Category Archives: Fort Scott

Fort Scott, Schools

FSHS Thespian Troupe Receives State Honors

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The Fort Scott High School Thespian Troupe #7365 attended the annual KS State Thespian Festival on Jan. 9-11 in Wichita.
Twenty-six students attended three days of theatre-related workshops, competitions, and performances accompanied by FSHS Thespian Director Angie Bin and FSHS English teacher Don Parsons.
Ashanti (Bell) Green, Jenna Stockstill, and Mesa Jones pose with their Superior Rating medals qualifying them to compete at the International Thespian Festival.
The following students competed in Individual Events and received Superior Ratings qualifying them to compete at the International Thespian Festival in Indiana in June: Senior Mesa Jones and sophomore Jenna Stockstill qualified in Musical Solo and junior Ashanti (Bell) Green qualified in Monologue.
Mesa Jones served as a State Thespian Officer for KS.
FSHS also once again received the Gold Honor Troupe Award, the highest honor given, for their performances, community involvement, and participation. Jones was recognized for serving this past year as a State Thespian Officer. She was one of five student officers from across the state elected to plan and facilitate this year’s festival.
Seniors Mackenzie Peoples and Wendy Monahan pose with their college audition call-back lists.
Two FSHS seniors auditioned for all of the colleges in attendance. Wendy Monahan received call-backs from 15 colleges and Mackenzie Peoples was called back by 9 colleges.
Other students who competed in Individual Events included senior Dominic Cannon with junior Sage Hill and Monahan with junior Amber Russo in Duet Acting; and Peoples and sophomore Christina Ramirez in Musical Solo. All FSHS attendees also competed in Improvisational Acting, Speed Charades, Creative Costuming, or Theatre Quiz Bowl.
Left to right (top row): Angie Bin, Tailynn Harding, Jacob Ham, Italeigh Harding, Sierra Long, Amber Russo, Wendy Monahan, Christina King, Levi Bin, Daniel Watson. (Middle row): Carlee Studyvin, Alexis Williams, Israel Carreno, Kaitlyn Hanks, Olivia Wilterding, Christina Ramirez, Mackenzie Peoples, Avery Dorsey, Justin Stevens. (Front row): Troupe #7365 officers: Ashanti Green, Zaria Byrd, Alexa Bukowski, Dominic Cannon, Jenna Stockstill, Mesa Jones, Sage Hill.
Bin taught workshops entitled “Unlocking the Mystery of Immersive Theatre” and “Let’s Play! Building Your Theatre Program Among Kids” throughout the weekend.
The FSHS spring theatre season kicks off with auditions for the play “Radium Girls” by D.W. Gregory on Jan. 13 and 14. Performances are at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27-29 in the FSHS Auditorium.
Business, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Quarterly Downtown Meet & Greet Scheduled for January 28

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The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce the Quarterly Downtown Meet & Greet will be held Tuesday, January 28th from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Papa Don’s Pizza, 10 N. Main Street.

These informal, quarterly meetings are hosted by the Chamber for downtown business owners, representatives and community members to network and share ideas on events, promotions and anything related to downtown. Coffee, juice and light refreshments will be served.

Our Quarterly Downtown Meetings will be held on that first Tuesday of the quarter.

Please join us Tuesday, January 28th, 2020 for the Quarterly Downtown Meet & Greet. Contact the Chamber at 620-223-3566 with any questions.

Fort Scott, Schools

FSHS Swimmers Place High In Emporia

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Last night at the swim meet in Emporia,  Fort Scott High School  swimmers Oliver Witt and Bobby Kemmerer are not only counting laps, but making those laps count.
Bobby took 1st place in both the 50 free (23.91) and the 100 breaststroke(1.09.82) swimming 2 state consideration times.
Oliver Witt took 2nd  in the 100 free (55.48) and 5th in the 50 free (25.16) earning person best times in both races.
Both boys are making a splash and building a tradition one stroke at a time.
Submitted by Angie Kemmerer
Business, Fort Scott

Turvey Receives Appreciation Award from Extension Service

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Southwind Extension District Agents Christopher Petty and Carla Nemecek presented Ally Turvey, Tourism Manager for Fort Scott Convention & Tourism Bureau with the 2019 Extension Appreciation Award.

