Submitted by Heather Cutshall, March 22

Fort Scott Community College will host its 40th annual Aggie Day on Friday, April 1. Approximately 1,400 students representing more than 80 schools will compete in the contest, which is facilitated by FSCC’s Agriculture Department. The department offers a variety of programs for students, including agriculture, farm and ranch management and John Deere Tech, as well as activities such as livestock judging, meat judging, collegiate farm bureau and rodeo.

“Our agriculture instructors and students always look forward to Aggie Day, and we’re especially thrilled because this year marks the 40th anniversary of the event,” said FSCC Agriculture Instructor Ryan Edgecomb. “We are excited to showcase students involved in FFA and 4-H programs across the Four States.”

Students will compete in a variety of areas, including agronomy, entomology, farm management, floriculture, food science, livestock, meat evaluation, milk quality and products, nursery/landscape, poultry and speech. Trophies will be awarded to the top three teams in each contest. Plaques will be awarded to the top three individuals in each contest, and medals will be presented to those earning fourth and fifth place.

Sponsored by Purina Animal Nutrition, Honor Show Chow and Winfield, this event is the longest running interscholastic competition in the region.

“It is an honor to have Purina, a company with such great values and reputation, as our sponsor,” said Edgecomb. “We thank them for their support of agriculture and the youths of southeast Kansas.”

Teams should pre-register online at fortscott.edu/aggieday before Friday, March 25. Registration for the event will begin at 7:00 a.m. on Friday, April 1, at the Arnold Arena on the FSCC campus in Fort Scott, Kan.

For more information, please call Ryan Edgecomb, FSCC Agriculture Instructor, at (620) 223-2700 ext. 3280.

After announcing his resignation earlier this month, Fort Scott city commissioner Lucas Cosens was recognized Tuesday night during his final meeting before his family moves away to Cleveland so he can continue medical school.

Mayor Cindy Bartelsmeyer presented a plaque and key to the city to Cosens, thanking him for his service to the community during his almost three years as a commissioner.

“We have appreciated you so much,” Bartelsmeyer said. “You’ve been an asset to the commission. We’re going to miss you.”

City Manager Dave Martin praised Cosens, saying he was always willing to ask hard questions and hear both sides of an issue.

“I appreciate the time working here for the city,” Cosens said. “And it will be an experience not easily forgotten.”

The city leaders wished Cosens well as he continues his medical education at Kent State University with the goal of moving from practicing as a chiropractor to more traditional medicine.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to serve in this wonderful town,” Cosens said.

Dr. Randy Nichols has been approached and considered to fill in the open position left by Cosens.

Other Topics:

• The commission approved a low bid of less than $4,800 to replace three sets of fire fighter bunker gear to continue rotating through worn gear. The replaced gear will be used as back-up equipment.
• The commission approved water treatment plan supervisor Michael Mix’s request to go to bid for a new sludge tank as well as improvements to be made at the plant to correct the process of transporting dirt from the water to the wastewater plant, since that dirt can no longer be put back into the Marmaton River.
• Fire Chief Paul Ballou gave an update on Lake Fort Scott’s need for a tornado siren in that area. The lake community raised more than $5,000 through a memorial fund in honor of John Scott, who died in 2015, to help fund the project while the Bourbon County Commission decided Tuesday morning to also provide $5,000. The city will support the project as well, which will cost the entities a total of between $16,000 and $18,000. New Wave Broadband has offered to let the siren be located near their new tower at the lake, which would also provide the needed energy.
• The city of Fort Scott has begun looking into the option of selling Second Street Park, citing reasons such as the number of parks already owned by the city, the small number of people who use the park, the number of times the police department is called to that area as well as the fact that the area floods. Martin clearly stated they are moving forward slowly and are looking for feedback from the community on the idea.
• The commission approved increasing their annual donation to the Bourbon County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) from $2,000 in 2015 to $2,500 this year.

Despite a cool start to the day, the weather warmed nicely for families and volunteers participating in the Fort Scott Kiwanis annual Easter egg hunt held at Gunn Park Saturday morning.

