Tag Archives: featured

Business, Fort Scott

Better in Bourbon Boutique Will Open In a New Building In The Near Future

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Rachel Pruitt stands in front of her new location for her business in downtown Fort Scott.

A downtown boutique will be moving in the near future to a bigger location one street over, with more parking availability.

Better in Bourbon is owned by Rachel Pruitt is currently located on North Main Street but will be moving to a location on National Avenue.

“Better in Bourbon, the independently owned boutique known for its curated items (selected best styles for the season) AND personalized shopping experience, is expanding,” Pruitt said.

The newly renovated space at 2 Old Fort Blvd., in the former H&H building, offers customers more room to shop and a major upgrade in convenience with dedicated parking.

Pruitt says the move marks an exciting new chapter for the business, which began as a small pop-up and quickly became a staple in the Fort Scott retail scene.

“This expansion is about creating a better experience for our customers,” Pruitt said. “We’ve outgrown our current space, and this new location allows us to offer more of what people love—more inventory, more styling options, and an easier, more comfortable way to shop.”

The new location will feature increased floor space for apparel, accessories, and the boutique’s popular permanent jewelry offerings. The additional room will also allow for more curated, head-to-toe outfit displays—an approach that has set Better in Bourbon apart with its “solution-based shopping” model, according to a press release from Pruitt.

 

The expansion is part of a larger renovation effort aimed at breathing new life into a prominent Fort Scott property, while also supporting small business growth in the community, according to the press release.

Pruitt will be offering other businesses places to lease.

As part of the renovation, three unique spaces will also be available for lease. These turn-key spaces are suitable for a variety of business types and include all amenities. For more information, contact Nancy Pruitt at 620-224-9480.

Spring items are in stock at the current location on North Main Street, Fort Scott. Submitted photo.

Better in Bourbon plans to continue operating during the transition, with new arrivals and customer-favorite services still available as the move progresses.

The current site of Better in Bourbon on North Main Street, Fort Scott. Submitted photo.

An official opening date for the new space is expected to be announced soon. In the meantime, Pruitt encourages the community to stay tuned and stop in to see what’s new.

Pruitt also expressed gratitude to the loyal customer base that made the expansion possible. “We are so thankful for our customers—near and far—who have supported us every step of the way,” she said. “This growth wouldn’t be possible without you.”

“We’re excited to grow right here in Fort Scott and continue bringing something unique to local shopping,” she added.

 

 

 

The Better in Bourbon boutique is located at Old Fort Blvd. and National Avenue on the southeast corner.
Bourbon County, Fort Scott

Get Planting: Bourbon County Garden Club Sale at Fort Scott Farmer’s Market on May 2

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The Gathering Square Pavilion.

Spring is finally here, and the Fort Scott Farmer’s Market will start May 2 at the Gathering Square Pavilion, located at 111 N. National Avenue, just across from Brickstreet BBQ.

The Gathering Pavilion is a community hub featuring a covered pavilion, splash pad, and the Glide synthetic ice rink (during the winter).

The pavilion houses the Farmer’s Market (May–October),  in addition to concerts and events. It serves as a central venue for community gatherings.

The local garden club will offer plants for sale as a fundraiser, as they have done for the last several years.

 

The Bourbon County Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale on the opening day of the downtown Farmers’ Market, Saturday, May 2, from 8 a.m. until noon, at the north end of the pavilion.

Garden Club offerings. Submitted photo.

 

“Proceeds from the sale support beautification efforts throughout the community, including the city swimming pool islands, Heritage Park, the North Main area, and Riverfront Park,” according to Martha Jane Gentry, a spokeswoman for the group.

“Assistance is also provided with the plantings, at the downtown splash pad (adjacent to the pavilion). The garden club partners with Tri-Valley Developmental Services to sell a wide variety of plants, all of which are geared to our area’s challenging weather. Club members offer plants freshly dug from their own gardens.”

Submitted photos.

