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U.S. Congressman Derek Schmidt’s Newsletter
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Labors and Leisure on the Frontier: Labor Day Weekend at Fort Scott
Saturday, August 30, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the labors and leisure on an 1840s frontier post. Throughout Saturday, enjoy historic yard games, a variety of living history demonstrations, and interpretive programs as you explore the labors and leisure on the fort.
Visit with an officer’s wife doing needlepoint, a laundress making soap and doing laundry, a cooking demonstration, a contracted teamster discussing the best way to assemble his freight wagon and learn about caring for your horse from a Dragoon soldier. Guided Fort Tours will be offered daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. All programs are free and open to the public.
Fort Scott National Historic Site’s, a unit of the National Park Service, exhibit areas and visitor center are open Friday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.
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NPS Photos
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports August 27
Southern Baptist CRAFT FAIR! September 12
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Obituary of Robert L. Russell
Robert Lee (“Bob”) Russell, 89, of Fort Scott, KS, was surrounded by family when he was called home to be with his Savior on August 24, 2025. He was born June 21, 1936 at home in Redfield, KS to Grant Eugene Russell and Echo Mae (Neth) Russell. Bob graduated as valedictorian from Uniontown High School in 1954.
In 1958, he left the family farm where he had worked alongside his father and joined the army. During his time in the service, he trained as a radio repairman in the army signal corps and was stationed in France and Germany. He earned the rank E-5 prior to completing his service and returned home in 1961.
He married his one true love and best friend, Alvena Carol Bloom, on April 22, 1962. During their 60 years of marriage, they reared their three daughters, Laurie, Barbie, and Shelly, with faith and strong family bonds. As a family, they were active in Grace Baptist Tabernacle and undertook many memorable family adventures.
Bob had an impressive and wide-ranging career. After his military service, he was the morning DJ at KMDO radio, where he was an integral part of production in a variety of roles over the years. Because of his considerable mechanical and electronic expertise, he was afforded the opportunity to work as a contractor for NASA at Cape Canaveral, FL during the Space Race of the 60’s. In this capacity, he worked in telemetry on the Apollo missions, including the Apollo 11 moon landing. After returning to Kansas, for a brief time he was the proprietor of Bob’s Fix-it Shop, on East Wall Street, where he repaired small appliances. The Kansas City Power and Light power plant in La Cygne, KS was where he spent the rest of his career as a pneumatic instrument technician. Upon his retirement from KCP&L in 1994, he built their ideal home in the country, just south of Fort Scott.
Bob embraced the role of a faithful steward of God’s creation, and loved all things outdoor – gardening, hunting, fishing, and just appreciating the beauty around him. He was an expert woodworker and craftsman and was committed to preserving traditional practices and ways of life. Bluegrass music was a particularly enjoyable pastime, and he was a regular at bluegrass festivals and performances.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Alvena Carol Russell, his parents, Grant and Echo Russell, and a brother, Gail Russell. He is survived by his daughter, Laurie Ann Center and her husband, Bill of Lolo, MT; his daughter, Barbara Lynn Johnson, of Fort Scott, KS; and his daughter, Dr. Sharon Michelle (Shelly) Allen and her husband, Brett, of Fountain, CO. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Grant Center and wife, Pearl, of Lolo, MT, Lindsey LaRocque and husband, Brandon, of Missoula, MT, Katie, Kellie, and Keriann Johnson, all of Fort Scott, Kylie Allen, of Fountain, CO, and Zaine Allen and wife, Ash, of Colorado Springs, CO. Other survivors include five great-grandchildren (and another on the way), his brother, Jerry Russell, of Fort Scott, and his sister, Shirley Thompson, of Kechi, KS.
A celebration of life services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, August 30th at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Private burial will take place in the Centerville Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta 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.
Southwest Missouri Hwy. 54 100 Miler Yard Sale Aug. 28-30 Starts in Fort Scott
Bourbon County Community Theatre Announces Auditions for Voices from the Grave
Bourbon County Community Theatre is holding auditions for 2nd Annual Voices from the Grave, an original production based on stories from Bourbon County’s history.
Auditions are 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 11 or 12 at the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College. Those who audition must be age 14 or over and only need to attend one evening of auditions. Rehearsal times will be scheduled in small groups with the Director, Regen Wells.
