Category Archives: Fort Scott

CHC Gets UnitedHealthcare Grant

Governor Laura Kelly Announces $200,000 Empowering Health Grant for the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas

 

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced a $200,000 Empowering Health Grant from UnitedHealthcare for the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas in Pittsburg. Governor Kelly was joined by Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment Dr. Lee Norman, and State Representative Monica Murnan.

 

“I want to thank the team at UnitedHealthcare for their generosity, which will benefit the Pittsburg community and Southeast Kansas for years to come,” Governor Kelly said. “The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas performs life-saving work in the Pittsburg community. My administration is committed to working with our local and federal partners to provide Kansans access to affordable, quality health care.”

 

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas staff are on the front lines of public health’s response,” Dr. Norman said. “This grant will increase their capacity to improve the health of Kansans.”

 

The Empowering Health grant will be used by the health center to support its Community Health Action Team with a behavioral health nurse and social worker, so it can better address social isolation and behavioral health needs among existing and new patients with low incomes in its service area.

 

“By giving more Kansans access to health insurance, our community partners like Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas would no longer have to cover the cost of care for uninsured individuals,” State Representative Monica Murnan said. “This would free up funds to increase patient care, add new services, extend community outreach, and bolster the local economy.”

 

Governor Kelly said during the ceremony that her administration is committed to supporting local health care organizations across the state by fighting for quality, affordable health care for more than 150,000 Kansans by expanding Medicaid.

 

About Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas:

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas has been a pillar in its community since it opened its doors in 1997. Today, over 400 employees care for more than 55,000 patients every year, providing medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, and support services in southeast Kansas.

 

The below photos are available for media use:

 

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Fort Scott Town-Wide Garage Sale Oct. 2-3

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Announces the
Fall2020
Town-wide Garage Sale
October 2nd & 3rd
Businesses ~ now is the time to secure an ad on the upcoming Town-wide Garage Sale Map!
See information below!
We are also now accepting
Garage Sale Listings!
All who register a sale will receive two balloons to display and their physical address printed on the maps distributed at
5 Corner’s, Bids & Dibs, Casey’s, Don’s Smoke Shop and all Pete’s locations!
The Fort Scott Chamber will promote the event on all social platforms, paper, radio & distribute the printed maps.
Register online at the Chamber Website or click HERE to download the registration form & return it to the Chamber with payment of $10 registration fee.

The 2020 Gordon Parks Museum to feature Photo Contest

Contact: Kirk Sharp at 1-800-874-3722, ext. 5850
Email: [email protected]

Fort Scott-The Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College, will feature a photo contest sponsored by Merl Humphrey Photography and inspired by Gordon Parks, who was a champion in the fight for social justice and racial equity. His weapon of choice was a camera to fight against racism, discrimination and poverty.

The theme of the contest, “Social Justice, Diversity and Equity” is for any amateur photographer.

Photographers are invited to capture the essence of one of the concepts and share one or two sentences on what inspired the photo.

Non-professional photographers of any age and skill level are invited to take pictures for the project and may enter up to two photos in jpeg format with less than2MB.

There will be a first place ($100), second place ($75) and third place ($50) prize and up to five honorable mentions.

All photos submitted will be on exhibit at The Gordon Parks Museum and in the Ellis Family Fine Arts Center Oct. 8 – 16, 2020. All photos will also be posted on the Gordon Parks Museum website and Facebook page.

Photographs must be submitted via e-mail to [email protected].

All photos must be attached in JPEG format and limit file size to less than 2 MB. All entries will be confirmed via email.

Photographers should submit (in their email) a title, along with their name, address, email, phone number and share a one or two sentence on what inspired the photo.

If under 10 years old please include parent’s information.

Photos should be received via email by Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at the latest.

For more info, click below:

photo contest flyer 2020

 

 

For more information email [email protected] or by phone call 223-2700, ext. 5850.

“Always Choose Family” by Ashton Nolan was1st place winner in the 2019 Photo Contest. The theme was: “My Learning Tree, Life Lessons Learned.”

Presbyterian Village All Clear For COVID-19

Fort Scott Presbyterian Manor says all clear
following additional testing for COVID-19

FORT SCOTT, Kan. – Fort Scott Presbyterian Manor has good news to share following a second wave of testing for COVID-19 at the community. All residents and employees have tested negative for the virus.

We’re glad to have this round of testing behind us and we’ll keep our focus on resident and employee safety,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.

Because all residents and employees tested negative for the virus, the Bourbon County Health Department is not recommending further testing at the community at this time.

The residents and employees who tested positive for the virus earlier this month will remain in isolation until cleared to return to work by the Health Department. Per CDC guidelines, team members may return to work once they have been symptom free for 72 hours without the aid of a fever reducer and demonstrate improvement in respiratory symptoms, and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Upon their return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.