“I thought it was a decent turnout,” Phil Gorman, Kiwanis club treasurer, said of the event that has been held for decades.

About 200 children, divided into three age groups, hunted for about 2,000 eggs that had been placed earlier that morning. While some eggs had candy in it, some held coupons to businesses around town such as Fort Cinema and local restaurants while others signaled that they had won a different prize. Quinten Irsik, 4, was awarded the grand prize for finding a specific egg.

Gorman said they would not have been able to put on the event without those business that donated coupons as well as funds that were used to purchase the eggs, candy and prizes.

Those donors included individuals and entire businesses representing Farmers Insurance Group, Iron Star Antiques, Farm Bureau Insurance, Rogers Body Shop, Heidricks True Value, Don’s Spirits, R & R Equipment, Big Sugar Lumber, Fort Scott Lumber, Dairy Queen, Diehl Banwart Bolton CPAs, Flowers by LeAnna, Marsha’s Deli, McDonalds, Edward Jones, Liberty Theater and Country Cupboard.

The Fort Scott Police Department also participated in the event Saturday and the Easter Bunny was also present for photo opportunities.

During a surprise statement Tuesday, Fort Scott graduate and resident Adam LaRoche announced his intentions to retire from Major League Baseball after 12 seasons of playing.

The first baseman and designated hitter signed a two-year contract with the Chicago White Sox during the 2014 off-season, but told his coaches and fellow players Tuesday, with just over two weeks before the 2016 season starts, that he intends to retire from the game, citing personal reasons. By voiding the contract, he would walk away from the contract’s remaining $13 million promised him for the 2016 season.

He did agree to give it one more day before confirming the decision, though players and coaches were quoted in other articles as saying he seemed confident in his decision. In a post on Twitter, LaRoche, 36, said, “Thank u Lord for the game of baseball and for giving me way more than I ever deserved! #FamilyFirst.”

“We’ve always known this was a high-character guy,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn was quoted as saying in an MLB article published Tuesday. “And if this is the end, then this is a guy who had a very solid, extensive big-league career and, in the end, was playing this game for the right reasons and not strictly the economic ones.”

A follow-up MLB article published Wednesday stated LaRoche signed retirement papers, though the club had not yet sent them to the league office, granting him a little more time to decide. That article said LaRoche decided to retire when the club requested that his son Drake, 14, not spend as much time with him and the team as he had in past years.

Drake had become known as the 26^th man on the team, having his own locker at the ball field and being a constant presence with the team during practices and games. The White Sox executive vice president Ken Williams, who made the request, said the club did not wish to set such a precedent, though adding the team was fond of the teenager.

Other MLB players such as Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals expressed support for his family-focused decision on Twitter.

LaRoche has a career batting average of .260 with a total of 255 home runs over 12 seasons with teams such as the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals and the Chicago White Sox. His average statistics dipped during the 2015 season when he batted just .207 with 12 home runs, both his lowest in the majors other than an abbreviated 2011 season that ended when he had shoulder surgery.

LaRoche played in just two spring training games this month as back spasms during the first week of March forced him to rest.

LaRoche and his wife Jennifer and children Montana and Drake are Bourbon County residents at the E3 Ranch and active members of the community, such as by investing in the LaRoche Baseball Complex. LaRoche is also a co-owner of the hunting show “Buck Commander” along with other athletes and celebrities.

The first stage of a project begun months ago now nears its completion as the quiet zone construction project in Fort Scott wraps up at the intersection of Wall Street with the railroad tracks.

Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin said Wednesday that the city had submitted a letter stating the project was complete to Burlington Northern Railway and was nearing the end of the waiting period for approval. If that approval is granted, trains could stop blowing their whistles within a quarter mile to the north and south of that intersection at almost any time.

Martin said businesses located on that side of town have looked forward to this quiet zone for some time. In the future, such zones could also be installed at other major intersections.

“A long time coming,” Martin described the project, saying it had been in the city’s plans for years.

The project included putting in curbing and sidewalks at the intersection and adding a median. The road located at the northwest corner of the intersection was also paved while another road was relocated.

Trains may still blow their whistle if they stop to take on or let off workers.

