Lisa Jo Larkin, age 56, resident of Las Vegas, NV, died Monday, June 19, 2023, at the Nathan Adelson Hospice following a lengthy illness. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:30 PM Friday, July 14th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel in Fort Scott, KS. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Monthly Archives: June 2023
Obituary of Patricia Bolton
Patricia A. Bolton, 83, former resident of Fort Scott, Kansas, passed away Tuesday morning, June 20, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri. She was born March 18, 1940, in Muscotah, Kansas, the daughter of Floyd Harold Tipling and Anna Belle (Woodward) Tipling. She married William Gary “Bill” Bolton on August 23, 1959, in Muscotah, Kansas, and he preceded her in death on September 8, 2007.
Pat received her BA in Biology and Home Economics from Emporia State University. She was a homemaker and part-time college professor.
Survivors include her daughters, Kathryn Renee Bradford and husband Merl, of Minden, Nebraska, and Constance Zoe Townzen and husband Darren, of Rogers, Arkansas; a brother, Paul A. Tipling and wife Dixie, of Salina, Kansas; four grandchildren, Andrew Bradford, Emily Kennedy and husband Kyle, Daniel Townzen, and Laura Stephens and husband Sam; three great-grandchildren, Leif, Anders, and Finn.
In addition to her husband, Bill, she was also preceded in death by her parents.
Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct funeral services at 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 26, 2023, at the First Presbyterian Church under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.
Burial will follow at the Evergreen Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.
Get Kids in the Kitchen This Summer!
By Clara Wicoff
Southwind Extension District
The month of June has been a blur as we have been hosting youth cooking classes throughout the Southwind Extension District (which covers Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, and Woodson Counties). These classes provide an excellent hands-on opportunity for youth to build their confidence in the kitchen. The summer is a great time for you to invite kids into the kitchen to cook healthy meals together at home!
The benefits of cooking together include building children’s self-esteem, helping them develop small muscle skills as they complete kitchen tasks, and creating time for bonding with your children. Cooking together also helps children practice math and reading skills as they read and interpret recipes, work with fractions, and measure ingredients. Research also suggests that youth who cook have healthier dietary habits.
So, how can you get your kids in the kitchen this summer to experience some of these same benefits? Keep these tips in mind:
- Remember that meals will likely take longer to prepare. Do not try to cook together when you are in a hurry.
- Teach children about handwashing. Before cooking, you should always wash your hands with clean water and soap for at least 20 seconds. This is roughly the same amount of time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice.
- Have children complete age-appropriate tasks. For example, tasks for 2-4 year old children could include using measuring spoons or pouring liquids, while tasks for 8-11 year old children could include using a vegetable peeler or whisking. To find a more complete list of age-appropriate tasks from Illinois Extension, visit bit.ly/Cooking-With-Children.
For more information, please contact me at [email protected] or 620-365-2242.
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Uniontown Independence Day Celebration: July 3
The Independence Day Bash will be held on Monday, July 3rd in the Uniontown City Park.
“We love celebrating our nation’s independence with our friends and neighbors and hope to see YOU there,” according to Amy Holt, Vice President – Loan Administration at Union State Bank.
The bank has funded the annual event for 18 years.
Events start at 6:30 p.m. with a free hot dog and chips meal, that the bank provides.
Uniontown’s Baptist Church will be selling soft drinks for a camp fundraiser, the Uniontown High School Cheerleaders will have a bake sale and sell glow sticks, and the Old Settlers Day Committee will have a bake sale to raise funds for the annual event in Uniontown on Labor Day.
There will also be inflatables (bounce houses, etc. )for the kids and kids at heart, she said.
There will be live entertainment by Trevor Holman and the Haymakers.
This band is a Red Dirt and Classic Country Band from Southeast Kansas, according to its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HAYMKRZ/
The fireworks begin at dusk, this time of year around 9:30 or 10 p.m.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports June 23
Praying With Purpose by Patty LaRoche
Scripture instructs us to pray. Loved ones ask for it, depend on it, and trust we will follow through when we promise to intercede for those who are hurting. Oh, we try (don’t we?), but there’s this haunting, little inadequacy thing. The words are fleeting. Our mind wanders. We don’t begin to understand to Whom it is we are talking.
In A Morbid Taste for Bones, Ellis Peters gives a sweet description of someone she watched who was deep in prayer: “He prayed as he breathed, forming no words and making no specific requests, only holding in his heart, like broken birds in cupped hands, all those people who were in stress or grief.”
Do you picture that as I do, with a sense of awe, and know that this is the type of intercessor you want in your corner? Or the kind of prayer warrior you want to be but perhaps are not delivering? You question the usefulness of your petitions. “What’s the point? The last sick people for whom I prayed have not improved, even though I visualized the miracle.” “The marriage for which I prayed ended in a split, in spite of how I was praying in God’s will—He who disdains divorce.” “The drug-addicted son for whom I grieved ended up in the penitentiary.” Have you been there?
So, why are my prayers ineffective?
