Raymond Streeter is honored during a Kansas University Men’s Basketball Game on Jan. 21. Submitted photo.
Raymond Streeter, 82, of Fort Scott, was recognized on January 21, 2023, during a Kansas University Men’s Basketball game, for his service in the Air Force.
Streeter was recognized and honored during the Jan. 21, 2023 K.U. Men’s Basketball Game. Submitted photo.
Marnie Zimmerman, his daughter, sent an email to fortscott.biz telling of the event.
“I guess it is a program that KU has where they select a veteran and then honor them during a KU game,” she said. “It could be football, basketball, etc. My cousin, Dad’s niece, submitted an application for Dad to be considered for this. We had to submit his story about his service, and we also included that he graduated from KU and the ROTC program there, prior to going into pilot training for the Air Force.”
The event was “A great day for the family,” she said.
“Dad NEVER talked about his service in Viet Nam when we were growing up,” Zimmerman said. “As a matter of fact, I really didn’t know he had flown in Viet Nam, I always thought he was flew in the Korean war.”
This is the family group picture after the K.U. game on Jan. 21 to celebrate with Raymond Streeter. Front row: Ruthie Hatfield, Anna Mae Berndt, RAYMOND STREETER, Danny Magee, David McCrary 2nd Row: Randy Zimmerman, Marnie Zimmerman, Sandy Schirmer, Cristin Stark, Kim Shrum, Theresa Bateson, Linda Laird, Tanya Green, Cherly McCrary 3rd Row: Hunter Casey, Zak Hueston, Carmen Misse, Rob Hassig, Greg Laird, Ronda Hassig, Bill Berndt, Mike Berndt, Rowan Green, George McCrary. In attendance, but not pictured: Ray Streeter Jr., Bernard Streeter, Kelly Streeter, Johnathan Stark. Submitted photo.
“Dad was born and raised in Fort Scott, ” she said. “He lives here still. He served in the Vietnam War, and went on to complete his military service in the Air Force Reserves. He retired as a colonel.”
Raymond Streeter. Submitted photo.
Some points in the career of Colonel Raymond L. Streeter, provided by Zimmerman:
•Kansas University Air Force ROTC graduate 1963
•Flew C141 cargo planes on supply staging missions from Travis Air Force Base in California to Viet Nam
•Flew F100 Super Sabre fighter jets while stationed at Phan Rang Air Force Base in Viet Nam
•Flew 67 combat missions in Viet Nam
•During a 20 year career in the Air Force Reserves flew the C124 and the C130, served as Chief of Command Control at Richards Gebaur Air Force Base and participated in the Individual Mobilization Augmentee Program with FEMA
•Air War College graduate
•Air Force Commendation Medal recipient
•Earned several medals and awards including the Senior Command Pilot Wings
A couple with young children has taken on facilitating a youth livestock show. This spring is their third show.
Adam and Hannah Montee hosted a youth livestock show in the spring of 2021 at the Crawford County Fairgrounds to offer kids an opportunity to showcase their animals.
This was because so many livestock shows had been shut down due the COVID 19 Pandemic.
“We have 3 kids who are in 4-H now and show lambs, goats and calves, plus a 2-year old who can’t wait to show,” Hannah said.
At that 2021 show, 100 calves were shown by 60 exhibitors from six states, and $1,000 in cash and prizes were given away, according to Hannah.
“Our goal the first year was to raise $2,000 for updates to wash racks at the Crawford County Fairgrounds,” she said. “With help from sponsors, we are hopeful the project will be completed soon.”
In 2022, the Montees changed venues for the show to Fort Scott and had over 70 kids showing 150 animals.
It will be at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds again this year on March 17 -18.
“We changed venues because the (Crawford County) fair board did not want to work with us,” Hannah said. “The Bourbon County fair board wants show, clinics, etc. there and doesn’t care when others are scheduled.”
“We also needed full use of the fairgrounds – exhibitors able to stall in the barns, inside space, etc. and we did not have access to that at the Crawford County fairgrounds,” she said.
This year they are adding lambs to the livestock show: a prospect and possibly a progress lamb show on Friday night, March 17.
