The fitness center at Buck Run will be expanded to a space to the north, which currently houses a racquetball court..
The Buck Run Community Center, 735 Scott Avenue, will expand its fitness center.
“We will be moving all of our cardio equipment into the racquetball room to provide more space for equipment in the fitness center. We will be adding a new set of dumbbells, new Olympic Bench Press, another functional trainer, a set of straight bars, and a Glute Drive Machine,” said Lucas Kelley, BRCC’s Recreation Director.”
“We are repurposing the space of the racquetball court. This is due to the lack of use of the racquetball court and the uptick in our Fitness Center Memberships. When I started, BRCC had around 400 members, and today we are just over 700. “
The changes will start next week.
“These changes will begin taking place March 16, and are expected to be completed by March 20. Fitness Center member use will not be impacted by this remodel, we will continue to be open 24/7. This is financed by the revenue generated from our memberships.”
‘We are excited to keep enhancing the Fitness Experience at Buck Run,” Kelly said.
Buck Run offers t-ball, baseball, and softball leagues, group exercises, Taekwondo, youth track, an annual weight loss competition, STEM Club and holds events such as the Princess Tea Party on April 25.
The Fort Scott Police Department’s electric sign. The department is located at 1604 S. National Avenue.
Several residents of Fort Scott called the Fort Scott Police Department last night, March 5, to report the sound of gunshots.
“At 9 p.m., calls started coming in,” said Jason Eastwood with the Fort Scott Police Department. “Several people heard the sounds of windows and doors rattling and a racket that sounded like gunshots, around the same time.”
“We followed up by looking around town. There was no particular place it came from. Numerous reports from the east and west sides of town.”
The entire shift of police officers was driving around town, and Eastwood believes the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office was assisting, as well.
“The majority of calls were from the 12th Street to 18th Street blocks of our town,” he said.
There was no evidence of guns or fireworks in searching for the cause of the sounds, he said.
If anyone has any information, contact the Fort Scott Police Department. at 620.223.1700.
A local Fort Scott Community College student is moving forward with skills he has developed on his own, called A-Z Odd Jobs.
“I grew up helping my grandpa, Mark Tucker, on his cattle farm, and that is where I learned how to operate the tools I now use every day,” Max Blubaugh said. “I’ve grown up in Fort Scott, and I love being present in Bourbon County. I like to transform properties for people and give them something to be proud of.”
“I offer a wide range of services,” he said. “I do small-scale construction projects, limb/tree/brush removal, junk removal, heavy lifting, lawn care/mowing, snow removal, and anything on your ‘honey do’ list. Anything from A-Z!”
He is a 2025 graduate of Fort Scott Christian Heights.
“I am currently in my second semester at FSCC. I plan to eventually transfer to Pittsburg State University to major in construction management.”
“This has been my part-time job since I started my business in my junior year, but I didn’t try to do things consistently until the summer following my senior year. I realized there was a need for the type of work I do, and decided to push things more. Things have been picking up as of late. I’m busy, but I would like to be busier! I am not currently an LLC, but that is coming soon.”
His grandparents are Mark and Brenda Tucker and Dave and Shelia Blubaugh, and his parents are Brad and Bethany Blubaugh, all of Fort Scott.
He is involved in the community as an active member of Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene.
The top photo shows the area before Max Blubaugh cleaned it. The bottom photo is the spot after. Submitted photos. This example shows his ability to change the look of properties by cleaning out debris and brush.
Merle Humphrey Photography is located at 5 N. Main, Fort Scott.
Merl Humphrey retired from Farmer’s Insurance on December 31, 2025. But he is not retiring from this side gig, Merl Humphrey Photography, 5 N. Main, in Fort Scott’s Historic Downtown District.
In 1971, he started working for Farmer’s Insurance.
“I took over an agency of H.B. Marr,” he said. “John Lewis assumed part of the agency.”
He has been working as a photographer since 1992.
“I was friends with Mike Henry, and he asked if I’d like to do weddings with him. He taught me a lot.”
“I’ve taken courses and have a pretty good working knowledge of photography. When he left town, I put up a sign in the window and started getting a lot of calls to do photography. It’s been a good support business.”
