All posts by Loretta George
Fund Raiser for Kennedy Bosley-Leihsing

A fundraiser to help pay for the funeral costs of Kennedy Bosley-Leihsing is on Feb. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Empress Event Center, 7 N. Main.
It is a free-will donation pancake feed that includes two pancakes with sausage links, butter, and syrup. One can dine-in, or take to-go.
For more information call Lori Brown, at 620-215-3600.
“We’re hopeful that our community does what it normally does and comes together to support a family that’s going through a very difficult time,” said Bill Michaud, owner of Sleep Inn, whose staff is hosting the pancake benefit feed.
About Kennedy
Leihsing, 15, was a sophomore at Fort Scott High School who died unexpectedly on January 25 from COVID-19 in the Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department.
A great aunt, Iris Byrd, started a GoFundMe for the family as there was no insurance to pay for the funeral, according to the GoFundMe page.
“She was raised along with the other grandchildren by her grandparents, both of whom are on disability for various medical conditions. This is yet another reason why help is so desperately needed,” Byrd said on the GoFundMe page.
“Kennedy was so smart and kind, and she loved life and always put others before herself. She was beautiful in all respects,” Byrd said on the fundraising page.
Kennedy’s best friend Elizabeth has a mom, Lori Brown, who works at the Sleep Inn Hotel in Fort Scott. The Sleep Inn team is hosting a pancake feed to benefit the family because the GoFund Me goal to help with funeral expenses has not been met yet.

Kennedy’s funeral was on February 4.

More City Personnel Needed

The City of Fort Scott is like other employers nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have many positions to fill to be fully staffed.
The financial director position is one.
Last year, Susan Bancroft was hired as the Bourbon County Financial Director and also the Human Resource Director, in addition to her position as the City of Fort Scott Financial Director to combine services between the city and the county.
She has since given her resignation notice to the City of Fort Scott but has remained part-time financial director until a replacement can be found there, she said in an email.
“We are looking at applicants (for this position) and will be interviewing over the next couple of weeks,” Fort Scott’s Human Resource Director Brad Matkin said.
According to the City of Fort Scott website, the summary of the position is as follows: http://www.fscity.org/173/Job-Openings
“Under the general supervision of the City Manager, the Director of Finance performs financial reports, payroll, and retirement records; assists in the preparation of the city budget; monitors city revenues and expenditures and maintains all related records; supervises personnel in performing related accounting, utility billing systems, and clerical work”.
Matkin said some recently hired new city employees are Erica Mahder, dispatch; Melanie Enloe, dispatch; Tyler Cook, Woodland Hills Golf Course Groundsman, and Garret Rash, street sweeper.
Currently there are two unfilled vacancies at the city’s wastewater treatment plant, two in the public works department, one to two police officers, one to two firemen and Emergency Medical Services personnel and one to two paramedics, Matkin said.
To apply for these positions http://fscity.org
“We will continue to utilize social media, our website, a weekly radio broadcast, and word of mouth,” to fill these vacancies, he said.
City Crews Work to Repair Water Main Break in Northeast Fort Scott

With temperatures hovering in the single digits, the Fort Scott Water Distribution Department had an uncomfortable day yesterday, to say the least.
The department crew of Bill Lemke, supervisor, along with Brady Coffman, Stanley McKeen, Jason McReynolds, and Joseph Reid spent the day repairing a water main break in the middle of the street on North Broadway in the northeast part of town.
Water was spewing upward from the street.
“It was shooting pretty good,” Brad Matkin, spokesman for the City of Fort Scott said. “They had to dig up the road to find the root cause.”
The crew found the 10-inch water main with the hole in it and put a sleeve over the hole, tightened the bolts on the sleeve, then put the gravel back in the hole, Matkin said.
Matkin wasn’t sure of the number of households without water during the repair.
“North Little (Street) and North Broadway (Street) residents were affected,” Matkin said. “All the water is turned back on.”
Matkin said the cause of the water main break was probably the change in temperature or the age of the pipe.
The crew started at the site about 8 a.m. on Feb. 2, following a call to report the water spewing from the street. Matkin wasn’t sure who called in the incident.
They will finish the clean-up today and smooth out the street, he said.
“In the spring, we’ll do a job of patching the site,” Matkin said.
Public Works
Fort Scott Public Works employs about 15 employees, Matkin said.
“The other guys were removing snow and treating ice,” he said. “We did have a tree fall and they had to remove that.”

