All posts by Loretta George

Fort Scott

Halloween On Horton

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Community Christian Church and Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene are partnering this year to produce “Halloween on Horton” on October 31.

“We are partnering to do advertising on social media about both churches doing something the same evening,”  Paul Martin, children’s pastor at CCC, said.

“We thought, let’s promote it together,” Jeff Dillow, associate pastor at the Nazarene church, said.

The CCC event is from 5 to 8 p.m., the Nazarene event is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Halloween evening. Both the churches are located on Horton Street near Fort Scott Community College.

“This is the sixth year we’ve done it on-site,” Dillow said. “A small army gets involved that night.”

Susan Lemon heads up the Nazarene volunteers, Dillow said.

“We want to take the opportunity to let our community know we care about them and their families,” Dillow said.

The Nazarene Church will have their Trunk or Treat event in its parking lot, at the corner of 18th and Horton Streets.

 

Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene, at the corner of 18th and Horton Streets.

Community Christian Church has been doing a Halloween event since Martin came, in the late 1990s.

Community Christian Church, across from Fort Scott Community College on Horton Street.

At first, they did a trick-or-treat event but when the church went through a fall sermon series in 2008, the event changed, he said.

“We were going through a fall series called 40 Days Of Community by Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California,” Martin said. “We wanted to pull more people from the church to serve. We added more food and inflatables.” They changed the name of the event to Fall-O-Ween at this point.

The church staff and volunteers work with Martin each year to plan and facilitate the event.

“It’s an opportunity to love on the community and provide a safe place on Halloween evening,” Martin said.

“We would love to have people be a part of both events,” Dillow said. “You could easily fill a night of trick-or-treating between both.”

Check out the events on Facebook: Fort Scott Nazarene and  Community Christian Church.

Area News, Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Baby Shower For Community Mothers

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Buck Run Community Center, 735 Scott Avenue, is the site for a baby shower Oct. 30 for new mothers.

New and/or expectant mothers are invited to the Southeast Kansas  Multi-County Health Department baby shower from noon to 2 p.m., Monday, Oct. 30 at Buck Run Community Center’s gym.

Food, gifts, and prizes will be given out to the mothers attending the event.

Prizes to give away are  a breast pump,  a pack and play crib, and car seats, according to Alice Maffett, public nurse in the Bourbon County Health Department.

Gift bags for each participant and free health care resource materials will also be available.

In addition, healthy snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Kayla Tinsley, Mercy RN  will speak about the hospital’s High 5 Program and the benefits of breastfeeding. Sergeant Tim Harper with the Fort Scott Police Department will speak on child passenger safety, and Accent Dental Clinic will present valuable information on the importance of oral hygiene during pregnancy during the event, said Angie Reinking, Outreach Specialist with United Healthcare Community Plan.

For more information contact the health department at 620-223-4464.

The event is provided by the SEK Multi-County Health Department, United Health Care Community Plan, and Mercy Hospital.

 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

The Future Of Bridal Veil Park Is Weighed

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The view from Second Street looking northwest into Bridal Veil Park.

Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin is seeking input from the community on what to do with Bridal Veil Park.

The park is located just west of the Marmaton River on Second Street on the west side of town.

It is a low-lying area encompassed by an attractive, low rock fence on the south.

History of the park

Three concrete picnic tables, a pavilion, and numerous large tree stumps, with a meandering dirt road, are all that’s left of an area that was at first two community swimming pools, one for girls, one for boys.

“It began as Napp’s Park in the 1880s,” Fred Campbell, a local historian said. “It had a large artesian water well in the southeast corner of the park, 40 yards from the entrance. It flowed mineral water. As the water shot up about 20-30 feet from the spring, it looked like a bridal veil.”

Three concrete picnic tables that have survived since the 1930s at Bridal Veil Park.

In 1936, the Works Progress Administration of the federal government built a new community swimming pool at the current site on Main Street, said Don Miller, a local Fort Scott historian.

“At that point, the (Bridal Veil Park) swimming pools were turned over to the African-American community,”  Miller said. “Segregation was the law until 1954.”

After desegregation became law the swimming pools were filled in, Miller said.

In 1986, a flood swept away the brick shelter house at the site, he said.

The current pavilion at Bridal Veil Park. The original brick one was destroyed during the flood of 1986.

“After that, it was used for a hang-out place,” Miller said. “There was a lot of illegal activities going on.”

Keep or sell the property?

Fast forward to 2017.

Martin said there is still “suspicious activity” for the Fort Scott Police Department to investigate at that location and it floods easily because of its location near the Marmaton River.

The cost of maintaining the park is approximately $5,000 to $10,000 a year, Martin said.

“Taking care of that park, is it a vision for the future of our city?,” Martin asked in an interview with FortScott.biz.

