Families had an opportunity to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Buck Run Community Center Saturday morning, participating in a number of crafts and other themed activities.
The facility provides a number of events celebrating holidays throughout the year. The next event will be held in honor of Easter on April 15, and will feature crafts, face-painting and snacks. Pre-registration is encouraged so sufficient materials can be provided.
Fort Scott Police Department Press Release
On March 15, 2017, at approximately 07:47 hours, the Fort Scott School Resource Officer responded to 900 E. 3rd (Eugene Ware Elementary) to meet with school administration. Upon arrival it was discovered a 10-year-old boy had brought an unloaded handgun to school. After a subsequent investigation, officers learned that no adults or students had been threatened with the gun and two juveniles were taken into custody.
This case is still under investigation and all suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.
Tri-Valley Developmental Services will hold their bi-annual Gardener’s Christmas Auction Saturday, March 25, with doors opening at 9:30 a.m. and the auction closing at noon.
The silent auction will benefit the Horticulture Therapy program, which began more than a decade ago and is used to serve those with intellectual disabilities as well as impact the community by providing plants that are used to decorate downtown and Gunn Park or are provided for fundraising events.
“Our clients do get a lot out of that,” director Tim Cunningham said of the program, which gives participants an opportunity to take care of plants as well as take part in other projects.
Barbara McCord said some of the plant beds and other materials used in the greenhouse are starting to wear out and need repairs or replacements.
“The last few years have been very difficult for us,” Cunningham said, saying because of limited funds from the state, they have to raise the funds needed to provide for the horticultural program.
McCord said the silent auction often brings in about $5,000 to support the program. This year, more than 120 items are available to be bid on, and they will be accepting gently used gardening items through March 22, to be available for auction as well.
“It is a lifesaver for us,” McCord said of the event and the funds raised.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce sold more than 200 tickets to their annual Dinner and Awards Celebration held Thursday evening, when a number of individuals and businesses were recognized and Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary Antonio Soave spoke.
The theme of this year’s dinner was “Made in Greater Fort Scott,” and emphasized the variety of services and commerce available in the city and county.
“We are thankful to celebrate the businesses, individuals and our community that we have here in Fort Scott and Bourbon County,” chamber Executive Director Lindsay Madison said.
“Fort Scott has touched my heart deeply,” said Soave, who married his Fort Scott native wife in the city, and referred to his first visits to Fort Scott as an adventure as he became familiar with a smaller town.
Soave said he has heard people describe people from smaller towns as genuine and authentic. Although the city of Fort Scott has its own issues, as does every city, Soave said there is an authentic beauty that is innate in towns like Fort Scott, as well as attributes such as commitment, conviction, integrity, honor, decency, humility and hard work.
“Smaller communities in Kansas are sacred, and I have come to learn that,” Soave said, saying those communities are determined to never give up, but to thrive. “If we lose our small towns, we lose our identity…There is a quality of life in a smaller town that you will never get in a big city.”
Soave referenced the Kansas motto, ‘To the stars through difficulty,’ and said that is the mission of the state and Fort Scott, as they strive to grow the town through expanding the economy and increasing available jobs.
“We have to continue to attract more companies to these areas,” Soave said. “And when they know the inherent value that’s here—the goodness, the decency, the hard work, the resilience of the people—then they will invariably continue to choose areas like this.”
The chamber honored a number of businesses and individuals for that kind of investment they have made in Fort Scott.
Awards and recipients included Young Professional of the Year Bailey Lyons, the Community Spirit award given to the Fort Scott Good Ol’ Days board, the Agri-Business of the Year award presented to The Butcher Block, New Business of the Year given to Shiney Studios, Businessperson of the year Bill Michaud, Business of the Year given to Ward/Kraft, Mayor JoLynne Mitchell’s citizenship award given to Elizabeth Schafer, and the Keystone Award presented to Dick and Jan Hedges for their involvement in the community.
A number of businesses participated in the evening by providing live and silent auction items or sponsoring a table, including businesses such as Fort Scott Community College, the city of Fort Scott, Mercy Hospital, Cheney Witt Funeral Chapel, The Bunker, Briggs AutoGroup and a number of others including banks, restaurants and other businesses.
