Monthly Archives: April 2025

Obituary

Obituary of Marilyn Baldonado

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Marilyn Arleta (Haarberg) Baldonado was born on January 23, 1943 to William H. “Bill” Haarberg and Agnes G. “Peggy” (Walling) Haarberg in Chase County, Nebraska.  She died on March 25, 2025, in Crystal City, MO at Crystal Oaks Long Term Care after a long battle with Parkinson’s.

Marilyn grew up south of Wauneta, NE on the family farm and graduated from Wauneta High School. She attended college at Kearney College (University of Nebraska – Kearney) for two years before marrying Paul Baldonado in June of 1963 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wauneta. They were married for fifty-seven years.

Marilyn spent many years as an executive assistant for Farmland Industries and concluded her working career managing the shower door manufacturing division of Ennis Glass in Fort Scott, KS.  Marilyn was active in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod throughout her life and was a long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Fort Scott, KS.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband Tranquilino “Paul” Baldonado, her parents Bill and Peggy Haarberg, her brother Eugene “Gene” Haarberg, and her sister Connie Kuecker.

She is survived by her brother Lorris Haarberg and wife Ruth of Arapahoe, NE, daughter Kyla Scarborough, son Paul “Ryan” Baldonado, and son Eric Baldonado and wife Darcy of Festus, MO.  She is also survived by her two granddaughters, Anna and Elena Baldonado, who brought her endless joy and provided her with many opportunities for fun, laughter and adventure.

There will be a small private burial at a later date.

Marilyn will be laid to rest with her husband Paul in the U. S. National Cemetery, Fort Scott, Kansas.

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.

 

Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Government, Schools

Community Connection Panelist Luncheon on April 9

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Join us!

Community Connection Panelist Luncheon

Wednesday, April 9th, from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Empress Event Center, 7 N. Main St.

Chamber members and the community are invited to hear 7-minute updates by the following entities: City of Fort Scott, Bourbon County, Fort Scott Community College, and the USD-234 and USD-235 School Districts.

The event is free to attend but registration is requested. Box lunches are available by pre-order for $10.

Those planning to attend may RSVP here. (lunch orders being accepted online thru 12pm, Monday the 7th.)

Moderator for the event will be Chamber Board Member Colleen Quick of Labconco.

Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at 620-223-3566 for more information or visit fortscott.com.
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 
Government, Kansas

Governor Kelly Signs Bipartisan Bills to Increase Government Efficiency 

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TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly signed on Thursday a collection of bipartisan bills aimed at increasing government efficiency. These seven technical bills eliminate unnecessary requirements, clarify definitions, and streamline processes with the goal of achieving maximum government productivity.

“I am always looking for ways to make our government more efficient for the people of Kansas,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I’m pleased to sign bills into law that do just that.”

Governor Kelly signed the following bipartisan bills:

Senate Bill 104: Provides flexibility to the Shawnee County board of county commissioners to create a citizens commission on local government, giving local officials the discretion to create such a commission.

Senate Bill 77: Streamlines processes by removing state agencies that no longer exist from Kansas Administrative Regulations and establishing standards for public notice for the repeal of certain regulations.

Senate Bill 13: Reduces requirements for filings, registrations, and licenses certain businesses and organizations must submit to the secretary of state.

House Bill 2222: Requires ignition interlock device manufacturers to compensate the state for the administration of the ignition interlock program.

House Bill 2221: Transfers the alcohol and drug abuse treatment fund from the Department of Corrections to the Department for Aging and Disability Services, allowing for more efficient administration of the program and easier access to services for Kansans.

House Bill 2215: Modifies the definition of public-private partnership to increase the allowable cost-share for certain Department of Corrections projects, providing the ability for the Career Campus project to move forward.

House Bill 2110: Facilitates the State 911 Board’s transition to a state agency by establishing necessary budget funds and providing flexibility to ensure the agency can provide sufficient grant funding to public safety partners.

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Obituary

Obituary of Conrad “Conard” Wright

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Conrad “Conard” Calvin Wright, age 82, resident of Fort Scott, KS passed away Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at Medicalodge of Fort Scott.  He was born April 8, 1942, in Dade County, MO the son of John “Sam” and Perna Jones Wright.  Conrad graduated from FSHS with the class of 1960 and then FSCC in 1963.

