Category Archives: Bourbon County

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Homes For The Holidays Tour 2017

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Ed and Christine Lundberg’s home is the site for the Moonlight and Mistletoe evening as part of the Homes for the Holidays Tour.

Moonlight and Mistletoe

The Moonlight and Mistletoe Evening, always the first part of the Homes for the Holidays Tour, is December 1 from 6-8 p.m. at the home of Ed and Christine Lundberg, 402 Lees Circle Drive.

There will be appetizers served and a tour of the home. The cost for the  Moonlight and Mistletoe Evening is $35 and tickets may be purchased at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall.

“The theme is a ‘groovy Christmas'”, Rhonda Dunn, president of the Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County, said. “A 1970s theme”.

The HPA sponsors the annual Homes for the Holidays weekend.

In addition to the Moonlight and Mistletoe home tour and appetizers, there will be a  preview of the Christmas in the Park event at Gunn Park on Dec. 1.

The December 1 Christmas in the Park event is exclusively for the Moonlight and Mistletoe attendees, Dunn said.

Homes For The Holidays

The three homes featured in this year’s Homes for the Holidays tour will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. December 2 and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, December 3.

The tickets for the three homes tour can be purchased at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall for $15.

Nate and Bailey Lyon’s home.

The Nate and Bailey Lyons home at 919 Burke was built in 1924 by the Gunn family. The Lyons have completely renovated the home.

“It’s a beautiful modern home,”  Dunn said.

The Bob and Terri Taylor home.

The Bob and Terri Taylor home at 315 Holbrook is another tour stop and is a 1880s Victorian home.

“It has many of the home’s original fixtures and is a nice modern home,” Dunn said.

The Shiney Studio.

The Shiney Studio, 123 S. National Avenue is on the tour also.

“The building was formerly the Episcopal Church that they rescued,” Dunn said.  Dandelyon Vrendenburg is the owner and has her home, a yoga studio, apartments and office suites currently housed there.

See the HPA Facebook page Fort Scott Homes for the Holidays for more details.

  • The HPA is also sponsoring a quilt show at the Beaux Arts Center, 102 S. National during the tour weekend.

Do you have a special quilt to show?

Contact Denise Duncan for more information, 620-215-6311.

  • The annual HPA Stocking Stuffer shopping event will have 60 vendors at the middle school on 12th Street during the weekend.

“It’s a great way to start holiday shopping,” Dunn said.

The Homes for the Holidays Stocking Stuffer is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 at Fort Scott Middle School on East 12th Street.
  • Also, this weekend is the annual Candlelight Tour at Fort Scott National Historic Site. Contact the fort for available tickets still remaining at 620-223-0310.

 

  • In addition is the Presbyterian Village Christmas tree decorating contest this weekend.

“At this location, we are showcasing the Christmas tree decorating contest in Fort Scott where over 15 trees were entered and are all uniquely decorated using creativity and class,” Ginger Nance, executive director of Presbyterian Village, said.

Presbyterian Village is on the Homes for the Holidays tickets for those who purchase their holiday home tours. It’s the same hours on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday. noon to 4 p.m.

The village is located at 2401 S. Horton, phone number: 620- 644-4362.

“Christmas tree displays will be throughout the village,” Dunn said.

  • Jared Leek will have a Front Door Christmas at 119 S. Main this weekend as well from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3.

 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Christmas In The Park Dec. 2

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Christmas In The Park is an event that will entertain your family with beautiful lights, a chili feed, a visit with Santa,  craft-making for the children, and gift card giveaways, ALL FOR FREE, according to Diana Mitchell, a member of the organizing committee.

Gunn Park will be closed November 30 through December 3 because of the community event.

Thursday, November 30 will be set up and decorate day for the weekend event.

Friday, December 1 will be a private showing of the park for Moonlight and Mistletoe participants of the Homes for the Holidays Tour. Tickets can be purchased from the Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center 231 E. Wall Street for $35 including the weekend homes tours.

The public event will start at 5 p.m. Saturday, December 2.  December 3 is the takedown and clean up day.

Mitchell, Todd Farrell, and Tom Robertson are the committee that is spearheading the event. For more information about the event, contact Robertson at Buck Run Community Center, 620-223-0386.

All the picnic shelter houses in the park will be lighted, and the road lined with 1500 luminaries. Because of the luminaries, there will be no walk-in or drive-through visitors allowed that evening. Transportation is provided in buses and vans picked up at nearby designated parking lots.

