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Government

Ken Collins Kansas State Representative-Second District Newsletter

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Thoughts From Under the Dome

 

As I am writing this the 2026 legislative session starts next week but I am in Topeka early to get settled in and ready for the upcoming fun. The House Higher Education Budget Committee is meeting today and although I am not on that committee I will be setting in this afternoon to hear Pittsburg State President  Dr. Thomas Newsome give his presentation. I find it helpful to keep in touch with the educational institutions that serve our corner of Southeast Kansas as they are a great resource.

 

On the subject of upcoming legislation, I am sponsoring House Bill 2412, which will change the offense of endangering a child under the age of six years old from a misdemeanor to a felony. I was prompted to initiate this legislation after meeting with the family of Benny who is a child who suffers from permanent disability as a result of neglectful daycare workers. The persons who were responsible had their day in court, but in my opinion, the sentencing was much lighter than what an offense of this magnitude warrants. The bill also addresses dangerous environments where methamphetamine and fentanyl are involved.

 

As the legislative session progresses, I welcome your calls and emails to let me know when you agree or disagree. I also enjoy visits from the folks back home so I encourage everyone to spend a day in Topeka as your schedules allow and be sure to let me know that you are coming so I can schedule time to meet. It brings a real positive energy to the halls of the Statehouse when school groups are here, so if you are a teacher, feel free to bring your classes up for a visit. Until next time, Ad Astra Per Aspera.

Ken Collins

Kansas State Representative-Second District

620-240-0778

 
Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Hosts Needed For 2026 Chamber Coffees

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Sending on behalf of
Fort Scott Area

Chamber of Commerce

As we kick off 2026, it’s the perfect time for a fresh start — and that means filling up our Chamber Coffee spots! Don’t miss your chance to showcase your business, connect with fellow members, and engage with the community.

Chamber Coffees bring 40+ visitors and guests to your place of business for valuable exposure — and they’re also available on Facebook Live, so even more people can see what your business is all about!

These gatherings are a great way to:

✨ Share what your business offers

✨ Let everyone know what’s coming up next

✨ Promote upcoming events, sales, or specials

✨ Highlight new products or services

✨ Celebrate anniversaries or achievements

✨ Thank your customers and the community for their support

Chamber Coffees are casual, engaging, and one of the best ways to spotlight your business — and we’d love to help you secure your date!

📅 Call us at: 620-223-3566

📧 Email: [email protected]

Let’s get your 2026 Chamber Coffee on the calendar — dates fill up fast.

See the 2026 Chamber Coffee Calendar below!

Warm regards,

Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Click here for a printable pdf copy of the schedule.

*Reminder – the schedule is current as of the time of this email

and can be updated at anytime.
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below…
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701

620-223-3566

fortscott.com
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Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Coffee Hosted by Freedom Fitness

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Join us for Chamber Coffee

hosted by

Freedom Fitness
Thursday, January 8th

8am

Freedom Fitness

15 S. National Ave.

We hope to see you there!

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee this Thursday, January 8th, at 8am hosted by Freedom Fitness, 15 S. National Ave. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served, and attendees will have the opportunity to win a door prize drawing.

Freedom Fitness is a locally owned training facility dedicated to helping individuals of all ages and fitness levels build strength, confidence, and long-term health. With flexible training and multiple class times, Freedom Fitness supports members in reaching their goals in a welcoming, results-driven environment.

Training Schedule

Classes Offered:

6:00 AM, 4:00 PM, 5:20 PM, 6:00 PM

Open Gym Available:

5:00 AM, 11:15 AM, 6:00 PM

What Sets Freedom Fitness Apart

• Experienced, certified coaches with years of hands-on strength and conditioning expertise

• Coach-led classes focused on proper form, safety, and progression

• Prime, convenient location in the heart of the community

• Programming designed for all fitness levels—from beginners to advanced athletes

• Supportive and encouraging atmosphere that keeps members motivated and accountable

Why Strength Training Matters

• Builds lean muscle and increases metabolism

• Improves bone density and reduces the risk of injury

• Enhances balance, mobility, and overall functional movement

• Supports heart health, mental well-being, and long-term independence

• Helps prevent chronic disease and promotes healthy aging

For more information, contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566. Visit the Events Calendar on fortscott.com and click on the “Chamber Coffees” category for upcoming hosts and locations.

Click HERE to visit

Freedom Fitness Facebook Page!
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below…
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701

620-223-3566

fortscott.com
Facebook  X  Instagram
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US

Obituary

Obituary of Joyce Ann Buffalo

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Our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother Joyce Ann Buffalo unexpectedly passed away on January 3, 2026. She was born on December 15, 1947, in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas to Jarvey Stephenson and Sue (Lawrence) Stephenson. The family moved to Kankakee, Illinois when Joyce was five years old where she grew up and attended school. Joyce had a passion for cooking and helping others that can be seen throughout her career. She spent eight years working for St. Mary Hospital and Our Lady of Victoria Nursing Home in nutritional services. In Kankakee, she worked for Aramark while raising four daughters. Later in her career, she was transferred to Kansas where she handled nutritional services at Mercy Hospitals in Independence and Fort Scott. After fifteen years at Aramark, she moved to Fort Scott, Kansas and worked at Tri-Valley. She worked there for four years before retiring and moving to Oklahoma.