“The photography business has always been appointment only,” he said. “I also do photo restoration services. Not on the original image, but I can make a representative of what they had before.”
“I like to make photos of people in formal attire and formal settings. Also lifestyle photography. I prefer shooting indoors…generational photos, high school seniors.”
“My dad, Edward Humphrey, was a family photographer in Hume, MO. He ran the grocery store in the 1950s and 60s. It was something he did. I got the bug being in the dark room with him. It was magic.”
Future Plans For The Building
He will be reconfiguring his storefront into two parts.
The north part, with a front counter, separate office, storage, and bathroom, will eventually be for rent for a business. The dimensions are approximately 40 by 18 feet.
“Several people have been interested,” Humphrey said.
The front office space is slated for completion by summer, he said.
The south part, as one walks in the front glass door, will lead to his photography business, which has another door on the east side of the building on Old Fort Blvd.
In addition, he is working on a project to renovate the second floor of the building into an accommodation rental.
“Possibly a vacation rental or a monthly rental,” he said. It has a timeline for completion of approximately 60 days.
The building was built in the late 1800s and has been a stable, restaurant, shoe store, antique shop, and dentist’s office, he said.
Humphey can be reached at 620.223.4150 or 620.224.6843 or
Keaton Brown and his wife moved to Fort Scott to be closer to family when their twins arrived.
” We decided to start our own company, Dynamic Contracting, dedicated to hard work and quality, in hopes of having something to hand down to our three boys someday,” Brown said.
“I really love giving the customers exactly what they want. I believe that the customer should be put first—no run-arounds, total transparency, and fair pricing. Communication is key. We show up and do what we say we’re going to do the first time.”
His extended family includes his dad, Destry Brown, and grandparents, Donnie and Georgia Brown, of Fort Scott.
His business offers a variety of services.
“Custom homes, shops/bardos, remodeling, concrete, dirt work, foundation repair, and fencing,” he said. “I have 17 years of experience in various areas of construction, specializing in concrete, but not limited to just that skill, as in the last ten years I worked for a large commercial concrete company, working my way from carpenter/finisher to general superintendent overseeing up to 5 or 6 crews at a time.”
“I spent most of my college days working for a very skilled home builder while I studied construction management at Pittsburg State University,” he said.
In his spare time, he loves ” hunting and fishing, especially when I get to take Hudson, our five-year-old, and spending time with my family.”
For more information:
Facebook page: Dynamic Contracting or
phone number: 620. 687. 7342.
Lindsay Madison is the executive director of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. Submitted photo.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce staff have been working to provide educational, financial, and marketing opportunities for businesses.
Kansas Main Street
At the Feb. 20 Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet at the Courtland Hotel, President and CEO Lindsay Madison said that the City of Fort Scott passed a resolution to apply for Kansas Main Street. The Kansas Main Street Program is a self-help, technical assistance program that targets revitalization and preservation of downtown districts. Currently, Fort Scott is listed as an affiliate. She is waiting for the new Kansas Department of Commerce/Kansas Main Street training. This training is provided to equip participants with knowledge, skills, and strategies to effectively engage with decision-makers and drive meaningful change, according to information she passed out.
Legislators In Town at Chamber Coffee on Saturday
This Saturday, February 28, the Chamber is having a Capitol Update over coffee with Kansas legislators, which will be held at the Kansas Renewal Institute, at 401 Woodland Hills. It will be in the McAuley Center from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The public is invited.
Guests should enter through the main east doors; the meeting room is located down the hallway on the right. KRI will sponsor coffee and light refreshments provided by Common Ground Coffee Co. Tours of the KRI facility will be offered immediately following the event. according to a press release.
Kansas Senator Tim Shallenburger and State Representative Rick James are confirmed to attend. The legislators will provide an update on the current legislative session, share information about the committees on which they serve, and address questions and issues presented by attendees. Bryan Holt will serve as moderator for the event, according to the release.
