This is the first story in a National Public Radio series that will explore how the closure of a rural hospital, Mercy Hospital Fort Scott, disrupts a community’s health care, economy and identity.
Across the country, more than 100 rural hospitals like Fort Scott’s have closed since 2010, under increasing financial pressure.
Because of public response, NPR added a Facebook page for public comments, see the last link in this feature.
The featured group for the Friday Night Free Concert is the St. Martin’s Academy vocal and instrumental ensemble.
The group has an eclectic repertoire of folk, classical and Christian music, said Ralph Carlson, event coordinator.
“The St. Martin’s Academy performed for us last fall and was a real hit with our audience,” Carlson said. “Instruments include guitars and a bagpipe. The show starts at 7 p.m., come early and bring your lawn chairs as seating is limited. In the event of foul weather, the show will be moved to the Common Grounds Coffee Shop.”
The word “Pickup” can be seen on the south section of Walmart, 2500 S. Main Street. There will be designated parking spaces for online shoppers soon.
Shoppers at Walmart in Fort Scott can see boxes in the former self-checkout area and the removal of a few cash register stations at the front of the store.
The self-checkout area is being expanded in Walmart Fort Scott.
In addition, the cell phone area has been relocated to the electronics department.
Walmart’s remodeled electronics section.
Walmart is remodeling.
“We are getting ready for online shopping,” said Scott, an associate manager at Fort Scott. “That’s where you order online, then come and pick it up. It will be sometime in June.”
“The self-register area will be bigger,” he said. “And there will be one on the north (of the line cash register stands), within the next two weeks.”
The number of cash registers has been reduced to make room for the expanded self-registers.
The empty space, formerly the cell phone sales area, as you enter the southeast door of Walmart, is closed.
“It is undecided right now what the previous cell phone area will be used for,” Scott said.
The Chamber of Commerce invites the Fort Scott Community to attend the
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for
Accent Dental, LLC
TODAY, May 13th at 5:15 p.m., with remarks and ribbon cutting
at 5:30 p.m.
Please join
Accent Dental, LLC
and the
Chamber of Commerce
TODAY, May 13th, 2019
for the
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
at 204 State St. in Fort Scott
Refreshments will be served and there will be a drawing for a professional teeth whitenening!
Accent Dental has managed Dr. Brown’s practice in Fort Scott for the last 15 years and is dedicated to continue excellence in dental care for the area.
Dr. Daniel Minnis, Accent Dental Founder and Chief Executive Officer, has excelled in private practice, for the last 30 years, in Pittsburg, Kansas and graduated with honors from the University of Missouri, School of Dentistry in 1988. Dr. Minnis also serves as Chairman of the board and Chief Dental Advisor for the Community Health Centers of SEK.
To ensure continued highest quality care, the new location provides a state of the art dental facility equipped with 8 dental operatories to better serve the growing demands of the practice.
The terms of three members of the Fort Scott City Commission will expire in January 2020.
Individuals interested in becoming a candidate for the Fort Scott City Commission election are asked to contact the Bourbon County Clerk’s Office located in the Bourbon County Courthouse at 210 S. National in Fort Scott, Kansas, or by phone at 620-223-3800.
The deadline to file as a candidate is 12:00 Noon on Monday, June 3rd, 2019.
Qualified candidates must be registered voters and residents of the City of Fort Scott at the time of the election. The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 5th, 2019.
Additional information may be obtained by contacting Diane Clay, City Clerk at 620-223-0550 or [email protected].
The Golf Course Advisory Board will meet on Thursday, May 16th, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. at Woodland Hills Golf Course, 2414 S. Horton. The meeting will take place in the clubhouse. This meeting is open to the public.
The Fort Scott High School Thespians host this year’s Tiger Drama Camp on May 28-June 7 at the Fort Scott High School Auditorium. Rehearsals run Monday through Friday from 12:30-4:30 pm with performances at 7 p.m. on June 7 & 8.
