastor. With permission of their Sessions board, I and a few volunteers initially laid it out with marking paint and then gradually added stone – some is debris from the site and some is stone gathered and donated from nearby fields and projects by one of our members. What was once scattered now contributes to a place of wholeness.”

Memorabilia from Whiteside’s Grocery Store, now the site of the labyrinth. Submitted photo.

“It is a space where you can, quite literally, center yourself,” he said. “It really is what you make of it and what you bring to it. There is no wrong way to walk a labyrinth so long as you are respectful of the space and others who use it. One of my favorite experiences was a time I was trying to very seriously instruct a group of Cub Scouts in the ancient practice… and they did not care. They just wanted to play. When I finally got out of the way and let them runs and skip, they immediately started playing follow the leader and exploring the space. It was wonderful. Our design copies one that was laid in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France between 1200 and 1220AD and used as a pilgrimage spot.”

Chartres Labyrinth design. Submitted photo.

 

 

 

Church news, Fort Scott

Rev. Darryl Burton’s Faith Story: Miracle Man, on June 11

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Sending on behalf of Chamber Member
First Presybertian Church…
Rev. Darryl Burton tells his story!
Join us on Sunday, June 11th at 10:30am to hear about Rev. Darryl Burton’s story about Faith and how he helped others who feel lost and hopeless.
Rev. Burton was wrongly convicted and spent 25 years in a prison for a crime he did not commit. Burton founded Miracle of Innocence, an organization to help others who have been wrongfully convicted.
For more information please contact 620.223.3180
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
Opinion

Looking For the Good by Patty LaRoche

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Patty LaRoche. 2023

This week has been a tough one for my friends and their families.  I grieve because of what they are enduring.  Some I cannot share.  Some I can.

My friend Joyce died.  Unexpectantly.  In her last text to me, two days before her death, she wrote this: “I’ve got my eyes on The Prize…Jesus…”  Little did Joyce know that she would meet her “Prize” a short time later.  The day before, she had asked her friends to send her cards so she could post them on the wall in her care facility room.  If Joyce was praying for you, you can be sure she never missed a day.

My girlfriend “Sarah” phoned and reacquainted me with the term “mean girls” who obviously are alive and not well. I don’t understand what makes them tick. Her granddaughter “Jessie,” a student at a new school, had made friends with three girls. After moving several times because of her parents’ divorce and remarriages, this was the first time she had close friends.  Jessie’s invitation to prom gave her renewed confidence.  All four girls would meet at Jessie’s house to dress for the prom where Jessie’s mother, thrilled about her daughter’s excitement, created a potato bar for the girls and their dates.

When Sarah arrived at her granddaughter’s house to take pictures, the mood had changed.  Jessie’s date had phoned and said that he was not able to drive and asked if Jessie’s dad could drop her off at the prom.  Strange, but what else could she do?  When none of the friends arrived at her house, Jessie called them.  No one answered.  Sarah made excuses and attempted to encourage her granddaughter that this “obviously” was some goof-up.  Jessie needed to go to the dance where, surely, everything would be explained.

Fifteen minutes after Jessie was dropped off at prom, she called her dad, asking that he pick her up.  None of the girls were talking to her, and her “date” acted as if she didn’t exist.  My friend cried for three days and then called me.  “I have some advice,” I said.  “Drive up to Jessie’s school and greet the three girls when they leave.  Ask them what pleasure they had in destroying your granddaughter’s confidence and belief that they were her friends. And then meet her “date,” and knock him unconscious. (And yes, I know that this is not what Christians do…but remember, even Jesus got angry.)

The next night, a text came from one of my five college friends who meet up annually for a reunion.  She had been on a date-night with her husband.  He choked on a piece of steak and died. Waiters had attempted the Heimlich but to no avail.  What a horror for my friend to watch!

I tried to find blessings out of such sadness.  Joyce had been struggling for the past year with health issues.  Jessie didn’t need “friends’ like these mean girls.  My sorority friend’s husband had been dealing with early-onset-dementia, had to move out of his house and was grieving because of it.  God knew all of that…and more.

