Category Archives: Bourbon County

Wine Stroll/Art Walk: A Perfect Evening For Outside Activities

A mild evening provided a backdrop for the Mercy Wine Stroll/Bourbon County Arts Council Art Walk Friday evening on Main Street. Also downtown was the Friday night free concert series, the Lowell Milken Center Poland Reunion and a concert by Blane Howard at the Liberty Theater. Temperatures were in the low 80s, with a pleasant breeze

The Gary Thompson Trio performed Friday evening as part of the art walk and wine stroll.
Carsen Felt leads the community orchestra Friday evening during the wine stroll/art walk in downtown Fort Scott.
A local jewelry artist displays her creations.
Fossil Springs Winery, Paola.
Bobbie Kemna, local pottery artist chats with Dave McCord at her booth Friday evening.
Local artist, Jacey Bowen, displays her art at the art stroll.
Bre Martin, a member of the Bourbon County Arts Council, watches Carter Campeau, Ballwin, Mo. color a paage set up for budding artists. The BCAC provides children activities at the art walks they organize.
Vendors line Main Street from 1st to 2nd streets Friday night

The following overview of alcohol vendors who were part of the evening was provided by Mercy Hospital:

.2018 Hit the Bricks Winery, Brewery and Microdistillery Profiles
Aubrey Vineyards (2), 7932 Santa Fe, Overland Park – Karine Hellwig
Aubrey Vineyards™ is a native Kansan family owned and operated winery & vineyard.  From south Overland Park, diligent work is helping to revive the wine industry that once flourished here in the 19th century.  The small batches of premium, hand-crafted wine capture this native, pioneering spirit.  Aubrey Vineyards now invites local wine drinkers to meet modern Midwestern winemaking at its best.  The tasting room and store is open daily (Mon-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-6 and Sun 12-5) and is located in downtown Overland Park, inside the Vinyl Renaissance & Audio record store.  (913) 579-5004.
The Boiler Room Brewhaus (9), 2 S. National Ave., Fort Scott – Barbara Ritter
Fort Scott has a rich history of brewing great beer and has been for many years. At the Boiler Room Brewhaus, we believe that it’s about more than great craft beer, it’s about providing an atmosphere where people can grow closer and strengthen our community. Your local brewery is located in the historic Downtowner Motor Lodge on the corner of Wall St. and National Ave. The building was built in the 1950’s and looks brand new. We have several beers that rotate through the tap room, most are named after our farm animals or tractors. We would love for you to visit our microbrewery and become a part of our community. The Boiler Room Brewhaus is owned and operated by the Ritter’s who live on a little farm in Garland, Kansas.
Flustered Blonde Vineyard and Winery (5), 17064 Ness Road, Parsons – Kim Bogner
Flustered Blonde Vineyard and Winery is an established farm winery owned and operated by Kim & Tim Bogner, located in Parsons Kansas, a small rural southeast Kansas community. Our premium wines are blended to capture the distinctive flavors of the grapes to produce a pleasurable wine tasting experience. The tasting room is open to the public Saturdays from noon – 6 p.m. and Monday through Friday by appointment. For a private appointment, call (620) 605-8485 or (620) 820-1704.
Fossil Springs Winery (1), 20171 W. 327th St., Paola – Mark and Christina Allison
Fossil Springs is located atop giant limestone, on a farm in Miami County, Kansas. Through the years, underground springs have carved their paths into these stones, exposing fossils that were deposited centuries ago. One of the things the owners Mark and Christina Allison do on their farm is raising elderberries for their wine. The Elderberry wine is made with 100 percent elderberries, no other fruit is added. The wine is uniquely rich in flavor, aroma, and color.
Haven Pointe Winery (6), 961 E 1600 Rd, Baldwin City – Tom Holland
Located in southeast Douglas County, Haven Pointe Winery reflects the spirit of the Kaw River Valley – rustic, natural and bold. Our mission is to provide a truly unique experience that brings together great wine, good folks, and hands-on viticultural and enological knowledge. Haven Pointe Winery produces both red and white French-American hybrid varietal wines. Our estate-grown varietals include Chambourcin and Traminette. We also make fruit wine as well as a variety of meads. Each of our wines features Kansas-grown grapes, fruits and/or honey.
Ornery Brother Distilling and Milo Vodka (8), Kinsley – Tim Kyle
Ornery Brother Distilling was born out of Tim Kyle’s passion to develop a unique product from white sorghum grain. Over the past two years, he has done just that! The business model is simple: There is one guy and this solid grassroots Kansas product: Milo Vodka! Distilled, bottled, boxed, and out of his door to yours with pride & humility! He believes in using and reusing what is available and simplifying production, with integrity given to the “process”. It is Gluten Free & no sugar added!
Smoky Hill Vineyard and Winery (3), 2771 Centennial Road, Salina – Ken Mayfield
We capture originality for that one-of-a-kind, unique blend crafted to please every palette. We have 5 award winning wines in our collection: Sweet Lady, River Valley Red, Pink Catawba, Christmas Wine and Red Raspberry.  We’ve been producing world-class wines indicative of our region of central Kansas since 1991. (785) 825-8466.
TJ’s Brew Microdistillery (7), 17064 Ness Road, Parsons – Tim Bogner
TJ’s Brew is a handcrafted spirit fashioned by a Southeast Kansas farmer. You can trace TJ’s brewing ancestry back through the moonshine swappers in the prohibition, all the way to his great-great-grandfather who sailed from Germany to America with grapevines in hand. Today TJ aims to make his mark on the industry with a collection of fine spirits. The tasting room is open to the public Saturdays from noon – 6 p.m. and Monday through Friday by appointment. For a private appointment, call (620) 605-8485 or (620) 820-1704.
Wine Drizzle (13), Higginsville, MO – Brandy Wisdom, Sales Consultant
Wine Drizzle is a unique wine topping for a variety of food from pancakes and crepes to cream cheese, sponge or vanilla cake, ice cream, oatmeal or your finger. They can be used as flavorful toppings, glazes, and dips too. There are both sweet and savory varieties!  All of getting Drizzled’s Custom Wine Drizzles are true wine reduction sauces which means they are non-alcoholic due to the cooking process so anyone can enjoy them straight out of the bottle.