Martin also said with the warmer weather, work on the National Avenue project has picked up as more equipment is regularly seen in the area where the road is closed for construction.

“That project, everybody forgot, was scheduled to be a year-long project because they are replacing everything,” Martin said, installing large pipes and also improving curbing and drainage.

Martin said the crews have run into a lot of rock but they still plan to be completely done by August.

After a 10-0 start to the 2016 baseball season, the Fort Scott Community College Greyhounds were handed their first losses of the season in a double header Thursday in their first conference games of the year.

In their first game of the day, the Greyhounds were shut out, 2-0, by the Cowley County Community College Tigers in what became a pitchers’ duel as the starting pitchers combined for a total of 21 strikeouts.

Carson LaRue, now 4-0 for the season, pitched the entire game for the Tigers, allowing just one walk and four hits while striking out 12.

Ryan McCollough struck out nine for the Greyhounds, but could not escape the sixth inning, giving up two runs, one earned, on seven hits. The ‘Hounds greatest offensive threat came in the fourth inning with singles from Jacob Biller and Andrew Tanous, but a double play ended that threat. Two players were also left on base in the final inning.

The ‘Hounds’ offense revived for the second game of the day, but three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning was still not enough as they lost 10-9.

Greyhounds’ starting pitcher Justin O’Laughlin was chased from the game in the fifth inning after giving up nine runs, seven earned, on nine hits, including two home runs.

Down 9-0, the Greyhounds tried to overcome the deficit, scoring three runs in each of the fifth, sixth and ninth innings, with home runs from Jacob Biller, Jedd Andrade, Nick Banman and Malik Sams. But despite the solid, nearly five innings of relief pitching from Conner Leach and Boby Johnson and the sudden offense, the effort ended up falling short.

The ‘Hounds will have another chance to defeat Cowley in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.

During the Fort Scott City Commission meeting Tuesday evening, commissioner Lucas Cosens announced that he will resign from his position by the end of the month as his family prepares to move to Cleveland, where he will continue his education in medical school.

“It’s been an honor to serve all of you,” Cosens said when announcing that his final day would be March 22nd, with his last meeting being later this month.

For about three and a half years, Cosens has served the city of Fort Scott as a city commissioner, and fulfilled a dream of government involvement that began while he was in college and developed when he served as an intern in the State House in Topeka.

“I’m interested in helping people,” Cosens said in an interview with FortScott.biz after the meeting, saying that desire inspired his medical career and his position on the city commission of his hometown. “To fulfill a lifelong dream at a young age has been an honor.”

Cosens, a local chiropractor, said he has always had a desire to pursue traditional medicine and will pursue that goal by attending medical school at Kent State University, but said he hopes to one day again have the opportunity to serve a community as a commissioner or another role.

“We’re sorry to see you go but we’re excited for your future,” Mayor Cindy Bartelsmeyer said.

The commission approved the appointment of retired Dr. Randy Nichols to the commission upon Cosens departure. City Manager Dave Martin said Nichols had been approached and expressed his interest in the position as well as his understanding of it.

Other business of the meeting included naming the second lake of Gunn Park after the Gunn family, naming it Gunn Lake. The commission also approved giving $2,000 to help fund trees to be planted in the city.

Police Chief Travis Shelton also gave a report on the city’s municipal pound, reminding city residents to register their dogs so they can be returned easily if lost. Shelton also put to rest rumors that the pound has a high kill rate, saying the rate is low and the option is used only as a last resort. The pound—different from a shelter because it will not accept cats—will also go through some renovations to improve its appearance and efficiency.

Submitted by Amber Toth, Feb. 22

Another successful first place in Coffeyville this week.

In Public Forum Debate, Hunter Parker and Breana Mooney took second. In Lincoln Douglas, Zach Humble took second and Tristan Watkins took third. In Student Congress House One, Charlotte Hutchison was Presiding Officer and took second. Joe Adams took first. Isabella Provence took 6th. In House 2, Suzi Owen was the Presiding Officer and took 5th. Darby Toth took second and Sebastian Loyd took third. Autumn Warren-Rice took 4th. In novice house, Logan Hall was elected Presiding Officer and took third. Chloe Studyvin took second.