From a post on the City of Fort Scott’s Facebook page last evening:
Big Sugar Lumber: Change of Ownership

Big Sugar Lumber had a change of ownership on Dec. 31, 2021.
With the retirement of Matt Noll as a business partner, Jim Fewins is now the sole owner of the local lumber materials store in Fort Scott.
“He had been a business partner for several years and wanted to retire,” Fewins said. “We appreciate Matt’s working here over the years and wish him well in his retirement.”
The lumber yard is a member of the international building materials dealer Do It Best cooperative, he said.
“We are proud to be your local lumberyard,” Fewins said.
Among the store’s offerings are lumber, hardware, paint, windows, and roofing supplies.
They have a delivery service available for their products and are also a United Parcel Service drop-off point in Fort Scott.
The store personnel are working to expand the inventory: “more lumber, commodity products (plywood and OSB’s) and more niche items,” Fewins said. And they are re-merchandising the items on the shelves to be more accessible.

There is a new hospitality area in the store, where one can sit in a chair and have a cup of coffee at a table. This is located to the left of the sales desk, near the rear of the store.
“We’ll have contractor meetings in this area,” he said. “A place to have a cup of coffee and sit down.”
Daniel Harney, the assistant manager, said they are working to increase inventory and maintain it to have what people need.
“Customer service is a high priority, that sets up apart,” he said. “And we are a local lumber yard.”
“Every small town needs a really good lumbar yard,” Kristin Bishop, the floor manager said. “We want to provide that for Bourbon County. We are proud to be your local lumber yard.”
Fewins said new staff will be “working on making sure we have all our bases covered correctly.”
Big Sugar Lumber has a quick turnaround on items not in the store.
Do It Best Warehouse has 87,000 items, which can be ordered through the Big Sugar Lumber Merchandise Catalogue on a Monday and be in the Fort Scott store by Wednesday, Fewins said.
“And there is no charge to the consumer,” he said.
History of the Big Sugar Lumber Store
Original business partners Ed Graham, Sid Colwell, Jim Fewins, and Matt Noll started Big Sugar Lumber in March 1983 in Mound City.
“We came to Fort Scott in 1984,” Fewins said. “We owned both stores and had a third one in Garnett in 1988. It closed in the early 2000s.”
The facility is located at 1005 S. Clark, near the junction of 12th Street and Hwy. 69. The store phone number is 620-223-5279.
Find them also on their Facebook page.
Government Makes Free N95 Masks Available

The Biden Administration announced on Jan. 19 that N95 masks will be available to the public from the government’s Strategic National Stockpile, which has more than 750 million of the protective masks on hand, according to Free N95 masks: Biden administration plans to give away 400M masks | AP News. The masks will be available for pickup at pharmacies and community health centers across the country.
Currently, Walmart Fort Scott has the N95 masks for distribution, according to a call to their pharmacy on Feb. 1.

A spokeswoman for Fort Scott Walgreens Pharmacy on Jan. 31 said their location will not be allocated these free masks.
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Fort Scott clinic will have them available on Feb. 4.
“We received five pallets of masks Friday,” Krista Postai, CEO of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, said. “There is a limit of three per person per the guidance we received.”