How does one know how God is working?  Because He’s always working.  His permissive will allows things to occur that we do not understand.  When I opened my emails today, this appeared: “God absolutely longs to help us in our hurt.”  He does that by offering Heaven to those who love Him and accept the gift of His son.  When I think of my two friends’ deaths, I know that their last breath here on earth became their first breath in eternity. They loved Jesus. They are so much better off than we are.

Their physical and mental deficiencies are no more.  No pain.  No sorrow.  Only pure joy.  As for my friend’s granddaughter, I pray that God leads her to a “real” friend…hopefully one that will last and love her unconditionally.  A perfect friend like Jesus.

History, Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes

Local Kansas National History Day Champs Will Present Projects on June 1

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National History Day State Champions from Fort Scott Set to Present at the Empress Events Center Southeast Kansas will send two projects to the National History Day Championship in College Park, Maryland June 11–15.

Four groups from the Bourbon County community attended the State National History Day Championships in Topeka in April.


The two groups from Fort Scott who are State Champions competing at Nationals in June will present their projects at 7:00 PM on June 1st at the Empress Events Center. This presentation will allow the students to practice sharing their projects and raise funds for their trip to College Park, MD. This event is open to the
public.


The following students are the State Champions and will be sharing their projects on June 1st:


Kenlee Eden, Blair Felt, and Kodie Wells from Fort Scott Christian Learning Center will participate in the Junior Group Documentary category, coached by Megan Felt and Rachel Wells. Their project is entitled Blazing a Trail for the Forgotten. It is a documentary based on Jean Purdy, the first embryologist in history.
Jean’s efforts in helping biologist Dr. Robert Edwards and gynecologist Dr. Patrick Steptoe led to the first IVF baby being born in 1978.


Taly Banwart, Holly Crain, and Abby Jacobs from Fort Scott Christian Learning Center will participate in the Senior Group Performance category, coached by CLC history teacher Dan Kobernat. Their project is entitled A Love Larger Than Life. It is a performance based on Dr. Leila Denmark and her efforts to eradicate whooping cough by creating the pertussis vaccine. Dr. Denmark’s vaccine was the 11th vaccine ever developed.


History Day encourages students to express their knowledge of and interest in history through creative and
original dramatic performances, media presentations, historical papers, website design, or three–dimensional exhibit projects. The research and study for district, state, and national competitions take place throughout the entire school year.


The national competition involves the top 2,000 students from across the nation, chosen from over 800,000
who compete in order to advance from local to state to national competition. All 50 states and several countries will be represented at the National competition. The theme this year is “Frontiers in History: People, Ideas, and Events.”

The Lowell Milken Center is located at the corner of First and Wall Streets.


The Lowell Milken Center provides critiques and helps with research for National History Day Unsung Hero
projects from Kansas and throughout the United States.

Fort Scott, Fort Scott National Historic Site

Help Build the Field of Honor at Fort Scott National Historic Site on Friday May 26

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Photo credit: National Park Service. Staff and community members set up the Field of Honor in 2022.

Symbols of Sacrifice, an annual event at the Fort Scott National Historic Site, was started about 10 years ago to commemorate those killed in wars the U.S. has fought in.

The first event was organized by the late Anne Emerson and the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site and was on Sept. 11, 2013.

“The Symbols of Sacrifice event began in 2013 (http://www.friendsofthefort.com/2013/08/symbols-of-sacrifice.html) with events around September 11th developed by the Friends of Fort Scott NHS,” said Carl Brenner, FSNHS Program Manager for Interpretation and Resource Management.  “It has occurred on September 11th until  2018 when it was moved to July 4th for that year. Beginning in 2019 we moved the event to Memorial weekend to be more inclusive of everyone who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country free.”

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day and originated in the years following the Civil War, becoming an official federal holiday in 1971, according to a FSNHS press release.

The Field of Honor with its approximately 7,000 flags commemorate the ultimate sacrifice members of the United States Armed Forces have made to keep this country free, according to the press release.

 

Volunteers Needed

Members of the community are invited to join the Fort Scott National Historic Site park staff in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor on Friday morning, tomorrow, May 26, according to the press release.

Volunteers,  individuals and groups, are asked  to plan on working from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. Volunteers are also asked to help remove the display on Tuesday, May 30, according to the press release.

To find out more and to become involved, please contact the park at 620-223-0310, email us at [email protected], or just come out and help.