“Tri-Valley provides annuals, herbs, and both floral and foliage hanging baskets, all of which are ideal for Mother’s Day gifts. Other garden-related items will be available, such as pots, plant markers, tools, and books. There will also be drawings for several unique pots of flowers and herbs. Knowledgeable members and Master Gardeners will be available to offer advice and answer questions about gardening during the sale,” she said.

Submitted photos.

“This year’s plant sale has a committed focus, beyond community beautification,” she said. “The garden club has pledged $1,000 toward the replacement of the Lexan roof of the Tri- Valley greenhouse. The  (greenhouse) site provides plants for civic areas, individual gardens, and fund-raising, in addition to horticultural therapy for developmentally disabled adults.”

Tri Valley Greenhouse is located in Fort Scott’s Industrial Park, south of town. From its Facebook page.

 

Those who are interested in gardening can join the club.

“The Bourbon County Garden Club meets on the second Tuesday of the month, March through October. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, May 12th, at 6 p.m. Like us on Facebook for news, specific meeting announcements, and photos,” she said.

 

“Support the Bourbon County Garden Club’s commitment to the Tri-Valley greenhouse’s new roof project, and community beautification by shopping at the plant sale on Saturday, May 2,” she said.

 

 

 

Bourbon County, Government, Health Care

Boil Water Advisory Still In Effect For City of Uniontown

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Uniontown is located 17 miles west of Fort Scott.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment rescinded a boil-water advisory for the Bourbon County Rural Water District # 2 public water supply system on April 23, according to the KDHE website press release. But the City of Uniontown, located 17 miles west of Fort Scott, is still under a water boil order. That boil order should end this afternoon, if the water samples submitted are cleared.

The City of Fort Scott was cleared to stop boiling its drinking water on April 21, following water samples sent to a KDHE-approved lab.

“Fort Scott has to be cleared first, then Water District #2, and then Uniontown,” said Uniontown City Clerk Haley Arnold.

“(Uniontown City Superintendent) Bobby Rich took the water samples yesterday to the lab at Frontenac to submit them. They have to incubate for 24 hours, so we should find out by 2 p.m. today.”

“Some people thought we were out of the boil order because Water District 2 is our supplier, but we are following the guidelines we have been given,” she said.

The advisory was issued last weekend because of a waterline break resulting in a loss of pressure in the city of Fort Scott’s distribution system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

The Boil Water Advisory is still in effect for the City of Uniontown public water supply system, according to the press release.

“Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind notice following testing at a certified laboratory,” according to the press release.

“Laboratory testing of drinking water samples collected from the Bourbon Co RWD 2C system indicates no evidence of bacteriological contamination, and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.

“For consumer questions, please contact the Bourbon Co RWD 2C water system at 620-223-1110, or the city of Uniontown water system at 620-756-4742, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information, please visit our webpage: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/468/Disruption-in-Water-Service.”

Bourbon County

Cases similar to the charges against Commissioner Mika Milburn-Kee

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Similarities and differences in prior Kansas polling-place prosecutions and the current Bourbon County case.

The charges against Commissioner Milburn-Kee

On March 24, 2026, the Kansas Attorney General’s office filed a two-count misdemeanor complaint against Bourbon County Commissioner Mika Milburn-Kee. Count One is a general charge for interfering with public business in a public building. Count Two,  what is looked at in this article, charges her under K.S.A. 25-2413(c), the polling-place “three-foot rule”: a Class B misdemeanor to come within three feet of a voting booth or an election-board table unless you are there to vote or the supervising judge lets you. The law is associated with K.S.A. 25-2432, which says a public official who is convicted of an election crime loses their office (25-2413; 25-2432).

What is alleged

A prior FortScott.biz summary of the security-camera video describes the commission meeting room being used during early voting to validate voters and handle provisional ballots. On October 25, 2025, Milburn-Kee is shown sitting at the commission table near a stack of what election officials said were unverified provisional ballots, reading a newspaper, and waving and greeting a voter through the open doorway. County Clerk Susan Walker is shown twice telling her she cannot be in the polling-area rooms; on the second try, Walker offered to help move her things and said she would call the police if required. Milburn-Kee moved to an adjoining office about twelve minutes after first being told to leave.