Shelter No. 3 will be a place for families come for photograph opportunities. The stone shelter will be warmed with fireplaces, trees, and lights for use as a background in photos. Families supply their own cameras.

Also at Shelter No. 3, there will be a gift card giveaway signup.

“Only one winner per household, but everyone can sign up,” Mitchell said. The downtown Fort Scott merchant gift cards range from $30 to $150, and one need not be present to win.

Shelter No. 5 will be a chili supper cooked up by the Fort Scott Fire Department.

Between Shelter No. 3 and No. 5 Bethel Community Church will be performing a live nativity scene.

At Shelter No. 6, children can visit with Santa Claus.

Shelter No. 7 will be a place for children to decorate cookies and make other take-home crafts.

Parking for the event will be located at the Mercy Clinic on Horton Street, the Fort Scott Community College Nursing Department on Burke Street and the Professional Building at Burke and 8th Street.

All vehicles must park in the designated parking lots, for safety reasons.

“Please don’t park in front of peoples houses, use these parking lots,” Mitchell said. “At those lots, people will be picked up in buses and vans.”

“We can drop off people at different shelters. We will transfer you around to see all the park for your fun and enjoyment,” she said.

Mitchell encourages everyone to be patient.

“It could be a little wait, but be patient,” Mitchell said. “Enjoy a free, fun family evening.”

The event is run by volunteers from the FS Fire Department and Police Department, Fort Scott Community College athletes, and Fort Scott Kiwanis. Larry Gazaway is providing the music throughout the park and Rhonda Dunn is organizing the transportation piece.

Two businesses are decorating shelters, Todd and I are decorating the others,” Mitchell said.

“If you haven’t been to Christmas In The Park, it’s amazing,” Mitchell said. “It’s a beautiful park, but when it’s decorated, it’s spectacular.”

“Enjoy a wonderful time of year, without a penny in your pocket,” she said.

Area News, Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Price Chopper To Open Soon

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Wednesday afternoon the Price Chopper Fort Scott has an empty parking lot, but soon the lot will be full of shoppers cars.

December 6 is the date for the opening of  Price Chopper Fort Scott, the city’s newest grocery store as 2322 S. Main.

“December 6 is their goal,”  Rhonda Dunn, Fort Scott’s Community Development Director, said.

“It’s a beautiful place,” Dunn said. “They are putting groceries on the shelves. They are making a plan for a grand opening.”

Barry Queen is the owner/operator of Price Chopper Fort Scott.

To view more about Price Chopper Fort Scott, click below:

Price Chopper to open for the holidays

 

 

Area News, Bourbon County

Bourbon County Commission Agenda Nov. 21

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The Bourbon County Commission meets on the second floor of the courthouse, 210 S. National Avenue at 9 a.m. Tuesdays.

1st District is Lynne Oharah, 2nd District-Jeff Fischer,  3rd District-Nick Ruhl, County Clerk-Kendell Mason.

Here is the agenda for the meeting November 21, 2017

9:00-9:45-Jim Harris

9:45-10:15-Commissioners consider and take action on any and all questions or issues which may arise regarding the law enforcement project.

10:30-Solid Waste Resolution

11:00-Justin Meeks

12:00-1:30-Commissioners gone to lunch

1:45-Carla Nemecek-Extension Update

2:00-Clint Anderson-Counter and Flooring

2:30-Employee Handbook

Justifications for Executive Session:

· Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel

· Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

· Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency

· Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

· Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property

· Matters relating to the security of a public body or agency, public building or facility or the information system of a public body or agency, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize the security of such public body, agency, building, facility or information system

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Free Dance Lessons

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Submitted photo and story.

Free 1800s dance lessons will be taught on Saturday, December 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Grand Hall on the grounds of Fort Scott National Historic Site.

“The city of Fort Scott is hosting a number of holiday events this day as well as the  Candlelight Tour on Friday and Saturday evening at Fort Scott National Historic Site so come spend the day in Fort Scott,” said Dee Young, organizer of the dance lessons, and volunteer at the fort.

“Come join us for some fun and exercise while we learn some new dances and practice some old ones. For the beginner as well as anyone who just loves dancing 1800s period dances. Street clothes are fine. No partner is needed. If you care not to dance just come and enjoy watching. See you on December 2!”

The lessons are taught by volunteers at the fort.