State and local leaders took part in a groundbreaking ceremony Monday morning at Cherry Grove Baptist Church in preparation for the Highway 69 widening project that is set to begin this week.
“It’s a big day for us to be here and to actually be turning dirt,” said Ken Brock, the volunteer leader of the Kansas Highway 69 Association who played a key role in making the project a reality.
Governor Sam Brownback attended the event and said he is glad the project is underway after it “hit a rut” in recent years because of budget issues.
“There’s a lot of people who have fought for this for a long period of time to make this a reality,” Brownback said.
Brownback explained the state is currently focusing on the maintenance of roads instead of new constructions, but added the Highway 69 project is key to commerce and safety and is a priority of the state.
“It is one of the major arteries of the state that needs to be finished,” Brownback said of the six-mile project that will make it four lanes to the county line, adding he plans to have that project continuing to Pittsburg before he finishes his time in office. “Today is the beginning of a nice victory lap.”
Kansas Secretary of Transportation Richard Carlson, appointed to his position just in the last year, said he looks forward to the completion of the project and how it will bring a boost to the entire state.
“It’s an important corridor for the area for the expansion of 69,” Carlson pointed out. “It’s another important step in moving our four-lane highway system further south…We at KDOT are proud to be a part of this important project and certainly look forward to the completion of it all the way south.”
Carlson also encouraged drivers to be cautious when driving on the highway during periods of construction in order to avoid any dangerous situations for the drivers or the construction workers.
“There’s a lot of people that go into making a project like this happen,” Brock said, saying the governor and Senator Jake LaTurner invested great effort into the project. “It doesn’t just happen and it doesn’t happen quickly.”
LaTurner pointed out he was not the individual who began the process, as a number of bipartisan senators and representatives invested time into it over the past 30 years. The first portion of the project is expected to be complete by the end of 2018.
This Week on the House Floor
Submitted by Representative Adam Lusker
This week, an elections bill passed through the House 120 votes – 0. The bill is in regards to the special election to be held on April 11, 2017, to fill the Congressional seat in Kansas’ District 4 vacated by Mike Pompeo. Pompeo was appointed CIA Director by Donald Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
A Congressional seat in Kansas has not been vacated since 1950. The rules and regulations of a special election that are not specified must be drawn. This particular bill from the Senate, (SB 43), deals with setting forth those updated rules and processes.
Brownback Tax Plan Dead in Senate
On Tuesday, the Kansas Senate took up Governor Brownback’s tax plan for a vote. The tax plan included more unsustainable fixes to plug the budget deficit, like doubling the alcohol and tobacco taxes across the state. The process was long and drawn out, as the Senate divided the bill into separate parts, voting each one down in turn.
Senate Creates Education Budget Committee
Following the Kansas Supreme Court ruling in the Gannon case, which deemed the school finance system both inadequate and unconstitutional, Senate President Susan Wagle created a special committee to address the school funding issues that the Kansas Legislature must solve and prove adequate by June 30, 2017.
The committee is composed of 9 Republicans and 2 Democrats. The Kansas House had already established such a committee at the beginning of the 2017 session.
International Women’s Day
Wednesday, March 8th, we celebrated International Women’s Day – a day to honor women across the world, recognizing their great contributions to our history, to our present and to our futures. This day also spotlights the inequality that women face in many aspects of their lives, and emphasizes the need for solutions to those issues. Kansas has a long history of showing respect for women’s rights.
Happy International Women’s Day!
It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I both value and need your input on the various issues facing state government. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Room 50-S, 300 SW 10th, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at (785) 296-7698 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me.
Additionally, you can e-mail me at [email protected]. You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.
Submitted by Heather Browne
FSCC Theatre Department to Stage “Like Father”
The Fort Scott Community College Theatre Department will stage “Like Father,” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 16 through Saturday, March 18.
“Like Father,” is a drama written by Chicago playwright Seth Kramer. It was performed at the American College Theatre Festival in Sioux Falls, S.D. FSCC Theatre will be the first company to produce the play.
“In 1992, I saw a production of ‘Like Father,’ and it made an impression on me. I have wanted to direct this play for as long as I can remember,” said Lawrence Alford, FSCC Theatre Director. “In my undergraduate theatre program, I was fortunate enough to play the character, Mark. It is still one of my most memorable roles.”
“Like Father,” explores family dysfunction and life choices.
