All posts by Michelle Workman

Fort Scott

Public Speaks up for Eugene Ware Principal

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During March’s school board meeting Monday evening, held at the middle school to accommodate the audience, parents and teachers spoke during the public forum, asking the board to reconsider its decision to not renew Principal Dave Elliott’s contract.

Elliott has been principal at Eugene Ware for more than 20 years, but the board decided during the executive session of their February meeting not to renew his hiring for the upcoming school year. Elliott is not eligible for retirement for two more years.

Parents and others involved in the school system spoke positively of Elliott and his kindness to and support for the students.

“Everyone in Fort Scott loves Mr. Elliott,” Sara Mills said. “All of us would like Mr. Elliott to renew his contract.”

Misty Adams said since Friday afternoon, a petition has received almost 350 signatures in support of rehiring him for the 2017-18 school year.

“He is a good asset to the school system,” Adams said, adding he is also a resource to those students without supportive family members. “For someone who’s given 20 years of service to the district, I feel like we can give him two more.”

Retired teacher Tami Lawrence said Elliott truly cares for his students, visiting their classrooms, taking them outside to play and even greeting them when he sees them off-campus. Lawrence added that even though Elliott is not from Fort Scott, as soon as he arrived and took his position, he began to invest in the town and his students.

“The kids know that he cares,” Lawrence said.

Those who spoke during the meeting expressed their desire to know why Elliott would not continue as principal. Some rumors that have been mentioned include school finances, low grades from Eugene Ware students and Elliott being written up for some violation of school policy.

Board Chairman Jordan Witt said the board is not allowed to comment during open session because it is a matter concerning personnel, but did say the board will consider all the comments and continue their discussions on the matter.

“It’s obvious that you love Mr. Elliott, and it’s obvious that he’s made an impact,” Witt said.

Other board members also expressed their appreciation to those that spoke and for their support and loyalty to the district and its staff. Board member Vanessa Poyner said she and the others plan to think on the comments made and will not make a rash decision.

Business

Downtown Building has New Owners

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The downtown building that housed the Fort Scott Tribune until it moved in 2016 has a new owner after recently being purchased by Jennifer LaRoche.

Already, activity has been evident at the building at the southeast corner of Wall Street and National Avenue as a truck has been spotted there. Details of what the building will be used for is not yet available.

Business, Fort Scott

Presbyterian Village to Host Community Events

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Information submitted by David Sorrick

In the month of March, the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village is scheduled to provide a number of events open to the public, including demonstrations, presentations and musical performances.

On March 2, at 2 p.m., Susan Jones will lead a spinning class titled “Working with Fibers,” teaching the basics of carding, roving, spinning and knitting with wool.

Shirley Carey will perform a piano recital on Wednesday, March 8, at 3:30 p.m.

During a “Historical Events of Fort Scott Kansas” event on March 9, at 2 p.m., historians Fred Campbell, Don Miller, Arnold Schofield and Donald Banwarts, authors of “Fort Scott Kansas: Then and Now,” will give a presentation and hold a book-signing. Jack Scott, author of “History of Fort Scott Schools” will also be available to sign books and give a presentation.

The Uniontown School Musical ensemble will perform on Tuesday, March 28, at 1 p.m.

Each of these events is free to the public and will be held in the community room on the lower level of the Presbyterian Village. For questions, contact Anicia Robinson at 620-223-5550.

The Presbyterian Village is also still accepting art entries for the Art is Ageless exhibit for artists 65 years and older. The deadline is April 6.

Bourbon County, Opinion

Legislative Update

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By State Senator Caryn Tyson

February 24, 2017

2017 Session – Week 7

The message some are sending out is “we want a massive tax increase now!” when they demanded support of Substitute for House Bill (Sub HB) 2178. The bill would have been the largest tax increase ever, even more than the sales tax increase in 2015 (which I did not support). This huge, half-billion per year tax increase would have been retroactive, starting 1/1/2017. You might not think that is a big deal, as we are only in the second month of the year; however, it could take two to four months to implement. You would have to decide whether to increase your withholding to handle the increase for the entire year, or owe a lump sum at the end of the year. This tax increase passed both chambers but was vetoed by the governor. His veto was upheld in the Senate.