Other items from the meet and greet meeting:
A Destination Creation course will be offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, April 13. This one-day course will help towns to work towards becoming a tourist destination. The cost is $50, including lunch. Contact the Chamber at 620.223.3566.
There are two upcoming business builder workshops: March 10 at 1.30 p.m. for creating a smarter social media strategy for small businesses, and March 31 at 1.30 p.m. for Google Business 101.
There is a Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks state-wide leadership training on March 7 at the River Room, with approximately 100-150 people attending.
The Fort Scott Community College Rodeo is March 13-15.
The 2026 Schedule of Events, a community guide, is almost complete. There will be 10,000 copies available for distribution.
The Fort Scott Downtown Clean-up will be in April or May, with Craig Campbell leading. The Elks have provided a grant for clean-up supplies for the event. Businesses are requested to send notices of clean-up needs to the Chamber.
Grants Available
An E-Community Grant is available at .networkkansas.com Grants are for $5,000 to $50,000 at 6% for 10 years.
Grow KS maximum grant for $100,000 at 4% for five years and 6% for 10 years.
There are technical assistance grants available for up to $1,000 to current loan participants.
The next Meet and Greet is Tuesday, May 5 from 8-9 a.m. at City State Bank.
Lindsay Madison, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Director, led the Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet on Feb.20. at the Courtland Hotel and Spa and told of changes happening in the historic district.
The former After Effect Beauty Salon, 14 E. Wall, will be a leather business in the future, she said.
Better in Bourbon Boutique on Main Street will be moving to the former H & H Insurance/Real Estate, 2 Old Fort Bvd. Rachel Pruitt is the owner. The timeline is uncertain at this point, Pruitt said.
Merle Humphrey has retired from his insurance business, but will still operate his photography business from the back of the store. He is also updating the second floor for another business project. The storefront will be available to rent.
Merle Humphrey’s storefront at 5 N. Main.
Barbara Trimbur, owner of the Iron Star Antiques and Such Store, closed and sold the store to new owners this month. This store is 3 N. Main, Fort Scott.
Barbara Trimbur recently sold the Iron Star Antiques and Such Store at 3 N. Main.Better in Bourbon is located at 13 N. Main.
The subject of “unhomed people” was discussed among the group.
“The city is meeting with the unhomed people,” Rachel Carpenter, Human Relations/Project Coordinator for the City of Fort Scott said. “They are moving out of the gazebo area.” The Heritage Park Gazebo is located at First and Main Street.
“The unhomed have been hanging laundry on a line, taking ownership of the spot,” Madison said.
Some clothing and food were left at the Heritage Park Gazebo in downtown Fort Scott on February 20.
John Hill, a meeting participant, noted that there is currently a “car blocked up on bricks” in the parking lot of the gazebo.”
A car with one wheel missing was parked at the Heritage Park parking lot at 1st and Main.
Carpenter said “It is a work in progress,” indicating that the city is working to resolve the issue.
Carpenter also said there is a prospective buyer of the former Fort Scott Barber Shop building, 118 E. Wall. The building has been vacant for an extended time.
The Fort Scott Barber Shop building, the tall red brick one, is empty in this 2024 photo.
The Moody Building at 2nd and Main Street has a person interested in purchasing it, she said. The building has been deteriorating for several years.
The Moody Building, 2nd and Main Street, Fort Scott.
Madison reminded the group that a Civil War Encampment is scheduled for April at the Fort Scott National Historic Site, at the north end of Main Street.
The Friends of the Fort Scott National Historic Site has a flag pole subscription as a fundraiser currently. They will set up a flag at your site on special occasions during the year. To learn more about the event, here is a prior announcement: Civil War Encampment April 27-28 at FSNHS
Carpenter said the World Cup soccer matches will be in Kansas City in June and July (six matches) this year, and http://VisitKC.com is doing all the marketing for the Kansas City region. Fort Scott Tourism is making plans for visitors to come by bus for a day trip. The event is listed on TripAdvisor, she said.
The Fort Scott Dragoons Baseball Team, a new collegiate summer team in the Mid-America League, will have its first season at the LaRoche Baseball Stadium this year. Volunteer hosts are needed for the men.
Dragoons Baseball from Facebook.