“The play examines the age-old question: ‘Are we doomed to become our parents?’” said Alford. “Many times, we make choices in our lives because we have to—rather than because we want to—which can lead to feelings of being trapped in those choices.”
Performances will be held at Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. General admission tickets may be purchased at the door on the day of the show—prices are $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free for FSCC students. This show is recommended for mature audiences only, due to adult language and content. For more information, call Lawrence Alford at 620-223-2700, ext. 3056.
FSCC Aggie Day slated for Mar. 31
The Fort Scott Community College Agriculture Department will host the 41st annual Aggie Day on Friday, March 31. Approximately 1,400 students representing more than 100 schools will compete in the contest.
“We look forward to hosting Aggie Day each year,” said Ryan Edgecomb, FSCC Agriculture Instructor. “We are anticipating another large event, which will draw schools and 4-H clubs from across the Four States.”
Students will compete in a variety of areas, including agronomy, entomology, farm management, floriculture, food science, livestock, meat evaluation, milk quality and products, nursery/landscape, poultry, speech and veterinary science.
“To meet the needs of the competitors, we added veterinary science as a new competition category this year,” said Edgecomb.
Sponsored by Purina and Purina Mills Honor Show Chow, this event is the longest running interscholastic competition in the region. “We are honored to have Purina and Honor Show Chow back as our sponsors for a second straight year, and we’re grateful for their support,” said Edgecomb.
Teams should pre-register online at fortscott.edu/aggieday before Friday, March 24. Registration for the event will begin at 7 a.m. on March 31, at Arnold Arena. For more information, please call Ryan Edgecomb at 620-223-2700, ext. 3280.
FSCC to Host Spring Junior/Senior Day
Fort Scott Community College invites high school juniors and seniors to the Spring Junior/Senior Day on Thursday, April 6. The free event will begin with registration at 8 a.m. at the Danny & Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center.
During the event, students and their parents will have the opportunity to visit and experience FSCC. College faculty, staff and students will be on hand to show potential students what it’s like to be a Greyhound. The event will also include a free lunch, entertainment, and games.
“For seniors who plan to attend FSCC upon graduation, this event is a one-stop shop,” said Matt Glades, FSCC Director of Admissions. “Seniors can apply, complete the compass test, meet with financial aid, enroll and apply for scholarships.”
Seniors who complete all of the items on the admissions checklist will receive a scholarship for the fall 2017 semester.
Juniors and seniors who have not yet decided where they will attend college will have the opportunity to tour the FSCC campus and visit information booths to learn about the variety of programs and activities that the college offers.
Students may preregister at fortscott.edu/juniorseniorday. For more information, please contact Matt Glades at 620-223-2700, ext. 3520.
During the Fort Scott City Commission meeting Tuesday evening, the commission voted unanimously to remove the responsibilities of tourism from the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and put it back in the hands of the city staff.
“This is not about the city versus the chamber,” City Manager Dave Martin said, adding they plan to continue working very closely with the chamber. “It’s about moving the city forward.”
Martin said the issue has been a concern for a number of residents for a while. After recently hearing from those residents directly, the commission decided to bring the issue to the table and determine how to proceed.
By becoming responsible for the tourism of Fort Scott, Martin said the city would be able to hire a full-time tourism director, providing benefits and a competitive wage, something the chamber has not had the finances to do.
A number of business leaders and other residents spoke both in favor and in opposition to the change during the meeting.
“Tourism has been an integral part of the chamber for decades,” chamber executive director Lindsay Madison said, listing the accomplishments recently made in publicizing the many attractions the city offers.
Chamber board member Reta Baker pointed out that in recent years, the chamber has succeeded in increasing the revenue from the transient guest tax from about $44,000 annually to more than $150,000 in the latest report. In the current model, it is the chamber that collects that tax and uses a portion of it annually for their budget through an agreement with the city.
Business owner Bill Michaud said, despite that drastic increase of revenue, the funds from the chamber’s contract with the city have had a much smaller increase.
Martin responded by saying the city provides what the chamber budgets for, and could provide more based on their requests. Financial Director Jon Garrison said of the more than $150,000 in transient guest tax raised the previous year, about $42,000 was from one business that had not paid that tax in some years. Garrison said the average is usually closer to $120,000, and all of that is available to the chamber per their request.
