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Category Archives: Fort Scott
Mo’s Swap Meet Starts June 27
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What’s Happening In Fort Scott by the Chamber of Commerce
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Chamber Coffee Dates Available
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First Annual Junk and Disorderly Event This Saturday
This Saturday, June 20 beginning at 9 a.m. Main Street Gallery and Flea Market is hosting what they are calling the 1st Annual Junk and Disorderly event.
“We are starting a tradition of having an open house for the flea market every year because we want the vendors to know that they are a big part of the store,” Rechelle McClellan, one of the owners, said. ” We want them to know we appreciate them for trusting us to sell their wares. It is a celebration for them.”
In addition, Rechelle with her husband, Josh, and mother-in-law Julie, want to showcase what the shop has to offer.
“We also want the public to know that we are a one-stop-shop,” Rechelle said. “If there is something you are looking for, chances are we have it at Main Street Gallery & Flea Market between new and vintage items.”
Vendors, family and friends will be helping with the event, Rechelle said.
There will be complimentary coffee, juice and a Mimosa-an adult beverage made of orange juice and champagne.
There will also be door prizes.
The business is located at 23 South Main in downtown historic Fort Scott.
Contact Rechelle McClellan at the store’s number (620)223-2210 for more information.
FS Swimming Pool Opens June 22
The Fort Scott Aquatic Center will open at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22nd, 2020.
Due to COVID-19 and extra precautions put into place, there will be NO pool passes sold in 2020.
There will also be NO locker rental.
Credit card purchases will NOT be allowed.
Gift card purchases will NOT be allowed.
Daily passes and concessions will be sold on a cash basis ONLY.
There will be NO flotation devices allowed.
There will not be any deck chairs set out.
Patrons of the pool may bring their own deck chairs for their use and take with them when they leave.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Please call City Hall at 223-0550 if you have questions.
A Free Pantry Opens In a Fort Scott Neighborhood
A couple of Fort Scottians saw a need in their neighborhood and decided to help meet it.
Chase Warner and Whitney Wratchford purchased their house last summer and immediately saw the need within their neighborhood for some food assistance.
“Chase and I have had this on our hearts since we first became homeowners in our community,” she said. ” We noticed immediately that our own neighborhood was in need of a little help. We were seeing children daily that would make comments like ‘Can I have a banana? I had Ramen Noodles for breakfast.’ And ‘My mom doesn’t have money to buy us dinner.’ We know that this problem isn’t just in our neighborhood but all throughout our community and when the Covid-19 pandemic really hit hard and people started to lose jobs we set out to put the pantry up as soon as the stay-at-home order lifted! Chase and I just really wanted to help and the best way was to provide food that any individual could choose from on their own time and when they feel comfortable.”
“We ourselves are a working-class family and have at times in our lives struggled to provide as well and knowing the heartache that those parents and children are feeling just put our plan in motion,” she said. “I have since seen our pantry helping lots of people and lots of people helping fill the box! That is exactly how the pantry should work!”
They opened Warner’s Little Free Pantry on June 6, 2020.
It is a box on a stand that contains numerous items for the taking: food, hygiene items and other shelf-stable items that can stand Kansas temperatures housed in a box.
“Take what you need,” Wratchford said. ” Leave what you can. Above all be blessed! We ourselves donate whenever possible and just hope that others will decide to donate as well. The pantry is open for donations for nonperishable food items and various toiletries and household items. If anyone has any questions or concerns they can reach us via email, phone or on our Facebook page Warner’s Little Free Pantry.”
Wratchford stumbled across a grassroots movement and decided this would help fill that need.
The Little Free Pantry is a grassroots, locally sourced solution to local need, Wratchford said. “Whether a need for food or a need to give, our mini pantry helps neighbors feed neighbors, nourishing neighborhoods. It is meant to meet immediate needs for families or individuals who are struggling to make ends meet. “
“Jessica McClard launched the movement in May 2016 in Fayetteville, AR,” Wratchford said. “Since that time there have been many families like ours, building and opening little pantries of their own…. We used wood we purchased for our fence and Chase and his dear friend Lincoln Brubaker built the box in a day! “
“The box sits on 4th Street between Holbrook and Eddy facing north., she said. “If you need to use GPS to find us you can program 314 W. 4th St. You can’t miss it!”
Alternative Payment Arrangements Now Available for Kansas Gas Service Customers
Customers Encouraged to Call About Options Available to Them
Overland Park, KS – Kansas Gas Service is encouraging customers who have experienced financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic to contact the company to take advantage of a variety of payment options and alternative payment plans.
“We understand this is a stressful time for everyone,” said Abbey Frye, Kansas Gas Service director of customer service. “It’s important to us that our customers know there are several options to avoid disconnection that can be helpful for anyone having trouble paying their natural gas bill.”
Customers can visit a dedicated web page at www.kansasgasservice.com/cares for information on energy assistance programs and other financial resources. Customers can also call 800-794-4780 to speak to customer service representatives about payment options, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Frye also reminds customers that by paying what they can now will help to avoid building up a balance that will be hard to pay off later.