Presbyterian Manor implemented a strict no visitor policy at the community and discontinued group activities and communal dining for the entire campus per guidelines released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the CDC on March 13.

All employees are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated. The community regularly reinforces with all staff that an employee should not report to work if he or she is experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness or not feeling well.

For more information about Fort Scott Presbyterian Manor’s response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, Presbyterianmanors.org/Media- room.

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LaRoche Building Update: Outside Nearing Completion

The
The LaRoche Building at Wall and National Avenue, June 22, 2020. The upstairs will be apartments and the downstairs,  businesses.

Several downtown Fort Scott buildings are in process of being transformed.

The LaRoche Building that faces National Avenue in September 2018 just before renovation of the downtown buildings..

 

Work began on two historic side-by-side downtown buildings at 10 and 12 E. Wall St.,owned by Jennifer LaRoche on Nov. 5, 2018.

 

The outside work is now nearly complete and the interior spaces are on the list for completion.

The LaRoche Building, August 2020.
The National Avenue side of the LaRoche Building, August 2020..

 

The buildings on Wall Street at National Avenue have been the work of several local contractors and businesses, which were able to work through the COVID 19 Pandemic restrictions.

 

The LaRoche Building space housing the Common Ground Coffee Co. at 10 East Wall Street was completed just before the COVID 19 Pandemic started in the U.S. in March 2020.

 

Then Kenny Felt Photography moved its office to the space just west of the coffee shop at 12 E. Wall Street.

 

Now the building that faces both Wall and National is being worked on.

 

“By the middle of September, I will have the building weather tight,” Jennifer LaRoche said. “And then we will start on the inside. I do not know how long that could take to complete. I don’t have an end date.”

“In the Tribune Building…….The upstairs will be apartments. Anywhere from two to four,” she said. “I have not decided yet.
On the ground level, it can occupy four businesses. I do not know what businesses will want to occupy the space.”

City Press Release Regarding the Union Block Building

NEWS RELEASE from the City of Fort Scott
August 24, 2020: Regarding the Union Block building the City reviewed its records and has determined the following:
1) The Commission appropriately proclaimed the use of the City’s economic development funds in support of economic development projects as a public purpose.
2) The City Commission recognized the Union Block Building as a project deserving of the City’s economic development programs and services, and authorized expenditures.
3) All expenditures toward the Union Block Building were authorized and paid by funds allocated by the Commission for the public purposes for which they were authorized.
4) All payments on the Union Block Building were properly paid and accounted for in the normal course of business. Requests for payment were supported by invoices or other documents certifying that the funds were for the Union Block Building project and for purposes approved by the Commission.
5) No funds under any Commission-approved program were intended or required to be repaid by the developer, owner, or contractor(s) of the Union Block Building.
The City encourages and supports economic development in the City, including the preservation and redevelopment of its many historic properties.
Inquiries on the City’s economic development programs should be directed to the City’s Economic Development Director, Rachel Pruitt ([email protected]).
Follow up on the Union Block Building can be addressed to the City Attorney ([email protected] )
Taken from the City of Fort Scott Facebook page

