Category Archives: Fort Scott

Fort Scott NHS Announces Launch of new Mobile App

Submitted by Fort Scott National Historic Site

Visitors to Fort Scott NHS in 2018 will have a new way of discovering the Fort’s resources and stories. The site is pleased to announce the launch of a new smart phone and tablet mobile app. The app features an interactive map, multiple historic and “behind the scenes” photos, interesting details about all of the buildings and furnished rooms, and helpful information on available services. Best of all, the app is free.

The app allows visitors to engage with the site in new ways and make discoveries right in the palm of their hand. It also increases the accessibility of the site. Individuals with limited mobility can explore photos of the rooms and exhibits that they may not be able to visit.

Audio description of tour stops and site features describe what is in each room for visitors with sight impairment. The interactive map shows where tour stops and features are located. Information about each stop “activates” in the app as a user approaches the locations. The map includes large font sizes, easily distinguishable walkways, and multiple zoom levels.

Other features of the new app include:

 A calendar, which allows users to view upcoming special events and programs

 A tour function, which assists visitors in taking a self-guided tour

 A “Build-an-Itinerary” function, where users can create a personalized plan by saving favorite sites and events; visitors can even get alerts when they are near a saved site

Fort Scott NHS is excited to be adding this 21st Century method of serving visitors. The app will allow the Fort to reach the increasing number of people who use mobile devices when they travel, engage with tech-savvy audiences, and increase the accessibility of the site for more people.

The app is one in a series of official National Park Service apps that includes sites such as Grand Teton National Park, Independence National Historical Park, and Herbert Hoover National Historic Site.

The app is free of charge and at this time is available for iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches. It requires iOS 9.0 or later and can be found on the Apple App Store. Search “NPS Fort Scott.” Users will need internet access to download the app, but once downloaded it can be used without connectivity.

Meeks Set To Focus On County Counselor Position

Justin Meeks resigned as Bourbon County Attorney on November 22, 2017, with an official last day January 2.

He has been doing both that job and the Bourbon County Counselor position since February 2015.

“Nobody can do both job functions,” Meeks said. “Because of the amount of time needed.  I wanted to do an A+ but couldn’t, with the hours involved.”

His focus now is administrative law.

Meeks will be giving the county legal advice about contracts, acquisition, and human resources, he said.

An example  is research on issues that come to the commission. “They (the Bourbon County Commission) have had me do a lot of research on fire districts,” he said.

“My goal is not to get the commissioners sued,” Meeks said with a laugh.

Meeks vacated his county attorney office Tuesday. He will be working out of the second floor of the courthouse.

The required hours for the counselor position is 25 per week. But “I’ve always worked more than the expected hours,” he said.

For this position, he will be paid $64,000 a year.

“That works out to be $48 per billable hours,” he said.

Meeks said nearby Allen County has a part-time county attorney that makes $70,000, a part-time assistant county attorney that makes somewhere in the “upper $50,000s.”  And also a county counselor that makes $58,000.

The Bourbon County Attorney position is  $50,230, he said, with 35 hours required per week.

Meeks said he is “excited” about the counselor position focus.

“There is a lot of good things going on in Bourbon County,” he said. “The airport expansion, (on that project) the city and county will be working together. There are two bridges to replace in the county. There is exciting economic development in the county.”

Additionally, “I hope the county will be a part of reducing the overall tax liability for the county,” he said.

Meeks is a 1992 Fort Scott High School graduate, a 1994 Fort Scott Community College graduate, a 1996 Lindenwood University (St. Charles, MO) graduate with a BA in education. He then earned a Master’s in Business Administration in 1998 and then graduated from Washburn University in 2001 with a law degree.  He was in private practice from 2003 to 2014.

“I’ve been back to Fort Scott since November 2005,” Meeks said. “I have a three-year-old son. He is the joy of my life. I plan on living in Fort Scott the rest of my life and raising my son with whom I share joint custody.”