The Montees are looking for more business sponsors for this year’s show. There are different level of sponsorships from $100 to $500.
“Any sponsorship money goes directly to prizes for the kids,” she said.
Fort Scottians experienced a couple of infrastructure problems on Jan. 23.
There was a power outage.
“From what we are hearing from Evergy (the electric utility)it was an outage in a substation,” Brad Matkin, Fort Scott City Manager said. “They did a great job getting the problem located and solved in a timely manner and we appreciate this.”
Brad Matkin. Submitted photo.
According to a call to Evergy, it was a substation problem and the outage was first reported at 10:44 a.m. with power restored at 11:06 a.m.
In addition, there was a water line break in the city.
“A lot of times the weather is a main issue for these water line breaks,” he said. “They happen more in the winter than in the summer because of the weather changes. One day it is in the 50’s and the next is in the 20’s,”
“They also are caused by the lack of rain,” Matkin said. “This weather change causes the ground to shift which causes our water lines to break.”
“Other reasons for these water leaks are caused by other utility contractors hitting the water lines when digging, which was the cause for the leak yesterday,” he said.
A Fort Scott City Crew works on a water main break on Jan. 23. Photo from the city’s Facebook page.
Unfortunately this problem is not a new one as Fort Scott had 62 water leaks last year, according to Matkin.
What major projects need to happen to minimize these outages of both electricity and water?
“We cannot speak for Evergy on what projects they have in the works, but we do have a couple of water projects we are working with our engineer to get started, but again, with the weather we have, we will have leaks and we will continue to work hard to service our citizens.”
“We do not see very many lateral breaks which is good and shows our lines, even though they are old, are still in good condition,” he said.
Matkin save thanks to city workers on the city’s Facebook page last evening.
“Thanks Bill Lemke, Stanley McKeen, Jason McReynolds, Brady Coffman, Joseph Reid, and Dayton Mitchell for your hard work,” he stated.
The FSCC Cheer Team: Front row: Seth Thomas, Angie Martinez, Allie Brewer, Karlie Knechtel, Emily Noll. Second row: Addey Froggatte, Madison Warner, Haven Conner, Mackenzie Heuszel, Lamyjah Lewis- Kent, Denise Barnard, Brooke Snell, Lillie Easterby. Boys: Brayden Moore, Xavier Kasper,Josh Martin, Gage Pugh, Malachi Kucza, Ethan Bittle, Donovan Law and Javonte Garrett Top row of girls: Julia Lopez, Hannah Merando, Savanna Fisher, Haily Sheat, Stephanie Matul, Macy Michalski, Claire Holt Not pictured: Andrea Matul and Ally Gomez Gonzales. Submitted photo.
The Fort Scott Community College Cheer Team is heading a second time to Florida for the National Cheer Association contest. There are over 400 teams competing in the contest on April 5-9 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
“We compete small coed advanced against other junior colleges all over the nation,” FSCC Head Cheer Coach Chelsea Yount, said.
The cheer teams cheer all FSCC men’s and women’s basketball games, home flag football games, and “We are super fans home volleyball games,” Yount said.
“We also compete in four competitions this year,” she said. “National virtual college championship-we are reigning national champions,
Innovative choreography College open competition, and NCA nationals Region 6 regional games.”
The team practices Monday – Friday from 8-10 a.m. plus three hours a week of weights, and has a two-hour study hall in addition to the FSCC games.
Head coach Yount, from Shawnee, is assisted by coach Allee Morillo, Olathe.
From left Allee Morillo, FSCC Assistant Cheer Coach and Head Coach Chelsea Yount. Submitted photo.
