The Blackwood Brothers Quartet will give a free concert at the First United Methodist Church, Friday, July 19th, at 7 p.m.
The Blackwood Brothers Quartet was formed in 1934 with brothers Roy, Doyle, James and Roy’s son, RW. RW was killed in a plane crash in 1954 and Roy and Doyle retired from traveling in the late ’50s. However the quartet with James, as the quartet’s leader and spokesman, established a new group of singers who would go on to take Gospel music to new heights. They have traveled and sung in all 50 of the United States, every Canadian province as well as cities in Great Britain, Europe, the Middle East, Northern Africa, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand South Korea, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
James, the last surviving member of the original quartet, died in 2002, but his youngest son Billy continues the family tradition of great gospel singing. The group today consists of Billy Blackwood baritone, Wayne Little tenor, Butch Owens bass, and Jonathan Mattingly as lead singer.
A free-will offering will be taken at the end of the concert to help defray the quartet’s travel expenses. For more information call The First United Methodist Church at 620-223-1950 or Don Tucker at 620-223-4617.
USD 235 students use the facility in the daytime during the school year. Pictured are some students chosen to demonstrate the equipment when the fitness center opened in October 2018.
The Uniontown U235 Fitness Center that opened last year, is getting improvements through a grant.
A bathroom and shower room will be added to the fitness center from an unused storage area nearby.
“The grant was a Healthy Bourbon County Grant,” Bret Howard, superintendent at USD 235, said. “It will cover nearly 2/3 of the total cost. The grant was for $12,500 and the total cost once completed will be $17,000. “
“We will be adding this directly to the fitness center so that we can lock the doors that enter the (Uniontown High/Jr. High) Commons Area and not allow access to the building. The shower room will allow those who work out in the morning before work to shower and leave immediately for work.”
The bathroom and shower room will be located in the northeast corner of the fitness center which is on the south side of the Uniontown Junior High School.
“There is currently a storage room there now behind a locked door,” Howard said. “We will be creating two separate rooms and will be adding another entrance door so there are two entrances, one for the bathroom and one for the shower.”
The fitness center will be closed during construction of the rooms.
“We do not have an exact date yet as construction projects do not always proceed as expected,” Howard said. “We will communicate via our district social media accounts and website as soon as we
know more.”
The fitnes center is for patrons on USD 235 only.
Key cards to the fitness center are applied for through West Bourbon Elementary School Principal Vance Eden, the participants can enter the center when school is not in session.
or 620-756-4335. There is a fee for the card of $10.
“We currently have 149 active accounts for the fitness center,” Eden said. “This doesn’t give an exact number of participants, but should be a fair estimate.”
The annual event that allows 4-Her’s to showcase their hard work is the county fair.
The Bourbon County Fair is July 12-20 at the fairgrounds located across from Fort Scott Community College on South Horton.
The week includes animal shows, a fashion revue, a livestock sale, open class and 4-H exhibits along with grandstand events.
New this year, the Bourbon County Fair is hosting a professional rodeo at 8 p.m. on July 12-13 at the fairgrounds, by the Hampton Rodeo Company, a consistent top-rated International Pro Rodeo Association (IPRA) contractor.
“The big thing is the professional rodeo we are having Friday and Saturday starting the fair,” Diane Brillhart, treasurer for the fair board, said.
Tickets are $10 adults, $5 youth and five and under, free is purchased before the rodeos, $12 and $7 at the gate.
Presale tickets are available at Landmark Bank, Chamber of Commerce and Southwind Extension District Office.
There will be a calf scramble, bull poker, beer garden and a live band, in addition.
Contact Steward Gulager, 620-215-5302 for more information.
Brillhart also encourages the public to notice the newly painted sheep and dairy barns.
“Thanks to a Fort Scott Area Community Foundation Grant and the Bourbon County Jail Inmates, we were able to paint the Sheep and Dairy Barn,” Brillhart said.
See information on both the fair and rodeo below.
Pam Korinek enters her plants in the horticulture department in open class at the Bourbon County Fair in 2018.Northwest Scott 4-H members and family put together their entry into the hay bale decorating contest in the 2018 Bourbon County Fair. From left: Amanda, Abigail, John and Timothy Collins and Kaitlyn Hanks with her mom, Darla Hanks (not pictured).
PUBLIC ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center, 6:00 p.m.
FORT SCOTT – Community members are encouraged to submit questions for the candidates attending the Election Candidate Forum, co-hosted by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and the Young Professionals League of Bourbon County.