“There is a vision to have a hookup between Gunn Park and Riverfront Park in the long-term,” Martin said. “We will try to keep an easement for that,” Martin said.

The vegetation overgrowth prevents a view of the Marmaton River, on the east edge of Bridal Veil Park.

Input requested by November 21

“I’m wanting input from the community between now and November 21,” Martin said. “I talked to people who feel it would not be a good idea to sell the land.”

At the November 21 city commission meeting,  a decision will likely be made, he said.

Emails can be sent to [email protected] or call Martin on his cell phone at 620-644-2498.

“I think it will be good for the city to sell the property,” Miller said. “But save the picnic tables. Those were built by the WPA, they have historical value.”

 

 

Area News, Bourbon County, Fort Scott

3rd Saturday Downtown Marketplace Tomorrow

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North Main Street in downtown Fort Scott Thursday afternoon. October 21 is the 3rd Saturday Downtown Market Place when this street will be lined with vendors.

Last month a collaboration of Fort Scott Farmer’s Market, Chamber of Commerce, city personnel and downtown merchants led to the first ever 3rd Saturday Fort Scott Marketplace.

The September event went well, according to Lindsay Madison, executive director of the chamber.

Tomorrow the North Main section of the downtown area will once again be cordoned off for vendors. This will be the last marketplace this year.

“This is the second one,” Madison said. “The plan is to set it up for May to October next year. Which is when Fort Scott Farmer’s Market is open.”

Fresh produce vendors, downtown merchants, and other organizations will take advantage of the warm weather to sell their wares from 8 a.m. to noon.

Papa Don’s Pizza, 10 N. Main will take its turn doing “Breakfast on the Bricks,” which is the breakfast offering each farmer’s market day.  On the menu are breakfast pizza, cinnamon rolls, coffee, and juice.

Breakfast on the Bricks gets its name from the brick Main Street in Fort Scott.

Downtown merchants The Iron Star and J & W Sportshop will be open early for the event.

A free spinal screening will be offered by Hartman Spine and Joint.

Other vendors will be Trinity Lutheran Church, Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries, and Gold Canyon Decor, to name a few.

Continuing from last month, city golf carts will be available to transport people or purchases to their cars, say, for instance, produce vendor Ronnie Brown’s pumpkins.

One of the goals of the chamber is to boost the benefit of the downtown stores and farmer’s market, Madison said.

October 28 will be the last Fort Scott Farmer’s Market for 2017.

 

 

 

Area News, Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Fall Fun At Fort Wise

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Fort Wise Pumpkin Patch will be a hub of activity, this weekend.

Two races and a Fort Scott organization’s social gathering are on the agenda.

The seasonal business has been in operation since 2015 and is owned by Chad and Melissa Wise.

Since the couple opened Fort Wise Pumpkin Company, they have geared up for each weekend in October when they open their property to the public for family fall activities.

Activities such as pumpkin chunking, a corn maze, a corn pit, an obstacle course, a slide, and a hayride on an army truck are available at this fort. Food, pumpkins and Stewart’s Mums can be purchased as well. The large mums are $10 until sold out.

The entry fee to Fort Wise is $5 person, with kids under two-years-old, free.

Fort Wise is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sundays in October.

Patriotic 5K/1 mile fun run

This weekend, there will be a 5k/1 mile competition to benefit Wreaths Across America,  a non-profit organization that puts live wreaths on the graves of military veterans in December each year, to honor those who served in the military.

This is of interest to the couple because Chad Wise just retired from military service in May 2017.

The local group of this organization is hosting a Wreath Ride Patriot Pumpkin 5K/1 Mile Fun Run at Fort Wise for Saturday, October 21. Registration is at 8 a.m. Costumes are requested. The 5K run starts at 9 a.m. with the one-mile fun run starting at 10 a.m. Prizes will be awarded at 10:30 a.m. Preregistration for the event is $20 for the fun run and $30 for the 5K. The day of the race, each race registration fee will increase $5.

The runners/walkers will be traversing the 40 acres of the Wise property, which has some hills.

December 16 is the National Wreaths Across America Day, with Fort Scott National Cemetary as the local site for the ceremony to honor military service men and women.

For more information: 620-224-8933, 620-215-2174 or http://www.fortscottwreathride.com

Young Professional Social

In addition, Fort Wise is hosting a Young Professional League Social  Sunday.

“This is for YPL members and their families,” Melissa Wise said.

From 4-5 p.m. the families will enjoy the activities at Fort Wise. From 5-6 p.m., after Fort Wise closes to the public, there will be a safety briefing on firearms, then a competition on shooting targets.

During both Saturday and Sunday activities at Fort Wise, it is open to the public from 11 a. m. to 5 p.m.

