Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians May 2019.
This Friday night, May 14th, the Chamber of Commerce Concert series at Heritage Park, will present The Hemphill Family and Friends Band. The group consists of Jack and Sandy Hemphill and their two adult children, Brad Hemphill and Kristen Weeks.
A granddaughter, Piper Weeks, will perform a song. In addition, Floyd Feezell (fee zel’), who is a crowd favorite, will join them for some songs.
The band plays old country songs, old-time rock, gospel, and country standards. Because of limited seating, please bring a lawn chair. The concert begins at 7 PM.
UMB Bank donates $2,000 from its community fund to support Bourbon County CASA. UMB is a proud sponsor and supporter of the local CASA program.
Bourbon County CASA, founded in May 1990, has provided advocates for over 900 local children who are victims of abuse and neglect. This would not be possible without the support of individuals and businesses such as UMB.
On Mother’s Day, we celebrated everything a mother does for her children. Mothers change their children’s diapers, fed them, teach them to walk, take them to school, protect them and so much more.
Sadly, not all children are so lucky to have a mother, or a mother figure, who can and will do these things for them.
When a child is placed in the state’s care because of evidence of abuse and neglect, a judge can appoint a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) to speak up for a child’s best interest by learning everything about the child’s situation. Often the CASA volunteer is the stability a child needs during this frightful time. CASA volunteers advocate for the child’s best interests in court and in the child welfare system when no one else can.
CASA volunteers are regular people — stay-at-home moms, retirees, teachers, business people. They don’t need to be lawyers or social workers. They just need to be willing to speak up for children in need just like a mother would for her child.
“CASA volunteers become that role model because they often are the one constant in a child’s life while he or she is in the foster care system,” said Horn.
You can help break the cycle of abuse from one generation to another. You can model what a good mother looks like by becoming a CASA volunteer or supporting Bourbon County CASA.
The next training class to become a CASA volunteer for Bourbon County CASA is spring 2022. More information can be found at nationalcasagal.org or by emailing [email protected].
The Center for Economic Growth (The Center) is giving individuals, living in a historically impoverished rural community, an opportunity for economic stability and wealth creation. Because of generous donations like these, critical services will continue to be provided to Bourbon County and City of Fort Scott residents and businesses free of charge. The Center provides expertise, business planning, financial projections, training and more with a focus on low to moderate-income, minority, woman-owned, or food-related business.
Economic stability represents an individual’s ability to access resources such as food, housing or healthcare, as well as creating a healthy business culture to help an employer attract and retain talent, reduce absenteeism and turnover, and improve productivity. “Since 2016, we have focused intently on our mission to enhance the quality of life and encourage economic growth in individuals,” Jody Hoener, President and CEO of The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, “Through this collaboration, we are increasing access to employment and entrepreneurship in a population that has lacked upward mobility in employment opportunities and access to capital.”
The Center for Economic Growth has an array of state, regional, and local partnerships that include: The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, PSU Small Business Development Center (PSU SBDC), Southeast KANSASWORKS, Fort Scott Community College, and BAJA Investments. “I am constantly impressed with how well each entity works together,” Dacia Clark, Assistant Director, PSU SBDC says, “This collaboration benefits our clients as a one-stop-shop for services. Because of The Center, Bourbon County is ahead of the pack and significantly contributing to our regional goals.” Through the Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas Grant, The Center has access to even more expertise and resources right at their fingertips.
According to Smart Growth America, in today’s world business growth is driven by collaboration among many types of entities, private companies, universities, and others, that must interact frequently and work together creatively. “UMB is excited to support the creative and innovative efforts of The Center for Economic Growth. We hope that our contribution will make a difference in the lives of individuals in our community.” Crystal Maddox, UMB Senior Vice President-Commercial Lender.
The Center is located in the Historic Downtown Fort Scott in the upstairs of 17 South Main Fort Scott KS. It is a “one-stop-shop” for business, employment, food, telework, and distance learning needs. Current businesses, and those looking to start a business, have a physical location to meet with a person. Additionally, services are available for those seeking employment, developing soft skills (i.e. interviewing), or other job-seeking assistance. Businesses are encouraged and welcome to contact Southeast KANSASWORKS to see how they can connect with those looking for employment.