Sub HB 2178 was bad policy. I voted against this massive tax increase and to sustain the veto. Some legislators didn’t know the amount of tax increase or that the bill was retroactive; they just knew that it was a tax increase and it would “stop Brownback’s 2012 tax policy.” As legislators, our job is to govern. Understanding the policy that we are voting on is critical. It appears that too many people are putting political sound-bites before sound policy.

The last week before the halfway point of session, both chambers raced to pass legislation to the other chamber. This is not a good way to conduct business. To make it worse, Tuesday the Majority Leader told senators they would have six more bills to debate on a day they had already been working 17 bills. This would give us less than two hours to prepare for debate and request any amendments. I strongly requested that leadership reconsider this reckless schedule so that we could be more diligent in working the bills. The expedited process is not a good way to conduct the State’s business.

One such example is Senate Bill (SB) 154. The bill seemed fine but after reading it, I found that the only way to file a complaint with the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability (KDADS) would be via KDADS ‘hotline.’ You could not write a letter, email, or submit a complaint in any other manner. Why should there be a law requiring you complain via a phone call to a hotline? There were 38 Yes votes and 2 No votes. I voted No.

Another bill that needed work but also passed the chamber is SB 144. It would prohibit the use of hand-held wireless devices in construction and school zones. Distracted driving is already against the law. If we try to list every type of distraction, we are bound to miss something. I voted No. The bill passed the Senate on a vote of 21 Yes and 17 No.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.

Caryn

Office Telephone: 785.296.6838

Telephone: 913.898.2366

Email: [email protected]

Bourbon County

Commission Decides Not to Add More Jail Beds

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After much discussion and consideration of county residents’ input, the Bourbon County Commission decided during their meeting Tuesday morning to not purchase another jail pod, which would have added 16 more beds to the new law enforcement center.

The plans for the jail began with 74 beds, but included an option for adding one more pod to increase that to 90 in case they found that the jail was filling up with local and out-of-county inmates. Sheriff Bill Martin said that, in communicating with other counties and their law enforcement agencies, most encouraged them to not limit their bed space, such as Cloud County, whose jail built just two years ago is already overflowing.

The present jail currently has 48 inmates, while six had to be moved out of the county because there was not enough space. Martin said they have also had to turn away other counties asking if Bourbon County could house some of their inmates.

Citizens present at the meeting spoke against adding the pod, which would add more than $380,000 to the jail project, which has already come in above the initial $6.85 million budget because of an unexpected increase in the cost of materials and construction.

“You can’t keep spending money we don’t have,” Brian Wade addressed the commissioners. “You’re burdening us to no end.”

Rhonda Dunn, now working part-time for the county treasurer’s office, said the funding for the pod would not come as a new tax. The 0.4 percent tax increase approved for the jail project, an increase that will sunset after 20 years or as soon as the project is paid off, is expected to bring in more than enough to cover the added cost.

“This is not costing the taxpayers more,” Dunn said, but added it would take funds away from other projects, such as improving the county courthouse and renovating the area where the jail is currently located.

Dunn said so far the tax revenue for the project is coming in above their projections, bringing in more than $761,000 in 2016 when they had estimated about $676,000 annually.

All three commissioners said they received calls from citizens in the past week, some expressing support for adding the pod now, when it could likely be done at a cheaper rate, while others said that is not what the county voted for when they approved the project, which has already exceeded the agreed upon cost.

Commissioner Jeff Fischer said he believes citizens are beginning to feel as if they are losing their say in the project, which was already approved by a narrow margin. Fischer said it may be best to delay adding the pod in order to draw in more revenue before deciding to spend more.

Commissioner Nick Ruhl said it makes sense to add the pod now, since the other pods are currently being installed and since the county is already paying for the utilities and staff needed. But Ruhl said he believes the county should wait to spend more money and instead give the sheriff’s department an opportunity to raise that money itself by housing inmates from other counties once the project is complete.

Martin said the jail could potentially raise between $100,000 and $200,000 annually by housing other inmates. Dunn said the county could create an account for that surplus money from the sheriff’s department for the law enforcement’s use.

