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All posts by Loretta George
Young Professional League Restarts In Fort Scott, Next Social Hour is March 24
A new generation of young people has reorganized to serve the Fort Scott community through an organization called Young Professional League.
Eighteen years ago, the group was started, and with the COVID Pandemic, YPL membership dwindled.
Late last year, a different group picked up the ideals to serve the community.
They have a mission and motivation to serve.
“The mission of the Young Professionals League is to be adaptive advocates of a better community through progressive partnerships and networking,” according to its new president, Arlo Simon.
“The motivation to restart The Young Professionals League came from a drive to serve the community and provide support, in various ways,” Simon said.
“Our vision is to be a catalyst for a better community,” she said.
“We have meetings on the first Friday of every month in the Celebration Room inside Papa Don’s Pizza (10 N.Main), at noon. We also have a social hour at various local restaurants once a month. Our next one will be Tuesday, March 24 at La Hacienda Restaurant, 6:00 p.m.”
“Our target audience to join YPL would be anyone interested in being a part of like-minded people who have an interest in bettering the community,” Simon said. “The age range for joining: 17-year-old high school seniors (who may have an interest in business) as well as up to 45-year-old individuals.”
The current leadership team is Simon as president, Hunter Witt as vice president, Taylor Bailey as secretary, Stevia Ratcliff as treasurer, Tabitha Castleberry as communications and Henry Witt as events.
History of YPL In Fort Scott
Eighteen years ago the group was founded by Jamie Armstrong, Gary Palmer, along with Kenny and Megan Felt, to name just a few.
“YPL was launched by a small group of young professionals in the fall of 2008,” said Jamie Armstrong. We hosted a large group of local young professionals, and Kendall Gammon, former long-snapper for the K.C. Chiefs, was our speaker.”
“It was a moment to capture a common sense of community and connection, and it served as a great catalyst to our launch. We started off focused on economic development, community service, civic engagement and social connections.”
“Over the next seventeen years, we served many community roles, and we grew. Until we didn’t,” Armstrong said.
” Many of us shifted out of leadership roles in YPL and into other community and civic responsibility and our purpose changed. Post COVID Pandemic, the membership has dwindled, and we disbanded. I am thrilled to see young professionals like Henry and Hunter Witt and others coming back to the table to once again talk about the future of this amazing community we live in.”
Gordon Parks Museum receives Historic Yearbooks and Two Glass Dish Artifacts
Fort Scott, Kan. – The Gordon Parks Museum has received a rare donation of historic items connected to the early life and legacy of Gordon Parks. The donation includes a 1926 Plaza School-Fort Scott yearbook, a 1925 Fort Scott High School yearbook, and two glass dishes, generously given by Cheri Dixon, a longtime family friend of Parks. Dixon, a former resident of Fort Scott, Kansas, now resides in Smyrna, Georgia.
The 1926 Plaza School-Fort Scott yearbook belonged to Dixon’s grandmother, Louella (Russell) Hill, a lifelong resident of Fort Scott. Hill graduated from the eighth grade at Plaza School in 1926 and was both a classmate and lifelong friend of Gordon Parks. Parks attended the segregated Plaza School from kindergarten through eighth grade at what was formerly 111 Hendricks Street, located on the east side of what is now the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
The yearbook is particularly significant because it is the same year Parks graduated from the eighth grade, and his graduation photograph appears in the book. The 50-page publication provides insight into student life at Plaza School during the 1920s, including academics, athletics, and school activities.
Also included in the donation is a 1925 Fort Scott High School yearbook that belonged to Dixon’s grandfather, Clarence Hill, who graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1925.
In addition to the yearbooks, Dixon donated two glass dishes that appear in a well-known photograph taken by Gordon Parks of Clarence and Louella Hill inside their Fort Scott home. In the photograph, Louella Hill is holding one of the dishes. The image was taken in 1950 as part of Parks’ assignment for Life magazine for photo essay, when he returned to Fort Scott to do a story on segregated schools and follow up on the lives of his former classmates from Plaza School. The photograph later appeared in the 2015 book Gordon Parks: Back to Fort Scott.
The items were donated in honor of Louella Russell Hill, Shirley Hill Hutt, and the Cheri Dixon family.
“We are beyond excited to receive these incredible historic items from Cheri Dixon,” said Kirk Sharp, Executive Director of the Gordon Parks Museum. “The 1925 Plaza School yearbook, will offer valuable insight into the history of the school and student life during that time in the 1920s when Gordon Parks attended school there.”
The Plaza School was later renamed Hawkins School in 1946 in honor of Professor E. J. Hawkins, a longtime educator, administrator, and coach at the institution. The original two-story school building with a full basement was demolished during an urban renewal project in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Today, a memorial wayside marker recognizing the school stands at the Fort Scott National Historic Site recreational vehicle parking lot behind the Chamber of Commerce building.
