All posts by Loretta George

Night to Remember Prom for Special Needs Individuals Is Feb. 27

February 10, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

Jack Roberts enjoys a meal at a prior prom for people with special needs. Submitted photos.

Two nearby Missouri congregations are planning a special prom event for people with special needs. Food, dancing, prizes, and games will help make the night one to remember.

“Maybe you’ve heard of Tim Tebow’s ‘Night to Shine'”, Pastor Kevin Moyers asked. ” Rinehart Christian Church and Community Christian Church in Nevada are teaming up to have a ‘Night to Remember’ for special needs people in our area.

The event will be held at the Rinehart Christian Church, located northwest of Nevada, at 9443 S. 900 Road, Richards, MO on February 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. It is a casual dress event.

A prior prom event participant at the walk-in. Submitted photo.

“The churches are really excited to offer this special evening,” according to Pastor Moyers, “We want to send a message that Jesus loves everybody. Oftentimes, this is a group of people that is overlooked by the world, but to be sure they are not overlooked by Jesus.”

“He loves everyone the same, and this will be a night that we emphasize that message. We’ll have fun, and there will be great food provided and games and dancing, all in a Christian atmosphere.”

A participant at a prior prom event for special needs people. Submitted photos.

“The theme for the evening will be ‘Enchanted Forest.’ There will be a walk-in at 5 p.m. and the event itself will be from 6-8 p.m, including a meal that will be served,” Moyers said.

“Cooper Black, from the Nevada area, has volunteered to be the disc jockey for the night. There will be a good amount of Christian music played, along with line-dancing music, and bingo will be an option too. Prizes will be given out to people all through the evening, and prizes for bingo winners.”

“Several Nevada businesses are making this special evening possible, along with the two churches. Food is being provided through the money donations, and also the prizes for the evening. We will have a special acknowledgement and thank you to those businesses after the event.”

Participants at a prior prom event for special needs people. Submitted photo.

“Pictures will be taken by Alisha Walker. A video will be put together of the event by Marli Walker. Be sure to watch for all of this on the church’s FACEBOOK pages after the event.”

“The churches have been planning this event for a few months, and have a team of volunteers that have taken a leadership role.” Moyers said.

Josh Smith is the Pastor at the Community Christian Church in Nevada.

A prior prom event participant. Submitted photo.

Tri-Valley Developmental Services, Fort Scott, will have some participants in this event, special guests.

“People have been responding to the invitations given, and we’re expecting around 100 people to attend as special guests. These folks are from Nevada, El Dorado Springs, and Fort Scott.”

“If the public would like to come for the walk-in at 5 p.m. they are welcome to come and cheer on the special guests as they arrive.”

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Human Resource Roundtable: Discuss Current/Relevant Topics In The Workplace on Feb. 11

February 9, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

Labconco is located at 2500 Liberty Bell Rd. in Fort Scott’s Industrial Park on the south side of town.

You’re invited!

HR Roundtable

hosted by the Chamber

Wednesday, February 11th

11:45am – 1pm

Labconco

2500 Liberty Bell Rd.

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members to a Human Resources (HR) Roundtable Luncheon on Wednesday, February 11th from 11:45am to 1pm at Labconco, 2500 Liberty Bell Rd. This roundtable event will provide an opportunity to discuss current and relevant topics impacting the workplace.

The February 11^th meeting will feature guest speaker Kory Johnson, Vice President of Human Resources for Labconco, speaking to the group on “Building Tomorrow’s Bench: Succession Planning.”

HR Roundtables are open to any Chamber member involved in human resources-related responsibilities, regardless of company size, and are not limited to traditional HR professionals.

Attendees may RSVP at fortscott.com and an optional lunch may be ordered online for $10.

For more information, contact the Chamber at

620-223-3566 or email [email protected]

Click HERE to RSVP.

Please RSVP by Tuesday at noon if you’d like to order lunch!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below…

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701

620-223-3566

fortscott.com

Fort Scott, Government

Memorial Hall Improvement Project Slated for Completion By Years End

February 6, 2026 Loretta George 5 Comments

Memorial Auditorium, Third and National Avenue.

Fort Scott’s Memorial Hall is over 100 years old, and the exterior requires improvement.

The City of Fort Scott received a Community Development Block Grant, administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce in July 2025, for an exterior improvement project on Memorial Hall, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

The competitive grant is in the amount of $582,000, with a local city match of $184,484, for a total estimated project cost of $766,484.