Questions for the candidates may be submitted to the Chamber by July 22nd by email at [email protected], dropped off in person at the Chamber, 231 E. Wall St., or phoned-in at 620-223-3566.
The Candidate Forum will take place on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at the FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center at 2108 S. Horton. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for a meet & greet with the candidates and the forum will begin at 6 p.m.
There will be two races on the Primary Election ballot which will be included in this forum:
The first is USD-234 Position 3. There are 5 candidates for 1 position; this race will be narrowed to 2 candidates after the primary election. Candidates include Kellye Barrows, Joe Foulk Sr., Michael Hoyt, Josh Jones, and Aaron Judy.
The second is Fort Scott City Commission. There are 14 candidates for 3 positions; this race will be narrowed to 6 candidates after the primary election. Candidates include Cheryl Adamson, Harold (Pete) Allen, Kevin (Skitch) Allen, Cindy Bartelsmeyer, Casey Bolden, Tracy Dancer, Bobby Duncan, Bob Farmer, Josh Jones, Deb McCoy, Diana Morriss, Jeanie Parker, Lindsey Watts, and Matthew Wells.
For more information please contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566.
Herschel George, K-State Southeast Kansas Watershed Specialist, shows how a water tank that he helped build on Doug Eden’s farm, works and functions to colleagues on June 25. From left: Will Boyer, Dan Devlin, Amanda Schlelky ( a research assistant) George, Doug Eden and Jeff Davidson.
Herschel George started as a Kansas State University Extension Agent in February 1970, just after graduating from the university.
Through the years he worked in various counties as an agent, then became a specialist in watersheds.
A watershed consists of surface water-lakes, streams, reservoirs and wetlands, and all the underlying groundwater, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
George was a 4-H Extension Agent in Marion County, moved to be the agricultural agent in Miami County from 1972 until 2003 when he became a watershed specialist.
George continued in that role but moved to Uniontown, his home town in 2007.
His last day in the watershed specialist role was June 30, 2019.
As a watershed specialist for Southeast Kansas, he worked to encourage farmers and ranchers to install alternative water supplies for livestock and also encouraged the farmers/ranchers to participate in watershed restorative and protection strategies.
“That was the best part of the job,” George said. “Relationships I could build with producers (farmers/ranchers). Another good thing about the job was the continuing education and professional development through the K-State Extension system.”
“I would use county fairs and field days and the 4-State Farm Show as places where I might present or demonstrate alternative livestock practices,” George said. “I often did demonstrations of solar (water) pumps or tire tank installations, to create interest.”
Additionally, he worked with local Watershed Restorative and Protective Strategy organizations as a technical service provider.
Another role George had was to provide technical assistance to livestock operators who may be out of compliance with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment policies, he said.
The purpose of his job was to reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus content of runoff from livestock areas.
“Keeping the poop on the grass, not in the ponds,” George said.
In 2008 and 2009 he traveled with K-State’s Kansas Center for Agriculture Resources and the Environment (KCARE) to Africa where he demonstrated drip irrigation systems in community and private gardens.
On June 25-26, George invited co-workers to tour the types of projects that producers in this area installed to improve water quality, just before his retirement June 30.
It’s been a good 49 plus years, according to George.
“I’ve had nothing but very good supervisors throughout,” he said. “County extension board members to K-State Administration.”
“And I’ve had a good, supporting wife,” George said.
Following his retirement, George will continue to work with K-State and KDHE on special projects and activities across the state, as a consultant, he said.
In his retirement, George said he “might travel to see our daughter and help my brothers in farming as needed.”
George is a 1965 graduate of Uniontown High School, attended Fort Scott Community College, then transferred to Kansas State University, where he graduated in the fall of 1969 with a bachelors degree in agricultural education. In 1981 he earned a masters degree in agriculture mechanization from K-State.
He is involved in the Uniontown community through Uniontown Baptist Church and the Old Settler’s Picnic Association.