The gate to Fort Wise Pumpkin Company, six miles west of Fort Scott on Maple Road.
Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Gunn Park To Expand

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Fort Scott Parks and Buildings Supervisor Todd Farrell works to subdue the overgrown vegetation on the newly purchased seven-acre property at the entrance to Gunn Park.

Fort Scottian Frank Halsey is a trailblazer.

He has worked in the last decade to mark and prepare trails through Gunn Park so he can mountain bike.

His passion for this sport has led to over eight miles of bike trails for public use.

He has spearheaded construction of trails that meander around the edge of the park and most recently helped the City of Fort Scott purchase more land for public use trails.

The acreage addition to the park began about two years ago when Halsey noticed a “for sale” sign near the entrance to the park.

“I inquired about the property about one-and-a-half years ago,” Halsey said. “Over the last two years, the price has become doable.”

Halsey learned of  Timken Industries grants to communities. The business has a plant in Fort Scott’s industrial park.

“Where they have plants, they have grants to help the community,” he said.

“Gunn Park Trails was able to acquire the grant to help pay for the land,” Halsey said. “We were able to get awarded $10,000 to buy property.”

The City of Fort Scott got on board.

At a recent Fort Scott Commission meeting, the city agreed to allocate $10,000, which along with the grant of $10,000 allowed the purchase of the seven-acres from the owner, Jerry Jackman, Iola.

“The corner lot (of the property) is an ideal location for pump tracks,” Halsey said. “Pump tracks are like a skate park for bikes.”

The six acres behind the corner lot is ideal for more trails, he said.

Halsey will begin work soon.

“Winter is a good time to build trails,” he said. “There is not so much vegetation. We hope to have it completed by the spring of 2018.”

For more information see the website www.gunnparktrails.comhttp://www.gunnparktrails.com

Fort Scott Parks and Building Supervisor Todd Farrell mows the newly acquired acreage Monday.
Area News, Bourbon County, Fort Scott

City/School 2017 Election Forum Oct. 26

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Fort Scott Livestock Market is where the candidate forum will be located Oct. 26.

New council and board members are a possibility in the towns and schools in Bourbon County.

A candidate forum for the November 7 election is slated from 6-8 p.m., October 26, at Fort Scott Livestock Market, 2131 Maple Road. This forum is to let voters learn about the people who are running in the election for town and school positions.

The names of the candidates and the position for which they are candidates are as follows:

USD #234 School Board Positions: Geoff Southwell and David Stewart will vie for position four; Gary Billionis is unchallenged for position five; Jamie Armstrong is unchallenged for position six.

USD #235 School Board Positions: Brian Stewart for position four, Mike Mason for position five, and Tyler Martin for position six are all unchallenged.

Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees: John Bartlesmeyer, Elizabeth Meyer, Tina Rockhold and Kevin Wagner are on the ballot. The three persons receiving the highest number of votes will be elected.

For the City Commission of Fort Scott, the two candidates receiving the most votes will receive a four-year term. The candidate receiving the third greatest number of votes will receive a two-year term. Those competing for the position are Cheryl  Adamson,  Carol MacArthur, JoLynne Mitchell, and Robert Nichols.

In the City of Bronson, the mayor and the two candidates for council that receives the most votes will receive a four-year term, the next three candidates for council that receives the most votes will receive a two-year term. Those running are Clearsia Botts, Geraldine Reeder, Charlotte Stewart, Kathaleen Stewart and Michael Stewart.

Alan Stewart and Lee Roy Whitcomb are running for mayor of Bronson.

For the mayor and council members of Fulton, Mapleton, and Uniontown, no candidates have filed for these positions.

When no candidates file for a position “it will be a write-in,” Bourbon County Clerk Kendall Mason said. “The most votes will win.”

In the City of Redfield, Clarence “Ed” Guss is running unopposed for mayor, while Michael Beerbower, Wilma Graham, Clarence “Ed” Guss, Kirby Martin, and Richard Smith have filed to run for council.

For the Southwind Extension District Board, Ethan Holly and Terri Williams have filed.

Business, Fort Scott

New Window Dressing

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Eric Atwood, Jennifer LaRoche, and Loren Readinger lay out the cover for the windows of LaRoche’s building at 9 S. National Monday afternoon. The plastic cover is to make the building’s windows more attractive until renovations of the historic building can take place in the future. LaRoche said she will be able to reuse the cover once renovations begin.

Fort Scott

Duffy Completes One Year

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Dillon Duffy enjoys helping people and following a suggestion from a friend, he started a new career as an insurance agent on November 1, 2016 in Fort Scott.

A year ago Duffy, 26,  was a para-educator at Fort Scott Middle School.

The friend, Danny Brown, told him of an opportunity to try insurance as a career at H & H Insurance. Brown teaches at the middle school and is another agent with H & H Insurance.

“He said, Lyle Adcock wants to retire,” Duffy said. “I started coming in here (the office) and enjoyed helping people with personal service.”