“The 15–18-month project period began when we received notification of the grant award in July of 2025, so barring any need for extensions along the way and taking all aspects of the process into consideration, we can anticipate that the Memorial Hall project could be completed around the end of 2026,” said Mary Wyatt, Fort Scott’s Planning, Housing, and Business Development Director.

The process

“The scope of this project includes: replacement of all windows throughout Memorial Hall, miscellaneous tuck pointing to seal up the exterior of the building, and replacement of a small area of roof that is leaking,” she said. “The scope of this project was developed to completely seal the exterior of Memorial Hall to protect against any future precipitation and moisture from entering the building and causing damage.”

“We are currently waiting for the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to give us their clearance,” she said. They are the last piece of the environmental review process of the CDBG grant.”

“Once we have that approval from SHPO to move forward, the completed environmental review will be presented for signature at a City Commission meeting.”

“After the environmental review is signed, we must publish a notice in the newspaper that will require a 15-day comment period.”

“Next, there will be an additional document that Mayor Salsbury will be requested to sign, and then all of the grant paperwork in its entirety can be submitted to the Kansas Department of Commerce for review.”

“Once our environmental review is approved by the Kansas Department of Commerce, we will then have the clearance to begin seeking bids for the construction aspect of this project.”

“State grants such as the CDGG program have very detailed steps and reporting processes, then we factor in this particular project being for a historic building, which adds that additional review step from SHPO, so all in all it can take some time.”

“We are so immensely grateful to the Kansas Department of Commerce for providing grant opportunities like CDBG that allow smaller communities such as Fort Scott to apply. Programs like these give our rural Kansas community the chance to take on a project of this magnitude that we would not otherwise have had the financial resources for without the assistance of these State grant programs.”

History of Memorial Hall

“Memorial Hall was constructed in 1925 and dedicated to ‘Those men and women who gave their lives serving our country in World War I’ and was rededicated in 2001 to ‘All of the men and women who have served, are now serving or will serve in the Armed Forces of the United States of America,'” she said.

“Memorial Hall has been utilized for such a wide range of activities and events over the past 100 years that it has stood proudly in our community. Currently and in recent years, Memorial Hall has been utilized for Old Fort Genealogical Society of Southeastern Kansas headquarters, Daughters of the American Revolution headquarters, American Legion Post 25 headquarters, community concerts, comedians, Good Ol Day events, weddings, birthdays, fundraiser events, Boy Scout events, and bingo which, is regularly hosted by the American Legion. We also hosted a 100-year celebration of Memorial Hall in September of 2025.”

“In past years and decades, Memorial Hall has been used for City Commission meetings and City Hall department headquarters, conventions, graduations, basketball games, roller skating activities, a circus event, and in the 1990’s it hosted a show called from Branson to Broadway. Andre the Giant even wrestled Mad Dog Harley Race inside those historic walls! When I was in middle school 30 years ago, I had fond memories of our choir and orchestra concerts being hosted in the beautiful auditorium with the phenomenal acoustics the space provides. This list, as vast as it is, does not fully cover all of the meaningful community gatherings and events that have occurred within this incredible community facility that Fort Scott is so very lucky to have.”

Mary Wyatt’s office is located at City Hall, 123 S. Main Street

Fort Scott, KS 66701

She can be reached at 620-418-5107 (Cell) or

620-223-0550 (Office)

Fort Scott, Health Care

Buck Run: A New Public Sauna Available The End of February

February 4, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

The Buck Run Community Center will begin offering a new service to our community.

And with the snow and frigid temps, this new service is perfectly timed.

A new sauna is being installed in the facility and will be used by the staff at first, to get to know the unit, and then it will be available to the public at the end of February.

Thirty-minute limits will be placed on users of the unit, said Katie Chipman, office manager of the center.

The infrared sauna is for one person at a time and is being installed in a small room near the front lobby.

Several people who work out in the fitness center have asked about the availability of a sauna, and “it’s something Lucas has wanted to do since he’s been the manager,” she said.

“It is funded through the Steele Foundation Trust that donates money to the Community Center each year,” said Lucas Kelley, manager of the center.

Lucas Kelley, director of Fort Scott Recreation, of which Buck Run Community Center is a part.

The sauna will include built-in Bluetooth speakers, an easy-to-use control panel, and chromotherapy options.

Chromotherapy is a method of treatment that uses the visible spectrum (colors) of electromagnetic radiation to cure diseases, according to

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1297510/

The infrared light in the sauna is designed to support healing and revitalization, according to info that Kelley provided.

“The Sauna will open later this month after we finish the final touches,” Kelley said.

