Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College, Host Screening of Tall Grass Film Festival- Selected Documentary, I Needed Paris
Fort Scott, Kan. September. 27, 2024 – The documentary I Needed Paris will make its premier screening on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 11:00am to 12:00pm at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. This film is an official selection for the 2024 TallGrass Film Festival in Wichita, Kansas. The screening is free admission and open to the community to the attend. This screening is part of the 21st Annual Gordon Parks Celebration.
We are very fortunate to have this film make its debut here in Fort Scott.
“We are very fortunate and excited to host this film and having the film’s premiere debut here in Fort Scott.,” said Gordon Parks Museum Executive Director, Kirk Sharp. “This is a great opportunity for our everyone community to have a chance to see this film that has been officially selected for the 2024 TallGrass Film Festival for free. We encourage everyone in the community to attend.”
This film follows the journey of a small group of photography students from the Gordon Parks Academy in Wichita, KS, through Paris, France, in late May 2024, traversing the same streets and neighborhoods as Gordon Parks when he worked in the Paris bureau of Life magazine in the early 1950s. These students along with other photographers will take a deep dive into Gordon’s world of fashions, portraits, street photography, music and poetry. They will also incorporate some fashion images using the same type of camera Gordon used – twin lens reflex film cameras. The screening is free and open to the community to attend.
Produced and directed by Michael Cheers. Associate Professor, Photojournalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, San Jose State University. Cinematographer/Editor, B. Kameron Lawson.
For more information about the film or the Gordon Parks Celebration visit us at
Bourbon County Community Theatre is still holding auditions for Voices from the Grave, an original production based on stories from Bourbon County’s history.
An open audition will take place October 2nd from 5:30 to 6:30 PM at the Fort Scott high School Auditorium.Those who audition must be age 14 or over and rehearsal times will be scheduled in small groups with the Director, Regen Wells.
Voices from the Grave is from 6-9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Riverfront Park in Fort Scott, KS. Guests will enjoy a guided walking tour of short acting vignettes centering around stories of murder and mayhem in Fort Scott. Scenes were written by the students in the Advanced Drama class at Fort Scott High School and are based off of stories from local author Brian Allen’s books about Fort Scott.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and are available from bcct.ludus.com in Fort Scott. Tour times must be pre-scheduled and run every 15 minutes. Parents must accompany children under the age of 14.
More information can be found on the Bourbon County Community Theatre Facebook page or by contacting Wells at 620-215-3510.
Diane Striler and her husband Dean at last year’s Christmas on the Bricks. Submitted photo.
There will be an added event coming to the 2nd Annual Christmas on the Bricks event, ice skating!
The rink will be a daw to Fort Scott and help with local commerce, according to Diane Striler, who is spearheading the rink project.
The rink will be in the new Gathering Place Pavilion on North National Avenue of the Fort Scott Downtown Historic District.
Striler has been talking to people since the first of 2024 about the project, an ice skating rink with no ice (it is a synthetic surface) that is not dependent on cold weather since the surface does not need to be frozen.
An anonymous couple is donating approximately $18,000 of the $37,000 total for the rink which includes the skating surface, railing, 60 skates of various sizes, and a sharpener for the skates. Additional donors have totaled approximately $3,500, and she has applied for a Fort Scott Area Community Foundation Grant.
In addition to those for the rink, other funds will need to be raised to purchase materials to build a storage facility. Striler has talked to a group that is willing to build the facility. It will be used to house the skates and provide a place for skaters to check in, sign their waivers, make payments, and access the rink.
“The whole project will be funded by private donations and grants, there are no tax dollars involved,” she said.
To bring the rink to Fort Scott, Striler had to get approval from the City of Fort Scott Commission and have a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the City and the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which is overseeing operations.
The kick-off for the opening of the rink will be the weekend of Christmas on the Bricks, Dec 6-8th. The plan is for the rink to be open that weekend and the following Thursday and Friday evenings, Saturdays, and part-day Sundays through January 5th. The cost to skate is $5 per person.
“We have talked to an individual who may help run the rink and oversee individuals involved,” she said. “We would like to allow different organizations to help staff the rink and receive part of the proceeds for their groups.”
In addition, Striler has been talking with Fort Scott Physical Therapist Meredith Tucker about creating some aids to use at the rink to make it more accessible for children with disabilities.