Tiger Drama Camp is open to students entering first through ninth grades and has expanded to include a full-scale performance. This year’s play is Pirates! Theodore Thud and the Quest for Weird Beard by Joshua Mikel. Camp is directed by the FSHS Thespians and Director Angie Bin. Students learn acting, movement, and vocal performance skills, culminating in the public performance. Students will each play a role, assist with art projects, and have snacks during the rehearsal process. They should dress comfortably for active stage movement.
Register for Tiger Drama Camp at Buck Run. The registration deadline has been extended to May 20. The fee is $40 which includes a show t-shirt. Parents are asked to attend a meeting at 12:30 p.m. at the first rehearsal on May 28.
On June 7 and 8, doors will open for the performances at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door. The show is produced by special arrangment with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscrips.com).
For more information, contact Angie Bin at 620-719-9622 or [email protected]. Proceeds from Tiger Drama Camp fund activities and trips for the FSHS Thespian Troupe #7365.
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For Kids
BLAST OFF TO A UNIVERSE OF STORIES THIS SUMMER!
Kick-off Summer Reading on June 5, 10-12 at the Ellis Fine Arts Center with a Space Camp Party for the whole family! We will have activities for all age levels, games, snacks, prizes, and more!
On June 11 at 10 am, join us again at Ellis for Musician Alan Cunningham’s entertaining performance.
Summer reading begins its weekly programs at the library on June 18 & 19 at 10 am. We will explore the cosmos and stories, make crafts, do science experiments, snack, and award reading prizes throughout the summer with identical weekly programs on Tuesdays & Wednesdays! Note: There will be NO regular programs at the library the weeks of July 3 or July 16, due to performances at the Ellis Center. If you would like to volunteer at or donate to a program, please let Miss Val know at [email protected]. We NEED volunteers like you!
Registration forms and fliers for summer reading have been sent home through local schools, preschools, and daycares. They are also available at the library, Buck Run, and Family Video. You are now able to register online, if you’d rather. Click here to fill out the form. Register by June 4 to earn an early bird prize (must be redeemed at the library’s downstairs desk)!
Story Time
Kids of all ages, join Miss Val for Storytime on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m.! Come for an hour of stories, coloring, crafts, snacks, and fun! Upcoming themes include Dr. Seuss and spring babies. Suggest favorites your child is interested in for us to use as future themes here. Story time photos are posted to our Facebook Story Time Album. If you would like to contribute a special prop or supplies to storytime or be a guest speaker, please contact Miss Val. Our last storytime before summer reading will take place on May 29.
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
Join our free early literacy program and steer your baby or preschooler child toward academic success! Studies show that children who are read to from an early age develop better vocabulary, make more connections in their brains, and form the needed skills to read by themselves much quicker than their average peers who are not read to. Sign up by stopping in at the library for your first reading log, welcome letter, and other paperwork. Take a look at our awesome readers here.
For Teens
Teen Summer Reading
Kick off the summer with A Universe of Games Party at The Keyhole on May 29, 4 – 6 pm.
Weekly meetings on Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m. will focus on creative writing, community service projects, gaming, book club, and crafting, with a special focus on stories and space throughout the summer. Reading prizes and books will be awarded for every 200 pages or 3 hours of reading.
We NEED volunteers for our teen program. Please contact Miss Val at [email protected] if you would like to help!
Teen Advisory Group (TAG) Every Wednesday 4:15 – 5 p.m.
Middle & high school students meet weekly with activities normally in the following order: Week 1: Community Service Project; Week 2: Arts & Crafts; Week 3: Games & Snacks Night (4-6 p.m.); Week 4: American Idiots Book Club.If you would like to donate treats for the teens, please contact Miss Val at [email protected].
Community Service
Come on June 5, 4:15 – 5 p.m., to help prepare for the summer reading program over free snacks and drinks! Miss Val is happy to provide recommendation letters which include statements of service work done upon request – perfect for accompanying résumés and college applications!
Arts & Crafts
On May 8, 4:15 – 5 p.m., join Miss Val to paint your interpretation of “A Universe of Stories” onto a mini canvas and/or help create tabletop planets for our kick-off party, while enjoying free treats!