The closest Kansas comparison: Blubaugh

In October 2024, Meghan Blubaugh — the wife of a newly elected Sedgwick County commissioner — wore a T-shirt with her husband’s campaign name on it to an early-voting site in southwest Wichita. Poll workers asked her to turn it inside out, and she refused. The county Election Commissioner then came to the site in person and asked her again, and she refused a second time. Poll workers called the Secretary of State’s office, and Blubaugh was charged under K.S.A. 25-2430 (electioneering), a Class A misdemeanor. In January 2025, the case was resolved by diversion, with about $160 in court costs and completion of a county election-worker training. Diversion is not a conviction, but does usually require one to admit fault. If she finishes the program, the case is dismissed with nothing on the record.

This seems to be about the closest match to an election-related case in Kansas. The original polling-place misdemeanor filing, a politically connected defendant, and an alleged refusal to follow an election official’s on-site instruction. The result was Blubaugh choosing to admit guilt and take a diversion rather than fight the charge.

But there are differences. Blubaugh wasn’t a sitting elected official, so forfeiture of office was never on the table; the statute charged was different, and her conduct unfolded over a shorter window than the roughly twelve minutes in Milburn-Kee’s video summary. Diversion can be offered in one case and declined in another, so the fact that it was used in the Blubaugh case doesn’t mean it would be an option in another case, even if the situation were the same.

Milburn-Kee was not charged under 25-2430 herself, even though she greeted a voter. That statute is aimed at campaign advocacy (candidates, parties, ballot questions).  The public description of her interaction doesn’t mention campaign material.

The same-statute comparison: Ceballos

Joe Ceballos-Armendariz, the former mayor of Coldwater, was charged in November 2025 with six felonies for voting as a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident in three prior elections. His defense attorney, Jess Hoeme, initially told KCUR he was “confident he’ll beat this” by arguing Ceballos never intended to commit crime a before a jury. However, his case was resolved when he plead guilty to a lesser crime.  April 20, 2026 Ceballos pled guilty to three Class B misdemeanor counts of K.S.A. 25-2413 (the same statute cited in Count Two against Milburn-Kee). In exchange, the court dismissed all six felonies Ceballos was charged with. The sentence after the plea deal involved a $2,000 fine plus costs, six months jail per count (but this was suspended), and one year of probation.

His sentence after pleading guilty to the lesser charge is probably the most current example of how 25-2413 has been applied in Kansas, but Ceballos’ case isn’t a perfect parallel for Milburn-Kee’s charges. Under Kansas law, elected officials must be legal electors, so he had to step down from Coldwater’s city council immediately instead of waiting to see if he won or lost the case. He also faced possible federal deportation tied to a conviction. Both can change what a plea is worth in ways that wouldn’t apply to a U.S. citizen serving out an elected term in an office they are legally qualified to occupy. He was also negotiating down from six felonies. With Commissioner Milburn-Kee’s case, it isn’t clear what lower charge might be offered in exchange for a plea, should she decide not to fight the charges.

Gaps in the record

Every Kansas 25-2413 and 25-2430 case that could be found ended in the defendant admitting guilt through a plea or diversion, and none of them went through trial to a verdict. So it is hard to determine, from past cases, how a judge or jury would apply the three-foot rule to facts like the current situation. The forfeiture-of-office statute is also doesn’t come up in these cases. It appears to make loss of office automatic on final conviction, but Ceballos wasn’t in office at the time of conviction, and Blubaugh wasn’t running for office. How forfeiture would work for an official who stays in office through a conviction is an open question.

One caveat: the Attorney General’s office, like most prosecutors, generally files cases it thinks it can win or settle, avoids cases it doesn’t think it doesn’t think are very strong, and publicizes wins more than losses.

On the one hand, this might indicate that the Attorney General doesn’t bring charges until their investigation gives them full confidence of a conviction. On the other hand, there might be cases that the AG drops that are harder to find in the judicial record. If they exist, they might indicate potential for Milburn-Kee to mount a successful defense.

Laws and legal filings:

Links to news stories on Kansas cases with similarities:

Business, Fort Scott

The Dillons Open The Market at 23 Main

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Rob and Lisa Dillon. From her Facebook page.