Christmas on the Bricks, the winter festival in Fort Scott has monthly meetings with local organizer, Diane Striler, leading.
“We need more people to help,” she told the attendees. “Put and take down” some of the temporary buildings for the event. We are hoping to add next year that clubs will help with the skating rink staffing and get a percentage of the profits. Maybe we could start having the rink open from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day.”https://fortscott.com/christmas-on-the-bricks
The Glide is a synthetic ice skating rink that is located at the Gathering Pavilion on North National Avenue in the 2024 photo.
The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, Wall and Main Street, is bringing a large dinosaur exhibition celebrating a paleontologist in the near future.
The Artificers Art Gallery is having a textile show through the end of March at the shop on North National Avenue.
The Courtland Hotel Dining Room was the location of the Downtown Meet and Greet on Feb. 20
The hotel owners, Frank and Cheryl Adamson, purchased the historic property at 121 E. First Street in 2004. He said many people who stay at their hotel “praise what’s going on in our downtown.”
People have been purchasing historic buildings and renovating them into new businesses.
“Many people don’t realize the diversity of restaurants the downtown has to offer,” Frank Adamson said. The attendees tallied the total of restaurants to be 11 in the downtown district.
Fort Scott, KS – Naloxone saves lives. In 2024, 559 Kansans tragically died from drug overdoses—many related to opioid misuse. In response to this ongoing crisis, the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, in partnership with Emily’s Hope, is delivering Naloxone dispensers to colleges and universities across the state, including one to Fort Scott Community College.
The Naloxone dispenser at FSCC provides access to a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Making Naloxone readily available on campus is part of a broader statewide effort to reduce overdose deaths, increase awareness, and provide immediate tools to help in emergency situations.
College officials encourage students, employees, and community members to be aware of this resource. Naloxone is safe to use and can be administered in an emergency while waiting for first responders to arrive.
“If this could help you, your family, or your neighbors, please remember it’s here,” college representatives shared. “Access to Naloxone is about protecting lives and supporting the well-being of our community.”
If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse, confidential help is available by calling 866-645-8216.
Barbara Trimbur is a “hunter and gatherer” at heart, she said.
In 1996 she started a flea market vendor booth at this building. She began renting more booths and gathering items to sell. Eventually, she “took over the back room” of the flea market,” she said.
“Yvonne Beck owned the store and I mentioned that if she ever got tired of doing this, I was interested,” Trimbur said. That was in November 2003.
“The first year Cindy Bowman (another vendor) and I did an open house around the holidays,” she said.
The store next door, Corner of Time, became available to rent when Cathy Reed and her husband left. She started expanding and moved into that store.
In 2014, the building owner, Steve McGinnis, was interested in selling the store, so Trimbur purchased the whole building at 3 North Main Street in Fort Scott’s Historic Downtown District.
The store, The Iron Star Antiques and Such, was an anchor in the downtown for these decades.
On February 13, 2026 she closed her doors.
A young couple has purchased the building and her inventory.
“I just had to move out a few things,” she said.
“It’s been a very emotional transaction for me,” she said. “I had no idea how people really felt about us.”
“The store was a place where people could decompress. We tried to treat everybody with respect, whether they spent $5 or $500.”
Trimbur had two consigners at the store, people who brought items in to be sold: Karen Mix and Cathy Thomas.
The challenge through the years has been “to win over ‘Where are we going to put that?’ But, some of the grumpy men became our best friends.” Many customers became friends over the years, she said.
The best part of the job was helping people create a warm space
“The building needed to be taken over by somebody younger with visions for it,” she said. “It’s time to let go. Maybe I’ll do a little traveling.”
“I’ll have a booth here and there and continue hunting and gathering antiques and decor things that bring joy.”
Trimbur would like to thank Fort Scott and the surrounding area for “Making us feel so appreciated. We had about 1/3 of our customers that came from Nevada (MO) and Pittsburg. We are lucky to have such a pretty downtown.”
The Iron Star, north Main, September 2018.A view of the interior of The Iron Star, 3 N. Main in 2019.