It will be available during the center’s regular business hours:

Sunday – 1-5PM

Monday 5 AM – 9 PM

Tuesday 8 AM – 9 PM

Wednesday 5 AM – 9 PM Thursday 8 AM – 9 PM Friday 5 AM – 9 PM

Saturday 8 AM – 5 PM

Call 620-223-0386 for more information.

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Human Resources Roundtable Luncheon On February 11

February 3, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

You’re invited!

HR Roundtable

hosted by the Chamber

Wednesday, February 11th

11:45am – 1pm

Labconco

2500 Liberty Bell Rd.

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members to a Human Resources (HR) Roundtable Luncheon on Tuesday, July 29th from 11:45am to 1pm at Labconco, 2500 Liberty Bell Rd. This roundtable event will provide an opportunity to discuss current and relevant topics impacting the workplace.

The February 11^th meeting will feature guest speaker Kory Johnson, Vice President of Human Resources for Labconco, speaking to the group on “Building Tomorrow’s Bench: Succession Planning.”

HR Roundtables are open to any Chamber member involved in human resources-related responsibilities, regardless of company size, and are not limited to traditional HR professionals.

Attendees may RSVP at fortscott.com and an optional lunch may be ordered online for $10.

For more information, contact the Chamber at

620-223-3566 or email [email protected]

Click HERE to RSVP.

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below…

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701

620-223-3566

fortscott.com

Fort Scott, Housing

GNAT Ready To Help Their Community Maintain Properties

January 30, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

A before shot of a sidewalk that had bushes crowding in. From the group’s Facebook page.

After GNAT work. From the group’s Facebook page.

The Good Neighbor Action Team (GNAT) helps the Fort Scott community in hands-on projects and is gearing up for this year’s projects.

They are planning for 2026, and are asking the community to let them know of potential projects.

They cannot do roofs, but can clear yard debris and help with light carpentry needs, with curb appeal as the goal.

If you have a larger project, they can assist with grant applications. Please send requests or ideas to Craig Campbell at 620.224.0167.

“We help people where they are overwhelmed, financially or physically,” said Campbell, a member of GNAT. “Our main mission focuses on helping people who are having trouble maintaining their properties. We do things like you would help a neighbor with.”

Craig Campbell coordinates projects on the Good Neighbor Action Team.

“We focus on the elderly and financially distressed, like single parents or veterans, or those with a physical disability, to do the work themselves,” he said.

“We do it whether someone has the ability to pay or not,” he said.

“We bring the people and the materials to get the job done.”

The group receives grants and donations to help with the materials, and recently received a Fort Scott Area Community Foundation Grant. “We have a person who helps with the grants, Jara Martin.”

“We have been successful in getting grants to help with roofs and heating/cooling. We coordinate house painting,” he said.

The GNAT examines the project for need and scopes it to determine how many volunteers are needed.

Then the team asks for volunteers to help with the projects through local organizations and churches.

Last year, the Fort Scott Community College softball women helped paint a house and got the job done in one afternoon, he said.

In recent years they have been building many wheelchair ramps.

“We were building a wheelchair ramp about once a week, but that has gotten slower,” he said.

“As soon as the weather is better, we will paint some houses. We do yard clean-up, life after a storm. Winter can knock branches down.”

Current GNAT members are Ed Allen, Campbell, Bailey Lyons, Lindsay Madison, Martin, Jake Province, C.J. Robison, Gayle Teter, and Don Tucker.

Bourbon County, Government, Kansas

Bridge on Bourbon County road to be replaced

January 29, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

Post Date:01/29/2026 9:00 AM From the KDOT Facebook page

Starting the week of Feb. 2, a portion of 60^th Street in western Bourbon County will be closed for a bridge replacement project, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

The project to replace the bridge 5.9 miles south of Uniontown and 1 mile west of K-3 will start Monday, Feb. 2, conditions permitting. This section of the gravel road will be closed throughout the project, which is expected to be completed by fall, conditions permitting.

The new bridge over the tributary of Hinton Creek will be 80 feet long and 24 feet wide. B&B Bridge Company LLC, of St. Paul, is the contractor for the $701,404.10 project.

Governor Laura Kelly and KDOT Secretary Calvin Reed announced $42.3 million in funding for this and 34 other bridge projects through the KDOT Off-System Bridge and the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement programs. The programs target improvements to city and county bridges not on the state highway system and in need of replacement and repair.

KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones. Check KDOT’s updated traveler information website, www.Kandrive.gov, for more highway condition and construction details. For updates on construction projects in southeast Kansas, visit ksdot.gov/southeastnews.