“I hope the next county attorney takes the job as serious as I have the last three years,” he said. “I am looking forward to being able to serve in one job function.”

New County Attorney Chosen Tonight

The next county attorney will be chosen tonight by the Bourbon County Republican Party at their convention at the Fort Scott Livestock Market.

The Republican Party Chairman Randall Readinger passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in late December.

Gayle Sackett, who was vice-chairman, will lead the convention.

Because of Readinger’s death, the convention was postponed a few days past Meeks last day of January 2.

Following the appointment of a new county attorney, that person will “have to run in the next election,” in November, Meeks said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opportunity To Choose For Mercy Patients With Blue Cross

“In the past, Mercy Hospital Fort Scott has been able to accept Blue Cross/Blue Shield, but Mercy Hospital Joplin and Springfield were excluded,” said Tina Rockhold media spokesperson for Mercy Hospital said.

Kansas residents with Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s plan which are part of the Blue Card network now have access to Mercy Joplin doctors, hospitals, labs, imaging facilities and other health care services, effective January 1, 2018.

 Mercy Joplin and Springfield are now in-network with a number of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas health insurance plans.

“This is a tremendous benefit to our patients,” Rockhold said. “Because if they are transferred or need specialty care not offered here, they can now receive care in Joplin or if need be in Springfield.”

“In Springfield, for example,  there is a highly specialized pediatric service,” she said. “If needed patients could be treated there.”

Click here for a list of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans accepting Mercy providers.

Patients with the following plans will receive in-network privileges at Mercy Joplin: Blue Choice, Preferred Care, Preferred Care Blue, Pathway/Pathway X and Medicare Advantage.

Because of its efficient, quality care, Mercy recently was named one of the top five large health systems for the second year in a row by IBM Watson Health’s Truven Health Analytics.

In addition to quality care across the board, patients in these Blue Cross Blue Shield plans will have access to a variety of Mercy health care specialties in Joplin that include:

  • Mercy hospitals located in Joplin, Carthage, and Springfield
  • Mercy Kids Pediatric Specialist Outreach Clinics in Joplin, and a Mercy Children’s Hospital in Springfield with dozens of physician subspecialists including pediatric critical care, orthopedic, endocrinology and neurosurgery
  • A neonatal intensive unit with private rooms that give families the space to participate in their child’s care
  • First Hybrid Operating Room in Joplin for open heart and brain surgeries
  • Advanced specialty services for cardiovascular, spine, bariatrics, neurology and many more

The full list of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans accepting Mercy providers follows:

Medical Networks

  • Blue Access – PPO

  • Blue Access Choice – PPO

  • Blue Traditional

  • Medicare Advantage HMO

  • Medicare Advantage PPO

  • Pathway

  • Pathway X

Medical (Individual & Families)

  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Gold Direct Access, a Multi-state Plan
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Silver Direct Access, a Multi-state Plan
  • Blue Access Choice – S

  • Bronze Pathway

  • Bronze Pathway X

  • Catastrophic Pathway

  • Catastrophic Pathway X

  • Gold Pathway

  • Gold Pathway X

  • Lumenos Plans (Blue Access Choice)

  • Lumenos Plans (Blue Access)

  • National PPO (Blue Card Basic)

  • National PPO (Blue Card PPO)

  • Silver Pathway

  • Silver Pathway X

Medicare

  • Anthem MediBlue (HMO)

  • Anthem MediBlue (PPO)

  • Anthem MediBlue Dual Advantage (HMO SNP)

  • Anthem MediBlue Plus (HMO)

  • Anthem MediBlue Preferred (PPO)

  • Blue Medicare Advantage (PPO)

  • Blue Medicare Rx (PDP) with Senior Rx Plus

  • Blue Medicare Rx Plus (PDP)

  • Blue Medicare Rx Premier (PDP)

  • Blue Medicare Rx Value (PDP)