Games & Snacks Night
Come play board and card games while snacking on delicious goodies, along with soda and bottled water, on May 15, 4 – 6 p.m. Bring your own board and card games to play if you want, provided they are suitable for a general audience. Tabletop role-playing games are welcome too!
Due to the end of the school year and preparation for summer reading, there will be no TAG meeting on May 22.
For Families
Maker Monday
Create with kits on May 13, 4 – 5 p.m. at this program designed mainly for elementary school and middle school kids. Use one of our craft kits to make a cool project, or invent your own. Enjoy a snack and water as you unwind from a school day. Please share this event and invite your friends! All ages are welcome. Children 2nd grade and below must have an adult with them at all times.
Miss Julia’s efforts to understand mysteries surrounding an unscrupulous new doctor and his painfully shy wife are complicated by Lloyd’s first car and a newly divorced LuAnne’s makeover in accordance with a new funeral home job.
Settling into a quieter life a decade after a career scandal, a once-high-profile newscaster is approached by someone from her past who compels her to make a difficult choice. 100,000 first printing.
A devastating family secret hidden in an heirloom tinderbox launches a Lancaster County Amish family into turmoil, threatening the marriage prospects of a 19-year-old girl who witnesses her neighbors turning on one another. Simultaneous.
A chronicle of the first 24 hours of the D-Day invasion shares the perspectives of a diverse range of Allied, German and French contributors to explore the conflict’s strategic mastery and human realities.
Provides a true account of the deadliest animal of all time, the Champawat Tiger—responsible for killing more than 400 humans in northern India in the first decade of the 20th century—and the hunter who finally brought it down. 75,000 first printing.
A novella follow-up to A Court of Wings and Ruin finds Feyre, Rhys and their companions diligently working to rebuild the Night Court and the vastly changed world beyond only to find Feyre’s first Winter Solstice as High Lady complicated by the scars impacting the future of her loved ones. By the best-selling author of the Throne of Glass series.
A reimagining of the infamous 17th-century poisoning scandal involving Louis XIV finds a young alchemist discovering her mother’s secret criminal activities before teaming up with an illegitimate royal in a rebellion against a murderous underground society. A first novel.
As an illegal second child hiding from the world and living vicariously through her twin brother, Rowan makes a reckless decision to go out into the world for one night of adventure and becomes a renegade on the run.
Struggling with the fallout of mistaken diagnoses and disappointed hopes, a once-popular cheerleader from a small Texas community learns that she has a rare disease before reevaluating her past choices and navigating a difficult recovery. By the award-winning author of The New Normal.
Keralie is the best pickpocket in all of the kingdoms of Quadara, but when she steals a “comm disk” and realizes a royal murder plot is afoot, she must learn who to trust and fast.
Revealed as one of two prophesied queens destined to shape their world, Rielle embarks on a series of dangerous magical trials that link her to the other queen, a ruthless bounty hunter born a thousand years later who joins a rebel captain to fight imperial corruption in the hope of rescuing her abducted mother. By the author of Winterspell.
Forced into an interment camp for Muslim-American citizens in a near-future United States, 17-year-old Layla Amin helps forge an alliance of new friends and outside sympathizers before becoming the leader of a revolution against the camp’s corrupt guards.
A latest anthology of Ms. Marvel comics collects Issues 13 to 18 and follows the adventures of lonely superhero Kamala Khan throughout a turbulent post-Civil War II election campaign.
A novelization of a Superman origin story finds a young Clark Kent teaming up with best friend Lana Lang to uncover a dark secret in their Smallville hometown, an effort that is complicated by his increasingly conspicuous super-abilities.
Told from two viewpoints, Forest, a television actor who needs more fans, and Claire, a teen fan fiction blogger, are teamed to raise his profile despite their disagreement over whether his character is gay.
An anthology of 12 five-minute stories is comprised of old favorites and new adventures and includes entries starring favorite Avengers characters, Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy superheroes.