The commissioners voted unanimously not to approve the change order for the project that would have included the extra pod.

Fort Scott

FSCC to Host Rodeo, Honors Students

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Submitted by Heather Browne

FSCC Rodeo Team to Host 36th Annual Spring College Rodeo

The Fort Scott Community College Rodeo Team will host its 36th annual Spring College Rodeo Friday, March 3, through Sunday, March 5, at Arnold Arena. Students from Kansas and Oklahoma will compete in the exciting, action-packed event.

“We look forward to hosting the home rodeo each year. It’s a great opportunity for the students to show the community what they’ve been working on every day,” said FSCC Head Rodeo Coach Chad Cross. “We always enjoy seeing the community, alumni and parents come out to support our team.”

The FSCC Spring Rodeo will take place at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 3; 8 a.m., 1 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 4; and 1 p.m. Sunday, March 5. Ticket prices are $8 for adults, $5 for FSCC students, $3 for children ages 6–12, and free for children ages 5 and under.

The event will also feature a silent auction. Proceeds from the event will benefit scholarships for the rodeo students.

For more information, contact Chad Cross at 620-223-2700, ext. 7020.

FSCC Seeks Host Families for Adopt-a-Greyhound Program

Each year, students from across the United States travel to Fort Scott to study at Fort Scott Community College. FSCC is currently seeking local families to adopt a student for the spring 2017 semester.

“At times, it can be very lonely here for the students who are far from home,” said DeAnn Welch, FSCC Student Success Center Director. “These families serve as a family away from home to encourage and support the students.”

Per NJCAA rules, monetary transactions are not allowed—however, sponsoring families can have students over for dinner and support them at events. FSCC will host a meet-and-greet for the families and students at a later date.

Community members who are interested in adopting a student may contact DeAnn Welch at 620-223-2700, ext. 4300.

FSCC Students Honored at Phi Theta Kappa Honors Luncheon

Four Fort Scott Community College students were honored during the annual Phi Theta Kappa Honors Luncheon on Thursday, February 16, in Topeka, Kan. FSCC named Sirena Bruner, Cara Comstock, Ellen Jones and Skyler Smith II to the 2017 All-Kansas Academic Team.

Sirena Bruner attended the FSCC main campus and had a 3.90 grade point average. In addition to participating in Phi Theta Kappa, Bruner was a member of the Choir. She was named to the President’s Honor Roll. Bruner recently transferred to Pittsburg State University to major in psychology.

Cara Comstock attends the FSCC main campus and has a 3.84 grade point average. In addition to participating in Phi Theta Kappa, Comstock is a member of the Livestock Judging Team, President’s Ambassadors and Agriculture Ambassadors. She also serves as a work study student employee. She has been named to the President’s Honor Roll. Comstock plans to transfer to Kansas State University and major in agriculture education and animal science.

Ellen Jones attends the Miami County Campus of FSCC and has a 3.90 grade point average. She serves as her Phi Theta Kappa chapter’s vice president of service and also volunteers for FSCC’s Kids’ College. She has been named to the President’s and Dean’s Honor Rolls. Jones plans to transfer to Pittsburg State University and major in art.

Skyler Smith II attends the Miami County Campus of FSCC and has a 3.90 grade point average. He serves as his Phi Theta Kappa chapter’s vice president of leadership. He also serves as a member of the Miami County Campus Ambassadors, volunteers for FSCC’s Kids’ College and tutors. He received his chapter’s outstanding officer award and was named to the President’s Honor Roll. Smith plans to transfer to Emporia State University and major in English.

Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society, recognizes the academic achievements of two-year college students. Students who have completed 12 credit hours and earned a 3.5 or higher grade point average are invited to join Phi Theta Kappa. For more information about the Fort Scott campus chapter (Alpha Theta Omega), please call Susie Arvidson at 620-223-2700, ext. 3441. For more information about the Miami County campus chapter (Beta Rho Lambda), please call Buddy Jo Tanck at 913-294-4178.

Photo caption—Pictured from left to right: FSCC Board of Trustees member Robert Nelson; FSCC Students Sirena Bruner, Cara Comstock, and Ellen Jones; FSCC Board of Trustees member Liz Meyer; and FSCC President Alysia Johnston.