In informative, Rebekah Sweyko took first. In Humorous Interpretation, Seth Cross took first. Isabella Provence took second and Mary Schick took 5th. In Domestic Extemporaneous, Rebekah Sweyko took third and Sebastian Loyd took 5th. In International Extemporaneous, Joe Adams took second. In Original Oration, Darby Toth took first. In Impromptu speaking, Sebastian Loyd took first, Seth Cross took second and Joe Adams took 4th. In Dramatic Interpretation, Charlotte Hutchison took first and Suzi Owen took third. In Prose, Charlotte Hutchison took 7th. In Duo Interpretation, Charlotte Hutchison and Sebastian Loyd took 4th and Dalton Womeldorff and Logan Hall took 5th. And in poetry, Seth Cross took first and Darby Toth took third.

I am so proud of the team. We have brought home first every weekend but one. They have worked so hard all season and I couldn’t be more proud to be their coach.

During the six Fridays of Lent, the Knights of Columbus Council 796 will host the annual fish fry at the Kennedy Gym for anyone in the community interested in participating.

Joe Barr, financial secretary for the Knights organization of Catholic men interested in serving others, said the fish fry event began about 15 years ago, with about 100 people participating. But now the annual event brings in an average of more than 400 people each week, reaching a total of about 3,000 people over the six weeks in 2015 while serving more than 1,000 pounds of fish.

“Now it’s just a community event that everybody talks about,” Barr said, saying even those who are not Catholic and do not participate in Lent look forward to the event each year. “It’s for everybody.”

It is tradition for those of the Catholic faith to abstain from meat on Fridays during the Lenten period, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends before Easter Sunday, with the one exception being fish.

In honor of that, the fish fry provides deep-fried Cajun catfish as well as baked cod for the cost of a free-will donation or $5 for a take-out box. Other sides such as rolls, green beans, corn, coleslaw and baked potatoes are also provided as well as grilled cheese sandwiches and spaghetti for children. Desserts are also made by the ladies of the parish.

Barr emphasized that the event is for anyone in the community, not just Catholics, with the funding money raised during the six weeks being used to pay for use of the venue as well as to support local families, such as one who lost their home to a fire, and other organizations including Mothers to Mothers.

The 6^th Annual Dancing with Our Stars event drew a large audience to the Fort Scott Community College Ellis Family Fine Arts Center Saturday evening as 10 couples danced in an effort to raise funding for charities and organizations they selected to represent and support.

The Marriage Boot Camp Edition, and the largest fundraiser for the Rotary each year, featured couples of a range of ages who showed off the results of months of practicing, including waltzing, two-stepping, jiving, twisting, ballet, flipping, cart-wheeling and even jump-roping during their two-minute routines.

After each dance, judges Dave and Jara Martin and Bob and Jamie Beckham commented on what they enjoyed about that dance while emcees Tim and Deb Mckenney then introduced the next dancers and their chosen causes.

During the intermission, members of the audience voted for their favorite dancers by putting dollars into bowls located at booths set up by the dancers in order to share information on their respective causes.

Causes this year included Relay for Life, Circles of Hope NICU Foundation, Court Appointed Special Advocate, the Alzheimer’s Association, Lee’s Paws and Claws Animal Shelter, the Sharing Bucket, 4-H, Friends of the Fort and the Tom W. Davis Memorial Fund.

Gary and Kylene Palmer, dancing for Lee’s Paws and Claws Animal Shelter, raised the most money at $4,349 and received the Charity of Giving Award. Nate and Bailey Lyons raised $2,753 for the NICU Foundation for second place, Wayne and Dee Young and Friends of the Fort received third place with $2,298, and Justin and Hannah Simpson raised $2,294 for Relay for Life for fourth place.

The total amount raised reached $16,937.

Gary and Kylene Palmer also received an award for the most technical performance, Heather Davis and Grant Hartman the most spirited award and Amanda and Lane Gray the judge’s choice award.

Other dancers included Steve and Susan Cole, David and Tina Lipe, Chad and Jayci Cosens and Abby and Trenton Stepps.