We forget that bad things happen to good people, our prayers are not a magic bullet, and to God, our spiritual growth is more important than our physical desires being met. Just as a sailor does not learn to master the sea during calm waters, so is our faith tested during the difficult times. More importantly, we simply can’t see God’s purposes.
Someone once wrote that God offers three answers to prayer: (1) Yes, (2) No, and (3) I have something better for you.
As it turns out, I personally have some ownership in the battle of prayer.
(1). There has to be a relationship between God and me. He is not interested in being my bottled genie when the only time I talk to Him is when I want something. Think of your children. If they have no regard for you except when they want you to meet their demands, you would feel used, not respected or loved. So it is with God.
(2). Sin interferes with our relationship. Psalm 66:18 makes that clear. “If I regard sin in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Sin seeks to control us, and yes, we all are sinners, but if we make no attempt to stop sinning and cling to it like shrink-wrap on a jar (or like my waist when I was younger and tried to lose weight), we will not be seeking God with our whole heart.
(3). Selfish motives can kill a prayer. I can ask God all day long to make me a better witness for Jesus, but if my hidden intent is to get notoriety or praise for doing so, God isn’t interested.
4). Unforgiveness is not the way to get God into our court. Mark 11:25 tells us that God will not forgive me unless I forgive someone who has offended me.
James 5:16 is a powerful verse: “The effective prayer of a righteous person has great power.” You want power in your prayers? I do. Then our petitions need to be “effective,” meaning God will hear—and act on—those prayers. A few verses previous, James asked if anyone was suffering. “Let him pray.” That was the same answer given to anyone uncheerful or sick or sinning. They all were to pray. Why? Because prayer works. And it works not because of us…but because of God Almighty.
Martin Luther said it well: “To be a Christian without praying is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. I think that’s the kind of prayer Ellis Peters was talking about.
Chamber of Commerce Insurance Info June 28
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Chamber HostingInformational Sessions on Chamber Blue Health Insurance Program to inform those interested in a 1/1/24 start date! Blue Cross Blue Shield of KS Insurance Program Two info. sessions will be held Wednesday, June 28th 9-10am and 12-1pm at the Chamber office 231 E. Wall St. Current Chamber members and any prospective members are welcome to attend! See link below to RSVP. |
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| The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is starting to get information out on the Chamber Blue Health Insurance program through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas for 2024 coverage for local businesses and their employees.
The Chamber is offering two informational sessions about the program on Wednesday, June 28th at the Chamber office, 231 E. Wall St. The sessions will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. and 12 to 1 p.m. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP through the events tab of fortscott.com so seating and materials can be planned.
Businesses currently enrolled in the program are welcome to attend one of these sessions, but do not need to do anything as they will be contacted by BCBS with renewal info.
The timeline for coverage for 2024 is as follows:
Click HERE for more info. on the program. Click HERE to RSVP for an info. session.
Visit fortscott.com or contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566 or email [email protected]. |
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VBS at Nazarene Church is June 26-29
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The Wayward Betty’s at Crooner’s!
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The Artificers In July
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The Artificers In JulyHappy July! Check out the calendar below for all the classes and events happening this Month! |
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Artist Opening ReceptionMaster Artist Liberty Worth, Textile and Fabric Artist Guest ArtistGentry Warren, Mixed Media Artist |
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About the Artists |
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Master Artist Class Work with textile artist Liberty Worth to give new life and artistic outcomes to old fabric scraps. We will be “painting” (no paint involved) with fabric to create new objects d’art. |
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Historic Church Property Donated to the Gordon Parks Museum
Fort Scottian Josh Jones purchased the property at 301 Lowman for a philanthropic purpose.
“I purchased it from the owner with the intent to transfer it to the Gordon Parks Museum,” Jones said. “I knew of the historic meaning of the property and wanted to get it to them.”
Left to right): Josh Jones, along with Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum Director and Sarah Smith, member of the Fort Scott Community College Foundation. Submitted photo.
On the property once stood the historic African-American Methodist Episcopal Church.
Now it’s the property of the Gordon Parks Museum, thanks to Jones and the Fort Scott Community College Foundation, according to a press release from the museum director, Kirk Sharp.
“The FSCC Foundation Department helped with getting it deeded into their name, the museum is under its umbrella,” Sharp said.
“Jones donated the site on the southeast corner of Third and Lowman streets where the church, attended regularly by Gordon Parks and his family, was located,” according to the press release. “The church was also used in a scene from Parks’ acclaimed film, The Learning Tree.”
Gordon Parks, 1950.
Photo Courtesy of and Copyright by The Gordon Parks Foundation
“We are very excited about this donation and can’t thank Josh and the Foundation enough,” said Sharp. “This donation creates this wonderful opportunity to keep this incredible history alive in Fort Scott. This is also the same location that is located on our Learning Tree Film Sign Trail.”
The tentative plans, Sharp said, are to develop the property as a commemorative, low-maintenance park neighborhood-type park with signs, photos, benches and short walls with a history of the church as a tribute.