“We take our commitment to deliver safe and reliable natural gas service to the homes and businesses we serve very seriously,” said Frye. “What we’re asking now is for customers to contact us so that we can do everything we can to help.”
About Kansas Gas Service
Kansas Gas Service delivers safe, clean and reliable natural gas service to more than 638,000 customers in 360 communities in Kansas. We are the largest natural gas distributor in the state, in terms of customers.
We are a division of ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS), a stand-alone, 100 percent regulated, publicly traded natural gas utility that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OGS.” ONE Gas is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index, and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States.
For more information, visit the websites at kansasgasservice.com or onegas.com.
For the latest news about Kansas Gas Service, follow us on Twitter @KansasGas or Facebook at Facebook.com/KansasGasService.
Friday Free Concert This Friday, June 19
Friday Free Concerts resume this Friday at 7 p.m. at Common Grounds Coffee Shop, 10 E. Wall. This is a new venue, as prior Friday Free Concerts have been at Heritage Park.
“This Friday is first night of the summer concert series, sponsored by the Fort Scott Chamber Of Commerce,” said organizer Ralph Carlson. “The featured entertainment will be Rick Hite on vocal and guitar. Rick has been a regular contributor to our Friday night series. The concert will be held at the New Common Grounds Coffee Shop at 7pm Friday night.”
Chamber Coffee at Heritage Park Pavilion June 18
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Magic Is Part of the Summer Reading Program
Valetta Cannon, Fort Scott Public Library Youth Librarian & Assistant Director announces a magician performance as part of the summer reading program
The Fort Scott Public Library has released a pre-recorded performance by Magician Jeff Quinn as a part of the summer reading program.
“From June 13 until June 21, you may view the video performance, created just for our library,” Cannon said. “Jeff has even made a few interactive tricks and created his very own fairy tale, complete with its own trick! Be sure to let the library know if you enjoy his performance – they may hire him to come perform in person next year.”
To learn more about Jeff Quinn, visit his website.
Follow this link to the library’s website to view Jeff’s performance.
If you have not yet registered for the youth summer reading program and are interested in participating, click here to learn more.
Fort Scott’s Swimming Pool Opens June 22, With Modifications
The hot days of June have many seeking ways to cool off.
The Fort Scott Aquatic Center is one option for cooling off.
However, because of the COVID 19 Pandemic, it has remained closed until staff worked on a plan to be able to open safely.
The center will open on June 22, Chasity Ware, the manager, said.
“With many days of the uncertainty of the COVID 19, a lot of research went into making a final decision to plan to open the facility, ” she said. “Once I had the facts of what we were capable of doing with restrictions placed upon us and then shared with the (Fort Scott) City Commissioners, their faith in me and my team of employees were given the go-ahead to open. Due to the many behind the scene hours to prepare the opening of the pool along with lifeguard training that had to be completed, we needed a little time. We also chose to wait until the phase-out plan per Gov. Kelly to help with even fewer restrictions.”
Precautions are in place
“The modifications will include but not limited to:
- some masks being worn,
- extra cleaning being provided,
- no lounge chairs issued this season (we ask patrons to bring in their own chairs),
- no 3 pm or 5 pm break will be provided,
- and only pre-packaged foods will be served out of the concession stands.
We will initially limit our patrons to 250 each day for the first few weeks to help with gatherings as well.”
“Also NO pool passes will be sold,” she said. ” We can’t guarantee our season and know so much has already been missed we just didn’t feel the passes were going to be effective. If we were to close, we can’t imagine the nightmare for the refund/credit.”
“NO ONE will be allowed to come in and sit to watch anyone swim without paying,” Ware said. “We have to count them as part of the capacity number.
And one last thing, NO FLOATATION DEVICES of any sort. No padded suits, no arm wings, no life jackets.”
“There will be NO SWIM LESSONS, she said.
“We want to remind everyone to please pay attention to their symptoms and their children’s,” Ware said. “Please don’t attend the pool if you are sick, running a fever or overall not feeling well. Help keep others safe.”
Daily rates
Daily admission rates will apply: 3-14 years old-are $2, 15-62 years old- $3 and 63 years old and older- $2.
The center currently has 29 employees between lifeguards, office/concession personnel and managers.
“This number could change as the future moves forwards,” Ware said.
Pool hours, close date
Pool hours are 1 pm-7 pm Monday through Saturday and 1 pm-6 pm on Sundays.
The date to close will be no later than August 9 due to college lifeguards returning to college the first weekend of August and school for Fort Scott USD #234 is anticipated to start Aug. 12, she said.
“This could change as well as we move forward.,” Ware said. “We pray we have no outbreaks or other issues but are prepared to make decisions as needed. “
NO private pool parties
“We are sorry to say at this time there will not be private pool parties available this pool season,” Ware said. “We need the extra time to clean the facility. “
The center’s phone number is 620-223-8142.
Ware is the Fort Scott Aquatic Center Manager, in her 9th season. She was employed by Mound City Pool seven years prior to joining Fort Scott.
She is a Certified Lifeguard Instructor.
“I certify lifeguards for the Fort Scott Aquatic Center, Nevada, Iola, Pleasanton, and LaCygne pools. I have been doing that for six seasons now,” she said.