The rink can be reused for up to 15 years if cared for, she said.
First Fundraiser For the Project
To add to the needed ice skating rink funds, the first fundraiser is 6 p.m. on October 9 at the Liberty Theatre, 113 S. Main, Fort Scott.
It is called a Puzzle, Pizza & Pub Challenge!
The first team of 4 people to complete a 300-piece puzzle, a large pizza, AND a bucket of beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) wins!
The cost is $100 per team ($25/person)
The event is Wednesday, October 9th, at 6 p.m.
at the Liberty Theatre in downtown Fort Scott.
Register a team by calling or stopping by the Chamber at 620-223-3566 or online here! Limited to 20 teams!
If you can’t attend and still want to donate to the rink: click here to make a payment to the Fort Scott Area Chamber Foundation, 501c3, via PayPal or Venmo @fschamberfoundation, please note the Rink in the notes! Checks may also be made payable to the FS Area Chamber Foundation and mailed or dropped off at the Chamber, 231 E. Wall St with Rink in the memo.
Submitted graphic of a similar skating rink being purchased from Kwik-Rink, Maple Grove, Minnesota.
Pioneer Harvest Fiesta began from an interest in rural American cultural history and some early members’ interest in steam power which they had experienced in railroad employment and farm use, according to Davin Reichard, Vice President of the PHF board.
“The PHF is an organization interested in equipment, machinery, and other technology characteristic of rural American culture particularly during the first half of the twentieth century, and in sharing this with others,” Reichard said. “Typical exhibits include steam engines, tractors and stationary engines, quilts, threshing machines and other farm equipment, hand tools, and other items used in rural life in the early to mid-1900s.”
The PHF organization began in 1956 and their first show was in 1957.
Visitors will experience educational and historic exhibits, refreshments, and live musical entertainment all weekend, according to https://pioneerharvestfiesta.com/
All three days are alive with Steam Engines, Blacksmiths, Food and Flea Market Vendors, Drag Saw Demonstrations, Tractors & Gas Engines on Display, Baker Fan Demonstrations, Tractor Pull, and a Garden Tractor Pull. Quilt Show, Straw Bailing, Wheat Thrashing, Corn Husking/Shelling, Sorghum Making Demonstration, Rock Crushing, Saw Mill Operation, Car Show, and many more exciting events! It’s one great weekend to kick off Fall in the 4-state’s region! It’s the 68th annual Pioneer Harvest Fiesta, at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds in Historic Fort Scott, Kansas.
New at the event this year is a demonstration of sorghum cane processing and cooking.
Sorghum is an ancient grain and pro-planet protein source packed with nutrients. Sorghum is a versatile crop that can be grown as a grain, forage, or sweet crop and is one of the top five cereal crops in the world, according to https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com/sorghum-101/
Photo from Sorghum Checkoff.
This will be the second year of the car show at PHF.
The Bourbon County Fairgrounds are located at 2102 S Huntington Blvd., Fort Scott, KS 66701
The annual Pioneer Harvest Fiesta Parade is Thursday, October 3 at 6 p.m. in downtown Fort Scott on Main Street.
The main fairground event is Friday through Sunday, Oct. 4 -6, 2024.
Admission
This year’s full weekend admission is only $5 per person and includes a collector button and the Friday Bean Feed at 5 PM. For children under age 12, admission is FREE, but admission does not include a button. Prior year collector buttons are available for $1.
Officers
Current officers of the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta Board are President Craig Shikles; Vice President Davin Reichard; Secretary Betsy Readinger; and Treasurer Delphine Parks.
The Elks Lodge 579 Benefit Golf Tournament is this Saturday, September 28 at Woodland Hills Golf Course, Fort Scott.
It is an annual fundraiser event to purchase items for Christmas baskets for limited-resource families in our community.
“We have been providing this service for some time and it is one of our major projects,” member Cathy Bishop said.
“The golf tournament is our primary fundraiser for the Christmas Food Baskets that will provide the makings of a great Christmas meal for over 90 families in our community!” said member Millie Lipscomb. “We thank the businesses and individuals who support our major project.”
The tournament is a four-person scramble, $65 per person, and a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Registration starts at 8 a.m.
Please sign up by noon on September 25.
For more information 620.223.5060 or 620.224.0326.
