Thursday. January 14. American Legion Auxiliary Unit 25 meets at 6 PM in Memorial Hall.
Thursday. January 14. American Legion Post 25 Color Guard meets at 7:15 PM in Memorial Hall.
Saturday. January 30. American Legion Riders Chapter 25 meets at 10 AM in Memorial Hall.
I have attached the current National American Legion Membership Impact Report and the State Adjutant’s Letter. Both articles have items of interest to the Kansas American Legion family.
Anyone interested in joining the Fort Scott American Legion Family should contact Post 25 Commander Carl Jowers at 620-215-1688. Our mission is supporting Veterans and their families.
Fort Scott Community College offers adult education classes to assist students in GED preparation, basic math and reading skills, employment skills, and college preparation and transition. Individuals who have completed the adult education classes will have the opportunity to earn a GED, Basic Computer Skills certificate, and the Kansas Work Ready certificate.
Adult education classes are open to students ages 16 and older. Students who are under 18 must have a Parental Waiver for Compulsory Attendance to attend class; the form can be obtained from the last school district the student attended.
Attendance is mandatory all days of orientation. Class times are Monday through Thursday from 9 am – 12 pm, 1 – 4 pm, and 4 – 7 pm. The adult education center is located in the Student Success Center in Bailey Hall.
Based on the results of your assessment during orientation, staff members will develop an individualized plan to help you achieve your goals. In order to be eligible to take the GED examination, you must have completed all of the adult education class requirements, passed all required exams, and have a valid government issued photo identification card.
The cost for the class is $30 and includes the ACCUPLACER college entrance exam, Northstar Digital Literacy Certification, WorkKeys Employment Skills Test, TABE assessment, and one GED Ready Practice Test. GED testing fees are not included in the class fee. The GED test fees are $33 per subject (Math, Reasoning Through Language Arts, Science, Social Studies) which can be taken and paid for separately; due when you register for the test.
Upon successful completion of the examination, the student will be issued a diploma by the Kansas State Department of Education.
I am currently trying to build back my face-to-face classroom but I also offer online classes. These classes could be for students lacking a diploma OR for anyone needing to review their basic reading and/or math skills. I have had students take my class to prepare better for college entrance, to qualify for a program such as KansasWorks, or to even just learn how to use a computer and brush up on technology skills. Students CAN enroll in the ABE class if they lack basic skills, even if they have a HS diploma or GED.
I am accepting students that are ready to learn. They would just need to contact me to schedule an appointment to fill out paperwork and take the TABE pre-assessment. I will be accepting new students for 2-3 weeks. If students are not ready to start right away, our next orientation will be in March. If you know someone that is interested, please send them my way.
The City Commission will meet for a special meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 14th, 2021 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will meet to consider financial transfers and to consider a Bourbon County contract. Also added to the special meeting is an Executive Session to discuss non-elected personnel.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel. This meeting is open to the public.
Lindsay Madison, standing on right, addresses the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Meet and Greet on Jan. 12, 2021.
Business owners and others interested in downtown Fort Scott, met Jan. 12 in the future walk-in freezer space at E3 Ranch and Co. store at 13 S. National Ave.
E3 Ranch and Co. 13 S. National Avenue. Oct. 2020
The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet was hosted by E3 Ranch and Co.
E3 owner Jennifer LaRoche said the room “will be full of the walk-in freezer and meat products” soon. In addition, the storefront of the business will be redone, she said.
The other storefront business spaces at the corner of Wall Street and National Avenue “we are chipping away at construction,” she said.
There are two spaces on National Avenue and one on Wall Street available for retail space, Laroche said.
For more information contact LaRoche at the E3 Ranch store at 13 S. National or Common Ground Coffee Co. around the corner on Wall Street she said.
Business news
Lindsay Madison is the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.
There are three new businesses this calendar quarter in the downtown area, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison said.