What’s Happening in Fort Scott

REMINDER!!!
Applications accepted through August 31st for the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation Grant cycle for 2020!
This year, FSACF will be awarding over $42,000.00 to local not-for-profits for projects to benefit our community. A certain dollar amount of the awards is reserved for projects that benefit our youth. Maximum grant to any one project is $5,000.00.
Applications can be obtained by sending an email:  [email protected].
Please use the same email address to submit any questions you might have. Completed applications must be received by 5:00 pm, August 31st.
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
8/21 & 8/22 –SMALLVILLE ATHLETICS – FORT GAMES 2020! Competition starts Friday, 8/22 at 5 pm & all Day Saturday 8/23 – Annual Fitness Competition includes:2 Day M/M F/F Partner Competition Divisions Include: Rx, Intermediate, Master’s 35+ & Scaled – Be held at 1905 S. Judson St.
8/22 – Mo’s Swap Meet– Every Saturday from
8am – 4pm (3rd & Margrave St)
Plaza in front of the Fort, 8am to noon.
8/22- Auction of the Living Estate of Nadine Rose by Anderson Auction Service,Starts at 10 am until 2 pm. 19 Golfview Drive Fort Scott, KS
8/23- Auction of the Larry Ginter Estate by Anderson Auction Service,Starts at 1 pm – 1708 Buckeye Rd., Fort Scott, KS (Pawnee Station)
8/21 & 8/22 – Fort Scott Livestock Sale starts as 10am – Sale Barn
8/21thru8/27 –Fort Scott Cinema: The Outpost, Inception & Unhinged…. Coming Soon: New Mutants & Tenant
8/21 – Boiler Room Brewhaus – Come in and drink and sing Karaoke night!
8/23 – Boiler Room Brewhaus Brings back Trivia
night for teams of 2 to 6 people, $5 entry
per team, 5-7 pm
SAVE THE DATE!
8/25 ~ 8/27 – KANSASWORKS Virtual Job Fair, Employers to register Free!
8/29 ~ Cruise Night in Fort Scott starting at 7pm, plus Perry’s Pork Rinds Pop Up Shopfrom 6-8pm
8/30 – Boiler Room Brewhaus Paint Party! Paint & Sip “Witches Crazy, 6 pm -9 pm – Sell out quick!
9/5 – BOURBON COUNTY TOUR – 8:30am-12pm, Ghost Towns & Early Legends of Northern Bourbon County, carpool tour leaving from the Old Fort Genealogical Library, register today here. Limited to 40 participants.
9/5 -SPECIAL OLYMPICS CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT! Sat. starting at 1:30 pm until 5 pm at the Woodland Golf Course to Sign up!
Fort Scott Area
Chamber of Commerce
620-223-3566
In This Issue
Smallville Athletics “Fort Games”
Mo’s Swap Meet
Auction of Living Nadine Rose
Auction Larry Ginter Estate
The Boiler Room Brewhaus
Chamber Highlights
Click here for our
Membership Directory.
We THANK our members for their support! Interested in joining the Chamber? Click here for info.
Thinking of doing business in or relocating to Fort Scott?
Contact us for a relocation packet, information on grants & incentives, and more!
Seeking a job/career?
We post a Job of the Day daily on our Facebook page, distribute a monthly job openings flyer, and post jobs on our website.
Many opportunities available!
Housing needs?
Click here for a listing of our Chamber member realtors.
Click here for our rental listing.
FSACF GRANTS ACCEPTED THROUGH 8/31
CLICK IMAGE BELOW FOR DETAILS.
REGISTER FOR KANSASWORKS VIRTUAL JOB FAIR – NO COST TO EMPLOYERS!
SIGN UP TODAY FOR THE 9/5
BOURBON COUNTY TOUR!
THANK YOU TO OUR BOOSTER MEMBERS!

Community Foundation Selects New Board Members

The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation announces the selection of four new board members who will serve three year terms beginning in 2020 through 2023. They include Connie Banwart, community volunteer with a focus on historic preservation, Kirk Sharp, executive director, Gordon Parks Museum, Deb McCoy, registered nurse, and Lindsay Madison, executive director, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.

Connie Banwart. Submitted photo.
Lindsay Madison. Submitted photo.
Deb McCoy. Submitted photo.
Kirk Sharp. Submitted photo.

“FSACF welcomes these outstanding individuals who have each made a commitment to serving the needs of our community through the Foundation,” said Carla Farmer, chair.

The new board members join the local volunteer board comprised of 16 individuals from diverse professional backgrounds and interests. FSACF meets quarterly and focuses on being a resource to other not-for-profit organizations whose goal is to improve the quality of life in Fort Scott and Bourbon County. One of the primary ways in which the Foundation assists other organizations is through its annual granting process.

The grant cycle is currently underway and applications may be submitted through August 31. Gregg Motley, grant chair, announced that $42,000 is available for projects that benefit our community and youth. Applications can be obtained by emailing [email protected].

In other action at the annual meeting in July, officers were elected. Serving as chair will be Carla Farmer, Barbara Albright, vice chair, Frank Halsey, secretary, and Craig Campbell, treasurer.

Committee chairs for 2020-2021 are Gary Palmer, asset development, Gregg Motley, granting, Travis Shelton, nominating, Frank Halsey, marketing, and Charles Gentry, bylaws.

FSACF was established in 2007. Currently, the Foundation has assets in excess of $9 million which includes restricted funds established and directed by donors. Of the total fund balance, over $1 million is unrestricted endowed funds controlled by FSACF. The unrestricted funds generate interest which in turn is utilized for annual grants.

For more information about FSACF, go to fsacf.com or follow FSACF on Facebook. For specific information about making a gift, call 620-224-6500.

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FS Design Review Board Meets Aug. 25

The Design Review Board will meet on Tuesday, August 25th, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. at the City Hall Commission Meeting room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting will be held to discuss a Certificate of Appropriateness for a sign at 19 S. National, a Certificate of Appropriateness for signage in the downtown area for the walking trail, and a Certificate of Appropriateness for signage at 124 E. Wall and any others matters to be brought before the Board. This meeting is open to the public.

This meeting will be made available via the City’s you tube channel at City of Fort Scott.

FS Planning Commission Meets Aug. 24

The Fort Scott Planning Commission will meet on Monday, August 24th, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting will be held to consider a Conditional Use Permit for a telecommunications tower to be located north of the Water Treatment Plant located at 910 Burke Street.

This meeting is open to the public. This meeting will be made available via the City’s you tube channel at City of Fort Scott.