Back Row: Ella Maher, Dalayni Foulk, Jasper Allison, Reegan McDaniel, Joe Foulk (tall in the very back), Lily Westoff, Alisa Popp, Sierra Wright, Brennon Popp, Brody Wright. Front Row: Landon McDaniel, Korbyn Allison, Rydale Hereford, Avery McDaniel, Ana Christy, Maverick Wright and Karlee Hereford.
Mercy Home Health and Hospice Receives Gift
FORT SCOTT, Kan. (Sept. 17, 2018) – Members of the Northeast Scott 4-H Club donated hand-made lap blankets to Mercy Home Health and Hospice to be given to patients.
“I was so excited to receive the call about the donation,” said Tabitha Stults, Mercy Home Health and Hospice community relations coordinator. “The blankets are beautiful and so soft. Our team look forward to sharing the blankets with our hospice patients.”
The blankets were made during a crafts class under the direction of the craft leader Destiny Foulk.
Retiring Fort Scott Airport Director Kenny Howard, left, and Economic Director Rachel Pruitt, at the Chamber of Commerce Coffee Thursday morning at the airport.
Kenny Howard, Fort Scott’s Airport Director for the last 18 years, is retiring.
“I can’t say enough about Kenny’s leadership,” City Manager Dave Martin said at the Chamber of Commerce Coffee Thursday at the airport. “We’re definitely going to miss him.”
Howard will retire December 31 and the city is currently interviewing for the position, Martin said.
Howard told about some of the planned events in his tenure which included clinics and fly-in breakfasts.
There have been increased fuel sales at the airport, since changing fuel vendors, he said.
Last year approximately 77,000 gallons of fuel were sold there, and as of August 2018, approximately 92,000 have been sold thus far, he said.
Fort Scott Airport has two onsite fuel tanks: a 10,000 gallon Jet A gas tank and a 9,000 gallon AV gas tank.
Agricultural flying operations, corporate flights, medical emergency flights and more recently a request from the parents of some St. Martin’s Academy students for charter flights, are a part of the job.
His additional duties are overseeing the mowing of 190 acres of grass and overseeing the insurance piece for the airport.
He said he was able to drop the premium for the insurance coverage in the last few years.
Two recent grants for improvement were received: a grant that will upgrade the Automated Weather Observation Station, and one for improved runway lights.
Fort Scott Economic Development Director Rachel Pruitt said there is currently a Federal Aviation Administration opportunity for rural airports.
“I submitted an application in August…there is no matching grant required…to expand the runway,” Pruitt said.
“The last six years, the airport has seen 60 percent growth,” she said.
The Fort Scott Airport entrance at 187th and Indian Road.
Uniontown High School 2018. The fitness center windows are the far right in this photo.
The great news is USD 235 students will soon get to use their new fitness equipment provided by a recent grant.
When the grant was first received, the school administration thought the community could also make use of the school’s new equipment.
But insurance liability issues are putting a stumbling block in community use, USD 235 Superintendent Bret Howard said.
Until the insurance issues are resolved, the community won’t be using the equipment, Howard said.
Howard hopes to hear back from the insurance company by the next school board meeting, Oct. 8, he said.
The board meets the second Monday of each month.
Governor Jeff Colyer and Jake Steinfeld, Chairman of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils, in May 2018, announced three Kansas schools were selected to receive a DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center, each valued at $100.000.
USD 235 was one of the three schools.
Howard said it is his understanding that the other Kansas schools that received the fitness equipment from this grant program are not making it available to the community.
The site for the fitness center is the former school library at the junior high school.
Installation was Labor Day weekend and a ribbon cutting will take place Oct. 11 at 8:30 a.m. at West Bourbon Elementary School, Howard said.
The Governor’s Drought Team examines recent rains and drought conditions
Topeka – Recent rains for many areas of the state have led to evaluating current drought conditions and today Governor Jeff Colyer updated the Drought Declaration for Kansas counties with Executive Order 18-17. The update downgrades 55 counties.
“Kansas has been blessed with much-needed rains recently and we are able to declare many areas of the state now drought free,” said Governor Jeff Colyer. “We are still experiencing drought in the eastern portion of the state and continue to appreciate our federal partners at the Natural Resources Conservation Service as well as the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts for the producer assistance they are able to provide.”
With improvements in drought conditions the updated drought declaration now has 50 counties in emergency status, and five in watch status. This action was recommended by Tracy Streeter, Director of the Kansas Water Office (KWO) and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.