“Next week the Star Emporium is opening on Main Street,” Madison said. “Laree + Co is at Wall and National and H Bar Suites is a new vacation rental on VRBO, above the Hole in the Wall Liquor Store on Wall Street.”
Low-interest loans are available for businesses, Madison said.
E-Community Loans are available locally and can be applied for at www.networkingkansas.com, she said.
She said a Youth Entrepreneur Challenge is on for all high school students in Bourbon County. “They must put together a business plan and compete,” Madison said.
Some of those in attendance were given an opportunity to speak.
Fort Scott Interim City Manager Jeff Hancock said candidates for the city manager position have been narrowed down.
The newly reorganized city commission, with Josh Jones as mayor, will work on capital improvements, street improvements, will be sharing “business services” with the Bourbon County Commission, and working on Land Bank possibilities, Hancock said.
Fort Scott’s Economic Development Director Rachel Pruitt said the city has “come a long way” and noted that Diane Striler recently purchased the old Rennett Studio on North Main street, additionally the recently completed Union Lofts apartments on Main Street have 10 of the 25 apartments rented. There are two barbers who plan to open businesses downtown, she said.
Carl Brenner, Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management at Fort Scott National Historic Site, said the fort is doing maintenance projects on seven buildings currently. These are paid for by park user fees, he said.
Since the pandemic began in March 2020, the fort employees have been utilizing online capabilities more. In-person tours are still available and they are planning to have school student visitors at the fort in the near future.
Dacia Clark, Small Business Development Center representative, spoke about the partnership with Bourbon County Workforce and Entrepreneur Resource Center, which is located above the new Star Emporium Storefront at 17 S. Main. Her hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Clark can help new businesses get started and marketing plans for established ones. She can also help with Quickbooks for organizing data.
Beth Nuss spoke on behalf of the Lowell Milken Center For Unsung Heroes Park. She and a citizen committee have worked for several years on the greenspace repurposing. Recently Lowell Milken is providing funds to bring the new park to fruition, and “the goal is to have it done by the all-school reunion in (June 2021),” she said.
Madison said the downtown walking trail, a project of LEAD Bourbon County, is slated for completion by April 1, 2021. The project was funded by the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team.
Madison said a sailor remains are being returned to Fort Scott for burial at the national cemetery on May 29. William Barnett was 21 when he died at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in World War II. She wondered if there were any living relatives who would be interested in the event. Cheney-Witt Funeral Chapel owner Jerry Witt who attended the meet and greet, said Barnett was his second cousin.
A ribbon cutting was never held to celebrate their grand opening with the pandemic starting shortly after their opening, so we will celebrate their first anniversary!
Masks are strongly encouraged and masks will be available for those that need one.
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
Luther’s BBQ!
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee and Ribbon Cutting ceremony this Thursday, January 14th at 8 a.m. to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Luther’s BBQ in the Downtown Historic District at 3 W. Oak St. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served.
Owners Dave Lipe and Luther Saulsberry established the restaurant in December 2019 offering dine-in, carry-out, and full-service catering. The business has adapted to the pandemic through curbside ordering, pickup, and enhanced outdoor dining. The River Room Event Center, in the same building upstairs from Luther’s BBQ, is able to accommodate events up to 600 in occupancy. Although the year 2020 hasn’t been the optimum first year for opening a business, they are looking forward to 2021 for the restaurant and event center and welcome private parties and corporate events.
Contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
for more information at (620) 223-3566 or visit fortscott.com.
The City Commission and Bourbon County Commission will meet for a work session at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 14th, 2021 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting will not be open to the public due to the number of people involved.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel.
The City Commission will meet for a special meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 14th, 2021 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will meet to consider financial transfers and to consider a Bourbon County contract.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel. This meeting is open to the public.
The Lake Fort Scott Advisory Board will meet on Saturday, January 16th, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at the City Hall Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting is open to the public.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You Tube channel.
The City of Fort Scott City Administrative Offices will be closed on Monday, January 18th, 2021 in observance of the Martin Luther King Day holiday. The offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 19th, 2021.
