Category Archives: Entertainment

The SEKnFind Newsletter July 2024

We hope you enjoy this newsletter sent as a courtesy to adult patrons of a southeast Kansas library using the SEKnFind catalog.
This selection of titles are NEW at a SEKnFind library and available for a hold.
Need assistance? Your local librarian can show you how!
Happy Reading!

New Fiction

Bear : a novel
by Julia Phillips

Trapped on a remote Washington island with their dreams out of reach, two sisters clash when a mysterious bear arrives swimming in the channel, forcing them to confront their conflicting desires for escape and connection

The god of the woods
by Liz Moore

In 1975, when a camp counselor discovers the 13-year-old daughter of the summer camp’s owners has disappeared just like her brother 14 years earlier, a panicked search begins as the secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow are revealed.

Broiler
by Eli Cranor

From the nationally bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of Don’t Know Tough and Ozark Dogs comes another edge-of-your-seat noir thriller that exposes the dark, bloody heart of life on the margins in the American South and the bleak underside of a bygone American Dream

The summer of keeping secrets
by Jill Lynn

While cleaning out the family home in Dillon, Colorado, Marin and her two adult children, free-spirited Slade and strait-laced Reed, when secrets are revealed from both the past and present, must decide if these revelations will tear them apart or piece them back together. Original.

Big in Sweden : a novel
by Sally Franson

Paulie Johansson auditions for a reality tv show where Swedish-American compete to win a reunion with their relatives and discovers through increasingly absurd challenges how to embrace her heritage, find love and a newfound sense of self.

Let the games begin
by Rufaro Faith Mazarura

Interning at the 2024 Summer Games in Athens, Olivia, when she meets Zeke, the heartthrob runner of Team Great Britain, finds things heating up as they become close, but when the competition gets fierce, she must decide if their relationship is strong enough to cross the finish line. Original.

Only One Survives
by Hannah Mary McKinnon

Drummer Vienna Taylor, when her band’s bus careens off an icy mountain road during a blizzard, stranding them in a nearby abandoned cabin, finds her dreams turning into a terrifying nightmare, as, one by one, her fellow band members meet a gruesome end?—?and her best friend vanishes in the night. Original.

The spellshop
by Sarah Beth Durst

When the Great Library of Alyssium goes up in flames, introverted librarian Kiela and her sentient spider plant flee to the faraway island of her childhood where she opens a spell shop to restore the island’s power, coming out of her shell to make a new life for herself.

All this and more : a novel
by Peng Shepherd

A divorced, middle-aged woman full of regrets is selected for a reality show that uses quantum technology to allow contestants to relive and revise their pasts but she discovers that changing everything doesn’t necessarily bring her happiness.

Shanghai : a novel
by Joseph Kanon

After escaping the Gestapo, Daniel Lohr arrives in Shanghai, where glamor and squalor exist side-by-side, and as he tries to navigate through his uncle’s world in the city’s fabled nightlife, he tries to stay one step ahead of murder and outrun his own past.

Wolf at the table : a novel
by Adam Rapp

A Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-finalist playwright presents a harrowing multigenerational saga about a family harboring a serial killer in their midst.

The heart in winter : a novel
by Kevin Barry

In 1891 Montana, Tom Rourke, a young poet and ballad-maker, and Polly Gillspie, the new bride of an extremely devout mine captain, falling madly in love, strike out west on a stolen horse, but with a posse of deranged gunmen in hot pursuit, the choices they make will haunt them forever.

New Audiobooks

The summer pact : a novel
by Emily Giffin

Ten years after they made a pact, promising to always be there for each other in their times of need, Hannah, when one of the happiest moments of her life is suddenly turned upside down, calls on her closest friends, and together, they embark on a shared journey of self-discovery, forgiveness and acceptance. Simultaneous.

Shelterwood
by Lisa Wingate

In 1990 Oklahoma, Valerie, a Law Enforcement Ranger reporting for duty at Horsethief Trail National Park, is immediately faced with the long-hidden burial site of three children, and working with the neighboring Choctaw Tribal Police, unearths old secrets and the tragic and deadly history of the land itself.

Familiaris
by David Wroblewski

It is spring 1919, and John Sawtelle’s imagination has gotten him into trouble, again. Now John and his newlywed wife, Mary, along with their two best friends and their three dogs, are setting off for Wisconsin’s northwoods, where they hope to make a fresh start, and, with a little luck, discover what it takes to live a life of meaning, purpose and adventure. But the place they are headed for is far stranger and more perilous than they realize, and it will take all their ingenuity, along with a few new friends, to realize their dreams.