“The museum will look for possible grants and donations to help fund this project,” he said. “There is currently no timeline as of now for the completion of the tribute project.”
In its heyday, the church, established in 1866, was the hub of Fort Scott’s black community, according to the press release. The church moved from its original location in 1885, occupying a new brick building on the corner of Third and Lowman, where it stood at 301 S. Lowman with a viable congregation for more than 115 years.
A reduction in members and unsafe conditions eventually led to its condemnation and razing in the early 2000s, Sharp said. One of the stained-glass windows and two of the pews are on exhibit at the Gordon Parks Museum.
“The largest congregation was believed to have been in 1888,” he said. “The city directory for that year indicates the membership was 260 and the Sunday school membership was 100.”
The AME church was Fort Scott’s first and oldest black church with Shiloh Baptist being the second.
Nominees For Positive Impact to Communities Being Sought
Nominations Now Open for 2023 To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Commerce is accepting nominations for the 2023 To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards. The popular annual awards program recognizes companies and individuals around the state for the positive impact they make to their communities and to the Kansas economy.
This year’s banquet and award ceremony will be held October 12th at the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center in Wichita.
“It is important to celebrate the successes of Kansas companies and businesspeople who not only are driving the state economy but uplifting their local communities,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “To The Stars recognizes the entrepreneurial spirit and achievement that are on display daily throughout our great state. I would encourage everyone to nominate a company or individual for this notable honor.”
Companies, organizations and individuals can be nominated in the following categories:
AgriBusiness – companies that stand out in the agribusiness industry – including agricultural production, products and services, and agri-tourism
Apprenticeship Champions and Partners – companies and other entities that excel providing registered apprenticeship programs in Kansas
Business Innovation – companies from any sector incorporating innovative technologies in their business
Healthcare/Nonprofit – noteworthy services provided by either healthcare facilities or nonprofit organizations
Manufacturing/Distribution – outstanding achievement for companies large and small involved in manufacturing and distribution
Non-Traditional Talent Pools – companies that have gone above and beyond to hire those with prior involvement in the justice system, youth, seniors or individuals with disabilities
Retail/Service – exceptional performance by businesses selling goods, products and/or services
Under 30 Entrepreneurs – young entrepreneurs achieving business success under the age of 30
Welcome Back – entrepreneurs and businesspeople who once left Kansas but have returned to make their mark in the Sunflower State
The Department of Commerce also will announce both the prestigious Governor’s Award of Excellence winner and the 2023 Exporter of the Year during the banquet and awards ceremony.
“There is no shortage of success stories in Kansas communities large and small,” Commerce Assistant Secretary of Business Development Nadira Hazim-Patrick said. “Spotlighting the best of the best is what To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards is all about.”
To learn more about To The Stars: Kansas Businesses Awards award categories, view past winners and to nominate a busiNominations Now Open for 2023 To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Commerce is accepting nominations for the 2023 To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards. The popular annual awards program recognizes companies and individuals around the state for the positive impact they make to their communities and to the Kansas economy.
This year’s banquet and award ceremony will be held October 12th at the B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center in Wichita.
“It is important to celebrate the successes of Kansas companies and businesspeople who not only are driving the state economy but uplifting their local communities,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “To The Stars recognizes the entrepreneurial spirit and achievement that are on display daily throughout our great state. I would encourage everyone to nominate a company or individual for this notable honor.”
Companies, organizations and individuals can be nominated in the following categories:
AgriBusiness – companies that stand out in the agribusiness industry – including agricultural production, products and services, and agri-tourism
Apprenticeship Champions and Partners – companies and other entities that excel providing registered apprenticeship programs in Kansas
Business Innovation – companies from any sector incorporating innovative technologies in their business
Healthcare/Nonprofit – noteworthy services provided by either healthcare facilities or nonprofit organizations
Manufacturing/Distribution – outstanding achievement for companies large and small involved in manufacturing and distribution
Non-Traditional Talent Pools – companies that have gone above and beyond to hire those with prior involvement in the justice system, youth, seniors or individuals with disabilities
Retail/Service – exceptional performance by businesses selling goods, products and/or services
Under 30 Entrepreneurs – young entrepreneurs achieving business success under the age of 30
Welcome Back – entrepreneurs and businesspeople who once left Kansas but have returned to make their mark in the Sunflower State
The Department of Commerce also will announce both the prestigious Governor’s Award of Excellence winner and the 2023 Exporter of the Year during the banquet and awards ceremony.
“There is no shortage of success stories in Kansas communities large and small,” Commerce Assistant Secretary of Business Development Nadira Hazim-Patrick said. “Spotlighting the best of the best is what To The Stars: Kansas Business Awards is all about.”
To learn more about To The Stars: Kansas Businesses Awards award categories, view past winners and to nominate a business or businessperson, including your own, click here. The nominations portal will accept nominations through July 20.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
###ness or businessperson, including your own, click here. The nominations portal will accept nominations through July 20.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
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