He worked for Harlan Hardware in Fort Scott until it sold.  He then was employed with Mayco Ace Hardware until his retirement.  Conrad was a scoutmaster for 35 years.  He enjoyed working in the garden and repairing just about anything mechanical.  He loved spoiling all the neighborhood kids that knew him.

 

Survivors include two brothers, Robert Wright (Mary) of Garnett, KS, and John Wright of Sabetha, KS; and a sister Carol Fehr, Fort Scott.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Wanita Morehead, two brothers, Arthur and Marvin Wright, and his parents.

 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Monday, April 7th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Memory Gardens Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until service time Monday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to Boy Scout Troop #114 and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.

Business, Fort Scott, Jobs

Rogers Body Shop Closed Its Doors: Couldn’t Find Workers

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Rogers Body Shop owner, Larry Rogers.

Larry Rogers said he “always figured that they would be taking me from my shop to the undertakers”, and that he would continue the auto repair shop work he had done for 37 years until he died.

But he couldn’t find workers to do the jobs that needed to be done.

“With what we do, put vehicles back to pre-crash conditions, we have to have people that can follow directions and come to work,” Rogers said. “Getting people to show up was a problem, more for younger applicants.”

“It wasn’t something we planned on doing, it was the turn of events,” he said.

“There should be five workers in the building, it ended up just Ryan and I,” he said.

“We had hired and trained workers, but not for over one year.”

His son, Ryan, has worked with him for 17 years.

“He was going to take over, but decided he’d go to work for someone else and let them have the headaches (of not having enough workers).”

Rogers quit taking on more auto body repair work at the end of October 2024 and had enough work on the books until the end of January 2025.

“I’ve talked to plumbers, mechanics, electricians,  and they also couldn’t find anyone willing,” he said. “Things were tough before COVID-19. After COVID-19 we didn’t have many applicants. It used to be you’d have people stopping in to ask if we were hiring.”

“There used to be tech schools to train people on auto body repair…a lot of them have closed down.”

Nationwide

It is a nationwide problem, according to an article from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Workforce participation remains below pre-pandemic levels. The United States is missing 1.7 million Americans from the workforce compared to February 2020, according to https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/understanding-americas-labor-shortage

According to the article

Employers are facing unprecedented challenges trying to find enough workers to fill open jobs. Right now, the latest data shows that there are 8 million job openings in the U.S. but only 6.8 million unemployed workers.

 If every unemployed person in the country found a job, we would still have millions of open jobs. 

Some of the factors for this, according to the article are:

Early retirements and an aging workforce

Net international migration to the U.S. is at its lowest level in decades

Lack of access to child care.

Some opened their own businesses.

Increase in savings: higher-income and savings bolstered people’s economic stability.

Future for Rogers

“I’m not retired, said Rogers, who is 63. “I still own the Alignment Service, east of this building.”

Ryan went to work for a car dealership in Olathe in March, doing bodywork.

“I am basically trying to get ready for an auction, probably in June,” he said. “Trying to sort out and clean out the building. After 37 years in the business, there is a lot of stuff. The building will be for sale.”

“I don’t know what I’ll do after that,” he said.

Rogers bought the business from Frank Burchett in 1987 on East Wall Street. The building isn’t there now because of the new Highway 54 route. He built the current building at 120 W. 19th and opened his business in July 2003.

 

Uncategorized

Fort Scott High School Football Booster & Athletes Fundraiser “Egg My Yard”

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Sending on behalf of Chamber Member

Fort Scott High School Football Booster

Fort Scott High School Football Booster & Athletes

invite you to their fundraiser

“Egg My Yard”

Order pre-filled eggs to be hidden in your yard the night before Easter along with a note from the Easter Bunny!

24 EGGS $35

36 EGGS $50

48 EGGS $60

Deadline for orders: April 17th

Yards will be egged on April 20th after dark!

Click HERE to book your spot today

or use the QR code on the flyer.

Payment MUST be made before delivery.

Payment:

Cash

  • Misty Adams at Citizen’s Bank
  • Brian Williams at The Butcher Block

-OR-

VENMO @rebecca-williams-38

Proceeds will benefit the 2026 FSHS Football Team.
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 
Government, Kansas

K-3 and K-7 resurfacing work to start soon

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Tuesday, April 8, the Kansas Department of Transportation expects to start a 25.6-mile resurfacing project on K-3 and K-7 highways in Bourbon and Crawford counties. The work begins on K-3 at the K-39 junction and continues south to K-47. The contractor will then move to K-7, working from the south city limits of Girard south to U.S. 400.