After retiring, Joyce built a new life with her husband Arthur Robinson Buffalo Jr. who she married on February 22, 2012. They enjoyed camping, antiquing, and attending grandkids’ events until his passing in January of 2016. Following his passing, she moved back to Fort Scott, Kansas where she spent her days spoiling her dog, Coco, enjoying daily meals with her friend Doug, and spending time with family. Joyce will forever be remembered for her sassiness, orneriness, and wit. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were her greatest joy. She loved spending time with family and regaling us all with fun filled stories that kept us on our toes.

She is survived by three daughters, Kristi (Tommy) George of Fort Scott, Shellie Snyder of Oklahoma, and Diana (Dan) Lange of Kansas City. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren, Ashley (Josh) George, Amanda Harper, Joyce (Daniel) Golden, Draven George, Landry George, Cooper George, Jordan Snyder, Lakin Snyder, Christopher Snyder, Jacob Snyder, and Kody Lange, and sixteen great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband Arthur Buffalo, her son Michael, her daughter Lynette Steeby, her sister Janie, and her parents Jarvey Stephenson, Sue Duffield, and Arthur Duffield.

Forever in our hearts, her life was a blessing, and her memory is our treasure.

A celebration of life service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, January 10th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.  Memorials are suggested to Care to Share and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas

CHC/SEK Names Vice President of Environmental Services 

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PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is pleased to announce Ginger Hubbard has been named Vice President of Environmental Services.

“This promotion reflects not only Ginger’s outstanding performance, but a consistent commitment to excellence, leadership, and service. We are grateful for the impact she has made and excited for what’s ahead,” said Ross Turney, CHC/SEK Chief Finance Officer.
Hubbard joined the CHC/SEK team in 2012. She has more than 30 years of experience in professional environmental services and holds certifications in hospitality management and facility and maintenance management. She is also a member of the Association for the Health Care Environment and the American Society for Health Care Engineering.

Most recently, Hubbard served as the Director of Environmental Services, supervising the housekeeping needs of all CHC/SEK clinic locations as well as five school clinics, organizing events and fundraisers, overseeing the daily operations of Stuckey’s Café, and managing operations and reservations for student housing. In addition to her current responsibilities, Ginger will oversee the daily operations and work of the CHC/SEK maintenance department in her new role.
Hubbard says she is motivated by service and committed to providing strong behind-the-scenes support to ensure frontline success. “I’ve enjoyed building the environmental services and café teams, and in my new role, I look forward to supporting great work of the maintenance staff,” said Hubbard. “Our environmental services, maintenance, and facilities teams have always worked well together, supporting one another to ensure work is completed in a timely manner to help ensure that our staff and patients have a great experience at CHC.”
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About Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas
The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) serves as a healthcare hub for communities in Kansas and Oklahoma. CHC/SEK delivers quality, integrated care to nearly 90,000 patients each year with a goal of improving health, sustaining rural communities, and providing purpose-driven work to 950 staff members. Beyond healthcare, CHC/SEK finds innovative ways to improve lives by focusing on education, housing, and transportation. Regardless of income or insurance status, CHC/SEK ensures everyone receives the care they need. For more information, visit chcsek.org.

 

 

 

 

 

Area News, Youth

Heartland REC Expands Future Foundations Scholarship Program to 12 Awards

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Taken from the Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative website.

GIRARD, Kan.  — Applications are now open for the 2026 Future Foundations Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships of $1,000 each to high school seniors who live in homes served by Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative and are preparing for careers in high-demand fields.

This year marks an expansion from eight scholarships to 12, with three scholarships available in each of Heartland’s four voting districts.

The program provides financial support to students in Heartland-served households who are pursuing careers in nursing, teaching, and the skilled trades at Kansas-based schools.

“We’re seeing a critical need for skilled workers across our communities,” said Doug Graham, Heartland REC Communication Specialist. “Whether it’s nurses, teachers, or tradespeople, these careers are essential to ensuring our rural communities can continue to thrive.”

To be eligible, applicants must:

  • Be a current high school senior with a minimum 2.0 GPA
  • Live in a household served by Heartland REC
  • Plan to enroll in a Kansas-based trade school, training program, or college for fall 2026
  • Be pursuing a career in nursing, teaching, or a skilled trade including linework, plumbing, HVAC, construction, IT, and others

Applicants must submit a completed application form, two letters of recommendation, and an official high school transcript by end of day Friday, March 13, 2026. Scholarship recipients will be selected through a random drawing and notified by April 1, 2026.

Complete eligibility requirements and the application form are available at heartland-rec.com. Questions can be directed to Doug Graham at (620) 724-5526 or [email protected].

About Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. powers rural lifestyles throughout more than 11,000 locations in eastern Kansas. Heartland’s service area includes members in 12 counties, including Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Miami, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson counties.