Colleagues from Kansas State University toured area farms where George has helped improve water quality in his tenure as Watershed Specialist for Southeast Kansas. From left: Ron Graber, watershed specialist; Pat Murphy, extension agriculture engineer, emeritus; Dan Devlin, watershed specialist; Will Boyer, watershed specialist; Sue Brown, Kansas Center for Ag. Resources and the Environment Assistant; Doug Eden, owner of the property; Connor Minson son of watershed specialist Stacie Minson; Stacie Minson; Jeff Davison, watershed specialist, and George.Looking at a former pond on Doug Eden’s farm, which was converted back to pastureland and replaced with a tire tank waterer that George helped install. From left: George, Dan Devlin, and Doug Eden.Herschel George, K-State Watershed Specialist for Southeast Kansas, finds some shade to check in on a cell phone in 2018 at the Bourbon County Fair. Fairs and farm shows were where George raised public awareness about alternative water supplies, including pumping livestock water.
The Fort Scott Washateria will open soon at 501 S. National.
Fort Scott Washateria is a full-service laundry mat that is slated to open in August at 501 S. National. In addition, a community clothing distribution system will be located on the property.
Lori Lovelace is the manager, her mother Carol Oakleaf, is the investor/owner.
The business venture came about when Lovelace was doing research for an investment her mother would be interested in.
“I found that Leroy (Walker, her husband) was paying $100 a month to have his rags cleaned. And I did research on laundry mats. Being part of the community, I think the community needed something like this.”
They bought the former gas station on National Avenue in December 2018.
Darren Crays, local signmaker, made the new sign that hangs atop a pole of the former gas station to let the community know the business is coming.
In what is reminiscent of decades past, the laundry will offer to pick up and deliver or one can drop off their laundry.
“We will come to your home, pick up your stuff, wash it and dry it and take it back to you,” Lovelace said.
“If you have sensitive skin, we will provide what is needed,” she said.
Alteration of clothing and ironing services will also be offered.
The machines will all be “state of the art,” Lovelace said, and include heavy-duty washers and dryers. Thirteen washers and 16 dryers.
There will be a children’s section with a blackboard wall, TVs and bean bags, she said.
A hospitality section will have free coffee and tea and have vending machines.
“There will be free WiFi in the folding area and charging stations,” she said.
The hours will be seven days a week from 8 a.m to 8 p.m.
“At least three employees will be needed, with more later,” Lovelace said.
There will be loyalty cards, and the business will take debit and credit cards, she said.
“If you buy $20, you get $22 worth of washing and drying,” Lovelace said.
An investment in Fort Scott
Lovelace’s other job is real estate appraiser, with Phoenix Inspection and Appraisals Inc. The laundry facility will be under the umbrella of Hawkeye Investments LLC, with her mother.
Walker is owner of Carhelp Mobile Mechanic.
“We believe with marketing, the venture has potential to be successful,” she said.
“You can make a quality investment in Fort Scott that people will accept and use,” Walker said. “Everybody I’ve told is 100 percent excited.”
Fort Scott Community Closet
A project Lovelace and her mom are initiating is a clothes pantry that will be in a small building, 12 by 20 foot, adjacent to the laundry mat.
Lovelace said she heard about the Beacon, a local helping ministry, recently closing the clothing segment of the ministry, so she is providing a place for donated clothes to be taken.
The Fort Scott Community Closet, the title of the clothes pantry, will be sponsored by the area churches, she said. “The churches will decide how to operate.”
“Donated clothes will be sorted and cleaned and put in a separate building on the property,” Lovelace said. “We can give away clothes and that’s my intention.”
“I am figuring the 501 3c right now,” she said.” I need people that will be on the (Fort Scott Community Closet) board. We purchased the shed that will be there, a spot on our property. We will provide the initial sorting then wash them.”
“Anyone interested in being on that board that is civic-minded, let me know,” Lovelace said.
Governor appoints executive director to the Office of Native American Affairs
Gov. Laura Kelly today announced the appointment of Chris Howell as executive director of the Office of Native American Affairs and Governor’s Tribal Liaison.
The Native American Affairs office serves as the liaison for the governor to ensure that Native American concerns and needs are addressed in state policymaking.
“Chris will step into this important role with a breadth of relevant and meaningful experience in both the public and private sector,” Gov. Laura Kelly said. “I appreciate his willingness to serve in such an important capacity, and help work toward positive state-tribal relations.”
Howell, of Lawrence, most recently served as Director of Tribal Relations for Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railway, and was involved in tribal outreach and communications with more than 86 tribal nations located along the BNSF railway system. Howell has served multiple state administrations, including as Interim Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Kansas Arts Commission. He graduated with a B.A. in business from Emporia State University.
Fort Scott Lumber, 1905 S. Judson, is closing its doors.
The business venture started with 14 men, in 1991.