Rob and Lisa Dillon purchased Main Street Gallery on April 9 and reopened the store on April 14 as The Market at 23 Main.

“We bought the inventory and historic building, the Von Fossen Building, at 23 S. Main,” Rob said. “We have always enjoyed flea market shopping, and we were looking to start a business with another downtown merchant, and that didn’t work out. This came available, and we jumped on it.”

The products they sell are consignment items, antiques, home decor, clothes, collectables, and knick-knacks on the multi-level booth areas.

Along with Lisa and Rob and their children, they have hired an employee, Madi Collins, who worked for the previous owners, the McClellans.

The current hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The store’s phone number is 620.223.2210.

They currently have over 30 consignors and 28 vendors who sell items at the store. “Each booth is based on square footage,” he said. “We are looking for more vendors.”

Lisa is the Housing and Urban Development coordinator for the City of Fort Scott, which includes the Land Bank and the Certified Local Government designation.

Rob has been a locksmith for 15 years and can make duplicate keys for the public. He is hoping for the future of the business to add leather works to the store and an engraving business (on wood, slate, and leather).

 

Opinion

Opinion: When Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

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April 1st has long been an important date in journalism. From the BBC’s “Bumper Spaghetti Crop” story in 1957 to the ads saying that Taco Bell had bought and renamed the  Liberty Bell to Taco Liberty Bell in 1996, the date has always offered a fun diversion — and a good opportunity for self-reflection. Just how gullible am I?

FortScott.biz publishes a few April Fool’s posts each year. Past stories have included everything from a new snake pit going into Gunn Park to an alligator petting zoo that organizers pointed out would help keep the local emergency room in business. This year, we had a resolution against light pollution in which commissioners said they would outlaw any light source stronger than “a jar of lightning bugs with a towel draped over it.” Another described efforts to build a new monument where important events could be inscribed. Originally, the plans called for it to be 15 feet tall, but to accommodate the many lawsuits, organizers were now trying to raise trillions of dollars for a 4.5-mile-tall monolith.

(Archive of FortScott.biz’s April Fool’s posts.)

Usually, I feel we do a good job of including enough absurdity that any reader paying attention will quickly catch on to the joke. This year, though, we reached a new milestone. On April 3rd, I started getting messages that KOMB was reading our April Fool’s stories as part of their news segment — without mentioning they came from FortScott.biz or that they had been published on April 1st.
I’m not sure how you read stuff like this with a straight face:
“We have lost touch with the natural darkness that is a vital part of Bourbon County’s attractive quality of life,” one commissioner said while holding a printed chart no one could read because the room lights had already been turned off in anticipation of the vote.
And yet, here we were. What should be an obviously absurd joke was being read as actual news. I called the radio station and explained that while we’re happy to have them share content from FortScott.biz, it would be nice if they mentioned the source — and suggested they might want to exercise a bit of caution with absurd stories published on April Fool’s Day.
We find ourselves in a situation where a “photograph” of nothing but a black rectangle — purporting to show the commissioners signing an ordinance that would require nighttime driving to rely on “moonlight” and “quiet-instinct” — doesn’t seem far-fetched enough. (Commissioner Allen texted me to say thank you for capturing his “good side” in the blank “photograph.”)
On one hand, maybe I’m losing my ability to think of things that are truly absurd. Maybe that’s a faculty that diminishes with age, and statements like this just reveal my waning capability to conjure up silliness:
Commissioners said the new rules are necessary to preserve residents’ God-given right to see every star in the heavens, including several “fainter ones that have historically been none of our business.”
On the other hand, maybe the absurdity of what is actually happening has simply caught up with fiction. Consider the following:
  1. A good number of the past few Bourbon County commissioners launched a lawsuit against their own official positions, then once seated, rescinded a motion by the county’s lawyer to have the lawsuit dismissed, then flipped county resources to attack the co-defendants.
  2. Bourbon County Commissioners have literally outlawed the level of noise produced by many relatively subdued evening conversations — meaning any impassioned discussion of politics or sports is an offense punishable by a fine. Also banned: the operation of most home air-conditioning units. Based on the text of the actual ordinance, the commissioners’ willful continuation of road maintenance appears to put them on the hook for $500 for each road grader operated each day in the county. We have commissioners who carefully reviewed payroll, voted to approve it, and then claimed they had approved an illegal payment.
  3. An elected official had her agenda item removed, then had her 3-minute public comment cut short when the commissioners terminated the entire meeting. While the audio recording is sometimes hard to hear, it captured the crystal clear sound of her calling them “chicken shit” as she left the room.

