Travis and Jennifer Sawyer and some of their friends came up with a Halloween event that will take place starting this evening at Riverfront Park on Fort Scott’s North National Avenue.
The two-evening event is called the Haunting of Belltown.
“Travis and I and our friends thought up this idea for the community,” Jennifer said. “We did a small hayride last year with our kids and they enjoyed it so we did a haunted hayride last year for the community and was a big hit. Unfortunately insurance for our dealership to host it was going to cost too much so we decided to do it in town.”
Left-right: John Willis, Jerica Roberts, Jennifer Sawyer, Travis Sawyer, Mary Binford, and Josh Binford (not pictured) are the creators of the Haunting of Belltown. Submitted photo.
A haunted walking trail, hayride and Halloween movies await those who come to the Haunting of Belltown.
“The hayride I would say is for all ages and the haunted trail I would say 6th grade and up, but will be best based on parents preference,” Jennifer said.
The event is Oct. 14 and 15 from 7 to 11 p.m. , on the southside of the Marmaton River on North National Avenue.
“It will be the road where Stephen Toal did all the murals under the Hwy. 69 bypass,” Jennifer said. “There will be a hayride, haunted walking trail, Halloween movies will be playing, and we will be selling hot dogs, hot cocoa and other beverages.”
To enter is free but they will be accepting donations.
Ascension Via Christi will be closing its Family Medicine clinic in Fort Scott as of Nov. 11.
On the heels of that closing, Girard Medical Center is planning to reopen its practice in Ascension Via Christi clinic’s current location at 109 S. Main St, which will be staffed by Katrina Burke, MD, the clinic’s current physician provider.
“Our goal when we established the clinic was to ensure Fort Scott residents’ access to primary care services,” says Drew Talbott, president of Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg. “This transition of the clinic to a new owner does that, which is in keeping with our overall goal of using our resources to ensure rural Kansans’ continued access to close-to-home care.”
To receive care at the Fort Scott clinic after Nov. 11, patients will need to call 620-232-0453 to request a transfer of their medical records.
“Our Fort Scott Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department, established almost four years ago when the Fort Scott hospital closed, will continue to provide 24/7 Emergency Care,” says Talbott.
### About Ascension Via Christi In Kansas, Ascension Via Christi operates seven hospitals and 75 other sites of care and employs nearly 6,400 associates. Across the state, Ascension Via Christi provided nearly $89 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty infiscal year 2021. Serving Kansas for more than 135 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the leading non-profit and Catholic health system in the U.S., operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 145 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.ascension.org.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office is sponsoring a women’s self defense class this Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Fort Scott Middle School from 10 a.m. to noon.
“This class is for women 12 years old and older, all the way up to 90,” said Kim Schwab, Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Assistant.
“The instructor is Jill Leiker, Executive Director of The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation,” she said. “She currently holds the rank of a 9th degree black belt, although the techniques taught in this class are not martial arts. They are simple techniques that any woman can learn and execute. She has instructed over 70,000 women in these techniques. She also was the recipient of the 2018 WIN for Kansas City’s Outstanding Woman Award for her positive impact on females, young and old.”
Participants should wear comfortable clothing and shoes, like sweatpants and athletic shoes, because they will be learning techniques of self-defense.
There is a suggested donation of $12 for the class to help defray the cost of presenting the class, however if someone can’t afford to pay the fee, they can still take the class, she said.
The money goes to the Ali Kemp Educational Foundation and was created by a Leawood, KS. man whose daughter was raped and murdered.
History of the Class in Fort Scott
The class in Fort Scott came about when Schwab’s daughter was preparing to go to college.
“Four years ago I approached Sheriff Martin about the possibility of having a self-defense class for my college bound daughter to take. He directed me to The Ali Kemp Educational Foundation as an excellent way to accomplish this to help her and other women in our county be proactive in taking responsibility for their own safety.”
No Class For A Few Years
COVID 19 prevented a class in 2020, she said.
Then this past April 2022, Roger Kemp, creator of the foundation, died suddenly.
“The foundation needed time to regroup after his passing and so we are now scheduled to do it this Saturday, October 15th,” she said.