Area News, Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Robotic Milking Comes To Foster Dairy

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Braving the dropping temperatures, around 250 visitors took advantage of the Foster Dairy Farm Open House Saturday.

The Foster family was showcasing their transition from milking their cows in a 12-cow parlor to milking them robotically.  Since September 2016 their cows have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access to being voluntarily milked.

“An interesting fact is the Kansas Department of Agriculture gave me statistics adjusted for 2017 about our farm,” David Foster said.

“The Bourbon County dairy industry has a direct economic benefit effect to our county of $11.5 million and provides 25 jobs,” Foster said. “The dairy industry provides 1.2 percent of the gross revenues for the county. We are doing quite a bit from our little farm.”

Lynda and Gary Foster and their eldest son David and his wife, Addi Foster are the owners of the dairy farm located southwest of Fort Scott at 1037 Hwy. 39.

In addition to tours of the facility, a meal was provided tour attendees, along with door prizes. Sponsors helping with the tour were Producer’s Cooperative of Girard who cooked the burgers, brats and hot dogs that were served, DFA/Midwest Dairy, UMB Bank, Seneca Dairy Supply, Uniontown FFA, Fort Scott FFA  and Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.

A sign on the wall in the robot milking room tells of the productivity of Foster Dairy for one day and one cow. The majority of their milk goes to a Hiland Dairy processing plant.
The robot arm cleans the teat cups with heated steam, followed by a short rinse with water. The milk is suctioned off to a nearby container, where it is analyzed for milk production and quality, cow health and cow activity.
David Foster tells about the robots that feed, milk the cows and analyze the milk product. Foster is the fourth generation on this family farm, southwest of Fort Scott in the Hiattville area.
David Foster speaks to a tour group in the robotics room at Foster Dairy Saturday during its open house. The robots that store and analyze the milk are behind Foster. In between these robots, the cattle come in voluntarily and are milked by a robotic arm.
Some of the Foster Dairy cows lie down in a sand-bedded stall in a barn, while others come to greet the people who came to the open house at the Foster Farm Saturday.
David Foster, a dairyman along with his wife, Addi, and his parents, Lynda and Gary Foster, gave  tours  Saturday during the Foster Dairy Farm Open House.
David Foster tells about the different feeds given to his herd of dairy cattle, during one of the tours. Whole cottonseed is the commodity in this barn.
Farm visitor Gabby George has a handful of the whole cottonseed that is part of a mix of ingredients available to the cattle  24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Each calf has its own shelter to protect from the elements.
Farm tour visitors Gunner and Gabby George enjoy getting the attention of a calf.

See more about the Foster Dairy on its Facebook page.

Bourbon County

KState Extension: Cool-Season Grasses Invading Warm-Season Pastures

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Submitted by Christopher Petty

According to University of Nebraska Extension Professor Bruce Anderson, native, warm-season grass pastures often get overtaken by cool-season grasses like cheatgrass, downy brome and fescue.

When fescue, bromes, and other cool-season plants invade warm-season grass pastures and rangeland, they shift good grazing away from summer.

Cool-season grasses take over summer pastures relatively easily because they develop rapidly during fall and spring when native grass provides little competition. Then they use moisture and nutrients during spring before warm-season plants have a chance to use them.

Heavy grazing now this fall after warm-season plants have gone dormant after a hard freeze as well as grazing very early next spring will weaken and reduce competition from these cool-season grasses. This limits further invasion and slowly improves summer production. A prescribed spring burn also can do wonders for a warm-season pasture if you have enough fuel to carry a fire and can conduct the burn safely and legally.

An even faster approach is to apply glyphosate herbicides like Roundup after a couple hard freezes in late fall. Hard freezes turn warm-season plants dormant but the weedy cool-season grasses remain green. Apply glyphosate when temperatures during the day are above 60 degrees and nighttime temperatures stay above 40 degrees for best results. This will kill or weaken the green and susceptible cool-season weedy grasses, but not affect dormant warm-season plants. By reducing competition, warm-season plants will grow more vigorously next year and provide better summer pasture.

Don’t settle for invaded native pasture. Transform them back to vigorous warm-season grasses for better summer grazing.