Any of these things would pass as a fine April Fool’s story. Unfortunately, these are the things that are actually happening in our community.

We find ourselves here because of a lack of leadership — not a lack of difficult, cerebral, highly abstract leadership ideas, but much more mundane leadership skills. Basic things like having enough curiosity and general knowledge to ask, “How loud is the 45 dB noise level that we are talking about banning?” Enough trust of employees to ask, “How much trouble will it cause if we stop letting you edit your own timesheets?” And even just leaning a tad more toward self-preservation than hubris — enough to move five feet to an adjacent room as soon as you discover your presence might be violating election laws.

Maybe this can change. There have been a few recent, small glimmers of common sense. Three of the five commissioners took feedback from employees and voted to let them edit their own timecards, as they had always done in the past. Taking months to change a trivial payroll setting to fix a problem of the commissioner’s own making is hardly something to celebrate as progress. However, without the two new commissioners, the vote would have failed. Maybe the county is starting to see some return on investment in those two additional seats.

For better or worse, that is where we are as Bourbon County — a place where even the most outrageous April Fool’s stories can pass for actual news on the radio. But maybe we are starting to turn in a better direction. Maybe, just maybe, by next year, Bourbon County’s reality will be different enough that April Fool’s articles will sound enough like fiction to not pass for news on the radio.

Mark Shead

Note: FortScott.biz publishes opinion pieces with a variety of perspectives. If you would like to share your opinion, please send a letter to [email protected]. 

Bourbon County, Government, Health Care

Boil Order for Water Will Be In Effect For Days

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Bourbon County with Township designations, from the Bourbon County KS website.

Bourbon County is still under a boil advisory, following the mainline water break in Fort Scott on April 18.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a boil water advisory for the City of Fort Scott, Bourbon County Rural Water District # 2C, and City of Uniontown public water supply systems located in Bourbon County on Saturday.
The city of Fort Scott experienced a mainline water break on Burke Street between Eighth and Ninth Streets at around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, April 18, said Scott Flater, Public Utility Director.
“It wasn’t reported until  6 a.m,” he said.
“I’m collecting water today that will be sent back to the lab,” Flater said.
As soon as the city sends the water sample, it has to incubate for 24 hours. Then the Rural Water District #2 will get notifications to take water samples, to send in to KDHE, which must be incubated for 24 hours as well. Once the samples are cleared, the boil order will be lifted, according to Mark Pollmeir, RWD#2 spokesman.
This advisory does not affect customers of the City of Fulton, nor Bronson, who are both in separate water districts, but does affect all the other small rural towns and rural residents in the county.
City of Uniontown Clerk Haley Arnold said she has put notices up at Union Station (gas station), the Uniontown Post Office,  City Hall, and her personal Facebook page asking others to share the news, to help get the word out about the boil order.
Communicating to residents in rural areas about these events is difficult, and Arnold is open to suggestions for getting the word out, she said.
Lou Howard, Bourbon County Emergency Manager, said she called the local radio station to help get the word out and published it on the Bourbon County website.
Both receiving and delivering communication has been difficult regarding the boil advisory, Howard said.
“While communicating the boil water advisory presented some challenges, we will continue working to improve how important information is shared with the public,” she said.
“Residents can receive emergency alerts and general community information through several sources, including local television and radio stations, wireless cell phone alerts, official websites, and other online resources. Important updates are also often shared through friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers,” Howard said.
“Community members are encouraged to help ensure information reaches everyone. If you know someone who does not regularly use the internet or a cell phone, please consider sharing important alerts and updates with them so they can stay informed and prepared,” she said.
Emergency alerts are transmitted through:
or for this specific boil order for rural residents:
Consolidated RWD2 website to register for their alerts – Home | Consolidated Rural Water Dist. 2.
Jack Ripper, Bourbon County Water District #4, which serves Bronson and the surrounding area, said he had not heard of the boil order for the rest of the county.
“We have our own lake for our water supply,” he said. “So we are not affected at all.”
According to the KDHE notification sent out by the City of Fort Scott on its Facebook page, customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
1) Boil water for one minute before drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.
2 ) Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
3) If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
4) Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
5 ) Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
The advisory took effect on April 18, 2026 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved.
KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a waterline break in the city of Fort Scott’s distribution system, resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination, according to the press release.
The City of Fort Scott water system provides water to Bourbon Co RWD 2C, which distributes water to Bourbon County.
Only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
For consumer questions, contact the City of Fort Scott water system at 620-223-5160, or Bourbon Co RWD 2C water system at 620-223-1110, or the city of Uniontown water system at 620-756-4742, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:
Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety & lodging program at [email protected] or call 785-564-6767.
Fort Scott