They formed a corporation called Fort Scott Lumber LLC following the closure of Comstock Lumber.
The corporation was comprised of Palmer, Gary Bukowski, Bob Carillo, Brent Cosens, Charles Johnston, Jack Karleskint, Craig McKenney, Larry Rogers, Ronald Rogers, Doug Ropp, Bob Tuchscherer, Bob West, Lloyd Wiley and Darrell Winter.
“Several of the men were contractors, they weren’t happy with just one lumber yard in town,” Ronald Palmer, president of the corporation of Fort Scott Lumber, said.
Comstock Lumber closed following the catastrophic flood of 1986 when much of the inventory was lost, Palmer said.
Fast forward from 1991 to 2019.
“We had the chance to sell it and all the owners are getting older, all retiring, two have died, so it’s just time,” Palmer said.
“It’s been great serving the Fort Scott area with our business,” Palmer said.
Starting July 8, all the inventory of the business will be on sale, including lumber, doors, windows, hardware, siding, soffit materials and more, he said.
The building was sold to Ruster and Duster LLC, a corporation owned by Aaron and Lindsey Watts.
“With the progression of Smallville we have been in the market for a new location to expand for the last year,” Lindsay Watts said. “It is unfortunate to see such a great asset to our community closing, but the board’s decision to sell was a great opportunity for us to continue to expand and increase programs that we can provide. We are excited for the opportunity to both continue to grow and continue to serve this community for years to come. We are working closely with the owners on their timeline however Ruster and Duster LLC will be purchasing the property and looking to close in September 2019.”
Amber Toth, 42, was hired as the new principal of Fort Scott High School at the June 2019 USD 234 Board of Education meeting.
She has been assistant principal for one year at FSHS and has 18 years experience in education.
“When the district opened the position for high school principal, I applied in hopes of moving to the principal position,” she said. “After interviews were conducted, I was offered the position. The board of education approved my hiring at the June board meeting. “
The following is from an interview with Toth:
What is your education background?
“I have my Bachelor’s Degree in English Education from Pittsburg State University and my Masters in Educational Administration from Grand Canyon University.”
Hometown: Caney, KS.
Family:
“I have been married for 18 years to my husband, Travis Toth. We have four children. Darby Toth is entering her second year of college at Missouri Western State University. Madison will be a senior this year. Trent is entering 8th grade and Kennedy is a 4th grader.”
What is the best part of the job for you?
“I love our kids. We have the most amazing students I have ever had the pleasure to serve. The best part of my job is being a servant leader. We have a wonderfully giving, hardworking and dedicated staff. I get to walk through the doors of a building I love, help students that I wouldn’t have been able to help staying in my classroom and work with adults who truly love the students in our building. I am blessed to be a part of this district, work with the parents we have, and watch the growth of students based upon that partnership.”
Any new responsibilities?
“As I move into this new position the biggest change will be in instructional leadership. While I had some of these duties as the assistant principal in the form of evaluation, it will be the center of my new role.”
Any challenges?
“The challenges at Fort Scott are the same as most schools. Students must be prepared for some type of schooling beyond high school. Changing the perception that high school graduation is the end goal can be difficult. But we know that students are most successful when they attend a vocational school, community college or a 4-year university. We have to ensure our students are prepared to be successful, regardless of the path they choose.”
Frank Halsey, the event organizer, hugs his grandson following a first place win in the 2018 kids’ race.
“The Marmaton Massacre Festival is rapidly approaching,” Frank Halsey event organizer said. “Once again I’d like to get the invitation out that Saturday evening entertainment is for our community. We would love to see locals come to enjoy the evening. ”
The event is held at Gunn Park on the west side of Fort Scott at 1001 Gunn Park Drive.
“The race part is important because it draws a lot of visitors to Fort Scott, but our real goal continues to be providing an evening of entertainment for visitors, as well as locals,” he said.
The Kansas State Mountain Bike Championship will be held Saturday starting at 10 a.m.
There is a free kid’s bike race at 5:30 p.m. for children under 10 years old.
A participant jam session will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 13, followed by a performance by Damaris Kunkler.
Sam and Louie’s Food Truck will be selling food.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy Gunn Park as a backdrop of this entertainment.
Community members interested in downtown Fort Scott meet throughout the year to talk about downtown issues at the Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet.
On July 2, the meet and greet was hosted by La Hacienda Restaurant and sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, with the City of Fort personnel and attendees giving updates on happenings.