“Money raised for this event will provide a meal at Christmas to families that are provided to us through the Beacon,” member Cathy Bishop said. “It includes a ham or turkey with all the fixings/sides.”
About The Beacon
The Beacon Food Pantry is located at 525 E. 6th Street in Fort Scott, providing food and other resources to those in need. Call 620-223-6869 for more info. The Beacon provides food services and financial assistance, which could include assistance with prescriptions, travel to work or to a medical facility, rent, utilities, and more, according to the info on the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce website.
Elks Lodge members prepare the Christmas baskets. Submitted photo.
About The Elks
The Elks mission: Helping Elks Build Stronger Communities, according to elks.org
They help youth develop lifelong skills, send students to college, meet the needs of today’s veterans, support the charitable work of the state Elks associations, and fund projects that improve the quality of life in local Elks communities.
A Flight 1st Place team was comprised of Todd Fox, Gerald Katner, Jan Remington, and Randy Vanwyck. Below is a photo of the raffle items. Submitted photos.
Saturday, September 14th was a perfect day for the Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation to hold their 5th Annual Fort Scott Golf Classic at the beautiful Woodland Hills Golf Course. It was fantastic golfing weather. Play began at 9 am with 12 teams.
Prizes were given out to 1st and 2nd places in A, B, and C Flights. The winners were: A Flight 1st Place – the team of Jan Remington, Gerald Katner, Todd Fox, and Randy Vanwyck; A Flight 2nd Place – the team of Dustin Hall, Caleb Hall, Nathan Mintz, and Reese Roberts; B Flight 1st Place – the team from Labconco made up of Kurtis Camp, Michael Harper, Ronnie Marsh, and Shawn Marshall; and B Flight 2nd Place – the team of Tanner McNutt, Jason Bauer, Kane Rogers, and Derek Bycroft; C Flight 1st Place – the team from Brent See, Braden Robinson, Bill Fiscus, and Matt Kay; and C Flight 2nd place – the team of George Robinson, Terry Sizemore, Paul Bearden, and Steve Stanfield.
Along with the three flights, prizes were handed out for Closest to the Pin and Longest Drive. Michael Harper won Closest to the Pin and Kevin Krokstrom won the Longest Drive contest. Players also had the chance to play a few hole games on the course such as Paul Bunyon and Betcha Can’t Get on the Green. New to the tournament was the orange ball contest. Each team was presented with an orange ball. The ball was to be used on all 18 holes and brought back at the end of the tournament. Six teams returned their orange balls and were entered into a drawing for Tri-Valley tumblers. The Orange Ball winners were Dustin Hall, Caleb Hall, Nathan Mintz, and Reese Roberts.
At the end of the tournament, door prizes were given out to several lucky golfers. The door prizes included: candles from Heidrick’s True Value; Igloo Coolers and Umbrella courtesy of SEK Financial; T-shirts and tumblers courtesy of Labconco; Gift Certificates to Miller Feed and Common Ground Coffee; and tickets to The Duttons in Branson courtesy of Fort Scott Broadcasting.
For the second year in a row, a raffle drawing was held. This year, three prizes were given away. The prizes were: a fire pit donated by Niece Products of Fort Scott; framed KC Chiefs Poster donated by Brigg’s Auto; and turkey fryer donated by Heidrick’s True Value. The winners were: Fire Pit – Paul Bearden; KC Chiefs – Tyler Cook; and Turkey Fryer – Shawn Marshall.
The tournament’s sponsors were: American Family Insurance – Jenny Collins; Bourbon County Cars; Brigg’s Auto; Cheney Witt Chapel; Don’s Spirits and Wines, LLC; Diehl, Banwart, & Bolton; Konantz-Cheney Chapel; Mid-Continental Restoration; Peerless Products; Radell Underground; and Wise Accounting. G & W Foods of Fort Scott, SEK Financial, and Modern Woodman were goodie bag sponsors.
All money raised from the event goes toward the Foundation’s mission of providing quality and affordable homes for our neighbors with intellectual/developmental disabilities in the eight counties of Allen, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Elk, Greenwood, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson. Since 2001, the Foundation has built six houses and acquired eight houses and a duplex. Four of these homes are located in Fort Scott and are home to 24 of our neighbors with intellectual/developmental disabilities.