Bourbon County

Northeast Scott 4-H Club Minutes

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Submitted by Brennan Popp

The meeting for the Northeast Scott 4-H Club was held November 8, 2017, with donations being collected for the Beacon. During this meeting the club decided to postpone the Hammond Soup Supper to the Spring and to participate in the Christmas parade December 5. They will meet at 3rd and Main Street at 5:15 p.m. and bring a bag of candy. They scheduled Christmas caroling at Medical Lodge on December 16, at noon followed by going to a movie. Caroling and movie will be in place of the December club meeting.

There were three presentations during the meeting. Joe Foulk showed how to make zombie brain cupcakes. Second, Dalayni Foulk demonstrated making homemade slime. Finally, Traxtin Foulk displayed how to make paper bombs with paper folding.

The next meeting for the Northeast Scott 4-H club scheduled for December 13, is being replaced by Christmas Caroling and a movie December 16, at noon.

Area News, Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Walking/Biking Benefits Presented Along With Plans For Sidewalks/Trails

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The Fort Scott sidewalk plan.

Walking or biking instead of driving a vehicle is a quality of life issue, according to information from representatives of the PedNet Coalition, Columbia, Mo. and the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team.

The two cited benefits in a non-motorized transportation plan report presented to the Fort Scott City Commission and then the Uniontown City Council Tuesday evening.

Other benefits cited by Abby St. George, PedNet technical assistant officer, are improved health and health care costs, reduced transportation costs and boosting economic development.

  St. George and Jody Hoener, Mercy Clinic Quality and Community Benefit Liaison, presented the report.
Half of the children who live within one-half mile, a 10-minute walk or less from school, are driven, according to Safe Routes to School
National Partnership, and presented in the report to the City of Fort Scott.
Here is an excerpt from the report:
“Many adult residents are also making trips in their automobiles that could be made by foot or bicycle. For example, of trips that are less than one mile, over two-thirds are taken by private automobile (League of American Bicyclists, 2010). The automobile is a wonderful device that allows us to travel to destinations our great-grandparents may have never thought possible, but its overuse, especially for short distances, is leading to severe health consequences.
Obesity truly has become an epidemic in the United States,” according to the report.
Summarizing the Fort Scott  Non-Motorized Transportation Plan improvement costs: sidewalk priority projects are estimated to be $1,731,842; U.S. Hwy 69 Trail Priority Project -$1,964,444; on-street priority projects -$330,300; with total costs estimated to be  $4,026,586.
Uniontown’s Non-Motorized Transportation Plan is basically one sidewalk that leads from the two schools to the convenience store.
Costs for an ADA accessible sidewalk from the schools on the east side of Uniontown to Union Station convenience store on the west side of town are estimated to be just over $50,000.
Crosswalk improvements for the sidewalk are estimated to be $44,000, with a total cost of the recommendations-$97,420.
A grant through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas allowed The City of Fort Scott and The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team to develop a Fort Scott Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
Healthy Bourbon County Action Team’s goal is to, “engage key stakeholders in areas where our community members spend most of their time–where they eat, work and play. The focus on physical activity, healthy eating, and tobacco cessation directly affect outcomes of our identified community health needs, ”according to the report.
The governing bodies will now need to find funding avenues for the recommended non-motorized transportation projects, but PedNet provided them with four and one-half pages of federal, state,  local, non-profit and private funding opportunities.
St. George noted that with the plans completed, it could add points to a grant application.
To see the breakdown and details of the recommendations:

Fort Scott Costs

Area News, Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Walmart Pick Up Sign

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The word Pickup can be seen on the southeast corner of Wal-Mart at 2500 S. Main Street.

The white word “Pickup” stands out on the orange wall of Wal-Mart on South Main Street.

“This is to let people know we have pickup now,” Joyce Earp, a manager at Wal-Mart, said. “You can order online and come in and pick it up the same day, if it’s in the store.”

The pickup location is in the back of the store with a “Site to Store” sign, she said.

Some Wal-Mart stores have the ability for customers to order online and Wal-Mart will deliver,  but the Fort Scott store doesn’t yet, Earp said.

Area News, Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Bourbon County Commission To Attend Jail Project Meeting

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The Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National Avenue.

The agenda for the Bourbon County Commission November 17.

The commission meets on the 2nd floor of the county courthouse, 210 S. National Avenue.

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: November 17th, 2017

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

10:00-Commissioners will attend a jail project meeting.

Justifications for Executive Session:

· Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel

· Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

· Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency

· Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

· Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property

· Matters relating to the security of a public body or agency, public building or facility or the information system of a public body or agency, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize the security of such public body, agency, building, facility or information system