Business owner Bobbie Duncan said he does not believe tourism works under the direction of the chamber, since the chamber’s efforts are driven toward supporting their members. Duncan also pointed out the chamber is not under any public records act, as the city is.
“Tax revenue that’s received by our town should not be used to promote any narrow interest, but instead should be used to promote the whole of our community,” Duncan said, saying it should not be used by a private interest group.
“The inherent obligation of a chamber is to its members,” Arnold Schofield agreed. “The inherent obligation of the city is to the entire population and to all the businesses in the city.”
Larry Nuss recalled a time when the city controlled the local historic site, before it became a part of the National Parks Service. Nuss said when it did become a national historic site, the city was grateful to hand over the responsibility of running it.
“I think you should carefully consider this issue before you get back into the tourism business,” Nuss said.
Don Miller said he believes hiring someone with the skill, knowledge, contacts and time to run the tourism department will make the difference the city is looking for.
“The chamber does a great job promoting a lot of things, but I think we miss a lot of things,” Miller said. “When you don’t have a leader that’s focused, you don’t have a project that’s moving forward.”
The commission unanimously voted to put tourism under the city’s direction and to draft a letter informing the chamber it would have 60 days to sign over the collection of the transient guest tax. That decision is to be reexamined annually to make sure it is working as planned.
Martin said the city plans to form a task group to help with the transition. The chamber also plans to revisit their plan.
During a work session held Wednesday morning, the Bourbon County Commission discussed how the current jail building will be used once the inmates and Sheriff’s Department moves to the new law enforcement center later this year.
“We’ve got to get this going,” commissioner Nick Ruhl said. “October will be here before you know it.”
A number of county employees attended the work session to share ideas on how the building could be utilized.
Commissioners first mentioned that moving the offices currently on the second floor, including the treasurer’s and clerk’s offices, could be moved to that first floor area so members of the public would not have to climb the stairs to the second floor. The second floor could then be used by the county attorney, making the second and third floors used only by the judicial system, and thus more easily secured.
Further discussion revealed that plan could end up being costly, as walls would have to be added in those second floor offices to accommodate the attorney’s staff, which currently works out of a separate building across the street from the courthouse.
Instead, the commissioners decided it made more sense to have the attorney’s office move directly into the old jail, where the rooms are already arranged to serve as offices, storage rooms, the law library and a conference area.
“It shouldn’t take a lot of money,” commission chairman Lynne Oharah said, adding the area would likely only need paint and new carpet.
Other options that arose during the work session, some of which could be done in conjunction with the attorney’s move, included turning portions of the old jail into storm shelters. Certain office areas may also be available to lease, such as to the city codes and community correction departments, who have already expressed interest. The building could also be sold entirely.
In upcoming weeks and months, the commission will continue to listen to ideas and begin to form a plan for how the building will be used. The remaining funds from the tax increase for the law enforcement center project are to be used to fund those changes and other courthouse improvements.
Regardless of how it is used, the commissioners said they will likely save money by not having to use the utilities in that building all the time as they did when housing inmates. They also plan on closing off that entrance for security purposes and repairing the east entrance to make it handicap accessible.
Almost 100 pieces of art are on display at the Ellis Fine Arts Center, as the Bourbon County Arts Council hosts the 25th Annual Fine Arts Exhibit.
“It really speaks well of the community and the arts council itself,” Ray Streeter said of the 25 years of hosting the event.
Through Friday, members of the community can visit the exhibit to view and purchase a variety of pieces, including paintings, photographs, ceramics, jewelry and others. Prizes were awarded to the first place pieces of each category, donated by individuals and businesses of Fort Scott.
The exhibit includes 95 pieces from 42 artists. Nineteen of those artists are from Bourbon County while the others are from surrounding cities and into Missouri. Items from the Fort Scott High School art class students are also displayed.
The exhibit will be available from noon to 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday. The arts council is also asking its members to renew their memberships and encourages other members of the community to join.
“We think we do a lot for the community and we need your support to do it,” Streeter said.
After spending recent months in Memorial Hall while their building went through renovations, the Fort Scott Public Library is preparing to reopen in its own building.
The project, which began in September, 2016, includes more than $500,000 of renovations, including changes to the floors, ceiling and walls and adding new light fixtures and a second restroom.