Heartland REC is a non-profit, member-owned cooperative that traces its roots back to three original rural electric cooperatives: Cooperative Electric Power & Light Company in Iola, Sugar Valley Electric Cooperative Association in Mound City, and Sekan Electric Cooperative Association in Girard. Cooperative Electric Power & Light Company joined with Sugar Valley in 1975 to form United Electric Cooperative; United Electric Cooperative joined with Sekan Electric Cooperative Association in 1996

Obituary

Obituary of Michael Lancaster

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Michael Hugh “Big Michael” Lancaster, age 71, a resident of rural Deerfield, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at his home.

He was born October 24, 1954, in Noel, Missouri, the son of Robert Hugh Lancaster and Peggy Ann Sellers Lancaster.  Michael grew up in Raytown, Missouri and graduated from Raytown High School.  He later served with the United States Marine Corps from 1975 to 1979 where he attained the rank of Corporal.

Following his discharge from the Marines, Michael married Michele Piano on July 11, 1986, at Olathe, Kansas.  They made their home in Humansville, Missouri where he owned and operated a feed store.  In the early ‘90s they moved to Ft. Scott, Kansas and later settled just over the line in Deerfield.

He owned and operated the Dusty Attic Flea Market on Main Street in Ft. Scott.  After moving to Deerfield, he operated Poor Boys Antiques and Grannie’s Tiques and Fleas out of his home on 54 Highway.  In addition to running the flea market, he also built and repaired computers.

Michael loved to learn and consistently read on a variety of subjects.     He enjoyed construction and working on building projects of all kinds.  He studied up on green energy and used solar energy and other natural resources to power and heat and cool his home.  He also liked to garden.

Michael constructed a greenhouse and used a hydroponic gardening system as part of his operation. He will be lovingly remembered for his ornery personality and his quick wit with a funny joke.

 

Survivors include his wife, Michele, of the home; eight children, Stephen Petrovich (Heather) of Cape Coral, Florida, Michael Robert Lancaster of Belton, Missouri, Melissa Slocum (Erik) of Swansea, Illinois, Christopher Lancaster (Cindy) of Indonesia, Julia Dryden-Lancaster of Joplin, Missouri, Jessica Lancaster of Ft. Scott, Kansas, Derrick Lancaster who is serving with the US Marine Corps, stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, and Keria Lancaster of the home.  Also surviving are several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, two brothers and a sister.

 

Pastor Randy Query will conduct graveside services at 12:30 PM Friday, January 9th at the U. S. National Cemetery.  The family will receive friends on Friday at the Cheney Witt Chapel from 11:00 AM until leaving for the cemetery.  Memorials are suggested to Care to Share and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Obituary

Obituary of John Oscar Younggren

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John Oscar Younggren, 78, of Fort Scott, Kansas, passed away on January 3, 2026.

He was born on March 30, 1947, in Hugoton, Kansas, to Jean and Oscar Younggren. In the summer of 1962, the family left their homestead in Hugoton and moved to Redfield, Kansas, where they settled on a new farm to build a lasting family legacy. John graduated from Uniontown High School in 1965 and later attended heavy equipment training in Beloit, Kansas.

A lifelong farmer and cattleman, John also owned and operated a successful heavy equipment construction business providing service primarily to agricultural & water conservation. He had an incredible talent for working with dozers, motor-graders and scrapers—able to set grade by eye with unmatched precision. His skill and dedication earned him the respect of many, and he took great pride in shaping the land and caring for his herd.

On March 30, 1968, John married Linda Louise Colvin; they had two children Meleesa and Jason. They later divorced. In his later years, John shared his life with Joann Hays, who preceded him in death. Their relationship was meaningful and brought him steady companionship and comfort—a chapter he truly valued.

John was grateful for the help and visits from Jason & Maddi Thorpe, and their kiddos. Whether it was checking on the cattle, making him a bowl of chili, or grabbing the mail, their thoughtfulness meant so much. He looked forward to their check-ins—catching up on the new calves or getting the latest copy of the Tribune which was most often a fair exchange between he and the kids for a few pieces of candy, was often the highlight of his day.

John deeply appreciated his treasured nurse, Irene, who cared for him not only physically but spiritually as well. Her presence brought him comfort and peace during difficult times. He was also blessed with hospice nurses and attendants who provided exceptional care and companionship—often sitting with him to watch a rodeo or an episode of Ag News. Their kindness and dedication meant the world to him and his family.

John will be remembered for his strength, determination, and love for family and friends. Survivors include his children: Meleesa Grate and husband Dan of Manhattan, KS, and Jason Younggren and wife Monica of Louisburg, KS; four grandchildren: Maddi Pruett, Allea Ruby Davis and Gage (and their soon-to-arrive son), Alec Blayne, and Reece Adlin. He is also survived by his sister Connie Neil, brother Mike Younggren and wife Mary, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother- in- law, Dwayne Neil and special friend Joann Hays.

John’s legacy lives on in the fields he worked, the land he shaped, and the family he loved. His hands built more than ponds and pastures—they built a life of purpose and pride.

Chaplain Derek Harman will conduct a funeral services at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7. 2026 at Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Centerville Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Bourbon County Fair and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, Kansas 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.