MORE
The newly donated yearbooks, along with other Plaza-Hawkins School artifacts and the glass dishes, are now on display at the Gordon Parks Museum on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
For more information or to schedule a museum visit or tour, contact the Gordon Parks Museum at (620) 223-2700, ext. 5850, or email [email protected].
| (Left to Right) Kirk Sharp and Cheri Dixon at her home in Smyrna, GA, holding the 1926 Plaza School Year book. |
| 1925 Fort Scott High School Crimson Yearbook. |
| (Photo Left to Right) Kirk Sharp and Cheri Dixon at her home in Smyrna, GA, holding one of the dishes and the book Back to Fort Scott which features the 1950 photograph taken by Gordon Parks in the home of her grandparents, Louella and Clarence Hill, while her grandmother is holding one of the same dishes. The photo below is an image of the photo that Gordon Parks took in 1950. |
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Kai Nelson Obituary
Kai Alexander Nelson, age 3, of Nevada, MO passed from this life on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Ft. Scott, KS.
Born August 20, 2022, in Winfield, KS, Kai was the “Most beautiful boy in the world, a big ball of joy with an infectious laugh you will never forget.”
Kai is survived by his loving parents Blake Ryan and Annabelle Nobellee (Swisher) Nelson of Nevada; his grandparents, Paul Swisher, Derby, KS, Samantha Stewart, Ft. Scott, KS, James Nelson, Nevada, and Christina Ellzey, Nevada.
Memorial services was held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada with Pastor Jeff Fagins officiating.
Memorials are suggested to the family in c/o Ferry Funeral Home.
FSCC Trustees Meet at Noon on March 13
FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING
BURRIS HALL
MARCH 13, 2026 – 12:00 P.M.
PUBLIC AGENDA
1.0 CALL MEETING TO ORDER – CHAIR
2.0 FLAG SALUTE & INVOCATION
3.0 APPROVAL OF OFFICIAL AGENDA (ACTION)
4.0 APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA (ACTION)
4.1 Minutes
- February 13, 2026, Board of Trustees Special Meeting
- February 16, 2026, Board of Trustees Meeting
- March 02, 2026, Board of Trustees Special Meeting
4.2 Financials – Cash Flow Report
4.3 Check Register – $815,849.56
4.4 Payroll – February 13, 2026 – $635,461.17
4.5 Contract Ratification
- Contract for FRAME Grant Duplexes
- KASB Legal Assistance Fund 2026-27
5.0 COMMUNITY, EMPLOYEE, AND STUDENT RECOGNITION (INFORMATION)
5.1 Program Review – TRIO
5.2 Recognition: Trustee Emeritus
5.3 Recognition: Students
6.0 LEADERSHIP REPORTS & UPDATES (INFORMATION)
7.0 OLD BUSINESS
7.1 State of the College address will be:
- May 21st at 12 pm in the Ellis Fine Arts building (INFORMATION)
7.2 Employee Scholarships 2026-2027 (ACTION)
7.3 Agreement – STARS (ACTION)
8.0 NEW BUSINESS
8.1 Farm and Ranch Management Certificates (ACTION)
8.2 Pharmacy Technician Certificate (ACTION)
9.0 PUBLIC FORUM
10.0 EXECUTIVE SESSION – SECURITY MEASURES
10.1 Enter Executive Session (ACTION)
10.2 Exit Executive Session – Return to Open Session (INFORMATION)
11.0 PERSONNEL
11.1 Enter Executive Session – Personnel Matters (ACTION)
11.2 Exit Executive Session – Return to Open Session (INFORMATION)
11.3 Employment Matters of Non-Elected Personnel (ACTION)
12.0 BOARD COMMENTS
13.0 ADJOURN (ACTION)
Three-Year-Old Dies in a Fort Scott Fire on March 10
Bourbon County emergency personnel were dispatched to a structure fire in the 2300 block of Jewell Street, just southeast of Fort Scott, at around 5:30 a.m. on March 10.
“A three-year-old child died from this incident,” said Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of this child.”
The Kansas State Fire Marshal was notified of the fire and will assist the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation, Martin said.
A relative of the deceased child sent this to fortscott.biz for publishing.
“I’m Aireal Knoblauch, and I’m reaching out because our family is going through an unimaginable tragedy and we are hoping the community might be able to help.
Earlier this week, a house fire in Fort Scott, Kansas took the life of my 3-year-old nephew, Kai. Kai was a joyful little boy who loved Blippi and excavators and meant the world to everyone who knew him. His parents and our family are Nevada, Missouri natives, and our hearts are completely shattered. The fire marshal is still investigating the cause of the fire. In the same fire, Kai’s grandmother, Samantha, also lost her home and nearly everything she owned. Our family has created two GoFundMe fundraisers one to help with Kai’s funeral expenses and another to help Samantha begin rebuilding after losing her home and belongings. We are hoping you might be willing to help share their story and the fundraisers to encourage community support. Even simply helping spread the word could make a huge difference for our family during this incredibly difficult time.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for any help you may be able to provide.
Sincerely,
Aireal Knoblauch (Kai’s aunt)
620-441-8400
Kai’s Funeral GoFundMe:
Samantha’s Rebuilding GoFundMe:
Buck Run Community Center Expands Fitness Center
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.
To learn more: call
620.223.0386.
Sounds of Gunshots and Windows/Doors Rattling Last Night In Fort Scott
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.
Young Entrepreneur Moves Forward with His Business: A-Z Odd Jobs
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.”
He can be reached at 620.215.3459.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587000414887
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.
Merl Humphrey Retired From One Job, But Still Creating Photographs
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
Dynamic Contracting: A New Construction Company to Fort Scott
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.
FS Chamber: Working to Provide Opportunities for the Community
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.
For more opportunities http://www.score.org/kansascity/local-workshops
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.