The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces the annual Christmas Parade will be held Tuesday, December 7, 2021 in Downtown Fort Scott starting at 6pm.
The Chamber is excited to announce a new and longer parade route to allow for more distancing and more parade time.
The parade route will start at Wall & National, go south to 3rd St., turn left to Main St., then north on Main to Skubitz Plaza where the parade will end at the Mayor’s Christmas Tree.
The parade theme this year will be “March Into Christmas!”
The Chamber is calling all participants including businesses, schools, organizations, and individuals to enter the parade.
There is no cost to register a float, golf cart, foot unit, band, horse unit, car, or other entry.
The parade is being sponsored by Briggs Auto and cash prizes will be awarded for overall 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place entries.
Entries may be made online at fortscott.com under the events tab, or by picking up a form at the Chamber office, 231 E. Wall Street.
Entry deadline is Monday, December 6th at 1pm.
Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that reservations are now being taken for the 2021 Dolly Hollyday Christmas Light Trolley Tours. The 50-minute tour is a fun outing for families, friends, or co-workers to see the most festive Christmas lights in Fort Scott.
Tours will run nightly from Friday, December 10th through Thursday, December 23rd, except for no tours on Saturday, December 11th or 18th as those dates the trolley will be used for the Christmas in Gunn Park event.
There will be two tours each evening at 5:45 and 7 pm.
The cost of tour is $8 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under or the whole trolley may be booked for $125, seating up to twenty-two passengers.
Those taking the tour are invited to arrive at the Chamber early for complimentary cookies, hot cocoa, and glow necklaces for the ride.
Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for more information at 620-223-3566 or visit fortscott.com.
The Fort Scott City Commission has an opening on the Airport Advisory Board
The function of the Airport Advisory Board is to advise the City Manager and City Commissioners on matters pertaining to the continued growth and improvement of the airport. Their recommendations are given to the City Commission for final approval.
If you have a desire to serve on this Board and meet the above requirements, please submit a letter of interest to the City Clerk, Diane Clay, 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. She will then submit your letter of interest for consideration by the City Commission. All of the boards and commissions serve on a volunteer basis and are not compensated. If you would like more information on any boards, please contact Diane Clay, City Clerk at 620-223-0550 or [email protected]. Please submit your letter of interest by December 10th, 2021.
After ten and one-half years and coordinating 107,000 meals, Jean Tucker is stepping down from Feeding Families In His Name.
The ministry provides food to anyone on Wednesday evenings at the First United Methodist Church, Third Street and National Avenue, and Tucker has been the coordinator since its beginning.
The meal is provided for free to all who would like it.
“It’s for anybody,” Tucker said. “We’ve had new families drive through every week. It’s a free meal for the community.”
“Recently we have had caregivers who are worn down, and this (meal) is such a relief,” she said. “It’s for anyone who wants a warm home-cooked meal.”
The last meal that Tucker will coordinate is December 8.
That is 80th Tucker’s birthday.
“I am giving myself a birthday present,” she said. “That doesn’t mean I won’t have anything to do with the meal, I just won’t be responsible.”
“I ask that if you have any questions or contributions for Feeding Families In His Name that you contact the church office at 620.223.1950,” Tucker said. “The church secretary will direct your call to the appropriate person.”
Pastor Christopher Eshelman, Tom Braker and Bonnie Milburn have agreed to coordinate after Dec. 8, Tucker said.
Joey Beerbower will be in charge of the paper goods and Tom Coyan will be in charge of the kitchen and the commodities.
Over ten years ago Braker, along with Doug Altic saw a need to help families stretch their food budgets, she said. “Koyle Link, Don Tucker, Deborah Wood, Tom Braker and myself were on the original committee.”
“They went to the pastor at the time, Paul Babcock, then they called an emergency meeting and the administration board voted and approved unanimously to start the program,” Tucker said. “They were the impetus.”
“This has been God’s doing,” Tucker said. “We provide this meal because of God’s love.”
The first meal served 45 people, including the volunteer helpers, now 300 to 350 people being served on Wednesday evenings.
“We started to-go meals in March 2020 because of the pandemic and the numbers increased,” she said. “We don’t think we could go back to getting that many in our church basement.”
Several organizations cook for the meals.
The first Wednesday of each month, the St. Martin’s Academy students cook; on the second Wednesday, Community Christian Church and First United Methodist alternate cooking; on the third week, a Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene small group cook; on the fourth week, the Presbyterian Church cooks and on any fifth Wednesday, the Pioneer Kiwanis Club cooks. Fulton United Methodist Church cooks to fill in when others can’t, she said.
