Citizens of Fort Scott are asked to not water lawns or unnecessary usage of water today as there has been a water main break in town, according to Mayor Matthew Wells.
The vacant house at 1311 S. National Avenue has the beginning work of rehabilitation done by several volunteers and others.
“We were notified by the Fort Scott Codes Department in 2017 of a house on National that they thought could be rehabbed,” said Carolyn Sinn, a member of the Youth Activity Team, which took on the project to repair then sell the house to benefit Fort Scott’s Ellis Park.
A veteran living in the home at the time was relocated.
“He was relocated with help from a lot of people in the community,” Sinn said. “To a quality place.”
The city thought the house was salvageable and YAT paid $4, 101 for it, which included the prior years taxes, she said.
The Youth Activities Team, the Good Neighbor Action Team and the Fort Scott Fire Department helped with the demolition, Sinn said.
A new roof and windows (paid for by Peerless Products, Fort Scott) were put on the house.
“We hired Amish carpenters to repair the porch and stabilize the garage,” she said. “Jeff Allen did some electrical work for us a donation.”
Then the COVID-19 Pandemic happened.
“The work got stopped,” she said. “During COVID, materials got out of control.”
All together they have invested approximately $26,000 in the house.
“When it was over, we looked at it again and decided to sell the house and hopefully get it back on the tax rolls,” Sinn said.
The YAT asked the City of Fort Scott to auction it off and any money made will be transferred to the parks committee, to be used for sensory park equipment, she said. Sensory equipment allows more easily accessed playgrounds for children of all abilities.
The City of Fort Scott voted to allow the YAT to sell the house at the commission meeting on May 16, 2023.
The original YAT was comprised of Sinn, Eric Bailey, Laura George, Tom Roberts, Paul Martin, Larry Fink and Diana Mitchell.
Following the sale of the house, the YAT will be dissolved, Sinn said.
“We have a lot of enthusiastic people in the community now,” she said.
Through the years YAT has raised money for upgrades and improvement to Ellis Park, on 12th Street, near the Fort Scott Middle School.
They installed lighting, put in a sand volleyball court, a basketball court, a walking trail, and UMB Bank helped with building a pavilion at the park.
“With the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team we raised $37,600 for the sensory equipment in the park,” Sinn said. “That money we gave to the city parks committee for sensory equipment in the park on Dec. 14, 2022.”
Harriet Ann Ross, age 93, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in Ft. Scott. She was born November 27, 1929, in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Lancelot Jameison and Ivalu Thompson Jamieson. Harriet graduated high school in Prairie Village, Kansas and went on to graduate from Park College in Kansas City.
Harriet loved dancing. In earlier years she danced professionally and also taught ballet and tap dancing. She married William L. Ross on May 14, 1955. As Bill was an air traffic controller, Harriet followed him around the world where he was employed at various airports. Harriet and Bill made their home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Puerto Rico; Panama; Nashville, Tennessee and Wichita, Kansas.
Harriet had been employed for TWA, and as a district manager for Sarah Coventry costume jewelry, and as an office manager for various psychologists. Following retirement, they moved to Florida. While living in Florida, Harriet’s love of dance was rekindled, and she organized and taught a dancing group that performed at various community events. Later in life, Bill and Harriet relocated to Ft. Scott, Kansas to be near family.
Survivors include her husband of sixty-eight years, William, of the home; a son, Mike Ross (Mimi) of Ft. Scott, Kansas and two grandchildren, Krista Park (Matt) and Luke Ross and four great-grandchildren, Jovie, Kenley, Noble and Kansas Park. Also surviving is a daughter-in-law, Willow Ross of Wichita, Kansas.
Harriet was preceded in death by a son, Steven Ross, her parents, and an infant sister, Janet.
Following cremation, burial will take place at a later date at the Liberty Cemetery in Warrensburg, Missouri.
Local arrangements 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
Summer is almost here and the 4th of July is the keystone event of the season for many people
Fireworks are a big component in celebrating the independence from Britain in 1776, that the day commemorates.
Fort Scott has its own distributor of fireworks, since October 2021, in the industrial park just off of Hwy. 69, south of the city.
Jurassic Fireworks, 4500 Campbell Drive, sells both wholesale and retail fireworks. This building is the former site of Firstsource Solutions.
The business is owned by a father-daughter partnership of Frank and Bree Elliot, Colorado.
“This is a family run business, started by his father in 1965,” said Cindy Delise, Fort Scott, who mans the business here, and whose title is distributor.