Bourbon County, Government

Greg Motley: New Bourbon County Commissioner

January 27, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

Gregg Motley was sworn in as commissioner on January 12 during the regularly scheduled Bourbon County Commission meeting.

To learn more https://fortscott.biz/news/new-commissioners-sworn-in

The Bourbon County Commissioners are the chief elected officials of the county, according to the county’s website https://www.bourboncountyks.org/contact-us/. They set policy and procedures for the running of the courthouse and set the budgets for all taxing entities of the county.

Motley represents Bourbon County Commission District #4, which includes most of Southwest Fort Scott, which runs down 69 Highway to Grand Street, then west to about 150th Street, then north to the Marmaton River and back to Fort Scott, he said.

His education

“I have a B.A. in Accounting and Economics from Greenville University and a graduate degree in Bank Management from the University of Virginia. I am a Lee’s Summit High School graduate.

“My faith informed my decision to run.

” I am a strong believer in our civic responsibility to serve our community and this opportunity seemed to fit my experiences and skill sets.”

His priorities

“Aligned with my business experiences, my priorities are financial stability and responsibility, operational management and economic development. I am also interested in better coordination and cooperation with other government entities in Bourbon County.”

Regularly scheduled meetings are on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. at the commission meeting room in the north wing of the Bourbon County Courthouse at 210 S. National Avenue, Fort Scott.

There are five commission districts in Bourbon County.

Here is a map of the districts:

https://www.bourboncountyks.org/bourbon-county-election-maps-5-districts/

The five districts in Bourbon County. Submitted graphic.

To contact your commissioner:

District 1 Commissioner Samuel Tran’s office phone: 620.215.5954

District 2, David Beerbower: 620.215.5821.

District 3, Joe Allen, none yet, as per the county clerk’s office.

District 4, Gregg Motley: 620.215.7125.

District 5, Mika Milburn-Kee: 620.215.5880.

The north wing, east side of the Bourbon County Courthouse.

Government, Kansas

Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson

January 26, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

January 23, 2026

Property Tax Relief – The CAP Assessment Protection (CAP) Amendment (SCR 1616) has cleared the Senate Tax Committee, moving us closer to protecting Kansans from runaway property tax increases. Currently, there’s no cap on how much a property’s assessed value can rise. It has been reported in the past five years that Kansas saw a 45-52% surge in residential valuations statewide, with an average 26-32% jump in just the last three years. Linn County led the state with a 66% increase. (Thankfully the County has remained neutral since 2021, but other taxing authorities like the schools took all the increase). The CAP Amendment would limit annual assessment growth to 3% or less, using 2022 as the baseline and the limit stays in place even after a sale of the property. County appraisals remain unchanged; the taxable value becomes the lower of the unrestricted assessment or the capped value. By capping the biggest driver of your tax bill—the assessed value—the amendment shields homeowners from inflation-driven tax spikes and addresses the problem of taxes on unrealized gains. It’s a common-sense safeguard to keep Kansans in their homes.

Kansas City Chiefs Stadium Deal was discussed in recent House and Senate committee hearings because legislation creating a stadium authority must pass for the project to advance. Hall talk suggests over 100 lobbyists are pushing it. Committee proponents highlighted the revenue the project would generate for the state, but a Wyandotte County representative commented that similar promises for past STAR bond projects fell short. It’s a public-private partnership with approximately 60% public funding (mainly via STAR bonds – sales taxes in the affected area would be used to pay off the bonds). These deals often let private businesses tap taxpayer dollars for their projects.

Committee work is the focus at the beginning of any session. This is the stage where a bill, such as the CAP Amendment, undergoes its most rigorous scrutiny before ever reaching the floor of a chamber for a full vote. Committees are where legislators review language of a bill and hear testimony from conferees. During this phase a bill can be amended, refined, or even completely rewritten when the committee “works” a bill. Because committees act as gatekeepers, a bill’s passage out of a committee can be a significant milestone; it signals that the proposal has enough merit and support to be considered by the entire legislative body of the Senate or the House, whichever chamber the bill is currently located.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.

Caryn Tyson

Kansas Senate, District 12

Art, Business, Fort Scott

Faithful Together: Written By Local Author Tanya Glessner

January 19, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

Local author, Tanya Glessner, Fort Scott, continues mentoring people who are incarcerated and those in recovery from addiction.

“It remains the work I’m most passionate about,” she said. “I truly believe God is taking every part of my past—along with all the healing He’s brought into my life—and using it to help pull others out of the darkness they’re facing. That said, everyone has to do their own part; real change requires our active effort.”

In addition to mentoring, she is an author of several books.

Her latest book is “Faithful Together.”