New Collegiate Summer Baseball Team Needs Host Families

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A new collegiate summer baseball team, a part of the 2026 Mid-America League, based in Fort Scott, will begin the season next month. The team name honors the U.S. Army’s 1st Regiment of Dragoons, a mounted infantry unit at Fort Scott National Historic Site in the 1840s.

 

“The Dragoons are a developmental collegiate league, a wood bat league baseball team,” said Steve Anthony, Dragoons Host Family Coordinator. “There will be 26 players on the team from all over the United States coming to Fort Scott. The Players will be from NCAA Division 1, Division 2, and Division 3 NAIA and Junior Colleges.”

“This will be the first season in Fort Scott. League play starts in late May and will run until late July,” he said. “They will be playing their home games at LaRoche Stadium here in Fort Scott. Folks who decide to house players will receive season tickets as well as discounts at the concession stand.”

“From what I understand, the players will have their own transportation to and from home games, and they require a bed and bathroom, and also provide meals for the players.”

The team is owned by Bill Larsen, managed by Mike Albin, with Justin Miles as General Manager.

From Instagram.

The team is still being assembled, but  Fort Scott athletes, Lennox Vann and Kanin Brown, among others,  have signed on to play with the Dragoons, according to its Facebook page.

 

From its Facebook page.
From Facebook.

From a press release:

Fort Scott Dragoons Announce 2026 Season Schedule

The Fort Scott Dragoons have officially released their 2026 season schedule, featuring a summer packed with competitive baseball and family-friendly entertainment. After starting the season on the road, the Dragoons will host their Opening Night in Fort Scott on May 26.

The upcoming season highlights include:

Competitive Matchups: Key games against the Meridian Blues, Bryan Yard Dogs, and Nacogdoches Niners.

Fan Experience: A full slate of promotions, theme nights, and premium seating options.

Community Focus: Affordable entertainment designed for youth teams, businesses, churches, and local organizations.

Mid America League Action: The league features talented collegiate and professional players dedicated to community connection.

Schools, Youth

Brazilian Student Experiences High School Life in Uniontown

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Gabriella Basso, 17, is an international student attending Uniontown High School this school year.

She is from Garibaldi, a municipality in Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil,  with an area of approximately 35,000 people. Uniontown has around 300 people.

 

“I learned about the exchange program through my sister, who also participated in one during the 2022–2023 school year. She originally found out about it on YouTube, and after hearing about her experience, I became really interested in doing the same,” Gabi said.

 

Her first experience in America was visiting Walt Disney World when she was young.

Gabi at Disney World when she was a child. Submitted photo.

“At that time, everything felt very big and exciting,” she said. “Later on, through movies and social media, I imagined American high schools as having a lot of school spirit and opportunities. When I finally came as an exchange student, I realized many of those impressions were true, especially the size of the schools and how involved students are in activities.”