Duffy learned ” the ropes” from Adcock, he said.

“He (Adcock) retired in December after turning it all over to me.”

“We are an independent agency,” Duffy said. “We sell All-State, Progressive, Bremen Farmers Mutual, Travelers, Cornerstone and a few others.”

His insurance office is under the auspices of H & H Agency.

Ron and Barbara Albright own H & H Agency, which also provides real estate and property management.

Ron Albright is the real estate broker/ agent, while  Barb Albright and Crystal Mason are real estate agents.  Kaitlyn Jessip is the office manager. Diana Endicott is the accountant for the group.

Duffy is engaged and will marry Abigail Keating next June.

He can be contacted at his office at 2 Old Fort Boulevard or 620-223-5293. Duffy’s cell phone number is 417-214-4282

Fort Scott

Essence of Fort Scott

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Fort Scott High School Photography and Advanced Placement Studio Art class students who entered the “What Makes Fort Scott Special To Me” photography contest are from left, front row: Addi Labbe, Berkley Chavis, Grace Keating, Aubry Terry and Ashton Nolan; second row: Ethan Burrell, Darby Toth, Chloe Studyvin, Kayley Reyes, Gabi Griffin, Lindsay Lundberg, Daryn Wiley, Hallie Grillot, and Montana LaRoche; back row: Lizzie Thurston, Mia Perry, Dalton Womeldorf, and FSHS Art Teacher Ellen Kendrick.
The poster in the lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College Thursday, including the list of all who participated in the contest at the bottom of the poster. The contest winners were announced during the weekly Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee at the Gordon Parks Museum.
Darby Toth stands in front of her first place winning  photo “Liberty and Justice For All.”
Grace Keating stands beneath her second place photo “Friday Night Lights.”
Daryn Wiley is photographed by Fort Scott High School Teacher Ellen Kendrick in front of her photo submission. Wiley was third place winner of the photography contest with “A Local Diner.”

The “What Makes Fort Scott Special To Me” photography contest was featured with a gallery of the contest submissions Thursday morning during the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee.

Contestants were to capture the essence of Fort Scott in their photograph submission.

First place winner was Fort Scott High School student, Darby Toth, with her submission of “Liberty and Justice For All.”

Second place winner was FSHS student Grace Keating with her “Friday Night Lights.”

Third place winner was FSHS student Daryn Wiley with her “A Local Diner.”

The venue for the contest was the lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.

Following the gallery showing, the chamber coffee attendees moved into the Gordon Parks Museum, located in the center.

Chamber members each week may tell of events in the community for $1 per event, with proceeds going to the Dolly the Trolley fund.

Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin tells about the city’s recent purchase of seven acres adjacent to Gunn Park.
Penny Pollack Barnes tells about the TriYakAthon this Saturday at Gunn Park, starting at 8 a.m.
Craig Campbell tells about the DEA drug take-back event at the Convenient Care Center on National Avenue Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
First place photo contest winner Darby Toth, receives her prizes during the weekly coffee.
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New Coordinator For TriYakAthon

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Penny Pollack Barnes with daughter, Caroline, at Gunn Park last year. Pollack is taking over coordination duties from Frank Halsey, founder of the annual TriYakAthon, a multi-sport contest. Submitted photo.

Penny Pollack Barnes commented to Frank Halsey, organizer of the annual TriYakAthon at Gunn Park, that he ought to think about getting someone to help organize the event. This comment was in July at the annual bike race that Halsey initiated, called the Marmaton Masacre.

Halsey took her up on the offer.

Since August, Pollack has been helping to get sponsors for the event and getting t-shirts orders, she said.

“Frank does so much for the trails,” Pollack said. “He’s doing the dirty work. I’m doing logistics.”

Currently, Halsey is getting the trails marked for the event that starts at 8 a.m. this Saturday, Oct. 14.

Over the last several years, Halsey mapped out, then built the trails and continually maintains them. He is an avid mountain biker.

Pollack is a runner and has been involved with some of the events that Halsey has organized on the trails.

“I like the multi-sport aspect of the TriYakAthon,” Pollack said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Registration starts at 8 a.m. for the 5th Annual TriYakAthon and the contest start time is 10 a.m.

There are 4 miles of running, 2.5 miles of Marmaton River kayaking, and 6.5 miles of cross-country mountain biking in the TriYakAthon.

Competitors can go solo for $35 or be part of a relay team for $60. Online registration deadline is Thursday, Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. To register, check out their Facebook page.

This year the proceeds from the event will go to a multi-sensory playground at Ellis Park, 1182 E. 12th Street, south of the middle school.

“It will be a special park that kids with disabilities will be able to use,” Pollack said.

The multi-sport event for the TriYakAthon involves running, kayaking and mountain biking. Photo taken from the event Facebook page.