Stores will be open late from 5 to 8pm with festive offerings such as pumpkin snacks, hot cider, and a chance to win $100 in Chamber Bucks!
Bids & Dibs will have Cotton Candy by free will donation with proceeds going towards Wreaths Across America.
Hedgehog.INK! Book Store will have additional pumpkin activities, too!
Museum of Creativity will have several craft projects of all different types and skill levels including FREE pencil ghosts and a decorate your own cookie for $1.
A fun and festive way to get out and support local while taking in the season! Find some great deals, see what’s new in apparel and holiday decor!
Join us TOMORROW, October 13th for
Fall Fest in Downtown Fort Scott!
Participating stores include:
Angie Dawn’s Boutique
Barbed Wire & Roses Vintage Market
Bids & Dibs
Hedgehog.INK! Book Store
Museum of Creativity Gift Shop
Sunshine Boutique
Treasure Hunt Flea Market
PICK UP A PUMPKIN BINGO CARD,
shown below, at any participating store shown and get it marked by at least 3 stores ~ turn it in at your last store to be entered in a drawing for $100 in Chamber Bucks!
Volunteers are beginning plans for the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony and laying of wreaths at Fort Scott National Cemetery, scheduled for December 17,2022. For anyone not familiar with this annual event, it is held to Remember, Honor and Teach about those who have served us in the military and offered their lives to defend our country.
WE NEED YOUR HELP to sponsor wreaths. “This event is only possible through donations made to sponsor individual wreaths”, says Diann Tucker, Location Project Coordinator. Wreaths cost $15.00 each and donations must be received no later than November 22. We hope you share our feelings of the importance of this project and will support it with your donations. The nearly 7000 graves at Fort Scott National Cemetery are a tribute to the willingness of our military men and women to make the ultimate sacrifice for a cause bigger than oneself and is a mission worth supporting. Your donations are a 501c3 not-for-profit tax deductible. If you have a specific grave to receive and be honored with a wreath, please provide their name with your donation. Without enough financial support, not all graves will receive wreaths.
Please mail your donation of $15.00 per wreath, checks payable to “Wreaths Across America” and send in care of Diann Tucker, 746 215th Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701. If you live in Fort Scott you can drop by Stewart Realty Co., 1707 S. National, to make your donations. We can also accept debit and credit cards. Please contact me if you have any questions (620-224-7054) or email us at wreathsacrossamerica0049@yahoo.com.
We look forward to seeing you on December 17th at Fort Scott National Cemetery for our Annual Wreath-laying Ceremony.
For those of you who have ever wanted to write a book, there is encouragement coming this weekend.
This Saturday, Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to noon, Hedgehog INK a bookstore will have a workshop for aspiring book writers.
It’s a two-part writing seminar with publishing and marketing tips for writers in the morning and then meeting local authors in the afternoon.
Publishing and Marketing a Book
The morning seminar presenter, R.J. Thesman, will speak on best practices for publishing a book and the action steps for effective marketing of a book.
Thesman is a certified writing coach, editor, and author of 20 books and 800+articles in various publications, according to a Hedgehog.INK press release. Thesman’swork is included in 14 anthologies, and she is listed in the Who’s Who of Professional Women.Apopularspeakerandteacherfornumerouswriters conferences, Thesman loves to help her clients birth new words and publish their books.
The event is sponsored by the Bourbon County Arts Council, the Wednesday Writers Group,andHedgehog.INK!Bookstore.
Location for the morning event is at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team office at 104 N. National, Fort Scott, KS.
A 2018 photo of the office of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, 104 N. National, from its Facebook page.
The office is located north of Luther’s restaurant, with public parking available on the east side of National Avenue.Lunch is on your own, with several restaurants within walking distance.
Registration is $40, and junior high, high school and college students are free, but registration is required. Registration forms are available at: Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore 16 S Main, Fort Scott, KS 620–670–2752 [email protected]
Author Book Signing
Local authors will sign and make available their books for sale, which might be a great idea for your Christmas list, according to information from the press release.
In the afternoon there will be multi–author book signing at the Hedgehog.INK bookstore at 16 S. Main from 1:30 to 3 p.m. with featured authors: Brian Allen, Rhonda Hassig, Sally Jadlow, Joyce Love, Rogene McPherson, R.J. Thesman, Jane Tucker and MartiWells–Smith.
