The renovations were done by employees at the center, Lucas Kelley the Recreation Director, Dustin Fly the Maintenance Supervisor, and Katie Chipman the Office Manager.




The renovations were done by employees at the center, Lucas Kelley the Recreation Director, Dustin Fly the Maintenance Supervisor, and Katie Chipman the Office Manager.




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Nov. 26, 2024 – The Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College will celebrate the anniversary of Gordon Parks’ birthday on Thursday, December 5th with the showing of films throughout the day and a speaking presentation and performance by Lem Sheppard, internationally known musician and historian titled “The Music Around Gordon Parks”. The events are free of charge and the public is invited to attend. Parks, born in Fort Scott on November 30, 1912, would have been 112 this year. He died in March 7, 2006 at the age of 93.
The schedule throughout the day will include:
9:25 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. — “Showing of the film Criterion Collection The Learning Tree” in FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center FREE.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. — (Lunch and Learn) “The Music Around Gordon Parks” Join us as Lem Sheppard, internationally known musician and historian will be presenting a program of Jazz, blues, and Spirituals. Gordon Parks was born and grew up during the period that was referred to as the Harlem Renaissance and he will perform music that Gordon would have experienced as a child in Fort Scott, as well as in; St. Paul, Chicago and New York City. Birthday cake and drinks will be provided in the FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center. FREE.
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. — “Showing of the film Solomon Northup’s Odyssey” in FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center. FREE.
Throughout the day, visitors will be able to receive a 25% birthday discount on all apparel items.
For more information contact the Gordon Parks Museum at 620- 223-2700, ext. 5850 or by email at [email protected]
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On behalf of our Bourbon County Core Community family I just want to extend our warmest wishes to you and yours as we pause to give thanks for the relationships and growth we have witnessed this past year. We can not do what we do without the generosity of our supporters, volunteers, and donors; so please accept our deepest gratitude for your involvement and support in 2024. You are so appreciated! Happy Thanksgiving.


Jack Eldon Johnson, age 93, a resident of rural Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Sunday, November 24, 2024, at his home. He was born July 14, 1931, in Newton, Kansas, the son of Leslie George Johnson and Elizabeth Trouslot. Jack’s father was killed in an automobile accident when Jack was a young child. He was then raised by his mother and step-father, Frank Hill.
Jack married Darlene Krueger on June 2, 1952. Together they had six children, Betty, Bobby, Susie, Jody, Chuck and Patty. The Johnson family moved to their farm east of Fulton, Kansas in 1974. Jack and Darlene later divorced, and he married Alberta Herring on May 26, 2009.
Jack worked hard to provide for his family. In addition to maintaining his farm, Jack was also a talented welder and mechanic. He was very mechanically minded and used this skill on several of his inventions. In fact, he built his first welder out of an old B29 generator. He also worked for Bill’s Coal Company for a time. Jack enjoyed hunting and fishing as well as going to the casinos and watching Westerns.
Survivors include his wife, Alberta, of the home and his six children, Betty Hedges of Valley Center, Kansas, Bobby Johnson (Becky) of Wichita, Kansas, Susie Marsh (Oke) of Rose Hill, Kansas, Jody Harper (Dale) of Ft. Scott, Kansas, Chuck Johnson (Dawn) of Centerville, Kansas and Patty Simpson (Brady) of Garland, Kansas; fifteen grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren. Also surviving is a brother, Dennis Hill (Carolyn) of Benton, Kansas.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Ronald Hill.
Pastor Matthew Hunt will conduct funeral services at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, November 30th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the Barnesville Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Friday at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to St. Jude’s Hospital and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Mackenzie Kaemmer, 26, is the new Youth Services Supervisor at Fort Scott Public Library.
“The beginning of my journey here at the Fort Scott Public Library has now begun, I could not be more grateful for this opportunity,” she said. “A big part of my position will be planning, scheduling, and coordinating regular and special programs for preschool, elementary children, and teens. There are many exciting programs underway; once active, such programs and services will be posted on the library website, and Facebook page, and displayed in the library. We are currently taking part in a program, Grow your Heart with Reading, in which everybody can try to win a festive Grinch tree or a giant snuggly Grinch by reading a book or donating items to our local pantry. Every contribution will get your name into the drawing on December 20th!”

Her job responsibilities are to acquire new materials and remove or discard unneeded items for youth, catalog library materials, plan regular and special programs for preschool, elementary
children and teens, participate in the statewide summer reading program for youth, outreach to area schools, preschools, and daycare facilities, develop book displays and other art forms in the children’s area, create publicity flyers for youth programs, assist patrons, instruct youth and parents on how to use the internet at the library, assist with the library’s website and social media, spearhead new library technology, maintain program statistics and submit monthly reports to the director.
Kaemmer attended Pittsburg State University and received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with an Emphasis in Developmental Disabilities.
“Prior to university, I spent a summer as an instructional assistant at Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB),” she said. “During my time at Pittsburg State University, I was the head graduate assistant for the University Testing Center. Under this, I was also given the opportunity to instruct a college-level General Psychology course.”
She hails from Overland Park, Kansas, and attributes her family—parents Bobby and Suzanne Kaemmer and siblings Kassidi, Cody, and Cooper—with helping her along life’s way.
“Before attending college, I knew I wanted a profession in which the directive was to provide aid for the community; I knew I wanted to help others. Growing up I underwent around ten surgeries, while there were plenty of hardships there was also time to reflect. I wanted to apply my experiences and what they have taught me towards spreading such lessons to others in hopes of enabling a better experience and strengthening an optimistic outlook on the past, present, and future.”
About The Library
The Fort Scott Public Library is open Monday through Friday 9:00 am-6:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am-2:00 pm; holidays may differ.
“On November 27th we close at 12:00 pm, and we are closed on November 28th, 29th and 30th. We will reopen as normal on Monday, December 2nd at 9:00 am,” she said.


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Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800
Fax: 620-223-5832
Bourbon County, Kansas
1st District Commissioner
2nd District Commissioner
3rd District Commissioner
Bourbon County Commission Agenda 210 S. National Ave.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
There will not be a meeting of the Board of Bourbon County Commissioners this week.
Executive Session Justifications:
KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy.
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.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the
representative(s) of the body or agency.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual proprietorships
KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting
would jeopardize such security measures.
The Special Council Meeting on November 19, 2024 at Uniontown City Hall, was called to order at 7:00PM by Mayor Jurgensen. Council members present were Jess Ervin, Danea Esslinger, Amber Kelly, Mary Pemberton, and Bradley Stewart.
Motion by Kelly, Second by Stewart, Approved 5-0 to enter in to executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel matters exception, KSA 4319(b)(1), in order to discuss vacancy of non-elected personnel position, the open meeting to resume at 8:10PM
Councilwoman Esslinger exited executive session at 7:45, back in at 8PM.
Meeting resumed at 8:10PM.
Motion by Stewart, Second by Pemberton, Approved 4-0 to accept resignation of Danea Esslinger as Councilwoman, effective immediately.
Motion by Kelly, Second by Pemberton, Approved 4-0 to accept resignation of Christina Miller as City Clerk effective 11/18/2024 and to hire Danea Esslinger as City Clerk, with a start date of December 5th or 9th, dependent upon notice to her current employer.
Moved by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 4-0, to adjourn at 8:12PM