When they changed their location to Memorial Hall, only about 10 percent of their circulation went with them, while the other books remained in storage at Landmark Bank. But now the library is preparing to move those books back into their building.
On Friday, students from Christian Heights helped clean areas of the library in order to prepare for that move. Others who are interested in volunteering their time to help with the move can contact the library director Lisa Walther at [email protected].
“We’re looking for volunteers to haul off recycling, help clean, help move, help organize the books on the shelves and help move the books around,” Walther said.
Walther said the library will be closed beginning Thursday, and will not reopen again for about three weeks as the transition back into the building is made. The library will stay open until 6 p.m. Wednesday to accommodate those wanting to visit before that closure.
Submitted by Angie Bin
Theatre in Our Schools Month (TIOS) is a grassroots effort to educate everyone about the benefits of having theatre in the schools, and to draw attention to the need for more access to quality programs for all students. The campaign is jointly sponsored nationally by the American Alliance for Theatre Camp, Education (AATE), the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), and the International Thespian Society (ITS).
Fort Scott High School is promoting the importance of Theatre In Our Schools this month through the following activities: traveling to New York City for Broadway performances and classes, posting photos of our classroom activities to the Fort Scott High School Thespian Facebook page, posting Educational Theatre facts on posters at FSMS and FSHS and through social media posts, and promoting the Tiger Drama Camp in the Buck Run Program Guide.
Fort Scott High School is the home of ITS Troupe 7365, the nationwide high school drama honorary society planning TIOS activities. TIOS is a chance for students, parents, communities, school boards and elected officials to become familiar with the benefits of school theatre participation, which include development of the 21st century skills of communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.
In fact, according to The College Board, in 2015, students who took four years of arts classes in high school scored an average of 92 points higher on their SATs than students who took only one half year or less. But, according to the U.S. Department of Education, only 28 percent of public high schools in high poverty areas offer theatre instruction.
And according to a 2016 poll:
9 in 10 American adults agree that the arts are part of a well-rounded K-12 education.
90 percent believe students should receive an education in the arts in elementary school, middle school and high school.
The poll, “Americans Speak Out about the Arts: An In-Depth Look at Perceptions and Attitudes about the Arts in America,” was conducted by Americans for the Arts.
To see ITS Troupe 7365, and the Fort Scott High School drama program in action, come to the next performance of the Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre, “Wedding Song” on April 7 and 8, at 7 p.m. at the Beaux Arts Centre.
For more information about TIOS visit schooltheatre.org/programs/tios and follow #TIOS17 and #TheatreinOurSchools on social media
Dear Editor,
In many places, like Fort Scott, March is known as much for introducing spring as it is for basketball “madness” or the launch of baseball season. It’s a season when we come together to cheer on students for their efforts outside the classroom. Now there’s another way to recognize another group of students for similar achievements.
March is Theatre in Our Schools Month and, just like basketball and other sports, putting on a play requires collaboration and communication. It teaches teamwork, and builds team spirit. It creates learning experiences that benefit the student for the rest of that person’s life. Putting on a play creates opportunities for students to take initiative, demonstrate leadership and more.
After her first experience at the recent international Junior Thespian Festival for middle-schoolers, a first-year drama teacher was inspired to share about her own experiences and what she was witnessing now with her students. She wrote, “When I was 14, I played Anne Frank. When I performed it, I was noticed for the first time. The confidence I gained made a difference then and it’s still making a difference now for me, and for my students. Through theatre in my school I see ‘invisible kids,’ who can’t do sports, finally being noticed by their peers, by their teachers, and sometimes, by their families.”
A Thespian alum who heads an international business says, when meeting sales and marketing candidates, that he can instantly spot those who have theatre experience—it shows in their strength and self-confidence.
So this March, go to a game and cheer the team, and go to a school play and applaud the actors. Specifically, you can see the FSHS Thespians on stage at the Beaux Arts Centre on Apr. 7 and 8, in the Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre “Wedding Song.” Share your school theatre thoughts online with #TIOS17 and #TheatreInOurSchools and visit the Fort Scott High School Thespians Facebook page and spread the word about Theatre In Our Schools Month.
Sincerely,
FSHS Thespian Troupe #7365