Hedgehog.INK, located at 16 S. Main, in historic downtown Fort Scott.
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, October 10, 2022, for their regular monthly meeting at the board office.
President Danny Brown opened the meeting.
The board approved the official agenda, and the consent agenda as follows:
Minutes from September 12, 2022, Board of Education meeting
Corrected minutes to reflect an August 1st date versus August 15th date
Financials – Cash Flow Report
Check Register
Payroll – September 20, 2022 – $1,517,827.10
Activity Fund accounts
FSHS Choir Fundraiser, FSHS Orchestra Fundraiser
FSHS Orchestra Extended Trip
Assistant Superintendent Dalaina Smith updated the board on building consistency among processes in the district, thanked the community and parents for their support of PLCs, and provided an update on curriculum.
Finance Director Gina Shelton reported on the September 20th count day, the ESSER III application to include expansion of the preschool, health insurance renewal, and sanitation devices received.
The board approved the following items:
Approval of quote for student computer cases
Personnel Report – following
The board went into an executive session for personnel matters and the superintendent evaluation process.
President Danny Brown adjourned the meeting.
PERSONNEL REPORT – APPROVED EMPLOYMENT
RESIGNATIONS/TERMINATIONS/RETIREMENTS:
Gordon Harris – Resignation as Eugene Ware/FSPC Custodian, effective Sept. 19, 2022
Stuart Troutman – Resignation as district technology help desk, effective Oct. 14, 2022
Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians May 2019.
This week’s Friday Night Concert will be presented by the First Southern Baptist Church worship team. The quintet is comprised of John Poag, music director, Irene Bradbury, Madison Crippen, Bonnie Freels, and Andrea Poag. The program will feature gospel, praise and worship, and traditional hymns.
“John Poag and his wife moved here from Jacksonville, Florida,” concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “John sings and plays acoustic guitar and leads the worship at church. We appreciate the quintet sharing their love of music with the community. Invite a friend and join us for an evening under the stars.”
The one-hour concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The event is free and open to the public. Dave Oas and Jim Butler provide the sound each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to The Loading Dock at Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
Kathy Dancer stands in front of the Scottish Rite Temple. 110 S. Main, Fort Scott.
Kathy and Tracy Dancer are working to restore the former Scottish Rite Temple building in historic downtown Fort Scott.
“We bought it at the Bourbon County Tax sale in January 2022 for $20,000,” Kathy said. “That’s when we saw the opportunity to purchase it at the sale. We had been trying for years to contact the former owner, who purchased it from the Mason’s.”
The 12,000 square foot building that has been vacant for about 10 years is getting a electric update, Kathy said.
“Kudos to the Masons,” she said. “They took took good care of the building…the water and most of the electric were taken care of.”
The Dancers have plans for a cafe in the area that people might remember as where the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs prepared and served their meals they sold the public as fundraisers.
Even before that recent use, there was a cafe there.
“The Cohen Cafe, before 1948, had a cafe in the space,” she said.
The Dancers plan to have the cafe open for breakfast and lunch service in that same space, possibly in spring 2023. “We are waiting for state approval for construction to begin.”
“We want to focus on locally produced in the region fruits, veggies and meat as much as possible,” she said.
Kathy Dancer stands in front of the current main entrance of the Scottish Rite Temple. After renovation of the building, there will be other entrances and restored large windows.
They are also planning on having a retail incubator.
“We also hope to put a micro-retail space for 6 to 8 businesses in one large section,” she said. “Handcrafted goods: jewelry, popcorn, custom home decor, furniture (for example). With a central check-out. People won’t have to man their space.”
“I need more approvals for this project,” she said. “It will focus on locally produced goods as much as possible.”
She said her husband is working through the process of getting a distillers license. “To have bourbon crafted and aged in Bourbon County,” she said.
“We are starting with the ground floor first, it will take time,” Kathy said. “I’m guestimating five years to complete.”
The beautiful theater in the building is a question mark.
“We don’t know what we are going to do with the theater,” she said.