Mirna and Jose Santana, owners of La Hacienda, thanked the attendees for supporting the restaurant for the nine years they have been in Fort Scott.
“We try to do our best,” Mirna said.
Chamber Executive Director Lindsay Madison led the meeting.
Madison talked about the First Impressions program that Kansas State Research and Extension provides to improve a community’s image and quality of life for its’ citizens.
Fort Scott was visited this last winter by a K-State First Impressions visitation team and presented the public with a “snapshot of what they observed,” Madison said, which she had copies of and handed out to attendees.
She highlighted some of the findings.
“Go out and look at the front of your business,” Madison said. “Are the windows clean? What types of things are in the window? Make sure they are welcoming and inviting.”
“Offer something to make you stand out,” she encouraged the business owners.
The findings discouraged using detering signs such as “no public restroom'” “don’t touch”, etc., she said.
Cross marketing each other was encouraged.
“When they ask if you have something, say ‘no, but so and so down the street has it,'” Madison said.
Another issue is vacant buildings noticed by the K-State group.
“We’ve made huge progress in the last few years, but we still have some vacant buildings,” Madison said and invited sharing of ideas for potential businesses be given to her.
Lindsay Madison leads the downtown meeting on July 2.
Market assistance is offered by the Chamber, one on one, Madison said. She encouraged a web presence, Google business listings ,a free Google website, and a good business profile on fortscott.com.
Other happenings:
Marmaton Massacre Mountain Bike Championship is July 13-14 at Gunn Park and businesses are encourage to get their items by July 9 to the Chamber of Commerce for the 100 swag bags that will be distributed to participants. Volunteers are needed with no race experience necessary. There will be a public concert in a “beautiful setting,” Madison said.
August 2-4 there will be a sales tax holiday by some of the local businesses.
July 17 a workshop “Get Productive with Google’s Digital Tools” from 11 a.m. to noon at the Lowell Milken Center. Sign up on fortscott.com.
Grants are available for painting facades of downtown businesses, for up to $500 from Steve Buerge.
July 19 will be a downtown movie night on Skubitz Plaza, featuring Sgt. Stubby, August 16 the movie featured will be Beauty and the Beast.
Hedgehog INK, a local bookstore, is hosting a writing festival on October 19.
The second Art in the Yard Festival will be Sept. 14 with more vendors and is free. Contact Bobbie Kemna at 224-7480.
Fort Scott Paws and Claws Animal Shelter sells pet food and pet supplies and is located downtown. There will be fundraiserfor Paws and Claws at the Boiler Room Brewhaus July 27 at 7 p.m. featuring the Wayward Bettys, with $10 tickets available at the Chamber office, the animal shelter and Kate Sweetser.
Bid and Dibs owner, Angie Simon, asked for ideas for increasing sales for retailers in June. “June is terrible for retailers,” Simon said.
The Union Block renovation is underway and will produce 25 market value apartments when complete.
The Stout Building demolition started on July 1.
Mid-Continental Restoration is restoring the storefront at Wall Street and National Avenue.
Lori Lovelace is opening a laundry mat business on National Avenue which will include clothes alterations and a clothing pantry.
Peerless Products is opening a warehouse space in Nevada, MO, “But it won’t impact Fort Scott at all,” Fort Scott Economic Director Rachel Pruitt, told attendees.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas will build a health care facility on six acres on Horton, west of the present Mercy Building, Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin said.
Via Christi is looking at the land on the east side of the property of the former Mercy Hospital for a future emergency department option, Martin said.
The city and Bourbon County’s public works departments are beginning to “work with each other,” Martin said.
July 26 at Crooner’s Lounge, Flagship Romance will be performing.
July 4 at the Fort Scott National Historic Site there will be a full day of activities including an ice cream social by the Friends of the Fort at noon.
The annual naturalizaiton ceremony will be Sept. 20 at the Fort.
Riverfront Park Authority has purchased and will be installing lighting for the trail soon.
July 4, there will be a Burke Street Parade with refreshments following at Nate and Bailey Lyons home on Burke Street and Shane Walker providing hot dogs.
Fort Scott Street Department employee Chad Brown is working on a plan to repair brick streets in the city, Martin said.
The city has a group working on National Avenue renovation, Martin said.
Westar Energy is completing a merger with Kansas City Power and Light and will become Evergy in October 2019.
Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative will begin fiber optic installation on Fort Scott’s east side next year.