“We received a shipment of 20,000 Honeywell adult masks Friday evening,” Robert Poole, CHC Communication and Marketing Director, Pittsburg, Kansas, said. “We are in the process of getting those redistributed to our clinics. They should be available to pick up in all of our clinics by (this) Friday.
To view the latest statistics of COVID in Kansas: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas
To view the particulars of the mask: https://www.honeywellstore.com/store/products/molded-cup-n95-face-mask-respirators-dc300n95.htm
Free N95 masks were to be available to pick up at local pharmacies and community health center sites across the country.
Every person is allowed up to 3 free masks, pending availability.
Wearing a mask is a critical way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/masks/index.html
Masks and respirators, when worn consistently and correctly, are effective at reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The CDC recommends that one wear the most protective mask that one can and that it fits well over your nose, mouth, and chin.
Tips for Starting Seeds

District Extension Agent, Horticulture
Southwind Extension District
111 S. Butler
Erie, KS 66733
Office: 620-244-3826
Cell: 620-496-8786
The first seed catalog of the year arrived in my mailbox right before Christmas. The catalogs seem to arrive earlier and earlier every year. I do enjoy flipping through the pages looking at all the pretty pictures and dreaming of warmer temperatures. Even though we are in the middle of winter, the time to start many of our vegetable and flower transplants from seed is approaching.
If you have ever tried to start plants from seed, you know it can be tricky. But is very rewarding when you have success! Here are eight steps to help ensure you have nice healthy transplants when planting time arrives.
- Purchasing Seed – obtain your seeds from a reputable source including garden centers and seed catalogs. If choosing seed from a business that does not specialize in plants, pay special attention to the package date to make sure the seed was packaged for the current year. Though most seed remains viable for about 3 years, germination decreases as seed ages.
- Determine the Date to Seed – there are two pieces of information that needs to be known in order to determine the date to seed transplants: the target date for transplanting outside and the number of weeks needed to grow the transplant. Then do some counting.
- Sowing Seed – do not use garden soil to germinate seed as it is too heavy and may contain disease organisms. Use a media made especially for seed germination.
- Keep Seed Moist – seed must be kept moist in order to germinate. Water often enough that the media never dries. Using a clear plastic wrap over the top of the container can reduce the amount of watering needed. Remove the wrap after the seedlings emerge.
- Light – most plants will germinate in either darkness or light. All plants require adequate amounts of light once emergence occurs. South facing windows will not provide adequate amounts so fluorescent or LED fixtures should be used. Regardless of the type of light used, leave the light on for 16 hours each day.
- Temperature – the temperature needed for best germination is often higher than what we may find in our homes. A heat mat is best for consistent germination. Once plants have germinated, they can grow in cooler temperatures (65 to 70 degrees during the day and 55 to 60 degrees at night).
- Plant Movement – plants react to movement. Brushing over the plants with your hand stimulates them to become stockier and less leggy. Try brushing 20 strokes per day. But keep in mind that brushing will not compensate for lack of light or over-crowding. Plants grown under inadequate light will always be spindly.
- Hardening Plants – plants grown inside will often undergo transplant shock if not hardened off. Plants are hardened off by moving them outside and exposing them to sun and wind before transplanting occurs. Start about two weeks before transplanting and gradually expose the plants to outside conditions. Increase the number of hours and degree of exposure over the two-week period.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to have adequate light to ensure the growth of healthy plants. It is fairly easy and inexpensive to make a homemade grow light using a four-foot shop light and PVC pipe. Here is a link to a YouTube video I made on building a grow light yourself: https://youtu.be/R0B-RUNtx9I
Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Horticulture agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Noble Health Announces Reopening a Hospital in Fort Scott