New Nonfiction

Three Kings : Race, Class, and the Barrier-breaking Rivals Who Launched the Modern Olympic Age
by Todd Balf

The first globally broadcast swim match, the one-hundred-meter at the 1924 Olympics, saw three great swimmers shatter records and invite unprecedented scrutiny about race, class, and celebrity. This book traces the careers and rivalries of these men and the epochal times they lived in.

Right thing, right now : good values, good character, good deeds
by Ryan Holiday

Drawing on fascinating stories of historical figures such as Marcus Aurelius, Florence Nightingale, Ghandi and Frederick Douglass, one of the world’s bestselling living philosophers teaches readers the transformational power of living by a moral code—to do what’s right even when it isn’t easy.

Ruin their crops on the ground : the politics of food in the United States, from the Trail of Tears to school lunch
by Andrea Freeman

Based on 15 years of research to argue American food law and policy have historically been used to create and maintain racial and cultural inequality, the author, who pioneered the term“food oppression,” shows how these practices continue to this day, upending the notion that we freely and equally choose what we eat.

The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2025 : Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes
by Gen Tanabe

This #1 selling scholarship guide from winners of more than $100,000 in scholarships provides information on 1.5 million scholarships, grants and prizes along with guidance for students and parents to complete the application process, including eligibility requirements, sponsor website listings, award amounts, deadlines and more. Original.

The secret history of sharks : the rise of the ocean’s most fearsome predators
by John A. Long

A world-leading paleontologist on the cutting edge of shark research for decades showcases the global search to discover sharks’ secret history, from ancient megalodons to fearsome Great Whites, as he and dozens of other extraordinary scientists embark on digs to all seven continents where they find clues to sharks’ singular story. Illustrations.

The chair and the valley : a memoir of trauma, healing, and the outdoors
by Banning Lyon

In this no-holds-barred story about healing from trauma and starting over, the author recounts how he was forced to stay in a psychiatric hospital for 353 life-altering days, and after years of highs and lows, found hope in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park where he discovered a new purpose.

Dinner Tonight : Simple Meals Full of Mediterranean Flavor
by Meliz Berg

Inspired by her Turkish-Cypriot heritage, a self-taught cook and recipe developer follows up her best-selling cookbook with a second collection of quick and nourishing meals including One-Pot Orzo, Leftover Hummus Soup, Cheater’s Lahmacun Pide Pockets and Tavuk Kebab Curry. Illustrations.

Crochet monsters
by Megan Lapp

A mix and match guide to crocheting adorable monsters with interchangeab

Bourbon County Community Theatre Performs Holy Mother of Bingo!

 

The newly formed Bourbon County Community Theatre performs its first production – Holy Mother of Bingo! by Patrick Walsh.

 

Performances are at 7 p.m. on Aug. 2 and 3 in the lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College. The immersive murder mystery allows audience members to play five full rounds of Bingo with prizes donated by local businesses.

 

Pioneer Drama describes the show this way, “An innocent bingo fundraiser at the Our Mother of Mercy church goes awry when parishioners mysteriously drop dead!  The evidence suggests well-calculated murders, but who is to blame?  Tensions rise as everyone begins identifying suspects.  Past feuds rear their heads as the members of the parish try to state their innocence one by one.  Who could be behind the elaborate spree?  The disgruntled choir director?  The magician turned youth minister?  The ex-convict that has recently turned to the power of prayer?  It couldn’t be one of the Cookie Cadets selling their beloved cookies!  Everyone’s a suspect…  even the audience in the zany comedy that takes interactive theatre to a whole new level!”

 

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for children and Senior Citizens. A purchase of an entire table of 7 or 8 gives audience members a discount of $2 on each adult ticket. Tickets are at bcct.ludus.com, at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, or at the door, but seating is limited and advance purchase is suggested.

 

More information can be found on the Bourbon County Community Theatre Facebook page. BBCO Community Theatre, LLC is a non-profit community organization formed last year whose mission is to bring education, community, and culture to southeast KS through threatre.

 

The production is directed by Angie Bin along with Assistant Director Mark Bergmann.