FSCC Announces Fall 2016 Semester Honor Roll

Fort Scott Community College proudly announces its fall 2016 semester honor roll students. A total of 252 students earned honor roll distinction. The Honor Roll requires a semester GPA of 3.5 to 3.74. The Dean’s Honor Roll requires a semester GPA of 3.75 to 3.99. The President’s Honor Roll requires a semester GPA of 4.0.

Honor Roll

Keller Agre, Brian Aranda, Christian Bates, Brett Beckham, Kayln Beel, Makenna Berger, Addison Berry, Adam Biby, Ayrton Bicknell, Thomas Boatwright, Cheyenne Brewer, Kylie Bruner, Aidan Carter, Shannon Chulufas, Payton Coyan, Leslie Damian, Kitana Diediker, Michael Donahue, Lenna Dunagan, Trisha Elder, Dustin Erikson, Lauren Flater, Zachary Franz, Dominick Goodwin, Katie Gorman, Kaitlyn Graves, Sirr Green, Meghan Guss, Joshua Ham, Keith Hames, Luke Hamilton, Caleb Hanson, Frederick Harmon, Shantaja Heath, Clay Hokr, Boby Johnson, Benjamin Kiefer, Ryan Malone, Erin Mantz, Mitchell McCallister, Benjamin McConnell, Elizabeth McFarland, Nickolan McGaan, Rachel Merrick, Nathan Miller, Vershayda Moellman, Sean Moore, Sharon Morgan, Aris-Shea Nakagawa, Jackalynn Neher, Brady Newman, Jared Oshel, Kaitlan Palmer, Keyshla Perez, Lindy Pettibon, Megan Phillips, Haleigh Robertson, Charles Runnels, Alec Rust, Tanner Sarbaugh, Krystal Schroff, Macy Scott, Tristan Scott, Ashlee Setina, Josie Soares, Trey Sparks, Tabor Spurling, Jayson Stepter, Stevin Summers, Sarah Tavernaro, Kierstin Taylor, Katherine Thoden, Richard Thompson, Amanda Trull, Courtney Umphenour, Aaron Watts, Lindsey Watts, Mackay Williams, Owen Wilson, Aimee Wimp, Brenton Wrigley, Lane York and Carter Young.

Dean’s Honor Roll

Chase Abram, Robert Bailey, Andy Bien-Aime, Jacob Blevins, Chavis Brewer, Nicole Brooks, Bailie Brown Jared Brown, Patrick Broxterman, Jessica Cain, Seth Chandler, Jacob Cochran, Mataya Cook, Kylee Cronin, Danny Daniels, Stephanie Dill, Meghann Fountain, Abigail Gilligan, Allison Gilligan, Davis Goodbody, Madelyn Goode, Layne Graham, Madison Gray, Ethan Hart, Courtney Head, Genna Hull, James Humble, Codi Hunt, Michael Jenkins, Ellen Jones, Jenna Kakas, Deardin Kelley, Sarah Kelley, Austin Kern, Cameron Kilgore, Shane Kober, Brandon Krennrich, Kevin Land, Tiffany Lane, Donald Lawrence, Thomas Mayfield, Kaleb McCall, Janice Mccourt, Scott McMannus, Kayla Miller, Brolon Moton, Kristopher Nickelson, Jason Owens Tina Penner, Alexis Peterson, Nguyen Pham, Erica Pinneo, Mandie Ridge, Alexandrea Rooks, Nathan Rourke, Sydney Russell, Matthew Schick, Kyle Thompson, Michalyn Trimble, Jessica Turner, Grant Vollrath, Mark Waterbury, Kevin Weirich, Kassie West and John Westerfield.