“I’m the only employee here currently, but we are taking applications for the season,” she said.
The fireworks season is June 26 to July 6 in Fort Scott. During that time the hours are 8 a.m. to midnight.
Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. the rest of the year, Delise said.
Jurassic Fireworks, Fort Scott, can be reached at (919) 369-8710.
They have retail stores in Wyoming, Colorado, Missouri, Texas and Indiana, as well.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to the Chamber Coffee Thursday, May 18th at 8am hosted by Bobbi Kemna. The event will take place at the Kemna home located at 1366 215th St., which is approximately ¼ mile north of town on old 69 highway. Coffee, juice, and biscuits and gravy will be served in addition to a door prize drawing.
Local resident and community volunteer Cory Bryars will speak on the 2nd Annual Fort Fest Blues Festival event to be held the last weekend of September Downtown in front of Sharky’s Pub & Grub on Friday evening the 29th and at Riverfront Park on Saturday the 30th from 12pm to 9pm featuring live music, a barbeque contest, vendor booths, and more. The event will benefit “Care to Share, The Sharing Bucket” cancer support organization.
The Chamber had a schedule change for the Chamber Coffee this week, and Bobbi stepped in and offered to open her doors to Chamber members and guests. Bobbi is a long-time entrepreneur in Bourbon County, having owned several businesses in partnership with her late husband, Harry, including the KOA Campground, mobile home sales, a flight school, and The Branding Iron restaurant.
Chamber Coffee guests are welcome to step into The Pot Pantry adjacent to her home, an 1800’s rock house studio and gallery space of her hand-built pottery. Bobbi hosted an Art in the Yard festival two years on her property, and continues to display her pottery at art events near and far including the Backroom Art Gallery at Hare & Crow Barber Shop on Main Street open weekly Wednesday through Saturday and the evenings of First Fridays in addition to The Artificers gallery.
Chamber members and guests are invited to Chamber Coffee events each Thursday at 8 a.m. to network, make announcements, hear about happenings in the community as well as learn about the host business or organization.
Jones T. VanHoecke E. Woellhof K. Harrington M. Wells
Flag Salute:
III. Approval of Agenda:
Public Comment:
Sign up required. Comments on any topic not on agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at Commission discretion.
Old Business:
Consideration of Acquisition of Land for Economic Development and Construction of a Manufacturing Plant – M. Wells
Consideration of Approval of Boundary Survey for 37+/- Acre Parcel and Certificate of Survey of a 20-Acre Parcel Split out from boundary for the Acquisition of Land for Economic Development and Construction of a Manufacturing Plant to be completed by Earles Engineering & Inspection, Inc. $5,000.00 – M. Wells
New Business:
XIII. Executive Session – If requested, (please follow script in all motions for Executive Sessions)
The Third Annual Shead Farm Homestead Festival is Saturday, May 20 at 2468 Cavalry Rd. near rural Garland, south of Fort Scott.
The day is geared toward sustainable living by a family that is doing just that.
“A lot of people were wanting to know about sustainable living,” Vickie Shead, the matriarch of the family, said. “God is good and we are trying to keep up with all He is leading us to do.”
The festival will feature 36 vendors or activities that use creative ways to teach garden/farm knowledge.
“There is no charge to vendors,” Vickie said. “This is to benefit entrepreneurs who are wanting to start a business.”
“Come join us for a fun filled educational event for the whole family,” said Vickie, who along with her husband Larry and their children and grand children will be hosting the event. “It’s a great family outing!”
In addition to the Shead family, they have 106 volunteers helping at the festival, for which they are grateful.
On tap will be live music, lots of children’s activities, a farm tour, and farm store, vendor booths and a food court.
The admission fee for a single ticket is $5 or for a family (4+) $20.
To view a map of the Shead Farm vendors/activities:
The farm tour includes the gardens, greenhouse, animals, beekeeping and learning how to graft a fruit tree.
For sale will be animals, worm farms, plants, berries, carts, compost and trees.
Vendors will be selling soaps and salves, honey, eggs, spices, baked goods, baskets, weaving, spinning wool, plant propagations, farm decor and kitchen items.
The Sheads will be selling walking tacos for $5, and Supercharged Cookies for $2. A snack shack will be selling cotton candy, lemonade, ice cream and pastries.
Shead Farm Store items for sale will be Veggie Powder, toys, hats, aprons, books,quilted Items, bouquets, and more.