The team is comprised of the following athletes and where they are from:
Addey Froggatte – Princeton, KS
Allie Brewer – Ottawa, KS
Ally Gonzales Gomez- Carthage, Mo
Andrea Matul- Carthage, Mo
Angie Martinez- Houston, TX
Brayden Moore- Fort Scott, KS
Brooke Snell- Wichita, KS
Claire Holt- Fort Scott, KS
Denise Barnard- Nevada, MO
Donovan Law- La Cynge, KS
Emily Noll- Spring Hill, KS
Ethan Bittle- Prattville, AL
Gage Pugh La Cynge, KS
Haily Sheat- Lamar, MO
Hannah Merando- Walnut, KS
Haven Conner- Mound City, KS
Javontte Garrett Memphis, TN
Josh Martin La Cynge, KS
Julia Lopez- Arma, KS
Karlie Knechtel- Boulder, CO
Lamyjah Lewis-Kent- Omaha, NE
Lillian Easterby- Wichita, KS
Mackenzie Heuszel
Macy Michalski- La Cynge, KS
Madison Warner
Malachi Kucza- Lawrence, KS
Mason O’Brien- Uniontown, KS
Savanna Fisher- Carthage, Mo
Seth Thomas- Lawrence, KS
Stephanie Matul- Carthage, Mo
Xavier Kasper La Cynge, KS
The FSCC Cheer Team. Submitted photo.
To help get the team to nationals, they have several fundraisers.
“We currently have a raffle for a Visa 500$ gift card,” Yount said. “You can reach out to us on social media or email me at [email protected] .”
“We will have several other fundraisers coming up, and are always looking for business sponsors to help fund the trip,” she said. “All funds raised will go to competition fees, hotel stay, food, flight/travel expenses, team gear and more.”
Dr. Vyhlidal’s office is located at 304 E. 23rd, Fort Scott. Submitted photo.
Dr. Megan Vyhlidal, 26, is opening a chiropractic office on Feb. 1 at 304 W. 23rd. It will be a satellite practice of Riggs Chiropractic, in Pittsburg.
The pronunciation of her name is Vil-Li-Doll, she said.
She currently works at Pittsburg Riggs Chiropractic.
“We are excited to be in Fort Scott to help promote overall wellness in the community,” Vyhlidal said.
Dr. Megan Vyhidal. Submitted photo.
Vyhlidal is a 2014 graduate of Pittsburg High School. She then earned a biology degree from Pittsburg State University in 2018 and graduated with a degree from Cleveland University in Kansas City in April 2022.
“I worked as an assistant at Riggs Chiropractic while going to P.S.U. for two years then in February 2022 I returned back as a intern, then in April 2022 started as a doctor,” she said.
“I was sitting in a class at P.S.U. and an admissions rep from Cleveland University talked to us,” she said. “I started exploring more and fell in love with it, and here we are.”
The hours of operation starting Feb. 1:
7 a.m to 6 p.m. Monday, 7 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, 12:30 6 p.m. Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and 7 a.m. to noon on Friday.
Cathy Bishop is the new event coordinator at the River Room Event Center. Submitted photo.
Cathy Bishop, who retired from Niece Products of Kansas on December 31, 2022, is the new event manager for the River Room Event Center, at Oak Street and National Avenue.
Al Niece is the owner of the building at 3 W. Oak and the River Room is located on the second floor.
The River Room Event Center is located at the corner of Oak Street and National Avenue on the second floor.
Bishop, who was the Niece Products of Kansas Human Resource Director prior to her retiring, now schedules reservations and manages the set up of the alcohol bar.
Renters will need to secure catered food for their event, Bishop said.
“We don’t have a working, cooking kitchen, but do have a refrigerator,” she said.
“There is a cash bar and we supply the bartender and alcohol or beer,” she said
Some of the bigger reservations this year are for the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Banquet in April and the Fort Scott High School Prom on May 6.
“We contract by volume of people attending,” Bishop said. “We also charge by the hour for a small two-hour event.”
Contact Bishop via email for more information on rates charged at [email protected].
In addition to banquets and proms, they have provided a venue for weddings, anniversaries and graduations, to name a few.
A recent event at the River Room. Submitted photo.
The event center will hold 700 capacity, but that would be standing room only, Bishop said.
“Four hundred people is a comfortable number of attendees,” she said.
A recent event at the River Room. Submitted photo.
Although the email is the preferred way to contact Bishop, the phone number for the River Room is 620.820.0536.