“Recent moisture has eased some of the drought conditions but we are still experiencing livestock water shortages, and forage production were less than half for most producers in eastern Kansas,” said Tracy Streeter. “Some areas of northeast Kansas are still behind more than 10 inches of moisture for the year.”
Counties in the emergency stage are eligible for emergency use of water from certain state fishing lakes due to the KWO Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kansas Department of Wildlife (KDWPT). They also become eligible for water in some Federal reservoirs. For more information about this availability contact KWO.
This Executive Order and any authorized upgrade shall remain in effect for those counties so identified until rescinded by Executive Order or superseded by a subsequent Executive Order revising the drought stage status of the affected counties. Effective immediately:
Declare a Drought Emergency, Warning or Drought Watch for the counties identified below;
Authorize and direct all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor to implement the appropriate watch or warning or emergency level-drought response actions assigned in the Operations Plan of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.
The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the effects the drought has on Kansans.
For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the Kansas Water Office website at www.kwo.ks.gov.
Editors note: The original feature did not have photos added, due to technical difficulties.
The boardwalk invites trail users to come to the seating area of the overlook in Riverfront Park.
Two years of planning have come to fruition in the form of a boardwalk structure with seating in Riverside Park, the latest park improvement.
“It’s an overlook for educational purposes,” Jerry Witt, Chairman of the Fort Scott Riverfront Authority, which oversees the development of the park.
The structure has been built near the meeting place of the Marmaton River and Mill Creek, in the northeast section of the park.
The Hexagon shaped overlook has seating on both sides. The vegetation in front will be cleared for better viewing of the Marmaton River and Mill Creek.
In the future the structure will be used to “Teach kids about nature and our heritage,” Witt said. “About Belltown that was there. It was a residential area in years past. Named after Dr. Bell, a prominent doctor.”
Several people and entities have helped put this project in the park.
The structure was designed by Brian Leaders, an architect at the National Park Service.
Lumber was provided by the Westar Green Team.
“The Green Team provided old telephone poles that were milled at the Jeffery Power Plant, St. Mary’s, and from Garnett,” Witt said.
Witt and Allen Warren, another member of the Riverfront Authority board, drove to St. Mary’s to bring back one-half the lumber, then Warren and his wife, Jackie, went to Garnett to pick up the rest of the lumber.
The City of Fort Scott unloaded the lumber off the trailer and also will provide a concrete walk from the trail to the structure.
The City of Fort Scott will build a concrete walkway to the edge of the overlook boardwalk, pictured, to the walking trail in Riverfront Park. In the back right, Allen Warren and Jerry Witt visit with a trail walker Tuesday morning.
“Chad Brown (Fort Scott Public Works Director) thought they would pour the concrete this week,” Witt said.
West and Karleskint Construction, Fort Scott, built the structure.
Jerry Witt and Allen Warren sort the leftover wood from the overlook boardwalk at Riverfront Park Tuesday morning. The wood will be used for other projects.
Next for the park:
A grant has been submitted to Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism for a playground for children, with notification this fall of whether it was awarded the $62,000 asked for.
A grant to Kansas Department of Transportation to move the historic 1902 ornate Long Shoals Bridge, currently located in northeast Bourbon County, to the park. The grant has been submitted with a request of $1, 364,000. Announcement of awards will be this fall.
The Mercy Hospice Memorial is nearing completion on the south side of the park. Benches will be built and future memorial services will be held there.
Already completed in Riverside Park is a walking trail, pavilion, and River Loop Road.
Local artist Bobbi Kemna has created something new.
Bobbi Kemna on the front porch of her pottery studio facility.
Turning from pottery, for which she is locally known, Bobbi Kemna has been working for several months to create a one-day festival event for artists to display and sell their wares.
The day will be full of art of all kinds: pottery, fabric, paintings, metal, jewelry, furniture, music, theater, and food.
“This is for artists and art enthusiasts,” Kemna said.
She is hosting the event called Art In The Yard 2018 at her home on Saturday, September 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Kemna home.
Kemna lives at 1366 215th Street, which is north of Hwy. 54, just west of the Hwy. 69-54 junction.
There will be a free trolley ride to pick up attendees at the Boiler Room Brewhaus parking lot, 10 S. National, starting at 10 a.m.
Additionally, there will be a designated vehicle parking just north of the festival site.
The event will feature artists from the area and also Wichita, Kansas City, and Joplin, MO, Kemna said.