“My motivation for writing this book comes straight from my own life—the real, messy, beautiful experiences I’ve walked through,” she said. ” It started with everything I learned from my past marriage: the highs, the lows, the mistakes, and the hard lessons that shaped me. Then I watched and listened to so many other people’s marriages—the joys they shared, the struggles they faced, and the wisdom they gained along the way.”

“But the heart of this book is really about what I’ve seen and lived in my marriage now. We’ve taken everything we’ve learned from our past relationships and poured it into building something stronger together. Our children, our stepchildren, our grandchildren, this whole blended family we’ve been blessed with—they’ve all been part of the journey. We’ve grown through the challenges, the blending, the laughter, and even the tears.”

“Most importantly, though, what has made the biggest difference is having Jesus Christ right in the center of our lives,” she said. “Instead of focusing on ourselves or even on each other first, we’ve learned to put Him first. When we do that, everything else starts to fall into place—our love, our communication, our forgiveness, our hope. That’s the truth I want to share through this book: real transformation is possible when Christ is the foundation, and when we stop making ‘me’ or ‘us’ the priority and make Him the priority instead.”

Faithful Together” is in print form, with an ebook version coming soon, and can be purchased on Amazon.com.

About the Author

She and her husband “love spending time with our grandbabies, and our home is always open to our kids and grandkids. We enjoy sharing our whole story with others—the victories, the struggles, and yes, even the hiccups along the way. We’re convinced there’s no shame in talking openly about past mistakes once God has made us overcomers. Speaking those things out loud can help someone else avoid the same pitfalls.”

“We’re still a work in progress, still learning and growing every day. Above all, we hold fast to the truth that a family that prays together stays together.”

Fort Scott, Government, Schools

New Preschool Facility Is Expected by December 2026

January 16, 2026 Loretta George Leave a comment

Exterior work at 904 S. Horton. Submitted photo.

USD234 Assistant Superintendent Terry Mayfield provided an update on the district’s new preschool facility at 904 Horton, which has been an ongoing project for several years.

This former medical clinic is being transformed into a modern preschool.

Background on the Project
“The district purchased the building during the 2023–24 school year with the long-term goal of creating a dedicated early childhood and preschool facility,” Mayfield said in a press release. “Following the purchase, the project timeline extended longer than originally anticipated for several reasons: the previous owner/tenant remained in the building through Fall 2024, which delayed demolition and construction activities. Once the building was fully vacated, the district completed demolition of the first floor to open the space for preschool use.”

Additionally, as the project moved forward, the scope was revised due to budget constraints, updating designs with engineers and architects, addressing structural needs (excavation, foundation waterproofing, and drainage improvements), he said

“While these steps added time, they are important to ensure the building is safe, functional, and durable for long-term use as a school facility,” he said.

About the Program

“The Fort Scott USD 234 preschool program provides early childhood education for young learners, with a strong focus on school readiness, social-emotional development, and foundational academic skills,” said Mayfield. “The program also serves as the district’s early childhood special education site, supporting students with identified disabilities as well as children considered at risk.”

The current preschool center is located at 409 S. Judson. Services for the district’s preschool program are located at this site and also Winfield Scott Elementary School.

“Bringing these services together in one purpose-built facility will improve coordination, accessibility, and overall support for students and families,” he said.

Exterior work on 904 S. Horton by the Fort Scott School District in preparation for use as a preschool. Submitted photo.

Interior work at 904 S. Horton. Submitted photo.

Current Status and Timeline
“Excavation and waterproofing work is currently underway, with interior shoring in the final stages of approval. Once approved, shoring installation is expected to begin in mid-January and be completed within a couple of weeks. Architectural plan development is ongoing, with a revised timeline targeting final plan approval and submission to the construction manager, Crossland Construction, by June. Bidding and Board approval of pricing are anticipated in July, followed by a late July construction start. Project completion and turnover to the district are projected for late November to early December 2026.”

“In addition, playground equipment for the site has already been manufactured and is ready for delivery. Installation is planned for late January or early February, with an on-site coordination meeting scheduled to finalize logistics and align the work with ongoing site activities.”

Current Enrollment and Capacity
“The preschool program currently serves approximately 120 students. Enrollment typically grows throughout the school year as children age into the program. At present, the district operates two preschool classrooms in the existing preschool building and utilizes two additional classrooms at Winfield Scott Elementary to accommodate enrollment.”

“The new facility will initially include four dedicated preschool classrooms, allowing the district to fully serve current enrollment in one centralized location. The building has also been designed with future expansion in mind, including the potential to add an additional classroom as enrollment needs grow.”