The Bureau is a strong supporter of all things Fort Scott, including the Southwind Extension District of K-State Research and Extension.

Former tourism manager Larry Gazaway, and current tourism manager Ally Turvey have been valuable partners of extension. The two organizations partnered on the Kansas Humanities Water Ways project, focusing on the importance of water to the development of the Fort Scott area of Bourbon County.

Joint partnerships with organizations like the Fort Scott Convention and Visitors Bureau strengthen the reach of the Southwind Extension District.

The Bureau was also helpful in lining up a location, keynote speakers, and other community partners for a very successful Aging with Attitude Regional Event and Family Community Educators (FCE) State conference in 2019 with a record number of attendees.

The K-State Research and Extension Appreciation Award was authorized by the Extension administrative staff in 1977. Its purpose is to honor a person, business or organization who has made outstanding contributions to extension programs in a county or district.

The Southwind District Extension Board and Agents want to express their sincere gratitude to the Fort Scott Convention & Tourism Bureau for their support for Extension in Bourbon County and look forward for partnerships yet to come.

Ascension Via Christi, Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott, Health Care

Via Christi Opens Clinic in Downtown Fort Scott Jan. 13

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Dr. Katrina Burke, courtesy of Ascension Via Christi.

Dr. Katrina Burke’s first day at the new AscensionVia Christi Medical Clinic in downtown Fort Scott is Monday, Jan. 13.

She will be accepting new obstetrics and pediatric patients.

Burke will also see previous patients but is accepting no new adult patients, according to her receptionist Kristal Farmer.

Dr. Burke said that the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK), her previous employer, did not send out letters, telling of the change to her patients when she left on Dec. 31. She had given CHC a 90 days notice of her intent to leave CHC/SEK.

Hours for the clinic, located at 109 S. Main (north of the Liberty Theater) are 8 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday.

Thursday afternoon she is out of the office, but is in the office in the morning, according to her receptionist.

To contact the office call 620-223-7008.

109 S.Main is the new location of Ascension Via Christi’s Medical Clinic in downtown Fort Scott. A new sign will be up soon.
Ascension Via Christi employee Niki Bishir mans the desk of the new medical clinic on Jan. 9. She was temporary, while the employees were in an orientation meeting, she said.
Dr. Katrina Burke has already added her personal touches to the new clinic: a hallway lined with a photo of her family and framed degrees she has earned during her career as a medical doctor.

New clinic employees are Farmer, Registered Nurse Rachel Judy, and Medical Assistant Chelsea Harrison.

For more information about the clinic, visit
viachristi.org/ftscott-clinic.

Ascension Via Christi, Business, Fort Scott, Government, Health Care

Via Christi Supports Expanding Medicaid In Kansas

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Response to today’s announcement of a bipartisan agreement on Medicaid expansion
” Ascension Via Christi extends our appreciation to Gov. Laura Kelly and Sen. Jim Denning for
reaching an agreement on expanding Medicaid in Kansas. Ascension Via Christi, along with the
Kansas Hospital Association and many other healthcare organizations, have been advocating for
Medicaid expansion for the past eight years as a way to make sure that all of our citizens have
access to care.
Expanding Medicaid will bring hundreds of millions in federal dollars to our state, giving Kansans
residents increased access to health care coverage while supporting healthcare providers and our
entire Kansas economy.
Across Ascension’s markets we know that expanded Medicaid has enhanced access to coverage
and care, resulted in more appropriate utilization of services, and has created financial security
among the poor and vulnerable.
Our ministry’s support of Medicaid expansion is rooted in our mission to serve all persons, with
special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable, and to protect and promote the inherent
dignity of all human life from conception until natural death .”
-Submitted by Don King, chief executive officer, Ascension Via Christi

Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Free Parenting Classes Offered at The Health Department

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The Public Health Department, located on 6th Street, between Lowman and Horton Streets, Fort Scott.

“Parenting the Love and Logic Way”, a free parenting class, will be conducted by Jan and Dave Elliott, with class pre-registration beginning next week.

Jan and Dave Elliott. Submitted photo.

The Elliotts are independent facilitators of the curriculum.