The Friday Free Concert: The Hemphill Family Band

This Friday evening, July 19, at 7 p.m. the Hemphill Family Band will perform for the Chamber of Commerce concert series.

The band plays a variety of music and will highlight music of some specific country performers such as Bob Wills and Merle Haggard. Performing in the band will be Jack Hemphill on keyboard, Sandy Hemphill on fiddle and keyboard, Brad Hemphill on guitar, and Kristen Hemphill Weeks playing percussion.

In addition, Floyd Feezell will perform a song accompanied by Ralph Carlson. The hour-long program will occur at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main Street in Fort Scott.

Ralph Carlson, Event Coordinator, suggests that because of limited seating, audience members bring a lawn chair.

Patio Concert at the Liberty Theater on July 20

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member

Bourbon County Arts Council…

Bourbon County Arts Council is excited to announce our third Patio Concert for the 2024 season!

Details are as follows:

“Flagship Romance”

Liberty Theatre Patio

Saturday, July 20th

(Please refer to the attached flyer.)

Crooners will be closed in the month of July.

Jared graciously agreed to provide “BAR SERVICE” the evening of the patio concert.

      Jonny O’s Food Truck – Nashville Hot Chicken & Burgers will be parked in front of Crooners.

      Please support them by choosing them as your dinner option.

If you would like to purchase tickets, please text Terri Floyd at 620-224-7221 or Deb Anderson at 620-224-8650

(Do NOT respond via this email to reserve tickets.)

Reservations are REQUIRED.  If you are interested in purchasing tickets, do not delay.

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 

Free Friday Night Concert: Backside of the Moon on July 12

On Friday evening, July 12, the band Backside of the Moon will perform for the Chamber of Commerce concert series.

The band plays a variety of music and includes some comedy in their
performance. Members of Backside of the Moon are Larry Snow, Judy Snow, Don Brubaker, and Pat Briant.

This is a very talented group which is based in Mound City. The concert at the pavilion park begins at 7 p.m.

Because seating is limited, you are encouraged to bring a lawn
chair.

Free Friday Night Concerts are sponsored by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce and coordinated by Ralph Carlson. The event is usually at First and Main Streets, Fort Scott. In case of inclement weather, the event is moved to indoor venues. This photo is from 2019.

In case of hot or rainy weather, the concert will be held at the Common Ground Coffee Shop.

Events for Independence Day 2024 Celebrations Are Gearing Up

Horton Street will be lined with spectators for the fireworks display on July 6 which is scheduled for 9:45 p.m.

It’s that time of year again, the mid-point of summer, the time when local gardens are producing abundant food and Fourth of July activities begin.

Firework sales in Fort Scott started on June 27 and end on July 4, according to Fort Scott Police Chief Jason Pickert.

“Fireworks can be discharged within the city limits from June 27th to July 2nd from 7 am to 10 pm. On July 3rd and 4th, they can be discharged from 7 am to midnight. Shooting fireworks outside of these dates could result in being ticketed and fined,” he said.

Pickert provided a list of where fireworks cannot be discharged.

  • Within one thousand feet of a hospital.
  • Within fifty feet of a location where fireworks are sold.
  • Within one hundred feet from any gas pump, filling station or bulk fuel storage facility.
  • Any community college campus or surrounding grounds.
  • Bourbon County Fairgrounds.
  • Any city-owned parks
  • And on from 18th Street to 23rd Street during the city’s fireworks display.

“The city fireworks display will still be held at the college campus,” Pickert said.   “As in years past, parking will be allowed on Horton. It can get congested so if you are driving through the area go slow and look for pedestrians.”

Uniontown’s Independence Day Bash-July 3

Fireworks over the Union State Bank, Uniontown, 2019. Submitted by Amy Holt.

Union State Bank is sponsoring the 19th Annual Independence Day Bash on Wednesday, July 3rd in the Uniontown City Park.

“The bank employees plan the event and will hand out free hotdogs, chips and water beginning at 7 pm that evening,” said Amy Holt, Loan Administration Vice President.

“Live music will also begin at 7 pm with the band Neighborhood Radio from La Cygne, Kansas performing,” she said.  “As in years past we will have Inflatable jump houses and The Selfie Bar for people to enjoy.”

Food trucks will be available to serve carnival food and ice cream for purchase.

“We are open for any organizations or clubs looking for a fundraiser opportunity to set up in the park as well,” she saidl  Contact Amy Holt during business hours at 620-756-4305 or by email at [email protected] if  interested.