Federal Employee Program

  • Federal Employee Program

International

  • Blue Card Worldwide

Mercy, named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2017 by Truven, an IBM Watson Health company, serves millions annually. Mercy includes 44 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, more than 700 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 40,000 co-workers and more than 2,000 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

This Week In Fort Scott By the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

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Fort Scott Middle School Pizza Hut Night

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Chamber Coffee, hosted by the Chamber Board of Directors at the Chamber, 231 E. Wall St., 8am

4 Coffee with Doug, live music at Common Ground Coffee Co., 7pm

(Dangerous Doug Harper of Nevada, MO)
5-6 Livestock Sale, Fort Scott Livestock Market, 2131 Maple Rd., 10am
6 The Bunker Conceal Carry Class, 8am, $75 fee
6 Boiler Room Brewhaus Grand Opening, 11am, 102 S. National Ave., music, food & craft beer
Upcoming Events:
1/8 Informational Breakfast: Stay Strong, Stay Healthy Strength Training Class for Older Adults, Buck Run
1/9 Quarterly Downtown Meet & Greet, Papa Don’s, 10 N. Main St., 8:30am
1/11 Biggest Loser Competition Begins at Buck Run, $15
1/12 Theology on Tap, Papa Don’s Pizza, 10 N. Main St., 7pm
1/15 Lunch & Learn, Martin Luther King Jr. Day speaker, Gordon Parks Museum, FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Building, 12pm

 

Microbrewery Opens January 6

Bryan and Barbara Ritter stand in the taproom of the Boiler Room Brewhaus.

This Saturday, January 6, Fort Scott’s first microbrewery will open at 11 a.m.

Named the Boiler Room Brewhaus, the brewery is located in the lower level of the Beaux Arts Center, 102 S. National. Entry is from the alley on the south.

Public parking is at First and National Streets and additionally,  Judson and Second Streets nearby. The Fort Scott Post Office parking lot is off-limits, however it is through the post office parking lot that one must enter the facility.

“It’s  a comfy atmosphere,” Barbara Ritter, who along with her sister-in-law Peggy Ritter are the owners, said. “No TV’s. We want to encourage people to talk to each other.”

In addition there will be board games.

There is a 40 person capacity in the tap-room, she said.

Right now, Barbara’s husband Bryan Ritter is the primary brewer.

He is making ales.

“Beers fall into two categories,” Bryan Ritter said. “Ales and lagers…most people in Bourbon County drink lagers such as Budweiser and Coors. I’m not going to focus on that right now.”

The cooler seasons are ale seasons, Bryan said.

“You want something thicker and richer,” he said. “There is 4-6 percent alcohol content.” He can produce one barrel per brewing session or about 33 gallons.

For opening night, they will have close to 100 gallons, he said.

In addition, Jake Johnson will provide the music that evening.

Only prepared snacks will be offered in the taproom with the beer.

“By Bourbon County law, 30 percent of sales have to be in food,” Barbara said. “We don’t want to be a restaurant. So we are hoping  to get some support by getting it put on the ballot to change the law for microbreweries.”

The hours for the brewery are Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, 12 to 7 p.m.

Bryan Ritter holds a handful of toasted malt barley in the brew room of the Boiler Room Brewhaus. The hops Ritter uses is from the Kansas Hop Company, Ottawa.  The Honey Weiss he produces is from honey produced on the Ritter property, south of Fort Scott, Black Dogs Farm. Visitors can view the brewing system as they come in the brewery.
Barbara Ritter shows the jars that people may take the brew home in.
One of the three flavors currently offered at the Boiler Room Brewhaus.
Original web page

113 S National Ave

Fort Scott, Kansas

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Sharing Ideas For Downtown Fort Scott

 

Lindsay Madison at the Christmas Parade 2017 which the Chamber of Commerce sponsors.

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison has been the executive director since October 2010.

On January 11, 2011, Madison initiated the Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet.

“I started it to provide a platform for downtown business owners and any interested party to network for ideas related to downtown,” Madison said.