History Of The Building
According to hearsay, the building has housed a roller rink, car dealership, bowling alley and a couple of restaurants, the most recent: Luther’s BBQ, Bishop said.
Bishop came upon a book about the building with some information:
Two local government positions that effect Bourbon County are open, with the resignation of Ashley Shelton and Richard Hilderbrand.
Ashley Shelton resigned as Bourbon County Clerk on Jan. 12, after two years working with the county government.
“She sent her resignation letter to the governor on January 12 and notified me that she is resigning and her last day of employment is Feb. 3,” Mark McCoy, Bourbon County Republican Party Chairman, said.
When contacted, Shelton said “The Bourbon County Courthouse is not a good environment. I don’t feel I am able to do the job to the best of my ability.”
Within her clerk office she feels “We have a good group.”
In addition to her resignation, another county clerk office person has resigned and another is transferring to different department.
“There is a lot of transition going on in the courthouse,” Shelton said.
The Republican Party will hold a convention on Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Empress Event Center, 7 N. Main in Fort Scott to select a replacement for Shelton.
“We have 21 days to set a convention to select someone to be approved and their name sent to the governor for appointment,” McCoy said.
The county currently has 34 committee members and during the convention they will interview the candidates, then have a question and answer session with them.
The candidates will have about 10 minutes to say why they should be selected, he said.
Following this, the party will meet privately to discuss the candidates and a decision will be made by secret ballot and sent to the governor, McCoy said.
State Senator Richard Hilderbrand converses with the audience following a legislative coffee in Bourbon County.
U.S. Senator Richard Hilderbrand
In addition to Shelton, local Republicans will go through the established process of selecting a new Dist. 13 Kansas Senator.
Richard Hilderbrand resigned on Jan. 4, just before the Kansas legislature was set to start. He has served since 2017.
He represented Bourbon, Cherokee and Crawford Counties.
The local committee members from each county will meet on Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. at the Columbus High School auditorium.
Crawford County is in charge until a chairman is selected from those attending the convention, McCoy said.
Once again, candidates will be given a certain number of minutes to tell the group why they should be selected, followed by a question and answer time, then private discussion by the group and a vote taken.
That name will be sent to the governor and wait for appointment.
“Three people have placed their name for this position, Tim Shallenberger, Keri Jensen and Dan Muter,” McCoy said. “Ken Collins was interested, but decided to remove his name.”
McCoy said Hilderbrand resigned to focus on his insurance business and his family.
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team is located at 104 N. National Avenue. Submitted photo.
Local female business owners will be speaking on the challenges of ownership of a business or hope to help those that want to start one.
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) is sponsoring the Dare to Dream Seminar: The Unique Challenges of a Small Business on February 8 at 5:30 p.m. at 104 N National in Fort Scott.
“This… seminar is for ALL women of ALL ages who have a business or is interested in starting a business, Rachel Carpenter, director of the The Center for Economic Growth at the HBCAT office.
“Our goal is to bring these woman entrepreneurs together to help create a support system of women supporting women. We bring in local woman leaders to share their expertise on how they have become successful.
The keynote speaker will be Erin Vann, of Highway Three.
Erin Vann is the keynote speaker at the Dare to Dream Seminar on Feb. 8. Submitted photo.
“She will speak on the challenges that her business had to overcome to get to the success story it is today,” Carpenter said. “We also have panel speakers Kelly Perry of Perry’s Pork Rinds Country Store and Angela Simon of Bids and Dibs. They will share about managing a business banking account and how to get through the low seasons of business.”
Kelly and Thaddeus Perry, owners of Perry’s Pork Rinds Country Store. Submitted photo.Angela Simon, owner of Bids and Dibs. Submitted photo.
A part of the agenda is devoted to discussion.
“We will have HBCAT and Pittsburg State University Small Business Development Center staff available to answer questions about starting a business and about the grant opportunities available through HBCAT,” Carpenter said. “We will also have staff from City State Bank that will answer questions about cash flow. Our keynote speakers and panelist will be available to answer any questions at that time as well.
Free Meal, Child Care and a Raffle
Perry’s Pork Rinds Country Store will be catering a lasagna meal for the evening, and there is childcare available upon request.