An overview of services The Center provides Bourbon County:
• WORKERS & FAMILIES:
o Distance Learning and Telework Space
o Unemployment & Job Seeking Assistance
o Increasing Access to Healthy Food
o Building Capacity for Local Food Assistance
• ADDRESSING CHILDCARE:
o Relief in Fulfilling Educational Requirements for Centers
o Incentives for Becoming a Legal Childcare Provider
• BUSINESS TOOLS & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
o Getting Businesses Online via new Websites & Social Media
o Loans & Grants
o Special COVID Programs & Resources
Find us on social media! On Facebook, Instagram and Twitter #healthybbco
Background of The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team:
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team is a Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy
Kansas Community. Its mission is to increase access to healthy food and physical activity,
promote commercial tobacco cessation, enhance quality of life and encourage economic
growth. The problems of health inequity and social injustice are complex in nature and
inextricably linked to key economic indicators. A healthy workforce is a prerequisite for
economic success in any industry and in all cities.
Contact information:
Jody Hoener, President and CEO
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc
620-215-5725 [email protected]
Mary Hunt, Interim Operations Director
Southeast KANSASWorks
Desk: 620-232-1222
Cell: 620-670-0006
Website: www.sekworks.org
Dacia Clark, Assistant Director, PSU SBDC [email protected]
785-445-2537
Lindsay Madison, President and CEO, The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce [email protected]
(620) 223-3566
Fort Scott Aglow Lighthouse welcomes guest speaker, Anna (Toll) Kim, Thursday, May 13th, 2021.
Anna (Toll) Kim was born in Kansas and raised in Fort Scott.
From a young age she loved listening to the stories of missionaries from around the world.
In high school she went on her first overseas mission trip to Ecuador, an experience that influenced her life in many ways.
After graduating from Manhattan Christian College she moved to Asia to work with urban poor.
She made friends who became like family and started a family of her own.
Most recently, she lived in the Philippines and then moved back to Fort Scott to settle down with her family for a time. She loves being outdoors, puzzles, and spending quality time with family. Also, she loves sharing about her adventures in Asia.
Guests are welcome to visit our Lighthouse monthly gathering at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 13th in the conference room of Fort Scott Inn, 101 State Street.
The Fort Scott City Commission will meet on Tuesday May 11th, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas to hold a work session to discuss Lake Fort Scott and the sale of City property. Also discussed will be street improvements. This meeting is open to the public, but no action will be taken.
The work session will also be available on the City’s YouTube channel.
The FSHS Girls Swim team had a busy week competing in Coffeyville on Monday and in Osawatomie on Wednesday night.
“We celebrated our senior swimmers on Monday Night as well, ” Coach Angie Kemmerer said. “Congratulations on a successful senior season: Dawna Hudiburg, Emily Davenport, Anna Gilmore, and Kourtney Flynn. Next week the swimming tigers will finish their regular season meets with the League Championship on Wednesday, May 12th in Osawatomie.”
Here are the results from Coffeyville’s meet:
Team Finished 2nd
200 Medley Relay:
3rd Place – Ashley Smith, Annelise Hall, Alyssa Smith Dawna Hudiburg
Star Emporium Downtown General Store owner Bill Michaud announced the closing of the store after four months on a May 5 post on its Facebook page.
The store is located at 17 S. Main and featured grocery store items and a deli.
The Star Emporium’ was formerly the Kress Store in Downtown Fort Scott. Submitted photo.
Starting today all items in the store will be 20 percent off, then Friday and Saturday-40 % off, then Monday-60 % off.
“It’s an awful feeling for something that I had such high hopes to make a difference in the elevation of the retail climate downtown to be shut down so quickly,” Michaud told fortscott.biz. “The perishable inventory and low sales level pushed us to this.”
Michaud is working on a new chapter of the storefront in downtown Fort Scott, though.
“We certainly hope that Fort Scott comes out and helps us liquidate our inventory this Friday and Saturday,” Michaud said. “We will be closed on Mother’s Day and most of what’s left will be offered for sale at 60% off on Monday.”
“We are very hopeful that all perishable and frozen items are purchased so that we can shut down the refrigeration equipment,” he said. “IF our sale is successful, Monday will be our last day open.”
“We will open the deli and sell sandwiches on Monday to utilize as much deli meat and cheese as possible but the salad bar will not be open.”
“We will keep our regular hours during the sale – 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.,” he said.
What is on the horizon for you at this storefront?