“Without the generosity of our communities, this fun event could not have been held. Thank you to all the golfers who participated as well as to our event sponsors: corporate, hole, and in-kind. This tournament would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors. It is friends like you that allow us to provide services to our neighbors with I/DD and to help them achieve the quality of life they seek. Thank you” stated Special Projects Coordinator, Tricia Campbell.
Tim and Deb McKenney at the KS Department of Commerce 2023 awards ceremony. The McKenney family has operated the radio station in Fort Scott for 70 years. Submitted photo.
Seventy years ago, KMDO1600 Radio signed on the air in Fort Scott.
From October 7 through 11, the station will celebrate its 70th anniversary featuring the music of the 50s through the 90s.
The McKenney family has owned and operated the local radio business for the past 70 years, providing contemporary hit music, news, weather, sports, and public service announcements to the community.
Celebration Week at The Radio Station Oct. 7-11
In October 2024, music of the different decades will be featured, and some former disc jockeys will be on the air in the studios again.
During the week of October 7-11, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., the radio station will play special music from the different decades in which it has served the community.
On Monday, music from the 1950s will be featured, Tuesday will feature 60s music, Wednesday, 70s music, Thursday, 80s music and Friday, music from the 1990s.
The Trading Post is a daily program where one can buy, sale, trade or give away items.
Special Trading Post program for the anniversary celebration will be Tim Mckenney and Ron Palmer on Monday, Oct. 7; Charlene Keating, Becky Allen, and Kirby Ham, on Tuesday Oct. 8; Gary Palmer and Deb Mckenney on Oct. 9th, and Larry Gazaway and Pam Hutchison on Friday Oct. 11th.
The Beginning
Jim McKenney. Submitted photo.
Lloyd James (Jim) McKenney built several stations in the late 40s and early 50s, including the first stations in Carthage, Monnet, Cassville, and Branson, MO, and Iola, KS.
Jim McKenney built KMDO-AM radio station in Fort Scott, signing on for the first time on Oct. 7, 1954, in the vicinity of where Tractor Supply is today, with six employees.
The old radio station. Submitted photo.
“Jim had five sons and a daughter,” Deb said. “Several of the sons worked at KMDO in the early years, however, Tim, after starting on- air in 1969, worked there on and off until 1980, when he returned full-time and built 103.9FM (KOMB). Tim has been manager of the radio stations since 1980 and owner since 1996.”
“The studios and transmitters were south of town on Hwy. 69 originally in the area of Tractor Supply,” Deb said. “In 1990, we moved the studios and offices to the building we are now located in at 2 N. National and moved the tower and transmitters to a site where Walmart is presently located. In 2006, we moved the towers from that site to two separate sites. The KMDO tower is now located south of town in the industrial park and the 103.9FM tower is located about seven miles northwest of Fort Scott on 7 Highway.”
Deb started on the air at the station in the early 1980s and has worked with her husband in almost every function of the business since that time.
Serving the Public
They regularly broadcast city, county, and school talk shows in the Fort Scott area to keep people informed about current happenings in the area.
The radio station’s goal has been to serve the public interest, she said.
“We do that by broadcasting things of interest and/or service to our listeners,” she said. These include local news, weather, sports, music and public service announcements. We air weekly programs that inform listeners about what’s going on in our school systems, talks with our city manager about things going on in the city and talks with our county commissioners about what’s going on in the county. Broadcast Tiger games! And of course, we play music for folks too!”
Through the years, technology has changed, “but our clients and staff have been faithful,” she said.
The rest of the current broadcast crew besides Deb and Tim is Darla Ramsey, the office manager; Deana Wade, Angie King, and Angie Martin, sales executives; on-air personnel include “Downtown” Keith Brown, Charlene Bolinger, Carlos Muniz, and Jonah Cooke and they also have contract engineers.
Fort Scott Broadcasting is located at 2 N. National in Downtown Historic Fort Scott and can be reached at 620-223-4500.
State Recognition
In 2023, Fort Scott Broadcasting Co. Inc was recognized as the Southeast Kansas Regional Winner in Retail and Service by the Kansas Department of Commerce.
To The Stars: Kansas Businesses Awards is an annual awards program that recognizes businesses across the state for the valuable contributions they make to the Kansas economy and to the well-being of their communities, according to https://www.kansascommerce.gov/kansasbusinessawards/.
Fort Scott Broadcasting is the parent company of KMDO-AM, and KOMB-FM and is located at 2 N. National Avenue.