“It will be a fun day with artful stuff to purchase,” Kemna said. “No fee is charged to come.”
The Fort Scott Bus Depot building was moved to the Kemna property years ago. Kemna has decorated the outside with art.
“I’m excited about it,” she said. “I want it to be a launching pad for artists. Some don’t know how to market.”
About 25 artists have said they will be there with metal, fabric, wood, pottery, jewelry, furniture, music art as well as food vendors.
“The musicians will be playing for tips, please be generous,” Kemna said.
BBQ food, homemade cookies and cupcakes, and soft drinks will be sold.
Local artists Barbara Ritter, Mary Eastwood, Paul Milks, Barbara Gibson, Lucy Gladbach, Jean Strader, David and Barb McCord, Diana Stoughton, Tonya Miller, Jeff Tinsley, Nick McGee, Susan Porter, Danny Hereford, Jeremy Rider,Jeremiah Richards, Patrick Kerr, Betsy Reichard, Dylan Renfro and Dee Davis will show and sell their artwork.
Friends and family are giving their support and helping out during the festival, she said.
Fort Scott High School theater teacher Angie Bin and her thespian students will perform and sell drinks as a fundraiser for the group.
Musicians will be playing in different spots in the yard.
Carsen Felt, director of the Fort Scott High School orchestra will be bringing 30 students to perform.
Students from St. Martin’s Academy will perform.
“One plays the bagpipe,” Kemna said.
Kemna inside her pottery studio facility on her property. It is where she creates and showcases her work.
For Kemna, the festival is a fulfillment of a vision she had when she moved into the 1895 circa property called “Anatomy Hill, 20 years ago, with her husband, Harry.
Kemna has the story of her property history on display in her pottery studio facility.
It is a vision she shared with her husband, now deceased.
“Of tents, arts and people, the whole yard full,” Kemna said. “It’s been 20 years to get here.”
For more information about some of the artists, look on Kemna’s Facebook page: Art in the Yard 2018.
Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826
Did you have unsightly bare spots in your lawn this year? If so, you may want to consider renovating your lawn. Renovating doesn’t have to be done by plowing under the current turf and starting from scratch. Instead, lawns can be thickened up by overseeding during September.
To start the overseeding process, mow the grass short (1-1.5 inches) and remove the clippings. This will make it easier to get good seed-soil contact and increase the amount of light that will reach the young seedlings. The success of overseeding is dependant on good seed-soil contact. Thatch can prevent the seed from reaching the soil and germinating. If the thatch layer is ¾ inch or more, use a sod cutter to remove it. A power rake can also be used to reduce a thatch layer.
Next, the soil should be prepared for the seed. Holes must be made into the soil for the seeds to fall into. A verticut machine can be used. It has solid vertical blades that can be set to cut furrows into the soil. Another option is to use a core aerator. This machine will punch holes into the soil and deposit the cores on the surface of the ground. Each hole will produce an excellent environment for seed germination and growth.
Fertilizer should then be applied at the rate suggested by a soil test or a starter fertilizer should be used at the rate suggested on the bag.
Seeding is the next step. For overseeding, use half the amount needed compared to seeding bare ground. For tall fescue, the normal rate for bare seeding is 6 to 8 pounds per 1000 square feet so the overseeding rate would be 3 to 4 pounds per 1000 square feet. You don’t necessarily have to overseed with the same variety you planted before. The quality of a lawn by can be raised by overseeding with a fescue with better characteristics. Many stores carry blends of several newer high-quality tall fescues.
Finally, water everything in and then keep the seedbed constantly moist to ensure rapid germination. Frequent light waterings are better than deeper, infrequent watering as the seedlings become established.
Fertilize with a high nitrogen fertilizer again 4 to 6 weeks after seeding to keep plants growing well and to build up food reserves.
On a side note, many homeowners often want to overseed bare spots under trees but have minimal luck. The turf will sprout as fall progresses and will get well established by winter. It continues to look good going into spring. However, the next summer it begins to die out again – despite any care it is given.
In many cases, this is due to too much shade or the type of turf planted isn’t a good fit for the location. Tall fescue is the only widely used lawn turf in Kansas that can survive some shade. All other cool and warm season turfs need more sunlight.
Instead of establishing grass under trees, consider underplanting the tree with shade tolerant ornamental plants. Examples include ground covers such as vinca minor vines, Boston ivy or liriope, or plants such as hostas or hardy ferns.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Dick and Jan Hedges stand in front of their bookstore that will open soon. Submitted photo.