The Meet & Greets are held the first Tuesday of each quarter from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. unless otherwise announced.

Usually, approximately 18 to 25 people attend, with the host business invited to tell about their business and any future events, she said.
” City representatives (Dave Martin or Rachel Pruitt) usually give a city update and a Fort (Scott National Historic Site) representative usually announces upcoming fort events,” Madison said.

Some of the projects and ideas that have come out of the meetings include:

  • A new downtown shopping brochure was completed in 2017.
  • The Toy Soldier Project was started Christmas 2017.
  • Businesses are encouraged to decorate windows for special events, i.e. patriotic for Symbols of Sacrifice, Naturalization Ceremony, etc.
  • There is a discussion about co-op advertising opportunities for retailers to go together on, i.e. TV ads, etc.
  • A new parking sign was installed on Wall Street in the city parking lot where the depot is located, to promote additional parking downtown.
  • A short-term parking sign was installed in front of Papa Don’s, following discussion of the group.
  • Ideas for downtown events and promotions are discussed, such as 10% off items on Kansas Day if shoppers wear a sunflower, the Halloween parade, the Christmas parade, and Downtown Open House events, Sales Tax Holiday (first weekend in August), 3rd Saturday Marketplace events, including when to hold the events.
  • Informing attendees of grants/incentives available to downtown businesses.
  • A scarecrow contest was held in the past to create fall decorating.
  • New downtown banners for the light poles were the result of discussion at the meetings.
  • Ideas for new murals, for instance, to replace Star Emporium mural at the north end of Main Street.
“We are always soliciting new ideas and volunteers to help organize any type of events or promotions,” Madison said.

On January 9 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. the meet and greet will gather at Papa Don’s Restaurant, 10 N. Main to share ideas once again for the downtown area.

The goal of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is to be a premier chamber of commerce in the region, acknowledged for leadership effectiveness, member-focused services and success, and being a go-to resource for business and community, according to its website.

For more information:

http://fortscott.com

 

A Healthier Workplace

Fort Scott Firefighter Colten Hoggatt works out at the Fort Scott Fire Department fitness room Wednesday. The City of Fort Scott has implemented a wellness policy to incent its employee’s  to get fit.

Recently, the City of Fort Scott Commissioners implemented a  policy to engage employees in becoming more fit.

This was in response to the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team challenging businesses to develop wellness policies, Deb Needleman, human resources director with the city, said.

Other entities challenged to promote wellness and physical activity were Fort Scott Community College, Mercy Hospital, USD 234, USD 235, Peerless Products Inc., McDonald’s Restaurant, Landmark Bank and Ward Kraft Inc.

“Fort Scott Community College passed their policy recently, too,” Jody Hoener,  administrator for the Bourbon County Healthy Pathway Grant from Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas Insurance, said. “I talked to (FSCC President) Alysia Johnston, who said they have started painting the room where their (fitness) equipment will be,” Hoener said.

“We are setting up policies to encourage employees to exercise at least three hours per week,” Needleman said. “We’ll be rolling the policy out in January to our employees.”

For her part, Needleman has started CrossFit training.

“The policy will encourage me to do CrossFit three times per week,” she said. “But any moderate physical activity that gets the heart rate going,” will work.

If she continues her fitness program for the whole month, “The following month I’ll get an incentive, a $20 reimbursement in expenses,” Needleman said.

This money can be spent on “fitness club membership, shoes, a new tire for a bicycle or anything related to physical activity”, she said.

The outcome of the policy implementation is expected to be an increase in the level of activity which is intended to help the bottom line of each entity that participates.

“When you have healthy activity, employees are more productive, there are lower health care costs and lower employee absenteeism and higher employee retention,” Needleman said.

For the incentives, employees must meet the criteria set forth in the policy, and Needleman acknowledges that not everyone will.

The policy is not mandatory, Needleman said.

Still, the city has set aside $9,000 to $15,000 in its’ budget to incent employees to get more active.