“Since its inception, this project has been about aiding the growth of our downtown, addressing the limited food access in this part of the community, and giving local producers a place to sell products,” Michaud said. ” We’ve done all those things, but we have unfortunately learned that our business model was not financially sustainable.”
“Because this project was funded in large part by the SPARK grant (A COVID-19 relief grant) funding that we received, we have always viewed this as investment in the community, so we have an obligation to figure out a different business model that is sustainable and still helps us with the objectives set forth by that grant program.”
Food Producers Co-Op
“The new model we are working to put together will be more of a producer’s co-op type format,” he said. “We are looking for people who produce products of all types in our region that are looking for a marketplace.”
“We will begin hosting producer meetings soon and form a co-op model together to create that marketplace at the store,” Michaud said. ” There are still more questions than answers on how this will come together but we will navigate the questions together with the producers to create a model that the group feels will be sustainable and beneficial for all involved.”
“We’re getting more community involvement in hopes that we can attract more broad-based support and offer more products that people will go out of their way to buy than was offered in the previous grocery store model.”
Licensed Commercial Kitchen
“Our current deli will become available as a licensed commercial kitchen in which space may be reserved for co-op members, as well as others, to rent in order to produce products that are able to be sold to retailers.”
“Currently there is no licensed commercial kitchen available for use in our community for small quantity producers or that can be used as a food-based business incubator,” Michaud said. “This opportunity will allow someone to start small and develop a base business prior to expanding into a larger space such as a restaurant, bakery, or other food production facility.”
“With great resources in our community such as the Center for Economic Growth on the second floor of the (Star Emporium) store and the Chamber of Commerce E-Community loan program, we hope to continue to pursue the economic impact goal that was one of the purposes of the SPARK program.”
Fort Scott-The Gordon Parks Museum Fundraiser event, will feature Jazz & RB Violinist, Dominique Hammons in a music performance at 8:00 p.m. at the Liberty Theater in Fort Scott, KS on Friday, June 18, 2021. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
This event is supported in part by Liberty Theater, Bourbon County Arts Council, and Briggs-Fort Scott.
“We are very excited and thrilled that we are able to bring the sensational multi-talented Dominique Hammons to Fort Scott. This is a performance you won’t want to miss” said Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum Director.
Dominique Hammons is a young, energetic, Contemporary/Jazz and R&B Violinist from Houston, TX and started playing classical violin at the age of eight.
Hammons attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston and was a member of the school orchestra program for four years. After high school, Dominique attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, and graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance with an emphasis in Jazz.
During the early part of middle and high school years, Hammons performed for four years with the Houston Youth Symphony Orchestra, receiving high accolades for excellence. Dominique also performed with other orchestra and chamber groups such as Virtuosi of Houston and TMEA All-State Orchestra. He was also chosen to study and perform with the Diaz Music Institute’s Youth Latin Jazz group, “Caliente”.
According from his biography, his ‘God given’ talent has been recognized with many awards and among them, the Houston Symphony’s “Young Artist Competition”, where he won the opportunity to play a solo on stage with the Houston Symphony. He also competed and won medals and recognitions while participating in NAACP “Actso” competitions.
Since graduation, Dominique has gravitated to teaching classical violin lessons to the youth who desire to follow in his footsteps; and continues to perform in Houston and surrounding cities as a solo artist. His popularity has risen in high demand to perform at many venues and performs various genres of music such as classical, pop, gospel, jazz, hip hop, and R&B. His unique blend of music and style has granted him to perform across the nation such as Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, and Washington State.*(2020)
Hammon’s Musical career has led him to perform at the following events:
Selected to play the National Anthem during the pre-game show at the Houston Rockets game in
November of 2018.
He was selected to audition for the ‘2019 America’s Got Talent’ competition.
Opening act for Johnathan Butler at the 2018 Martini Blue Jazz Festival. (Which Dominique received
a standing ovation of a crowd of 3,000.)
Headliner for City of College Park & 7Flavors of Smooth Jazz Festival, Atlanta, GA.
Tickets are $30 each or $35 at the door. Tickets will be available at the Gordon Parks Museum located on the
campus at Fort Scott Community College or over the phone (620)-223-2700 ext. 5850.
For more information about the Fundraiser Performance Event, contact us by phone (620) – 223-2700, ext.
5850 or by email [email protected].
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