Classes are presented in six sessions beginning Jan. 23  at 6:00 P.M. at the Health Department. Other sessions will be Jan. 30, February 6, February 13, February 20, and February 27.

There is no charge for participation in the sessions but space can be limited.

The new site for the health department is located at 524 S. Lowman St., 6th and Lowman Streets in Fort Scott.

Please pre-register at the health department by calling 620-223-4464.  The deadline for sign up is Jan. 16th.  The target audience is individuals that have children or take care of children.

 

The curriculum was developed by Jim Fay, Ph.D., and Foster W. Cline, M.D. of the Love and Logic Institute Inc. in Golden, Colorado.

“The goal of the program is to provide parents the opportunity to gain practical and proven tools for raising respectful, responsible, and happy children,” Alice Maffet, RN, said.  “The program will teach responsibility and character, how to lower your stress level, have immediate and positive effects and up the odds that you will enjoy lifelong positive relationships with your children and grandchildren.”

For more information, click below:

https://www.loveandlogic.com/

 

 

Fort Scott, Government

New FSFD Chief: Dave Bruner

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Dave Bruner

Dave Bruner, 46, is the new Fort Scott Fire Department Chief, effective Jan. 6, 2020.

 

Bruner has worked 25 years fulltime in the FSFD.

 

“He’s got all the training and certificates he needs for the position,” Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin, said of Bruner.

 

“I began with the department as a reserve firefighter in 1992,” he said.  “I was hired full time in May of 1994. I was promoted to Lieutenant in 1999, then promoted to Deputy Chief in 2014.”

In addition to numerous firefighter, rescue, and fire officer certifications, Bruner is an Advanced EMT, and hold certifications as a Fire Investigator II, Certified Public Manager (CPM), and Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS).

 

“I am a member of the MERGe team, Kansas Region VI EMS Council, Fire Marshal’s Association of Kansas, and the Kansas Chapter of International Association of Arson Investigators,” Bruner said.

 

Bruner received his Associates of Science from Fort Scott Community College in  1994 and also earned a Fire Science Degree from Hutchinson Community College.

 

He is following in his father’s footsteps.

 

” My father was a firefighter with the department for five years before taking a full-time position with the National Guard,” Bruner said.  “After he left the department, he remained in close contact with many of the members.  As a child, I would go to the fire station often with him to visit and over the years developed an interest in the fire service.”

 

For Bruner, the best thing in being a firefighter is helping people, he said.

 

Some of the challenges of the job?

 

“The constant changes in the fire service,” he said.  “Changes from equipment, firefighting techniques, as well as rescue and EMS services will always be challenging.”

 

“The department has worked hard the past few years to update equipment,” he said. ” I want to continue that project in order to have the tools and equipment needed so that our department can continue to operate safely and effectively.”

 

Bruner has bee married to Michelle for 22 years and has a daughter Kylie, 21, and a son Dylan. 15.

 

“Michael Miles will be the new deputy chief,” Martin said. “We will find a replacement for Michael as a firefighter.”

 

Paul Ballou retired as FSFD Chief on Jan. 3.

 

Art, Entertainment, Fort Scott

Free Concert At Common Grounds Jan. 8: Celebrating Elvis’s Birthday

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Common Grounds Coffee Company, 116 S. Main.

Grab a “cuppa coffee” and a cookie at Common Grounds Coffee Shop and prepare to celebrate Elvis Presley’s birthday on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

A group of area musicians are playing in honor of Presley at Common Ground Coffee Shop, 116 S. Main, at 7:00 p.m.
The “Sounds of Graceland” concert will feature a variety of songs recorded by the young man born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935.
Vernon and Gladys Presley and their 13-year-old son Elvis moved to
Memphis, Tennessee in 1948, and the rest is history.
Featured on vocals are Danny Brown, Bruce Jameson and his son Colton, and more.  Rob Hunt and Carolyn Tucker on keyboards, Paul Studyvin and Robert Uhler on drums, guitarist Jerry Bahr, and Randy Brasuell on bass. Sound will be provided by Dave Oas.
The evening will conclude with celebrating the gospel side of Elvis as
vocalists and musicians perform some of his most-popular sacred
recordings.
The free concert is sponsored by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
For more information, contact Ralph Carlson.