 

 

 

 

K-3 Resurfacing Project Starts Next Week

 

The week of July 30 the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) expects to begin resurfacing the roadway on K-3 in Bourbon and Crawford counties.

The mill and asphalt overlay project starts at the K-47 junction and continues north for 15 miles to end at the K-39 south junction. The highway will be resurfaced through the communities of Brazilton and Hepler.

 

Flaggers and a pilot car will direct one-lane traffic through the work zone during daylight hours; expect delays of 15 minutes or less. The project should be completed in two weeks, weather permitting.

 

KDOT awarded the $861,000 construction contract to Shilling Construction Company of Manhattan. Drivers are reminded to watch for the signs and flaggers and to “Give ‘Em a Brake!” in the work zone. Persons with questions may contact KDOT Construction Engineer Bob Gudgen at (620) 308-7621 or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433.

Farmer’s Market Tomato Festival July 28 At Skubitz Plaza

Taste the glossy red fruit tomorrow at the farmers market to see which is your favorite!

Tomatoes for sale at Fort Scott Farmers Market.

The annual Fort Scott Farmers Market Tomato Festival is Saturday, July 28 at Skubitz Plaza, starting at 8 a.m.

The public is welcome to bring in their tomatoes for the contest as well, Stacey Atkins, president of the FSFM said.

“People can sample tomatoes and vote for their favorite,” Atkins said. “It’s always fun to sample the produce.”

Vendor Stacey Atkins chats with a customer July 21 at her booth. Atkins sells eggs, baked goods, and lemonade.
Chet and Linda Bower sell produce from their farm.
Linda Murrow changes the billboard of what she sells as she runs out of produce. Murrow sells produce, baked goods, and lemonade.
Mary Yoder sells baked goods, homemade jellies,  relishes and cherry tomatoes.
Roman Shetler sells produce, honey, maple syrup, relish and produce.
Ronnie Brown sells nuts, jellies, fruit, produce and baked goods.
Micki Kraft sells homemade sewn products.
Chet Bower shows some of his carrots he grew on his farm.

 

WIC Is Electronic

WIC Benefits Now Available by Electronic Benefit Transfer Statewide
Kansas 26th state to implement federally-mandated EBT system, following Shawnee Co. pilot

 

TOPEKA –  The federal Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment serves 30,800 families across the state. Historically, food available through the program could only be acquired at grocery stores utilizing paper checks. However, the federal government now requires states to issue an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to recipients to purchase food benefits.

 

The pilot to test the use of the card launched in September 2017 in Shawnee County. The $3.2 million conversions to eWIC were funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. All states are required to implement EBT WIC programs by Oct. 1, 2020.

 

“This technology project came in on time and within budget,” David Thomason, Kansas WIC Director said. “The alternative to paper checks has been well received by our clients and merchants.”