Jan and Dick Hedges are not ones to sit back in retirement.
A new project they are taking on: Hedgehog, INK!, a bookstore coming to 16 S. Main in historic downtown Fort Scott.
“When I was a little girl, I wanted to open a bookstore,” Jan Hedges said. “Dick and I are loyal to the community. We looked downtown and kept hoping someone would open some retail store. We decided ‘why couldn’t we’?”
“It’s our community service project,” she said with a laugh.
The name of the store, Hedgehog, INK! came from a nickname of her husband, Dick Hedges.
“Dick has often been called Hedgehog. They are cute and whimsical and that is what the store will be,” she said.
“The INK is because it’s also for writers, we want to encourage people to write,” Jan said.
There will be a table in the bookstore where people can meet for reading or writing groups.
A small area in the store will have a typewriter for poetic inspiration, she said.
There will be a designated children’s corner, as well.
Accepting books now
Hedges is accepting “gently used” books currently.
“We will come and pick up books…I can come to look at them to see if they are books suitable to the store,” she said. Contact her at 620-728-9001.
Some people are donating books, “Which is awesome,” she said.
When the store opens, store credit will be given for books.
They will be setting up the store starting in mid-September, following the completion of the renovation of the building they are renting from Jared Leek.
People can wait to bring books in and get store credit when they are setting up.
“The opening will hopefully be mid-October,” she said.
The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee, which was hosted by the Lowell Milken Center, drew a big crowd Thursday, Sept. 6.
The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes hosted the weekly coffee for the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Sept. 6.
Director Norm Conard said this the 12th year in Fort Scott for the center and the third year in their new facility at the corner of Main and Wall Streets in the historic district.
About 10,000 visitors came to the center last year, he said.
Cathy Werling, an administrative assistant at the center and children’s book author, announced that she is completing a book on Irena Sendler.
“It will open with Megan (Felt, the program director at LMC for Unsung Heroes) and her daughter, Blair,” Werling said. “About Megan going on a trip to do a performance (of Life in a Jar). It tells the story of Irena Sendler. Blair learns Irena was a brave person who stood up for what is right.”
Werling, is the author of Why Did Grandpa Cry? and Why Did Sergeant Stubby Go To War? which also featured unsung hero stories.
Center staff, from left, are Megan Felt-program director, Addison Brown-admin. assistant, Madison Shelden-admin. assistant, Cathy Werling-admin. assistant, Joyce Davenport- admin. assistant and Norm Conard, executive director.
Christi Keating, executive director of patient care services at Mercy Hospital, speaks at the weekly Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce coffee August 30.
A new ambulance is needed at Mercy Hospital.
“It will be replacing a 2013 model with over 210,000 miles,” Christi Keating, Mercy’s Chief Nursing Officer, said.
Mercy Hospital hosted the weekly Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce coffee August 30 which gave Mercy a chance to tell the crowd about the need.
The new ambulance will be an inter-facility transport, Keating said.
The ambulance will ensure a commitment to the health and safety of this community and surrounding counties, according to information provided. It will improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of patient care in emergency situations. And it is a pro-active move to meet the needs of patients and their families.
There is match challenge currently underway to fund the $97,310 ambulance.
Almost $40,000 is currently needed with the hope of an order date of Sept. 10 for a fall delivery of the ambulance.
The match is 1:1 until the goal is reached, Tina Rockhold, Fort Scott Mercy’s Community Relations Manager, said.
To donate, call Rockhold at 620-223-8094 or go online to mercy.net/donate
Mercy Hospital Fort Scott CEO Reta Baker said the Mercy Health Foundation takes a project each year.
In the recent past, the foundation raised $100,000 for new ultrasound equipment.
“This year, the new ambulance is the project,” Baker said.
She told the Chamber weekly coffee attendees that the foundation is comprised of “younger people than most communities, who are more innovative than most communities.”
The foundation board is made of up of: Jared Leek – Chairman, Chris Petty – Vice Chairman, Darcy Smith – Secretary, Bryan Holt – Treasurer, Alysia Johnston, Mark McCoy, Bill Michaud, JoLynne Mitchell, Colleen Quick, Becky Tourtillott, and Reta Baker.
Baker said she is “excited about the future of Mercy.”
Below are photos of a poster that was part of the presentation given at the weekly coffee.