Fort Scott will get a new hospital.
The Fort Scott City Commission and the Bourbon County Commission signed a contract in July 2021 to facilitate Noble Health Corp’s feasibility study of reopening the former Mercy Hospital building as an acute care hospital.
Today, the decision was announced by Noble Health Corp. to move forward with the project.
Bourbon County, the City of Fort Scott, and other government officials and members of the community gathered in the McAuley Center at the former Mercy Hospital this morning to hear the announcement.
Rob Harrington, Bourbon County Rural Economic Development; Drew Solomon, Noble Health Corp.; Clifton Beth, Bourbon County Commissioner; Fort Scott Mayor Kevin Allen; Merrill Atwater, Noble Health; Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt; U.S. Senator Jerry Moran; and U.S. House of Representative Jake LaTurner all spoke at the event.
The facility will reopen as Noble Health Bourbon County Community Hospital.
Harrington said that approximately 100 jobs will be available in the new hospital and that a Request for Quote will go out in a couple of weeks for the first phase of the construction process.
The whole process could take a year to complete, he said.
The building is located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. on Fort Scott’s south side, just west of Hwy.69.
Mercy Hospital closed its doors in December 2018, following declining patient numbers and shrinking reimbursement for services.
The building currently houses the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas clinic and the Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department. Fort Scott Community College has used the patient rooms on the west side of the facility for student housing for the last few years. On the ground level is I Am Rehab Physical Therapy and Fitness and a hair salon, Diamonds in the Marketplace.
“Ascension Via Christi will be staying for a longer period and is currently working out the details of a long-term lease with Noble,” Harrington said in a later email. “CHC’s lease will be expiring at their current location (December 2022), however, they will be continuing services at their new location at the old Price Chopper building after build-out. Also, CHC has been told that they have as long as they need to stay at their current location if the build-out takes longer than expected.”
Background of the Project
Noble Health Corp., Kansas City, announced on June 25, 2021, the contract for the study.
To view the Noble Health Corp. announcement:
Reopening An Acute Care Hospital In Fort Scott Being Explored by Noble Health
The city contributed $200,000, the county contributed $800,000 towards the feasibility study, according to the contract. The local government entities used American Rescue Plan money from the federal government for the project, according to Bourbon County Commissioner Clifton Beth.
The American Rescue Plan Act 2021 can be viewed at ARP Act SxS – as of 02.22.21.pdf (house.gov)
The feasibility study investigated the condition of title to the development property, the physical condition of the property, the zoning, the economic feasibility, and all matters relevant to the acquisition, usage, operation, valuation, and marketability of the property and the project, as the developer deemed appropriate
The county government agreed to contribute at least $2,000,000 to finance certain costs and expenses related to and associated with the project, according to the contract.
Continue reading Noble Health Announces Reopening a Hospital in Fort Scott
Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for The Beauty Lounge Feb. 3
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A Coummunity Evening: Watch the Pinewood Derby

Fort Scott Cub Pack 114 is having its annual Pinewood Derby on Saturday, Feb. 12 from 6-9 p.m. at Memorial Hall, Third Street and National Avenue.
This year to beef up community attendance, Scoutmaster Seth Needham is hosting a Corporate Pinewood Derby.