The support for the seminar is grant funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Development and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas, she said.
Rachel Carpenter can be reached at The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, phone: 620-215-2562
Mary Barbara McKay is the featured local author on Jan. 28. Submitted photo.
All during January there will be a special sale of Buy 2 Books Get 1 Free on Action/Detective/Mystery and Christian Fiction at Hedgehog INK! Bookstore located at 16 S. Main.
The store showcases book signings featuring local authors.
On January 28, Mary Barbara McKay will introduce her book, Writings from Vietnam, at 1:30 p.m. at the store.
“We are excited to have her launch her book and book signing at Hedgehog.INK!,” store owner Jan Hedges said.
McKay has lived in neighboring Linn County since 1996, when she and husband, Rod, bought 40 acres of Kansas farm ground and built a country home. They moved from Sacramento, California, where she had been a high school English and art teacher and then nurse and he, a commuter airline pilot.
First Book
McKay’s first book, The Good Horses: How Horses Taught Me God’s Plan for My Lifetells the story of their move to the country and the important role horses played in making the transition from city woman to country woman pleasant, she said.
“Horses made my new life interesting, enjoyable, educational,” she said. “Country life brought me closer to God through the horses and our care of them and the peaceful natural world around us.”
“My first book was published in 2019 and is also available at Hedgehog Ink Bookstore,” she said. “It has my own photographs and paintings, and some favorite poems and Scripture quotations. I love painting, drawing and photography and also love writing from my own experience.”
Second Book
“The second book, Writings from Vietnam, was completed in November 2022,” she said. It is a compilation of my husband’s letters to me from his time in Vietnam, plus a short journal he kept for three months, and nine pages he wrote of what happened on ‘a terrible day,’ but never sent to anyone.”
Rod, survived serving in the Vietnam War, and died of a heart attack in 2018.
She had kept all his letters from his tour of Vietnam and wrote the book as a tribute to him, she said. “He very rarely talked about Vietnam, and then only a sentence or two.”
“Rod has an almost intellectual view of the war, though he is living through very dismal times (in the book)” she said. “I insert paragraphs from his time in Army Basic Training and Advanced Infantry Training within the war letters to show the differences and parallels between the Army at war and the stateside Army. My husband was a radio telephone operator, which means he carried the radio for his commanding officer.”
“He was in Vietnam for 11 months,” McKay said. “In April 1970 the U.S. was pulling back forces and he was discharged a month early. His letters show life in the field–sleeping in the mud, constantly watching for enemy, losing men he just met.”
“His last five months were spent as company clerk at a fire support base,” she said. “He wrote the letters home to families who’d lost a husband or a spouse. He has deep insights and always kept his faith. God always came first in his life.”
“This is a short book, it is only 114 pages, and it includes a few photographs and an addendum which is a journal he kept for three months from May 3 to August 12, 1969, his first three months in Vietnam,” she said.
Her husband of nearly 47 years was a thoughtful, principled man and has a message for everyone who reads the book, she said. “This book is a tribute to him with a message I believe will resonate with readers.”
The cover of Mary Barbara McKay’s book, Writings from Vietnam. Submitted.
“Merl Humphrey Photography (a local Fort Scott business) used two photographs to make the composite picture for the cover,” she said. “The color picture I took of Rod at the Vietnam War Memorial in 1994; the black and white picture of men in Vietnam placed within the wall was among Rod’s things.”
February’s Offers At Hedgehog INK!
Additionally coming up at Hedgehog INK! in February is Buy 2 Get 1 Free on Romance books.
Feb. 4 – Children’s Story Time, story and activity
Feb. 10-11 Love Local Chocolate Crawl – All Chocolates 25% off
Feb. 25? – Author Talk / Book Talk – Leon Perry
Byron Eugene Tillery, age 67, resident of Pittsburg, KS, died Saturday, January 7, 2023, at Pittsburg Health and Rehab. He was born May 21, 1955, in Nevada, MO, the son of Ivan and Velma Hoover Tillery. He graduated from Nevada High School. He married Margaret Ann McHenry on May 22, 1976. She preceded him in death on September 22, 2008.