 

Project activity includes a mill and overlay. Flaggers and a pilot car operation will guide one-lane traffic through the work zone during daylight hours. Expect delays of 15 minutes or less. The resurfacing work should be finished by mid-June, weather permitting.

 

APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, of Hutchinson, is the primary contractor for the $5.5 million road work. Check KDOT’s updated traveler information website, www.kandrive.gov, for more highway conditions and construction details. Persons with questions may contact Bukola Oni at KDOT-Pittsburg, (620) 308-7617, or Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433.

 

 

Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Starlite Family Community Education Meeting Minutes, March 2025

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The March meeting of the Starlite FCE was held at the Presbyterian Village meeting room.  President Glenda Miller called the meeting to order and led the club in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the Club Collect.  Seven members and one guest were in attendance.  The members reported eight hours of volunteer work and that they had recycled seventy pounds.

 

Glenda Miller gave the treasurer’s report in Doris Ericson’s absents.  She also announced that April 1st is the Spring Fling.  Doris, Deb, Karen and Glenda are planning on attending.  The Area Recognition Day will be May 1st in Parsons.  Doris, Glenda and Karen will be attending.  Bourbon County will be responsible for the decoration at the Area Recognition.

 

Glenda Miller reported on the Congressional Medal of Honor for our citizenship minute as well as presenting the Myth of Hospice “You have given up.”

 

New business consisted of learning about Care to Share.  Teresa Davenport, president of Care to Share, shared with the members about their mission and way that we could assist the Cancer Support group.  Teresa presented upcoming opportunities to help including donating baked goods for the home show and Livestock Show.  Glenda reminded members to bring candy to fill Easter eggs for Tri-Valley to the April meeting.

 

Letha Johnson moved that the meeting be adjourned, Betty Johnson seconded the motion, meeting adjourned.

 

After the meeting Terri Williams presented the lesson on “Sifting Though the Flour Bouquet.”  Refreshments of Quinoa flour cookies, Almond flour brownies, Coconut flour blueberry muffins, oat flour pancakes and water were provided by Betty Johnson and Terri Williams.

 

Prepared by

Terri Williams

 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Government, Schools

Government/Education Entities Updates at Community Connection on April 9

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COMMUNITY CONNECTION PANELIST LUNCHEON

Wednesday, April 9th, 2025
11:45am to 1pm

Empress Event Center
7 N. Main St.

_____

An event to connect the community to happenings in the
City, County, School Districts, Community College, and more!

7-minute updates from each of the following entities,
ending with Q&A:

City of Fort Scott
Bourbon County Commission
FSCC
USD-234
USD-235

Lunch may be ordered on fortscott.com/events by Monday, April 7th, 10am.
Sandwich lunch for $10, choice of ham, turkey, or roast beef ~ gluten free available.


Sponsored by:  Davis Accounting, Inc.

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Town-Wide Rummage Sale is May 2-3

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CHAMBER ANNOUNCES THE SPRING TOWN-WIDE GARAGE SALE IN FORT SCOTT

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces the Spring Town-wide Garage Sale will be held Friday and Saturday, May 2nd and 3rd. The Chamber encourages the community to register garage sales to be included on the official listing and map and to save the date to hunt for bargains on clothing, home décor, tools, and more.

The deadline to register a garage sale is 1pm, Tuesday, April 29th which can be done online at fortscott.com/events, calling the Chamber at 620-223-3566 and paying over phone by credit or debit card, or stopping by the Chamber office at 231 E. Wall St.

The cost to register a sale is $12. The Chamber also sells display ad spaces on the map to help make the sale possible, and those are $35 for a business card-sized ad or $25 for a smaller ad.

Starting Thursday, May 1st at 10am, copies of the official garage sale map may be found at the Chamber office as well as local stores 5 Corners, Bids & Dibs, Casey’s, Don’s Smoke Shop, and all Pete’s locations.  The map may also be found on the Chamber website fortscott.com or on Facebook on the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce page.

Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566.