Fireworks will begin at dusk after 9:30 pm. Personal fireworks are discouraged near the event as a safety precaution.

Neighborhood 4th Of July Parade on Burke Street

The Burke Street Parade in 2020. Margaret and Merl Humphrey and granddaughter Meg Norman. Submitted photo.

An annual neighborhood parade on Fort Scott’s “Tower Hill,” better known as Burke Street on the Fourth of July will begin at 10 a.m. at 10th and Burke Street. The whole town is invited to wear patriotic clothing and enjoy the parade.

Fort Scott  Fireworks Event

Fireworks will be at FSCC once again but will be on July 6 this year, in conjunction with a rodeo at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds.

The community is invited to enjoy the rodeo then view the fireworks.

City Manager Brad Matkin and Bourbon County Fair Board Member Stewart Gulager had discussions in April to have the fireworks be in conjunction with the International Professional Rodeo Assn.  The event is also co-approved by the American Cowboy Assn.

“The rodeo is July 5 and 6, Friday and Saturday night, starting at 8 p.m. each evening,” Gulager said. “I asked if he could do the fireworks at the end of the last performance.”

Tickets are $17 at the gate for adults, $10 for kids 6-10 years old and free for kids five and under. A beer garden is available.

At the rodeo, there will be mutton busting and a calf scramble for the youth and nine events for cowboys and cowgirls involving roping, riding, racing, and wrestling rodeo animals.

Photo submitted by Josh Jones.

The fireworks will be shot off from the Fort Scott Community College softball field on the west side of the campus.

Premier Pyrotechnics, Richland, MO, will have a shooting crew, said Shaunn Pytlowany a licensed shooter and operator.

“There will be a 360-degree viewing angle,” he said, with the height over 150 feet in the air.

Submitted by Shaunn Pytlowany.

 

 

 

 

Live Music and Shrimp: June 29 at The Downtown Community Pavilion

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, but for Fort Scottians,  the Mardi Gras party is on Saturday, June 29.

Mardi Gras In The Fort will be in the new Gathering Square Pavilion at North National Avenue and Old Fort Blvd. starting at 5:30 p.m.

“The City of Fort Scott is really trying to think of different things to get citizens to come out and enjoy our city, our venues, and other citizens,” Brad Matkin, Fort Scott City Manager, said. “We feel if we can continue to do positive things while working on the negative things, our city will be a better place to live and grow our families.”

Brad Matkin. Submitted photo.

Care to Share, a local organization that helps cancer survivors and their families,  will be offering a “free-will” donation shrimp (and no shrimp) gumbo and boil starting at 5:30 p.m. Local downtown restaurants will be open for your dining enjoyment, as well.

The Care to Share group had a silent auction and bake sale at the pavilion at Riverfront Park. in 2023.

Live music will start at 6:00 p.m. Two Lane Highway and the Earnest James Zydeco Band will entertain the crowd.

“We will have limited tables and chairs for seating, so everyone is encouraged to bring lawn chairs.,” Matkin said.

The Gathering Square  Pavilion is on North National Avenue and Old Fort Blvd.

Join Fort Scott NHS for the Sights and Sounds of American Independence

Fort Scott, Kan. – Celebrate American independence with the sounds of cannon fire and immersion in America’s history while honoring the men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation.

 

On Thursday, July 4th, we will fire artillery, lead Fort tours, and honor all those who have fought for our freedom with a 21 gun salute.

 

THURSDAY, JULY 4

9 a.m. – Artillery Demonstration

10 a.m. – Ranger Guided Tour of the Fort

11 a.m. – Artillery Demonstration

1 p.m. – Ranger Guided Tour of the Fort

2 p.m. – Artillery Demonstration

3 p.m. – Small Arms (musket) Demonstration/ 21 gun salute to our nation

 

Visitors and community members are reminded that fireworks are not permitted on the grounds of Fort Scott National Historic Site.

 

Park buildings will be open from 8:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. July 4th, but the bookstore will be closed. 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.

 

 

A Long-Standing Neighborhood Tradition: 42nd Annual Burke Street 4th of July Parade

Submitted photo.

 Come One, Come All, Let Freedom Ring!  It is once again time to celebrate U.S.A.’s 248th Independence Day with a neighborhood parade on Fort Scott’s “Tower Hill,” better known as Burke Street on the Fourth of July.