 

“While living here, I’ve learned that sports are a big part of student life, and many people are very involved in school activities. I also noticed how important cars are for daily life, since most people rely on them to get around. Another thing that stood out to me is the strong sense of pride people have in their schools and colleges, as well as the sense of community in many towns.”

 

Learning all the differences in everyday English and adapting to a new culture have been the biggest challenges for her, she said.

 

“Even though I studied English before coming, it was still difficult at first to understand everything and express myself the way I wanted. Being away from my family and adjusting to a different routine was also challenging, but it helped me grow a lot as a person.”

 

“Here in the U.S., I’ve had the opportunity to take classes that are not usually offered in the same way in Brazil, especially as separate, specialized subjects. For example, I’ve taken Human Anatomy & Physiology, FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences), and Agriculture classes. These types of courses are more hands-on and focused on specific skills or career areas, which makes them very different from what I would typically experience in Brazil.”

“American high schools are quite different from schools in Brazil. Here, students have more flexibility to choose their classes and schedules, while in Brazil the curriculum is more fixed.”

“There is also a much bigger focus on extracurricular activities, like sports and clubs, which are a central part of student life. In addition, American schools often have a strong sense of school spirit, which is something I found really interesting.”

The hosting family

She is being hosted by the Chris and Lael Woods family.

“We have enjoyed hosting Gabriella,” said Lael Woods. “Not only is she a sweet, kind-hearted, and fun person, but it has been fun learning about her culture and seeing her experience life as an American teenager. She has been busy learning all the sports and participating in AG and art classes, along with earning a 4.0 GPA.”
“We have a sophomore daughter, Makiah, who is also involved in many activities, so it has packed this year to the brim with fun.”
“Gabi is a Junior. She arrived a week before school started this year, on August 12th. She will leave at the end of May,  two weeks after school is out.”
“While she is here, our obligation as her host family is to provide  three meals a day and transportation.”
“We have encouraged her to participate in as many activities as she wanted to explore and she has taken that advice to heart! We’ve supported all those endeavors, however, her family pays for any of the expenses that come from her extracurricular activities, like equipment and clothing.”

 

About the organization that brought Gabi to Uniontown

“Gabi has tried a lot of new activities – sports, art, clubs….everything,” said Janice Rake,  with the sponsoring organization, the Pan American Foundation, that matched Gabi with her host family. “Right now, we are working to place many wonderful students for the upcoming school year. They are eager to experience American culture and share their culture—but without a host family, that opportunity is not possible.  Families who do host often describe it as a life-changing experience, forming lasting relationships and gaining a global perspective right from their home.”

Rake can be reached at
[email protected]

or
iwanttohost.org .

Bourbon County, Government, Jobs

Bourbon County’s New Emergency Manager: Lou Howard

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Lou Howard, Bourbon County Emergency Manager. Submitted photo.

Lou Howard was hired as the new Bourbon County Emergency Manager on February 13.

She knows the area because she has lived and worked here her entire life.

“I have spent many years serving in public safety in several different roles. I served with Bourbon County Fire District 3 for many years as a firefighter / EMT,” Howard said. “I held several officer positions and served as a board member for several years. I gained extensive experience in emergency response, incident command, and working alongside other first responders to protect our community.”

“I also worked for the City of Fort Scott as a Communications Technician before becoming the 911 Communications Director for the Fort Scott Police Department/Bourbon County 911 Communications Center. As Communications Director, I oversaw the day-to-day operations of the 911 center and supervised staff while helping ensure emergency calls and radio communications were handled accurately and efficiently.”

She is currently working full-time at the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office as an administrative assistant for the sheriff and Bourbon County Corrections.

The Emergency Manager position is a part-time position.

“Fortunately, Sheriff Martin, Major Moore, and my coworkers have been very easy to work with,” she said. “I can leave the office if I need to take care of Emergency Management issues or attend meetings or trainings, and make up the time as long as everything is getting done.”
“Anything that can be taken care of for Emergency Management outside of business hours, I have been doing before clocking in at the Sheriff’s office or after clocking out and working weekends on it.”
“Emergency Management, like other emergency services, is definitely not a Monday through Friday 9-5 job. It has been a balancing act juggling both positions, but I feel like I am handling it well so far.”
Yes! Our Facebook page is Bourbon County Kansas Emergency Management.