“It will be a night of fun and racing,” Needham said. “The Pinewood Derby is an annual scout event where we design, build, and race pinewood derby cars,” Needham, said. “Pinewood Derby cars are small-scale cars made from wooden blocks, carved and cut for unique designs, and then raced down a special track. They are powered 100% by gravity, so the design is very important, and something the scouts work hard on.”
The Corporate Pinewood Derby
“Area companies are invited to design and decorate a car, race, and have dinner with the scouts,” he said. “You can be as creative as you want with the design of your car, as long as it complies with the official scout pinewood derby rules.”
The cost to compete in the Corporate Derby is $25 per car, and each registration will include the following:
- 1 BSA approved Pinewood Derby Car Kit
- 1 dinner ticket
- Area to display your car and company literature before and after the race.
- Features on our Facebook page.
Agenda for the Event
Check-in will begin at 5 p.m. with the official scout races starting at 6 p.m., and company races will start immediately after.
Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Additional meal tickets can be purchased for $10 before the event, or $15 the night of the event.
Please make checks payable to BSA Pack 114.
Key Apparel has donated gift certificates with prizes from their business website, which is www.keyapparelstore.com
Prizes will be awarded for the following categories.
- Speed: 1st place $150, 2nd place $100
- Design: 1st place $150, 2nd place $100.
If your business would like to register, please contact Needham at (620) 215 6934, or send an email to [email protected].
“Upon registration and payment, you will receive your pinewood derby car kit and a copy of the rules,” he said. “Also, be sure to follow BSA Pack 114 on Facebook for tips and tricks that you can use to make your car faster.”
Needham provided the rules of the derby:
RULES FOR BUILDING YOUR PINEWOOD DERBY CAR
BSA’s Pinewood Derby Car Building Rules
All cars must pass the following inspection to qualify for the race:
- Width shall not exceed 2-3/4 inches.
- Length shall not exceed 7 inches.
- Weight shall not exceed 5 ounces.
- Axles, wheels, and bodies shall be from the materials provided in the kit.
- Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited.
- No lubricating oil may be used. Axles may be lubricated with powdered graphite or silicone.
- The car shall not ride on any kind of spring.
- The car must be free-wheeling, with no starting devices.
- No loose materials of any kind are allowed in the car.
- A double-elimination method is used to determine the winner.
This method uses a “winner’s bracket” system that begins with every car filling one spot. At the end of each heat, the winning car advances to the next level of the winner’s bracket while the other cars are entered in the loser’s bracket. Those cars then race against one another, with the winners of each heat advancing. The final car of each of the two brackets competes with the other for first place.
Each judge will give each car a score of 1-10, with 10 being the best. The car with the highest score wins.
T-Mobile Opens Storefront in Fort Scott Jan. 28

This Friday a T-Mobile wireless network store opens in Fort Scott in the strip mall on South Main Street.
The store is located in the former Cash 2 Go storefront at 2400 S. Main and has 1,300 square feet for the sales floor.
The hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. They have seven employees.
January 28, 2022, is the soft opening date, with a grand opening in the future.
The store’s phone number is 620.644.0347.
Why Fort Scott?
“T-Mobile is the leader in 5g, bringing cellular service to the entire nation,” said Scott Hunsaker, manager of the Fort Scott store.
“T-Mobile wants to service communities that have been historically dis-served within the cellular community,” Hunsaker said. “Fort Scott was chosen because of its geographic location and the City of Fort Scott had been approved to receive a $50,000 Hometown Grant. This gave us a reason to invest here.”

To view the prior story on the Fort Scott Hometown Grant:
T-Mobile Awards Green Space Grant and Will Open New Retail Store in Fort Scott
T-Mobile History
T-Mobile US, Inc. is a wireless network whose headquarters are located in Bellevue, Washington, and Overland Park, Kansas.
“When we purchased Sprint, Overland Park became our second corporation headquarters on August 2, 2020,” Hunsaker said.
T-Mobile had a record high, 5.5 million customers, in 2021, according to the company’s website.
FSNHS Superintendent Leaves for Nebraska

Betty Boyko, currently the superintendent at both Fort Scott National Historic Site and Fort Larned National Historic Site will assume a new position in mid-March, according to a press release.
National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Bert Frost announced the selection of Boyko as superintendent of Homestead National Historical Park located in Beatrice, Nebraska late last week.
She has been the superintendent of Fort Scott National Historic Site since 2006, Boyko said in an interview with fortscott.biz.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic has challenged how we mitigate operations to remain open and still provide a quality experience for the community and visitors,” she said.
A 37-year veteran of the NPS, Boyko has a wide range of administrative and leadership experiences in parks throughout the Midwest Region including eight years at Homestead National Historical Park where she served as the administrative officer and several years as deputy superintendent. She began her NPS career at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site and has held leadership positions at St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, according to the press release.
Boyko is a graduate of Dakota Business College in Fargo, North Dakota, and of the GAP International Executive Leaders Program. She represented the NPS region in the Emerging Leaders Program Executive Challenge Course. She will relocate to the Beatrice area this spring and looks forward to being near her son and his family, according to the press release.