 

Symbols of Sacrifice continues the entire Memorial Day Weekend, Friday, May 26 through, Monday, May 29, and the Field of Honor will be open throughout the weekend, according to the press release.

There will be guided fort tours daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. This is an all-weather event.

Fort Scott National Historic Site

 

About the Fort

From April 1 to September 30, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its summer hours of operation.

The site exhibit areas and visitor center are open daily from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.

 

Entertainment, Fort Scott

Wahzhazhe, An Osage Ballet: Tickets On Sale Now

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Sending on behalf of Chamber Member
Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site…
The Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site in partnership with the National Park Service invite you to a special performance of Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet. There are three performances: July 21 @ 7:30 pm, and July 22 at 3 pm and 7:30 pm at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Arts Center in Fort Scott, Kansas. For tickets, scan the QR code below
or click here!
Wahzhazhe brings to life the rich history of the Osage Nation in a stunningly beautiful stage performance using traditional drumming, costumes, and contemporary dance. This professional dance performance has been performed at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. and during Pope Francis’ visit to the Philadelphia Festival of Families in 2015.
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
Business, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber After Hours/Ribbon Cutting on May 25 at M’axe Throw House

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Chamber After-hours & Ribbon Cutting
at M’axe Throw House!
Join us for a Chamber After-Hours & Ribbon Cutting Event to celebrate the opening of M’axe Throw House!
Thursday, May 25th, 2023
212 E. 1st St.
5:15pm to 6:30pm
Complementary drink ticket for Chamber Members!
Pizza will also be available!
$2 Admission at the door!
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
Bourbon County, Government

Bo Co Commission Minutes of May 15

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May 15, 2023                                                                                                         Monday, 5:30 p.m.

 

The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners and the County Clerk present at the Fulton Community Center.

 

Clint Walker, Rachel Walker, Misty Adams, Kathy Talbot, and Karen Paddock were present for some or all of the meeting.

 

Jim Harris opened the meeting with the flag salute followed by a prayer led by Nelson Blythe.

 

Nelson made a motion to approve the consent agenda which includes the approval of minutes from last week’s meeting. Clifton seconded the motion and all approved.

 

Eric Bailey, Public Works Director, gave an update on the laydown machine stating the ECM did not fix the problem and the machine has been taken back to Chanute. Jim asked if the machine will not start or won’t run, and Eric said it will start sometimes and then die and sometimes it won’t start. Eric said the codes come back as a timing issue. Jim said in his opinion if the machine is not fixed within a week or so then perhaps the County Counselor should get involved as this machine has had issues for a long time. The Public Works crew has started a project on 205th Street south of Wagon Road replacing tubes, cleaning ditches, and building the road back up in places. Eric said they have a list of projects, and they are steadily working down the list. Eric told the Commissioners about an issue that was put on Facebook, and wanted to explain the situation and the process of notifying Kansas One Call. Eric said a vehicle went off the road and sheared a culvert marker sign off at the ground. Eric stated that Kansas One Call must be notified before we dig or drive a post into the ground, and then they have three business days to come out and mark the area. To temporarily notify drivers of the location of the culvert a culvert marker sign was placed in the top of an orange cone, and then the cone was placed at the culvert until Kansas One Call marked the site and the county had clearance to dig. Eric stated the post of Facebook had a picture and a comment referring to how the county fixes problems and reiterated this was only a temporary fix and was done so that other drivers could be made aware of the culvert. Eric said he called the individual who posted the picture to explain to her that the county could not dig without the go ahead from Kansas One Call and left a voicemail, but never heard back from her. Jim said Eric is doing a great job and going by the book, and stated we definitely don’t want to tear up any fiber out there. Eric said that the crew went to Yale Road and did some spot repairs patching some holes due to safety issues. Eric said they are waiting on the contractor who will mill the road and have no timeline yet as to when that will happen. Nelson voiced his concerns that the goal of having some of Yale Road paved next year will not be met if the road has to be milled for a year. Eric said he received a call from Redfield last week requesting the county donate three loads of gravel. Eric stated he is unsure of how things have worked in the past and said that right now due to the interlocal agreement the county is trading rock at cost with the City of Fort Scott. Jim said the county has previously donated it. Clifton stated in his opinion fair is fair and we donate to all or sell it. Jim agreed that if we give to one, we should give to all. Clifton voiced his concerns about donating rock to all municipalities that we would get to a point where we give away more rock that we can produce. Jim asked if there was an interlocal agreement with Redfield, and Justin Meeks replied no. Justin suggested making a donation to each municipality of a set number of loads per year. There was discussion on how many loads of gravel the county should donate to each municipality. Jim made a motion to donate and deliver five loads of gravel to each municipality in Bourbon County. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.