What does the Bourbon County Emergency Manager do?

“As the Bourbon County Emergency Manager, my role is to coordinate activities relating to the prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery to natural disasters, major emergencies, or terroristic events. I will work closely with local fire departments, law enforcement, EMS, public health, and local, state, and federal government officials to coordinate emergency planning and response efforts.”

My responsibilities include disaster preparedness planning, coordinating response efforts during emergencies, supporting training and exercises, and helping educate the public about preparedness and safety.

“One of the first projects I am working on is implementing Genasys Protect, which will replace CodeRED as Bourbon County’s emergency notification system. The system will allow residents to receive important emergency notifications and updates, including severe weather alerts and other public safety information.”

To learn more about emergency management and the new alert system, stop by the Emergency Preparedness booth at the 103.9 Home Show this Saturday, April 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fort Scott Community College.

With the Kansas tornado season in full swing, this is a good time to know where to get alerts.

“I will have a Bourbon County Emergency Management booth and will be happy to help residents get registered for the new alert system and answer questions.”

Education and Experience

She graduated from Fort Scott High School and has continued her education and training through her career in public safety.

She completed Firefighter I and Fire Service Instructor, and many other training courses through the University of Kansas Fire and Rescue Training Institute.

“I completed my Kansas Board of EMS Emergency Medical Technician certification through Fort Scott Community College and went on to complete the Emergency Medical Training Officer certification. I am an American Heart Association instructor and have completed coursework in Emergency Management through Barton County Community College.”

“In the field of emergency communications, I earned certifications through The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) as a Public Safety Telecommunicator and Communications Training Officer, and completed the Center Manager Certification Program through the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).”

The Bourbon County Courthouse.

Contact information

Lou Howard, Bourbon County Emergency Manager, has an office in the courthouse at 210 National Avenue, Fort Scott.
Phone: 620-215-6316
Email: [email protected]
Website: bourboncountyks.org

The Facebook page is Bourbon County Kansas Emergency Management.

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Kingfisher Inn: Boutique Vacation Accommodations in Historic Mansion Reopens

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Inside the Kingfisher Inn, 742 S. National Avenue, Fort Scott. From its Facebook page.

The two historic mansions on South National Avenue are back to business.

Following a couple of changes of ownership since they were known as The Lyons Mansions, the north mansion is ready for travelers once again, and the south mansion is currently rented for office spaces.

Daniel Kerr is the owner of Kingfisher Properties LLC and owns the two mansions, plus a small house on the property that faces Judson Street.

“In December, I was hired as the manager,” said Mindy McDonald. “We offer boutique lodging,  more upscale. We are just now starting to get the word out that we are open.”

Mindy McDonald is the manager of the Kingfisher Inn in Fort Scott. Submitted photo.

 

One can rent the entire mansion or a single room.

Single use allows usage of the common areas in the building: living area, billiard room, sun room, she said.

The east side of the Kingfisher Inn. One can see the sun room available for guests. From its Facebook page.

“To rent the entire mansion, prices start at $600 per night,” she said. “It will sleep 16 people.”

There is a full kitchen with various coffee makers,  stove, oven, full fridge, and dishwasher available for guest use.

The single room starts at $130 per night, excluding the cleaning fee and taxes.

“There is a family suite on the third floor that starts at $210, with two bedrooms and two baths and a sitting area. It sleeps 8 people, with three beds in one room and one bed in another.”

“The Kingfisher Inn stands out as a piece of history in Fort Scott,” she said. “It’s pretty important to keep these historic buildings alive. It’s unique to stay in an historic building. My husband and I stayed in the Lyons Mansion when visiting Fort Scott, when Miss Pat was the host and owner.”

“We operate like an Airbnb, through me,” she said. “They self-check into their room and contact me with any issues during their stay.”

To rent a room, use the business website: http://thekingfisherinn.com

One can learn more about the business also on its Facebook page.

The Kingfisher Inn, 742 S. National Avenue, Fort Scott. From its Facebook page.