“Every week 15-20 people bake desserts for us,” she said.
Tucker said she is retiring because she is weary of the weekly repsoniblity, but is confident the ministry will continue.
Feeding Families in His Name offers a meal to Fort Scottians each Wednesday evening.
First United Methodist Church at Third Street and National Avenue, Fort Scott.
The City Commission will meet for a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 24th, 2021 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will meet to accept the resignation of a City Commissioner and then go into Executive Session to discuss non-elected personnel in K.S.A. 75-4319(b)(1).
This meeting is open to the public, but the Executive Session is not.
The Artificers 5th Annual Christmas Show, a new artshow to Fort Scott this year, is Friday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 119 S. Main.
“Once a year Trent and I create Christmas and holiday-themed (art) work,” Kate Freeman said. “We invite some artists’ friends to share their offerings as well.”
The Freeman’s, from the Kansas City area, purchased the building north of the radio station 8 North National Avenue in Fort Scott and were renovating it, but had a few setbacks, Kate said.
“Jared Leek, the owner of Front Door Realty, was kind enough to give our show a home when we weren’t able to open our studio in time for our annual show,” Kate said. “We were hoping to be open for business, but due to some setbacks our space isn’t finished.”
This year seven artists are participating in this event.
“I hand-picked them for their craftsmanship and diverse mediums,” she said. “There is sure to be something special for everyone on your Christmas list!”
The artists include Trent and Kate Freeman, in the medium of sculpture: Andrea Latham, Kansas City, Kansas, ceramic pottery; Erin Shevling, Edwardsville, Kansas, functional pottery;
Tim Kienzle, Bonner Springs, Kansas, copper jewelry;
Darrell Williams, Kirksville, Missouri, airbrush art; and
Julie Snitker, Kansas City, Missouri, mixed media collage.
Some of the artists work:
The Artificers studio is progressing on National Avenue.
“Slowly but surely,” she said. “There is progress on all fronts, it just feels like a snail’s pace when we are so excited to share our space and art with our new community.”
Below is a link to sign up for updates and emails for classes and events.
This newsletter about new books is distributed to people who are registered adult users at a southeast Kansas library participating in the SEKnFind catalog. We hope you find it useful, but if you don’t wish to receive this anymore, you can click on the “Manage Subscriptions or Unsubscribe” link at the bottom.
All the books included in this newsletter are new additions in one or more SEKnFind libraries–and since the catalog is shared, that means they are available to you whether they are in your local library or not! Just place a hold on the item(s) you want. If you don’t know how, your librarian can show you.
New Fiction
The neighbor’s secret
by L. Alison HellerWhen late-night acts of vandalism target the women of the Cottonwood Book Club in increasingly violent and personal ways, they are forced to decide just how far they will go to keep their secrets and protect their children—even if it means someone has to die. 75,000 first printing.
Sleigh bells ring
by RaeAnne ThayneWhen Tate Sheridan unexpectedly returns home to Angel’s View Ranch, caretaker Annie McCade is shocked when he lets her to stay in exchange for posing as his long-lost love to keep his busybody matchmaking grandmother off his back—a ruse that leads to something more. 10,000 first printing.
When two feathers fell from the sky
by Margaret Verble”Louise Erdrich meets Karen Russell in this deliciously strange and daringly original novel from Pulitzer Prize finalist Margaret Verble: set in 1926 Nashville, it follows a death-defying young Cherokee horse-diver who, with her companions from the Glendale Park Zoo, must get to the bottom of a mystery that spans centuries”
56 days
by Catherine Ryan Howard”No one even knew they were together. Now one of them is dead. 56 DAYS AGO. Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the same week COVID-19 reaches Irish shores. 35 DAYS AGO. When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests they move in together. Ciara sees a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends. Oliver sees a chance to hide who-and what-he really is. TODAY. Detectives arrive at Oliver’s apartment to discover a decomposing body inside. Can they determine what really happened, or has lockdown created an opportunity for someone to commit the perfect crime?”
Riverbend Gap
by Denise HunterMoving to a small North Carolina town to be near her new boyfriend, Katelyn Loveland, after a chance encounter, finds herself falling in love with local sheriff’s deputy Cooper Robinson—her boyfriend’s brother—and stands to lose everything. Original.
A flicker of light
by Katie PownerWidower Mitch Jensen is at a loss with how to handle his mother’s odd, forgetful behaviors and his daughter’s sudden return, but when his mother reveals a long-held secret about her past, their lives will never be the same. Original.