An early concept primer by the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar pairs spot art in Carle’s signature collage style with more than 200 first vocabulary words, organized under subjects ranging from numbers and shapes to colors and foods.
Draws on decades of research and application in a high-contrast board book for newborns that uses strategic bold shapes and colors to promote receptive language skills and sound associations.
A debut picture book by the author of The Magic Words and the Caldecott Honor-winning creator of Strega Nona combines simple rhymes and vibrant artwork in a loving tribute to the challenges and triumphs of a baby bird’s first flight.
The Newbery Medal-winning author of Sarah, Plain and Tall and the best-selling creator of the Lunch Lady graphic novels present the story of a clever flock of chickens who trigger chaos by scratching messages around the farm for their human caretakers.
During the Civil War, orphan Magdalys Roca is just trying to survive, but when she receives a letter telling her that her brother Montez is wounded, she is determined to reach him and her ability to communicate telepathically with dinosaurs may help.
An official graphic-novel continuation of Airbender finds Team Avatar returning to a hostile Earthen Fire Industries, where a request for their assistance reveals an escalating bender versus non-bender conflict.
A leveled reader introduction to the executive branch explains how American presidents spend their days at the White House, sign or veto bills, meet with other world leaders to promote peace and more.
The annual Fort Scott Presbyterian Village benefit dinner, auction and vacation raffle is May 15.
The fundraiser is for tenants of the assisted living facility who outlive their funds stored for retirement years.
Ginger Nance, executive director of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village answered the following interview questions.
Who will it benefit from this fundraiser?
“We are a Christian mission, not for profit, independent and assisted senior living community. As people age, they usually put back money for ‘old age’ thinking it will surely be enough to meet their needs, knowing they will retire and not be able to continue working at some point.
“Life continues and sometimes seniors are faced with the reality that they never dreamed they’d live as old as they may currently be.”
“For example, we had a tenant once who lived in our assisted living who lived to be 104 years old. She told us, ‘I never dreamed I’d live to be older than 90!’ A decade later, she was still able to enjoy life and do many of the things she enjoyed so much, such as gardening, but she was not physically able to return to the workforce to earn money for that 14 years that she had not planned for. Who could?!
“In our Christian mission, we are dedicated to making sure that our seniors needs are met as long as they can continue to physically live in assisted living at the Presbyterian Village, regardless of whether they can afford their care or not. This is only possible through generous donors who believe in our program and see the wonderful quality of life that their tax-deductible donations can provide. ”
“We accept donations all year-long to support this charitable program, but once a year we hold a live auction and dinner to boost the money raised in order to cover the deficit that some of our seniors have. For this reason, on May 15th, we will hold our annual Good Samaritan Auction and Dinner and hope to bring in more than $30,000 to cover that need.”
“For the event, we are selling tickets for a 3 piece Chicken Mary’s dinner which includes two sides, a homemade desert (made by many wonderful local bakers), and a bottle of water. Ticket prices are $9.00 each in advance, or $12.00 at the door. The dinners will serve from 4:30-6:30pm. We will also have a drive through service available if you are not able to stay for the live auction that will be held, but would like to simply pick up dinner to take home. Be sure to get your tickets early though, we usually sell out by the morning of the event and we don’t want anyone to go without a dinner.”
What will be going on that evening?
“A live auction will be held in the parking garages on the back side of the building, held by Nance Auction Service. Come see all the great items we have to offer! Everything from a Chevy Malibu car, tools, antiques, collectibles, household furniture, outdoor and hobby items, to knic knacs will be offered. There is truly something for everyone! The auctioneers engage the crowd and the fun begins among buyers and spectators. Most everything will be inside the garages so there will be cover in case of rain.”
“A few premier silent auction items will be inside near the cashiers table, as well.”
“Additionally, we will have a ‘Buy It Now’ area set up at one end of the garage for those who would rather purchase and go.
“If you are not able to attend the auction but would like to leave a bid on an item that you are interested in, please contact Ginger Nance in advance to leave a bid. We will also have people at the auction to assist if you are nervous about raising your hand to bid, or would simply prefer to have someone else bid for you.