President’s Honor Roll

Mariah Aebersold, Jason Alt, Grant Anderson, Heather Bahr, Brandon Baker, William Baker, Susan Benson, Bryan Booth, Taylor Brecheisen, Michaela Brewer, Karlee Brumback, Sarah Bunce, Haley Casey, Jessea Chapman, Abigail Cooke, Rilie Creollo, Michael Davidson, Zachary Davis, Brock Denomme, Shelby Denton, Austin Dimmett, Benjamin Ethridge, Briona Fields, Timothy Fredrickson, Destiny Garcia, Mitchell Gehrke, Anne Ghere, Dylan Giager, Christian Goben, Molly Graham, Zachary Gudenkauf, Colin Gulotta, Amy Hagan, Zachary Hager, Mariah Hamblin, Derek Hammer, Lanie Hastings, David Hawkins, Shelbi Heikes, Tyler Henninger, Wyatt Hoggatt, Heather Huesman, Shelby Hutchison, Dallas Johnson, Cinetia Joseph, Andrea Kaiser, Kady Laporte, Brian Larson, Brad Lewis, Scott Little, Lindsay Locke, Justin Logan, Cristin Lowry, Allie Martin, Johnathon McMurtrey, Lacey Miles, Lane Moran, Jenna Nevius, Johnathan Palmer, Tina Palmer, Mercedes Pankau, Michaela Pfaff, Kylie Pfeiffer, Joshua Ralle, Joshua Rawlins, Taylor Remington, Bethany Robison, Rick Runion, Carla Salas, Meghan Schasteen, Taylor Schilling, Cody Schlesener, Cole Schroeder, Kim Schwab, Tessney Shoemaker, Dacey Simpson, Larry Sinclair, Trenton Sinn, Mason Skiles, Mitchell Sloan, Skyler Smith, Tony Stone, Matthew Strathe, George Stubblefield, Grant Swickhamer, Alexandria Trager, Samantha Tucker, Mackenzie Tynon, Christopher Tyson, Rachel Walker, Cody Weber, Alexandra Whisler, Emily White, Daniel Whitmore, Kirstie Williams, Devonte Wilson, Jennifer  Wisniewski, Caitlyn Wiswell, James Witt, Nicole Woods-Buyea, Tayler Yackle, Barrett Young and Jason Youngblood.

For more information, contact Tom Havron, FSCC Dean of Students/Athletic Director, at 620-223-2700, ext. 3500.

 

Bourbon County

Local Representatives Provides Update on Current Session

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A local state senator and representatives attended a legislative breakfast held Saturday morning at Mercy Hospital, answering a variety of questions raised by concerned citizens attending the event.

District 2 Representative Adam Lusker, District 4 Representative Trevor Jacobs and District 12 Senator Caryn Tyson were present for questions, while District 13 Senator Jake LaTurner was absent due to illness.

“We want to make sure you have an opportunity for questions,” moderator Mark McCoy said to the audience.

One of the first topics of interest addressed the issue of taxes, specifically House Bill 2178, the largest tax increase for the state which increases taxes retroactively for owners of smaller businesses, requiring them to pay that increase starting from January 2017. Governor Sam Brownback vetoed that bill in the past week, with the senate upholding the veto, while the House of Representatives voted to override that veto.

Jacobs said he voted against the override because of his promise to supporters that he would not support tax increases. Tyson said she does not believe the logistics of the bill are what the state needs, although she said changes do need to be made in order to improve the state’s budget.

“We’ve been working very diligently in the senate on tax,” Tyson said, adding there will be a number of tax bills addressed this session and that she believes there needs to be a single tax code for all businesses. “We need a fair tax structure.”

Lusker said he voted for the override, saying the state needs to increase its revenue in order to improve the state budget so further cuts need not be made.

“Fixing our state budget is our job,” Lusker said.

Jacobs said the state spending needs to be addressed before the state begins to increase taxes.

“The government needs to learn to do some squeezing,” Jacobs said, adding he believes limits need to be set. “We have to go by boundaries.”

The issue of the increase of Medicaid in Kansas also came up—which Tyson said may not be a good idea currently since the federal administration is reconsidering the Affordable Care Act, which Jacobs referred to as a “sinking ship.” Lusk said he believes such an increase is vital for rural hospitals.

Other concerns raised addressed topics such as cuts to education—which Tyson said she believes will not happen at this time, but added she cannot guarantee that; and the Highway 69 project, with Jacobs saying the Bourbon County phase is scheduled to begin soon and be completed by the end of 2018.

“It’s not easy to do what they do,” McCoy said of the Bourbon County representatives. “And I commend them for that.”