 

Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk, presented a budget timeline and a tentative schedule of budget presentation to the Commissioners. The audit agreement from Jarred, Gilmore and Phillips, PA was presented to the Commissioners to be signed. Clifton made a motion to allow Chairman Harris to sign the audit agreement for the fiscal year 2022 audit to be conducted by Jarred, Gilmore and Phillips PA. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.

 

There is a vacancy on the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department Board for Bourbon County and a recommendation to appoint Michele Dunkeson was submitted. Clifton made a motion to appoint Michele Dunkeson to the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department Board as a representative of Bourbon County. Nelson seconded the motion.

 

A fence view request was submitted by Gary Hall and the County Counselor outlined the Commissioners’ role in viewing the fence. Justin stated he would provide a packet of information detailing the steps required to complete the fence viewing to the Clerk and Commissioners by the end of the week.

 

Clifton made a motion to go into a 20-minute executive session under KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy and under KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship for possible litigation to include all three Commissioners and Justin Meeks. The executive session will be held in a section of the old school building next door and they will return at 6:15. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved. Clifton made a motion to resume normal session at 6:15 with no action. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.

 

Clint Walker discussed grant opportunities to update cell service that he read in the newspaper. Jim said we would share the information with our IT department and REDI.

 

Misty Adams spoke about an area of 215th Street, behind the city burn pile, that is holding water resulting in a mosquito problem. Misty said she has called Topeka and the EPA to try to get help with the issue and questioned if it was possible to go under the road to put in a whistle. Eric said he would have to look at the location, and it was agreed upon to do so after tonight’s meeting.

Rachel Walker questioned the Commissioners on if a municipality does not use their given five loads of rock in year if it would roll over to the next year allowing them to get ten loads of rock. The Commissioners stated that was a good question, and agreed to clarify the motion from earlier. Clifton made a motion to strike the motion made earlier giving five loads of gravel to each municipality in Bourbon County. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved. Clifton made a motion to deliver five loads of gravel, at approximately 15 tons per load, to each municipality per year and it will not roll over, it is five loads of rock per year per municipality. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.

 

Clifton commended Clint Walker for still reading paper newspapers during Commission comments.

 

Clifton made a motion to go into a 5-minute executive session KSA 4319 (b)(2) for the consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship for possible litigation to include all three Commissioners and Justin Meeks. The executive session will be held in a section of the old school building next door and they will return at 6:29. Clifton made a motion to resume normal session at 6:29 with action. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.

 

Clifton made a motion to allow County Counselor Justin Meeks to hire outside counsel for an EOC issue. Justin asked that a cap of $5,000 be placed for the hiring of the outside counsel. Clifton added to his motion to place a cap of $5,000 for the hiring of the outside counsel. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.

 

Clifton made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:30. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.

 

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS

___________________, Chairman

___________________, Commissioner

___________________, Commissioner

ATTEST:

                                                         

Jennifer Hawkins, Bourbon County Clerk

_______________, Approved Date

Entertainment, Youth

The Rockballet Dancers Show is June 9,10

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Tickets went on sale to the public last night for Rockballet recital.

Kristin Gorman teaches dance to over 100 students ages 4-18 years old and loves it.

“The best thing for me about recital is standing in the wings watching my dancers look look so beautiful and confident on stage, and seeing them truly loving the art form,” she said.  “As a professional performer my whole life, knowing what it feels like, I love being able provide this opportunity for them to experience performing in a show like this.”

The performance is June 9 and 10 at the Bicknell Center, Pittsburg.

Kristin Gorman 
Owner / Director
ROCKBALLET
Email: [email protected]   Website: therockballet.com