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team will survey the city staff in August or September 2018 to find out if the level of activity has increased and thereby are approaching or meeting national standards, Needleman said.

“We will look at and re-evaluate the policy at that time,” Needleman said.

“We were about one-half of the national standard,” when surveyed prior to implementation of the policy,  she said.

Increasing activity is the goal of year one of the policy, Needleman said.

“Year two, we will look at nutrition,” she said. “Healthy eating, food choices in the workplace.”

“Year three we will look at tobacco cessation,” she said.

Each worksite is eligible for $10,000 to implement a wellness policy  Hoener said.

Firefighter Colten Hoggatt, 25, pictured, works out even on his days off for about one hour, he said. The fire department has a separate building on site that it uses as a fitness room.

Fort Scott Fire Department Captain Dale Bolinger said the fire department currently tracks physical activity of each employee and that information is included in their employment evaluation.

 

New Catholic Boarding School To Open 2018

Daniel Kerr, president of St. Martin’s Academy shows the newly poured foundation to the first building in construction at the school.

Years in a Pennsylvania boarding school created a passion and vision for education for a local Fort Scottian.

Daniel Kerr’s experience altered him.

“It was a life-changing experience,” Kerr said.

Since that time Kerr has had an interest in developing a boarding school that would incorporate farming into the school curriculum and  has been working towards that vision and laying the groundwork.

“This is not a reform school,” Kerr said. ” This will be for kids of high character and goodwill. There is a fairly rigorous application process and an in-person interview with parents and prospective students.”

Thus plans were begun for constructing St. Martin’s Academy, a boys Catholic boarding school.

The Kerr Family Estate deeded to St. Martin’s Academy about five acres of land west of Fort Scott on Indian Road.

Daniel Kerr met with the bishop and vicar-general of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita to tell them of his vision.

“They are enthusiastic and have been supportive of our plans,” he said.

In October 2017 construction began of phase one, Theotokos Hall.

Kevin Klassen Construction, Kansas City, is the main contractor, Kerr said. The architect is Greg Madeen, Durango, CO, who does alternative energy construction and design.

This month the City of Fort Scott granted the school a land use permit.

Also this month, the footings for the first building were laid.

The footprint of the hall is 74 feet by 36 feet, with a full basement, first floor, and loft area, totaling over 6,000 square feet, Kerr said.

Theotokos Hall is the first and largest building and will be constructed of native oak timbers and stone.

“Overall, the school campus will be situated on five acres with access to 200 acres,” Kerr said. “We live on the property and built a house here. Kerr is married with children.

The school will be using passive solar and hope to have a windmill for electrical and also active solar, he said.

Theokotos Hall will serve the needs of the school for the first year before becoming the permanent dining hall and hearth. It is slated for completion in July 2018.

Eventually, there will be five separate buildings on the site.

St. Martin’s Academy Plan 2017

By 2022 there is a plan to complete construction on the crowning feature of the campus, a  chapel made of native stone.

Patrick Whelan, who will be the new headmaster, has moved to Fort Scott with his family and has been working on the school’s curriculum development and educational compliance, along with recruiting students, Kerr said.

“We are blessed to be able to work together for about 15 months of preparation leading into the first academic year,” Kerr said.

“We’ll be applying for grants, benefactors, and financial partners interested in investing in a bold new adventure in education,” Kerr said.

Some upcoming events for St. Martin’s Academy:

Feb. 9 -10 the academy staff will be hosting the Third Annual Prairie Troubadour Conference in Fort Scott. This year’s topic is “Field and Family: Reflections on a Healthy Human Ecology”, according to information provided. To learn more and to purchase tickets http://prairietroubadour.org/

F.O.R.T Leadership Camp will be offered April 16-22, 2018 and again June 11-17, 2018 for boys ages 12-14. Cost is $500 per session. The young men will learn to build a fire, make a shelter, forage for food, race kayaks, serve mass and butcher a hog, according to information provided. Visit: SaintMartinsAcademy.org/#camp.