Work will begin the week of Feb. 16 to replace the Little Osage River bridge on K-3 about two miles south of the Linn County line, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.
The 36-mile official detour (see map) will be in place later that week, conditions permitting. KDOT uses state highways for official detour routes for safety, weight and maintenance concerns.
Southbound K-3 traffic should follow the signed detour west on K-31 to U.S. 59, south on U.S. 59 to U.S. 54 and east on U.S. 54. Northbound traffic should follow the detour route in the opposite direction.
The project is expected to be completed by December, conditions permitting.
The new bridge will be 313 feet long and 32 feet wide with 12-foot driving lanes and 4-foot shoulders.
KDOT awarded the $4.19 million construction contract to Bridges Inc., of Newton. The project is funded through KDOT’s 10-year, nearly $10 billion Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE), which is focusing on preserving, modernizing and expanding Kansas’ transportation system.
Check KDOT’s www.kandrive.gov for updated highway conditions and construction details. Persons with questions may contact KDOT Public Information Officer Ray Nolting at (620) 902-6433.
A screening clinic for 2026-2027 kindergarten students has been scheduled for Monday, March 23 at West Bourbon Elementary. To be eligible for kindergarten, your child must be 5 years old on or before August 31, 2026.
Students who will be new to WBE will sign up for a 30 minute slot to be assessed on March 23. Please bring in your child’s birth certificate and immunization record. The agenda for the child will include kindergarten skills assessment, vision, hearing, speech, and checking health records.
Kindergarten children are required to have a physical exam within 12 months of beginning school and have all current immunizations. The Girard Medical Center is available for immunizations and physicals; if you would like to contact them for a coinciding appointment call 620-756-4111.
Due to the screenings, there will be no Kindergarten class on March 23rd.
For the best testing environment for your child, we ask that you not bring brothers or sisters.
The front of Holmtown Pub on Feb. 17. The building’s west side collapsed, which caused an electrical fire.
The west wall of Holmtown Pub, 206 North National Avenue, Fort Scott, collapsed on Feb. 13 and that event caused an electrical fire.
“To be clear, there was no major fire on the property,” said Fort Scott Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Miles. “As you can see from the pictures shown on our Facebook page, it was an electrical fire caused by the collapse. The building’s far west wall of the two-story structure failed and collapsed. When that happened, it sheared off the entire electrical panel to the building, leaving behind the incoming electric lines. Those began arcing and caused the wiring to catch fire. So it was not a fire that caused the collapse, or was there a major fire”.
It is unknown why the wall collapsed, Miles said.
The damage inside of Holmtown Pub as a result of the wall collapse. Taken from the Fort Scott Fire Department Facebook page.
“Occupants of the building said there was flickering of lights, then a full loss of power, so they went to investigate. They found that the entire wall had collapsed, and they called 911.”
“When I arrived on scene, the building had no electricity and I advised all occupants to exit the building. I investigated the area of collapse and found the fire beginning in the collapse area. Fire crews arrived on scene, and we were able to extinguish the fire with an extinguisher off the truck.”
“Crews taped off the area and determined the building was unsafe due to the structural integrity and the electrical system being severely damaged. We contacted Evergy and Kansas Gas to disconnect services from the building.”
“Fort Scott Fire was the only responding unit. The Fort Scott Police Department did respond for traffic control.”
The view at the back of Holmtown Pub on Feb. 17, following the wall collapse.
“It (the damage) is severe, and the extent of it would need to be determined by a structural engineer and insurance,” Miles said.
From The Owner Team
“The wall on the northwest section of the building collapsed, causing a small electrical fire,” said co-owner James Wood.
” Patrons and team members were in the building at the time for our normal operations. The damage was not anywhere near our operations area, and thankfully, no one was injured.”
“We don’t believe it will be a total loss. We are working with insurance to determine coverage and plan for securing the remaining building and hopefully repairs,” Wood said.
The business has been at 206 N. National Ave. for 19 years.
The ownership team is Charles and Kristy Holmes, and James and Kristal Wood.
The short-term plans are to secure the building and work on a plan, with hopes of reopening as soon as possible, he said.