See the following link for more information about House Bill 2178: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2017_18/measures/documents/hb2178_00_0000.pdf

Bourbon County

County Calls for Audit of Fire District 2

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After months and even years of concerned comments from constituents, the Bourbon County Commission decided Tuesday to demand an audit from Rural Fire District 2, or the Garland Fire Department.

Township trustees Dwayne Allen and Don Banwart presented their request to the commission, saying the fire department in the past year had refused to give the township board details concerning finances and fire district administration, even going so far as to get a restraining order against the township.

“This is unnecessary; it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money,” Banwart said of the injunction that has cost both parties large sums of money due to lawyers’ fees. “Our hands are basically tied.”

County Commissioner Jeff Fischer, who is familiar with the fire district and has attended meetings on the subject, said the lack of transparency with the fire department began as far back as four years ago, when some of the staff such as the chief were released and money seemed to disappear without the knowledge of the township board, which is supposed to have authority over the fire board.

Banwart said an audit would help clarify some of what is occurring in the fire district and give them guidance moving forward, saying their chief concern is the safety of the Scott and Drywood township residents in that district.

A report concerning the four Bourbon County fire districts and their effectiveness was presented to the commission January 17, and showed that in 2016, the Garland department only responded to about 77 percent of the calls. Banwart said he believes the department is down to only three firefighters.

In March 2016, District 13 Kansas Senator Jacob LaTurner successfully created a bill that was passed by the senate, giving county commissions the authority to demand an audit from fire districts at the request of the townships.

Under that new ordinance, the Bourbon County Commission unanimously voted to act by pursuing that audit. The audit, which in this case may reach as far back as five years, will be paid for by the townships.

Initially, county treasurer and CPA Rhonda Dunn had said she could do the audit, but Tuesday advised they use a third party. The commission said they would move forward immediately, finding what the cost of such an audit would be as they decide how far back to go in the district’s finances.

Business, Fort Scott

Mid-Continental Restoration Provides Services to Midwest

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For 71 years, the family-run Mid-Continental Restoration Company, Inc., has provided exterior restoration services to much of the Midwest and other areas of the country.

Frank Doherty first founded it as a painting company in Sioux Falls, S.D., in 1946, but the business steadily expanded and spread towards the south, opening their headquarters in Fort Scott in 1952. Branches are also currently located in South Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas.

The business has remained in the family, as first Doherty’s sons-in-law and now his grandsons and even great-grandsons continue to work with the company, which has expanded to more than $30 million in annual revenue with about 350 projects a year, working to repair and restore the exteriors of buildings.

“We’re one of the largest ones in the Midwest,” Vice President of Operations and Doherty’s grandson Scott Halsey said of their company and the services they provide. “It’s a whole variety of jobs from small country churches to skyscrapers.”

Just last year, Mid-Continental was working on the North Dakota, Arkansas and Texas state capitols simultaneously.

At one point, Mid-Continental was completing projects in about 24 states, before deciding to scale back to the approximate dozen states they work in now. They also once experimented with getting into the construction business and not just restoration, but after just a few years decided not to pursue it further.

In recent years, the business remodeled the building across the street from their Industrial Park location to create a corporate training facility, where proven employees are further trained in areas such as brick-laying, tuck-pointing, mud-mixing and brick-cutting, using up-to-date technology and materials.

During the winter months, when projects slow down due to the weather, Mid-Continental provides two-week training courses for six to eight employees at a time. That training includes classroom information as well as hands-on training and evaluations.

For example, the building includes areas where the employees construct a brick wall, only to tear it down again as they learn how to cut the brick without creating excess dust, a new regulation imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration this year.

President Frank Halsey, Scott’s brother, said they may consider using the facility to train other workers that are not employees. While that would mean training competitors, Halsey said it would also raise the standard of construction.

Halsey said he often hears from Fort Scott residents who had no idea the broad reach of Mid-Continental Restoration in the United States. But he added they are also more than willing to work with local owners that have buildings in need of restoring.