“Last but not least, we are also selling tickets for one lucky person to win a seven-day trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The winner will stay at the beautiful Las Brisas condo which is appointed with all the luxuries of the Southwest that one could want while on vacation from your busy life. The condo is large enough for a family, yet intimate for a romantic get-away and is located within walking distance of the downtown attractions and dining. Tickets for the opportunity to win are $5.00 each, or 3 tickets for $10.00. The drawing will take place at the end of the auction and the winner does not have to be present to win.”
“All money raised remains local here at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village to directly impact the lives of seniors with a financial need,” states Nance. “The program is confidential, otherwise we would ask a recipient of the program to give their testimony.”
“However, I have been the Executive Director at the Village for 17 years and I can attest that those who are utilizing the program often don’t even realize they are and their life continues unchanged and they continue to live the way they want to live, without interruption or worry.”
“The program is a dignified, loving gift of kindness from supporters, like you and I, and every dollar makes a direct impact on our senior’s lives,” states Nance.
“Join us for a great evening together! We are located at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, 2401 S. Horton, Fort Scott, KS 66701.
Tickets are available at the Presbyterian Village, or at the Chamber of Commerce in Fort Scott.
For more information contact Ginger Nance, Executive Director at (620) 223-5550 or email [email protected].
To view a partial listing of the auction items visit www.nanceauctionservice.com or come by to preview early on sale day.
Items are being added daily, so there are sure to be surprises on auction day.”
The location and directions to get there?
“Directions: Take Highway 69 south on the bypass of Fort Scott, KS. Turn west at 23rd street (at McDonald’s intersection light), then turn south on Horton Street. We are located directly across the street from the Fort Scott Public Golf Course.
In case of rain, if it’s too wet to park in the grass, we will have people assisting with parking and a shuttle service will run between the Village and the Fort Scott Community College parking lot from 4:30-7:00 p.m.”
Photo of McDonald’s Restaurant, 2224 S. Main, Fort Scott, following the renovation in December 2018 of the business site.
After 46 years with McDonald’s Restaurant, 19 of those here in Fort Scott, owner Mark McCoy is retiring.
As of May 1, Glen Nichols, Pittsburg, is the new owner.
“He is a great gentleman,” McCoy said of Nichols. “He owns restaurants in Pittsburg, Chanute, Parsons, Independence, Coffeyville, Baxter Springs and Columbus.”
Facebook photo.
“I am an active person, retiring is not in my vocabulary,” McCoy said. “Mo (his wife) and I will continue to be active in the community.”
Because of his job at McDonald’s, McCoy moved here from Kansas City 19 years ago, he said.
“We have enjoyed living here and will continue to do so,” McCoy said.
The quick-service industry has changed over the decades, he said.
“When I started with McDonald’s 46 years ago, we didn’t have a breakfast menu,” he said. “The restaurant I started with didn’t have indoor seating….the majority of people employed there was 20ish and under.”
More recently McDonald’s has opened self-serve kiosks, mobile order and pay and Uber Eats, a delivery service, he said.
“We don’t have an Uber Eats in Fort Scott, we don’t have an Uber service,” McCoy said.
Currently, at Fort Scott McDonald’s Restaurant there are 55 employees, he said.
Many are older employees.
“The majority of the quick-serve industry are older, more mature folks (employees),” McCoy said. “That has evolved over the years in the U.S.”
McCoy plans to travel and visit family in California.
“I have two brothers and a daughter in California,” he said. “We hope to be able to travel.”
“Come out for a great time with us on Wednesday evening, May 15th,” Ginger Nance, Executive Director of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, said. “See the sale bill attached for many great items at the auction. More is being added daily so there will be some great surprises on auction day! Get your dinner tickets early, we always sell out on auction day!”
Fort Scott Presbyterian Village is located at 2401 S. Horton,
Fort Scott, KS 66701, and can be reached at (620) 223-5550.