For more information view the academy’s website at http://www.saintmartinsacademy.org

This photo shows the foundation wall of the first building being built at St. Martin’s Academy on December 20. The Fort Scott Lake overflow area can be seen from the school.

St. Martin’s Academy is located at 1994 Indian Road, Fort Scott, KS, 66701. The phone number is 620-223-2704.

Landmark Bank Expands

Workers from Hornbuckle Framing LLC, Ottawa, work at Landmark Bank Wednesday. From left, Dane Broddy, Nick Nicnew and James Montgomery, all of Ottawa.

Landmark Bank, located at the corner of Main and 23rd Streets is expanding space.

“This is to make it more inviting for the customer,” John Leek, South Branch Landmark manager said. “Our transaction volume is in the top three daily that Landmark has statewide.”

“I think there is a misconception that we are drive-through,” Leek said. “We open accounts. I do consumer loans as well.”

There are eight employees at the south branch location.

 

Leek said he is “excited” about the expansion and looks forward to the completion.

“We apologize for the mess,” he said.

The addition to the existing building measures 26 by 30 feet or 834 square feet.

Two offices, storage and enlarging the teller area and front lobby are part of the plan, according to Jim Daniels, Loyd Builders Inc. Daniels is the superintendent who was on site Wednesday.

Hornbuckle Framing LLC is a sub-contractor for Loyd Builders, Daniels said. The framing crew was working to frame the addition.

The expansion began about three weeks ago.

“We are hoping by the beginning of April, we will be done,” Daniels said.

Lobby hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon.

Drive-through hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 8  a.m. to 2 p.m.

The bank’s phone number is 620-768-2374.

The contractor’s plan for the expansion.

YAT Receives Check From Gunn Park Trails

YAT members receive a check from Gunn Park Trail members at the site of the multi-sensory play area in Ellis Park Wednesday afternoon. From left: front is Frank Halsey, Gunn Park Trails organizer; Diana Mitchell, YAT member; and Penny Pollack-Barnes, Tri-Yak-Athon Race coordinator. In back from left are Tom Robertson, Eric Bailey and Larry Fink, all YAT members.

Slow but sure progress is being made on a playground for children in the community.

Youth Activity Team members met at the future site of a multi-sensory playground at Ellis Park in Fort Scott Wednesday to receive a  $2,500 check from representatives of Gunn Park Trails to add to the fundraising efforts to build the playground.

Frank Halsey, who has blazed trails at Gunn Park for about a decade and in the last five years initiated the annual Tri-Yak-Athon contest, was there with the check.

The Tri-Yak-Athon is a race for bikers, runners and kayakers, which this year was turned over to Penny Pollack-Barnes to help coordinate. Gunn Park Trails members host the Tri-Yak-Athon.

Barnes presented the check, which was proceeds from the Tri-Yak-Athon in October, to the YAT.

The YAT members present to receive the check were Eric Bailey, Larry Fink, Diana Mitchell, and Tom Robertson.

Halsey said this is the first money raised for a cause by the Tri-Yak-Athon.

“We appreciate what you’ve done,” Mitchell told Halsey.

The goal for the playground is $180,000 and with this check, $39,000 has been raised, Mitchell said.

The playground equipment will eventually be at the south end of Ellis Park, west of the basketball court and near the UMB Pavillion.

“We have a lot more fundraising to do,” she said.

The YAT have a list of fundraisers they have sponsored through the years.

In 2007 the YAT initiated a Miles of Pennies community fundraiser for the Guinness Book of Records; in 2008 they sponsored a Jason Aldean concert for the city; in 2009 they sponsored a Luke Bryan concert, Mitchell said.

Then the group took a few years off.

In 2011 both Aldean and Bryan and the Duck Dynasty family came for the last concert.

 

The planned multi-sensory playground will be located in Ellis Park at the south end.