These bones
by Kayla Chenault”In a neighborhood known as the Bramble Patch, the Lyons family endures despite poverty, racism, and the ghoulish appetites of an underworld kingpin called the Barghest. As the years pass and the neighborhood falls into decay, along with the town that surrounds it, what’s left of the Bramble Patch will learn the saying is true: These bones are gonna rise again”
Trashlands
by Alison StinePlucking plastic, which is now currency, from rivers and fields to sell or trade, artist Coral is forced to dance at Trashlands to recoup her savings in an attempt to rescue her son from the recycling factories, in this love story to survival in an unloved place. 50,000 first printing.
The body scout : a novel
by Lincoln Michel”Kobo has some problems. His cybernetics are a decade out of date, he’s got a pair of twin sister loan sharks knocking on his door, and his work scouting for a baseball league run by pharmaceutical companies is about to go belly-up. Things couldn’t get much worse. Then his childhood best friend–Monsanto Mets slugger J.J. Zunz–is murdered at home plate. Determined to find the killer, Kobo plunges into the dark corners and glittering cloud condos of a world ravaged by climate change and repeat pandemics,and where genetic editing and advanced drugs mean you can have any body you want–as long as you can afford it. But even among the philosophical Neanderthals, zootech weapons, and genetically modified CEOs, there’s a curveball he never could have called”
Hyde
by Craig RussellThe chief detective of Edinburgh in Victorian Scotland is shocked and appalled when he finds himself at the scene of a grisly murder, with no idea how he got there in this reimagining of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Down range : a novel
by Taylor MooreAn elite, undercover DEA officer helps out a formerly-peaceful ranching community in Texas who are under assault by a group of criminals controlled by a rich, entitled businessmen with ties to law enforcement and local businesses. 100,000 first printing.
Winter wolves
by Matthew P. Mayo””One man’s quest to lose himself in the West.” Roamer’s long-planned winter snowshoe trek to the high, lonesome peaks of the Bitterroots takes a hard turn when the big loner of a woodsman finds his mentor, cantankerous mountain man Maple Jack, savaged, terrorized, and raving about the Alooknok, blood-eyed demons who absconded with his cold-weather mate, Winter Woman, a no-nonsense healer and midwife. It’s up to Roamer to rescue her. He takes to the trail in the wake of a blizzard, battling winter-starved timber wolves and the unforgiving elements. Tracking him, the addled Maple Jack falls prey to a trio of greasy wolfers. Then the very demons Roamer seeks find him-and force him deep into the belly of the beast, a foreboding, grim place in the raw mountains where sunlight never shines. A brutal battle among friends, enemies, and Alooknok will seal their fates and haunt the few survivors . . . forever”
New Nonfiction
Around the world in 80 books
by David Damrosch”A transporting and illuminating voyage around the globe, through classic and modern literary works that are in conversation with one another and with the world around them”
The age of AI : and our human future
by Henry KissingerThree leading thinkers put their heads together to explore Artificial Intelligence and how it will change our relationships with knowledge, politics and the societies in which we live. 100,000 first printing.
The book of hope : a survival guide for trying times
by Jane GoodallTold through stories from an extraordinary career and fascinating research, this urgent book, written by the world’s most famous living naturalist and an internationally best-selling author, explores one of the most sought after and least understood elements of human nature—hope. 300,000 first printing.
Frequently asked questions about the universe
by Jorge ChamYou’ve got questions: about space, time, gravity, and your odds of meeting your older self inside a wormhole, and all the answers you need are right here. Illustrations.
Immune : A Journey into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive
by Philipp DettmerThe creator of a popular educational YouTube channel presents and illustrated journey through the human body’s immune system, with each chapter focusing on an element including defenses like antibodies and inflammation as well as threats like bacteria, allergies and cancer. Illustrations.
Gastro obscura : a food adventurer’s guide
by Cecily WongThe team behind Atlas Obscura, a friendly tour-guide to the world’s most amazing places, presents incredible ingredients, food adventures and edible wonders from around the world, including Chilean beer made from fog and 2,000-year-old egg ovens. 250,000 first printing. Illustrations.