Bryon worked for Ennis Inc. in Fort Scott, KS, for over 23 years. He enjoyed woodworking, working on cars, and was an avid KC Chiefs fan. He loved spending time with his grandchildren.
Survivors include 2 daughters, Kerri Jo Lawrence (Gary), Fort Scott, KS, and Sarah Tillery, Joplin, MO; 2 brothers, Martin Tillery (Kathy), Vesper, WI, and John Morris (Arlene), Tuttle, OK; 2 sisters, Barbara Bobbett (Don), Ozark, MO, and Elaine David, House Springs, MO; 5 grandchildren, Zachary Cassett, Ryan Cassett, Lucas Cassett, Sven Ash, and Madison Braun; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by 2 sisters, Carmen Pettibon, and Laura Garrison; 2 brothers, Ralph Tillery, and infant Gary Lee Tillery; and is parents.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 PM Friday, January 20th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Cremation will follow. The family will receive friends from 2:00 until 3:00 Friday prior to the service.
Memorials are suggested to the Byron Tillery Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
Dr. Amanda Brown stands in one of her exam rooms of her new veterinary clinic in Fort Scott.
Dr. Amanda Brown opens her Mill Creek Veterinary Clinic on Jan. 16 after months of preparing a new building and also having a baby.
Hours of operation are Monday-Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon, Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are closed for lunch daily from noon to 1.
She and her husband, Eric, welcomed a third child into their family in December, following her purchase of the building earlier in the year at 6 East 13th. (13th and National Avenue).
The business has a primary focus of wellness and medicine for small animals, she said.
“We have an in-house lab, digital x-ray and ultra sound,” Dr. Brown said. “We have the ability to hospitalize pets.”
“My true passion is client education and managing chronic pain,” she said.
Ever since she was child she has had a desire to help animals get better, she said.
Employees of the clinic are Loren Carmine, registered veterinary technician; Wendi Jensvold, assistant and Jacki Lape, receptionist.
Brown is a 2008 Fort Scott High School graduate with a bachelors degree from Kansas State University in 2013. She earned her doctorate from Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015.
“I worked at Animal Care Center here in Fort Scott right after graduation for over five years and I worked at a busy, fast paced clinic in Webb City for two years after that,” she said in a prior interview. “I have over seven years combined as a veterinarian and almost 20 years in the veterinary field.”
The first Makers Market, hosted by Mmm Flavor Shop owners Emelia Whiteaker and Addi Foster is this Saturday, January 14th from 10 am to 3 pm. The event is in the Cloverleaf Event Center at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds on South Horton Street.
“This is for people who produce and make things local” to showcase and sell their products, Foster said.
They are hosting these events because they are hoping to establish a spice store and don’t have a business space, Foster said.
In addition they are sponsoring a fundraiser for a new dog agility club.
“Lunch will also be available for purchase with the proceeds going to help purchase dog agility equipment for the newly created Momentum Dog Club,” Whiteaker said. “Those youth interested in joining the Momentum Dog Club can stop by and get more information. They must be at least 7 years of age to join, and no experience is needed.”
The two sisters are planning a market each second Saturday of each month, until May. “Different vendors will be participating each month,” Whiteaker said. “There will be a variety of locally made products for sale including food, soaps, lotions, knitted items, sewed items, and starters for indoor plants.”
“The menu that will be available is chicken and noodles made with locally raised chicken from Freedom Farms in Bourbon County, Mixed Bean Soup with Grains, Butternut Squash Soup, Mediterranean Vegetable Stew with Couscous,” Whiteaker said. “For dessert offered is Citrus Olive Oil Cake with Orange Chocolate Glaze, and Carob Brownies made two ways.”
Citrus Olive Oil Cake, pictured, will be offered for sale at the Makers Market.Submitted photo.Addi Foster is co-owner of MMM Flavor Shop. Submitted photo.Emelia Whiteaker is the owner of Momentum Indoor Training and also co-owner of MMM Flavor Shop. Submitted photo.