 

WIC provides participant-centered nutrition education, healthy food and breastfeeding support to low-income families. Once a family qualifies for WIC, they are allotted foods to meet their nutrition needs, through grocery stores, using the EBT card. At the register, the family will first swipe their eWIC card to deduct the cost of approved items. They will then pay for any remaining items with another form of payment. As a fraud deterrent, the EBT card requires a PIN to access benefits.

 

WIC provides services at more than 100 clinic sites throughout Kansas and currently serves approximately 50,200 women, infants, and children under five.

New Gas Line For Uniontown

The city of Uniontown’s Council received a grant to replace the natural gas pipeline in the town.

The Uniontown City Council has been active in recent years to improve the town’s infrastructure.

A project to widen and deepen the town’s ditches to keep water going where it should, a water line replacement project and this year a natural gas line replacement project has been initiated by the council. Uniontown’s population is 272.

The city of Uniontown was awarded $201,000 in 2017 with Community Development Block Grant funds to replace a natural gas transmission line, according to kansascommerce.gov/CivicAlerts.

The city will contribute $201,000 in matching funds for this project.

NPL Foreman Pat Wier, Parker, left, tells USIC employee Mason Adams, Sugar Valley, right, where the pipeline project is, on Tuesday morning. USIC locates electric meters for entities.

The Uniontown project started June 12.

“We are trying to get it done by September 1,” NPL(Northern Pipe Line) Foreman Pat Wier, said. “So far, we are up to date, but we have a lot of work to be done.”

The two-man crew is replacing PVC pipe with PE pipe. The crew is comprised of Wier and Edmundo Rodriguez, Lenexa.

“PE is a federal requirement,” Wier said. “PVC is not recognized anymore. We are laying new pipe in portions of the city where the PVC is.”

The crew worked late into the night on Thursday to get resident Bill Griffith hooked back on to gas after a day spent laying pipe on the town’s southeast side.

“Once started, we couldn’t quit,” Wier said. “There are a few late nights.”

The usual hours for the crew is 7 a.m to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Wier said.

Edmundo Rodriguez, left, an NPL employee, chats with Mason Adams, USIC employee during work on the pipeline just south of Nita Campbell’s property Tuesday morning.

Next for the crew is replacing 3,700 feet of two-inch steel pipe south of town.

“That is exposed,” Wier said. “We’ll be replacing and putting pipe underground for safety.”

Recently, a brush mower in this area ran over the steel riser and “caused a pretty good (gas)leak,” Wier said. “That’s why we are doing all this.”

During the FortScott.Biz interview a Kansas Corporation Commission Inspector, Jon Bolinder, turned up at the work site.

Kansas Corporation Commission Office of Pipeline Safety Inspector Jon Bolinder of Topeka stopped by the Uniontown gas line project Tuesday morning.

Bolinder is with the Office of Pipeline Safety for the KCC, he said.

Bolinder said all projects submit a construction notice to KCC. He was on his way to the Coffeyville area and made a stop in Uniontown to view the project.

“We come out and make sure they are following code when installing,” Bolinder said. He also said it helps him “in my head, when I am doing the paperwork on the project.”

The Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program allows the Kansas Department of Commerce to distribute federal funds to Kansas cities and counties looking to improve their community.

To receive CDBG funds, a project must meet at least one of the following federally mandated criteria, according to the website:

  • The project benefits low- and moderate-income individuals.
  • The project removes or prevents slum or blight condition.
  • The project eliminates an urgent need created by a disaster when local funds are unavailable.

 

 

Barnwood Make and Takes

Participants who created a barn wood craft at Presbyterian Village Tuesday evening: clockwise from left, Sara Black, , Tabitha Stults, Josie Stults, Skye Metcalf, Cindy Lashley, Minnie Lou Allen, Glenda Stevicks, instructor Jennifer Cox. Not pictured is Rachel Kellum and Tamra Elsisle .

Presbyterian Village  hosted a barn wood sign art class at Fort Scott Presbyterian Village on Tuesday, July 24.

Instructor, Jennifer Cox,  demonstrated how to create charming barn wood style signs, using reclaimed weathered wood.

Barn wood craft instructor Jennifer Cox, standing, assists Tamra Belisle with her craft.

Participants were able to take home their creations at the end of the class.

Following the lead of instructor Jennifer Cox, art students used stencils to paint on reclaimed barnwood.

Jennifer Cox is owner of Funky Junktiques and can be reached at  620-215-4646.