The tiny houses project north of Hwy. 54, has all the monthly rentals rented and are currently working on the Airbnb segment.
Mark Calvin, a new New York Life Insurance Company agent, introduced himself to attendees.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has confirmed the presence of invasive zebra mussels in Lyon State Fishing Lake in Lyon County. Routine samples collected by KDWPT Aquatic Nuisance Species staff to detect zebra mussels were found to contain zebra mussel larvae (also called veligers). Upon finding the veligers, staff returned to the lake and located an established population of adult zebra mussels. Similar sampling is conducted by KDWPT at more than 100 waterbodies across the state.
The 135-acre lake is located 12 miles north and two miles east of Emporia on Rd 270. Lyon State Fishing Lake is owned and operated by KDWPT. The lake and surrounding wildlife area are popular destinations for fishing, hunting, hiking, and a variety of other outdoor-related activities.
While the zebra mussel population is currently small, there is no known method to completely rid a lake of this invasive species. The zebra mussels were likely introduced by “hitchhiking” with un-suspecting lake-goers. Adults are able to attach to boats or other equipment and the microscopic zebra mussel veligers may be present in any water originating from an infested lake or stream. Densities as high as 1,000 veligers per gallon have been recorded in Kansas waters.
“This is the first new population of zebra mussels found in the state in 18 months, which is the longest period of time between new lake infestations since 2006. While it is unfortunate that zebra mussels have been spread to a new lake, I remain hopeful that these occurrences will be less frequent as more people have become aware of zebra mussels, their impacts, and how to prevent moving them,” said Chris Steffen, aquatic nuisance species coordinator for KDWPT.
Lyon State Fishing Lake will be added to the list of ANS-designated waters in Kansas, and notices will be posted at various locations around the waterbody. Live fish may not be transported from ANS-designated waters. The sharp-shelled zebra mussels attach to solid objects, so lake-goers should be careful when handling mussel-encrusted objects and when grabbing an underwater object when they can’t see what their hands may be grasping. Visitors should protect their feet when walking on underwater or shoreline rocks.
Zebra mussels are just one of the non-native aquatic species that threaten our waters and native wildlife. After using any body of water, people must remember to follow regulations and precautions that will prevent their spread:
Clean, drain and dry boats and equipment between uses
Use wild-caught bait only in the lake or pool where it was caught
Do not move live fish from waters infested with zebra mussels or other aquatic nuisance species
Drain livewells and bilges and remove drain plugs from all vessels prior to transport from any Kansas water on a public highway.
For more information about aquatic nuisance species in Kansas, report a possible ANS, or see a list of ANS-designated waters, visit ProtectKSWaters.org.
ABOUT ZEBRA MUSSELS
Zebra mussels are dime-sized mollusks with striped, sharp-edged, two-part shells. They can produce huge populations in a short time and do not require a host fish to reproduce. A large female zebra mussel can produce 1 million eggs, and then fertilized eggs develop into microscopic veligers that are invisible to the naked eye. Veligers drift in the water for at least two weeks before they settle out as young mussels which quickly grow to adult size and reproduce within a few months.
After settling, zebra mussels develop byssal threads that attach their shells to submerged hard surfaces such as rocks, piers, and flooded timber. They also attach to pipes, water intake structures, boat hulls, propellers, and submerged parts of outboard motors. As populations increase, they can clog intake pipes and prevent water treatment and electrical generating plants from drawing water. In 2012, two Kansas communities, Council Grove and Osage City, experienced temporary water shortages from zebra mussel infestations before water intake structures could be cleaned up. Removing large numbers of zebra mussels to ensure adequate water flow can be labor-intensive and costly.
Zebra mussels are native to the Black and Caspian seas of western Asia and eastern Europe and were spread around the world in the ballast water of cargo ships. They were discovered in Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River in 1988 and quickly spread throughout the Great Lakes and other rivers including the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, Arkansas and Hudson. They were first discovered in Kansas in 2003 at El Dorado Reservoir. Despite public education efforts to alert boaters about the dangers of zebra mussels and how to prevent spreading them, the species continues to show up in new lakes every year. Moving water in boats and bait buckets has been identified as a likely vector.
For information about Lyon State Fishing Lake, visit KSOutdoors.com, click on Fishing, then Where to Fish and select the Northeast region.
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Editors: the attached image depicts an adult zebra mussel collected from Lyon State Fishing Lake. Credit:
