Category Archives: Entertainment

Ongoing Revitalization of 110 S. Main Has Target of Fall Completion

Kathy and Tracy Dancer own the former Scottish Rite Temple, 110 S. Main. Submitted photo.
The former Scottish Rite Temple, 110 S. Main, is in a constant stage of revitalization.
Kathy and Tracy Dancer, who purchased the building at a public auction, plan an “ongoing effort to revitalize the building and increase the useable commercial space.  We also want to improve the energy efficiency of the building.”
Terry and Kathy Dancer. Stock photo.
The work will be a combination of restoration and renovation.
“The first project is new signage for the front of the building,” she said.  “We will be removing the blue plastic lettering designating the building as the Scottish Rite Temple and replacing it with a new sign for the cafe and retail store.  We are also installing a new ceiling and lighting in the south half of the building.”
The ceiling is being replaced in the south half of the building. . Submitted photo.
“Because the building is part of the historic district, we are working with the Fort Scott Design Review Board,” she said.  “Any changes to the exterior of a building in the historic district including painting, windows, and signage must go through the Design Review Board.  They have been very helpful during this process and a great source of feedback for our plans.”
Completed mural in the south side of the building by local artist Rudy.Castillo. Submitted photo.
New windows, heating, and air conditioning are coming.
“Next, we will be installing glass windows in archways to restore the storefront appearance,” she said.  “The new windows mean you will be able to see into the cafe and retail store if you are walking or driving down Main Street.”
” We are also adding several new HVAC…  Once HVAC is installed, we will be moving and expanding our retail store into the south portion of the building.  Moving the retail store to the south side of the building will more than double the amount of space we have for the Mercantile and Market store.  The additional space will allow us to add new vendors and craftspeople to the retail store.”
“New HVAC will also be installed for the Speak Easy space we created on the second floor,” she said.  “This will allow us to operate the Speak Easy year round.”
Speakeasy was a term used during Prohibition for drinking establishments and illegal bars,  Dancer said in a prior interview. “They were usually hidden away in a building and sometimes you needed a password to be allowed to enter. Fort Scott had several speakeasies including The Green Lantern, operated by J.D. McClintock.”
On the horizon
“The Speak Easy will reopen in the Fall after we have installed new HVAC.  We plan on being open  two evenings a week for cocktails and light food.  We had an excellent response to our soft opening in the Spring so we are really excited to reopen on a regular basis.  While we wait for reopen, we have been working on the cocktail menu and working with suppliers to provide additional Kansas made wines, beers, and spirits.”
“We will also be hosting another Murder Mystery Dinner in October.  The dinner we hosted this past spring sold out quickly and was very well received.  Tickets for the October show will be available in mid-August.”
 
They are in the process of applying for grants focused on energy efficiency to defray the cost of adding HVAC and energy efficient windows and lighting.
“We might need to adjust the scope of some of the work based on the grant amounts, but we still plan on completing these projects,” she said.
” The new ceiling and lighting for the south half of the building has already started,” she said. “New sign letters for the front of the building have been ordered and should be ready for installation in August.  The HVAC and storefront will take a bit longer since we will be ordering equipment and materials for these projects.”
“We hope to have the work completed by late Fall this year,” Dancer said.
“Our other BIG project is the distillery.  We are in the final stages of the Federal licensing process to open the distillery and then we will file for state licensing.  We do not have a projected opening date yet but we hope to be in production by the end of this year.”
Artist rendition of the new sign at 110 S. Main. Submitted photo.

Care to Share Golf Tournament: Golf, Auction, Raffle, Live Music on July 27

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member

Care to Share “The Sharing Bucket”…

Join Care to Share for a fun filled day while supporting your favorite golfer and Care to Share THIS Saturday, July 27th starting at 7am!

*A Community Smashburger lunch & Brickstreet BBQ Dinner, both requesting a freewill donation!

*Silent and Live Auction Items

*50/50 Raffle

*Live music featuring Vic Vaughan & Souled Out, 6-9pm.

If you like to golf, eat, drink, dance or just want to support Care to Share–this event is FOR YOU!

First round of the tournament starts at 7am, with the second round starting at 1pm!

If you can’t make it and want to donate–click here!