Pottery for beginners : projects for beautiful ceramic bowls, mugs, vases and more
by Kara Leigh Ford”If you ever daydream about delving into pottery but aren’t sure where to begin, this is your book. Professional potter Kara Leigh Ford will be your personal pottery guide, helping you to overcome any doubts about your abilities. All you need are curiosity and a few simple tools to mold stunning stoneware with confidence. Inspiring projects and primers on equipment, technique, clay types and setting up a workspace make pottery approachable for complete newcomers, as well as budding potters who want to hone their skills. Plus, gorgeous photos from Kara’s studio offer visual guidance every step of the way”
Code name Badass : the true story of Virginia Hall
by Heather DemetriosThis rebellious and revolutionary biography of the most dangerous of all Allied spies follows Virginia Hall as she plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Hitler’s henchman, becoming the Gestapo’s most wanted spy. 30,000 first printing. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations.
Bucket list USA
by Fodor’s TravelA trave guide packed with 500 carefully curated “must” lists to see and do in the United States, including Grand Canyon camping, cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, walking through sunflowers in Kansas and partying at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Original. Illustrations. Maps.
Even more reading suggestions
NextReads Sneak Peek
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Each issue contains around 9 to 10 reading suggestions. If we don’t have a copy, make a purchase suggestion or ask your library about in
Fort Scott–The Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College will celebrate the anniversary of Gordon Parks’ birthday on Tuesday, November 30th with the showing of films by or about Parks throughout the day along with cupcakes for visitors.
The event is free of charge and the public is invited to attend.
The schedule of showings throughout the day will include:
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – “The Learning Tree,” (Filmed in Fort Scott) 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – “Half Past Autumn” 2:30 p.m. –4:30 p.m. – “Solomon Northup’s Odyssey”
Parks, born in Fort Scott on November 30, 1912, would have been 109 this year. He died in March, 2006 at the age of 93. For more information contact the Gordon Parks Museum at 620-223-2700, ext.5850 or by email at [email protected].
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The City of Fort Scott Administrative offices will be closed on Thursday, November 25th and Friday, November 26th, 2021 in observance of the Thanksgiving Day Holiday. The regular offices will reopen on Monday, November 29th, 2021.
The City’s tree and brush dump site located on North Hill will also be closed on Thursday, November 25th, and Saturday, November 27th, 2021 for the Thanksgiving Day holiday. It will be open again on Tuesday, November 30th, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The house at 512 S. Judson has recently been approved for the Kansas State Historical Register.
The current owner, Ronda Hassig, and husband, Rob, moved in in February 2019.
“We are both history teachers and moved from Olathe to Lawrence for retirement,” Ronda said.
They were there for one year when a native of this area and friend, Carmen Streeter Misse, showed her the house.
“We drove right down and bought it outright,” she said. “It was the house we had always dreamed of owning and putting our Victorian antique furniture in.”
It had been up for auction two times since Ken Lunt died, she said.
Ken and his wife, Charlotte, were well-known volunteers in the community. Lunt who was the mayor of Fort Scott died in 2013, Charlotte in 2007.
“Both times (it went up for auction) there was interest from a salvage company in Kansas City,” she said. “We decided to get it on the Kansas Historical Register, once we settled in. Once on the register, it would be protected from such a fate.”
Ronda was a middle school librarian, and is a historical fiction author and “all-around research nerd,” she said and began researching the history of the house.
Ronda Hassig. Taken from the Lowell Milken Center Facebook page.
History of the house
“The Thomas and Anna Herbert house sits at 512 Judson Street, the sign on the house says it was built in 1887, but it was built in 1888,” she said. “Thomas bought the property in 1870 and married Anna in 1873. They waited a while to build the house though.”
“He owned a successful home design business at 2nd and Wall and sold paint, wallpaper, household items from all over the world, and anything dealing with decorating your home,” she said. “He was a painter. In my research, I found that he helped decorate some of the most beautiful homes in Fort Scott.”
The couple had no children and Thomas died in 1913. Anna sold the house in 1917 to a banker, C.D. Sample.
In seeking to be on the register, Hassig thought she could do the architecture piece on the application.
“It became apparent after trying to use the dictionary for every other word when explaining the features of the house, that this was a job for a professional,” she said.
Hassig hired Susan Fort, a preservationist, and architect from Kansas City, Missouri to help her with the application.
On November 13, 2021, she found out the application was approved.
Now it is on the Kansas State Historial Register, but is heading to the U.S. Park Service for approval for the National Register of Places, she said.
“We should know in three to six months,” she said. “Then a plaque will be put on its’ beautiful facade.”
“I hope that Ken and Charlotte Lunt are happy in heaven with the exciting news and won’t mind too terribly that the house will now be called the Thomas and Anna Herbert House,” she said.