Voices from the Grave takes place from 7-9 p.m. on Oct. 25 in downtown Fort Scott, KS. Guests will enjoy a guided walking tour of short-acting vignettes centering around ghostly incidents in Fort Scott. Scenes were written by members of the BCCT Board and many are based on stories from local author Brian Allen’s books about Fort Scott.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and are available from bcct.ludus.com in Fort Scott. Tour times must be pre-scheduled and run every 20 minutes. Parents must accompany children under the age of 14.
More information can be found on the Bourbon County Community Theatre Facebook page or by contacting Wells at 620-215-3510.
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FSHS Announces Auditions for the Musical “Between the Lines”
Fort Scott High School is holding auditions for students in ninth through twelfth grade for “Between the Line,” the musical.
Auditions are from 6:30-9 p.m. on either September 2 or 3 in the FSHS Auditorium. Students only need to attend one night of auditions. Rehearsals are Monday through Thursday from 6:30-9 p.m. Performances are Nov. 11, 13, and 15 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.
“Between the Lines” is based on the young adult novel of the same name by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer. Music and lyrics are by Elyssa Samsel & Kate Anderson with a book by Timothy Allen McDonald & Jodi Picoult.
The musical is directed by Theatre Director Angie Bin, Music Director Taylor Jones, and Assistant Directors Mesa Jones and Abby Starkey. FSHS will be the regional debut for “Between the Lines” which Bin first saw at the International Thespian Festival in 2024.
Students who want to audition for a solo role need to prepare a song ahead of time. Sheet music and accompaniment are available from Bin at the high school.
Technical crew members are needed in the areas of sound, lighting, set design, costuming, make-up, stage management, and stagecrew. Applications are available from Bin at the high school.
For additional information, please contact Bin at [email protected] or 620-719-9622.
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports August 26
Bourbon County Commission Special Meeting on August 29
BOURBON COUNTY,
KANSAS
Bourbon County Special Meeting Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Chambers, 210 S National Ave.
August 29, 2025, 4:00 PM
I. Call Meeting to Order
• Roll Call
• Pledge of Allegiance
• Prayer
II. Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect
their privacy
III. Budget Discussion-Publication date will be September 3rd for a Budget Hearing Date on 9/15/25
IV. Adjournment
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS – FORM OF MOTION
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body of agency which would be deemed
privileged in the attorney-client relationship
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in
consultation with the representatives of the body or agency
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations,
partnerships, trust, and individual proprietorships
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of acquisition of real estate
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to security measures, if the discussion of such matters at
an open meeting would jeopardize such security measures
The subject to be discussed during executive session: ________________________________________
State persons to attend
Open session will resume at _____ A.M./P.M. in the commission chambers.
Grant Applications Open to Help Expand Apprenticeship Programs in Kansas
TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced $550,000 in grant funding is available to support the expansion of registered apprenticeship programs across Kansas.
The Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship grant will be divided into two distinct opportunities aimed at attracting and retaining more skilled employees. The first is a continuation of the established registered apprenticeship sponsor funding, available to state educational institutions, joint-labor organizations, businesses, nonprofits and workforce boards to support projects that expand their reach. The second is a new opportunity for small businesses to help them adopt registered apprenticeship programs.
“We have been intentional with our approaches to increase the reach and impact of registered apprenticeship programs in Kansas for one simple reason – they work,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “In the last three years, we’ve made extraordinary progress — with employer participation increasing from 280 companies to more than 1,000. These grants will help ensure even more employers can take advantage of the power of apprenticeships, and their ability to attract and retain talent.”
The existing program offers grant awards up to $150,000 which can be used to support technical instruction, outreach, staffing, partnerships and administrative costs. In addition, small business grants of $7,000 also will be available to companies with fewer than 10 employees that register at least one apprentice by the end of the grant period. Both applications must be completed by September 20, 2026.
“This grant opportunity has played a key role in expanding high-wage and high-demand registered apprenticeship programs across Kansas,” Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship Director Shonda Anderson said. “We’ve been extremely successful in expanding not only union-based apprenticeships but adding new industries such as agriculture, healthcare and manufacturing. We want to ensure businesses of all sizes get access to these opportunities.”
The Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship grant program is one of many tools offered by the Kansas Department of Commerce to support workforce development for high-wage, high-demand occupations statewide. To apply or learn more about the office, the program and other resources offered, click here.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
About the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship:
The Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship was established by Governor Laura Kelly on Sept. 6, 2022, through Executive Order #22-07. The Office supports apprenticeships across multiple industries to provide a highly skilled source of labor for employers and ensure occupational proficiency for career-seekers. The program incorporates on-the-job learning, technical instruction and mentorship to create long-term employment opportunities in Kansas.
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