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

First Production of Community Theatre Group: An Immersive Murder Mystery

A group of like-minded Fort Scottians have banded together to do theatre in Bourbon County.
It all started with a social media suggestion.
“Bourbon Co Community Theatre came about based on a suggestion on Facebook for a community theatre in Fort Scott,'” said Angie Bin, who is the public relations person for the group. “Melissa Guns took that suggestion and ran with it, creating a list of interested individuals who met for the first time last summer.”
The group set about organizing.
They created a list of bylaws and a board and established its non-profit status. The current officers are President: Matthew Wells, Secretary: Sandy Abati, Treasurer: Danette Popp, Public Relations: Angie Bin, Production Coordinator: Katie Wells, and At-Large Board Members: Barbara Woodward, Eric Popp, and Regen Wells.

The first production is called  Holy Mother of Bingo! by Patrick Walsh and will be at 7 p.m. on Aug. 2 and 3 in the lobby of the Ellis Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College. 2108 S. Horton.

Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.

“The immersive murder mystery allows audience members to play five full rounds of Bingo with prizes donated by local businesses,” according to a press release from Bin.

“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!” according to the press release.  “‘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 Kansas through theatre.

The production is directed by Angie Bin along with Assistant Director Mark Bergmann. Bin is the drama teacher at Fort Scott High School.

“We wanted our first actual production to be a fun family-friendly show that would generate a lot of interest in the community, but also be a show that our very limited budget could afford,” Bin said.
They formed a committee to select their first production.
“We had a script-reading committee that read many murder mystery-themed plays and decided on Holy Mother of Bingo! as the best choice. It is a brand new play that just recently won the 2024 Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest. We have cast members ranging from elementary school to senior citizens.”
Bin praises the cast.
“Even though we have several adults who are in their very first production ever, this has been a stellar cast to work with,” she said. “Everyone has been so energetic and willing to help out the production of the show in so many ways.”
A live Bingo game will weave through the play.
“Cast members have been very proactive about meeting with local businesses to request donations for prizes for the live Bingo games that take place during the show and we have so many tremendous prizes from a very large number of local businesses,” Bin said.

Notable roles include the character of Father Ron Culpepper played by Ben Self, Sister Helen played by Katie Wells, Marabelle Manson portrayed by Regen Wells, and Detective Quinn played by Bradley Whitehead, she said.

One of the prizes for bingo during the murder mystery: cookies by Bree Spurgeon, owner of B-Licious Cookies LLC. from the theatre groups Facebook page.
The gift basket with a pink gnome is from Flowers by Leanna, another Bingo prize. Submitted photo.
A gift basket from After Effect Salo as a Bingo prize. Submitted photo.

 

Museum of Creativity Will Close For One Month

The Museum of Creativity is about to get even better! We are closing from August 4th to September 5th so that we can update and add attractions.

If you haven’t been in lately, I highly recommend visiting this month to see the new Morphing Mini Golf attraction. We built 3 holes and have many obstacles that you can change to create a new challenge each time you putt.

Our prices have remained low @ $1-$2/ visit for the past 3 years as we’ve been making changes here and there and adding things slowly. After this closure we will be opening up for a $5 entrance fee.
We will be initiating memberships and if you visit once a week they definitely reflect our old price more than the new one. Stay tuned for more information!
Along with this revamp of the museum we are also having a fundraiser. An opportunity for you to become a permanent part of the museum. We are building a picket fence at the museum and you can get your name, a grandchild’s, a business or even a pet’s name put onto a picket. We are asking for a $50 donation for up to 20 characters (including spaces). Our goal is to get at least 100 of these sold by the end of July. You can purchase them here:
You can use this link:
museumofcreativity.ludus.com
to subscribe to our email list and donate to a specific project, improvement or just in general. We are dedicated to using your money wisely to improve the museum for all to enjoy. Now is the time that you can make a huge difference!
We appreciate any and all help this next month as we prepare for this huge update. If you would like to donate time or labor, we would love to include you in our plans. Just reply to this email or shoot us a text. We have never paid employees to manage or improve the museum. Everything we do is through volunteer service. Any and all help is very much appreciated. Here is a list of some of the different projects we are hoping to tackle as part of this revamp:
We hope you will come visit us this month and that you will join us for our grand opening event in September to see all the new changes! (flyers attached below)
As always, please help us spread the word!
Thank you for your support!
Lorina Bowman


Museum of Creativity
209-204-9743

102 S. National Ave

Fort Scott, KS  66701

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.