Fort Scott

FSCC Alumnus “2Big2Stop”

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Former Fort Scott Community College student and football player Robert McField revisited the campus Thursday evening, when he gave an inspirational presentation of his life and what he has overcome, encouraging his audience to never let circumstances keep them from their goals.

Growing up in St. Louis, McField said football became a key part of his life, even keeping him out of trouble in high school.

But only eight months into his commitment to play for the University of Minnesota, a time when McField said he surrounded himself with negative influences, then-teen McField was arrested for armed robbery and sentenced to 12 years in a maximum security prison.

“I couldn’t blame anybody but myself,” McField said, though he added he could have tried to play the victim like others around him.

Instead, a couple years into his sentence, just after turning 21 years old while in isolation for fighting with a fellow inmate, McField penned the phrase “Too Big to Stop.” That line became his motto, not because of his size which made him an outstanding defensive end, but because he was determined to overcome his poor choices and reach his dreams and goal of returning to the field.

After serving four years, from 2007 to 2011, McField was released on parole. When that end was in sight, McField said his mother began reaching out to colleges to see if any would allow him to join their teams.

After contacting 30 teams, she finally received a response from then-coach Jeff Sims of FSCC, who recruited him even while he was in prison. Just 19 days after his release, McField was at FSCC, where he played for the season and was even named an all-conference player.

“I had fun at Fort Scott,” McField said of his time there.

McField went on to play at Pittsburg State University, but began to notice he was experiencing severe pain as he continued playing. He had already had five athletic-related surgeries in his football career, but this discomfort increased until he finally sought medical help after waking up to pain shooting through one arm, only a month after the football season had ended.

McField learned he had stage four cancer and had been playing football with five tumors in his body, including one in his stomach that was the size of a deflated football and another that had almost cut off his windpipe, which would likely have killed him.

“That let me know I was here for a reason,” McField said when he came to the realization that he could have died without even knowing he had cancer.

After six months of intense treatment, the cancer was in remission, but McField learned the tumor in his neck had caused enough damage to his spine that he would not be able to play football again. While that dream had become an impossibility, McField set a new goal of reaching out to other young athletes and students to encourage and inspire them.

For the past two years, McField has visited a number of high schools and colleges to speak about his experiences.

At FSCC Thursday, McField spoke of boxes of limitations, struggles and poor choices that each person has, saying they could include cancer, surgeries and imprisonment as it did for him, or other struggles such as fatigue, doubt, fear and lack of confidence.

“You are the person that’s holding you back,” McField said, saying none of those limitations should prevent them from achieving their goals in life.

Obituary

Charles Marvin Parker Obituary

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Charles Marvin Parker, age 70, resident of Ft. Scott, Kan., died Wednesday, February 15, 2017, in Belton, Mo. He was born March 26, 1946, in Topeka, Kan., the son of Leland and Alice Algood Parker. Charles served in both the U. S. Army and U. S. Maine Corps. He worked as a restaurant manager and later in lawn service. Also known as “Bucky the Clown,” he received the 2008 Shrine Clown of the Year award. He was a member and past president of the Central State Clown Association and director of the Kansas City Shrine Clowns. He was a member of the Mirza and Ararat Shrine, Past Master of the Masonic Lodge, Past Master of the Scottish Rite, and Past Master of the York Rite.

Obituary

There was cremation. A graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, February 23rd, at the U. S. National Cemetery, Ft. Scott, Kan. Military honors will be provided by the Olson Frary Burkhart Post #1165 V.F.W. Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kan. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Fort Scott

FSCC to host motivational speaker Robert McField

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Submitted by Heather Browne

Fort Scott Community College will host speaker Robert McField at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 16, at the Danny & Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center.

FSCC Speaker

McField, a 2012 graduate of Fort Scott Community College, will share his inspiring life story and speak about the numerous obstacles he has overcome in his life. He will also discuss the “2BIG2STOP” mindset that he developed to triumph over the struggles that he experienced.

McField is a former Pittsburg State University athlete, multiple surgery patient, former level-five maximum security prisoner and stage-four cancer survivor. He holds a master’s degree in human performance and wellness from Pittsburg State University, and currently works for a second chance program as a behavior interventionist.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Tom Havron, FSCC Dean of Students, at 620-223-2700, ext. 7230.