Category Archives: Fort Scott
Pioneer Harvest Fiesta Is October 3-6: A History of Rural American Culture
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/
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.
Love Golf, Help The Needy: Elks Benefit Tournament September 28
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.
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.
Special Meeting of the U234 Board of Education on September 25
Unified School District 234
424 South Main
Fort Scott, KS 66701-2697
620-223-0800 Fax 620-223-2760
DESTRY BROWN
Superintendent
BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL MEETING
September 25, 2024 – 5:30 p.m.
AGENDA SUMMARY PUBLIC
1.0 Call Meeting to Order David Stewart, President
2.0 Flag Salute
3.0 Approval of the Official Agenda (Action Item)
4.0 Resolution 24-08 – Exceeding the Revenue Neutral Tax Rate for financing the annual budget for
2024-25 (Action Item) Roll Call Vote
5.0 KASB Board Training – Michelle Hubbard
6.0 Enter Executive Session – Personnel Matters (Action Item)
6.1 Exit Executive Session – _______ (Time)
6.2 Approval of Personnel Report (Action Item)
7.0 Adjourn Meeting _____ (Time) David Stewart, President
Results from the Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation 5th Annual Fort Scott Golf Classic
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.
FS City Commission Agenda for September 24
NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR SPECIAL MEETING
OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
September 24, 2024 – 6:00 P.M.
- Call to Order
- Roll Call
Tim VanHoecke, Matthew Wells, Dyllon Olson, Kathryn Salsbury, Tracy Dancer
III. Pledge of Allegiance
- Invocation
- Approval of Agenda
- New Business
Public Hearing:
- Condemnation and Repair Proceedings of 118 E. Wall Street
Action Items:
- Consideration of Requests for Qualifications for Consultant for Airfield Development Projects at Fort Scott Municipal Airport
VII. Reports and Comments:
- City Manager Comments
- Engineering Comments
- Commissioners Comments
- City Attorney Comments
VIII. Adjourn
Fort Scott Broadcasting Celebrates 70 Years In Business
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
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.
“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/.
Town Wide Garage Sale This Weekend In Fort Scott
See the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page for the list of garage sales.
Opening Day of the Kitchen C & C
Snapshots of the first day open of The Kitchen C & C.
To learn more:
Fort Scott Town-Wide Garage Sale This Weekend
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Susan Eldridge Retires After 41 Years at Union State Bank
Union State Bank announces the retirement of Susan Eldridge, who has been an integral part of our team since May 1, 1983. Susan, who has served primarily as the bank’s Cashier, will be retiring after an impressive 41 years of dedicated service.
Susan Eldridge’s tenure with Union State Bank has been marked by her unwavering commitment to excellence, customer service, and community involvement. Her extensive knowledge and steadfast dedication have greatly contributed to the success and reputation of our institution. Her retirement marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
To honor Susan’s remarkable career and celebrate her contributions, Union State Bank will be hosting two special receptions in her honor:
- Uniontown Reception: Tuesday, September 24th, 2024
- Time: 1 – 3 pm
- Location: Union State Bank, 204 Sherman Street, Uniontown
- Fort Scott Reception: Thursday, September 26th, 2024
- Time: 1 – 3 pm
- Location: 1009 S. Clark Street, Fort Scott
Both receptions will offer an opportunity for friends, colleagues, and community members to extend their best wishes to Susan and to join us in celebrating Susan’s remarkable career and to wish her well as she embarks on her well-deserved retirement.
For further information, please contact Stevia Ratcliff at (620) 223-0066.
About Union State Bank
Union State Bank has been a cornerstone of the Uniontown and Fort Scott communities, offering personalized banking services and financial solutions for decades. Our commitment to exceptional customer service and community involvement remains at the heart of our mission.
Outpost 13 West Opening on September 23
The Bowman family, Cindy and John and their son Alex and his wife Carissa, own both Brickstreet BBQ and across the street, the NuGrille Restaurant, at the corner of National Avenue and Oak.
In 2021 they purchased the property west of Brickstreet BBQ to save it, Cindy Bowman said.
On September 23, they will open Outpost 13 West, a Southwestern cuisine restaurant at 13 West Oak Street.
The Bowmans found after they purchased the it, that it is a 152-year-old historic building.
The oldest record found for the building was 1862, according to records found with help from personnel at the Old Fort Genealogical Society of Southeast Kansas Inc, located at 221 S. National.
The Oulds family built it as a livery stable that was used by the government military, at Fort Scott, and was the corral, used to contain the animals that the U.S. federal fort needed.
The 3,000 square feet building by 2021 was in “pretty bad shape,” said John Bowman.
The arches are a noticeable architectural feature in the renovation.
“The arches are original, but they were closed in and we reopened them,” Cindy said.
The venture will be a build-your-own Southwestern cuisine food line, “you pick it, we will build it,” Alex said.
Southwestern cuisine includes tacos, burritos, etc. with choices of meat and toppings.
In addition, there is a separate bar that serves ice cream, slushes, and desserts.
There will be 15 employees in the new business, with some being moved from Brickstreet BBQ to help.
September 23 will be the official opening of Outpost 13 West.
Hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
To contact the restaurant: 620.224.2419. or [email protected]
About the original building owner
The Bowmans found that before S.A. Oulds came to Fort Scott in 1852, he went to South Australia to the gold mines and made $150,000 there. “He returned to his family in Ohio where he farmed, then traveled south and west to this location where in 1862 he started this livery stable in Fort Scott,” Carissa said.
Cindy said that concrete posts have been added to the front of the building, so vehicles can’t get too close, as a safety measure.