Submitted photo. Burke Street 4th of July Parade.

Following patriotic songs by “Kids on Burke” led by two of the parade founders:  Jill Gorman and Susan Foster; the parade will depart at 10:00 AM from Tenth and Burke going south around the Marblecrest Triangle and returning north to the point of origin.  Cheering spectators, who are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and dress in red, white, and blue, will line the parade route with family and friends.

Post-parade refreshments will be served and ALL ARE WELCOME to the corner of Ninth and Burke.   Neighbors and friends-of-the-parade donate the cookies and drinks are provided by this year’s hosts Matthew and Lisa Cady.

Burke Street 4th of July Parade. Submitted photo.

A severe storm or lightning cancels the parade and there are no large vehicles allowed due to the many children participating in the festivities.

Parade questions can be answered by Margaret Humphrey 620-223-0388 –- 620-224-7388 or Theresa Bahr 620-215-2889.

 

 

2024 Kansas Most Notable Books

The State Library of Kansas Announces the 2024 Kansas Notable Books


TOPEKA
–This year’s list of Kansas Notable Books continues the tradition of celebrating the rich stories and culture of Kansas.

“The 2024 Kansas Notable Books list recognizes 15 books written by Kansans or about Kansas,” said Ray Walling, State Librarian. “ From historical figures like abolitionist James Montgomery, to the remarkably resilient residents of Udall, to people reflecting on grief and personal struggles through poetry, the authors introduce readers to a variety of Kansans. The selections also take readers on a geology field trip across the state, to Kansas City’s Montgall Avenue, into a classroom as seen through the eyes of a child on the autism spectrum, inside a murder mystery, and beyond to other worlds. With something for everyone, I hope all Kansans will visit their local public library to check out these wonderful titles.”

Each year, the Kansas Notable Books list features 15 books, published during the previous calendar year, which are about or set in Kansas, or written by a Kansas author. This year’s selection committee includes representatives of public, university, and regional libraries, academics, and writers.

Kansas Notable Books authors will be awarded their medals at the Kansas Book Festival on September 27 at Washburn University.

Kansas Notable Books is a project of the Kansas Center for the Book, a program at the State Library of Kansas which is the state affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. The mission of the Kansas Center for the Book is to highlight the state’s literary heritage and foster an interest in books, reading, and libraries.

For more information or questions about Kansas Notable Books program, visit kslib.info/notablebooks or contact the State Library of Kansas at 785-296-3296 or email [email protected].

2024 Kansas Notable Books

Abolitionist of the Most Dangerous Kind: James Montgomery and His War on Slavery, by Todd Mildfelt and David Schafer, University of Oklahoma Press

Daughter of Chaos, by Sarah Edgerton (Tonganoxie), Elizabeth Hawk Publishing

Doomed by Blooms, by Anna St. John (Haysville), Level Best Books

Grief Said “Have a Seat”, by Amanda G. Elsbury (Wichita), Elite Publications

Henry, Like Always, by Jenn Bailey (Leawood), Chronicle Books

I’ve Been Fighting This War Within Myself, by Antonio Sanchez-Day (Topeka) and edited by Brian Daldorph (Lawrence), Meadowlark Poetry Press

Into the Sunset: Emmett Dalton and the End of the Dalton Gang, by Ian Shaw, University Press of Kansas

The Jayhawk: The Story of the University of Kansas’s Beloved Mascot, by Rebecca Ozier Schulte (Lawrence), University Press of Kansas

Kansas City’s Montgall Avenue: Black Leaders and the Street They Called Home, by Margie Carr (Lawrence), University Press of Kansas

Orion O’Brien and the Spirit of Quindaro, by Fran Borin (Mission Hills), Mission Point Press

Proclaiming the Good News: Mennonite Women’s Voices, 1972-2006, by Lois Y. Barrett and Dorothy Nickel Friesen, Institute of Mennonite Studies

Red Rabbit, by Alex Grecian (Topeka), Tor Nightfire

Roadside Geology of Kansas, by James S Aber (Emporia), Susan E. W. Aber (Emporia), and Michael J. Everhart (Derby), Mountain Press

We’re Safe When We’re Alone, by Nghiem Tran (Wichita), Coffee House Press

Without Warning: The Tornado of Udall, Kansas, by Jim Minick, Bison Books

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